# [Official] AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 Owners Thread



## Evil Penguin

*Drivers and Software:*

*Drivers:*

Latest Catalyst Stable/Beta

*Software:*

Atiman Uninstaller 8.3.6 (used to thoroughly clean out Catalyst drivers)

Display Driver Uninstaller (frequently updated - uninstalls both AMD and NVIDIA drivers)

RadeonPro (user defined profiles for 3D settings - very useful)

MSI Afterburner (Latest Beta)

MSI Afterburner (Latest Stable)

ASUS GPU Tweak

Sapphire TriXX

OCCT PT (stress/stability testing utility for CPU/GPUs)

HWiNFO64 (able to read VRM temps/voltages for reference design boards)

GPU-Z (provides information about your graphics card/s)


----------



## Evil Penguin

*Reserved*


----------



## urbanshaft

just waiting on the egg and im in


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *urbanshaft*
> 
> just waiting on the egg and im in


You and me both. 

MSI reference design, here I come!

Side note...

Still working on the OP.

I'll be adding more info such as an overclocking guide and driver update posts soon.


----------



## tats

Ordered my Asus, first time on team red. So I'm thinking I will download the drivers, then use driver sweeper to clean my old ones out, swap the cards and then install the new drivers? Right?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Just uninstall the old drivers, install the card and install the latest drivers.
Driver Sweeper can make a hell of a mess.

So now it's two people with ASUS!


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Ordered my Asus, first time on team red. So I'm thinking I will download the drivers, then use driver sweeper to clean my old ones out, swap the cards and then install the new drivers? Right?


DO NOT, I repeat, do not use Driver Sweeper. Instead, use Atiman Uninstaller. This will get rid of all the driver entries, application profiles, and other bits that are sometimes left behind. The best thing about it is that it does all of the work for you (uninstalling, rebooting, etc.).

I'll be adding myself to the list once my card comes in the mail.


----------



## snelan

Just bought two ASUS 7970's on the Egg. Registered too. Am I doing it right?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Just bought two ASUS 7970's on the Egg. Registered too. Am I doing it right?


Too specific on the model number, IMO.
I'll fix it and to reflect that you have two of them.


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Too specific on the model number, IMO.
> I'll fix it and to reflect that you have two of them.


Ha sorry about that







I didn't know if you just wanted us two write "HD 7970" or the full one.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Too specific on the model number, IMO.
> I'll fix it and to reflect that you have two of them.
> 
> 
> 
> Ha sorry about that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I didn't know if you just wanted us two write "HD 7970" or the full one.
Click to expand...

No problem, all fixed.

If you want me to update the clocks or something like that when you get your card, let me know.


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> No problem, all fixed.
> If you want me to update the clocks or something like that when you get your card, let me know.


Will do! Thanks


----------



## Porter_

registered! XFX Black Edition on the way.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> registered! XFX Black Edition on the way.


Welcome to the club.








Got the card overnight-ed?


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Welcome to the club.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Got the card overnight-ed?


yessir, but i forgot to select rush processing of my order. hopefully it doesn't throw a wrench in the works. i was acting like a cross between a giddy school girl and a ******ed monkey during the checkout process.


----------



## F1Seb

Booyah!!!!


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## flipmatthew

Flipmatthew - Sapphire HD 7970!


----------



## rubicsphere

I got a sapphire incoming


----------



## The Biz

Saphire coming. I selected overnight so hopefully tuesday.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Biz*
> 
> Sasphire coming. I selected overnight so hopefully tuesday.


If we are spending $550+, damn right we are going to overnight it.


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> If we are spending $550+, damn right we are going to overnight it.


Normally with newegg I wouldn't do overnight. I usually only do it on amazon with my student prime $4. But this time I did as it was like $607 with the card and my extra 4gb ram.

Come on monitor! I need the monitor here the same day as that's all I'm waiting on for this machine now.









$1200 into it now with just the monitor, keyboard, mouse and gfx card.


----------



## FastCR

I've got the reference XFX on the way. I forgot to check rush processing but I do have shop runner. Besides my 3rd monitor probably won't be here till late in the week anyway.
First time buying a flagship component, or a single PC component over $250, sick and excited at the same time.








$980 into display. Hope its worth it.


----------



## yanks8981

Two XFX Reference 7970s on their way for me!


----------



## BarryBadrinath

Registered. I've got a Sapphire 7970 on the way.


----------



## Nirran

Got a Reference XFX 7970 coming here. Can't wait for it to arrive as my 5850 is struggling at 2560x1600 on the new monitor.


----------



## LA_Kings_Fan




----------



## Kortwa

Have two XFX 7970s on the way to my doorstep Tuesday.


----------



## JMCB

Just gotta flip a few cards and I'll be on my way to crossfire country with these beauts.


----------



## henrys

I might get 2 tomorrow.


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## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *henrys*
> 
> I might get 2 tomorrow.


Hopefully you'll be able to find them.








They are selling like hot-cakes.


----------



## henrys

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Hopefully you'll be able to find them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They are selling like hot-cakes.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Sweet!


----------



## hellboy_101

I'll add my GPU-Z link when they arrive in hopefully 4 days /drool.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hellboy_101*
> 
> I'll add my GPU-Z link when they arrive in hopefully 4 days /drool.


You bought two of them, right?
Just to make sure I adjusted it correctly.


----------



## dVeLoPe

i got a saphire one might return if msi non ref or something else pops up soon


----------



## hellboy_101

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> You bought two of them, right?
> Just to make sure I adjusted it correctly.


Yep that's correct.

God it feels good to say that


----------



## AloiWheelz

any info on 7950's? i am hoping to get 3 of them for my upcoming ivy bridge build in march


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AloiWheelz*
> 
> any info on 7950's? i am hoping to get 3 of them for my upcoming ivy bridge build in march


They should come out sometime next month.


----------



## Penryn

Newegg is already sold out!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAH! I may have to run to Fry's today to see if they got them in yet. I have been WAITING for this.


----------



## Levesque

Was able to get 4 Asus 7970 before they went out of stock! Quad-Fire baby!


----------



## magicase

Managed to order a HID 7970 card.


----------



## Penryn

Can someone tell me a good place to get one since newegg is sold out?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Can someone tell me a good place to get one since newegg is sold out?


Amazon has some, but they are really, really overpriced.
Your best bet might be to wait for Newegg to get more stock or wait until other sites like TigerDirect gets them.


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Amazon has some, but they are really, really overpriced.
> Your best bet might be to wait for Newegg to get more stock or wait until other sites like TigerDirect gets them.


Heres to hoping I can walk into Fry's and get one 8P.


----------



## Sebe

Just ordered mine for 585€ (Sapphire). Quite the high price, but it's standard here in Norway.


----------



## NorxMAL

Will the Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB - 21197-00-40G, have what you need to set up 3 screen eyefinity with dvi monitors?

I have 5870 Eyefinity now, with a active DP -> Dvi adapter, but that is a full sized dp, and not a mini dp.

Also is there any disadvantages to buy a 7970 now?


----------



## mltms

is this real ?



http://event.asus.com/vga/2012/hd7970/

the asus brand can i control the core and memory volt ?? plz replay


----------



## Sebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Also is there any disadvantages to buy a 7970 now?


Price is high because of no competition.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> Price is high because of no competition.


Yeah, but my 5870 is quite crawling doing BF3 in eyefinity, even when OC with watercooling...







(poor memory, it is in agony)


----------



## tsm106

Put me down for three XFX.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Was able to get 4 Asus 7970 before they went out of stock! Quad-Fire baby!


Damn you!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Also is there any disadvantages to buy a 7970 now?
> 
> 
> 
> Price is high because of no competition.
Click to expand...

There's also the benefit of getting reference cards before they revise the design for a cheaper C
PCB.


----------



## NorxMAL

I just ordered one! AAAHHHHH FUUUU~UU YEAH!!! (<-- is that ok to write? wanted to express my feeling then







)

When I first saw it actually had arrived here, I went to my favorite webstore (which was the only one that has it now).

They had then 79 in stock, right now its 18 left.

I gonna build a new pc, but I want this card now. I still have to wait for the waterblock to be released, so why not get it now for this computer in the meanwhile?

But I wonder, can I just stick this one into the computer even though my 5870 is still in there?

Since I can't just remove the 5870 easily, its part of the waterloop here.

BF3 in eyefinity with a 5870 can't run 5760x1200 decently at all.


----------



## mightymints

I just picked up mine from Frys here in Austin. I work there, so weve had them for about 2 weeks now but i had to wait like the rest of you to get it today. Currently installing it
ASUS 7970 3gb, we only got 2 !


----------



## mightymints

oops double


----------



## DimmyK

7970 looked very good from all the reviews, especially with all that crazy overclocking potential. I was on a fence, should I come to the red side since no 28nm from nvidia on horizon, should I wait for kepler...

Newegg stock was depleted pretty quickly, and so I thought the choice was made for me... And then my page monitor plugin beeps that "hd 7970" search page has changed... Damn... Now I'm out of $589, and one Asus 7970 is coming my way...









Well, today is my BDay anyway, so happy b-day me I guess  (and missis didn't say a word)


----------



## omega17

Those XFX Double D versions are selling for £560 over here in the UK







: £560 *minus 20% VAT [tax]* roughly works out to ~ $720









I had 2 ASUS's in my basket first thing this morning but my credit card company flagged it as unusual activity and vetoed it







By the time I'd got off the phone with them, they'd sold out...

However, I still bought 2 Sapphires though









Arriving tomorrow, put me down!


----------



## mightymints

HOOLLLLLLYYY CRAPPPPPP

I used to play Arma II on all low to normal on my 5870 at about 45fps. I now play on all max on the 7970 at about 75fps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## djriful

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mightymints*
> 
> HOOLLLLLLYYY CRAPPPPPP
> 
> I used to play Arma II on all low to normal on my 5870 at about 45fps. I now play on all max on the 7970 at about 75fps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


okay.


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## Evil Penguin

Welcome, new members.








Also, I should be getting my ASUS 7970 by tomorrow morning via FedEx!
Can't wait.


----------



## Oberon

yeah lets just all not post pics. how stupid...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Oberon*
> 
> yeah lets just all not post pics. how stupid...


Most of us don't get our cards until tomorrow.
Patience.


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Most of us don't get our cards until tomorrow.
> Patience.


Hopefully. I overnighted mine, with rush processing and it's still listed as "charged". Bought a Sapphire Btw.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> Hopefully. I overnighted mine, with rush processing and it's still listed as "charged". Bought a Sapphire Btw.


Yep I'm still at charged. If it doesnt ship today I will be pretty pissed


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> Hopefully. I overnighted mine, with rush processing and it's still listed as "charged". Bought a Sapphire Btw.
> 
> 
> 
> Yep I'm still at charged. If it doesnt ship today I will be pretty pissed
Click to expand...

It's still early in the day over there.
Newegg sent me an email 54 minutes ago that my card had been shipped.


----------



## tsm106

Amazon updatedmy order, shops on the 12th woot.


----------



## Porter_

Newegg sent me an email saying my XFX Black Edition has shipped. Should be here tomorrow.


----------



## omega17

There will be pics, mine are in a van on the way to me tomorrow









I might be too excited and just throw them in though, so it may be thru my side case window.

I'm guessing that is also why everyone has written 925/1375 as well; once the cards arrive, first thing I'll be doing is pushing 1Ghz


----------



## The Biz

I got a tracking number hours ago from them for my sapphire. I didn't even select rush processing.


----------



## Penryn

Website says Fry's here in SD has em in stock. Wish me luck! It's only a mile down the road~


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Website says Fry's here in SD has em in stock. Wish me luck! It's only a mile down the road~


600 dollars?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> 600 dollars?


Says $599 for the Asus one. Newegg has the same one for 589 so $10 more isn't bad.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> 600 dollars?
> 
> 
> 
> Says $599 for the Asus one. Newegg has the same one for 589 so $10 more isn't bad.
Click to expand...

Not bad, I paid 612 bucks after shipping.


----------



## snelan

I do agree, once we all get our 7970(s) we should be required to take a physical picture or a GPU-Z shot to prove we own one


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> I do agree, once we all get our 7970(s) we should be required to take a physical picture or a GPU-Z shot to prove we own one


Ideally.


----------



## Kortwa

I am totally breaking out the macro lens when mine get to my doorstep. But Newegg hasn't notified me that my cards have been shipped yet so I hope I get them tomorrow


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kortwa*
> 
> I am totally breaking out the macro lens when mine get to my doorstep. But Newegg hasn't notified me that my cards have been shipped yet so I hope I get them tomorrow


Same, my two ASUS ones are still on "charged" even though I got "rush processing"


----------



## wTheOnew

Why isn't clicking F5 every 10 minutes not making it get here faster?!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Same, my two ASUS ones are still on "charged" even though I got "rush processing"


Same here. NewEgg is really high on my 'companies to be mad at' list lately.







Ordered an in stock SSD with Rush and Next Day Air last week that took 6 days to get to me. If they thought I was an unhappy camper for that, they don't want to talk to me if my card doesn't get here by Wednesday. lol I should probably head over to the rants and raves section.

Edit: Thanks Evil Penguin for the update


----------



## tsm106

Guys it takes time to pack and ship a few hundred cards plus.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Guys it takes time to pack and ship a few hundred cards plus.


Don't bring logic into this!


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> I do agree, once we all get our 7970(s) we should be required to take a physical picture or a GPU-Z shot to prove we own one


I'll get the cam and take a picture and also edit the original register post as soon as mine arrives. I'll even put the ducky shine, xtrac pads and 27" samsung in there too. As all will be here tomorrow.

Yay me.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I'm shooting for 1250MHz core, stable at least.


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Biz*
> 
> I'll get the cam and take a picture and also edit the original register post as soon as mine arrives. I'll even put the ducky shine, xtrac pads and 27" samsung in there too. As all will be here tomorrow.
> Yay me.


Show off all the parts!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Don't bring logic into this!


Disregard logic, blame the company


----------



## snelan

For those of us who are still showing "charged", I just did the online chat with Newegg:
Quote:


> *Kelly*: Hi, my name is Kelly. How may I help you?
> 
> *Me*: Hello, I ordered two ASUS 7970s yesterday, but the order status still show's "charged". Is this normal? (As I know flocks of people are buying them) Or has there been a hold up, such as a limited stock and needing to be backordered, because most other orders of mine have gone out on the same or the next day? If it's normal than that's fine, I just don't want to have to wait two weeks to get one.
> 
> *Kelly*: I would be glad to assist you with that... Can you please give me one moment while I look into this for you?
> 
> *Me*: Sure no problem
> 
> *Kelly*: Thank you for holding. Please kindly note that we need 1-2 business days to process an order and we do not process orders on weekends. Your order is still within the standard processing/shipping timeframe.
> 
> *Kelly*: Is there anything else I can help you with?
> 
> *Me*: Totally forgot about the weekend things. That's all, thank you!
> 
> *Kelly*: You are welcome. Thank you for contacting us. I hope you have an Eggcellent day!


----------



## tsm106

When I talked to newegg when I cancelled my x3 order, the csr said the orders werebeing prepped for shipping. Went with amazon, no tax free ship, same price, ship date updated to the 12th. That tax on four cards is a grip.


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## Evil Penguin

I'm sure most orders placed yesterday will ship today, especially if you put rush processing+overnight shipping.


----------



## jesusboots

Is there anyone here that actually has one yet?

I've got mine and am having a horrible time finding a driver that will properly play. Im actually getting worse fps than I was getting with my 570.


----------



## snelan

Newegg has Diamond 7970s in stock now:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103201

EDIT: Powercolor and the XFX reference are in stock again.

EDIT 2: XFX back out of stock - what is this obsession with XFX everyone seems to have?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jesusboots*
> 
> Is there anyone here that actually has one yet?
> 
> I've got mine and am having a horrible time finding a driver that will properly play. Im actually getting worse fps than I was getting with my 570.


Did you use the drivers that came with the card?


----------



## jesusboots

Yes, I got a diamond card. and installed their drivers, and then did a cap 2 mod. Im not certain i did it right as I've been at camp nvidia a few years now.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jesusboots*
> 
> Yes, I got a diamond card. and installed their drivers, and then did a cap 2 mod. Im not certain i did it right as I've been at camp nvidia a few years now.


http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx


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## ZealotKi11er

So many owners so far. I wonder if any of they really need the HD 7970 or just want it.


----------



## jesusboots

I'll try that, thanks.

And if that does not work I'll go ahead and do a reformat/reinstall.

And if that doesnt work.... I will be disappoint.

Also, I read a few post back about posting pictures, whats a good site to host those images on.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jesusboots*
> 
> I'll try that, thanks.
> 
> And if that does not work I'll go ahead and do a reformat/reinstall.
> 
> And if that doesnt work.... I will be disappoint.
> 
> Also, I read a few post back about posting pictures, whats a good site to host those images on.


Please use this uninstaller first:
http://www.mediafire.com/?0brywmam3d14r9b

I usually use TinyPic for image hosting.


----------



## jesusboots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> So many owners so far. I wonder if any of they really need the HD 7970 or just want it.


What does that even mean? Do we need them, as in minimum specs need them? No. Do we want them? Yes.

I personally have been on a quest to max out FFXIV.
Two 570's did not do it, and I did not have the money to get two 580's. So i downgraded my entire build to a 2500k paired with a single 570. As news started to get released about this card (7970) I started to anticipate near 570sli fps at the least, with out the hassle of actually running an sli set up.

I cannot answer for anyone else, but isnt having the best you can afford part of the point of being a hardware enthusiast?


----------



## Jokah

Count me in. Should be here tomorrow









Might even water cool my card for the first time.

Edit: Sapphire reference. Air cooled for now.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> So many owners so far. I wonder if any of they really need the HD 7970 or just want it.


On OCN, there is no difference between "need" and "want"?


----------



## jesusboots

Alrite,

I tried the atiman unistaller, reinstalled the driver in your link, and am still getting pretty poor performance. Im going to go ahead and wait to see what other people who actually have the card can tell me about the performance they are getting. As of right now, this frustration after spending right under $700 after tax is making me want to do nothing but return the card for a 580 mdt


----------



## kfxsti

My PowerColor 7970 should be here Thursday.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jesusboots*
> 
> Alrite,
> 
> I tried the atiman unistaller, reinstalled the driver in your link, and am still getting pretty poor performance. Im going to go ahead and wait to see what other people who actually have the card can tell me about the performance they are getting. As of right now, this frustration after spending right under $700 after tax is making me want to do nothing but return the card for a 580 mdt


Low FPS? Stuttering?
How is it comparing to your GTX 570?


----------



## jesusboots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Low FPS? Stuttering?
> How is it comparing to your GTX 570?


Its just horrible fps. I was getting 40-60fps with the 570. Not touching the settings at all with this 7970, and running your uninstaller, then installing the driver you posted I am getting 35fps max, but averaging around 20-25. Now, the funny part of this, when I go ahead and max the setting w/o AO, it still gets the same fps.

I am reluctant to do a reformat, as FFXIV takes near three hours to fully update after a fresh install, and by that time microcenter is closed.


----------



## Tom1121

IN! So excited for tomorrow.

Model: XFX Reference 7970.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jesusboots*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Low FPS? Stuttering?
> How is it comparing to your GTX 570?
> 
> 
> 
> Its just horrible fps. I was getting 40-60fps with the 570. Not touching the settings at all with this 7970, and running your uninstaller, then installing the driver you posted I am getting 35fps max, but averaging around 20-25. Now, the funny part of this, when I go ahead and max the setting w/o AO, it still gets the same fps.
> 
> I am reluctant to do a reformat, as FFXIV takes near three hours to fully update after a fresh install, and by that time microcenter is closed.
Click to expand...

Hmm...
Are you running the game in windowed mode?


----------



## jesusboots

Im going to go ahead and install arkham city and see what the fps is like in that


----------



## jesusboots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Hmm...
> Are you running the game in windowed mode?


I've tried both ways. Full screen is the same thing with tearing.

Let me post again after arkham city is done installing, and maybe its just that the game is not going run correctly on the current drivers


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jesusboots*
> 
> Im going to go ahead and install arkham city and see what the fps is like in that


Go play Metro or Dirt. Broken games like Batman will masochistic.


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Website says Fry's here in SD has em in stock. Wish me luck! It's only a mile down the road~


WTH? Why does every Fry's in Cali except the ones in LA/OC actually have hardware up for sale on launch date?! The ASUS ones are the ones I want too








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jesusboots*
> 
> I've tried both ways. Full screen is the same thing with tearing.
> Let me post again after arkham city is done installing, and maybe its just that the game is not going run correctly on the current drivers


I just watched a review from OC3D and Quad XFire was only pushing < 16 FPS lol. That's half of what Dual XFire was running Arkham City at too.


----------



## jesusboots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Go play Metro or Dirt. Broken games like Batman will masochistic.


I dont have Metro or Dirt.

I pretty much only play FF, I just happened to get AC for free when I got my 570. Either way, it still should help to sort out whether or not its the card or the driver compatibility.


----------



## Tumdace

I am surprised that not everyone does a fresh install of windows when they get a major upgrade like a new video card. I just re-installed mid December but I will definately be doing a fresh copy once my HIS 7970 gets in.

I really hope HIS doesnt let me down. Ive only every owned Sapphire and BFG cards, and never really had any major issues before. I only got HIS because newegg was completely sold out at 930 this morning out of everything, and once I got back from the back after putting my pay cheque in and some cash in order to buy it (car payment going out tomorrow put me kinda tight on money but I had to have a 7970) and it was either HIS or Gigabyte for $10 more, or the sapphire on ncix for 600 (rip off imo compared to the HIS or Gigabyte) and the XFX BE was out of stock. Kinda left me in a tight spot.

Bought mine from NCIX this morning at like 930, its gone all the way up to Order Processed but it hasnt shipped out yet (or they just havent updated the shipping details) would be sweet to get it in tomorrow since I paid for express shipping. Even Wednesday would make my day.


----------



## tats

Just got my shipping notification...


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Guys it takes time to pack and ship a few hundred cards plus.


It also takes time to pack and ship the thousands of items they sell every day, but yet they promise on their website that if you pay a certain amount, you get it within 1-2 business days, and that processing should not take any longer than a day or 2.

Well my order was fully processed (minus shipping) by like 3:30, and still hasnt shipped.

Now dont take it the wrong way, I am not angry in the slightest bit as I find that they processed the order hella fast. But that argument you make about how it "takes time" to do their job is completely null and void because of the fact that paying customers pay certain amounts of money to expect it within a reasonable amount of time. The example I read was someone receiving and item after 6 days that they paid overnight/express shipping for. Thats pretty unreasonable.

I expect my card by no later than Thursday. That gives them a full 4 business days to get it to me, even though I paid for the 1-2 business day shipping option. Any longer than 4 business days and they will hear extremely negative things from me.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> It also takes time to pack and ship the thousands of items they sell every day, but yet they promise on their website that if you pay a certain amount, you get it within 1-2 business days, and that processing should not take any longer than a day or 2.
> Well my order was fully processed (minus shipping) by like 3:30, and still hasnt shipped.
> Now dont take it the wrong way, I am not angry in the slightest bit as I find that they processed the order hella fast. But that argument you make about how it "takes time" to do their job is completely null and void because of the fact that paying customers pay certain amounts of money to expect it within a reasonable amount of time. The example I read was someone receiving and item after 6 days that they paid overnight/express shipping for. Thats pretty unreasonable.
> I expect my card by no later than Thursday. That gives them a full 4 business days to get it to me, even though I paid for the 1-2 business day shipping option. Any longer than 4 business days and they will hear extremely negative things from me.


Overnight shipping should be.... well Overnight ! Anything less is poor management within the warehouse's. I have always bought from Newegg and plan on continuing! But anyone paying for overnight shipping should be getting their product the following day! Other wise thats very misleading in my eyes.


----------



## Kortwa

I got shipping notification about 30 mins ago from Newegg


----------



## Boomstick68

I envy all you guys, but, some people actually pay their bills instead of buying the new gear.


----------



## Penryn

So I went to Fry's and they had 2 IN THE STORE but one was bought for in store pickup and one was being held by a sales person for a personal friend. Supervisor even sided with the salesperson. HOW LAME IS THAT when you have a customer standing in front of you to spend 600 on a card...

Anyways, I did get one from newegg afterall. I got a Diamond since I have had diamond 5850s and a 6950 from them and never had an issue.



So uh... time to get rid of my 1 remaining 6950.


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boomstick68*
> 
> I envy all you guys, but, some people actually pay their bills instead of buying the new gear.


Bills are only due when they are in red or final notice. All other letters referring to the amount owed is just a notice that you will owe that amount at some point in the very near future.









I feel like a kid on christmas eve... I want to go to bed early so tomorrow will hurry up and get here.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Just ordered an MSI 7970 so goodbye tri-fire setup and hello new card.

Will order a second one when funds allow.

Count me in!


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> So I went to Fry's and they had 2 IN THE STORE but one was bought for in store pickup and one was being held by a sales person for a personal friend. Supervisor even sided with the salesperson. HOW LAME IS THAT when you have a customer standing in front of you to spend 600 on a card...
> Anyways, I did get one from newegg afterall. I got a Diamond since I have had diamond 5850s and a 6950 from them and never had an issue.
> 
> So uh... time to get rid of my 1 remaining 6950.


how much for 6950?


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Just ordered an MSI 7970 so goodbye tri-fire setup and hello new card.
> Will order a second one when funds allow.
> Count me in!


wow getting rid of tri-fire 6970's for one 7970? May I ask why (unless you are getting multiple).


----------



## Starbomba

I hope to get some "real world" benches of this card (from actual users), both in gaming and GPGPU (i'm dying for [email protected] and BOINC benches). Seriously thinking on changing ship to the 7950 when it comes out.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Just ordered an MSI 7970 so goodbye tri-fire setup and hello new card.
> Will order a second one when funds allow.
> Count me in!


Where did you get your msi 7970 ? Thanks


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> how much for 6950?


If serious, see my for sale post: http://www.overclock.net/t/1197509/msi-radeon-hd-6950-unlocked-to-6970


----------



## flipmatthew

Knowing OCN, I want to see who can pull off the highest clock on stock cooling


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Where did you get your msi 7970 ? Thanks


Australia mate.

It was the only brand left, and personally I prefer MSI cards so works well for me!


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> wow getting rid of tri-fire 6970's for one 7970? May I ask why (unless you are getting multiple).


I had a 6990 + a 6970 for tri-fire but I should see better performance with 2 of these and have a lot less power draw.

All round its a win win.

As good as tri-fire is, the scaling and micro stuttering is a lot better with just crossfire.


----------



## Gabe63

Joined. ASUS ref 7970 for now.


----------



## jesusboots

Just a little update from a few pages back.

I ended up returning the card, I believe something was wrong with it. After getting AC installed, and then trying to run even lfd2 at only around 60fps I knew something was up.

If you were curious i ended up getting a 580 as a place holder until either I start hearing of great results from improved drivers, or the 7XX series is released.

Thanks for the help those of you who helped me earlier


----------



## Stevebobwe

Sapphire HD 7970 for me. Get's here tomorrow


----------



## bjgrenke

"Pre-Ordered" the Sapphire model from Memory Express. Cards came out today, don't get why it's still pre-order. They'll email me when I can go pick it up


----------



## Denim-187

-

-


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*


/drool


----------



## dVeLoPe

denim187 i see you recieved your two cards i myself have a sapphire on the way and was wondering are you able to tweak the voltage using the msi afterburner beta posted earlier in this thread without flashing the bios over to asus???


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 
> -


What case is that?


----------



## Denim-187

^
Antec Dark Fleet-85


----------



## tsm106

Looks sweet Denim.


----------



## dVeLoPe

TO ANYONE THAT HAS THEIR CARDS...

Please install the beta version of AfterBurner that you can find in this thread and post if you can tweak the voltage










Last I heard I would need to flash over an ASUS bios onto XXX branded card for that to work... Thansk!


----------



## MrTOOSHORT

Yeah those shouds on those cards look sweet. Sleek.









Enjoy your 7970s guys.


----------



## mightymints

Well, pics as asked for. I am running at GPU 1100mhz and the memory is at 1575. Running at 37c idle. Goes well with my i7 at 4.8 and 8gb of ram







. Ill pick up the other one if we still have it at work. I think no one purchased the other one. Its another ASUS 3gb, so PM me if anyone wants the other one







.

Ash

IMG_2318.JPG 1815k .JPG file


ONCE AGAIN. PM ME IF ANYONE WANTS THE OTHER CARD FROM WORK!


----------



## Twistacles

Ill be monitoring this closely to see which one I buy =D


----------



## amay200

in!!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Tomorrow is going to be a very slow day at work.








Also, welcome new members!


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *amay200*
> 
> 
> in!!


what this guy did should be one of the many things to be STANDARDIZED in this thread.. anyone that actually has the card post with their ocn username then....

post your stock oc temps/volts/etc aswell as overclocked my sapphire will be here tommorow!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *amay200*
> 
> 
> in!!
> 
> 
> 
> what this guy did should be one of the many things to be STANDARDIZED in this thread.. anyone that actually has the card post with their ocn username then....
> 
> post your stock oc temps/volts/etc aswell as overclocked my sapphire will be here tommorow!
Click to expand...

At the moment I'm just taking people's word for it.
I may add another column in the spreadsheet to mark a user as confirmed or unconfirmed.
I'm also thinking about adding an idle/load temp column.

I'll be working on the OP tomorrow hopefully.


----------



## grandpatzer

I'm going to run my for 3-6 weeks to make sure it's not defective and then watercool it with propably a EK block as they seem good.

Never watercooled before but seems as it's not extremely difficult to do?


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> I'm going to run my for 3-6 weeks to make sure it's not defective and then watercool it with propably a EK block as they seem good.
> Never watercooled before but seems as it's not extremely difficult to do?


Just check out and ask questions in the watercooling forum. There is someone always willing to help out with any questions you have. It may seem overwhelming at first studying up, but the rewards are well worth the sweat and tears IMO


----------



## Gabe63

First run past stock after unlocking AB. 1201MHZ on stock volts. Gonna try more...


----------



## urbanshaft

i should be first on the list sigh
saphire be here thurs


----------



## grandpatzer

If I can get 1100/1550 on stock volts I'm a happy customer


----------



## Darylrese

No-one has posted benchmarks or general comments on how it performs in games yet....anyone care to comment??


----------



## Kortwa

Most people wont have their cards till tomorrow so there will be a lot more information from users then.


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kortwa*
> 
> Most people wont have their cards till tomorrow so there will be a lot more information from users then.


Sadly, I won't have mine till like wednesday or thursday 8[.

Can't wait to do some EYEFINITY gameplay testing. The reviews I have seen are nice for all the single monitor bunch, but I need some eyefinity info for this card!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> First run past stock after unlocking AB. 1201MHZ on stock volts. Gonna try more...


Dude your doing that all wrong..... that is not the best way to test stability.
Also i can see your GPU's throttling. You need to enable power tune at least 10% with Furmark.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Just grabbed the Diamond flavor.

hope to have it by weeks end.

Looks like the egg is out of stock again .....

Hope it is a good one


----------



## DB006

Registered

PowerColor 7970 here1125/1575 clocks

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/378676_10150496184671494_659761493_9076519_1113910900_n.jpg

Heaven at 1680x1050 4xaa fullscreen


----------



## N10248

Add me....

Sapphire Reference


----------



## yanks8981

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *N10248*
> 
> Add me....
> Sapphire Reference


Off topic, what fan controller is that?


----------



## N10248

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yanks8981*
> 
> Off topic, what fan controller is that?


Asus OC Station, only works with certain ROG Boards and rare as hell.


----------



## DimmyK

Congrats to all who already got the cards... Mine is coming in tomorrow. I'm anxious (in a good sense of this word) - haven't used AMD card in years.

Have question regarding powertune: do I *have to* enable it when overclocking? I am not planning to touch the voltage at first. To what value? To the max 20%? I want to see how high I can go on default volts.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Congrats to all who already got the cards... Mine is coming in tomorrow. I'm anxious (in a good sense of this word) - haven't used AMD card in years.
> Have question regarding powertune: do I *have to* enable it when overclocking? I am not planning to touch the voltage at first. To what value? To the max 20%? I want to see how high I can go on default volts.


In the ATI Catalyst Control Center (right click on desktop,top of the dialogue box) go to performance and unlock, then max out the core and memory clocks and +20% voltage, runs absolutely fine


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> In the ATI Catalyst Control Center (right click on desktop,top of the dialogue box) go to performance and unlock, then max out the core and memory clocks and +20% voltage, runs absolutely fine


Not all cards are stable at this setting..... it might run vantage and complete it, but that doesnt mean its a stable overclock.
U need *GPU tool*, to test stability properly.
I was able to max the sliders in CCC and complete Vantage and 11 thinking i ws "stable", but this tool proved me wrong.
I then found my 100% stable clock for both my cards, which was a lil under max in CCC @ stock voltage.
Goodluck yooo









Follow *this* guide to correctly overclock your GPU.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Dude your doing that all wrong..... that is not the best way to test stability.
> Also i can see your GPU's throttling. You need to enable power tune at least 10% with Furmark.


How do you see this as throttling? I see it at the same clock the whole time - if it was throttling wouldn't it downclock?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> How do you see this as throttling? I see it at the same clock the whole time - if it was throttling wouldn't it downclock?


No...not necessarily. It throttles power to the core thus preventing the peak FPS. In his case, instead of 92, he should be getting close to 120-130.

I actually started a thread about this not long ago..
http://www.overclock.net/t/1178944/unlocking-a-mystery-25-on-amd-cards/0_30


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Congrats to all who already got the cards... Mine is coming in tomorrow. I'm anxious (in a good sense of this word) - haven't used AMD card in years.
> Have question regarding powertune: do I *have to* enable it when overclocking? I am not planning to touch the voltage at first. To what value? To the max 20%? I want to see how high I can go on default volts.
> 
> 
> 
> In the ATI Catalyst Control Center (right click on desktop,top of the dialogue box) go to performance and unlock, then max out the core and memory clocks and +20% voltage, runs absolutely fine
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> In the ATI Catalyst Control Center (right click on desktop,top of the dialogue box) go to performance and unlock, then max out the core and memory clocks and +20% voltage, runs absolutely fine
> 
> 
> 
> Not all cards are stable at this setting..... it might run vantage and complete it, but that doesnt mean its a stable overclock.
> U need *GPU tool*, to test stability properly.
> I was able to max the sliders in CCC and complete Vantage and 11 thinking i ws "stable", but this tool proved me wrong.
> I then found my 100% stable clock for both my cards, which was a lil under max in CCC @ stock voltage.
> Goodluck yooo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Follow *this* guide to correctly overclock your GPU.
Click to expand...

Thanks for replies guys, but I think I worded my initial question quite poorly, so the question really is:
do I absolutely have to increase powertune settings (from default 0 to say +20%) when overclocking? I was reading about it and just wanted to confirm: it appears to me that if you leave it at 0, the card will throttle down at some point, because it would not get enough power to work with higher clocks, so it looks like I need to increase it. On the other hand, I don't want to blindly set it to max value (+20%?) without clear understanding why I did that. Can I overclock with powertune slider set to 10%? How do I see if card starts throttling down and I need to add more power via powertune slider? Hopefully this makes more sense than initial question. And I want to leave volts out of this for now, what I said above applies only to powertune settings. As far as I know, you can't even adjust voltage with CCC, right?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> How do you see this as throttling? I see it at the same clock the whole time - if it was throttling wouldn't it downclock?
> 
> 
> 
> No...not necessarily. It throttles power to the core thus preventing the peak FPS. In his case, instead of 92, he should be getting close to 120-130.
> 
> I actually started a thread about this not long ago..
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1178944/unlocking-a-mystery-25-on-amd-cards/0_30
Click to expand...

That's a nice 2nd owners club you got there.


----------



## Outcasst

Bought two PowerColor cards. I came from a 580 SLI setup and while I am getting higher numbers, with crossfire stuttering in games is insane using 11.12 drivers and makes games such as BF3 and SWTOR seem like they're running at 40fps. Do you recommend anything better?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Bought two PowerColor cards. I came from a 580 SLI setup and while I am getting higher numbers, with crossfire stuttering in games is insane using 11.12 drivers and makes games such as BF3 and SWTOR seem like they're running at 40fps. Do you recommend anything better?


Until AMD addresses this issue, it might be best to run a single card withe the affected games.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Bought two PowerColor cards. I came from a 580 SLI setup and while I am getting higher numbers, with crossfire stuttering in games is insane using 11.12 drivers and makes games such as BF3 and SWTOR seem like they're running at 40fps. Do you recommend anything better?


I have zero problems whatsoever! Which 11.12 are you running? theres like 3 versions
Use this one


----------



## Outcasst

Those are the ones I am using. Do the 12.1 beta ones support the 7 Series?


----------



## Tslm

Isn't 12.1 preview and up the drivers that were supposed to be used for the new cards?

Card will be here tomorrow and I have two days off work!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Those are the ones I am using. Do the 12.1 beta ones support the 7 Series?


I think those are the latest beta drivers (officially).
Does the stuttering go away if you didn't run the games in CF mode?


----------



## slice259

Man I was planning on buying 2 for my pc but if there micro stuttering issues then ill wait, but then you have Denim which has 2 running great. I am planning on buying a MSI R7970's today and on the fence big time if I should just man up and get 2. How has BF3 been maxed out on 1920x 1200 ( 1080 ) ? Any input would be great seeing as you guys have the cards. Also they always bench BF3 on campaign maps such as Sword-Breaker. From my hours of playing, 64 player Caspian and the new B2K maps are far harder then campaign, thus me thinking 2 cards might be in order. ( Running single 1080p). What have your tests shown you guys and gals?

Thanks again


----------



## Darylrese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Congrats to all who already got the cards... Mine is coming in tomorrow. I'm anxious (in a good sense of this word) - haven't used AMD card in years.
> Have question regarding powertune: do I *have to* enable it when overclocking? I am not planning to touch the voltage at first. To what value? To the max 20%? I want to see how high I can go on default volts.


Please do post how it works out for you compared to your current GTX 580 dude! I want to know


----------



## Denim-187

These cards are pretty damn good !

Check out these DX11 titles *MAXED* on a 120hz LED monitor....

*Battlefield 3*





*Crysis 2*





Max Temperatures on a *22% Overclock* @ 1125/1575 were:
*Card 1 - 81c*
*Card 2 - 83c* Keeping in mind its a summer night here in Sydney so ambient is up there.

The Reference cooler absolutely annihilates the 6970's cooler with a great hot air expulsion outside the back of the case. It does it's job superbly !
Noise is absolutely bearable, the screeching noise that the 6970's had, has now been eradicated. Fan is not annoying and nothing to be afraid of whatsoever.
One thing i dislike about the card is the fact that they left out the back plate. I don't know if this helps in temps but it sure does help with static protection and aesthetics.

*ZERO MICROSTUTTER* for all those that are holding back.


----------



## slice259

Max Temperatures on a *22% Overclock* @ 1125/1575 were:
*Card 1 - 81c*
*Card 2 - 83c* Keeping in mind its a summer night here in Sydney so ambient is up there.

The Reference cooler absolutely annihilates the 6970's cooler with a great hot air expulsion outside the back of the case. It does it's job superbly !
Noise is absolutely bearable, the screeching noise that the 6970's had, has now been eradicated. Fan is not annoying and nothing to be afraid of whatsoever.
One thing i dislike about the card is the fact that they left out the back plate. I don't know if this helps in temps but it sure does help with static protection and aesthetics.

*ZERO MICROSTUTTER* for all those that are holding back.

[/quote]

So I take it that 2x 7970's are overkill for my 40" Samsung 1080P 60Hz ??









Just don't want dips below v-sync a lot ! That's why 2 like you have are being considered.

Thanks for the great information


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> So I take it that 2x 7970's are overkill for my 40" Samsung 1080P 60Hz ??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just don't want dips below v-sync a lot ! That's why 2 like you have are being considered.
> Thanks for the great information


Get one and overclock the hell out of it lol


----------



## Outcasst

The coolers on these cards are great, can hardly hear them while gaming. Set it so the fan never goes over 50%, however stays below 40% mostly with a maximum of 69c while overclocked. Just need to get these driver issues sorted then I'll be happy with my purchase


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darylrese*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Congrats to all who already got the cards... Mine is coming in tomorrow. I'm anxious (in a good sense of this word) - haven't used AMD card in years.
> Have question regarding powertune: do I *have to* enable it when overclocking? I am not planning to touch the voltage at first. To what value? To the max 20%? I want to see how high I can go on default volts.
> 
> 
> 
> Please do post how it works out for you compared to your current GTX 580 dude! I want to know
Click to expand...

Will definitely do. In anticipation of new card's arrival I already started benchmarking 580 in everything I can find. When card gets here, it's a swap and re-bench with same settings... Stock Lightning/930 OC vs stock 7979/whatever OC I will able to attain on stock volts








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> These cards are pretty damn good !
> 
> Check out these DX11 titles *MAXED* on a 120hz LED monitor....
> 
> snip
> 
> Keeping in mind its a summer night here in Sydney so ambient is up there.
> 
> The Reference cooler absolutely annihilates the 6970's cooler with a great hot air expulsion outside the back of the case. It does it's job superbly !
> Noise is absolutely bearable, the screeching noise that the 6970's had, has now been eradicated. Fan is not annoying and nothing to be afraid of whatsoever.
> One thing i dislike about the card is the fact that they left out the back plate. I don't know if this helps in temps but it sure does help with static protection and aesthetics.
> 
> *ZERO MICROSTUTTER* for all those that are holding back.


Well, that's great news regarding noise being in check... I was kinda afraid that blower-type fan on ref 7970 will be too loud. At what fan % you start hearing it?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> At what fan % you start hearing it?


50% it becomes audible, it's default fan profile is near perfect. Although if you want lower temps, you can set a more aggressive profile in Afterburner. Default works for me.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> So I take it that 2x 7970's are overkill for my 40" Samsung 1080P 60Hz ??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just don't want dips below v-sync a lot ! That's why 2 like you have are being considered.
> Thanks for the great information
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Get one and overclock the hell out of it lol
Click to expand...

Ya that's what I was thinking. I just wanted 2 so bad .....







haha

My mobo has 2 pci-e slots and I just wanted to use both once !









Also would you mind taking some screen shots of Caspian 64 player conquest Large ! I just see huge FPS drop when I look though a 12x zoom scope on that map. Just want to make sure 1 can handle all the punches.

Thanks again for helping me out! +1 Rep


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> At what fan % you start hearing it?
> 
> 
> 
> 50% it becomes audible, it's default fan profile is near perfect. Although if you want lower temps, you can set a more aggressive profile in Afterburner. Default works for me.
Click to expand...

Awesome. Can't wait until tomorrow, so excited. Damn, UPS, hurry up!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Also would you mind taking some screen shots of Caspian 64 player conquest Large ! I just see huge FPS drop when I look though a 12x zoom scope on that map. Just want to make sure 1 can handle all the punches.
> Thanks again for helping me out! +1 Rep


Yeah NPS, no difference at all. Same FPS, settings MAXED 4x MSAA. Dips to mid 90's but thats the same with other 32 player maps. I think the extra RAM counter the frame dips we used to get with player infested servers.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Ya that's what I was thinking. I just wanted 2 so bad .....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> haha
> My mobo has 2 pci-e slots and I just wanted to use both once !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also would you mind taking some screen shots of Caspian 64 player conquest Large ! I just see huge FPS drop when I look though a 12x zoom scope on that map. Just want to make sure 1 can handle all the punches.
> Thanks again for helping me out! +1 Rep


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Yeah NPS, no difference at all. Same FPS, settings MAXED 4x MSAA. Dips to mid 90's but thats the same with other 32 player maps. I think the extra RAM counter the frame dips we used to get with player infested servers.


Man thanks isn't good enough







Very much appreciated ! So with a single card is looks like my lowest would be around 50 or so fps. So with you having 1125 on the cores, I could run 1200 or so and have a min or maybe 55-60. Sadly one card appears to be enough... Just wanted 2! Not to hound you, but do you have Metro 2033? I cant find a crossfire 7970 with metro all maxed DOF and all at 1080p. Thats the only game that I think will sorta work your new setup. If you could that would be great, thanks again for your help!


----------



## PARTON

01/10/2012 7:55 A.M. Out For Delivery

So says UPS regarding my sapphire 7970...


----------



## slice259

If I buy 2x MSI HD 7970's and only open 1 for testing, and then go from there. If I am happy with the performance I could sell the addtional card. What do you guys think the chances are of selling a Brand New Factory sealed MSI HD 7970 would be on here? Thanks again everyone.


----------



## KidKB

Count me in for Tri-Fire XFX Core HD7970's:





Just arrived this morning.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> I cant find a crossfire 7970 with metro all maxed DOF and all at 1080p. Thats the only game that I think will sorta work your new setup. If you could that would be great, thanks again for your help!


*METRO 2033:*
*DOF disabled*


*DOF enabled*


DOF doesn't give noticeable quality, in fact it looks too blurry. So I'd recommend playing Metro 2033 without it.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *METRO 2033:*
> *DOF disabled*
> 
> *DOF enabled*
> 
> Although DOF drops a significant amount of FPS, i play the game without it since having it enabled, doesn't give noticeable quality, infact it looks too blurry.


Wow they burn through Metro







I think 2 is good for 2 years of gaming where as one is going to get tired in a year or so. I will sit here and think it over as I have for 2 days....









You have helped me out big time. I appreciate the time you spent for me!


----------



## Denim-187

*Far Cry 2 - DX10 title MAXED*


----------



## Kortwa

UPS will be delivering my cards in an hour or so







Cant wait!


----------



## Porter_

behold! 7 more hours at the office....should feel like a decade.


----------



## Denim-187

[/

*Here's a CrossfireX review iv'e been slowly putting together.* It's still being updated though.


----------



## BritishBob

http://oi43.tinypic.com/2cnh7a9.jpg


----------



## FastCR

I shoulda got mine overnighted. First day of spring semester tomorrow is gonna be excruciating.


----------



## UNOE

Mine is maked for "out for delivery"


----------



## Nemesis158

waiting on the egg to get Sapphire cards back in..... or another retailer that doesn't charge tax just because its being shipped to WA (stupid Amazon, Stupid)


----------



## omega17

Currently installing the 7970 drivers and new Afterburner beta, but here's a lil sneaky pic.

Thanks for the mini-review Denim - I'll be sure to crank it up to 1125/1575 - with those summertime temps it'll be sure to keep them in the 70's here


----------



## Nemesis158

XFX core 7970s are back in stock @ Newegg, but i want a sapphire


----------



## BritishBob

I hadn't noticed the dual BIOS. Nice touch.


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BritishBob*
> 
> http://oi43.tinypic.com/2cnh7a9.jpg


i hope that effing card doesnt come like that with nothing around it in that brown box in the main box.. where the protective casing?? i have mine and if i move the box i can hear something moving around was hoping it was the cables lols!



IVE HAD MY CARD FOR HOURS ANYONE THAT HAS THESE INSTALLED WITH THE AFTERBURNER BETA PLEASE CONFIRM SO I DECIDE ON OPENING THIS OR SENDING IT BACK OR SELLING IT....

Can you adjust the voltage without flashing bios?? and does anyone else notice what it says on the front of the box for sapphire?? ill give you a hint

"Dual XXXX"


----------



## BritishBob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> i hope that effing card doesnt come like that with nothing around it in that brown box in the main box.. where the protective casing?? i have mine and if i move the box i can hear something moving around was hoping it was the cables lols!
> 
> IVE HAD MY CARD FOR HOURS ANYONE THAT HAS THESE INSTALLED WITH THE AFTERBURNER BETA PLEASE CONFIRM SO I DECIDE ON OPENING THIS OR SENDING IT BACK OR SELLING IT....
> Can you adjust the voltage without flashing bios?? and does anyone else notice what it says on the front of the box for sapphire?? ill give you a hint
> "Dual XXXX"


It's sat in the accessories box. It comes well protected. Come with everything, mine even came with a HDMI cable.

Um... 80% faster than a gtx 580, stock cooling and custom volts:
http://www.hardocp.com/images/articles/1325889231KTNbsOX8Vr_7_2.gif

*Edit: See post above yours.

**EDIT2:
Quote:


> Custom Overclocking with Voltage Tweaking
> Inherently, Overdrive does not allow Voltage tweaking, or to exceed the values shown below. However, during the course of this evaluation Sapphire dropped us a brand new version of the TRIXX Utility, which we here have found a great program for overclocking. This new version of TRIXX, specified right now to be used for in-house testing, and is not ready for public yet, supports the Radeon HD 7970 and allows us to far exceed Overdrive's limitations. It also allows us to overclock the Voltage on the Radeon HD 7970 to see how high we can really push it. Therefore, we used this program to perform maximum overclocking, we can't show you the screenshots from TRIXX yet, but we can show you GPUz and Overdrive which shows the speeds used.


http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/1


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> i hope that effing card doesnt come like that with nothing around it in that brown box in the main box.. where the protective casing?? i have mine and if i move the box i can hear something moving around was hoping it was the cables lols!
> 
> IVE HAD MY CARD FOR HOURS ANYONE THAT HAS THESE INSTALLED WITH THE AFTERBURNER BETA PLEASE CONFIRM SO I DECIDE ON OPENING THIS OR SENDING IT BACK OR SELLING IT....
> Can you adjust the voltage without flashing bios?? and does anyone else notice what it says on the front of the box for sapphire?? ill give you a hint
> "Dual XXXX"


Can't read it, but "dual bios" maybe?

Someone please test out skyrim loaded with mods please!


----------



## dVeLoPe

yes I was goign to upload a picture but since you got it right theirs no need now the real question... WHY? lol.. or HOW with no switch??

I have been offered 650$ locally from my friend for the card and i paid 580$ so I might sell it and get an MSi blah not sure desicions decisino!


----------



## omega17

Oh yeah. 

Furmark burned through stock clocks with ease....

Behold 1125/1575







(74C - fan @ 65%)



The Sapphires definitely have a dual BIOS switch, although I've not touched them yet, as 1125/1575 @ 1.170V will suffice


----------



## Aventadoor

Just ordered the Sapphire 7970!!
They went so fast out of stock here in Norway so I dident manage to get Xfire.
Have to wait until 30.Jan before they get in stock...


----------



## BritishBob

Dual BIOS switch.







Bit fuzzy, sos.


----------



## omega17

Have you tried it?

I'm not sure what it could do









On the Sapphire 6950 it randomly occasionally unlocked the 6970 unified shaders







This thing can't get any more powerful


----------



## BritishBob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Have you tried it?
> I'm not sure what it could do
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the Sapphire 6950 it randomly occasionally unlocked the 6970 unified shaders
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This thing can't get any more powerful


I don't have a hard drive atm. I have a 120GB M4 SSD ariving tomorrow. :s

On a side note i have an unboxing video processing on youtube atm. Might post it when it's done.


----------



## Denim-187

Don't forget to use the POWER SLIDER in CCC with Furmark.


----------



## BritishBob

For those on the fence, here you go:


----------



## omega17

Has anyone with crossfire noticed the second card power down yet?

Mine is just sitting there @ 300/150. Thought zerocore was supposed to change that?

Thanks Bob; you've saved me digging around in the cupboard to find out what was rattling around in the bottom of the box


----------



## Outcasst

You can check if you're using MSI afterburner. The temperature monitor for the 2nd card will go to 0 when it is in powered down mode. Has worked flawlessly for me so far.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BritishBob*
> 
> For those on the fence, here you go:


Jesus, did they give you enough accessories?! I must admit I lol'd "What the.. no idea what that is *toss aside* What's.. THAT? Oh, HDMI cable *Toss" xD

Man, that thing is beautiful, I hope to have the money for two of them sometime soon.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> You can check if you're using MSI afterburner. The temperature monitor for the 2nd card will go to 0 when it is in powered down mode. Has worked flawlessly for me so far.


Not happening for me. Both are sitting @ 300/150 @ 32C.

I like the fact they give you an ACTIVE miniDP -> DVI adapter.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Not happening for me. Both are sitting @ 300/150 @ 32C.
> I like the fact they give you an ACTIVE miniDP -> DVI adapter.


this is exactly why i want a sapphire card. Newegg get them back in stock PLS


----------



## omega17

Sapphire seem to recognise that you're dropping a whole lot of cash on these cards, so they go the extra step.


----------



## Ghost23

Anyone have experience with, or reference to a 7970 vs crossfire 6950's ? Would like to know before I sell me 6950's.


----------



## dVeLoPe

ill sel you mine for what i paid plus shipping to you.. they wont be back in stock for a while i have an insder at egg and 29 days to decide if i want the card or not if i ido not open it so personally im waiting on msi or non-ref to show up they have xfx 20+ ONLY as of right now if anyone still wants to buy that brand the non Black edition


----------



## BritishBob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Anyone have experience with, or reference to a 7970 vs crossfire 6950's ? Would like to know before I sell me 6950's.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Jesus, did they give you enough accessories?! I must admit I lol'd "What the.. no idea what that is *toss aside* What's.. THAT? Oh, HDMI cable *Toss" xD
> Man, that thing is beautiful, I hope to have the money for two of them sometime soon.


Good review here:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/1

And TBH, most of that i don't need. I could have read the labels but it's all about that card...


----------



## omega17

I've just gone from 2x6950 to 2x7970, and it's faster









From what I could tell from reviews, 2x6950 is slightly faster that a 7970, but only just, and this is with drivers which haven't been optimised for the 7970.


----------



## yanks8981

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> ill sel you mine for what i paid plus shipping to you.. they wont be back in stock for a while i have an insder at egg and 29 days to decide if i want the card or not if i ido not open it so personally im waiting on msi or non-ref to show up they have xfx 20+ ONLY as of right now if anyone still wants to buy that brand the non Black edition


Where did our translator friend go?


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> ill sel you mine for what i paid plus shipping to you.. they wont be back in stock for a while i have an insder at egg and 29 days to decide if i want the card or not if i ido not open it so personally im waiting on msi or non-ref to show up they have xfx 20+ ONLY as of right now if anyone still wants to buy that brand the non Black edition


if i wanted to pay $600 for it id go through amazon and deal with their ridiculous policy that anything SHIPPED to WA gets taxed. You dont even have to live in WA or have a billing address in WA. if it ships to WA they tax it


----------



## dVeLoPe

so then enjoy waiting.. i paid the 30$ in shipping to get it here next day so im def not selling it to you for 550 who wants to loose 30$ not me!! I will either return it for my money back or sell on craigslist so tempted to open but thats 87$ re-stocking fee lols #FDAT


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> behold! 7 more hours at the office....should feel like a decade.


That looks just like my desk minus the gpu.


----------



## Exburn

Hi, I will soon join the club, but I'm not sure which card to choose.
The battle is between
the xfx 7970 core edition, reference one
and
xfx Dual fan, not black edition

I've heard different reviews of the dual fan so Im not sure what to choose. I will overclock it, and Im using a Arc Midi with, 2x140mm front, 2x120 top, 140mm bottom, and radiator for cpu pushing out behind.

What are your opinions about this?


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exburn*
> 
> Hi, I will soon join the club, but I'm not sure which card to choose.
> The battle is between
> the xfx 7970 core edition, reference one
> and
> xfx Dual fan, not black edition
> I've heard different reviews of the dual fan so Im not sure what to choose. I will overclock it, and Im using a Arc Midi with, 2x140mm front, 2x120 top, 140mm bottom, and radiator for cpu pushing out behind.
> What are your opinions about this?


Get the stock clocked one, why pay more for a clock you will be able to exceed easily?


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> That looks just like my desk minus the gpu.


messy piles of boiler drawings and all? and, clearly, your desk needs a 7970 as well.


----------



## dir_d

Im waiting for a 7950 and to see if they will be a great clocker..


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> if i wanted to pay $600 for it id go through amazon and deal with their ridiculous policy that anything SHIPPED to WA gets taxed. You dont even have to live in WA or have a billing address in WA. if it ships to WA they tax it


lol Spokompton in the house! (South Hill represent!) Yeah I used to order alot on Newegg and very little on Amazon, like books for class or leisure, when we lived on Mercer Island. But when I moved to SoCal, it's the other way around. It's a bit of a trade off though. I really like Prime's shipping deal, but Amazon doesn't stock as much hardware inventory as Newegg.

Also they can't mess around with the whole tax thing since they are dealing with alot of gripe from other states trying to force them to collect taxes. Especially with that Witch, who is still running Olympia and is a part of that political group trying to get sales tax on internet sales streamlined throughout the entire US , I'm sure she will be first in line to hit Amazon with tax evasion charges.


----------



## Penryn

Washington isn't the only state. I paid a ton of tax on mine too and I live in CA. Amazon taxes CA too. 8.25% I believe it is now.



In other news, my card changed to shipped today and since Newegg ships UPS from CA I should have it by sometime tomorrow, thursday at the latest since their warehouse is only 2 hours away. I loved crossfire 6950s but it will be nice to have a super capable SINGLE card for eyefinity! Can't wait to OC it and may even add it to my loop and get rid of my fan noise!


----------



## Focus182

Ordering my Sapphire 7970 tomorrow with the best postage option i can get.

£460 pounds for it though....Sigh. Worth every penny if i get an average overclocker though


----------



## Exburn

So, it will reach the same clock speeds? Can all of you here that have the dual fan xfx tell their opinion about it? Hows temperature/noise and clocking?

I really need quick answers, cause I must consider tomorrow


----------



## omega17

Umm... try living in the UK then complain about taxes.

We pay 20% VAT on everything except fresh foods and childrens clothing.

Yeah.

Looks like all 7970s will OC well. 1125 core on stock volts is immense..


----------



## tanton

I bought Gigabyte's card like an hour ago, it was the only one on stock and went out of stock once I bought it. hopefully it arrives by this Friday.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exburn*
> 
> So, it will reach the same clock speeds? Can all of you here that have the dual fan xfx tell their opinion about it? Hows temperature/noise and clocking?
> 
> I really need quick answers, cause I must consider tomorrow


Check out this thread here http://www.overclock.net/t/1194445/xfx-7970-double-d-black-edition/60_30

Or this review at anand

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5314/xfxs-radeon-hd-7970-black-edition-double-dissipation-the-first-semicustom-7970


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Was able to get 4 Asus 7970 before they went out of stock! Quad-Fire baby!


Man I am always so envious of the systems you put together!

4x 7970's are going to be a force to be reckoned with!

Will be keen to see how your scaling goes once drivers mature.

I will be getting a second and then a 3rd as prices drop a bit. In the middle of building a house so other things to concentrate on for now.


----------



## Penryn

Diamond is back in stock again.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103201

So is XFX

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150585


----------



## Kortwa

Some shots I took of my cards before I put them in to see how they run. I forgot to take the film off the center part of the card when I was shooting it







I will do some more shots and some macro of the top of the card when I take the stock cooler off to put them under water. If you want higher res versions or other specific things in a picture I will do what I can to help.










DSC_2844 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr


DSC_2800 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr


DSC_2801 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr


DSC_2854 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ceteris*
> 
> lol Spokompton in the house! (South Hill represent!) Yeah I used to order alot on Newegg and very little on Amazon, like books for class or leisure, when we lived on Mercer Island. But when I moved to SoCal, it's the other way around. It's a bit of a trade off though. I really like Prime's shipping deal, but Amazon doesn't stock as much hardware inventory as Newegg.
> Also they can't mess around with the whole tax thing since they are dealing with alot of gripe from other states trying to force them to collect taxes. Especially with that Witch, who is still running Olympia and is a part of that political group trying to get sales tax on internet sales streamlined throughout the entire US , I'm sure she will be first in line to hit Amazon with tax evasion charges.


hey i live south of the south hill, in fact my dad works up there at divines. you should check out the NW overclockers club (link in my sig) if you haven't already








yeah i just think its really dumb that the tax only applies if the item is shipped to wa. somoene from a different state even checked. it would still charge tax no matter who buys it if its shipped to WA. i thought it was suppose to depend on where you live.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I got my card and it's now installed (I'll post the pics later).
Can't get past 1125 MHz, stable.
The voltage doesn't seem to stick even with the 20+ power slider.
Hmm...


----------



## The Biz

Its in the box.









And after it's all setup.


----------



## CallsignVega

What drivers are you guys using, the once from the CD or the ones from AMD download?

Something is seriously wrong with my 7970's/drivers, I get like 20 FPS in BF3 and 3 FPS in Witcher 2.


----------



## Nemesis158

boom just ordered my sapphire card from newegg


----------



## Evil Penguin

I have good news and bad news...
Good news: The latest [email protected] beta client (7.1.43) supports the HD 7970, which means you can now fold.
Bad news: Performance still really sucks... Looks like the core that is currently used isn't optimized for the new architecture.
The 7970 is currently getting over 8500 PPD (1125 MHz core).


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Guys try the 11.12 drivers if you're having FPS issues... don't use the 12.x beta


----------



## Tslm

Bam ordered my second card. HIS to go with the Sapphire thats arriving today


----------



## Evil Penguin

Might sound crazy but is anyone experiencing vdrop under load?
Went from 1.183v idle to 1.080v load.


----------



## aeassa

Just bought one.


----------



## Outcasst

I've said it before and will say it again, I'm glad I didn't wait for the non reference models as the coolers on these cards are the best stock ones I've owned.


----------



## UNOE

So we can't adjust the shader ? or see the shader speed ?


----------



## Outcasst

AMD cards don't have shaders as such, I believe that's only for NVIDIA


----------



## UNOE

okay so everyone is bumping memory with core ?


----------



## Outcasst

Yeah, although bumping the memory doesn't seem to do much for performance.


----------



## importflip

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> AMD cards don't have shaders as such, I believe that's only for NVIDIA


Nope. The shader clock is linked with the core clock. If you look at the GPU-Zs that have been posted you'll find the shader count on there.


----------



## PARTON

I'm in here.

7970 fresh oc.jpg 223k .jpg file


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Guys try the 11.12 drivers if you're having FPS issues... don't use the 12.x beta


I don't think the 11.12 driver line even will install with the 7000 series.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FastCR*
> 
> I shoulda got mine overnighted. First day of spring semester tomorrow is gonna be excruciating.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Oh yeah. http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/691466/width/392/height/486/flags/
> 
> Furmark burned through stock clocks with ease....
> 
> Behold 1125/1575
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (74C - fan @ 65%)
> 
> The Sapphires definitely have a dual BIOS switch, although I've not touched them yet, as 1125/1575 @ 1.170V will suffice


Be curious to hear from you guys, and continue to hear about your experience. I also have a PII and want to know if you experience any CPU throttling.


----------



## Evil Penguin

So far I managed to hit 1070 MHz core, stable (extensive OCCT testing).
I can't get 1100 MHz stable.








It'll black screen of death on me with higher voltages.


----------



## krazyatom

omg I am so jealous.
Any 2560 x 1600 resolution owners or eyefinity/surround here? I want o know if single 7970 will be enough for 2560 x 1600 resoultions and up.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> So far I managed to hit 1070 MHz core, stable (extensive OCCT testing).
> I can't get 1100 MHz stable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It'll black screen of death on me with higher voltages.


OCCT testing is probably very accurate OC tester, so not many ppl will get 1100 mhz stable without error free.


----------



## erocker

Skyrim won't detect my 7970







I'm using the drivers released for 7970 posted yesterday.


----------



## CallsignVega

I've spent many hours now trying to get my 7970's to work properly this is ridiculous. I've tried ATIMan uninstaller, booting into safe mode and using driver sweeper, re-installing the x64 7970 driver on AMD's web site. Everything is fail, I get 45 FPS in BF3 at 1080P with everything set to low. GPU usage says 99% but the temperature stays at 45C. Something is very very wrong here.

Reviewers on a stock 7970 were getting ~80FPS on 1080P ultra, how can I be getting 45FPS with everything set to low when the 6990 I just removed got about 200 FPS with everything set to low.









If this makes me re-install Win 7 I am doing to be pissed.


----------



## UNOE

I saw only 30 percent usage while benching 3Dmark 11 with Extreme. My score seems fine X3050 at 1100 core.
This must not be reporting properly. right ?

Edit : I'm also only running it at x8 because I haven't dismantled my loop yet.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> I've spent many hours now trying to get my 7970's to work properly this is ridiculous. I've tried ATIMan uninstaller, booting into safe mode and using driver sweeper, re-installing the x64 7970 driver on AMD's web site. Everything is fail, I get 45 FPS in BF3 at 1080P with everything set to low. GPU usage says 99% but the temperature stays at 45C. Something is very very wrong here.
> 
> Reviewers on a stock 7970 were getting ~80FPS on 1080P ultra, how can I be getting 45FPS with everything set to low when the 6990 I just removed got about 200 FPS with everything set to low.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If this makes me re-install Win 7 I am doing to be pissed.


Something is pretty wrong with your setup...
BF3 is running smooth as butter even with my FX-8150.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Something is pretty wrong with your setup...
> BF3 is running smooth as butter even with my FX-8150.


I just ran Heaven 2.5 at 1080P will all setting minimum and I was getting 30 FPS ROFL. GPU usage said 99%, there was no heat being kicked out the back of the card. What the flippity crap! Feel's like I bought a Voodoo3DFX card. It's not like there are many driver to choose from....


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Something is pretty wrong with your setup...
> BF3 is running smooth as butter even with my FX-8150.
> 
> 
> 
> I just ran Heaven 2.5 at 1080P will all setting minimum and I was getting 30 FPS ROFL. GPU usage said 99%, there was no heat being kicked out the back of the card. What the flippity crap! Feel's like I bought a Voodoo3DFX card. It's not like there are many driver to choose from....
Click to expand...

Perhaps your previous cards cursed it.








Try installing Windows on another spare HDD and see if a clean installation did the trick.


----------



## GoldenTiger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> omg I am so jealous.
> Any 2560 x 1600 resolution owners or eyefinity/surround here? I want o know if single 7970 will be enough for 2560 x 1600 resoultions and up.


I am using 2560x1600 (Dell 3007WFP-HC) and loving this thing oc'd.










It blazes, running ~42% fan speed which is tolerable noise-wise. I'm having artifacting with The Old Republic at times unless I go to around 1200mhz for some reason (lowering voltage has no ill effect there, to 1.268v and lower even), and voltage doesn't seem to help that so I'm almost wondering if it's a driver issue. Not sure exactly what's up, because 3dmark11 Extreme preset & BF3 run fine endlessly.

My card came in this afternoon







... I'd say so far it's a little amount slower than my OC'd 570 SLI (it was at 786c/4100m), which is pretty damn amazing for a single card to do. Some spots of BF3/SWTOR it's good bit faster, others a little slower, but overall it's almost even probably edging to be very slightly slower depending on game.

For Crysis 2 with high-res textures & ultra settings packs (except tesselation/object detail on Extreme) it's a no-contest stupid-huge win due to the VRAM limitation on my previous 570's (around 22-25fps vs. 40-45 now on the 7970 oc).

It's the same with the Back to Karkand maps on BF3 with everything maxed except no Deferred MSAA: I would run into my VRAM wall unless I dropped to FXAA low and SSAO in place of HBAO, and even then it was slower than the 7970oc since the 7970oc with the just-about-max settings I listed is basically dead-even performance wise with the lower ones on my 570 SLI oc.

Going to test things like Civ5's benchmarks and gameplay soon, as well as Sonic Generations. It's weird that so far SWTOR is the only game with any issues for me







, going to have to figure that out soon and hope a driver update resolves it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Sounds like an unstable overclock to me, GoldenTiger.
Try running OCCT.


----------



## campdude

was gonna be an owner until i saw no windows xp 32-bit home driver downloads


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoldenTiger*
> 
> I am using 2560x1600 (Dell 3007WFP-HC) and loving this thing oc'd.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It blazes, running ~42% fan speed which is tolerable noise-wise. I'm having artifacting with The Old Republic at times unless I go to around 1200mhz for some reason (lowering voltage has no ill effect there, to 1.268v and lower even), and voltage doesn't seem to help that so I'm almost wondering if it's a driver issue. Not sure exactly what's up, because 3dmark11 Extreme preset & BF3 run fine endlessly.
> My card came in this afternoon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ... I'd say so far it's a little amount slower than my OC'd 570 SLI (it was at 786c/4100m), which is pretty damn amazing for a single card to do. Some spots of BF3/SWTOR it's good bit faster, others a little slower, but overall it's almost even probably edging to be very slightly slower depending on game.
> For Crysis 2 with high-res textures & ultra settings packs (except tesselation/object detail on Extreme) it's a no-contest stupid-huge win due to the VRAM limitation on my previous 570's (around 22-25fps vs. 40-45 now on the 7970 oc).
> It's the same with the Back to Karkand maps on BF3 with everything maxed except no Deferred MSAA: I would run into my VRAM wall unless I dropped to FXAA low and SSAO in place of HBAO, and even then it was slower than the 7970oc since the 7970oc with the just-about-max settings I listed is basically dead-even performance wise with the lower ones on my 570 SLI oc.
> Going to test things like Civ5's benchmarks and gameplay soon, as well as Sonic Generations. It's weird that so far SWTOR is the only game with any issues for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , going to have to figure that out soon and hope a driver update resolves it.


I'm leaving my 570's in SLI too for this card its a bit of a downgrade but the main game I play is BF3 and it was laggy due to VRAM limit. So basicly even though this card is slower it should be smoother. Haven't test it yet but I expect it do be the case.


----------



## GoldenTiger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Sounds like an unstable overclock to me, GoldenTiger.
> Try running OCCT.


Will do








.

UNOE, it definitely is a good upgrade, due to those exact things.


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

So I'm attempting to overclock (Sapphire), and have been using Trixx along with CCC. Basically, I increased Powertune in CCC to "+20" and then use Trixx to overclock with voltage adjustments. The issue I'm having is that when I go to look at my OC settings in CCC, they don't show the new settings that I created in Trixx. On top of that, the CCC window starts to flicker, and doesn't allow me to apply any adjustments, almost as if its fighting with the Trixx program. Looking at the HARDOCP review (http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review), you can see that he adjusted voltage/OCs in Trixx, but also used CCC to adjust Powertune, and the new OC settings actually appear in CCC. Am I missing something?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> So I'm attempting to overclock (Sapphire), and have been using Trixx along with CCC. Basically, I increased Powertune in CCC to "+20" and then use Trixx to overclock with voltage adjustments. The issue I'm having is that when I go to look at my OC settings in CCC, they don't show the new settings that I created in Trixx. On top of that, the CCC window starts to flicker, and doesn't allow me to apply any adjustments, almost as if its fighting with the Trixx program. Looking at the HARDOCP review (http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review), you can see that he adjusted voltage/OCs in Trixx, but also used CCC to adjust Powertune, and the new OC settings actually appear in CCC. Am I missing something?


try using newest msi ab?


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> try using newest msi ab?


I thought MSI AB caused issues with Powertune in CCC? I thought I remembered reading that you can't use Powertune (or CCC Overdrive for that matter) when OC'ing with AB?


----------



## dVeLoPe

im at a standstil here someone help me out... i have a sapphire but want to exchange it for the MSI brand whenever newegg stocks them the qeustion is will it be worth it?? I heard they all use the same solid caps and nothing will be different but their has to be some reason NO ONE IS SELLING A MSI brand 7970 in the USA at the moment...


----------



## GoldenTiger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> So I'm attempting to overclock (Sapphire), and have been using Trixx along with CCC. Basically, I increased Powertune in CCC to "+20" and then use Trixx to overclock with voltage adjustments. The issue I'm having is that when I go to look at my OC settings in CCC, they don't show the new settings that I created in Trixx. On top of that, the CCC window starts to flicker, and doesn't allow me to apply any adjustments, almost as if its fighting with the Trixx program. Looking at the HARDOCP review (http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review), you can see that he adjusted voltage/OCs in Trixx, but also used CCC to adjust Powertune, and the new OC settings actually appear in CCC. Am I missing something?


Just set powertune then close CCC and launch Trixx, works perfectly.

As far as the OCCT test, you were right Penguin.... I get a small # of errors at those settings and it gets worse the higher my temps go. In fact once I hit around 78c I start getting small handfuls of them even with low voltage at 1160c/1585m (1.206v) and 41% fan after 4-5 minutes. I tried cranking up the fan at the higher settings I had listed and it fixed errors but was too loud







. So, I'm trying to find a good balance of thermals and few-to-no errors now without noise. I'm about to try down-volting further as it seems the lower I go the better off I am at avoiding temperatures with no real noticeable difference on error count until of course it hits that threshold.


----------



## The Biz

I'm really impressed with this card. I turned everything up to ultra on BF3 and it runs superb on my 27 samsung. 3d looks great too.








That was on campaign as I can't do multiplayer yet.


----------



## WiL11o6

Goldentiger, the man I want to talk to.

I am selling my 570s to get a 7970 because of vram limits causing stuttering, even at 1080p. Does the 7970 run smoother with no stutter vs the 570s albeit lower fps? At this point I don't care about high fps, which the 570s delivered but it wasn't able to max MSAA without stutter for $700. It would be in the 80fps then drop to 30fps after and stays there all jerking and lagging. Does the 7970 eliminate that?


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Biz*
> 
> I'm really impressed with this card. I turned everything up to ultra on BF3 and it runs superb on my 27 samsung. 3d looks great too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was on campaign as I can't do multiplayer yet.


What kind of fps are you getting?

I have the same monitor so hoping for +60fps with ultra -MSAA


----------



## Denim-187

Guys i cannot stress this enough... Afterburner and techpowerup Gpu tool or OCCT are the most accurate ways to test for absolute stability.
I was able to max the sliders in CCC and run benchmarks with no problems, but i did notice minor little artifacts. 
I then used GPU tool and it showed me where the cards where missing renders.
To my surprise, it gave me my 100% stable stock voltage overclock which was 1070/1575 mhz. 
This performed better than when i had the sliders maxxed in CCC due to the fact that it wasn't a stable overclock.
Just because you can max the sliders and finish bemchmarks, doesnt mean your overclock is completely stable. 
Good luckkkkk yooo


----------



## Cirdan

So got my card installed, and it works excellently. However, when I go in to crank up the clocks in Overdrive anything using the gpu crashes. Hopefully that doesn't mean I have a dud


----------



## dVeLoPe

thanks for responding denim still waiting ololol


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> thanks for responding denim still waiting ololol


Oh lol, yes i can tweak voltage. Its not locked


----------



## dVeLoPe

via afterburner or you using that trixx thing? basiclly havent opened mine cause I dont want no finicky overclocking support was going to wait on the MSI version to release but if its working for you i might be tempted to install it tommorow after work


----------



## tats

Anyone who already has their card - what are you guys getting in heaven? Would love to see stock vs oc results.

Mine just got into Newark so I should have it after work tomorrow and have been doing a bunch of benches with my 580 before it craps out for a good comparison.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Looking forward to some overclocking action tonight!


----------



## naved777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> 
> Looking forward to some overclocking action tonight!


dats the brand um looking for


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> 
> 
> Looking forward to some overclocking action tonight!


That's the card I am waiting for, and maybe a water block also









Was going to get 2 but they are just a bit faster then I was thinking in BF3 ! One of these under water should be nice


----------



## GoldenTiger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Goldentiger, the man I want to talk to.
> I am selling my 570s to get a 7970 because of vram limits causing stuttering, even at 1080p. Does the 7970 run smoother with no stutter vs the 570s albeit lower fps? At this point I don't care about high fps, which the 570s delivered but it wasn't able to max MSAA without stutter for $700. It would be in the 80fps then drop to 30fps after and stays there all jerking and lagging. Does the 7970 eliminate that?


I will test it out tonight with MSAA enabled, but it was smooth sailing for me so far even though VRAM usage was at 1650-1700mb+ without MSAA. There are no jerky, stuttering shots (especially happened on my 570 SLI when turning around) anymore though for me. I'll let you know.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks, appreciate it. Could you run at 1080p with 4xMsaa and see what avg fps is also? On top of if there's stuttering or not. That would be awesome!







64-player, large conquest, preferably strike at karkand.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> That's the card I am waiting for, and maybe a water block also
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Was going to get 2 but they are just a bit faster then I was thinking in BF3 ! One of these under water should be nice


Will be getting a second one in a couple of weeks and water blocks for both


----------



## GoldenTiger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks, appreciate it. Could you run at 1080p with 4xMsaa and see what avg fps is also? On top of if there's stuttering or not. That would be awesome!


Well, I just ran at 2560x1600 4x MSAA, SSAO, Post at Medium, everything else maxed/ultra and it's holding at about 35minimum, 45-47 average, with spikes to 60+ at times on "Wake Island" while using over 2100mb VRAM







.

I'll jump down to 1920x1080 for you for a minute and let you know how it compares.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Will be getting a second one in a couple of weeks and water blocks for both


2 seems overkill for a single 1080p monitor, but I guess having 120Hz monitor such FPS is noticeable.


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> What kind of fps are you getting?
> I have the same monitor so hoping for +60fps with ultra -MSAA


Everything on ultra and AA16x and no msaa is around 40-60 depending on how intense the game is at the time.

Sorry man, I'm no fps guru and just started getting back into gaming on the pc after years of no gaming.


----------



## GoldenTiger

Jumped down to 1920x1080, same settings as before (I forgot to mention I'm running at 1125c/1550m on auto for now at stock volts just to play games for the night 100% stable), it's hitting around 1850-1920mb of VRAM usage, and a minimum of 55fps, average seems to be around 67-70 95% of the time, and some areas of the map (same map, Wake Island) are hitting 80+.

No stutters or hitching at all no matter what the heck is going on, be it explosions, me jerking around quickly, etc.

You'll be very happy with one of these, it seems







!


----------



## xxicrimsonixx

Once I get mine (hopefully tomorrow, currently in snail mail), I will register.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Biz*
> 
> Everything on ultra and AA16x and no msaa is around 40-60 depending on how intense the game is at the time.
> Sorry man, I'm no fps guru and just started getting back into gaming on the pc after years of no gaming.


You should try a mild overclock mate.

It should boost those minimums right up into the mid 50's.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> I've said it before and will say it again, I'm glad I didn't wait for the non reference models as the coolers on these cards are the best stock ones I've owned.


The fan doesn't seem as bad as people made it out to be. It's loudish still but the tone is different to the 6970 one. WAY less turbulance

Runs cool too


----------



## GoldenTiger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The fan doesn't seem as bad as people made it out to be. It's loudish still but the tone is different to the 6970 one. WAY less turbulance
> Runs cool too


Coming from GTX 570 SLI it's actually quieter by a good margin. I find anything up to 42-44% fan to be a gentle whoosh type noise of air, relatively low sound but audible over the rest of my system a little. 38%/below is basically indiscernable over my other case fans (auto maxes at about this and 1125c/1550m coincidentally). Crank it up to 70% or somesuch and it's noisy as heck, but at normal operating speeds it is actually a very pleasant fan tone-wise and in loudness.


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> You should try a mild overclock mate.
> It should boost those minimums right up into the mid 50's.


Man, I don't know the 1st steps to overclocking.


----------



## GoldenTiger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guys i cannot stress this enough... Afterburner and techpowerup Gpu tool or OCCT are the most accurate ways to test for absolute stability.
> I was able to max the sliders in CCC and run benchmarks with no problems, but i did notice minor little artifacts.
> I then used GPU tool and it showed me where the cards where missing renders.
> To my surprise, it gave me my 100% stable stock voltage overclock which was 1070/1575 mhz.
> This performed better than when i had the sliders maxxed in CCC due to the fact that it wasn't a stable overclock.
> Just because you can max the sliders and finish bemchmarks, doesnt mean your overclock is completely stable.
> Good luckkkkk yooo


This is an excellent point... running 1125c/1550m on 1.187v auto fan (defualt is 1.174) and rock-solid with 0 errors under OCCT for 5 minutes now... it's actually performing a bit better in BF3 than trying a higher clock that has some errors. I'm working on tweaking higher clocks to have 0 errors now







.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

It's getting reaaaally difficult to be patient and hold off for the 7990!


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Biz*
> 
> Man, I don't know the 1st steps to overclocking.


right click on your desktop, click on Catalyst Control Centre and then head into the performance part.

You will see "Overdrive" - Click that.

To play things safe, set your Core clock at around 1100mhz and your memory at 1400mhz.

Next set your power control setting to +20% and your done!

enjoy!


----------



## magicase

Sorry if this has been asked before but what does the small switch near the crossfire port do?

I hear it allows more overclocking ability but i'm not sure whether left or right allows that.


----------



## Infinite Loop

How much do you guys thing the 7950 will be (for us poor people lol)?

The 7990 will be like 800$ LOL!


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> right click on your desktop, click on Catalyst Control Centre and then head into the performance part.
> You will see "Overdrive" - Click that.
> To play things safe, set your Core clock at around 1100mhz and your memory at 1400mhz.
> Next set your power control setting to +20% and your done!
> enjoy!


Thanks man. That'll void my warranty right?


----------



## trippinonprozac

No it def does NOT void warranty.

Hence why it is built into the driver.


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> No it def does NOT void warranty.
> Hence why it is built into the driver.


Ok. Thanks again. I only asked cause it was asking me to agree and mentioned the warranty.

"DAMAGES CAUSED BY USE OF YOUR AMD PROCESSOR OUTSIDE OF OFFICIAL AMD SPECIFICATIONS OR OUTSIDE OF FACTORY SETTINGS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY AMD PRODUCT WARRANTY AND MAY NOT BE COVERED BY YOUR BOARD OR SYSTEM MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. "


----------



## trippinonprozac

haha no worries.

you will be fine mate.

everyone does it.


----------



## The Biz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> haha no worries.
> you will be fine mate.
> everyone does it.










Cool thanks.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoldenTiger*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The fan doesn't seem as bad as people made it out to be. It's loudish still but the tone is different to the 6970 one. WAY less turbulance
> Runs cool too
> 
> 
> 
> Coming from GTX 570 SLI it's actually quieter by a good margin. I find anything up to 42-44% fan to be a gentle whoosh type noise of air, relatively low sound but audible over the rest of my system a little. 38%/below is basically indiscernable over my other case fans (auto maxes at about this and 1125c/1550m coincidentally). Crank it up to 70% or somesuch and it's noisy as heck, but at normal operating speeds it is actually a very pleasant fan tone-wise and in loudness.
Click to expand...

Yeah the airflow seems less restricted, I'm guessing the full length exhaust is a big reason. Probably the change in fin design too

2nd card arrives tomorrow so Ill see what CF noise is like


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> It's getting reaaaally difficult to be patient and hold off for the 7990!


I'm right with you there, bud! Possibly with the exception of decently priced ASUS or MSI 7970 actually in stock to buy.


----------



## WiL11o6

GoldenTiger, I love you. Thanks for taking the time to test that. I'm less worried about the switch now. I'm surprised that even at 1080p, you are pulling 2gb of vram usage, that's insane! I'm glad to hear there's no stuttering and I'm also surprised the minimum fps is actually quite high at 50. My 570s occasionally dips into 40s and averages around 80. Nice to know the 7970 can keep up at around 70 fps average. I'll just miss the meaningless benchmarks because I was hitting 11k on 3dmark11, now it'll be down to 8k, but at least I can max ultra and 4x MSAA in bf3.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ceteris*
> 
> I'm right with you there, bud! Possibly with the exception of decently priced ASUS or MSI 7970 actually in stock to buy.


I plan to run Tri-fire that's why I need the 7990 so I only take up two pci slots







My 6990/70 trifire now will hold me over haha. These cards are just showing their true nature and they've only been released a couple days! BEAAAAAAAST!


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

How are you guys preventing the card from potentially throttling when using OC software besides CCC? Currently, I'm only using CCC, and increasing Powertune to max (+20), but I would like to OC past the current clock limits. I was using Sapphire Trixx previously, but I wasn't sure if disabling CCC would prevent the over-watt protection.


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> I plan to run Tri-fire that's why I need the 7990 so I only take up two pci slots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My 6990/70 trifire now will hold me over haha. These cards are just showing their true nature and they've only been released a couple days! BEAAAAAAAST!


Bleh~! Try having a GTX 480 hold you over til 7990 comes out! Although it will be really interesting to see what non-reference variations are released by that time as well. I'm praying ASUS does an Ares II that will put the Mars II to shame. And MSI's Twin Frozr cooler on a 7970?! ****!!









On a side note, it's funny seeing Sapphire and Diamond cards randomly become "In Stock" on Newegg lol!


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I'll probably run the accelero cooling setup on the 7990 if they make it in time and then the single card will hopefully be an msi frozr if it's out


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> How are you guys preventing the card from potentially throttling when using OC software besides CCC? Currently, I'm only using CCC, and increasing Powertune to max (+20), but I would like to OC past the current clock limits. I was using Sapphire Trixx previously, but I wasn't sure if disabling CCC would prevent the over-watt protection.


If you use Saphire Trixx then uncheck the overdrive box in CCC so it disables all of that mess. Then in Trixx check the "disable ulps" box and restart. Now up the voltage and set your clocks. You shouldn't have to do anything in ccc for over clocking. (This is how it's been at least... new cards may be a little different but it's worth a shot).


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guys i cannot stress this enough... Afterburner and techpowerup Gpu tool or OCCT are the most accurate ways to test for absolute stability.
> I was able to max the sliders in CCC and run benchmarks with no problems, but i did notice minor little artifacts.
> I then used GPU tool and it showed me where the cards where missing renders.
> To my surprise, it gave me my 100% stable stock voltage overclock which was 1070/1575 mhz.
> This performed better than when i had the sliders maxxed in CCC due to the fact that it wasn't a stable overclock.
> Just because you can max the sliders and finish bemchmarks, doesnt mean your overclock is completely stable.
> Good luckkkkk yooo


Yup, 1070 MHz core is the current stable limit it seems.
You could game at a higher clock, but your mileage may vary.

BTW, I've found that OCCT 3.1 works the best for stressing the GPU.
The newest version still isn't quite there.


----------



## Denim-187

Tools for flashing 7970 bios :

TOOLS.zip 708k .zip file


*ASUS 7970 classified bios*:

7970Classified.zip 621k .zip file


PM me for help on flashing.

-Evil Penguin. You might wanna add this somewhere in the OP for those that want to overclock beyond limits. Thnx


----------



## dantoddd

any recommendations about what is the best one


----------



## Nemesis158

the running recommendation right now is the sapphire card i think. Ive seen it come into stock @ newegg 3 or 4 times and it goes out in like 10 minutes each time.
Sapphire included every adapter you could need with it


----------



## dantoddd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> the running recommendation right now is the sapphire card i think. Ive seen it come into stock @ newegg 3 or 4 times and it goes out in like 10 minutes each time.
> Sapphire included every adapter you could need with it


thanks. I just put it on auto notify. I hope these cards serve me better than my last two ATI purchases


----------



## Nemesis158

aaaaaand the Diamond card finally went out of stock @ newegg again


----------



## UNOE

I'm seeing occasional artifacts at stock on desktop every 15-20 minutes or so its quick flashes sometimes a line or two. My monitor is 120hz.
Anyone else have this. I'm leaning towards it being driver related because games run great even with overclock.


----------



## CallsignVega

An update to my original 7970 installation woes: Somewhere between uninstalling some AMD beta drivers (I think they were 8.94), rebooting and installing the 7000 series driver it completely hosed my Windows 7 install. No matter if I used ATI-Man uninstaller, driver sweeper or anything with the new drivers the new cards fell flat on their face.

The good news after a five hour Win 7 installation marathon (I am picky about my Win 7 installs and getting them just right), these two 7970's I have are running BF3 120Hz Eyefinity beautifully!

All of the stuttering, slow downs and hiccups of my 6990's are completely gone! This new architecture completely blows away the previous series. My hat is off to AMD.

Now I have to hear of some people's Eyefinity experiences using quad-crossfire as I think expanding my setup to four 6GB 7970's when they release and five 120Hz screens in portrait Eyefinity may be in order!

Time for the 6990 and 580 to hit Ebay...


----------



## Evil Penguin

I'm very glad that your issues are now sorted out.
Perhaps the nVidia drivers were to blame?
Who knows...


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I'm seeing occasional artifacts at stock on desktop every 15-20 minutes or so its quick flashes sometimes a line or two. My monitor is 120hz.
> Anyone else have this. I'm leaning towards it being driver related because games run great even with overclock.


I have it too on my 120hz monitor... driver related


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> An update to my original 7970 installation woes: Somewhere between uninstalling some AMD beta drivers (I think they were 8.94), rebooting and installing the 7000 series driver it completely hosed my Windows 7 install. No matter if I used ATI-Man uninstaller, driver sweeper or anything with the new drivers the new cards fell flat on their face.
> The good news after a five hour Win 7 installation marathon (I am picky about my Win 7 installs and getting them just right), these two 7970's I have are running BF3 120Hz Eyefinity beautifully!
> All of the stuttering, slow downs and hiccups of my 6990's are completely gone! This new architecture completely blows away the previous series. My hat is off to AMD.
> Now I have to hear of some people's Eyefinity experiences using quad-crossfire as I think expanding my setup to four 6GB 7970's when they release and five 120Hz screens in portrait Eyefinity may be in order!
> Time for the 6990 and 580 to hit Ebay...


Told everyone so.... no one believed it when i said there's *no microstutter*


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> An update to my original 7970 installation woes: Somewhere between uninstalling some AMD beta drivers (I think they were 8.94), rebooting and installing the 7000 series driver it completely hosed my Windows 7 install. No matter if I used ATI-Man uninstaller, driver sweeper or anything with the new drivers the new cards fell flat on their face.
> The good news after a five hour Win 7 installation marathon (I am picky about my Win 7 installs and getting them just right), these two 7970's I have are running BF3 120Hz Eyefinity beautifully!
> All of the stuttering, slow downs and hiccups of my 6990's are completely gone! This new architecture completely blows away the previous series. My hat is off to AMD.
> Now I have to hear of some people's Eyefinity experiences using quad-crossfire as I think expanding my setup to four 6GB 7970's when they release and five 120Hz screens in portrait Eyefinity may be in order!
> Time for the 6990 and 580 to hit Ebay...
> 
> 
> 
> Told everyone so.... no one believed it when i said there's *no microstutter*
Click to expand...

At least not with a single-GPU.


----------



## Dirtyworks

I dont have it yet, but its been shipped!


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> An update to my original 7970 installation woes: Somewhere between uninstalling some AMD beta drivers (I think they were 8.94), rebooting and installing the 7000 series driver it completely hosed my Windows 7 install. No matter if I used ATI-Man uninstaller, driver sweeper or anything with the new drivers the new cards fell flat on their face.
> The good news after a five hour Win 7 installation marathon (I am picky about my Win 7 installs and getting them just right), these two 7970's I have are running BF3 120Hz Eyefinity beautifully!
> All of the stuttering, slow downs and hiccups of my 6990's are completely gone! This new architecture completely blows away the previous series. My hat is off to AMD.
> Now I have to hear of some people's Eyefinity experiences using quad-crossfire as I think expanding my setup to four 6GB 7970's when they release and five 120Hz screens in portrait Eyefinity may be in order!
> Time for the 6990 and 580 to hit Ebay...


Told you.









AMD hit a home-run with the 7970.









Now flash your BIOS with the Asus 7970 BIOS, and use the new Asus GPU tweak utility. Forget Afterburner. That new Asus utility is better.

Did you order waterblocks? Koolance and EK blocks are coming out next week.


----------



## NorxMAL

Now I have installed my card









It was hell and a pain, since I had to remove the older 5870 from my waterloop.

There were lots of problems, like leaks right onto the motherboard (I didn't drain the system, I was to eager to get it up and running). The computer didn't boot up for one, my keyboard had to be flashed with new firmware for some reason.

I have had this problem with the computer not booting up with a previous leakage, so I just sprayed the whole thing with Isopropyl alcohol. But this time I had to wait till next day, I was dreading that my mobo had taken a dive into silicon heaven or some other component before I plugged in the powercord, and push the on button. All the fans came on, but no post beep. So I just plugged in the card, moved the ram around little, then I heard the sweet beep of post









But I lost my bios settings, and my overclocking settings, so now I have to put them back in, but my oc sheet with the settings isn't fully updated with my last ones.

Since the 5870 only needed two 6pin powerconnectors, I removed the wire with the optional 6 to 8 pin. Now I needed 6pin and 8 pin, so I had to use zipties to route it along the sleeved cable on the outside temporary.


Spoiler: Sapphire 7970 in the box









Spoiler: Computer with the old 5870









Spoiler: 6pin to 8pin again..









Spoiler: 7970 installed open case









Spoiler: Computer up and running with 7970 YAY!


----------



## PARTON

Anyone not stable on stock voltage at the catalyst limits of 1125/1575? BF3 locked up on me last night at those clocks. ctrlaltdel got me back to windows. It may or may not have been the oc. I was more interested in playing than testing.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Anyone not stable on stock voltage at the catalyst limits of 1125/1575? BF3 locked up on me last night at those clocks. ctrlaltdel got me back to windows. It may or may not have been the oc. I was more interested in playing than testing.


Not stable for me.
The highest clocks that I've been able to hit so far (stable) with stock voltage is 1070 MHz.
Give it a try.


----------



## slice259

I am waiting on the msi R7970, just hope they start selling them some what soon. They said 1.3v and 1.4ghz on the core for overclocking head room on the default bios! And they are implementing their Solid state Caps throughout the board.







Everyone else has one and I am still waiting, come on msi get them to newegg !


----------



## wTheOnew

Holy 8AM delivery, Batman! UPS has never deliver to my house before 4PM and they get this to me while I'm at work.







figures.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Anyone not stable on stock voltage at the catalyst limits of 1125/1575? BF3 locked up on me last night at those clocks. ctrlaltdel got me back to windows. It may or may not have been the oc. I was more interested in playing than testing.


There's a good chance that's just BF being BF. I have it lock up like that every couple hours or so with a single 5850 and every 30 minutes or so with the tri-fire 5850s. All at stock clock. My friends see the same thing with a 3870x2, a 6870, and a 6950.


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Told you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD hit a home-run with the 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now flash your BIOS with the Asus 7970 BIOS, and use the new Asus GPU tweak utility. Forget Afterburner. That new Asus utility is better.
> Did you order waterblocks? Koolance and EK blocks are coming out next week.


What's the benefit of flashing he ASUS BIOS and using GPU Tweak over not flashing and using something like Sapphire Trixx instead (I have a Sapphire card)? Does doing the ASUS flash/GPU Tweak simply allow for higher voltage control, and therefore higher OC potential?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> What's the benefit of flashing he ASUS BIOS and using GPU Tweak over not flashing and using something like Sapphire Trixx instead (I have a Sapphire card)? Does doing the ASUS flash/GPU Tweak simply allow for higher voltage control, and therefore higher OC potential?


I think it was just the only way to adjust voltage but now afterburner allows voltage tweaking for it.


----------



## DB006

Utility that updates the bios to higher clocks in CCC and voltage to 1300 in AB or similar



From my own webserver http://bit.ly/xjby4g
Download, unzip, run file


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Utility that updates the bios to higher clocks in CCC and voltage to 1300 in AB or similar
> 
> From my own webserver http://bit.ly/xjby4g
> Download, unzip, run file


What would be the benefit of this if you can't adjust the voltage in CCC to take advantage of the higher OC limits?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Utility that updates the bios to higher clocks in CCC and voltage to 1300 in AB or similar
> 
> From my own webserver http://bit.ly/xjby4g
> Download, unzip, run file
> 
> 
> 
> What would be the benefit of this if you can't adjust the voltage in CCC to take advantage of the higher OC limits?
Click to expand...

You don't have to enable unofficial overclocking in Afterburner and GPU Tweak has a higher limit as well.


----------



## Twistacles

When do you guys think the price will drop?

Within the month?

550$ Seems really steep for a videocard


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Anyone not stable on stock voltage at the catalyst limits of 1125/1575? BF3 locked up on me last night at those clocks. ctrlaltdel got me back to windows. It may or may not have been the oc. I was more interested in playing than testing.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Not stable for me.
> The highest clocks that I've been able to hit so far (stable) with stock voltage is 1070 MHz.
> Give it a try.


same here, testing with BF3. highest stable i've got so far is 1100/1575 on stock volts. like PARTON i was more interested in playing than testing last night, so i still need to fine-tune the clocks.


----------



## DB006

Was only using the CCC screen for info. Have mine running stable at 1150/1650 @1.3v in Afterburner beta 10


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> When do you guys think the price will drop?
> Within the month?
> 550$ Seems really steep for a videocard


2-3 months _minimum_.


----------



## Outcasst

What are the real-world advantages of upping the memory clocks? I did a comparison of 1375 vs 1575 and only got 100 points more in vantage. Does it improve frames on monster resolutions?


----------



## Cirdan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Anyone not stable on stock voltage at the catalyst limits of 1125/1575? BF3 locked up on me last night at those clocks. ctrlaltdel got me back to windows. It may or may not have been the oc. I was more interested in playing than testing.


Yea, I'm having that problem. Not just BF3, but SWTOR as well. Seems to be stable until ~1110mhz for me. No BSODs or anything, just crash to desktop.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> What are the real-world advantages of upping the memory clocks? I did a comparison of 1375 vs 1575 and only got 100 points more in vantage. Does it improve frames on monster resolutions?


Totally normal. Error memory checking kicks-in, that's why you don't see any imporvement at higher memory speed.

Lower your memory clock, it's too high for nothing, and it's probably limiting your core OC.

OC your core. That,s will make the biggest difference. And lower your memory speed, it will help OC your core higher.


----------



## tsm106

Lev, did you get your cards yet? I'm still waiting on stock for 3 visionteks from Amazon. I got boned after canceling my 4 xfx. And to make it worse, my TPQ1200 just gave up the ghost. Waiting on a SGalaxy Evo 1250. My quad 6950 were too much for the TPQ!


----------



## kiwwanna

Has anyone in here used there new cards on 1600 P res for BF3, any FPS numbers?


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kiwwanna*
> 
> Has anyone in here used there new cards on 1600 P res for BF3, any FPS numbers?


I will be able to do 1440p once I get home from work...


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

My buddy on here just got his in like an hour ago and is playing BF3 @ 5760x1080 getting 40 - 60fps on one card (High settings tab) He has a second card but is waiting on updated drivers, says it does have some stutter.


----------



## DimmyK

Ahhh, finally!!! Look what the cat dragged in today!











I really need to get back to work, so I just quicky tested it and it looks I can hit 1135Mhz on stock volts.



Metro maxed out (4xAA DoF ON) bench, 6 runs, max temp 75C with manual fan @ 50%. Average FPS - 34.8. My 580 Lighting @ 930 was getting 31.7

First impression - I like it. Gotta do some extensive benchmarking vs 580 in everything else.


----------



## UNOE

I'm wondering about this driver issue with flashing line or two ever 20 minutes or so with 120hz screen. Should I expect this to be worked out. I don't want to keep a card that has this problem for the life of the card.
Also I know everyone has said the microctutter is not a issue. But does anyone know and review sites that have spoken on this topic ?


----------



## Stiven122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I'm wondering about this driver issue with flashing line or two ever 20 minutes or so with 120hz screen. Should I expect this to be worked out. I don't want to keep a card that has this problem for the life of the card.
> Also I know everyone has said the microctutter is not a issue. But does anyone know and review sites that have spoken on this topic ?


Mate I have the exact same problem, my screen is like getting this lines in the middle of the screen every now and then. (120Hz monitor too).


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stiven122*
> 
> Mate I have the exact same problem, my screen is like getting this lines in the middle of the screen every now and then. (120Hz monitor too).


What does this card down-clock to for 2D? You could try creating a profile with higher clocks in AB and setting it to the 2D profile.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Just lock the memory and still let the core downclock. I bet it's the memory changing clocks that's causing it.

Edit: which you will probably have to do in a bios flash


----------



## UNOE

I also notice it seems to go down to 60hz. Well thats the best way to describe it. I know with 120hz when i scroll long pages its butter smooth. But after about 5 minutes on a page when I go to scroll it gets choppy if I go to another page it remains choppy. But if I minimize my window and Aero kicks in, I can go back to web page and it is butter smooth again. So really something is happening here its with down clocking or power saving.









In the picture you can see it is going up and down up and down.


----------



## Tumdace




----------



## Gabe63

I just figured out how to unlock ASUS GPU Tweak to allow full overclocking. Maybe I am the only person who did not know this but this is how you do it.

Main menu, select advanced setting (hex tab on bottom left), select settings, tuning, then click overclock range adjustments. This unlocks higher settings.


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

THIS CARD IS A STRAIGHT-UP BEAST! After countless tests, I think I've finally gotten a relatively stable OC of 1200 core/1600 memory at 1.225v. I've been playing BF3 to test the clocks, and with Ultra settings at 1080p, my minimum FPS is between 45-50. I enable V-sync (I play on a 60Hz plasma), and it rarely dips below 60 FPS, even in Operation Firestorm/Caspian Border with 64 players! I'm very excited to see how the performance of these cards improves as future drivers are released.


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Another thing I've noticed (related to OC), is that my card doesn't seem to like being set to a 1.3 voltage. I get artifacts in benchmarks and games no matter what clock settings I have when using that voltage. I thought it might be a temperature issue, but my card doesn't get any hotter than 80 degrees with a good fan profile. I'd like to see what my card is capable of at 1.3v, but it doesn't look like its in the cards for me. Has anyone experienced cards that behave this way?


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Told you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD hit a home-run with the 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now flash your BIOS with the Asus 7970 BIOS, and use the new Asus GPU tweak utility. Forget Afterburner. That new Asus utility is better.
> Did you order waterblocks? Koolance and EK blocks are coming out next week.


Why do all that when MSI Afterburner Beta 10 in unlocked mode allows full voltage control, frequency range adjustment, great fan adjustment and awesome on screen display all in one package?

I don't think I will be going for water blocks on these two vanilla 7970's just yet. Waiting to hear news on the 6GB 7970's and/or to see if water blocks will fit them as I will most likely go with four of those and expand my 3x1 120Hz portrait Eyefinity out to 5x1.


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> Another thing I've noticed (related to OC), is that my card doesn't seem to like being set to a 1.3 voltage. I get artifacts in benchmarks and games no matter what clock settings I have when using that voltage. I thought it might be a temperature issue, but my card doesn't get any hotter than 80 degrees with a good fan profile. I'd like to see what my card is capable of at 1.3v, but it doesn't look like its in the cards for me. Has anyone experienced cards that behave this way?


I've just started a thread about this here http://www.overclock.net/t/1198464/sapphire-7970-crashes-with-1-3v/0_100#post_16165173

I am having a very similar issue.


----------



## Outcasst

What's the furthest people have got these cards on the stock voltage? Not really interested in upping the voltage on mine since they are blazing fast already, don't need the heat.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> What's the furthest people have got these cards on the stock voltage? Not really interested in upping the voltage on mine since they are blazing fast already, don't need the heat.


With absolute stability?
1070 MHz on the core.


----------



## Outcasst

Hmm, mine *seem* fine at 1125 with no overclock on the memory. Been playing for a whole day with no crashes or artifacts.

I'm a little cautious of using Furmark as I've never really felt comfortable using it after that news with it blowing up cards.


----------



## Porter_

Furmark places an unrealistic load on the gpu in my opinion. i stress test by playing games, hasn't failed me yet.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Hmm, mine *seem* fine at 1125 with no overclock on the memory. Been playing for a whole day with no crashes or artifacts.
> 
> I'm a little cautious of using Furmark as I've never really felt comfortable using it after that news with it blowing up cards.


It wouldn't happen to these cards.
The VRMs (that would blow up on older cards) have the feature to throttle down if the temps get too high.

I use OCCT for error checking and it works very well.


----------



## ocgoober

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> If you use Saphire Trixx then uncheck the overdrive box in CCC so it disables all of that mess. Then in Trixx check the "disable ulps" box and restart. Now up the voltage and set your clocks. You shouldn't have to do anything in ccc for over clocking. (This is how it's been at least... new cards may be a little different but it's worth a shot).


So if I understand this right, I don't need to flash the BIOS or use CCC in any way to overclock my Sapphire 7970, including increasing the voltage? I have been using Sapphire Trixx but when I increase the voltage GPU-z and Furmark both still report the card is running at 1.17v. I had not tried the "disable ulps" box yet so I will give that a try.

So is it for certain that I do not need to flash the ASUS bios to increase the voltage? Thanks for your help!

p.s. Having read the entire thread I now know that Furmark is not the way to go so I'll be changing my approach from now on - thanks all! Great info here.....


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Ahhh, finally!!! Look what the cat dragged in today!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really need to get back to work, so I just quicky tested it and it looks I can hit 1135Mhz on stock volts.
> 
> Metro maxed out (4xAA DoF ON) bench, 6 runs, max temp 75C with manual fan @ 50%. Average FPS - 34.8. My 580 Lighting @ 930 was getting 31.7
> First impression - I like it. Gotta do some extensive benchmarking vs 580 in everything else.












I'm still hitting the refresh button like a mofo for the ASUS ones! Thanks for showing pics of unboxing! I can't wait to play around with the new GPUTweak


----------



## tanton

anyone knows the color of the pcb of Gigabyte's card? it is black in newegg and red in their site. Mine is arriving this Friday, I hope it is black


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> anyone knows the color of the pcb of Gigabyte's card? it is black in newegg and red in their site. Mine is arriving this Friday, I hope it is black


All of the 7970s sold on newegg have a black PCB.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> anyone knows the color of the pcb of Gigabyte's card? it is black in newegg and red in their site. Mine is arriving this Friday, I hope it is black


Black


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ocgoober*
> 
> So if I understand this right, I don't need to flash the BIOS or use CCC in any way to overclock my Sapphire 7970, including increasing the voltage? I have been using Sapphire Trixx but when I increase the voltage GPU-z and Furmark both still report the card is running at 1.17v. I had not tried the "disable ulps" box yet so I will give that a try.
> So is it for certain that I do not need to flash the ASUS bios to increase the voltage? Thanks for your help!
> p.s. Having read the entire thread I now know that Furmark is not the way to go so I'll be changing my approach from now on - thanks all! Great info here.....


GPU-Z shows my voltage at 1.17 as well, even though its actually 1.237. I haven't had many issues when gaming so far, so it looks like maybe GPU-Z needs a software update to properly read 7970s. Anyone else have insight on this?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ocgoober*
> 
> So if I understand this right, I don't need to flash the BIOS or use CCC in any way to overclock my Sapphire 7970, including increasing the voltage? I have been using Sapphire Trixx but when I increase the voltage GPU-z and Furmark both still report the card is running at 1.17v. I had not tried the "disable ulps" box yet so I will give that a try.
> So is it for certain that I do not need to flash the ASUS bios to increase the voltage? Thanks for your help!
> p.s. Having read the entire thread I now know that Furmark is not the way to go so I'll be changing my approach from now on - thanks all! Great info here.....
> 
> 
> 
> GPU-Z shows my voltage at 1.17 as well, even though its actually 1.237. I haven't had many issues when gaming so far, so it looks like maybe GPU-Z needs a software update to properly read 7970s. Anyone else have insight on this?
Click to expand...

I posted this issue yesterday.
The cards seem to have a noticeable vdrop.


----------



## ocgoober

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> GPU-Z shows my voltage at 1.17 as well, even though its actually 1.237. I haven't had many issues when gaming so far, so it looks like maybe GPU-Z needs a software update to properly read 7970s. Anyone else have insight on this?


Aha! So here's a dumb question - how you know it is 1.237? Does OCCT report that? Still learning here......


----------



## ocgoober

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I posted this issue yesterday.
> The cards seem to have a noticeable vdrop.


I've been reading those comments too. Thing is - mine stays locked at 1.17v with no variation whatsoever, at least as reported by GPU-z....


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ocgoober*
> 
> Aha! So here's a dumb question - how you know it is 1.237? Does OCCT report that? Still learning here......


I assume my voltage is whatever I set it, since my clocks at 1.237v (1220/1575) would probably blow up my game if the voltage was actually at 1.17.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> Furmark places an unrealistic load on the gpu in my opinion. i stress test by playing games, hasn't failed me yet.


Furmark is like taking your brand new sports car and sitting there revving the engine to red-line. It is completely pointless. Stick to playing games to test OC stability as that as a realistic load.


----------



## CharlieRichards

Sorry for this non-related question but I really really want to know when the Radeon 7xxx and the geforce 6xx series are coming to europe :3 Feel free to remove this reply if I'm stepping out of line here. I just can't find anything on google and I'm so curious : (


----------



## snelan

It's official, here's the evidence!


----------



## ocgoober

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> I assume my voltage is whatever I set it, since my clocks at 1.237v (1220/1575) would probably blow up my game if the voltage was actually at 1.17.


That's a fair point







I'll try to ignore the reported value then! It just seemed suspicious that both GPU-z and Furmark were reporting 1.17.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Furmark is like taking your brand new sports car and sitting there revving the engine to red-line. It is completely pointless. Stick to playing games to test OC stability as that as a realistic load.


Ah - but then I subscribe to the drive it like you stole it break-in theory







Point taken though. Thanks!


----------



## Penryn

UPS IS AMAZING! Since I live in SD eveything ships from there practically overnight since I am only an hour away from their warehouse. I did standard 3 day shipping btw and the tracking shows everything happens within 12 hours lol.



But enough UPS praise, here she is in all her glory. I will be posting some thoughts on the single card eyefinity performance in a bit.




And here is an unboxing video I made in my snazzy pajamas:


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> Furmark places an unrealistic load on the gpu in my opinion. i stress test by playing games, hasn't failed me yet.
> 
> 
> 
> Furmark is like taking your brand new sports car and sitting there revving the engine to red-line. It is completely pointless. Stick to playing games to test OC stability as that as a realistic load.
Click to expand...

When you run programs like [email protected], you bet it's a realistic load.
It's fine for some people if you get a few artifacts here and there due to unstable clocks, but I can't have that with the programs I run.
Therefor I extensively test them for hours under high loads to make sure it's stable.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> When you run programs like [email protected], you bet it's a realistic load.
> It's fine for some people if you get a few artifacts here and there due to unstable clocks, but I can't have that with the programs I run.
> Therefor I extensively test them for hours under high loads to make sure it's stable.


My only comment to that is while it is a valid conern, why not test using that program? I have found that something isn't stable for folding until I have actually folded with it... I can clock my 580 up to 970 for Heaven, AvP, Mafia II benchies but it wont fold higher than 950...

Not all 99% loads are created equal. I think that's a little clearer when dealing with CPU's as everyone has seen an OC that works at prime but crashes in linx instantly, or is somehow 10c hotter using linx than prime, or can run benches but not fold....

I like to a be a bit of a hybrid, if I can game and fold on something, its as stable as I need it to be.


----------



## Evil Penguin

There are different sets of loads, sure.
For example, OCCT doesn't stress memory on AMD GPUs.
OCCT can heavily stress pretty much all of the SPUs and check for errors while it's at it.


----------



## furyn9

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> It's official, here's the evidence!


AWESOME


----------



## slice259

So snelan can we get some BF3, Metro 2033 Benchmarks at their Highest settings ( 1080P ) ?!









Looks great man, I am just waiting for msi cards to become available.


----------



## CattleCorn

Anyone know how power consumption on the 7970 compares to a GTX 480?


----------



## FastCR

Got my 7970 and monitors about an hour ago. Awesome!! Played some bf3, getting good numbers from fraps but it's not looking right and I was working on a migraine before i started so it's gonna have to wait.


----------



## ocgoober

I have a feeling I may have hit the jackpot with my 7970. I'm currently testing the core OC at 1150 on stock voltage and it's clean in gputool at 10 mins in and counting. I saw some artifacts at 1160 within a couple minutes testing so I backed off to 1150. This is with the mem set to stock @ 1375. I'm using a custom fan profile in Trixx, which currently has the fan at 68% for a GPU temp of 73/74.


----------



## Outcasst

Turns out my cards aren't stable at 1125 after playing Crysis. Gonna try 1100 now.


----------



## PixelFreakz

I want to see someone do this to their 7970! For your AMD/ATi people who were wondering if putting an Antec Kuhler on your GPU, could be done wonder no more! http://www.overclock.net/t/1198510/build-log-amd-6970-lightning-antec-kuhler-920-mod-56k-warning


----------



## Tumdace

I like that HIS put a stand in with the 7970 so that it holds up the heavy end of the card, but since I am at work I cant actually see if it works or not on a full size case. It does not look like it extends high enough on the HAF 932 to even prop up the video card, so its kind of useless.


----------



## Nemesis158

Diamond, Powercooler, Gigabyte and XFX cards are back in stock @ newegg gogogogogo


----------



## ocgoober

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ocgoober*
> 
> I have a feeling I may have hit the jackpot with my 7970. I'm currently testing the core OC at 1150 on stock voltage and it's clean in gputool at 10 mins in and counting. I saw some artifacts at 1160 within a couple minutes testing so I backed off to 1150. This is with the mem set to stock @ 1375. I'm using a custom fan profile in Trixx, which currently has the fan at 68% for a GPU temp of 73/74.


Dang - just had one error 27mins into the test. It is still running but I'm gonna stop and test again at 1140. That outta do it! Not bad for stock voltage - thanks AMD!!


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Anyone know how power consumption on the 7970 compares to a GTX 480?


Easy: It doesn't.


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> So snelan can we get some BF3, Metro 2033 Benchmarks at their Highest settings ( 1080P ) ?!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks great man, I am just waiting for msi cards to become available.


I can do BF3, but I don't have Metro, Crysis 2 per se?

I have all night so I'd love to just run benches, that's what I was gonna do anyway!

If you guys wanna make a list I can run em!


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Anyone know how power consumption on the 7970 compares to a GTX 480?




Source: http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7970-crossfire-review/1


----------



## ocgoober

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ocgoober*
> 
> Dang - just had one error 27mins into the test. It is still running but I'm gonna stop and test again at 1140. That outta do it! Not bad for stock voltage - thanks AMD!!


So I just passed 30mins of stability testing at 1140MHz core, 1375MHz Memory at stock voltage of 1.170v. I'm not unhappy right now









Is there anything more I need to do to verify the stability or is gputool sufficient? I'll test in-game of course but anything beyond that?


----------



## PARTON

I simply cannot get trixx to apply my voltage. Any ideas?

I'm using latest gpuz to verify. Using Trixx 4.1.0. Clocks are adjusting fine.

I need more voltage; crysis artifacts at 1115 and I'm getting errors in gputool @ 1100.







I guess I didn't win this luck of the draw.


----------



## ocgoober

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I simply cannot get trixx to apply my voltage. Any ideas?
> I'm using latest gpuz to verify. Using Trixx 4.1.0. Clocks are adjusting fine.
> I need more voltage; crysis artifacts at 1115 and I'm getting errors in gputool @ 1100.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess I didn't win this luck of the draw.


What memory clock are you using? I saw artifacts in gputool at 1125/1575 but I got up to 1140 with the memory at default clocks. I also cannot see an increased voltage in gpu-z after setting it in Trixx but if you look a few posts up it seems that perhaps GPU-z is not accurately reporting the voltage.


----------



## Tumdace

Quick question for everyone:

So the 7970 requires an 8pin and 6 pin.

I have an old HX620W corsair, only ever came with 6 pins.

I was gonna run over to my buddy`s place and steal an 8 pin cable from his 1000W corsair, just curious if since my HX620W never came with 8 pins, will it even work? Will I damage my 7970? I just want this thing to work







.


----------



## PARTON

stock memory, lookin good at 1080 on the core.

How are ya'll reading voltage if not gpuz?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Quick question for everyone:
> So the 7970 requires an 8pin and 6 pin.
> I have an old HX620W corsair, only ever came with 6 pins.
> I was gonna run over to my buddy`s place and steal an 8 pin cable from his 1000W corsair, just curious if since my HX620W never came with 8 pins, will it even work? Will I damage my 7970? I just want this thing to work
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I don't think so but my sapphire came with the molex to 8 pin adapter that I know will work for you.


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> stock memory, lookin good at 1080 on the core.
> How are ya'll reading voltage if not gpuz?


i haven't used it yet myself, but Afterburner should allow you to read the _actual_ voltage.


----------



## omega17

IIRC, different Corsairs have different connectors for the 6 pins.

My 520W has 6pins in the same form as the PCIe end; my 1000W has a blue connector with 8 pins. (PSU-side)


----------



## omega17

In other news

7970 Crossfire (1100/1375) Aliens v Predator DX11 Benchies

CPU: AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1090T Processor
CPU ID: AMD64 Family 16 Model 10 Stepping 0
Motherboard: ASUS Crosshair IV Formula Rev 1.xx
Installed RAM: 7.99 GB
Operating System: Windows 7 x64
Video adapter: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
Video Processor: ATI display adapter (0x6798)
Video driver: ()

1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*0X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 11831
Average Frame Time: 8.9ms
*Average FPS: 112.9*

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*2X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 9782
Average Frame Time: 10.7ms
*Average FPS: 93.3*

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*4X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 8342
Average Frame Time: 12.6ms
*Average FPS: 79.6*

===========================================


----------



## wTheOnew

BF3 running between 55-95fps with settings maxed at 1920x1200 and is using *2.667GB* of VRAM









Running at 1100/6000MHz at +20% OCCT stable.

GPU Tweak is acting weird so I haven't had much chance to play with the overclock.







For whatever reason my framerate is pulsing whenever I have GPU Tweak open. Even the GPU Tweak monitor. BF3 will go from 90 even for a few seconds and then spike down to 70 and right back up. Same thing in OCCT. Can hear the inductor squeal go along with it. Might have to mess with AB to see if it does it.


----------



## Gabe63

Is anyone able to read if volts do increase with GPUZ? GPU Tweak is telling me they do but GPUZ is saying they do not.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> BF3 running between 55-95fps with settings maxed at 1920x1200 and is using *2.667GB* of VRAM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Running at 1100/6000MHz at +20% OCCT stable.
> GPU Tweak is acting weird so I haven't had much chance to play with the overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For whatever reason my framerate is pulsing whenever I have GPU Tweak open. Even the GPU Tweak monitor. BF3 will go from 90 even for a few seconds and then spike down to 70 and right back up. Same thing in OCCT. Can hear the inductor squeal go along with it. Might have to mess with AB to see if it does it.


When you say you spikes from 90 to 70, would you consider it stuttering? Or just normal frames dropping but still very much playable?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> BF3 running between 55-95fps with settings maxed at 1920x1200 and is using *2.667GB* of VRAM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Running at 1100/6000MHz at +20% OCCT stable.
> 
> GPU Tweak is acting weird so I haven't had much chance to play with the overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For whatever reason my framerate is pulsing whenever I have GPU Tweak open. Even the GPU Tweak monitor. BF3 will go from 90 even for a few seconds and then spike down to 70 and right back up. Same thing in OCCT. Can hear the inductor squeal go along with it. Might have to mess with AB to see if it does it.


There shouldn't be a huge variance of frame rates when you are running OCCT.
It's probably still throttling even though you set PT to +20%.
There must be a way to increase it...


----------



## PARTON

I've got conflicts everywhere.

Gpuz says 1.17v. Afterburner says a myriad of things. Trixx says 1.17. Tried applying voltage with both trixx and afterburner.

7970voltage.jpg 473k .jpg file


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I've got conflicts everywhere.
> 
> Gpuz says 1.17v. Afterburner says a myriad of things. Trixx says 1.17. Tried applying voltage with both trixx and afterburner.
> 
> 7970voltage.jpg 473k .jpg file


AB and GPUTool report the same load voltage.
GPU-Z and Trixx report 1.17v under load?


----------



## UNOE

Ready to be added


I'm convinced that AB isn't the best tool for this card. I'm ready to try some others. What other software and versions are you all using.

Another side not for those with 570's. With BF3 I would say if you game alot with BF3 this may be a good upgrade for you I went into the smallest TD match map on BF3. Played for about 20 min on stock. And was using about 1500mb plus of VRAM the little hicups I got with two 570's in SLI are gone even though the frame rate is much lower its still overall smoother even with FPS dipping to 40fps its still smoother cause I don't get the same long pauses that 570's would exhibit.

But again like I said earlier I'm having problems with downclocking during desktop mode. with some artifacts ever so often in desktop mode this has to be driver or power savings related. And might only be for those who have 120hz like myself. This hopefully will be resolved with updates.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> AB and GPUTool report the same load voltage.
> GPU-Z and Trixx report 1.17v under load?


im guessing they havent been updated to detect applied voltages properly


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> BF3 running between 55-95fps with settings maxed at 1920x1200 and is using *2.667GB* of VRAM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Running at 1100/6000MHz at +20% OCCT stable.
> 
> GPU Tweak is acting weird so I haven't had much chance to play with the overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For whatever reason my framerate is pulsing whenever I have GPU Tweak open. Even the GPU Tweak monitor. BF3 will go from 90 even for a few seconds and then spike down to 70 and right back up. Same thing in OCCT. Can hear the inductor squeal go along with it. Might have to mess with AB to see if it does it.
> 
> 
> 
> There shouldn't be a huge variance of frame rates when you are running OCCT.
> It's probably still throttling even though you set PT to +20%.
> There must be a way to increase it...
Click to expand...

With only CCC open at 1100/6000 it's _perfectly_ steady in OCCT. With only GPU Tweak open at the same clocks it stutters. It's not a normal couple fps, it drops 20-30%. It's very predictable 2-3 seconds fine, half second stutter, 2-3 seconds fine.

Edit: I'm not leaving both open to fight or anything.


----------



## snelan

After using AB for my card, it seemed to be inputting less than the voltage I specified. Switching to ASUS Tweak, TRIXX if that doesn't work.

EDIT: Whats the stock voltage for these cards? 1.17VCore?


----------



## tats

Right out of the box -power tune +20% I'm only pulling 263w from the wall...

and proof


----------



## Evil Penguin

You know what's weird..?
After 1040 MHz, OCCT doesn't gain any framerates.
There is no difference in frames between 1040 MHz and say... 1125 MHz.
There's a wall at 433 FPS.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> AB and GPUTool report the same load voltage.
> GPU-Z and Trixx report 1.17v under load?


GPUtool doesn't read anything about the card, a bunch of null fields. GPU-z and trixx agree, go from 0.85(desktop) to 1.17v(load). Neither AB or trixx are able to change voltage, according to trixx and gpuz readings.

@ Penguin =>I get 460 at 1080.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Let's see... My idle wattage is 177 watts. When I run OCCT it's 540 watts.
That's a 363 watt difference.
Some of that can be contributed to the CPU feeding the graphics card instructions.
It looks like PowerTune even at +20% is throttling the 7970.

PARTON, you have error checking on and shader complexity set to 8?


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> GPUtool doesn't read anything about the card, a bunch of null fields. GPU-z and trixx agree, go from 0.85(desktop) to 1.17v(load). Neither AB or trixx are able to change voltage, according to trixx and gpuz readings.
> @ Penguin =>I get 460 at 1080.


You are right. With AB and TRIXX I was getting heavy artifacting at 1.125GHz, with the voltage at 1.25VCore. I then read this, tried ASUS Tweak (because I have ASUS cards), set 1.125GHz, 1.15VCore, ran Heaven on extreme and it worked like a charm!

Now, my question is: What is the max safe voltage for these cards, and what is stock? Also, what kinda overclocks are people hitting?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Let's see... My idle wattage is 177 watts. When I run OCCT it's 540 watts.
> That's a 363 watt difference.
> Some of that can be contributed to the CPU feeding the graphics card instructions.
> It looks like PowerTune even at +20% is throttling the 7970.
> PARTON, you have error checking on and shader complexity set to 8?


Maybe I need to download another version. I don't see that option.

Do we have to flash to asus bios for asus tweak voltage control to work?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Let's see... My idle wattage is 177 watts. When I run OCCT it's 540 watts.
> That's a 363 watt difference.
> Some of that can be contributed to the CPU feeding the graphics card instructions.
> It looks like PowerTune even at +20% is throttling the 7970.
> PARTON, you have error checking on and shader complexity set to 8?
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I need to download another version. I don't see that option.
Click to expand...

I'm using the one that I linked on the first page of this thread.
I *think* you have to.


----------



## Tumdace

So I got windows reinstalled, got everything updated and installed, and loaded Dungeon Defenders (pathetic first game to try I know, but my buddies were playing it) and on the main title screen I am already seeing artifacts...

I dont even have it OC'd yet, just stock settings.

I downloaded the drive from AMDs website (although its really not an official drive by the looks of it..).

Anyone having really good luck with any other driver?


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I don't think so but my sapphire came with the molex to 8 pin adapter that I know will work for you.


HIS didnt include an adapter cable, in the manual they suggest not to use one.

I grabbed a PCIe cable with both 6+2 pins on them, so Im rolling strong here. Aside from the artifacting on DD.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I don't think so but my sapphire came with the molex to 8 pin adapter that I know will work for you.
> 
> 
> 
> HIS didnt include an adapter cable, in the manual they suggest not to use one.
> 
> I grabbed a PCIe cable with both 6+2 pins on them, so Im rolling strong here. Aside from the artifacting on DD.
Click to expand...

Do other games artifact?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Do other games artifact?


Haven't tried any, bf3 crashed at 1125 last night. I'm hung up on my slow typing and trying to get voltage adjustment atm.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Do other games artifact?
> 
> 
> 
> Haven't tried any, bf3 crashed at 1125 last night. I'm hung up on my slow typing and trying to get voltage adjustment atm.
Click to expand...

Afterburner with unofficial overclocking does the trick?


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Do other games artifact?


Havent tried any other games, but I was just playing this game last night on my 5870 and no artifacts.

Ill have to load another game up and check.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Afterburner with unofficial overclocking does the trick?


No, it does not seem too. Not according to trixx and gpuz, though.

Which switch is technically the 'backup'? Towards the fan and power connections or away?


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> No, it does not seem too. Not according to trixx and gpuz, though.


All that's worked for me voltage adjustment wise is ASUS GPU Tweak. I'm hitting 1.125GHz with ~1.17VCore.

EDIT: I think I'm just gonna use the 925MHz clock in CCC but do -10% power, I really don't need to overclock anyway... I'll just wait till a better AB releases to overclock.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Afterburner with unofficial overclocking does the trick?


Where is "unofficial overclocking"? Im using AB 2.2 beta 10 and catalyst 11.12 - that what everyone else is running?


----------



## Penryn

Mine is running great with eyefinity pushing 1125/1575 at least in SWTOR. Haven't really done much other testing yet since I am too excited!!!!!!


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Do other games artifact?


BF3 runs without artifacts, so good, its not my card.

ALthough, Im playing it completely maxed out except for 2xMSAA (not 4) and SSAO instead of HBAO, and my frames arent too much higher than on high with my 5870. I guess I was expecting a huge increase.

Hopefully AMD gets their ass into gear on some actual drivers.

Any idea why my DD might be screwed up?


----------



## snelan

Would you guys say MINIMAL artifacts are acceptable in extreme benches and burn ins if they don't happen in games?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Afterburner with unofficial overclocking does the trick?
> 
> 
> 
> No, it does not seem too. Not according to trixx and gpuz, though.
> 
> Which switch is technically the 'backup'? Towards the fan and power connections or away?
Click to expand...

I think it's on ROM mode by default.
Either way, you can't go wrong.
It either works or it doesn't.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Afterburner with unofficial overclocking does the trick?
> 
> 
> 
> Where is "unofficial overclocking"? Im using AB 2.2 beta 10 and catalyst 11.12 - that what everyone else is running?
Click to expand...

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=338906


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Where is "unofficial overclocking"? Im using AB 2.2 beta 10 and catalyst 11.12 - that what everyone else is running?


If you go into the AB directory (where the .exe is) there will be a .cfg file. Open that, and at the bottom, change it to this:
Quote:


> UnofficialOverclockingEULA = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
> 
> UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1


----------



## tats

So i went to up to 1125 and my furmark fps would move like a sine wave - spike to well over 180 then back to 90ish then up again and down again, even with powertune at 20%, is this thing just throttling itself?


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> So i went to up to 1125 and my furmark fps would move like a sine wave - spike to well over 180 then back to 90ish then up again and down again, even with powertune at 20%, is this thing just throttling itself?


That happens in Fur if you're using the doughnut. It's because some parts of the doughnut are easier to render than the others. Happens to all of us. Personally, I use Heaven with the settings maxed for stability testing. It shows artifacts when nothing else will, and you can just let it run overnight to be sure!


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> That happens in Fur if you're using the doughnut. It's because some parts of the doughnut are easier to render than the others. Happens to all of us. Personally, I use Heaven with the settings maxed for stability testing. It shows artifacts when nothing else will, and you can just let it run overnight to be sure!


Thanks - so I was just running heaven at 1100 and it was doing almost the same thing, 35ish fps then 3 then 35 and then 3.... I'm going to try stock again


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Thanks - so I was just running heaven at 1100 and it was doing almost the same thing, 35ish fps then 3 then 35 and then 3.... I'm going to try stock again


Hmm, that's weird then. If it's overheating you could just try maxing the fans for a minute or two to see if it helps. I also found that on my cards LOWERING the voltage can help to stabilize overclocks. Try powertune at like +10% or so.


----------



## goldbranch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Would you guys say MINIMAL artifacts are acceptable in extreme benches and burn ins if they don't happen in games?


I don't like that. Although it's not usually that you can detect a few artifacts in games but you know that your card is unstable and it may have consequences in the long run. So OCCT error free all the way.








But it's fine for benching though.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Thanks - so I was just running heaven at 1100 and it was doing almost the same thing, 35ish fps then 3 then 35 and then 3.... I'm going to try stock again
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm, that's weird then. If it's overheating you could just try maxing the fans for a minute or two to see if it helps. I also found that on my cards LOWERING the voltage can help to stabilize overclocks. Try powertune at like +10% or so.
Click to expand...

Hmm so there was some weirdness going on. When I restarted after burner it was defaulting to 1200mhz.. I uninstalled and then out it back and now it seems to be working.

I'm prob just going to be content at around 1050 for now. This is still doing better than my 580 at 950 (it's louder though, but thats just because my AXP had me spoiled)


----------



## Denim-187

*Quick question:*
*Does the ASUS or GIGABYTE cards have RED PCB's ?*

We should have everyone post pics of their cards in the RIGS when joining the club


----------



## Fallendreams

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *Quick question:*
> *Does the ASUS or GIGABYTE cards have RED PCB's ?*
> 
> We should have everyone post pics of their cards in the RIGS when joining the club


i don't think so. I know MSI does.

MSI 7970


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *Quick question:*
> *Does the ASUS or GIGABYTE cards have RED PCB's ?*
> We should have everyone post pics of their cards in the RIGS when joining the club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/quot
> 
> My ASUS PCB is black


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> In other news
> 7970 Crossfire (1100/1375) Aliens v Predator DX11 Benchies
> 
> CPU: AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1090T Processor
> CPU ID: AMD64 Family 16 Model 10 Stepping 0
> Motherboard: ASUS Crosshair IV Formula Rev 1.xx
> Installed RAM: 7.99 GB
> Operating System: Windows 7 x64
> Video adapter: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
> Video Processor: ATI display adapter (0x6798)
> Video driver: ()
> 1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*0X*
> Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe
> Number of frames: 11831
> Average Frame Time: 8.9ms
> *Average FPS: 112.9*
> ===========================================
> 1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*2X*
> Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe
> Number of frames: 9782
> Average Frame Time: 10.7ms
> *Average FPS: 93.3*
> ===========================================
> 1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*4X*
> Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe
> Number of frames: 8342
> Average Frame Time: 12.6ms
> *Average FPS: 79.6*
> ===========================================


*Why would you crossfire 7970's on that CPU ? That's the most uber bottleneck i have ever seen.*

This is the same benchmark NO AA as apposed to that 112 FPS.



You will need to upgrade that cpu to let them cards fly dude. I came from the exact same CPU when i had my crossfire 6970's. Ive never looked back.


----------



## wTheOnew

GPU-Z Validation at 1125 / 7000

Stable enough to play games. Throws a couple errors every minute or so when it gets above 70C in OCCT. Can't wait for the water blocks to come out so I can keep this thing cool without freezing to death myself.









Edit: Just realized GPU-Z has the bus interface wrong for me. Hmm.


----------



## henrys

Woot, my 7970s are here!!!!111



My 5870 that served me since 2009 saying good bye to its younger brothers... It will be missed...


----------



## Marshmellow17

Hey all, I'm not a 79xx owner, but I thought you all would be interested in this. An engineer for AMD that has worked for the company for several generations is doing an AMA on reddit. Theres lots of good information in it that I think would be good for everyone to read.

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/o777r/iama_amd_gpu_design_engineer/


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *henrys*
> 
> Woot, my 7970s are here!!!!111
> 
> My 5870 that served me since 2009 saying good bye to its younger brothers... It will be missed...


That is an upgrade for sure! The 5870 was a good card also.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marshmellow17*
> 
> Hey all, I'm not a 79xx owner, but I thought you all would be interested in this. An engineer for AMD that has worked for the company for several generations is doing an AMA on reddit. Theres lots of good information in it that I think would be good for everyone to read.
> 
> __
> https://www.reddit.com/r/o777r/iama_amd_gpu_design_engineer/


Nice heads up, this is a good read


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> GPU-Z Validation at 1125 / 7000
> 
> Stable enough to play games. Throws a couple errors every minute or so when it gets above 70C in OCCT. Can't wait for the water blocks to come out so I can keep this thing cool without freezing to death myself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Just realized GPU-Z has the bus interface wrong for me. Hmm.


It's not the temp... It needs more voltage and without PowerTune screwing with it.


----------



## henrys

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> That is an upgrade for sure! The 5870 was a good card also.


wow! I am running skyrim all maxed out with all the high res mods! simply amazing with no lag at all! Now I am going to play some more


----------



## Denim-187

Just finished a session of Metro 2033 with everything maxxed. Speechless really.....
-







It goes without saying that 2 these cards are a perfect solution for a 120hz 1080-1200p setup, and would definitely fill the 60hz Eyefinity Refresh rate without a problem.

*Here's a vid of my rig i just put up on Youtube*







-


----------



## tsm106

Hey, try Metro in that sequence where you fight that monster that's chasing you thru the building. You're running thru floors and there are holes in the floors and you jump thru the doorway to safety, ending that sequence. I can't remember the level, but it absolutely killed my quads from memory.


----------



## Nemesis158

Uggh i i know other people were raving about UPS but i hate em. Every single time i order something from Newegg with "Guaranteed 3 Day Shipping" it takes 4 business days (after the day i order the product) to get to my house. Ups tracking says my sapphire card is scheduled for delivery on the 16th.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> That is an upgrade for sure! The 5870 was a good card also.


They look awesome congrats. Cant wait to get my XFX pair.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Just finished a session of Metro 2033 with everything maxxed. Speechless really.....
> -
> 
> It goes without saying that 2 these cards are a perfect solution for a 120hz 1080-1200p setup, and would definitely fill the 60hz Eyefinity Refresh rate without a problem.
> *Here's a vid of my rig i just put up on Youtube*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -


Do you think this Generation has improved with less microstutter ?

Do you have any noticable Microstutter.


----------



## henrys

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> Uggh i i know other people were raving about UPS but i hate em. Every single time i order something from Newegg with "Guaranteed 3 Day Shipping" it takes 4 business days (after the day i order the product) to get to my house. Ups tracking says my sapphire card is scheduled for delivery on the 16th.


It's almost there bro Hang in there. I was complaining about how I received my 7970s because if was one day late lol!







I can understand your frustration.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Do you think this Generation has improved with less microstutter ?
> Do you have any noticable Microstutter.


No microstutter at all, its running fluid smooth, and things can only get better FPS wise we hope through driver updates.. i do believe this arch is much more improved than the last. GCN would be AMD's Fermi moment.
Im praying that this card has locked shaders that we can unlock later with the refresh models bios. (2304 shader cores)


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Do you think this Generation has improved with less microstutter ?
> Do you have any noticable Microstutter.
> 
> 
> 
> No microstutter at all, its running fluid smooth, and things can only get better FPS wise we hope through driver updates.. i do believe this arch is much more improved than the last. GCN would be AMD's Fermi moment.
> Im praying that this card has locked shaders that we can unlock later with the refresh models bios. (2304 shader cores)
Click to expand...

AMD confirmed that it doesn't have any extra shaders.


----------



## Penryn

Here's an eyefinity run of Heaven. Single card.


----------



## kevink82

Two cards running..............



3 cards makes you wet yet?


----------



## Outcasst

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> AMD confirmed that it doesn't have any extra shaders.


Was that a response from the marketing department? They got the Bulldozer transistor count wrong so there may still be hope


----------



## Darylrese

AWSOME! That watercooled loop and PC with 7970 above looks great in crossfire! I'm following this thread with interest to see how the 7970 compares to an overclocked GTX580....Hopefully someone will post comparison benchmarks soon??

I've noticed all 7970 pictures here in the UK show RED PCB's for all manufactures....i wonder if they are actually red or indeed black. Black is so much nicer!


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darylrese*
> 
> AWSOME! That watercooled loop and PC with 7970 above looks great in crossfire! I'm following this thread with interest to see how the 7970 compares to an overclocked GTX580....Hopefully someone will post comparison benchmarks soon??
> 
> I've noticed all 7970 pictures here in the UK show RED PCB's for all manufactures....i wonder if they are actually red or indeed black. Black is so much nicer!


Darylrese - let me post my benches when I get home from work. But I know it was faster stock than my 580 was at 950 core.


----------



## Levesque

Guys. 1350/1750 with an EK waterblock here. Nothing fancy. Tiborr of EK. No volt mods. Vanilla OC.









1400 is not far. The 7970 is really cold sensitive. The lower the temp, the higher the OC.









What a beast.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Guys. 1350/1750 with an EK waterblock here. Nothing fancy. Tiborr of EK. No volt mods. Vanilla OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1400 is not far. The 7970 is really cold sensitive. The lower the temp, the higher the OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a beast.


Sweet clocks. Good progress.

What are you using for voltage adjustment?


----------



## flopper

1350mhz pretty sweet.
how much did it do on air?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> GPU-Z Validation at 1125 / 7000
> 
> Stable enough to play games. Throws a couple errors every minute or so when it gets above 70C in OCCT. Can't wait for the water blocks to come out so I can keep this thing cool without freezing to death myself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Just realized GPU-Z has the bus interface wrong for me. Hmm.
> 
> 
> 
> It's not the temp... It needs more voltage and without PowerTune screwing with it.
Click to expand...

It's something related directly to the temp. It doesn't throw any errors until it gets that warm. I can run it for 5 minutes and soon as it hit 70 it starts and gets worse as it gets hotter. Stop the test restart it immediately before it starts cooling down and it will throw errors almost immediately. Wait a few minutes for it to cool off and I can run it for a few minutes again until it gets too hot. I guess I'll be able to be more sure when I can get it under water and can keep it constantly below 60. I like making graphs; maybe I'll plot out temp vs errors tonight.

OCCT on 8 did seems to have a wall at 443. 0-7 all seem to increase the framerate proportionally to the core/mem overclock. Would think I would hit a wall on all of them if PowerTune of error checking was getting in the way. On 0, taking the mem from 1500-1750 bumped the framerate from ~750 to ~830. 16% increase on memory led to 11% increase in framerate with every 25MHZ increase giving me an extra 7-10fps more. It was a very consistent increase. (Ballparking this from what I remember.)

Not my first foray into overclocking by any stretch, but it is my first with PowerTune. Any way to kill it completely or at least bump it up a bit to see if my results change at all? I didn't notice anything specific that I could point at and say screw you PowerTune, though I, did notice a lot of VDroop. About 50-100mv at full load at stock speeds all the way to where I have it now.

Also, anyone ever watch gpu utilization for Vantage? Mine averages about 75-80% for the tests. 100% at the beginning and end of the tests but down to 50-70% in the middle. Never paid attention to the 5850s to compare.

Still can't get GPU Tweak to work right. Downloaded the new version which stopped the stuttering it had before but now it wont let the card go into 3D clocks at all.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Guys. 1350/1750 with an EK waterblock here. Nothing fancy. Tiborr of EK. No volt mods. Vanilla OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1400 is not far. The 7970 is really cold sensitive. The lower the temp, the higher the OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a beast.


Wow if a WC 7970 is cable of that then a single card would work great for me ! Thanks for sharing the info


----------



## Denim-187

Using GPU tool to test for artifacts and render missing:

100% stable results:

I hit 1065/1575mhz -
Default fan profile (about 50-55%)
Temps: 80-86c

I was able to hit 1115/1600 mhz -
Fans on 100%
Temps 56-57c

Water will give you about 40-45c load. Imagine the headroom there.

So the verdict is................... If your going for huge overclocking and any over voltage whatsoever....
*Get them GPU's under water.*

Mild overclocks, (925-1125) on default voltage should be ok.


----------



## Mrip541

At the moment, is the 7970 crossfire compatible with any card other than another 7970?


----------



## snelan

Does anyone know the max safe voltage for these cards? (If keeping temps ok).

Also, is there a way to increase the max default clock in ASUS Tweak, like in AB?


----------



## UNOE

Hey guys heads up when ordering GPU block to USA you can order directly from EK blocks is much cheaper. I paid $123.79 USD shipped with paypal. Its because the Euro exchange is in favor of USD right now. A year ago you would have never thought about ordering direct from EK to save mone. They ship with 3 day DHL shipping.


----------



## evensen007

For anyone that uses Swiftech equipment for water-cooling I found out some information in regards to their 7900 plans in their forums. They are currently testing the universal MCW80/82 water-block and say they will probably offer a new base plate to make it compatible. They also have plans to release a full cover block soon and will announce it after they get back from CES.

On another note, I'm super stoked to hear Levesque got his core up to 1350 on water. That is really unbelievable! I can't wait.


----------



## Outcasst

Add me to the list!

Both cards at 1100 / 1375. PowerColor brand.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Guys. 1350/1750 with an EK waterblock here. Nothing fancy. Tiborr of EK. No volt mods. Vanilla OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1400 is not far. The 7970 is really cold sensitive. The lower the temp, the higher the OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a beast.


Those are some mighty fine numbers, though you could update your Heaven to 2.5


----------



## Levesque

Guys, stop it. I CLEARLY said those results were from tiborr working for EK, not me!

EK waterblocks are not on the market right now, only next week! tiborr just gave us a tease on what a vanilla 7970 can do with a waterblock, without any volt-modding or any other fancy things like LN2. That's all.

Ask all those questions to tiborr, not me! He's posting on OCN. He's an EK rep.


----------



## DimmyK

An update for me: after further benching I had to drop to 1120Mhz on stock volts; 1135 was artifacting in some games. I finally had time to finish benching new card vs GTX 580 Lightning, so without further adieu, here, as promised earlier, are the numbers for GTX 580 Lightning stock / 930Mhz GPU OC vs 7970 stock / 1120Mhz GPU OC.

System in sig, drivers: nvidia - 295.18, amd - 7.14.10.0890.

*3D Mark 11 performance:*

Lightning 580 stock



Lightning 580 930Mhz



7970 stock



7970 1120Mhz



Stock 7970 is faster than stock 580:
overall score *14%*
test 1 *18%*
test 2 *31%*
test 3 *14%*
test 4 *12%*
combined test *3%*

7970 @ 1120 is faster than 580 @ 930:
overall score *18%*
test 1 *23%*
test 2 *41%*
test 3 *18%*
test 4 *19%*
combined test *4%*

Going from 925 to 1120 (21% OC) on 7970 netted *12%* performance increase.

*Aliens vs Predators:*

stock 580



580 @ 930



stock 7970



7970 @ 1120



stock 7970 is faster than stock 580 by *17%*
7970 OC is faster than 580 OC by *22%*

21% overclock on 7970 resulted in *10%* better performance.

*Crysis 2*

stock 580



580 @ 930



stock 7970



7970 @ 1120



stock 7970 is faster than 580 on avg *4%*
However, minimum FPS are *38%* lower compared to 580

7970 OC is faster than 580 OC on avg *7.5%*
And again, 580 has *10%* better minimums.

7970's 21% OC resulted in *13%* increase in avg FPS.

*Heaven 2.5*

stock 580



580 @ 930



stock 7970



7970 @ 1120



stock 7970 is *10%* faster than stock 580
7970 OC is *23%* faster than 580 OC

21% OC on 7970 translated into linear performance increase: *21%* better FPS.

part II with more tests to follow shortly.


----------



## DimmyK

GTX 580 Lightning vs 7970 part II

*Lost Planet 2*

Settings, 1920x1080



580 stock



580 @ 930



7970 stock



7970 @ 1120



7970 stock is *4%* faster than 580 stock
7970 OC is *5%* faster tnan 580 OC
21% OC on 7970 translated into *9%* better performance.

Considering that LP2 greatly favors NV hardware, I'm surprised to see 7970 pull ahead at all.

*Metro 2033*

Settings



580 stock



580 @ 930



7970 stock



7970 @ 1120



Based on Run 2, 7970 stock is *6%* faster than Lightning.
7970 OC is *13%* faster than Lightning OC.
21% OC on 7970 translated into *11%* better performance.

*Stalker Call of Pripyat*

Settings



580 stock



580 @ *925* (evidently, my 930 OC wasn't as stable as I thought)











7970 stock



7970 @ 1120



7970 stock is faster than Lightning stock in:
day *11%*
night *11%*
rain *9%*
sunshafts (the most demanding test) *20%*

7970 OC is faster than Lightning OC in:
day *19%*
night *19%*
rain *17%*
sunshafts *26%*

21% OC on 7970 netted *15%* increase in performance in sunshafts test.

That was all the benches I was able to run for 580 before the swap. Regarding temps and noise: I set more aggressive fan curve in AB to keep it cooler. Generally, GPU hovers around 75C with fan @ 50%. My ambient was 72-73F. Noise-wise, its not that bad @ 50% fan. Pretty bearable. Anything more is loud to me though.

Overall, I like the card. Next step - play with voltage and see how high I can take it on stock cooler.


----------



## Denim-187

Keep in mind lightnings are factory overclocked.


----------



## RawFoodPhil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> An update for me: after further benching I had to drop to 1120Mhz on stock volts; 1135 was artifacting in some games. I finally had time to finish benching new card vs GTX 580 Lightning, so without further adieu, here, as promised earlier, are the numbers for GTX 580 Lightning stock / 930Mhz GPU OC vs 7970 stock / 1120Mhz GPU OC.
> 
> System in sig, drivers: nvidia - 295.18, amd - 7.14.10.0890.
> 
> *3D Mark 11 performance:*
> 
> Lightning 580 stock
> 
> 
> 
> Lightning 580 930Mhz
> 
> 
> 
> 7970 stock
> 
> 
> 
> 7970 1120Mhz
> 
> 
> 
> Stock 7970 is faster than stock 580:
> overall score *14%*
> test 1 *18%*
> test 2 *31%*
> test 3 *14%*
> test 4 *12%*
> combined test *3%*
> 
> 7970 @ 1120 is faster than 580 @ 930:
> overall score *18%*
> test 1 *23%*
> test 2 *41%*
> test 3 *18%*
> test 4 *19%*
> combined test *4%*
> 
> Going from 925 to 1120 (21% OC) on 7970 netted *12%* performance increase.
> 
> *Aliens vs Predators:*
> 
> stock 580
> 
> 
> 
> 580 @ 930
> 
> 
> 
> stock 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 7970 @ 1120
> 
> 
> 
> stock 7970 is faster than stock 580 by *17%*
> 7970 OC is faster than 580 OC by *22%*
> 
> 21% overclock on 7970 resulted in *10%* better performance.
> 
> *Crysis 2*
> 
> stock 580
> 
> 
> 
> 580 @ 930
> 
> 
> 
> stock 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 7970 @ 1120
> 
> 
> 
> stock 7970 is faster than 580 on avg *4%*
> However, minimum FPS are *38%* lower compared to 580
> 
> 7970 OC is faster than 580 OC on avg *7.5%*
> And again, 580 has *10%* better minimums.
> 
> 7970's 21% OC resulted in *13%* increase in avg FPS.
> 
> *Heaven 2.5*
> 
> stock 580
> 
> 
> 
> 580 @ 930
> 
> 
> 
> stock 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 7970 @ 1120
> 
> 
> 
> stock 7970 is *10%* faster than stock 580
> 7970 OC is *23%* faster than 580 OC
> 
> 21% OC on 7970 translated into linear performance increase: *21%* better FPS.
> 
> part II with more tests to follow shortly.


THANK YOU! some HONEST numbers! +1 rep







Guess I'll be joining this club tomorrow.


----------



## ocgoober

I hit a problem this morning that I'm hoping does not mean I killed my card. Last night gputool was giving me around 485 fps during stability testing at 1140MHz on stock voltage. That was after I flashed the ASUS BIOS but it matched exactly what I was getting when running on the stock Sapphire BIOS. This morning I fired it up again to test with higher fan settings and now I'm only getting ~200fps!! I hope this doesn't mean I damaged the card. I did kill every gputool test as soon any artifacts showed up so I'd be surprised if the card was damaged. Cleaning and reinstalling the drivers did not help. I'm reinstalling my system now in the hope that fixes the problem.

Any of you encounter a similar drop in gputool?


----------



## Darylrese

DimmyK - Thanks for the 580 comparisons. I'm not convinced a 10 - 20% increase is enough to sell a GTX580 and upgrade. Perhapse if you were looking to buy new and didnt have a GTX580 already but it seems a little pointless on a single monitor making the switch? Eyefinity is well worth it though if your into that kind of stuff


----------



## Aventadoor

Man this card is noisy!
Oh well... Hopefully there will be cards with pre mounted WC block on it!


----------



## krazyatom

@DimmyK

Very useful comparison. Thanks
I already sold few gtx 580 3gb and 7970 will be here next week. I probably won't see huge performance increase, but 7970 is new tech lol


----------



## Focus182

Count me in ! I got this in the morning and had to wait till after college to install it... what a slow day it was.

Installed it about half an hour ago and played some bf3, works perfectly. Now i'm off to benchmark lol


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RawFoodPhil*
> 
> THANK YOU! some HONEST numbers! +1 rep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Guess I'll be joining this club tomorrow.


You're welcome.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darylrese*
> 
> DimmyK - Thanks for the 580 comparisons. I'm not convinced a 10 - 20% increase is enough to sell a GTX580 and upgrade. Perhapse if you were looking to buy new and didnt have a GTX580 already but it seems a little pointless on a single monitor making the switch? Eyefinity is well worth it though if your into that kind of stuff


You're welcome. As for upgrading from 580 to 7970... Depends on a person I guess. I didn't have to upgrade, performance was there already, but selling one of my Lightnings for almost $500 right before 7970 appeared, and all this excitement about new 28nm tech, the fact that kepler is nowhere to be seen, and people saying all these nice things about AMD cards lately. I just decided to see for myself... You know, like a new shiny toy just because I can


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> @DimmyK
> 
> Very useful comparison. Thanks
> I already sold few gtx 580 3gb and 7970 will be here next week. I probably won't see huge performance increase, but 7970 is new tech lol


Precisely. New toys meant to be played with







And 21% overclock on stock volts is quite impressive.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Man this card is noisy!
> Oh well... Hopefully there will be cards with pre mounted WC block on it!


Do you have one? Mine is quieter than my oc'd 6950.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ocgoober*
> 
> I hit a problem this morning that I'm hoping does not mean I killed my card. Last night gputool was giving me around 485 fps during stability testing at 1140MHz on stock voltage. That was after I flashed the ASUS BIOS but it matched exactly what I was getting when running on the stock Sapphire BIOS. This morning I fired it up again to test with higher fan settings and now I'm only getting ~200fps!! I hope this doesn't mean I damaged the card. I did kill every gputool test as soon any artifacts showed up so I'd be surprised if the card was damaged. Cleaning and reinstalling the drivers did not help. I'm reinstalling my system now in the hope that fixes the problem.
> Any of you encounter a similar drop in gputool?


You might have resized the test window. It's easy to do and it changes the test resolution in real time if you do so.


----------



## Levesque

Sure.

Comparing 1 year old mature drivers with beta drivers for a totally new architecture is really useful.

We are still on beta drivers for the 7970, so any comparison with the 580 3Gb is not really helpful. Just wait 3-4 months and the gap will get bigger and bigger with each new drivers between the 7970 and the 580 3Gb.

We dont' even have waterblock yet for the 7970, and the tools to OC it are just starting to show up.


----------



## RussianJ

Ordered mine today, overnight shipping so should be here Saturday morning. First time buying a new toy at launch.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Do you have one? Mine is quieter than my oc'd 6950.


I do have to agree with him. It seems as loud as my trifire 5850s. BUT, I will also say that this is BY FAR the best stock cooler I've ever had. So it ends up being quieter since it never really has to spin the fan up all that high.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> I do have to agree with him. It seems as loud as my trifire 5850s. BUT, I will also say that this is BY FAR the best stock cooler I've ever had. So it ends up being quieter since it never really has to spin the fan up all that high.


Right, my card's not quieter at the same fan speeds, but it runs so much cooler, the fan stays much lower.


----------



## Twistacles

Going to be upgrading from a 4870 to a 7970. About time, huh?

Rofl.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Going to be upgrading from a 4870 to a 7970. About time, huh?
> Rofl.


Epic upgrade is epic.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Going to be upgrading from a 4870 to a 7970. About time, huh?
> Rofl.


You'll need a few pair of pants on ready. You'll be going through them.

I busted my 4870 back out to get me to the 9th after I sold my 6950s so I know exactly what will happen.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> You'll need a few pair of pants on ready. You'll be going through them.
> I busted my 4870 back out to get me to the 9th after I sold my 6950s so I know exactly what will happen.


Same, I just sold my SLI 570s waiting on more 7970s to pop up and I put in my 8800GT paired with a 4.5ghz 2500k and popped open BF3. Oh man it was terrible. 1080p was totally unplayable with everything LOW, and I mean completely LOW or OFF. I was getting spiky 25-30fps. However, I was surprised after turning the resolution down to 1600x900, it was very much playable at a decent 40-60fps thanks to my 2500k, the game just looked very, very terrible. Everything was in boxes and textures were all watered down liquid. Needed to put an infrared on my gun to actually see enemies.


----------



## Tslm

I sold my 6970 and had to use a Core 2 Duo laptop with integrated graphics, cause my mobo/cpu doesnt have any. I missed my SSD


----------



## ocgoober

Fortunately it turns out I did not do any damage to the card last night. Looks like whatever issue caused my collapse in gputool fps was software related. I reinstalled my system and drivers and all is well again.

It definitely looks like this GPU is particularly heat-sensitive. I cranked the GPU fan to 100% and I'm now looking stable at 1175MHz on stock voltage







It's just 12 mins into a gputool stability test though so time will tell. It looks to have stabilized at 64*C at 100% fan. I tried to get 1190 working with increased voltage but with no luck. I gradually increased from stock by 0.005v and I started to see a little improvement with each step as I slowly moved away from 1.17v. By that I mean that it took a little higher temp each time before I started to see artifacts in gputool. However, when I reached 1.2v the artifacts started getting worse so I just backed off to stock again.

Can't wait to get better cooling on this card. I'm a little nervous about water-cooling (I might just be clumsy enough to be THAT guy who spills fluid all over his motherboard etc.) but it looks like Arctic are launching a very promising air-cooler for this card :

http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182

Update: 30+mins stable in gputool at 1175/6000 at stock voltage. 100% fan at 64*C. Not too shabby


----------



## bjgrenke

Still don't get how Memory Express still has the Sapphire model for pre-order when the card came out 3 days ago


----------



## eux

Hey guys I need some help please!

Just got my 2 Asus 7970s and installed them. I used ATIman to uninstall my drivers and then installed the 7970 drivers on AMDs website. Nothing is working, as soon as I try to run a benchmark or game my computer locks up, same thing with youtube videos. I tried each card one at a time and I have the same problem, I uninstalled drivers again with ATIman and reinstalled AMD drivers and same problem. Also now my comp seems to be locking up as soon as I get into windows so I dont know how I'm gonna uninstall these drivers. Starting to wonder if both these cards could somehow be doa... Any suggestions?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eux*
> 
> Hey guys I need some help please!
> 
> Just got my 2 Asus 7970s and installed them. I used ATIman to uninstall my drivers and then installed the 7970 drivers on AMDs website. Nothing is working, as soon as I try to run a benchmark or game my computer locks up, same thing with youtube videos. I tried each card one at a time and I have the same problem, I uninstalled drivers again with ATIman and reinstalled AMD drivers and same problem. Also now my comp seems to be locking up as soon as I get into windows so I dont know how I'm gonna uninstall these drivers. Starting to wonder if both these cards could somehow be doa... Any suggestions?


Which cards did you previously have installed?


----------



## Outcasst

Made a video of the stuttering problems I'm having in SWOTR (and other games).




You can clearly see the sudden jolts where some frames are dropped. Not sure whether this is microstuttering or a problem with the game itself and AMD cards.

Only really noticeable when Vsync is enabled, which is how I want to play. Was smooth as butter on the 580 SLI setup.

Happens worse in other areas, just wanted to do something quick.


----------



## eux

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Which cards did you previously have installed?


I had a 5970 installed.


----------



## CallsignVega

Tahiti doesn't always like more voltage! I've found out like some others that upping the voltage too much leads to crashes. As a matter of fact, I only increased the voltage .025 from 1.175 to 1.200 and that seem to be the most stable.

With just that little voltage increase I am running 1225/1600 in crossfire. Tested that last night and it looped Heaven 2.5 for two hours straight with no crashes/artifacts in eyefinity.

If I increase the voltage range from 1.225 to 1.300 I gain no extra speed capability and in fact the computer crashes. All of this with the temp's in check (below 68C).

So these chips don't necessarily respond well to more voltage. This also means that water cooling is pointless as running 1225/1600 only get's my cards to around ~65C. (unless noise is a big concern for you). Remember these are crossfire frequencies which will almost always be lower than single card frequency capability.


----------



## Levesque

Nah, you"re wrong. Probably that something is getting too hot on your cards, like VRMs, or something else. Probably that Afterburner and GPU-Z are not giving the right readings since the 7970 is brand new. Totally normal

Alot of LN2 benchers and tiborr fom EK have confirmed that the 7970 OC are temperature related: ''10°C colder GPU yields at least 20MHz on the GPU at the same Vgpu.''

Look at tiborr OC with an Ek waterblock. 1350 on the core. Proof.

Temp is everything with those cards.







You're on air. You're stuck. Logical.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eux*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Which cards did you previously have installed?
> 
> 
> 
> I had a 5970 installed.
Click to expand...

I doubt it's the actual cards...
Perhaps it's time for a clean Windows installation?


----------



## eux

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I doubt it's the actual cards...
> Perhaps it's time for a clean Windows installation?


I hope so, I'm going to reinstall Windows now and see if that fixes it.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Nah, you"re wrong. Probably that something is getting too hot on your cards, like VRMs, or something else. Probably that Afterburner and GPU-Z are not giving the right readings since the 7970 is brand new. Totally normal
> Alot of LN2 benchers and tiborr fom EK have confirmed that the 7970 OC are temperature related: ''10°C colder GPU yields at least 20MHz on the GPU at the same Vgpu.''
> 
> Look at tiborr OC with an Ek waterblock. 1350 on the core. Proof.
> Temp is everything with those cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You're on air. You're stuck. Logical.


What part of single GPU/single monitor overclock not always equaling a stable crossfire Eyefinity overclock seems to escape you? 10 C difference for 20Mhz isn't much at all and no one cares about LN2 benching as that doesn't apply to gaming or anything of significance. Going through all of the trouble for LN2 benchmarks seems like a big ordeal just to get a little frequency screenshot. Just because Tiborr has a single 7970 that can clock to 1350 using a single display doesn't mean they all can or that all will be able to push those frequencies in _crossfire and Eyefinity_. There are users on here that can't even squeeze 1100Mhz out of their single 7970.

Oh and quit the non-sense about not comparing 3GB 580's to the 7970's because AMD is on "beta drivers", whatever that is. The AMD driver team has had months and months with physical 7970's to work on drivers. By that logic, you could call every driver a "beta" driver.

Don't get me wrong, I am quite impressed with the 7970 and myself getting a 300Mhz overclock on near stock volts and stable in crossfire and Eyefinity is quite nice. Although I suspect on water the most I'd squeeze out of them is another 100Mhz which would be 5% or less performance increase.


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Made a video of the stuttering problems I'm having in SWOTR (and other games).
> 
> 
> 
> You can clearly see the sudden jolts where some frames are dropped. Not sure whether this is microstuttering or a problem with the game itself and AMD cards.
> Only really noticeable when Vsync is enabled, which is how I want to play. Was smooth as butter on the 580 SLI setup.
> Happens worse in other areas, just wanted to do something quick.


That just looks like internet lag to me... Maybe if I was actually playing I might notice it more, but its hard to notice in that video, it just looks like internet spiking issues where a frame or 2 is dropped because the ping spikes.


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RussianJ*
> 
> Ordered mine today, overnight shipping so should be here Saturday morning. First time buying a new toy at launch.


I kind know how you feel, although I did buy a Sandy Bridge set up at launch, the 7970 is the first video card since I bought an 8800GT on launch day. Ever since then Ive been buying my buddy's old GPUs after he upgraded (went from 8800GT to GTX260, to GTX260 SLI, to 5870, to 5870CF to 7970).


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Tahiti doesn't always like more voltage! I've found out like some others that upping the voltage too much leads to crashes. As a matter of fact, I only increased the voltage .025 from 1.175 to 1.200 and that seem to be the most stable.
> With just that little voltage increase I am running 1225/1600 in crossfire. Tested that last night and it looped Heaven 2.5 for two hours straight with no crashes/artifacts in eyefinity.
> If I increase the voltage range from 1.225 to 1.300 I gain no extra speed capability and in fact the computer crashes. All of this with the temp's in check (below 68C).
> So these chips don't necessarily respond well to more voltage. This also means that water cooling is pointless as running 1225/1600 only get's my cards to around ~65C. (unless noise is a big concern for you). Remember these are crossfire frequencies which will almost always be lower than single card frequency capability.


What is max voltage/speed of each card, tested that yet?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Made a video of the stuttering problems I'm having in SWOTR (and other games).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You can clearly see the sudden jolts where some frames are dropped. Not sure whether this is microstuttering or a problem with the game itself and AMD cards.
> 
> Only really noticeable when Vsync is enabled, which is how I want to play. Was smooth as butter on the 580 SLI setup.
> 
> Happens worse in other areas, just wanted to do something quick.


It microstutters because the game doesnt support crossfire. When I had 6950s I got the same fps with 2 or 1 card with eyefinity even. They would also run at odd usage % like 90 and 60. This is why I went from 2 6950s to a single 7970.


----------



## Tslm

What CAPs are people using with the 7900 drivers?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> What CAPs are people using with the 7900 drivers?


The latest CAP mate.. no microstutter for me. 11.12 CAP 2


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> What CAPs are people using with the 7900 drivers?
> 
> 
> 
> The latest CAP mate.. no microstutter for me. 11.12 CAP 2
Click to expand...

Ok ill give them a try. No microstutter in anything except for SC2 for some reason


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Here's an eyefinity run of Heaven. Single card.


DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!!! Stock clock or OC'd?

Here's my eyefinity run with xfire 6950's... that is IMPRESSIVE!


----------



## Russ369

Guys, should I sell my 2 6970's and get a 7970? I feel sometimes im getting microstuttering, so I duno... 1080p just a single monitor


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Russ369*
> 
> Guys, should I sell my 2 6970's and get a 7970? I feel sometimes im getting microstuttering, so I duno... 1080p just a single monitor


Thats what i did, except i bought 2x 7970's. Its a good move if u have the money to spend and the time to game








For a 60hz 1080p monitor though, your 6970's are more than enough.


----------



## eux

Sigh I'm definitely disappointed, experiencing some micro stuttering in BF3 w/ cf 7970s. Haven't tried any other games yet. Any one else have stuttering problems?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eux*
> 
> Sigh I'm definitely disappointed, experiencing some micro stuttering in BF3 w/ cf 7970s. Haven't tried any other games yet. Any one else have stuttering problems?


Not me, absolutely none whatsoever. I just finished a 2hr session too and didn't get a hiccup. Seems like a hit and miss issue.
Although, quite possible other system settings/components could contribute to the stuttering?
Try disabling CPU Hyper threading in the bios.
And also run the 11.12 7900 support driver and 11.12 CAP2 profiles.
Before hand, uninstall CCC and previous drivers thoroughly.
Worst case scenario? *Fresh install of windows.*
Definitely not the 7970's.


----------



## Tslm

Does anyone elses 2nd card wake up after opening a web browser and then sleep again after you close it? Dual GPU web browsing









This is with Firefox


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Does anyone elses 2nd card wake up after opening a web browser and then sleep again after you close it? Dual GPU web browsing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is with Firefox


My 2nd card's fan stays spinning.
It downclocks, but fan stays on.. :/
The first one stops when sleeping. Anyone else?


----------



## Evil Penguin

I found out how to disable PowerTune via Afterburner.

**** Do this at your own risk****

Instead of "UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1"
Change the value to "2".
Then restart AB.

Before I was getting a wall of 433FPS with OCCT.
Now I'm getting over 460FPS.

No more power throttle!


----------



## sockpirate

So how is the stability of these cards in tri-sli ? I am really considering 3 when water blocks are available. And is the xfx black edition a reference design ?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Does anyone elses 2nd card wake up after opening a web browser and then sleep again after you close it? Dual GPU web browsing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is with Firefox
> 
> 
> 
> My 2nd card's fan stays spinning.
> It downclocks, but fan stays on.. :/
> The first one stops when sleeping. Anyone else?
Click to expand...

2nd fan should stop. Monitoring programs say its still at 20% or 1180rpm but if you open your case up it should be switched off. Is it downclocking to 0MHz or is it idling at 300?


----------



## WiL11o6

@Denim-187,

When you say you experience no micro stutter at all, is it because you don't notice it? Or are you 100% sure it doesn't micro stutter? Because some people are experiencing CF stutter as well and I know some people notice it, and some people don't when it is there.


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> So how is the stability of these cards in tri-sli ? I am really considering 3 when water blocks are available. And is the xfx black edition a reference design ?


According to EK's website, XFX Black Edition is still reference. Which is quite nice IMO.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I found out how to disable PowerTune via Afterburner.
> **** Do this at your own risk****
> Instead of "UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1"
> Change the value to "2".
> Then restart AB.
> Before I was getting a wall of 433FPS with OCCT.
> Now I'm getting over 460FPS.
> No more power throttle!


for all the sapphire owners out there i saw posted in another thread that if you use trixx to disable ULPS it does the same as +20 Powertune








Course the Trixx Software should work on any of them


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I found out how to disable PowerTune via Afterburner.
> **** Do this at your own risk****
> Instead of "UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1"
> Change the value to "2".
> Then restart AB.
> Before I was getting a wall of 433FPS with OCCT.
> Now I'm getting over 460FPS.
> No more power throttle!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> for all the sapphire owners out there i saw posted in another thread that if you use trixx to disable ULPS it does the same as +20 Powertune
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Course the Trixx Software should work on any of them
Click to expand...

Not having PT on at all is better for me.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> @Denim-187,
> When you say you experience no micro stutter at all, is it because you don't notice it? Or are you 100% sure it doesn't micro stutter? Because some people are experiencing CF stutter as well and I know some people notice it, and some people don't when it is there.


Im getting absolutely none... ive stated this so much and everyones finding it hard to believe








NO MICROSTUTTER for me guys, ive tested it by crouch moving in all my games and the edge of the monitor doesn't skip a heart beat of rendering.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *eux*
> 
> Sigh I'm definitely disappointed, experiencing some micro stuttering in BF3 w/ cf 7970s. Haven't tried any other games yet. Any one else have stuttering problems?
> 
> 
> 
> Not me, absolutely none whatsoever. I just finished a 2hr session too and didn't get a hiccup. Seems like a hit and miss issue.
> Although, quite possible other system settings/components could contribute to the stuttering?
> Try disabling CPU Hyper threading in the bios.
> And also run the 11.12 7900 support driver and 11.12 CAP2 profiles.
> Before hand, uninstall CCC and previous drivers thoroughly.
> Worst case scenario? *Fresh install of windows.*
> Definitely not the 7970's.
Click to expand...

So did you have micro stuttering with your 6970CF before?


----------



## UNOE

oh great now my games are half the frame rate they where when I first installed the card please don't tell me I half to reinstall windows ... Some games are fine some games have really low frame rate... I'm going to bed and will worry about it later.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> So did you have micro stuttering with your 6970CF before?


I dn't think so, other wise i would of been pretty pissed off, im fussy when it comes to stuttering but i can say that these cards dont have any..

I can video record my gameplay, not fraps but with a camera to some what prove the zero stutter.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> oh great now my games are half the frame rate they where when I first installed the card please don't tell me I half to reinstall windows ... Some games are fine some games have really low frame rate... I'm going to bed and will worry about it later.


Don't know if this is related but i had a problem last night with my 7970, I got a decreased frame rate in BF3 and Crysis (With strange on Crysis too)

Scared the hell out of me but one restart later its working fine.


----------



## Outcasst

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Im getting absolutely none... ive stated this so much and everyones finding it hard to believe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NO MICROSTUTTER for me guys, ive tested it by crouch moving in all my games and the edge of the monitor doesn't skip a heart beat of rendering.


I am Jelly!









Did you have an NVIDIA card before, or AMD?

I'm pretty sure I cleaned out the NVIDIA drivers properly before I installed the ones for these cards, however would it be recommended to format Windows?


----------



## Aventadoor

Which drivers are zhe people using?
I use the one that came with the CD, and updated the Profile thingy to CAP2! (Im nvidia guy, Dont know **** about AMD







)

Also, which settings are you using in the CCC?
I notice how much AMD is effected MSAA... Really major FPS decrease


----------



## Denim-187




----------



## Focus182

Can't even hold 1070 on the core without errors in BF3.

Is my luck that bad that i get the worst card here? =/


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Which drivers are zhe people using?
> I use the one that came with the CD, and updated the Profile thingy to CAP2! (Im nvidia guy, Dont know **** about AMD
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> Also, which settings are you using in the CCC?
> I notice how much AMD is effected MSAA... Really major FPS decrease


This driver : http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx
11.12 CAP2

MSAA isn't bad with these cards anymore








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Can't even hold 1070 on the core without errors in BF3.
> Is my luck that bad that i get the worst card here? =/


Me too, you don't have bad cards... It's the norm. If you crank your fans up to 100% while gaming you'll notice that the errors disappear.
This is because the chip is temperature sensitive... the colder the card, the higher the overclock with out the errors.
On air, ive settled for 1050/1400 mhz. 100% stable and default fan profile.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Me too, you don't have bad cards... It's the norm. If you crank your fans up to 100% while gaming you'll notice that the errors disappear.
> This is because the chip is temperature sensitive... the colder the card, the higher the overclock with out the errors.
> On air, ive settled for 1050/1400 mhz. 100% stable and default fan profile.


Ah ok, That makes me feel a little better xD

I'll try bumping the fans up a bit then and see how it turns out.

EDIT: You seem to be correct but my god, 65% is loud. 100% is... just... insane.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> What part of single GPU/single monitor overclock not always equaling a stable crossfire Eyefinity overclock seems to escape you? 10 C difference for 20Mhz isn't much at all and no one cares about LN2 benching as that doesn't apply to gaming or anything of significance. Going through all of the trouble for LN2 benchmarks seems like a big ordeal just to get a little frequency screenshot. Just because Tiborr has a single 7970 that can clock to 1350 using a single display doesn't mean they all can or that all will be able to push those frequencies in _crossfire and Eyefinity_. There are users on here that can't even squeeze 1100Mhz out of their single 7970.
> Oh and quit the non-sense about not comparing 3GB 580's to the 7970's because AMD is on "beta drivers", whatever that is. The AMD driver team has had months and months with physical 7970's to work on drivers. By that logic, you could call every driver a "beta" driver.
> Don't get me wrong, I am quite impressed with the 7970 and myself getting a 300Mhz overclock on near stock volts and stable in crossfire and Eyefinity is quite nice. Although I suspect on water the most I'd squeeze out of them is another 100Mhz which would be 5% or less performance increase.


Read this. I'm right. Beta tools to OC, and beta tools to read your voltages and temps. What letter of the word B-E-T-A do you not understand? *BETA*. You will never change Vega. Always talking like you know everything, when you are making big conclusions based on using flaky BETA software... BETA software is beta software...

I told you before that Afterburner is not really ready yet for 7970. Asus are working on a new GPU tweak utility (not the one included with the Asus 7970!), working MUCH better right now then Afterburner with the 7970. I told you before, but you didn't listen. Like always. Told you to flash your BIOS with an Asus BIOS, and to find Shamino post about the new Asus GPU tweak utility that will come out soon. You can't download it yet from Asus website. Shamino did post a link to it. Search it.

Also. Asus are pumping new BIOS for the Rampage IV to help OC the 7970 better! We are all using BETA and alot of motherboards (andf probably your...) are flaky with the 7970 right now. Just like the new Rampage IV that need new BIOS to push the 7970 more... All the manufacturers will update their motherboard BIOS probably for better 7970 support, just like Asus are doing.

So wait before making big definitive conclusions like you did...









Here's a post on OCN telling exactly what I told you:

"Some tips I found on ATF:

Use the drivers off the AMD website here:

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles...00-series.aspx

- Disabling AMD overdrive in CCC can be helpful. What happens, if you're using MSI afterburner, afterburner will load first during windows startup and then CCC will load and over write your voltages/clock settings.

- Disabling ULPS in sapphire trixx is equivalent to enabling power tune +20% in CCC. *Sapphire Trixx right now is more reliable than MSI afterburner*.

- Sapphire trixx is an excellent utility to utilize, *it gives more accurate voltages than the most recent MSI afterburner BETA*

- When using MSI afterburner, run it with the command line argument -xcl, then reboot to unlock gpu clocks

- Before installing your 7970, be sure to run driver sweeper after a SAFE BOOT and completely remove all prior registry traces of your last vidcard - I did this to remove traces of my 580s.

- Using a voltage monitor, sapphire trixx is more accurate on reporting GPU voltage. *I think MSI afterburner still needs a bit of work in this aspect*.

- If you're overclocking, set a custom fan profile in MSI afterburner or sapphire trixx. Do not use auto fan! It will not ramp up (fan speed) fast enough for overclocked GPU's most of the time. You can also use a set manual fan speed if you dont mind going full speed 100% of the time

thats all for now''


----------



## PARTON

I'm at about 1070, too. Don't feel bad. The card's still pretty wicked at 1070. I'm about to settle in and let it ride.

I tried setting voltage in afterburner to 1.3v which gave me 1.236 - 1.244v and it didn't help my overclock much at all. 1200MHz would artifact.

What is the best for testing mem clocks? I tried forcing SSAA in crysis bench, because I thought that would consume a lot of memory, but it did not. I'm only running one screen, but I want something to use most of the 3gb frame buffer. To me, if you're testing mem oc, you need to test all the chips on the board. Am I way off base, does the card use all the memchips even if the app only reguires say 500MB of video mem?

Edit:

@Levesque

I have a sapphire card and trixx 4.1.0 doesn't seem to adjust voltage. When I apply the voltage that I set with the slider, the slider just bounces back. Any ideas?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN!!! Stock clock or OC'd?
> Here's my eyefinity run with xfire 6950's... that is IMPRESSIVE!


This was at 1075/1475. Not too shabby eh? I would go higher but I am trying to keep my card in the 70s and am seriously considering adding some things to my loop, including this card.

Also, I was running it with bezel correction at 6048x1200 which is quite a bit higher than the 5760x1080 you have there 8P.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> This driver : http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx
> 11.12 CAP2
> MSAA isn't bad with these cards anymore
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Me too, you don't have bad cards... It's the norm. If you crank your fans up to 100% while gaming you'll notice that the errors disappear.
> This is because the chip is temperature sensitive... the colder the card, the higher the overclock with out the errors.
> On air, ive settled for 1050/1400 mhz. 100% stable and default fan profile.


its 10-40fps increase with MSAA off compared to 4x MSAA. So I think Nvidia is still better in that area.
My card is at 1075/1500 atm, can go further it looks like!


----------



## Denim-187

*Set your Afterburner fan profile as shown to cool your GPU by 10 degrees c*
If your using air and overclocking, then the default fan profile might be a little light for the overclock so you will need to tune a more aggressive profile.
Setting the fan profile as shown in the image below, dropped my temps from 80-83c to 65-73c.
Fan acoustics are very bearable and not too different from default fan profile.
Don't forget to change the hysteresis and the update period as shown also.
Make sure you hit the "user setting" button near the fan slider till it turns red or green whatever colour scheme your running.


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> @Denim-187,
> When you say you experience no micro stutter at all, is it because you don't notice it? Or are you 100% sure it doesn't micro stutter? Because some people are experiencing CF stutter as well and I know some people notice it, and some people don't when it is there.
> 
> 
> 
> Im getting absolutely none... ive stated this so much and everyones finding it hard to believe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NO MICROSTUTTER for me guys, ive tested it by crouch moving in all my games and the edge of the monitor doesn't skip a heart beat of rendering.
Click to expand...

Same with me man, I was getting the odd microstutter with my CF 5870s, but now that I have just a 7970, I dont think ive ever really seen a microstutter, even in BF3.


----------



## Outcasst

Well, of course you're not going to microstutter with a single card...


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Same with me man, I was getting the odd microstutter with my CF 5870s, but now that I have just a 7970, I dont think ive ever really seen a microstutter, even in BF3.


Yeah microstutter is a multi gpu thing...............................of the past


----------



## slice259

Seeing as these cards appear to be temp sensitive as many have stated, can someone overclock with say 80 or so % fan speed? I just would like to see how much further such fan speeds allow the core to go. Thanks


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Seeing as these cards appear to be temp sensitive as many have stated, can someone overclock with say 80 or so % fan speed? I just would like to see how much further such fan speeds allow the core to go. Thanks


I think someone tested with 100% fan speed to see the max overclock. It was some pages back but it the O/C scaled well as the temps dropped with the aggressive fan profile.


----------



## tats

Denim - You can live with the fan over say 50%? I don't know if I just became too spoiled by the accelero on my 580 but anything over 45% sounds terrible to me...

I think I might end up grabbing another one for this card.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Denim - You can live with the fan over say 50%? I don't know if I just became too spoiled by my accelero on my 580 but anything over 45% sounds terrible to me...
> I think I might end up grabbing another one for this card.


This^^

Hopefully there will be WC versions so I dont have to bother with installing blocks myself ^^


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Read this. I'm right. Beta tools to OC, and beta tools to read your voltages and temps. What letter of the word B-E-T-A do you not understand? *BETA*. You will never change Vega. Always talking like you know everything, when you are making big conclusions based on using flaky BETA software... BETA software is beta software...
> I told you before that Afterburner is not really ready yet for 7970. Asus are working on a new GPU tweak utility (not the one included with the Asus 7970!), working MUCH better right now then Afterburner with the 7970. I told you before, but you didn't listen. Like always. Told you to flash your BIOS with an Asus BIOS, and to find Shamino post about the new Asus GPU tweak utility that will come out soon. You can't download it yet from Asus website. Shamino did post a link to it. Search it.
> Also. Asus are pumping new BIOS for the Rampage IV to help OC the 7970 better! We are all using BETA and alot of motherboards (andf probably your...) are flaky with the 7970 right now. Just like the new Rampage IV that need new BIOS to push the 7970 more... All the manufacturers will update their motherboard BIOS probably for better 7970 support, just like Asus are doing.
> So wait before making big definitive conclusions like you did...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a post on OCN telling exactly what I told you:
> "Some tips I found on ATF:
> Use the drivers off the AMD website here:
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles...00-series.aspx
> - Disabling AMD overdrive in CCC can be helpful. What happens, if you're using MSI afterburner, afterburner will load first during windows startup and then CCC will load and over write your voltages/clock settings.
> - Disabling ULPS in sapphire trixx is equivalent to enabling power tune +20% in CCC. *Sapphire Trixx right now is more reliable than MSI afterburner*.
> - Sapphire trixx is an excellent utility to utilize, *it gives more accurate voltages than the most recent MSI afterburner BETA*
> - When using MSI afterburner, run it with the command line argument -xcl, then reboot to unlock gpu clocks
> - Before installing your 7970, be sure to run driver sweeper after a SAFE BOOT and completely remove all prior registry traces of your last vidcard - I did this to remove traces of my 580s.
> - Using a voltage monitor, sapphire trixx is more accurate on reporting GPU voltage. *I think MSI afterburner still needs a bit of work in this aspect*.
> - If you're overclocking, set a custom fan profile in MSI afterburner or sapphire trixx. Do not use auto fan! It will not ramp up (fan speed) fast enough for overclocked GPU's most of the time. You can also use a set manual fan speed if you dont mind going full speed 100% of the time
> thats all for now''


I was referring to your comment about the 7xxx series _driver_ being "beta", not about beta overclocking software.

Definition of Beta: A nearly complete prototype of a product (as software)

The 7xxx series drivers on the AMD web site are official public release drivers for the card that they have worked on for months. There is _nothing_ beta about them.

What you are referring to is simply the drivers being new or immature, leaving the door open for future performances increases.


----------



## snelan

I have noticed the massive heat affects this GPU has, over 80c there's almost no overclock that'll hold. But I can hit 1125MHz at +20% if it stays under 60c.


----------



## DB006

Tried Afterburner, Trixx and Asus tweak, and tbh, the most stable for me is CCC!!!

With Trixx and AB, the overclock would revert back to standard 925/1125 after the screensaver came on, and wouldn't return to OC until reboot.

Got a very stable (overnight in heaven 2.5) 1150/1575 using the +20% voltage http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/3znv6/ no stuttering in games and maxxed out settings


----------



## PARTON

This sensitivity to temp is going to make it impossible for me to establish a daily overclock that is close to the edge of stability, as most of us normally do.

I'll have to back off enough to give myself enough margin, so that it doesn't start artifacting if my computer room happens to get a little warmer than normal.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> I am Jelly!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did you have an NVIDIA card before, or AMD?
> I'm pretty sure I cleaned out the NVIDIA drivers properly before I installed the ones for these cards, however would it be recommended to format Windows?


I had both.. 2x 6970's sold them 3 weeks before 7970 launch... used GTX 260 in SLI for a temporary solution. If all else fails, then a fresh windows install is definitely recommended. I fresh install windows every month or two.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Denim - You can live with the fan over say 50%? I don't know if I just became too spoiled by the accelero on my 580 but anything over 45% sounds terrible to me...
> I think I might end up grabbing another one for this card.


Well i have two cards that both hit about 55% on load with a custom profile, and i don't think they're loud at all. Very reasonable.


----------



## evensen007

If this thing is as heat sensitive with it's OC scaling as it seems, it's going to be awesome on water. My 5870's ran in the 80's at full load on air. On water, they max out at 39-40c. That should make 1300-1400 a reality on water.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> If this thing is as heat sensitive with it's OC scaling as it seems, it's going to be awesome on water. My 5870's ran in the 80's at full load on air. On water, they max out at 39-40c. That should make 1300-1400 a reality on water.


Exactly... this is when they will shine.


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I had both.. 2x 6970's sold them 3 weeks before 7970 launch... used GTX 260 in SLI for a temporary solution. If all else fails, then a fresh windows install is definitely recommended. I fresh install windows every month or two.


Denim I've almost the same spec as yours, I sold my 2 6970 few weeks ago, and I have S27A950D just like you do. I want to know what's your feeling of jumping from 6970 CF to 7970 CF. Are you satisfied with this upgrade?

Actually I already bought 2 Sapphire 7970s, but my board has been RMA and will get it back within this few days, can't do anything now but stare at its lol.


----------



## Neroh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Denim I've almost the same spec as yours, I sold my 2 6970 few weeks ago, and I have S27A950D just like you do. I want to know what's your feeling of jumping from 6970 CF to 7970 CF. Are you satisfied with this upgrade?
> Actually I already bought 2 Sapphire 7970s, but my board has been RMA and will get it back within this few days, can't do anything now but stare at its lol.


Your ears will thank you. I forgot how absurd the noise from the 6970s is until I started using my 7970s.

Reviewers say the dba rating of both cards is the same, and that may be true, but the sound they make is totally different. 6970 = screechy hairdryer, 7970 = gentle flow of wind.

I'm thinking this has to do with the exhaust being full length on the 7970


----------



## tats

Does anyone have the differences in the Asus Classifed Bios and the stock Asus Bios?


----------



## mao5

any cat can drive 7970 bf3 performance beyond 5870cf ?

had 5870cf then now upgrade to 7970, with 5870cf, I set 1680x1050 Ultra mode in BF3 MP Back to Kecard, except to set texture to high,turn off MSAA and Motion Blur, in this 4 maps, my 5870CF could get around 70-120fps, now with 7970 the same settings, it gets around 40-80fps, what's the ****? I use the amd_radeon_hd7900_win7_64 drv, it seems the best drv for 7970 BF3 right now.

But I have to admit that with 7970, now I can enable full ultra mode in BF3 MP with also 40-80fps , 5870CF can't do that, because the different mem capacity.

The most noticeable difference in BF3 SP, is that using 7970 I can smoothly zoom the telescope on the rifle, but with 5870CF, the zoom experience is very bad and stuttering. I think it also relate to the the different mem capacity.

now, I can do nothing only waiting for better BF3 DRV FOR 7970


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> I have noticed the massive heat affects this GPU has, over 80c there's almost no overclock that'll hold. But I can hit 1125MHz at +20% if it stays under 60c.


If the GPU is real temp sensitive, water cooling should be a boon. Hopefully we can get some non-vendor water overclock results in from users soon.


----------



## Witchdoctor

*Diamond Flavor*

Ran heaven X last night

1.25v

1264/1450

2747 .....

Had a few artifacts on the run though.....

Think if you can get 1200 @ 1.2 is the sweet spot

The fan on 100% is completly rediculouse

Mine measures 11 1/8"

But the card it fun to play with for sure


----------



## dajez

I get my sapphire next week


----------



## Focus182

For those stuck at around 1050 on the core, More voltage and less heat is the key to success. (Obvious, but more so for these cards than any other)

Got my temps down by around 10c and put 0.010mV more into the card and now i have gone from 1060 to 1125 and still have not hit any errors yet.


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> For those stuck at around 1050 on the core, More voltage and less heat is the key to success. (Obvious, but more so for these cards than any other)
> 
> Got my temps down by around 10c and put 0.010mV more into the card and now i have gone from 1060 to 1125 and still have not hit any errors yet.


What temps are you getting now after lowering it around 10C? And at what fan speed? I noticed same too... No matter how much voltage I pump into the card, it starts artifacting for me at around 65C.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> What temps are you getting now after lowering it around 10C? And at what fan speed? I noticed same too... No matter how much voltage I pump into the card, it starts artifacting for me at around 65C.


I'm getting about 60c max in BF3 with my fan speed at around 70% i think.

65c max in Crysis at the same fan speed.


----------



## slice259

VDDC's getting HOT ? Got to be something to do with a ( somewhat weak, overloaded ) weak vrm I would guess. I have heard that msi and power color are beefing up their vrm's come twin frozer 4 and powercolors new twin fan non-reference. Get 2 reference msi 7970's or wait and see the lightnings....... I don't want to wait anymore !


----------



## Porter_

from what i'm reading around the web my XFX BEDD card has terrible VRM cooling. all things consider, i'd get a reference card if i could do it over again. don't think it's worth the hassle and the newegg restocking fee to swap to a new card.


----------



## dVeLoPe

ive had my saphire new in box for the last few days so pissed that NO INFO is out about when NON-REF cards will come or AT LEAST a freaking ref MSI version so I could trade about to just freakin open dis thing and eat the 87$ restocking fee


----------



## Penryn

I don't get what artifacting people are having at around 80C? Can anyone post some screenshots, videos or pictures of it? My card runs at 1125 without any other tweaking and I haven't noticed any in Heaven or any games I play so far. I haven't upped the fan speed because as mentioned, anything above 50% is murder on the ears.

If I don't have any problems at 80C, I may have a golden card 8].


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *Why would you crossfire 7970's on that CPU ? That's the most uber bottleneck i have ever seen.*


Can you explain how the 1090T will bottleneck these cards? especially in Xfire?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> You will need to upgrade that cpu to let them cards fly dude. I came from the exact same CPU when i had my crossfire 6970's. Ive never looked back.


We really do not have a choice for upgrading (at least along the AMD lines). If I actually consider FX, would it mitigate the bottlenecking? I guess I am a little weak on _how_ bottlenecking occurs. Maybe someone can point me to a good explanation.

I have also been reading a lot about you guys using CAPs with the 11.12 drivers. I thought that the need for CAP was eliminated with the version 11.10 (or maybe the 11.11, cannot recall exactly) drivers?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Can you explain how the 1090T will bottleneck these cards? especially in Xfire?
> We really do not have a choice for upgrading (at least along the AMD lines). If I actually consider FX, would it mitigate the bottlenecking? I guess I am a little weak on _how_ bottlenecking occurs. Maybe someone can point me to a good explanation.
> I have also been reading a lot about you guys using CAPs with the 11.12 drivers. I thought that the need for CAP was eliminated with the version 11.10 (or maybe the 11.11, cannot recall exactly) drivers?


Architecture is everything. The 1090t is actually a really good chip, but it can't hang with the newer sandy bridge and SE chipsets ( I just made the leap, never looking back). You'll notice the biggest difference in benchmarking and xfire/sli multiplayer gaming on a system-buster like BF3. FX is a bad bet right now until they sort out the core docking and utilization issues.



You can see how the 1100t trails a little bit on the 6990, and should trail by even more on a 7900 xfire. But really you have a solid chip, so unless you're trying to break benchmark records, flex e-peen, or rocking a 120hz monitor you are solid.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> I don't get what artifacting people are having at around 80C? Can anyone post some screenshots, videos or pictures of it? My card runs at 1125 without any other tweaking and I haven't noticed any in Heaven or any games I play so far. I haven't upped the fan speed because as mentioned, anything above 50% is murder on the ears.
> If I don't have any problems at 80C, I may have a golden card 8].


at stock volts and at the stock fan curve when i get to 1070 i see shadows stretching and things like guns stretching their textures. Any higher on the core and i get a crash 20-50 seconds within the game.

Have you tried your card on BF3 yet? I also tried other games/stability tests and was fine but as soon as i hit BF3 it goes crazy.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> I don't get what artifacting people are having at around 80C? Can anyone post some screenshots, videos or pictures of it? My card runs at 1125 without any other tweaking and I haven't noticed any in Heaven or any games I play so far. I haven't upped the fan speed because as mentioned, anything above 50% is murder on the ears.
> If I don't have any problems at 80C, I may have a golden card 8].


Throw some OCCT at it and see if it's still happy. I'm fine all the way up to 1170 at stock volts on everything besides OCCT (up to 1200 for games) and at least in my case 1125 is where it stops being truly stable.

I'm still shocked at the amount a Vdroop on this card. If AB is to be believed it's a little more than 100mV at 1100MHz. 70-80mV or so at stock clocks. Never noticed it on other cards, or at least anywhere near this much.


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> What temps are you getting now after lowering it around 10C? And at what fan speed? I noticed same too... No matter how much voltage I pump into the card, it starts artifacting for me at around 65C.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm getting about 60c max in BF3 with my fan speed at around 70% i think.
> 
> 65c max in Crysis at the same fan speed.
Click to expand...

I get almost instant artifacting in AvP benchmark if my clocks are higher than 1120Mhz, no matter what voltage I set, *if card gets hotter than 65C.*. Upping the fan helps, but I don't want to run it too high because its too noisy for me. Currently its around 50-55%. I tried adjusting powertune settings, Trixx and GPU tweak instead of afterburner, nothing. It looks to me that people who say that Tahiti is very sensitive to temps are right. I honestly don't know what to try next. Going to have to settle for 1120Mhz on stock volts with decent fan noise.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Architecture is everything. The 1090t is actually a really good chip, but it can't hang with the newer sandy bridge and SE chipsets ( I just made the leap, never looking back). You'll notice the biggest difference in benchmarking and xfire/sli multiplayer gaming on a system-buster like BF3. FX is a bad bet right now until they sort out the core docking and utilization issues.
> 
> You can see how the 1100t trails a little bit on the 6990, and should trail by even more on a 7900 xfire. But really you have a solid chip, so unless you're trying to break benchmark records, flex e-peen, or rocking a 120hz monitor you are solid.


I am not (for now) wanting to break any records. I will OC a bit to squeeze a little extra juice out for BF3 5760x1200 (60 Hz Displays) Eyefinity MP, and I do want to Xfire.

I would like to read up a bit on how bottlenecking occurs.

And if anyone can comment on CAP that would be awesome.

Thanx


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> I'm still shocked at the amount a Vdroop on this card. If AB is to be believed it's a little more than 100mV at 1100MHz. 70-80mV or so at stock clocks. Never noticed it on other cards, or at least anywhere near this much.


This is because for the first time we are seeing actual voltage supplied in real time, as opposed to target VID on old cards. Comes from Unwinder, creator of Afterburner:
Quote:


> Fluctuatuing voltages are NORMAL and EXPECTED on 7970 series. CHL8228 voltage controllers installed on these cards are equipped with voltage monitoring sensors, which allow you to see the REAL voltages monitored by sensor, which are SUPPOSED to fluctuate due to vdroop and other factors. You're NOT seeing actual monitored voltages on other cards because you're seeing only TARGET VIDs in monitoring area, and the voltages are fluctuating there too, you don't see it just because there are no real voltage readback circuits onboard.


Source

He sounds not too happy


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> I'm still shocked at the amount a Vdroop on this card. If AB is to be believed it's a little more than 100mV at 1100MHz. 70-80mV or so at stock clocks. Never noticed it on other cards, or at least anywhere near this much.
> 
> 
> 
> This is because for the first time we are seeing actual voltage supplied in real time, as opposed to target VID on old cards. Comes from Unwinder, creator of Afterburner:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Fluctuatuing voltages are NORMAL and EXPECTED on 7970 series. CHL8228 voltage controllers installed on these cards are equipped with voltage monitoring sensors, which allow you to see the REAL voltages monitored by sensor, which are SUPPOSED to fluctuate due to vdroop and other factors. You're NOT seeing actual monitored voltages on other cards because you're seeing only TARGET VIDs in monitoring area, and the voltages are fluctuating there too, you don't see it just because there are no real voltage readback circuits onboard.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Source
> 
> He sounds not too happy
Click to expand...

Well then. Nifty.


----------



## Denim-187

Bottlenecking..... Think of the combined test in 3dmark11 and gpu test 1 in vantage. These two test have both cpu and gpu interact with eachother the most and are a good way to test for bottlenecking.
Run a test with your 1090t @ stock and ill run the same with my 2700k @ stock.
Post your results, and you will see how much the 1090t bottlenecks compared to the i7 chip. 
Reaistically though, if your getting the FPS you want and need, then who cares if its bottlenecking.








The way i look at it, if ur going to spend that much on gpu's, then you should spend a fraction of that price extra to pair them with the cpu that will allow full potential performance. My 2 cents.


----------



## snelan

Hmm, I always assumed that since I am seeing so much VDroop under AB, that it just wasn't increasing the voltage. Does that mean that it IS actually increasing the voltage?

Also, what exactly is the advantage of disabling PowerTune?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Hmm, I always assumed that since I am seeing so much VDroop under AB, that it just wasn't increasing the voltage. Does that mean that it IS actually increasing the voltage?
> 
> Also, what exactly is the advantage of disabling PowerTune?


Disabling powertune removes the default TDP of the card, allowing more current to run through it for higher overclocks.
If the TDP is reached, then the card downclocks to stay at that TDP. +20% is the max u can go.


----------



## Outcasst

Sigh, re-installed Windows and the stuttering in BF3 seems worse. Running 100FPS on these cards seems like 40.


----------



## DOM.

has anyone used the ASUS GPU Tweak ? does it let you use more then 1.3v ? i got a Sapphire and highest i got it stable is 1230/1790 is the max it lets me oc the mem


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Hmm, I always assumed that since I am seeing so much VDroop under AB, that it just wasn't increasing the voltage. *Does that mean that it IS actually increasing the voltage?*
> 
> Also, what exactly is the advantage of disabling PowerTune?


It does. When I increase the voltage in AB, I see it spikes almost to the value set (let's say 1.2v) when under load, but then gradually decreases and starts fluctuating (like 1.14, 1.05, 1.12 etc.) But average values are still higher, compared to values reported on default voltage.


----------



## slice259

With all this artifact talk and being temp sensitive, why doesn't someone get some VRM temps! If those are getting warm then they are probably causing the core to get unstable. GPUZ 0.5.3 gives vrm temps on my 5850, but the newest 0.5.7 does not. If the VRM's turn out being the fault here, that would make perfect sense why full cover blocks are having such great success.


----------



## tats

I love benchmarking as much as the next guy but after messing around last night and getting a few weird errors (like when I would scroll my Chrome window with OCN in it I would get a flickering in my taskbar) I realized that for my single monitor, 1440 set up 1050 on stock volts with the fan around 40-45% is more than enough for me.

I love seeing the benchies so keep em coming, but for now I am just happy with the ability to use the 3GB on some beastly AA. I was messing around in a few games last night and has VRAM usage of 1.8-2GB on a few games I wouldnt have expected it.


----------



## UNOE

Card is still at half frame rate tried restarts reinstalling drivers and also system restore. Really don't want to reinstall windows


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Card is still at half frame rate tried restarts reinstalling drivers and also system restore. Really don't want to reinstall windows


Are you using afterburner by any chance?

When i use afterburner with this card my frames drop quite a bit for some reason. So i had to swap over to Trixx


----------



## omega17

Crossfire is indeed bottlenecked by a 1090T.

I re-ran the AvP benchmark thru again, and where I got this with Crossfire...

Code:



Code:


1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/0X
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe
Number of frames: 11831
Average Frame Time: 8.9ms
Average FPS: 112.9

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/4X
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 8342
Average Frame Time: 12.6ms
Average FPS: 79.6

===========================================

I got this with single card...

Code:



Code:


1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/0X
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe
Number of frames: 11831
Average Frame Time: 8.9ms
Average FPS: 94.7

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/4X
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 8342
Average Frame Time: 12.6ms
Average FPS: 59.8

===========================================

Also, I started to notice microstuttering more on these than the 6950CF I had previously.
At my res (1200p), I can still run single card 7970 better than before, with the benefit of extra RAM for AA, cooler, quieter, and better power consumption. Second card has gone back to the store.


----------



## Outcasst

Anyone else having massive VRAM usage? I'm getting a constant 3GB.


----------



## UNOE

Well I resolved it finally with Driver Sweeper 3.2.0 and reinstalling to a new directory. I think this should be added two second post because the Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0 didn't help remove it what ever it was. I wasn't using any OC software so it wasn't afterburner. Anyways its gone. Its possible that Driver Sweeper would have helped the few in here that reinstalled windows guess its to late now for them. But I think this should be added by the OP.


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Anyone else having massive VRAM usage? I'm getting a constant 3GB.
> http://www.overclock.net/image/id/1605127/width/600/height/338


what were you doing during the 3GB use? the most i've seen so far at 1920x1080 is 1.9GB in Crysis 2.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Well I resolved it finally with Driver Sweeper 3.2.0 and reinstalling to a new directory. I think this should be added two second post because the Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0 didn't help remove it what ever it was. I wasn't using any OC software so it wasn't afterburner. Anyways its gone. Its possible that Driver Sweeper would have helped the few in here that reinstalled windows guess its to late now for them. But I think this should be added by the OP.


Definitely, and congrats on not having to reinstall windows! I've had AtiMan uninstaller not do it's thing right before, so Driver Sweeper should always be a go-to tool.


----------



## Outcasst

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Anyone else having massive VRAM usage? I'm getting a constant 3GB.
> http://www.overclock.net/image/id/1605127/width/600/height/338
> 
> 
> 
> what were you doing during the 3GB use? the most i've seen so far at 1920x1080 is 1.9GB in Crysis 2.
Click to expand...

Nothing, only programs open were Origin, Teamspeak and the Game.


----------



## snelan

Hmm, I can only hit about 1.15GHz without ANY artifacting in Heaven. That is with the fans on 100% and about 1.2V through AB. Do I have bad cards or is this the norm?


----------



## RawFoodPhil

Just got home from work aaaannnd, no package. The one time UPS decides to run late is when I'm expecting a $1200 package, typical.







Hopefully it'll be waiting for me once I get back from picking up the kiddo's from school.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Hmm, I can only hit about 1.15GHz without ANY artifacting in Heaven. That is with the fans on 100% and about 1.2V through AB. Do I have bad cards or is this the norm?


Impossible to say without knowing what your temps are when artifacting starts. Most people have seen that the heat limit on OC is around 60c, but we really need to start thinking about VRM amd mem/shader temps. Someone open the damn case and point a typhoon fan at the video cards!


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Nothing, only programs open were Origin, Teamspeak and the Game.


either AB can't be trusted in this case, or something wonky is going on. possibly driver related?


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Impossible to say without knowing what your temps are when artifacting starts. Most people have seen that the heat limit on OC is around 60c, but we really need to start thinking about VRM amd mem/shader temps. Someone open the damn case and point a typhoon fan at the video cards!


Oh wow I thought the OC temp took affect around 80c, that explains it then!


----------



## RawFoodPhil

Add me to the list.


----------



## Porter_

very nice. out of curiosity, what resolution are you Crossfire guys running at?


----------



## rubicsphere

Mine has also arrived:

I went with a Gigabyte one instead of the Sapphire because I was too late to order!





The fun part is squeezing it into my Mini-ITX case!!


----------



## DOM.




----------



## PARTON

FYI - My current limit on stock fan profile and stock 1.17v: 1090/1525 @ 72C max

DOM - What voltage and fan speed? And does gputool kick back errors?


----------



## dVeLoPe

QUICK GET IT WHILE YOU CAN!!!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645

MSi reference is the only card in stock at the moment on newegg.. I paid 588 shipped for my saphire gonna return it for this one comes out to 588 so for 8$ more i cant wait this is killing me when wll the NON reference overclocked modesl show up????


----------



## tanton

finally got mine today


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> QUICK GET IT WHILE YOU CAN!!!
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645
> MSi reference is the only card in stock at the moment on newegg.. I paid 588 shipped for my saphire gonna return it for this one comes out to 588 so for 8$ more i cant wait this is killing me when wll the NON reference overclocked modesl show up????


if you purchased your original card from newegg be prepared to take a 15% hit for restocking.


----------



## ahriman

Lots of 7970s at the Egg right now...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600286767&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%207000%20series


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> if you purchased your original card from newegg be prepared to take a 15% hit for restocking.


thanks for the info but I never opened the card so no restocking fee just not sure if i actually want to pay 8$ more for the MSi one and have to wait 1-2 weeks to get it might cancel the order and wait on non-ref but cant find any info on timeframe they will be available!


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*


OMG cpu 5.7ghz and gpu 1230 1790 and P11613 score


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> thanks for the info but I never opened the card so no restocking fee just not sure if i actually want to pay 8$ more for the MSi one and have to wait 1-2 weeks to get it might cancel the order and wait on non-ref but cant find any info on timeframe they will be available!


do yourself a favor and open and enjoy your damn card


----------



## Derek1387

Picking up my Gigabyte tomorrow from Microcenter!!

Anyone know how long this card is? Thinking of picking up a mATX case and board and making a lean mean LAN machine....


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Lots of 7970s at the Egg right now...
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600286767&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%207000%20series


BUT, out of stock.


----------



## slice259

Just bought 2x MSI HD 7970's







, Ill be joining the club soon enough !


----------



## dVeLoPe

ya props on that overclock! i guess hes running LN2 or some stupid expensive water setup wish i could bench this chip but im on a 20$ air cooler so only tested max multi


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Lots of 7970s at the Egg right now...
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600286767&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%207000%20series


Yeah... but still no ASUS









I'm almost tempted to go with the MSI or the XFX Black Edition. But I have a feeling there are planned price slashes once the 6GB versions and/or Kepler are released. Not to mention the non-reference cooling variations. But I will get a current ASUS 7970 for sure.

If I do end up holding out, I'm at the very least dead set on getting my hands on a 7990 on launch day. Hopefully I'm not on the road travelling back from a trip like I was on 7970 launch date lol.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Anyone know how long this card is?


10.9" exactly!


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> 10.9" exactly!


Plus rep to you sir!


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Plus rep to you sir!


Thanks dude, I managed to squeeze my 7970 into a Storm Scout, pliers and Dremel were all that was required
Smaller cases ftw


----------



## UNOE

MSI has red PCB. So keep that in mind. XFX had less accessories.


----------



## DimmyK

Vantage @ 1120Mhz - 34821 GPU score


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> MSI has red PCB. So keep that in mind. XFX had less accessories.


Red is for aesthetics right?







(unless there is some unknown performance gain that I completely missed lol)

I'm going to slap a back plate on it when the water block comes out, so very little of the red will be shown. I'm going to try out EK for the first time. I've always been sort of a Koolance loyalist, but I really want a back plate lol. Plus I think EK includes a single slot I/O bracket in the package.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> MSI has red PCB. So keep that in mind. XFX had less accessories.


No the MSI PCB is black, and has all Solid CAP's


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> FYI - My current limit on stock fan profile and stock 1.17v: 1090/1525 @ 72C max
> DOM - What voltage and fan speed? And does gputool kick back errors?


im using msi AB 1.3v 70% stock but the vdroop are bad on theres cards







depends on benchmark goes from 1.2-1.25v
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> OMG cpu 5.7ghz and gpu 1230 1790 and P11613 score


thanks


----------



## RawFoodPhil

**Help** 7970 Crossfire issues....Both cards are installed and recognized. But when I enable crossfire the screen instantly goes blank with a flashing underscore in the top left corner.


----------



## DB006

All the cards released on 9th Jan are the same reference cards made by Sapphire, then re-branded, given different versions of the same bios. The only difference is the XFX DD which has a different cooler and higher clock speed.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Vantage @ 1120Mhz - 34821 GPU score


Here's 1125/1700 to compare the difference memory speed will make. P35901

Also, At 3.4 my graphics score was 2000pts lower than 4.2. I would be interested in trying with a 2600K or hopefully soon a 3930K near/at 5.0.


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> Vantage @ 1120Mhz - 34821 GPU score
> 
> 
> 
> Here's 1125/1700 to compare the difference memory speed will make. P35901
> 
> Also, At 3.4 my graphics score was 2000pts lower than 4.2. I would be interested in trying with a 2600K or hopefully soon a 3930K near/at 5.0.
Click to expand...

Hmmm... Interesting. Thanks. I'm going to see how high I can take my memory next.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> All the cards released on 9th Jan are the same reference cards made by Sapphire, then re-branded, given different versions of the same bios. The only difference is the XFX DD which has a different cooler and higher clock speed.


I do not believe that is correct. Have a source on that? At the least, did not MSI add the solid capacitors?


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> All the cards released on 9th Jan are the same reference cards made by Sapphire, then re-branded, given different versions of the same bios. The only difference is the XFX DD which has a different cooler and higher clock speed.


Source?

Edit: lol three min late, thanks hot pocket


----------



## Dirtyworks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> All the cards released on 9th Jan are the same reference cards made by Sapphire, then re-branded, given different versions of the same bios. The only difference is the XFX DD which has a different cooler and higher clock speed.


XFX Claims solid capacitors and ferrite core chokes on the Double D Black Edition.


----------



## snelan

Just reinstalled TIM with new TIM (Forgot name, but comparable to my IC7). Will let you guys know the temp difference when it cures.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Here's 1125/1700 to compare the difference memory speed will make. P35901
> Also, At 3.4 my graphics score was 2000pts lower than 4.2. I would be interested in trying with a 2600K or hopefully soon a 3930K near/at 5.0.


i just hit 31k with stock clocks and 2500k @5GHz i thought it would of been lower lol


----------



## Levesque

Finally had 2 seconds to install my 4 Asus 7970 Quad-Fire, no overclock on the GPUs, everything at stock, 3930k at 4.6 only.

23749. Graphic score 31600.


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> I do not believe that is correct. Have a source on that? At the least, did not MSI add the solid capacitors?


The common thought is they are just advertising what AMD already included.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> The common thought is they are just advertising what AMD already included.


^ This


----------



## Witchdoctor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> i just hit 31k with stock clocks and 2500k @5GHz i thought it would of been lower lol


Show off....................


----------



## dVeLoPe

so is their no difference between the sapphire and the msi listed at the egg?? this wating for non-ref design is KILLING ME HERE


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> so is their no difference between the sapphire and the msi listed at the egg?? this wating for non-ref design is KILLING ME HERE


No difference! And tbh, reference cards tend to be more reliable as they have to conform to standards, where other manufacturers on non-ref cards can use any parts, however cheap.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> Show off....................










38k rofl on a 2500k








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> so is their no difference between the sapphire and the msi listed at the egg?? this wating for non-ref design is KILLING ME HERE


no there all the same right now i got the sapphire cuz of the cables it came with


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> i got the sapphire cuz of the cables it came with


Every possible cable came with my PowerColor also


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Every possible cable came with my PowerColor also


no hdmi calbe


----------



## Dirtyworks

Honestly, if you're on OCN, you should already have all the cables you need to connect your displays.
idk what the big deal is. So what if my card just came with a mini-display port -> DVI adapter? I've got display port cables, HDMI -> DVI adapters, DVI->HDMI adapters, DVI->VGA adapters, 3-4 HDMI cables, 2 Mini-HDMI -> HDMI.. god knows what else. I don't need anything more LOL


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dirtyworks*
> 
> Honestly, if you're on OCN, you should already have all the cables you need to connect your displays. idk what the big deal is.


My 7970 did not come with a moldex to PCI cable, what do I do???


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dirtyworks*
> 
> Honestly, if you're on OCN, you should already have all the cables you need to connect your displays. idk what the big deal is.










i just wanted the one with the most stuff lol

but


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> My 7970 did not come with a moldex to PCI cable, what do I do???


molex > swagelok garden fitting adapter > PCI
newb.


----------



## Dirtyworks

Though, I'll be mad if MSI packages 3DMark with them lol
I still haven't got a code for it yet.


----------



## tanton

I have a problem with Crysis (1, 2, and warhead), when I set it to full screen, it does not scale right to my screen, There are some black edges, how to solve this?


----------



## DB006

PowerColor also comes with Dirt3 [/cringe]


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> MSI has red PCB. So keep that in mind. XFX had less accessories.


My MSI has a black PCB....??


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> The common thought is they are just advertising what AMD already included.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> No difference! And tbh, reference cards tend to be more reliable as they have to conform to standards, where other manufacturers on non-ref cards can use any parts, however cheap.


So what I am hearing is that no matter the price, the manufacturers (excepting XFX BE) are just slapping a sticker on the fan, calling the 7970 their own and charging their price for it? Do I have that correct?


----------



## Denim-187

^
Yes all reference 7970 are exactly ! the same. There's nothing different about any of them except the stickers and manufactures.


----------



## Levesque

15 minutes later, 15 minutes after installing the cards, on air, and already on par with Quad-Fire 580 on LN2 ...









3D Marks 11

25418. Graphic score 35700.









Quad-SLI 580 will soon fall behind...











Vantage


----------



## UNOE

I just went based on all the pictures I have seen. Newegg pictures show MSI PCB black thats only reason I said that.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645

I stand corrected if its not.

I shift the blame now to newegg having the wrongs pics

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645


----------



## ceteris

Well if one was in it for the red pcb, then I see no difference holding out for the stickers lol!


----------



## dVeLoPe

i am wondering now that you say non-ref will be cheap how so? i have an order placed for a msi version and have unopened saphire version canceling my order on the msi (uglyredpbc) since its the same as the saphre im staring at riight now... but i thought msi ilightnin 7970 or asus directcrap3 7970 or whatever would rape these reference designs because they wont use cheap stuff... confusiedd


----------



## UNOE

Anyone want to give me a mini DP to DP adator from a extra card.... Please ! I'm sad this XFX didn't come with one. PM me with shipping price.


----------



## urbanshaft

see i was bsing
all that running on a antec 520 atm :O


----------



## tanton

some one please answer me
this is what happens when I play Crysis



edit: to be more clear


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> i am wondering now that you say non-ref will be cheap how so? i have an order placed for a msi version and have unopened saphire version canceling my order on the msi (uglyredpbc) since its the same as the saphre im staring at riight now... but i thought msi ilightnin 7970 or asus directcrap3 7970 or whatever would rape these reference designs because they wont use cheap stuff... confusiedd


I can't really make out what you are saying. Non-reference variations are usually more expensive than the reference ones. For some of the brands, they seem to just stop selling/making reference versions of their top end models to push their non-reference ones (ex. Asus DCII & Matrix Platinum, MSI Twin Frozr II & III, etc), at least from what I've seen walking into Fry's and watching prices on Amazon, Newegg and other sites. And yes, benchmark reviews usually confirm that they do rape reference cards at stock settings.

The only reason I would stick with reference cards is because the majority of the full cover waterblocks out there on the market are made for them. I think only EK makes a select few of Asus non-reference designs. I wish they would've expanded even more and made like limited editions for cards like the MSI Twin Frozr cards because those were da shiznit.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> some one please answer me
> this is what happens when I play Crysis
> 
> edit: to be more clear


Playing on a tv? Adjust overscan in CCC.

Edit>My Digital Flat Panels>Scaling Options>check the box and adjust.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> 15 minutes later, 15 minutes after installing the cards, on air, and already on par with Quad-Fire 580 on LN2 ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3D Marks 11
> 25418. Graphic score 35700.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quad-SLI 580 will soon fall behind...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Vantage


EPIC scores dude, gratz on the quad setup.


----------



## tanton

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Playing on a tv? Adjust overscan in CCC.
> Edit>My Digital Flat Panels>Scaling Options>check the box and adjust.


no I play on a monitor using hdmi if this makes a difference. I tried to check the box but nothing happened

edit: I play BF3 without any problem, but once I play crysis I got this


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ceteris*
> 
> I can't really make out what you are saying. Non-reference variations are usually more expensive than the reference ones. For some of the brands, they seem to just stop selling/making reference versions of their top end models to push their non-reference ones (ex. Asus DCII & Matrix Platinum, MSI Twin Frozr II & III, etc), at least from what I've seen walking into Fry's and watching prices on Amazon, Newegg and other sites. And yes, benchmark reviews usually confirm that they do rape reference cards at stock settings.
> The only reason I would stick with reference cards is because the majority of the full cover waterblocks out there on the market are made for them. I think only EK makes a select few of Asus non-reference designs. I wish they would've expanded even more and made like limited editions for cards like the MSI Twin Frozr cards because those were da shiznit.


i am not going to be buyin a 100$ accelero aiir cooler or a 150$ block for this so i wouldnt mind paying 600 or 650 for a lighting 7970 or something just going to be really disapointed if i open this saphire and then a week or two later non-ref overclokcin monster rapes my 580$ sapphire card..


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> no I play on a monitor using hdmi if this makes a difference. I tried to check the box but nothing happened
> edit: I play BF3 without any problem, but once I play crysis I got this


Did you adjust the overscan slider after you checked the box?


----------



## tanton

yes


----------



## PARTON

That hdmi is the problem, I had to adjust it on my tv to fix the exact thing you're seeing. I guess CCC is blanking it out because it's a monitor, I really don't know. Try DVI, I know that's not the best answer, but it's all I've got.


----------



## tanton

thank you anyway, my monitor does not support dvi. I will try to use another cable


----------



## JedixJarf

Soooo....

Ordered my Diamond 7970 today from the egg, and an EK Acetel block


----------



## ceteris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> Soooo....
> Ordered my Diamond 7970 today from the egg, and an EK Acetel block


Nice! Did you order the block directly from EK? If so, how long does their shipping take to the US?


----------



## UNOE

3 day shipping they use DHL. They aren't shipping blocks yet. Till next week.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ceteris*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> Soooo....
> Ordered my Diamond 7970 today from the egg, and an EK Acetel block
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! Did you order the block directly from EK? *If so, how long does their shipping take to the US?*
Click to expand...

EK is painfully slow. for me.

Hey, Jedi what did the block cost ya total after gouging and currency exchange?


----------



## rubicsphere

WooooHooooo!! 1125 Mhz stable at stock V! Couldn't be more pleased with this GPU


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Well I just can't wait for the 7990, I'm pulling the trigger on an XFX Black edition









If anyone knows anyone looking for an accelero cooled 6990 or a pari of 6950s hit me up!!!!


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Who here is playing BF3 in eyefinity? single 7970 or xfire just want to ask a couple questions as that is all my system is pretty much built for... 3 monitor madness


----------



## krazyatom

hey guys
I ordered my gigabyte 7970 and it will be here next week.
Do I need to buy two active display port to do eyefinity? Looks like 7970 only comes with 1 dvi, 1 hdmi, x2 mini displayport.
If you have eyefinity set up with 7970, please let me know!


----------



## Pantsu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Who here is playing BF3 in eyefinity? single 7970 or xfire just want to ask a couple questions as that is all my system is pretty much built for... 3 monitor madness


I tried it at 5760x1080 with one card OC'd to 1200 MHz and it was borderline playable at Ultra 4xAA, avarage 30 FPS perhaps. Without deferred AA though it worked quite nicely, got 40+ FPS, smooth sailing.







I would still recommend CrossFire if you want to play multiplayer with Eyefinity.

Here's my 3DMark11 run:


----------



## iShox

Ordered my XFX Reference model from Dabs.ie. Its being shipped out on the 18th!


----------



## Denim-187

Could anybody with Crossfire 7970's and Furmark 1.9.1 or later, please do the benchmark in the picture below, Thanks +REP for all that help.
Clocks need to be at 1050/1500mhz. TY
-


----------



## Derek1387

5 more hours till I have my jigabyte!!!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> 5 more hours till I have my jigabyte!!!


Unless the delivery truck blows up...


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> 5 more hours till I have my jigabyte!!!
> 
> 
> 
> Unless the delivery truck blows up...
Click to expand...

Sounds like something that would happen to me...


----------



## Derek1387

Mine is sitting behind the counter at my local MC with my .ame on it!


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Unless the delivery truck blows up...


Overclocked trucks FTW!!


----------



## Penryn

So besides increasing fan speed, is there any other method to lowering temps on these? At 1075/1475 my card hovers at 83-84C while playing SWTOR. Just wondering if maybe replacing the TIM would help. Has anyone done this and can give some info on whether it worked or not?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> So besides increasing fan speed, is there any other method to lowering temps on these? At 1075/1475 my card hovers at 83-84C while playing SWTOR. Just wondering if maybe replacing the TIM would help. Has anyone done this and can give some info on whether it worked or not?


The TIM used on this GPU is the same as the one used on the 6990.
It would be *very* unwise to change it with the stock cooler.

If you are concerned that 84c is too hot, it's designed to be able to run that high safely.


----------



## Tslm

Yeah the TIM is really good, AMD actually recommend not touching it at all. 84c is really not "hot" for a GPU


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The TIM used on this GPU is the same as the one used on the 6990.
> It would be *very* unwise to change it with the stock cooler.
> If you are concerned that 84c is too hot, it's designed to be able to run that high safely.


I'm not concerned per se as I let my 6950s run at 85c too, was just wondering considering the amount of OC you can get on these seems to be dependent on the temps moreso than before.


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Could anybody with Crossfire 7970's and Furmark 1.9.1 or later, please do the benchmark in the picture below, Thanks +REP for all that help.
> Clocks need to be at 1050/1500mhz. TY
> -


Here's mine:


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The TIM used on this GPU is the same as the one used on the 6990.
> It would be *very* unwise to change it with the stock cooler.
> If you are concerned that 84c is too hot, it's designed to be able to run that high safely.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not concerned per se as I let my 6950s run at 85c too, was just wondering considering the amount of OC you can get on these seems to be dependent on the temps moreso than before.
Click to expand...

On purpose I ran my 7970 up to 95c (1070 MHz core) to see if it would become unstable using OCCT.
Not a single error.

I'm not sure how much of a factor temp plays at say 1150 MHz.
It seems to take an awful lot of power to get anything above 1085 MHz stable for me.
Unfortunately, the board can't seem to handle it and shuts off requiring a hard reset.


----------



## Pantsu

I think I'll settle for 1100/1700 for my 24/7 clocks, those seem to work stable at stock voltage in games. 1.3V gives me 1200 MHz stable, some games are stable up to 1250. The card just gets quite hot (up to 90c) and loud (50% fan speed) at 1.3V and the extra 100 Mhz is not all that useful in some of the games. I guess a well cooled custom card could do 1300 Mhz stable in games.


----------



## Dirtyworks

Anyone know the quality of the TIM used on the XFX DD Black edition? As always, my idle temps were real nice at first (near 30c) and then after having it in my system for a day, its gone up to 40-50c









I say "as always" because this happened with my GTX560 Ti's as well. I'd reapply and it'd be fine for a few hours and then idle would jump up to what it is now.


----------



## Levesque

And he takes the first position on OCN 3D Mark 11 thread! Bye bye Quad-SLi 580.









On air. 4X 7970 1150/1500 3930K at 5.1: *27075* graphic score 37432.


----------



## Witchdoctor

dude that is over the top man 2K worth of GPU's









Here is some single card action

Need to get XP drivers working

1 13 12 06 7970.jpg 527k .jpg file


1 13 12 03 7970.jpg 520k .jpg file


1 13 12 11 7970.jpg 445k .jpg file


1 13 12 Vantage 7970.jpg 485k .jpg file


----------



## Levesque

Behold the power of 7970 Quad-Fire. *5451* On AIR!

4X Asus 7970 at 1150/1500, 3930k at 5.1. Tesselation is at stock default value "AMD optimized". Didn't touch the tessalation slider at all. Evertything is at default value.

Just took the first place on OCN Heaven thread.


----------



## sockpirate

What would be the best company to go with considering warranty and resell? I want to purchase the cards that will be easiest to sell considering warranty transferability when i decide to sell (chances are around kepler flagship release.)


----------



## JedixJarf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ceteris*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> Soooo....
> Ordered my Diamond 7970 today from the egg, and an EK Acetel block
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice! Did you order the block directly from EK? *If so, how long does their shipping take to the US?*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> EK is painfully slow. for me.
> 
> Hey, Jedi what did the block cost ya total after gouging and currency exchange?
Click to expand...

$123

That is cheaper than the listed price on frozencpu not including shipping. And yeah, I figure they won't ship till at least Monday with it being the weekend and all.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> What would be the best company to go with considering warranty and resell? I want to purchase the cards that will be easiest to sell considering warranty transferability when i decide to sell (chances are around kepler flagship release.)


ASUS and MSI are at the top of the list.
Serial based warranty.
Gigabyte as well...


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> ASUS and MSI are at the top of the list.
> Serial based warranty.
> Gigabyte as well...


Thank you very much, i knew MSI was by serial, was not sure about the others. Will probably be picking up three from either MSI or ASUS by the end of next week!!! Any announcement on water blocks being released any time soon ?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Here's mine:


Thnx heaps for the effort mate.


----------



## sockpirate

MSI in stock on newegg.com right now. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pantsu*
> 
> I tried it at 5760x1080 with one card OC'd to 1200 MHz and it was borderline playable at Ultra 4xAA, avarage 30 FPS perhaps. Without deferred AA though it worked quite nicely, got 40+ FPS, smooth sailing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would still recommend CrossFire if you want to play multiplayer with Eyefinity.
> Here's my 3DMark11 run:


I'm getting the one for now and waiting on the 7990 so I can has tri-fire


----------



## omega17

I did it just for lolz with one card, for comparison purposes. Bumping the core to 1125 yields a 5FPS increase.


----------



## tats

Here is a Vantage run at 1070


----------



## krazyatom

Do you guys think i7 920 D0 OC'ed to 4ghz will bottleneck 7970CF? I only ordered one, but I may order another one for CF.


----------



## Aventadoor

Hey guys!

When Im running OCCT I get alot of errors, even at stock speeds...
Does this mean my card is broken?


----------



## iShox

Nah, you're fine. 920 is still a very decent CPU.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Hey guys!
> When Im running OCCT I get alot of errors, even at stock speeds...
> Does this mean my card is broken?


Have you increased powertune?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Hey guys!
> 
> When Im running OCCT I get alot of errors, even at stock speeds...
> Does this mean my card is broken?


I wouldn't be happy with that. You should get a replacement from your vendor.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Have you increased powertune?


How do I do that?


----------



## Derek1387

ITS MINE!!!!
Add me to dah list!


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> I wouldn't be happy with that. You should get a replacement from your vendor.


I think since it is only when he uses OCCT, its just that that type of stress test is trying to either pull to much power or making it too hot.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> How do I do that?


Go into Catalyst control panel and increase the power slider to +10 or +20.


----------



## Derek1387

How come I cant bump the voltage in Afterburner on my card??? All i can do is adjust the mem/core speed....


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Hey guys!
> 
> When Im running OCCT I get alot of errors, even at stock speeds...
> Does this mean my card is broken?


What PSU have you got?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> How come I cant bump the voltage in Afterburner on my card??? All i can do is adjust the mem/core speed....


Have you unlocked voltage control?







It's in the settings, first page.


----------



## Derek1387

Yup... maybe i need to download a different version of Afterburner>

I dunno about this card... looking at my FPS in BF3, single monitor, ultra all settings maxed... only getting about 70FPS?


----------



## Derek1387

Maybe i need to realize this is a single card instead of my dual 6970....Lol. But, i thought it was more powerful than this?


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> What PSU have you got?
> Have you unlocked voltage control?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's in the settings, first page.


Corsair HX1050W
Tryed to use powertune +10 and +20. I still get over 10000 errors after a few sec/mins....


----------



## Jaguarbamf

Has anyone seen any HD 7950 benchmarks? Depending on the price/performance, I'd rather crossfire them than buy a single HD 7970.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jaguarbamf*
> 
> Has anyone seen any HD 7950 benchmarks? Depending on the price/performance, I'd rather crossfire them than buy a single HD 7970.


probably better bang for the bucks. It should be around $450 and performance about gtx 580 3gb.


----------



## JedixJarf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Maybe i need to realize this is a single card instead of my dual 6970....Lol. But, i thought it was more powerful than this?


No, unfortunately Dual 6970's is still more powerful. Though the 7970 is the fastest single GPU out there right now. But at least with only 1 card you dont have to worry about CF driver issues for new games.

Also, Is your monitor 120 hz? If not then you wont be able to notice a difference in FPS past 60.


----------



## APC

I'm thinking about buying an Asus HD 7970, but I have a doubt. Think that the PCB and components refernece cards are better quality than custom cards? I think overall refence cards have better quality components but I'm not sure. (I'm not talking about the heat sinks).

thanks


----------



## UNOE

Some times yes some times no. Custom cards have large range. Some have extra VRM. Some may be cheaper or have flawed disign some have improved design.


----------



## Pantsu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *APC*
> 
> I'm thinking about buying an Asus HD 7970, but I have a doubt. Think that the PCB and components refernece cards are better quality than custom cards? I think overall refence cards have better quality components but I'm not sure. (I'm not talking about the heat sinks).
> thanks


It depends on the cards. While AMD tends to have good quality reference cards, some custom cards have better components, like MSI with their Twin Frozr cards. The AIBs tend to cheap out on components in cheaper cards though. Sometimes reference cards might not be all that good either, like with the Nvidia GTX 570 and 590 VRMs not handling OC voltages well. Also even Nvidia and AMD can later on cheap out on components. IIRC 6900 series had this happen, the later cards had weaker components than the earlier batches. I guess that's one reason to buy early.


----------



## APC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Some times yes some times no. Custom cards have large range. Some have extra VRM. Some may be cheaper or have flawed disign some have improved design.


Hello

Thank you. I said it because, for example, I remember that all could mutate to 6950 reference 6970 but most of the custom 6950 was not possible. and AMD has a knack of going overkill with component quality on its reference boards and I think with better quality components is easier to get a good overclocking. .


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> So what I am hearing is that no matter the price, the manufacturers (excepting XFX BE) are just slapping a sticker on the fan, calling the 7970 their own and charging their price for it? Do I have that correct?


This is true. Stickers/logo's are the only difference. XFX DD Black is the only 7970 with better components/heat sink/fans. Good luck finding one though. http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1373/pg12/xfx-r7970-black-edition-vs-gtx-580-overclocked-vs-radeon-6970-overclocked-conclusion.html


----------



## rubicsphere

This card is amazing! I undervolted it to 1.1V and OC' to 1000Mhz on the core and maxed out the memory slider and it's BF3 stable for over an hour now! 45% fan and I never break 70C!


----------



## Derek1387

now i just need my WB!


----------



## APC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pantsu*
> 
> It depends on the cards. While AMD tends to have good quality reference cards, some custom cards have better components, like MSI with their Twin Frozr cards. The AIBs tend to cheap out on components in cheaper cards though. Sometimes reference cards might not be all that good either, like with the Nvidia GTX 570 and 590 VRMs not handling OC voltages well. Also even Nvidia and AMD can later on cheap out on components. IIRC 6900 series had this happen, the later cards had weaker components than the earlier batches. I guess that's one reason to buy early.


I agree with you. Normally the first shipments of a new model of AMD usually have better components and AMD also typically use high quality components in the first shipments of a new model.


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Do you guys think i7 920 D0 OC'ed to 4ghz will bottleneck 7970CF? I only ordered one, but I may order another one for CF.


In some games, yes, probably in older titles. In GPU intensive games like Metro, no. I saw my 930 @4.0Ghz bottlenecking two GTX 580s in Crysis and Warhead. And 7970s are 20-30% faster.


----------



## CallsignVega

In Battlefield 3 Karkand last night 64-player server using my Sony [email protected] with two 7970'[email protected]/1600 with the game set at max everything I reached a maximum of 2870MB VRAM! I almost am maxing out the VRAM with that resolution.

So yes, there is a reason for 6GB cards and I look forward to them for my Eyefinity setup. With the regular 3GB 7970's on my Eyefinity, I can only run "medium" settings in BF3 as it is going over the VRAM limit any higher.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> I did it just for lolz with one card, for comparison purposes. Bumping the core to 1125 yields a 5FPS increase.


Umm.. I've just been doing some quick tests to help out with a system monitoring tool (AIDA64) regarding memory clocks on the 7970, and noticed something rather odd.

My 7970 is evolving, it's getting better








Compare this to the one above. Absolutely no changes made whatsoever.


----------



## Focus182

Anyone know if the card has error checking/correction on the memory like the 6000 series?

Running the Crysis benchmark, i get more performance every time i bump the memory but when i go over 1480 my min fps starts to go down while everything else goes up. This happend on my last card too, Any ideas why this is?


----------



## Electroneng

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> In Battlefield 3 Karkand last night 64-player server using my Sony [email protected] with two 7970'[email protected]/1600 with the game set at max everything I reached a maximum of 2870MB VRAM! I almost am maxing out the VRAM with that resolution.
> So yes, there is a reason for 6GB cards and I look forward to them for my Eyefinity setup. With the regular 3GB 7970's on my Eyefinity, I can only run "medium" settings in BF3 as it is going over the VRAM limit any higher.


Damn nice system you have there CallsignVega!


----------



## UNOE

I'm trying to justify why I would need two of these I been reading reviews like this one but I see great scaling only on 3Dmark 11 and BF3. I wish I saw more on other games.


----------



## HeliXpc

hey guys, getting some strange behavior, while overclocoking the gpu, it will do 1170 with stock volts, im using crysis 2 to check stability, seems to be the most stressful game, using dx11 and high res texture pack. If i use stock volts im stable at 1170 core and 1725 memory, but if i raise the voltage to 1.3 it crashes, even at the same frequency, if anyone else has crysis 2 installed please check your OC, might not be as stable as you think. I was stable in EVERY game except for crysis 2. IM using MSI after burner.

im also using eyefininty 5760 x 1080 resolution


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeliXpc*
> 
> hey guys, getting some strange behavior, while overclocoking the gpu, it will do 1170 with stock volts, im using crysis 2 to check stability, seems to be the most stressful game, using dx11 and high res texture pack. If i use stock volts im stable at 1170 core and 1725 memory, but if i raise the voltage to 1.3 it crashes, even at the same frequency, if anyone else has crysis 2 installed please check your OC, might not be as stable as you think. I was stable in EVERY game except for crysis 2. IM using MSI after burner.
> im also using eyefininty 5760 x 1080 resolution


Happening to quite a few people. Thought to maybe raise the VRM temps a bit too much with lots of extra voltage, causing errors.

Try get the card cooler and check again.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HeliXpc*
> 
> hey guys, getting some strange behavior, while overclocoking the gpu, it will do 1170 with stock volts, im using crysis 2 to check stability, seems to be the most stressful game, using dx11 and high res texture pack. If i use stock volts im stable at 1170 core and 1725 memory, but if i raise the voltage to 1.3 it crashes, even at the same frequency, if anyone else has crysis 2 installed please check your OC, might not be as stable as you think. I was stable in EVERY game except for crysis 2. IM using MSI after burner.
> im also using eyefininty 5760 x 1080 resolution
> 
> 
> 
> Happening to quite a few people. Thought to maybe raise the VRM temps a bit too much with lots of extra voltage, causing errors.
> 
> Try get the card cooler and check again.
Click to expand...

It's not the VRM temps to blame...
Honestly, 1070 MHz is the universal sweetspot for stability.


----------



## Focus182

I'm having all types of problems now..

i can use 1.180 as my voltage but 1.187 causes errors in OCCT. Cant believe others can get 1.3v and i can't even get 1.187.

black screened the first time i went to 1.187, sigh...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> I'm having all types of problems now..
> 
> i can use 1.180 as my voltage but 1.187 causes errors in OCCT. Cant believe others can get 1.3v and i can't even get 1.187.
> 
> black screened the first time i went to 1.187, sigh...


What clock?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> What clock?


1150 on the core


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> What clock?
> 
> 
> 
> 1150 on the core
Click to expand...

Try 1100 with 1.200v.
If that's not stable... You could always settle for 1070 MHz using stock voltage.








I think the whole black screen of death thing is the board's OCP kicking in.


----------



## NorxMAL

What color are your pcb's, is most of them red?

Cause mine is black, and that made me decide I really don't need a backplate for my incoming waterblock


----------



## Evil Penguin

Most if not all of them are black.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Try 1100 with 1.200v.
> If that's not stable... You could always settle for 1070 MHz using stock voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think the whole black screen of death thing is the board's OCP kicking in.


I'm stable at 1150 @ 1.181 but anything lower or higher and i get errors.

Even now, when i raise my memory about 1470 i get errors in OCCT, So damn annoying.


----------



## ihatelolcats




----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Try 1100 with 1.200v.
> If that's not stable... You could always settle for 1070 MHz using stock voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think the whole black screen of death thing is the board's OCP kicking in.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm stable at 1150 @ 1.181 but anything lower or higher and i get errors.
> 
> Even now, when i raise my memory about 1470 i get errors in OCCT, So damn annoying.
Click to expand...

I can't even get 1100 MHz stable...
When you run OCCT, do you have shader complexity set to 8 and fullscreen?
Also, you are not running OCCT 4.0?


----------



## flipmatthew

A quick question since the ref. model doesn't come with a memory backplate.
Can we measure the heat of our memory and is overclocking the memory above a certain value inadvisable?


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I can't even get 1100 MHz stable...
> When you run OCCT, do you have shader complexity set to 8 and fullscreen?
> Also, you are not running OCCT 4.0?


I just installed OCCT (have never used it before). What settings are you testing with?


----------



## RussianJ

Anyone getting better results with their card on water?


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RussianJ*
> 
> Anyone getting better results with their card on water?


I don't think anyone has gotten one yet, EK is first to release them if I'm not mistaken, and they released it friday (13th). And I have ordered one


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I can't even get 1100 MHz stable...
> When you run OCCT, do you have shader complexity set to 8 and fullscreen?
> Also, you are not running OCCT 4.0?


Shader complexity is at 8 but i don't full screen i run a 1280x1024 window

And yes i am running OCCT 4.0


----------



## Denim-187

For all those running 120hz monitors.... VSYNC must be *ENABLED* for the full effect of 120hz.
I learned this the hard way.

Also when people are reporting voltage.... please clarify the source, whether its in the software i.e Afterburner/Trixx or after vdroop. This will help clear things up for most.


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> For all those running 120hz monitors.... VSYNC must be *ENABLED* for the full effect of 120hz.
> I learned this the hard way.
> Also when people are reporting voltage.... please clarify the source, whether its in the software i.e Afterburner/Trixx or after vdroop. This will help clear things up for most.


I thought there'll be input lag if u enable VSYNC? What's wrong with turn off VSYNC?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> I thought there'll be input lag if u enable VSYNC? What's wrong with turn off VSYNC?


Vise Versa in my case.

VSYNC off: *Input lag*
VSYNC on: *No input lag*

You have the same monitor as me, do some tests if u have BF3, compare when the frames dip.


----------



## rcfc89

All this error talk is making me think twice about even turning things up on ccc. I'll probably just keep my XFX's at stock clock 1000mhz and be done with it.


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Vise Versa in my case.
> VSYNC off: *Input lag*
> VSYNC on: *No input lag*
> You have the same monitor as me, do some tests if u have BF3, compare when the frames dip.


Really? First time I heard about this, weird.

Anyway I want to ask you again, posted in previous post but you didn't notice apparently. What's your experience that coming from 6970 CF to 7970 CF? Are you satisfied with the upgrade?

I already bought Sapphire 2 7970s but MB is still under RMA, so I can only stare at its and doing nothing lol.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Vise Versa in my case.
> VSYNC off: *Input lag*
> VSYNC on: *No input lag*
> You have the same monitor as me, do some tests if u have BF3, compare when the frames dip.


That makes no sense at all. You do know how VSync operates right? Also, what does frame dip have to do with it?


----------



## RussianJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I don't think anyone has gotten one yet, EK is first to release them if I'm not mistaken, and they released it friday (13th). And I have ordered one


Same here, got one on international overnight, should be here Monday morning as well as my card.


----------



## Rayleyne

Just waiting on the sapphire Flex 6G version and then i'll come in with trifire


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Really? First time I heard about this, weird.
> Anyway I want to ask you again, posted in previous post but you didn't notice apparently. What's your experience that coming from 6970 CF to 7970 CF? Are you satisfied with the upgrade?
> I already bought Sapphire 2 7970s but MB is still under RMA, so I can only stare at its and doing nothing lol.


It's a huge upgrade, especially after overclocking the cards. Most noticeable in DX10 & 11 games i.e Crysis 2, BF3, Metro 2033, Far cry 2.
You'll be pleased with the upgrade.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> That makes no sense at all. You do know how VSync operates right? Also, what does frame dip have to do with it?


Of course i do, but it works a charm with it enabled in my case with every game i play. I had it disabled since i had the cards which was release day, today i decided to experiment, oh how wise of a move that was to see that when i'd get frame drops from lets say 150 fps - 80 fps in action scenes, the input lag just disappeared. Gave me more of a 120hz LIVE feeling. Try it, you'll be surprised,


----------



## JCPUser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> In Battlefield 3 Karkand last night 64-player server using my Sony [email protected] with two 7970'[email protected]/1600 with the game set at max everything I reached a maximum of 2870MB VRAM! I almost am maxing out the VRAM with that resolution.
> 
> So yes, there is a reason for 6GB cards and I look forward to them for my Eyefinity setup. With the regular 3GB 7970's on my Eyefinity, I can only run "medium" settings in BF3 as it is going over the VRAM limit any higher.


If you are using MSI Afterburner to read the memory usage Vega, then I trust you are dividing the readout by 2. Otherwise, I could easily report that a modded Crysis Warhead is using 5500MBs of memory on my sig rig.


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> It's a huge upgrade, especially after overclocking the cards. Most noticeable in DX10 & 11 games i.e Crysis 2, BF3, Metro 2033, Far cry 2.
> You'll be pleased with the upgrade.


Glad to hear that, I was wondering that whether it's really worth to upgrade from 6970 CF to 7970 CF, especially you only use one monitor. People keep saying that it's overkilled, but I think it's ok if you want to run games at 120hz all of the time.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I can't even get 1100 MHz stable...
> When you run OCCT, do you have shader complexity set to 8 and fullscreen?
> Also, you are not running OCCT 4.0?
> 
> 
> 
> Shader complexity is at 8 but i don't full screen i run a 1280x1024 window
> 
> And yes i am running OCCT 4.0
Click to expand...

4.0 doesn't work nearly as well as 3.1 does.
Try to install 3.1 (DL link on the first page).


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JCPUser*
> 
> If you are using MSI Afterburner to read the memory usage Vega, then I trust you are dividing the readout by 2. Otherwise, I could easily report that a modded Crysis Warhead is using 5500MBs of memory on my sig rig.


That bug doesn't exist with crossfire 7970's and the new Afterburner. It did affect my old 6990's though.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rayleyne*
> 
> Just waiting on the sapphire Flex 6G version and then i'll come in with trifire


Heard anything on release date?


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Vise Versa in my case.
> VSYNC off: *Input lag*
> VSYNC on: *No input lag*
> You have the same monitor as me, do some tests if u have BF3, compare when the frames dip.


Cool I have same monitor too.

I'm realizing the while mmm (folding) that I can drop the voltage pretty low I can go almost down to 0923mv for 925 core. This is pretty good news for those who want lower power consumption. I'm running a 5870, and 7970 at full load plus a 2500K OC'ed to 4.5ghz and I'm only pulling 365watts from the wall I saw some tri fire power numbers are so low. I think you can do quad fire with a good OC with less than 1000 watt PSU with these cards, but I would still do 1200watt just in case.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Glad to hear that, I was wondering that whether it's really worth to upgrade from 6970 CF to 7970 CF, especially you only use one monitor. People keep saying that it's overkilled, but I think it's ok if you want to run games at 120hz all of the time.


You will need 2 cards for 120 hz.. I bench-marked BF3 maxxed for an hour last night with 2x7970's on a 120hz 1080p monitor and averaged 134 fps.
So i'd say 1 card would give you about 70fps.


----------



## omega17

I noticed a couple people have mentioned folding in here, so just wanted to slip this in as a reminder of the monthly Foldathon coming up. Be nice to see the [email protected] performance of the new GCN architecture improve significantly, but for now, 8-10K PPD isn't too shabby.

If we could get some of you folding on them lovely 3930K or 2700Ks too, we'd get 2012 off to an immense start. We have prizes, and cookies, IIRC! And there is a reason I'm doing this shameless plug here, which you'll notice if you follow the link - remember who sent you there









January Foldathon (18th-20th) - Raising Huntington's Disease Awareness


----------



## Aventadoor

I talked to a guy about my errors in OCCT.
What happens is that after some seconds, I suddenly get alot fo erros, like over 20 thousend.
However, It seems to work fine on Unigine, 3Dmark11, BF3 and Crysis warhead, so he told that those errors might duo something else than actual errors!

What do you guys think?


----------



## omega17

A quick question I meant to ask before;

Does everyone's 7970 squeal under load? Mine is the worst card I've had for squealing; it's still not a problem, but it's there.


----------



## Aventadoor

This cant be good...
veritcal stripes....


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> This cant be good...
> veritcal stripes....


I would reinstall the drivers. I have literally had to reinstall them 4 times already. They are just so new and unperfected. Down the line they'll improve.

Uninstall them from the Control Panel then run Driver Sweeper to remove the last bits.

*Also*, what drivers is everyone using with this card? The AMD 7970 drivers are 11.12, but I've heard 12.x works too? Better?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> I would reinstall the drivers. I have literally had to reinstall them 4 times already. They are just so new and unperfected. Down the line they'll improve.
> Uninstall them from the Control Panel then run Driver Sweeper to remove the last bits.
> *Also*, what drivers is everyone using with this card? The AMD 7970 drivers are 11.12, but I've heard 12.x works too? Better?


I'm using 11.12. I tried 12.1a and it wouldn't even recognize the card.


----------



## omega17

Aye, anything other than the specific 7970 drivers don't even recognise the card.

Hoping for a 'proper' driver from AMD soon.


----------



## PARTON

When can I get an EK block here in the US?


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> I'm using 11.12. I tried 12.1a and it wouldn't even recognize the card.


so the 11.12 drivers work for these cards ?? i need some for xp the 12.1 dont work


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> When can I get an EK block here in the US?


http://www.aquatuning.us/index.php/cat/c1159_7950-7970.html


----------



## flipmatthew

Hey, does anybody have a safe limit for ocing the memory? I see a lot of people with HIGH memory OCS, but this card doesn't have a backplate. Is there any way to retrieve just the memory chips temp?


----------



## tanton

I got like 7500 in 3dmark 11, isn't this kinda low for 7970?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flipmatthew*
> 
> Hey, does anybody have a safe limit for ocing the memory? I see a lot of people with HIGH memory OCS, but this card doesn't have a backplate. Is there any way to retrieve just the memory chips temp?


There's no memory on the back of this card and it doesn't really get that hot. Asus Tweak has memory and VRM temp readout.


----------



## flipmatthew

thanks theone =). i didn;t realize that lol (didn't check the back of the card.) I'm going to use asus tweak to monoitor my temps now


----------



## rcfc89

Anyone have an idea when the msi lightning 7970 will be released? http://www.aicuxiao.org/msi-ces-7970-lightning-mix-and-match-new-graphics-display/


----------



## dVeLoPe

me want 7970 twin whatever! lol


----------



## flipmatthew

ah, doesn't show memory or vrm temps for my card =(.


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flipmatthew*
> 
> ah, doesn't show memory or vrm temps for my card =(.


ifi you don't have the asus branded card you can flash your bios with the asus one and I believe iti should work fine


----------



## Derek1387

Anyone having issues with after a few hours of inactivity, the next game you pull up will flash? Like, a lot?


----------



## h4rib0

Hello i want to make a question im about to buy an ati randeon hd 7970 and im not sure if its compatible with my motherboard.
The motherboard is the asus crosshair iv extreme...I'm not sure about the pcie 3.0 if anyone could answer me that... thank you for your time!!!!


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *h4rib0*
> 
> Hello i want to make a question im about to buy an ati randeon hd 7970 and im not sure if its compatible with my motherboard.
> The motherboard is the asus crosshair iv extreme...I'm not sure about the pcie 3.0 if anyone could answer me that... thank you for your time!!!!


PCI-E 2.0 @16x is completely fine for an HD 7970. Most cards on the market are not even saturating PCI-E [email protected] 8x.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Anyone having issues with after a few hours of inactivity, the next game you pull up will flash? Like, a lot?


What kind of flashing? dots?

I have been getting some flashes on crysis and i put it down to my OC but it is there at stock also.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Anyone having issues with after a few hours of inactivity, the next game you pull up will flash? Like, a lot?


Not quite the same, but check out my Furmark benches earlier.

I can do one right after bootup and I get 96FPS. Do the same bench a few hours later and it's 85FPS


----------



## Derek1387

I just get screen flickering... most likely a driver issue. A restart of the computer works just fine, but hopefully nothing is wrong with the card...


----------



## Focus182

I can also confirm temps = more of an overclock.

Getting the same OC on stock volts. If anything, more voltage makes my card worse at overclocking. Guess its because of the higher temp from the voltage bumps, Temps seem to out-weigh voltage.

Going to Jump on water cooling once i get some more money i think


----------



## Evil Penguin

I think at higher temps it requires more voltage.
Problem is... the reference PCB can't seem to deliver enough power to the core (it'll shut its self off).


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> I can also confirm temps = more of an overclock.
> Getting the same OC on stock volts. If anything, more voltage makes my card worse at overclocking. Guess its because of the higher temp from the voltage bumps, Temps seem to out-weigh voltage.
> Going to Jump on water cooling once i get some more money i think


I've said this before, the limiting factor in 7970 overclocks at this time is VRM temperature. Of cuorse this is transparent to the user since you cannot see the VRM temp (only GPU temp) but when you up the voltage really high your VRM temp skyrockets.

This is why I would really like the upcoming accelero cooler for the 7970, that should alleviate the issue a LOT.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> I've said this before, the limiting factor in 7970 overclocks at this time is VRM temperature. Of cuorse this is transparent to the user since you cannot see the VRM temp (only GPU temp) but when you up the voltage really high your VRM temp skyrockets.


+1.

That's exactly why I'm saying that the 7970s will OC much higher with waterblocks, since those toasty VRMs will stay nice and cool­









We are all imited by our VRMs temps right now on air.

Just wait and see. We will now soon enough.


----------



## Evil Penguin

VRM temps being the cause of all this is just a theory.
We would see throttling of the core clock before other problems occur.
People forget that the VRMs are deigned to run properly up to 125c.
When they meet or exceed that temperature, they throttle down the core.

The notion that the VRM temps are somehow causing the core to not clock as high (artifacts) doesn't make sense.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> VRM temps being the cause of all this is just a theory.
> We would see throttling of the core clock before other problems occur.
> People forget that the VRMs are deigned to run properly up to 125c.
> When they meet or exceed that temperature, they throttle down the core.
> The notion that the VRM temps are somehow causing the core to not clock as high (artifacts) doesn't make sense.


I'm pretty sure its correct. For instance, unless I turn my fans up to 70% manual I can't get a stable 1275mhz overclock. But the thing is, my gpu temp is around 75c at 50% fan and its not a throttle issue. I'm 99% certain its a VRM cooling issue.


----------



## nunomoreira10

Maybe the 28hp process is somehow very sensitive to voltage leakage and temperature.
To much voltage at high temperature may corrupt the core or someting like that,
for some reason they put a more agressive than normal fan profile on the cards.
There could be a optimum relation between voltage/temperature/overclock.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> VRM temps being the cause of all this is just a theory.
> We would see throttling of the core clock before other problems occur.
> People forget that the VRMs are deigned to run properly up to 125c.
> When they meet or exceed that temperature, they throttle down the core.
> The notion that the VRM temps are somehow causing the core to not clock as high (artifacts) doesn't make sense.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm pretty sure its correct. For instance, unless I turn my fans up to 70% manual I can't get a stable 1275mhz overclock. But the thing is, my gpu temp is around 75c at 50% fan and its not a throttle issue. I'm 99% certain its a VRM cooling issue.
Click to expand...

There's a correlation between clock speed and temperature (voltage becomes important).
In order for the core to operate at a higher frequency AND temperature it would actually require more voltage it seems.
I say this because the core can operate correctly up to 95c.
The only little problem there is that the board will trigger OCP at a hardware level if the current is too high.

So no, the VRM temps don't have anything to do with it in this case.


----------



## Focus182

Well, we will all know soon enough. But either way I think we are all thinking the same thing.

Water cooling!


----------



## trippinonprozac

No matter what voltage I throw at my card I get errors in OCCT above 1020mhz core.

I can play games at 1060mhz or so but anything above that and I see artefacts.

I have tried 1.28v @ 1100mhz and I get a ton of errors.....

Did I just get unlucky with the card?


----------



## trippinonprozac

To add to that - I cant even get 1050mhz stable at 1.28v


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> No matter what voltage I throw at my card I get errors in OCCT above 1020mhz core.
> I can play games at 1060mhz or so but anything above that and I see artefacts.
> I have tried 1.28v @ 1100mhz and I get a ton of errors.....
> Did I just get unlucky with the card?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> To add to that - I cant even get 1050mhz stable at 1.28v


throwing a ton of voltage at the card is not necessarily the answer. i've had better luck with _small_ increments in voltage (like Vega suggested earlier in the thread).


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> +1.
> That's exactly why I'm saying that the 7970s will OC much higher with waterblocks, since those toasty VRMs will stay nice and cool­
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We are all imited by our VRMs temps right now on air.
> Just wait and see. We will now soon enough.


So is it safe to say that the higher VRM temps from the oc'd XFX BEDD in the guru french review is a problem with the design of the 7970 and not the XFX card itself? Also do these only work on reference cards and how difficult are they too install? http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182


----------



## Penryn

So I decided to undervolt to 999mv and was able to maintain a stable OC at 1050/1475. Temps have dropped to low-mid 70s doing this. LOVE IT!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> +1.
> That's exactly why I'm saying that the 7970s will OC much higher with waterblocks, since those toasty VRMs will stay nice and cool­
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We are all imited by our VRMs temps right now on air.
> Just wait and see. We will now soon enough.
> 
> 
> 
> So is it safe to say that the higher VRM temps from the oc'd XFX BEDD in the guru french review is a problem with the design of the 7970 and not the XFX card itself? Also do these only work on reference cards and how difficult are they too install? http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182
Click to expand...

No!


----------



## trippinonprozac

I tried small voltage increases too but nothing worked!

Reached its 100% stable limit at 1020mhz.


----------



## wolfej

I ordered one off their website earlier, international 3 day shipping came up to a total of 121 bucks which is 5 bucks cheaper than frozencpu.com has them listed as and frozencpu won't get them in stock til the middle of the upcoming week. I should have my waterblock by wednesday or thursday so I'm pretty stoked.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> No!


It was just a question chill out. I'm probably sending my BEDD's back just saying its looking as if the 7970 already has issues with high VRM temps when oc'd. Also has anyone tried to install the fans I mentioned http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> No!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was just a question chill out. I'm probably sending my BEDD's back just saying its looking as if the 7970 already has issues with high VRM temps when oc'd. Also has anyone tried to install the fans I mentioned http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182
Click to expand...

I was chilled out.








VRMs had nothing to do with it.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I was chilled out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> VRMs had nothing to do with it.


VRM's aside I'm def going to pick one of those up, I loved it on my 580, icy cool and completely silent


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> VRM's aside I'm def going to pick one of those up, I loved it on my 580, icy cool and completely silent


Was the install pretty simple? Did it come with full instructions?


----------



## jamborhgini313

I ordered an XFX 7970 from TD because they claim they had it in stock. As soon as I ordered, status went to backordered....damn TD always does this kind of shiz


----------



## chrisys93

Sorry for asking a total noob question but will a single 7970 be able to completely max out BF3 @ 1080p? (including AA)


----------



## Sebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chrisys93*
> 
> Sorry for asking a total noob question but will a single 7970 be able to completely max out BF3 @ 1080p? (including AA)


Yes. I get from 60 - 100 FPS with mine.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chrisys93*
> 
> Sorry for asking a total noob question but will a single 7970 be able to completely max out BF3 @ 1080p? (including AA)


I find it acceptable maxed out at 1920x1080 when overclocked.

I very rarely drop below 50 fps on any map apart from the one with the tv station.

My clocks are 1150/1675


----------



## vypr

what are stock idle temps? Mine sits about 57/8*c Idle. I haven't run any stress tests yet so I don't know what it will do under load.I have no OC on it at all, and running latest drivers and ccc.
case is a lanboy air. Lots of fans and internal temps are very low. So I doubt ambients are effecting it much.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chrisys93*
> 
> Sorry for asking a total noob question but will a single 7970 be able to completely max out BF3 @ 1080p? (including AA)


It takes two 1200Mhz 7970's to keep the FPS minimum 90 in BF3 Ultra everything on my FW900 (1920x1200).


----------



## trippinonprozac

So I think I have found my problem with my overclock.... I know these cards suffer from vdroop but can somebody please explain this to me -



As you can see in the image, my voltage is set to 1.2 ( a little above actually), however as you can see on the line, my voltage is dropping significantly under load down to well below the stock spec.

I am guessing this is why I am getting artifacts heavily at anything over 1020mhz.

Anyone have ideas as to why this would be happening?


----------



## DOM.

imo i think the cards where made with cheap components cuz when benching 1.3v some times drops to 1.2-1.25v









but then i was able to max out ccc on stock volts before i used MSI AB


----------



## trippinonprozac

Yeah but even @ stock volts I am dropping right down to around 1.14v at times meaning I cant get anything higher than 1020mhz core without issues.

I am going to try changing my PCIE cables and then changing to the other bios to see if that works.

Ill monitor that voltage line and see what happens.

Might RMA the card otherwise.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I would just like to note that most of the time the set voltage is what is monitored.
With the 7970, it displays the actual voltage instead of the set voltage.
In other words the vdrop is normal.


----------



## trippinonprozac

yeah but I am dropping to below 1.14v which is well below stock voltage no matte WHAT voltage I set....

Ill set my voltage at 1.3v on the core and take a screen shot of the graph to show you how much it drops when under load.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> yeah but I am dropping to below 1.14v which is well below stock voltage no matte WHAT voltage I set....
> 
> Ill set my voltage at 1.3v on the core and take a screen shot of the graph to show you how much it drops when under load.


That's normal.
You could change a setting that puts the program to default voltage monitoring (set voltage monitoring) and the "problem" will disappear.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I would just like to note that most of the time the set voltage is what is monitored.
> With the 7970, it displays the actual voltage instead of the set voltage.
> In other words the vdrop is normal.


Where talking about the extra vdroop when on load not idle... It's bad imo


----------



## Exburn

I managed to push my xfx 7970 (core edition) to about 1080 mhz, where it starts to make these lines, dots, blinking things when I play or use furmark.

Should I expect higher clocks? or is this acceptable?

I also wonder how I can higher the voltage, and can this help me reach higher stable clocks? (using afterburner 2.2, but cant make it work, it just reset volt at once)


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> Where talking about the extra vdroop when on load not idle... It's bad imo


thats correct! it has nothing to do with the displayed voltage on idle. Its to do with the fact that no matter what voltage is set I am drooping more than .5v which is a massive amount!!


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> thats correct! it has nothing to do with the displayed voltage on idle. Its to do with the fact that no matter what voltage is set I am drooping more than .5v which is a massive amount!!


i would try 1.25 see how temps are


----------



## trippinonprozac

Thing is, even if I max out the voltage slider to 1.3v in afterburner my card is drooping to 1.23v on load.


----------



## trippinonprozac

I just did the first benchmark in 3dmark 11 and then pressed escape when running at 1.3v maxed out slider on AB. My voltage in that short amount of time dipped to 1.216v....

That is just shocking!


----------



## DOM.

Yes I know its bad you can use 1.3 and see what you can get I just use 1.3v for benching right now idk if I'm going to end up keeping or selling it I should of waited for non ref or 780


----------



## derickwm

Boo







I only got 430fps in League of Legends at 1200p. I AM DISAPPOINT.


----------



## flopper

Its normal.
msi afterburner now displays what actually always did happen in voltage.
It will shift a lot in load.
To have better and more stable voltage you need to do a hard mod volt.

here is Unwinder explaning the part that a load of people dont know.
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4217976&postcount=82
- Now MSI Afterburner displays target VID instead of real voltage sensor reading on "GPU voltage" graph on graphics cards equipped with CHL8228 voltage regulators. These changes are implemented to avoid confusing the beginners and prevent the hysteria about voltage drop on AMD RADEON 7970 series graphic cards spreading across different discussion forums. Experienced users, understanding the difference between target and real voltages, may still unlock the previous real voltage monitoring mode via editing the hardware profiles


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> Its normal.
> msi afterburner now displays what actually always did happen in voltage.
> It will shift a lot in load.
> To have better and more stable voltage you need to do a hard mod volt.
> here is Unwinder explaning the part that a load of people dont know.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4217976&postcount=82
> - Now MSI Afterburner displays target VID instead of real voltage sensor reading on "GPU voltage" graph on graphics cards equipped with CHL8228 voltage regulators. These changes are implemented to avoid confusing the beginners and prevent the hysteria about voltage drop on AMD RADEON 7970 series graphic cards spreading across different discussion forums. Experienced users, understanding the difference between target and real voltages, may still unlock the previous real voltage monitoring mode via editing the hardware profiles


very interesting.

So I dont have any real options other than hard mod?

I want to drop a waterblock on it but really dont see the point if I am not going to be going anywhere past 1100mhz core.

what do you guys think?


----------



## derickwm

Also, what is everyone getting for idle temps?

I'm on a test bench seutp and I'm getting around 58 degrees...with 0% usage. That is way to high -.- I just have a reference air cooled card at the moment. Tomorrow I'll be getting a block for it.


----------



## trippinonprozac

at stock I idle at around 35c in an opened case.

stock volts at 1020mhz I ilde at about 42c.


----------



## derickwm

What the hell... I haven't opened up my card or even OC'd it..


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> What the hell... I haven't opened up my card or even OC'd it..


that is weird man!

thats real high! what are your max temps @ stock?


----------



## Denim-187




----------



## derickwm

On stock clocks and idle with 25% fan speed right now I'm getting 59 degrees C.

Turning up fan speeds to 50% I'm getting 53 degrees. Downloading FurMark right now and will report back what temps I get when running that. *slightly nervous*

Just ran Furmark, with fan speed set at 50% the temps maxed out at 75... fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> On stock clocks and idle with 25% fan speed right now I'm getting 59 degrees C.
> Turning up fan speeds to 50% I'm getting 53 degrees. Downloading FurMark right now and will report back what temps I get when running that. *slightly nervous*
> Just ran Furmark, with fan speed set at 50% the temps maxed out at 75... fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.


Completely normal relax


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> Its normal.
> msi afterburner now displays what actually always did happen in voltage.
> It will shift a lot in load.
> To have better and more stable voltage you need to do a hard mod volt.
> here is Unwinder explaning the part that a load of people dont know.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4217976&postcount=82
> - Now MSI Afterburner displays target VID instead of real voltage sensor reading on "GPU voltage" graph on graphics cards equipped with CHL8228 voltage regulators. These changes are implemented to avoid confusing the beginners and prevent the hysteria about voltage drop on AMD RADEON 7970 series graphic cards spreading across different discussion forums. Experienced users, understanding the difference between target and real voltages, may still unlock the previous real voltage monitoring mode via editing the hardware profiles
> 
> 
> 
> very interesting.
> 
> So I dont have any real options other than hard mod?
> 
> I want to drop a waterblock on it but really dont see the point if I am not going to be going anywhere past 1100mhz core.
> 
> what do you guys think?
Click to expand...

The only thing you'll probably gain is the lower noise.
GPUs generally have a high tolerance of heat.


----------



## Exburn

Tried to ask earlier, but isnt 1080 mhz core clock a little low to manage at reference cooler? Thats where I start to get dots, lines etc over the screen while palying or using furmark.

WIll it help to higher the volts? Though I cant change the volt in AB 2.2, it just pops back. What to do?

I really need help!


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> On stock clocks and idle with 25% fan speed right now I'm getting 59 degrees C.
> Turning up fan speeds to 50% I'm getting 53 degrees. Downloading FurMark right now and will report back what temps I get when running that. *slightly nervous*
> Just ran Furmark, with fan speed set at 50% the temps maxed out at 75... fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.


2 things : Those temps are normal. Secondly, is your card down throttling during non activity? Generally your GPU will clock down to 300mhz when not in high use (<5% gpu usage) and the temps should lower substantially at that point. But if you're at full blast your temps will be 50c+. Again you shouldn't be alarmed, those temps are fine.


----------



## derickwm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Completely normal relax


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> 2 things : Those temps are normal. Secondly, is your card down throttling during non activity? Generally your GPU will clock down to 300mhz when not in high use (<5% gpu usage) and the temps should lower substantially at that point. But if you're at full blast your temps will be 50c+. Again you shouldn't be alarmed, those temps are fine.


Hmm I thought that the 7970s generally idle in the 30s or 40s :/ if this is normal then thats relieving.

How would one check to see if it downclocks...and if it isn't how would I make it do that? Cheers.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> Its normal.
> msi afterburner now displays what actually always did happen in voltage.
> It will shift a lot in load.
> To have better and more stable voltage you need to do a hard mod volt.
> here is Unwinder explaning the part that a load of people dont know.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4217976&postcount=82
> - Now MSI Afterburner displays target VID instead of real voltage sensor reading on "GPU voltage" graph on graphics cards equipped with CHL8228 voltage regulators. These changes are implemented to avoid confusing the beginners and prevent the hysteria about voltage drop on AMD RADEON 7970 series graphic cards spreading across different discussion forums. Experienced users, understanding the difference between target and real voltages, may still unlock the previous real voltage monitoring mode via editing the hardware profiles


Wow. Really really interesting. There is 2 VID for the 7970, some are 1.05, and some are 1.175. This explains ALOT of things.

My 4 Asus 7970 VID are 1.05, and I was wondering why not 1.175. *Afterburner is pumping my default voltage to 1.175, while the new Asus OC utilities stays at 1.05*. Interesting. And alot of confusion ahead for newbies!

This explains alot of things, particularly why some people are getting crazy OC on stock, while other don't. Afterburner is pumping those 1.05 cards to 1.175 by default, so people think they are at stock, while they are OCed to 1.175, so they get good OC. So they are not at stock, since 1.05 is boosted to 1.175.But those with 1.175 cards are at stock.









And those Sapphire 1335 are probably simply VID 1.05 cards, while the VID 1.175 cards will be the "regular" one. And all the manufacturers OC cards will be 1.05 also.

Hope this will stop the hysteria about the "voltage droop" that newbies are starting to spread everywhere.

*So now the new hysteria will be people everywhere searching for those 1.05 VID 7970!!!!!! LOL!*

In before the new hysteria "7970 with a VID of 1.05 for sale!" threads everywhere.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Wow. Really really interesting. There is 2 VID for the 7970, some are 1.05, and some are 1.175. This explains ALOT of things.
> My 4 Asus 7970 VID are 1.05, and I was wondering why not 1.175. *Afterburner is pumping my default voltage to 1.175, while the new Asus OC utilities stays at 1.05*. Interesting. And alot of confusion ahead for newbies!


Yea, and we will likely see better from yeilds.


----------



## Denim-187

NVM


----------



## snelan

Has anyone had any experience with the Accelero coolers in multi-gpu configs? They look like they just vent everywhere, so I'm not sure if I should just use waterblocks instead.

Reason being:

To use Waterblocks: ~$360
-Blocks ~$250
-Extra 240 rad: ~$50
-Better pump: ~$60

To use Accelero Coolers: ~$200
-Coolers: ~$200

EDIT: Also, I see the new Accelero cooler is backwards compatible. Could I just buy a 6970 one and mount it on my 7970s? Are they forwards compatible?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Wow. Really really interesting. There is 2 VID for the 7970, some are 1.05, and some are 1.175. This explains ALOT of things.
> My 4 Asus 7970 VID are 1.05, and I was wondering why not 1.175. *Afterburner is pumping my default voltage to 1.175, while the new Asus OC utilities stays at 1.05*. Interesting. And alot of confusion ahead for newbies!
> This explains alot of things, particularly why some people are getting crazy OC on stock, while other don't. Afterburner is pumping those 1.05 cards to 1.175 by default, so people think they are at stock, while they are OCed to 1.175, so they get good OC. So they are not at stock, since 1.05 is boosted to 1.175.But those with 1.175 cards are at stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And those Sapphire 1335 are probably simply VID 1.05 cards, while the VID 1.175 cards will be the "regular" one. And all the manufacturers OC cards will be 1.05 also.
> Hope this will stop the hysteria about the "voltage droop" that newbies are starting to spread everywhere.
> *So now the new hysteria will be people everywhere searching for those 1.05 VID 7970!!!!!! LOL!*
> In before the new hysteria "7970 with a VID of 1.05 for sale!" threads everywhere.


This makes little to no sense. Actually very contradictory.
Quote:


> Afterburner is pumping those 1.05 cards to 1.175 by default, so people think they are at stock, while they are OCed to 1.175, so they get good OC


Quote:


> And those Sapphire 1335 are probably simply VID 1.05 cards, while the VID 1.175 cards will be the "regular" one


----------



## snelan

I'm pretty sure the Accelero Xtreme II WILL work, for example:

EDIT: Nevermind, apparently the frame on the 7970 will bump the Accelero Xtreme II because it's higher than the 6970s.


----------



## evensen007

Anyone feeling adventurous?

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2219817

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=357134


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Has anyone had any experience with the Accelero coolers in multi-gpu configs? They look like they just vent everywhere, so I'm not sure if I should just use waterblocks instead.
> Reason being:
> To use Waterblocks: ~$360
> -Blocks ~$250
> -Extra 240 rad: ~$50
> -Better pump: ~$60
> To use Accelero Coolers: ~$200
> -Coolers: ~$200
> EDIT: Also, I see the new Accelero cooler is backwards compatible. Could I just buy a 6970 one and mount it on my 7970s? Are they forwards compatible?


with multi gpu waterblocks seems to be the better choice.
depends what requirements one have.
but with a 50mm thickness I would think accelero is out of the picture.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> This makes little to no sense. Actually very contradictory.


Not at all. Easy to say. But think about it for 2 second.

There is 2 VIDs for the 7970 on the market right now. And it's causig alot of confusion for newbies, and for OCing.

Even the maker of Afterburner is trying to stop that confusion. Aftefburner is bumping 1.05 cards to 1.175. My 4 cards are 1.05.


----------



## derickwm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Anyone feeling adventurous?
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2219817
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=357134


I'll give it a run later today.


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Anyone feeling adventurous?
> 
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2219817
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=357134


I tried it on weekend. It did bust my FPS in AvP, but I got lower FPS across the board in everything else. So back to latest beta from amd website for me.


----------



## slice259

Well I got 2 reference Msi 7970's showing up Thursday, all this VID talk, and some cards not overclocking is getting me worried. What do I do leave them factory sealed and sell them or what? Some help would be nice.

Thanks everyone









It just seems some people are overclocking really well, and others are having zero luck. If you guys/gals think I can acheive 1200mhz on both gpus then I am content with that. Fan speed nor voltage are a problem over here







.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Not at all. Easy to say. But think about it for 2 second.
> There is 2 VIDs for the 7970 on the market right now. And it's causig alot of confusion for newbies, and for OCing.
> Even the maker of Afterburner is trying to stop that confusion. Aftefburner is bumping 1.05 cards to 1.175. My 4 cards are 1.05.


Sounds fishy.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Well I got 2 reference Msi 7970's showing up Thursday, all this VID talk, and some cards not overclocking is getting me worried. What do I do leave them factory sealed and sell them or what? Some help would be nice.
> Thanks everyone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It just seems some people are overclocking really well, and others are having zero luck. If you guys/gals think I can acheive 1200mhz on both gpus then I am content with that. Fan speed nor voltage are a problem over here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I'm with you man I'm sending my BEDD's back to Newegg tomorrow. I'm waiting for the non-reference cards to figure all this out.


----------



## Wbroach23

I knew you guys were the reason they were sold out lol







How does everyone like them I didn't even realize they were out till I went to newegg like 20 min ago lol. I went and checked some reviews and Im decently impressed with how well it seems they keep up with the 590 and 6990, how is everyone else fairing performance wise?


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> I'm with you man I'm sending my BEDD's back to Newegg tomorrow. I'm waiting for the non-reference cards to figure all this out.


Aren't you going to get hosed with the restocking fee's ? If that is the case then you should just sell them on Ebay or here on the forums. I mean I bought what was the best brand out being reference in my mind, Solids caps, and good warranty ect. Its one of those things where until you get your hands on the cards and start overclocking you can take half of what you have seen with a grain of salt. I have gotten my reference HD 5850 to 1000 core no problem. I like reference design over say the lightnings for the heat exhausting out of the case. But if 1100 mhz is hard to do then man.... I don't know


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Aren't you going to get hosed with the restocking fee's ? If that is the case then you should just sell them on Ebay or here on the forums. I mean I bought what was the best brand out being reference in my mind, Solids caps, and good warranty ect. Its one of those things where until you get your hands on the cards and start overclocking you can take half of what you have seen with a grain of salt. I have gotten my reference HD 5850 to 1000 core no problem. I like reference design over say the lightnings for the heat exhausting out of the case. But if 1100 mhz is hard to do then man.... I don't know


The XFX blacks have the full refund return within 30 days. They don't even come in until tomorrow. Newegg told me to refuse delivery and ups will return the cards back to them. My new build will have plenty of airflow (Azza hurricane 2000) but there are several people having crossfire issues with one card blowing hot air on the other causing it to run at much higher temps. Also I plan on selling them in a year or two and all the negativity lately on XFX (no longer double lifetime warranty/ VRM temps/ crossfire heat issues) has basically killed the resale value. Now add in all the issues with the reference models I'm going to hold off. I still have sometime before Intel ships another shipment of 3930's to complete my new build so I'm going to wait and see what sapphire/msi come out with in the next month.


----------



## slice259

I have a Antec 1200 case, with lots of airflow (all scythe slip streams ). I am thinking 1200mhz+ is plausible. With that said, I love reference cards and I bought a set of msi so I think I am just going to love them.









So I have seen 1.3ghz on this forum once, what is the majority of clocks you members are getting? ( 1.2-1.25 ghz ? ) Fan speed seems to make a big difference. Seeing as I have HS1A's I cant hear my rig now, so 75%+ fan speed is no problem.

I am sure you guys have seen this but I will share it again. So what are they doing that others aren't ? Just a good core or what??

http://hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review


----------



## Witchdoctor

Bench speeds are one thing, but 1200 on air 24/7 is a stretch, and trust me, 75% on this fan is rediculously loud, on 100% it sounds like a leaf blower .....

On respectable fan speed I would thing 1100 / 1150 24/7 is plausable as long as you get a nice chip in the lottery


----------



## RussianJ

Card came in today, pics up soon.


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Wow. Really really interesting. There is 2 VID for the 7970, some are 1.05, and some are 1.175. This explains ALOT of things.
> My 4 Asus 7970 VID are 1.05, and I was wondering why not 1.175. *Afterburner is pumping my default voltage to 1.175, while the new Asus OC utilities stays at 1.05*. Interesting. And alot of confusion ahead for newbies!
> This explains alot of things, particularly why some people are getting crazy OC on stock, while other don't. Afterburner is pumping those 1.05 cards to 1.175 by default, so people think they are at stock, while they are OCed to 1.175, so they get good OC. So they are not at stock, since 1.05 is boosted to 1.175.But those with 1.175 cards are at stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And those Sapphire 1335 are probably simply VID 1.05 cards, while the VID 1.175 cards will be the "regular" one. And all the manufacturers OC cards will be 1.05 also.
> Hope this will stop the hysteria about the "voltage droop" that newbies are starting to spread everywhere.
> *So now the new hysteria will be people everywhere searching for those 1.05 VID 7970!!!!!! LOL!*
> In before the new hysteria "7970 with a VID of 1.05 for sale!" threads everywhere.


i'm being dull, but where are you reading that there are two different VID's on the market right now? i'm not questioning the validity of it, just wondering where (if anywhere) i can read about it. it makes a lot of sense in my case as my XFX BEDD card shows around 1.05V in Afterburner. unlocking voltage control bumps the card to 1.17V by default and the temps (obviously) rise immediately. appreciate the info Levesque.


----------



## Porter_

delete


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> Bench speeds are one thing, but 1200 on air 24/7 is a stretch, and trust me, 75% on this fan is rediculously loud, on 100% it sounds like a leaf blower .....
> On respectable fan speed I would thing 1100 / 1150 24/7 is plausable as long as you get a nice chip in the lottery


Well then lets hope I win the Silicon Lottery !









Ill have pics up Thursday afternoon, then ill be in the club.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> Bench speeds are one thing, but 1200 on air 24/7 is a stretch, and trust me, 75% on this fan is rediculously loud, on 100% it sounds like a leaf blower .....
> On respectable fan speed I would thing 1100 / 1150 24/7 is plausable as long as you get a nice chip in the lottery


In all honesty... 1020 mhz to 1150 mhz is not much noticeable. You dnt need to win the "silicon lottery" if you mildly overclocking on air.

In other news... Ive noticed this.... The longer the chip is being used, the more u can overclock it. I was getting major errors in OCCT with 1070 mhz (jan 9th), i am now on 1100 mhz stock voltage and default fan profile, no errors (jan 17th).
28nm, you sure are mysterious


----------



## slice259

So truly how much better is something like a MSI lightning 7970 going to be over my reference MSI 7970? It doesn't sound like a hole lot. Looking back at the 6970 lightning it didn't offer much over a reference card other then being quieter. I realize that 40nm was all ready seeing its peak, considering it was just a refresh of 5800 series. So are the litghnings going to be able to acheive 1300+ on all cards or is it going to be near the same OC'ing just at quiter DB? I guess my guess is as good as anyone's lol.









Thanks for the input. Denim-187 From the screen shots you got for me, my 2 msi 7970's are going to be more than powerful as it is at stock !


----------



## Denim-187

^ Ofcourse,
i think reference is the way to go. Sure some other after market cards are released that do a bit of a better job, but u just cant go wrong with the original gangster.


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Wow. Really really interesting. There is 2 VID for the 7970, some are 1.05, and some are 1.175. This explains ALOT of things.
> 
> My 4 Asus 7970 VID are 1.05, and I was wondering why not 1.175. *Afterburner is pumping my default voltage to 1.175, while the new Asus OC utilities stays at 1.05*. Interesting. And alot of confusion ahead for newbies!
> 
> This explains alot of things, particularly why some people are getting crazy OC on stock, while other don't. Afterburner is pumping those 1.05 cards to 1.175 by default, so people think they are at stock, while they are OCed to 1.175, so they get good OC. So they are not at stock, since 1.05 is boosted to 1.175.But those with 1.175 cards are at stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And those Sapphire 1335 are probably simply VID 1.05 cards, while the VID 1.175 cards will be the "regular" one. And all the manufacturers OC cards will be 1.05 also.
> 
> Hope this will stop the hysteria about the "voltage droop" that newbies are starting to spread everywhere.
> 
> *So now the new hysteria will be people everywhere searching for those 1.05 VID 7970!!!!!! LOL!*
> 
> In before the new hysteria "7970 with a VID of 1.05 for sale!" threads everywhere.


My VID is 1112v in afterburner.


----------



## Denim-187

Can somebody attempt to beat this *GPU* score with 2 way crossfire pls?








I need _reason_ to push my cards harder.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 
> Can somebody attempt to beat this *GPU* score with 2 way crossfire pls?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I need _reason_ to push my cards harder.


Ill be glad to try come Thursday !









My i5 750 at 4.2 GHZ is not going to run with your 2600 @ 5+ ghz, but we can compare gpu scores.









I have a single HD 5850 so this is going to be a complete slap in the face of an upgrade


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> So truly how much better is something like a MSI lightning 7970 going to be over my reference MSI 7970? It doesn't sound like a hole lot. Looking back at the 6970 lightning it didn't offer much over a reference card other then being quieter. I realize that 40nm was all ready seeing its peak, considering it was just a refresh of 5800 series. So are the litghnings going to be able to acheive 1300+ on all cards or is it going to be near the same OC'ing just at quiter DB? I guess my guess is as good as anyone's lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the input. Denim-187 From the screen shots you got for me, my 2 msi 7970's are going to be more than powerful as it is at stock !


The lightning will rape the reference card. Better cooling/ heat sink/ components and a 1200-1300 clock out of the box. The 6970 didn't oc'd very well which is why you didn't see a big jump on its lightning version.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> The lightning will rape the reference card. Better cooling/ heat sink/ components and a 1200-1300 clock out of the box. The 6970 didn't oc'd very well which is why you didn't see a big jump on its lightning version.


Seeing as WC 7970 are looking to be around 1.35-1.4ghz capable, I would think a lightning is going to be able to achieve 1.3ghz or so. On the flip side, reference 7970's will do 1.25 ghz if you are willing to have the fan up to around 75%. I mean if lightning 7970's are coming out end of this month then that changes my out-look. But seeing that lightning cards don't release 3-4 months after reference, it makes my choice all very simple.

If lightnings are weeks away then ill get rid of my references --- If lightnings are 3-4 months away as they always are then I am going to keep what I have.









The difference in 1200mhz vs 1300+ mhz is 3-5 or so FPS in games...







. Not a deal breaker really.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> My VID is 1112v in afterburner.


My Sapphire is the same.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Seeing as WC 7970 are looking to be around 1.35-1.4ghz capable, I would think a lightning is going to be able to achieve 1.3ghz or so. On the flip side, reference 7970's will do 1.25 ghz if you are willing to have the fan up to around 75%. I mean if lightning 7970's are coming out end of this month then that changes my out-look. But seeing that lightning cards don't release 3-4 months after reference, it makes my choice all very simple.
> If lightnings are weeks away then ill get rid of my references --- If lightnings are 3-4 months away as they always are then I am going to keep what I have.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The difference in 1200mhz vs 1300+ mhz is 3-5 or so FPS in games...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Not a deal breaker really.


A 1300mhz card would easily give you 10-15fps over reference at around 1125 capable on air if your one of the lucky ones whose card will even run without drama at 1125. Even then if the card is built to run stable and cool at 1300mhz i'm sure there will still be more headroom available on that card. I'm hoping sometime next month if not kepler is coming early april with the 680. It all depends on when I'm able to get my 3930k which is on 3-6 week estimate back order everywhere. Once I have that it might make it difficult to wait since my build at that point would be waiting on gpu's. Just a waiting game now.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 
> Can somebody attempt to beat this *GPU* score with 2 way crossfire pls?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I need _reason_ to push my cards harder.


Hmmmm... I accept your challenge sir! But it might be a week







LOL


----------



## slice259

Well with HardOCP test's, 335mhz was a gain of 12.5 FPS in BF3. So a reference card at 1260mhz vs say a lightning at 1350mhz is a difference of ( 54.6FPS @ 1260 mhz ) and (58.5 @ 1350mhz) So a gain of 3.9 FPS.

http://hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/5


----------



## Nemesis158

Just got my sapphire in








this is on stock volts:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW YEAH!!


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Well with HardOCP test's, 335mhz was a gain of 12.5 FPS in BF3. So a reference card at 1260mhz vs say a lightning at 1350mhz is a difference of ( 54.6FPS @ 1260 mhz ) and (58.5 @ 1350mhz) So a gain of 3.9 FPS.
> http://hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/5


Very few are getting a stable card at anything over what the ccc slider will allow 1125mhz. Most are getting a very unstable card anything over that. In fact there a good portion of cards that start to struggle with artifacts/shut downs etc at 1050-1100. Its just the luck of the draw I guess. I think it has as much to do with there cpu psu as the card though. I've seen much higher stable clocks with the x79 chipset. I'd rather spend the extra coin and get a cooler stable card at 1300mhz with zero issues that has the headroom to approach even higher clocks on air. To be honest I might say screw it and buy two 7990's in march if it takes that long for the lightning to come out.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Very few are getting a stable card at anything over what the ccc slider will allow 1125mhz. Most are getting a very unstable card anything over that. In fact there a good portion of cards that start to struggle with artifacts/shut downs etc at 1050-1100. Its just the luck of the draw I guess. I'd rather spend an extra coin and get a cooler stable card at 1300mhz with zero issues that has the headroom to approach even higher clocks on air.


I have been reading quite the opposite







. I just read through a bunch of pages on HardOCP forums and almost every single member that has a 7970 is able to achieve 1200-1250 on the core. Its in the fan rpm, and volts







. Overall I was told 2 years ago that 5850s where SUPER load, and that 850mhz was the tiping point. Turns out the fan was never bad at all and I am running 1000 mhz core for over a year and a half. Regardless I know what OEM cards are capable of. Most if not all the overclocks I have seen on OCN have been people with the fans down around 40-50%. Ill be using 70%+







. Overall have fun with your 3930k and whatever gpu you buy, sounds like a nice build.


----------



## trippinonprozac

its not all about fan speed mate....

My MSI card sees artefacts at anything over 1070mhz core no matter what voltage or fan speed.

To be honest though the gains are pretty minor above this so I am happy with the over clock


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

It appears that I can get a stable 1200 core/1575 mem OC at 1.225v when my fan profile is set 1:1 (meaning, the fan % changes at the same rate as the temperature). Been able to play BF3 for hours with no crashes or other issues. I've done a lot of experimenting with voltages at higher levels (closer to or at 1.30v), but my card can't stay stable at voltages over 1.225 it appears.

My fps in BF3 with Ultra settings and 1080p average around the 60 fps mark, with the minimum usually between 40-45 fps. My minimums usually don't surface unless there is a ton of action going on in a concentrated area on the larger maps. I previously owned two gtx 580s in SLI, but it appeared the game wasn't fully optimized for SLI (had some major gpu usage fluctuations). I also could no longer justify the cost (nearly $1000 total). I think I'll just hold onto my 7970 at this OC setting, and consider purchasing another for crossfire later in the year if deemed necessary.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Can one of the pro's chime in on whether bios flashing could possibly help obtain a better or more stable overclock?


----------



## omega17

Strange bug / feature...

If I load up Crysis2 (Ultra / High Res), my 7970 seems pegged at around 65-70%, however if I alt-tab out and back in again, I get 95-99% usage and it turns silky smooth.

Anyone recreate this mysterious bug?


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Can one of the pro's chime in on whether bios flashing could possibly help obtain a better or more stable overclock?


i havent tryed another bios just the stock sapphire... im about to put it in my gammer see how it fars


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> i havent tryed another bios just the stock sapphire... im about to put it in my gammer see how it fars


your gammer?


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Can one of the pro's chime in on whether bios flashing could possibly help obtain a better or more stable overclock?


From what I have read that seems like a pretty bad overclock. Man I hope my msi's are not the same...







I think ill be opening 1 and seeing first, then if all goes well crack the other open. Anything under 1200 core and I am going to be a little upset. My 5850 took a 275 mhz overclock no problem, I would expect 28nm to be able to achieve the same or better. Time will tell


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> From what I have read that seems like a pretty bad overclock. Man I hope my msi's are not the same...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think ill be opening 1 and seeing first, then if all goes well crack the other open. Anything under 1200 core and I am going to be a little upset. My 5850 took a 275 mhz overclock no problem, I would expect 28nm to be able to achieve the same or better. Time will tell


What you dont understand though is that one of your cards may do that and the other may not. Its a total lottery.

There are plenty of people out there who are settling with 100% stable overclocks under 1100 mhz man, just read around.

Like I said though, the gains between say 1100 and 1250 are minuscule yet the voltage and temp increase is not. Its not everything to be able to clock that high.

Possibly when under water these cards will react a lot better to voltage increase.


----------



## Citra

Do we have an aproximite pricing on the 7950?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Citra*
> 
> Do we have an aproximite pricing on the 7950?


Most likely $450 MSRP

They're most likely doing:
7850 - 200
7870 - 300
7950/1.5GB - 400
7950/3GB - 450
7970 - 550
7990 - A lot


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> What you dont understand though is that one of your cards may do that and the other may not. Its a total lottery.
> There are plenty of people out there who are settling with 100% stable overclocks under 1100 mhz man, just read around.
> Like I said though, the gains between say 1100 and 1250 are minuscule yet the voltage and temp increase is not. Its not everything to be able to clock that high.
> Possibly when under water these cards will react a lot better to voltage increase.


I am completely aware that no 2 cores are a like









Until I get my hands on one myself, and overclock I have no idea what potential these cards have.


----------



## hellboy_101

Got my new build all setup and installed last night. Eyefinity working perfectly and bf3 across all 3 screens without a single bit of lag.

Though... side stretching on the monitors is just weird and will take a little bit of getting used to.

Sitting at 1000mhz and 1500mhz at the moment under load its at 70c at 50% fan while the i7 under the h100 is sitting at 55 under load at 4.6ghz.

So far so good


----------



## Citra

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Most likely $450 MSRP
> They're most likely doing:
> 7850 - 200
> 7870 - 300
> 7950/1.5GB - 400
> 7950/3GB - 450
> 7970 - 550
> 7990 - A lot


Thanks!


----------



## Vibe21

Sapphire back in stock on the Egg, for now. Just ordered two of them.









http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961


----------



## DimmyK

Got memory up to 1650, stable so far. 1120/1650

3Dmark 11



Vantage



I think I'm going to settle at 1120/1650 for now.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> Sapphire back in stock on the Egg, for now. Just ordered two of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961


Damn its hard to resist on waiting to see what comes from MSI/Sapphire next month. Congrats


----------



## Shrak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> Sapphire back in stock on the Egg, for now. Just ordered two of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961


I'm so on the fence. Finally decided I need to upgrade from my GTX460SE and have the money for 2 of these bad boys, but that's a lot of money to drop just like that.


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shrak*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> Sapphire back in stock on the Egg, for now. Just ordered two of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961
> 
> 
> 
> I'm so on the fence. Finally decided I need to upgrade from my GTX460SE and have the money for 2 of these bad boys, but that's a lot of money to drop just like that.
Click to expand...

How about you get one for now, even single card is going to blow your socks off if you are coming from 460SE. See if you get enough performance. You can always get second one if need is still there. And half of the money can wait until later, or Kepler.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hellboy_101*
> 
> Got my new build all setup and installed last night. Eyefinity working perfectly and bf3 across all 3 screens without a single bit of lag.
> Though... side stretching on the monitors is just weird and will take a little bit of getting used to.
> Sitting at 1000mhz and 1500mhz at the moment under load its at 70c at 50% fan while the i7 under the h100 is sitting at 55 under load at 4.6ghz.
> So far so good


Give portrait a try. I've never had other gamer's over who didn't want to switch their setups to portrait after seeing mine. You don't have that narrow slit into the world view with fish-eye effect of landscape with a bunch of useless information way out on the last half of each side monitor.


----------



## tsm106

Damn, since I canceled my order of them xfx from the egg, I've been playing the waiting game. I've an order for 3 visionteks placed at amazon, eta late Jan. I just placed another order for 3 Asus since the price just dropped. Crosses fingers, which will come into stock first? Got waterblocks incoming too lol, the waiting game is killing me.


----------



## vypr

ok , so I thought I read almost the whole thread, but I didn't see anything about the xfx cards being bad??
I have an xfx card, that I highly doubt I'll even try to OC. What is the issue with the xfx cards? I got the xfx r7970 core.


----------



## dVeLoPe

so after getting off the phone with support they wont be refunding my 30$ in shipping costs making my switch from this Sapphire to the MSI version around 38$ instead of 8$ not worth it what is the BEST DRIVER for BF3 atm im coming from nvidia going to use driver sweeper to clean thanks!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vypr*
> 
> ok , so I thought I read almost the whole thread, but I didn't see anything about the xfx cards being bad??
> I have an xfx card, that I highly doubt I'll even try to OC. What is the issue with the xfx cards? I got the xfx r7970 core.


They removed the double lifetime warranty and replaced it with a standard 2 yr warranty. The whole point of buying xfx and dealing with their shenanigans was "because" of their double lifetime warranty. Without that, there really is no point in going xfx.


----------



## Shrak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> How about you get one for now, even single card is going to blow your socks off if you are coming from 460SE. See if you get enough performance. You can always get second one if need is still there. And half of the money can wait until later, or Kepler.


Actually downgraded from 2 560ti 448's since I needed money but didn't want to sell my whole system and the 460se was just laying here anyways. But even so 1 7970 should still beat my sli 560ti's I had so I may go ahead and get 1 7970 for now


----------



## kfxsti

mine finally came in today, performance is monstrous.







will be adding another in the next few days hopefully.


----------



## dVeLoPe

so I an use trixx to overclock past stock clocks and msi ab to tweak volts without flashing bios to asus from sapphire right anyone confirm before i dig in this package lol!


----------



## love9sick

This card worth getting rid of a 6970 and paying $550? I would have thought 28nm tech would have been more epic. Specially for someone who DOES NOT OC their cards?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They removed the double lifetime warranty and replaced it with a standard 2 yr warranty. The whole point of buying xfx and dealing with their shenanigans was "because" of their double lifetime warranty. Without that, there really is no point in going xfx.


Wrong.. You have one month to register the card on their site to get the lifetime warranty









If you do not, or if you sell the card etc.. then it's a standard 2 year warranty.

XFX FTW


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They removed the double lifetime warranty and replaced it with a standard 2 yr warranty. The whole point of buying xfx and dealing with their shenanigans was "because" of their double lifetime warranty. Without that, there really is no point in going xfx.
> 
> 
> 
> Wrong.. You have one month to register the card on their site to get the lifetime warranty
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you do not, or if you sell the card etc.. then it's a standard 2 year warranty.
> 
> XFX FTW
Click to expand...

That's only for the double d and be card, the rest are what warranty?


----------



## Nemesiswho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> A quick question I meant to ask before;
> Does everyone's 7970 squeal under load? Mine is the worst card I've had for squealing; it's still not a problem, but it's there.


What do you mean by squeal? As in do you mean loud or what? My 7970 doesn't even get loud underload......


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's only for the double d and be card, the rest are what warranty?


I need to double check, but from what I read that applies to all XFX cards. Like I said though, the fine print, is where you can mess it up.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's only for the double d and be card, the rest are what warranty?
> 
> 
> 
> I need to double check, but from what I read that applies to all XFX cards. Like I said though, the fine print, is where you can mess it up.
Click to expand...

Well duh dude, read the fine print. All 7970s are fubar and only the double d and be are lifetime, and ONLY single lifetime. It's not transferable anymore. There is NO DOUBLE WARRANTY period on 7970s.

Again, this brings me back to my original point, without that warranty, there's literally zero point for me to go XFX. Take that two year into context and there are many better brands out there.


----------



## vypr

with all this being said about xfx, do you think the diamond card would be better? I can exchange mine at microcenter still.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vypr*
> 
> with all this being said about xfx, do you think the diamond card would be better? I can exchange mine at microcenter still.


You have 5 yrs vs 2 yrs, mathematically 5 is a winner. Support wise, they're probably the same.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Right single lifetime... you're not trying to buy a used one lol I don't see the problem?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I agree though... If you just want a standard stock reference card then really just close your eyes and take a pic. Maybe Saphire since they come with all the extra cables/ adapeters.


----------



## UNOE

even register they are not lifetime check newegg again they changed it ... newegg said lifetime for the first day now it doesn't say that anymore.


----------



## love9sick

Time to throw away the 6970s and 6990s boys and girls lol


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Already sold my 6950's and the 6990 is now up for grabs







XFX Black edition on the way WOOOOOOOOOOOO!


----------



## JMCB

Same. I'm trying to sell my 6990 for $520 and my 6970 for $225. I just ordered a Sapphire HD 7970, and I know the gf is going to kill me.


----------



## love9sick

LoL! the 6990 beats the 7970. Why would you upgrade...or I should say down grade.


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I just get screen flickering... most likely a driver issue. A restart of the computer works just fine, but hopefully nothing is wrong with the card...


Anyone?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *love9sick*
> 
> LoL! the 6990 beats the 7970. Why would you upgrade...or I should say down grade.


I went from trifire 5850s that performed slightly better than the 7970. I did it because it uses less power, produces less heat, and I don't have to deal with crossfire issues.

I assume his reasoning is similar or something along the lines of because he can.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Anyone?


Stock clocks?


----------



## dVeLoPe

what a waste of 600$ im returning this asap same perf in bf3 and hella micro stutter just one card wow


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

You're getting micro stutter on one card?


----------



## dVeLoPe

yea uninstalled nvidia drivers rebooted safe mode driver sweeper clean everything good installed drivers off cd and wow am i disapointed...


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> yea uninstalled nvidia drivers rebooted safe mode driver sweeper clean everything good installed drivers off cd and wow am i disapointed...


You sure single 7970 is giving you micro sluttering?


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> yea uninstalled nvidia drivers rebooted safe mode driver sweeper clean everything good installed drivers off cd and wow am i disapointed...


you're coming from a GTX 460 and say you're getting the same performance, and you're experiencing 'microstutter' with a single card. i think it's safe to say something went wrong during the install. don't be so hasty to return your card. also try the drivers off of the AMD website.


----------



## rcfc89

I'm digging this new non-reference card from gigabyte. http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/gigabyte_radeon_hd_7970_oc_exclusive_first_look


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Anyone?


I get weird stuff too at stock other person in here with 120hz had the same. Its early driver issue.


----------



## dVeLoPe

Anyone want to buy my Sapphire 550 + shipping of choice willing to give to someone here before it goes back to neweg!


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> I'm digging this new non-reference card from gigabyte. http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/gigabyte_radeon_hd_7970_oc_exclusive_first_look


First review of this card

http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/33697-gigabyte-radeon-hd-7970-oc-gv-r797oc-3gd/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> I'm digging this new non-reference card from gigabyte. http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/gigabyte_radeon_hd_7970_oc_exclusive_first_look
> 
> 
> 
> First review of this card
> 
> http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/33697-gigabyte-radeon-hd-7970-oc-gv-r797oc-3gd/
Click to expand...

Looks like another fancy cooler on a reference pcb.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> Anyone want to buy my Sapphire 550 + shipping of choice willing to give to someone here before it goes back to neweg!


i might want


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Looks like another fancy cooler on a reference pcb.


I guarantee you it will clock higher then a reference. 15% cooler will allow much more headroom for those sticking to air. All those that picked up reference cards are going to be mad in the coming weeks. These non-reference 7970's are looking impressive. Can't wait to see the Powercooler tested http://www.fudzilla.com/graphics/item/25523-powercolor-radeon-hd-7970-vortex-getting-ready


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Looks like another fancy cooler on a reference pcb.


Yeahh.. but the cooler is very good, I think it is better than XFX Double Dissipation
People at HEXUS didn't even unlock BIOS to check how high it goes


----------



## Denim-187




----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Looks like another fancy cooler on a reference pcb.
> 
> 
> 
> I guarantee you it will clock higher then a reference. 15% cooler will allow much more headroom on air.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Looks like another fancy cooler on a reference pcb.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeahh.. but the cooler is very good, I thin better than XFX Double Dissipation
> People at HEXUS didn't even unlock BIOS to check how high it goes
Click to expand...

Doesn't change the fact that its a ref board. Just look at that reference design all its glory! The windforce does look to be kicking some ass in the temps dept.


----------



## Denim-187

FOR ALL THOSE THAT HIT A WALL AT AROUND 1070MHZ...........
I WORKED OUT THE FIX

1. In after burner, unsynchronise the GPU settings.
2. Set both cards to 1112*mv* individually.
3. set your core to 1100mhz
4. use your error testing tool to come to realize, that your not getting them anymore.

I suggest testing each card separately for desired clock and voltages. Start at 1112*mv* and work your way up. DO NOT start at 1174*mv*.

I got both my cards up to 1150mhz & 1230mhz OCCT stable
No more 1070 wall for me








Let me know if you need a hand....


----------



## Focus182

Why didn't I think of that !!

I believe the temps are the only thing holding me back.

Do you know if there is anyway to enable under-volting in trixx? i have problems with afterburner with this card.

EDIT: Nvm, i got afterburner working. It seems that trixx was setting my voltage to 1.170 right off the bat. Afterburner was at 1.050 and seems to be OCCT stable at 1050 right now and i dropped around 20c


----------



## UNOE

I can do desktop and folding with 900mv with stock clocks. So I think you are on to something its like they are volted to high.

As for the comment above about regretting buying reference. There are many of us here that are moving to water I would regret buying non reference myself.


----------



## Nemesis158

I followed a guide that i found on another thread.
Use the 11.12 7970 hotfix drivers and OC using Sapphire Trixx. Ive got my card at 1125/1550 on stock volts. Unigine/BF3/Skyrim/3DM all ran perfectly


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Doesn't change the fact that its a ref board. Just look at that reference design all its glory! The windforce does look to be kicking some ass in the temps dept.


Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970


Gigabyte Triangle Cool


I think I will buy card with reference design.
With reference we have many options including sophisticated water cooling


----------



## Focus182

I am now at 1175 on the core @ 1.125v and very OCCT stable

I was not OCCT stable past 1125 @ 1.170

So thank you for your post Denim, Should be able to get 1200-1225 now and at a lower temp if my voltage doesn't start having a negative effect below 1.170v.

+rep


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> Anyone want to buy my Sapphire 550 + shipping of choice willing to give to someone here before it goes back to neweg!


How about no? Why would we buy a used and obviously messed up card for the price we could get a brand new one on newegg for?


----------



## slice259

Awesome, this is great news and reassurance for me ! Having 2 msi 7970's showing up and hearing about bad overclocks was starting to scare me lol







. I wasn't sleeping good over my 1200 dollar purchase







. Once I get my cards I will give this a try. It seems like many if not all the people stuck around 1070 core have chips that are probably capable of 1125 with this tweak! Much appreciated Denim, who would have guess it was to much voltage lol


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Wow. Really really interesting. There is 2 VID for the 7970, some are 1.05, and some are 1.175. This explains ALOT of things.
> My 4 Asus 7970 VID are 1.05, and I was wondering why not 1.175. *Afterburner is pumping my default voltage to 1.175, while the new Asus OC utilities stays at 1.05*. Interesting. And alot of confusion ahead for newbies!
> This explains alot of things, particularly why some people are getting crazy OC on stock, while other don't. Afterburner is pumping those 1.05 cards to 1.175 by default, so people think they are at stock, while they are OCed to 1.175, so they get good OC. So they are not at stock, since 1.05 is boosted to 1.175.But those with 1.175 cards are at stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And those Sapphire 1335 are probably simply VID 1.05 cards, while the VID 1.175 cards will be the "regular" one. And all the manufacturers OC cards will be 1.05 also.
> Hope this will stop the hysteria about the "voltage droop" that newbies are starting to spread everywhere.
> *So now the new hysteria will be people everywhere searching for those 1.05 VID 7970!!!!!! LOL!*
> In before the new hysteria "7970 with a VID of 1.05 for sale!" threads everywhere.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> FOR ALL THOSE THAT HIT A WALL AT AROUND 1070MHZ...........


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> I am now at 1175 on the core @ 1.125v and very OCCT stable
> I was not OCCT stable past 1125 @ 1.170
> So thank you for your post Denim, Should be able to get 1200-1225 now and at a lower temp if my voltage doesn't start having a negative effect below 1.170v.
> +rep


i think Levesque's post needs to be highlighted here. his post led me to check the VID of my card and it turns out to be 1.05V. i realized that i was probably applying too much voltage by setting it to 1.175V in AB (which i assumed was the VID). previously i couldn't get 1125/1575 stable but last night i set my voltage to 1.1V (+50mV) and it's now stable at those clocks. so the lesson here is that if you're going to increase voltage, make sure you're aware of your card's VID.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970
> 
> Gigabyte Triangle Cool
> 
> I think I will buy card with reference design.
> With reference we have many options including sophisticated water cooling


Since I'll be selling in a year a reference card with a 100 dollar water jacket will not have the resale a non-reference better cooled air card would have since the majority don't liquid cool there gpu's. Just look at the sales comparisons between the lc 580 and the normal one. Although better for extreme overclocking most don't go this route. Plus I think with a 3930k at 5.0mhz and (2)7970's at 1200+mhz I'll be fine at 5760x1080 eyefinity. Resale is a big part of me deciding to stay away from reference. In a year no one will want them with all the cool oc'd non-reference cards that will be out.


----------



## tanton

my card is stable at 1100/1500 stock voltage with 2600k stock.










here are my results for 3dmark 11 and vantage. Are they good?

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2568135
http://3dmark.com/3dmv/3823136


----------



## slice259

So the moral of the story is... 28nm doesn't like lots of voltage! I have seen coutless people on the web just maxing the votlage slider to 1.3v and running with it. Overclocking gpu's is an art.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> So truly how much better is something like a MSI lightning 7970 going to be over my reference MSI 7970? It doesn't sound like a hole lot. Looking back at the 6970 lightning it didn't offer much over a reference card other then being quieter. I realize that 40nm was all ready seeing its peak, considering it was just a refresh of 5800 series. So are the litghnings going to be able to acheive 1300+ on all cards or is it going to be near the same OC'ing just at quiter DB? I guess my guess is as good as anyone's lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the input. Denim-187 From the screen shots you got for me, my 2 msi 7970's are going to be more than powerful as it is at stock !


The lightning series is really not for gaming so to speak, sure it will have higher than reference clocks and will have a better cooling solution.

This card is pointed directly at benchers as it has a much better power delivery system as well as Ln2 switch for sub ambient operation.

It also has PMW, memory and core voltage adjustments as well as easily accesable read points for said voltages so the card can be pushed to the absolute brink ........

So I would agree you will see a smidge better preformance for gaming but not worth the price of admision IMO

For competetive benching it is a must have if you want to compete at a high level ......


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> The lightning series is really not for gaming so to speak, sure it will have higher than reference clocks and will have a better cooling solution.
> This card is pointed directly at benchers as it has a much better power delivery system as well as Ln2 switch for sub ambient operation.
> It also has PMW, memory and core voltage adjustments as well as easily accesable read points for said voltages so the card can be pushed to the absolute brink ........
> So I would agree you will see a smidge better preformance for gaming but not worth the price of admision IMO
> For competetive benching it is a must have if you want to compete at a high level ......


As I calculated a few pages back,

Well with HardOCP test's, 335mhz was a gain of 12.5 FPS in BF3. So a reference card at 1260mhz vs say a lightning at 1350mhz is a difference of ( 54.6FPS @ 1260 mhz ) and (58.5 @ 1350mhz) So a gain of 3.9 FPS.

http://hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/5

The overall gain is going to be small in terms of sheer FPS. My Antec 1200's airflow would be greatly disturbed with 2x internal venting cards. Thats why I have always liked reference. Takes what air it wants from inside, and dumps it outside of the case.


----------



## PARTON

Anyone have EK blocks in stock?


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> The lightning series is really not for gaming so to speak, sure it will have higher than reference clocks and will have a better cooling solution.
> 
> So I would agree you will see a smidge better preformance for gaming but not worth the price of admision IMO
> For competetive benching it is a must have if you want to compete at a high level ......


If a higher clocked cooler running gpu wasn't for gaming then why do you see mostly hardcore gamers trying to push there reference cards to the brink through volting/water cooling? I would say a MSI Lightning 7970 that runs completely stable at 1300mhz and runs very cool at these clocks on air is very desirable. Especially for hardcore gamers with deep pockets. I would also consider 15-20 FPS over reference and runs much cooler at these speeds much more then a "smidge." Price wise what would a water system to run 2 7970's cost including the jackets for the gpu's run? Even then is 1300+mhz guaranteed with stability with reference bins being watercooled? These new non-reference cards clearly received better bins with the oc numbers they are claiming on air. Comparing the pros and cons the MSI lightning if it does what has been claimed seems to be a better value both in price and resale value then a water cooled reference card. Goodluck getting decent resale out of that card(reference w:/jacket) 1-2 years from now.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> As I calculated a few pages back,
> Well with HardOCP test's, 335mhz was a gain of 12.5 FPS in BF3. So a reference card at 1260mhz vs say a lightning at 1350mhz is a difference of ( 54.6FPS @ 1260 mhz ) and (58.5 @ 1350mhz) So a gain of 3.9 FPS.
> http://hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/5
> The overall gain is going to be small in terms of sheer FPS. My Antec 1200's airflow would be greatly disturbed with 2x internal venting cards. Thats why I have always liked reference. Takes what air it wants from inside, and dumps it outside of the case.


Seriously man how many people are running reference cards at 1260mhz completely stable? Very very few my friend. The MSI will run 1300-1350mhz stable and I guarantee you with the cooling it has will have even more headroom to give on air. Better bins/ components/heat sink/ Vrm's/ fans its a no brainer for me. I'd much rather have a card running 1300 mhz and be completely stable and cool then a reference card with its arse hanging over the edge both in (gpu temp/ vrm temp) with fans running near full boar completely maxed out on air . I'll pay the premium for this any day. Same goes for the new powercooler and gigabyte cards coming out. Better cooling equals higher stable clocks. You guys that keep pushing your cards on reference air are going to melt those suckers. That's a lot of money to burn up. I give a reference card in this environment (1250+mhz /reference air) 6 months before its toast.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> As I calculated a few pages back,
> Well with HardOCP test's, 335mhz was a gain of 12.5 FPS in BF3. So a reference card at 1260mhz vs say a lightning at 1350mhz is a difference of ( 54.6FPS @ 1260 mhz ) and (58.5 @ 1350mhz) So a gain of 3.9 FPS.
> http://hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/5
> The overall gain is going to be small in terms of sheer FPS. My Antec 1200's airflow would be greatly disturbed with 2x internal venting cards. Thats why I have always liked reference. Takes what air it wants from inside, and dumps it outside of the case.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously man how many people are running reference cards at 1260mhz completely stable? Very very few my friend. The MSI will run 1300-1350mhz stable and I guarantee you with the cooling it has will have even more headroom to give on air. Better bins/ components/heat sink/ Vrm's/ fans its a no brainer for me. I'd much rather have a card running 1300 mhz and be completely stable and cool then a reference card with its arse hanging over the edge both in (gpu temp/ vrm temp) with fans running near full boar completely maxed out on air . I'll pay the premium for this any day.
Click to expand...

Stop talking gibberish. MSI Alex has already stated that there's no such thing as binning. MSI do not bin silicon, stating that it's pretty much impossible in the stream.

All this I guarantee it will clock super, lol get outta here.

Also, the reference card has already proven it is the real deal. Did ya forget what card broke all them records??? Yea, the reference card lol.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Seriously man how many people are running reference cards at 1260mhz completely stable? Very very few my friend. The MSI will run 1300-1350mhz stable and I guarantee you with the cooling it has will have even more headroom to give on air. Better bins/ components/heat sink/ Vrm's/ fans its a no brainer for me. I'd much rather have a card running 1300 mhz and be completely stable and cool then a reference card with its arse hanging over the edge both in (gpu temp/ vrm temp) with fans running near full boar completely maxed out on air . I'll pay the premium for this any day.


I sense you are having to justifie waiting, and getting a non reference card such as a lightning







. Other then being quieter, I really doubt they overclock a hole lot better. I have circumaural HS1A's so noise means nothing to me. Once I get mine ill see what kind of overclock I can get. 1.2+ ghz here I come


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop talking gibberish. MSI Alex has already stated that there's no such thing as binning. MSI do not bin silicon, stating that it's pretty much impossible in the stream.
> All this I guarantee it will clock super, lol get outta here.
> Also, the reference card has already proven it is the real deal. Did ya forget what card broke all them records??? Yea, the reference card lol.


Yes 4 of them and just wait until the better non-reference cards come out. In a year no one will even care about reference cards. I don't blame you for being impatient and going reference. In 2 months I guarantee you will regret it especially what you had to pay.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> I sense you are having to justifie waiting, and getting a non reference card such as a lightning
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Other then being quieter, I really doubt they overclock a hole lot better. I have circumaural HS1A's so noise means nothing to me. Once I get mine ill see what kind of overclock I can get. 1.2+ ghz here I come


I'm actually thankful for having to wait for the 3930k C2 that's holding off my build. If not for that I would have been like you and bought a pair of reference cards and had regrets a month later when all the better cards came out.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop talking gibberish. MSI Alex has already stated that there's no such thing as binning. MSI do not bin silicon, stating that it's pretty much impossible in the stream.
> All this I guarantee it will clock super, lol get outta here.
> Also, the reference card has already proven it is the real deal. Did ya forget what card broke all them records??? Yea, the reference card lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes 4 of them and just wait until the better non-reference cards come out. In a year no one will even care about reference cards. I don't blame you for being impatient and going reference. In 2 months I guarantee you will regret it especially what you had to pay.
Click to expand...

Lol, 4 dual fan cards? Who in their right mind stacks 4 dual fan cards??

After this run of reference cards, just like with Cayman, AMD will phase out the reference design and replace it with a cheaper pcb, ala version 2. Everyday almost you get threads where can I buy a reference card? Haha, try selling a non-ref card, they stink as a resale lol.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> If a higher clocked cooler running gpu wasn't for gaming then why do you see mostly hardcore gamers trying to push there reference cards to the brink through volting/water cooling? I would say a MSI Lightning 7970 that runs completely stable at 1300mhz and runs very cool at these clocks on air is very desirable. Especially for hardcore gamers with deep pockets. I would also consider 15-20 FPS over reference and runs much cooler at these speeds much more then a "smidge." Price wise what would a water system to run 2 7970's cost including the jackets for the gpu's run? Even then is 1300+mhz guaranteed with stability with reference bins being watercooled? These new non-reference cards clearly received better bins with the oc numbers they are claiming on air. Comparing the pros and cons the MSI lightning if it does what has been claimed seems to be a better value both in price and resale value then a water cooled reference card. Goodluck getting decent resale out of that card(reference w:/jacket) 1-2 years from now.


This card is not a bad option for gaming, it is simply not worth the preimium for just gaming IMO

I think you are missing the point here, guys will be reaching for 2000 with the new lightnings ...... many will fail if not all

But you will see 1700 and 1800 core acheived by the top guys, especially guys with factory support.

I actually game with two 580 lightnings ATBH I like my reference 580's better for a gaming application.

The lightning fans stick past the cooler ever so slightly and they hit my sound card that is between them not to mention it blocks the front fan of the top card a bit, with reference eVGA's it sat in there nice not causing any trouble and all hot air was expelled from the case

So think twice if you have to put an add in card next to one .........

And I think you would have to be extremly fortunate to gain the frames you speak of considering you have your reference card overclocked as well, wait and see scaling on air won't be as great as you may think


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop talking gibberish. MSI Alex has already stated that there's no such thing as binning. MSI do not bin silicon, stating that it's pretty much impossible in the stream.
> All this I guarantee it will clock super, lol get outta here.
> Also, the reference card has already proven it is the real deal. Did ya forget what card broke all them records??? Yea, the reference card lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes 4 of them and just wait until the better non-reference cards come out. In a year no one will even care about reference cards. I don't blame you for being impatient and going reference. In 2 months I guarantee you will regret it especially what you had to pay.
Click to expand...

In a year no one will care about reference cards? In a year everyone will be talking about the 8970 reference cards. You have to jump in sometime. If you don't you'll be stuck in that 'something better is coming out soon' loop and never upgrade anything.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> This card is not a bad option for gaming, it is simply not worth the preimium for just gaming IMO
> I think you are missing the point here, guys will be reaching for 2000 with the new lightnings ...... many will fail if not all
> But you will see 1700 and 1800 core acheived by the top guys, especially guys with factory support.
> I actually game with two 580 lightnings ATBH I like my reference 580's better for a gaming application.
> The lightning fans stick past the cooler ever so slightly and they hit my sound card that is between them not to mention it blocks the front fan of the top card a bit, with reference eVGA's it sat in there nice not causing any trouble and all hot air was expelled from the case
> So think twice if you have to put an add in card next to one .........
> And I think you would have to be extremly fortunate to gain the frames you speak of considering you have your reference card overclocked as well, wait and see scaling on air won't be as great as you may think


Thankfully the asus sabertooth x79 board has a nice gap in between the two 16x slots. No matter the size of the cards I'm confident they will have plenty of space between them allowing for better cooling.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Yea my Ud4 has an extra space as well, but I have to use it for my sound card unfotunatly.

I used one of the HDMI plugs off the IO as a spacer ........... LOL


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Thankfully the asus sabertooth x79 board has a nice gap in between the two 16x slots. No matter the size of the cards I'm confident they will have plenty of space between them allowing for better cooling.


Well you better have one hell of a case when it comes to airflow. The top card is going to be getting hit with all the hot air from the bottom card. Also, you stating reference will be a no go in 6 months...







. You haven't been through a few cycles of gpus then. All you are going to be hearing is " where can I buy one? " come 6-8 months. No one is questioning your reasoning for wanting to buy a lightning, just stop saying false statements about reference cards. You seem to be so sure reference cards cant get past 1.2, when almost all I have seen have been able to without problem. We get it ... you want to wait for lightning's..... We will buy now and enjoy our reference cards







.

My MSI GD-65 also has a triple slot spacing between the PCI-E 2.0 lanes


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Well you better have one hell of a case when it comes to airflow. The top card is going to be getting hit with all the hot air from the bottom card. Also, you stating reference will be a no go in 6 months...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . You haven't been through a few cycles of gpus then. All you are going to be hearing is " where can I buy one? " come 6-8 months. No one is questioning your reasoning for wanting to buy a lightning, just stop saying false statements about reference cards. You seem to be so sure reference cards cant get past 1.2, when almost all I have seen have been able to without problem. We get it ... you want to wait for lightning's..... We will buy now and enjoy our reference cards
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> My MSI GD-65 also has a triple slot spacing between the PCI-E 2.0 lanes


Add in the massive space between the slots on the sabertooth board both 16x and this case 



 I think I'll be fine lol.


----------



## rcfc89

Just declined the package from NewEgg from UPS with the BEDD 7970'S. Its cool I still got some goodies from them in another box. feelsgoodman.jpeg


----------



## rcfc89

NewEgg just got the MSI 7970's back in stock. So hard not to pull the trigger on these. Must stay strong lol..............


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Has anyone ever seen the cards in stock at Amazon? It seems like ever since the release date, Amazon has never had any in and won't for another couple weeks at the earliest. Has anyone ordered one from them? Also, was thinking about purchasing one from ASUS, but was wondering if their OC utility (GPU Tweak) works well with CCC? I know Sapphire Trixx does, but wondering if the same can be said for GPU Tweak?


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> NewEgg just got the MSI 7970's back in stock. So hard not to pull the trigger on these. Must stay strong lol..............


what are you waiting for? I would jump on that MSi...


----------



## Witchdoctor

Just use AB, works great

Just overide max clock in cfg file to a value of 1 beside each allow unofficial clocks.......









works flawless

rfc, why did you refuse the 7970 ?


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> what are you waiting for? I would jump on that MSi...


Although very difficult I'm going to wait it out see what non-reference cards asus/sapphire/msi come out with. The asus motherboard I just picked up also does crossfireX really well so I might end up doing 7990/7970 reference cards.


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> Just use AB, works great
> Just overide max clock in cfg file to a value of 1 beside each allow unofficial clocks.......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> works flawless
> rfc, why did you refuse the 7970 ?


I mainly want to use an OC utility that works with CCC so I can get the +20% Powertune performance. I know for a fact that AB does not work with CCC, so you can't get the extra power draw potential. What is this "cfg file" you speak of and how does it help?


----------



## dezerteagle323

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> NewEgg just got the MSI 7970's back in stock. So hard not to pull the trigger on these. Must stay strong lol..............


well you did what I couldn't lol .... I wasn't strong enough and ended up ordering the Diamond one a few minutes ago after I saw newegg had some in stock .... all that money, feel like crying


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> Has anyone ever seen the cards in stock at Amazon? It seems like ever since the release date, Amazon has never had any in and won't for another couple weeks at the earliest. Has anyone ordered one from them? Also, was thinking about purchasing one from ASUS, but was wondering if their OC utility (GPU Tweak) works well with CCC? I know Sapphire Trixx does, but wondering if the same can be said for GPU Tweak?


They had a bunch on the first day of release. They had a few diamond 7970s yesterday but they sold quickly. I can't speak for the asus utility but MSI afterburner works on all 7970s

Afterburner does actually work. You need the latest beta on guru3d.com, and run it with the -xcl command line parameter. You can then tweak the voltage and overclock your heart out


----------



## ELCID777

Hey guys, new here. Decided to join after pulling the trigger myself and ordering two XFX core editions from Tiger Direct.

Am a bit upset as the cards are listed as "ships within 1 -2 days", but my order status changed about an hour after purchase to "all back-ordered".

Ended up calling their customer support and was told that they should be receiving about 45 HD 7970's later this week, or in "a couple days"......

Anybody else order from TG and having similar issues? I've never ordered anything from them before but decided to since New Egg charges tax in California.

Just spent 1,137, including 2 day shipping,. I was hoping to have them by Monday, looks like that's not going to happen


----------



## rcfc89

MSI and ASUS 7970's now available.......http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121485


----------



## wirefox

New Egg has a few references up NOW .. i just picked up an ASUS 7970 .. .can't wait .. I hope to see a good boost in BF3 and on my S950, 27" 120hz monitor .

My 5970 runs like a champ but I can feel the VRAM needs...

I was torn to wait for the 7990 but just couldn't

Can't wait for the blocks to come out!

... now when are those 3930k coming back in stock ...


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> New Egg has a few references up NOW .. i just picked up an ASUS 7970 .. .can't wait .. I hope to see a good boost in BF3 and on my S950, 27" 120hz monitor .
> My 5970 runs like a champ but I can feel the VRAM needs...
> I was torn to wait for the 7990 but just couldn't
> Can't wait for the blocks to come out!
> ... now when are those 3930k coming back in stock ...


Congrats on the upgrade it will blow your 5970 away. The 3930's should be shipped out in a couple weeks. I'm waiting too. http://www.overclock.net/t/1183303/tpu-intel-core-i7-3960x-and-i7-3930k-cpus-transitioning-to-c2-stepping-in-january/90#post_16207851


----------



## wirefox

i am hoping it will blow it away.. i have my 5970 ocz 1100/1365 and was worried I'd not see to much difference VRAM aside..

also fyi Asus' are gone ... only one MSI left...


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> MSI and ASUS 7970's now available.......http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121485


asus sold out, that was quick.


----------



## hellboy_101

I've got mine stable at 1125 / 1600 at 1.17. This runs at 75c while at 60% fan. I'd love to run it at 100% but with two of them it sounds like an airport I kid you not.

Anyways, everything runs awesomley. I get weird frame drops in SWTOR and also car view in Dirt 3 it drops from 120 fps to 25. Small issue. But yeh. Other then that loving it. If only I could get movies across 3 screens without stretching!


----------



## sockpirate

MSI and ASUS do Warranty by serial correct? These would be the best options for easiest resale/RMA by second owner correct?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> asus sold out, that was quick.


Hotcakes ... I literally was checking the site ... and bought it ... about 2 minutes later .. I gotten a notify email from newegg saying the Asus reference was available.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Hey guys, new here.


Welcome.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Decided to join after pulling the trigger myself and ordering two XFX core editions from Tiger Direct.


Gratz!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Am a bit upset as the cards are listed as "ships within 1 -2 days", but my order status changed about an hour after purchase to "all back-ordered".
> Ended up calling their customer support and was told that they should be receiving about 45 HD 7970's later this week, or in "a couple days"......
> Anybody else order from TG and having similar issues? I've never ordered anything from them before but decided to since New Egg charges tax in California.
> Just spent 1,137, including 2 day shipping,. I was hoping to have them by Monday, looks like that's not going to happen


In my opinion, TigerDirect are more awesome than NewEgg, especially lately. Give them a chance and they will do right by you.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> MSI and ASUS do Warranty by serial correct? These would be the best options for easiest resale/RMA by second owner correct?


anyone?


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> anyone?


Correct


----------



## Twistacles

*** is wrong with ncix. I ordered friday and it still hasnt even been shipped OUT yet...

I want to play BF3 but my 4870 @512mb cant barely run it at 1440x900


----------



## ceteris

Was able to nab an Asus reference after the e-mail notification *DING'D* on my iPhone. I ran upstairs and ordered one lickity split within the 10-20 minute window it was in stock haha.

I didn't really like paying the tax however. I was watching Amazon forever after their price adjustment to $559.99, despite remaining out of stock. Oh well, I guess I'll just write the tax off as overnight shipping. Paid normal shipping but I live nearby and should get tomorrow. I like Tiger Direct. I got my Corsair GT's from them and got it fast. Just that they only have 2 brands I didn't care to order at this moment.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ceteris*
> 
> Was able to nab an Asus reference after the e-mail notification *DING'D* on my iPhone. I ran upstairs and ordered one lickity split within the 10-20 minute window it was in stock haha.
> I didn't really like paying the tax however. I was watching Amazon forever after their price adjustment to $559.99, despite remaining out of stock. Oh well, I guess I'll just write the tax off as overnight shipping. Paid normal shipping but I live nearby and should get tomorrow. I like Tiger Direct. I got my Corsair GT's from them and got it fast. Just that they only have 2 brands I didn't care to order at this moment.


Aye, that tax is a killer. I had 4 on order from Newegg and the tax and shipping totaled almost half the cost of a single card ahaha. I was like screw that, I can wait for that sort of cash. C'mon Amazon!


----------



## slice259

Ya I ordered 2 MSI 7970's last Friday as soon as they posted them. Time will tell but it appears that the package me be heading to a wrong address....







. Also UPS screwed up with my guaranteed 3 Day.... Its going to be 4 Days... Talked with Newegg and I can get a shipping credit. I have ordered so much stuff offline being in the motocross scene, never would have guessed this would be happening. I will remain strong for my 2 babies to show up







! My antec 1200 is ready for them







.


----------



## JedixJarf

Holy cow guys. Just got the 7970 up and runnin... works like a freaking champ. Sucker OC's like a dream @ stock clocks and stays cool with a low fan profile.


----------



## HeliXpc

Yeah these cards are epic, kind of reminds me of the 5870. Overclocked above 1.2ghz these things are blazing fast. Most will do 1.2ghz


----------



## vypr

Will they do that on the stock cooling? I downloaded asus gpu tweak, are you guys using this? and increasing the gpu clock and leaving the memory clock alone? I have never OC'd a video card before.


----------



## vypr

I also had another question that maybe someone can chime in on.
I just bought my 7970 from microcenter. I debated between the XFX and Diamond flavors. I went with the XFX flavor because the sales clerk stated that it came with the lifetime warranty. Well, now after reading through alot of this thread It clearly does not have the lifetime warranty. Also, the card model number is radeonR7970 Core edition. Now is this different the say the HD 7970 reference cards? I cannot even find the Core on any retailers websites, nor can I find mention of a core edition. No win gpu-id it lists it as an HD7970. The core edition did not come with DP adapter, just a hdmi to dvi.
I am thinking I should return the XFX and the dp adapter I bought and get the diamond, for the 5 year warranty and the included adapters, for the same price. Any thoughts?


----------



## tsm106

The Core edition is just the standard 7970. It only has a 2 yr warranty. You should find that sales rep and kick his arse, hehe jk. I canceled my XFX Core cards from Newegg for the same reason, well that and the massive tax when you get more than a few cards.


----------



## vypr

I figured it was a reference card. But you never know. I WILL be making the hour trip back to microcenter on sunday to exchange for the diamond card. extra 3 years is worth my gas.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Since I'll be selling in a year a reference card with a 100 dollar water jacket will not have the resale a non-reference better cooled air card would have since the majority don't liquid cool there gpu's. Just look at the sales comparisons between the lc 580 and the normal one. Although better for extreme overclocking most don't go this route. Plus I think with a 3930k at 5.0mhz and (2)7970's at 1200+mhz I'll be fine at 5760x1080 eyefinity. Resale is a big part of me deciding to stay away from reference. In a year no one will want them with all the cool oc'd non-reference cards that will be out.


I don't agree. After year or 2 selling price of reference and non-reference card are nearly equal. You can always put a reference cooler back on card before selling. Resale doesnt matter to me. I buy cards for playing games... benchmarking and overclocking is an extra...
My 4870X2 lasts 3,5 years and still all games runs nice on 1920x1200


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> I don't agree. After year or 2 selling price of reference and non-reference card are nearly equal. You can always put a reference cooler back on card before selling. Resale doesnt matter to me. I buy cards for playing games... benchmarking and overclocking is an extra...
> My 4870X2 lasts 3,5 years and still all games runs nice on 1920x1200


That's were you and I differ my friend. I have to have the best of whats available or close to it. Single monitor / single gpu/ i5 2500 isn't going to cut it for me. Resale value is a major factor for me. I'll be selling the cards in a year to upgrade to the newest and greatest. I'm debating on since this is my plan to go ahead and buy two MSI reference cards now or wait until march for the 7990 and crossfire it with a 7970 for trifire and in a year sell the 7970 and pair the 7990 with another one for quadfire. Does anyone know which brands will be selling the 7990? If MSI is in on it I might go ahead and grab a 7970.


----------



## Arizonian

Ok - some questions.

Seeing that most 7970's regardless of vendor are hitting 1125Mhz Core and for the most part leaving it at stock 1375Mhz Memory. Noticing no voltage bump.

A. What's the stock voltage? Does it vary even for same vendors?

B. Anyone run a 3DMark11 bench on single 1920x1200 resolution monitor? I don't see any in the first page specs. _Didn't notice anyone with screen shots of benchmarks with validation._

C. For those running at 1275Mhz Core 1575Mhz Memory what is your voltage set at? Is this a safe 24/7 over clock?

D. Anyone tackle 3D Vision blu-ray or 3D Vision gaming on a 120Hz monitor? Where can I find the info on how to accomplish this with AMD? _I've got an expensive Alienware OptX AW2310 monitor and it would really help me make the move back to AMD if I could figure out how to get the 3D Vision going._

Thanks in advance for anyone's assistance.


----------



## wirefox

if I'm running my 5970 @ 1100 | 1365 1.287 -- pretty stable most of the time for games... Is the 1365 the "VRAM" everyone says is need to run BF3 smother?

At present I play BF3 on med setting I get 90-120+ FPS vscyn on with my SA950










Am I going to have a come to jesus moment with the 7970 ... or a MEH ... (in caps)

I'd imagine I'd get similar fps but maybe smoother b/c of additional VRAM? less power draw and CF driver issues ?

I have a 7970 on the way ... but having some remorse


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> if I'm running my 5970 @ 1100 | 1365 1.287 -- pretty stable most of the time for games... Is the 1365 the "VRAM" everyone says is need to run BF3 smother?
> At present I play BF3 on med setting I get 90-120+ FPS vscyn on with my SA950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Am I going to have a come to jesus moment with the 7970 ... or a MEH ... (in caps)
> I'd imagine I'd get similar fps but maybe smoother b/c of additional VRAM? less power draw and CF driver issues ?
> I have a 7970 on the way ... but having some remorse


its a better choice.
single core, less hassle, more ram, not so much sync issues with frames(microstuttering) and new tech.
cant go wrong.


----------



## Tslm

When do they normally start shipping them with the cheaper PCB? Contemplating a third card to go with my new PSU that's coming tomorrow









Before you laugh at my CPU, I plan to move to Ivy Bridge in April


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> if I'm running my 5970 @ 1100 | 1365 1.287 -- pretty stable most of the time for games... Is the 1365 the "VRAM" everyone says is need to run BF3 smother?
> At present I play BF3 on med setting I get 90-120+ FPS vscyn on with my SA950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Am I going to have a come to jesus moment with the 7970 ... or a MEH ... (in caps)
> I'd imagine I'd get similar fps but maybe smoother b/c of additional VRAM? less power draw and CF driver issues ?
> I have a 7970 on the way ... but having some remorse


No 1365mhz is not your "vram"... Your card has 1gb of vram where as the 7970's have 3gb. You aren't hitting that buffer because you play on medium settings.. If you put your settings to ultra or even high with a little AA you will absolutely hit that buffer. Also your card wouldn't fair well in BF3 in eyefinity. The 7970 is a beast


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> When do they normally start shipping them with the cheaper PCB? Contemplating a third card to go with my new PSU that's coming tomorrow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Before you laugh at my CPU, I plan to move to Ivy Bridge in April


Not until demand goes down / sometime not even then OR when competition rivals or matches them where they hand is forced.

Next cards after reference is non- reference and they come in at higher pricing when vendors customize it with better parts and / or better cooling.


----------



## Levesque

To know which VID card you have:

Run MSI afterburner with the /rr174 command line switch. You will get 2 numbers, for example 00000174 and 00003xxx

There are 3 or 4 default vids: 1050 mv, 1125 mv, 1175 mv.

Lower VID GPUs overclock higher, and with less volts than higher VID GPU's...

*Lower VID GPU's are those with the second number starting with "3"*.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> To know which VID card you have:
> Run MSI afterburner with the /rr174 command line switch. You will get 2 numbers, for example 00000174 and 00003xxx
> There are 3 or 4 default vids: 1050 mv, 1125 mv, 1175 mv.
> Lower VID GPUs overclock higher, and with less volts than higher VID GPU's...
> *Lower VID GPU's are those with the second number starting with "3"*.


What number does your Asus return?


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Ok - some questions.
> Seeing that most 7970's regardless of vendor are hitting 1125Mhz Core and for the most part leaving it at stock 1375Mhz Memory. Noticing no voltage bump.
> A. What's the stock voltage? Does it vary even for same vendors?
> B. Anyone run a 3DMark11 bench on single 1920x1200 resolution monitor? I don't see any in the first page specs. _Didn't notice anyone with screen shots of benchmarks with validation._
> C. For those running at 1275Mhz Core 1575Mhz Memory what is your voltage set at? Is this a safe 24/7 over clock?
> D. Anyone tackle 3D Vision blu-ray or 3D Vision gaming on a 120Hz monitor? Where can I find the info on how to accomplish this with AMD? _I've got an expensive Alienware OptX AW2310 monitor and it would really help me make the move back to AMD if I could figure out how to get the 3D Vision going._
> Thanks in advance for anyone's assistance.


A. AB reports my stock voltage on my ASUS as 1174mv, but ASUS GPU Tweak sees it as 1168mv. On top of that, Sapphire Trixx reports it as 1170mv. At this point I'm not even sure what exact stock VID I have. I've seen other people reporting as low as 1.05v for ASUS cards.

B. I did a run @ 1920x1080, 1120/1650 on memory. Vantage and 11.

C. My card refuses to go over 1120 with reasonable fan profile, no matter the voltage and powertune settings. I suspect it's VRM temperature, or something else is getting too hot, because GPU temp is low 70s. Memory went all the way to 1650 without any problems, and I think I can push it higher. For now I settled for 1120/1650 at 1174mv in AB. I've tried *lowering* stock VID as other people suggested, but it didn't help. Going from 925 to 1120 on stock volts is not bad by any means, I'm just puzzled it does't respond too well to voltage on air. I'm going to wait and see, maybe there is a workaround to this.

D. As far as I can tell, you can't do 3D with AMD on AW2310. My 3D Vision kit is on vacation for now too.


----------



## Tslm

My second number is all 0s using the /rr174 command?

My voltages according to AB using the voltage monitor:

GPU1 Idle: 0.798v
GPU2 Idle: 0.796v

GPU1 Load: 1.097v
GPU2 Load: 1.093v

The actual voltage slider is 1112mv. GPU1 is Sapphire, GPU2 is HIS.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> A. AB reports my stock voltage on my ASUS as 1174mv, but ASUS GPU Tweak sees it as 1168mv. On top of that, Sapphire Trixx reports it as 1170mv. At this point I'm not even sure what exact stock VID I have. I've seen other people reporting as low as 1.05v for ASUS cards.
> B. I did a run @ 1920x1080, 1120/1650 on memory. Vantage and 11.
> C. My card refuses to go over 1120 with reasonable fan profile, no matter the voltage and powertune settings. I suspect it's VRM temperature, or something else is getting too hot, because GPU temp is low 70s. Memory went all the way to 1650 without any problems, and I think I can push it higher. For now I settled for 1120/1650 at 1174mv in AB. I've tried *lowering* stock VID as other people suggested, but it didn't help. Going from 925 to 1120 on stock volts is not bad by any means, I'm just puzzled it does't respond too well to voltage on air. I'm going to wait and see, maybe there is a workaround to this.
> D. As far as I can tell, you can't do 3D with AMD on AW2310. My 3D Vision kit is on vacation for now too.


Thanks for the info Dimmy, great info. What was your raw graphic score (not combined total) on the 3DMark11 at 1120/1650 at 1174mv?

Your not the only one who can't over clock past a certain point even with more voltage. Your right the OC from 925 to 1120 is great. The card runs with less power consumption and less heat dissipation.

It seem the 28nm does not respond well to heat in mid 70's. Some are reporting at 61C they crash if pushed further. I'd have thought pushing some voltage even small amounts would allow for slightly higher OC past stock like the 48nm GPU's are able to accomplish. That's just been the rule of thumb.

In retrospect, I'm taking it your have some great idle temps and max throttle temps when you are stable however?


----------



## bodean

So I just purchased a Sapphire 7970, upgraded from 5850. I never overclocked my old video card. Two questions for a newbie.
1) What app do I want to use to overclock the 7970?
2) What is a good initial overclock setting for this card to test it out?


----------



## dezerteagle323

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bodean*
> 
> So I just purchased a Sapphire 7970, upgraded from 5850. I never overclocked my old video card. Two questions for a newbie.
> 1) What app do I want to use to overclock the 7970?
> 2) What is a good initial overclock setting for this card to test it out?


Use the latest msi afterburner beta to overclock the card (after enabling unofficial overclocking mode in the .cfg file)

Use a program like Heaven to test your card for stability after overclocking it (or some intensive game like BF3 for a while)

Most people seem to be hitting 1125 core 1500-ish memory without any voltage bump, so thats a good place to start


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bodean*
> 
> So I just purchased a Sapphire 7970, upgraded from 5850. I never overclocked my old video card. Two questions for a newbie.
> 1) What app do I want to use to overclock the 7970?
> 2) What is a good initial overclock setting for this card to test it out?


With Sapphire you can use SAPPHIRE TriXX or a universal and best overclocking utility MSI Afterburner.

I've been doing some homework being interested myself in the 7970 and looking into the OC capability of this card. Seems *1125 Mhz Core and 1575 Mhz Memory* are a great place to end up from stock clocks and without having to apply voltage. Before you apply voltage you should become more familiar with over clocking. Adding voltage to a card can be detrimental if you pass it's safe threshold. Also seems Memory over clocks don't give as much FPS gains more than just raise VRAM temps and may actually hold back the Core over clock one can achieve.

You can download all your Sapphire drivers directly from Sapphire if you've not done so. Good luck and enjoy.









Each cards over clocking capabilities mileage may vary. Some do better than others even from same vendor. You'd have to find your own range.

A good place to see if your over clock is stable is to run through a 3DMark11 Benchmark. If you can get through it your next step is to play a game and see if it holds up without crashing. Choose your most intensive game and max out the settings for best test results.


----------



## Ken1649

Memory Voltage Contol for Reference 7970 - Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11

*MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11*

Added memory voltage control for reference design AMD RADEON 7970 graphics cards with CHL8228 voltage regulators.

Select the small button (red arrow) drop down the option to tweak Memory Voltage.

Nothing has changed; enable "unoffical overclocking" to have these options *HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner*

**


----------



## DimmyK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Thanks for the info Dimmy, great info. What was your raw graphic score (not combined total) on the 3DMark11 at 1120/1650 at 1174mv?
> Your not the only one who can't over clock past a certain point even with more voltage. Your right the OC from 925 to 1120 is great. The card runs with less power consumption and less heat dissipation.
> It seem the 28nm does not respond well to heat in mid 70's. Some are reporting at 61C they crash if pushed further. I'd have thought pushing some voltage even small amounts would allow for slightly higher OC past stock like the 48nm GPU's are able to accomplish. That's just been the rule of thumb.
> In retrospect, I'm taking it your have some great idle temps and max throttle temps when you are stable however?


By "raw" you mean "Graphics Score"? 9278



Yeah, this card responds differently to voltage increase on air compared to my GTX 580. So I'm sitting tight for now, and keeping my eyes open for possible solution. Temps are very good: sitting at 37C idle (72F ambient) @ 20% (inaudible) fan and typically 70-72C on load with 45-50% fan. Oddly enough, I find the noise signature of 7970 ref cooler under load more pleasant that super-duper twin frozer's III on my 580 Lightning.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> By "raw" you mean "Graphics Score"? 9278
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, this card responds differently to voltage increase on air compared to my GTX 580. So I'm sitting tight for now, and keeping my eyes open for possible solution. Temps are very good: sitting at 37C idle (72F ambient) @ 20% (inaudible) fan and typically 70-72C on load with 45-50% fan. Oddly enough, I find the noise signature of 7970 ref cooler under load more pleasant that super-duper twin frozer's III on my 580 Lightning.


Nice score! Even without the extra voltage over clock head room on the 28nm's performance is really impressive.

I like to know the graphic score because everyone's CPU set up is different and is taken into consideration with combined score. The raw graphic score is based solely on the GPU and over clock on the GPU to achieve it.

As for your weird numbers between software from previous post you stated, I'm sure it's only software related catching up with the new cards and will be fixed with newer releases.

Thanks Dimmy. +1 rep for your info and time.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Memory Voltage Contol for Reference 7970 - Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11
> 
> *MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11*
> 
> Added memory voltage control for reference design AMD RADEON 7970 graphics cards with CHL8228 voltage regulators.
> 
> Select the small button (red arrow) drop down the option to tweak Memory Voltage.
> 
> Nothing has changed; enable "unoffical overclocking" to have these options *HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner*
> 
> **


Still taps out at 1.3v & 1390 core









Anybody using Trixx or Asus utility and if so are as limited as this AB beta ???


----------



## Denim-187

My two cards are different VIDS.....
One is 1112mv, the other is 1174mv

The 1112mv overclocks to 1230mhz @ 1170mv
The 1174mv can't go past 1085mhz @ stock and can't move up no matter what voltage i use.

*The 2nd card in my crossfire won't goto sleep*.... *Anyone else??*

Also, would we still need to use the ASUS bios for the new Afterburner?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> My two cards are different VIDS.....
> One is 1112mv, the other is 1174mv
> The 1112mv overclocks to 1230mhz @ 1170mv
> The 1174mv can't go past 1085mhz @ stock and can't move up no matter what voltage i use.
> The 2nd card in my crossfire won't goto sleep.... *Anyone else??*


Wait, can you actually run the two in crossfire at different clocks? I thought they'd have to be both at the highest clocks of the lowest one's capability? In other words both running at 1085Mhz Core in your case with your lowest achiever?

One thing I'm noticing as a common denominator is the 28nm GPU's don't respond to over volting to achieve higher over clocks. Albiet the performance is still awesome and above previous single 48nm GPU's.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> My two cards are different VIDS.....
> One is 1112mv, the other is 1174mv
> The 1112mv overclocks to 1230mhz @ 1170mv
> The 1174mv can't go past 1085mhz @ stock and can't move up no matter what voltage i use.
> *The 2nd card in my crossfire won't goto sleep*.... *Anyone else??*
> Also, would we still need to use the ASUS bios for the new Afterburner?


They're both Sapphires?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Wait, can you actually run the two in crossfire at different clocks? I thought they'd have to be both at the highest clocks of the lowest one's capability? In other words both running at 1085Mhz Core?
> One thing I'm noticing as a common denominator is the 28nm GPU's don't respond to over volting to achieve higher over clocks. Albiet the performance is still awesome and above previous single 48nm GPU's.


Well them results were when i was testing individually, ofcourse they both run at 1085mhz in crossfire though.
I'd like to sit at 1150mhz stable but that damn weak link card is a dud overclocker.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> They're both Sapphires?


No one is HIS, the sapphire isn't sleeping.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> My two cards are different VIDS.....
> One is 1112mv, the other is 1174mv
> 
> The 1112mv overclocks to 1230mhz @ 1170mv
> The 1174mv can't go past 1085mhz @ stock and can't move up no matter what voltage i use.
> 
> *The 2nd card in my crossfire won't goto sleep*.... *Anyone else??*
> 
> Also, would we still need to use the ASUS bios for the new Afterburner?


The 2nd card wont sleep if you have a program with hardware acceleration open, even if the 2nd card wont be used. Firefox wakes up my 2nd card for example.

Are those voltage readings from the voltage slider? If so how do you adjust the 2nd cards voltage without changing the first one?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The 2nd card wont sleep if you have a program with hardware acceleration open, even if the 2nd card wont be used. Firefox wakes up my 2nd card for example.
> Are those voltage readings from the voltage slider? If so how do you adjust the 2nd cards voltage without changing the first one?


Un synchronize the GPU's in settings....there is a drop down menu in Afterburner where you can choose the GPU's


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> My two cards are different VIDS.....
> One is 1112mv, the other is 1174mv
> The 1112mv overclocks to 1230mhz @ 1170mv
> The 1174mv can't go past 1085mhz @ stock and can't move up no matter what voltage i use.
> *The 2nd card in my crossfire won't goto sleep*.... *Anyone else??*
> Also, would we still need to use the ASUS bios for the new Afterburner?


*The 2nd card in my crossfire won't goto sleep*

That's when ULPS is turned off to avoid throttling and it's perfectly normal.

Let's wait for awhile, they will release RBE to support voltage BIOS editing for 7970. This will avoild using Afterburner/Trixx/Asus etc to overclcok the cards.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Wait, can you actually run the two in crossfire at different clocks? I thought they'd have to be both at the highest clocks of the lowest one's capability? In other words both running at 1085Mhz Core in your case with your lowest achiever?
> One thing I'm noticing as a common denominator is the 28nm GPU's don't respond to over volting to achieve higher over clocks. Albiet the performance is still awesome and above previous single 48nm GPU's.
Click to expand...

*Yes, AMD cards are capable to run at it's own respective clocks and voltages independent of each other in crossfire/Trifire/Quadfire*.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> *The 2nd card in my crossfire won't goto sleep*
> 
> That's when ULPS is turned off to avoid throttling and it's perfectly normal.
> 
> *Let's wait for awhile, they will release RBE to support voltage BIOS editing for 7970. This will avoild using Afterburner/Trixx/Asus etc to overclcok the cards.*


Amen to that!!!

On that note, my Visionteks have shipped yay.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The 2nd card wont sleep if you have a program with hardware acceleration open, even if the 2nd card wont be used. Firefox wakes up my 2nd card for example.
> Are those voltage readings from the voltage slider? If so how do you adjust the 2nd cards voltage without changing the first one?
> 
> 
> 
> Un synchronize the GPU's in settings....there is a drop down menu in Afterburner where you can choose the GPU's
Click to expand...

I didnt realise that was a drop down menu haha. Thanks

Yeah both mine are 1112mv


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> *Yes, AMD cards are capable to run at it's own respective clocks and voltages independent of each other in crossfire/Trifire/Quadfire*.


REALLY ????????????? so i can run one card at 1230 and one at 1085 ?????????? i feel so noob -.-


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> REALLY ????????????? so i can run one card at 1230 and one at 1085 ?????????? i feel so noob -.-


We've been saying that since Cayman release. The idea that clocks are locked is a relic from the past.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> We've been saying that since Cayman release. The idea that clocks are locked is a relic from the past.


Well i'll be gawd damned ...








..... back to the benching table....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Well i'll be gawd damned ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ..... back to the benching table....


And when you run different clocks the cards will scale individually so it won't be hmmm, how should I put it, lopsided.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I didnt realise that was a drop down menu haha. Thanks
> Yeah both mine are 1112mv


Swap for a 1174mv that does 1085 @ stock and sum cash on top ?









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> And when you run different clocks the cards will scale individually so it won't be hmmm, how should I put it, lopsided.


So your saying it works perfectly fine with no errors right? i shall try this obscure new-to-me method


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> We've been saying that since Cayman release. The idea that clocks are locked is a relic from the past.
> 
> 
> 
> Well i'll be gawd damned ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ..... back to the benching table....
Click to expand...

The worse card is the slave card in your setup ya? Do you notice its temperature creeping up to your good card? I'm guessing slightly worse chips may be a bit warmer than better ones
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I didnt realise that was a drop down menu haha. Thanks
> Yeah both mine are 1112mv
> 
> 
> 
> Swap for a 1174mv that does 1085 @ stock and sum cash on top ?
Click to expand...

No!


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Let's wait for awhile, they will release RBE to support voltage BIOS editing for 7970. This will avoild using Afterburner/Trixx/Asus etc to overclcok the cards.


Another +1. I'm waiting for the next Radeon Bios Editor (RBE) to flash my BIOS and stop using any software (be it Afterburner or the new Asus Tweak utility).

That's the best way to OC those cards.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The worse card is the slave card in your setup ya? Do you notice its temperature creeping up to your good card? I'm guessing slightly worse chips may be a bit warmer than better ones.


Actually, the better clocker is warmer..... @ stock and lower voltage.
Work that out. It's the sapphire one.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The worse card is the slave card in your setup ya? Do you notice its temperature creeping up to your good card? I'm guessing slightly worse chips may be a bit warmer than better ones
> No!


No, slightly worse chips just crash sooner. They will hit an invisible limit and no amount of voltage can break thru it. All my cards run within a few degrees of each other btw.

You guys need to be patient and wait for the bios tools, also for the new racerx mod. Overclocking with Afterburner is like using a sledgehammer, you hit everything and you don't know if you got what you wanted exactly. I hate using AB, in fact I don't use it at all!


----------



## Denim-187

Levesque, how do i get my DUD card, to somehow wake up to it's self?
Would an AL-Pacino slap work u reckon?
No seriously is there anyway to get this chip to clock at least 1150mhz since its only doing 1085 with voltage not doing a thing good for it?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The worse card is the slave card in your setup ya? Do you notice its temperature creeping up to your good card? I'm guessing slightly worse chips may be a bit warmer than better ones.
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, the better clocker is warmer..... @ stock and lower voltage.
> Work that out. It's the sapphire one.
Click to expand...

Odd









Seeing as how temp sensitive Tahiti is you'd think that would help some with overclocking if it ran cooler. It doesnt like voltage though so I guess thats the kicker


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Odd
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seeing as how temp sensitive Tahiti is you'd think that would help some with overclocking if it ran cooler. It doesnt like voltage though so I guess thats the kicker


I can get the card to go all out 1150 mhz on lower voltage 1112mv perfect in furmark ( this is the 1174mv HIS bad clocker btw)
But come to game it crashs.... Work that one out too ....


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Odd
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seeing as how temp sensitive Tahiti is you'd think that would help some with overclocking if it ran cooler. It doesnt like voltage though so I guess thats the kicker


If we could monitor VRM and shader/mem temps you would probably see the "Dud" card heating up much more around those areas than his good card. Full coverage water block time!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> If we could monitor VRM and shader/mem temps you would probably see the "Dud" card heating up much more around those areas than his good card. Full coverage water block time!


That's purely speculative. It's the silicon that dictates the overclock, not memory nor vrms.


----------



## Denim-187

Can somebody tell me how to do that command line in afterburner plox


----------



## Evil Penguin

I highly doubt that the VRM temps are limiting overclocks.
Something is causing the card to enter into a blank screen when stress testing at higher voltages, but what?
Sure I could speculate that the board has a max set current limitation that we are potentially reaching...
I want to know exactly what's causing the Black SOD.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Can somebody tell me how to do that command line in afterburner plox


The what now?
Unofficial overclocking?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I can get the card to go all out 1150 mhz on lower voltage 1112mv perfect in furmark ( this is the 1174mv HIS bad clocker btw)
> But come to game it crashs.... Work that one out too ....


This thread is moving too fast for me









To rule out if it has anything to do with the PSU PCIe +12V for the second 7970 and the PCIe lanes disparity (@x16/x4 or @x8/x4), remove the first 7970 then put the second one in and use the same PCIe power as the first one. Start the overclock from there.

That will tell you for sure how it can clocks and the limits. When you mix 2 to 4 cards in crossfire, there are many variables that could lead you to believe you got dud cards.

Enable "unofficial overclocking" HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner

Or

-xcl

Create shortcut "C:\Program Files (x86)\afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" -xcl

You will be prompted to restart PC. Upon reboot edit the shortcut and then remove the -xcl


----------



## tsm106

^^Adding to that. If you crossfire, it behooves you to test each card individually before making the crossfire group. You need to know each card's maximum, otherwise you will feel helpless when you cannot get all the cards to run the same speeds, when you don't know each cards individual limit.


----------



## Denim-187

/rr174 That command line....how do you use it? It tells you your cards VID in afterburner
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Adding to that. If you crossfire, it behooves you to test each card individually before making the crossfire group. You need to know each card's maximum, otherwise you will feel helpless when you cannot get all the cards to run the same speeds, when you don't know each cards individual limit.


Yeah but can't you run different clocks on the cards in crossfire?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Make sure AB is not open and then:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner
You would have to open up MSIAfterburner.cfg with the text editor and then change the last few lines in the bottom to:

_UnofficialOverclockingEULA = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
UnofficialOverclockingMode = 2_

It's important you set the UO mode to "2" in order to disable PowerPlay.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> This thread is moving too fast for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To rule out if it has anything to do with the PSU PCIe +12V for the second 7970 and the PCIe lanes disparity (@x16/x4 or @x8/x4), remove the first 7970 then put the second one in and use the same PCIe power as the first one. Start the overclock from there.
> 
> That will tell you for sure how it can clocks and the limits. When you mix 2 to 4 cards in crossfire, there are many variables that could lead you to believe you got dud cards.


It is the primary adapter, its getting sufficient power and the lanes are 8x like they should be. Weird how im perfectly 100% furmark stable but OCCT, GPUtool and Games tell me otherwise.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> /rr174 That command line....how do you use it? It tells you your cards VID in afterburner
> Yeah but can't you run different clocks on the cards in crossfire?


Didn't we just go over this? Yes you can. You have to manually go to each card to set its clocks, set them differently. Try it.


----------



## Denim-187

No man i know how to enable unofficial overclocking..... im talking about the /rr174 command line to see VIDs


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> No man i know how to enable unofficial overclocking..... im talking about the /rr174 command line to see VIDs


http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=4221789



Quote:


> A few interesting observations on Thaiti GPUs. First, it looks like similar to Fermi, Thaiti GPUs are binned and there are 4 types of Tahiti GPUs with different ASIC leakage level. So depending on it there are 4 possible default 3D voltages: 1.17500V, 1.11250V, 1.05000V and 1.02500V.
> Currently all voltage control tools use hardcoded default voltage (1.175V) for 7970, so pressing "Reset"/"Defaults" buttons in any voltage control tool will put any GPU to 1.175V regardless of leakage level.
> It looks like I have located the fuses identifying GPU leakage level, but I need more statistics on it. So if you have 7970 please run MSI Afterburner with the following command line switch:
> 
> *MSIAfterburner.exe /rr174*
> 
> Then post the result here, and don't forget to mention your default voltage as well.
> 
> Alexey Nicolaychuk aka Unwinder, RivaTuner creator


----------



## Denim-187

^
TY sir


----------



## tsm106

That's a big deviation. Cayman only had two to this four, damn.


----------



## Denim-187

Easier way to identify the VIDs....
6 pin connecter on card :

Black = *1175mv*
Grey = *1112mv or lower*

WOW, coded


----------



## Ken1649

Definitely lower is better for higher achievable clocks









Looks like really lucks of the draw this round


----------



## wTheOnew

Anyone notice a pattern with what brands come with what VID or is it random?

My Asus is a 1175.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I got a _2dc0_ chip which is on the lower end of quality spectrum.


----------



## Denim-187

Turns out i have a champion overclocker that does 1200mhz @ 1138mv and can be pushed harder.

Coupled with a complete dud that hits an invisible wall at 1090mhz 1174 vid.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I got a _2dc0_ chip which is on the lower end of quality spectrum.


Do they all have a code associated with them? AB gives me 0000.


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Easier way to identify the VIDs....
> 6 pin connecter on card :
> Black = *1175mv*
> Grey = *1112mv or lower*
> WOW, coded


Well come tomorrow when I get my 2 msi 7970's ill be hoping I see 2 grey 6 Pin connectors


----------



## DimmyK

Yep, Unwinder says there are 4 binned types:
Quote:


> AMD uses the following table to select VID depending on ASIC quality:
> 
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V


I got 00002dd0.


----------



## Aventadoor

How do I check which type I got?
Where do I type in that MsiAfterburner.exe/rr74?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> How do I check which type I got?
> Where do I type in that MsiAfterburner.exe/rr74?


Either in the command line or append it to the shortcut's path temporarily.
Quote:


> "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner" /rr174


One way to do it ^


----------



## Ken1649

Guys, you need to install *MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11* to get the correct readings..

*MSIAfterburner.exe /rr174*

Looks like 7990s will have higher clocks again.

Quote:


> Not exactly. Bits 4-13 of reg 174 are fuses reflecting ASIC leakage/quality, 100% quality is 3ff. So my ASIC (23e0) is 23e/3ff = 574/1023 = 56%.
> 
> AMD uses the following table to select VID depending on ASIC quality:
> 
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V
> 
> Also, don't confuse others with posts like _"unlocking voltage control forces the voltage to 1175 mv automatically, I think, if anything is changed"_ please, it is not correct. Unlocking voltage control in Afterburner or using Trixx does not inclrease voltrage automatically. But pressing "Reset" button does.
> 
> Alexey Nicolaychuk aka Unwinder, RivaTuner creator


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Either in the command line or append it to the shortcut's path temporarily.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner" /rr174
> 
> 
> 
> One way to do it ^
Click to expand...

Srry could you tell in a easier way?
I try 2 click start > run > Msiafterburner.exe/rr74, nothing happens or it cant find the program thing
Same if I try CMD...


----------



## wTheOnew

^^ I get 00000000 no matter what version I'm running. But then again, B11 seems to be all sorts of borked up on my machine. B10 worked fine, but no amount of uninstalling and reinstalling has fixed whatever issue B11 has on my box. :/


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Srry could you tell in a easier way?
> I try 2 click start > run > Msiafterburner.exe/rr74, nothing happens or it cant find the program thing
> Same if I try CMD...


Edit your AB shortcut and add _/rr74_ to the end of the target field.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Srry could you tell in a easier way?
> I try 2 click start > run > Msiafterburner.exe/rr74, nothing happens or it cant find the program thing
> Same if I try CMD...


64 or 32 bit machine? You could try copy and pasting the text I quoted into the run command. It will run if you have a 64-bit machine and installed AB to the default location.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Edit your AB shortcut and add _/rr74_ to the end of the target field.


Or do that.

(I didn't explain that way because I'd rather do arguments via command line. just my liking.)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Guys, you need to install *MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11* to get the correct readings..
> 
> *MSIAfterburner.exe /rr174*
> 
> Looks like 7990s will have higher clocks again.


Quote:


> AMD uses the following table to select VID depending on ASIC quality:
> 
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V


Don't forget the multigpu commands:
Quote:


> If you have multiple GPUs use:
> 
> MSIAfterburner.exe /sg0 /rr174
> to select and dump the first GPU
> MSIAfterburner.exe /sg1 /rr174
> to select and dump the second GPU and so on


*darn quote left out the leakage table.


----------



## Denim-187

In all reality.... You shouldn't really worry bout the VID type unless your putting them under water and going for extreme OC's.
IMO, 1050 - 1100 is really good for 24/7 on the reference cards.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Edit your AB shortcut and add _/rr74_ to the end of the target field.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> In all reality.... You shouldn't really worry bout the VID type unless your putting them under water and going for extreme OC's.
> IMO, 1050 - 1100 is really good for 24/7 on the reference cards.


Durnit.







You think the various VIDs are random from vendor to vendor? I would assume ATI just fabbed the chips, assigned that register based on their testing, and shipped them to the IAB partners?


----------



## Aventadoor

Meh, I had version : 00002ef0

Its on at 1200/1525 @ 1,2V


----------



## CallsignVega

My card #1 is 2EB0 and card #2 is 3550.

Might have to play around with individual overclocks.

Both have been doing fine though 1200/1600 @ 1.2v.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> My card #1 is 2EB0 and card #2 is 3550.
> Might have to play around with individual overclocks.
> Both have been doing fine though 1200/1600 @ 1.2v.


Are you 100% stable? I doubt it if you have a 1175mv card in that mix.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Are you 100% stable? I doubt it if you have a 1175mv card in that mix.


These tables don't tell the whole story. Look at how leakage affected Intel cpus! It's the opposite of what you'd think.


----------



## DOM.

mine is a 1049 so is that good ?


----------



## eux

Sigh, both of my cards are 1.1750V and barely can break 1100mhz individually. I haven't been able to get them over 1050mhz in cf. I'm happy with their performance but I would like to get a bit more out of em for my setup. You guys think its worth it to return em and buy 2 more if i plan on putting them under water lol? If I keep these ones I'm probably not going to put them under water because it seems pointless.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> mine is a 1049 so is that good ?


Wait. Is that voltage?

If not, it falls into this *"up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V".*

Lower is better to achieve higher clocks.

up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
*up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V*


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It's in this cat "*up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V"*
> 
> Lower is better to achieve higher clocks.
> 
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> 
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> 
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> *up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V*


Negative..... He means the 1049mv.
He has a 85% chip. which is awesome !!!!!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> mine is a 1049 so is that good ?


Great chip u have there sir.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eux*
> 
> Sigh, both of my cards are 1.1750V and barely can break 1100mhz individually. I haven't been able to get them over 1050mhz in cf. I'm happy with their performance but I would like to get a bit more out of em for my setup. You guys think its worth it to return em and buy 2 more if i plan on putting them under water lol? If I keep these ones I'm probably not going to put them under water because it seems pointless.


1050 is a good overclock. But if you want to go extreme and water, then go change them.
I'm settling for 1085/1575 24/7, but thats just me.


----------



## Aventadoor

My card is suppose 2 be a 1.1750V card, but I managed atleast 1150/1500 (havent testet more, just went straight 1200/1525 after that) so ye. Idk what do think really


----------



## rcfc89

What happen to being able to set these cards no problem to 1125mhz on CCC? All these different vid's seem to be a giant mess. Some getting 1200 others not being able to break 1100. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on two reference cards. Its a crap shoot man. I honestly think I'm going to wait and pair a 7990 with a 7970 for trifire both with mild overclocks. Trying to push these cards at this point just seems like a giant headache.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> What happen to being able to set these cards no problem to 1125mhz on CCC? All these different vid's seem to be a giant mess. Some getting 1200 others not being able to break 1100. I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on two reference cards. Its a crap shoot man. I honestly think I'm going to wait and pair a 7990 with a 7970 for trifire both with mild overclocks. Trying to push these cards at this point just seems like a giant headache.


Maybe you're expecting a bit too much. 200+mhz overclock (especially when talking about 1100-1200mhz core range) is nothing to sneeze at. The "vid mess" is not scientific and doesn't prove anything as of yet, so don't even worry about it. Amd never advertised that all of these would overclock into the 1200 range.


----------



## Nemesis158

i was able to get mine to 1175 on stock volts but havent been able to get up to 1200 (tried using 1.85v but i was getting artifacting then the driver crashed).

What is the best driver to use right now? currently im using the 11.12 support drivers to avoid any issues but Ive seen people getting better fps with the newer 12.1 drivers.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Maybe you're expecting a bit too much. 200+mhz overclock (especially when talking about 1100-1200mhz core range) is nothing to sneeze at. The "vid mess" is not scientific and doesn't prove anything as of yet, so don't even worry about it. Amd never advertised that all of these would overclock into the 1200 range.


I'm just saying before and after its release there were quite a few reviews showing how to do a simple oc through CCC moving the slider to 1125mhz and powertune to 20% and it was said to be safe and stable. This is all I would have done with these cards. Its simple and safe and done through AMD's own control panel. I can see those who plan to throw water on these using afterburner and other software to volt these cards and push the clocks but those on air not being able to even achieve 1125 from 925 stock clock seems like a problem to me. Sure the gains aren't huge at 1125 but there is still improvement and something for those that don't plan to water cool to be excited about. The fact that there are a decently sized group of 7970's that can't even reach 1125 without crashing and being stable is a major fail for amd imo. Have those who haven't been able to break 1050+ tried disabling afterburner and tried to clock with amd CCC?


----------



## Nemesis158

Ok i just did the /rr174 string and it shows me "3750". My card was drooping down to 1.098v under load @ 1125
This means i have a good card right?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> Ok i just did the /rr174 string and it shows me "3750". My card was drooping down to 1.098v under load @ 1125
> This means i have a good card right?


Better than my card.


----------



## Levesque

The VID rage is now officailly on!

Told you.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> The VID rage is now officailly on!
> Told you.


bahaha!

I could see this coming.

let the comparisons begin!


----------



## Nemesis158

So the change-log for AB Beta11 states that you can get it to read the old actual voltages if you edit the hardware profiles, but i haven't been able to find any information regarding what string changes this. has anyone found where to change this back?


----------



## Aventadoor

My card was a 00002ef0
Heres my benches at 1225/1525 @ 1,2V
Oh and CPU is 4,7 ghz @ 1,3 or something, cant remember.
Temps have not reached over 74c, this is in OCCT for 30 mins. I took off AMD overdrive in CCC and disabled ULPS in Sapphire Trixx, and it seems like it gave lower temps and better OC.


----------



## wirefox

Dear, Asus 7970,

I can't wait to meet you ... see you Friday.

wirefox


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Dear, Asus 7970,
> I can't wait to meet you ... see you Friday.
> wirefox


I should have had my 2 msi 7970's today but Newegg messed up my shipping and was sending them to the wrong address! ( Long Story







). So maybe tomorrow, for sure Friday! First shipping mess up with Newegg. I have placed so many orders with them with nothing but perfect results. This time wasn't the same case, and of course it happens when I order my new GPU's. See you guys Friday


----------



## Aventadoor

Well atleast you guys dont have to wait untill the end off jan to get another 7970...
Sold out everywhere....


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Well atleast you guys dont have to wait untill the end off jan to get another 7970...
> Sold out everywhere....


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> I should have had my 2 msi 7970's today but Newegg messed up my shipping and was sending them to the wrong address! ( Long Story
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). So maybe tomorrow, for sure Friday! First shipping mess up with Newegg. I have placed so many orders with them with nothing but perfect results. This time wasn't the same case, and of course it happens when I order my new GPU's. See you guys Friday


well at least they exist --> waiting is so tough .. NE is usually spot on ... except for their tax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Well atleast you guys dont have to wait untill the end off jan to get another 7970...
> Sold out everywhere....


yeah keep your eyes open... I had newegg email alerts set... but I was obsessing over them around noon or so a few days back ... and they popped up on the site.

I bought one.. then a about 5-10 minutes later the email alert came ... :/ they need twitter alerts...


----------



## wirefox

I'm going to eventually get a block for this bad boy.

But wondering if anyone on air crack this bad boy open and reapply with a good TPU?

Any difference is temps on Air?


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Well atleast you guys dont have to wait untill the end off jan to get another 7970...
> Sold out everywhere....


Keep checking back with newegg. They get them in daily. This week so far has been awesome for MSI cards.
In fact they have them now http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645


----------



## ezveedub

So how are the 7970 cards running? More so for the guys who were running the 6990s. What improvements did you guys see so far?


----------



## Kortwa

Got my email from EK that my waterblocks have shipped! Cant wait to see how temps effect overclocking.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ezveedub*
> 
> So how are the 7970 cards running? More so for the guys who were running the 6990s. What improvements did you guys see so far?


Check back tomorrow... I dropped my 6990 oc out for the xfx black 7970. Will have a great comparison for ya, mostly eyefinity though


----------



## omega17

I dropped two 6950s for a single 7970 and I'm not sorry I did.

Cannot get on with MSI AB to get a decent OC though; I unlocked unofficial OC, I know I've got an 1112mV chip, but there's too much trial and error with AB at the moment.

I keep getting stuck in high clocks, stuck at random clocks (830/890 or 500/150







), stuck on constant voltages, bah, too much going on. I'm leaving it at stock and pushing 1100/1400 quite happily


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ezveedub*
> 
> So how are the 7970 cards running? More so for the guys who were running the 6990s. What improvements did you guys see so far?


Lev's been busy breaking forum bench thread records and rubbing it. I'm pretty sure he's enjoying his time in the sun.


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kortwa*
> 
> Got my email from EK that my waterblocks have shipped! Cant wait to see how temps effect overclocking.


My waterblock ETA is "overdue"


----------



## UNOE

I got 2c50 how is that ?


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I got 2c50 how is that ?


I hate to be the bearer of bad news but in terms of overclocking its apperently not as good as it could be.


----------



## Focus182

I got 3580 on mine, Not too sure what that means... 1125mV ?


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> My waterblock ETA is "overdue"


When did EK notify it shipped I ordered mine last tuesday and it didin't ship till today.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> I got 3580 on mine, Not too sure what that means... 1125mV ?


It's 1.0500V or 1050mV


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It's 1.0500V or 1050mV


Ah, great. Too bad i am still finding it hard to get past 1175 on the core.

+rep


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Ah, great. Too bad i am still finding it hard to get past 1175 on the core.
> +rep


1175 MHz Core is ideal OC. Some aren't even getting that. Run a 3DMark 11 and post back redults. Check it out. Also I'd be curious myself.









You even hit 1675 MHz Memory while others are topped at 1575Mhz or less.


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> When did EK notify it shipped I ordered mine last tuesday and it didin't ship till today.


Im in UK and didn't order direct from EK. They were supposed to be in stock on monday, then it changed to wednesday and now there overdue.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> 1175 MHz Core is ideal OC. Some aren't even getting that. Run a 3DMark 11 and post back redults. Check it out. Also I'd be curious myself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You even hit 1675 MHz Memory while others are topped at 1575Mhz or less.


Oh I thought I changed that. I don't believe 1675 is stable for me after i done some more testing.

I'll see what i can get up to but right now i am leaving it at 1575. And as for the core, I know 1175 is pretty good but I can't help wanting more lol

Here is the 3dMark 11 test if you still want to see it.

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2577877


----------



## Levesque

On my 4 Asus 7970, 1 is VID 1.1125 and 3 are VID 1.05.

Alot of headroom to OC those 7970.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Oh I thought I changed that. I don't believe 1675 is stable for me after i done some more testing.
> I'll see what i can get up to but right now i am leaving it at 1575. And as for the core, I know 1175 is pretty good but I can't help wanting more lol
> Here is the 3dMark 11 test if you still want to see it.
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2577877


That's awesome. Your good the way it is. Enjoy that now and game away.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The 2nd card wont sleep if you have a program with hardware acceleration open, even if the 2nd card wont be used. Firefox wakes up my 2nd card for example.


THANK you for that info! I have been trying to figure out why one of my GPUs will suddenly spike for a while now. Rep ya.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Lev's been busy breaking forum bench thread records and rubbing it. I'm pretty sure he's enjoying his time in the sun.


Yep. Go look at OCN's 3D Mark 11 and Heaven bechmarks threads. I'm leaving all those watercooled and highly OCed Quad-SLI 580 set-ups (and even some on LN2!) far behind in the dust... with 4 cards on AIR at only 1150/1500...









Imagine with 4 waterblocks and highly OCed.

Just to think that the 580 3Gb are still around the price of the 7970 while I get 25-30% better score. Talk about overpriced cards Nvidia!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> On my 4 Asus 7970, 1 is VID 1.1125 and 3 are VID 1.05.
> Alot of headroom to OC those 7970.


Check again









WR holder, the 4 Asus must be 1.025


----------



## ahriman

Aight, if you all are done geeking out with HEX ... a question of a different vein: the 3GB VRAM as related to Eyefinity -- will I be limited to 3GB no matter how many GPUs I Xfire? Or is the VRAM cumulative for the purposes of Eyefinity? I guess another way to ask the question is will the wait for the Sapphire 6GB version be worth it for Eyefinity (assuming I do not care about budget/multiple GPUs)?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Aight, if you all are done geeking out with HEX ... a question of a different vein: the 3GB VRAM as related to Eyefinity -- will I be limited to 3GB no matter how many GPUs I Xfire? Or is the VRAM cumulative for the purposes of Eyefinity? I guess another way to ask the question is will the wait for the Sapphire 6GB version be worth it for Eyefinity (assuming I do not care about budget/multiple GPUs)?


3GB. They don't share memory.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

The 6gb version should take care of all vram needs one could have for the next couple years


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Aight, if you all are done geeking out with HEX ... a question of a different vein: the 3GB VRAM as related to Eyefinity -- will I be limited to 3GB no matter how many GPUs I Xfire? Or is the VRAM cumulative for the purposes of Eyefinity? I guess another way to ask the question is will the wait for the Sapphire 6GB version be worth it for Eyefinity (assuming I do not care about budget/multiple GPUs)?


If you plan to go Eyefinity 5 with 5 monitors @2560x1600 = 20,480,000 pixels, yes, the 6GB is the way to go. Get 4 of them but the VRAM is not cumulative to 24GB but 6GB/GPU.


----------



## DOM.

what are your guys temps idle/load fan speed and oc/volts?

i was able to bench mine on in the garage 1200-1250 but in the house its not the same


----------



## 7ranslucen7

7970 loves water, /w EK block reaches about 42*C Load 1150/1575 stock v. On air it would artifact.


----------



## snelan

First Card - 35f0
Second Card - 2f20

So I assume the first card is better than the second?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> 7970 loves water, /w EK block reaches about 42*C Load 1150/1575 stock v. On air it would artifact.


Some are getting 1150Mhz Core and 1575Mhz on air with no artifacts. Let us know your bench results when you add some voltage and push it further bud. Maybe run a 3DMark 11 Perfomance and post the results. Trying to figure if the cards like voltage allowing for further OC.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> First Card - 35f0
> Second Card - 2f20
> So I assume the first card is better than the second?


First card - 1.0500V <~~~ better

Second card - 1.1750V


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> 7970 loves water, /w EK block reaches about 42*C Load 1150/1575 stock v. On air it would artifact.


can you try pushing for max clocks also what was your vid on it

im thinking of getting a wb only if it helps get me a higher oc stable


----------



## CDMAN

Here is a result from my xfx black 7970, using 2.2.0 Beta 11
Will post my msi 7970 results on Thursday.


----------



## Denim-187

Wish we knew this before we bought them in store....... i woulda made the sales rep open every box till i found two grey 6 pins lol
I just called them up to get an exchange, they want a 15% restocking fee which turns out to be $105 ($702 x 15%)









I am definitely not willing to pay $105 for 100mhz.


----------



## CDMAN

Single 7970



Will post Single, Crossfire and Tri-fire results sometime on Thursday. Programs that will be used : 3d mark 11, Haven 2.5, Crysis 2 DX 11


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Yes pleeeease let us know how the scaling is in Tri-fire! Mainly games though if you could


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you plan to go Eyefinity 5 with 5 monitors @2560x1600 = 20,480,000 pixels, yes, the 6GB is the way to go.


The plan at this point is 5760x1200 (3 HP ZR24Ws). If the memory is not shared, and I decide that 3GB is not enough, the conundrum is then will the 6GB be reference? Reason being I will want to put them under water.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> The 6gb version should take care of all vram needs one could have for the next couple years


This is why I'm doing a 7990/7970 crossfire. Run the monitors from the 6gb 7990. Real world performance close to trifire 7970's with 6gb of vram for 300 dollars less then trifire 7970's with 3gb.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you plan to go Eyefinity 5 with 5 monitors @2560x1600 = 20,480,000 pixels, yes, the 6GB is the way to go.
> 
> 
> 
> The plan at this point is 5760x1200 (3 HP ZR24Ws). If the memory is not shared, and I decide that 3GB is not enough, the conundrum is then will the 6GB be reference? Reason being I will want to put them under water.
Click to expand...

5760x1200 is only 9,216,000 pixels not 20,480,000 pixels.

YES, WATERBLOCK WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR 7960 6GB. Nothing to worry.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Got my 7970 today and I am having trouble trying to install the drivers and getting windows to recognize this card. Right now, I tried to install 11.2 and the 12.1 drivers and still my card is not recognized. Need help


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Got my 7970 today and I am having trouble trying to install the drivers and getting windows to recognize this card. Right now, I tried to install 11.2 and the 12.1 drivers and still my card is not recognized. Need help


Is this the one from Tiger Direct? Mine says it's still in back order. Hope you get everything sorted out







.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Is this the one from Tiger Direct? Mine says it's still in back order. Hope you get everything sorted out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Oh, no this is the one I ordered from newegg but I'm still on the list for the backordered tigerdirect card. Anyways, this card is a pain in the ass to install idk why


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ezveedub*
> 
> So how are the 7970 cards running? More so for the guys who were running the 6990s. What improvements did you guys see so far?


Very smooth!

I went from a 6990 + 6970 and I have to say I am very impressed!


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 5760x1200 is only 9,216,000 pixels not 20,480,000 pixels.


So if I were to extrapolate from your comments, there is a formula to derive how much VRAM is needed per pixel?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> YES, WATERBLOCK WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR 7960 6GB. Nothing to worry


How do you know this?


----------



## Kortwa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> This is why I'm doing a 7990/7970 crossfire. Run the monitors from the 6gb 7990. Real world performance close to trifire 7970's with 6gb of vram for 300 dollars less then trifire 7970's with 3gb.


You do know that a dual gpu card with 6GB will only have 3GB per chip. You dont get to use all the vram on the card/


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kortwa*
> 
> You do know that a dual gpu card with 6GB will only have 3GB per chip. You dont get to use all the vram on the card/


Um no. Its 6gb. It doesn't have separate connectors for each individual card inside the 7990. Its wired as one meaning its outputs are pushing 6gb. If what your saying was true why call it a 7990 6gb if its actual output was only 3gb?


----------



## Kortwa

Because it has a total of 6GB of Vram. It is split between the two cores though.

Unless I missed the memo where a 6GB 7990 card but I dont even know how they would fit 12GB of vram on a card without it being amazingly expensive.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Um no. Its 6gb. It doesn't have separate connectors for each individual card inside the 7990. Its wired as one meaning its outputs are pushing 6gb. If what your saying was true why call it a 7990 6gb if its actual output was only 3gb?


----------



## Porter_

Kortwa is correct, the VRAM they 'advertise' is split between the gpu's


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> Kortwa is correct, the VRAM they 'advertise' is split between the gpu's


That doesn't make any sense since there are only one set of outputs. Before the 7970 the 6990 and 590 were the only single cards said to do really well in eyefinity because of there vram. What would be the advantage of running a 6990 in eyefinity if it has the same vram as a 6970? Lets see some evidence of this.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Um no. Its 6gb. It doesn't have separate connectors for each individual card inside the 7990. Its wired as one meaning its outputs are pushing 6gb. If what your saying was true why call it a 7990 6gb if its actual output was only 3gb?


Sorry man, it doesn't work that way. Think of it as crossfire on one pci slot. The vram is still mirrored between the two gpu's. This is exactly the same as how they did it with the 6990, it was 4gb total ram it was 2gb mirrored. I was originally confused by this at first too.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> That doesn't make any sense since there are only one set of outputs. Before the 7970 the 6990 and 590 were the only single cards said to do really well in eyefinity because of there vram. What would be the advantage of running a 6990 in eyefinity if it has the same vram as a 6970? Lets see some evidence of this.


They are making an actual 6gb version of the 7970 but only in single gpu format. The 7990 is still, technically, 2x7970 on one slot therefore being 3gb mirrored.


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> That doesn't make any sense since there are only one set of outputs. Before the 7970 the 6990 and 590 were the only single cards said to do really well in eyefinity because of there vram. What would be the advantage of running a 6990 in eyefinity if it has the same vram as a 6970? Lets see some evidence of this.


www.google.com


----------



## tsm106

Well played.


----------



## yanks8981

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> That doesn't make any sense since there are only one set of outputs. Before the 7970 the 6990 and 590 were the only single cards said to do really well in eyefinity because of there vram. What would be the advantage of running a 6990 in eyefinity if it has the same vram as a 6970? Lets see some evidence of this.


No reason to prove the obvious.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yanks8981*
> 
> No reason to prove the obvious.


So basically a 580 3gb has more actual output of vram then a 590 3gb? Considering the 590 was built for nvidia surround this makes no sense. Why would these cards base all there reasoning for existing for eyefinity/surround users when the actual ram 2gb for 6990, 1.5 for 590 is terrible. People are complaining that the upcoming rumored 680 at 2gb is terrible yet there current flagship card the 590 is only 1.5? You learn something everyday I guess.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> So basically a 580 3gb has more actual output of vram then a 590 3gb? Considering the 590 was built for nvidia surround this makes no sense. Why would these cards base all there reasoning for existing for eyefinity/surround users when the actual ram 2gb for 6990, 1.5 for 590 is terrible.


Duh, that's why the 590 is gimpified! Not even touching on the vrms hehe.


----------



## yanks8981

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> So basically a 580 3gb has more actual output of vram then a 590 3gb? Considering the 590 was built for nvidia surround this makes no sense. Why would these cards base all there reasoning for existing for eyefinity/surround users when the actual ram 2gb for 6990, 1.5 for 590 is terrible. People are complaining that the upcoming rumored 680 at 2gb is terrible yet there current flagship card the 590 is only 1.5? You learn something everyday I guess.


Exactly. The 590 sucks. These dual GPU cards are no different than running 2 individual cards in CFX, only you cannot turn off the crossfire/SLI option.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

RCFC89... it sucks it really does.. I actually started a thread on this a while back because I truly thought 4gb vram meant 4gb vram, but I was quickly shown the opposite to be true. This is why they are making the 6gb single gpu's but it won't come in a dual gpu/single pci slot form.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> RCFC89... it sucks it really does.. I actually started a thread on this a while back because I truly thought 4gb vram meant 4gb vram, but I was quickly shown the opposite to be true. This is why they are making the 6gb single gpu's but it won't come in a dual gpu/single pci slot form.


Most people are still running 8x slots when running multiple gpu's so it won't even matter. This is why I went with the sabertooth with dual 16x 3.0
Thought this would be great for dual 7990's in the future with all there vram but obviously not.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

3.0 isn't gaining any fps unfortunately either.... because these cards aren't exceeding the 16x bandwidth yet, however the 7990 might actually change that, we will see. Honestly man you will be good to go with 2 x 6gb 7970 in crossfire. That will be a very beast setup. Or hell even 2 x 7990 I mean how much resolution are we talkin?


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> 3.0 isn't gaining any fps unfortunately either.... because these cards aren't exceeding the 16x bandwidth yet, however the 7990 might actually change that, we will see. Honestly man you will be good to go with 2 x 6gb 7970 in crossfire. That will be a very beast setup. Or hell even 2 x 7990 I mean how much resolution are we talkin?


I'm doing 5760x1200 so for now I'm going to do a 7990/7970. 7970 crossfire would be enough but for the extra 300 to get trifire 7970 performance is too hard to pass up. Thanks for your help. I'll jump up to the 6gb cards on the next generation of amd cards a year or so from now.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 5760x1200 is only 9,216,000 pixels not 20,480,000 pixels.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> So if I were to extrapolate from your comments, there is a formula to derive how much VRAM is needed per pixel?
Click to expand...

So am I correct in assuming you are using this formula?: Horizontal Resolution * Vertical Resolution * Color Depth = Size of bitmap = Amount of VRAM needed
Example:
A screen image in 1024 x 768 in 16 bit color is a 1.5 MB bit map. That is calculated as 1024 x 768 x 2 bytes (16 bits)
(source)

So in my case 5760 * 1200 * 32 = 221,184,000 bits = 216,000 bytes = ~211 kilobytes...

...seems to not make much sense.

Can someone else jump in on this before I hurt myself?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> YES, WATERBLOCK WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR 7960 6GB. Nothing to worry.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> How do you know this?
Click to expand...

Anyone else hear about waterblocks for Sapphire 7970 6GB version?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Anyone else hear about waterblocks for Sapphire 7970 6GB version?


[email protected] said that they expect the 6gb card to use the ref pcb, albeit with double sided ram so it should be compatible.


----------



## Denim-187

Last night i put my *1175mv* 7970 on ebay for $50 less off purchase price.
Got SOLD today

Rang my 7970 supplier, made him open 15 boxes he had of HIS and Gigabyte 7970's
Told him to look for grey 6 pin connectors.
Out of the 9 HIS boxes he found 2
Out of the 6 Gigabyte boxes he found 1

Going to pick up the *grey 6 pin* 7970 in half hour with a $50 discount because i informed him of the whole VID fiasco









I Win?


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Rang my 7970 supplier, made him open 15 boxes he had of HIS and Gigabyte 7970's


Um, who is your supplier?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Um, who is your supplier?


Classified information son. Are u in sydney?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Out of the 9 HIS boxes he found 2
> Out of the 6 Gigabyte boxes he found 1


Damn, the odds on that are not favorable.


----------



## Denim-187

lol

epic meme


----------



## jamborhgini313

Ok, i finally managed to get my 7970 drivers installed. Just did some OC and its weird how it glitches and artifacts in Heaven but in games it doesn't like for example BF3. Back to more testing


----------



## sockpirate

when are water blocks going to be available for purchase ?


----------



## wirefox

Koolance has them http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=1239

EK
http://www.overclock.net/t/1199721/ek-7970-blocks-now-on-sale edit [no stock]

FrozenCPU
http://www.frozencpu.com/search.html?mv_profile=keyword_search&mv_session_id=ITT7Mxff&searchspec=7970&go.x=0&go.y=0
[no stock]


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Last night i put my *1175mv* 7970 on ebay for $50 less off purchase price.
> Got SOLD today
> Rang my 7970 supplier, made him open 15 boxes he had of HIS and Gigabyte 7970's
> Told him to look for grey 6 pin connectors.
> Out of the 9 HIS boxes he found 2
> Out of the 6 Gigabyte boxes he found 1
> Going to pick up the *grey 6 pin* 7970 in half hour with a $50 discount because i informed him of the whole VID fiasco
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I Win?


dang.. I am getting mine tomorrow and I would be very disappointed if I get a black 6pin 7970


----------



## Nemesis158

Does anyone have comparison shots between the black connector and the grey one?
my /rr174 returned 3750 so mine should be grey right?

Also does anyone know where the config string is to make AB Beta 11 read actual volts again. The changelog said its in the hardware profiles but ive found nothing about Where it is and what its called.


----------



## HeliXpc

This is max for my card, 1187 volts using AB, anything more does not help the OC. I feel like my memory can overclock more, but this is good enough i think. Stock VID is 1112mv

EDIT: BTW my 6 pin is grey, i had a Sapphire card which topped out at 1170 at 1.175v and the 6pin was black, so that doesn't mean much, 30mhz is not noticeable.


----------



## ceteris

Bah! Newegg is shipping my card from Jersey. WTH!

Yeah those EK blocks sold out fast along with the back plates and single i/o slot adapters. I guess it's a bad time to try out EK. Perhaps I should just stick with Koolance. They haven't done me wrong, but I just don't feel that *BLING* feeling with any of the products released after the CPU-360 came out. Oh well I guess I can wait but hopefully not too long.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> Does anyone have comparison shots between the black connector and the grey one?
> my /rr174 returned 3750 so mine should be grey right?
> Also does anyone know where the config string is to make AB Beta 11 read actual volts again. The changelog said its in the hardware profiles but ive found nothing about Where it is and what its called.


Here you go..... Notice how my first card has a black 6pin and the other 2 have grey ?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> I'm doing 5760x1200 so for now I'm going to do a 7990/7970. 7970 crossfire would be enough but for the extra 300 to get trifire 7970 performance is too hard to pass up. Thanks for your help. I'll jump up to the 6gb cards on the next generation of amd cards a year or so from now.


This is exactly how I'm doing it... tri-fire 7990 w/ 7970.. My xfx black ed will be here tomorrow to at least kick things off! 6990 already sold


----------



## Kortwa

Just checked and both of my xfx 7970s have grey 6 pin PCI-E connectors. What does that mean exactly?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kortwa*
> 
> Just checked and both of my xfx 7970s have grey 6 pin PCI-E connectors. What does that mean exactly?


ppl said grey 6pin has lowest vid, so it has more OC headroom. Are those both reference design?


----------



## Kortwa

Yeah they are both reference.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kortwa*
> 
> Just checked and both of my xfx 7970s have grey 6 pin PCI-E connectors. What does that mean exactly?


This means you win and you didn't even have to plot and sceme to get it. Your a real winner.


----------



## Kortwa

Guess I should go buy a lottery ticket tomorrow. Nice to know that I lucked out on my cards thanks.


----------



## Denim-187

6pin indiction does not work on some brands.
Sapphire is one if those brands.


----------



## NorxMAL

This is a Sapphire 7970


Spoiler: Are these grey?







If I'm not mistaken, this is a 1.1125 card


----------



## UNOE

Denim-187 - btw isn't it grey 8 pin your pic would have grey 8 pin. Why is it being said as grey 6pin.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Classified information son. Are u in sydney?


Nope, Paradise. Can't you read Papa?


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Koolance has them http://www.koolance.com/water-cooling/product_info.php?product_id=1239
> EK
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1199721/ek-7970-blocks-now-on-sale edit [no stock]
> FrozenCPU
> http://www.frozencpu.com/search.html?mv_profile=keyword_search&mv_session_id=ITT7Mxff&searchspec=7970&go.x=0&go.y=0
> [no stock]


Also here: http://www.aquatuning.us/index.php/cat/c1159_7950-7970.html


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Here you go..... Notice how my first card has a black 6pin and the other 2 have grey ?


So basically if the 6 pin is the same color as the 8pin, cause mine are the same color








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> This is a Sapphire 7970
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Are these grey?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I'm not mistaken, this is a 1.1125 card


they are the same color and the 8 pin is always grey, its just a very dark grey.
Also, If anyone is interested i found what you need to do for AfterBurner to read real voltages on beta 11. add these lines into the HW profile of your current card (itll be the one with more lines of stuff in it) at the end
Quote:


> VDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0
> MVDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> So basically if the 6 pin is the same color as the 8pin, cause mine are the same color
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> they are the same color and the 8 pin is always grey, its just a very dark grey.
> Also, If anyone is interested i found what you need to do for AfterBurner to read real voltages on beta 11. add these lines into the HW profile of your current card (itll be the one with more lines of stuff in it) at the end
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> VDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0
> MVDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0
Click to expand...

Yes, then I get 1.1125v

Balls, I wish I got a 1.0250









Perhaps this pans out differently under water (I hope







)


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Denim-187 - btw isn't it grey 8 pin your pic would have grey 8 pin. Why is it being said as grey 6pin.


They both have to be grey.... notice how the first one is a black 6pin? this indicates that the card is a 2*** number and a 1174mv chip.
If the 6 pin is grey on brands like HIS, Gigabyte XFX, then its a 3*** number and a low VID chip.

*Keep in mind*... Sapphire don't use this colored 6 pin indication.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *Keep in mind*... Sapphire don't use this colored 6 pin indication.


my card is a sapphire, returns "3750" using the /rr174 string (which means its a 1050mv chip) and has the grey 6pin connector









Also i found that i can under-volt my card down to 1.05v (Under load, its set at 1140 in MSI AB) with the core at *1150mhz*
Yet i cant get it past 1175MHz without it freezing up or artifacting, even if i increase the voltage


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> my card is a sapphire, returns "3750" using the /rr174 string (which means its a 1050mv chip) and has the grey 6pin connector
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also i found that i can under-volt my card down to 1.05v (Under load, its set at 1140 in MSI AB) with the core at *1150mhz*
> Yet i cant get it past 1175MHz without it freezing up or artifacting, even if i increase the voltage


All of sapphires cards are grey pin.

Some of them hit walls that you cant do anything about. Surely is mysterious








What tool are you using to test for errors?


----------



## Aventadoor

Wii, then a another Sapphire 7970 was ordered to Xfire







Hopefully I can pick it up today


----------



## tanton

a nooby question, why do you guys change the voltage lower than the stock voltage?


----------



## Electroneng

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kortwa*
> 
> Just checked and both of my xfx 7970s have grey 6 pin PCI-E connectors. What does that mean exactly?


My XFX 7970 also has this grey 6 pin PCI-E connector. Very, Very good overclockers!









Just Checked 3820 code!

I bought this XFX is spite of all the warranty cry babies (2 years is fine). Now I am even happier!


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Last night i put my *1175mv* 7970 on ebay for $50 less off purchase price.
> Got SOLD today
> Rang my 7970 supplier, made him open 15 boxes he had of HIS and Gigabyte 7970's
> Told him to look for grey 6 pin connectors.
> Out of the 9 HIS boxes he found 2
> Out of the 6 Gigabyte boxes he found 1
> Going to pick up the *grey 6 pin* 7970 in half hour with a $50 discount because i informed him of the whole VID fiasco
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I Win?


Imagine if everyone reading OCN start doing this and bugging the retailers.

Sigh. Now suppliers will complain, and AMD will start putting all black pin everywhere.

Good going chomp. Done like a real geeky spoil brat. ""I want my gray pins, open the 100 boxes you have because I want one. Want want want!".









I run 2 business, and if someone was asking me to do that, I would be REALLY pissed.









But who cares, now you have your little gray pins and are all happy in your heart in your small universe, because you will get 200 more on your core.


----------



## NorxMAL

It might not be such a determining factor which version you get when it comes to overclocking?

We are still in the beginning phase right?

The same could be said about the i7 920 C0 and D0 stepping cpu's, that D0 wasn't always better than a C0 when it came to overclocking at a lower core voltage. This is said from a person that has owned both, and seen that a C0's did better than a D0's he had (btw not me).

I'm going to put my under water, which EK sent yesterday. If I were to run to the shop with my 1.1125 verson, only to face that a 1.0250 for example couldn't handle higher voltage for higher clocks, I would be so pissed at myself. In my case, I can't expect that the seller of my card would open lot's of boxes to look after the "Grey Connector!", that would be kinda ******


----------



## Electroneng

Quote:


> On the internet, for 10 REALLY VOCAL whiners, you have 1000 satisifed customers that don't post.


I love this quote! So very True!

BTW, Very Nice Rigs Levesque!


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Imagine if everyone reading OCN start doing this and bugging the retailers.
> Sigh. Now suppliers will complain, and AMD will start putting all black pin everywhere.
> Good going chomp. Done like a real geeky spoil brat. ""I want my gray pins, open the 100 boxes you have because I want one. Want want want!".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I run 2 business, and if someone was asking me to do that, I would be REALLY pissed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But who cares, now you have your little gray pins and are all happy in your heart in your small universe, because you will get 200 more on your core.


I think that difference of overclockability of cards with grey and black pins is smaller than 200MHz.... And difference in games <5FPS
It's a madness !!!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Imagine if everyone reading OCN start doing this and bugging the retailers.
> Sigh. Now suppliers will complain, and AMD will start putting all black pin everywhere.
> Good going chomp. Done like a real geeky spoil brat. ""I want my gray pins, open the 100 boxes you have because I want one. Want want want!".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I run 2 business, and if someone was asking me to do that, I would be REALLY pissed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But who cares, now you have your little gray pins and are all happy in your heart in your small universe, because you will get 200 more on your core.


Pissed?
My supplier has made a fortune through me, if i tell him to lick in between my toes, he'll ask "how long?"


----------



## wTheOnew

Waterblock finally shipped from Slovenia. Not bad shipping, all things considered. Less than a penny per mile.


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

I noticed many of you guys are using MSI AB to OC your cards, but I heard that AB and CCC don't interact well with each other. The benefits of using CCC is that you can increase the power limit by using Powertune and increasing it to "+20%." If you are not able to use Powertune while OCing with AB, how are you guys avoiding the lower power limit?


----------



## Witchdoctor

???

No problems here, That is 1.2705

AB will let you take it to 1.3 , but has a lid of 1390 on the core clock,

Never enve looked at Overdrive long enough to see where the lid was


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> ???
> No problems here, That is 1.2705
> AB will let you take it to 1.3 , but has a lid of 1390 on the core clock,
> Never enve looked at Overdrive long enough to see where the lid was


I just thought you always wanted to max out Powertune in CCC first so you could get the max limit for the cards power draw. Are people now noticing that it is no longer required to even worry about Powertune when OC their cards in AB? Are the power draws on the cards not nearing or exceeding the limit without upping Powertune?


----------



## AndresR

Looks liky buy.com has the MSI Twin Frozr III in stock http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=228248272









Here


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AndresR*
> 
> Looks liky buy.com has the MSI Twin Frozr III in stock http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=228248272
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here


I doubt they have it instock.... There's no reviews or images of it yet.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigJoeGrizzly*
> 
> I just thought you always wanted to max out Powertune in CCC first so you could get the max limit for the cards power draw. Are people now noticing that it is no longer required to even worry about Powertune when OC their cards in AB? Are the power draws on the cards not nearing or exceeding the limit without upping Powertune?


TBH never messed with it, have been using AB for years and or RIVA on older cards

I will have to take a closer look at Overdrive

Lightnings may be close ........


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AndresR*
> 
> Looks liky buy.com has the MSI Twin Frozr III in stock http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=228248272
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here


I noticed they are selling it through Tiger Direct. Go to Tiger Direct and they aren't selling it at all which I find odd. I have a suspicion it's actually the reference MSI AMD 7970 and they have labeled it incorrectly. I could be wrong but that's my guess.

Another point is it's being sold for $579.99 and I doubt the TF III version will be sold for same price as the reference. I expect the TF III version to come in at $659.99 USD.

Not having a pic doesn't mean anything though because even if you go to MSI's website, you won't even see a pic of the reference version either and that's definitely on sale.

Be leary of that purchase. May end up a waste of time if the reference model comes to your door.


----------



## chorner

What does it mean when you have a grey 8 pin, and a black 6 pin?









Seems to me like the higher VID cards have a better maximum clock. All of the lower VID cards I see do clocks up to ~1,175 or so at max, but with lower voltage than the 1.17V cards.

So to me, you don't want the "grey 6 pin" or the 1.05v cards for the best overclocking as it seems like you can't take those past 1.25volts before they artifact like crazy. I haven't installed my card yet, but I've got a black 6 pin HIS card so I'll check my VID on the weekend when I get it installed - but I have a waterblock for it, so I'm betting mine will reach higher clocks because of the ability to take more voltage


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Your a dick. One thing is for sure my rig will absolutely leave yours in the dust regardless of my knowledge.


Really making a name for yourself here in your 1 short month as a member.


----------



## tsm106

I'd caution some of you guys against going bonkers over vid. Look at the leakage with Intel i7's. Some of the hotter chips clocked farther than the lower voltage chips. Then look at the people who have low vid 7970s that can't overclock to save themselves.

It's way too early to start the vid panic man.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> All of sapphires cards are grey pin.
> Some of them hit walls that you cant do anything about. Surely is mysterious
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What tool are you using to test for errors?


Unigine Heaven benchmark








I dont get it though, i can push the card up to 1200mhz and if i don't touch the voltage it wont artifact, but it just locks up after a bit








oh well, 1150MHz @ 1140mv is pretty good imo
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> a nooby question, why do you guys change the voltage lower than the stock voltage?


to reduce heat output and power usage. Technically im not actually undervolting it im just setting it back lower than AB set it to by default (my card is a 1050mv)


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd caution some of you guys against going bonkers over vid. Look at the leakage with Intel i7's. Some of the hotter chips clocked farther than the lower voltage chips. Then look at the people who have low vid 7970s that can't overclock to save themselves.
> It's way too early to start the vid panic man.


I kinda mentioned this in a earlier post of mine, so kinda don't steal my thunder!










Spoiler: Don't steal my thunder!



It might not be such a determining factor which version you get when it comes to overclocking?

We are still in the beginning phase right?

The same could be said about the i7 920 C0 and D0 stepping cpu's, that D0 wasn't always better than a C0 when it came to overclocking at a lower core voltage. This is said from a person that has owned both, and seen that a C0's did better than a D0's he had (btw not me).

I'm going to put my under water, which EK sent yesterday. If I were to run to the shop with my 1.1125 verson, only to face that a 1.0250 for example couldn't handle higher voltage for higher clocks, I would be so pissed at myself. In my case, I can't expect that the seller of my card would open lot's of boxes to look after the "Grey Connector!", that would be kinda ******


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I kinda mentioned this in a earlier post of mine, so kinda don't steal my thunder!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Don't steal my thunder!
> 
> 
> 
> It might not be such a determining factor which version you get when it comes to overclocking?
> We are still in the beginning phase right?
> The same could be said about the i7 920 C0 and D0 stepping cpu's, that D0 wasn't always better than a C0 when it came to overclocking at a lower core voltage. This is said from a person that has owned both, and seen that a C0's did better than a D0's he had (btw not me).
> I'm going to put my under water, which EK sent yesterday. If I were to run to the shop with my 1.1125 verson, only to face that a 1.0250 for example couldn't handle higher voltage for higher clocks, I would be so pissed at myself. In my case, I can't expect that the seller of my card would open lot's of boxes to look after the "Grey Connector!", that would be kinda ******


----------



## evensen007

Awww, bro-hug!


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*


I feel so bubbly now


----------



## tsm106

On topic, I'm kinda dismayed that AMD had such a deviation. Cayman had very minor leakage differences. Waterblocks will remove the heat issue, maybe that will help paint a clearer picture.


----------



## PARTON

My block's en route, so I'm ready for this science experiment. I have to assemble the entire loop from scratch, though, so it'll probably be a week. I doubt everything will be at my door by tomorrow.


----------



## tsm106

Damn, I'm so jealous. I don't get my first card till Fri, the rest come Mon. My waterblocks have no eta as of yet.


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Pissed?
> My supplier has made a fortune through me, if i tell him to lick in between my toes, he'll ask "how long?"


****, so disrespectful...


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> ****, so disrespectful...


Ah I don't think there's anything wrong or unethical what Denim did. Obviously his business had earned him priority with his supplier. More power to him. Money talks in every country, shouldt be any surprise. Some seem jelly of his getting grey power connectors.

Doubt AMD is going to make them all black due to this. Besides why aren't they the same color to begin with? Who's working for them, color blind employees. They should all be same qaulity and color. Blame them for any inconsistencies.

Denim is a good OCN member and has been a contribution with his results to this club. Let's not nail him to the rafters people. That's my take. Back on subject


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Time to go to the post office and drop kick some people! I left a huge note on my door that says RING DOOR BELL PLEASE! Sure enough I've been home all day waiting, don't hear a peep, check tracking number and it says "ATTEMPTED DELIVERY" Are you kidding me???? Ugghghhh hhfhahfashfahsf BRB, I'll start posting my clocks and benching tonight! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!


----------



## Deano12345

Basically selling my old rig (and my current 5850) to get a 7970. Should have it by the end of the month *hopefully*.

I seen that the Gigabyte UD version was added to their site, I'll probably pick that (or if it arrives in time) the Twin Frozr MSi version.


----------



## krazyatom

I got my gigabyte 7970 today and opened it.
I looked at the 6 pin connector and it looks black?
I flashed with light and it looks grey now. How can I tell if mine has low vid or not?


----------



## 7ranslucen7

1.3v 1270 core 1575 stable in heaven, never broke 42*C, safe to say it loves water


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> 1.3v 1270 core 1575 stable in heaven, never broke 42*C, safe to say it loves water


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> 1.3v 1270 core 1575 stable in heaven, never broke 42*C, safe to say it loves water


Hopefully that holds true for mine. 1300MHz is what I'm shooting for as my minimum acceptable OC under water.









EK block?


----------



## 7ranslucen7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Hopefully that holds true for mine. 1300MHz is what I'm shooting for as my minimum acceptable OC under water.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EK block?


Yep, nickel+acetal. Oddly enough, 1.175V @ 1160 core 1575V on air would artifact halfway into heaven and stay under 80*C but under water it ran flawlessly, same situations bumping to 1.2 and 1.3. From my testing it's very sensitive to the heat load, it's probably the determining factor for major overclocks (rather than all this talk about VID).

Even undervolting I was able to keep my card at stock (1.112v) and bump it to 1080 core under water (stable) but would almost immediately crash under air when loaded.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> Yep, nickel+acetal. Oddly enough, 1.175V @ 1160 core 1575V on air would artifact halfway into heaven and stay under 80*C but under water it ran flawlessly, same situations bumping to 1.2 and 1.3. From my testing it's very sensitive to the heat load, it's probably the determining factor for major overclocks (rather than all this talk about VID).
> Even undervolting I was able to keep my card at stock (1.112v) and bump it to 1080 core under water (stable) but would almost immediately crash under air when loaded.


Good stuff! I figured water would change the picture, and it has. Can't wait to see more systems under water.

C'mon ek gimmie an eta on my blocks.


----------



## Newbie2009

Add me plz
HIS HD7970


----------



## Newbie2009

This whole grey power connector thing is bogus. I have a grey 8 pin and black 6 pin. Up to 1150 no extra voltage so fat. Unigine running for an hour so far, no artifacts.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> From my testing it's very sensitive to the heat load, it's probably the determining factor for major overclocks (rather than all this talk about VID).
> Even undervolting I was able to keep my card at stock (1.112v) and bump it to 1080 core under water (stable) but would almost immediately crash under air when loaded.


Sooooo Vega... I was right. Waterblocks do make a difference with the 7970.









My 4 blocks were stuck at the border... Sigh... Will get them only monday...


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Sooooo Vega... I was right. Waterblocks do make a difference with the 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My 4 blocks were stuck at the border... Sigh... Will get them only monday...


I am personally looking forward to you strapping blocks on those 4 cards and running your benchmarks again!

I want to see some more records fall!


----------



## slice259

Got my 2 msi 7970's up and running!









Ill post some pics later on, I have to leave to go some where.


----------



## NorxMAL

All I know now about my EK waterblock as of now, is this :

Package has been sent from origin country
2012-01-19 02:35, LJUBLJANA1003, Slovenia

And I paid the lowest cost shipping, which said there is no tracking. I wonder what that info is then?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

It's official, I'm in the club! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Just got done loading drivers and jumped straight in to unigine... this is stock XFX Black Edition DD



Time to start overclocking... I WILL hit 1200


----------



## PARTON

Anyone get lower than 23b yet? 571/1023 = 56%

Do I win?

I'll give us a data point for the low end of ASIC quality on water.

Mine does 1090 @ 1.175v @ stock fan profile and hits ~71C; ~68F ambient.


----------



## Arizonian

So 1150Mhz on air and another 120Mhz under water for 1270Mhz Core max so far. Very nice indeed.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Went in to CCC and ONLY moved the Core clock up to max at 1125.. didn't touch the Memory or the +20 at all. Just the core clock.. no throttling or artifacts... XFX FTW so far









Oh and mine has the black 6pin











more to come


----------



## Newbie2009

Nearing the limits of mine id say.

1125 stock volts
1150 1.85v
Bumped the voltage to 1.3 and @ 1250 core, stable in all benches and BF3/Crysis 2. Keeping temps around 60c

Whats the best so far on air?


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Nearing the limits of mine id say.
> 1125 stock volts
> 1150 1.85v
> Bumped the voltage to 1.3 and @ 1250 core, stable in all benches and BF3/Crysis 2. Keeping temps around 60c
> Whats the best so far on air?


Damn you and your 1.3 volts! *Shakes fist at screen*

1250mhz stable all round is pretty good from what I've seen. Get a block on that bad boy.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> Damn you and your 1.3 volts! *Shakes fist at screen*
> 1250mhz stable all round is pretty good from what I've seen. Get a block on that bad boy.


Yeah I will and xfire. Coming from Vapour x HD5870s and Ice Q turbo HIS HD6950s, this card is LOUD. Lucky i use headphones.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

1200/1525 @ 1.185v STABLE so far in unigine, AVP bench, a quick stint in BF3. Temps never got over 63c!!!!



I'll go for 1250 later... then switching over to Eyefininity and do some more benching


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> 1200/1525 @ 1.85v STABLE so far in unigine, AVP bench, a quick stint in BF3. Temps never got over 63c!!!!
> 
> I'll go for 1250 later... then switching over to Eyefininity and do some more benching


Careful, check with crysis 2. I was running 1200 on stock volts in all benchmarks fine for hours. Only crysis 2 I was getting artifacts. It looks to me if you can get stable in crysis 2 you are fine for everything else.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

1187 on the voltage sorry


----------



## wTheOnew

Here's 1100 / 1850 on stock voltage. This is the highest round number that's stable at stock (1.175V) for me.



Thought it was stable up at 1150, but it started artifacting in OCCT level 8 after a while. So down to 1100 to be 'safe'.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Sooooo Vega... I was right. Waterblocks do make a difference with the 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My 4 blocks were stuck at the border... Sigh... Will get them only monday...


Sure, you will always get at least small gains under water. I meant big gains! I want to see 1350Mhz on water then I'll bite.


----------



## tats

I hadn't checked this thread in like two days and missed 300 posts!

I looked but wasn't sure if I missed it was there a table showing what afterburner code you got correlated to VID?

I pulled 3240 - good? no good?


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> I hadn't checked this thread in like two days and missed 300 posts!
> I looked but wasn't sure if I missed it was there a table showing what afterburner code you got correlated to VID?
> I pulled 3240 - good? no good?


If I'm not mistaken your in the 1112mv categorie.

Edit: I've checked and yes. 1112mv it is.


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> If I'm not mistaken your in the 1112mv categorie.
> Edit: I've checked and yes. 1112mv it is.


balls...

Thanks though


----------



## Aventadoor

****!

I just installed my second 7970, and guess what, I only get to the logg in screen before my screen turns black and I get this mark : _ in the left upper corner.

What problem can that be?
I just took of the Xfire bridge so I could try get help with this problem.
Oh and I did reinstall drivers and such


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Ah I don't think there's anything wrong or unethical what Denim did. Obviously his business had earned him priority with his supplier. More power to him. Money talks in every country, shouldt be any surprise. Some seem jelly of his getting grey power connectors.
> Doubt AMD is going to make them all black due to this. Besides why aren't they the same color to begin with? Who's working for them, color blind employees. They should all be same qaulity and color. Blame them for any inconsistencies.
> 
> Denim is a good OCN member and has been a contribution with his results to this club. Let's not nail him to the rafters people. That's my take. Back on subject


Thnx dude







spoken like a true vet. Bottom line, if your going to spend $1500 on gfx cards, you wanna make sure their the top notch ones right? I think they should phase out the 1174mv or sell them cheaper. Power to the people !


----------



## omega17

I got that cursor when I had two 7970's in CF, briefly, then it disappeared and it logged into Win7.

It went away when I took one out.


----------



## RawFoodPhil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> ****!
> I just installed my second 7970, and guess what, I only get to the logg in screen before my screen turns black and I get this mark : _ in the left upper corner.
> What problem can that be?
> I just took of the Xfire bridge so I could try get help with this problem.
> Oh and I did reinstall drivers and such


I had this exact problem. Use the software cd to install drivers...Problem solved.


----------



## Aventadoor

I wont download drivers from CD.... They gave me problems


----------



## slice259

CrossFire 7970 is in my rig since this afternoon, zero problems. No micro stutter, and the fans are Really quite compared to my old reference 5850.









Been a long day for me, I will get some pics of them up tomorrow along with some overclocking.

Also my second card is working perfect. Its shutting off, and until I launch a 3D app it will come awake.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> I hadn't checked this thread in like two days and missed 300 posts!
> I looked but wasn't sure if I missed it was there a table showing what afterburner code you got correlated to VID?
> I pulled 3240 - good? no good?


how do you get that information?
I just downloaded latest 2.2.0 beta 11 after burner.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> how do you get that information?
> I just downloaded latest 2.2.0 beta 11 after burner.


type in the route to afterburner into cmd like "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\Afterburner.exe" then type /rr174 next to it and press enter

Sorry for the bad wording, its 2:30 am here and i was just heading off to sleep lol


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> type in the route to afterburner into cmd like "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\Afterburner.exe" then type /rr174 next to it and press enter
> Sorry for the bad wording, its 2:30 am here and i was just heading off to sleep lol


Thanks. Looks like I have a high vid card









I have

Reg 0000174 :00003120

afterburner shows 1112mhz default voltage


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Thanks. Looks like I have a high vid card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have
> Reg 0000174 :00003120
> afterburner shows 1112mhz default voltage


Yes I think it is a 1125mv card but that is better than having a 1.175 card









Although it seems like to me like it doesn't matter all that much.. i have seen a few 1.175 cards do over what my 1.050 card can probably do. (high voltage causes stretched textures for me) Should still hopefully be able to hold 1200mhz though.


----------



## Outcasst

What VID does my card have?

00000174 :0002da0


----------



## JMCB

I see this:

00000174 :00002f20

I hope it's a better VID. Probably should just search it.


----------



## sockpirate

so i am about to purchase 3 msi 7970s, anything i should worry about etc. ?


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Got my 2 msi 7970's up and running!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ill post some pics later on, I have to leave to go some where.


Looking forward to what you have to say. I am looking at flavor MSI as well.

Congratz!


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> so i am about to purchase 3 msi 7970s, anything i should worry about etc. ?


I am loving my 2 msi 7970's ! They came with a active DP adapter also. I will get pics up tomorrow of the packaging, and the cards in my Antec 1200.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Looking forward to what you have to say. I am looking at flavor MSI as well.
> Congratz!


Ya I will get some pics up tomorrow morning of the rig! Thanks


----------



## Derek1387

Check out my new 7970 block! GORGEOUS!

http://www.overclock.net/t/1202720/unboxing-the-ek-fc7970-copper-plexi-waterblock/0_100#post_16238080


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> I am loving my 2 msi 7970's ! They came with a active DP adapter also. I will get pics up tomorrow of the packaging, and the cards in my Antec 1200.
> Ya I will get some pics up tomorrow morning of the rig! Thanks


Well i just submitted my order , decided to just go with 2 instead of 3, gonna use the money i would have spent on the third on some other things for my build.


----------



## rubicsphere

I knew that's why you were selling the 580's


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Check out my new 7970 block! GORGEOUS!
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1202720/unboxing-the-ek-fc7970-copper-plexi-waterblock/0_100#post_16238080


that is a sexy peice of copper ... 7970 otw tomorrow ... block who knows... post the results!


----------



## Twistacles

7970 In. Holy **** that fan can suck air O_O wow.


----------



## Derek1387

So, i just put my water block on. MSI Afterburner is only letting me OC to 1125 and 1575.... how do I go higher?


----------



## tsm106

I'm guessing you haven't enable unofficial overclocking yet?

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=338906


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JMCB*
> 
> I see this:
> 00000174 :00002f20
> I hope it's a better VID. Probably should just search it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> What VID does my card have?
> 00000174 :0002da0


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Thanks. Looks like I have a high vid card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have
> Reg 0000174 :00003120
> afterburner shows 1112mhz default voltage


Any number beginning with a *2* is not a good overclocker. Lucky to hit 1150mhz
Anything beginning with *3* is decent and ready to hit 1300mhz +


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Any number beginning with a *2* is not a good overclocker. Lucky to hit 1150mhz
> Anything beginning with *3* is decent and ready to hit 1300mhz +


Cool. May I ask which one you have? I heard you got grey 6pin connector cards!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Cool. May I ask which one you have? I heard you got grey 6pin connector cards!


Mine are both *3* chips. 1112mv. Grey 6pin connectors. One HIS and One Sapphire.
32b0
3400

The only brands that do the 6pin color indication theory are *HIS*, *Gigabyte* and *XFX*.
Not too sure about Diamond, Powercolor and ASUS.
Sapphire doesn't use any sort of black 6 pin connector.


----------



## UNOE

How do I get Afterburner to load with with stock VID every restart ? It always pushes the card to 1175.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> How do I get Afterburner to load with with stock VID every restart ? It always pushes the card to 1175.


You have the beta 11? if so it should use cards VID and not the database hardware VID.


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm guessing you haven't enable unofficial overclocking yet?
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=338906


Done. Thanks!


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Any number beginning with a *2* is not a good overclocker. Lucky to hit 1150mhz
> Anything beginning with *3* is decent and ready to hit 1300mhz +


My VID is 1175 and I can hit 1200mhz @ 1225. These cards need to be cooled better. I noticed that after 55c, the artifacts starts to show but anything below that it is stable (1 Hr of BF3, 5 runs of Heaven, and 10 Minutes on OCCT Shader 8). I can't wait until someone reviews their 7970 on a waterblock


----------



## Denim-187

If you have multiple GPUs use:

MSIAfterburner.exe */sg0 /rr174*
to select and dump the first GPU

MSIAfterburner.exe */sg1 /rr174*
to select and dump the second GPU

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> My VID is 1175 and I can hit 1200mhz @ 1225. These cards need to be cooled better. I noticed that after 55c, the artifacts starts to show but anything below that it is stable (1 Hr of BF3, 5 runs of Heaven, and 10 Minutes on OCCT Shader 8). I can't wait until someone reviews their 7970 on a waterblock


I definitely agree with you there, they like to be chilled apparently. I'd say you have a great 1174mv card then








I've played with two of them ones and 1 hit a wall at 1075 the other at 1125 with voltage not helping the situation.


----------



## Derek1387

OK guys, have my waterblock on... what benches do you want done?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> OK guys, have my waterblock on... what benches do you want done?


3D Mark11 Performance test default settings. Please post your top clocks with voltage. Highest temps and where you sit idle at those over clocks would be my most interest.

Thanks bud.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> OK guys, have my waterblock on... what benches do you want done?


OC that sucker atleast 1250mhz and see if its stable. We all like to know if it can be pushed further than 1250 on water









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> If you have multiple GPUs use:
> MSIAfterburner.exe */sg0 /rr174*
> to select and dump the first GPU
> MSIAfterburner.exe */sg1 /rr174*
> to select and dump the second GPU
> I definitely agree with you there, they like to be chilled apparently. I'd say you have a great 1174mv card then
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've played with two of them ones and 1 hit a wall at 1075 the other at 1125 with voltage not helping the situation.


Ya, I hit a wall aswell @ 1200mhz because the stock cooler just doesn't cut it. I try to aim for below 55C so I am artifact free but thats not gonna happen unless I'm near the North Pole or on water


----------



## UNOE

okay so I guess my stock VID is 1175


----------



## Derek1387

Here is heaven

Unigen.jpg 208k .jpg file


----------



## UNOE

What is this :

VDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0
MVDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0

I don't see what it does or where to add it.


----------



## tsm106

I'm guessing you add that to your cfg file.


----------



## Derek1387

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2585714 That is my 3DMark score... not sure how to make it a picture or anyuthing

But I am at 9846

Core: 1250
Mem: 1700
Voltage: 1.3
Max temp: 42C


----------



## HGooper

Core: 1250

This's the max limit for your card? I assume that you can reach at least 1300 under water, maybe you have a bad chip.


----------



## Derek1387

I havent tried to go any higher... set it at 1250/1700 and ran Heaven and 3dMark 2011....

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2585714
9846


----------



## HGooper

1250/1700 at stock voltage?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I havent tried to go any higher... set it at 1250/1700 and ran Heaven and 3dMark 2011....
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2585714
> 9846


Take the CPU and Physx score aside the *Raw Graphic Score 10256* @ 1248/1700 is a freaking impressive single GPU score by all means. Nice bench.









I'd like to see if / what this card can do if it can reach 1300 Core as some have claimed at release before going under water. Darn close though. 52Mhz is not much difference.









What was your voltage set to?


----------



## Derek1387

I will run the bench at 1300/1700 tomorrow. I set it at 1.3v just to make sure it would run, and will start lowering Voltage tomorrow. Nice to run that well.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Ive just ordered a FX-797A-TNFC (XFX), and it will be arriving next week, I need some guidance here. Does anyone have and XFX like this model? (not dual fan or black edition). It will be great to here a mini review about this card, Im very excited







wiiii. Thank you for your help.-


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I'm going to turn it up later.. haven't hardly touched the memory clocks yet.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I will run the bench at 1300/1700 tomorrow. I set it at 1.3v just to make sure it would run, and will start lowering Voltage tomorrow. Nice to run that well.


What block did you get? nice clocks btw...


----------



## Derek1387

I got the EK copper/plexi

Seems like the 1250/1700 mark is about as good as I can get in 3dmark without artifacting at 1.3v....


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

So far I'm at 1220/1600 @ 1192mv... going for 1250 under 1.3 on air


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> So far I'm at 1220/1600 @ 1192mv... going for 1250 under 1.3 on air


is that 100% fan and OCCT error free?


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> What is this :
> VDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0
> MVDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0
> I don't see what it does or where to add it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm guessing you add that to your cfg file.


I added it didn't seem to change the volts reading ?????


----------



## Derek1387

Seems like i have one of the better chips... but if i go much more over 1250 on the core, i start artifacting in 3dMark

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2585930

System.jpg 503k .jpg file


----------



## Norlig

2x Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3gb cards on their way to me, will be here on Monday









$671 each though, stupid prices here


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Thanks. Looks like I have a high vid card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have
> Reg 0000174 :00003120
> afterburner shows 1112mhz default voltage


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Yes I think it is a 1125mv card but that is better than having a 1.175 card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although it seems like to me like it doesn't matter all that much.. i have seen a few 1.175 cards do over what my 1.050 card can probably do. (high voltage causes stretched textures for me) Should still hopefully be able to hold 1200mhz though.


Really? my 1.175 is at 1250 af 1.3v so far. Not finished yet, although probably at limit. People need to stop trying to rationalise the silicon lottery.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> is that 100% fan and OCCT error free?


NO and YES

I have the fans at a 1:1 ratio and they top out around 73c - 75c... I may just lock it at 100% and see how much better it is. Been playing the hell out of some BF3 in eyefinity and this card destroys my 6990 oc'd!!!!! So fluid! I mean seriously obliterates the 6990 in eyefinity!!!! I now actually set a max fps limit at 60fps (all high settings, no aa, no fxaa, 8x af, ssao @ 5896x1080) and rarely it will dip to mid 50's in crazy situations.. I was skeptical at first but I am beyond happy with making the switch!!

My 6990 @ 950/1500 would avg around 45fps









Single monitor the old dual gpu might be a little faster but in eyefinity it just absolutely doesn't compare!


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Really? my 1.175 is at 1250 af 1.3v so far. Not finished yet, although probably at limit. People need to stop trying to rationalise the silicon lottery.


Exactly! My xfx is doing wonderfully so far and I haven't even gone over 1.2v yet and stock is 1.175v


----------



## jamborhgini313

You guys are lucky you got good OC's! I wish my 7970 can do 1250...


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

What are you using to OC? I don't ever touch AB.. Trixx has been good to me throughout all the AMD cards I've ever used both in xfire and single gpu.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> 2x Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3gb cards on their way to me, will be here on Monday
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> $671 each though, stupid prices here


Thought about xfire. But will leave for a while me thinks because drivers are going to be rough. Think I will put this under water and then mabye xfire, or go Nvidia if their cards are good and amd mess me around with driver issues.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Exactly! My xfx is doing wonderfully so far and I haven't even gone over 1.2v yet and stock is 1.175v


Well I got mine to 1125 on stock volts. I could hit 1150 on stock volts in everythingbut crisis 2 which would artifact a little. Thought was stable, hours of benching. Ising crysis 2 now as the main game to test as seems to put the most hurt on the card.
After I found the stock limit I just bumped to 1.3v and started going up by 25mhz at a time and playing crysis 2.


----------



## WiL11o6

How do I get past the 1125mhz in AB? Seems the slider only goes to 1125mhz max.


----------



## Witchdoctor

in the AB directory open the cfg file in note pad

change the values of the 2 unofficial clock lines towards the bottom to 1

Save and new values will be 1.3v & 1390 core


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks


----------



## Norlig

how is Furmark to test overclocks btw? I used that to test my Gfx card OC, and it would go smooth, no lagging or artifacting, but when I opened BF3 I would hardlock (Current Nvidia Cards)


----------



## WiL11o6

My 3dmark11 appears to be artifacting like crazy, even at stock voltages. I only scored a 7k, which is very low, with a 1125mhz OC, artifacting through it. It plays BF3 just fine though, but it looks like people score around 8-9k with it OC'd to 1125mhz. What seems to be the problem?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> My 3dmark11 appears to be artifacting like crazy, even at stock voltages. I only scored a 7k, which is very low, with a 1125mhz OC, artifacting through it. It plays BF3 just fine though, but it looks like people score around 8-9k with it OC'd to 1125mhz. What seems to be the problem?


Which driver you using?


----------



## Newbie2009

I had the same problem with unigien initially.
I uninstalled msi afterburner.
Downloaded the graphics package again.
Used the graphics package (drivers,ccc etc) to uninstall everything AMD.
Reinstalled/restarted.
Worked perfectly from then on.


----------



## WiL11o6

11.12


----------



## WiL11o6

So, most likely a driver problem then?

In the two weeks, I went from SLI 570s to 9800GTX+ to a AMD 6870 now my 7970.


----------



## Immu

Here is mine Club3D HD 7970.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I was going to suggest do a complete wipe and reinstall of the drivers. Also I've had the best success with 8.92.. not sure about anyone else.


----------



## krazyatom

I used stock vid and OC'ed to 1125 core and 3dmark score was 8829. Not sure if my score is ok.

3DMark Score

P8829

Graphics Score

9082

Physics Score

8443

Combined Score

7749

GraphicsTest1

39.67 FPS

GraphicsTest2

45.79 FPS

GraphicsTest3

55.29 FPS

GraphicsTest4

27.66 FPS

PhysicsTest

26.8 FPS

CombinedTest

36.04 FPS


----------



## Denim-187

Anyone elses AB beta 11 stopped monitoring voltage ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> So, most likely a driver problem then?
> In the two weeks, I went from SLI 570s to 9800GTX+ to a AMD 6870 now my 7970.


Most likely yes. Don't worry about the nvidia drivers. It is the amd ones. uninstall everything using the app that comes with your 7970 drivers to install them.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Immu*
> 
> Here is mine Club3D HD 7970.


Nice oc. And you have a "bad card" lol


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks guys, I just reformated computer, didn't take that long. No more artifacting and I am running 1125mhz on stock volts of 1.05!


----------



## Penryn

Is there any way in the GPU tweak utility to seperate the link between GPU clock and GPU voltage?

Edit: I think I got it. Tweak voltage in GPU tweak, then adjust clocks in CCC. Werd.


----------



## Derek1387

I supposedly have one of the "good" cards. But I'm stuck at 1.3v 1250/1720 on water at 40c...I guess I can live with that.


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I supposedly have one of the "good" cards. But I'm stuck at 1.3v 1250/1720 on water at 40c...I guess I can live with that.


Increasing my voltage above stock causes my PC to crash... how is everyone doing ti?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I supposedly have one of the "good" cards. But I'm stuck at 1.3v 1250/1720 on water at 40c...I guess I can live with that.


All this VID nonsense is people with too much time on their hands. This launch of cards is no different to any other, some oc well, some dont. You cannot judge until you try.
Shame though, I would like to be hitting 1350 under water.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Increasing my voltage above stock causes my PC to crash... how is everyone doing ti?


You probably need to disable ULPS.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I supposedly have one of the "good" cards. But I'm stuck at 1.3v 1250/1720 on water at 40c...I guess I can live with that.


Derek, did you try to raise the memory voltage in Afterburner (click the red arrow)? Maybe lower your memory clock and raise the core.


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> All this VID nonsense is people with too much time on their hands. This launch of cards is no different to any other, some oc well, some dont. You cannot judge until you try.
> Shame though, I would like to be hitting 1350 under water.
> You probably need to disable ULPS.


Oh I'm not upset. Very happy tbhbut if I can go higher, why not.

Now we just need some good drivers.....


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Oh I'm not upset. Very happy tbhbut if I can go higher, why not.
> Now we just need some good drivers.....


Can I ask you where you got the gpu block? I want one but cannot find an XSPC one anywhere.


----------



## WiL11o6

Before the total reformat, I OC'd to 1125/1575 on 1.175 and only got a score of 7700, and was reaching temps in the 70s already. After the clean win7 and drivers, was able to push to 1250/1600 at 1.175. At the default 1.05, I was able to bump it up to 1125mhz already which is amazing. I notice that once it hits 75c+ it starts to artifact and it doesn't take heat well at all!



This is truly amazing because this is the same score I got on my stock SLI 570s.


----------



## Norlig

I want to watercool my two incomming 7970's, but I dont want to use Full cover blocks so I can use it on other cards in the Future.

1: What is the best GPU Only waterblock?
2: Would I need Ram heatsinks? (see Q: 3)
3: is the stock cooler a 2 part cooler (like the GTX 580 cooler) so that you can take off the Copper block on the GPU and still have a cooling plate (other half of stock cooler) still mounted on the cards over the VRM's. Or is it all one whole piece and I should buy VRM heatsinks aswell?

Thanks


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Can I ask you where you got the gpu block? I want one but cannot find an XSPC one anywhere.


I ordered direct from EK. Took 3 days to get to me.best looking block I have ever had too!

Norlig, the full cover block is all you need. It cools the whole card.


----------



## Derek1387

Will doing anything with my memory voltage help me out at all?

I was able to drop my core voltage down to 1.25, running 1254/1700.... topping out at 40C....


----------



## WiL11o6

Just showing off the sexy card!





One thing I don't like is the poor paint job or whatever on my card here:


Don't know if you can see it, but it looks like blotches and chipped paint.


----------



## Newbie2009

They are a lovely looking cards. Coolers are excellent also. Anything over 60% fan though gets real loud. Luckily I think 70% would be all you need to run any overclock on the card, it pushes so much air.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> They are a lovely looking cards. Coolers are excellent also. Anything over 60% fan though gets real loud. Luckily I think 70% would be all you need to run any overclock on the card, it pushes so much air.


The stock cooler sucks balls lol i hate mine i so need a wb for it


----------



## Witchdoctor

Wa.....






LMAO ............


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> The stock cooler sucks balls lol i hate mine i so need a wb for it


hehe yeah, WB FTW no doubt. But the stock cooler pushes a lot of air. Mine holds temps at about 55-60c with 55-60% fan speeds. Just sounds too loud to me mabye because have used non ref cool/quiet cards for last new years mabye.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> Wa.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LMAO ............

















LOL
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> hehe yeah, WB FTW no doubt. But the stock cooler pushes a lot of air. Mine holds temps at about 55-60c with 55-60% fan speeds. Just sounds too loud to me mabye because have used non ref cool/quiet cards for last new years mabye.


mine at stock get in the 70c+ maybe my cooler is just crap lol but no all the ati/amd cards i had the ref coolers are just loud guess its there trademark


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Mine are both *3* chips. 1112mv. Grey 6pin connectors. One HIS and One Sapphire.
> 32b0
> 3400
> The only brands that do the 6pin color indication theory are *HIS*, *Gigabyte* and *XFX*.
> Not too sure about Diamond, Powercolor and ASUS.
> Sapphire doesn't use any sort of black 6 pin connector.


My sapphire has a black 6 pin.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LOL
> mine at stock get in the 70c+ maybe my cooler is just crap lol but no all the ati/amd cards i had the ref coolers are just loud guess its there trademark


No I use custom fan profile.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I want to watercool my two incomming 7970's, but I dont want to use Full cover blocks so I can use it on other cards in the Future.
> 1: What is the best GPU Only waterblock?
> 2: Would I need Ram heatsinks? (see Q: 3)
> 3: is the stock cooler a 2 part cooler (like the GTX 580 cooler) so that you can take off the Copper block on the GPU and still have a cooling plate (other half of stock cooler) still mounted on the cards over the VRM's. Or is it all one whole piece and I should buy VRM heatsinks aswell?
> Thanks


1. The EK-VGA Supreme HF is great. I was using 4 of those on my 4 Lightnings before. But the problem is that all the ''universal'' blocks are not fitting the new 7970. They need an ''adaptor'' (0.5mm piece of copper) to go between the block and card. Sigh. Universals are not universals LOL. EK are selling those little pieces for cheap.

2. Yes. It's REALLY important to put those on the VRMs and VRAM chips, or use a Swiftech Unisink instead. See 3.

3. No. Only non-reference cards like the Lightnings (and some others) are like that. But Swiftech are making some ''Unisinks'' that you can buy for cheap.

My Lightnings were like that. Remember the Mammoth Tanks in C&C?


----------



## Newbie2009

Question. I set 1.3v in trixx and it shows under load it is pulling about 1.245. Reason?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Question. I set 1.3v in trixx and it shows under load it is pulling about 1.245. Reason?


Because Trixx is showing the hardware data and could be the Vdroop.

Try Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11 Memory Voltage Contol for Reference 7970 - Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Ah I don't think there's anything wrong or unethical what Denim did. Obviously his business had earned him priority with his supplier. More power to him. Money talks in every country, shouldt be any surprise. Some seem jelly of his getting grey power connectors.
> Doubt AMD is going to make them all black due to this. Besides why aren't they the same color to begin with? Who's working for them, color blind employees. They should all be same qaulity and color. Blame them for any inconsistencies.
> 
> Denim is a good OCN member and has been a contribution with his results to this club. Let's not nail him to the rafters people. That's my take. Back on subject


You can have good business and priority with a supplier without treating him like scum. It just shows what kind of character Denim carries, and he may be a good OCN member but he sounds like a disgraceful human being IMO.

Plus you also have to consider that now all those boxes he opened are technically open box products. I am sure nobody here would like to have bought a product that a supplier opened just to please one customer no matter how good of a customer they are.

Personally, if I knew my supplier had done this, they would have been getting my product back and I would have taken by business elsewhere.

Anyways, I guess something on topic, is there is any discussion on an ETA for a driver? Would be nice to see if AMD has come up with any big improvements on this card already. Its kind of sad that their driver department is in such a sad state of affairs..


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Because Trixx is showing the hardware data and could be the Vdroop.
> 
> Try Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11 _Memory Voltage Contol for Reference 7970 - Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta_


Have AB also. Same story..... Only thing I can think of is that AB and Trixx 1.3v is not actually 1.3v, as both have same results. Any word yet on how to go past 1.3v on any site via software?


----------



## snelan

Ok, so I just checked, and it appears that my LOWER binned card with a VID of 1.17v has a grey connector, while the 1.05v one has a black connector?

EDIT: That is, unless Afterburner is doing that thing that it does with some cards where it reads the second GPU as GPU1 and the first as GPU2.


----------



## Focus182

Does anyone here getting flashing lights now and again in Crysis 2?

running at 1200mhz @ 1.175v, if anyone else gets this flashing it would probably mean I am stable


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Does anyone here getting flashing lights now and again in Crysis 2?
> running at 1200mhz @ 1.175v, if anyone else gets this flashing it would probably mean I am stable


Not me


----------



## Witchdoctor

Pull it back to 1150 and less vid, should cover it


----------



## Focus182

Dammit, I'll run it at stock and then at a slightly lower voltage and see if it still happens.


----------



## PARTON

Little neon flashes here and there on crysis 1 bench indicate instability for me.


----------



## Focus182

Tried Crysis 2 @ stock with much lower temps and still got the flashing.

Also @Patron, I also get the little flashes on Crysis 1 and i just tried that @ stock and it still happened

Yet i have no problems with any other game/benchmark at all.


----------



## omega17

What's going on here then?

This is while monitor is sleeping, so ZeroCore has kicked in. Only happening with beta 11, didn't have this problem with 10.

The little spikes are every minute, on the minute (1:00, 2:00... etc)


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Tried Crysis 2 @ stock with much lower temps and still got the flashing.
> Also @Patron, I also get the little flashes on Crysis 1 and i just tried that @ stock and it still happened
> Yet i have no problems with any other game/benchmark at all.


I don't get them as long as I'm under 1100MHz.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Pissed?
> My supplier has made a fortune through me, if i tell him to lick in between my toes, he'll ask "how long?"


I have 2 business, with over 50 computers in those, plus my main rig at home is worth over 10K$, and I have 3 other high-end computers at home for LAN games. But I would never ask my retailer to do that. Just imagine how many $ I pay each year for my computers at work and at home. Probably 20-30 times more then you do.









In the end, we will all pay for those kinds of geeky attitude. Retailers will always redistribute the bill to other customers. That's the way it works. IMHO it was really immature to do what you did.

That's all. End of the line. You do what you want. My last post on that subject. But since I own 2 really busy business, I can't let those kinds of annoying attitude for retailers pass under the radar without saying something. That's all. Yes I was pissed reading what you did.









And please, to the Nvidia fanboy posting in here. You know who you are. Go away. Woosh woosh. Go back to your green territory. Let us enjoy the fastest single GPU on the planet. You can keep your overpriced 580 3Gb cards. We don,t want them.


----------



## Arizonian

New drivers are out for you guys.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1202945/amd-new-7970-drivers-released-8-921-2-rc11

Some perfomance improvements and issues resolved.


----------



## rcfc89

Glad I was patient.........................


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I supposedly have one of the "good" cards. But I'm stuck at 1.3v 1250/1720 on water at 40c...I guess I can live with that.


Only 1250 on water? What happens higher, crashes? Artifacts? Doh, that is only 50Mhz faster than my air cards are running.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Glad I was patient.........................


Hm, this card is nice but I wonder if anyone will come out with water blocks for them. Triple slot cooler effectively limits your card count to two. I'd rip that cooler off, replace the silly 3-slot back plate with a 2-slot if water blocks came out. Could run my Eyefinity 5 setup with this baby.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Only 1250 on water? What happens higher, crashes? Artifacts? Doh, that is only 50Mhz faster than my air cards are running.
> Hm, this card is nice but I wonder if anyone will come out with water blocks for them. Triple slot cooler effectively limits your card count to two. I'd rip that cooler off, replace the silly 3-slot back plate with a 2-slot if water blocks came out. Could run my Eyefinity 5 setup with this baby.


I'm with you on the 1250mhz. A little disappointing, but there seems to be some type of ceiling that isn't heat related on how far these can go. Now, it's *not* disappointing in the fact that they can O/c to 1150-1200 on air, but agree that only 50 more on water isn't great. Almost not worth buying the blocks if you were hoping for higher core.


----------



## Denim-187

@Levesque and that other noob having a cry cause my supplier looked after me... *Cry me a river* ^__^


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I have good news and bad news...
> Good news: The latest [email protected] beta client (7.1.43) supports the HD 7970, which means you can now fold.
> Bad news: Performance still really sucks... Looks like the core that is currently used isn't optimized for the new architecture.
> The 7970 is currently getting over 8500 PPD (1125 MHz core).


long thread is long, so sorry if it's been answered, but have you tried running multiple GPU clients on the same GPU to see if PPD goes up? doing so took my 6950 over 9000 ppd, which makes me think it's under utilizing the 6k series, and looking at your ppd there makes me wonder the same thing.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Only 1250 on water? What happens higher, crashes? Artifacts? Doh, that is only 50Mhz faster than my air cards are running.
> Hm, this card is nice but I wonder if anyone will come out with water blocks for them. Triple slot cooler effectively limits your card count to two. I'd rip that cooler off, replace the silly 3-slot back plate with a 2-slot if water blocks came out. Could run my Eyefinity 5 setup with this baby.


The only way I'd choose 2 of these over 7990/7970 is if the msi/sapphire edition was indeed clocked at 1300mhz and 6gb or vram. My asus x79 sabertooth board could fit two cards of this size no problem with its 2 16x slots spaced out so well. If these are only clocked at 1000mhz and 3gb i'll pass and see what MSI and Sapphire comes out with or stick with the 7990/7970 reference plan.


----------



## Tumdace

New driver:

3% (up to) performance improvement in BF3?

LOL

Why even bother. At 60 fps thats an extra 1.8fps.

Call me when its a 10% increase.


----------



## Sebe

1200 / 1575 Mhz seems to be stable for me in unigine heaven. Also stock volt 1174mV...









Original


----------



## tsm106

Yay, just got one Visiontek, left on doorstep. Thanks UPS.







The box surprisingly rattles. They're not so good at making packing that doesn't allow the card to rattle around lol. C'mon man, don't let my 550 dollar rattle around!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> 1200 / 1575 Mhz seems to be stable for me in unigine heaven. Also stock volt 1174mV...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Original


This is the perfect example of why we shouldn't be panicking about grey power connectors VID's and other non-sense. It doesn't seem to matter. You may get lucky, you may not.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yay, just got one Visiontek, left on doorstep. Thanks UPS.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The box surprisingly rattles. They're not so good at making packing that doesn't allow the card to rattle around lol. C'mon man, don't let my 550 dollar rattle around!


My Sapphire box rattled too. My driver cd was loose, it had cardboard pieces all over it and I was like, "did they seriously just drop the cd into the box without a sleeve?". The cd fell out of the sleeve....because all the cables, cd, paper work was just thrown into the box. Disappointed for a $550 card. My other cheaper $200 sub cards were better well packaged.


----------



## WiL11o6

Did anyone touch the power control setting in CCC? I didn't use my CCC to overclock yet, I read that it's needed to push power control to +20% to get it more stable. Does that mean higher temps if I do? And would MSI AB override any changes or vice versa?

Edit: Seems like CCC is overriding AB even when I just touch the power control slider. Anyway to use power control, but AB to OC?


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Glad I was patient.........................


Does not appear to be reference design, so putting them under water may prove difficult, at least with full cover.


----------



## tsm106

^^It's a DCII, it's not ref on purpose. But the ironic thing is they finally wised up and put some damn sinks on the memory lol. They just flatoout copied MSI's TF cooler. If you can't beat them, copy them!


----------



## ElGreco

Hi,

I just read the following in MSI site...

"MSI's R7900 series graphics cards have also implemented an all-solid capacitor design to guarantee stability even when working under full loads over extended periods of time."

Is this statement valid only or MSI cards or all 7970s?

I thought that all reference cards have identical PCBs in all aspects!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Hi,
> I just read the following in MSI site...
> "MSI's R7900 series graphics cards have also implemented an all-solid capacitor design to guarantee stability even when working under full loads over extended periods of time."
> Is this statement valid only or MSI cards or all 7970s?
> I thought that all reference cards have identical PCBs in all aspects!


It's like advertising that your car has airbags for safety, nevermind that airbags is mandated by the federal government.

MSI is just grandstanding like usual.


----------



## UNOE

My two ek blocks just came I only have one gpu so far if I can get over 1300c Im selling second block. Can't install until tonight though.


----------



## tsm106

What kind ek blocks did you get?


----------



## UNOE

Nickel Acetal


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> New driver:
> 3% (up to) performance improvement in BF3?
> LOL
> Why even bother. At 60 fps thats an extra 1.8fps.
> Call me when its a 10% increase.


It's a step







It will soon add up when they release more (hopefully)

Also, does anyone mind telling me how they check their memory for stability? What with error correction n all.

I used the Crysis benchmark but while my avg amd max fps was going up my minimum fps was not, Not sure if this is a sign of errors or not.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> It's a step
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It will soon add up when they release more (hopefully)
> Also, does anyone mind telling me how they check their memory for stability? What with error correction n all.
> I used the Crysis benchmark but while my avg amd max fps was going up my minimum fps was not, Not sure if this is a sign of errors or not.


I check it by running furmark at a medium resolution so that it has a really high framerate. Bump the memory up 25MHz at a time until there stops being a corresponding increase in framerate. Take it high enough and you will be able to see furmark stuttering from all the error correction. I hit 1900MHz before the framerate stopped going up.

Until someone can prove to me otherwise or give me a better method of testing, I seem to be good to go at 1850MHz.

GPU-z validation at 1850MHz


----------



## sockpirate

Just placed my order for 2 MSI 7970s!!! Now the waiting game on getting some of those EK full cover blocks!


----------



## UNOE

I bought two Nickel Acetal, two Links for my Bridge and they gave me a free beenie I guess. Only thing I'm missing is the second 7970


----------



## DOM.

I WANT A WB


----------



## Newbie2009

jealous...


----------



## WiL11o6

Question: How accurate is AB's voltage monitoring?

I have my 7970 @ 1200mhz, manually set to 1125mv, but in the voltage monitoring while I am playing BF3, it never reaches that high. It fluctuates around 1.038-1.05mv, that doesn't seem right to me. I am already using the AB Beta 11 or 10, whatever the newest Beta AB is.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Question: How accurate is AB's voltage monitoring?
> I have my 7970 @ 1200mhz, manually set to 1125mv, but in the voltage monitoring while I am playing BF3, it never reaches that high. It fluctuates around 1.038-1.05mv, that doesn't seem right to me. I am already using the AB Beta 11 or 10, whatever the newest Beta AB is.


Don't worry about it.

Its normal for cards, it happened on previous cards its just that the software (afterburner and such) only read targeted voltage.

If you were instead wondering if its strange that the voltage never goes as high as to reach the targeted its fine, mine doesn't either.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I bought two Nickel Acetal, two Links for my Bridge and they gave me a free beenie I guess. Only thing I'm missing is the second 7970


Looks great man!

Post your results once the blocks are one


----------



## Kortwa

My EK blocks got in today and I didnt get a beenie







Im gonna break out my camera and lighting in a bit to take some pics of the blocks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I bought two Nickel Acetal, two Links for my Bridge and they gave me a free beenie I guess. Only thing I'm missing is the second 7970


Oh my eyes, my eyes!! Too shiny!! You went full bling mode.


----------



## Aventadoor

1125mV for 1200mhz :O
Damn I wish I got better VID cards....


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> I check it by running furmark at a medium resolution so that it has a really high framerate. Bump the memory up 25MHz at a time until there stops being a corresponding increase in framerate. Take it high enough and you will be able to see furmark stuttering from all the error correction. I hit 1900MHz before the framerate stopped going up.
> Until someone can prove to me otherwise or give me a better method of testing, I seem to be good to go at 1850MHz.
> GPU-z validation at 1850MHz


1850?

You crazy !


----------



## Aventadoor

What will you guys recommend for OCing these cards?
I have the Sapphire versions so I currently use the Sapphire TriXX, but if it MSI is better id rather use that!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> What will you guys recommend for OCing these cards?
> I have the Sapphire versions so I currently use the Sapphire TriXX, but if it MSI is better id rather use that!


I used sapphire trixx


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> 1850?
> You crazy !


Can't get any better on the core at lower memory clocks, so what the heck. Started at 1500MHz and went up 25 at a time. It started to get pretty comical at 7GHz. Though it was never going to give up.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Can't get any better on the core at lower memory clocks, so what the heck. Started at 1500MHz and went up 25 at a time. It started to get pretty comical at 7GHz. Though it was never going to give up.


you sure that's stable?

I wimp out on memory, got one black screen on 3dmark 11 at 1675 and put it back down to 1575 even though I was not even sure it was the memory that caused it.

I'll start bumping it up when I get time, checking its stable on multiple games/benchmarks each 25mhz


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> you sure that's stable?
> I wimp out on memory, got one black screen on 3dmark 11 at 1675 and put it back down to 1575 even though I was not even sure it was the memory that caused it.
> I'll start bumping it up when I get time, checking its stable on multiple games/benchmarks each 25mhz


15 minutes of OCCT at 8, a bit of Furmark, a few runs of Heaven, and a few hours of BF3 without so much as a hiccup. I'm guessing yes.


----------



## importflip

I should be getting mine soon.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> 15 minutes of OCCT at 8, a bit of Furmark, a few runs of Heaven, and a few hours of BF3 without so much as a hiccup. I'm guessing yes.


Which utility are you using for OCing? :O
Thats insane!!
I cant even get my cards at 1150 without game freezing in BF3... Possible that its not bcuz off that tho, Since I did 1100 fine at all other stuff, and single card went 2 1200


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Which utility are you using for OCing? :O
> Thats insane!!
> I cant even get my cards at 1150 without game freezing in BF3... Possible that its not bcuz off that tho, Since I did 1100 fine at all other stuff, and single card went 2 1200


Memory not GPU. GPU overclock is pretty meh at 1100.

I'm just using Overdrive. Extra voltage hasn't seemed to help my card all that much so there's no real point in using anything besides Overdrive.


----------



## Aventadoor

Oh Id thought you had a killer card since your mem went that high but okay


----------



## Big Chad

1/20/1012 Sapphire 7970 $599.99 Amazon.com


----------



## Kortwa

DSC_3022 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr


DSC_2991 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr


DSC_2989 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr


DSC_3018 by DeanCourtois, on Flickr

The acetal has some imperfections that are highlight from my two flashes but under normal light you dont see them. Great looking cards none the less.


----------



## wTheOnew

^^ All these pictures of the EK blocks.







Going to be a long weekend, mine's getting here Monday.


----------



## Aventadoor

Oh man, If they dont bother to give customers 100% perfect blocks I wont get EK!

Im struggling to overclock with crossfireX
I get bluescreen or freeze everytime I try 1150...


----------



## wirefox

Darn you UPS... why why is my 2day still in Edison NJ ... you should be coming to my door step any minute now ...End of day...










On the EK blocks..

Are folks ordering the blocks from EK site directly... Even though the site says out of stock--- can one order anyway ... meaning are they creating a back order queue?

Anyone using the Koolance block? or Aqua Computer...

...I haven't run a GPU with a fan in like years... i can't even recall... I guess it doesn't matter since UPS has failed me ...


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Darn you UPS... why why is my 2day still in Edison NJ ... you should be coming to my door step any minute now ...End of day...
> 
> On the EK blocks..
> Are folks ordering the blocks from EK site directly... Even though the site says out of stock--- can one order anyway ... meaning are they creating a back order queue?
> Anyone using the Koolance block? or Aqua Computer...
> ...I haven't run a GPU with a fan in like years... i can't even recall... I guess it doesn't matter since UPS has failed me ...


I JUST ORDERED ONE HOPE THEY GET SOME DONE SO THEY CAN SHIP IT OUT NEXT WEEK









BUT ALSO GOT A SHIM TO PUT IT UNDER LN2


----------



## Kortwa

I ordered my blocks from the site 4 days before they were supposed to be released according to Tibor. Put in my order and just waited until they had them in stock I guess.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Oh man, If they dont bother to give customers 100% perfect blocks I wont get EK!
> Im struggling to overclock with crossfireX
> I get bluescreen or freeze everytime I try 1150...


Dude, ek's never made perfect blocks, so you best start looking elsewhere if that really is your expectation.


----------



## wirefox

Great UPS told me to call the shipper tomorrow to complain ... DAMN you NEW EGG you best not sold me vaporharware


----------



## 7ranslucen7

I live down the street from PPCS so I picked up the block the same day they were available


----------



## das kobold

I just received my Sapphire 7970 today and I don't know if I have a turd or bad card. I installed the latest Afterburner beta version. Ran the command line and received this :


Apparently I have one of the 1.175 vid cards. As for overclocking, it will artifact at 1150 no matter what voltage I give it.

Been trying all sorts of things, including driver updates, Sappire Trixx and even opening the Window next to the PC and putting a fan blowing cold winter air in on it to cool it just a little more. Sorta helps.

I want to WC this card and hit at least 1200 on the core but I dont know if this card has it in it.

I just upgraded from a pair of Sapphire 5850's watercooled at 1ghz on each core. They ran like a champ and benchmarked as good or better than the 7970 at stock speeds so I want to get a little more performance out of my $550.

Any suggestions?


----------



## Denim-187

From what ive experienced, sapphires are overclocking great. 
The 1174mv cards are doin 1150mhz and the 1112 cards are doing 1200mhz+.
Ive also been lurking on other forums where sapphires are the champion chips so far.
I just got my hands on a gigabyte card, and im going to see what it can do.


----------



## bmgjet

The sapphire card iv got is up to 1250mhz with stock (1175mv) so far.
Max temp after 20mins furmark 63C

Does any one know how to get Trixx to go above 1300mhz, Iv got a feeling ill be able to reach that quite soon.


----------



## sockpirate

Are the copper Acetal out of stock everywhere?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I reduced my voltage back to stock, 1175, and raised memory and it's still stable









So I'm at 1220/1650 @ 1175mv

XFX Black edition... I'll post some benchmarks when I go back to single monitor.. having too much fun in eyefinity


----------



## sockpirate

Quick question as well, is the Acetal block a copper block or is it nickel?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

About to do a fresh install of Win 7, will do more benching afterwards and maybe go for more on stock volts


----------



## Scorpion667

MSI 7970 just came in the mail. Grey 6pin I think VID is 1.175v

Out of the box bumped it to 1.2ghz @ 1.2v and it was stable in everything I threw at it. Also stable at 1.2ghz 1.3v. I did the last test at higher voltage as it's apparent some cards artifact at high voltage regardless of clocks, mine did not.

Perhaps I'll push it more later but it's too overkill even as is, nothing I can't max at 1680x1050.

Time to install this HX850 sigh. I hate cable management but it looks nice after all the work. My Corsair GS700 squeals like a pig farm, it's gotta go.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> MSI 7970 just came in the mail. Grey 6pin I think VID is 1.175v
> Out of the box bumped it to 1.2ghz @ 1.2v and it was stable in everything I threw at it. Also stable at 1.2ghz 1.3v. I did the last test at higher voltage as it's apparent some cards artifact at high voltage regardless of clocks, mine did not.
> Perhaps I'll push it more later but it's too overkill even as is, nothing I can't max at 1680x1050.
> Time to install this HX850 sigh. I hate cable management but it looks nice after all the work. My Corsair GS700 squeals like a pig farm, it's gotta go.


Exactly... I think this grey pin deal is ridiculous


----------



## Scorpion667

Yo GPUtool works excellent with this video card... 15 mins gputool stable was stable in BF3 (MAXED, 2 hours), 3dmark11 looped 30 mins as well as heaven 2.5 (15mins).

The thing with GPUtool is it detects artifacts very effectively for this card (unlike my 570gtx it didnt detect artifacts for overclocks that were unstable in 3dmark11). So you don't have to sit there for 10-15 mins checking for artifacts in heaven 2.5, it just does it for you.

I usually try and stay away from stress test programs but gave it a whirl and it pretty much detects instability in the first 2 minutes so it's just a quick effective way to test. I would never touch OCCT.

I recommend not running it more than 15minutes, it will shorten your card's lifespan if you run it long.


----------



## UNOE

Going to put my EK block on now and I see a sticker warranty void if removed over the stock socket bracket screws this is not cool.

This is XFX does anyone know if the other manufactures have these stickers.


----------



## dezerteagle323

just got my Diamond 7970 in today, so far playing BF3 ultra'ed out with 4Xmsaa and getting around 75 fps (1920x1080) ... AWESOME!! ... soooo glad i sold my crossfire 2gb 6950's and got rid of cfx issues

so far I've reached 1150/1575 near stock volts on air


----------



## jamborhgini313

Testing my OC's with GPUTOOL and it looks like my card is a POS overclocker. I get artifacts no matter what volts I use. I tried 1175 @ 1.3 and it still gave errors wow


----------



## dezerteagle323

quick question, my VID is 00003210 so I guess I'm in the 1.1125 category .... should I set _that_ as the voltage in AB and try to OC from there? Or just have AB set it to 1.175 by default and use that as the starting point?


----------



## Favian

Can you guys tell me if this 3dmark 11 score is correct? It seems a little low to me, i thought my p score would be around 14000 from reading reviews.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Your actual gpu score is over 15,000


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Your actual gpu score is over 15,000


Yeah that's true, it just seems weird that the reviews that I've seen have a higher p score and they use almost the exact same build as mine.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

hmmm did you do a fresh windows install when you got the 7970? Not saying you need to just wondering.


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> hmmm did you do a fresh windows install when you got the 7970? Not saying you need to just wondering.


Yep I did, do you think it could be because they used more ram? they used 16gb and I have 8gb. Sorry for the dumb questions I'm still a beginner lol.


----------



## Denim-187

The Gigabyte boards are the same ones sapphire were sent, HIS on the other hand has some lower quality chips.

So far the cards i've tested thanks to my supplier are:

Sapphire 1112mv: *1200+ mhz* on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]
Sapphire 1175mv: wall @ *1140 mhz* [Grey 6pin]
HIS 1175mv: Wall @ *1085mhz* [Black 6pin]
HIS 1112mv: Wall @ *1110mhz* on 1135mv. [Grey 6pin]
Gigabyte 1112mv: *1200+ mhz* on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]

Seems that Sapphire and Gigabyte have great chips regardless of VID type.

I can push these chips way harder, ive just benched them on stock voltage, Heaven MAXED.
-


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> The Gigabyte boards are the same ones sapphire were sent, HIS on the other hand has some lower quality chips.
> So far the cards i've tested are thanks to my supplier:
> Sapphire 1112mv: 1200+ mhz on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]
> Sapphire 1175mv: wall @ 1140 mhz [Grey 6pin]
> HIS 1175mv: Wall @ 1085mhz [Black 6pin]
> HIS 1112mv: Wall 1110mhz on 1135mv. [Grey 6pin]
> Gigabyte 1200+ mhz on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]
> Seems that Sapphire and Gigabyte have great chips regardless of VID type.
> I can push these chips way harder, ive just benched them on stock voltage, Heaven MAXED.
> -


Remind me to never use your supplier.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Remind me to never use your supplier.


----------



## That_guy3

I have 3 xfx reference will post pics soon!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *That_guy3*
> 
> I have 3 xfx reference will post pics soon!


NICE man but for the love of Kate Beckinsale, upgrade that CPU !!!


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I'll be honest I never use 3dmark.... ever, but I will load it after I reinstall windows here in a minute just to compare









What's your unigine heaven 2.5 numbers?


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> The Gigabyte boards are the same ones sapphire were sent, HIS on the other hand has some lower quality chips.
> So far the cards i've tested thanks to my supplier are:
> Sapphire 1112mv: *1200+ mhz* on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]
> Sapphire 1175mv: wall @ *1140 mhz* [Grey 6pin]
> HIS 1175mv: Wall @ *1085mhz* [Black 6pin]
> HIS 1112mv: Wall @ *1110mhz* on 1135mv. [Grey 6pin]
> Gigabyte 1112mv: *1200+ mhz* on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]
> Seems that Sapphire and Gigabyte have great chips regardless of VID type.
> I can push these chips way harder, ive just benched them on stock voltage, Heaven MAXED.
> -


Who is your supplier?!


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> The Gigabyte boards are the same ones sapphire were sent, HIS on the other hand has some lower quality chips.
> So far the cards i've tested thanks to my supplier are:
> Sapphire 1112mv: *1200+ mhz* on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]
> Sapphire 1175mv: wall @ *1140 mhz* [Grey 6pin]
> HIS 1175mv: Wall @ *1085mhz* [Black 6pin]
> HIS 1112mv: Wall @ *1110mhz* on 1135mv. [Grey 6pin]
> Gigabyte 1112mv: *1200+ mhz* on stock voltage. [Grey 6pin]
> Seems that Sapphire and Gigabyte have great chips regardless of VID type.
> I can push these chips way harder, ive just benched them on stock voltage, Heaven MAXED.
> -


Hey Denim

I also have gigabyte 7970 and I have exact same voltage with grey 6pin.
Did you do +20% power settings? I didn't.
I don't think 1200mhz core clock was 100% stable for me using stock voltage. My fan profile is also default fan profile. Did you set it to 55% fan manually?


----------



## Penryn

I am still having voltage problems. I got 1100mhz on stock but anytime I go over stock 1112mv it does the blank screen deal while gaming. This is while ram is at stock clock speed and voltage. Also, temps never go over 80C. Little jump or big jump in voltage makes no difference. I tried 1135mv all the way to 1300mv and no dice. ULPS is off as far as I can tell by all methods.


----------



## krazyatom

what does ULPS do? Do I need to turn it off? If yes, how?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> what does ULPS do? Do I need to turn it off? If yes, how?


Go to registry and disable Ulps:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Control \\Cl ass\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}]

and change "EnableUlps" to 0 under the 0000 and 0001 or 0003 keys.

0= Disabled
1= Enabled

*I havnt turned mine off though.*

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Hey Denim
> I also have gigabyte 7970 and I have exact same voltage with grey 6pin.
> Did you do +20% power settings? I didn't.
> I don't think 1200mhz core clock was 100% stable for me using stock voltage. My fan profile is also default fan profile. Did you set it to 55% fan manually?


Yes i used the +20% power setting. Your gigabyte card should do at least 1180mhz on stock.
Yes i manually set fan to 55%, you can go more if u want.
What are you using to test for errors?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Go to registry and disable Ulps:
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Control \\Cl ass\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}]
> and change "EnableUlps" to 0 under the 0000 and 0001 or 0003 keys.
> 0= Disabled
> 1= Enabled
> *I havnt turned mine off though.*
> Yes i used the +20% power setting. Your gigabyte card should do at least 1180mhz on stock.
> Yes i manually set fan to 55%, you can go more if u want.
> What are you using to test for errors?


I am currently using OCCT 3.1.0 right now.
I will go ahead and test with +20% power.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Go to registry and disable Ulps:
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Control \\Cl ass\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}]
> and change "EnableUlps" to 0 under the 0000 and 0001 or 0003 keys.
> 0= Disabled
> 1= Enabled
> *I havnt turned mine off though.*
> Yes i used the +20% power setting. Your gigabyte card should do at least 1180mhz on stock.
> Yes i manually set fan to 55%, you can go more if u want.
> What are you using to test for errors?


Doesn't Trixxx or AB overide CCC? So the +20% doesn't work or does it?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Doesn't Trixxx or AB overide CCC? So the +20% doesn't work or does it?


Actually CCC overides others. Also you are able to enable in AB changing the "Enable unofficialoverclocking= *2*"
Change the 1 to 2


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> I'll be honest I never use 3dmark.... ever, but I will load it after I reinstall windows here in a minute just to compare
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What's your unigine heaven 2.5 numbers?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*


If benching on Heaven.... For heavens sake max it out !

16x AF
8x AA
Extreme Tesselation


----------



## x3sphere

Soo... 1075 core works fine on stock, hit a wall after that. Won't clock any higher even if I up the voltage to 1.3v ( I did 20mv increments). And my temps are < 65C

Do you think AB isn't really applying the voltage? Using beta 11. Looked OK from the voltage monitor but I don't get it, weird that increasing the voltage had no effect at all.

PSU should be fine - 750TX. Powertune is at +20%


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *x3sphere*
> 
> Soo... 1075 core works fine on stock, hit a wall after that. Won't clock any higher even if I up the voltage to 1.3v ( I did 20mv increments). And my temps are < 65C
> Do you think AB isn't really applying the voltage? Using beta 11. Looked OK from the voltage monitor but I don't get it, weird that increasing the voltage had no effect at all.
> PSU should be fine - 750TX. Powertune is at +20%


Powertune doesn't do jack **** imo. And my card hits a wall @ 1150. No matter what volts, I'll get artifacts in games and any benchmarking programs.


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> If benching on Heaven.... For heavens sake max it out !
> 16x AF
> 8x AA
> Extreme Tesselation


Here's my score to compare with everyone else


----------



## Aventadoor

Ive desided to use MSI AB for Ocing now. So should I use UnofficialOverclockingMode 1 or 2?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> Here's my score to compare with everyone else


Nice, now its time to overclock em


----------



## lothar

New GPU-Z, displays ASIC quality for Tahiti

0.5.8

Added explanation about PCI-Express power savings and 3D render test to accurately measure bus config under load
Added function to display ASIC quality for Fermi and Southern Islands. (Located in the GPU-Z system menu)
Fixed crash on older ATI cards
Added voltage monitoring for HD 7970
Improved real-time clock monitoring for HD 7970
Fixed OpenCL detection for AMD Antilles, Whistler, Seymour, Blackcomb
Improved default clock reading for AMD HD 7970 and Fusion
Added support for AMD FirePro V7900, HD 6930, HD 7690M, HD 6410D
Fixed Intel Sandy Bridge IGP to be DirectX 10.1, 32 nm
Added support for NVIDIA Tesla C2075, GeForce GT 630M

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2092/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.5.8.html


----------



## Aventadoor

I enabled UnofficialoverclockingMode 2 with AB, now my cards run 60 and 50c even with 0 Usage!!
***!!!!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> I enabled UnofficialoverclockingMode 2 with AB, now my cards run 60 and 50c even with 0 Usage!!
> ***!!!!


I feel your pain. What were your temps before that?


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I feel your pain. What were your temps before that?


They were around 45 on top, 35 on bottom....
Well now it looks like MSI AB have screwed up my cards...
How Im I suppose to fix this?
I tryed 2 logg back on Admin account, change back 2 unofficaloverclockingMode 0, but still it runs hot at idle.... Not to mention the volt is constant at MAX....


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> New GPU-Z, displays ASIC quality for Tahiti
> 0.5.8
> Added explanation about PCI-Express power savings and 3D render test to accurately measure bus config under load
> *Added function to display ASIC quality for Fermi and Southern Islands. (Located in the GPU-Z system menu)*
> Fixed crash on older ATI cards
> Added voltage monitoring for HD 7970
> Improved real-time clock monitoring for HD 7970
> Fixed OpenCL detection for AMD Antilles, Whistler, Seymour, Blackcomb
> Improved default clock reading for AMD HD 7970 and Fusion
> Added support for AMD FirePro V7900, HD 6930, HD 7690M, HD 6410D
> Fixed Intel Sandy Bridge IGP to be DirectX 10.1, 32 nm
> Added support for NVIDIA Tesla C2075, GeForce GT 630M
> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2092/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.5.8.html


Where the gpu-z system menu?

*EDIT:*
For those who may not know, you open the context menu by pressing Alt then pressing your down arrow


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> 15 minutes of OCCT at 8, a bit of Furmark, a few runs of Heaven, and a few hours of BF3 without so much as a hiccup. I'm guessing yes.


Try crisis warhead. Only game that didn't like my 1850 oc.


----------



## Aventadoor

Guys I need seriusly help!!!
My cards are constant at max volt after MSI AB unofficaloverclockmode 2 was enabled. I tryed 2 disable with unofficialoverclockingmode 0 again, but It dident help. Also tryed 2 uninstall MSI, dident help...
What 2 do?
I cant have my cards at 60c all the freaking time...


----------



## WiL11o6

Am I the only one that thinks the fan is loud? I don't remember how loud my 570s were, but for this 7970, amazing card, is pretty darn loud. 40% fan speed is the highest I go because anything faster is just too loud. I thought going from 570s to 7970 would be around the same dba, but boy, these are loud. The only reason I'm not OCing more because I need to up the fan speed up to 45% because of the increase in voltage, but I'm sitting at stock volts because it gets too hot when I pump more. On BF3 load, it reaches 70c, but that's at a constant 40%, it shoots up to near 80c if I leave it at 35% and that's only at the stock 1050mv. If I up the voltage to 1110-1175 for a 1200mhz clock, I would need to keep it at 50% fan so my game doesn't freeze up.

I am not knowledgeable enough to water cool. It seems very difficult and one false move could destroy my whole rig. Anyone else have same issues with loud fan and or high temps if just adding a little voltage? Should I try to reapply the thermal paste?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Where the gpu-z system menu?
> *EDIT:*
> For those who may not know, you open the context menu by pressing Alt then pressing your down arrow


upper left corner ;-)


----------



## Newbie2009

Anyone using MSI afterburner to overclock? What is the max safe for the memory volts on air?


----------



## omega17

Just tried the new GPU-Z

I have 80.2% ASIC quality









Still don't want to mess around about CCC limits, as AB has a tendancy to stick at random clocks and voltages if I do that, and I like the cool 33C it idles at now (300/150) instead of the insane 50C it flips to when AB decides it wants to randomly put 1.1V through it at the desktop


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Just tried the new GPU-Z
> I have 80.2% ASIC quality
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still don't want to mess around about CCC limits, as AB has a tendancy to stick at random clocks and voltages if I do that, and I like the cool 33C it idles at now (300/150) instead of the insane 50C it flips to when AB decides it wants to randomly put 1.1V through it at the desktop


Mines 80.7% haha. Still can't edit my voltage without a crash though. No suggestions?


----------



## Aventadoor

ASIC quality: 73,4%....


----------



## omega17

You only have to press Alt, then release, then press the down arrow.

Alternatively, click the little icon in the corner, once.


----------



## PwrElec

Cant wait till monday :/


----------



## das kobold

What would be normal temps at idle? My card is running 65c at stocks speeds with the fan set to auto and the voltage at 1.175 in AB? From there it only goes much higher as the card is stressed.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *das kobold*
> 
> What would be normal temps at idle? My card is running 65c at stocks speeds with the fan set to auto and the voltage at 1.175 in AB? From there it only goes much higher as the card is stressed.


You might have the problem that I had with AB. The volt never went down, stayed constant at MAX, so my idle temps where alot higher...
Now I wont use AB for OCing my card anymore


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *das kobold*
> 
> What would be normal temps at idle? My card is running 65c at stocks speeds with the fan set to auto and the voltage at 1.175 in AB? From there it only goes much higher as the card is stressed.


Uninstall drivers, Uninstall AB. Uninstall Card in Device manager.
Reboot.
Install drivers fresh.
Problem fixendo


----------



## Witchdoctor

just put a second Diamond 7970 in the slot FTW ,,,,,,,,,,,,









Results pending


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> I enabled UnofficialoverclockingMode 2 with AB, now my cards run 60 and 50c even with 0 Usage!!
> ***!!!!


Why did you put 2 beside it. Put 1.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> I enabled UnofficialoverclockingMode 2 with AB, now my cards run 60 and 50c even with 0 Usage!!
> ***!!!!


I wouldn't use mode 2, that disables all power saving features and keeps your cards at max voltage and 3D clocks even idle at desktop.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Actually CCC overides others. Also you are able to enable in AB changing the "Enable unofficialoverclocking= *2*"
> Change the 1 to 2


Why 2 exactly?


----------



## dajez

What does that ASIC quality mean actually? Mine is 85.6% btw.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Why 2 exactly?


Same as having +20% Power slider. No different.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> What does that ASIC quality mean actually? Mine is 85.6% btw.


85% is great, what are your max clocks?
It's the quality of the thing that handles the voltage.
Electrical leakage the chips produce.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Same as having +20% Power slider. No different.
> 85% is great, what are your max clocks?
> It's the quality of the thing that handles the voltage.
> Electrical leakage the chips produce.


Powertune is not a power saving feature. Putting to 2 disables power saving, eg no idle clocks. If you are overvolting, powertune is not used. It is one or the other. Powertune has nothing to do with 1 or 2 in AB.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Powertune is not a power saving feature. Putting to 2 disables power saving, eg no idle clocks. If you are overvolting, powertune is not used. It is one or the other. Powertune has nothing to do with 1 or 2 in AB.


1.
Powertune gives the card higher TDP.
2 in AB gives the card higher TDP.

2.
There are idle clocks with 2 in use.


----------



## snelan

Card 1 - 73.7% Quality
Card 2 - 84.4% Quality

Gonna do some comparisons later to see if this effects anything. If this is voltage leak, would it fix it to just add more voltage?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 1.
> Powertune gives the card higher TDP.
> 2 in AB gives the card higher TDP.
> 2.
> There are idle clocks with 2 in use.


Powertune does not give the card a higher TDP and you should really keep bad advice to yourself.
Powertune manages programs which would normally exceed the TDP in a way which keeps performance up rather than drastically downclocking and taking a major hit in performance.
This is Official overclocking, within TDP limits.

Unofficial overclocking, hence the name is unofficial and goes over the TDP and can damage the card, so it is not covered by warranty.
Increasing the voltage of cards is not allowed with official overclocking, to keep within the TDP limits.
If you overvolt with AB or trixx, powertune is irrelevant.

Not only are you wrong, you are spreading bad advice to other forum members, which is unacceptable.

PowerTune_whitepaper_WEB.pdf 539k .pdf file


----------



## snelan

Ok so as asked before, I set the unnoficial overclocking mode to "2", but now am idling at 53c on my second card, which isn't even doing anything. Setting back to "1" doesn't help.

Is there any way to fix this?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Ok so as asked before, I set the unnoficial overclocking mode to "2", but now am idling at 53c on my second card, which isn't even doing anything. Setting back to "1" doesn't help.
> Is there any way to fix this?


Never used 2 so my best guess is to uninstall MSI afterburner reboot and reinstall and set to 1.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> What does that ASIC quality mean actually? Mine is 85.6% btw.


ASIC = core
Better quality means less power leakage
Chip with less power leakage needs lower voltage for proper work
Probably this means better overclockability

My Powercolor 7970 has 82.9% asic quality thus VID 1.05V

below are 4 VIDs used on Radeons 7970

up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V

Your VID is 1.0250V?

You can get asic quality from GPU-Z 0.5.8 or by reading register 174 using MSI Afterburner.
I get 3500h -> 13568
full 100% is 16384
13568/16384 = 0,828125


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> ASIC = core
> Better quality means less power leakage
> Chip with less power leakage needs lower voltage for proper work
> Probably this means better overclockability
> My Powercolor 7970 has 82.9% asic quality thus VID 1.05V
> below are 4 VIDs used on Radeons 7970
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V
> Your VID is 1.0250V?
> You can get asic quality from GPU-Z 0.5.8 or by reading register 174 using MSI Afterburner.
> I get 3500h -> 13568
> full 100% is 16384
> 13568/16384 = 0,828125


My GPU IS 70.5% but still a nice overclocker.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> My GPU IS 70.5% but still a nice overclocker.


Of course...
ASIC quality is only one thing
Overclocking depends of many factors... cooling, stable power supply, memory and voltage regulators used etc.

I saw that tahiti becomes unstable above 80C no matter which voltage I used... water cooling badly needed


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Of course...
> ASIC quality is only one thing
> Overclocking depends of many factors... cooling, stable power supply, memory and voltage regulators used etc.
> I saw that tahiti becomes unstable above 80C no matter which voltage I used... water cooling badly needed


Yea, these are the kinda cards where you literally cannot overclock on reference coolers.

For me:
1150MHz under 80c =









1150MHz over 80c = Artifacts, resets, freezing,









EDIT: Also, reinstalling AB fixed my other problem.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Of course...
> ASIC quality is only one thing
> Overclocking depends of many factors... cooling, stable power supply, memory and voltage regulators used etc.
> I saw that tahiti becomes unstable above 80C no matter which voltage I used... water cooling badly needed


Yeah. Don't have a loop myself, but seriously tempted to get a 2nd card and put under water. Running BF3 maxed running like butter (with 1 oc'd card) in near silence makes me drool a little.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Yea, these are the kinda cards where you literally cannot overclock on reference coolers.
> For me:
> 1150MHz under 80c =
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1150MHz over 80c = Artifacts, resets, freezing,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Also, reinstalling AB fixed my other problem.


Good it worked. But I would recommend using a custom fan profile. I hear these cards are real temp sensitive.


----------



## dajez

In afterburner my voltage is 1049 and i get 36c0. My highest oc is atm 1100 on stock voltage. Tried 1200 but guess that was a bit high because freeze.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Mine is still jammin 1200/1700 @ stock voltage 1.175 .... hell every time I"ve bumped it up I haven't had an issue. I only backed it down from 1220 to raise the mem up to 1700 but no issues yet









I know people hate on the XFX black but this card has been exceptional! Temps are fantastic for air


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> Here's my score to compare with everyone else


Hmmm is that stock clocks? or Overclocked a little? I think that might actually be a little low at least compared with the other guy a couple pages back getting 95fps in extreme... he is at 1200 core though.


----------



## Aventadoor

My first card is a 73,4% and reached 1200/1525 pretty easy with less then 80c temps even after 30min off OCCT.
This with 1185mV.
Now that I have my second card which is a 69,4%, I probly need to use 1,2V for 1150/1500









Anyone know about a GPU stress test that will actually stress both cards?
I tryed GPUtool and OCCT, but they wont stress both of them..


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Heaven 2.5 on extreme will put both cards to 99%


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Good it worked. But I would recommend using a custom fan profile. I hear these cards are real temp sensitive.


Yea I'm running one, the stock one allows the cards to climb to around 80c before becoming useful at all.


----------



## Tumdace

Anyone else notice when you search for the 7970 driver on AMD`s website, it leads to a broken page? Its been like that for me for a couple days now.


----------



## dajez

Anyone know if the arctic fan will be any gd?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Anyone else notice when you search for the 7970 driver on AMD`s website, it leads to a broken page? Its been like that for me for a couple days now.


nope worked for me


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> My first card is a 73,4% and reached 1200/1525 pretty easy with less then 80c temps even after 30min off OCCT.
> This with 1185mV.
> Now that I have my second card which is a 69,4%, I probly need to use 1,2V for 1150/1500
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone know about a GPU stress test that will actually stress both cards?
> I tryed GPUtool and OCCT, but they wont stress both of them..


I found Crysis Warhead and Crysis 2 to max the card more than unigine or 3DMark 11, surprisingly enough.


----------



## das kobold

Ok so I did the following:

1. Uninstall drivers
2. Used Driver Sweeper
3. Uninstalled card from Device Manager
4. Uninstalled MSI Afterburner
5. Deleted MSI Afterburner install folder.
6. Rebooted
7. Installed driver
8. Rebooted
9. Installed MSI Afterburner Beta 11
10. VID now shows 1.12 at default instead of 1.75

Card still artifacts in 3dmark 2011 right away even at 1125 on the core.

Asic quality is 74.5%

Idle temps dropped a little to 56c, down from 66c before driver install.

I am also getting Eyefinity weirdness. Monitor drop outs and 1 monitor is showing as a Generic non-pnp device and only maxing out at 1600x1200 resolution. It should do 1920x1200 like the other 2 identical monitors.

Debating on wether I should RMA the card or not.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

That same eyefinity issue happened to me in the beginning.. it was a driver issue. I ended up using Atiman after un-installing ccc from control panel. Then driver sweeper last. Eyefinity works great now.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *das kobold*
> 
> Ok so I did the following:
> 1. Uninstall drivers
> 2. Used Driver Sweeper
> 3. Uninstalled card from Device Manager
> 4. Uninstalled MSI Afterburner
> 5. Deleted MSI Afterburner install folder.
> 6. Rebooted
> 7. Installed driver
> 8. Rebooted
> 9. Installed MSI Afterburner Beta 11
> 10. VID now shows 1.12 at default instead of 1.75
> Card still artifacts in 3dmark 2011 right away even at 1125 on the core.
> Asic quality is 74.5%
> Idle temps dropped a little to 56c, down from 66c before driver install.
> I am also getting Eyefinity weirdness. Monitor drop outs and 1 monitor is showing as a Generic non-pnp device and only maxing out at 1600x1200 resolution. It should do 1920x1200 like the other 2 identical monitors.
> Debating on wether I should RMA the card or not.


I initally had a similar driver problem. Artifacts on stock clocks. I uninstalled msi afterburner. Downloaded new driver package, instead of installing I went through the steps in the install package and uninstalled everything. Reboot, reopened the package I just downloaded and installed. Reboot and worked fine from there.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Anyone else notice when you search for the 7970 driver on AMD`s website, it leads to a broken page? Its been like that for me for a couple days now.


try this









http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/Catalyst-Hotfixes.aspx


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Powertune does not give the card a higher TDP and you should really keep bad advice to yourself.
> Powertune manages programs which would normally exceed the TDP in a way which keeps performance up rather than drastically downclocking and taking a major hit in performance.
> This is Official overclocking, within TDP limits.
> Unofficial overclocking, hence the name is unofficial and goes over the TDP and can damage the card, so it is not covered by warranty.
> Increasing the voltage of cards is not allowed with official overclocking, to keep within the TDP limits.
> If you overvolt with AB or trixx, powertune is irrelevant.
> Not only are you wrong, you are spreading bad advice to other forum members, which is unacceptable.
> 
> PowerTune_whitepaper_WEB.pdf 539k .pdf file


Your arrogance is unacceptable son.
Read and learn a thing or two.
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1488/4/


----------



## Lutis

Has anyone experienced anything like this in BF3 multiplayer with 7970?

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=4223206&posted=1#post4223206

According to this thread 7970 is worse than gtx580 in BF3 multiplayer.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Your arrogance is unacceptable son.
> Read and learn a thing or two.
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1488/4/


He's technically right, powertune in and of itself doesn't raise TDP. It raises the point at which it will throttling thr card. But since you still don't understand the tech, you just post the marketing ad.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lutis*
> 
> Has anyone experienced anything like this in BF3 multiplayer with 7970?
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=4223206&posted=1#post4223206
> According to this thread 7970 is worse than gtx580 in BF3 multiplayer.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1203053/my-experience-from-sli-gtx570s-to-single-7970-in-bf3


----------



## Denim-187

Neither does Afterburner. I beleive thats what his original statement was.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 1.
> Powertune gives the card higher TDP.
> 2 in AB gives the card higher TDP.
> 2.
> There are idle clocks with 2 in use.


Isn't that what you said though? When you use AB you bypass powertune , thereby allowing you to draw more power. It doesn't give the card a higher Tdp in and of itself. The act of overclocking is what raises the Tdp. Hmm... Now it seems like I'm rattling on....


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Same as having +20% Power slider. No different.
> 85% is great, what are your max clocks?
> It's the quality of the thing that handles the voltage.
> Electrical leakage the chips produce.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 1.
> *Powertune gives the card higher TDP.*
> 2 in AB gives the card higher TDP.
> 2.
> There are idle clocks with 2 in use.


Arrogance? LOL
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Your *arrogance* is unacceptable son.
> Read and learn a thing or two.
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1488/4/


Son? Really? LOL Gettim maaaaa
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Neither does Afterburner. I beleive thats what his original statement was.


My original point was that you are talking out you're ass, not that AB raises the TDP. And now my point is to do with something I did not say, see below in bold.
Quote:


> Powertune does not give the card a higher TDP and you should really keep bad advice to yourself.
> Powertune manages programs which would normally exceed the TDP in a way which keeps performance up rather than drastically downclocking and taking a major hit in performance.
> This is Official overclocking, within TDP limits.
> 
> Unofficial overclocking, hence the name is unofficial and *goes over the TDP* and can damage the card, so it is not covered by warranty.
> Increasing the voltage of cards is not allowed with official overclocking, to keep within the TDP limits.
> If you overvolt with AB or trixx, powertune is irrelevant.
> 
> Not only are you wrong, you are spreading bad advice to other forum members, which is unacceptable.


Ignorance is not a problem usually, it is only a problem when you go advising people to do things when you have no clue what you are talking about. Is all that clear enough or are you going to tell me what my point was again?


----------



## evensen007

Never mind all this TDP Powertune talk. Where are the bros with the water blocks!? How are you guys doing in your quest for 1300mhz core?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Never mind all this TDP Powertune talk. Where are the bros with the water blocks!? How are you guys doing in your quest for 1300mhz core?


It looks like all the watercooled cards have hit 1250 easily. This bodes wel for the rest of us still waiting.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It looks like all the watercooled cards have hit 1250 easily. This bodes wel for the rest of us still waiting.


Well Unoe hit a wall at 1250 even with his water block, so I am wondering if only the golden samples will be able to achieve 1300, even on water. What I really want to see is someone hit 1300 and then do a BF3/Metro/Crysis bench at 925/1000/1100/1200/1300 O/c to see what the benefit in frames is at each interval.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Well Unoe hit a wall at 1250 even with his water block, so I am wondering if only the golden samples will be able to achieve 1300, even on water. What I really want to see is someone hit 1300 and then do a BF3/Metro/Crysis bench at 925/1000/1100/1200/1300 O/c to see what the benefit in frames is at each interval.


Ithink the cards are still hamstrung by AB. When a new RBE comes out then we will see what the true limits are, crosses fingers.


----------



## Derek1387

I am stuck on 1250/1720 on water as well


----------



## krazyatom

damn looks like I have 76.8% ASIC quality









Reg 00000174 :00003120

I thought I have grey 6pin? ugh


----------



## krazyatom

strange..

I just raised my CCC power control settings to +20% and it actually gave me more problem than default +0%.
I just went back to default power control settings and it's much better.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I am stuck on 1250/1720 on water as well


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> strange..
> I just raised my CCC power control settings to +20% and it actually gave me more problem than default +0%.
> I just went back to default power control settings and it's much better.


It might have reset the voltage to stock? If you are overvolting you don't need powertune anyway.


----------



## Aventadoor

AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.95 January 17) Unofficial BETA :
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=357581

New drivers again? :O


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lutis*
> 
> Has anyone experienced anything like this in BF3 multiplayer with 7970?
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=4223206&posted=1#post4223206
> According to this thread 7970 is worse than gtx580 in BF3 multiplayer.


Notice his framerate WHILE RECORDING WITH FRAPS! Very impressive


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> It might have reset the voltage to stock? If you are overvolting you don't need powertune anyway.


well I never touched the stock voltage. I always try to find the best core clock using stock voltage first, so I have not messed with voltage yet.


----------



## Aventadoor

I just did a fresh install of W7 now ( I got artifacts at stock clocks) and everything works as it should now.
But I wonder If I should use Sapphire TriXX or MSI AB?
Or is CCC good enough If you "only" want 1100?


----------



## wirefox

So sad... my ASUS 7970 card is lost ... UPS arrival scan says it's in Edison NJ on 1/18 for 2 day air delivery ...

My card has been well charged... and UPS says New egg has to call in the claim (likely 8 business days to figure out) .. and they are closed for the weekend..

sigh


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Well Unoe hit a wall at 1250 even with his water block, so I am wondering if only the golden samples will be able to achieve 1300, even on water. What I really want to see is someone hit 1300 and then do a BF3/Metro/Crysis bench at 925/1000/1100/1200/1300 O/c to see what the benefit in frames is at each interval.


I haven't tested it yet... that was someone else. I was up to 3:30am installing. I have leak test done and just about to try some OC'ing. I might be out later though so my official results would be more likely tonight.

I asked another question earlier that hasn't got answered. I had to stickers over my bracket over the stock core heat sink. That said it would void my warranty with XFX.
My question is does anyone else from other manufactures have these stickers cause I would really like to avoid XFX because of this. If there is another manufacture that has no stickers ? Please report for your manufacture.
It was two little white stickers over the screw holes.


----------



## Penryn

So turns out my problem was the 80C killer. I cleaned my case, changed some intake/exhaust fans around and got the card to hover under load at 70C with a custom fan profile. So far, I am up to 1165 core on stock 1112mv ~ I am seriously considering a waterblock at this point. Almost seems like there is no limit as long as the card stays under 80C.


----------



## blackbalt89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I haven't tested it yet... that was someone else. I was up to 3:30am installing. I have leak test done and just about to try some OC'ing. I might be out later though so my official results would be more likely tonight.
> I asked another question earlier that hasn't got answered. I had to stickers over my bracket over the stock core heat sink. That said it would void my warranty with XFX.
> My question is does anyone else from other manufactures have these stickers cause I would really like to avoid XFX because of this. If there is another manufacture that has no stickers ? Please report for your manufacture.
> It was two little white stickers over the screw holes.


I remember seeing somewhere on OCN that XFX's warranty stickers only apply to customers outside of the US.

But PLEASE don't quote me on that until someone can confirm with certainty.

Your best bet would be to send them an email and see what they say.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I haven't tested it yet... that was someone else. I was up to 3:30am installing. I have leak test done and just about to try some OC'ing. I might be out later though so my official results would be more likely tonight.
> I asked another question earlier that hasn't got answered. I had to stickers over my bracket over the stock core heat sink. That said it would void my warranty with XFX.
> My question is does anyone else from other manufactures have these stickers cause I would really like to avoid XFX because of this. If there is another manufacture that has no stickers ? Please report for your manufacture.
> It was two little white stickers over the screw holes.


i would email them just to make sure


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I haven't tested it yet... that was someone else. I was up to 3:30am installing. I have leak test done and just about to try some OC'ing. I might be out later though so my official results would be more likely tonight.


Woops, sorry about that! It was Derek that hit the 1250 wall on water.

As far as your warranty question, you should be just fine.

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/video-cards/40597-new-xfx-warranty-not-bad-assumed.html

*"So, I sent in a ticket and let XFX know that I had upgrade my card with a full coverage block and asked if this voided my warranty and here is there response:

"That`s fine just make sure you keep the stock part..."

Please login to your XFX profile to view this response.

www.xfxforce.com ."*

Please remember to rate your ticket based upon your customer service experience with XFX.

Best regards,

DANIEL_E
XFX Support


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

So I got my second 7970 in the mail today (!), and the crossfire process couldn't have been smoother. The only issue I seem to be having is a minor one with Sapphire Trixx. The overclocking has gone just fine (have them at 1150 core/1650 mem currently), but I noticed that it appears the custom fan profile only works on one card and not the other. For instance, if I chose the first card and activate the custom profile, it adjusts accordingly, but when I switch over to the second card, I notice it uses the automatic fan setting. This also happens if I adjust the second card first, then notice that the first has reverted to the automatic fan setting. Has anyone had previous experiences like this with Trixx?


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Hmmm is that stock clocks? or Overclocked a little? I think that might actually be a little low at least compared with the other guy a couple pages back getting 95fps in extreme... he is at 1200 core though.


That's at stock clocks, I'm also thinking something is wrong since its a little low but can't quite figure it out.


----------



## Focus182

Does anyone know if 1.3v can damage a 1.050v card? Seeing as it would be a 250mv rise instead of a 1.17v cards 130mv rise, Or does it not work like that?

I tired out bf3 on 1200 mhz at 1.17v and got a few errors but at 1.2v i didn't get any errors. Yet i still crashed in 3dmark 11

EDIT: Nevermind, I'm guessing the crash was OCP kicking in. 1175 mhz final OC, not that bad.


----------



## chorner

So I just installed my Koolance waterblock and got my card up and running for the first time. Seems like I have a 1.112v VID card. Seems like I hit a wall at 1,250mhz on the core and so far 1725mhz on the ram works great playing BF3 and testing for a while on Furmark. My card can take up to 1.3v but it doesn't help overclocking at all, so right now it runs well at 1,250 with 1.2v -- was hoping for 1,300+ with a waterblock but I think 1,250 is plenty fast. The extra 50Mhz up at this speed won't kill me, and the best thing... don't have to deal with the god aweful AMD reference card fan noise









p.s - my ASIC quality is 77.9%, not a 'golden' chip by any means.


----------



## Penryn

So I found my wall is also at 1200mhz on air it would seem. I am at 1174mv on my 1112mv VID card. Anything higher and I would get artifacts and/or hangs.

Here's some comparison heaven runs. The first is at 1125/1575 and the second is at 1200/1575.



With my setup now I don't go over 75C and fan speeds max at about 55%. Nice balance for me.

Another thing of note, the new drivers that came out yesterday(sic) DON'T have hydravision. THIS IS A KILLER for me since I run eyefinity. Anyone know if you can grab JUST that component from another catalyst version?


----------



## Scorpion667

It seems mine doesnt like going much over 70c. ASIC quality: 67.8 stock VID 1.174v.

Stable at 1200mhz @ 1.187v. These cards overclock weird.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> It seems mine doesnt like going much over 70c. ASIC quality: 67.8 stock VID 1.174v.
> Stable at 1200mhz @ 1.187v. These cards overclock weird.


I got 70.4 quality and my VID is the same. I hit a wall @ 1150 and yet you managed to get 1.2ghz jealous







Is it artifact free?


----------



## Scorpion667

Yeah acording to GPUtool, 3dmark11 loop and heaven 2.5 but GPUtool artifacts if i dont keep it under 70c.

I'm gonna wait till it's -20c outside and direct my intake fans at the window to see if the cold helps this card. I suspect it does, the GPU's vary so much with regards to overclocking acording to this topic. Some like the cold, some dont care, some artifact at high voltage. It's weird man.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> I got 70.4 quality and my VID is the same. I hit a wall @ 1150 and yet you managed to get 1.2ghz jealous
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it artifact free?


No one feels your pain quite like me.

83.7% quality and I have hit my wall of 1175 mhz

Thought I had won the silicon lottery for a while when I found out the quality, I guess not.


----------



## slice259

Well I have had my pair of MSI 7970's since Thursday, and they have been nothing short of awesome! I have them installed in my Antec 1200 case, with my P55 GD-65, i5 750 @ 4.2ghz, 4GB G-skill trident 2133mhz (9-9-9-24). I have both cards overclocked to 1200 core with 1.2v and 1600 memory stock voltage. I am going to start pushing these cards tomorrow and see what they have left for overclocking! Last night I got 19,823 P on 3Dmark11 graphics. My i5 is brings down the P just a little







haha. Overall I couldn't be happier, but I must say crossfire drivers do need some work. Battlefield 3 gets a little fussy as does metro. I guess we don't even have an official crossfire driver from AMD yet, so I guess I can expect much more to come from these babies







. Here's a few Pictures I took of my rig.

Gaming pc 065.JPG 4490k .JPG file


Gaming pc 062.JPG 4449k .JPG file


IMAG0198.jpg 717k .jpg file


2 x MSI 7970's 1200 core 1600 Memory

So I guess I am in the club !


----------



## jamborhgini313

Hmmm...it seems these chips have different temp tolerances. Yours artifacts above 70C? Well mine artifacts as soon as it hits 52C+. Weird huh..


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Hmmm...it seems these chips have different temp tolerances. Yours artifacts above 70C? Well mine artifacts as soon as it hits 52C+. Weird huh..


are you getting artifact even in stock settings? If not, how far are you pushing it?


----------



## MrTOOSHORT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> Yeah acording to GPUtool, 3dmark11 loop and heaven 2.5 but GPUtool artifacts if i dont keep it under 70c.
> I'm gonna wait till it's -20c outside and direct my intake fans at the window to see if the cold helps this card. I suspect it does, the GPU's vary so much with regards to overclocking acording to this topic. Some like the cold, some dont care, some artifact at high voltage. It's weird man.


It's not wierd, it's probably the VRM aren't cooled properly. There wouldn't be a cap at 70'C or so.

When you do cool your card with -20 air from outside, you'll see an improvement.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> are you getting artifact even in stock settings? If not, how far are you pushing it?


Nope. I've been benching it around 1150-1200. It really doesn't like heat. I might have to get a WB to see though


----------



## Witchdoctor

Here are a couple of xFire Runs


----------



## Scorpion667

You're right it's the VRM's.

I was playing around with ATItool for artifact scanning as it doesn't heat up the GPU very much(topped out at 60c) and 1.2ghz @ 1.2v fine passed fine. Bumped voltage to 1.3v and started artifacting at same clock speed.

Lame. I don't really like this card, it's so #$%@ing picky about everything.


----------



## UNOE

Btw when I installed my waterblock I saw that the stock heat sink wasn't contacting properly. There was accually dust between some of the memory chips from the fan blowing over the chip without contacting the heatsink. Just thought I would share that some may have stock heatsinks not seated, it might be rare though.


----------



## BigJoeGrizzly

Are you guys even finding it necessary to raise Powertune from its default settings when doing normal gaming off a decent OC? I ask because Sapphire Trixx appears to be the only OC software that works alongside CCC (which allows you to increase Powertune to +20%), but I'm having some issues getting my custom fan profiles to stick with both GPUs in crossfire. MSI AB's custom fan profiles worked perfectly fine when I had a previous SLI setup, but I'm worried that moving to AB will cause me to lose the Powertune benefits (since AB and CCC don't work together). Anyone have any insight?


----------



## Aventadoor

I have some annyoing problems with BF3 after a fresh install off W7!
I have latest Chipset, AMD, and whatever drivers, also updated W7 untill I cant update anymore...

This is the error message I get:


----------



## Witchdoctor

try the 12.1 Preview Driver

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2844

Or this one

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2837


----------



## Penryn

The twin frozr is alive!!!


----------



## dezerteagle323

just an update, my 1.1125 vid card seems to be doing good at 1200/1600mhz @1.2v (would crash at 1.175v), while never going above 66C in few hours of BF3 with custom AB fan profile ... I think I'm in love


----------



## UNOE

Okay so far with my Ek water block I can say I'm getting over the wall I had on stock cooler on stock cooler I was at about 1060. Now I'm at about 1160. So far this is what I have tried. I'm using the updated driver from yesterday and AB to overclock. I have not used power tune but I do have overclock mode 2 on AB. Please any advice would be helpful. I haven't touched memory yet. What should I do with the memory voltage in AB beta 11 ? should that help me get higher ?

1140c - Stable @ 1174mv
1150c - Artifact @ 1174mv
1160c - Sable @ 1187mv - X3225
1165c - Stable @ 1187mv - X3237
1170c - Artifacts @ 1187mv
1170c - Artifacts @ 1200mv
1170c - Artifacts @ 1212mv

I need pointers getting past this wall of 1165 core. Would power tune be the answer or messing with the memory ?


----------



## jamborhgini313

is anyone using vista 64bit? I tried updating to the 12.1 drivers and it doesn't update. All it does is install new CCC Install Manager...


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> is anyone using vista 64bit? I tried updating to the 12.1 drivers and it doesn't update. All it does is install new CCC Install Manager...


Same happened 2 me!


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> I am stuck on 1250/1720 on water as well


Hm, that's about 3-4 people only getting 1250Mhz or less on water in this thread now. Doesn't really make me want to run out and get water blocks as mine work fine at 1200Mhz on air.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> I have some annyoing problems with BF3 after a fresh install off W7!
> I have latest Chipset, AMD, and whatever drivers, also updated W7 untill I cant update anymore...
> 
> This is the error message I get:


Follow post #56. That should fix it.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1151158/bf3-driver-crossfire-related-issues/50#post_15579743

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> is anyone using vista 64bit? I tried updating to the 12.1 drivers and it doesn't update. All it does is install new CCC Install Manager...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> is anyone using vista 64bit? I tried updating to the 12.1 drivers and it doesn't update. All it does is install new CCC Install Manager...
> 
> 
> 
> Same happened 2 me!
Click to expand...

Run Windows Update and update all *Service Pack and components* such as .Netframe, C++ to install the latest Catalyst. Just DO NOT install AMD gpahics drivers from Windows Update.

Turn off UAC to install preview/Beta Drivers.

Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > move the slider to bottom > restart PC.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Updated to the lastest. Checked for updates and there were non except IE9, which I won't use. And also UAC was always off.


----------



## DB006

Assuming you're all updating your DirectX? http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=35


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Updated to the lastest. Checked for updates and there were non except IE9, which I won't use. And also UAC was always off.


Go to Device Manager > Display Adapters > 7970 > Update driver > manually browse to the folder where you unzipped the drivers package > update > Restart PC > Done.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

I picked up a Sapphire 7970 on Tuesday when Newegg had em in stock. I tested it at a buddies hows as the 7970 was the first component I bought for my upcoming computer build (rest comes on Wednesday). Did 1125Mhz core and 1575Mhz memory on stock voltages and ran Furmark. Maxed out at 93*C, with fans steady at 64% (~3600rpm). After 15 minutes I decided I was happy and let my buddy have his computer back, as he was in the middle of a research paper when I showed up.

Looking forward to Wednesday to put the whole thing together. First desktop!


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Go to Device Manager > Display Adapters > 7970 > Update driver > manually browse to the folder where you unzipped the drivers package > update > Restart PC > Done.


Didn't work. it saids windows had already installed the latest drivers. I uninstalled my current drivers and still no luck







AMD drivers are a pain in the ass!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> is anyone using vista 64bit? I tried updating to the 12.1 drivers and it doesn't update. All it does is install new CCC Install Manager...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Same happened 2 me!


Do you guys have all your runtime libraries installed, ie. dot.net frameworks?


----------



## Denim-187

Anyone elses Afterburner beta 11 not allowing voltage monitoring? NVM


----------



## jamborhgini313

And now my sound doesn't even work. ***?

Ok nvm, they randomly started working again. god damn this is very frustrating..its like AMD doesn't support Vista anymore and I really don't wanna spend 100 upgrading to 7


----------



## Scorpion667

This sucks. Crashed in BF3 at 1200mhz 1.2v so I went back to the drawing board. This is what I found:

GPUtool is ALOT better at detecting artifacts when it is not running fullscreen so it produces around 500 fps.

I hit a wall at 1188Mhz. Artifacts past that regardless of...anything. Literally nothing I can do. PSU is steady on the rails, tried 2 different drivers, tried higher voltage step by step to max, lower voltage. Tried getting my GPU temps extremely low with winter air. Tried uninstalling driver via ATIman uninstaller, uninstalled afterburner. Tried using Sapphire Trixx instead. Nothing.

Damn, I really wanted 1.2ghz.

As a sidenote I took my card out and tightened the heatsink screws.. Not all of them were tight. Didnt affect my OC tho.

Is that it? nothing we can do about this unexplained wall? I'm used to pumping more volts when I get artifacts but in my experience volts don't help at all past 1.225v.

I miss being able to run ******ed high voltages for high clocks... It's kind of like my first 570gtx it would blackscreen under any circumstances past 911 core.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> This sucks. Crashed in BF3 at 1200mhz 1.2v so I went back to the drawing board. This is what I found:
> GPUtool is ALOT better at detecting artifacts when it is not running fullscreen so it produces around 500 fps.
> I hit a wall at 1188Mhz. Artifacts past that regardless of...anything. Literally nothing I can do. PSU is steady on the rails, tried 2 different drivers, tried higher voltage step by step to max, lower voltage. Tried getting my GPU temps extremely low with winter air. Tried uninstalling driver via ATIman uninstaller, uninstalled afterburner. Tried using Sapphire Trixx instead. Nothing.
> Damn, I really wanted 1.2ghz.
> As a sidenote I took my card out and tightened the heatsink screws.. Not all of them were tight. Didnt affect my OC tho.
> Is that it? nothing we can do about this unexplained wall? I'm used to pumping more volts when I get artifacts but in my experience volts don't help at all past 1.225v.


Looks like that may be the wall unless you want to water cool for an extra 75mhz. Really, 1175 is an awesome clock and nothing to be disappointed in. That's 250 mhz over stock!


----------



## Scorpion667

It seems my 7970 throttled non stop while at 1.2ghz 1.2v acording to GPU-Z. The core clock was dipping to 1134Mhz and back every second. I resolved the issue by using sapphire trixx and raising power limit to 20% in CCC.

I strongly recommend checking for throttling in GPU-Z by monitoring the core clock, too bad afterburner isnt compatible with CCC else I would still use it.

Artifact free at 1190Mhz @ 1.2v... time to try some BF3


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> This sucks. Crashed in BF3 at 1200mhz 1.2v so I went back to the drawing board. This is what I found:
> GPUtool is ALOT better at detecting artifacts when it is not running fullscreen so it produces around 500 fps.
> I hit a wall at 1188Mhz. Artifacts past that regardless of...anything. Literally nothing I can do. PSU is steady on the rails, tried 2 different drivers, tried higher voltage step by step to max, lower voltage. Tried getting my GPU temps extremely low with winter air. Tried uninstalling driver via ATIman uninstaller, uninstalled afterburner. Tried using Sapphire Trixx instead. Nothing.
> Damn, I really wanted 1.2ghz.
> As a sidenote I took my card out and tightened the heatsink screws.. Not all of them were tight. Didnt affect my OC tho.
> Is that it? nothing we can do about this unexplained wall? I'm used to pumping more volts when I get artifacts but in my experience volts don't help at all past 1.225v.
> I miss being able to run ******ed high voltages for high clocks... It's kind of like my first 570gtx it would blackscreen under any circumstances past 911 core.


What's your fan speed set to? The ONLY way for my card to get 1.2ghz is 1.256v then set the fan to 80%. It is very loud but I need it to keep temps low. Just played BF3 for 2 hours and stable.


----------



## Faksnima

I'm not sure what to do. I've been testing my Sapphire 7970 all day....I just can' seem to figure out. CCC PT is at +20 and I'm using trixx to OC. Right now it looks like under 1090 core and 1500 MEM. I am checking for artifacts using GPUTool. GPUtool does not seem to like temps in the 80s and will start artifacting...although it's been fairly sporadic. There have been instances where I would run GPUtool for ~15 minutes and get no artifacts at 1100/1550 and then others where 1080/1475 is all she'll take. I'm wondering if I just was unlucky with a poor overclocker. I dropped down $600 on this thing because of it's overclocking prowess and the indication, by every major reviewer, that this thing was hitting the limits of CCC with a few clicks. This seems not to be the case.


----------



## CDMAN

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Faksnima*
> 
> I'm not sure what to do. I've been testing my Sapphire 7970 all day....I just can' seem to figure out. CCC PT is at +20 and I'm using trixx to OC. Right now it looks like under 1090 core and 1500 MEM. I am checking for artifacts using GPUTool. GPUtool does not seem to like temps in the 80s and will start artifacting...although it's been fairly sporadic. There have been instances where I would run GPUtool for ~15 minutes and get no artifacts at 1100/1550 and then others where 1080/1475 is all she'll take. I'm wondering if I just was unlucky with a poor overclocker. I dropped down $600 on this thing because of it's overclocking prowess and the indication, by every major reviewer, that this thing was hitting the limits of CCC with a few clicks. This seems not to be the case.


What is your Asic value?


----------



## sockpirate

guys are the Acetal blocks copper ? I just dont want to get an Acetal block and it be nickel plated since i already have a copper cpu block.


----------



## Derek1387

You can pick which one you want... they have ac opper and a nickel.

I have an 80.7% chip.

Anyone else try the new drivers? They are terrible.


----------



## Denim-187

I have some results.....

If your going higher Core clocks, leave the memory clock default.
BF3 and other memory intensive games don't like higher clocks although i havnt tried using higher memory clock voltage.

I was stable on GPUtool @ 1200mhz/1600mhz but would freeze almost instantly in BF3 and Vantage.
Lowered the memory clock to default 1375mhz, and its worked fine so far.


----------



## WiL11o6

Is it possible to use CCC to OC past 1125/1575? Looks like I read some guy did it in the other thread.

I can't get it that stable using AB and I wanna try using the +20 powertune setting to see if it helps. Only Trixx can work along side CCC with powertune? Because when I use AB to OC past 1125, it overrides CCC and disables powertune.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Is it possible to use CCC to OC past 1125/1575? Looks like I read some guy did it in the other thread.
> I can't get it that stable using AB and I wanna try using the +20 powertune setting to see if it helps. Only Trixx can work along side CCC with powertune? Because when I use AB to OC past 1125, it overrides CCC and disables powertune.


Yes download the latest ASUS Gpu tweak. And in settings, there's a box u can check to expand the CCC limit.
After unlocking, you don't need to have GPU tweak running. But it must be installed.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Okay so far with my Ek water block I can say I'm getting over the wall I had on stock cooler on stock cooler I was at about 1060. Now I'm at about 1160. So far this is what I have tried. I'm using the updated driver from yesterday and AB to overclock. I have not used power tune but I do have overclock mode 2 on AB. Please any advice would be helpful. I haven't touched memory yet. What should I do with the memory voltage in AB beta 11 ? should that help me get higher ?
> 1140c - Stable @ 1174mv
> 1150c - Artifact @ 1174mv
> 1160c - Sable @ 1187mv - X3225
> 1165c - Stable @ 1187mv - X3237
> 1170c - Artifacts @ 1187mv
> 1170c - Artifacts @ 1200mv
> 1170c - Artifacts @ 1212mv
> I need pointers getting past this wall of 1165 core. Would power tune be the answer or messing with the memory ?


Okay here is my post again. I asked this 6 hours ago and I was completely ignored. I need some help what else should I use. I want to know what memory tweaks can be done also should I abandon AB and try Trixx or should I use AB and power tune combined ?


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Okay here is my post again. I asked this 6 hours ago and I was completely ignored. I need some help what else should I use. I want to know what memory tweaks can be done also should I abandon AB and try Trixx or should I use AB and power tune combined ?


Powertune is doing nothing for me. Overvolting using AB gets better results for me


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Powertune is doing nothing for me. Overvolting using AB gets better results for me


Apologies if you already know this, but moving powertune by itself does NOT increase voltage to the GPU - all it does is allow it to pull more CURRENT should it so desire.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Powertune is doing nothing for me. Overvolting using AB gets better results for me


powertune is making my GPU more unstable somehow. I think my stock factory can only do 1100mhz core clock 100% stable with all benchmarks and games. I have not raised to voltage yet except powertune. Do I have bad card?


----------



## Derek1387

Wait... do i need to do +20 in CCC and then do my OC in Afterburner?


----------



## Denim-187

I would leave Powertune alone. Just use AB and keep CCC overdrive disabled, or if you have already enabled, then uncheck the enable overdrive box.


----------



## UNOE

guess back to my question what about memory voltage ? How does memory effect the core ?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> guess back to my question what about memory voltage ? How does memory effect the core ?


I do believe they are somehow related and not independent of each other simply from my previous statement. BF3,Metro 2033 and Vantage/11 are completely fine at 1125/1575 come 1170/1575 they crash. 1170/1375 gets them going again.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Okay here is my post again. I asked this 6 hours ago and I was completely ignored. I need some help what else should I use. I want to know what memory tweaks can be done also should I abandon AB and try Trixx or should I use AB and power tune combined ?


You should try to overlock core and memory separately and at first, set memory voltage to 1.7V even if you overclock only core
What temperatures you have?

My settings 1180/1720 on air cooler 1.174v/1.7V
If I bump core voltage slightly I can get 1220MHz, but custom fan profile is needed

By the way ... set AB mode on 1, mode 2 doesnt use idle clock... it is such waste of power and money


----------



## UNOE

Well I do think I'm hitting a huge wall here even with water. I'm at about 1120 core no other voltage helps. I got a extra 75mhz moving to water thats it








I don't have regrets though I need water for silence. What is little disheartening was that most the reviews 7970 all hit 1125 on air pretty easy. Looks like the reviews got cherry picked GPU's.
Oh well ...

Edit : I'm peaking at 36c in games 40c on OCCT.


----------



## KidKB

Anyone else with tri-fire 7970's having issues? I can't get Windows 7 to detect the third 7970 at all on my ASrock Extreme9. I've swapped cards around to eliminate them being DOA, and GPU-Z detects all three GPU's....But It just doesn't show up in hardware manager..Quite strange.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KidKB*
> 
> Anyone else with tri-fire 7970's having issues? I can't get Windows 7 to detect the third 7970 at all on my ASrock Extreme9. I've swapped cards around to eliminate them being DOA, and GPU-Z detects all three GPU's....But It just doesn't show up in hardware manager..Quite strange.


Have you tried new driver?

8.921.2 RC11
...

Improved stability when enabling / disabling CrossFireX™ and installing the AMD graphics driver on AMD CrossfireX™ configuration

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


----------



## Denim-187

Got them both 1200mhz stable. Anyone with crossfire please compare with me.



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Looks like the reviews got cherry picked GPU's.
> Oh well ...
> Edit : I'm peaking at 36c in games 40c on OCCT.


Most definitely cherry picked.


----------



## Faksnima

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CDMAN*
> 
> What is your Asic value?


Where do I find this?


----------



## Faksnima

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Faksnima*
> 
> Where do I find this?


Found it, 76.4%


----------



## WiL11o6

How does memory speed affect performance since I am getting a hard time upping speeds stability without upping voltage because it gets too hot. I'm not at home right now so I'll post here since I can't test. Say, 1125/1575 vs 1200/1375, which would offer better performance? Or something closer like 1125/1575 vs 1150/1400. Because right now, I'm upping core clocks and memory clocks so I'm thinking it might be more stable if I lower memory clocks a bit to clock core higher.


----------



## Denim-187

1230/1675 .... 2x 7970's..... *20252 GPU score* & *61612*


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> How does memory speed affect performance since I am getting a hard time upping speeds stability without upping voltage because it gets too hot. I'm not at home right now so I'll post here since I can't test. Say, 1125/1575 vs 1200/1375, which would offer better performance? Or something closer like 1125/1575 vs 1150/1400. Because right now, I'm upping core clocks and memory clocks so I'm thinking it might be more stable if I lower memory clocks a bit to clock core higher.


It all depends on the games you play. Whether theyre GPU memory intensive or more CPU intensive.
I find that 1150/1400 is balanced and works good all round.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I've been jamming hours of BF3 with 1200/1700 stock voltage and my fps went up significantly from stock.


----------



## Denim-187

Guys ive noticed major conflicting with using CCC with the overclock. Make sure it is DISABLED and also disable Powertune.
Doing so has allowed my cards to overclock higher without the freezes in games and benchmarks.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> It all depends on the games you play. Whether theyre GPU memory intensive or more CPU intensive.
> I find that 1150/1400 is balanced and works good all round.


Thanks, so in simple terms for a game like BF3, it seems it is both memory and CPU intensive, clock for clock, overclocking the core would be more beneficial.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks, so in simple terms for a game like BF3, it seems it is both memory and CPU intensive, clock for clock, overclocking the core would be more beneficial.


Yeah the core always is. Overclocking the memory is a little less beneficial to the overclock but it does help.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I would leave Powertune alone. Just use AB and keep CCC overdrive disabled, or if you have already enabled, then uncheck the enable overdrive box.


Good advice.

For stability I found crysis and warhead to put the most hurt on my gpu. I can do 1250/1850 in every other benchmark, crysis 2, bf3. Clocked down to 1230/1700 for crysis and warhead due to little flashes while playing.


----------



## Evil Penguin

71.6% ASIC quality.
I'm sad.









Anyway, I'm going to add an ASIC Quality row to the spreadsheet.
Feel free to PM me your ASIC Q. number to update your entry.


----------



## Focus182

For those who are a little confused about how stop throttling but also not conflict with CCC, Just set powertune to 20% and then completely shut it down.

Work fine for me.


----------



## Denim-187

My new Vid.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> My new Vid.












xfire 7970's sounded cool but that video made me wan't to sell all my things just to get another 7970.

Great video


----------



## Evil Penguin

Kinda hoping my card breaks down the line so that ASUS can send me a card with a higher quality ASIC.









BTW, 26 more members and we'll be at 100.








I'm sure when the 7950 is released it won't be a problem.


----------



## evensen007

Anyone have any experience with Koolance water blocks? They say they will have the 7970 full cover block back in stock tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure it wasn't a giant POS compared to Swiftech and EK.

Thanks!


----------



## PRSCU24

I'm in







! Sapphire HD7970 @1100/1450 stock voltage (1.049V)


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PRSCU24*
> 
> 
> I'm in
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ! Sapphire HD7970 @1100/1450 stock voltage (1.049V)


Congrats! (Hey, look at me up there. I'm famous!). I'm trying to go through this thread and see if there is any link between manufacturers and better over clocks. So far it seems that Sapphire has good luck, but that's probably because more people bought them. I haven't seen many people that bought an MSI brand post their results yet.

Looks like you got a good one PRS! See how high you can get it!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Kinda hoping my card breaks down the line so that ASUS can send me a card with a higher quality ASIC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW, 26 more members and we'll be at 100.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sure when the 7950 is released it won't be a problem.


I think we should have a benchmark result ladder for the main tools like 1 for Vantage, 1 for 3D mark11, 1 for Heaven 2.5.
Might be a bit of work updating though so i dno if ur keen.
Gives members initiative to get them clocks up.
Would fit nice in the club.









*EDIT:* Actually maybe have 3 register lists like the OP, just make sure they post a screenie as proof and maybe have it so it sorts with highest score to lowest. That way no work on your behalf.


----------



## Newbie2009

Will go higher in every game and bench apart from the first 2 crysis games.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> 
> Will go higher in every game and bench apart from the first 2 crysis games.


1230 on air is absolutely awesome! It's so weird that Crysis gives you fits at that speed but Bf3/3dmark don't!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> 
> Will go higher in every game and bench apart from the first 2 crysis games.


Nice overclock.
Lets see some benches








Here's mine with a 1230 overclock Crossfire disabled.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I think we should have a benchmark result ladder for the main tools like 1 for Vantage, 1 for 3D mark11, 1 for Heaven 2.5.
> Might be a bit of work updating though so i dno if ur keen.
> Gives members initiative to get them clocks up.
> Would fit nice in the club.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *EDIT:* Actually have 3 register lists like the OP, just make sure they post a screenie as proof and maybe have it so it sorts with highest score to lowest. That way no work on your behalf.


It would probably be easiest to add the benchmarks to the original spreadsheet.
The thing is I don't want to saturate it any further and some people don't follow the format.
Making individual spreadsheets for the benchmarks would have the user input redundant information (like the model numbers and clock speeds) plus the actual scores.
So I would have to maintain more of the same information on different sheets.

I'll consider adding it to the spreadsheet so that new users could input that information upon registration if they wish.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> 1230 on air is absolutely awesome! It's so weird that Crysis gives you fits at that speed but Bf3/3dmark don't!


No at these clocks crysis is fine. I had a 1260/1850 clock which worked with everything bar crisis 1 and warhead. Lowered to this to get stable in those games.
Crysis 1 and warhead also make the card run hotter than any other game or bench, by 5c.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Nice overclock.
> Lets see some benches
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's mine with a 1230 overclock Crossfire disabled.


Benches.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1203064/hd7970-experience-so-far#post_16244853

Clocks are a little off, but last ones I did.
TBH I can set 1300/1850 on the core for benchmarks, will artifact like hell but it will run no problem.

*EDITED so you can see GPU score*


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> *EDITED so you can see GPU score*
> SNIP


Very similar scores. Then again you'd expect them to be being @ the same clocks.
My 6970 crossfire's overclocked to 950mhz got a 41000 score.


----------



## NorxMAL

I did a quick and dirty OC and bench, meaning that I haven't made everything ideal for a higher clock and bench. Core voltage was 1174 mV,

I also suffer from the unoffical AB 2 temperature problem, which I did a driver sweep and reinstall of AB, which did nothing.

I'm waiting for my waterblock to appear in my mailbox, so I didn't want to mess with higher voltages now. I'm not getting the waterblock for
overclocking only, it is for the silence it provides too.

If there is anything else you want me to do, ask


----------



## NorxMAL

Ahh, nvm the AB 2 problem I mentioned in the previous post, it seems to have disappeared after disable Unofficial, start AB, close, enable unofficial 1, then reset and put fan on 100% for a little while then reset again. Something like that


----------



## KidKB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KidKB*
> 
> Anyone else with tri-fire 7970's having issues? I can't get Windows 7 to detect the third 7970 at all on my ASrock Extreme9. I've swapped cards around to eliminate them being DOA, and GPU-Z detects all three GPU's....But It just doesn't show up in hardware manager..Quite strange.
> 
> 
> 
> Have you tried new driver?
> 
> 8.921.2 RC11
> ...
> 
> Improved stability when enabling / disabling CrossFireX™ and installing the AMD graphics driver on AMD CrossfireX™ configuration
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, unfortunately I have tried that as well.

Quick question though. If a pcie lane was "broken" could it potentially still supply power to the card but not be detectable in windows? I notice that CCC does not detect the third 7970 in lane 6, not sure why gpu-z does though. This is on a clean windows install as well...starting to suspect bad motherboard.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KidKB*
> 
> Thanks for this, unfortunately I have tried that as well.
> Quick question though. If a pcie lane was "broken" could it potentially still supply power to the card but not be detectable in windows? I notice that CCC does not detect the third 7970 in lane 6, not sure why gpu-z does though. This is on a clean windows install as well...starting to suspect bad motherboard.


Take all yer cards out and test one in each slot, one slot at a time.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KidKB*
> 
> Thanks for this, unfortunately I have tried that as well.
> 
> Quick question though. If a pcie lane was "broken" could it potentially still supply power to the card but not be detectable in windows? I notice that CCC does not detect the third 7970 in lane 6, not sure why gpu-z does though. This is on a clean windows install as well...starting to suspect bad motherboard.


Something is wrong, with 3960X and RIVE, you should have 2x PCIe @x16/x16 or 4x PCIe @x16/x8/x8/x8.

Check your PCIe power cables from PSU to the card. Make sure the card is locked in the PCIe slots. Reset CMOS if you haven't for the BIOS to detect new device.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KidKB*
> 
> Thanks for this, unfortunately I have tried that as well.
> Quick question though. If a pcie lane was "broken" could it potentially still supply power to the card but not be detectable in windows? I notice that CCC does not detect the third 7970 in lane 6, not sure why gpu-z does though. This is on a clean windows install as well...starting to suspect bad motherboard.


How did you connected cards with crossfire bridge connector?


----------



## KidKB

Using two crossfire bridges, first one connects to the first tab on the 7970's in the first pcie lanes. The second bridge connects to the second tab on the middle 7970 to the third in lane 6.


----------



## Bloodcore

Can someone tell me what the lowest possible CoreVoltage value is?
I need to get an idea how much I'll be able to undervolt a 7770 or whatever the weakest GCN card will be.
I'll need it for my HTPC.

Also, I still haven't been able to get a 7970 because of incredibly low availability in Norway.
Sold out everywhere and the prices are at 700$


----------



## omega17

It should be 1st to 1st, 2nd to 2nd.
The third connector is only for 4way CF


----------



## KidKB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> It should be 1st to 1st, 2nd to 2nd.
> The third connector is only for 4way CF


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Yes sir, that is exactly how it is configured.
> 
> Something is wrong, with 3960X and RIVE, you should have 2x PCIe @x16/x16 or 4x PCIe @x16/x8/x8/x8.
> 
> Check your PCIe power cables from PSU to the card. Make sure the card is locked in the PCIe slots. Reset CMOS if you haven't for the BIOS to detect new device.


Thanks, this is actually on an ASRock Extreme9 mainboard. I can verify the card has power, the fan is up and running. I have also cycled through all three cards (i.e. take first gpu, put it in second pcie, take second, place it in third...etc. etc.) and all appear to be working properly.


----------



## Ken1649

It doesn't matter, ASRock Extreme9 has 4 native PCIe @x8/x8/x8/x8. Go into BIOS to fiddle around and try to disable the controllers you don't need that share the lanes.


----------



## PARTON

I'm hitting 31c max and still can't get past 1160 stable. 1090 was the max on air. 57% asic ftw.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I'm hitting 31c max and still can't get past 1160 stable. 1090 was the max on air. 57% asic ftw.


wow 57% asic? That's very rare one lol


----------



## Aventadoor

Is there any bandwidth tests with this cards yet?
Im running both at 8x 8x (P8Z68 V-Pro gen 3) but it would be a mehh if it was bottlenecking them for 10fps or even more!


----------



## Evtron

Been doing a little testing with GPU-Tool today.

So far 1230/1650 @ 1.187v - been running GPU-Tool for 15 min straight and no artifacts to speak of yet. I really like how my temps are too 73c max and with my custom fan profile it never goes above 50% fan usage.

I did try 1250 but got an artifact, might work on the memory some more. Seeing the headroom topping out sporadically even on water makes me want to deter from water and maybe go with an aftermarket cooler at sometime.

Anyways more testing to be done!

Oh yeah - 71.8% ASIC by the way.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Is there any bandwidth tests with this cards yet?
> Im running both at 8x 8x (P8Z68 V-Pro gen 3) but it would be a mehh if it was bottlenecking them for 10fps or even more!


shouldn't. maybe 1-3% max. linus on youtube already proved it. he even tested a 6990 on the x4 slot and it wasnt even that bad


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> shouldn't. maybe 1-3% max. linus on youtube already proved it. he even tested a 6990 on the x4 slot and it wasnt even that bad


This may be true on 6000 series but he was asking about the 7000 series. If you plan on doing quadfire with lets say 2 7990's then 8x might limit you bandwidth wise. Also since these cards are 3.0 I think they will take advantage more from the extra bandwidth of 16x over 8x then the previous generation of cards. Otherwise why would all these heavy hitting x79 boards be switching to 16x this new generation will see bigger gains from it I guarantee you.


----------



## Ken1649

There's no performance hit going from @x16 to @x8, for 6990 or 7970 either in PCIe 2.0 or 3.0.

PCI Express 3.0 Has Zero Performance Incentive for Radeon HD *...*

[Hardwarecanucks]HD 7970 PCI-E 3.0 vs PCI-E 2.0 comparison

7970 PCIe 2.3 vs PCIe 3.0 - [H]ard|Forum

For X79 board, the best available PCIe lanes for multi GPU is @x16/x8/x8/x8. That's the lanes Quad-fire will be running at with X79 board. .

There's no @x16/x16/x16/x16 for X79 available yet upto this post is made.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> There's no performance hit going from @x16 to @x8, for 6990 or 7970 either in PCIe 2.0 or 3.0.
> 
> _PCI Express 3.0_ Has Zero Performance Incentive for Radeon HD *...*
> [Hardwarecanucks]HD _7970 PCI-E 3.0_ vs PCI-E 2.0 comparison
> _7970_ PCIe 2.3 vs _PCIe 3.0_ - [H]ard|Forum
> 
> For X79 board, the best available PCIe lanes for multi GPU is @x16/x8/x8/x8. That's the lanes Quad-fire will be running at with X79 board. .
> 
> There's no @x16/x16/x16/x16 for X79 available yet upto this post is made.


I meant quadfire as in 2 7990's not 4 7970's. The asus sabertooth x79 is dual16x


----------



## Ken1649

Is that opinion or fact that 7990 will have performance hit going from x16 to x8?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Is that opinion or fact that 7990 will have performance hit going from x16 to x8?


I doubt it's fact. I doubt it will personally. (opinion) Next gen mabye will *need* PCI-E3


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I'm hitting 31c max and still can't get past 1160 stable. 1090 was the max on air. 57% asic ftw.


This sounds like my card. I went from 1060 to 1130 with adding a water block my card never goes over 35c.
There are at less a 100 cards tested in this thread I don't see anyone with anything solid over 1300 core.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> This sounds like my card. I went from 1060 to 1130 with adding a water block my card never goes over 35c.
> There are at less a 100 cards tested in this thread I don't see anyone with anything solid over 1300 core.


my card would probably come close under water.
at stock i can get it to 1175mhz. if i open up my window and put all my fans to 100% it brings the card temp down to 55C under load and i can get it to 1200 with 1155mv


----------



## Denim-187

Guess who just went tri-fire....and soon 120hz eyefinity


----------



## Scorpion667

I don't know much about AMD cards.. does overclocking get better as drivers progress? The vdroop is %#%ing ridiculous on this card at load.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guess who just went tri-fire....and soon 120hz eyefinity
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1669150/width/523/height/700/flags/


Congrats man can't wait to see the numbers.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guess who just went tri-fire....and soon 120hz eyefinity


sick ... are you going to add two more Sa950

--- my 7970 was supposed to arrive last friday ... it is lost in the mail .. .

thank you new egg / ups ...


----------



## jamborhgini313

Can't wait for the Tri Fire results. I am thinking of going Tri Fire but with a 7990. By the time it comes out, hopefully drivers mature a bit because right now drivers are ****


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> sick ... are you going to add two more Sa950
> --- my 7970 was supposed to arrive last friday ... it is lost in the mail .. .
> thank you new egg / ups ...


Yeah 2 more of the sa950's since they have really thin bezels.


----------



## KidKB

Thanks for the troubleshooting help guys, my tri-fire combo is up and running now. The issue was on the PCI-E psu line, there was one pin that got pushed slightly out of the socket on the six-pin portion. Took a few hours to find, but good ol' process of elimination helped.

Now, to see what these cards will do.







Here's a pic as they were getting transplanted into the case:


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> I don't know much about AMD cards.. does overclocking get better as drivers progress? The vdroop is %#%ing ridiculous on this card at load.


Do you know how much other cards drop in comparison?
The only reason people noticed to begin with was because certain programs read the actual voltage instead of the set voltage they usually do.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Yeah 2 more of the sa950's since they have really thin bezels.


----------



## 7ranslucen7

My 7970 nickel acetal block is for sale in the classifieds if anyone is interested


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> My 7970 nickel acetal block is for sale in the classifieds if anyone is interested


why?


----------



## 7ranslucen7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> why?


I like to play with new cards / test under water for my own data and fun. I take a small hit in the end but I get real world experience with new gen


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> I like to play with new cards / test under water for my own data and fun. I take a small hit in the end but I get real world experience with new gen


If only it was Acetal Copper! I would be all over it!


----------



## KidKB

Man this is awesome! On my crossfire 6990's everything max, hbao, msaa x 4 @ 2560x1600 I would see dips under 30fps playing BF3 fairly often...Running trifire 7970's at a conservative 1250/1500 I am getting no less than 60fps on the largest maps and averaging around 100-120fps in general.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KidKB*
> 
> Man this is awesome! On my crossfire 6990's everything max, hbao, msaa x 4 @ 2560x1600 I would see dips under 30fps playing BF3 fairly often...Running trifire 7970's at a conservative 1250/1500 I am getting no less than 60fps on the largest maps and averaging around 100-120fps in general.


Somethings wrong then...... My crossfire doesn't go below 100


----------



## Cirdan

Hey guys, I thought I'd give an update on my overclock situation. I was having problems with hard crashes last time I tired overclocking. The problem was I had Overdrive enabled at the same time I was using Trixx to overclock.

So trying again using Trixx and keeping overdrive disabled, I am able to get to 1.2/1600 at stock voltages. I'm playing SWTOR maxed out at 5760x1080, and temperatures barely go above 70c. Awesome card, I'm gonna have to give BF3 a go later.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cirdan*
> 
> Hey guys, I thought I'd give an update on my overclock situation. I was having problems with hard crashes last time I tired overclocking. The problem was I had Overdrive enabled at the same time I was using Trixx to overclock.
> So trying again using Trixx and keeping overdrive disabled, I am able to get to 1.2/1600 at stock voltages. I'm playing SWTOR maxed out at 5760x1080, and temperatures barely go above 70c. Awesome card, I'm gonna have to give BF3 a go later.


Thats real high for stock. I recommend stressing with crysis, warhead and crysis 2. They are the games that found my oc unstable, when perfect in benches. I say this because I had 1200 at stock also and the above games didn't like it one bit.


----------



## Cirdan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Thats real high for stock. I recommend stressing with crysis, warhead and crysis 2. They are the games that found my oc unstable, when perfect in benches. I say this because I had 1200 at stock also and the above games didn't like it one bit.


I played through the first level of Warhead and had one spot with artifacts, but other than that it was pretty stable. Temps got to 74c


----------



## trippinonprozac

I dont want to hear anyone whinge about their ASIC quality anymore... I officially set the record for the worst card ever to be released! haha


----------



## WiL11o6

As much as I love this card, does anyone feel the fans are pretty darn loud?

Most of you guys achieve clocks of 1200+ however, I notice some of you guys run fan speed at 50%+. Anything over 35% seems pretty loud and 40% is the absolute max I would go. If I set the fan to 50% I was also able to run through a 3dmark11 and heaven benchmark @ 1250/1600, however, it is freaking loud. I actually have to lower my voltage down and the highest OC I could get stable was 1125/1575 @ 1.075mv, any more volts would cause temps to rise and instability. I actually set it at 35% fan speed and it does get hot while I play BF3. I know 35% fan speed is low for this OC because it normally sits at 79-81c, maxed out at 85c, however no crashes. Setting my fan to 40% drops that down to a consistent 75c, but it's too loud for my tastes. The game is not crashing at ~80c and I don't game for long hours so I leave it at 35% fan speed.

I would love to water cool, but I am too scared.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> I dont want to hear anyone whinge about their ASIC quality anymore... I officially set the record for the worst card ever to be released! haha


Wow this made me feel better about my 69.3%


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> I dont want to hear anyone whinge about their ASIC quality anymore... I officially set the record for the worst card ever to be released! haha


Zomg. Dude







.
1070 is still a good overclock though.


----------



## Sebe

ASIC 77.7% here, doing 1200 / 1575 on stock volt.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Zomg. Dude
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 1070 is still a good overclock though.


I doubt it is occt stable but it doesn't miss a beat in bf3 which is all that matters to me.

I would love to see if anyone can beat me for the lowest ASIC quality??


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> As much as I love this card, does anyone feel the fans are pretty darn loud?
> Most of you guys achieve clocks of 1200+ however, I notice some of you guys run fan speed at 50%+. Anything over 35% seems pretty loud and 40% is the absolute max I would go. If I set the fan to 50% I was also able to run through a 3dmark11 and heaven benchmark @ 1250/1600, however, it is freaking loud. I actually have to lower my voltage down and the highest OC I could get stable was 1125/1575 @ 1.075mv, any more volts would cause temps to rise and instability. I actually set it at 35% fan speed and it does get hot while I play BF3. I know 35% fan speed is low for this OC because it normally sits at 79-81c, maxed out at 85c, however no crashes. Setting my fan to 40% drops that down to a consistent 75c, but it's too loud for my tastes. The game is not crashing at ~80c and I don't game for long hours so I leave it at 35% fan speed.
> I would love to water cool, but I am too scared.


There really is only one thing you should be scared of when it comes to watercooling, and that is the addiction to it









I have had so much water spills etc, and they are still going









My use of battery water (demineralized and distilled water) is probably a huge reason to what saves me, and use of isopropyl alcohol spray to clean spills with (water itself is not conductive when it's pure, it's when particles is introduced to it it does).

Last time I actually saw conclusive evidence that water was short circuiting my computer, is when my computer crashed, and when I restarted it, the gfx was making artifacts when it started, at the post screen. Water had seeped into the pci-e slot where the gfx card was inserted into. Quick spray of isopropyl alcohol spray made it all okay







(after drying ofc)

Btw, that is 24/7 dedicated folding machine, both gpu and cpu


----------



## Outcasst

Does anybody know of a guide to edit and flash these new 7970 cards? I want to change the stock speed to 1000MHz but RBE doesn't support it yet it seems.


----------



## PwrElec




----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Does anybody know of a guide to edit and flash these new 7970 cards? I want to change the stock speed to 1000MHz but RBE doesn't support it yet it seems.


Maybe to edit the voltage so we can entirely avoid tweak apps and to gain the Power Control Settings +20%. I couldn't imagine it would be possible to edit the clocks for the 7xxx series without crashing or BSODs due to BIOS-Driver check as in 6xxx series. So far, there's no way to do that with the 6xxx series.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Does anybody know of a guide to edit and flash these new 7970 cards? I want to change the stock speed to 1000MHz but RBE doesn't support it yet it seems.


Check out the original post. There are two zip files to download.
There are tools there to use and the actual bios.
You will need a boot disk or boot usb.
Once you have ati flash and the bios stored onto your newly formatted usb or cd...
Select it as your primary boot option...it will load into dos.
Then type the following....

*Atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 asus3d.100* for your primary GPU
*Atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 asus3d.100* for your secondary


----------



## Denim-187

*This how to make a bootable USB.* Tools are all in the second post of this thread.
After u have successfully created a bootable usb/cd... put the *ATIflash.exe* and *ASUS3D.100* file on there, which is also found on the second post as a zip file.

EDIT: Oh yeah...and what ken said, i just read the first few words and compiled this guide.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> I dont want to hear anyone whinge about their ASIC quality anymore... I officially set the record for the worst card ever to be released! haha


Sorry, try again. My card is 23b = 571; 571/1023 = .558

Close, though.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Sorry, try again. My card is 23b = 571; 571/1023 = .558
> Close, though.


your card is 55.8 % ? Dudeeeeee


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Sorry, try again. My card is 23b = 571; 571/1023 = .558
> Close, though.


You have to divide whole 4-character hexadecimal number by 16384


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> I dont want to hear anyone whinge about their ASIC quality anymore... I officially set the record for the worst card ever to be released! haha


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> your card is 55.8 % ? Dudeeeeee


I'm at 1160 on stock volts with ek en+acetal. 1075 max on air with stock fan.

And somewhere someone sits with a 7970 good for1300 under water and is afraid to oc it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

To the club in general:
I have also updated some of your ASIC quality scores if you don't mind.
If I missed some of your scores (I skim through the pages at times) and want me to update it, send me a PM if you wish or simply make another post here stating you want an update.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> To the club in general:
> I have also updated some of your ASIC quality scores if you don't mind.
> If I missed some of your scores (I skim through the pages at times) and want me to update it, send me a PM if you wish or simply make another post here stating you want an update.


Mine are *78.3*% and *81.4*% @ 1250/1700mhz so far


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Mine are *78.3*% and *81.4*% @ 1250/1700mhz so far


Updated.


----------



## Exburn

I got a 1174mv card. Trying to get it to 1200mhz core, but it is pretty unstable. (games crash, driver stops working) So I wonder, will raising the volt help me reach higher clocks?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exburn*
> 
> I got a 1174mv card. Trying to get it to 1200mhz core, but it is pretty unstable. (games crash, driver stops working) So I wonder, will raising the volt help me reach higher clocks?


It could help stabilize your card, but I wouldn't expect it to be stress test stable.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exburn*
> 
> I got a 1174mv card. Trying to get it to 1200mhz core, but it is pretty unstable. (games crash, driver stops working) So I wonder, will raising the volt help me reach higher clocks?


Make sure *CCC overdrive is disabled*.
This is a major set back in overclocking these cards...or any cards in that matter.
Reset to defaults in CCC and uncheck the Enable box if you have already enabled it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Here's an interesting little something AMD's Dave Baumann said:

_Actually, it does the opposite! We scale the voltage based on leakage, so the higher leakage parts use lower voltage and the lower leakage parts use a higher voltage - what this is does narrow the entire TDP range of the product.

Everything is qualified at worst case anyway; all the TDP calcs and the fan settings are completed on the worst case for the product range._

So... The lower percent the better or the lower the leakage, the higher the percentage?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Here's an interesting little something AMD's Dave Baumann said:
> _Actually, it does the opposite! We scale the voltage based on leakage, so the higher leakage parts use lower voltage and the lower leakage parts use a higher voltage - what this is does narrow the entire TDP range of the product.
> Everything is qualified at worst case anyway; all the TDP calcs and the fan settings are completed on the worst case for the product range._
> So... The lower percent the better or the lower the leakage, the higher the percentage?


The lower the leakage percent, the higher the voltage. The higher the leakage, the better. Correct me if im wrong.

Quote:


> Leakage Power Trends
> 
> Development of the digital integrated circuits is challenged by higher power consumption. The combination of higher clock speeds, greater functional integration, and smaller process geometries has contributed to significant growth in power density. At 90 nm and below, leakage power management is essential in the ASIC design process. As voltages scale downward with the geometries threshold voltages must also decrease to gain the performance advantages of the new technology but leakage current increases exponentially. Thinner gate oxides have led to an increase in gate leakage current.
> 
> Scaling improves transistor density and functionality on a chip. Scaling helps to increase speed and frequency of operation and hence higher performance. At the same time power dissipation increases. To counteract increase in active and leakage power Vth should also be scaled. Leakage power is catching up with the dynamic power in VDSM CMOS circuits as shown in Figure 1.


----------



## Denim-187

i have a question, do the ASUS reference cards come voltage unlocked? or do they have to be flashed with the _asus oc test bios_?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Here's an interesting little something AMD's Dave Baumann said:
> 
> _Actually, it does the opposite! We scale the voltage based on leakage, so the higher leakage parts use lower voltage and the lower leakage parts use a higher voltage - what this is does narrow the entire TDP range of the product.
> 
> Everything is qualified at worst case anyway; all the TDP calcs and the fan settings are completed on the worst case for the product range._
> 
> So... The lower percent the better or the lower the leakage, the higher the percentage?


edit: This sounds alot like Bulldozer.

With Bulldozer, higher stock voltage = a better part generally (lower leakage). This is due to high leakage parts creating additional heat meaning the voltage drop keeps them in spec heat wise.

What have you uncovered here :O


----------



## Evil Penguin

Lower leakage is generally better (requires less power).
It seems that on purpose AMD increases the voltage on lower leakage chips in order to keep a consistent TDP on all 7970s.
So high leakage chips are *set* with lower voltage because they consume more power.
So my card that is set at 1174mV could actually be under-volted and consume less power than say an 1125mV card.

Here's the info that Unwinder posted:
_up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V_

Does this mean that the lower the percentage, the better?


----------



## Scorpion667

I rann 100x Crysis2 Adrenaline Bench overnight, temps topped out at 77c due to my need to sleep in the same room as this jet plane we call a video card. I saw a few people saying the Crysis games were a good indication for stability, but my question is: when it was unstable did it crash? Or just artifact? As I left it unsupervised. All passed as far as i can see, frame rates were consistent during every run.

I guess that is a pass at 1200mhz 1.225v, it still artifacts in GPUtool but then again I'm not playing GPUtool...


----------



## Evil Penguin

I would never use games as a way to test out a card's stability (strictly).
To me an artifact is an error and I can't stand errors.
So I programs like OCCT to stress test and check for errors.

Just saying...


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> To the club in general:
> I have also updated some of your ASIC quality scores if you don't mind.
> If I missed some of your scores (I skim through the pages at times) and want me to update it, send me a PM if you wish or simply make another post here stating you want an update.


my asic is 85.6% & im at 1000/1400, my voltage is 1050mv


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Lower leakage is generally better (requires less power).
> It seems that on purpose AMD increases the voltage on lower leakage chips in order to keep a consistent TDP on all 7970s.
> So high leakage chips are *set* with lower voltage because they consume more power.
> So my card that is set at 1174mV could actually be under-volted and consume less power than say an 1125mV card.
> Here's the info that Unwinder posted:
> _up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V_
> 
> 
> 
> *Does this mean that the lower the percentage, the better?*
Click to expand...

Can't be, ive tested 6 cards, and the ones that were shining were the higher % numbers. Hence the term _ASIC quality_, youd think that higher is better, it always has been in mathematics.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> my asic is 85.6% & im at 1000/1400, my voltage is 1050mv


Is that your highest overclock?


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Can't be, ive tested 6 cards, and the ones that were shining were the higher % numbers. Hence the term _ASIC quality_, youd think that higher is better, it always has been in mathematics.
> Is that your highest overclock?


nop thats just my clocks atm


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> nop thats just my clocks atm


Well judging by your ASIC quality, i'd say it will hit 1300+mhz. Lets hope for your sake i am not mistaken.
And lets hope you prove me right very soon


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Can't be, ive tested 6 cards, and the ones that were shining were the higher % numbers. Hence the term _ASIC quality_, youd think that higher is better, it always has been in mathematics.


One would think... But lower leakage is better I believe.


----------



## Senac

Hi!

Here is mine. I'm waiting for EK block and backplate, ETA this week, so... I'm also undervolting a little bit more, since I just got home this morning and I couldn't try it until now...



Cheers


----------



## Levesque

Got my 4 EK blocks (EN nickel-acetal) + Quad-GPU EK bridge today!









Will install everything tonight, and will finally start OCing that Quad-Fire 7970 set-up seriously!


----------



## dajez

btw what is most accurate voltage reading, in gpu-z or in ab? in gpu-z it says 1025mv in ab 1050mv


----------



## evensen007

Ummm. 7950 numbers... This throws a wrench into my whole plan. I was going to order a 7970 today; now I'm not sure what to do!

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18366789


----------



## Scorpion667

Typically with AMD cards, do they overclock better come non-ref PCB such as MSI Lightning/ GB Super OC?

I'll be selling this 7970, the fan noise wakes up my room mate and it doesn't OC well enough to justify slapping a block on it.

I'll wait for kepler and make a decision then, my 570 is still ok for now.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

GPU Score in 3dmark 11 is 9807

My cpu score brought the total down







For some reason my cpu requires waaaay too much voltage for 5ghz so I don't turn it up anymore lol

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2609721


----------



## Pantsu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> One would think... But lower leakage is better I believe.


It's better if you're trying to get power consumption down. As Unwinder said, there are 1,025V chips for Tahiti, but none have yet emerged with 7970, which might mean those chips are reserved for 7990. But for OC, a low leakage card won't be all that good since it requires higher voltage to reach high OC. On the other hand it seems the higher leak cards that have 1,05V VID can't seem to overvolt beyond 1,2V due to some OVP, so ultimately for these reference 7970's you'll want a card that can overvolt to 1,3V while still having a high ASIC quality, i.e. a 75%, or perhaps a 80% would be even better if it doesn't artifact at high voltage.


----------



## 16ReasonsWhy

Just registered, but have had these since the 12th and so far so good. I'm having driver issues but, it's to be expected at this stage of the game. Waiting on blocks from Watercool.









By denali6194 at 2012-01-23

The issues I am having are with crossfire. When enabling/disabling the fan on card two stops. When I change crossfire settings again, it starts back up again. Sometimes I crash and have to hard reset when enabling/disabling crossfire. MSI afterburner seems to stop controlling that card as well when this happens. I'm assuming driver issues, anyone else experiencing similar?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Got my 4 EK blocks (EN nickel-acetal) + Quad-GPU EK bridge today!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will install everything tonight, and will finally start OCing that Quad-Fire 7970 set-up seriously!


Ohh, now THIS I want to see.







:thumb:

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Ummm. 7950 numbers... This throws a wrench into my whole plan. I was going to order a 7970 today; now I'm not sure what to do!
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18366789


Normally I would be in the 7950 camp, but with the oc on the 7970 I could not resist.


----------



## Aventadoor

But since AMDs 7950 is better then 580, and 7970 is not so far better then GTX580. Isent that kinda lame?
Would expect 7970 to become much much better with better drivers later on then...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> But since AMDs 7950 is better then 580, and 7970 is not so far better then GTX580. Isent that kinda lame?
> Would expect 7970 to become much much better with better drivers later on then...


My guess is that AMD wants to reserve they top 28nm chip for their HD 89x0 series.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

7950 meets the 580 when overclocked... looking at the benchmarks from that site posted I'm still glad I went with my 7970


----------



## Exburn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It could help stabilize your card, but I wouldn't expect it to be stress test stable.


So how much should I increase it? I really want it to be stable at 1200 mhz


----------



## ELCID777

Where can I get the latest driver? I can't seem to get it from the AMD website at the moment.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exburn*
> 
> So how much should I increase it? I really want it to be stable at 1200 mhz


You'll have to play it by ear (adjust the voltage in increments).
I reached a max clock speed of 1070 MHz.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Where can I get the latest driver? I can't seem to get it from the AMD website at the moment.


http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


----------



## KidKB

How's this for interesting? I ran Unigine this morning and got absolutely dismal scores compared to xfire and other tri-fire reviews I've seen. As a starting point for troubleshooting I decided to bring all clocks to stock levels on GPU's, this made a HUGE difference:

1125/1500 Results:



925/1375 Results:



Any ideas?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

LOL yea that first pic is AWFUL! I almost get that on one card... but you're second pic and to be at stock clocks... WOW!!!!!!!!!!! That's insane!


----------



## CallsignVega

I removed my 7970 crossfire to individual find the cards stable overclocks. I started with my low quality card (73%) hooked up to my FW900 running [email protected]z. Strangely enough, when in crossfire this lower quality card had much better temps than the other card which is 83%. This 73% card on air I got up to 1350Mhz without locking up but it was artifacting real bad. After many tries of running Heaven 2.5 and Crysis 2 I settled on 1280Mhz/1790Mhz @ 1.3v/1.7v. I let it loop Heaven 2.5 for an hour then I played a couple hours of Crysis 2 at Ultra with DX11 and Ultra texture high-res pack which is very stressful. I've seen Crysis 2 maxed out be very hard on GPU overclocks.

The card didn't skip a beat at these speeds! Not even an artifact. 1280/1790 seems pretty good for air cooling I think and the temp didn't go over 62C @ 100% fan. I think my 83% card is going to have a hard time beating these numbers.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> 7950 meets the 580 when overclocked... looking at the benchmarks from that site posted I'm still glad I went with my 7970


I'm also glad I went with 7970









It was pain to play battlefield 3 with my 5870. Non native resolution was pretty much the only thing viable.

Having 16:10 screens probably made it much worse, as it had to render 10% more pixels(?)

I was so waiting for the 7xxx series to come out, waiting more for 7950 would have made me squirm. And also considering that I have to use watercooling, buying a full size waterblock for one 7950 would not be as exciting as a 7970









I might even buy another 7970, probably when the price goes down and I build my new rig.


----------



## sockpirate

My cards should be here within the next couple of hours!!! I am excited!!!


----------



## evensen007

Looks like newegg got in 39 Gigabytes if anyone is on the fence. I couldn't resist, I already have the EK water block... I should have it in a few days!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125408


----------



## Pantsu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> 1280/1790 seems pretty good for air cooling I think and the temp didn't go over 62C @ 100% fan. I think my 83% card is going to have a hard time beating these numbers.


More than likely. A 74% quality card is the high end of 1,175V cards so these probably OC the best. The 83% card most likely can't take as much voltage and won't go as high, though it might be more stable at lower voltage.


----------



## KidKB

Slowly started overclocking the GPU's again, looks much better:



I still have no clue what was causing the problem.


----------



## NorxMAL

How much improvement and how long does this improvement last when you reinstall windows with this card?

Is it a reformat then fresh install, or the "upgrade" install?

Any guide on how to make this faster, and make it more streamlined till next time?

I have most of my files on different partitions, but system partition is still 113Gb (ssd).

I have the windows 7 install dvd on usb stick.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pantsu*
> 
> More than likely. A 74% quality card is the high end of 1,175V cards so these probably OC the best. The 83% card most likely can't take as much voltage and won't go as high, though it might be more stable at lower voltage.


My cards are 73,4 and 69,4. When I used single I got my 73,4 card 2 1200mhz. In xfire I cant get nowhere near that







Not even 1150 I think. Might be other stuff which causing it 2 be unstable but ye


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> My cards are 73,4 and 69,4. When I used single I got my 73,4 card 2 1200mhz. In xfire I cant get nowhere near that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not even 1150 I think. Might be other stuff which causing it 2 be unstable but ye


Even if you set the clocks independently in AB? You should still be able to get close to your original O/C on that 73.4 card unless it's getting much hotter at the same clock when xfire'd.


----------



## Aventadoor

But you shouldent run Xfire with diffrent clock on the cards?
Or is this just some Nvidia thingy?







Yes this is my first time with AMD!


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> But you shouldent run Xfire with diffrent clock on the cards?


Don't worry about it.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> But you shouldent run Xfire with diffrent clock on the cards?
> Or is this just some Nvidia thingy?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes this is my first time with AMD!


You can run your xfire at different clocks on each card! get back to it now!


----------



## smoke420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> How much improvement and how long does this improvement last when you reinstall windows with this card?
> Is it a reformat then fresh install, or the "upgrade" install?
> Any guide on how to make this faster, and make it more streamlined till next time?
> I have most of my files on different partitions, but system partition is still 113Gb (ssd).
> I have the windows 7 install dvd on usb stick.


I've installed windows way more times than I can count but using a flash drive was by far the slowest.For some reason if you disable floppy even though no one uses them anymore it works faster.I thought I was doing something wrong it took so long to start but after I saw the speed it was installing I knew it was the transfer rate if disabling floppy doesn't work use the disk.It took so long I could have went to the store bought a dvd rom burned the disk and install it with time to spare.lol


----------



## WiL11o6

To all 7970CFX on AIR owners,

How hot does your top card run and what are the fan speeds?

My single 7970 runs max 80c with a low fan speed of 35%, when I ramp it up to 40% it'll be down to 70c @ 1125/1575 @ 1.075mv. I don't know why, which is totally unnecessary, but I want a second 7970. I am wondering how much increase in temp my top card will run. I have about an inch between CF configuration in my Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 in a Corsair 650D case. I do not plan to get the side mesh. I know I won't be able to keep fan speed at 35% if I CF, so I'd probably need to ramp it up to 40%.

If right now I am looking at 70c, then in CF, the top card would be 75c?


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> To all 7970CFX on AIR owners,
> How hot does your top card run and what are the fan speeds?
> My single 7970 runs max 80c with a low fan speed of 35%, when I ramp it up to 40% it'll be down to 70c @ 1125/1575 @ 1.075mv. I don't know why, which is totally unnecessary, but I want a second 7970. I am wondering how much increase in temp my top card will run. I have about an inch between CF configuration in my Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 in a Corsair 650D case. I do not plan to get the side mesh. I know I won't be able to keep fan speed at 35% if I CF, so I'd probably need to ramp it up to 40%.
> If right now I am looking at 70c, then in CF, the top card would be 75c?


Its about 10c hotter. Mine runs around 75c in BF3 after some hours. This is with custom fan profile. So its about 40-60% fan speed on top card. Second is obviously /care about cause it runs alot cooler anyway


----------



## Norlig

Whats with these percentage numbers pople are posting? Any1 up for sharing?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Whats with these percentage numbers pople are posting? Any1 up for sharing?


Clif-notes version is that it's the ASIC quality number of your board. The higher the quality % number, the better *supposedly*. The sweet spot seems to be somewhere in the middle as far as higher clocks go (76-84% ASIC quality).


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Whats with these percentage numbers pople are posting? Any1 up for sharing?


It's your cards cool factor.









Actually, it's the 'ASIC quality'. Download GPUZ 0.5.8 and the system menu has a option to display ASIC quality. Or you could use the /rr174 argument for AB.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks,

Could I set custom fan profile for individual cards? Say 40% top card and 35% bottom card fan speed.

Edit: I Just placed an order for another 7970, lol. I sort of missed having constant 60+fps on my SLI 570s minus the really, really unplayable microstutter which is what made me sell them. This single 7970 is surely a beast, but it does dip into the 40s-50s at times in Karkand maps. So I said what the hell, ordered another one, hopefully I won't get future driver CFX issues because my 570s were pretty smooth with NVIDIA drivers.

Do I need CFX drivers for AMD cards? Because for NVIDIA, all I needed to do was plug in the second card, and enable SLI. But I read all these AMD CAP profiles? What are those? Separate drivers for CFX?


----------



## Pantsu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Whats with these percentage numbers pople are posting? Any1 up for sharing?


_AMD uses the following table to select VID depending on ASIC quality:

up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V_

The higher the ASIC quality, the lower stock voltage your card has. So far it seems the low VID cards OC better, BUT can't increase voltage without crashing after a certain point. By that reasoning you're better off if you have a card that happens to end up near one of the numbers above, like a 75% quality chip that is the highest leakage that still gets accepted to 1,175V and can overvolt to full 1,3V.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Clif-notes version is that it's the ASIC quality number of your board. The higher the quality % number, the better *supposedly*. The sweet spot seems to be somewhere in the middle as far as higher clocks go (76-84% ASIC quality).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> It's your cards cool factor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, it's the 'ASIC quality'. Download GPUZ 0.5.8 and the system menu has a option to display ASIC quality. Or you could use the /rr174 argument for AB.


Aahh! Cool! Thanks


----------



## zpaf

Update (2012.01.23): the ASIC quality detection is probably based on the GPU voltage. Here what AMD's Dave Baumann says:
Actually, it does the opposite! We scale the voltage based on leakage, *so the higher leakage parts use lower voltage and the lower leakage parts use a higher voltage* - what this is does narrow the entire TDP range of the product.

Everything is qualified at worst case anyway; all the TDP calcs and the fan settings are completed on the wors case for the product range.
http://www.geeks3d.com/20120122/test-asic-quality-of-geforce-gpus/


----------



## 16ReasonsWhy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> To all 7970CFX on AIR owners,
> How hot does your top card run and what are the fan speeds?
> My single 7970 runs max 80c with a low fan speed of 35%, when I ramp it up to 40% it'll be down to 70c @ 1125/1575 @ 1.075mv. I don't know why, which is totally unnecessary, but I want a second 7970. I am wondering how much increase in temp my top card will run. I have about an inch between CF configuration in my Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4 in a Corsair 650D case. I do not plan to get the side mesh. I know I won't be able to keep fan speed at 35% if I CF, so I'd probably need to ramp it up to 40%.
> If right now I am looking at 70c, then in CF, the top card would be 75c?


I get about a 10c difference also, but I'm on a bench right now with two slots in between. I don't like having the cards on top of one another on stock cooling. When I get my blocks I can really take them for a spin.

I haven't seen an option to run separate fan profiles on afterburner but I'm pretty lazy and usually just set the fans to 35% or whatever I can tolerate in terms of noise. I keep an eye on the temps to be sure. Once my blocks come I won't even worry about it. Patience is a *****.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pantsu*
> 
> More than likely. A 74% quality card is the high end of 1,175V cards so these probably OC the best. The 83% card most likely can't take as much voltage and won't go as high, though it might be more stable at lower voltage.


Quite possible. I will do some testing of the 83% card and see if it can keep up with the 73% card tonight. Also, not sure how much water cooling would let me go above 1280/1790 as I am maxing out at pretty mild 62C.

Also, for those that mentioned something about setting memory too high and it causing errors and slowing the card down hasn't materialized for me. Every memory increase in my testing has resulted in faster benchmarks.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Quite possible. I will do some testing of the 83% card and see if it can keep up with the 73% card tonight. Also, not sure how much water cooling would let me go above 1280/1790 as I am maxing out at pretty mild 62C.
> *Also, for those that mentioned something about setting memory too high and it causing errors and slowing the card down hasn't materialized for me. Every memory increase in my testing has resulted in faster benchmarks.*


Same here. I had to take it above 1900MHz before I saw an even benchmark and 1925 to see any loss. It's a fairly linear gain from 1350 all the way to 1875 for me.


----------



## slice259

Just checked my ASIC %'s

Card 1 --- 72.6%

Card 2 --- 61.3%

Well I am able to run 1200 core on both so...









Maybe I will RMA the second card


----------



## Aventadoor

Im not able to run 1200 on both at all...
Seems like TriXX and AB are giving me problems. I get artifacts and such, even at stock. But when I unistall them and use CCC, I can get 1125/1575 on both without problems...


----------



## WiL11o6

My 7970 right now is 87%ASIC @ 1.05 default volts and I just ordered a second one. What if my second one is 1.175v? How would I overclock them in CF? My card right now is very volt sensitive, meaning anything more than 1.1v would induce a lot of heat and I would prefer not to. Could I OC each card individually? My 1.05v could go to 1.175, but it would get hot, fast. I am not sure if a 1.175v card could drop down to 1.05 or even 1.1v to get them both equally volted.

Seems like there are many variations for 7970 volted cards whereas my 570 SLI, they were both default stock and wasn't a big gap in between like 1.05-1.175v 7970s. If I do get a 1.175 VID card, what would be my options? 1.1v in between? Or undervolt the 1.175 card, but I won't be able to OC? Since I'm going to have two, I'm not worried about OCing too much maybe only benchmarking, but gaming, my goal will be 1125, even 1025 would be more than enough.


----------



## Pantsu

You should be able to OC them individually, including the voltage. AFAIK CrossFire cards don't need to work at same frequencies or voltages. Of course they should have comparable performance, otherwise it might cause problems.


----------



## Mrip541

I'm torn. I got an XFX Black Edition. It easily clocks 1250/1510 with stock cooling and default mem voltage (3dmark, heaven dx11, games). BUT, it does strange things like artifact all over the place at stock settings in Heaven dx9 and will continue to give artifacts in any game until I restart my system, it squeals at high fps (not the fan), has a lower-pitched buzz when running any game, and generally makes me uneasy. I figure the only thing to do is rma it but newegg hasn't had any in stock for a while and the card clocks well. I bet I'm going to RMA it and get sent a "refurb" card that someone else returned and newegg just repacked without testing and it won't even boot. Aaarrrgggg.


----------



## sockpirate

Guess what just came in!!!!!!? LOL i was waiting all day and the UPS guy just dropped them off on the doorstep didnt even ring the bell, who knows how long they were outside lol....Ninja UPS


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Guess what just came in!!!!!!? LOL i was waiting all day and the UPS guy just dropped them off on the doorstep didnt even ring the bell, who knows how long they were outside lol....Ninja UPS


I bet it was a "beware the moose" caution street sign!


----------



## NorxMAL

Like this one


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Like this one


LOL....i dont get it ?!


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> LOL....i dont get it ?!


You asked me to guess what had arrived









Perhaps the UPS tried to dump evidence on your doorstep, that he had driven down such a sign.


----------



## mightymints

Well, mine is still going strong







. I feel its safe for me to sell my 5870 now.


----------



## sockpirate

so how do i go about installing these cards? I mean i have always been nvidia so never had a problem with drivers etc. Do i just uninstall the drivers for my 580? I tried that but upon restart it just installed the drivers by itself again...

No matter what i do the 580 keeps auto updating itself, do i just shut down and toos the 7970s in ?

Should i just remove the 580, put the 7970s in and reboot into safe mode and run driver sweeper?


----------



## wTheOnew

EK nickel/plexi finally came in.







Best looking GPU block I've ever had.


----------



## wirefox

http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=124&cntnt01origid=28&cntnt01returnid=17

News
High demand for FC7970 water blocks - 23/01/2012
Due to enormous demand a shortage of EK-FC7970 series water blocks is occuring. We ask our customers to be patient. We manufacture, assemble and ship these water blocks on daily basis. We are doing everything we can to keep delays to a minimum.

The shortage problem will be solved in the next two weeks.

Thank you for understanding.
- Your EK Team


----------



## wirefox

Excited to say UPS/Newegg has found my lost Asus 7970... was supposed to arrive last Friday and is otw for a Wednesday delivery

time to get in line for a EK block


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Excited to say UPS/Newegg has found my lost Asus 7970... was supposed to arrive last Friday and is otw for a Wednesday delivery
> time to get in line for a EK block


I'm torn between a 2nd card or a XSPC RX360 kit and an EK block.


----------



## sockpirate

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2611982 hmmm does this look right for a single card on stock settings? Latest beta bios on performance settings. Would appreciate your guys input before i toss in the second cards and shoot for some overclocks.

Says my score is low compared to similar systems. Never got that message before...

EDIT: Also do i need 2 bridges or just 1 for crossfireX ?


----------



## Jokah

Little water block teaser for you:





Its 1.00am here and I've only just finished installing everything. This is the best I can manage in 3Dmark 11 and I honestly don't think it will do anymore as I saw a couple of artifacts. I'd also like to mention this will not be OCCT stable. It is quite an improvement over what I could manage previously.

I'll be spending all night tomorrow searching for my max all round stable overclock so I'll keep you updated as I go. I'll provide comparisons to with my previous overclocks, ASIC quality ect. as well.

And yes I know the pictures poor quality but its the best I've got untill I get my cable for my camera tomorrow. I'm off to bed now so please don't be offended if I don't reply. See you all tomorrow.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> Little water block teaser for you:
> 
> 
> Its 1.00am here and I've only just finished installing everything. This is the best I can manage in 3Dmark 11 and I honestly don't think it will do anymore as I saw a couple of artifacts. I'd also like to mention this will not be OCCT stable. It is quite an improvement over what I could manage previously.
> I'll be spending all night tomorrow searching for my max all round stable overclock so I'll keep you updated as I go. I'll provide comparisons to with my previous overclocks, ASIC quality ect. as well.
> And yes I know the pictures poor quality but its the best I've got untill I get my cable for my camera tomorrow. I'm off to bed now so please don't be offended if I don't reply. See you all tomorrow.


OCCT stable or not. Mega congrats on breaking the 1300 barrier!


----------



## wTheOnew

Looks like mine caps out at 1275 / 1850 at 45C on water. Need to fiddle with it some more to see if I can get it to 1300...


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> Little water block teaser for you:
> 
> 
> Its 1.00am here and I've only just finished installing everything. This is the best I can manage in 3Dmark 11 and I honestly don't think it will do anymore as I saw a couple of artifacts. I'd also like to mention this will not be OCCT stable. It is quite an improvement over what I could manage previously.
> I'll be spending all night tomorrow searching for my max all round stable overclock so I'll keep you updated as I go. I'll provide comparisons to with my previous overclocks, ASIC quality ect. as well.
> And yes I know the pictures poor quality but its the best I've got untill I get my cable for my camera tomorrow. I'm off to bed now so please don't be offended if I don't reply. See you all tomorrow.


1320 (wow)
1725 (wow)

+ better drivers .. is really promising ...


----------



## sockpirate

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2612245 I seem to have everything working in crossfire now, got a 13477 with everything on stock on P settings. Not bad.





Hmm so what is the theory of the black pci-e connector? Out of my two cards one of them has the black pci-e connector, (the one on the bottom of the picture) is this good?


----------



## bigvaL

Got my 7970 ready to OC and bench.. A few questions:

What are you guys using to OC these cards? How do I tell which vcore my card has? (lower or higher stock card I mean)


----------



## Favian

So i took my time overclocking my 7970s as far as they could go. If i raise the core clock all the way then battlefield 3 crashes and raising the voltages doesn't seem to help.


I'm quite impressed


----------



## sockpirate

hmmmm i am noticing something quite strange, one of the cards fans just stops, like comes to a complete stop sometimes and then spins back up to the desired fan profile that i have set in Afterburner, it seems strange too in afterburner the temperature monitoring disappears and i have to close it then re-open to be able to manipulate the fan/be able to see the temperature monitoring for that GPU, this only is happening with GPU 2. RMA? Anyone? I doubt this is normal, maybe re-install afterburner too see if it is an afterburner problem? I am using the latest beta AB.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> hmmmm i am noticing something quite strange, one of the cards fans just stops, like comes to a complete stop sometimes and then spins back up to the desired fan profile that i have set in Afterburner, it seems strange too in afterburner the temperature monitoring disappears and i have to close it then re-open to be able to manipulate the fan/be able to see the temperature monitoring for that GPU, this only is happening with GPU 2. RMA? Anyone? I doubt this is normal, maybe re-install afterburner too see if it is an afterburner problem? I am using the latest beta AB.


That's a "feature" of the new 7970's. Called zero power state or something. That's your second card shutting off because it's not being used. Looks like it's working!


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> That's a "feature" of the new 7970's. Called zero power state or something. That's your second card shutting off because it's not being used. Looks like it's working!


OMG i was hoping it was something of that nature, so many scenarios ran through my head....

1-bad psu
2-bad pci-e lane
3-bad pci-e cables
4-bad drivers
5-bad beta AB.

Thanks a lot man +rep!!!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> OMG i was hoping it was something of that nature, so many scenarios ran through my head....
> 1-bad psu
> 2-bad pci-e lane
> 3-bad pci-e cables
> 4-bad drivers
> 5-bad beta AB.
> Thanks a lot man +rep!!!


LMAO! No worries man. It works pretty well except that flash videos and other small stuff can wake it up. Maybe they can refine it a little better in future drivers. No need for your second card to come on when you hit youtube!


----------



## CallsignVega

If anyone is interested I made a quick video of my nice air-cooled 1300Mhz 7970 overclock. I cannot believe how well the stock cooler holds up under this load!






Anyone else reach 1300Mhz on air?


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> Typically with AMD cards, do they overclock better come non-ref PCB such as MSI Lightning/ GB Super OC?
> I'll be selling this 7970, the fan noise wakes up my room mate and it doesn't OC well enough to justify slapping a block on it.
> I'll wait for kepler and make a decision then, my 570 is still ok for now.


YOU SIR ARE CORRECT I DID THIS!!


----------



## unrealskill

damn when will newegg get new stock


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> If anyone is interested I made a quick video of my nice air-cooled 1300Mhz 7970 overclock. I cannot believe how well the stock cooler holds up under this load!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else reach 1300Mhz on air?


Umm. Only 2 people on here have made 1300 ON WATER! Congrats on winning the golden chip lottery sir.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> damn when will newegg get new stock


They got in about 50 gigabytes today. Gotta be quick on the f5!


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> If anyone is interested I made a quick video of my nice air-cooled 1300Mhz 7970 overclock. I cannot believe how well the stock cooler holds up under this load!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else reach 1300Mhz on air?


I heard one guy got 1337 and still had some left in the bucket, but I don't know that I believe him.

Edit: Sorry he was on water, my mistake.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> damn when will newegg get new stock


tiger direct worked fine for me.


----------



## KidKB

More and more impressed with these GPU's:



This on a conservative 4.6Ghz CPU overclock and 1050/1425 GPU overclock.


----------



## derickwm

Ok guys can you help me out here... I have two 2560x1600 displays. I have one connected through the Dual DVI port and it works fine. The other one, no matter if it's mini dp->dual dvi or hdmi->dual dvi, it will not display above 1280x800. I thought HDMI and display port both support 2560x1600 resolutions?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> Ok guys can you help me out here... I have two 2560x1600 displays. I have one connected through the Dual DVI port and it works fine. The other one, no matter if it's mini dp->dual dvi or hdmi->dual dvi, it will not display above 1280x800. I thought HDMI and display port both support 2560x1600 resolutions?


As far as I know hdmi only goes to 1440p.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> Ok guys can you help me out here... I have two 2560x1600 displays. I have one connected through the Dual DVI port and it works fine. The other one, no matter if it's mini dp->dual dvi or hdmi->dual dvi, it will not display above 1280x800. I thought HDMI and display port both support 2560x1600 resolutions?


not 100% sure but some video cards only supports single 2560 x 1600 resolutions. for example, asus 6970 DCII had only 1 dual dvi port that allowed 2560 x 1600.


----------



## derickwm

lololol WOWWW. I wasn't expecting that. Well alright then...


----------



## Denim-187

Gratz on the crazy overclocks guys







I'm loving these results !
It would be great to post a benchmark run with the reports like 3dmark 11.
I'm pushing both my cards to 1300mhz on air as we speak.... will post back shortly.
Sold the third one....it was a duddddd


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> If anyone is interested I made a quick video of my nice air-cooled 1300Mhz 7970 overclock. I cannot believe how well the stock cooler holds up under this load!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else reach 1300Mhz on air?


Great vid and OC... what i want to know is whether 1.3v is safe for a 24/7 overclock.
Might be a little early to know if it is.


----------



## derickwm

So I did some more research and how do cards like the 5970 run 3 2560x1600 monitors? One of them has to go through DP...

I thought it might be a problem with my adapter not being active but it clearly states ACTIVE on the adapter. Lolwut this is frustrating.


----------



## slice259

Well I did a bunch of benching and my 61.3% ASIC card can still overclock to 1230 core with 1.250v and 70% fan. My other is 72.6% ASIC so I guess I should maybe dumb the lower ASIC. I don't know, ill sleep on it.







Just my luck I would get one worse







. It just seems my 72.6% card doesn't overclock a hole lot better then the 61.3%.


----------



## tats

Friend just got parted out his rig and gave me a 580, thinking I'll just throw my AXP on that and recoup some $. Looking to get rid of my Asus, check the FS section for my thread.


----------



## Arizonian

Looking at the HIS 7970 I noticed they include a weight lifter. Curious since it's not a three slot card why the lifter? I don't see that offered from other vendors? Is the weight of the card putting a strain on the PCIe slots?


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Great vid and OC... what i want to know is whether 1.3v is safe for a 24/7 overclock.
> Might be a little early to know if it is.


I think considering how low the temps are it should be fine. Maybe not ten-year fine but most of us will only have these cards for a year or two. For myself maybe even just until Kepler launches lol. If Kepler ends up being the fastest single GPU card.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Looking at the HIS 7970 I noticed they include a weight lifter. Curious since it's not a three slot card why the lifter? I don't see that offered from other vendors? Is the weight of the card putting a strain on the PCIe slots?


perhaps if you use a waterblock? it could ad some weight who knows


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tats*
> 
> Friend just got parted out his rig and gave me a 580, thinking I'll just throw my AXP on that and recoup some $. Looking to get rid of my Asus, check the FS section for my thread.


What's wrong with your Asus? curious as I have one otw...


----------



## Jov4nTh3Yu9o

Anyone using a pcie adapter to power the 7970? Like a 6 to 8 pin converter?


----------



## CallsignVega

Whelp, I think the whole "quality" % is a bunch of hooey. I just put my 84% quality card through the ringer and it sucks compared to my 73% card. My 73% card runs cooler and has zero artifacts at 1300 MHz on air. Just set it at 1.30v and off you go.

The 84% quality card ran hotter and at 1300Mhz would artifact so bad it would induce epilepsy. I tested all the way up and down the voltage range with the 84% and it's a complete no-go versus the 73%. Off to Ebay you go 84%!


----------



## chorner

Has anyone else noticed that the capacitor squeal on their 7970's is really loud, or is it just mine? Should I return it? It's really audible during any 3D app. I can probably notice it even moreso than normal since I have a silent system under water with a waterblock on the 7970...

Anyone, before I RMA it?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Whelp, I think the whole "quality" % is a bunch of hooey. I just put my 84% quality card through the ringer and it sucks compared to my 73% card. My 73% card runs cooler and has zero artifacts at 1300 MHz on air. Just set it at 1.30v and off you go.
> The 84% quality card ran hotter and at 1300Mhz would artifact so bad it would induce epilepsy. I tested all the way up and down the voltage range with the 84% and it's a complete no-go versus the 73%. Off to Ebay you go 84%!


After much following all the ASIC posts and there ability to over clock or lack there of, it varies so much that I'd have to concur with you Vega. By now we'd have seen some common denominator but there's nothing to point to a solid conclusion of performance gauges based on the ASIC as of yet.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> Has anyone else noticed that the capacitor squeal on their 7970's is really loud, or is it just mine? Should I return it? It's really audible during any 3D app. I can probably notice it even moreso than normal since I have a silent system under water with a waterblock on the 7970...
> Anyone, before I RMA it?


Yup, i get it but its tiny @ stock. It gets louder when its overclocked


----------



## hellboy_101

Mine at running at 1.17 in afterburner at 1100 / 1550 now stable without issues.

However the damn top card is getting to 75 while the other barely hits 60. Both have auto fan profiles. I do not understand!


----------



## JedixJarf

Well, my diamond ref is doing just fine so far. 1300 Mhz, 1650 mem @ 1.3v. The ref cooler actually does a great job on this series, ek block will be here tomorrow though.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hellboy_101*
> 
> Mine at running at 1.17 in afterburner at 1100 / 1550 now stable without issues.
> However the damn top card is getting to 75 while the other barely hits 60. Both have auto fan profiles. I do not understand!


Swap the cards around, they'll even out.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Whelp, I think the whole "quality" % is a bunch of hooey. I just put my 84% quality card through the ringer and it sucks compared to my 73% card. My 73% card runs cooler and has zero artifacts at 1300 MHz on air. Just set it at 1.30v and off you go.
> The 84% quality card ran hotter and at 1300Mhz would artifact so bad it would induce epilepsy. I tested all the way up and down the voltage range with the 84% and it's a complete no-go versus the 73%. Off to Ebay you go 84%!


Higher quality asic doesnt need so much voltage,
try 1.2V


----------



## Denim-187

Does everybody remember the ASUS OC test bios? Well Here is the final version on that used on retail reference ASUS cards.
Ive flashed both my cards and just feels better knowing its not an incomplete "_test_" bios.
Also it is significantly different in size compared to the test bios.

Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file


Penguin, pls add to the OP kind sir


----------



## jamborhgini313

What's special about Asus bios?


----------



## WiL11o6

Doing a quick search on powerune, it seems like it actually increases fps in games, though, most people on here are against using it to overclock. I tried using powertune, set to 1125/1575 and +20% and then disabled it and used MSI AB. I don't know if it's a placebo effect after reading the articles, but seems like my min fps did improve with CCC in bf3, though at same clock speeds, using CCC to overclock, it was 5c hotter vs AB.

What is power control and why is it bad if it improves performance?

Sorry stupid question.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Doing a quick search on powerune, it seems like it actually increases fps in games, though, most people on here are against using it to overclock. I tried using powertune, set to 1125/1575 and +20% and then disabled it and used MSI AB. I don't know if it's a placebo effect after reading the articles, but seems like my min fps did improve with CCC in bf3, though at same clock speeds, using CCC to overclock, it was 5c hotter vs AB.
> What is power control and why is it bad if it improves performance?
> Sorry stupid question.


I wrote post about it.

If you disable overdrive in CCC, powertune works at standard settings (+0%) and throttles GPU clock

If you enable overdrive and set powertune to +20% throttling goes away...
I have checked this with GPU-Z and energy power meter.

My settings: CCC Overdrive enabled, Powertune +20%, clocks and voltages set by MSI AB

http://www.overclock.net/t/1204293/powertune-and-radeon-7970#post_16273570


----------



## UNOE

I have brand new EK block for sell. Local pickup will save. Check my threads started in classified.


----------



## WiL11o6

What is GPU throttle? So it's better with +20 power control?


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Does everybody remember the ASUS OC test bios? Well Here is the final version on that used on retail reference ASUS cards.
> Ive flashed both my cards and just feels better knowing its not an incomplete "_test_" bios.
> Also it is significantly different in size compared to the test bios.
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> Penguin, pls add to the OP kind sir


You getting better results with that bios ?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> What is GPU throttle? So it's better with +20 power control?


GPU clock throttle
CCC automaticaly lowers GPU clock when GPU Load (Amperage) raises

I saw that on GPU-Z while running OCCT, throttling was beetween 600MHz-1180MHz.
Only GPU Clocks are touched, GPU Voltage, VMem clock and voltage stays untouched


----------



## krazyatom

I am also curious what GPU throttle do. I am currently disabled CCC overdrive and I am not having any problems.


----------



## WiL11o6

Well, I am fine with or without powertune, I'm just wondering how it affects performance. Some AMD charts showed that it actually helped boost fps with +20% enabled, and 7970 reviewers that use the CCC to overclock highly suggest we set power control to +20.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> I am also curious what GPU throttle do. I am currently disabled CCC overdrive and I am not having any problems.


of course you don't have problems, when GPU has high load, CCC lowers its clock

run OCCT and monitor GPU clock on GPU-Z...


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> You getting better results with that bios ?


Its definitely the bios to have on your 7970. The previos driver was a beta. Doing some more testing tonight.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> What is GPU throttle? So it's better with +20 power control?


No, it is not. Big problems with CCC and overclocking atm, so just leave overdrive disabled and don't worry about that.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> I wrote post about it.
> If you disable overdrive in CCC, powertune works at standard settings (+0%) and throttles GPU clock
> If you enable overdrive and set powertune to +20% throttling goes away...
> I have checked this with GPU-Z and energy power meter.
> My settings: CCC Overdrive enabled, Powertune +20%, clocks and voltages set by MSI AB
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1204293/powertune-and-radeon-7970#post_16273570


This does throttle your GPU's, but only in those synthetic gpu tools. i.e Furmark, OCCT.
Your GPU's will not throttle in games.


----------



## Scorpion667

Maybe I'll give this card another chance before I sell it.

Got some testing tonight:

Gputool STresstest 30 mins non fullscreen (stresses harder)
temps kept under 73c (74c for last run) - this was done on purpose as that's what I usually game at temp wise
cpu @ 5ghz
no throttling as per GPU-Z
stock V = 1174mv

start 1:24AM 1160mhz stock V
PASS
START 2:24AM 1170mhz stock V
PASS
START 3:00AM 1175mhz stock V
FAIL
START 3:12AM 1175mhz 1181mv
FAIL
start 3:17AM 1175mhz 1187mv
PASS

Still a 27% OC... wish I could go further tho. My 570gtx only OC'd 24.4%.

Next up, memory


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Its definitely the bios to have on your 7970. The previos driver was a beta. Doing some more testing tonight.
> No, it is not. Big problems with CCC and overclocking atm, so just leave overdrive disabled and don't worry about that.
> This does throttle your GPU's, but only in those synthetic gpu tools. i.e Furmark, OCCT.
> Your GPU's will not throttle in games.


It's not true, try Metro 2033 at maximal settings...









Of course throttling occurs only marginally at max load
If you set powertune to +20% you got one simple effect - minimal framerate got higher ... like WiL11o6 posted...

In my opinion setting powertune to +20% is absolute must for overclocking


----------



## WiL11o6

I'll get this out there,

I ordered my second 7970 and how are the CFX drivers vs SLI? I mean, once a final driver is issued for a specific game, say BF3, is there really any difference in performance between CFX vs SLI? Other than dual GPU scaling, are there other differences, i.e. stuttering, crashes, MICRO-stuttering, jitters, etc? I am a bit worried because A LOT of people are having issues with their CFX 7970s, but I am sure a lot of people over at NVIDIA are also. Are AMD CFX drivers blown out of proportions or are NVIDIA SLI drivers on another level.

I did have SLI 570s and it microstuttered in BF3, where 80 fps felt choppy and I had to turn vsync on. Skyrim, at certain places I would get massive stutter at 100+ fps. Not microstutter where fps isn't smooth, stutter where the fps locks up and skips so if I turn 360 in one motion, the screen would freeze and jerk.

Or are there people who only spent 5 minutes after putting in their second AMD card and something isn't working so they quickly make a thread on how much AMD driver sucks?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> I'll get this out there,
> I ordered my second 7970 and how are the CFX drivers vs SLI? I mean, once a final driver is issued for a specific game, say BF3, is there really any difference in performance between CFX vs SLI? Other than dual GPU scaling, are there other differences, i.e. stuttering, crashes, MICRO-stuttering, jitters, etc? I am a bit worried because A LOT of people are having issues with their CFX 7970s, but I am sure a lot of people over at NVIDIA are also. Are AMD CFX drivers blown out of proportions or are NVIDIA SLI drivers on another level.
> I did have SLI 570s and it microstuttered in BF3, where 80 fps felt choppy and I had to turn vsync on. Skyrim, at certain places I would get massive stutter at 100+ fps. Not microstutter where fps isn't smooth, stutter where the fps locks up and skips so if I turn 360 in one motion, the screen would freeze and jerk.
> Or are there people who only spent 5 minutes after putting in their second AMD card and something isn't working so they quickly make a thread on how much AMD driver sucks?


But AMD didn't released CFX 7970 official driver yet...
All are betas and previews


----------



## WiL11o6

Oh, I didn't know.

Do you know where I could download them so I can be ready when I get my card? Navigating through AMD's site is not as easy as Nvidia's.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> I'll get this out there,
> I ordered my second 7970 and how are the CFX drivers vs SLI? I mean, once a final driver is issued for a specific game, say BF3, is there really any difference in performance between CFX vs SLI? Other than dual GPU scaling, are there other differences, i.e. stuttering, crashes, MICRO-stuttering, jitters, etc? I am a bit worried because A LOT of people are having issues with their CFX 7970s, but I am sure a lot of people over at NVIDIA are also. Are AMD CFX drivers blown out of proportions or are NVIDIA SLI drivers on another level.
> I did have SLI 570s and it microstuttered in BF3, where 80 fps felt choppy and I had to turn vsync on. Skyrim, at certain places I would get massive stutter at 100+ fps. Not microstutter where fps isn't smooth, stutter where the fps locks up and skips so if I turn 360 in one motion, the screen would freeze and jerk.
> Or are there people who only spent 5 minutes after putting in their second AMD card and something isn't working so they quickly make a thread on how much AMD driver sucks?


I owned 570's to. I would say the stutter was VRAM limit in Skyrim and BF3. 570's have the lest microstutter out of all muilt GPU setups. I yet to have seen a good test from 7970. Its quite possible that 7970 could have even less microstutter than 570's or any other GPU for that matter. I want to see some real test though with slowmotion camera. But really I don't think you will get much measurable microstutter with 570's on any game that doesn't max out VRAM. But both titles you mentioned happen to be the only games I know of that max out 1.2gb of vram. So the pauses you see is the GPU refreshing the memory in the VRAM on the 570's you won't get that on 7970 even with lower frame rates it is smoother because the 7970 has 3gb vram. This along with my monitor 3d ready for Radeon is why I side graded from 570 SLI to a single 7970.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Oh, I didn't know.
> Do you know where I could download them so I can be ready when I get my card? Navigating through AMD's site is not as easy as Nvidia's.


Official http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx

RC, betas, preview drivers http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/Catalyst-Hotfixes.aspx


----------



## UNOE

anyone with crossfire want to run this test with a single GPU and again with CF. I know its not the best test but could reveal some things
http://www.overclockers.com/micro-stutter-the-dark-secret-of-sli-and-crossfire/


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Well Ive found an interesting article about the new feature on gpuz. I just wanted to share it with all of you, since my XFX-7970 Core Edition will be arriving tomorrow on my door and soon I'll be part of the club, right?.

Seems that the ASIC feature is failing on giving a reliable quality result...

http://www.geeks3d.com/20120122/test-asic-quality-of-geforce-gpus/


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> Well Ive found an interesting article about the new feature on gpuz. I just wanted to share it with all of you, since my XFX-7970 Core Edition will be arriving tomorrow on my door and soon I'll be part of the club, right?.
> Seems that the ASIC feature is failing on giving a reliable quality result...
> http://www.geeks3d.com/20120122/test-asic-quality-of-geforce-gpus/


Seems like an NVIDIA bug..

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> anyone with crossfire want to run this test with a single GPU and again with CF. I know its not the best test but could reveal some things
> http://www.overclockers.com/micro-stutter-the-dark-secret-of-sli-and-crossfire/


I'll do this test, but if you still think there is micro stutter and your on the fence? check out my video.
*ZERO* microstutter.


----------



## Pantsu

I checked a dozen frame time files from a guy that had CF 7970. The microstutter problem is still there, it's just not noticeable above 60FPS.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> Well Ive found an interesting article about the new feature on gpuz. I just wanted to share it with all of you, since my XFX-7970 Core Edition will be arriving tomorrow on my door and soon I'll be part of the club, right?.
> Seems that the ASIC feature is failing on giving a reliable quality result...
> http://www.geeks3d.com/20120122/test-asic-quality-of-geforce-gpus/


Works for Radeons 7970
Its done by reading register 174


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Works for Radeons 7970
> Its done by reading register 174


Ok thank you, It could be a bug with Nvidia cards. Moving from 6870s crossfire to xfx 7970 core edition because of the "high levels of microstutter" with cross XD.


----------



## Levesque

What a mind job! 48 little memory pads to cut! Crazy.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Add me to the list please











Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> What a mind job! 48 little memory pads to cut! Crazy.


Lol. I notice those blocks leave quiet a bit at the end, is that going to be an issue?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Lol. I notice those blocks leave quiet a bit at the end, is that going to be an issue?


Nope. Nothing down there gets hot.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

This is my first time with AMD and Catalyst....can someone point out where I can view what driver is currently installed via Catalyst...Just want to make sure I actually loaded the latest yesterday.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> What a mind job! 48 little memory pads to cut! Crazy.


I had a headache after peeling the plastic off the pads for only one card.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Higher quality asic doesnt need so much voltage,
> try 1.2V


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Whelp, I think the whole "quality" % is a bunch of hooey. I just put my 84% quality card through the ringer and it sucks compared to my 73% card. My 73% card runs cooler and has zero artifacts at 1300 MHz on air. Just set it at 1.30v and off you go.
> The 84% quality card ran hotter and at 1300Mhz would artifact so bad it would induce epilepsy. *I tested all the way up and down the voltage range with the 84% and it's a complete no-go versus the 73%.* Off to Ebay you go 84%!


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I had a headache after peeling the plastic off the pads for only one card.


Between that and them all sliding off the card the first time I put them on...







But, totally worth it once it was done.


----------



## CallsignVega

Anyone know how to keep power-tune at 20% and not from going back to 0% every time I reboot? It is throttling my GPU power @ 1300MHz and lowering the clock dynamically. Power-tune must be set at 20% in order for your card not to throttle. You can verify with GPU-Z and the FPS counter in OCCT.

EDIT: NM, I had "AMD external events utility" service stopped. I restarted it and my power-tune settings now keep after reboot.


----------



## Levesque

wTheOnew.

I always put a small drop of MX4 before putting thermal pads, so they don't slide off the cards when installing the waterblock.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> wTheOnew.
> I always put a small drop of MX4 before putting thermal pads, so they don't slide off the cards when installing the waterblock.










Well... that's obvious now isn't it. lol


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well... that's obvious now isn't it. lol


I didn't do this, and now I don't feel warm and fuzzy on the inside.


----------



## gazorp

I am having a problem where when i enable crossfire, I cannot see the POST on a reboot. My Mobo is the Asus Gene z gen3.

This is because crossfire requires both monitors to be connected to the same card. The card that is the active master is the card closest to the CPU.

When i reboot, the BIOS POST only appears on the card farthest from the CPU.

Does anyone know how to correct this so that i do not have to swap the monitor everytime i want to make a bios change?


----------



## PARTON

I had forgotten what it was like for the display to initialize as soon as the mobo posts. I ran a 7600gt for a few days after selling my 6950s and I saw the initial post screen everytime and windows booted faster. I like my 7970, but now it's back to never/only for a split-second seeing the intial post and watching that windows boot animation for an extra 3-5sec.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gazorp*
> 
> I am having a problem where when i enable crossfire, I cannot see the POST on a reboot. My Mobo is the Asus Gene z gen3.
> 
> This is because crossfire requires both monitors to be connected to the same card. The card that is the active master is the card closest to the CPU.
> 
> When i reboot, the BIOS POST only appears on the card farthest from the CPU.
> 
> Does anyone know how to correct this so that i do not have to swap the monitor everytime i want to make a bios change?


Go into BIOS to select the first initianlized PCIe slot for the 7970 with a monitor hook up.

Do not hot swapping the monitor, you will damage the cards and the monitor.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Go into BIOS to select the first initianlized PCIe slot for the 7970 with a monitor hook up.
> 
> Do not hot swapping the monitor, you will damage the cards and the monitor.


Ken is the man


----------



## gazorp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Go into BIOS to select the first initianlized PCIe slot for the 7970 with a monitor hook up.
> 
> Do not hot swapping the monitor, you will damage the cards and the monitor.


Thanks for trying to help, but neither of these suggestions make sense to me.

My problem is i cannot see the post and get into the bios with the monitors hooked up to the "master" card, or the card that has output in crossfire mode in windows. Therefore, how can i change the setting with the cards hooked up like this if i cannot see what i am changing in the bios like you described?

Second, How is it even remotely possible to damage the card or the monitor by unplugging and replugging the dvi monitor cables? I have done this hundreds of times with no problems... That is the only way i can get into the bios.

There must be a solution for this problem!


----------



## chorner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Ken is the man


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Go into BIOS to select the first initianlized PCIe slot for the 7970 with a monitor hook up.
> 
> Do not hot swapping the monitor, you will damage the cards and the monitor.


Uhhh you're not going to damage a card or monitor by swapping the display or the port on your cards. That's ridiculous.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *gazorp*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Go into BIOS to select the first initianlized PCIe slot for the 7970 with a monitor hook up.
> 
> Do not hot swapping the monitor, you will damage the cards and the monitor.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for trying to help, but neither of these suggestions make sense to me.
> 
> My problem is i cannot see the post and get into the bios with the monitors hooked up to the "master" card, or the card that has output in crossfire mode in windows. Therefore, how can i change the setting with the cards hooked up like this if i cannot see what i am changing in the bios like you described?
> 
> Second, How is it even remotely possible to damage the card or the monitor by unplugging and replugging the dvi monitor cables? I have done this hundreds of times with no problems... That is the only way i can get into the bios.
> 
> There must be a solution for this problem!
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Ken is the man
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Go into BIOS to select the first initianlized PCIe slot for the 7970 with a monitor hook up.
> 
> Do not hot swapping the monitor, you will damage the cards and the monitor.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Uhhh you're not going to damage a card or monitor by swapping the display or the port on your cards. That's ridiculous.
Click to expand...

YMMV.

Take care.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gazorp*
> 
> Thanks for trying to help, but neither of these suggestions make sense to me.
> My problem is i cannot see the post and get into the bios with the monitors hooked up to the "master" card, or the card that has output in crossfire mode in windows. Therefore, how can i change the setting with the cards hooked up like this if i cannot see what i am changing in the bios like you described?
> Second, How is it even remotely possible to damage the card or the monitor by unplugging and replugging the dvi monitor cables? I have done this hundreds of times with no problems... That is the only way i can get into the bios.
> There must be a solution for this problem!


In windows display properties, make sure your main display is identified as "*1*"
Give that a go.


----------



## gazorp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> In windows display properties, make sure your main display is identified as "*1*"
> Give that a go.


I will honestly admit that i was skeptical about this because i assumed it was a bios problem. But i checked the settings, they were reversed, i fixed it and swapped the cables so my monitors were correct orientation again.

After a reboot I now see bios and bootup on BOTH monitors!

Perfect! Thanks!


----------



## evensen007

Welcome back OC.net!









Newegg has some Xfx back in stock right now:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150585


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gazorp*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> In windows display properties, make sure your main display is identified as "*1*"
> Give that a go.
> 
> 
> 
> I will honestly admit that i was skeptical about this because i assumed it was a bios problem. But i checked the settings, they were reversed, i fixed it and swapped the cables so my monitors were correct orientation again.
> 
> After a reboot I now see bios and bootup on BOTH monitors!
> 
> Perfect! Thanks!
Click to expand...

AMD Crossfire & Eyefinity are different from Nvidia SLI & Surround.

Crossfire & Eyefinity will only work if all monitors are connected to the first 7970. If you have monitor(s) plug to the second, third or fourth 7950, will break Crossfire. And the other 7970 will be nothing but as an additional port for extended desktop.

In your case, during POST screen there's no primary or secondary displays if all monitors are plugged to the first primary card (in BIOS first initialize PCIe)









Primary, Secondary, Clone, Duplicate or SLR is after drivers are loaded


----------



## wirefox

Well my asus 7970 is finally heading in the right direction... my 2 day air is taking 8 days .... but I guess it's otw ...

Anyone have shipping issues with the Egg before? I have never .

.. if I bitc# ... will they credit me the shipping? or am I delirious - just don't feel like waiting on hold ... I'll post pics etc tomorrow (if it does come) wish me luck.









01/24/2012 15:13:00 IN TRANSIT TO _SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA, US
01/24/2012 15:12:00 DEPARTURE SCAN_ DALLAS/FT. WORTH A/P, TX, US
01/24/2012 06:17:00 LOCATION SCAN _DALLAS/FT. WORTH A/P, TX, US
01/24/2012 03:17:00 ARRIVAL SCAN_ DALLAS/FT. WORTH A/P, TX, US
01/23/2012 23:10:00 DEPARTURE SCAN _HOUSTON, TX, US
01/23/2012 19:28:00 LOCATION SCAN_ HOUSTON, TX, US
01/21/2012 14:08:00 TRACER REQUEST / LOST PACKAGE TRACER[X] SAN FRANCISCO, CA, US
01/18/2012 20:18:00 LOCATION SCAN _EDISON, NJ, US
01/18/2012 20:00:00 UNLOAD SCAN_ EDISON, NJ, US
01/18/2012 17:46:00 ARRIVAL SCAN _EDISON, NJ, US
01/18/2012 16:11:00 ORIGIN SCAN_ EDISON, NJ, US
01/18/2012 00:06:13 BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED[M]


----------



## evensen007

UPS or Fedex will definitely refund you your shipping charges. I've had to dispute them with UPS before.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> UPS or Fedex will definitely refund you your shipping charges. I've had to dispute them with UPS before.


but wouldn't that credit go to the shipper e.g. new egg? does new egg then pass it to my account?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Well my asus 7970 is finally heading in the right direction... my 2 day air is taking 8 days .... but I guess it's otw ...
> Anyone have shipping issues with the Egg before? I have never .
> .. if I bitc# ... will they credit me the shipping? or am I delirious - just don't feel like waiting on hold ... I'll post pics etc tomorrow (if it does come) wish me luck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 01/24/2012 15:13:00 IN TRANSIT TO _SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA, US
> 01/24/2012 15:12:00 DEPARTURE SCAN_ DALLAS/FT. WORTH A/P, TX, US
> 01/24/2012 06:17:00 LOCATION SCAN _DALLAS/FT. WORTH A/P, TX, US
> 01/24/2012 03:17:00 ARRIVAL SCAN_ DALLAS/FT. WORTH A/P, TX, US
> 01/23/2012 23:10:00 DEPARTURE SCAN _HOUSTON, TX, US
> 01/23/2012 19:28:00 LOCATION SCAN_ HOUSTON, TX, US
> 01/21/2012 14:08:00 TRACER REQUEST / LOST PACKAGE TRACER[X] SAN FRANCISCO, CA, US
> 01/18/2012 20:18:00 LOCATION SCAN _EDISON, NJ, US
> 01/18/2012 20:00:00 UNLOAD SCAN_ EDISON, NJ, US
> 01/18/2012 17:46:00 ARRIVAL SCAN _EDISON, NJ, US
> 01/18/2012 16:11:00 ORIGIN SCAN_ EDISON, NJ, US
> 01/18/2012 00:06:13 BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED[M]


They wont refund your shipping in cash but they will give you a gift card for the amount. NewEgg has been a big pile of suck when it comes to CS lately.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> They wont refund your shipping in cash but they will give you a gift card for the amount. NewEgg has been a big pile of suck when it comes to CS lately.


Did you have issues too? --- out of curiosity how's your ASUS 7970 clocking?


----------



## importflip

XFX cards are in stock right now.

Got my card today!


----------



## Balsagna

Mines on the way.

HIS 7970, it'll be here tomorrow. If I sell my Paintball gear, I'll be getting another


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Did you have issues too? --- out of curiosity how's your ASUS 7970 clocking?


Not a shipping issue with this, but with a SSD a few weeks ago.

CPU seems pretty middle of the pack at 1100MHz on air 1250/1275 so far under water. Memory seems pretty golden though at 1850MHz. I'm interested in what you'll get yours to.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Not a shipping issue with this, but with a SSD a few weeks ago.
> CPU seems pretty middle of the pack at 1100MHz on air 1250/1275 so far under water. Memory seems pretty golden though at 1850MHz. I'm interested in what you'll get yours to.


me too .. I'll post it up ... did you update bios or any tweaks mentioned in the post? Also what block are you running?

we have similar systems ... glad it's working out for you


----------



## NorxMAL

I'm kinda wondering, how much heat does this card generate compared to a 5870 for example?

I'm asking cause I fold, but with the 5870, the radiators couldn't dissipate the heat from both the gpu and cpu folding, with the fans on the lowest speed.
And those gains wasn't enough to justify either the noise or crashes during the night.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> me too .. I'll post it up ... did you update bios or any tweaks mentioned in the post? Also what block are you running?
> we have similar systems ... glad it's working out for you


I'm using a combination of Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11 and Overdrive. At least for me they play really well together. I have to use Overdrive because AB tops out at 1790 for the memory. Haven't updated the BIOS.

I'm running the EK Nickel/Plexi block.

Here is where I think I'm going to run it: Can't get any more out of it as of yet. :/

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/m2rbd/

1250MHz GPU at 1.25V
1900MHz Memory at 1.61V
72.9% ASIC quality

That is stable for me. Plays games and will run benchmarks/furmark without any artifacting.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7




----------



## jamborhgini313

My 2nd 7970 from XFX has arrived


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> My 2nd 7970 from XFX has arrived


Is it the ***** edition?


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Is it the ***** edition?


Haha nope. Just normal. The ASIC quality on this one is 83.9%! Gonna try to overclock this bad boy


----------



## DB006

The ASIC quality means nothing, i've only got 68.4% but I can reach 1200/1700 and run heaven at 1.25v. I think GPUz ASIC test is faulty!


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> I'm using a combination of Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11 and Overdrive. At least for me they play really well together. I have to use Overdrive because AB tops out at 1790 for the memory. Haven't updated the BIOS.
> I'm running the EK Nickel/Plexi block.
> Here is where I think I'm going to run it: Can't get any more out of it as of yet. :/
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/m2rbd/
> 1250MHz GPU at 1.25V
> 1900MHz Memory at 1.61V
> 72.9% ASIC quality
> That is stable for me. Plays games and will run benchmarks/furmark without any artifacting.


That's not bad at all .. I'm sure It'll get better with drivers...


----------



## krazyatom

I think I may have the worst 7970 lol.
I am able to only reach 1040mhz core with stock voltage. My stock voltage is 1112mhz and I can't even raise to 1.2v because it would just shut down my computer.
I think heat is not a issue here. I used OCCT 3.1.0 to find error free core clock and anything beyond 1.2v will lock up my system right away. I tried 100% fan too, but same.
I have asics 76.8% and and 00003120 when I type /rr174.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7




----------



## wirefox

New Egg has

Sapphires
XFX
Powercolor

up right now


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> I think I may have the worst 7970 lol.
> I am able to only reach 1040mhz core with stock voltage. My stock voltage is 1112mhz and I can't even raise to 1.2v because it would just shut down my computer.
> I think heat is not a issue here. I used OCCT 3.1.0 to find error free core clock and anything beyond 1.2v will lock up my system right away. I tried 100% fan too, but same.
> I have asics 76.8% and and 00003120 when I type /rr174.


sorry if this is a naive thought...

does monitor size affect how well you can clock and volt a card?

You have a pretty big monitor...


----------



## FcZenitFan

Just got my first 7970 - it's a Sapphire









A bit of a blow to my ego benchmarking Heaven as I'm getting about 1/2 of what I got with 6990+6970, but the good news is that XFX 7970 is coming in tomorrow, so hopefully with some OCing I'll blow by my old scores with 2 cards(GPUs, I should say) instead of 3


----------



## importflip

Got to 1200/1600 @ 1.187v. Pretty nice. I may try to go further tomorrow.

Any idea on when the 12.1 drivers are supposed to be released?

Also: Do we have a signature yet?


----------



## jamborhgini313

Just tried 7970 crossfire and it is garbage. Constant BSOD's, freezing, driver's were a ***** to install. Selling 1 of the 7970 and I am gonna stick with 1.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Just tried 7970 crossfire and it is garbage. Constant BSOD's, freezing, driver's were a ***** to install. Selling 1 of the 7970 and I am gonna stick with 1.


Uninstall current drivers then install the drivers supplied with the card in the Disc with both 7970s in the system.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Uninstall current drivers then install the drivers supplied with the card in the Disc with both 7970s in the system.


Yup, did that. Crashes 5 mins in BF3 or anything 3D. Stock it crashes too. I'm not going Crossfire anytime soon I guess


----------



## 16ReasonsWhy

Do both cards work smoothly solo?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Uninstall current drivers then install the drivers supplied with the card in the Disc with both 7970s in the system.
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, did that. Crashes 5 mins in BF3 or anything 3D. Stock it crashes too. I'm not going Crossfire anytime soon I guess
Click to expand...

If your Windows updated to the latest including SP1 and related components, restore all your overclock to default. If it still crashes, run Memtest or boot with a single stick and try each of them.

Make sure you run both 7970s @x8/x8 and remove all devices from PCI slots.

Check PCIe power cables from PSU to the cards.

There's no other reason it shouldd crash if each card works fine at its own.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Everything is updated. And it is not my RAM. I had 580's in SLI before and it worked fine. My PSU is not the problem because I've tried the other 12v rails aswell. I have no other devices in PCIE slots except the cards of course. Oh well, it's ok. I'll just stick with 1 card


----------



## chropose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If your Windows updated to the latest including SP1 and related components, restore all your overclock to default. If it still crashes, run Memtest or boot with a single stick and try each of them.
> 
> Make sure you run both 7970s @x8/x8 and *remove all devices from PCI slots*.
> 
> Check PCIe power cables from PSU to the cards.
> 
> There's no other reason it shouldd crash if each card works fine at its own.


Why remove PCI device? Is it because all pci devices will destroy the stability of gpu / reduce performance?


----------



## FcZenitFan

Have you tried both cards on their own? Both work fine individually?

Have you been using the January 19th drivers? Have you cleaned the old drivers using Driver Sweeper?

I assume you've done this but since you're coming from the NVIDIA cards, there might be a chance of some driver mishap, especially since 7970 drivers are still Beta.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If your Windows updated to the latest including SP1 and related components, restore all your overclock to default. If it still crashes, run Memtest or boot with a single stick and try each of them.
> 
> Make sure you run both 7970s @x8/x8 and *remove all devices from PCI slots*.
> 
> Check PCIe power cables from PSU to the cards.
> 
> There's no other reason it shouldd crash if each card works fine at its own.
> 
> 
> 
> Why remove PCI device? Is it because all pci devices will destroy the stability of gpu / reduce performance?
Click to expand...

If you look at his board, all PCI and PCIe are sharing resources;



As for performance impacts due to lanes disparity, have a look here;

_http://www.overclock.net/t/1193677/crossfirex-nightmares#post_16087715_

_http://www.overclock.net/t/1193985/msi-5770-crossfire-issues-poor-performance-pls-help/20#post_16119391_

_http://www.overclock.net/t/867370/x16-x4-crossfire-performance-hit/20_


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> sorry if this is a naive thought...
> does monitor size affect how well you can clock and volt a card?
> You have a pretty big monitor...


I don't think resolution matters when overclocking my 7970. Also, OCCT default mode is like 1024 x 768 resoultion.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Just tried 7970 crossfire and it is garbage. Constant BSOD's, freezing, driver's were a ***** to install. Selling 1 of the 7970 and I am gonna stick with 1.


Hey man im running crossfire and to be honest i'm having absolutely no problems whatsoever.
There are new drivers that have stability fixes for crossfire that i think you should try.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx

And couple this with 11.12 CAP 3.

Zero issues for me, running like a dream.

*ALSO*:
I think everybody should use this BIOS. It's the BIOS that is shipped with retail ASUS 7970's, fully unlocked.

Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file


It's the final version of the ASUS OC _test beta_ BIOS and i've flashed both my cards and tested it to work perfectly.
I've settled for a 1200/1650 mhz @ 1187mv, 24/7 overclock on both cards using this BIOS.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Hey man im running crossfire and to be honest i'm having absolutely no problems whatsoever.
> There are new drivers that have stability fixes for crossfire that i think you should try.
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
> And couple this with 11.12 CAP 3.
> Zero issues for me, running like a dream.
> *ALSO*:
> I think everybody should use this BIOS. It's the BIOS that is shipped with retail ASUS 7970's, fully unlocked.
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> It's the final version of the ASUS OC _test beta_ BIOS and i've flashed both my cards and tested it to work perfectly.
> I've settled for a 1200/1650 mhz @ 1187mv, 24/7 overclock on both cards using this BIOS.


Denim,

Is there any way you can do a crysis warhead or metro bench with your cards clocked at 900/1000/1100/1200? I think it will be interesting to see what kind of frames each 100mhz yields.


----------



## krazyatom

Hey Denim,

I have horrible OC card, so I might try to flash with asus bio you provided above. DId you bio improved your OC?
Also, could you let me know how to flash bio for 7970?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Denim,
> Is there any way you can do a crysis warhead or metro bench with your cards clocked at 900/1000/1100/1200? I think it will be interesting to see what kind of frames each 100mhz yields.


Im actually gettin my Metro 2033 benchmarking ready at the moment to beat the OCN 1st place position of 126FPS with Quad 580's.
So when i'm done with that ill do the 100mhz bench, 2EZ









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Hey Denim,
> I have horrible OC card, so I might try to flash with asus bio you provided above. DId you bio improved your OC?


I didnt try push further than 1250 with the new bios, i actually just used it to settle for a 24/7 overclock.
But i guess its worth a shot for you since it is a more stable version of the BIOS we've been using.


----------



## krazyatom

@Denim

Which tool did you use to flash bios?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Im actually gettin my Metro 2033 benchmarking ready at the moment to beat the OCN 1st place position of 126FPS with Quad 580's.
> So when i'm done with that ill do the 100mhz bench, 2EZ


Many thanks! You've been a really big help and have provided a lot of useful information and benches so far. I think the 900/1000/1100/1200 benches will show people what pushing their card at each level will yield.

Good luck beating out #1. These cards are beasts!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> @Denim
> Which tool did you use to flash bios?


He probably used the atiflash tool. It's floating around this forum.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> @Denim
> 
> Which tool did you use to flash bios?


*AT YOUR OWN RISK







*

http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905


----------



## Denim-187

*Guess who just took first place*....................................from guess what system ?
Quote:


> CallsignVega ---- i7 990x @ 4.83 Ghz ---- Quad-SLI 3GB GTX580 (1020/2200/2040) ---- 126.32 FPS


*CallsignVega*, did you just got wiped of the 1st place podium ?

*Metro 2033 benchmark thread* - http://www.overclock.net/t/817064/metro-2033-benchmark-thread-using-official-tool/0_30

And.. here...is.... mine *129* FPS baby yeahhhhhhhh !!











These two 7970's just put *4x* 3gb 580's in their back pocket i believe ? WOOP... And people say theyre not much better than 580's


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

HEEEEEEELLLLLL YYYEEEEESSSS!!!!


----------



## FcZenitFan

I think his new system has dual 7970s as well, so wait for comeback


----------



## tats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *Guess who just took first place*....................................from guess what system ?
> *CallsignVega*, did you just got wiped of the 1st place podium ?
> *Metro 2033 benchmark thread* - http://www.overclock.net/t/817064/metro-2033-benchmark-thread-using-official-tool/0_30
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> CallsignVega ---- i7 990x @ 4.83 Ghz ---- Quad-SLI 3GB GTX580 (1020/2200/2040) ---- 126.32 FPS
> 
> 
> 
> And.. here...is.... mine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *129* FPS baby yeahhhhhhhh !!
> 
> These two 7970's just put *4x* 3gb 580's in their back pocket i believe ? WOOP... And people say that these cards are not much better than 580's
Click to expand...

How did your dual cards beat levesques quad?


----------



## Ken1649

Who is next going to take over OCN #1









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Just took the first place on both 3D Marks 11 and Heaven bechmarks threads on OCN. Bye bye Quad-SLi 580.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On air. 4X 7970 1150/1500 3930K at 5.1: *27075* graphic score 37432.
> 
> My 4X 7970 are at stock voltage for now. Imagine at 1.3v with waterblocks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3D Marks 11
> 
> 
> 
> Heaven 5451
> 
> Tesselation is at stock default value "AMD optimized". Didn't touch the tessalation slider at all. Evertything is at default value.


----------



## eqpablon

I just ordered a Powercolor 7970 from newegg, along with a 3rd 120Hz monitor. I'm excited to run BF3 in eyefinity


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eqpablon*
> 
> I just ordered a Powercolor 7970 from newegg, along with a 3rd 120Hz monitor. I'm excited to run BF3 in eyefinity


It's AWESOME.. peripheral bf3 vision is what I call it


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> I think I may have the worst 7970 lol.
> I am able to only reach 1040mhz core with stock voltage. My stock voltage is 1112mhz and I can't even raise to 1.2v because it would just shut down my computer.
> I think heat is not a issue here. I used OCCT 3.1.0 to find error free core clock and anything beyond 1.2v will lock up my system right away. I tried 100% fan too, but same.
> I have asics 76.8% and and 00003120 when I type /rr174.


If computer is shutting down, you have too weak power supply, try connecting 8-pin connector to 18A line at least


----------



## Rayleyne

i just ordered.... MY 7970 saphire OH MY GOD I AM DROOLING SO MUCH RIGHT NOW


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Denim,
> Is there any way you can do a crysis warhead or metro bench with your cards clocked at 900/1000/1100/1200? I think it will be interesting to see what kind of frames each 100mhz yields.


Tested Metro2033, very GPU intensive where every FPS counts. I tested using stock 1375mhz memory clock all the way through but made a comparison of when its overclocked also.

Single Card results...

*900mhz:* *62.08*
*1000mhz:* *66.35*
*1100mhz:* *70.91*
*1200mhz:* *74.32*
*1300mhz:* *78.22*

*1200mhz/1375mhz* *74.32*
*1200mhz/1700mhz* *77.68*







*Memory overclock results.*
-



- It seems as though every 100mhz on the core in Metro2033 gives 4 FPS. Of course other titles will vary, but in my opinion, 4 FPS in a worst case scenario is not too bad. Adding the 3 FPS to the total of all the above results will give you an indication of the memory overclocked versions ot the results.


----------



## Denim-187

Oh didnt see Levesques score in Metro2033... Seems like there's a CPU bottleneck somewhere there with four monster GPU's
Who would of thought


----------



## DOM.

Denim are you on stock cooling at 1300mhz ?

Mine can only bench 1250mhz on cold air


----------



## Denim-187

Yeah reference cooler and on the 1300mhz run i had the fan on 100%. I tried to run it a second time with 1700mhz memory but it crashed hardcore.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> If computer is shutting down, you have too weak power supply, try connecting 8-pin connector to 18A line at least


Yes, I am starting to think that my PSU may be the problem. I have another PSU to try it out. I'll update.


----------



## WiL11o6

Demin-187,

I heard that MSI AB can 7970s at different speeds, but is it better to run them at the same speeds? I ask because my first card OC's pretty decently, has a default VID as 1.05 and I'm wondering what if my second card that's coming suck balls? If say my second card can't OC past 1050mhz, should I run them both at 1050mhz? Or run one at 1125mhz and the second at 1050mhz or is there no real world difference?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Demin-187,
> I heard that MSI AB can 7970s at different speeds, but is it better to run them at the same speeds? I ask because my first card OC's pretty decently, has a default VID as 1.05 and I'm wondering what if my second card that's coming suck balls? If say my second card can't OC past 1050mhz, should I run them both at 1050mhz? Or run one at 1125mhz and the second at 1050mhz or is there no real world difference?


Yeah they're able to run at different clock speeds although the work load becomes in-balanced but the setup should still yield positive results.
I'll do a test right now see how it goes..


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *Guess who just took first place*....................................from guess what system ?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> CallsignVega ---- i7 990x @ 4.83 Ghz ---- Quad-SLI 3GB GTX580 (1020/2200/2040) ---- 126.32 FPS
> 
> 
> 
> *CallsignVega*, did you just got wiped of the 1st place podium ?
> *Metro 2033 benchmark thread* - http://www.overclock.net/t/817064/metro-2033-benchmark-thread-using-official-tool/0_30
> And.. here...is.... mine *129* FPS baby yeahhhhhhhh !!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These two 7970's just put *4x* 3gb 580's in their back pocket i believe ? WOOP... And people say theyre not much better than 580's
Click to expand...

My 4x GPU setup was severely CPU limited running Metro at a measly 1080p, just as 4x 7970's will be. Hence why the second place score with 3x 580's clocked much lower than mine were only 5 FPS slower. Take a look at page one of that benchmark thread. My GPU's were under 60% utilization through the benchmark, so that doesn't mean 2x 7970's are as fast as 4x 580's, just Like Levesque's 4x 7970's will be severely hampered and produce only a few more FPS.









Two cards just get the chance to be maxed out.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Demin-187,
> I heard that MSI AB can 7970s at different speeds, but is it better to run them at the same speeds? I ask because my first card OC's pretty decently, has a default VID as 1.05 and I'm wondering what if my second card that's coming suck balls? If say my second card can't OC past 1050mhz, should I run them both at 1050mhz? Or run one at 1125mhz and the second at 1050mhz or is there no real world difference?


CrossFire will always run at the slowest clock speed at card is set at.
So yes, you should be running the highest stable clock speed you can get on all card in CF.


----------



## derickwm

Just installed my Koolance block.

OC'd it to 1250Mhz.

Ran furmark and I'm getting max temps of 43 degrees. yay


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Oh didnt see Levesques score in Metro2033... Seems like there's a CPU bottleneck somewhere there with four monster GPU's
> Who would of thought


Starting to wonder if I should even wait for the 7990 to add to my 7970 then... maybe just go ahead and order another 7970 and just do xfire? hmmmmmmmmmm decisions!


----------



## Denim-187

This is with DOF enabled this time, to stress them more for clearer results.
The workload balance seems to gear around the lowest clock. So having a higher clocked card just as penguin stated will do no good.

And yeah CallsignVega, i noticed that a little while after the glory lol. We need more CPU powah noww !

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Starting to wonder if I should even wait for the 7990 to add to my 7970 then... maybe just go ahead and order another 7970 and just do xfire? hmmmmmmmmmm decisions!


Crossfire is BEAST atm, DO IT !


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks Demin, +1,

Now I hope I don't get a crappy second card =[


----------



## HGooper

I thought in crossfire both cards have to set to same clock speed? Or do I missing something?


----------



## Denim-187

NVM


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> As long as its a sapphire.... it will go past 1125 easy.


Sapphire probably gets special treatment from AMD.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Yeah reference cooler and on the 1300mhz run i had the fan on 100%. I tried to run it a second time with 1700mhz memory but it crashed hardcore.


Did you go deaf lol I hate the ref coolers idk why they make them so loud but hoping when I ever get my ek wb I can get more out of the card
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Yes, I am starting to think that my PSU may be the problem. I have another PSU to try it out. I'll update.


If its shuting down or rebooting its the psu I don't it a lot on my ocz 700w


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Sapphire probably gets special treatment from AMD.


I was on the same page, but then again many other vendors have shown some wicked results so yeah i dno lol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> Did you go deaf lol I hate the ref coolers idk why they make them so loud but hoping when I ever get my ek wb I can get more out of the card
> If its shuting down or rebooting its the psu I don't it a lot on my ocz 700w


Yeah theyre really loud at 100% but in real word gaming they never pass 55% which is ok and bearable really.


----------



## WiL11o6

I don't find it bearable after 40%. Even at 40%, it's a bit loud and I set it too 37% at max until of course, it reaches like 90c. Luckily, I had a decent chip, so I was able to OC to 1125/1575 at almost stock voltages so it doesn't past 75c on load at a measly 37% fan speed.

At 55% fan speed, I was actually able to push it to 1275/1600, but it wasn't worth the extra noise so I actually reduced my clocks to have it more silent.


----------



## Denim-187

Also Penguin, great job on the club ! Really turned out to be a great one with lots of info, tools, BIOS', benches and pics.

Everyone in here that agrees, if you havn't +REPPED *Evil Penguin* at least once, then i think now is the time lol !


----------



## DOM.

I been thinking of trying out the asus bios does it help any cuz I oc past 1200 1250 it artifacts


----------



## CallsignVega

You can have different crossfire frequencies but it isn't going to do much good. Almost all games use alternate frame rendering. This means the faster card has to wait for the frames from the slower card to splice its frames in.


----------



## Favian

I have a dumb question, how do I overclock my sapphire cards past 1125/1575? I flashed the unlocked asus bios to both of my cards but the msi afterburner sliders still don't go any further. What am I doing wrong?


----------



## derickwm

What are "good" clock speeds for a 7970?

I'm running furmark on mine currently at 1300/1400/1.25v and it seems stable with max temps of 48.

Turned fan speed up..down to 45/46.


----------



## Witchdoctor

edit cfg file

put a value of 1 beside both allow unofficial clocks


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> What are "good" clock speeds for a 7970?
> I'm running furmark on mine currently at 1300/1400/1.25v and it seems stable with max temps of 48.


Id say thats very good. Hopefully I will get around the same with mine. Unfortunaly it doesnt look positive duo how low they go on air


----------



## Norlig

Havent tried yet because I'm at school, but will my 83,1% & 81% cards do 1,3v and how well do you thing they will OC on stock coolers?

Also, should I change the Thermal paste of them over to my IC Diamond 7Carat?


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Witchdoctor*
> 
> edit cfg file
> put a value of 1 beside both allow unofficial clocks


Thank you!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Also Penguin, great job on the club ! Really turned out to be a great one with lots of info, tools, BIOS', benches and pics.
> Everyone in here that agrees, if you havn't +REPPED *Evil Penguin* at least once, then i think now is the time lol !


Thanks.









Still haven't gotten around to making that overclock guide.
I think I'll just post some frequently asked questions instead.
As for the ASUS BIOS, time to update that post I think.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> I have a dumb question, how do I overclock my sapphire cards past 1125/1575? I flashed the unlocked asus bios to both of my cards but the msi afterburner sliders still don't go any further. What am I doing wrong?


You should enable Unofficial overclocking in MSI AB 2.2.0 beta 11
Run notepad as administrator end edit MSIAfterburner.cfg

You need to alter the following:

Seek UnofficialOverclockingEULA field and add following text:
I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
Set UnofficialOverclockingMode to 1 to keep PowerPlay active (may not work on old ASICs), 2 to traditionally disable PowerPlay or to 0 to temporary disable unofficial overclocking path


----------



## lothar

HardOCP XFX Radeon 7970 Black Edition Review

But they got only 1150/1520 using "lame" TRIXX


----------



## derickwm

Did a lil bit more testing, last one for the night









http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/uyf2d/

1369/1670/1.3v

I turned my radiator fans up and kept the temps at 45~46










If you could update my submission OP you get a cookie


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> Did a lil bit more testing, last one for the night
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/uyf2d/
> 1369/1670/1.3v
> I turned my radiator fans up and kept the temps at 45~46
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you could update my submission OP you get a cookie


Your telling me you benched with these clocks?








If so, you win !


----------



## derickwm

I ran Furmark for a bit... I'm not up to speed on what all is used to bench GPUs besides Furmark. Anything else I should give a run?


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> *AT YOUR OWN RISK
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> 
> http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905


I'm getting "No Valid Adapter Found" through ATIWinflash, ATIFlash (DOS, and RBE Editor. Any fix for this? Do I have to physically remove a card from the system versus just removing the bridge? Also, the "info" command returns the same "No Adapters Found"

Used:

(atiwinflash.exe)(atiflash.exe) -p -f bios.bin

(atiwinflash.exe)(atiflash.exe) -pa bios.bin

EDIT: I see you are in the ASUS GPU Tweak folder, is there a certain ATI(Win)Flash I need to use that's in that?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> Did a lil bit more testing, last one for the night
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/uyf2d/
> 1369/1670/1.3v
> I turned my radiator fans up and kept the temps at 45~46
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you could update my submission OP you get a cookie


Updated!









Now where's my cookie?
Chocolate chip, ideally.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Your telling me you benched with these clocks?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If so, you win !


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Updated!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now where's my cookie?
> Chocolate chip, ideally.


I don't believe it is stable at *this* clock.
Furmark does GPU clock throttling at 600-800MHz


----------



## topdog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> I ran Furmark for a bit... I'm not up to speed on what all is used to bench GPUs besides Furmark. Anything else I should give a run?


Lets see some 3DMark11 action


----------



## derickwm

Ok. Tomorrow though. I need to do some hw for French and thennnnnnnn go to sleep. I'm running Furmark again right now, I'll post a screenshot in a bit as further proof? I'm sure not everybody will be satisfied with whatever I do, but such is life









Thanks OP! You can come get your cookie anytime


----------



## cowie

You guys tried of the canned fm benches you see with barely there os's or the canned game benchmarks
try ss3:bfe mp that will make whatever rig you got bow down to its knees(or not with lesser settings)
every setting to its max(blur off)
1200/1600


----------



## drBlahMan

*FYI*...If anybody is thinking about buying a *XFX* 7950/7970 *for the lifetime warranty*, I think you should read this...*XFX Kills Double Lifetime Warranty for New AMD Cards*


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> Ok. Tomorrow though. I need to do some hw for French and thennnnnnnn go to sleep. I'm running Furmark again right now, I'll post a screenshot in a bit as further proof? I'm sure not everybody will be satisfied with whatever I do, but such is life
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks OP! You can come get your cookie anytime


Please post Furmark screen together with GPU-Z sensors view after running for 5 min at least


----------



## derickwm

I'm waiting for it to hit 20minutes









I'm assuming to take a screenshot with the sensors I'llneed to not run it full screen *sigh* OK.

In the meantime, here are some pics of the Koolance block from my build log 

Since I'm restarting Furmark to include the sensor/not full screen blah blah blah here's a pic I took with my phone at 22min


----------



## Levesque

derickwm

AMD cards are hard coded to throttle in Furmark. The drivers detect the Furmark exec and the card is automatically throttled down. AMD even said so themselves.







i don't even use Furmark anymore. Useless.

To test for stability, the Metro 2033 is a much better tool. Try a loop of 5 times the Metro 2033 benchmarks tool. Then you will know if you're stable.

Metro 2033 will crash at the smallest instability in your system, be it CPU, memory or GPU.

If you don't have Metro 2033, then try 3D Mark 11, like a 5 times loop.


----------



## derickwm

El oh el. Sad day. I'll give it some runs tomorrow with 3D Mark 11 then. I don't have Metro


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> El oh el. Sad day. I'll give it some runs tomorrow with 3D Mark 11 then. I don't have Metro


boooo you could of ran it already


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> I'm getting "No Valid Adapter Found" through ATIWinflash, ATIFlash (DOS, and RBE Editor. Any fix for this? Do I have to physically remove a card from the system versus just removing the bridge? Also, the "info" command returns the same "No Adapters Found"
> Used:
> (atiwinflash.exe)(atiflash.exe) -p -f bios.bin
> (atiwinflash.exe)(atiflash.exe) -pa bios.bin
> EDIT: I see you are in the ASUS GPU Tweak folder, is there a certain ATI(Win)Flash I need to use that's in that?


Snelan... what exactly have you done so far?
I'll walk u through it
I can already see ur doing it wrong

- Use this bios.

Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file

Once you have extracted it, rename it to *ASUS.bin*

Once in DOS, type the following.....
*atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 asus.bin* for master GPU

and if you have multi gpu's
*atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 asus.bin* for 2nd
*atiflash.exe -fs -p 2 asus.bin* for 3rd
*atiflash.exe -fs -p 3 asus.bin* for 4th


----------



## Levesque

After playing alot with Quad-Fire 4X 7970, here's my observations.

I'm stuck at 1250/1600 for now. No matter the voltage. Strange...

I get the same speed at 1.225v that I get at 1.25v and 1.3v. It doesn't crash, but I get artifacts at those voltages, but can't get higher. So my cards are now at 1.225v. 1.25v and 1.3v are now possible and stable, but I can't get faster cores speed with those higher voltages. Interesting...

My low 1.05v VID card is limiting me. The 3 others with a VID of 1.1125v can do 1335/1700. Really interesting

1 weak link that is slowing the Quad set-up... But it's not like 1250/1600 is bad with 4 cards at 1.225v. Nice and cool with that low voltage.









On air, I was stuck at 1175/1600. And 1.3v was impossible and crashing

So water gave me higher core speed, and the posssibility to go at 1.25v and 1.3v without any problems. On air, 1.25v or 1.3v was crashing. Probably the low VID card...

But 1.225v gives me the same speed. 1.25v and 1.3v are not doing anything for my low VID card. It's like the low VID card is limited to that voltage. Hum.

For those interested, on water, my cores are at 26 celsius idle and never goes over 35-38 on high loads. Nice and cool.

Huummm. Something is strange here, and not working right. Is there a hard coded limit in the BIOS limiting the voltage on those low VID cards? Probably. It's not logical that I can't push the cards faster with 1.25v and 1.3v compared to 1.225v...

I know Asus are working on a new BIOS to be able to use higher voltage and bette OC, like 1.35v. So I will wait for better utilities, BIOS and drivers. And will play at 1250/1600 for now.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Tested Metro2033, very GPU intensive where every FPS counts. I tested using stock 1375mhz memory clock all the way through but made a comparison of when its overclocked also.
> Single Card results...
> *900mhz:* *62.08*
> *1000mhz:* *66.35*
> *1100mhz:* *70.91*
> *1200mhz:* *74.32*
> *1300mhz:* *78.22*
> *1200mhz/1375mhz* *74.32*
> *1200mhz/1700mhz* *77.68*
> 
> *Memory overclock results.*
> -
> 
> - It seems as though every 100mhz on the core in Metro2033 gives 4 FPS. Of course other titles will vary, but in my opinion, 4 FPS in a worst case scenario is not too bad. Adding the 3 FPS to the total of all the above results will give you an indication of the memory overclocked versions ot the results.


Wow, thanks so much for doing that Denim! I had no idea that the card would continue to scale so evenly passed 1000mhz! 4fps is 4fps; that's substantial. Can't wait to get mine under water today. I hope I win the chip lottery.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> derickwm
> AMD cards are hard coded to throttle in Furmark. The drivers detect the Furmark exec and the card is automatically throttled down. AMD even said so themselves.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i don't even use Furmark anymore. Useless.
> To test for stability, the Metro 2033 is a much better tool. Try a loop of 5 times the Metro 2033 benchmarks tool. Then you will know if you're stable.
> Metro 2033 will crash at the smallest instability in your system, be it CPU, memory or GPU.
> If you don't have Metro 2033, then try 3D Mark 11, like a 5 times loop.


If you set powertune to +20% Furmark doesn't throttle.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> *AT YOUR OWN RISK
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> 
> http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm getting "No Valid Adapter Found" through ATIWinflash, ATIFlash (DOS, and RBE Editor. Any fix for this? Do I have to physically remove a card from the system versus just removing the bridge? Also, the "info" command returns the same "No Adapters Found"
> 
> Used:
> 
> (atiwinflash.exe)(atiflash.exe) -p -f bios.bin
> 
> (atiwinflash.exe)(atiflash.exe) -pa bios.bin
> 
> EDIT: I see you are in the ASUS GPU Tweak folder, is there a certain ATI(Win)Flash I need to use that's in that?
Click to expand...

Did you use the pack from that link? http://www.mediafire.com/?63r7qz63d14rl17

First, you have to toggle the BIOS switch to position #1 (see pic below). Position #2 is a backup protected BIOS.

There's a new BIOS from *Denim* in POST #2 (I supposed it's tested by Denim). It's a long name *Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin*

*Since RBE does not support 7970 yet, there's no way to rename it so you have to type the full name??? (edit: just saw Denim's post above).*

Use Atiflash type "atiflash -i", you should see the 7970 adapter.

Crossfire ~ Quadfire;

To flash card no. 1 "atiflash -fs - p 0 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"

To flash card no. 2 "atiflash -fs - p 1 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"

To flash card no. 3 "atiflash -fs - p 2 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"

To flash card no. 4 "atiflash -fs - p 3 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"

Edit:

Uninstall Catalyst drivers to avoid possible conflicts (BIOS-Registry-Driver) prior to flashing.

**


----------



## Norlig

What is the advantage of flashing over to an Asus Firmware?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> What is the advantage of flashing over to an Asus Firmware?


It's unlocked BIOS.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It's unlocked BIOS.


Woaw









That would only be helpfull for watercoolers it looks like though. since the reference cooler wont be able to reach that high anyway.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> After playing alot with Quad-Fire 4X 7970, here's my observations.
> 
> I'm stuck at 1250/1600 for now. No matter the voltage. Strange...
> 
> I get the same speed at 1.225v that I get at 1.25v and 1.3v. It doesn't crash, but I get artifacts at those voltages, but can't get higher. So my cards are now at 1.225v. 1.25v and 1.3v are now possible and stable, but I can't get faster cores speed with those higher voltages. Interesting...
> 
> My low 1.05v VID card is limiting me. The 3 others with a VID of 1.1125v can do 1335/1700. Really interesting
> 
> 1 weak link that is slowing the Quad set-up... But it's not like 1250/1600 is bad with 4 cards at 1.225v. Nice and cool with that low voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On air, I was stuck at 1175/1600. And 1.3v was impossible and crashing
> 
> So water gave me higher core speed, and the posssibility to go at 1.25v and 1.3v without any problems. On air, 1.25v or 1.3v was crashing. Probably the low VID card...
> 
> But 1.225v gives me the same speed. 1.25v and 1.3v are not doing anything for my low VID card. It's like the low VID card is limited to that voltage. Hum.
> 
> For those interested, on water, my cores are at 26 celsius idle and never goes over 35-38 on high loads. Nice and cool.
> 
> Huummm. Something is strange here, and not working right. Is there a hard coded limit in the BIOS limiting the voltage on those low VID cards? Probably. It's not logical that I can't push the cards faster with 1.25v and 1.3v compared to 1.225v...
> 
> I know Asus are working on a new BIOS to be able to use higher voltage and bette OC, like 1.35v. So I will wait for better utilities, BIOS and drivers. And will play at 1250/1600 for now.


3930K @5 GHz and 4x 7970s overclocked? I still think need to check the PSU +12V ripple on a single PSU







. A single PSU stands no chance with sudden peak load spike at that kind of power draw









The RIVE has measuring points for that, can plug the DMM and check the readings at full load.


----------



## Norlig

Nvm. Not stable. Will test further


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Update for the sheet:
> I got two Sapphire 3GB cards.
> Overclocked to 1200 core, 1600 mem. 1,27v, stock cooler
> Asic Quality is 83,6% on first Card and 81,0% on second Card.
> GPU-Z validation


Good grief. Looks like Sapphire's tend to be very solid in the O/c department. Most users here have been able to push the hell out of them. 1200 on air is fantastic!


----------



## topdog

Here's my single ASUS 7970 3DMark11 result cooled by the standard stock cooler at 1270/1700 1.260v, temps reached a max of 60C


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Good grief. Looks like Sapphire's tend to be very solid in the O/c department. Most users here have been able to push the hell out of them. 1200 on air is fantastic!


I have 2 Sapphire and just finished my first overclock attempts round. The card with the 79.5 asic is limiting me at stock voltage at 1150/1600 on air, while my second one with asic 73,6 runs perfectly fine at 1200/1600 at stock voltage.

I mention this because perhaps some of you feel bad, being "unlucky" to get a low asic card...


----------



## dajez

i got 1200/1600 atm at 1200mv as highest oc, its stable in occt, gputool and heaven dx11. haven't tried bf3 yet.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *topdog*
> 
> Here's my single ASUS 7970 3DMark11 result cooled by the standard stock cooler at 1270/1700 1.260v, temps reached a max of 60C


at what speed was ur fan running?


----------



## Darklol

It would be nice to add if you are running Power tune +20% otherwise the GPU is being throttled.

Monitor with GPUZ and you will see the clocks going down if Power Tune is not at 20% as far as I know with Furmark and OCCT like Lothar said.


----------



## Aventadoor

When OCing with MSI AB, is it only UnofficialoverclockingMode you have to change?

Thx


----------



## dezerteagle323

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> When OCing with MSI AB, is it only UnofficialoverclockingMode you have to change?
> Thx


That, and also the EULA statement that you have to copy and paste in as well

"I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it" (without the quotations)


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklol*
> 
> It would be nice to add if you are running Power tune +20% otherwise the GPU is being throttled.
> Monitor with GPUZ and you will see the clocks going down if Power Tune is not at 20% as far as I know with Furmark and OCCT like Lothar said.


i have overdrive and powertune disabled. while under load my clocks dont go down.


----------



## Levesque

Still do not know why, after all those years, that Powertune settings are resettings to 0% when using Afterburner. is it that difficult to do? Why?

Why can't we get a working OC utilities? Sigh...


----------



## dezerteagle323

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Still do not know why, after all those years, that Powertune settings are resettings to 0% when using Afterburner. is it that difficult to do? Why?
> Why can't we get a working OC utilities? Sigh...


someone on here (with extensive knowledge) said that when you OC with AB it overrides the powertune % in CCC, essentially making it unnecessary, since AB takes care of that on its own ... so I don't think powertune matters or makes a difference at all when OC'ing with AB


----------



## Norlig

Update for the sheet:

I got two Sapphire 3GB cards.
Overclocked to 1150 core, 1600 mem. 1,17v, stock cooler

Asic Quality is 83,6% on first Card and 81,0% on second Card.

GPU-Z validation


----------



## Witchdoctor

Power color, XFX vinilla & Saphire availible at Newegg if you are looking for one

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600286767&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%207000%20series


----------



## topdog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> at what speed was ur fan running?


The fan was running at 100% for that run

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dezerteagle323*
> 
> That, and also the EULA statement that you have to copy and paste in as well
> "I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it" (without the quotations)


I didn't have to change anything to unlock the clocks, see below

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Still do not know why, after all those years, that Powertune settings are resettings to 0% when using Afterburner. is it that difficult to do? Why?
> Why can't we get a working OC utilities? Sigh...


Mine works fine, I can turn it on or off but i dont see any difference in overclocking headroom by using it
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dezerteagle323*
> 
> someone on here (with extensive knowledge) said that when you OC with AB it overrides the powertune % in CCC, essentially making it unnecessary, since AB takes care of that on its own ... so I don't think powertune matters or makes a difference at all when OC'ing with AB


Agreed

Here's a screenshot of everything with the card at default, and the clock limits that are available in Afterburner


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *topdog*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Still do not know why, after all those years, that Powertune settings are resettings to 0% when using Afterburner. is it that difficult to do? Why?
> Why can't we get a working OC utilities? Sigh...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine works fine, I can turn it on or off but i dont see any difference in overclocking headroom by using it
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dezerteagle323*
> 
> someone on here (with extensive knowledge) said that when you OC with AB it overrides the powertune % in CCC, essentially making it unnecessary, since AB takes care of that on its own ... so I don't think powertune matters or makes a difference at all when OC'ing with AB
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Agreed
> 
> Here's a screenshot of everything with the card at default, and the clock limits that are available in Afterburner
Click to expand...

Because you don't use Afterburner to adjust the clocks. If you do, it resets powertune. It will be fine if you only use Afterburner to adjust voltage and use CCC Overdrive to adjust clocks and Power Tune.

Easy test, adjust the clocks using Afterburner then hit "apply", see what happens?


----------



## Norlig

How come MSI afterburner says my Vram usage is way above 3gb? sometimes above 4Gb aswell.

is it telling me my systems Ram usage?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> How come MSI afterburner says my Vram usage is way above 3gb? sometimes above 4Gb aswell.
> 
> is it telling me my systems Ram usage?


If you have two cards, divide that readings by two. There's nothing wrong with it. That's how it works.

See the VRAM usage in the pic below? It says over 6GB.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you have two cards, divide that readings by two. There's nothing wrong with it. That's how it works.
> 
> See the VRAM usage in the pic below? It says over 6GB.


Ahh, makes sense. Went over from two Nvidia GTX 580 cards and MSI Afterburner maxed my Vram usage at 1,5GB with those


----------



## evensen007

Ugh. Amd just posted the official WHQL 12.1 drivers and 7900 isn't listed as a supported card... Come on guys.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalystSoftwareSuiteVersion121.aspx

http://www2.ati.com/DriverS/12-1_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc.exe


----------



## derickwm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Ugh. Amd just posted the official WHQL 12.1 drivers and 7900 isn't listed as a supported card... Come on guys.
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalystSoftwareSuiteVersion121.aspx
> 
> http://www2.ati.com/DriverS/12-1_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc.exe


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*


Anyone with a 7970 feeling brave?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> i have overdrive and powertune disabled. while under load my clocks dont go down.


How you verify that you gpu clock dont go down?


----------



## Scorpion667

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Lmao! Not QUITE the reaction I was expecting.


I guess I was spoiled with Nvidia, they tend not to neglect their flagship videocards by not including them in latest driver releases.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dezerteagle323*
> 
> someone on here (with extensive knowledge) said that when you OC with AB it overrides the powertune % in CCC, essentially making it unnecessary, since AB takes care of that on its own ... so I don't think powertune matters or makes a difference at all when OC'ing with AB


If powertune doesnt matter, why Trixx implemented fix for powertune resetting since version 3.0.4 ?

"When changing clock, AMD PowerTune setting is not reset to 0 as in previous versions."


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> How you verify that you gpu clock dont go down?


watch ab and gpu-z maybe? lol


----------



## rcfc89

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1839/1/

Went to 1220 with ease and ran 17c cooler then reference at this clock with fans at only 30%. Yeah I'll take two........Thing will probably hit 1300 no problem.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> I guess I was spoiled with Nvidia, they tend not to neglect their flagship videocards by not including them in latest driver releases.


SO the drivers released last Friday before 12.1 we're no good? They were great for me thanks


----------



## Levesque

I was right. Look what I found.

''Please check the default VID of your video card by using MSI afterburner, beta version 11, and you will need to edit the cfg file to enable 'unofficial overclocking" (change the 0 to a 1) and then click unlock voltage monitoring.

This is because I believe Asus Tweak and Sapphire Trixx both assume the default voltages for all the cards are 1.175v (1.168v is basically exactly the same).

The problem is, we found out that there are multiple Vids for the cards--4 of them in fact, and ONLY the latest GPU-Z and afterburner beta 11 can read the vids properly. They are 1.175v, 1.112v, 1.050v and 1.020v.

*Also, all of the cards are currently overvoltage locked at +125 mv, meaning you can't apply more than 0.125v higher than Vid, otherwise the card willi artifact even at stock speeds.*

It's very possible your card has a lower default Vid than normal. Many people who found their cards locked at 1080 mhz in CCC without artifacts, found that their VIDS were either 1.112v or 1.050v. And this is difficult to circumvent with using Trixx or Asus Tweak, as I don't think Asus Tweak has all four voltages identified, although I COULD be very wrong. It's worth a shot.''

So there is a hard lock limit right now on the max voltage ''allowed.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> SO the drivers released last Friday before 12.1 we're no good? They were great for me thanks


Double check some of your scores. Newbie rolled back to the disc drivers for the 7970 and found his performance was surprisingly higher. He lost ~15fps avg in the Crysis:Warhead benches.

Old drivers after he rolled back:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1203435/5870-crossfire-benches-higher-than-7970-in-crysis-warhead/140#post_16276962

New drivers (last Friday's leak/release):

http://www.overclock.net/t/1203435/5870-crossfire-benches-higher-than-7970-in-crysis-warhead/140#post_16273932

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> It's very possible your card has a lower default Vid than normal. Many people who found their cards locked at 1080 mhz in CCC without artifacts, found that their VIDS were either 1.112v or 1.050v. And this is difficult to circumvent with using Trixx or Asus Tweak, as I don't think Asus Tweak has all four voltages identified, although I COULD be very wrong. It's worth a shot.''
> So there is a hard lock limit right now on the max voltage ''allowed.


This is very promising that the cards have the potential to go even higher, and the people who are having trouble getting to 1200/1300 should be able to get there after the voltage unlock.


----------



## Witchdoctor

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/guidedSearch.asp?CatId=28&sel=Detail%3B229_1236_76438_76438

HIS and MSI availible


----------



## Ken1649

Unlocked BIOS flashing is the only solution if that's the reason.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> It's very possible your card has a lower default Vid than normal. Many people who found their cards locked at 1080 mhz in CCC without artifacts, found that their VIDS were either 1.112v or 1.050v. And this is difficult to circumvent with using Trixx or Asus Tweak, as I don't think Asus Tweak has all four voltages identified, although I COULD be very wrong. It's worth a shot.''
> So there is a hard lock limit right now on the max voltage ''allowed.


----------



## n3tr0m

I have tried to flash my 7970 with the ASUS BIOS (in Windows, I get the error "No adapter found" thing in DOS?) Although it seems to be successfull in Windows, Im still limited to 1125MHz after the required restart. Is there anything else I have to do?


----------



## sockpirate

Hey guys, just ordered my EK Acetal copper water blocks x2, i am just wondering which sli fitting i need for the set up, currently running my cards in slot 1 and 4 on my Maximus IV Extreme.

Is this all i need http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/fc-connection-parts/ek-fc-link-r48x0-58x0.html ?

Or do i need this ? http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/ek-fc-bridge-dual-parallel.html

or both ? Verry confused here!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Hey guys, just ordered my EK Acetal copper water blocks x2, i am just wondering which sli fitting i need for the set up, currently running my cards in slot 1 and 4 on my Maximus IV Extreme.
> Is this all i need http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/fc-connection-parts/ek-fc-link-r48x0-58x0.html ?


Yo bro,

You need 2 of these:

http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/fc-connection-parts/ek-fc-link-r48x0-58x0.html

And one of these (double check with the mobo diagram on this page, but I think this is what your spacing is:

http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/fc-connection-parts/ek-fc-bridge-dual-parallel-3-slot.html


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Yo bro,
> You need 2 of these:
> http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/fc-connection-parts/ek-fc-link-r48x0-58x0.html
> And one of these (double check with the mobo diagram on this page, but I think this is what your spacing is:
> http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/fc-connection-parts/ek-fc-bridge-dual-parallel-3-slot.html


Well there is 2 slots between my cards, so i need the 3 slot connector?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Well there is 2 slots between my cards, so i need the 3 slot connector?


If you're spacing is this:



then order what I linked.

*EDIT: This is my 666 post! And here I am helping someone. Shouldn't I be trolling or baiting someone on my 666th post?


----------



## topdog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Because you don't use Afterburner to adjust the clocks. If you do it resets powertune. I will be fine if you only use Afterburner to adjust volatge and use CCC Overdrive to adjust clocks and Power Tune.
> 
> Easy test, adjust the clocks using Afterburner then hit "apply", see what happens?


I always use AB to adjust clocks and voltage and it doesn't reset as you say

Here you go, sorry about the quality


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> If you're spacing is this:
> 
> then order what I linked.
> *EDIT: This is my 666 post! And here I am helping someone. Shouldn't I be trolling or baiting someone on my 666th post?


Ok yes that is my spacing, i will go with what you linked! So in total with a 360 rad i need 6 fittings?

Or 8 ?

2 per card, 2 per rad , and 2 for the bridge ? or do i need 2 as well for the link ?


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I was right. Look what I found.
> ''Please check the default VID of your video card by using MSI afterburner, beta version 11, and you will need to edit the cfg file to enable 'unofficial overclocking" (change the 0 to a 1) and then click unlock voltage monitoring.
> This is because I believe Asus Tweak and Sapphire Trixx both assume the default voltages for all the cards are 1.175v (1.168v is basically exactly the same).
> The problem is, we found out that there are multiple Vids for the cards--4 of them in fact, and ONLY the latest GPU-Z and afterburner beta 11 can read the vids properly. They are 1.175v, 1.112v, 1.050v and 1.020v.
> *Also, all of the cards are currently overvoltage locked at +125 mv, meaning you can't apply more than 0.125v higher than Vid, otherwise the card willi artifact even at stock speeds.*
> It's very possible your card has a lower default Vid than normal. Many people who found their cards locked at 1080 mhz in CCC without artifacts, found that their VIDS were either 1.112v or 1.050v. And this is difficult to circumvent with using Trixx or Asus Tweak, as I don't think Asus Tweak has all four voltages identified, although I COULD be very wrong. It's worth a shot.''
> So there is a hard lock limit right now on the max voltage ''allowed.


why can i put my voltage at 1200+ if my default is 1050?


----------



## NorxMAL

Sorry guys, but I need to vent this off,







¤#/"!¤"/#

I ordered a waterblock from EK, I got extra expenditures that resulted in 40% increase on the cost for my block because of tax and customs fee.
I knew this might happen, and I have lots of experience in this.

Technically, I should have gotten none because of the EEA agreement.
I will either try to get them to drop these costs, or learn what documentation packages in these cases needs.
I have made them drop such costs totally legitimately before, but when it came under other sets of rules.

Taxes in my country is totally bonkers, and unlike other citizens here, I want to fight it at one front or the other, even though it might be about peanuts.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Ok yes that is my spacing, i will go with what you linked! So in total with a 360 rad i need 6 fittings?
> Or 8 ?
> 2 per card, 2 per rad , and 2 for the bridge ? or do i need 2 as well for the link ?


anyone?


----------



## Scorpion667

I wonder how we can unlock the BIOS to allow over 125mv increase.

I somehow believe this is not true, the voltage limit can be locked in the BIOS so why would they implement a system where it artifacts your card rather than BIOS locking the voltage to 125mv over stock VID? A lock is a lock, artifacts are instability.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *topdog*
> 
> I always use AB to adjust clocks and voltage and it doesn't reset as you say
> Here you go, sorry about the quality


Mine reset powertune to 0% if I restart my computer.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Mine reset powertune to 0% if I restart my computer.


You have to start a specific service, not sure right now what it is called. Check if you can find it by using the search field in windows and type "services.msc"

I'm between bf3 rounds


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> You have to start a specific service, not sure right now what it is called. Check if you can find it by using the search field in windows and type "services.msc"
> I'm between bf3 rounds


Thanks, I'll check it out. I will swap my PSU first


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> You have to start a specific service, not sure right now what it is called. Check if you can find it by using the search field in windows and type "services.msc"
> I'm between bf3 rounds


I think it's "Amd External Events service".


----------



## WiL11o6

How the hell do you enable CF on this thing. I just put in the second one, couldn't find options in CCC. Just uninstalling drivers right now. All bridges are connected and everything.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *topdog*
> 
> I always use AB to adjust clocks and voltage and it doesn't reset as you say
> Here you go, sorry about the quality
> 
> 
> 
> Mine reset powertune to 0% if I restart my computer.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Mine reset powertune to 0% if I restart my computer.
> 
> 
> 
> You have to start a specific service, not sure right now what it is called. Check if you can find it by using the search field in windows and type "services.msc"
> 
> I'm between bf3 rounds
Click to expand...

Open Task Manager and stop this service *"AMD external events utility"*


----------



## evensen007

Somebody try these: 12.2 pre release drivers posted today:

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=7777bc3c17029328d03146e0ed767841&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Ft%2F1195854%2Fcatalyst-12-2-jan-3rd-8-94-preview-driver-leaked%2F20%23post_16285544&v=1&libid=1327523418303&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ati.com%2Fdrivers%2Fhotfix%2Fcatalyst_preview%2Famd_catalyst_12.2_preview_32-64.exe&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Fu%2F130056%2Fevensen007&title=Catalyst%2012.2%20(Jan%203rd%208.94)%20preview%20driver%20leaked.&txt=32bit%20%26amp%3B64bit%20download&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13275234211901

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriverrreleasenotes.aspx

It says support for Radeon 7300 series?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Funny people over there...

RESOLVED ISSUES

Resolved Issues for the Windows® 7 Operating System

This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst™ 12.2 Preview software suite for Windows® 7. These include:

Call of Duty IV no longer displays random corruption when in DirectX® 9 more and the Edge Detect filter is enabled.
A black screen is no longer occasionally displayed when running Portal 2 in 3D mode.
All 3d Anti Aliasing settings are now correctly listed in the Vision Control Center.
Morphological filtering settings are now correctly listed in the Vision Control Center.
Civilization V no longer experiences random crashes when run in DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 modes.
Enabling the 'Edge Detect' filter in Resident Evil 5 or Just Cause 2 no longer generates a random application crash.
Battlefield 3 no longer hangs when MSAA is enabled.
Saints Row III no longer experiences random hangs.
Rage no longer experiences intermittent hangs when Crossfire is enabled.
Dragon Age 2 textures no longer flicker when run in DirectX® 9 mode in Crossfire configurations with vsync enabled.
Crysis Warhead and Battlefield Bad Company 2 no longer experience random crashes when Crossfire is enabled.
*Texture flickering is no longer experienced when playing Battlefield Bad Company 2 in DirectX® 11 mode.
*
KNOWN ISSUES

Known issues under the Windows® 7 operating system

The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced under the Windows® 7 operating system in the latest version of AMD Catalyst™. These include:
Vsync may be disabled after task switching when playing Rage.
Skipping in game cinematics while playing Dragon Age 2 in DirectX® 11 mode may cause stuttering.
Dirt 3 may experience flickering with Crossfire enabled and run in 3D stereo mode.
*Battlefield - Bad Company 2 may experience random flickering when run in DirectX® 11 mode.*


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> Did you use the pack from that link? http://www.mediafire.com/?63r7qz63d14rl17
> 
> First, you have to toggle the BIOS switch to position #1 (see pic below). Position #2 is a backup protected BIOS.
> 
> There's a new BIOS from *Denim* in POST #2 (I supposed it's tested by Denim). It's a long name *Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin*
> 
> *Since RBE does not support 7970 yet, there's no way to rename it so you have to type the full name??? (edit: just saw Denim's post above).*
> 
> Use Atiflash type "atiflash -i", you should see the 7970 adapter.
> 
> Crossfire ~ Quadfire;
> 
> To flash card no. 1 "atiflash -fs - p 0 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"
> To flash card no. 2 "atiflash -fs - p 1 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"
> To flash card no. 3 "atiflash -fs - p 2 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"
> To flash card no. 4 "atiflash -fs - p 3 Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.bin"
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Uninstall Catalyst drivers to avoid possible conflicts (BIOS-Registry-Driver) prior to flashing.
> **


Mine is showing no adapter


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Somebody try these: 12.2 pre release drivers posted today:
> http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=7777bc3c17029328d03146e0ed767841&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Ft%2F1195854%2Fcatalyst-12-2-jan-3rd-8-94-preview-driver-leaked%2F20%23post_16285544&v=1&libid=1327523418303&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ati.com%2Fdrivers%2Fhotfix%2Fcatalyst_preview%2Famd_catalyst_12.2_preview_32-64.exe&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Fu%2F130056%2Fevensen007&title=Catalyst%2012.2%20(Jan%203rd%208.94)%20preview%20driver%20leaked.&txt=32bit%20%26amp%3B64bit%20download&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13275234211901
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriverrreleasenotes.aspx
> It says support for Radeon 7300 series?


It sounds like a trap!


----------



## zpaf




----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Snelan... what exactly have you done so far?
> I'll walk u through it
> I can already see ur doing it wrong
> - Use this bios.
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> Once you have extracted it, rename it to *ASUS.bin*
> Once in DOS, type the following.....
> *atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 asus.bin* for master GPU
> and if you have multi gpu's
> *atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 asus.bin* for 2nd
> *atiflash.exe -fs -p 2 asus.bin* for 3rd
> *atiflash.exe -fs -p 3 asus.bin* for 4th


Did that, just now using the -fs instead of -f to no avail. Also tried removing a card and running the -i command, however, no adapters are found.


----------



## slice259

Well after viewing some of the benchmarks people have posted, mine are falling right in line with others for CrossFire. The only benchmark that has me a little worried is Metro 2033. Denim pulled 129 FPS average with crossfire. I pull just over 80 FPS with the same settings. I realize that he is running a 2600K at 5+ GHZ but I wouldn't think that would equate to 40+ FPS gain over my i5 750 @ 4.2ghz. Was going to do a fresh windows install but my scores are matching up great with others on Unigine...ect. What are OCN thoughts on this, didn't think metro 2033 was so CPU demanding if that is what it turns out being. Got the latest drivers installed, and both cards where running 1240 core.

Thanks


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> Mine is showing no adapter


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Did that, just now using the -fs instead of -f to no avail. Also tried removing a card and running the -i command, however, no adapters are found.


Use all the files and follow the instruction from this link;

*http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905*


----------



## Balsagna

What would flashing to an Asus bios do for those with an HIS card?

Thanks


----------



## snelan

Alright, I followed the link and used the pack:

1) It only works through atiwinflash that comes with the ASUS Tweak install. Only works through Windows 7, with the CMD prompt, haven't tried the GUI.

2) -fs -pa returns the padevd or whatever mismatch, so I have to do it with -fs -p 0 ASUS.bin, then the other card.

3) Even upon successful flash and restart, it still has the same clock limits in ASUS Tweak and CCC. Weird.

4) After all this, atiflash -i in DOS still shows no adapters.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Alright, I followed the link and used the pack:
> 
> 1) It only works through atiwinflash that comes with the ASUS Tweak install. Only works through Windows 7, with the CMD prompt, haven't tried the GUI.
> 
> 2) -fs -pa returns the padevd or whatever mismatch, so I have to do it with -fs -p 0 ASUS.bin, then the other card.
> 
> 3) Even upon successful flash and restart, it still has the same clock limits in ASUS Tweak and CCC. Weird.
> 
> 4) After all this, atiflash -i in DOS still shows no adapters.


If GPU-Z says ASUS BIOS then the flash is done correctly. It's supposed to have higher clock limits in CCC.

Reset Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak etc or whatever install in the system. Then "Restore Factory Defaults" from CCC. Restart PC, that will reset everything as per BIOS in registry and profile.

I forgot to tell you to uninstall everything prior to flashing.


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If GPU-Z says ASUS BIOS then the flash is done correctly. It's supposed to have higher clock limits in CCC.
> 
> Reset Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak etc or whatever install in the system. Then "Restore Factory Defaults" from CCC. Restart PC, that will reset everything as per BIOS in registry and profile.
> 
> I forgot to tell you to uninstall everything prior to flashing.


Ahh, that makes sense.

+rep


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derickwm*
> 
> Ok. Tomorrow though. I need to do some hw for French and thennnnnnnn go to sleep. I'm running Furmark again right now, I'll post a screenshot in a bit as further proof? I'm sure not everybody will be satisfied with whatever I do, but such is life
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks OP! You can come get your cookie anytime


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dezerteagle323*
> 
> someone on here (with extensive knowledge) said that when you OC with AB it overrides the powertune % in CCC, essentially making it unnecessary, since AB takes care of that on its own ... so I don't think powertune matters or makes a difference at all when OC'ing with AB


Not true, you _need_ power-tune at 20% in order for the card not to throttle under heavy load. Tested this extensively. Enable CCC overdrive and powertune +20%, then adjust AB clocks. Then reset PC. You should have AB clocks and power tune now working. (It does for me).


----------



## wirefox

one week late but it's here ...

We are in - i'll update club info form and post stats/pics later -

So... do I work the next few hours or start benching now ??? muhahaaa







[silly question]


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If GPU-Z says ASUS BIOS then the flash is done correctly. It's supposed to have higher clock limits in CCC.
> 
> Reset Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak etc or whatever install in the system. Then "Restore Factory Defaults" from CCC. Restart PC, that will reset everything as per BIOS in registry and profile.
> 
> I forgot to tell you to uninstall everything prior to flashing.


Ok, nevermind. I just tried that, uninstalled EVERYTHING, but the default clocks still remain, ideas, anyone?


----------



## CDMAN

snelan, Did you update with the Asus Test OC bios or with a plain asus bios? The main reason to update to the Asus OC bios is for higher voltage options in GPU Tweak. You do not have update your bios for higher clocks, you can just use AB if that's all you want.


----------



## Ken1649

Have you tried the BIOS in post #2 flash it in the same manner?


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Have you tried the BIOS in post #2 flash it in the same manner?


I am indeed using the one in the second post.

@ CDMAN: Honestly, I just want the BIOS to make overclocking easy, so I can use ASUS Tweak instead of buggy AB.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snelan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Have you tried the BIOS in post #2 flash it in the same manner?
> 
> 
> 
> I am indeed using the one in the second post.
> 
> @ CDMAN: Honestly, I just want the BIOS to make overclocking easy, so I can use ASUS Tweak instead of buggy AB.
Click to expand...

This one is newer than post #2 see if it makes a difference.

*Unlocked test overclocking bios*, found here; http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html

Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> This one is newer than post #2 see if it makes a difference.
> 
> *Unlocked test overclocking bios*, found here; http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


That one worked like a charm! Thanks!


----------



## Ruined

Hey just got mine and I am wondering about flashing my bios to the asus one. Currently I have the MSI ref. which allows for a 1700 memory voltage increase and core clock increase to 1300 voltage. I guess my question is, is it worth the hassel?


----------



## sockpirate

http://www.frozencpu.com/search.html?mv_profile=keyword_search&mv_session_id=Pruqkg3R&searchspec=Radeon+HD+7970+VGA+Liquid+Cooling+Block&go.x=9&go.y=10

Blocks in stock here, although i think i snagged the last 2 copper acetal!


----------



## WiL11o6

3dmark11 scores are low?

Just set up cfx finally and ran tests, here's what I got with 4.5ghz 2500k, just wondering how much does having a 2600k+ affect the score.

925/1375 stock, 12147
1070/1500, 13257

Reviews show its getting 14k stock, but with I7 instead.

I can't seem to OC further, need to do testing when I get home from work.

These scores are normal? I was getting 11k with OCd 570s. I thought these 7970 would blow them away.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> 3dmark11 scores are low?
> Just set up cfx finally and ran tests, here's what I got with 4.5ghz 2500k, just wondering how much does having a 2600k+ affect the score.
> 925/1375 stock, 12147
> 1070/1500, 13257
> Reviews show its getting 14k stock, but with I7 instead.
> I can't seem to OC further, need to do testing when I get home from work.
> These scores are normal? I was getting 11k with OCd 570s. I thought these 7970 would blow them away.


----------



## rcfc89

Do the asus reference cards already have the bios in which you guys are switching too?


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> one week late but it's here ...
> We are in - i'll update club info form and post stats/pics later -
> So... do I work the next few hours or start benching now ??? muhahaaa
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [silly question]
> http://i.imgur.com/8zZMQ.jpg


ha great pic


----------



## DB006

Unlock clocks, simple .exe file

Utility that updates the bios (ATI internal BIOS clock unlocker) to higher clocks in CCC and voltage to 1300 in AB or similar



From my own webserver http://bit.ly/xjby4g
Download, unzip, run file


----------



## PwrElec




----------



## Ken1649

Or here: http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=26163

- AMD Radeon HD 7970 (reference) xtreme oc BIOS: http://91.121.148.119/downloads/VGAB...Dec20_2011.exe


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Or here: http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=26163
> 
> - AMD Radeon HD 7970 (reference) xtreme oc BIOS: http://91.121.148.119/downloads/VGAB...Dec20_2011.exe


Yep, same thing, did it the day I got it (9th) Don't think I could get it to 2000 core without LN2 though!


----------



## WiL11o6

Any thoughts on my score? Is it a CPU bottleneck since it's at 720p?

At heaven benchmark, I'm getting a score of 1777 at 1080p all max.


----------



## unrealskill

hey guys when are the 7950's coming out? next week


----------



## evensen007

Got the Gigabyte card and waterblock today. Maxed out temps at 44c so I'm happy about that. Asic quality is 74.6, which I'm starting to think doesn't mean much at all. So far I have the core up to 1260 stable in Crysis Warhead benches. Have to read back through some of this thread on tips for getting higher. Overall, I'm happy with a good start!


----------



## evensen007

Overclocking the memory to 1600 yielded an extra 5 fps. Not bad for a free bump!


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Do the asus reference cards already have the bios in which you guys are switching too?


my stock Asus came with 015.012.000.004.000346


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Somebody try these: 12.2 pre release drivers posted today:
> http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=7777bc3c17029328d03146e0ed767841&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Ft%2F1195854%2Fcatalyst-12-2-jan-3rd-8-94-preview-driver-leaked%2F20%23post_16285544&v=1&libid=1327523418303&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ati.com%2Fdrivers%2Fhotfix%2Fcatalyst_preview%2Famd_catalyst_12.2_preview_32-64.exe&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Fu%2F130056%2Fevensen007&title=Catalyst%2012.2%20(Jan%203rd%208.94)%20preview%20driver%20leaked.&txt=32bit%20%26amp%3B64bit%20download&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13275234211901
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriverrreleasenotes.aspx
> It says support for Radeon 7300 series?


I tried that driver, no change for me, driver is still 8.921.2 and catalyst 11.12. Same 3DMarks score as well, long time since have used it now.

Is P8941 3DMark score bad? The card ran 1100/1500 during those tests.

Gfx score was 8998


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Use all the files and follow the instruction from this link;
> 
> *http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905*


i cant get it to work with cmd









and i tryed flashing in dos but still shows no adapter

y cant it be easy like nvidia to flash it off the usb/dos


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I tried that driver, no change for me, driver is still 8.921.2 and catalyst 11.12. Same 3DMarks score as well, long time since have used it now.
> Is P8941 3DMark score bad? The card ran 1100/1500 during those tests.
> Gfx score was 8998


Hmm. So the driver version didn't change at all for you? Are you running the disc version or the leaked release that came out last friday? The 8.921.2 wouldn't have change, it would be the numbers after when you look in you CCC software info: "8.921.2-120119a-132101E-ATI". That's my current version which I'm not sure if it's the version that came on the disc or the updated download.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

"8.921.2-*120119*a-132101E-ATI".

The 120119 is the date, meaning january 19th 2012.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Looking at the info, it looks like it's just a factory overclocked MSI card to 1010 mhz. Wow, 30 dollar price premium for something you could do yourself.


That can't be the card. I wonder if it has a better cooler and they just used an old pic for now.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> "8.921.2-*120119*a-132101E-ATI".
> The 120119 is the date, meaning january 19th 2012.


Doh! Thanks. I don't have a cdrom hooked up so I just downloaded what I thought was the launch driver. Looks like I d/l the leaked update driver from last week? I heard the original driver that came with the card has better performance. Anyone have a link to that one? I want to see which driver works better.


----------



## Arizonian

Speaking of MSI - the new MSI AMD 7950 is being shown on their website.

PCI Express x16 3.0
Memory Type GDDR5
Memory Size(MB) 3072
Memory Interface 384 bits
Core Clock Speed(MHz) 830
Memory Clock Speed(MHz) 5000
Display Output (Max Resolution) 2560x1600
Card Dimension(mm) 270 x 110 x 38mm


----------



## snelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Speaking of MSI - the new MSI AMD 7950 is being shown on their website.
> PCI Express x16 3.0
> Memory Type GDDR5
> Memory Size(MB) 3072
> Memory Interface 384 bits
> Core Clock Speed(MHz) 830
> Memory Clock Speed(MHz) 5000
> Display Output (Max Resolution) 2560x1600
> Card Dimension(mm) 270 x 110 x 38mm


Looks like they just took it down, but good find!


----------



## Arizonian

Wow that was fast. Wonder why they did that. Oh well here is the pic of the site I still had up.


----------



## Denim-187

Guys, 12.1 and 12.2 preview have zero support for 7970's, keep using the RC11 driver until they update that one.

*And for the club*.... Here's a club sig, check my sig to see what it looks like.

Code:



Code:


[URL="http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/0_30"][B]:clock: AMD Radeon HD 7900 series Owners Club[/B][/URL]


----------



## WiL11o6

Alright, I guess for benchmarking, the 2500k is the bottleneck, as far as 3dmark is concerned. The highest 2500k with cfx 7970s is 15k, and highest, and A LOT of them are 19k with the 2600k. I feel better now.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Well after viewing some of the benchmarks people have posted, mine are falling right in line with others for CrossFire. The only benchmark that has me a little worried is Metro 2033. Denim pulled 129 FPS average with crossfire. I pull just over 80 FPS with the same settings. I realize that he is running a 2600K at 5+ GHZ but I wouldn't think that would equate to 40+ FPS gain over my i5 750 @ 4.2ghz. Was going to do a fresh windows install but my scores are matching up great with others on Unigine...ect. What are OCN thoughts on this, didn't think metro 2033 was so CPU demanding if that is what it turns out being. Got the latest drivers installed, and both cards where running 1240 core.
> Thanks


Make sure Advanced Physx and DOF are disabled. Nobody tests with these on. CPU doesnt do much in this bench.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright, I guess for benchmarking, the 2500k is the bottleneck, as far as 3dmark is concerned. The highest 2500k with cfx 7970s is 15k, and highest, and A LOT of them are 19k with the 2600k. I feel better now.


There is a Physx and combined test in 3DMark 11 which uses all the 8 "cores"


----------



## Arizonian

Anyone here help Jshotz out on his 7970 Crossfire Help Thread? He's new to OCN and I've not had an AMD card for a year and when I did crossfire it was only for 29 days. Didn't have any issues. Thanks.


----------



## evensen007

Asder modified the new 12.2 previews for 7900 support. I'm going to bed for now, but if someone wants to try it:

http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4229629&postcount=58

http://www.mediafire.com/?4wakzmpptoos9z1


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Asder modified the new 12.2 previews for 7900 support. I'm going to bed for now, but if someone wants to try it:
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4229629&postcount=58
> http://www.mediafire.com/?4wakzmpptoos9z1


I'll try it. Downloading now


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> I'll try it. Downloading now


I wouldnt if i were you.... im sure if the catalyst team wanted this done they could of did it in a heart beat.
If its not an official driver, leave it be.

Quote:


> CatalystCreator Andrew D
> AMD Radeon HD 7970 users - still with the 8.921.2 RC11 driver; the 7970 is not supported in 12.1 or 12.2 Preview


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I wouldnt if i were you.... im sure if the catalyst team wanted this done they could of did it in a heart beat.
> If its not an official driver, leave it be.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> CatalystCreator Andrew D
> AMD Radeon HD 7970 users - still with the 8.921.2 RC11 driver; the 7970 is not supported in 12.1 or 12.2 Preview
Click to expand...

W/E. Maybe if AMD released drivers that support Vista







None of their **** works and I'm not spending $100 on an OS that is basically the same and Windows 8 is around the corner


----------



## Favian

Is the amd.com driver download page down for everyone else also? I'm hoping that means they're ready to add new drivers


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> Is the amd.com driver download page down for everyone else also? I'm hoping that means they're ready to add new drivers


AMD releases Catalyst 12.1, 12.2 preview, 8.921.2 RC11 drivers - January 25, 2012, 5:06 PM EST
Quote:


> Radeon HD 7900 owners are *strongly cautioned against installing 12.1 and the 12.2 preview as neither build supports the latest-generation cards. Instead, you want 8.921.2 RC11*, which provides the proper support and delivers relevant enhancements.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Finally, that 12.2 Driver works flawlessly.







.

Well, I noticed that my games have alot better Min FPS


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Finally, that 12.2 Driver works flawlessly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Well, I noticed that my games have alot better Min FPS


Yeah, nah i dont buy it sorry








Proof or no credit.
What software did u use to determine your getting higher minimums? i bet none
And how many games did u test ? one ?


----------



## dVeLoPe

i got an msi verson on the way to me fi anyone wants it!


----------



## travva

add me in! got my HIS 7970 today, and my diamond will be here tomorrow.


----------



## jshotz

add me!


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Yeah, nah i dont buy it sorry
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Proof or no credit.
> What software did u use to determine your getting higher minimums? i bet none
> And how many games did u test ? one ?


k, then don't download. simple as that


----------



## DOM.

Anyone know where the xp driver are at lol


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> i got an msi verson on the way to me fi anyone wants it!


For free? Sure


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> Anyone know where the xp driver are at lol


Win 7 runs so well there is no reason to use XP anymore. Vista is no longer an excuse, unless you like playing some ancient games that won't run on Win 7 or something.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Win 7 runs so well there is no reason to use XP anymore. Vista is no longer an excuse, unless you like playing some ancient games that won't run on Win 7 or something.


Naw I want them for benching my cd has them but I only tested 3dmark 01,03 but 01 was the only one that I got a better score for hwbot

I haven't used Vista since w7 came out idk how long that's even been lol


----------



## UNOE

My Nickel Acetal water block is still for sale in classifieds. They are sold out everywhere.


----------



## WiL11o6

Alright guys, I am back, with a problem.

While in BF3, my GPU usage always falls down to 80%, even 75% on BOTH cards, then it starts to go back up to 99%. With my SLI 570s, it was almost always at 99% if I remember correctly. So obviously when these 7970s drop down to 80% usage, I take a big stink in performance. I tried OC, without OC, using only CCC to OC, and using only AB to OC. Anyone have this problem? Or is this normal?

My FPS even drops down to 50 sometimes, which is like what?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright guys, I am back, with a problem.
> While in BF3, my GPU usage always falls down to 80%, even 75% on BOTH cards, then it starts to go back up to 99%. With my SLI 570s, it was almost always at 99% if I remember correctly. So obviously when these 7970s drop down to 80% usage, I take a big stink in performance. I tried OC, without OC, using only CCC to OC, and using only AB to OC. Anyone have this problem? Or is this normal?
> My FPS even drops down to 50 sometimes, which is like what?


Put in your System information into your profile, and it will be easier to help you.

Do you have the latest RC11 driver? Download link in post# 2.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> My Nickel Acetal water block is still for sale in classifieds. They are sold out everywhere.


no one wants it







lol

If it was cu I would damn ek is taking forever on my order Saturday its going to be a week since I ordered







Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright guys, I am back, with a problem.
> While in BF3, my GPU usage always falls down to 80%, even 75% on BOTH cards, then it starts to go back up to 99%. With my SLI 570s, it was almost always at 99% if I remember correctly. So obviously when these 7970s drop down to 80% usage, I take a big stink in performance. I tried OC, without OC, using only CCC to OC, and using only AB to OC. Anyone have this problem? Or is this normal?
> My FPS even drops down to 50 sometimes, which is like what?


Is 50 fps even noticeable ?? Imo for you to notice the gpu usage and fps your to busy looking at that then playing









I have test to test my 580 vs 7970 I know the 580 is a lot easier on the ears


----------



## WiL11o6

Actually, could it be my CPU is bottleneck?

I am running:
i5 2500k @ 4.5ghz @ 1080p
I have the latest drivers, this is a clean, and fresh win7 install.

Scratch what I said earlier, it appears the drop in GPU % is only when I overclock. When left at stock 925mhz, it stays at 95-99% most of the time, when I OC it just a tad bit to 1025mhz, in some areas, mainly enclosed areas but sometimes outside when **** flies, it drops down to 85%. When I OC'd to 1075mhz, it drops down further. I switch back to desktop to check task manager and it shows it at 90% CPU usage at those moments.


----------



## WiL11o6

50fps is a bit noticeable, but I did get TWO 7970s so I can stay above 60fps 100% of the time. These boys are not cheap ya know.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright guys, I am back, with a problem.
> While in BF3, my GPU usage always falls down to 80%, even 75% on BOTH cards, then it starts to go back up to 99%. With my SLI 570s, it was almost always at 99% if I remember correctly. So obviously when these 7970s drop down to 80% usage, I take a big stink in performance. I tried OC, without OC, using only CCC to OC, and using only AB to OC. Anyone have this problem? Or is this normal?
> My FPS even drops down to 50 sometimes, which is like what?


This happens when you have *vsync* enabled. The GPUS only work to the refresh rate.


----------



## WiL11o6

Here's a screenshot, and I had vsync disabled.



79% GPU usage, getting 49 frames. Pretty low for a $1100 card setup. This is a small overview of a full 64-player map, and I stood here for a good 1 minute to see if it changes. I turn around, buildings behind me, the GPU usage quickly shoots up to ~98% and frames jump back up to 120.

Drivers? This is a fresh install of BF3, windows 7, and AMD drivers.
CPU bottleneck at 1080p?

Edit: Here's another one with vsync OFF, it just so happens the fps is near 60.
*This is in default "HIGH" settings, meaning NO AA, and everything on HIGH. Notice the 50% GPU usage*


*This one is default "ULTRA" settings, meaning 4xMSAA, all ULTRA. Notice the 85% GPU usage.*


I would think, setting from HIGH to ULTRA would net me higher FPS, but it remains the exact same. Leading me to believe it's my CPU. Switching settings to medium and to low settings, sent my FPS back up to around 80fps.

What the heck is going on? Surely my CPU is able to handle BF3. I don't remember my SLI 570s dipping under 60s unless it was vram wall, which stuttered and jerked at 30fps.


----------



## CallsignVega

That does seem strange. My 2700K @ 5.3Ghz keeps the frames a pumpin' 150+ FPS if I turn graphics down.


----------



## DOM.

At 1080p its a waste to have 2 7970

And plus a 2500k isn't helping

Have you tryed just running with out cf enabled ?

I run both stock 2600k & 7970 1080p ultra idc about fps just as long the game play is not lagging


----------



## Denim-187

wil1106

What drivers are you using?
What CAPS ?
What PSU ?
Try a *3Dmark 11* and *Heaven 2.5* benchmark and post your results,
Somethings not right there.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> At 1080p its a waste to have 2 7970
> And plus a 2500k isn't helping
> Have you tryed just running with out cf enabled ?
> I run both stock 2600k & 7970 1080p ultra idc about fps just as long the game play is not lagging


Its not a waste if ur packing 120hz 1080p...
60hz and 120hz gaming is like night and day.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Try this

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2848


----------



## WiL11o6

My scores for those are normal. I get 13k with small OC with 3dmark and 2k with heaven at 1080p maxed. My comp just got hit with constant bsod after boot, I think its the drivers since the initial crash, I was in heaven bench. This is frustrating.


----------



## WiL11o6

Will dl the 12.2 and CAP3 I guess? I am uninstalling the drivers that came with my CD and CAP3.

Sigh...after uninstalling from Program and Files in control panel, I tried installing new drivers. Said it was completed, but I have no CCC or any drivers what so ever. Will try driver cleaner I guess.


----------



## DOM.

Wth are CAPS ?? Haven't used AMD since 5870


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> Wth are CAPS ?? Haven't used AMD since 5870


CAPS are crossfire profile. If you have single card, you don't need CAPS.


----------



## Arni90

Guess I'm in, that 40% overclock on the core sure is a nice boost in performance.
Who needs 2x 7970 when a single card makes BF3 at high run at almost 100 fps


----------



## WiL11o6

Alright, I am going to bed. I'm sorry AMD, these drivers are ****. I thought it was just idiots who couldn't get the drivers to work, I guess I am one too. I reinstalled from sapphire disc because none of the ones online works, even though they are the same. After it says FINISH, nothing happens. It didn't install anything.

Upon finally getting old drivers up, I get shot in my face with BSOD, every single reset. This is pissing me off. I'm on my phone typing this because my computer bsod. NVIDIA was SO easy to get to work. Idiots like me aren't able to navigate registries and BIOS and such to even INSTALL the amd drivers.

I will try to reformat ONCE again tomorrow, for another clean install and try that new 12.2 preview. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I set up my second card on a fresh windows 7 install. This is crazy.


----------



## Pantsu

12.2 Preview is specifically stated as not supporting 7970, so why are you trying that? You should just do a wipe of all AMD drivers using a driver sweeper, reboot, and then install the drivers AMD suggests for 7970, i.e. 8.921.2-120119a-132101E-ATI


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pantsu*
> 
> 12.2 Preview is specifically stated as not supporting 7970, so why are you trying that? You should just do a wipe of all AMD drivers using a *driver sweeper,* reboot, and then install the drivers AMD suggests for 7970, i.e. 8.921.2-120119a-132101E-ATI


Dont use Driver sweeper, it does more wrong than good for AMD graphics cards users. he should use the utility that is linked to on Post#2 in this thread.


----------



## Neroh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright, I am going to bed. I'm sorry AMD, these drivers are ****. I thought it was just idiots who couldn't get the drivers to work, I guess I am one too. I reinstalled from sapphire disc because none of the ones online works, even though they are the same. After it says FINISH, nothing happens. It didn't install anything.
> Upon finally getting old drivers up, I get shot in my face with BSOD, every single reset. This is pissing me off. I'm on my phone typing this because my computer bsod. NVIDIA was SO easy to get to work. Idiots like me aren't able to navigate registries and BIOS and such to even INSTALL the amd drivers.
> I will try to reformat ONCE again tomorrow, for another clean install and try that new 12.2 preview. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I set up my second card on a fresh windows 7 install. This is crazy.


12.2 doesn't support the 7970. Use the RC11 drivers released a week ago.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright, I am going to bed. I'm sorry AMD, these drivers are ****. I thought it was just idiots who couldn't get the drivers to work, I guess I am one too. I reinstalled from sapphire disc because none of the ones online works, even though they are the same. After it says FINISH, nothing happens. It didn't install anything.
> Upon finally getting old drivers up, I get shot in my face with BSOD, every single reset. This is pissing me off. I'm on my phone typing this because my computer bsod. NVIDIA was SO easy to get to work. Idiots like me aren't able to navigate registries and BIOS and such to even INSTALL the amd drivers.
> I will try to reformat ONCE again tomorrow, for another clean install and try that new 12.2 preview. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I set up my second card on a fresh windows 7 install. This is crazy.


Youve obviously screwed the driver install and corrupted the registry.

1. Reinstall windows. *Don't* use the cd for the driver use the following link.
http://download.benchmark3d.com/AMD/Catalyst/8.921.2/RC11/amd_radeon_hd7900_win7_64_RC11.exe

2. Install 11.12 CAP3

Thats all u have to do, that's all ive been doing since HD 3870.. Never had a problem.


----------



## Killam0n

I just want you to know.. the newest drivers cause my ATI 4870 to BSOD but my older one works flawlessly.

Newer AMD drivers.. leave some to be desired.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Here's a screenshot, and I had vsync disabled.
> 
> 79% GPU usage, getting 49 frames. Pretty low for a $1100 card setup. This is a small overview of a full 64-player map, and I stood here for a good 1 minute to see if it changes. I turn around, buildings behind me, the GPU usage quickly shoots up to ~98% and frames jump back up to 120.
> Drivers? This is a fresh install of BF3, windows 7, and AMD drivers.
> CPU bottleneck at 1080p?
> Edit: Here's another one with vsync OFF, it just so happens the fps is near 60.
> *This is in default "HIGH" settings, meaning NO AA, and everything on HIGH. Notice the 50% GPU usage*
> 
> *This one is default "ULTRA" settings, meaning 4xMSAA, all ULTRA. Notice the 85% GPU usage.*
> 
> I would think, setting from HIGH to ULTRA would net me higher FPS, but it remains the exact same. Leading me to believe it's my CPU. Switching settings to medium and to low settings, sent my FPS back up to around 80fps.
> What the heck is going on? Surely my CPU is able to handle BF3. I don't remember my SLI 570s dipping under 60s unless it was vram wall, which stuttered and jerked at 30fps.


What program gives you that monitoring top left?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright, I am going to bed. I'm sorry AMD, these drivers are ****. I thought it was just idiots who couldn't get the drivers to work, I guess I am one too. I reinstalled from sapphire disc because none of the ones online works, even though they are the same. After it says FINISH, nothing happens. It didn't install anything.
> Upon finally getting old drivers up, I get shot in my face with BSOD, every single reset. This is pissing me off. I'm on my phone typing this because my computer bsod. NVIDIA was SO easy to get to work. Idiots like me aren't able to navigate registries and BIOS and such to even INSTALL the amd drivers.
> I will try to reformat ONCE again tomorrow, for another clean install and try that new 12.2 preview. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I set up my second card on a fresh windows 7 install. This is crazy.


wrong driver rage

FYI - I installed the wrong driver a few weeks ago and I couldn't get past win7 splash. I put in an older card with the 7970, hooked the display up to it(to get into windows), uninstalled the drivers, rebooted, installed the correct drivers, shut down, removed the old card, and was good to go.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> What program gives you that monitoring top left?


MSI afterburner


----------



## Denim-187

The AMD HD 7950:

*AMD 7950 Stock (810MHz Core / 5000MHz Memory) - 1680*1050*


*AMD 7950 Maxed on Overdrive (1025MHz Core / 6300MHz Memory)*


*AMD 7950 Maxed OC on Asus OC BIOS (1180MHz Core / 7200MHz Memory)*


The card sampled reached 1180MHz on the core by flashing with an ASUS 7970 BIOS capable of greater voltage, and over 1000MHz with the stock 7950 BIOS. As with the 7970, this represents a huge overclock vs. the stock clock of 810MHz. Flashing the 7950 with a 7970 BIOS did not unlock any additional shaders.

Some odd Heaven results here:-

7950 @ 925MHz / 5500MHz = 1504 points
7950 on 7970 BIOS @ 925MHz / 5500MHz = 1545 points
7970 @ Stock (925/5500) = 1584 points

So even though according to GPU-Z the shaders are not unlocking, flashing to the Asus 7970 BIOS is definitely giving a performance boost, though its not quite at genuine 7970 performance levels, kind of like half way from the results.

So either some shaders are unlocking or the 7970 BIOS is making other improvements, maybe memory timings etc. which is giving the boost.

Still flashing the BIOS is so easy anyway and it would appear the 7970 BIOS is giving some performance enhancement even when clock speeds are identical.

*
AMD 7950 Maxed OC on Asus OC BIOS (1180MHz Core / 7200MHz Memory)*


*AMD 7970 Maxed OC on Asus OC BIOS (1225MHz Core / 7800MHz Memory)*

*

NVIDIA GTX 580 3GB OC (902MHz Core / 4355MHz Memory)*


----------



## Jibber55

Denim-187 - You should probably credit the source of this information!!!
He 'borrowed' this information from the world famous OCUK forums, original thread here;
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18366787
Credit where credit is due!


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jibber55*
> 
> Denim-187 - You should probably credit the source of this information!!!
> He 'borrowed' this information from the world famous OCUK forums, original thread here;
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18366787
> Credit where credit is due!


Yes, the legendary Gibbo posted those and probably got into hot water with AMD because of the NDA, but wanted to tease us all.


----------



## Jibber55

Happy to help, just wanted to clarify where the original info came from.








I couldn't school a fish and that was not my intention. I'm really glad you 'luv it', that's made my day


----------



## Arizonian

Anyone know if flashing the ASUS BIOS on other cards 'voids' the warranty or not?


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Anyone know if flashing the ASUS BIOS on other cards 'voids' the warranty or not?


From my knowledge, Yes it should void your warrenty by doing so. The other side of the coin is, how is your OEM company going to know you flashed the unit in a case of RMA.









Just save your OEM bios before flashing, and flash back if needed !


----------



## travva

Anyone have a vote on what's the best 120hz monitor to pair with a 7970(s)? I'd prefer a 27" recommendation, please.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Asder modified the new 12.2 previews for 7900 support. I'm going to bed for now, but if someone wants to try it:
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4229629&postcount=58
> http://www.mediafire.com/?4wakzmpptoos9z1


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Finally, that 12.2 Driver works flawlessly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Well, I noticed that my games have alot better Min FPS


Anyone else want to try? I may take a look tonight when I get home.

Well, it looks like I've hit some kind of invisible voltage wall. I think what is preventing us from clocking higher than what we get is actually a locked voltage. 1.22 volts yields me 1260core/1700mem, but I can't get it higher no matter what I set the voltage to. I don't actually think it's setting it higher which lines up with news someone posted last night. I will mess with it more tonight, but I think I'm topped out for now until RBE supports the 7900. When that happens I think all hell will break loose and people will be hitting 1300-1400 on water with no issues. As it is, I am very happy at 1260/1700 and overall this was a nice replacement for my 5870's.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks guys, I will reinstall Windows in a bit. Yes, I was raging at the drivers because I did spend hours and I did try the two drivers and only the one straight from the disc worked, and it was late. The one that is giving me problems in bf3. So hopefully the one u linked for me, demin, would work.

Thanks


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Anyone have a vote on what's the best 120hz monitor to pair with a 7970(s)? I'd prefer a 27" recommendation, please.


S27A950D


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Anyone have a vote on what's the best 120hz monitor to pair with a 7970(s)? I'd prefer a 27" recommendation, please.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> S27A950D


Nice recommendation Goop. I would say you should probably go for the S27A(750)D instead of the 950d. It's the same monitor, except it has a slightly more conventional stand and only DisplayPort for 120hz (which is fine because your 7970 has mini-dp). It is also 200-300 dollars cheaper for the same panel and has had slightly less problems than the 950. TigerDirect had them for 399 on some redonculous magic-deal last week so i bought one. It took a while to get the settings right but it is really nice. Here's a great review: http://www.pcmonitors.org/monitor-reviews/samsung-s27a750d


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jibber55*
> 
> Happy to help, just wanted to clarify where the original info came from.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I couldn't school a fish and that was not my intention. I'm really glad you 'luv it', that's made my day


I actually think u were already an OCN member that has cowarded to speak through their original account lol. It makes more sense than a random forum dweller signing up to a forum to "credit" another source. Man up son.


----------



## Jibber55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I actually think u were already an OCN member that has cowarded to speak through their original account lol. It makes more sense than a random forum dweller signing up to a forum to "credit" another source. Man up son.


Sadly I make little sense to myself so I can't expect anyone else to get me. I'm as random as they come my paraniod (benchmark stealing) friend.








I'm only having a laugh tho, this is my 1st day on these forums, I've always been good at making new friends....


----------



## evensen007

Wow, back on topic please.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

He's from OCUK, the 'source'


----------



## Tumdace

Doesnt matter Denim.. credit is credit. Doesnt matter if he just signed up, you basically stole someone else's info and made it look like your own.

Anyways, I was thinking about picking up a 2nd 7970 soon, because I am thinking about going eyefinity.

What is everybody's thought on eyefinity? Is it worth the hassle (I play alot of FPS, I know alot of the time they dont do their widescreen scaling correctly) and will I had a hard time getting smooth gameplay with 1 7970 on eyefinity?

Was thinking 3x27 inch, or possibly 3x24 inch (difference of about $300-350 for the 24 vs 27).

But 1920x1080 on a 27 inch seems to be stretching out the image quality..

Just would like some opinions before I drop another $1000 on something I may not even want.


----------



## Denim-187

Oh noes its the attack of the d noobzors









I actually think it might be the guys from the "source", SUE ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!








Be gone little trolls.

In other headlines.... People need to get out more


----------



## Renairy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Oh noes its the attack of the d noobzors
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I actually think it might be the guys from the "source", SUE ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Be gone little trolls.
> In other headlines.... People need to get out more


This
Who cares where people get info from?i have been keeping tab on this thread and Denim-187 has alotttt of his work that he says is his.
Im sure he does not mention the 7950 being his. geeeeeez some internet anal ****s here.
Anyhow My MSI 7970 is on the way


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Why am I being put in the box of trolls?


----------



## Renairy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Doesnt matter Denim.. credit is credit. Doesnt matter if he just signed up, you basically stole someone else's info and made it look like your own.
> Anyways, I was thinking about picking up a 2nd 7970 soon, because I am thinking about going eyefinity.
> What is everybody's thought on eyefinity? Is it worth the hassle (I play alot of FPS, I know alot of the time they dont do their widescreen scaling correctly) and will I had a hard time getting smooth gameplay with 1 7970 on eyefinity?
> Was thinking 3x27 inch, or possibly 3x24 inch (difference of about $300-350 for the 24 vs 27).
> But 1920x1080 on a 27 inch seems to be stretching out the image quality..
> Just would like some opinions before I drop another $1000 on something I may not even want.


i have good idea for you why do you not try get on google and search info yourself and not rely on other people to spend the $1000 for u


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Nice recommendation Goop. I would say you should probably go for the S27A(750)D instead of the 950d. It's the same monitor, except it has a slightly more conventional stand and only DisplayPort for 120hz (which is fine because your 7970 has mini-dp). It is also 200-300 dollars cheaper for the same panel and has had slightly less problems than the 950. TigerDirect had them for 399 on some redonculous magic-deal last week so i bought one. It took a while to get the settings right but it is really nice. Here's a great review: http://www.pcmonitors.org/monitor-reviews/samsung-s27a750d


I just noticed this. What is samsung charging the extra 200.00 for? A fancy case and a dvi-d. Display port and Hdmi are better anyways. DVI will be gone by 2014.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> I just noticed this. What is samsung charging the extra 200.00 for? A fancy case and a dvi-d.


You got it, that's it. Some people will pay for design (looks at apple). The dvi is needed for a lot of Nvidia users who don't have DP. I actually like the design of the 750d better anyway, and it has less inherent problems than the 950 (pinch bleed from the stand hinge/sagging non-hinged side).


----------



## chorner

I wonder if later supplies of these cards will be able to overclock as well as the initial batch? I've got another one coming in, and am kind of worried the initial batches were the better ones. I've seen signs of people getting cards (as well as reviewers) now that will do only 1,150mhz @ 2.4volts which is horrible compared to the initial review units, and a few of the cards people got on launch. A good ~100mhz shy is a big difference in silicon quality on these GPUs with all other conditions being equal.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> I wonder if later supplies of these cards will be able to overclock as well as the initial batch? I've got another one coming in, and am kind of worried the initial batches were the better ones. I've seen signs of people getting cards (as well as reviewers) now that will do only 1,150mhz @ 2.4volts which is horrible compared to the initial review units, and a few of the cards people got on launch. A good ~100mhz shy is a big difference in silicon quality on these GPUs with all other conditions being equal.


I just got my gigabyte yesterday. 74% asic (means nothing) went straight to 1260/1700 on water. I'm gonna try to tweak more when I get home, but I think we are hitting a locked vcore wall.


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Renairy*
> 
> i have good idea for you why do you not try get on google and search info yourself and not rely on other people to spend the $1000 for u


I did google Denim-187 sapphire 7970's review came up. Which led me to purchase them. I've been pm'ing him and he's been answering all my questions about them he's been very helpful. Hell I made an account to pm him so what he posts is quite useful.


----------



## Renairy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I did google Denim-187 sapphire 7970's review came up. Which led me to purchase them. I've been pm'ing him and he's been answering all my questions about them he's been very helpful. Hell I made an account to pm him so what he posts is quite useful.


i was talken to the other guy.







i plan also to go crossfire after seeing the numbers in that review.
for now i will enjoy my single 7970 until more $ hopefull here tommorro !


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> .....I've seen signs of people getting cards (as well as reviewers) now that will do only 1,150mhz @ *2.4volts* which is horrible.....


U mad bro?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> U mad bro?


lmao it's a custom mod!


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Sure, you go ahead and shoot 2.4V into that chip for 1150 MHz. I can manage that at 1.112V. Good luck!


----------



## NorxMAL

I lover this forum, the best ever









Oh, I want to







you all









If I buy another 7970, I hope it overclocks as good as the one I have now, hence they overclock about the same.

If I have a 7970, and buy a 7990, would that result in trifire, as if I had 3x 7970?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I lover this forum, the best ever
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, I want to
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> you all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I buy another 7970, I hope it overclocks as good as the one I have now, hence they overclock about the same.
> If I have a 7970, and buy a 7990, would that result in trifire, as if I had 3x 7970?


Yes a single 7970 with a dual 7990 would equal tri-fire (3x 7970) performance.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Yes a single 7970 with a dual 7990 would equal tri-fire (3x 7970) performance.


Assuming the 7990 has the same core clock as the 7970. If not, just overclock it to match


----------



## Denim-187

New MSI 7970 design.... doesn't look too bad.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I did google Denim-187 sapphire 7970's review came up. Which led me to purchase them. I've been pm'ing him and he's been answering all my questions about them he's been very helpful. Hell I made an account to pm him so what he posts is quite useful.


Anytime bud


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> New MSI 7970 design.... doesn't look too bad.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> Anytime bud


almost same as reference lol and ref looks better


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> New MSI 7970 design.... doesn't look too bad.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> Anytime bud


This was news yesterday......








Whats news today is this. The first sign of the MSI Computer ATI 7970 3G TWINFROZRIII
http://www.ecost.com/p/product~dpno~8986417~pdp.habcjjg?source=EWBCJPRODCAT


----------



## jshotz

What do you guys think the price range will be for a 7990. $750+?


----------



## Newbie2009

€799?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> What do you guys think the price range will be for a 7990. $750+?


749.99 is the rumor, but the initial rape factor will have it at 799.99 from vendors.


----------



## TheJesus

I saw $849.99 as the rumor.

I'd be surprised if it was under 800.


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I saw $849.99 as the rumor.
> I'd be surprised if it was under 800.


Damn a crossfire would cost as much as another system







I better start skipping coffee now.


----------



## wirefox

add on the overpriced blocks we are seeing for 7970 ...... makes my trifire dreams pretty pricey...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> add on the overpriced blocks we are seeing for 7970 ...... makes my trifire dreams pretty pricey...


Just don't let your dog get a hold of your blocks.


----------



## TheJesus

6970: $350
6990: $700

7970: $550
7990: $1100 (theoretically)

... lol


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Just don't let your dog get a hold of your blocks.


haha







he knows better to stay out of my tech junk


----------



## bigvaL

How do I figure out which version of the card I have? I've heard of two cards each with different starting vcore.

Also, is it still the case that I have to flash my card to the ASUS bios to change vcore? One last thing, what are the vcore limits for these cards? Just depends on the temps?


----------



## WiL11o6

Okay OCN and Demin, if this doesn't work, I am going to point fingers are you guys!

These are my EXACT steps:

1. Put in Windows 7 CD with Service Pack 1, booted from DISC.

2. Reformatted drive, installed Windows 7 Home Edition.

3. Put in Gigabyte Motherboard Drivers

4. Downloaded the RC11 drivers that Demin linked (I'm coming after you if this doesn't work), and downloaded CAP3 drivers.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Youve obviously screwed the driver install and corrupted the registry.
> 1. Reinstall windows. *Don't* use the cd for the driver use the following link.
> http://download.benchmark3d.com/AMD/Catalyst/8.921.2/RC11/amd_radeon_hd7900_win7_64_RC11.exe
> 2. Install 11.12 CAP3
> Thats all u have to do, that's all ive been doing since HD 3870.. Never had a problem.


5. Installed RC11 drivers, told to restart, I clicked restart. Upon restarting, my monitor's brightness was like -90% and this window popped up.

I couldn't open CCC or anything because that window would pop up. I just restarted my computer and everything booted up fine. I proceeded to install CAP3, that installed fine. I DID NOT TOUCH ANYTHING IN CCC AFTERWARDS, except make sure Crossfire is enabled and check all stock speeds. Right now "Enable Graphics Overdrive" is checked.

6. I am now installing BF3, so when that's done, I'll make a run through the game to see if I was having the same problems last night with LOW frames.

I just don't know why that window popped up after I installed the drivers, if you can't see, it says:
"The Catalyst Control Center is not supported by the driver version of your enabled graphics adapter. Please update your AMD graphics driver or enable your AMD adapter using the Displays Manger."

So now I wait....

Note: I am not blaming you guys if it doesn't work. I'm just kidding, just frustrated I couldn't get this setup to work for the last 24 hours when my SLI 570s worked literally, instantly. You guys have been great help.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Add me in!. XFX CORE EDITION.


----------



## CDMAN

Does any one have the msi bios with the default core clock of 1010?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> How do I figure out which version of the card I have? I've heard of two cards each with different starting vcore.
> Also, is it still the case that I have to flash my card to the ASUS bios to change vcore? One last thing, what are the vcore limits for these cards? Just depends on the temps?


1. 4 versions : 1.005ish/1.045ish/1.145ish/?

2. You don't have to flash your cards. It really won't do anything for you right now that you couldn't do in Afterburner.

3. Vcore limit is 1.35, but there is a theory that the voltages are locked anyway at ~ 1.2ish max which is why people are hitting an invisible overclocking ceiling @ 1250-1300 mhz.


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> 1. 4 versions : 1.005ish/1.045ish/1.145ish/?
> 2. You don't have to flash your cards. It really won't do anything for you right now that you couldn't do in Afterburner.
> 3. Vcore limit is 1.35, but there is a theory that the voltages are locked anyway at ~ 1.2ish max which is why people are hitting an invisible overclocking ceiling @ 1250-1300 mhz.


Thanks.

So how come I can't change voltage in afterburner? It's just disabled. Also, where do I see what default vcore I have? I can't get anything to show that info.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Thanks.
> So how come I can't change voltage in afterburner? It's just disabled. Also, where do I see what default vcore I have? I can't get anything to show that info.


You have to edit the msiafterburner config file in the afterburner directory (while afterburned is closed) and change the "enableunofficialoverclocking=0 to =1".

The default voltage might be tied to the Asic quality number if I remember right, but I'm not sure.


----------



## dVeLoPe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> How do I figure out which version of the card I have? I've heard of two cards each with different starting vcore.
> Also, is it still the case that I have to flash my card to the ASUS bios to change vcore? One last thing, what are the vcore limits for these cards? Just depends on the temps?


with GPU-Z 0.5.8 you right click on the top of the application next to the X and select check ASIC quality.


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> You have to edit the msiafterburner config file in the afterburner directory (while afterburned is closed) and change the "enableunofficialoverclocking=0 to =1".
> The default voltage might be tied to the Asic quality number if I remember right, but I'm not sure.


Hmm, I did that and I get the "i am aware of risks" etc message when I open afterburner but I can't change the voltage...

My ASIC quality is 71.2% ... What does that mean lol.... I haven't overclocked a videocard in forever. My 5870's ran hot in my system so I didn't OC them. Things have changed since coolbits.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dVeLoPe*
> 
> with GPU-Z 0.5.8 you right click on the top of the application next to the X and select check ASIC quality.


He knows his asic quality, he wants to know his card's "true" default voltage.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Hmm, I did that and I get the "i am aware of risks" etc message when I open afterburner but I can't change the voltage...


Oh, also you need to go into afterburner settings (from within the program) and click the buttons referring to unlock voltage control etc.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> How do I figure out which version of the card I have? I've heard of two cards each with different starting vcore.
> 
> Also, is it still the case that I have to flash my card to the ASUS bios to change vcore? One last thing, what are the vcore limits for these cards? Just depends on the temps?


Use the latest GPU-Z to read the ASIC Vid or

MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11 then use this command line "MSIAfterburner.exe /rr174" http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=356803&page=5

There are 4 ASIC Vid;

up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V

BIOS flashing is to get higher clock limits and to be able to use ASUS Tweak utility, nothing more. *Overvolting is BIOS locked @ +125mV.*

Say your ASIC is 1.050V + 0.250V = *1.300V* but actual is only *1.175V.*


----------



## RickardKarstark

Hello, I have a problem overclocking a Powercolor 7970: my vga has a default voltage of 1,112v (seen from afterburner defaults). With 1.170v, the minimum voltage that trixx let me set, i'm stable at 1175mhz (i tried 40 min of occt 3.1 error test) but if i try any higher clock even with 1.25v i get errors. It's a normal behavior? how can i reach higher clocks?

Thanks in advance


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> He knows his asic quality, he wants to know his card's "true" default voltage.
> Oh, also you need to go into afterburner settings (from within the program) and click the buttons referring to unlock voltage control etc.


Wow I feel stupid... I've never used this app before didn't even see that button.

Is the "Force constant voltage" option something I should enable? It seems that way.

Also, Afterburner lets me choose which vcore I start with. It defaulted to 1175mv but I can choose others. I guess I need to figure out my real voltage so I can set that setting.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Here's a screenshot, and I had vsync disabled.
> 
> 79% GPU usage, getting 49 frames. Pretty low for a $1100 card setup. This is a small overview of a full 64-player map, and I stood here for a good 1 minute to see if it changes. I turn around, buildings behind me, the GPU usage quickly shoots up to ~98% and frames jump back up to 120.
> Drivers? This is a fresh install of BF3, windows 7, and AMD drivers.
> CPU bottleneck at 1080p?
> Edit: Here's another one with vsync OFF, it just so happens the fps is near 60.
> *This is in default "HIGH" settings, meaning NO AA, and everything on HIGH. Notice the 50% GPU usage*
> 
> *This one is default "ULTRA" settings, meaning 4xMSAA, all ULTRA. Notice the 85% GPU usage.*
> 
> I would think, setting from HIGH to ULTRA would net me higher FPS, but it remains the exact same. Leading me to believe it's my CPU. Switching settings to medium and to low settings, sent my FPS back up to around 80fps.
> What the heck is going on? Surely my CPU is able to handle BF3. I don't remember my SLI 570s dipping under 60s unless it was vram wall, which stuttered and jerked at 30fps.


Wouldn't think the cpu would be bottlenecking... I just ran BF3 on a single monitor to do a test. Everything at what the ultra tab would put it except MSAA off. FXAA still high, 16xaf, hbao, etc.... 64 player sharqi map I avg 95fps (fraps min/avg/max) I was hitting as high as 150fps in a lot of areas, lowest being 79. With msaa this does come down a good bit of course but you're numbers should be insanely high. In Metro map in doors i've even pegged the 200fps cap limit a few times.

Edit: I have a single XFX Black 7970 overlocked 1200/1800


----------



## Balsagna

So I flashed to the Asus bios on my HIS 7970. Is there a way for me to control the voltage. I've only gotten stable at 1165/1575 so far without any voltage increase


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Use the latest GPU-Z to read the ASIC Vid or
> 
> MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11 then use this command line "MSIAfterburner.exe /rr174" http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=356803&page=5
> 
> There are 4 ASIC Vid;
> 
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V
> 
> BIOS flashing is to get higher clock limits and to be able to use ASUS Tweak utility, nothing more. *Overvolting is BIOS locked @ +125mV.*
> 
> Say your ASIC is 1.050V + 0.250V = *1.300V* but actual is only *1.175V.*


So I guess that means I have the highest default vcore.... Typical.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> You got it, that's it. Some people will pay for design (looks at apple). The dvi is needed for a lot of Nvidia users who don't have DP. I actually like the design of the 750d better anyway, and it has less inherent problems than the 950 (pinch bleed from the stand hinge/sagging non-hinged side).


I'm pretty sure mini display port will be included on the new nvidia cards. For now for me its a 7990 on a 750d with this beast http://www.walmart.com/ip/Monster-8-Digital-Life-Advanced-High-Speed-Mini-DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort-Adapter/16621307?ci_sku=16621307&ci_src=14110944&sourceid=1500000000000003142050


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Wow I feel stupid... I've never used this app before didn't even see that button.
> Is the "Force constant voltage" option something I should enable? It seems that way.
> Also, Afterburner lets me choose which vcore I start with. It defaulted to 1175mv but I can choose others. I guess I need to figure out my real voltage so I can set that setting.


1.175 is the right default voltage for your card. You don't need to force constant voltage (and shouldn't except in xfire crazy benching scenarios. And as before with the voltage ceiling limited it doesn't matter anyway.

I would start at setting voltage to 1.2 and then adjusting the core clock +50mhz at a time. Then +25, +10, temps permitting. You should be able to hit 1150+.

PS: Asic quality doesn't mean squat (or your default voltage). In fact, someone posted an amd article stating that it worked in reverse. He stated that the higher leakage cards are volted lower to get them all within spec range.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Wow I feel stupid... I've never used this app before didn't even see that button.
> 
> Is the "Force constant voltage" option something I should enable? It seems that way.
> 
> Also, Afterburner lets me choose which vcore I start with. It defaulted to 1175mv but I can choose others. I guess I need to figure out my real voltage so I can set that setting.


Select processor type as per ASIC VID.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> So I flashed to the Asus bios on my HIS 7970. Is there a way for me to control the voltage. I've only gotten stable at 1165/1575 so far without any voltage increase


If you are using Afterburner, enable "unofficial overclocking". MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11

Enable "unofficial overclocking" HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> So I guess that means I have the highest default vcore.... Typical.


Disregard what the ASIC value is, so far haven't seen the difference interms of overclokability.


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> 1.175 is the right default voltage for your card. You don't need to force constant voltage (and shouldn't except in xfire crazy benching scenarios. And as before with the voltage ceiling limited it doesn't matter anyway.
> I would start at setting voltage to 1.2 and then adjusting the core clock +50mhz at a time. Then +25, +10, temps permitting. You should be able to hit 1150+.
> PS: Asic quality doesn't mean squat (or your default voltage). In fact, someone posted an amd article stating that it worked in reverse.


Thank you sir. So if my default is 1.175v that means the highest I can possibly set it to because of bios lock is??? 1.225 or something?

I set it to 1200mv, 1100core, 1500mem. Going to run Heaven Bench to see what happens. I tried 1100/1500 before on default voltage. All I ran was 3DMark Vantage and played some CS Source. I did have 1 freeze but it recovered and came back. Vantage had a red tint to some of the tests so I don't know if that was the program or artifacts. They weren't random or anything and the test finished so I don't know.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> I'm pretty sure mini display port will be included on the new nvidia cards. For now for me its a 7990 on a 750d with this beast http://www.walmart.com/ip/Monster-8-Digital-Life-Advanced-High-Speed-Mini-DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort-Adapter/16621307?ci_sku=16621307&ci_src=14110944&sourceid=1500000000000003142050


has anyone seen a difference between Dvi-D and display for sa950 120hz monitors and 7970?


----------



## ElGreco

*ARTIFACTS DURING WINDOWS START-UP*

Hi,

I was wondering if any of you who have xfire 7970 are experiencing momentarily artifacts during windows boot up and just after the glowing windows 7 logo. This phenomenon has a duration of about 1 sec at least in my case...

So?


----------



## OverSightX

Registered! Should get mine Monday from the egg.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Thank you sir. So if my default is 1.175v that means the highest I can possibly set it to because of bios lock is??? 1.225 or something?
> I set it to 1200mv, 1100core, 1500mem. Going to run Heaven Bench to see what happens. I tried 1100/1500 before on default voltage. All I ran was 3DMark Vantage and played some CS Source. I did have 1 freeze but it recovered and came back. Vantage had a red tint to some of the tests so I don't know if that was the program or artifacts. They weren't random or anything and the test finished so I don't know.


Correct. You can set it to 1.3v but no one thinks it's actually getting that voltage. I believe 1.22 is the theoretical limit right now. Explains why I maxed out at 1260/1700 on that voltage and couldn't get any higher all the way up to 1.3v.

Heaven is a good bench to test for artifacting as well as FH Crysis warhead bench tool and vantage.


----------



## bigvaL

Can someone post an SS of the proper OCCT settings to test? I've used OCCT before but only for CPUs. I have version 3.1.0 installed. I ran it at defaults on the GPU test but my GPU temp didn't go up at all.


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> I have version 3.1.0 installed. I ran it at defaults on the GPU test but my GPU temp didn't go up at all.


Try OCCT 4.0.1 Beta 8.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Thank you sir. So if my default is 1.175v that means the highest I can possibly set it to because of bios lock is??? 1.225 or something?
> 
> I set it to 1200mv, 1100core, 1500mem. Going to run Heaven Bench to see what happens. I tried 1100/1500 before on default voltage. All I ran was 3DMark Vantage and played some CS Source. I did have 1 freeze but it recovered and came back. Vantage had a red tint to some of the tests so I don't know if that was the program or artifacts. They weren't random or anything and the test finished so I don't know.


Default as per ASIC 1.175v +0.125v, the max is 1.300v and actual also 1.300v.

There's memory voltage you can tweak by pressing the small arrow drop down;


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> has anyone seen a difference between Dvi-D and display for sa950 120hz monitors and 7970?


Display port is the best available right now which is why I'm surprised nvidia didn't include it on the 500 series. They say DVI will be obsolete by 2014. The 750d will only run 120hz with display port. I can't justify spending the extra 200-250 on the 950 for a fancy stand and dvi-d which is old technology.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SimpleTech*
> 
> Try OCCT 4.0.1 Beta 8.


I highly advise against using a newer version than 3.1 when stressing the GPU.

As for the settings, shader complexity 8 and fullscreen should do the trick.
If you are not getting over 430 FPS, the card is probably being throttled.
In which case, I recommend you set unofficial overclocking to *2* in the AB config file and disable ULPS in the system registry.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Default as per ASIC 1.175v +0.125v, the max is 1.300v and actual also 1.300v.
> 
> There's memory voltage you can tweak by pressing the small arrow drop down;


No one is actually achieving that voltage though. There seems to be an invisible ceiling at ~ 1.22. Also, I o/c'd my memory all the way to 1700 and didn't touch the memory voltage control.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> 1. 4 versions : 1.005ish/1.045ish/1.145ish/?
> 2. You don't have to flash your cards. It really won't do anything for you right now that you couldn't do in Afterburner.
> 3. Vcore limit is 1.35, but there is a theory that the voltages are locked anyway at ~ 1.2ish max which is why people are hitting an invisible overclocking ceiling @ 1250-1300 mhz.


1. 4 versions: 1025mV, 1050mV, 1112mV and 1175mV.
3. Maximum voltage of 125mV above default before the protection kicks in.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> 1. 4 versions: 1025mV, 1050mV, 1112mV and 1175mV.
> 3. Maximum voltage of 125mV above default before the protection kicks in.


----------



## WiL11o6

Alright, so fresh install with drivers, etc from my previous post, seems to be same problem. The GPU usage never really sits at 95-99%, it fluctuates a lot. Here it is:


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *ARTIFACTS DURING WINDOWS START-UP*
> Hi,
> I was wondering if any of you who have xfire 7970 are experiencing momentarily artifacts during windows boot up and just after the glowing windows 7 logo. This phenomenon has a duration of about 1 sec at least in my case...
> So?


Turn off UAC.

Use this drivers + CAP3

Beta Drivers (8.921.2 RC11)

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx


----------



## Evil Penguin

...and that's when running what, WiL11o6?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

You were rightish

But I don't like ish.


----------



## CDMAN

ASIC value does matter if your card has a low value. For example I have two 7970's. One card has a ASIC value of 82 % and the other has the value of 52%. With the card that has a value of 82 % I can get 1300 on the core with just 1205v. I have not reached the limit of this card yet.

But the card with the value of 52 % required some work. At 1300v the highest the card would go to was 1190. This needs card needs more volts to get up to par. I flashed to the 1st unlocked asus bios and I could apply the voltage I needed to get past the 1200 mark on the 52 % card. I had to use 1380v to get it 3d mark stable for 1275 on the core. I am still working to get a little bit more out of this card.

I said all that to say if you have a low value card, it can be overclocked well but you need to work at it. Also keep in mind I am watercooling both cards and the temps of my cards never gets above 42.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CDMAN*
> 
> ASIC value does matter if your card has a low value. For example I have two 7970's. One card has a ASIC value of 82 % and the other has the value of 52%. With the card that has a value of 82 % I can get 1300 on the core with just 1205v. I have not reached the limit of this card yet.
> But the card with the value of 52 % required some work. At 1300v the highest the card would go to was 1190. This needs card needs more volts to get up to par. I flashed to the 1st unlocked asus bios and I could apply the voltage I needed to get past the 1200 mark on the 52 % card. I had to use 1380v to get it 3d mark stable for 1275 on the core. I am still working to get a little bit more out of this card.
> I said all that to say if you have a low value card, it can be overclocked well but you need to work at it. Also keep in mind I am watercooling both cards and the temps of my cards never gets above 42.


Except that people have had the opposite experience as well. People with higher asic values have actually returned the cards because their 60-75% asic card clobbered the other in O/C potential. That's why I'm saying that it's meaningless right now. Too much conflicting evidence. My 74% asic card hit 1260/1700 @ 1.22 volts.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Display port is the best available right now which is why I'm surprised nvidia didn't include it on the 500 series. They say DVI will be obsolete by 2014. The 750d will only run 120hz with display port. I can't justify spending the extra 200-250 on the 950 for a fancy stand and dvi-d which is old technology.


can you elaborate on "the best"...

will screen improve? fps? colors etc


----------



## Norlig

MSI Afterburner says my Driver is the 7.14.10.0890. Catalyst 11.12. but I installed the 8.921.2 RC11. Is MSI Afterburner just giving me the wrong Driver info?


----------



## WiL11o6

Ok, it looks like a CPU problem, but it makes no sense to me!!!

I reset my OC from 4.5 down to 3.4ghz, stock for 2500k, and here are my results!



I sit at 50-60FPS the entire time! with GPU usage at 50%?!

When I bench 3dmark11 with my 2500k it shows up to match other people with 2500k. What the heck?!

Could it be the motherboard doing something funny?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Ok, it looks like a CPU problem, but it makes no sense to me!!!
> I reset my OC from 4.5 down to 3.4ghz, stock for 2500k, and here are my results!
> 
> I sit at 50-60FPS the entire time! with GPU usage at 50%?!
> When I bench 3dmark11 with my 2500k it shows up to match other people with 2500k. What the heck?!
> Could it be the motherboard doing something funny?


If you disable CF, what kind of usage do you get and FPS?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> MSI Afterburner says my Driver is the 7.14.10.0890. Catalyst 11.12. but I installed the 8.921.2 RC11. Is MSI Afterburner just giving me the wrong Driver info?


It's normal.
Usually AMD doesn't update the name of the driver until its final release.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> can you elaborate on "the best"...
> will screen improve? fps? colors etc


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort
http://www.neowin.net/news/say-good-bye-to-vga-and-dvi-video-ports-in-a-few-years
The only time currently you will notice a difference between the two is when in 120hz. The dp can not only move more information then dvi but it can do it at a faster rate which gaming can be a big advantage.


----------



## Norlig

Just installed the CAP 3, and I lost 150 points in Unigine, that was from RC11 with no caps to RC11 with CAP 3... wut?


----------



## WiL11o6

lol, alright. I am very close to giving up.

I tried to disable Crossfire in CCC. It locked up my computer, completely froze with a half black screen some some images of half windows in windows 7 basic (non aero). I did a reset on my case, tried to go back into CCC to disable, same thing happened so I turned off computer. Took off the bridge and boot back into windows. Apparently now, the drivers uninstalled themselves because when I boot back into windows, it's set to 640x400 resolution with NO drivers. Good job AMD. I'm off to work now pissed off.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> MSI Afterburner says my Driver is the 7.14.10.0890. Catalyst 11.12. but I installed the 8.921.2 RC11. Is MSI Afterburner just giving me the wrong Driver info?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort
> http://www.neowin.net/news/say-good-bye-to-vga-and-dvi-video-ports-in-a-few-years
> The only time currently you will notice a difference between the two is when in 120hz. The dp can not only move more information then dvi but it can do it at a faster rate which gaming can be a big advantage.


looks like it's time to got to the store







thanks for the search


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Just installed the CAP 3, and I lost 150 points in Unigine, that was from RC11 with no caps to RC11 with CAP 3... wut?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> MSI Afterburner says my Driver is the 7.14.10.0890. Catalyst 11.12. but I installed the 8.921.2 RC11. Is MSI Afterburner just giving me the wrong Driver info?


same here but if you check the software in CCC you'll see the correct info ..


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Ok, it looks like a CPU problem, but it makes no sense to me!!!
> I reset my OC from 4.5 down to 3.4ghz, stock for 2500k, and here are my results!
> 
> I sit at 50-60FPS the entire time! with GPU usage at 50%?!
> When I bench 3dmark11 with my 2500k it shows up to match other people with 2500k. What the heck?!
> Could it be the motherboard doing something funny?


I have crossfire 7970's and to hold V-sync at 60Hz ( 1080P ) on that map my 2 cards are around 50-65% usage. Once I disable V-sync Frame rate hovers around 100+ fps with 99% usage on both cards. I am running a i5 750 @ 4.2Ghz - 8x-8x- PCI-e 2.0. So in my opinion, your cpu is far from the problem. You got drivers of something related to the GPU's themselves going on.


----------



## Favian

Can you guys tell me what the proper way is to set up 3d for gaming with 7970 crossfire and a samsung S23A950D monitor?


----------



## WiL11o6

Yeah, I have no idea what is going on. Probably going to give up very soon on this whole xfire business. I am doing everything correctly, either drivers or motherboard. There are only literally TWO drivers to choose from. I used both and nothing works. I am back on my single one right now because my xfire locks up now.

I just tried single 7970 with stock i5 2500k and it's the same as if it's ran at 4.5ghz from 3.4ghz.

This is only in BF3 I believe. I score 13k in 3dmark11 and 2k in heaven 1080p maxed. I built this for BF3 not benchmarking so....


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> Can you guys tell me what the proper way is to set up 3d for gaming with 7970 crossfire and a samsung S23A950D monitor?


You need to download the Tridef program for Samsung. Then update alot of tridef stuff. Go and look in the 750/950D thread!


----------



## Favian

ok thanks


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Yeah, I have no idea what is going on. Probably going to give up very soon on this whole xfire business. I am doing everything correctly, either drivers or motherboard. There are only literally TWO drivers to choose from. I used both and nothing works. I am back on my single one right now because my xfire locks up now.
> I just tried single 7970 with stock i5 2500k and it's the same as if it's ran at 4.5ghz from 3.4ghz.
> This is only in BF3 I believe. I score 13k in 3dmark11 and 2k in heaven 1080p maxed. I built this for BF3 not benchmarking so....


A fresh installed O.S. May help, or you could do a system restore to a earlier date previous to you installing your 7970's.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> A fresh installed O.S. May help, or you could do a system restore to a earlier date previous to you installing your 7970's.


Already did, see here since last night:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Okay OCN and Demin, if this doesn't work, I am going to point fingers are you guys!
> These are my EXACT steps:
> 1. Put in Windows 7 CD with Service Pack 1, booted from DISC.
> 2. Reformatted drive, installed Windows 7 Home Edition.
> 3. Put in Gigabyte Motherboard Drivers
> 4. Downloaded the RC11 drivers that Demin linked (I'm coming after you if this doesn't work), and downloaded CAP3 drivers.
> 5. Installed RC11 drivers, told to restart, I clicked restart. Upon restarting, my monitor's brightness was like -90% and this window popped up.
> 
> I couldn't open CCC or anything because that window would pop up. I just restarted my computer and everything booted up fine. I proceeded to install CAP3, that installed fine. I DID NOT TOUCH ANYTHING IN CCC AFTERWARDS, except make sure Crossfire is enabled and check all stock speeds. Right now "Enable Graphics Overdrive" is checked.
> 6. I am now installing BF3, so when that's done, I'll make a run through the game to see if I was having the same problems last night with LOW frames.
> I just don't know why that window popped up after I installed the drivers, if you can't see, it says:
> "The Catalyst Control Center is not supported by the driver version of your enabled graphics adapter. Please update your AMD graphics driver or enable your AMD adapter using the Displays Manger."
> So now I wait....
> Note: I am not blaming you guys if it doesn't work. I'm just kidding, just frustrated I couldn't get this setup to work for the last 24 hours when my SLI 570s worked literally, instantly. You guys have been great help.


Note: I will say that when I pulled out the bottom card, it came out pretty easily. Normally it takes a little effort to nudge it out. Maybe it wasn't seated fully? But if it works it works right? There's no, it'll sorta work, if it's not seated fully in. All other benches work fine, just BF3 though..


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Already did, see here since last night:
> Note: I will say that when I pulled out the bottom card, it came out pretty easily. Normally it takes a little effort to nudge it out. Maybe it wasn't seated fully? But if it works it works right? There's no, it'll sorta work, if it's not seated fully in. All other benches work fine, just BF3 though..


What settings are you playing at? and what monitor?

I'm actually having less than exciting results with my 7970 ...


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Except that people have had the opposite experience as well. People with higher asic values have actually returned the cards because their 60-75% asic card clobbered the other in O/C potential. That's why I'm saying that it's meaningless right now. Too much conflicting evidence. My 74% asic card hit 1260/1700 @ 1.22 volts.


Ya, my 73% card totally destroyed my 84% card in overclocking which is now on Ebay.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort
> http://www.neowin.net/news/say-good-bye-to-vga-and-dvi-video-ports-in-a-few-years
> The only time currently you will notice a difference between the two is when in 120hz. The dp can not only move more information then dvi but it can do it at a faster rate which gaming can be a big advantage.


I will hate to see DVI-D go. It is a very strong and stable signal for longer runs. HDMI is worthless junk, it cannot even do 1080P @ 120Hz. Display port still leaves much to be desired. It is a low voltage weak signal that has trouble at distance. I can't tell you how many DP monitors, GPU's and cables I've had that have flickering issues, signal problems and the AMD "DP link-quality" error messages. DP is crap compared to DVI-D when you want a work-guaranteed stable signal.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Already did, see here since last night:
> Note: I will say that when I pulled out the bottom card, it came out pretty easily. Normally it takes a little effort to nudge it out. Maybe it wasn't seated fully? But if it works it works right? There's no, it'll sorta work, if it's not seated fully in. All other benches work fine, just BF3 though..


Did you turn off UAC and all Windows components updated including SP1?

*The AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center requires that the Microsoft® .NET Framework SP1 be installed for Windows® XP and Windows® Vista. Without .NET SP1 installed, the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center will not launch properly and the user will see an error message.*


----------



## wirefox

Here is what I have so far... still haven't put in a lot of time to fine tune... but

I update the bios to Asus.HD7970.3072.120104

I used the GUI method in GPU Tweak to update my bios. Pretty sure it worked okay .. **Question is the bios number supposed to change on GPUz? -- b/c it doesn't look like it did -- but I have the extra voltz in gpu tools as it goes up to 1400mv now and if I try to reinstal the above bios - it says already installed (so likely on there I assume)

Stock
cpu
925mhz
1112mv (guess it could be worse)

mem
1375 (5500)
1600mv

ASIC score
76.5%

OC

Currently running 50% fan (but getting a block soon)

+20powertune

1156mhz
1162mv

mem
1612
1500 (6000)










7970 heaven

left to right 5970 @ 1100/1365 normal tess | 7970 above specs normal tess | 7970 above specs extreme










I guess its about a 20% jump in normal from my 5970 v 7970 ... but I kind of thought I'd see better FPS. (still noodling will update once waterblock is in)

Objectively,
w/ vsync is on SA950 120hz monitor
BF3 on high 90-120 fps it's all over this range
BF3 on med upper 95ish - 120 fps it's all over this range
BF3 Ultra upper 40s to 60+ FPS

I guess I had hoped for more solid minimum fps. I may try to switch to a display port and see if that helps as suggested...

The extra vram is extremely noticeable from 5970-7970

I noticed that my cpu is in the 95+ usage when playing bf3... not sure if that is affecting the game or ocz... e.g - plan was to go SB-E 3930k and upgrade with this card. I'm wondering if PCI 3.0 and SBE extra lanes will help the clocks?

Net is I'm happy with the card, coming off of a 5970.. BF3 runs better with the extra vram and FPS are noticeably better though I wished to see higher - I need to check skyrim next .. I do wish it was cheaper and hope drivers improve stability - sooner rather than later...


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Ya, my 73% card totally destroyed my 84% card in overclocking which is now on Ebay.
> I will hate to see DVI-D go. It is a very strong and stable signal for longer runs. HDMI is worthless junk, it cannot even do 1080P @ 120Hz. Display port still leaves much to be desired. It is a low voltage weak signal that has trouble at distance. I can't tell you how many DP monitors, GPU's and cables I've had that have flickering issues, signal problems and the AMD "DP link-quality" error messages. DP is crap compared to DVI-D when you want a work-guaranteed stable signal.


so it sounds like you are on dvi-d as well ... I was thinking of switch and trying a male/male to see if it pushed more through with this 7970... conflicted now


----------



## Outcasst

Here are some 12.2 Preview drivers that have been modded to support the 7 series.

http://www.mediafire.com/?4wakzmpptoos9z1

From guru3D forums.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Here are some 12.2 Preview drivers that have been modded to support the 7 series.
> http://www.mediafire.com/?4wakzmpptoos9z1
> From guru3D forums.


Not recommended.
The actual drivers don't support the 79x0 series.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Ya, my 73% card totally destroyed my 84% card in overclocking which is now on Ebay.
> I will hate to see DVI-D go. It is a very strong and stable signal for longer runs. HDMI is worthless junk, it cannot even do 1080P @ 120Hz. Display port still leaves much to be desired. It is a low voltage weak signal that has trouble at distance. I can't tell you how many DP monitors, GPU's and cables I've had that have flickering issues, signal problems and the AMD "DP link-quality" error messages. DP is crap compared to DVI-D when you want a work-guaranteed stable signal.


I think the problem with most who have issues with display port connections especially the "dp link-quality" error is the quality of the cable itself. Spent about 2 hours researching this error on the 27" 750d and most of those who were having this issue was due to poor cables especially the one's that were included in the monitors box which is usually junk anyways. I'm a big home theater guy and it reminds me of the days when people were using low quality digital coaxial cable for 5.1 surround and getting bad sound. I believe the same applies for display port when trying to push tons of quality information through them in the case of high end pc gaming.These errors don't occur for everyday business/internet use with display port. Simple fix for this is to run a high end cable for your high end monitor coming from your high end video card. I'm going with these only 60.00 at walmart. http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=5410 I've never understood why people would run cheap connections between high end equipment. You have a 500 dollar monitor and over a grand in video cards and your going to link them together with a 10 dollar cable.


----------



## unrealskill

newegg has there cards ob ebay fyi


----------



## Porter_

well now look at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3891137&SID=rewrite

(credit: http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1038311778&postcount=1109)


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> well now look at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3891137&SID=rewrite
> (credit: http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1038311778&postcount=1109)


ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah its only a matter of time before the asus/msi versions pop up.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> newegg has there cards ob ebay fyi


ugh is that a tax free purchase too ... darn


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah its only a matter of time before the asus/msi versions pop up.


damn decent price too on the gigabyte card.


----------



## chorner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> U mad bro?


lol what? Yeah, I'm pissed man


----------



## unrealskill

im glad i wont have money for one till next week then i might get one with a great cooler


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> The AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center requires that the Microsoft® .NET Framework SP1 be installed for Windows® XP and Windows® Vista. Without .NET SP1 installed, the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center will not launch properly and the user will see an error message.
> 
> Did you turn off UAC and all Windows components updated including SP1?
> 
> *The AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center requires that the Microsoft® .NET Framework SP1 be installed for Windows® XP and Windows® Vista. Without .NET SP1 installed, the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center will not launch properly and the user will see an error message.*


Thanks ken,

I'm using the windows 7 cd with sp1 installed, but didn't update drivers further. Could that be it?


----------



## topdog

I have the 3470 1.112v ASIC 82% version
I've tried increasing the core voltage to 1400mV which goes down to 1332-1337mV when under load and couldn't run Heaven at higher clocks than at when the voltage was at 1212mV


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *topdog*
> 
> I have the 3470 1.112v ASIC 82% version
> I've tried increasing the core voltage to 1400mV which goes down to 1332-1337mV when under load and couldn't run Heaven at higher clocks than at when the voltage was at 1212mV


How did you manage 1.4? Did I miss something?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> How did you manage 1.4? Did I miss something?


if you update the bios with the ASUS OC version ... you can get higher volts in ASUS gpu tweak tool ... goes up to 1.4


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> if you update the bios with the ASUS OC version ... you can get higher volts in ASUS gpu tweak tool ... goes up to 1.4


The one listed in the OP?


----------



## Balsagna

Bah.....

I caved and bought a 2nd 7970.







-- I'm shipping out in less than a month and only have a 1080P monitor..... But I wanted to indulge myself one last time


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Bah.....
> I caved and bought a 2nd 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- I'm shipping out in less than a month and only have a 1080P monitor..... But I wanted to indulge myself one last time


Its not overkill for the top AAA games that I have !









You will enjoy your second card trust me


----------



## WiL11o6

If I can get mine to work properly...


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> The one listed in the OP?


read from here on http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/1930


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> So I flashed to the Asus bios on my HIS 7970. Is there a way for me to control the voltage. I've only gotten stable at 1165/1575 so far without any voltage increase


I still can flash my sapphire









did you do it though DOS ?


----------



## bigvaL

Here's my results so far:

Voltage: 1260mv
Mem Voltage: 1600mv (stock)
Max temp: 76C
Core: 1200
Memory: 1600

Heaven Score: 2049
Vantage Score: 33496

OCCT ran without errors for 1 hour. Error check OFF. Full Screen ON. Shader Complexity 8.

Heaven ran fine... Vantage has a red tint to it on the 2nd test and a few others however it did that even at lower OC's and it ALWAYS looks the same. Is this something that's caused by drivers or lack of support for my card? I have Vantage installed and the v102 patch.

As far as the memory voltage goes, how high can I go on that? I guess since I can't see the temperature of the memory it's a hard cap at something?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Here's my results so far:
> Voltage: 1260mv
> Mem Voltage: 1600mv (stock)
> Max temp: 76C
> Core: 1200
> Memory: 1600
> Heaven Score: 2049
> Vantage Score: 33496
> OCCT ran without errors for 1 hour. Error check OFF. Full Screen ON. Shader Complexity 8.
> Heaven ran fine... Vantage has a red tint to it on the 2nd test and a few others however it did that even at lower OC's and it ALWAYS looks the same. Is this something that's caused by drivers or lack of support for my card? I have Vantage installed and the v102 patch.
> As far as the memory voltage goes, how high can I go on that? I guess since I can't see the temperature of the memory it's a hard cap at something?


That's a fantastic overclock there! Nice job!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Okay OCN and Demin, if this doesn't work, I am going to point fingers are you guys!
> These are my EXACT steps:
> 1. Put in Windows 7 CD with Service Pack 1, booted from DISC.
> 2. Reformatted drive, installed Windows 7 Home Edition.
> 3. Put in Gigabyte Motherboard Drivers
> 4. Downloaded the RC11 drivers that Demin linked (I'm coming after you if this doesn't work), and downloaded CAP3 drivers.
> 5. Installed RC11 drivers, told to restart, I clicked restart. Upon restarting, my monitor's brightness was like -90% and this window popped up.
> 
> I couldn't open CCC or anything because that window would pop up. I just restarted my computer and everything booted up fine. I proceeded to install CAP3, that installed fine. I DID NOT TOUCH ANYTHING IN CCC AFTERWARDS, except make sure Crossfire is enabled and check all stock speeds. Right now "Enable Graphics Overdrive" is checked.
> 6. I am now installing BF3, so when that's done, I'll make a run through the game to see if I was having the same problems last night with LOW frames.
> I just don't know why that window popped up after I installed the drivers, if you can't see, it says:
> "The Catalyst Control Center is not supported by the driver version of your enabled graphics adapter. Please update your AMD graphics driver or enable your AMD adapter using the Displays Manger."
> So now I wait....
> Note: I am not blaming you guys if it doesn't work. I'm just kidding, just frustrated I couldn't get this setup to work for the last 24 hours when my SLI 570s worked literally, instantly. You guys have been great help.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> lol, alright. I am very close to giving up.
> I tried to disable Crossfire in CCC. It locked up my computer, completely froze with a half black screen some some images of half windows in windows 7 basic (non aero). I did a reset on my case, tried to go back into CCC to disable, same thing happened so I turned off computer. Took off the bridge and boot back into windows. Apparently now, the drivers uninstalled themselves because when I boot back into windows, it's set to 640x400 resolution with NO drivers. Good job AMD. I'm off to work now pissed off.


Ok that error at the start indicates one fo your cards are disabled.
Restart the computer starting in *Safe Mode*.
Right click My Computer > Properties > Device Manager > Display Adapters
Make sure both cards are enabled.

Once you have restarted window, do the same and make sure they're both enabled.
Seems a little odd that everything else is working fine but BF3 man im just dumb founded right now.
Let us know, we'll work you right through to u get it sorted dnt give upppp.


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> That's a fantastic overclock there! Nice job!


I guess I can just slide the vcore slider to max now that I'm already over the cap?

I need to figure out the max voltage for memory. Is it something I should even worry about changing? I don't think I'm going to benefit much more from faster ram.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> I guess I can just slide the vcore slider to max now that I'm already over the cap?
> I need to figure out the max voltage for memory. Is it something I should even worry about changing? I don't think I'm going to benefit much more from faster ram.


Over the cap will just be the display the actual will be ASIC Vid +0.125v, but you can give it a try.

As for memory voltage, leave the core clocks as it is now, raise the memory clocks and memory voltage and measure the performance increase running benchmarks. Stop untill you see diminishing results or artifacts. Artifact is a good sign to fall back. Avoid BSOD if all possible.

Make a back-up or image file of the working Windows activated OS.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> I guess I can just slide the vcore slider to max now that I'm already over the cap?
> I need to figure out the max voltage for memory. Is it something I should even worry about changing? I don't think I'm going to benefit much more from faster ram.


I would actually call it good. Sliding the voltage past 1.26 won't yield you any results, at least from my experience and other o/c's I have seen. Leave the mem voltage alone. I have my mem at 1700 which is pretty close to the max I've seen (someone had 1850). It won't hurt to test more voltage and mem clocks, but I think you are getting close to your top o/c on air. What temps is your gpu at while you're benching at those speeds?

*edit: I just saw you posted 76c, so yes I believe you are near the limits. A lot of 7970 start getting *****y in the 70-80c range.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Did you turn off UAC and all Windows components updated including SP1?
> 
> *The AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center requires that the Microsoft® .NET Framework SP1 be installed for Windows® XP and Windows® Vista. Without .NET SP1 installed, the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center / AMD Vision™ Engine Control Center will not launch properly and the user will see an error message.*
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks ken,
> 
> I'm using the windows 7 cd with sp1 installed, but didn't update drivers further. Could that be it?
Click to expand...

Yes, run Windows Update to install all available. DO NOT update AMD graphics driver from Windows Update.

Since you are on Beta drivers, turn off UAC because it's not supported by Windows.

Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > move the slider to bottom > restart PC


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Ok that error at the start indicates one fo your cards are disabled.
> Restart the computer starting in *Safe Mode*.
> Right click My Computer > Properties > Device Manager > Display Adapters
> Make sure both cards are enabled.
> Once you have restarted window, do the same and make sure they're both enabled.
> Seems a little odd that everything else is working fine but BF3 man im just dumb founded right now.
> Let us know, we'll work you right through to u get it sorted dnt give upppp.


Thanks for the support Demin, and others. I am dumbfounded too. Sure, if it is disabled, but upon restart, it gets enabled since everything in gpu-z amd afterburner checks out both cards properly so I don't know why the initial install had them disabled. And also, how it seems only bf3 has a problem and it very much points to CPU, but a 2500k should be more than enough. I tried single card, completely took out my second, 2500k at stock and played some bf3, everything seemed normal. Gpu at 99% and I get an average of 60.

I dunno...ill work it out at night after work.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Here's my results so far:
> Voltage: 1260mv
> Mem Voltage: 1600mv (stock)
> Max temp: 76C
> Core: 1200
> Memory: 1600
> Heaven Score: 2049
> Vantage Score: 33496
> OCCT ran without errors for 1 hour. Error check OFF. Full Screen ON. Shader Complexity 8.
> Heaven ran fine... Vantage has a red tint to it on the 2nd test and a few others however it did that even at lower OC's and it ALWAYS looks the same. Is this something that's caused by drivers or lack of support for my card? I have Vantage installed and the v102 patch.
> As far as the memory voltage goes, how high can I go on that? I guess since I can't see the temperature of the memory it's a hard cap at something?


Nice,

that's what I have my HIS running at. Nice job


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Nice recommendation Goop. I would say you should probably go for the S27A(750)D instead of the 950d. It's the same monitor, except it has a slightly more conventional stand and only DisplayPort for 120hz (which is fine because your 7970 has mini-dp). It is also 200-300 dollars cheaper for the same panel and has had slightly less problems than the 950. TigerDirect had them for 399 on some redonculous magic-deal last week so i bought one. It took a while to get the settings right but it is really nice. Here's a great review: http://www.pcmonitors.org/monitor-reviews/samsung-s27a750d


Thanks guys! This is helpful, and i'm definitely going to look into the one with the normal stand. I appreciate it. Got my 2nd 7970 in and I have the itch to go 120hz. I'm a hardcore FPS gamer and I'm very picky when it comes to response time and such, and I definitely remember how my CRT felt so I wanna see if this is as close as I can get.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks ken, I guess I could so a fresh install of windows again, lol. Should I update my Windows fully before I install CCC? Meaning after I install mobo drivers, I update windows first? And then install CCC?

Also, since the first driver install didn't detect my gpu, I'm now thinking, I did have a SLI 570 in those two pci slots so maybe that screwed up my mobo a bit? I should try to reset the Cmos battery too?


----------



## krazyatom

Do you guys think i5 750 OC'ed to 4ghz will bottleneck single 7970? I have antec 620watts PSU. My main rig's PSU may have problem, so I am going to use my HTPC to test my 7970.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> That's a fantastic overclock there! Nice job!


^THIS wow


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks ken, I guess I could so a fresh install of windows again, lol. Should I update my Windows fully before I install CCC? Meaning after I install mobo drivers, I update windows first? And then install CCC?
> Also, since the first driver install didn't detect my gpu, I'm now thinking, I did have a SLI 570 in those two pci slots so maybe that screwed up my mobo a bit? I should try to reset the Cmos battery too?


Yes, you have to install every updates before installing CCC. That includes all net frame updates. Make sure to click window updates until you see "there are no updates available".


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks ken, I guess I could so a fresh install of windows again, lol. Should I update my Windows fully before I install CCC? Meaning after I install mobo drivers, I update windows first? And then install CCC?
> Also, since the first driver install didn't detect my gpu, I'm now thinking, I did have a SLI 570 in those two pci slots so maybe that screwed up my mobo a bit? I should try to reset the Cmos battery too?


what are your specs?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Do you guys think i5 750 OC'ed to 4ghz will bottleneck single 7970? I have antec 620watts PSU. My main rig's PSU may have problem, so I am going to use my HTPC to test my 7970.


I have i920 at 4.4 and the first few cores hit 95-99 on BF3 not sure if that helps ..... I also have 1200 (lots of power)


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Thanks guys! This is helpful, and i'm definitely going to look into the one with the normal stand. I appreciate it. Got my 2nd 7970 in and I have the itch to go 120hz. I'm a hardcore FPS gamer and I'm very picky when it comes to response time and such, and I definitely remember how my CRT felt so I wanna see if this is as close as I can get.


I didn't think I would notice the 120hz, but I do in a big way. I actually bought the monitor just because of the good reviews on the color clarity and sharpness, but was amazed to see what fps gaming felt like on 120hz. It felt like adding a ton of frames, kinda like the jump from 30-60fps!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Do you guys think i5 750 OC'ed to 4ghz will bottleneck single 7970? I have antec 620watts PSU. My main rig's PSU may have problem, so I am going to use my HTPC to test my 7970.


No way. That cpu is PLENTY powerful for the 7970. You may see a slight bottleneck if you xfire them on a really cpu intensive game likfe multi-player BF3, but outside of that you're golden.


----------



## WiL11o6

i52500k @ 4.5
Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4
8gb Vengeance @ 1600
120gb Corsair Force GT
Corsair AX850

I don't think my psu should be a problem since SLI 570s pull more power and that ran perfectly.

I mean, if it's the updates, I don't see why there aren't more people with problems on their BF3 after a fresh install. Unless they are simply smarter than me and update windows first, or they don't play BF3, because my 3dmark and Heaven works ok.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> I have i920 at 4.4 and the first few cores hit 95-99 on BF3 not sure if that helps ..... I also have 1200 (lots of power)


I have never played games with i5 processor, so I was just curious. My main has i7 920 4ghz.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> I didn't think I would notice the 120hz, but I do in a big way. I actually bought the monitor just because of the good reviews on the color clarity and sharpness, but was amazed to see what fps gaming felt like on 120hz. It felt like adding a ton of frames, kinda like the jump from 30-60fps!
> No way. That cpu is PLENTY powerful for the 7970. You may see a slight bottleneck if you xfire them on a really cpu intensive game likfe multi-player BF3, but outside of that you're golden.


I have no plan to crossfire 7970! thanks


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks ken, I guess I could so a fresh install of windows again, lol. Should I update my Windows fully before I install CCC? Meaning after I install mobo drivers, I update windows first? And then install CCC?
> 
> Also, since the first driver install didn't detect my gpu, I'm now thinking, I did have a SLI 570 in those two pci slots so maybe that screwed up my mobo a bit? I should try to reset the Cmos battery too?


I don't know what hardwares you are working with in your sig rig. Other than you had 2 570s SLI working with the same mainboard, so I guess it should work with 2x 7970s too.

Reset CMOS is a way for the BIOS to detect new devices. Load BIOS optimized defaults, set your boot drive, AHCI or RAID etc, save and restart PC.

Make sure you have PCIe 6 & 8-Pin from PSU to the cards locked in. Do not use 4-pin molex to PCIe power cable adapters supplied with the cards. Last, crossfire bridge firmly mounted.

There's no need to re-install Windows. If you think you have corrupted Windows, run "repair". Then run Windows Update, install mainboard and chipset drivers, turn off UAC with both 7970s in the system then install Catalyst + CAP. Restart PC when prompted to do so, do not skip.

.


----------



## Scorpion667

This card doesn't do it for me...

Stock fan speed loads at 80c in crysis2 (stock volts, clocks)
Any louder and:
A) I can hear it over my headset
B)Wakes up my house mates

I was going to do my first WC setup, but my card overclocks like garbage compared to most here which turned me off on WC hardcore.

It's a great card, but I'll wait till non refference, whichever has the beefiest power delivery. I would imagine the Lightning will as usual. The asus trip slot is kinda cool but I would def need a raiser for that... I have yet to see one that doesnt sag, nobody likes a droopy computer haha

Keep in mind, this is coming from someone who ziptied 5000 rpm deltas to his cpu heatsink. This video card is INSANE loud.

Will prob build a new system come ivy bridge and I'll buy a couple of these then, or kepler if it's faster, shove it all in a NZXT Switch 810 under water with a black ice 360 and 240 rad... CANT WAIT


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> This card doesn't do it for me...
> Stock fan speed loads at 80c in crysis2 (stock volts, clocks)
> Any louder and:
> A) I can hear it over my headset
> B)Wakes up my house mates
> I was going to do my first WC setup, but my card overclocks like garbage compared to most here which turned me off on WC hardcore.
> It's a great card, but I'll wait till non refference, whichever has the beefiest power delivery. I would imagine the Lightning will as usual. The asus trip slot is kinda cool but I would def need a raiser for that... I have yet to see one that doesnt sag, nobody likes a droopy computer haha
> Keep in mind, this is coming from someone who ziptied 5000 rpm deltas to his cpu heatsink. This video card is INSANE loud


I feel ya man. The stock cooling just doesn't cool it enough and it is LOUD. I have a crappy 7970 that doesn't OC aswell but I do know that after numerous hours of testing, these cards are temp sensitive. I'm gonna go ahead and get some waterblocks and see what I can get


----------



## Scorpion667

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> I feel ya man. The stock cooling just doesn't cool it enough and it is LOUD. I have a crappy 7970 that doesn't OC aswell but I do know that after numerous hours of testing, these cards are temp sensitive. I'm gonna go ahead and get some waterblocks and see what I can get


Yeah man, definitely not giving up, these cards are very powerful not even the green fanboys can deny that. I just wanna return this one and see what non refference brings, I have a feeling with a beefier power delivery and lower temps these can be pushed past 1300 on air but only time will tell!


----------



## krazyatom

what is considered crappy OC 7970? anything below 1200 core clock?


----------



## unrealskill

this poped up on amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Radeon-GDDR5-Graphics-7970PE53G/dp/B006UACSZ4/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1327637665&sr=1-3


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> what is considered crappy OC 7970? anything below 1200 core clock?


Mine does just about 1200 @ 1237mV, default is 1112mV. I consider this a crappy overclock because the fan is too loud when you add voltage.
I'm happy I can run it at 1125 / 1790 @ default voltages though, while keeping temps under 69 and fan at 42% @ BF3.


----------



## striker7968

Anybody find any good drivers for the 7970 yet? I have the XFX 7970 Black Edition, but keep getting "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered."


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Mine does just about 1200 @ 1237mV, default is 1112mV. I consider this a crappy overclock because the fan is too loud when you add voltage.
> I'm happy I can run it at 1125 / 1790 @ default voltages though, while keeping temps under 69 and fan at 42% @ BF3.


Your card is better than mine. I can set 1125 core clock with 1125v and my default voltage is also 1112v.


----------



## Faksnima

I may have the highest ASIC quality of the bunch....but am having some issues ocing (display driver crashing). I will update with a picture - right now I am reinstalling drivers. My ASIC quality on the 7970 is 89.1%.


----------



## xxicrimsonixx

Just entered by 7970, will update again when the 7990s come out.


----------



## rubicsphere

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright, so fresh install with drivers, etc from my previous post, seems to be same problem. The GPU usage never really sits at 95-99%, it fluctuates a lot. Here it is:


What CPU are you running?

Ooops just saw 2500K. I was going to suggest disabling HT. I have the same issue with HT and with it off I get much better FPS, but nevermind.


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Faksnima*
> 
> I may have the highest ASIC quality of the bunch....but am having some issues ocing (display driver crashing). I will update with a picture - right now I am reinstalling drivers. My ASIC quality on the 7970 is 89.1%.


Lower ASIC quality is "better". Some say it means nothing at all.


----------



## Faksnima

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Having problems with display driver crashes when OC'd and running GPU tool...seems that if I manually set the voltage in trixx to the default, it clears it up. I can't for the life of me get MSI burner to work with voltages, despite admin mode and .cfg file changes.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Lower ASIC quality is "better". Some say it means nothing at all.


Theres no evidence of this, so far its been random results.
Lower quality is not better and the theory just doesn't make sense. Im guessing its a series of many factors when it comes to determining the overclockability headroom.
So far in my experience, higher has been better. And ive tested 6 cards.


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Faksnima*
> 
> Having problems with display driver crashes when OC'd and running GPU tool...seems that if I manually set the voltage in trixx to the default, it clears it up. I can't for the life of me get MSI burner to work with voltages, despite admin mode and .cfg file changes.


Did you go into the settings in Afterburner and enable voltage control? I did the same thing...


----------



## Faksnima

I sure did. Nothing.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *striker7968*
> 
> Anybody find any good drivers for the 7970 yet? I have the XFX 7970 Black Edition, but keep getting "Display driver stopped responding yourand has recovered."


You're not having driver problems, your having overclock problems. That's what will happen when your o/c is unstable. Drop the clocks or bump the voltage. Find a better balance.


----------



## HGooper

I'm about to get my motherboard back, finally I'm able to run my 7970s. Gonna to uninstall old driver(previous cards are 6970s), so does driver sweeper able to get the job done?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> What a mind job! 48 little memory pads to cut! Crazy.


It's not that hard, you should be an old hat at this. Heck, I don't even measure the pads anymore, eye ball it cut, cut, cut. You know, it's actually one of my favorite parts of upgrading. I just put my blocks on, but my backplates grr won't get here till tues.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *Faksnima*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> Having problems with display driver crashes when OC'd and running GPU tool...seems that if I manually set the voltage in trixx to the default, it clears it up. I can't for the life of me get MSI burner to work with voltages, despite admin mode and .cfg file changes.


Something is off. Try to flash with this ASUS BIOS if will correct the problem. Look for the flashing Tools from Denim in post #2.

Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


This is how to enable "unofficial overclocking" then in Afterburner UI settings , enable voltage control and unlocking.

*HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner*


----------



## Faksnima

It seems like after the initial errors, if I manually turn up the voltage from 1170 to 1175 on Trixx i will not have those issues. I have a feeling that the card is one of the undervolted ones. If I could get MSI Afterburner to work, I might be sure of it.


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Theres no evidence of this, so far its been random results.
> Lower quality is not better and the theory just doesn't make sense. Im guessing its a series of many factors when it comes to determining the overclockability headroom.
> So far in my experience, higher has been better. And ive tested 6 cards.


That's been my experience too although I've only tested two cards. The one with a default voltage of 1.175V only oced to 1150Mhz on the core even with increased voltage. My current card has a default of 1.05V (ASIC = 83%) and hit 1225/1500 at stock voltages with the reference cooler. With H20 it does 1325/[email protected] Stability tested on Heaven looping and STALKER:COP benchmark.

Like others have found though maxing the voltage to 1.3V doesn't do much for my oc. Anyone know if the Extreme Asus bios eliminates the 125mV OVP issue?


----------



## Faksnima

Ty for the link, I've tried those steps to no avail.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Faksnima*
> 
> Ty for the link, I've tried those steps to no avail.


Uninstall Afterburner, select no when prompted to keep settings. Restart PC, go to Afterburner install folder, delete the whole folder.

Uninstall Trixx or Asus Tweak if you have it in the system.

Reinstall Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 11. Exit Afterburner and CCC Overdrive prior to editing the "unofficial overclocking" in .cfg file. Save it as "read only".

Restart PC and try again.


----------



## tsm106

You 7970 guys (me too and I have) should head over to TPU and put a word in the RBE request thread. C'mon put two and two together so Bagz will add 7970 support to RBE sooner than later.

>>>>http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57157


----------



## Ken1649

I don't think it will be any easier for 79xx series. Looks like will need "green light" to be able to pass the multi-lock.......... Remember how we are not able to edit clocks in 6xxx series as in 5xxx or previous series.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I don't think it will be any easier for 79xx series. Looks like will need "green light" to be able to pass the multi-lock.......... Remember how we are not able to edit clocks in 6xxx series as in 5xxx or previous series.


You actually can edit clocks, it just won't apply to successive cards in a cfx set. But that isn't even the purpose, it's to give us the ability to set voltage!!! You can override Overdrive limits via the registry as racerx showed us.


----------



## Kinzer

So has there been any signs of a particular brand being of better quality or OC ability?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kinzer*
> 
> So has there been any signs of a particular brand being of better quality or OC ability?


No. That's not how AMD delivers silicon.


----------



## unrealskill

would my amd 995be @4ghz bottleneck a 7970? and i dont need intel fan boys telling me to get a i5. just want to know with facts not myths and hear say. thanks guys


----------



## jshotz

How do you get to adjust the core voltage in MSI Afterburner? I can't click or edit mine.


----------



## tsm106

^^You have to unlock the ability to do so first. Hit settings button.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> would my amd 995be @4ghz bottleneck a 7970? and i dont need intel fan boys telling me to get a i5. just want to know with facts not myths and hear say. thanks guys


It's going to hold any high end card back, that's just facts. However the 7970 is not as dependent on cpu as other gpus so it won't be as big a hit.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970_CPU_Scaling/12.html


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Here's my results so far:
> Voltage: 1260mv
> Mem Voltage: 1600mv (stock)
> Max temp: 76C
> Core: 1200
> Memory: 1600
> Heaven Score: 2049
> Vantage Score: 33496
> OCCT ran without errors for 1 hour. Error check OFF. Full Screen ON. Shader Complexity 8.
> Heaven ran fine... Vantage has a red tint to it on the 2nd test and a few others however it did that even at lower OC's and it ALWAYS looks the same. Is this something that's caused by drivers or lack of support for my card? I have Vantage installed and the v102 patch.
> As far as the memory voltage goes, how high can I go on that? I guess since I can't see the temperature of the memory it's a hard cap at something?


Raise your memory clocks!!!!









Also note for everyone... tried enabling 20% overdrive with my overclock and it made zero difference. Just putting that out there.. although I use sapphire trixx.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Alright, so fresh install with drivers, etc from my previous post, seems to be same problem. The GPU usage never really sits at 95-99%, it fluctuates a lot. Here it is:


I dont think that is a real problem... most games didn't use 100% GPU power, especially when you have crossfire...

If you want to use absolutely 100% GPU, you have to use larger resolutions or eyefinity.
And of course, make sure you are absolutely sure that *vsync is off*
And check at what level Powertune is set

Use GPU-Z to monitor GPU clocks (set updating in background). AB isnt good in monitoring voltages and clocks at all

If you think that CPU is bottleneck, why you didnt monitor it? Standard task manager should be enough. You can use sysinternals process explorer too.


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^You have to unlock the ability to do so first. Hit settings button.
> It's going to hold any high end card back, that's just facts. However the 7970 is not as dependent on cpu as other gpus so it won't be as big a hit.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970_CPU_Scaling/12.html


ok thanks alot, i have a am3+ mobo so i can all ways upgrade later. i just sold my gtx 570 it did not seem bad on that in games.


----------



## rcfc89

Just want to ask all those who are overclocking reference cards. Was it worth it for the minimal gains 10-15 fps? Seems like it causes nothing but problems. Crashing, over heating, loud fan speeds, driver problems, artifacts in games. What a mess if you ask me. Hell some people are getting rid of their cards from oc frustration. Is a stable smooth running stock clocked card not enough? This thread alone has convinced me to wait for a decent oc'd non reference card and leave it the hell alone. I understand the challenge aspect of pushing the card but what a headache.


----------



## krazyatom

my card OC poorly. I am only able to reach 1150mhz core clock with 1174v. I can't even reach 1170mhz core with 1300v max








I ran OCCT to test stability and 1150mhz is good enough?


----------



## Scorpion667

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> my card OC poorly. I am only able to reach 1150mhz core clock with 1174v. I can't even reach 1170mhz core with 1300v max
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ran OCCT to test stability and 1150mhz is good enough?


Better than mine, OCCT would artifact at 1150Mhz with any voltage on my end.


----------



## Denim-187

My CrossfireX *1250* / *1700* mhz.... 24/7 Overclock final benchmarks.
-


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> my card OC poorly. I am only able to reach 1150mhz core clock with 1174v. I can't even reach 1170mhz core with 1300v max
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ran OCCT to test stability and 1150mhz is good enough?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> Better than mine, OCCT would artifact at 1150Mhz with any voltage on my end.


You guys are on air right?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> my card OC poorly. I am only able to reach 1150mhz core clock with 1174v. I can't even reach 1170mhz core with 1300v max
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ran OCCT to test stability and 1150mhz is good enough?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> Better than mine, OCCT would artifact at 1150Mhz with any voltage on my end.


@krazyatom
I think anything higher than 1100MHz is very good result...Your 1150 is more than 20% of stock clock!!! Not many radeon models before was that good overclockers
Sometimes people from this forum doesnt test their overclocked card for stability. They run one of benchmarks like heaven or 3d mark or occt and that is enough for them... to post their >1250MHz success

@ rcfc89
you are right, that is headache, especially if someone stays at their stock air cooler







, but for most hardcore overclockers like me (maybe not hardcore







) this is real real fun!!!

But we have almost 20% linear performance for free









Some companies taxes additional 100$-200$ in price for that


----------



## Tslm

For anybody wondering about VRM temps, the new HWiNFO64 beta supports the sensors on them. It also monitors the voltage in/out and power draw.

The reference cooler keeps the VRMs well under the GPU temp. Mine never go above 60c under full load at stock. Kind of puts to bed the VRM overheating theory.

Pic for reference complete with mad paint skills. Seems to be 2 sensors for each card


----------



## Faksnima

Ok so here is my problem. I start up with a nice 1125/1575 on boot through CCC - GPUtool/Furmark, whatever will lockup and I'll get a display error or heavy artifacting. If I boot up with 1125/1575 and then go straight to trixx and apply, I noticed my base voltages go up form 0.799 to 0.849 in GPUZ. When going this route, I do not have the display driver has crashed problem.

Another problem, despite the method, it seems after I play about ~10 minutes of League of Legends the GPU fan will slow down to a stop and I get a black screen of death. I'm not sure how to solve this one. I am thinking this card is starting with a low base voltage. I think MSI AB detected 1024mv.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You guys are on air right?


Yes, air default fan profile.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> @krazyatom
> I think anything higher than 1100MHz is very good result...Your 1150 is more than 20% of stock clock!!! Not many radeon models before was that good overclockers
> Sometimes people from this forum doesnt test their overclocked card for stability. They run one of benchmarks like heaven or 3d mark or occt and that is enough for them... to post their >1250MHz success
> @ rcfc89
> you are right, that is headache, especially if someone stays at their stock air cooler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , but for most hardcore overclockers like me (maybe not hardcore
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) this is real real fun!!!
> But we have almost 20% linear performance for free
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some companies taxes additional 100$-200$ in price for that


Yes, 20% OC is great, but most of ppl in this thread are getting at least 1200mhz core clock


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> For anybody wondering about VRM temps, the new HWiNFO64 beta supports the sensors on them. It also monitors the voltage in/out and power draw.
> The reference cooler keeps the VRMs well under the GPU temp. Mine never go above 60c under full load at stock. Kind of puts to bed the VRM overheating theory.
> Pic for reference complete with mad paint skills. Seems to be 2 sensors for each card


I'd be interested in seeing those temps at max oc under load.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Yes, air default fan profile.
> Yes, 20% OC is great, but most of ppl in this thread are getting at least 1200mhz core clock


The problem is that the 7970 is too good of an overclocker, so good that 1150mhz gives people sad faces. Hell, on Cayman 1150 was impossible on water. Remember to keep things in perspective. It's still a super overclock all things considered. You might have to go water to get that last 100mhz, but then again you have to ask if its worth it?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The problem is that the 7970 is too good of an overclocker, so good that 1150mhz gives people sad faces. Hell, on Cayman 1150 was impossible on water. Remember to keep things in perspective. It's still a super overclock all things considered. You might have to go water to get that last 100mhz, but then again you have to ask if its worth it?


Yes, 1150mhz core clock is good enough for me. I probably will never go water because I swap my GPUs very often.


----------



## Faksnima

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Yes, 1150mhz core clock is good enough for me. I probably will never go water because I swap my GPUs very often.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Faksnima*
> 
> Ok so here is my problem. I start up with a nice 1125/1575 on boot through CCC - GPUtool/Furmark, whatever will lockup and I'll get a display error or heavy artifacting. If I boot up with 1125/1575 and then go straight to trixx and apply, I noticed my base voltages go up form 0.799 to 0.849 in GPUZ. When going this route, I do not have the display driver has crashed problem.
> Another problem, despite the method, it seems after I play about ~10 minutes of League of Legends the GPU fan will slow down to a stop and I get a black screen of death. I'm not sure how to solve this one. I am thinking this card is starting with a low base voltage. I think MSI AB detected 1024mv.


any thoughts?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> Yes, air default fan profile.
> Yes, 20% OC is great, but most of ppl in this thread are getting at least 1200mhz core clock


I think they didn't adeqately test and verify stability at that clock...

My card can run most benchmarks on 1200-1250 but at much much higer voltage then my casual/everyday/24/7 setting 1180/1690 at 1.137V/1.7V
overvolting higher than mentioned +125mV generates large jump in power consumption and temperatures... you personally experienced that with your PSU (good PSU anyway, dont change it







)

I think that my "stable" 1225MHz setting or 1250-1260MHz on water block is not worth expenses (money, power, temperature, space)

Buying very good water block (not "EK or Coolance) could give me additional 8-9% of performance - this doesnt make sense for me... better invest these 100-200$ in good SSD

*EDIT:* oh... I forgot, my card has VID 1.05V and that overhyped ASIC quality value is 82,9%

HardOCP quotes below:
Quote:


> One thing we are learning is that none of the video cards we have evaluated so far are coming close to the highest stable overclock on our reference AMD Radeon HD 7970 video card. We achieved a high 1.26GHz stable overclock, but this seems to be the exception at this point in time. With a customized XFX R7970 we have achieved 1.150GHz, and with this ASUS Radeon HD 7970 we have achieved 1.125GHz. It would seem right upwards of 1.1GHz is the norm so far. As we evaluate more video cards we will see how they all line up in terms of overclocking ability.


Quote:


> (Kyle's Note: AMD was very forthcoming about the 7970 GPU clocks when we first briefed about the new technology. It explained that almost all GPUs would do 1000MHz, a lot would do 1100MHz, and at that time of talking to AMD, it even had a 1200MHz sample running on its test benches. I have seen a lot of "[H] got a cherry picked card," or something to that effect. Well, I have been doing this for well over a decade, and I have yet to see us get a cherry picked card from AMD, I think it was simply our luck of the draw for a change. 1200MHz does seem a bit excessive, but I would suggest that 1100MHz is going to be achievable for many of our 7970 owners. Good luck and happy OCing!)


http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/25/asus_radeon_hd_7970_video_card_review/9


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> I think the problem with most who have issues with display port connections especially the "dp link-quality" error is the quality of the cable itself. Spent about 2 hours researching this error on the 27" 750d and most of those who were having this issue was due to poor cables especially the one's that were included in the monitors box which is usually junk anyways. I'm a big home theater guy and it reminds me of the days when people were using low quality digital coaxial cable for 5.1 surround and getting bad sound. I believe the same applies for display port when trying to push tons of quality information through them in the case of high end pc gaming.These errors don't occur for everyday business/internet use with display port. Simple fix for this is to run a high end cable for your high end monitor coming from your high end video card. I'm going with these only 60.00 at walmart. http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=5410 I've never understood why people would run cheap connections between high end equipment. You have a 500 dollar monitor and over a grand in video cards and your going to link them together with a 10 dollar cable.


Na, I run good quality thick $50 blue-jeans 20 foot DP cables and I still get the problem. Usually with Monster you pay two times the price for the name. There is a serious "diminishing returns" phenomenon with cables. I remember reading an article about some audiophiles doing an A-B blind test with a pair of high quality speakers. They used like $1000 audio cables and compared them against regular electrical cord you would find on a lamp. They couldn't tell the difference.


----------



## geekdll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> You're not having driver problems, your having overclock problems. That's what will happen when your o/c is unstable. Drop the clocks or bump the voltage. Find a better balance.


Im not overclocking my Sapphire 7970 at all and Im ruining the lastest RC drivers 8.921.2 and I still get the "Driver stop responding" error when playing all kinds of different games. So Im not sure is it the early un-mature drivers or my video card. One thing I did notice was my temp is hitting 68c when gaming. Not sure thats too hot for this card.

My system specs:
Intel Core i7-2600K
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3
Corsair Vengeance 16GB
Corsair Force Series GT 120G
Sapphire Radeon HD 7970
Corsair 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply
Cooler Master HAF X ATX


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geekdll*
> 
> Im not overclocking my Sapphire 7970 at all and Im ruining the lastest RC drivers 8.921.2 and I still get the "Driver stop responding" error when playing all kinds of different games. So Im not sure is it the early un-mature drivers or my video card. One thing I did notice was my temp is hitting 68c when gaming. Not sure thats too hot for this card.


Please, edit and fill you machine spec... we can help but more data is needed








Especially what was your previous card and you PSU model


----------



## geekdll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Please, edit and fill you machine spec... we can help but more data is needed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Especially what was your previous card and you PSU model


I didn't have any other card installed on this new system my specs are
My system specs:
Intel Core i7-2600K
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3
Corsair Vengeance 16GB
Corsair Force Series GT 120G
Sapphire Radeon HD 7970
Corsair 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply
Cooler Master HAF X ATX

Thanks


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I'd be interested in seeing those temps at max oc under load.


*50 minutes of BF3*



Great find of Hwinfo64 *Tslm*


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geekdll*
> 
> I didn't have any other card installed on this new system my specs are
> My system specs:
> Intel Core i7-2600K
> Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
> ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3
> Corsair Vengeance 16GB
> Corsair Force Series GT 120G
> Sapphire Radeon HD 7970
> Corsair 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply
> Cooler Master HAF X ATX
> Thanks


Did you tried custom fan profile, or setting it manually in Overdrive menu?
68C is safe but you sholud check if goes above 75C in some situations...

Try Furmark X-Treme Burnin (with AA disabled)







, monitor sensors in GPU-z


----------



## WiL11o6

I ran the GPU-Z error test for both my top and bottom card.

The top card said PCI-E 3.0 [email protected] 2.0 (I'm assuming this is normal, the card is 3.0 running on first slot x16, but running at x8 because crossfire and my motherboard is 2.0)
However, when I try the second card, it says, PCI-E 3.0 [email protected] 1.1

Does that mean the second card is running at 1.1 speed?

I have a Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> I ran the GPU-Z error test for both my top and bottom card.
> The top card said PCI-E 3.0 [email protected] 2.0 (I'm assuming this is normal, the card is 3.0 running on first slot x16, but running at x8 because crossfire and my motherboard is 2.0)
> However, when I try the second card, it says, PCI-E 3.0 [email protected] 1.1
> Does that mean the second card is running at 1.1 speed?
> I have a Gigabyte Z68XP-UD4


You cant run the 2nd card by itself...
You have to run both or just the first one.

When your running both on the *GPU-Z render test*....and the bottom stays at 1.1 ...then im afraid it is at that speed..

I would look at the motherboards BIOS for solutions... try default settings.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks all, I think I may be giving up.

I tried pretty much everything, uninstall, reinstall, installed windows update, switching cards, resetting cmos, disabling ULPS, fresh windows 7 install, different drivers, etc. I can't get it to work in BF3. It would work when GPU usage on both are 99% because I would be getting 120+ fps, but once it drops down to 70%, I'm looking at 50-60fps, and it happens quite regularly and you sort of know when it'll happen, at the most intense scene or overview of the map. It's feels like the GPUs are saying, "Okay, I'm taking a break, CPU you take over." I don't have any other games since I built this for BF3, but 3dmark11 and Heaven seem to be fine.

Even the folks who did the 7970 crossfire review over at Overclock3d.net said,

"Battlefield 3 wouldn't run at all, The Witcher 2, Resident Evil 5, Dirt 3 and Batman Arkham City all showed better performance with a single card than the Crossfire set up."

That looks to be what I'm getting. Welp, guess I'll stick with the 7970, maybe sell that for Keplar to go SLI.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks all, I think I may be giving up.
> I tried pretty much everything, uninstall, reinstall, installed windows update, switching cards, resetting cmos, disabling ULPS, fresh windows 7 install, different drivers, etc. I can't get it to work in BF3. It would work when GPU usage on both are 99% because I would be getting 120+ fps, but once it drops down to 70%, I'm looking at 50-60fps, and it happens quite regularly and you sort of know when it'll happen, at the most intense scene or overview of the map. It's feels like the GPUs are saying, "Okay, I'm taking a break, CPU you take over." I don't have any other games since I built this for BF3, but 3dmark11 and Heaven seem to be fine.
> Even the folks who did the 7970 crossfire review over at Overclock3d.net said,
> "Battlefield 3 wouldn't run at all, The Witcher 2, Resident Evil 5, Dirt 3 and Batman Arkham City all showed better performance with a single card than the Crossfire set up."
> That looks to be what I'm getting. Welp, guess I'll stick with the 7970, maybe sell that for Keplar to go SLI.


You should wait. These cards still didn't get official drivers... especially crossfire driver

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/17/amd_crossfirex_drivers_opportunity_lost


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks all, I think I may be giving up.
> I tried pretty much everything, uninstall, reinstall, installed windows update, switching cards, resetting cmos, disabling ULPS, fresh windows 7 install, different drivers, etc. I can't get it to work in BF3. It would work when GPU usage on both are 99% because I would be getting 120+ fps, but once it drops down to 70%, I'm looking at 50-60fps, and it happens quite regularly and you sort of know when it'll happen, at the most intense scene or overview of the map. It's feels like the GPUs are saying, "Okay, I'm taking a break, CPU you take over." I don't have any other games since I built this for BF3, but 3dmark11 and Heaven seem to be fine.
> Even the folks who did the 7970 crossfire review over at Overclock3d.net said,
> "Battlefield 3 wouldn't run at all, The Witcher 2, Resident Evil 5, Dirt 3 and Batman Arkham City all showed better performance with a single card than the Crossfire set up."
> That looks to be what I'm getting. Welp, guess I'll stick with the 7970, maybe sell that for Keplar to go SLI.


http://downloads.guru3d.com/Aliens-vs.-Predator-DirectX-11-Benchmark-Tool-download-2553.html
Run that benchmark...


----------



## Denim-187

Will have you been installing the CAPS ?

I BET u havn't lolll the most important thing in CrossfireX
http://www.guru3d.com/news/amd-catalyst-application-profile--1112-cap3-/


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> You should wait. These cards still didn't get official drivers... especially crossfire driver
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/17/amd_crossfirex_drivers_opportunity_lost


True, I could wait, however, everyone else as their crossfire up and smooth so I don't see how I can't.

Very dumb question incoming:

I have the bf3 disc install version when it first came out. I'm wondering if the digital copy is different? I'm just trying to eliminate all variables as to why MY ******* GAME DOESN'T WORK!!!


----------



## WiL11o6

I installed CAP3, but all I did was install it. Am I supposed to do something in CCC after?


----------



## Denim-187

i have no idea....try single player..


----------



## Favian

Did you try the 8.95-120117a drivers?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> I installed CAP3, but all I did was install it. Am I supposed to do something in CCC after?


Ive noticed youve been having other multiGPU issues... (gtx 570's)
Seems like this is a system component factor. Instead of returning one card, try finding the culprit..
Also in forum option...make it so your rig is shown in the sig.








You have no rig in description so we can't help u with the elimination process.


----------



## Senac

Hi!

With my EK Waterblock, new score. I really like the temps



Do you think is a safe voltage/temps for a 24/7 using? Which is the max Vcore on those cards?

Thanks!


----------



## Denim-187

Maybe upload a larger image, i cant see the numbers in that one.... but if thats at 1200mhz and 1400mhz, you shouldnt need more than 1.2v with that asic quality..


----------



## Senac

Hi!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Maybe upload a larger image, i cant see the numbers in that one.... but if thats at 1200mhz and 1400mhz, you shouldnt need more than 1.2v with that asic quality..


That's right, 1.238v.

Sorry for the image, changing it asap


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Ive noticed youve been having other multiGPU issues... (gtx 570's)
> Seems like this is a system component factor. Instead of returning one card, try finding the culprit..
> Also in forum option...make it so your rig is shown in the sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You have no rig in description so we can't help u with the elimination process.


yes, rig specification is a must
*WiL11o6* ... I can't find your motherboard model and manufacturer in this thread


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Senac*
> 
> Hi!
> With my EK Waterblock, new score. I really like the temps
> 
> Do you think is a safe voltage/temps for a 24/7 using? Which is the max Vcore on those cards?
> Thanks!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Senac*
> 
> Hi!
> That's right, 1.238v.
> Sorry for the image, changing it asap


Very nice score and rig... 1.238v is fine and safe for 24/7








You planning on going crossfire?

Tip: Next time you wanna post a image, the best way to do it is use the "image" icon when posting. Its alot clearer and better than using flikr .


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Is this normal?????:



Bandwith pcie x16 1.1??? not 2.0?? what!?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Very nice score and rig... 1.238v is fine and safe for 24/7
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You planning on going crossfire?
> Tip: Next time you wanna post a image, the best way to do it is use the "image" icon when posting. Its alot clearer and better than using flikr .


Memory in these cards are rated 6GHz, you should start with 1500MHz
all way up to 1650 at stock voltage
try upping mem voltage to 1.65V or higher to get 1700MHz


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> 
> 
> Is this normal?????:
> 
> 
> 
> Bandwith pcie x16 1.1??? not 2.0?? what!?


Normal. Hover over Click the ? right next to it, and it'll explain everything


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Sorry, energy saving feature! right.... ehehehehe. And How come the bulldozer isn't so energy friendly!? AMD please give us a good chip!. We have the brain we need the muscles!.


----------



## Levesque

New score with Quad-Fire 4X 7970 and EK waterblocks.

Energy savings LOL!











3D Marks 11. First position on OCN top 30. 2nd positon is a Quad-SLI 580 set-up on LN2! Around 25% better score then Quad-SLI 580 set-ups on water.



Heaven. Best score on OCN top 30. 20% more then the nearest Quad-SLI 580 set-up.











And all this on BETA drivers with BETA OC utilities.


----------



## Denim-187

^
Nice going to the Extreme..... Do u even game bro ? lol

Gorgeous RIG, but why dont you use 8x AA in Heaven? I believe you should








Also i noticed its 1680 x 1050 ?
Can we have a maxxed out version pls? ty


----------



## Witchdoctor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> New score with Quad-Fire 4X 7970 and EK waterblocks.
> Energy savings LOL!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3D Marks 11. First position on OCN top 30. 2nd positon is a Quad-SLI 580 set-up on LN2! Around 25% better score then Quad-SLI 580 set-ups on water.
> 
> Heaven. Best score on OCN top 30. 20% more then the nearest Quad-SLI 580 set-up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And all this on BETA drivers with BETA OC utilities.


^ SICK ^

Nice rig man ............


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Memory in these cards are rated 6GHz, you should start with 1500MHz
> all way up to 1650 at stock voltage
> try upping mem voltage to 1.65V or higher to get 1700MHz


Might not need to bump the memory voltage. I hit 1875MHz before I needed to even look at the memory voltage. Been running 1900MHz at 1.61V for a few days now.

Granted, I don't know if I won the memory lotto or if AMD just chose some really good chips for the cards.


----------



## Pantsu

Mine went 1730 on stock voltage. More than that started artifacting/crashing and voltage didn't help, nor did cooling. It looks like 1500-1800 is the range most chips fall into.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Might not need to bump the memory voltage. I hit 1875MHz before I needed to even look at the memory voltage. Been running 1900MHz at 1.61V for a few days now.
> Granted, I don't know if I won the memory lotto or if AMD just chose some really good chips for the cards.


The same here.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I've left mine at 1800 on the memory, pretty satisfied with my clocks I'm done trying to go higher for now


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> ^
> Nice going to the Extreme..... Do u even game bro ? lol


Yes, alot. I played 8 hours Deus Ex HR 8 hours in a row yesterday without a single hiccup, bug, artifact or micro-stuttering. Pure smoooothness.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> ^
> Gorgeous RIG, but why dont you use 8x AA in Heaven? I believe you should
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also i noticed its 1680 x 1050 ?
> Can we have a maxxed out version pls? ty


Because there is guidelines to follow in the Heaven top 30 thread of OCN. We all use the same settings, or else, we wouldn't be able to do a top 30.









After work, I could do a run with max res and settings just for fun.


----------



## dezerteagle323

I've finally reached the 1200/1600 plateau on my card on air ... had to up the voltage to 1.237 (it would crash before on those same clocks at 1.117 - 1.2v) ... played 6 hours of BF3 ultra and everything was smooth butter ... max temp 66C with AB fan profile

I have a 1.112v class card (78.3% asic)


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Might not need to bump the memory voltage. I hit 1875MHz before I needed to even look at the memory voltage. Been running 1900MHz at 1.61V for a few days now.
> Granted, I don't know if I won the memory lotto or if AMD just chose some really good chips for the cards.


1900MHz???? Amazing... if it is real and stable...


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> I think they didn't adeqately test and verify stability at that clock...
> My card can run most benchmarks on 1200-1250 but at much much higer voltage then my casual/everyday/24/7 setting 1180/1690 at 1.137V/1.7V
> overvolting higher than mentioned +125mV generates large jump in power consumption and temperatures... you personally experienced that with your PSU (good PSU anyway, dont change it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> I think that my "stable" 1225MHz setting or 1250-1260MHz on water block is not worth expenses (money, power, temperature, space)
> Buying very good water block (not "EK or Coolance) could give me additional 8-9% of performance - this doesnt make sense for me... better invest these 100-200$ in good SSD
> *EDIT:* oh... I forgot, my card has VID 1.05V and that overhyped ASIC quality value is 82,9%
> HardOCP quotes below:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> One thing we are learning is that none of the video cards we have evaluated so far are coming close to the highest stable overclock on our reference AMD Radeon HD 7970 video card. We achieved a high 1.26GHz stable overclock, but this seems to be the exception at this point in time. With a customized XFX R7970 we have achieved 1.150GHz, and with this ASUS Radeon HD 7970 we have achieved 1.125GHz. It would seem right upwards of 1.1GHz is the norm so far. As we evaluate more video cards we will see how they all line up in terms of overclocking ability.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> (Kyle's Note: AMD was very forthcoming about the 7970 GPU clocks when we first briefed about the new technology. It explained that almost all GPUs would do 1000MHz, a lot would do 1100MHz, and at that time of talking to AMD, it even had a 1200MHz sample running on its test benches. I have seen a lot of "[H] got a cherry picked card," or something to that effect. Well, I have been doing this for well over a decade, and I have yet to see us get a cherry picked card from AMD, I think it was simply our luck of the draw for a change. 1200MHz does seem a bit excessive, but I would suggest that 1100MHz is going to be achievable for many of our 7970 owners. Good luck and happy OCing!)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/25/asus_radeon_hd_7970_video_card_review/9
Click to expand...

"Buying very good water block (not "EK or Coolance) "

Who has very good water blocks?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> "Buying very good water block (not "EK or Coolance) "
> Who has very good water blocks?


I wondered what he was referring to, too; or maybe, they don't exist?

I like my EK block. It works.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> "Buying very good water block (not "EK or Coolance) "
> Who has very good water blocks?


Ek water blocks are good. They had some nickel issues a few years back. Swiftech makes good blocks as well.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Ek water blocks are good. They had some nickel issues a few years back. Swiftech makes good blocks as well.


I don't have any nickel flakes floating in my res yet.

I do have some white reside lining my tubing walls. Anyone know what that is? This is my first wc venture.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Na, I run good quality thick $50 blue-jeans 20 foot DP cables and I still get the problem. Usually with Monster you pay two times the price for the name. There is a serious "diminishing returns" phenomenon with cables. I remember reading an article about some audiophiles doing an A-B blind test with a pair of high quality speakers. They used like $1000 audio cables and compared them against regular electrical cord you would find on a lamp. They couldn't tell the difference. [/ quote]


----------



## NorxMAL

I know of the nickel problem, but I went for the copper ---OH wait, I just noticed this









I have my EK waterblock here finally, and I'm pretty sure I bought the Copper Acetal, since that was the only one in stock at the time. At least from what I can remember.

I got Copper Plexi, lol









I'm not sure which I think is the best looking, Nickel or Copper Plexi








Was expecting Acetal, so there is not much difference then between the Acetal copper or nickel version


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I know of the nickel problem, but I went for the copper ---OH wait, I just noticed this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have my EK waterblock here finally, and I'm pretty sure I bought the Copper Acetal, since that was the only one in stock at the time. At least from what I can remember.
> I got Copper Plexi, lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not sure which I think is the best looking, Nickel or Copper Plexi
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Was expecting Acetal, so there is not much difference then between the Acetal copper or nickel version


Plexi is the weaker material, but you can see thru it so it's good for when you're looking for more bling. Plain black is pretty boring in contrast.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Plexi is the weaker material, but you can see thru it so it's good for when you're looking for more bling. Plain black is pretty boring in contrast.


It all depends on what you're going for. My case, mobo, ram, tubing, are all black, so I wen't with acetal. Throw in some shiny fittings, and a nickel-plated cpu block and it's a quiet, sleek, look.


----------



## rcfc89

*[/ quote] Na, I run good quality thick $50 blue-jeans 20 foot DP cables and I still get the problem. Usually with Monster you pay two times the price for the name. There is a serious "diminishing returns" phenomenon with cables. I remember reading an article about some audiophiles doing an A-B blind test with a pair of high quality speakers. They used like $1000 audio cables and compared them against regular electrical cord you would find on a lamp. They couldn't tell the difference. [/ quote]*

I 100% disagree on cable quality not making a difference. Of course if your running a pioneer receiver on kenwood tower speakers you wont see a difference but trust me on high fidelity equipment pushing high wattage on top of the line drivers it makes a huge difference. Your other problem is running 20ft. Its a known fact that anything over 3m begins to experience signal loss on the current stage of dp. In the end maybe the samsungs are pos who knows. I've never seen issues with other monitors running display port. It seems that they have connectivity problems internally on there 120hz series with dp. Its unfortunate because dp is the best available right now for signal transfer. The fact that you have to spend an extra 200 on the 27" model(950) to get a dvi-d(90's technology) to run 120hz without signal issues is a joke. Vega what are you running to your 750's? It looks like they only offer hdmi/dp no dvi.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> *[/ quote]
> I 100% disagree on cable quality not making a difference. Of course if your running a pioneer receiver on kenwood tower speakers you wont see a difference but trust me on high fidelity equipment pushing high wattage on top of the line drivers it makes a huge difference.*


I know we are derailing, but Vega is right. I have 100K$ worth of high-end audio gear in my Home Theater and run cheap run-of-the-mill Monoprice audio and video cables.

I'm a reviewer for an AV magazine, and we did make alot of double blind test with cables, and there was no differences, no matter the price. Not a single of us reviewers with ''golden-ears'' were able to distinguish cheap from top $ cables, and this with McIntosh and Krell high-end amps and 50K$ speakers. I was there. I did all the tests. With 15 golden-ears (or so they say...) reviewers.







Placebo effect.


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Renairy*
> 
> i have good idea for you why do you not try get on google and search info yourself and not rely on other people to spend the $1000 for u


Why does anyone bother coming to this thread then?


----------



## tsm106

Audiophiles < Lamp Cord. LOL


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I know we are derailing, but Vega is right. I have 100K$ worth of high-end audio gear in my Home Theater and run cheap run-of-the-mill Monoprice audio and video cables.
> I'm a reviewer for an AV magazine, and we did make alot of double blind test with cables, and there was no differences, no matter the price. Not a single of us reviewers with ''golden-ears'' were able to distinguish cheap from top $ cables, and this with McIntosh and Krell high-end amps and 50K$ speakers. I was there. I did all the tests. With 15 golden-ears (or so they say...) reviewers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Placebo effect.


Whats so wrong with a placebo effect? Obviously if the person listening thinks it sounds better, they get more enjoyment out of it. Isnt that why people spend so much on stuff (whether video cards or audio gear), for their enjoyment of their hobby?


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I know we are derailing, but Vega is right. I have 100K$ worth of high-end audio gear in my Home Theater and run cheap run-of-the-mill Monoprice audio and video cables.
> I'm a reviewer for an AV magazine, and we did make alot of double blind test with cables, and there was no differences, no matter the price. Not a single of us reviewers with ''golden-ears'' were able to distinguish cheap from top $ cables, and this with McIntosh and Krell high-end amps and 50K$ speakers. I was there. I did all the tests. With 15 golden-ears (or so they say...) reviewers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Placebo effect.


This may be true but I feel a little bit better running expensive cable from my marantz receiver then lamp cord. Call it whatever you wan't lol. Now we are mainly basing this discussion on video cable not audio. Do you still think a quality component or dp/hdmi cable makes no difference in the quality of the video signal reaching your tv/monitor?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Whats so wrong with a placebo effect? Obviously if the person listening thinks it sounds better, they get more enjoyment out of it. Isnt that why people spend so much on stuff (whether video cards or audio gear), for their enjoyment of their hobby?
> I mean its obviously different for video cards because you have hard data to prove, but its just a whole different game when it comes to audio.
> And when I say cheap cables, i mean cheeeeap. I had dollar store RCA cables going to my Littledot MK3 and when I ordered some premium RCA from monoprice (still pretty cheap, like 10 bucks) I did notice a night and day difference in sound quality. Obviously Im not gonna throw $100 into an RCA cable, but you cant honestly say dollar store cables compare to a good $10-20 pair of cables.


You're framing a scenario that supports the statement you want to make.

Anyways, I can sell you some acoustic pebbles for your audiophile setup, lemme know.









http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina17.htm

http://audiojunkies.com/forum/blog/4391-will-gullible-audiophiles-buy-absolutely-anything.html


----------



## evensen007

"Monster" Cables are the biggest scam in a/v equipment. They have been caught numerous times with unscrupulous business practices and it is proven their cable quality is par or sub par compared to other cheaper brands.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/23/monster-hdmi-difference-scam-still-kickin-in-frys-electronic/

http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/26/monster-cable-at-it-again-sues-mini-golf-company/

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/

Now back to finding a way to unlock the voltage regulator on this 7970 card!


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> It all depends on what you're going for. My case, mobo, ram, tubing, are all black, so I wen't with acetal. Throw in some shiny fittings, and a nickel-plated cpu block and it's a quiet, sleek, look.


My next build, which this card is going into, I will have to accommodate the looks of this block to fit the rest.
I hope I get it nice looking, and that people think it's a cool setup









I might use both 480 rads I have laying in it









I have the case, but I'm yet to dremel it etc. I'm waiting for some fans from the GT group buy, and at the same time I can wait for the next Intel cpu









But I have some work ahead now, since I have to drain this system and all the rest to add this card with the block.

Many are saying that they won't buy a waterblock for this card. If you have never watercooled, you don't know how fun it is. I even have to warn people there is a risk of being addicted to it







(I'm not the only one that thinks that







)

And the silence, wonderful!

I don't buy a gfx card each year though, so it makes up for a better investment then for me.

I can understand those that buy the newest gpu each year are hesitant getting a full sized block, and don't want to get into water cooling just because of this card. But cpu blocks are pretty much universal, even at times new sockets may require you to buy a new mounting plate. But they are usually not so expensive. There are also universal gpu blocks, but that wasn't necessary the case now? Or can you buy a bracket for those now for these card?


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> This may be true but I feel a little bit better running expensive cable from my marantz receiver then lamp cord. Call it whatever you wan't lol. Now we are mainly basing this discussion on video cable not audio. Do you still think a quality component or dp/hdmi cable makes no difference in the quality of the video signal reaching your tv/monitor?


In digital transmission cables, if a 1 is recognized as 1, and 0 for 0, and at the correct timing, it doesn't matter even if you were to use a watertub for Dp/Hdmi cables


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're framing a scenario that supports the statement you want to make.
> Anyways, I can sell you some acoustic pebbles for your audiophile setup, lemme know.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina17.htm
> http://audiojunkies.com/forum/blog/4391-will-gullible-audiophiles-buy-absolutely-anything.html


And you are framing a scenario to support the statement you want to make, which is that audiophiles are gullible.

I am far from gullible.

And the scenario wasnt framed, its a legitimate scenario. Some people buy the cheapest stuff they can find, and then wonder why some people prefer to spend a little more money.

I could tell you that I had less problems with my 97 Dodge Stratus that I bought 6 years ago that had 210K km on it than I have so far with my 2012 Ford Focus. And thats true. However, I get more enjoyment out of my Ford because of all the advantages it has over my old stratus.

We can keep developing scenarios left and right, and using metaphors all day long. What it all comes down to is that people will do whatever they wish to get the most out of their hobby. What gives anyone the right to say that what they are doing is wrong?


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Just want to ask all those who are overclocking reference cards. Was it worth it for the minimal gains 10-15 fps? Seems like it causes nothing but problems. Crashing, over heating, loud fan speeds, driver problems, artifacts in games. What a mess if you ask me. Hell some people are getting rid of their cards from oc frustration. Is a stable smooth running stock clocked card not enough? This thread alone has convinced me to wait for a decent oc'd non reference card and leave it the hell alone. I understand the challenge aspect of pushing the card but what a headache.


What? Overclocking is why we are here. Having some crashes, BSOD's, freezes or whatever comes to US is better than running stock and letting a card capable of 1200/1700 run at 925/1375 for no reason other than ease. Non-reference has it's own problems.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> my card OC poorly. I am only able to reach 1150mhz core clock with 1174v. I can't even reach 1170mhz core with 1300v max
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ran OCCT to test stability and 1150mhz is good enough?


What are your temps with 1300mv and what are you using to test?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> New score with Quad-Fire 4X 7970 and EK waterblocks.
> Energy savings LOL!


Wow man... That is one insane setup. Congrats
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> ^
> Nice going to the Extreme..... Do u even game bro ? lol
> Gorgeous RIG, but why dont you use 8x AA in Heaven? I believe you should
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also i noticed its 1680 x 1050 ?
> Can we have a maxxed out version pls? ty


Because the defaults are what everyone runs the program at so it's an equal playing field. If he maxes it out, it'll drop his score to say 3000 when really his score should be 5200. It's like everyone writing the same test so nobody gets an easier/harder version.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dezerteagle323*
> 
> I've finally reached the 1200/1600 plateau on my card on air ... had to up the voltage to 1.237 (it would crash before on those same clocks at 1.117 - 1.2v) ... played 6 hours of BF3 ultra and everything was smooth butter ... max temp 66C with AB fan profile
> I have a 1.112v class card (78.3% asic)


That is very similar to my card. I haven't found my "max" yet but right now running 1200/1600. I'm running 1260mv. with max temps around 70 C. Same ASIC quality too lol.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> And you are framing a scenario to support the statement you want to make, which is that audiophiles are gullible.
> I am far from gullible.
> And the scenario wasnt framed, its a legitimate scenario. Some people buy the cheapest stuff they can find, and then wonder why some people prefer to spend a little more money.
> I could tell you that I had less problems with my 97 Dodge Stratus that I bought 6 years ago that had 210K km on it than I have so far with my 2012 Ford Focus. And thats true. However, I get more enjoyment out of my Ford because of all the advantages it has over my old stratus.
> We can keep developing scenarios left and right, and using metaphors all day long. What it all comes down to is that people will do whatever they wish to get the most out of their hobby. What gives anyone the right to say that what they are doing is wrong?


It's more like unnecessary?

Lamp cord look like poo, but good looking cables makes everything seem much better. Especially for people that have the same interest in high end hifi or people that don't know that fact.


----------



## NorxMAL

Why does my memory clock always increase to 1375 after a while (if stock speeds) when there is no need to?

I have to load profile 1 in AB (which is stock speeds) to bring it down to dormant again. I don't want unnecessary heat.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> And you are framing a scenario to support the statement you want to make, which is that audiophiles are gullible.
> I am far from gullible.
> And the scenario wasnt framed, its a legitimate scenario. Some people buy the cheapest stuff they can find, and then wonder why some people prefer to spend a little more money.
> I could tell you that I had less problems with my 97 Dodge Stratus that I bought 6 years ago that had 210K km on it than I have so far with my 2012 Ford Focus. And thats true. However, I get more enjoyment out of my Ford because of all the advantages it has over my old stratus.
> We can keep developing scenarios left and right, and using metaphors all day long. What it all comes down to is that people will do whatever they wish to get the most out of their hobby. What gives anyone the right to say that what they are doing is wrong?


You're using anecdotal evidence as fact. What we're doing is educating people who don't know. I'm not really sure what your argument is except to be a contrarian?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> It's more like *unnecessary*?
> Lamp cord look like poo, but good looking cables makes everything seem much better. Especially for people that have the same interest in high end hifi or people that don't know that fact.


Unnecessary is a good way of putting it, though I'd lean towards wasteful.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You 7970 guys (me too and I have) should head over to TPU and put a word in the RBE request thread. C'mon put two and two together so Bagz will add 7970 support to RBE sooner than later.
> >>>>http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57157


Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I don't think it will be any easier for 79xx series. Looks like will need "green light" to be able to pass the multi-lock.......... Remember how we are not able to edit clocks in 6xxx series as in 5xxx or previous series.
> 
> 
> 
> You actually can edit clocks, it just won't apply to successive cards in a cfx set. But that isn't even the purpose, it's to give us the ability to set voltage!!! You can override Overdrive limits via the registry as racerx showed us.
Click to expand...

1. There's no problem to have higher clock limits of 2000/2500 MHz for core and memory in CCC. This is the tool from AMD; AMD Radeon HD 7970 (reference) Xtreme OC BIOS: http://91.121.148.119/downloads/VGAB...Dec20_2011.exe

2. There's OVP (Over Voltage Protection) of fixed +125mV over various types of ASIC. AMD is not going to let average users altering this for simple reason; RMA is killing the business.

3. For non average users with extreme cooling (LN2, DICE, Phase, Chiller), can overcome this BIOS locked with simple modding. They know what they are doing and can tap into motherboad (X79) BIOS to alter the 7970 voltage. Here's how to do it; http://www.mediafire.com/?mu5rldjxxapt9w1

4. There seem to be ASIC VID mismatched from the 4 identified in Tweak Apps such as Afterburner, Asus Tweak, Trixx (have seen few cases here with very high quality ASICs but bad overclocker). They will come out with fixes without the need of RBE.

5. We can now use Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak along with Power Tune +20%.

I could be wrong, but couldn't think of a reason for RBE to by pass multi-lock at BIOS-Driver level. There's nothing left for average users to modify in BIOS.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> In digital transmission cables, if a 1 is recognized as 1, and 0 for 0, and at the correct timing, it doesn't matter even if you were to use a watertub for Dp/Hdmi cables


Well I guess according to you I'll be gullible and continue to run the higher end of cables. A. Because I can... B. It makes me feel better running high end cable on high end components. I for one call bs on this theory. If any of you want to run a hdmi cable that came with a westinghouse tv on your mitsubishi diamond series tv have at it. I for one will not and believe there is a reason for more expensive components when it comes to audio or video. You get what you pay for in most cases regardless of what it is. I'll pay the premium for better cable for pure peace of mind.


----------



## Levesque

I did participate to 3 well done double blind listening sessions. Believe me, there is no difference between a 10$ audio cables and a 1000$ silver cable.

No one of the 15 participants, all high-end audio reviewers, were able to hear any statistically significant differences.

Believe me, sitting in a room for 6 hours while people are switching cables is not the most fun things to do.









But since then, I buy Monoprice cables for me dedicated, fully acoustically measured and treated audio/video room. I had acousticians in that room all along while building it. If it would make a difference, i would buy them.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> yes, rig specification is a must
> *WiL11o6* ... I can't find your motherboard model and manufacturer in this thread


Thanks for trying to help lothar, I updated my sig rig.

Right now, I am on my last try before giving up, in order, restart after each.

Reset CMOS by taking out battery, and shorting CMOS Reset pins
Fresh install of Windows 7
Fresh install motherboard drivers
Let Windows update ALL updates (Recommended by Ken)
Install RC11 driver
Install CAP3 driver
Run Windows Experience Index to set Aero (7.5 or Aero/Gaming graphics score)
Downloading BF3 as I am typing this (Instead of installing from disc, trying something different)

Everything is STOCK. Did not touch BIOS to OC. Did not even go into CCC's powertune except to make sure CF is enabled.
GPU-Z detects both cards, and Device Manager has both enabled as well.

If this does not work, I don't know what else to do.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> ^
> Nice going to the Extreme..... Do u even game bro ? lol
> Gorgeous RIG, but why dont you use 8x AA in Heaven? I believe you should
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also i noticed its 1680 x 1050 ?
> Can we have a maxxed out version pls? ty


Standard Overclock.net heaven benchmark settings, see http://www.overclock.net/t/695978/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-2-5-scores#post_8842491


----------



## Stizuner

Woot added to the list.

Asus 7970 which i have been using on air since they came out. Installed my koolance block last night and it runs ice cold.

My block did have 1 screw hole that was not threaded right so unable to bolt. But doesnt appear to have any affect on performance.


----------



## krazyatom

@bigval

I am using OCCT 4.0.0 right now to test my 7970 stability mostly, but I also play bf3 with it.
Well.. I set my fan profile to default, so it does get little above 80c. 1.3v also gives me like 85c. It doesn't crash, but I get error from OCCT.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stizuner*
> 
> Woot added to the list.
> Asus 7970 which i have been using on air since they came out. Installed my koolance block last night and it runs ice cold.
> My block did have 1 screw hole that was not threaded right so unable to bolt. But doesnt appear to have any affect on performance.


Can you compare air OC to water OC?


----------



## WiL11o6

Results are in!



Same results! My frames actually drop down to 50s in some areas, and this is just Caspian Border. Didn't even try Karkand maps yet. I am out of ideas now.

Those of you who can't see, it's showing 67% GPU usage and it goes up to 90% then back down, then back up then back down.


----------



## krazyatom

@will1106

Is that the only game you're having problem?
Do you have another crososfire cable to try?
Could you test single 7970 set up and let us know. Try both pci-e lane individually with single 7970.


----------



## Machiyariko

I just got my 7950 today.
I will post some benches tonight.
Hopefully I can flash it and get some extra power out of it.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Machiyariko*
> 
> I just got my 7950 today.
> I will post some benches tonight.
> Hopefully I can flash it and get some extra power out of it.


Whoa, how the heck did that happen?


----------



## unrealskill

how much will the 7950 cost in $?


----------



## Machiyariko

The price ranges were from $454-$489 depending on the brand and model. This card was the $454 one.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> how much will the 7950 cost in $?


MSRP is $450 for the 3GB version and $400 for the 1.5GB version. Probably ~$475 at launch.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Results are in!
> 
> Same results! My frames actually drop down to 50s in some areas, and this is just Caspian Border. Didn't even try Karkand maps yet. I am out of ideas now.
> Those of you who can't see, it's showing 67% GPU usage and it goes up to 90% then back down, then back up then back down.


This is either Multi Player or throttling. Try Single Player.

If this is throttling by Afterburner, turn off ULPS;


Exit Afterburner and CCC Overdrive. 
Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
*For ALL instances* (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
Reboot PC.

Set the Power Tune +20% in CCC Overdrive.


----------



## striker7968

evensen007, thanks for the tip. I will try to up the voltage some. I shouldn't have to though? The card came factory overclocked at 1000mhz/1425mhz. Any ideas?


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> This is either Multi Player or throttling. Try Single Player.
> 
> If this is throttling by Afterburner, turn off ULPS;
> 
> Exit Afterburner and CCC Overdrive.
> Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
> In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
> *For ALL instances* (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
> Reboot PC.
> Set the Power Tune +20% in CCC Overdrive.


I will try that.

Here's a Heaven bench, looks like it's running properly but not the game I want it to run properly at!


----------



## jshotz

Hmm I never installed C.A.P for my Crossfire 7970's and everything is working stable and great. Is this an essential install I'm missing out on?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Hmm I never installed C.A.P for my Crossfire 7970's and *everything is working stable and great.* Is this an essential install I'm missing out on?


If everything is great and working stable, no need.


----------



## bigvaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> @bigval
> I am using OCCT 4.0.0 right now to test my 7970 stability mostly, but I also play bf3 with it.
> Well.. I set my fan profile to default, so it does get little above 80c. 1.3v also gives me like 85c. It doesn't crash, but I get error from OCCT.


Use OCCT 3.1.0 not 4.0
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Hmm I never installed C.A.P for my Crossfire 7970's and everything is working stable and great. Is this an essential install I'm missing out on?


I think you'll see a little performance increase in games with the CAPs but AMD drivers are so touchy I'd be scared to change anything if I were you lol.


----------



## unrealskill

hmm might have to just pick up a 7950 just take second fastest single gpu in the world


----------



## mltms

kick ass product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I don't have any nickel flakes floating in my res yet.
> I do have some white reside lining my tubing walls. Anyone know what that is? This is my first wc venture.


Perhaps you mean this...
http://www.overclock.net/t/1199158/severe-plasticizer-in-primochill-lrt


----------



## Thran

Just got my 7970 shipped to me today. So far this thing is amazing and exactly what I was looking for. So far been testing it and have gotten it to be stable at 1200/1800 on air just off stock voltages. Don't know if I want to push this card further so far so good tho.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> kick ass product
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413


from the back layout looks like a ref pcb









side note my wb is in the mail


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> from the back layout looks like a ref pcb


^This..... I'm waiting on the asus. Back plate ftmfw


----------



## n3tr0m

anyone have experienced sudden fps drops? When running Heaven Benchmark or 3DMark 11 the FPS suddenly drops by 20 for half a secoond, and then up again to normal. And this repeats every 4-5 second. Anyone knows why? (GPU usage at 98-100% at all times)


----------



## Thran

I got that as well in heaven benchmark I thought it would be because of my CPU but if you are having it with an I7 it definitely might be a driver problem.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> anyone have experienced sudden fps drops? When running Heaven Benchmark or 3DMark 11 the FPS suddenly drops by 20 for half a secoond, and then up again to normal. And this repeats every 4-5 second. Anyone knows why? (GPU usage at 98-100% at all times)


Could be throttling. You could try putting powertune to +20% in the CCC.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> from the back layout looks like a ref pcb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> side note my wb is in the mail


congrats

which one?


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Could be throttling. You could try putting powertune to +20% in the CCC.


Powertune is set to +20% already. Could it be bad driver installation or Hyper-Threading that is enabled on my i7 2600K?


----------



## WiL11o6

@Ken,

So it turns out it's perfectly fine in Single Player. Both my GPUs sit steadily at 98-99% sometimes dipping lowest is 92%. I switch to MP and it goes crazy down to 65% then back up to 99% then back down. It stays more at 80% than anything. What the hell is the difference between MP and SP that's causing this?


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> @Ken,
> So it turns out it's perfectly fine in Single Player. Both my GPUs sit steadily at 98-99% sometimes dipping lowest is 92%. I switch to MP and it goes crazy down to 65% then back up to 99% then back down. It stays more at 80% than anything. What the hell is the difference between MP and SP that's causing this?


I'm guessing this is a driver issue. I'm sure they will correct it soon.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> @Ken,
> So it turns out it's perfectly fine in Single Player. Both my GPUs sit steadily at 98-99% sometimes dipping lowest is 92%. I switch to MP and it goes crazy down to 65% then back up to 99% then back down. It stays more at 80% than anything. What the hell is the difference between MP and SP that's causing this?


It's a known issue with MP especially the 64. There's nothing wrong with your setup. Just enjoy your games.


----------



## jshotz

Would you guys recommend this product to see how much power my 7970's / my entire computer is using.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7657/?cpg=cj&ref=&CJURL=&CJID=2617611


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> @Ken,
> So it turns out it's perfectly fine in Single Player. Both my GPUs sit steadily at 98-99% sometimes dipping lowest is 92%. I switch to MP and it goes crazy down to 65% then back up to 99% then back down. It stays more at 80% than anything. What the hell is the difference between MP and SP that's causing this?


I would say it's an early issue the the 7970's in xfire if anything. My 5870's on 12.1 drivers had 95-99% utilization in BF3 multiplayer all the time. Hold tight, when 12.2 releases with 7970 support I think things will get much better.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Would you guys recommend this product to see how much power my 7970's / my entire computer is using.
> http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7657/?cpg=cj&ref=&CJURL=&CJID=2617611


Yes, that's good enough.

To know how much the DC watt from PSU to total system is drawing;

Example, 700W from the wall x PSU efficiency 85% = 595W.


----------



## WiL11o6

Ken, I can't enjoy it when I know other people are!

You saw my screenshots. I was getting 45fps with $1100 video card setup! I can't enjoy it! I don't know how other people are able to get it up and running.


----------



## WiL11o6

Can someone with either 1920x1200 or 1080p run BF3 with MAXED settings report to me what they get for GPU usage with Afterburner or something? It's hard for me to believe I am the only one with this problem when I'm doing things that other people are doing. Simply installing drivers, and reboot, reboot, reboot. Single player is fine, so I know it's probably not my card. I just want to know I am not the only one with MP problems! I will give REPs!


----------



## Leeeeeeeeee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Can someone with either 1920x1200 or 1080p run BF3 with MAXED settings report to me what they get for GPU usage with Afterburner or something? It's hard for me to believe I am the only one with this problem when I'm doing things that other people are doing. Simply installing drivers, and reboot, reboot, reboot. Single player is fine, so I know it's probably not my card. I just want to know I am not the only one with MP problems! I will give REPs!


I'll check right now and report back real soon


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Would you guys recommend this product to see how much power my 7970's / my entire computer is using.
> http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7657/?cpg=cj&ref=&CJURL=&CJID=2617611


I am using one as we speak!









Works great, and keeps a total KWH Log so you know how much energy you are using in say a months time.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Results are in!
> 
> Same results! My frames actually drop down to 50s in some areas, and this is just Caspian Border. Didn't even try Karkand maps yet. I am out of ideas now.
> Those of you who can't see, it's showing 67% GPU usage and it goes up to 90% then back down, then back up then back down.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Ken, I can't enjoy it when I know other people are!
> You saw my screenshots. I was getting 45fps with $1100 video card setup! I can't enjoy it! I don't know how other people are able to get it up and running.


what settings are you playing in ... not that this well help but I have had the exact same flux with frames ... even on my 5970 @1100/1365 on med settings vsync on I'd get 94-120 fps flux did you not have any flux with your old card?

Edit: also I don't see very much change in fps with the 7970 - 5970 ... maybe a little lower.... but the extra vram let's me play on high -- and all in all colors and smoothness are better... 7970 1100 | 1600

drivers will help I am sure ... same **** when I bought the 5970 first out ... took months for drivers to get going


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *ARTIFACTS DURING WINDOWS START-UP*
> Hi,
> I was wondering if any of you who have xfire 7970 are experiencing momentarily artifacts during windows boot up and just after the glowing windows 7 logo. This phenomenon has a duration of about 1 sec at least in my case...
> So?


UAC is disabled and tried a different driver as well... Some times i dont get this but most of the times i do...
*Check the .mov file please here:*
http://temp-share.com/show/YgFHKkJxy


----------



## Leeeeeeeeee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Can someone with either 1920x1200 or 1080p run BF3 with MAXED settings report to me what they get for GPU usage with Afterburner or something? It's hard for me to believe I am the only one with this problem when I'm doing things that other people are doing. Simply installing drivers, and reboot, reboot, reboot. Single player is fine, so I know it's probably not my card. I just want to know I am not the only one with MP problems! I will give REPs!


I tested on my sig rig @ 1920x1080 with all settings at Ultra, 4xMSAA, 16xAA, HBAO, etc...basically every single graphical setting on the highest possible on Operation Firestorm 64-man Conquest and I was getting 99% load. It will dip down to 96% for a split second every now and then, but my GPU load is essentially consistently at 99%.

Let me know if you need anymore details!


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> UAC is disabled and tried a different driver as well... Some times i dont get this but most of the times i do...
> *Check the .mov file please here:*
> http://temp-share.com/show/YgFHKkJxy


That is odd... but I think it's driver related...

have done a full sweep of your gpu drivers with atiman or driver sweeper in safe mode?

Usually that stuff happens b/c drivers are loading during start up...

my old 5970 would do that upon first boot after I put on drivers... ever once in a while... I just reinstall ... and it would be fine..


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Can someone with either 1920x1200 or 1080p run BF3 with MAXED settings report to me what they get for GPU usage with Afterburner or something? It's hard for me to believe I am the only one with this problem when I'm doing things that other people are doing. Simply installing drivers, and reboot, reboot, reboot. Single player is fine, so I know it's probably not my card. I just want to know I am not the only one with MP problems! I will give REPs!


my SLI 460's and my single 7970 are pegged at 99% the entire time. what you're seeing is not normal unless it's a crossfire bug i'm not privy to. hope you get it sorted out, i'd be frustrated too.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> @Ken,
> So it turns out it's perfectly fine in Single Player. Both my GPUs sit steadily at 98-99% sometimes dipping lowest is 92%. I switch to MP and it goes crazy down to 65% then back up to 99% then back down. It stays more at 80% than anything. What the hell is the difference between MP and SP that's causing this?


The difference is how much the CPU comes in to play... maybe a ram issue, mainboard issue... You just ruled out the cards though.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> That is odd... but I think it's driver related...
> have done a full sweep of your gpu drivers with atiman or driver sweeper in safe mode?
> Usually that stuff happens b/c drivers are loading during start up...
> my old 5970 would do that upon first boot after I put on drivers... ever once in a while... I just reinstall ... and it would be fine..


Well, yes, i use atiman's uninstaller ALL the time.

ATIMAN also told me that the usage of BOTH crossfire bridges is mandatory! Also he does not think its driver related, but i might do another try and use the official RC driver Ken suggested...

Thanks for your inputs!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Ken, I can't enjoy it when I know other people are!
> You saw my screenshots. I was getting 45fps with $1100 video card setup! I can't enjoy it! I don't know how other people are able to get it up and running.


Turn down your settings in MP-64 such as AA and MSAA=0. *MAXED* = NO GO.

Compare other results with the same settings as yours, otherwise, misleading.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Well, yes, i use atiman's uninstaller ALL the time.
> ATIMAN also told me that the usage of BOTH crossfire bridges is mandatory! Also he does not think its driver related, but i might do another try and use the official RC driver Ken suggested...
> Thanks for your inputs!


I am in disbelief if ATIMAN actually suggested to *use two bridges.*

*Take one off*, two will more than likely to cause graphical glicthes from cross-talk.

Official WHQL 12.1 does not support 7970.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> The difference is how much the CPU comes in to play... maybe a ram issue, mainboard issue... You just ruled out the cards though.


What do you think it is? It's pointing to CPU, but other people with an older i5 or i7 still get way above 80fps and I'd be hard pressed to believe a 2500k struggles SO much to bring my fps down to 45fps. If I remember on my 570s, it never went below 60fps if I were just looking at landscape or overview of the map, it only stuttered during explosions due to lack of VRAM. Another fellow in [H]ardforum is also experiencing same thing as me with his 2500k @ 4.6ghz, with his GPUs at 75-99% and his also dipping to 50fps at times. I went through BIOS to turn off any thing that would cause the CPU to slow down and such, not working.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Turn down your settings in MP-64 such as AA and MSAA=0. *MAXED* = NO GO.
> Compare other results with the same settings as yours, otherwise, misleading.


Sorry, I should have stated to turn those off for people to compare, however, I was looking for people with CF 7970s to compare to, so I'm assuming that's enough power to run 4xMSAA. In my own test, if standing in the same area and I get 45fps max, it would take me setting from default Ultra, to High, all the way down to Medium for my fps to go above 45fps, but of course my GPU usage would get lower and lower. Like a CPU bottleneck.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leeeeeeeeee*
> 
> I tested on my sig rig @ 1920x1080 with all settings at Ultra, 4xMSAA, 16xAA, HBAO, etc...basically every single graphical setting on the highest possible on Operation Firestorm 64-man Conquest and I was getting 99% load. It will dip down to 96% for a split second every now and then, but my GPU load is essentially consistently at 99%.
> Let me know if you need anymore details!


Thanks for the test, but looks like you have a single 7970?

When I had a single 7970, it was also running at 99% all the time.


----------



## PARTON

Just flashed the asus bios in hopes of getting 1.4 volts in gpu tweak, but I'm met with 1.25v max on my 1.175v stock card? Did I get the wrong version or something. I want more than the 1.3v afterburner is giving me. I'm stuck at 1200 core. My leak chip needs MOAR VCORE!!!!









Oh and now I see it's 1125 max. I thought this asus stuff was supposed to let you loose. I'm doing it wrong. Show me the way.


----------



## wirefox

did you unistall all drivers, unistall AB and other tweak tools prior to updating? I also updated mine through the gui method

just add the bios to the main fold of Asus tweak... then click ATIbios tweak icon in the folder... load bios, click program. done 1.4.. though I am on an aSUS card.. .so not sure if that matters.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Sorry, I should have stated to turn those off for people to compare, however, I was looking for people with CF 7970s to compare to, so I'm assuming that's enough power to run 4xMSAA. In my own test, if standing in the same area and I get 45fps max, it would take me setting from default Ultra, to High, all the way down to Medium for my fps to go above 45fps, but of course my GPU usage would get lower and lower. Like a CPU bottleneck.
> Thanks for the test, but looks like you have a single 7970?
> When I had a single 7970, it was also running at 99% all the time.


Don't know how to tell ya, even with Quad 7970 will make no difference MP-64. I have no desire to single out post telling otherwise.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Just flashed the asus bios in hopes of getting 1.4 volts in gpu tweak, but I'm met with 1.25v max on my 1.175v stock card? Did I get the wrong version or something. I want more than the 1.3v afterburner is giving me. I'm stuck at 1200 core. My leak chip needs MOAR VCORE!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh and now I see it's 1125 max. I thought this asus stuff was supposed to let you loose. I'm doing it wrong. Show me the way.


No, it won't let you go wild with the voltage. There's a fixed limit of +125mV locked in BIOS.

Your VID is 1.175v + 0.125v = 1.3v actual will be lower depends on your +12V and if Power Tune is set to +20% more of TDP limit.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Turn down your settings in MP-64 such as AA and MSAA=0. *MAXED* = NO GO.
> 
> Compare other results with the same settings as yours, otherwise, misleading.
> 
> I am in disbelief if ATIMAN actually suggested to *use two bridges.*
> 
> *Take one off*, two will more than likely to cause graphical glicthes from cross-talk.
> 
> Official WHQL 12.1 does not support 7970.


Well, until now I had only one bridge installed and had no problems at all. Now, I installed the second bridge as suggested... please check your PM


----------



## wirefox

I just took my 5970 off of it's loop ... feel like I've broken up with a great friend.. .but off to the folding rig you'll go. anyone looking for 2x 9800gtx with blocks lmk.

I found that hoses are a icky/dirty mess. While I'd imagine it's terrible to do ... I flushed everything and will likely use the dirty hose to set up my 7970 block otw tomorrow...

I'm sure fingernails are scraping somewhere on the interwebs. ...But I just can't wait to get more tubing.... I'll change later...


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> did you unistall all drivers, unistall AB and other tweak tools prior to updating? I also updated mine through the gui method
> just add the bios to the main fold of Asus tweak... then click ATIbios tweak icon in the folder... load bios, click program. done 1.4.. though I am on an aSUS card.. .so not sure if that matters.


I didn't, but they were all disabled, I reset defaults in CCC, uninstalled CCC and gputweak, restarted, reinstalled drivers, restarted, reinstalled gpu tweak, and restarted. All just to be sure.

Could you elaborate on the second half; I'm not getting it. I do know that whatever it is that you're describing I did not do.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> No, it won't let you go wild with the voltage. There's a fixed limit of +125mV locked in BIOS.
> 
> Your VID is 1.175v + 0.125v = 1.3v actual will be lower depends on your +12V and if Power Tune is set to +20% more of TDP limit.


I've seen pics of 1.4 v limit in gpu tweak, and I have a 55.8 asic card. I want 1.4v!

This leaky chip will go higher with more vcore I know; as soon as I scale back from 1.3 I get more and more errors, so it's needing every bit of what it's getting.


----------



## WiL11o6

Update!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BF3 64-Player maps finally utilize both GPUs at LEAST 90% giving me an average of 100fps the lowest of lows of 65 and highest of 180.

How did I do it?!
I HAVE NO IDEA!
I just reinstalled the drivers a couple times, played single player, then multiplayer and now it works. Was downloading Batman AC. I didn't do anything I didn't do before so I have no idea why it works now.

I just know it works now, and I am honestly, too afraid to do anything. I didn't even restart my computer yet.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Update!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> BF3 64-Player maps finally utilize both GPUs at LEAST 90% giving me an average of 100fps the lowest of lows of 65 and highest of 180.
> How did I do it?!
> I HAVE NO IDEA!
> I just reinstalled the drivers a couple times, played single player, then multiplayer and now it works. Was downloading Batman AC. I didn't do anything I didn't do before so I have no idea why it works now.
> I just know it works now, and I am honestly, too afraid to do anything. I didn't even restart my computer yet.


Make a system restore point now hehe.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I didn't, but they were all disabled, I reset defaults in CCC, uninstalled CCC and gputweak, restarted, reinstalled drivers, restarted, reinstalled gpu tweak, and restarted. All just to be sure.
> Could you elaborate on the second half; I'm not getting it. I do know that whatever it is that you're describing I did not do.
> I've seen pics of 1.4 v limit in gpu tweak, and I have a 55.8 asic card. I want 1.4v!
> This leaky chip will go higher with more vcore I know; as soon as I scale back from 1.3 I get more and more errors, so it's needing every bit of what it's getting.


source: http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905 - posted by ken1649

Pretty sure you will need to have asus tweak installed

... Just flash with the Bios from main folderwith ATIwinflash. ATIwinflash is in GPU Tweak folder after installation

or if you are doing dos ... just unistall AB, CCC .. .and I think you should be good


----------



## WiL11o6

2012-01-27 16:02:44 - bf3
Frames: 38045 - Time: 311409ms - Avg: 122.171 - Min: 64 - Max: 201

After a little BF3 game. You guys have no idea how happy I am. After 2-3 days of troubleshoot finally got it to work. Sadly, I do not know what I did. But at least now I know the cards are fine, my hardware is fine.


----------



## Norlig

Just registered my two sapphire cards and saw that Sapphire has a Driver corner on their website. and I saw this:










Post #2 says the latest driver (RC11) is 8.921.2, but sapphire links to 8.921.5. Hmm, what do you guys think the difference is?


----------



## Balsagna

Looking at the names list.

There's only me and one other person with an HIS version. Makes me sad a bit -- The only thing I really hate about the 7970 is how freaking loud it is. I can't even stand it at 50% fan speed.

And I have a 2nd one coming on the way. Looks like I'll be upgrading my water loop and getting those 2 on water sometime soon









I'll have to wait till I get back from basic training though


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Just registered my two sapphire cards and saw that Sapphire has a Driver corner on their website. and I saw this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Post #2 says the latest driver (RC11) is 8.921.2, but sapphire links to 8.921.5. Hmm, what do you guys think the difference is?


0.000.3









load it up and let us know


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> kick ass product
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> from the back layout looks like a ref pcb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> side note my wb is in the mail


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> congrats
> which one?


Here's a thread on that card.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1205996/gigabyte-7970-non-reference-released-on-newegg/0_40


----------



## unrealskill

im hoping there will be a few custom coolers for the 7950 next week i know of one but none others.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> 2012-01-27 16:02:44 - bf3
> Frames: 38045 - Time: 311409ms - Avg: 122.171 - Min: 64 - Max: 201
> After a little BF3 game. You guys have no idea how happy I am. After 2-3 days of troubleshoot finally got it to work. Sadly, I do not know what I did. But at least now I know the cards are fine, my hardware is fine.


Like the other guy said, make a backup right now! Use the windows 7 built in backup and safeguard all this trouble you went through!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> 2012-01-27 16:02:44 - bf3
> Frames: 38045 - Time: 311409ms - Avg: 122.171 - Min: 64 - Max: 201
> After a little BF3 game. You guys have no idea how happy I am. After 2-3 days of troubleshoot finally got it to work. Sadly, I do not know what I did. But at least now I know the cards are fine, my hardware is fine.


Gratz will... but you shouldn't have to be worried to restart your PC. I think it possibly came down to wrong order of installation when it came to drivers and CAP.

Install CCC > restart > Install CAPs > restart.

About that 64 man conquest test, ive already tested it somewhere in this thread and it made no difference. There are screenshots somewhere in here.
Enjoy your crossfire


----------



## sockpirate

Here is a link to my current build log guys, got both of my 7970s under water with EK Copper Acetal blocks, with the EK dual link system and the back plates.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196417/build-log-getting-wet-a-build-log-by-ocn-sockpirate-56kwarning

Also for some reason i cant get CrossfireX to work with this back up mobo i am using (had a spill and my M4E is in rice and may be RMAed.)

I have the latest drivers installed and for some reason cant get it to prompt me to enable it? Anyone?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Here is a link to my current build log guys, got both of my 7970s under water with EK Copper Acetal blocks, with the EK dual link system and the back plates.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196417/build-log-getting-wet-a-build-log-by-ocn-sockpirate-56kwarning
> Also for some reason i cant get CrossfireX to work with this back up mobo i am using (had a spill and my M4E is in rice and may be RMAed.)
> I have the latest drivers installed and for some reason cant get it to prompt me to enable it? Anyone?


You switched from M4E to what? @x16/x16 or @x8x8 or? Try to use another drive to fresh install OS with this mobo?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You switched from M4E to what? @x16/x16 or @x8x8 or? Try to use another drive to fresh install OS with this mobo?


Well i am just using this mobo until i get a new M4E from RMA or if mine is not damaged i will gladly toss it back in, it is currently under rice right now from the spill i took.

Also i just ran Heaven and my temps on the active card went up to 98c , mind you i am on water, i thought it was becuase of my loop order, but the cpu didn't break 35c (stock) , should i go in and check the mounting on the blocks? These temps just dont seem right for water.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Well i am just using this mobo until i get a new M4E from RMA or if mine is not damaged i will gladly toss it back in, it is currently under rice right now from the spill i took.
> Also i just ran Heaven and my temps on the active card went up to 98c , mind you i am on water, i thought it was becuase of my loop order, but the cpu didn't break 35c (stock) , should i go in and check the mounting on the blocks? These temps just dont seem right for water.


Sorry, I still don't get it (sleep deprived) if you are still using the same spilled mobo or backup.

Nevermind that, stop whatever you are doing. Take the waterblock apart then check thoroughly before doing any more damages. Those temperatures are really scary.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Sorry, I still don't get it (sleep deprived) if you are still using the same spilled mobo or backup.
> 
> Nevermind that, stop whatever you are doing. Take the waterblock apart then check thoroughly before doing any more damages. Those temperatures are really scary.


Yeah they are idling at 65 and 55 right now...hmm i dont know what the problem could be, i thought my mounting was good, i double check contact on both blocks. Ugh gonna be a long night...

Like i have no idea what to look for as to why my temps are so high?


----------



## UNOE

when I flash my card it shouldn't say system mismatch right ?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> when I flash my card it shouldn't say system mismatch right ?


u need to use *-fs*

atiflash.exe *-fs* -p 0 (bios name.bin)


----------



## rubicsphere

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Yeah they are idling at 65 and 55 right now...hmm i dont know what the problem could be, i thought my mounting was good, i double check contact on both blocks. Ugh gonna be a long night...
> Like i have no idea what to look for as to why my temps are so high?


Make sure there is thermal paste on the block where the core is


----------



## jamborhgini313

I got a weird error. I just launched heaven, it crashed while in crossfire mode. I tried again and a message popped up saying out of memory and cannot set to full resolution then a downsized heaven version pops up. After a couple of seconds, I get BSOD and before I can even look at the message my computer reboots. I tried BF3, same thing. Tried Crysis Warhead benchmark and it ran untill the 3rd run which then the driver crashed and it kept crashing untill my screen turned black. I've already formatted my SSD's, installed clean drivers and the CAP stuff and yet it's still the same bull**** before I wiped. Right now, all I wanna say is **** AMD.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> I got a weird error. I just launched heaven, it crashed while in crossfire mode. I tried again and a message popped up saying out of memory and cannot set to full resolution then a downsized heaven version pops up. After a couple of seconds, I get BSOD and before I can even look at the message my computer reboots. I tried BF3, same thing. Tried Crysis Warhead benchmark and it ran untill the 3rd run which then the driver crashed and it kept crashing untill my screen turned black. I've already formatted my SSD's, installed clean drivers and the CAP stuff and yet it's still the same bull**** before I wiped. Right now, all I wanna say is **** AMD.


Did you turn off UAC?


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Did you turn off UAC?


Yeah, thats usually the first thing I do on a fresh install of windows. I was gonna go and pick up a copy of windows 7 just to see but thats not gonna do **** if I can't even get **** to work on a fresh install of Vista. I'm very disappointed because I was gonna order water blocks but what good are water blocks if my video cards are gonna crash, BSOD, and freeze all the time?
















AMD GET YOUR **** TOGETHER!


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubicsphere*
> 
> Make sure there is thermal paste on the block where the core is


Yeah i made sure, what would you guys reccomend on thermal paste application X or dot in center? I followed the EK instructions and did an X. I also put thermal paste on each area that required a thermal ppad like EK suggested.

Well i also just switched out motherboards, i took my M4E out from under the rice and it actually boots up and seems fine, compared the the other mobo, now i am idling at mid 40s ? Gonna run a heaven run and see what temps are like. CrossfireX is also working with my M4E.

Edit: Hmm temps were still bad. Gonna take the blocks off and see whats going on...


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> 2012-01-27 16:02:44 - bf3
> Frames: 38045 - Time: 311409ms - Avg: 122.171 - Min: 64 - Max: 201
> After a little BF3 game. You guys have no idea how happy I am. After 2-3 days of troubleshoot finally got it to work. Sadly, I do not know what I did. But at least now I know the cards are fine, my hardware is fine.


Congratulations, Im really happy to read that. Its really frustrating when you can't make the things to work right!, sometimes happens to me, specially when I have to figure out ..."how in earth did I make this to work!?.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> I got a weird error. I just launched heaven, it crashed while in crossfire mode. I tried again and a message popped up saying out of memory and cannot set to full resolution then a downsized heaven version pops up. After a couple of seconds, I get BSOD and before I can even look at the message my computer reboots. I tried BF3, same thing. Tried Crysis Warhead benchmark and it ran untill the 3rd run which then the driver crashed and it kept crashing untill my screen turned black. I've already formatted my SSD's, installed clean drivers and the CAP stuff and yet it's still the same bull**** before I wiped. Right now, all I wanna say is **** AMD.


AMD has nothing to do with this... This simply means your overclock is unstable









Also...
*Crossfire users*....... *ULPS has to be DISABLED guys, no work around. Your secondary card is not to enter zero core if you have modified your voltage. On the contrary, primary card is ok to zero core when display is switched off when idling.*

1. Start>Write Regedit>Start Regedit.
2. Press CTRL+F then search for EnableULPS, doubleclick on it change it from "1" to "0". Ok. *Or*
Disabling ULPS can be done by opening regedit and going to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Cl ass\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}]
3. You can also check on the EnableCrossfire above that its got data 1. If not change this, restart the computer.

Having zero core enabled on the slave card after voltage modification results in hard locks and "driver stopped responding" errors.


----------



## rcfc89

Hey guys quick question. After looking at several overclocking tools I really like how Gpu Tweak from Asus automatically changes voltage when the core clock is increased. I don't believe Msi Afterburner has this correct? Also I really like how afterburner has the on screen display. Is there anyway to use the on screen display of afterburner without using it to control your cards or are you stuck with afterburner as your oc tool?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Hey guys quick question. After looking at several overclocking tools I really like how Gpu Tweak from Asus automatically changes voltage when the core clock is increased. I don't believe Msi Afterburner has this correct? Also I really like how afterburner has the on screen display. Is there anyway to use the on screen display of afterburner without using it to control your cards or are you stuck with afterburner as your oc tool?


The linked voltage change in Asus GPU tweak is far from reliable, i would avoid this at all costs.








But if you should know, you can have both running if u like.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> The linked voltage change in Asus GPU tweak is far from reliable, i would avoid this at all costs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But if you should know, you can have both running if u like.


Thanks for the help. I'm looking at the new Asus http://usa.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/AMD_Series/HD7970DC2T3GD5/ as far as using any tool to oc what is a safe voltage for lets say 1250mhz? Or is it a crap shoot where I must raise it a little then test etc? Thinking since there asus cards I'll use tweak to oc and monitor gpu usage and get fraps for fps display.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Thanks for the help. I'm looking at the new Asus http://usa.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/AMD_Series/HD7970DC2T3GD5/ as far as using any tool to oc what is a safe voltage for lets say 1250mhz? Or is it a crap shoot where I must raise it a little then test etc? Thinking since there asus cards I'll use tweak to oc and monitor gpu usage and get fraps for fps display.


At the moment, the limit in the uttilities is 1.3v but not all of that applies to the card. If you can get your card to 1250mhz you will need to set it to 1.3v forsure.
Its hard to say at this stage what the safest max voltage is especially cause these chips are a die shrink fabrication but i personally wouldn't go over 1.25v for a 24/7 overclock.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Looking at the names list.
> There's only me and one other person with an HIS version. Makes me sad a bit -- The only thing I really hate about the 7970 is how freaking loud it is. I can't even stand it at 50% fan speed.
> And I have a 2nd one coming on the way. Looks like I'll be upgrading my water loop and getting those 2 on water sometime soon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have to wait till I get back from basic training though


Don't be sad, 1230/1700 I have on air and just put it under water yesterday. Will see if will go further this weekend.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> u need to use *-fs*
> atiflash.exe *-fs* -p 0 (bios name.bin)


Well I ended up flashing in windows atiwinflash in cmd. I pretty much had no choice. Booting to DOS with -i it was only seeing 2 of my cypress cards and refused to see tahiti. But -i in cmd saw all three cards. All three cards are in a water loop together and cypress cards are for folding. So there was no way I wanted to break my loop just to flash. So I went with in windows flash all seems solid though.

Anyone know why dos only sees the cypress cards ?
I used atiflah 3.8.9.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> At the moment, the limit in the uttilities is 1.3v but not all of that applies to the card. If you can get your card to 1250mhz you will need to set it to 1.3v forsure.
> Its hard to say at this stage what the safest max voltage is especially cause these chips are a die shrink fabrication but i personally wouldn't go over 1.25v for a 24/7 overclock.


According to this review they were able to easily get a stable card at 1220mhz. Makes you think with this better fan profile and heat sink that 1250 should be attainable. http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1839/1/


----------



## Machiyariko

So I just started benching my 7950. I flashed it with the ASUS 7970 BIOS and it is working great.
Here are some of the first results.
I am using the stock cooler in my open tech bench.
Highest temp was 89c on the last run.
I stopped at 1100 but the ASUS OC tool will let me go much much higher. I'll have to keep the temps in check when i go further.
I'll run some more tests later, I'm going to play some games with it now.

Stock speeds with 7950 BIOS


Stock speeds with 7970 BIOS


1000 / 1400


1050 / 1450


1100 / 1500


Please let me know how this compares to the 7970's that are around.


----------



## coldcase

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Yeah i made sure, what would you guys reccomend on thermal paste application X or dot in center? I followed the EK instructions and did an X. I also put thermal paste on each area that required a thermal ppad like EK suggested.
> Well i also just switched out motherboards, i took my M4E out from under the rice and it actually boots up and seems fine, compared the the other mobo, now i am idling at mid 40s ? Gonna run a heaven run and see what temps are like. CrossfireX is also working with my M4E.
> Edit: Hmm temps were still bad. Gonna take the blocks off and see whats going on...


Are you sure you don't have any big bubbles that weren't bled yet? Either your block are not making proper contact or there's air somewhere in your loop.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> AMD has nothing to do with this... This simply means your overclock is unstable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also...
> *Crossfire users*....... *ULPS has to be DISABLED guys, no work around. Your secondary card is not to enter zero core if you have modified your voltage. On the contrary, primary card is ok to zero core when display is switched off when idling.*
> 1. Start>Write Regedit>Start Regedit.
> 2. Press CTRL+F then search for EnableULPS, doubleclick on it change it from "1" to "0". Ok. *Or*
> Disabling ULPS can be done by opening regedit and going to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Cl ass\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}]
> 3. You can also check on the EnableCrossfire above that its got data 1. If not change this, restart the computer.
> Having zero core enabled on the slave card after voltage modification results in hard locks and "driver stopped responding" errors.


This pretty much eliminated my problem. Thanks. AMD needs to hire him


----------



## Newbie2009

[quote name="coldcase"
url="/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/2410#post_16310408"]
Are you sure you don't have any big bubbles that weren't bled yet? Either your block are not making proper contact or there's air somewhere in your loop.
[/quote]

Yeah I get those temps under load.


----------



## Newbie2009

What's the advantage of asus bios?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> What's the advantage of asus bios?


Unlocked voltage modification ability, unlocked extra core/memory clocks.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> This pretty much eliminated my problem. Thanks. AMD needs to hire him


Disabling ULPS is a well known fact with AMD cards. It's the first thing I do after installing drivers, and before OCing.


----------



## Aventadoor

So I had to RMA my HX1050 once again...
Will a TX750W be enough to power 7970 CrossfireX, CPU @ 4,7ghz, Watercooling singel loop, 8 fans on a fan controller + SSD?








Yes I will OC the cards obviously


----------



## Outcasst

Will the .exe unlocked BIOS utility from AMD flash both cards in my system or do I need to do them one at a time?


----------



## Levesque

4X 7970 Quad-Fire 3930k only at 4.6

1080p 8AA - *176.3 fps 4441*



And for fun

2560X1600 8AA - *118 fps 2975*



I usually bench my 3930k at 5.1, so the score would be higher. But I didn't had enough time. Later.


----------



## ElGreco

Very nice numbers, but why are te min FPS so low?


----------



## Levesque

Could be anything. A 1 sec blurp. Sometimes I get min 40, sometimes 15. I don't really care. The overall score is important.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Unlocked voltage modification ability, unlocked extra core/memory clocks.


So it can go over 1.3v?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Will the .exe unlocked BIOS utility from AMD flash both cards in my system or do I need to do them one at a time?


There is a way to flash both, try *-pa*
atiflash.exe -fs -pa (bios name.bin)

if that doesnt work, then do them separately...
atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 (bios name.bin) for primary
atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 (bios name.bin) for slave card

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> So it can go over 1.3v?


Not at this stage.. 1.3 doesnt even give 1.3v. The cards are hard locked to +125mv from VID.
Waiting for mods.


----------



## Denim-187

Teh Secks ?


----------



## UNOE

Thanks for those 7950 benches I don't see anyone with this card where did you buy it ?


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Disabling ULPS is a well known fact with AMD cards. It's the first thing I do after installing drivers, and before OCing.


ULPS has been disabled ever since I received my cards. Learning is all that's matter's.









Also Levesque, I love what you have typed in your sig... "" On the internet, for 10 REALLY VOCAL whiners, you have 1000 satisifed customers that don't post. "" So True


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Lavesque... how is your gpu usage in games so far?


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Just registered my two sapphire cards and saw that Sapphire has a Driver corner on their website. and I saw this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Post #2 says the latest driver (RC11) is 8.921.2, but sapphire links to 8.921.5. Hmm, what do you guys think the difference is?


I'm currently using this driver and destroying everything in BF3 crossfire







due not I don't have C.A.P installed and my cards aren't over locked yet*


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I'm currently using this driver and destroying everything in BF3 crossfire
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> due not I don't have C.A.P installed and my cards aren't over locked yet*


It's standard WHQL 11.12 driver, try RC11
3% (up to) performance improvement in Battlefield 3


----------



## mltms

can some one tell me when this non ref will be on US amazon http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-RSSDailyDeals-_-na-_-na&AID=10521304&PID=4003003&SID=1dvy90xs15sgz

coz the ref **** dont work good on our weathar in saudi arabia to mutch heat and the neweeg dont sell it out of US


----------



## WiL11o6

To all CF 7970 only (unless you know):

How important is CPU in 64-player BF3 multiplayer? I am running a 2500k @ 4.5ghz

I just finally got everything running, and in single player, 32-player multiplayer, both my GPUs sit at constant 95-99% usage, netting me a good 120 average fps. Once I join a 64-player server map, mainly the new Karkand maps like, Gulf of Omen, Sharqi Pennisula, and Strike at Karkand, my GPU usage on both cards fluctuate from 75-99%, and mostly sits around 85%. This brings my fps down to around 80 or so during intense firefights and sometimes down to 60 when I am overviewing the map from above.

Now, from what I read, as long as you have a new generation quad core, you should be fine because BF3 is more so GPU dependent. However, it seems like from what I have gathered from some people on here and in [h]ardforum is that a couple people like myself, with overclocked 2500k are getting dips into the 60fps (75-99% GPU CF) range on these 64-player multiplayer maps, but getting 120fps on 32-player as state above.

Seems like the people who are getting 100+ fps, never dipping under 80fps, even on 64-player maps are the people with 2600k CPUs or older i7's. My 2500k folks are dipping into the 60s, while the 2600k folks here are getting above 80+. It's hard to believe that a 2600k is netting at LEAST 20+ fps vs a 2500k when I got a 2500k mainly because I read that these two are almost identical for gaming.

I will point at you Denim, and other 2600k owners. He gets 100+ fps on 64-player maps (and others), albeit it's a 5ghz overclock vs my 4.5ghz, but I don't think 500mhz is going to gain 20+ fps. How do your CF 7970 run as far as GPU usage goes, ONLY on FULL 64-player maps? Can someone verify this? If a 2600k is going to net me +20 more fps, I'd rather switch out my 2500k for a 2600k!


----------



## Denim-187

I've been getting PM's on how to flash the Cards using atiflash. Here's a simple guide to use









*1.* You will need to make a bootable USB or CD.. (preferably USB)

Use these tools to format the USB.


TOOLS.zip 708k .zip file




*2.* After you have formatted, download and *rename* the following BIOS to *AsusOC.bin*, then throw it onto the USB.


Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file


And *ATIflash.exe* also to be on the USB.


atiflash.zip 580k .zip file


*3.* Once the USB has been made bootable and both Atiflash and the ASUS OC bios are both on the USB, set your motherboards bios to boot from the USB.

*4.* After you have successfully booted through the USB, you will be taken to a DOS prompt. From there you will type the following:

For Primary (1st) GPU

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 Asusoc.bin

For Slave (2nd) GPU

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 Asusoc.bin

If the adapters arent "found", use this line to correctly identify the adapter numbers.

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -i

After successful flashing, shutdown the system and remove the USB. Boot into windows normally.


----------



## Outcasst

Is there a backup command to make a copy of the current BIOS? Or is exporting it via GPU-Z the same thing?


----------



## rubicsphere

500 Mhz across 8 threads adds up man


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> To all CF 7970 only (unless you know):
> I will point at you Denim, and other 2600k owners. He gets 100+ fps on 64-player maps (and others), albeit it's a 5ghz overclock vs my 4.5ghz, but I don't think 500mhz is going to gain 20+ fps. How do your CF 7970 run as far as GPU usage goes, ONLY on FULL 64-player maps? Can someone verify this? If a 2600k is going to net me +20 more fps, I'd rather switch out my 2500k for a 2600k!


Hmmm i'll try disabling Hyperthreading see if it makes a difference







and i'll also downclock to 4.5ghz for the accuracy.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Is there a backup command to make a copy of the current BIOS? Or is exporting it via GPU-Z the same thing?


GPU-z is the same thing and very reliable.


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> To all CF 7970 only (unless you know):
> How important is CPU in 64-player BF3 multiplayer? I am running a 2500k @ 4.5ghz
> I just finally got everything running, and in single player, 32-player multiplayer, both my GPUs sit at constant 95-99% usage, netting me a good 120 average fps. Once I join a 64-player server map, mainly the new Karkand maps like, Gulf of Omen, Sharqi Pennisula, and Strike at Karkand, my GPU usage on both cards fluctuate from 75-99%, and mostly sits around 85%. This brings my fps down to around 80 or so during intense firefights and sometimes down to 60 when I am overviewing the map from above.
> Now, from what I read, as long as you have a new generation quad core, you should be fine because BF3 is more so GPU dependent. However, it seems like from what I have gathered from some people on here and in [h]ardforum is that a couple people like myself, with overclocked 2500k are getting dips into the 60fps (75-99% GPU CF) range on these 64-player multiplayer maps, but getting 120fps on 32-player as state above.
> Seems like the people who are getting 100+ fps, never dipping under 80fps, even on 64-player maps are the people with 2600k CPUs or older i7's. My 2500k folks are dipping into the 60s, while the 2600k folks here are getting above 80+. It's hard to believe that a 2600k is netting at LEAST 20+ fps vs a 2500k when I got a 2500k mainly because I read that these two are almost identical for gaming.
> I will point at you Denim, and other 2600k owners. He gets 100+ fps on 64-player maps (and others), albeit it's a 5ghz overclock vs my 4.5ghz, but I don't think 500mhz is going to gain 20+ fps. How do your CF 7970 run as far as GPU usage goes, ONLY on FULL 64-player maps? Can someone verify this? If a 2600k is going to net me +20 more fps, I'd rather switch out my 2500k for a 2600k!


Hey Will,

I just ran a benchmark using fraps on Gulf of Oman probably the most intensive map you can view below.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AtfCn9E5rfK2dE5IelRYMGw1VkJrZWZJZDVBdVlaNnc&hl=en_US#gid=0

I started the bench in an intense fight guarding F in Oman the craziest point me thinks.

My 2600k CPU is OC'd to 4.8
My GPU's are running stock clocks

smooth as butter except when I try to record a video with fraps 2 second pause understandable.


----------



## jshotz

Hey Denim thanks for posting that







so flashing to this bios unlocks more overclocking capability basically?


----------



## Outcasst

Here is the graph from a 5 minute run through of Caspian Border, 64 Players. CPU is at 4.6GHz with HT OFF.

P.S the dip in the middle is when I alt+tabbed out.



I saw a low of around 58 and a max of 85.

I will run again with HT on now.


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Here is the graph from a 5 minute run through of Caspian Border, 64 Players. CPU is at 4.6GHz with HT OFF.
> P.S the dip in the middle is when I alt+tabbed out.
> 
> I saw a low of around 58 and a max of 85.


What's your 3dmark score with those OC configs?


----------



## unrealskill

that asus 7970 is no longer on newegg?


----------



## Outcasst

Caspian Border, 64 Players.
*Hyperthreading Disabled*
P.S the dip in the middle is when I alt+tabbed out.



*Hyperthreading Enabled*
Same server, same map and roughly in the same area.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks Denim, Jshotz, and Outcast,

And WOW? Seems like HT makes a difference? How does your FPS get affected by HT on and OFF? I read that HT causes stuttering before and was suggested to turn it off. Seems like for you, HT kept your GPUs running at 99%, which I believe is a good thing no?

Meaning I should get a 2600k to run BF3? Because my GPU usage drops in 64-player maps putting load onto my CPU I believe, or a network problem, no idea.


----------



## Outcasst

FPS seemed much more stable and stayed around 80-100 instead of dipping down to the low 60's with it disabled. Gameplay was very smooth.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> What's your 3dmark score with those OC configs?




Let me know if you want a vantage run.


----------



## Denim-187

Outcastt.. Great comparison. This find is going to cause ripples through the whole of OCN.
There are going to be some very disappointed 2500k owners.. especially after thinking its the best gaming CPU


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> FPS seemed much more stable and stayed around 80-100 instead of dipping down to the low 60's with it disabled. Gameplay was very smooth.
> 
> Let me know if you want a vantage run.


NP @ Will!

Nice! mine is

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2631025

going to over clock my GPU's to your settings haha did you flash your bios to asus? I might upgrade my 8GB RAM probably won't make a significant difference though? or does it?


----------



## Outcasst

I haven't flashed them, but I may do soon. I don't think I NEED to though, since I don't plan on over-volting the cards. It will just be nice to know that the clocks are unlocked if I ever want to do a benching run or something.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Caspian Border, 64 Players.
> *Hyperthreading Disabled*
> P.S the dip in the middle is when I alt+tabbed out.
> 
> *Hyperthreading Enabled*
> Same server, same map and roughly in the same area.


Wow! There are a LOT of oc'ers that are going to be in a huff over this afterburner comparison! InB4 the "you were in a different part of the map", "proof with gameplay screens" etc..


----------



## jshotz

Gah hmm my ram is showing 667 with the system interrogator although it is set to 800 each in the bios


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Damnit! Hell yea I'm pissed now







I was on the fence when I built my pc about getting 2600k or 2500k and it seemed a lot of people were disabling HT so I went with 2500k UGGGHHHHHHH.. well it looks like my media PC just got the 2500k... mmmmmmmmmmm 2600k ftw!

Makes sense though and sadly I always knew there had to be a bigger difference than what people were admitting.


----------



## Tumdace

Theres no hyper threading on a 2500K is there? So Outcast's tests only apply to the 2600K?


----------



## Outcasst

The idea is to disable HT to virtually make my chip into a 2500k. Although the 2600k has 2MB more of cache I believe.


----------



## Justlme

I'm looking at my brand new 2500k that i just bought about 2 weeks ago..... and i feel like tossing it to the wall now..... LOL


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> The idea is to disable HT to virtually make my chip into a 2500k. Although the 2600k has 2MB more of cache I believe.


Yah the 2mb shouldn't make that much of a difference, it's definitely HT alone.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Damnit! Hell yea I'm pissed now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was on the fence when I built my pc about getting 2600k or 2500k and it seemed a lot of people were disabling HT so I went with 2500k UGGGHHHHHHH.. well it looks like my media PC just got the 2500k... mmmmmmmmmmm *2600k ftw*!
> Makes sense though and sadly I always knew there had to be a bigger difference than what people were admitting.


Not 2600k ...... *2700k* !
Better overclockers.


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> The idea is to disable HT to virtually make my chip into a 2500k. Although the 2600k has 2MB more of cache I believe.


Except you paid $80-100 more for it...


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Except you paid $80-100 more for it...


Gotta pay to play. But in all seriousness, people with a 2500k don't need to trade up for a 2600. The difference in frames for Bf3 is pretty minor for the price difference.

Now going forward it might be a better bet if more games start to support HT like Dice have done with BF3. But most likely all the console ports (stares at Bethesda and Skyrim) only utilize 2 cores anyway. Lazy devs.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Not 2600k ...... *2700k* !
> Better overclockers.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Except you paid $80-100 more for it...


Really!?!??!?! If you broke as hell why are you in a 7970 thread?!??!!??! Geez I'm so sick of these people bringing up the money issue.. the word is ENTHUSIAST!

Just for that I'm going to drop kick my 2500k in to a baby kitten.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Really!?!??!?! If you broke as hell why are you in a 7970 thread?!??!!??! Geez I'm so sick of these people bringing up the money issue.. *the word is ENTHUSIAST!
> Just for that I'm going to drop kick my 2500k in to a baby kitten.*


LMAO!!! That is sig worthy and quotable, good sir.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Gotta pay to play. But in all seriousness, people with a 2500k don't need to trade up for a 2600. The difference in frames for Bf3 is pretty minor for the price difference.


I disagree... for single gpu yes... but for xfire having the cpu bottleneck your gpu usage from 95% and up down to 60% or so is a huge difference when you have two of the fastest gpu's on the market that are supposed to be all they can be









At least for me... a 2600k is on the way and as soon as newegg restocks another xfx 7970 it will be getting shipped to me as well









Just imagine how much worse it will be in Eyefinity.

This explains why my Tri-fire 6990/50 did fine on single monitor but gpu usage went down like crazy in eyefinity FUUUUUUUUUG!


----------



## Balsagna

Waiting for my other HIS 7970 to arrive Monday.

I still can't believe I paid over $1000 to get that performance on a 1080P monitor. AND I SHIP OUT IN LESS THAN A MONTH AND WON'T TOUCH THE PC FOR OVER 2.5 MONTHS AND MAYBE LONGER!

Ah... the indulgence


----------



## Vibe21

I am curious if this explains the horrid usage I am getting in BF3 as well. Granted I have HT enabled. But I do not have near the clock speeds on my 930 @ 3.8, as you guys have on your 2nd gen core cpus. Even after 3 re -installs of the drivers, the best usage I can get in BF3 is 30-45% and normally only get 40-50fps.


----------



## Denim-187

I will personally bench 4 different cpu speeds on BF3 2morro, with and without HT. 
Lets put this to the ultimate test.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I will personally bench 4 different cpu speeds on BF3 2morro, with and without HT.
> Lets put this to the ultimate test.


You da man!


----------



## EastCoast

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Caspian Border, 64 Players.
> *Hyperthreading Disabled*
> P.S the dip in the middle is when I alt+tabbed out.
> 
> *Hyperthreading Enabled*
> Same server, same map and roughly in the same area.


And there is the proof. But this was posted before though. The 2600K is better then the 2500K.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks Denim, Jshotz, and Outcast,
> And WOW? Seems like HT makes a difference? How does your FPS get affected by HT on and OFF? I read that HT causes stuttering before and was suggested to turn it off. Seems like for you, HT kept your GPUs running at 99%, which I believe is a good thing no?
> Meaning I should get a 2600k to run BF3? Because my GPU usage drops in 64-player maps putting load onto my CPU I believe, or a network problem, no idea.


For this game the stuttering will happen depending on which server you are on and the time of day it happens. I found that on one server I had stuttering. Once I left and joined another server the stuttering was gone.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Outcastt.. Great comparison. This find is going to cause ripples through the whole of OCN.
> There are going to be some very disappointed 2500k owners.. especially after thinking its the best gaming CPU


I never understood why people thought that the 2500K was the same as 2600K when reviews show only the results of the single player aspect of the game. MP has always been different and the 2600K has always been better. The thing was, back then, there was the stuttering problem that no one knew a fix for. It was touted that HT was the problem, thus 2500K was assumed to be better as it didn't have HT. Many of use tried to refute that claim as people weren't having stuttering issues.

If you have a 2600K and have turned off HT I would suggest that you turn it back on. Join a server and play. If it stutters join another server (with a decent ping) and play there. Because that's exactly how I solved the stuttering problem.

Another fix suggested was to disable Core Parking. But I would try the 1st suggestion before tweaking the registry to disable Core Parking.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks Denim and Outcast, and others!

Side note:
This is the most helpful forum I've ever partaken in (not going to mention other forums), lots of knowledgeable people here, but most importantly, most HELPFUL people here. There are smart people in all forums, but I find people here like to take out their OWN time to help us noobies and they don't just sit behind their 3x30 Eyefinity and brag about how good their systems are.

Looking forward to this 64-MP, CPU HT thing! This is going to be an interesting ride....

I picked out a 2500k because I read there's no difference vs 2600k for gaming. I am not only getting lower numbers in benchmarks, but lower numbers in BF3! The whole reason I built this comp!


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks Denim and Outcast, and others!
> Side note:
> This is the most helpful forum I've ever partaken in (not going to mention other forums), lots of knowledgeable people here, but most importantly, most HELPFUL people here. There are smart people in all forums, but I find people here like to take out their OWN time to help us noobies and they don't just sit behind their 3x30 Eyefinity and brag about how good their systems are.
> Looking forward to this 64-MP, CPU HT thing! This is going to be an interesting ride....
> I picked out a 2500k because I read there's no difference vs 2600k for gaming. I am not only getting lower numbers in benchmarks, but lower numbers in BF3! The whole reason I built this comp!


I agree.. this is pretty much the only PC forum I hang out at now. The rest just don't cut it


----------



## evensen007

Finally got stable @ 1300/1800. Temps maxed out @ 42c


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Finally got stable @ 1300/1800. Temps maxed out @ 42c


BEAAAAAAAST!


----------



## WiL11o6

I posted this finding on video card section in [h]ardforum, and a couple people are calling it BS already. Not to start a war...


----------



## evensen007

Moving to 1300/1800 yields 15-20 fps in Unigine.I think I started to see slight artifacting towards the end, but I'm not 100% sure. I guess a run through Bf3 64 player should settle that. This card is insane.


----------



## Norlig

Is what I read about giving the card 125mV more than stock voltage will not do any good true? (because I seem to hit an invisible wall at around 1.2v where Unigine starts artifacting around the dragon)

is it fixed if I flash to the Asus Bios?


----------



## Outcasst

I flashed my cards using the Asus BIOS, my clocks still limited to 1125. Do I need to do a driver reinstall?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> I posted this finding on video card section in [h]ardforum, and a couple people are calling it BS already. Not to start a war...


Are they running 2500k with two 7970's in bf3 64 player? Do they have proof of 99% gpu usage? I would love to keep this setup until Ivy Bridge but hell, if its' a bottleneck then it's a bottleneck.


----------



## PwrElec




----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Is what I read about giving the card 125mV more than stock voltage will not do any good true? (because I seem to hit an invisible wall at around 1.2v where Unigine starts artifacting around the dragon)
> is it fixed if I flash to the Asus Bios?


It's true. Regardless of ASIC VID, it's locked @+125mV. This proves that higher quality ASICs will not overvoltage higher and better than the lowest ASIC VID. Overclockability is unique to each chip regardless of ASIC quality.

Flash it with ASUS BIOS will not by-pass the +125mV OVP (Over Voltage Protection).

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> I flashed my cards using the Asus BIOS, my clocks still limited to 1125. Do I need to do a driver reinstall?


 How did you flash? Using Atiflash from DOS or using Asus Tweak from Windows?

Try this BIOS;

Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


----------



## n3tr0m

This random fps drop thing is killing me. FPS drops down by 20-30 fps for half a second every four second. It's unplayable! And there is no clear sign to why this is happening. Come on, please tell me there is someone who knows what i'll have to do


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PwrElec*


motherofgod.jpg

Now turn unigine ALL THE WAY UP and see what you get


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> This random fps drop thing is killing me. FPS drops down by 20-30 fps for half a second every four second. It's unplayable! And there is no clear sign to why this is happening. Come on, please tell me there is someone who knows what i'll have to do


All games? Or BF3?


----------



## Outcasst

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> How did you flash? Using Atiflash from DOS or using Asus Tweak from Windows?
> 
> Try this BIOS;
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


I used the DOS flash posted in the OP; Asus.HD7970.3072.111220

Do I need to use the Asus Tweak software exclusively?


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> All games? Or BF3?


All games, even benchmarks like 3DMark 11 and Ungine Heaven gives me this strange fps-drop ..


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It's true. Regardless of ASIC VID, it's locked @+125mV. This proves that higher quality ASICs will not overvoltage higher and better than the lowest ASIC VID. Overclockability is unique to each chip regardless of ASIC quality.
> 
> Flash it with ASUS BIOS will not by-pass the +125mV OVP (Over Voltage Protection).


Awh, shucks... Hopefully they will find a way to overide the OVP sometime in the future. like they did on the 580/570









One an other side of things, does any1 think changing the Thermal grease on my two cards will result in lower overall temperatures? I got some IC Diamond 7carat lying around


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> I used the DOS flash posted in the OP; Asus.HD7970.3072.111220
> Do I need to use the Asus Tweak software exclusively?


No, no need. Just uninstall everything (including Afterburner, Trixx or whatever you use) before flashing to avoid possible conflicts then flash from DOS with the latest ASUS BIOS. Restart PC and install Catalyst.


----------



## Outcasst

Is *Asus.HD7970.3072.120104* better than *Asus.HD7970.3072.111220*? What are the differences? Since the number is higher does that indicate that the first one is newer?


----------



## jshotz

Denim posted a guide a few pages back on Asus bios flashing.


----------



## Levesque

The only advantage I see with lower ASIC VID, is that you can keep your temp lower.

My Quad-Fire set-up is rock-stable at 1250/1600, with 3 cards at 1.237v and the 4th one at 1.175v. So everything is nice and cool at those voltages.









So IF we are able to unlock the +0.125v limit someday, then I will be able to get a much higher OC since I'm already at 1250/1600 with really low and cool voltage.









Also, I did compared VRAM speed at 1700 vs 1600 extensively, and I get lower results at 1700 vs 1600 in 3D marks 11, Heaven, Metro 2033 and Vantage. So I left my 4 cards at 1600.

Higher is not always better.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Is *Asus.HD7970.3072.120104* better than *Asus.HD7970.3072.111220*? What are the differences? Since the number is higher does that indicate that the first one is newer?


This is the test OC BIOS. Some claimed they clock better with *Asus.HD7970.3072.120104*. So far there's no way to dissect the BIOS to see the difference.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> )
> Also, I did compared VRAM speed at 1700 vs 1600 extensively, and I get lower results at 1700 vs 1600 in 3D marks 11, Heaven, Metro 2033 and Vantage. So I left my 4 cards at 1600.
> Higher is not always better.


I also noticed that in heaven.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> All games, even benchmarks like 3DMark 11 and Ungine Heaven gives me this strange fps-drop ..


Do you have Afterburner OSD running while this is happening? Is GPU usage dropping with the FPS drop?


----------



## Balsagna

To those that are wanting to flash their bios and are not using Denim's guide. Use this

Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.zip 420k .zip file


It'll do everything for you. Just run it

That said. Here's my score overclocking to 1200/1600 with 1.25v (I haven't played with the volts much yet) Max temps were right around 70c with a peak of 72c


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> The only advantage I see with lower ASIC VID, is that you can keep your temp lower.
> My Quad-Fire set-up is rock-stable at 1250/1600, with 3 cards at 1.237v and the 4th one at 1.175v. So everything is nice and cool at those voltages.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So IF we are able to unlock the +0.125v limit someday, then I will be able to get a much higher OC since I'm already at 1250/1600 with really low and cool voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I did compared VRAM speed at 1700 vs 1600 extensively, and I get lower results at 1700 vs 1600 in 3D marks 11, Heaven, Metro 2033 and Vantage. So I left my 4 cards at 1600.
> Higher is not always better.


On my 6950's and 6990 and tri-fire this seemed to be the same for me, but on my single gpu the higher I turn the memory clock the better my score gets... maybe it's a multi-gpu thing?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> To those that are wanting to flash their bios and are not using Denim's guide. Use this
> 
> Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.zip 420k .zip file
> 
> It'll do everything for you. Just run it


Will it flash all the cards in a CrossfireX setup, or only card #1?


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Do you have Afterburner OSD running while this is happening? Is GPU usage dropping with the FPS drop?


I dont have Afterburner installed, only ASUS GPU Tweak. Also my GPU usage never drops below ~98-100% while this is happening. Tried to reinstall Windows and all drivers, but it did not make any difference.


----------



## Balsagna

I would do it one card at a time


----------



## Evil Penguin

Hey guys!
Just wanted say that our club has reached *100* members!








Hope to see many more down the line.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> I dont have Afterburner installed, only ASUS GPU Tweak. Also my GPU usage never drops below ~98-100% while this is happening. Tried to reinstall Windows and all drivers, but it did not make any difference.


I know this is going to sound crazy after we just had a quick run about the 2500k/2600k deal, but have you tried turning off HT? See if anything changes?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> I know this is going to sound crazy after we just had a quick run about the 2500k/2600k deal, but have you tried turning off HT? See if anything changes?


Mine does the same thing that he's describing. It only does it with GPU Tweak. Overdrive, Afterburner, and Trixx all function flawlessly, but GPU tweak just wont work right for me. I've tried pretty much everything I can think of short of RMAing the card which I'm not going to do for beta software. I kind of gave up on it last week.


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> I know this is going to sound crazy after we just had a quick run about the 2500k/2600k deal, but have you tried turning off HT? See if anything changes?


I have tried turning HT off, and it did not change the outcome. Same thing happening with HT on/ off. Although I think I found out why this is happening. I tried switching the BIOS button back to "2", which is the "Backup" BIOS on the card, and then it worked like a charm. And then when I tried to switch it back to number "1" it started acting strange again (sudden fps drop, again) So problem seems to be a bad BIOS flash? Tried flashing it once again, same thing happend .. Random fps drops.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Yep that must be it then.. that makes sense. Stock bios and use Trixx or AB maybe for now?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> I have tried turning HT off, and it did not change the outcome. Same thing happening with HT on/ off. Although I think I found out why this is happening. I tried switching the BIOS button back to "2", which is the "Backup" BIOS on the card, and then it worked like a charm. And then when I tried to switch it back to number "1" it started acting strange again (sudden fps drop, again) So problem seems to be a bad BIOS flash? Tried flashing it once again, same thing happend .. Random fps drops.


This looks like BIOS-Driver-Registry check.

Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak.

Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0


----------



## ~LL~

Sapphire 7970 x 2 ...


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *~LL~*
> 
> Sapphire 7970 x 2 ...


Your system is very similar to mine, except of that 2600k. Could you overclock your Cards to 1150/1600 and run Unigine and show the results?


----------



## WiL11o6

Pics for show:

Before:


After:


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Will it flash all the cards in a CrossfireX setup, or only card #1?


Do one at a time if you didn't see my message yet.

Let me know if it works for you.


----------



## ~LL~

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Your system is very similar to mine, except of that 2600k. Could you overclock your Cards to 1150/1600 and run Unigine and show the results?


4301

How about your score?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *~LL~*
> 
> 4301
> How about your score?


I am at my parents house at the moment, wont be home before tomorrow. Could you test with the same settings as mine here?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Look at that dusty thing.








I should really take advantage of my metro vac.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> The only advantage I see with lower ASIC VID, is that you can keep your temp lower.
> My Quad-Fire set-up is rock-stable at 1250/1600, with 3 cards at 1.237v and the 4th one at 1.175v. So everything is nice and cool at those voltages.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So IF we are able to unlock the +0.125v limit someday, then I will be able to get a much higher OC since I'm already at 1250/1600 with really low and cool voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I did compared VRAM speed at 1700 vs 1600 extensively, and I get lower results at 1700 vs 1600 in 3D marks 11, Heaven, Metro 2033 and Vantage. So I left my 4 cards at 1600.
> Higher is not always better.


So in essence water cooling just got rid of most of the fan noise. I haven't seen top water cards much faster than top air cards. Although with four cards getting air-flow to all of them would be a problem of course, not to mention combined they would sound like a 747 taking off. I am surprised at how cool my 7970 is running at 1300MHz on air. Maxing out around 62C. AMD did a bang-up job on these reference coolers.

On other fronts I've had different results. My lower ASIC card actually runs quite a bit cooler than my higher ASIC card. Also, lower memory frequency equaling faster might be a crossfire phenomenon as I realize an appreciable increase in FPS every time I increase memory speed (currently at 1790MHz).


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> This looks like BIOS-Driver-Registry check.
> 
> Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak.
> 
> Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0


Thank you very much indeed, Sir! Worked perfectly. Now back to overclocking. I got a score of 1842 in Heaven Benchmark with 4xAA and 16xAF, does anyone know how I can beat this score? Get a higher Core Clock, or Memory Clock? My card is got that result on 1233Mhz at the core, and 1652MHz on the memory at 1237mV. Maxed out at 68°C.


----------



## criznit

Ok I will need some guidance before I pull the trigger. I will be getting a s23a700d later on next week to replace my sig monitor along with a crucial m4 128gb drive (finally). Should I wait for the 7950 or go ahead and get the 7970 for 120hz goodness?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Ok I will need some guidance before I pull the trigger. I will be getting a s23a700d later on next week to replace my sig monitor along with a crucial m4 128gb drive (finally). Should I wait for the 7950 or go ahead and get the 7970 for 120hz goodness?


If you can afford it, 7970.
It's just... better.
Not too shabby for a 100 dollar difference in my opinion.


----------



## ElGreco

*SWIFTECH KOMODO HD7970*

Well, this is something different...









http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?278780-Swiftech-Komodo-HD7970-Preview


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> If you can afford it, 7970.
> It's just... better.
> Not too shabby for a 100 dollar difference in my opinion.


will do! thx for the quick reply


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *SWIFTECH KOMODO HD7970*
> Well, this is something different...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?278780-Swiftech-Komodo-HD7970-Preview


In case something went wrong again, 7990 is going your way


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> In case something went wrong again, 7990 is going your way


Come on...







everything is going to be ok !

If not,.. i dont want to think about it


----------



## Balsagna

Looks neat. I'd need to upgrade my water loop if I'm going to be getting 2 blocks for my Crossfire 7970's.

That's just too much money


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It's true. Regardless of ASIC VID, it's locked @+125mV. This proves that higher quality ASICs will not overvoltage higher and better than the lowest ASIC VID. Overclockability is unique to each chip regardless of ASIC quality.
> 
> Flash it with ASUS BIOS will not by-pass the +125mV OVP (Over Voltage Protection).


Hmm. Flashing to the Asus bios actually seems to have removed the OVP limit for me. I was stuck at 1350-1360 on the core. Moving between 1.25V and 1.3V didn't seem to make a difference. Flashed to the Asus bios and it seems to vdroop less (according to Asus GPU Tweak) and I can clock higher than I could. Still trying to find final clocks but ran through two loops of Metro 2033 at 1390/[email protected] (1.28V actual). FWIW, this is a 1.05V card (ASIC = 83%).

From my limited experience with two cards, the ASIC value seems to hold true. Using the reference cooler, my 1.175V card could only do 1125-1150 on the core at 1.175V. My 1.05V card was good for 1225. But that is a very small sample size. Sounds like with other people the ASIC value doesn't seem to mean much.


----------



## ELCID777

Been noticing something a bit strange about my 7970's as of a late. Whenever I watch a video, say on youtube, or similar site, the temp will go up as much as 10 - 13 degrees, something that never happened with my GTX 570. The videos I'm watching or not even great quality by any means. The 570 temps would increase about 4 or 5 degrees max. The 7970 is totally different in that regard. Anybody else experiencing this?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Been noticing something a bit strange about my 7970's as of a late. Whenever I watch a video, say on youtube, or similar site, the temp will go up as much as 10 - 13 degrees, something that never happened with my GTX 570. The videos I'm watching or not even great quality by any means. The 570 temps would increase about 4 or 5 degrees max. The 7970 is totally different in that regard. Anybody else experiencing this?


Right click on Youtube then disable hardware acceleration. You don't need GPU power to watch Youtube.


----------



## Arizonian

IS the pcb on the ASUS red like the MSI version?


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> IS the pcb on the ASUS red like the MSI version?


Pretty sure it's black, like most of the reference cards are. I have the MSI version and they're also black as well.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Right click on Youtube then disable hardware acceleration. You don't need GPU power to watch Youtube.


Thanks. Solved the issue for me.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Pretty sure it's black, like most of the reference cards are. I have the MSI version and they're also black as well.


Seems Fry's Electronics might be getting the ASUS version in store by tomorrow and I'm thinking between that or order online a Sapphire. Like to keep it on a cash only basis for personal reasons. Need the PCB to be black though. Red would be an eye sore. I'm going to take a ride and check it out.

When you order online if something goes wrong it's a shipping cost to return. In store purchase is a ride down the road. Plus, I'd like to keep my side spending hobby from spouse who'd not appreciate finding out through a credit card charge.







yeah I know....


----------



## Axis24

Registered, but forgot to mention that I have 2 of them.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Been noticing something a bit strange about my 7970's as of a late. Whenever I watch a video, say on youtube, or similar site, the temp will go up as much as 10 - 13 degrees, something that never happened with my GTX 570. The videos I'm watching or not even great quality by any means. The 570 temps would increase about 4 or 5 degrees max. The 7970 is totally different in that regard. Anybody else experiencing this?


I've also noticed sometimes just surfing the web my temp will increase ~10C or so and I see the card is at full 1.3v like its being required to do something. Other times the voltage will drop back down to normal desktop .95v and the temp will go back down. I haven't found a rhyme or reason to it yet (no Youtube).


----------



## ELCID777

Well, I've switched over to BIOS 2 on both cards. Upped the voltage to 1200mv, core @ 1150, memory @ 1550. Switching the BIOS over to 2 made it so that my system doesn't crash upon playing a game as it did with BIOS 1. Is there any reason for this? Unfortunately, I can only manage to run at these speeds for a few minutes before artifacts start to show up. I've played around with the voltage settings from 1174 (stock) and 1200mv, with various settings. I can't seem to get a stable OC no matter what I try.

Any suggestions?


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> I've also noticed sometimes just surfing the web my temp will increase ~10C or so and I see the card is at full 1.3v like its being required to do something. Other times the voltage will drop back down to normal desktop .95v and the temp will go back down. I haven't found a rhyme or reason to it yet (no Youtube).


Hmm. Interesting. This just happened to me a few mins ago


----------



## unrealskill

hmm new cooler? http://en.expreview.com/2012/01/18/cooler-of-yeston-radeon-hd-7970-spotted/20461.html


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Is *Asus.HD7970.3072.120104* better than *Asus.HD7970.3072.111220*? What are the differences? Since the number is higher does that indicate that the first one is newer?


These are the exact same BIOS', the only difference is the clock limits have been expanded through the bios in the 120104. This still can be achieved with the 111220 using Afterburner or GPU tweak.
I would stick to the *111220* since it is the retail version BIOS and not a "test" beta bios.
Ive tested both and there is no "better" BIOS when it comes to overclocking.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Well, I've switched over to BIOS 2 on both cards. Upped the voltage to 1200mv, core @ 1150, memory @ 1550. Switching the BIOS over to 2 made it so that my system doesn't crash upon playing a game as it did with BIOS 1. Is there any reason for this? Unfortunately, I can only manage to run at these speeds for a few minutes before artifacts start to show up. I've played around with the voltage settings from 1174 (stock) and 1200mv, with various settings. I can't seem to get a stable OC no matter what I try.
> Any suggestions?


If its artifacting, its unstable, try dropping the clocks. Some cards do 1300mhz some only do 1050mhz... it's luck of the draw unfortunately.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Will it flash all the cards in a CrossfireX setup, or only card #1?


use this command to flash all cards....

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -fs -pa (biosname.bin)


----------



## Arizonian

I see the GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD comes at 1000Mhz Core. Only difference between it and the reference is the non-reference cooler. Do you guys think it will OC higher than reference based on the better air cooling in theory?

I'm not sure if I should go reference or keep hanging on for the MSI Lightning version in hopes it will OC like a beast. Hard to say since reference cards are already hitting the 1175-1200Mhz Core range if the 28nm fab can even OC higher than that. Has to be a limit somewhere. Also noticed those on water are about 1250Mhz. Anyone on water get higher or hit the 1300Mhz mark?


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> I see the GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD comes at 1000Mhz Core. Only difference between it and the reference is the non-reference cooler. Do you guys think it will OC higher than reference based on the better air cooling in theory?
> I'm not sure if I should go reference or keep hanging on for the MSI Lightning version in hopes it will OC like a beast. Hard to say since reference cards are already hitting the 1175-1200Mhz Core range if the 28nm fab can even OC higher than that. Has to be a limit somewhere. Also noticed those on water are about 1250Mhz. Anyone on water get higher or hit the 1300Mhz mark?


most cards will overclock same right now because voltage is capped at 1.3v


----------



## sublimation

Well, here it is. Anxiously awaiting Monday when UPS delivers me two more monitors!


----------



## Stizuner

I'm curious - did any other asus cards have these black lines on the caps? It seems odd that part of the manufacturing process involves taking a sharpee to the capacitors.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sublimation*
> 
> Well, here it is. Anxiously awaiting Monday when UPS delivers me two more monitors!


Your 2 extra monitors would really like another 7970.


----------



## sublimation

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Your 2 extra monitors would really like another 7970.


Ha! I'm sure they would. Soon.


----------



## Divey

Just a quick question for you guys. I am thinking about getting this card and wanted to know what the game play (fps) is like on bf3 multi 64 player mode with 3 monitors. Ever since I saw videos of eyefinity and nvidia surround I can't stop thinking about wanting it. I can't decide weather a single 7970 will do the trick at 5760x1080 on ultra settings with no aa or motion blur or adding a second MSI card (the one I currently have). As of now my card does very well on one monitor avg'ing 60-70fps with my current oc and in game settings. I would like some to hear what you guys think since you have the card.
Thanks

Terry


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> I see the GIGABYTE GV-R797OC-3GD Radeon HD comes at 1000Mhz Core. Only difference between it and the reference is the non-reference cooler. Do you guys think it will OC higher than reference based on the better air cooling in theory?
> I'm not sure if I should go reference or keep hanging on for the MSI Lightning version in hopes it will OC like a beast. Hard to say since reference cards are already hitting the 1175-1200Mhz Core range if the 28nm fab can even OC higher than that. Has to be a limit somewhere. Also noticed those on water are about 1250Mhz. Anyone on water get higher or hit the 1300Mhz mark?


I'm at 1390Mhz so far using an EK waterblock. With the reference cooler I could only do 1225-1250 before crashing. Seems like cooling the VRMs makes the biggest difference as the stock fan at 100% will keep the GPU relatively cool.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Divey*
> 
> Just a quick question for you guys. I am thinking about getting this card and wanted to know what the game play (fps) is like on bf3 multi 64 player mode with 3 monitors. Ever since I saw videos of eyefinity and nvidia surround I can't stop thinking about wanting it. I can't decide weather a single 7970 will do the trick at 5760x1080 on ultra settings with no aa or motion blur or adding a second MSI card (the one I currently have). As of now my card does very well on one monitor avg'ing 60-70fps with my current oc and in game settings. I would like some to hear what you guys think since you have the card.
> Thanks
> Terry


Take your current frames per second and cut them in half for 3 screens. Eyefinity is very taxing on gpu's. Especially on multiplayer bf3. To enjoy eyefinity properly id strongly recommed a second 7970.


----------



## tsm106

Darn it, still waiting on PPCS' delivery of backplates. Damn I hate PPCS, but they were the only game in town with the plates.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stizuner*
> 
> I'm curious - did any other asus cards have these black lines on the caps? It seems odd that part of the manufacturing process involves taking a sharpee to the capacitors.


It's called QC (Quality Control)

That's pretty standard really.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stizuner*
> 
> I'm curious - did any other asus cards have these black lines on the caps? It seems odd that part of the manufacturing process involves taking a sharpee to the capacitors.


My caps had blue sharpy on them lol...

Anyways guys, i am going to remount my blocks, because my temps are just terrible 50-60c on idle and 90-95c in Heaven....What should i look for to make sure i do this right this time? I am not experienced with GPU blocks/ backplates at all, this is my first time with water blocks for graphics cards. I followed the instructions that came with the EK blocks, but apparently something is wrong.


----------



## travva

Hey guys, I've been tinkering, albeit slowly due to work, with overclocking my cards and I have a question. My cards will play BF3 and at times I go to a black screen and the system freezes entirely. I must do a reset via my tower. My question is: is this a tell-tale sign of something specific? Do I simply have too low voltage? Previously when I was attempting to OC my single card, I'd get driver crashes. Keep in mind my components worked fine previously using my SLI 580's and I am on a new install of windows, using latest AB beta. I'm going for simply the max CCC clocks, and my voltage last time was at 1.149mv. I'm bumping it up, but I want to know if it just needs more volts or what?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> My caps had blue sharpy on them lol...
> Anyways guys, i am going to remount my blocks, because my temps are just terrible 50-60c on idle and 90-95c in Heaven....What should i look for to make sure i do this right this time? I am not experienced with GPU blocks/ backplates at all, this is my first time with water blocks for graphics cards. I followed the instructions that came with the EK blocks, but apparently something is wrong.


EDIT: I also hear a buzzing sound start coming from the cards at load what is going on here?


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Hey guys, I've been tinkering, albeit slowly due to work, with overclocking my cards and I have a question. My cards will play BF3 and at times I go to a black screen and the system freezes entirely. I must do a reset via my tower. My question is: is this a tell-tale sign of something specific? Do I simply have too low voltage? Previously when I was attempting to OC my single card, I'd get driver crashes. Keep in mind my components worked fine previously using my SLI 580's and I am on a new install of windows, using latest AB beta. I'm going for simply the max CCC clocks, and my voltage last time was at 1.149mv. I'm bumping it up, but I want to know if it just needs more volts or what?


Sounds lke voltage to me. I would put your voltage at 1.25 and see what it does for you. I wouldn't go over 1.25 right now


----------



## Stizuner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> My caps had blue sharpy on them lol...
> Anyways guys, i am going to remount my blocks, because my temps are just terrible 50-60c on idle and 90-95c in Heaven....What should i look for to make sure i do this right this time? I am not experienced with GPU blocks/ backplates at all, this is my first time with water blocks for graphics cards. I followed the instructions that came with the EK blocks, but apparently something is wrong.


I dont have an EK block but the way that i do it is i mount the block and tighten everything down.

Then i remove the block and make sure TIM and thermal pads all had good contact.

My koolance block has a screw hole that didnt machine properly so i couldnt bolt that down.. even with that screw missing my temps were 48c after 30 minutes of furmark.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> These are the exact same BIOS', the only difference is the clock limits have been expanded through the bios in the 120104. This still can be achieved with the 111220 using Afterburner or GPU tweak.
> I would stick to the *111220* since it is the retail version BIOS and not a "test" beta bios.
> Ive tested both and there is no "better" BIOS when it comes to overclocking.


I bet this is all true, but I just wanted to add that the 120104 is the latest one as the numbers represent the date. January 4th 2012.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stizuner*
> 
> I dont have an EK block but the way that i do it is i mount the block and tighten everything down.
> Then i remove the block and make sure TIM and thermal pads all had good contact.
> My koolance block has a screw hole that didnt machine properly so i couldnt bolt that down.. even with that screw missing my temps were 48c after *30 minutes of furmark*.


Don't beat your card up needlessly.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Sounds lke voltage to me. I would put your voltage at 1.25 and see what it does for you. I wouldn't go over 1.25 right now


Thanks dude. I switched to trixx and the first thing it did was warn me about ulps. I know of it, but thought "meh" when using AB. I switched over to trixx and disabled ulps and so far so good. obviously will need more than a half hour gaming session to test, but i think it's probably ulps.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> I bet this is all true, but I just wanted to add that the 120104 is the latest one as the numbers represent the date. January 4th 2012.


Yes that's how they do it... with dates. It was only modified for unlocking bios clocks in CCC.. But most of us use AB or GPU tweak so in theory it has no real use to us. Plus most of us feel more comfortable with an official BIOS.


----------



## tsm106

I don't use AB for clocks/voltage on my caymans. I'd rather control voltage thru bios and clocks thru overdrive, the same way on tahiti.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't use AB for clocks/voltage on my caymans. I'd rather control voltage thru bios and clocks thru overdrive, the same way on tahiti.


Well atm, you have no choice son but to use AB and other utilities for Voltage on the 7900 series.
You cant modify the bios so i dno what your doin


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Well atm, you have no choice son but to use AB and other utilities for Voltage on the 7900 series.
> You cant modify the bios so i dno what your doin


Waiting on Bagzz to update RBE.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Waiting on Bagzz to update RBE.


Oh so am i.... its been 8 mnths since the last update.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Oh so am i.... its been 8 mnths since the last update.


Get on tpu forums and post in the request thread man! It's sad, there's 100 members and none have posted in THE RBE thread. I've posted but I'm not a member yet cuz I haven't installed my cards yet.


----------



## bjgrenke

This wait is getting ridiculous







Pre-ordered on launch day and still don't have my card. Might have to reconsider.. Maybe I'll try to snag a DCII that popped up on ME website







http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX37603


----------



## Denim-187

Done..... Check last post (#124) by Majestic









http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57157&page=5


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Done..... Check last post (#124) by Majestic
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57157&page=5


Looks like it's not happening... worth a shot though


----------



## Denim-187

Baggz reply:
Quote:


> Sorry, I'm afraid it's not coming any soon. You see, first of all I don't have a lot of spare time fot this at the moment. Second, the structure of the BIOS changed to a noticable degree with the 7xx0 generation cards, so supporting them would be a lot of effort to put in. And third, it's pointless to put in all the effort just to see that the catalyst drivers block any changes to the BIOS anyway.
> 
> Well, currently I'm thinking about giving the project out of my hands. What I need is a trustworthy VB6 coder that is skilled to some degree (requirements are not too high) and willing to maintain my (a little sloppy written) code. Maybe you can spread the word and find someone.


----------



## sockpirate

Well guys here are pictures of my cards, i really dont know why i was having such bad temps, the contact points looked fine on the tim pads and the actual gpu chip itself on both cards, the backplate contact looks fine too. I even put a tiny bit of tim under each pad like the EK directions suggested. What do you guys think? Am i missing something here that is screaming at me and just overlooking it????











Please guys !!! I really wanna figure this out!!!! Will +rep to all that help me figure this out. My temps were really bad like in the 90c on both cards in heaven and idling at around 45-50c.


----------



## Denim-187

I'd say its one of two...
-Water isn't flowing accordingly in the block..
-TIM application, try less

Hows your loop configured? Was this the first card or the second?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Ek water blocks are good. They had some nickel issues a few years back. Swiftech makes good blocks as well.


I was thinking about swiftech or aquacomputer blocks (full copper base)

http://www.techpowerup.com/157738/Aqua-Computer-Unveils-First-Water-Block-for-Radeon-HD-7970.html

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?278780-Swiftech-Komodo-HD7970-Preview


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I'd say its one of two...
> -Water isn't flowing accordingly in the block..
> -TIM application, try less
> Hows your loop configured? Was this the first card or the second?


Should i even put TIM underneath the pads? Even though EK recommends it ?

I will try less TIM this time, and use the small dot method rather than the X.

As for the loop , res, pump, 240rad, cpu, gpus, 360rad, pump, res. I dont think the loop is to blame at all, seeing as the cpu temps are very good. Its not like im dumping very hot water into the GPU, during heaven cpu never broke 35c, and the GPUs were in the 90s both. Maybe i am having problems with the link for the GPUs?

EDIT: Those pics are of both cards.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> I was thinking about swiftech or aquacomputer blocks (full copper base)
> http://www.techpowerup.com/157738/Aqua-Computer-Unveils-First-Water-Block-for-Radeon-HD-7970.html
> http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?278780-Swiftech-Komodo-HD7970-Preview


that aqua block is copper full o sexy ... I just got an EK ... but had I had the patience...


----------



## jamborhgini313

All you need is a small pea drop of TIM and let it spread.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I'd say its one of two...
> -Water isn't flowing accordingly in the block..
> -TIM application, try less
> Hows your loop configured? Was this the first card or the second?


I think to much tim too .. I found blob + less = is more


----------



## Denim-187

Both in 90's wow.... i would definitely check the flow of the blocks first... check the link bro.
Actually X is the way to do these gpu's so maybe a smaller X ?

My main bet is flow.... but it could be TIM.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> I think to much tim too .. I found blob + less = is more


I will try with less TIM this time, ugh i hope this was the problem. We shall see. Just weird, there has been times i have used globs of TIM (testing TIM amounts/configurations dot,x etc.) and had fine temps, for some reason i dont think it is the TIM. How should i configure the Link?

This is how i currently have it.


----------



## jshotz

Anybody else having problem with GPU 2 temp disappearing in AB?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Anybody else having problem with GPU 2 temp disappearing in AB?


Thats called Zero Core... It shouldnt be enabled if your going to overclock with voltage...
I have a post a few pages back on disabling ULPS.

But technically, what the card does is goto sleep when not in use...this is new tech and is fine if your not going to overclock.
However when adjusting card 2's voltage, you must never let it goto sleep or face hard locking and crashs when overclocking.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Both in 90's wow.... i would definitely check the flow of the blocks first... check the link bro.
> Actually X is the way to do these gpu's so maybe a smaller X ?
> My main bet is flow.... but it could be TIM.


The link is configured fine ?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I will try with less TIM this time, ugh i hope this was the problem. We shall see. Just weird, there has been times i have used globs of TIM (testing TIM amounts/configurations dot,x etc.) and had fine temps, for some reason i dont think it is the TIM. How should i configure the Link?
> This is how i currently have it.


While you have it out...run water through it see if it clogs up..
I hope the water is going through the top and out through the bottom right?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> While you have it out...run water through it see if it clogs up..
> I hope the water is going through the top and out through the bottom right?


I would imagine so yes.


----------



## jshotz

Yea thought I disabled that already came back at 1.

EnableCrossFireAutoLink should be 1 right? weird mine was at 0


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Yea thought I disabled that already came back at 1.
> EnableCrossFireAutoLink should be 1 right? weird mine was at 0


Hmmm odd, yeah make sure you disable both cards to *0*, there should be two folders, one for master and one for slave.
EnableCrossFireAutoLink should be 0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I would imagine so yes.


Double check bro, make sure your flow is going through the top and out through the bottom.. Best eliminate all possibilities, this could be crucial a step.


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Hmmm odd, yeah make sure you disable both cards to *0*, there should be two folders, one for master and one for slave.
> EnableCrossFireAutoLink should be 0
> Double check bro, make sure your flow is going through the top and out through the bottom.. Best eliminate all possibilities, this could be crucial a step.


cool, does your GPU2 run a bit hotter than GPU1?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> cool, does your GPU2 run a bit hotter than GPU1?


Actually while in game, theyre both the same.. while idling my GPU 1 is a little hotter.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Hmmm odd, yeah make sure you disable both cards to *0*, there should be two folders, one for master and one for slave.
> EnableCrossFireAutoLink should be 0
> Double check bro, make sure your flow is going through the top and out through the bottom.. Best eliminate all possibilities, this could be crucial a step.


Yeah i just ran it under the faucet and it goes from the top to the bottom.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Yeah i just ran it under the faucet and it goes from the top to the bottom.


Reapply the TIM man i hope that is it..


----------



## Retell

Is there any major advantage to flash my 7970 with the Asus BIOS that is floating around?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> Is there any major advantage to flash my 7970 with the Asus BIOS that is floating around?


Just the fact that it makes your 7970 voltage modifiable and extends the ability to further overclock your core and memory clocks passed the default CCC 1125/1500.
Its basically an overclocking BIOS.


----------



## jshotz

I must say the 0.2 driver is so much more beast in BF3 than the 0.5 holy cow....averaging over 105 FPS instead of 87+


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> passed the default CCC 1125/1500


Original CCC limit for mem clock is 1575 not 1500


----------



## Retell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Just the fact that it makes your 7970 voltage modifiable and extends the ability to further overclock your core and memory clocks passed the default CCC 1125/1500.
> Its basically an overclocking BIOS.


My MSI 7970 OC's to 1250 very easily, will it be worth my time to change the BIOS? What exactly is the CCC (Sorry, I've just upgrade from my GTX260, a lot of this is very new to me.







)


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Ok this is absolutely nuts.... was just playing BF3 in eyefinity ( 5908x1080 ) and previously I had just been using the same video settings that I had set with my 6990/50 tri-fire which was pretty much all high, no AO, 8x af, no blur, no AA, fxaa low. This was netting me high fps but still some drops under 60 in big situations. I normally just set maxvariablefps to 55 (because of screen tearing) and it really never dipped. Well I decided to see what this gpu could handle at the clocks I'm pushing it at so I clicked all texture settings to ULTRA, 0xmsaa, FXAA High, no blur, 16x AF, HBAO. The first thing I noticed was my fps at the deployment screen didn't budge. I didn't play immediately because I thought it was a fluke so I restarted BF3, origin, batlelog, etc.... Jump back in the same server on the same map and set my maxvariablefps to 55 as usual and WOW! First off Ultra everything at this resolution is incredible and looks like I'm running msaa even though I'm not! NEXT thing I noticed was my fps hardly ever dipped under the set maxvarible except crazy huge explosions!!! WHAT THE HELL!!!!

In huge firefights with exploding vehicles it would do a quick dip in to the mid 40's but couldn't actually feel it in the game. I turned off Fraps and just played an entire match to see how the game felt and it was uber smooth and I'm just completely floored at this.

Of course I had to try it with MSAA on and it quickly shot down in to the high 20's low 30's hahaha..

Also note: In Sharqi when I'm far out from the city and looking in my fps will hit mid 40's but that's honestly the lowest I'm getting... this is incredible. Newegg needs to fuggin stock up again I need xfire!









Just wanted to express my joy, I mean seriously this just blows my tri-fire 6xxx out of the water!

EDIT: Played a few more karkand maps in 64 player... I'd say my avg stays around 50fps actually. Either way it seems the gpu usage goes up the higher I put the settings? I'm not using AB so I can't verify that at the moment and honestly I hate AB so I won't be checking LOL. Regardless I messed around with the settings to get a steady 70fps now with maxvariablefps. WOOT


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Original CCC limit for mem clock is 1575 not 1500


My bad, yeah 1575mhz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> My MSI 7970 OC's to 1250 very easily, will it be worth my time to change the BIOS? What exactly is the CCC (Sorry, I've just upgrade from my GTX260, a lot of this is very new to me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


CCC Catalyst Control Centre, If your MSI's BIOS is netting you 1250 mhz then no there is definitely no need to update to the ASUS BIOS.
Did your card come unlocked?


----------



## RickardKarstark

according to you is 1.231-1.25v safe for 24\7 daily use on air? i'm doing some tests and i think that at this voltage i can hold 1250mhz


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickardKarstark*
> 
> according to you is 1.231-1.25v safe for 24\7 daily use on air? i'm doing some tests and i think that at this voltage i can hold 1250mhz


If your ears can handle all that dB, sure.


----------



## RickardKarstark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> If your ears can handle all that dB, sure.


thanks, so there is no risk of damaging the card? (assuming that the temps are ok)


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Just the fact that it makes your 7970 voltage modifiable and extends the ability to further overclock your core and memory clocks passed the default CCC 1125/1500.
> Its basically an overclocking BIOS.


I haven't flashed my Sapphire cards yet, just enabled unoffical overclocking in MSI AB. I could set votlage to 1.3 and clocks alot higher than that if I wanted to


----------



## jamborhgini313

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickardKarstark*
> 
> thanks, so there is no risk of damaging the card? (assuming that the temps are ok)


What are your temps? And do you really need 1.25ghz all the time? I mean unless you're gaming 24/7...


----------



## RickardKarstark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> What are your temps? And do you really need 1.25ghz all the time? I mean unless you're gaming 24/7...


no no, with 24\7 i do not mean that i'm keeping 1250mhz 24\7 but only when i play. My temps are good i think (max 65 in game)


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I haven't flashed my Sapphire cards yet, just enabled unoffical overclocking in MSI AB. I could set votlage to 1.3 and clocks alot higher than that if I wanted to


Yeah sure you can set the voltage to 1.3 but unfortunately they don't apply unless you flash to an unlocked BIOS.


----------



## Aventadoor

Could you post a "How to flash your Radeon HD 7970 guide"?
Just so it gets less scary and easier for uss who aint so pro with PCs


----------



## Retell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> My bad, yeah 1575mhz
> CCC Catalyst Control Centre, If your MSI's BIOS is netting you 1250 mhz then no there is definitely no need to update to the ASUS BIOS.
> Did your card come unlocked?


I wasn't under the impression that there was any unlocking to be done. I am using MSI Afterburner's most recent beta with the over-vault limit in the config file increased.

My Furmark from the previous AMD drivers, most recent drivers crashed the system. -.- BF3 at 60-85FPS on Ultra.
http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=32448


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Could you post a "How to flash your Radeon HD 7970 guide"?
> Just so it gets less scary and easier for uss who aint so pro with PCs


Use this one, this will flash your BIOS for you. Remember to set the BIOS switch on your card to "1"










Spoiler: Automatic BIOS flash



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> To those that are wanting to flash their bios and are not using Denim's guide. Use this
> 
> Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.zip 420k .zip file
> 
> It'll do everything for you. Just run it
> That said. Here's my score overclocking to 1200/1600 with 1.25v (I haven't played with the volts much yet) Max temps were right around 70c with a peak of 72c






Or this one:


Spoiler: Manual BIOS flash



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I've been getting PM's on how to flash the Cards using atiflash. Here's a simple guide to use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *1.* You will need to make a bootable USB or CD.. (preferably USB)
> Use these tools to format the USB.
> 
> TOOLS.zip 708k .zip file
> 
> 
> *2.* After you have formatted, download and *rename* the following BIOS to *AsusOC.bin*, then throw it onto the USB.
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> And *ATIflash.exe* also to be on the USB.
> 
> atiflash.zip 580k .zip file
> 
> *3.* Once the USB has been made bootable and both Atiflash and the ASUS OC bios are both on the USB, set your motherboards bios to boot from the USB.
> *4.* After you have successfully booted through the USB, you will be taken to a DOS prompt. From there you will type the following:
> For Primary (1st) GPU
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 Asusoc.bin
> 
> For Slave (2nd) GPU
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 Asusoc.bin
> 
> If the adapters arent "found", use this line to correctly identify the adapter numbers.
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> atiflash.exe -i
> 
> After successful flashing, shutdown the system and remove the USB. Boot into windows normally.


----------



## Retell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> Use this one, this will flash your BIOS for you. Remember to set the BIOS switch on your card to "1"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or this one:


Thank you







I just flashed and it went perfectly.


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> Thank you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just flashed and it went perfectly.


That's good news


----------



## HGooper

How can I backup my original bios from my 7970 btw?


----------



## Retell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> How can I backup my original bios from my 7970 btw?


I dumped mine using GPU-Z, not sure how to go about restoring if needed.

http://www.techpowerup.com/159098/TechPowerUp-GPU-Z-0.5.8-Released.html


----------



## n3tr0m

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> How can I backup my original bios from my 7970 btw?


As far as I know, yes. Download GPU-Z and then find the "BIOS Version" then click on the green arrow next to the number (at the same line as BIOS Version) then click "Save to File" and name it "Backup 7970BIOS.bin" or something. Although you do have the BIOS switch that you can switch back to "2" which is a kind of backup BIOS incase you do a bad flash to the card.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Yeah sure you can set the voltage to 1.3 but unfortunately they don't apply unless you flash to an unlocked BIOS.


So even though MSI AB says 1.29v after I press apply, my cards are only getting, x.xv ?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> So even though MSI AB says 1.29v after I press apply, my cards are only getting, x.xv ?


Yeah exactly, you will need the ASUS OC BIOS or the ATI modded BIOS.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> How can I backup my original bios from my 7970 btw?


GPU-z is best to backup the BIOS. To restore, just go about the manual method in the post a little above.


----------



## HGooper

Since when GPU-Z is capable to backup bios? First time I hear about it, and thz for the help.


----------



## CallsignVega

Has anyone actually seen an appreciable overclock increase going from Afterburners 1.299v (real 1.25v) setting to a true 1.30v?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigvaL*
> 
> Use OCCT 3.1.0 not 4.0
> I think you'll see a little performance increase in games with the CAPs but AMD drivers are so touchy I'd be scared to change anything if I were you lol.


any reason for using older version?
anyone else using OCCT 4.0? I think 4.0 is pretty accurate for stability test.


----------



## evensen007

I guess the Asus bios that was posted *does* do _something_. I am now 100% stable at 1300/1700, where before I was artifacting a little bit towards the end of heaven bench. I am set to 1.262mv. I'm thinking that Asus bios actually allows higher voltages than the stock bios I had on there which I think is what some people here were already saying. Worth it in my opinion, especially if you're on h2o.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> any reason for using older version?
> anyone else using OCCT 4.0? I think 4.0 is pretty accurate for stability test.


3.1 honestly stresses the card more.


----------



## PARTON

Glad it worked for you. It didn't net me any more voltage. I set 1.3 and get ~1.25v regardless. My super leaky chip would do more than 1190 if I could get higher than 1.25 actual(1.3 set).


----------



## Exburn

Guys. I have a 1174mV card. To reach a stable 1200mhz core I have to set it at 1300mV. Will this damage the card in some way? Temperatures are below 80c btw.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exburn*
> 
> Guys. I have a 1174mV card. To reach a stable 1200mhz core I have to set it at 1300mV. Will this damage the card in some way? Temperatures are below 80c btw.


Normally no.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> So even though MSI AB says 1.29v after I press apply, my cards are only getting, x.xv ?


Your cards are getting +125mV over VID max! And vdroop will steal some from you. This is not AB's fault though, vdroop will always occur.


----------



## astrovasilis

http://www.insomnia.gr/topic/426793-amd-hd7xxx-series/page__view__findpost__p__4540189


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You 7970 guys (me too and I have) should head over to TPU and put a word in the RBE request thread. C'mon put two and two together so Bagz will add 7970 support to RBE sooner than later.
> >>>>http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57157
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I don't think it will be any easier for 79xx series. Looks like will need "green light" to be able to pass the multi-lock.......... Remember how we are not able to edit clocks in 6xxx series as in 5xxx or previous series.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You actually can edit clocks, it just won't apply to successive cards in a cfx set. But that isn't even the purpose, it's to give us the ability to set voltage!!! You can override Overdrive limits via the registry as racerx showed us.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 1. There's no problem to have higher clock limits of 2000/2500 MHz for core and memory in CCC. This is the tool from AMD; AMD Radeon HD 7970 (reference) Xtreme OC BIOS: http://91.121.148.119/downloads/VGAB...Dec20_2011.exe
> 
> 2. There's OVP (Over Voltage Protection) of fixed +125mV over various types of ASIC. AMD is not going to let average users altering this for simple reason; RMA is killing the business.
> 
> 3. For non average users with extreme cooling (LN2, DICE, Phase, Chiller), can overcome this BIOS locked with simple modding. They know what they are doing and can tap into motherboad (X79) BIOS to alter the 7970 voltage. Here's how to do it; http://www.mediafire.com/?mu5rldjxxapt9w1
> 
> 4. There seem to be ASIC VID mismatched from the 4 identified in Tweak Apps such as Afterburner, Asus Tweak, Trixx (have seen few cases here with very high quality ASICs but bad overclocker). They will come out with fixes without the need of RBE.
> 
> 5. We can now use Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak along with Power Tune +20%.
> 
> I could be wrong, but couldn't think of a reason for RBE to by pass multi-lock at BIOS level. There's nothing left for average users to modify in BIOS.
Click to expand...

Above from post #2330

Reply from *BAGZZlash*









http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57157&page=5

Quote:


> Sorry, I'm afraid it's not coming any soon. You see, first of all I don't have a lot of spare time for this at the moment. Second, the structure of the BIOS changed to a noticable degree with the 7xx0 generation cards, so supporting them would be a lot of effort to put in. And third, it's pointless to put in all the effort just to see that the catalyst drivers block any changes to the BIOS anyway.
> 
> Well, currently I'm thinking about giving the project out of my hands. What I need is a trustworthy VB6 coder that is skilled to some degree (requirements are not too high) and willing to maintain my (a little sloppy written) code. Maybe you can spread the word and find someone.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Has anyone actually seen an appreciable overclock increase going from Afterburners 1.299v (real 1.25v) setting to a true 1.30v?


Who/How has anyone acheived a true 1.3v? I could get past 1190, witha true 1.3


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Who/How has anyone acheived a true 1.3v? I could get past 1190, witha true 1.3


No don't think it can be done. Shame as the voltage is holding a lot pf people back I would say.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

It can be done, just not (yet) with BIOS or software.

http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1553


----------



## JustSomeNoob

http://www.kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1553


----------



## unrealskill

noooo newegg removed the xfx dd ghost card!







i was waiting for it to go back in stock


----------



## nabokovfan87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Well guys here are pictures of my cards, i really dont know why i was having such bad temps, the contact points looked fine on the tim pads and the actual gpu chip itself on both cards, the backplate contact looks fine too. I even put a tiny bit of tim under each pad like the EK directions suggested. What do you guys think? Am i missing something here that is screaming at me and just overlooking it????
> 
> Please guys !!! I really wanna figure this out!!!! Will +rep to all that help me figure this out. My temps were really bad like in the 90c on both cards in heaven and idling at around 45-50c.


If your temps immediately jump to 90 when you put load, something isn't set correctly. Not a software setting, but the block itself isn't touching the gpu at all. You may have a card with a slightly different placement of the gpu vertically or with the components on the card holding it slightly higher. If you can, just take it off, completely disassemble and reassemble the block to make sure the seals are in place and undamaged, re-apply tim, and re-install the card. You may want to install it a bit tighter then you did before.

Needless to say, 90+ temps IMMEDIATELY after any load is the card telling you it has zero heat dissipation.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *astrovasilis*
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.insomnia.gr/topic/426793-amd-hd7xxx-series/page__view__findpost__p__4540189


Nice.
The first HD7950 from Greece again.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> Nice.
> The first HD7950 from Greece again.


First review I saw was last week in the UK


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> First review I saw was last week in the UK


link?


----------



## homestyle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> 
> Looking forward to some overclocking action tonight!


Why is there Korean wording on there?

You're in australia?


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Anybody else having problem with GPU 2 temp disappearing in AB?


Yup. Don't know what's going on with that. Also, I can't seem to get AB OSD to display during in-game either. This is with beta 11.


----------



## Norlig

Just flashed my cards to the ASus Bios.

Asus GPU Tweak wont give me more Mhz than 1125. and no change in MSI Afterburner.

Whats going on?


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Just flashed my cards to the ASus Bios.
> Asus GPU Tweak wont give me more Mhz than 1125. and no change in MSI Afterburner.
> Whats going on?


Did you try unlocking unofficial overclocking in the MSI cfg. folder? It's what I did.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Did you try unlocking unofficial overclocking in the MSI cfg. folder? It's what I did.


Yeah, that I already did, what I ment is that nothing changed from that. Ive read people saying that their Mhz scroll can go over 2000, mine is 1652


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Just flashed my cards to the ASus Bios.
> Asus GPU Tweak wont give me more Mhz than 1125. and no change in MSI Afterburner.
> Whats going on?


Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Afterburner, Asus Tweak, etc.

Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0

Reinstall Catalyst.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Afterburner, Asus Tweak, etc.
> 
> Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> Reinstall Catalyst.


that was exactly what I did after I flashed them.

1. flashed them in DOS
2. uninstalled Catalyst with ATIman
3. installed RC11
4. installed CAP 3


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> that was exactly what I did after I flashed them.
> 1. flashed them in DOS
> 2. uninstalled Catalyst with ATIman
> 3. installed RC11
> 4. installed CAP 3


Try this if you really want to go that high. Not sure which Asus BIOS you flashed it to.

*Uninstall Afterburner and Asus Tweak.*

Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.zip 420k .zip file


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone have problems with their AB Beta11 applying overclock settings on startup?

Everytime I restart or turn on computer, my OC AND fans reset to stock at 925/1375 and stock 20% fan speed. I want it to load my 1025/1475 OC and my manual fan profile. I have tried reinstalling AB many times but it doesn't work. Quite annoying.

I already have everything in CCC-overdrive unchecked.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Anyone have problems with their AB Beta11 applying overclock settings on startup?
> Everytime I restart or turn on computer, my OC AND fans reset to stock at 925/1375 and stock 20% fan speed. I want it to load my 1025/1475 OC and my manual fan profile. I have tried reinstalling AB many times but it doesn't work. Quite annoying.
> I already have everything in CCC-overdrive unchecked.


After Afterburner installed, once you touch Overdrive, it will take over from Afterburner.

Did you select "apply overclocking at windows startup"?

Disable ULPS too if you haven't.


----------



## WiL11o6

Ah, I see...so how would I fix this? Reinstall the CCC drivers? which I don't want to do..


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Try this if you really want to go that high. Not sure which Asus BIOS you flashed it to.
> 
> *Uninstall Afterburner and Asus Tweak.*
> 
> Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.zip 420k .zip file


flashed them to Asus.HD7970.3072.111220


----------



## WiL11o6

Now that I think about it, I think the only reason I went into CCC-overdrive was because even with the AB custom fan profile, CCC was doing a weird thing where after I exit a game or 3dmark, the fans would turn up 50% fan speed. I thought because I used AB's custom fan profile, it's kinda like "checking" the enable manual fan control in CCC, so I went into CCC to make sure it's off, and I THINK it was on, not sure. If it was, then it seems impossible to not go into CCC to use AB at the same time because CCC will override's AB's fan control even if I don't go into CCC.


----------



## NorxMAL

I have now installed my EK waterblock, and it is currently under leak test









Been some delays to getting that done









I hope I have mounted it good









When I was cutting the pads, I managed to skip two memory chips, I ended up with fragments of the pad sheets to not be big enough to cover any of them









I had to use pad sheet that I got with my Koolance 5870 waterblock instead on those two









I hope I don't suffer because of that mistake


----------



## wTheOnew

Got the memory to 2000MHz stable at 1.65V.









GPUZ Validation


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Got the memory to 2000MHz stable at 1.65V.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> GPUZ Validation


Nice, but sadly... that doesn't mean it's stable. If it is, congrats!


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Nice, but sadly... that doesn't mean it's stable. If it is, congrats!


I think being able to run it through Heaven, OCCT, and BF3 for the last day it is. I know the difference between being able to validate and being stable


----------



## Balsagna

Show us some heaven benchmarks at that speed


----------



## jshotz

trying to figure out why my GPU #2 is idling hotter than my GPU #1 isn't suppose to be the other way around. But when I play BF3 GPU1 takes the head lead











Uploaded with ImageShack.us

After 1.5 hours of BF3


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Got the memory to 2000MHz stable at 1.65V.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> GPUZ Validation


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Nice, but sadly... that doesn't mean it's stable. If it is, congrats!
> 
> 
> 
> I think being able to run it through Heaven, OCCT, and BF3 for the last day it is. I know the difference between being able to validate and being stable
Click to expand...

2000MHz or 8000MHz effective with the right combinations, cooling, core and memory voltage, core and memory clcoks, it's possible. That's when the performance outweighs the ECC.

But check the performance say from 1500, 1600, 1700,.... 2000MHz if there's diminishing returns.


----------



## LA_Kings_Fan

OK who's on the list to pick up the SAPPhIRE *NON-Reference OC'd* version of the *HD-7950* this week ?


















http://www.techpowerup.com/159028/Sapphire-HD-7950-3-GB-Pictured.html


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LA_Kings_Fan*
> 
> OK who's on the list to pick up the SAPPhIRE *NON-Reference OC'd* version of the *HD-7950* this week ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/159028/Sapphire-HD-7950-3-GB-Pictured.html



This dude?


----------



## sockpirate

A member caught something very strange, as to why i may have had such terrible temps, its either a fowl up on my part or on EKs part when it comes to either how they expect someone to interpret TIM pad/TIM placement.

This picture shows where i should have TIM/TIM pads at , as you can see i do not, marked by the red deonatations



Although in this picture of the actual EK waterblocks directions it clearly shows to not put TIM/TIM pads on these areas



Long story short, am i supposed to put TIM/TIM pads on these areas marked red in the pictures? If so why is this not denoted in the diagram supplied by EK? The member that brought this to my attention said that in his 6970 the diagram says clearly to put TIM/TIM pads on the red areas in my pictures. What do you guys think ?


----------



## Denim-187

Just use a little less thermal grease this time round....
And *no* grease on the regulators..


----------



## CallsignVega

As per the video below.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just use a little less thermal grease this time round....
> And *no* grease on the regulators..


I shouldnt even put thermal pads on the regulators?

Also, i put small amounts of TIM underneath each pad when i installed the block, which was recommended in the written directions, i should be fine yes? Even though they did not do it in the tutorial video you just showed?


----------



## erocker

No, you do not put the pads on the chokes. The pads are placed on the VRM's exactly as it is shown in the picture. Even if the pads weren't mounted correctly it wouldn't yeild high GPU temps. Using a little TIM to help the pads stick is fine.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> You misinterpret the directions. They laid the strips next to the VRM's they are going to cover so that you can see them. Obviously if you literally put them where they are in the picture they would never contact the block. The memory tape is in the proper position as they are obviously east to identify. So in simple terms, yes you put "2" and "3" on the red dot areas.


OMG....wow lolo yeah...i will go in and change it up now..WOW i feel stupid....


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> No, you do not put the pads on the chokes. The pads are placed on the VRM's exactly as it is shown in the picture. Even if the pads weren't mounted correctly it wouldn't yeild high GPU temps.


Now i am getting mixed information....


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Now i am getting mixed information....


Do exactly as in the video. But you should know that problems with covering the power components will not lead to high GPU core temperatures so there is something else at fault.

Although the guy in the video put no TIM on the regulators which seems kinda strange.

The only thing I can think of is that so much TIM was applied that the block was separated from the core too much and sufficient pressure couldn't be applied. Even a 1mm gap would cause huge temperature increases with TIM "loosely" filling the gap. You need to have that sucker produce nice pressure and make sure the screws around the core and bracket are nice and snug.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Do exactly as in the video. But you should know that problems with covering the power components will not lead to high GPU core temperatures so there is something else at fault.
> Although the guy in the video put no TIM on the regulators which seems kinda strange.


Alright welll im gonna give it a go, if i am still getting bad temps i will put some pads or time on the uncovered areas, although i am guessing the problem was with my bridge orientation, which i have changed now.


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LA_Kings_Fan*
> 
> OK who's on the list to pick up the SAPPhIRE *NON-Reference OC'd* version of the *HD-7950* this week ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/159028/Sapphire-HD-7950-3-GB-Pictured.html


me!


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> A member caught something very strange, as to why i may have had such terrible temps, its either a fowl up on my part or on EKs part when it comes to either how they expect someone to interpret TIM pad/TIM placement.
> This picture shows where i should have TIM/TIM pads at , as you can see i do not, marked by the red deonatations
> 
> Although in this picture of the actual EK waterblocks directions it clearly shows to not put TIM/TIM pads on these areas
> 
> Long story short, am i supposed to put TIM/TIM pads on these areas marked red in the pictures? If so why is this not denoted in the diagram supplied by EK? The member that brought this to my attention said that in his 6970 the diagram says clearly to put TIM/TIM pads on the red areas in my pictures. What do you guys think ?


Wait are you sure about this I have mine installed just like yours ?

Edit : No this is got to be wrong ... I'm sure of it --- Some one clarify

Side note : I still believe your problem flow. Blocks only get that hot if there is no flow. Check you pump even.... blockage etc.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> A member caught something very strange, as to why i may have had such terrible temps, its either a fowl up on my part or on EKs part when it comes to either how they expect someone to interpret TIM pad/TIM placement.
> This picture shows where i should have TIM/TIM pads at , as you can see i do not, marked by the red deonatations
> 
> Although in this picture of the actual EK waterblocks directions it clearly shows to not put TIM/TIM pads on these areas
> 
> Long story short, am i supposed to put TIM/TIM pads on these areas marked red in the pictures? If so why is this not denoted in the diagram supplied by EK? The member that brought this to my attention said that in his 6970 the diagram says clearly to put TIM/TIM pads on the red areas in my pictures. What do you guys think ?


I have actually managed to pad things incorrectly, now I have to start over









At least you brought this to my attention. I feel so stupid now.

And I'm out of Tim also!


----------



## CallsignVega

Guys, just so there is no confusion, watch the EK video.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> Guys, just so there is no confusion, watch the EK video.


Yes in the actual video they do not put anything on the voltage regulators, kinda from the horses mouth.


----------



## UNOE

bascily the only person that has to redue there block is the guy who said put it where the red dots are. Go PM him and let him no.


----------



## travva

hey folks, i'm still having some overclocking issues (i guess) i'm getting ready to try stock for a bit and see what happens. my last issue was that i came home today and my pc was unresponsive. i had to reset it. this is after i switched to trixx last night and used it to overclock. anyone experience something similar or know what the cause might be?


----------



## Ken1649

You can't go wrong following the manual with the correct thermal pad thickness to VRMs & VRAM;


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LA_Kings_Fan*
> 
> OK who's on the list to pick up the SAPPhIRE *NON-Reference OC'd* version of the *HD-7950* this week ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/159028/Sapphire-HD-7950-3-GB-Pictured.html


Started to get excited. Then saw it was only a 7950


----------



## Boomstick777

Hey guys, Powercolor HD 7970 here. Using the ATI unlocked bios, get nice clocks from my card but could do with more voltage to go higher. waiting on the MSI HD 7970 OC bios. Think it has tad higher stock volts.

Run my card @ 1075/1475 24/7, card is silent and cool. Tis a beast I tells ya


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> A member caught something very strange, as to why i may have had such terrible temps, its either a fowl up on my part or on EKs part when it comes to either how they expect someone to interpret TIM pad/TIM placement.
> This picture shows where i should have TIM/TIM pads at , as you can see i do not, marked by the red deonatations
> 
> Although in this picture of the actual EK waterblocks directions it clearly shows to not put TIM/TIM pads on these areas
> 
> Long story short, am i supposed to put TIM/TIM pads on these areas marked red in the pictures? If so why is this not denoted in the diagram supplied by EK? The member that brought this to my attention said that in his 6970 the diagram says clearly to put TIM/TIM pads on the red areas in my pictures. What do you guys think ?


*Those red dots are not the VRMS*, those are the chokes and they do not need to have anything done to them. The vrms can have tim on them or not, its purely up to user choice imp. Also, all the makers are still getting to know the vrm design. The Caymen blocks had tim on the chokes, well the main portion of chokes, and Tahiti does not. Heatkiller Caymen blocks also had tim on the long row of chokes. Seems they realize its a waste this time around.


----------



## bjgrenke

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Started to get excited. Then saw it was only a 7950


The blue PCB makes me cringe







Not a bad looking card though, other than that.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bjgrenke*
> 
> The blue PCB makes me cringe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not a bad looking card though, other than that.


That and that it looks severely cut down.


----------



## sockpirate

Guys the problem is solved!!! I am currently idling at 27c on both cards!!! It was the bridge orientation all along!!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Guys the problem is solved!!! I am currently idling at 27c on both cards!!! It was the bridge orientation all along!!!


Phew!


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Phew!


Running heaven right now and temps havent gone above 35c!!!


----------



## Dmac73

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That and that it looks severely cut down.


This. Do no want.


----------



## sockpirate

Thanks to everyone who helped and made suggestions!!! I really love you all!!! I was so stressed!!!!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Guys the problem is solved!!! I am currently idling at 27c on both cards!!! It was the bridge orientation all along!!!


*i told you*


----------



## Rayleyne

My 7970 is waiting for me at home and i still have another 3 hours of work to go


----------



## Rayleyne

My 7970 is waiting for me at home and i still have another 3 hours of work to go


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rayleyne*
> 
> My 7970 is waiting for me at home and i still have another 3 hours of work to go


L2Chuckasickie


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> Thank you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just flashed and it went perfectly.


Grrrreat!!!! TY.


----------



## Rayleyne

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> L2Chuckasickie


Wish I could tried that already didn't work my boss r smartz


----------



## lothar

Anyone noticed that memory has ovp protection too?
Stays at 1.688V max, setting it higher to 1.692 or 1.7 doesnt work

Anyway... I found quick method for testing video memory:
- Crysis 2 witch DX11 and High Resolution Textures upgrade, Ultra settings 4xAA
- Adrenaline Crysis 2 Benchmark Tool 1.3
- Downtown Timedemo... (consumes up to 2GB Video RAM during benchmarking)
If memory is not stable at its settings, Timedemo hangs or displays stripes or Crysis 2 crashes and exits to Windows

I am after 1 week of intensive everyday (evenings) testing for stable oveclocking
At First - card becomes unstable above 84 degrees C no matter what clocks are set. Stock fan needs custom profile

Final stable 24/7 settings of my Powercolor:
GPU *1160MHz* _1.174V_
VMEM *1670MHz* _1.688V_

VID 1.05V, ASIC Quality 82.9%

I hope this helps someone (especially Powercolor owners







or anyone with card with reference design, stock cooler and my VID). Now I finished testing.
Powertune set to +20% during all tests

Methods used:
1. Playing several different games, running Heaven 2.5 benchmark
2. Testing stable voltages - Furmark (temperature, power supply, artifacts)
3. Testing GPU core - OCCT 4.0 (Found that version 4.0 is more sensitive and catches errors earlier than 3.1). Best settings to find instabilities: Error checking, AA disabled, shader complexity 4, run in window and do other work in meantime
4. Testing video memory - mentioned earlier in this post: Crysis2 DX11 HR is the best and quickest way

There seems to be OVP in both GPU and VMEM voltages, +125mV is unstable already, I think +100mV is best to try. Video memory voltage has +5-6% limit.. I cannot set it higher than 1.688V, setting it to 1.686-1.7V always gives 1.688V

GPU-Z 0.5.8 sensors monitoring was used while testing
Oh... almost forgot, used MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 12 and flashed BIOS to reference Xtreme OC from 20 Dec 2011 to avoid resetting Powertune to +0%


----------



## krisco65

Mines in the mail


----------



## UNOE

do I need to disable ulps for a single card setup ?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> do I need to disable ulps for a single card setup ?


No need because will interfere with ZeroCore.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> do I need to disable ulps for a single card setup ?


No. I think that you don't need to disable that.
At *really* stable settings, Ultra Low Power State, Powerplay and Zero Core Power features should work without problems...


----------



## lothar

tom_tol from Hungary got 1345/2020 MHz

http://hwbot.org/submission/2246652_tom_tol_3dmark_vantage___performance_radeon_hd_7970_48208_marks


----------



## UNOE

thanks


----------



## Newbie2009

I got mine under water now, idle at 25c load 40c-45c.
Clock wise got another 50mhz on the core and 50mhz on the memory. (I can hit 1230/1700) on air.

However it see barely any performance gain from 1230-1250 on the core and from 1250 to 1280 pretty much zero I think.

Card needs more juice.


----------



## Rayleyne

Ended up going with the HIS 7970 it was the only one in stock And it was cheaper, Now that i've got it i tell ya, This thing is HEAVY It weighs more then both my 460s combined, atleast double their weight, I threw it straight in (Bad idea i know, driver clashes lul) worked surprisingly well, Now for ****s and giggles the first game i launched was Rift at 1920x1080 and turned everything up to max, my fps went from 64.... to a whopping 64 with all the eyecandy, even super sampling, Then i went and plugged my other 2 monitors in, Supersampling still tanks alot at that res, but no-where near as bad as two 460s tanked.

Heres a pic of it on my bed.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/404/img0031fj.jpg/


----------



## Evil Penguin

Couldn't contain yourself?
That's one blurry pic.


----------



## sockpirate

Hey guys im just wondering, how do i enable my second display ?

I plugged the second monitor into the second card and am not getting anything.

This is my first Radeon card, just used to the 2 display port on Nvidia cards.

When i go to identify displays it just identifies the main display on card 1.

EDIT: I am an idiot...I forgot about all the adapters that come with


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Hey guys im just wondering, how do i enable my second display ?
> I plugged the second monitor into the second card and am not getting anything.
> This is my first Radeon card, just used to the 2 display port on Nvidia cards.
> When i go to identify displays it just identifies the main display on card 1.
> EDIT: I am an idiot...I forgot about all the adapters that come with


Plug both monitors in the one card... thats how AMD do it


----------



## wTheOnew

2020MHz? Darn, need to figure out how to squeez another 25MHz out of this.







To bad the GPU on mine wont even think about getting close to where his is.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 2000MHz or 8000MHz effective with the right combinations, cooling, core and memory voltage, core and memory clcoks, it's possible. That's when the performance outweighs the ECC.
> 
> But check the performance say from 1500, 1600, 1700,.... 2000MHz if there's diminishing returns.


1400 > 1900 in 50MHz increments was a fairly linear increase for me. Above 1900 or so definitely isn't worth it for 24/7. It was only a .25%-.75% increase of so in framerate going from 1900 to 2000 depending on benchmark. ECC's definitely working hard.

I'll throw a Heaven benchmark up when I get home and get a chance.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rayleyne*
> 
> Ended up going with the HIS 7970 it was the only one in stock And it was cheaper, Now that i've got it i tell ya, This thing is HEAVY It weighs more then both my 460s combined, atleast double their weight, I threw it straight in (Bad idea i know, driver clashes lul) worked surprisingly well, Now for ****s and giggles the first game i launched was Rift at 1920x1080 and turned everything up to max, my fps went from 64.... to a whopping 64 with all the eyecandy, even super sampling, Then i went and plugged my other 2 monitors in, Supersampling still tanks alot at that res, but no-where near as bad as two 460s tanked.
> Heres a pic of it on my bed.
> http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/404/img0031fj.jpg/
> I repeat, this card is stupid fast, Though i can't seem to get over 1080mhz core without artifacting :<


Congrats on the HIS model. That makes 3 of us on the list (since I last checked)

My 2nd card is out for delivery. Should be here by 3:00PM. Most likely around 10:30-12:00


----------



## Outcasst

Flashed to the Asus OC Test BIOS and now am stable at 1700MHz memory. With the powercolor BIOS I could only reach 1500MHz.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Flashed to the Asus OC Test BIOS and now am stable at 1700MHz memory. With the powercolor BIOS I could only reach 1500MHz.


That's weird; I had similar good side-effects. After flashing to the Asus Bios, I was able to get artifact free stable @ 1300/1700. I may try to get a little higher tonight.

*Edit: I can't wait for the MSI lightning version to come out. Somehow, I have a feeling that the Bios for that card will be truly over-voltage protection unlocked and we will see higher numbers.


----------



## borandi

Got four of them coming my way of the ASUS variety, along with a fresh series of ROG boards and another 3960X. All I need now is that multi-monitor setup


----------



## Boomstick777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> Got four of them coming my way of the ASUS variety, along with a fresh series of ROG boards and another 3960X. All I need now is that multi-monitor setup


Only four?


----------



## Denim-187

Boomstick... i loled at your avatar


----------



## NorxMAL

Ok, in a previous post, I mentioned I have to remount the EK waterblock (entirely my own fault, can't blame anyone else)

And that I'm out of Artic silver mx4 TIM now.

The TIM's I have now, is the one that came with my XSPC Rasa blocks and some Artic Silver 5.

The card has never been powered up, and has never been lifted off to check the spread.

Will I loose cooling performance if I unmount it, fix pads at correct places and just mount it again without applying new TIM?

The TIM that was used were Artic silver mx4.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Ok, in a previous post, I mentioned I have to remount the EK waterblock (entirely my own fault, can't blame anyone else)
> And that I'm out of Artic silver mx4 TIM now.
> The TIM's I have now, is the one that came with my XSPC Rasa blocks and some Artic Silver 5.
> The card has never been powered up, and has never been lifted off to check the spread.
> Will I loose cooling performance if I unmount it, fix pads at correct places and just mount it again without applying new TIM?
> The TIM that was used were Artic silver mx4.


How much tim did you use the first time? You don't need to be as precise on AMD gpus since the surface is puny. I'd even just try reusing what is already on there. If it looks messy just use a credit card and make it smooth again. Worst case break out a dab of AS5.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Ok, in a previous post, I mentioned I have to remount the EK waterblock (entirely my own fault, can't blame anyone else)
> And that I'm out of Artic silver mx4 TIM now.
> The TIM's I have now, is the one that came with my XSPC Rasa blocks and some Artic Silver 5.
> The card has never been powered up, and has never been lifted off to check the spread.
> Will I loose cooling performance if I unmount it, fix pads at correct places and just mount it again without applying new TIM?
> The TIM that was used were Artic silver mx4.


You should always reapply the TIM - if you remove the block and then put it back you'll be introducing air pockets which will hinder the thermal transfer.


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Congrats on the HIS model. That makes 3 of us on the list (since I last checked)
> My 2nd card is out for delivery. Should be here by 3:00PM. Most likely around 10:30-12:00


Im one of em!


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tumdace*
> 
> Im one of em!


Awesome.

My new beauty isn't here yet..... I wish it'd hurry!


----------



## Rayleyne

Yar that blurry photo was taken from my iphone, that said, Rediculously fast card is redliculously fast

also, AMD eyefinity is so much easier to setup compared to nvidia surround

*Both teams plug in monitors*
*both teams turn on pc*
*Both teams go into the multi display setup wizard
Nvidia: *Screws around with the cables making sure they are in, AND what order they should be in*
AMD: *Please select the display that is lit up on the control panel* *Click*
NVidia: *Starts going back and fourth in the wizard to try and line monitors up into 1-2-3*
AMD: *Please select the second display that is lit up in the control panel* *Click*
Nvidia: *COntinues to screw around with the wizard, before starting to slowly manualy move plugged in monitors*
Amd: Congratulations, your new eyefinity setup is ready to go.

Nvidia....*Ten minutes later it finaly works..*


----------



## djayyy

I have been trying to flash my XFX 7970 Core Edition with the Asus bios. I have tried Atiflash which basically says " adapter not found" and Atiwinflash says No valid adapter found.
Any suggestions?


----------



## nabokovfan87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> I have been trying to flash my XFX 7970 Core Edition with the Asus bios. I have tried Atiflash which basically says " adapter not found" and Atiwinflash says No valid adapter found.
> Any suggestions?


Did you install the driver? That identifies it to the system as to what it is. If that is missing, the error message makes sense, if it is installed, then no idea, motherboard issue.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> I have been trying to flash my XFX 7970 Core Edition with the Asus bios. I have tried Atiflash which basically says " adapter not found" and Atiwinflash says No valid adapter found.
> Any suggestions?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nabokovfan87*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> I have been trying to flash my XFX 7970 Core Edition with the Asus bios. I have tried Atiflash which basically says " adapter not found" and Atiwinflash says No valid adapter found.
> Any suggestions?
> 
> 
> 
> Did you install the driver? That identifies it to the system as to what it is. If that is missing, the error message makes sense, if it is installed, then no idea, motherboard issue.
Click to expand...

Atiflash is flashing from DOS unrelated to drivers. Flip BIOS switch to #1. Use the -fs command.

If that doesn't work, this is something new. Flash protected and needs hard mod for XFX Core Edition?


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> I have been trying to flash my XFX 7970 Core Edition with the Asus bios. I have tried Atiflash which basically says " adapter not found" and Atiwinflash says No valid adapter found.
> Any suggestions?


Try the automatic one I posted some pages back. It's in the OP as well.


----------



## DB006

Benched in Heaven on OcUK and beat my previous FPS by 14fps









Cooled with my portable AC unit and some ninja ducting


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Caspian Border, 64 Players.
> *Hyperthreading Disabled*
> P.S the dip in the middle is when I alt+tabbed out.
> 
> *Hyperthreading Enabled*
> Same server, same map and roughly in the same area.


Outcast, thanks for that graph!

I just installed my 2600k today. Yes, I literally went ahead and bought a 2600k after I saw that screenshot, and from people who has 2600k, like Demin who helped. I had $1200 in GPUs but my 2500k was holding it back in BF3 since my GPU usages were floating around 75-90%, never utilizing its full potential.

Anyways, installed my 2600k today, OC'd it to 4.5ghz just to test it out at 2500k speeds. In the same Strike at Karkand map, where my 2500k would struggle it seems since both my GPUs would fluctuate between 75-90%, the 2600k with HT on pegs my GPUs at 98-99% 99% of the time, just like the AB screenshot Outcast posted. I am happy now. I didn't even try to push my 2600k further. Granted, even with the 2500k and my GPUs at 75-90%, I was still able to get 60+fps most of the time, but I'm willing to spend $100 to ease my mind knowing that my CPU isn't severely bottlenecking my $1200 video cards.

Thank you Outcast for spending my money, now I just need to sell my 2500k.


----------



## sockpirate

About to do some overclocking, what is the option that i disable that lets card 2 go to sleep when not in use? I am under the impression this causes crashes for OCing ?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> About to do some overclocking, what is the option that i disable that lets card 2 go to sleep when not in use? I am under the impression this causes crashes for OCing ?


ULPS. Search the registry for all Ulps entries and set it to 0.

http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps


----------



## sockpirate

Also i notice when i ran Heaven i starting hearing a buzzing sound from one of the cards? Is this normal? First time i have ever heard something like this from a card. I am guessing it will happen when i run other demanding programs ?


----------



## Outcasst

Just to confirm, if i'm not messing with voltages and overclocking on stock volts only, ULPS can remain enabled without causing problems?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Also i notice when i ran Heaven i starting hearing a buzzing sound from one of the cards? Is this normal? First time i have ever heard something like this from a card. I am guessing it will happen when i run other demanding programs ?


I have this too. It's called coil whine and I only get it when overclocked to the gills and running a game or benchmark. Not sure it's "normal" but it happens.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Just to confirm, if i'm not messing with voltages and overclocking on stock volts only, ULPS can remain enabled without causing problems?


Correct. You only disable ULPS if you use AB or Trixx and crossfire. Single cards don't use ULPS.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Correct. You only disable ULPS if you use AB or Trixx and crossfire. Single cards don't use ULPS.


If you dont disable it will you be guaranteed to crash ? I just ran a quick 1000mhz OC and yeah, no crash even when the second card went to "sleep".


----------



## NorxMAL

I'm now doing a new leak test of my rig with the new mounting of the block with the corrected placement of the thermal pads.

Really sketchy mounting as well, scooping up TIM off the core, cleaned the surfaces and best effort to form a new TIM pea. I hope it will work as good as it potentially could before, as no heat has affected the TIM at least









Well, we will see how this goes. I have to order new TIM because I ran out yesterday.

Some spills also.. But I have had worse scenarios spills than these ones.

So I have to see if it works tomorrow


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> I have this too. It's called coil whine and I only get it when overclocked to the gills and running a game or benchmark. Not sure it's "normal" but it happens.


Is it something to be worried about/alarmed ? RMA worthy reason ? And yes it only happens like you described.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Is it something to be worried about/alarmed ? RMA worthy reason ? And yes it only happens like you described.


I had the same thing with my 5870, in my case it eventually stopped after a while (at load).


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Is it something to be worried about/alarmed ? RMA worthy reason ? And yes it only happens like you described.


No. Every Amd card I have owned for the last 4 years has had coil whine while over-volted and pushed to the limits. It's annoying, but not card threatening.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I had the same thing with my 5870, in my case it eventually stopped after a while (at load).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> No. Every Amd card I have owned for the last 4 years has had coil whine while over-volted and pushed to the limits. It's annoying, but not card threatening.


Thanks guys, just never heard it before, its not like we are playing with plastic legos here ha ha .


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Is it something to be worried about/alarmed ? RMA worthy reason ? And yes it only happens like you described.


Some coil whine is inevitable especially on high end cards that draw tons of wattage. If the whine is excessive you can RMA, but then RMA sucks and you will be w/o card for a while I suspect since stock is low. Also on new cards, they don't typically have replacements in the RMA dept yet... this happened with Cayman too. No replacements for weeks.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Outcast, thanks for that graph!
> I just installed my 2600k today. Yes, I literally went ahead and bought a 2600k after I saw that screenshot, and from people who has 2600k, like Demin who helped. I had $1200 in GPUs but my 2500k was holding it back in BF3 since my GPU usages were floating around 75-90%, never utilizing its full potential.
> Anyways, installed my 2600k today, OC'd it to 4.5ghz just to test it out at 2500k speeds. In the same Strike at Karkand map, where my 2500k would struggle it seems since both my GPUs would fluctuate between 75-90%, the 2600k with HT on pegs my GPUs at 98-99% 99% of the time, just like the AB screenshot Outcast posted. I am happy now. I didn't even try to push my 2600k further. Granted, even with the 2500k and my GPUs at 75-90%, I was still able to get 60+fps most of the time, but I'm willing to spend $100 to ease my mind knowing that my CPU isn't severely bottlenecking my $1200 video cards.
> Thank you Outcast for spending my money, now I just need to sell my 2500k.


I'm a little confused. Hyper threading does not effect game play. Other than the extra GPU processing I can't imagine how it made much difference?

My i7 950 (4 Core) HT runs on par with a FX 8150. It's just a sliver behind a i5 2500K.

The 2500K bottle necking you crossfire seems weird, when it dosent bottle neck the i7 950.


----------



## NoTiCe

Just received my Sapphire 7970 today! Just registered and subscribed.

I was wondering how B3 runs for you guy's with this card? Mine seems pretty crappy haha, but for the rest of my games it runs great.

and could someone provide me the link to the newest drivers?

Thanks


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Correct. You only disable ULPS if you use AB or Trixx and crossfire. Single cards don't use ULPS.


Single cards do go into ULPS. Just turn off your screen, wait a minute, and the GPU and its fan will shut down. I noticed a good 15 W drop in power consumption on my power meter.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Denim said he was going to do a few tests on this... and mine was bottlenecking in eyefinity with my tri-fire setup yet everyone else that said they didn't have the same problem seemed to also have a 2600k with HT still on. hmmmm


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Single cards do go into ULPS. Just turn off your screen, wait a minute, and the GPU and its fan will shut down. I noticed a good 15 W drop in power consumption on my power meter.


*
ULPS was one of the many features AMD had briefed us about in September when they introduced the 5000 series, where ULPS allows AMD to power down the slave card(s) in a Crossfire configuration to a state even lower than idle. For the 5870/5970, this meant being able to reduce the slave(s) from 27W at idle to 20W under ULPS.*

http://www.anandtech.com/show/2940/2


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> I'm a little confused. Hyper threading does not effect game play. Other than the extra GPU processing I can't imagine how it made much difference?
> My i7 950 (4 Core) HT runs on par with a FX 8150. It's just a sliver behind a i5 2500K.
> The 2500K bottle necking you crossfire seems weird, when it dosent bottle neck the i7 950.


I only game on 1080p so I guess the 2500k wasn't able to keep up with two 7970s, which makes a little sense since these 7970s are monsters.

The 2500k didn't necessarily bottleneck me. I was still getting 60+ fps in most instances. It did drop to 50-60fps at times (75% GPU usage), which to me, wasn't acceptable for spending $1200 in video cards and can't get above 50fps. With the 2500k, my GPUs are running at 75-95%. With the 2600k, my GPUs are pegged at 98-99%. A couple fellows on [h]ardforum has the same experience with 75-95% GPU usage who are on 2500k.

Do I notice a difference while playing? Not really since with either CPUs, I always sit around 100fps, but at least with the 2600k, I don't go below 60. And it's good to know, for peace of mind, that my $1200 is well spent if both my cards are working 99%, not 75%.

That alone to me is $100 well spent to change 2500k to 2600k.


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Try the automatic one I posted some pages back. It's in the OP as well.


Wow, thanks for all the replies guys. Ok to recap.

I have tried flashing in Windows using the Atiwinflash, this results in "No valid adapter could be found! Video Bios not updated".

In dos using atiflash i get "adapter not found" when running atiflash -i

With the automatic updater exe that you posted. It looks like it is working then gets to the end and says "Adapter 0 SSID Mismatched".

Yes in Windows I have the drivers installed also. I really can't work this out. I have tried bios switch in 1 and 2.

Thanks for your help guys.


----------



## omega17

It'll only work on switch 1; BIOS switch 2 is the failsafe locked original BIOS, for when you screw things up on 1









Just so you know.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *
> ULPS was one of the many features AMD had briefed us about in September when they introduced the 5000 series, where ULPS allows AMD to power down the slave card(s) in a Crossfire configuration to a state even lower than idle. For the 5870/5970, this meant being able to reduce the slave(s) from 27W at idle to 20W under ULPS.*
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/2940/2


I must have been referring to ZCP (Zero Core Power), which I believe is also turned off using the same registry switches.


----------



## omega17

^ Bingo







zeroCore is what switches the GPU effectively "off" (~3W), whereas ULPS leaves it "on" running at super-low clocks, ~20W


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> It'll only work on switch 1; BIOS switch 2 is the failsafe locked original BIOS, for when you screw things up on 1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just so you know.


Ok thanks for that info. Currently on Switch position 1. Tried all of the above and still the same. Anyone else with a XFX Core Card that has successfully flashed another bios?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> I must have been referring to ZCP (Zero Core Power), which I believe is also turned off using the same registry switches.


That's not what you said, which was single cards use ULPS.
Quote:


> Single cards do go into ULPS.


Zero Core is different, cuz it switches all the cards off and uses a special core that stays awake solely to watch for activity at which point it wakes the card or cards.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not what you said, which was single cards use ULPS.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Single cards do go into ULPS.
> 
> 
> 
> Zero Core is different, cuz it switches all the cards off and uses a special core that stays awake solely to watch for activity at which point it wakes the card or cards.
Click to expand...

Yes I meant I must have mixed them up.


----------



## eminem5055

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Ok thanks for that info. Currently on Switch position 1. Tried all of the above and still the same. Anyone else with a XFX Core Card that has successfully flashed another bios?


Yes I was able to successfully flash my xfx core edition, through dos with a bootable usb stick


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eminem5055*
> 
> Yes I was able to successfully flash my xfx core edition, through dos with a bootable usb stick


Which Asus bios did you use?


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Ok thanks for that info. Currently on Switch position 1. Tried all of the above and still the same. Anyone else with a XFX Core Card that has successfully flashed another bios?


I flashed my XFX Core a couple days ago.

Grab the bios here. (Post 2008)

Install ATI Winflash to your C:\ drive and remember the path. Copy the Asus bios into the same folder. Might help to rename it to something like asus.bin

Open up a Command prompt as Admin, navigate to the folder where ATI Winflash is located (easiest to just install it to c:\ root), and type the following command:

atiwinflash -unlockrom 0

atiwinflash -f -p 0 bios.bin (bios.bin being the asus bios you first downloaded)

This should flash your card correctly. I spent a couple hours trying the different methods mentioned in this thread and finally remembered the method I used to flash my 6950. Once it is flashed, uninstall your drivers, reboot, and reinstall the drivers.

I also highly recommend that you use the Asus GPU Tweak found in this 7970 pack linked earlier.

The Asus bios is great. Helped vdroop a bit and so far I'm stable at 1390/[email protected] (1.28V actual) running through the Metro 2033 benchmark.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> I flashed my XFX Core a couple days ago.
> Grab the bios here. (Post 2008)
> Install ATI Winflash to your C:\ drive and remember the path. Copy the Asus bios into the same folder. Might help to rename it to something like asus.bin
> Open up a Command prompt as Admin, navigate to the folder where ATI Winflash is located (easiest to just install it to c:\ root), and type the following command:
> atiwinflash -unlockrom 0
> atiwinflash -f -p 0 bios.bin (bios.bin being the asus bios you first downloaded)
> This should flash your card correctly. I spent a couple hours trying the different methods mentioned in this thread and finally remembered the method I used to flash my 6950. Once it is flashed, uninstall your drivers, reboot, and reinstall the drivers.
> I also highly recommend that you use the Asus GPU Tweak found in this 7970 pack linked earlier.
> The Asus bios is great. Helped vdroop a bit and so far *I'm stable at 1390/[email protected]* (1.28V actual) running through the Metro 2033 benchmark.
> Use


----------



## Arizonian

Anyone with an MSI 7970 OC starting at 1010Mhz core clock?

Curious if they over clock any better? I realize it being reference that it's just a factory OC and we can OC them just as easily. Was curious to know if they were binned? I know they would have been tested for that OC to guarantee the OC under warranty. Wondering if they are having an easier time getting to 1300Mhz and what stock voltage was?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Anyone with an MSI 7970 OC starting at 1010Mhz core clock?
> Curious if they over clock any better? I realize it being reference that it's just a factory OC and we can OC them just as easily. Was curious to know if they were binned? I know they would have been tested for that OC to guarantee the OC under warranty. Wondering if they are having an easier time getting to 1300Mhz and what stock voltage was?


I highly doubt they're binned.... Every 7970 produced can do 1000-1010 that's why the OC editions are only at that frequency.
Higher binned SKU's normally surface 2-3 months after launch.


----------



## tsm106

MSIAlex has stated in the past that MSI do not bin chips.


----------



## Balsagna

Welp guys, I have the 2nd 7970 installed.

I'm having issues right now. Heaven 2.5 crashes and I'll even BSOD once in a while. ULPS is disabled and I reinstalled Catalyst and flashed both cards to the same bios. The BSOD has stopped, but Heaven and 3DMark11 both won't complete. They keep locking up or quit responding.

Both cards are not overclocked and overclocking makes not respond or crashes the benchmark faster.

What gives?

EDIT: I also tested both cards independently in which they were fine and completed the tests.

EDIT2: I have not touched any CAPS yet, what is everyone recommending?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Welp guys, I have the 2nd 7970 installed.
> I'm having issues right now. Heaven 2.5 crashes and I'll even BSOD once in a while. ULPS is disabled and I reinstalled Catalyst and flashed both cards to the same bios. The BSOD has stopped, but Heaven and 3DMark11 both won't complete. They keep locking up or quit responding.
> Both cards are not overclocked and overclocking makes not respond or crashes the benchmark faster.
> What gives?
> EDIT: I also tested both cards independently in which they were fine and completed the tests.
> EDIT2: I have not touched any CAPS yet, what is everyone recommending?


CAPS are mandatory with crossfire setups..
Install 11.12 CAP3 and re-run the tests.

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Welp guys, I have the 2nd 7970 installed.
> 
> I'm having issues right now. Heaven 2.5 crashes and I'll even BSOD once in a while. ULPS is disabled and I reinstalled Catalyst and flashed both cards to the same bios. The BSOD has stopped, but Heaven and 3DMark11 both won't complete. They keep locking up or quit responding.
> 
> Both cards are not overclocked and overclocking makes not respond or crashes the benchmark faster.
> 
> What gives?
> 
> EDIT: I also tested both cards independently in which they were fine and completed the tests.
> 
> EDIT2: I have not touched any CAPS yet, what is everyone recommending?


Once you re-install Catalyst, it will override Afterburner, Asus Tweak, Trixx or whatever install in the system and ULPS. Reset Afterburner, Restore Factory Defaults in CCC and restart PC. Upon restart, exit CCC Overdrive and Afterburner then edit ULPS again and restart PC.


----------



## Balsagna

Alright, so -- I BSOD again with this error "PFN_LIST_CORRUPT" so it sounds like it's driver related. I'll try reinstalling and doing the drivers over again in a bit. However, I did get Heaven to run this time around without crashing at all. Though as soon as I got out of the benchmark and saved my result is when I BSOD.

Here's my heaven benchmark without any overclocking. How does it look?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Alright, so -- I BSOD again with this error "PFN_LIST_CORRUPT" so it sounds like it's driver related. I'll try reinstalling and doing the drivers over again in a bit. However, I did get Heaven to run this time around without crashing at all. Though as soon as I got out of the benchmark and saved my result is when I BSOD.
> Here's my heaven benchmark without any overclocking. How does it look?


Pretty awful. Something gotten buggered.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Once you re-install Catalyst, it will override Afterburner, Asus Tweak, Trixx or whatever install in the system and ULPS. Reset Afterburner, Restore Factory Defaults in CCC and restart PC. Upon restart, exit CCC Overdrive and Afterburner then edit ULPS again and restart PC.


Already done that. It didn't seem to affect much -- I think it's still driver related. I'm going to do the ATIMan Uninstall, I think it is a lot more in-depth. Going to try overclocking one more time and seeing if I can benchmark it. If I can't run with a default overclock in CCC, I'm going to reinstall catalyst again.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Pretty awful. Something gotten buggered.


Really? This isn't overclocked at all I might add. The average FPS seems somewhat right... but eh, I'll check again. I was getting 47.5 with 1200/1600 on a single card. These 2 are not overclocked at all.


----------



## Denim-187

If that doesn't work... Use this method.... THIS IS STRICTLY FOR *INTEL* SYSTEMS ONLY

Uninstall CCC & CAPS (Don't Restart)
Show hidden folders in folder options
(your user folder) > Roaming > Delete anything AMD or ATI
type regedit in search > HKEY-LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Delete anything AMD / ATI
type regedit in search > HKEY_USERS > S-1-5-18 > Software > Delete anything AMD / ATI
Right clight My Computer > Properties > Device Manager > Display Adapters > Right click GPU2 > Uninstall
Right clight My Computer > Properties > Device Manager > Display Adapters > Right click GPU1 > Uninstall
Restart
Let windows find your GPU's > Restart
Install CCC > Restart
Install CAPS > Restart
Bob's your uncle


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Outcast, thanks for that graph!
> I just installed my 2600k today. Yes, I literally went ahead and bought a 2600k after I saw that screenshot, and from people who has 2600k, like Demin who helped. I had $1200 in GPUs but my 2500k was holding it back in BF3 since my GPU usages were floating around 75-90%, never utilizing its full potential.
> Anyways, installed my 2600k today, OC'd it to 4.5ghz just to test it out at 2500k speeds. In the same Strike at Karkand map, where my 2500k would struggle it seems since both my GPUs would fluctuate between 75-90%, the 2600k with HT on pegs my GPUs at 98-99% 99% of the time, just like the AB screenshot Outcast posted. I am happy now. I didn't even try to push my 2600k further. Granted, even with the 2500k and my GPUs at 75-90%, I was still able to get 60+fps most of the time, but I'm willing to spend $100 to ease my mind knowing that my CPU isn't severely bottlenecking my $1200 video cards.
> Thank you Outcast for spending my money, now I just need to sell my 2500k.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> I flashed my XFX Core a couple days ago.
> Grab the bios here. (Post 2008)
> Install ATI Winflash to your C:\ drive and remember the path. Copy the Asus bios into the same folder. Might help to rename it to something like asus.bin
> Open up a Command prompt as Admin, navigate to the folder where ATI Winflash is located (easiest to just install it to c:\ root), and type the following command:
> atiwinflash -unlockrom 0
> atiwinflash -f -p 0 bios.bin (bios.bin being the asus bios you first downloaded)
> This should flash your card correctly. I spent a couple hours trying the different methods mentioned in this thread and finally remembered the method I used to flash my 6950. Once it is flashed, uninstall your drivers, reboot, and reinstall the drivers.
> I also highly recommend that you use the Asus GPU Tweak found in this 7970 pack linked earlier.
> The Asus bios is great. Helped vdroop a bit and so far I'm stable at 1390/[email protected] (1.28V actual) running through the Metro 2033 benchmark.


So I updated my bios via dropping the bios into ASUS GPU tweaks main folder.... then installing via the ATI bios utility within the same folder.. pretty sure it worked... as I can push 1400 and CCC has the 2000mv bar. Question is does the bios version number change when checking in gpuz I installed the one noted above and gpuz shows 015.012.000.004.000346 ..?


----------



## urbanshaft

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=100006662&isNodeId=1&Description=amd+7950&x=0&y=0
get em while they hot guyz


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Once you re-install Catalyst, it will override Afterburner, Asus Tweak, Trixx or whatever install in the system and ULPS. Reset Afterburner, Restore Factory Defaults in CCC and restart PC. Upon restart, exit CCC Overdrive and Afterburner then edit ULPS again and restart PC.
> 
> 
> 
> Already done that. It didn't seem to affect much -- I think it's still driver related. I'm going to do the ATIMan Uninstall, I think it is a lot more in-depth. Going to try overclocking one more time and seeing if I can benchmark it. If I can't run with a default overclock in CCC, I'm going to reinstall catalyst again.
Click to expand...

I missed that you just flashed both cards. Start from scratch;

Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Afterburner, etc.

Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0

Install Catalyst + CAP

Install Afterburner (decide just one, Afterburner, Trixx or Asus Tweak).

Re-do ULPS.

PCS +20%.

Done.


----------



## Balsagna

Thanks guys, but still -- I can't overclock and run Heaven 2.5

This time it's like the driver crashed from overclocking -- I set everything to 1125/1570 with +20% on both GPU's just using Catalyst and I still error out.

The card individually could reach my 1200/1600 like the first card. Also, I uninstalled everything and ran ATIMAN uninstaller and somehow, my clocks were still set at 1200/1600 with 60% fan speed.... something isn't getting installed somewhere.

I found 0 traces of anything ATI/AMD in the system.


----------



## Balsagna

Alright, I lowered the overclock down to 1100/1570 on both GPU's and I was at stage 25 out of 26 on Heaven and then it decides to crash.... I was averaging around mid to high 80's (85-87fps) -- That still seems to be on the low end for it......

EDIT: Just reinstalled afterburner, checked if ULPS was enabled at all -- Overclocked cards to 1200/1600 and put voltage to max and fan speed to 55%. If this can't run without errors.... I'm reformating


----------



## unrealskill

damn damn damn asus cu looks sexy and its at 900mhz


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *urbanshaft*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=100006662&isNodeId=1&Description=amd+7950&x=0&y=0
> get em while they hot guyz


WOW at price.......really? I don't understand why there are already more designs on the 7950 at release then on the 7970 being out a month.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Alright, I lowered the overclock down to 1100/1570 on both GPU's and I was at stage 25 out of 26 on Heaven and then it decides to crash.... I was averaging around mid to high 80's (85-87fps) -- That still seems to be on the low end for it......
> EDIT: Just reinstalled afterburner, checked if ULPS was enabled at all -- Overclocked cards to 1200/1600 and *put voltage to max and fan speed to 55%*. If this can't run without errors.... I'm reformating


If you're shooting as many volts in as you can, you better up the fanspeed a bit more


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Alright, I lowered the overclock down to 1100/1570 on both GPU's and I was at stage 25 out of 26 on Heaven and then it decides to crash.... I was averaging around mid to high 80's (85-87fps) -- That still seems to be on the low end for it......
> EDIT: Just reinstalled afterburner, checked if ULPS was enabled at all -- Overclocked cards to 1200/1600 and put voltage to max and fan speed to 55%. If this can't run without errors.... I'm reformating


Dude....too much voltage is just as bad as having not enough voltage.


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*


Sure, what do you want just a screenshot of GPU Tweak and the Metro 2033 results?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> So I updated my bios via dropping the bios into ASUS GPU tweaks main folder.... then installing via the ATI bios utility within the same folder.. pretty sure it worked... as I can push 1400 and CCC has the 2000mv bar. Question is does the bios version number change when checking in gpuz I installed the one noted above and gpuz shows 015.012.000.004.000346 ..?


That's the same bios version I have according to GPU-Z. Didn't check the original version though.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Dude....too much voltage is just as bad as having not enough voltage.


Not on these since they're locked already. Bumping to 1.25 with 1200/1600 shouldn't effect it...

Anyways. It failed again. Uninstalling and reinstalling again.

Found out that Atiman uninstall was erroring out.

It finally did its work so hopefully tht was the culprit..... I will run with 0 overclock to see if errors. If none I will overclock to stock catalyst 1125/1575. If that works then I assume issue is resolved and will continue. If I get error or won't run I will up voltage a tad and if that doesn't work I believe I have a dud clocker


----------



## Rayleyne

I can't oc Past 1050 without artifacting the card don't crash but it makes no diff with any voltage increase either


----------



## Balsagna

Stock ran fine but the overclock did not work out I got to stage 12 and got the dx3d crash .

I lowered clock to 1100/1550 to see how this turns out. It might not overclock like the first card I got


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

You gotta watch this, very funny, its very odd, nice parody!!! (Ntellector&Envicious = Intel&NVIDIA)


----------



## WiL11o6

Dumb question:

Does increase in clock speeds increase heat? I know that increasing voltages do, but what about increased speeds at stock voltages?

I want to run my cards as cool and quiet as possible, and right now they are at stock 1.05v at 1025/1475. If increasing speeds will increase heat, I might just keep them at stock 925/1375 since that's already enough to run my 1080p BF3.


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*


Here are two loops of Metro 2033 at 1390/1600. Sorry the image is rather small. Imageshack resized it to 1MB.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> You gotta watch this, very funny, its very odd, nice parody!!! (Ntellector&Envicious = Intel&NVIDIA)


bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahaahaahahahhaaaaaa


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Here are two loops of Metro 2033 at 1390/1600. Sorry the image is rather small. Imageshack resized it to 1MB.


Dude use the OCN picture upload..... cant see those results









1390 mhz..... Prettttyy bad ass OC man. Water cooled?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Dumb question:
> Does increase in clock speeds increase heat? I know that increasing voltages do, but what about increased speeds at stock voltages?
> I want to run my cards as cool and quiet as possible, and right now they are at stock 1.05v at 1025/1475. If increasing speeds will increase heat, I might just keep them at stock 925/1375 since that's already enough to run my 1080p BF3.


Increasing clock speed increases power consumption in a linear fashion, increasing voltage increases power consumption in an exponential fashion.

Insofar as power consumption is concerned, you're best served by finding the fastest speed you can run (stable!) at the lowest (stock) voltage.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Increasing clock speed increases power consumption in a linear fashion, increasing voltage increases power consumption in an exponential fashion.
> Insofar as power consumption is concerned, you're best served by finding the fastest speed you can run (stable!) at the lowest (stock) voltage.


You full missed his question there dude jajhahahaa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Dumb question:
> Does increase in clock speeds increase heat? I know that increasing voltages do, but what about increased speeds at stock voltages?
> I want to run my cards as cool and quiet as possible, and right now they are at stock 1.05v at 1025/1475. If increasing speeds will increase heat, I might just keep them at stock 925/1375 since that's already enough to run my 1080p BF3.


Quite simply? YES


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Dude use the OCN picture upload..... cant see those results
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1390 mhz..... Prettttyy bad ass OC man. Water cooled?


Didn't realize OCN had a pic upload option.







Seems to limit the size as well however. Reloaded it to Imageshack and it's much better now if you click through.



It is watercooled. Put an EK waterblock on it last week.

Beginning to question my previous statement about the OVP being removed with the Asus bios. I can OC a bit higher now but any voltage between 1.325 and 1.375 makes no difference getting higher than 1390.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Didn't realize OCN had a pic upload option.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seems to limit the size as well however. Reloaded it to Imageshack and it's much better now if you click through.
> *-snip-*
> It is watercooled. Put an EK waterblock on it last week.
> Beginning to question my previous statement about the OVP being removed with the Asus bios. I can OC a bit higher now but any voltage between 1.325 and 1.375 makes no difference getting higher than 1390.


So far this has been the greatest OC i've seen on OCN with a 7970... Gratz man.
I have a request, if you could run a 1920x1080, same settings as your previous ones for comparison reasons.
Ty


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Sure, what do you want just a screenshot of GPU Tweak and the Metro 2033 results?
> 
> That's the same bios version I have according to GPU-Z. Didn't check the original version though.


Quote:
Originally Posted by wirefox

So I updated my bios via dropping the bios into ASUS GPU tweaks main folder.... then installing via the ATI bios utility within the same folder.. pretty sure it worked... as I can push 1400 and CCC has the 2000mv bar. Question is does the bios version number change when checking in gpuz I installed the one noted above and gpuz shows 015.012.000.004.000346 ..?

That's the same bios version I have according to GPU-Z. Didn't check the original version though.

my problem too don't recall what bios was shown in gpuz prior to updating ... hrmm


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> I flashed my XFX Core a couple days ago.
> Grab the bios here. (Post 2008)
> Install ATI Winflash to your C:\ drive and remember the path. Copy the Asus bios into the same folder. Might help to rename it to something like asus.bin
> Open up a Command prompt as Admin, navigate to the folder where ATI Winflash is located (easiest to just install it to c:\ root), and type the following command:
> atiwinflash -unlockrom 0
> atiwinflash -f -p 0 bios.bin (bios.bin being the asus bios you first downloaded)
> This should flash your card correctly. I spent a couple hours trying the different methods mentioned in this thread and finally remembered the method I used to flash my 6950. Once it is flashed, uninstall your drivers, reboot, and reinstall the drivers.
> I also highly recommend that you use the Asus GPU Tweak found in this 7970 pack linked earlier.
> The Asus bios is great. Helped vdroop a bit and so far I'm stable at 1390/[email protected] (1.28V actual) running through the Metro 2033 benchmark.


Hi, thanks for the instructions. I thought this was going to do it as i had never done the 'atiwinflash -unlockrom 0' . Unfortunately though this still did not work









I have no idea what is going on here.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Hi, thanks for the instructions. I thought this was going to do it as i had never done the 'atiwinflash -unlockrom 0' . Unfortunately though this still did not work
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have no idea what is going on here.


Use this BIOS. It's automatic and you dont have to do a thing, Just run it and it does it all for you.

Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011(1).zip 420k .zip file


----------



## chillgreg

Hi

I've decided to get a 7970 tomorrow, so I am trying to choose between either a reference card (and if so, which brand is best), or the Gigabyte OC version (better than the XFX Black apparently?)

My head is spinning from reading reviews and forums, so I really need some good advice please. I'm not too worried about cost, relatively speaking.

Is the reference card severely limited to it's overclocking abilities? Conversely I worry about the heat dump into the case of the non-reference designs. Water is not an option for the foreseeable future. FYI I am building a NZXT Phantom which will include the Corsair H100 exhausting at the top under the 2 x 200mm case fans, and the extra 200mmm and intake on the side. So in theory I will have good airflow.

And if a reference card is the way to go, then which brand has the best chips historically, bios unlockability, etc. I know they're extremely similar on paper, but reading through this forum it seems that some cards O/C better than others, and present less hassles in changing the bios. Also would the associated O/C utility software have any bearing on this? eg Trixx vs Afterburner vs CCC vs Asus etc.

Thanks for any help!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Hi
> 
> I've decided to get a 7970 tomorrow, so I am trying to choose between either a reference card (and if so, which brand is best), or the Gigabyte OC version (better than the XFX Black apparently?)
> 
> My head is spinning from reading reviews and forums, so I really need some good advice please. I'm not too worried about cost, relatively speaking.
> 
> Is the reference card severely limited to it's overclocking abilities? Conversely I worry about the heat dump into the case of the non-reference designs. Water is not an option for the foreseeable future. FYI I am building a NZXT Phantom which will include the Corsair H100 exhausting at the top under the 2 x 200mm case fans, and the extra 200mmm and intake on the side. So in theory I will have good airflow.
> 
> And if a reference card is the way to go, then which brand has the best chips historically, bios unlockability, etc. I know they're extremely similar on paper, but reading through this forum it seems that some cards O/C better than others, and present less hassles in changing the bios. Also would the associated O/C utility software have any bearing on this? eg Trixx vs Afterburner vs CCC vs Asus etc.
> 
> Thanks for any help!


It's a lottery.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Hi
> 
> I've decided to get a 7970 tomorrow, so I am trying to choose between either a reference card (and if so, which brand is best), or the Gigabyte OC version (better than the XFX Black apparently?)
> 
> My head is spinning from reading reviews and forums, so I really need some good advice please. I'm not too worried about cost, relatively speaking.
> 
> Is the reference card severely limited to it's overclocking abilities? Conversely I worry about the heat dump into the case of the non-reference designs. Water is not an option for the foreseeable future. FYI I am building a NZXT Phantom which will include the Corsair H100 exhausting at the top under the 2 x 200mm case fans, and the extra 200mmm and intake on the side. So in theory I will have good airflow.
> 
> And if a reference card is the way to go, then which brand has the best chips historically, bios unlockability, etc. I know they're extremely similar on paper, but reading through this forum it seems that some cards O/C better than others, and present less hassles in changing the bios. Also would the associated O/C utility software have any bearing on this? eg Trixx vs Afterburner vs CCC vs Asus etc.
> 
> Thanks for any help!


If your case has good airflow.... go for the Gigabyte OC, it has lower temps. I bet either way you go reference or not, you will be extremely satisfied.
My personal recommendation would be to go either Sapphire, Gigabyte or ASUS on the reference. Which ever is cheaper.
If i was to pick one out of the three, it would be Sapphire since the majority of owners have had very positive overclocking results on alot of different forums.


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Use this BIOS. It's automatic and you dont have to do a thing, Just run it and it does it all for you.
> 
> Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011(1).zip 420k .zip file


Denim, thats the one i was trying. When i run this one it looks as though its going all the way through then i get a
"Adapter 0 SSID Mismatched" error.


----------



## borandi

Generally speaking, it looks like the ASUS cards have an easier time overclocking due to the OC software.
Sapphire and MSI obviously have their overclocking software as well.

For the reference cards, there is no binning per se - every chip on every card is guaranteed to do 925 and all of them so far have done 1000-1050, which is what the current OC cards are coming out at. Most people are getting 1100-1200 as well.

Also, you may have issues if you replace the cooler, as seen on the XFX BEDDs. The thermal gunk AMD supplied to the manufacturers is a phase change material for use with their vapor chamber coolers. People replacing this with AS5 or other are seeing worse results. And it looks like the XFX BEDD has issues with keeping the VRMs cool for long periods of time.


----------



## ON9JIMMY

Anyone got a problem with single 7970 or 7970 crossfire running starcarft II?
my computer crashed many times already right after the game is over.

Also, graphic error in game as well.
my 6950 has no such error at all.

anyone?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Denim, thats the one i was trying. When i run this one it looks as though its going all the way through then i get a
> "Adapter 0 SSID Mismatched" error.


Dude you have to flash back to the ATI default bios before trying that..... you cant run that while on the ASUS BIOS.


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Dude you have to flash back to the ATI default bios before trying that..... you cant run that while on the ASUS BIOS.


Denim, sorry for being a PITA here but currently my card is running the Standard XFX 7970 Bios that came on it. I have tried to flash the asus bioses, the Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011 bios you posted of which none flash due tot he errors i posted earlier.

Which is the ATI Default bios?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Denim, sorry for being a PITA here but currently my card is running the Standard XFX 7970 Bios that came on it. I have tried to flash the asus bioses, the Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011 bios you posted of which none flash due tot he errors i posted earlier.
> Which is the ATI Default bios?


Post a screenshot of your GPU-Z pls


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Post a screenshot of your GPU-Z pls




Here you go.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> 
> Here you go.


What happens if you flip the bios switch? Do you still get XFX Pinegroup 1682 or (ATI 1004) ?
*Make sure you flip the switch with the system turned off.*


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> What happens if you flip the bios switch? Do you still get XFX Pinegroup 1682 or (ATI 1004) ?
> *Make sure you flip the switch with the system turned off.*


Flipped the switch and it shows the same XFX Pinegroup 1682.

Perhaps i'm unlucky and have the same bios in both positions?? Or perhaps the switch is not working correctly?


----------



## Nemesis158

haven't been keeping up in this thread much, Does the asus bios in some cases help get past walls?
i can only get 1200 if i turn my fan speed to 100% and open my window and blow cold air into my room...


----------



## chillgreg

Thanks for the quick replies! 

hmmm so logic and sensibility would say wait a few months for the price drops and all the new cards to hit...but I have the funds now... and who really uses logic when buying a video card lol?

So as long as I can get a decent O/C with the reference card I'm happy with that. But as I run 2 monitors all day I'm slightly worried,as I saw a thread where it was mentioned that idle temps of 60 deg are normal in that scenario... yikes! And even if around 80 is not dangerous, I rarely go above 60 with my 1000/1250 Asus 6870 even in Batman AC etc. So up there in the 80's seems a bit scary to me.

So as I understand it - the current "non-reference" cards the XFX and Gigabyte are really ref cards with a different cooler. So the O/C potential is the same, with only different temperatures and noise.

So I go for the Gigabyte O/C card with all that extra heat in the case but less noise and overall lower temps, or the Sapphire at the lower cost with more noise and those "scary" high temps.

Nearly ready to make a decision, but grateful for any further opinions or comments!

PS on My Sapphire 5770 and Asus 6870, 40%-60% has been the optimal fan speed. Above that and the temp gains are negligible vs the extra noise. Is this the same with reference coolers?

PPS My first ever 3D card was the "mighty" nVidea 9400GT (Passive), which with a humungous O/C ran in the 90's all day lol...









PPPS I'm in Australia so all temps are in deg C.

PPPPS 2 x Asus DCII 6870's coming on the market real soon!


----------



## sockpirate




----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I can't wait till he overclocks the 7970 quadfire setup now









Notice which 7950 was his favorite







(gotta watch all his separate reviews to see)


----------



## The-Beast

Is anyone using the display port adapter for eyefinity and if so are there visual defects present?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> haven't been keeping up in this thread much, Does the asus bios in some cases help get past walls?
> i can only get 1200 if i turn my fan speed to 100% and open my window and blow cold air into my room...


Try something lower, since it's obviously temps that are holding you back. Not every chip will do 1200.


----------



## unrealskill

are there any reviews on the asus 7950 direct cu 2?


----------



## Hexa

So the new 7950's really have me thinking now.

I'm about to build a new rig and I was going to go with 2 7970in crossfire. The problem is my PSU is only 750 watts which I don't think would be enough to power it. The Guru 3d review of the 7950's though says 700 watts is good for crossfiring them. All in all that would save me 100 bucks on the two video cards and about 200 bucks on a new PSU I wouldn't have to buy.

So what does overclock.net think? If I go xfire with 2 7970's it will cost me around $300 more then if I just xfire 7950's. Would the performance increase be worth it? Keep in mind I will be using a 120hz monitor.


----------



## RickardKarstark

I made some testings and now i'm @ 1230mhz gpu \ 1650 mhz ram at 1.231v (not error free in occt but i'm not experiencing artifacts in games).

1.231v is good for daily use or it is a little to high (temps are fine)?


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> So the new 7950's really have me thinking now.
> 
> I'm about to build a new rig and I was going to go with 2 7970in crossfire. The problem is my PSU is only 750 watts which I don't think would be enough to power it. The Guru 3d review of the 7950's though says 700 watts is good for crossfiring them. All in all that would save me 100 bucks on the two video cards and about 200 bucks on a new PSU I wouldn't have to buy.
> 
> So what does overclock.net think? If I go xfire with 2 7970's it will cost me around $300 more then if I just xfire 7950's. Would the performance increase be worth it? Keep in mind I will be using a 120hz monitor.


I regularly run a 3960X and two GTX 580s as part of my motherboard testing, and I don't go over 680W at the wall (using a 1000W Silverstone, UK 240V supply) during a Metro2033 benchmark run.


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> So the new 7950's really have me thinking now.
> I'm about to build a new rig and I was going to go with 2 7970in crossfire. The problem is my PSU is only 750 watts which I don't think would be enough to power it. The Guru 3d review of the 7950's though says 700 watts is good for crossfiring them. All in all that would save me 100 bucks on the two video cards and about 200 bucks on a new PSU I wouldn't have to buy.
> So what does overclock.net think? If I go xfire with 2 7970's it will cost me around $300 more then if I just xfire 7950's. Would the performance increase be worth it? Keep in mind I will be using a 120hz monitor.


Your PSU can easily handle 2 7950's



The performance is still good, but it's your call


----------



## PARTON

I pull 350 from the wall with fully loaded and oc'd 2600k and one 7970. You'll have no problem(as long as your psu isn't an overrated pos).

Edit: I run one 7970 on bf3 on a 120hz monitor. I run ultra without AA, and it screams; 65-200 fps.


----------



## Hexa

I'm sure my 750 watt PSU could run 1 7970 but could it run 2? It's not a pos one either it's a Corsair Prof series.


----------



## downlinx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> I'm sure my 750 watt PSU could run 1 7970 but could it run 2? It's not a pos one either it's a Corsair Prof series.


without a doubt it can run too, 7970's use less power than the 6970's you will have no problem running 2 cards on your psu.


----------



## Balsagna

Well guys 1100 and 1570 will not finish heaven. It locks up on stage 26.... The last stage and errors out. Fps was at like 88 average.

What is giving in?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Well guys 1100 and 1570 will not finish heaven. It locks up on stage 26.... The last stage and errors out. Fps was at like 88 average.
> What is giving in?


How are your cards plugged into your psu? HX1000 is two 500 watt psus so you have to make sure they are both not on the same half.


----------



## Neroh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> I'm sure my 750 watt PSU could run 1 7970 but could it run 2? It's not a pos one either it's a Corsair Prof series.


Corsair PSUs are brilliant and pretty conservatively rated. You can easily run two 7970s on a 750w Corsair PSU

Those "recommended" ratings take into account some people buy pretty bad PSUs.


----------



## slice259

Well I have done a lot of testing and with both of my msi 7970's @ 1240/1700, my peak draw was 696W. That's with my i5 750 @ 4.2 and the rest of my sig rig below. Overall these cards are super efficient for the performance given!


----------



## RickardKarstark

i have a problem with asus gpu tweak: i can set the gpu clock up to 1820mhz but i cant tweak the voltage, there is some hidden options to allow the voltage tweak? (i tried to go in advanced mode, but i cant see the voltage menu)


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How are your cards plugged into your psu? HX1000 is two 500 watt psus so you have to make sure they are both not on the same half.


How would I be able to tell? I have the the 2 non modular ones plugged to the top card and then the blue cables modular ones plugged to the bottom one. The card that fails is the one with the dedicated cables.

I'm going to try overclocking it without crossfire to see if it's stable then. If it is, it's a crossfire issue


----------



## PARTON

Trying swapping cables( one modular, one non-modular for each card).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> How would I be able to tell? I have the the 2 non modular ones plugged to the top card and then the blue cables modular ones plugged to the bottom one. The card that fails is the one with the dedicated cables.
> I'm going to try overclocking it without crossfire to see if it's stable then. If it is, it's a crossfire issue


Here's the diagram of the rails. Which rail do you have the blue cables plugged into V1 or V2? You should be using V1.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Here's the diagram of the rails. Which rail do you have the blue cables plugged into V1 or V2? You should be using V1.


How awesome. This club is great!









+ Rep


----------



## Balsagna

I'm thinking v2 but I'm not 100% sure. I will check when I get home.

I got the cards stable at 1125/1575. I just had to pump a small amount of voltage to the dud card. I wonder how much I need to pump to get to my 1200/1600

That said at the clocks I mentioned I got 91fps in heaven and 15.5k in 3dmark11.

That performance fine?


----------



## chillgreg

So I'm almost ready to pull the trigger:

Option 1. Sapphire Ref card $719

Option 2. XFX Black for $700 (bargain here)

Option 3. Gigabyte O/C $769

Really appreciate any last minute advice!

Thank you


----------



## Eliath

Hiya all .Pridefull owner of an 3Dclub ref 7970.
First of all i would like to ask how to update the BIOS ,i just run the .exe file ?
And second of all ,i m experiencing a couple of probs...Even though my card its pretty cool and running smooth,i have 3 crashes( in game freezes to be exact ) ,at lotro online speciffically.
Drivers problem or faulty Gpu ?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Hiya all .Pridefull owner of an 3Dclub ref 7970.
> First of all i would like to ask how to update the BIOS ,i just run the .exe file ?
> And second of all ,i m experiencing a couple of probs...Even though my card its pretty cool and running smooth,i have 3 crashes( in game freezes to be exact ) ,at lotro online speciffically.
> Drivers problem or faulty Gpu ?


I wouldn't suggest you even flash the BIOS if you use a program like Afterburner with unofficial overclocking enabled.
As for the crashing... Which version are you using? RC11?


----------



## unrealskill

http://www.techpowerup.com/159695/MSI-Launches-its-Radeon-HD-7950-Graphics-Card-Lineup.html

R7950 Twin Frozr 3 woot!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/159695/MSI-Launches-its-Radeon-HD-7950-Graphics-Card-Lineup.html
> R7950 Twin Frozr 3 woot!


Why no 7970 Twin Frozr Msi?


----------



## Eliath

Yes i m using 8.921.2 RC11.I don't use at all Afterburner ,i only overclock(if i ever will) with the Catalyst CC.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Why no 7970 Twin Frozr Msi?


Exactly







Shame on MSI.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Yes i m using 8.921.2 RC11.I don't use at all Afterburner ,i only overclock(if i ever will) with the Catalyst CC.


You'll be limiting your overclock strictly using CCC.
Do other games crash?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Neroh*
> 
> Corsair PSUs are brilliant and pretty conservatively rated. You can easily run two 7970s on a 750w Corsair PSU
> Those "recommended" ratings take into account some people buy pretty bad PSUs.


I am pretty sure. 750W is not enough for two 7970
krazyatom and I have problems with one overclocked 7970. He has 650W Corsair I have 700W Silverstone Strider Plus...

750W should be enough for one overclocked card in overclocker's machine


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> You'll be limiting your overclock strictly using CCC.
> Do other games crash?


I didn't really tried it on other games .
byt it freezes and need manual restart in order to be functional again.I had a 6970 that worked on my RIG perfectly..


----------



## Newbie2009

Is there any other software to flash the card? I flashed with the auto one but no difference, also ati winflash cannot find an ati discreet card so it will not install.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> I didn't really tried it on other games .
> byt it freezes and need manual restart in order to be functional again.I had a 6970 that worked on my RIG perfectly..


Within CCC, click on preferences and select _restore factory defaults_ then restart.
If that doesn't work...
Try uninstalling your drivers using atiman uninstaller and then reinstalling them.
...and if that doesn't work, run atiman uninstaller and Driver Sweeper (last ditch effort) then reinstall the driver.


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Within CCC, click on preferences and select _restore factory defaults_ then restart.
> If that doesn't work...
> Try uninstalling your drivers using atiman uninstaller and then reinstalling them.
> ...and if that doesn't work, run atiman uninstaller and Driver Sweeper (last ditch effort) then reinstall the driver.


Thank you .
I tried to install ATIman byt i cant run it as admin and cant install it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Thank you .
> I tried to install ATIman byt i cant run it as admin and cant install it.


Odd... You must have administrative privileges, right?


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Odd... You must have administrative privileges, right?


I do ,byt when i right click on the .exe file ,the option "run as admin" its not there!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> I do ,byt when i right click on the .exe file ,the option "run as admin" its not there!


So you get a message that the program can't install because you don't have administrative privileges?


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> So you get a message that the program can't install because you don't have administrative privileges?


Yep ,and i can't run it aw admin from the .exe file/.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Yep ,and i can't run it aw admin from the .exe file/.


I suppose you could always manually edit the rights in the file's properties.
Under the compatibility tab, there should be a _Run this program as administrator_ checkbox.


----------



## Bowser

Maybe this club will be able to answer this about the 7950:

I'm still a little confused here.

Two sets of reference? I'm going through all the stuff here and I'm just curious if this is Sapphire's version of reference.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102962

Is it better to have reference versus the OC version of the Sapphire?

Any help is appreciated.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bowser*
> 
> Maybe this club will be able to answer this about the 7950:
> I'm still a little confused here.
> Two sets of reference? I'm going through all the stuff here and I'm just curious if this is Sapphire's version of reference.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102962
> Is it better to have reference versus the OC version of the Sapphire?
> Any help is appreciated.


Reference 7950 is basically same pcb as 7970.

However, this time around AMD is pushing a completely different pcb, ie. non-ref 7950 onto the market. You can tell the 7950 non-ref board by the back of the pcb. If it has holes at the vrm you know its a ref board, if not then it's not. This sapphire is non-ref. I just made a post in the watercooling forums pertaining to this on the difference may impact waterblocks.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1208376/regarding-7950-and-waterblocks/0_40#post_16340070
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The non-ref pcb does not look like it will take to fullcover blocks as well. There are no screw holes near the vrm to maintain contact pressure. You'd have to latch down at the very end of the board and that means using a lot more material. It doesn't look conducive to me.
> 7970 (7950 ref) notice the screw holes at the vrm at the yellow box.
> 
> Non-ref with no screws.


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I suppose you could always manually edit the rights in the file's properties.
> Under the compatibility tab, there should be a _Run this program as administrator_ checkbox.


I tried it already byt i cant check it it remains blank.
does it have to do ,because i m saving the file in another disc than the boot drive?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> I tried it already byt i cant check it it remains blank.
> does it have to do ,because i m saving the file in another disc than the boot drive?


GO to user accounts and turn off UAC. And you right clicked the exe and run as admin too?


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> GO to user accounts and turn off UAC. And you right clicked the exe and run as admin too?


I right clicked ,byt i doesnt show the option run as admin.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> I right clicked ,byt i doesnt show the option run as admin.


Are you an admin of your pc and what OS are you running?


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you an admin of your pc and what OS are you running?


Yeah mate i m an admin ,im running 7 Pro.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Yeah mate i m an admin ,im running 7 Pro.


Try turning off UAC cuz you've got some rights issues.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> I right clicked ,byt i doesnt show the option run as admin.


Try holding down the Shift key before you right-click.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Try holding down the Shift key before you right-click.


Shift key just lets you choose run as different user iirc.


----------



## Falkentyne

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Outcastt.. Great comparison. This find is going to cause ripples through the whole of OCN.
> There are going to be some very disappointed 2500k owners.. especially after thinking its the best gaming CPU


When I bought a 2600k, I *knew* back in January 2011, that this was going to happen.
But no one would have ever believed me (and I would have been branded a troll--hell I was flamed for wasting my money).
People have forgotten that I am also a veteran BF1942 and BF2 player. I REMEMBER how CPU intensive those two games were when they first came out. 64 player servers have ALWAYS needed as much CPU can you can throw at them. BF3 isn't as severely affected as BF2 and BF1942 were (unless you are using absurdly high resolutions with ultra settings), but I'm glad I saw this coming.

The people with 6 core cpu's are probably laughing in satisfaction right now.


----------



## Eliath

I finally installed and run Atiman.
Going to re-install the drivers.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> So the new 7950's really have me thinking now.
> I'm about to build a new rig and I was going to go with 2 7970in crossfire. The problem is my PSU is only 750 watts which I don't think would be enough to power it. The Guru 3d review of the 7950's though says 700 watts is good for crossfiring them. All in all that would save me 100 bucks on the two video cards and about 200 bucks on a new PSU I wouldn't have to buy.
> So what does overclock.net think? If I go xfire with 2 7970's it will cost me around $300 more then if I just xfire 7950's. Would the performance increase be worth it? Keep in mind I will be using a 120hz monitor.


Go with the 7970's if you have the dough. You can easily run crossfire 7970's with a quality 750w psu. I'm currently running a 2500k @ 4.5ghz and two overclocked 7970's on a corsair tx750 v2 psu. Zero issues.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> I am pretty sure. 750W is not enough for two 7970
> krazyatom and I have problems with one overclocked 7970. He has 650W Corsair I have 700W Silverstone Strider Plus...
> 750W should be enough for one overclocked card in overclocker's machine


Actually, it is. As I mentioned in the post above, a QUALITY PSU such as one from Corsair will have zero issues while running crossfire 7970's. Even with a decent overclocking. I've been running both, with a relatively good OC of 1100/1500, for over a week with no problems.


----------



## ELCID777

delete please


----------



## Eliath

I just reinstalled the drivers ..i ll give it a shot and i ll post back if the prob continues..
ATIman is great...
It found registry files from my 5800 and 6900!


----------



## armartins

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> I do ,byt when i right click on the .exe file ,the option "run as admin" its not there!


Man, it's not .exe it's .msi if it didn't ask you for elevation (administrator privileges) you will not be able to do it, and you'll receive an error 1925 during install. To solve your problem go to start-> acessories-> right click command prompt and now click on run as administrator... use simple dos commands to find your .msi installer and run it. You'll have a straight forward install. *Please REP+ if it works =) (it will work)*


----------



## chillgreg

What is wrong with XFX? I can get the 7970 Black Edition for a good price, cheaper than the reference cards in fact!


----------



## Eliath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *armartins*
> 
> Man, it's not .exe it's .msi if it didn't ask you for elevation (administrator privileges) you will not be able to do it, and you'll receive an error 1925 during install. To solve your problem go to start-> acessories-> right click command prompt and now click on run as administrator... use simple dos commands to find your .msi installer and run it. You'll have a straight forward install. *Please REP+ if it works =) (it will work)*


I already installed matey thanx anyways .!


----------



## Eliath

So what s the deal with the BIOS ?
Should i flash my gpu ?


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> So what s the deal with the BIOS ?
> Should i flash my gpu ?


Only if you want to overclock further. That's about it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> So what s the deal with the BIOS ?
> Should i flash my gpu ?


I don't recommend it, nothing that can't be done (increased clock speeds) with other programs like Trixx,GPU Tweak or Afterburner.
If you must stick to CCC, then you might want to flash the BIOS to allow you to set higher clocks via CCC.
The only thing is... You'll be voltage limited anyway.


----------



## Balsagna

Here's my 3DMark11 score.

I want to push my "dud" card to 1200/1600 still -- Gotta play with it till I can get it

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2661375


----------



## wirefox

Darn you EK .... or is it just me?










I've had my block on my desk ... awaiting new tubing before set up.... going to be a water cooling Superbowl weekend


----------



## krazyatom

does anyone play world of warcraft with 7970?
I don't have any problem with others games except world of warcraft. It keep crashing randomly. It freezes my system.
I test my stability using OCCT 3.1.0 and ran 30 mins without errors. My cpu OC stability is tested an hour with LINX. Anyone else having problem with world of warcraft?

Also, 7970 is not performing well compared to my old gtx 580, 6970. 7970 supposed to have higher FPS. I also saw review from techpower and 7970 wasn't doing well in world of warcraft.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> does anyone play world of warcraft with 7970?
> I don't have any problem with others games except world of warcraft. It keep crashing randomly. It freezes my system.
> I test my stability using OCCT 3.1.0 and ran 30 mins without errors. My cpu OC stability is tested an hour with LINX. Anyone else having problem with world of warcraft?


probably a driver issue. The latest support release did mention a crash issue with Just Cause 2 on launch but i played it just fine yesterday....


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> probably a driver issue. The latest support release did mention a crash issue with Just Cause 2 on launch but i played it just fine yesterday....


world of warcraft is one of my favorite game and my old gtx 480 was doing better lol. I am sure it's driver problem, but not sure when they're going to fix it.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Actually, it is. As I mentioned in the post above, a QUALITY PSU such as one from Corsair will have zero issues while running crossfire 7970's. Even with a decent overclocking. I've been running both, with a relatively good OC of 1100/1500, for over a week with no problems.


There is a huge differences in PSU's even when it's from the same manufacturer. It mostly comes down to what series they have, but even in the same series, there can be quite significant differences.
Visit the PSU thread section on this site, they know a lot! Check the stickied database thread there. They have even made a tool which can help you get your estimated your PSU needs, it evens recommends those that are great if you need a new one. I'm not a expert on PSU's, but I have learned a lot from the visits I have had there. One thing, review sites can inhabit fools that think they have a handle on how to review a PSU properly.

There has even been a case that a site gave a award to a PSU, when a proper review site did a review, it actually burned up.

There is to much misinformation floating around about which PSU's are great.

I just wanted to throw it out there, since this thread is pretty active. I think it could prove to be a good advice to many here.

I'm not making this statement because of your post btw, I just saw this as a opportunity to mention this









We are the







7950/7970 club right?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> world of warcraft is one of my favorite game and my old gtx 480 was doing better lol. I am sure it's driver problem, but not sure when they're going to fix it.


7970 should eat wow alive. What's it doing? Hitching, freezing, constant low fps, or crashing?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> 7970 should eat wow alive. What's it doing? Hitching, freezing, constant low fps, or crashing?


It freezes randomly during the game.

well it is very smooth of course, but doesn't perform better than gtx 580, 6970, gtx 480.

Here is review from techpower

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970/23.html

sometimes gtx 580 and 6970 are doing better than 7970, but this is obviously driver issue.


----------



## NorxMAL

Oh, and I have this system which has the 7970 up again.

I'm the one which had that sketchy remount of the waterblock.

My card is running 30c idle








My card is still doing this weird downclock of the card, bringing down Core clock, but still running 1500 on memory, instead of 150. This would have caused between 50-60 idle temperature on air (even with a own fan profile).

I'm off to play some BF3 to get the water temperature up, then do some overclocking.


----------



## Balsagna

Welp guys, finally got it stable at 1200/1600 *I think*. I'll test it a little more, but here are the results.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Welp guys, finally got it stable at 1200/1600 *I think*. I'll test it a little more, but here are the results.


That's a respectable overclock.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> My card is still doing this weird downclock of the card, bringing down Core clock, but still running 1500 on memory, instead of 150. This would have caused between 50-60 idle temperature on air (even with a own fan profile).


That's perfectly normal as it should be with multi-monitor setup.

To test; remove all monitors but one, it will downclocks hence lower idle temperature.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's a respectable overclock.


^this

... that's a crossfire score right?


----------



## krazyatom

seems like my maximum OC stable is only 1150/1375.
How are they compared to 1040/1700? Not sure how memory can affect performance.


----------



## NorxMAL

Okay, I just did a BF3 Firestorm 64 player, max GPU temperature was 38c on 1100/1500 (haven't started to really OC yet)


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> seems like my maximum OC stable is only 1150/1375.
> How are they compared to 1040/1700? *Not sure how memory can affect performance*.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*


wow that's pretty impressive. can you oc your core and still maintain your 1800mhz memory?


----------



## ElGreco

*ATIMANs Uninstaller*

Hi,
I see several posts about the usage of atiman's unistaller. Please allow me to mention a couple of things you may find useful about this program...

1. In version 6.2 you do NOT need to run it in administrator mode. The program activates temporarily the admin account automatically.
2. Many of us have upgraded from a previous cards. To completely uninstall any traces of the previous card, together with ATIMANs Uninstaller, you need to go to DEVICE MANAGER>VIEW> *Show Hidden Devices* then open DISPLAY ADAPTERS and uninstall your previous cards.

Lastly, I would like to mention that the above hints and tips are from Atiman and have been very useful to me at least


----------



## NorxMAL

Okay, I'm up at 1200/1600 for proper stability test. 1200/[email protected] : max 38c.

What voltage are watercooling people here going with for higher clocks?

My usage of watercooling is mostly because of the silence it brings. But anyways, 1200/1600 is quite respectable, even when it's on water?


----------



## Newbie2009

Is OCCT any good for finding weakness in overclocks? How long is it ok to run 1 test?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Is OCCT any good for finding weakness in overclocks? How long is it ok to run 1 test?


I think so...
Some people are like "z0mg, it st3$$3$ teh [email protected] 2 much".
30 min is good enough usually.


----------



## jshotz

How do you restore stock BIOS?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Okay, I'm up at 1200/1600 for proper stability test. 1200/[email protected] : max 38c.
> What voltage are watercooling people here going with for higher clocks?
> My usage of watercooling is mostly because of the silence it brings. But anyways, 1200/1600 is quite respectable, even when it's on water?


It took me 1.26 volts to get 1300/1700 stable on my 74% Asic card. It's questionable whether it's even getting that much voltage due to overvoltage protection, but since I flashed the Asus bios that has gotten me stable @ 1300.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> It took me 1.26 volts to get 1300/1700 stable on my 74% Asic card. It's questionable whether it's even getting that much voltage due to overvoltage protection, but since I flashed the Asus bios that has gotten me stable @ 1300.


I will continue trying to get more clock tomorrow









Also finding out which casually clock I will be running


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> It took me 1.26 volts to get 1300/1700 stable on my 74% Asic card. It's questionable whether it's even getting that much voltage due to overvoltage protection, but since I flashed the Asus bios that has gotten me stable @ 1300.


how far were you able to OC before the asus bio flash?


----------



## chorner

So I can now confirm after purchasing a second card, that the lower ASIC "quality" ranking is either backwards, or a load of crap.

My first card is a ~79% ASIC quality card and couldn't do over 1,250mhz no matter what and was only stable without artifacts at 1,200mhz core at the most. Now, I have a 64% ASIC card installed, and it would go over 1,300mhz @ 1.3v. I couldn't even get 1,300mhz to run even with artifacts on the other card.

Seems like I've scored an additional 40mhz 24/7 use on the core now with the lower ASIC quality card.


----------



## ELCID777

Got my cards stable at 1100/1500 @ 1193mv. Just got the back to karkand DLC pack for BF3 and I've noticed that my fps will drop to as low as 50 fps when looking out on the horizon with action going on.

For some reason, with 2 crossfire 7970's, this just doesn't seem normal. I'm usually cruising at around 100 + fps with minimum frames of around 80 fps. My system is i5 2500k @ 4.5Ghz, 8GB DDR3 1600mhz, spinpoint f3 1TB.

Anyone else having similar issues?


----------



## vedaire

anyone unlocked the 7950 to 7970 yet and does it unlock the stream processors from 1782 to 2048 like the 7870 has?


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> So far this has been the greatest OC i've seen on OCN with a 7970... Gratz man.
> I have a request, if you could run a 1920x1080, same settings as your previous ones for comparison reasons.
> Ty


Thanks. The core seems to overclock very well but my vram is only mediocre.

Here are the Metro 2033 results at 1080p (even though it says 2560x1600 in the title). Same clocks of 1390/1600.


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Got my cards stable at 1100/1500 @ 1193mv. Just got the back to karkand DLC pack for BF3 and I've noticed that my fps will drop to as low as 50 fps when looking out on the horizon with action going on.
> For some reason, with 2 crossfire 7970's, this just doesn't seem normal. I'm usually cruising at around 100 + fps with minimum frames of around 80 fps. My system is i5 2500k @ 4.5Ghz, 8GB DDR3 1600mhz, spinpoint f3 1TB.
> Anyone else having similar issues?


B2k maps are more extensive especially Gulf of Oman,

I did one for Oman today stats below using fraps

min: 63
max: 167
avg: 107

although thats only 60 seconds I should probably run longer.


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> How do you restore stock BIOS?


BUMP!


----------



## Balsagna

I'm stumped on the card. It's not stable at all yet. Crashed in BF3 and randomly sometimes. Here's where I'm lost and not understanding.

First of all -- I got rid of Afterburner and got Trix -- It's more pleasing on the eyes and does everything I need it to. That said, my good clocker card can do 1125/1575 without any bumps on the voltage no problems

My 2nd card, the dud is very problematic. If I give it 1.2volts and keep temps cool, I crash quickly at 1125/1575 and can barely even get a test up. If I give it bump from the stock 1.17 to a 1.175 it ran for 1,333.9 in OCCT with 2 errors before locking up the computer.

What the heck is giving in on this thing? Is it just being that picky with clocks vs voltage? Is it really THAT bad of a clocker and I'm not going to see 1125/1575 at all on that card -- Maybe I ought to just send it back and get a replacement?

Help me out -- I want those clocks gosh darnit


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> BUMP!


You should be able to switch the bios switch to position 2 and than save your bios using GPU-Z. You can then shut-down, switch back to position 1, and flash using ATI Winflash using the saved bios. Unless you can find someone with your card's stock bios somewhere, that's the only solution I can think of.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> How do you restore stock BIOS?
> 
> 
> 
> BUMP!
Click to expand...

If you wish to run with stock BIOS, flip the switch to position #2.

If you wish to restore original stock BIOS to position #1, you have to flash with stock BIOS in the same manner as previous flash.

In both cases, you will need to uninstall Catalyst, third party applications such as Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak to avoid possible *BIOS-Driver-Registry-Profile* conflicts. Then re-install after BIOS change.


----------



## NorxMAL

Anyone that increases the memory voltage at 1600? BF3 crashes and says it ran out of memory..


----------



## LA_Kings_Fan

What do you mean it looks CUT DOWN ?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That and that it looks severely cut down.


----------



## krazyatom

7950 is bigger than 7970? 0.o


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> how far were you able to OC before the asus bio flash?


1280 core with slight artifacting towards the end of the heaven bench. Now i'm at 1300 with no artifacting at all.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> 1280 core with slight artifacting towards the end of the heaven bench. Now i'm at 1300 with no artifacting at all.


oh! I should also flash my bio to asus one. Maybe I can reach 1200core


----------



## jshotz

ahhh crap, didn't uninstall CCC or AB before flashing. I think I screwed up the registry I remember there only being a

0000
0001

folders

now theres more



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Ken advice please! I did it before reading your post above


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> ahhh crap, didn't uninstall CCC or AB before flashing. I think I screwed up the registry I remember there only being a
> 0000
> 0001
> folders
> now theres more
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> Ken advice please! I did it before reading your post above



Uninstall all tweaking applications such as Afterburner, Trixx etc if you have it in the system. Select "no" when prompted to keep settings.


Uninstall Catalyst. Select "Express Uninstall".


Delete these folder;
C:\user\Program files or (x86)\ ATI or AMD.
C:\user\ProgramData\ATI or AMD (need to show hidden files).


Turn off UAC.
Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > move the slider to bottom > restart PC.


Clean it with; Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0




Re-install everything. Note; Afteburner, Trixx or Asus Tweak should be the last. Do not override them with Catalyst install.


----------



## Jinny1

SO has anyone flashed their 7950 to 7970 yet??? is it worth the risk?


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> Uninstall all tweaking applications such as Afterburner, Trixx etc if you have it in the system. Select "no" when prompted to keep settings.
> 
> Uninstall Catalyst. Select "Express Uninstall".
> 
> Delete these folder;
> C:\user\Program files or (x86)\ ATI or AMD.
> C:\user\ProgramData\ATI or AMD (need to show hidden files).
> 
> Turn off UAC.
> 
> Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > move the slider to bottom > restart PC.
> 
> Clean it with; Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> 
> Re-install everything. Note; Afteburner, Trixx or Asus Tweak should be the last. Do not override them with Catalyst install.


I'll try this right now but there should only be 2 folders there right? I don't need to re flash the stock then flash the asus oc one as well too right?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> I'm stumped on the card. It's not stable at all yet. Crashed in BF3 and randomly sometimes. Here's where I'm lost and not understanding.
> First of all -- I got rid of Afterburner and got Trix -- It's more pleasing on the eyes and does everything I need it to. That said, my good clocker card can do 1125/1575 without any bumps on the voltage no problems
> My 2nd card, the dud is very problematic. If I give it 1.2volts and keep temps cool, I crash quickly at 1125/1575 and can barely even get a test up. If I give it bump from the stock 1.17 to a 1.175 it ran for 1,333.9 in OCCT with 2 errors before locking up the computer.
> What the heck is giving in on this thing? Is it just being that picky with clocks vs voltage? Is it really THAT bad of a clocker and I'm not going to see 1125/1575 at all on that card -- Maybe I ought to just send it back and get a replacement?
> Help me out -- I want those clocks gosh darnit


I'm no expert, but try the second card installed stand-alone in the first PCI-e slot and see if the results are any different. Just a thought...


----------



## NorxMAL

I love this card! I think I gonna use 1200/1600 for ordinary gaming. I had to crank the voltage to 1.218, or tiny artifacts would appear in BF3 after a while


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Thanks. The core seems to overclock very well but my vram is only mediocre.
> Here are the Metro 2033 results at 1080p (even though it says 2560x1600 in the title). Same clocks of 1390/1600.


Bloody hell! Wooooooooooooooooooow!!! Reminds me of the idiot/troll on the WP forums this morning that said the 7xxx series are an "epic fail" for AMD. lollllllllz NOT!!!

My very healthily O/C 6870 CUII cries like a baby if I try running Metro...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Thanks for the quick replies!
> 
> hmmm so logic and sensibility would say wait a few months for the price drops and all the new cards to hit...but I have the funds now... and who really uses logic when buying a video card lol?
> 
> So as long as I can get a decent O/C with the reference card I'm happy with that. But as I run 2 monitors all day I'm slightly worried,as I saw a thread where it was mentioned that idle temps of 60 deg are normal in that scenario... yikes! And even if around 80 is not dangerous, I rarely go above 60 with my 1000/1250 Asus 6870 even in Batman AC etc. So up there in the 80's seems a bit scary to me.
> 
> So as I understand it - the current "non-reference" cards the XFX and Gigabyte are really ref cards with a different cooler. So the O/C potential is the same, with only different temperatures and noise.
> 
> So I go for the Gigabyte O/C card with all that extra heat in the case but less noise and overall lower temps, or the Sapphire at the lower cost with more noise and those "scary" high temps.
> 
> Nearly ready to make a decision, but grateful for any further opinions or comments!
> 
> PS on My Sapphire 5770 and Asus 6870, 40%-60% has been the optimal fan speed. Above that and the temp gains are negligible vs the extra noise. Is this the same with reference coolers?
> 
> PPS My first ever 3D card was the "mighty" nVidea 9400GT (Passive), which with a humungous O/C ran in the 90's all day lol...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PPPS I'm in Australia so all temps are in deg C.
> 
> PPPPS 2 x Asus DCII 6870's coming on the market real soon!


Sorry to be an annoying prick, but I am languishing on my decision to order the Sapphire. I can afford it, but $750 bucks is such a huge chunk of money :s I can get 2 x 27" monitors for that with change...

So convince me!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I'll try this right now but there should only be 2 folders there right? I don't need to re flash the stock then flash the asus oc one as well too right?


Yes.

No, just straight flash with ASUS BIOS.


----------



## Balsagna

Well... some more info on my situation. I bumped voltage from 1.175 to 1.181 and it ran without errors for 30minutes at 1125/1575 on both. I think that's stable..... I hope

Will try playing around with it later some more. I know this baby can do 1200/1600 like my first card -- It's just real picky on the voltage/clocks even without crossfire enabled. If I add too much voltage and temps are fine, it bsods out.


----------



## DB006

Linux driver http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst121linuxdriver.aspx


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Bloody hell! Wooooooooooooooooooow!!! Reminds me of the idiot/troll on the WP forums this morning that said the 7xxx series are an "epic fail" for AMD. lollllllllz NOT!!!
> My very healthily O/C 6870 CUII cries like a baby if I try running Metro...


I've been extremely impressed with the overclocking headroom of these cards. Makes me laugh too when I see people dogging on the 7000 series. They are only 20-25% faster than the 580 at stock but with overclocking they really stretch their legs. Can't wait for the custom PCB 7970's to show up. An extra power phase + dual 8-pin connectors should make things really interesting.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Well... some more info on my situation. I bumped voltage from 1.175 to 1.181 and it ran without errors for 30minutes at 1125/1575 on both. I think that's stable..... I hope
> Will try playing around with it later some more. I know this baby can do 1200/1600 like my first card -- It's just real picky on the voltage/clocks even without crossfire enabled. If I add too much voltage and temps are fine, it bsods out.


Not so much whether Crossfire is enabled or not, but the different PCI-e lanes can have (very) minor vaguaries and temperature differences due to position in the case. Might be worth a try.


----------



## jshotz

You guys getting the 7990 when it comes out?







I am interested to see what the green dudes bring to this fight tho...


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Anyone that increases the memory voltage at 1600? BF3 crashes and says it ran out of memory..


Not a video memory problem.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Thanks. The core seems to overclock very well but my vram is only mediocre.
> Here are the Metro 2033 results at 1080p (even though it says 2560x1600 in the title). Same clocks of 1390/1600.


So how do we explain my *1190mhz* OC trumping your *1390mhz* OC ?
I Just ran the exact same settings and scored 4FPS more so it looks like there's something majorly wrong with your clocks dude.
And its not the memory clock since ive already tested the affect of overclocking it has on this game in this thread somewhere which is not much at all.

*My 1920x1080p run:*


*EDIT*: Actually looking at all the black line frame spikes in your graph, i would say your 1390 mhz overclock is definitely unstable, find the best clock that works and use that man, no use having a king clock if its not doing you good.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> I've been extremely impressed with the overclocking headroom of these cards. Makes me laugh too when I see people dogging on the 7000 series. They are only 20-25% faster than the 580 at stock but with overclocking they really stretch their legs. Can't wait for the custom PCB 7970's to show up. An extra power phase + dual 8-pin connectors should make things really interesting.




I wish Asus or someone would thin a little more outside the box.

Instead of taking up 3 (or 4!) full slots, with a design that still dumps hot air into the case (thereby recycling some of it back through the cooler), why don't they make a super efficient windtunnel system, with a cold air intake to the side panel, and a high speed high pressure output through the back PCI slots. That was they could have a card that takes up 2 full slots, and uses the third just for the exhaust, sort of on an angle if you can follow.

Cold air in, hot air out, very very fast. That's not rocket science?? But they just put bigger and bigger sinks and fans on a recirculating internal intake and exhaust - it's almost self-defeating in a way! They are just a big heater inside the case.

But it sure looks impressive...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> You guys getting the 7990 when it comes out?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am interested to see what the green dudes bring to this fight tho...


I wonder how much it will be. $1000 in Australia? Maybe I should just wait - if I'm gonna drop $750 today maybe I should just bite the bullet and drop a gorilla down the track...plus the new PSU


----------



## wirefox

Stock 1.112mv
76.5% ASIC

1050 1.143mv | 1700 1608mv - 50% fan
Asus oc bios
No ccc +20

65cish

My Block can't wait till Friday for my tubing and coil


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Not so much whether Crossfire is enabled or not, but the different PCI-e lanes can have (very) minor vaguaries and temperature differences due to position in the case. Might be worth a try.


Already tried. The card just doesn't overclock like 90% of the other cards. For me to get 1125/1575 -- I need a .05 adjustment.... just a bump here and there. If it's a .1 bump, crash..... it's just picky.


----------



## vedaire

well this sucks looks like tigerdirect isnt gonna be carrying anymore of the xfx double d 7970 o/c
so now i gotta figure out what to get since my order was already placed and they messed up my cc


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Already tried. The card just doesn't overclock like 90% of the other cards. For me to get 1125/1575 -- I need a .05 adjustment.... just a bump here and there. If it's a .1 bump, crash..... it's just picky.


I also have an Asus board. I removed the crapware that came with it; from memory one of the profiles reduced power to the PCI slots. Just stabbing in the dark, like you said, all CPU's are a lottery and it's logical for one to be superior to the other. Good luck and have fun! 

Edit: I'll know soon enough since I've just ordered one, but in perspective 1125 and 1575 are still amazing speeds. From 4.3 billion transistors on a 32 micron die, that's flabbergasting really. And they held back the 32m die from release last year due to manufacturing issues! Imagine what a binned chip in 6 months will do with water...or Nitrogen...the mind boggles!


----------



## chillgreg

Ok finally got annoyed with myself for sitting on the fence.

I just ordered the Sapphire Reference 7970, and it will be here in 30 minutes. So now I am anxious, (slightly) guilty, excited, man oh man am I excited!


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Ok finally got annoyed with myself for sitting on the fence.
> 
> I just ordered the Sapphire Reference 7970, and it will be here in 30 minutes. So now I am anxious, (slightly) guilty, excited, man oh man am I excited!


30 mins nice!


----------



## tsm106

Man, just when I thought I was getting things going, my board's 2 dimm slots decide to up and go bad. I just got my backplates and the mcp35x2 dual top will be here tomorrow. Now to wait for a new board... argh.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Well... some more info on my situation. I bumped voltage from 1.175 to 1.181 and it ran without errors for 30minutes at 1125/1575 on both. I think that's stable..... I hope
> Will try playing around with it later some more. I know this baby can do 1200/1600 like my first card -- It's just real picky on the voltage/clocks even without crossfire enabled. If I add too much voltage and temps are fine, it bsods out.


Bal, I suggest to sync both cards BIOS with this one;

Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


I have no way to dissect the content or what it fixes. I just speculate it fixes ASIC ID for Drivers and Tweak Apps to read it correctly.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Man, just when I thought I was getting things going, my board's 2 dimm slots decide to up and go bad. I just got my backplates and the mcp35x2 dual top will be here tomorrow. Now to wait for a new board... argh.


2 DIMM slots *poof* at once is very unlikely, re-seat CPU and re-set CMOS and check again.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> 30 mins nice!


Thanks I know! $10 by courier 

We might get our asses handed to us on price, but delivery is excellent in the capital cities.

Edit: IT'S HEEEEEERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm going to make a coffee and stare at the box for a while.


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> So how do we explain my *1190mhz* OC trumping your *1390mhz* OC ?
> I Just ran the exact same settings and scored 4FPS more so it looks like there's something majorly wrong with your clocks dude.
> And its not the memory clock since ive already tested the affect of overclocking it has on this game in this thread somewhere which is not much at all.
> *My 1920x1080p run:*
> 
> *EDIT*: Actually looking at all the black line frame spikes in your graph, i would say your 1390 mhz overclock is definitely unstable, find the best clock that works and use that man, no use having a king clock if its not doing you good.


Maybe drivers? I just ran through a bunch of loops at different clock speeds and my average keeps going down like it should. Here is what I get at 1225/1600 which I know to be very stable after multiple benchmarks and hours of gaming. CPU is a [email protected] so I don't think that should be holding me back.



I should be beating you at this clockspeed but I'm 6-7fps short of your numbers. I verified using GPU-Z that the clocks are really what I set them at. I don't see any dips in the GPU-Z graph indicating Powertune is coming into play. Which driver version are you using? I'm using RC11 from AMD's website.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Bal, I suggest to sync both cards BIOS with this one;
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file
> 
> 
> I have no way to dissect the content or what it fixes. I just speculate it fixes ASIC ID for Drivers and Tweak Apps to read it correctly.
> 
> 2 DIMM slots *poof* at once is very unlikely, re-seat CPU and re-set CMOS and check again.


They did in this case. Will not boot with those two slots occupied regardless of CPU, brand of sticks, psu, etc. I thought it might have been my chip, so glad it wasn't lol, my 2600k is a decent clocker. I'm probably going to swap in my other revo from a spare rig.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They did in this case. Will not boot with those two slots occupied regardless of CPU, brand of sticks, psu, etc. I thought it might have been my chip, so glad it wasn't lol, my 2600k is a decent clocker. I'm probably going to swap in my other revo from a spare rig.


I've never had cause to use it, but isn't one of the features of Asus boards the physical "Mem-OK" switch on the board? Not sure if that applies here, but thought it was worth mentioning.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They did in this case. Will not boot with those two slots occupied regardless of CPU, brand of sticks, psu, etc. I thought it might have been my chip, so glad it wasn't lol, my 2600k is a decent clocker. I'm probably going to swap in my other revo from a spare rig.


You might have touched the CPU block or tubing and the CPU got wiggled. There's just no way out of blue *poof*.


----------



## tsm106

Yea I've never used that button either and in this case it was useless as well since the board won't boot with the two bad dimm slots populated. Actually, just one of the two slots will prevent it from booting.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> You might have touched the CPU block or tubing and the CPU got wiggled. There's just no way out of blue *poof*.


Yea, I don't really care if you believe it or not.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea I've never used that button either and in this case it was useless as well since the board won't boot with the two bad dimm slots populated. Actually, just one of the two slots will prevent it from booting.


You push the button when the power is off. Maybe it resets the bios DIMM setting or something... but sounds like hardware. Hopefully it's the RAM and not the board.

You don't have brown-outs where you live do you?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> You push the button when the power is off. Maybe it resets the bios DIMM setting or something... but sounds like hardware. Hopefully it's the RAM and not the board.
> 
> You don't have brown-outs where you live do you?


Brown outs, typically no but power here isn't the best tbh. Getting a big ups/conditioner is on my list of things to get but finding a unit to run this amount of power... On my list!

Regarding the button, like I said it won't post with the slots populated so running any test is rather ugh, well if the test worked the slots would be working right? But in this case slots are dead, no post our beeps, led stops on memory... Laughing at me, ya I know the damn memory is broke.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> Uninstall all tweaking applications such as Afterburner, Trixx etc if you have it in the system. Select "no" when prompted to keep settings.
> 
> 
> Uninstall Catalyst. Select "Express Uninstall".
> 
> 
> Delete these folder;
> C:\user\Program files or (x86)\ ATI or AMD.
> C:\user\ProgramData\ATI or AMD (need to show hidden files).
> 
> 
> Turn off UAC.
> Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > move the slider to bottom > restart PC.
> 
> 
> Clean it with; Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Re-install everything. Note; Afteburner, Trixx or Asus Tweak should be the last. Do not override them with Catalyst install.


This is exactly the same way i used to uninstall the drivers, BUT Atiman told me many times to change something in this procedure and... he was right:
"As long as you are using drivers by AMD, do NOT use windows uninstaller manager BUT directly Atiman uninstaller! Atiman's uninstaller uses the latest AMDs uninstaller enhanced with many extra things and it automatically uninstalls everything: ATI Catalyst Driver, App Profiles, AMD APP SDK, ATI Stream SDK etc It even disables temporarily the UAC in order to activate Admin rights'

Atiman's uninstaler works perfect with drivers that use the original AMD installer. If you use modded drivers things are diferrent. He told me that in a future version of his uninstaller he will probably support also the removal of modded drivers.


----------



## NorxMAL

Isn't it about time to get official drivers now?

Or am I missing something?
When using the link "Support and drivers" dropdown, and go to the 7000 series, you get a invalid link


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Went from 1200 core to 1225 core and lost about 7 avg fps in Heaven and BF3... Cpu bottleneck? If I keep upping the memory over 1850 the fps doesn't go up but also doesn't drop. No artifacts or issues just fps dropping. Temps are still under 70c

I'm not upset







I'm getting fantastic fps in BF3 @ 1200/1850 1.18v... equivalent to my 6990 oc'd


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Went from 1200 core to 1225 core and lost about 7 avg fps in Heaven and BF3... Cpu bottleneck? If I keep upping the memory over 1850 the fps doesn't go up but also doesn't drop. No artifacts or issues just fps dropping. Temps are still under 70c
> I'm not upset
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm getting fantastic fps in BF3 @ 1200/1850 1.18v... equivalent to my 6990 oc'd


That's awesome well done!!! SO glad I didn't grab the cheap 6990 I saw the other day. My 7970 awaits 

What is your CPU running at?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Went from 1200 core to 1225 core and lost about 7 avg fps in Heaven and BF3... Cpu bottleneck? If I keep upping the memory over 1850 the fps doesn't go up but also doesn't drop. No artifacts or issues just fps dropping. Temps are still under 70c
> 
> I'm not upset
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm getting fantastic fps in BF3 @ 1200/1850 1.18v... equivalent to my 6990 oc'd


There's error correction on the memory, at X point the card spends more time fixing bad frames then rendering new frames.usually when you start to lose performance that is what's happening.

Sent from my LG-P925 using Tapatalk


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> IT'S HEEEEEERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm going to make a coffee and stare at the box for a while.


Wow this Sapphire 7970 just oozes quality!. Having not seen a reference card in-the-flesh before, I assumed they were rather plain. And my Asus CUII 6870 is a real looker. But the new shroud, with it's high-gloss finish and rounded design, combined with the hefty weight, black PCB and solid-as-a-brick feel, has me rather enamored 

Now an interchangeable coloured strip along the top would be cool, to change the red to blue to go with my Phantom. The Sapphire packaging is a bit rudimentary too, but with all the accessories and cables they provide, I'm not going to complain. Maybe tomorrow I'll post some pics in the Phantom club.

Happy boy here









Sent from my brain using my fingers


----------



## tsm106

Woot! Threw in a backup board, Biostar tp67txe with my four dimms and two 7970s, she boots right up. Just bled the system, and have to get the driver game going. Now to wait for the replacement revo...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Woot! Threw in a backup board, Biostar tp67txe with my four dimms and two 7970s, she boots right up. Just bled the system, and have to get the driver game going. Now to wait for the replacement revo...


Wow you are fast man! I'm dreading transplanting my system from my Storm Scout to my Phantom tonight :s


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Wow you are fast man! I'm dreading transplanting my system from my Storm Scout to my Phantom tonight :s


I think the wine made it go faster hehe.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Went from 1200 core to 1225 core and lost about 7 avg fps in Heaven and BF3... Cpu bottleneck? If I keep upping the memory over 1850 the fps doesn't go up but also doesn't drop. No artifacts or issues just fps dropping. Temps are still under 70c
> I'm not upset
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm getting fantastic fps in BF3 @ 1200/1850 1.18v... equivalent to my 6990 oc'd


I think that many of overclockers on this forum go to high clocks and voltages without proper care... and without knowledge how Radeons with GDDR5 operate, not mention proper testing and veryfing stability

1. Upping voltage causes exponential growth in power consumption you card can suck not TDP 250W but even 350W!!!
2. Higher temperatures always causes less stability, proper cooling is first step for every overclocker
3. Radeons since 6xxx series has Powertune enabled. Powertune always works no matter which BIOS you have and if Overdrive is enabled or disabled. It simply throttles GPU Clock. I observed throttling with powertune set to +20% and with clocks higher than 1200MHz (Furmark, Heaven, Crysis2, Metro2033)
4. Radeons since 5xxx series uses GDDR5 memory. It has simple error detection during writes and reads. It's not ECC error correction... It's bus transmit error detection which causes retransmits and performance slowdowns. Setting VMEM to 1850MHz without upping voltage memory probably causes bus retransmits. GDDR5 memory down clock during idle cycles to lower temperature of chips
5. Most posts I read here didn't even mention memory voltages... Don't you see this important? Don't you find it in AB dropdown menu?


----------



## DOM.

Finally got my ek wb and back plate


----------



## bossie2000

Quote:


> Sent from my brain using my fingers


i loled when i saw this.Good one!!


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> wow that's pretty impressive. can you oc your core and still maintain your 1800mhz memory?











Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Thanks. The core seems to overclock very well but my vram is only mediocre.
> Here are the Metro 2033 results at 1080p (even though it says 2560x1600 in the title). Same clocks of 1390/1600.


Turn off HT and try again.
Your avg at 57 is too low compare to your clocks 1390/1600
I get the same 57 avg with lower clocks.


----------



## PARTON

Anyone running 1.3v(1.24 - 1.26 actual)? Just wondering if I'm alone.

Any word yet on surpassing 1.24 - 1.26 actual?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Maybe drivers? I just ran through a bunch of loops at different clock speeds and my average keeps going down like it should. Here is what I get at 1225/1600 which I know to be very stable after multiple benchmarks and hours of gaming. CPU is a [email protected] so I don't think that should be holding me back.
> 
> I should be beating you at this clockspeed but I'm 6-7fps short of your numbers. I verified using GPU-Z that the clocks are really what I set them at. I don't see any dips in the GPU-Z graph indicating Powertune is coming into play. Which driver version are you using? I'm using RC11 from AMD's website.


Powertune is throttling you hard @ those clocks. Even with +20% i think you would be running into the same issues. We need a serious O/C bios from MSI for their new Lightning cards.


----------



## Evil Penguin

If you set AB to unofficialoverclocking=2, it should disable PowerTune.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 
> Uninstall all tweaking applications such as Afterburner, Trixx etc if you have it in the system. Select "no" when prompted to keep settings.
> 
> 
> Uninstall Catalyst. Select "Express Uninstall".
> 
> 
> Delete these folder;
> C:\user\Program files or (x86)\ ATI or AMD.
> C:\user\ProgramData\ATI or AMD (need to show hidden files).
> 
> 
> Turn off UAC.
> Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > move the slider to bottom > restart PC.
> 
> 
> Clean it with; Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Re-install everything. Note; Afteburner, Trixx or Asus Tweak should be the last. Do not override them with Catalyst install.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is exactly the same way i used to uninstall the drivers, BUT Atiman told me many times to change something in this procedure and... he was right:
> "As long as you are using drivers by AMD, do NOT use windows uninstaller manager BUT directly Atiman uninstaller! Atiman's uninstaller uses the latest AMDs uninstaller enhanced with many extra things and it automatically uninstalls everything: ATI Catalyst Driver, App Profiles, AMD APP SDK, ATI Stream SDK etc It even disables temporarily the UAC in order to activate Admin rights'
> 
> Atiman's uninstaler works perfect with drivers that use the original AMD installer. If you use modded drivers things are diferrent. He told me that in a future version of his uninstaller he will probably support also the removal of modded drivers.
Click to expand...

I'd put it in one redundant post to help members rather than 10 posts with Q&A to understand their software environment. Until, Atiman comes up with one .exe to fix it all. Doing laundry and making breakfast will be a great bonus lol.


----------



## Witchdoctor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> Finally got my ek wb and back plate


Pics .........?


----------



## derfer

Whats the general consensus here? At what speed does the 7950 match a 7970, and do you really getting timings improvements from flashing to a 7970 bios?


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derfer*
> 
> Whats the general consensus here? At what speed does the 7950 match a 7970, and do you really getting timings improvements from flashing to a 7970 bios?


I've never really gotten on board with the whole, get an X because it beats Y if you OC it. But if you got Y you'd OC it. I think comparing an OC'ed card to a stock card is kind of pointless because it has nothing to do with the reality of you overclocking whichever card you buy. In this case an overclocked 7970 dominates an overclocked 7950. I mean, this is an overclocking board, so stock performance is kind of useless even considered by itself.

In other news, my XFX black edition 7970 was giving me coil whine and had given me some artifacts in Heaven dx9 at stock so I got the new Gigabyte triple fan 7970 to replace it. I got the gigabyte yesterday and played around a bit, planning to return the xfx today. Both cards have the exact same coil whine under the same circumstances. I mean same exact pitches and loudness. Somehow the Gigabyte seems to put out a lot more heat than the xfx, or the xfx does a much better job at dissipating it. The Gigabyte is considerably louder as well. The xfx will hold temps in the low 70s while the Gigabyte will hold temps at 60 so the fans will generally be running much faster while the pcb also feels much hotter. I think I'm going to keep the xfx even with its quirks.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> I've never really gotten on board with the whole, get an X because it beats Y if you OC it. But if you got Y you'd OC it. I think comparing an OC'ed card to a stock card is kind of pointless because it has nothing to do with the reality of you overclocking whichever card you buy. In this case an overclocked 7970 dominates an overclocked 7950. I mean, this is an overclocking board, so stock performance is kind of useless even considered by itself.
> In other news, my XFX black edition 7970 was giving me coil whine and had given me some artifacts in Heaven dx9 at stock so I got the new Gigabyte triple fan 7970 to replace it. I got the gigabyte yesterday and played around a bit, planning to return the xfx today. Both cards have the exact same coil whine under the same circumstances. I mean same exact pitches and loudness. Somehow the Gigabyte seems to put out a lot more heat than the xfx, or the xfx does a much better job at dissipating it. The Gigabyte is considerably louder as well. The xfx will hold temps in the low 70s while the Gigabyte will hold temps at 60 so the fans will generally be running much faster while the pcb also feels much hotter. I think I'm going to keep the xfx even with its quirks.


Bad luck you got two coil whiners. But kudos for not being like: "my cardz wont make 1200 OMG teh horrorz going 2 RMA!"


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Bad luck you got two coil whiners. But kudos for not being like: "my cardz wont make 1200 OMG teh horrorz going 2 RMA!"


You making fun of me since I am having a tough time getting stable on one of my cards and thought about sending it in for replacement as 90% of them can reach that without a lot of effort?

Yah didn't think you were


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> You making fun of me since I am having a tough time getting stable on one of my cards and thought about sending it in for replacement as 90% of them can reach that without a lot of effort?
> Yah didn't think you were


Yah think I was. RMA is for products that fail (or show anomalies) at stock(-clocks, -voltage). Not for products that don't reach a satisfactory OC.
"That's why we can't have nice things"


----------



## wsu172

HI guys~ I just got a Sapphire HD 7970, I tried to overclock over 1200Mhz, but I just can't ;( even with 1.3v in AB, and btw I also upgraded my bio which is the ATI automaticlly one, then use CCC with AB. I have no idea why I just can not get 1250 @@ Actually my setup is pretty same with 'n3tr0m' except I only have one card. SO any advise Pls...........>< thanks in advance!!


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Yah think I was. RMA is for products that fail (or show anomalies) at stock(-clocks, -voltage). Not for products that don't reach a satisfactory OC.
> "That's why we can't have nice things"


The XFX actually does OC over 1200 and is fine in all games and benches except Heaven dx9 where it goes bonkers at any speed until I restart my comp. I figure I'll just take advantage of the xfx lifetime warranty if it dies.

I also messed around with xfire for about an hour but it put out such a huge amount of heat and noise that I quickly decided it wasn't for me. While under load my comp sounded like a vacuum cleaner and the temps were really high. I'm not sure how you xfire guys deal with it.


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> I've never really gotten on board with the whole, get an X because it beats Y if you OC it. But if you got Y you'd OC it. I think comparing an OC'ed card to a stock card is kind of pointless because it has nothing to do with the reality of you overclocking whichever card you buy. In this case an overclocked 7970 dominates an overclocked 7950. I mean, this is an overclocking board, so stock performance is kind of useless even considered by itself.
> In other news, my XFX black edition 7970 was giving me coil whine and had given me some artifacts in Heaven dx9 at stock so I got the new Gigabyte triple fan 7970 to replace it. I got the gigabyte yesterday and played around a bit, planning to return the xfx today. Both cards have the exact same coil whine under the same circumstances. I mean same exact pitches and loudness. Somehow the Gigabyte seems to put out a lot more heat than the xfx, or the xfx does a much better job at dissipating it. The Gigabyte is considerably louder as well. The xfx will hold temps in the low 70s while the Gigabyte will hold temps at 60 so the fans will generally be running much faster while the pcb also feels much hotter. I think I'm going to keep the xfx even with its quirks.


are you sure it's not your PSU producing the coil whine? seems pretty coincidental that both cards produce the exact same whine under the exact same circumstances.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Anyone running 1.3v(1.24 - 1.26 actual)? Just wondering if I'm alone.
> Any word yet on surpassing 1.24 - 1.26 actual?


This is a log file from gpuz
On the left default 1.175 on the right 1.3 from msi ab.

VDDC [V] , MVDDC [V] , VDDC Current [A]


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> The XFX actually does OC over 1200 and is fine in all games and benches except Heaven dx9 where it goes bonkers at any speed until I restart my comp. I figure I'll just take advantage of the xfx lifetime warranty if it dies.
> I also messed around with xfire for about an hour but it put out such a huge amount of heat and noise that I quickly decided it wasn't for me. While under load my comp sounded like a vacuum cleaner and the temps were really high. I'm not sure how you xfire guys deal with it.


Water fixes everything.


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> are you sure it's not your PSU producing the coil whine? seems pretty coincidental that both cards produce the exact same whine under the exact same circumstances.


The sound is definitely coming from the card itself, but I was thinking that something with the psu could be causing it. It's a modular 850w corsair and I tried powering the cards using different cables/adapters from different "ports" on the psu but the whine remained. My worry is that the psu could be slowly killing the card but I really have no way of knowing.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> The sound is definitely coming from the card itself, but I was thinking that something with the psu could be causing it. It's a modular 850w corsair and I tried powering the cards using different cables/adapters from different "ports" on the psu but the whine remained. My worry is that the psu could be slowly killing the card but I really have no way of knowing.


When I had coil whine on my quads, the noise fooled me. I thought it was one of my cards. Almost yanked the loop apart till I by chance had my ear next to the psu. It had a definite whine, but much lower frequency. I rma'd the psu. After swapping in the replacement, all coil whine was gone, from the cards too obviously. Bad power can do strange things to these cards.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> HI guys~ I just got a Sapphire HD 7970, I tried to overclock over 1200Mhz, but I just can't ;( even with 1.3v in AB, and btw I also upgraded my bio which is the ATI automaticlly one, then use CCC with AB. I have no idea why I just can not get 1250 @@ Actually my setup is pretty same with 'n3tr0m' except I only have one card. SO any advise Pls...........>< thanks in advance!!


Are you watercooling it?


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When I had coil whine on my quads, the noise fooled me. I thought it was one of my cards. Almost yanked the loop apart till I by chance had my ear next to the psu. It had a definite whine, but much lower frequency. I rma'd the psu. After swapping in the replacement, all coil whine was gone, from the cards too obviously. Bad power can do strange things to these cards.


Hmmm. I do have my old ocz psu in my closet so I'll swap it in and see if the whine is still there.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Yah think I was. RMA is for products that fail (or show anomalies) at stock(-clocks, -voltage). Not for products that don't reach a satisfactory OC.
> "That's why we can't have nice things"


There is nothing wrong with returning and getting your money back between the 30 days or if you are not satisfied with said product. I am not happy when nearly every other card can reach certain clocks and very few cannot. I will return it as a last resort only

And don't hate the player because they offer 30 day returns if aren't happy or have an issue. Besides it will be listed as an open box item making the buyer happy with a discounted card that I have to pay shipping and restocking on a percentage of the card.

"that's why you will never have nice things with that logic"

Touché


----------



## Bama12

Outstanding forum. Very helpful in attaining my current results! C:\Users\Frank Castro\Documents\SPPHR7970OC1275,1750.gif


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bama12*
> 
> Outstanding forum. Very helpful in attaining my current results! C:\Users\Frank Castro\Documents\SPPHR7970OC1275,1750.gif


Hi there Frank Castro?









Welcome to this forum


----------



## tsm106

Oops!


----------



## PARTON

lol


----------



## rcfc89

Wow some crazy clocks in here on water. I plan to go with either the Asus DC2 or Msi TwinFrzr and set both cards to 1200/1600mem and be done with it. Will I need any voltage increase to attain this?


----------



## tsm106

Whelp, I flashed both cards to Asus test bios and was able to run some tests at 1150/1550. I gotta reboot and clock the CPU now but it's been so long that i've forgotten how on this tp67xe lol. Ok think I got it now, back to 5ghz. Let's try metro...


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> There is nothing wrong with returning and getting your money back between the 30 days or if you are not satisfied with said product. I am not happy when nearly every other card can reach certain clocks and very few cannot. I will return it as a last resort only
> And don't hate the player because they offer 30 day returns if aren't happy or have an issue. Besides it will be listed as an open box item making the buyer happy with a discounted card that I have to pay shipping and restocking on a percentage of the card.
> "that's why you will never have nice things with that logic"
> Touché


With my logic, I actually have more nice things.
I like my card that won't make 1200 MHz, 1125 Mhz is just as nice a thing.
Not in your book though. You need to keep up with the Jones' and their e-peens.


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Flipped the switch and it shows the same XFX Pinegroup 1682.
> Perhaps i'm unlucky and have the same bios in both positions?? Or perhaps the switch is not working correctly?


Denim, any more thoughts on why I cant get the card to flash?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Whelp, I flashed both cards to Asus test bios and was able to run some tests at 1150/1550. I gotta reboot and clock the CPU now but it's been so long that i've forgotten how on this tp67xe lol. Ok think I got it now, back to 5ghz. Let's try metro...


Update to this. I just dropped it down to 1100/1550 on stock volts. When I get the chance I will move it back up and see how far I can run on stock volts. Oh both cards are 74% asic, 1.175v stock. Anyways, I ran metro at 5ghz and 1100/1550.

Old bench via Metro thread rules:

Second Place:
tsm106 ---- i7 2600k @ 5.3GHz ---- Quad-CFX HD 6950 (970/1480) ---- 115.40 FPS

Current 7970 settings

tsm106 ---- i7 2600k @ 5.0GHz ---- CFX HD 7970 (1150/1550) ---- 117.90 FPS

LOL It's killing my old Quads! Going to try some Heaven.

Same thing in Heaven.

Old Quad run which placed me in the top of the 69xx quad setups:
tsm106 ---- i7 2600k 5.3ghz

HD 6950 Quadfire, 955/1460

121.5

3060



Current 7970 settings
tsm106 ---- i7 2600k 5.0ghz

HD 7970 crossfire, 1100/1550

1223.2

3105


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> With my logic, I actually have more nice things.
> I like my card that won't make 1200 MHz, 1125 Mhz is just as nice a thing.
> Not in your book though. You need to keep up with the Jones' and their e-peens.


How do you have more nice things? Returning a card that is not performing like the 90% of other ones and getting it replaced so it does perform like the 90%? And you want to talk about logic? And state you own nicer things, when you have no idea what one owns, nor can you even JUDGE NICE on the interwebz.

Maybe you ought to read my book more. It has Logic written in it and even has a dedicated chapter to it. I can have Jone's and the Peens sign it for you if you want.

Since you know, getting a card that performs like most of the other products is such a baaaaad logical choice









EDIT: Oh, and I would be happy with my card if it was capable of doing 1125/11575. But currently, it is not -- In fact, it's barely stable at stock even with a full reformat... something's up.

But thanks for your assuming time -- Move along


----------



## vedaire

hmmm ok looks like im stuck with a xfx standard 7970 board anyone know where i might find a black edition version of bios that i can use to play with


----------



## Derek1387

Is their any update on when we are going to get a REAL driver for our 79XX? I am still running the RC version of them... and they are terrible.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Is their any update on when we are going to get a REAL driver for our 79XX? I am still running the RC version of them... and they are terrible.


AMD Promises Big Improvements in Upcoming Catalyst Drivers
Posted 02/17/2010

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/amd_promises_big_improvements_upcoming_catalyst_drivers

http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7970-crossfire-review/21

On a recent AMD event we talked about this with AMD Radeon developers, and we have been assured that starting 2012 more people are added to the driver development team, to be able to guarantee you much better game support when the game is actually released. January 9, 2012

[Stares @ Amd...]


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> How do you have more nice things? Returning a card that is not performing like the 90% of other ones and getting it replaced so it does perform like the 90%? And you want to talk about logic? And state you own nicer things, when you have no idea what one owns, nor can you even JUDGE NICE on the interwebz.
> Maybe you ought to read my book more. It has Logic written in it and even has a dedicated chapter to it. I can have Jone's and the Peens sign it for you if you want.
> Since you know, getting a card that performs like most of the other products is such a baaaaad logical choice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Oh, and I would be happy with my card if it was capable of doing 1125/11575. But currently, it is not -- In fact, it's barely stable at stock even with a full reformat... *something's up.*
> But thanks for your assuming time -- Move along


Probably the "I can't get stable at 1100, so I'm gonna try 1200 and shoot 1.3V into it" part of your OC voyage.
Anyway, good luck with your OC and RMA endeavours


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Probably the "I can't get stable at 1100, so I'm gonna try 1200 and shoot 1.3V into it" part of your OC voyage.
> Anyway, good luck with your OC and RMA endeavours


Too bad it was 1.25 and which I had to put for my first card to get the same results. I guess you're new to overclocking and still assuming on how I'm testing this somewhat faulty of a card?

Thanks, I wish you the best of luck here on OCN and the assumptions you'll spout out of your arse


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Alright, *I lowered the overclock down to 1100/1570 on both GPU's and I was at stage 25 out of 26 on Heaven and then it decides to crash*.... I was averaging around mid to high 80's (85-87fps) -- That still seems to be on the low end for it......
> EDIT: Just reinstalled afterburner, checked if ULPS was enabled at all -- *Overclocked cards to 1200/1600 and put voltage to max and fan speed to 55%.* If this can't run without errors.... I'm reformating


I'm sorry for making a bad assumption about your OC'ing method..... OH, WAIT!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> I'm sorry for making a bad assumption about your OC'ing method..... OH, WAIT!


If you're not helping then leave the thread.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Denim, any more thoughts on why I cant get the card to flash?


I cannot properly flash my card either, you are not alone bro.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> AMD Promises Big Improvements in Upcoming Catalyst Drivers
> Posted 02/17/2010
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/amd_promises_big_improvements_upcoming_catalyst_drivers
> http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7970-crossfire-review/21
> On a recent AMD event we talked about this with AMD Radeon developers, and we have been assured that starting 2012 more people are added to the driver development team, to be able to guarantee you much better game support when the game is actually released. January 9, 2012
> [Stares @ Amd...]


Was going to say I have heard all that before and then I clicked link.









TBH I am quiet happy with performance on RC drivers.


----------



## evensen007

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm happy too but we are still on a RC driver and people with xfire are having a little difficulty.

The real test comes when another AAA title comes out and whether or not Amd is ready for the game with proper drivers this time.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If you're not helping then leave the thread.


I'm also still learning here. Been out of it for a couple of years. My last GPU was the G92 (8800 GTS512) so that makes four years.
I did have some nicely OC'ed systems in the past, all air so not hardcore... oldest being pentium 66 MHz OC to 120 MHz, 2MB video card (LOL), 1.1GB HDD and 16MB RAM.

So basically, I don't have any real knowledge about the past 3 generations. I can only point at flaws and not offer any real solutions. Sorry bout that.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm happy too but we are still on a RC driver and people with xfire are having a little difficulty.
> The real test comes when another AAA title comes out and whether or not Amd is ready for the game with proper drivers this time.


Yup, Battlefield 2 BC comes to mind, rubberband effect in Dirt 2 and of course Skyrim. AMD on their last chance with me.


----------



## unrealskill

just orded me a ausu 7970 dc2 top! cant wait to get it


----------



## ELCID777

Wow. I've been using AB's FPS limiter and all I can say is that I am very impressed with it. I limited the fps on my setup to 60 fps accordingly (crossfire 7970's and 60mhz screen) and combined it with in-game vsync and performance feels buttery smooth (not that it didn't before) but limiting the frame rate does indeed make a difference in visual perception of smoothness.

On top of that, temps on both cards have dropped by about 10 degrees. Does limited fps reduce power consumption or something? Anyhow, people, use After Burners FPS limiter. It's great!


----------



## vedaire

ok this may sound stupid but has anyone been able to edit the bios of the 7970 cards yet i looked at rbe but it doesnt show support for the 7970


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> just orded me a ausu 7970 dc2 top! cant wait to get it


Where, where,where







lol


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Where, where,where
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol


i got it from here
https://www.alwayslowest.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shop.dspSpecs&part=45987159

but i guess there sold out now was not a bad price with rush order and 3 day shipping it was $612 total


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> i got it from here
> https://www.alwayslowest.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=shop.dspSpecs&part=45987159
> but i guess there sold out now was not a bad price with rush order and 3 day shipping it was $612 total


No offense but that site looks kinda sketchy. I'd rather wait for amazon or newegg with better rma/warranty service.


----------



## ELCID777

Are there any backplates available for the 7970 at the moment? Not for water-cooling, but just for aesthetic purposes. I really dislike seeing bare PCB's in my case.

Something like this - http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/ek-fc7970-backplate-black.html

Again, not for water-cooling, just for looks.


----------



## unrealskill

i used paypal we will see what happens


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> i used paypal we will see what happens


Good for you, I don't know man that place has a wierd vibe lol. nomsayin.jpeg


----------



## unrealskill

i cancelled with that site they said it would ship on 2/25/12 lol f that!

wait on newegg i guess


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> i cancelled with that site they said it would ship on 2/25/12 lol f that!
> wait on newegg i guess


Good for you bro. That place just looked sketchy. Hopefully newegg will get some in very soon.


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Good for you bro. That place just looked sketchy. Hopefully newegg will get some in very soon.


and the press F5 war begins


----------



## djayyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I cannot properly flash my card either, you are not alone bro.
> 
> Ah that's reassuring that it's not just me then. If I find anything out I'll post back. Cheers


----------



## wsu172

nope, no water cooling, but I monitored the tem when I do overclock, it never hits 80C since I put fan speed to 57%. did you get above 1200 Mhz? @@


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> and the press F5 war begins


They came out today. I'm still shocked newegg hasn't posted any yet. They had the 7950 version immediately. I got dibbs on 2


----------



## wsu172




----------



## wsu172

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Are you watercooling it?


no water cooling but it never over heated, did you get over 1200Mhz? @@ you have excetly same card with me~


----------



## wsu172

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> Use this one, this will flash your BIOS for you. Remember to set the BIOS switch on your card to "1"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or this one:


Man, I did the ATI auto flash bios, it seems like I could hit 1200Mhz at 1.3v not the post 1.25v, alos I see people get 1250Mhz at 1.25V, I just cant go above 1200Mhz, is there any thing run? >< I have a sapphire version of the card. overclock with CCC + AB


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> I'm sorry for making a bad assumption about your OC'ing method..... OH, WAIT!


Yes, you're still bad at assuming. Alright, smarty pants. Let me break it down for you.

1. Card A (Good clocker) will do 1200/1600 at 1.25 volts with acceptable temps to me at 55% fan speed. My goal was to achieve same clock or very similar to it with Card B (the dud)
2. Card B was/is having issues at reaching ANY overclock whether it's 50mhz or 500mhz at ANY voltage, actually with different voltages for different reasons -- I will cover that for you oh wise one in just a point or three. A non faulty, acceptable $550 card SHOULD clock to at least the 1125/1575 levels as 90% of the other cards DO. This one does not without tweaking the voltage.
3. Great job at pointing out that I did the quick/dirty method of overclocking a chip. You must be new to the overclocking scene if you didn't know the method I used. If you don't, it's put voltage max to what you want and start at clocks with what you need.... in my case 1200/1600 at 1.25 volts is acceptable for Card A with temps at 55% and temps were fine on Card B @ 55% -- It wasn't stable like Card A (as I said for the 1924801284091248901248019248 time) -- I had to critique the voltage.

4. That's when I played with voltage and was having driver issues -- I couldn't put power at +20% and make it stick. ULPS was disabled but Trixx said it was enabled. ATIMAN Uninstaller errored out bla bla bla. A reformat would of solved those driver issues if I couldn't get it stabled

5. After testing the voltage out more, I found that if I added .05 volts it ran stable at 1125/1175 -- If I added .07 volts, it was not stable, if overclocked to 1150/1600 -- it was stable and so on. It's funky and very particular about what clock was paired with what voltages.

6. Getting it yet? Maybe you should go visit some other threads related to overclocking before you try to point out methods commonly used on this forum. Come back to me once you get 1000 posts


----------



## Balsagna

EDIT: Double post


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> nope, no water cooling, but I monitored the tem when I do overclock, it never hits 80C since I put fan speed to 57%. did you get above 1200 Mhz? @@


wsu as in....?


----------



## wsu172

LOL yeah, but I am not in WSU @@ it is just ramdom letters @@


----------



## Balsagna

Well. I was finally able to get stable at 1175/1650. Memory overclocking is just fine, it's just playing with the voltage to get stable. I'm tinkering around with the voltage on the card still, I just bumped it to 1200/1650 with 1193 on the voltage. We'll see how this goes.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djayyy*
> 
> Denim, any more thoughts on why I cant get the card to flash?


Try the manual method of flashing man...
use this command..

*atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 (biosname.bin)*

Manual Method:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



You will need to make a bootable USB or CD.. (preferably USB)
Use these tools to format the USB.

TOOLS.zip 708k .zip file


*2.* After you have formatted, download and *rename* the following BIOS to *AsusOC.bin*, then throw it onto the USB.

Asus.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file

And *ATIflash.exe* also to be on the USB.

atiflash.zip 580k .zip file

*3.* Once the USB has been made bootable and both Atiflash and the ASUS OC bios are both on the USB, set your motherboards bios to boot from the USB.
*4.* After you have successfully booted through the USB, you will be taken to a DOS prompt. From there you will type the following:
For Primary (1st) GPU
_atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 Asusoc.bin_
For Slave (2nd) GPU
_atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 Asusoc.bin_
If the adapters arent "found", use this line to correctly identify the adapter numbers.
_atiflash.exe -i_
After successful flashing, shutdown the system and remove the USB. Boot into windows normally.


----------



## Ken1649

Unable to Flash BIOS;

Have seen few were unable to flash the BIOS and for XFX only?

What have you tried and what BIOS did you use?

- Atiflash; what commands did you use?

- Atiwinflash, what commands did you use?

- Did you try Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.exe?

Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.zip 420k .zip file


Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


This is big thread and moving too fast lol


----------



## unrealskill

i broke and just got a his 7970 and a 25 lcd


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Porter_*
> 
> wsu as in....?


Its been awhile since we have seen anything like this. UW has been pounding WSU in every sport.


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Powertune is throttling you hard @ those clocks. Even with +20% i think you would be running into the same issues. We need a serious O/C bios from MSI for their new Lightning cards.


I think you're right. I guess GPU-Z doesn't show the minute changes in clock speed because the moving bar graph looks solid.

Tried to test using different oc tools. With Afterburner I don't get much if any throttling, with GPU Tweak I do. Here are the results at different clocks:



As you can see the results were far better with AB. The problem is that GPU Tweak is the only tool that allows voltage adjustments beyond 1.3V but it doesn't play nice with Powertune. Any suggestions?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> I think you're right. I guess GPU-Z doesn't show the minute changes in clock speed because the moving bar graph looks solid.
> Tried to test using different oc tools. With Afterburner I don't get much if any throttling, with GPU Tweak I do. Here are the results at different clocks:
> 
> As you can see the results were far better with AB. The problem is that GPU Tweak is the only tool that allows voltage adjustments beyond 1.3V but it doesn't play nice with Powertune. Any suggestions?


I suggest keep using AB








Glad to see you have your OC worked out. but your numbers should be a little better.
I would enable overdrive and set +20% just to rule that out.
You can always disable Overdrive by unchecking the box.

BTW can you enlighten us with the BIOS version your using ? TY
+REP for the previous test you did for me


----------



## chillgreg

Installed my new Sapphire 7970 last night. Just into the Storm Scout till I get the Phantom built. Running CCC and Speedfan (now has fan control and temp monitoring for AMD cards). Yet to O/C or do benches. Idles at 42 single monitor fan 40%. Holy mackeral the fan at 100% is mental!!! 40 or under is fine, maybe a tad louder than the Asus 6870 CUII.

So far so good! 

PS can I join the club now please?


----------



## DOM.

first test on water cant push it more cuz this 700w ocz cant take it


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone have their drivers crash during an OC and then constant BSOD every restart within the first minute?

This happened twice already. The first time happened when I first got the drivers installed and I OC'd a bit too much and it froze so I reset my computer. I reformatted it after that since I couldn't get those drivers to work for BF3 anyway.

It crashed once again during a 3dmark11 run while trying to push OC's so I reset it. Same thing occurring, BSOD within 1 minute of windows loading into desktop. I tried uninstalling using ATIMAN and deleting those hidden AMD/ATI folders as well. Reinstalled drivers and same thing happening. There is no BSOD when I don't have any drivers installed, like right now as I am typing this.

How to completely get rid of drivers for clean install? I always have the hardest time getting rid of ALL AMD drivers. They just burrow somewhere and it's that one file that ****s things up. I tried following the AMD install guide as well, where I delete AMD stuff in the registries and didn't work either. I don't really want to reformat Windows yet again.


----------



## Porter_

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Its been awhile since we have seen anything like this. UW has been pounding WSU in every sport.


i've got big hopes for mike leach. *delusional, but devoted fan*


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> no water cooling but it never over heated, did you get over 1200Mhz? @@ you have excetly same card with me~


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> nope, no water cooling, but I monitored the tem when I do overclock, it never hits 80C since I put fan speed to 57%. did you get above 1200 Mhz? @@


I'm watercooling, and I still have to fiddle some to get 1200 core for normal use.

Not everyone can reach 1200 core, many here can't reach anywhere near 1150 at all.

If you want to reach 1200 core, you most likely have to be ready to throw down a battle with a Gorn


----------



## unrealskill

would a ek backplate work on a stock air cooled 7970


----------



## wsu172

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I'm watercooling, and I still have to fiddle some to get 1200 core for normal use.
> Not everyone can reach 1200 core, many here can't reach anywhere near 1150 at all.
> If you want to reach 1200 core, you most likely have to be ready to throw down a battle with a Gorn


Actually I did make it to 1200Mhz but @ 1.3v @@ I see people who has the same card like ours, same bio, using same overclock utility, push it to 1250Mhz @ 1.25







So I was wondering whether this particular card same some problem or it is just nomal, every card it different? @@

take a look
http://www.overclock.net/products/sapphire-radeon-hd-7970-3gb-ddr5-hdmi-dvi-i-dual-mini-dp-pci-express-graphics-card-21197-00-40g/reviews/4624


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> would a ek backplate work on a stock air cooled 7970


Bump


----------



## geekdll

I received a Sapphire 7950 OC today and so far I got this thing running pretty good at these speeds. This might be a better value then the 7970 currently









I bumped up the voltage to 1.093v


----------



## Elfear

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> I suggest keep using AB
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Glad to see you have your OC worked out. but your numbers should be a little better.
> I would enable overdrive and set +20% just to rule that out.
> You can always disable Overdrive by unchecking the box.
> BTW can you enlighten us with the BIOS version your using ? TY
> +REP for the previous test you did for me


Yeah AB is pretty user friendly and I'll probably use it for 24/7 use and gaming. I was just hoping to hit some higher clocks for benchmarking purposes. Maybe the next iteration of GPU Tweak will allow Powertune to stay at +20%.

Regarding Metro fps, I wonder if HT is making a difference for the better in your case. I have it disabled.

This is the bios version I'm using.

Thanks for your advice and commentary. I'm really enjoying the community here.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> Yeah AB is pretty user friendly and I'll probably use it for 24/7 use and gaming. I was just hoping to hit some higher clocks for benchmarking purposes. Maybe the next iteration of GPU Tweak will allow Powertune to stay at +20%.
> Regarding Metro fps, I wonder if HT is making a difference for the better in your case. I have it disabled.
> This is the bios version I'm using.
> Thanks for your advice and commentary. I'm really enjoying the community here.


*HT* is definitely needed to be *ENABLED*. Its been tested that it works a whole lot better with modern titles.
Try that and see how you go.


----------



## Denim-187

Did some tests...... Power tune is needed for anything over 1180mhz....... in benchmarks such as AVP, and GPU tool,Furmark and OCCT.
I tested +5, +10 and +20%
And it stopped performing after 10%
So, ive now set powertune to *10% in CCC* and Afterburner Beta 11 is not conflicting with it at all.
I get absolutely zero throttle with 10% engaged.


----------



## DOM.

I ran 3d11 with that power tune at 0 and still scored 9k @ 1200 core with 2500k stock would it matter if I raise it to 10% ?


----------



## Denim-187

Check this out..... Both benched today.

Random 4x 6970's @ 900/1405: *12511*
http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=34964

My 2x 7970's @ 1200/1700: *12514*
http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=34974


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Check this out..... Both benched today.
> Random 4x 6970's @ 900/1405: *12511*
> http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=34964
> My 2x 7970's @ 1200/1700: *12514*
> http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=34974


Two 7970 = four 6950/6970 or two 6990. This is why I got three 7970.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Got my 2600k







Just waiting on Newegg now for my second GPU!!!!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Got my 2600k
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just waiting on Newegg now for my second GPU!!!!!


Everyone's getting two now? Man, when I had my quads, not many people had that sort of power cuz you had to invest in a loop and supporting gear to run it.

7970's have brought that sort of power to peoples finger tips easily, though at a cost. Good stuff.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Everyone's getting two now? Man, when I had my quads, not many people had that sort of power cuz you had to invest in a loop and supporting gear to run it.
> 7970's have brought that sort of power to peoples finger tips easily, though at a cost. Good stuff.


I had 6990/50 overlcocked tri-fire before this... I'm already happier with just the single 7970 overclocked to hell. I was trying to wait on the 7990 to go tri-fire again, but I'm becoming impatient.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> I had 6990/50 overlcocked tri-fire before this... I'm already happier with just the single 7970 overclocked to hell. I was trying to wait on the 7990 to go tri-fire again, but I'm becoming impatient.


Isn't it crazy the amount of power on tap now? 2 cards = 4 of the old. That's ludicrous!


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Did some tests...... Power tune is needed for anything over 1180mhz....... in benchmarks such as AVP, and GPU tool,Furmark and OCCT.
> I tested +5, +10 and +20%
> And it stopped performing after 10%
> So, ive now set powertune to *10% in CCC* and Afterburner Beta 11 is not conflicting with it at all.
> I get absolutely zero throttle with 10% engaged.


Then I will try powertune with 10%







(I only run 1200 during normal gameplay)
This also applies to a single card?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Isn't it crazy the amount of power on tap now? 2 cards = 4 of the old. That's ludicrous!


I LOVE IT... my wallet hates it


----------



## geekdll

I have a Sapphire 7970 flashed with the Asus Bios that is clocked at Core 1200mhz - Memory 1600Mhz running at 1225mV. I'm using Afterburner with the stock cooling my idle temperature is 69c is that to high? I do use two monitors.

Thanks in advance


----------



## sockpirate

Hmmm do i have to disable Vsync using CCC for Skyrim ?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geekdll*
> 
> I have a Sapphire 7970 flashed with the Asus Bios that is clocked at Core 1200mhz - Memory 1600Mhz running at 1225mV. I'm using Afterburner with the stock cooling my idle temperature is 69c is that to high? I do use two monitors.
> Thanks in advance


Anything under 85c is great


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Dizaaamn... almost 70c at idle? What's it hit under load?


----------



## sockpirate

This good for 1050 mhz in Xfire? Did 1050 on stock volts. Temps did not rise above 40c.


----------



## Pantsu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geekdll*
> 
> I have a Sapphire 7970 flashed with the Asus Bios that is clocked at Core 1200mhz - Memory 1600Mhz running at 1225mV. I'm using Afterburner with the stock cooling my idle temperature is 69c is that to high? I do use two monitors.
> Thanks in advance


It should be able to drop to a lower voltage and drop the temps still. But with multiple monitors and using AB overclocks it doesn't drop to idle voltage properly. All you can do is reset the clocks and voltage manually. Or wait for new AMD drivers / Afterburner version where the voltage drops properly. The <70c temps are not really an issue, but it's wasting electricity...


----------



## geekdll

its usually around 80c under load


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Mine in eyefinity idles around 47 - 50c @ 1200/1850


----------



## pioneerisloud

Anybody care to help me out with some issues?

I downloaded the latest drivers. Uninstalled my old Nvidia drivers, swapped cards. Installed the new drivers.

So far...I've found 2 games that are being a pain and not working. They just so happen to be my 2 favorite games too. GTA IV (and EFLC), and Killing Floor. GTA IV stutters like crazy. Killing Floor won't even open...it just flashes my second monitor on and off, and my 30" just sits here black. I have to force the game to quit, and they come back.

No idea what's wrong. But I'm very angry that with $1200 worth of new gear...my 2 favorite games don't work.







What can I do...short of reinstalling Windows?

Everything else SEEMS to be working fine (tested a few games / benches so far).


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Anybody care to help me out with some issues?
> I downloaded the latest drivers. Uninstalled my old Nvidia drivers, swapped cards. Installed the new drivers.
> So far...I've found 2 games that are being a pain and not working. They just so happen to be my 2 favorite games too. GTA IV (and EFLC), and Killing Floor. GTA IV stutters like crazy. Killing Floor won't even open...it just flashes my second monitor on and off, and my 30" just sits here black. I have to force the game to quit, and they come back.
> No idea what's wrong. But I'm very angry that with $1200 worth of new gear...my 2 favorite games don't work.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What can I do...short of reinstalling Windows?
> Everything else SEEMS to be working fine (tested a few games / benches so far).


Hey Pioneer, have you installed CAPS?
Try single card setup first ( disable Crossfire )


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Anybody care to help me out with some issues?
> I downloaded the latest drivers. Uninstalled my old Nvidia drivers, swapped cards. Installed the new drivers.
> So far...I've found 2 games that are being a pain and not working. They just so happen to be my 2 favorite games too. GTA IV (and EFLC), and Killing Floor. GTA IV stutters like crazy. Killing Floor won't even open...it just flashes my second monitor on and off, and my 30" just sits here black. I have to force the game to quit, and they come back.
> No idea what's wrong. But I'm very angry that with $1200 worth of new gear...my 2 favorite games don't work.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What can I do...short of reinstalling Windows?
> Everything else SEEMS to be working fine (tested a few games / benches so far).
> 
> 
> 
> Hey Pioneer, have you installed CAPS?
> Try single card setup first ( disable Crossfire )
Click to expand...

I only have a single card. And no, I didn't install CAPS because I was under the understanding that it was just for multi GPU setups.

This one 7970 is more than enough for me, even at 2560x1600.







It's faster at 1600p than my GTX580 was at 1080p.


----------



## Outcasst

New driver posted on Guru3D. 12.X (8.95). Natively supports the 7970.

Has a slightly newer version of CAP also.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358094


----------



## UNOE

wow no AB beta 12 comments let. I wondering how people are liking the power tune added to AB in the new beta ? But don't see comments yet ?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> 
> This good for 1050 mhz in Xfire? Did 1050 on stock volts. Temps did not rise above 40c.


Is this decent?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> wow no AB beta 12 comments let. I wondering how people are liking the power tune added to AB in the new beta ? But don't see comments yet ?


Yep, I updated the OP to reflect the update to version 12b.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Got my 2600k
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just waiting on Newegg now for my second GPU!!!!!


Are you copying me too?









Though, I didn't go from Tri-fire, I went from SLI 570s. I was happier with 1 single 7970, but I missed the GPU power the 570s had, so I grabbed another 7970. Now it is no competition.

3dmark11 Graphics score
SLI 570s @ 850mhz: 12k
CF 7970 @ 1125: 18k

Heaven score @ 1080p maxed:
SLI 570s @ 850mhz: ~45fps
CF 7970 @ 1125: 90fps

I could push my 7970s up to 1200mhz, but will take a bit of tweaking still.

Switching out a 2500k for a 2600k. My 2500k was not able to pass 4.5ghz, while my 2600k was able to hit 4.8ghz, though, had to pump up to 1.41v to get there with HT on. For some reason, scored the same on CPU score between 4.5ghz and 4.8ghz, weird.


----------



## WiL11o6

New MSI Afterburner Beta 12

http://downloads.guru3d.com/MSI-Afterburner-2.2.0-Beta-12-download-2850.html

Powertune slider?! Sounds awesome! My CCC is very glitchy and buggy, never applies settings.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> New MSI Afterburner Beta 12
> http://downloads.guru3d.com/MSI-Afterburner-2.2.0-Beta-12-download-2850.html
> Powertune slider?! Sounds awesome! My CCC is very glitchy and buggy, never applies settings.


Wow at least. Now I can back to original BIOS.
Flashed to OC BIOS because of Powertune slider resetting to +0% in CCC

And finally proper clock monitoring... shows throttling


----------



## Levesque

CCC PowerTune slider in Afterburner? Finally! And it's working.


----------



## Newbie2009

Has anyone put some more volts into their memory yet? Any results?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Has anyone put some more volts into their memory yet? Any results?


My memory does 1790 at 1600mV, and freezes at 1850 during a benchmark run. It needs 1675mV to be stable at 1850.
So I'm guessing I could hit 1900 tops with 1750mV, which is not worth the bump if I can make 1790 work on stock voltage.
But YMMV, you never know until you try.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> My memory does 1790 at 1600mV, and freezes at 1850 during a benchmark run. It needs 1675mV to be stable at 1850.
> So I'm guessing I could hit 1900 tops with 1750mV, which is not worth the bump if I can make 1790 work on stock voltage.
> But YMMV, you never know until you try.


I see. I am cautious about putting more volts into memory chips myself, but at least I see it does help a little with clocks.


----------



## PARTON

I was using trixx for voltage and clocks, and CCC stayed @ +20% powertune. It doesn't have the nice on screen display like ab, though. I'll try it out. Thanks!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Just want to mention...
Disabling ULPS and PowerPlay are two different things.
One is for controlling the clock speeds at idle, 2D/3D and voltage (ULPS).
PowerPlay can be used to control overall board power like when people use PowerTune +20%.

Turning off ULPS could help CF users if they experience their 2nd card throttling down.
Turning off PowerPlay can help people exceeding their allowed TDP via PowerTune even when they set it at +20%.

I strongly recommend watercooling overclockers of these cards to disable PowerPlay.


----------



## PARTON

How do you disable powerplay?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> How do you disable powerplay?


The only way I know how to do it is via Afterburner.
You have to set this in the AB config file:

Code:



Code:


UnofficialOverclockingEULA   = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
UnofficialOverclockingMode      = 2

It's towards the bottom of MSIAfterburner.cfg.
It's very important that the value is *2* and *NOT* 1.


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The only way I know how to do it is via Afterburner.
> You have to set this in the AB config file:
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> UnofficialOverclockingEULA   = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
> UnofficialOverclockingMode      = 2
> 
> It's towards the bottom of MSIAfterburner.cfg.
> It's very important that the value is *2* and *NOT* 1.


What's the different between value 1 and 2?


----------



## PARTON

Thanks. I've been sporting a 1.

2 disables powerplay and everything 1 does. 1 simply increases clock limits and unlocks voltage control.


----------



## vedaire

yaaa my 7970 will be here in a couple hours then its party time


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> Hmmm. I do have my old ocz psu in my closet so I'll swap it in and see if the whine is still there.


Last night I hooked up the other psu and tried it out. I get the same whine.


----------



## mltms

guys who have order this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102963

is it good for overcloking ?
doz it have voltag contrloer for core and mem via msiafter

i want to order it now plz help


----------



## vedaire

woot hold that card just arrived at 10:15am early for ups here.


----------



## Norlig

Ive flashed both my cards to the Asus Bios, but I cant seem to raise the Mhz to 2000+ (not that I will do that, but I should be able to if everything is set correctly), can only set it to 1665.

I could set it to 2000+ on one of my cards in MSI afterburner. that was with beta 11 with card #2. I reflashed card #1 to Sapphire Bios and then back to Asus Bios, and updated to MSI afterburner Beta 12, now both cards are max OC-able to 1665 Mhz.

My MSI afterburner is in unofficial mode, so that is not what is wrong. what Bios is it that is the Asus Bios that does this?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> guys who have order this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102963
> is it good for overcloking ?
> doz it have voltag contrloer for core and mem via msiafter
> i want to order it now plz help


It should be a decent overclocker and perhaps even better than the reference blower cooler (provided it has decent air-flow).
As for voltage control, I'm sure it has core voltage control...
Not too sure about memory VC.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The only way I know how to do it is via Afterburner.
> You have to set this in the AB config file:
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> UnofficialOverclockingEULA   = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
> UnofficialOverclockingMode      = 2
> 
> It's towards the bottom of MSIAfterburner.cfg.
> It's very important that the value is *2* and *NOT* 1.


ULPS is crossfire only, puts the slave card in hyper low powerconsumption mode. You can leave ULPS on for 1 card overclocking, zero impact.
Powerplay downclocks the cards between idle/load 3D/2D. - Disabling powerplay will not help with Passing the TDP, as the TDP is set by the bios.
Powertune will help the card from fluctuating once the card is hitting the TDP barrier. Without powerpla you will likely see the card throttle and loose performance like a mofo!


----------



## Evil Penguin

I'm sorry newbie... You have it backwards.
ULPS doesn't only affect CF BTW.

*Edit: I had certain details of the terminology incorrect.*


----------



## dotslasher

I have this bug when using the unofficial overclocking mode with my 7970 where I can save the clocks to a profile but loading them defaults that profile to the lowest possible clocks.

if I don't use the unofficial overclocking mode the max clocks (like in the CCC) stay when you load a profile.

anyone else encountered this? I'm using the latest .12 beta but had this on the .11 as well.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I'm sorry newbie... You have it backwards.
> ULPS doesn't only affect CF BTW.


Don't be sorry. Go read up though. ULPS is for crossfire.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dotslasher*
> 
> I have this bug when using the unofficial overclocking mode with my 7970 where I can save the clocks to a profile but loading them defaults that profile to the lowest possible clocks.
> if I don't use the unofficial overclocking mode the max clocks (like in the CCC) stay when you load a profile.
> anyone else encountered this? I'm using the latest .12 beta but had this on the .11 as well.


Try uninstalling AB (including all configurations) and reinstalling it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Don't be sorry. Go read up though. ULPS is for crossfire.


If I were to disable ULPS with my single 7970, my idle clocks would be 3D clocks all the time.
The same is true with my voltage.
_Ultra Low Power Settings_ affects single and multi-GPU configurations.


----------



## dotslasher

MSI afterburner has been uninstalled/reinstalled 2x already and all traces were removed.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Try uninstalling AB (including all configurations) and reinstalling it.
> If I were to disable ULPS with my single 7970, my idle clocks would be 3D clocks all the time.
> The same is true with my voltage.
> _Ultra Low Power Settings_ affects single and multi-GPU configurations.


Really? Well I have ULPS disabled on my one card and it downclocks fine.
Powerplay is what downclock's your card.
You disable ULPS through regedit.

You disable Powerplay trough AB which forces 3D clocks. Why force 3D clocks if through AB if you can just disable ULPS to do it?

It is all in the name by the way ULPS-Ultra low power state.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I think the combination of the two disabled could cause forced 3D clocks.
PowerPlay alone doesn't force 3D clocks, it disabled PowerTune (which throttles the card).

Take it from Unwinder...
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4235662&postcount=31


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Really? Well I have ULPS disabled on my one card and it downclocks fine.
> Powerplay is what downclock's your card.
> You disable ULPS through regedit.
> You disable Powerplay trough AB which forces 3D clocks. Why force 3D clocks if through AB if you can just disable ULPS to do it?
> It is all in the name by the way ULPS-Ultra low power state.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I think the combination of the two disabled could cause forced 3D clocks.
> PowerPlay alone doesn't force 3D clocks, it disabled PowerTune (which throttles the card).
> Take it from Unwinder...
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4235662&postcount=31


Just read up on it yourself and don't take other opinions on it. Unwinder does not mention ULPS in that post so I don't know why you linked it. He is correct, powerplay and powertune work together. ULPS is for crossfire.
Prove me wrong.


----------



## jshotz

Couple of questions!

1. Is having a 2600k @ under 1.45 volts ok for 24/7 use?

2. What is power tune and do I need it?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Just read up on it yourself and don't take other opinions on it. Unwinder does not mention ULPS in that post so I don't know why you linked it. He is correct, powerplay and powertune work together. ULPS is for crossfire.
> Prove me wrong.


Well since I made the initial claim, you prove me wrong.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Try uninstalling AB (including all configurations) and reinstalling it.
> If I were to disable ULPS with my single 7970, my idle clocks would be 3D clocks all the time.
> The same is true with my voltage.
> _Ultra Low Power Settings_ affects single and multi-GPU configurations.


ULPS is only for crossfire! Stop making stuff up. It doesn't drop your clocks cuz that's not what ULPS does. It drops slave cards into ULTRA LOW POWERMODE!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ULPS is only for crossfire! Stop making stuff up. It doesn't drop your clocks cuz that's not what ULPS does. It drops slave cards into ULTRA LOW POWERMODE!


Making stuff up? Really?

ULPS can sometimes have the slave card in ULPS mode when it shouldn't (gaming).
Never have I said the master card would throttle down when it's not supposed to because of ULPS.


----------



## Denim-187

Penguin, who is your avatar?

His head is somewhat very disturbing
Is he taking a major dump ?









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ULPS is only for crossfire! Stop making stuff up. It doesn't drop your clocks cuz that's not what ULPS does. It drops slave cards into ULTRA LOW POWERMODE!


ive had this same argument with tsm.... dude instead of offending people, try show some raw proof yourself. Its more effective.


----------



## Evil Penguin

It's William Shatner in the movie _Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan_.
You must know who Captain Kirk is?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Penguin, who is your avatar?
> His head is somewhat very disturbing
> Is he taking a major dump ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ive had this same argument with tsm.... dude instead of offending people, try show some raw proof yourself. Its more effective.


"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNN!!"


----------



## Evil Penguin




----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I'm sorry newbie... You have it backwards.
> *ULPS doesn't only affect CF* BTW.


Effects 1 card configs.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Try uninstalling AB (including all configurations) and reinstalling it.
> If I were to disable ULPS with my single 7970, my idle clocks would be 3D clocks all the time.
> The same is true with my voltage.
> _Ultra Low Power Settings_ affects single and multi-GPU configurations.


Effects 1 card configs AND forces 3D clocks.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I think the combination of the two disabled could cause forced 3D clocks.
> PowerPlay alone doesn't force 3D clocks, it disabled PowerTune (which throttles the card).
> Take it from Unwinder...
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4235662&postcount=31


Now it's a combination.................. ok
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Well since I made the initial claim, you prove me wrong.


■AMD PowerPlay™ power management technology3◦AMD PowerTune technology •Intelligent power management hardware

◦Dynamic power management with low power idle state
◦*Ultra-low power state* support for *multi-GPU configurations*

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/amd-radeon-hd-6000/hd-6970/Pages/amd-radeon-hd-6970-overview.aspx#2

No wait, that proves nothing, only there in black and white on AMD's site........
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Penguin, who is your avatar?
> His head is somewhat very disturbing
> Is he taking a major dump ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ive had this same argument with tsm.... dude instead of offending people, try show some raw proof yourself. Its more effective.


As above.
Not being able to read is one thing, being too lazy and "making stuff up"







is another......
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> *Making stuff up? Really?*
> ULPS can sometimes have the slave card in ULPS mode when it shouldn't (gaming).
> Never have I said the master card would throttle down when it's not supposed to because of ULPS.


Yes that is what he said. Oh it can sometimes? Ah you are coming around.








Sometimes is not very good though is it? Considering it is ULPS's sole purpose........


----------



## masscrazy

Question for the club - anyone crossfire the 90 with AX850 or less wattage PSU?


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Question for the club - anyone crossfire the 90 with AX850 or less wattage PSU?


Crossfire msi 7970's 1200 core/1700 mem with a peak load of 696W. Running corsair TX850w.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Crossfire msi 7970's 1200 core/1700 mem with a peak load of 696W. Running corsair TX850w.


Great, wont need to upgrade when I get me two of them. Will be getting 1 in next few weeks, another end of year probably.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Having support for said feature doesn't constrain it to multi-GPUs.
_◦Dynamic power management with low power idle state_
Is that strictly for CF?
No, it isn't. *Edit: Yes it is.*

I don't think you know how having ULPS enabled or disabled affects the GPU/s *(I didn't, got it mixed up)*.


----------



## Denim-187

oh waiiiit was it TSM or newbie lol dnt remember .... maybe both


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Question for the club - anyone crossfire the 90 with AX850 or less wattage PSU?


Yep. I have an AX850 and it ran 2 7970s fine.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> Yep. I have an AX850 and it ran 2 7970s fine.


Overclocked?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> oh waiiiit was it TSM or newbie lol dnt remember .... maybe both


Not about ULPS with me. What we debated you conceded and changed the advice you were giving people.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Making stuff up? Really?
> ULPS can sometimes have the slave card in ULPS mode when it shouldn't (gaming).
> Never have I said the master card would throttle down when it's not supposed to because of ULPS.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Penguin, who is your avatar?
> His head is somewhat very disturbing
> Is he taking a major dump ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ive had this same argument with tsm.... dude instead of offending people, try show some raw proof yourself. Its more effective.


How many times do you have to ask the same thing over and over?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *
> ULPS was one of the many features AMD had briefed us about in September when they introduced the 5000 series, where ULPS allows AMD to power down the slave card(s) in a Crossfire configuration to a state even lower than idle. For the 5870/5970, this meant being able to reduce the slave(s) from 27W at idle to 20W under ULPS.*
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/2940/2


Quote:


> Speaking of CrossFire, when you have two 5870s running concurrently at idle, ATI says that secondary board will drop into an ultra-low power state (purportedly sub-20W). We measured a 25W increase with a second board at idle, which is still not bad at all when you consider a pair of 4870s would be rated at 180W.


http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-5870,2422-20.html

The ulps info is everywhere.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Not about ULPS with me. What we debated you conceded and changed the advice you were giving people.


Actually, ULPS is Enabled by default in a single or crossfire combination -- Do you have to disable it for crossfire? No. Do you have to disable it for single solutions? No.

Is it advised to disable ULPS entirely? Yes it is.

Both of your guys's points are moot anyways.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Ive flashed both my cards to the Asus Bios, but I cant seem to raise the Mhz to 2000+ (not that I will do that, but I should be able to if everything is set correctly), can only set it to 1665.
> I could set it to 2000+ on one of my cards in MSI afterburner. that was with beta 11 with card #2. I reflashed card #1 to Sapphire Bios and then back to Asus Bios, and updated to MSI afterburner Beta 12, now both cards are max OC-able to 1665 Mhz.
> My MSI afterburner is in unofficial mode, so that is not what is wrong. what Bios is it that is the Asus Bios that does this?


Any1?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> oh waiiiit was it TSM or newbie lol dnt remember .... maybe both


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> You are either dumb as a chimp or you are trolling me. Dynamic power management with low power idle state IS NOT *ULPS.* ULPS is on the the line below *U is for ULTRA, L is for LOW, P is for POWER, S is for STATE.*
> You must be trolling......


I'm done with you.
Continue like this and see where it gets you.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Actually, ULPS is Enabled by default in a single or crossfire combination -- Do you have to disable it for crossfire? No. Do you have to disable it for single solutions? No.
> Is it advised to disable ULPS entirely? Yes it is.
> Both of your guys's points are moot anyways.


You only need to disable ULPS if you want to overclock on a multi gpu config. You can leave it on on a multi gpu rig but seriously messes with overclocking. Does ANYONE actually read anything anymore?????


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Any1?


Did you ever have 1 7970 on the U2711? Just wondering how 1 does at 1440p.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Actually, ULPS is Enabled by default in a single or crossfire combination -- Do you have to disable it for crossfire? No. Do you have to disable it for single solutions? No.
> Is it advised to disable ULPS entirely? Yes it is.
> Both of your guys's points are moot anyways.


I'd rather keep ULPS on, keep my array from wasting energy and its life idling needlessly. If only I could set voltage in RBE like I did with my quad 6950s. Then I wouldn't be forced to use Afterburner zomg, oh no I didn't!


----------



## Denim-187

Well no use debating, im pretty sure we all agree... *ULPS* should be disabled in crossfireX *ONLY* when over volting
*PowerTune* slider should be 10-20%+ with big overclocks
UnofficialOverclocking = *2* should be avoided


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> You only need to disable ULPS if you want to overclock on a multi gpu config. You can leave it on on a multi gpu rig but seriously messes with overclocking. Does ANYONE actually read anything anymore?????


*Actually, you only have to disable if you're married to Afterburner, Trixx, GPUtweak, etc whatever app.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Well no use debating, im pretty sure we all agree... *ULPS* should be disabled in crossfireX *ONLY* when over volting
> *PowerTune* slider should be 10-20%+ with big overclocks
> UnofficialOverclocking = *2* should be avoided


Yes, completely agree.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *Actually, you only have to disable if you're married to Afterburner, Trixx, GPUtweak, etc whatever app.


Yeah sorry, I am assuming to be using one of those apps.


----------



## rcfc89

Is ULPS in the CCC to select off? Also when you use gpu tweak/AB etc can you disable the slider in CCC or do you just leave its core slider alone and only set powertune too 10-20%? Those of you running 1200/1600 what is your voltage at?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah sorry, I am assuming to be using one of those apps.


Hehe, I hate Afterburner, what rubbish, that and trixx gputweak. Well they're not really rubbish but they are backwards engineered and cannot mix with AMD's whole point of excellence, POWER SAVINGS and EFFICIENCY. Using AB and them apps, you throw it all out the window LOL.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Is ULPS in the CCC to select off?


No, you need to use regedit if you want to do it manually

http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hehe, I hate Afterburner, what rubbish, that and trixx gputweak. Well they're not really rubbish but they are backwards engineered and cannot mix with AMD's whole point of excellence, POWER SAVINGS and EFFICIENCY. Using AB and them apps, you throw it all out the window LOL.


Yeah they generally don't play nice. But i need my volts man!


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> No, you need to use regedit if you want to do it manually
> http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps


Thanks I'm assuming this has to be done even when using Gpu Tweak in crossfire configs as well?


----------



## Aventadoor

Ive been at work for a few days now so im not fully updated on drivers and such!
Have it been released a new driver yet?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Thanks I'm assuming this has to be done even when using Gpu Tweak in crossfire configs as well?


To be safe in cfx disable ulps when using 3rd party overclocking apps. You'll know you're doing it wrong you go to change clocks settings and it bsods.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah they generally don't play nice. But i need my volts man!


Well, I was doing it w/o AB, etc on Caymen controlling volts thru bios. It's just damned annoying AMD put in multi-level OCP. I hope we get a way around that at the bios level. Nothing beats overclocking with Overdrive on quads, while keeping Powerplay and ULPS.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Thanks I'm assuming this has to be done even when using Gpu Tweak in crossfire configs as well?


Well if you go into unofficial overclocking territory with clocks, they will not set beyond the CCC limits. I am not sure about Asus GPU tweak tbh. I heard it increases the limits in CCC.
If for example you set the cards to 1150 on the core and the 2nd card sits at 1125, then ULPS is making that happen.


----------



## geekdll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pantsu*
> 
> It should be able to drop to a lower voltage and drop the temps still. But with multiple monitors and using AB overclocks it doesn't drop to idle voltage properly. All you can do is reset the clocks and voltage manually. Or wait for new AMD drivers / Afterburner version where the voltage drops properly. The <70c temps are not really an issue, but it's wasting electricity...


Since AB is keeping my idle temps kind high. Could I just use Trixx and get the same overclock speeds and maybe lower idle temps?


----------



## Evil Penguin

AB does seem to keep the clock speeds and voltage high...
That might explain a few things.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> AB does seem to keep the clock speeds and voltage high...
> That might explain a few things.


Like I wrote, it's because you have to disable all of AMD's tech just so a limp program operate/overclock. Disable ulps, disable powerplay, constant voltage, c'mon. Why did we buy these cards anyways only to turn them into GTX480s? Ok that was a bit of a rant lol.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geekdll*
> 
> Since AB is keeping my idle temps kind high. Could I just use Trixx and get the same overclock speeds and maybe lower idle temps?


Do you have unofficial overclocking set to 1 or 2? (it should be at 1 fyi)


----------



## geekdll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Do you have unofficial overclocking set to 1 or 2?


I have it set to 1. Im running a Sapphire 7970 flashed with the Asus Bios that is clocked at Core 1200mhz - Memory 1600Mhz running at 1225mV using AB and the stock air cooler and my idle temp is around 70c seems high to me so Im trying to figure out a way to lower it and keep some of the OC speeds


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Any1?


Bump on this. Someone help this guy. I can't. Had no luck flashing mine at all.


----------



## Denim-187

Just because somebody's understanding is different to the fact, doesn't mean theyre "making things up". In future Learn to be more civil










/dr.phil


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Ive flashed both my cards to the Asus Bios, but I cant seem to raise the Mhz to 2000+ (not that I will do that, but I should be able to if everything is set correctly), can only set it to 1665.
> I could set it to 2000+ on one of my cards in MSI afterburner. that was with beta 11 with card #2. I reflashed card #1 to Sapphire Bios and then back to Asus Bios, and updated to MSI afterburner Beta 12, now both cards are max OC-able to 1665 Mhz.
> My MSI afterburner is in unofficial mode, so that is not what is wrong. what Bios is it that is the Asus Bios that does this?


Core or memory? If core alone.... relax
If memory also, use the auto installer BIOS in OP


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geekdll*
> 
> I have it set to 1. Im running a Sapphire 7970 flashed with the Asus Bios that is clocked at Core 1200mhz - Memory 1600Mhz running at 1225mV using AB and the stock air cooler and my idle temp is around 70c seems high to me so Im trying to figure out a way to lower it and keep some of the OC speeds


That does not sound good to me. You are in murky water when it comes to bad a falsh. I guess I would probably uninstall Afterburner,CCC,DRIVERS, then ATIman for full clean and reload drivers and hope it works.

Your card should be downclocking when idle no matter if AB or trixx.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Well if you go into unofficial overclocking territory with clocks, they will not set beyond the CCC limits. I am not sure about Asus GPU tweak tbh. I heard it increases the limits in CCC.
> If for example you set the cards to 1150 on the core and the 2nd card sits at 1125, then ULPS is making that happen.


I guess I'll wait and see when I get my cards. I'm going with the asus cu2's in crossfire. I might say phuck it and just push them too 1125 in CCC and be done. Having to disable this and that/ change this to that etc. just seems like asking for trouble. 1125-1200 is probably only 5-7fps anyways.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Bump on this. Someone help this guy. I can't. Had no luck flashing mine at all.


There's an unlocked clock frequency bios that Ken's posted like 20 times that auto flashes, single or multiple all at once. You literally run it with admin rights, and it auto flashes.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's an unlocked clock frequency bios that Ken's posted like 20 times that auto flashes, single or multiple all at once. You literally run it with admin rights, and it auto flashes.


Yeah I ran that, made no difference to performance, Asus tweak would not let me adjust volts so flashed back to Original.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah I ran that, made no difference to performance, Asus tweak would not let me adjust volts so flashed back to Original.


Afaik, to use gputweak you have to use an Asus bios.


----------



## evensen007

I think someone already posted this, but it may have been missed in between all the flame throwing.









http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358094

New beta drivers with 7970 support. Xfire support as well. Try em out!

Direct download for US:

http://download.benchmark3d.com/AMD/Catalyst/8.95/8.95-120124a.7z


----------



## Evil Penguin

It looks like having unofficial overclocking enabled via AB (whether it's 1 or 2) forces the card to stay at 3D clocks.
I don't think this happened with release drivers...

Also.

PowerPlay manages idle, 2D and 3D power states as well as the TDP (you can use PowerTune to increase the max TDP allowed).
ULPS is a power saving feature enabled on all cards but only works on slave GPUs.
ULPS acts like PowerPlay to a certain extent, but is a step further in reducing the idle power consumption of slave cards.
ZeroCore acts like ULPS does, but works on master and slave cards (lower power).
I think ZeroCore is part of PowerPlay.
Correct me if I'm wrong.









Now why certain PP functions work when it's supposedly disabled, I don't know.
My idle clocks were correct when I disabled PowerPlay with the release drivers and throttling went away...
Not anymore it seems (normal idle clocks).
I think I can have my own "KHAAAAAAN!" moment now...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It looks like having unofficial overclocking enabled via AB (whether it's 1 or 2) forces the card to stay at 3D clocks.
> I don't this this happened with release drivers...
> Also.
> PowerPlay manages idle, 2D and 3D power states as well as the TDP (you can use PowerTune to increase the max TDP allowed).
> ULPS is a power saving feature enabled on all cards but only works on slave GPUs.
> ULPS acts like PowerPlay/ to a certain extent, but is a step further in reducing the idle power consumption of slave cards.
> ZeroCore acts like ULPS does, but works on master and slave cards (drops total power draw to zero, using secondary core during standby).
> I think ZeroCore is part of PowerPlay.
> Correct me if I'm wrong.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now why certain PP functions work when it's supposedly disabled, I don't know.
> My idle clocks were correct when I disabled PowerPlay with the release drivers and throttling went away...
> Not anymore it seems (normal idle clocks).
> I think I can have my own "KHAAAAAAN!" moment now...


That's a good summary. I just added a little more info on ZeroCore.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Afaik, to use gputweak you have to use an Asus bios.


Yeah was using a flashed Asus Bios. My card just did not like it. Tried all methods of flashing and re-flashing and gave up.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It looks like having unofficial overclocking enabled via AB (whether it's 1 or 2) forces the card to stay at 3D clocks.
> I don't this this happened with release drivers...
> Also.
> PowerPlay manages idle, 2D and 3D power states as well as the TDP (you can use PowerTune to increase the max TDP allowed).
> ULPS is a power saving feature enabled on all cards but only works on slave GPUs.
> ULPS acts like PowerPlay/ to a certain extent, but is a step further in reducing the idle power consumption of slave cards.
> ZeroCore acts like ULPS does, but works on master and slave cards (lower power).
> I think ZeroCore is part of PowerPlay.
> Correct me if I'm wrong.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now why certain PP functions work when it's supposedly disabled, I don't know.
> My idle clocks were correct when I disabled PowerPlay with the release drivers and throttling went away...
> Not anymore it seems (normal idle clocks).
> I think I can have my own "KHAAAAAAN!" moment now...


Yeah good summary.
Strange, the full clocks issue with AB, is this with the new AB beta? I was using AB a few days ago and downclocked fine for me.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Using AB confused the hell out of me.








I was seeing this when I should have been seeing that if you know what I mean.

Like unofficial overclocking set to 1, that shouldn't disable PowerPlay but it does.
Anyway... I was wrong with the terminology.
I confused certain features of PowerPlay with ULPS.
I thought ULPS disabled on a single card would actually screw with idle clocks, but it was AB or the drivers (in conjunction with each other) that did.

*sigh*


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Just because somebody's understanding is different to the fact, doesn't mean theyre "making things up". In future Learn to be more civil
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> /dr.phil


Lol.. take your own advice please, you were everything but civil with me..


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Using AB confused the hell out of me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was seeing this when I should have been seeing that if you know what I mean.
> Like unofficial overclocking set to 1, that shouldn't disable PowerPlay but it does.
> Anyway... I was wrong with the terminology.
> I confused certain features of PowerPlay with ULPS.
> I thought ULPS disabled on a single card would actually screw with idle clocks, but it was AB or the drivers (in conjunction with each other) that did.
> *sigh*


mmm well i'm using the new AB now and it is downclocking fine for me....


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Couple of questions!
> 1. Is having a 2600k @ under 1.45 volts ok for 24/7 use?
> 2. What is power tune and do I need it?


bumo


----------



## tsm106

^^1.45v is safe.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Using AB confused the hell out of me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was seeing this when I should have been seeing that if you know what I mean.
> Like unofficial overclocking set to 1, that shouldn't disable PowerPlay but it does.
> Anyway... I was wrong with the terminology.
> I confused certain features of PowerPlay with ULPS.
> I thought ULPS disabled on a single card would actually screw with idle clocks, but it was AB or the drivers (in conjunction with each other) that did.
> *sigh*


UO 1 doesn't disable powperplay but if you think about it, by existence it cannot co-exist with powerplay. AB wants to keep clocks at X value, all the time according to your profile. Powerplay wants to downclock whenever it sees low load on the the 2D desktop. The values in powerplay are not compatible with AB's minimum profile. Thus it's a conflict and neither wins and this is why we get strangeness from AB. You should disable powerplay (in fact all of AMD tech) and solely use AB for full control.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> bumo


1. 1.45 volts is fine on SandyBridge, depending on your temps. Heat kills hardware, not volts (within regulation). What is you gaming/folding temps?
2. You need powertune if you are heavily overclocking your card and are being throttled during benching/gaming.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> mmm well i'm using the new AB now and it is downclocking fine for me....


That's with unofficial overclocking on, right?
Did you flash your card to the "unlocked" BIOS?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> bumo


1: I would say it is fine assuming temps are ok.
2: Makes the performance near tdp limits more constant, will not drop fps violently up and down. So it is a good thing.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Man this has got to be one of the most active clubs on OCN!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That's with unofficial overclocking on, right?
> Did you flash your card to the "unlocked" one?


Yes it is with it on, set to 1.
No I am using my card's stock bios. My card would not flash properly to any Asus bios.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yes it is with it on, set to 1.
> No I am using my card's stock bios. My card would not flash properly to any Asus bios.


Hmm... I'll give it another go.

Edit:
Yup... I had to reset the clocks in afterburner, restart and enable UO=1.
Deleted all my previous profiles just to be sure.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> 1. 1.45 volts is fine on SandyBridge, depending on your temps. Heat kills hardware, not volts (within regulation). What is you gaming/folding temps?
> 2. You need powertune if you are heavily overclocking your card and are being throttled during benching/gaming.


There's just one thing with the Integrated Memory Controller (IMC) on SB CPU's.
Be sure to keep the difference between QPI/VTT voltage and memory voltage *below 0.5V*, or you can fry it.
So if your memory runs at 1.65V, your QPI/VTT should be at least 1.15V.


----------



## NorxMAL

Star trek - Wrath of Khan is a really cool movie in my opinion.

I knew exactly which film Evil Penguin's avatar of James Tiberius Kirk (Captain Kirk) and where he was, and what few phrases he would utter to have that look.
I think most people that hasn't seen this movie yet, might not like it at all.

And now I totally forgot which question I were to ask


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> I think someone already posted this, but it may have been missed in between all the flame throwing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358094
> New beta drivers with 7970 support. Xfire support as well. Try em out!
> Direct download for US:
> http://download.benchmark3d.com/AMD/Catalyst/8.95/8.95-120124a.7z


Thats not an driver from AMD though, is it? not sure if want if it isnt.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Wow you are fast man! I'm dreading transplanting my system from my Storm Scout to my Phantom tonight :s


Did you finish yours yet?

I just dismantled the whole loop and started the rebuild on mine. My new ws revo just got here. Remounted my dual 35x onto a fancy new Swiftech top.


----------



## omega17

^ Tried those new betas from guru3d; CCC wouldn't work. Restored back to 8.921.5 for me









Just as a little comparison of my new rig, compared to the old 1090T ... (tl;dr - ~66% increase







)

==============================================

CPU: *Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3930K CPU @ 4.40GHz*
CPU ID: Intel64 Family 6 Model 45 Stepping 7
Motherboard: ASUS RAMPAGE IV FORMULA Rev 1.xx
Installed RAM: 15.98 GB
Operating System: Windows 7 x64
Video adapter: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
Video Processor: ATI display adapter (0x6798)
Video driver: Catalyst 11.12 (8.921.5-111229a-131232C-ATI)

1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*0X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 20025
Average Frame Time: 5.2ms
Average FPS: *191.1*

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*2X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 15652
Average Frame Time: 6.7ms
Average FPS: *149.3*

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*4X
*Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 13353
Average Frame Time: 7.8ms
Average FPS: *127.4*

===========================================

CPU: *AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1090T Processor @ 3.9Ghz*
CPU ID: AMD64 Family 16 Model 10 Stepping 0
Motherboard: ASUS Crosshair IV Formula Rev 1.xx
Installed RAM: 7.99 GB
Operating System: Windows 7 x64
Video adapter: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
Video Processor: ATI display adapter (0x6798)
Video driver: ()

1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*0X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 11831
Average Frame Time: 8.9ms
*Average FPS: 112.9*

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*2X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 9782
Average Frame Time: 10.7ms
*Average FPS: 93.3*

===========================================
1920 x 1200/Very High/High/16/SSAO On/TS On/AS On/*4X*
Used AvP_D3D11_Benchmark.exe

Number of frames: 8342
Average Frame Time: 12.6ms
*Average FPS: 79.6*

===========================================


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> Yep. I have an AX850 and it ran 2 7970s fine.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Overclocked?


I had powertune at like 16% and the gpu at 1125. It was an xfx black edition and one of the new gigabyte triple fans, both being at 1000 be default.


----------



## NorxMAL

There is so little mention of Memory voltage here, what do others have at 1600 for example, what signs happens when it's too low etc?


----------



## Oberon

I want one so bad.... The Gigabyte 7970's seem to be out of stock everywhere. Anyone know when they'll be in stock again?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> There is so little mention of Memory voltage here, what do others have at 1600 for example, what signs happens when it's too low etc?


1600MHz or 1600mV? 1600MHz shouldn't take more than the stock voltage of 1600mV.









If you keep turning the memory clock up and the performance stops increasing you've hit the point that the error correction hit caught up with the performance increase. At that point you'll either need to bump the voltage or back off the clock a bit. Go too far past that point and you'll notice things start stuttering.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> There is so little mention of Memory voltage here, what do others have at 1600 for example, what signs happens when it's too low etc?


1700 for me. Above will lock up.


----------



## slice259

1700 mhz memory on 1.615v all day, OEM is 1.6v. I have a fair amount of headroom left with the memory, I am thinking 1800+... but msi afterburner is limited to 1790 so we will see.


----------



## Norlig

Cant they release a Driver soon...? I cannot use these cards for anything except BF3


----------



## Mrip541

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Cant they release a Driver soon...? I cannot use these cards for anything except BF3


In my opinion it's absolutely ridiculous that they released a $600 card that they can't support. It's even crazier that they released a new driver version after the card was released and it STILL didn't support the new card. Insane. Imagine if LG released a new tv that didn't work with Comcast, or if the next iPhone didn't support any 3G or faster connections.


----------



## geekdll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Cant they release a Driver soon...? I cannot use these cards for anything except BF3


I agree we need a better driver soon and now that the 7950 are out they should release something. I also just noticed when I just tried to check the AMD site for a new driver the 7 series driver page is down and been down for at least 1 day that I know of whats going on


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's an unlocked clock frequency bios that Ken's posted like 20 times that auto flashes, single or multiple all at once. You literally run it with admin rights, and it auto flashes.


And me









Anyways, I'm off work and it's time to dive back to the stable overclocking on my card. So far, I think I'm pretty stable at 1175/1650mhz. My memory overclocking seems to be fine but I want to get my core up to 1200 like I can easily on my first card. Adding too much voltage will not be stable, not adding enough obviously will not be stable so I have to find the sweet spot.

I uninstalled Afterburner as it seemed to be buggy with my CCC. The power slider wouldn't stick, or it would stick for one card and not the other and all that. The voltage/clocks wouldn't appear or show up despite having ULPS disabled things like that.

Got rid of it and installed Trixx and it's much easier on the eyes and does everything you need it to and doesn't seem to conflict with my CCC at all.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> I had powertune at like 16% and the gpu at 1125. It was an xfx black edition and one of the new gigabyte triple fans, both being at 1000 be default.


Awesome, glad i bought the pro AX850 and not the other, higher wattage more expensive versions.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Cant they release a Driver soon...? I cannot use these cards for anything except BF3


OFF-question: Did you ever play a single 7970 on the U2711?


----------



## wsu172

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 
> *This how to make a bootable USB.* Tools are all in the second post of this thread.
> After u have successfully created a bootable usb/cd... put the *ATIflash.exe* and *ASUS3D.100* file on there, which is also found on the second post as a zip file.
> EDIT: Oh yeah...and what ken said, i just read the first few words and compiled this guide.


Hello. I am struggling overclocking my Sapphire HD 7970, @@ how can you hit the 1250Mhz @ 1.225v [email protected]@ To me the wall is 1200Mhz, I can not go any futher it will crash even at 1.3v . I really followed your instructon, Here is what I did:
1.First manully flashed to Asus bios.
2.Asus voltage tweak set to extend overclock enhancement, but not run it when overclocking
3. Afterburner set to 1.25V and 1250Mhz, 1700Mhz for meory and at 1.7v
4 unselect CCC overdrive, but set the values in it same as afterbuner
5.only use AB to overclock.

So this is all I did, I know you can go even 1300Mhz but to me 1200Mhz is the wall, but our cards are all Sapphire brand, did I miss something or just my card is [email protected]@ Sorry I am new to overclocking, I really need your help, I see your post result that is amazing! please help me out with this>< really appreciated man!


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> Hello. I am struggling overclocking my Sapphire HD 7970, @@ how can you hit the 1250Mhz @ 1.225v [email protected]@ To me the wall is 1200Mhz, I can not go any futher it will crash even at 1.3v . I really followed your instructon, Here is what I did:
> 1.First manully flashed to Asus bios.
> 2.Asus voltage tweak set to extend overclock enhancement, but not run it when overclocking
> 3. Afterburner set to 1.25V and 1250Mhz, 1700Mhz for meory and at 1.7v
> 4 unselect CCC overdrive, but set the values in it same as afterbuner
> 5.only use AB to overclock.
> So this is all I did, I know you can go even 1300Mhz but to me 1200Mhz is the wall, but our cards are all Sapphire brand, did I miss something or just my card is [email protected]@ Sorry I am new to overclocking, I really need your help, I see your post result that is amazing! please help me out with this>< really appreciated man!


Might be in same situation with me on my HIS -- Having issues getting it stable with the right voltages, it's just funky. Might not reach the 50 extra mhz, nor is 2-4fps worth it


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*


Brilliant


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> In my opinion it's absolutely ridiculous that they released a $600 card that they can't support. It's even crazier that they released a new driver version after the card was released and it STILL didn't support the new card. Insane. Imagine if LG released a new tv that didn't work with Comcast, or if the next iPhone didn't support any 3G or faster connections.


Ditto on that sentiment. I mentioned how AMD always seems to give their customer base the shaft in terms of driver support in another thread, and I was flamed for it. I just spent $1,200 on two cards, the 7970 has been out for over almost a month now. I expect proper drivers for my cards, still haven't received that. Come on AMD, get your **** together. This is this is unacceptable for their flagship cards.


----------



## striker7968

I've been getting this buzzing sound from my MSI 7970 OC edition. I got the same thing from my XFX 7970 BE. It isn't the fan. It sounds like some sort of electrical buzz. It only happens when it is under load (game, bench, exc.) Anybody have any ideas?


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *striker7968*
> 
> I've been getting this buzzing sound from my MSI 7970 OC edition. I got the same thing from my XFX 7970 BE. It isn't the fan. It sounds like some sort of electrical buzz. It only happens when it is under load (game, bench, exc.) Anybody have any ideas?


Capacitor squeel. Not a big deal. They all do it to some extent. If it's really bad you could consider RMAing the card.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm happy too but we are still on a RC driver and people with xfire are having a little difficulty.
> The real test comes when another AAA title comes out and whether or not Amd is ready for the game with proper drivers this time.


This!


----------



## jshotz

Thanks to everyone who has helped me! I'm going to stay with this setup for now, I'm really happy with it!



Happy fraggin!


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Ditto on that sentiment. I mentioned how AMD always seems to give their customer base the shaft in terms of driver support in another thread, and I was flamed for it. I just spent $1,200 on two cards, the 7970 has been out for over almost a month now. I expect proper drivers for my cards, still haven't received that. Come on AMD, get your **** together. This is this is unacceptable for their flagship cards.


What games are you having a problem with? Most of all the current big hit games like BF3 are scaling and running awesome right now especially in crossfire. If your having problems with a particular game who knows if the new driver will fix it especially if its an older game. All I care about is BF3 and the new serious sam and it runs them great.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Ditto on that sentiment. I mentioned how AMD always seems to give their customer base the shaft in terms of driver support in another thread, and I was flamed for it. I just spent $1,200 on two cards, the 7970 has been out for over almost a month now. I expect proper drivers for my cards, still haven't received that. Come on AMD, get your **** together. This is this is unacceptable for their flagship cards.
> 
> 
> 
> What games are you having a problem with? Most of all the current big hit games like BF3 are scaling and running awesome right now especially in crossfire. If your having problems with a particular game who knows if the new driver will fix it especially if its an older game. All I care about is BF3 and the new serious sam and it runs them great.
Click to expand...

I'm having the following issues (and counting)...with just ONE card.....

Killing Floor - Doesn't open (main screen black, secondary flashes)
GTA IV / EFLC - Stuttering
GRID - Resolution doesn't exist past 1280x1024
Bioshock - Doesn't open (crashes)
Duke Nukem Forever - same as Killing Floor
Crysis - same as Bioshock


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm having the following issues (and counting)...with just ONE card.....
> Killing Floor - Doesn't open (main screen black, secondary flashes)
> GTA IV / EFLC - Stuttering
> GRID - Resolution doesn't exist past 1280x1024
> Bioshock - Doesn't open (crashes)
> Duke Nukem Forever - same as Killing Floor
> Crysis - same as Bioshock


damn man that sucks.....I hope the upcoming drivers can help you. Also hello to a fellow washington resident. I live in Renton.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm having the following issues (and counting)...with just ONE card.....
> Killing Floor - Doesn't open (main screen black, secondary flashes)
> GTA IV / EFLC - Stuttering
> GRID - Resolution doesn't exist past 1280x1024
> Bioshock - Doesn't open (crashes)
> Duke Nukem Forever - same as Killing Floor
> Crysis - same as Bioshock
> 
> 
> 
> damn man that sucks.....I hope the upcoming drivers can help you. Also hello to a fellow washington resident. I live in Renton.
Click to expand...

I just drove to Seattle (3 hour drive one way) and back to pick up this card and the 30" monitor. And this is what I get....all my favorite games don't work.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I just drove to Seattle (3 hour drive one way) and back to pick up this card and the 30" monitor. And this is what I get....all my favorite games don't work.


Ohh your the one that bought Deriks monitor and card. That's odd that in a few mentioned it won't even open them especially crysis.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> Hello. I am struggling overclocking my Sapphire HD 7970, @@ how can you hit the 1250Mhz @ 1.225v [email protected]@ To me the wall is 1200Mhz, I can not go any futher it will crash even at 1.3v . I really followed your instructon, Here is what I did:
> 1.First manully flashed to Asus bios.
> 2.Asus voltage tweak set to extend overclock enhancement, but not run it when overclocking
> 3. Afterburner set to 1.25V and 1250Mhz, 1700Mhz for meory and at 1.7v
> 4 unselect CCC overdrive, but set the values in it same as afterbuner
> 5.only use AB to overclock.
> So this is all I did, I know you can go even 1300Mhz but to me 1200Mhz is the wall, but our cards are all Sapphire brand, did I miss something or just my card is [email protected]@ Sorry I am new to overclocking, I really need your help, I see your post result that is amazing! please help me out with this>< really appreciated man!


Well yes i can run benchmarks at 1300mhz, but that doesn't mean its stable.
My 100% stable overclock is 1230mhz on the core and 1250mhz on the 2nd card. Not all cards are the same man even if they're from the same vendor









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has helped me! I'm going to stay with this setup for now, I'm really happy with it!
> Happy fraggin!


Now that is one beast OC.. same as my 100% overclock, but im sure you can get your memory to 1700mhz.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm having the following issues (and counting)...with just ONE card.....
> Killing Floor - Doesn't open (main screen black, secondary flashes)
> GTA IV / EFLC - Stuttering
> GRID - Resolution doesn't exist past 1280x1024
> Bioshock - Doesn't open (crashes)
> Duke Nukem Forever - same as Killing Floor
> Crysis - same as Bioshock


In this case......Nothing a fresh windows install won't fix


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> What games are you having a problem with? Most of all the current big hit games like BF3 are scaling and running awesome right now especially in crossfire. If your having problems with a particular game who knows if the new driver will fix it especially if its an older game. All I care about is BF3 and the new serious sam and it runs them great.


Regardless of which games I'm having issues with, the very fact that this card has already been out for a month and without official drivers supporting crossfire, is just totally unacceptable. The cards themselves are awesome, and I don't in the slightest regret switching from the green team, but I do feel a bit disappointed with regard to driver support.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> And me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyways, I'm off work and it's time to dive back to the stable overclocking on my card. So far, I think I'm pretty stable at 1175/1650mhz. My memory overclocking seems to be fine but I want to get my core up to 1200 like I can easily on my first card. Adding too much voltage will not be stable, not adding enough obviously will not be stable so I have to find the sweet spot.
> I uninstalled Afterburner as it seemed to be buggy with my CCC. The power slider wouldn't stick, or it would stick for one card and not the other and all that. The voltage/clocks wouldn't appear or show up despite having ULPS disabled things like that.
> Got rid of it and installed Trixx and it's much easier on the eyes and does everything you need it to and doesn't seem to conflict with my CCC at all.


I'm using Trixx + Speedfan 4.45 which has AMD support newly added. It can:

a. control the GPU fan including Automatic, manual, or custom profiles

b. Display the GPU temp in the windows system tray

c. can adjust case fan speeds (if connected to the M/B) based on the GPU temp

d. can display a variety of sensor readings over time in a graph, and save to a file.

e. plus it's many other benefits

The only thing it lacks is a Start With Windows" setting, but this can be added to the Windows Task Scheduler if required. (needs admin rights so won't work from the Startup folder)

Its free and a great app.

http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Well yes i can run benchmarks at 1300mhz, but that doesn't mean its stable.
> My 100% stable overclock is 1230mhz on the core and 1250mhz on the 2nd card. Not all cards are the same man even if they're from the same vendor
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that is one beast OC.. same as my 100% overclock, but im sure you can get your memory to 1700mhz.
> In this case......Nothing a fresh windows install won't fix


Yea I should push my CPU now only at 4.5







I know I can hit 5.0 at 1.41


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Did you finish yours yet?
> I just dismantled the whole loop and started the rebuild on mine. My new ws revo just got here. Remounted my dual 35x onto a fancy new Swiftech top.


Thanks for asking! 

Haven't had a chance to finish the Phantom yet, but I did put the new 7970 into the Storm Scout. It fits (just...sorta lol). So far a little disappointed. I guess in a few months with some decent drivers it will show it's true colours, but it's hardly an improvement over my Asus 6870 at the moment. Bugs and bugs. Can't even run Crysis at low settings, massive screen corruption then complete system lock.

Edit: and the temperatures and noise are a tragedy. Running 2 monitors or any kind of O/C needs a fan speed of 50% on a cool night, more if it's hot. It is WAY louder and hotter than the 6870.

I ran the fan at 100% when doing the Batman bench, and it was about 70 degrees, the fan is actually very effective over 55%; at 100% it puts an air blast out the back that is almost unbelievable. The metal PCI plate becomes almost too hot to touch. And that's all with the side door on the scout open, at an ambient in the low 20's C.

Maybe I should have gotten the Gigabyte and accepted the heat dump in the case. But I wanted one now now now!!! haha I'm sure I'll eventually be happy, I hope.

Your rigs are amazing! Seriously full-on professional, almost military in design and construction. Really really nice.

Have a good weekend mate!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Like I wrote, it's because you have to disable all of AMD's tech just so a limp program operate/overclock. Disable ulps, disable powerplay, constant voltage, c'mon. Why did we buy these cards anyways only to turn them into GTX480s? Ok that was a bit of a rant lol.


Hi again.

If you have the time can you please explain what the disable ULPS setting in Trixx does? And from reading a few posts it seems that people are not necessarily setting the Powertune to the full 20%. From the AMD White Paper I read, Powetune can't be disabled, because it is built into the chip itself?

How do the AMD CCC Overdrive setting interact with Trixx? I can sorta undertand the fan, one takes over the other, but not so sure about the clocks. And if Trixx sets the Voltage, is that voltage hard set into the GPU even if Trixx is closed? I can't believe they don't give any documentation with Trixx. For seven hundred bucks we didn't even get a free game (whinge)


----------



## vedaire

well I haven't tried very much but my stock xfx hd 7970 stock card is at 1125/1375 stock voltage at 41c plays bf3 at max settings 1920/1080 which is all my monitor will do

gonna play with it more tomorrow when i have some time work comes early in the morning.

3dmark06 is 17999 like that but my fx-8150 isnt o/ced yet either


----------



## wsu172

en~








yeah I heard that all cards are different too. BTW I don't know it is just me or, do you feel like the graphic in game looks really bad? cuz it seems like it lack AA compare with my HD 6990 which I used to have. Also when I overclock to 1200Mhz, it start to show flikering artifacts stuff ;(


----------



## wsu172

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Well yes i can run benchmarks at 1300mhz, but that doesn't mean its stable.
> My 100% stable overclock is 1230mhz on the core and 1250mhz on the 2nd card. Not all cards are the same man even if they're from the same vendor
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now that is one beast OC.. same as my 100% overclock, but im sure you can get your memory to 1700mhz.
> In this case......Nothing a fresh windows install won't fix


en~
yeah I heard that all cards are different too. BTW I don't know it is just me or, do you feel like the graphic in game looks really bad? cuz it seems like it lack AA compare with my HD 6990 which I used to have. Also when I overclock to 1200Mhz, it start to show flikering artifacts stuff ;(


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> en~
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeah I heard that all cards are different too. BTW I don't know it is just me or, do you feel like the graphic in game looks really bad? cuz it seems like it lack AA compare with my HD 6990 which I used to have. Also when I overclock to 1200Mhz, it start to show flikering artifacts stuff ;(


No actually ive noticed an improvement in AA from 6970's








What games are you playing?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Thanks for asking!
> 
> Haven't had a chance to finish the Phantom yet, but I did put the new 7970 into the Storm Scout. It fits (just...sorta lol). So far a little disappointed. I guess in a few months with some decent drivers it will show it's true colours, but it's hardly an improvement over my Asus 6870 at the moment. Bugs and bugs. Can't even run Crysis at low settings, massive screen corruption then complete system lock.
> 
> Edit: and the temperatures and noise are a tragedy. Running 2 monitors or any kind of O/C needs a fan speed of 50% on a cool night, more if it's hot. It is WAY louder and hotter than the 6870.
> 
> I ran the fan at 100% when doing the Batman bench, and it was about 70 degrees, the fan is actually very effective over 55%; at 100% it puts an air blast out the back that is almost unbelievable. The metal PCI plate becomes almost too hot to touch. And that's all with the side door on the scout open, at an ambient in the low 20's C.
> 
> Maybe I should have gotten the Gigabyte and accepted the heat dump in the case. But I wanted one now now now!!! haha I'm sure I'll eventually be happy, I hope.
> 
> Your rigs are amazing! Seriously full-on professional, almost military in design and construction. Really really nice.
> 
> Have a good weekend mate!


Cooling wise, high end cards are generally all hot and loud. In other words it really is to be expected, although this 7xxx card should be better than the 69xx cards in noise. Ever thought about watercooling? I was able to run some benches on the RC11 driver, namely Metro 2033 and Heaven. What driver are you using?

I also mounted that pump combo, though it's still very much a work in progress.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Hi again.
> 
> If you have the time can you please explain what the disable ULPS setting in Trixx does? And from reading a few posts it seems that people are not necessarily setting the Powertune to the full 20%. From the AMD White Paper I read, Powetune can't be disabled, because it is built into the chip itself?
> 
> How do the AMD CCC Overdrive setting interact with Trixx? I can sorta undertand the fan, one takes over the other, but not so sure about the clocks. And if Trixx sets the Voltage, is that voltage hard set into the GPU even if Trixx is closed? I can't believe they don't give any documentation with Trixx. For seven hundred bucks we didn't even get a free game (whinge)


ULPS is AMD's method of putting slave cards in crossfire into a low power idle mode. It is enabled in the drivers by default, but it obviously is only active if you have more than one card. Overclock programs cannot logically deal with ULPS. It's like the left hand does not know what the right is doing. Clock frequency wise, if you try overclocking in AB or Trixx with ULPS enabled, it will almost always result in a BSOD. Thus you gotta disable ULPS.

You're correct about Powertune, it can't be disabled. You have to be able to set it to +20 or you will hit the TDP limit sooner. It's inevitable that we will hit the rev limiter in a manner of speaking, when overclocking.

Overclocking problems occur with apps such as Trixx and AB due to Powerplay. There's three or four modes of operation, though generally its just the three, 2D/3D/Idle. If you have more than one monitor your 2D mode will change as well. Due to this Trixx/AB have a very hard time setting and keeping clocks with the bandit Powerplay running loose.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Overclocking problems occur with apps such as Trixx and AB due to Powerplay. There's three or four modes of operation, though generally its just the three, 2D/3D/Idle. If you have more than one monitor your 2D mode will change as well. Due to this Trixx/AB have a very hard time setting and keeping clocks with the bandit Powerplay running loose.


Have you ruled out Gpu Tweak or does ULPS have to be turned off with it also when in crossfire?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Have you ruled out Gpu Tweak or does ULPS have to be turned off with it also when in crossfire?


You only have to mess with ULPS when you are crossfired and want to overclock with a 3rd party app like gputweak, ab, trixx. I can't say that this will be true of all future apps, but the currents apps now do not mix with ULPS and crossfire well.


----------



## Ken1649

ULPS/Afterburner

The command to enable "unofficial overclocking" remains the same;

UnofficialOverclockingMode;


1 = To keep PowerPlay active.
2 = To traditionally disable PowerPlay (no Power Tune)
0 = To temporary disable unofficial overclocking path.

Note: for single card, disabling ULPS serves no purpose.

Do it in this order;

Install MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 12 released

Disable ULPS


Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
For ALL instances (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
Reboot PC.

Enable "unofficial overclocking" HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner

First, must disable ULPS then to enabling "unofficial overclocking". Do not override Afterburner with Catalyst installation.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm having the following issues (and counting)...with just ONE card.....
> Killing Floor - Doesn't open (main screen black, secondary flashes)
> GTA IV / EFLC - Stuttering
> GRID - Resolution doesn't exist past 1280x1024
> Bioshock - Doesn't open (crashes)
> Duke Nukem Forever - same as Killing Floor
> Crysis - same as Bioshock


I have Killing Floor, and it worked excellent. Though this is the first time I have actually started it since I bought it








Does it support eyefinity?


----------



## Nemesis158

I have a little project for some of you guys with these cards under water. I want to see how low you can drop your cards vcore down while the card is clocked at 1125mhz.
I could have probably kept going but i was able to push my card down to 1.081v while running Unigine Heaven and then let it run for over 3 hours on the stock air cooling. im fairly certain that temperature has a lot to do with it, as i kept it under 70c the whole time. if the temp started rising i noticed some artifacting. i think im going to try to push it all they way down to 1.05v later(mine is a 1050mv card)


----------



## unrealskill

hey guys i just wanted to know what is the proper way to uninstall nvidia drivers and soft where and then installing amd 7970 drivers and soft where. i had evga and afterburner installed,thanks


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> hey guys i just wanted to know what is the proper way to uninstall nvidia drivers and soft where and then installing amd 7970 drivers and soft where. i had evga and afterburner installed,thanks


Select reset in Evga Precision and Afterburner. Uninstall them and select "no" when prompted to keep settings.

From Program and Feature, select uninstall Nvidia graphics driver, this will uninstall PhysX SS, HDMI drivers. Do not restart when prompted to do so.

Then delete these folders then restart PC.


C:\user\Program files or (x86)\ Nvidia.
C:\user\ProgramData\Nvidia (need to show hidden files).

Avoid using Driver Sweeper.


----------



## wsu172

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> No actually ive noticed an improvement in AA from 6970's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What games are you playing?


[email protected]@ I am playing BF3, GTA IV(which is stuttering and slow when maxed out shadow), and MW3. they just don't look good at all ;( well a lot of issues going on, so I just RMA it for a replacement tomorrow, and see whether is the card problem or it is my problem. BTW, have you noticed ASUS Dirct 2 version? are they way better than referrence card in terms of overclocking? or just less nosiy sound?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wsu172*
> 
> [email protected]@ I am playing BF3, GTA IV(which is stuttering and slow when maxed out shadow), and MW3. they just don't look good at all ;( well a lot of issues going on, so I just RMA it for a replacement tomorrow, and see whether is the card problem or it is my problem. BTW, have you noticed ASUS Dirct 2 version? are they way better than referrence card in terms of overclocking? or just less nosiy sound?


OHHH...with MW3 make sure u change *Image quality to : NATIVE*
That is thew image quality fix.


----------



## sockpirate

I am guessing with temps like this i am going to be able to push these cards a lot further than the 1125 limit in afterburner! Especially since this is without ANY voltage manipulation?

This was right after a heaven run on stock settings with a CPU OC of 4.8 ghz

What route or direction do i take from here to get above 1125, would i be using CCC ? Disable ULPS or not? I think not? Since up to this point i have not manipulated voltages?


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

That's what you want! I've been reading reviews for the last 12hours and well...it's not gonna be too much longer now until I can find out myself...

I might take the hour drive LLs.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PROBN4LYFE*
> 
> That's what you want! I've been reading reviews for the last 12hours and well...it's not gonna be too much longer now until I can find out myself...
> 
> I might take the hour drive LLs.


huh?


----------



## CallsignVega

I like that they have added the +20 power-tune option in Afterburner Beta 12. Now I don't have to fool around with CCC at all. Running 1300MHz core and 1900MHz memory now on air and I don't break 63C which is pretty sweet.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> I like that they have added the +20 power-tune option in Afterburner Beta 12. Now I don't have to fool around with CCC at all. Running 1300MHz core and 1900MHz memory now on air and I don't break 63C which is pretty sweet.


Are you in the Arctics? Fan at 100%? Seriously, how do you keep it that cool at those clocks. Me jelly!


----------



## vedaire

well i maxxed out msi ab at 1125core so i played with the memory some got it to 1430 so far need to unlock the core speed some how ive not messed with any of the other oc programs anyone know of one thatll go further then ab?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> well i maxxed out msi ab at 1125core so i played with the memory some got it to 1430 so far need to unlock the core speed some how ive not messed with any of the other oc programs anyone know of one thatll go further then ab?


You'll need to Open the MSIAfterburner.cfg with Notepad. Change the "enable unofficial overclocking" Value of 0 to 1, then save the file.
This will increase the limits in AB.

Also, some dots and commas would be nice


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Are you in the Arctics? Fan at 100%? Seriously, how do you keep it that cool at those clocks. Me jelly!


lol

It's because he runs the rig in a different room so he can run all his fans maxed out. WTB spare room...


----------



## hollowxx

ok soo i need help i seen ppl passing 1200 mhz core clock , and i cant pass 1175 without getting artifact even with msi 1299 voltage setting and my mem running at 1575 and +20 power control, if i go 1200 it start trowing alot of artifact and red stuff.... any can tell me how they do it... i got a sapphire hd 7970 ref. ty=)


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PROBN4LYFE*
> 
> That's what you want! I've been reading reviews for the last 12hours and well...it's not gonna be too much longer now until I can find out myself...
> 
> I might take the hour drive LLs.
> 
> 
> 
> huh?
Click to expand...


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hollowxx*
> 
> ok soo i need help i seen ppl passing 1200 mhz core clock , and i cant pass 1175 without getting artifact even with msi 1299 voltage setting and my mem running at 1575 and +20 power control, if i go 1200 it start trowing alot of artifact and red stuff.... any can tell me how they do it... i got a sapphire hd 7970 ref. ty=)


It's probably not going to happen. 1175MHz on air is a pretty respectable OC for these cards.

The average overclock is probably 1100 or so on air and 1275 or so on water.


----------



## Faded

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PROBN4LYFE*


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> Select reset in Evga Precision and Afterburner. Uninstall them and select "no" when prompted to keep settings.
> 
> From Program and Feature, select uninstall Nvidia graphics driver, this will uninstall PhysX SS, HDMI drivers. Do not restart when prompted to do so.
> 
> Then delete these folders then restart PC.
> 
> C:\user\Program files or (x86)\ Nvidia.
> C:\user\ProgramData\Nvidia (need to show hidden files).
> 
> Avoid using Driver Sweeper.


thanks +rep for you!


----------



## vedaire

Aye sorry about that was just home from work for lunch real fast when i sent that off. So I was in a hurry.


----------



## criznit

One last question before I pull the trigger on a 7970. I currently have a 22" benq 1680x1050 monitor that will get upgraded to a s23a700d in a month or so. Should I go ahead and get the card first or get the monitor now and get the card later?


----------



## vedaire

grrr ok is AB supposed to blank out the settings once you click apply cause that is what mine does after enabling the extreme overclocking deal like suggested?


----------



## sockpirate

Is it just me or does the new AB beta keep asking you to restart your pc upon each start up ?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> One last question before I pull the trigger on a 7970. I currently have a 22" benq 1680x1050 monitor that will get upgraded to a s23a700d in a month or so. Should I go ahead and get the card first or get the monitor now and get the card later?


if you're really on onboard graphics get the card first.

On another note: Where the heck are the bios downloads for the twin frozer/dcu2? I need *MOAR voltage*!!!


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> if you're really on onboard graphics get the card first.
> On another note: Where the heck are the bios downloads for the twin frozer/dcu2? I need *MOAR voltage*!!!


Ordered a HIS 7970!!! I want to be part of the club guys!!! lol


----------



## vedaire

grrr ok I give up when i set ab to enable extreme overclocking it doesnt do anything at all am i missing something here


----------



## PARTON

Have you edited the .cfg file?


----------



## fortunesolace

FOR THOSE THINKING TO BUY AN XFX 7970!!!

READ THIS LINK:

http://www.decryptedtech.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=493:xfx-says-take-it-back-where-you-bought-it&Itemid=138


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fortunesolace*
> 
> FOR THOSE THINKING TO BUY AN XFX 7970!!!
> READ THIS LINK:
> http://www.decryptedtech.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=493:xfx-says-take-it-back-where-you-bought-it&Itemid=138


wow really xfx


----------



## vedaire

aye I edited the config file and what happens is I start up af and the only setting that shows anything is voltage

the other setting have the slider all the way to the left and no numbers showing.
then when i go to move the slider or manual enter the number in the box it shows up. But, as soon as I hit apply it disappears
Ive also tried asus's gpu tweakit and trixx. neither of those will do anything.


----------



## tsm106

Does anyone still need a 7970? I'm about to cancel an order from Amazon that I placed a long time ago. The order was for three asus 7970 for 560ea and it ships on the 8th. I'm going to cancel it probably by sun or mon before it ships. Not looking to make money if it isn't obvious.


----------



## tanton

I have a Gigabyte 7970 and it's causing me a heck of a problem :
this just started yesterday. It was fine before. Whenever I play a game, the computer freezes after less than a minute and the screen turns off. Only thing I can do is turn off the computer then turn it on again. I have tried uninstalling the drivers, I deleted all registry files as instructed on one of the threads here. I also tried to uninstall .NET frameword and reinstalling it again. I don't want to install Windows again unless it is necessary.

The CPU and GPU are all at stock speeds and all tweaking programs are deleted.

edit: problem solved, was the PSU


----------



## JMCB

I just ordered another 7970 for crossfire action. Kind of regretting it now, as I can pretty much max everything atm lol.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> if you're really on onboard graphics get the card first.
> On another note: Where the heck are the bios downloads for the twin frozer/dcu2? I need *MOAR voltage*!!!


Wait so the cu2 and twin frzr have different bios allowing them to handle more voltage? Any proof of this?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fortunesolace*
> 
> FOR THOSE THINKING TO BUY AN XFX 7970!!!
> READ THIS LINK:
> http://www.decryptedtech.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=493:xfx-says-take-it-back-where-you-bought-it&Itemid=138


This breaks consumer law in Australia, and is therefor invalid here, no matter what it says.

Edit: But it is sneaky and underhanded and just BS.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Wait so the cu2 and twin frzr have different bios allowing them to handle more voltage? Any proof of this?


FYI Sapphire Trixx allows up to 1.3V


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcfc89*
> 
> Wait so the cu2 and twin frzr have different bios allowing them to handle more voltage? Any proof of this?


I haven't seen any proof. I just assume that they will/do. We should see full dcu2 reviews soon.

I need more than 1.3v. I'm running 1.3 as my standard now.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> aye I edited the config file and what happens is I start up af and the only setting that shows anything is voltage
> the other setting have the slider all the way to the left and no numbers showing.
> then when i go to move the slider or manual enter the number in the box it shows up. But, as soon as I hit apply it disappears
> Ive also tried asus's gpu tweakit and trixx. neither of those will do anything.


Sounds like you need to uninstall all utilities and drivers, clean ati from reg, and reinstall drivers and the utility of your choice.

Edit2:

What was the cfg edit to make afterburner display actual voltage not target? I cant find it. And where the heck is my powertune slider? Do need to restart after installing beta 12?


----------



## grandpatzer

So is the OCCT test more demanding then Kombustor?

I want to just stress test to make sure it passes clocks then play my favorite games to see if it is stable.

I will be using GPU-Z and log to make sure it is not throttling down the card.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> So is the OCCT test more demanding then Kombustor?
> 
> I want to just stress test to make sure it passes clocks then play my favorite games to see if it is stable.
> 
> I will be using GPU-Z and log to make sure it is not throttling down the card.


I always run about 30 minutes of the Heaven benchmark, followed by about 20-30 minutes of the Crysis benchmark. If I pass both of those....I never have a problem with my GPU overclocks.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> 1. 4 versions: 1025mV, 1050mV, 1112mV and 1175mV.
> 3. Maximum voltage of 125mV above default before the protection kicks in.


So installing latest MSI afterburner and now without tweaking voltage mine says 1112mv.

So I got unlucky and got the 2nd worse Asic version, as the best Asic is 1025mv?
so my maximum volt is then 1112mv + 125mv= 1237mv?

For now I'm going to overclock using stock volts 1112mv, I might get ballsy and try out 1175mv aswell.

I'm trying with Kombustor, then once it crashes I will decrease 25-50mhz, then game favorite games and Unigine 30min.

Once I order my waterblock I'll also try out maximum volt so 1237mv and also do another OC before I slap on watercooling.


----------



## Simonzi

So, on impulse, while doing some "business" at work today (if you know what I mean), I ordered a Diamond 7970 from Newegg. I was unaware the Asus DCII had hit the Egg, even though it is OOS. If I had known about that, I would have waited for that, simply for it coming with a back plate









Is there going to be a back plate available soon for sale here on the US? I know EK has one, which is almost $70 shipped here. I saw Swiftech has one coming out, but I couldn't find any info if I'll be able to buy just the back plate, not the whole waterblock. Any other back plates surfacing? Or is that about it?


----------



## vedaire

well i got my xfx hd7970 core edition to core 1150/1500 at 40c with fan at 40% and stock voltage however to bump anything more due to noise this card has to go under water so swiftech needs to get its waterblock out cause im gonna need 2 of em.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> well i got my xfx hd7970 core edition to core 1150/1500 at 40c with fan at 40% and stock voltage however to bump anything more due to noise this card has to go under water so swiftech needs to get its waterblock out cause im gonna need 2 of em.


40c?

I'm running so far 1125/1375 and the temperature % fan seems to be similar to stock, but my temperature is around 77-78c.

I guess you want the Swiftech as it also has backplate unlike other watercooling?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Yeah 40C at those clocks with fan at just 40% is impossible. Must have been a typo.
I run 1125 / 1790 @ default voltages @ 68C @ 45% fan @ BF3.


----------



## vedaire

not just the backplate i want it because i believe its gonna be one of the best out there but now i need some advice.
I cant find a bios editor for the 7970 bios any one know of one rbe wont work I tried it.


----------



## vedaire

i looked at the settings ill have to recheck it a little later but im certain it was low 40s
of course my ambient types inside the case are also low 20s


----------



## wirefox

I Just got my new tubing and slapped on an EK block ... just bleeding out the bubbles... it's idling at 30c at stock

How exciting







and now the quiet fun begins


----------



## vedaire

I thought about the full card ek but it just didnt talk to me like the swiftech komodo did.


----------



## lexichu01L

Just got the MSI 7970 today after every other card I was going to buy showed sold out on newegg! They went so fast! But I love this card, way better than 2 6950s! Wish I could have gotten the Gigabyte Tri fan 7970! Maybe I will buy that aftermarket cooler if its easy to install.


----------



## GetTheMoney

Hey guys, just got my 7950. I wanna overclock but I wanna do it right. Any tips? How did you all approach overclocking these things? And what fan speeds do you run? Any higher than 60 and it is really loud for me.


----------



## DOM.

Well got my wb installed but didn't let me oc higher but did let me get a higher stable oc









@ guys that where able to flash to the asus bios did it help oc more ?


----------



## unrealskill

i was wondering if a ek backplate would work on a stock 7970 air cooled.


----------



## CallsignVega

What is so special about a back plate?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> What is so special about a back plate?


Vanity, what can I say... hehe.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> What is so special about a back plate?


Nothing, it just looks nicer than a bare PCB.


----------



## Ken1649

It won't clock higher?


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> i was wondering if a ek backplate would work on a stock 7970 air cooled.


ill check if the screws screw in the stock hs tomorrow I'm at work right now








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> What is so special about a back plate?


It looks cool lol and it helps with the vr cooling it comes with thermal pads for the back


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> i was wondering if a ek backplate would work on a stock 7970 air cooled.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> ill check if the screws screw in the stock hs tomorrow I'm at work right now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks cool lol and it helps with the vr cooling it comes with thermal pads for the back


The screws are totally different and the end of the plate will not work. The end of the plate uses stand offs that mount from the heatsink side. I don't think it's gonna work unless you wanna start modding the back plate too.


----------



## GetTheMoney

Hey guys, I'm kind of a noob at overclocking. I've just been increasing the core clock steadily and doing one Heaven run each time, looking for artifacts. I'm kinda scared to run Furmark on my new expensive GPU. How do you all do it?


----------



## Jinny1

Guys just wondering generally what the MAX oc has been when using stock voltage.

I have a reference card with stock cooler so i don't want to change my voltage at all. I'm just looking for a guideline/estimate of how much i can get this card over 1125/1575 Mhz.

thanks


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Supreme888*
> 
> 
> http://rog.asus.com/75602012/guides/whats-inside-the-asus-radeon-hd-7970-directcu-ii/


----------



## Derek1387

Dont know if anyone has beat this yet.... with a single GPU?









Link to cert is in my rig.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Dont know if anyone has beat this yet.... with a single GPU?
> [URL=http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/Derek1387/02042012.jpg%5B/IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j286/Derek1387/02042012.jpg[/IMG[/URL] Link to cert is in my rig.[/QUOTE]
> 
> ??
> 
> Highest I gotten was lil over 11k


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> ??
> Highest I gotten was lil over 11k


Ahh, I hadnt gone thru and looked at everyone's scores. I know the highest I had seen was a little over 9.900 back when the cards came out.

Guess im just another piss in the wind


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Ahh, I hadnt gone thru and looked at everyone's scores. I know the highest I had seen was a little over 9.900 back when the cards came out.
> Guess im just another piss in the wind


A lot if things get passed on this thread one day I didn't get on and there was 200 new post I didn't go back and look but would be nice to have a chart on ppls scores to compare on the 1st page ohwell

I just wish I had a 1300+ core card


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Dont know if anyone has beat this yet.... with a single GPU?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Link to cert is in my rig.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> ??
> Highest I gotten was lil over 11k


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> What is so special about a back plate?


Looks great, helps (slightly) with cooling, protects the PCB and components, prevents warping, and feels like a beautifully solid piece of quality engineering.


----------



## Norlig

is it only the cards with stock 1,175v that will be able to run at 1,3v? others will start to mess with the onboard protection when the voltage goes above 125mv above stock?


----------



## Jinny1

so wahts the best program to test GPU stability after OC??

is it occT?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> is it only the cards with stock 1,175v that will be able to run at 1,3v?


Yes, though actual reading will be 1.2xx V.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> others will start to mess with the onboard protection when the voltage goes above 125mv above stock?


Either that or arifacts/crash etc.

So far it's not possible to by pass OVP without voltage hard modding with extreme cooling without killing it.

It's not difficult to do, simple wiring with variable resistor or tap into motherboad BIOS to control the voltage.

Here; http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1559


----------



## pioneerisloud

I've officially given up on my card.







I'm now using CCC to overclock, got it at 1075Mhz stock voltage, and 1575 memory. Trixxx kept causing weird issues after a while, and I never could get MSI AB to work correctly.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*


use the search button
















thats why i dont like ocn your post gets lost in a thread quick lol

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/610#post_16183560


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> So far it's not possible to by pass OVP without voltage hard modding with extreme cooling without killing it.
> 
> It's not difficult to do, simple wiring with variable resistor or tap into motherboad BIOS to control the voltage.
> 
> Here; http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1559


Do you think it is safe to run 1174mV from 1.049mV 24/7 ?

125mV is the only way i am stable at 1165 on the core, kinda lame but its better than nothing.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> So far it's not possible to by pass OVP without voltage hard modding with extreme cooling without killing it.
> 
> It's not difficult to do, simple wiring with variable resistor or tap into motherboad BIOS to control the voltage.
> 
> Here; http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1559
> 
> 
> 
> Do you think it is safe to run 1174mV from 1.049mV 24/7 ?
> 
> 125mV is the only way i am stable at 1165 on the core, kinda lame but its better than nothing.
Click to expand...

As far as the heat regulated, that voltage is safe.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jinny1*
> 
> so wahts the best program to test GPU stability after OC??
> is it occT?


Either OCCT 3.1 or 4.1.
One of the few programs that have error checking and stress the card heavyly.


----------



## Varishna

Just gave in and ordered a HIS 7970 from Newegg. I can't wait to finally replace my crossfire 5770's.


----------



## Witchdoctor

here's a couple of single card runs


----------



## kpnamja

Guys, I'm thinking about getting a 7950 but have no idea which one.
Sapphire Ref:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102962
Powercolor PCS+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131458
Powercolor Ref:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131457
MSI Ref:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127651

I'm leaning towards the Powercolor PCS+, but does anybody know of the quality of powercolor? And how is there RMA service compared to others?
Thanks!


----------



## brettjv

Looking over this thread ... I don't want to sound like a fanboy, but ... all the roadblocks to overclocking with AMD cards really puts me off from wanting to buy their stuff. I wish they'd rethink their strategies, and make their cards as OC friendly as nVidia does ... esp. because I otherwise like AMD, and like their gear, but ... I hated the headaches with OC'ing my 5850's in Crossfire (although at least eventually their were workarounds via bios flashing) and it sounds like it's even more of a hassle with the 7000-series to simply bump your voltage and clocks up to wherever the heck you want them to be.

Makes me sad panda, really.

BTW. some flame-war stuff was removed from the thread.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Varishna*
> 
> Just gave in and ordered a HIS 7970 from Newegg. I can't wait to finally replace my crossfire 5770's.


Congrats!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I've officially given up on my card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm now using CCC to overclock, got it at 1075Mhz stock voltage, and 1575 memory. Trixxx kept causing weird issues after a while, and I never could get MSI AB to work correctly.


Did you try switching back to the back up bios? As you got it from someone mabye they did a bad flash on it or something....


----------



## geekdll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brettjv*
> 
> Looking over this thread ... I don't want to sound like a fanboy, but ... all the roadblocks to overclocking with AMD cards really puts me off from wanting to buy their stuff. I wish they'd rethink their strategies, and make their cards as OC friendly as nVidia does ... esp. because I otherwise like AMD, and like their gear, but ... I hated the headaches with OC'ing my 5850's in Crossfire (although at least eventually their were workarounds via bios flashing) and it sounds like it's even more of a hassle with the 7000-series to simply bump your voltage and clocks up to wherever the heck you want them to be.
> Makes me sad panda, really.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kpnamja*
> 
> Guys, I'm thinking about getting a 7950 but have no idea which one.
> Sapphire Ref:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102962
> Powercolor PCS+
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131458
> Powercolor Ref:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131457
> MSI Ref:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127651
> I'm leaning towards the Powercolor PCS+, but does anybody know of the quality of powercolor? And how is there RMA service compared to others?
> Thanks!


I have a Sapphire 7950 OC and it has a great heat sink with the duel fans if you gonna overclock I would recommend it


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I've officially given up on my card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm now using CCC to overclock, got it at 1075Mhz stock voltage, and 1575 memory. Trixxx kept causing weird issues after a while, and I never could get MSI AB to work correctly.


You should have waited and picked up a non-reference card bro. They will be much more stable at higher clocks and ability to hold more voltage. Reference cards are a crap shoot. Some are diamonds some are rocks.


----------



## GetTheMoney

ok, first problem...monitor won't wake up from sleep! After some googling, people are saying it's an Afterburner problem but I don't even have that installed. Damn. Could it be an overclocking issue? Or maybe a driver issue? Idk...

Also just noticed in CCC the "Power Control Settings" setting went from 20% to 0% after this. No idea what's going on here.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kpnamja*
> 
> Guys, I'm thinking about getting a 7950 but have no idea which one.
> Sapphire Ref:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102962
> Powercolor PCS+
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131458
> Powercolor Ref:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131457
> MSI Ref:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127651
> I'm leaning towards the Powercolor PCS+, but does anybody know of the quality of powercolor? And how is there RMA service compared to others?
> Thanks!


the PCS+ is just an non ref cooler the pcb looks the same from the back


----------



## vedaire

ok guys I really need some help hee does anyone know of a radeon bios editor that works on the 7970 bioses rbe seems to be in limbo atm since he cant spend time on it.

Very Important!!!


----------



## Outcasst

Nothing works at the moment.


----------



## chillgreg

*For those with problems here are some of my experiences to-date:*

Crysis has serious driver issues, as do many other games.

Using CCC only for the Power Control settings (set to 20%+, of course ), and Trixx, the system was reasonably stable. It seemed to be mainly driver issues that were affecting (or so I hope) I am also using Speedfan 4.45 in lieu of MSI Afterburner to show my GPU temp in the system tray. Trixx also has a (tiny) Windows Sidebar gadget that shows all relevant info, and can be set to 20% Opaque and Always On Top.

The I wanted the nice on screen display of frame rate and temp, so I decided to install afterburner, the latest Beta. And boy did the s**T hit the fan! Problem after problem after problem. Screen locks, hard system locks, and continual screen blanks and Driver Resets. It didn't seem to matter what I did to the settings, clocks, voltages. No combination would provide a stable setting. Interestingly also, when hitting the AB Reset button to try the defaults, it set voltage that was too low. ie 1049, whereas Trixx has my card at 1170. (GPU-Z reports my card as 85.4% ASIC)

So not much new there that hasn't been reported already. I'm hoping that my card isn't faulty and it is just some very immature drivers. It is a whole new architecture on the 79xx series, so fingers crossed we will see some substantial and tangible improvements with the drivers and SOON please AMD. (Weren't there some pretty bad driver issues back around the first 5xxx releases, the 8.x drivers?)

Summary:

It seems that aside from each cards individual O/C limits and behaviour, one must be patient as an early adopter for the driver issues that show as artifacts and instability with loading or playing games. But if you, like me had many serious stability issues just in the Windows 2D environment, then my personal recommendation is to not use AB; at least until they get their new release for the 79xx series out of Beta.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Edit: Update 1:*

Good news: Just installed Dirt 2 (Steam sale $5). The Auto Graphics set everything to High. I changed everything to Ultra, with 8XAA and V-Sync off. I thought surely this will stutter or crash. But no bloody way, it ran smooth as butter! I even had to turn V-Sync back on due to screen tearing!

So I play it for an hour, it's a really warm day here, ambient about 30ish C, and the card sits at 69 with the fan at 55% Just audible, but not annoying over the game sounds. 40% would be inaudible, but it would hit the high 70's then, no doubt.

Bad News. So I exit the game and then the browser scrolling seems sluggish... the driver does the windows reset thing about 3 times in 5 minutes, then finally I get a hard lock, with screen still on. Even the reset button wouldn't work. I had to physically power off the PSU yikes!!!

So I don't know - it can play a game but crashes in Windows??? *Should I return the card, or are we convinced all this is really driver related?*

End edit/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Edit: Update 2:*

Thanks to Ken1649's excellent advice, I tried some more benches with only CCC and Trixx. As much as I love Speedfan, I didn't think that just reading a temperature sensor would cause a conflict, since it's not making any changes. IMHO AB needs an update before I touch it again, I know some people use it and it's fine for them, but there are many reports with problems similar to what I experienced, so there must be something going on.

I am currently running 1000core/1500mem/1200vcore. Obviously there is way more headroom, but I'm taking things slowly. My ASIC is 85.4% for whatever that's worth.

So the good news is that I have run 2 more series of benchmarks, and used the PC in Windows for about an hour since then. It's a very hot day here; the ambient is well into the mid 30's (high 90's). Idling at 63 deg C!!!

*Edit 2.1*: That was when using Firefox. Just went away for a bit, and came back it was idling at 47 with fan at 50%. Phew that's better!

And not a single problem, you beautiful lovely Sapphire card!!! (And that's the way it should be - remember you can buy an Xbox 360 and a PS3 and a Wii for the price of one of these cards!!!)

So to the good stuff: here are the benchmark results for Farcry 2 and Dirt 2. As I explained to Ken, I will do some benches on more demanding and recent games later. Batman, Metro and others. But knowing the driver's immaturity (No it can't run Crysis! lol) I'm sticking with what is good for now.

*Dirt 2:*

All settings Ultra/Highest. DX11. 1920x1080

Built-in Benchmark (in Graphics Options at the bottom)

*Avg 147, Minimum 111.*

(I thought I uploaded the image to Steam but must have hit cancel by mistake :s)

*Farcry 2:*

All setting Ultra/Highest. DX10.

Built-in Benchmark Ranch Small (File FC2BenchmarkTool.exe in \Users\Username\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\far cry 2\bin)



Just for a fun comparison, the latest Farcry 2 bench I could quickly find on Tom's was for the Nvidia Geforce GTX 285 SLI (2x1024 MB), which ran 83.2 on High, not Ultra. I re-ran mine on High:


 



I'm sure there will be more problems, but I wanted to share a bit of good news, because I am seeing a lot of frustrated and disappointed people out there!

*Edit 2.2:*

Just finished playing Farcry2 for about 2 hours straight, hovered around the 70*C mark. Not one glitch of any kind. Windows stable. Yay (touchwood) Only comment is I decided to back the AA down to 4X only because there was the occasional frame rate drop when driving. And I forgot just how beautiful a game it is! The weather and fire effects, the swaying grass and incredible soundscape. They came so close to the perfect game, if it wasn't for those blasted regenerating checkpoints grrr!

End edit/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(pointless gripe: payed $700+ in Australia for a Sapphire, now the "cheapy" MSI and HIS cards are coming out bundled with Dirt3. I emailed Sapphire and the lady told me that I could join the club and get a free copy of crapware Drivesweeper "worth" $9.95... umm great... POO Sapphire!!!!!!!!!! :s)

Footnote: I disable Windows Aero for all games. Does everyone do this?


----------



## Ken1649

That's expected. GPU(s) can only take instructions from 1 authority. More than 1 = crash. LOL


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*


If you check the 3DMark11 thread where Derek posted. Someone got over 12K with the single 7970.... pretty sweet


----------



## Jinny1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Either OCCT 3.1 or 4.1.
> One of the few programs that have error checking and stress the card heavyly.


Thanks









HOw long should i run the test for?? and also how would i know if it is stable? should i actively look for artifacting etc?

i want to make sure it is stable for BF3 ultra, crysis 2 DX11


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> If you check the 3DMark11 thread where Derek posted. Someone got over 12K with the single 7970.... pretty sweet


ummm how's 15063 sound?



http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1559&page=3



Those guys are crazy man!!!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That's expected. GPU(s) can only take instructions from 1 authority. More than 1 = crash. LOL


True, but aren't CCC and AB/Trixx all "authorities"? Do people disable or uninstall CCC when running other O/C programs?

I also wonder if having multiple programs accessing the temperature sensors at the same time affects anything eg CCC, Trixx, GPU-z , Speedfan.

Thanks


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jinny1*
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HOw long should i run the test for?? and also how would i know if it is stable? should i actively look for artifacting etc?
> i want to make sure it is stable for BF3 ultra, crysis 2 DX11


I suggest testing in BF3 and Crysis 2 then


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That's expected. GPU(s) can only take instructions from 1 authority. More than 1 = crash. LOL
> 
> 
> 
> True, but aren't CCC and AB/Trixx all "authorities"? Do people disable or uninstall CCC when running other O/C programs?
> 
> I also wonder if having multiple programs accessing the temperature sensors at the same time affects anything eg CCC, Trixx, GPU-z , Speedfan.
> 
> Thanks
Click to expand...

Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Trixx, SpeedFan, Afterburner. Select no to keep the settings then go to delete the install folders. Becasue each application set and keep a set of profile with instructions linked at drivers/registry level. If you have more than one = crash.

Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0

Install in this order;

-Catalyst

-Afterburner if you decide to use Afterburner.

-Disable ULPS if crossfire.

-Enable unofficial overclocking if you OC with Afterburner.

Do not override Afterburner with CCC Overdrive or Speedfan or others.

Quote:


> I also wonder if having multiple programs accessing the temperature sensors at the same time affects anything eg CCC, Trixx, GPU-z , Speedfan.


It does and you don't want to do that. Because all hardware monitorings will hurt performance. It will access the hardware level at a certain period of time to display the readings and that takes resources. If you have more than one, it will hurt more if not crashes.

When it happens, blaming the drivers will not fix it lol.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Trixx, SpeedFan, Afterburner. Select no to keep the settings then go to delete the install folders. Becasue each application set and keep a set of profile with instructions linked at drivers/registry level. If you have more than one = crash.
> 
> Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> Install in this order;
> 
> -Catalyst
> 
> -Afterburner if you decide to use Afterburner.
> 
> -Disable ULPS if crossfire.
> 
> -Enable unofficial overclocking if you OC with Afterburner.
> 
> Do not override Afterburner with CCC Overdrive or Speedfan or others.
> 
> It does and you don't want to do that. Because all hardware monitorings will hurt performance. It will access the hardware level at a certain period of time to display the readings and that takes resources. If you have more than one, it will hurt more if not crashes.
> 
> When it happens, blaming the drivers will not fix it lol.


This should be a sticky on the first page for new owners. A 'How to Guide'.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jinny1*
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HOw long should i run the test for?? and also how would i know if it is stable? should i actively look for artifacting etc?
> i want to make sure it is stable for BF3 ultra, crysis 2 DX11


Using OCCT with error checking enabled you don't have to actively look for them.
OCCT is quicker than the eye for error checking.








I usually run the test for several hours, but I think 30 minutes would do just fine.


----------



## tsm106

Hey, does anyone remember the command to make AB read actual voltage?


----------



## Balsagna

Looks like my wall on that 2nd 7970 is 1175mhz on the core. I literally spent all day testing it and no matter what voltage I used, it did not help.

At 1175, if I added 1.22 on the voltage, it would crash in OCCT in about 3-4 seconds with hard lockup of the computer where I had to reset it. I lowered the voltage down a notch each time and it lasted longer in OCCT. My goal was to reach 30min without more than 10 errors. I had more than 10 errors at 1.187 and then only 4 errors on a 30minute run at 1.181.

I cannot go any higher than 1175 with any voltage right now -- I get mad errors to a crash in a short amount of time. I kept my fans running 100% and never went over 72c so temps were not the issue. Does anyone else have any recommendations on the chip to get it that extra 25mhz?


----------



## Evil Penguin

That's one of the reasons people around here don't generally like to run OCCT.
Their precious target clock speeds aren't stable and they dismiss the program as bogus or something.
Not to imply that you are, Balsagna.

Anyway, I personally couldn't push my card past 1070 MHz core no matter the voltage.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Trixx, SpeedFan, Afterburner. Select no to keep the settings then go to delete the install folders. Becasue each application set and keep a set of profile with instructions linked at drivers/registry level. If you have more than one = crash.
> 
> Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> Install in this order;
> 
> -Catalyst
> 
> -Afterburner if you decide to use Afterburner.
> 
> -Disable ULPS if crossfire.
> 
> -Enable unofficial overclocking if you OC with Afterburner.
> 
> Do not override Afterburner with CCC Overdrive or Speedfan or others.
> 
> It does and you don't want to do that. Because all hardware monitorings will hurt performance. It will access the hardware level at a certain period of time to display the readings and that takes resources. If you have more than one, it will hurt more if not crashes.
> 
> When it happens, blaming the drivers will not fix it lol.


Thank you for the great reply. Be it luck or good fortune, I deleted AB, stopped running Speedfan, and rebooted. Just using CCC to set the Power, then leave it alone, and Trixx for everything else. set at 1100/1500/1200. Just got some really impressive benches with Dirt 2 DX 11 and Far Cry DX10. Not the latest or most demanding of games I know, but the drivers for them seem relatively stable.

Since doing the benches about 30 minutes has elapsed. It's a very hot day here, well into the mid 30's now. Not one issue in Windows... yet!!! So thank again perhaps it was AB or perhaps it was Speedfan.

I'll do some more benches later, Batman AC, maybe Metro and do you recall whether Mass Effect 2, Crysis or Deux Ex HR have built-in benches?

Ta


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Looks like my wall on that 2nd 7970 is 1175mhz on the core. I literally spent all day testing it and no matter what voltage I used, it did not help.
> At 1175, if I added 1.22 on the voltage, it would crash in OCCT in about 3-4 seconds with hard lockup of the computer where I had to reset it. I lowered the voltage down a notch each time and it lasted longer in OCCT. My goal was to reach 30min without more than 10 errors. I had more than 10 errors at 1.187 and then only 4 errors on a 30minute run at 1.181.
> I cannot go any higher than 1175 with any voltage right now -- I get mad errors to a crash in a short amount of time. I kept my fans running 100% and never went over 72c so temps were not the issue. Does anyone else have any recommendations on the chip to get it that extra 25mhz?


I'm sure you know way more than me about these things, but just a thought: No denying OCCT is popular, but in a similar way to Furmark it puts the card through some loads that are rarely experienced in real-world gaming. Isn't it quite an old program that people primarily use because of its error-reporting function? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Have you considered, or done, some game benches for testing instead. I wonder whether you might actually get better results with no artifacts or problems doing it that way. I'm not thinking Batman or Metro, since the drivers are too immature to rely on their beches, but say Dirt 2 or 3 with the built-in DX11, or Farcry Ranch Ultra DX10. My 2c


----------



## Evil Penguin

It's popular in my opinion for its error checking and high-load features.
I honestly wouldn't say OCCT puts unlrealistic loads on the GPU.
[email protected], [email protected], GPUGRID etc put similar loads on the GPU.
If you are into the whole GPGPU scene like I am, you don't want a card that can't pass OCCT.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hey, does anyone remember the command to make AB read actual voltage?


MSIafterburner.exe /rr174

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Uninstall everything, Catalyst, Trixx, SpeedFan, Afterburner. Select no to keep the settings then go to delete the install folders. Becasue each application set and keep a set of profile with instructions linked at drivers/registry level. If you have more than one = crash.
> 
> Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> Install in this order;
> 
> -Catalyst
> 
> -Afterburner if you decide to use Afterburner.
> 
> -Disable ULPS if crossfire.
> 
> -Enable unofficial overclocking if you OC with Afterburner.
> 
> Do not override Afterburner with CCC Overdrive or Speedfan or others.
> 
> It does and you don't want to do that. Because all hardware monitorings will hurt performance. It will access the hardware level at a certain period of time to display the readings and that takes resources. If you have more than one, it will hurt more if not crashes.
> 
> When it happens, blaming the drivers will not fix it lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you for the great reply. Be it luck or good fortune, I deleted AB, stopped running Speedfan, and rebooted. Just using CCC to set the Power, then leave it alone, and Trixx for everything else. set at 1100/1500/1200. Just got some really impressive benches with Dirt 2 DX 11 and Far Cry DX10. Not the latest or most demanding of games I know, but the drivers for them seem relatively stable.
> 
> Since doing the benches about 30 minutes has elapsed. It's a very hot day here, well into the mid 30's now. Not one issue in Windows... yet!!! So thank again perhaps it was AB or perhaps it was Speedfan.
> 
> I'll do some more benches later, Batman AC, maybe Metro and do you recall whether Mass Effect 2, Crysis or Deux Ex HR have built-in benches?
> 
> Ta
Click to expand...

Luck has nothing to do with it lol.

I would drop 50MHz for core and memory from the maximum stable OC for daily 24/7 gaming.


----------



## tsm106

^^Thanks. Also, isn't there another command to make AB read actual voltage so you can see the droop?

I've got 3 74% cards, all do 1235-ish and 1700 memory.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Luck has nothing to do with it lol.
> 
> I would drop 50MHz for core and memory from the maximum stable OC for daily 24/7 gaming.


Yep good call. My testing is nowhere near scientific; I just want to find a balance between a respectable overclock and reliability. I think when I run some Heaven and Metro we'll see some serious stuff!  (and I'm not touching that card-terminator Furmark again lol...)


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It's popular in my opinion for its error checking and high-load features.
> I honestly wouldn't say OCCT puts unlrealistic loads on the GPU.
> [email protected], [email protected], GPUGRID etc put similar loads on the GPU.
> If you are into the whole GPGPU scene like I am, you don't want a card that can't pass OCCT.


Thanks. Always good to learn something new! Love your avatar btw, it cracks me up


----------



## chillgreg

For those remotely interested in my simplistic ramblings, I am continuing to update my post above with new benchmarks and observations. Riveting stuff lol.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/3270_30#post_16377913


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Thanks. Also, isn't there another command to make AB read actual voltage so you can see the droop?
> 
> I've got 3 74% cards, all do 1235-ish and 1700 memory.


Hit "reset" in Afterburner or latest GPU-Z.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Hit "reset" in Afterburner or latest GPU-Z.


Ken is that why AB was giving me voltage reading that appeared too low after I hit reset? The Default is 1175 in Trixx for me, and it was going down to 1049 after hitting reset in AB.


----------



## tsm106

Mine drop to 949 is that right?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Mine drop to 949 is that right?


What's your ASIC's?

Edit: doh just saw them...

Doesn't make any sense. My ASIC is 85.4. Some people with GTX580's are over 100!! So a higher ASIC means less voltage leakage, which would mean less voltage required. Right?!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> What's your ASIC's?
> 
> Edit: doh just saw them...
> 
> Doesn't make any sense. My ASIC is 85.4. Some people with GTX580's are over 100!! So a higher ASIC means less voltage leakage, which would mean less voltage required. Right?!


Mine are all 2F or higher, iirc 2Axx and 2Dxx. I'm on my laptop atm so I can't re-run the check. If you think about Sandybridge leakage, high leakage chips run hotter but they can clock higher than the cooler chips. As for my 7970 leakage, I'm not understanding why they reset to 949, its too low?

up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Hit "reset" in Afterburner or latest GPU-Z.
> 
> 
> 
> Ken is that why AB was giving me voltage reading that appeared too low after I hit reset? The Default is 1175 in Trixx for me, and it was going down to 1049 after hitting reset in AB.
Click to expand...

Actually all hardware monitorings are using default hardcoded voltage 1.175V. Hitting "reset" actually set it to read 1.175V rather than actual voltage based on ASIC quality leakage level.

To identify the ASIC VID;

Single GPU switch;

MSIAfterburner.exe /rr174

Multi-GPU switch;

MSIAfterburner.exe /sg0 /rr174 ----> First GPU
MSIAfterburner.exe /sg1 /rr174 ----> Second GPU

MSIAfterburner.exe /sg2 /rr174 ----> Third GPU

Up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
Up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
Up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
Up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V

Other hidden switches for advance users;

MSIAfterburner.exe -*xcl* to Extend Clock Limits of AMD Overdrive - Reboot PC.
MSIAfterburner.exe -*rcl* to Restore Clock Limits of AMD Overdrive - Reboot PC.

To acces voltage tweak, enable "Unofficial Overclocking".

*HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner*

*MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 10 (2012-01-06) - Guru3D.com Forums*

Quote:


> Mine drop to 949 is that right?


That's UVD, not in 3D full clocks.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I always run about 30 minutes of the Heaven benchmark, followed by about 20-30 minutes of the Crysis benchmark. If I pass both of those....I never have a problem with my GPU overclocks.


which version of Crysis would you recommend?

http://downloads.guru3d.com/Crysis-Benchmark-Tool-1.05-Final-download-1791.html

is this good? ^^^^^^


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I always run about 30 minutes of the Heaven benchmark, followed by about 20-30 minutes of the Crysis benchmark. If I pass both of those....I never have a problem with my GPU overclocks.
> 
> 
> 
> which version of Crysis would you recommend?
> 
> http://downloads.guru3d.com/Crysis-Benchmark-Tool-1.05-Final-download-1791.html
> 
> is this good? ^^^^^^
Click to expand...

Modded, and version 1.21.







I've got my own personal set of mods that I run that look amazing.









I had them uploaded to megaupload...but we know what happened there.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Modded, and version 1.21.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got my own personal set of mods that I run that look amazing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had them uploaded to megaupload...but we know what happened there.


ok, but is the Crysis guru3d 1.05 ok for stability checking or should I run something else.

Also looks like I'm about to skip overclocking, too complicated, all this asic and voltage leakage has me worried lol.

when I put //rr174 in afterburner I get this and I know in gpu-z asic is 77.70%.


----------



## sockpirate

Anyone having problems with Dota 2 Beta? Game always just goes into "not responding" .


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That's one of the reasons people around here don't generally like to run OCCT.
> Their precious target clock speeds aren't stable and they dismiss the program as bogus or something.
> Not to imply that you are, Balsagna.
> Anyway, I personally couldn't push my card past 1070 MHz core no matter the voltage.


I hear what you're saying. HD7970 is a funny one to overclock though. Mine will run with no errors at 1240/1700 but will error at 1250 on OCCT. However, it has never crashed or had artifactS in any games at 1250, but I put to 1240 to be on the safe side.
Now I have been using Crysis 2 bench to test also and it failed @ 1280 core so I assumed it was too high, even though all games and benches no crashes or artifacts, but it will error in OCCT. Then I noticed it would crash also at my safe clocks, when previously stable, crysis 2 bench that is. Then I tried at stock clocks and it crashed also lol. So I will reinstall that app at some stage.

I can bench with 1300 on the core with only a couple of crashes, (weeks of benchmarks at this stage)but I did have the memory real high also so not sure which caused.

I am starting to think, the extreme overclocks, 1280/1300 are perhaps within reach and it is drivers which are causing issues. Some things run stable, some don't. Which is to be expected I guess with a new card released. Finding absolute limit on my card has been illusive. What is ok in one bench is not in another, card cannot handle or is a driver issue? Hard to say.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Thanks. Also, isn't there another command to make AB read actual voltage so you can see the droop?
> I've got 3 74% cards, all do 1235-ish and 1700 memory.


I'm 70.5% and running 1240/1700 stable in everything. Benched the hell out of it and been running those clocks for a week or so no crashes.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Hit "reset" in Afterburner or latest GPU-Z.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Mine drop to 949 is that right?


949 for me also.


----------



## omega17

To those considering a 7950 to OC, check this thread out --> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358248

Ouch. Toasty VRMs FTL


----------



## cowie

I dont even think thats a 4phase pos amd card,I think its a 6 phase card not sure what he has thuo
who said these 79xx cards were not hot









ss3 maxxed out 1080p
7980 @1200/1600


----------



## Balsagna

I'm kind of out of the loop about ASIC quality and things like that. What do I need to do to get that sort of information? Right now, all I did was flash both of my cards to the ATI Unlocked bios and used either MSI or Trixx to do the overclocking and used CCC to get the +20% (did it through AB now since they allow it)

What does ASIC tell you and what information can you use from it? Thanks!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> I'm kind of out of the loop about ASIC quality and things like that. What do I need to do to get that sort of information? Right now, all I did was flash both of my cards to the ATI Unlocked bios and used either MSI or Trixx to do the overclocking and used CCC to get the +20% (did it through AB now since they allow it)
> What does ASIC tell you and what information can you use from it? Thanks!




Click the green button in gpu-z and then click Read Asic quality. It tells you what default voltage your card runs at. Outside of that, there is a lot of speculation on whether it means anything or not. My 74% asic quality chip does 1300/1750 on water.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> ummm how's 15063 sound?
> 
> Those guys are crazy man!!!


I think he was referring to a max 24/7 overclock for gaming. LN2 numbers are "neat" but have no real world use and are rather pointless.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That's one of the reasons people around here don't generally like to run OCCT.
> Their precious target clock speeds aren't stable and they dismiss the program as bogus or something.
> Not to imply that you are, Balsagna.
> Anyway, I personally couldn't push my card past 1070 MHz core no matter the voltage.


I run OCCT for a minute or so to test for errors and stability. If it can pass that I've never seen a game crash. Rather pointless to run OCCT for long periods of time like some people do. It puts far more unrealistic stress on the GPU than any game would at max usage. So there is no point in lowering your clock further and further just to meet long-term OCCT stability if you are going to be gaming.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Gaming? Perhaps.
GPGPU? Not so much.

I run DC programs like [email protected] and it's really heavy on GPU resources.
Having even the "slightest" error will lose me points.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> 
> Click the green button in gpu-z and then click Read Asic quality. It tells you what default voltage your card runs at. Outside of that, there is a lot of speculation on whether it means anything or not. My 74% asic quality chip does 1300/1750 on water.


Thanks for that.

The good card that I can get to 1200/1600 easily is 74.9%. The card I can't do crap with is 84%.........


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> I think he was referring to a max 24/7 overclock for gaming. LN2 numbers are "neat" but have no real world use and are rather pointless.
> I run OCCT for a minute or so to test for errors and stability. If it can pass that I've never seen a game crash. Rather pointless to run OCCT for long periods of time like some people do. It puts far more unrealistic stress on the GPU than any game would at max usage. So there is no point in lowering your clock further and further just to meet long-term OCCT stability if you are going to be gaming.


Well my clocks usually happen like this in OCCT -- 1200 with any voltage, it'll freezeup and lock the computer for a hard reset in a matter of seconds. Dropped clock down to 1175 with same voltage, same thing. I needed a hard reset. I dropped voltage a tick, it lasted longer, dropped voltage down some more, it lasted longer. I don't mind a couple errors if it lasts for 30minutes without that many, it's most likely stable.

In my case, I got 10,000+ errors and it was just a matter of a couple of seconds before my computer locked up. I think I'll back my clocks down to the 1125/1600 so I don't need very much voltage and it's rock stable (I think) I just lose about 4fps and that's about it.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> I think he was referring to a max 24/7 overclock for gaming. LN2 numbers are "neat" but have no real world use and are rather pointless.
> I run OCCT for a minute or so to test for errors and stability. If it can pass that I've never seen a game crash. Rather pointless to run OCCT for long periods of time like some people do. It puts far more unrealistic stress on the GPU than any game would at max usage. So there is no point in lowering your clock further and further just to meet long-term OCCT stability if you are going to be gaming.


Dude you need at least 10-15 minutes of OCCT for stability. Just cause a game doesn't crash doesn't mean ur stable.


----------



## PARTON

My card throttles in OCCT.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> My card throttles in OCCT.


The only way around that would be to disable PowerPlay.
Which leaves me kind of curious... Does anyone else suffer from the black screen of death when overclocking high and stress testing?


----------



## omega17

That is a feature; AMD intentionally throttle OCCT thru the drivers so you can't kill the card.


----------



## hollowxx

ok i dont understand the acic stuff mine says ASIC quality 66.9%...so now the big question *** IS THAT ???good bad regular ...?? what i can do with that ??? what clock will be my max on air ..idk....


----------



## omega17

Ignore it. There's no pattern been determined for correlation between ASIC quality and max oc.


----------



## CallsignVega

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Dude you need at least 10-15 minutes of OCCT for stability. Just cause a game doesn't crash doesn't mean ur stable.


No you don't. My GPU has run Win 7 and every game I've played flawlessly on my clocks for weeks now 100% stable. Why would I need to run my card through some unrealistic program for 15 minutes to prove otherwise? I've been doing this for a long time, people need to realize they don't need to abuse their components with simulated unrealistic programs like Furmark and OCCT for long periods and 24 hour runs of Linpack. 99% of people fall into the use Windows and game category not the number/compute crunching categories of high stress for long periods of time.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> My card throttles in OCCT.


Just enable +20 powertune in MSI Afterburner and your good to go.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> No you don't. My GPU has run Win 7 and every game I've played flawlessly on my clocks for weeks now 100% stable. Why would I need to run my card through some unrealistic program for 15 minutes to prove otherwise? I've been doing this for a long time, people need to realize they don't need to abuse their components with simulated unrealistic programs like Furmark and OCCT for long periods and 24 hour runs of Linpack. 99% of people fall into the use Windows and game category not the number/compute crunching categories of high stress for long periods of time.
> Just enable +20 powertune in MSI Afterburner and your good to go.


i agree
some peploe need to understan the gpu is for gaming so if the OC good and nice temp no need for furmark


----------



## tsm106

Oh remember the stories of people running furmark and occt overnight only to awaken to fried gpus? The good ole days lol.


----------



## bhardy1185

In!!!!







Ordered mine today. Should have it by the end of the week. Replacing my CF 5870's (One which just died on my hence the purchase)









PS: will officially register once it comes in and is installed.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hollowxx*
> 
> ok i dont understand the acic stuff mine says ASIC quality 66.9%...so now the big question *** IS THAT ???good bad regular ...?? what i can do with that ??? what clock will be my max on air ..idk....


I have 1240/1700 with 70.5%
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Ignore it. There's no pattern been determined for correlation between ASIC quality and max oc.


Yeah pretty much this.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I have 1240/1700 with 70.5%
> Yeah pretty much this.


Damn you, beat me by 10mhz on the core!

Anyways, the higher voltage cards mean that you can run higher voltage to the card!

ie.

1050v card = bleh.

1050(low leakage)+125(OVP - protected max voltage you can add)=1175

1175(high leakage)+125=1300 booyah!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CallsignVega*
> 
> No you don't. My GPU has run Win 7 and every game I've played flawlessly on my clocks for weeks now 100% stable. Why would I need to run my card through some unrealistic program for 15 minutes to prove otherwise? I've been doing this for a long time, people need to realize they don't need to abuse their components with simulated unrealistic programs like Furmark and OCCT for long periods and 24 hour runs of Linpack. 99% of people fall into the use Windows and game category not the number/compute crunching categories of high stress for long periods of time.
> Just enable +20 powertune in MSI Afterburner and your good to go.


What programs you using to test oc? I have been using all sorts and have found my oc to be stable near 1300 on the core and some others not. Could you recommend your favourites?


----------



## PARTON

Ive yet to find thispowertune slider in afterburnwr. I deleted d the old one and installed beta12. I do, however, have ccc set to +20%.

Occt still throttles. Not that i care. Games do not.

I would kinda like to know why afterburner has no powertune slider. Maybe i just dont know where to find it.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Ive yet to find thispowertune slider in afterburnwr. I deleted d the old one and installed beta12. I do, however, have ccc set to +20%.
> Occt still throttles. Not that i care. Games do not.
> I would kinda like to know why afterburner has no powertune slider. Maybe i just dont know where to find it.


In the new beta of afterburner you can find it on the bottom of the first settings page.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

New member here joining the 7970 crossfire club.


----------



## ElGreco

Hi guys,

Today i tried to run metro benchmark tool and discovered that my 2 7970s would load between 75 and 93%. This is not the issue in other benchmark tools like Heaven where GPU load is 99% during the bench.

I also seem to have a problem making IE 9 to cooperate with the grpah results of metro 2033...

Any ideas?



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## ahriman

First post after install.

If this is not testament to the impact of this GPU, then nothing is: the card has made me a better BF3 player. Period.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Hi guys,
> Today i tried to run metro benchmark tool and discovered that my 2 7970s would load between 75 and 93%. This is not the issue in other benchmark tools like Heaven where GPU load is 99% during the bench.
> I also seem to have a problem making IE 9 to cooperate with the grpah results of metro 2033...
> Any ideas?
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us


What's your cpu clockspeed?

Don't use IE.


----------



## PwrElec




----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Hi guys,
> Today i tried to run metro benchmark tool and discovered that my 2 7970s would load between 75 and 93%. This is not the issue in other benchmark tools like Heaven where GPU load is 99% during the bench.
> I also seem to have a problem making IE 9 to cooperate with the grpah results of metro 2033...
> Any ideas?
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us


The game does this with the benchmark tool with every GPU. I observed this on 580 SLI as well.

It'll start around 50% on each gpu and then jump close to 80-100% midway through, it does this regardless of hardware if you have multi GPU


----------



## Nemesis158

ok so i saw a post a while back that AMD changed the bios structure so that no editing could be done by RBE. Why would they include a secondary BIOS/switch on the card then?


----------



## sockpirate

Is anyone having problems launching dota 2 beta?


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Damn you, beat me by 10mhz on the core!
> Anyways, the higher voltage cards mean that you can run higher voltage to the card!
> ie.
> 1050v card = bleh.
> 1050(low leakage)+125(OVP - protected max voltage you can add)=1175
> 1175(high leakage)+125=1300 booyah!


How do I find out how much voltage my cards have at default? Afterburner says 1174 for both, while Trixx says 1175. Not sure if these are actual stock volts or if it's misreading them though.


----------



## Ruined

Well for voltage I would only trust gpu-z, but yes you have a 1.174s, and 1.175 is the same thing as these cards only go up by .012 if i'm not mistaken, so I could not see it being different by .001. Also 1.174 is not actual voltage I have a 1.112 card and on gpu-z at load I only actually get 1.098. And has anyone found issues while overclocking the vram currently im stuck at 1860 at 1.643v no matter if I up the voltage I always get a black screen failure. Anyone else running into this issue?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Well for voltage I would only trust gpu-z, 1.174 and 1.175 is the same thing as these cards only go up by .012 if i'm not mistaken, so I could not see it being different by .001. Also 1.174 is not actual voltage I have a 1.112 card and on gpu-z at load I only actually get 1.098. And has anyone found issues while overclocking the vram currently im stuck at 1860 at 1.643v no matter if I up the voltage I always get a black screen failure. Anyone else running into this issue?


It's .125 if you're using the decimal or 125mv.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> How do I find out how much voltage my cards have at default? Afterburner says 1174 for both, while Trixx says 1175. Not sure if these are actual stock volts or if it's misreading them though.


Stock voltage... there's actual stock voltage and what's reported. Reported is 1175, give or take, but actual is different. AT this point we start getting into asic leakage percentage. Is that what you mean?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's .125 if you're using the decimal or 125mv.


Right sorry bout that


----------



## grandpatzer

So allways when I have heavy load the VDDC in gpu-z stabilizes to 1.050,

So this means without any bios or hardware modification even on water I can only put the volts to 1050 +125= 1175mv.
so maximum vcore is 1.175v?

Also I have read this thread carefuly and you can not run 2 legacy at the same time?

So I can't run gpu-z to log and trixx to OC at the same time?!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> So allways when I have heavy load the VDDC in gpu-z stabilizes to 1.050,
> So this means without any bios or hardware modification even on water I can only put the volts to 1050 +125= 1175mv.
> so maximum vcore is 1.175v?
> Also I have read this thread carefuly and you can not run 2 legacy at the same time?
> So I can't run gpu-z to log and trixx to OC at the same time?!


Yea, the flip side to oh you have pwnage awesome leakage card is you are limited to only 125mv over your base voltage. You can run multiple logging apps, its just the info read my conflict.


----------



## Ruined

Hey if I flashed to the extreme OC bios would that help? I looked all through this forum and couldn't find anyone offering info on what it does. Higher OC? Better stability?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> So allways when I have heavy load the VDDC in gpu-z stabilizes to 1.050,
> So this means without any bios or hardware modification even on water I can only put the volts to 1050 +125= 1175mv.
> so maximum vcore is 1.175v?
> *Also I have read this thread carefuly and you can not run 2 legacy at the same time?
> So I can't run gpu-z to log and trixx to OC at the same time?!*


I strongly suspect it was Speedfan that was causing the problem. Since then, not using it at the same time, the problem has not re-occurred. Sorry for any misinformation.

Or it could have been the combination of Speedfan + AB. But with CCC + Trixx, things are (relatively) OK.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> So allways when I have heavy load the VDDC in gpu-z stabilizes to 1.050,
> So this means without any bios or hardware modification even on water I can only put the volts to 1050 +125= 1175mv.
> so maximum vcore is 1.175v?
> *Also I have read this thread carefuly and you can not run 2 legacy at the same time?
> So I can't run gpu-z to log and trixx to OC at the same time?!*
> 
> 
> 
> I strongly suspect it was Speedfan that was causing the problem. Since then, not using it at the same time, the problem has not re-occurred. Sorry for any misinformation.
> 
> Or it could have been the combination of Speedfan + AB. But with CCC + Trixx, things are (relatively) OK.
Click to expand...

GPU-Z + Afterburner is fine. When something else like Hardware Monitor + other apps running in background I will have issues.


----------



## grandpatzer

So now I run trixx instead of afterburner.

stock speed gives VDDC ~1040, 1.040v

When I crank it up to 1000/1375 the VDDC becomes *UNSTABLE*, it is most of the time 1.080-1.088 but couple of spots it is 1.123v

Is a correct analyze that the card needs 1.050v for stock speed but once I start to OC the card or trixx automaticaly adjust it more towards 1.080v?


----------



## Ken1649

Power Tune +20%?


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Power Tune +20%?


oh yeah, that might be it!

afterburner did kept make resetting powertune 20%, now I use trixx and the powertune is 20%!

still on stock speed the VDDC was 1040?!

Also I wonder what safe temperatures are?

My fanprofile put the card to 44% at most and 83c is this OK?


----------



## richthorn

Was playing around with Trixx at 1.3v but could not get past 1250/1800. Want to push it further than this for benching so I flashed the OC bios that is in the OP.

After flashing I did the reset and installed both Afterburner and ASUS GPU Tweak that are linked but neither of them is giving me voltage control?

If anyone has any suggestions I'd really appreciate it


----------



## Ruined

It should just be a check box in the settings of either of the 2, like here in afterburner
Let me know if it's better, been wanting to the same.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Sigh, I've found another problem......









Anybody else have issues with their machine after its sat idle for a while? I'll leave my machine to go to bed, come back...and the entire thing is completely locked up. I know its the GPU or drivers causing it, as my machine is rock solid stable in Prime custom blended for 24 hours, and folding stable.


----------



## Gabe63

When did the ASUS 7970 DC2's go on newegg? Sorry this is a long thread. Did anyone get one and how do they clock?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121499

EDIT, same questions on the ASUS 7950 DC2?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121489


----------



## tsm106

Ran an eyefinity Metrobench run for fun.



Single screen:


----------



## sockpirate

Can i get a link to the actual official drivers and not the Beta drivers?

I think the reason i am having trouble with the dota 2 beta not launching and becoming unresponsive is because of the drivers i am using.

I tried to navigate the AMD site myself, but i cant really tell what i am downloading...the site is pretty cryptic....


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, I've found another problem......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody else have issues with their machine after its sat idle for a while? I'll leave my machine to go to bed, come back...and the entire thing is completely locked up. I know its the GPU or drivers causing it, as my machine is rock solid stable in Prime custom blended for 24 hours, and folding stable.


I also notice this a couple times, i thought it was my RAM and or OC but nope both are stable as a rock. It likes to happen either when i open a program or want to shut down. Everything on screen seems locked up, i can get into windows task manager but as soon as i do, the screen goes completely black and locks up entirely, hard reboot is the only option to recover. Although this has only happened maybe 2 or 3 times since i have had the cards.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, I've found another problem......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody else have issues with their machine after its sat idle for a while? I'll leave my machine to go to bed, come back...and the entire thing is completely locked up. I know its the GPU or drivers causing it, as my machine is rock solid stable in Prime custom blended for 24 hours, and folding stable.
> 
> 
> 
> I also notice this a couple times, i thought it was my RAM and or OC but nope both are stable as a rock. It likes to happen either when i open a program or want to shut down. Everything on screen seems locked up, i can get into windows task manager but as soon as i do, the screen goes completely black and locks up entirely, hard reboot is the only option to recover. Although this has only happened maybe 2 or 3 times since i have had the cards.
Click to expand...

Mine happens everytime my machine sits idle for too long (I think its when it goes to shutoff the monitor automatically..but not sure).


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, I've found another problem......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody else have issues with their machine after its sat idle for a while? I'll leave my machine to go to bed, come back...and the entire thing is completely locked up. I know its the GPU or drivers causing it, as my machine is rock solid stable in Prime custom blended for 24 hours, and folding stable.


Yep same here, I've found putting it back to stock clocks helps, but still


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I also notice this a couple times, i thought it was my RAM and or OC but nope both are stable as a rock. It likes to happen either when i open a program or want to shut down. Everything on screen seems locked up, i can get into windows task manager but as soon as i do, the screen goes completely black and locks up entirely, hard reboot is the only option to recover. Although this has only happened maybe 2 or 3 times since i have had the cards.


Thia happened to my buddy on his 5870. He tried updating every driver and bios then replaced the card and the issue went away. The issue got worse and worse as time went on. Just a thought.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I also notice this a couple times, i thought it was my RAM and or OC but nope both are stable as a rock. It likes to happen either when i open a program or want to shut down. Everything on screen seems locked up, i can get into windows task manager but as soon as i do, the screen goes completely black and locks up entirely, hard reboot is the only option to recover. Although this has only happened maybe 2 or 3 times since i have had the cards.
> 
> 
> 
> Thia happened to my buddy on his 5870. He tried updating every driver and bios then replaced the card and the issue went away. The issue got worse and worse as time went on. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

I really doubt that all 3 of us in a row have faulty cards.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I really doubt that all 3 of us in a row have faulty cards.


I guess time will tell.

Could i get a link of the official drivers though >? Not the BETA?


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I really doubt that all 3 of us in a row have faulty cards.


We were sure his was OK also. I had several 5870's and never had an issue but then I tried his card and had the same problem. My 7970 does not do it.

I am not saying yours is bad, just giving some anecdotal information. If you bought from a place with an easy exchange policy you could swap it and find out.


----------



## richthorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> It should just be a check box in the settings of either of the 2, like here in afterburner
> Let me know if it's better, been wanting to the same.


Thanks for the reply, I checked the options for voltage control in Afterburner and still no luck. The slider is there but I cannot move it. I even opened the config file and edited it to allow for voltage control but still no luck.

I cannot find the options in the ASUS GPU tweak though, not sure if there is an option for voltage?


----------



## Ken1649

That's AMD ZeroCore Power State AMD Game Forums - AMD ZeroCore Power help


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I guess time will tell.
> Could i get a link of the official drivers though >? Not the BETA?


Anyone?

This is all i find... http://sites.amd.com/us/game/products/graphics/Pages/graphics.aspx?lid=Gaming_Graphics&lpos=HP_bottom_bucket


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I really doubt that all 3 of us in a row have faulty cards.
> 
> 
> 
> We were sure his was OK also. I had several 5870's and never had an issue but then I tried his card and had the same problem. My 7970 does not do it.
> 
> I am not saying yours is bad, just giving some anecdotal information. If you bought from a place with an easy exchange policy you could swap it and find out.
Click to expand...

Do you have any sort of power savings turned on? Screensaver, monitor turn off, etc?

Is it possible to disable the AMD ZeroCore thing? I'll bet that's what's doing it if you ask me.

And no, my card cannot be returned easy.


----------



## sockpirate

I guess the OP is not up to date ? This is the latest? http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx#1

CCC prompted me to update.


----------



## Ruined

Couldn't find a way to enable the voltage in GPU Tweak maybe only Asus bios can use that option with that software have you tried Trixx by Sapphire yet that worked with my Msi bios. I could return my card but it's a great clocker I don't want to lose this thing. I'm leaning more towards driver issues as right now in Black ops i get artifacts at even stock settings, but no artifacts in any other game. Zerocore is probably the issue, hmm there's got to be away to turn it off







. Got the prompt too downloading now.


----------



## richthorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Couldn't find a way to enable the voltage in GPU Tweak maybe only Asus bios can use that option with that software have you tried Trixx by Sapphire yet that worked with my Msi bios. I could return my card but it's a great clocker I don't want to lose this thing. I'm leaning more towards driver issues as right now in Black ops i get artifacts at even stock settings, but no artifacts in any other game. Zerocore is probably the issue, hmm there's got to be away to turn it off
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Got the prompt too downloading now.


I have tried Trixx and it works up to 1.3v but I want to get it further. Current load temps on H20 are less than 40C so I know it can go a lot further.

I flashed the ASUS OC bios so I _should_ be able to see the voltage settings in their GPU Tweak program and be able to set the voltage up to 1.4v according to the OP but I can't get the damn thing to work.


----------



## jamborhgini313

Is anyone getting a constant driver crash after you reset your clocks in afterburner? My screen freezes, then restarts then freezes and it loops. I just ran Heaven for 30 mins on my overclock then when I exited out and put my clocks back to stock the driver crashes and the only thing to do is to reset or power off manually or if your quick enough alt+ctrl+del then power down. This is on a fresh install of Windows 7 btw (finally upgraded from vista just for these cards!)


----------



## richthorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Is anyone getting a constant driver crash after you reset your clocks in afterburner? My screen freezes, then restarts then freezes and it loops. I just ran Heaven for 30 mins on my overclock then when I exited out and put my clocks back to stock the driver crashes and the only thing to do is to reset or power off manually or if your quick enough alt+ctrl+del then power down. This is on a fresh install of Windows 7 btw (finally upgraded from vista just for these cards!)


I had similar problems when I forgot to turn off the clock settings in CCC back to default and they were conflicting with the settings in Trixx.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richthorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Is anyone getting a constant driver crash after you reset your clocks in afterburner? My screen freezes, then restarts then freezes and it loops. I just ran Heaven for 30 mins on my overclock then when I exited out and put my clocks back to stock the driver crashes and the only thing to do is to reset or power off manually or if your quick enough alt+ctrl+del then power down. This is on a fresh install of Windows 7 btw (finally upgraded from vista just for these cards!)
> 
> 
> 
> I had similar problems when I forgot to turn off the clock settings in CCC back to default and they were conflicting with the settings in Trixx.
Click to expand...

I'm only using CCC to overclock though. Trixxx is installed, but its only there for the sidebar app.

Maybe that's my issue.... Maybe Trixxx or CCC is still screwing with things.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I guess the OP is not up to date ? This is the latest? http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx#1
> CCC prompted me to update.


anyone else care to comment on this?

i thought 8.01.01.1215 was for 7xxx?


----------



## Ruined

I tried installing through CCC and plain dl/uninstall did not work, stick with current beta in OP.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I guess the OP is not up to date ? This is the latest? http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx#1
> CCC prompted me to update.
> 
> 
> 
> anyone else care to comment on this?
> 
> i thought 8.01.01.1215 was for 7xxx?
Click to expand...

Doesn't show up on AMD's site for me when I search for HD7900 series drivers. The OP is still up to date best I know.


----------



## sockpirate

Well i figured out why DOTA 2 Beta would not launch, the problem was with the latest MSI Afterburner Beta, once i closed the program, the game launched perfectly... WOW.....


----------



## DOM.

did some more runs on the 7970 ss/h2o


----------



## pioneerisloud

So nobody knows a fix to the idle lock ups?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So nobody knows a fix to the idle lock ups?


Are you overclocked on yer asus board? Got pll enabled? Is your system idle or is it actually asleep? I thought this was fixed if it is the board, I dunno. I disabled sleep on my asus boards long ago cuz of it.

http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20110131022941305&board_id=1&model=Sabertooth+P67&page=1&SLanguage=en-us


----------



## Samurai707

ordered my 7950 Asus DCII from Amazon... couldn't wait for local Fry's to get it in stock! Now just gotta wait for that "in-stock and shipping" e-mail


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> What's your cpu clockspeed?
> Don't use IE.


3.2 Ghz stock and its not botteneck
What shall i use instead of IE?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> The game does this with the benchmark tool with every GPU. I observed this on 580 SLI as well.
> It'll start around 50% on each gpu and then jump close to 80-100% midway through, it does this regardless of hardware if you have multi GPU


Oh,... and how all these guys manage to get almst double the scores with crossfire?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So nobody knows a fix to the idle lock ups?


I uninstalled the Asus M/B software, and turned off the power saving stuff in the BIOS. I believe it might lower voltage to the PCI slots, I think I read a while back. Also ensure that power saving to the PCI slots is disabled in Windows too. I suspect AMD will have a new M/B bios out soon... I have the non-pro version of your board. Are you on the latest BIOS for that too?

Try disabling sleep and hibernate altogether.

You don't have Perfectdisk or any other utilities trying to do any kind of system maintenance on a schedule do you? You could also go through the Windows Task Scheduler manually and see if any third party software is doing anything sneaky. Stuff like Google Update in Services I disable. Disable Windows Defragmenter, Defender, and other unnecessary stuff.

Try and get Windows as vanilla as possible, at least until you solve the problem. On that note, could you install a second copy of Windows or a dual boot, and make the second copy bog standard with absolutely nothing after the install except the Windows updates, the AMD driver and CCC. Don't even overclock it, just everything possible 100% bog standard. Then if it still occurs, you can pretty much narrow it down to a hardware issue.

Lastly could you be getting low voltage to your house - called "brown-outs". These aren't corrected by most typical protective boards or PSU's.

Hope my humble meandering are of some help. I feel for you mate :s


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, I've found another problem......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody else have issues with their machine after its sat idle for a while? I'll leave my machine to go to bed, come back...and the entire thing is completely locked up. I know its the GPU or drivers causing it, as my machine is rock solid stable in Prime custom blended for 24 hours, and folding stable.


i have this issue.....driver related to zero core...still needs bufiing'


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So nobody knows a fix to the idle lock ups?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Are you overclocked on yer asus board? Got pll enabled? Is your system idle or is it actually asleep? I thought this was fixed if it is the board, I dunno. I disabled sleep on my asus boards long ago cuz of it.
> 
> http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20110131022941305&board_id=1&model=Sabertooth+P67&page=1&SLanguage=en-us
Click to expand...

I have Sleep disabled. It's fixed on my board...this only started happening with the 7970 installed. My Nvidia cards I never had a problem like this.

I have my screensaver set to turn on after 15 minutes, and my monitors to shut off after 30 minutes. Otherwise everything stays on.

I just left for about an hour...and everything was still working fine (monitors were off). All I did was disable all overclocking on my GPU (I was using CCC). So maybe that fixed it. Time will tell.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> *For those with problems here are some of my experiences to-date:*
> 
> Crysis has serious driver issues, as do many other games.
> 
> Using CCC only for the Power Control settings (set to 20%+, of course
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ), and Trixx, the system was reasonably stable. It seemed to be mainly driver issues that were affecting (or so I hope) I am also using Speedfan 4.45 in lieu of MSI Afterburner to show my GPU temp in the system tray. Trixx also has a (tiny) Windows Sidebar gadget that shows all relevant info, and can be set to 20% Opaque and Always On Top.
> (...)


Crysis 1 and 2 doesn't have any driver issues. Works perfectly. Thats overclocking problems...

After each crash or instability in crysis you should shutdown and power off system... Crysis crashes due to overclocking leaves card in instable state (maybe broken shader programs).
Only powering down card after crash resets it.


----------



## Norlig

In OCCT 4.1.0 both GPU:3D and Power supply tests are greyed out, how do I enable them?


----------



## dubbydub

I'm getting my HD7970 in a couple of days and I'm (of course) overclocking it. I bought the Accelero Xtreme HD7970 cooler so I'm hoping it will help me with the OC'ing.
Anyways, I just wanted to check if my goals are within the limits of what I can expect... and also if how I'm going to do the overclocking (since I've never done it before) is correct.









Core = 1240 @ 1.25 volt, memory = 1700 @ 1.7 volt? Or is this somewhat high?

How to do it:
1. Increase voltage by 0.005v
2. Increase core clock by 15-20
3. Monitor temperature
4. Run stability tests like furmark3d5. If stable, repeat at step 2
6. Once max core clock reached at current voltage, go back to step 1.

Max temp no more than 70 degrees celcius. What should the idle temp be?
(PS: I'm using the FT-02 case)


----------



## GetTheMoney

After playing Crysis: Warhead for a couple hours, I had a crash where I had to power off the system. I can only assume this was because my card was overclocked too high...so what makes an overclock fail after a couple hours of stable gaming? Thought I would be stable, very disappointing.

This is on my 7950, was at 975/1450...not very high I know


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GetTheMoney*
> 
> After playing Crysis: Warhead for a couple hours, I had a crash where I had to power off the system. I can only assume this was because my card was overclocked too high...so what makes an overclock fail after a couple hours of stable gaming? Thought I would be stable, very disappointing.
> This is on my 7950, was at 975/1450...not very high I know


I doubt that has anything to do with your overclock.

EDIT-7950 nevermind.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GetTheMoney*
> 
> After playing Crysis: Warhead for a couple hours, I had a crash where I had to power off the system. I can only assume this was because my card was overclocked too high...so what makes an overclock fail after a couple hours of stable gaming? Thought I would be stable, very disappointing.
> This is on my 7950, was at 975/1450...not very high I know


try 1400MHz and higher voltage for memory


----------



## Twistacles

In CCC, my card had trouble staying stable at more than 1080/1200

I finally got around to installing TRIXX...and i'm glad I did! I jacked someone's numbers and went straight to 1225/1700 @ 1.25v. Stable! Smooth as butter. It's one of the sapphire cards and it had a stock voltage of 1.175, so no worries about that whole 'oh no I can't oc if i get one of these'.

Hooolly crap. I'm going to try pushing it more when time permits! Then, it's time to push my i5 to more than 4.6 and get some benchies =)


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

I am using Saphires own drivers from their website and they fixed all my problems. Overclocks lovely.


----------



## wint0nic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stewart At MSD*
> 
> I am using Saphires own drivers from their website and they fixed all my problems. Overclocks lovely.


Yeah, with those drivers I am overclocking to the fullest with no voltage tweaking, weird but works so I am not worried. What is your core voltage?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> In CCC, my card had trouble staying stable at more than 1080/1200
> I finally got around to installing TRIXX...and i'm glad I did! I jacked someone's numbers and went straight to 1225/1700 @ 1.25v. Stable! Smooth as butter. It's one of the sapphire cards and it had a stock voltage of 1.175, so no worries about that whole 'oh no I can't oc if i get one of these'.
> Hooolly crap. I'm going to try pushing it more when time permits! Then, it's time to push my i5 to more than 4.6 and get some benchies =)


What did you put for memory? Stock?


----------



## mltms

i have got my new card 7950 what is the best driver for it


----------



## masscrazy

So i've seen some really good overclocks with the 7950 and was considering that instead of the 90, what you guys think?

Are you able to tweak voltages of 90s? It seems the 7950s can get over 1200Mhz, which doesnt seem to be a common with 7970s...


----------



## Luv-Kush

Prolly cause those hd 7950's are non ref with better cooling, who knows why.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> In OCCT 4.1.0 both GPU:3D and Power supply tests are greyed out, how do I enable them?


Do you have the latest DX runtime updates?


----------



## masscrazy

Any ideas when non reference 7970s will be out.


----------



## Boomstick777

Switched from the ATI unlocked bios, and using the MSI 7970 bios from Tech power up - http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/114431/MSI.HD7970.3072.111207.html

I can now run 1200Mhz core stable @ 1.22 volts. 1600Mhz memory, by far the best bios ive used so far. Looking forward to trying the OC bios 1010 core 'When I can find it'. Might have higher volts and even more overclocking potential!


----------



## Evildemon

How did you teste the 1200mhz overclock ?


----------



## snow cakes

my 6970 should last me another year, but hopefully by then the 7990 is out, and i can make a solid upgrade!


----------



## Boomstick777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evildemon*
> 
> How did you teste the 1200mhz overclock ?


Furmark, 3D Mark 11, Battlefield 3. Seems 100% Solid


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boomstick777*
> 
> Furmark, 3D Mark 11, Battlefield 3. Seems 100% Solid


Try OCCT.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snow cakes*
> 
> my 6970 should last me another year, but hopefully by then the 7990 is out, and i can make a solid upgrade!


7990 will be out next month.


----------



## Raji8

Ordered my 7950 to replace my 5850 yesterday







Hurray


----------



## vedaire

well this is the pits.

I've come to the conclusion I think xfx seems to be getting the bad batches of gpus for their 7970s I have one and a few friends have them.
a mix of both the standard core edition and the black edition and none of these cards seems to like anything over 1125-1150. i've tried everything
I can think of and nothing seems to let me get beyond the 1125mark and my buddies all seem to be stuck their too. I think next time im just gonna wait till asus brings out theirs with the after market cooling setup.

not sure why it seems this way. But ive even upped the voltage to 1250mv on core and no go ive lowered it and no go either. so im stuck as 1125/???? havent worked on mem yet. I did get it to do 1200 at one point but then when i tried again i had to max out the fan at 100% to get it to go.
and even then it was only iffy. Any ideas on this?


----------



## mltms

i need a driver for 7950


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Their chips are the worst, they only clock 200 MHz over spec.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> well this is the pits.
> I've come to the conclusion I think xfx seems to be getting the bad batches of gpus for their 7970s I have one and a few friends have them.
> a mix of both the standard core edition and the black edition and none of these cards seems to like anything over 1125-1150. i've tried everything
> I can think of and nothing seems to let me get beyond the 1125mark and my buddies all seem to be stuck their too. I think next time im just gonna wait till asus brings out theirs with the after market cooling setup.
> not sure why it seems this way. But ive even upped the voltage to 1250mv on core and no go ive lowered it and no go either. so im stuck as 1125/???? havent worked on mem yet. I did get it to do 1200 at one point but then when i tried again i had to max out the fan at 100% to get it to go.
> and even then it was only iffy. Any ideas on this?


Every card can just about do 1125. Above that and it is about knowing how to use the overclock apps. Btw, do you know the asic spec on your gpu?


----------



## vedaire

yeah its 70.7% uses 1.175 volts


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> yeah its 70.7% uses 1.175 volts


Install the rc11 driver, don't touch catalysts at all! Install ab beta 12. Do the unlock dealio, unlock voltage and overclocking, download the ulps utility run it. Reboot. Overclock.

How have you been doing it?


----------



## Darkcyde

My 7970s arrived today!





I won't have them up and running until the i7 3820 is released(Feb 12th) and I get the new rig put together so I'll register then.


----------



## vedaire

im using the rc11 driver using ccc to set powertune to 20% and trixx to do the rest ive tried the voltage as high ast 1250mv not sure whether to go above that or not.

what ulps thing am i downloading havent seen one


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> im using the rc11 driver using ccc to set powertune to 20% and trixx to do the rest ive tried the voltage as high ast 1250mv not sure whether to go above that or not.
> what ulps thing am i downloading havent seen one


Follow the steps in my post. Do not mess with CCC, do not past GO.


----------



## vedaire

ok where do i find this ulps download at havent seen it unless I missed it in a post somewhere.


----------



## rcfc89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darkcyde*
> 
> Can I join? 7970s arrived today!


Congrats............


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> ok where do i find this ulps download at havent seen it unless I missed it in a post somewhere.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1088266/ulps-config-utility-enable-disable/0_40


----------



## vedaire

ok got the configurator and ran it now which is the newest beta for ab ?

oh and i uninstalled trixx so that it would interfer with anything

nm i found it beta 12


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> ok got the configurator and ran it now which is the newest beta for ab ?
> oh and i uninstalled trixx so that it would interfer with anything


Google it, I don't have the link on hand. Also, you should reinstall the driver. The way I do it is I run the rc11 driver, and choose uninstall. Do not reboot. Go to programs and features, choose to uninstall the amd catalyst install manager, choose uninstall, then choose remove all. Reboot, then install rc11 again. Reboot, now run Kiwi's ulps utility and install AB 12. When you run AB it will ask to reboot, do that and also unclock overclocking in the cfg file before running AB.

Then overclock, funz.


----------



## Faded

MSI 7970 was delivered today, just in time too... finished my rasa install yesterday.

i have an XFX7970 that will be here tomorrow, but that one is being returned... let me tell you, the urge to keep it and xfire is strong in this one...


----------



## sockpirate

For anyone who cares, i figured out as to why DOTA 2 Beta start to not respond after EVERY launch, it was MSI AB Beta, for some reason if the program was running at all it would prevent DOTA 2 BETA from launching and make it not respond every launch.

Although, you can have MSI AB Official release running, still unable to use the OSD in DOTA 2 BETA though. Thanks all, glad i figured this out.


----------



## vedaire

yaaaa thanks tsm106.

unistall trixx
i just left ccc where it was and just didnt run it.

used the ulps configurator
the using beta 12 of ab I finally got it to actually work at 1200/1375 1.225mv 85% fan speed and only got to 52c max

now to let it run occt for awhile at least it makes it through 3dmark06 now before it would load the second test and halt about 50frames in now it runs the whole thing no artifacts or anything.


----------



## vedaire

hey sockpirate why not do the setting and then close out ab the settings stay it doesnt need to be running i figured that one out


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> yaaaa thanks tsm106.
> unistall trixx
> i just left ccc where it was and just didnt run it.
> used the ulps configurator
> the using beta 12 of ab I finally got it to actually work at 1200/1375 1.225mv 85% fan speed and only got to 52c max
> now to let it run occt for awhile at least it makes it through 3dmark06 now before it would load the second test and halt about 50frames in now it runs the whole thing no artifacts or anything.


Don't forget to set powertune INSIDE of AB to +20, click settings on the bottom.

Like I said, the problems with these cards are due to how people are going about clocking them. XFX make fine card, and since these are ref, they are exactly alike every other ref card.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> hey sockpirate why not do the setting and then close out ab the settings stay it doesnt need to be running i figured that one out


True although, DOTA 2 BETA runs fine on stock, and Xfire is overkill ha ha ...


----------



## vedaire

aye when I installed the beta 12 tsm106 it already had powertune at +20% it seems to be doing good now I ran 0cct for bout 30 minutes with 1error so im gonna call it stable and mess with memory later after I play some bf3 for a bit.


----------



## WiL11o6

Is there anyway to set custom profiles for EACH card? AB sets it for both cards.

My bottom card never really gets that hot so I would like to set the curve differently than the top card, is there such an app or a setting I can tweak in AB to allow this? I would like to reduce fan noise as much as possible.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> yaaaa thanks tsm106.
> unistall trixx
> i just left ccc where it was and just didnt run it.
> used the ulps configurator
> the using beta 12 of ab I finally got it to actually work at 1200/1375 1.225mv 85% fan speed and only got to 52c max
> now to let it run occt for awhile at least it makes it through 3dmark06 now before it would load the second test and halt about 50frames in now it runs the whole thing no artifacts or anything.


why not use Trixx?

I'm using catalyst to put 20% powertune, then I overclock with Sapphire trixx.

I'm currently running 1075/1375 on stock, the stock VDDC is 1.050 and now it is 1.035 when overclocking so a bit lol there.


----------



## vedaire

i was using trixx but couldnt get 1200 stable for the life of me I took tsm106 comments folloded then and got the card stable at 1200core and 1375mhz gonna work on memory later tonigt


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> why not use Trixx?
> I'm using catalyst to put 20% powertune, then I overclock with Sapphire trixx.
> I'm currently running 1075/1375 on stock, the stock VDDC is 1.050 and now it is 1.035 when overclocking so a bit lol there.


You invite problems by mixing CCC with a 3rd party app. Haven't yall been following along with all my rants on AB, Trixx and gputweak?


----------



## chorner

Nope, y'all haven't apparently - and I've tried all 3 programs: Trixx, the Asus utility, and Afterburner. They all work perfectly fine with CCC, and I find if you don't use CCC and enable the +20% powertune your performance suffers on any decent overclock. Try it...


----------



## Evildemon

tsm106 what do you recommend to test stability ?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> Nope, y'all haven't apparently - and I've tried all 3 programs: Trixx, the Asus utility, and Afterburner. They all work perfectly fine with CCC, and I find if you don't use CCC and enable the +20% powertune your performance suffers on any decent overclock. Try it...


you can just use MSI AB to enable the 20% too though


----------



## donkel

Its possible to give more Voltage as 1,3V for 7970 without hard vmod ??


----------



## pioneerisloud

So confused by your instructions tsm106.









I downloaded that utility, and it doesn't work. Says ULPS isn't there. I can't get a very good overclock at all out of mine. I got 1225 stable with 1.22v once, but it took 100% fan speed. Any temp over 67*C and it would hard lock.

Even at a mere 1000Mhz it locks up randomly. I just gave up and put the stupid thing back to stock, yet to have a problem with it at stock.


----------



## Evildemon

What do you guys consider "stable" ? I ask this because i can get 1200 stable on furmark, games, 3dmark, etc but when i use occt error check i get errors past 1175mhz... so i dont know if i have a bad chip or people with 7970 are just playing and not really testing stability...


----------



## GetTheMoney

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evildemon*
> 
> tsm106 what do you recommend to test stability ?


Let me just say that for stability testing Furmark is useless. I had my core clock on my 7950 at 1025, it ran for 10 minutes with no problems. Closed it, ran the Metro 2033 benchmark tool, locked up in 2 seconds. It didn't pass at 1000 either. So Metro benchmark tool>>>>Furmark for stability testing. I wish I would've known that before I ran my card at 77c under full load on an unstable clock


----------



## Evildemon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GetTheMoney*
> 
> Let me just say that for stability testing Furmark is useless. I had my core clock on my 7950 at 1025, it ran for 10 minutes with no problems. Closed it, ran the Metro 2033 benchmark tool, locked up in 2 seconds. It didn't pass at 1000 either. So Metro benchmark tool>>>>Furmark for stability testing. I wish I would've known that before I ran my card at 77c under full load on an unstable clock


Yes i know that. That why i asked because the "ultimate" stability test is error check from occt (at least the most reliable for me) but i dont know what most of people (or more experienced people) are using so i wanted to know


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I seem to have the opposite effect... I have no issues with Trixx. When I used AB I could not get as high of a clock stable.


----------



## vedaire

well thanks to tsm106 knowledge im at 1225mv 1200mhz core/1375mhz memory 75% fan at a nice cool 51c working on memory now

oh and thats nice and stable in 3dmark06 45minutes occt with 1error and about an hour of playing bf3 gonna play with memory now and if i can get that to 1500 ill be happy and call it a pass.

ok i call it a pass.

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/3vgmd/

18263 on 3dmark06


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> well thanks to tsm106 knowledge im at 1225mv 1200mhz core/1375mhz memory 75% fan at a nice cool 51c working on memory now
> oh and thats nice and stable in 3dmark06 45minutes occt with 1error and about an hour of playing bf3 gonna play with memory now and if i can get that to 1500 ill be happy and call it a pass.
> ok i call it a pass.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/3vgmd/
> 18263 on 3dmark06


I was gaming and put trixx to 1250 GPU voltage, 15min no artifacts then screen went completely dark and game no sound, after turn off pc motherboard bios decide to reset itself.

this is how gpu-z look right before dark screen, note that the "real" GPU voltage is actually 1.15v.


----------



## sean222

I must not have a card with the greatest chip









Flashed Asus test bios, loaded up Asus GPUTweak, maxed the voltage to 1.39v, did a run at 1300mhz and got 10900 in 3dmark. But had artifacts in OCCT.

Settled on 1250mhz 7000mem 1390mv. 10600 in 3dmark.

Way too much voltage to get 100% stable. But oh well, performance is great and blows my old 470 away.

Would like to give it more volts...since I threw my water block on since day one and the cards never seen above 45c maxed yet









On another note, what's this horizontal screen tearing? normal for ATI cards?with vsync on or off. this is the first time ever using a non nvidia card in 15 years of computer building!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evildemon*
> 
> tsm106 what do you recommend to test stability ?


I use a few apps.
Furmark for a couple minutes to "see" if the card will blow up or not, lol. It's also good at showing if the physical scaling is working on cfx setups.

Heaven, 3Dmark 11, Crysis bench and Metro bench. Each app stresses a different aspect and obviously a stable config in Heaven doesn't guarantee stability in 3Dmark so use the apps or games you use most.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *donkel*
> 
> Its possible to give more Voltage as 1,3V for 7970 without hard vmod ??


It's not possible right now. And with no one doing any development on it, it doesn't look like we're going to be bypassing OVP anytime soon.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So confused by your instructions tsm106.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I downloaded that utility, and it doesn't work. Says ULPS isn't there. I can't get a very good overclock at all out of mine. I got 1225 stable with 1.22v once, but it took 100% fan speed. Any temp over 67*C and it would hard lock.
> Even at a mere 1000Mhz it locks up randomly. I just gave up and put the stupid thing back to stock, yet to have a problem with it at stock.


Do you have a cfx setup? Regardless, you run it with admin rights after disabling your AV program and it will work.

You should decide on an app and run with it, either full on use AB or Trixx, etc. Don't use CCC at all if you use 3rd party overclocking.

Btw, what are your temps like at stock and stock auto fan, full load? Also, what is the asic leakage of your chip? I get the feeling its a low voltage chip?


----------



## frick

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> I was gaming and put trixx to 1250 GPU voltage, 15min no artifacts then screen went completely dark and game no sound, after turn off pc motherboard bios decide to reset itself.
> this is how gpu-z look right before dark screen, note that the "real" GPU voltage is actually 1.15v.


Based on what I've read in this thread so far, it sounds like the maximum voltage increment on any 7970 is +0.125 V. This means that if you have a card with a stock VID of 1.05V, the maximum voltage you can set in AfterBurner/TRIXX is 1.175V. This is also why people with stock 1.175 VID cards have more success overclocking past 1200 MHz, as they have access to voltages up to 1.3 V.

As far as I can tell, the only way around this limitation is to flash to the unlocked ASUS BIOS or the BIOS from some other card with a stock VID of 1.175. I've contemplated doing this myself with my 1.05V card, but I'd rather see someone else's results before I go risking a $550 card with a BIOS flash


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> I was gaming and put trixx to 1250 GPU voltage, 15min no artifacts then screen went completely dark and game no sound, after turn off pc motherboard bios decide to reset itself.
> this is how gpu-z look right before dark screen, note that the "real" GPU voltage is actually 1.15v.


What's the asic of your card?


----------



## Evildemon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frick*
> 
> Based on what I've read in this thread so far, it sounds like the maximum voltage increment on any 7970 is +0.125 V. This means that if you have a card with a stock VID of 1.05V, the maximum voltage you can set in AfterBurner/TRIXX is 1.175V. This is also why people with stock 1.175 VID cards have more success overclocking past 1200 MHz, as they have access to voltages up to 1.3 V.
> As far as I can tell, the only way around this limitation is to flash to the unlocked ASUS BIOS or the BIOS from some other card with a stock VID of 1.175. I've contemplated doing this myself with my 1.05V card, but I'd rather see someone else's results before I go risking a $550 card with a BIOS flash


But what do you mean by : "the maximum voltage you can set in AfterBurner/TRIXX is 1.175V" ?
My stock VID is 1.12 and i can give her 1.3, the problem is that its like the GPU cant stand so much voltage...
For example in my case i can get 1175mhz 0 errors on occt with 1.206v but after this i can give 1.28v that wont get more stability... In fact looks like the more voltage i give, the gpu gets more unstable


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evildemon*
> 
> But what do you mean by : "the maximum voltage you can set in AfterBurner/TRIXX is 1.175V" ?
> My stock VID is 1.12 and i can give her 1.3, the problem is that its like the GPU cant stand so much voltage...
> For example in my case i can get 1175mhz 0 errors on occt with 1.206v but after this i can give 1.28v that wont get more stability... In fact looks like the more voltage i give, the gpu gets more unstable


That's what she said...

You only think you can put and are putting that voltage thru but OVP won't let you add more than 125mv on top of whatever the base voltage is.


----------



## Evildemon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's what she said...
> You only think you can put and are putting that voltage thru but OVP won't let you add more than 125mv on top of whatever the base voltage is.


Oh so even if i put 1.28v its like i am setting 1.12v+0.125v ?
Damn need one of those bios :\


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evildemon*
> 
> Oh so even if i put 1.28v its like i am setting 1.12v+0.125v ?


Yea, unfortunately.

I'm also not sure where gpuz and Ab get the asic reading, from bios or not, but it's supposed to be reading the silicon... who knows?


----------



## frick

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evildemon*
> 
> But what do you mean by : "the maximum voltage you can set in AfterBurner/TRIXX is 1.175V" ?
> My stock VID is 1.12 and i can give her 1.3, the problem is that its like the GPU cant stand so much voltage...
> For example in my case i can get 1175mhz 0 errors on occt with 1.206v but after this i can give 1.28v that wont get more stability... In fact looks like the more voltage i give, the gpu gets more unstable


Using a program like HW Info, you can get a readout of the actual core voltage of a 7970. For me (1.05V stock voltage and 83% ASIC quality), regardless of whether I set the voltage in Afterburner to 1.175 or 1.3, it looks like the core voltage peaks around 1.18 (this is running loops of Crysis 2, which typically takes the GPU up to 98-99% usage). Additionally, at a core clock of 1200, I've noticed that setting the voltage to 1.175 is actually more stable (i.e., I never get a "black screen crash") than setting it to 1.2 or 1.225. Not sure if this is some sort of overcurrent protection built into the card (or whether it can be bypassed with a BIOS flash), but it seems like people with stock VIDs of 1.175 have fewer problems overvolting past 1.2V and thus are able to attain core clocks of 1250+ more easily.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Do you have a cfx setup? Regardless, you run it with admin rights after disabling your AV program and it will work.
> 
> You should decide on an app and run with it, either full on use AB or Trixx, etc. Don't use CCC at all if you use 3rd party overclocking.
> 
> Btw, what are your temps like at stock and stock auto fan, full load? Also, what is the asic leakage of your chip? I get the feeling its a low voltage chip?


No, just single card. And I even tried using just MSI AB, and that didn't work either. Just Trixxx...that didn't work. Just CCC still doesn't work. All due to the random lock ups while idle. Not sure why.

My temps at stock are like 73*C full load. Overclocked with 1.175v for 1150MHz I load at like 81*C. Both using the stock fan profile, both using Crysis benchmark tool at 2560x1600. So it SHOULD be fine.

My stock voltage is reported as 1.17v in Trixxx and 1.115v or something like that in MSI AB. My ASIC thing is 76.9% according to GPUz. No clue what that means.


----------



## jamborhgini313

I switched from AB to trixx with +20% power tune and my OC runs alot more stable. No crashes. The only crash is when I'm playing BF3 and I run out of VRAM







32MP server @ ultra 4xAA 1920x1200 the game uses more than 3.1GB of VRAM


----------



## pioneerisloud

I'm still having crashes while overclocked, even though its stable. It only happens after the card has sat idle for too long. Not sure what's going on here.









Just tried to open up the Crysis bench (after being on 2D desktop for a long while), and my driver hard locked up.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> well thanks to tsm106 knowledge im at 1225mv 1200mhz core/1375mhz memory 75% fan at a nice cool 51c working on memory now
> oh and thats nice and stable in 3dmark06 45minutes occt with 1error and about an hour of playing bf3 gonna play with memory now and if i can get that to 1500 ill be happy and call it a pass.
> ok i call it a pass.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/3vgmd/
> 18263 on 3dmark06


How long did you run OCCT?
I just ran the 5min Heaven 2.5 bench and I run 7min of OCCT GPU 4.1.0 Beta 8 / 4.0.0

1150/1375 and stock voltage.
According OCCT the voltage it is VIN2 ~1.150-1.167v
But when I run Heaven 2.5 gpu-z reports: 1.090v, so I think the OCCT is either more demanding or wrong.


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> Nope, y'all haven't apparently - and I've tried all 3 programs: Trixx, the Asus utility, and Afterburner. They all work perfectly fine with CCC, and I find if you don't use CCC and enable the +20% powertune your performance suffers on any decent overclock. Try it...


Not for me, it made it worse.

Doin 1235/1700 @ 1.225 with all CCC stuff left stock


----------



## 4LC4PON3

im ordering a 7950 on the 8th. I guess i may be the first one to get a 7950 as I noticed the list upfront is all 7970's


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

We have a couple people in here already running 7950's... but don't worry you are still one of few at the moment


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm still having crashes while overclocked, even though its stable. It only happens after the card has sat idle for too long. Not sure what's going on here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just tried to open up the Crysis bench (after being on 2D desktop for a long while), and my driver hard locked up.


It might be time to try the card in another rig.


----------



## grandpatzer

I played HL2 in eyefinity, close to 100% gpu load.

It almost feels like 1070/1375 is more smooth then 1150/1375 which is wierd.
Maybe the card is throttling or something, I have powetune at 20%

Also 1070 vs 1150 gives only 3% increase in Heaven so I might settle on 1070 on core.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frick*
> 
> Using a program like HW Info, you can get a readout of the actual core voltage of a 7970. For me (1.05V stock voltage and 83% ASIC quality), regardless of whether I set the voltage in Afterburner to 1.175 or 1.3, it looks like the core voltage peaks around 1.18 (this is running loops of Crysis 2, which typically takes the GPU up to 98-99% usage). Additionally, at a core clock of 1200, I've noticed that setting the voltage to 1.175 is actually more stable (i.e., I never get a "black screen crash") than setting it to 1.2 or 1.225. Not sure if this is some sort of overcurrent protection built into the card (or whether it can be bypassed with a BIOS flash), but it seems like people with stock VIDs of 1.175 have fewer problems overvolting past 1.2V and thus are able to attain core clocks of 1250+ more easily.


I have the same situation, stock VID 1.05V ASIC 82,9%. Setting voltage higher than 1.174V doesnt help in overclocking.
I do extensive testing for two weeks now (bought card 20th january) and my favourite and fastest way for testing stability is Crysis2 upgraded to DX11 and High resolution textures.
At settings that was stable for OCCT for 30min, Crysis 2 crashes after 5 minutes

At 3Dmark, Heaven and different weak tests the card was stable even at 1220MHz. At Crysis 2 I cannot get higher than 1140MHz ,crashes after severeal runs of Timedemo. (Times Square)

Found sweet spot - 1125MHz at 1.149V


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> I have the same situation, stock VID 1.05V ASIC 82,9%. Setting voltage higher than 1.174V doesnt help in overclocking.
> I do extensive testing for two weeks now (bought card 20th january) and my favourite and fastest way for testing stability is Crysis2 upgraded to DX11 and High resolution textures.
> At settings that was stable for OCCT for 30min, Crysis 2 crashes after 5 minutes
> At 3Dmark, Heaven and different weak tests the card was stable even at 1220MHz. At Crysis 2 I cannot get higher than 1140MHz ,crashes after severeal runs of Timedemo. (Times Square)
> Found sweet spot - 1125MHz at 1.149V


So how do I find core voltage?

Afterburner and trixx say 1.174, but gpu-z shows *1.050v* when I run heavy games with *stock speed.*

I'm now testing *1150/1375* and stock volts, *now gpu-z shows 1.08-1.1v*


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> So how do I find core voltage?
> Afterburner and trixx say 1.174, but gpu-z shows *1.050v* when I run heavy games with *stock speed.*
> I'm now testing *1150/1375* and stock volts, *now gpu-z shows 1.08-1.1v*


Only GPU-Z shows real voltages. Of course it depends on GPU core load.
At extreme load it drops even below 1.02 (at 1.174V setting)


----------



## WiL11o6

How's everyone doing with their 7970s?

Just wanted to pop back in here after going through all the rigorous overclock and benchies, and finally enjoying some BF3 gaming out of these suckers. Seems like the hardest I can push these two in CF is 1175/1575, and anything after will crash. With my first single card, I was able to get it to 1250/1600, I guess my second one is more of a dud, but that's alright. I didn't try my second one by itself to see how far it'll go. Not that it matters now, but my first card is a 86% quality and second card 87%, so that's cool that they're that close.

For gaming wise, since I'm only on a 1920x1080 Dell U2311h, I leave it at a mere 1025/1475 clock at stock 1.05 stock voltage. Gotta keep the heat and mainly, fan noise down. I have my fan profile set to 37% max fan speed and it never passes 85c on a long session of BF3 on the top card. I know, that's a bit hot, but 40% fan is too loud for me.









So yeah, is everyone who bought these when it first came out still trying to bench and push them or are you guys finally just sitting back and enjoying these monsters.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Only GPU-Z shows real voltages. Of course it depends on GPU core load.
> At extreme load it drops even below 1.02 (at 1.174V setting)


I have also Powercolor, do you have powertune 20% when the vcore is 1.02v?

I played HL2 on eyefinity ~100% core load, the game did not feel smooth at 1150/1375, I might go back down to 1075/1375.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> I have also Powercolor, do you have powertune 20% when the vcore is 1.02v?
> I played HL2 on eyefinity ~100% core load, the game did not feel smooth at 1150/1375, I might go back down to 1075/1375.


Yes I have Powertune set to +20%. (In both CCC and new AB 2.2.0 beta 12)
But Powertune doesn't touch voltages - only throttles GPU core clock during high loads (amperage)
Try 1125 MHz


----------



## Tumdace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> How's everyone doing with their 7970s?
> Just wanted to pop back in here after going through all the rigorous overclock and benchies, and finally enjoying some BF3 gaming out of these suckers. Seems like the hardest I can push these two in CF is 1175/1575, and anything after will crash. With my first single card, I was able to get it to 1250/1600, I guess my second one is more of a dud, but that's alright. I didn't try my second one by itself to see how far it'll go. Not that it matters now, but my first card is a 86% quality and second card 87%, so that's cool that they're that close.
> For gaming wise, since I'm only on a 1920x1080 Dell U2311h, I leave it at a mere 1025/1475 clock at stock 1.05 stock voltage. Gotta keep the heat and mainly, fan noise down. I have my fan profile set to 37% max fan speed and it never passes 85c on a long session of BF3 on the top card. I know, that's a bit hot, but 40% fan is too loud for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So yeah, is everyone who bought these when it first came out still trying to bench and push them or are you guys finally just sitting back and enjoying these monsters.


I really only set mine to about 975/1375, and have been using mine for the purpose I bought it for: gaming.

Ive always just bought my buddy's old video cards after he upgraded, the last real brand new video card I purchased was an 8800GT, so its nice to finally be able to push some games to the max.

Actually thinking of getting a 2nd so I can just max everything and not have to worry.


----------



## Levesque

*ALL 7970s are locked to VID +0.125v MAX*. If you use a higher voltage then this, it won't help you OC more. Even if you can raise your voltage over that limit, it's not doing anything... even if you think it is...









We are waiting for utilities (if they ever do it, since RBE seems to be DOA...) to ''unlock'' that limit...


----------



## mpiscitello

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> *ALL 7970s are locked to VID +0.125v MAX*. If you use a higher voltage then this, it won't help you OC more. Even if you can raise your voltage over that limit, it's not doing anything... even if you think it is...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We are waiting for utilities (if they ever do it, since RBE seems to be DOA...) to ''unlock'' that limit...


As a total newbie, this seems to be the issue I am having. I have a 1.025v chip and it seems the "lowest" amount of OC voltage I can apply through GPU Tweak or Trixx is 1.170... I think that is why I can't get more than 1075 core. I'd like to be able to apply a small voltage increment as I think that is all the card needs to go higher. Something like 1.05v, but I can't seem to find a way to do that. Am I missing something?


----------



## dezerteagle323

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> How's everyone doing with their 7970s?
> Just wanted to pop back in here after going through all the rigorous overclock and benchies, and finally enjoying some BF3 gaming out of these suckers. Seems like the hardest I can push these two in CF is 1175/1575, and anything after will crash. With my first single card, I was able to get it to 1250/1600, I guess my second one is more of a dud, but that's alright. I didn't try my second one by itself to see how far it'll go. Not that it matters now, but my first card is a 86% quality and second card 87%, so that's cool that they're that close.
> For gaming wise, since I'm only on a 1920x1080 Dell U2311h, I leave it at a mere 1025/1475 clock at stock 1.05 stock voltage. Gotta keep the heat and mainly, fan noise down. I have my fan profile set to 37% max fan speed and it never passes 85c on a long session of BF3 on the top card. I know, that's a bit hot, but 40% fan is too loud for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So yeah, is everyone who bought these when it first came out still trying to bench and push them or are you guys finally just sitting back and enjoying these monsters.


Definitely enjoying the beast! I'm done messing around with benches and oc, I was able to get mine to 1250/1600 at 1.237v (stock vid 1.1125) on air and love the the way BF3 plays 75fps smoothly on ultra with 4xmsaa ... much better than my 2 previous cfx 6950's before it


----------



## firestorm1

does anyone know what thickness the thermal pads that come on the card are or what size i should use? im getting ready to open a 7970 up and replace the tim. while i have it opened, i want to put new thermal pads on as well. ive got 3 different sizes and want to make sure i put the right ones on.

thanks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> *ALL 7970s are locked to VID +0.125v MAX*. If you use a higher voltage then this, it won't help you OC more. Even if you can raise your voltage over that limit, it's not doing anything... even if you think it is...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We are waiting for utilities (if they ever do it, since RBE seems to be DOA...) to ''unlock'' that limit...


I'm almost tempted to do a hard mod, only downside besides being a hard mod is doing it three times lol.


----------



## Faded

my MSI 7970 is installed, got beta afterburner setup and been running it at 1100/1500 right out of the box, not voltage changes. I ran it at 1125 for a couple hours then started artifacting so i backed it down a little.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frick*
> 
> Based on what I've read in this thread so far, it sounds like the maximum voltage increment on any 7970 is +0.125 V. This means that if you have a card with a stock VID of 1.05V, the maximum voltage you can set in AfterBurner/TRIXX is 1.175V. This is also why people with stock 1.175 VID cards have more success overclocking past 1200 MHz, as they have access to voltages up to 1.3 V.
> As far as I can tell, the only way around this limitation is to flash to the unlocked ASUS BIOS or the BIOS from some other card with a stock VID of 1.175. I've contemplated doing this myself with my 1.05V card, but I'd rather see someone else's results before I go risking a $550 card with a BIOS flash


I've confirmed that flashing a different bios DOES NOT change your ASIC. It is read from hardware not software. The over voltage protection is in the hardware, and there is no software to bypass it right now, if ever. I had hopes that Baggz could figure a way thru bios to bypass OVP but he's given up on the project. We are screwed.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frick*
> 
> Using a program like HW Info, you can get a readout of the actual core voltage of a 7970. For me (1.05V stock voltage and 83% ASIC quality), regardless of whether I set the voltage in Afterburner to 1.175 or 1.3, it looks like the core voltage peaks around 1.18 (this is running loops of Crysis 2, which typically takes the GPU up to 98-99% usage). Additionally, at a core clock of 1200, I've noticed that setting the voltage to 1.175 is actually more stable (i.e., I never get a "black screen crash") than setting it to 1.2 or 1.225. Not sure if this is some sort of overcurrent protection built into the card (or whether it can be bypassed with a BIOS flash), but it seems like people with stock VIDs of 1.175 have fewer problems overvolting past 1.2V and thus are able to attain core clocks of 1250+ more easily.


HWmonitor does not read real, actual voltage. It only displays intended voltage. Any fluctuation is from the different powerplay states, and/or fluctuactions from your PSU. Use gpuz to read actual voltage.


----------



## Norlig

How could you see VRM temperature again? I know there was one program that could on these cards at the moment.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> How could you see VRM temperature again? I know there was one program that could on these cards at the moment.


Pretty sure Gpu-Z shows mem and vrm temps.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Pretty sure Gpu-Z shows mem and vrm temps.


not on 7000 series


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I think it was HW beta... I had it on my pc for a minute and it definitely worked.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> not on 7000 series


It's better for voltages. ALso, previously it only read temp from the volterra chip not real vrm temp iirc.

In gpuz:

VDDC = gpu voltage
MVDDC = memory voltage

VDDC current in/out relates to well the vrm operation but I dunno checking vrm temp other than use a thermo gun.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's better for voltages. ALso, previously it only read temp from the volterra chip not real vrm temp iirc.
> In gpuz:
> VDDC = gpu voltage
> MVDDC = memory voltage
> VDDC current in/out relates to well the vrm operation but I dunno checking vrm temp other than use a thermo gun.


before my 580's (before these 2), I could meassure the VRM temp on my 5970 with GPU-Z. I also read in this thread that you can meassure it on the 7000 series on your computer, just not with GPU-Z.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> before my 580's (before these 2), I could meassure the VRM temp on my 5970 with GPU-Z. I also read in this thread that you can meassure it on the 7000 series on your computer, just not with GPU-Z.


7xxx series uses the chil chip so I would expect support won't be hard, maybe in time? Also, mrwhite said he's seen in it the hwmonitor, beta. That may be an option. I'm not really concerned because I'm on water and nothing on this block gets above 42c in testing. Get a block man and vrm temps are a worry of the past.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 7xxx series uses the chil chip so I would expect support won't be hard, maybe in time? Also, mrwhite said he's seen in it the hwmonitor, beta. That may be an option. I'm not really concerned because I'm on water and nothing on this block gets above 42c in testing. Get a block man and vrm temps are a worry of the past.


not worried at all









Just curious


----------



## JustSomeNoob

HWiNFO64 is the software you are looking for. It reads the voltages directly from the CHL 8228 chip and also displays VRM temps.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> HWiNFO64 is the software you are looking for. It reads the voltages directly from the CHL 8228 chip and also displays VRM temps.


That was the one, thanks


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Yes! I knew it was HW something lol


----------



## Evil Penguin

I think I'll add that program to the OP.


----------



## grandpatzer

So when my card during stock speed is 1.050v and heavy benching.

So when I start Trixx, what should I put the GPU Voltage to, is it 1170mv +125mv= 1295mv in Trixx?

Or is it in Trixx: 1050 + 125= 1175mv, so in that case max increase is 5 it from 1170 to 1175?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> does anyone know what thickness the thermal pads that come on the card are or what size i should use? im getting ready to open a 7970 up and replace the tim. while i have it opened, i want to put new thermal pads on as well. ive got 3 different sizes and want to make sure i put the right ones on.
> thanks.


I actually replaced the pad that came with my ASUS stock fan .. .while I'm not sure the exact thickness, the stock pads where very-very thin versus the thicker EK pads I used.

I feel like my idol temps are a little lower before the block... currently at 37c ...I'm not sure if if I did a bad reset or if the thicker pads aren't passing the heat well enough... I may just pull the pads from the fan and redo this weekend...


----------



## owikh84

anyone can use the supplied DP to DVI and HDMI to DVI adapters at 2560x1600?
i got 30" monitor displaying 1600x1200 only when using these adapters.
so eyefinity 2x 30" will yield 3200x1200 only when it's supposed to be 5120x1600.

no problem with DVI cable (dual link) only.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> anyone can use the supplied DP to DVI and HDMI to DVI adapters at 2560x1600?
> i got 30" monitor displaying 1600x1200 only when using these adapters.
> so eyefinity 2x 30" will yield 3200x1200 only when it's supposed to be 5120x1600.
> no problem with DVI cable (dual link) only.


Above 1200P you will need to get dual link adapters, that means usb powered dual link to dp. However shouldn't you just use straight DP to DP with your screen?


----------



## GetTheMoney

Hey guys, this is my first time OCing my graphics card and I want it to last for years. If I find the highest stable OC and use the +20% power control setting in CCC, will this impact the lifespan of a card in any significant way? I'm not raising voltage btw.

7950 here, got it at 950/1350...very stable, could maybe go a bit higher. Temps are fantastic btw, never higher than 70c in games.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

So, if I've got a card that runs at 1.112 V stock, the max I can push through it is 1.237 V, correct?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> So, if I've got a card that runs at 1.112 V stock, the max I can push through it is 1.237 V, correct?


That is correct


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> That is correct


Just wondering because I get a crash very quickly in OOCT when I set the voltage in the 1.225 range, and it doesn't seem to be temperature related as the card is at 66-68 degrees when my screen goes black and I have to reboot. Initially, I assumed that this was being caused by my having set the voltage too high, but the settings seem to be in-line with the maximum allowable. I'm using the latest AB, btw.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Just wondering because I get a crash very quickly in OOCT when I set the voltage in the 1.225 range, and it doesn't seem to be temperature related as the card is at 66-68 degrees when my screen goes black and I have to reboot. Initially, I assumed that this was being caused by my having set the voltage too high, but the settings seem to be in-line with the maximum allowable. I'm using the latest AB, btw.


So when bench at stock volt it is 1.050, when I overclock it higher it goes as high as 1.125v, so what is my stock voltage then?

I run saints row 3 stock volt and 1070/1375 and got artifacts(2 coffee cups and vertical artifacts), so I might just have a bad overclocker?


----------



## owikh84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Above 1200P you will need to get dual link adapters, that means usb powered dual link to dp. However shouldn't you just use straight DP to DP with your screen?


Ic, coz i dont have HDMI cable nor DP to mini DP cable so tried the provided adapters in the 7970 box.
Thanks for the advice bro.


----------



## pioneerisloud

So am I seriously the only person having issues with my card after I haven't been gaming for a while? Card works fine at stock, but any overclock...even if it proves stable, hard locks up after my machine has sat idle too long (or desktop use).


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So am I seriously the only person having issues with my card after I haven't been gaming for a while? Card works fine at stock, but any overclock...even if it proves stable, hard locks up after my machine has sat idle too long (or desktop use).


Sounds like the driver to me...uninstall it and reinstall another then overwrite the older one


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PROBN4LYFE*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So am I seriously the only person having issues with my card after I haven't been gaming for a while? Card works fine at stock, but any overclock...even if it proves stable, hard locks up after my machine has sat idle too long (or desktop use).
> 
> 
> 
> Sounds like the driver to me...uninstall it and reinstall another then overwrite the older one
Click to expand...

I have....several times.

Was just talking with reflex on Steam, he thinks it sounds like the zero power state balogna thing. Is there a way to disable that stupid thing?

I can game, game, and game for HOURS on end overclocked just fine (1200 core). I can close games, play around on OCN for a bit. Open a game up again and still fine.

Once I let it sit for too long not in a 3D app though (about an hour I think), as soon as I open a 3D app again, my machine hard locks with the AMD driver dying on me. It doesn't do this at stock though, only overclocked.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have....several times.
> Was just talking with reflex on Steam, he thinks it sounds like the zero power state balogna thing. Is there a way to disable that stupid thing?
> I can game, game, and game for HOURS on end overclocked just fine (1200 core). I can close games, play around on OCN for a bit. Open a game up again and still fine.
> Once I let it sit for too long not in a 3D app though (about an hour I think), as soon as I open a 3D app again, my machine hard locks with the AMD driver dying on me. It doesn't do this at stock though, only overclocked.


This is zero core..... what you can do is this....
With Afterburner use profiles...

set the 2D profile as stock
set the 3D as your overclocked profile.
This would mean you will have to save a default profile in the bank ofcourse.

This way when the card goes to desktop, it automatically goes back to stock, but when u game it automatcally overclocks as soon as a game is executed.

That way zero core and and overvoltage don't conflict and hardlock.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Hmm. I can't seem to get anything past 1075 MHz on the core stable in OCCT. I can hit that on stock voltage (1.112 V), but I get errors at 1100 and voltage manipulation doesn't seem to help. I'm a little confused as I would have expected the core to be more stable at 1.150 or even 1.175 than at 1.112 as core clock increases but that hasn't been the case. Any input?

Edit: Powertune is set at + 20% through AB.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have....several times.
> Was just talking with reflex on Steam, he thinks it sounds like the zero power state balogna thing. Is there a way to disable that stupid thing?
> I can game, game, and game for HOURS on end overclocked just fine (1200 core). I can close games, play around on OCN for a bit. Open a game up again and still fine.
> Once I let it sit for too long not in a 3D app though (about an hour I think), as soon as I open a 3D app again, my machine hard locks with the AMD driver dying on me. It doesn't do this at stock though, only overclocked.
> 
> 
> 
> This is zero core..... what you can do is this....
> With Afterburner use profiles...
> 
> set the 2D profile as stock
> set the 3D as your overclocked profile.
> This would mean you will have to save a default profile in the bank ofcourse.
> 
> This way when the card goes to desktop, it automatically goes back to stock, but when u game it automatcally overclocks as soon as a game is executed.
> 
> That way zero core and and overvoltage don't conflict and hardlock.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Blitz6804 just told me about that. He said it never worked for him with his 6970's, but I'll give it a shot.







Thanks for that!


----------



## criznit

My 7970 finally arrived!!! Everything at stock for right now, but not for long


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Just wondering because I get a crash very quickly in OOCT when I set the voltage in the 1.225 range, and it doesn't seem to be temperature related as the card is at 66-68 degrees when my screen goes black and I have to reboot. Initially, I assumed that this was being caused by my having set the voltage too high, but the settings seem to be in-line with the maximum allowable. I'm using the latest AB, btw.


You have to take into account vdroop as well. Whatever you input into AB and what it shows is just "intended" voltage. Thus you never really know what the actual voltage is thru AB. You have to use gpuz and watch it's graphs. this is the same with memory voltage.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You have to take into account vdroop as well. Whatever you input into AB and what it shows is just "intended" voltage. Thus you never really know what the actual voltage is thru AB. You have to use gpuz and watch it's graphs. this is the same with memory voltage.


That has always been the case, only now you get to see what's really going on.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You have to take into account vdroop as well. Whatever you input into AB and what it shows is just "intended" voltage. Thus you never really know what the actual voltage is thru AB. You have to use gpuz and watch it's graphs. this is the same with memory voltage.


Right, but voltage droop would cause the actual voltage to be lower than the target voltage, which already should be below the threshold for the card based on the maximum differential of +0.125 over stock.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Right, but voltage droop would cause the actual voltage to be lower than the target voltage, which already should be below the threshold for the card based on the maximum differential of +0.125 over stock.


Yep, so with another hurdle added it gets hard to figure out where voltage is actually sitting. Also iirc, vdroop is around .04mv.


----------



## Agenesis

I have one coming in a few days, are all 7970s reference atm? Damn that impulse buy


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Man, OCCT is just brutal on temps. It looks like my card is very sensitive to temperature once it gets up past 1075 MHz, as I consistently get errors from OOCT at 67-68 degrees. It looks like water cooling would make a huge difference in the speeds that I could run, but I'm hesitant to spend the money in case it only adds up to a minimal gain.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Man, OCCT is just brutal on temps. It looks like my card is very sensitive to temperature once it gets up past 1075 MHz, as I consistently get errors from OOCT at 67-68 degrees. It looks like water cooling would make a huge difference in the speeds that I could run, but I'm hesitant to spend the money in case it only adds up to a minimal gain.


That's why I don't use OCCT.









I use Crysis benchmark. If it passes about 30 minutes of that, then its stable. I used to use Heaven bench for 30 minutes, but Crysis was artifacting on me with a stable heaven run.

I have yet to run a game overclocked stable with Crysis, that has given me any issues at all. So for me, if it passes the Crysis bench for 20-30 minutes, I never have a problem with it in games.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's why I don't use OCCT.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I use Crysis benchmark. If it passes about 30 minutes of that, then its stable. I used to use Heaven bench for 30 minutes, but Crysis was artifacting on me with a stable heaven run.
> I have yet to run a game overclocked stable with Crysis, that has given me any issues at all. So for me, if it passes the Crysis bench for 20-30 minutes, I never have a problem with it in games.


Yeah, I'm about to join that camp! I hate "ducking" certain stress tests just because they give me results I don't like, but I also don't see the point in slavishly adjusting settings that work perfectly fine in my everyday applications just to please a program that seems to be far more demanding than actual games.

Edit: Although, I don't own Crysis so I need to look around for a suitable stand-in.


----------



## Retell

Has anyone tried polishing the copper heatsink? I took it off and noticed very deep scratches.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Man, OCCT is just brutal on temps. It looks like my card is very sensitive to temperature once it gets up past 1075 MHz, as I consistently get errors from OOCT at 67-68 degrees. It looks like water cooling would make a huge difference in the speeds that I could run, but I'm hesitant to spend the money in case it only adds up to a minimal gain.


It's not really the core temps.
I can't get past 1070 MHz myself without errors no matter the voltage or temperature for that matter.
For the record, I can run OCCT with a 94c core temp (I did it on purpose) and not get errors at 1070 MHz.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> Has anyone tried polishing the copper heatsink? I took it off and noticed very deep scratches.


that doesn't look right ...


----------



## Hexa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's why I don't use OCCT.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I use Crysis benchmark. If it passes about 30 minutes of that, then its stable. I used to use Heaven bench for 30 minutes, but Crysis was artifacting on me with a stable heaven run.
> I have yet to run a game overclocked stable with Crysis, that has given me any issues at all. So for me, if it passes the Crysis bench for 20-30 minutes, I never have a problem with it in games.


Is it just the plain Crysis Benchmark that comes with Crysis through Steam or do you have to dl the Crysis benchmark seperately?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's why I don't use OCCT.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I use Crysis benchmark. If it passes about 30 minutes of that, then its stable. I used to use Heaven bench for 30 minutes, but Crysis was artifacting on me with a stable heaven run.
> I have yet to run a game overclocked stable with Crysis, that has given me any issues at all. So for me, if it passes the Crysis bench for 20-30 minutes, I never have a problem with it in games.
> 
> 
> 
> Is it just the plain Crysis Benchmark that comes with Crysis through Steam or do you have to dl the Crysis benchmark seperately?
Click to expand...

I believe the benchmark itself is a different download. Mine's a retail disc though, so I'm not sure.

I just run it maxed out, no AA, with a ton of mods at 2560x1600.







That's my stress test.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Is it just the plain Crysis Benchmark that comes with Crysis through Steam or do you have to dl the Crysis benchmark seperately?


http://downloads.guru3d.com/Crysis-WARHEAD-Benchmark-Tool-BETA-download-2072.html#download


----------



## wirefox

so I have a 240 fesar radiator 2x fans pushing ... stock speeds and I'm seeing 37c ... plus I'm in a pretty cool climate. does it seem kind of high?

I used the EK pads that came with my block (nickel acetal) and dropped a blob of tim on the ram chips (not sure if that was a good idea or not)

does 37 seem kind of high? get's close to 50-55 1150 1.192 | 1800 1.624


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> so I have a 240 fesar radiator 2x fans pushing ... stock speeds and I'm seeing 37c ... plus I'm in a pretty cool climate. does it seem kind of high?
> I used the EK pads that came with my block (nickel acetal) and dropped a blob of tim on the ram chips (not sure if that was a good idea or not)
> does 37 seem kind of high? get's close to 50-55 1150 1.192 | 1800 1.624


Your idle is fine. Your load is a little high. I have the EK Nickel block and max @ 45c. That is on a 4x120 Swiftech radiator with 4 yate loons though. Anything under 60c is a vacation for the gpu so don't worry about it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> Has anyone tried polishing the copper heatsink? I took it off and noticed very deep scratches.


What was the reason for taking it apart?


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> so I have a 240 fesar radiator 2x fans pushing ... stock speeds and I'm seeing 37c ... plus I'm in a pretty cool climate. does it seem kind of high?
> I used the EK pads that came with my block (nickel acetal) and dropped a blob of tim on the ram chips (not sure if that was a good idea or not)
> does 37 seem kind of high? get's close to 50-55 1150 1.192 | 1800 1.624


well it is alot better then air...

Have you got the hardware64 monitor that can measure VRM temps on 7970?

check if those are good.


----------



## Retell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> What was the reason for taking it apart?


Two were getting waterblocks at work. The are MSI reference 7970s, which is the same I have at home. Both looked like this.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> Has anyone tried polishing the copper heatsink? I took it off and noticed very deep scratches.


I wouldn't do it. Just clean the stock paste, repaste and done. Because it's not a solid copper and never will sit flush with the core surface. It's a vapor chamber. You might actually dent it and make it worse for contact surface.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> so I have a 240 fesar radiator 2x fans pushing ... stock speeds and I'm seeing 37c ... plus I'm in a pretty cool climate. does it seem kind of high?
> I used the EK pads that came with my block (nickel acetal) and dropped a blob of tim on the ram chips (not sure if that was a good idea or not)
> does 37 seem kind of high? get's close to 50-55 1150 1.192 | 1800 1.624


50c is ok... doable.

Hey, why is your memory so high? Your card can do 1800 on only .024mv more voltage?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Retell*
> 
> Two were getting waterblocks at work. The are MSI reference 7970s, which is the same I have at home. Both looked like this.


Oh okay.
I thought you were just taking it apart to replace the stock thermal paste (not a good idea).
But since you are replacing it with water blocks, awesome.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It's not really the core temps.
> I can't get past 1070 MHz myself without errors no matter the voltage or temperature for that matter.
> For the record, I can run OCCT with a 94c core temp (I did it on purpose) and not get errors at 1070 MHz.


Your 1070 MHz plateau is strictly in OCCT, then?


----------



## Retell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Oh okay.
> I thought you were just taking it apart to replace the stock thermal paste (not a good idea).
> But since you are replacing it with water blocks, awesome.


Might be able to get one of the stock coolers, might experiment with polishing it and keeping my original as a backup.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Your idle is fine. Your load is a little high. I have the EK Nickel block and max @ 45c. That is on a 4x120 Swiftech radiator with 4 yate loons though. Anything under 60c is a vacation for the gpu so don't worry about it.


actually the 50-55 was a dogdy 1200 clock ... seeing 45-50 on loads now with lower volts
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 50c is ok... doable.
> Hey, why is your memory so high? Your card can do 1800 on only .024mv more voltage?


I just set it there .... I was at 1637 but was able to back it down ... so far so good


----------



## travva

do any of you guys, preferably those w/ single monitor setups notice an occasional flickering? i'm using a displayport monitor and i believe it's one of two things... 1) mini DP -> DP adapter OR 2) Crossfire related


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> do any of you guys, preferably those w/ single monitor setups notice an occasional flickering? i'm using a displayport monitor and i believe it's one of two things... 1) mini DP -> DP adapter OR 2) Crossfire related


Probably crossfire related. I have no issues with flickering at all with either of my monitors, single or dual. And I'm using DVI and a mini DP adapter (to DVI).


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Your 1070 MHz plateau is strictly in OCCT, then?


Anything that can give the card a similar load.
After a certain point the card will black screen when overclocking higher under load.
I don't know exactly what's causing it.
Limitation of the VRM design is my guess.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Anything that can give the card a similar load.
> After a certain point the card will black screen when overclocking higher under load.
> I don't know exactly what's causing it.
> Limitation of the VRM design is my guess.


Well, that's a bummer. I have to admit, I'll be more than a little disappointed if I can't get anything past 1075 to be stable.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I wonder how high people can overclock their 7970 with PowerPlay disabled.








Anyone that is watercooling their 7970 want to give it a try and run OCCT?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I wonder how high people can overclock their 7970 with PowerPlay disabled.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone that is watercooling their 7970 want to give it a try and run OCCT?


ASUS OC BIOS has PowerPlay disabled (or modified to not allow lower core clock than 925MHz)
And about your problems with OCCT. I think you are right, ist's caused by someting like OverCurrent Protection.
Card's hardware doesnt allow VRM bypass some level of amperage and power down card...
In my opinion it depends on amperage not voltage


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I wonder how high people can overclock their 7970 with PowerPlay disabled.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone that is watercooling their 7970 want to give it a try and run OCCT?
> 
> 
> 
> ASUS OC BIOS has PowerPlay disabled (or modified to not allow lower core clock than 925MHz)
> And about your problems with OCCT. I think you are right, ist's caused by someting like OverCurrent Protection.
> Card's hardware doesnt allow VRM bypass some level of amperage and power down card...
> In my opinion it depends on amperage not voltage
Click to expand...

That could explain my problems. I haven't flashed to the Asus BIOS. I fixed it though, by running MSI AB Profiles. It's set to run stock clocks during 2D, and overclocked during 3D. That fixed my issues 110%.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That could explain my problems. I haven't flashed to the Asus BIOS. I fixed it though, by running MSI AB Profiles. It's set to run stock clocks during 2D, and overclocked during 3D. That fixed my issues 110%.


Perhaps you had a powerplay issue? How the card changes clocks between the different power states is powerplay's job. How were you overclocking? Did you disable powerplay by accident?

Technically, you don't have to set a 2D clock with AB. If you leave it blank, it will go default stock clock at idle times, which will then get passed over to powerplay which will drop clocks down to low power mode, 350/150.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That could explain my problems. I haven't flashed to the Asus BIOS. I fixed it though, by running MSI AB Profiles. It's set to run stock clocks during 2D, and overclocked during 3D. That fixed my issues 110%.


I feel more needed now








Afterburner is hands down the most advanced tuner of them all.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Perhaps you had a powerplay issue? How the card changes clocks between the different power states is powerplay's job. How were you overclocking? Did you disable powerplay by accident?
> Technically, you don't have to set a 2D clock with AB. If you leave it blank, it will go default stock clock at idle times, which will then get passed over to powerplay which will drop clocks down to low power mode, 350/150.


Actually if you leave it blank it keeps whatevers applied in Afterburner.... It works best when you set 2D to run of a default set profile


----------



## pioneerisloud

I went ahead and forced stock on Profile 1 anyway, just to be sure.

So yes, I probably DID have powerplay issues. I have absolutely no clue how to disable them. I was just using MSI AB to overclock, or Trixxx....or CCC. Never a combination of them though. Didn't matter what I used, it would crash after a while (either idle, or when I'd try to open a game up after being idle). Since I started using them MSI AB profiles, and forcing it to stock in 2D....no issues.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Actually if you leave it blank it keeps whatevers applied in Afterburner.... It works best when you set 2D to run of a default set profile


I read that unwinder got AB to pass clocks over to catalyst now, but in the past it worked horribly. You'd end up with one card maxed out or mismatched clocks on cayman gpus. It was whacked. Maybe that's why I didn't think to use 2D clocks, old habits die hard, lol. Thank gawd for RBE during that time. Anyways, I agree that AB has come a long way, especially in regards to powertune.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I went ahead and forced stock on Profile 1 anyway, just to be sure.
> So yes, I probably DID have powerplay issues. I have absolutely no clue how to disable them. I was just using MSI AB to overclock, or Trixxx....or CCC. Never a combination of them though. Didn't matter what I used, it would crash after a while (either idle, or when I'd try to open a game up after being idle). Since I started using them MSI AB profiles, and forcing it to stock in 2D....no issues.


Is your card kicking down all the way to low power mode?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Actually if you leave it blank it keeps whatevers applied in Afterburner.... It works best when you set 2D to run of a default set profile
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I read that unwinder got AB to pass clocks over to catalyst now, but in the past it worked horribly. You'd end up with one card maxed out or mismatched clocks on cayman gpus. It was whacked. Maybe that's why I didn't think to use 2D clocks, old habits die hard, lol. Thank gawd for RBE during that time. Anyways, I agree that AB has come a long way, especially in regards to powertune.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I went ahead and forced stock on Profile 1 anyway, just to be sure.
> So yes, I probably DID have powerplay issues. I have absolutely no clue how to disable them. I was just using MSI AB to overclock, or Trixxx....or CCC. Never a combination of them though. Didn't matter what I used, it would crash after a while (either idle, or when I'd try to open a game up after being idle). Since I started using them MSI AB profiles, and forcing it to stock in 2D....no issues.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Is your card kicking down all the way to low power mode?
Click to expand...

It always has kicked all the way down to low power. But now...its not crashing when I open up a game after browsing OCN for an hour.







And upon opening a game, it automatically loads up Profile 2, which is the overclocks in my sig.









I got my card as high as 1200 core with 1.20v. But the fan speed required to keep it stable was insane, and I can't STAND the noise.


----------



## tsm106

Be like water my friend.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Be like water my friend.


Don't tell me that.







I could've gotten the waterblock with this card for another $50.









The previous owner (OCN member) got this card to 1300 stable under water.

Problem being, to put it under water was going to cost me an ADDITIONAL $500 in water gear and a new case. I can't afford that right now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Don't tell me that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I could've gotten the waterblock with this card for another $50.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The previous owner (OCN member) got this card to 1300 stable under water.
> Problem being, to put it under water was going to cost me an ADDITIONAL $500 in water gear and a new case. I can't afford that right now.


What wrong with the case you have? It's bigger than this case and look what I stuffed into this. Rasa kit plus block.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Don't tell me that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I could've gotten the waterblock with this card for another $50.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The previous owner (OCN member) got this card to 1300 stable under water.
> Problem being, to put it under water was going to cost me an ADDITIONAL $500 in water gear and a new case. I can't afford that right now.
> 
> 
> 
> What wrong with the case you have? It's bigger than this case and look what I stuffed into this. Rasa kit plus block.
Click to expand...

No way I could've fit 480mm worth of rads in it.







The case I wanted was only $99. The water stuff was $400 to do it.


----------



## tsm106

Pull out the drive bays, who the heck needs em anyways right? lol. Cut massive rectangle place 360 rad over cpu to drive bays. Voila!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It always has kicked all the way down to low power. But now...its not crashing when I open up a game after browsing OCN for an hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And upon opening a game, it automatically loads up Profile 2, which is the overclocks in my sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got my card as high as 1200 core with 1.20v. But the fan speed required to keep it stable was insane, and I can't STAND the noise.


Try this fan profile with your OC..... i actually am running two cards @ 1200 and 1.2 v with these fan profiles and theyre pretty bearable not succeeding 75c.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Nope.jpg

Artifacts nearly immediately. I have to keep it below 68*C to get 1200 stable. Which requires nearly 100% fan speed to do so.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Nope.jpg
> Artifacts nearly immediately. I have to keep it below 68*C to get 1200 stable. Which requires nearly 100% fan speed to do so.


It's not getting the voltage it needs.








Sadly... You can't really give it the voltage it needs (I think) without having OCP kick in at those clock speeds.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Nope.jpg
> Artifacts nearly immediately. I have to keep it below 68*C to get 1200 stable. Which requires nearly 100% fan speed to do so.
> 
> 
> 
> It's not getting the voltage it needs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sadly... You can't really give it the voltage it needs (I think) without having OCP kick in at those clock speeds.
Click to expand...

I don't THINK so. It works just fine if I use 100% fan speed. I just can't stand the noise.


----------



## RickardKarstark

Someone tried the 12.3 beta? i had a strange problem.... i wasnt be able to overclock my 7970 neither with afterburner or trixx. Trixx said somethink like "disable ULPS or you overclock will not be stable" i tried to disable it via registry but it didnt worked (clocks changes wasnt applied). I went back to the 8.921.2-120119a and the problem is solved. Any tips?

edit: i used atiman uninstaller before upgrading the drivers and i tried resintalling afterburner and trixx


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickardKarstark*
> 
> Someone tried the 12.3 beta? i had a strange problem.... i wasnt be able to overclock my 7970 neither with afterburner or trixx. Trixx said somethink like "disable ULPS or you overclock will not be stable" i tried to disable it via registry but it didnt worked (clocks changes wasnt applied). I went back to the 8.921.2-120119a and the problem is solved. Any tips?
> edit: i used atiman uninstaller before upgrading the drivers and i tried resintalling afterburner and trixx


Bad reviews so far on the 12.3's modified for the 7900:

http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4238232&postcount=15

But I would like to see some more numbers.


----------



## RickardKarstark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Bad reviews so far on the 12.3's modified for the 7900:
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4238232&postcount=15


oh i see... better skip those drivers so


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yep, so with another hurdle added it gets hard to figure out where voltage is actually sitting. Also iirc, vdroop is around .04mv.


In my case vdroop is about 81mV. My target voltage is 1112mV and according to HWiNFO64, or GPU-Z, that creeps down to 1031mV at load.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 50c is ok... doable.
> Hey, why is your memory so high? Your card can do 1800 on only .024mv more voltage?


My memory does 1790 at default voltage, so this is very possible.


----------



## jshotz

just out of curiosity, are you guys going to try what nvidia brings to the table? or even upgrade to 7990's when they come out? or are people quite happy with their 7970 / xfire / tri / quads for the foreseeable future?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> just out of curiosity, are you guys going to try what nvidia brings to the table? or even upgrade to 7990's when they come out? or are people quite happy with their 7970 / xfire / tri / quads for the foreseeable future?


I always keep my options open and switch back and forth between Nvidia and Amd as my upgrade needs change. I needed an upgrade right now, so 7900 was my only choice. Especially now that I have invested in the water block for it I will probably stick it out. I'm running single monitor @ 1920x1080 so I can't really imagine needing too much more power. I plan to add a second 7970 when they drop in price later in the year to try and match my 120hz monitor with 120fps. If Nvidia REALLY hits a home-run with Kepler (not holding my breath) I may give it a look when the time comes. My 7970 @ 1300/1700 destroys Bf3 at 80fps w/ the FXaa mod enabled. I'm pretty happy for now.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> just out of curiosity, are you guys going to try what nvidia brings to the table? or even upgrade to 7990's when they come out? or are people quite happy with their 7970 / xfire / tri / quads for the foreseeable future?


I'm hoping I can stick with this (1) 7970 until the next die shrink. But time will tell







.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

I should have said until the next process node, but you know what I mean


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> I always keep my options open and switch back and forth between Nvidia and Amd as my upgrade needs change. I needed an upgrade right now, so 7900 was my only choice. Especially now that I have invested in the water block for it I will probably stick it out. I'm running single monitor @ 1920x1080 so I can't really imagine needing too much more power. I plan to add a second 7970 when they drop in price later in the year to try and match my 120hz monitor with 120fps. If Nvidia REALLY hits a home-run with Kepler (not holding my breath) I may give it a look when the time comes. My 7970 @ 1300/1700 destroys Bf3 at 80fps w/ the FXaa mod enabled. I'm pretty happy for now.


I feel the same way, as an EVGA fanboy it hurt to leave them but the 7970 was a great risk! especially 2 of them. To me it depends on the game BF3 made me do this and the only other game I'm anticipating is Diablo 3 which I'm sure will get owned by our setup as well. I'll upgrade when I can't run BF4 ultra everything over 80FPS









Is 120Hz really good? I was looking at a Ultrasharp 27 but it's only 60Hz and what brand / model would you recommend


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I feel the same way, as an EVGA fanboy it hurt to leave them but the 7970 was a great risk! especially 2 of them. To me it depends on the game BF3 made me do this and the only other game I'm anticipating is Diablo 3 which I'm sure will get owned by our setup as well. I'll upgrade when I can't run BF4 ultra everything over 80FPS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is 120Hz really good? I was looking at a Ultrasharp 27 but it's only 60Hz and what brand / model would you recommend


The Diablo 3 beta is no match for 1 (let alone 2) of my 7970's.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I feel the same way, as an EVGA fanboy it hurt to leave them but the 7970 was a great risk! especially 2 of them. To me it depends on the game BF3 made me do this and the only other game I'm anticipating is Diablo 3 which I'm sure will get owned by our setup as well. I'll upgrade when I can't run BF4 ultra everything over 80FPS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is 120Hz really good? I was looking at a Ultrasharp 27 but it's only 60Hz and what brand / model would you recommend


I didn't think 120hz would make any difference at all. In fact, I bought the Samsung s27a750d more for it's color/sharpness/accuracy. I don't think I could go back to a 60hz monitor again. It's really hard to explain, but 120hz almost has the same feel of going from 30-40 fps to 60fps in a game. I'm not getting any more fps than on my regular 60hz monitor, but it *feels* like I am. Much more fluid and I wish I could explain it better. Even 2d windows desktop/browsing is smoother. You also don't need to be at 120fps in a game to feel the effect. Allegedly, the closer you are to 120fps, the better the "smoothness" effect gets, but even 80fps in BF3 and 50FPS in Skyrim feels smoother than on my 60hz monitor that is now relegated to system monitoring duty.

I bought the S27A750D because it was the best picture/bang for the buck in 120hz. It's the same panel as the S27a950d, but with a more conventional stand, less problems, and much cheaper.


----------



## ElGreco

*GOOD NEWS...*

*New ATIMANs Uninstaller is now available v.6.3.1







*
http://www.mediafire.com/?sja6d1z3t2ld6as

*Note: To install this program (if admin account is not active) you have to disable UAC.*

Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1

New Features:

1. Extra menu in the main page "quick uninstallation"
This removes the driver in order to install another version of the same driver family e.g. 12.2 with another version of 12.2
This one click procedure takes less than 10 secs together with the auto restart and after this the intallation of the new driver can take place immediately.

Note: For greater efficiency of the uninstaller the classic Atiman's uninstaller NEXT GENERATION auto procedure is required...

2. Ability to remove any driver (including modded ones) even if the driver doesnt have an install manager. This is achieved through a special designed ES Manager with lots of extras.

The procedure is fully automatic and the only way to identify the difference just by reading the uninstaller's notes during the procedure.

3. Faster performance of Next Generation uninstall procedure.

4. Removal of Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 that gets installed during the drivers installation.

5. ULPS Control through the Start menu> Atiman Technologies Inc > Atiman Uninstaller 6.3.1 > ULPScontrol.

This is a small application that allows to activate or deactivate the ULPS of the installed driver. This is very useful for overclocking through external programs that adjust the voltage.

The above notes come directly from Atiman and i just translated these.

Something i would like to mention ones more... 
The most efficient usage of the uninstaller is when you use the NEXT GENERATION uninstalation procedure, to remove everything (application profiles, driver, sdk, installation folders etc). This works automatically AND now supports even the complete removal of modded drivers.

Lastly, dont forget to remove your OLD cards from Device manager>view>show hidden devices menu!

Enjoy


----------



## Norlig

Gief new drivers already...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> I didn't think 120hz would make any difference at all. In fact, I bought the Samsung s27a750d more for it's color/sharpness/accuracy. I don't think I could go back to a 60hz monitor again. It's really hard to explain, but 120hz almost has the same feel of going from 30-40 fps to 60fps in a game. I'm not getting any more fps than on my regular 60hz monitor, but it *feels* like I am. Much more fluid and I wish I could explain it better. Even 2d windows desktop/browsing is smoother. You also don't need to be at 120fps in a game to feel the effect. Allegedly, the closer you are to 120fps, the better the "smoothness" effect gets, but even 80fps in BF3 and 50FPS in Skyrim feels smoother than on my 60hz monitor that is now relegated to system monitoring duty.
> I bought the S27A750D because it was the best picture/bang for the buck in 120hz. It's the same panel as the S27a950d, but with a more conventional stand, less problems, and much cheaper.


It's called placebo dude. Unless you are running over 60fps there's no diff over than obvious quality differences of the panels themselves.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *GOOD NEWS...*
> *New ATIMANs Uninstaller is now available v.6.3.1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> http://www.mediafire.com/?sja6d1z3t2ld6as
> Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1
> New Features:
> 1. Extra menu in the main page "quick uninstallation"
> This removes the driver in order to install another version of the same driver family e.g. 12.2 with another version of 12.2
> This one click procedure takes less than 10 secs together with the auto restart and after this the intallation of the new driver can take place immediately.
> Note: For greater efficiency of the uninstaller the classic Atiman's uninstaller NEXT GENERATION auto procedure is required...
> 2. Ability to remove any driver (including modded ones) even if the driver doesnt have an install manager. This is achieved through a special designed ES Manager with lots of extras.
> The procedure is fully automatic and the only way to identify the difference just by reading the uninstaller's notes during the procedure.
> 3. Faster performance of Next Generation uninstall procedure.
> 4. Removal of Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 that gets installed during the drivers installation.
> 5. ULPS Control through the Start menu> Atiman Technologies Inc > Atiman Uninstaller 6.3.1 > ULPScontrol.
> This is a small application that allows to activate or deactivate the ULPS of the installed driver. This is very useful for overclocking through external programs that adjust the voltage.
> The above notes come directly from Atiman and i just translated these.
> Something i would like to mention ones more...
> The most efficient usage of the uninstaller is when you use the NEXT GENERATION uninstalation procedure, to remove everything (application profiles, driver, sdk, installation folders etc). This works automatically AND now supports even the complete removal of modded drivers.
> Lastly, dont forget to remove your OLD cards from Device manager>view>show hidden devices menu!
> Enjoy


I've never used this app, and probably never will. Regular uninstall works fine for me. Not trying to be negative but scratches it isn't broken for me?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's called placebo dude. Unless you are running over 60fps there's no diff over than obvious quality differences of the panels themselves.
> I've never used this app, and probably never will. Regular uninstall works fine for me. Not trying to be negative but scratches it isn't broken for me?


Says the guy with 60hz panels...









Bf3 80fps. That *is* over 60fps BROOOOOOOO!


----------



## dboythagr8

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *It's called placebo dude*. Unless you are running over 60fps there's no diff over than obvious quality differences of the panels themselves.
> I've never used this app, and probably never will. Regular uninstall works fine for me. Not trying to be negative but scratches it isn't broken for me?


No it's not. General PC use feels smoother.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *GOOD NEWS...*
> *New ATIMANs Uninstaller is now available v.6.3.1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> http://www.mediafire.com/?sja6d1z3t2ld6as
> Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1


I keep getting the following error......Can anyone tell me how to get around this? I cant right click and run as administrator either....and I am the only user on my pc with administrator rights...









"Error 1925. You do not have sufficient privileges to complete this installation for all users of the machine. Log on as administrator and try again."


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Says the guy with 60hz panels...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bf3 80fps. That *is* over 60fps BROOOOOOOO!


Haha, I am jelly.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ...
> I've never used this app, and probably never will. Regular uninstall works fine for me. Not trying to be negative but scratches it isn't broken for me?


No worries...








I ve seen quite a few people using this program in this forum, thats why i thought it would be a good idea to share it.

Especially this version that solves issues created by conflcting registry entries etc from modded drivers!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> No worries...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ve seen quite a few people using this program in this forum, thats why i thought it would be a good idea to share it.
> Especially this version that solves issues created by conflcting registry entries etc from modded drivers!


But when you uninstall the proper way, it cleans the all important catalyst entry 4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318. And in device manager it is swapped to the standard vga driver. Just an fyi.


----------



## PARTON

FYI to the guy asking about the heatsink scratches: I wouldn't mess with it. That's the way it's intended to look. You could polish it, but that would remove material, and since there are other points of contact, you'd risk making less contact at the most important point.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> But when you uninstall the proper way, it cleans the all important catalyst entry 4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318. And in device manager it is swapped to the standard vga driver. Just an fyi.


2 years ago i had serious problems using combination of amd and modded drivers with my 5970. Initially i used a combination of classic uninstall procedure, driver sweeper and manual regstry editing. ATIMANs uninstaller was by far more stable, achieved deeper cleaning of any leftovers, saved me loots of time and... i never had to reiinstall windows!

Probably, if someone uses only official amd drivers will be ok with official uninstaller. ATIMANs uninstaler purpose is to bring your pc in the state of a new windows instalation with no leftovers from previous drivers official or modded!

I dont really like to advertise this free utility as if it was payware.
If you want you can give it a try... if not, again no problem


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I love the ATIman uninstaller... it literally does set your windows as if you've never installed a graphics card ever. I used to do the "express" un install feature, then driver sweeper, then delete the hidden files, and delete the left over folders. Now I just click and it does EVERYTHING.

Pretty awesome


----------



## jshotz

anybody here recommend a good 24 inch 120Hz? if possible a 1920 x 1200 res one.


----------



## wint0nic

BenQ XL2420T


----------



## jshotz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wint0nic*
> 
> BenQ XL2420T


Thanks! how is it? do you play BF3?

Also article here about the Keplers, prices are kinda nutty then again its all speculation.

45%







and $999 for a 690








http://lenzfire.com/2012/02/entire-nvidia-kepler-series-specifications-price-release-date-43823/


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Only 2gb and 1.5gb of vram still? For up to 1000.00? I am sad face. At 1920x1080 it will be king, but that doesn't apply to me







OH WELL my second 7970 will be in my hands next week!


----------



## SacredChaos

Just got my 7970 delivered and installed. Would it be possible to update my entry with my ASIC Quality and GPU-Z link?

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/zwnr5/

ASIC Quality 84.5%


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> Thanks! how is it? do you play BF3?
> Also article here about the Keplers, prices are kinda nutty then again its all speculation.
> 45%
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and $999 for a 690
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://lenzfire.com/2012/02/entire-nvidia-kepler-series-specifications-price-release-date-43823/


I would recommend this monitor, im enjoying it.
You can find some good talk on it here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1185118/benq-xl2420t-available-january-18th/150


----------



## Irocing

With some games and multiple Hi rez monitors pushing 2gigs of needed ram can't figure out what they are thinking
for those prices.

Unless I'm missing something else connected to those cards concerning the V-ram and newer tech.

Waiting for Kepler but the 7970 looks better all the time if those charts hold true.

Take them with a grain of salt.

Later


----------



## slice259

A few days ago I ran some test's with triple 1080P monitors. Both of my 7970s where at 1200 core/1700 memory. I ran the campaign level " Operation Swordbreaker ". I was using 2.0 - 2.4 GB's of Vram with BF3 set to its maximum Graphical setting's. The 2 7970s ran the game well, it was averaging 45-60 FPS. My 24/7 setup consists of a single 40" Samsung 1080P, so there's zero problems running anything on the market currently. Overall you can see with a game like BF3 being very Vram intensive, the last generation of cards are going to struggle with BF3. So overall the 3 GB's of vram is a big plus when using these cards for muli-monitor gaming.


----------



## Norlig

How do I make MSI Afterburner use one Profile when in desktop, and another profile when I launch a game?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> How do I make MSI Afterburner use one Profile when in desktop, and another profile when I launch a game?


Click 'Settings', there's a tab 'Profiles'. At the bottom you can set a profile for 2D (desktop) and one for 3D (gaming).


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Click 'Settings', there's a tab 'Profiles'. At the bottom you can set a profile for 2D (desktop) and one for 3D (gaming).


Cheers









+rep

Edit:

Still does this though, fan goes up and down, its irritating


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> I keep getting the following error......Can anyone tell me how to get around this? I cant right click and run as administrator either....and I am the only user on my pc with administrator rights...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "Error 1925. You do not have sufficient privileges to complete this installation for all users of the machine. Log on as administrator and try again."


Anyone have any ideas?


----------



## Varishna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas?


I had the same error. I had to launch the installer from cmd line.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Varishna*
> 
> I had the same error. I had to launch the installer from cmd line.


Yep.

http://letmeillustrate.blogspot.com/2010/04/error-1925.html


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas?


Use this guide on OC net to resolve the issue. Link in the og post should work. It is in the main post

http://www.overclock.net/t/633816/how-to-overclock-your-amd-ati-gpu

I Get An Error When Saving The Config File
On some systems you may get an error when you try to save the MSIAfterburner.cfg file. First make sure Afterburner is fully closed, including the icon in the system tray. If this does not help, you need to take ownership of the file before editing it. The easiest way to do this is to follow this guide. Once you have done that, right click on MSIAfterburner.cfg and click 'Take Ownership' from the context menu. Then open up the file in wordpad follow the procedure in Step 2 and save it. If you still receive an error message, describe it in a reply to this thread.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

I think I'm done with OCCT. In settings that error out there about 2 minutes in I was able to run 30 mins of Crysis Bench, 30 mins of Heaven, 30 mins of the "Leo" demo, and a couple of hours of Rift with no issues. Seems stable enough for me.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Varishna*
> 
> I had the same error. I had to launch the installer from cmd line.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yep.
> http://letmeillustrate.blogspot.com/2010/04/error-1925.html


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> Use this guide on OC net to resolve the issue. Link in the og post should work. It is in the main post
> http://www.overclock.net/t/633816/how-to-overclock-your-amd-ati-gpu
> I Get An Error When Saving The Config File
> On some systems you may get an error when you try to save the MSIAfterburner.cfg file. First make sure Afterburner is fully closed, including the icon in the system tray. If this does not help, you need to take ownership of the file before editing it. The easiest way to do this is to follow this guide. Once you have done that, right click on MSIAfterburner.cfg and click 'Take Ownership' from the context menu. Then open up the file in wordpad follow the procedure in Step 2 and save it. If you still receive an error message, describe it in a reply to this thread.


Thanks guys, +rep


----------



## Gabe63

7970 open box about to go in stock, start refreshing. I bought one yesterday.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645R

Popped my cfc in stock and then sold fast.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> I think I'm done with OCCT. In settings that error out there about 2 minutes in I was able to run 30 mins of Crysis Bench, 30 mins of Heaven, 30 mins of the "Leo" demo, and a couple of hours of Rift with no issues. Seems stable enough for me.


If you are wondering if it's a bug, it's not.


----------



## owikh84

*7970 x3 @ 1275MHz 1.25v*


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> If you are wondering if it's a bug, it's not.


You mean a bug related to OCCT? I wasn't assuming it was a bug, just done using it as a stress test.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Click 'Settings', there's a tab 'Profiles'. At the bottom you can set a profile for 2D (desktop) and one for 3D (gaming).
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> +rep
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Still does this though, fan goes up and down, its irritating
Click to expand...

Something is utilizing the GPU #1 in the background. Possibility is hardware acceleration set to GPU affinity.

Right click on FlashPlayer/Youtube and in settings for IE, FF, Chrome, WMP, etc to disable "Hardware Aceleration".

I still don't get it why we must *force 2D and 3D profile*, unless PowerPlay was disabled (*2*) in Afterburner *.cfg post #3186

UnofficialOverclockingMode;


1 = To keep PowerPlay active.
*2* = To traditionally disable PowerPlay (no Power Tune).
0 = To temporary disable unofficial overclocking path.

I thought this was the thing in the past for 58xx series with multi-monitor setup to force 2D profile. No mean to be disingenuous but am I missing something with the release of *Beta 12*?

I've been reading this quite a bit about forcing 2D clocks here. Just wondering what you guys are talking about.

For a *single card 7970*, there are;

- PowerPlay.

- Power Tune.

- ZeroCore Power.

- 2D idle clocks and voltage for single monitor and multi-monitor.

- UVD clocks and voltage.

- 3D full load clocks and voltage for normal and throttling by temperature and PowerTune.

Could someone please be more specifics which 2D clocks shall be forced and how that clocks will play out with all the above, for 7970?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> You mean a bug related to OCCT? I wasn't assuming it was a bug, just done using it as a stress test.


It's a pretty useful program, but it's not for everyone.
Most people use GPUs for gaming and not GPGPU where actual stability counts.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> You mean a bug related to OCCT? I wasn't assuming it was a bug, just done using it as a stress test.


Along these same lines, though, I am curious if some of the OC's that I've seen people posting around the web are truly stable and just how much stability testing folks are doing. Not saying that anyone is being intentionally disingenuous, just wondering how thorough their testing is before they post some of the higher numbers that are out there.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Along these same lines, though, I am curious if some of the OC's that I've seen people posting around the web are truly stable and just how much stability testing folks are doing. Not saying that anyone is being intentionally disingenuous, just wondering how thorough their testing is before they post some of the higher numbers that are out there.


It's always been that way, human nature... Personally I could care less what X said he's running, instead I go by the bench threads and what people have achieved in there to get a frame of reference.


----------



## tucker933

Anyone have any idea what ASIC Quality is by the way?


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tucker933*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone have any idea what ASIC Quality is by the way?


Get GPU-Z.0.5.8 and when you open that program hold down alt and click the icon in the top left corner (looks like a graphics card)


----------



## tucker933

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Get GPU-Z.0.5.8 and when you open that program hold down alt and click the icon in the top left corner (looks like a graphics card)


Oh no, I've seen it. I'm just wondering what exactly it means.


----------



## criznit

Decided to just max it out on stock and ran some test. Still gotta get comfortable and OC my 2600k. The last cpu I overclocked was a 2.8 P4 northwood.


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tucker933*
> 
> Oh no, I've seen it. I'm just wondering what exactly it means.


reading comp fail on my part lol. I would like to know the same.


----------



## tucker933

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> 
> Decided to just max it out on stock and ran some test. Still gotta get comfortable and OC my 2600k. The last cpu I overclocked was a 2.8 P4 northwood.


Let us know how it turns out. I got minimal artifacts from a 1050 core after playing for an hour or so on Battlefield 3, so I dropped it back


----------



## OverSightX

Received mine yesterday and awaiting my second tomorrow! Playing BF3 with ease all maxed. Fan is a jet engine though with anything over 45%. Both going on water in about a monnth. Very comparable to my 6970+6950 CF I had going. I'll see what happens when I get the other one in there.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas?


I have a 2 hour break and will transfer to you the answer of Atiman regarding the installation issue you came across...

"Even if you are the only user of your PC this does not mean that you are the admin as well! The admin account has to be active.

If you give the command : "net user administrator" it will state clearly in the active tab that you are not the admin by showing the word NO.
If you give the command "net user administrator /active:Yes" you will see that new account will open that will be the real admin account and has nothing to do with your current account.

Now, to overcome the problem of the ATIMANs Uninstaller install procedure, it is recommended to disable the UAC (User Admin Control)

He also mentions many technical details reasons he prefers this way, but The main point is that disabling the UAC is the solution for your error. It works for me as well without having to login as admin.









Remember, ATIMANs uninstaller does NOT need to be used through admin account!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> Uninstall all tweaking applications such as Afterburner, Trixx etc if you have it in the system. Select "no" when prompted to keep settings.
> 
> 
> Uninstall Catalyst. Select "Express Uninstall".
> 
> 
> Delete these folder;
> C:\user\Program files or (x86)\ ATI or AMD.
> C:\user\ProgramData\ATI or AMD (need to show hidden files).
> 
> 
> Turn off UAC.
> Go to Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > move the slider to bottom > restart PC.
> 
> 
> Clean it with; Atiman Uninstaller v.6.2.0
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Re-install everything. Note; Afteburner, Trixx or Asus Tweak should be the last. Do not override them with Catalyst install.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is exactly the same way i used to uninstall the drivers, *BUT Atiman told me many times to change something in this procedure and... he was right:*
> "As long as you are using drivers by AMD, do NOT use windows uninstaller manager BUT directly Atiman uninstaller! Atiman's uninstaller uses the latest AMDs uninstaller enhanced with many extra things and it automatically uninstalls everything: ATI Catalyst Driver, App Profiles, AMD APP SDK, ATI Stream SDK etc *It even disables temporarily the UAC in order to activate Admin rights'*
> 
> Atiman's uninstaler works perfect with drivers that use the original AMD installer. If you use modded drivers things are diferrent. He told me that in a future version of his uninstaller he will probably support also the removal of modded drivers.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas?
> 
> 
> 
> I have a 2 hour break and will transfer to you the answer of Atiman regarding the installation issue you came across...
> 
> "Even if you are the only user of your PC this does not mean that you are the admin as well! The admin account has to be active.
> 
> If you give the command : "net user administrator" it will state clearly in the active tab that you are not the admin by showing the word NO.
> If you give the command "net user administrator /active:Yes" you will see that new account will open that will be the real admin account and has nothing to do with your current account.
> 
> Now, to overcome the problem of the ATIMANs Uninstaller install procedure, it is recommended to disable the UAC (User Admin Control)
> 
> He also mentions many technical details reasons he prefers this way, but The main point is that disabling the UAC is the solution for your error. It works for me as well without having to login as admin.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Remember, ATIMANs uninstaller does NOT need to be used through admin account!
Click to expand...

Oh


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Oh


A small clarification...
...please note that whenever required the ATIMAN uninstaller automatically disables UAC.
*The only time you have to disable te UAC manually is when you install the uninstaller!*


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I have a 2 hour break and will transfer to you the answer of Atiman regarding the installation issue you came across...
> "Even if you are the only user of your PC this does not mean that you are the admin as well! The admin account has to be active.
> If you give the command : "net user administrator" it will state clearly in the active tab that you are not the admin by showing the word NO.
> If you give the command "net user administrator /active:Yes" you will see that new account will open that will be the real admin account and has nothing to do with your current account.
> Now, to overcome the problem of the ATIMANs Uninstaller install procedure, it is recommended to disable the UAC (User Admin Control)
> He also mentions many technical details reasons he prefers this way, but The main point is that disabling the UAC is the solution for your error. It works for me as well without having to login as admin.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Remember, ATIMANs uninstaller does NOT need to be used through admin account!


Thanks for taking the time to find that, big help and will try when home today


----------



## owikh84

7970 x3 @ 1275/6600 1.25v/1.6v




Peak power consumption @ 1364W


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverSightX*
> 
> Received mine yesterday and awaiting my second tomorrow! Playing BF3 with ease all maxed. Fan is a jet engine though with anything over 45%. Both going on water in about a monnth. Very comparable to my 6970+6950 CF I had going. I'll see what happens when I get the other one in there.


6970+6950 CF?

Wouldn't that just result in 2x6950 Crossfire? Did you unlock it then? I have gotten the impression that a unlocked 6950 is not entirely the same as the 6970.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> 7970 x3 @ 1275/6600 1.25v/1.6v
> 
> 
> Peak power consumption @ 1364W


The date on your 3dmark11 shot says 2/10/2012? Anyway, nice system you got there, me jelly!


----------



## Arizonian

What's peak usage on two 7970's? Anyone check? Curious what min PSU requirement be with a loaded system?


----------



## Witchdoctor

I think your 1050 wil be fine,

I would say 850 minimum


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> What's peak usage on two 7970's? Anyone check? Curious what min PSU requirement be with a loaded system?


Some review at HardOCP did an overclocked xfire 7970 test and it drew 795 from the wall total.


----------



## Sebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Cheers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> +rep
> Edit:
> Still does this though, fan goes up and down, its irritating


If you are using Firefox, its scrolling on pages that's the cause of this issue. I suggest using Chrome until they have made a fix.









Or you could increase the update period on the fan if the clock does not worry you.

(As far as i know, disabling hardware acceleration does not fix this yet.)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> The date on your 3dmark11 shot says 2/10/2012? Anyway, nice system you got there, me jelly!


Score looks legit though. Graphics score is inline with my score. The 3960/30K give a huge boost to the physics score which makes the overall 2K higher than 2600K. But in games there's not much difference.

Hey owikh84, can you run Metrobench via the thread rules in the bench forum? Thanks.


----------



## PARTON

I pull 410 from the wall in the 3dmark11 combined test with semi-hefty overclocks on 2600K + 7970, water pump, fans, four hdds.


----------



## tsm106

Killawatt? The cheapo ones read really low fyi. Think about it for a sec. 410w from the wall at 80% factor, you seriously think you're only using 328 watt from your psu with a 300watt gpu, 150w cpu, plus loop and accessories?


----------



## OverSightX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> 6970+6950 CF?
> Wouldn't that just result in 2x6950 Crossfire? Did you unlock it then? I have gotten the impression that a unlocked 6950 is not entirely the same as the 6970.


Yup unlocked. I had it running 920/1400 on both. An unlocked 6950 is a beast and on par with a 6970 in most cases.


----------



## xstatementx

Hey guys I need some help. For whatever reason, when I'm plugged into my diamond 7970 at 1920x1080 resolution using hdmi on a 32" 1080p tv, it doesnt fill up the entire screen. However, before I installed the drivers it did. Now, there's a huge black border around the screen. Any ideas?


----------



## Evil Penguin

You need to adjust the under scan in the display options.


----------



## Vibe21

CatalystCreator just announced a new CAP about an hour ago. Fingers crossed that a new update to the 79xx drivers are not too far behind.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> CatalystCreator just announced a new CAP about an hour ago. Fingers crossed that a new update to the 79xx drivers are not too far behind.


I think it's appropriate of amd to release a driver for these cards really soon. At least I wish for a new driver really soon, and that it improves performance between 200-300% lol


----------



## Vibe21

I would just be happy to start seeing my cards get utilized more. Seeing the usage in BF3 fluctuate between 40-70% all this time and not giving me that great of frame rate on some maps is driving mad.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Score looks legit though. Graphics score is inline with my score. The 3960/30K give a huge boost to the physics score which makes the overall 2K higher than 2600K. But in games there's not much difference.
> Hey owikh84, can you run Metrobench via the thread rules in the bench forum? Thanks.


At no point did I question the legitimacy of these results. If anything, I was trying to prove back to the future is real







.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Killawatt? The cheapo ones read really low fyi. Think about it for a sec. 410w from the wall at 80% factor, you seriously think you're only using 328 watt from your psu with a 300watt gpu, 150w cpu, plus loop and accessories?


I also pull a mere 400W from the socket during BF3, OCCT peaks over 500W.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> At no point did I question the legitimacy of these results. If anything, I was trying to prove back to the future is real
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I also pull a mere 400W from the socket during BF3, OCCT peaks over 500W.


Put it this way. My cheapo killawatt shows 1100w and another member with similar rig shows 1400w. Whose wrong and whose right? Consider 3 months later I blew out a TPQ1200.


----------



## BritishBob

Anyone give me a hand. Minecraft with Sonic Ether's Unbelievable Shaders v1.1.04 and OptiFine_1.1_HD_S_B2 is not displaying objects with transparency correctly. Here are 2 screen shots:


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Put it this way. My cheapo killawatt shows 1100w and another member with similar rig shows 1400w. Whose wrong and whose right? Consider 3 months later I blew out a TPQ1200.


1400W at 80% (=1120W) should still be within spec of a (good) 1200W PSU. Anyway, you could be right, BUT how do you explain idle readings of 90-105W (depending whether ZCP kicked in or not)? Those seem in the right ballpark. Either way I'm not afraid my PSU will blow up as I have ample wattage to spare.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> 1400W at 80% (=1120W) should still be within spec of a (good) 1200W PSU. Anyway, you could be right, BUT how do you explain idle readings of 90-105W (depending whether ZCP kicked in or not)? Those seem in the right ballpark. Either way I'm not afraid my PSU will blow up as I have ample wattage to spare.


Refer to the point I made about the killawatts being inaccurate. Anyways, like you I made sure I have lots to spare this time around hehe.


----------



## criznit

Here is a new screen shot of my overclocked 7970 and 2600k @ 4.5. still working on small tweaks and wanted to see if these scores look right


----------



## Denim-187

Do you play BF3?
Please post your stats on the BF3 stat thread *HERE*


----------



## Dexhead

Love this card. Huge Improvement over my 2 4870s in crossfire. I can run bf3 ultra 1920x1080p 4x AA and never dip below 30 fps. Feels silky smooth all the time.


----------



## AndresR

Guys, what's the max and safe voltage under water for 24/7 ? I only play 1 hour o less daily and spend most of the day modeling on 3D Max/Sketchup.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AndresR*
> 
> Guys, what's the max and safe voltage under water for 24/7 ? I only play 1 hour o less daily and spend most of the day modeling on 3D Max/Sketchup.


The limit you can even go is 0.125mV over your default voltage before OCP kicks in.

I have been told that is perfectly safe.


----------



## Favian

I had something crazy happen to me. I just checked gpu-z and saw that my i5-2500k igpu was flashed with the 7970 asus bios. I must of somehow flashed it when I flashed my 7970 crossfire. Is there a way I can flash my igpu back to stock bios?


----------



## Arizonian

Curious if anyone had the reference 7970's sandwiched together with no spacing, what kind of temps on your cards please?

Do to spacing limits I'll be possibly running a xfire set up like this. Thanks for any replies in advance.


----------



## wirefox

so I finally have a good gpu clock at 1125 | 1162 & 1700 1624 also have my i920 at 4.4

anyway, I'm wondering if I'd see any gpu performance increase if I upgraded to a 3930k, RIVE, and 16 gigs 1833 dominators (I have guy willing to sell the bunch for $900)

anyway guess the question are folks seeing better gpu performance from a rig like my sig ... vs the 3930k above?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I'll let you know in about a week









I think coming from a 920 you would see a difference even going to a 2600k so yea if you can get a good deal go for it


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> so I finally have a good gpu clock at 1125 | 1162 & 1700 1624 also have my i920 at 4.4
> anyway, I'm wondering if I'd see any gpu performance increase if I upgraded to a 3930k, RIVE, and 16 gigs 1833 dominators (I have guy willing to sell the bunch for $900)
> anyway guess the question are folks seeing better gpu performance from a rig like my sig ... vs the 3930k above?


Coming from a 920 a 3930 will be a big jump. However the difference between say a 2600k and 3930k in games is very small.


----------



## wirefox

always looking at a deal but honestly I could just buy outright ... and just wait for the C2 .... but still wondering about 7970 and 3930k ... guess I feel okay with my i920 at 4.4 ... I get great fps but wonder if gaming performance and gpu would play better with new build out ... feel like the answer is obvious but never know .. folks would say don't get the 2500 if you can hit 4.4. on your i920 ... won't be that different...


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I think the 3930k will shine in multi-gpu based systems, but for a single 7970 it's completely not needed.


----------



## tsm106

^^Not imo.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> always looking at a deal but honestly I could just buy outright ... and just wait for the C2 .... but still wondering about 7970 and 3930k ... guess I feel okay with my i920 at 4.4 ... I get great fps but wonder if gaming performance and gpu would play better with new build out ... feel like the answer is obvious but never know .. folks would say don't get the 2500 if you can hit 4.4. on your i920 ... won't be that different...


When I made the jump from my 4.2ghz 920 to 5.2ghz 2600k, I was bottlenecked in the Metrobench thread. The 2600k allowed me to gain a lot of frames. Now that I'm using a 2600k, I don't see a lot of reason to go to a 3930 unless I breathed and lived 3dmark 11.









900 is a bit of a steal though isn't it?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> I think the 3930k will shine in multi-gpu based systems, but for a single 7970 it's completely not needed.


Lemme show you what I mean.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KidKB*
> 
> And a little more...
> KidKB - 3960X - Tri-Fire HD7970 - P20927 Score


vs
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> tsm106 - i7 2600k at 5.2ghz - Trifire 7970 - P21133


Clocks are obviously different but even with that, I'm on a slower platform right? There's many factors, but one thing is for sure, and that is a 2600k is not holding me back.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Not imo.
> When I made the jump from my 4.2ghz 920 to 5.2ghz 2600k, I was bottlenecked in the Metrobench thread. The 2600k allowed me to gain a lot of frames. Now that I'm using a 2600k, I don't see a lot of reason to go to a 3930 unless I breathed and lived 3dmark 11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 900 is a bit of a steal though isn't it?


yeah price is great ... guy said he got it to 5.0 ... stupid technology.. never want to jump b/c there is always ivybridge-e coming then the hasbro








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Lemme show you what I mean.
> vs
> Clocks are obviously different but even with that, I'm on a slower platform right? There's many factors, but one thing is for sure, and that is a 2600k is not holding me back.


Great to see ... I'm thinking I just need to jump +1 for the charts


----------



## NorxMAL

So my [email protected] is holding back my single 7970 compared to for example the 2600k in games like BF3?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> So my [email protected] is holding back my single 7970 compared to for example the 2600k in games like BF3?


nah, for multi gpu, tri fire yeah. single no.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> So my [email protected] is holding back my single 7970 compared to for example the 2600k in games like BF3?


Nope.









http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7970-cpu-scaling-performance-review/9


----------



## AndresR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> The limit you can even go is 0.125mV over your default voltage before OCP kicks in.
> I have been told that is perfectly safe.


Thanks







!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> Nope.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7970-cpu-scaling-performance-review/9


That is true in single player. In 64 player Multi-player, there is a heavy CPU influence on frame-rates as has been discussed and screen shotted many times in this thread.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> That is true in single player. In 64 player Multi-player, there is a heavy CPU influence on frame-rates as has been discussed and screen shotted many times in this thread.


For single 7970 in 64P MP BF3, a 2500K @ 4.5 GHz is more than enough to keep it at 99% load and not miss a single beat.


----------



## Vibe21

Then what is hold my 7970's to 40-70% usage with a i7 [email protected]? And I don't see much difference regardless if I am on a 24, 32 or 64 man server.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> Then what is hold my 7970's to 40-70% usage with a i7 [email protected]? And I don't see much difference regardless if I am on a 24, 32 or 64 man server.


Did you check if your CPU is actually under 100% load when playing? Make sure Vsync is off or any other things that could be limiting your hardware or fps. Also, I don't own a 930 but I'm under the impression that a 2500K kicks its butt.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Did you check if your CPU is actually under 100% load when playing? Make sure Vsync is off or any other things that could be limiting your hardware or fps. Also, I don't own a 930 but I'm under the impression that a 2500K kicks its butt.


Also, I didn't notice you said *7970's*. Yes, *they* are bottlenecked even by a 2500K @ 4.5 GHz. I was talking about a single card.


----------



## Vibe21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Also, I didn't notice you said *7970's*. Yes, *they* are bottlenecked even by a 2500K @ 4.5 GHz. I was talking about a single card.


Most of the time my CPU usage is only at about 70%, but of course that varies. I guess my only option is to upgrade.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Curious if anyone had the reference 7970's sandwiched together with no spacing, what kind of temps on your cards please?
> Do to spacing limits I'll be possibly running a xfire set up like this. Thanks for any replies in advance.


During idle I get about 47 on the top card and 40 on the bottom card. During load the top card can get to around 80(Heaven 2.5) or 73-77(BF3) with the bottom card at about 65-68(for either). Yet another reason I should upgrade.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> Most of the time my CPU usage is only at about 70%, but of course that varies. I guess my only option is to upgrade.


Some here have upgraded to a 2600K or better and OC'ed the crap out of it for this exact reason. Go for it!


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Do you play BF3?
> Please post your stats on the BF3 stat thread *HERE*


I currently do not have BF3, I want to upgrade my monitor first.


----------



## Vibe21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Some here have upgraded to a 2600K or better and OC'ed the crap out of it for this exact reason. Go for it!


Oh I have been planning on upgrading, but I have been holding out for Ivy. But the sales they have going on at the Microcenter that I drive past every day have truly been tempting me. That reminds me, I still need to look up the difference between the Asus P8Z68 Pro and Deluxe boards.


----------



## owikh84

Metro 2033 | 2560x1600

7970 x3 @ 1275/6600 1.25v/1.6v


vs

GTX580 x3 @ stock


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> Metro 2033 | 2560x1600
> 7970 x3 @ 1275/6600 1.25v/1.6v
> *snip* hosed benches


Something went wrong. Denim did an xfire 7970 metro bench and he got way higher numbers than you.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> Metro 2033 | 2560x1600
> 7970 x3 @ 1275/6600 1.25v/1.6v
> 
> vs
> GTX580 x3 @ stock


Random benches don't mean anything. Even with this pair, the 580s are running with physx on which kills the score.

Different settings are not comparable.

Run settings from here if you want to have comparable numbers.


----------



## Vibe21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Something went wrong. Denim did an xfire 7970 metro bench and he got way higher numbers than you.


I get better runs with 2 cards.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Here is a new screen shot of my overclocked 7970 and 2600k @ 4.5. still working on small tweaks and wanted to see if these scores look right


A few posts, He even got a better run with 1 card.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> I get better runs with 2 cards.
> A few posts, He even got a better run with 1 card.


Don't forget Owikh84 is running at 2560 res though. That bench you linked is for 1680x1050.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> I get better runs with 2 cards.
> A few posts, He even got a better run with 1 card.


Seriously? Look at the bench settings omg.


----------



## Vibe21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Seriously? Look at the bench settings omg.










That is what I get for posting at work. Disregard previous post.


----------



## slice259

All this talk of a P55 or X58 setup bottlenecking a pair of 7970's is being blown out of proportion. I am currently running crossfire 7970s ( 1200 core/1700 memory ) with a i5 750 at 4.2 ghz and am experiencing little to no problems with my CPU. With v-sync off it will hold 99% usage and then drop once and a while. But under task manager the CPU isn't loading at more then 90% on 1 core, the rest are in the 80% range. Once I go and play Metro 2033, Crysis, or even BF3 campaign I don't ever see it drop off 99% load on both GPU's. I think it is something with BF3 online rather then a CPU problem. Also I ran triple 1080P Eyefinity last weekend to test and see how the crossfire setup would handle BF3 on the absolute maximum settings. The level used was " Operation Swordbreaker ", With every graphical setting maxed, I was getting 50-60+ FPS average. Both cards where being loaded 99% the entire time while testing. Not once did I see it budge off of 99% usage. So in my opinion, a P55 setup or a X58 setup with a nice OC are more then capable of running these cards even on high OC's.

P.S. I know I am going to get the run around how a 2600K runs them at 99% load, and a 2500K with bounce off once and a while... As far as my opinion on that matter, I think BF3 online has many problems on its own to make it a unworthy testing suite for current CPU's with brand new GPU's that don't even have Official Crossfire Drivers


----------



## Norlig

Has it even been proven that a 2500k will bottleneck these cards? I played through all the B2K maps, with V-sync off my cards were doing 99-98% all the time, not dipping below 55 fps


----------



## zpaf

This is my best with core and memory at defaults volts 1.175/1.6
Anyone can run with the same game settings to see how far can go ?
Thanks in advance.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> All this talk of a P55 or X58 setup bottlenecking a pair of 7970's is being blown out of proportion. I am currently running crossfire 7970s ( 1200 core/1700 memory ) with a i5 750 at 4.2 ghz and am experiencing little to no problems with my CPU. With v-sync off it will hold 99% usage and then drop once and a while. But under task manager the CPU isn't loading at more then 90% on 1 core, the rest are in the 80% range. Once I go and play Metro 2033, Crysis, or even BF3 campaign I don't ever see it drop off 99% load on both GPU's. I think it is something with BF3 online rather then a CPU problem. Also I ran triple 1080P Eyefinity last weekend to test and see how the crossfire setup would handle BF3 on the absolute maximum settings. The level used was " Operation Swordbreaker ", With every graphical setting maxed, I was getting 50-60+ FPS average. Both cards where being loaded 99% the entire time while testing. Not once did I see it budge off of 99% usage. So in my opinion, a P55 setup or a X58 setup with a nice OC are more then capable of running these cards even on high OC's.
> P.S. I know I am going to get the run around how a 2600K runs them at 99% load, and a 2500K with bounce off once and a while... As far as my opinion on that matter, I think BF3 online has many problems on its own to make it a unworthy testing suite for current CPU's with brand new GPU's that don't even have Official Crossfire Drivers


I started this rant 'again' about cpu/gpu with the 7970 - as I saw a great second hand deal off ocn for a 3930k,RIVE,RAM ... while I see what slice259 is seeing in terms of % loads, my i920 has closer on 2 cores at max but bouncing ... I haven't tested on a MP 64 map...

...my future plan was to tri-fri w/a 7990 and my goal is to run my 120hz sig monitor w/Vsync ON ... playing a MP 64 map of BF3 and getting a smooth 120 fps... that being said and understanding we don't have a 7990 to really tell.. I would think the i920 may have issues with a 7990/7970?


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Has it even been proven that a 2500k will bottleneck these cards? I played through all the B2K maps, with V-sync off my cards were doing 99-98% all the time, not dipping below 55 fps


If you've been following this thread from the start, you've seen proof come by multiple times.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> If you've been following this thread from the start, you've seen proof come by multiple times.


I personally dont experience it is what I'm saying.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is what I get for posting at work. Disregard previous post.


----------



## slice259

Once I have my MSI GD-65 z77 board coupled with a ivy bridge CPU, ill know the difference to be had between my current setup and Ivy. Ivy is going to be faster for nothing more then its going to overclock well. If the reports are true, around the 6 Ghz mark would be a nice bump over my 750. Let alone the architecture has change considerably. Just more money


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> Nope.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7970-cpu-scaling-performance-review/9


+rep for the review. I was surprised to see how little one 7970 (or not at all) my CPU's would bottleneck 1 7970. I want to upgrade soon but it looks like it will mainly be for e-pen than performance on most actual tests.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> +rep for the review. I was surprised to see how little one 7970 (or not at all) my CPU's would bottleneck 1 7970. I want to upgrade soon but it looks like it will mainly be for e-pen than performance on most actual tests.


You have ti take everything from guru with a giant grain of salt. Look at it, zero difference really, really?


----------



## omega17

If you look at those graphs, using 7970 Crossfired, then you'll see the gaps starting to appear. Old arch cannot keep two 7970s fed with yummy data.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> If you look at those graphs, using 7970 Crossfired, then you'll see the gaps starting to appear. Old arch cannot keep two 7970s fed with yummy data.


How well does MSAA work with AMD in BF3... here's a hint it's broke.
Quote:


> All test runs have enabled:
> 
> DX11
> Ultra mode
> *4xMSAAAA enabled*
> 16x AF enabled
> HBAO enabled
> Level: Operation Swordbreaker


Look at the numbers!

5ghz 2600K and 7970 can only do 65fps at 1280x1024. Yea, really? This is more about choking the gpu then looking at scaling.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How well does MSAA work with AMD in BF3... here's a hint it's broke.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> All test runs have enabled:
> DX11
> Ultra mode
> *4xMSAAAA enabled*
> 16x AF enabled
> HBAO enabled
> Level: Operation Swordbreaker
> 
> 
> 
> Look at the numbers!
> 5ghz 2600K and 7970 can only do 65fps at 1280x1024. Yea, really?
Click to expand...

Dial it back a notch TSM! Someone is grouchy today!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Dial it back a notch TSM! Someone is grouchy today!


Ok lol thanks sorry. I hate it when ppl post that damn guru3d crap.


----------



## Hambone07si

I just pulled the 3 480's off my bench and put 1 7970 on last night. Hooked up Eyefinity and started testing. All I can say is "WELL DONE AMD, WELL DONE!!".. This is a gpu that is worth the money. 3 480's with water blocks =$2100. With 1 7970, I'm getting more fps in Skyrim @ 1920x1080 (locked 60fps) and now 5760x1080 (60fps most and dips to 50fps) with ULTRA settings 4xAA 16xAF.. 3 480s would dip to 40's @ 1920x1080 and could not run 5760x1080 with playable frame rates in Ultra settings. Crysis 2 Extreme Dx11 @ 5760x1080 runs 40-50fps but very smooth and playable. With the 3 480's 50fps felt choppy and laggy, could just be the microstutter. Dirt 3 max settings 5760x1080 min 77fps avg 90fps.

I can't believe the performance of this 1 7970.







Can't wait til my 2nd one comes in next week


----------



## Derek1387

So....is it time for the new AMD driver yet? Tired of getting all of these video issues... i thought someone said it was the 11th or 12th when they would release a driver?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> So....is it time for the new AMD driver yet? Tired of getting all of these video issues... i thought someone said it was the 11th or 12th when they would release a driver?


Was wondering exact same thing.


----------



## Tumdace

Well it is the 10th... so...


----------



## Hambone07si

What issues you guys having? I haven't had any yet, but just installed the card last night


----------



## Norlig

Regarding drivers, I got an answer on my ticket with AMD just now.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> I got 2 Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3gb cards. I am very unsatisfied about how you go around with the drivers. Games perform awful and stability is poor. Can you get a WHQL driver out already, because I have had enough of this waiting for good support that I thought you would provide...


Answer:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AMD Global Customer Care*
> Your feedback has been directed to the Catalyst Crew Team.
> 
> The next Catalyst diver release is due out in the next two week and these are expected to support the HD7xxx cards in Windows 7.
> 
> In order to update this service request, please respond, leaving the service request reference intact.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> AMD Global Customer Care


So they are taking they're time with this. unsure about Beta drivers though, they might have been talking about a WHQL driver since I asked them about that.


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What issues you guys having? I haven't had any yet, but just installed the card last night


endom BSOD's, or "the display driver has stopped working blah blah blah"


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ok lol thanks sorry. I hate it when ppl post that damn guru3d crap.


----------



## Hambone07si

Hmm, well I'm going home now to start gaming for a while and testing this new card. I did see a little screen tearing in Skyrim. Read up on that and I guess if you download the Sapphire driver from their site, it helps. The driver on AMD's site ends with .2 and the one on Sapphire's site ends with .5 .. I'm going to test the .5 and see if that helps any. I have had no issues with BSOD or driver stopped yet. I haven't tried overclocking my card past 1000/1500 tho. That's plenty of power and I have another coming next week. If I can run both at 1000/1500 in Crossfire i'll be happy. I'm sure that will max out anything I throw at it as seeing what just 1 does now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Hmm, well I'm going home now to start gaming for a while and testing this new card. I did see a little screen tearing in Skyrim. Read up on that and I guess if you download the Sapphire driver from their site, it helps. The driver on AMD's site ends with .2 and the one on Sapphire's site ends with .5 .. I'm going to test the .5 and see if that helps any. I have had no issues with BSOD or driver stopped yet. I haven't tried overclocking my card past 1000/1500 tho. That's plenty of power and I have another coming next week. If I can run both at 1000/1500 in Crossfire i'll be happy. I'm sure that will max out anything I throw at it as seeing what just 1 does now.


In your eyefinity array, you will ultimately have 2 DP/1DVI or 2 DVI/1DP. HDMI shares clock sync with a DVI so it is DVI too. Anyways, the difference in clock generators between DP and DVI causes the screen tear issue. You should only have it on one screen! What I would do is if you are using 2 DVI, make one of the DVI you center screen and the other DVI on which ever side you watch videos are use more of. The last screen will be the DP and that one will tear now and then. And vice cersa if you use 2DP/1DVI. Nothing you can do w/o switching to a DCII which has 4 DP ports.

Also, about your post regarding your 480s, the games you mention all have broken scaling. DX11 with multi cards is rubbish. Skyrim with more than two cards is broke as well. Thus those two games won't be a good barometer for comparison because coming from that scenario to a single badarse card will obvious be night and day.


----------



## OverSightX

I've been reading a lot of reviews and peoples problems, but I just added my second 7970 yesterday and have run into very minimal issues. In BF3 my CF usage is around 98/99% (even on my little [email protected]) except when I put VSync which brings it down down to aroun 60/70% each. I ran a couple runs of 3DMARK 11 and no oc I get roughly ~13000 and with a slight OC i get almost ~14500 again on a 920.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> In your eyefinity array, you will ultimately have 2 DP/1DVI or 2 DVI/1DP. HDMI shares clock sync with a DVI so it is DVI too. Anyways, the difference in clock generators between DP and DVI causes the screen tear issue. You should only have it on one screen! What I would do is if you are using 2 DVI, make one of the DVI you center screen and the other DVI on which ever side you watch videos are use more of. The last screen will be the DP and that one will tear now and then. And vice cersa if you use 2DP/1DVI. Nothing you can do w/o switching to a DCII which has 4 DP ports.
> Also, about your post regarding your 480s, the games you mention all have broken scaling. DX11 with multi cards is rubbish. Skyrim with more than two cards is broke as well. Thus those two games won't be a good barometer for comparison because coming from that scenario to a single badarse card will obvious be night and day.


would a mini male display port to regular help? well I guess I have a DP on my monitor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158233


----------



## ELCID777

Anybody else getting textures flickering in Crysis 2? I'm getting absolutely ridiculous texture flickering running in crossfire or single card. Nothing seems to help it and it only seems to occur in Crysis 2.

W E

N E E D

N E W

D R I V E R S

A M D


----------



## ElGreco

They are working on them...
A beta version i had the chance to see had some nice results... ~10% better performance in metro and unigine compared to the sapphire site drivers, plus no flickering in bfbc2 etc etc

I am really optimistic


----------



## ELCID777

Well, just when I thought BF3 was my only sure fire game with my crossfire 7970's, along comes a "DirectX Error, you have run out of memory" which then crashes me to desktop.


----------



## Hexa

Ok running just one 7970 so far and my 3d mark 11 score is 7702. It's telling me that's low compared to others. Is something wrong?


----------



## Denim-187

Am pretty freeking disappointed with AMD atm... they did state that theyre injecting more funds into the driver teams. I call BS.

Ive said this before and i'll say it again..... AMD's driver teams suck that hard that this might be my last RADEON series GFX card.
I will not spend these $$ only to be ganked by late and dud drivers.

/rant


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Ok running just one 7970 so far and my 3d mark 11 score is 7702. It's telling me that's low compared to others. Is something wrong?


That's average IF you have no OC's running.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quick question for y'all: does anyone else have a voltage jump even at 0% usage after making a voltage adjustment in Afterburner? After setting my voltage to 1170 (up from 1112 stock) I get a base voltage jump from .806 to .949. I imagine I could remedy this by setting separate 2D/3D profiles, but I was just wondering if this is a common occurrence. Sorry if this has been covered, but 370 pages is a lot to dig through.

Edit: Just to clarify, that's actual voltage as measured with HWInfo, not just the targeted volts shown in AB.


----------



## Hexa

Ok so I just added the second 7970 and now my score is 12186. I didn't even come close to doubling my score with 1 7970. Is that ok?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> would a mini male display port to regular help? well I guess I have a DP on my monitor
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158233


It won't help because you are forced to use at least 1DP in an eyefinity group. Thus you can do 2DVI/1DP or vice versa. Either way, just make one of the two your main screen so you only get tearing in the one panel that is different from the other two.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Quick question for y'all: does anyone else have a voltage jump even at 0% usage after making a voltage adjustment in Afterburner? After setting my voltage to 1170 (up from 1112 stock) I get a base voltage jump from .806 to .949. I imagine I could remedy this by setting separate 2D/3D profiles, but I was just wondering if this is a common occurrence. Sorry if this has been covered, but 370 pages is a lot to dig through.
> Edit: Just to clarify, that's actual voltage as measured with HWInfo, not just the targeted volts shown in AB.


Did you check whether it clocked back to 500 MHz or 300 MHz when idle? I think the difference in voltage is in those clocks. In AB I find setting 925 MHz core prevents it from clocking back to 300 MHz so my unclocked profile is 924 MHz. I can't find a reason as to why it is doing this.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Ok so I just added the second 7970 and now my score is 12186. I didn't even come close to doubling my score with 1 7970. Is that ok?


I assume that is the P score you are talking about. That score is highly CPU bound. I think you will see a closer to 100% gain in graphics score.


----------



## KharnakPVP

Got a question (well, a couple really)... Will swapping out a powercolor 7970 bios for an unlocked Asus 7970 bios work? Need a voltage unlock...

I've done some overclocking here and there on CPU's and I've always used the standard CCC for overclocking the GPU and haven't learned much about graphics overclocking. I have a few questions but it would probably take weeks to sift through all 371 pages of this thread for answers, so I'm asking lol.

I really want to overclock this card in order to squeeze a few more FPS out to hit 60 in eyefinity at 4x AA in most of my games. I'm so close but I can't get a stable overclock without being able to increase voltage (right now I'm sitting at 1085gpu/1400mem). Heat will not be too terrible an issue - I've got a spare TEC laying around and plan to slap it onto my GPU with a waterblock.

Like I said.. new to gpu overclocking- so what is the best way to unlock my voltage? Where can I get what I need in order to do this?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Did you check whether it clocked back to 500 MHz or 300 MHz when idle? I think the difference in voltage is in those clocks. In AB I find setting 925 MHz core prevents it from clocking back to 300 MHz so my unclocked profile is 924 MHz. I can't find a reason as to why it is doing this.
> I assume that is the P score you are talking about. That score is highly CPU bound. I think you will see a closer to 100% gain in graphics score.


As soon as I posted I went into AB and checked and, sure enough, it's only checking down to 500 as opposed to 300. Hopefully that's something an upcoming AB update can rectify.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> As soon as I posted I went into AB and checked and, sure enough, it's only checking down to 500 as opposed to 300. Hopefully that's something an upcoming AB update can rectify.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Did you check whether it clocked back to 500 MHz or 300 MHz when idle? I think the difference in voltage is in those clocks. In AB I find setting 925 MHz core prevents it from clocking back to 300 MHz so my unclocked profile is 924 MHz. I can't find a reason as to why it is doing this.
> I assume that is the P score you are talking about. That score is highly CPU bound. I think you will see a closer to 100% gain in graphics score.


Oh this bug is miniscule. If only you guys were doing this back on Cayman, you'd be pulling your hair out cuz the problems were 10 fold.

That said is anyone running more than one monitor?


----------



## zpaf

These are some bench from me to compare.


----------



## Hexa

Ok color me congused. GPUZ says crossfire is available yet disabled. In CCC it says CrossfireX is disabled. I thought there was a difference between Crossfire and Crossfire X.

I have two of the exact same card, that would be crossfire correct? How do I make sure it's enabled and that GPUZ will see it?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KharnakPVP*
> 
> Got a question (well, a couple really)... Will swapping out a powercolor 7970 bios for an unlocked Asus 7970 bios work? Need a voltage unlock...
> I've done some overclocking here and there on CPU's and I've always used the standard CCC for overclocking the GPU and haven't learned much about graphics overclocking. I have a few questions but it would probably take weeks to sift through all 371 pages of this thread for answers, so I'm asking lol.
> I really want to overclock this card in order to squeeze a few more FPS out to hit 60 in eyefinity at 4x AA in most of my games. I'm so close but I can't get a stable overclock without being able to increase voltage (right now I'm sitting at 1085gpu/1400mem). Heat will not be too terrible an issue - I've got a spare TEC laying around and plan to slap it onto my GPU with a waterblock.
> Like I said.. new to gpu overclocking- so what is the best way to unlock my voltage? Where can I get what I need in order to do this?
> Any and all help is greatly appreciated!


I'm using CCC Powertune +20% and Trixx 1200/1800/1.2v. Sapphire Trisx will work with any brand reference card, I believe. The last 10 or so pages of this thread are very rich with O/C advice and example setups FYI. Good luck and have fun! 

https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Ok color me congused. GPUZ says crossfire is available yet disabled. In CCC it says CrossfireX is disabled. I thought there was a difference between Crossfire and Crossfire X.
> 
> I have two of the exact same card, that would be crossfire correct? How do I make sure it's enabled and that GPUZ will see it?


If you have another screen, monitor CCC and GPU-Z to see the second card in action when running applications in FullScreen Mode. You don't see it during idle because the second card is in sleep ZeroCore Power State.


----------



## Hexa

It can't hurt anything to set CrosffireX to enabled in CCC though right?


----------



## Ken1649

I don't think we are on the same page. Please post a screen shot of what you speak of.

You are talking about application with CorssfireX disabled under *AMD CrossFireX Mode for 3D Applications*. You can not enable CrossfireX of the saved profile unless you create or modify it.

Under the drop down list:


*Disabled*. This option turns off CrossFireX multi-GPU acceleration.
*Default* uses whatever the global system default option is, or whatever AMD has configured, if the game already has a profile in the CAP package.
*AFR Friendly*, which is for games which generally work well with Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR).
*Optimize 1x1*. This is another AFR option, but with optimizations for 1x1 surfaces. The idea is, if *AFR Friendly* has problems, *Optimize 1x1* is another option to try.
*Use AMD Pre-Defined Profile* allows us to select the CrossFireX configuration of another game and apply it to the one for which we are making a profile.


----------



## Hexa

The top part of your pics is what I'm talking about. I enabled that after I saw GPUz wasn't reporting me as using crossfire. After I did this GPUz recognized me as using crossfire. I was asking if I shouldn't have done that b/c I know crossfire was working before b/c my benchmarks were higher.


----------



## omega17

Any idea why I don't have the option for game-specific profiles in my CCC? This is the version I'm on.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KharnakPVP*
> 
> Got a question (well, a couple really)... Will swapping out a powercolor 7970 bios for an unlocked Asus 7970 bios work? Need a voltage unlock...
> I've done some overclocking here and there on CPU's and I've always used the standard CCC for overclocking the GPU and haven't learned much about graphics overclocking. I have a few questions but it would probably take weeks to sift through all 371 pages of this thread for answers, so I'm asking lol.
> I really want to overclock this card in order to squeeze a few more FPS out to hit 60 in eyefinity at 4x AA in most of my games. I'm so close but I can't get a stable overclock without being able to increase voltage (right now I'm sitting at 1085gpu/1400mem). Heat will not be too terrible an issue - I've got a spare TEC laying around and plan to slap it onto my GPU with a waterblock.
> Like I said.. new to gpu overclocking- so what is the best way to unlock my voltage? Where can I get what I need in order to do this?
> Any and all help is greatly appreciated!


You dont need any other BIOS than stock. You need MSI AfterBurner with Unofficial Overclocking Mode Enabled


----------



## Hexa

Ok, I don't believe there is anyway in hell both of my 7970's are running...



I mean does that seem right for 2 7970's in crossfire?


----------



## Outcasst

Yup that is the same as what I get.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Ok, I don't believe there is anyway in hell both of my 7970's are running...
> 
> I mean does that seem right for 2 7970's in crossfire?


what are your settings?
show them
Disable Advanced PHYSX and DOF


----------



## Norlig

I got metro on steam, and the charts doesnt work for me, only minimum, avg and maximum fps on the left side after I have done a run.

Any1 know how to fix that?


----------



## Hexa

Sorry, here were my settings..


----------



## Outcasst

Just had this come up on my screen...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> Just had this come up on my screen...


Still not available via AMD's website, so I'll pass. Plus I always wait till others have reviewed drivers before I jump in.









I hope they hurry and release something good though. I'm waiting for the new drivers before I format.


----------



## omega17

I just got that but I declined, still not certain they'll work with 7970 even though CCC is recommending them.


----------



## Outcasst

Just tried to install them, doesn't support 7970.


----------



## Darco19

Mine's coming on Monday


----------



## bhardy1185

Anyone else have a slight problem fitting this in their case properly? I am using a HAF 932 and after putting the card in the slot, I could not clamp the card in place and there is separation between the back of the case and the card. Not sure how big of a deal it is but just kinda of worries me that there might be unnecessary torque on the card.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> Anyone else have a slight problem fitting this in their case properly? I am using a HAF 932 and after putting the card in the slot, I could not clamp the card in place and there is separation between the back of the case and the card. Not sure how big of a deal it is but just kinda of worries me that there might be unnecessary torque on the card.


I didnt have any problem putting it in my haf932


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> Anyone else have a slight problem fitting this in their case properly? I am using a HAF 932 and after putting the card in the slot, I could not clamp the card in place and there is separation between the back of the case and the card. Not sure how big of a deal it is but just kinda of worries me that there might be unnecessary torque on the card.


I have the same problem with my HAF X. Just press the back of the case towards the card and screw it in place and it should be fine. Cooler Master has problems with that part of thei're cases


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> Anyone else have a slight problem fitting this in their case properly? I am using a HAF 932 and after putting the card in the slot, I could not clamp the card in place and there is separation between the back of the case and the card. Not sure how big of a deal it is but just kinda of worries me that there might be unnecessary torque on the card.


Loosen your motherboard to get less clearance on the card so you can screw it in then re-tighten the board down. There's usually a little bit play that you can work with. It does seem like the HAF are more prone to misalignment lately.


----------



## GetTheMoney

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Sorry, here were my settings..


yep, they're both running. Try AAA instead of 4xMSAA and see a big boost.


----------



## pcgamers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GetTheMoney*
> 
> yep, they're both running. Try AAA instead of 4xMSAA and see a big boost.


how come my single 7970 at 1230/1630 got similar avg fps with him on similar settings? i guess something's wrong with his score. My average fps is 63.33 after 3 runs.


----------



## GetTheMoney

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcgamers*
> 
> how come my single 7970 at 1230/1630 got similar avg fps with him on similar settings? i guess something's wrong with his score. My average fps is 63.33 after 3 runs.


Well, I'm running a 7950 OC'd to 7970 performance, and on 1680x1050 and AAA I got 61fps. Obviously he has something going on with his card to take it way past this level, so unless he has a crazy OC, I'm thinking his cards are working fine.


----------



## pgk87

Hey all,

I just got a Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OE, the temps/performance during benchmarks and gaming are exactly what I expected. However when booting up my PC I no longer see my BIOS splash screen. The first thing I see is the "starting windows" splash from Windows 7.

I'm running an ASUS Maximus gene-z mobo (BIOS version 0706) with the latest HD 7950 drivers. I have a Dell U2412M monitor connected via DVI to the 7950.

If I shutdown and hit the reset CMOS button on my mobo, I can reach the BIOS, but then of course I lose all my settings. Also that fix is short-lived, since subsequent reboots no longer show the BIOS splash screen.

Anyone else experience this with their ASUS mobo and 7950, or know what might be done to fix this, so that I can access my BIOS? I'm hoping there's just a BIOS setting that I need to fix.


----------



## tsm106

Sounds like your board is initialize a different pcie slot first.


----------



## StrayderGame

Heya all guys,i have read some pages about 7970 Overclocking (not all ofc but some). Here what happens. Yesterday i bought card,overclocked,and card worked so and so.I decided to update mobo bios,and to attacj 4pin molex to EZ Plug on mobo for more power,it can't hurts i guess, but problems came.

When i turned on PC It couldn't find boot.mgr so i had to reinstall win etc.I installed all,seted it up but noticed some strange thing.When i turn on PC most of time it skips BIOS loading screen and monitor starts up straight on Win loading.Any idea what could be this? I didn't do anything beside update BIOS and moved CPU clocks back to 4.6ghz

Now about 7970,first what i saw in MSI afterburner is that stock core voltage is 1045 and when i start Furmark it says there to VCCD is 1.175v
Can any1 explain me this?
Ok i ignored that and moved to clocking. I clocked card via MSI Afterburner to 1125 core clock,1575 memory at 1100 core voltage.Seted funs to work 30% at 30 C temperature,40% at 40C temperature and so on.

I started OCCT for 4 house all at full settings,full screen error check and it didn't show any error. After that i started IntelBurn test on Extreme settings for CPU and Memory and started FurMark at full settings 19820x1080 full screen and let it to run about 4 hours.It didn't show any artifacts,any glitches anything.Max temperatureof GPU was 75C ,IntelBurn test confirmed stability. After that i started BF3 ,i took to drive jet and everything went ok.Then i started at some spawn point and there we go everthing was like i'm in some 3d room,full of artifacts,huge artifacts.I checked 3d settings they were OFF coz i don't use 3D playing.

After that i restarted PC,started game and everything was ok,no artifacts,but after some time BF3 crashes... So what this could be?

Any tips,any advice about this?

I'm new at Overclocking world,i guess i should downclock corevoltage a bit,but first time when i tested card (before windows crashed etc) i puted settings core voltage 1080 core speed 1125 memory speed 1575 and OCCT after 2 hours showed 10 errors,but now when i tested on 1100 core voltage it showed 0 errors,but bf3 crashes..?


----------



## Hexa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcgamers*
> 
> how come my single 7970 at 1230/1630 got similar avg fps with him on similar settings? i guess something's wrong with his score. My average fps is 63.33 after 3 runs.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GetTheMoney*
> 
> Well, I'm running a 7950 OC'd to 7970 performance, and on 1680x1050 and AAA I got 61fps. Obviously he has something going on with his card to take it way past this level, so unless he has a crazy OC, I'm thinking his cards are working fine.


What?

Now I'm confused. So my cards are or are not screwed up? It does seem weird that a rig with 1 7970 is getting the same as mine with two??


----------



## JanFrode

Hello there everyone..

I'm new here..
And I have a new XFX Radeon HD 7950 installed.
I'm not really into Overclocking.. I'm satisfied with Stock... (Yes.. there are a few of those)









But I have one problem..
My computer random freezes.. as in complete freeze.. I need to hard reboot the computer.
You think this might be driver issues? As my 5850 didn't have this problem at all.

As an small info, I installed GPU-Z. my ASIC Quailty is at 76,8% and as I can understand it.. VDDC is at 0.941V which seems low??

Using a brand new GA-X58-USB3 motherboard, if that's any help for you









Cheers for any thoughts, solutions or even just an small reply


----------



## Cliors

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Heya all guys,i have read some pages about 7970 Overclocking (not all ofc but some). Here what happens. Yesterday i bought card,overclocked,and card worked so and so.I decided to update mobo bios,and to attacj 4pin molex to EZ Plug on mobo for more power,it can't hurts i guess, but problems came.
> When i turned on PC It couldn't find boot.mgr so i had to reinstall win etc.I installed all,seted it up but noticed some strange thing.When i turn on PC most of time it skips BIOS loading screen and monitor starts up straight on Win loading.Any idea what could be this? I didn't do anything beside update BIOS and moved CPU clocks back to 4.6ghz
> Now about 7970,first what i saw in MSI afterburner is that stock core voltage is 1045 and when i start Furmark it says there to VCCD is 1.175v
> Can any1 explain me this?
> Ok i ignored that and moved to clocking. I clocked card via MSI Afterburner to 1125 core clock,1575 memory at 1100 core voltage.Seted funs to work 30% at 30 C temperature,40% at 40C temperature and so on.
> I started OCCT for 4 house all at full settings,full screen error check and it didn't show any error. After that i started IntelBurn test on Extreme settings for CPU and Memory and started FurMark at full settings 19820x1080 full screen and let it to run about 4 hours.It didn't show any artifacts,any glitches anything.Max temperatureof GPU was 75C ,IntelBurn test confirmed stability. After that i started BF3 ,i took to drive jet and everything went ok.Then i started at some spawn point and there we go everthing was like i'm in some 3d room,full of artifacts,huge artifacts.I checked 3d settings they were OFF coz i don't use 3D playing.
> After that i restarted PC,started game and everything was ok,no artifacts,but after some time BF3 crashes... So what this could be?
> Any tips,any advice about this?
> I'm new at Overclocking world,i guess i should downclock corevoltage a bit,but first time when i tested card (before windows crashed etc) i puted settings core voltage 1080 core speed 1125 memory speed 1575 and OCCT after 2 hours showed 10 errors,but now when i tested on 1100 core voltage it showed 0 errors,but bf3 crashes..?


Your voltage is way to low or your temperature is to high
I use 1181 for 1125 mhz
Try 1175 that is the stock voltage as far as i know.
Afterburner says mine is 1112 at stock , i think its a bug .
Also go tot settings and set powertune +20%
I assume you have the latest beta afterburner ?


----------



## GetTheMoney

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> What?
> Now I'm confused. So my cards are or are not screwed up? It does seem weird that a rig with 1 7970 is getting the same as mine with two??


Just disable one of the 7970s and run the exact same test. I guarantee your result will be much lower. That guy's 7970 was overclocked to ridiculous amounts, and he said "similar settings" - I doubt it was an identical test.

I just ran the test on your exact settings with my 7950 at stock speeds. Only difference, I'm at 1680x1050. So the resolution and card difference should more or less cancel out. I got 40fps. There's absolutely no way you're getting 61fps in the benchmark with these settings with just one card working. It does seem strange though, I would expect you to be closer to 80fps since these cards are supposed to scale almost perfectly. But try running the test again with one 7970 disabled and see what you get.


----------



## Ottesen

Hey guys ! A new guy from Norway here









One quick thing to you guys that say occt/furmark and so are stable after gpu overclock and not on games... Its normal. That is because for *"powertune"*.



_"AMD told us that 99% of the games out there don't get close to the cards' maximum TDP, but a few applications want to exceed the max TDP on the new Radeon HD 6900 series cards. Notable offenders include Furmark, 3DMark 03 Game Test 4, Perlin Noise, and OCCT with SC8 enabled. By increasing the power control percentage in CCC you can increase the PowerTune limits of your video card."_

Thats the reason why games crash and get artifacts and now stresstests. Use a good/high grafics game or 3dmark11 or something to test stability.

Other than that, just bought a powercolor PCS+ 7950 with dual fan, and man the card is good. Was thinking about a 7970 but its super expensive up here in Norway and i didn't want the reference type card. Its super cold and super quite, have yet to actually hear the card in my case when with 1100/1500mhz @ 1200 which it running at







happy happy







Probably will buy one more and run crossfire









*Question:* I'm used to 4870x2 which is super hot, running at like 95-105c and sounding like a jet. What it considered hot on the 7950 ?


----------



## GetTheMoney

Yeah, Furmark is useless for stability testing. The only use I have for it is the benchmark feature, which is useful for overclocking the memory clock since you can pick out the exact spot your performance starts to lower.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cliors*
> 
> Your voltage is way to low or your temperature is to high
> I use 1181 for 1125 mhz
> Try 1175 that is the stock voltage as far as i know.
> Afterburner says mine is 1112 at stock , i think its a bug .
> Also go tot settings and set powertune +20%
> I assume you have the latest beta afterburner ?


That is not a bug. There are 4 different default voltages and they depend on the ASIC quality. 1112mV is one of them. In fact, my card is one of the 1112mV cards.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cliors*
> 
> Your voltage is way to low or your temperature is to high
> I use 1181 for 1125 mhz
> Try 1175 that is the stock voltage as far as i know.
> Afterburner says mine is 1112 at stock , i think its a bug .
> Also go tot settings and set powertune +20%
> I assume you have the latest beta afterburner ?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> That is not a bug. There are 4 different default voltages and they depend on the ASIC quality. 1112mV is one of them. In fact, my card is one of the 1112mV cards.


@ Cliors well now i use 1181mV for 1125/1575 and checked option in After Burner for +20% power
I use 2.2.0 Beta 12 After burner (Downloaded yesterday so i guess it's last version)
Temperature with my diagram of fan speed in MSI AFter Burner didn't go over 77C for full load gpu for 4 hours...and at stock settings when i tested temperature was 80C so i guess 77C isn't too much...?

@ JustSomeNoob According to GPU-Z my ASIC quality is 82.7% (is that good or bad)?

Also i played BF3 for like 3 hours and everything runs ok now,just increased voltage from 1100 to 1181 ,highest temperature was 70C, GPU load was 99% for most of time.


----------



## Dwhite56

OK, I have an 750w Corsair power supply, and an i7 2600k over clocked, can I even handle a 7970 upgrade?
And what is the BEST reference 7970 (reference for water-cooling)?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dwhite56*
> 
> OK, I have an 750w Corsair power supply, and an i7 2600k over clocked, can I even handle a 7970 upgrade?
> And what is the BEST reference 7970 (reference for water-cooling)?


Your PSU will work fine for 7970 Crossfire.









The BEST reference card...that's a tough choice as they're all reference. Stay away from XFX, no warranty. Sapphire would get my personal vote due to the accessories it comes with. There's also MSI and Asus that are both absolutely solid, and they're warranty is great.


----------



## Dwhite56

Thanks, thats good to know.


----------



## Ottesen

You guys think i'll be fine running 7950 crossfire moderately overclocked with my 2500k also much overclocked including 4 hdds and some minor stuff
on my old corsair 750w psu ? 3-4 years old psu


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> You guys think i'll be fine running 7950 crossfire moderately overclocked with my 2500k also much overclocked including 4 hdds and some minor stuff
> on my old corsair 750w psu ? 3-4 years old psu


It should be fine. If you have any issues at all, the PSU will simply shut down. But I doubt that'll be an issue.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GetTheMoney*
> 
> Yeah, Furmark is useless for stability testing. The only use I have for it is the benchmark feature, which is useful for overclocking the memory clock since you can pick out the exact spot your performance starts to lower.


Yeah, same here. It's a just a quick benchmark program to blow through to get a handle on where you are performance wise before actually stability testing.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Sorry, here were my settings..


Definitely something wrong with your setup......
Use a GPU monitoring tool to troubleshoot.

Here's my score with 1200/1700, you should be getting at least 80-90 FPS stock.



*Try:*
Reinstalling drivers.
Re seating cards.
Re applying Crossfire bridge.
Check power supply rails.
Use Afterburner OSD to monitor GPU usage and clocks.


----------



## Hexa

How do I check the psu rails? Do you mean the cables I use to power then with?

Also MSI always says saya that both GPU's go up to 99% usage..


----------



## Hexa

Ok sorry for double post but I ran two more tests. One with crossfirex disabled and 1 with crossfire x enabled.

Without


With


So it's def pretty much doubling my performance but why is it so low in general? I've yet to find any benchmark out on the web that shows 7970 crossfire doing less then 80 fps. This is also with only AAA and not MSAA.

One thing I'm questioning as well, if you look at the one with out crossfire why is it showing GPU#2 as having 100% usage and not GPU#1. I would think if crossfirex was disabled only GPU#1 would have 100%.

One thing I am worred about is my psu. It's modular and I only had 1 cable that is meant for GPU's to use. The other one is powered by the little adapter power cables that come in the video cards box. You know the ones you can use to hook into the numerous 4 pin connectors that most people use for fans and such.

Someone please look over these pics and see what you can do to help me. Maybe I'm paranoid but the performance does not seem right.

**EDIT**

Please God tell me ASIC quality isn't important either. Everyones is in the high 80's. Just checked mine.... 64.6 ?!?! *** dude


----------



## Denim-187

Dude monitor the clocks......then report back. Could be that your molex isn't providing enough juice.
ASIC isn't much to worry bout dw.


----------



## Hexa

How do I monitor the clocks? Sorry I'm pretty new to a lot of this. Thanks for all the help too!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> How do I monitor the clocks? Sorry I'm pretty new to a lot of this. Thanks for all the help too!


MSI Afterburner, use the graphs to check how high the clocks are going after you have benched.
at stock they should be 925mhz.


----------



## Hexa

Yup they did. I figured it out too...

In CCC under the Anti Aliasing settings their was a box checked called Morphological Filtering. That was checked on. I unchecked it and now my averages are 93 fps. Honestly it doesn't even look different with it checked on so I'm perfectly fine with keeping that checked off!


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Yup they did. I figured it out too...
> In CCC under the Anti Aliasing settings their was a box checked called Morphological Filtering. That was checked on. I unchecked it and now my averages are 93 fps. Honestly it doesn't even look different with it checked on so I'm perfectly fine with keeping that checked off!


Morphological antialiasing blends everything too much... especially fonts.
Much better (and faster) is Super Sampling Anti-Aliasing which appeared in RC11 driver


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Morphological antialiasing blends everything too much... especially fonts.
> Much better (and faster) is Super Sampling Anti-Aliasing which appeared in RC11 driver


Super Sampling has been in the drivers since for ever man


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Super Sampling has been in the drivers since for ever man


Yes I know that
But for 7970 support for SSAA in DX10 and DX11 was introduced in RC11

Feature highlights of the 8.921.2 RC11 AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 driver

Super Sampling Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing Preview support for DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 applications

AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 users can now enable Super Sample Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing through the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center for DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 applications.
Applications must support in game Anti-Aliasing for the feature to work (Forced on Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center is not supported for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 applications)


----------



## Gorki

Gotta questions for you guys. Since xfire is always achilles heel when using multiple cards, I'm asking you guys does this seventh generation has problems with shuttering like it did before,game vise?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Yes I know that
> But for 7970 support for SSAA in DX10 and DX11 was introduced in RC11
> Feature highlights of the 8.921.2 RC11 AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 driver
> Super Sampling Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing Preview support for DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 applications
> AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 users can now enable Super Sample Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing through the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center for DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 applications.
> Applications must support in game Anti-Aliasing for the feature to work (Forced on Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center is not supported for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 applications)


yeah i didn't know u were just referring bout dx10 and 11... Ive already tried it on BF3 and its too much of a performance hit.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gorki*
> 
> Gotta questions for you guys. Since xfire is always achilles heel when using multiple cards, I'm asking you guys does this seventh generation has problems with shuttering like it did before,game vise?


Question you need to ask yourself, is do you NEED crossfire?









I've got a single 7970 and I game at 2560x1600. Except for Metro2033 (cannot test as I don't have it).... there's not a game out there that I cannot max out completely with at LEAST 4x AA.


----------



## Cliors

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dwhite56*
> 
> OK, I have an 750w Corsair power supply, and an i7 2600k over clocked, can I even handle a 7970 upgrade?
> And what is the BEST reference 7970 (reference for water-cooling)?


I pull 350 watt with a i5 2500k oc and hd 7970 oc with 2 hd & 1 ssd ,2 drives and 4 memory banks.
At idle i have 170 watt.
Before i had 2 gtx 560 ti and it was 570 watt.

I also figured out that with bf3 if i putt the mesh quality to medium i can play everything on ultra , 2msaa, fxaa injector on ,dof 90 with vsync on and never drop below 60 fps.
This is with a overclocked hd7970 at 1125 mhz & memory 1645 mhz.
I read somewhere that it is cpu load that mesh ? I adjusted some settings of my cpu but it did'nt change a thing.
Can someone give me an anwser about this if this is true ?


----------



## omega17

Any ideas on my question earlier?

I can't set profiles for different games; I think it might be due to the fact I'm using 8.921.*5* instead of 8.921.*2*, but I don't want to wipe and reinstall in case I'm wrong







I'd rather wait for proper drivers that support the feature AND the 7970


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh this bug is miniscule. If only you guys were doing this back on Cayman, you'd be pulling your hair out cuz the problems were 10 fold.
> That said is anyone running more than one monitor?


Yes I'm running 2. Sigrig has details.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh this bug is miniscule. If only you guys were doing this back on Cayman, you'd be pulling your hair out cuz the problems were 10 fold.
> 
> That said is anyone running more than one monitor?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I'm running 2. Sigrig has details.
Click to expand...

I am also running 2 monitors...soon to be 3 in PLP mode.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Sorry, here were my settings..


At least you can run the bench! My stupid Steam Metro errors out when I try :\


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> At least you can run the bench! My stupid Steam Metro errors out when I try :\


And now when I try and run 3DMark 11, the process starts and then stops. I've tried repairing it through the installer, run Windows SFC. No joy. *** is wrong with this stupid card? Surely it can't be just the drivers? I'm at my wits end with this card. The problems are just never ending. Do they just release product too early for market share, and use the early-adopters as guinea pigs? If you buy a BMW you expect a better product and service than a Daewoo. So my seven hundred dollar card isn't giving me anything better than my 6870.

Bleh  :s :\









Maybe I'm in the wrong club. I should be in the Here's My Credit Card And Now I'll Bend Over Club...


----------



## unrealskill

is anyone getting texture streching in games? not sure how to fix this. also after i reinstalled metro it failed. phsxloader.dll is missing how do i fix this?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> is anyone getting texture streching in games? not sure how to fix this. also after i reinstalled metro it failed. phsxloader.dll is missing how do i fix this?


The dll problem....reinstall Nvidia's PhysX for Metro2033.

Texture stretching....I have never seen that problem.


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The dll problem....reinstall Nvidia's PhysX for Metro2033.
> Texture stretching....I have never seen that problem.


its only in older games, like garrys mod and pain killer, and it only happens to me the player and npc's not the world. it also happend in roc2 but it fixed after a reinstall. but gmod and painkill are fresh installs on a fresh install of windows 7 64bit.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The dll problem....reinstall Nvidia's PhysX for Metro2033.
> Texture stretching....I have never seen that problem.
> 
> 
> 
> its only in older games, like garrys mod and pain killer, and it only happens to me the player and npc's not the world. it also happend in roc2 but it fixed after a reinstall. but gmod and painkill are fresh installs on a fresh install of windows 7 64bit.
Click to expand...

Weird. I haven't tried gmod on this card...haven't played that since I had an 8800GT back when it was the new card on the block. Haven't even heard of the other game.









Maybe somebody else can comment, I don't have the space to install Garry's Mod right now, due to being limited to my SSD only right now. After I get my F3's back, i'll get it reinstalled and see if I can get anywhere with that problem. It might be fixed by then though.


----------



## unrealskill

i was thinking its some thing to do with drivers, i play bf3,skyrim,metro,roc2,star wars the old. all fine i own a 7970 btw


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> i was thinking its some thing to do with drivers, i play bf3,skyrim,metro,roc2,star wars the old. all fine i own a 7970 btw


Probably. I'm still thinking its a driver issue that's causing my idle lock ups on my card.

Yes guys, its STILL happening.








Even after using MSI AB profiles for 3D / 2D (stock for 2D). I've since then switched to bone stock, MSI AB still running but only for fan speed. Will see if that fixes it or not.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Probably. I'm still thinking its a driver issue that's causing my idle lock ups on my card.
> Yes guys, its STILL happening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even after using MSI AB profiles for 3D / 2D (stock for 2D). I've since then switched to bone stock, MSI AB still running but only for fan speed. Will see if that fixes it or not.


I have experienced the same.
Playing several hours in games like fear, crysis 2 DX11, Hard Reset etc.
Everything was perfectly stable till card enters zero core state at idling... (left machine and went for diner







)

All lockups and crashes were after idle time during starting game or level.

Tried several setting and I think I found solution. Disabling ULPS disables Zero Core.
Since than, everything is perfectly stable. Of course this needs more testing...
Going back to my favourite games


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Probably. I'm still thinking its a driver issue that's causing my idle lock ups on my card.
> Yes guys, its STILL happening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even after using MSI AB profiles for 3D / 2D (stock for 2D). I've since then switched to bone stock, MSI AB still running but only for fan speed. Will see if that fixes it or not.
> 
> 
> 
> I have experienced the same.
> Playing several hours in games like fear, crysis 2 DX11, Hard Reset etc.
> Everything was perfectly stable till card enters zero core state at idling... (left machine and went for diner
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> All lockups and crashes were after idle time during starting game or level.
> 
> Tried several setting and I think I found solution. Disabling ULPS disables Zero Core.
> Since than, everything is perfectly stable. Of course this needs more testing...
> Going back to my favourite games
Click to expand...

REALLY NOW!!!!???

If thats the case...how can I fix it?







I tried using that registry hack posted a while back...didn't work. I never thought about trying it with Trixxx. Any thoughts on how to do it?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> REALLY NOW!!!!???
> If thats the case...how can I fix it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried using that registry hack posted a while back...didn't work. I never thought about trying it with Trixxx. Any thoughts on how to do it?


I am using MSI AB 2.2.0 Beta 12 (Trixx doesnt have memory voltage tweaking)
You need to find registry entry below
*HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}*

One or more entries with _AMD Radeon HD 7900 Serie_s in name (I found two, one current and one associated with ASUS OC BIOS I had one day)
*EnableULPS* should be set to 0
Reboot machine and voila
Hope this helps







needs more testing of course, maybe I am wrong.


----------



## Denim-187

Theyre fixing the zero core/hanging issue in the next driver...so hold on to your helmets!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Theyre fixing the zero core/hanging issue in the next driver...so hold on to your helmets!


Man....I sure hope so. I'm almost positive that that's my problem. I'm holding off on a format / reinstall till the new drivers come out (which I honestly do need now that I've deleted my RAID0 array on accident...with everything still installed







).

So hurry up AMD and fix these issues so I've got a happy running rig again....before I swap back to a 580.


----------



## Hexa

Anyone getting some artifacting in any games on stock settings?


----------



## Eluder

Can anyone advise what the safe temperature is for the VRMs on load on the 7970?
Anyone with an Asus DirectCU II 7970 care to share their VRM temps on load?

Thanks.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eluder*
> 
> Can anyone advise what the safe temperature is for the VRMs on load on the 7970?
> Anyone with an Asus DirectCU II 7970 care to share their VRM temps on load?
> 
> Thanks.


I can't speak on behalf of the 7970's, as I haven't researched the VRM's on these. But GENERALLY VRM's are safe up to around 125-135*C. Yes..I'm serious.

Would I want mine to run that hot? Absolutely not. That's what they're designed to run up to though.

I wouldn't worry so long as you're below 100*C on the VRM's.


----------



## Eluder

Wow, I knew they were rated to go high, just didn't think that high.
My DirectCU II seems to load at just under 90C with my OC (1.2GHz Core/1.65GHz Memory), but to me that seems high considering the mammoth size of this cooler. I figured the VRM temps (according to Aida64) would be better than this.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eluder*
> 
> Wow, I knew they were rated to go high, just didn't think that high.
> My DirectCU II seems to load at just under 90C with my OC (1.2GHz Core/1.65GHz Memory), but to me that seems high considering the mammoth size of this cooler. I figured the VRM temps (according to Aida64) would be better than this.


I honestly wouldn't even worry about it. VRM temperatures are always rated to go a good bit higher than the core temps. And your core is fine to go to 90-95*C safely (not saying its good, but it won't hurt anything).


----------



## Eluder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I honestly wouldn't even worry about it. VRM temperatures are always rated to go a good bit higher than the core temps. And your core is fine to go to 90-95*C safely (not saying its good, but it won't hurt anything).


Thanks, my core barely hits 60C on load right now, so that was definitely not a concern, just the VRMs, but I guess I have some headroom still.


----------



## Gorki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Question you need to ask yourself, is do you NEED crossfire?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got a single 7970 and I game at 2560x1600. Except for Metro2033 (cannot test as I don't have it).... there's not a game out there that I cannot max out completely with at LEAST 4x AA.


Yes I agree with you, it's right question but it's uneminent that every user using more than one gpu card bumps on problem. For instance many people complained for bf3, but I did not have any shutter problems like I did with stalker soc. It's really annoying! This was my first cf experience and I tough I could hence extra boost and it did but shattering that last like 2 seconds is....








I always prefer one card, even before just my experience with 6 series...








Not sure what should I hope for....
Sometimes is best to have one demonical card than 2 or three less powerful, max fps is lower, but more permanent and smooth.
Guess I answered my question..


----------



## Scorpion667

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eluder*
> 
> Wow, I knew they were rated to go high, just didn't think that high.
> My DirectCU II seems to load at just under 90C with my OC (1.2GHz Core/1.65GHz Memory), but to me that seems high considering the mammoth size of this cooler. I figured the VRM temps (according to Aida64) would be better than this.


Check it with asus GPU tweak you'll get different readings.

The asus DCII 7970 that I tried was a dud, the screws that hold the stock aluminium block (that cools the VRM's and ram chips) and backplate on teh card were loose, one was sticking out 1 cm almost, VRM temps reached 80c, and core would artifact badly at 1050mhz regardless of GPU temp, voltage, driver(cleared with atiman uninstaller). Definitely waiting on the 680 or the 7970 lightning. I did tighten the screws before testing obviously, but didnt expect that from Asus. The box was sealed.


----------



## Eluder

I have no issues with artifacting, but I do have to up the voltage as the card isn't stable at 1.2GHz with BF3 with SSAA on, I guess that's expected since this game is probably the most taxing game on any card right now. I guess I'll bump down the core a bit and see what I can get it stable at without having to go higher on the core voltage.


----------



## Dirtyworks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> I flashed my XFX Core a couple days ago.
> Grab the bios here. (Post 2008)
> Install ATI Winflash to your C:\ drive and remember the path. Copy the Asus bios into the same folder. Might help to rename it to something like asus.bin
> Open up a Command prompt as Admin, navigate to the folder where ATI Winflash is located (easiest to just install it to c:\ root), and type the following command:
> atiwinflash -unlockrom 0
> atiwinflash -f -p 0 bios.bin (bios.bin being the asus bios you first downloaded)
> This should flash your card correctly. I spent a couple hours trying the different methods mentioned in this thread and finally remembered the method I used to flash my 6950. Once it is flashed, uninstall your drivers, reboot, and reinstall the drivers.
> I also highly recommend that you use the Asus GPU Tweak found in this 7970 pack linked earlier.
> The Asus bios is great. Helped vdroop a bit and so far I'm stable at 1390/16[email protected].35V (1.28V actual) running through the Metro 2033 benchmark.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> This one is newer than post #2 see if it makes a difference.
> 
> *Unlocked test overclocking bios*, found here; http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file


I just flashed using the above method and BIOS and it worked like a charm. It appears the ASUS GPU Tweak comes with atiflash? I didn't need to install it separately.
Also, an easy way to get a command prompt to open to the location you want is to hold shift and right click in the folder the program is in.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dirtyworks*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Elfear*
> 
> I flashed my XFX Core a couple days ago.
> Grab the bios here. (Post 2008)
> Install ATI Winflash to your C:\ drive and remember the path. Copy the Asus bios into the same folder. Might help to rename it to something like asus.bin
> Open up a Command prompt as Admin, navigate to the folder where ATI Winflash is located (easiest to just install it to c:\ root), and type the following command:
> atiwinflash -unlockrom 0
> atiwinflash -f -p 0 bios.bin (bios.bin being the asus bios you first downloaded)
> This should flash your card correctly. I spent a couple hours trying the different methods mentioned in this thread and finally remembered the method I used to flash my 6950. Once it is flashed, uninstall your drivers, reboot, and reinstall the drivers.
> I also highly recommend that you use the Asus GPU Tweak found in this 7970 pack linked earlier.
> The Asus bios is great. Helped vdroop a bit and so far I'm stable at 1390/[email protected] (1.28V actual) running through the Metro 2033 benchmark.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> This one is newer than post #2 see if it makes a difference.
> 
> *Unlocked test overclocking bios*, found here; http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html
> 
> Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 40k .zip file
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I just flashed using the above method and BIOS and it worked like a charm. It appears the ASUS GPU Tweak comes with atiflash? I didn't need to install it separately.
> Also, an easy way to get a command prompt to open to the location you want is to hold shift and right click in the folder the program is in.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's all in that folder. Here http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905

Just copy and rename the above BIOS into ASUS folder.


----------



## unrealskill

should i move the bios switch to number 2 if i want to overclock high?


----------



## Derek1387

So, the Asus bios is better than the stock Gigabyte? I am running at 1260/1790... should i even attempt to make the bios flash?


----------



## Invisible

So tomorrow morning I'm going to be purchasing a 7950 to replace my current GTX260 (yea, tell me about the performance increase I'm going to be getting, haha). I really want the Twin Frozr III but it isn't available yet, and if it isn't available by tomorrow morning, I'm probably not going to wait any longer. I've already been waiting about 3 months waiting for some big news on Kepler and can't wait anymore. Probably just going to pick up the OC version of Sapphire's card. Can't wait.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Hmm, still can't seem to chase down why my core voltage is increasing even at idle after I make any changes in AB. Not a huge deal, I guess, but I'd prefer my card not be running at .949 mV even at idle. I did try assigning 2D and 3D profiles, but that didn't rectify the problem.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Hmm, still can't seem to chase down why my core voltage is increasing even at idle after I make any changes in AB. Not a huge deal, I guess, but I'd prefer my card not be running at .949 mV even at idle. I did try assigning 2D and 3D profiles, but that didn't rectify the problem.


Did you turn ULPS off? Just wondering if it could have the side-effect of affecting all power states.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Did you turn ULPS off? Just wondering if it could have the side-effect of affecting all power states.


Yeah, I did the reg edit to disable ULPS. I did that a week or so ago and just started having the idle voltage issue in the last few days.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I can't speak on behalf of the 7970's, as I haven't researched the VRM's on these. But GENERALLY VRM's are safe up to around 125-135*C. Yes..I'm serious.
> Would I want mine to run that hot? Absolutely not. That's what they're designed to run up to though.
> I wouldn't worry so long as you're below 100*C on the VRM's.


The non-refference models such as the XFX DD runs pretty hot on the VRM about 120c.
The reference designs only go up to about *91c*.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I honestly wouldn't even worry about it. VRM temperatures are always rated to go a good bit higher than the core temps. And your core is fine to go to 90-95*C safely (not saying its good, but it won't hurt anything).


Just remember.... with these cards, the lower the temps, the higher the overclock...
For example.. you could have a stable OC at 75c but at 80c you will crash.
28nm for ya









These cards are monsters, but sadly... their drivers are fairys


----------



## Darco19

I just hope the upcoming drivers for HD7970's will be much nicer and all...


----------



## Hexa

What program can I use to test for GPU stability? I remember having one for my last rig that would heat it up and it told you to look for little yellow artifacts and if you ran it for a sertain time and none popped up you were good to go.


----------



## Agenesis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> What program can I use to test for GPU stability? I remember having one for my last rig that would heat it up and it told you to look for little yellow artifacts and if you ran it for a sertain time and none popped up you were good to go.


http://www.ocbase.com/perestroika_en/index.php?Download


----------



## Hexa

thanks man!


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Edit: Nevermind, I'm an idiot.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dirtyworks*
> 
> I just flashed using the above method and BIOS and it worked like a charm. It appears the ASUS GPU Tweak comes with atiflash? I didn't need to install it separately.
> Also, an easy way to get a command prompt to open to the location you want is to hold shift and right click in the folder the program is in.


I keep getting the "ROM not erased message".


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It should be fine. If you have any issues at all, the PSU will simply shut down. But I doubt that'll be an issue.


Ah thanks man


----------



## Ottesen

Anyone else having VDDC spikes when looking at gpu-z ? I have 1100/1500mhz at 1200mv but from time to time my gpu-z says my VDDC has been up to 1350-1450mv at max ?


----------



## chillgreg

Anyone tried or using Radeon Pro? It's feature list is impressive.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Anyone else having VDDC spikes when looking at gpu-z ? I have 1100/1500mhz at 1200mv but from time to time my gpu-z says my VDDC has been up to 1350-1450mv at max ?


Are you using the current gpuz?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> The non-refference models such as the XFX DD runs pretty hot on the VRM about 120c.


Mine avg about 20c higher than my core temp, which stays around 60 - 65c max







I fully expected to see 120c or so from the vrm's like people were saying but it's not the issue, maybe my DD is a fluke?


----------



## GreenieGriz

Please forgive me if I somehow over-looked a thread that answers this (I promise, I searched as best I could):

My father recently bought a 7950 and I was walking him through the different Benchmark and overclocking tools. He installed Trixx (as it came with his his Sapphire card) but we noticed it did not have a feature (that we could find) to test stability of the overclock. I knew that MSI Afterburner had such a function so I directed him to download it while I was away for the evening (please note: he has not yet downloaded MSI AB). I talked to him later that night and he informed me that MSI AB didn't support the 7000 series cards. So I checked their (MSI AB's) site and noticed it did not specifically state that it did.

I told him I would do some digging, which has turned up zilch as far as any affirmative answers.

I realize of course he could just install it and see if it recognizes the card, but he's a bit of a worry-wart with the new hardware he just bought (can hardly blame him).

So, 7950/70 owners..... You using MSI AB with your cards?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well, I disabled ULPS with regedit, as instructed. I still get full system lockups as soon as I go to wake the machine up. It's not my overclocks. CPU / RAM are rock solid for 12 hours in custom prime (while I was awake). GPU has yet to give me any issues doing any long term gaming or benching at 1150. It's also SUPPOSED to be at stock for 2D (not sure if my screensaver is kicking it up to 3D though).

I'm at a loss. Does ANYBODY have any idea what is going on here, how to fix it...or have a similar issue? I'm dead serious, I'm about to trade this stupid card for a 580 again.


----------



## JustSomeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> I keep getting the "ROM not erased message".


Try flipping the BIOS switch.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GreenieGriz*
> 
> Please forgive me if I somehow over-looked a thread that answers this (I promise, I searched as best I could):
> My father recently bought a 7950 and I was walking him through the different Benchmark and overclocking tools. He installed Trixx (as it came with his his Sapphire card) but we noticed it did not have a feature (that we could find) to test stability of the overclock. I knew that MSI Afterburner had such a function so I directed him to download it while I was away for the evening (please note: he has not yet downloaded MSI AB). I talked to him later that night and he informed me that MSI AB didn't support the 7000 series cards. So I checked their (MSI AB's) site and noticed it did not specifically state that it did.
> I told him I would do some digging, which has turned up zilch as far as any affirmative answers.
> I realize of course he could just install it and see if it recognizes the card, but he's a bit of a worry-wart with the new hardware he just bought (can hardly blame him).
> So, 7950/70 owners..... You using MSI AB with your cards?


The current "beta" version supports the 7xxx series.

At the top of each thread you will see a button labelled "Search This Thread". I did this for you for "afterburner". Start at the last page and work backwards; there is a wealth of information:

=1196856&output=posts&action=disp&start=320]http://www.overclock.net/search.php?search=afterburner&containingthread[0]=1196856&output=posts&action=disp&start=320

The download link for AB Beta 220 (MSIAfterburnerSetup220Beta12.exe) is:

http://download1.msi.com/files/downloads/uti_exe/vga/MSIAfterburnerSetup220Beta.zip

Enjoy


----------



## GreenieGriz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> The current "beta" version supports the 7xxx series.
> 
> At the top of each thread you will see a button labelled "Search This Thread". I did this for you for "afterburner". Start at the last page and work backwards; there is a wealth of information:
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/search.php?search=afterburner&containingthread[0]=1196856&output=posts&action=disp&start=320
> 
> The download link for AB Beta 220 is:
> 
> http://download1.msi.com/files/downloads/uti_exe/vga/MSIAfterburnerSetup220Beta.zip
> 
> Enjoy


Perfect! Thanks ChillGreg.

Also, thanks for the "search the thread" tip, i'll remember that one.


----------



## tsm106

Is that beta 12 you got linked there?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, I disabled ULPS with regedit, as instructed. I still get full system lockups as soon as I go to wake the machine up. It's not my overclocks. CPU / RAM are rock solid for 12 hours in custom prime (while I was awake). GPU has yet to give me any issues doing any long term gaming or benching at 1150. It's also SUPPOSED to be at stock for 2D (not sure if my screensaver is kicking it up to 3D though).
> I'm at a loss. Does ANYBODY have any idea what is going on here, how to fix it...or have a similar issue? I'm dead serious, I'm about to trade this stupid card for a 580 again.


Try this to see if you have any conflicts:

Troubleshoot Power Management Settings in Windows 7

Edit: Also found this, I'm pretty sure it applies to Windows 7:

"To resolve this problem in Windows Vista, run the powercfg -h on command at an Administrative command prompt to enable the hibernate feature and the hybrid sleep feature. To run this command, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Accessories. 2. Right-click Command Prompt, click Run as administrator, type powercfg -h on, and then press ENTER."

Of course you can always try the reverse too: powercfg -h off


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, I disabled ULPS with regedit, as instructed. I still get full system lockups as soon as I go to wake the machine up. It's not my overclocks. CPU / RAM are rock solid for 12 hours in custom prime (while I was awake). GPU has yet to give me any issues doing any long term gaming or benching at 1150. It's also SUPPOSED to be at stock for 2D (not sure if my screensaver is kicking it up to 3D though).
> I'm at a loss. Does ANYBODY have any idea what is going on here, how to fix it...or have a similar issue? I'm dead serious, I'm about to trade this stupid card for a 580 again.


No idea man, but ULPS has got nothing to do with a single card setup just an fyi. I aked before but this thread moves too fast so I dunno if you answered or read it, but do you have a 2nd rig to test it in?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> No idea man, but ULPS has got nothing to do with a single card setup just an fyi. I aked before but this thread moves too fast so I dunno if you answered or read it, but do you have a 2nd rig to test it in?


Ditto my suggestion to try it with a clean Windows install on another partition or drive.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is that beta 12 you got linked there?


Yes it is, Thanks for the tip, I'll edit my post now.


----------



## StrayderGame

Depend what Mobo u have,on Asus Maximus IV extreme-z it takes like 3 min. Put .ROM file on USB drive,restart PC enter bios,enter EZ flash bios utility (someting like that is name) and it upgrade by it self,it will restart PC and that's it... Also i saw for ASUS mobos there is some Bios Updater software,u run it in Windows,choose .ROM file and it will do it by it self...but for me that software didn't work...dunno reason..However i never flashed bios on some other mobo ,needed some disquets and staffs so didn't try it,but i think on newer Mobos there is USB flash update trough bios...but w8 for some1 more to tell


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GreenieGriz*
> 
> Perfect! Thanks ChillGreg.
> Also, thanks for the "search the thread" tip, i'll remember that one.


You're very welcome my friend. Take care.


----------



## djriful

Any idea or anyone here who has relation to Newegg? And when would the Asus 7970 DirectCU II back in stock?

It has been nearly 3 weeks if I can remember.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djriful*
> 
> Any idea or anyone here who has relation to Newegg? And when would the Asus 7970 DirectCU II back in stock?
> 
> It has been nearly 3 weeks if I can remember.


I wanted to pick an ASUS 7970 $600 up at a local Fry's Electronics and since release date they have not had even one in stock at all, including the Diamond $570 version. Wanted local purchase for option to return if not satisfied within 30 days without having to pay the cost of shipping return. Sort of a test run.

The ASUS reference 7970 seems to be very limited for some reason. Funny because it's their BIOS flash every one is using on the other vendors cards.


----------



## pioneerisloud

I have hibernation disabled already (SSD...I kind want that 16GB back).

And no, I haven't wiped yet, don't want to unless I have to. Don't have another rig that I can rip apart either (just my HTPC's, and this card will overheat in there).


----------



## gzhil

Below is my system configuration:
•Processor: Intel i7 3960x
•Cooler: Thermaltake Advanced Trio
•Motherboard: MSI Big Bang X-Power II
•Memory: Kingston HyperX T1 3x1GB DDR3 2133MHz
•Hard Disk: Corsair Agility 3 120GB
•Power Supply: Antec TPQ 1200W
•Software: Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit, Official driver support for Radeon 7970, CPU-Z, GPU-Z, Realtemp, Futuremark Benchmark Software, Heaven Benchmark

Processor and video card OC'ed. Specifically the i7 3960x is running at 4.8Ghz and R7970 at 1275Mhz. Except for 3dmark06, the R7970 is only at 1125Mhz and it does not scale well anymore if speed is higher than that.

•3dmark06 - 36518









•3dmark Vantage - P43779









•3dmark11 Performance - P10478









•3dmark11 Extreme - X3567









•Heaven DX11 - 2414.2


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have hibernation disabled already (SSD...I kind want that 16GB back).
> And no, I haven't wiped yet, don't want to unless I have to. Don't have another rig that I can rip apart either (just my HTPC's, and this card will overheat in there).


It's quite simple to create a new temporary partition and install Windows on it. Windows will give you a dual-boot option automatically once done. You can delete the partition once finished with it. Let me know if you need any more information on this.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have hibernation disabled already (SSD...I kind want that 16GB back).
> 
> And no, I haven't wiped yet, don't want to unless I have to. Don't have another rig that I can rip apart either (just my HTPC's, and this card will overheat in there).
> 
> 
> 
> It's quite simple to create a new temporary partition and install Windows on it. Windows will give you a dual-boot option automatically once done. You can delete the partition once finished with it. Let me know if you need any more information on this.
Click to expand...

Yeah, except I have nowhere to install it to.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JustSomeNoob*
> 
> Try flipping the BIOS switch.


/faceplam. Thanks, man. I had forgotten that I had switched over to BIOS 2 previously. Man, it's been one of those nights. Also, I'm still having issues where making any voltage changes causes my idle voltage to rest at .949 or so. That's been consistent with AB, Trixx, and now GPU Tweak and the ASUS BIOS. Anyone else running into this?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yeah, except I have nowhere to install it to.


Well that sux. You have been through a lot of woes with that card (as have I, but not that bad). Would it be easier at this point to get a replacement under warranty. We must have all gotten cards from the first manufacturing batch, so it's conceivable that x percent could be faulty. If the next driver doesn't fix a lot of things, I'll be seeking a replacement or refund.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yeah, except I have nowhere to install it to.
> 
> 
> 
> Well that sux. You have been through a lot of woes with that card (as have I, but not that bad). Would it be easier at this point to get a replacement under warranty. We must have all gotten cards from the first manufacturing batch, so it's conceivable that x percent could be faulty. If the next driver doesn't fix a lot of things, I'll be seeking a replacement or refund.
Click to expand...

I'd have to RMA through Sapphire, and I'm not sure what their requirements are for RMA, or even if I could. Since I bought mine used off an OCN member.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djriful*
> 
> Any idea or anyone here who has relation to Newegg? And when would the Asus 7970 DirectCU II back in stock?
> 
> It has been nearly 3 weeks if I can remember.


It's never been in stock. they added it to their catalog before any became available. It should say pre-order, someone screwed up at NE I'd say.


----------



## johnnyw

Just ordered Gigabyte HD 7950 Windforce 3Gb and it should arrive in few days. Didnt find any reviews of that model but gigabyte cards usually has been pretty good so ordered it anyway







Does anyone here have that exact model? If so would be nice to hear some impressions about it.

My original plan was to get 7970 but availibility atleast here in Finland is just simply non existent


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Just ordered Gigabyte HD 7950 Windforce 3Gb and it should arrive in few days. Didnt find any reviews of that model but gigabyte cards usually has been pretty good so ordered it anyway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Does anyone here have that exact model? If so would be nice to hear some impressions about it.
> My original plan was to get 7970 but availibility atleast here in Finland is just simply non existent


 Enjoy:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/51395-gigabyte-radeon-hd-7970-3gb-oc-review.html


----------



## Arnotts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Enjoy:
> 
> http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/51395-gigabyte-radeon-hd-7970-3gb-oc-review.html


That one is the 7970 Windforce, not the 7950. But damn that 7970 overclocks like a monster - check out the HardOCP review on the 7970 Windforce, where they tweak the voltage too!


----------



## johnnyw

Ye i was just about to say that i have seen that 7970 version review but not single one from this 7950. But if its anything like its big brother it cant be that bad, cooler atleasts supposed to be same so hopefully it will be good


----------



## slickric21

I've had a Gigabyte 7970 windforce since last Friday, still having a play and testing it out, but i can tell you its noisey.

Now i am coming from an 580 3gb which i fitted an Accelero Xtreme Plus II too. Now that thing is quieter at 100% than the Windforce is at 33%.

To be fair to the Windforce its quite effective, idle temps are 28-31'c and load at my overclock of 1260/6100 @ 1250mV hit 60-66'c (fan hitting 50-60% at this temp)- thats gaming during BF3 for 3hrs.
However its loud, very loud and if you dont game with a headset then it would really annoy you.

So what ive done is ordered a 2nd hand Accelero Xtreme pro from ebay cheap, with the intention of just swapping the fan sections over.
The Windforce has 3x 80mm fans, the Acceleros have 3x 92mm fans and i can vouch they are much much quieter.

Im a little bit annoyed as i paid the extra £40 for the windforce so i wouldnt need to go aftermarket... But i guess once youve had an Accelero Xtreme... Nothing comes close !!


----------



## johnnyw

That sounds strange, ive had few cards with windforce coolers in past ( GTX470 SOC and GTX570 windforce x3) and those very relatively quiet. atleast if you compared to stock blower style coolers. Offcoure those werent totally silent at load but in desktop use i couldnt hear those over my 1000-1200rpm case fans. I think it really depends on person what they think is loud, some guys says even something like 1850rpm gentle typhoons or 2000rpm CM R4:s are silent at full blast but for me those sounds like leaf blowers. Anyway if that cooler is decently quiet at idle and load its enough for me.

OT: Damn when i had GTX480 with stock cooler that thing sounded like my pc would of been just about to take off when it was loaded LOL..


----------



## Eluder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> The non-refference models such as the XFX DD runs pretty hot on the VRM about 120c.
> The reference designs only go up to about *91c*.
> Just remember.... with these cards, the lower the temps, the higher the overclock...
> For example.. you could have a stable OC at 75c but at 80c you will crash.
> 28nm for ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These cards are monsters, but sadly... their drivers are fairys


Crap, sounds like my DCU2 version might be messed up then cause there's no way this mammoth cooler is less efficient than the reference cooler.
Grrr, I've already had to do one RMA for my XFX BEDD for rattling fans, now I probably have to RMA this DCU2 for poor VRM cooling!


----------



## chillgreg

Looky Looky!!!

*Accelero Xtreme 7970*



Would this + Sapphire Reference ASIC 85.4% be as good as the coming Asus 7970 DCUII with all it's vundergear?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Now how far off the back of the stock card do those coolers sit though? I don't have much more length room.

Not like it matters since my card still doesn't work right.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you using the current gpuz?


Yes/no.... using 0.5.8 but i noticed that today a new version came out









On another note, i just ordered a second powercolor PCS 7950







looking forward to that, every game i tried works like a sharm with only one so i didn't really need one...but what the hell, at lest now it will take some time before my pc is to old for new games









Any tips on what card to have on top, both are identical tho and i know they use the same clock and stuff....probably take the oldest on the bottom since i know how much mhz it can take...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Now how far off the back of the stock card do those coolers sit though? I don't have much more length room.
> Not like it matters since my card still doesn't work right.


Look do youself a favour and borrow a friend's spare HDD or just drop 30 bucks on any old POS HDD and install clean Windows on it. Then you'll know if it's software or hardware for once and for all.

*Dimensions (Product) 288 (L) x 104 (W) x 54 (H) mm*


----------



## pioneerisloud

I wasn't worried about height, I was worried about length...before it hits my HDD cage.

And I am planning on wiping my machine soon. I have my entire server backed up to it right now on my F3's, because my server is down for a new board, CPU, and RAM. Once I get all the data moved back to it, I'll have no choice but to format, as I've lost my entire F3 RAID array, which had programs and games installed on it (I just deleted the folders, and ignored uninstalling everything).

So I will find out soon enough. I just can't do it right now, because of data issues right now.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I wasn't worried about height, I was worried about length...before it hits my HDD cage.
> And I am planning on wiping my machine soon. I have my entire server backed up to it right now on my F3's, because my server is down for a new board, CPU, and RAM. Once I get all the data moved back to it, I'll have no choice but to format, as I've lost my entire F3 RAID array, which had programs and games installed on it (I just deleted the folders, and ignored uninstalling everything).
> So I will find out soon enough. I just can't do it right now, because of data issues right now.


I just edited my post with the length.

Bloody hell man, you need a win.


----------



## Varishna

So I am finally starting in on overclocking my 7970. I can get stable on stock volatge at 1125/1575. If I push anymore it errors in OCCT though. At those clocks I passed two 30 minute OCCT runs, four Heaven 2.5 runs, a couple 3D Mark 11 runs, and about four hours of SWTOR last night. I didnt notice any artifacting and there was no crashing, however, the 3DMark 11 scores seemed strange to me. Two were at 8500 and two were at 9000. I am pretty much a noob at this so I am not sure if that is normal or if I need to go back to checking stability some more. It seemed the fluctuations occured in the Physics and Combined tests. Should I start looking at my CPU overclock? I have been running it at its current setting for a couple weeks with no issues. I just want to make sure I have everything as stable as possible before I start adding voltage to the card. Thanks for your help!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Varishna*
> 
> So I am finally starting in on overclocking my 7970. I can get stable on stock volatge at 1125/1575. If I push anymore it errors in OCCT though. At those clocks I passed two 30 minute OCCT runs, four Heaven 2.5 runs, a couple 3D Mark 11 runs, and about four hours of SWTOR last night. I didnt notice any artifacting and there was no crashing, however, the 3DMark 11 scores seemed strange to me. Two were at 8500 and two were at 9000. I am pretty much a noob at this so I am not sure if that is normal or if I need to go back to checking stability some more. It seemed the fluctuations occured in the Physics and Combined tests. Should I start looking at my CPU overclock? I have been running it at its current setting for a couple weeks with no issues. I just want to make sure I have everything as stable as possible before I start adding voltage to the card. Thanks for your help!


Obviously you have Powertune set to +20%?


----------



## Varishna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Obviously you have Powertune set to +20%?


Yes, sorry. I forgot to mention that.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I wasn't worried about height, I was worried about length...before it hits my HDD cage.
> 
> And I am planning on wiping my machine soon. I have my entire server backed up to it right now on my F3's, because my server is down for a new board, CPU, and RAM. Once I get all the data moved back to it, I'll have no choice but to format, as I've lost my entire F3 RAID array, which had programs and games installed on it (I just deleted the folders, and ignored uninstalling everything).
> 
> So I will find out soon enough. I just can't do it right now, because of data issues right now.
> 
> 
> 
> I just edited my post with the length.
> 
> Bloody hell man, you need a win.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can see the product dimensions on the website. But that doesn't tell me how far its going to stick off the back of the card though.


----------



## johnnyw

Oh forgot to ask before that which drivers are working best for these cards atm?


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Oh forgot to ask before that which drivers are working best for these cards atm?


These are the latest 79** drivers

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


----------



## Darco19

I just picked up my Sapphire H7970 today and I'm kind of unimpressed







Maybe I should have just waited for a MSI TF3 or even Kepler...

It does stock at 1125 on the core and 1575 on the memory just fine, but it appears that it will only do 1200 on the core if I up the voltage to 1.25v - that's a bit extreme. The asic rating on GPU-Z gives it a score of 85% though. Powertune is set to +20%, and powerplay and everything is disabled.

I'm disappointed tbh, I was hoping for at least 1250 easily, yet I think I may have hit a brick wall at 1200. I'm leaving it on CCC's max OC for the time being. I was using MSI Afterburner beta 12. Perhaps the temps got too hot and the GPU just blacked out? It wouldn't pass the "dragon statue" in Heaven 2.5 when I tried anything higher than 1200 on the core.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I just picked up my Sapphire H7970 today and I'm kind of unimpressed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I should have just waited for a MSI TF3 or even Kepler...
> It does stock at 1125 on the core and 1575 on the memory just fine, but it appears that it will only do 1200 on the core if I up the voltage to 1.25v - that's a bit extreme. The asic rating on GPU-Z gives it a score of 85% though. Powertune is set to +20%, and powerplay and everything is disabled.
> I'm disappointed tbh, I was hoping for at least 1250 easily, yet I think I may have hit a brick wall at 1200. I'm leaving it on CCC's max OC for the time being. I was using MSI Afterburner beta 12. Perhaps the temps got too hot and the GPU just blacked out? It wouldn't pass the "dragon statue" in Heaven 2.5 when I tried anything higher than 1200 on the core.


Your unimpressed by a 200Mhz over clock on stock voltage? That's a great OC especially for NOT having to bump voltage.

The new 28nm seem to not respond so well to voltage bumps but YMMV. Your getting 275Mhz OC with voltage bump on air is awesome. No water block required. Sapphire is great and you should be very happy with that over clock in all reality.


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Your unimpressed by a 200Mhz over clock on stock voltage? That's a great OC especially for NOT having to bump voltage.
> The new 28nm seem to not respond so well to voltage bumps but YMMV. Your getting 275Mhz OC with voltage bump on air is awesome. No water block required. Sapphire is great and you should be very happy with that over clock in all reality.


I guess, but I was still hoping for a lot more since I've seen people doing a lot higher than 1200mhz on the core, and they don't even need as much voltage as I do. It's running great and I'm still happy at the end of the day.

Ah well, I guess we can all look forward to better HD7900 drivers now since they're not fully optimized and all for the new architecture


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I guess, but I was still hoping for a lot more since I've seen people doing a lot higher than 1200mhz on the core, and they don't even need as much voltage as I do. It's running great and I'm still happy at the end of the day.
> Ah well, I guess we can all look forward to better HD7900 drivers now since they're not fully optimized and all for the new architecture


I only hit 1300 on the core water-cooled, which is just about as high as you can go no matter what (not counting LN2). 1175 is ******ed-awesome on air.


----------



## slickric21

*Gigabyte 7970 Windforce VRM cooling*

I saw I think in this thread somewhere a little discussion about VRM temps on the 7970's
I'm pretty sure it went along the lines of OC'd card with XFX custom cooler and VRM temps were hitting over 100'c, yet stock was about 90'c.

Well just had a play with my Windforce oc'd to 1260/6200 @ 1250mV

Ran the Unigine bench for about 2 hrs looping with all settings maxed. VRM max temps were 69'c


edit here it was
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> The non-refference models such as the XFX DD runs pretty hot on the VRM about 120c.
> The reference designs only go up to about *91c*.
> Just remember.... with these cards, the lower the temps, the higher the overclock...
> For example.. you could have a stable OC at 75c but at 80c you will crash.
> 28nm for ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These cards are monsters, but sadly... their drivers are fairys


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> *Gigabyte 7970 Windforce VRM cooling*
> I saw I think in this thread somewhere a little discussion about VRM temps on the 7970's
> I'm pretty sure it went along the lines of OC'd card with XFX custom cooler and VRM temps were hitting over 100'c, yet stock was about 90'c.
> Well just had a play with my Windforce oc'd to 1260/6200 @ 1250mV
> Ran the Unigine bench for about 2 hrs looping with all settings maxed. VRM max temps were 69'c
> 
> edit here it was


Yeah XFX DD cards hit a good 120c on the VRMS. Great to c ur gigabyte wf does better


----------



## evolutionxxx86

another club to join how nice


----------



## PenguinoPapa

So far I'm not really a huge fan of GPU Tweak. It may just be that I'm more familiar with Afterburner, but unless I have to crank the voltage up past 1300 mV I jus can't see myself using this as my primary OC'ing tool.


----------



## Bigm

Ordered my Reference PowerColor 7970, of course they shipped it from Cali and I'm in NJ so can't play with it 'til Thursday, Wednesday if I get uber lucky.


----------



## travva

Is it safe to say that BF3 causing a hard freeze and a 'driver stopped responding' log being in event viewer indicates an unstable OC? What I mean is, as opposed to something else. Does punkbuster have the same types of quirks with AB that it does with programs like Rivatuner (which afaik AB is based off of). Is there any point to shutting AB off while playing? I understand the clock/volt changes stay the same this way, but I'm just trying to figure out what the deal is. What's a good way to 'test' my card other than OCCT and furmark? I'm normally a guy who gets it game stable and I'm happy. This OC played many hours of BF3, then last night bam, crash city.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

After flashing to the ASUS BIOS I can't seem to get my card to fully underclock. Even setting a default profile for 2D applications only returns the card to 925/1375 when sitting at the desktop.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Is it safe to say that BF3 causing a hard freeze and a 'driver stopped responding' log being in event viewer indicates an unstable OC? What I mean is, as opposed to something else. Does punkbuster have the same types of quirks with AB that it does with programs like Rivatuner (which afaik AB is based off of). Is there any point to shutting AB off while playing? I understand the clock/volt changes stay the same this way, but I'm just trying to figure out what the deal is. What's a good way to 'test' my card other than OCCT and furmark? I'm normally a guy who gets it game stable and I'm happy. This OC played many hours of BF3, then last night bam, crash city.


try undoing it and redoing it. i believe i had a similar issue and fixed it by resetting ab completely and then inputting the OC again......


----------



## Stormblitz

Add me to the club








Just got my Sapphire 7970 a couple days ago.

So, somewhat impressed out of the box after upgrading from a W/C'ed 6970 other than the following issue.

There is an annoying high pitched sound when the card is idling. I have sensitive ears so I can hear it well. It is probably coil whine coming from the card when it is idling at 300/150MHz.
I can constantly hear the sound changing frequency, as if it was doing work, but it really isn't
Whenever the GPU becomes utilized (over 300MHz) from web pages with flash, gif's, whatever,..youtube, watching videos, the whine disappears, which is strange but annoying.
I've tried playing some games and the coil whine is there, but that is to be expected, I hear it but it is not annoying due to the fan.
I've read a few topics regarding the issue, and it seems to be common for high end cards, but I never read anything about this during idle.

Is anyone experiencing this?
The card is only a few days old, and I have my EK water block ready, but I don't want to proceed if this is some sort of defect on my card.
I don't recall my other cards ever making this noise at idle, so I am contemplating on whether I should RMA it or not.

FYI - I am using the GPU Observer gadget to take clock readings.


----------



## TomashT

Any guides on how to tqake a 7970 apart?
I've got all the screws out, and the cooler shround off, but the heatsink/fan and their frame won't come off.


----------



## TomashT

Nevermind. It came off.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> These are the latest 79** drivers
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


Ye those are the drivers that seems to be "official" ones for these cards, but i saw some discusion on other forums that some leaked betas gaved nice boost for games like BF3 and Metro. Also gigabyte site lists drivers that are at dated 16.1.12 and those RC11 drivers are dated 25.1.12


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> DICE has just announced a minor PC update that will be going live February 14th at 8am UT via Origin.
> 
> This particular update aims to improve general performance and stability issues as well as solve some reproducible crash problems, according to the. Support for the upcoming Intel "Ivy Bridge product line will also be included as will *improvements on the AMD Radeon 7xxx series of graphics cards.*
> The full list of fixes are as follows:
> 
> -Support for Intel's new Ivy Bridge product line (as yet unreleased)
> -Fixes for two reproducible client crashes:
> -Operation Firestorm- Conquest Large - Fixed a client crash when users spawn in certain vehicles.
> -Canals - Rush - Fixed a client crash at the 2nd set of mcoms if the player drives a vehicle into the vicinity of the exploding rocket battery.
> -*AMD Radeon 7xxx series performance improvements*


This is ok news for us 7970*/7950* BF3 freaks. Hopefully significant improvements.


SOURCE

EDIT: in bold.


----------



## travva

Thanks Denim! +rep Now if only AMD would couple some new drivers to go with the BF3 patch!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Thanks Denim! +rep Now if only AMD would couple some new drivers to go with the BF3 patch!


Just LOVE that avatar!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> another club to join how nice


There are OTHER clubs!?!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stormblitz*
> 
> Add me to the club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just got my Sapphire 7970 a couple days ago.
> So, somewhat impressed out of the box after upgrading from a W/C'ed 6970 other than the following issue.
> There is an annoying high pitched sound when the card is idling. I have sensitive ears so I can hear it well. It is probably coil whine coming from the card when it is idling at 300/150MHz.
> I can constantly hear the sound changing frequency, as if it was doing work, but it really isn't
> Whenever the GPU becomes utilized (over 300MHz) from web pages with flash, gif's, whatever,..youtube, watching videos, the whine disappears, which is strange but annoying.
> I've tried playing some games and the coil whine is there, but that is to be expected, I hear it but it is not annoying due to the fan.
> I've read a few topics regarding the issue, and it seems to be common for high end cards, but I never read anything about this during idle.
> Is anyone experiencing this?
> The card is only a few days old, and I have my EK water block ready, but I don't want to proceed if this is some sort of defect on my card.
> I don't recall my other cards ever making this noise at idle, so I am contemplating on whether I should RMA it or not.
> FYI - I am using the GPU Observer gadget to take clock readings.


FYI RMA ASAP IMHO


----------



## Daffie82

Hi Guys I am new here and have been reading this thread lately to gain some knowledge.
Now I still have some question about overclocking my SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7950 OC Version.

- ULPS is NOT disabled since I am not running in crossfire (only got 1 card); this is correct I assume?
- First changed the powertune (dont know exactly how it is called again) function in AMD overdrive to +20%; I read this is needed for keeping clocks constant, correct?
- After that I used Trixx (latest version from Sapphire site) to overclock core + memory and to raise the voltages.

Now first question : do I need to flash my Bios to be able to raise the voltages on my card?
Because when using Trixx it seems it did not save my new voltages, always going back to stock values (at least according to Trixx). Or is this due to the program itself and should I use Afterburner for raising the voltage?

I now got it running at 1000/1500, but this is afaik on stock voltages. If I could increase it I think it can go further!

Thanks alot for your help and suggestions, greatly appreciated.


----------



## chillgreg

*New Driver?!?*

*amd_8921_7_vga.zip*

Release Date 2012-02-10

*Special Note:*

The Drivers provided here are exclusively for MSI products only. MSI takes no responsibility for any damage resulted from improper usage or lack of technical expertise.

Edit: Well I just installed it and using Custom, it confirmed that it is a newer driver than the official RC beta. No release notes that I can find yet either. No issues so far... maybe MSI gotta hold of a new one before AMD put it out to the rest of them. Interesting politics behind the scenes there in that case... I wonder what the other "top tier" partners will think of that lol...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hi Guys I am new here and have been reading this thread lately to gain some knowledge.
> Now I still have some question about overclocking my SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7950 OC Version.
> - ULPS is NOT disabled since I am not running in crossfire (only got 1 card); this is correct I assume?
> - First changed the powertune (dont know exactly how it is called again) function in AMD overdrive to +20%; I read this is needed for keeping clocks constant, correct?
> - After that I used Trixx (latest version from Sapphire site) to overclock core + memory and to raise the voltages.
> Now first question : do I need to flash my Bios to be able to raise the voltages on my card?
> Because when using Trixx it seems it did not save my new voltages, always going back to stock values (at least according to Trixx). Or is this due to the program itself and should I use Afterburner for raising the voltage?
> I now got it running at 1000/1500, but this is afaik on stock voltages. If I could increase it I think it can go further!
> Thanks alot for your help and suggestions, greatly appreciated.


you have to save the changes to a profile, then check the settings as well


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> you have to save the changes to a profile, then check the settings as well


Afaik I did save it to a profile in Trixx.
But Afterburner is not better somehow than Trixx ? If I am unable to raise the voltages with Trixx, the same will apply with Afterburner, I guess?


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> DICE has just announced a minor PC update that will be going live February 14th at 8am UT via Origin.
> This particular update aims to improve general performance and stability issues as well as solve some reproducible crash problems, according to the. Support for the upcoming Intel "Ivy Bridge product line will also be included as will *improvements on the AMD Radeon 7xxx series of graphics cards.*
> The full list of fixes are as follows:
> -Support for Intel's new Ivy Bridge product line (as yet unreleased)
> -Fixes for two reproducible client crashes:
> -Operation Firestorm- Conquest Large - Fixed a client crash when users spawn in certain vehicles.
> -Canals - Rush - Fixed a client crash at the 2nd set of mcoms if the player drives a vehicle into the vicinity of the exploding rocket battery.
> -*AMD Radeon 7xxx series performance improvements*
> 
> 
> 
> well nice,first i started to get some punk buster kicks,after that BF3 started to crash from time to time...didn't happen before update...
Click to expand...


----------



## johnnyw

Hmm well got my gigabyte 7950 today but immideatly having problems







When i open web browser ( firefox ) lower part of the monitor starts to flash/flicker at every 1-2 seconds intervals? Anyone else had similar behaviour? Dunno if that has anything to do with it but i have Asus VG236H 120hz monitor.

Drivers are the "official" 8.921.2.RC11


----------



## Darco19

Decided to return my Sapphire HD7970 and will wait for a MSI Twin Frozr III or something, the temps on it were just too much. The noise is also unbearable...

Even at 1100mhz on the core and 1575mhz on the memory I was getting almost 90c on the fan at 45% - I guess this is to be expected for an OC on air, but it's just too much for my liking. I haven't checked the VRM temps yet either, but I don't think they're any better. Maybe I'm just used to my GTX 580 Lightning being at 60c on full load even when OC'd. Cmon MSI TFIII....


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Decided to return my Sapphire HD7970 and will wait for a MSI Twin Frozr III or something, the temps on it were just too much. Even at 1100mhz on the core and 1575mhz on the memory I was getting almost 90c on the fan at 45% - this is to be expected for an OC on air, but it's just too much for my liking. The noise is also unbearable...


That's some high temps on these cards. The reviews I've read from tech sites were running hottest at 77C. What's with the discrepancy? Did they have the fans at 100% or something?


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Hmm well got my gigabyte 7950 today but immideatly having problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When i open web browser ( firefox ) lower part of the monitor starts to flash/flicker at every 1-2 seconds intervals? Anyone else had similar behaviour? Dunno if that has anything to do with it but i have Asus VG236H 120hz monitor.
> Drivers are the "official" 8.921.2.RC11


Ok bit more investigation.

Games works fine without any flickering at 120hz, but the dekstop/browser fllickering has something to do with 120hz, if i drop refresh rate to 60hz flickering stops immideatly.

Really start to remember why i stayed away from AMD/ATI lately. These drivers are just completely patchetic


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Decided to return my Sapphire HD7970 and will wait for a MSI Twin Frozr III or something, the temps on it were just too much. The noise is also unbearable...
> Even at 1100mhz on the core and 1575mhz on the memory I was getting almost 90c on the fan at 45% - I guess this is to be expected for an OC on air, but it's just too much for my liking. I haven't checked the VRM temps yet either, but I don't think they're any better. Maybe I'm just used to my GTX 580 Lightning being at 60c on full load even when OC'd. Cmon MSI TFIII....


some thing is wrong with your card, im running 1100mhz and 1600mhz on the stock cooler with stock fan profile only getting like 70c @ load and i cant even hear the fan. eather the card was broken or your case dose not have good airflow


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> That's some high temps on these cards. The reviews I've read from tech sites were running hottest at 77C. What's with the discrepancy? Did they have the fans at 100% or something?


I don't know if the reviewers had their fans at higher settings than mine, but I'm definitely not willing to put it up at anymore than 50% or even 45% since it will start sounding like a jet engine. The card is the loudest thing in my case right now, and I have 4 fans (2 for the H100, 1x 120mm in the rear and a 200mm in the front). Airflow shouldn't be a problem, since my 580 Lightning does 60c on full load.

I know the temps are guaranteed to be lower at higher fan settings, but I'm using a headset and the noise is just unbearable. I'm not going to replace the TIM since that will void the warranty or try anything special, I would just prefer a non-reference card right now


----------



## Ken1649

I should stay away from Ferrari. It's a bad car to have because I don't even know how to pop the hood









After much struggling, only to realize it has no engine


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I don't know if the reviewers had their fans at higher settings than mine, but I'm definitely not willing to put it up at anymore than 50% or even 45% since it will start sounding like a jet engine. The card is the loudest thing in my case right now, and I have 4 fans (2 for the H100, 1x 120mm in the rear and a 200mm in the front). Airflow shouldn't be a problem, since my 580 Lightning does 60c on full load.
> I know the temps are guaranteed to be lower at higher fan settings, but I'm using a headset and the noise is just unbearable. I'm not going to replace the TIM since that will void the warranty or try anything special, I would just prefer a non-reference card right now


Well I'm betting the MSI Lightning version or even TFII for that matter will do much better keeping it cooler and even better over clocks. Lightnings with extra phase power (PWM's) are supped up right for any card versions / series.


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Well I'm betting the MSI Lightning version or even TFII for that matter will do much better keeping it cooler and even better over clocks. Lightnings with extra phase power (PWM's) are supped up right for any card versions / series.


Yeah definitely, looking forward to it. I don't wanna keep referring to my 580 Lightning, but TFIII is just awesome







Wouldn't mind an Asus Directcu II either since non-reference PCB is so much better.

Kind of a shame really, maybe my chip just isn't as good hence why I had to bump up the voltage a bit more (it needed 1.25v on the 1200mhz core and 1575 on the memory). Asic quality on GPU-Z gave it a 84.9% rating so /shrug


----------



## jshotz

Bad experience with Twin Frozrs they run way too hot!


----------



## Invisible

YAYAYAYAYAY! Sapphire's 7950 OC is on the way.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> YAYAYAYAYAY! Sapphire's 7950 OC is on the way.


Only one?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Yeah definitely, looking forward to it. I don't wanna keep referring to my 580 Lightning, but TFIII is just awesome
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wouldn't mind an Asus Directcu II either since non-reference PCB is so much better.
> Kind of a shame really, maybe my chip just isn't as good hence why I had to bump up the voltage a bit more (it needed 1.25v on the 1200mhz core and 1575 on the memory). Asic quality on GPU-Z gave it a 84.9% rating so /shrug


ASIC numbers aka leakage doesn't mean squat unfortunately. The rule is that there are no rules, binning etc that determine individual silicon overclock abilities. That whole binning myth should have been dispelled with Tahiti because the overall quality of the silicon is freaking high so all leakages can hit their stock clocks.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Only one?


Is *Invisible* a millionaire?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Is *Invisible* a millionaire?


Two is better than one, much like Double Mint.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Only one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is *Invisible* a millionaire?
Click to expand...

Is he an invisible millionaire? What?


----------



## jshotz

so what's the best drivers for BF3 right now still the .2?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ASIC numbers aka leakage doesn't mean squat unfortunately. The rule is that there are no rules, binning etc that determine individual silicon overclock abilities. That whole binning myth should have been dispelled with Tahiti because the overall quality of the silicon is freaking high so all leakages can hit their stock clocks.


Wondering if you've seen this yet:


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Wondering if you've seen this yet:


Let me ask you what does that suggest about your silicon's overclocking prowess?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hi Guys I am new here and have been reading this thread lately to gain some knowledge.
> Now I still have some question about overclocking my SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7950 OC Version.
> - ULPS is NOT disabled since I am not running in crossfire (only got 1 card); this is correct I assume?
> - First changed the powertune (dont know exactly how it is called again) function in AMD overdrive to +20%; I read this is needed for keeping clocks constant, correct?
> - After that I used Trixx (latest version from Sapphire site) to overclock core + memory and to raise the voltages.
> Now first question : do I need to flash my Bios to be able to raise the voltages on my card?
> Because when using Trixx it seems it did not save my new voltages, always going back to stock values (at least according to Trixx). Or is this due to the program itself and should I use Afterburner for raising the voltage?
> I now got it running at 1000/1500, but this is afaik on stock voltages. If I could increase it I think it can go further!
> Thanks alot for your help and suggestions, greatly appreciated.


I read in this thread somewhere that the +20% in amd overdrive does not work well in combination with Trixx and that I should disable ULPS (even for 1 card).
So Overdrive back to standard value and ULPS to off. Will this help for better overclocking my SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7950 OC Version?

Also for Trixx to work, does it need to run constantly in the background? (dont think so, just want to make sure)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I read in this thread somewhere that the +20% in amd overdrive does not work well in combination with Trixx and that I should disable ULPS (even for 1 card).
> So Overdrive back to standard value and ULPS to off. Will this help for better overclocking my SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7950 OC Version?
> Also for Trixx to work, does it need to run constantly in the background? (dont think so, just want to make sure)


You DO NOT need to touch ULPS on a single card setup.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Let me ask you what does that suggest about your silicon's overclocking prowess?


Not a hell of a lot that's good. I was more interested in your thoughts on their suggested interpretation...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Not a hell of a lot that's good. I was more interested in your thoughts on their suggested interpretation...


It doesn't matter much to me. From that, low leakage is best for stock clocks, but who the hell is a member of this forum and wants to run at stock clocks, er... moving on. The only thing that makes sense is the LN2, where low leakage is best for sub zero clocking.

Bottom line is we all have to buy a ticket for the overclocking lottery regardless of leakage level.


----------



## Sebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Two is better than one, much like Double Mint.


Not everyone wanna pay to get crossfire issues.







I would definitely get two myself if it weren't for that.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It doesn't matter much to me. From that, low leakage is best for stock clocks, but who the hell is a member of this forum and wants to run at stock clocks, er... moving on. The only thing that makes sense is the LN2, where low leakage is best for sub zero clocking.
> Bottom line is we all have to buy a ticket for the overclocking lottery regardless of leakage level.


Why don't they sell 2 versions?:

a) A cheaper "base" card; and

b) A say 50 dollar premium "Pro" card for overclocking with guaranteed binned chips.

They'd make more profit, get potentially more market share, and definitely have more satisfied customers.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I read in this thread somewhere that the +20% in amd overdrive does not work well in combination with Trixx and that I should disable ULPS (even for 1 card).
> So Overdrive back to standard value and ULPS to off. Will this help for better overclocking my SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7950 OC Version?
> *Also for Trixx to work, does it need to run constantly in the background? (dont think so, just want to make sure)*


Yes.


----------



## unrealskill




----------



## Sebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*


Real horsepower!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Cleaned the last few pages, lets keep things on topic guys.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*


when people ask me what overclocking is ... I tell them loosely ... and then make the analogy of folks who mod their cars on cinder blocks in their front yards ....except it's indoor with computers...


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> when people ask me what overclocking is ... I tell them loosely ... and then make the analogy of folks who mod their cars on cinder blocks in their front yards ....except it's indoor with computers...


Didn't know overclocking is so much complicated than it sounds.


----------



## johnnyw

I think i found the culprit now why i was getting flickering in dekstop and browser. Guy from finnish forum said he had same thing and it was due latest afterburner beta, uninstalled AB and now havent had flickering since.

Must say that this windforce cooler is really keeping the card cool and cant hear it over my case fans at low even whilr gaming.

These are my temps at stock clocks & autofan after bit over 30mins of BF3.


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I read in this thread somewhere that the +20% in amd overdrive does not work well in combination with Trixx and that I should disable ULPS (even for 1 card).
> So Overdrive back to standard value and ULPS to off. Will this help for better overclocking my SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7950 OC Version?
> Also for Trixx to work, does it need to run constantly in the background? (dont think so, just want to make sure)


Trixx works fine with the powerplay setting, it doens't touch it. MSI Afterburner is the one having issues with it.

Trixx doesn't need to be running in the backgorund, just open it, set your OC profile and it only applies them to 3d performance mode. You can then close it if you wish and you will see when running any 3d application that your OC is applied, when not runnig 3d you drop back to 3d low power then 2d clocks fine.
A reboot, or opening the program and hitting 'reset' will return your 3d clock to defaults.

Simple, effective and doesn't interfere with powerplay. I've set mine to +20% and just left it there.

Afterburner on the other hand is a different story. If you've enabled the 'unofficial overclocking mode' (eg to get higher OC than can be applied in in AMD overdrive) then this keeps resetting whatever setting you chose on powerplay, and once you've applied an OC you will find you cannot drop back down to 2d clocks and V's (300/150/0.85) but you sit at 3d low power clocks even when idling...wasting power basically. A reboot is the only way to fix it.

On the other hand if you use the -XCL comand for overclocking in Afterburner I 'think' that would solve the problem, but his method writes something the the regisrty that gets reset if you install a new driver.

Trixx 2 - 0 Afterburner (for me re overclocking)


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Only one?


I'm only gaming at 900p at the moment, so two would just be stupid, haha. Now of course down the road I'm going to get a 1080p monitor and another 7950, but for now, no.


----------



## WhitePrQjser

I'm definitely in! My first ATI/AMD card since Radeon 9200!









Have you considered a signature for us all to use?


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> when people ask me what overclocking is ... I tell them loosely ... and then make the analogy of folks who mod their cars on cinder blocks in their front yards ....except it's indoor with computers...


lol i have my hands in both. i get best of both worlds car guys and gamers


----------



## tsm106

Man, I love Amazon. Those 3 Asus I sent back, I might be able to finagle DCII's for that price.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> A reboot, or opening the program and hitting 'reset' will return your 3d clock to defaults.


Thanks for explaining all this slickric21 !
From your above statement I conclude that for the overclock to be active all the time you need to have Trixx running or at least run it once on every startup. Correct?


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> I think i found the culprit now why i was getting flickering in dekstop and browser. Guy from finnish forum said he had same thing and it was due latest afterburner beta, uninstalled AB and now havent had flickering since.


Well talked too early as usual and i guess its dont have anything to do with AB, was watching youtube vid and flickering started again







Aftet bit of googling i dont seem to be only one with this problem and it seems to be somehow related to 120hz monitors, as i said earlier if i set refresh rate to 60hz it fixes the problem completely but i really dont hate to use that, when been used to 120hz 60hz just looks so damn laggy.


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for explaining all this slickric21 !
> From your above statement I conclude that for the overclock to be active all the time you need to have Trixx running or at least run it once on every startup. Correct?


Correct mate,but just run it once per bootup is all thats needed

There is an option to "load at start up" but i dont use it, as i only OC for BF3 i just set it manually - i dont want a OC for every 3d app !!!!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> *New Driver?!?*
> 
> *amd_8921_7_vga.zip*
> 
> Release Date 2012-02-10
> 
> *Special Note:*
> 
> The Drivers provided here are exclusively for MSI products only. MSI takes no responsibility for any damage resulted from improper usage or lack of technical expertise.
> 
> Edit: Well I just installed it and using Custom, it confirmed that it _is_ a newer driver than the official RC beta. No release notes that I can find yet either. No issues so far... maybe MSI gotta hold of a new one before AMD put it out to the rest of them. Interesting politics behind the scenes there in that case... I wonder what the other "top tier" partners will think of that lol...


Its an old driver from Dec repackaged
DriverVer=12/29/2011, 8.921.5.0000
8.921.5-111229a-131232C-ATI


----------



## Ottesen

*Edit: Both problems fixed, just disabled ULPS in regedit.* (I'll leave the questions there in-case someone else needs them)

I need some help guys, both questions and pic here









Just got my second powercolor 7950 and the oldest one is just 1 week old. Super happy with them, but got some questions/problems with crossfire.

*1:* I can't change voltage on second card in trixx, why ? Afterburner i have tried but no luck.
*2:* Why is the stats sifferently on the pic below ? Its card number one and 2, see the underlined stuff...










Lastly i just went mental on the plate under the second card...haha. With my mobo the psi slots are 1-2 places down, so the bottom card go so sandwitched so i just bent the hole middle of the case... works like a charm


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> Correct mate,but just run it once per bootup is all thats needed
> There is an option to "load at start up" but i dont use it, as i only OC for BF3 i just set it manually - i dont want a OC for every 3d app !!!!


Thanks alot for your help mate, I now understand the program abit better.

I know tried some mild overclocking in Trixx setting my sapphire HD7950 OC to 1000 core and 1500 memory and raising the voltage in Trixx to 1175. After testing with GPU i can now see clearly that my volts are higher.

I can see the following after couple of minutes doing the render test in GPU-Z :

Temp 65 @ fan 47%
GPU load around 97-98%
12V - 12,06 V
VDDC - 1,129 V
MVDDC - 1,602 V
VDDC Current - 77,5 A
VDDC Current In - 8,4 A

Can someone explain me these voltage settings?
Is this any good? And can these numbers tell me how much I can push further?

Thanks for explaining!


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 12V - 12,06 V
> VDDC - 1,129 V = The GPU Voltage you are tweaking taking into account the Vdroop that occurs under load
> MVDDC - 1,602 V = The Memory Voltage, not tweaking yet....
> VDDC Current - 77,5 A
> VDDC Current In - 8,4 A


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks alot for your help mate, I now understand the program abit better.
> I know tried some mild overclocking in Trixx setting my sapphire HD7950 OC to 1000 core and 1500 memory and raising the voltage in Trixx to 1175. After testing with GPU i can now see clearly that my volts are higher.
> I can see the following after couple of minutes doing the render test in GPU-Z :
> Temp 65 @ fan 47%
> GPU load around 97-98%
> 12V - 12,06 V
> VDDC - 1,129 V
> MVDDC - 1,602 V
> VDDC Current - 77,5 A
> VDDC Current In - 8,4 A
> Can someone explain me these voltage settings?
> Is this any good? And can these numbers tell me how much I can push further?
> Thanks for explaining!


I have powercolor 7950, using 1100/1500mhz @ 1200mv... do you have the dual fan one or reference one ? You could probably go higher than that with that voltage


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> Its an old driver from Dec repackaged
> DriverVer=12/29/2011, 8.921.5.0000
> 8.921.5-111229a-131232C-ATI


Thanks for the reply. I was wondering where all the excited responses were! 

So hopefully no harm done, at least I haven't noticed anything different yet. I shall try and run Crysis later on, which so far won't run at all without a hard system lock after about 1 second of major screen corruption, even on stock clocks and voltages. I also get the same problem after about 30 mins - an hour of Farcry 2. And can't run Metro Benchmark or 3DMark11 at all go figure...

If this driver changes anything I shall report back. I'm an optimist hehe


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I have powercolor 7950, using 1100/1500mhz @ 1200mv... do you have the dual fan one or reference one ? You could probably go higher than that with that voltage


Thanks for your help (and slickric !)

I have the dual fan one.
After testing 1 min in Furmark at 1000/1500 and 1175mv my max. GPU temp is 75 ...
Is that something to worry about? Or is that pretty "normal" at these settings?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*


Oh my god whose blood is that?











Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Does it make a good coolant?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for your help (and slickric !)
> I have the dual fan one.
> After testing 1 min in Furmark at 1000/1500 and 1175mv my max. GPU temp is 75 ...
> Is that something to worry about? Or is that pretty "normal" at these settings?


Don't use furmark, occt or "those" tests, due to the powertune ability the cards decrease the core mhz and stuff to cope. Use 3dmark11 or heaven or something like that. (Search on amd powertune and you'll see the point. )

The stock fan setting/profile is pretty layed back, so that temp is normal. I make my own fan profile and have 30% fan at 30c, 40% at 40c and like that, these cards with dual fan is just epic, i can't even hear my 2 card on benchmarks


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Oh my god whose blood is that?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Does it make a good coolant?





Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Its from a random chick here in Norway, sine its valentine i just picked one up and took some blood....

haha..... just kidding.

i killed her.



(just joking with my nasty humor, i can remove it if its to much)


----------



## pursuinginsanity

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Well talked too early as usual and i guess its dont have anything to do with AB, was watching youtube vid and flickering started again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Aftet bit of googling i dont seem to be only one with this problem and it seems to be somehow related to 120hz monitors, as i said earlier if i set refresh rate to 60hz it fixes the problem completely but i really dont hate to use that, when been used to 120hz 60hz just looks so damn laggy.


I wouldn't be so quick to say it's the monitor's fault. AMD drivers have had problems just like that since the HD5xxx series release (and possibly earlier, this is when it happened to me (Nov, 2009)). Mine would only flicker on 2d, if running a game it was fine. That wasn't fixed completely until April 2010. It happened again during the HD 6xxx release. Not as bad, and again, with a sporadic, seemingly random group of cards.

It's things like this that make me dread buying another AMD card. Ugh. Broken AA, screen flicker, etc. It's never worked out well for me.

Check out AMD's driver forums. Probably quite a few people that sharing your pain.


----------



## Tslm

A mate had the screen flickering problem with 120Hz monitor as well.

AMD sets the idle clocks to low. If you up the core 50MHz or so (make a 2D profile) it will go away.


----------



## drunkenvalley

I was going to apply to the club, but alas my card doesn't want to play nice.

















The thing won't break 1095 (core)/1570 (memory) MHz.. o_o


----------



## bhardy1185

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pursuinginsanity*
> 
> I wouldn't be so quick to say it's the monitor's fault. AMD drivers have had problems just like that since the HD5xxx series release (and possibly earlier, this is when it happened to me (Nov, 2009)). Mine would only flicker on 2d, if running a game it was fine. That wasn't fixed completely until April 2010. It happened again during the HD 6xxx release. Not as bad, and again, with a sporadic, seemingly random group of cards.
> It's things like this that make me dread buying another AMD card. Ugh. Broken AA, screen flicker, etc. It's never worked out well for me.
> Check out AMD's driver forums. Probably quite a few people that sharing your pain.


I had that same thing happen to me on my xfire 5870's. I'm not sure what changed but it ran fine for a while then I started to get the flicker. Took one card out and it stopped??? Still trying to figure out what was going on with that.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Don't use furmark, occt or "those" tests, due to the powertune ability the cards decrease the core mhz and stuff to cope. Use 3dmark11 or heaven or something like that. (Search on amd powertune and you'll see the point. )
> The stock fan setting/profile is pretty layed back, so that temp is normal. I make my own fan profile and have 30% fan at 30c, 40% at 40c and like that, these cards with dual fan is just epic, i can't even hear my 2 card on benchmarks


I just got done running 3DMark11. My temp was in the 72-75 range so I am assuming that it is ok after seeing some posts saying that they were in that range as well. Right now I am running at 1000/1400 at stock voltage (1175).

Question about the benchmark though. I was watching it and my FPS was ranging from 10-28 on various tests with probably an average of 17 FPS. I didn't get any results that I can say for sure that is just my observation. Is that normal for this? I would think that I would be getting a lot better results FPS wise.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Don't use furmark, occt or "those" tests, due to the powertune ability the cards decrease the core mhz and stuff to cope. Use 3dmark11 or heaven or something like that. (Search on amd powertune and you'll see the point. )
> The stock fan setting/profile is pretty layed back, so that temp is normal. I make my own fan profile and have 30% fan at 30c, 40% at 40c and like that, these cards with dual fan is just epic, i can't even hear my 2 card on benchmarks


Thanks for the tips !
I did 2 full benchmarks in Heaven on 1920x1080 Fullscreen, 4xAA, 16xAF, rest on default.
Result was 63,7 FPS (Min. 30,6 - Max. 135,1) and this was on 1100 core / 1500 memory and 1175mv
I made a special fan profile in Trixx but according to my logs from GPU-Z (running in background) it was running on stock fan settings.
My max temp was 71, max VDDC Current 119.8
My max FAN speed was at 56% or 2368 RPM

Can I push even more? What do you think?

EDIT : ASIC = 76,3 % (if that says anything anyway)


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> I had that same thing happen to me on my xfire 5870's. I'm not sure what changed but it ran fine for a while then I started to get the flicker. Took one card out and it stopped??? Still trying to figure out what was going on with that.
> I just got done running 3DMark11. My temp was in the 72-75 range so I am assuming that it is ok after seeing some posts saying that they were in that range as well. Right now I am running at 1000/1400 at stock voltage (1175).
> Question about the benchmark though. I was watching it and my FPS was ranging from 10-28 on various tests with probably an average of 17 FPS. I didn't get any results that I can say for sure that is just my observation. Is that normal for this? I would think that I would be getting a lot better results FPS wise.


The low fps is probably the cpu test and combined test, i get something along that line also








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the tips !
> I did 2 full benchmarks in Heaven on 1920x1080 Fullscreen, 4xAA, 16xAF, rest on default.
> Result was 63,7 FPS (Min. 30,6 - Max. 135,1) and this was on 1100 core / 1500 memory and 1175mv
> I made a special fan profile in Trixx but according to my logs from GPU-Z (running in background) it was running on stock fan settings.
> My max temp was 71, max VDDC Current 119.8
> Can I push even more? What do you think?
> EDIT : ASIC = 76,3 % (if that says anything anyway)


Nice, push more, maybe... i just push until i see artifacts and then back off 20-50mhz, in tests like 3dmark11 you'll easily see the artifacts because suddenly there is flimering/flickering and red bricks/pixels and stuff....and thats easy to see under water







I tried some benchmarks now with 1140/1540mhz at 1240mv.... my upper card (got 2) is getting a bit to warm and loud. its not really much noise tho, but since i'm running 2 cards i bet i don't need to have a big overclock to play games







I'm hoping i can get like 1000/1400mhz at stock voltage, then my computer will be quiet and fast









(look past the writing errors, english is not my first language )


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Nice, push more, maybe... i just push until i see artifacts and then back off 20-50mhz, in tests like 3dmark11 you'll easily see the artifacts because suddenly there is flimering/flickering and red bricks/pixels and stuff....and thats easy to see under water
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried some benchmarks now with 1140/1540mhz at 1240mv.... my upper card (got 2) is getting a bit to warm and loud. its not really much noise tho, but since i'm running 2 cards i bet i don't need to have a big overclock to play games
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm hoping i can get like 1000/1400mhz at stock voltage, then my computer will be quiet and fast
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (look past the writing errors, english is not my first language )


Thanks for your reply, having 2 of these babies is very nice. I build my PC around this also, so maybe in about 6 months I will get another HD 7950.
I did not see any artifacts in Heaven by the way.
Oh forgot to mention : my max FAN speed was at 56% or 2368 RPM
I will look tomorrow maybe to push even more but I am quite happy with this now to be honest.
And no problem about your english, its not my first language either







(did not notice it in your posts though, so you are pretty good at it







)


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for your reply, having 2 of these babies is very nice. I build my PC around this also, so maybe in about 6 months I will get another HD 7950.
> I did not see any artifacts in Heaven by the way.
> Oh forgot to mention : my max FAN speed was at 56% or 2368 RPM
> I will look tomorrow maybe to push even more but I am quite happy with this now to be honest.
> And no problem about your english, its not my first language either
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (did not notice it in your posts though, so you are pretty good at it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


No problem and thank you









I'm just super happy with my cards, plan was to get sapphire one with dual fans like you have, but the didn't come in at my shop until mid-April








But i'm just as happy or more with these, same thing tho, just 200kr (about 40 dollars) more but with one year longer guarantee









(where you from ?)


----------



## Shiveron

Sign me up. Just got my HIS 7970 a couple hours ago, installed perfectly and maxed the CCC overdrive sliders w/ no problems so far









http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/vxrqn/

Such a massive upgrade from the 1GB 5770 I just came from


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> (where you from ?)


Belgium


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiveron*
> 
> Sign me up. Just got my HIS 7970 a couple hours ago, installed perfectly and maxed the CCC overdrive sliders w/ no problems so far
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/vxrqn/
> Such a massive upgrade from the 1GB 5770 I just came from


Yeah I had one of those. It was a good card for about 5 minutes lol

Edit: Congrats


----------



## jrcbandit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drunkenvalley*
> 
> I was going to apply to the club, but alas my card doesn't want to play nice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The thing won't break 1095 (core)/1570 (memory) MHz.. o_o


I have similar ASIC quality and results at stock voltage/stock fan profile. You can probably overclock a bit higher raising the voltage and a modified fan profile - I only raised it slightly to 1.181 from stock 1.175 (along with powertune +20% in Afterburner), and can now get 1100 core and 1700 memory, while at stock voltage I was limited to 1090 core and 1550 memory. I do keep the fan speed under 50% because anything higher sounds like a hurricane, under load it is between 44-48% fan speed. The only other thing I did was apply new TIM (used Arctic MX-4) because my card seemed a bit too hot compared to what others reported, but if your card's temperature is fine I am not sure if it will help.


----------



## WhitePrQjser

So... Will there be a signature we can all use?









Oh, and is 75.4% a good ASIC quality number?

(Note to self: Do not use girlfriend's ASUS EEE Seashell 1011PX netbook to write from... Keyboard is too small!)


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jrcbandit*
> 
> I have similar ASIC quality and results at stock voltage/stock fan profile. You can probably overclock a bit higher raising the voltage and a modified fan profile - I only raised it slightly to 1.181 from stock 1.175 (along with powertune +20% in Afterburner), and can now get 1100 core and 1700 memory, while at stock voltage I was limited to 1090 core and 1550 memory. I do keep the fan speed under 50% because anything higher sounds like a hurricane, under load it is between 44-48% fan speed. The only other thing I did was apply new TIM (used Arctic MX-4) because my card seemed a bit too hot compared to what others reported, but if your card's temperature is fine I am not sure if it will help.


That is completely BS really.

I have one card with a low ASIC quality and I can get it to 1300/1700 easy.

I have another much higher in the 90+% and can't get stable past 1050.


----------



## Diber

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> That is completely BS really.
> I have one card with a low ASIC quality and I can get it to 1300/1700 easy.
> I have another much higher in the 90+% and can't get stable past 1050.


Aye, something seems odd. I've got a card that is 88%, and the other is 78%. The card that is 78% can go up to 1200 without any issue- however, the 88% one can't get past 1070.


----------



## vedaire

it seems according to what I'm seeing the better ASIC chips do so so on o/cing with a low voltage increase on air.
but the lower asic ones do better with o/cing on a little higher voltage but need more cooling. but thats just my observation so far


----------



## travva

I've read before that it's recommended to not sync your oc settings inside of AB, is that correct? I've never done it this way and wonder if this may be my problem.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pursuinginsanity*
> 
> I wouldn't be so quick to say it's the monitor's fault. AMD drivers have had problems just like that since the HD5xxx series release (and possibly earlier, this is when it happened to me (Nov, 2009)). Mine would only flicker on 2d, if running a game it was fine. That wasn't fixed completely until April 2010. It happened again during the HD 6xxx release. Not as bad, and again, with a sporadic, seemingly random group of cards.
> It's things like this that make me dread buying another AMD card. Ugh. Broken AA, screen flicker, etc. It's never worked out well for me.
> Check out AMD's driver forums. Probably quite a few people that sharing your pain.


Well i didint say its monitors fault, but its definately something to do with 120hz refresh rate and there is a lot others with same problem, most with 120hz/3d monitors too. I guess just need to use 60hz in dekstop use till AMD gets some fix out.

Quite disapointing to spend loads of money to this and find out that there isnt even whql drivers for these cards yet.


----------



## Denim-187

My cards are 78% and 81%
Both do 1200mhz+

Both do 1200mhz at *1187*mv.
I dno about ASIC reference... so far its just a number.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

So I've got my 7970 core clock at 1175 MHz with the voltage set to 1200mv. It seems if I move the core clock any higher, I'm unable to get it stable at any voltage. Is there perhaps some tip I'm missing? I'm using MSI afterburner beta 12, I've got the power slider thingy (yes, thingy) set to +20%, I just find it hard to believe I can't go higher when my temps don't even exceed 40*C....

I've seen something about disabling ULPS (not sure what that is), but that's only for Crossfire, correct? Is there perhaps some setting in my BIOS I need to change?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pursuinginsanity*
> 
> I wouldn't be so quick to say it's the monitor's fault. AMD drivers have had problems just like that since the HD5xxx series release (and possibly earlier, this is when it happened to me (Nov, 2009)). Mine would only flicker on 2d, if running a game it was fine. That wasn't fixed completely until April 2010. It happened again during the HD 6xxx release. Not as bad, and again, with a sporadic, seemingly random group of cards.
> It's things like this that make me dread buying another AMD card. Ugh. Broken AA, screen flicker, etc. It's never worked out well for me.
> Check out AMD's driver forums. Probably quite a few people that sharing your pain.
> 
> 
> 
> Well i didint say its monitors fault, but its definately something to do with 120hz refresh rate and there is a lot others with same problem, most with 120hz/3d monitors too. I guess just need to use 60hz in dekstop use till AMD gets some fix out.
> 
> Quite disapointing to spend loads of money to this and find out that there isnt even whql drivers for these cards yet.
Click to expand...

Up your 2D clocks (make a profile). Fixed this problem for a mate of mine who uses a 120Hz monitor.


----------



## Nemesiswho

Well for now I have the highest clock speed,







could have validated higher but it wouldn't have been fair as my card isn't stable any higher on what I would call a "reasonable" amount of volts. Well maybe it was but to be honest the extra heat isn't worth it..... Well I guess 57C under furmark isn't that bad..... At least for Queensland.









And this is what I could have linked....... http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/6hdn9/
I wish it was stable at that clock......


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> My cards are 78% and 81%
> Both do 1200mhz+
> Both do 1200mhz at *1187*mv.
> I dno about ASIC reference... so far its just a number.


81% ASIC = 1.050mV stock i believe.

1187mV is a 0.137mV increase, Does OVP only kick in after it goes over limit of 1.175 with vdroop?

If so, I could boost another 0.027mV (ish) into this card and maybe get 1200. Provided its safe of course.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> 81% ASIC = 1.050mV stock i believe.
> 1187mV is a 0.137mV increase, Does OVP only kick in after it goes over limit of 1.175 with vdroop?
> If so, I could boost another 0.027mV (ish) into this card and maybe get 1200. Provided its safe of course.


Ok keep this in mind.......

If you have a 1020mv card, the max voltage would be *+280*mv.
If you have a 1050mv card, the max voltage would be *+250*mv.
If you have a 1112mv card, the max voltage would be *+188*mv.
If you have a 1175mv card, the max voltage would be *+125*mv.

No matter what card u have, the max mv you can apply is *1300*.

Both my cards are 1112mv.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Ok keep this in mind.......
> If you have a 1020mv card, the max voltage would be *+280*mv.
> If you have a 1050mv card, the max voltage would be *+250*mv.
> If you have a 1112mv card, the max voltage would be *+188*mv.
> If you have a 1175mv card, the max voltage would be *+125*mv.
> No matter what card u have, the max mv you can apply is *1300*.
> Both my cards are 1112mv.


Sure, I could set it to 1300 but as soon as it hits 3D clocks it would turn off through OVP i would think.

I'm not really getting your point









Also, in your last post you said your card had a 81% ASIC quality, I may be wrong but i thought this was a solid indicator of stock voltage. 80-85% = 1.050mV I thought?


----------



## mltms

somthing strang about msiafter if i OC to 1150/1500 volt 1.230 its not staple
but when i use trixx it the same clocks and voltt its staple and i have play about 2 hours BF3 now issue ??

HD 7950


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Sure, I could set it to 1300 but as soon as it hits 3D clocks it would turn off through OVP i would think.
> I'm not really getting your point
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, in your last post you said your card had a 81% ASIC quality, I may be wrong but i thought this was a solid indicator of stock voltage. 80-85% = 1.050mV I thought?


Not necessarily.... 81% on my card is 1112mv.

Ahhhhhhh the OVP thats why my card switches off in OCCT
:3

Disregard my last post then. It's weird atm im confused.


----------



## Denim-187

im 100% stable in GPU tool..... but when i start OCCT.... auto crash.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Not necessarily.... 81% on my card is 1112mv.
> Ahhhhhhh the OVP thats why my card switches off in OCCT
> :3
> Disregard my last post then. It's weird atm im confused.


If it switches off in OCCT at 1.187mV it is a 1.050mV card.

I pull max of 1.148mV at a target voltage of 1.174 in games but I think it would pull much more in OCCT

That's why its turning off, its going above 0.125 over default volts.

I'm going to answer my own question by turning my voltage to slightly higher than 0.125mV targeted and see if my max voltage in game goes up without turning my GPU off.

EDIT: going from a targeted 1.174mV to 1.181mV I now get 1.154 max voltage in game and it doesn't switch off, As long as i don't run stress tests I may have netted another 0.027mV or so. Now its just the question of is it safe to run this 24/7. Although it comes to mind that if it doesn't increase the average voltage there is not much point.


----------



## StrayderGame

Guys i have small problem...why MSI after burner register just 2048 mb of VRAM? At GPUZ it says 3072...also notices a bit microstuttering in BF3 when i reached this 2091mb didn't know why was there microstuttering,thought it's becouse of lag,but now i see to i used 2091mb


----------



## HGooper

How can I flash my Sapphire 7970 back to original bios? Currently I'm using the OC unlock bios, but this card seems defected(DOA), need to rma it and flash it back to original bios. Anyone?


----------



## Ottesen

*Question:* Should i use 1 or 2 crossfire bridges ? Have 2x7950 and using 2 right now...


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> How can I flash my Sapphire 7970 back to original bios? Currently I'm using the OC unlock bios, but this card seems defected(DOA), need to rma it and flash it back to original bios. Anyone?


Check on card is there switch for bios,position 1 and position 2.Turn off PC before u switch if there is any...i didn't check mine


----------



## Shiveron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Yeah I had one of those. It was a good card for about 5 minutes lol
> 
> Edit: Congrats


Well lets hope my luck is a little better than 5 minutes


----------



## Shiveron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> *Question:* Should i use 1 or 2 crossfire bridges ? Have 2x7950 and using 2 right now...


One. The other one is there for when you want to tri and quad-fire. At least im pretty sure it is.


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Check on card is there switch for bios,position 1 and position 2.Turn off PC before u switch if there is any...i didn't check mine


I'm not talking about the write-protected bios switch, I want to flash the unprotected bios back to original bios.


----------



## Aventadoor

Ok so finally my rig us up and running!
Therefore I wonder which way is best to OC 7970 CrossfireX?
Thank you!


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drunkenvalley*
> 
> I was going to apply to the club, but alas my card doesn't want to play nice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The thing won't break 1095 (core)/1570 (memory) MHz.. o_o


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> I'm not talking about the write-protected bios switch, I want to flash the unprotected bios back to original bios.


To do this you should switch to write-protected original bios and save it through GPU-Z menu,
Switch back and flash with atiflash and original BIOS you saved to file.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> somthing strang about msiafter if i OC to 1150/1500 volt 1.230 its not staple
> but when i use trixx it the same clocks and voltt its staple and i have play about 2 hours BF3 now issue ??
> HD 7950


Maybe because Afterburner is known to give problems with AMD overdrive +20% and Trixx is able to cope with this better ?
Just thinking out loud


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Guys i have small problem...why MSI after burner register just 2048 mb of VRAM? At GPUZ it says 3072...also notices a bit microstuttering in BF3 when i reached this 2091mb didn't know why was there microstuttering,thought it's becouse of lag,but now i see to i used 2091mb


any1?


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> any1?


it's simple max value in chart... change it in settings


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> any1?


That is just the max vram you have used in an application. It does not represent how much Vram you have.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> I'm not talking about the write-protected bios switch, I want to flash the unprotected bios back to original bios.


But you can use the default protected BIOS to flash back the unprotected BIOS.









1) Move the BIOS switch to the default protected BIOS.
2) Restart the computer
3) Boot in DOS mode with USB stick. Save the protected BIOS: atiflash -s 0 7970.bin
4) Move the BIOS switch to the unprotected BIOS position with the system running
5) Flash the unprotected BIOS with 7970.bin: atiflash -p 0 7970.bin -f
6) Reboot


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> That is just the max vram you have used in an application. It does not represent how much Vram you have.


it's not,coz there was yellow line to i have used 2072 mb ,and limit in MSI AB says 2048
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> it's simple max value in chart... change it in settings


couldn't find that option,or anything similar to that...can u make me some guide or smth? Btw this BF3 B2K maps uses about 2300mb VRAM...(reading from GPU-Z)


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Maybe because Afterburner is known to give problems with AMD overdrive +20% and Trixx is able to cope with this better ?
> Just thinking out loud


Not likely.
Unwinder knows what he does.


----------



## Aventadoor

Mehh... I get DX11 errors in BF3 again...
Tryed 2 run ATIMAN and do a fresh install of driver, but it dident really help at all so looks like I might have to do a fresh install of W7 again


----------



## evensen007

Does Msi know something we don't? They just posted a 12.1 (12.2?) driver for the 7970.

http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2032

I'm at work right now; anyone want to try it?


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Does Msi know something we don't? They just posted a 12.1 (12.2?) driver for the 7970.
> http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2032
> I'm at work right now; anyone want to try it?


Ill give them a go, downloading now.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Ill give them a go, downloading now.


Good on you, brave soul.









Be sure to check the driver version in CCC when you upgrade and make sure it gives you a newer version than what you have now. Could be interesting.


----------



## Balsagna

Guys.

I kept both my 7970's at stock and disabled ULPS but I moved the fan speed to about 50% on both cards (room was hot that day and my 800D is lacking in air cooling) that said, the bottom card will sometimes disable on the 50% manual fan speed I set as if it goes into a power state mode still with ULPS disabled.

This normal or am I missing something?


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Good on you, brave soul.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Be sure to check the driver version in CCC when you upgrade and make sure it gives you a newer version than what you have now. Could be interesting.


Just have to fire off a few work documents encase it all goes wrong, ill report back shortly


----------



## Twistacles

Hey guys, quick question(s)

I'm still using the stock drivers for the 7970, the first ones that came out. Have newer revisions been released that are worth it? I'm asking primarily in regards to BF3 performance. Are they any better or should I just stay with these?

What settings is everyone running bf3 at? With a single 7970, I find you can only really run ULTRA>no aa>8x texture filtering or 2x aa on some maps if you want it REALLY smooth. Sure, Ultra 4x AA 16x anisotropic is playable, but it has some slowdowns sometimes which can be annoying, so I leave it off. It has to be rock solid for me. Would it be better to run everything on high and pump aa from there? Anyway, let me know if anyones played around with it


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Does Msi know something we don't? They just posted a 12.1 (12.2?) driver for the 7970.
> http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2032
> I'm at work right now; anyone want to try it?


Didnt work for me. Tried installing 2x. It acts as if its installing but the time is half of what a normal driver install is. then when it say finished it dosnt prompt a restart. I manually did a restart but just rebooted in VGA. No go







I have a feeling it may be something for the new 7750 and 7770 perhaps?

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/15/amd-releases-radeon-hd-7750-and-7770-gpus/


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Does Msi know something we don't? They just posted a 12.1 (12.2?) driver for the 7970.
> http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2032
> I'm at work right now; anyone want to try it?


its just an older version of a 7700 driver that surfaced a week or so ago http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4246170&postcount=4

The link in the above post takes you to a supposed newer version with modifed support for 7970
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> Not likely.
> Unwinder knows what he does.


Its well documented in several places in this thread http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358092 where Unwinder states the conflict problems with powerplay/ULPS when using unoffical OC'ing mode.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Guys.
> I kept both my 7970's at stock and disabled ULPS but I moved the fan speed to about 50% on both cards (room was hot that day and my 800D is lacking in air cooling) that said, the bottom card will sometimes disable on the 50% manual fan speed I set as if it goes into a power state mode still with ULPS disabled.
> This normal or am I missing something?


Normal, i just went thu the same thing. I disabled ULPS and i couldn't adjust anything on second card properly. I just needed to disable ULPS in the registry and it was all fine








(i didn't do like this last time, but trying now my self... so be careful http://www.overclock.net/t/1171028/can-not-disable-ulps )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Hey guys, quick question(s)
> I'm still using the stock drivers for the 7970, the first ones that came out. Have newer revisions been released that are worth it? I'm asking primarily in regards to BF3 performance. Are they any better or should I just stay with these?
> 
> What settings is everyone running bf3 at? With a single 7970, I find you can only really run ULTRA>no aa>8x texture filtering or 2x aa on some maps if you want it REALLY smooth. Sure, Ultra 4x AA 16x anisotropic is playable, but it has some slowdowns sometimes which can be annoying, so I leave it off. It has to be rock solid for me. Would it be better to run everything on high and pump aa from there? Anyway, let me know if anyones played around with it


1900x max on everything here with one 7950 overclocked....goes like a charm


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> The link in the above post takes you to a supposed newer version with modifed support for 7970
> Its well documented in several places in this thread http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358092 where Unwinder states the conflict problems with powerplay/ULPS when using unoffical OC'ing mode.


With unofficial OC'ing you mean Afterburner? Or is Trixx also unoffical OC'ing?

Also I read somewhere the folowing :

''You only disable ULPS if you use AB or Trixx and crossfire''

Is this correct? So if you use 2 HD7950 in crossfire WITHOUT using AB or Trixx it is best to leave ULPS ENABLED ?

Thanks for the replies !


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Wondering if someone can help me out. (please note these are my first AMD cards I have owned). I just tried to launch the Mass Effect 3 demo only to be met with the following error... " Failed to initialize physics system. Please ensure you have an updated version of the PhysX Software installed".

How do I get around this with AMD cards??

Thanks in advance!

EDIT, All i need is to download straight PhysX software huh?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Wondering if someone can help me out. (please note these are my first AMD cards I have owned). I just tried to launch the Mass Effect 3 demo only to be met with the following error... " Failed to initialize physics system. Please ensure you have an updated version of the PhysX Software installed".
> How do I get around this with AMD cards??
> Thanks in advance!


By installing Physx, i get almost the same error on 3dmarks and stuff


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> By installing Physx, i get almost the same error on 3dmarks and stuff


Ya, Thanks...I edited my post and figured it out.... I should think for a sec before posting


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Ya, Thanks...I edited my post and figured it out.... I should think for a sec before posting


That's crazy talk, this is OCN!


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Hey guys, quick question(s)
> I'm still using the stock drivers for the 7970, the first ones that came out. Have newer revisions been released that are worth it? I'm asking primarily in regards to BF3 performance. Are they any better or should I just stay with these?
> 
> What settings is everyone running bf3 at? With a single 7970, I find you can only really run ULTRA>no aa>8x texture filtering or 2x aa on some maps if you want it REALLY smooth. Sure, Ultra 4x AA 16x anisotropic is playable, but it has some slowdowns sometimes which can be annoying, so I leave it off. It has to be rock solid for me. Would it be better to run everything on high and pump aa from there? Anyway, let me know if anyones played around with it


With my card running at 1280/6200 1250mV and with the first driver revision I find that at 1080p Ultra with 4xAA is fine now on all maps, except Gulf of Oman, which needs to be x2 to not feel any slowdown.

I feel slowdown on BF3 when FPS drops below 50fps, but for everyone i guess this is dfifferent.

With my card at stock clocks there was no difference in playable settings over my old 580 3GB. (which was generally x2 AA only for most maps)

Its only when these 7XXX cards are oc'd that they come to life.


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> With my card running at 1280/6200 1250mV and with the first driver revision I find that at 1080p Ultra with 4xAA is fine now on all maps, except Gulf of Oman, which needs to be x2 to not feel any slowdown.
> I feel slowdown on BF3 when FPS drops below 50fps, but for everyone i guess this is dfifferent.
> With my card at stock clocks there was no difference in playable settings over my old 580 3GB. (which was generally x2 AA only for most maps)
> Its only when these 7XXX cards are oc'd that they come to life.


wait..6200mhz memory clock? WHAT?

Mine's at 1235/[email protected] atm. I feel slowdown under like, 70ish. That's what I get for years of playing on source engine!


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> But you can use the default protected BIOS to flash back the unprotected BIOS.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1) Move the BIOS switch to the default protected BIOS.
> 2) Restart the computer
> 3) Boot in DOS mode with USB stick. Save the protected BIOS: atiflash -s 0 7970.bin
> 4) Move the BIOS switch to the unprotected BIOS position with the system running
> 5) Flash the unprotected BIOS with 7970.bin: atiflash -p 0 7970.bin -f
> 6) Reboot
> 7) + rep Levesque.


First off, thanks for your tip, and I don't need it anymore. Actually my card is fine, the reason that it shows artifacts even at stock is because the switch.

Just now I switched it to protected bios and run benchmark, and it run without any problem, then I switched it back to the unprotected bios, it worked like a charm too. The switch was somewhat lost and this's the reason why weird things happened, really speechless when I figured out the problem lol.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> wait..6200mhz memory clock? WHAT?
> Mine's at 1235/[email protected] atm. I feel slowdown under like, 70ish. That's what I get for years of playing on source engine!


1700 is 6800 effective. So he's at 1550.


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> wait..6200mhz memory clock? WHAT?
> Mine's at 1235/[email protected] atm. I feel slowdown under like, 70ish. That's what I get for years of playing on source engine!


Yeah as stated 1550mhz is 6200 effective.

If you need 70fps min you probably need to lower settings as you said earlier or go X-Fire !!!

Ps off topic but have you tried an fps limiter ? Makes the game smoother for me if i limit to my monitors refresh rate of 60


----------



## Aventadoor

Anyone else have DX11 problems with BF3?
Even after 2 fresh installs of W7 I get them... So annyoing...
It seems like it mostly come when I try 2 change video settings.

Oh and its that RAM error I get







It says something like I need a 500mb ++ GPU or something^^


----------



## HGooper

I'm using 8.921.2 RC11 and latest 12.1 cap 2 for my crossfire 2 7970, but for some reason BF3 runs like crap, both cards only manage to run 50-60% usage, sluggish and stuttering. I run in single card mode, it's so smooth even it's only run about 60 fps. Am I screwed up something or simply crossfire problem?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Anyone else have DX11 problems with BF3?
> Even after 2 fresh installs of W7 I get them... So annyoing...
> It seems like it mostly come when I try 2 change video settings.
> *Oh and its that RAM error I get
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It says something like I need a 500mb ++ GPU or something^^*


I got that error yesterday, first Time I've gotten it. were like "Wut?"

Also got screen flickering, where my computer freezes, screen goes off after about 20 seconds, comes back I can move for 5 seconds, goes off again after 20 seconds and after 5-6 times of that I get control of my computer back...

Cmon AMD, get a new driver out already...


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> [/B]
> I got that error yesterday, first Time I've gotten it. were like "Wut?"
> Also got screen flickering, where my computer freezes, screen goes off after about 20 seconds, comes back I can move for 5 seconds, goes off again after 20 seconds and after 5-6 times of that I get control of my computer back...
> Cmon AMD, get a new driver out already...


...or is it Dice's fault for breaking the game?


----------



## mltms

NEW DRIVER

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358758


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Thx for quick reply !
> Do you keep texture filtering x16?
> EDIT:NVM found injector


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> NEW DRIVER
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358758


Sweet! 7970 support. Someone try em'!


----------



## pioneerisloud

I won't try them till they're official and on AMD's website.







Even then, I"ll wait till I hear enough about them from other users.


----------



## JassimH

Does anyone here own a Gigabyte windforce 7970 OC? If so can you bypass the default core clock limit (1125mhz) without flashing the bios, in the form of a bios switch or via unlocking in MSI afterburner or another program?

Thanks







.


----------



## thrgk

just ordered my sapphire 7970. Now i have to sell my 6990 koolance block, or trade it for a 7970 one, and get this baby watercooled.


----------



## qwwwizx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Does anyone here own a Gigabyte windforce 7970 OC? If so can you bypass the default core clock limit (1125mhz) without flashing the bios, in the form of a bios switch or via unlocking in MSI afterburner or another program?
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


enable unofficial overclocking in msi ab configuration file. You find it in the folder where msi is installed, and its named .cfg. One of the lowest lines, you just put a 1, where it has a 0.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I won't try them till they're official and on AMD's website.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even then, I"ll wait till I hear enough about them from other users.


Chicken!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I won't try them till they're official and on AMD's website.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even then, I"ll wait till I hear enough about them from other users.
> 
> 
> 
> Chicken!
Click to expand...

Potato!!!!


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Sweet! 7970 support. Someone try em'!


yeah it work good my card 7950
5% in crysis 1


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qwwwizx*
> 
> enable unofficial overclocking in msi ab configuration file. You find it in the folder where msi is installed, and its named .cfg. One of the lowest lines, you just put a 1, where it has a 0.


Where would the configuration file be?


----------



## RickardKarstark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> NEW DRIVER
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358758


with this driver i cant overclock my gpu (trxx says that ulps is active and does not applies the overclock) someone else had this error?


----------



## Norlig

is that driver a beta driver from AMD, or a Guru 3d modified driver?


----------



## Aventadoor

So heres the error message I get:
ANyone know how to fix?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> So heres the error message I get:
> ANyone know how to fix?


I know exactly how to fix it..... Use the right drivers for your card !!
RC11 drivers found on AMD's website under hotfixes.


----------



## Aventadoor

Hehe








Well actually, even with RC11 drivers from AMDs website I get that error so....


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Where would the configuration file be?


Got to the folder where MSI afterburner is loaded

Find the file called MSIAfterburner.cfg

Open it - you will likely need to right click and choose notepad to open

find UnofficialOverclockingMode = 0

change the number to 1

UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1

save and close.

**be sure afterburner is not running during tweak....

that should do it

Also check out the OP of this string for files that you may want to use with your cards... and while it's long .... read this forum too ...

good luck!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> yeah it work good my card 7950
> 5% in crysis 1


It works... but I still get massive screen flickering corruption in Crysis and Crysis 2, no matter what I do. Stock default, O/C or not Trixx, just CCC.

*Can someone please offer their advice?*

How can one tell if it's driver/software related, or a dodgy card that should be returned sooner rather than later?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> It works... but I still get massive screen flickering corruption in Crysis and Crysis 2, no matter what I do. Stock default, O/C or not Trixx, just CCC.
> 
> *Can someone please offer their advice?*
> 
> How can one tell if it's driver/software related, or a dodgy card that should be returned sooner rather than later?


Its not a faulty card..... i would get the same occasional flickering with crysis and crysis 2. Its the drivers man, hold on till they mature.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Hehe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well actually, even with RC11 drivers from AMDs website I get that error so....


Reinstall the game my man.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Good on you, brave soul.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Be sure to check the driver version in CCC when you upgrade and make sure it gives you a newer version than what you have now. Could be interesting.


It's not an Nvidia driver, so you don't have to be that brave. Ohnoes I didn't?


----------



## StrayderGame

MSI drivers doesn't work...


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Hey guys, quick question(s)
> I'm still using the stock drivers for the 7970, the first ones that came out. Have newer revisions been released that are worth it? I'm asking primarily in regards to BF3 performance. Are they any better or should I just stay with these?
> 
> What settings is everyone running bf3 at? With a single 7970, I find you can only really run ULTRA>no aa>8x texture filtering or 2x aa on some maps if you want it REALLY smooth. Sure, Ultra 4x AA 16x anisotropic is playable, but it has some slowdowns sometimes which can be annoying, so I leave it off. It has to be rock solid for me. Would it be better to run everything on high and pump aa from there? Anyway, let me know if anyones played around with it


I'm playing BF3 on ultra details,HBAO ,all details to max with single 7970,i7-2600k @4.6 ghz, fps is around 55-60 fps with vertical sync ON,and with default CCC options.There is some texture/shadow flickering at large distance,when look with sniper or so,but that is game ****,coz it happened to me with gtx 580 3gb also...Only strange thing is that game uses massive amount of VRAM.I'm playing at 1920x1080 with all ultra details and on some BF3 Back to Karkand maps it uses 2300mb...Game is smooth...now will test with some CCC changes so will let u know my experience...


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> NEW DRIVER
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358758


This worked for me msi 7970 ref


----------



## Denim-187

*The best way to keep up to date with the best drivers for 7900 series*, is to follow CCC creator Andrew D.
He is the lead of one of the driver teams and is responsible for the latest and best advice for drivers.

Keep a close eye on his twitter page, he tweets as soon as a proper driver is posted. If he hasn't tweeted, it isn't worth trying.

http://twitter.com/#!/CatalystCreator


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> This worked for me msi 7970 ref


working...


----------



## Dienz

Just ordered an XFX 7970 Black Edition! A day or so and it should be here







'Egg was out of stock on BEDD


----------



## vonalka

Just installed a 7970 - awesome card!

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/k96zv/

Looks like it is the exact same size as my 6970, but it is much faster!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> I'm playing BF3 on ultra details,HBAO ,all details to max with single 7970,i7-2600k @4.6 ghz, fps is around 55-60 fps with vertical sync ON,and with default CCC options.There is some texture/shadow flickering at large distance,when look with sniper or so,but that is game ****,coz it happened to me with gtx 580 3gb also...Only strange thing is that game uses massive amount of VRAM.I'm playing at 1920x1080 with all ultra details and on some BF3 Back to Karkand maps it uses 2300mb...Game is smooth...now will test with some CCC changes so will let u know my experience...


That much VRAM? Wow. That's going to be a challenge for those "killer" Kepler 680 cards with 2GB or 670 with 1.75GB...yikes!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Just installed a 7970 - awesome card!
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/k96zv/
> Looks like it is the exact same size as my 6970, but it is much faster!


Looks nicer too


----------



## tsm106

lol, Sapphire 7970 is in my personalized Hot Deals for Amazon at $531.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Got my second XFX BEDD in today... Running BF3 @ 5908x1080 completely maxed out! 4x Msaa and everything! Stays over 60fps this is absolutely incredible!


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Got my second XFX BEDD in today... Running BF3 @ 5908x1080 completely maxed out! 4x Msaa and everything! Stays over 60fps this is absolutely incredible!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/quote
> nice!


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I seriously thought I would never be able to run BF3 in Eyefinity with bezel correction absolutely completely maxed out and be over my refresh rate!







Well, I didn't think 2 cards would do it... this is fantastic!


----------



## chillgreg

Official new drivers just went up for the 7900 series:

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/hd7900seriesvistasupport.aspx


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Official new drivers just went up for the 7900 series:
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/hd7900seriesvistasupport.aspx


"Last Updated
2/6/2012"

You sure they are new drivers?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Official new drivers just went up for the 7900 series:
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/hd7900seriesvistasupport.aspx


Thats not new, its just added support for Windows Vista


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Thats not new, its just added support for Windows Vista


I dunno. I just noticed that they had added them to that particular web page today. Sorry for any confusion.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Its not a faulty card..... i would get the same occasional flickering with crysis and crysis 2. Its the drivers man, hold on till they mature.
> Reinstall the game my man.


Thank you. I will persist!


----------



## Hexa

If you open CCC and go to the overclocking settings at the very bottom there is a setting that is defaulted to 0. You can either set that to -20 or +20, or just leave it at zero. What exactly is this and should I be changing it? Seems like I read somewhere that it should be set to +20?


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Does anyone here own a Gigabyte windforce 7970 OC? If so can you bypass the default core clock limit (1125mhz) without flashing the bios, in the form of a bios switch or via unlocking in MSI afterburner or another program?
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Yes very easy, but you will find that the default core limit is 1200mhz anyway on this card.

With Trixx your good to go straight away.

With Afterburner you need to either
1) Enable unoffical OC'ng mode (there is a bug where it resets your powerplay setting everytime you launch an OC profile)
2) Use the -XCL command and have your clock limits permanently extended for ALL apps inc CCC, untill you reinstall the driver or reverse with -RCL command.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Would like some new drivers...
The current ones are a bit quirky.
ZeroCore not behaving properly and Source games have screen tearing with vsync on.

Rest assured I do update the OP when new versions of software are released.


----------



## Hexa

Hey I got another question and I really hope this is just drivers. every now and then like maybe once every 10 minutes a few lines will flash across my screen from side to the other. When it does this it almost looks like snow or the way a tv looks like like when you turn to a channel you don't get.

Note it's not the entire screen just like a small part of it horizontally from right to left or left to right. Everything else is fine when it happens and it only lasts for like one second.

Is that a sign of a faulty card or monitor? Note both cards and the monitor are brand new. This can happen btw on the desktop or even in game at times, usually it happens on the desktop though.

It almost feels like it's just not getting connection from the cables I don't know


----------



## Evil Penguin

I think I've had that happen to me before.
Went away though.








Probably a driver issue.


----------



## DB006

At 1150/1650 was getting lockups in BF3, tried to figure it out and realised it was Trixx not managing voltages correctly. Gone back to using CCC to overclock and can run at 1200/1700 in BF3 with no lockups.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Hey I got another question and I really hope this is just drivers. every now and then like maybe once every 10 minutes a few lines will flash across my screen from side to the other. When it does this it almost looks like snow or the way a tv looks like like when you turn to a channel you don't get.
> Note it's not the entire screen just like a small part of it horizontally from right to left or left to right. Everything else is fine when it happens and it only lasts for like one second.
> Is that a sign of a faulty card or monitor? Note both cards and the monitor are brand new. This can happen btw on the desktop or even in game at times, usually it happens on the desktop though.
> It almost feels like it's just not getting connection from the cables I don't know


Lot of peoples including myself with 120hz or dual monitor have this same problem. I get flickering "stripe" randomly at bottom area of dekstop and when scrolling web browser. I think Its powertune bug that card dont use high enough clocks for 120hz monitor and then that causes screen to flicker. Atm I just use 60hz refreshrate for dekstop use as that fixes the problem, you can still use 120hz in games without problems.

Really cant understand what kind of noobs there is working with these drivers, this same bug has been at AMD drivers randomly since 5 series cards.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Hopefully AMD is truly devoting more resources to their drivers department...
It still feels like their drivers are glued together.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> At 1150/1650 was getting lockups in BF3, tried to figure it out and realised it was Trixx not managing voltages correctly. Gone back to using CCC to overclock and can run at 1200/1700 in BF3 with no lockups.


I got a few lockups in BF3 when I tried to go beyond 1110mhz using Trixx, even when bumping voltage.


----------



## TheJesus

I'll just leave this here:










They'll be here today, probably noon-ish. Too bad I don't have my CPU yet. Or the EK 7950 blocks. Sigh. See sig for this build


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I'll just leave this here:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They'll be here today, probably noon-ish. Too bad I don't have my CPU yet. Or the EK 7950 blocks. Sigh. See sig for this build


nice!


----------



## slickric21

Man i wish i could get Hardware at those prices !!!

I should have a yearly holiday to the States with an empty suitcase


----------



## Ottesen

2x powercolor PCS 7950 with dual fan here i live = 1454 dollars. Cheap eh ?


----------



## vonalka

Just joined the club yesterday and was going to add the club signature to my profile but didn't see the code for it. Can someone post it?


----------



## Aventadoor

My cards(2x 7970) @ 1250/1575
CPU @ 4,7GHZ

How does my scores look? Ive been abit worryed that 1 off my card were defect...
Heres my benchis :


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> My cards(2x 7970) @ 1250/1575
> CPU @ 4,7GHZ
> How does my scores look? Ive been abit worryed that 1 off my card were defect...
> Heres my benchis :


VERY good! Nice work!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Just joined the club yesterday and was going to add the club signature to my profile but didn't see the code for it. Can someone post it?


My own very amateur effort. I wanted the text to be red for AMD, but don't know HTML well enough to do so. Have at it 

Approved by Club Creator/OP:

*http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/0_30 ">







*OFFICIAL* AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970 Owners Club</a>







*


----------



## JassimH

Hello guys! I'm planning on buying the asus direct CU2 cards.

I plan on watercooling them when their blocks come out but for now I don't mind sticking with air cooled GPU's.
I was wondering, could I slice them to dual slot with the coming waterblocks as I plan to install a sound card which means I'll need the PCIE slot D:.


----------



## ElGreco

*PATCH for new drivers to cooperate with MSI AB/TRIXX*

Hi,

I suppose that you have all seen the latest RC driver here:
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/radeon_7700_series/amd_catalyst_8.95_rc_vista_7_32-64.exe

IF you have any problems running MSI AB or TRIXX with the above mentioned driver (e.g. -xcl command of MSI AB) just use the patch below by *ATIMAN*:
http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz

Hopefully this patch will be included in the next release of the driver...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Hello guys! I'm planning on buying the asus direct CU2 cards.
> I plan on watercooling them when their blocks come out but for now I don't mind sticking with air cooled GPU's.
> I was wondering, could I slice them to dual slot with the coming waterblocks as I plan to install a sound card which means I'll need the PCIE slot D:.


I got the Auzentech Meridian 2G which uses PCI. Sorry I haven't installed it yet, but it gets rave reviews so the PCI bit doesn't seem to matter, depending on what motherboad you have/will get.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Would like some new drivers...
> The current ones are a bit quirky.
> ZeroCore not behaving properly and Source games have screen tearing with vsync on.
> 
> Rest assured I do update the OP when new versions of software are released.


If you can, check what clocks you're running at in Source games with tearing.

I noticed 'tearing' when I had 3x 5850s running Tri-fire, and the GPUs were being stressed very little, so they were randomly and independently reverting back to 2D clocks, apparently losing sync with each other, and making it look like horrible teary artifact hell.

Either disabling CF, or enabling some rather ridiculous level of edge-detect AA sorted it


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *PATCH for NEW DRIVERS to cooperate with MSI AB/TRIXX*
> Hi,
> I suppose that you have all seen the latest RC driver here:
> http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/radeon_7700_series/amd_catalyst_8.95_rc_vista_7_32-64.exe
> IF you have any problems running MSI AB or TRIXX with the above mentioned driver (e.g. -xcl command of MSI AB) just use the patch below by *ATIMAN*:
> http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz
> Hopefully this patch will be included in the next release of the driver...


Oh and new CAPs are released:
AMD Catalyst Application Profiles
0.5 MB
12.1 CAP 3
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_application_profiles/amd_catalyst_12.1_cap3.exe


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *PATCH for new drivers to cooperate with MSI AB/TRIXX*
> Hi,
> I suppose that you have all seen the latest RC driver here:
> http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/radeon_7700_series/amd_catalyst_8.95_rc_vista_7_32-64.exe
> IF you have any problems running MSI AB or TRIXX with the above mentioned driver (e.g. -xcl command of MSI AB) just use the patch below by *ATIMAN*:
> http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz
> Hopefully this patch will be included in the next release of the driver...


Those are for the 7700 series as far as I can tell and won't install on the 7900 series. Someone tried it yesterday and it wouldn't work.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Hi,
> I suppose that you have all seen the latest RC driver here:
> http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/radeon_7700_series/amd_catalyst_8.95_rc_vista_7_32-64.exe


that is a 7770/7750 driver, why would we use that?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> that is a 7770/7750 driver, why would we use that?


*7970 IS SUPPORTED....*

AMD683F.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series"
AMD679A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series" ...... (7950)
AMD6798.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series" ...... (7970)
AMD683D.1 = "AMD Radeon HD7700 Series"

NOTE: These drivers ARE official and NOT modded!


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *7970 IS SUPPORTED....*
> AMD683F.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series"
> AMD679A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series" ...... (7950)
> AMD6798.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series" ...... (7970)
> AMD683D.1 = "AMD Radeon HD7700 Series"
> NOTE: These drivers ARE official and NOT modded!












Link me to an official page describing the driver, and not only a link to start a download.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Link me to an official page describing the driver, and not only a link to start a download.


This is the official page....... *http://www2.ati.com* (second server of *ATI*)

http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/radeon_7700_series/amd_catalyst_8.95_rc_vista_7_32-64.exe


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Link me to an official page describing the driver, and not only a link to start a download.


Listen,... I just installed this driver and it works just fine with my 2x 7970s. If you want to use it just use it... if not, no problem








Just remember that if you use it, you have also to use *ATIMANs* patch afterwards if you want TRIXX or MSI AB to be fully functional (-xcl command etc)

By the way,... at least from the link you can see its an *official driver*, so if its not meant to be for your card it simply would not install...

Driver: http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/radeon_7700_series/amd_catalyst_8.95_rc_vista_7_32-64.exe
Patch: http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz
12.1 CAP 3: http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_application_profiles/amd_catalyst_12.1_cap3.exe

Oh and a picture


----------



## Tomas Moor

@ElGreco

*Keep Walking Greece* !!!


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @ElGreco
> *Keep Walking Greece* !!!











Well,... its *ATIMAN* (Greek as well) who actually helps... What I can tell you is that there are already even newer drivers than the ones shown in the above post with even better performance and hopefully we will enjoy these soon!


----------



## rageofthepeon

I was wondering if those with 7970s could post their load and ambient temperatures. Trying to decide between 7970 or custom 7950s. I know I should wait for custom 7970s but I don't know how much longer I can hold off







.

9800GT ----> 7900 series









I'll be looking through the 400 pages in the meantime but I figured it'd be easier to ask.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> I was wondering if those with 7970s could post their load and ambient temperatures. Trying to decide between 7970 or custom 7950s. I know I should wait for custom 7970s but I don't know how much longer I can hold off
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 9800GT ----> 7900 series
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be looking through the 400 pages in the meantime but I figured it'd be easier to ask.


On air it was 70 something C load/ 68F ambient.

Now it's 40C Max, but I guess that's irrelevant.


----------



## Stormblitz

Hey guys, is it possible/safe to overclock the 7970 over the limits of CCC without using a third party program like Trixx or AB?
Method in thought is to edit the values in a custom profile in the ATI folder, as shown in the following link.
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117633


----------



## PARTON

A proper new driver.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst122precertifieddriver.aspx

So says Andrew.

https://twitter.com/#!/CatalystCreator

Link to new caps on his twitter, as well.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Listen,... I just installed this driver and it works just fine with my 2x 7970s. If you want to use it just use it... if not, no problem
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just remember that if you use it, you have also to use *ATIMANs* patch afterwards if you want TRIXX or MSI AB to be fully functional (-xcl command etc)
> By the way,... at least from the link you can see its an *official driver*, so if its not meant to be for your card it simply would not install...
> Driver: http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/radeon_7700_series/amd_catalyst_8.95_rc_vista_7_32-64.exe
> Patch: http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz
> 12.1 CAP 3: http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_application_profiles/amd_catalyst_12.1_cap3.exe
> Oh and a picture


Fine, tested now:



No different...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> A proper new driver.
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst122precertifieddriver.aspx
> So says Andrew.
> https://twitter.com/#!/CatalystCreator
> Link to new caps on his twitter, as well.


Just spent 1,5 hours with that other driver, and then a new one gets out... For crying out loud!

Will test that one aswell, now...

Edit: when starting that installation, it says that all the driver versions are already installed and updated, meaning it is the same as the one ElGreco linked earlier?
or may there be differences, but the drivers are named the same?


----------



## Aventadoor

Anyone tested the Catalyst 12.2 Pre-Certfi yet?


----------



## wirefox

newbish question as this is my first AMD single GPU ... I was under the impressions CAPS are for crossfire do you need or should you install on a single card?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> newbish question as this is my first AMD single GPU ... I was under the impressions CAPS are for crossfire do you need or should you install on a single card?


Crossfire Application Profiles (I believe)


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> newbish question as this is my first AMD single GPU ... I was under the impressions CAPS are for crossfire do you need or should you install on a single card?


I'm wondering the same, what is CAP btw ?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I'm wondering the same, what is CAP btw ?


Special game-specific profile's for Crossfire only. Single card setups do not need or use them.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Anyone tested the Catalyst 12.2 Pre-Certfi yet?


I just reinstalled the drivers again with the 12.2 cert drivers. installed 12.1 Cap 3 over them. Same results as the 12.3 preview +12.1 cap3 driver that I showed results above. MSI Afterburner says that the 12.2 pre cert is 12.3 driver too for some reason.

Anyway, no performance increase in that driver, maybe a Stability fix that I have not seem to encountered yet.


----------



## NeoandGeo

They also read out as 12.3 for me in Trixx. Installed them over the official 11.12 7970 drivers and jumped right into a BF3 B2K map without restarting. Performance seems the same overall.


----------



## chillgreg

> Just spent 1,5 hours with that other driver, and then a new one gets out... For crying out loud!


Tell me about it lol. Consolation is that too many drivers is *probably* better than not enough...

FYI This new install did update the display driver from yesterday's release on my system.

And after yesterday's release. I can at least play Crysis yay! Plus the shutdowns in Farcry 2 seem to have gone. So there's some progress.

Note that I did completely remove Trixx and t*urned off CCC in auto start, so I am only running the AMD display driver and AB. Is that the way others are doing it?* ie not having CCC running to avoid conflicts with AB?

Edit: It is also placing a file called "kdbsync.exe" in the startup, I am disabling this using CC Cleaner.

Edit2: Catalyst reports this as Catalyst 12.3 in it's Software Update Pane. lmao


----------



## Zoyt

hello i have a 7970 and want to check does anyone else have an issue with random lines flashing on the screen every so often while browsing the web etc?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Special game-specific profile's for Crossfire only. Single card setups do not need or use them.


Ah, thanks mate


----------



## Norlig

Batman Arkham City still isnt playing properly.

both cards beeing used 60-70% and FPS is at 30-50 ...

Fix this AMD, please. my two GTX 580's could handle it perfectly.


----------



## tsm106

Finally, centered screen in eyefinity!!! LOL.



Edit 1!

Crash city, I'm getting hit with 07e bsods, centered screen does not auto enable on login, lost 20fps in skyrim, multi gpu utilization went down in skyrim. Will not bother testing more.

Edit 2!

Not pleased with the proceedings, and the fact that I really want the centered eyefinity to work I gave it another shot. I was getting 07e bsods constantly with AB running. Put two and two together, uninstalled AB and uninstalled drivers. Many reboots later, after trying a variety of things before coming to this conclusion, I am running the 12.2 precerts stable with the cap3s. Gonna try some benches to confirm stability before rolling the dice again with AB.

Edit 3!

Was able to run heaven and a round of Skyrim no issues. Installed AB, and then the 07e bsods start again. 12.2 precerts are not compatible with AB 12.2 betas for me at least. Also, I had no powertune control on the 2nd and 3rd cards.


----------



## Aventadoor

Man I think I might just go back to the GTX580s...
Sick and tired off doing fresh installs off W7 because drivers wont run and all that **** AMD gives me...
Then install them again when they have released proper drivers, cause Ive been using more time trying to get the system 100% which is not what I paid over 1000bucks for...


----------



## MajorMullet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> hello i have a 7970 and want to check does anyone else have an issue with random lines flashing on the screen every so often while browsing the web etc?


Yes! It's driving me crazy. I got a new display and a 7950 at the same time so it's been hard for me to figure out if it's the display or the card. Sounds like it might be the card if you're having a similar issue.


----------



## Zoyt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MajorMullet*
> 
> Yes! It's driving me crazy. I got a new display and a 7950 at the same time so it's been hard for me to figure out if it's the display or the card. Sounds like it might be the card if you're having a similar issue.


Yer its doing my head in notice it alot when I play windowed mode in games like World of Warcraft and League of Legends..... its like a weird banding genrally white bottom half of my monitor doesnt happen that often but is still really weird also having a problem with lockups playing WoW and all of a sudden freeze then need to hold power down for 10sec


----------



## Denim-187

12.2 Pre-Cert is a good driver for all that havn't tried it.......
They have adapted more to the architecture apparently...... smoother gameplay all round in BF3


----------



## vedaire

ok I need some help here I'm not sure what is going on all of a sudden. I've been using AB to overclock my 7970 for some time now I've had it at 1200core/1500mem now suddenly when I open ab its not showing core or mem speeds on the slider it has them set all the way to the left with no speed showing in the little boxes any idea what is going on here?


----------



## Denim-187

Ok ive just learned that another thing 7970 owners need to do for performance and quality is:












EDIT: *BF3 just got a 7970 card optimization in the last patch update...... If you use AMD optimized, it doesnt take advantage of the applications optimizations for the 7970*


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Ok ive just learned that another thing 7970 owners need to do for performance and quality is:


Not sure if serious... can you explain?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Not sure if serious... can you explain?


Yea, I think he's got it backwards.


----------



## Denim-187

BF3 just got a 7970 card optimization in the last patch update...... If you use AMD optimized, it doesnt take advantage of the applications optimizations for the 7970








Good explanation?

i'll edit my original post so no confusion









BTW, i highly recommend 12.2 pre-certified driver + 12.1 CAP3 drivers for 7900 series.
Tested and a great improvement in IQ and smoothness in BF3


----------



## travva

Thanks Denim, that makes more sense. I'm also pleased w/ pre drivers so far as well. Not sure I'm noticing any improvement but that's because my game has been butter smooth on auto settings since I installed my cards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> BF3 just got a 7970 card optimization in the last patch update...... If you use AMD optimized, it doesnt take advantage of the applications optimizations for the 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good explanation?
> i'll edit my original post so no confusion
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW, i highly recommend 12.2 pre-certified driver + 12.1 CAP3 drivers for 7900 series.
> Tested and a great improvement in IQ and smoothness in BF3


That's the opposite of what that slider does! When set to Optimized, it follows AMD's optimization on a per application basis. When you set it to use application, it bypasses AMD's settings and follows whatever Tessellation factor the game demands. There's a whole other aspect to that slider as well, namely tess cheating in benchmarks, but that's a whole other can of worms.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's the opposite of what that slider does! When set to Optimized, it follows AMD's optimization on a per application basis. When you set it to use application, it bypasses AMD's settings and follows whatever Tessellation factor the game demands. There's a whole other aspect to that slider as well, namely tess cheating in benchmarks, but that's a whole other can of worms.


DUDE..... the *actual game BF3* got the optimizations in place _"in the latest patch update"_...... *NOT AMD*

Quote:


> We are releasing a minor PC update that aims to improve general performance and stability and solve some reproducible crash issues. The update also includes support for the upcoming Intel "Ivy Bridge" product line and performance improvements on AMD Radeon 7xxx series graphics cards .
> List of issues fixed:
> 
> Support for Intel's new Ivy Bridge product line (as yet unreleased)
> 
> Fixes for two reproducible client crashes:
> Operation Firestorm- Conquest Large - Fixed a client crash when users spawn in certain vehicles.
> 
> Canals - Rush - Fixed a client crash at the 2nd set of mcoms if the player drives a vehicle into the vicinity of the exploding rocket battery.
> 
> *AMD Radeon 7xxx series performance improvements*
> 
> This minor fix is releasing on the 14th February, 8AM UT. This download will be via Origin.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> DUDE..... the *actual game BF3* got the optimizations in place _"in the latest patch update"_...... *NOT AMD*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> We are releasing a minor PC update that aims to improve general performance and stability and solve some reproducible crash issues. The update also includes support for the upcoming Intel "Ivy Bridge" product line and performance improvements on AMD Radeon 7xxx series graphics cards .
> List of issues fixed:
> Support for Intel's new Ivy Bridge product line (as yet unreleased)
> Fixes for two reproducible client crashes:
> Operation Firestorm- Conquest Large - Fixed a client crash when users spawn in certain vehicles.
> Canals - Rush - Fixed a client crash at the 2nd set of mcoms if the player drives a vehicle into the vicinity of the exploding rocket battery.
> *AMD Radeon 7xxx series performance improvements*
> This minor fix is releasing on the 14th February, 8AM UT. This download will be via Origin.
Click to expand...

LOL, you still don't understand how that slider works and I'm not sure I can deftly explain it w/o opening a can of worms. You need to google some.


----------



## vedaire

nooooo tsm106 don't open that can please. had enough worms around lately already.

Honestly I'm not sure what problems people have been having as I've been playing bf3
max settings on my 7970 at 1920X1280 and Im getting almost 100fps with no glitches,
halts,stutters or anything like that its been perfectly smooth.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> LOL, you still don't understand how that slider works and I'm not sure I can deftly explain it w/o opening a can of worms. You need to google some.


Are you trying to say that my knowledge is inferior to yours? Thats a little conceited and arrogant wouldnt you say?
But who cares this is the net right?

I know exatly what im talking about and if you havn't bothered to take the time and test both settings for your self, then i don't take anything you say into account.

For the fun of it... i did some google-ing and found this and this, what this says is that the applications optimizations have been updated beyond AMD's.

Quote:


> Tessellation Controls
> 
> Supported on the ATI Radeon HD 5000 Series and the AMD Radeon HD 6000 Series
> New settings give users full control over the Tessellation levels used in applications.
> 
> The default selection "AMD Optimized" setting is intended to set the best level of Tessellation on a per application basis. The "AMD Optimized" setting is designed to help users get the maximum visual benefit of Tessellation, while minimizing the performance impact associated with enabling Tessellation. *Currently no applications have been profiled.*
> The "Use Application Settings" option gives applications full control over the Tessellation level.
> Users can also manually set the maximum tessellation level used by applications with the slider control
> Morphological Anti-Aliasing support for the ATI Radeon HD 5000 Series
> 
> AMD Catalyst now includes official support for Morphological Anti-Aliasing for the ATI Radeon HD 5000 Series


But you know better right?


----------



## FcZenitFan

Are your guys' cards idling at 500Mhz? Used to be 300 until these drivers...

I run three monitors though, but still.


----------



## iGuitarGuy

My card idles at 300/150 like it should


----------



## Hexa

Ok so how do I install CAP profiles? I know how to clean out my drivers with ATIMAN before installing new ones but I really have no clue what to do with these CAP profiles. Once I do dl and install them do they kick in automaticaly when I launch a game that they support?


----------



## chorner

Wow... I have to say I'm impressed with the new 12.2 drivers for this card. I thought BF3 was smooth before and looked good... if it were possible drivers could make a huge difference, well these are it. Buttery smooth and not even a single hitch in performance and it seems to me like there's more 'depth' now - perhaps better shadowing or something? Not sure what it is... but definitely an improvement.


----------



## johnnyw

This is BS. Seems like we wont be getting fix for 120hz/dual monitors in whql driver either. Just installed these pre certified drivers and still getting same flickering at desktop if i use 120hz.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> Wow... I have to say I'm impressed with the new 12.2 drivers for this card. I thought BF3 was smooth before and looked good... if it were possible drivers could make a huge difference, well these are it. Buttery smooth and not even a single hitch in performance and it seems to me like there's more 'depth' now - perhaps better shadowing or something? Not sure what it is... but definitely an improvement.


Agreed - for the first few minutes playing BF3 after updating I kept getting killed as I was checking out the scenery


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> Wow... I have to say I'm impressed with the new 12.2 drivers for this card. I thought BF3 was smooth before and looked good... if it were possible drivers could make a huge difference, well these are it. Buttery smooth and not even a single hitch in performance and it seems to me like there's more 'depth' now - perhaps better shadowing or something? Not sure what it is... but definitely an improvement.


Did you install the CAP with it?


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> Did you install the CAP with it?


I did. I definitely notice an improvement as well. I'm still getting some flicker here and there in 120hz on my monitor as well, but it's not _that_ bad. I also did one of the FXAA mods and that seems nice too.


----------



## chorner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> Did you install the CAP with it?


I did install CAP with the drivers. I wonder exactly what was changed in the BF3 patch for 7900 series cards as well.

The only map I still have minor performance stutter on is with certain viewpoints on Karkand







Just a biittt more optimization and maybe that'll be gone but everything is is buttery. The game 'feels' different and I've got a beastly system to back it up as well (i7 980x at 4.6ghz, 12GB ram etc.) - interesting you can notice a difference. The 7970 improved my game to begin with coming from even a GTX580


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> I did install CAP with the drivers. I wonder exactly what was changed in the BF3 patch for 7900 series cards as well.
> The only map I still have minor performance stutter on is with certain viewpoints on Karkand
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just a biittt more optimization and maybe that'll be gone but everything is is buttery. The game 'feels' different and I've got a beastly system to back it up as well (i7 980x at 4.6ghz, 12GB ram etc.) - interesting you can notice a difference. The 7970 improved my game to begin with coming from even a GTX580


Nice! Almost the same system as me!


----------



## chillgreg

Update: New drivers I can now play Crysis and Crysis 2. Yay!!! No screen corruption at all, or flickering etc. Still some performance issues in places, but I can't tell if that's driver or game design.

Crysis 2 (DX!11+Hires pack) with everything maxed on Ultra, runs at a nice solid 60fps V-synced for about 90% of the time. The occasional dip into the 50's. And the rare in specific places it hits the 30's, lie in a certain room (standing still no action). Bearing in mind that's at a very mild O/C of 1125/1375/1.1v

Funny enough Crysis on DX9 still looks better than Crysis 2, IMHO.

AB only. CCC process not running.

Farcy 2 issues resolved, runs like butter even at stock.

Can play Defense Grid Fullscreen on one monitor, while watching any 1080p mkv music video or movie or iView at the same time on the other. 5770 couldn't do that, 6870 O/C would think about it, 7970 nice! 

Now to get the AC Extreme 7970 cooler..


----------



## Denim-187

To the DX11 freaks out there........brace ur self

http://blogs.amd.com/play/2012/01/01/blacklight-retribution/?src=CCCVECC


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> This is BS. Seems like we wont be getting fix for 120hz/dual monitors in whql driver either. Just installed these pre certified drivers and still getting same flickering at desktop if i use 120hz.


There is something totally wrong in drivers, core clock goes mad with 120hz and fluctuates up/down beetween 300/500/501/900MHz clocks all the time in desktop/browser use

120hz



Then with 60hz in same use:


----------



## Hexa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Ok so how do I install CAP profiles? I know how to clean out my drivers with ATIMAN before installing new ones but I really have no clue what to do with these CAP profiles. Once I do dl and install them do they kick in automaticaly when I launch a game that they support?


Still looking for an answer here lol.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Still looking for an answer here lol.


http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx
Just install and restart









Dont need to do anything else


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Finally, centered screen in eyefinity!!! LOL.
> 
> 
> Edit 2!
> Not pleased with the proceedings, and the fact that I really want the centered eyefinity to work I gave it another shot. I was getting 07e bsods constantly with AB running. Put two and two together, uninstalled AB and uninstalled drivers. Many reboots later, after trying a variety of things before coming to this conclusion, I am running the 12.2 precerts stable with the cap3s. Gonna try some benches to confirm stability before rolling the dice again with AB.
> Edit 3!
> Was able to run heaven and a round of Skyrim no issues. Installed AB, and then the 07e bsods start again. 12.2 precerts are not compatible with AB 12.2 betas for me at least. Also, I had no powertune control on the 2nd and 3rd cards.


*USE ATIMANs Patch!* Everything will be sorted out between the driver and MSI AB... The next driver will have this patch included...
I dont know how many times i have to repeat myself









"_IF you have any problems running MSI AB or TRIXX with the above mentioned driver (e.g. -xcl command of MSI AB) just use the patch below by ATIMAN:
http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz_
"


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *USE ATIMANs Patch!* Everything will be sorted out between the driver and MSI AB... The next driver will have this patch included...
> I dont know how many times i have to repeat myself
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "_IF you have any problems running MSI AB or TRIXX with the above mentioned driver (e.g. -xcl command of MSI AB) just use the patch below by ATIMAN:
> http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz_
> "


No powertune!


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chorner*
> 
> Wow... I have to say I'm impressed with the new 12.2 drivers for this card. I thought BF3 was smooth before and looked good... if it were possible drivers could make a huge difference, well these are it. Buttery smooth and not even a single hitch in performance and it seems to me like there's more 'depth' now - perhaps better shadowing or something? Not sure what it is... but definitely an improvement.


Is this a placebo effect? I mean, how does new drivers improve image quality? I thought that as long as a video card can run a game, and all settings are the same, there should be no difference in image quality. Like if I were to compare a 570GTX to a 6970 and said the 570 ran BF3 more beautifully when they both look the same. Sorry, no sarcasm, I'm just wondering if it really does improve image quality, I might try it out. It's because my drivers are stable now and I know how unstable installing/uninstalling AMD drivers can be and I don't want to mess anything up if mine are working fine right now, but if it does improve image quality and eye candy...


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> No powertune!


It works for me









I would suggest to use atimans uninstaller to do a deep cleaning restart and then add either the driver i sent or the next one (should be the same) then reboot, then add the appl profiles then reboot then use atimans utility (not the uninstaller) to disable ulps, then reboot, then check ccc if crossfire is enabled, then reboot, then run atimans patch then reboot and there you go... MSI AB should be working fine.

I had not realized how many steps you have to go through for a clean installation


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Is this a placebo effect? I mean, how does new drivers improve image quality? I thought that as long as a video card can run a game, and all settings are the same, there should be no difference in image quality. Like if I were to compare a 570GTX to a 6970 and said the 570 ran BF3 more beautifully when they both look the same. Sorry, no sarcasm, I'm just wondering if it really does improve image quality, I might try it out. It's because my drivers are stable now and I know how unstable installing/uninstalling AMD drivers can be and I don't want to mess anything up if mine are working fine right now, but if it does improve image quality and eye candy...


well tbh i didn;t see any graphic improvement...as i said i used gtx 580 3gb befre this,and graphic is same,same glitches with flickering textures in far distance,and with those new drivers for 7970 game is a bit but not that much noticable smoother,otherwise no any higher improvements.Could be to there is some improvement but on eye finity resolutions,triple screen etc...but on single 1920x1080 nothing much...or this card my card is fail...


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FcZenitFan*
> 
> Are your guys' cards idling at 500Mhz? Used to be 300 until these drivers...
> 
> I run three monitors though, but still.


That clock should be right for multi-monitor. Plug only one monitor should lower the core and memory idle clocks.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> This is BS. Seems like we wont be getting fix for 120hz/dual monitors in whql driver either. Just installed these pre certified drivers and still getting same flickering at desktop if i use 120hz.
> 
> 
> 
> There is something totally wrong in drivers, core clock goes mad with 120hz and fluctuates up/down beetween 300/500/501/900MHz clocks all the time in desktop/browser use
> 
> 120hz
> 
> Then with 60hz in same use:
Click to expand...

Turn off Hardware acceleration. Right click on Youtube/FlashPlayer then disable it. Disable it too in your browser settings. You don't need GPU power for such simple tasks.

If you have remote access to the PC, turn it off too.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Turn off Hardware acceleration. Right click on Youtube/FlashPlayer then disable it. Disable it too in your browser settings. You don't need GPU power for such simple tasks.


Well that dont help anything, every single app like messenger and even windows aero seems to trigger that clocks fluctuation and flickering.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I haven't installed the new drivers yet... honestly don't feel the need to as I can't see BF3 getting any better!!! All I did was add my second 7970, enabled xfire, and BF3 is redonkulusly smooth and never goes under 100fps maxed out... SO AWESOME! BUUUUT I am posting to say that I did get a difference when I went in to the CCC and set the Tesselation to "use application settings"... No more random texture flickering!!!!! Game really does run ultra smooth I am very impressed. No stutter! Feels like I'm playing with one GPU except my FPS are incredibly high


----------



## Aventadoor

After a fresh install off W7 and the Pre-Certified driver I cant OC with MSI AB :S
When I take on unofficialoverclockingmode the Core MHZ in AB drops to 0, and if I try 2 adjust and apply it goes back down 2 0...

EDIT: Nor does powertune work with my second card


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> I haven't installed the new drivers yet... honestly don't feel the need to as I can't see BF3 getting any better!!! All I did was add my second 7970, enabled xfire, and BF3 is redonkulusly smooth and never goes under 100fps maxed out... SO AWESOME! BUUUUT I am posting to say that I did get a difference when I went in to the CCC and set the Tesselation to "use application settings"... No more random texture flickering!!!!! Game really does run ultra smooth I am very impressed. No stutter! Feels like I'm playing with one GPU except my FPS are incredibly high


I have newest drivers and have that flickering etc...will check with tesselation anyway is there difference...

EDIT: doesn't work,still there is flickering


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> After a fresh install off W7 and the Pre-Certified driver I cant OC with MSI AB :S
> When I take on unofficialoverclockingmode the Core MHZ in AB drops to 0, and if I try 2 adjust and apply it goes back down 2 0...
> EDIT: Nor does powertune work with my second card


EXACTLY what mine does... along with various BSOD's.
Really starting to wish I had stuck wityh Nvidia lately instead of buying these damn ATI's


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> After a fresh install off W7 and the Pre-Certified driver I cant OC with MSI AB :S
> When I take on unofficialoverclockingmode the Core MHZ in AB drops to 0, and if I try 2 adjust and apply it goes back down 2 0...
> EDIT: Nor does powertune work with my second card


Reinstall Afterburner and restart pc to fix this issue


----------



## Aventadoor

Thx that helped!
But now I got DirectX problem again








Damn I give up BF3 + AMD...
Damn I will give up AMD when Nvidia comes aswell


----------



## NeoandGeo

This driverset is like the old one where my clock fluctuates in single monitor mode to maximum when opening new programs and using firefox flash with hardware acceleration disabled. Not too big of a deal, but does make the fan noise fluctuate.


----------



## Derek1387

New Pre-Cert drivers any good for a single GPU?


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> New Pre-Cert drivers any good for a single GPU?


working good for me,but didn't found any huge upgrade in games...it's same as before..i guess...


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Thx that helped!
> But now I got DirectX problem again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Damn I give up BF3 + AMD...
> Damn I will give up AMD when Nvidia comes aswell


The directx crash is because your page file is too small/non-existent. Change that, and you're good. I made mine 4GB, where it was 1GB which gave error.


----------



## Zoyt

having some problems with BF3 and my 7970 keep getting display has recovered from blah blah error also these weird texture issues in BF3 anyone have any ideas what may be up?

http://i.imgur.com/NSUi9.jpg


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> having some problems with BF3 and my 7970 keep getting display has recovered from blah blah error also these weird texture issues in BF3 anyone have any ideas what may be up?
> http://i.imgur.com/NSUi9.jpg


Sounds like your card is to overclocked or your voltage is to low. Had these errrors too when my voltage was to low.

By the way, when installing new drivers, is it always best to use ATIMAN tool to uninstall previous ones ?
Or can you just install over the previous ones?
Thx!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> having some problems with BF3 and my 7970 keep getting display has recovered from blah blah error also these weird texture issues in BF3 anyone have any ideas what may be up?
> http://i.imgur.com/NSUi9.jpg


That looks like over-heating or too high of an overclock, especially in conjunction with the display driver has recovered error.

If you're at or around 80c-85c change your fan profile and/or reduce your over-clock.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> having some problems with BF3 and my 7970 keep getting display has recovered from blah blah error also these weird texture issues in BF3 anyone have any ideas what may be up?
> http://i.imgur.com/NSUi9.jpg


that are artifacts....if u overclocked graphic card ,reduce clock down,till they disapear....if u didn't overclock RMA your card (replace it in store,that is faulty card)


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:
Originally Posted by *Aventadoor* 

After a fresh install off W7 and the Pre-Certified driver I cant OC with MSI AB :S
When I take on unofficialoverclockingmode the Core MHZ in AB drops to 0, and if I try 2 adjust and apply it goes back down 2 0...
EDIT: Nor does powertune work with my second card


> Originally Posted by *Stewart At MSD*
> 
> EXACTLY what mine does... along with various BSOD's.
> Really starting to wish I had stuck wityh Nvidia lately instead of buying these damn ATI's


"The only thing that is incompatible with ULPS is unofficial overclocking path (which is used by default in Trixx and can be optionally enabled in Afterburner). *Using AMD's unofficial overclocking path will indeed result in BSOD*, because AMD driver writers cannot even make their own unofficial overclocking path to be compatible with their own power saving technology."

"/XCL e*X*tends *C*lock *L*imits for official AMD overclocking APIs. Which means that it also extends clock limits for CCC or any other other vendor specific tool using official overclocking interfaces provided by AMD. Considering that it is using official AMD overclocking interface, it is compatible with ULPS."

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358092&page=4


----------



## Zoyt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> that are artifacts....if u overclocked graphic card ,reduce clock down,till they disapear....if u didn't overclock RMA your card (replace it in store,that is faulty card)


hmmm guess I have a **** card then was at 1100/1575 and what im aware of this should be more then capable of getting these numbers


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> _"The only thing that is incompatible with ULPS is unofficial overclocking path (which is used by default in Trixx and can be optionally enabled in Afterburner). *Using AMD's unofficial overclocking path will indeed result in BSOD*, because AMD driver writers cannot even make their own unofficial overclocking path to be compatible with their own power saving technology."_
> 
> _"/XCL e*X*tends *C*lock *L*imits for official AMD overclocking APIs. Which means that it also extends clock limits for CCC or any other other vendor specific tool using official overclocking interfaces provided by AMD. Considering that it is using official AMD overclocking interface, it is compatible with ULPS."_
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358092&page=4


Huh??
I am using Trixx + ULPS ENABLED (single GPU) and I do not experience any problems ...
How is that possible ?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> hmmm guess I have a **** card then was at 1100/1575 and what im aware of this should be more then capable of getting these numbers


Try upping your voltage !
Or try lowering memory and upping core clock abit, maybe your memory is abit to high.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> hmmm guess I have a **** card then was at 1100/1575 and what im aware of this should be more then capable of getting these numbers


ye since u overclocked it,up voltage a bit...it should solve problem


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> hmmm guess I have a **** card then was at 1100/1575 and what im aware of this should be more then capable of getting these numbers


Depends, It looks like most 1.050mv cards only reach 1070 ish on the core before needing more voltage.

Pump the volts and you should get a bit more.

I would think a lower default voltage card would produce less heat so you have that going for you when overclocking, But don't quote me on that.

EDIT: Check to see what your default voltage is, If it is above 1.050 then i guess those clocks are not great. But if it is 1.050 its around about what to expect.


----------



## Zoyt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Depends, It looks like most 1.050mv cards only reach 1070 ish on the core before needing more voltage.
> Pump the volts and you should get a bit more.
> I would think a lower default voltage card would produce less heat so you have that going for you when overclocking, But don't quote me on that.


in afterburner on stock shows 1112mv on the core voltage


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> in afterburner on stock shows 1112mv on the core voltage


Fair enough. Well, Those clocks are not that bad.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Special game-specific profile's for Crossfire only. *Single card setups do not need or use them.*


100% sure of that??


----------



## Zoyt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Fair enough. Well, Those clocks are not that bad.


thanks btw upping the volts seems to have worked! btw can an undervolted overclocked gfx card cause system lockups that require me to hold power button for 10seconds?


----------



## Ottesen

Guys, any way of turning the idle mhz up ? When its at 300/150mhz i'm somewhat feeling its making problems for me... Or turning off the idle down thing ?


----------



## drunkenvalley

Goddammit, I'm having second thoughts on whether to return my card and order a new one or not. It'll be a hassle and I'll have to order from a second, inferior website to keep the price 'bout the same.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> btw can an undervolted overclocked gfx card cause system lockups that require me to hold power button for 10seconds?


Yes..... Had the same !


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> thanks btw upping the volts seems to have worked! btw can an *undervolted overclocked gfx card cause system lockups that require me to hold power button for 10second*s?


Absolutely yes.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys, any way of turning the idle mhz up ? When its at 300/150mhz i'm somewhat feeling its making problems for me... Or turning off the idle down thing ?


USERNAME > APPDATA > LOCAL > ATI > ACE > PROFILES.XLS

Scroll down to OverDrive5 (towards the bottom)

and change the Want_0 to something higher (I would say 500 instead of 300) and save and that's it.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys, any way of turning the idle mhz up ? When its at 300/150mhz i'm somewhat feeling its making problems for me... Or turning off the idle down thing ?


What kind of problems you mean?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What kind of problems you mean?


He probably means screen flickering. I had the same issues in xfire 5870's when one card would drop to 100/300 for some reason. It cause 2nd screen flicker and even 1 screen flicker in the right (wrong?) conditions.


----------



## chorner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Is this a placebo effect? I mean, how does new drivers improve image quality? I thought that as long as a video card can run a game, and all settings are the same, there should be no difference in image quality. Like if I were to compare a 570GTX to a 6970 and said the 570 ran BF3 more beautifully when they both look the same. Sorry, no sarcasm, I'm just wondering if it really does improve image quality, I might try it out. It's because my drivers are stable now and I know how unstable installing/uninstalling AMD drivers can be and I don't want to mess anything up if mine are working fine right now, but if it does improve image quality and eye candy...


I wouldn't pin it as a placebo effect. I do notice smoother gameplay, and the graphics haven't changed so much overall as being any better than how BF3 was designed, moreso the look/texttures/shadows seems a little better and 'clearer'. Of course drivers CAN actually make a difference. If you'll notice in the CCC settings panel itself even, there are sliders to change graphic rendering settings to: 'Performance, Quality, High Quality'. While they won't make a HUGE difference, there is a difference. From a card like the 6970, to the 580 and the 7970 - there are differences between cards as well. The 6970 series of cards had bad Anisotrophic filtering algorithms which would cause 'flcikering' in the distance of scenes etc. and not quite as good anti-aliasing, with a larger performance hit as well.

So it's not a placebo in this case anyhow I don't think... sometimes an extra 2-3 FPS in worst case scenarios, or a driver fixing some latency issues etc. will smooth things out in a way that you notice. For instance, if you run with VSYNC on all the time (as I do... I hate screen tearing) sometimes that couple extra FPS or reducing a bit of the 'worst case scenario' with better optimized drivers is enough to pin it at that key 60fps+ mark and have it stay there. Even only a couple FPS can make the difference here in overall smoothness.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> thanks btw upping the volts seems to have worked! btw can an undervolted overclocked gfx card cause system lockups that require me to hold power button for 10seconds?


put some furmark test for an hour or two to check your stability and temperature.As i know overclocking core clock speed and memory speed require some voltage up (what u did) and voltage upping can move your temperature up,so put some test to see what is max/min/avg temperature...for anycase


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> USERNAME > APPDATA > LOCAL > ATI > ACE > PROFILES.XLS
> Scroll down to OverDrive5 (towards the bottom)
> and change the Want_0 to something higher (I would say 500 instead of 300) and save and that's it.


Ah thanks mate, will try that later today








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What kind of problems you mean?


Screen flickering and many other somewhat random problems. I also get 40-50 errors and restarts pr day now, see my thread on AMD/ATI part on this forum. Just installed a new windows and hoping to fine out whats wrong...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> Trixx works fine with the powerplay setting, it doens't touch it. MSI Afterburner is the one having issues with it.
> Trixx doesn't need to be running in the backgorund, just open it, set your OC profile and it only applies them to 3d performance mode. You can then close it if you wish and you will see when running any 3d application that your OC is applied, when not runnig 3d you drop back to 3d low power then 2d clocks fine.
> *A reboot, or opening the program and hitting 'reset' will return your 3d clock to defaults.*
> Simple, effective and doesn't interfere with powerplay. I've set mine to +20% and just left it there.


Problem with rebooting is that your previous settings of Trixx are still stored in CCC Overdrive, I have CCC on at bootup so when rebooting it turns back to the overclock BUT without the voltage increase, making the system unstable.

So you have to remember to go back to default clock settings in Trixx after gaming...
Bit of a pain but oh well ...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Ah thanks mate, will try that later today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Screen flickering and many other somewhat random problems. I also get 40-50 errors and restarts pr day now, see my thread on AMD/ATI part on this forum. Just installed a new windows and hoping to fine out whats wrong...


Hope you can figure it out !
Let us know what the problem was/is !


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hope you can figure it out !
> Let us know what the problem was/is !


i will ,thanks !


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> With unofficial OC'ing you mean Afterburner? Or is Trixx also unoffical OC'ing?
> Also I read somewhere the folowing :
> ''You only disable ULPS if you use AB or Trixx and crossfire''
> Is this correct? So if you use 2 HD7950 in crossfire WITHOUT using AB or Trixx it is best to leave ULPS ENABLED ?
> Thanks for the replies !


Nobody knows this?
Thx in advance!


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> USERNAME > APPDATA > LOCAL > ATI > ACE > PROFILES.XLS
> Scroll down to OverDrive5 (towards the bottom)
> and change the Want_0 to something higher (I would say 500 instead of 300) and save and that's it.


Now i tried and it worked only on 1 card, any tips ?


----------



## Sebe

Can't OC my card to 1200/1600 now after installing the latest driver (12.2 pre-cert), worked fine with the previous one.

The sliders go to 0 in AB, ive tried reinstalling AB with no luck. Any suggestions?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> Can't OC my card to 1200/1600 now after installing the latest driver (12.2 pre-cert), worked fine with the previous one.
> The sliders go to 0 in AB, ive tried reinstalling AB with no luck. Any suggestions?


El Greco posted a fix from AtiMan, and there is another band-aid fix for now. Look back a few pages. We may need to sticky this...


----------



## Zoyt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Absolutely yes.


awesome there was me the last 5 nights after hard freezing in World of Warcraft 10 times in 3 days running so many prime95 and IBT thinking it was my CPU overclock


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zoyt*
> 
> awesome there was me the last 5 nights after hard freezing in World of Warcraft 10 times in 3 days running so many prime95 and IBT thinking it was my CPU overclock


Yea, if the display driver crashes hard enough it will hard lock the machine. I had plenty of those when I was testing the limits of my 7970 under water.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> USERNAME > APPDATA > LOCAL > ATI > ACE > PROFILES.XLS
> Scroll down to OverDrive5 (towards the bottom)
> and change the Want_0 to something higher (I would say 500 instead of 300) and save and that's it.
> 
> 
> 
> Now i tried and it worked only on 1 card, any tips ?
Click to expand...

Posted in your thread suggestion for you to try but.. Oh well............

YOU DO NOT NEED THE SECOND CARD TO GO UVD OR MULTI-MONITOR CLOCKS.

THE SECOND CARD WILL ONLY KICK IN CROSSFIRE FULL SCREEN MODE.

THERE'S NO REASON AT ALL TO DISABLE POWER PLAY FOR THE SECOND CARD. IT WILL NOT STOP THE FLICKERING AS ALL MONITORS ARE HOOKED TO THE FIRST CARD.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> Can't OC my card to 1200/1600 now after installing the latest driver (12.2 pre-cert), worked fine with the previous one.
> 
> The sliders go to 0 in AB, ive tried reinstalling AB with no luck. Any suggestions?


Uninstall Afterburner, Restart PC then reinstall. Enable unofficial overclocking if you overclcok using Afterburner.

HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner

Disable ULPS for crossfire user:

1. Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
2. In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
3. For ALL instances (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
4. Reboot PC.

Exit Afterburner prior to editing .cfg and ULPS.

*Note: Do not overwirte Afterburner, Trixx, Asus Tweak with Catalyst installation*.


----------



## NorxMAL

I have 3 monitor Eyefinity.

And I have this annoying bug in Battlefield 3. What it does is that my hud is not correct, and I have no targeting lock indicator for example, on the middle monitor, but they show on the side monitors.

I have to disable the eyefinity group, extend to one monitor, from monitor id 2 I have to create the group from, and then it works properly. But I have to do this each time I reboot.

Anyone that knows to fix it permanently?


----------



## Sniper168

I have the same (3 monitors) type of setup and have never had that problem.

Latest OC'd Scores:

Here


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sniper168*
> 
> I have the same (3 monitors) type of setup and have never had that problem.
> 
> Latest OC'd Scores:
> 
> Here


Run it with sysinfo on lol


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sniper168*
> 
> I have the same (3 monitors) type of setup and have never had that problem.
> Latest OC'd Scores:
> 
> Here


Yeah, I know most people don't have that problem, but there are people that do. I managed to find this solution, and post it on a forum, and other said it worked for them as well


----------



## Sniper168

And here I just did Heaven 2.5.

Here

How do my scores compare?


----------



## Sniper168

How do you run it with sysinfo on?
I went to 3Dmark11 and under the "Help" tab the sysinfo box is checked.

Don't know what else you mean.


----------



## Invisible

Ok, 7950 just came in, installed it no problem, and installed my drivers.

Now, about to go tear up some BF3 like never before, haha.

One question though. I've never owned an AMD card before, so I'm really nooby at how the programs work for them. I see something called Catalyst Control Center in the same place Nvidia Control Panel was, I would assume that is basically the same thing?

Also, are they any things I should know about the cards? Does Afterburner work with it?

Sorry for sounding a bit nooby


----------



## Evil Penguin

Welcome to the Red team, Invisible!
CCC is pretty much the same thing as NCP (same purpose).

Anything specific to know about Radeon cards?
Update drivers frequently.








AB works fine with it, there are a few compatibility issues from what I've read but should be sorted out soon.


----------



## HunGJai

Which one would be a better?

or they pretty much the same thing?

Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC
or
MSI r7950 Twin Frozr OC

First computer build in awhile...


----------



## Evil Penguin

I would go with the Twin Frozr.


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I would go with the Twin Frozr.


+1


----------



## Zoyt

weird downclocking while playing games any idea what would cause this see the CCC and the MSI on screen display



http://imgur.com/RAjAg


this 7970 nothing but bother







)


----------



## beefcrinkle

played bf3 for a few hours with my r7950 from MSI. By god i forgot what it was like to have a really nice card my two 6850s have nothing on this 7950!


----------



## Sebe

The latest driver caused nothing problems (BSOD) for me, so im staying with the previous.


----------



## Invisible

Ugh, I'm having a bit of problems with frame rate I think.

My friend has the exact same setup as me pretty much except he has a 480, and he's getting more frames than me. I game at 900p, and he games at 1080p. I was just on Ultra at Caspian Border getting about an average 40-45fps, and my friend was hitting about 45-50fps. I'm also using about 1.49GB of VRAM...at 900p, is that even normal, haha.

Same on SR3, I only get about 35-40fps for some reason. I have the latest drivers I'm pretty sure (12.2?), and nothing is OC'ed or anything besides the stock OC on my Sapphire card.

I wouldn't be worried if I didn't see the benchmarks for the 7950 getting WAY better frames that what I'm getting at 1080p.

Or am I just paranoid? lol


----------



## Derek1387

Well, reinstalled and went to the new driver.... now my AB wont let me OC. Shows 0 on the core/mem clock, and then when I try to move the slider up and hit apply, they go back down to 0.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Well, reinstalled and went to the new driver.... now my AB wont let me OC. Shows 0 on the core/mem clock, and then when I try to move the slider up and hit apply, they go back down to 0.


Look back a few pages for a post from El Greco. He explains how to fix this until AB updates.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> The latest driver caused nothing problems (BSOD) for me, so im staying with the previous.


Did you run atiman uninstaller?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Posted in your thread suggestion for you to try but.. Oh well............
> 
> YOU DO NOT NEED THE SECOND CARD TO GO UVD OR MULTI-MONITOR CLOCKS.
> 
> THE SECOND CARD WILL ONLY KICK IN CROSSFIRE FULL SCREEN MODE.
> 
> THERE'S NO REASON AT ALL TO DISABLE POWER PLAY FOR THE SECOND CARD. IT WILL NOT STOP THE FLICKERING AS ALL MONITORS ARE HOOKED TO THE FIRST CARD.


Ye, and i tried the suggestions without luck, that why i'm still trying to figure this out mate. No need for writing in caps, i got glasses.

I understand that the secondary card don't need to have the power play disabled, whoever when i changed the settings like you said it only affected the second card. Like now my primaly card is 300/150mhz and my secondary is 500/500...


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Ugh, I'm having a bit of problems with frame rate I think.
> My friend has the exact same setup as me pretty much except he has a 480, and he's getting more frames than me. I game at 900p, and he games at 1080p. I was just on Ultra at Caspian Border getting about an average 40-45fps, and my friend was hitting about 45-50fps. I'm also using about 1.49GB of VRAM...at 900p, is that even normal, haha.
> Same on SR3, I only get about 35-40fps for some reason. I have the latest drivers I'm pretty sure (12.2?), and nothing is OC'ed or anything besides the stock OC on my Sapphire card.
> I wouldn't be worried if I didn't see the benchmarks for the 7950 getting WAY better frames that what I'm getting at 1080p.
> Or am I just paranoid? lol


What's gpu usage like?

Are you on default graphic settings in CCC?


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> What's gpu usage like?
> Are you on default graphic settings in CCC?


GPU usage always at 99%.

And I haven't touched anything in CCC. I haven't even opened it actually, haha.

EDIT: I just went in CCC, and I checked my hardware information, and it says I'm in PCI Express 2.0, and my Maximum Bus Setting is PCI Express 2.0 x8...would that mean I'm not in x16?


----------



## NorxMAL

I just installed the new driver over the RC11. Should I remove it with atiman and reinstall it?
It works as good or better than the RC11 driver, but I still get tearing. 3mon setup.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Ugh, I'm having a bit of problems with frame rate I think.
> My friend has the exact same setup as me pretty much except he has a 480, and he's getting more frames than me. I game at 900p, and he games at 1080p. I was just on Ultra at Caspian Border getting about an average 40-45fps, and my friend was hitting about 45-50fps. I'm also using about 1.49GB of VRAM...at 900p, is that even normal, haha.
> Same on SR3, I only get about 35-40fps for some reason. I have the latest drivers I'm pretty sure (12.2?), and nothing is OC'ed or anything besides the stock OC on my Sapphire card.
> I wouldn't be worried if I didn't see the benchmarks for the 7950 getting WAY better frames that what I'm getting at 1080p.
> Or am I just paranoid? lol


Turn off MSAA 4x on your settings. This piece of crap is so un-optimized on Amd cards that it isn't worth it. The quality of the post-processing is also pants. Use the BF3 FXAA injector which looks nicer, allows you to add more saturation, and won't drop your frames through the floor like MSAA.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> EDIT: I just went in CCC, and I checked my hardware information, and it says I'm in PCI Express 2.0, and my Maximum Bus Setting is PCI Express 2.0 x8...would that mean I'm not in x16?


I think it will say 8x until you are rocking a benchmark or game that triggers x16. Either that or CCC doesn't detect it properly. Monitor PCI-E from GPu-z while you are gaming or benching.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 100% sure of that??


Well I was 90% or I wouldn't have offered. But you're reply prompted me to do some research...

And holy smokes you're right. What another AMD **********. Seriously? ANOTHER piece of software to worry about keeping up-to-date and compatibility etc etc etc.

From what I could glean only a handful of games have single-card optimisations buried in the CAP profile, and more importantly, it only has any effect if you have a) the CAP installed b) the game installed c) Catalyst AI set to Quality

Thanks for challenging me Daffie, I am educated.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> GPU usage always at 99%.
> And I haven't touched anything in CCC. I haven't even opened it actually, haha.
> EDIT: I just went in CCC, and I checked my hardware information, and it says I'm in PCI Express 2.0, and my Maximum Bus Setting is PCI Express 2.0 x8...would that mean I'm not in x16?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Well I was 90% or I wouldn't have offered. But you're reply prompted me to do some research...
> 
> And holy smokes you're right. What another AMD **********. Seriously? ANOTHER piece of software to worry about keeping up-to-date and compatibility etc etc etc.
> 
> From what I could glean only a handful of games have single-card optimisations buried in the CAP profile, and more importantly, it only has any effect if you have a) the CAP installed b) the game installed c) Catalyst AI set to Quality
> 
> Thanks for challenging me Daffie, I am educated.


Consider the AMD CAPS to be like the Nvidia Beta drivers. I wish Amd would just go all out like Nvidia and not have a separate download for updated game profiles and just integrate them into a "beta" driver. WOuld be a lot less confusing for everyone.


----------



## Invisible

GPU-Z reports card is being used in x8. I'm about to switch it to my old slot, not sure why I moved it to my second slot.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> GPU-Z reports card is being used in x8. I'm about to switch it to my old slot, not sure why I moved it to my second slot.


Oh, the card is in PCI-E slot 2? Yes, move it back to 1!


----------



## Sir_Gawain

So im wishing I never messed around with my drivers. I am now back to the 11.12 Catalyst version after experiencing FPS loss in BF3 with the new pre-cert. I had NO problems in BF3 with 11.12, but now I am experiencing this strange stutter while zooming...this is not y clip but it is the exact same thing I am experiencing, 




Any ideas as to why this would all of the sudden happen? I tried reinstalling 11.12 2x today but nothing is helping. The game is only doing this in multiplayer and not in campaign. Also it dosnt matter if i have crossfire enabled or not...I still get it.


----------



## Invisible

Ok, so I moved it back to the original slot my 260 was in, and now GPU-Z says it is running in x16. I had to restart my PC twice cause Windows had to install the defaults drivers again for some reason, and when I checked before the second restart, it said PCI Express x16 v2.0. And now it says, PCI Express x16 v1.1? Any conclusion to what is causing that?

EDIT: Booted up BF3 and ALT+TAB'ed to check the status of it, and it's at 2.0 now. I guess that's just a power saving thing.

Also, with 4x MSAA off and in x16, I can see about a 12-15fps increase on Caspian at the moment. I still think I should be getting a little bit more at 900p, but 56-62fps all the time on BF3 is good for me.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> It works for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would suggest to use atimans uninstaller to do a deep cleaning restart and then add either the driver i sent or the next one (should be the same) then reboot, then add the appl profiles then reboot then use atimans utility (not the uninstaller) to disable ulps, then reboot, then check ccc if crossfire is enabled, then reboot, then run atimans patch then reboot and there you go... MSI AB should be working fine.
> I had not realized how many steps you have to go through for a clean installation


It's a pain in the arse isn't? Anyways, I'm not going to mess with it for a while, going on vacation. Then I have to send these three visionteks back, Amazon took their sweet time shipping them out and gave me zero time to register the cards, and Visiontek is not being forthcoming with whether I'll be covered under warranty or not. Thus Amazon says return the cards lol. It's ok, I'm upsizing to DCII's with the upcoming ek fullcovers as consolation.

WTS, three ref 7970 blocks with backplates when I get back.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> So im wishing I never messed around with my drivers. I am now back to the 11.12 Catalyst version after experiencing FPS loss in BF3 with the new pre-cert. I had NO problems in BF3 with 11.12, but now I am experiencing this strange stutter while zooming...this is not y clip but it is the exact same thing I am experiencing,
> 
> 
> 
> Any ideas as to why this would all of the sudden happen? I tried reinstalling 11.12 2x today but nothing is helping. The game is only doing this in multiplayer and not in campaign. Also it dosnt matter if i have crossfire enabled or not...I still get it.


Never mind guys it appears its just a BF3 glitch I never noticed till now. It only happens with certain guns when certain scopes are equipped....Playing my normal setup up it dosnt happen and the game runs butter smooth.


----------



## Invisible

So how do you guys overclock? I'm getting some slightly less than desirable results for some reason, and again, I'm only gaming at 900p. Seeing videos of people playing BF3 maxed out at 1080p getting over 65ps constantly is making me a bit paranoid when I'm only getting about 52-57.

Do you guys use CCC? Or AB? Or this thing called Trixxor? And what would you recommend going to? I've never OC'ed a card before, let alone AMD so I have no idea what I'm doing, haha.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> So how do you guys overclock? I'm getting some slightly less than desirable results for some reason, and again, I'm only gaming at 900p. Seeing videos of people playing BF3 maxed out at 1080p getting over 65ps constantly is making me a bit paranoid when I'm only getting about 52-57.
> Do you guys use CCC? Or AB? Or this thing called Trixxor? And what would you recommend going to? I've never OC'ed a card before, let alone AMD so I have no idea what I'm doing, haha.


I'm kinda new to OC gpu my self, but i actually use trixx for overclocking and afterburner to keep an eye on the temps and fans and stuff. I can't change voltage on anything except on trixx, and its so simple. That is my main reason. And afterburner is just epic to use when keeping an eye on things


----------



## mydknyght

im having some coil whine on my card is it normal???i have try 3 other 7970 at the store on my rig and they are all doing it .... so i have change my cooler master gx750w psu for a cooler master silent pro 1000w and its seems like the noice have reduce ... but this is just weird how the 7970 do squeal...(sry for broken english im french)


----------



## Ottesen

*Question:* again...

Does mhz increase heat on the cards, or just if you mess with the voltage ? I have stock voltage right now but the get pretty hot in my tower with crossfire, not the best airflow in there... (well hot and hot, i'm still under idle temp on my old 4870x2







)


----------



## Outcasst

Overclocking on stock volts shouldn't increase temps


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> So how do you guys overclock? Do you guys use CCC? Or AB? Or this thing called Trixx? And what would you recommend going to? I've never OC'ed a card before, let alone AMD so I have no idea what I'm doing, haha.


----------



## unrealskill

i am trying to up my volts i am running the asus bios from the auto installer that was in this thread. my stock volts where 1.170 but i cant seem to get that any higher. im useing afterburner. my bios switch is set two 1. i am on the HIS 7970 if that matters.i cant go past 1100mhz/1700mhz


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Now i tried and it worked only on 1 card, any tips ?


Scroll down on the profile more. You'll see the 2nd card as well.


----------



## raxf

Hi guys, my 7970's in crossfire works amazing with the new drivers.The only problem is that the top card is anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees hotter than the bottom one.This is in a corsair 600 t case with all case fans at full speed. Is this normal?
I got upto 80 degrees on the top card while playing BF3, ambient temps are 33 degrees C.

I tried overclocking both cards by maxing out all sliders in CCC with 20 % power and my screen just goes blank and locks up.The cards are 88 % and 80 % asic quality.Shouldnt I be able to overclock 1125 easily with both cards?


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raxf*
> 
> Hi guys, my 7970's in crossfire works amazing with the new drivers.The only problem is that the top card is anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees hotter than the bottom one.This is in a corsair 600 t case with all case fans at full speed. Is this normal?
> I got upto 80 degrees on the top card while playing BF3, ambient temps are 33 degrees C.
> I tried overclocking both cards by maxing out all sliders in CCC with 20 % power and my screen just goes blank and locks up.The cards are 88 % and 80 % asic quality.Shouldnt I be able to overclock 1125 easily with both cards?


Temperature wise.... swap the cards over (PCI-E slots) so they even out.

What program u using to overclock?


----------



## raxf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Temperature wise.... swap the cards over (PCI-E slots) so they even out.
> What program u using to overclock?


Using CCC from AMD(overdrive). I have Afterburner installed as well to monitor temps and fps.
I will try swapping the cards to see if its an airflow problem in my case.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raxf*
> 
> Using CCC from AMD(overdrive). I have Afterburner installed as well to monitor temps and fps.
> I will try swapping the cards to see if its an airflow problem in my case.


No not airflow... some cards run hotter than others, all your doing by swapping them is evening out the temps, dropping the extra heat u dnt need.


----------



## raxf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> No not airflow... some cards run hotter than others, all your doing by swapping them is evening out the temps, dropping the extra heat u dnt need.


Well I swapped the cards, the top one still runs 10 °C hotter than the bottom one.But the top card idles at 54°C instead of 66° C now @ 40 % fanspeed though.Might have to look for some higher quality fans for my 600t to replace the stock ones


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mydknyght*
> 
> im having some coil whine on my card is it normal???i have try 3 other 7970 at the store on my rig and they are all doing it .... so i have change my cooler master gx750w psu for a cooler master silent pro 1000w and its seems like the noice have reduce ... but this is just weird how the 7970 do squeal...(sry for broken english im french)


Both my cards have some coil whine even when i use them one at the time, even if i connect 2x 30A capable current lines from my 1250w PSU on a single card, I can distinguish the noise only because the pc is on my desk at ~ 50cm away and only if i keep the fans at 20% and run eg Heaven benchmark. The noise is more high pitched the time you click to exit heaven for a second or two, during the transit from 99% 3d operation to low 2d clocks.

I suppose that this is the case with all 7970 up to a level and is more obvious if you watercool the cards.

*@Levesque*
The only thing that has made me wondering, is that Levesque who has 4 watercooled cards has reported in a forum that only one makes this noise?!
Having that in mind, i checked both my cards (initally i thought i had a problematic one) but then i realized its both cards having coil whine!


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raxf*
> 
> Hi guys, my 7970's in crossfire works amazing with the new drivers.The only problem is that the top card is anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees hotter than the bottom one.This is in a corsair 600 t case with all case fans at full speed. Is this normal?
> I got upto 80 degrees on the top card while playing BF3, ambient temps are 33 degrees C.
> I tried overclocking both cards by maxing out all sliders in CCC with 20 % power and my screen just goes blank and locks up.The cards are 88 % and 80 % asic quality.Shouldnt I be able to overclock 1125 easily with both cards?


if u got EZ plug (4 pin molex) on mainboard,plug one from PSU to there,to provide more power to cards,at least on mine there is 2 EZ plugs for 2 or more cards,to provide more power what can give u more stability..just option anyway...


----------



## Janaap

With the latest 12.2 prerelease drivers I have some BF3 issues. It keeps in a low power state or something for the first two minutes ingame with like 5-10 fps on my 7970, after that its working fine. Running at stock or oc via CCC gives the same results.

I'm trying to find a specific previous driver on the support.amd.com site, but I can not find any history of betas/release candidates or something. I'm looking for this cause I'm not exactly sure which was my previous driver, a RC or something else.

Does anyone know how to find an overview of all released drivers on support.amd.com, RC´s included?


----------



## unrealskill

i think 11.1 or 11.2 i forget ^^


----------



## krazyatom

I tried 12.2 driver for my 7970 and it keeps downclocking to 501mhz when I game. Anyone else having this problem? I may have to go back to previous driver.

Also, my msi AB does not work. It gives me 0mhz core, so I had to uninstall my msi ab.


----------



## firestorm1

ive been using the drivers that came on the cd with my msi 7970. i tried these latest ones, but they made a few of my games run like poo. i sure hope amd comes out with something soon.


----------



## omega17

Just installed the pre-cert 12.2 (or 12.3 if you believe GPU-z) and CCC no longer appears. I right click desktop, select Catalyst Control Center, and nothing happens.
It never appears, and CCC.exe appears for less than a second in Task Manager, then disappears.


----------



## Hambone07si

Just installed a EK Acetal/copper block on mine today and the temps are insane. I'm running eyefinity and the temps on stock cooler were 50c idle 45% fan and 77c load 60% fan. Now idle is around 28c and load with furmark is 42c. Games are playing at 32-35c and I'm running 1125/1500 @ 1.174v


----------



## Lard

Edit the HD7970 Bios with a Hexeditor:



GPU clock
RAM clock
GPU voltage

You have to reverse the value and change the hex to decimal.

Examples:

hex: 54 69 01 -> 01 69 54 -> dec: 92500 = 925 MHz GPU clock.
To change 2D GPU voltage from 0,85V to 0,8V (Lower is not supported) hex= 52 03 to 20 03

To save electricity I prefer to change all my clockstates to 300/150MHz and 0,8V (30 75 00 98 3A 00 20 03) and use a 3D profile for Games.
This works only with Asus GPU-Tweak.

How-to:

- First flash the Asus bios.
- Make a 3D-Profile with Overclocking range enhancement and Kepp setting for the next start
- Flash the modified Asus bios, reboot
- Disable Overclocking range enhancement and Kepp setting for the next start and enable Overclocking range enhancement again
- Click on default close GPU-Tweak and start it again and click on default
- Disable AMD Overdrive in the driver

Now you can switch between default clocks and 3D:



If you install a new driver, you have to make this all over again.


----------



## Hambone07si

What's the best program to use to push the card past the 1125/1575 ?? I'd like to go for more now on water with these temps.


----------



## RickardKarstark

According to you overvolt the memory from 1.6 to 1.65 is dangerous for daily use?

thanks in advance


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What's the best program to use to push the card past the 1125/1575 ?? I'd like to go for more now on water with these temps.


enable unnofficial overclocking in afterburner.

heres how:
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=3887034&postcount=1


----------



## krazyatom

I can't use msi afterburner with new 12.2 driver. Is there a way to fix this or do I have to wait for msi ab update?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> I can't use msi afterburner with new 12.2 driver. Is there a way to fix this or do I have to wait for msi ab update?


look a few pages back, ATIman made a fix

Edit: http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> I can't use msi afterburner with new 12.2 driver. Is there a way to fix this or do I have to wait for msi ab update?


try this method:
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4247708&postcount=29


----------



## Hambone07si

Is there a different program I can use other than AB to go past 1125?


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> enable unnofficial overclocking in afterburner.
> heres how:
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=3887034&postcount=1


Thanks
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> look a few pages back, ATIman made a fix
> Edit: http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


Thanks, that file fixed it


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> I can't use msi afterburner with new 12.2 driver. Is there a way to fix this or do I have to wait for msi ab update?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> look a few pages back, ATIman made a fix
> Edit: http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> try this method:
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4247708&postcount=29


Wow are you guys serious? All you had to do was re-install AB


----------



## Ken1649

Whenever you overwrite Afterburner, Trixx and AsusTweak with Catalyst installation, you need to click "RESET" then restart PC or re-install Afterburner.


----------



## HGooper

Two of my Sapphire 7970s have different stock voltages, 1024mv and 1174mv according to Afterburner when I reset them in default, my question is that should I choose the right voltage type on "Graphic processor type" option? Does it matter if I choose 1175mv option on 1024mv card? Also do I need to check the "Force constant voltage" option?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Both my cards have some coil whine even when i use them one at the time, even if i connect 2x 30A capable current lines from my 1250w PSU on a single card, I can distinguish the noise only because the pc is on my desk at ~ 50cm away and only if i keep the fans at 20% and run eg Heaven benchmark. The noise is more high pitched the time you click to exit heaven for a second or two, during the transit from 99% 3d operation to low 2d clocks.
> I suppose that this is the case with all 7970 up to a level and is more obvious if you watercool the cards.
> *@Levesque*
> The only thing that has made me wondering, is that Levesque who has 4 watercooled cards has reported in a forum that only one makes this noise?!
> Having that in mind, i checked both my cards (initally i thought i had a problematic one) but then i realized its both cards having coil whine!


Guys, your feedback on this *(are there any cards with ZERO coil whine?)* would be appreciated!


----------



## NeoandGeo

My card has an audible noise when I play a demanding game. Sounds kind of like a loud hard drive. If it never gets worse I can live with it.


----------



## Janaap

Club3D 7970, no coil whine here.

Unfortunately it doesnt oc above 1100/6000 with stock voltage, but no coil whine


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Club3D 7970, no coil whine here.
> Unfortunately it doesnt oc above 1100/6000 with stock voltage, but no coil whine


Have you tried running Heaven or another benchmark while keeping the fans at 20% and putting your ears real close to it ~20cm with case open?

I say this because the fan noise EASILY covers the coil whine!

Thank you!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Two of my Sapphire 7970s have different stock voltages, 1024mv and 1174mv according to Afterburner when I reset them in default, my question is that should I choose the right voltage type on "Graphic processor type" option? Does it matter if I choose 1175mv option on 1024mv card? Also do I need to check the "Force constant voltage" option?


Yes it does matter, cause when you press "reset" in Afterburner.... it will reset to whatever option you have selected for that card.


----------



## Daffie82

Guys, got a problem with my HD7950.
When resuming from sleep mode (I push space bar to wake up the PC) I get the following error in notification area + event viewer : Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding and has successfully recovered

Any idea what is causing this and how to solve it?
Not experiencing it while doing other things... Only when resuming from sleep mode.

Thanks for the help!


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Have you tried running Heaven or another benchmark while keeping the fans at 20% and putting your ears real close to it ~20cm with case open?
> I say this because the fan noise EASILY covers the coil whine!
> Thank you!


Yes sir, no coil whine whatsoever.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Well I was 90% or I wouldn't have offered. But you're reply prompted me to do some research...
> 
> And holy smokes you're right. What another AMD **********. Seriously? ANOTHER piece of software to worry about keeping up-to-date and compatibility etc etc etc.
> 
> From what I could glean only a handful of games have single-card optimisations buried in the CAP profile, and more importantly, it only has any effect if you have a) the CAP installed b) the game installed c) Catalyst AI set to Quality
> 
> Thanks for challenging me Daffie, I am educated.


hehe, no problem








I thought I read somewhere that it was also for single cards...
thanks for posting the rest of the settings you need to make for it to work !


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Turn off MSAA 4x on your settings. This piece of crap is so un-optimized on Amd cards that it isn't worth it. The quality of the post-processing is also pants. Use the BF3 FXAA injector which looks nicer, allows you to add more saturation, and won't drop your frames through the floor like MSAA.
> I think it will say 8x until you are rocking a benchmark or game that triggers x16. Either that or CCC doesn't detect it properly. Monitor PCI-E from GPu-z while you are gaming or benching.


How do you turn off MSAA 4x exactly? I mean it is the slider most left setting, moving it more right will only effect performance even more I would think.
By the way, you would advise turning this off on all games? Or just on BF3 ?


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lard*
> 
> Edit the HD7970 Bios with a Hexeditor:
> 
> GPU clock
> RAM clock
> GPU voltage
> You have to reverse the value and change the hex to decimal.
> Examples:
> hex: 54 69 01 -> 01 69 54 -> dec: 92500 = 925 MHz GPU clock.
> To change 2D GPU voltage from 0,85V to 0,8V (Lower is not supported) hex= 52 03 to 20 03
> To save electricity I prefer to change all my clockstates to 300/150MHz and 0,8V (30 75 00 98 3A 00 20 03) and use a 3D profile for Games.
> This works only with Asus GPU-Tweak.
> How-to:
> - First flash the Asus bios.
> - Make a 3D-Profile with Overclocking range enhancement
> - Flash the modified Asus bios, disable Overclocking range enhancement, reboot and make sure the lower clockstates are accepted (This is the tricky part).
> - Enable Overclocking range enhancement.
> Now you can switch between default clocks and 3D:
> 
> If you install a new driver, you have to make this all over again.


Or you can just edit the profile...... and not have to do anything like that.


----------



## Invisible

So I just OC'ed my 7950 to 1050/1500 in Overdrive of CCC, and didn't put up my voltage. I looked around and some OC benchmarks are at this same with stock voltage. Should I increase the voltage anyway, or just see how it performs?

EDIT: Haha, 20 seconds in just browsing OCN my screen went black and Windows said the AMD driver failed but was recovered. Well, I quickly put it back to defaults in CCC.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> So I just OC'ed my 7950 to 1050/1500 in Overdrive of CCC, and didn't put up my voltage. I looked around and some OC benchmarks are at this same with stock voltage. Should I increase the voltage anyway, or just see how it performs?
> EDIT: Haha, 20 seconds in just browsing OCN my screen went black and Windows said the AMD driver failed but was recovered. Well, I quickly put it back to defaults in CCC.


well ofc, you have to stability test it to see if the OC is working okay









I use Unigine heaven 2.5 and BF3


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Wow are you guys serious? All you had to do was re-install AB


I think seeing all that kind of stuff is why so many Nvidia fanboys still smacktalk amd drivers lol


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Yes sir, no coil whine whatsoever.


Thanks... I ask this because there is a theory that ALL cards produce coil whine up to a level. Sometimes it is easily identified while other times you have to put your ear 2 cm from the card to hear it!

Waiting also for inputs from others...


----------



## Lard

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Or you can just edit the profile...... and not have to do anything like that.


If I use the 2D profile in GPU-Tweak and watch flash videos the clockstate goes up to 3D. (Yes the hardwareacceleration is disabeld)
The 3D profile can not be edit lower than 725/4700MHZ.
So what profile do you mean?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Thanks... I ask this because there is a theory that ALL cards produce coil whine up to a level. Sometimes it is easily identified while other times you have to put your ear 2 cm from the card to hear it!
> Waiting also for inputs from others...


I just put a EK block on my 7970 yesterday and I can here some coil whine on my card now that it's silent. My card is running 1125/1500 1.174v, but under full load (Furmark) , you can here it now. I never could hear it before with the stock cooler even running 20% fan. It's very faint but it's there.


----------



## StrayderGame

in my opinion best applications to test OC is BF3-Unigine Heaven 2.5-Crysis 2 DX 11+ high tesselation,if those things doesn't show any error,crash,black,screen,drivers stopped working then your clock is OK...**** FurMark and things...u can use it just to check your final edge in overclocking...


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You DO NOT need to touch ULPS on a single card setup.


I am 100% sure that ULPS caused unstable overclock on my SINGLE CARD setup.
Played games almost 2 weeks on 1200/1700 with ULPS disabled. Everything was perfectly stable.
After upgrading drivers yesterday I forgot to disable ULPS and problems at desktop returns (after idle time).


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> in my opinion best applications to test OC is BF3-Unigine Heaven 2.5-Crysis 2 DX 11+ high tesselation,if those things doesn't show any error,crash,black,screen,drivers stopped working then your clock is OK...**** FurMark and things...u can use it just to check your final edge in overclocking...


I am playing Crysis 2 Dx11 high res textures on Extreme settings in Eyefinity and it's great, about 40-55fps avg and smooth as hell. I used furmark just to see the load temp with this new water block. I'm raising my overclock now and running a few vantage runs. My scores aren't the best as having a 2500k @ 5ghz. Be way higher if I had my 3930k from work here at home. I don't have BF3 yet, but was thinking of getting it soon. None of my friends want to play it for some reason







.

Here's what I've gotten the card up to now and still going. I just had to raise the volts up too 1.225v for running 1250core and 1600mem


Question. What is ULPS? I don't think I've done anything with that??


----------



## Invisible

I think I'm doing something wrong, haha. Cause when I OC'ed, I hit a huge performance...tank. Like I dropped to about 34fps in BF3 and about 20fps less in Heaven 2.5. I followed this thing on Guru3D and put it up 1020/1575 and then 20% power, and I tanked hard.

http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7950-overclock-guide/2

Anything I'm missing?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> I think I'm doing something wrong, haha. Cause when I OC'ed, I hit a huge performance...tank. Like I dropped to about 34fps in BF3 and about 20fps less in Heaven 2.5. I followed this thing on Guru3D and put it up 1020/1575 and then 20% power, and I tanked hard.
> 
> http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon-hd-7950-overclock-guide/2
> 
> Anything I'm missing?


Looks like throttling or memory clock hitting ECC or you need more voltage. Try lower the clocks and work the way up step by step.


----------



## Hambone07si

Are you using Afterburner 2.2 beta 12 ? That's what works great for me.

I think I'm going to settle for 1200core/1600mem with 1.200vcore/1.600vmem.. Kinda funny that the clocks are exactly the same as the volts









These AMD cards are simply amazing, and on water even better.


----------



## omega17

7970's seem to like Alan Wake. Maxed all settings out completely @1200p, 80% usage on both cards in CF, buttery smooth and a very nice looking game


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> 7970's seem to like Alan Wake. Maxed all settings out completely @1200p, 80% usage on both cards in CF, buttery smooth and a very nice looking game


I'm waiting for my 2nd card to arrive still. Do you notice any micro stutter at all with the 7970's? In any games? I'm almost to the point that this 1 card on water is enough power for me even in eyefinity. I can play everything I want with great fps and maxed settings in just about everything. Not sure it would be worth spending the other $700 for 2nd card and another block.


----------



## Invisible

How are you guys getting to 1200/1600? AB only lets me go to like 1100 and 1575 I think. Also do all you guys just use AB or do you use AB and CCC for the extra power % as well?

And yes, I'm on 2.2 Beta 12.


----------



## omega17

I'm not particularly susceptible to micro-stutter, but I do know that I noticed it a *lot* on 3x 5850s, occasionally on 2x 6950s and barely at all, if it is even there, on 2 x 7970s.
It definitely isn't a deal breaker on the 7970s, I have to be staring right at the edge of the screen and *trying* to make it appear stuttery to even _think_ I'm seeing it









I'd rather have the option of turning eye-candy right the way up to 11, with the room for over-the-top EdgeDetect AA in older titles, than playing at fairly decent settings, but wishing I had that little bit more horsepower that 2x7970 gives me


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> How are you guys getting to 1200/1600? AB only lets me go to like 1100 and 1575 I think. Also do all you guys just use AB or do you use AB and CCC for the extra power % as well?
> And yes, I'm on 2.2 Beta 12.


change unofficial overclocking to 1

search your msi ab folder

in the main folder find msiafterburner.cfg

right click

open with notepad

within find
UnofficialOverclockingMode = 0
change to
UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1

save

done


----------



## Invisible

Ok, so I have my voltage at 1.2 and then 1200/1600 in AB, just to see how it goes. Should I go in Settings and change my Power Control Properties as well?

Also, does anyone know why when I hit Apply on the bottom it brings my clocks to 0/0, but keeps my voltage at 1.2?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Ok, so I have my voltage at 1.2 and then 1200/1600 in AB, just to see how it goes. Should I go in Settings and change my Power Control Properties as well?
> Also, does anyone know why when I hit Apply on the bottom it brings my clocks to 0/0, but keeps my voltage at 1.2?


Probably a driver issue.

Try reinstall AB.


----------



## TheBrokenToast

Went from a Ref 6970 from ASUS to a Ref Sapphire 7970. Major performance differences in both eyefinity and single monitor gaming. Overclocks like a charm. Not regretting getting this card<3


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Probably a driver issue.
> Try reinstall AB.


Nope, uninstalled and reinstalled two different times and it still resets to 0/0 whenever I hit Apply. Whenever I boot up AB also, they start at 0/0.


----------



## krazyatom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Nope, uninstalled and reinstalled two different times and it still resets to 0/0 whenever I hit Apply. Whenever I boot up AB also, they start at 0/0.


this is what you need.

http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


----------



## vedaire

hey raxf I might make a suggestion here. When I first got my xfx 7970 core edition I noticed it running hot off the bat so I broke it down and found the tim on it was a mess you might pull your cooler and take a look at it. I know its a different company. But, you never know you might have gotten a card that it just didnt get the tim on right.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> this is what you need.
> http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


Fantastic, installed, rebooted, and they start up at their proper numbers with Unofficial on. Is 1200/1600 at 1.2v a good number? Like I said earlier, I've never OC'ed a GPU before so I'm just going on what other people have been doing and what I've been reading.

Going to go test in Heaven now.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Fantastic, installed, rebooted, and they start up at their proper numbers with Unofficial on. Is 1200/1600 at 1.2v a good number? Like I said earlier, I've never OC'ed a GPU before so I'm just going on what other people have been doing and what I've been reading.
> Going to go test in Heaven now.


note: you cannot increase the voltage more than Stock+125mV. more than that and Over voltage protection jumps in


----------



## Invisible

Oh...lord.

Now note again I am only gaming at 900p, but with 4xAA and 16xAF and everything else on default, I went form 60.7fps to 79.8fps.

Umm...wow.

Also I don't have a custom fan setting on, but during Heaven my temps were at about 63C, which still isn't horrible, but I would like it down a good bit. What would you guys recommend for a custom fan profile?

And ONE more question. I need to have the "Apply overclocking at startup", and MSI Afterburner starting with Windows for my OC to take effect everytime I boot my PC right? I know I may have answered my own question but I just want to make sure ya know, lol.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

How are you recording your average FPS?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Oh...lord.
> Now note again I am only gaming at 900p, but with 4xAA and 16xAF and everything else on default, I went form 60.7fps to 79.8fps.
> Umm...wow.
> Also I don't have a custom fan setting on, but during Heaven my temps were at about 63C, which still isn't horrible, but I would like it down a good bit. What would you guys recommend for a custom fan profile?
> And ONE more question. I need to have the "Apply overclocking at startup", and MSI Afterburner starting with Windows for my OC to take effect everytime I boot my PC right? I know I may have answered my own question but I just want to make sure ya know, lol.


63C is good, i'm getting "hot" on my card but i'm running crossfire. I have my secondary card on auto fan and primary on custom. (30c=30% fan, 40C=40% fan and so on)


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lard*
> 
> If I use the 2D profile in GPU-Tweak and watch flash videos the clockstate goes up to 3D. (Yes the hardwareacceleration is disabeld)
> The 3D profile can not be edit lower than 725/4700MHZ.
> So what profile do you mean?


Check a few pages back. A person asked about editing clock speeds. That is how you edit a profile for clock speeds. 2D speeds are 300ish and 3D are obviously the full speed. Movies, Games, benchmarks all use 3D clocks.

For a quick reference to manually edit the profiles and their respective clock speed without a hex editor or editing the bios

USERNAME > APPDATA > LOCAL > ATI > ACE > Profiles.XLS

Scroll towards the bottom for Overdrive where you can edit those clock speeds. I had a similar issue on my 5870 and raising it up a slight notch fixed my issues.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Check a few pages back. A person asked about editing clock speeds. That is how you edit a profile for clock speeds. 2D speeds are 300ish and 3D are obviously the full speed. Movies, Games, benchmarks all use 3D clocks.
> 
> For a quick reference to manually edit the profiles and their respective clock speed without a hex editor or editing the bios
> 
> USERNAME > APPDATA > LOCAL > ATI > ACE > Profiles.XLS
> 
> Scroll towards the bottom for Overdrive where you can edit those clock speeds. I had a similar issue on my 5870 and raising it up a slight notch fixed my issues.


Anyone know why MemoryVoltageTarget "Want_0" and "Want_1" are both set to 0 (zero) in those profiles, and has anyone tried to alter them directly?


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> 63C is good, i'm getting "hot" on my card but i'm running crossfire. I have my secondary card on auto fan and primary on custom. (30c=30% fan, 40C=40% fan and so on)


How do you set separate fan profiles?

I'm trying to set a more aggressive fan curve for the top and a less aggressive one for the bottom. MSI AB sets both, and I already tried unchecking the box that says, "Synchronize settings for similar graphic processors."


----------



## chillgreg

Does anyone at AMD read this thread I wonder? Surely if they do then they must think to themselves a la Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge: "Wow what a clusterf*ck we've created"

Did we really put people on the moon nearly half a century ago? And this giant mess of software, updates, patches, mods, edits, flashes, testing, re-testing, fails, more fails, and even more fails, is the best we can do in 2012? My own personal controversy theory is that Nvidia had their hardware ready last year, but decided to release the world's first properly tested, debugged and reliable 1st-time piece of technology. End rant/

OT: I am using -XCL in AB, and NOT unofficial overclocking in .cfg... as per recent threads at guru3d. In single monitor mode my games and system are now a joy, with literally zero issues. Enable the second monitor and I get 500mhz... bleh... I used to be a risk-taker but I'm not gonna install any software from a foreign website that doesn't have any English (in 2012) and wants UAC disabled... and no bios flashing for me either.

Not at all trying to provoke; just really feeling for the multitudes of people pulling their hair out atm, and the massive amount of misinformation out there in general right now. It seems very few people really know what they're doing, and mostly it's trial and error.

OT again: Crysis 2 runs like a dream 60fps V-synced now 1080p fully maxed single monitor. Windows Aero disabled through .exe. 1125/1575/1.1v AB. CCC not running at all. Latest 12.2 Pre. Really really lovely DX-11, just total game immersion and nearly no fps drops at all. 3rd playthrough after 2 on the Xbox, I can notice the awesome lighting and reflections, not so much the textures and tesselation. I know it's supposed to be a badly optimised game, but the 7970 O/C just says HELLO!

We should be 80% gaming, being productive, having fun and 20 % maintenance and O/C; for how many is it the other way round right now? That ol' 80/20 rule is true in so may aspects of life. Except video cards lol 

Have a nice day and good luck.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Does anyone at AMD read this thread I wonder? Surely if they do then they must think to themselves a la Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge: "Wow what a clusterf*ck we've created"
> 
> Did we really put people on the moon nearly half a century ago? And this giant mess of software, updates, patches, mods, edits, flashes, testing, re-testing, fails, more fails, and even more fails, is the best we can do in 2012? My own personal controversy theory is that Nvidia had their hardware ready last year, but decided to release the world's first properly tested, debugged and reliable 1st-time piece of technology. End rant/
> 
> OT: I am using -XCL in AB, and NOT unofficial overclocking in .cfg... as per recent threads at guru3d. In single monitor mode my games and system are now a joy, with literally zero issues. Enable the second monitor and I get 500mhz... bleh... I used to be a risk-taker but I'm not gonna install any software from a foreign website that doesn't have any English (in 2012) and wants UAC disabled... and no bios flashing for me either.
> 
> Not at all trying to provoke; just really feeling for the multitudes of people pulling their hair out atm, and the massive amount of misinformation out there in general right now. It seems very few people really know what they're doing, and mostly it's trial and error.
> 
> OT again: Crysis 2 runs like a dream 60fps V-synced now 1080p fully maxed single monitor. Windows Aero disabled through .exe. 1125/1575/1.1v AB. CCC not running at all. Latest 12.2 Pre. Really really lovely DX-11, just total game immersion and nearly no fps drops at all. 3rd playthrough after 2 on the Xbox, I can notice the awesome lighting and reflections, not so much the textures and tesselation. I know it's supposed to be a badly optimised game, but the 7970 O/C just says HELLO!
> 
> We should be 80% gaming, being productive, having fun and 20 % maintenance and O/C; for how many is it the other way round right now? That ol' 80/20 rule is true in so may aspects of life. Except video cards lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have a nice day and good luck.


Lol. They both have issues, especially early in the launch. No one can write drivers that work 100% of the time with every single possible combination of hardware. Granted, for the cost, they should be better, but in the end, you got an amazing card.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Lol. They both have issues, especially early in the launch. No one can write drivers that work 100% of the time with every single possible combination of hardware. Granted, for the cost, they should be better, but in the end, you got an amazing card.


Thank you 

I certainly do and do not take that for granted when I see people so excited in other threads about their new 7770's. Which was me 2 years ago.


----------



## chillgreg

I can't wait to read some rich hardcore overclockers report on their 4 x new Sapphire Flex 7970's Quadfire under H2O or LN2 with 24GB VRAM (no typo - 6GB per card!) with 6x 30" Eyefinity!!!









Edit: Or is is physically possible to do a 24 monitor Eyefinity setup since each card can drive 6x DP monitors?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> I can't wait to read some rich hardcore overclockers report on their 4 x new Sapphire Flex 7970's Quadfire under H2O or LN2 with 24GB VRAM (no typo - 6GB per card!) with 6x 30" Eyefinity!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Or is is physically possible to do a 24 monitor Eyefinity setup since each card can drive 6x DP monitors?


Lol, me too







My mobo has a history to it that involved phase change on the CPU and LN2 on 3x 580s









I don't believe so, not because of a physical limitation, but because of a software limitation, I think EyeFinity only supports 6x1 or 3x2 max. Haven't checked EyeFinity 2.0 (that the 7900s support) though


----------



## Aventadoor

When AMD have managed to make proper 100% working drivers, how much increase in FPS do you guys think the 7970 will get?
With my CrossfireX Im at 99.08FPS AVG in BF3, but it still can drop to 60ish...


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> How do you set separate fan profiles?
> I'm trying to set a more aggressive fan curve for the top and a less aggressive one for the bottom. MSI AB sets both, and I already tried unchecking the box that says, "Synchronize settings for similar graphic processors."


I'm using Sapphire trixx for my fans and clocking, i did originally want to have both fans going synchronized, but for some reason trixx only lets me change one :S

Edit: Thanks for mentioning that, on afterburner my fans both run like i want







Just seems that trixx is messing with my a bit...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> When AMD have managed to make proper 100% working drivers, how much increase in FPS do you guys think the 7970 will get?
> With my CrossfireX Im at 99.08FPS AVG in BF3, but it still can drop to 60ish...


Increase? Not a ton, maybe 10-15 if I'm being both optimistic and realistic. The main thing is stability of FPS, not dropping 30 FPS all the time, instead like 10-15. But who knows


----------



## pioneerisloud

For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....

Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.

Now I'm confused.


----------



## omega17

May or may not be 7970 related, but I'm getting hard lockups using CAP3s with my CF7970 on Alan Wake









Played fine for 3 hours earlier, installed them, and boom, whole PC locked up within seconds. Uninstalled them, I've been playing for 30 minutes with no lockup.

AMD; your cards may rock, but your drivers are the pits.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> May or may not be 7970 related, but I'm getting hard lockups using CAP3s with my CF7970 on Alan Wake
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Played fine for 3 hours earlier, installed them, and boom, whole PC locked up within seconds. Uninstalled them, I've been playing for 30 minutes with no lockup.
> 
> AMD; your cards may rock, but your drivers are the pits.


I wonder if the CAPs are what's causing my lockups at idle then, with overclocking on. That could be my problem too then.....


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm still using the release driver and have had no issues at all. How's the 12.2 driver? Anyone see a performance increase with that driver?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I wonder if the CAPs are what's causing my lockups at idle then, with overclocking on. That could be my problem too then.....


I guess you have your SSD as your OS drive? Have you set the sata port that your SSD is connected to as HotSwap Enabled? Fixed a hanging issue I had with my SSD


----------



## omega17

Try uninstalling all CAPs. I did a complete wipe with ATiMAN, so removed all CAPs and drivers, then installed 12.3 / 2 / whatever it is... (the pre-pre), everything worked fine until I installed the CAP3 release.
Only tried Alan Wake, but it locked up within seconds, black screen and a hard crash, cold reboot needed.

No crashes once they're uninstalled, and I still get almost perfect scaling







Don't think I'll bother with them again TBH.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I wonder if the CAPs are what's causing my lockups at idle then, with overclocking on. That could be my problem too then.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess you have your SSD as your OS drive? Have you set the sata port that your SSD is connected to as HotSwap Enabled? Fixed a hanging issue I had with my SSD
Click to expand...

I only have the lockup when my 7970 is overclocked. And no, HotSwap is disabled on all my ports....as I use RAID mode.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....
> Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.
> Now I'm confused.


Try what is working for me (with single monitor only for gaming and benches):




*Run Registry Clean in CCleaner. Repeat till no errors.*



*Run Wise Registry Cleaner. Repeat till no errors*



*Uninstall all AMD using Control Panel.*



*Delete AMD and ATI folders under C:\ (may be hidden)*



*BEFORE reboot also go to Device Manager and delete Graphics Adapter say Yes to Delete Software.*



*Also uninstall Trixx, AB, OCCT, Radeon Pro, and anything else resident on your system that accesses the GPU. (GPUz is OK to leave) Make sure the latest version Speedfan is not in use as it interrogates the GPU.*



*Reboot.*



*Windows might auto install 7970 driver. If it does go to Device Manager and repeat. You should now have ugly vanilla Windows screen*



*Install Latest AMD drivers 12.2 Pre*



*Use CC Cleaner or other method disable CLIstart.exe in Windows Startup area.*



*Reboot. CCC should now not be running in Task Manager.*



*Install AB Beta*



*Run Registry Clean in CCleaner. Repeat till no errors.*



*Run Wise Registry Cleaner. Repeat till no errors*



*Reboot. Wait for a few minutes to let Windows do any of its prefetch stuff.*



*Run Windows Experience Index (I think this tunes the amount of GPU Windows uses for Aero. Leave it at stock for this, using the maximum monitors enabled that you use for normal daily use, ie not gaming or benches.*



*Make sure for each game or bench you run you have disabled Windows Aero by checking Disable Desktop Composition in the .exe properties.*



*In the shortcut properties for AB, add the command line argument /XCL. Run AB. You will now get a message about rebooting.*



*Remove same argument, this only needs to be run once. DO NOT enable Unofficial Overclocking in afterburner.cfg*



*Reboot*



*Now try O/C, benches and gaming. Single monitor active only.*



*Hopefully you are smiling now *


Be it good luck or whatever, I am having a good run since doing this. NB The GPU still clocks down to 500mhz when 2nd monitor enabled. This presents no issues for Windows normal use, and I will leave to another thread to deal with.


----------



## pioneerisloud

I'm confused. So you want me to disable my second monitor? Ain't happening.







That's got all my monitoring software and chat software running.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm confused. So you want me to disable my second monitor? Ain't happening.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's got all my monitoring software and chat software running.


There is a way to control the Display output in Windows without touching the physical connections. Create a shortcut for this on your taskbar:

%windir%\system32\displayswitch.exe

You will see that you can now select to Extend your desktop, or run it on the main monitor, or the second one only (which it calls the "Projector")

It is folly to try and game or bench with 2 monitors running*, as this significantly increases the overhead on the video card. Your monitoring software etc can run safely in the background. You can enable the AB Display server to show onscreen statistics during games, and benches if you really want, but it does have a slight overhead. Also I run my fan at 100% for benches, always.

*Edit: For seriously GPU intensive games. Only you can placea value on having visual access to your chat software vs the performance penalty for a second screen. At present, with the bug that is causing AB or the driver to set a 500mhz clock on the second monitor, this isn't even possible.

For Defense Grid, which barely uses 60% of the GPU even at full castanka, I can use my second screen at the same time for watching videos or whatever. So i understand the value of having the second monitor running, it's just not practical for games like Crysis 2, Batman, Metro etc where you need to eek every drop out of your 7970.


----------



## pioneerisloud

But what's wrong with just leaving both monitors running? That's how I prefer to keep it. I've never had to disable my secondary monitor in the past...ever.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> But what's wrong with just leaving both monitors running? That's how I prefer to keep it. I've never had to disable my secondary monitor in the past...ever.


I'm the opposite lol. I've never even considered running a second monitor during a serious game. Not since way back in the "good" ol 5770 days...

Re-read my last post. It is a compromise only you can decide if it's worth it. Running 2 screens (excluding Eyefinity from this topic) will have an adverse effect on the performance of the video card. That has always been the case AFAIK.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> 7970's seem to like Alan Wake. Maxed all settings out completely @1200p, 80% usage on both cards in CF, buttery smooth and a very nice looking game


OFFTOPIC: How is alan wake, i hear its something like silent hill ?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> OFFTOPIC: How is alan wake, i hear its something like silent hill ?


Wow BOTH Users and Critics on Metacritic are raving. I'm downloading it now...slowly lol

Edit: Steam just auto-paused the download...buggers lol. Must be extremely heavy downloads on this game, I haven't had that happen to me for ages, not even in the last sale.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....
> Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.
> Now I'm confused.


Zero core is in the bios, so, when it sleeps, its programmed to wake up at a certain voltage (0.835v). When we overclock, the idle voltage then becomes around 0.935v.
*Do you see where the conflict happens?* That is why we hang/crash after the card goes to sleep.
This is why you reset the card to default settings before you allow it to sleep. Remember Afterburner 2D/3D profiles?

The proplem with AB profiles, it doesnt switch back to defaults on desktop 100% of the time.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....
> Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.
> Now I'm confused.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Zero core is in the bios, so, when it sleeps, its programmed to wake up at a certain voltage (0.835v). When we overclock, the idle voltage then becomes around 0.935v.
> *Do you see where the conflict happens?* That is why we hang/crash after the card goes to sleep.
> This is why you reset the card to default settings before you allow it to sleep. Remember Afterburner 2D/3D profiles?
> 
> The proplem with AB profiles, it doesnt switch back to defaults on desktop 100% of the time.
Click to expand...

I set up those profiles like you mentioned...and that still doesn't work. If I leave the card at bone stock without MSI AB or Trixxx running....I have absolutely no issues at all (no overclocking).

I know where the issue is at, I'm just confused why I'm the only person that seems to be having it.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....
> Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.
> Now I'm confused.


I just tried Alan Wake, and like someone mention here hard hard crash....









*1:* First tried removing CAP, no luck.
*2:* Removed trixx and afterburner and now it works fine. Without overclock.
*3:* Tried again now overclocking using ccc, crash again...
*4:* Tried again with stock mhz, didn't crash but insane problems in the game, werd cones,lines and stuff

I'm so tired of this now, been having problems for 2 months with my new gear, and i'm on my third windows just during this weekend trying to figure stuff out


----------



## vedaire

well after working and working on this thing. The best I can get it 1200core at 1200mv 1500mem at 1600mv on stock cooler.
no matter what I set beyond that it won't do it until I can get some submerse it under water.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....
> Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.
> Now I'm confused.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just tried Alan Wake, and like someone mention here hard hard crash....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *1:* First tried removing CAP, no luck.
> *2:* Removed trixx and afterburner and now it works fine. Without overclock.
> *3:* Tried again now overclocking using ccc, crash again...
> *4:* Tried again with stock mhz, didn't crash but insane problems in the game, werd cones,lines and stuff
> 
> I'm so tired of this now, been having problems for 2 months with my new gear, and i'm on my third windows just during this weekend trying to figure stuff out
Click to expand...

I don't have that game....my lock ups are at idle after my monitors turn off (after some time).


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't have that game....my lock ups are at idle after my monitors turn off (after some time).


Haven't had that problem yet, but i bet it comes. "Only" had 10 errors/lockup so far today, 56 last day and 88 the day before that...


----------



## firestorm1

just a quick question. i am getting ready to install a 7970. should i leave the physx drivers from my current card installed or should i delete it?

thanks.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I set up those profiles like you mentioned...and that still doesn't work. If I leave the card at bone stock without MSI AB or Trixxx running....I have absolutely no issues at all (no overclocking).
> I know where the issue is at, I'm just confused why I'm the only person that seems to be having it.


Mate it's either a dodgy card or because you're jumping all over the place. No offense. I don't think you're an idiot or a fool, at all. Maybe just unlucky.

I also don't think my method is right, or the best, but at least it's methodological. There are several other very well explained methodological guides in this thread also. You've got too many things happening from all directions, so it's impossible to know where the problem lies.

This is my own opinion - I'll very clear on that ok: You are an Official Overclock Moderator. If I was Sapphire I would worry less about where your card came from and more that you have a good card and are happy. Give them the opportunity to make this right. You must know someone that knows someone from Sapphire, a rep or manager or something. Just explain politely your frustration (without threats to go to NV) and see what they can do for you. The worst thing that can happen is they say no, and you haven't lost anything. Best-case scenario you might get a new card replacement.

And FFS buy an el cheapo HDD and run a clean Windows setup like 3 million people have told you. I'll buy you a drive if you're that broke. They're only 20 bucks on eBay.

Lastly you're welcome.

Sincerely good luck.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I set up those profiles like you mentioned...and that still doesn't work. If I leave the card at bone stock without MSI AB or Trixxx running....I have absolutely no issues at all (no overclocking).
> 
> I know where the issue is at, I'm just confused why I'm the only person that seems to be having it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mate it's either a dodgy card or because you're jumping all over the place. No offense. I don't think you're an idiot or a fool, at all. Maybe just unlucky.
> 
> I also don't think my method is right, or the best, but at least it's methodological. There are several other very well explained methodological guides in this thread also. You've got too many things happening from all directions, so it's impossible to know where the problem lies.
> 
> This is my own opinion - I'll very clear on that ok: You are an Official Overclock Moderator. If I was Sapphire I would worry less about where your card came from and more that you have a good card and are happy. Give them the opportunity to make this right. You must know someone that knows someone from Sapphire, a rep or manager or something. Just explain politely your frustration (_without_ threats to go to NV) and see what they can do for you. The worst thing that can happen is they say no, and you haven't lost anything. Best-case scenario you might get a new card replacement.
> 
> And FFS buy an el cheapo HDD and run a clean Windows setup like 3 million people have told you. I'll buy you a drive if you're that broke. They're only 20 bucks on eBay.
> 
> Lastly you're welcome.
> 
> Sincerely good luck.
Click to expand...

I can't format Windows till my server is up and running. That's why I haven't done it yet. My entire server is backed up to my rig. I don't want to run ANY sort of risk of losing the data, so I'm leaving it be for now. I'm hopefully going to order a Celeron on Monday to finish off the server (I just hope that's enough).

And yes, typically I really AM that broke, lol. Looking at my sig rig, you wouldn't think so. But this machine has been pieced together one part at a time over the last 2 years. The 30" monitor and 7970 were all at once...yes. But that was thanks to tax returns and my girlfriend.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I can't format Windows till my server is up and running. That's why I haven't done it yet. My entire server is backed up to my rig. I don't want to run ANY sort of risk of losing the data, so I'm leaving it be for now. I'm hopefully going to order a Celeron on Monday to finish off the server (I just hope that's enough).
> And yes, typically I really AM that broke, lol. Looking at my sig rig, you wouldn't think so. But this machine has been pieced together one part at a time over the last 2 years. The 30" monitor and 7970 were all at once...yes. But that was thanks to tax returns and my girlfriend.


I just PM'd you.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Try what is working for me (with single monitor only for gaming and benches):
> 
> 
> 
> *Run Registry Clean in CCleaner. Repeat till no errors.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Run Wise Registry Cleaner. Repeat till no errors*
> 
> 
> 
> *Uninstall all AMD using Control Panel.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Delete AMD and ATI folders under C:\ (may be hidden)*
> 
> 
> 
> *BEFORE reboot also go to Device Manager and delete Graphics Adapter say Yes to Delete Software.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Also uninstall Trixx, AB, OCCT, Radeon Pro, and anything else resident on your system that accesses the GPU. (GPUz is OK to leave) Make sure the latest version Speedfan is not in use as it interrogates the GPU.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Reboot.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Windows might auto install 7970 driver. If it does go to Device Manager and repeat. You should now have ugly vanilla Windows screen*
> 
> 
> 
> *Install Latest AMD drivers 12.2 Pre*
> 
> 
> 
> *Use CC Cleaner or other method disable CLIstart.exe in Windows Startup area.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Reboot. CCC should now not be running in Task Manager.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Install AB Beta*
> 
> 
> 
> *Run Registry Clean in CCleaner. Repeat till no errors.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Run Wise Registry Cleaner. Repeat till no errors*
> 
> 
> 
> *Reboot. Wait for a few minutes to let Windows do any of its prefetch stuff.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Run Windows Experience Index (I think this tunes the amount of GPU Windows uses for Aero. Leave it at stock for this, using the maximum monitors enabled that you use for normal daily use, ie not gaming or benches.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Make sure for each game or bench you run you have disabled Windows Aero by checking Disable Desktop Composition in the .exe properties.*
> 
> 
> 
> *In the shortcut properties for AB, add the command line argument /XCL. Run AB. You will now get a message about rebooting.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Remove same argument, this only needs to be run once. DO NOT enable Unofficial Overclocking in afterburner.cfg*
> 
> 
> 
> *Reboot*
> 
> 
> 
> *Now try O/C, benches and gaming. Single monitor active only.*
> 
> 
> 
> *Hopefully you are smiling now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> 
> Be it good luck or whatever, I am having a good run since doing this. NB The GPU still clocks down to 500mhz when 2nd monitor enabled. This presents no issues for Windows normal use, and I will leave to another thread to deal with.


I just tried this, and a couple off issues. Installing the AB beta (2.2) only give me a message saying that something is missing, tried multiple times. AB 2,1 works tho. Adding the command line argument /XCL don't give me any message about rebooting









*Edit:* After doing this all benches and stuff crash....
*Edit2:* Even the one game i have that don't crash crashed, and got 7 "AMD drivers has stopped responding" errors...story of my life. Had only problems with the new gear, haven't played anything the last weeks after getting "good/expensive" parts....arg, tired









*Edit3:* After turning off AB and setting stock mhz on ccc everything i tests work... the games and benches work, however one of the biggest reason i bought 2xthese cards is that they are easy to overclock, if i can't do that.... :S


----------



## chillgreg

Alan Wake: Set everything to absolute max. Inc AA to 8x. Runs beautiful 60fps v-synced. So far (up to 1st checkpoint), no stutters or fps drops or lag at all. Nice looking game, using 360 pad. Every day I feel better about my 7970. Can't wait to strap on the AC 7970 when I can find one in Australia.

Talk about BLOODY SCARY!!! lol I had goosebumps all the way through the first scene...









BTW Crysis 2 was using 2.1GB of VRAM at one point!!!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I just tried this, and a couple off issues. Installing the AB beta (2.2) only give me a message saying that something is missing, tried multiple times. AB 2,1 works tho. Adding the command line argument /XCL don't give me any message about rebooting
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Edit:* After doing this all benches and stuff crash....
> *Edit2:* Even the one game i have that don't crash crashed, and got 7 "AMD drivers has stopped responding" errors...story of my life. Had only problems with the new gear, haven't played anything the last weeks after getting "good/expensive" parts....arg, tired


I'm flattered you tried my "guide" 

I hate to suggest this, but have you tried re-installing Windows?

Make sure the "Target" command line looks exactly like this: *"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /XCL*

Does your card ever go above 70 degrees? This seems to be the beginning of the danger zone for 7970's...

Can you run basic games at all? No O/C no AB just vanilla CCC?

Do you have a single monitor running?

Look through Task Manager and Windows Services. Anything that looks suspicious or unecessary?

When you run AB do you get the Windows UAC prompt? Meaning it is running with Administrator privileges.

Edit: This is the thread that I read through carefully. http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358092


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> I'm flattered you tried my "guide"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Good stuff, didn't mean to make it look bad tho, just didn't work for me, but nothing works here so not so strange...lol_
> 
> I hate to suggest this, but have you tried re-installing Windows?
> _On my third windows this weekend._
> 
> Make sure the "Target" command line looks exactly like this: *"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /XCL*
> 
> Does your card ever go above 70 degrees? This seems to be the beginning of the danger zone for 7970's...
> _Rarely, dual fan cards._
> 
> Can you run basic games at all? No O/C no AB just vanilla CCC?
> _Tried 3 different 3dmark and 3 different "normal" games, all crashed or made something else crash._
> 
> Do you have a single monitor running?
> _Yepp_
> 
> Look through Task Manager and Windows Services. Anything that looks suspicious or unecessary?
> _Nope, noting strange._
> 
> When you run AB do you get the Windows UAC prompt? Meaning it is running with Administrator privileges.
> _Uncertain on what you mean, i don't get anything "un-normal" as far as i see_
> 
> Edit: This is the thread that I read through carefully. http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=358092


Wrote in answers, i'm so tired of this, bought 2500k, mobo and ram + now 7950... have had problems for 2 months strait, talking about using hours almost everyday trying to fix this... arg.


----------



## Invisible

Man, I'm not sure if I want to love or hate this 7950. I OC'ed and I'm getting insane FPS (instead of GTA IV in which I get 20fps maxed, haha, but we all know how bad that game is optimized), but I still feel like I'm getting way less FPS than I should be getting. Again, I'm at 900p. Take Skyrim for example. I have V-Sync on, and I stay at a constant 60fps of course, even with tons of graphical mods on, BUT...just look at how much VRAM I'm using. If you can't see, that's almost 2.7GB....AT 900P!

http://i.imgur.com/FnVid.jpg

Also, is there any way that 900p can possible use more memory and whatnot than 1080p? All of the benchmarks I'm seeing at 1080p are a little better, or if not the same than what I'm actually getting at 900p. Just a bit paranoid here folks







Going to be getting a 1080p monitor soon.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....
> Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.
> Now I'm confused.


have you tried to disable graphics overdrive in ccc before oc'ing through trixx or afterburner?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Alan Wake: Set everything to absolute max. Inc AA to 8x. Runs beautiful 60fps v-synced. So far (up to 1st checkpoint), no stutters or fps drops or lag at all. Nice looking game, using 360 pad. Every day I feel better about my 7970. Can't wait to strap on the AC 7970 when I can find one in Australia.
> 
> Talk about BLOODY SCARY!!! lol I had goosebumps all the way through the first scene...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW Crysis 2 was using 2.1GB of VRAM at one point!!!


I just tried the same, had only 50-60 fps, but crossfire was off + stock card + everything max including the draw distance and all that. Soon as i turned crossfire on the game crashed after 3 sek...

But on another note, the game seems really good after just playing 5 min. I'm a fairly big guy, i'm 6 ft and 215lbs strongman/powerlifter and i got scared as **** in there...lol


----------



## Ottesen

I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...

Testing Alan Wake

*1:* With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
*2:* With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
*3:* With crossfire, don't work.
*4:* With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.

I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...
> Testing Alan Wake
> *1:* With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
> *2:* With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
> *3:* With crossfire, don't work.
> *4:* With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.
> I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
> Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...


Pretty sure its the drivers/CAP profile. CFX doesn't work for me, it hard locks the computer 2 seconds after entering a real level. Runs great on one card though even at 2560x1600 and max.

My advice is play the actual game. Not sure why you would spend more time getting it to work than just playing the game... unless I read that wrong.


----------



## jhatfie

Just got my Sapphire 7950 OC yesterday. HUGE upgrade from my 6950 at 1600p. Fantastic overclocker as well with my testing and nice and quiet. 1260/7000 @ 1.25v will work for 3dMark11, but need to tone it down some to pass games like Crysis2 or BF3. Happy spot that is crash and artifact free so far appears to be 1180/6900 @1.2v.

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2792242


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Pretty sure its the drivers/CAP profile. CFX doesn't work for me, it hard locks the computer 2 seconds after entering a real level. Runs great on one card though even at 2560x1600 and max.
> My advice is play the actual game. Not sure why you would spend more time getting it to work than just playing the game... unless I read that wrong.


Because it doesn't work with two cards, and its no point just having one card in the computer for the looks,lol








Besides, the 2 cards costs up here 1450 dollars, so i would like it to work


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Because it doesn't work with two cards, and its no point just having one card in the computer for the looks,lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Besides, the 2 cards costs up here 1450 dollars, so i would like it to work


Don't take this the wrong way, but you should be playing 3DMark11 if thats how you get "value" out of your *video game* cards.

Like I said, its a new game, and the drivers and CAP are potentially bugged. You want to keep troubleshooting something you may not be able to fix yet, and other users are having the same issue then knock yourself out.

I am beginning Episode IV, and based on how much I have enjoyed the game, I would say you are definitely not doing the funner of the two tasks. The game should run great for one of your cards.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Don't take this the wrong way, but you should be playing 3DMark11 if thats how you get "value" out of your *video game* cards.
> Like I said, its a new game, and the drivers and CAP are potentially bugged. You want to keep troubleshooting something you may not be able to fix yet, and other users are having the same issue then knock yourself out.
> I am beginning Episode IV, and based on how much I have enjoyed the game, I would say you are definitely not doing the funner of the two tasks. The game should run great for one of your cards.


Non-taken the wrong way









Its with all games you see mate, and every benchmark. I even can happen just writing here like now....


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Non-taken the wrong way
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its with all games you see mate, and every benchmark. I even can happen just writing here like now....


If it happens in multi-titles have you tried doing clean uninstall re-install? Through crashing as it were, I have gotten to the point where I corrupted the ATI driver in the past, leading me to think the card was at fault.

I have recently switched from my own personal method of uninstall, but ATIMAN Uninstaller works great.

I can play Alan Wake only one card, I see a few glitches in The Old Republic very briefly with CFX.

I am using 12.2 Pre-Release and CAP3.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> If it happens in multi-titles have you tried doing clean uninstall re-install? Through crashing as it were, I have gotten to the point where I corrupted the ATI driver in the past, leading me to think the card was at fault.
> I have recently switched from my own personal method of uninstall, but ATIMAN Uninstaller works great.
> I can play Alan Wake only one card, I see a few glitches in The Old Republic very briefly with CFX.
> I am using 12.2 Pre-Release and CAP3.


Yepp, tried about everything mate... To put things in perspective, this weekend this far...

3 x windows installs.
50-something restarts.
Over 20 hours testing.
Installed and reinstalled things over 50 times.

My whole weekend has been like this, and before that i also had other problems with my previous graphics card. But no mater what i can't find the problems... This includes trying different hardware also. (You can see my thead on this AMD/ATi part of the forum if your interested, i take all tips and tricks to hearth)


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Yepp, tried about everything mate... To put things in perspective, this weekend this far...
> 3 x windows installs.
> 50-something restarts.
> Over 20 hours testing.
> Installed and reinstalled things over 50 times.
> My whole weekend has been like this, and before that i also had other problems with my previous graphics card. But no mater what i can't find the problems... This includes trying different hardware also. (You can see my thead on this AMD/ATi part of the forum if your interested, i take all tips and tricks to hearth)


Well don't feel bad, this is the AMD lottery. Some people claim they never have any issues with AMD/ATI drivers, and some do.

I just fired up Crysis 2, everything was looking gorgeous, smooth and HD, then it just crashed on the load screen of level 1 (post Submarine.) Temps were 66/65c. Just got past that same part with one card.

My ACEEventLog is filled with AMD Driver errors. Anticipate we just need some driver maturity. The best medicine in this case is to test things out with one card for now, to ensure its the CrossfireX. If you get issues with one card (I have had zero issues using one GPU) then you know you have other issues.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For anybody that's been following my issues in here.....
> Turns out if I don't run Trixxx or Afterburner...I do NOT get the lock ups (leaving my 7970 at stock). So 110% vanilla...everything works fine. It's only overclocking that causes the lock ups for some reason at idle after too long.
> Now I'm confused.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> have you tried to disable graphics overdrive in ccc before oc'ing through trixx or afterburner?
Click to expand...

Haven't used CCC but once for overclocking. So yes, its been disabled this whole time. Any overclock at ALL causes my weird lock up at idle after my monitors are off for a while. I can use CCC, MSI AB, or Trixxx....they all cause this weird lock up. But if I leave everything bone stock, no MSI AB or Trixxx running....everything works fine.

What's really odd about it...is that my overclocks are stable, rock solid. Not a single artifact glitch...NOTHING while its overclocked. Just that really odd lock up after a while of idle.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...
> Testing Alan Wake
> *1:* With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
> *2:* With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
> *3:* With crossfire, don't work.
> *4:* With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.
> I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
> Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...
> 
> *Adding stuff nr1:* _Going in the registry again and changing the "enableulps" made me able to run both 3dmark and Alan Wake, however with Alan wake i got terrible fps..._
> *Adding stuff nr2:* _With ULPS gone i can also run benchmarks with both cards clocked... However Alan Wake crashed after 2 sek. When 3dmark works with crossfire and overclock it crashes if i just disable crossfire and run 3dmark. If i then put crossfire back on 3dmark runs fine again..._
> *Adding stuff nr3:* _Okay, this is what gets me...not the stuff that worked fine 5 min ago crash with the exact same settings... why ?_


_Added info up, can use crossfire if i take away "enableulps"_

Yes i'm quiting my self. I have a thread about this, but would like to try here also and update my status as i go along. If its annoying or something please let me know and i'll remove/stop it. Since there are insanely many people here its easier to get help and easier for others since i bet i'm not the only one having problems with this...


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Haven't used CCC but once for overclocking. So yes, its been disabled this whole time. Any overclock at ALL causes my weird lock up at idle after my monitors are off for a while. I can use CCC, MSI AB, or Trixxx....they all cause this weird lock up. But if I leave everything bone stock, no MSI AB or Trixxx running....everything works fine.
> What's really odd about it...is that my overclocks are stable, rock solid. Not a single artifact glitch...NOTHING while its overclocked. Just that really odd lock up after a while of idle.


A lot of users had issue with ULPS and the 69xx... perhaps so do we / issue transferred over. Crashing at desktop was THE symptom. Its a simple registry fix to disable I think....

*Looking for it now*


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Haven't used CCC but once for overclocking. So yes, its been disabled this whole time. Any overclock at ALL causes my weird lock up at idle after my monitors are off for a while. I can use CCC, MSI AB, or Trixxx....they all cause this weird lock up. But if I leave everything bone stock, no MSI AB or Trixxx running....everything works fine.
> What's really odd about it...is that my overclocks are stable, rock solid. Not a single artifact glitch...NOTHING while its overclocked. Just that really odd lock up after a while of idle.
> 
> 
> 
> A lot of users had issue with ULPS and the 69xx... perhaps so do we / issue transferred over. Crashing at desktop was THE symptom. Its a simple registry fix to disable I think....
> 
> *Looking for it now*
Click to expand...

Already done the registry fix. Also heard that it CAN'T be ULPS as I'm single card (not sure if that's correct or not though). Nothing has fixed it except not overclocking.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Already done the registry fix. Also heard that it CAN'T be ULPS as I'm single card (not sure if that's correct or not though). Nothing has fixed it except not overclocking.


I see it was a CrossfireX fix (link for others)

Perhaps some type of protection AMD added to recent drivers?

I am intimately familiar with what nVidia did to the 590 Drivers.

Catching the error code in the BSOD?


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Already done the registry fix. Also heard that it CAN'T be ULPS as I'm single card (not sure if that's correct or not though). Nothing has fixed it except not overclocking.


I am on my second 7970 card now, 1st was ASUS now MSI no issues. Can you RMA your card with Sapphire? I still remember my friend fighting his 5870 that we both though had a driver issue and was just a bad card. He wasted so much time on it.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> I am on my second 7970 card now, 1st was ASUS now MSI no issues. Can you RMA your card with Sapphire? I still remember my friend fighting his 5870 that we both though had a driver issue and was just a bad card. He wasted so much time on it.


Almost all the 5870s issues was the voltage switching from idle to non-idle. The GPU voltage would stay too low for the GPU frequency at the given power state of 2 (not idle but not 3D if I recall.) We were able to fix most of the cards by just changing a few XML files.

Could be related to us. Desktop crashing was very common then too. In fact desktop crashing and GSOD / artifacting were much more common than anything else than when being on the desktop, going to load a game, rather than sitting and playing one for hours.

I am installing 12.3RC as we speak.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I can't format Windows till my server is up and running. That's why I haven't done it yet. My entire server is backed up to my rig. I don't want to run ANY sort of risk of losing the data, so I'm leaving it be for now. I'm hopefully going to order a Celeron on Monday to finish off the server (I just hope that's enough).
> And yes, typically I really AM that broke, lol. Looking at my sig rig, you wouldn't think so. But this machine has been pieced together one part at a time over the last 2 years. The 30" monitor and 7970 were all at once...yes. But that was thanks to tax returns and my girlfriend.


Psh, my girlfriend won't buy anything for my computer or anything practical because they're "boring" gifts. *sigh*


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Psh, my girlfriend won't buy anything for my computer or anything practical because they're "boring" gifts. *sigh*


sounds like you need a new girlfriend.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> sounds like you need a new girlfriend.


3.5 years into the relationship:

"Honey, I think its time we break up."
"What? Why?"
"You don't buy me practical gifts and this guy on the forum said to."
"..."


----------



## firestorm1

just buy the stuff, then get her some flowers and tell her you love her. that usually works for me.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> just buy the stuff, then get her some flowers and tell her you love her. that usually works for me.


I meant as gifts, lol. I just buy the stuff myself, its my money, I'll do with it what I please


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Yepp, tried about everything mate... To put things in perspective, this weekend this far...
> 3 x windows installs.
> 50-something restarts.
> Over 20 hours testing.
> Installed and reinstalled things over 50 times.
> My whole weekend has been like this, and before that i also had other problems with my previous graphics card. But no mater what i can't find the problems... This includes trying different hardware also. (You can see my thead on this AMD/ATi part of the forum if your interested, i take all tips and tricks to hearth)


You probably won't like this reply, but here goes...

I bought 2 x Asus 6870 DCUII's and after about a full day of f#$%^&*k around with crossfire, that told me all that I needed to know, and why I'd read SO many posts over the years about the problems people have with more than one card. People told me there was that risk with 2 cards, and I was better spending the money on a single more powerful cards, but I was entranced by those crossfire benchmarks...

My personal opinion is that the basic architecture is flawed. Chips these days should have the capability to do on-the-fly adjustments and adaptations, if they were designed and engineered that way.

What I mean is that if (hypothetically) you started a new graphics card company now, and resources were irrelevant for the sake of this postulation, then you would want any card to be able to harness the power of any other card right? Maybe not across brands with different architectures for sure, but certainly within a family. So I can buy my new 7970, strap it to a 5770 and 6870, and they all word seemlessly without any additional drivers or software. Each card is designed to work with previous and future generations of technology from the ground up, so this is theoretically possible. Big breath...

But what we actually have is a cobbled-together legacy architecture that requires multiple sets of software and drivers continually updated just to try and leep up with new hardware and game development technologies. And it is ONE EPIC FAIL.

So I took out my 2nd expensive (then) 6870, and it's been gathering dust ever since.

My own observation is that the vast majority of people that have serious and ongoing issues, is with multiple-card and multiple-monitor setups.

As a comparison, in 1996 (I think), Canon decided to change, for the first time in it;s history, its basic lens mount. The foundation for the whole range of $100,000 + camera setups that pros all over the world use. But they knew that if they didn't make this leap, and re-engineer in one foul swoop the old system,then they couldn't take advantage of the new technologies that were coming with digital. This caused MAJOR issues and backlash worldwide in the entire photographic community. But no non will argue had they not taken that giant leap and risk, they would never have achieved the global domination and success they have today.

So my advice to you my friend is sell the second card, and console yourself (as I have done recently after some sage advice) that you a) have a card that 99% of the world cannot afford, and b) have the 2nd most powerful video graphics card in history. Overclocked, and always with the extra potential with water cooling, you have a beast of a system that will most likely max out every game for the next 2 or so years.

I don't mind if you disagree, or anyone else, these are just my own reflections. FWIW.

Get rid of crossfire, get rid of cap, and get rid of 99% of your problems, most likely. Read the 7770 thread - that is a great way to keep your (our) feet on the ground. So many people are so excited to get one of those cards, I guess as I was when I got my first 5770 after being purely being a console gamer. I had finally hit the big leagues yay! lol

Good luck and be happy soon ok!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Already done the registry fix. Also heard that it CAN'T be ULPS as I'm single card (not sure if that's correct or not though). Nothing has fixed it except not overclocking.
> 
> 
> 
> I am on my second 7970 card now, 1st was ASUS now MSI no issues. Can you RMA your card with Sapphire? I still remember my friend fighting his 5870 that we both though had a driver issue and was just a bad card. He wasted so much time on it.
Click to expand...

Why would the card be bad though? It works perfectly fine at stock, and it plays fine overclocked. It's just when I'm overclocked and the machine goes idle for like 2 hours is when it decides to lock up.

And no, there is no BSOD at all. It's just a flat out hard lock up. No BSOD at all...my machine just won't come back on, or it'll try to and the screen is frozen.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> You probably won't like this reply, but here goes...
> 
> I bought 2 x Asus 6870 DCUII's and after about a full day of f#$%^&*k around with crossfire, that told me all that I needed to know, and why I'd read SO many posts over the years about the problems people have with more than one card. People told me there was that risk with 2 cards, and I was better spending the money on a single more powerful cards, but I was entranced by those crossfire benchmarks...
> 
> My personal opinion is that the basic architecture is flawed. Chips these days should have the capability to do on-the-fly adjustments and adaptations, if they were designed and engineered that way.
> 
> What I mean is that if (hypothetically) you started a new graphics card company now, and resources were irrelevant for the sake of this postulation, then you would want any card to be able to harness the power of any other card right? Maybe not across brands with different architectures for sure, but certainly within a family. So I can buy my new 7970, strap it to a 5770 and 6870, and they all word seemlessly without any additional drivers or software. Each card is designed to work with previous and future generations of technology from the ground up, so this is theoretically possible. Big breath...
> 
> But what we actually have is a cobbled-together legacy architecture that requires multiple sets of software and drivers continually updated just to try and leep up with new hardware and game development technologies. And it is ONE EPIC FAIL.
> 
> So I took out my 2nd expensive (then) 6870, and it's been gathering dust ever since.
> 
> My own observation is that the vast majority of people that have serious and ongoing issues, is with multiple-card and multiple-monitor setups.
> 
> As a comparison, in 1996 (I think), Canon decided to change, for the first time in it;s history, its basic lens mount. The foundation for the whole range of $100,000 + camera setups that pros all over the world use. But they knew that if they didn't make this leap, and re-engineer in one foul swoop the old system,then they couldn't take advantage of the new technologies that were coming with digital. This caused MAJOR issues and backlash worldwide in the entire photographic community. But no non will argue had they not taken that giant leap and risk, they would never have achieved the global domination and success they have today.
> 
> So my advice to you my friend is sell the second card, and console yourself (as I have done recently after some sage advice) that you a) have a card that 99% of the world cannot afford, and b) have the 2nd most powerful video graphics card in history. Overclocked, and always with the extra potential with water cooling, you have a beast of a system that will most likely max out every game for the next 2 or so years.
> 
> I don't mind if you disagree, or anyone else, these are just my own reflections. FWIW.
> 
> Get rid of crossfire, get rid of cap, and get rid of 99% of your problems, most likely. Read the 7770 thread - that is a great way to keep your (our) feet on the ground. So many people are so excited to get one of those cards, I guess as I was when I got my first 5770 after being purely being a console gamer. I had finally hit the big leagues yay! lol
> 
> Good luck and be happy soon ok!


Wow, long post there









Ye, i kinda agree with you. However i'm also having problems with just one card, and my previous card. I've tried multiple stuff, and multiple hardware. Even sent back mobo and ram and still same problems... Strangest thing is that its so damn random. Like now 5 min ago things crashed that 10 min before that worked completely fine with the exact same settings....that just baffles me...

A good thing tho is that i always buy from the same shop, which has super service. I did a big big fault on my mates mobo, didn't put in the ram far enough, blew my ram sticks and his mobo, got everything covered







My point being that my secondary card is 7 days old, and i have 45 days "open buy" (means that if you are not happy, forwhatever reason i can send it back and get my money...)


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Why would the card be bad though? It works perfectly fine at stock, and it plays fine overclocked. It's just when I'm overclocked and the machine goes idle for like 2 hours is when it decides to lock up.
> And no, there is no BSOD at all. It's just a flat out hard lock up. No BSOD at all...my machine just won't come back on, or it'll try to and the screen is frozen.


It sounds to me it's faulty somewhere. If everything works as planned except in idle, I'd return/replace and try your luck again.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Why would the card be bad though? It works perfectly fine at stock, and it plays fine overclocked. It's just when I'm overclocked and the machine goes idle for like 2 hours is when it decides to lock up.
> And no, there is no BSOD at all. It's just a flat out hard lock up. No BSOD at all...my machine just won't come back on, or it'll try to and the screen is frozen.
> 
> 
> 
> It sounds to me it's faulty somewhere. If everything works as planned except in idle, I'd return/replace and try your luck again.
Click to expand...

But it works exactly as its supposed to without any overclocking done.


----------



## vedaire

might have one of them cards that just doesn't overclock i've seen that before/


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> might have one of them cards that just doesn't overclock i've seen that before/


But it overclocks fine, and runs for hours and hours and hours stable in gaming / benching. It's only at idle after the monitors have shut off that I have the problem.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> But it overclocks fine, and runs for hours and hours and hours stable in gaming / benching. It's only at idle after the monitors have shut off that I have the problem.


How about just not letting the computer idle, and not let the monitors got off ? Just put everything on "never" on standby stuff ?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by Ottesen
> 
> I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...
> Testing Alan Wake
> 1: With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
> 2: With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
> 3: With crossfire, don't work.
> 4: With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.
> I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
> Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...
> 
> Adding stuff nr1: Going in the registry again and changing the "enableulps" made me able to run both 3dmark and Alan Wake, however with Alan wake i got terrible fps...
> Adding stuff nr2: With ULPS gone i can also run benchmarks with both cards clocked... However Alan Wake crashed after 2 sek. When 3dmark works with crossfire and overclock it crashes if i just disable crossfire and run 3dmark. If i then put crossfire back on 3dmark runs fine again...
> Adding stuff nr3: Okay, this is what gets me...not the stuff that worked fine 5 min ago crash with the exact same settings... why ?


Think i got it, but scared of being positive. So ones again i removed all drivers and programs affecting graphics cards. AND i removed my anti virus program. Installed ccc again and only that. I just tested Alan Wake,Bf3,Swtor,Skyrim, 3dmark vantage and 3dmark 11... no crash of freeze. Tried them with and with out crossfire, no problems. Also did a restart which has been the scariest thing ever and tried every game again, no problems









So it COULD just be that my Avast antivirus made problems.... a bit to big of a coincidence that it works now. I noticed that Alan Wake don't like crossfire and that BF3 needs me to alt-tab to windows to get the primary 7950 started...lol, its always done that tho. So now is the real test, installing CAP and trixx/afterburner...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> But it overclocks fine, and runs for hours and hours and hours stable in gaming / benching. It's only at idle after the monitors have shut off that I have the problem.


Now you have the excuse you need to just keep on gaming ridiculously ))


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by Ottesen
> I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...
> Testing Alan Wake
> 1: With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
> 2: With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
> 3: With crossfire, don't work.
> 4: With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.
> I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
> Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...
> Adding stuff nr1: Going in the registry again and changing the "enableulps" made me able to run both 3dmark and Alan Wake, however with Alan wake i got terrible fps...
> Adding stuff nr2: With ULPS gone i can also run benchmarks with both cards clocked... However Alan Wake crashed after 2 sek. When 3dmark works with crossfire and overclock it crashes if i just disable crossfire and run 3dmark. If i then put crossfire back on 3dmark runs fine again...
> Adding stuff nr3: Okay, this is what gets me...not the stuff that worked fine 5 min ago crash with the exact same settings... why ?
> 
> 
> 
> Think i got it, but scared of being positive. So ones again i removed all drivers and programs affecting graphics cards. AND i removed my anti virus program. Installed ccc again and only that. I just tested Alan Wake,Bf3,Swtor,Skyrim, 3dmark vantage and 3dmark 11... no crash of freeze. Tried them with and with out crossfire, no problems. Also did a restart which has been the scariest thing ever and tried every game again, no problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it COULD just be that my Avast antivirus made problems.... a bit to big of a coincidence that it works now. I noticed that Alan Wake don't like crossfire and that BF3 needs me to alt-tab to windows to get the primary 7950 started...lol, its always done that tho. So now is the real test, installing CAP and trixx/afterburner...
Click to expand...

I use Avast...


----------



## firestorm1

does anyone know the thickness of the thermal pads on the memory and vrms for the 7970? i am changing the thermal paste and want to put different pads on it as well. i figure anything would be better than what comes on it.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> I use Avast...


Probably not for long ! lol.... i may just be wrong tho, trying CAP as we speak and after that overclocking and trixx/afterburner... But anyway it seems to work with stock cards, and i have 80-100+ fps in bf3 with all on max + doing stuff in the background


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> How about just not letting the computer idle, and not let the monitors got off ? Just put everything on "never" on standby stuff ?


i had same problem with gtx 580 3gb but that was faulty card...when it goes into sleep mode it wont wake up....


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by Ottesen
> I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...
> Testing Alan Wake
> 1: With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
> 2: With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
> 3: With crossfire, don't work.
> 4: With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.
> I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
> Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...
> Adding stuff nr1: Going in the registry again and changing the "enableulps" made me able to run both 3dmark and Alan Wake, however with Alan wake i got terrible fps...
> Adding stuff nr2: With ULPS gone i can also run benchmarks with both cards clocked... However Alan Wake crashed after 2 sek. When 3dmark works with crossfire and overclock it crashes if i just disable crossfire and run 3dmark. If i then put crossfire back on 3dmark runs fine again...
> Adding stuff nr3: Okay, this is what gets me...not the stuff that worked fine 5 min ago crash with the exact same settings... why ?
> 
> 
> 
> Think i got it, but scared of being positive. So ones again i removed all drivers and programs affecting graphics cards. AND i removed my anti virus program. Installed ccc again and only that. I just tested Alan Wake,Bf3,Swtor,Skyrim, 3dmark vantage and 3dmark 11... no crash of freeze. Tried them with and with out crossfire, no problems. Also did a restart which has been the scariest thing ever and tried every game again, no problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it COULD just be that my Avast antivirus made problems.... a bit to big of a coincidence that it works now. I noticed that Alan Wake don't like crossfire and that BF3 needs me to alt-tab to windows to get the primary 7950 started...lol, its always done that tho. So now is the real test, installing CAP and trixx/afterburner...
Click to expand...

*Further testing:* With CAP (12.1 CAP 3) everything still works, except Alan Wake with crossfire, hard crashes after 2 sek, but it worked fine with just disabling crossfire.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> i had same problem with gtx 580 3gb but that was faulty card...when it goes into sleep mode it wont wake up....


That is actually one of the reasons i like to have my computer on 24/7 and don't have stuff like hibernate and sleep on, only had problems with stuff like that... (could have something do to overclock and stuff tho







)


----------



## pioneerisloud

I don't have sleep or hibernate on. All its supposed to be doing is a screensaver after 15 minutes, then my monitors shut off after 30 minutes. That's supposed to be the only power saving features, and I only use those because I don't like my monitors being on 24/7.

I can try an RMA I suppose, but I have no idea if Sapphire will even take my card, since I'm technically the 2nd owner of it (first owner only had it for a few days).


----------



## firestorm1

i think sapphire does their warranty by serial #.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> does anyone know the thickness of the thermal pads on the memory and vrms for the 7970? i am changing the thermal paste and want to put different pads on it as well. i figure anything would be better than what comes on it.


the stock pad on my asus .. where really thin ... and I felt on air at stock clocks ... I was cooler than when I put the thicker (sorry don't know how thick) pads that came with my EK block ... air stock was 30ishc .... block stock 37/38c ... maybe I need to reset the block ... but I'm in a rather cool climate... so was thinking maybe pads ... or a bad set...

Edit: when I say think almost transparent... vs the thick EK ones


----------



## Tom Ketchum

three sapp ref 7970s

look in ati/amd drivers, i am having problems with the cards in crossfire.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Probably not for long ! lol.... i may just be wrong tho, trying CAP as we speak and after that overclocking and trixx/afterburner... But anyway it seems to work with stock cards, and i have 80-100+ fps in bf3 with all on max + doing stuff in the background


I love Avast, best I've used so far...

OT: 7970


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> the stock pad on my asus .. where really thin ... and I felt on air at stock clocks ... I was cooler than when I put the thicker (sorry don't know how thick) pads that came with my EK block ... air stock was 30ishc .... block stock 37/38c ... maybe I need to reset the block ... but I'm in a rather cool climate... so was thinking maybe pads ... or a bad set...
> Edit: when I say think almost transparent... vs the thick EK ones


a reseat couldnt hurt. which revision of the ek waterblock are you using? i know the first ones that came out needed a a copper plate thingy to go in between the block and the gpu due to clearence issues. the second revision of the block has been milled to the proper clearence for the gpu.


----------



## johnnyw

I really start to miss my nvidia now









Forcing memory clock to stock 1250Mhz all the time with CCC profile makes the 120hz monitor work withouit clitches all the time if i use it at stock 900/1250. But problem now is that if i overclock even 1mhz powerplay goes nuts again and clocks/voltages starts to seil all over the place at dekstop/browser = flickering starts again till i reload the "120hz profile".

Peoples who are making these drivers for AMD should be fired. This is so big flaw and they still havetn fixed in any of these drivers that are released to 7900 series.


----------



## firestorm1

use msi afterburner and disable powerplay. my 7970 runs about as good as its going to on stock cooling.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by Ottesen
> I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...
> Testing Alan Wake
> 1: With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
> 2: With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
> 3: With crossfire, don't work.
> 4: With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.
> I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
> Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...
> Adding stuff nr1: Going in the registry again and changing the "enableulps" made me able to run both 3dmark and Alan Wake, however with Alan wake i got terrible fps...
> Adding stuff nr2: With ULPS gone i can also run benchmarks with both cards clocked... However Alan Wake crashed after 2 sek. When 3dmark works with crossfire and overclock it crashes if i just disable crossfire and run 3dmark. If i then put crossfire back on 3dmark runs fine again...
> Adding stuff nr3: Okay, this is what gets me...not the stuff that worked fine 5 min ago crash with the exact same settings... why ?
> 
> 
> 
> Think i got it, but scared of being positive. So ones again i removed all drivers and programs affecting graphics cards. AND i removed my anti virus program. Installed ccc again and only that. I just tested Alan Wake,Bf3,Swtor,Skyrim, 3dmark vantage and 3dmark 11... no crash of freeze. Tried them with and with out crossfire, no problems. Also did a restart which has been the scariest thing ever and tried every game again, no problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it COULD just be that my Avast antivirus made problems.... a bit to big of a coincidence that it works now. I noticed that Alan Wake don't like crossfire and that BF3 needs me to alt-tab to windows to get the primary 7950 started...lol, its always done that tho. So now is the real test, installing CAP and trixx/afterburner...
Click to expand...

*Further testing:* With CAP (12.1 CAP 3) everything still works, except Alan Wake with crossfire, hard crashes after 2 sek, but it worked fine with just disabling crossfire.

*More testing:* I can't overclock, with or without doing the "enableulps" thing i registry. It just freezes... Its a bit sad tho, since i can get much more performance but now it at least seems like it works. Also using afterburner to sett the fan profile and to watch over numbers. Could be that i should install the Atiman patch to get the overclocking to work...we'll see...


----------



## TheJesus

My turn to complain!

Installed my 7950 with a fresh Win 7 install. Installed 12.2 pre-cert drivers. Catalyst Control Center hard locks my computer on a black screen when I try to open it...


----------



## firestorm1

use the drivers that came with your video card or wait until amd releases official drivers for the 7900 series.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> use the drivers that came with your video card or wait until amd releases official drivers for the 7k series.


Well, funny story... I don't have a cd drive because I don't use one ever... I'm going to see if I can play a game or if it explodes, lol.


----------



## firestorm1

if that dont work, try this. its the driver that came with our cards.
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


----------



## firestorm1

oops. double post.


----------



## chillgreg

Update:

*Dirt 2* (haven't got 3 yet):

All I can say is WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!!! When you work my 7970 baby you bloody rock!!! 1125/1575/1.1. 60fps SOLID. Everything DX11 MAX. 8 cars on screen, GPU using 58% max!!! I forgot what a great game this is, and with the ultra smooth graphics rendered at 1080p, native DX11 and my wireless 360 controller, it makes my poor old Xbox 360 cringe in the corner lol.

Just sharing some good news, we need some more round here right.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> if that dont work, try this. its the driver that came with our cards.
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


I'll try it after one of these games downloads. Thanks


----------



## firestorm1

your welcome.


----------



## omega17

So have we narrowed the Alan Wake problems down to CAP3 with CF enabled then?

I've been playing it some more, with *CAP3 uninstalled, crossfire enabled*, and it plays just fine. I see on other forums that people are experiencing negative scaling without the CAP3s, but I'm not getting that.

Other settings are

MSI AB and CCC, 1075/1525, no voltage adjustment, 17% uber Power thingy. Custom fan curve.


----------



## chillgreg

This thread is BORING. No benches, games, just problems. Where's the balance? Surely some people must be having fun and wanna share?


----------



## Focus182

@Chillgreg - I was about to say i am having no problems what so ever and was going to put up a Just cause 2 bench for you.

Its ironic that just now the game started to hang every time i launch it.


----------



## NeoandGeo

12.2 Preview drivers 7970 @ 1150/1575

I never benched this game with my previous GTX 570, but can tell you that I would dip to the 40's occasionally when there was a lot of grass around.



1080p all settings maxed w/ 8xMSAA


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> 12.2 Preview drivers 7970 @ 1150/1575
> I never benched this game with my previous GTX 570, but can tell you that I would dip to the 40's occasionally when there was a lot of grass around.p all settings maxed w/ 8xMSAA


Nice!


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> This thread is BORING. No benches, games, just problems. Where's the balance? Surely some people must be having fun and wanna share?


Well if AMD would provide fully working drivers im sure there would be benches and stuff . Sadly thats not the case atm as every single drivers set they have released for these have been ridicilously buggy.


----------



## Ken1649

Have been reading complains about drivers to specific games, but has anyone tested the new features included in Catalyst or create your own profile?

*AMD Mode for 3D Applications*.

Under the drop down list:


*Disabled*. This option turns off CrossFireX multi-GPU acceleration.
*Default.* Uses whatever the global system default option is, or whatever AMD has configured, if the game already has a profile in the CAP package.
*AFR Friendly*, which is for games which generally work well with Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR).
*Optimize 1x1*. This is another AFR option, but with optimizations for 1x1 surfaces. The idea is, if *AFR Friendly* has problems, *Optimize 1x1* is another option to try.
*Use AMD Pre-Defined Profile* allows us to select the CrossFireX configuration of another game and apply it to the one for which we are making a profile.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> does anyone know the thickness of the thermal pads on the memory and vrms for the 7970? i am changing the thermal paste and want to put different pads on it as well. i figure anything would be better than what comes on it.


I just put a EK block on my 7970 and the pads for the memory that came for the block were .5mm thick and so were the pads for the vrm. There's 1 spot that needs a pad that's 1mm thick near the Crossfire connection.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> So have we narrowed the Alan Wake problems down to CAP3 with CF enabled then?
> I've been playing it some more, with *CAP3 uninstalled, crossfire enabled*, and it plays just fine. I see on other forums that people are experiencing negative scaling without the CAP3s, but I'm not getting that.
> Other settings are
> MSI AB and CCC, 1075/1525, no voltage adjustment, 17% uber Power thingy. Custom fan curve.


Alan Wake problems here, crossfire yes. (Rest problems due to overclock and virus scan)


----------



## Ken1649

Select *AFR Friendly* or *Optimize 1x1*.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> But it works exactly as its supposed to without any overclocking done.


Well, if you can return it, I would so you don't have to put up with your issue. It looks like it has a problem, regardless of overclocking or not. All cards should overclock a little without issue on the contrary, it does run as advertised so it's up to you to decide.

In my opinion -- most cards can hit a certain clock nearly 100% guaranteed. You cannot, therefore to me, it's a faulty card and I'd get it replaced. Your only last option is to make sure it's done on a fresh installation with AMD's official driver and try from there.

Once you do that and it's still not working as you expect it to, return it


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> This thread is BORING. No benches, games, just problems. Where's the balance? Surely some people must be having fun and wanna share?


I have NO ISSUES AT ALL. I'm having tons of fun with my new 7970 and being watercooled. Every game rocks nicely now. I haven't played Dirt 3 because it had issues with my 3 480's with major dips. Now everything runs so smooth and I'm playing that game finally. The 7970 handles it with ease and runs Eyefinity perfectly. I just installed Crysis 2 again after my OS install on my new Vertex 3 raid 0, I maxed everything out completely in the game, DX11, Ultra settings, High res texture pack, MAXED in eyefinity running 5892x1080p and it runs it. It's around 30-35fps, but it's very smooth and playable. I may not play online with those settings but I could if I wanted to. MW3 I'm liking quit a bit now on this card too. No laggy stutters anymore. Just works perfect with maxed settings in eyefinity.

Now Skyrim is the only one I can't play yet as I'm waiting on a menu fix for the latest patch. I can move around and play the game as long as you don't need to access the menu, but you need the menu so I'm holding off for a second.

You guys gave me the tip on how to get the Unofficial Overclocking in MSI Afterburner and now I'm running 1200/1600 and couldn't be happier. This card rocks!! I'm having fun with my 7970 and have no issues. So I'll try to start the Balance.

For the other's that installed a EK block. Hope you seen that there was film on both sides of the Thermal pads that needed to be removed. I don't see how your temps could be so high unless you have a small water system. My card running Eyefinity was running 50-55c idle and 75-80c load. Now with my EK block, 27-30 idle and 42-44c Max load and my place is 75f inside. When I'm gaming it's usually around 33-36c.

Hope others start having fun instead of bunch of issues. I have a 2nd card on order but think I should just cancel it as the problems I hear. I don't want to introduce any micro stutter like I had with my 3 480's.

Here's some of the fun
AvP benchmark in Eyefinity 5892x1080p 57.2 Avg fps.


----------



## tifone7

Hi guys.
First of all, i'm happy to be here with you in this community.Sorry, for my english, i'm italian.
I've read previous pages but i don't understand some things.
I've a hd7950 and i've flashed a 7970 xfx oc bios inside it.
Everything works perfectly and i can overclock via ccc (max 1125/1575). But when i try to push higher with AB or Trixx the program says AMD ULPS should be disable to use overclock. I try to disable with an exe that i've found on the net but it doesn't disable.
With previous bios (originale one) i didn't have this issue...
Can someone explain me more?
Thanks.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tifone7*
> 
> Hi guys.
> First of all, i'm happy to be here with you in this community.Sorry, for my english, i'm italian.
> I've read previous pages but i don't understand some things.
> I've a hd7950 and i've flashed a 7970 xfx oc bios inside it.
> Everything works perfectly and i can overclock via ccc (max 1125/1575). But when i try to push higher with AB or Trixx the program says AMD ULPS should be disable to use overclock. I try to disable with an exe that i've found on the net but it doesn't disable.
> With previous bios (originale one) i didn't have this issue...
> Can someone explain me more?
> Thanks.


Guess what you are seing is to "enable unofficial overclocking".

HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner

Exit Afterburner prior to editing the .cfg file.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tifone7*
> 
> Hi guys.
> First of all, i'm happy to be here with you in this community.Sorry, for my english, i'm italian.
> I've read previous pages but i don't understand some things.
> I've a hd7950 and i've flashed a 7970 xfx oc bios inside it.
> Everything works perfectly and i can overclock via ccc (max 1125/1575). But when i try to push higher with AB or Trixx the program says AMD ULPS should be disable to use overclock. I try to disable with an exe that i've found on the net but it doesn't disable.
> With previous bios (originale one) i didn't have this issue...
> Can someone explain me more?
> Thanks.


You've only stated that you have 1 7950.. You shouldn't need to disable that until you have multiple cards.


----------



## NorxMAL

Okay, I used atiman to uninstall the previous driver. Then battlefield 3 wouldn't start.

I then used atiman in normal mode automatic, rebooted into safe mode and ran driver sweeper then ccleaner.

Still battlefield 3 won't start and the eyefinity setup in CCC won't work as well. Other games starts just fine.

What could it be?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Okay, I used atiman to uninstall the previous driver. Then battlefield 3 wouldn't start.
> I then used atiman in normal mode automatic, rebooted into safe mode and ran driver sweeper then ccleaner.
> Still battlefield 3 won't start and the eyefinity setup in CCC won't work as well. Other games starts just fine.
> What could it be?


Did you re install the drivers?


----------



## Ken1649

I guess not lol


----------



## vedaire

well i dont think i like these new drivers. never had an issue with my 7970 at all until now and the only issue I have now is even at stock speeds I get tons of sceen tears and artifacts in cs.


----------



## Hambone07si

I just installed the new driver also and my fps are dropping a little bit in Dirt 3, Crysis 2 and Vantage dropped a couple hundred points. Going to test MW3 for a few min now.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Did you re install the drivers?


LOL, of course I did


----------



## Aventadoor

I dont know why, but it feels like my FPS is more stable with the earlier driver.
It also seems like it had a tad higher MINfps, cause now my FPS is everywhere from 50-150








(CrossfireX 7970)


----------



## pioneerisloud

I have now narrowed down my problem further.

I was running a screensaver after 15 minutes on both screens using UltraMon. And then my monitors shut off after 30 minutes. After a few hours, it would hard lock on me, usually upon wake up.

I disabled my screensaver last night, and now it only shuts off the monitors. No problems at alll waking it up this morning. This is with MSI AB running with the 2D / 3D profiles for stock / overclocked.

So it seems my issue lies with the overclocking software and my UltraMon screensaver (windows bubbles, but on both screens).


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have now narrowed down my problem further.
> I was running a screensaver after 15 minutes on both screens using UltraMon. And then my monitors shut off after 30 minutes. After a few hours, it would hard lock on me, usually upon wake up.
> I disabled my screensaver last night, and now it only shuts off the monitors. No problems at alll waking it up this morning. This is with MSI AB running with the 2D / 3D profiles for stock / overclocked.
> So it seems my issue lies with the overclocking software and my UltraMon screensaver (windows bubbles, but on both screens).


----------



## pioneerisloud

I shouldn't be having a problem with a Windows screensaver though.


----------



## Balsagna

Well, first of all

I have never ever EVER had good success with waking up a computer, screen savers bla bla out side of Windows XP. Vista was junk, Windows 7 is junkier from my experience. Why is this? I have no idea, but that's what has always happened for me.

What I would do is make sure all your components are always getting the right amount of power. Don't let your monitor power itself down, just shut the monitor off yourself at night manually and then in the morning, turn it on and see if anything has changed.

Something is funky with the power features on your computer somewhere. Might be the card, might be something else. I would uninstall and delete any non ATI overclocking tools right now, in fact, there is no use for them unless you're overclocking past what your stock voltage can handle. I've had more issues getting stable with AB or Trixx then just using CCC. The only thing CCC really needs is voltage control (unless it has this and I missed it)

You need to start from scratch, uninstall everything you have related to that GPU, get enough juice to all your components including your monitor and try from there. The goal is to eliminate everything that could and would affect your GPU.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Well, first of all
> 
> I have never ever EVER had good success with waking up a computer, screen savers bla bla out side of Windows XP. Vista was junk, Windows 7 is junkier from my experience. Why is this? I have no idea, but that's what has always happened for me.
> 
> What I would do is make sure all your components are always getting the right amount of power. Don't let your monitor power itself down, just shut the monitor off yourself at night manually and then in the morning, turn it on and see if anything has changed.
> 
> Something is funky with the power features on your computer somewhere. Might be the card, might be something else. I would uninstall and delete any non ATI overclocking tools right now, in fact, there is no use for them unless you're overclocking past what your stock voltage can handle. I've had more issues getting stable with AB or Trixx then just using CCC. The only thing CCC really needs is voltage control (unless it has this and I missed it)
> 
> You need to start from scratch, uninstall everything you have related to that GPU, get enough juice to all your components including your monitor and try from there. The goal is to eliminate everything that could and would affect your GPU.


I have done this already. Even just using CCC to overclock, I hard lock upon wake up. With everything bone stock, its fine. If I disable my screensaver, its fine to use MSI AB (haven't tried CCC or Trixxx, as I just learned this last night).

I know, KNOW without a doubt it has something to do with the GPU. As I never ONCE had a problem with any of my Nvidia cards, doing anything at all. I ran everything from 580 SLI to a single GT240, to even 8800GT's in SLI with the GT240 as PhysX. Never once had a problem with anything at all while those cards were in there. Everything just worked as it should.

Swap to this 7970....bam, hard lock ups when trying to wake up.







And yes, I did thoroughly clean all my drivers and crap out of it before swapping. We went over this a few hundred posts ago.









So it seems I just have to live without a screensaver. I can live with that, so long as my monitors can still power off on their own.


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have done this already. Even just using CCC to overclock, I hard lock upon wake up. With everything bone stock, its fine. If I disable my screensaver, its fine to use MSI AB (haven't tried CCC or Trixxx, as I just learned this last night).
> I know, KNOW without a doubt it has something to do with the GPU. As I never ONCE had a problem with any of my Nvidia cards, doing anything at all. I ran everything from 580 SLI to a single GT240, to even 8800GT's in SLI with the GT240 as PhysX. Never once had a problem with anything at all while those cards were in there. Everything just worked as it should.
> Swap to this 7970....bam, hard lock ups when trying to wake up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And yes, I did thoroughly clean all my drivers and crap out of it before swapping. We went over this a few hundred posts ago.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it seems I just have to live without a screensaver. I can live with that, so long as my monitors can still power off on their own.


Like I said, I've never had good success with anything waking up involving windows regardless of the hardware. I believe my GTX 580 had this issue and the same on my 5870 before it.

I just manually shut off the monitor when I go to sleep, piece of cake.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have done this already. Even just using CCC to overclock, I hard lock upon wake up. With everything bone stock, its fine. If I disable my screensaver, its fine to use MSI AB (haven't tried CCC or Trixxx, as I just learned this last night).
> I know, KNOW without a doubt it has something to do with the GPU. As I never ONCE had a problem with any of my Nvidia cards, doing anything at all. I ran everything from 580 SLI to a single GT240, to even 8800GT's in SLI with the GT240 as PhysX. Never once had a problem with anything at all while those cards were in there. Everything just worked as it should.
> Swap to this 7970....bam, hard lock ups when trying to wake up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And yes, I did thoroughly clean all my drivers and crap out of it before swapping. We went over this a few hundred posts ago.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it seems I just have to live without a screensaver. I can live with that, so long as my monitors can still power off on their own.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Like I said, I've never had good success with anything waking up involving windows regardless of the hardware. I believe my GTX 580 had this issue and the same on my 5870 before it.
> 
> I just manually shut off the monitor when I go to sleep, piece of cake.
Click to expand...

Yeah and see I have NEVER had a single problem using the Windows power features before. So we're exactly backwards. I enjoy my machine saving power for me automatically on its own.


----------



## mydknyght

is there any way to remove coil whine squealing from my hd 7970 ... im using stock clock no overclock at all caus ei dont really need it for play rift and swtor ...


----------



## Janaap

Well, this is weird: On my 7970 I have a very smooth performance and gameplay with settings at High in BF3. OC with MSAB to 1150/6000 at 1,2v. No probs at all, but as soon as I enable Ultra, which is the main reason why I bought this 7970, I have a crash after 10-15 mins. Temps never exceed 80c with my custom fan profile, but it just hard reboots my system. Whats the difference between Ultra and High for this card to render and then crash?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yeah and see I have NEVER had a single problem using the Windows power features before. So we're exactly backwards. I enjoy my machine saving power for me automatically on its own.


Its AMD's driver issue. It happens, I am sure it will be fixed.

Might I also suggest (just a suggestion) you disabling the 2nd monitor for now and testing out the screen saver? I have a feeling it might be the combo of all 3.

AMD Driver + Screen Saver + Two Monitors. I anticipate its not setting itself to the proper clock rate due to being "idle."
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Well, this is weird: On my 7970 I have a very smooth performance and gameplay with settings at High in BF3. OC with MSAB to 1150/6000 at 1,2v. No probs at all, but as soon as I enable Ultra, which is the main reason why I bought this 7970, I have a crash after 10-15 mins. Temps never exceed 80c with my custom fan profile, but it just hard reboots my system. Whats the difference between Ultra and High for this card to render and then crash?


A lot of extra code is ran. Stuff like ambient occlusion on full and such. It could also be that your memory is unstable, all these extra light and shadow maps get stored in memory as well. So the VRAM gets a more thorough work out, not to mention the higher definition textures gobbling up more RAM. Don't forget we have ECC GDDR5. It may not show up as an error/crash with an overclock until it just gets to the point where it can't repair the bad memory data and then take down the whole system etc. I honestly don't see much point of overclocking memory, its not even close to being the bottleneck on modern GPUs.


----------



## Janaap

I suspected that memory might be an issue indeed, so I also ran the OC with only the core at 1125 and mem at 1375 stock. Powerthingy on +20% and voltage at stock too. Bam... crash at ultra. This happens with both Trixx and AB, with CCC I have no issues, but can not overvolt there, so I want AB for that oc above 1125. 3DM11 ran fine, other games ran fine, only BF3 crashes at ultra. Am I convicted to the CCC limits of voltage and therefore no higher core than 1125?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yeah and see I have NEVER had a single problem using the Windows power features before. So we're exactly backwards. I enjoy my machine saving power for me automatically on its own.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its AMD's driver issue. It happens, I am sure it will be fixed.
> 
> *Might I also suggest (just a suggestion) you disabling the 2nd monitor for now and testing out the screen saver? I have a feeling it might be the combo of all 3.*
> 
> AMD Driver + Screen Saver + Two Monitors. I anticipate its not setting itself to the proper clock rate due to being "idle."
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Well, this is weird: On my 7970 I have a very smooth performance and gameplay with settings at High in BF3. OC with MSAB to 1150/6000 at 1,2v. No probs at all, but as soon as I enable Ultra, which is the main reason why I bought this 7970, I have a crash after 10-15 mins. Temps never exceed 80c with my custom fan profile, but it just hard reboots my system. Whats the difference between Ultra and High for this card to render and then crash?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> A lot of extra code is ran. Stuff like ambient occlusion on full and such. It could also be that your memory is unstable, all these extra light and shadow maps get stored in memory as well. So the VRAM gets a more thorough work out, not to mention the higher definition textures gobbling up more RAM. Don't forget we have ECC GDDR5. It may not show up as an error/crash with an overclock until it just gets to the point where it can't repair the bad memory data and then take down the whole system etc. I honestly don't see much point of overclocking memory, its not even close to being the bottleneck on modern GPUs.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling it COULD easily be a combination of all 3 as well. I can't be bothered to disable my second screen for a day honestly. I do a LOT of stuff on my machine, and its honestly a HUGE hassle having to move everything back around when I screw with the screens being on and off.

I've figured out that disabling my screensaver fixes the issue. That's fine enough by me, because at least I can still have my monitors power down.







That's my overall goal, I could care less about the screensaver, that's just there to look pretty until my screens shut off.


----------



## omega17

If you do _that_ much stuff, there won't be much time when you can sit and watch the screensaver being pretty anyway
















I've got power sleepy problems with mine too now I think about it; it keeps reverting to S1 sleep instead of S3 no matter what I set it to do, and it fails to wake from it.

I had to google deep and far to find a combo of "dumppo" and "nircmd" (yeah...) to force S3 sleep and set it to standby using a macro / batch file combo on my G510 keyboard. 'Sleep' is set to a G button that has to do a few different things to force it to sleep in a sleepy state that I am confident it will wake up from


----------



## bhardy1185

Is there still people having problems with BF3? I have been playing it lately and really haven't seen anything really to complain about. Can someone post what they get FPS wise so I can compare with my results. Also let me know what settings you are playing on as well. Thanks.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> Is there still people having problems with BF3? I have been playing it lately and really haven't seen anything really to complain about. Can someone post what they get FPS wise so I can compare with my results. Also let me know what settings you are playing on as well. Thanks.


7950 here. I'm OC'ed at 1200/1600 at 1.2v playing at 900p, everything on Max/Ultra except I have 4xMSAA turned Off. Just finished the campaign and I average about 75-85fps, and in multiplayer I average about 60-85fps.

Random question here as well guys. I have the OC in Afterburner of course. I haven't touched CCC. I realized that Overdrive was turned on in CCC, and I disabled it thinking it would interfere with AB. Probably should have read up on it first, but when I disabled it, the AMD driver was constantly just going not responding and then failing/recovering. Of course I reenabled it and everything is back to normal, but can anyone explain why this happens?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> This thread is BORING. No benches, games, just problems. Where's the balance? Surely some people must be having fun and wanna share?


My benches with 2x7950 and 2500k


----------



## pioneerisloud

So is P93xx about right for my sig rig? 1150 core, 1600 memory, and my 2500k is at 4.95 with my RAM at 2200.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> This thread is BORING. No benches, games, just problems. Where's the balance? Surely some people must be having fun and wanna share?


I've had nothing but greatness from my first XFX 7970 and now two of them in crossfire!







Hell I just re-installed SKYRIM with the HD textures and don't even have crossfire issues in that game! OF ALL GAMES... no xfire issues in SKYRIM? YES... Bf3 plays an with an average of over 120fps maxed out, (oc'd ofcourse).. The Darkness II plays flawlessly, same for Kingdoms of Amalur, League of Legends, and the mass effect 3 demo was a joke... even in Eyefinity it would never come off the 60fps cap









I've had nothing but a fantastic experience... and this is all on the beta drivers as well. I refuse to switch until necessary









Hell when I got my second card all I did was pop it in, plug up the crossfire bridge, and enable xfire... didn't have to re-install ANYTHING and it's been perfect ever since. I hate seeing others with so many issues but there's always too many variables. So HERE is a testament of how good things CAN be lol


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> Okay, I used atiman to uninstall the previous driver. Then battlefield 3 wouldn't start.
> I then used atiman in normal mode automatic, rebooted into safe mode and ran driver sweeper then ccleaner.
> Still battlefield 3 won't start and the eyefinity setup in CCC won't work as well. Other games starts just fine.
> What could it be?


Bf3 just seems really bugged for me, i need to often start the game ones or twice before playing, and to get crossfire i need to alt-tab out to windows...lol
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I have now narrowed down my problem further.
> I was running a screensaver after 15 minutes on both screens using UltraMon. And then my monitors shut off after 30 minutes. After a few hours, it would hard lock on me, usually upon wake up.
> I disabled my screensaver last night, and now it only shuts off the monitors. No problems at alll waking it up this morning. This is with MSI AB running with the 2D / 3D profiles for stock / overclocked.
> So it seems my issue lies with the overclocking software and my UltraMon screensaver (windows bubbles, but on both screens).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I shouldn't be having a problem with a Windows screensaver though.


Didn't i say i didn't like the stuff like that ?







lol You shouldn't have a problem, but i shouldn't have a problem with my cards and my virus scan either...but it seems that way. Pretty strange stuff tho...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> Is there still people having problems with BF3? I have been playing it lately and really haven't seen anything really to complain about. Can someone post what they get FPS wise so I can compare with my results. Also let me know what settings you are playing on as well. Thanks.


I get normally 95-110fps...some drops down to 70 on occasions .... everything on max. (Ultra or what its called)


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> 7950 here. I'm OC'ed at 1200/1600 at 1.2v playing at 900p, everything on Max/Ultra except I have 4xMSAA turned Off. Just finished the campaign and I average about 75-85fps, and in multiplayer I average about 60-85fps.
> Random question here as well guys. I have the OC in Afterburner of course. I haven't touched CCC. I realized that Overdrive was turned on in CCC, and I disabled it thinking it would interfere with AB. Probably should have read up on it first, but when I disabled it, the AMD driver was constantly just going not responding and then failing/recovering. Of course I reenabled it and everything is back to normal, but can anyone explain why this happens?


Overdrive must be turned on in ccc, and afterburner/trixx controls them. With them turned of everything just goes to **** here at least... Overdrive also is on when one installs ccc, seems like it needs to be on, kinda like a 50/50% partnership


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> I suspected that memory might be an issue indeed, so I also ran the OC with only the core at 1125 and mem at 1375 stock. Powerthingy on +20% and voltage at stock too. Bam... crash at ultra. This happens with both Trixx and AB, with CCC I have no issues, but can not overvolt there, so I want AB for that oc above 1125. 3DM11 ran fine, other games ran fine, only BF3 crashes at ultra. Am I convicted to the CCC limits of voltage and therefore no higher core than 1125?


You should open up AB and hit reset and see what the voltage says. Mine reads 1.049v and that's good up to 1050/1500.. I use .125v overstock like others have mentioned, but if you go over that it can lockup or freeze if you hit the power limiter. So now I run 1200/1600 with 1.174v and it's stable with no issues. If you haven't unlocked Unofficial Overclocking in AB then try 1125/1500 but change voltage to 1.150-1.175v and see if that helps


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So is P93xx about right for my sig rig? 1150 core, 1600 memory, and my 2500k is at 4.95 with my RAM at 2200.


Bump?







Talking about 3DMark11 by the way.


----------



## Ken1649

Don't compare overall score but only graphics score. Big difference comparing overall running with a 2500K and 2600K.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Don't compare overall score but only graphics score. Big difference comparing overall running with a 2500K and 2600K.


My graphics score was right in that same area. It was like 93xx or 94xx.


----------



## Invisible

Is there anyway to change the resolution to a custom resolution with the trial version of 3DMark11? Trying to test my 7950 OC and I can't choose 1440x900 anywhere.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So is P93xx about right for my sig rig? 1150 core, 1600 memory, and my 2500k is at 4.95 with my RAM at 2200.


Yupp, with 4,7ghz and one card at stock i get 8400-8700 and with the card overclocked 9200-9400


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Is there anyway to change the resolution to a custom resolution with the trial version of 3DMark11? Trying to test my 7950 OC and I can't choose 1440x900 anywhere.


Most are just comparing the performance run at 720p.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So is P93xx about right for my sig rig? 1150 core, 1600 memory, and my 2500k is at 4.95 with my RAM at 2200.
> 
> 
> 
> Yupp, with 4,7ghz and one card at stock i get 8400-8700 and with the card overclocked 9200-9400
Click to expand...

Whew, I don't feel so bad then.







I thought I saw somebody breaking over 10k with one card, it might've even been 11k.


----------



## jhatfie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Bump?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Talking about 3DMark11 by the way.


Score seems about right to me. My 7950 scored 9459 at 1260/1750 with 2500k @ 4.8Ghz. My graphics score was a hair higher than achieved here http://www.eteknix.com/reviews/graphics/sapphire-radeon-hd-7950-oc-3gb-overclocked-further/4/ that had a similar OC, but my physics and combined score dragged me down overall as they hit 10k, but at least I was at least in the ballpark.


----------



## NeoandGeo

9721 [email protected]/1600 [email protected]


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Whew, I don't feel so bad then.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought I saw somebody breaking over 10k with one card, it might've even been 11k.


14208 points here







2500k 5ghz, crossfire 7950 with 1150/1550mhz

With a 6 or 8 core cpu we would have got higher, same with 3dmark06 and vantage also. Like on vantage i get 23-25k on cpu but +50k on gpu... so cpu score pulls us down.


----------



## Norlig

So, the problem people are having with Alan Wake, is it that the game freezes? because that is whats happening to me, the game starts, and after the first cutscene and I shall walk from the car crash, the game freezes, but still I here sound and I cannot even Alt+Ctrl+Del.


----------



## Invisible

Not sure if this is good, never done a 3DMark test before. Did just the full test at 720p.

Score = 7294, Hardware - 2500K @4.5, 8GB DDR3 @ 1600, 7950 @ 1200/1600


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> So, the problem people are having with Alan Wake, is it that the game freezes? because that is whats happening to me, the game starts, and after the first cutscene and I shall walk from the car crash, the game freezes, but still I here sound and I cannot even Alt+Ctrl+Del.


And you have to do a full reboot?

Yes. Have you installed CAP3 (the latest crossfile profiles) ?

If so, obliterate them! (uninstall them). If not, then we have a new problem...









p.s you only need one Crossfire bridge


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> And you have to do a full reboot?
> Yes. Have you installed CAP3 (the latest crossfile profiles) ?
> If so, obliterate them! If not, then we have a new problem...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> p.s you only need one Crossfire bridge


I do have Cap3 installed. is there a way to remove them without uninstalling the drivers and then reinstalling?

Edit: My P14232 3Dmark 11 score


----------



## omega17

They're installed separately. Go into the control panel where you would normally uninstall a program from, and they have their own entry in the list.

I can't tell you what it's called because I already uninstalled them
















Be interesting to see if you solve it by getting rid of them. That'll pretty much confirm the bug for me.


----------



## Norlig

Just uninstalled the application profiles in my add/remove programs. didnt Crash, but FPS was 18-20 and cards were at 60% each...

Before crashing with CAP3 installed, I would have 60 fps, but it crashed ofc.

Sigh, AMD new CAP please


----------



## omega17

FPS 18-20? Wow. Without the CAP, mine is maxed out @ 1200p and I get a pretty smooth 45-50 FPS with 69% usage each.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Not sure if this is good, never done a 3DMark test before. Did just the full test at 720p.
> Score = 7294, Hardware - 2500K @4.5, 8GB DDR3 @ 1600, 7950 @ 1200/1600


Just realized why I might have gotten such a low score. I think my OC in AB isn't taking effect. It lists on my score page that my clock speeds are default, and in AB OSD it also listed 900/1250 as my clock speeds. Going to go test again.

I can't imagine it not taking effect though, since I have been seeing a pretty big increase in FPS since the OC I did.

EDIT: Just booted up Skyrim, OC listed at stock. Booted up Heaven 2.5, stock. Booted up Saints Row 3 and BF3, OC took effect.

What's going on :|


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> So, the problem people are having with Alan Wake, is it that the game freezes? because that is whats happening to me, the game starts, and after the first cutscene and I shall walk from the car crash, the game freezes, but still I here sound and I cannot even Alt+Ctrl+Del.


Yupp, hard freeze just when you are going to play.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Just uninstalled the application profiles in my add/remove programs. didnt Crash, but FPS was 18-20 and cards were at 60% each...
> Before crashing with CAP3 installed, I would have 60 fps, but it crashed ofc.
> Sigh, AMD new CAP please


Same with me, disable crossfire and have a good time







Try it


----------



## bhardy1185

Well I guess I am one of the lucky ones. I am getting some good numbers now that I have everything configured correctly. Some of my info

Cat Version: 11.12 (I believe these are the ones from Sapphire's website. I haven't installed any of the available updates
MSI AB 2.2.0 Beta 12

Single Sapphire 7970 at 1.200V/1100MHz (Core)/1500MHz (Mem) with temps maxing at 74C

Some gaming benchmarks from site (no data to back these claims up yet)

BF3- I am averaging 100 FPS on most maps. I am running at 1920x1080 with settings on Ultra/High. I will boot it back up to verify which settings are on which. Running 2xAA with motion blur on and vsync off. Pretty pleased with these results. There really isn't that much studdering happening. Only thing that I can say that I have noticed is when I am looking through a scope there are some shadow flickering but I think I have read that it is happening to a lot of people.

SWTOR- Was just on Quesh and I was averaging 80 FPS with everything on Ultra. There are times when it drops down to 30-40 for about 3-4 seconds while it is loading the area but after that I am staying at a constant 70-90 FPS. Extremely pleased with this. Will be looking at other places as well such as the Imperial Space fleet and War Zones later on tonight.

I will download some benchmark tools and see if I can't run those sometime this week and post them up. So far I am loving this purchase. Now it is time to save some money for a new MB, CPU, and RAM


----------



## Denim-187

Hey, ive posted this a few hundred pages back but here it is again.
My 7970's in CrossfireX @ 1200/1700mhz using *1187mv*.
-




-
Comment/rate, whatever you like


----------



## Invisible

So, my AMD driver again went Not Responding during BF3. So I decided that I'm going to increase my voltage from 1.2v to 1.231v. So I did.

AND THEN I realized I never properly uninstalled my nVidia drivers. So I went in Safe Mode and did a proper clean with DriverSweeper. I then did 3DMark11 again and my score went from 7239 to...8948!

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2798845

I'm stupid.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> So, my AMD driver again went Not Responding during BF3. So I decided that I'm going to increase my voltage from 1.2v to 1.231v. So I did.
> AND THEN I realized I never properly uninstalled my nVidia drivers. So I went in Safe Mode and did a proper clean with DriverSweeper. I then did 3DMark11 again and my score went from 7239 to...8948!
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2798845
> I'm stupid.


Nice overclock on that 7950 dude


----------



## jhatfie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> So, my AMD driver again went Not Responding during BF3. So I decided that I'm going to increase my voltage from 1.2v to 1.231v. So I did.
> AND THEN I realized I never properly uninstalled my nVidia drivers. So I went in Safe Mode and did a proper clean with DriverSweeper. I then did 3DMark11 again and my score went from 7239 to...8948!
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2798845
> I'm stupid.


Looking good. Have you tried pushing your memory higher? My Sapphire 7950 OC seems to have been blessed with some pretty nice memory chips, if you have not pushed them, you might have some more headroom as well? I was surprised actually how mine just kept going and going....might even have more in them, still testing.

1260/1750 @1.25v
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2792242 - P9459

1260/1787 @ 1.25v
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2799763 - P9507


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jhatfie*
> 
> Looking good. Have you tried pushing your memory higher? My Sapphire 7950 OC seems to have been blessed with some pretty nice memory chips, if you have not pushed them, you might have some more headroom as well? I was surprised actually how mine just kept going and going....might even have more in them, still testing.
> 1260/1750 @1.25v
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2792242


Now that is an impressive 7950 OC.... well done actually very very close to my 7970 OC 1250/1700


----------



## chillgreg

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2799133


----------



## Invisible

Needs moar OC!


----------



## NeoandGeo

W.T.F., had a freeze coming out of screensaver and GPU usage was at 100%. :|


----------



## Hambone07si

Here's my run with 1200/1600


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well turns out it wasn't my screensaver. Was using Trixxx and it hard locked on me again (was hoping for Trixxx to work so I could enjoy GTA IV). Back to MSI AB now with the seperated profiles. Will see in the next few days if that solves my lock ups or not. So confused by my issues.


----------



## TheJesus

Alright, well. I used ATIMan to get rid of the 12.2 pre-certs and then installed the 7900 driver provided. I tried to launch BF3 and got a GSOD lockup...

Ideas?

EDIT: Dirt 3 is just a black screen locked up. BFBC2 is another GSOD. I've only ever seen GSODs on my old Asus gaming laptop because of some stupid design


----------



## Arizonian

Denim-187 - great video of your crossfire set up on the Samsung SA950. Enjoyed it very much.









Pioneerisloud hope your issue is resolved.







I agree with you that your GPU should not keep you from being able to use Windows features, screen saver or not, it should be functional.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Denim-187 - great video of your crossfire set up on the Samsung SA950. Enjoyed it very much.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pioneerisloud hope your issue is resolved.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with you that your GPU should not keep you from being able to use Windows features, screen saver or not, it should be functional.


Edit: deleted


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Alright, well. I used ATIMan to get rid of the 12.2 pre-certs and then installed the 7900 driver provided. I tried to launch BF3 and got a GSOD lockup...
> Ideas?
> EDIT: Dirt 3 is just a black screen locked up. BFBC2 is another GSOD. I've only ever seen GSODs on my old Asus gaming laptop because of some stupid design


Why are you going backwards man? I thought you had things sorted  Here's hoping you have success and soon!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well turns out it wasn't my screensaver. Was using Trixxx and it hard locked on me again (was hoping for Trixxx to work so I could enjoy GTA IV). Back to MSI AB now with the seperated profiles. Will see in the next few days if that solves my lock ups or not. So confused by my issues.


You poor fella. You are either an optimist or a masochist.

RMA RMA RMA....................


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Why are you going backwards man? I thought you had things sorted
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's hoping you have success and soon!


No, I said I would return if it didn't work









And interestingly... My screen just turned a light gray (different than the other ones)... This card is trolling me.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well turns out it wasn't my screensaver. Was using Trixxx and it hard locked on me again (was hoping for Trixxx to work so I could enjoy GTA IV). Back to MSI AB now with the seperated profiles. Will see in the next few days if that solves my lock ups or not. So confused by my issues.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You poor fella. You are either an optimist or a masochist.
> 
> RMA RMA RMA....................
Click to expand...

I can't RMA....Sapphire has yet to respond to an email.







I emailed them on Thursday.


----------



## Hexa

I still do not know if I am supposed to move the bar at the bottom of CCC that talks about the power. The one where it defaults to 0 but can be moved from -20 to +20.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> I still do not know if I am supposed to move the bar at the bottom of CCC that talks about the power. The one where it defaults to 0 but can be moved from -20 to +20.


I haven't even touched that and I have a pretty hefty OC on mine. AB also has the same in Settings.


----------



## TheJesus

*opens Youtube video* computer has a green screen lock up... I don't even...

EDIT: Uninstalled drivers, tried YouTube again, works perfectly...


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> *opens Youtube video* computer has a green screen lock up... I don't even...
> EDIT: Uninstalled drivers, tried YouTube again, works perfectly...


Have you tried 12.3 with 12.1 CAP 3?


----------



## Invisible

What is this CAP you guys keep speaking of? Also, how do you guys update your drivers? Do you uninstall the old ones and install the new ones? Or just download the new ones and install it over the old? Or how do yall do it?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Have you tried 12.3 with 12.1 CAP 3?


I only have one 7950 in right now (sorry for the deceiving rigbuilder, this is for testing currently until EK's 7950 blocks are ready). I tried whichever the second post's link was (12.2). I'll try 12.3 I guess.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> What is this CAP you guys keep speaking of? Also, how do you guys update your drivers? Do you uninstall the old ones and install the new ones? Or just download the new ones and install it over the old? Or how do yall do it?


CAP is Crossfire Application Profiles or Catalyst Application Profiles. Its only used for multi-GPU configs. It adds customized instructions for different games designed to optimize multiple cards.

To update, use ATIMan Uninstaller (in 1st post) to uninstall the old drivers and then install the new ones.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I can't RMA....Sapphire has yet to respond to an email.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I emailed them on Thursday.


Ask one of the Senior Moderators if they have any contacts at Sapphire. It's not what you know...


----------



## johnnyw

Im bit confused now about voltage of my 7950 as all programs seems to give different readings. Powertune is setted to +20 so it shouldnt throtthle or anything.

Afterburner says stock voltage is 1.031v and reads same under gaming/burning at sensors

GPU-Z sensor tab gives anything beetween 0.990v and 1.021v at load.

HWinfo64: says 1.020v

Then when i lauch furmark it says 1.090v


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You should open up AB and hit reset and see what the voltage says. Mine reads 1.049v and that's good up to 1050/1500.. I use .125v overstock like others have mentioned, but if you go over that it can lockup or freeze if you hit the power limiter. So now I run 1200/1600 with 1.174v and it's stable with no issues. If you haven't unlocked Unofficial Overclocking in AB then try 1125/1500 but change voltage to 1.150-1.175v and see if that helps


AB reads 1.112v when I hit the reset button, so that should give me headroom up to 1.237. I'm not too worried that I can handle 1125 on the core, more that BF3 doesn't crash on Ultra. I will run some tests on 1125 core and voltage up to 1,22 with Ultra settings enabled.


----------



## chillgreg

Would it be possible to cool a 7970 with a Corsair H80? Would the waterblock outlets fit the H80 tubes?

Thanks.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I can't RMA....Sapphire has yet to respond to an email.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I emailed them on Thursday.


Dont worry about an RMA... my cards are doin the same


----------



## WiL11o6

Dumb question:

I'm going to reapply the thermal paste on one of the cards, if not both since one of them runs 5-10c hotter than the other. With the hotter card on top, the gap is 15-20c from the bottom card with a higher max temp. With the cooler card on top, the gap is 5-10c with a lower max temp, so I want to check the thermal paste on the hotter card.

Is it as simple as taking off the screws and using isopropyl alcohol to remove like a CPU cooler?
Is the GPU chip the only thing that needs thermal paste?
Can I use regular CPU thermal paste like a tube of Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste?
How difficult is it to change? Easier than replacing CPU cooler?

I've never taken apart my GPU so I don't want to mess things up trying to take it off and putting it back on.


----------



## borandi

Do not, I repeat DO NOT take apart the card unless you are water cooling it.

The default paste they use isn't some zinc crap, it's a phase change material designed to work with the cooler. You can't buy it in the shops, and people have reported shocking rises in temp from changing the thermal material to AS5 or similar.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Dumb question:
> I'm going to reapply the thermal paste on one of the cards, if not both since one of them runs 5-10c hotter than the other. With the hotter card on top, the gap is 15-20c from the bottom card with a higher max temp. With the cooler card on top, the gap is 5-10c with a lower max temp, so I want to check the thermal paste on the hotter card.
> Is it as simple as taking off the screws and using isopropyl alcohol to remove like a CPU cooler?
> Is the GPU chip the only thing that needs thermal paste?
> Can I use regular CPU thermal paste like a tube of Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste?
> How difficult is it to change? Easier than replacing CPU cooler?
> I've never taken apart my GPU so I don't want to mess things up trying to take it off and putting it back on.


You know that when you have cards in CF/SLI the primary one runs hotter right?

Anyways, you could still re-apply the paste if you want (they usually pour it on).

Look up some disassembly guides/videos of other cards. Its pretty identical.
The VRMs and RAM need thermal pads usually (they come with them, be careful not to tear/lose/ruin them).
Maybe, but I haven't investigated that.
Lots of screws, stupid retention brackets, but nothing outrageously difficult. Its more difficult than a CPU cooler though.

Watch lots of videos if you really want to do it.

EDIT:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> Do not, I repeat DO NOT take apart the card unless you are water cooling it.
> The default paste they use isn't some zinc crap, it's a phase change material designed to work with the cooler. You can't buy it in the shops, and people have reported shocking rises in temp from changing the thermal material to AS5 or similar.


He sounds like he's done more research on this. I wouldn't do it simply because its too much work for not enough benefit. I don't know if this holds true past the 6000 series, but graphics cards can handle 100C+.


----------



## TheJesus

Hooray! I found my issue! My 7950 was broken!







oh wait...









Yeah, I swapped in the other one and it works perfectly. BF3 ran first try (beautifully).

Dammit all to hell, now I gotta send this other one back. At least I didn't put the block on it yet


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It's not getting the voltage it needs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sadly... You can't really give it the voltage it needs (I think) without having OCP kick in at those clock speeds.


Found the way to set higher voltage and Furmark and OCCT doesnt turn off the card with OCP... set Powertune to 15% and no more blackouts!
Watched throttling while these test were running
In OCCT Powertune throttles clock only at begginning of test the rest of test throttling doesnt occur
In Furmark throttling occurs all the time

BUT CARD DOESN'T POWERDOWN

Anyway, I hate this fan and its sound... leaving voltage at 1.175V


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I guess you have your SSD as your OS drive? Have you set the sata port that your SSD is connected to as HotSwap Enabled? Fixed a hanging issue I had with my SSD


What Issue did you had with this?
And was the issue with Hotswap enabled?

Thanks for the info


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I can't RMA....Sapphire has yet to respond to an email.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I emailed them on Thursday.
> 
> 
> 
> Dont worry about an RMA... my cards are doin the same
Click to expand...

If you're having the same odd lockup with overclocks after being idle for so long....

How the HECK do we fix it?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Zero core is in the bios, so, when it sleeps, its programmed to wake up at a certain voltage (0.835v). When we overclock, the idle voltage then becomes around 0.935v.
> *Do you see where the conflict happens?* That is why we hang/crash after the card goes to sleep.
> This is why you reset the card to default settings before you allow it to sleep. Remember Afterburner 2D/3D profiles?
> The proplem with AB profiles, it doesnt switch back to defaults on desktop 100% of the time.


My driver still reports that it crashes after card comes back from sleep even at stock settings...
Only thing that is different from default in these cases is the +20% setting in AMD overdrive.
So I have no clue what to do to get this issue fixed


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Found the way to set higher voltage and Furmark and OCCT doesnt turn off the card with OCP... set Powertune to 15% and no more blackouts!
> Watched throttling while these test were running
> In OCCT Powertune throttles clock only at begginning of test the rest of test throttling doesnt occur
> In Furmark throttling occurs all the time
> BUT CARD DOESN'T POWERDOWN
> Anyway, I hate this fan and its sound... leaving voltage at 1.175V


If you disable PowerPlay I promise it will happen.








Unless the issue is strictly with my card.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I only have one 7950 in right now (sorry for the deceiving rigbuilder, this is for testing currently until EK's 7950 blocks are ready). I tried whichever the second post's link was (12.2). I'll try 12.3 I guess.
> CAP is Crossfire Application Profiles or Catalyst Application Profiles. Its only used for multi-GPU configs. It adds customized instructions for different games designed to optimize multiple cards.
> To update, use ATIMan Uninstaller (in 1st post) to uninstall the old drivers and then install the new ones.


Just to get is correct, one just installs CAP and don't do anything to activate it ?


----------



## Ottesen

Some additional questions:

*1:* Anybody else experiencing suddenly really high VDDC on gpu-z ? Mine suddenly says i've had almost 1,5v

*2:* How do i fix/turn of the jumping off mhz when watching something in with Vlc ? My mhz jumps from 300/150mhz to 500/1250mhz all the time, and that seems to make some "lines/interference" at the bottom of my screen in vlc....


----------



## Aventadoor

Is it possible to disable so the other card doesnt go 2 sleep?
Sometimes it looks like there is some issue when I try to run 3Dmark 11, and suddenly I get 60-70ish fps instead of 100 (No I dont get 100fps in every GPU test







19400 GPU score) which I usually get...


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Some additional questions:
> *1:* Anybody else experiencing suddenly really high VDDC on gpu-z ? Mine suddenly says i've had almost 1,5v
> *2:* How do i fix/turn of the jumping off mhz when watching something in with Vlc ? My mhz jumps from 300/150mhz to 500/1250mhz all the time, and that seems to make some "lines/interference" at the bottom of my screen in vlc....


*1:* I have seen some weird around 1.47v readings few times, but i think it was cause i had AB running at same time.
*2:* My guess is that there probably isnt prober fix for that as powerplay seems to be total mess atm, with current drivers it just dont work proberly.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> CAP is Crossfire Application Profiles or Catalyst Application Profiles. Its only used for multi-GPU configs. It adds customized instructions for different games designed to optimize multiple cards.
> To update, use ATIMan Uninstaller (in 1st post) to uninstall the old drivers and then install the new ones.


CAP is not only for multi GPU configs.... This has been posted before here, it is also for single GPU users.


----------



## Twistacles

Hey guys.

I love my 7970. Having a lot of fun going thru metro2033 with my gf =D

And bf3 + fxaa injector = ******* gorgeous


----------



## unrealskill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Hey guys.
> I love my 7970. Having a lot of fun going thru metro2033 with my gf =D
> And bf3 + fxaa injector = ******* gorgeous


:0 metro is sitll a fun game with this card ir runs it great!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Guys, got a problem with my HD7950.
> When resuming from sleep mode (I push space bar to wake up the PC) I get the following error in notification area + event viewer : Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding and has successfully recovered
> Any idea what is causing this and how to solve it?
> Not experiencing it while doing other things... Only when resuming from sleep mode.
> Thanks for the help!


Nobody??


----------



## wedge

Can somebody that owns an XFX 7970 Double D Edition do a measurement for me? I need to know the EXACT length from the back of the bracket to the tip of the cooler.

I think I can make one of these fit my case, but it's going to be VERY tight.

Thanks!


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Nobody??


Sleep mode has been a source of many problems for Windows machines, I never use it. Booting from a SSD takes like 10-15 secs after POST so I would recommend not using sleep mode at all and just shut it off if ya don't use it. Anyhow, I too have that message sometimes, fortunately everything works fine after that successful recovery, so no worries there.


----------



## Daffie82

hmm, ok, Thanks for your reply.
I also can just work after that message without problems, so I guess I will just ignore it for now. Maybe some new drivers in the future will fix it.

speaking of drivers : do you guys suggest updating to 12.2 / 12.3 for my HD 7950 ?
I am still using the 11.something released on 1/25/12. Is it an improvement in terms of FPS? Because I am reading alot of problems here with the new drivers...


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> hmm, ok, Thanks for your reply.
> I also can just work after that message without problems, so I guess I will just ignore it for now. Maybe some new drivers in the future will fix it.
> speaking of drivers : do you guys suggest updating to 12.2 / 12.3 for my HD 7950 ?
> I am still using the 11.something released on 1/25/12. Is it an improvement in terms of FPS? Because I am reading alot of problems here with the new drivers...


I was wondering the same thing. Im still using the first drivers, and they're stable. I won't upgrade if there isn't an advantage to doing it!

Also, how are you guy's fan profiles? @ 1225/1700 it seems like I have to run 55% fan to keep it from giving me artifacts and sillyness cause it gets so hot...but 55% is so LOUD. I often revert back to stock clocks unless im in bf3, just to keep the room quiet.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> I was wondering the same thing. Im still using the first drivers, and they're stable. I won't upgrade if there isn't an advantage to doing it!
> Also, how are you guy's fan profiles? @ 1225/1700 it seems like I have to run 55% fan to keep it from giving me artifacts and sillyness cause it gets so hot...but 55% is so LOUD. I often revert back to stock clocks unless im in bf3, just to keep the room quiet.


I was using a profile that at 55c it ramped up to 55% until 75c where it ramped up to 60% and 83c went up to 75%. When it was at idle or under 55c the fan was at 45%. Even at 45% the temps would be very close to 55c and just about to ramp up too 55%. 45% is pretty loud and 55% is real loud to me. I solved all problems with a EK water block and temps now are 32c/42c idle/load at 1200/1600 1.174v

Also, I tried the new drivers yesterday and went back to the release driver. The new ones dropped fps in a few games except for Mw3. Everything else dropped 3-10fps. Release gives me the best performance as of right now.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Help please...why are my clocks are set to 1025/1475 in afterburner and verified in GPUZ but appearing so much lower?? I am on catalys version 11.2

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2802650

I was able to pull this score a week or two ago and my clock settings show like I have them set in afterburner....what gives?
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2714122


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Help please...why are my clocks are set to 1025/1475 in afterburner and verified in GPUZ but appearing so much lower?? I am on catalys version 11.2
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2802650
> I was able to pull this score a week or two ago and my clock settings show like I have them set in afterburner....what gives?
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2714122


Maybe because you have a Dell pc. Would be a good move to get rid of that Alienware mobo and get yourself a Asus or something else. Then you could get that 2600k up to 5ghz and those cards not sandwiched together. Maybe you don't have enough power from the psu and the cards are throttling??


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Maybe because you have a Dell pc.


Brilliant....Exactly what I am looking for...a way to further overclock my CPU....Also sandwiched together or not, temps are 78c max

My PSU is 850W, no problems up until I started messing around with 12.3. Uninstalled it via atiman but now I have this going on as well as frame loss in BF3.


----------



## Hambone07si

I tried the new driver yesterday and found that I was having fps drops compared to the release driver. I went back and have no issues at all now. With the new driver, 3dmark11 would crash the driver at 1200core and even 1150core. The release driver can run it at 1250core no prob. Also make sure that your using 20% power either by AB or CCC. While I was benching, that moved back to 0% for some reason and my Dirt 3 bench was 67fps, put power back to 20% and the bench was back up to 103fps all with the same overclock.

Also 78-80c is where you will start to see artifacts with your overclock. My card was hitting that temp as well. Now max load is only 42c with EK block


----------



## Invisible

I dont have my power increase to +20% and I'm getting pretty good results. Is it necessary when you have a fairly large OC, and what does it even do?


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> I dont have my power increase to +20% and I'm getting pretty good results. Is it necessary when you have a fairly large OC, and what does it even do?


Well If you increase voltage you should put it to +20%, otherwise when it goes over the tdp limit (160w at 0%?) cards starts to throtthle clocks.

So basicly that is just setting that controls how much power card is allowed to take.


----------



## Hambone07si

If I set my clocks to 1125/1500 and run 20%, on the Dirt 3 benchmark I will get around 101fps avg and 91fps min. Just by turning the power down to 0% my results will be around 67fps avg and 58fps min, change back to 20% and right back to 101fps avg. All at the same 1125/1500 clocks and same 1.174v

EDIT: Those FPS are at 5896x1080 res just to inform


----------



## Invisible

Oh, well I have my clock speeds at 1200/1600 and at 1.231v. When I get home I guess I'm going to throw it up to 20% in AB.


----------



## Hambone07si

Test it and see how it affects you. Run a test with it at 0% and 20%, and I think I read that you had yours at 15% a few pages back. Try them all and see how it plays out. Seemed that the lower that is, the less power the card will output.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Nobody??


Hey !

Check out my posts, 80% of them are regarding this as i have been working 30-40 hours the last week trying to figure this out. Tried many windows reinstalls and so on.... all in all i found that i can't for some reason overclock without driver failing + my virus scan seems to have made the problems. Had 100+ error like that this weekend and not one today or yesterday...


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Help please...why are my clocks are set to 1025/1475 in afterburner and verified in GPUZ but appearing so much lower?? I am on catalys version 11.2
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2802650
> I was able to pull this score a week or two ago and my clock settings show like I have them set in afterburner....what gives?
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2714122


Thats normal, sometimes 3dmark shows correct, some times not. It probably checks computer specs just before or after testing and summits that...


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Test it and see how it affects you. Run a test with it at 0% and 20%, and I think I read that you had yours at 15% a few pages back. Try them all and see how it plays out. Seemed that the lower that is, the less power the card will output.


You probably got me confused with someone else, mine has always been at 0%. I'll test it in 3DMark and Heaven later.


----------



## Hambone07si

Oh, been reading a bunch of posts lately and I may have been mixed up







.. If you've been at 0% the whole time, then you should see a difference with it at 20% for sure with those clocks.


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I tried the new driver yesterday and found that I was having fps drops compared to the release driver. I went back and have no issues at all now. With the new driver, 3dmark11 would crash the driver at 1200core and even 1150core. The release driver can run it at 1250core no prob. Also make sure that your using 20% power either by AB or CCC. While I was benching, that moved back to 0% for some reason and my Dirt 3 bench was 67fps, put power back to 20% and the bench was back up to 103fps all with the same overclock.
> Also 78-80c is where you will start to see artifacts with your overclock. My card was hitting that temp as well. Now max load is only 42c with EK block


holy **** ive been running 1235/1700 with it at 0%

you're telling me my card will go even faster? o_o


----------



## Ottesen

Guys, in what bios setting did your cards come ? on position 1 or 2 My powercolor PCS came in position 1, but i'm unsure if i should use that or position nr 2 to try clocking with...


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I tried the new driver yesterday and found that I was having fps drops compared to the release driver. I went back and have no issues at all now. With the new driver, 3dmark11 would crash the driver at 1200core and even 1150core. The release driver can run it at 1250core no prob. Also make sure that your using 20% power either by AB or CCC. While I was benching, that moved back to 0% for some reason and my Dirt 3 bench was 67fps, put power back to 20% and the bench was back up to 103fps all with the same overclock.
> Also 78-80c is where you will start to see artifacts with your overclock. My card was hitting that temp as well. Now max load is only 42c with EK block


My power was @ 0%, bout to give it a try and see if that was what was up.


----------



## Hambone07si

Well I hope it works for the rest of you too. I seen this in actual game benchmarks, not something like 3dmark11 or vantage, but could play apart there also.


----------



## Invisible

Just did +20% and really didn't see a difference. I already saw an EXTREME difference from when I was at stock and OC'ed (like an extra 30fps in BF3). Really didn't see a difference in 3DMark11, almost no difference in Heaven, but did just pull an average 123fps in the DiRT3 benchmark on Ultra.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

How do I adjust the power in afterburner? I see the option in Catalyst but when I hit apply it goes back to 0%


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys, in what bios setting did your cards come ? on position 1 or 2 My powercolor PCS came in position 1, but i'm unsure if i should use that or position nr 2 to try clocking with...


Why? do you think there will be a difference with position 1 or 2?? All the 2nd position is for is to keep your card from being bricked if you mess up a bios on position 1. or to test a different bios and not loose the other. The card came with the same bios on both I'm pretty sure.

EDIT:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> How do I adjust the power in afterburner? I see the option in Catalyst but when I hit apply it goes back to 0%


You need Afterburner 2.2 beta 12 and it will be on the first tab when you hit the settings button. All the way at the bottom.


----------



## Norlig

Any News on an Alan Wake fix? got 2 cards, but to play I need to disable Xfire and set the game to Medium Quality, and still I only get 45-50 fps...


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> How do I adjust the power in afterburner? I see the option in Catalyst but when I hit apply it goes back to 0%


i would just disable amd overdrive and use msi afterburner to oc your card. here how to enable unofficial overclocking.
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=3887034&postcount=1


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> i would just disable amd overdrive and use msi afterburner to oc your card. here how to enable unofficial overclocking.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=3887034&postcount=1


DON'T, I repeat, DO NOT disable Overdrive. Afterburner and Overdrive work together. If you disable Overdrive and then OC in AB, your driver would go unresponsive constantly. Overdrive doesn't change your OC in AB or affect it in any way, or revert or changes, but it does need to be enabled.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You need Afterburner 2.2 beta 12 and it will be on the first tab when you hit the settings button. All the way at the bottom.


Thanks ill give it a try, +1 rep. Just dont knock the alienware next time


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> DON'T, I repeat, DO NOT disable Overdrive. Afterburner and Overdrive work together. If you disable Overdrive and then OC in AB, your driver would go unresponsive constantly. Overdrive doesn't change your OC in AB or affect it in any way, or revert or changes, but it does need to be enabled.


Yes thanks, I just set Overdrive back to the defaults.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> DON'T, I repeat, DO NOT disable Overdrive. Afterburner and Overdrive work together. If you disable Overdrive and then OC in AB, your driver would go unresponsive constantly. Overdrive doesn't change your OC in AB or affect it in any way, or revert or changes, but it does need to be enabled.


This actually hasn't been my experience at all. I haven't had Overdrive enabled while using AB in quite some time and haven't had any issues whatsoever.


----------



## Invisible

You're quite lucky then, haha. I haven't seen anyone who hasn't had a bad experience.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> DON'T, I repeat, DO NOT disable Overdrive. Afterburner and Overdrive work together. If you disable Overdrive and then OC in AB, your driver would go unresponsive constantly. Overdrive doesn't change your OC in AB or affect it in any way, or revert or changes, but it does need to be enabled.


no it doesnt. ive had overdrive disabled since ive had this card and havent had a single problem overclocking this card through afterburner.


----------



## Invisible

Oh, well then I guess me and a few other people have the worst luck ever then, haha. It really doesn't matter if you have it off or on anyways, whatever you do in AB pretty much overwrites CCC I'm pretty sure.


----------



## Focus182

I too run AB without CCC open without problems.

@Norlig - That fps on Alan Wake even on one card seems pretty bad considering what I get with around the same specs. Sounds like something is wrong if your playing at 1920x1080 that is.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Any News on an Alan Wake fix? got 2 cards, but to play I need to disable Xfire and set the game to Medium Quality, and still I only get 45-50 fps...


"only" 50FPS is still really very playable in AW.

In direct answer to your question, the CAP with the supposed "Alan Wake - improved crossfire performance" causes hard crashes, so no, AMDs current and only 'fix' actually breaks it horribly, so I guess they need to rethink that one.

Is there any way to report bugs officially to AMD, as this one is quite a biggy?


----------



## Invisible

So I just checked my Software tab of my CCC, and it says I'm at 12.3.

Uh...I never updated and I know I downloaded 12.2 on Thursday night. 12.3 isn't even out yet according to AMD's website. Did it just like auto-update to some beta or what happened?


----------



## omega17

the "12.2"'s are also called the pre-certs, which are actually being detected as 12.3

Basically, now even AMD doesn't know where they are with driver revisions. Previously it was just Joe Public who had no clue!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> If you're having the same odd lockup with overclocks after being idle for so long....
> How the HECK do we fix it?


Wait for the driver update. you can temporarily disable your windows saving features until this happens, or run stock. Personally, i only overclock when im gaming, and go back to stock when im finished.
Meh, not that hard for me, simple until the fix.


----------



## Denim-187

Guys, *important*:

PowerTune/Slider is not needed to be set to +20% for gaming. You actually do not need to change this at all unless your testing for stability with furmark/gpu tool/OCCT.
It is definitely not required for gaming since the cards default TDP is more than enough.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guys, *important*:
> PowerTune/Slider is not needed to be set to +20% for gaming. You actually do not need to change this at all unless your testing for stability with furmark/gpu tool/OCCT.
> It is definitely not required for gaming since the cards default TDP is more than enough.


Some games do exceed the TDB limit and OCCT exceeds the +20% PT limit.


----------



## Invisible

Is there any harm to having it to +20% all the time?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Is there any harm to having it to +20% all the time?


Not at all.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guys, *important*:
> PowerTune/Slider is not needed to be set to +20% for gaming. You actually do not need to change this at all unless your testing for stability with furmark/gpu tool/OCCT.
> It is definitely not required for gaming since the cards default TDP is more than enough.


Maybe at stock clocks. When you apply a 1200/1600 or more overclock, you think your staying at the TDP, NOT EVEN CLOSE. You can tell that just by the "coil whine" on the card and the caps. The louder and crazier those squeal the more power is going through them. I bet going from 925core to 1200core is roughly 100w more.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Not at all.


I have a suggestion since you are the thread boss









Have the old driver on first page, this one: "http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx" its a way easier that way, i was searching my ass of just now...








(just a suggestion/thought tho...)


----------



## sockpirate

So , was playing some BF3 yesterday, had a screen lock up and then got that metallic drone sound, screen didnt go black game just froze in mid run, is this more than likely my cards OC being unstable (just a measley 1000mhz OC, with no voltage increase) or my CPU? I doubt its my CPU becuase it has proven quite stable in prime at this over clock.

EDIT: Note i have not messed with any other settings in MSI AB or the CCC just set my clock to 1000 in MSI AB, saved it and apply it whenever i play BF3 or Skyrim.


----------



## Invisible

You didn't OC your memory as well? Just your core?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> You didn't OC your memory as well? Just your core?


Yup just core, i was under the impression from everyone that for such a small OC i wouldnt need to mess with memory.


----------



## Hambone07si

I would bump the voltage a little for 1000. Whatever it says in AB for voltage, add .050v and that should be good.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Just installed both waterblocks on my 2 Asus HD 7970's.


----------



## pioneerisloud

So Sapphire tech support finally got ahold of me. They don't feel its a hardware related issue (I don't either honestly). They feel that my issue could be related to the drivers, and are suggesting me to reinstall drivers (which I have done several times). I haven't tried the latest RC's though. I guess there's nothing left for me to do but sit back and wait for official drivers to come out. That should fix it I hope.


----------



## MacG32

Added myself to the spreadsheet.


----------



## DOM.

amd drivers are not so great when i installed the 12.2/aka12.3 reported in gpu-z my screen turned like screen was messed up wth lol

but worked after a restart

but i been using the same install that i have my nvidia drivers and everything has been fine


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Some games do exceed the TDB limit and OCCT exceeds the +20% PT limit.


Hey man, im pretty certain no games do. But if you know of any please let us know.
Whether your stock or overclocked... i will do some benches when i get home.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by Ottesen
> I tried a bit more, only been working on this the last 12 hours so why not a bit more...
> 
> Testing Alan Wake
> 
> *1:* With one card, and overdrive off in ccc....works.
> *2:* With one card, and overdrive on but stock settings....works.
> *3*: With crossfire, don't work.
> *4:* With any adjustment to the overdrive, don't work.
> 
> I've had problems since day one, always get the message and error saying "Display driver AMD driver stopped responding and has recovered". I even have a thread for it in here, and its so random :S
> Suddenly i can play with both cards and overclocked, and suddenly not...
> 
> *Adding stuff nr1:* Going in the registry again and changing the "enableulps" made me able to run both 3dmark and Alan Wake, however with Alan wake i got terrible fps...
> 
> *Adding stuff nr2:* With ULPS gone i can also run benchmarks with both cards clocked... However Alan Wake crashed after 2 sek. When 3dmark works with crossfire and overclock it crashes if i just disable crossfire and run 3dmark. If i then put crossfire back on 3dmark runs fine again...
> *Adding stuff nr3:* Okay, this is what gets me...not the stuff that worked fine 5 min ago crash with the exact same settings... why ?
> Think i got it, but scared of being positive. So ones again i removed all drivers and programs affecting graphics cards. AND i removed my anti virus program. Installed ccc again and only that. I just tested Alan Wake,Bf3,Swtor,Skyrim, 3dmark vantage and 3dmark 11... no crash of freeze. Tried them with and with out crossfire, no problems. Also did a restart which has been the scariest thing ever and tried every game again, no problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So it COULD just be that my Avast antivirus made problems.... a bit to big of a coincidence that it works now. I noticed that Alan Wake don't like crossfire and that BF3 needs me to alt-tab to windows to get the primary 7950 started...lol, its always done that tho. So now is the real test, installing CAP and trixx/afterburner...
> 
> *Further testing:* With CAP (12.1 CAP 3) everything still works, except Alan Wake with crossfire, hard crashes after 2 sek, but it worked fine with just disabling crossfire.
> 
> *More testing:* I can't overclock, with or without doing the "enableulps" thing i registry. It just freezes... Its a bit sad tho, since i can get much more performance but now it at least seems like it works. Also using afterburner to sett the fan profile and to watch over numbers. Could be that i should install the Atiman patch to get the overclocking to work...we'll see...


So, i did even more testing. I quoted this so people can see the reference better. Been working like 30-40 hours the last week on this. Games are working here but not the overclocking...

*Try nr 1:* Removed all ati stuff and programs. Installed just ccc and the oldest Ati drivers. Games worked and overclock worked. Tried multiple games and benchmarks. ULPS could removed just by clicking on it in Trixx and restarting...

*Try nr 2:* Installed CAP 12,1 (CAP 3), overclocking fails. Tried multiple games and benchmarks.

*Try nr 3:* Newest ccc and drivers. Overclock fails big times, BSOD 116 as expected.

*Try nr 4:* Switching over to bios nr 2 just to see if there is any difference, there is not.

*Try nr 5:* Removing drivers and going back to oldest ccc and drivers. Works, and works with overclocking but barley... some games crashed and some didn't. ULPS could be removed just by clicking on it in Trixx and restarting...

*Try nr 6:* Newest drivers and newest CAP (only one) without overclocking. Works best for me. Overclocking does not work at all.


----------



## Outcasst

I had to uninstall the CAPs all together to stop Alan Wake crashing.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> I had to uninstall the CAPs all together to stop Alan Wake crashing.


Turning off crossfire also does the trick for many... Can't wait for better drivers


----------



## Invisible

Anyone know why in some games I'm not reaching 99% GPU usage? I know in RIFT and in GTA IV, I usually sit at about 55-70% usage, which is resulting in some pretty poor FPS.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wedge*
> 
> Can somebody that owns an XFX 7970 Double D Edition do a measurement for me? I need to know the EXACT length from the back of the bracket to the tip of the cooler.
> I think I can make one of these fit my case, but it's going to be VERY tight.
> Thanks!


10 and 3/4"


----------



## sbuck333

anyone else getting a bit of texture flickering or anything on unigine with 12.2 pre-cert? I'm running a sapphire 7950 oc and I get a little bit of strange behavior at stock clocks and volts. I get a flicker on the first patch of grass and a couple weird things afterwards. Card is otherwise stable and I haven't noticed any other artifacts. I was stable in 3dmark 11 at 1150 core/1550 mem with 1.175 core v, but went back to stock to investigate these unigine quirks. Should I try rolling back to a different driver or something?


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sbuck333*
> 
> anyone else getting a bit of texture flickering or anything on unigine with 12.2 pre-cert? I'm running a sapphire 7950 oc and I get a little bit of strange behavior at stock clocks and volts. I get a flicker on the first patch of grass and a couple weird things afterwards. Card is otherwise stable and I haven't noticed any other artifacts. I was stable in 3dmark 11 at 1150 core/1550 mem with 1.175 core v, but went back to stock to investigate these unigine quirks. Should I try rolling back to a different driver or something?


that happens to me sometimes...on stock and OC version...so i guess it's with program...what i actually get is just one flicker at that grass part and after that is ok....and next run circle is ok...it happens most of time when first time turn on Unigine


----------



## StrayderGame

If some1 need RC11 and 12.2 drivers comparison in benchmarks/games

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2222356

I have to confirm to i started to getting Display driver crash in BF3 after i installed 12.2 cat3 .That is strange ,when i turn ON pc start BF3 i get that crash,then i rejoin game and everything is fine.Just first time when i join game after i turn on PC that crash happens...anyway will go back to RC11 drivers.

I found this anyway if some1 missed as me..

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriver.aspx

12.2 isn't supported for 7970 as AMD says...


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> If some1 need RC11 and 12.2 drivers comparison in benchmarks/games
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2222356
> I have to confirm to i started to getting Display driver crash in BF3 after i installed 12.2 cat3 .That is strange ,when i turn ON pc start BF3 i get that crash,then i rejoin game and everything is fine.Just first time when i join game after i turn on PC that crash happens...anyway will go back to RC11 drivers.
> I found this anyway if some1 missed as me..
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriver.aspx
> 12.2 isn't supported for 7970 as AMD says...


If I crash in BF3, it's also only one time in the first 20 mins, rest of the gaming session (about 3-4 hours) everything's fine.

BTW: there is also a 12.2 pre-whql driver that does include support for the 7xxx series.

Performance looks ok for me, ALT-TAB out of BF3 works like a breeze, unbelievably fast.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst122precertifieddriver.aspx


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> If some1 need RC11 and 12.2 drivers comparison in benchmarks/games
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2222356
> I have to confirm to i started to getting Display driver crash in BF3 after i installed 12.2 cat3 .That is strange ,when i turn ON pc start BF3 i get that crash,then i rejoin game and everything is fine.Just first time when i join game after i turn on PC that crash happens...anyway will go back to RC11 drivers.
> I found this anyway if some1 missed as me..
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriver.aspx
> 12.2 isn't supported for 7970 as AMD says...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> If I crash in BF3, it's also only one time in the first 20 mins, rest of the gaming session (about 3-4 hours) everything's fine.
> BTW: there is also a 12.2 pre-whql driver that does include support for the 7xxx series.
> Performance looks ok for me, ALT-TAB out of BF3 works like a breeze, unbelievably fast.
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst122precertifieddriver.aspx


Strangely enough I believe the preview and pre-certified drivers are different...


----------



## Lard

If someone want to test Powertune 0/+20 with OC I would suggest following games:
Alien vs. Predator
Metro 2033
BF3

The Powertune-Max value is different for each 7970 card, even with the same clocks.
Post your VID and your voltage too if you test it.

You can see the Powertune limits on these spikes during the bench:


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Hey man, im pretty certain no games do. But if you know of any please let us know.
> Whether your stock or overclocked... i will do some benches when i get home.


I *think* Metro 2033 does...
I know it did with the 69x0 series in a couple of reviews and they have similar limitations.
Hmm.

I know for certain that OCCT/Furmark is throttled with +20%, though.

Now about adding the previous driver to the OP, I think I will.
The latest 12.2 P-C driver introduces a few issues from what I read.
I'll re-add it to the list soon.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Wait for the driver update. you can temporarily disable your windows saving features until this happens, or run stock. Personally, i only overclock when im gaming, and go back to stock when im finished.
> Meh, not that hard for me, simple until the fix.


That would be a nice solution if the driver error only happened while overlocked... But it also happens when on default clocks


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriver.aspx
> 12.2 isn't supported for 7970 as AMD says...


The "preview of 12.2" is not 7XXX compatible, however, the "Pre cert 12.2" is and has fixed all my issues.

Download here:
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst122precertifieddriver.aspx


----------



## Denim-187

*MSI Afterburner Beta 14*

There is no beta 13 (cause they believe its a bad luck number







)
This beta supports the voltage control of HD 7X50 card.

Changes list includes:

- Fixed sub-zero temperatures reading on certain custom design MSI graphics cards with LM96163 and NCT7718W dedicated thermal sensors.
- Added workaround for bug in AMD drivers causing unofficial overclocking to be reset to defaults after adjusting PowerPlay settings. Now unofficial overclocking settings are being forcibly reapplied after applying new PowerPlay settings.
- Hardware abstraction layer (HAL) architecture has been improved to provide compatibility with future NVIDIA graphics cards series.
- Now multi-GPU overclocking and fan control settings synchronization is performed at HAL level instead of display driver wrapper level to improve HAL architecture extendibility and provide compatibility with future NVIDIA graphics cards series.
- Shared control memory format has been upgraded to v2.0. New format provides power limit adjustment support and forward compatibility with future NVIDIA graphics cards series.
- Now it is possible to override group names for values displayed in the On-Screen Display or in Logitech keyboard LCD display.
- MSI On-Screen Display server has been upgraded to v4.3.3. New version gives the following improvements:
o Fixed issue causing gamma correction to be applied twice under certain conditions and causing video to appear too bright when capturing video with gamma correction option enabled.
o Output video dimensions are no longer being forcibly cropped to be multiples of 16. Now cropping is optional and can be enabled via GUI
o Dedicated 1/2, 1/3 and 1/4 frame downsampling routines have been replaced with unified arbitrary downsampling routine. Now MSI Afterburner provides arbitrary frame downsampling functionality and allows selecting 360p, 480p, 720p, 900p, 1080p frame sizes for both 16:9 and 16:10 aspect ratios. Please take a note that arbitrary frame sizes list is user extendable so you may add your own custom frame sizes if necessary via the configuration file.
o Improved tabbed text formatting provides better compatibility with custom group names.

download link:

http://downloads.guru3d.com/MSI-Afterburner-2.2.0-Beta-14-download-2859.html


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MacG32*
> 
> Added myself to the spreadsheet.


Nice photo budskie, very nice!


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> *MSI Afterburner Beta 14*


Thanks Denim! You da man! 

Using it already, can't see any differences so far.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guys, *important*:
> PowerTune/Slider is not needed to be set to +20% for gaming. You actually do not need to change this at all unless your testing for stability with furmark/gpu tool/OCCT.
> It is definitely not required for gaming since the cards default TDP is more than enough.


I don't really know about that. It increases the voltage, so must affect overclocking.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> The "preview of 12.2" is not 7XXX compatible, however, the "Pre cert 12.2" is and has fixed all my issues.
> Download here:
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst122precertifieddriver.aspx


What kind of issues did this fix for you?
Cause when reading here it seems to be introducing more issues instead of fixing them...


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> DON'T, I repeat, DO NOT disable Overdrive. Afterburner and Overdrive work together. If you disable Overdrive and then OC in AB, your driver would go unresponsive constantly. Overdrive doesn't change your OC in AB or affect it in any way, or revert or changes, but it does need to be enabled.


*Bull*****.*

No offence. Ab and overdrive do not work together, they compete and can conflict. Many people, myself included, have disabled CCC hence Overdrive from starting with Windows altogether.

Unless you specifically need the Crossfire or Hydravision features etc in CCC, it is just another software program. During a custom CCC install, you can select only to install the AMD driver, and never even use CCC or Overdrive.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> "only" 50FPS is still really very playable in AW.
> In direct answer to your question, the CAP with the supposed "Alan Wake - improved crossfire performance" causes hard crashes, so no, AMDs current and only 'fix' actually breaks it horribly, so I guess they need to rethink that one.
> Is there any way to report bugs officially to AMD, as this one is quite a biggy?


That's crazy man. I have everything maxed and it never dips below 60fps v-synced, Those Crossfire setups and CAP's really suck...


----------



## Lard

ASUS GPU Tweak 2.0.5.3:

Code:



Code:


http://support.asus.com/download.aspx?p=9&m=GPU+Tweak&hashedid=n%2fa


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Would it be possible to cool a 7970 with a Corsair H80? Would the waterblock outlets fit the H80 tubes?
> 
> Thanks.


Bump


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> *Bull*****.*
> 
> No offence. Ab and overdrive do not work together, they compete and can conflict. Many people, myself included, have disabled CCC hence Overdrive from starting with Windows altogether.


And how are Trixx and overdrive working together?
I am using Trixx instead of Afterburner. Trixx does not have an overdrive function so I need to use it in CCC instead...
Or should I just drop Trixx and use Afterburner instead on my Sapphire 7950 (oc version) ?


----------



## StrayderGame

i have moved back to RC11 and everything works smooth...


----------



## TheJesus

BF3 on 12.2 pre-cert w/ AB 14, works pretty well, 40-60 FPS maxed on one 7950 @ 1000/1450 (gonna take it higher soon).


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Many people, myself included, have disabled CCC hence Overdrive from starting with Windows altogether.


If for instance you want to use Triple buffering when V-Sync is enabled, how to do that when CCC is not running?
Or you just enable CCC right before you start gaming?
And if CCC is not even installed, how do you enable triple buffering in that case?


----------



## Denim-187

CCC is absolutely fine to work with afterburner. *Overdrive MUST be UNLOCKED in CCC* and then *DISABLED by un-checking the "Enable Over Drive" box.*
There is no other rule to it.

Also, if this method isn't followed, you will notice your fans randomly going up to 50%.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> CCC is absolutely fine to work with afterburner. *Overdrive MUST be UNLOCKED in CCC* and then *DISABLED by un-checking the "Enable Over Drive" box.*
> There is no other rule to it.
> Also, if this method isn't followed, you will notice your fans randomly going up to 50%.


And how to set overdrive in CCC in combination with Trixx ??


----------



## TitanPC

Hello 7970/7950 owners,

If any of you have the Gigabyte 7970 Windforce card and the COOLER MASTER HAF 932 case, I need to know if the card will fit in slot 3(the bottom one). The PSU is there, so I am a bit concerned that the Gigabyte's fans will make contact with the PSU. I have ordered one card, but am moving from 3 6970s, so thinking about a second. I decided not to trifire until I get a motherboard with PCIE 3.0, which will mean changing my CPU, as well.

I know asking this is a long shot, but I hope someone out there has this setup.

Thanks!


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> CCC is absolutely fine to work with afterburner. *Overdrive MUST be UNLOCKED in CCC* and then *DISABLED by un-checking the "Enable Over Drive" box.*
> There is no other rule to it.
> Also, if this method isn't followed, you will notice your fans randomly going up to 50%.


whenever I remove the mark on activate graphics overdrive and then press Apply, the Activate Graphics overdrive just enables itself again by itself.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> *Bull*****.*
> 
> No offence. Ab and overdrive do not work together, they compete and can conflict. Many people, myself included, have disabled CCC hence Overdrive from starting with Windows altogether.
> 
> Unless you specifically need the Crossfire or Hydravision features etc in CCC, it is just another software program. During a custom CCC install, you can select only to install the AMD driver, and never even use CCC or Overdrive.


Like I said earlier, some people including myself have had issues with Overdrive disabled with an OC in AB. Whenever I disabled Overdrive in CCC, my AMD driver would constantly go not responding while playing games (never had the issue before) and then restore itself (having to hard reset my PC to fully fix itself), and then once I re-enabled it, I have had no problems since. Not saying that me and my friend and a couple of other people are literally the only ones to ever encounter this, just saying that I've had a different experience.

Also can anyone answer this question I had earlier.

Anyone know why in some games I'm not reaching 99% GPU usage? I know in RIFT and in GTA IV, I usually sit at about 55-70% usage, which is resulting in some pretty poor FPS. And VSync is NOT on.


----------



## NeoandGeo

I don't know about Rift, but GTAIV isn't very stressful on GPUs at all and is a very unoptimized game that relies mostly on monster CPU power.


----------



## Invisible

Well I was just asking cause when I changed from my 260 to my 7950, I saw literally no difference in FPS in GTA IV. I actually lost a few.

I'm not really concerned about GTA IV though, I just want to know why some games aren't utilizing all of my GPU power


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> whenever I remove the mark on activate graphics overdrive and then press Apply, the Activate Graphics overdrive just enables itself again by itself.


Do you have apply overclocking at startup activated in afterburner? If so thats prolly why.
Try reinstalling CCC but remove Afterburner before that and install it after CCC install.


----------



## mydknyght

I have a hd 7970 runing at stock clock and voltage but there is a option in amd overdrivr thats i dont know fir energy its like from -20% to +20% ... Do i use this to + 20 or i stay to 0 whit no overclock


----------



## Summ20

So I just received my Sapphire 7970 today and I've had quite some problems so far.

I started off by installing the latest available driver (12.2) and tried overclocking the card by simply using the CCC to set it at 1125 / 1575 and +20%.
Unfortunately that wasn't stable for some reason because whenever I try to join a game in BF3 it immediatly hangs and tells me that the display driver has stopped working.

So I tried to install the earlier RC11 driver and do the same overclock. It seemed to be working untill artifacts started to show up and my computer completely resets itself.

Also tried upping the voltage to 1.2v but that gave me the same results.

I've tried using CCC, Trixx and Afterburner but they all gave me the same results.

Do I have a bad card? Or just a bad driver?


----------



## johnnyw

I have strange problem with that new afterburner and 12.2 pre certified drivers.

If i overclock thru CCC to 1000/1575 and run some stress test like kombustor it runs fine with powercontrol to default 0%

But if i overclcok thru AB to same clocks i get gpu clock throtthling if i dont set power control to 20% at AB settings..

Any idea what could cause that?


----------



## Frojoe

I need a little help, I bet in this forum somewhere but so many pages. Im looking to get a 7970 and I was looking at the HIS or the XFX but it seems Sapphire is what alot have on here. I need someone to give me a brand suggestion so I can jump on this card. Its my 1st time with ATI in years, Thanks for your input in advance


----------



## bhardy1185

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Frojoe*
> 
> I need a little help, I bet in this forum somewhere but so many pages. Im looking to get a 7970 and I was looking at the HIS or the XFX but it seems Sapphire is what alot have on here. I need someone to give me a brand suggestion so I can jump on this card. Its my 1st time with ATI in years, Thanks for your input in advance


Me personally, I went with Sapphire because I had a 5870 from them and it hasn't given me the slightest bit of problems. Also, I read that Sapphire provided HDMI cable/HDMI to DP/DVI to DP adapters which I needed. I'm not say that the others don't include those, I'm just saying that they provide a bunch of adapters for only $10 more.

Normally I would have gone with the XFX brand for the lifetime warranty but I read that they are no longer giving that warranty with this series. I want to say that all of this information was taken from Newegg customer reviews.

So I'm not going to tell you that one brand is better than the other because that is personal preference and opinion. I like Sapphire because I have never had a problem with them. This may change in the future if something goes wrong


----------



## TitanPC

@Frojoe

Recommending a brand is not easy, but from the research I have done I would say that mosst of the reference cards will be similar.

HIS, Sapphire, MSI, Asus, etc. If you can find them for the 550 retail price, I would say you will be OK.

Some notes:

XFX double dissipation(two fans) models of the 7970 carry a lifetime warranty. It's not a bad thing to have, but I feel a good two or three year warranty is enough, considering you will likely get rid of the card by then. Also XFX does not care if you overclock, some makers say that overclocking voids the warranty.

Sapphire has plenty of accesories, plug adaptors, HDMI cable etc.

Gigabyte(this is what I have ordered) has a three year warranty, but includes no additional cables or adapters. I just liked their three fan OC version and I got it for 569.00, which was a good deal.

Diammond has a five year warranty.

Visiontek has a lifetime warranty, but I would not count on them being around to honor it









If I had to recommend some brands, I guess Asus, XFX Double (Dissipation cards only), Sapphire, and Gigabyte.

I hope you are able to find a good card and get a good price! New egg and Amazon are not bad places to start.


----------



## Frojoe

Thanks for all that fast responses. Well for me im guessing the warranty wont matter once I rip the air cooler of it and watercool it







But good to know about the acessories. So my next question is since brand isnt too big of a problem besides like visiontek. I guess I would look at the HIS,Sapphire and the XFX but is it better to get the already OC from the factory or should I just get stock ref and do it myself? im just curious if there is better hardware on the OC 7970's?


----------



## Daffie82

Sapphire 7950 OC version has dual fan and better cooling while the standard sapphire 7950 only has 1 fan and not so good cooling. This I read from a review site somewhere.
No idea how it is with 7970 cards...


----------



## TitanPC

Someone else likely knows more than I about the quality difference of the factort OC versions. Some say these have better binned chips, meaning they are the cream of the pick. But with these first releases, I would guess most of these cards have nearly identical hardware.

One thing to note is XFX will allow you to install a water block without voiding your warranty, you just need to contact them first and let them know what you are planning.

If you just want a stock 7970, the HIS is probably a good choice at the moment. It's 549 at Amazon and has every possible accessory you can imagine, even a bracket to support the card in your case.

http://www.amazon.com/HIS-Eyefinity-Mini-Displayport-Graphics-H797F3G2M/dp/B006O714FI/ref=sr_1_15?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1329838835&sr=1-15


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> Also, I read that Sapphire provided HDMI cable/HDMI to DP/DVI to DP adapters which I needed. I'm not say that the others don't include those, I'm just saying that they provide a bunch of adapters for only $10 more.


You mean HDMI to DVI cable ?
Is this to connect the card to your screen? And is this better than a standard DVI to DVI cable connection to your screen?


----------



## TitanPC

@Daffie82

It includes the adapter plugs AND a HDMI to HDMI cable.

Sapphire:
CrossFire™ Bridge Interconnect Cable
8 PIN to 4 PIN Power Cable
DVI to VGA Adapter
Mini-DP to DP Cable
Mini Display Port to HDMI dongle
6 PIN to 4 PIN Power Cable
HDMI to SL-DVI Adapter
HDMI 1.4a high speed 1.8 meter cable(Full Retail SKU only)
Mini Display Port to SL-DVI Active dongle

HIS:
http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Summ20*
> 
> So I just received my Sapphire 7970 today and I've had quite some problems so far.
> I started off by installing the latest available driver (12.2) and tried overclocking the card by simply using the CCC to set it at 1125 / 1575 and +20%.
> Unfortunately that wasn't stable for some reason because whenever I try to join a game in BF3 it immediatly hangs and tells me that the display driver has stopped working.
> So I tried to install the earlier RC11 driver and do the same overclock. It seemed to be working untill artifacts started to show up and my computer completely resets itself.
> Also tried upping the voltage to 1.2v but that gave me the same results.
> I've tried using CCC, Trixx and Afterburner but they all gave me the same results.
> Do I have a bad card? Or just a bad driver?


Its absolutely no guarantee that u can overclock outofthebox to 1125/1575 straight away. Try and up that OC little by little. I know it's tempting to do so, cause there are many examples here that people reach the CCC max. My mem won't go over 1450 for example, yet my core goes around 1140 with 1.2volt. So try upping the core first to see where u can get. Some have very good cards, others have lesser. Consensus around multiple forums is that if you reach 1100 core on a 7970 on stockcooling, that's nice.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TitanPC*
> 
> @Daffie82
> It includes the adapter plugs AND a HDMI to HDMI cable.
> Sapphire:
> CrossFire™ Bridge Interconnect Cable
> 8 PIN to 4 PIN Power Cable
> DVI to VGA Adapter
> Mini-DP to DP Cable
> Mini Display Port to HDMI dongle
> 6 PIN to 4 PIN Power Cable
> HDMI to SL-DVI Adapter
> HDMI 1.4a high speed 1.8 meter cable(Full Retail SKU only)
> Mini Display Port to SL-DVI Active dongle
> HIS:
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml


Thanks for the reply !

What is the best way to connect screen to PC. DVI to DVI or HDMI to HDMI ?
I have both options on my samsung syncmaster pc screen
Thanks!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Consensus around multiple forums is that if you reach 1100 core on a 7970 on stockcooling, that's nice.


I get 1100 core 1500 memory on my sapphire 7950 OC


----------



## TitanPC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the reply !
> What is the best way to connect screen to PC. DVI to DVI or HDMI to HDMI ?
> I have both options on my samsung syncmaster pc screen
> Thanks!


HDMI and DVI are both digital signals, so quality should be the same. HDMI carries both audio and video, DVI only video. If you are using speakers in the monitor, then the HDMI connection will be easier. However, if you are using external speakers, which most do, then it's up to you to decide which connection. I guess whichever cable you have on hand. If you can avoid adapters, then why not...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Its absolutely no guarantee that u can overclock outofthebox to 1125/1575 straight away. Try and up that OC little by little. I know it's tempting to do so, cause there are many examples here that people reach the CCC max. My mem won't go over 1450 for example, yet my core goes around 1140 with 1.2volt. So try upping the core first to see where u can get. Some have very good cards, others have lesser. Consensus around multiple forums is that if you reach 1100 core on a 7970 on stockcooling, that's nice.


Strange that you can't get 1500 on the memory. That's the stock rating of the chips that were installed on the cards. AMD has underclocked the chips to 5.5ghz when they are factory rated @ 6ghz. Anyone should be able to get 1500 or 6ghz on their memory

For those that can't get the overclock up high. You need to see what your doing. You can't just max the sliders without controlling the voltage correctly. You will not be able to get 1125core without taking the steps. Maybe a very few will be able to do that, but for those who can't, try this. Use Afterburner 2.2 beta 12(14 is out now too), as soon as you open it, unlock voltage in the settings and then restart AB and hit the reset button and see your voltage. You DO NOT want to go above .125v over stock or you will become unstable. My card runs 1.049v stock. I can push 1000core with stock volts. I CAN NOT get 1125 tho. Now with applying .125v above stock, 1.174v, I can reach 1250core stable, have not gotten 1300 yet on my card. At that same clock of 1250/1600 1.174v, if I try 1.225v, it fails and crashes. Exceeding that voltage has not done good for me or a few others.

Try that and see what happens.


----------



## OverClocker55

The saphhire 7950's are deactivated on newegg(( wtAHHH


----------



## Janaap

I find it strange too, but perhaps BF3 is the only one complaining there. I get major performance loss if I up the mem in that game. Without even having MSAA on, so I decided to let it alone because increasing mem doesn't even match up to the performance gain you get for getting the core higher. When I "reset" in AB it show my voltage at 1.112 which is also signifanctly higher than yours.


----------



## TitanPC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> The saphhire 7950's are deactivated on newegg(( wtAHHH


Likely only means they are out of stock and have no ETA on new inventory. If they have more coming, they just move to out of stock. If they have no view of any incoming inventory they deactivate.

This is my understanding.

Amazon has both the non-oc and oc versions. Non-oc version ready to ship, OC version requires 2 days.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TitanPC*
> 
> Likely only means they are out of stock and have no ETA on new inventory. If they have more coming, they just move to out of stock. If they have no view of any incoming inventory they deactivate.
> This is my understanding.
> Amazon has both the non-oc and oc versions. Non-oc version ready to ship, OC version requires 2 days.


whats the difference between stock cooler and these?


----------



## TitanPC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> whats the difference between stock cooler and these?


You probably already know the 7950 ref designs have the fan placed in the middle of the card. The only difference I see in the Sapphire OC version is it uses two fans.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TitanPC*
> 
> You probably already know the 7970 ref designs have the fan placed in the middle of the card. The only difference I see in the Sapphire OC version is it uses two fans.


any cooling preformance differencees


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> I find it strange too, but perhaps BF3 is the only one complaining there. I get major performance loss if I up the mem in that game. Without even having MSAA on, so I decided to let it alone because increasing mem doesn't even match up to the performance gain you get for getting the core higher. When I "reset" in AB it show my voltage at 1.112 which is also signifanctly higher than yours.


Also verify that it's showing the same in GPU-Z


----------



## TitanPC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> any cooling preformance differencees


I do not own this card, but from what I have read it the OC version runs at 31c idle and 64c load with the fan speed profile on high, I think I remember it's 31 and 69 with the low profile selected, which is not bad considering the card is OC.

I have not seen temps for the non-OC version set at the same clocks, so I can't comment further. Google will probably find the numbers.


----------



## Lard

The non-oc version gets hot with oc:



http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853-8/sapphire-radeon-hd-7950-test.html


----------



## bhardy1185

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> You mean HDMI to DVI cable ?
> Is this to connect the card to your screen? And is this better than a standard DVI to DVI cable connection to your screen?


Actually there is a HDMI to DP.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961&Tpk=sapphire%207970

Click on the pictures to enlarge them. I think that it is the last picture but if you look at what is in the box there are three adapters. HDM to DP, DVI to DP, and DVI to HDMI.

And like mentioned before HDMI if you are using built in monitor speakers and DVI if not. Really they both will work just as well.


----------



## TitanPC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lard*
> 
> The non-oc version gets hot with oc:
> 
> http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853-8/sapphire-radeon-hd-7950-test.html


@Lard

Nice find!

If I read it correctly, it seems the Sapphire was not bad. 75c for the gpu, which was beaten only by the OC version. The VDDC VRM got hot at 96c, but that is not uncommon. Look at the XFX 7970 Double Dissipation! 85.6 and 101.6! Those are high.

The Sapphire 7950 OC version seems the winner here with 71.5c on the gpu and 75c VDDC at load.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Do you have apply overclocking at startup activated in afterburner? If so thats prolly why.
> Try reinstalling CCC but remove Afterburner before that and install it after CCC install.


I did ATIman reinstall, and then installed the driver and then MSI afterburner. it was just after I reinstalled both that I noticed this.


----------



## Wali-S

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Do you have apply overclocking at startup activated in afterburner? If so thats prolly why.
> Try reinstalling CCC but remove Afterburner before that and install it after CCC install.
> 
> 
> 
> I did ATIman reinstall, and then installed the driver and then MSI afterburner. it was just after I reinstalled both that I noticed this.
Click to expand...

While using Afterburner, it will take over the control in Overdrive such as fan speed and Power Tune. There's nothing wrong in your settings. Uninstall Afterburner and whatever you set in Overdrive will stick after you hit "Apply"









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TitanPC*
> 
> @Daffie82
> 
> It includes the adapter plugs AND a HDMI to HDMI cable.
> 
> Sapphire:
> CrossFire™ Bridge Interconnect Cable
> 8 PIN to 4 PIN Power Cable
> DVI to VGA Adapter
> Mini-DP to DP Cable
> *Mini Display Port to HDMI dongle*
> 6 PIN to 4 PIN Power Cable
> HDMI to SL-DVI Adapter
> HDMI 1.4a high speed 1.8 meter cable(Full Retail SKU only)
> Mini Display Port to SL-DVI Active dongle
> 
> HIS:
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml


Mini DisplayPort to HDMI dongle is not supplied


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Also verify that it's showing the same in GPU-Z


GPU-z: 0,938
HWmonitor: 0,95
MSAB: 1,112

Which one to trust? ;-)


----------



## TitanPC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> GPU-z: 0,938
> HWmonitor: 0,95
> MSAB: 1,112
> Which one to trust? ;-)


First, make sure your readings are for the same voltage load vs no load and from the same sensors.

Software can't be guaranteed to be 100% accurate, especially with a new card design.

Others that have more experience than I will chime in, I am sure, but it's never a bad idea to set up a hardwired measurement if you want to be confident in the readings.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> GPU-z: 0,938
> HWmonitor: 0,95
> MSAB: 1,112
> Which one to trust? ;-)


GPU-Z - 0.938mv actual 2d clock voltage ( I believe )

MSAB - 1.112 Targeted 3d voltage

If that is what you were asking


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> GPU-Z - 0.938mv actual 2d clock voltage ( I believe )
> MSAB - 1.112 Targeted 3d voltage
> If that is what you were asking


Well, I read about the .125 overvolt headroom, so I was counting from 1.112 the last time I oc-ed this card (it ran perfectly fine at 1.200).

They above v's were all under no load. When I start the render test in GPU-Z, that one shows 1.146 and HWMonitor shows 0.950.

I'm a bit confused now, so what would my question be??


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Well, I read about the .125 overvolt headroom, so I was counting from 1.112 the last time I oc-ed this card (it ran perfectly fine at 1.200).
> They above v's were all under no load. When I start the render test in GPU-Z, that one shows 1.146 and HWMonitor shows 0.950.
> I'm a bit confused now, so what would my question be??


Not sure if I am understanding what your asking exactly but i'll give it a go.

Too check your default voltage the easy way to do it is to right click on top of GPU-z and hit ASIC quality, The % will indicate your default voltage.

As for the voltage in different programs, Just use GPU-Z as it seems most reliable in my opinion.

Keep in mind that in GPU-Z it will show actual voltage so it will change around a lot. It goes without saying that it is normal for the voltage to change around a lot. You will find that the max volts it pulls is higher depending on the program you are running.

If this didn't answer your question or it was nothing even close to what you wanted to know, Sorry bout that.


----------



## OverClocker55

Which card type or brand should I get on the 7950's


----------



## Janaap

I'm trying to understand and learn, so I'm glad you replied. My ASIC is 80.9 btw.

I was under the impression, since I bought this card, that my voltage was about 1.112 cause AB read that. The .125 oc margin would be that my max voltage was around 1.237.

So the question is, I guess: taken into account the .125v OC margin, what is my stock voltage?

edit: just rebooted and started GPUZ.. VDDC is 0.797. When I start the render test it goes up to 1.064. I have not started MSAB yet, just stock speeds in CCC.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> I'm trying to understand and learn, so I'm glad you replied. My ASIC is 80.9 btw.
> I was under the impression, since I bought this card, that my voltage was about 1.112 cause AB read that. The .125 oc margin would be that my max voltage was around 1.237.
> So the question is, I guess: taken into account the .125v OC margin, what is my stock voltage?


I believe 80-85% ASIC quality is a stock voltage of 1.050mV but i could be wrong.

Not a big deal anyway, If you go over your voltage allowance of .125mv it will just shut down your gpu and then you will know. ( will only shut down when in 3D clocks though of course, if you are over the limit)


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> I'm trying to understand and learn, so I'm glad you replied. My ASIC is 80.9 btw.
> I was under the impression, since I bought this card, that my voltage was about 1.112 cause AB read that. The .125 oc margin would be that my max voltage was around 1.237.
> So the question is, I guess: taken into account the .125v OC margin, what is my stock voltage?
> edit: just rebooted and started GPUZ.. VDDC is 0.797. When I start the render test it goes up to 1.064. I have not started MSAB yet, just stock speeds in CCC.


How far can you push the core with the 1.112v?? When I install MSAB and just unlock voltage, and restart AB, it shows me 1.049. Then when I hit the reset button, AB jumps it too 1.174v. Seems that AB is adding the .125v to our stock voltage on it's own. Since I've seen that, that's where I've left it. If I push higher, it becomes unstable.


----------



## JassimH

Guys, can anyone run any form of eyefinity on the 7970? I've tried all of the drivers and none of them give me an option in CCC to "create an eyefinity display group" however I could easily do it with my 6970 which I recently sold off. Thanks!


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Guys, can anyone run any form of eyefinity on the 7970? I've tried all of the drivers and none of them give me an option in CCC to "create an eyefinity display group" however I could easily do it with my 6970 which I recently sold off. Thanks!


Yes. I run 5896x1080 on my single 7970. I'm using RC11. I tried 12.2/3 and that one worked also. It's like the 4th option down on the left side when you open CCC. It says "Eyefinity". I'm at work so I can't show you. Open CCC and snip a pic of just CCC not your whole 3 screen desktop. I would have pointed it out in your earlier pic but it was too small.


----------



## Janaap

I can push the core up to 1100 before crashes or artifacts on stock voltage. When I set AB to 1.20v I can get as high as 1140 without any problems or high temps. I just did a test run in BF3 on exactly that setting and GPU-Z read a VDDC of 1.14 strangely enough. I've been gaming on the [email protected] for several hours now without any problems or crashing, that is, if I leave memory on 1375. I just upped it to 1500 because of a earlier comment and it crashed within 5 minutes.

But this adds a bit to my confusion: AB oc profile at 1.2v, GPUZ reads 1.14, never higher, never lower.


----------



## jshotz

has everyone moved on the RC drivers?


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yes. I run 5896x1080 on my single 7970. I'm using RC11. I tried 12.2/3 and that one worked also. It's like the 4th option down on the left side when you open CCC. It says "Eyefinity". I'm at work so I can't show you. Open CCC and snip a pic of just CCC not your whole 3 screen desktop. I would have pointed it out in your earlier pic but it was too small.


I can't see it, here's a screenie I took a few hours ago. Can you post a screenshot of your own please?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> I can push the core up to 1100 before crashes or artifacts on stock voltage. When I set AB to 1.20v I can get as high as 1140 without any problems or high temps. I just did a test run in BF3 on exactly that setting and GPU-Z read a VDDC of 1.14 strangely enough. I've been gaming on the [email protected] for several hours now without any problems or crashing, that is, if I leave memory on 1375. I just upped it to 1500 because of a earlier comment and it crashed within 5 minutes.
> But this adds a bit to my confusion: AB oc profile at 1.2v, GPUZ reads 1.14, never higher, never lower.


I can personally push stock voltage to 1650 memory and 1550 core clock.

Edit how does one check ASIC with GPU-z?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> has everyone moved on the RC drivers?


I have had not 1 issue with the release driver. I tried the newer one to see if it improved FPS and it did the opposite. So I went back and it's running great.

EDIT: JassimH, use the snipping tool and snip just around CCC and load that pic for me. I will point it out for you. I have a GTX260 in my work pc I'm on now.


----------



## Summ20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> I can push the core up to 1100 before crashes or artifacts on stock voltage. When I set AB to 1.20v I can get as high as 1140 without any problems or high temps. I just did a test run in BF3 on exactly that setting and GPU-Z read a VDDC of 1.14 strangely enough. I've been gaming on the [email protected] for several hours now without any problems or crashing, that is, if I leave memory on 1375. I just upped it to 1500 because of a earlier comment and it crashed within 5 minutes.
> But this adds a bit to my confusion: AB oc profile at 1.2v, GPUZ reads 1.14, never higher, never lower.


Looks like we both have a crappy batch.

My card is stable at stock voltage (1112mv) up to a maximum of 1050 on the core, If I set it to 1100 it crashes.

Another weird issue is that AB says my stock voltage is 1112mv while Trixx says it's 1170.

I've tried upping the voltage to 1170 on afterburner with 1125 on the core but it crashed my system.

Edit: Even with the core at 1100 and a voltage of 1250mv it's not stable.

_Why do I always get a bad batch, my previous gpu 560 ti was one as well._


----------



## Hambone07si

It's right here


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I have had not 1 issue with the release driver. I tried the newer one to see if it improved FPS and it did the opposite. So I went back and it's running great.
> EDIT: JassimH, use the snipping tool and snip just around CCC and load that pic for me. I will point it out for you. I have a GTX260 in my work pc I'm on now.


Aah sure, here it is!


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> I can't see it, here's a screenie I took a few hours ago. Can you post a screenshot of your own please?
> 
> I can personally push stock voltage to 1650 memory and 1550 core clock.
> *Edit how does one check ASIC with GPU-z?*


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> It's right here


That looks like my old CCC, my new one looks different (look at my screenie above) :\. It looks like that with every driver which I've tried!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> [/B]


Thanks, I'll try it now!
My asic isn't high at all but I see no artificial or any errors at all on several gpu stress-tests and in single-screen gaming.


----------



## Hambone07si

JassimH, look at the top of AB and see what driver it says your using. That's not what CCC should look like if your using the correct driver.


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> JassimH, look at the top of AB and see what driver it says your using. That's not what CCC should look like if your using the correct driver.


Driver is:

"7.14.10.0894. Catalyst 12.3"


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> That looks like my old CCC, my new one looks different (look at my screenie above) :\. It looks like that with every driver which I've tried!


Check the reply Help! Eyefinity on one 7970! (BIG IMAGES BECAUSE I'M LAZY)


----------



## Hambone07si

You got something weird going on there. Uninstall the driver and use the release driver. I've found it to be more stable and works perfect.


----------



## OverClocker55

DINNGY


----------



## JassimH

^ If that's your video, 7950 ALL THE WAY. The dual fan versions (dual x sapphire and twin frozr 3 from MSI) should be champs.

Also my problem is solved. Lots of people need like 50 rep from me







.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Derete Prease.


delete please*?


----------



## SimpleTech

Here's a special BIOS for the 7970 that unlocks CCC (core clocks I'm assuming) to 2000MHz.

http://db.tt/2WJJDWaw

(source)


----------



## Hambone07si

You in eyefinity now?


----------



## OverClocker55




----------



## Hambone07si

OverClocker55, Well we see you like to make movies







. If you don't like red, why you asking the red team









The stock 580's are not loud. The 7950 is faster than a 580 if it's overclocked. I would not get the 580 now since the 7900's have came out. The 3gb of Vram will help with Ultra settings and using AA. My 7970 did not run that cool as my temps were 55c/80c with eyefinity enabled. Now I'm on water and the card is silent and runs 32c/42c, and for your liking, it has no red now. ALL BLACK.


----------



## Stormblitz

Can anybody hear a high pitched squeal from their video card during idle?
I have a Sapphire 7970.
It doesn't do this when under slight load (not gaming), just when it downclocks to 300/150, which is particularly annoying.
I have a water block on it so it is now much more noticeable.


----------



## Hambone07si

I can't hear it at idle but its a screamer when it's fully loaded at 1200core







I also have a water block on mine


----------



## Frojoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TitanPC*
> 
> @Frojoe
> Recommending a brand is not easy, but from the research I have done I would say that mosst of the reference cards will be similar.
> HIS, Sapphire, MSI, Asus, etc. If you can find them for the 550 retail price, I would say you will be OK.
> Some notes:
> XFX double dissipation(two fans) models of the 7970 carry a lifetime warranty. It's not a bad thing to have, but I feel a good two or three year warranty is enough, considering you will likely get rid of the card by then. Also XFX does not care if you overclock, some makers say that overclocking voids the warranty.
> Sapphire has plenty of accesories, plug adaptors, HDMI cable etc.
> Gigabyte(this is what I have ordered) has a three year warranty, but includes no additional cables or adapters. I just liked their three fan OC version and I got it for 569.00, which was a good deal.
> Diammond has a five year warranty.
> Visiontek has a lifetime warranty, but I would not count on them being around to honor it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I had to recommend some brands, I guess Asus, XFX Double (Dissipation cards only), Sapphire, and Gigabyte.
> I hope you are able to find a good card and get a good price! New egg and Amazon are not bad places to start.


Ok, Thanks for that info. If your telling me (which I just read of XFX website) that you can change the cooler as long as you contact them 1st. So that seems like the best option since I will be watercooling. So in that case since i will be watercooling Should I get the DD version or just the Core edition? I guessing there the same just different cooler? Same guts? And anyone have any issues with XFX. I currently have a XFX 260GTX OC and I have never had a issue with it just dont know how I feel about them making ATI more then Nvidia. All comments are welcome. Thanks all


----------



## Hambone07si

If you plan on water cooling, don't waste your money on a non reference cooled card.

EDIT: I hear a bunch of you talking about this Alan Wake game lately. How is it? Worth buying? How's it playing on these new 7900's. I will be running in eyefinity so some #'s will help me decide.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I've read a lot of people complaining about it being glitchy as hell. Even my buddy who has a gtx card is having issues too, so it's not just an AMD thing


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Which card type or brand should I get on the 7950's


I got 2x thoses....was buying the sapphire ones but wasn't in stock + powercolor has one year longer warranty here







I love it.... so nice/cold and quite


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> If you plan on water cooling, don't waste your money on a non reference cooled card.
> EDIT: I hear a bunch of you talking about this Alan Wake game lately. How is it? Worth buying? How's it playing on these new 7900's. I will be running in eyefinity so some #'s will help me decide.


It was really good, been waiting a long time to play it.

CFX locks the computer up (hard lock) but I ran it max settings (custom) with 2560x1600 resolution off of one 7970. Its a great looking game, it's no Metro2033 "graphics" but a lot of users are reporting that max settings are murdering their setups. A lot of it has to do with it being far superior to the console and the fact that nobody has multi-gpu setups working to their normal potential.

I achieved 60+ fps most of the time, it only stuttered once or twice in the whole game, even the boss fight which is graphically intense/lots of activity was very smooth.

I anticipate its the "shadow map" killing peoples setups. The lighting effects/physics are really high end. For example, the directional lighting (flashlight) had stellar production and the real time shadows and on the environment are the best I have ever seen.


----------



## Evil Penguin

2560x1600 runs mostly without issues.
When I first connected my new monitor there were some flashing issues with the task bar.
A restart later it was gone.


----------



## Norlig

I am getting a random line running across my screen horisontally. Mostly when browsing the web, but altso when I launch games and start videos


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I am getting a random line running across my screen horisontally. Mostly when browsing the web, but altso when I launch games and start videos


Turn off GPU affinity hardware acceleration everywhere. FlashPlayer, Video Player, browser, etc.


----------



## NeoandGeo

For some reason CCC and Trixx are having a hard time keeping my settings right. When I restart I have to go to the CCC and set +20% on the power control, and set my voltage from default 1170 to 1195 for my overclock. I have remember settings checked in Trixx, anything else I have to do?


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> For some reason CCC and Trixx are having a hard time keeping my settings right. When I restart I have to go to the CCC and set +20% on the power control, and set my voltage from default 1170 to 1195 for my overclock. I have remember settings checked in Trixx, anything else I have to do?


Why not use AB for everything?

Also, I just unchecked my Overdrive in CCC again to check and see if I got the same results as earlier and I did not. Everything is working perfectly. I guess I just stumbled across a glitch or something a few days ago.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Why not use AB for everything?
> Also, I just unchecked my Overdrive in CCC again to check and see if I got the same results as earlier and I did not. Everything is working perfectly. I guess I just stumbled across a glitch or something a few days ago.


Cool! It's a little bit smoother with just one program to deal with, I've found.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

1300/1700 @ 1.3v

I can do 1250 @ 1.25v however









I've still got room on the memory as my performance was still climbing once I hit 1700.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> 2560x1600 runs mostly without issues.
> When I first connected my new monitor there were some flashing issues with the task bar.
> A restart later it was gone.


I get the task bar flash and noticed an AMD icon on there as well during load.

I believe it is the AMD AML driver... which is part of the 12.2 pre certs... another thing to slow down loads.

though folks seem to be disabling this from start-up. Not sure why the ramification are atm ...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1216640/aml-device-install-what-is-it


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Turn off GPU affinity hardware acceleration everywhere. FlashPlayer, Video Player, browser, etc.


+ if you really want to be thorough Windows Aero....


----------



## herika

I just put together this build and everything seems fine except i get no display with the 7950. I get a display with the onboard and my old 5670 card. I have already updated the bios, made sure both power connectors are connected, set default to PCI-E on the bios. Any ideas?

Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor
Cooler Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler
ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 ATX LGA1155 Motherboard $129.86
G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory $46.99
Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Crucial M4 64GB 2.5" Solid State Disk
Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Video Card - (OC Version)
Case Cooler Master HAF X ATX Full Tower Case
Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *herika*
> 
> I just put together this build and everything seems fine except i get no display with the 7950. I get a display with the onboard and my old 5670 card. I have already updated the bios, made sure both power connectors are connected, set default to PCI-E on the bios. Any ideas?


Take the monitor plug on the card out some seconds and put it back inn... That happens to me also some times...


----------



## Denim-187

Anyone using Firefox ? *Well don't !*
I just switched to Opera after 100% usage on GPU1 when GIFs are on screen and random high clock spikes and usage at any given time.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

I haven't had a single issue with my 7970 that you guys are having, and I'm using the new 12.2 drivers.


----------



## Hambone07si

m3t4lh34d, Here's one for ya.

1250/1600 1.250v
2500k 5ghz



Edit: Here's Skyrim in Eyefinity running 60.1fps @ 1150/1500 on 1 7970


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Anyone using Firefox ? *Well don't !*
> I just switched to Opera after 100% usage on GPU1 when GIFs are on screen and random high clock spikes and usage at any given time.


Ahhhh man I love my firefox... is Opera pretty comparable? Fox also has a ram leak sometimes too where it just takes up way too much for no good reason.


----------



## TheJesus

There are people that don't use Chrome?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> There are people that don't use Chrome?


Adblock Plus doesn't work as well on Chrome as it does on Firefox.

Also, The Witcher 2 looks pretty nice.










Native resolution is 2560x1600.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Never had good luck with chrome honestly and once I tweaked my Firefox it's noticeably faster







Glad you mentioned it though as I haven't tried it in a long while. I'll give it another shot


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Adblock Plus doesn't work as well on Chrome as it does on Firefox.
> Also, The Witcher 2 looks pretty nice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Native resolution is 2560x1600.


Witcher 2 in EYEFINITY is the JAAAAAAAAAAAM! When I play it on single monitor though, I turn on the supersampling too and wow!


----------



## Hambone07si

MrWhiteRX7, are you running 1850mem on stock 1.6v?? I haven't tried to pass 1600mem yet.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Adblock Plus doesn't work as well on Chrome as it does on Firefox.
> Also, The Witcher 2 looks pretty nice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Native resolution is 2560x1600.


Hmm, I haven't had an issue with it








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Never had good luck with chrome honestly and once I tweaked my Firefox it's noticeably faster
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Glad you mentioned it though as I haven't tried it in a long while. I'll give it another shot


Depends how long ago that was







Anytime I open Chrome vs Firefox, its noticeably faster.


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> I can push the core up to 1100 before crashes or artifacts on stock voltage. When I set AB to 1.20v I can get as high as 1140 without any problems or high temps. I just did a test run in BF3 on exactly that setting and GPU-Z read a VDDC of 1.14 strangely enough. I've been gaming on the [email protected] for several hours now without any problems or crashing, that is, if I leave memory on 1375. I just upped it to 1500 because of a earlier comment and it crashed within 5 minutes.
> But this adds a bit to my confusion: AB oc profile at 1.2v, GPUZ reads 1.14, never higher, never lower.


Quoting myself, but here's why: What's the reason to OC as GPUZ never shows the actual voltage I've put in the AB profile? I use the above settings, isn't that strange?


----------



## Hambone07si

what drivers are you using Janaap


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> MrWhiteRX7, are you running 1850mem on stock 1.6v?? I haven't tried to pass 1600mem yet.


Correct... I use Sapphire Trixx or OC so I wouldn't even be able to up the mem voltage if I wanted to.


----------



## Hambone07si

Nice!! have you seen gain from upping the memory like that? If you look at my 3dmark11 vs m3t4lh34d , he's running higher mem and core and got lower score??


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

When I first started oc'ing my original 7970 I left memory at 1575 and kept upping the core until it was unstable. After that I planned to keep upping the memory until it dropped fps (usually what would happen on my xfire 6xxx series)... but it never did! LOL I kept getting more avg fps in all my benches with more memory, however anything over 1850 it will artifact. BF3 responded VERY VERY well to the increase in memory


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> what drivers are you using Janaap


The latest 7970 drivers: 12.2 pre-whql. But the case is the same with the RC11. AB is the beta 12 2.20.


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> When I first started oc'ing my original 7970 I left memory at 1575 and kept upping the core until it was unstable. After that I planned to keep upping the memory until it dropped fps (usually what would happen on my xfire 6xxx series)... but it never did! LOL I kept getting more avg fps in all my benches with more memory, however anything over 1850 it will artifact. BF3 responded VERY VERY well to the increase in memory


You're lucky  I can not even get my mem at 1500 with my 7970, instant reboot.


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> You're lucky  I can not even get my mem at 1500 with my 7970, instant reboot.


Sometimes overclocking memory above 1500MHz need voltage bump
Mem on my card works up to 1700 but needs 1.687V instead 1.600V


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Quoting myself, but here's why: What's the reason to OC as GPUZ never shows the actual voltage I've put in the AB profile? I use the above settings, isn't that strange?


GPUZ always show real voltage...


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> Sometimes overclocking memory above 1500MHz need voltage bump
> Mem on my card works up to 1700 but needs 1.687V instead 1.600V


I upped it a litte to 1,650 and now it seems fine at 1500, thanx! I'll try upping it even further while playing BF3, it did always crash at stock voltage if I was above 1450.

edit: every BF3 map except Strike at Karkand. That map is always a crasher for me, as it is for the 1500 setting :-(


----------



## JassimH

After eight hours my 1650mhz memory started artifacting so I've upped the voltage SLIGHTLY to 1625mv (stock is 1600) and no artifacting/crashes at all. I have no idea why though as apparently these modules are rated to 1700mhz @ stock 1.6v...


----------



## johnnyw

Hmm well if you get artifacts with these memorys that has ECC you have atleast 50Mhz+ too high clocks, you really need to push it way over the limit till that starts to happen. First when you get slightly over the stable mark you just get bit worse performance.


----------



## thrgk

how are you guys using 1600mv voltage? my default in msi ab is 1174 lol


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> how are you guys using 1600mv voltage? my default in msi ab is 1174 lol


That's memory voltage. You can only set it in afterburner.


----------



## thrgk

so the memory voltage is the one you can up to 1.6v? how do you go about doing that? Thought gpu only had one voltage.


----------



## thrgk

wait, they mean 1600mhz for memory clock? I bet that is it lol. Sorry stupid question


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> so the memory voltage is the one you can up to 1.6v? how do you go about doing that? Thought gpu only had one voltage.


There's a drop down toggle on the main afterburner settings. It's a little arrow to the right of your memory clocks.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> so the memory voltage is the one you can up to 1.6v? how do you go about doing that? Thought gpu only had one voltage.


The memory default voltage is already 1.6v

If you are using an up to date AB you can click the drop down thingy next to the core voltage slider and access your memory voltage.


----------



## thrgk

ah i see it, so upping that might let you get better memory clocks? and still have to up core voltage to up the core like 1200+ correct? and both increase heat right/ just want to be sure


----------



## Focus182

Yes raising the memory voltage will net you a better OC in most cases. You will need to check what the safe voltage range is for the memory though.

And finally, Yes raising the memory voltage or core voltage will raise heat.

EDIT: I read your second question wrong. Its not impossible to get 1200mhz on stock voltage but I doubt you would. Still, no one can tell you what voltage you need for it till you try it yourself. Every card is different. If you are asking if the memory voltage will affect the max core freq you can gain then the answer is no, But a high memory OC can in some cases hinder your core OC.


----------



## Focus182

Quick question to everyone, Does anyone get quite a bit of artifacting in GTA IV?

Even at stock or raised voltage I get errors. Other games work flawlessly so I guess its just lack of support?


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Quick question to everyone, Does anyone get quite a bit of artifacting in GTA IV?
> Even at stock or raised voltage I get errors. Other games work flawlessly so I guess its just lack of support?


I get weird horizontal lines on my main monitor which look whitish and was moving from low-mid monitor. It looks similar to when I was playign BF:3 on unstable voltages. I underclocked slightly and switched to one monitor and it was gone/reduced for me.

GTTA4 runs terribly though :\...


----------



## Hambone07si

Well that was a HUGE mess







I uninstalled 11.12 and installed the 12.2 driver, started Skyrim and went to get some coffee, came back to a BSOD. Pc restarted, lauched windows normally, and right after the windows symbol came up, BSOD 0050 and the pc wont start. Just kept doing this over and over. Had to launch windows repair and restore and it got back into window with no AMD driver installed. Tried 12.2 again and the same dame thing. Kept getting a BSOD 50!! Restored again, and installed the 11.12 and everything is fine and windows fired right back up into my Eyefinity settings.

Very strange


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well that was a HUGE mess
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I uninstalled 11.12 and installed the 12.2 driver, started Skyrim and went to get some coffee, came back to a BSOD. Pc restarted, lauched windows normally, and right after the windows symbol came up, BSOD 0050 and the pc wont start. Just kept doing this over and over. Had to launch windows repair and restore and it got back into window with no AMD driver installed. Tried 12.2 again and the same dame thing. Kept getting a BSOD 50!! Restored again, and installed the 11.12 and everything is fine and windows fired right back up into my Eyefinity settings.
> Very strange


If it even remembered your previous settings then there are definitely residual files from previous installs. That means you probably have conflicting files, and you more than likely need to do a clean uninstall / reinstall. Conflicting drivers / CCC lead to most common cause of BSODs, second only to unstable CPU/GPU overclocks.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> If it even remembered your previous settings then there are definitely residual files from previous installs. That means you probably have conflicting files, and you more than likely need to do a clean uninstall / reinstall. Conflicting drivers / CCC lead to most common cause of BSODs, second only to unstable CPU/GPU overclocks.


Especially if afterburner/Trix is in the picture. Most comprehensive thing to do is set msi/trixx back to stock clocks/volts, reboot, uninstall Trixx/Msi, reboot, uninstall ati driver/ccc, reboot, run Driversweeper/AtiMan, reboot, reinstall new ati drivers, reboot, reinstall Msi/Trixx, set clocks/volts again.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Especially if afterburner/Trix is in the picture. Most comprehensive thing to do is set msi/trixx back to stock clocks/volts, reboot, uninstall Trixx/Msi, reboot, uninstall ati driver/ccc, reboot, run Driversweeper/AtiMan, reboot, reinstall new ati drivers, reboot, reinstall Msi/Trixx, set clocks/volts again.


DAME!! You really have to go through all that for changing drivers for a AMD card? I just came from 3 gtx480's. Never had to do anything like that with the nvidia drivers.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> DAME!! You really have to go through all that for changing drivers for a AMD card? I just came from 3 gtx480's. Never had to do anything like that with the nvidia drivers.


Only if you're having issues updating.


----------



## Hambone07si

What's the normal procedure for updating AMD drivers? I went to computer/Uninstall or change a program/ and then uninstalled CCC/driver. My screen ends up going black and pc is just sitting on everytime also. I wait a few, then hit the power button to shut it down. Restart and screen is still black. Restart again and then I'm in windows with no drivers installed. Seems weird or I'm doing it way wrong. Haven't been with amd since my 5870's.


----------



## Janaap

Well, finally I've got things stabilized and with great performance in BF3.

Core [email protected],200v
Mem [email protected],650v

/me happy


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Well, finally I've got things stabilized and with great performance in BF3.
> Core [email protected],200v
> Mem [email protected],650v
> /me happy


that seems high. I can do 1150 on 1174v core, and 1600Mhz on Stock Memory voltage


----------



## Janaap

Mem at stock won't go over 1450, so I'm pleased to get to the CCC max of 1575 at least ;-)


----------



## Summ20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Well, finally I've got things stabilized and with great performance in BF3.
> Core [email protected],200v
> Mem [email protected],650v
> /me happy


I'm glad you got something out of it.

My card won't even do more than 1050 stable on the core. Doesn't matter which voltage I set.

Haven't even touched the memory yet.

I can't believe how bad my card overclocks, it's such a piece of crap. Feels great to have spend €500 on a card which can't even run Battlefield 3 at a steady 60 fps. NOT.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What's the normal procedure for updating AMD drivers? I went to computer/Uninstall or change a program/ and then uninstalled CCC/driver. My screen ends up going black and pc is just sitting on everytime also. I wait a few, then hit the power button to shut it down. Restart and screen is still black. Restart again and then I'm in windows with no drivers installed. Seems weird or I'm doing it way wrong. Haven't been with amd since my 5870's.


Apparently only does about 1/10 of what its supposed to do. See post 1 or 2 about using ATIMAN


----------



## Twistacles

My face when I run bf3 on ultra+fxaa smooth 75+ fps on even the biggest maps:drool:









1250/1700 @1.25. loud fan but whatever


----------



## OverClocker55

Ok Guys







. So I play BattleField 3 on one 23'in monitor @ 1920x1080p res. Should I get a GTX 580 or 7950? Will the 1.5 of more vram on the 7960 benefit me at all? Thanks


----------



## Invisible

When should I start popping up my memory voltage? I'm thinking about putting my core at 1250 and my core voltage at 1.25v, and then my memory at 1750. What voltage do you guys think I should start at? Memory is at stock voltage at the moment.


----------



## Norlig

What is max safe voltage for the memory on these cards?


----------



## Shrimp

Hey everyone I'm considering picking up a 7970 as an upgrade to my GTX 470. I would really appreciate it if anyone with a larger monitor could run the Crysis benchmark at 2048x1152 resolution, all on Very High, 0xAA and 4xAA, and preferably overclocked to 1GHz. Just trying to get a clear picture of the increase I'd get going from my 470 with my resolution and all.


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Summ20*
> 
> I'm glad you got something out of it.
> My card won't even do more than 1050 stable on the core. Doesn't matter which voltage I set.
> Haven't even touched the memory yet.
> I can't believe how bad my card overclocks, it's such a piece of crap. Feels great to have spend €500 on a card which can't even run Battlefield 3 at a steady 60 fps. NOT.


That sucks indeed, I thought for quite some time I had that same ****ty batch you have, but this feels pretty ok now.

You should be able to play BF3 with a very decent framerate at high/ultra settings, check tweakguides.com for how you should setup your config. Don't use MSAA/AA deferred, its a fps killer.


----------



## Bravo2010

Hey gus, ive tried readng through 450 posts, didnt make it, I just ordered another 7970 because 2 is always better then one. I have a really nice PSU but its 750 watss, (800w continuous) is that going to be enough? I do have a pump and 8 fans going as well.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bravo2010*
> 
> Hey gus, ive tried readng through 450 posts, didnt make it, I just ordered another 7970 because 2 is always better then one. I have a really nice PSU but its 750 watss, (800w continuous) is that going to be enough? I do have a pump and 8 fans going as well.


Since my HX1050 is on RMA and I havent ordered a new PSU yet, I use a TX750!
This is also with 2x 7970 on water and all that støfff! Works fine!


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bravo2010*
> 
> Hey gus, ive tried readng through 450 posts, didnt make it, I just ordered another 7970 because 2 is always better then one. I have a really nice PSU but its 750 watss, (800w continuous) is that going to be enough? I do have a pump and 8 fans going as well.


High quality 750 watt will run 2x 7970 xfire. Heavily overclocked 7970's pulled 690 from the wall in a review, so you are cutting it close once you start pushing them to their limits.


----------



## OverClocker55

Hi, Ordering atm. Msi 7950 or XFX 1 fan 7950? Please fast..


----------



## Bravo2010

Thx, for the replys guys, Im going to go with my 750 for now then, and I dont plan on ocing the cards.
Quote:


> Hi, Ordering atm. Msi 7950 or XFX 1 fan 7950? Please fast..


For that poster, I always thought the 1st gen. reference cards were all basicly the same and its not untill the companies put there own flare on the card is when there's differences. Could be wrong, but it really looks that way.


----------



## Summ20

Like I stated in a previous post, my 7970 absolutely sucks. It doesn't get past 1050 on the core no matter what voltage I set. Battlefield 3 keeps crashing my PC to a complete automatic reset.

Could it be by any chance that it's my PSU causing the unstable overclocking? My current one is an Antec 750W which is about 3 years old now and has been making some weird noises now and then while playing some games.

I just don't want to believe that I got bad luck again. (My previous card, the 560 ti didn't overclock for ***** either.)


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bravo2010*
> 
> Hey gus, ive tried readng through 450 posts, didnt make it, I just ordered another 7970 because 2 is always better then one. I have a really nice PSU but its 750 watss, (800w continuous) is that going to be enough? I do have a pump and 8 fans going as well.


This is a great tool for getting an estimate of what watt power supply you will need for you build.

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp


----------



## Bravo2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Summ20*
> 
> Like I stated in a previous post, my 7970 absolutely sucks. It doesn't get past 1050 on the core no matter what voltage I set. Battlefield 3 keeps crashing my PC to a complete automatic reset.
> Could it be by any chance that it's my PSU causing the unstable overclocking? My current one is an Antec 750W which is about 3 years old now and has been making some weird noises now and then while playing some games.
> I just don't want to believe that I got bad luck again. (My previous card, the 560 ti didn't overclock for ***** either.)


Not all GPUS OC well and some dont oc at all they, were designed that way. Thats why theres so many more GPU options then CPU. AMD and Nivdia want you to buy a better GPU and not just OC your card to perform like one. ---- Dont get me worng so people have great success with OCing cards,, but there have been far more failures

I dont plan on ocing my 7970 its already the fastest, I wanted more so i bought a 2nd card.


----------



## Summ20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bravo2010*
> 
> Not all GPUS OC well and some dont oc at all they, were designed that way. Thats why theres so many more GPU options then CPU. AMD and Nivdia want you to buy a better GPU and not just OC your card to perform like one. ---- Dont get me worng so people have great success with OCing cards,, but there have been far more failures
> 
> I dont plan on ocing my 7970 its already the fastest, I wanted more so i bought a 2nd card.


Well yeah, I understand that but no matter where I look everyone seems to be getting great results with their 7970's except for me.

So I thought that maybe my PSU could be the issue.

Oh well, looks like I'll have to wait for better drivers to increase performance.


----------



## pfunkmort

Well, it's PROBABLY not related, because you're probably not as dumb as me. But, I was freezing up in BF3, until I remembered to up the memory voltage as well (as I had increased the clock to 1525). I ran a couple hour long tests in OCCT, but it wasn't until I got in a game that it was actually an issue. Apparently OCCT doesn't need to stress the ram too much to run at 666 fps.

Anyway...I have an unrelated question. I've looked all over for information about this, and there ARE a bunch of threads on the topic, but nothing in them has helped me, and most of those threads are at least 6-8 months old, so probably this issue has evolved since then. Anyway, here it is : I'm having issues with my manually set MSI Afterburner fan profile. In as much as it loads, but sometimes, especially after system load, it just won't work, and my fan will either say low, or it will ramp up to whatever number is in CCC, even though I don't have CCC running. Is there a fix for this that doesn't require either A) shutting down MOM.exe and CCC.exe or B) opening up afterburner from the system tray and spamming "user define" half a dozen times EVERY time I start the computer up?


----------



## Bravo2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Summ20*
> 
> Well yeah, I understand that but no matter where I look everyone seems to be getting great results with their 7970's except for me.
> So I thought that maybe my PSU could be the issue.
> Oh well, looks like I'll have to wait for better drivers to increase performance.


I hear ya, and it could be psu. Sometimes it also depends where you look.when I bought my 2600k I thought everybody was getting 5.0ghz, I found out later that wasn't the case. there's never a set number when it comes to ocing. Hope it works out keep us posted


----------



## Summ20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Well, it's PROBABLY not related, because you're probably not as dumb as me. But, I was freezing up in BF3, until I remembered to up the memory voltage as well (as I had increased the clock to 1525). I ran a couple hour long tests in OCCT, but it wasn't until I got in a game that it was actually an issue. Apparently OCCT doesn't need to stress the ram too much to run at 666 fps.


Well that's the thing, I never even touched the memory. My card can't handle anything above 1050MHz on the core no matter how much voltage I throw at it. (within the 1.3v limit ofc)


----------



## Summ20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bravo2010*
> 
> I hear ya, and it could be psu. Sometimes it also depends where you look.when I bought my 2600k I thought everybody was getting 5.0ghz, I found out later that wasn't the case. there's never a set number when it comes to ocing. Hope it works out keep us posted


Yeah, guess I've learned that the hard way.

Thanks, I will.


----------



## Exostenza

Hey guys I need some help. I have a chance to get a new card and could get the 7950 for 150 bucks out of pocket or the 7970 250 bucks out of pocket. My 6970 plays everything I want it to at max settings, but I got such a good offer for the card I really want to sell it. I have been mulling over spending the extra 100 bucks and it seems worth it considering the performance, but first of all I am a broke student and should spend as little as possible and second of all I would only be able to get the reference design of the 7970 because I am not willing to order online and my local shop has no non-reference 7970s while I could get the non-ref design from gigabyte which every review has said it provides amazing cooling and low temperature.

So should I get the 7950, overclock it and save the 100 bucks or go for the 7970 and be super broke and deal with the reference design cooler?


----------



## Bravo2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Hey guys I need some help. I have a chance to get a new card and could get the 7950 for 150 bucks out of pocket or the 7970 250 bucks out of pocket. My 6970 plays everything I want it to at max settings, but I got such a good offer for the card I really want to sell it. I have been mulling over spending the extra 100 bucks and it seems worth it considering the performance, but first of all I am a broke student and should spend as little as possible and second of all I would only be able to get the reference design of the 7970 because I am not willing to order online and my local shop has no non-reference 7970s while I could get the non-ref design from gigabyte which every review has said it provides amazing cooling and low temperature.
> So should I get the 7950, overclock it and save the 100 bucks or go for the 7970 and be super broke and deal with the reference design cooler?


how long would you be super broke for,, jk







I have a reference 7970 and its great, I havent used the 7950 but I heard it can be oced to stock 7970 but you might want to get a better 2nd opinion on that. I would get the better card myself 7970 and use it on those broke days but thats me.

EDIT, I just saw some of the non reference 7970's they look sweet,
http://ncix.com/products/?sku=67547&vpn=GV%2DR797OC%2D3GD&manufacture=Gigabyte

Now thats a tough one, could you wait for local store to get some in??


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bravo2010*
> 
> how long would you be super broke for,, jk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a reference 7970 and its great, I havent used the 7950 but I heard it can be oced to stock 7970 but you might want to get a better 2nd opinion on that. I would get the better card myself 7970 and use it on those broke days but thats me.
> EDIT, I just saw some of the non reference 7970's they look sweet,
> http://ncix.com/products/?sku=67547&vpn=GV%2DR797OC%2D3GD&manufacture=Gigabyte
> Now thats a tough one, could you wait for local store to get some in??


They said they won't be getting any in for some time.

I think I might order from online, but I absolutely hate to.


----------



## Invisible

Anyone answer this?

When should I start popping up my memory voltage? I'm thinking about putting my core at 1250 and my core voltage at 1.25v, and then my memory at 1750. What voltage do you guys think I should start at? Memory is at stock voltage at the moment.


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Anyone answer this?
> When should I start popping up my memory voltage? I'm thinking about putting my core at 1250 and my core voltage at 1.25v, and then my memory at 1750. What voltage do you guys think I should start at? Memory is at stock voltage at the moment.


This is the fun with GPU stress testing .... *start at stock* !


----------



## joecrazy83

hey, I had a quick question for you, I saw the pic of your MSI afterburner showing your overclock settings, First off how do you get the core voltage turned up? Mine wont let me change it? I overclocked my card (XFX Black Edition OC) in Catalyst center and got GPU CLock setting to 1125 and memory core clock at 1525 but cant change anything else, keep in mind this is all i have changed , and I ran HEAVEN with The ultra tessalation and 4x AA aND 16X a , i GOT 1181 score at stock speeds and 1325 with 52.6 fps on the oc settings i mentioned above, Again I set settings very high, How can I get better performance?

Also seems CPU-Z doesnt put much about my card is this because they are so new? I ran 3d mark and it said I had a bad score , Going to run again now and see what I get with the OC of my CPU and GPU , thanks


----------



## Bravo2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joecrazy83*
> 
> hey, I had a quick question for you, I saw the pic of your MSI afterburner showing your overclock settings, First off how do you get the core voltage turned up? Mine wont let me change it? I overclocked my card (XFX Black Edition OC) in Catalyst center and got GPU CLock setting to 1125 and memory core clock at 1525 but cant change anything else, keep in mind this is all i have changed , and I ran HEAVEN with The ultra tessalation and 4x AA aND 16X a , i GOT 1181 score at stock speeds and 1325 with 52.6 fps on the oc settings i mentioned above, Again I set settings very high, How can I get better performance?
> Also seems CPU-Z doesnt put much about my card is this because they are so new? I ran 3d mark and it said I had a bad score , Going to run again now and see what I get with the OC of my CPU and GPU , thanks


Since so many people are Ocing there cards you have to OC yours to get on par results, I had the same issue, Once you OC you be with the rest of the world. I did put my card back to stock settings after the bench myself.


----------



## Exostenza

Well I am on board with a 7950 and my ASIC quality is 68 percent... Am I screwed for a good overclock?


----------



## Invisible

Put it at 1250/1750 with voltage at 1.25v/1.631v and it locked up and the driver failed on Graphics Test 2 of 3DMark11. Going to try now 1.275v/1.65v.


----------



## Invisible

3DMark11 results for 7950 @ 1250/1750 at 1.281v/1.681v



I think this is the highest OC I'm going to go. At the moment, I have the highest graphics core with a 2500K and a 7950. I'm going to go test in Heaven and play some BF3 to get a better analysis of the temps and such.

Also guys, is it a good idea to have a stock profile in AB that you can set whenever your PC is idle, or playing a very un-intensive game? So you can save some stress on your GPU when it is not needed.


----------



## TheJesus

ASIC: 76%
Core: 1000
Mem: 1450
Voltage: 0.993V

Any higher core or mem and it locks up. Thinking I'll bump the voltage at some point.

For future reference, don't try to overclock while in EyeFinity, that's just buckets of awful.


----------



## Exostenza

How'd I do? 1100/1575


----------



## Invisible

Just did a Heaven 2.5 test at 4xAA/16xAF (at 900p, just bought a VH236H, gets here on Friday, can't wait!), and everything else at default with a result of 98.7fps. I like this overclock better than the one I had before, haha.

Temps have went way higher though, with my old fan profile, they jumped to 76C during stage 17 of 26. Drastically changed it though so heat shouldn't be a problem now.

I'm a bit worried that 1.281v for core and 1.681v for memory is dangerous though. Can anyone tell me it is not so I can go to sleep peacefully, haha.


----------



## thrgk

I got 1210mv at 1200core. that voltage is very high. I wanted 1300mhz on the core. no way I can get it now lol. maybe sapphire was not the best? what brand is getting highest PC's?oc's


----------



## Invisible

I went ahead and put everything back to the way my old OC was. This new OC is dominating, but 1200/1600 was already dominating enough. So I'm at 1.231v core, and stock memory of 1.6v with 1200/1600 again.

When I get my 1080p monitor, if I'm not getting the results I want for some reason, I'll bring the other OC back and see if I can get the voltage down a little.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> How'd I do? 1100/1575


Not bad







Get it up another 100mhz on the core and see if you can hit 85fps avg


----------



## thrgk

wow gigabyte 7970 wind force review hit 1305core at 1.273mv. maybe I should of gotten that lol. is 1.3v the Max for these cards on air? accident ly posted this in the wrong post. so reported here in correct spot.


----------



## Ottesen

You guys clocking with the newest drivers and CAP ?


----------



## sbuck333

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Just did a Heaven 2.5 test at 4xAA/16xAF (at 900p, just bought a VH236H, gets here on Friday, can't wait!), and everything else at default with a result of 98.7fps. I like this overclock better than the one I had before, haha.
> Temps have went way higher though, with my old fan profile, they jumped to 76C during stage 17 of 26. Drastically changed it though so heat shouldn't be a problem now.
> I'm a bit worried that 1.281v for core and 1.681v for memory is dangerous though. Can anyone tell me it is not so I can go to sleep peacefully, haha.


cool to know the memory volt can be stable up higher. I'm sure neither if those is volts is super dangerous. I was wondering how far to try to take the memory volts myself. Right now it looks good at 1550 mhz/ 1.65 mem volts. I think this is where hwinfo and VRM temps will come into play as we try to push these. Personally i was seeing around 66 C when overvolted on the VRM which should still be fine (I think?). Seems like the sapphire oc does have some decent airflow/cooling on those vrm and ram. If anyone else has news about the max safe mem volts I am curious as well.

btw very nice OC and scores!


----------



## Exostenza

What are you guys using to change the voltages? MSI Afterburner or something else? Is there any way to unlock the sliders in the CC to go higher? I remember there was a BIOS that did that for the 6970 where the sliders went really high. Also can we flash a bios with the clocks and fan profiles we want like the good old days or are we stuck with having to use software running in the background for our overclocks? I have an ASIC score of 68 percent.... should I return it and try to get a better rated one? Strangely also I can hear some cap whine between the card doing 3d and gearing down back to 2d, but not during the 3d or 2d operation... again should I take it back to get a new one just in case this proves to be an issue? I bought the card from a shop close to me so taking it back is no problem at all.

One last thing. AMD cards seem to run their memory at the top clocks when dual monitors are used and never goes down to 2d clocks. Is there any way around this other than the obvious afterburner profiles?

So many questions i know, LOL.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> What are you guys using to change the voltages? MSI Afterburner or something else? Is there any way to unlock the sliders in the CC to go higher? I remember there was a BIOS that did that for the 6970 where the sliders went really high. Also can we flash a bios with the clocks and fan profiles we want like the good old days or are we stuck with having to use software running in the background for our overclocks? I have an ASIC score of 68 percent.... should I return it and try to get a better rated one? Strangely also I can hear some cap whine between the card doing 3d and gearing down back to 2d, but not during the 3d or 2d operation... again should I take it back to get a new one just in case this proves to be an issue? I bought the card from a shop close to me so taking it back is no problem at all.
> One last thing. AMD cards seem to run their memory at the top clocks when dual monitors are used and never goes down to 2d clocks. Is there any way around this other than the obvious afterburner profiles?
> So many questions i know, LOL.


AB is most common.
In CCC? Possibly, just use AB.
You can if you know what you're doing.
ASIC is relative and isn't something I would judge a card by.
Every 7900 is having the coil whine, some worse than others, especially when overclocked.
I doubt it, why would you want to?


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

I use Trixx... I've tried AB twice now with my 7970's and it won't hold as high of an OC. I don't know know why but doesn't matter. Trixx is good shizzle


----------



## TheJesus

Hmm, AB had no problems with my overclock then I enabled the unofficial overclocking and it broke the core and mem sliders to 0 and won't hold any changes I make...


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Yea I honestly like AB more, simply because of it's OSD but I can't hit 1200/1850 even with more voltage. Not sure why.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Hey guys I need some help. I have a chance to get a new card and could get the 7950 for 150 bucks out of pocket or the 7970 250 bucks out of pocket. My 6970 plays everything I want it to at max settings, but I got such a good offer for the card I really want to sell it. I have been mulling over spending the extra 100 bucks and it seems worth it considering the performance, but first of all I am a broke student and should spend as little as possible and second of all I would only be able to get the reference design of the 7970 because I am not willing to order online and my local shop has no non-reference 7970s while I could get the non-ref design from gigabyte which every review has said it provides amazing cooling and low temperature.
> So should I get the 7950, overclock it and save the 100 bucks or go for the 7970 and be super broke and deal with the reference design cooler?


Just go with the 7950.
The gain in performance is not worth the extra cash in my opinion ...


----------



## johnnyw

I really start to get p*ssed to AMD driver department, they could atleast release some hotfix for 120hz monitors for time beeing before they get new completely fixed drivers out. Its just horrible now to be forced to use my 120hz screen at 60hz at desktop/web browsing because of the crappy drivers







Its just sad that they keep repeating same mistakes with every new series od cards. these same "120hz dekstop flickering" problems was allready with 5 series cards. I really like how this card performs in games but this leaves bit bitter taste at overall.

Anyway here is few pics of my Gigabyte 7950 WF3


----------



## Summ20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Well I am on board with a 7950 and my ASIC quality is 68 percent... Am I screwed for a good overclock?


I don't think ASIC quality matters all that much.

The ASIC quality on my 7970 is supposedly near 80% but it overclocks really bad.


----------



## johnnyw

I think those ASIC readings are optimized for nvidia. But anyway what ive seen in finnish forum 7970/7950 cards that has over 80% ASIC + dont overclock so well on air when 70-75% cards again has been good overclockers with stock cooling. So those explanations in current gpu-z for these 7900 cards seems to be wrong as its just opposite.

But i think thats not completely bulletpfoor anyway, just light estimation how good or bad it might be.


----------



## Aventadoor

My new 3dmark11 score @ 1250/1655 max volt:


----------



## thrgk

what voltage was that at aventadoor? and that is cf 7970s right?


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> what voltage was that at aventadoor? and that is cf 7970s right?


Its CF and it is at max voltage. Keep in mind that they are watercooled, so temps arent an issue


----------



## thrgk

ah is 1.3v the max voltage? Wasnt sure what was for 7970. Also, what brand 7970s?


----------



## Hambone07si

My 2nd card will be here tomorrow!! Hope I see no stuttering or it's going back! If it works good, I'll be ordering another EK block for it as well. These cards are way to loud on stock cooler.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> ah is 1.3v the max voltage? Wasnt sure what was for 7970. Also, what brand 7970s?


Idk, Msi says 1.3V, GPU-Z says 1.28V








And some read that I am at stock voltage








It is Sapphire version and ASIC quality is 73.4% and 6somethingsomething%


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> My 2nd card will be here tomorrow!! Hope I see no stuttering or it's going back! If it works good, I'll be ordering another EK block for it as well. These cards are way to loud on stock cooler.


what brand is the second one ya ordered?


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> I really start to get p*ssed to AMD driver department, they could atleast release some hotfix for 120hz monitors for time beeing before they get new completely fixed drivers out. Its just horrible now to be forced to use my 120hz screen at 60hz at desktop/web browsing because of the crappy drivers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its just sad that they keep repeating same mistakes with every new series od cards. these same "120hz dekstop flickering" problems was allready with 5 series cards. I really like how this card performs in games but this leaves bit bitter taste at overall.
> Anyway here is few pics of my Gigabyte 7950 WF3


Nvidia took a whole year before sli worked with the 580 with windows vista.
120hz is important for me due to my eyefinity setup is running at the hz.

It seems to be a few more iteration of the driver development before we see more bug/issue free whql sets.
It is a new tech for them.
still one expect them to work when one buys them.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> what brand is the second one ya ordered?


VisionTek. Just reference card.


----------



## thrgk

nice. btw hambone, on your diamond card, what voltage are you at for 1200/1600?


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> Nvidia took a whole year before sli worked with the 580 with windows vista.
> 120hz is important for me due to my eyefinity setup is running at the hz.
> It seems to be a few more iteration of the driver development before we see more bug/issue free whql sets.
> It is a new tech for them.
> still one expect them to work when one buys them.


Well the point is that they been having this exatly same issue with 2 last generation cards at lauch ( 5 & 6 series ) so they should of allready learned from those. Its just plain stupidity just keep repeating same mistakes all over again everytime they release some new produckt.


----------



## thrgk

How do u get the dried paste off the card, when u go to watercool it, the paste is dried on, and rubbing alcohol does not usually get it off, is it the same with this card. If so, how did you guys manage to do it?


----------



## Hambone07si

dry paper towel. then alcohol after most is gone. Q-tip with alcohol after that if you can't get it all. Pretty easy.

Edit: for 1200/1600 1.174v works but crashed a few times after gaming for 30-45min. 1.200v hasn't crashed at all.


----------



## thrgk

i remember on my 6990, it was like dried, very dried lol. Was it guppy for you when u did it?


----------



## Arthedes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Anyone have experience with, or reference to a 7970 vs crossfire 6950's ? Would like to know before I sell me 6950's.


2x 6950 > 6990 > 7970 would be a downgrade, unless you want less noise


----------



## Hambone07si

It was pretty dry when I took it off. Didn't take much time at all. Took me 30min total to take apart, clean, cut thermal pads, peel the plastic of both sides of the thermal pads, VERY thin layer of paste across both chip and block, and then very small rice sized in the center of the chip, and then put together. Temps are amazing!!


----------



## Mr Frosty

Would someone be kind enough to do a run of Crysis at 1920x1080 all very high settings please?


----------



## Invisible

When you overclock, and it crashes, is it normally the voltage for the core or the memory? Cause my card overclocks like a beast, but it needs a lot of voltage. I crashed at 1.275v/1.65v at 1250/1750, but 1.281v/1.681v was perfect. But that is really high. I just want to know how impactful is the voltage for each portion of the card. So more or less, which one is more important for OC I guess you could say?


----------



## Faded

guys that are watercooling your 7970, where are you picking up your waterblocks from?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Faded*
> 
> guys that are watercooling your 7970, where are you picking up your waterblocks from?


FROZENCPU.com OF COURSE









Invisible, If your card need that much voltage to be stable, you answered your own ?. Just makes sure you keep it cool. That same overclock may work at a load of 75c but could fail at 80c. Keep it cool and you'll be fine.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr Frosty*
> 
> Would someone be kind enough to do a run of Crysis at 1920x1080 all very high settings please?


I will run a Crysis bench for you later tonight. System will be 2500k 5ghz, 8 gigs 1866 C8, 7970 1200/1600.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr Frosty*
> 
> Would someone be kind enough to do a run of Crysis at 1920x1080 all very high settings please?


72fps avg. @ 1300/1700 Enthusiast/Dx10/4xAA/Frost bench
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> When you overclock, and it crashes, is it normally the voltage for the core or the memory? Cause my card overclocks like a beast, but it needs a lot of voltage. I crashed at 1.275v/1.65v at 1250/1750, but 1.281v/1.681v was perfect. But that is really high. I just want to know how impactful is the voltage for each portion of the card. So more or less, which one is more important for OC I guess you could say?


I ran my 5870's @ 1.3v for a year and a half on water. Heat kills cards, not voltage so as long as you are properly cooling them you are fine. As far as 28nm's ability to deal with higher voltage... I couldn't comment on that, but it was fine for my 5870's that defaulted at 1.164 volts.


----------



## Hambone07si

^^ that's Crysis Warhead.

Mr Frost, did you want Warhead or the original Crysis benchmark ran??


----------



## Mr Frosty

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> ^^ that's Crysis Warhead.
> Mr Frost, did you want Warhead or the original Crysis benchmark ran??


The original please, but can you set anti-aliasing quality to Adaptive in the CCC control panel please?

That way the tree's, bushes and other transparent/alpha texture in the game get anti-aliased, Greatly improves image quality but costs more as with the 7000 you can finally have true transparent anti-aliasing in Crysis and Warhead


----------



## Hambone07si

No prob. Will do after my RC motor upgrade. Gotta break 100mph


----------



## OverClocker55

So my Msi 7950 is on its way







UPS tellz me its going to come monday








.


----------



## Hambone07si

Should of paid for 2day shipping and then that sad face would be one of these


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Should of paid for 2day shipping and then that sad face would be one of these


30 bucks? nah I got free shipping so with that 30 ill pick up some fans or something


----------



## XenoMopH

Did anyone try to load a XFX Radeon HD 7950 Black Edition BIOS into a XFX Radeon HD 7950 Double Dissipation Edition? Same goed for the ASUS HD7950-DC2 vs the ASUS HD7950-DC2*T* .

To mee the cards look the same, but only the BIOS settings are different so the cards run a bit faster. They do cost a bit more, but to save some money, a BIOS upgrade is done easily.


----------



## Hambone07si

If that's from the Egg, $28 usually get's you next day. What's $30 to have a card to mess with over a winter weekend vs waiting til monday








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XenoMopH*
> 
> Did anyone try to load a XFX Radeon HD 7950 Black Edition BIOS into a XFX Radeon HD 7950 Double Dissipation Edition? Same goed for the ASUS HD7950-DC2 vs the ASUS HD7950-DC2*T* .
> To mee the cards look the same, but only the BIOS settings are different so the cards run a bit faster. They do cost a bit more, but to save some money, a BIOS upgrade is done easily.


They whole point of those for the extra $50 is to be quiet and cooler. The stock fan on the 7970 is insanely loud to me, and if one didn't have a water setup already, that would be the card to buy, unless your deaf or wear headphones.


----------



## OverClocker55

ahh I got a 570 to use on the winter weekend also take in mind I'm in florida so Im outside most of the weekend dirt biking etc.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

3rd 7970 being installed as soon as i press submit... excited to test it all out!


----------



## pfunkmort

I asked this 5-6 pages ago, but I didn't get an answer. Has anyone had any experience with afterburner's user-defined fan profile fluking and getting overwritten randomly by CCC? I can't get it to consistently use the MSI profile. Sometimes it reverts during startup...sometimes just randomly when I'm surfing the web. And my fan will start going up for no reason.


----------



## Norlig

Hmm, I dont like this...



whenever I am outside or up flying, my fps drops to mid 45's.
Game is at ultra

Got everything set to Quality, including Super Sampling and Tripple buffering in CCC
Does those settings use that much GPU Power?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> ahh I got a 570 to use on the winter weekend also take in mind I'm in florida so Im outside most of the weekend dirt biking etc.


Well that makes a difference. I'd be on my boat picking up chicks at the beach


----------



## Hambone07si

Norlig, your FPS is falling on it's face because your at 3613mb of Vram. Turn off that Super sampling AA and you'll probably be fine. 4xAA isn't good enough? Those pic's look great, but probably the same with 4xAA


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Hmm, I dont like this...
> 
> whenever I am outside or up flying, my fps drops to mid 45's.
> Game is at ultra
> Got everything set to Quality, including Super Sampling and Tripple buffering in CCC
> Does those settings use that much GPU Power?


Are you using 4x MSAA? If so, that's why. Use SMAA or Fxaa instead.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Norlig, your FPS is falling on it's face because your at 3613mb of Vram. Turn off that Super sampling AA and you'll probably be fine. 4xAA isn't good enough? Those pic's look great, but probably the same with 4xAA


Divide the Vram by 2 and that is the current usage. (or so I have been told)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Are you using 4x MSAA? If so, that's why. Use SMAA or Fxaa instead.


But it was fine untill I messed with CCC Anti Aliasing options. would super sampling in CCC +2x MSAA? or 4XMSAA and lower quality in CCC look better?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Divide the Vram by 2 and that is the current usage. (or so I have been told)
> But it was fine untill I messed with CCC Anti Aliasing options. would super sampling in CCC +2x MSAA? or 4XMSAA and lower quality in CCC?


No you don't divide it by 2. You have 2 gpus and each one need's it's own ram to run. If you see 3613mb of Vram, each card will be using that, whether 1,2,3, or 4 cards. Your maxing your Vram out. Stay under 3000mb and you will not see the dips.


----------



## XenoMopH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> If that's from the Egg, $28 usually get's you next day. What's $30 to have a card to mess with over a winter weekend vs waiting til monday
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They whole point of those for the extra $50 is to be quiet and cooler. The stock fan on the 7970 is insanely loud to me, and if one didn't have a water setup already, that would be the card to buy, unless your deaf or wear headphones.


No XFX and ASUS are bringing out 2 cards based on their own coolers. The DD for XFX and the Direct CU II for ASUS.
XFX has the:
XFX Radeon HD 7950 Black Edition and the XFX Radeon HD 7950 Double Dissipation Edition.

ASUS:
HD7950-DC2-3GD5 and the ASUS HD7950-DC2*T*-3GD5

Cards are exactly the same, but the BlackEdition from XFX and the TOP from ASUS are higher clocked. So.....that's why I was wondering if a simpel BIOS upgrade will turn the cheaper one into the more expensive one


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No you don't divide it by 2. You have 2 gpus and each one need's it's own ram to run. If you see 3613mb of Vram, each card will be using that, whether 1,2,3, or 4 cards. Your maxing your Vram out. Stay under 3000mb and you will not see the dips.


I know that, but it is how MSI afterburner displays VRAM usage on these cards for the moment.

I had 2 580's with 1,5gb that I swapped with these. Those would use 1450 Mb ram for the most time, but I dropped fps because i went over 1500mb with those. I have reached over 4k VRAM usage displayed by MSI afterburner and still had 60 fps


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XenoMopH*
> 
> No XFX and ASUS are bringing out 2 cards based on their own coolers. The DD for XFX and the Direct CU II for ASUS.
> XFX has the:
> XFX Radeon HD 7950 Black Edition and the XFX Radeon HD 7950 Double Dissipation Edition.
> ASUS:
> HD7950-DC2-3GD5 and the ASUS HD7950-DC2*T*-3GD5
> Cards are exactly the same, but the BlackEdition from XFX and the TOP from ASUS are higher clocked. So.....that's why I was wondering if a simpel BIOS upgrade will turn the cheaper one into the more expensive one


Why chance bricking a card with a bios update instead of using msi to bring it to the same. There's no point in buying a card for the extra 75mhz. The point of buying those are to run cooler and quieter. You can get a reference card to 1100mhz easy so there's no point to pay extra unless the quiet/cooler is the reason. I use water so I bought reference. I'd be a dumbarse to buy one of those and take that cooler off and shelf it, no?


----------



## Mr Frosty

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No you don't divide it by 2. You have 2 gpus and each one need's it's own ram to run. If you see 3613mb of Vram, each card will be using that, whether 1,2,3, or 4 cards. Your maxing your Vram out. Stay under 3000mb and you will not see the dips.


No....Just flat out wrong...

It's well known that MSI AB reports AMD memory usage wrong, you do infact divide it by the number of GPU's you have so in his case he needs to half it.


----------



## Mr Frosty

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> whenever I am outside or up flying, my fps drops to mid 45's.
> Game is at ultra
> Got everything set to Quality, including Super Sampling and Tripple buffering in CCC
> Does those settings use that much GPU Power?


It depends, I've not seen the new CCC anti-aliasing options so unless you can do me a screen grab I can't tell you 100%

If you have adaptive anti-aliasing on then that's not the problem as that only applies super sample anti-aliasing to transparent/alpha objects but if there's a ot of smoke and particle on screen it can cripple performance but I can't see it killing your fps that much.

Looking at your screen shots it's not applying super sample anti-aliasing to the whole scene as the IQ is still quite poor and doesn't show any signs that super sample anti-aliasing is being used.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr Frosty*
> 
> No....Just flat out wrong...
> It's well known that MSI AB reports AMD memory usage wrong, you do infact divide it by the number of GPU's you have so in his case he needs to half it.


Well I've been seeing a lot of 2500mb readings while playing games in eyefinity. My 2nd card comes in tomorrow. Your telling me that I will now see 5000mb+?

Here's a Eyefinity setup running maxed settings and it's showing under 3000mbs with 2 cards. Doesn't make sense that he can run 100-160fps on 3 screens and someone on 1 screen can't hold 60fps


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I asked this 5-6 pages ago, but I didn't get an answer. Has anyone had any experience with afterburner's user-defined fan profile fluking and getting overwritten randomly by CCC? I can't get it to consistently use the MSI profile. Sometimes it reverts during startup...sometimes just randomly when I'm surfing the web. And my fan will start going up for no reason.


Ye, i do. Does it if i enter ccc/start ccc or start afterburner... only some times tho. I just Un-eble auto fan i ccc then put the custom fan profile in afterburner on and off...


----------



## Mr Frosty

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well I've been seeing a lot of 2500mb readings while playing games in eyefinity. My 2nd card comes in tomorrow. Your telling me that I will now see 5000mb+?
> Here's a Eyefinity setup running maxed settings and it's showing under 3000mbs with 2 cards. Doesn't make sense that he can run 100-160fps on 3 screens and someone on 1 screen can't hold 60fps


His screen shots are showing 3.6Gb of VRAM in use, That's imposible for two reaons :

1. His frame rate would be single digits due to sheer amount of texture thrashing the game would be causing
2. After burner reads VRAM use from the display driver, It would not report a value that's more VRAM then what he has.


----------



## NeoandGeo

I play BF3 at 1080p Ultra settings with 4xMSAA and my VRAM usage hovers around 1.6GB


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well I've been seeing a lot of 2500mb readings while playing games in eyefinity. My 2nd card comes in tomorrow. Your telling me that I will now see 5000mb+?
> Here's a Eyefinity setup running maxed settings and it's showing under 3000mbs with 2 cards. Doesn't make sense that he can run 100-160fps on 3 screens and someone on 1 screen can't hold 60fps


In CrossfireX, you don't not "stack" VRAM on top of each other.

Having 2 or 3 or even 4 cards means you only have access to 3.0GB of VRAM and every card, while using its own memory, is all cloned of each other.

It wasn't until a few beta releases ago, we couldn't even see VRAM usage on ATI/AMD cards.

They are correct, the total memory you see is incorrect. One card yes, but 2+ cards its counting the "cloned memory" as individual video card memory being used.

Its been claimed that its Memory displayed / Number of GPUs in CrossfireX. The reason for this it that the Memory Usage / GPUs correlates to the VRAM usage of other cards with lesser memory, such as the 6970 with its 2GB of VRAM, and again 6970 users would compare to 1.5GB GTX 580s and see about the same VRAM usage at times with similar settings.

The symptoms of hitting 3.5GB VRAM on our cards would equate to a BSOD/Crash To Desktop or if it was still running the game, less than 1 frame per second.

This coupled with the fact that most titles run fine at 1920x1080 with Max settings on GPUs that have at most 1.5GB. I know BF3 pushes it a little higher to 1.6~1.65GB of VRAM on max settings but not many other titles save for Witcher 2 do this at 1920x1080. So we know for a fact that the cards could not even be hitting 3500+MB.

Also to note: How the drivers store information into VRAM isn't always indicative of whats absolutely needed. nVidia have been known to cache a lot more extra information in Crysis 2 for the 3GB GTX 580s, yet it runs the exact same FPS as the 1.5GB GTX 580s despite using an extra 1GB of VRAM. Just because your card is using 2500MB, which is completely ridiculously high for a single monitor or EyeFinity, means that the driver is caching textures instead of placing them in your RAM or worse streaming from HDD. You getting a second or third card does not guarantee an increase to 5000 MB, its a dynamic number. Besides you are forgetting that smaller VRAM cards are running BF3 no problem like the 6970 with only 2GB of VRAM and the GTX 580 with its 1.5GB of VRAM as mentioned before.

Nordlig's issue isn't with VRAM, its that one GPU is at 66% and the other at 44%. I would anticipate something like FPS limiter is on or VSYNC.


----------



## thrgk

That is right, no matter how many 3gb cards u have, u will only have 3gb of vram.


----------



## Exostenza

Hey guys I can't seem to overclock with MSI Afterburner with the pre-certified 12.2 drivers. Nothing will stick and it always defaults to the lowest numbers. I read somewhere that the newest drivers kill third party overclocking... any information for me to get around this would be much appreciated.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Norlig's issue isn't with VRAM, *its that one GPU is at 66% and the other at 44%.* I would anticipate something like FPS limiter is on or VSYNC.


Those are Fan speed Percentages, The GPU Usage is the furthest ones to the left


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Hey guys I can't seem to overclock with MSI Afterburner with the pre-certified 12.2 drivers. Nothing will stick and it always defaults to the lowest numbers. I read somewhere that the newest drivers kill third party overclocking... any information for me to get around this would be much appreciated.


Uninstall Afterburner and all pre-sets. Download the new AB beta 14. Reinstall and re-enable unofficialoverclocking. Profit.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Those are Fan speed Percentages, The GPU Usage is the furthest ones to the left


Ah gotcha, good eyes. I anticipate driver issue then or a bad CAP installed, you have the 12.1 CAP 3 installed?

Just to be sure though, you have no VSYNC / Fame Limiting on right?

If everything is setup then potentially BF3 can make CFX 7970 struggle at max settings.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I know that, but it is how MSI afterburner displays VRAM usage on these cards for the moment.
> I had 2 580's with 1,5gb that I swapped with these. Those would use 1450 Mb ram for the most time, but I dropped fps because i went over 1500mb with those. I have reached over 4k VRAM usage displayed by MSI afterburner and still had 60 fps


Dude leave all CCC settings at "Let application decide" Except Tesselation, and even then only if you know what you're doing.

Triple buffering in CCC only affects OPENGL games. There are very few of those around, the vast majority use DirectDraw (DirectX). DirectX can benefit from triple buffering, but very few developers put this in as an option.

In the case of BF3 they almost certainly don't as triple buffering uses extra VRAM to work.. It can be enabled by using D3DOverrider, which is included as a free utility with Rivatuner (which can be uninstalled leaving D3DOR on your system. It doesn't write to the registry and is a stand alone program that can be run from anywhere) You could try it to see if it helps.

Shadow detail and AA have the biggest affect on performance, generally speaking. Since BF3 is memory-heavy, try a decent O/C on your VRAM too.

Try a google search: "HD 7970 Battlefield 3 settings", there is a lot of information available for this game.

Turn off Windows Aero too for this (and all) games. Make sure your HDD is defragmented. All the usual stuff.

Hope this helps a little


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Ah gotcha, good eyes. I anticipate driver issue then or a bad CAP installed, you have the 12.1 CAP 3 installed?
> Just to be sure though, you have no VSYNC / Fame Limiting on right?
> If everything is setup then potentially BF3 can make CFX 7970 struggle at max settings.


Yes, I am using 12.2 preview + CAP 3. Clean install with ATIman uninstaller and MSI AB beta 14


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Uninstall Afterburner and all pre-sets. Download the new AB beta 14. Reinstall and re-enable unofficialoverclocking. Profit.


I started out with 2.2.0 b14. I then uninstalled it and all the pre-sets, re-installed the drivers, restarted, installed AB 2.2.0 b14 again and it is even worse as I cannot even move the sliders as before I could although they didn't do anything anyways.


----------



## OverClocker55

wow maybe I should get a 580 if the drivers are so bad. just ordered a 7950 though


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> wow maybe I should get a 580 if the drivers are so bad. just ordered a 7950 though


AMD always blows balls for the first few months of a new generation with their drivers, but once it gets sorted they are really nice stable (unless you have CF which I wouldn't touch with a 10 foot poll). This card is a beast even with completely un-optimized drivers I smash a 580, so don't sweat it. It only goes up from here.









The overclocking potential on these suckers is huge.

EDIT: I am trying to OC with Trixx now, but it says I have to disable ULPS in the settings and restart and I did, but it keeps coming up with the same error...

EDIT 2: Seems the pre-cert 12.2 drivers do not play nicely with AB or Trixx. Oh well I will OC later I guess.


----------



## Norlig

It cant be CPU Bottleneck, can it? GPU's at <100% and Frames <60 =/ , Can't we just blame drivers?


----------



## Invisible

Wow, isn't 75C a little high for your card(s)? I have mine at 1250/1750 and I usually get about 68-71C on my fan profile.

http://i.imgur.com/xnPFJ.jpg


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Wow, isn't 75C a little high for your card(s)? I have mine at 1250/1750 and I usually get about 68-71C on my fan profile.
> http://i.imgur.com/xnPFJ.jpg


What drivers are you using? I can't get any OC programs to play nicely with the 12.2 per-cert drivers.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Wow, isn't 75C a little high for your card(s)? I have mine at 1250/1750 and I usually get about 68-71C on my fan profile.
> http://i.imgur.com/xnPFJ.jpg


voltt ? core and memory


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> What drivers are you using? I can't get any OC programs to play nicely with the 12.2 per-cert drivers.


These. The ones from their website that are brought up whenever you search.

What do you mean by "play nicely"? All I done was (I came from nVidia) uninstall all nVidia drivers and programs from Add/Remove, DriverSweeper in Safe Mode to get the rest, install the AMD drivers, install the new beta of Afterburner, apply the overclock in AB (unofficial mode), disable Overdrive in CCC, restart.

I haven't had any problems with programs or anything. Except when the driver crashes when testing stability, but that's normal.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> voltt ? core and memory


Core = 1.281v
Memory = 1.681v


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well I just emailed AMD's Driver division about my issues.

1) Absolute trash performance on GTA IV, regardless of settings bottomed out or maxed out.
2) The idle hard lock ups that are confirmed a driver issue by Sapphire's tech support.


----------



## Newbie2009

Ah this thread is still going strong. Put my card under water and stopped the oc at 1240/1700. The brute force of this card is just awesome. No driver issues, Zero crashes on the oc since I settled at the clocks.
Best purchase since the HD5870, no, better!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well I just emailed AMD's Driver division about my issues.
> 1) Absolute trash performance on GTA IV, regardless of settings bottomed out or maxed out.
> 2) The idle hard lock ups that are confirmed a driver issue by Sapphire's tech support.


Odd, my card runs GTAIV with ICE 2.0 mod flawlessly. Not one crash. Excellent performance too!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well I just emailed AMD's Driver division about my issues.
> 1) Absolute trash performance on GTA IV, regardless of settings bottomed out or maxed out.
> 2) The idle hard lock ups that are confirmed a driver issue by Sapphire's tech support.
> 
> 
> 
> Odd, my card runs GTAIV with ICE 2.0 mod flawlessly. Not one crash. Excellent performance too!
Click to expand...

How? Mine gives me MASSIVE stuttering (just one card mind you), regardless of my graphical settings, or if I use the ICE mod (1.25 version, since I use EFLC).


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> How? Mine gives me MASSIVE stuttering (just one card mind you), regardless of my graphical settings, or if I use the ICE mod (1.25 version, since I use EFLC).


Yeah just one card here also. Fps goes from 60-30, averages about 50 id say. No idea what is your problem, but i can confirm 100% the HD7970 I have has ZERO issues with GTAIV.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> How? Mine gives me MASSIVE stuttering (just one card mind you), regardless of my graphical settings, or if I use the ICE mod (1.25 version, since I use EFLC).
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah just one card here also. Fps goes from 60-30, averages about 50 id say. No idea what is your problem, but i can confirm 100% the HD7970 I have has ZERO issues with GTAIV.
Click to expand...

My framerate is fine honestly. 30 as a minimum in the WORST case scenario. Well over 100 for max's, average probably around 50 or so.

The problem is that it stutters like mad. It's almost like I'm getting micro stutter or something with one card somehow. I mean its honestly 110% unplayable, even though my framerates are fine. It makes no sense.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My framerate is fine honestly. 30 as a minimum in the WORST case scenario. Well over 100 for max's, average probably around 50 or so.
> The problem is that it stutters like mad. It's almost like I'm getting micro stutter or something with one card somehow. I mean its honestly 110% unplayable, even though my framerates are fine. It makes no sense.


I am still cpu limited myself, even at 4.8ghz. Driver reinstall is all I could suggest, however I'm sure you have tried this a million times, did you use ATI Man?


----------



## kikkO

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Hmm, I dont like this...
> 
> whenever I am outside or up flying, my fps drops to mid 45's.
> Game is at ultra
> Got everything set to Quality, including Super Sampling and Tripple buffering in CCC
> Does those settings use that much GPU Power?


That's what I get on my MSI 6970 Lighting with the same settings in game.

What made you think you need SS and Triple buffering in CCC?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I am still cpu limited myself, even at 4.8ghz. Driver reinstall is all I could suggest, however I'm sure you have tried this a million times, did you use ATI Man?


You know the game is GPU dependent right?


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kikkO*
> You know the game is GPU dependent right?


They are talking about GTA IV. No it's not.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> These. The ones from their website that are brought up whenever you search.
> What do you mean by "play nicely"? All I done was (I came from nVidia) uninstall all nVidia drivers and programs from Add/Remove, DriverSweeper in Safe Mode to get the rest, install the AMD drivers, install the new beta of Afterburner, apply the overclock in AB (unofficial mode), disable Overdrive in CCC, restart.
> I haven't had any problems with programs or anything. Except when the driver crashes when testing stability, but that's normal.
> Core = 1.281v
> Memory = 1.681v


I am using those drivers too and they are a fresh install from using ATIman's uninstaller. In AB I just get 0 on both of my clocks and none of the sliders can be modded even though I enable overclocking and everything in the config file. Trixx says it needs to disable ULPS which is in the settings and all I have to do is restart, but it never works. I can't get either program to change my clocks...

This is all I can get from AB even after butting in the line of text and the 1 required in the config:










I cant move the core or memory sliders at all, but I can set the voltage which is strange.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I am using those drivers too and they are a fresh install from using ATIman's uninstaller. In AB I just get 0 on both of my clocks and none of the sliders can be modded even though I enable overclocking and everything in the config file. Trixx says it needs to disable ULPS which is in the settings and all I have to do is restart, but it never works. I can't get either program to change my clocks...
> This is all I can get from AB even after butting in the line of text and the 1 required in the config:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I cant move the core or memory sliders at all, but I can set the voltage which is strange.


Ah, I know what your problem is. Download this, and install it. It's a patch for AB and CCC. I had the exact same problem as you and I posted about it in here about 40 pages ago.

http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz

Thanks to krazyatom for letting me pass this on.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Ah, I know what your problem is. Download this, and install it. It's a patch for AB and CCC. I had the exact same problem as you and I posted about it in here about 40 pages ago.
> http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz
> Thanks to krazyatom for letting me pass this on.


What exactly does it do? Seems a bit suspicious...

Well I went ahead and installed it. Thanks dude! Don't know what it did, but it worked! +rep









(hope I don't have a trojan lying around now)


----------



## Denim-187

Guys just *reinstall afterburner* when that happens ! no need for any patch


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> What exactly does it do? Seems a bit suspicious...
> Well I went ahead and installed it. Thanks dude! Don't know what it did, but it worked! +rep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (hope I don't have a trojan lying around now)


Trojan smojan, you can overclock now and benchmark. No need to go look at any banking info.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guys just *reinstall afterburner* when that happens ! no need for any patch


Tried -> doesn't work.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Trojan smojan, you can overclock now and benchmark. No need to go look at any banking info.


Was more of a joke rather than being serious.


----------



## Samurai707

Finally got my Sapphire 7950 OC Edition in! Toooo excited!


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Tried -> doesn't work.
> Was more of a joke rather than being serious.


I was hinting at "Start benchmarking!" ^.^


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Almost finished!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Cliors

Is it possible to put a hd7970 and a hd7950 in crossfire together ?
Because it''s the same gpu only the 7950 is a light version .


----------



## pfunkmort

that's an interesting question...if you flashed the bios.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I was hinting at "Start benchmarking!" ^.^


Got to 1225 Core @ 1.2v and 1650 on the memory @ 1.6v and it scored me 81.8 (2060 points) in heaven 2.5. I could go further, but it seems that the gains are so minimal I might as well sit at where I am.

Am I doing it right?










Also I noticed some serious coil sequel / cap whine / buzzing while benching and I remember reading that all the 79xx cards are afflicted by this, so should I just ignore it? My card never went over 58C while testing.


----------



## Cliors

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> that's an interesting question...if you flashed the bios.


I just read at a site that you can use in crossfire two gpu's that are different versions as long as it is the same gpu type.
They bring the hd 7970 & hd 7950 up as an example.
So not an 7970 & 7870.
I''m new to amd before i had nvidia and i know that in sli you need to have 2 the exact same gpu's.
I have already an hd 7970 but i wanna upgrade later in the year with a second card.
The hd 7950 has almost the same performance then a 7970 but saves me 100 euro.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cliors*
> 
> Is it possible to put a hd7970 and a hd7950 in crossfire together ?
> Because it''s the same gpu only the 7950 is a light version .


Probably don't even need to flash. Same-series have traditionally been CFX capable. Not sure about the 7900 series though. Might be worth an email to AMD.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Finally got my Sapphire 7950 OC Edition in! Toooo excited!


Congrats man! Enjoy!


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr Frosty*
> 
> Would someone be kind enough to do a run of Crysis at 1920x1080 all very high settings please?


Here's 2 runs for you. 1st was no AA at 1150/1500 and 2nd was 4xAA and 1200/1600


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I am using those drivers too and they are a fresh install from using ATIman's uninstaller. In AB I just get 0 on both of my clocks and none of the sliders can be modded even though I enable overclocking and everything in the config file. Trixx says it needs to disable ULPS which is in the settings and all I have to do is restart, but it never works. I can't get either program to change my clocks...
> This is all I can get from AB even after butting in the line of text and the 1 required in the config:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I cant move the core or memory sliders at all, but I can set the voltage which is strange.


I simply deleted the CFG files and let AB re-build them upon restart. This was after I ruined the overclocks and it was constant driver recovering but I couldn't do a whole lot, so safe mode'd and deleted those files.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cliors*
> 
> Is it possible to put a hd7970 and a hd7950 in crossfire together ?
> Because it''s the same gpu only the 7950 is a light version .


Every series before this has had compatibility assuming it was the same family of GPUs and since 7950/70 share the Southern Islands GPU, they should be.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> These. The ones from their website that are brought up whenever you search.
> What do you mean by "play nicely"? All I done was (I came from nVidia) uninstall all nVidia drivers and programs from Add/Remove, DriverSweeper in Safe Mode to get the rest, install the AMD drivers, install the new beta of Afterburner, apply the overclock in AB (unofficial mode), disable Overdrive in CCC, restart.
> I haven't had any problems with programs or anything. Except when the driver crashes when testing stability, but that's normal.
> Core = 1.281v
> Memory = 1.681v


ist to high to run it it 1.28 core voltt ? and what about the mem voltt

my card is runing it 1.231 core voltt stock volt for mem

show us bench for haven it max setting x8 1080p
hear is mine


----------



## Exostenza

I noticed some serious coil sequel / cap whine / buzzing while benching and I remember reading that all the 79xx cards are afflicted by this, so should I just ignore it? My card never went over 58C while testing and playing BF3. I can't hear it over the general hum of my computer, but when I open the case and listen all I can hear is a terrible buzzing from the GPU.

Should I be concerned?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I noticed some serious coil sequel / cap whine / buzzing while benching and I remember reading that all the 79xx cards are afflicted by this, so should I just ignore it? My card never went over 58C while testing and playing BF3. I can't hear it over the general hum of my computer, but when I open the case and listen all I can hear is a terrible buzzing from the GPU.
> Should I be concerned?


Almost all of them have it. Don't worry about it.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Space is tight... but they are in!


----------



## johnnyw

Nice one









Just have to say good luck to get it working proberly, knowing the state drivers are now even for single card 3 cards will likely be nightmare.


----------



## Hexa

How come every benchmark or utility that scans my PC says I only have 1649 MB of vram? I have two 7970's so wouldn't that be 6 gb, or at the least 3gb if they work back and forth? Either way the 1600 something mb seems wrong?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Nice one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just have to say good luck to get it working proberly, knowing the state drivers are now even for single card 3 cards will likely be nightmare.


Thanks, will find out tonight.


----------



## chillgreg

Deleted


----------



## chillgreg

Deleted


----------



## chillgreg

Can't delete the image in the double post :s


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Space is tight... but they are in!


Nice rig man! Where's the hotplate?


----------



## StrayderGame

What is your FPS in BF3 with single 7970 guys? If it is Overclocked what are clocks?

I play BF3 on single 7970 overclocked at 1125/1575 at 1.20v at 1920x1080 ,Ultra settings in game V-sync enabled,CCC 3D settings are on default and this are my scores...

Min: 41
Max: 62
Average: 55.38

is that ok FPS?

tested on map Strike at Karkand


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Nice rig man! Where's the hotplate?


Whats a hotplate?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Whats a hotplate?


It's what you cook food on. Sorry forgot the wink smiley


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> It's what you cook food on. Sorry forgot the wink smiley


Doh... Got ya! LOL


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> What is your FPS in BF3 with single 7970 guys? If it is Overclocked what are clocks?
> I play BF3 on single 7970 overclocked at 1125/1575 at 1.20v at 1920x1080 ,Ultra settings in game V-sync enabled,CCC 3D settings are on default and this are my scores...
> Min: 41
> Max: 62
> Average: 55.38
> is that ok FPS?
> tested on map Strike at Karkand


That seems low, without AA at those settings and OC I get a solid 60fps at all time with V-sync enabled. Do you have the Power slider set to +20%?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> What is your FPS in BF3 with single 7970 guys? If it is Overclocked what are clocks?
> I play BF3 on single 7970 overclocked at 1125/1575 at 1.20v at 1920x1080 ,Ultra settings in game V-sync enabled,CCC 3D settings are on default and this are my scores...
> Min: 41
> Max: 62
> Average: 55.38
> is that ok FPS?
> tested on map Strike at Karkand


Don't use in game MSAA. It's a mess, doesn't look good, and performs terribly on AMD hardware. Use Smaa or Fxaa.

I am getting 60-100 fps in B2K maps on Ultra, fxaa, 1920x1080. I am overclocked to 1300/1700.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I noticed some serious coil sequel / cap whine / buzzing while benching and I remember reading that all the 79xx cards are afflicted by this, so should I just ignore it? My card never went over 58C while testing and playing BF3. I can't hear it over the general hum of my computer, but when I open the case and listen all I can hear is a terrible buzzing from the GPU.
> Should I be concerned?


Normal. My 5870's had it when over-volting/benching and I ran em for a year and a half. My new 7970 has the same coil whine while over-volted. As long as it doesn't bug you too bad, it's not a problem.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Don't use in game MSAA. It's a mess, doesn't look good, and performs terribly on AMD hardware. Use Smaa or Fxaa.
> I am getting 60-100 fps in B2K maps on Ultra, fxaa, 1920x1080. I am overclocked to 1300/1700.


what is your Stock voltage?


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> what is your Stock voltage?


1.26. I'm on water, and also I should have made clear I only use 1300mhz for benching Crysis/Heaven etc... When I am getting 60-100 in BF#, I am running 1280 mhz. This is a 74% asic card, which seems to be the sweet spot for good overclockers (69%-78%).


----------



## Hambone07si

So what does this "asic" really mean? I checked mine and it was 86%. I have overclocked mine to 1250/1600 1.250v but haven't tried to go any higher. I haven't tried pushing the memory any more that 1600 at all. My stock voltage is 1.049v


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So what does this "asic" really mean? I checked mine and it was 86%. I have overclocked mine to 1250/1600 1.250v but haven't tried to go any higher. I haven't tried pushing the memory any more that 1600 at all. My stock voltage is 1.049v


Nothing really. The higher the Asic quality, the lower the stock voltage. It's really a crap shoot as to how yours will overclock regardless of Asic quality. technically, I think the Asic quality has something to do with how much voltage leaks on the PCB and how much extra they have to add to get it into spec.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> That seems low, without AA at those settings and OC I get a solid 60fps at all time with V-sync enabled. Do you have the Power slider set to +20%?


Yep i have.... both in MSI AB and CCC

ye i forgot to mention to i use FXAA injector ,btw what in game should seted MSAA or otherone if i use FXAA?


----------



## NeoandGeo

I have 2x Adaptive MSAA set in CCC. I get a solid 60 on all vanilla maps and some dips to the lower 50's on B2K maps with my overclock.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Yep i have.... both in MSI AB and CCC
> ye i forgot to mention to i use FXAA injector ,btw what in game should seted MSAA or otherone if i use FXAA?


If you're using fxaa, you don't even need any Msaa at all. fxaa does way better post processing. Using both won't benefit your PQ and will hit your frames. Disable msaa with fxaa or smaa.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So what does this "asic" really mean? I checked mine and it was 86%. I have overclocked mine to 1250/1600 1.250v but haven't tried to go any higher. I haven't tried pushing the memory any more that 1600 at all. My stock voltage is 1.049v


Could you do me a favour?

Could you open GPU-Z and set it to run the sensors in the background, Play a game for a few mins and tell me what the max actual voltage you achieved at 1250/1600 @1.250mv.

Also, Is there any chance you could also run a few mins of a game at 1.174mv and tell me what the max actual voltage is?

I know this is a lot to ask but if I find out this information I could be able to help myself and others reach a higher overclock. I will also rep you for this.

Thanks.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So what does this "asic" really mean? I checked mine and it was 86%. I have overclocked mine to 1250/1600 1.250v but haven't tried to go any higher. I haven't tried pushing the memory any more that 1600 at all. My stock voltage is 1.049v


Hate to break it to you, but you could set 1.2, 1,25, 1.3v in MSI afterburner. but your GPU will still only get 1,174v max to it. OVP on the 79xx series halt any voltage over Stock+125mv.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Don't use in game MSAA. It's a mess, doesn't look good, and performs terribly on AMD hardware. Use Smaa or Fxaa.


With MSAA you mean the antialiasing mode in CCC called ''adaptive multi sampling'' ?
And I guess it is best to put the amount of AA being used to ''application controlled'' at all times ?

Thanks for your reply


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> If you're using fxaa, you don't even need any Msaa at all. fxaa does way better post processing. Using both won't benefit your PQ and will hit your frames. Disable msaa with fxaa or smaa.


So how to turn it off? FXAA is auto enable when BF 3 tarts right? or i have to turn it on? When u sid to disable MSAA that means to in game in video options i put OFF where is option with MSAA?


----------



## Norlig

Could some1 screen shot the best settings of both Ingame and Driver settings for BF3 when all is at ultra?


----------



## evensen007

Guys, when using the bf3 fxaa injector, turn off msaa in game and in drivers. You can tell fxaa is working because you can hit the pause-break key to toggle it on-off and you will see a pretty big difference. I'm not sure where you are setting msaa at the driver/ccc level because I've never added it, but it should be left alone in the CCC and turned off completely in the game settings menu for Bf3.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> What is your FPS in BF3 with single 7970 guys? If it is Overclocked what are clocks?
> I play BF3 on single 7970 overclocked at 1125/1575 at 1.20v at 1920x1080 ,Ultra settings in game V-sync enabled,CCC 3D settings are on default and this are my scores...
> Min: 41
> Max: 62
> Average: 55.38
> is that ok FPS?
> tested on map Strike at Karkand


Don't worry, that is normal.

You have v-sync on so of course your average is going to be at least under 60. Strike of Karkand is a very demanding map, especially in 64-player servers. I hit 40-45fps occasionally on that map on all Ultra settings (when I had one 7970). I also leave v-sync and MSI AB's framelimiter to 60 since I only have a 60hz display, but when I turn v-sync off, I average 40-100fps from most demanding to isolated areas. Don't worry, that is normal and these guys have their OC's at 1300mhz, so of course their minimums would be around 50 instead since that's a near 200mhz over your 1125mhz.

Note: This is only normal in B2K 64-player servers. In <64-player server death match or rush, you should be seeing 60+.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> Guys, when using the bf3 fxaa injector, turn off msaa in game and in drivers. You can tell fxaa is working because you can hit the pause-break key to toggle it on-off and you will see a pretty big difference. I'm not sure where you are setting msaa at the driver/ccc level because I've never added it, but it should be left alone in the CCC and turned off completely in the game settings menu for Bf3.


That is the point... You can not put AA totally off in CCC, you HAVE to choose an antialiasing method, MSAA or adaptive or super sampling. Only thing you can do ofcourse is set the level of AA to application controlled. But you still HAVE to choose the method you want in CCC...


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Don't worry, that is normal.
> You have v-sync on so of course your average is going to be at least under 60. Strike of Karkand is a very demanding map, especially in 64-player servers. I hit 40-45fps occasionally on that map on all Ultra settings (when I had one 7970). I also leave v-sync and MSI AB's framelimiter to 60 since I only have a 60hz display, but when I turn v-sync off, I average 40-100fps from most demanding to isolated areas. Don't worry, that is normal and these guys have their OC's at 1300mhz, so of course their minimums would be around 50 instead since that's a near 200mhz over your 1125mhz.
> Note: This is only normal in B2K 64-player servers. In <64-player server death match or rush, you should be seeing 60+.


Ye it mostly on normal maps 60 fps but on B2K it goes like 55 FPS..

anyway i'm using this FXAA from this site, any1 know what is difference between 1.3 Beta and 1.3 beta performance?

http://extreme.pcgameshardware.de/battlefield-serie/189991-fxaa-injector-danoc1-fuer-battlefield-3-update-danoc1-v1-3-beta-download.html


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> That is the point... You can not put AA totally off in CCC, you HAVE to choose an antialiasing method, MSAA or adaptive or super sampling. Only thing you can do ofcourse is set the level of AA to application controlled. But you still HAVE to choose the method you want in CCC...


I should have been more clear. Don't mess with CCC AA settings for BF3. Leave it application controlled and then turn MSAA off in game settings page in BF3.


----------



## jamotide

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> I really start to get p*ssed to AMD driver department, they could atleast release some hotfix for 120hz monitors for time beeing before they get new completely fixed drivers out. Its just horrible now to be forced to use my 120hz screen at 60hz at desktop/web browsing because of the crappy drivers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its just sad that they keep repeating same mistakes with every new series od cards. these same "120hz dekstop flickering" problems was allready with 5 series cards. I really like how this card performs in games but this leaves bit bitter taste at overall.


That flickering occurs due to too low memory clocks in idle mode. Simply raise the idle memory clock and the 120hz flickering will be gone.


----------



## Invisible

Finally got my VH236H today. It...looks...AMAZING!

Loaded up Heaven at max everything, including 8xAA and Extreme tess and got these results. This is not my at 1250/1750 clock speeds though. This is at 1200/1600. I don't think I'm going to back to those unless I want to perform some 3DMark11 runs. Unless I'm playing a game I can't max at 1080p. So far there are none. Except Saints Row 3 though, I get about 31fps all the time for some reason.

My GPU sits at 100% usage all the time though and at 501/1250, but I heard in the new patch they broke the game basically, so hopefully that's what causing it.

EDIT: Hmm, seems to be happening with a few other games as well. Such as Crysis. GPU usage sits at 100%, clocks at 501/1250, and I'm locked at 30fps, it never drops and never goes higher. Any help?


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamotide*
> 
> That flickering occurs due to too low memory clocks in idle mode. Simply raise the idle memory clock and the 120hz flickering will be gone.


I know that but it is not really working solution either to make profile with higher ram clocks. If you overclock the card powerplay gets messed again and flickering starts till you restart pc and reload the profile. So that solution really only works if you keep the card at stock.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> EDIT: Hmm, seems to be happening with a few other games as well. Such as Crysis. GPU usage sits at 100%, clocks at 501/1250, and I'm locked at 30fps, it never drops and never goes higher. Any help?


Put power control to 20%, if that dont help then you probably have too much voltage and OCP (over current protection) kicks in.


----------



## Invisible

Power control is at +20% in AB.

And I'm at 1200/1600 with 1.235v in core, and 1.605v in memory. If I drop under that it becomes unstable.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Could you do me a favour?
> Could you open GPU-Z and set it to run the sensors in the background, Play a game for a few mins and tell me what the max actual voltage you achieved at 1250/1600 @1.250mv.
> Also, Is there any chance you could also run a few mins of a game at 1.174mv and tell me what the max actual voltage is?
> I know this is a lot to ask but if I find out this information I could be able to help myself and others reach a higher overclock. I will also rep you for this.
> Thanks.


I will do this when I get home later. I just received my 2nd card today also.


----------



## Invisible

And also how can it happen in Crysis and SR3 (it also happened in GTAIV but I never play it anymore) but not in the most demanding game of all, BF3? Just seems kind of weird I can never drop under 60 on max BF3 at 1080p, but can't get over 30 due to this issue on some.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Hate to break it to you, but you could set 1.2, 1,25, 1.3v in MSI afterburner. but your GPU will still only get 1,174v max to it. OVP on the 79xx series halt any voltage over Stock+125mv.










really. LOL. So why do I read 1.24x volts when in menus ingame and drops to 1.210v or so when playing. Also I can't overclock to 1200 and pass any benches until I go to 1.200v and if I want to get 1250 on the core, I need to apply 1.250v for it too pass.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Nice!! have you seen gain from upping the memory like that? If you look at my 3dmark11 vs m3t4lh34d , he's running higher mem and core and got lower score??


You're running a 5ghz OC vs my 4.7ghz OC, which would easily add the extra 100 points in 3dmark11. I'd bet my GPU score is a little better than yours, however.


----------



## Hambone07si

LOL, didn't see that. My bad.


----------



## Invisible

Ugh.

Just realized when I plugged in my new monitor that my BIOS went back to defaults for some reason. So instead of me being at 4.5GHz, I was stock. So I reset that back to what it was, and also turned down my voltage on the core from 1.231v to 1.225v and I have passed some tests with it. Also have very good frames and regular speeds in SR3.

So it looks like the problem is solved now.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Ugh.
> Just realized when I plugged in my new monitor that my BIOS went back to defaults for some reason. So instead of me being at 4.5GHz, I was stock. So I reset that back to what it was, and also turned down my voltage on the core from 1.231v to 1.225v and I have passed some tests with it. Also have very good frames and regular speeds in SR3.
> So it looks like the problem is solved now.


I found I was able to pass my 3d stress tests and then when I played BF3 my AMD video drivers would crash and if I put the voltage up on the core it would fix it. Try the BF3 test.

Also for your clock problem in SR3 and Crysis just make 2d and 3d profiles in AB. That is what I did to keep my clocks down in 2d mode and it would probably force your clocks up for those games fixing your issue.


----------



## Hambone07si

Ok, question. Do I need to install a CAP for my 2nd card to work properly? I'm using 11.12 so what one would I need for that? Thanks.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Ok, question. Do I need to install a CAP for my 2nd card to work properly? I'm using 11.12 so what one would I need for that? Thanks.


You don't *need* to. Think of AMD CAPS as Nvidia beta releases. CAPS just add code to optimize newer games that aren't in the main driver. If you are having any gpu scaling issues, it's best to look at the CAPS and see if they address the game you are getting low xfire gpu usage in.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evensen007*
> 
> You don't *need* to. Think of AMD CAPS as Nvidia beta releases. CAPS just add code to optimize newer games that aren't in the main driver. If you are having any gpu scaling issues, it's best to look at the CAPS and see if they address the game you are getting low xfire gpu usage in.


*CAPS are needed* to properly utilize Crossfire.

Catalyst profiles are stored in here on how to properly utilize hardware components in Crossfire based off the given application. Without a proper CAP you generally have negative scaling (worse than a single card by itself) due to the confusion for what card is supposed to be doing what.

Since the introduction of editing profiles/setting up profiles in the driver, something that is relatively new, it defaults to utilizing the second without a CAP, but it can often be horrible.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> *CAPS are needed* to properly utilize Crossfire.
> Catalyst profiles are stored in here on how to properly utilize hardware components in Crossfire based off the given application. Without a proper CAP you generally have negative scaling (worse than a single card by itself) due to the confusion for what card is supposed to be doing what.
> Since the introduction of editing profiles/setting up profiles in the driver, something that is relatively new, it defaults to utilizing the second without a CAP, but it can often be horrible.


Not in my experience. I used xfire'd 5870's for a year and a half and would sometimes have CAPS installed, and other times I didn't. I got 99% util across both 5870's in BF3 without any CAPS and driver 11.11c.

It doesn't *hurt* anything though, so there's really no reason not to add them unless you're happy with the xfire performance as is, which I was on certain Ati driver revisions.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Ok, question. Do I need to install a CAP for my 2nd card to work properly? I'm using 11.12 so what one would I need for that? Thanks.


Yes, you do need CAP and it's incorporated in latest Catalyst for 3D.

*AMD CrossFireX Mode for 3D Applications*.

Under the drop down list:


*Disabled*. This option turns off CrossFireX multi-GPU acceleration.
*Default* uses whatever the global system default option is, or whatever AMD has configured, if the game already has a profile in the CAP package.
*AFR Friendly*, which is for games which generally work well with Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR).
*Optimize 1x1*. This is another AFR option, but with optimizations for 1x1 surfaces. The idea is, if *AFR Friendly* has problems, *Optimize 1x1* is another option to try.
*Use AMD Pre-Defined Profile* allows us to select the CrossFireX configuration of another game and apply it to the one for which we are making a profile.


----------



## Invisible

CAP is only for crossfire correct?


----------



## Hambone07si

Ok, installed 2nd card. installed driver 11.12 again. Now after about 1min in windows pc bsod with 7e. I disabled crossfire and it's not bsod'n now. Should I install a cap and see if that helps. Or do I need to completely wipe the drivers out, run ATIMAN, install new drivers and cap. AMD is a pain in the arse to get setup. Nvidia driver installs are so much nicer.

thanks for the help guys. +Rep for those that help


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Ok, installed 2nd card. installed driver 11.12 again. Now after about 1min in windows pc bsod with 7e. I disabled crossfire and it's not bsod'n now. Should I install a cap and see if that helps. Or do I need to completely wipe the drivers out, run ATIMAN, install new drivers and cap. AMD is a pain in the arse to get setup. Nvidia driver installs are so much nicer.
> thanks for the help guys. +Rep for those that help


Yes. And you should also re-set Afterburner/Trixx back to default voltage, uninstall and then reinstall after you get the driver working again. Afterburner can interfere with your driver installs/uninstalls.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> CAP is only for crossfire correct?


Not entirely correct with latest Catalyst. As CAP doesn't only contain instructions to disable Crossfire but also other 3D settings in CCC such as AA, MSAA, Triple-Buffering, etc.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Ok, installed 2nd card. installed driver 11.12 again. Now after about 1min in windows pc bsod with 7e. I disabled crossfire and it's not bsod'n now. Should I install a cap and see if that helps. Or do I need to completely wipe the drivers out, run ATIMAN, install new drivers and cap. AMD is a pain in the arse to get setup. Nvidia driver installs are so much nicer.
> 
> thanks for the help guys. +Rep for those that help


If you BSOD launching specifics games, try these options;


*Disabled*. This option turns off CrossFireX multi-GPU acceleration.
*Default* uses whatever the global system default option is, or whatever AMD has configured, if the game already has a profile in the CAP package.
*AFR Friendly*, which is for games which generally work well with Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR).
*Optimize 1x1*. This is another AFR option, but with optimizations for 1x1 surfaces. The idea is, if *AFR Friendly* has problems, *Optimize 1x1* is another option to try.
*Use AMD Pre-Defined Profile* allows us to select the CrossFireX configuration of another game and apply it to the one for which we are making a profile.


----------



## Hambone07si

Should I try to install cap first or go through the process of uninstalling everything

Is Cap 12.1 what I need for 11.12?

I haven't tried to open anything. I just installed card and installed driver. I didn't run ATIman. Never have yet. never needed to with my 5870's.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Should I try to install cap first or go through the process of uninstalling everything
> Is Cap 12.1 what I need for 11.12?


Why aren't you using 12.2 pre-cert drivers? They are the best for the 7xxx series.

Also if you want to start with a clean system use ATIman's uninstaller as it is excellent as completely cleaning your computer of AMD graphic drivers.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Why aren't you using 12.2 pre-cert drivers? They are the best for the 7xxx series.


Tried but kept crashing on me so I went back but still have never ran ATIman yet. It's seeming like that's more important that I thought.


----------



## evensen007

Don't mess with CAPS until you get the drivers uninstalled/reinstalled properly. After you get the drivers situated, then install the CAPS.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Why aren't you using 12.2 pre-cert drivers? They are the best for the 7xxx series.
> 
> 
> 
> Tried but kept crashing on me so I went back but still have never ran ATIman yet. It's seeming like that's more important that I thought.
Click to expand...

To install this Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1 turn off UAC.

Then install RC11 + CAP.

1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx

1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx <---- this

2/03/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Catalyst122Previewdriver.aspx

2/06/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/hd7900seriesvistasupport.aspx

2/16/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalyst122precertifieddriver.aspx

CAP: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx


----------



## Hambone07si

UAC?? I just uninstalled driver. Just sitting at a black screen. Bout to hit power to restart. I downloaded atiman 4.something. Do I need the one you just linked instead?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> UAC?? I just uninstalled driver. Just sitting at a black screen. Bout to hit power to restart. I downloaded atiman 4.something. Do I need the one you just linked instead?


Use the latest in my links.

UAC; Control Panel > User Accounts > change User Account Control Settings > Set to minimum > restart PC.


----------



## Hambone07si

Ok, oh user account is the first thing turned down after a fresh OS install. I hate it. going to download that atiman and run now.


----------



## boNltt

Hey there gonna order one of these beasts but as it is right now the Gigabyte 3x Windforce model is out of stock and wont be arriving for about 3-4 weeks so i'm wondering if it's worth waiting for one of those or if i might be just as good of with a MSI version with stockcooler.


----------



## Hambone07si

Ok, seems things are working. I installed the new 12.2(that show up at 12.3). I ran ATIman with option A .. When pc came back on, it was in my eyefinity setting with bezel correction set too. Doesn't make sense







.. But no crashing yet. I ran AvP in eyefinity at stock and got 89fps avg from 50fps on 1 card. I ran 3dmark11 too at stock clocks and got P13318. Going to start overclocking and see what happens.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Why aren't you using 12.2 pre-cert drivers? They are the best for the 7xxx series.
> Also if you want to start with a clean system use ATIman's uninstaller as it is excellent as completely cleaning your computer of AMD graphic drivers.


When did 12.2 become the best drivers???? Did I miss this somewhere?


----------



## wirefox

i've been getting all sorts of brown screens hard crashes with BF3 and 12.2 ...

I have AB and +20 set ..

running at 1125 @ 1193 ram 1800 1624

I can run unegine at 1200 @1235 but can't run those settings in BF3 w/o artifacting

Even though my cpu oc was prime stable at either 4.3 or 4.4 ... I moved it down to 4.0 and seems to allow me a little longer in BF3 before brownouts even 4.2 would end in unhappiness.

figured I'd reload drivers again and see what comes of it. (which I'm doing now.)

decided to run ATIMAN .... usually I boot into safe mode and run Driver Sweeper... after I unistall CCC through windows ..

so after runing ATIMAN ... I decided to check Driver sweeper and still show's the below ATI files ?










Is that the ATIMAN stuff? or should I sweep it out as well?


----------



## Ottesen

Quick clip, playing Bf3 on everything on max everywhere + 60fps fraps going in the background


----------



## Hambone07si

How do you stop the 2nd card from shutting down in 2d mode or at the desktop? I want both cards running at all times.

Every time the card shuts down, I crash. If the card stays on, i'm fine..


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> How do you stop the 2nd card from shutting down in 2d mode or at the desktop? I want both cards running at all times.


Turn off ULPS.


Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
For ALL instances (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
Reboot PC.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Turn off ULPS.
> 
> Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
> In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
> For ALL instances (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
> Reboot PC.


Or just keep one gpu-z open/active


----------



## Frojoe

Ok, just got my XFX 7970 Core Edition today. I see in AMD Overdrive or MSI afterburner the Core Clock can only go to 1125mhz and the memory clock is can only go to 1575mhz. Iv seen people talk about getting 1200mhz on the core. How do you do such thing?


----------



## vedaire

you have to manually edit the ab cfg file and set unofficial overclocking to 1 instead of 0


----------



## Frojoe

Where do I find this file you speak of?


----------



## Invisible

C:\Program Files(x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.cfg


----------



## vedaire

it is in the msi afterburner directory its called MSIAfterburner.cfg

near the bottom of the file you'll see a line that says:

UnofficialOverclockingMode = 0

to enable it it should be:

UnofficialOverclockingMode = 1


----------



## Frojoe

thanks


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quick clip, playing Bf3 on everything on max everywhere + 60fps fraps going in the background


Nice! I also enable Memory usage in the AB on screen display. I find it interesting to see the VRAM usage during different parts of a game.

eg in Crysis 2, it goes as high as 2.1GB!!! (unashamed flame: suffer Kepler Nvidea fanboys, 680 with 2GB and 670 with 1.75 GB hahahaha ;+45% yeah right in a lab... ) )


----------



## pfunkmort

I'm having trouble getting the information from AB to show up in game. Is there some less obvious option I need to fiddle with to get it to show up?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I'm having trouble getting the information from AB to show up in game. Is there some less obvious option I need to fiddle with to get it to show up?


Use Vector instead of Raster.


----------



## Hambone07si

getting them going now. 1125/1500 Both my cards ASIC reads 86.1 and 86.5


----------



## Focus182

I thought my card was a 1.050mv card yet when i put the voltage to 1.218mv i get a max actual voltage of 1.182 while playing bf3 and it does not shut off.

Does this mean i have a 1.112mv card?

I'm pretty confused now.

(my asic quality is 83.7%)


----------



## Aventadoor

Have you guys seen this:
http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=130&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=17

Powercolor LCS 7970!!


----------



## boNltt

Hey there gonna order one of these beasts but as it is right now the Gigabyte 3x Windforce model is out of stock and wont be arriving for about 3-4 weeks so i'm wondering if it's worth waiting for one of those or if i might be just as good of with a MSI version with stockcooler.

Anyone, please? :/


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Have you guys seen this:
> http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=130&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=17
> Powercolor LCS 7970!!


Ooo very nice, Powercolor is really making a name for themselves on the high end side.

However, nothing is beating this in my book.









March 3rd








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boNltt*
> 
> Hey there gonna order one of these beasts but as it is right now the Gigabyte 3x Windforce model is out of stock and wont be arriving for about 3-4 weeks so i'm wondering if it's worth waiting for one of those or if i might be just as good of with a MSI version with stockcooler.
> Anyone, please? :/


I think it would nice to have the Windforce if you really want it. It will operate cooler, but as far as performance and overclocking go, all the GPUs seem to be around the same ability to overclock 200~300 more MHz. The performance is the same though at stock as the other cards.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Nice! I also enable Memory usage in the AB on screen display. I find it interesting to see the VRAM usage during different parts of a game.
> 
> eg in Crysis 2, it goes as high as 2.1GB!!! (unashamed flame: suffer Kepler Nvidea fanboys, 680 with 2GB and 670 with 1.75 GB hahahaha ;+45% yeah right in a lab... ) )


For some reason i don't have the option to put Memory usage on, had it with my 4870x2 but not these cards :S woot woot...lol


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> For some reason i don't have the option to put Memory usage on, had it with my 4870x2 but not these cards :S woot woot...lol


It's the very last option above FPS in the monitor tab. Are you using Beta 14?

I think my problems were with Beta 12. Soon as I installed Beta 14, my BSOD's went away.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> For some reason i don't have the option to put Memory usage on, had it with my 4870x2 but not these cards :S woot woot...lol


----------



## Hambone07si

2 7970's is insane fast. This is at 1125/1500 in AvP.. 218.3fps 1920x1080p


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> It's the very last option above FPS in the monitor tab. Are you using Beta 14?
> I think my problems were with Beta 12. Soon as I installed Beta 14, my BSOD's went away.


I'm using v 2.1.0, thats probably Beta 12 ye, with the ones after this i only had problems...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*


Its not there mate, i know where it is i had it on my previous card. For some strange reason its not here with my new cards, even tho i use the same version...lol.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm using 2.2 beta 14


----------



## Ottesen

Playing the new game Syndicate, overkill with 2x7950...lol, ye. And i love it







Don't scale perfect tho, but do scale ok-ish it seems... Could have to do with the game just now needing to scale well, have to much fps


----------



## Hambone07si

Ok, gave it a try and so far my luck is better than yesterday. I unlocked Msi again. Clocked both cards to 1200/1600 1.225v/1.631v and it worked. Was pulling 790w from my UPS while running 3dmark11.


----------



## unrealskill

anyone getting low fps in alan wake? i am getting 35-40fps every thing on max. vsync on. i have a 7970


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Ooo very nice, Powercolor is really making a name for themselves on the high end side.
> However, nothing is beating this in my book.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> March 3rd
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think it would nice to have the Windforce if you really want it. It will operate cooler, but as far as performance and overclocking go, all the GPUs seem to be around the same ability to overclock 200~300 more MHz. The performance is the same though at stock as the other cards.


Ye Aquacomputer also have a sick WC block for 7970. However, nothing beats the sexyness off the EK bridges
Which is why I choose EK!


----------



## thrgk

does asic quality matter did we find out/ mine is 62.4% lol


----------



## thrgk

here are some new drivers from guru3d AMD Catalyst 12.x 8.96 http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2865
anyone try em?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> here are some new drivers from guru3d AMD Catalyst 12.x 8.96 http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2865
> anyone try em?


Guru3D forum discussion:

*AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA*


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Use Vector instead of Raster.


It still doesn't show in my game btw? I used fraps for FPS show,but now i tried this it doesn't work still...?


----------



## Hambone07si

I ran the voltage test for you Focus182. I set too 1.225v and ran Dirt 3 benchmark. You can see in the MSI graph the voltage line for both cards didn't drop one bit from that. Both my cards are 1.049v with 86.1% and 86.5%


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> It still doesn't show in my game btw? I used fraps for FPS show,but now i tried this it doesn't work still...?


Is it showing in any game?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I ran the voltage test for you Focus182. I set too 1.225v and ran Dirt 3 benchmark. You can see in the MSI graph the voltage line for both cards didn't drop one bit from that. Both my cards are 1.049v with 86.1% and 86.5%


What is being displayed on the AB graph is your targeted voltage. Your actual voltage would always keep changing.

GPU-z is great for seeing your actual voltage and you would see the max voltage you pull in a game (It wouldn't be near your targeted due to vdroop)

+rep for the effort anyway


----------



## Hambone07si

what do you want me to use for monitoring it?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Have you guys seen this:
> http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=130&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=17
> Powercolor LCS 7970!!


I got lazy last go around and bought the powercolor ek 5970 ... they did a great job of putting it together. love that card ... about two years after I bought it and folded it ... I needed to crack open and reapply TIM... and frankly it's about the same cost or less if you take out shipping of the block ...


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> what do you want me to use for monitoring it?


Its fine, I have since done my own testing.

Even though I think I have a 1.050mv card like you I should that should hit OVP past 1.174 actual voltage. I have hit 1.192 at a target voltage of 1.225mv and seem stable at a higher clock.

Just a little confused lol


----------



## ELCID777

It's a driver problem apparently. As of now, both crossfire and SLI users are experiencing total system crashes upon launching the game. I, myself, am running xfire 7970's and had to disable one of the cards to run the game without problems. I'm averaging 60 fps with vsync on and 8x AA + everything else maxed out.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> anyone getting low fps in alan wake? i am getting 35-40fps every thing on max. vsync on. i have a 7970


It's a driver problem apparently. As of now, both crossfire and SLI users are experiencing total system crashes upon launching the game. I, myself, am running xfire 7970's and had to disable one of the cards to run the game without problems. I'm averaging 60 fps with vsync on and 8x AA + everything else maxed out.

edit: Mods, please delete my previous post.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Guru3D forum discussion:
> 
> *AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA*


are 7970 supported by these?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> are 7970 supported by these?


Yes


----------



## johnnyw

Those might work with 7970 but in the origin site those drivers (benchmark3D) there is list of supported produckts and 79xx series are not in it.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Those might work with 7970 but in the origin site those drivers (benchmark3D) there is list of supported produckts and 79xx series are not in it.


Didn't look hard enough?

From the Benchmark3D site :

"AMD6798.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"
AMD679A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series" "


----------



## StrayderGame

I have installed those new drivers from here:

AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA

And they work rly nice,everything going much smoother to be honest,i'm rly happy with them. I had one problem with MSI AB,it didn't work properly.Actually problem was to card works on OC settings and then just stops and reset to default speeds. If some1 persist this problem just need to download this "dll" file and put it in Windows/SysWOW64 folder....

You can download it here

http://www.mediafire.com/?21bjizy7r7b11m8

It is released also from guru guys and i found it on new drivers topic 3rd page.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359094&page=3

After i puted them i restarted PC and started MSI AB and everything working fine. (no PC restart needed just MSI AB reopen but i did it







)


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> I have installed those new drivers from here:
> AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA
> And they work rly nice,everything going much smoother to be honest,i'm rly happy with them. I had one problem with MSI AB,it didn't work properly.Actually problem was to card works on OC settings and then just stops and reset to default speeds. If some1 persist this problem just need to download this "dll" file and put it in Windows/SysWOW64 folder....
> You can download it here
> http://www.mediafire.com/?21bjizy7r7b11m8
> It is released also from guru guys and i found it on new drivers topic 3rd page.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359094&page=3
> After i puted them i restarted PC and started MSI AB and everything working fine. (no PC restart needed just MSI AB reopen but i did it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Thanks. +rep


----------



## Focus182

Tried those drivers and now I am stuck at a constant 925/1375 when I load AB

If I put it back to stock in AB I get stuck in a 2d clock of 500/150 or something and it won't change when I go to 3d either.

The dll did nothing.

Wanted to go to bed... Sigh...

EDIT: Put my message back up, I thought i solved it buy i didn't.


----------



## Invisible

Got a bit of a problem here. So I have my OC at 1200/1600 at 1.231v core, and stock memory. No problems, very good results.

Except for some reason, whenever I booted up RIFT today, the driver was crashing every 2 or 3 minutes. Nothing I did could fix it. Whenever it crashed, I would just change the voltage up a little, and then give RIFT a rest for a few minutes. But then just browsing the internet, or doing nothing, the driver would crash again.

So I restarted, same thing.

Restarted like 3 more times, and then didn't open up RIFT at all. Just did some 3DMark and Heaven runs, no problems, like usual. Played some BF3. No problem. With VSync on, I stay at 60fps only using like 65%-80% of my GPU, fantastic results.

Could this be a problem with RIFT? I know a few days ago when I was in RIFT with my old monitor, my clock speeds were at 501/1250 in RIFT and I was getting horrible FPS at 900p. With this new monitor at 1080p, it seems the problems in RIFT are worse. Everything else is perfect though. I dominate benchmarks and games (except Saints Row 3 for some reason, only like 50fps average).


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Tried those drivers and now I am stuck at a constant 925/1375 when I load AB
> If I put it back to stock in AB I get stuck in a 2d clock of 500/150 or something and it won't change when I go to 3d either.
> The dll did nothing.
> Wanted to go to bed... Sigh...
> EDIT: Put my message back up, I thought i solved it buy i didn't.


check is dll file there in windows syswow64 ,first time i have puted it there it disappeared somehow...then i puted it in again....and works everything fine...


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> I have installed those new drivers from here:
> AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA
> And they work rly nice,everything going much smoother to be honest,i'm rly happy with them. I had one problem with MSI AB,it didn't work properly.Actually problem was to card works on OC settings and then just stops and reset to default speeds. If some1 persist this problem just need to download this "dll" file and put it in Windows/SysWOW64 folder....
> You can download it here
> http://www.mediafire.com/?21bjizy7r7b11m8
> It is released also from guru guys and i found it on new drivers topic 3rd page.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359094&page=3
> After i puted them i restarted PC and started MSI AB and everything working fine. (no PC restart needed just MSI AB reopen but i did it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


These drivers are working good for me, and Afterburner finally works like it should. But these, 12.3 RC and the original release drivers for the 7970 produce a weird texture draw-in bug on shadows with BF3 and notice it rarely with Crysis 2. When a texture has a shadow on it when I am a few dozen yards away the a higher quality shadow draws in as I approach it. Has anyone had this happen?

And before I beat the hell out of someone at Crytek, how do I once and for all squash the 50hz on LCD/24hz on my Plasma bug in Crysis 2?! It seems I have to tweak and play with the game/drivers for hours after each reinstall before the game works like every other game in my collection. It's maddening sometimes.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> check is dll file there in windows syswow64 ,first time i have puted it there it disappeared somehow...then i puted it in again....and works everything fine...


No luck


----------



## WiL11o6

*Here is my update since having my cards from Day 1.

This is towards people who run their single 7970s or in CF at STOCK:*

You're probably asking me why people run their cards at stock clocks. I for one was into overclocking, and when I had a single card, I was running it at 1200/1600 with a fan speed of 40%. Dumped in my second one for CF and OC'd it to 1175/1575 with a fan speed of 45%, but those were just for benchmarking. I do not run it faster than 1025/1375 at stock voltages @ 35% fan speed. Why?

This reference card is ******* loud! I'm sorry, but this was my main gripe with this reference cooler and I'm not knowledgeable enough to put it under water and I don't want to try. Anything past 35% fan speed in CF was way too loud for me since I'm in a small room and my PC is right by my feet. I disregarded OCing because it would lead to increased voltages=>heat=>fan speed.

Luckily for me, both my Sapphires had an ASIC quality of 86% and 87% so in MSI AB, it automatically set my default voltages at 1.049v. I was sacrificing cooling for noise so with my fan speed at 35%, I was hitting 85-87c easily in a session of BF3. Once I ramp up fans to 40%, it would drop under 80c so my cards aren't faulty, I just consider 40% too loud. I know most people think 40% is not loud at all, and some people on here even run it at 50%+ all the time, but not for me.

Today, I decided to see if I can lower default voltages to see if lower temps a little more and in return, reduce fan speed. I kept dropping volts to the cards and it kept staying stable in BF3, 64-player server, and 3dmark11. It is at *0.975v*. I didn't try to drop it down lower just because I don't think it would go much lower, but I could probably drop it a couple .005v or so.

This allowed me to lower fan speed AND temps, drastically. I now run my fan speed at 30% and temps only touch low 80c on the top card. At 30% fan speed, it's just barely louder than my case fans and to boot, my temps dropped a good 5c. If I still ran it at 35% fan speed, it would have dropped my temps by 10c.

In before I get flamed for why spend $1100 on GPUs to not overclock:
I built this comp to run BF3 maxed at 1080p, and as a hobby. A single 7970 had drops into 40s so I picked up a second one. Even at stock two of these are monsters and have no problem running this game above 60fps 100% of the time, so there's really no need to overclock. If I ran 2560x1440 or 120hz monitors, I would probably need to overclock and bump fan speeds, but I'd rather not since this card is loud.

This of course, varies by your chip and ASIC quality I guess, but I had great success.


----------



## Invisible

My ASIC quality on my 7950 is 72.1%









Explains why I have to have such high voltages. Doesn't bother me though, it hits 1250/1750 with so much ease, just at 1.281v/1.681v.

Also, at 1200/1600 on one 7950 Will, I destroy BF3 at 1080p. With VSync on, I never go over 85% GPU usage. Without VSync, I usually sit at 70-90fps. Not sure why in the world you were getting in the 40s with a 7970.


----------



## NeoandGeo

If he was using AA he would dip into the 40's with a single 7970 with no overclock.


----------



## Invisible

But that's what is odd, my results are with AA.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> But that's what is odd, my results are with AA.


The size of the server is the problem. Any server under 64-players, I have no problem keeping above 60fps. And it's only in B2K maps in combination with full 64-player servers I get drops to 40s in some areas.


----------



## NeoandGeo

One problem I've found with the latest drivers posted is AfterBurner doesn't work correctly with unofficial overclocking enabled.


----------



## Invisible

Oh, are yall talking about 4xMSAA?

If so, I have that off. It MURDERS AMD cards and I literally can't tell a difference unless I'm in campaign.

Everything else is on Ultra and what not. Try and turn off MSAA and just keep on Deferred and see how much your FPS skyrockets. You might not even see a difference either.


----------



## iDeal

Sold 6990 and ordered my 7970...was that a good call, whats the performance difference?


----------



## NeoandGeo

I like to use 2x Adaptive MSAA in BF3. Looks great, and keeps a steady 60fps on all maps when overclocked.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iDeal*
> 
> Sold 6990 and ordered my 7970...was that a good call, whats the performance difference?


Good call! 


You will use a LOT less power
Have to put up with driver issues for a bit longer. However the 7970 being a single GPU, may have less overall, eg microstutter and CAP/XF issues
Most games there isn't much real-world difference, single screen 1080p will v-sync at 60fps either way
Eyefinity: older games the 6990 will be a bit better; newer games with tesselation the 7970 will most likely match the 6990, and in some cases outrun it!
Some games the tesselation is barely noticeable, in others it's beautiful. Being able to use Normal or High tesselation with the 7970 is really cool. Makes all the $$$ worthwhile!
Most benchmarks the 6990 wins. Who cares.
You can overclock the 7970 like you wouldn't believe. Will be an eye opener fore you after the 6990, no doubt.
Strap on a water block and see insane O/C - how's 1300/1800+ sound?
There's a thread here somewhere where a guy swapped his 2 crossfired 6990's for a single 7970, and he was stoked.

Enjoy the new card mate, they are rippers and a lot of fun.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> I have installed those new drivers from here:
> AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA
> And they work rly nice,everything going much smoother to be honest,i'm rly happy with them. I had one problem with MSI AB,it didn't work properly.Actually problem was to card works on OC settings and then just stops and reset to default speeds. If some1 persist this problem just need to download this "dll" file and put it in Windows/SysWOW64 folder....
> You can download it here
> http://www.mediafire.com/?21bjizy7r7b11m8
> It is released also from guru guys and i found it on new drivers topic 3rd page.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359094&page=3
> After i puted them i restarted PC and started MSI AB and everything working fine. (no PC restart needed just MSI AB reopen but i did it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


I just tried this now, and a mate. I have had ALL problems i could with other drivers, finally got the newest which worked, but couldn't overclock... The story goes with these drivers:

*Step 1:* Removed all stuff using atiman and uninstall.
*Step 2:* Installed the drivers. (AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA).
*Step 3:* Restarted but didn't get into windows, later found that my virus scan messed with me. Removed that and got in windows.
*Step 4:* Didn't have any sound, no drivers suddenly. Restarted and still no sound. Opera didn't work either.
*Step 5:* Restarted again, still no sound or Opera. But suddenly after 5 min in windows both worked fine.
*Step 6:* Tried to overclock, didn't work at all.
*Step 7:* Put the "dll" file in windows/syswow and restarted.
*Step 8:* Now i could overclock, and stuff works... BUT gpu nr 2 stayed at max mhz all times.
*Step 9:* Just started a game or 3dmark and gpu nr 2 calmed down as soon as it was used.
*Step 10:* Tried games and 3dmark, and EVERYTHING WORKS even with overclock. Tried Bf3, skyrim, 3dmark11, swtor, Syndicate









One thing i haven't tried yet is Alan Wake which only normally works with one card. Even swtor seemed to go smoother, so GREAT SUCCESS !

So after having insane with problem i'm really happy now. For those off you not knowing the story, 150+errors, 50 hours + finding out a problem and so on...
Now with 25c ambient (77f) in the room. My cpu at 1,4v and 4,7ghz is running on under (load) 55c (131f), i have 6tb disk space, computer is really really quite even while gaming, both 7950 is pretty cold and overclocked + got 16gb of ram







Happy now. Just recorded Bf3 in fraps with all maxed out and still had 60-90 fps









*Video:* Fraps locks on 90 and/or 60 fps thats why it stays there. The quality isn't as good as i though tho, maybe because the file is HUGE,lol












*Edit again:* Suddenly Alan Wake also works in crossfire + temp on the gpu are close to eath other... The drivers, try em !


----------



## wedge

Just installed my new 7970. I got the XFX Double D, non-black edition. So it's got the dual fan, but runs at stock clocks. But it should overclock easily to what the black edition is out of the box, and it's cheaper. Anyway it was the only one available.

It is WAY quieter than my previous pair of 6850's. The fan noise is much less at idle and under load.
I do notice that the card itself (not the fans) produces a loud whining noise while under load. Has anyone else noticed this? Is that common/normal? Should I try to exchange this one?


----------



## Invisible

How are you guys getting these new drivers? I go on their website and all I see are the ones I downloaded (12.2 pre-cert) that were posted on 2/16 I think.

And how would I install it? Do I really need to completely uninstall the old drivers (if so, how do I do it) and install anew? Is AMD really that lazy to make a clean install button or something, haha.

I've always heard that if you have an AMD card, please keep up to date with the drivers since they always seem to help a lot, so I'm a bit intrigued to upgrade.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> *Here is my update since having my cards from Day 1.
> This is towards people who run their single 7970s or in CF at STOCK:*
> You're probably asking me why people run their cards at stock clocks. I for one was into overclocking, and when I had a single card, I was running it at 1200/1600 with a fan speed of 40%. Dumped in my second one for CF and OC'd it to 1175/1575 with a fan speed of 45%, but those were just for benchmarking. I do not run it faster than 1025/1375 at stock voltages @ 35% fan speed. Why?
> This reference card is ******* loud! I'm sorry, but this was my main gripe with this reference cooler and I'm not knowledgeable enough to put it under water and I don't want to try. Anything past 35% fan speed in CF was way too loud for me since I'm in a small room and my PC is right by my feet. I disregarded OCing because it would lead to increased voltages=>heat=>fan speed.
> Luckily for me, both my Sapphires had an ASIC quality of 86% and 87% so in MSI AB, it automatically set my default voltages at 1.049v. I was sacrificing cooling for noise so with my fan speed at 35%, I was hitting 85-87c easily in a session of BF3. Once I ramp up fans to 40%, it would drop under 80c so my cards aren't faulty, I just consider 40% too loud. I know most people think 40% is not loud at all, and some people on here even run it at 50%+ all the time, but not for me.
> Today, I decided to see if I can lower default voltages to see if lower temps a little more and in return, reduce fan speed. I kept dropping volts to the cards and it kept staying stable in BF3, 64-player server, and 3dmark11. It is at *0.975v*. I didn't try to drop it down lower just because I don't think it would go much lower, but I could probably drop it a couple .005v or so.
> This allowed me to lower fan speed AND temps, drastically. I now run my fan speed at 30% and temps only touch low 80c on the top card. At 30% fan speed, it's just barely louder than my case fans and to boot, my temps dropped a good 5c. If I still ran it at 35% fan speed, it would have dropped my temps by 10c.
> In before I get flamed for why spend $1100 on GPUs to not overclock:
> I built this comp to run BF3 maxed at 1080p, and as a hobby. A single 7970 had drops into 40s so I picked up a second one. Even at stock two of these are monsters and have no problem running this game above 60fps 100% of the time, so there's really no need to overclock. If I ran 2560x1440 or 120hz monitors, I would probably need to overclock and bump fan speeds, but I'd rather not since this card is loud.
> This of course, varies by your chip and ASIC quality I guess, but I had great success.


My stock voltage is 0.993V and I'm clocked at 1050/1450 24/7









The fan noise is definitely an issue, but my EK FC-7950 blocks should be on their way soon (crossing my fingers, been waiting about 3 or 4 weeks now).


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> How are you guys getting these new drivers? I go on their website and all I see are the ones I downloaded (12.2 pre-cert) that were posted on 2/16 I think.
> And how would I install it? Do I really need to completely uninstall the old drivers (if so, how do I do it) and install anew? Is AMD really that lazy to make a clean install button or something, haha.
> I've always heard that if you have an AMD card, please keep up to date with the drivers since they always seem to help a lot, so I'm a bit intrigued to upgrade.


First uninstall drivers then install those.

To UNINSTALL DRIVERS:

Download ATIMAN Uninstaller program from here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?sja6d1z3t2ld6as

1.) Install this program
2.) Go to Start>Control Panel>User Accounts and Family Safety>User Accounts>Change User Account Control Settings
-Move that slider down to minimum
3.) Restart PC
4.Run ATIMAN Uninstaller program from shortcut on background or what ever,w8 to it shows red screen with options. When u see options press "A" and let it work.After some time it will restart PC and program will continue deleteing after restart.At some point it will ask u to continue,quit and something more press "C" to continue...let it work and when it's done u will see like couple options on screen (like 7 or 8 options) u press "Q" to quit.After u press 'Q' it will take couple seconds to he quits.

INSTALLATION:

First go on those sites and download this 2 files

Drivers:

http://downloads.guru3d.com/AMD-Catalyst-8.96-14-February-download-2865.html

".dll" file to overclocking utilities MSI after burner and etc works

http://www.mediafire.com/?21bjizy7r7b11m8

After u have downloaded them,run that first file and it will ask u for destination where to extract files.Click on desktop or where ever u want.After it is extracted name of that folder will be "Guru3D.com".Enter it and in folder named "Feb 14th 8.96" u will see "Setup" file.Run it and install drivers.After it's done it will ask u to restart PC,restart it.

When Windows is back open second downloaded file.Extract that file into (C\Windows\SysWOW64) folder.Restart PC and that's it.


----------



## johnnyw

Any 120hz monitor owner tested these new drivers yet? just wondering if these fixes dekstop flickering at 120hz use?


----------



## aoya

Any word on the 7950 TFIII? It was favorably reviewed recently, but when is it hitting stores >:/


----------



## omega17

Can anyone else confirm that those new betas fix the Alan Wake crossfire issue?


----------



## Norlig

With new drivers, are you guys talking about the Guru3D driver? if so, is that safe to use at all, and works with Crossfire and MSI AB?


----------



## NeoandGeo

It's actually the only driver that works correctly with MSI AfterBurner for me...That is until I try to enable unofficial overclocking, it sets core/memory to 0 and I can't change them for some reason.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> It's actually the only driver that works correctly with MSI AfterBurner for me...That is until I try to enable unofficial overclocking, it sets core/memory to 0 and I can't change them for some reason.


well, if you use the ATIman patch for the other Drivers, MSI AB works with them too with almost no issues


----------



## Lard

ASUS GPU Tweak 2.0.6:

Code:



Code:


http://support.asus.com/download.aspx?p=9&m=GPU+Tweak&hashedid=n%2fa


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> well, if you use the ATIman patch for the other Drivers, MSI AB works with them too with almost no issues


Explain, please. I've never heard of this before.


----------



## danielmm88

Just a small question, but what's the best BIOS to flash for the 7970? I have a reference Sapphire 7970


----------



## thrgk

i heard Asus


----------



## Arthedes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aoya*
> 
> Any word on the 7950 TFIII? It was favorably reviewed recently, but when is it hitting stores >:/


if it was out i would already have a system. dont like the sapphire oc's blue pcb


----------



## pfunkmort

I had this problem a couple days ago, and I was going out of my skin. What ended up working for me was uninstalling with ATIman, then uninstalling AB fully (including profiles). I then installed the new CCC and turned on manual overclock or whatever and fixed the power slider, and THEN installed the AB *BETA*. All the times I was glitching out, I either hadn't done a FULL uninstall of everything, or I was using the release version of AB. Then go into the AB cfg file and fix the eula, etc, and restart AB, and you *should* be good to go.


----------



## NeoandGeo

I did that and it still gets stuck at 0 on the power slider and doesn't stick. Hopefully in a couple months most of these bugs will be ironed out. AB worked amazing on my 570.


----------



## pfunkmort

I suppose I'm using the non-beta CCC. perhaps that has something to do with it.


----------



## Arthedes

what's asic quality and what does it indicate?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> Explain, please. I've never heard of this before.


MSI AB doesnt work with the 12.2 Pre cert driver from AMD. to fix that, install the driver first, then run this file that ATIman made and MSI AB works like a charm.

http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I just tried this now, and a mate. I have had ALL problems i could with other drivers, finally got the newest which worked, but couldn't overclock... The story goes with these drivers:
> *Step 1:* Removed all stuff using atiman and uninstall.
> *Step 2:* Installed the drivers. (AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA).
> *Step 3:* Restarted but didn't get into windows, later found that my virus scan messed with me. Removed that and got in windows.
> *Step 4:* Didn't have any sound, no drivers suddenly. Restarted and still no sound. Opera didn't work either.
> *Step 5:* Restarted again, still no sound or Opera. But suddenly after 5 min in windows both worked fine.
> *Step 6:* Tried to overclock, didn't work at all.
> *Step 7:* Put the "dll" file in windows/syswow and restarted.
> *Step 8:* Now i could overclock, and stuff works... BUT gpu nr 2 stayed at max mhz all times.
> *Step 9:* Just started a game or 3dmark and gpu nr 2 calmed down as soon as it was used.
> *Step 10:* Tried games and 3dmark, and EVERYTHING WORKS even with overclock. Tried Bf3, skyrim, 3dmark11, swtor, Syndicate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One thing i haven't tried yet is Alan Wake which only normally works with one card. Even swtor seemed to go smoother, so GREAT SUCCESS !
> So after having insane with problem i'm really happy now. For those off you not knowing the story, 150+errors, 50 hours + finding out a problem and so on...
> Now with 25c ambient (77f) in the room. My cpu at 1,4v and 4,7ghz is running on under (load) 55c (131f), i have 6tb disk space, computer is really really quite even while gaming, both 7950 is pretty cold and overclocked + got 16gb of ram
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Happy now. Just recorded Bf3 in fraps with all maxed out and still had 60-90 fps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Video:* Fraps locks on 90 and/or 60 fps thats why it stays there. The quality isn't as good as i though tho, maybe because the file is HUGE,lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Edit again:* *Suddenly Alan Wake also works in crossfire* + temp on the gpu are close to eath other... The drivers, try em !


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Can anyone else confirm that those new betas fix the Alan Wake crossfire issue?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> With new drivers, are you guys talking about the Guru3D driver? if so, is that safe to use at all, and works with Crossfire and MSI AB?


Yupp yupp yupp ! Works great here


----------



## NeoandGeo

Will that work with driver versions that aren't specifically 12.2 precer?

Also I am thinking of doing a fresh reinstall of Windows using the Win8 CP on Wednesday. Anyone here have any experience with Win8 DP and a 7970?


----------



## StrayderGame

I have one question,is ok to flash bios on 7970 with that ASUS one even if my card is MSI or sapphire or some other manufacturer beside Asus?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

The new Catalyst 12.x 8.960.0 February 14 drivers are still **** drivers just like every driver put out so far to date for the 7970s Alan Wake still unplayable in crossfire with or with out caps this is with the new Catalyst 12.x 8.960.0 February 14 drivers and a clean install of windows . I should have waited for Nvidia to put out there new high end and got that cause it is going to smash this card . Dont get me wrong im no fan boy for nvidia matter of fact I have never had a Nvidia card to date, just like AMDs cpus I had for years I waited on bulldozer to be released befor upgrading to see if it would kill sandybridge and guess what It didn't thats really sad a 8 core can not beat a 4 core. If AMD keeps up there crap I will never buy anything from them agin not a cpu or gpu. I was debating on whether to buy a 3RD card but what im really going to do is prob sell both my cards now because when Nvidea releases there high end it will be faster and your stupid to think it want and AMDs card will drop in price which means I will not be able to get what I paid for them back. Every card all the way back to the 3870 I have had driver probs atleast 1 time with each generation. What is taking Nvidia so long to release there mid range gpu is prob cause they want to release it with a proper working driver. HURRY NVIDIA I really am so disgusted with the drivers I will put my old 6990s back in cause they work good for the most part and throw the peice of shi* 7970s in the garbage or better yet take them outside and shoot them with my real Ak to relieve my stress the drivers have caused. I am tired of AMDs ***** as you can see.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Blah blah blah. Sell them and wait then.


----------



## johnnyw

Tbh i start to get sick of these drivers too. I know nvidia uses customers as "beta testers" too same way than AMD now when new gen cards are released. But seriously never had so much driver problems with nvidia cards even when bought those just after release.

Almost feels like AMD just hurried these cards out without any sort of prober testing done. Majority of games have pretty poor performance, only new games like BF3 and Crysis 2 are working really decently but racing sims i play mostly works just horribly and has all kind of fps drops and stuttering.

And biggest joke is the 120hz flickering bug that they still havetn fixed at any drivers so far.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Bro I know i am thinking the same thing I am really tired of drivers.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Should have been whql drivers on release. there is no excuse


----------



## SacredChaos

I personally haven't had any issue with the drivers. Everything has been playing as it should. From Crysis and Left 4 Dead to Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3.


----------



## erocker

Same here. Some folks just have horribly unoptimized, bloated, messed up systems and they will of course blame it on drivers. I especially love the part where the complain on internet forums thinking other people actually care.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> I personally haven't had any issue with the drivers. Everything has been playing as it should. From Crysis and Left 4 Dead to Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3.


Yeah Crysis 2, BF3, Crysis, MW3, L4D and alot more work but lots of games are haveing probs in crossfire not the ones I mentioned though . I have 290 games on steam and over 120 installed I am not going to put the whole list of games on here but alot are having trouble. all games should work with exceptions for new games but old games should work that have been out for a few years.


----------



## dajez

10077 any gd at 1230/1750?


----------



## Invisible

I got 9325 with a 7950 at 1250/1750, so I would say yes.


----------



## Denca

Hi guys.

I camed here because I am looking for you're opinions about this. Ok I bought sapphire HD 7970 and I think its a great card It rased my performance in games notably. But I heard this card is great for overcloaking so I thought I might give it a try. First I wanted to use sapphire trixx but then I decided I'm not gonna do any of that real tweaking so I just used CCC. Well anyway I got to a point where I raised Core and Memory settings to its fullest everything was stable max temperatures I got where 86 which is got considering I got 84 without any overcloaking and I tested with FurMark. Now here comes the funny part well I'll keep this short and just show you or rather tell you the results.

Non overcloaked Benchmarks:

-Crysis: Everything MAX, 8x AA was 22-25 ( GPU benchmark )
-Crysis 2: Everything Max DX11 and High resolution textures plus I manually turned AA on trough autoconfig.cfg 20-35 ( In game )

Now don't get me wrong games where running fine but those dips were noticable at times. Now here comes the so called funny part.

-Overcloaked 1125 / 1575

-Crysis: Same as before ( 75-85 )
-Crysis 2: -same as before ( constant 60 )

And every other game I tried runs like a charm and I'm honestly shocked I mean this is a real performance increase over the stock. Is this because drivers aren't really there yet or what ( every opinion is welcome ). And with trixx I could but I won't raise those clocks higher.









Oh and can anyone with a sapphire 7970 write his temp when Idle and when on load. Thanks.

Cheers


----------



## NorxMAL

I have my 7970 on water, and to get 1200/1750, I'm currently running 1.237v/1625v/+20% in AB. Max temperature I have ever seen is 42c I think.
Otherwise Battlefield 3 starts to artifact after about 30 minutes.

Aren't that voltage quite high compared to other watercooled 7970's?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denca*
> 
> Hi guys.
> I camed here because I am looking for you're opinions about this. Ok I bought sapphire HD 7970 and I think its a great card It rased my performance in games notably. But I heard this card is great for overcloaking so I thought I might give it a try. First I wanted to use sapphire trixx but then I decided I'm not gonna do any of that real tweaking so I just used CCC. Well anyway I got to a point where I raised Core and Memory settings to its fullest everything was stable max temperatures I got where 86 which is got considering I got 84 without any overcloaking and I tested with FurMark. Now here comes the funny part well I'll keep this short and just show you or rather tell you the results.
> Non overcloaked Benchmarks:
> -Crysis: Everything MAX, 8x AA was 22-25 ( GPU benchmark )
> -Crysis 2: Everything Max DX11 and High resolution textures plus I manually turned AA on trough autoconfig.cfg 20-35 ( In game )
> Now don't get me wrong games where running fine but those dips were noticable at times. Now here comes the so called funny part.
> -Overcloaked 1125 / 1575
> -Crysis: Same as before ( 75-85 )
> -Crysis 2: -same as before ( constant 60 )
> And every other game I tried runs like a charm and I'm honestly shocked I mean this is a real performance increase over the stock. Is this because drivers aren't really there yet or what ( every opinion is welcome ). And with trixx I could but I won't raise those clocks higher.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh and can anyone with a sapphire 7970 write his temp when Idle and when on load. Thanks.
> Cheers


My primary card is 37c and my other card in crossfire is 33c on load it is around 78c-81c for both . This is with ccc oc maxed out.


----------



## Invisible

Does watercooling allow for your voltages to go lower? Or in WC'ing just for temps?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> I have my 7970 on water, and to get 1200/1750, I'm currently running 1.237v/1625v/+20% in AB. Max temperature I have ever seen is 42c I think.
> Otherwise Battlefield 3 starts to artifact after about 30 minutes.
> Aren't that voltage quite high compared to other watercooled 7970's?


I dont think the person above has a water block on theres .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Does watercooling allow for your voltages to go lower? Or in WC'ing just for temps?


better overclocks you can go higher with lower voltage.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Does watercooling allow for your voltages to go lower? Or in WC'ing just for temps?


btw i have watercooling had blocks on both of my 6990s but im not going to wast my money on blocks for the 7970 cause im swaping to nvidias highend when it comes out hate amds drivers.


----------



## Invisible

I feel like I need to get a block for my 7950. I have to be close near 1.281v/1.681v for my 1250/1750 clock. I would really like to go lower in voltage.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> I feel like I need to get a block for my 7950. I have to be close near 1.281v/1.681v for my 1250/1750 clock. I would really like to go lower in voltage.


I personally would not do 1.281V on air 1.2v to me is as high as i will go.


----------



## Invisible

Well I'm not at that OC when I play games. I only do that when I want to benchmark something.

1200/1600 is what I'm at all the time now. I have 1.231v on core and stock memory.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Well I'm not at that OC when I play games. I only do that when I want to benchmark something.
> 1200/1600 is what I'm at all the time now. I have 1.231v on core and stock memory.


my stock voltage is any where from 1.150v-1.158v on 1 card on on the other it is 1.160v-1.164v i can get 1125 with that voltage on both cards if I take it to 1.175v I can do 1215 on both. but any higher is a no go @ 1.175v I have to take it all the way on both to 1.200v for 1250mhz stable


----------



## crunkazcanbe

if i was going to get water blocks im sure i could easily do 1300mhz + with a little more voltage.


----------



## Denca

My game temp normal are between 73 to 80.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I just tried this now, and a mate. I have had ALL problems i could with other drivers, finally got the newest which worked, but couldn't overclock... The story goes with these drivers:
> *Step 1:* Removed all stuff using atiman and uninstall.
> *Step 2:* Installed the drivers. (AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.960.0 February 14) Unofficial BETA).
> *Step 3:* Restarted but didn't get into windows, later found that my virus scan messed with me. Removed that and got in windows.
> *Step 4:* Didn't have any sound, no drivers suddenly. Restarted and still no sound. Opera didn't work either.
> *Step 5:* Restarted again, still no sound or Opera. But suddenly after 5 min in windows both worked fine.
> *Step 6:* Tried to overclock, didn't work at all.
> *Step 7:* Put the "dll" file in windows/syswow and restarted.
> *Step 8:* Now i could overclock, and stuff works... BUT gpu nr 2 stayed at max mhz all times.
> *Step 9:* Just started a game or 3dmark and gpu nr 2 calmed down as soon as it was used.
> *Step 10:* Tried games and 3dmark, and EVERYTHING WORKS even with overclock. Tried Bf3, skyrim, 3dmark11, swtor, Syndicate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One thing i haven't tried yet is Alan Wake which only normally works with one card. Even swtor seemed to go smoother, so GREAT SUCCESS !
> So after having insane with problem i'm really happy now. For those off you not knowing the story, 150+errors, 50 hours + finding out a problem and so on...
> Now with 25c ambient (77f) in the room. My cpu at 1,4v and 4,7ghz is running on under (load) 55c (131f), i have 6tb disk space, computer is really really quite even while gaming, both 7950 is pretty cold and overclocked + got 16gb of ram
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Happy now. Just recorded Bf3 in fraps with all maxed out and still had 60-90 fps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Video:* Fraps locks on 90 and/or 60 fps thats why it stays there. The quality isn't as good as i though tho, maybe because the file is HUGE,lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Edit again:* Suddenly Alan Wake also works in crossfire + temp on the gpu are close to eath other... The drivers, try em !


I'm quoting my self again,lol. Today i suddenly had multiple problems, if its due to the drivers or just something in my hardware (getting problems when overclocking, thinking psu now) i'm not sure off...


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denca*
> 
> My game temp normal are between 73 to 80.


for a 7970 or 7950. my tems on load what i said above is with furmark for 30mins.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I'm quoting my self again,lol. Today i suddenly had multiple problems, if its due to the drivers or just something in my hardware (getting problems when overclocking, thinking psu now) i'm not sure off...


that new driver is crap man even with clean window install im getting drive has stopped responding and has recovered multiple times just browsing the net.


----------



## Kinzer

I'm running my 7970 at 1125/1575 on stock voltage, with the drivers MSI gave me on my disk. The only crash issues I've had is Arkham city with DX11 (even with their so called DX fix patch) Under full game loads I hover around 70C.about 75-80C on Furmark depending on how much i push the the fan blowing up into the GPUs fan. I'm loving this card.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kinzer*
> 
> I'm running my 7970 at 1125/1575 on stock voltage, with the drivers MSI gave me on my disk. The only crash issues I've had is Arkham city with DX11 (even with their so called DX fix patch) Under full game loads I hover around 70C.about 75-80C on Furmark depending on how much i push the the fan blowing up into the GPUs fan. I'm loving this card.


I love the cards man they are beasts no lie easy to see. But amd needs a new driver team cause them dudes up there now must not know what the hell they are doing.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> that new driver is crap man even with clean window install im getting drive has stopped responding and has recovered multiple times just browsing the net.


Ye that what i get also... But in my case i can't overclock with any other driver version, but could be my psu failing a bit.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Ye that what i get also... But in my case i can't overclock with any other driver version, but could be my psu failing a bit.


This is just my opinion but I would use no less then a 1kw psu for even 2 7950s cause if your overclocking your gpus and cpu @ the same time the more headroom the better i imagine you are putting alot of strain on your psu.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> This is just my opinion but I would use no less then a 1kw psu for even 2 7950s cause if your overclocking your gpus and cpu @ the same time the more headroom the better i imagine you are putting alot of strain on your psu.


When nvidia gets there high end out i will prob do 3way sli and def will be getting a 1500w psu for that.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> This is just my opinion but I would use no less then a 1kw psu for even 2 7950s cause if your overclocking your gpus and cpu @ the same time the more headroom the better i imagine you are putting alot of strain on your psu.


It shouldn't be a problem, BUT my psu is now 4 years old







Will probably get one later now, i don't think i will have any low fps in games with 2500k @ 4,7ghz and 2x7950 in a while anyway


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Well im going back to this driver untill there is a official whql driver hopefully this year.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> It shouldn't be a problem, BUT my psu is now 4 years old
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will probably get one later now, i don't think i will have any low fps in games with 2500k @ 4,7ghz and 2x7950 in a while anyway


Last psu I had i dropped a screw down in the fan and burned the psu up it actually welded to the psu lol .


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Last psu I had i dropped a screw down in the fan and burned the psu up it actually welded to the psu lol .


haha, thats one way of killing it


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arthedes*
> 
> what's asic quality and what does it indicate?


Its meant to be a measurement of how much voltage leakage the chips (I believe RAM) have and how much they have to be overvolted to meet specifications. In all reality, its not key information.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> Will that work with driver versions that aren't specifically 12.2 precer?
> Also I am thinking of doing a fresh reinstall of Windows using the Win8 CP on Wednesday. Anyone here have any experience with Win8 DP and a 7970?


I will not recommend Windows 8 to anyone in this thread due to the huge number of issues suffered on the platform the drivers are being written for. You are more than welcome to try, but be forewarned, very few people will be with you and able to help.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> I have one question,is ok to flash bios on 7970 with that ASUS one even if my card is MSI or sapphire or some other manufacturer beside Asus?


Theoretically, yes. Its very rarely caused an issue. Since almost all of the 7970s are reference design, you should have no issues. But do make sure its not a pre-overclocked/overvolted BIOS. There are some floating around for LN2 and would ruin your card.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I will not recommend Windows 8 to anyone in this thread due to the huge number of issues suffered on the platform the drivers are being written for. You are more than welcome to try, but be forewarned, very few people will be with you and able to help.


There are so many conflicting problems and no real way to fix them with the cards/drivers as is in Windows 7, so it will be almost exactly the same.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> This is just my opinion but I would use no less then a 1kw psu for even 2 7950s cause if your overclocking your gpus and cpu @ the same time the more headroom the better i imagine you are putting alot of strain on your psu.


I have 2 7970's and overclocked too 1200/1600, it pulls 790w from my UPS at most. I've checked with a bunch of different programs.


----------



## Denca

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I have 2 7970's and overclocked too 1200/1600, it pulls 790w from my UPS at most. I've checked with a bunch of different programs.


Can you please tell me what programs were you using and how?

Thanks


----------



## NeoandGeo

Trying a few combinations to see if I can rectify my shadow draw-in issue with BF3. Installed the latest drivers (8196) and I don't have a CCC to use it seems.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> This is just my opinion but I would use no less then a 1kw psu for even 2 7950s cause if your overclocking your gpus and cpu @ the same time the more headroom the better i imagine you are putting alot of strain on your psu.


Sorry, but this is just ridiculous misinformation. I am running crossfired 7970's at 1100/1400, a 2500k at 4.5gHz, a few case fans, fan controller, and cold cathodes absolutely fine on a Crosair TX750 v2 psu with zero problems. The 7970's, even with a fairly mild overclock, draw less power than my 570's did. Crossfire 7950's draw even less power, I would imagine. 1000w psu is overkill. Any good quality 750w psu will be fine.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denca*
> 
> Can you please tell me what programs were you using and how?
> Thanks


Here's Dirt 3 Benchmark running. 3dmark11 pulls 790w during the first graphics test. This is at 1200/1600 on 2 7970's and a 2500k @ 5ghz. 2 Vertex 3 ssd's in Raid 0 and 1 Dvdrw drive. 1 pump and 4 120mm R4's. I've been pulling 750w+ on many games with these settings.


----------



## Exostenza

I have afterburner set to have 2d and 3d profiles so I have lower clocks and voltages when I am not playing games to keep it cool, quiet and have minimal power drain. I have noticed that whenever it switches profiles (on or off) I get a split in my screen for a fraction of a second like screen tearing in a video game. Does anyone know what this is and if it is a problem or should I just ignore it and go about my business? Every game I play runs silky smooth and the card is extremely stable... it just makes me wonder what the hell is going on with that screen tear. I am thinking it has to do with the large jump in the speed of the memory, but don't exactly know enough to pin point why it is going on.

Thank in advance for your comments.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I personally would not do 1.281V on air 1.2v to me is as high as i will go.


Up to 1.3v is absolutely fine on air for this core. I run 1.3v @ 1300/1700 without any issues, and temps are just fine.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> This is just my opinion but I would use no less then a 1kw psu for even 2 7950s cause if your overclocking your gpus and cpu @ the same time the more headroom the better i imagine you are putting alot of strain on your psu.


Do you know anything about PCs whatsoever? You're here in an AMD forum writing dozens of posts blasting AMD's drivers and their cards... just sell the damn things if they're that much of a problem, and buy 2 580s ffs.

And NO, you do NOT need a 1kw PSU for 2 7950s. I ran THREE 6970s @ 1.3v on an 850W PSU for over a year. 7950s are way more power efficient than 6970s, so your estimate is WAY off. You could run 3 7950s on an 850W if you absolutely wanted to.

Do NOT spread misinformation as fact. If you don't know what you're talking about, do not give advice here. You're going to cause newbies to this forum to spend WAY more on hardware than they need to. I absolutely can't stand when people state incorrect information as fact, when they themselves don't have the experience or haven't personally tested such a setup.


----------



## Hambone07si

You could run 2 7970's on a nice 750w if you wanted. Something like the AX750, but you would have to get extra pci-e wires. Any 850w psu that comes with 4 pci-e connections will run 2 of those with no problems. I have yet to see 800w from the UPS/wall from my setup. It pulls a little more from the wall then the pc actually pulls too. 1000w is just extra headroom at ease. You would have nothing to worry about with that, but you wouldn't have anything to worry about at all with a AX850 either.

Playing some games in Eyefinity only uses around 600w on this setup also. System idles at 288w


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Its worth bearing in mind that one 750w PSU design may be fine where as another fails. This is where a lot of PSU arguments come from and its due to the fact that the "750w" is not usually available on all rails, so if you have say, 400w on the PCI-E connector rail and 350w split up between others, you can still run into problems.

The numbers alone, dont tell you much at all sadly.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> I absolutely can't stand when people state incorrect information as fact.


To be fair to him, he did clearly state in his opening words "This is just my opinion"


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Do you know anything about PCs whatsoever? You're here in an AMD forum writing dozens of posts blasting AMD's drivers and their cards... just sell the damn things if they're that much of a problem, and buy 2 580s ffs.
> And NO, you do NOT need a 1kw PSU for 2 7950s. I ran THREE 6970s @ 1.3v on an 850W PSU for over a year. 7950s are way more power efficient than 6970s, so your estimate is WAY off. You could run 3 7950s on an 850W if you absolutely wanted to.
> Do NOT spread misinformation as fact. If you don't know what you're talking about, do not give advice here. You're going to cause newbies to this forum to spend WAY more on hardware than they need to. I absolutely can't stand when people state incorrect information as fact, when they themselves don't have the experience or haven't personally tested such a setup.


If you had eyes maybe you could read . I was not blasting their cards at all matter of fact further back I said "I love the cards man they are beasts no lie easy to see" . although I was blasting there cpus but so what. So go read and look further back @ everything I said not just what you want to read. I think it is really clear not just on these forums but lots of others that alot of people dont like the drivers and or having probs I have seen a few that dont I know. Also AMD requires you to have a 700 Watt power supply unit as minimum for crossfired 7950s. So like I said overclocking cpu and gpus and not counting everything else in his pc is kinda pushing it in my eyes . I like headroom on my psu , once again that is my opinion.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> If you had eyes maybe you could read . I was not blasting their cards at all matter of fact further back I said "I love the cards man they are beasts no lie easy to see" . although I was blasting there cpus but so what. So go read and look further back @ everything I said not just what you want to read. I think it is really clear not just on these forums but lots of others that alot of people dont like the drivers and or having probs I have seen a few that dont I know. Also AMD requires you to have a 700 Watt power supply unit as minimum for crossfired 7950s. So like I said overclocking cpu and gpus and not counting everything else in his pc is kinda pushing it in my eyes . I like headroom on my psu , once again that is my opinion.


Also let me quote myself I have been building pcs for a while now I own my on pc repair shop I build anywhere from 2-6 pcs aday so yeah I do know what im talking about.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

2 more weeks for rest of my parts to come in.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

I hope I do not run into any of the problems some of you all have:sadsmiley


----------



## Hambone07si

Don't use Msi AB Beta 12 and you will be good.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> If you had eyes maybe you could read . I was not blasting their cards at all matter of fact further back I said "I love the cards man they are beasts no lie easy to see" . although I was blasting there cpus but so what. So go read and look further back @ everything I said not just what you want to read. I think it is really clear not just on these forums but lots of others that alot of people dont like the drivers and or having probs I have seen a few that dont I know. Also AMD requires you to have a 700 Watt power supply unit as minimum for crossfired 7950s. So like I said overclocking cpu and gpus and not counting everything else in his pc is kinda pushing it in my eyes . I like headroom on my psu , once again that is my opinion.


The AMD Ratings are overstated because of the fact that some users will attempt to crossfire their cards on lackluster PSUs with less than adequate wattage and efficiency, thus they cover themselves by overstating the requirements.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Also let me quote myself I have been building pcs for a while now I own my on pc repair shop I build anywhere from 2-6 pcs aday so yeah I do know what im talking about.


That's great, and I've done the same for many years, but the difference with PC repair shops and enthusiast builds is, 90% of the people that bring in a PC for repair, don't know a thing about PCs, and most likely aren't sporting crossfire or SLI rigs that would need such an amount of power. Repairing PCs on a daily basis gives people basic knowledge, but if you're not building full blown gaming rigs you will miss out on quite a bit of knowledge. I'll take a wild guess that you don't build gaming rigs, or you would've known that you don't need a 1000 Watt PSU to power 2 7950s. You don't need a 1000 Watt PSU to power ANY 2 GPUs ever created... much less 2 of the most power efficient cards ever released.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Don't use Msi AB Beta 12 and you will be good.


I plained on using Asus gpu tweak 2.0.6.0 version @ the moment.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> 
> 2 more weeks for rest of my parts to come in.


Nice set up .







Makes me want to go ahead and get 2 blocks and add in to my loop. I miss the low temps I had on the 2 water cooled 6990s . If I was not so lazy I would just put them back in cause these drivers are driving me crazy on the 7970s but I dont feel like redoing my loop.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Nice set up .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Makes me want to go ahead and get 2 blocks and add in to my loop. I miss the low temps I had on the 2 water cooled 6990s . If I was not so lazy I would just put them back in cause these drivers are driving me crazy on the 7970s but I dont feel like redoing my loop.




Thank-You, been working on this new PC for some time almost finished with it, my goal was to be able to fit all the radiators in the case.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

I'm hoping to see some good temps. I'm yet to see someone with this case and all the stuff I have put into it.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> I plained on using Asus gpu tweak 2.0.6.0 version @ the moment.


I attempted to flash to a asus bios just cause and use/try asus gpu tweak but atiflash that supposably supports the 7970 now can not find any adapters aka cards and yes the bios switch is on 1 , all I get when trying to flash is error 0fl01 checking parameters is missing. I wish RBE supported the 7970 and I would just flash my oc settings and say screw all the extra software I have to put on my pc just to overclock my cards . Im not using anything like afterburner , trixx or asus gpu tweak im just going to wait on a version of RBE or somthing like it that supports the 7970 and just burn my settings like I did to my 5890s and 6990s to the bios . I will just keep my overclock maxed out in ccc . Until somthing like RBE. I heard RBE will never support the 7970 cause the developer is having probs with this bios and amd drivers. He is looking for someone else to keep the developing going. I dont remember the site I seen that on though.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> 
> 
> Thank-You, been working on this new PC for some time almost finished with it, my goal was to be able to fit all the radiators in the case.


Your welcome I have 2x 240mm rads in my antec P280 lol. I could prob fit 1 more rad a 120mm in the rear exhaust.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

If anyone can flash there cards has anyone tried This Bios.


----------



## Exostenza

crunkazcanbe and evolutionxxx86 you two need to learn how to not double post. Hell I saw triple posts from evolutionxxx86 a few pages back. If you have more to say and there is not a post after your last one then just hit the edit button. That way there is not nearly as much clutter in the thread.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

not yet lol need the rest of my parts


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> 
> 
> Thank-You, been working on this new PC for some time almost finished with it, my goal was to be able to fit all the radiators in the case.


Also what I love about the antec P280 is it can fit a xl motherboard like my big bang marshal and what i love about this board is i was going for 4 x 7970 it will fit my mobo has 8 pci slots and supports 4 way crossfire @ 8x 8x 8x 8x and my case has 9 slots its a good case im going to mod it and put a window on the side aquaero 5 xt controlling my pump fans and flow sensor shuts pc off if the flow stops . i tested it








btw this is the pump I am using a aquacomputer aquastream XT and flow sensor im loving it.







btw best place for water cooling parts performance-pcs.com and frozencpu.com is good to.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Swiftech MCP655 12v Water Pump w/ Speed Control. Bitspower BP-D5TOPP2-BK D5 Mod Pump Top V2 POM Version. Bitspower D5 / MCP655 Pump Mod Kit Chrome. is what I got.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> 
> Swiftech MCP655 12v Water Pump w/ Speed Control. Bitspower BP-D5TOPP2-BK D5 Mod Pump Top V2 POM Version. Bitspower D5 / MCP655 Pump Mod Kit Chrome. is what I got.


You should get the aquacomputer aquaero 5 xt i have 7 fans coming off of it a pump and flow sensor you can controll everything in windows or from the controller itself im waiting on them to make it so it will work with windows media center to


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> You should get the aquacomputer aquaero 5 xt i have 7 fans coming off of it a pump and flow sensor you can controll everything in windows or from the controller itself im waiting on them to make it so it will work with windows media center to


I might look into it. Thanks


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> 
> Swiftech MCP655 12v Water Pump w/ Speed Control. Bitspower BP-D5TOPP2-BK D5 Mod Pump Top V2 POM Version. Bitspower D5 / MCP655 Pump Mod Kit Chrome. is what I got.


I do like that case though thats going to be a good set up you have there I almost got it but I wanted a case with atleast 9 expansion slots one left over for other reasons and i saved a bit of money but did not really care about that







I have always been a some what a fan of antec cases i have 3 more pcs in my house 2 are antec 1200s a v1 and v2 of that case and 1 antec 900.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> crunkazcanbe and evolutionxxx86 you two need to learn how to not double post. Hell I saw triple posts from evolutionxxx86 a few pages back. If you have more to say and there is not a post after your last one then just hit the edit button. That way there is not nearly as much clutter in the thread.


I agree. If you two want to have a conversation, PM eachother or hit eachother up on an IM client. The past 10 pages are nothing but both of you communicating back and forth and 1 line posts from both of you.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> crunkazcanbe and evolutionxxx86 you two need to learn how to not double post. Hell I saw triple posts from evolutionxxx86 a few pages back. If you have more to say and there is not a post after your last one then just hit the edit button. That way there is not nearly as much clutter in the thread.


This. If it continues on, I'll have to delete the posts. So please, take your conversation elsewhere.


----------



## aoya

Hi all,

After some reading and searching, does anyone know the performance difference between a 7950 OC'd and 7970 OC'd? I read a review of a 7950 max OC'd v. 7970 factory OC'd, and it showed 7950 within a few percentages of the 7970 at all points. Just wondering if the step up to 7970 is worthwhile at max overclock.

I will be on air, not water.


----------



## Invisible

Let's just say this. An OC'ed 7950 can EASILY reach stock 7970 performance. So just that performance increase, and throw it on top of a 7970.

Personally, I decided to just get a 7950 and OC it pretty high.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Let's just say this. An OC'ed 7950 can EASILY reach stock 7950 performance. So just that performance increase, and throw it on top of a 7970.
> Personally, I decided to just get a 7950 and OC it pretty high.


Agreed. I got the Gigabyte Windforce 7950 and it has stellar cooling on it which lets you take this card to crazy levels while being almost silent and extremely cool to boot. I weighed the pros and the cons of each card and I figured the difference between them was better spent somewhere else as I can get better than 7970 (stock) performance out of this card. Hell I am clocked at 1200/1650 and still have headroom on the voltage and the max temps on this card (using 1.225v of a possible 1.3v and never going over 62C even in the most demanding and prolonged situations), but for now it is more than enough.


----------



## tanton

I haven't been up with the thread lately. What are the best water blocks for ref 7970 so far? I like EK's and XSPC's


----------



## eikei

Got my 7970 PowerColor last week. ASIC quality is 72.4% The card is stable in any game and OCCT/Kombustor at 1125 MHz @ 1.174 V but with some artifacts in Crysis 1/ Warhead. Didn't try higher clocks yet. Absolutely stable modes with no artifacts in Crysis:

800 MHz 0,918 V
900 MHz 1,000 V
1000 MHz 1,081 V
1100 MHz 1,187 V

Will try to find max stable core clock for benchmarking today. But it's useless anyway. Also it's important to keep an eye on VRM temps - 1.175+V is dangerous at full load with power limit +20% (in Kombustor and other furmark-like stress-tests) as the temperature reaches 90+ celcius in 2-3 minutes even with 100% fan speed.

All voltages according to MSI Afterburner.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> I haven't been up with the thread lately. What are the best water blocks for ref 7970 so far? I like EK's and XSPC's


I assume they are all good, goes down to personal preference.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> I haven't been up with the thread lately. What are the best water blocks for ref 7970 so far? I like EK's and XSPC's


I put the EK Acetal/Copper on mine and will be ordering another for my 2nd card. Block looks great, installs great, and temps are insane. 27c/42c idle/load


----------



## jomama22

I swear, if sapphire doesnt come out with their superclocked non ref 7970s a cebit i am going to jump off a bridge lol. I know that the cards out now can overclock extreamly well, but i plan on doing trifire 7970(the money is burning a hole in my pocket) and want to be able to clock all 3 at 1300/1700 + for ultimate domination. Lol.


----------



## evensen007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I swear, if sapphire doesnt come out with their superclocked non ref 7970s a cebit i am going to jump off a bridge lol. I know that the cards out now can overclock extreamly well, but i plan on doing trifire 7970(the money is burning a hole in my pocket) and want to be able to clock all 3 at 1300/1700 + for ultimate domination. Lol.


Holy cow. That's about 2100 dollars on gpu's and water blocks! I wish I had your money!


----------



## JassimH

Can someone help me with a guide or something in how to OC my gigabyte 7970 past 1200 core and 1650mhz memory?

Core V is 1187 stable with 20% power limiter in extreme kombustor.
Memory is 1637 also stable at 20% in extreme kombustor.

I have room for the core but not the memory, I'd like to get a good 10% more increase until I get two more 7970's with my new mobo, then I'll scale back slightly.

Thanks.

Edit I've never done any BIOS flashing etc, so I'd like to keep it simple. I'm running a 64bit windows 7.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I swear, if sapphire doesnt come out with their superclocked non ref 7970s a cebit i am going to jump off a bridge lol. I know that the cards out now can overclock extreamly well, but i plan on doing trifire 7970(the money is burning a hole in my pocket) and want to be able to clock all 3 at 1300/1700 + for ultimate domination. Lol.


You are going to kill yourself because of that? What are you going to do if the cards can't perform as this post #52

Ok don't tell me. Must be scary.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I swear, if sapphire doesnt come out with their superclocked non ref 7970s a cebit i am going to jump off a bridge lol. I know that the cards out now can overclock extreamly well, but i plan on doing trifire 7970(the money is burning a hole in my pocket) and want to be able to clock all 3 at 1300/1700 + for ultimate domination. Lol.


There's plenty of 7970's out that will clock that high. Why do you need that Sapphire? My Diamond and Visiontek both can clock that high, but I don't run them like that. Running 1200/1600 is plenty with Crossfire. Have you heard the coil whine yet. At 1300mhz, there gonna be screaming


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Can someone help me with a guide or something in how to OC my gigabyte 7970 past 1200 core and 1650mhz memory?
> Core V is 1187 stable with 20% power limiter in extreme kombustor.
> Memory is 1637 also stable at 20% in extreme kombustor.
> I have room for the core but not the memory, I'd like to get a good 10% more increase until I get two more 7970's with my new mobo, then I'll scale back slightly.
> Thanks.
> Edit I've never done any BIOS flashing etc, so I'd like to keep it simple. I'm running a 64bit windows 7.


Easy, crank the voltage up to 1.300v and see what it can do. If you can't clock any higher, then you need to keep it cooler.

Opps, Sorry about the double post


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Easy, crank the voltage up to 1.300v and see what it can do. If you can't clock any higher, then you need to keep it cooler.


No, MSI Afterburner has a limit with 1200 core clock and 1650 memory clock :\. My temps are fine in a single gpu config, FOR NOW.

Also what is this coil whine? Never heard such a thing from my card yet :\.

+rep


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

No coil whine on any of my Sapphires, although the 1st one I bought did have on my old PSU.
It was a 750W Ennermax Noisetaker. Nothing on new PSU.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I swear, if sapphire doesnt come out with their superclocked non ref 7970s a cebit i am going to jump off a bridge lol. I know that the cards out now can overclock extreamly well, but i plan on doing trifire 7970(the money is burning a hole in my pocket) and want to be able to clock all 3 at 1300/1700 + for ultimate domination. Lol.


Be easier to just buy 4 of them I reckon.. that said, I kinda wish I hadnt bought any... LOL


----------



## leoxtxt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> No, MSI Afterburner has a limit with 1200 core clock and 1650 memory clock :\. My temps are fine in a single gpu config, FOR NOW.
> Also what is this coil whine? Never heard such a thing from my card yet :\.
> +rep


Hard to notice it with the reference cooler , in my case when i switched from the reference to the Accelero i found out my 7970 (1230/1600 1.17v) got the coil whine too ;(.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> There's plenty of 7970's out that will clock that high. Why do you need that Sapphire? My Diamond and Visiontek both can clock that high, but I don't run them like that. Running 1200/1600 is plenty with Crossfire. Have you heard the coil whine yet. At 1300mhz, there gonna be screaming


Ill put it to u this way. I have never won any money on a scratch off in the 25 years i have been alive ( probably over 50 scratch offs). That is the luck i bring to the table lol. Its not about sapphire really, it could be any vendor i just need the assurence that i will be able to hit those clocks. If they scream i hope it sounds like a cat, that way, it will keep the mice at bay


----------



## JassimH

How on earth are these cards pulling 1000w at 1600mhz, but 225watts and 925mhz or w/e stock is.









Edit
Quote:


> Hard to notice it with the reference cooler , in my case when i switched from the reference to the Accelero i found out my 7970 (1230/1600 1.17v) got the coil whine too ;(.


I have a windforce 3 thingy, the triple fan cooler from gigabyte. Not as quiet as yours but eeh. What does it sound like







. Do any other card experiance this or only the radeons.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Easy, crank the voltage up to 1.300v and see what it can do. If you can't clock any higher, then you need to keep it cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> No, MSI Afterburner has a limit with 1200 core clock and 1650 memory clock :\. My temps are fine in a single gpu config, FOR NOW.
> 
> Also what is this coil whine? Never heard such a thing from my card yet :\.
Click to expand...

Uninstall Catalys and Afterburner. Flip the BIOS switch to #1 then run this:

Tahiti_XT_C3860100_X00_BIOS_Dec20_2011.zip 420k .zip file


Reinstall Catalyst followed by Afterburner.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> No, MSI Afterburner has a limit with 1200 core clock and 1650 memory clock :\. My temps are fine in a single gpu config, FOR NOW.
> Also what is this coil whine? Never heard such a thing from my card yet :\.
> +rep


No it doesn't.. You need to unlock it. My Afterburner goes to 2000 core and 2700 mem.

Close afterburner, Go to computer/ C: / Program files (x86) / MSI AFTERBURNER . You need to go to the bottom of the cfg file and change Unofficial Overclocking Mode from 0 to 1 and the save the file. Open Msi Afterburner and the hit Yes to the message.

WALLA, 2000+ core 2700+ mem









@ Ken1649, what does that do instead of just unlocking AB? Unlocking AB has done everything I need without flashing the bios. I only flash bios if that's last resort

@ jomama22, so your not lucky your telling me. Ok. What makes you think your going to get cards guaranteed to run those clocks? Does sapphire say their cards will do 1300core or your money back?

@ Stu-Crossfire, your cards are on air. The fans are louder than the coil whine. I didn't hear any either until I put mine on water. They make noise for sure and the higher you clock them the louder it gets.


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No it doesn't.. You need to unlock it. My Afterburner goes to 2000 core and 2700 mem.
> Close afterburner, Go to computer/ C: / Program files (x86) / MSI AFTERBURNER . You need to go to the bottom of the cfg file and change Unofficial Overclocking Mode from 0 to 1 and the save the file. Open Msi Afterburner and the hit Yes to the message.
> WALLA, 2000+ core 2700+ mem
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @ Ken1649, what does that do instead of just unlocking AB? Unlocking AB has done everything I need without flashing the bios. I only flash bios if that's last resort


YES.

+rep.

RIP 1 7970







.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> YES.
> +rep.
> RIP 1 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


That work for you? What's the max core/mem you can select now?


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> That work for you? What's the max core/mem you can select now?


Indeed it worked.

1800 core.
2475 memory.

I'm not reaching that anytime soon so it's okay







.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> @ Ken1649, what does that do instead of just unlocking AB? Unlocking AB has done everything I need without flashing the bios. I only flash bios if that's last resort


It raises the core 2000MHz and memory 2500MHz in CCC.










You can also run this switch to raise the limits;

MSIAfterburner.exe -*xcl* to Extend Clock Limits of AMD Overdrive - Reboot PC.
MSIAfterburner.exe -*rcl* to Restore Clock Limits of AMD Overdrive - Reboot PC.

To acces voltage tweak, enable "Unofficial Overclocking".

*HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner*


----------



## JassimH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It raises the core 2000MHz and memory (don't remember) in CCC.
> 
> You can also run this switch to raise the limits;
> 
> MSIAfterburner.exe -*xcl* to Extend Clock Limits of AMD Overdrive - Reboot PC.
> 
> MSIAfterburner.exe -*rcl* to Restore Clock Limits of AMD Overdrive - Reboot PC.
> 
> To acces voltage tweak, enable "Unofficial Overclocking".
> 
> *HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner*


I have voltage tweak dw.

1800 core really is enough, I'm running on air ahahahaha. Thanks tho, I'll save that in a notepad if I ever need it







.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> @ jomama22, so your not lucky your telling me. Ok. What makes you think your going to get cards guaranteed to run those clocks? Does sapphire say their cards will do 1300core or your money back?


Like i said, its not about merely being sapphire, it could be any vendor.

I am refering to the leaked sapphire roadmap (way back on dec 31) that showed their planned nonreference cards with the atomic comming in at 1335 core clock and toxic at 1150 core clock. With these clock i can atleast give myself a better CHANCE at obtaining the clocks i desire in trifire.

Trust me, i would of pulled the trigger on jan 9 if i knew i would have a chance to obtain these on all three cards.but as i said, with my luck 1 would hit 1300 while the other 2 only do 1200.

Also, 1200 seems to be average if not just above average of what most of these chips will hit.


----------



## Hambone07si

So the Atomic is suppose to come clocked at 1335core?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Also, 1200 seems to be average if not just above average of what most of these chips will hit.


1200 average ??
I think that is abit exaggerated... Maybe for HD7970, but for HD7950 I think the average is more around 1150 core clock. Speaking here for cooling on air .... On water I guess the clocks can go higher quite easy. But on air I have seen most get around 1150 core clock for the hd7950.


----------



## dajez

mmm my AB goes to 1665/2475


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 1200 average ??
> I think that is abit exaggerated... Maybe for HD7970, but for HD7950 I think the average is more around 1150 core clock. Speaking here for cooling on air .... On water I guess the clocks can go higher quite easy. But on air I have seen most get around 1150 core clock for the hd7950.


7950 average 1240mhz.
7970 average 1320mhz.
On water cooling.
average is 100mhz more on 7970 with water, 60mhz with air.

http://hwbot.org/hardware/videocard/radeon_hd_7970/


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> 7950 average 1240mhz.
> 7970 average 1320mhz.
> On water cooling.
> average is 100mhz more on 7970 with water, 60mhz with air.
> http://hwbot.org/hardware/videocard/radeon_hd_7970/


According to that site this is the average for 7950 on air :

1157/1534MHz

I was pretty close with my 1150, no?


----------



## Hambone07si

Not at all, you were 7mhz off dude. Not even close


----------



## jomama22

Code:

I was strickly talking about the 7970. And my 1200 figure was a rough estimation of what i have read of others overclock. Also, the problem with hwbot is that the only people who submit scores are those that push their cards to the extreme. This does not provide a good sample of all cards and you have to expect there to be lower max overclocks overall when considering tje people who dont come on here and talk about it.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So the Atomic is suppose to come clocked at 1335core?


For anyone who hasnt seen/forgotten about this roadmap, here is a link for upcomming sapphire non ref cards

[=http://guru3d.com/news/sapphire-7970-atomic-1335mhz--possible-2304sp-7980/][/]

What i want is a binned chip and am happy to pay a small premium for it lol


----------



## Faded

i cannot get any better than 1125/1550 @ stock volts. I haven't taken the time to change the voltage any but this is definitely a good OC right outta the box.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Code:


I was strickly talking about the 7970. And my 1200 figure was a rough estimation of what i have read of others overclock. Also, the problem with hwbot is that the only people who submit scores are those that push their cards to the extreme.

True but an example of where things is pushed at average at least.
24/7 is different for most especially on air.
We can extrapolate that the difference is around 100mhz between the models.
How each one card clock is different.


----------



## jomama22

it sucks that my inner conscience has a hard time believing that if i throw water blocks on a standard 7970 i can hit 1300 with all three cards. I would just hate to get 3 of them , have 2 be superstars and hit 1350 while one is stuck at 1200 or so and i would have to down clock them to have the same clocks across all three....obviously i am being quite naive about all of this but if i am spending the money, i want the best i can get. I know i would be happy with them but then i would always wonder...what if...lol



ahhhh its calling my nameeeee!!!!!!!!!!! The vrm back caps are interesting as is the bios button (instead of a switch) and the back plate as well. If you look at the rear bracket, it seems to me that there are a few extra connection ports as well (you can see the standard m-dp's but if you look towards the bottom of the i/o the connection block is twice as tall as a reference (which has a DL dvi where this one is).


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 1200 average ??
> I think that is abit exaggerated... Maybe for HD7970, but for HD7950 I think the average is more around 1150 core clock. Speaking here for cooling on air .... On water I guess the clocks can go higher quite easy. But on air I have seen most get around 1150 core clock for the hd7950.


I saw a test/overview on this some weeks ago, with multiple different 7950's and 7970's.... Was from different overclocking sites ans tests and so on... 7950 had an average of 1150-1170 some where, and 7970 had just a bit more, like 1170-1190mhz... My point is that you are correct







My numbers isn't exact, but damn close.


----------



## Ottesen

*Wattage with 7950 crossfire:*

Some pages back we talked about power use, i had trouble overclocking my cards and thought maybe my 750w psu which is now 4 year old is not big enough/bad. So i bought a measuring thingy today that reads wattage.

*Specs:*
Intel 2500k at 4,7ghz with 1,4v
Asus sabertooth motherboard.
4 internal disks and one dvd rw.
8 fans (not much power).
16gb ram at 1600mhz @1,65v.
2x7950 powercolor with dual fans. Stock.

With that and doing 3dmark11 i peaked at _440w_. With all tests i did that was the highest. (Under normal testing) I also tried going a 3dmark11 and prime95 on blend, peaked at 495w at most. So right now my gpu's are stock, but still with a big overclock on them i'm sure i'm way under 600w, and a old but good 750w psu will take that easily









edited in fans that i forgot...+ ram


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Not at all, you were 7mhz off dude. Not even close


lol








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I saw a test/overview on this some weeks ago, with multiple different 7950's and 7970's.... Was from different overclocking sites ans tests and so on... 7950 had an average of 1150-1170 some where, and 7970 had just a bit more, like 1170-1190mhz... My point is that you are correct
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My numbers isn't exact, but damn close.


Cool, thanks for the info.
I guess I will try to push my overclock a little more. I am at 1100 / 1500 now at 1175V but would like to reach 1150/1550 if possible on the same voltage








Will keep you updated if that works


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 1200 average ??
> I think that is abit exaggerated... Maybe for HD7970, but for HD7950 I think the average is more around 1150 core clock. Speaking here for cooling on air .... On water I guess the clocks can go higher quite easy. But on air I have seen most get around 1150 core clock for the hd7950.


I hit 1200 on my core without even trying and have lots of headroom both voltage and heat wise and I am on air! The 7950 is a beast (at least from Gigabyte on its Windforce cooler)!


----------



## Norlig

I got an issue:

Sometimes the my #1 Graphics card will lock to 500/501 Mhz for some reason. I enter BF3, for example, and GPU1 is at 500Mhz, and GPU2 is at 1150Mhz.
GPU1 usage is 99%, GPU2 usage is ~45%

I am not sure what causes this, might be prolonged exposure to idle conditions.

To fix it I have to restart my PC.

Any1 got a clue what I can try to fix it?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> *Wattage with 7950 crossfire:*
> Some pages back we talked about power use, i had trouble overclocking my cards and thought maybe my 750w psu which is now 4 year old is not big enough/bad. So i bought a measuring thingy today that reads wattage.
> *Specs:*
> Intel 2500k at 4,7ghz with 1,4v
> Asus sabertooth motherboard.
> 4 internal disks and one dvd rw.
> 2x7950 powercolor with dual fans. Stock.
> With that and doing 3dmark11 i peaked at _440w_. With all tests i did that was the highest. (Under normal testing) I also tried going a 3dmark11 and prime95 on blend, peaked at 495w at most. So right now my gpu's are stock, but still with a big overclock on them i'm sure i'm way under 600w, and a old but good 750w psu will take that easily


Wow, with my system, I was pulling 790w from the wall.

2500k @ 5ghz 1.392v
2 Vertex 3 ssd's Raid 0
4 120mm R4's
1 Swiftech pump 655
2 x 7970 1200/1600
AX1200

That's a big difference between the 2 systems.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Wow, with my system, I was pulling 790w from the wall.
> 2500k @ 5ghz 1.392v
> 2 Vertex 3 ssd's Raid 0
> 4 120mm R4's
> 1 Swiftech pump 655
> 2 x 7970 1200/1600
> AX1200
> That's a big difference between the 2 systems.


sounds like his psu is about to bite the dust. if he is only pulling 440w with 2 crossfired there is something wrong. I pulled 710w with a 2600k and 2x 6950's


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Wow, with my system, I was pulling 790w from the wall.
> 2500k @ 5ghz 1.392v
> 2 Vertex 3 ssd's Raid 0
> 4 120mm R4's
> 1 Swiftech pump 655
> 2 x 7970 1200/1600
> AX1200
> That's a big difference between the 2 systems.


I also looked at multiple tests with almost the same specs and mine seems correct. Wasn't much difference. Pulling like the dude over me here, 710w on 2600k and 2x6950, then there is something wrong. Look at tests and see, never seen anybody pulling anything close to that...

*Edit:* Don't get my wrong guys, i'm not saying i'm correct. But every test i've seen has nothing near what you guys say. I can test tomorrow with a mate running the same mobo and cpu but he has a bigger/newer psu and 2x6950's...

*Edit2:* i don't know much about wattage and stuff tho, but can it have something to do with you from Usa having 120v lines and we here having 230v lines ?


----------



## rageofthepeon

Amazon just delivered my Sapphire 7970 a couple of hours ago. Took my lunch break to grab my precious and put it inside. I should have made something to eat but ended up deciding that installing my shiny new toy was more important







. Just installed the drivers from CD and took a quick peek at GPU-Z before rushing back to work. Longest 3 hours of my life ahead of me...

*Has anyone else had problems with Fallout 3 and New Vegas defaulting to medium settings for some reason? When I loaded Skyrim it picked up my new graphics card no problem and maxed every setting.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I got an issue:
> Sometimes my #1 Graphics card will lock to 500/501 Mhz for some reason. I enter BF3, for example, and GPU1 is at 500Mhz, and GPU2 is at 1150Mhz.
> GPU1 usage is 99%, GPU2 usage is ~45%
> I am not sure what causes this, might be prolonged exposure to idle conditions.
> To fix it I have to restart my PC.
> Any1 got a clue what I can try to fix it?


Any1?


----------



## ped5

Hi everyone,

First time to this forum, and first time to look at OCing a GPU. Please excuse the noobness.









I looked around, figured that there really isn't a set way to OC the GPU persay, and each mfg seems to create their own OC'ing utility.
So given that I have a Sapphire 7970 ref, see that it comes with the TRIXX software for OC'ing.
Other ones can even work with or come with the mobo.

So am I obliged to use the OC'ing software that comes with the brand? I understand that all are essentially created equal, except XFX and the Black Editions?

Also any recommendations on OP would be great.

Thanks mucho...


----------



## OverClocker55

Just got my 7950! when i go to black ops it kinda stutters and lags. also AA there is no option to turn it on or off. When i had my 570 it was set to x16. also mw3 launches but black screen. cant see anything but I can hear it. I'm using 12.1 drivers. what should I do?


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Just got my 7950! when i go to black ops it kinda stutters and lags. also AA there is no option to turn it on or off. When i had my 570 it was set to x16. also mw3 launches but black screen. cant see anything but I can hear it. I'm using 12.1 drivers. what should I do?


try the 12.2 driver?
old drivers cleared out?


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> try the 12.2 driver?
> old drivers cleared out?


ok link to find 12.2? and how I clear out?

EDIT: I'm running 12.2. How do I downgrade?

EDITV2: On 11.12 and 12.1 are they compatible with 7950?? it dont say


----------



## nifatech2120

So i placed an order for a GIGABYTE windforce HD 7950. And i got a couple of questions for owners of the HD 7950.

1. What is the max safe voltage?
2. since mine is 900MHZ factory oc. how much voltage would it take for 1100MHZ? (About)
3. at 1GHZ clock speed. will it wreck a 3GB GTX 580?
4. what is the CCC limit for clock speed? i heard it was around 1080 (i'll be using MSI AB anyways. but just wondering)


----------



## owikh84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> If anyone can flash there cards has anyone tried This Bios.


i've tried this MSI's special 7970 bios for my trifire 7970.
Gained extra 25MHz than the Asus's, from 1250 to 1275MHz @ 1.25v during gaming.
i think Asus bios had worse vdroop.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Amazon just delivered my Sapphire 7970 a couple of hours ago. Took my lunch break to grab my precious and put it inside. I should have made something to eat but ended up deciding that installing my shiny new toy was more important
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Just installed the drivers from CD and took a quick peek at GPU-Z before rushing back to work. Longest 3 hours of my life ahead of me...
> *Has anyone else had problems with Fallout 3 and New Vegas defaulting to medium settings for some reason? When I loaded Skyrim it picked up my new graphics card no problem and maxed every setting.


I have the same card. Yes FNV somehow auto decides that medium settings are best on the first run. No problems. Just go into the settings area and smash everything to MAXIMUM. (Except 4XAA). I get fairly sever micro-stuttering at the moment though, it ran smooth as butter on my "old" Asus DCUII 6870 O/C... drivers most probably. But it's playable and looks glorious 

Congrats mate enjoy


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> i've tried this MSI's special 7970 bios for my trifire 7970.
> Gained extra 25MHz than the Asus's, from 1250 to 1275MHz @ 1.25v during gaming.
> i think Asus bios had worse vdroop.


And how did you go about flashing it because atiflash will not detect my cards for some wired reason.







i get error 0fl01 and it says checking parameters is missing and my bios switch is on 1. I typed in atiflash -f -pa filename and tried without -f aka forcing it to still a no go. I even changed the file extension to .bin .rom still did not work and this is the first time i have used a file extension .102









i would like any advice if you have any thanks

btw i have flashed many cards befor with a moded bios so i dont have to use any software and it has always worked


----------



## disintegratorx

Alright Pls ... lol I'm in! Just ordered one of the Powercolor brand. Not sure when it'll be here yet, but should be by this Friday, I would think.








My proof of purchase. Go Newegg!


----------



## DarthBaiter

I'm ready to join, but have a little issue I need to resolve first...

My free copy of CyberLink PowerDVD won't recognize my new HD7970...









Tried different drivers and reinstallation of PowerDVD/update, with no luck.










Is there something better for free?


----------



## disintegratorx

Most definitely darth. Go to the AMD/ATI site and get the DIVX codecs for DVXA playback and the Media Player Classic file player. It plays DVD's and with graphics acceleration. Best file player of any kind that I've had and its free.







Here's the link for you. Hope you enjoy... http://www.divx.com/en/electronics/pmc/accelerated P.S. Just get the codecs and put them into the MPC by view>options>external filters and then check the codec, pick add filter and finally tick the prefer option and hit ok and you're all set up. The video playback is awesome and again hope you enjoy.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DarthBaiter*
> 
> I'm ready to join, but have a little issue I need to resolve first...
> My free copy of CyberLink PowerDVD won't recognize my new HD7970...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tried different drivers and reinstallation of PowerDVD/update, with no luck.
> Is there something better for free?


Doesn't VLC support Blu-ray now?


----------



## OverClocker55

Got my 7950. Here is the unboxing


----------



## lowfat

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't have that game....my lock ups are at idle after my monitors turn off (after some time).


Are you still having issues with this? I am not sure I want to continue reading the next 50 pages to look for answers. I have the same problem. Computer is rock solid stable, until my displays turn off. After the displays turn off from idling it locks up.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lowfat*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't have that game....my lock ups are at idle after my monitors turn off (after some time).
> 
> 
> 
> Are you still having issues with this? I am not sure I want to continue reading the next 50 pages to look for answers. I have the same problem. Computer is rock solid stable, until my displays turn off. After the displays turn off from idling it locks up.
Click to expand...

PM'd you the fix for now. It's confirmed by Sapphire (I emailed them) that its a driver issue thats causing this problem.


----------



## vedaire

yeaaaa my second XFX HD 7970 core edition will be here thursday


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> i've tried this MSI's special 7970 bios for my trifire 7970.
> Gained extra 25MHz than the Asus's, from 1250 to 1275MHz @ 1.25v during gaming.
> i think Asus bios had worse vdroop.


is the bios in owikh84 the msi bios?

I'm currently running the ASUS OC bios....

where can I get the MSI bios and will it run on my ASUS card?


----------



## owikh84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> And how did you go about flashing it because atiflash will not detect my cards for some wired reason.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i get error 0fl01 and it says checking parameters is missing and my bios switch is on 1. I typed in atiflash -f -pa filename and tried without -f aka forcing it to still a no go. I even changed the file extension to .bin .rom still did not work and this is the first time i have used a file extension .102
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i would like any advice if you have any thanks
> btw i have flashed many cards befor with a moded bios so i dont have to use any software and it has always worked


i put atiflash.exe in bootable thumbdrive.
rename the bios to msi.rom

so boot into DOS environment
command type:
atiflash -f -p 0 msi.rom (for 1st card)
atiflash -f -p 1 msi.rom (for 2nd card)
atiflash -f -p 2 msi.rom (for 3rd card)

PS: -pa and -fs commands would give SSID mismatch error


----------



## owikh84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> is the bios in owikh84 the msi bios?
> I'm currently running the ASUS OC bios....
> where can I get the MSI bios and will it run on my ASUS card?


Here: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359021

this MSI bios will work for any brand as long as it's reference design
my cards are reference Gigabyte 7970.
just use the -f command to force flash the bios


----------



## unrealskill

lol never seen my gpu hit 100% usage until i played arma 2 with every thing on very high.


----------



## wirefox

I just had an the most enjoyable time with my 7970 playing BF3 ... I turned down my refresh rate from 120hz ... to 100hz ... and kept vscync on ... and it toggles between 90-120 higher side with settings on high ... the lower end on ultra ... still want more juice though


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> So i placed an order for a GIGABYTE windforce HD 7950. And i got a couple of questions for owners of the HD 7950.
> 1. What is the max safe voltage?
> 2. since mine is 900MHZ factory oc. how much voltage would it take for 1100MHZ? (About)
> 3. at 1GHZ clock speed. will it wreck a 3GB GTX 580?
> 4. what is the CCC limit for clock speed? i heard it was around 1080 (i'll be using MSI AB anyways. but just wondering)


1. No idea, ive used mine with stock volts 1031mV in daily use but done some benches with 1200mV
2. Totally depends on quality of the chip, but i would say around 1100mV
3. Yes easily at games where it works proberly ( drivers sucks atm )
4. 1100/1575


----------



## crunkazcanbe

I flashed it now it is unlocked i can run @ 1075 on stock volts no prob but i have 1 prob now my cards will not idle stuck on 925 untill i run a 3d app and it goes up to my oc of 1175/1700 did the bios do this to you to no idle . i guess i will be going back to my old bios







i just installed the pre cert drivers from amd site could it be it not letting it downclock


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> So i placed an order for a GIGABYTE windforce HD 7950. And i got a couple of questions for owners of the HD 7950.
> 1. What is the max safe voltage?
> 2. since mine is 900MHZ factory oc. how much voltage would it take for 1100MHZ? (About)
> 3. at 1GHZ clock speed. will it wreck a 3GB GTX 580?
> 4. what is the CCC limit for clock speed? i heard it was around 1080 (i'll be using MSI AB anyways. but just wondering)


Good choice! From all the reviews it is the best cooled card out there! I have mine running rock solid @ 1200/1650 with 1.225v core and stock mem voltages. I was able to easily hit the CCC limit of 1100/1575 on stock voltage. My AISC is 68 percent. On air you can go to 1.3v and be safe so it looks like I have a lot of headroom to go up if I want, but it absolutely kills everything I throw at it and my temps never exceed 62C! Also it is dead silent. I can't hear it over my case fans which are pretty quiet. As for people having problems with drivers I have no issues what so ever. I used ATIman's uninstaller between my last card and this one and everything I have done works flawlessly. It seems that most of the people with problems either have CrossFire (imo is a stupid choice to get when the AMD drivers are still young for this series as they always have an atrocious amount of problems at the beginning) or I think they have no properly rid their system of old drivers or maybe run super cluttered systems.

Good luck as every card OCs differently, but you picked the best cooled one so your experience should be very nice.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Good choice! From all the reviews it is the best cooled card out there! I have mine running rock solid @ 1200/1650 with 1.225v core and stock mem voltages. I was able to easily hit the CCC limit of 1100/1575 on stock voltage. My AISC is 68 percent. On air you can go to 1.3v and be safe so it looks like I have a lot of headroom to go up if I want, but it absolutely kills everything I throw at it and my temps never exceed 62C! Also it is dead silent. I can't hear it over my case fans which are pretty quiet. As for people having problems with drivers I have no issues what so ever. I used ATIman's uninstaller between my last card and this one and everything I have done works flawlessly. It seems that most of the people with problems either have CrossFire (imo is a stupid choice to get when the AMD drivers are still young for this series as they always have an atrocious amount of problems at the beginning) or I think they have no properly rid their system of old drivers or maybe run super cluttered systems.
> Good luck as every card OCs differently, but you picked the best cooled one so your experience should be very nice.


Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to me. If it may, what is AISC? so it's possible i can do 1000-1050-ish @ stock volts?


----------



## aoya

Hey all,

I just placed an order for a XFX 7970. I have some concerns about coil whine -- seems like a lot, if not all, of people experience it. Does the 7950 experience coil whine?

If not, I may cancel and go for the 7950.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aoya*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just placed an order for a XFX 7970. I have some concerns about coil whine -- seems like a lot, if not all, of people experience it. Does the 7950 experience coil whine?
> If not, I may cancel and go for the 7950.


Honestly. I say just go forthe HD 7950. Better value.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aoya*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just placed an order for a XFX 7970. I have some concerns about coil whine -- seems like a lot, if not all, of people experience it. Does the 7950 experience coil whine?
> If not, I may cancel and go for the 7950.


All 7900s.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to me. If it may, what is AISC? so it's possible i can do 1000-1050-ish @ stock volts?


Since every card is different and I can't predict what your card will be able to pull on stock voltages, but I can tell you that my experience was that I was able to pull the sliders to the end (1100 core) and it was rock solid. Everyone gets different results though most reviews that I read stated that they needed more voltage to get to 1100 core and beyond, so maybe I got lucky.

AISC is some sort of computation the new GPU-Z does and it is thought that the higher the number the better the overclock as the chip leaks less voltage, but it was made with nVidia in mind so apparently the AMD numbers really don't tell us anything at the moment. I for one am proof of that as I have a low number and can overclock quite well. Just google AISC GPU-Z and I am sure you'll get better information as this is just what I have pieced together from a couple of posts and looking at GPU-Z myself.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aoya*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just placed an order for a XFX 7970. I have some concerns about coil whine -- seems like a lot, if not all, of people experience it. Does the 7950 experience coil whine?
> If not, I may cancel and go for the 7950.


All 79xx cards have it and I can tell you that mine has it pretty bad, but since I can't hear it while I am gaming unless I have my head in the case I am not worried about it at all.









I guess it could be an issue if you have an all silent water setup...


----------



## firestorm1

mine had it, but i fixed it by running occt overnight. havent heard a peep out of it since.


----------



## aoya

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> mine had it, but i fixed it by running occt overnight. havent heard a peep out of it since.


I just looked up OCCT. It looks like CPU and RAM O/C testing. Am I missing something?

I'm not sure how terrible coil whine will be, but I hope it will be unnoticeable.


----------



## firestorm1

it has gpu stability testing as well.


----------



## iDeal

Fears go unrecognised...









Sold 6990, 7970 arrived today and for a $40 upgrade/sideways...I'm definitely happy. Less power consumption, less heat, 60fps constant on BF3.

However, I have not yet run anything with EyeFinity...which the 6990 handled without worries.

Happy so far


----------



## Darco19

Just ordered a Gigabyte HD7970 "Windforce" - can't wait to see how this card performs







Hopefully it does miles better than the reference one I bought.


----------



## ArcaneSeraph

I registered here as the official support isn't being very helpful and I'm hoping someone here has had a similar problem or can reproduce it.

I have a new Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 from about a week ago. I have had no problems running it in 2D mode. However when playing games, I often get a hard lockup (meaning sound loop, no input response, forced reset). After this I did some further testing to try to narrow down exactly what the problem is. The problem seems to occur in various games. I am a game developer and have 2 monitors on the system in question. I do NOT disable my second monitor when gaming as I use it to run debug consoles and adjust other in game settings on the fly for the products I'm working on. However as a test I did disable the 2nd monitor before testing for lockups in a game. This made the problem go away. 10 hours plus and no problem. So it seems I am having these lockups when I have my main monitor in 3D mode and the 2nd monitor in 2D mode. Although it occurs no matter what I'm doing in 2D mode on the other monitor, I can get it to occur usually within 5 minutes if I'm watching a video or doing any sort of video work on the 2nd monitor at the time.

Below are the things I have tried, without success, to eliminate the problem:

- I have used several drivers: the ones that came with the card, 8.921.2 RC11 AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 driver, and the AMD Catalyst™ 12.2 Pre-Certified Driver
- I have run registry cleaners, driver cleaners, and disabled / uninstalled any sort of other GPU software
- I have not overclocked the card whatsoever and have disabled AMD overdrive
- I have tried disabling ULPS in the registry without luck
- I have used GPU-Z to monitor the card just before lockups and noticed nothing unusual

My system has been in use for 1.5 years without problems before this with another video card. It's specs are:

Asus Rampage III Gene
Intel 980x Processor
12GB RAM
Corsair 850W PSU
Windows 7 64 bit

I'm hoping that someone else with 2 monitors can attempt to reproduce this problem (game on one monitor, video playback / other 2D stuff on 2nd monitor) and see if they get these lockups. I'm trying to figure out if this is a driver issue or a hardware issue. I have contacted Sapphire and AMD but they are busy running me through very mundane tests I've already done.

Thanks


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArcaneSeraph*
> 
> I registered here as the official support isn't being very helpful and I'm hoping someone here has had a similar problem or can reproduce it.
> 
> I have a new Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 from about a week ago. I have had no problems running it in 2D mode. However when playing games, I often get a hard lockup (meaning sound loop, no input response, forced reset). After this I did some further testing to try to narrow down exactly what the problem is. The problem seems to occur in various games. I am a game developer and have 2 monitors on the system in question. I do NOT disable my second monitor when gaming as I use it to run debug consoles and adjust other in game settings on the fly for the products I'm working on. However as a test I did disable the 2nd monitor before testing for lockups in a game. This made the problem go away. 10 hours plus and no problem. So it seems I am having these lockups when I have my main monitor in 3D mode and the 2nd monitor in 2D mode. Although it occurs no matter what I'm doing in 2D mode on the other monitor, I can get it to occur usually within 5 minutes if I'm watching a video or doing any sort of video work on the 2nd monitor at the time.
> 
> Below are the things I have tried, without success, to eliminate the problem:
> 
> - I have used several drivers: the ones that came with the card, 8.921.2 RC11 AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 driver, and the AMD Catalyst™ 12.2 Pre-Certified Driver
> - I have run registry cleaners, driver cleaners, and disabled / uninstalled any sort of other GPU software
> - I have not overclocked the card whatsoever and have disabled AMD overdrive
> - I have tried disabling ULPS in the registry without luck
> - I have used GPU-Z to monitor the card just before lockups and noticed nothing unusual
> 
> My system has been in use for 1.5 years without problems before this with another video card. It's specs are:
> 
> Asus Rampage III Gene
> Intel 980x Processor
> 12GB RAM
> Corsair 850W PSU
> Windows 7 64 bit
> 
> I'm hoping that someone else with 2 monitors can attempt to reproduce this problem (game on one monitor, video playback / other 2D stuff on 2nd monitor) and see if they get these lockups. I'm trying to figure out if this is a driver issue or a hardware issue. I have contacted Sapphire and AMD but they are busy running me through very mundane tests I've already done.
> 
> Thanks


Your locks up is not due to multi-monitor setup. You have something interfering with the 3D clocks.

Try to disable hardware acceleration set to GPU everywhere. Youtube, FlashPlayer, Movie Player, VLC, IE, Chrome, etc. Then try again with the second monitor in extended mode.


----------



## ArcaneSeraph

Ken1649:

Thank you for the reply. I will try what you suggest. However I do not feel this is a solution. Top of the line cards like this should be quite capable of multitasking and while disabling the video acceleration (thereby forcing software mode) may fix the problem it's kind of defeating the purpose of having card if I'm just not using it.

I do have a spare GTX 580 (for game testing) and do not have problems doing the exact same tasks with it. Also as I noted playing a video is the FASTEST way to cause the problem. It's not the only way. I have had lockups when using a visual studio debug console on the second monitor as well, alt-tabbing a lot back and forth. The only way I have completed eliminated the lockups is to disable the 2nd display which is an unacceptable solution.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArcaneSeraph*
> 
> Ken1649:
> 
> Thank you for the reply. I will try what you suggest. However I do not feel this is a solution. Top of the line cards like this should be quite capable of multitasking and while disabling the video acceleration (thereby forcing software mode) may fix the problem it's kind of defeating the purpose of having card if I'm just not using it.
> 
> I do have a spare GTX 580 (for game testing) and do not have problems doing the exact same tasks with it. Also as I noted playing a video is the FASTEST way to cause the problem. It's not the only way. I have had lockups when using a visual studio debug console on the second monitor as well, alt-tabbing a lot back and forth. The only way I have completed eliminated the lockups is to disable the 2nd display which is an unacceptable solution.


Sorry, not going to argue about this lol. Hardware acceleration is using UVD clocks and Voltage different from 3D clocks and voltage. How do you expect them to run at two different sets of clocks and voltages doing two separate task at the same time. Then again it's a known issue that Flash drivers are conflicting with Windows drivers.

I am not sure why you need hardware to play and watch video playback.

If you think this is limited to AMD cards, maybe stay with Nvidia will be the right decision


----------



## omega17

My coil whine seems to be getting better.

After a few weeks usage, my 7970s (Sapphire ref.) are definitely quieter under load than they used to be. I even think my fan profiles are less aggressive, so you'd think I'd notice the whine even more


----------



## NeoandGeo

Mine have quietened a bit too. Still an audible whirr sound, but much better.


----------



## OverClocker55

ahh my 12.2 drivers fail


----------



## ArcaneSeraph

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Sorry, not going to argue about this lol. Hardware acceleration is using UVD clocks and Voltage different from 3D clocks and voltage. How do you expect them to run at two different sets of clocks and voltages doing two separate task at the same time. Then again it's a known issue that Flash drivers are conflicting with Windows drivers.
> 
> I am not sure why you need hardware to play and watch video playback.
> 
> If you think this is limited to AMD cards, maybe stay with Nvidia will be the right decision


I do understand what you are saying. The unified video decoder clocks and voltage are different than the 3D clocks and voltage. I do not expect the same processor cores to execute at 2 different speeds and voltages. I DO expect that core not to crash because its voltage / clock speed has changed. The game should be slowed to the UVD clock speed / voltage (which is or was the flash bug) or the decoder should use the higher clock speeds / voltages. The card is advertised to be able to use different clock speeds / voltages that change on the fly based on GPU load / mode. Not 2 speeds at once... but changable speeds. If the driver / hardware is failing to notice the change in voltage / clock speed and thus requesting data from the bus before it is ready, that is a bug in my opinion.

I also, as noted, have the problem with 3D and 2D mode combined. It takes longer (approx 2 hours versus 5 minutes) but it happens. It isn't just games either. I have the problem when using 3DS Max 2012 in Nitrous mode while working on the second monitor. After Effects in openGL mode while watching a video crashes too. As long as I'm doing a 3D task and a non-3D task it happens. It's much rarer in those sitations, but has occured. Disabling HW acceleration in all those programs would probably work but certainly should not be necessary and is unacceptable. One can always solve their problems by just disabling the offending component. IMO a hard lockup is either a result of a driver or hardware failure. All other errors should result in a graceful shutdown.

My GTX 580 does not have this problem in this system. My x1950s in crossfire do not have this problem in my 2nd system. I require a high end AMD GPU for testing purposes.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArcaneSeraph*
> 
> I do understand what you are saying. The unified video decoder clocks and voltage are different than the 3D clocks and voltage. I do not expect the same processor cores to execute at 2 different speeds and voltages. I DO expect that core not to crash because its voltage / clock speed has changed. The game should be slowed to the UVD clock speed / voltage (which is or was the flash bug) or the decoder should use the higher clock speeds / voltages. The card is advertised to be able to use different clock speeds / voltages that change on the fly based on GPU load / mode. Not 2 speeds at once... but changable speeds. If the driver / hardware is failing to notice the change in voltage / clock speed and thus requesting data from the bus before it is ready, that is a bug in my opinion.
> I also, as noted, have the problem with 3D and 2D mode combined. It takes longer (approx 2 hours versus 5 minutes) but it happens. It isn't just games either. I have the problem when using 3DS Max 2012 in Nitrous mode while working on the second monitor. After Effects in openGL mode while watching a video crashes too. As long as I'm doing a 3D task and a non-3D task it happens. It's much rarer in those sitations, but has occured. Disabling HW acceleration in all those programs would probably work but certainly should not be necessary and is unacceptable. One can always solve their problems by just disabling the offending component. IMO a hard lockup is either a result of a driver or hardware failure. All other errors should result in a graceful shutdown.
> My GTX 580 does not have this problem in this system. My x1950s in crossfire do not have this problem in my 2nd system. I require a high end AMD GPU for testing purposes.


I have read your previous 3 posts to start with. This issue does occur with dual Monitor for me as well, the driver log usually displays the faults that occur. Sapphire more than likely will be a dead end, they will only get to a point where they offer to RMA the card or give you a new video BIOS with increased voltages.

AMD and their Driver team is more than likely your best bet and go through the waiting game with them.

Also, the driver feedback:
http://www.amdsurveys.com/se.ashx?s=5A1E27D27E29B0E3

There will be *no fix* till we get non-sucky new drivers. In my opinion, these launch drivers have been atrocious and "hurried."


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArcaneSeraph*
> 
> I do understand what you are saying. The unified video decoder clocks and voltage are different than the 3D clocks and voltage. I do not expect the same processor cores to execute at 2 different speeds and voltages. I DO expect that core not to crash because its voltage / clock speed has changed. The game should be slowed to the UVD clock speed / voltage (which is or was the flash bug) or the decoder should use the higher clock speeds / voltages. The card is advertised to be able to use different clock speeds / voltages that change on the fly based on GPU load / mode. Not 2 speeds at once... but changable speeds. If the driver / hardware is failing to notice the change in voltage / clock speed and thus requesting data from the bus before it is ready, that is a bug in my opinion.
> I also, as noted, have the problem with 3D and 2D mode combined. It takes longer (approx 2 hours versus 5 minutes) but it happens. It isn't just games either. I have the problem when using 3DS Max 2012 in Nitrous mode while working on the second monitor. After Effects in openGL mode while watching a video crashes too. As long as I'm doing a 3D task and a non-3D task it happens. It's much rarer in those sitations, but has occured. Disabling HW acceleration in all those programs would probably work but certainly should not be necessary and is unacceptable. One can always solve their problems by just disabling the offending component. IMO a hard lockup is either a result of a driver or hardware failure. All other errors should result in a graceful shutdown.
> My GTX 580 does not have this problem in this system. My x1950s in crossfire do not have this problem in my 2nd system. I require a high end AMD GPU for testing purposes.


it prob is a driver problem


----------



## OverClocker55

Anyone know y my card even when In BF3 stays at 415MHz and when I restart my pc its at 830MHz


----------



## ArcaneSeraph

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I have read your previous 3 posts to start with. This issue does occur with dual Monitor for me as well, the driver log usually displays the faults that occur. Sapphire more than likely will be a dead end, they will only get to a point where they offer to RMA the card or give you a new video BIOS with increased voltages.
> AMD and their Driver team is more than likely your best bet and go through the waiting game with them.
> Also, the driver feedback:
> http://www.amdsurveys.com/se.ashx?s=5A1E27D27E29B0E3
> There will be *no fix* till we get non-sucky new drivers. In my opinion, these launch drivers have been atrocious and "hurried."


Thanks RagingCain and Dajez. My instincts say it is a driver issue as well. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't sitting with a bad card and waiting for a new driver. I have just submitted a driver feedback through the link posted. I also tried an AMD customer care support request 4 or 5 days ago but haven't heard back yet.

And yes I agree that having the GPU out and released before having remotely complete or stable drivers was a... foolish... decision, to put it mildly


----------



## chillgreg

Please participate in the Poll and discussion here:

Graphics Cards - the Manufacturers vs the Consumer - a White Paper for Discussion.

Thanks.


----------



## wint0nic

Just modify a BIOS and select higher clock speeds / volatge for 2d. It should fix it for ya.


----------



## Invisible

Gotta question bros.

Everytime I bootup a game, the resolution is 900p (from my old monitor). No problem. I just turn it to 1080p whenever I can get into the options.

But, whenever I get into the options, and turn it to 1080p, it's not taking up my full monitor. It's in 1080p, but it's in underscan or overscan or whatever you wanna call it. I had this issue earlier right when I got this new monitor, I had to go in CCC and go to My Displays or something like that and turn it all the way to 0% so my screen would be taken up in full, and not just have the image centered with a huge black border around all edges of my monitor.

Anyone know how to fix this for games?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wint0nic*
> 
> Just modify a BIOS and select higher clock speeds / volatge for 2d. It should fix it for ya.


Tell me how to modify a BIOS for the 7970 cause im lost rbe does not work and i can not find another program to do it. i want to know cause im not going to use any program to overclock my card i have always moded my bios.


----------



## OverClocker55

when I launch all my steam games it now launches and exits out. Then I have to alt + tab back to get the the game or else it freezes. AMD SUCKS NOW


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Gotta question bros.
> 
> Everytime I bootup a game, the resolution is 900p (from my old monitor). No problem. I just turn it to 1080p whenever I can get into the options.
> 
> But, whenever I get into the options, and turn it to 1080p, it's not taking up my full monitor. It's in 1080p, but it's in underscan or overscan or whatever you wanna call it. I had this issue earlier right when I got this new monitor, I had to go in CCC and go to My Displays or something like that and turn it all the way to 0% so my screen would be taken up in full, and not just have the image centered with a huge black border around all edges of my monitor.
> 
> Anyone know how to fix this for games?


If the overscan/underscan didn't fix it, create a customized resolution in CCC. Then go into game settings to select this customized resolution.

While using the scaling options, make sure to uncheck the *X*

**


----------



## OverClocker55

Hi I really need help. On all my games my GTS 450 is getting better fps. The 7950 3GB shouldn't lagg. Its running 12.2 and I just got it yesturday. Its not overclocked and its the stock msi 1. Please help me


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Hi I really need help. On all my games my GTS 450 is getting better fps. The 7950 3GB shouldn't lagg. Its running 12.2 and I just got it yesturday. Its not overclocked and its the stock msi 1. Please help me


Can you roll back to an earlier driver version like 12.1?

On my 7970 the only thing I did was install the drivers from the CD and everything is running fine for me. Didn't try to update to new drivers.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Can you roll back to an earlier driver version like 12.1?


how thanks


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If the overscan/underscan didn't fix it, create a customized resolution in CCC. Then go into game settings to select this _customized resolution_.
> 
> While using the scaling options, make sure to uncheck the *X*
> **


Don't think you understood my question. The value is already at 0%. I had to set it at 0% cause my actually desktop was doing the same thing my games are doing. This issue fixed, and applied the actually resolution that took up the entire screen for only when I'm not in games.

This doesn't happen in all my games either. Just a few. But for me to get it to working, I have to set it to 1080p, turn fullscreen off, ALT+Enter out of the game, and then ALT+Enter back into the game, and then activate fullscreen mode.


----------



## 125837

My 7970 DCUII is on the way


----------



## 1rkrage

will an 850w power supply be able to power a CF 7970 Watercooled build?

I plan to OC to max at possible so likely 1.2v+ for each card, and probably an overclocked ivy


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> will an 850w power supply be able to power a CF 7970 Watercooled build?
> 
> I plan to OC to max at possible so likely 1.2v+ for each card, and probably an overclocked ivy


Depends on which 850w. But if its a quality unit, it'll actually be overkill.

I was going to do the same thing with my 650w unit.


----------



## 1rkrage

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Depends on which 850w. But if its a quality unit, it'll actually be overkill.
> I was going to do the same thing with my 650w unit.


I plan on using *Corsair TX850M v2* that is on my current build


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Depends on which 850w. But if its a quality unit, it'll actually be overkill.
> I was going to do the same thing with my 650w unit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I plan on using *Corsair TX850M v2* that is on my current build
Click to expand...

Overkill, yes it'll handle that fine and then some.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Don't think you understood my question. The value is already at 0%. I had to set it at 0% cause my actually desktop was doing the same thing my games are doing. This issue fixed, and applied the actually resolution that took up the entire screen for only when I'm not in games.
> This doesn't happen in all my games either. Just a few. But for me to get it to working, I have to set it to 1080p, turn fullscreen off, ALT+Enter out of the game, and then ALT+Enter back into the game, and then activate fullscreen mode.


Have you tried turning the monitor off and back on? I have this happen pretty frequently when the signal drops briefly or on start up and have one large black border on the side of the screen, that seems to fix it.


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Depends on which 850w. But if its a quality unit, it'll actually be overkill.
> I was going to do the same thing with my 650w unit.


How about Corsair AX850? I'm planning to put the voltage as high as possible for my crossfire 7970 when I go WC very soon, and you think this's overkill too?


----------



## Denim-187

Guess who just heard the 7990 is 2x7970's unlocked !









Man what a beast this card will be if this is true. Makes sense since they require less power right?
SOURCE


----------



## Smo

Finally I'll be able to join this damn club I've been subscribed to since day one!

The 590 is sold and my 7970 will be ordered as soon as the payment has cleared. Just not sure which to go for! Probably a Sapphire reference considering the TFIIIs aren't out yet.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guess who just heard the 7990 is 2x7970's unlocked !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Man what a beast this card will be if this is true. Makes sense since they require less power right?
> SOURCE


...or should I wait for a 7990! Sounds awesome.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Guess who just heard the 7990 is 2x7970's unlocked !


What exactly do you mean "Unlocked"? Are most dual chip cards locked to a lower stat per chip?


----------



## MACH1NE

hey guys do we have an eta on 7990


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> hey guys do we have an eta on 7990


Awhile. Probably late March-April.


----------



## Darco19

Oh joy, the Windforce HD7970 I received today is making a very loud coil whine noise when playing games/benchmarking. It's as loud as a bee.

Time for a RMA


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> What exactly do you mean "Unlocked"? Are most dual chip cards locked to a lower stat per chip?


Yeah exactly how u said it


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> will an 850w power supply be able to power a CF 7970 Watercooled build?
> I plan to OC to max at possible so likely 1.2v+ for each card, and probably an overclocked ivy


I have a 2500k 5ghz and 2 7970's at 1200/1600 1.200v, 4 120mm fans and a 655 pump. With those clocks, I've seen 790w from my UPS while benching and gaming. I have yet to see 800w. I have a AX1200 so I'm fine, but you could get away with using a AX850 for sure and still have some reserve.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Oh joy, the Windforce HD7970 I received today is making a very loud coil whine noise when playing games/benchmarking. It's as loud as a bee.
> Time for a RMA


Don't waste your time with an RMA

Apparently coil whine is happening to a lot/most of people here. You will most likely just get a card back that does the same thing.


----------



## Darco19

Well I'm not going to put up with it... I have a headset and it's still so loud. I may as well try my luck with another HD7970.


----------



## Focus182

Fair enough, I wouldn't have thought it would be that loud.

Maybe you just got a bad one. Also its not covered up as much like the ref design, Maybe that is contributing.


----------



## Darco19

It literally sounds like there is a small bee inside my case flying around and it even changes "tone" every now and then. It's even more annoying than some of those youtube videos I've watched where other people have the same issue.

I bought a non-reference one so I thought there would be a smaller possibility of it having such problems, but I guess I got screwed over still.


----------



## Hambone07si

Darco19, just so you know, you mite get one that is even louder than that one. I have a tech bench and my card on water. I hear every different squeal it makes. While benching, it makes all kinds of different noises. The higher you push the clocks and volts, the louder it gets. Not the most enjoyable sound at all. I hated the sound of the stock fan, but didn't hear the whine, now with no fan, she's a whiner!!


----------



## MrTOOSHORT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Darco19, just so you know, you mite get one that is even louder than that one. I have a tech bench and my card on water. I hear every different squeal it makes. While benching, it makes all kinds of different noises. The higher you push the clocks and volts, the louder it gets. Not the most enjoyable sound at all. I hated the sound of the stock fan, but didn't hear the whine, now with no fan, she's a whiner!!


LoL lil whiners!

I also hope to god my new cards would be a great OC'r, but I almost want a quiet card more.


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Darco19, just so you know, you mite get one that is even louder than that one. I have a tech bench and my card on water. I hear every different squeal it makes. While benching, it makes all kinds of different noises. The higher you push the clocks and volts, the louder it gets. Not the most enjoyable sound at all. I hated the sound of the stock fan, but didn't hear the whine, now with no fan, she's a whiner!!


Hopefully the Asus DirectCUII HD7970 I just ordered as a replacement for my Windforce will do better... it's still lame that AMD didn't address this flaw.


----------



## Smo

Couldn't wait. Ordered 2x MSI 7970s. Originally I had planned to go Sapphire but the MSIs were almost £40 ($63) cheaper than the Sapphire cards *each*. On top of that I don't particularly care about the brand.

Should be here tomorrow


----------



## Hambone07si

It's not AMD's fault really. They don't have a different option for parts to use. They gave us a sick fast card. Sick fast, means noise. Slow means quiet. Choose your poison


----------



## Darco19

such a shame tbh, I had some decent clocks on it


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> such a shame tbh, I had some decent clocks on it


I'm sure you'll do better with the Asus you ordered. Think positive


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> What exactly do you mean "Unlocked"? Are most dual chip cards locked to a lower stat per chip?
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah exactly how u said it
Click to expand...

I'm confused, and my brain is fluffy. Is the OVP not implemented on the 7990?


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> It literally sounds like there is a small bee inside my case flying around and it even changes "tone" every now and then. It's even more annoying than some of those youtube videos I've watched where other people have the same issue.
> 
> I bought a non-reference one so I thought there would be a smaller possibility of it having such problems, but I guess I got screwed over still.


Perhaps you should make a sig like : "Applies to all : I hope you are not as whining as my first 7970!"









EDIT : OPS, I forgot I already posted here, sorry for double post! Fluffy brain indeed








EDIT 2 : Should I combine the posts in cases like this and report the second post of mine to be deleted?


----------



## Newbie2009

Still no drivers since mid january for performance boost?


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Still no drivers since mid january for performance boost?


Implying we need one ? =P The 7970 is already the BOMB baby


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Implying we need one ? =P The 7970 is already the BOMB baby


Not implying one is needed, but I would like to see improvements from launch drivers. Don't get me wrong, love thecard and it performs so well I will not bother getting a 2nd one (first time in years no multi gpu setup)

I would like AMD so make me pleasently surprised with awesome driver support.


----------



## Twistacles

I have faith


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aoya*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just placed an order for a XFX 7970. I have some concerns about coil whine -- seems like a lot, if not all, of people experience it. Does the 7950 experience coil whine?
> If not, I may cancel and go for the 7950.


The coil whine issue is being blown out of proportion, it's not _that_ bad. So the card makes a slight buzz sound when you OC hard and push it. So what?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> The coil whine issue is being blown out of proportion, it's not _that_ bad. So the card makes a slight buzz sound when you OC hard and push it. So what?


Have 2 cards and a open air tech bench. IT'S ANNOYING!!! Especially for a $600 card or 2 of them. Then you spend even more money and water cool them and you hear it even more. It's way worst than my old 680i mobo that squealed like crazy. The stock fan on these cards sounds like a hair dryer. If you can hear the coil whine over that, it's pretty loud.

Some of us like our pc's silent.


----------



## owikh84

*3x 7970 @ 1300/1700 1.3v/1.65v*

3DMark11:









3DMark06









Alien vs Predator:









Batman AC:









Metro 2033:









* 2560x1600, max settings


----------



## NeoandGeo

Wow, DX11 mode in Batman is piss poor.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> The coil whine issue is being blown out of proportion, it's not _that_ bad. So the card makes a slight buzz sound when you OC hard and push it. So what?


OCed and at load my card is very loud. With it being watercooled, the whine is by far the loudest thing in my office. I can hear it over my headset and anyone I'm talking to on Skype can hear exactly when I start up a game.

Been contemplating RMAing it to try for a quieter one but I don't want to let it go since the GPU is a decent overclocker and the memory is absolutely golden. Meh.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Have 2 cards and a open air tech bench. IT'S ANNOYING!!! Especially for a $600 card or 2 of them. Then you spend even more money and water cool them and you hear it even more. It's way worst than my old 680i mobo that squealed like crazy. The stock fan on these cards sounds like a hair dryer. If you can hear the coil whine over that, it's pretty loud.
> Some of us like our pc's silent.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> OCed and at load my card is very loud. With it being watercooled, the whine is by far the loudest thing in my office. I can hear it over my headset and anyone I'm talking to on Skype can hear exactly when I start up a game.
> Been contemplating RMAing it to try for a quieter one but I don't want to let it go since the GPU is a decent overclocker and the memory is absolutely golden. Meh.


I must have gotten lucky with my 7970. I too am water cooled, and even at 1250core it's not that bad. I know my mic wouldn't be able to pick it up, and I certainly wouldn't be able to hear it over that jet engine AMD calls a reference cooler! haha.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I must have gotten lucky with my 7970. I too am water cooled, and even at 1250core it's not that bad. I know my mic wouldn't be able to pick it up, and I certainly wouldn't be able to hear it over that jet engine AMD calls a reference cooler! haha.


Yeah you can hear it, but its not really loud.


----------



## OverClocker55

anyone want to post a afterburner screen shot of a stable msi 7950 OC? I want to oc but I'm afriad


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Couldn't wait. Ordered 2x MSI 7970s. Originally I had planned to go Sapphire but the MSIs were almost £40 ($63) cheaper than the Sapphire cards *each*. On top of that I don't particularly care about the brand.
> Should be here tomorrow


You will be happy Smo, I sold my 590 and got 2 of the MSI's as well. Enjoy


----------



## zpaf

This is my best without touch core/mem voltage on air.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

I installed a new motherboard 2 days ago. now when I uninstall my amd drivers, the screen goes black and I cannot reset my computer the proper way. Anyone know how to fix this?


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> You will be happy Smo, I sold my 590 and got 2 of the MSI's as well. Enjoy


No kidding mate! What was the performance difference like if you don't mind telling?


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> No kidding mate! What was the performance difference like if you don't mind telling?


Been great so far. Conservative OC of 1025/1475 puts my 3D11 score @ 14063 and has been keeping BF3 at almost a near constant 120 FPS. The drivers have a long way to come and I have yet to warm up to catalyst vs Nvidia drivers but hey...what are you gonna do?! Performance overall in gaming is much smoother than in gaming with the 590 as well which I was surprised to see .


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Been great so far. Conservative OC of 1025/1475 puts my 3D11 score @ 14063 and has been keeping BF3 at almost a near constant 120 FPS. The drivers have a long way to come and I have yet to warm up to catalyst vs Nvidia drivers but hey...what are you gonna do?! Performance overall in gaming is much smoother than in gaming with the 590 as well which I was surprised to see .


Sounds good - first thing I'm going to do (once I've figured out the supposedly horribly difficult drivers/CCC/CAP stuff) is run each card individually and see what sort of overclock I can manage. I'm planning on flashing the MSI OC BIOS to both of them also. I'd love to manage 1200/1700 in crossfire but you never know!

I'm going to fish through the thread looking for a certain post from Ken which describes the best way to uninstall/install the drivers and overclocking tools (I'll be using Afterburner beta 14).


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Sounds good - first thing I'm going to do (once I've figured out the supposedly horribly difficult drivers/CCC/CAP stuff) is run each card individually and see what sort of overclock I can manage. I'm planning on flashing the MSI OC BIOS to both of them also. I'd love to manage 1200/1700 in crossfire but you never know!
> I'm going to fish through the thread looking for a certain post from Ken which describes the best way to uninstall/install the drivers and overclocking tools (I'll be using Afterburner beta 14).


Do not flash that bios if you want your cards to idle. The cards will not idle with that bios. It will stay and 925/1375 the whole time or what ever you have it overclocked to. I could not get it to idle. With water that would be ok I guess. I have blocks coming. But with the stock cooler it will be @ 60c @ what should be 36c for me idle. and when you play games it will be your normal load temp.
I went back to my old bios 4 now and all is good again I like to be able to idle on air until i get my water blocks. The one good thing about that bios though I could go 30mhz higher @ the same voltage for some reason. Dont know why. I waiting for something like RBE to come out so I can just mod my stock Bios.

And damn it is hot here in Georgia should be cold this time a year dont wont my pc heating up my room. Power bill is high anough with ac running 24/7 .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

BTW I dont know if that idle prob was just me or what but the asus bios or any other I tried for that matter did not do that to me.

Also I ment to do a edit to my above post sorry about that.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Do not flash that bios if you want your cards to idle. The cards will not idle with that bios. It will stay and 925/1375 the whole time or what ever you have it overclocked to. I could not get it to idle. With water that would be ok I guess. I have blocks coming. But with the stock cooler it will be @ 60c @ what should be 36c for me idle. and when you play games it will be your normal load temp.
> I went back to my old bios 4 now and all is good again I like to be able to idle on air until i get my water blocks. The one good thing about that bios though I could go 30mhz higher @ the same voltage for some reason. Dont know why. I waiting for something like RBE to come out so I can just mod my stock Bios.


Thanks for the heads up dude - I'll definitely keep that in mind. I may give it a try and if idling doesn't work right then I'll revert to the original.


----------



## disintegratorx

Ok, I'm totally new to this and I think that I registered correctly with a proof from GPU-Z for right now. So if the owner of this club, Evil Penguin sees this post could you sign me up please?







Just got my Powercolor Radeon HD 7970 today. Its reference and I'm not gonna try to overlock it until at least tomorrow so I can get some run time in before I up the core clock n memory. I believe that I will want to up it to the known absolute stable levels as I have read every page of this club's thread I think, so I hope that I did everything correctly to register and its great to be owning a new Radeon. I am stoked.







Oh yeah and if needing further proof I'll post an image of my GPU-Z proof!










This is great. lol


----------



## 125837

My DCUII 7970 should be here in a few hours







And then, work









I can play with it tomorrow though!

I'm seeing all these fantastic overclocks, so I have to ask how you go about OCing? I'm very iffy about GPU OCing because so far I've damaged a GTS450 and potentially damaged a 580 (I'm not sure whether it was faulty on arrival and I compounded it, or whether I caused the issue - either way it got an RMA). All I've done to OC them is use MSI Afterburner, nudge up the clocks and stress using GPUTool. I put extra voltage through the 450, but only a very small amount, and never overvolted the 580.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Thanks for the heads up dude - I'll definitely keep that in mind. I may give it a try and if idling doesn't work right then I'll revert to the original.


Yeah I liked the bios other then that. Like i said it would not be so bad if I had my water blocks here now







I really dont care if they idle or not other then the heat it puts out . Some people say it will have a shorter life span but I would not care, I will just get a 8970 or w/e is the best card next gen anyways .


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Please participate in the Poll and discussion here:
> 
> Graphics Cards - the Manufacturers vs the Consumer - a White Paper for Discussion.
> 
> Thanks.


Please vote and add your opinion.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1222219/graphics-cards-the-manufacturers-vs-the-consumer-a-white-paper-for-discussion/0_30


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> My DCUII 7970 should be here in a few hours
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And then, work
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can play with it tomorrow though!
> I'm seeing all these fantastic overclocks, so I have to ask how you go about OCing? I'm very iffy about GPU OCing because so far I've damaged a GTS450 and potentially damaged a 580 (I'm not sure whether it was faulty on arrival and I compounded it, or whether I caused the issue - either way it got an RMA). All I've done to OC them is use MSI Afterburner, nudge up the clocks and stress using GPUTool. I put extra voltage through the 450, but only a very small amount, and never overvolted the 580.


To tell you the truth I really dont know why everyone tries to push gpus so hard with ocing. I say dont oc much just buy more cards you will get petter performance . I just like to do a mild oc with no more voltage added @ all if I can get by with it. To me I hate more then anything is when playing a game and my driver crashes its really not worth my time to try and get a stable clock. I choose stability over performance anyday. Once again to any and everybody this is just my opinion


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> I installed a new motherboard 2 days ago. now when I uninstall my amd drivers, the screen goes black and I cannot reset my computer the proper way. Anyone know how to fix this?


Anyone have any ideas why I get a black screen and have to force restart?


----------



## Cliors

For the people that wanna now if you can crossfire the HD7970 & HD7950

I have an anwers from Amd.

Dear Dennis,

Your service request : SR #{ticketno:[8200477296]} has been reviewed and updated.

Response and Service Request History:

The RADEON HD 7970 and the RADEON HD 7950 are compatible for crossfire set up.

In order to update this service request, please respond, leaving the service request reference intact.

Best regards,

AMD Global Customer Care


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> To tell you the truth I really dont know why everyone tries to push gpus so hard with ocing. I say dont oc much just buy more cards you will get petter performance . I just like to do a mild oc with no more voltage added @ all if I can get by with it. To me I hate more then anything is when playing a game and my driver crashes its really not worth my time to try and get a stable clock. I choose stability over performance anyday. Once again to any and everybody this is just my opinion


I don't want to push it too hard, but considering just how high people are going it is worthwhile for me to even go half that high, especially since I bought a DCUII and will be starting at 1000 core


----------



## vedaire

I coulda swore I was already a member of this club where did my name go its not on the list and im sure it was at one time.

nm I found it I scrolled down to far.


----------



## Theultimateeye

Powercolor wants 800 dollars for a 7970 with a waterblock attached to it lol, RIDICULOUS. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131463&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3891137&SID=rewrite

I should call Powercolor and ask them if the 800 dollars includes a rad, pump, tubing, fluid, and a reservoir as well.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Theultimateeye*
> 
> Powercolor wants 800 dollars for a 7970 with a waterblock attached to it lol, RIDICULOUS. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131463&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3891137&SID=rewrite
> I should call Powercolor and ask them if the 800 dollars includes a rad, pump, tubing, fluid, and a reservoir as well.


LOL, BUT BUT BUT Powercolor, I can haz this Powercolor 7970 for 100 bux cheaper?!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Couldn't wait. Ordered 2x MSI 7970s. Originally I had planned to go Sapphire but the MSIs were almost £40 ($63) cheaper than the Sapphire cards *each*. On top of that I don't particularly care about the brand.
> Should be here tomorrow


2500k is no good for multigpu's bro.... We've tested this already in BF3
Need Hyperthreading.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Theultimateeye*
> 
> Powercolor wants 800 dollars for a 7970 with a waterblock attached to it lol, RIDICULOUS. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131463&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3891137&SID=rewrite
> I should call Powercolor and ask them if the 800 dollars includes a rad, pump, tubing, fluid, and a reservoir as well.


It includes a warranty with a block on it, not sure if that's worth the $100+ extra.


----------



## vedaire

mm 7970 crossfire goodness man I love having 2 of these now.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> It includes a warranty with a block on it, not sure if that's worth the $100+ extra.


blocking your own PowerColor card doesn't void warranty, I just asked them last week.


----------



## disintegratorx

I'm gonna try to be a simple overclocker with this card and follow from Evil Penguin's test results. The games are already running smooth as butter framerates with Battlefield 3 and Crysis 2, and not to mention the Diablo 3 Beta so I'm way more than happy with the results of this card. So I'll try 1070/1400 and see if it'll stick either tomorrow or the next day after doing some gaming for awhile on the stock settings. BTW, thanks for putting me in the ranks Evil Penguin! And just what I'm setting my fans to for now for gaming is 65%. I don't care about the noise as long as my card will endure it. And I actually had my fans set to 75% on my 6970, so I'm seeing that the 7970 has a much better cooling setup than the previous generation. I'm lovin' that and I'm almost positive right now that I'll be very happy with this card. ATI, now AMD (but I still refer to them as ATI) has impressed me yet again with their stellar graphics and features. I've never bought a Nvidia GPU and I'm wondering if I ever will now ! I think that ATI might be able to top them again.







One more thing if you search on the net, you can find videos comparing the 7970 and the 580 running games side by side and if you do, you will see how much nicer that the 7970 looks compared to the GTX 580. Hands down this one wins with everything.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> blocking your own PowerColor card doesn't void warranty, I just asked them last week.


Interesting







So now you're just paying $100+ for about 30 minutes of work (if that), lol.


----------



## Theultimateeye

Good point. I could see a market for all-in-one watercooled cards like the PNY GTX 580 for people that don't wanna tinker around and risk ruining hardware. But anyone looking into the LCS 7970 already knows how to work on watercooling setups. So with that said i give their product design team an...F.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Theultimateeye*
> 
> Good point. I could see a market for all-in-one watercooled cards like the PNY GTX 580 for people that don't wanna tinker around and risk ruining hardware. But anyone looking into the LCS 7970 already knows how to work on watercooling setups. So with that said i give their product design team an...F.


Honestly, anyone looking into watercooled cards can do it themselves, otherwise they might not want to go that route.

I give their pricing (I think that might be marketing or product team actually) team an F. The design is solid, just not justifiably priced.


----------



## Theultimateeye

Couldn't think of the right team name haha. Just checked out your build log. Good stuff man. I went with the white switch theme and am loving the case.


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> 2500k is no good for multigpu's bro.... We've tested this already in BF3
> Need Hyperthreading.


Doesn't make sense. 2500k/2600k/2700k all share the same IMC which is what is important with multi GPU. Cores, no. You must of had something wrong when you tested the 2500K. I've seen plenty of reviews that say otherwise.


----------



## Invisible

Grr, I've had this problem before, but it just came back.

Sometimes I'll be doing nothing on my PC, and I'll hear my fan speed will go up a bit. I go to Afterburner, and I see my clock speeds are locked at 900/1600. That's almost close to my OC I play games with except its 1200/1600. The GPU usage is almost nothing, but the voltages are locked at what they are when I game as well. When I go play a game, it's locked at 900/1600 as well, and won't go to my normal OC.

I also get horrible frames in games. And I mean horrible.

A simple restart fixes this. Anyone know what could be causing the problem?


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Grr, I've had this problem before, but it just came back.
> Sometimes I'll be doing nothing on my PC, and I'll hear my fan speed will go up a bit. I go to Afterburner, and I see my clock speeds are locked at 900/1600. That's almost close to my OC I play games with except its 1200/1600. The GPU usage is almost nothing, but the voltages are locked at what they are when I game as well. When I go play a game, it's locked at 900/1600 as well, and won't go to my normal OC.
> I also get horrible frames in games. And I mean horrible.
> A simple restart fixes this. Anyone know what could be causing the problem?


same.. my gts 450 is doing better atm. Mine does the same thing. It getting really bad fps too.







might just RMA this junk and get a 570 2.5gb


----------



## Invisible

Update: A restart does not fix it anymore. Not sure how it is fixed. I know it originally fixes it over time though.

I love this card to death besides this fact, the small coil whine at times, and the fact that some games are in underscan with HDMI that I can't seem to fix :|

EDIT: Just booted up SR3, and AB was showing 1200/1600 and I was getting my normal FPS. I exited the game and I'm on my desktop at my normal idle clocks and idle voltage. Not sure exactly what causes this but if it fixes itself within 10 minutes or so, I'm not really going to worry about it.


----------



## Frojoe

Finally decided to change that ) to a ! in the MSI afterburner config file and when i reopen AB it doesnt let me change the clocks. What am i doing wrong?


----------



## switchblade

Just got my XFX core edition


----------



## vedaire

WoW I just found out my first xfx hd 7970 core edition has a dual bios. never noticed that before. But, my new one doesn't so I'm guessing those are slowily being phased out I'm gonna swap over and see what I get lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> WoW I just found out my first xfx hd 7970 core edition has a dual bios. never noticed that before. But, my new one doesn't so I'm guessing those are slowily being phased out I'm gonna swap over and see what I get lol.


Damn, it's happening already, the cheap trickle down effect. First its the so-called reference but altered Powercolor and MSI cards, and now they are taking away the bios switch on this XFX? Really, it's a 550 dollar card man, why you gotta cheap out already?


----------



## TheJesus

I love Newegg until I RMA a card for replacement, it goes out of stock, they change it to refund, then charge me for the Dirt 3 coupon... I'm gonna punch somebody.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I love Newegg until I RMA a card for replacement, it goes out of stock, they change it to refund, then charge me for the Dirt 3 coupon... I'm gonna punch somebody.


lol, talk about kicking you when you are down. Thank gawd for Amazon.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol, talk about kicking you when you are down. Thank gawd for Amazon.


Yeah. At least they're far cheaper than Amazon on a lot of hardware, especially the 7950s.


----------



## nugget toes

btw newegg has the 7950 twin frozr III in stock. ordered one for myself









http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Yeah. At least they're far cheaper than Amazon on a lot of hardware, especially the 7950s.


You can get amazing deals at Amazon, you just can't get it right away. I'm getting 3 7970 DCIIs for 580 next Thurs. I just had to wait a few long anguishing weeks. Btw, I got a full refund on my Visionteks because Amazon took a while to ship and Visiontek won't answer my emails on whether I registered in time or not so Amazon said no prob, here's refund. I have time to hold onto the Visionteks until the DCII's get here lol.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nugget toes*
> 
> btw newegg has the 7950 twin frozr III in stock. ordered one for myself
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667


Hopefully you ordered ear protectors aswell LOL

Not sure what MSI engineers have thought when designing that TFIII cooler, i had GTX570 with that same cooler, overclocked like beast and was really cool, but damn that thing was loud at load, a lot louder than reference GTX 570.


----------



## nugget toes

10dbA quieter than reference...


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nugget toes*
> 
> btw newegg has the 7950 twin frozr III in stock. ordered one for myself
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nugget toes*
> 
> 10dbA quieter than reference...


Well they might claim that, 570 version supposed to be more quiet too but i had both ref card and that and the TFIII was defintely almost twice as loud at load. Dunno if that 7950 version has that silent bios too as 570 had, but that was kinda useless anyway as with that temps was almost as bad than ref card and couldnt increase voltage.

E: Seems like it has that silent switch too according newegg pics so thag 10db quiter is probably with that, at default card has performance mode enabled where its loud as hell, but you can only increase voltage if you use that.


----------



## nugget toes

not claims but actual results:


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can get amazing deals at Amazon, you just can't get it right away. I'm getting 3 7970 DCIIs for 580 next Thurs. I just had to wait a few long anguishing weeks. Btw, I got a full refund on my Visionteks because Amazon took a while to ship and Visiontek won't answer my emails on whether I registered in time or not so Amazon said no prob, here's refund. I have time to hold onto the Visionteks until the DCII's get here lol.


I need mine right away, lol. Oh well, I emailed Newegg to see if we can clear this up.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nugget toes*
> 
> not claims but actual results:


Well thats likely with silent bios enabled so its pretty useless. You can watch reviews of 570 TFIII and in most reviews its more silent than ref card, but in reality it isnt if you use the card at settings/performance bios its shipped with.But oh well if you dont mind noise im sure its great card, that cooler just is quite unefficient and needs fans to run high rpm to achive low temps.


----------



## nugget toes

lol haters gonna hate eh johnnyw?


----------



## johnnyw

I dont hate MSI or their produckts. I just say it wont be as quiet as you think it will be so wont be suprised.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> I dont hate MSI or their produckts. I just say it wont be as quiet as you think it will be so wont be suprised.


I second this. My 580 TF2/OC in SLI were loud as hell, and hot too.


----------



## Smo

Sorry to be a pain guys but what is the order in which I need to install the drivers and CAPs etc? I'm not familiar with this at all after switching from Team Green.

I also read somewhere (I tried searching back but there's nothin in the OP) that I need to disable ULPS or zerocore to run crossfire?

Apologies, I've no idea what I'm doing when it comes to AMD :/


----------



## Derek1387

SO... how long till we get a good driver...I cant play BF3 for more than 20 minutes without it locking up and then I have to hard reset.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> SO... how long till we get a good driver...I cant play BF3 for more than 20 minutes without it locking up and then I have to hard reset.


How high are you clocking your card?
BF3 hasn't crashed a single time for me...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Sorry to be a pain guys but what is the order in which I need to install the drivers and CAPs etc? I'm not familiar with this at all after switching from Team Green.
> I also read somewhere (I tried searching back but there's nothin in the OP) that I need to disable ULPS or zerocore to run crossfire?
> Apologies, I've no idea what I'm doing when it comes to AMD :/


This is OCN, we're here to help









Simply install drivers, reboot, install CAPs, reboot, ???, profit!

Disabling ULPS keeps the cards from lowering their clocks and entering low-power mode, this prevents a lot of issues especially on multi-monitor setups.

Welcome to Team Red







Sorry we don't have the cake we promised.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> This is OCN, we're here to help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Simply install drivers, reboot, install CAPs, reboot, ???, profit!
> Disabling ULPS keeps the cards from lowering their clocks and entering low-power mode, this prevents a lot of issues especially on multi-monitor setups.
> Welcome to Team Red
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry we don't have the cake we promised.


Cheers for taking the time to reply mate - much appreciated.

So when it comes to overclocking my understanding is that I need to uninstall MSI Afterburner, THEN install the drivers, then the CAPs before reinstalling Afterburner? (Also, what are these RC things)?

Then once afterburner is installed I enable unofficial overclocking, set powertune to +20% then only use Afterburner to overclock?

This is confusing!


----------



## nifatech2120

Can someone enlighten me on the powertune '%'. what do i set that to when overclocking?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Cheers for taking the time to reply mate - much appreciated.
> So when it comes to overclocking my understanding is that I need to uninstall MSI Afterburner, THEN install the drivers, then the CAPs before reinstalling Afterburner? (Also, what are these RC things)?
> Then once afterburner is installed I enable unofficial overclocking, set powertune to +20% then only use Afterburner to overclock?
> This is confusing!


I don't know where you summed that up from.

Drivers > reboot > CAPs (not required) > reboot > Afterburner (beta 14 I think) > reboot > make sure it runs > test games > enable unofficial overclocking > overclock the hell out of the cards (increase voltage up to 1.300V/1.7V - core/mem as needed, no further).

Its not too bad honestly








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Can someone enlighten me on the powertune '%'. what do i set that to when overclocking?


Set it to +20%.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I don't know where you summed that up from.
> Drivers > reboot > CAPs (not required) > reboot > Afterburner (beta 14 I think) > reboot > make sure it runs > test games > enable unofficial overclocking > overclock the hell out of the cards (increase voltage up to 1.300V/1.7V - core/mem as needed, no further).
> Its not too bad honestly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Set it to +20%.


Cheers dude - although I've ordered 2x 7970s so my understanding is that CAPs are required for Crossfire right?

They should arrive today, within the next few hours hopefully. Just sucks to be at work! It's going to be hard sitting here staring at them all day









On top of that, one of my mates wants help taking the head off his GSXR after work so it's going to be torture!


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Cheers dude - they should arrive today, within the next few hours hopefully. Just sucks to be at work! It's going to be hard sitting here staring at them all day
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On top of that, one of my mates wants help taking the head off his GSXR after work so it's going to be torture!


Ah, first world problems, gotta love them


----------



## nifatech2120

It's 12:50 AM here. 3/1/2012. I'm hoping my HD 7950 gets here within about 12 hours or so..

Also. What is the MSI AB default clock limit? (i plan to OC to about 1100MHZ or so.)


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> It's 12:50 AM here. 3/1/2012. I'm hoping my HD 7950 gets here within about 12 hours or so..
> Also. What is the MSI AB default clock limit? (i plan to OC to about 1100MHZ or so.)


1100









You might want to bump voltage at that point though. I can only do 1050 on stock (but my card is 0.993V stock?)


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> 1100
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You might want to bump voltage at that point though. I can only do 1050 on stock (but my card is 0.993V stock?)


I heard stock VID was 1.09? max safe is 1.25?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> I heard stock VID was 1.09? max safe is 1.25?


I'm sure its been listed as countless numbers.

Max safe is 1.3V on core and 1.7 (I'd recommend 1.65) memory. I wouldn't recommend going that high on air though.


----------



## nifatech2120

So... What is powertune % mean?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> So... What is powertune % mean?


As far as I can tell powertune has nothing to do with voltages and everything to do with a higher maintainable TDP.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> As far as I can tell powertune has nothing to do with voltages and everything to do with a higher maintainable TDP.


So... ideally i would want it to be at it's lowest setting?

And if i may.. what voltage approximatly would i need for 1100MHZ core?


----------



## eikei

Quote:


> As far as I can tell powertune has nothing to do with voltages and everything to do with a higher maintainable TDP.


Quote:


> So... ideally i would want it to be at it's lowest setting?


This function limits max TDP - when current on VRM reaches some level, the card lowers down GPU frequency to prevent overheating by lowering the power consumption. This affects on performance under full load. For exumple, in OCCT stability test, average FPS at 1000 MHz 1.100 V is about 300. If we set powertune to -20%, fps will drop to 230-250. And if we rise it to +20%, fps will be over 400. In games the difference isn't so significant if the card is slightly overclocked, but for high clocks (1100+) you must turn the powertune to +20%. Also it makes no sence to test the card for stability without turning he powertune to +20%.

When turning the powerlimit to +20% be careful with VRM temps in stress-tests.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> So... ideally i would want it to be at it's lowest setting?
> And if i may.. what voltage approximatly would i need for 1100MHZ core?


Not exactly. I think theoretically it would allow higher heat generation limits allowing for further overclocks.

I can't guarantee anything as everyone's chips are different. You could try 1.2V and back it down in 0.01 increments until its not stable.


----------



## nifatech2120

So... +20% 1100MHZ core @ 1.2V is acceptable?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> So... +20% 1100MHZ core @ 1.2V is acceptable?


Its certainly "acceptable." I wouldn't recommend using 1.2V if you can get it stable at a lower voltage. The higher the voltage the higher the heat output and thus fan noise. But in terms of damaging anything or things like that, 1.2V is fine


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Its certainly "acceptable." I wouldn't recommend using 1.2V if you can get it stable at a lower voltage. The higher the voltage the higher the heat output and thus fan noise. But in terms of damaging anything or things like that, 1.2V is fine


I ment as a combo of settings. so for decent oc's +20% is ideal?


----------



## TheJesus

Also, a side note to my Newegg issue earlier, they came through like champions as usual!

$49.99 gift card







(and I get to keep Dirt 3, muahahah. I already gave it away since I already owned a copy, lol)


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> I ment as a combo of settings. so for decent oc's +20% is ideal?


Yes


----------



## nifatech2120

Depending on how quiet my windforce is i'll run the fan speed as high as i can so it doesn't bother me..


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Depending on how quiet my windforce is i'll run the fan speed as high as i can so it doesn't bother me..


Headphones


----------



## nifatech2120

Windforce is loud?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Windforce is loud?


Could be, I haven't tested it personally. I hear conflicting reports.

On a side note to anyone wondering. I just ran CS:S maxed out. I was averaging 500-600FPS and capped at 1000 in the sky...







(issue with what looked like micro stuttering, or at least what I think it would look like. I'm not running crossfire currently, ideas?)


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Could be, I haven't tested it personally. I hear conflicting reports.
> On a side note to anyone wondering. I just ran CS:S maxed out. I was averaging 500-600FPS and capped at 1000 in the sky...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (issue with what looked like micro stuttering, or at least what I think it would look like. I'm not running crossfire currently, ideas?)


It's called overkill. Sometimes if you can acheive freakish frame rates performance is TOO good.


----------



## Arnotts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Windforce is loud?


At around >65% I can hear the fans of the Windforce 6950 over all my other fans. 80% is OK, maybe a little bit on the loud side. 100% isn't that much louder than 80 in terms of fan noise, but it starts to make a kind of whining noise that can get annoying. While gaming with headphones on, I could handle 100%.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> It's called overkill. Sometimes if you can acheive freakish frame rates performance is TOO good.


I tried setting the cap to 60, but it still failed.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Hopefully you ordered ear protectors aswell LOL
> Not sure what MSI engineers have thought when designing that TFIII cooler, i had GTX570 with that same cooler, overclocked like beast and was really cool, but damn that thing was loud at load, a lot louder than reference GTX 570.


This was a few pages back, but I'd just like to say that my GTX580 Lightning Extreme was practically dead silent, even at 50% fan.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> This was a few pages back, but I'd just like to say that my GTX580 Lightning Extreme was practically dead silent, even at 50% fan.


Well that card has different cooler, it has more heatpipes on it and slightly bigger heatsink = no need for fans running at high rpm.

But anyway this case is closed for me, i just warned that TF3 cooler might not be that silent as manufacturer/reviews claims.


----------



## Smo

I'd like to extend my thanks to everyone who's been patient enough to answer my questions so far, especially TheJesus and Ken1649.

My cards arrived a couple of hours ago so I'll take a quick pic and upload it shortly, then register myself on the club list.


----------



## Ken1649

For Crossfire user, uninstal Catalyst 12.1 CAP3. It has known issues with BF3 + Eyefinity.

Install Catalyst 12.2 CAP1; http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx


----------



## Smo

Awww yeah.


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Awww yeah.


Definately a bit jelly of that.... I have 2 of the Sapphire 7950 ref cooler models


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> Definately a bit jelly of that.... I have 2 of the Sapphire 7950 ref cooler models


No need to be jealous mate - some would say you did the smarter thing by saving money and buying a card which can essentially become a 7970 with some overclocking (maybe a BIOS flash, I'm not sure). The 7950 is a pretty impressive card!


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I love Newegg until I RMA a card for replacement, it goes out of stock, they change it to refund, then charge me for the Dirt 3 coupon... I'm gonna punch somebody.


At least you got your coupon. I didn't even get mine.









I had made a mental note to never use newegg, but it's been so long that I forget the exact reason, but my recent experience with them has helped me remember why...

But I tell ya, if they tried to charge me the 49.99 for that free dirt 3 coupon, I'd kick some newegg-butt!


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Awww yeah.


Winning.

Also, what job has Ghost Rider posters hanging? Lol.


----------



## Frojoe

Bump... Also anyone know why all of a sudden Firefox randomly is chashing now. Can anyone explain that? Also when I used AB and it go to switch users on my computer all the clocks drop and the fan speed does as well. I even set up AB on the other user account and AB like loses its profile. Also it seems when I switch profiles like I didnt this morning, The other profile says the CCC crashed for no reason. Can someone please help with with these 3 things?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Frojoe*
> 
> Finally decided to change that 0 to a 1 in the MSI afterburner config file and when i reopen AB it doesnt let me change the clocks. What am i doing wrong?


----------



## OverClocker55

Thanks to AMD my pc failz.!







It lags and gets horrible fps. Already driver sweeped and re installed 12.2. my 9500gt is getting better fps I swear.. Any ways I have now a black wallpaper that wont change! and its not because of windows 7. Its activated and ligit so thats not the problem.. F*CK AMD!


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Thanks to AMD my pc failz.!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It lags and gets horrible fps. Already driver sweeped and re installed 12.2. my 9500gt is getting better fps I swear.. Any ways I have now a black wallpaper that wont change! and its not because of windows 7. Its activated and ligit so thats not the problem.. F*CK AMD!


You need to chill out a bit. Getting mad will only make it harder to figure out what's wrong.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> You need to chill out a bit. Getting mad will only make it harder to figure out what's wrong.


Dis dude mad y'all. Lol.

You could start with what game(s) are having issues and what steps you've gone through (all of them)


----------



## Ken1649

Ask nicely, folks might want to spend times to help. Swearing is not going to get anywhere.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Ask nicely, folks might want to spend times to help. Swearing is not going to get anywhere.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> You need to chill out a bit. Getting mad will only make it harder to figure out what's wrong.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Dis dude mad y'all. Lol.
> You could start with what game(s) are having issues and what steps you've gone through (all of them)


Sorry guys.. Bf3 and black ops are giving me the most trouble. When I launch mw3 or black ops its lauches and then alt+tabs me out for no reason( I didn't click anything) and then when I click it again it takes years to load. On bf3 I get 20 fps and with my 570 same settings I got over 90fps?? wierd. Also when I recorded with my 570 fraps only took off like 5 fps now with the 7950 it goes from 60+ all the way to like 20.. Now my desktop wallpaper is all black too


----------



## owikh84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Thanks to AMD my pc failz.!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It lags and gets horrible fps. Already driver sweeped and re installed 12.2. my 9500gt is getting better fps I swear.. Any ways I have now a black wallpaper that wont change! and its not because of windows 7. Its activated and ligit so thats not the problem.. F*CK AMD!


freshly reinstall win7 then only we can talk!


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Sorry guys.. Bf3 and black ops are giving me the most trouble. When I launch mw3 or black ops its lauches and then alt+tabs me out for no reason( I didn't click anything) and then when I click it again it takes years to load. On bf3 I get 20 fps and with my 570 same settings I got over 90fps?? wierd. Also when I recorded with my 570 fraps only took off like 5 fps now with the 7950 it goes from 60+ all the way to like 20.. Now my desktop wallpaper is all black too


Are you overclocked at all?

Are you running BF3 with MSAA?

When it alt-tabs you out, are there any messages?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Thanks to AMD my pc failz.!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It lags and gets horrible fps. Already driver sweeped and re installed 12.2. my 9500gt is getting better fps I swear.. Any ways I have now a black wallpaper that wont change! and its not because of windows 7. Its activated and ligit so thats not the problem.. F*CK AMD!


The fact that you're having trouble changing your wallpaper _should_ be enough to convince you that this problem isn't due to an AMD gpu. Have you virus scanned your PC lately? Have you tried reinstalling Windows? This screams software issue (to me, at least), and my money says that an AMD driver (or hardware, for what it's worth) is not what is causing your 'problem.' Just my


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> The fact that you're having trouble changing your wallpaper _should_ be enough to convince you that this problem isn't due to an AMD gpu. Have you virus scanned your PC lately? Have you tried reinstalling Windows? This screams software issue (to me, at least), and my money says that an AMD driver (or hardware, for what it's worth) is not what is causing your 'problem.' Just my


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Are you overclocked at all?
> Are you running BF3 with MSAA?
> When it alt-tabs you out, are there any messages?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> freshly reinstall win7 then only we can talk!


ahh just reformated my HDD well ok I'll reinstall but the problem started when I got my amd gpu. hmm wierd. Im not overclocked and no MSAA.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> ahh just reformated my HDD well ok I'll reinstall but the problem started when I got my amd gpu. hmm wierd. Im not overclocked and no MSAA.


Did you make sure to clear out all video drivers from before the AMD GPU?


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Did you make sure to clear out all video drivers from before the AMD GPU?


I used that drivers sweeper thingy and then also went into safe mode and cleaned out old amd and nvidia drivers


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> ahh just reformated my HDD well ok I'll reinstall but the problem started when I got my amd gpu. hmm wierd. Im not overclocked and no MSAA.


Sometimes, especially when one is having software troubles like this, it is more time efficient to start over fresh. I'd reinstall, and at the very least, you'll be able to eliminate the Windows install and old software remnants from your list of possible causes.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Sometimes, especially when one is having software troubles like this, it is more time efficient to start over fresh. I'd reinstall, and at the very least, you'll be able to eliminate the Windows install and old software remnants from your list of possible causes.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Winning.
> Also, what job has Ghost Rider posters hanging? Lol.


I'm a game tester at Climax Studios - we made Ghost Rider


----------



## wireeater

New guy here.

I built a new PC last week. I started off with 1 SAPPHIRE 11196-00-40G 7950. The card was amazing out of the box. Of course though for me, I just didn't feel like it was enough so a few days later I ordered another card. I ordered a XFX FX-795A-TNFC 7950 with an additional monitor. I also have monitor #3 coming in tomorrow with the display port for Eyefinity (ASUS 24" LED LCDx3) and I can't wait







.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> New guy here.
> I built a new PC last week. I started off with 1 SAPPHIRE 11196-00-40G 7950. The card was amazing out of the box. Of course though for me, I just didn't feel like it was enough so a few days later I ordered another card. I ordered a XFX FX-795A-TNFC 7950 with an additional monitor. I also have monitor #3 coming in tomorrow with the display port for Eyefinity (ASUS 24" LED LCDx3) and I can't wait
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Out of curiosity mate - why didn't you order another Sapphire the same as the first?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Out of curiosity mate - why didn't you order another Sapphire the same as the first?


Out of stock and there was no ETA on new shipment. I needed to get the parts ordered sooner than later. This was closest in specs & price.


----------



## leoxtxt

Quick question, how can i notice if my memory overclock is not stable? I got my card stable @ 1200/1600 with 1117mv (Accelero Xtreme 7970) but i think i could push the memory a but further. From what i understood this GDDR5 got some kind of ECC system so i won't see any artifacts if the OC is not stable ?.


----------



## wint0nic

Launch high processing games like Crysis 2 , BF3, etc, and if it crashes after some hour of usage then it's unstable. You can also try benching long hours.


----------



## svthomas

How much of a performance return are you guys/gals getting from these high memory overclocks? I haven't spent much time overclocking the memory, so I just tossed it to 1500.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> How much of a performance return are you guys/gals getting from these high memory overclocks? I haven't spent much time overclocking the memory, so I just tossed it to 1500.


It shows high returns in BF3 and other memory intensive apps (especially EyeFinity).


----------



## omega17

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the wallpaper issues as non-AMD.

I get a problem on a fresh Win7 install with these newest drivers (guru3d...) where a portion of my desktop becomes 'unhighlightable', and if I change the wallpaper, I need to refresh the whole screen, or manually 'select' it with the mouse to refresh it







A reboot fixes it, and I can't pinpoint exactly when it happens (as it is not permanent) but it is definitely a problem with the latest AMD drivers.

Also an update from the Catalyst twitterati; Alan Wake CF problems are acknowledged and will be fixed in the upcoming 12.3, due nearer the end of March!


----------



## Calado90

I there. I just bought two asus 7970. and my second card doesn't idle down from 500mhz. I'm using only one monitor. Is that normal?

Thanks


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the wallpaper issues as non-AMD.
> I get a problem on a fresh Win7 install with these newest drivers (guru3d...) where a portion of my desktop becomes 'unhighlightable', and if I change the wallpaper, I need to refresh the whole screen, or manually 'select' it with the mouse to refresh it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A reboot fixes it, and I can't pinpoint exactly when it happens (as it is not permanent) but it is definitely a problem with the latest AMD drivers.
> Also an update from the Catalyst twitterati; Alan Wake CF problems are acknowledged and will be fixed in the upcoming 12.3, due nearer the end of March!


Interesting... Now that you mention it, I had a strange issue with my Copy and Paste not working last night. A reboot fixed it, but I never bothered to track down what caused it. HMMMMmmmm.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> It shows high returns in BF3 and other memory intensive apps (especially EyeFinity).


Thanks! You've just given me the motivation needed to spend some time on overclocking the memory.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the wallpaper issues as non-AMD.
> I get a problem on a fresh Win7 install with these newest drivers (guru3d...) where a portion of my desktop becomes 'unhighlightable', and if I change the wallpaper, I need to refresh the whole screen, or manually 'select' it with the mouse to refresh it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A reboot fixes it, and I can't pinpoint exactly when it happens (as it is not permanent) but it is definitely a problem with the latest AMD drivers.
> Also an update from the Catalyst twitterati; Alan Wake CF problems are acknowledged and will be fixed in the upcoming 12.3, due nearer the end of March!


Thank you! Someone isn't telling me its my windows. lol Reinstalled anyways haha. Well I'm now fresh install and everything so I'll what how it preforms on bf3 again lol. Lets hope it don't crash my system and scew it up again.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> It shows high returns in BF3 and other memory intensive apps (especially EyeFinity).


Can you share some actual numbers instead of saying high returns please. I'm not seeing any "high returns" in Crysis 2, Dirt 3, Skyrim, or anything really by pushing the memory higher. I go from 131fps to 151fps avg in Dirt 3 going from 925core too 1200core. Now changing the memory up from 1375 too 1600, I see 132fps and 153fps. That's not very much at all. 3dmark11 only went up 150 points from changing the memory. I don't understand these high gains from memory like you guys keep saying. Never have really. Overclocking the core usually gets you around 10-15% (20% on 7970) and about 1-2% from memory.

I have fried memory chips before in the past by overclocking the memory too high and don't want to do that again for a 1-2% increase. Not worth it at all IMO







Seeing high returns should mean more like what you get with core overclock. It would be very worth while if you were getting something like 10-20% from core and 7-12% from memory. I just haven't seen it yet.

Edit: I'm running every game in Eyefinity also and I'm still not seeing "high returns" even at 5896x1080p


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Can you share some actual numbers instead of saying high returns please. I'm not seeing any "high returns" in Crysis 2, Dirt 3, Skyrim, or anything really by pushing the memory higher. I go from 131fps to 151fps avg in Dirt 3 going from 925core too 1200core. Now changing the memory up from 1375 too 1600, I see 132fps and 153fps. That's not very much at all. 3dmark11 only went up 150 points from changing the memory. I don't understand these high gains from memory like you guys keep saying. Never have really. Overclocking the core usually gets you around 10-15% (20% on 7970) and about 1-2% from memory.
> I have fried memory chips before in the past by overclocking the memory too high and don't want to do that again for a 1-2% increase. Not worth it at all IMO
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seeing high returns should mean more like what you get with core overclock. It would be very worth while if you were getting something like 10-20% from core and 7-12% from memory. I just haven't seen it yet.
> Edit: I'm running every game in Eyefinity also and I'm still not seeing "high returns" even at 5896x1080p


Don't have any numbers for you, just what I've seen over on XS.

Raising memory clocks usually helps in maintaining a stable core clock. If you don't need to overclock the memory, you don't have to


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Well instead of getting water blocks and a 3rd 7970 I upgraded from a single asus 1920x1200 screen to a 30" 2560x1600 here  Hope I made the right choice. Do yall folks think I did ? Do you think the 2 7970 can run 2560x1600 fine . Will I still be able to use high detail in most games ? I took all the water cooling out of my computer for awhile and just using a H100 for this build yeah its water to but no maintenance







. I got really tired of keeping up with my water cooling sutup with the 2 water cooled 6990s and cpu.
I am going too keep my 6990s and put them in my other computer im working on. I am still going to get another 7970 soon . I am done with water cooling I think.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Well instead of getting water blocks and a 3rd 7970 I upgraded from a single asus 1920x1200 screen to a 30" 2560x1600 here  Hope I made the right choice. Do yall folks think I did ? Do you think the 2 7970 can run 2560x1600 fine . Will I still be able to use high detail in most games ? I took all the water cooling out of my computer for awhile and just using a H100 for this build yeah its water to but no maintenance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I got really tired of keeping up with my water cooling sutup with the 2 water cooled 6990s and cpu.
> I am going too keep my 6990s and put them in my other computer im working on. I am still going to get another 7970 soon when I get the money my 8k tax return is gone I bought my gf a ring
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Just saying. also I think im done with water. Thats Atlanta my city as my background if anyone ask.


No, it will be terrible... You should send that monitor to me for proper disposal and go back to using your 1920x1200 one.










That's about double the amount of pixels as 1920x1200. I would imagine you should be good to go on high for most things.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Well instead of getting water blocks and a 3rd 7970 I upgraded from a single asus 1920x1200 screen to a 30" 2560x1600 here Hope I made the right choice. Do yall folks think I did ? Do you think the 2 7970 can run 2560x1600 fine . Will I still be able to use high detail in most games ? I took all the water cooling out of my computer for awhile and just using a H100 for this build yeah its water to but no maintenance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I got really tired of keeping up with my water cooling sutup with the 2 water cooled 6990s and cpu.
> I am going too keep my 6990s and put them in my other computer im working on. I am still going to get another 7970 soon . I am done with water cooling I think.


You definitely shouldn't have an issue with 2560x1600 on high, probably even able to max it out on one 7970. From your post, I think you have two. Yeah, I think Ultra on everything will be a cakewalk.


----------



## OverClocker55

It looks so smexy







But the drivers fail... Should I get the 580 1.5GB?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> No, it will be terrible... You should send that monitor to me for proper disposal and go back to using your 1920x1200 one.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's about double the amount of pixels as 1920x1200. I would imagine you should be good to go on high for most things.










Yeah lets hope but even if I can not max it out im going to get e 3rd 7970 soon. my gf b**ches at me spending money on computer parts.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> You definitely shouldn't have an issue with 2560x1600 on high, probably even able to max it out on one 7970. From your post, I think you have two. Yeah, I think Ultra on everything will be a cakewalk.


Yeah I hope







My friend has 3 30" and 2 6990s and can not max any game.


----------



## Calado90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Calado90*
> 
> I there. I just bought two asus 7970. and my second card doesn't idle down from 500mhz. I'm using only one monitor. Is that normal?
> Thanks


No one can help me? Im driving nuts


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Calado90*
> 
> No one can help me? Im driving nuts


I dont know what could do that I know flash player and widows media player and VLC will put the core @ 500mhz but it would be the primary card not the 2nd card . I would do a clean install of windows man and see if that will fix it. I know you hate to hear that.







That norm solvs everything. Also what drivers are you using?


----------



## Calado90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I dont know what could do that I know flash player and widows media player and VLC will put the core @ 500mhz but it would be the primary card not the 2nd card . I would do a clean install of windows man and see if that will fix it. I know you hate to hear that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That norm solvs everything. Also what drivers are you using?


Im using 12.2 plus the cap. in the second bios fo the card thats not hapening. im confused


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Calado90*
> 
> Im using 12.2 plus the cap. in the second bios fo the card thats not hapening. im confused


You are saying the second card is just staying at 500mhz right ? Is the bios switch on the cards both on 1. I dont think that would have anything to do with it but just look @ it. Also did you flash your bios to another bios if so flash back to the og bios. I had a prob with the MSI bios not letting me idle if you look a few pages back.


----------



## Calado90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> You are saying the second bios is just staying at 500mhz right


No. in 1st bios stays at 500mhz. but i solved my problem. msn messenger its the problem to me.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Calado90*
> 
> Im using 12.2 plus the cap. in the second bios fo the card thats not hapening. im confused


Oh and bro maybe some how there is somthing wrong with that bios , I dont know how there would be with a new card , but us gpuz and grab the bios from your 1st card and flash it to your 2nd card see if that works .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Calado90*
> 
> No. in 1st bios stays at 500mhz. but i solved my problem. msn messenger its the problem to me.


Yeah leave it to Microsoft to have that happen . Some programs are wired like that.


----------



## Hambone07si

Can anyone show some real numbers that shows these big gains from overclocking your memory from say 1500 to 1800 and show how that effects it? I don't have BF3 or I would test myself. Thanks.


----------



## nifatech2120

My hd 7950 showed me. And i installed my card then drivers in that order. And when my pc boots up. Right before the log-on screen is supposed to appear. i get an 'atigmpk' or something like that BSOD.

Now, everytime i try to installed 12.1 Pre-cert then boot up. same thing. Should i try another driver?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Can anyone show some real numbers that shows these big gains from overclocking your memory from say 1500 to 1800 and show how that effects it? I don't have BF3 or I would test myself. Thanks.


I dont really see any gain other then 2-4 fps boost according to the game im playing going from stock 1375 to 1575 so I just leave it @ 1575 no need to go higher 2 me . Now the core thats a dif story I leave mine oced to 1.1ghz thats fast anough 2 me . I dont like trixx or afterburner or any other software on my pc controlling my cards other then CCC , also dont see the need in extra heat for changing the voltage for just a little more mhz.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> My hd 7950 showed me. And i installed my card then drivers in that order. And when my pc boots up. Right before the log-on screen is supposed to appear. i get an 'atigmpk' or something like that BSOD.
> Now, everytime i try to installed 12.1 Pre-cert then boot up. same thing. Should i try another driver?


What drivers are you using ? This driver gave me alot of bsods.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> What drivers are you using ?


12.1 pre-cert.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> 12.1 pre-cert.


The 12.2 pre cert are about the best drivers out @ the moment 2 me. Also here . Thay are good drivers to. If you do decide to change drivers then Uninstall your drivers from the control panel reboot then run driver sweeper . I dont like atiman driver remover it left some things on my pc still and got things stuck in my uninstall list in control panel. After you run driver sweeper restart and run ccleaner registry cleaner untill no more errors. Then restart again and install your drivers . You should be fine then . Restart again.

I do more steps though only do if you know what your doing cause you can make your pc not start messing around in the registry.
I also go through and manually edit my registry and remove everything amd/ati and i unhide all hidden folders and go through my harddrive and delete everthing ati/amd . I always find stuff left in C:\Windows\SysWOW64 and C:\Windows\System32 so I delete it.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

When I first boot into windows im getting blue lines through my screen, and screen corruption after a few mins the screen goes black a couple times and the problem is gone...anyone else experience this? I have 2 monitors going and it only happens on the primary. I have tried a fresh driver install, same thing. Im using 12.2 pre cert.
gpu @ stock.


----------



## nifatech2120

No matter how good i clean my dirivers and re-install again. I stil lget ATI BSOD on start up when it would go to the log-on screen....

I might try a clean install....


----------



## Frojoe

Can anyone help me at all? Does anyone have idea whats going on with my issue?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> When I first boot into windows im getting blue lines through my screen, and screen corruption after a few mins the screen goes black a couple times and the problem is gone...anyone else experience this? I have 2 monitors going and it only happens on the primary. I have tried a fresh driver install, same thing. Im using 12.2 pre cert.
> gpu @ stock.


Sounds like a bad card . You may need to rma it.


----------



## Mourek

Hey I am looking for buying an HD7970 and overclock it, what is the best design with the best cooling capibilites? so far I think that the gigabyte is the best, is it true?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Sounds like a bad card . You may need to rma it.


Could be. Im not 100% sure yet... bios post screen is fine, then once it gets into windows the screen will get corruption.

Has anyone experienced screen corruption from bad drivers? Or is it usually a bad card.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> No matter how good i clean my dirivers and re-install again. I stil lget ATI BSOD on start up when it would go to the log-on screen....
> I might try a clean install....


Yeah clean install helps alot. But if all the drivers are gone it should be like when you first installed windows . Try to unhide hidden devices in device manager and uninstall all the old devices not being used . look here . Hope it helps it might solve your prob . You may have alot of old devices in there . I always remove all the old hidden devices on my pc. The more there are the longer it takes windows to boot to because each time windows starts it has to check and see what devices are installed.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Frojoe*
> 
> Can anyone help me at all? Does anyone have idea whats going on with my issue?


You're best off to start a thread about your issue, in here it'll just get lost.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Could be. Im not 100% sure yet... bios post screen is fine, then once it gets into windows the screen will get corruption.
> Has anyone experienced screen corruption from bad drivers? Or is it usually a bad card.


With This driver I did have screen corruption. that is the worse driver ever put out to me.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> With This driver I did have screen corruption. that is the worse driver ever put out to me.


What sort of screen corruption were you having?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mourek*
> 
> Hey I am looking for buying an HD7970 and overclock it, what is the best design with the best cooling capibilites? so far I think that the gigabyte is the best, is it true?


Yes I would think so. But if you are going to water cool it just get a ref 1 and save money. They all oc good for the most part.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> When I first boot into windows im getting blue lines through my screen, and screen corruption after a few mins the screen goes black a couple times and the problem is gone...anyone else experience this? I have 2 monitors going and it only happens on the primary. I have tried a fresh driver install, same thing. Im using 12.2 pre cert.
> gpu @ stock.


when my windows starts up it does the windows start thingy and then goes black... 1min later it turns back on and loads the log in screen. lol I'm about to ram dis junk for a 580


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> What sort of screen corruption were you having?


Blue lines screen going black getting stuck I had to do several hard restarts with the above driver. Also when I had to high of a clock on my mem I got blue lines in 2D or 3D. Try lowering your mem clock speed if overclocked and just see.


----------



## nifatech2120

yeah. ikl just do a clean install. knowing my luck the issur will still be here.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> when my windows starts up it does the windows start thingy and then goes black... 1min later it turns back on and loads the log in screen. lol I'm about to ram dis junk for a 580


look in your device manager and unhide hidden devices and see if your old driver for your cards are still there grayed out if so uninstall them i had the same prob and that fixed it for me awhile back dont know why that would fix it but it did.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> look in your device manager and unhide hidden devices and see if your old driver for your cards are still there grayed out if so uninstall them i had the same prob and that fixed it for me awhile back dont know why that would fix it but it did.


lol im on a new HDD. fresh install of windows like 2 hours ago. only 1 amd thing on here


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> lol im on a new HDD. fresh install of windows like 2 hours ago. only 1 amd thing on here


Oh ok did not know that


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Blue lines screen going black getting stuck I had to do several hard restarts with the above driver. Also when I had to high of a clock on my mem I got blue lines in 2D or 3D. Try lowering your mem clock speed if overclocked and just see.


Interesting same corruption as mine. Im gonna try some other drivers.


----------



## profanevision

Hi 7970 owners, first of all sorry if my english is not correct.
I got a problem with game GTA IV, it runs slow and the graphics is very bad and dont know why
someone got same problem with video games?

i have the last drivers for hd 7970, directX 11..

hardware

OS
MS Windows 7 64-bit SP1
CPU
Intel Core i7 2600K @ 3.40GHz 31 °C
Sandy Bridge 32nm Tecnologia
RAM
16,0 GB D-Channel DDR3 @ 668MHz (9-9-9-24)
motherboard
ASUSTeK Computer INC. P8Z68-V GEN3 (LGA1155) 60 °C
Graphic
VE228 ([email protected])
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
storage
117GB OCZ OCZ-AGILITY3 (SATA) 30 °C
977GB Western Digital WDC WD10EARS-00MVWB0 (SATA)


----------



## Smo

Does anyone know why card #1 when overclocked to 1100MHz @ stock (1.174v) tops out at 63c @ 40% fan, but card #2 at the exact same clocks, voltage & fan profile is hitting 80c? I don't understand it.


----------



## nifatech2120

I'm thinking of an RMA. Unless you guys have another idea. I JUST did a clean install. And when i booted up with service pack 1 installed. (as well as my catalyst) which was installed AFTER SP1.

When it is supposed to say 'welcome' it just goes black. then flashes blue lines then will restart + keep repeating this loop...

Is this GPU dead or something?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> I'm thinking of an RMA. Unless you guys have another idea. I JUST did a clean install. And when i booted up with service pack 1 installed. (as well as my catalyst) which was installed AFTER SP1.
> When it is supposed to say 'welcome' it just goes black. then flashes blue lines then will restart + keep repeating this loop...
> Is this GPU dead or something?


Yeah rma that bro. Does not sound good.


----------



## Daffie82

Got my 7950 sapphire OC card now at 1175 core clock, 1580 memory clock at 1175 Voltage.
Gonna leave it at that I think


----------



## nifatech2120

hmm..


----------



## nifatech2120

No matter what drivers i try. It won't boot past the welcome screen.


----------



## k98lemur

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *profanevision*
> 
> Hi 7970 owners, first of all sorry if my english is not correct.
> I got a problem with game GTA IV, it runs slow and the graphics is very bad and dont know why
> someone got same problem with video games?
> i have the last drivers for hd 7970, directX 11..
> hardware


I noticed that sometimes if I have an internet site on in the background like YouTube, the Core frequency will stay locked at 500mhz. Must be something with 2D mode and video streaming...


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> I'm thinking of an RMA. Unless you guys have another idea. I JUST did a clean install. And when i booted up with service pack 1 installed. (as well as my catalyst) which was installed AFTER SP1.
> When it is supposed to say 'welcome' it just goes black. then flashes blue lines then will restart + keep repeating this loop...
> Is this GPU dead or something?


Thats strange I get the blue lines also when windows starts up, it goes black then I get blue lines. But my pc doesnt restart. For some reason when I turn my monitor off then back on the lines are gone...like it refreshes or something. But im not sure if your card is bad since I get the same thing. Im thinking it has to do with crap drivers. The ones I have tried so far are 12.2 and the one right before it.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Thats strange I get the blue lines also when windows starts up, it goes black then I get blue lines. But my pc doesnt restart. For some reason when I turn my monitor off then back on the lines are gone...like it refreshes or something. But im not sure if your card is bad since I get the same thing. Im thinking it has to do with crap drivers. The ones I have tried so far are 12.2 and the one right before it.


Yes. But my system restarts. So i can't do the monitor trick. So even with a clean install of my OS. This card REFUSES to work with drivers installed. I have no use generic VGA drivers.. Which is useless..

$490 for this?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Yes. But my system restarts. So i can't do the monitor trick. So even with a clean install of my OS. This card REFUSES to work with drivers installed. I have no use generic VGA drivers.. Which is useless..
> $490 for this?


Yeah thats crazy. I would RMA if I was you, how many driver versions have you tried?
Im going to wait untill the next driver revision to see if its fixed, because I can still use mine.


----------



## 125837

So, my 7970 DCUII arrived, all excited, put it in, booted up. Was working fine, installed drivers, can't boot just get artifacts and lines.

Reformatted, and it was working fine, I installed the drivers and restarted... same thing, it starts up, then I get a black screen with vertical coloured bands and then it BSODs.

Is this a known issue and is there a fix? Or am I RMAing the second high end card I've had in as many months? -_-


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> So, my 7970 DCUII arrived, all excited, put it in, booted up. Was working fine, installed drivers, can't boot just get artifacts and lines.
> 
> Reformatted, and it was working fine, I installed the drivers and restarted... same thing, it starts up, then I get a black screen with vertical coloured bands and then it BSODs.
> 
> Is this a known issue and is there a fix? Or am I RMAing the second high end card I've had in as many months? -_-


I'd start trying out an older driver like the 11.12 RC's. Seems like you're not the only one having issues (that EXACT issue) with the newer drivers.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'd start trying out an older driver like the 11.12 RC's. Seems like you're not the only one having issues (that EXACT issue) with the newer drivers.


Thanks mate, I've booted into safe mode and I'll try it


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Yes many people seem to be having that same issue. (myself included)


----------



## nifatech2120

how many drivers are there? I've tried 2.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> how many drivers are there? I've tried 2.


Many. Try the 11.x drivers instead of the 12.x


----------



## 125837

What do you mean when you say 11.12 "RC"? I downloaded and installed the 11.12 drivers and it didn't ask me to reboot and seems to not even register that the drivers are installed. I'm downloading 12.1 now


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Im trying to unlock voltage control in MSI afterburner. I went to options checked the allow voltage control box but I still cant....anyone know how to fix this?


----------



## wint0nic

I use the pre-certified drivers and they work great.


----------



## disintegratorx

-.-


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wint0nic*
> 
> I use the pre-certified drivers and they work great.


Good for some







I can't even get it to install drivers now, I did a full sweep etc and now it installs all the extra programs but not the display driver









Might just do a proper backup and format and try again.

EDIT: Dis, I have done that already, it's all wiped. Power supply is just fine, all plugged in and everything :/


----------



## disintegratorx

That was a reply to LAF's post.


----------



## 125837

Yeah I replied









Ok, just *finally* got a "actions taken require a reboot" message, which hopefully means installation of display drivers. Fingers crossed eh?

Nope, now I just have a pretty blank screen. That was the 12.1 driver. I'll try 11.12 again and see what happens.


----------



## juang1985

Guys, Question. I have Crossfire 7970s, I have a problem with starcraft 2.... i see artifacts in starcraft 2 only even at stock clocks.
Do any of you running crossfire runs in to this issue aswell?


----------



## juang1985

I have tried to desable crossfire in the game profiles options inside CCC but its not working. even if i put disable crossfire on the profile option it still uses both of my cards. Unless i completely disable crossfire


----------



## 125837

Does it run fine using only one card?


----------



## svthomas

It is a shame the drivers are giving so many issues, these cards perform great.







I think I just got lucky, but it seems many have not.


----------



## 125837

Ok this is really annoying me now, I've tried both 12.1 and 12.2 with no results, and everytime I try 11.12 (even using the "Display Driver Only" link) I go to the install, hit "Custom", and there is no display driver listed!

Can somebody please link me to where I can find the actual display driver? I can't find it and I've been trying to sort this out for almost 4.5hrs now... I have work soon


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Ok this is really annoying me now, I've tried both 12.1 and 12.2 with no results, and everytime I try 11.12 (even using the "Display Driver Only" link) I go to the install, hit "Custom", and there is no display driver listed!
> 
> Can somebody please link me to where I can find the actual display driver? I can't find it and I've been trying to sort this out for almost 4.5hrs now... I have work soon


I'm uploading the driver I'm using right now to OCN. Not sure how long it'll take, but I'll post it here once its done. I believe its the 11.12 RC. It's either the first or second driver released, I forget which one. But it works flawlessly for me, except GTA IV (stutters), and the idle lock up issue which is fixable by using MSI AB Profiles (2D Stock / 3D Overclocked), and disabling your screensaver.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm uploading the driver I'm using right now to OCN. Not sure how long it'll take, but I'll post it here once its done. I believe its the 11.12 RC. It's either the first or second driver released, I forget which one. But it works flawlessly for me, except GTA IV (stutters), and the idle lock up issue which is fixable by using MSI AB Profiles (2D Stock / 3D Overclocked), and disabling your screensaver.


Thanks so much Pio! I never use a screensaver, just set the screen to turn off. What is the idle lock up issue?


----------



## Favian

Do you guys get screen tearing if you have 2 monitors on displayport and 1 monitor on dvi with 7970 crossfire? I'm thinking about getting 2 more samsung s23a950d monitors.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm uploading the driver I'm using right now to OCN. Not sure how long it'll take, but I'll post it here once its done. I believe its the 11.12 RC. It's either the first or second driver released, I forget which one. But it works flawlessly for me, except GTA IV (stutters), and the idle lock up issue which is fixable by using MSI AB Profiles (2D Stock / 3D Overclocked), and disabling your screensaver.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks so much Pio! I never use a screensaver, just set the screen to turn off. What is the idle lock up issue?
Click to expand...

The issue that I keep getting (a few others as well), is when you use ANY sort of overclock at all, after a while of your screensaver being on, and the monitor shutting off....somehow the machine will never wake back up. Otherwise it works fine. By disabling the screensaver and using profiles in MSI AB, I've completely fixed the issue for myself. It just sucks because I don't get a screensaver.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The issue that I keep getting (a few others as well), is when you use ANY sort of overclock at all, after a while of your screensaver being on, and the monitor shutting off....somehow the machine will never wake back up. Otherwise it works fine. By disabling the screensaver and using profiles in MSI AB, I've completely fixed the issue for myself. It just sucks because I don't get a screensaver.


Ah ok, I don't know if I'm going to OC... Definitely not before AusPost turns up with my SSD. They lost it AT the post office, I mean COME ON


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The issue that I keep getting (a few others as well), is when you use ANY sort of overclock at all, after a while of your screensaver being on, and the monitor shutting off....somehow the machine will never wake back up. Otherwise it works fine. By disabling the screensaver and using profiles in MSI AB, I've completely fixed the issue for myself. It just sucks because I don't get a screensaver.
> 
> 
> 
> Ah ok, I don't know if I'm going to OC... Definitely not before AusPost turns up with my SSD. They lost it AT the post office, I mean COME ON
Click to expand...

Forgot to zip it, so the upload didn't take.







It's been uploading for about 10 minutes now as a zip, it should be done any time.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Forgot to zip it, so the upload didn't take.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's been uploading for about 10 minutes now as a zip, it should be done any time.


Ah that's ok, I'm unlikely to have it downloaded by the time I leave for work anyway (1Mbps yay!). Thanks for that


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Nobody knows how to get voltage control working in msi ab?








I already checked the box but I thought there was another way if that doesnt work.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Nobody knows how to get voltage control working in msi ab?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I already checked the box but I thought there was another way if that doesnt work.


You have to enable unofficial overclocking. It's a config file or something you have to edit. Just google it, I think it was the first link that came up.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Link for LAF (will PM to you as well):
http://www.filedropper.com/7970driverswin7x64

That's the driver that I'm using, with the CAPs profile (which I do not use as I have one card).


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You have to enable unofficial overclocking. It's a config file or something you have to edit. Just google it, I think it was the first link that came up.


Thank you ill check that out.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> Do you guys get screen tearing if you have 2 monitors on displayport and 1 monitor on dvi with 7970 crossfire? I'm thinking about getting 2 more samsung s23a950d monitors.


I'm using one displayport to DVI active adapter, the included HDMI to DVI adapter, and the DVI port for my 3 monitors. No tearing for me








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Nobody knows how to get voltage control working in msi ab?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I already checked the box but I thought there was another way if that doesnt work.


You have to edit the .cfg files (open in Notepad) and enable unofficial overclocking. Google has great info about this









To those experiencing driver issues. Consider using the drivers from the CD or going to the manufacturer's website for drivers (Sapphire I know has them). These are usually tested to at least get basic functionality working.

Also, your card may simply be bad, but this is quite a few people with the same issue. Have any of you tried the card in a different computer? I already RMA'd one of my 7950s because it would give me the GSOD (green/gray screen of death) anytime I ran a GPU based app (including flash/HTML5, lol), so there are definitely bad ones out there.


----------



## quakermaas

Got two MSI R7970 yesterday, using AMD Catalyst 12.3 Pre-Certified driver and no major problems so far.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Does anyone know why card #1 when overclocked to 1100MHz @ stock (1.174v) tops out at 63c @ 40% fan, but card #2 at the exact same clocks, voltage & fan profile is hitting 80c? I don't understand it.


Dumb question:

Are you reading card #1 accidentally as card #2? Because 63c is very cool for a top card with 1.174v and only 40% fan speed, whereas the #2 is hitting 80c. My top card hits 80c easily with 1.175v with 40% fan speed.


----------



## mmstick

I just got my 7950 recently, overclocked it to 1200Mhz core and 1500Mhz memory, however, I had/have some issues.

Issue #1: First of all, the 12-2 precertified driver caused certain games like Portal 2 to crash, while causing Shogun 2 to immediately power off the system as soon as it gets to the splash screen, and caused my sound blaster recon3D to produce loud-pitched crackling and sqeaking. I fixed it by downgrading to the driver on my Gigabyte CD dated 2011.

Issue #2: My Gigabyte Windforce 3 came with a somewhat bent PCB. Is this normal?









As well, I'm using it in sync with my previous 6850, I have both running bitcoin mining, 6850 gets 220Mhash/s and my new 7950 is getting 560Mhash/s, temperatures never go beyond 70C for either card.


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I'm using one displayport to DVI active adapter, the included HDMI to DVI adapter, and the DVI port for my 3 monitors. No tearing for me


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I'm using one displayport to DVI active adapter, the included HDMI to DVI adapter, and the DVI port for my 3 monitors. No tearing for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Awesome thanks!
Click to expand...


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Dumb question:
> Are you reading card #1 accidentally as card #2? Because 63c is very cool for a top card with 1.174v and only 40% fan speed, whereas the #2 is hitting 80c. My top card hits 80c easily with 1.175v with 40% fan speed.


No mate, that's what's weird! This is happening with each card installed individually - I haven't run crossfire yet!


----------



## Vodkacooling

Check out my results

7970 vs 7950 in multiplayer of bf3 plus other tests. Both are clocked at 1200/1700 and also a 6970 thrown in there.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mmstick*
> 
> I just got my 7950 recently, overclocked it to 1200Mhz core and 1500Mhz memory, however, I had/have some issues.
> Issue #1: First of all, the 12-2 precertified driver caused certain games like Portal 2 to crash, while causing Shogun 2 to immediately power off the system as soon as it gets to the splash screen, and caused my sound blaster recon3D to produce loud-pitched crackling and sqeaking. I fixed it by downgrading to the driver on my Gigabyte CD dated 2011.
> Issue #2: My Gigabyte Windforce 3 came with a somewhat bent PCB. Is this normal?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As well, I'm using it in sync with my previous 6850, I have both running bitcoin mining, 6850 gets 220Mhash/s and my new 7950 is getting 560Mhash/s, temperatures never go beyond 70C for either card.


That's an extreme amount of warpage.


----------



## nifatech2120

Since 12.1 and 12.2 don't work for me. Nor does the one bundled on the GIGABYTE CD.

I'm running out of options. It's like my card is bricked.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Since 12.1 and 12.2 don't work for me. Nor does the one bundled on the GIGABYTE CD.
> I'm running out of options. It's like my card is bricked.


I feel for you bud - I think an RMA could be the best option.

Did you come from Team Green?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> You have to edit the .cfg files (open in Notepad) and enable unofficial overclocking. Google has great info about this


Turned out I was using an older version of afterburner, downloaded the latest beta and I can change voltage now.
stable at 1100 core so far. These cards run pretty cool also









Nifa have you tried using the 11.x drivers yet? Might be more stability from the 12.x drivers.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> I feel for you bud - I think an RMA could be the best option.
> Did you come from Team Green?


Yep, i came from a GTX 570.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mourek*
> 
> Hey I am looking for buying an HD7970 and overclock it, what is the best design with the best cooling capibilites? so far I think that the gigabyte is the best, is it true?


I did the research and the Gigabyte non-ref design comes out as the clear winner for cooling and low noise.

Solid decision.


----------



## nifatech2120

When i first got my 7950 today and installed it. I played crysis 2 for about 10 minutes. Then decided to play crysis 1 on it. Then it froze a couplem inutes into it at best.

Since then. NO driver works with my card....

What the hell do i do?


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Yep, i came from a GTX 570.


Can you tell us how you went about uninstalling the 570 and installing the 7970/7950 (?) - I can only imagine it's a conflict or a damaged card.


----------



## nifatech2120

Well. I removed and sold the card. Then removed all traces of my nvidia drivers and anything green related. My HD 7950 came in today. I put in the card. and installed the drivers. I played crysis 2 for a bit. Then switched back to crysis. Crysis 1 froze on me requiring a hard reset. To then my system BSOD. I booted up in safe mode. removed all drivers.. and kept re-installing and installing differenct drivers.. i switched my VGA bios's.... switched PCIE slots.. nothing. nothing seems to work.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Well. I removed and sold the card. Then removed all traces of my nvidia drivers and anything green related. My HD 7950 came in today. I put in the card. and installed the drivers. I played crysis 2 for a bit. Then switched back to crysis. Crysis 1 froze on me requiring a hard reset. To then my system BSOD. I booted up in safe mode. removed all drivers.. and kept re-installing and installing differenct drivers.. i switched my VGA bios's.... switched PCIE slots.. nothing. nothing seems to work.


I've done the exact same thing as you going from Green to Red, which I did like this;

With GTX 590 stll installed;

- Remove GTX 590 from Device Manager (Right Click > Uninstall)
- Check the box to remove the Driver Software as well.
- Reboot into safe mode.
- Uninstall MSI Afterburner.
- Clean registry until no more entries are found.
- Manually uninstall any and all remaining NVIDIA drivers (HD Audio etc).
- Rebooting into safe mode after each uninstall.
- Remove GTX 590.
- Install 7970 #1.
- Boot and allow it to be detected.
- Install Pre-cert 12.2.
- Reboot.
- Install CAP 12.1.
- Reboot.
- Install PhysX.
- Install Afterburner 12 Beta 14.

I've had no driver issues since.

How did your process differ from that one? Hopefully we can narrow this down a bit.


----------



## nifatech2120

Hmm.... Maybe install drivers.... then remove my card, boot up. Then turn off system THEN install card?

There is virtually no differences between our procedures.


----------



## disintegratorx

Well, just burnt in my GPU by accident by leaving my fan settings at 40* while playing Dirt 3 at max settings. :/ lol Wish I'd have done it another way, but now I'm clocked in at 1070/1400 with no problems at all. Playing BF3 now is like playing a whole new game.


----------



## nifatech2120

Shameless self-bump.


----------



## eikei

Have a look at this material: http://forums.overclockers.ru/viewtopic.php?f=106&t=435579&p=9405882#p9405882
It's in Russian, too much to translate, but basically the article is about a very serious problem with reference 7970 cooler. As you can see on the photos, there is practically no contact between aluminium plate and thermal pad on vrm. Has anybody disassembled the reference 7970?

Looks like my card has no problem with vrm cooling because temps are quite low.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Since 12.1 and 12.2 don't work for me. Nor does the one bundled on the GIGABYTE CD.
> 
> I'm running out of options. It's like my card is bricked.


Try the 12.3 pre release ?

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2858


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> When i first got my 7950 today and installed it. I played crysis 2 for about 10 minutes. Then decided to play crysis 1 on it. Then it froze a couplem inutes into it at best.
> 
> Since then. NO driver works with my card....
> 
> What the hell do i do?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Yep, i came from a GTX 570.
> 
> 
> 
> Can you tell us how you went about uninstalling the 570 and installing the 7970/7950 (?) - I can only imagine it's a conflict or a damaged card.
Click to expand...

Believe that it is an Nvidia component that is still causing your issue...most likely audio codec conflict or the Physix. I had a heck of a time getting my 7950 to work going from my GTX 465.

Take a screenshot of your uninstall programs list for us if you can.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PROBN4LYFE*
> 
> Believe that it is an Nvidia component that is still causing your issue...most likely audio codec conflict or the Physix. I had a heck of a time getting my 7950 to work going from my GTX 465.
> Take a screenshot of your uninstall programs list for us if you can.


Not possible. I did a clean install // reformat.


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Are you using AB or Trixx in combination with CCC?


----------



## nifatech2120

No?


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Try the 12.3 pre release ?
> 
> http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2858


Those won't install correctly.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Link for LAF (will PM to you as well):
> http://www.filedropper.com/7970driverswin7x64
> That's the driver that I'm using, with the CAPs profile (which I do not use as I have one card).


Thanks mate, about to install now
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Since 12.1 and 12.2 don't work for me. Nor does the one bundled on the GIGABYTE CD.
> I'm running out of options. It's like my card is bricked.


You say you've tried 12.1 and 12.2, what about the drivers Pio uploaded (11.12)? The link is in this post


----------



## 125837

Sorry for the double post but it's doing that stupid bug where it doesn't show my edit.

EDIT: Why do the notes for 12.3 say "enabled Windows 7 64-bit support"?

While I'm here, Pio, your driver still gave me a BSOD. However, for this one, the fans didn't spin up to 100, it just silently went about artifacting and crashing while I typed this on my laptop.

Downloading and trying 12.3, otherwise what can I do? I don't think it's the card because it's completely fine on the standard VGA driver.


----------



## Ken1649

Have to ask, is your Windows updated to the latest including all KBs? And did you turn off UAC?

This should work;

1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx

1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Have to ask, is your Windows updated to the latest including all KBs? And did you turn off UAC?
> 
> This should work;
> 
> 1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx
> 1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


No I'm on a fresh install, however the first Windows install I tried was fully updated. UAC is off. I've already tried both those links.

I was just having a flick through device manager in safemode, and it has the system listed as "needs troubleshooting". It is displaying the 7970 as having the correct drivers, but then it's showing "PCI Simple Communications Controller" and "SM Bus Controller" as not working properly and requiring drivers. Is this simply the GPU issue or have I forgotten something like an idiot? I only have 1 x16 slot on this board to try.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Thanks mate, about to install now
> You say you've tried 12.1 and 12.2, what about the drivers Pio uploaded (11.12)? The link is in this post


Does the 11.12 even support tahiti?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Have to ask, is your Windows updated to the latest including all KBs? And did you turn off UAC?
> 
> This should work;
> 
> 1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx
> 1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
> 
> 
> 
> No I'm on a fresh install, however the first Windows install I tried was fully updated. UAC is off. I've already tried both those links.
> 
> I was just having a flick through device manager in safemode, and it has the system listed as "needs troubleshooting". It is displaying the 7970 as having the correct drivers, but then it's showing "PCI Simple Communications Controller" and "SM Bus Controller" as not working properly and requiring drivers. Is this simply the GPU issue or have I forgotten something like an idiot? I only have 1 x16 slot on this board to try.
Click to expand...

Reset CMOS, load BIOS Optimized Defaults, install motherboard and chipset drivers, install all Windows update (do not update AMD graphics drivers from WU).

Then install Catalyst. Do not skip the above.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Does the 11.12 even support tahiti?


I don't know but Pio was using it.


----------



## 125837

Stupid edit thing
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Reset CMOS, load BIOS Optimized Defaults, install motherboard and chipset drivers, install all Windows update (do not update AMD graphics drivers from WU).
> 
> Then install Catalyst. Do not skip the above.


Righto mate I'll have to give that a try tomorrow night, need to get to bed now and I'm working all day tomorrow. I'll do a full format beforehand. Cheers.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Edit


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Sounds like your Mobo drivers need re-installation to me so I fully agree with Kens solution above and must reitterate, do NOT install your drivers until your win 7 64bit uinstall is 100% up to date.

Its worth mentioning that the 12.1 and 12.2 drivers caused me the most problems.
Least headaches for me were 11.12 and 12.3.

Sorry for this double post, for some reason this forum wont allow me to edit my own replies.


----------



## nifatech2120

So i myself installed chipset drivers from intel.com. they are for 'intel 6 series'. Does my Z68 count for this?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> So i myself installed chipset drivers from intel.com. they are for 'intel 6 series'. Does my Z68 count for this?


You should be downloading your mother board drivers from the company that makes your mother board. In your case ASRock.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You should be downloading your mother board drivers from the company that makes your mother board. In your case ASRock.


Agreed mate, I think you have just found your problem.


----------



## Ken1649

Unbelievable!

Have seen many blaming the cards


----------



## nifatech2120

Why ASRock?


----------



## disintegratorx

LAF, have you tried updating to the latest firmware on your SSD?


----------



## nifatech2120

I installed my chipset drivers. I NUKED all traces of AMD/ATI/nvidia out of my systems and registry.

And the next time i still try to get my 7950 to work. Same things will happen.

Iv'e tried resetting bios/cmos.. you name it.

my 7950 only worked for lke 10 minutes... then after that.. all of this happned.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Unbelievable!
> 
> Have seen many blaming the cards


I thought it was the GPU drivers, but yes, this is rather embarassing. Although, if it still doesn't work after I do a fresh install and everything tomorrow it won't be.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> LAF, have you tried updating to the latest firmware on your SSD?


I would if I had an SSD







I haven't changed my system since I parted it down to sell - I put all the upgrades in then, and unfortunately the post office managed to lose my SSD once it had reached the post office. So an investigation has been opened and I'll hopefully have it next week. I am running the OS on my 500GB drive.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Why ASRock?


Cuz it's in your sig


----------



## nifatech2120

But i just used Intel ones.


----------



## Darco19

Just picked up my Asus HD7970 DirectCUII and it's pretty terrible I have to say. I can't get 1200mhz on the core stable, even at 1.3v and I have tried AB, Trixx, GPUTweak and re-installing the drivers properly. Even with AMD's Overdrive in CCC, it won't do 1100 on the core on its own.

I've disabled everything in the book, including powerplay, max powertune and I've had constant lock-ups in Heaven benchmark - it will crash my PC 2 seconds into running it. This might be the 3rd 7970 I'm going to return tbh.


----------



## eikei

*Darco19*, look at vrm temp under load. Seems like DCII has some serious problems with it. Also what's the revision of your card?


----------



## Darco19

Wow, that's got to be a joke. This could be the worst 7970 I've got to date.

It instantly crashes the moment Heaven benchmark finishes loading up at STOCK SPEEDS. VRM temperatures are at 50c and on idle it is on 27c. I can't say the load because it just crashes on anything I try to run, including 3d mark11, so I'm screwed there. I don't even dare to boot up BF3 at this rate, lol.

I'll get back to the rev version as soon as I take out this piece of junk.


----------



## Darco19

I had a look at the side of the card and the screws are exactly looking like this:










Could that be the cause of overheating the card? Temps are fine on idle, but I can't even check the load.


----------



## eikei

*Darco19* is it stable at lower clocks? Almost all Tahiti XT can run at 1200 MHz - 1.3V should be more than enough. Bad chip then. What is its ASIC quality?


----------



## Darco19

It won't even run at stock clocks.


----------



## eikei

Just had a look at your photo. There is definitely something wrong with the assembly. As i understood, it crashes under load at any clock?


----------



## Darco19

Yep, I'm tempted to tighten the screws myself, but I'm not sure if that will affect my warranty/returns right.


----------



## eikei

Then off course the card is defective. You should replace it. strange to see that ASUS even doesn't test its products







Better don't try to flex the defect yourself to avoid possible problems with warranty if it will not help.


----------



## Darco19

I am going to try and tighten the screws first and see if that fixes it. Will update if it helps.


----------



## Arnotts

There are known problems with the DirectCU II 7 series cards - or at least the 7950 DirectCU II. I don't know if the 7970 is included in this.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1220328/behardware-asus-hd-7950-directcu-ii-fault-report

Hope you get it sorted out, mate.


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arnotts*
> 
> There are known problems with the DirectCU II 7 series cards - or at least the 7950 DirectCU II. I don't know if the 7970 is included in this.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1220328/behardware-asus-hd-7950-directcu-ii-fault-report
> Hope you get it sorted out, mate.


Yes, I think I saw that one coming. But I thought the 7970's would be different since they also have a custom PCB and all, so it should be of much higher build quality not just in terms of the components used, but in this case, the build process of the card itself.


----------



## eikei

ASUS has some serious problems with 79** dcII. Their non-reference 7970 rev 1.0 has been withdrawn due to power elements overheating or some other reasons.


----------



## Darco19

I'm tempted to completely give up on AMD's 79XX series right now from the luck/crap I'm going through. First one was a poor OC'er and was a bit too hot for my liking, second one was a non-reference from Gigabyte that ran amazing but had a coil whine, and now my 3rd one hasn't even been tested properly. I wonder what my 4th one is going to be...

Just waiting on the email from the shop from where I bought it from gives me permission to dissemble the card and let me see if there's anything else loose in there as I don't want it to void my warranty and all.


----------



## eikei

Really I've never seen such horrible assembly defect! And this is made by ASUS, the leading hardware manufacturer!


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> But i just used Intel ones.


Why? You don't have a Intel mother board. You have a ASRock. ASRock is the ones that used a Intel chipset and have set it up on their board. So you use their drivers. If you want problems, then keep installing drivers from some where that didn't make your board.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Just picked up my Asus HD7970 DirectCUII and it's pretty terrible I have to say.


Quote:


> I can't get 1200mhz on the core stable,


Neither can the majority of owners mate, why does that make it terrible? Have you really returned two cards just because they are not stable at 1200?


----------



## Darco19

Asus advised me not to tighten the screws or touch it. They said I should I return it back to the shop and get a refund (they didn't say replacement and I'm guessing that's a GOOD thing).


----------



## Hambone07si

Is anyone getting good results with the 12.3 drivers? I'm still using the 11.12. Tried the 12.2 and that was a mess. Hoping the 12.3 are working better and also I'm running 2 cards, so hope no crossfire issues.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eikei*
> 
> Have a look at this material: http://forums.overclockers.ru/viewtopic.php?f=106&t=435579&p=9405882#p9405882
> It's in Russian, too much to translate, but basically the article is about a very serious problem with reference 7970 cooler. As you can see on the photos, there is practically no contact between aluminium plate and thermal pad on vrm. Has anybody disassembled the reference 7970?
> 
> Looks like my card has no problem with vrm cooling because temps are quite low.


How do you read VRM tempertures ?

GPU-Z does seem to do it on these cards yet.

Also anybody care to tell me what is the max safe voltage and how do I overclock past 1125 on the core with MSI afterburner, mine stops at 1125 ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I'm tempted to completely give up on AMD's 79XX series right now from the luck/crap I'm going through. First one was a poor OC'er and was a bit too hot for my liking, second one was a non-reference from Gigabyte that ran amazing but had a coil whine, and now my 3rd one hasn't even been tested properly. I wonder what my 4th one is going to be...
> Just waiting on the email from the shop from where I bought it from gives me permission to dissemble the card and let me see if there's anything else loose in there as I don't want it to void my warranty and all.


Overclocking limits are always luck, cannot slam a card for that.
Asus have a faulty product, one line from one vendor........
Coil whine, mine buzzes also but negligable.

HD7970 is the best card I have bought since the HD5870. Best card before that was the 9800GT.


----------



## Hambone07si

quakermaas, you have to go into the config file in Msi folder. You have to change Unofficial Overclocking mode to "1" instead of "0"


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> quakermaas, you have to go into the config file in Msi folder. You have to change Unofficial Overclocking mode to "1" instead of "0"


Aye just done that







, so any idea on the max voltage to be in a safe zone, providing temperatures are OK ?

Also, just noticed I can over-volt the memory, what is the max safe voltage on it ?


----------



## Hambone07si

Safe voltage depends on your temps of course. I'm on water and my max temps are 42c with 1.250v.. Safe max for me is 1.300v(max). Safe for air, well I'd say 1.200v if temps are under 80c. Just my preference.


----------



## omega17

If you read the thread, there is technically no 'safe' max, as you are strictly limited to .125mV above stock. If your 7970 stock voltage is 1.050V, you could set the voltage slider to 1.9V and it'd still only get 1.175V pushed through it, it's a hardware feature of the cards.


----------



## Newbie2009

Has anyone been running their cards with extra volts on the memory?


----------



## wint0nic

Don't really need too, stock volts run fine for 1575 mate.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I had a look at the side of the card and the screws are exactly looking like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could that be the cause of overheating the card? Temps are fine on idle, but I can't even check the load.


Just take the cooler off and reseat it with some new TIM. It is obviously seated poorly.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eikei*
> 
> ASUS has some serious problems with 79** dcII. Their non-reference 7970 rev 1.0 has been withdrawn due to power elements overheating or some other reasons.


Do you have more info on this?








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Has anyone been running their cards with extra volts on the memory?


Hell yea!


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I had a look at the side of the card and the screws are exactly looking like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could that be the cause of overheating the card? Temps are fine on idle, but I can't even check the load.


Blimey! Think I'll check my second card when I get in - hopefully this will explain why one is running nearly 20c hotter than the other!


----------



## useport80

hey all, i've only run into this problem a few times this past month, but it's getting more irritating.

i have a sapphire radeon 7970 on win7 64bit running the AMD Catalyst 12.2 Pre-Certified Driver(latest driver version to my knowledge). hibernation and standby modes have been disabled.
i dont know if my video card is bad or if i did something wrong.
i set my screensaver(stock win7 mystify) to start after 5 minutes. and after 15 minutes, my screen should power off. i see the screensaver launch and i can see the amber light on my lcd once its powered off via windows.

when i come back, i see all this garbled junk on the screen. like its not waking back up properly or turning the video card back on properly. the pictures i've taken are after i pressed ctrl+alt+del, if i dont press it the whole screen is filled with that dark dotted pattern. as a workaround, i disabled the screen power off and only enabled the screensaver. and this way i'll physically power off my lcd.
im ok with doing that, but yesterday when i got home from work, my pc was completely locked up. i wasn't running anything in the background. the screen was just completely black.

i did some searching and it appears i'm not the only one suffering from this. perhaps it's just the 12.2 drivers.

any1 else run into this issue?

pictures: [1]


http://imgur.com/Y9xu7


----------



## tsm106

Zerocore shutdown is working fine on my trifire with rc11. Btw, what output are you using to connect your display? Someone posed a theory that it only works if you are using at least one dvi.


----------



## eikei

*tsm106*
Quote:


> Do you have more info on this?


This was mentioned in a dedicated topic at overclockers.ru. I'll try and find where this info came from. Will post here.

Also 1 or 2 owners noticed too high vrm temps.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eikei*
> 
> *tsm106*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have more info on this?
> 
> 
> 
> This was mentioned in a dedicated topic at overclockers.ru. I'll try and find where this info came from. Will post here.
> Also 1 or 2 owners noticed too high vrm temps.
Click to expand...

How does that equal serious problems and product being recalled? I was expecting a press release or links to a silent recall.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Blimey! Think I'll check my second card when I get in - hopefully this will explain why one is running nearly 20c hotter than the other!


Smo that issue is related to the Asus cards. Hopefully yours is fine.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Blimey! Think I'll check my second card when I get in - hopefully this will explain why one is running nearly 20c hotter than the other!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Smo that issue is related to the Asus cards. Hopefully yours is fine.


I concur. It's almost impossible to poorly seat a reference cooler (TIM application is a whole other issue) since it is like mating two halves together. And because of it's size and framework it makes contact with the whole pcb like a sandwich. The Asus and Gigabyte (Windforce) and others that use heatpipes are only mounted via the four screws around the gpu. Thus proper seating becomes a serious issue.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Is anyone getting good results with the 12.3 drivers? I'm still using the 11.12. Tried the 12.2 and that was a mess. Hoping the 12.3 are working better and also I'm running 2 cards, so hope no crossfire issues.


Using 12.3 without issue.

Just make sure you have things done like having your Windows Updated. Your mobo drivers properly installed, etc. A lot of people seem to be having driver issues (across the board, not just 12.3), and I am not sure if there are conflicts with different pieces of hardware, an issue with people not having mobo drivers installed, old BIOSes on their mobo, etc..

But like I said, I haven't had any issues with the cata drivers and my 7970. But I _do_ have all the proper drivers for my hardware installed, and my Windows is up-to-date, so not sure if that has something to do with it. But who knows, maybe there are conflicts with other pieces of hardware and I just so happened to get lucky.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

I wish my card would enter idle clocks when im not using 3d apps.








kind of annoying. Happy with the overclocks so far though.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> I wish my card would enter idle clocks when im not using 3d apps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> kind of annoying. Happy with the overclocks so far though.


What are you using to oc with? If yer using AB, set the 2d profile to stock clocks and the clocks should drop to 300/150. Although I noticed that 12.3 didn't allow my slave cards to drop clocks and I went back to rc11 and everything is back to normal.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Smo that issue is related to the Asus cards. Hopefully yours is fine.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I concur. It's almost impossible to poorly seat a reference cooler (TIM application is a whole other issue) since it is like mating two halves together. And because of it's size and framework it makes contact with the whole pcb like a sandwich. The Asus and Gigabyte (Windforce) and others that use heatpipes are only mounted via the four screws around the gpu. Thus proper seating becomes a serious issue.


Cheers guys - I checked the screws (which are all tight) and the clearances around the card (which are all fine) but it's still running ~20c hotter than my other card and I have absolutely no idea why!

I'm tempted to pull it apart and check the TIM but I'd have to ask about my warranty first.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are you using to oc with? If yer using AB, set the 2d profile to stock clocks and the clocks should drop to 300/150. Although I noticed that 12.3 didn't allow my slave cards to drop clocks and I went back to rc11 and everything is back to normal.


Yes im using AB and on 12.3. Thanks ill check that out.


----------



## eikei

*tsm106*
As I figured out, rev. 1.0 is a test sample. These samples were sent to reviewers, for exumple here is the review of one of the cards: http://oclab.ru/topic/obzor-videokartyi-asus-hd-7970-direct-cuii-top-chast-2-razgon There is written:
Quote:


> Пожалуй, на тестировании в FurMark пришло время оторвать от замеров температуры и донести до читателей политику компании ASUS относительно представленного нам продукта. Перед нами видеокарта ASUS HD 7970 Direct CUII TOP, которая имеет ревизию печатной платы 1.0 и в продаже данные видеокарты не появятся из-за ряда недочетов, выявленных внутренним тестированием. Поскольку некоторые неисправности были найдены уже после отправки семплов из главного офиса в региональные, то у нас и появилась возможность поделиться собственными наблюдениями о предстоящей новинке.


Translation:
Quote:


> Perhaps, while testing in FurMark it's time to tear from temperature measurements and inform readers about the ASUS's policy of providing products for testing. We were provided with the ASUS HD 7970 Direct CUII TOP video card, which has a PCB revision 1.0 and would not go on sale due to a number of deficiencies identified by internal testing. Since some faults were found after sending samples from the main office to the regional, we now have the opportunity to share our own observations about the upcoming new product.


Below is a videoclip that shows some artifacts during testing in furmark. Despite the fact that rev. 1.0 cards were not for sale, some number of these cards has been sold, particularly in Russia.

This info isn't 100% checked and one of rev. 1.0 owners has already sent a letter to ASUS office asking them to comment it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Cheers guys - I checked the screws (which are all tight) and the clearances around the card (which are all fine) but it's still running ~20c hotter than my other card and I have absolutely no idea why!
> I'm tempted to pull it apart and check the TIM but I'd have to ask about my warranty first.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eikei*
> 
> *tsm106*
> As I figured out, rev. 1.0 is a test sample. These samples were sent to reviewers, for exumple here is the review of one of the cards: http://oclab.ru/topic/obzor-videokartyi-asus-hd-7970-direct-cuii-top-chast-2-razgon There is written:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Пожалуй, на тестировании в FurMark пришло время оторвать от замеров температуры и донести до читателей политику компании ASUS относительно представленного нам продукта. Перед нами видеокарта ASUS HD 7970 Direct CUII TOP, которая имеет ревизию печатной платы 1.0 и в продаже данные видеокарты не появятся из-за ряда недочетов, выявленных внутренним тестированием. Поскольку некоторые неисправности были найдены уже после отправки семплов из главного офиса в региональные, то у нас и появилась возможность поделиться собственными наблюдениями о предстоящей новинке.
> 
> 
> 
> Translation:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Perhaps, while testing in FurMark it's time to tear from temperature measurements and inform readers about the ASUS's policy of providing products for testing. We were provided with the ASUS HD 7970 Direct CUII TOP video card, which has a PCB revision 1.0 and would not go on sale due to a number of deficiencies identified by internal testing. Since some faults were found after sending samples from the main office to the regional, we now have the opportunity to share our own observations about the upcoming new product.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Below is a videoclip that shows some artifacts during testing in furmark. Despite the fact that rev. 1.0 cards were not for sale, some number of these cards has been sold, particularly in Russia.
> This info isn't 100% checked and one of rev. 1.0 owners has already sent a letter to ASUS office asking them to comment it.
Click to expand...

I would probably word your comment previously differently because it gives the impression that there is a widespread problem with retail/gold product which I'm not sure that exists. Though, Asus does indeed have an issue with their laziness and the 7950 DCII, but I'm not sure if that is related to the 7970 DCII which has a wholly different cooler.


----------



## juang1985

Yes LAF,

it runs fine when using only one card. but in order for me to use one card i need to disable the crossfire in the computer options. it doesent work when i disable the crossfire in game profile.... iven if i change it to desable it still uses both cards. i checked


----------



## juang1985

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *juang1985*
> 
> Guys, Question. I have Crossfire 7970s, I have a problem with starcraft 2.... i see artifacts in starcraft 2 only even at stock clocks.
> Do any of you running crossfire runs in to this issue aswell?


has anyone experience this issue??? is this a known issue?


----------



## juang1985

i have tried using only one card and that seems to work. the problem with that is.... then when i try to disable corssfire VIA game profile in ccc it doesent seem to work, it still usses both of my cards no matter if i disable the crossfire settings....
i need to completely disable the crossfire in the comoputer via CCC. the main crossfire setting if you know what i mean..

its kind of annoying doing this everytime i play SC2.

just wanna make sure im not the onlyone seeing graphics corruption in SC2 when using 2 7970s...


----------



## Ottesen

New Cap ?

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx


----------



## 125837

Are all other games working fine? If so, try a new CAP.

I'll be doing a full reinstall tonight after work. I'll let you know how I go.

Also, I haven't looked since reading the DCII issues, but from memory mine was thoroughly tight when I looked briefly yesterday. Maybe you got unlucky?


----------



## juang1985

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Are all other games working fine? If so, try a new CAP.
> I'll be doing a full reinstall tonight after work. I'll let you know how I go.
> Also, I haven't looked since reading the DCII issues, but from memory mine was thoroughly tight when I looked briefly yesterday. Maybe you got unlucky?


thank you guys for the quick response.

I have tried the new caps, i actually have the latest one. it doesent seem to work...
do any of you have SC2 and is running 2 7970s?
i tought it was a driver problem, all my other games run butter smooth and no graphical corruption.
it is not due to my oc because it happens at stock clocks aswell.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Update on the idle lock up issue, and the GTA IV stuttering issue (directly from AMD themselves via email with me)
Quote:


> Dear ******,
> 
> Your service request : SR #{ticketno:[************]} has been reviewed and updated.
> 
> Response and Service Request History:
> 
> There will be a new driver set out very soon 12.3 and we hoope to correct this issue within that driver set. I took a look a the forum and I agree that there alot customers who are having this issue, this gives more reason to correct this issue. I will keep this ticket open and continue our correspondence.
> 
> In order to update this service request, please respond, leaving the service request reference intact.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> AMD Global Customer Care


Again, this is regarding the idle lock up problems, and the GTA IV stuttering.


----------



## tsm106

Fixing the stuttering in GTA IV is akin to ending world hunger. How they gonna do that?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Fixing the stuttering in GTA IV is akin to ending world hunger. How they gonna do that?


My GTX 580 had no stuttering maxed out at 1080p. My 7970 stutters in GTA IV, bottomed out at 800x600. Higher settings make the stutter that much worse.


----------



## NuclearSlurpee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My GTX 580 had no stuttering maxed out at 1080p. My 7970 stutters in GTA IV, bottomed out at 800x600. Higher settings make the stutter that much worse.


GTA 4 is terrible on PC, not surprised.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NuclearSlurpee*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My GTX 580 had no stuttering maxed out at 1080p. My 7970 stutters in GTA IV, bottomed out at 800x600. Higher settings make the stutter that much worse.
> 
> 
> 
> GTA 4 is terrible on PC, not surprised.
Click to expand...

Point being my GTX 580, GTX 470, HD4890...none of those GPU's had a single problem MAXING the game completely out at 1080p. This HD7970, I can't even PLAY the game at all. Meaning that there is something seriously wrong with the driver for that particular game.

You might think its terrible, but its one of my most favorite games. And if AMD doesn't fix this in their driver, I WILL be trading this for a 580 again, as its unacceptable that I cannot even play my favorite game with a $600 graphics card.


----------



## NuclearSlurpee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Point being my GTX 580, GTX 470, HD4890...none of those GPU's had a single problem MAXING the game completely out at 1080p. This HD7970, I can't even PLAY the game at all. Meaning that there is something seriously wrong with the driver for that particular game.
> You might think its terrible, but its one of my most favorite games. And if AMD doesn't fix this in their driver, I WILL be trading this for a 580 again, as its unacceptable that I cannot even play my favorite game with a $600 graphics card.


Love GTA 4 too, just have to expect bad results usually. Hopefully the next driver fixes your issues.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NuclearSlurpee*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Point being my GTX 580, GTX 470, HD4890...none of those GPU's had a single problem MAXING the game completely out at 1080p. This HD7970, I can't even PLAY the game at all. Meaning that there is something seriously wrong with the driver for that particular game.
> You might think its terrible, but its one of my most favorite games. And if AMD doesn't fix this in their driver, I WILL be trading this for a 580 again, as its unacceptable that I cannot even play my favorite game with a $600 graphics card.
> 
> 
> 
> Love GTA 4 too, just have to expect bad results usually. Hopefully the next driver fixes your issues.
Click to expand...

That's my entire point though. I shouldn't be expecting poor results, as I have been able to max the game out for a while now without a single issue. Ever since my Athlon II x4, which I built in August of 2010 (with an HD4890).

So since August of 2010 till now, I have had ZERO issues maxing the game out at 1080p.

Now with this HD7970, no other changes made to my system...I can't even play the game at all, even at bottomed out settings, due to absolutely horrible stuttering, even though my framerate (reported by FRAPS) is fine.

That is unacceptable if you ask me.


----------



## JedixJarf

Open box 7970 will be in stock in about 10 - 15 mins. I grabbed one yesterday









$421

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127645R

Edit: its up.

Edit 2: its gone now, hope someone on OCN grabbed it.


----------



## JedixJarf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's my entire point though. I shouldn't be expecting poor results, as I have been able to max the game out for a while now without a single issue. Ever since my Athlon II x4, which I built in August of 2010 (with an HD4890).
> So since August of 2010 till now, I have had ZERO issues maxing the game out at 1080p.
> Now with this HD7970, no other changes made to my system...I can't even play the game at all, even at bottomed out settings, due to absolutely horrible stuttering, even though my framerate (reported by FRAPS) is fine.
> That is unacceptable if you ask me.


When your ready to stop being a baby and just sell it let me know


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's my entire point though. I shouldn't be expecting poor results, as I have been able to max the game out for a while now without a single issue. Ever since my Athlon II x4, which I built in August of 2010 (with an HD4890).
> So since August of 2010 till now, I have had ZERO issues maxing the game out at 1080p.
> Now with this HD7970, no other changes made to my system...I can't even play the game at all, even at bottomed out settings, due to absolutely horrible stuttering, even though my framerate (reported by FRAPS) is fine.
> That is unacceptable if you ask me.
> 
> 
> 
> When your ready to stop being a baby and just sell it let me know
Click to expand...

It's just the one game, and I'm giving AMD the benefit of the doubt that they'll fix it with drivers.









And don't you forget I have a banhammer.







Oh wait, you're staff too.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> When your ready to stop being a baby and just sell it let me know


lol
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's just the one game, and I'm giving AMD the benefit of the doubt that they'll fix it with drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And don't you forget I have a banhammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh wait, you're staff too.


You've never ran GTA with two cards or more? It's always run like horse manure, always whether its a green or red card. I love the game but GTA 4 is universally crap.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> When your ready to stop being a baby and just sell it let me know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's just the one game, and I'm giving AMD the benefit of the doubt that they'll fix it with drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And don't you forget I have a banhammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh wait, you're staff too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You've never ran GTA with two cards or more? It's always run like horse manure, always whether its a green or red card. I love the game but GTA 4 is universally crap.
Click to expand...

Nope, I haven't ran two cards since 8800GT's were the hot thing to have. I ran GTX 580 SLI briefly for a weekend, but I never tried GTA IV.

And GTA IV has ran absolutely butter smooth for me, with every part change since I got the Athlon II x4 in August of 2010. Ever since that point on, the game was butter smooth no matter what GPU, RAM, or CPU (so long as it was better than the Athlon II x4 and the HD4890).

With my sig rig and a GTX 580, I kid you not it was 50-60 FPS minimum maxed out at 1080p. Absolutely flawless, not a problem with the game at all (with IceEnhancer 1.25).

Now with the HD7970, the framerate is higher, and my resolution is higher even. That really says something that I get a higher framerate with a higher res....but the stutter drives me insane. It's literally about every second, and it freezes for about a second each time.


----------



## juang1985

i guess no one has problems with sC2?


----------



## Bravo2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol
> You've never ran GTA with two cards or more? It's always run like horse manure, always whether its a green or red card. I love the game but GTA 4 is universally crap.


Sir I ran gta iv on s 4870x2 ran great ,a 6950 2GB both ran ok and lastly a 7970x2 with all the settings on max and man the game flies, 66 fps and smooth are you running a proper paid version of the game with updates. Gta iv hasn't run poorly in awhile. Sorry you had issues because it and the 2 updates are great.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I always found GTAIV to run like crap no matter the setup...


----------



## nifatech2120

Iv'e tried everything i could think of. Iv'e tried the following things in just about every order you can think of:

-Reset CMOS.
-Remove drivers.
-Re-install drivers.
-Change to different drivers.
-Swapped PCIE Lanes.
-Re-seated the video card.
-Ran BIOS defaults.
-Installed chipset drivers from both ASRock and Intel.
-Reformatted // clean install.

And no matter the things i try. If the video card is in my system with catalyst drivers, my system WILL NOT boot up past the 'welcome' screen. It simply will show a black screen, then show a 'ATIgmpk' or w/e BSOD.....

I could RMA in hopes of a for-sure solution. But if anyone has ANY input or ideas that i could try. I'm all ears.

And if any further information helps; Here it is: When i first got my GIGABYTE HD 7950 at around noon yesterday. I installed it like normal, then played a bit of crysis 2 just to test it out. Then i moved onto crysis 1 for about 2-4 minutes. The game then crashed requiring a hard-reset. Since that moment. The HD 7950 WILL NOT boot up when catalyst drivers are installed.. (Iv'e tried 11.12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3. All to no avail)

Also. I apologize for my horrid grammar.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Iv'e tried everything i could think of. Iv'e tried the following things in just about every order you can think of:
> 
> -Reset CMOS.
> -Remove drivers.
> -Re-install drivers.
> -Change to different drivers.
> -Swapped PCIE Lanes.
> -Re-seated the video card.
> -Ran BIOS defaults.
> -Installed chipset drivers from both ASRock and Intel.
> -Reformatted // clean install.
> 
> And no matter the things i try. If the video card is in my system with catalyst drivers, my system WILL NOT boot up past the 'welcome' screen. It simply will show a black screen, then show a 'ATIgmpk' or w/e BSOD.....
> 
> I could RMA in hopes of a for-sure solution. But if anyone has ANY input or ideas that i could try. I'm all ears.
> 
> And if any further information helps; Here it is: When i first got my GIGABYTE HD 7950 at around noon yesterday. I installed it like normal, then played a bit of crysis 2 just to test it out. Then i moved onto crysis 1 for about 2-4 minutes. The game then crashed requiring a hard-reset. Since that moment. The HD 7950 WILL NOT boot up when catalyst drivers are installed.. (Iv'e tried 11.12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3. All to no avail)
> 
> Also. I apologize for my horrid grammar.


I'm sorry to say this, but that sounds like you've got a faulty card honestly. Sounds like as soon as it hits default 3D clocks, it crashes (before drivers are installed you use default 2D clocks). As such, its probably a bad card. I'd try an RMA.


----------



## nifatech2120

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm sorry to say this, but that sounds like you've got a faulty card honestly. Sounds like as soon as it hits default 3D clocks, it crashes (before drivers are installed you use default 2D clocks). As such, its probably a bad card. I'd try an RMA.


Fair enough. I can accept that. But my main question is why would the card function at all then? even for a very short duration?


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> And don't you forget I have a banhammer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh wait, you're staff too.






















































That just cracked me up something chronic. FUNNY!!! Nice to have some humour in this sometimes depressing thread...


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Anyone tried this new driver here ?
If so let me know what you think of it.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Anyone tried this new driver here ?
> If so let me know what you think of it.


Havent tried it yet, I have it downloaded but feeling lazy


----------



## Blech

So I ditched my TWIN FROZR 6950s and got the XFX-7970 BLACK EDITION (still waiting on card #2)
I was a little iffy about running my Eyefinity set with just one; but I am experienceing great FPS with just at the moment.


----------



## wireeater

How do you see with such small screens?! ....

LOL. Very nice. I just set up my Eyefinity up today. Running dual 7950's. I just started playing SWTOR. I can say, I was hoping for more of Mass Effect graphics when I got on there, what a let down.









I had my blinds and windows opened earlier and I heard someone walk by and say "HOLY ****, look at that" and they were looking up here watching me play some BF3 on the Eyefinity (3x24")... LOL.

It made me feel like a huge nerd.


----------



## Blech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> How do you see with such small screens?! ....
> LOL. Very nice. I just set up my Eyefinity up today. Running dual 7950's. I just started playing SWTOR. I can say, I was hoping for more of Mass Effect graphics when I got on there, what a let down.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had my blinds and windows opened earlier and I heard someone walk by and say "HOLY ****, look at that" and they were looking up here watching me play some BF3 on the Eyefinity (3x24")... LOL.
> It made me feel like a huge nerd.


Oh yes! people come over and look at my rigs and trip out. But once they play on one of them they understand the benefit of immersive gaming the Eyefinity setups give.
I agree with you on the SWTOR graphics. I do wish they were a bit better but I do enjoy most other aspects of the game. It's a nice switch from WOW.

Grats on the 7950's those are beauties!!!


----------



## wireeater

I agree about being immersed into the gaming. The way that I have the monitors sit sit exactly to the end of my peripheral range. When I was flying the jet and spinning it on BF3 I started rolling me body as well, LOL.

What size monitors are those, they look massive?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Havent tried it yet, I have it downloaded but feeling lazy


I hope them drivers fix Alan Wake in crossfire . I am not willing to try them until someone else does, because I just installed the drivers im using now , also i'm lazy to .








Btw I think I am going to wait for the 7990 and get that to put with my 2 7970s for some quadfire , instead of another 7970.







If it is only $400-$300 more then a 7970 might as well do quad. Also my board will work @ 16x-8x-8x that way . I will put the 7990 in the 16x slot . If I got 2 more 7970s that would work @ 8x-8x-8x-8x on my motherboard dont want that.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blech*
> 
> So I ditched my TWIN FROZR 6950s and got the XFX-7970 BLACK EDITION (still waiting on card #2)
> I was a little iffy about running my Eyefinity set with just one; but I am experienceing great FPS with just at the moment.


Thats cool dude. I like that.
I thought about doing something like that. I have a aquos 80" in my living room that would be cool with 3 but the res is only 1920x1080 and mind you each aquos is 4.8k dollars so thats a no go for me . I will eventually get 2 more 30" 2560x1600 x 3 like my friend . I had a 1920x1200 screen before my 30" .


----------



## tsm106

3 tv's? You should be on the sofa man, Linus tech tips style, lounging...


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Can anyone with a 7950 chime in and let me know what voltage they are using? Im using 1100 in afterburner, I would like to know how high I can bump the voltage safely.
*or anyone for that matter that knows.


----------



## TheJesus

Sorry in advance for the reverse order of these, I read through to make sure they weren't already answered completely.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nifatech2120*
> 
> Fair enough. I can accept that. But my main question is why would the card function at all then? even for a very short duration?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Just picked up my Asus HD7970 DirectCUII and it's pretty terrible I have to say. I can't get 1200mhz on the core stable, even at 1.3v and I have tried AB, Trixx, GPUTweak and re-installing the drivers properly. Even with AMD's Overdrive in CCC, it won't do 1100 on the core on its own.
> I've disabled everything in the book, including powerplay, max powertune and I've had constant lock-ups in Heaven benchmark - it will crash my PC 2 seconds into running it. This might be the 3rd 7970 I'm going to return tbh.


(these are related, so I'll answer them simultaneously) I had a 7950 that worked completely, until I applied any kind of GPU usage. Try running YouTube (assuming you're using Chrome with GPU utilization), it should crash. Mine usually gave me the lovely GSOD (green/gray screen of death) and a hard lock. RMA is the answer.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Cheers guys - I checked the screws (which are all tight) and the clearances around the card (which are all fine) but it's still running ~20c hotter than my other card and I have absolutely no idea why!
> I'm tempted to pull it apart and check the TIM but I'd have to ask about my warranty first.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Just take the cooler off and reseat it with some new TIM. It is obviously seated poorly.
> Do you have more info on this?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hell yea!


DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT remove the stock cooler and re-apply thermal paste. I have seen others do this and it resulted in higher temps. The only time you should remove the cooler is if instructed by the company or if you are adding a waterblock / non-stock cooler.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> How do you read VRM tempertures ?
> GPU-Z does seem to do it on these cards yet.
> Also anybody care to tell me what is the max safe voltage and how do I overclock past 1125 on the core with MSI afterburner, mine stops at 1125 ?


AIDA64 can monitor just about anything, including VRM.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I'm tempted to completely give up on AMD's 79XX series right now from the luck/crap I'm going through. First one was a poor OC'er and was a bit too hot for my liking, second one was a non-reference from Gigabyte that ran amazing but had a coil whine, and now my 3rd one hasn't even been tested properly. I wonder what my 4th one is going to be...
> Just waiting on the email from the shop from where I bought it from gives me permission to dissemble the card and let me see if there's anything else loose in there as I don't want it to void my warranty and all.


You return cards because they can't overclock well enough for you or have the same issues countless others experience... *sigh*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I had a look at the side of the card and the screws are exactly looking like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could that be the cause of overheating the card? Temps are fine on idle, but I can't even check the load.


Holy crap. Yeah, looks like some shoddy QC/QA.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Blimey! Think I'll check my second card when I get in - hopefully this will explain why one is running nearly 20c hotter than the other!


CrossFire automatically makes the cards run hotter (don't remember why, but I've witnessed this across countless systems). I think you said your bottom one runs hotter than the top one? If so, try switching them.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> CrossFire automatically makes the cards run hotter (don't remember why, but I've witnessed this across countless systems). I think you said your bottom one runs hotter than the top one? If so, try switching them.


I haven't run the cards in crossfire yet dude - this is with just one card installed at a time!


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> I haven't run the cards in crossfire yet dude - this is with just one card installed at a time!


Doh, missed that part. Wait, what is it running hotter than?


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Doh, missed that part. Wait, what is it running hotter than?


Card #1 when overclocked to 1100/1600 with 40% fan (stock volts at 1.175v) tops out at 66c whereas card 2 is hitting 80c at the exact same settings. This is with only one card installed at a time.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Card #1 when overclocked to 1100/1600 with 40% fan (stock volts at 1.175v) tops out at 66c whereas card 2 is hitting 80c at the exact same settings. This is with only one card installed at a time.


Have you compared stock?


----------



## OverClocker55

Me returning my 7950 and getting a GTX 560 ti 2GB, Asus microatx board and a Fractal desgin mini silent microatx case for same price so either crappy 7950 drivers or a boss little mini rig with a great gpu


----------



## 125837

Ok, I've cleared the CMOS, reset default values, installed fresh Windows, installed chipset drivers, all windows updates, and I'm doing the drivers that came on the disc with the card now.

Nope, it's just hanging on a black screen. RMA? I have just waited a whole flipping month for a 580 RMA, if I have to do this one... I haven't gamed in over a month and I am sadface


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Ok, I've cleared the CMOS, reset default values, installed fresh Windows, installed chipset drivers, all windows updates, and I'm doing the drivers that came on the disc with the card now.
> 
> Nope, it's just hanging on a black screen. RMA? I have just waited a whole flipping month for a 580 RMA, if I have to do this one... I haven't gamed in over a month and I am sadface


There are many experience users here will be able to help you analyse if the card is bad and need RMA or not.

It's too easy to suggest "RMA".


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> There are many experience _users_ here will be able to help you analyse if the card is bad and need RMA or not.
> 
> It's too easy to suggest "RMA".


Well I'm going to pull the card out and have a look at it tomorrow (or right now, depending on when I decide to go to bed) and check the contact thing, but that shouldn't be causing boot issues. What else can I check? I'll try the 12.3 drivers but I really don't hold much hope.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> There are many experience _users_ here will be able to help you analyse if the card is bad and need RMA or not.
> 
> It's too easy to suggest "RMA".
> 
> 
> 
> Well I'm going to pull the card out and have a look at it tomorrow (or right now, depending on when I decide to go to bed) and check the contact thing, but that shouldn't be causing boot issues. What else can I check? I'll try the 12.3 drivers but I really don't hold much hope.
Click to expand...

Did you try the drivers I uploaded for you?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Well I'm going to pull the card out and have a look at it tomorrow (or right now, depending on when I decide to go to bed) and check the contact thing, but that shouldn't be causing boot issues. What else can I check? I'll try the 12.3 drivers but I really don't hold much hope.


Have you tested other vcards in your system?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Did you try the drivers I uploaded for you?


Yeah I did mate, same thing.

Penguin I have nothing else to test, but a mate is posting me a GTX295 to use while I sort this out so I can let you know when that arrives.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah I did mate, same thing.
> Penguin I have nothing else to test, but a mate is posting me a GTX295 to use while I sort this out so I can let you know when that arrives.


Have you tried running the card without drivers or perhaps running Linux off a flash drive.
It does sound like the card is the problem, but we can't quite be sure yet.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Have you tried running the card without drivers or perhaps running Linux off a flash drive.
> It does sound like the card is the problem, but we can't quite be sure yet.


The card runs perfectly fine until I install drivers - I can install Windows, muck around on the internet, install chipset drivers etc... but as soon as I install drivers I can no longer boot. It gets to "starting windows" and shows that fine, then either goes to a black screen and hangs, or I get coloured vertical bands and then a BSOD


----------



## Ken1649

Reset CMOS, Load BIOS Optimized Defaults, nothing overclocked.

Turn off UAC then install Catalyst. Do not dump your backup files to the fresh OS install.

1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx

1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx

What error message you got now?

Edit:

Check your card temps using GPU-Z under sensor tab.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Reset CMOS, Load BIOS Optimized Defaults, nothing overclocked.
> 
> Turn off UAC then install Catalyst. Do not dump your backup files to the fresh OS install.
> 
> 1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx
> 1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
> 
> What error message you got now?
> 
> _Edit:_
> 
> _Check your card temps using GPU-Z under sensor tab._


I did that already, that is what I did tonight. I haven't been getting error messages, unless you mean the BSOD code.

I'll check card temps now but it runs fine until I install the driver...

Just tried 12.3, failure again. Downloading the one from that link but I am fairly sure I tried it already.


----------



## Ken1649

Try the second PCIe slot. Make sure all the PCIe power cable (6-Pin and 8-Pin) from PSU to the card firmly inserted.

Remove the sound card.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Try the second PCIe slot. Make sure all the PCIe power cable (6-Pin and 8-Pin) from PSU to the card firmly inserted.
> 
> Remove the sound card.


Righto I'll have a try - the second slot is only x8 though, will that impact this card? I'll have to do that in the morning


----------



## eikei

Does anybody have a 7970 card with blue pcb? My friend has got HIS 7970 H797F3G2M: http://piccy.info/view3/2699535/85fb436a738a29e5d752b0dbbca34fb2/ As you can see, it also has no backplate. There is a promlem with this card - hwmonitor and AIDA cannot read data from VRM temp sensors. Or these sensors are broken: http://piccy.info/view3/2700137/accccf8db17a43dde38f9c805ea4cc43/


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Have you compared stock?


Yeah, at stock with standard fan profile card #1 hit 69c during Heaven Benchmark and card #2 hit 78c.


----------



## eikei

*Smo* quality of a contact surface of the stock cooler is very different on each sample. It is often very bad. That's why temps may be so different.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eikei*
> 
> *Smo* quality of a contact surface of the stock cooler is very different on each sample. It is often very bad. That's why temps may be so different.


I did wonder mate, especially considering the difference is as large as this. If MSI are OK with me replacing the TIM then I'll most likely go for it with MX-4. I know it was recommended previously that I don't - but I can't see it being any worse to be completely honest.

In the mean time, here are some photos of my new cards;




























Updating my build log as we speak.


----------



## wireeater

They look like two sexy Ferrari's parked next to each other.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> I did wonder mate, especially considering the difference is as large as this. If MSI are OK with me replacing the TIM then I'll most likely go for it with MX-4. I know it was recommended previously that I don't - but I can't see it being any worse to be completely honest.


youll be fine with putting new thermal paste on as long as its non conductive. a while back, i was told by Svet on the MSI forum that as long as you dont damage anything, your warranty will be intact. he also said, then if you have to send it in, to make sure you \let the CS person know that you have changed the thermal paste. its just to cya if they have to take the card apart. as for aftermarket air coolers/waterblocks. i never got around to asking him about the warranty on that. i assume its still good as long as you didnt damage anything.

ive been using msi cards for years and i always change the thermal paste on them. the ones that i did have to RMA were never rejected.


----------



## wireeater

What type of paste do you use?

Can you use a CPU thermal compound or does it have to be different?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> What type of paste do you use?
> Can you use a CPU thermal compound or does it have to be different?


You can use the same as you use for the cpu. I do and it's always been fine.


----------



## firestorm1

any thermal paste thats non conductive will work. the 2 i use on a regular basis are arctic cooling mx-4 and prolimatech pk-1.


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Righto I'll have a try - the second slot is only x8 though, will that impact this card? I'll have to do that in the morning


The loss of bandwidth dropping from 16x to 8x is like 1%.

Unless you're going eyefinity, at which point there is a larger hit to performance. But even then I don't think it's massive. (high res single monitor - there's minimal change)


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> The loss of bandwidth dropping from 16x to 8x is like 1%.
> Unless you're going eyefinity, at which point there is a larger hit to performance, but even then I don't think it's massive.


You won't notice a difference on any of today's cards in my experience and reading.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT remove the stock cooler and re-apply thermal paste. I have seen others do this and it resulted in higher temps. The only time you should remove the cooler is if instructed by the company or if you are adding a waterblock / non-stock cooler.


Get a grip. If ever there was a time to reseat the card, it would be now. How's it going to get worse than this lol?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> I had a look at the side of the card and the screws are exactly looking like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could that be the cause of overheating the card? Temps are fine on idle, but I can't even check the load.


----------



## wireeater

I just removed both coolers on the Sapphire and XFX and was highly disappointed of how the thermal paste was applied, so taking them off CAN be a good thing. I just added some CoolerMaster paste and already see a difference before it's burnt it... My card is running 6-8C cooler now at full load.

However, these stock coolers are pathetic! No wonder these cards are running 70-80C.


----------



## firestorm1

when i took mine off there was more thermal paste on the resistors than on the gpu.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> when i took mine off there was more thermal paste on the resistors than on the gpu.


I picture them using a big caulking gun filled with paste, squeeze squeeze, oops too much oh well, next!


----------



## firestorm1

yea no kidding. too much is just as bad as not having enough lol.


----------



## Ruined

Asus bios that unlocks Vcore and V mem. Extends CCC to 2000/2000, I feel like it disables OCP as well but that just might be my imagination. I'm sure this bios has floated through here before, but if you missed it check it out. FOR 7970 ref only, unless your willing to try a non ref







WARNING 2D CLOCKS DO NOT WORK. http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html enjoy


----------



## CyberDeath

My X6 and lightly OC GTX590 (635/3550)
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2081861

My X6 and max OC on Air 7970 (1200/7000) but my waterblock is coming
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2886260

This card is amazing. Im glad I bought it.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

How do I prevent my clocks from dropping and staying locked at these low settings or is it fine? I remember seeing it in here somewhere, I just cant find it.

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2887149;jsessionid=ydmb2vx87eo1kr6grvzgukv0


----------



## OverClocker55

Ok I have tried 12.2 and 12.3. Each time I driver sweep and everthing. Still it lags on MW3,Black Ops and BF3. Will dip to about 19fps some times at random points. Also there are somtimes like black lines and streaks across my monitor while the map is loading and while im playing. This is really anoying me Anyone know whats wrong? What other drivers should I try?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Asus bios that unlocks Vcore and V mem. Extends CCC to 2000/2000, I feel like it disables OCP as well but that just might be my imagination. I'm sure this bios has floated through here before, but if you missed it check it out. FOR 7970 ref only, unless your willing to try a non ref
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WARNING 2D CLOCKS DO NOT WORK. http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html enjoy


Doubt it disables OCP, Thought that was applied on a hardware level?


----------



## tsm106

Yep OCP is in hardware, only way around it atm is voltage modding or spending a lot of cash on a x79 ROG board and DCII.

VGA hotwire ftw.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx
> 1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


Are those two files not exactly the same Ken?


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I just removed both coolers on the Sapphire and XFX and was highly disappointed of how the thermal paste was applied, so taking them off CAN be a good thing. I just added some CoolerMaster paste and already see a difference before it's burnt it... My card is running 6-8C cooler now at full load.
> However, these stock coolers are pathetic! No wonder these cards are running 70-80C.


wait, so i should replace the TIM even though AMD said not to?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 1/09/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/radeon-7900-series.aspx
> 1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
> 
> 
> 
> Are those two files not exactly the same Ken?
Click to expand...

They are not the same. The first release is dated 1/09/2012.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> How do I prevent my clocks from dropping and staying locked at these low settings or is it fine? I remember seeing it in here somewhere, I just cant find it.
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2887149;jsessionid=ydmb2vx87eo1kr6grvzgukv0


You can safely ignore that. It's just reading your clocks while you are idle.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Ok I have tried 12.2 and 12.3. Each time I driver sweep and everthing. Still it lags on MW3,Black Ops and BF3. Will dip to about 19fps some times at random points. Also there are somtimes like black lines and streaks across my monitor while the map is loading and while im playing. This is really anoying me Anyone know whats wrong? What other drivers should I try?


Not getting any artifacts in black ops or bf3, and no lag in bf3 but still some stuttering with BO, can't speak for MW3, with these drivers http://www.overclock.net/t/1223540/amd-catalyst-12-x-8-96-february-28


----------



## Sir_Gawain

thanks, thought it may have been that but I thought I read people were getting clocks stuck at idle settings?


----------



## pfunkmort

@overclocker55, what AA do you have it set to (both in CCC and in those specific games)?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> wait, so i should replace the TIM even though AMD said not to?


With reference coolers I strongly recommend you *don't* do that.
The paste they use on it is pretty decent...
Also, chances are you would ruin the thermal pads that go on the VRMs.

So please... if you plan to stick to reference cooling, don't change the stock thermal paste.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> @overclocker55, what AA do you have it set to (both in CCC and in those specific games)?


off


----------



## 125837

I've got it in the x8 slot and I'm installing 12.3 now. Here's hoping!

Works. Time to punch something and myself for not trying that sooner. Mobo RMA time?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I've got it in the x8 slot and I'm installing 12.3 now. Here's hoping!
> 
> Works. Time to punch something and myself for not trying that sooner. Mobo RMA time?


Yep, either bad PCIe slot or it's dirty not providing good contact.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Yep, either bad PCIe slot or it's dirty not providing good contact.


I just replaced all the expansion slot covers and moved my sound card down to the second PCIex1 slot so it wasn't so close to the cooler. Stopped working.









Well crap, it works when the PCIe covers either side of it are removed. WHY WAS IT SO SIMPLE. ARGH.

I'll just keep it in the x8, otherwise my sound card will be close to the HSF again and it'll touch the card backplate.

EDIT: It was working, so I shut down, went into the BIOS and set my RAM frequency and timings, then booted again. Got into Windows for about 10 secs, then the screen flashed and now I just have vertical blue lines


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Yep, either bad PCIe slot or it's dirty not providing good contact.
> 
> 
> 
> I just replaced all the expansion slot covers and moved my sound card down to the second PCIex1 slot so it wasn't so close to the cooler. Stopped working.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well crap, it works when the PCIe covers either side of it are removed. WHY WAS IT SO SIMPLE. ARGH.
> 
> I'll just keep it in the x8, otherwise my sound card will be close to the HSF again and it'll touch the card backplate.
Click to expand...

Now I doubt your first PCIe slot is faulty. The card needs at least PCIe lanes @x4 to operate. If you put your sound card close to or on top of first PCIe slot will share the PCIe lanes.

Check your manual for PCIe BIOS settings and allocation.

Remove your sound card during troubleshooting.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Now I doubt your first PCIe slot is faulty. The card needs at least PCIe lanes @x4 to operate. If you put your sound card close to or on top of first PCIe slot will share the PCIe lanes.
> 
> Check your manual for PCIe BIOS settings and allocation.


The GPU isn't close to the sound card now. After the first boot with the lines it's booted twice without incident.

EDIT: Ok, so I've installed my sound card drivers, mouse driver and updated firmware, installed MSE, and installed MSI Afterburner. Nothing else is on the system except for the files on my storage drive and Firefox. It's working ok, however I was adjusting fan speed in Afterburner (to 55%) and it suddenly gave me the vertical blue lines again.

It was running at 36C idle on stock fan (10%).

Just got them again while MSE was updating. Should I try rolling back to 12.2? I'm on 12.3 right now


----------



## atluu

So I have a deadline to build my PC tomorrow March 4th. Currently I'm interested in the 7950, but I'm not sure which one to get. I was thinking of buying the asus DCII, but i heard there is a problem. So I'm confused to which one to buy now, could you guys please help me?


----------



## wireeater

I have the XFX and Sapphire reference card which were in the $440-$460 range. They run great but they do get hot.


----------



## atluu

I'm not sure if XFX make good cards, but I know sapphire does, but its out of stock D:


----------



## 125837

Card seems to be functioning well now, although I went from 10% to 50% fan and it only dropped 2C in idle (and didn't drop at all going from 50 to 100%). I've checked the contact though, it looks to be fine. Haven't put it under load yet, installing BF3 now and it hasn't given me the display issue.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *atluu*
> 
> I'm not sure if XFX make good cards, but I know sapphire does, but its out of stock D:


Xfx has a lifetime warranty though, which is why I went with them. And same as above I found it to run a bit hot when overclocked. This is with the xfx 7950 core edition.


----------



## atluu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Xfx has a lifetime warranty though, which is why I went with them. And same as above I found it to run a bit hot when overclocked. This is with the xfx 7950 core edition.


Yeah, they have great warranty, but I was referring to performance wise.


----------



## pfunkmort

MSI TF, imo, if you're getting a 7950







. But let's assume that's not in stock -_-. The gigabyte card is in stock at tigerdirect. As is the sapphire non-reference. Either of those will be good. I've heard the gigabyte is almost silent, for what it's worth, but I've also seen a picture of one with some hefty PCB warpage. So, idk. pick your poison.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> The GPU isn't close to the sound card now. After the first boot with the lines it's booted twice without incident.
> EDIT: Ok, so I've installed my sound card drivers, mouse driver and updated firmware, installed MSE, and installed MSI Afterburner. Nothing else is on the system except for the files on my storage drive and Firefox. It's working ok, however I was adjusting fan speed in Afterburner (to 55%) and it suddenly gave me the vertical blue lines again.
> It was running at 36C idle on stock fan (10%).
> Just got them again while MSE was updating. Should I try rolling back to 12.2? I'm on 12.3 right now


I haven't had as much success as others on 12.2 or 12.3. RC11 on the other hand has been solid for me. Though I do miss the fancy new eyefinity features like the centered screen. 12.3 was especially troublesome in that my slave cards did not go into low power mode when idle. Viva la RC11.


----------



## atluu

thanks, I have a gift card to newegg so I can only buy from them.







so no go on the asus dcII


----------



## wireeater

Ok. So I was just doing a burn in test with FurMark and when I turned on the office light I noticed a constant light flicker. I never had seen it do this before... I was thinking... nah, can't be.. so I went ahead and shut down FurMark and it stopped. I LOL'ed... started FurMark back up and it was pulsating again. Only in a geeks house will you see lights dim due to a computer. The funny thing is when my coworker seen the size of my cards when I got them in told me he'd know when I was turning on my PC because the grid would dim here... I guess he wasn't far off.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Ok. So I was just doing a burn in test with FurMark and when I turned on the office light I noticed a constant light flicker. I never had seen it do this before... I was thinking... nah, can't be.. so I went ahead and shut down FurMark and it stopped. I LOL'ed... started FurMark back up and it was pulsating again. Only in a geeks house will you see lights dim due to a computer. The funny thing is when my coworker seen the size of my cards when I got them in told me he'd know when I was turning on my PC because the grid would dim here... I guess he wasn't far off.


You should move the pc to a less utilized circuit, you are probably asking for a brownout.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I haven't had as much success as others on 12.2 or 12.3. RC11 on the other hand has been solid for me. Though I do miss the fancy new eyefinity features like the centered screen. 12.3 was especially troublesome in that my slave cards did not go into low power mode when idle. Viva la RC11.


Seems to be fine on 12.2, after all the artifacting and stuff it's turned up ok and I've been installing BF3 and dling the 4GB patch for the last 2 or 3 hours. I'll see how it goes in game at about 9 tonight (it's 3... yay internet lol)

And... literally as I hit submit, it does it again. Rollback to 11.12 I spose :/


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should move the pc to a less utilized circuit, you are probably asking for a brownout.


Can't, I am in an apartment and this is the only spot I can put it. It's a built in desk area in the "sunroom" (Didn't go with a patio). 3 monitors, and PC is the only thing plugged in ATM and a fan. Ah well, we'll see.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Can't, I am in an apartment and this is the only spot I can put it. It's a built in desk area in the "sunroom" (Didn't go with a patio). 3 monitors, and PC is the only thing plugged in ATM and a fan. Ah well, we'll see.


Try and get a power conditioner, it will help protect against a brownout.


----------



## 125837

I just don't know what to do with this card, I finally got it working with drivers and now I just randomly get nice blue and white lines, or just a solid "windows blue" screen. I've tried 12.3 and 12.2 and I'm going to try 11.12, but I'm not sure that'll help anything.


----------



## demineon

i was haveing the same problem with the random blue screens untill i found you guyz talking about it i downloaded the drivers that guy posted up and uninstalled my old ones and did a driversweep also
after i installed the 11.12 i havn't seen it happen to me since


----------



## k98lemur

Hey guys, this is my first AMD card since the ATI 9800Pro. When I play games I sometimes get flashes of black triangles. Is that just driver issues that will get ironed out eventually?


----------



## 125837

Well I've tried everything I can think of, it's still happening on the 11.12 drivers. I'm going to RMA and wait for Kepler, I really regret going back to AMD after my last experience with them (crossfire 6870s, had terrible trouble with them)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Well I've tried everything I can think of, it's still happening on the 11.12 drivers. I'm going to RMA and wait for Kepler, I really regret going back to AMD after my last experience with them (crossfire 6870s, had terrible trouble with them)


If rc11 didn't work for you it's probably like you suspected, hardware. The only thing though is that Asus really sucks right now. They've got a lot of issues with DCII cards and some x79 boards. I've got 3 DCII's on order to swap with my 3 ref visionteks, but I'm starting to doubt it with all the crap thats going on with their cards. I'll probably end up switching to 3 different branded ref cards instead of the DCIIs. _Any problems with a DCII is entirely on Asus imo since it's their design, not AMDs._


----------



## 125837

Regardless, I've requested in my RMA that I be credited if it's possible. A mate has a 295 I can borrow, and I'll wait and see what Kepler brings. If the 7970 is still the king then, I will go back to it, albeit a reference card, because by that time I'll know the drivers should be ironed out pretty well.


----------



## Denim-187

i recommend the RC11 driver. Don't use anything else until 12.3 WHQL.


----------



## hollowxx

i have a question i have flashed the bios that was posted on this thread at the first page, and now i see the ASUS BIOS from the picture from one of the guys here have 1.4v and mi ref card sapphire 7970 can only go 1.3v but with the VDROP ****.... do around 1.25 1.27 max and i wann know if the asus bios let u get more voltage for the card?? any help around here <<<< pretty noob with flashing bios too =) ty


----------



## DB006

The ref 7970's are locked to a max of 1.3vno matter what bios it has. The only way to get higher would be to physically alter the board.
That's not vdrop you're talking about, it's the card using, out of a maximum of 1.3v what it needs.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> The ref 7970's are locked to a max of 1.3vno matter what bios it has. The only way to get higher would be to physically alter the board.
> That's not vdrop you're talking about, it's the card using, out of a maximum of 1.3v what it needs.


The card is limited to .125v over true voltage with a maximum of 1.3v. Depending on you asic, you might max out at 1.175, ouch. Also it's impossible to hit 1.3v maximum due to vdroop.


----------



## Ruined

Helped me with vdroop and vmem a bit, don't go over 1.3v or your original fail point it will fail unless you are subzero or at least watercooled. These are my results I am on reference cooling, flash at your own risk.


----------



## hollowxx

ok so how i flash the asus one?


----------



## Gluon

Anyone able to get a healthy clock on XFX BE's? I can set the voltage to 1300mV in trixx (reads ~1.25 in GPU-Z), but these things dont clock worth a damn over the factory settings for me. Meanwhile everyone else gets 1200 on the core







They arent running hot either, full slot in between them. They work great stock though, no issues with eyefinity.


----------



## Ruined

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/2440 first post on this page. Format a usb to dos directing it to the tools folder found here and use file system FAT32. Rename the bios to something easy to remember boot into the usb type in the command wait for it to finish do not do anything, if all goes well eventually it will say restart system to finish flash. Remember to have the bios switch on the card on bios 1 as only it can be flashed bios 2 is your original locked bios if anything goes wrong


----------



## OverClocker55

My Bf3 audio stopped working. dang amd


----------



## vedaire

man I wish swiftech would get the 7970 komodos out Im waiting to order 2 of them.


----------



## Gluon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vedaire*
> 
> man I wish swiftech would get the 7970 komodos out Im waiting to order 2 of them.


Same, they look so nice. Hard holding out for them when I could just strap some EK's to the cards.


----------



## pfunkmort

does the sound have anything to do with amd?


----------



## Smo

Stabilised my clocks at 1200MHz core @ 1.25v, 1600MHz memory @ stock with 60% custom fan profile. Card #1 tops at 67c and card #2 tops at 70c.

I could push more memory I think, but this is working well for me at the moment. Considering the jump to an i7 though;










*Edit:* Forgot to mention - this is with my 2500k overclocked to 4.8GHz, not 4.7GHz (a small difference, I know







).


----------



## atluu

So I have a deadline tonight to order my GPU, I'm not sure if its worth $100 more for the 7970 or to just stick with the 7950. I need to buy a GPU tonight, but I'm not sure which card AND which brand, to get. Please help, I need a brand thats in STOCK at newegg currently.


----------



## El_Capitan

Finally got my stable overclocks. MSI reference HD 7970 is completely stable at 1300MHz Core Clock and 1780MHz Memory Clock at 1.3V's. It's watercooled, of course. I have been able to complete some benchmarks at 1305MHz and 1315MHz Core Clock.

3DMark 11 scores: P10735 and X3711

Unigine Heaven 2.1 Benchmark:


----------



## Snowsurfer

I'd go with the HIS, the PowerColor is not a reference card and seems to have problems.


----------



## wirefox

I have my 7970 -- 1175 | 1800 1.237 .... on high BF3 typically well over 70 fps ...

is my cpu doging me at all?

e.g. this is from a 64 person map ... .

while my monitor is big ... ..I just feel like I'm always losing the battle?

Edit: Spike is from going to windowed mode... CPU close to 95-99% at 4.4 ...


----------



## atluu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snowsurfer*
> 
> I'd go with the HIS, the PowerColor is not a reference card and seems to have problems.


How do you feel about the XFX cards (7950)


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have my 7970 -- 1175 | 1800 1.237 .... on high BF3 typically well over 70 fps ...
> is my cpu doging me at all?
> e.g. this is from a 64 person map ... .
> while my monitor is big ... ..I just feel like I'm always losing the battle?
> Edit: Spike is from going to windowed mode... CPU close to 95-99% at 4.4 ...


What program is that for monitor in game?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *atluu*
> 
> How do you feel about the XFX cards (7950)


Ive got my xfx 7950 stable @ 1050/1500 with 1.1vcore.
Not too shabby, I will bump the vcore a bit more and push it higher tomorrow.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Ive got my xfx 7950 stable @ 1050/1500 with 1.1vcore.
> Not too shabby, I will bump the vcore a bit more and push it higher tomorrow.


What XFX card do you have?


----------



## atluu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> What XFX card do you have?


^^ I would like to know the same, please link your card via newegg please.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> What XFX card do you have?


Just the basic Core 7950.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150590


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Just the basic Core 7950.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150590


I have the same one. I run it under my Sapphire (basic). What kind of temps are you getting?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *El_Capitan*
> 
> Finally got my stable overclocks. MSI reference HD 7970 is completely stable at 1300MHz Core Clock and 1780MHz Memory Clock at 1.3V's. It's watercooled, of course. I have been able to complete some benchmarks at 1305MHz and 1315MHz Core Clock.
> 3DMark 11 scores: P10735 and X3711
> Unigine Heaven 2.1 Benchmark:


Damn I have my 2700K @ 4.8Ghz with only 1.35v 15 hour prime stable


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I have the same one. I run it under my Sapphire (basic). What kind of temps are you getting?


Max temp after playing BF3 for hours was 77, Idle I sit at 38-40. According to MSI Afterburner.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Max temp after playing BF3 for hours was 77, Idle I sit at 38-40. According to MSI Afterburner.


That's not bad. You almost have the same PC set up as I do.

Bottom card is idling at 39 top at 49. It seems like the XFX heats up quicker than the Sapphire though. I have it on a fan profile other wise it would easily get into the 80s.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> That's not bad. You almost have the same PC set up as I do.
> Bottom card is idling at 39 top at 49. It seems like the XFX heats up quicker than the Sapphire though. I have it on a fan profile other wise it would easily get into the 80s.


Yeah I use 70% fan speed. And that seems to keep it out of the 80s.
When I had it on 50% it got to 84!

I wanted to get the xfx DD double fan model but it wasnt coming in stock fast enough.


----------



## wireeater

I'm taking it these cards just run that hot and it's OK because it seems everyone running basic air cooling is getting these temps underload.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I'm taking it these cards just run that hot and it's OK because it seems everyone running basic air cooling is getting these temps underload.


It's not that hot if you consider this is high end territory and everything runs hot. Think about the amount of power on tap and it makes sense.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

And with a lifetime warranty Im not worrying about it too much.


----------



## El_Capitan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Damn I have my 2700K @ 4.8Ghz with only 1.35v 15 hour prime stable


Yeah, it was originally stable at 4.9GHz at 1.42V's but I've found that the more you replace the SB CPU's, they're never as stable at lower voltages. Even with systems with the exact same setup (motherboard, memory, and PSU). Not sure what it is. I do have a 2600K stable at 4.7GHz at 1.35V's. It does take a few more voltages with 16GB memory, and more so at higher memory speeds, too.


----------



## wireeater

I just capped BF3 at 60FPS with MSI Burner and temps stayed in 60C at load.


----------



## atluu

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652

Should I just get the MSI 7970? All the 7950 that are actually good are out of stock, and so are the 7970..


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *El_Capitan*
> 
> Yeah, it was originally stable at 4.9GHz at 1.42V's but I've found that the more you replace the SB CPU's, they're never as stable at lower voltages. Even with systems with the exact same setup (motherboard, memory, and PSU). Not sure what it is. I do have a 2600K stable at 4.7GHz at 1.35V's. It does take a few more voltages with 16GB memory, and more so at higher memory speeds, too.


Not trying to get of topic but yeah i can do 5ghz @ 1.38v or so , but that is just more heat and really no more gains in anything from 4.8ghz . Last post about cpus.


----------



## El_Capitan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Not trying to get of topic but yeah i can do 5ghz @ 1.38v or so , but that is just more heat and really no more gains in anything from 4.8ghz . Last post about cpus.


That's one golden overclocker!









Ok, no more CPU talk. More 7970/7950 goodness!


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> What program is that for monitor in game?


it's an in game within BF3

go into BF3 console ~ render.perfoverlayvisible 1

supposed to show cpu/.gpu usuage.. .just feel mine is funky b/c it's mostly red and the nubmers are low... ?


----------



## Heru-Ur

Proud owner of a shiny new Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 Windforce 3. Havnt pushed the OC yet past the 900/1250 it comes at, mainly because its crushing everything i throw at it already


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> I did wonder mate, especially considering the difference is as large as this. If MSI are OK with me replacing the TIM then I'll most likely go for it with MX-4. I know it was recommended previously that I don't - but I can't see it being any worse to be completely honest.
> In the mean time, here are some photos of my new cards;
> ...
> Updating my build log as we speak.


Just emailed MSI about the warranty on a 7970 a week or two ago. They said the warranty will only void if you cause damage when removing and replacing the stock cooler.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Just emailed MSI about the warranty on a 7970 a week or two ago. They said the warranty will only void if you cause damage when removing and replacing the stock cooler.


Also, if yer in the US, they can't legally void the warranty just because you change the cooler, only if you damage it. Some companies like to threaten you to prevent alterations, but they can't legally prevent you from doing it, much like Ford cannot void your warranty cuz you changed the Explorers tires to Goodyears instead of those fatal Firestones, lol.


----------



## disintegratorx

I'm becomming even happier and happier with my pick up of this card. After a few days of having it now, I keep noticing how amazingly better that things look over the previous generation of ATI cards. Performance too, everything. Thank goodness for MSI Afterburner and the custom fan profiles. I came to realize that this was the answer to save my card from overheating and keep it nice and cool for the long haul. One thing I would recommend to people just getting one is to set up a fan profile in an aftermarket program like MSI's Afterburner or another one that does this. That's invaluable for the operation of the card is to keep it as cool as you can and are comfortable with the fan speed going up to. One more thing that I would recommend for people to watch out for is your GPU temps. I would try to make sure that the GPU never goes over 85* C. The card just gets way too hot after that and I think its not a good or safe idea to accept anything over that temperature for continual operation of any kind. Just some tips for you who are newer to owning a high end graphics solution like this and as far as I'm going with my 7970, I couldn't be happier. This thing rocks...


----------



## bluefire808

My asus 7970 dcu II goes black under any load and i have to force restart my pc. I sae some mentions of it in a few posts but no sure thing solution. I would greatly apreciate some help my friends. Thanks!


----------



## Agenesis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluefire808*
> 
> My asus 7970 dcu II goes black under any load and i have to force restart my pc. I sae some mentions of it in a few posts but no sure thing solution. I would greatly apreciate some help my friends. Thanks!


Check the gpu / vrm temps.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluefire808*
> 
> My asus 7970 dcu II goes black under any load and i have to force restart my pc. I sae some mentions of it in a few posts but no sure thing solution. I would greatly apreciate some help my friends. Thanks!


First check the card to ensure the cooler is properly installed, sounds crazy but just do it. What driver are you on, overclocked or stock? Stay stock, no afterburner funny business till you get it sorted.


----------



## bluefire808

Downloaded 12.3 pre from amd's site. Latest driver. I have not overclocked my GPU. I dont have afterburner or asus gpu tweak. My cpu idle is around 30c amd thr VRM's i think was called the power tempture under ASUS GPU tweak ? Well it idled at 60c and i saw it pop up to mid 80's when i had a little furmark work befor it crashed. Nohig besides fumark works at all after it loads.. can i check the cooler to see if its mounted properly without voiding the warrenty? I wouldnt have to take the heat sink off, just the fans and shroud to see if its making good contact? The GPU temps never pass 70c


----------



## bluefire808

Downloaded 12.3 pre from amd's site. Latest driver. I have not overclocked my GPU. I dont have afterburner or asus gpu tweak. My cpu idle is around 30c amd thr VRM's i think was called the power tempture under ASUS GPU tweak ? Well it idled at 60c and i saw it pop up to mid 80's when i had a little furmark work befor it crashed. Nohig besides fumark works at all after it loads.. can i check the cooler to see if its mounted properly without voiding the warrenty? I wouldnt have to take the heat sink off, just the fans and shroud to see if its making good contact? The GPU temps never pass 70c


----------



## eikei

One more interesting post about manufacturing quality of the reference heatsink







:

http://forums.overclockers.ru/viewtopic.php?p=9415875#p9415875

This is a HIS 7970 H797F3G2M. How can a $550 card be made so disgusting?! Yet the *oracool*'s card itself is pretty good at overclocking and after "repairing" the heatsink shows good temps under load. Also have a look at pcb. It is blue, it was made just two weeks ago, and it has no vrm temp sensors. Is it a new revision of reference pcb or just HIS's own "improvement"?


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluefire808*
> 
> Downloaded 12.3 pre from amd's site. Latest driver. I have not overclocked my GPU. I dont have afterburner or asus gpu tweak. My cpu idle is around 30c amd thr VRM's i think was called the power tempture under ASUS GPU tweak ? Well it idled at 60c and i saw it pop up to mid 80's when i had a little furmark work befor it crashed. Nohig besides fumark works at all after it loads.. can i check the cooler to see if its mounted properly without voiding the warrenty? I wouldnt have to take the heat sink off, just the fans and shroud to see if its making good contact? The GPU temps never pass 70c


link for 12.3?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eikei*
> 
> One more interesting post about manufacturing quality of the reference heatsink
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :
> http://forums.overclockers.ru/viewtopic.php?p=9415875#p9415875
> This is a HIS 7970 H797F3G2M. How can a $550 card be made so disgusting?! Yet the *oracool*'s card itself is pretty good at overclocking and after "repairing" the heatsink shows good temps under load. Also have a look at pcb. It is blue, it was made just two weeks ago, and it has no vrm temp sensors. Is it a new revision of reference pcb or just HIS's own "improvement"?


Negatively interesting pal, unfortunately. Fortunately, my Giga Wind 7950 gives me extremely good temps and almost completely silent. For first time I'm 100% satisfied about the temps/noise behavior.

By the way, did you find anything about those black lines/triangles? Yesterday I disabled Overdrive in CCC and haven't seen them again, but they're rare anyway and probably they'll re-appear later, unless Overdrive is the total culprit.

If I'll see 'em again, I'll revert the clocks of my card from 900Mhz to default to see, 'cause I was getting similar artifacts with my ex-Nvidia when I was overclocking above its limits. I truly hope it's not the case now.


----------



## bluefire808

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> link for 12.3?


www.amd.com i would give you a direct link there but you have to click on support and drivers and choose your windows version and 32 or 64bit. ithe support tab is on the top right of there sight. good luck!


----------



## Hambone07si

Every time I search for drivers, all I find is the 12.2 one. How do you find the 12.3 on AMD's site?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Every time I search for drivers, all I find is the 12.2 one. How do you find the 12.3 on AMD's site?


2/14/2012 http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2858

2/28/2012 http://www.guru3d.com/news/amd-catalyst-12x--896-february-28/


----------



## JedixJarf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eikei*
> 
> One more interesting post about manufacturing quality of the reference heatsink
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :
> http://forums.overclockers.ru/viewtopic.php?p=9415875#p9415875
> This is a HIS 7970 H797F3G2M. How can a $550 card be made so disgusting?! Yet the *oracool*'s card itself is pretty good at overclocking and after "repairing" the heatsink shows good temps under load. Also have a look at pcb. It is blue, it was made just two weeks ago, and it has no vrm temp sensors. Is it a new revision of reference pcb or just HIS's own "improvement"?


Wow that is nasty.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Every time I search for drivers, all I find is the 12.2 one. How do you find the 12.3 on AMD's site?


http://downloads.guru3d.com/AMD-Catalyst-12.x--8.96-February-28-download-2867.html


----------



## JanFrode

Hello there everyone..

Good to see I'm not the only one with problems I guess?









I think my XFX Radeon 7950 DD might have some issues.
It sometimes hard locks on me. Not really funny when playing BF3 I might add








But the best thing was yesterday when I was playing World of Warcraft. Only doing Guild Management stuff.. So I think the core activity was maybe 50ish %. The Core temperature hit 95 Degrees.. Celsius. I'm running stock core/memory speeds.

My case is an Corsair Obsidian 700D. only with stock fans.. I know.. not really an superb Airflow case, but I still think 95 Degrees sounds brutal, in "normal" temperature room.

I was running 12.2 Drivers with 12.2 Cap Profile I think..

Any thoughts?


----------



## Gluon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JanFrode*
> 
> Hello there everyone..
> Good to see I'm not the only one with problems I guess?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think my XFX Radeon 7950 DD might have some issues.
> It sometimes hard locks on me. Not really funny when playing BF3 I might add
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But the best thing was yesterday when I was playing World of Warcraft. Only doing Guild Management stuff.. So I think the core activity was maybe 50ish %. The Core temperature hit 95 Degrees.. Celsius. I'm running stock core/memory speeds.
> My case is an Corsair Obsidian 700D. only with stock fans.. I know.. not really an superb Airflow case, but I still think 95 Degrees sounds brutal, in "normal" temperature room.
> I was running 12.2 Drivers with 12.2 Cap Profile I think..
> Any thoughts?


I dont have the DD, I have the reference cooler 7970 BE and while I have never seen 95c I do see 85c regularly. I was tempted to swap the TIM but my search results were that the difference is negligible on these cards. I was waiting for the Swiftech block to be released but I may have to just go with EK if they dont hurry up.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Yesterday I disabled Overdrive in CCC and haven't seen them again


Very interesting.
I disable CCC altogether and it seems to improve stability. When playing skyrim I would hardlock, after disabling ccc the game runs fine.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Very interesting.
> I disable CCC altogether and it seems to improve stability. When playing skyrim I would hardlock, after disabling ccc the game runs fine.


When I am dead set on using AB, it means reinstall of the driver and never enabling or even entering Overdrive. Btw, what code do you get from the hardlock?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When I am dead set on using AB, it means reinstall of the driver and never enabling or even entering Overdrive. Btw, what code do you get from the hardlock?


Maybe hardlock isnt the way to describe it. Never got a code.
But the game would just freeze, however I could ctrl+alt+del and end the process.
Thats a good idea of not enabling or even entering overdrive. Maybe even installing the driver but not ccc.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Maybe hardlock isnt the way to describe it. Never got a code.
> But the game would just freeze, however I could ctrl+alt+del and end the process.


Ah, I'm pretty sure that's you're driver crashing, ie. your card softcrashed and CCC recovered and reloaded your clocks. If you play another game or push it again, it will hardlock that time. If you kill CCC, your card won't softcrash, it will just go until it hardlocks.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Look http://m.tweaktown.com/reviews/4595/amd_radeon_hd_7870_2gb_reference_video_card_review/index.html
almost beats a gtx580 at stock im sure if you overclock this thing it will fly for just $350 not to bad huh. It's the hd 7870


----------



## tsm106

I look into my crystal ball and see an immediate price correction on gtx580s!


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JanFrode*
> 
> Hello there everyone..
> Good to see I'm not the only one with problems I guess?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think my XFX Radeon 7950 DD might have some issues.
> It sometimes hard locks on me. Not really funny when playing BF3 I might add
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But the best thing was yesterday when I was playing World of Warcraft. Only doing Guild Management stuff.. So I think the core activity was maybe 50ish %. The Core temperature hit 95 Degrees.. Celsius. I'm running stock core/memory speeds.
> My case is an Corsair Obsidian 700D. only with stock fans.. I know.. not really an superb Airflow case, but I still think 95 Degrees sounds brutal, in "normal" temperature room.
> I was running 12.2 Drivers with 12.2 Cap Profile I think..
> Any thoughts?


try using a custom fan profile, max temp i see is 68° with reference cooler.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Sorry folks for all the mis types in on my sorry rezound


----------



## Sh4dowking

Hello Everyone,

I have a problem with my Sapphire hd 7970 i just bought. I have installed the card plugged in my 3 monitors and installed the newest driver 12.2.

Now i started to play Battlefield 3 on a res of 5040x1050 and it runs great but now i have problems with games like Kane and Lynch 2/ Call of Duty Black Ops/Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3/ Napoleon Total War etc. With those games i get low FPS and stuttering ( Low fps I mean ~20 FPS) All those games who have low FPS have a directroy in the install directory called redist. In that redist map you can instal microsoft visual C++ and directx. I have uninstalled those things for manny times but it didn't resolve the problem. I have uninstalled the AMD driver still the same problem. Other games like crysis 2/Battlefield 3/ Metro 2033 runs really great.

I want to solve the problem but i don't know how so thats why i call in your help.
Here are my computer specs:

Asus P7P55D Premium motherboard
Intel core i5-650 LGA 1156
700WATT PSU
8GB 1333MHZ RAM DDR3
SATA III 2.5'' SSD OCZ AGILITY3 60GB (boot HDD)
SATA 1 TB
Sapphire HD7970 ATI
Windows 7 64-bit

I have done a fresh windows 7 install only on the SSD and i have deleted the windows files from my 1TB hard disk. Before this card i had 2 nvidia 450 GTS in SLI mode. I have uninstalled the nvidia drivers already and did a driver sweep but that doesn't resolve the problem too.

Do i need a sort of program installed on my PC to run games with the directory redist?? I have installed all the versions of Microsoft Visual 2005/2008/2010/ (64x-86x) and i have installed framework 4.0

Can somebody help me please?? I have already sended an email to AMD but it takes to long for a reply.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ah, I'm pretty sure that's you're driver crashing, ie. your card softcrashed and CCC recovered and reloaded your clocks. If you play another game or push it again, it will hardlock that time. If you kill CCC, your card won't softcrash, it will just go until it hardlocks.


Oh ok.
Just strange though how Skyrim is the only game that would do that when ccc is running. BF3 runs fine, no crashes.
Oh well im hoping some more drivers come out soonish.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sh4dowking*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> I have a problem with my Sapphire hd 7970 i just bought. I have installed the card plugged in my 3 monitors and installed the newest driver 12.2.
> Now i started to play Battlefield 3 on a res of 5040x1050 and it runs great but now i have problems with games like Kane and Lynch 2/ Call of Duty Black Ops/Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3/ Napoleon Total War etc. With those games i get low FPS and stuttering ( Low fps I mean ~20 FPS) All those games who have low FPS have a directroy in the install directory called redist. In that redist map you can instal microsoft visual C++ and directx. I have uninstalled those things for manny times but it didn't resolve the problem. I have uninstalled the AMD driver still the same problem. Other games like crysis 2/Battlefield 3/ Metro 2033 runs really great.
> I want to solve the problem but i don't know how so thats why i call in your help.
> Here are my computer specs:
> Asus P7P55D Premium motherboard
> Intel core i5-650 LGA 1156
> 700WATT PSU
> 8GB 1333MHZ RAM DDR3
> SATA III 2.5'' SSD OCZ AGILITY3 60GB (boot HDD)
> SATA 1 TB
> Sapphire HD7970 ATI
> Windows 7 64-bit
> I have done a fresh windows 7 install only on the SSD and i have deleted the windows files from my 1TB hard disk. Before this card i had 2 nvidia 450 GTS in SLI mode. I have uninstalled the nvidia drivers already and did a driver sweep but that doesn't resolve the problem too.
> Do i need a sort of program installed on my PC to run games with the directory redist?? I have installed all the versions of Microsoft Visual 2005/2008/2010/ (64x-86x) and i have installed framework 4.0
> Can somebody help me please?? I have already sended an email to AMD but it takes to long for a reply.


Maybe driver problem? try some other drivers


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sh4dowking*
> 
> Hello Everyone,
> I have a problem with my Sapphire hd 7970 i just bought. I have installed the card plugged in my 3 monitors and installed the newest driver 12.2.
> Now i started to play Battlefield 3 on a res of 5040x1050 and it runs great but now i have problems with games like Kane and Lynch 2/ Call of Duty Black Ops/Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3/ Napoleon Total War etc. With those games i get low FPS and stuttering ( Low fps I mean ~20 FPS) All those games who have low FPS have a directroy in the install directory called redist. In that redist map you can instal microsoft visual C++ and directx. I have uninstalled those things for manny times but it didn't resolve the problem. I have uninstalled the AMD driver still the same problem. Other games like crysis 2/Battlefield 3/ Metro 2033 runs really great.
> I want to solve the problem but i don't know how so thats why i call in your help.
> Here are my computer specs:
> Asus P7P55D Premium motherboard
> Intel core i5-650 LGA 1156
> 700WATT PSU
> 8GB 1333MHZ RAM DDR3
> SATA III 2.5'' SSD OCZ AGILITY3 60GB (boot HDD)
> SATA 1 TB
> Sapphire HD7970 ATI
> Windows 7 64-bit
> I have done a fresh windows 7 install only on the SSD and i have deleted the windows files from my 1TB hard disk. Before this card i had 2 nvidia 450 GTS in SLI mode. I have uninstalled the nvidia drivers already and did a driver sweep but that doesn't resolve the problem too.
> Do i need a sort of program installed on my PC to run games with the directory redist?? I have installed all the versions of Microsoft Visual 2005/2008/2010/ (64x-86x) and i have installed framework 4.0
> Can somebody help me please?? I have already sended an email to AMD but it takes to long for a reply.


itis the drivers man they suck bad . Try a different driver.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JanFrode*
> 
> Any thoughts?


How do you have your fans setup? 95c is getting quite hot with just 1 card. You want positive intake pressure in the case because you have an internal exhausting vid card cooler.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Oh ok.
> Just strange though how Skyrim is the only game that would do that when ccc is running. BF3 runs fine, no crashes.
> Oh well im hoping some more drivers come out soonish.


Well, different games stress different parts of the card. I do my stability testing with Crysis 2, it usually ferrets out all the weaknesses for me.


----------



## Sh4dowking

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> itis the drivers man they suck bad . Try a different driver.


wich drivers are u guys using then?? driver from CD??


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sh4dowking*
> 
> wich drivers are u guys using then?? driver from CD??


I use RC11, it's been the most stable for my crossfire array.


----------



## Sh4dowking

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> itis the drivers man they suck bad . Try a different driver.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I use RC11, it's been the most stable for my crossfire array.


Yes i have tried that driver too but the problem still doenst resolve.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

RC11


----------



## JanFrode

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How do you have your fans setup? 95c is getting quite hot with just 1 card. You want positive intake pressure in the case because you have an internal exhausting vid card cooler.
> Well, different games stress different parts of the card. I do my stability testing with Crysis 2, it usually ferrets out all the weaknesses for me.


That's the problem.. My Case is still pretty stock. and Corsair 700D and 800D aren't exactly known for airflow
It only has 1 fan in the bottom sucking air in, and 1 fan in the back sucking air out.. and my Noctua NH-D14 cpu fan I've pointed to blow air up and out per say..
It looks like I might start to invest in water cooling.. I just hope my 7950 is using same pcb layout as the referance card.
When I played BF3, with Custom Fan Profile, with like 50/60% 60/70% etc.. it seemed to stable out at about 75 degrees tho


----------



## Hambone07si

So have you guys read this here yet http://semiaccurate.com/2012/01/19/nvidia-kepler-vs-amd-gcn-has-a-clear-winner/

Seems that they have decided a "Winner" already. Said Nvidia wins hands down in every way. I'm interested to see how they tested. I'm a Eyefinity user, so who wins on 3 screens is the real winner in my book. I don't see Nvidias 2gb being better than 3gb for extreme resolutions. Guess we'll know next week.

What do you guys think?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JanFrode*
> 
> That's the problem.. My Case is still pretty stock. and Corsair 700D and 800D aren't exactly known for airflow
> It only has 1 fan in the bottom sucking air in, and 1 fan in the back sucking air out.. and my Noctua NH-D14 cpu fan I've pointed to blow air up and out per say..
> It looks like I might start to invest in water cooling.. I just hope my 7950 is using same pcb layout as the referance card.
> When I played BF3, with Custom Fan Profile, with like 50/60% 60/70% etc.. it seemed to stable out at about 75 degrees tho


I have a corsair 500R and my temps are just fine, even when overclocked...
In Unigine 2.5 it never got above 63 degrees and this is also with stock fans (2 front sucking air in, 1 side fan sucking air in, 1 rear fan blowing air out).
This temp of 63 is by the way overclocked to 1175 core, 1580 memory on 1175 V voltage !
In furmark it gets to the low 70's after 1 min full load.
This is with own fan profile, 30% load = 30% fan, 40% load = 40% fan, etc...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So have you guys read this here yet http://semiaccurate.com/2012/01/19/nvidia-kepler-vs-amd-gcn-has-a-clear-winner/
> Seems that they have decided a "Winner" already. Said Nvidia wins hands down in every way. I'm interested to see how they tested. I'm a Eyefinity user, so who wins on 3 screens is the real winner in my book. I don't see Nvidias 2gb being better than 3gb for extreme resolutions. Guess we'll know next week.
> What do you guys think?


I've seen the cards too, they are made out of diamonds and run on pixie dust... These people are idiots. Who says there's a winner when they give no reason why. (some good generic info that I could've come up with in this article)

My first major concern with their details is the displayport. Nvidia has been pretty hesitant with that standard for awhile, I wonder if they'll finally cave to it









Also, your main problem would be needing two cards for Nvidia Surround


----------



## sena

Guys i need help, i cant get my Asus HD 7950 DCII Top to work at higher MHz, everything is fine when i am in CCC, i am now running 975/1400 and it passed 1 full hour of Heaven 2.0 Max settings, but when i touch volts it just blanks, my first tought was that some kind of protections is being activated, but i undervolted the GPU to see what will happen, and same thing happen, it just blanks and i need to shut down PC.
Also i dont know which program is the best, MSI AB?, GPU Tweak? Trixx?.
Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## OverClocker55

Ok so I got my 7950.. Its at stock clocks and fan speed it auto. its at 58c to 61c and Ive been playing black ops for a bit. Now the trouble begins. black lines randomly apear and artifacts. and sometimes it drops to 1-2 frames for 2 seconds and locks. RMA time? crap man this is not good.
Edit: tried like 4 drivers already with clean sweep each time


----------



## El_Capitan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i need help, i cant get my Asus HD 7950 DCII Top to work at higher MHz, everything is fine when i am in CCC, i am now running 975/1400 and it passed 1 full hour of Heaven 2.0 Max settings, but when i touch volts it just blanks, my first tought was that some kind of protections is being activated, but i undervolted the GPU to see what will happen, and same thing happen, it just blanks and i need to shut down PC.
> Also i dont know which program is the best, MSI AB?, GPU Tweak? Trixx?.
> Any help would be appreciated.


Did you disable ULPS? It could also be conflicting existing drivers that weren't properly uninstalled.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *El_Capitan*
> 
> Did you disable ULPS? It could also be conflicting existing drivers that weren't properly uninstalled.


You DONT need to disable ulps unless you are crossfired. You just need to make sure you enable unofficial overclocking correctly if using AB. Follow the how to overclock AMD cards guide.


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Ok so I got my 7950.. Its at stock clocks and fan speed it auto. its at 58c to 61c and Ive been playing black ops for a bit. Now the trouble begins. black lines randomly apear and artifacts. and sometimes it drops to 1-2 frames for 2 seconds and locks. RMA time? crap man this is not good.
> Edit: tried like 4 drivers already with clean sweep each time


I see you are still having issues with this. One idea we came up with for the last guy who was having unending problems (which didn't work, but it's worth a shot) is to put the card in your other PCI-e x16 slot and see if that changes anything.

If that doesn't work, I see you have a ssd boot drive and a 1 tb HDD. The second thing (from my perspective) if all the different drivers aren't working for you would be to try a fresh windows install. But if you had the ability to put it on a partition of the HDD instead of wiping your boot drive (not sure which would be less of a hassle for you), it might save you a headache.

You could try hooking up the monitor to a different port on the card and seeing if that changed anything.

But if it's not the PCI-e slot, and it's not the drivers, and there's nothing else, it sounds like the card.

I know for me, it was somewhat finicky, I had to use the CCC driver on my CD and then the beta AB to get my card to OC at all...but it sounds like you're having a much more basic problem.


----------



## jtostenr

I have a Gigabyte 7950 Windforce on the way for my new build (2500k, M4EZ,8GB ram,128GB SSD, 1TB HDD). Seems like everyone uses the drivers straight from AMD.....is there any reason to use the Gigabyte drivers instead?

Also, what are the opinions of their Easy Boost tool? Should I just use Afterburner instead?

Oh ya, do you think I will see much of an improvement over my old card? (3850 AGP lol)









Jeff


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I see you are still having issues with this. One idea we came up with for the last guy who was having unending problems (which didn't work, but it's worth a shot) is to put the card in your other PCI-e x16 slot and see if that changes anything.
> If that doesn't work, I see you have a ssd boot drive and a 1 tb HDD. The second thing (from my perspective) if all the different drivers aren't working for you would be to try a fresh windows install. But if you had the ability to put it on a partition of the HDD instead of wiping your boot drive (not sure which would be less of a hassle for you), it might save you a headache.
> You could try hooking up the monitor to a different port on the card and seeing if that changed anything.
> But if it's not the PCI-e slot, and it's not the drivers, and there's nothing else, it sounds like the card.
> I know for me, it was somewhat finicky, I had to use the CCC driver on my CD and then the beta AB to get my card to OC at all...but it sounds like you're having a much more basic problem.


I already tried with my 3rd ssd with fresh windows. same thing. also the card came used from newegg.com. they said i should test it and then if it has problems they would rma it for me. what should i do?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> I already tried with my 3rd ssd with fresh windows. same thing. also the card came used from newegg.com. they said i should test it and then if it has problems they would rma it for me. what should i do?


Did you buy an openbox card?


----------



## switchblade

return. I would be hesitant purchasing a newly released card that some1 has already returned. The most likely reason is that the card has some fault and was returned.


----------



## Gluon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You DONT need to disable ulps unless you are crossfired. You just need to make sure you enable unofficial overclocking correctly if using AB. Follow the how to overclock AMD cards guide.


I think this may be my issue clocking my cards. What is it and what does it do, is there a link I can read? I have not tried to clock a single card but with CFX I cant clock for shhhiiiiii.


----------



## Jiia

Okay here's the deal. Yesterday I was running my card at 1200 core and 1600 memory with no problems. But today I installed some new hardware and had to reinstall Windows.

I found out that in their latest driver (12.2) ATI has removed some dll files that are required to go beyond the official OC limits. I was using the same driver yesterday but apparently the missing files were still there from previous driver installation. Now I don't have these files anymore and can't OC past the official limits.

I tried installing driver 12.1 but it refused to install because that version doesn't support 7900-series. I also traced what dll files the latest 12.2 driver was missing that still existed in 12.1 and copied those dll files to /system32/drivers/ but it didn't help.

So is there any way to OC the card now?


----------



## wireeater

I have the 2 drivers. Although they were needed to turn of the ULPS because they were removed in the update. I was having a hard time getting it to turn off and I ended up finding a post on another forum with links to the two dll files. One goes in the SYSWOW64 and the other in the System32. If you want them, let me know.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Did you buy an openbox card?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> return. I would be hesitant purchasing a newly released card that some1 has already returned. The most likely reason is that the card has some fault and was returned.


No I bought new but it was used. like already had finger prints and little scratches


----------



## El_Capitan

Anyone that wants my detailed experience with overclocking my HD 7970 can read it on my blog. Hopefully it helps some people. http://computerhardwareupgrades.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-hd-7970-overclocking-experience.html


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Very interesting.
> I disable CCC altogether and it seems to improve stability. When playing skyrim I would hardlock, after disabling ccc the game runs fine.


Nice find!







Working for me better this way now also.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> No I bought new but it was used. like already had finger prints and little scratches


That doesn't sound new to me man. The scratches that are on the card may be a problem. Maybe if you try to use warranty for repair or replacement that may prove problematic. The repair facility may charge ans an OOW and say that there are signs of damage idk. Send the card back to place of purchase dude and get a new 1 instead of used like new. Some1 else may have messed something up and you dont want that to be on you.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> That doesn't sound new to me man. The scratches that are on the card may be a problem. Maybe if you try to use warranty for repair or replacement that may prove problematic. The repair facility may charge ans an OOW and say that there are signs of damage idk. Send the card back to place of purchase dude and get a new 1 instead of used like new. Some1 else may have messed something up and you dont want that to be on you.


Ok I talked to newegg and they told me to try it out and if there were problems with the used card they would RMA it for me


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Nice find!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Working for me better this way now also.


Good to hear! Hopefully they can get some stable drivers out soon.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> No I bought new but it was used. like already had finger prints and little scratches


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Ok I talked to newegg and they told me to try it out and if there were problems with the used card they would RMA it for me


You bought something new, you should have received a new product. Used items always come with a used price tag. Did you pay full price? If so, return it and not for RMA. Newegg is notorious for pulling this crap, it isn't the first time we've seen stuff like this. The return for RMA is what has me







, seriously. You are getting shafted both ways. For your money you are getting a refurb card back if you go thru RMA. Nevermind that you currently have a used card.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You bought something new, you should have received a new product. Used items always come with a used price tag. Did you pay full price? If so, return it and not for RMA. Newegg is notorious for pulling this crap, it isn't the first time we've seen stuff like this. The return for RMA is what has me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , seriously. You are getting shafted both ways. For your money you are getting a refurb card back if you go thru RMA. Nevermind that you currently have a used card.


I'm returning it and getting a gtx 580 lol


----------



## El_Capitan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> I'm returning it and getting a gtx 580 lol


Or you can trade it to me for a GTX 580 (if warranty is transferable Edit: nm, it is, it's an MSI card after I saw your sig).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> I'm returning it and getting a gtx 580 lol


Get a used one, cuz the bottom just fell out of those with the 7870s out.. or wait for the price to change cuz it should soon.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Ok I talked to newegg and they told me to try it out and if there were problems with the used card they would RMA it for me


I currently work for asus tech support and i can tell you that if you take this likely you may regret it. You already said you were having probs after clearing the old drivers and reinstalling the new 1s. BTW did you use ATI man uninstaller? Thats what i used and I have no issues at all with the new 12.2 drivers. Whatever you do make a decision before 30 days which is the norm time for DOA returns for alot of places. Asus tells me DO NOT PROACTIVELY tell customers about DOAr unless they request it don't bring it up. Just goes to show you have to be careful.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I currently work for asus tech support and i can tell you that if you take this likely you may regret it. You already said you were having probs after clearing the old drivers and reinstalling the new 1s. BTW did you use ATI man uninstaller? Thats what i used and I have no issues at all with the new 12.2 drivers. Whatever you do make a decision before 30 days which is the norm time for DOA returns for alot of places. Asus tells me DO NOT PROACTIVELY tell customers about DOAr unless they request it don't bring it up. Just goes to show you have to be careful.


Thanks +rep. I got it about a little more than a week ago. I used driver sweeper and tried 11, 12.2.12.3 like 6 different drivers


----------



## El_Capitan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Thanks +rep. I got it about a little more than a week ago. I used driver sweeper and tried 11, 12.2.12.3 like 6 different drivers


Read my blog, I had the same issues as you did. I was using Driver Sweeper, but for AMD cards, will now be using Atiman Uninstaller.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *El_Capitan*
> 
> Read my blog, I had the same issues as you did. I was using Driver Sweeper, but for AMD cards, will now be using Atiman Uninstaller.


Yh driver sweeper is said to leave some of the old driver files on the system but ATIman Uninstaller actually does a better driver sweep. Trust me try it and if that doesnt work RMA for a new card. I have a hd 7970 core edition from XFX there is no coil squeal, it overclocks really well and stays cool while maxing out crysis 2 or bf3 and never reaches 70C while fans are on 80%. I really love this card and I hope the atiman unistaller works for you so u can fall in love with ur card as well. They are absolutely great cards.


----------



## Gabe63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *El_Capitan*
> 
> Read my blog, I had the same issues as you did. I was using Driver Sweeper, but for AMD cards, will now be using Atiman Uninstaller.


Read your blog, glad that card is working out for you!


----------



## El_Capitan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabe63*
> 
> Read your blog, glad that card is working out for you!


Thanks! I'm loving it. I'm just waiting to see what keplar brings to figure out what card will be in my main rig. The 7970 is definitely in line for it.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

I played metro2033 for 8+ hours today @ 2560x1600 maxed out everything @ 68+ fps dipping into the 50s sometimes but it plays smooth as hell with the 12.2 pre certified drivers .


----------



## 125837

Having one final crack at getting this thing to work before I send it back to Melbourne. Doing a fresh install on RC11...

I still think I'll be going back to nVidia based on how Kepler turns out, but I want to see if I can at least get this card working for the time being.


----------



## switchblade

Oooh the big bad Keplar.







.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Oooh the big bad Keplar.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


*Kepler

But I prefer nVidia... the only AMD cards I've owned gave me all sorts of trouble (drivers, not cards). nVidia, I've only ever had trouble with a physical card issue.


----------



## pfunkmort

That quiet, almost inaudible sound of puppies crying when you install ME3 and get frozen out of the game in the intro cut scenes.

Going to look for an update to my driver.

Nope. I'm using the most up-to-date driver, and it's happening at lower settings, with AA and dynamic shadows off, and...crap.


----------



## 125837

I cannot believe this crap. My damn card is working. I haven't put it under load yet but it's had a solid 4hrs uptime without issue. I'm halfway through the BF3 patch and I'll put it under load and see what happens but honestly - WHY!?!?! I tried this driver multiple times, nothing else has changed









At least I'll be able to play games again (hopefully)


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *El_Capitan*
> 
> Did you disable ULPS? It could also be conflicting existing drivers that weren't properly uninstalled.


Can you please give me instructions how to deactivate ULPS?
Or someone else have some sugestion for my problem? I cant RMA card that is working on stock clocks, so its likely problem with software or me.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I cannot believe this crap. My damn card is working. I haven't put it under load yet but it's had a solid 4hrs uptime without issue. I'm halfway through the BF3 patch and I'll put it under load and see what happens but honestly - WHY!?!?! I tried this driver multiple times, nothing else has changed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At least I'll be able to play games again (hopefully)


I been reading your posts the last few days, I can feel your frustration.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I been reading your posts the last few days, I can feel your frustration.


Yep







But at least I'll be able to game again, I posted my 580 at the end of January and all I've had since then is my T5600/X1400 Laptop! Downloading Heaven and 3DMark11 now, and I'll run those first to get an idea of temps and see if it actually is working. Then I'll be running BF3 to bench it over ~30mins Ultra (just using the Fraps benchmark) and see what it can do. And then, I can OC my 2500K and 7970


----------



## disintegratorx

Well, good luck to you LAF. Hope everything works out for you there because the 7970 seriously rips everything I've ever seen before. Ok got my fan profile set exactly to just how I want it so its running uber efficient (got it set at 3 speeds), and just did some adjustments with Windows Services to hopefully speed up my PC a little bit more than it was already, not that I had anything to complain about in the first place lol but I used a site called blackviper for a reference on which services that I could safely shut off and possibly speed up performance and I have to say it worked QUITE NICELY.







So I'm gonna post it for you guys here and I hope that it works for you as good as it did me because I'm wowwed by how well my performance is going now.







Here goes: http://www.blackviper.com/


----------



## 125837

The card is running fine in Heaven. I'm not sure why it is working now when it wouldn't before, but regardless I'll pop some benchmarks and temperatures up shortly, because operational info on the 7970 DCUII seems to be pretty scarce.

EDIT: I'll have pictures up in a moment, but it got ~57 avg in Heaven. Card is running at 50% fan and the chip hit 58C, which I'm rather impressed with. I'm significantly less impressed with 95C VRM temps :O Guess I won't be overvolting this thing!

And den, 3DMark11, blue lines down the screen requiring hard reset. Oh.

I think the card just killed itself. I had huge artifacting during POST, and that continued until I hard powered off the system during the "Windows did not shut down normally" screen. Freaking dammit.


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> The card is running fine in Heaven. I'm not sure why it is working now when it wouldn't before, but regardless I'll pop some benchmarks and temperatures up shortly, because operational info on the 7970 DCUII seems to be pretty scarce.
> EDIT: I'll have pictures up in a moment, but it got ~57 avg in Heaven. Card is running at 50% fan and the chip hit 58C, which I'm rather impressed with. I'm significantly less impressed with 95C VRM temps :O Guess I won't be overvolting this thing!
> And den, 3DMark11, blue lines down the screen requiring hard reset. Oh.
> I think the card just killed itself. I had huge artifacting during POST, and that continued until I hard powered off the system during the "Windows did not shut down normally" screen. Freaking dammit.


Man, i'm sorry to hear that LAF, I would RMA the heck outta that thing, especially if its artifacting (is that even a word??) during POST.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> Man, i'm sorry to hear that LAF, I would RMA the heck outta that thing, especially if its artifacting (is that even a word??) during POST.


Yeah I'm RMAing it tomorrow. I could smell the card burning when I took it out of the case, yummy. I just can't believe I FINALLY got the drivers working and the thing exploded on me.


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah I'm RMAing it tomorrow. I could smell the card burning when I took it out of the case, yummy. I just can't believe I FINALLY got the drivers working and the thing exploded on me.


Well on the bright side if you get a new card you should be able to get it working right off the bat since you know what drivers etc. to use!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> Well on the bright side if you get a new card you should be able to get it working right off the bat since you know what drivers etc. to use!


Not sure I want a new DCUII. I've asked for a credit rather than a replacement and I'm going to ring up tomorrow because my last RMA took a month. My mate is lending me a 295 and then I'll wait for Kepler and get either an MSI TF7970 or a high end 6xx


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Not sure I want a new DCUII. I've asked for a credit rather than a replacement and I'm going to ring up tomorrow because my last RMA took a month. My mate is lending me a 295 and then I'll wait for Kepler and get either an MSI TF7970 or a high end 6xx


Can't go wrong with the TFIII 7970! Unless you get a broken card like your DCUII....


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> Can't go wrong with the TFIII 7970! Unless you get a broken card like your DCUII....


I'd read about the bad VRM temps on this card, I just didn't expect them to be so bad that they died.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah I'm RMAing it tomorrow. I could smell the card burning when I took it out of the case, yummy. I just can't believe I FINALLY got the drivers working and the thing exploded on me.


So what drivers did you get working great? I just installed the Feb 28 ones last night but didn't test yet.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So what drivers did you get working great? I just installed the Feb 28 ones last night but didn't test yet.


RC11


----------



## Hambone07si

Oh, I was on that driver for a while. Doesn't like Skyrim. I get some weird artifacts in BBC2 (not from my overclock, does it at stock too). I'm running 2 cards tho. Every time I try a new driver, it ends up having options missing from CCC. Now I don't have Bezel correction to adjust, but my desktop res is 5896x1080?? These drivers suck bad!! It's like they don't even test them. WAKE UP AMD!! YOU TOOK OUR MONEY NOW MAKE SOME REAL DRIVERS!!


----------



## wireeater

I tried RC11 but every time I do a clean install on them I get BSOD once you get into windows and try to launch CCC. Anything prior to 12.3 it seem to get errors or crashing. I was hoping to give them a shot. I am running 12.3, spent about 2 hours last night trying to run different versions and it's the only one that seems to work right. 12.2 kept crashing BF3 as soon as I launched it. Or another version CCC would crash every time you try and open it.

I dunno... I was trying to give AMD a chance but if the driver support remains this horrible then I am probably going to sell my 7950's and get a NVIDIA card.


----------



## Hambone07si

I hear you. I just came from 3 480's. Their drivers are so easy to install. Just download, click it, custom install, choose what you want installed, check "perform clean install" and then next. It installs, you reboot and have fun. Don't have to uninstall MSI AB or anything. It just works.

I don't understand why there has to be such a pain in the arse way to update or install the drivers with AMD. Even when you do everything your suppose too, it still doesn't work right. I bought these cards to play games, but the only game I'm playing now is the "let see if these drivers work" game


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I hear you. I just came from 3 480's. Their drivers are so easy to install. Just download, click it, custom install, choose what you want installed, check "perform clean install" and then next. It installs, you reboot and have fun. Don't have to uninstall MSI AB or anything. It just works.
> I don't understand why there has to be such a pain in the arse way to update or install the drivers with AMD. Even when you do everything your suppose too, it still doesn't work right. I bought these cards to play games, but the only game I'm playing now is the "let see if these drivers work" game


I hear that, finally got it working and *pop* no more card. I'm sitting it out until Kepler now.


----------



## Hambone07si

What popped? A cap?


----------



## Daffie82

What is a safe temp of the VRM of my HD7950 Sapphire OC edition ?
I am running on air and my GPU temps are in the low 70's (degrees) when extreme testing (Furmark). So that looks OK to me, but I want to know what should be considered safe as max VRM temp when overclocking.

Thanks for the replies !


----------



## Hambone07si

Not sure. What program are you using to see your VRM temps?


----------



## Altimis

Hello I'm new here and first post

I sign this forum because this thread







nice to meet you all!

So get to the bussiness, I got reference HIS 7970 and overclocked it to Core 1200/1168mv Mem 1850/1656mv. VRM temp is around 80+ in heavy stress test, I used MSI KOMBUSTER to run the card stability test and some gaming.

I have many questions please

1. Did VRM can handle 100 celcius? its seems dangerous and housefire lol mine is 80+ in some heavy test and gaming, its even reach 90 sometimes. I need really answer for this please. I feel hesitate and worry about VRM temperature so much.
2. I'm still not sure about my GPU ASIC quality, its read 83.2% quality and my default voltage in MSI afterburner 2.2 beta 14 reading 1050mv so I set "Graphics processor type" to 1050mv, its correct?
3. Its safe to kick in Power control settings +20%? seems like its draw more power from TDP, its will damage my card? its will destroy my VRM?

Thanks in advance


----------



## crunkazcanbe

3rd 7970 on the way I wanted the sapphire brand so I paid a little more and got it from tigerdirect. I payed for overnight was only $30 more .


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Altimis*
> 
> Hello I'm new here and first post
> I sign this forum because this thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nice to meet you all!
> So get to the bussiness, I got reference HIS 7970 and overclocked it to Core 1200/1168mv Mem 1850/1656mv. VRM temp is around 80+ in heavy stress test, I used MSI KOMBUSTER to run the card stability test and some gaming.
> I have many questions please
> 1. Did VRM can handle 100 celcius? its seems dangerous and housefire lol mine is 80+ in some heavy test and gaming, its even reach 90 sometimes. I need really answer for this please. I feel hesitate and worry about VRM temperature so much.
> 2. I'm still not sure about my GPU ASIC quality, its read 83.2% quality and my default voltage in MSI afterburner 2.2 beta 14 reading 1050mv so I set "Graphics processor type" to 1050mv, its correct?
> 3. Its safe to kick in Power control settings +20%? seems like its draw more power from TDP, its will damage my card? its will destroy my VRM?
> Thanks in advance


In regard to the voltages and ASIC quality, this is how I understand it:
Quote:


> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> 3rd 7970 on the way I wanted the sapphire brand so I paid a little more and got it from tigerdirect. I payed for overnight was only $30 more .


Nice!! You having good luck with Crossfire? I'm still trying to iron out a few things. What driver has served you well so far?


----------



## OverClocker55

Returning my card. Artifacts and FPS lock ups. EWW MSI


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> 3rd 7970 on the way I wanted the sapphire brand so I paid a little more and got it from tigerdirect. I payed for overnight was only $30 more .


I can't imagine having 3... LOL

I have two 7950's and it eats everything up on 5760x1080.


----------



## Hambone07si

Threesomes are always more fun


----------



## Darco19

My "4th" 7970 is coming tomorrow morning and I'm really hoping it doesn't have a coil whine or any problems this time round. If this next one has a fault or is a bad OC'er, I'm just going to give up on the 79XX series for now (upgrading from a GTX 580 Lightning, so I'm definitely hard to please). Another try with the cards ftw.

It's another Gigabyte Windforce, and the one I returned a while back was also a Windforce that was doing 1300mhz on the core at 1.27v - I would've kept it if it wasn't for the buzzing noise that it kept making under load.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

If anyone is interested in my 2 MSi 7970's PM me, baby on the way and I think 1 7950 is more than enough.....kinda.....


----------



## jtostenr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtostenr*
> 
> I have a Gigabyte 7950 Windforce on the way for my new build (2500k, M4EZ,8GB ram,128GB SSD, 1TB HDD). Seems like everyone uses the drivers straight from AMD.....is there any reason to use the Gigabyte drivers instead?
> Also, what are the opinions of their Easy Boost tool? Should I just use Afterburner instead?
> Oh ya, do you think I will see much of an improvement over my old card? (3850 AGP lol)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Jeff


Anyone?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> If anyone is interested in my 2 MSi 7970's PM me, baby on the way and I think 1 7950 is more than enough.....kinda.....


There is no such thing as "more than enough" in our world buddy! Sell the placenta for some extra cash!


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> My "4th" 7970 is coming tomorrow morning and I'm really hoping it doesn't have a coil whine or any problems this time round. If this next one has a fault or is a bad OC'er, I'm just going to give up on the 79XX series for now (upgrading from a GTX 580 Lightning, so I'm definitely hard to please). Another try with the cards ftw.
> 
> It's another Gigabyte Windforce, and the one I returned a while back was also a Windforce that was doing 1300mhz on the core at 1.27v - I would've kept it if it wasn't for the buzzing noise that it kept making under load.


Who are you RMA'ing them with if they'll accept "buzzing" as an RMA-able fault







??


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Who are you RMA'ing them with if they'll accept "buzzing" as an RMA-able fault
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ??


Aria.co.uk







They said it was tested as faulty and were aware of what I meant by buzzing/coil whine noises.

The card was working fine though, and I was actually a bit sad to return it since it was doing 1300mhz on the core, but I just couldn't take the noise (I even wear a headset and I can still hear it when it's under load).


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> There is no such thing as "more than enough" in our world buddy! Sell the placenta for some extra cash!


Shhh! I need to justify this


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> If anyone is interested in my 2 MSi 7970's PM me, baby on the way and I think 1 7950 is more than enough.....kinda.....


I could trade you a 7950 + $400 + $50 Newegg card for them







Although, I really should stick to two 7950s to be the first one with liquid 7950s from EK.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Aria.co.uk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They said it was tested as faulty and were aware of what I meant by buzzing/coil whine noises.
> The card was working fine though, and I was actually a bit sad to return it since it was doing 1300mhz on the core, but I just couldn't take the noise (I even wear a headset and I can still hear it when it's under load).


Damn, that's the worst case of coil whine I've ever heard of.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Shhh! I need to justify this


Just tell your woman that they complete you.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Just tell your woman that they complete you.


That will not end well.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Who are you RMA'ing them with if they'll accept "buzzing" as an RMA-able fault
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ??
> 
> 
> 
> Aria.co.uk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They said it was tested as faulty and were aware of what I meant by buzzing/coil whine noises.
> 
> The card was working fine though, and I was actually a bit sad to return it since it was doing 1300mhz on the core, but I just couldn't take the noise (I even wear a headset and I can still hear it when it's under load).
Click to expand...

I've always had good service from aria too







I've never had coil whine that I could hear with cans on though, and the whine that was pretty apparent when I first installed these 7970s has pretty much disappeared now.
Maybe you need to give your '4th' card a little time to break in. Actually use it, play some games, and see if it gets better over time (You can always call in that warranty later







)


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I could trade you a 7950 + $400 + $50 Newegg card for them
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although, I really should stick to two 7950s to be the first one with liquid 7950s from EK.


Thanks, I will consider. I dont NEED to sell them but, the May due date is coming up fast and I have lots on the 2do list.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Just tell your woman that they complete you.


I made it clear before marriage that this hobby dosnt get questioned lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Thanks, I will consider. I dont NEED to sell them but, the May due date is coming up fast and I have lots on the 2do list.
> *I made it clear before marriage that this hobby dosnt get questioned* lol.


Your avatar pic is so totally is in line with that line. LOL.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Your avatar pic is so totally is in line with that line. LOL.


LOL


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> I've always had good service from aria too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've never had coil whine that I could hear with cans on though, and the whine that was pretty apparent when I first installed these 7970s has pretty much disappeared now.
> Maybe you need to give your '4th' card a little time to break in. Actually use it, play some games, and see if it gets better over time (You can always call in that warranty later
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Yeah, it's my first time with Aria since they were the only shop who had the Windforce in-stock and it took them just 4 days to send out a replacement to me. That's pretty good service from their side, now I just hope I win a bit on the "silicon lottery" with AMD.


----------



## dajez

i had coil whine at start and now a month later i hear nothing anymore


----------



## pfunkmort

I know this was a few pages back...but is it even possible for a card to artifact during POST? I was under the impression that POST was just the motherboard doing its thing and that the peripherals and cards didn't even do anything until after that was done.


----------



## Altimis

Hello I'm new here and first post

I sign this forum because this thread







nice to meet you all!

So get to the bussiness, I got reference HIS 7970 and overclocked it to Core 1200/1168mv Mem 1850/1656mv. VRM temp is around 80+ in heavy stress test, I used MSI KOMBUSTER to run the card stability test and some gaming.

I have many questions please

1. Did VRM can handle 100 celcius? its seems dangerous and housefire lol mine is 80+ in some heavy test and gaming, its even reach 90 sometimes. I need really answer for this please. I feel hesitate and worry about VRM temperature so much.
2. I'm still not sure about my GPU ASIC quality, its read 83.2% quality and my default voltage in MSI afterburner 2.2 beta 14 reading 1050mv so I set "Graphics processor type" to 1050mv, its correct?
3. Its safe to kick in Power control settings +20%? seems like its draw more power from TDP, its will damage my card? its will destroy my VRM?

Thanks in advance


----------



## pfunkmort

I would say the basic idea is to NOT let your VRM (or any component in your card) reach 100 C. 90 is probably higher than you want as well (not that it will do damage, but it's probably closer than you'd like). From my perspective, a healthy, stable OC on my card I don't want ever reaching past the mid 80s, if that. But don't be too discouraged, it might very well be that you simply need to fiddle with your fan profile to keep the temps down. I have a custom fan profile in afterburner, which ramps up to 37 until I'm in the 70s, and then slowly climbs to about 45 in the low 80s. I've never seen it reach the 80s with that profile, but I suppose every card is different.

To be fair I'm not sure how much ASIC quality is relevant to things like that setting in afterburner. Maybe someone else can weigh in, but I've always just put it on the highest setting, and forgotten it.

As for the power control, I think conventional wisdom says that if you're going to overclock at all, you should up power control to 20%. Again though, if you're concerned with the temps on your VRM, it would probably be a good idea to be careful about how much you overclock, or how high you have your fan settings.


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Altimis*
> 
> Hello I'm new here and first post
> 1. Did VRM can handle 100 celcius? its seems dangerous and housefire lol mine is 80+ in some heavy test and gaming, its even reach 90 sometimes. I need really answer for this please. I feel hesitate and worry about VRM temperature so much.


VRMs should be able to take up to 105c-110c iirc, so you're in the danger zone tbh. 80c-90c just sounds a little bit too high even for an OC'd card. You should try and do whatever you can do lower the temps, so even things like improving airflow inside your case should help.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Altimis*
> 
> 2. I'm still not sure about my GPU ASIC quality, its read 83.2% quality and my default voltage in MSI afterburner 2.2 beta 14 reading 1050mv so I set "Graphics processor type" to 1050mv, its correct?


ASIC quality is supposed to tell you the quality of the GPU chip and if it can OC well. However, it's not 100% accurate and doesn't necessarily guarantee you this, since I've had a card that was in the 80% mark also but couldn't do 1150mhz on the core. In your case, just leave MSI Afterburner to do that setting if it is defaulting to that voltage upon rebooting your PC (remember that AB tells you that it needs to reboot to check the settings and voltages).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Altimis*
> 
> 3. Its safe to kick in Power control settings +20%? seems like its draw more power from TDP, its will damage my card? its will destroy my VRM?


That should be fine since AMD even have such a feature in their Overdrive in CCC, and they know their limits and boundaries for the most part. I would set it +20% since you've OC'd your card in order to provide it extra power headroom.


----------



## Altimis

@pfunkmort
@Darco19

Thank you for quick reply!!









That's very informative!


----------



## Snowsurfer

Hey guys, been using nothing but Nvidia cards , so thought I'd try an AMD, I see a lot of unfamiliar Companies (Again used to Nvidia) and was wondering if VisionTek had a good reputation, I noticed they do have a Limited Lifetime warranty on their 7970's, who is the most reputable Company to buy a 7970 from?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

GTX680 specs revealed http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-specifications-revealed/15137.html I dont see it beating a 7970 if it does only by very little.







This is just my thoughts on it.


----------



## Gluon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snowsurfer*
> 
> Hey guys, been using nothing but Nvidia cards , so thought I'd try an AMD, I see a lot of unfamiliar Companies (Again used to Nvidia) and was wondering if VisionTek had a good reputation, I noticed they do have a Limited Lifetime warranty on their 7970's, who is the most reputable Company to buy a 7970 from?


Asus, MSI, Sapphire is usually who I buy from. Went XFX this time around though.


----------



## Altimis

@pfunkmort
@Darco19

Thanks for quick reply and informative!!


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Altimis*
> 
> @pfunkmort
> @Darco19
> Thanks for quick reply and informative!!


No worries dude. I hope you get your card where you want it to be. These cards are really great, but sometimes you have to fiddle with them to get them just where you want. The end result, though, is totally worth it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snowsurfer*
> 
> Hey guys, been using nothing but Nvidia cards , so thought I'd try an AMD, I see a lot of unfamiliar Companies (Again used to Nvidia) and was wondering if VisionTek had a good reputation, I noticed they do have a Limited Lifetime warranty on their 7970's, who is the most reputable Company to buy a 7970 from?


What he said is basically right. Asus, MSI, Sapphire. Sapphire does the most sales, iirc. But MSI's warranty is tracked by serial number so even if you lose the receipt, you can still get service, and it even covers overclocking, as long as you don't damage the card WHILE taking off/putting on the heat sink. If you were going for a non-reference design, Gigabyte's card is well thought of from what I can tell, in addition to the other brands previously mentioned. Also, in that same vein, if you were going with a non-reference design, the Asus non-reference cooler (on the 7950) had some SERIOUS quality control issues where the heat sink wasn't properly screwed down, so you might avoid that particular card if you were a little concerned.


----------



## Altimis

@pfunkmort
@Darco19

Thanks for quick replay and informative


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> GTX680 specs revealed http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-specifications-revealed/15137.html I dont see it beating a 7970 if it does only by very little.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is just my thoughts on it.


Just some clarification this is thier mid-level 256 bit card. What's confusing is its got the 680 name like the 580 yet is not its counter part. It's like thier 560Ti equivalent.

They will have a 320 bit GPU for thier 570 eqiuvelent and then even one higher, flagship card will be a 384 bit and naming has not been determined on these yet.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Not sure. What program are you using to see your VRM temps?


Program from the first post - HWiNFO64


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> In regard to the voltages and ASIC quality, this is how I understand it:
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V


Is this for 7970 only or does this also apply to 7950 cards?
Thanks in advance!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What popped? A cap?


I don't know, I presume something around the VRMs because they were getting so hot. I can't see without taking the heatsink off and I'm not game to do that since I'm returning it. It's definitely stuffed and I could smell the card burning.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What is a safe temp of the VRM of my HD7950 Sapphire OC edition ?
> I am running on air and my GPU temps are in the low 70's (degrees) when extreme testing (Furmark). So that looks OK to me, but I want to know what should be considered safe as max VRM temp when overclocking.
> Thanks for the replies !


My VRMs got to ~95C in Heaven, which IMO was too high, but I'd read about high VRM temps on the DCUII. I let them cool down, then ran 2mins of 3DMark11 and the card died. I don't know what temp it was at but just take that on board.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I know this was a few pages back...but is it even possible for a card to artifact during POST? I was under the impression that POST was just the motherboard doing its thing and that the peripherals and cards didn't even do anything until after that was done.


I suppose so, you have to get display from somewhere and the card was so stuffed that it artifacted from POST all the way through to login.


----------



## Daffie82

Thanks for the reply LAF, my VRM temps are not that high, according to HWiNFO64 (latest beta) it only gets to around 63 degrees when overclocked (after about 80sec in Furmark) while the thermal Diode gets to 72 degrees with the same test. So I guess that makes my VRM temps totally fine.

I got another strange thing though, look at the info from HWinfo :

Stock speeds and voltage (1090 V):



Overclock at 1100 core / 1500 memory (1175 V):



Overclock at 1175 core / 1580 memory (1175 V):



Why does it say 0% GPU Utilization in the highest overclock ??
I noticed this in Furmark also but thought it was some bug in Furmark. As you can see this does NOT happen at stock and does NOT happen at the lower overclock.
Does this mean my overclock of 1175 / 1580 is too high??

Any feedback is very much appreciated !


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the reply LAF, my VRM temps are not that high, according to HWiNFO64 (latest beta) it only gets to around 63 degrees when overclocked (after about 80sec in Furmark) while the thermal Diode gets to 72 degrees with the same test. So I guess that makes my VRM temps totally fine.
> I got another strange thing though, look at the info from HWinfo :
> *snip*
> Why does it say 0% GPU Utilization in the highest overclock ??
> I noticed this in Furmark also but thought it was some bug in Furmark. As you can see this does NOT happen at stock and does NOT happen at the lower overclock.
> Does this mean my overclock of 1175 / 1580 is too high??
> Any feedback is very much appreciated !


Did you have load on it when it took that reading? If you scroll across you can see the "Max" tab, which is what we're interested in.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Did you have load on it when it took that reading? If you scroll across you can see the "Max" tab, which is what we're interested in.


Did the same test and made the same screenshot now with max tab included...



But The current tab has always stayed zero during the test as far as I could see... Which was not the case with the 2 other tests (lower overclock + stock).
Also as you can see I made the screenshot while the test was still going (you can see the temps), and for Furmark the load should always be 99%.
Also when I do the 1080p Benchmark preset in Furmark I can see the load constantly going from 99% to 0%.
It does not do this on the lower overclock.
What does this mean?
Feedback again MUCH appreciated!


----------



## Smo

Does anyone else have crossfire issues with Mass Effect 3? I've had to disable it for the moment as the screen flickers black constantly otherwise.

Optimization is awful too - with the game maxed out on one 7970 clocked at 1100/1600 I'm getting ~30-40fps.

This is with driver set 12.3 and cap 12.2 1.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Does anyone else have crossfire issues with Mass Effect 3? I've had to disable it for the moment as the screen flickers black constantly otherwise.
> Optimization is awful too - with the game maxed out on one 7970 clocked at 1100/1600 I'm getting ~30-40fps.
> This is with driver set 12.3 and cap 12.2 1.


I'm on a 7950 at 1200/1600 and I never drop under 60fps. Mainly flying around 30% GPU usage as well with VSync.

Also, does anyone ever have a problem where their clocks in game are at 501/1250, or 900/1600? Sometimes when I game, my clock speeds are at 501/1250, and my GPU usage is at a constant 100%. This results in absolutely horrible frames as well. A simple restart fixes it. But the problem has started happening quite often with the release of ME3 for some reason, not sure if this is what is causing it to happen again now. Not sure what I did to fix it last time.

I also have a little issue for whenever my PC first boots up, my clock speeds are at 900/1600 until I play a game and then exit, and then they idle at the normal 300/150. Anyone have these issues?


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> I'm on a 7950 at 1200/1600 and I never drop under 60fps. Mainly flying around 30% GPU usage as well with VSync.
> Also, does anyone ever have a problem where their clocks in game are at 501/1250, or 900/1600? Sometimes when I game, my clock speeds are at 501/1250, and my GPU usage is at a constant 100%. This results in absolutely horrible frames as well. A simple restart fixes it. But the problem has started happening quite often with the release of ME3 for some reason, not sure if this is what is causing it to happen again now. Not sure what I did to fix it last time.
> I also have a little issue for whenever my PC first boots up, my clock speeds are at 900/1600 until I play a game and then exit, and then they idle at the normal 300/150. Anyone have these issues?


In all honesty your issue sounds like an unstable overclock.

Can I ask which driver set/cap you're using? Is it the same as mine?


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> In all honesty your issue sounds like an unstable overclock.
> Can I ask which driver set/cap you're using? Is it the same as mine?


It's definitely most stable. Can play BF3 maxed and never drop under 60fps for hours, and same for other games, no problems at all. It's just this issue comes up very rarely at times.

And I'm pretty sure I'm at 12.3 (driver packaging version or what not says 8.96-120214a-133521E-ATI). I dont have crossfire so no CAP.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> I'm on a 7950 at 1200/1600


Thats a nice overclock, what vcore do you use?

Im using 1.1 for 1050/1500


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Does anyone else have crossfire issues with Mass Effect 3? I've had to disable it for the moment as the screen flickers black constantly otherwise.
> Optimization is awful too - with the game maxed out on one 7970 clocked at 1100/1600 I'm getting ~30-40fps.
> This is with driver set 12.3 and cap 12.2 1.


I had no issues with the demo running RC11 drivers and 12.1 cap.

I'm on 12.3 and testing now. Now with the Feb28 driver, I can't get my MSI AB right. Everything is working fine as in Crossfire and overclocking to 1125/1500 1.174v and I disabled ULPS in regedit. Thats working and not shutting down at all. Here's my problem now. When I go into the Msi config file and change Unofficial Overclocking Mode to 1 and save. Then open up Msi, all clocks go to 0 with any change. I didn't have this problem with the RC11 driver. Is there something I'm missing here this time? I don't get it. Thanks


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Does anyone else have crossfire issues with Mass Effect 3? I've had to disable it for the moment as the screen flickers black constantly otherwise.
> Optimization is awful too - with the game maxed out on one 7970 clocked at 1100/1600 I'm getting ~30-40fps.
> This is with driver set 12.3 and cap 12.2 1.


Yeah. I don't have xfire so I couldn't speak to that, but ME3 optimization is going to put me in an early grave. I basically...have to shut everything down when I start my computer. Everything that would use my GPU at all, and just go straight into ME3, and even then...I'm lucky if I get an hour or two before the game starts a perpetual chain of freeze, screen black, ccc driver recovery, 10 seconds of gameplay. I have to reboot to get it going again. If I have shadows or AA on it just does it outright.

The sad part is, GPU usage is at like 10-30% (lol). The game just does. not. like. the drivers.

And hambone - make sure you're running the latest AB beta. That was the issue for me anyway when I was having that issue.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm using beta 14 and that's what was working.


----------



## OverClocker55

Just BSOD on crysis 2. Was Not even hot. 59c lol FUNK msi and return requested


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Thats a nice overclock, what vcore do you use?
> Im using 1.1 for 1050/1500


I use 1.25 for 1225/1700

or 1.37 for 1250/1700 but at that speed it gets artifacts at some points unless you ramp the fan way up and its too loud


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Just BSOD on crysis 2. Was Not even hot. 59c lol FUNK msi and return requested


I was just playing Crysis 2 for a hour and not crashes at all. Runs great. Dx11 Extreme settings with Highres pack running in Eyefinity 5896x1080p Locked at 60fps with 2 7970's. I was testing how hot my VRM's got after gaming for a while. 1 card is on stock air cooler and the other is on a EK water block. Here's what I got running 1125/1500 1.174v

Edit: it's a little hard to read, but on water vrm's were 43c/49c and on air 60c/80c and max temps were 44c on water and 79c on air. It's pretty warm in my house right now ( 74f )


----------



## pfunkmort

Well, I can reproduce the low frame rate in ME3 with 12.3. Previously, I was using 12.2 and the entire game would freeze and the driver would crash.

One thing I did read was that if you did a fresh install of 12.3 instead of an upgrade to it, you couldn't get functionality of AB/trixx overclocking...but that was just some random H forum user who said it.

I basically only play one game at a time and ME3 was going to be it for the first half of march at least...I'm pretty sure TF2 and LoL aren't going to crash my card because of driver issues. So I'm going to try that RC11 that everyone was talking about. If it doesn't work, I can always go back to 12.3.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Well, I can reproduce the low frame rate in ME3 with 12.3. Previously, I was using 12.2 and the entire game would freeze and the driver would crash.
> One thing I did read was that if you did a fresh install of 12.3 instead of an upgrade to it, you couldn't get functionality of AB/trixx overclocking...but that was just some random H forum user who said it.
> I basically only play one game at a time and ME3 was going to be it for the first half of march at least...I'm pretty sure TF2 and LoL aren't going to crash my card because of driver issues. So I'm going to try that RC11 that everyone was talking about. If it doesn't work, I can always go back to 12.3.


RC11 was the only driver my DCUII worked with. Albeit after 2 fresh installs of the thing. Worth a try


----------



## pfunkmort

Yeah. It's a green light. It still locks up on in-game cutscenes if I have shadows or AA on, but overall, it's not locking on combat (yet) and no real FPS churn, except a drop to ~45 when I come out of a menu into the game...for about 2-3 seconds. I know that sounds awful, and it's definitely not ideal...but I just want to play the damn thing stable.

Now I just have to find out why BOINC won't recognize my graphics card with the new driver. But that's a question for a different thread.


----------



## Favian

I just setup Eyefinity with 3 23" 1080p screens and 7970 crossfire, I can only run battlefield 3 at around 45 fps with everything maxed out. Is that normal? I feel a little underwhelmed for having such expensive cards. I'm using the 12.2 pre-certified drivers.


----------



## pfunkmort

At what level do you have your anti-aliasing? That's notorious for negatively impacting performance. Also, what's your processor?


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Has anyone else had an issue with Beta 14 of AB causing an increase in idle voltage if any voltage changes are made to a profile? I can make any alterations I want aside from core voltage without any issues, but as soon as I touch that my idle voltage jumps from .806 to .949 and stays there. I've tried assigning a stock settings profile for 2D applications, but I still get the same result. I don't encounter this problem while using Trixx, but I prefer AB for the ability to run a Vcore below 1170 and having the power tune function available without having to use CCC. This is on a Sapphire 7970 running the RC11 drivers, btw.


----------



## pfunkmort

Well, I'm running RC11, and AB Beta 14, and I just paused boinc and my volts dropped to 300 (mv). But I think there was even someone a few pages ago who was having issues with high idles. I don't know if he got an answer from anyone. All I will say is that I DID once have an issue with AB not allowing me to OC at all, and while I'm not saying it's an identical issue, the solution was wiping both the driver and AB and installing in a different order. I'm not saying, "do this, it will work". I'm saying that the solution, because of how finicky these programs apparently are, is liable to be something annoyingly specific. I would probably suggest a full wipe as an option, but I don't know what else you would need.

Did this just start for you? Has it been going on the entire time?


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> At what level do you have your anti-aliasing? That's notorious for negatively impacting performance. Also, what's your processor?


Anti-aliasing is on 4x msaa, my processor is an i5-2500k.


----------



## xxmastermindxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> I use 1.25 for 1225/1700
> or 1.37 for 1250/1700 but at that speed it gets artifacts at some points unless you ramp the fan way up and its too loud


Hey, what do you use to set voltage? Afterburner doesn't let me pass 1.3V. I'm on a 7950 though.


----------



## OverClocker55

KONY 2012 !


----------



## pfunkmort

I don't know. I don't have xfire, but I've read about 50 posts ranting about how much AA is screwing up their performance in BF3 with a 79xx card. For what it's worth, it was supposedly fixed a couple weeks ago in a driver update, but before that, presumably the answer was to go to FXAA or turn it off. I think it's an issue in a lot of games with the 79xx. The best explanation I got was that it has something to do with CCC not properly dealing with it as the CCC option for "let the game decide" or whatever is poorly optimized - and yet that's the only option that's even remotely functional.

[edit] - mastermind, I'm pretty sure that's a typo and he means 1.27. I'm pretty sure these cards have a voltage cap of 1.3.


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I don't know. I don't have xfire, but I've read about 50 posts ranting about how much AA is screwing up their performance in BF3 with a 79xx card. For what it's worth, it was supposedly fixed a couple weeks ago in a driver update, but before that, presumably the answer was to go to FXAA or turn it off. I think it's an issue in a lot of games with the 79xx. The best explanation I got was that it has something to do with CCC not properly dealing with it as the CCC option for "let the game decide" or whatever is poorly optimized - and yet that's the only option that's even remotely functional.


That seems to be the problem, I just turned AA completely off and the game jumped to around 90fps. I hope newer drivers will fix this issue. Thanks


----------



## pfunkmort

If you're really disliking the no AA, try FXAA (which is post aa in the options) at 4x. I think you should still be well over 60 with that. Some people say it makes the game too blurry, but it's up to you what you like.


----------



## OverClocker55

FXXA is the shizz


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> FXXA is the shizz


Yeah. I'm coming from a 460 and years playing WoW and League of Legends and some other games that aren't really that graphically intensive, so I'm a cheap date when it comes to impressing me with graphics. But, some people, especially people who play at the high end, really can't handle anything that's at the expense of clarity. I used to be like that raiding in WoW, because I was in a progression guild, but with how close games are getting to photo-realistic, all the bells and whistles are really nice.

So what did you decide to do? Are you going to wait for Kepler to release to see what you like? Are you going to pick up an older model card like the 500 GTX series or 6000 Radeon? Or just try your luck again with a different 7950?


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Yeah. I'm coming from a 460 and years playing WoW and League of Legends and some other games that aren't really that graphically intensive, so I'm a cheap date when it comes to impressing me with graphics. But, some people, especially people who play at the high end, really can't handle anything that's at the expense of clarity. I used to be like that raiding in WoW, because I was in a progression guild, but with how close games are getting to photo-realistic, all the bells and whistles are really nice.
> So what did you decide to do? Are you going to wait for Kepler to release to see what you like? Are you going to pick up an older model card like the 500 GTX series or 6000 Radeon? Or just try your luck again with a different 7950?


I don't know lol. I got my 9500 GT in atm. LOL


----------



## 125837

Hrm, I get what you mean re playing with all the bells and whistles, and I agree somewhat, however I don't know how people play with motion blur. It doesn't add anything for me and only serves to disorient me and make it more difficult to play :/


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> If you're really disliking the no AA, try FXAA (which is post aa in the options) at 4x. I think you should still be well over 60 with that. Some people say it makes the game too blurry, but it's up to you what you like.


Thanks, I didn't know that. I like that a lot better.


----------



## pfunkmort

Yeah. I can understand that. The only two games where I didn't mind it were the ME series and Crysis 2. But I guess that's just because in those games, it's impractical for you to really run and gun the way you do in some other games, and you have a slightly longer transition between sprinting and opening up on someone, making disorientation less of an issue.

On the driver issue, which has been discussed so much recently, I think it will be really interesting to see what happens over the next month or two. With so many games coming out between now and say June-July, AMD really can't afford to have Kepler banging around, while still offering such sub-par driver support. I like the card, and I think it does everything I want it to do, runs quiet, runs cool, and whatnot, but you can't tell someone who pays 1-3k for a top of the line computer rig just to play the new shooter or new whatever that their game will be supported a month after release.

Part of me wonders if this has something to do with both PS3 and 360 running on such old graphics hardware. I can't help but feel that if these consoles ran on newer, more relevant chips, we'd probably see dev kits that inherently dealt with compatibility issues better.


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> I don't know lol. I got my 9500 GT in atm. LOL


BEAST MODE!


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> Thanks, I didn't know that. I like that a lot better.


No worries dude. Pwn some Nwbs!


----------



## sena

My Asus HD 7950 DCII Top, as far as i tested dont have any overheating problems, i tested in these programs: 1 hour of Heaven 2.0 MAX settings, 45 minutes of metro 2033 gameplay, 3d mark vantaga, 3d mark 11 and some World of tanks gaming.
Cheers.


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> My Asus HD 7950 DCII Top, as far as i tested dont have any overheating problems, i tested in these programs: 1 hour of Heaven 2.0 MAX settings, 45 minutes of metro 2033 gameplay, 3d mark vantaga, 3d mark 11 and some World of tanks gaming.
> Cheers.


Cool. I think the card's cooler is pretty awesome from all the reports I've read, there was just one batch that didn't have the heatsink properly screwed down for some reason!


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> BEAST MODE!


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Well, I'm running RC11, and AB Beta 14, and I just paused boinc and my volts dropped to 300 (mv). But I think there was even someone a few pages ago who was having issues with high idles. I don't know if he got an answer from anyone. All I will say is that I DID once have an issue with AB not allowing me to OC at all, and while I'm not saying it's an identical issue, the solution was wiping both the driver and AB and installing in a different order. I'm not saying, "do this, it will work". I'm saying that the solution, because of how finicky these programs apparently are, is liable to be something annoyingly specific. I would probably suggest a full wipe as an option, but I don't know what else you would need.
> Did this just start for you? Has it been going on the entire time?


Well, I did a little bit of tinkering with AB versions and what not and it turns out that the culprit wasn't Beta 14 but rather enabling Unofficial Overclocking. In both Betas 12 and 14 as soon as I enabled Unofficial OC'ing and altered my voltages my idle measurements jumped from .806 to .949. I'm completely alright with staying at 1125/1575 at the moment anyway, so it's no big deal.


----------



## Favian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Yeah. I can understand that. The only two games where I didn't mind it were the ME series and Crysis 2. But I guess that's just because in those games, it's impractical for you to really run and gun the way you do in some other games, and you have a slightly longer transition between sprinting and opening up on someone, making disorientation less of an issue.
> On the driver issue, which has been discussed so much recently, I think it will be really interesting to see what happens over the next month or two. With so many games coming out between now and say June-July, AMD really can't afford to have Kepler banging around, while still offering such sub-par driver support. I like the card, and I think it does everything I want it to do, runs quiet, runs cool, and whatnot, but you can't tell someone who pays 1-3k for a top of the line computer rig just to play the new shooter or new whatever that their game will be supported a month after release.
> Part of me wonders if this has something to do with both PS3 and 360 running on such old graphics hardware. I can't help but feel that if these consoles ran on newer, more relevant chips, we'd probably see dev kits that inherently dealt with compatibility issues better.


Yeah it seems like consoles are holding the pc back. That really annoys me because pc hardware could run so much better.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Cool. I think the card's cooler is pretty awesome from all the reports I've read, there was just one batch that didn't have the heatsink properly screwed down for some reason!


My card also only have four screws, as far i noticed.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Cool. I think the card's cooler is pretty awesome from all the reports I've read, there was just one batch that didn't have the heatsink properly screwed down for some reason!


The chip cooling is great, VRMs not so. My cooler looked properly screwed down (Chip hit 58C on 50% fan) and the VRMs hit 95C (last time I looked) and then went too high and burnt. I'd be interested to know what kind of VRM temps he is seeing on the 7950.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> The chip cooling is great, VRMs not so. My cooler looked properly screwed down (Chip hit 58C on 50% fan) and the VRMs hit 95C (last time I looked) and then went too high and burnt. I'd be interested to know what kind of VRM temps he is seeing on the 7950.


VRM temps after one loop of heaven 2.0 are 60C.
Cheers.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> VRM temps after one loop of heaven 2.0 are 60C.
> Cheers.


Damn, must only be the 7970 DCUII that has issues. I just want to game!


----------



## leoxtxt

Could anyone tell me please whats the highest safe voltage for the 7970 ? I got mines @ 1215/1650 with 1.17v (Accelero 7970) but i think i can easily get it to 1250+.


----------



## pfunkmort

the actual cap is 1.3v, but you're going to be hard pressed to justify pushing it that far. Temp issues and artifacts are probably going to be seen in the 1.25-1.27 range. As has been discussed here in the last few pages, if you do bump far past 1.2, download HWinfo64, and keep an eye on your VRM temps, as most conventional temperature monitoring programs don't show you that, and it could be the determining factor of whether or not you're pushing too far.

I'd worry more about temp/artifacts during stress tests at full load than I would about voltage if you're sub 1.27.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leoxtxt*
> 
> Could anyone tell me please whats the highest safe voltage for the 7970 ? I got mines @ 1215/1650 with 1.17v (Accelero 7970) but i think i can easily get it to 1250+.


The card is capped at 1.3v, and people have been using 1.3v under water I think... You'd hit temperature max long before you hit vmax running on an air cooler. Just watch your VRM temps and if they get to 85ish or more stop there.


----------



## Altimis

@pfunkmort
@Darco19

Sorry for late reply

Thanks for informative and quick answer


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Altimis*
> 
> @pfunkmort
> @Darco19
> Sorry for late reply
> Thanks for informative and quick answer


Again, don't worry about it dude. You're more than welcome, I hope you got your card stable and good. If you have any more issues or questions, you should ask here. But you really shouldn't just post the same thing over and over again. I obviously don't mind, as I think there's a general global lack of people praising my name...but you're sure to annoy someone or other.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Did the same test and made the same screenshot now with max tab included...
> 
> But The current tab has always stayed zero during the test as far as I could see... Which was not the case with the 2 other tests (lower overclock + stock).
> Also as you can see I made the screenshot while the test was still going (you can see the temps), and for Furmark the load should always be 99%.
> Also when I do the 1080p Benchmark preset in Furmark I can see the load constantly going from 99% to 0%.
> It does not do this on the lower overclock.
> What does this mean?
> Feedback again MUCH appreciated!


Nobody has an idea?
You can see the screenshots of the stock + lower overclock a few pages back !
Feedback very welcome !! (+ rep)


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Nobody has an idea?
> You can see the screenshots of the stock + lower overclock a few pages back !
> Feedback very welcome !! (+ rep)


I don't know mate, have you tried bumping the voltage slightly? How does it run in games?

You're better off using a benchmark like Heaven or 3DMark11 to test your OC in my opinion - Furmark is way too stressful compared to normal usage.


----------



## pfunkmort

IDK man, I use OCCT. Although to be fair, that's mostly to get an idea of what my fan profile needs to look like to keep me from ever reaching my ceiling. I think LAF is right though.

The reality is it's probably software side, unless you can reproduce similar results in other analogous programs (like ab or occt or openhardwaremonitor), in which case it could be sensors or something more serious. Otherwise I wouldn't sweat it.


----------



## Daffie82

Thanks for the replies guys, both +rep
It runs in games (Batman AA) just fine and also benchmarking tools like Heaven 2.5 seem to run fine at the highest overclock.
I will try with occt to see if it gives the same strange result.
If not I will just ignore it! If it gives the same result I will report back here.
Thanks!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> IDK man, I use OCCT. Although to be fair, that's mostly to get an idea of what my fan profile needs to look like to keep me from ever reaching my ceiling. I think LAF is right though.
> The reality is it's probably software side, unless you can reproduce similar results in other analogous programs (like ab or occt or openhardwaremonitor), in which case it could be sensors or something more serious. Otherwise I wouldn't sweat it.


One last thing, what version of OCCT should I use? 3.1 or the newest version?
Thanks for the help!


----------



## Ken1649

Use GPU-Z under sensor tab for all the readings. It's the most accurate. Ignore what Furmak says.


----------



## sena

Guys, i am planing to buy second HD 7950 DCII, but tri slot worries me.
I have Asus RE III board, i am afraid of overheating.
Cheers.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Use GPU-Z under sensor tab for all the readings. It's the most accurate. Ignore what Furmak says.


Yeah, but HWiNFO64 basicly confirmed the readings of Furmark ....


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, i am planing to buy second HD 7950 DCII, but tri slot worries me.
> I have Asus RE III board, i am afraid of overheating.
> Cheers.


Are you saying that the cards will be more or less sandwiched together? If that's the case you can expect the top card to get a bit hotter than the bottom card simply due to lack of airflow to it. An aggressive custom fan profile could help with temps a bit, but overall it's doable. I have 2 Sapphire ref 7950s in the Fractal Design mini and they are sandwhiched together and temps are too bad. I'll post up so info on that when I get chance to take Screenshots and what not. Hope that kind of answers your question


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Favian*
> 
> I just setup Eyefinity with 3 23" 1080p screens and 7970 crossfire, I can only run battlefield 3 at around 45 fps with everything maxed out. Is that normal? I feel a little underwhelmed for having such expensive cards. I'm using the 12.2 pre-certified drivers.


But holy s**t 7970 crossfire and you getting dips to that level ????? I suspect its a crossfire driver issue, not a driver AA issue. But its well known that MSAA in this game is VERY expensive - maybe the game needs optimizing still. (note the Feb 14th leaked beta 8.96 is meant to be good for BF3)

Heres my experience of MSAA in this game, all at 1080p All settings maxed except MSAA being changed. Post process AA is off as i find it too blurry.
Note: I experience the game becoming choppy at approx 54fps on my system so I want a setting that provides at least this min Fps.

GTX 580 3GB @ 900/4200
x2MSAA in 64 player mutilplayer = holds 60 Fps majority, few dips to mid 50's in Vanilla map,few dips to mid 40's in B2K maps = Just some areas of B2K maps annoying and sluggish (hence buy a 7970)
x4MSAA in 64 player mutilplayer = holds mid 50's Fps majority, dips to mid and low 40's in all maps and sluggish feel = Not really playable for me as annoying.
7970 @ Stock
Same as above
7970 @ 1260/6200
x2MSAA in 64 player mutilplayer = holds majority 60fps everywhere, few dips to mid 50's in B2k maps = No sluggish areas, feels smooth everywhere
x4MSAA in 64 player mutilplayer = holds 60fps majority in all Vanilla maps, Dips to low 50's/high 40's in B2K maps = Playable for Vanilla maps few sluggish areas in B2K

The solution for me is to run x2MSAA with *SMAA injector* (and disable ingame postAA) = Superior AA and only a couple of Fps hit on top of x2MSAA.
x4MSAA just feels a bit laggy on the B2K maps still in some areas.

Also these cards need a nice OC to come alive, but I think we all know that !!!!!


----------



## 125837

How do you set MSAA, FXAA, etc? I haven't checked because I haven't played in ages, but isn't there only one AA option and a slider bar in the BF3 settings menu?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> Are you saying that the cards will be more or less sandwiched together? If that's the case you can expect the top card to get a bit hotter than the bottom card simply due to lack of airflow to it. An aggressive custom fan profile could help with temps a bit, but overall it's doable. I have 2 Sapphire ref 7950s in the Fractal Design mini and they are sandwhiched together and temps are too bad. I'll post up so info on that when I get chance to take Screenshots and what not. Hope that kind of answers your question


Little less sandwiched, but still they will be preety close to each other, i could maybe insert second card in last slot, but i cant find the bridge long enough for that.


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> How do you set MSAA, FXAA, etc? I haven't checked because I haven't played in ages, but isn't there only one AA option and a slider bar in the BF3 settings menu?


MSAA is ingame
Post process AA is ingame (this is ingame FXAA but blurs everything)

These are 3rd party injectors.
FXAA
http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/battlefield-3-pc/1454675-better-sharper-custom-fxaa-injector.html
SMAA
http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/battlefield-3-pc/1462822-smaa-injector.html


----------



## Hambone07si

Again, anyone figure out how to enable Unofficial overclocking mode in AB when using 12.3? If I apply it, all clocks go to 0 and wont take a change. If I disable it, it will overclock to 1125core no problem.

Anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks,
Hambone


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Again, anyone figure out how to enable Unofficial overclocking mode in AB when using 12.3? If I apply it, all clocks go to 0 and wont take a change. If I disable it, it will overclock to 1125core no problem.
> 
> Anyone know how to fix this?
> 
> Thanks,
> Hambone


1. Uninstall the driver through catalyst manager.

2. Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1

3. Install RC11 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx

4. Upgrade (overwite RC11) with 12.3 Pre-cert. Do not perform clean install. It will interfere with ULPS and 3D clocks or in Power Saving Mode.

5. For Crossfire user; Catalyst 12.2 CAP 1 http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx

6. Reinstall Afterburner if you have to then verify ULPS and unoffcial overclocking.


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 1. Uninstall the driver through catalyst manager.
> 
> 2. Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1
> 
> 3. Install RC11 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
> 
> 4. Upgrade (overwite RC11) with 12.3 Pre-cert. Do not perform clean install. It will interfere with ULPS and 3D clocks or in Power Saving Mode.
> 
> 5. For Crossfire user; Catalyst 12.2 CAP 1 http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx
> 
> 6. Reinstall Afterburner if you have to then verify ULPS and unoffcial overclocking.


Abit overkill and messy
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Again, anyone figure out how to enable Unofficial overclocking mode in AB when using 12.3? If I apply it, all clocks go to 0 and wont take a change. If I disable it, it will overclock to 1125core no problem.
> Anyone know how to fix this?
> Thanks,
> Hambone


AFAIK you need to replace the missing atipdlxx.dll file into system32 and syswow64 folders.
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4246659&postcount=18 problem
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4246617&postcount=14 answer
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4246973&postcount=43 solution

Uninstall AB, download the file and copy it to locations, reboot, reinstall AB.

Im using the -XCL mode with AB beta 14 with 12.3 pre cert, no issues overlclocking here.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 1. Uninstall the driver through catalyst manager.
> 
> 2. Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1
> 
> 3. Install RC11 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
> 
> 4. Upgrade (overwite RC11) with 12.3 Pre-cert. Do not perform clean install. It will interfere with ULPS and 3D clocks or in Power Saving Mode.
> 
> 5. For Crossfire user; Catalyst 12.2 CAP 1 http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx
> 
> 6. Reinstall Afterburner if you have to then verify ULPS and unoffcial overclocking.
> 
> 
> 
> Abit overkill and messy
Click to expand...

Overkill? Yes, for a reason but not overkill for *Crossfire user







*


----------



## Hambone07si

Yes I'm a Crossfire user. So go back to RC11 and just install over it. DAME, wish I knew that before the process of installing the 12.3







Thanks for the reply. Like I said, it worked fine on RC11 and no issues once I enabled Unofficial. I'll give that a try.

Thanks both of you.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yes I'm a Crossfire user. So go back to RC11 and just install over it. DAME, wish I knew that before the process of installing the 12.3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the reply. Like I said, it worked fine on RC11 and no issues once I enabled Unofficial. I'll give that a try.
> 
> Thanks both of you.


Whoever put this files together obviously missed some of the files









Now you know why 12.3 Pre-Cert can not be found in AMD website.


----------



## wireeater

You just need to two drivers to copy in the system32 and syswow64 folder. I sent them to one user already in which worked for him.


----------



## slickric21

^^ ive posted a link to that file on previous page, it would be usefull if it was added to page 1 in downloads section
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Whoever put this files together obviously missed some of the files
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now you know why 12.3 Pre-Cert can not be found in AMD website.


Well theres a bit if misinformation about at the mo with these drivers, but the link to the latest drivers is on page 1 post 2 of this thread in the latest drivers section.

There is no 12.3 pre-cert, just a 12.2 pre cert that happens to show 12.3 once installed, and it is on AMD's site.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> ^^ ive posted a link to that file on previous page, it would be usefull if it was added to page 1 in downloads section
> Well theres a bit if misinformation about at the mo with these drivers, but the link to the latest drivers is on page 1 post 2 of this thread in the latest drivers section.
> There is no 12.3 pre-cert, just a 12.2 pre cert that happens to show 12.3 once installed, and it is on AMD's site.


That was released on feb 14th and the 12.3 I'm using was released on feb 28th. Not the same one bud

This is the one I'm using.
http://downloads.guru3d.com/AMD-Catalyst-12.x--8.96-February-28-download-2867.html


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> That was released on feb 14th and the 12.3 I'm using was released on feb 28th. Not the same one bud
> This is the one I'm using.
> http://downloads.guru3d.com/AMD-Catalyst-12.x--8.96-February-28-download-2867.html


Oh okay mate I see, was confused as you said you were using 12.3 in your original post, not the 8.96 unoffical Feb 28th leaked build ( that surfaced here http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359439)

Those 28th Feb ones are a cluster f for me, and alot of users, BF3 crashing on startup, heaven bechmark crashing etc etc
I found the 8.96 14th Feb to be better, but just did a reinstall of my OS and went with the Offical 12.2 pre-cert (12.3)

Either way you still need the atipdlxx.dll file to get those drivers to work with overclocking software.

The 8.96's that were released on 14th of Feb are said to be good for BF3 btw if you play it.


----------



## Hambone07si

BBc2 worked great, Heaven works great, Crysis 2 perfect, 3dmark11 better than Rc11, 3dmark Vantage better. Skyrim no screen tearing. Everything is good except the unofficial overclocking mode not playing nice.


----------



## slickric21

Does Heaven 2.5 work with fullscreen AA enabled ? Thats what crashed it for me.
Yeah they sound like good drivers if you dont use BF3 !!!!

All you need to do then is unistall AB, copy that file, reinstall AB, hey presto you'll be good to go

No need to install any Caps, as the 28th Feb 8.96 come bundled with 12.2 cap 1 anyway.

Oh heres a simple installer that will copy the file for you, from ATIman
http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leoxtxt*
> 
> Could anyone tell me please whats the highest safe voltage for the 7970 ? I got mines @ 1215/1650 with 1.17v (Accelero 7970) but i think i can easily get it to 1250+.


What are ur VRM temps?
I ordered the accelero so wanna know if they are gd.


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> What are ur VRM temps?
> I ordered the accelero so wanna know if they are gd.


Heres a screenshot of mine after looping Heaven Benchmark 2.5 for 3 hrs at 1260/6200 1255mv (target) and then a few hours of BF3, look at the max readings


VRM suppling core was = 65'c
VRM suppling ram was = 55'c

This is on my Sapphire reference card, ASIC 73.1%

I had a Gigabyte windforce AISC 78%, but returned it as under oc'ing the fans ramp up and get very very loud.
Also the cooling was inferior with the same clocks and tests as above the core got to 71'c, and the VRM's 70 & 69 respectively.

Only thing to note with the Accelero is

1) the thermal glue took 24hrs to set solid for me, not 5 like the instructions said.
2) At idle monitoring tools will report incorrect fan rpm as the bios/driver default fan % is to low to effectively create a reading, i also noticed that one of my fans would stop spinning. Solved by forcing a 40% 2d profile in AB (for all 3D i've set 100% as its quiet as a mouse even at 100%)


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> Heres a screenshot of mine after looping Heaven Benchmark 2.5 for 3 hrs at 1260/6200 1255mv (target) and then a few hours of BF3, look at the max readings
> 
> VRM suppling core was = 65'c
> VRM suppling ram was = 55'c
> This is on my Sapphire reference card, ASIC 73.1%
> I had a Gigabyte windforce AISC 78%, but returned it as under oc'ing the fans ramp up and get very very loud.
> Also the cooling was inferior with the same clocks and tests as above the core got to 71'c, and the VRM's 70 & 69 respectively.
> Only thing to note with the Accelero is
> 1) the thermal glue took 24hrs to set solid for me, not 5 like the instructions said.
> 2) At idle monitoring tools will report incorrect fan rpm as the bios/driver default fan % is to low to effectively create a reading, i also noticed that one of my fans would stop spinning. Solved by forcing a 40% 2d profile in AB (for all 3D i've set 100% as its quiet as a mouse even at 100%)


Tnx for the info


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Little less sandwiched, but still they will be preety close to each other, i could maybe insert second card in last slot, but i cant find the bridge long enough for that.


You should be alright! But I would definately recommend setting up a fan profile if you haven't done so already! I don't know what kind of OC you have on your single card setup, but you may need to dial it back a little bit to keep temps down on that top card since airflow to it will be most restricted.


----------



## wireeater

Ordered two Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 for the two 7950. Does anyone have one of these installed on their card and if so, could I see a picture (not uploaded through hosting site, can't view). I am curious as to how much the HSF changes the thickness of the cards VS stock cooler. I have about an inch between them right now.

If anything I will have to move the PSU because the bottom PCI-E sits right about the PSU making it impossible to fit a card in there.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> You should be alright! But I would definately recommend setting up a fan profile if you haven't done so already! I don't know what kind of OC you have on your single card setup, but you may need to dial it back a little bit to keep temps down on that top card since airflow to it will be most restricted.


When it comes to 24/7 clocks i dont use any voltage tweaks, only on stock volts, now i am 60C avarage, GPU temps.
btw, thanks for help, and i have HAFX case, if that matters.


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> When it comes to 24/7 clocks i dont use any voltage tweaks, only on stock volts, now i am 60C avarage, GPU temps.
> btw, thanks for help, and i have HAFX case, if that matters.


If thats the case you should definately be alright man, and as I mentioned previously if you tweak your fan profile to ramp up a bit more than the stock profile you shouldn't see your top card hit anything over 80C (thats about the max I would let mine jump up to). I'm not sure how exactly you have your rig setup, but the HAF X has pretty good airflow. Sorry i'm slow at posting up my own temps and what have you, I'm still at work unfortunately. I have mine in mATX case (Define Mini by Fractal Design) and I dont see temps above 80C, so with that being the case (no pun intended) I'd so go out and grab that second DCU II!!!!


----------



## Sebe

[AMD] AMD Catalyst Driver 12.2 Released


----------



## switchblade

wasnt 12.2 released a long time ago?


----------



## omega17

12.2 pre-cert was released. Basically the same, but now Microsoft say they're OK


----------



## pioneerisloud

So how are these "official" 12.2's? Am I still better off with the RC11's that I've been running without an issue, except that idle lock up bug (and GTA IV performance)?


----------



## wireeater

Install them and try em out and let us know









I am going to put them on when I get home.


----------



## pfunkmort

If they're like the 12.2 pre-cert, they're terrible at ME3, is how they are. I had 12.2 pre-cert for a month or so, and everything was fine with them. But when I went to play ME3 with them, I would get random driver crashes and I'd have to restart to be able to play any more. I moved to RC11 because of it.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the replies guys, both +rep
> It runs in games (Batman AA) just fine and also benchmarking tools like Heaven 2.5 seem to run fine at the highest overclock.
> I will try with occt to see if it gives the same strange result.
> If not I will just ignore it! If it gives the same result I will report back here.
> Thanks!


Well, like someone suggested here, just read GPU-Z instead of HWinfo ...
And indeed, it shows load constantly high while doing a small benchmark with Furmark. So in terms of GPU load, only look at GPU-Z for accurate readings is my advice.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> If they're like the 12.2 pre-cert, they're terrible at ME3, is how they are. I had 12.2 pre-cert for a month or so, and everything was fine with them. But when I went to play ME3 with them, I would get random driver crashes and I'd have to restart to be able to play any more. I moved to RC11 because of it.


What about any other games? GTA IV is the only game I've had issues with (massive stuttering). And I keep getting that idle lock up problem with my screensaver on. Either of those fixed?

I could care less about EA games, not going to support EA in any way at all anymore.


----------



## pfunkmort

I honestly didn't install it on this machine, so I couldn't say. It's funny because I had been thinking about replaying it...but, I hadn't gotten around to doing it. Maybe I'll set that up to install while I go for lunch.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> What about any other games? GTA IV is the only game I've had issues with (massive stuttering). And I keep getting that idle lock up problem with my screensaver on. Either of those fixed?
> I could care less about EA games, not going to support EA in any way at all anymore.


It's interesting you say that about the screen saver..,

I don't use SS but I do use power save and it seems like every time it goes into it and I am not there to wake it, it will eventually not come out of it. I wasn't sure if this was the SSD or the video card. I have to do a hard reboot.

I don't have sleep/hib on for the drives. I wonder if this could be related.

What's your beef with EA?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the replies guys, both +rep
> It runs in games (Batman AA) just fine and also benchmarking tools like Heaven 2.5 seem to run fine at the highest overclock.
> I will try with occt to see if it gives the same strange result.
> If not I will just ignore it! If it gives the same result I will report back here.
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> Well, like someone suggested here, just read GPU-Z instead of HWinfo ...
> And indeed, it shows load constantly high while doing a small benchmark with Furmark. So in terms of GPU load, only look at GPU-Z for accurate readings is my advice.
Click to expand...

No reason to lie to you about GPU-Z lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So how are these "official" 12.2's? Am I still better off with the RC11's that I've been running without an issue, except that idle lock up bug (and GTA IV performance)?


Go for it dude. Hehe. Actually, I will load them in an hour. Gonna have to test my replacement 7970s one a t a time with the new driver before redoing my loop/blocks Sat. BRB.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> What about any other games? GTA IV is the only game I've had issues with (massive stuttering). And I keep getting that idle lock up problem with my screensaver on. Either of those fixed?
> I could care less about EA games, not going to support EA in any way at all anymore.
> 
> 
> 
> It's interesting you say that about the screen saver..,
> 
> I don't use SS but I do use power save and it seems like every time it goes into it and I am not there to wake it, it will eventually not come out of it. I wasn't sure if this was the SSD or the video card. I have to do a hard reboot.
> 
> I don't have sleep/hib on for the drives. I wonder if this could be related.
> 
> What's your beef with EA?
Click to expand...

What kind of power saving features do you use? I have everything disabled, my monitors shut off after 15 minutes (that's it). I use profiles in MSI AB, 2D is stock, 3D is overclocked. And that SEEMS to have fixed the idle lock ups after a while for me.

I'd really like to know if these new "official" drivers fix the above issue, and the stutter in GTA IV. Otherwise I'll sell this card and wait it out for Kepler. I'm tired of not being able to play my favorite game. The idle lock up can be worked around...the stutter in GTA IV cannot.

My beef with EA is Origin. This isn't the time or place for that debate though.


----------



## tsm106

Installing it on a sapphire 7970 right now on my server cuz it's the only aircooled rig in my house lol.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> If thats the case you should definately be alright man, and as I mentioned previously if you tweak your fan profile to ramp up a bit more than the stock profile you shouldn't see your top card hit anything over 80C (thats about the max I would let mine jump up to). I'm not sure how exactly you have your rig setup, but the HAF X has pretty good airflow. Sorry i'm slow at posting up my own temps and what have you, I'm still at work unfortunately. I have mine in mATX case (Define Mini by Fractal Design) and I dont see temps above 80C, so with that being the case (no pun intended) I'd so go out and grab that second DCU II!!!!


Thanks mate, just when you have time, post your temps.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> No reason to lie to you about GPU-Z lol


You made it?


----------



## tsm106

12.2 whql is working good so far. Ran thru heaven no problems on a new sapphire, stock volts max CCC clocks.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> No reason to lie to you about GPU-Z lol
> 
> 
> 
> You made it?
Click to expand...

Yep. Here post #5788


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 12.2 whql is working good so far. Ran thru heaven no problems on a new sapphire, stock volts max CCC clocks.


How about GTA IV?







And of course other games....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> How about GTA IV?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And of course other games....


Hehe. I don't have many games on the server, it's just rocking an i3 2100. What I can say is nothing jumped out at me. With 12.2 and the other betas, it was obvious from the get go that things were iffy.

I have to swap 3 new 7970s for my current visionteks... but its' a real pain being on water at times like this. Grr, but I'll get around to it.


----------



## OverClocker55

I returned my MSI 7950. Now what? Go green or try different brand? I'm thoughtless


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> How about GTA IV?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And of course other games....
> 
> 
> 
> Hehe. I don't have many games on the server, it's just rocking an i3 2100. What I can say is nothing jumped out at me. With 12.2 and the other betas, it was obvious from the get go that things were iffy.
> 
> I have to swap 3 new 7970s for my current visionteks... but its' a real pain being on water at times like this. Grr, but I'll get around to it.
Click to expand...

An i3 2100 will handle GTA IV. You should install it real quick and tell me how well it runs.







My server rig with an i3 2120 and an 8400GS plays GTA IV better than my main rig does (i5 2500k with a 7970).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> An i3 2100 will handle GTA IV. You should install it real quick and tell me how well it runs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My server rig with an i3 2120 and an 8400GS plays GTA IV better than my main rig does (i5 2500k with a 7970).


Alright I'll install it, think I have the iso somewhere.

LOL, damn you Amazon. I canceled my order for 3 DCII's and guess what they do? They added a DCII to my personal goldbox deals, 30 bucks off! Damn these people.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> I returned my MSI 7950. Now what? Go green or try different brand? I'm thoughtless


Sapphire HD 7950 OC edition !
Great card, great cooling, great overclocking potential


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Yep. Here post #5788


I meant : you designed the program?
Thanks for the tip anyway, appreciated !
I used to check load with GPU-Z before but since I just used HWinfo I thought to use that instead (because it also shows VRM temps). I stand corrected now


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Sapphire HD 7950 OC edition !
> Great card, great cooling, great overclocking potential


hmm does it come new when you order new? lol


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> hmm does it come new when you order new? lol


Well, it should


----------



## Jonnykiv

I tried using the 12.2 pre-certs on my 7950 and just wasn't impressed with the marginal gain over my overclocked 6870. Even overclocked my 7950 to 925/1375 and wasn't all that impressed. My GTX 460 v2 AKA castrated GTX460 seems to run everything at max bar BF3.

With regards to benchmarking them I got obviously higher with the 7950 by about 2k more in 3dmark11 performance benching. But things seem to look better on the 460 for me, and the drivers work fine first time around.

EDIT: My 460 seems to also run Starcraft 2 better than my 7950 did.


----------



## wireeater

I just tried installing the new drivers after a remove/aitman clean and what's the first thing that happens when I try to open CCC... BSOD.... so I do another removal using uninstall/aitman and reinstall and this time I don't get BSOD, just CCC either doesn't open or it crashes. When I tried making a group for the monitors it was locking up then arranging them you wouldn't see anything in the grey box.

How do you make such good cards but absolutely crappy drivers...


----------



## El_Capitan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I just tried installing the new drivers after a remove/aitman clean and what's the first thing that happens when I try to open CCC... BSOD.... so I do another removal using uninstall/aitman and reinstall and this time I don't get BSOD, just CCC either doesn't open or it crashes. When I tried making a group for the monitors it was locking up then arranging them you wouldn't see anything in the grey box.
> How do you make such good cards but absolutely crappy drivers...


Welcome to the world of AMD graphics card owners!


----------



## switchblade

Maybe I am the lucky 1. I have never had Issues with the hardware or software for any AMD video card. I dont even have coil whine and have a card that stays very cool and is a good overclocker.


----------



## pioneerisloud

So any word yet on GTA IV patch 1.07 (or EFLC) yet with 12.2?


----------



## wireeater

I just did another clean install windows and didn't have any issues installing the new drivers this time. Nothing crashed so far (CCC, BSOD). I haven't loaded any games yet, still running updates but we will see... It's sad that you need to clean install windows to get new drivers to work properly though.


----------



## banditscout

Hey all! Anyone having any issues with the bottom of the screen flickering on the desktop, and in some games? I'm about to install the 12.2 WHQL drivers, but the issue was still there with the pre-certs (so I'm not too hopeful).


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Alan Wake still unplayable in crossfire. Damn AMD.


----------



## nugget toes

Just got the Twin Frozr III 7950 installed and ran a bench of 3dMark 11. http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2915438;jsessionid=1vp9oonm6fpa1qi1hz3b84ca3
ASIC 76.8%
My default voltage is 0.993 @ 880 core 1250 mem
Bumped voltage to 1.200 @ 1100 core and 1575 mem (This is the maximum core and memory through Afterburner)

How can I unlock a higher core/memory through Afterburner? I already posted in the memory forum asking why my modules aren't rated at same speed but if any of you know plz tell


----------



## wireeater

I think you have to go into a config file and add a few things and then enable it in the MSIAfterburner settings. Maybe someone can be more specific with what you actually need to put in the file.


----------



## pfunkmort

This.

Copy/Paste the blue text about accepting blah blah (yes, I'm serious) and change the value in the setting below it from 0 to 1. Close AB, restart it, and it should work. You might also have to enable something in CCC, but I forget. CCC and AB conflict with each other though, so it's best to not have CCC run minimized in the system tray for everyday use.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So any word yet on GTA IV patch 1.07 (or EFLC) yet with 12.2?


So I got around to installing it from teh download files I have archived from Amazon... and it wouldn't install lol. Had to run it in xp compatibility, ok fixed that. It started to install and then one of the files, weazel.bik is corrupted, doh! What the heck? Ignore, that file... gotta download that 1gb+?? file from a mirror now and put it in, then I gotta update lol. Oh Rockstar, how I loathe thee.

**Ok, I loaded it on. Running on 3 screens, I get around 60fps, drops to 40fps at times and jumps to 200fps indoors. Game runs better than with my old quad 6950s, but imo that has to do with how uber the 7970s are cuz utilization is still at an amazing 45% on two cards lol. Oh, no stuttering really, fov is still messed up. I don't feel like messing with it atm.

Hmm, synch between DP and DVI is messed up in 12.2whql as it was in 12.2 precert. This flickering DP monitor is damn annoying. Now that I look at it, there still doesn't seem to be a better driver than rc11 atm.


----------



## Hambone07si

@ Ken1649, thanks man. I rolled back to RC11 and then installed 12.3 pre-cert (feb28) over it, then disabled ULPS via Regedit, rebooted and installed Msi beta 14, the went into the config and changed Unofficial overclocking mode to 1 and saved. Opened up MSI and it worked perfect








Kinda a pain, but worked like a charm. Everything is working great too. Not a single crash. I will test some more games later tonight.

Thanks again


----------



## wireeater

Performance of the new drivers seemed good. I was running BF3 campaign mode in 5760x1080 in Ultra minus blur and MSAA and was getting between 40-80 fps, 50-60fps avg.


----------



## wireeater

Does anyone have reference versions of the 7950? I can't seem to find my peak O/C settings. I am curious of what people are getting out of these cards.


----------



## Daffie82

So people who are still using RC11 should upgrade now to 12.3 pre cert (feb 28) ?
Is this really worth while in terms of performance and in terms of possible bug fixes ?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Does anyone have reference versions of the 7950? I can't seem to find my peak O/C settings. I am curious of what people are getting out of these cards.


Im running sapphire OC edition on 1175 mhz core and 1580 mhz memory on 1175 Voltage.
This runs perfectly stable for me.
I have to admit I have not tried pushing it more, cause I have read on many places what the avg/max overclock is of these 7950 cards and my clocks are pretty close to it.


----------



## wireeater

Ya, you got a better cooler on yours so your temps run cooler I'm sure though.

I have just been trying to find a sweet spot that doesn't require bumping up the volts.


----------



## Hambone07si

Both of you guys (Daffie82, Wireeater) need to learn how NOT to double post. USE you edit post feature.

Skyrim runs better now that I installed the 12.3 pre-cert over RC11. Everything seems smoother and had no crashes or lockups. Played Crysis 2, Mw3, BBC2, Heaven 2.5, 3dmark11 and Vantage. All better than before.

Edit: @ Wireeater, you have to test to find the peak of your card. Yours will be different than everyone elses


----------



## wireeater

I didn't double post...









I left the thread and came back in with another topic in mind... double post = 2 posts, same topic/same question.

Sorry, did I need to edit my other post and put this in there?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> @ Ken1649, thanks man. I rolled back to RC11 and then installed 12.3 pre-cert (feb28) over it, then disabled ULPS via Regedit, rebooted and installed Msi beta 14, the went into the config and changed Unofficial overclocking mode to 1 and saved. Opened up MSI and it worked perfect
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kinda a pain, but worked like a charm. Everything is working great too. Not a single crash. I will test some more games later tonight.
> 
> Thanks again


No prob.

Just don't understand why so many users are having issues with drivers and can't even get CCC to open at all. Too many variables as users might have their system configured differently. But glad it works for you.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Both of you guys (Daffie82, Wireeater) need to learn how NOT to double post. USE you edit post feature.
> Skyrim runs better now that I installed the 12.3 pre-cert over RC11. Everything seems smoother and had no crashes or lockups. Played Crysis 2, Mw3, BBC2, Heaven 2.5, 3dmark11 and Vantage. All better than before.


Sorry









So If I just install the 12.3 drivers over RC11 like you mentionned in your previous post I should have better performance?
Mind you : I have single card...


----------



## Hambone07si

All good but yes these are both double posts.



I'm using Crossfire so the only diff would be not using cap's, but 12.3 comes with 12.2 cap1 already. Everything was working fine until I unlocked the Unofficial Overclocking Mode in AB. All clocks would go to 0 and not hold a value. If you don't use Unofficial overclocking, then you should be fine.


----------



## Daffie82

Ok, thanks for the info...

I do not use AB though to overclock, I use Trixx.
*But if I look at all the troubles people are having with games with more recent drivers I am very reluctant to update my RC11...*
Only game I am playing now is the new Batman : AA game anyway and I am getting very good fps on max settings (4x FXAA, v-sync on @ 1920x1080, physx off)


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm using Crossfire so the only diff would be not using cap's, but 12.3 comes with 12.2 cap1 already. Everything was working fine until I unlocked the Unofficial Overclocking Mode in AB. All clocks would go to 0 and not hold a value. If you don't use Unofficial overclocking, then you should be fine.


Try run this patch http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz

AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 507k .zip file


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Try run this patch http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


I'm all good and working perfect after following the steps you told me yesterday. I was just saying that for Daffie82. I unlocked the Unofficial and working perfect again up to 1200/1600 1.174v.. I need to get my 2nd card on water. It gets too warm and loud. My VRM's on water are 50max and on air 80max. Don't want to push any further until I get both on water.

Was there a different reason to run that patch?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ok, thanks for the info...
> I do not use AB though to overclock, I use Trixx.
> *But if I look at all the troubles people are having with games with more recent drivers I am very reluctant to update my RC11...*
> Only game I am playing now is the new Batman : AA game anyway and I am getting very good fps on max settings (4x FXAA, v-sync on @ 1920x1080, physx off)


If there's nothing wrong and your getting good performance, then no need to change yet. I wouldn't change a driver unless there was a issue in a game you wanted to play.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Try run this patch http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz
> 
> 
> 
> I'm all good and working perfect after following the steps you told me yesterday. I was just saying that for Daffie82. I unlocked the Unofficial and working perfect again up to 1200/1600 1.174v.. I need to get my 2nd card on water. It gets too warm and loud. My VRM's on water are 50max and on air 80max. Don't want to push any further until I get both on water.
Click to expand...

It restores the missing runtimes in previous drivers. The same things you did but not sure if it includes the missing files in 12.3.


----------



## Hambone07si

LMAO









Here's a quote from Tweaktown "It's said to give the GTX 680 a 10-percent (or so) advantage of AMD's Radeon HD 7970 in Battlefield 3 for example, but be roughly 10-percent slower than the HD 7970 in 3DMark 11."

HA, where's that 45% they were talking about. 10% higher in BF3 and 10% lower in 3dmark11 over the 7970. Put the 7970 up to 1000/1500 and there's probably the 10% difference. Run 1200/1600 or above and I bet the Gtx680's won't compete. Put Eyefinity into the picture and I bet we watch our 3gb Vram walk all over the 2gb on the 680. Glad I didn't wait and joined the red team for now.

Source: http://www.tweaktown.com/news/22915/nvidia_geforce_gtx_680_can_overclock_itself/index.html


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a quote from Tweaktown "It's said to give the GTX 680 a 10-percent (or so) advantage of AMD's Radeon HD 7970 in Battlefield 3 for example, but be roughly 10-percent slower than the HD 7970 in 3DMark 11."
> HA, where's that 45% they were talking about. 10% higher in BF3 and 10% lower in 3dmark11 over the 7970. Put the 7970 up to 1000/1500 and there's probably the 10% difference. Run 1200/1600 or above and I bet the Gtx680's won't compete. Put Eyefinity into the picture and I bet we watch our 3gb Vram walk all over the 2gb on the 680. Glad I didn't wait and joined the red team for now.
> Source: http://www.tweaktown.com/news/22915/nvidia_geforce_gtx_680_can_overclock_itself/index.html


This is nonstop speculation. Until they get the cards out and reviewed, I can't believe any of this.

Also, remember that overclocking ideology goes both ways. Nvidia will also be on 28nm, so they'll have the same overclocking headroom we do.

On a happier note, I ordered a Powercolor 7950 to replace the DOA Sapphire. I wish Newegg had restocked the Sapphires so I could get a matching one :/


----------



## Hambone07si

Yeah, I've had many Nvidia cards and never been able to put a 400mhz overclock on any of them. Yes I know we're using 22nm chips, but still don't think anyone will be clocking them to 1300mhz+ on the core. We will know by next week, but still is better hearing them say only 10% in this and -10% in that, over the 45% in everything and totally wipe the floor with the 7970.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> This is nonstop speculation. Until they get the cards out and reviewed, I can't believe any of this.


Serious speculation. I came across a thread where someone pondered swapping their config for trisli 680s versus what they already had. How can you make judgements on gear no one's actually seen?


----------



## Vibe21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> This is nonstop speculation. Until they get the cards out and reviewed, I can't believe any of this.


With all of the rapidly changing rumors regarding Kepler, I swear I am starting to hear the voice of the Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the future every time a read a new one.







Honestly, I just wish they will release some true information to put all of this speculation to rest.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yeah, I've had many Nvidia cards and never been able to put a 400mhz overclock on any of them. Yes I know we're using 22nm chips, but still don't think anyone will be clocking them to 1300mhz+ on the core. We will know by next week, but still is better hearing them say only 10% in this and -10% in that, over the 45% in everything and totally wipe the floor with the 7970.


I've had many ATI cards and never been able to put 400MHz overclock on them either







It just wasn't really a viable idea before. The 28nm process has opened a doorway to crazy overclocking. Hell, the Lightning cards are supposed to be clocked at 1.2GHz stock or something







I wouldn't be surprised if Nvidia could clock even further.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vibe21*
> 
> With all of the rapidly changing rumors regarding Kepler, I swear I am starting to hear the voice of the Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the future every time a read a new one.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Honestly, I just wish they will release some true information to put all of this speculation to rest.


Lmao, yep. My personal favorite story in all of this is TSMC shutting the 28nm production down for awhile to change something


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Just installed my other 2 7970s for a Tri-fire 7970 setup. I did a mild OC up to 1125 on the core and this was my 3dmark score.

Unfortunately my CPU is holding back the physics score, and consequently, also the 3dmark11 total score.

As you can see the GPU score is well north of 23k however









I'm having one problem however.

Have any of you with Tri-fire or Crossfire 7970 setups had random/sporadic flickering when browsing in 2D with your cards?

Let me know what you did to fix it.

I'm currently running the 12.2 WHQL drivers, as the 12.3 (8.96 beta) wouldn't work at all with tri-fire.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm not jumping on the rumors bandwagon or anything. I just would of been pissed if they did come out 45% faster. Seeming now only 10% makes me fell better about buying these 7970's. I want to see some real numbers too, but don't care much as 2 7970's plays just about anything maxed out even in eyefinity. Can't wait til next week to do some benching against the 680's in 3 screen resolutions. That's all I care about. 10% faster on 1 screen don't mean squat if its 20% slower on 3


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm not jumping on the rumors bandwagon or anything. I just would of been pissed if they did come out 45% faster. Seeming now only 10% makes me fell better about buying these 7970's. I want to see some real numbers too, but don't care much as 2 7970's plays just about anything maxed out even in eyefinity. Can't wait til next week to do some benching against the 680's in 3 screen resolutions. That's all I care about. 10% faster on 1 screen don't mean squat if its 20% slower on 3


Also, remember that Nvidia can't do surround without 2+ cards


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Also, remember that Nvidia can't do surround without 2+ cards


The 590 does


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Have any of you with Tri-fire or Crossfire 7970 setups had random/sporadic flickering when browsing in 2D with your cards?
> Let me know what you did to fix it.
> I'm currently running the 12.2 WHQL drivers, as the 12.3 (8.96 beta) wouldn't work at all with tri-fire.


I noticed that too. At first, well for me, at first I thought it was the driver but it was the 2D clocks and afterburner. W/o AB on, there is no flickering. You might, me... might have to try the -xcl option.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> The 590 does


Sorry, I guess it should technically be 2 "GPUs"







Still being beat by AMD


----------



## Hambone07si

I know that. I had 3 Gtx 480's I just sold to go with the 7970's. Again another reason I went to AMD. My 3 480's couldn't run Skyrim in surround and keep 60fps. 1 7970 at the same settings can hold 60fps, and 2 is just even better. I was hoping to see the new Nvidia cards be able to do surround on 1 card as how some of the manufactures made that possible with the 580's that could run 4 displays and surround on 1 card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Sorry, I guess it should technically be 2 "GPUs"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still being beat by AMD


LOL, still wrong. The MDt580 can do it with 1 "gpu" on a single 580 with a measly 1.5gb(waste)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> The 590 does


lol, and how did it do that? Nvidia is really behind on the output aspect. You can't even do 3x1+1, forget running 6 outputs.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I noticed that too. At first, well for me, at first I thought it was the driver but it was the 2D clocks and afterburner. W/o AB on, there is no flickering. You might, me... might have to try the -xcl option.


How were you able to permanently modify the 2D clocks? You flashed every single card?

I could do that I guess with RBE, but a software solution would be preferred. This flickering @ 120hz is a pain in the arse.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> How were you able to permanently modify the 2D clocks? You flashed every single card?
> I could do that I guess with RBE, but a software solution would be preferred. This flickering @ 120hz is a pain in the arse.


RBE is dead to 7970s, RIP.

Hmm, not sure what flashing clocks has to do with it, but all cards are flashed to asus bios.

It has to do with what I set my 2D clocks at. This driver doesn't release the memory clock so it won't drop down to 150mhz at idle, so I manually set it to 685 (lowest) in AB. That caused the issue, again for me it was the issue. There's a work around to force Overdrive to set clocks for you which is using the -xcl mode.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> How were you able to permanently modify the 2D clocks? You flashed every single card?
> I could do that I guess with RBE, but a software solution would be preferred. This flickering @ 120hz is a pain in the arse.


do you have ULPS disabled?


----------



## NathG79

Just thought I`d post a pic of my bad boys





P.S Can you add me?


----------



## rageofthepeon

Silly question but I'm not at home right now to check. Can you set a custom fan profile in CCC Amd overdrive? From my quick glance last night I was only able to change manual fan control at a flat percentage. Just wondering if I have to install Sapphire Trixx or MSI Afterburner to do that like I used to in EVGA Precision. I think my Vram may be overheating a bit and the default fan speed isn't cutting it. I get very minor flickering in BF3 and only in certain situations. Thanks!

BF3 is default ultra settings with in-game menu and standard overclocks of 1100/1575.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol, and how did it do that? Nvidia is really behind on the output aspect. You can't even do 3x1+1, forget running 6 outputs.


I've no idea what you just said









However, the 590 was able to run three monitors at once (well or not, it doesn't matter), which is what we were dicussing.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NathG79*
> 
> Just thought I`d post a pic of my bad boys
> 
> 
> P.S Can you add me?


Please clean your CPU cooler!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Silly question but I'm not at home right now to check. Can you set a custom fan profile in CCC Amd overdrive? From my quick glance last night I was only able to change manual fan control at a flat percentage. Just wondering if I have to install Sapphire Trixx or MSI Afterburner to do that like I used to in EVGA Precision. I think my Vram may be overheating a bit and the default fan speed isn't cutting it. I get very minor flickering in BF3 and only in certain situations. Thanks!
> 
> BF3 is default ultra settings with in-game menu and standard overclocks of 1100/1575.


You can set fan speed in CCC Overdrive but flat percentage.

To set custom fan profile install MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 14 Download


----------



## pfunkmort

I know it was a couple pages back, and this has been mentioned before, but the 680 they're talking about is the 256-bit card. Their naming for these cards is going to be off - their top of the line card is something else.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I know it was a couple pages back, and this has been mentioned before, but the 680 they're talking about is the 256-bit card. Their naming for these cards is going to be off - their top of the line card is something else.


GK104 is mid-range and will be the 680 according to rumors and the GK110 is the high-end card or something like that. Its kind of silly to speculate this much.


----------



## Darco19

Nice, my "4th" 7970 looks like a definite winner. I was able to get it to 1200mhz on the core and 1650mhz on the memory @1.18v. Fan speed was at 55% and I'm using the 8.95 drivers dated for the 17th of January from benchmark3d.com. I'm definitely going to OC it some more once AMD come out with some better drivers, so for now, it looks like I'm happy with this card









---Notes---

- MSI AB wasn't letting me do the "enableunofficialoverclocking" trick in its .cfg file (I have tried different AB versions and even using the RC11 driver, but all the clock speeds would reset to 0 every time for some weird reason). As I said, I'll wait on some better drivers or a newer version of AB or something before I try to fix this since I'm ok with these clock speeds for now.
- VRM temps were very good - they maxed out at 70c! core temps maxed out at 60c. Very impressive, Gigabyte.
- I ran 3dmark 11 and Heaven 5 times. Didn't notice any artifacts.
- I've got a coil whine again!! It's nowhere as bad as my first "three" 7970's, and I can't hear it anymore with a headset on, so it's a keeper.
- Did I already say the temps were just amazing?

http://i40.tinypic.com/6hluug.jpg


----------



## Hambone07si

The Gk104 is the high end card for now and will be the 680 and about 10% faster then the 7970.

It's the same thing again as when the 480's came out. They were suppose to be this badarse chip with 512sp and ended up with 480sp because they couldn't get the chips right. Same here again with that gk110 that was going to be the 45% faster card. Well they need to make money and their supposed 660 is being named the 680 until they can get things right. Then the following year they released the 580, which was what the 480 was suppose to be. I got had as I had 3 480's.

This is why I went back to the red camp and can't be happier that I didn't wait for the same BS from the green camp. Yes this is going off of rumors still, but after having the actual card at a show for public, it is what it is.

Good job AMD, now get your dame driver working better


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Good job AMD, now get your dame driver working better


This. If they got the driver better, I'd be like a pig in mud. I'd probably xfire.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darco19*
> 
> Nice, my "4th" 7970 looks like a definite winner. I was able to get it to 1200mhz on the core and 1650mhz on the memory @1.18v. Fan speed was at 55% and I'm using the 8.95 drivers dated for the 17th of January from benchmark3d.com. I'm definitely going to OC it some more once AMD come out with some better drivers, so for now, it looks like I'm happy with this card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ---Notes---
> 
> - MSI AB wasn't letting me do the "enableunofficialoverclocking" trick in its .cfg file (I have tried different AB versions and even using the RC11 driver, but all the clock speeds would reset to 0 every time for some weird reason). As I said, I'll wait on some better drivers or a newer version of AB or something before I try to fix this since I'm ok with these clock speeds for now.
> - VRM temps were very good - they maxed out at 70c! core temps maxed out at 60c. Very impressive, Gigabyte.
> - I ran 3dmark 11 and Heaven 5 times.
> - I've got a coil whine again!! It's nowhere as bad as my first "three" 7970's, and I can't hear it anymore with a headset on, so it's a keeper.
> - Did I already say the temps were just amazing?
> 
> http://i40.tinypic.com/6hluug.jpg


Is that asking for help or just sharing? Oh well, just in case other users need it.

If you are on RC11, all you have to do is re-install MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 14 Download

Then enable "unofficia..." HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner

*If you are using 12.2 or 12.3 then do this: *

1. Uninstall the driver through catalyst manager.

2. Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1

3. Install RC11 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx

4. Upgrade (overwite RC11) with 12.2/12.3 Pre-Cert. Do not perform clean install. Because it will need the runtimes missing from RC11.

5. For Crossfire user; Catalyst 12.2 CAP 1 http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx

6. Reinstall Afterburner if you have to then disbale ULPS and enable "unoffcial overclocking".


----------



## Darco19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Is that asking for help or just sharing? Oh well, just in case other users need it.


Just a lil' update basically on how this 7970 went, since I've had some "bad" experiences with my former ones. I'm just glad this one turned out alright. Also, some info on the voltages and temps I guess?


----------



## pfunkmort

Don't let it hit 100 on anything (including VRMs) but I keep it below 80. 1.3 is the voltage cap, but you'll probably see temp and stability issues well before you reach it.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Here are my pix . I said I would uload some pix when I was done with everything.
Btw I have all the annoying leds turned off on my motherboard.


----------



## Sebe

Thought i got lucky with the new 12.2, but after a few hours i got the atikmpag.sys BSOD again. I got this with every driver except RC11, and im wondering if it has something to do with atiman still recognizing my old 5850 like shown in the picture below:



Kinda wierd, because its not even in my case anymore and ive used atiman over 9000 times now.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> The 590 does


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> The Gk104 is the high end card for now and will be the 680 and about 10% faster then the 7970.
> It's the same thing again as when the 480's came out. They were suppose to be this badarse chip with 512sp and ended up with 480sp because they couldn't get the chips right. Same here again with that gk110 that was going to be the 45% faster card. Well they need to make money and their supposed 660 is being named the 680 until they can get things right. Then the following year they released the 580, which was what the 480 was suppose to be. I got had as I had 3 480's.
> This is why I went back to the red camp and can't be happier that I didn't wait for the same BS from the green camp. Yes this is going off of rumors still, but after having the actual card at a show for public, it is what it is.
> Good job AMD, now get your dame driver working better


Yeah I'm still deciding what I want to do... I think I'll probably go green when the 580 equivalent is out (by 580 equivalent, I mean the second gen working card). But I'm not sure whether I'll replace this 7970 with another 7970 or a 680... hrm.

Any word on 7970 Twin Frozr release dates? Here in Aus we never get anything









Also, this looks like a very nice card: 7970 Dual-X
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> Thought i got lucky with the new 12.2, but after a few hours i got the atikmpag.sys BSOD again. I got this with every driver except RC11, and im wondering if it has something to do with atiman still recognizing my old 5850 like shown in the picture below:
> 
> Kinda wierd, because its not even in my case anymore and ive used atiman over 9000 times now.


Have you tried doing a fresh install?


----------



## Sebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Have you tried doing a fresh install?


Trying to avoid that, but guess it could help.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> Trying to avoid that, but guess it could help.


Yeah fair enough, it's annoying. That's why I have 3 drives


----------



## crunkazcanbe

GTX680 will be 10% slower then 7970 in 3DMARK 11 here . So they say.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> GTX680 will be 10% slower then 7970 in 3DMARK 11 here . So they say.


They also say 10% faster in BF3... and that's the benchmark game for me at the moment because it's the most intensive that I play


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Have you tried doing a fresh install?












Is that like the default question??

Sebe, I wasn't happy with 12.2 whql either. It rather muddied up my libraries so end all be all, I had to pull out atiman too, and blew all the junk out. I'm back on rc11. BF3 wouldn't run on 12.2, kept getting the dreaded directx errors, yikes. Oh well, cest la vie, back on rc11 and all is right with the world again.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Yeah but that is not anything a driver can not fix. AMDs drivers are still very immature ,it's possible a driver can increase performance in that game in the future past 10%, and possibility in everything else 2. Yeah Nvidias drivers performance could go up to I know.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> GTX680 will be 10% slower then 7970 in 3DMARK 11 here . So they say.


.

That's thier low end GPU GK104. The mid level GK107 and high end GK110 will follow eventually.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that like the default question??
> Sebe, I wasn't happy with 12.2 whql either. It rather muddied up my libraries so end all be all, I had to pull out atiman too, and blew all the junk out. I'm back on rc11. BF3 wouldn't run on 12.2, kept getting the dreaded directx errors, yikes. Oh well, cest la vie, back on rc11 and all is right with the world again.


No, but atiman was still detecting his 5850, which could be causing issues. That is why I suggested a fresh install.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Anyone having luck with new drivers


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> .
> That's thier low end GPU GK104. The mid level GK107 and high end GK110 will follow eventually.


Yeah by the time that is out the 8970 will be out and beat that .


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> No, but atiman was still detecting his 5850, which could be causing issues. That is why I suggested a fresh install.


It's probably left over drivers, lotsa stuff gets left behind over time.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Anyone having luck with new drivers


Thus far, anything not rc11 has sucked.


----------



## pioneerisloud

I seem to be having fairly decent luck with the official drivers released. Even GTA IV seems to be working slightly better. Still stutters at maxed out settings, but all high with vsync on, and sliders at 50....it performs butter smooth finally.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I seem to be having fairly decent luck with the official drivers released. Even GTA IV seems to be working slightly better. Still stutters at maxed out settings, but all high with vsync on, and sliders at 50....it performs butter smooth finally.


I would open a beer for you if I had a beer right now.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I seem to be having fairly decent luck with the official drivers released. Even GTA IV seems to be working slightly better. Still stutters at maxed out settings, but all high with vsync on, and sliders at 50....it performs butter smooth finally.
> 
> 
> 
> I would open a beer for you if I had a beer right now.
Click to expand...

Yeah, now if only I could cut back the noise on this stupid GPU, and make it blue instead of red......I'd be set.









Haven't gotten to test any other games yet. But hopefully they'll all work as well as they were with RC11's.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yeah, now if only I could cut back the noise on this stupid GPU, and make it blue instead of red......I'd be set.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Haven't gotten to test any other games yet. But hopefully they'll all work as well as they were with RC11's.


What fan speed are you running that?

And yeah I know what you mean regarding the colour :/ It's making it very difficult for me to pick something because once I get rid of my D14 my build will be black with a few hints of blue and I don't want to ruin that!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yeah, now if only I could cut back the noise on this stupid GPU, and make it blue instead of red......I'd be set.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Haven't gotten to test any other games yet. But hopefully they'll all work as well as they were with RC11's.
> 
> 
> 
> What fan speed are you running that?
> 
> And yeah I know what you mean regarding the colour :/ It's making it very difficult for me to pick something because once I get rid of my D14 my build will be black with a few hints of blue and I don't want to ruin that!
Click to expand...

Fan speed has to ramp up to around 80% or so with my custom fan profile. Loads at about 73*C. I have it set to 40% at 60*C, and 100% at 80*C. Below 60*C it drops immediately to 25%.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NathG79*
> 
> Just thought I`d post a pic of my bad boys
> 
> 
> P.S Can you add me?


clean your rig man. I had a dirty rig but had to clean it so my new gpu didnt get dirty.


----------



## pioneerisloud

My rig is dirty right now.









Winter time = can't use the air compressor due to water outside.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My rig is dirty right now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Winter time = can't use the air compressor due to water outside.


Pssst.

*







Metro DataVac Club







*


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My rig is dirty right now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Winter time = can't use the air compressor due to water outside.
> 
> 
> 
> Pssst.
> 
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Metro DataVac Club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
Click to expand...

Pssst, that's $50 more than I have right now.......


----------



## firestorm1

can anyone upload the 2 files that are required for msi afterburner to overclock properly? i just installed the new drivers and they seem to be working better than the ones that came with the card. but for some reason i cant overclock past 1125/1575 even when i enable unofficial overclocking. i remember reading a thread about it but i cant seem to find it anymore.

thanks.


----------



## wireeater

PM me your email, I will send them.


----------



## firestorm1

pm sent.


----------



## wireeater

Email sent, put instruction in there. It's pretty simple.


----------



## firestorm1

yea, i got it. thanks.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> 
> Here are my pix . I said I would uload some pix when I was done with everything.
> Btw I have all the annoying leds turned off on my motherboard.


What are your fan speeds, voltage, speed, and temps?

My CFX has an inch in between and it's plenty hot and loud already to me.


----------



## Hambone07si

Pulling some power now









2500k @ 5.2ghz
2x 7970's 1125/1500 1.174v
2x Vertex 3 120gig Raid 0
1 Dvdrw
4x 120mm R4's
1 Swiftech 655 pump

765w with these settings and hardware just during AvP benchmark in 5896x1080p with avg FPS of 103.5


----------



## tsm106

^^Mine pull 1100w at the wall which is about the same as when I had quad 6950s. That's an improvement right?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> What are your fan speeds, voltage, speed, and temps?
> My CFX has an inch in between and it's plenty hot and loud already to me.


Top card on load playing MW3 what I play most is 76c-78c , middle card is 79c-80c and bottom card is 73c-75c not much temperature difference. I expect top and middle to be hot . Cards are @ stock voltage anywhere from 1.050v - 1.150 . Got temps using AIDA64 I watch my temps on my G19 keyboard screen. Fans are on auto. Cards are all running 1.1ghz core and 1500mhz mem.







If I keep the cards and dont get 3 of Nvidias high ends I will go water like I had on my 2 6990s. Oh and btw it is not loud to me with surround sound up .


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Top card on load playing MW3 what I play most is 76c-78c , middle card is 79c-80c and bottom card is 73c-75c not much temperature difference. I expect top and middle to be hot . Cards are @ stock voltage anywhere from 1.050v - 1.150 . Got temps using AIDA64 I watch my temps on my G19 keyboard screen. Fans are on auto. Cards are all running 1.1ghz core and 1500mhz mem.


Ahaha, I have nothing against MW3, don't get me wrong, I felt silly playing it when I had my 580. But I love that you play it with triple 7970s


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Ha ! its fun as hell.


----------



## Hambone07si

^^ Agreed









Here the Heaven 2.5 run someone asked for earlier


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> ^^ Agreed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here the Heaven 2.5 run someone asked for earlier


Minimum FPS 18? This was with my DCUII (I'm not sure why it says Intel HD Graphics, they were disabled in the BIOS, monitor was plugged into the 7970):



The VRM temp is circled because I sent the screenshot with my RMA request. Pretty bad huh?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Minimum FPS 18? This was with my DCUII (I'm not sure why it says Intel HD Graphics, they were disabled in the BIOS, monitor was plugged into the 7970):
> The VRM temp is circled because I sent the screenshot with my RMA request. Pretty bad huh?


Those dips aren't really in game chokes, it's the screen transitions, changes, etc.

Btw Hambone07si, that's a pretty damn good score.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Those dips aren't really in game chokes, it's the screen transitions, changes, etc.
> Btw Hambone07si, that's a pretty damn good score.


Yeah but I ran the same benchmark, with more AA, and my minimum was 34


----------



## Hambone07si

Thanks, score will be better when my 2nd card is on water next week and I clock them both up to 1200. The one on air gets a little too warm and the vrm's on it get to 80c. On water they don't break 50c. Those dips could be Xfire also maybe.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah but I ran the same benchmark, with more AA, and my minimum was 34


You're not getting it. Those dips aren't visible, but they are recorded by the benchmark. SInce you want to see a big number to put you at ease:



**Btw, it's the same thing with Metro. Everyone drops to under 20fps on the lowest frame counter.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're not getting it. Those dips aren't visible, but they are recorded by the benchmark. SInce you want to see a big number to put you at ease:
> 
> **Btw, it's the same thing with Metro. Everyone drops to under 20fps on the lowest frame counter.


I get that. But if you look at my benchmark screenshot, it didn't record the dips. I don't want to "see a big number" to "put me at ease" - I'm at ease... just curious as to why his minimum frame was so much lower than mine.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Do yall folks think this score is about right for trifire all oced to 1.1ghz core and 1500mhz mem



Damn Gpu-z still showing idle clocks when it should be showing my overclocked speed.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

God damn just running that heaven benchmark I could heat my house with the cards. I am used to water. Have not been stock in a while .







I had to get up and turn on the ac.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I get that. But if you look at my benchmark screenshot, it didn't record the dips. I don't want to "see a big number" to "put me at ease" - I'm at ease... just curious as to why his minimum frame was so much lower than mine.


To be frank, I dunno. It's interesting I suppose but is it worth mention considering the real in game gap?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Do yall folks think this score is about right for trifire all oced to 1.1ghz core and 1500mhz mem
> 
> Damn Gpu-z still showing idle clocks when it should be showing my overclocked speed.


Can you run the bench following the Top 30 Heaven thread? There's a big DB of scores to compare that way.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> To be frank, I dunno. It's interesting I suppose but is it worth mention considering the real in game gap?
> Can you run the bench following the Top 30 Heaven thread? There's a big DB of scores to compare that way.


No probably not, but rather than shutting me down you could have just said you didn't know







Twas a mere matter of interest


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> No probably not, but rather than shutting me down you could have just said you didn't know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Twas a mere matter of interest


Typically in a discrete gpu setup, the minimum in Heaven/Metro is meaningless, shrugs...


----------



## wapeddell

I need help my pc keeps freezing no matter the drivers I use when streaming but only when streaming. Also, no matter what program I use Xsplit or FME it still happens I've tried several different drivers and the issue still exist. Hence, this freezing only occurs when I stream. Sometimes it may happen right off back or several minutes during gameplay. I don't have a problem playing game without streaming only when streaming any have any thoughts why this is happening.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

I found my fastest minimum FPS in Heaven 2.5 were with 1x 7970.

It was worse with 2x and worse still with 3x.

DEFINATELY a Xfire issue.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're not getting it. Those dips aren't visible, but they are recorded by the benchmark. SInce you want to see a big number to put you at ease:
> 
> **Btw, it's the same thing with Metro. Everyone drops to under 20fps on the lowest frame counter.


I runned a few benches myself with heaven 2.5 and one time I also got a dip in the minimum FPS, and believe me, it was an ingame choke which was *very* noticeable....
Such a low FPS is not normal in my opinion.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Can you run the bench following the Top 30 Heaven thread? There's a big DB of scores to compare that way.


Can you point me to this thread please? Kinda interested in this and I cant seem to find it...
Thx !


----------



## pfunkmort

"top 30 heaven thread overclock.net" in google yields this. Not really trying to be snide...but just to cover myself in case I have the wrong one.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wapeddell*
> 
> I need help my pc keeps freezing no matter the drivers I use when streaming but only when streaming. Also, no matter what program I use Xsplit or FME it still happens I've tried several different drivers and the issue still exist. Hence, this freezing only occurs when I stream. Sometimes it may happen right off back or several minutes during gameplay. I don't have a problem playing game without streaming only when streaming any have any thoughts why this is happening.


does your card throttle down to 300mhz on the core when idle or streaming?


----------



## Newbie2009

Anyone have a dual gpu crysis warheard/crysis/3dmark11 benchmark with cards clocked at around 1250?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Anyone have a dual gpu crysis warheard/crysis/3dmark11 benchmark with cards clocked at around 1250?


I uploaded a Crysis benchmark with 2 7970's a few pages back. Somewhere between pages 1 and 590







.. LOL, it's in here somewhere. Let me look for you.
This was only 1 7970, thought I ran with 2. I will run with 2 when I get home later and upload that one for you also. I'd like to know also.


Here's 3dmark11 with 2 at 1200/1600


For those so worried about My min fps in Heaven 2.5 bench run, I didn't try to get the best score, I didn't run it more that once, all I did was run it cuz someone asked me if my system crashed when I applied AA. So I ran it with 4xAA and posted the results. Dips like that can come from a lot of things. On my Nvidia cards, I used to see dips like that if my fan's would ramp up to the next level. Could be many things. One thing I will tell you is that during the whole run, it's butter smooth. I'll record video and load it if you really want. I'll run it again when I get home and see if it happens every time or just sometimes.

LAF, get a 2nd card and see what your min does


----------



## NeoandGeo

I am thinking ZeroCore is not working on my card. I have Windows set to turn off the monitor after 10 minutes. Leaving my computer sitting for a few minutes and the card itself running idle at 300mhz, I go from ~150w usage on my UPS to ~130 when the monitor goes off.

It never drops below that and I assume that the monitor itself is the full 20w being saved. How much lower should power draw be if ZeroCore would actually work, and are there any tricks to get it to work.

Windows 7 and using the WHQL 12.2/3 drivers from a complete reformat/fresh install.


----------



## Hambone07si

You are not pulling 20kw on anything in your house or with the 5 houses around you combined. 20kw is 20,000watts. If you talking about 20watts, that's .20kw .. There's no point in having your monitors on the battery side of your UPS either. If power goes out and you need it, then plug it in the battery side, other than that, leave it on just the surge side.


----------



## jkbucksot

I'm in just got my XFX HD 7970 Double D in last night


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You are not pulling 20kw on anything in your house or with the 5 houses around you combined. 20kw is 20,000watts. If you talking about 20watts, that's .20kw .. There's no point in having your monitors on the battery side of your UPS either. If power goes out and you need it, then plug it in the battery side, other than that, leave it on just the surge side.


I like the monitor staying on with no interruption during brown outs.

And yes, I meant watts. What about my ZeroCore problem though? Are there any additional settings I need to apply other than windows turning off the monitor and leaving ULPS enabled?


----------



## Hambone07si

Does your fan shut off on the card when your monitor turns off? Even if not, what's to worry about the difference between 150w and 130w. That's so minimal that it wouldn't save anything really. Maybe $0.25 over a month


----------



## NeoandGeo

I am not sure if the fan turns off, I could open the case and test later on.

And I am interested in the power savings beyond ~130w with the monitor off, how much power does the graphics card consume in 300mhz idle mode over if ZeroCore was kicking in? Or is the 20w savings from the monitor and the graphics card sleeping combined?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> I am not sure if the fan turns off, I could open the case and test later on.
> And I am interested in the power savings beyond ~130w with the monitor off, how much power does the graphics card consume in 300mhz idle mode over if ZeroCore was kicking in? Or is the 20w savings from the monitor and the graphics card sleeping combined?


You will have to test to see. If the fan is off on the card when your monitor shuts off, then it's working. The card can't stay on with the fan off, or you would have a bigger problem. I'm not a power saver, so I'm probably not the best one to help you with this. I'm one that would use a cooler for my pc that uses 800-900watts just itself, and a pc that uses 1200watts. I'm only using 765w with my system right now tho. In these 2 pic, my system pulls over 2000w at load with the chiller


----------



## NeoandGeo

Nice setup!


----------



## switchblade

a


----------



## wapeddell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> does your card throttle down to 300mhz on the core when idle or streaming?


I don't know it's completely random when it crashes I was able to play left 4 dead 2 and stream it live for 1:12:28 but then it crashed.


----------



## criznit

I think I'm having an issue with my overclock after updating from the beta driver to 12.2 preview driver. Can someone run a single 7970 to see if my results match? I have my cpu overclocked to 4.2 atm and my card is overclocked with sliders maxed in afterburner (no voltage tweaks and did not enable the unofficial tweak). I did not overclock the card through CCC and left that at default as I did in the previous driver but my frames dropped big time. The benchmark in question is metro 2033 with 1080p, very high, dx 11, 4x msaa, dof enable, 16x af, and disabled physx. Before I was getting 43 fps ish on average but now I'm getting 20 fps on average and 26 fps with dof disabled. Sorry for the wall of text.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I uploaded a Crysis benchmark with 2 7970's a few pages back. Somewhere between pages 1 and 590
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .. LOL, it's in here somewhere. Let me look for you.
> This was only 1 7970, thought I ran with 2. I will run with 2 when I get home later and upload that one for you also. I'd like to know also.
> 
> Here's 3dmark11 with 2 at 1200/1600
> 
> For those so worried about My min fps in Heaven 2.5 bench run, I didn't try to get the best score, I didn't run it more that once, all I did was run it cuz someone asked me if my system crashed when I applied AA. So I ran it with 4xAA and posted the results. Dips like that can come from a lot of things. On my Nvidia cards, I used to see dips like that if my fan's would ramp up to the next level. Could be many things. One thing I will tell you is that during the whole run, it's butter smooth. I'll record video and load it if you really want. I'll run it again when I get home and see if it happens every time or just sometimes.
> LAF, get a 2nd card and see what your min does


Thank you, +rep.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> I think I'm having an issue with my overclock after updating from the beta driver to 12.2 preview driver. Can someone run a single 7970 to see if my results match? I have my cpu overclocked to 4.2 atm and my card is overclocked with sliders maxed in afterburner (no voltage tweaks and did not enable the unofficial tweak). I did not overclock the card through CCC and left that at default as I did in the previous driver but my frames dropped big time. The benchmark in question is metro 2033 with 1080p, very high, dx 11, 4x msaa, dof enable, 16x af, and disabled physx. Before I was getting 43 fps ish on average but now I'm getting 20 fps on average and 26 fps with dof disabled. Sorry for the wall of text.


Sounds like you need to do a driver wipe and re-install.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You will have to test to see. If the fan is off on the card when your monitor shuts off, then it's working. The card can't stay on with the fan off, or you would have a bigger problem. I'm not a power saver, so I'm probably not the best one to help you with this. I'm one that would use a cooler for my pc that uses 800-900watts just itself, and a pc that uses 1200watts. I'm only using 765w with my system right now tho. In these 2 pic, my system pulls over 2000w at load with the chiller


LOL.


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Thank you, +rep.
> Sounds like you need to do a driver wipe and re-install.


Thank you sir, will try this when I get home.


----------



## polynomialc

I just bought sapphire 7950 oc, did fresh install of windows7, installed latest 12.2 whql, i notice when i run WoW the startup screen.. while sitting there, i can notice horizontal lines which appear on and off.. slight glitch, wondering if anyone else can confirm this , im assuming its driver issue. when i turn off oc on the card, same lines appear, i dont really notice ingame, but i can see it on the opening login screen.


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> I just bought sapphire 7950 oc, did fresh install of windows7, installed latest 12.2 whql, i notice when i run WoW the startup screen.. while sitting there, i can notice horizontal lines which appear on and off.. slight glitch, wondering if anyone else can confirm this , im assuming its driver issue. when i turn off oc on the card, same lines appear, i dont really notice ingame, but i can see it on the opening login screen.


Try turning your monitor off then back on again. I know it sounds silly but I had a similar problem.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> I just bought sapphire 7950 oc, did fresh install of windows7, installed latest 12.2 whql, i notice when i run WoW the startup screen.. while sitting there, i can notice horizontal lines which appear on and off.. slight glitch, wondering if anyone else can confirm this , im assuming its driver issue. when i turn off oc on the card, same lines appear, i dont really notice ingame, but i can see it on the opening login screen.


are you using a hdmi cable by chance? i had the same problem with using one, so i switched over to a dvi and no more lines on the screen.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You will have to test to see. If the fan is off on the card when your monitor shuts off, then it's working. The card can't stay on with the fan off, or you would have a bigger problem. I'm not a power saver, so I'm probably not the best one to help you with this. I'm one that would use a cooler for my pc that uses 800-900watts just itself, and a pc that uses 1200watts. I'm only using 765w with my system right now tho. In these 2 pic, my system pulls over 2000w at load with the chiller


Holy E-peen!


----------



## polynomialc

"are you using a hdmi cable by chance? i had the same problem with using one, so i switched over to a dvi and no more lines on the screen."

no im just using dvi for 120hz. never used hdmi, for pc. dont really need to since my soundcard is firewire. Im thinking its driver issue, probably not any decent drivers released for 7950 yet.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> Holy E-peen!


LOL, just a little


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> "are you using a hdmi cable by chance? i had the same problem with using one, so i switched over to a dvi and no more lines on the screen."
> no im just using dvi for 120hz. never used hdmi, for pc. dont really need to since my soundcard is firewire. Im thinking its driver issue, probably not any decent drivers released for 7950 yet.


I had a similar problem which turned out to be the memory clocks dropping too low (sounds odd, but the bottom part of my screen was flickering every now and then in ME3). I fixed it by doing this;

Open this file in notepad - c:\users\username\appdata\local\ati\ace\profiles.xml

Search for 'MemoryClockTarget' and find these values;

Property name="Want_0" value="15000"
Property name="Want_1" value="170000"

Change 15000 to 30000. Fixed it for me!

Only affects 120Hz monitors from what I've read so far.

Good luck


----------



## criznit

It worked! Did a driver sweep and reinstall of just 12.2 (and not the beta first then upgrade to 12.2 method like before) and my average shot back up to normal.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> I had a similar problem which turned out to be the memory clocks dropping too low (sounds odd, but the bottom part of my screen was flickering every now and then in ME3). I fixed it by doing this;
> Open this file in notepad - c:\users\username\appdata\local\ati\ace\profiles.xml
> Search for 'MemoryClockTarget' and find these values;
> Property name="Want_0" value="15000"
> Property name="Want_1" value="170000"
> Change 15000 to 30000. Fixed it for me!
> Only affects 120Hz monitors from what I've read so far.
> Good luck


Awesome work and find Smo! Always been a credit to any GPU card you own bud.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> I had a similar problem which turned out to be the memory clocks dropping too low (sounds odd, but the bottom part of my screen was flickering every now and then in ME3). I fixed it by doing this;
> Open this file in notepad - c:\users\username\appdata\local\ati\ace\profiles.xml
> Search for 'MemoryClockTarget' and find these values;
> Property name="Want_0" value="15000"
> Property name="Want_1" value="170000"
> Change 15000 to 30000. Fixed it for me!
> Only affects 120Hz monitors from what I've read so far.
> Good luck


correct. i tried it on 2 different 60hz monitors and it didnt work. not that i doubted you or anything


----------



## Ken1649

It might have related to drivers version installed.

Check here [Fixes] Catalyst Drivers Error & Overclocking Issue & Screen Tearing


----------



## firestorm1

i was able to fix my tearing by switching to a dvi cable. the overclocking issue is a nice find though. +rep for you


----------



## polynomialc

tried editing that file, but same lines appear.









ok, so i disabled ulps, put the settings back to stock defaults for this card 900gpu 1250mhz, and loaded up wow , startup screen and the lines are gone. so apparently its related to ocing the card. really strange im well within limits of the card. was using 1000, and 1575 memory before when artifacts showed up, at stock voltage. edit - i thought i was right but turns out they are showing up at stock settings also grrr


----------



## wireeater

I'm thinking about selling one of my 7950's and using the money to build a full water loop for the CPU and 7950 and just OC. I'd have more piece of mind knowing my equipment was cooled sufficiently than have two CFX cards that can't be fully utilized due to poor driver management. Maybe pick up another one later down the road when the prices are cheaper.

Thoughts?


----------



## OverClocker55

link to the whql 12.2?


----------



## polynomialc

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx


----------



## Invisible

Is anyone having any problems with ME3, and your driver just crashing? I'm at 1200/1600 with an OC I know is perfect. It never crashes in any game, and I can run BF3 maxed for hours and hours at a constant 60fps and never have any problems.

But after about 2 hours in ME3, my driver crashes so hard, I have to hard reboot my PC to get it back working. Anyone having this issue?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx


My god... how did you find that...!


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Is anyone having any problems with ME3, and your driver just crashing? I'm at 1200/1600 with an OC I know is perfect. It never crashes in any game, and I can run BF3 maxed for hours and hours at a constant 60fps and never have any problems.
> But after about 2 hours in ME3, my driver crashes so hard, I have to hard reboot my PC to get it back working. Anyone having this issue?


Yep. Totally. I had to wipe my driver and swap to RC11, make sure AA and Proj. Shadows are off, and even then it happens once in a while. But with 12.2 and 12.3 it's like every 5 minutes. I have a thread up on the amd forum about it but no help there either.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx


THX


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Is anyone having any problems with ME3, and your driver just crashing? I'm at 1200/1600 with an OC I know is perfect. It never crashes in any game, and I can run BF3 maxed for hours and hours at a constant 60fps and never have any problems.
> But after about 2 hours in ME3, my driver crashes so hard, I have to hard reboot my PC to get it back working. Anyone having this issue?


I've played hours of ME3 demo on RC11 with no issues at all in Crossfire and Eyefinity with maxed settings locked at 60fps. Game looks great too. Tried to get it working on my buddies rig with 2 580's in surround and we couldn't get it to work at all.


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I've played hours of ME3 demo on RC11 with no issues at all in Crossfire and Eyefinity with maxed settings locked at 60fps. Game looks great too. Tried to get it working on my buddies rig with 2 580's in surround and we couldn't get it to work at all.


I understand max settings and 60 fps...the game only utilizes like 10-30% of my gpu at max...but the second I turn on shadows or AA, the driver crashes hardcore. Usually happens when coming out of combat or into it via cutscene, although sometimes just in combat.


----------



## OverClocker55

Ok so I'm having problems with BF3


----------



## wireeater

Reinstall BF3


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Reinstall BF3


already did 3 times


----------



## switchblade

is it only that map?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> already did 3 times


That's the problem, it needs to be done 4 times to work right.


----------



## TheJesus

Interesting problems.



My cards don't say they're crossfired in GPU-Z, Afterburner's clocks are all set to 0 and locked, but games play fine. (sig rig, minus liquid right now)

EDIT: Also, notice that GPU-Z displays the 2nd card's bus as 32-bit...


----------



## pfunkmort

Which driver are you using?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Which driver are you using?


The pre-cert one (12.2 pre-cert that shows up as 12.3).


----------



## wireeater

Did you add the "fix drivers" to disable the ULPS?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Did you add the "fix drivers" to disable the ULPS?


Don't think so, I just added the second card a few hours ago. The single one was working fine.


----------



## wireeater

That's the problem then. PM me your email and I will send you the fix with instructions. I've already helped a few members the same way (which never rep'd me...sigh) it's just 2 drivers you need to place in the system32 and syswow64 folder and I will put the atimans ULPS disable. When the 2 cards are in CFX the 2GPU sleeps until it's needed. You disabled that with this fix.


----------



## Kharnak

Has anyone found a fix to this weird problem? I'm not sure it's 7xxx serie exclusive...






Would be nice if you could help


----------



## TheJesus

Everything's working now. Now just to get an overclock to be stable...


----------



## wireeater

It's pretty bad when you can't play a game that your card was supposed to be optimized for.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> That's the problem then. PM me your email and I will send you the fix with instructions. I've already helped a few members the same way (which never rep'd me...sigh) it's just 2 drivers you need to place in the system32 and syswow64 folder and I will put the atimans ULPS disable. When the 2 cards are in CFX the 2GPU sleeps until it's needed. You disabled that with this fix.


Good, glad it worked out.

I have reference coolers on mine and I run 1000/1575 CFX with no voltage tweak. Just set the power limit to +20% in the settings of Afterburner.


----------



## Kharnak

A few posts back I posted a youtube link to a video that shows weird texture pop-ins/jittering/glitches/loading errors, whatever.. and apparently overclock helped a tiny bit, but the problem is still there..

At stock clocks it's bad, at this clock it's still bad, but better>http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/12/03/09/86n.png

Why?

And does anyone have a fix? It's really distracting for anything that uses a big scope.. :/


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> A few posts back I posted a youtube link to a video that shows weird texture pop-ins/jittering/glitches/loading errors, whatever.. and apparently overclock helped a tiny bit, but the problem is still there..
> 
> At stock clocks it's bad, at this clock it's still bad, but better>http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/12/03/09/86n.png
> 
> Why?
> 
> And does anyone have a fix? It's really distracting for anything that uses a big scope.. :/


Why you running 1800 on the RAM and asking about errors...lol?


----------



## wireeater

Good lord... LOL


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> is it only that map?


no


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Good lord... LOL


My bad...but normally that's where artifacting comes from right? Anyway, run Atiman uninstaller,CCleaner then reboot.
Run the cleaner again...then install your new drivers. Now here is the key...have your Trixx or AB setup already and *just use one of them*.
This is because they all write to the same registry values, and we all know what a corrupt registry will do to your OS...in this case it's just your videocard.


----------



## OverClocker55

I have this problem


----------



## Kharnak

Sigh, I obviously didn't run the 7950 overclocked, everything even the CPU was at stock clocks just to see if it was something like that, that would've caused that weird BF3 glitching..


----------



## Kharnak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> I have this problem


Hah, I'm IRTEHHAX


----------



## pfunkmort

@kharnak it's not 7900 exclusive. My old 460 did the same thing. I think it's the game, tbh.

@overclocker55 what driver are you using? Also, have you not clean installed since using an Nvidia card?


----------



## Kharnak

On another note, how many 7950's... or rather let me ask it like this, shouldn't everyone be able to hit over 1GHz core on stock voltages?

My HIS 7950 seems ******ed, it can hit 1850 memory but only touches 980 on the core on stock volts of 1.031... at 1.043 volts it hits 1ghz and slowly climbing aswell, memory I expect to probably get to 1.9? Maybe.

What's best, 1.1 GHz core / 1500 memory or 1GHz core and 1900 memory?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

@overclocker
Have you tried the card in another pc?

Maybe clean the registry with ccleaner too in case some nvidia/old drivers sticking around.
Uninstall drivers and pull the card out, maybe reset bios.

@Kharnak

Im using 1.1 for 1050/1500

I can probably go higher with memory but its getting to 77c max temp with 70% fan speed.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> On another note, how many 7950's... or rather let me ask it like this, shouldn't everyone be able to hit over 1GHz core on stock voltages?
> My HIS 7950 seems ******ed, it can hit 1850 memory but only touches 980 on the core on stock volts of 1.031... at 1.043 volts it hits 1ghz and slowly climbing aswell, memory I expect to probably get to 1.9? Maybe.
> What's best, 1.1 GHz core / 1500 memory or 1GHz core and 1900 memory?


Is 1850 even possible without LN2 and OCP hard mod??


----------



## Kharnak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is 1850 even possible without LN2 and OCP hard mod??


I'd guess so.. Unless i'm doing something wrong here ._.

I think I recall something about GDDR5 throttling? But it doesn't seem to be the case here... From 1500 memory to 1850 it's only been giving me improvements, so it doesn't seem to be throttling..

Ah well at least it's 15min 1920x1080 Furmark burn in test stable, and BF3 aswell(still weird with those texture glitches, but they are there, with or without overclock), max temp is 75 atm with fan speed at 50-65%

http://oi43.tinypic.com/2n1rpcg.jpg

**edit** memory is at 1800 on that pic, I don't really know why but I was just hoping that it would let me increase core clock abit more... :3


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> I'd guess so.. Unless i'm doing something wrong here ._.
> I think I recall something about GDDR5 throttling? But it doesn't seem to be the case here... From 1500 memory to 1850 it's only been giving me improvements, so it doesn't seem to be throttling..
> Ah well at least it's 15min 1920x1080 Furmark burn in test stable, and BF3 aswell(still weird with those texture glitches, but they are there, with or without overclock), max temp is 75 atm with fan speed at 50-65%
> http://oi43.tinypic.com/2n1rpcg.jpg


Texture glitches are proof of vram errors. You are so deep into the error (zone) correction dude.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> @kharnak it's not 7900 exclusive. My old 460 did the same thing. I think it's the game, tbh.
> @overclocker55 what driver are you using? Also, have you not clean installed since using an Nvidia card?


lol I have new amd drivers. cleaned but I still have nvidia drivers on. do I needa delete them?


----------



## Kharnak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Texture glitches are proof of vram errors. You are so deep into the error (zone) correction dude.


I wonder how many times I have to repeat myself... :/

I get the texture glitches with, and even without any overclocks at all.

At the moment, it seems Unigine benchmark won't run at 1030mhz core though, where furmark 15mins burn in benchmark and 1+ hours of BF3 were stable. Hmm :<

Let's see...


----------



## SystemTech

Hi all, i need help. I got my 2xSapphire 7950's yesterday, and i have a few OC issues.

So i followed the following steps:

Reinstall windows
Install Drivers (12.2)
Install MSI afterburner Beta 14
Start clocking the card, checking with aquamark 3
get to Afterburner max of 1100 without even breaking a sweat
Enable unofficial Overclocking
Restart Afterburner
suddenly i can clock the card at all, i can change the voltage but all the clocks read as 0???

SOOOO frustrating, Im pretty sure these cards can hit 1200 without too much hassle. Anyways, any help here and i will be hugely grateful.

Thanks


----------



## Kharnak

Powered by Unigine Engine

Heaven Benchmark v3.0 Basic


Spoiler: The results



FPS:
26.7
Scores:
672
Min FPS:
7.3
Max FPS:
48.5
Hardware

Binary:
Windows 32bit Visual C++ 1600 Release Mar 7 2012
Operating system:
Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit
CPU model:
AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 955 Processor
CPU flags:
3199MHz
GPU model:
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 8.950.0.0 3072Mb
Settings

Render:
direct3d11
Mode:
1920x1080 2xAA fullscreen
Shaders:
high
Textures:
high
Filter:
trilinear
Anisotropy:
8x
Occlusion:
enabled
Refraction:
enabled
Volumetric:
enabled
Tessellation:
extreme



This is /NOT/ on a light weight install of Windows 7, it's done on a cluttered mess so the results aren't top notch..

Could anyone do a quick bench of their 7950 to compare with these results?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SystemTech*
> 
> Hi all, i need help. I got my 2xSapphire 7950's yesterday, and i have a few OC issues.
> 
> So i followed the following steps:
> 
> Reinstall windows
> Install Drivers (12.2)
> Install MSI afterburner Beta 14
> Start clocking the card, checking with aquamark 3
> get to Afterburner max of 1100 without even breaking a sweat
> Enable unofficial Overclocking
> Restart Afterburner
> suddenly i can clock the card at all, i can change the voltage but all the clocks read as 0???
> 
> SOOOO frustrating, Im pretty sure these cards can hit 1200 without too much hassle. Anyways, any help here and i will be hugely grateful.
> 
> Thanks


You have to restore the missing files in 12.2.

More details here; [Fixes] Catalyst Drivers Error & Overclocking Issue & Screen Tearing & Eyefinity


----------



## pfunkmort

@overclockers55 yes. it's very important that you wipe ALL drivers from nvidia - they don't get along at all. you'll likely have to reinstall a physx driver which is by nvidia, but you want it clean when you're installing the AMD drivers.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> On another note, how many 7950's... or rather let me ask it like this, shouldn't everyone be able to hit over 1GHz core on stock voltages?
> My HIS 7950 seems ******ed, it can hit 1850 memory but only touches 980 on the core on stock volts of 1.031... at 1.043 volts it hits 1ghz and slowly climbing aswell, memory I expect to probably get to 1.9? Maybe.
> What's best, 1.1 GHz core / 1500 memory or 1GHz core and 1900 memory?


I am running 1000/1575 stock voltage on mine.


----------



## Kharnak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I am running 1000/1575 stock voltage on mine.


Care to do a unigine with the settings I used aswell with one card disabled?

Also.. out of curiosity.. what ASIC quality does your cards have? GPU-Z tells you if you right click on the windows bar :3
Mine says 75.2%.. wonder if it even matters


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> Powered by Unigine Engine
> Heaven Benchmark v3.0 Basic
> 
> 
> Spoiler: The results
> 
> 
> 
> FPS:
> 26.7
> Scores:
> 672
> Min FPS:
> 7.3
> Max FPS:
> 48.5
> Hardware
> Binary:
> Windows 32bit Visual C++ 1600 Release Mar 7 2012
> Operating system:
> Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit
> CPU model:
> AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 955 Processor
> CPU flags:
> 3199MHz
> GPU model:
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 8.950.0.0 3072Mb
> Settings
> Render:
> direct3d11
> Mode:
> 1920x1080 2xAA fullscreen
> Shaders:
> high
> Textures:
> high
> Filter:
> trilinear
> Anisotropy:
> 8x
> Occlusion:
> enabled
> Refraction:
> enabled
> Volumetric:
> enabled
> Tessellation:
> extreme
> 
> 
> This is /NOT/ on a light weight install of Windows 7, it's done on a cluttered mess so the results aren't top notch..
> Could anyone do a quick bench of their 7950 to compare with these results?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> Care to do a unigine with the settings I used aswell with one card disabled?
> Also.. out of curiosity.. what ASIC quality does your cards have? GPU-Z tells you if you right click on the windows bar :3
> Mine says 75.2%.. wonder if it even matters


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> Could anyone do a quick bench of their 7950 to compare with these results?


----------



## wireeater

Which XFX do you have? Core or DD?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Which XFX do you have? Core or DD?


The Core.
I wanted the DD but was impatient.


----------



## disintegratorx

I'm running as smooth as I possibly can right now with the RC11 drivers. I had to revert to them from both of the others because the feb 28 drivers crashed on BF3 and the 12.2 drivers didn't seem to run quite as well. The RC11s are running BF3 smoothly with my CCC set to Quality texture filtering and Multi Sample Anti Aliasing. I have all of the settings turned up, MLAA set to x4, also Stereo Scopic 3D Rendering (in BF3), 16x AF. I know my cards temps and everything will differ from other cards but I have my fan settings in AB set to 50% at 39*C / 57% at 47*C / 67% at 56*C. And I have my card O.C. to 1100/1425 now and the games are playing nice with good temps I'll just wait until they stabilize the catalyst 12.4 before I try that driver again although I did see the improvement on Crysis 2 with them.. I'm awaiting a better version of those drivers and I hope that they can get them to work good with the other games like BF3 because I'm heavily into that game and I've seen the nice bump in performance that they can make with other games. Waiting as patiently as I can but it was a bit frustrating to see them not work with BF3 off the bat although of course I did know that they were unofficial beta drivers.


----------



## Kharnak

*fail quote editing*
wireeater and Munchkinpuncher, do you think my CPU is holding me back this much, I mean it's like the clutterererestest Windows 7 install i've ever had.. that should affect the scores quite abit.. hmm I should format soon..

BF3 runs smooth on ultra settings though.

imokwiththis,jpg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Which XFX do you have? Core or DD?


I use a HIS with a ****ty reference cooler, it's really noticeable in noise whenever it goes above 44% fan speed


----------



## wireeater

Both of my cards have reference cooler which is why I plan on putting them underwater.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> The Core.
> I wanted the DD but was impatient.


I have the core version. I was curious. So you are running 1050 without any issues?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

No Issues so far. It would crash at 1100, backed it down to1050 and its stable. For about a week now.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Both of my cards have reference cooler which is why I plan on putting them underwater.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> The Core.
> I wanted the DD but was impatient.
> 
> 
> 
> I have the core version. I was curious. So you are running 1050 without any issues?
Click to expand...

I am doing the same, blocks should be here today or Monday, reference coolers are to loud.

Have the bridge already.



Waiting on two of these.


----------



## firestorm1

anyone know what the max memory voltage is for these cards?


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> anyone know what the max memory voltage is for these cards?


MSI AB only let's you use 1.7v stock is 1.6v


----------



## ped5

Hi all. Need some advice.

I'm running a Sapphire 7970 with RC 12.2/.3 drivers and have it oc'ed with ccc's overdrive 1125/1575 with stock voltage and with an asic at 68%

See several posts saying got this setup with 60/70/75 C temps and realizing I'm certainly running hot, but whether I OC or not I hit the same temps with fumark, which is 85 at auto 50% fan. With the prior version of the drivers it levels off at 81, but was always at stock clock. So seems oc'ing my card only affects the fps.

So my questions are, are the temps I need to worry about in furmark or just in game (games currently are Witcher2/SWTOR/Skyrim)?
If both, where is best to adjust different fan profiles without hardsettting it to say 65% constantly?

Any other advice is also appreciated. My first OC on a GPG, so learning as I go along.

Everything runs just great, just not seeing the same temps. Figured did not want to go above 1125 anyway, but surprised to see my temps well above everyone else, if with everything at stock.

Thanks much.


----------



## 125837

@Overclocker55 Just do a clean install mate, it won't take that long and it's likely to fix all your problems.

@ped5, Furmark will stress your card much more than any game, and produce higher temps. For stability testing, I'd use Heaven and 3DMark11.


----------



## tanton

Hey guys, can I crossfire a reference 7970 with a non reference like the lightning?


----------



## pfunkmort

Pretty sure they just need the same GPU (someone else said vram amount as well) but the bigger problem you're going to have doing that I would THINK is that they'll run at different clocks unless you have the ref running hot. That or they're at different clocks and one works harder, right?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> Hey guys, can I crossfire a reference 7970 with a non reference like the lightning?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Pretty sure they just need the same GPU (someone else said vram amount as well) but the bigger problem you're going to have doing that I would THINK is that they'll run at different clocks unless you have the ref running hot. That or they're at different clocks and one works harder, right?


In a crossfire/SLI system, it will default to using the lowest amount of vRAM and the lowest clocks.


----------



## pfunkmort

Ah. learn something new every day. Cheers LAF.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> On another note, how many 7950's... or rather let me ask it like this, shouldn't everyone be able to hit over 1GHz core on stock voltages?
> My HIS 7950 seems ******ed, it can hit 1850 memory but only touches 980 on the core on stock volts of 1.031... at 1.043 volts it hits 1ghz and slowly climbing aswell, memory I expect to probably get to 1.9? Maybe.
> What's best, 1.1 GHz core / 1500 memory or 1GHz core and 1900 memory?


Mine HD 7950 DCII wont do 1GHz for 24/7 on stock volts, its stable for bench, but not for everyday use.
Cheers.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tanton*
> 
> Hey guys, can I crossfire a reference 7970 with a non reference like the lightning?


Yes, you can.

AMD cards can work at their own specification (core, memory clocks, voltage and SP/Shaders) in Crossfire. They don't have to downclock or sync'ed, etc. With the exception, it will default to lowest frame buffer. For example: Crossfire 7970 3GB with 6GB, the effective is 3GB.

*Crossfiring between different card of the same series*


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hollowxx*
> 
> i have a question i have flashed the bios that was posted on this thread at the first page, and now i see the ASUS BIOS from the picture from one of the guys here have 1.4v and mi ref card sapphire 7970 can only go 1.3v but with the VDROP ****.... do around 1.25 1.27 max and i wann know if the asus bios let u get more voltage for the card?? any help around here <<<< pretty noob with flashing bios too =) ty


It will. See below.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The card is limited to .125v over true voltage with a maximum of 1.3v. Depending on you asic, you might max out at 1.175, ouch. Also it's impossible to hit 1.3v maximum due to vdroop.


I'm getting about .200v over with this bios.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Asus bios that unlocks Vcore and V mem. Extends CCC to 2000/2000, I feel like it disables OCP as well but that just might be my imagination. I'm sure this bios has floated through here before, but if you missed it check it out. FOR 7970 ref only, unless your willing to try a non ref
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> WARNING 2D CLOCKS DO NOT WORK. http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html enjoy


Good find









This may be well-known, but I've been trying to get more voltage since I got this card on 1/10.

That asus overclock bios and gputweak will do it. Notice the actual voltage in gpuz. Before I was stuck at setting at 1.3v so I could only get about 1.23v load. Setting to 1.4 gets me all the way to 1.31v load. Before I could not get past 1190 stable and now I can set to 1318mv for a stable 1200mhz.

ASIC quality is 55.8% fwiw, so my stock vid is 1.175V(1.12v load). This bios is obviously allowing my to go past +.125 or whatever the hardware OCP limit was thought to be. It allows for ~+200mv. Anyone with a decent clocking chip(mine is really on the bad end of the spectrum) on water should get some nice results with this.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Is there a BIOS I can flash on my reference Sapphire 7970 that will allow me to keep 2d clocks, ULPS etc. but give me more overclocking headroom? I want to get to 1150-1175 without having to do unofficial overclocking or losing power saving features of the ASUS bios.

Thanks


----------



## omega17

Why would you bother doing that for another 25Mhz?


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> It will. See below.
> I'm getting about .200v over with this bios.
> Good find
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This may be well-known, but I've been trying to get more voltage since I got this card on 1/10.
> That asus overclock bios and gputweak will do it. Notice the actual voltage in gpuz. Before I was stuck at setting at 1.3v so I could only get about 1.23v load. Setting to 1.4 gets me all the way to 1.31v load. Before I could not get past 1190 stable and now I can set to 1318mv for a stable 1200mhz.
> ASIC quality is 55.8% fwiw, so my stock vid is 1.175V(1.12v load). This bios is obviously allowing my to go past +.125 or whatever the hardware OCP limit was thought to be. It allows for ~+200mv. Anyone with a decent clocking chip(mine is really on the bad end of the spectrum) on water should get some nice results with this.


wow at 55,8% asic lol


----------



## Newbie2009

Has anyone been playing with their HD7970 overclocks recently?
I settled at 1240/1700, which is my 24/7 oc. It was a little conservative so I decided to go back to overclocking today to get MAX overclock for 24/7.

I have settled at 1270 on the core and been benching all day. I had 1 crash at 1280 so took it down 10mhz.

Before now I have had the memory at stock volts. I have bumped the volts to 1625 and I am currently at 1775 on the memory. CRYSIS 2 LOVES the extra memory speeds.
Will post benches for max oc soon. However I would recommend people who think they have maxed their card to go back and check.

I have realised my previous crashes were in relation to the memory and there is more in the tank. Found this out as my 24/7 oc crashed once after about 3 weeks. I bumped the volts on the memory which I thought was stable and since I have been able to push the core further.

Really hard to nail down them max overclock on these cards, but the results are worth it. Love it!









Still have not broken the 10k in 3DMark 11 yet though and probably won't, but damn close.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Why would you bother doing that for another 25Mhz?


And how was I supposed to know that it would only yield 25mhz? *You're missing the point. It wasn't worth it for me, but I wanted to put it out there because someone with a nice chip on water could hit some serious clocks that they couldn't have, otherwise.*

Thanks for playing.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Has anyone been playing with their HD7970 overclocks recently?
> I settled at 1240/1700, which is my 24/7 oc. It was a little conservative so I decided to go back to overclocking today to get MAX overclock for 24/7.
> I have settled at 1270 on the core and been benching all day. I had 1 crash at 1280 so took it down 10mhz.
> Before now I have had the memory at stock volts. I have bumped the volts to 1625 and I am currently at 1775 on the memory. CRYSIS 2 LOVES the extra memory speeds.
> Will post benches for max oc soon. However I would recommend people who think they have maxed their card to go back and check.
> I have realised my previous crashes were in relation to the memory and there is more in the tank. Found this out as my 24/7 oc crashed once after about 3 weeks. I bumped the volts on the memory which I thought was stable and since I have been able to push the core further.
> Really hard to nail down them max overclock on these cards, but the results are worth it. Love it!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still have not broken the 10k in 3DMark 11 yet though and probably won't, but damn close.


10k overall or gfx?


----------



## Newbie2009

Overall, just shy.


----------



## DOM.

have you tryed 3D settings to optimal performance ? you should get 10k+ with that oc


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> have you tryed 3D settings to optimal performance ? you should get 10k+ with that oc


mmm, no actually. Didn't think ccc settings affected 3DMARK benches. will check.


----------



## dajez

I'm getting P9350 overall atm with 10220 for gfx

@DOM. dont u mean gfx score?

edit: 1240/1700 is kinda low for under water, i got 1255/1750 on air atm


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> I'm getting P9350 overall atm with 10220 for gfx
> @DOM. dont u mean gfx score?
> edit: 1240/1700 is kinda low for under water, i got 1255/1750 on air atm


Yeah putting under water did not help the core. Memory maybe a little. Biggest difference is the noise, as in it is silent now. Worth it alone for that lol.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah putting under water did not help the core. Memory maybe a little. Biggest difference is the noise, as in it is silent now. Worth it alone for that lol.


yes this is why i got a ek wb the stock cooler isnt any good
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> I'm getting P9350 overall atm with 10220 for gfx
> @DOM. dont u mean gfx score?
> edit: 1240/1700 is kinda low for under water, i got 1255/1750 on air atm


i was talking about the P score, over all score


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> yes this is why i got a ek wb the stock cooler isnt any good
> i was talking about the P score, over all score


Yeah changed settings to performance, no difference to score. I get 9847 p score.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah changed settings to performance, no difference to score. I get 9847 p score.


How much do u get for gfx?


----------



## Newbie2009

10206


----------



## Newbie2009

how are the 12.2 drivers? Any release notes?


----------



## sena

Just set Tessellation level to zero, and you will pass 10k very easy.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

I'm consistently hovering around 50% on each GPU in BF3 @ 1080p maxed out w/4xMSAA which I find very strange because I know my CPU at 4.7ghz is much more capable than that. I've been considering ordering a 2600k for the extra CPU oomph necessary to push these 3 cards, since my CPU usage sits around 85-95% on all 4 cores during gaming in BF3 with these 3 7970s.

The thing is, my 3 6970s were getting a bit higher FPS than these 3 7970s because they were all running at 99% GPU most of the time, and rarely dipping into the 80s. I'm really disappointed to only be making use of half of my GPU power with my tri-fire setup when I know damn well my framerates should be MUCH higher. I do sit at no lower than 50-60fps during firefights BUT, I should be pegged at 100-120fps MINIMUM with these 3 cards if they were all at 100% GPU speed, not to mention I've got them all at 1125/1575 +20%.

I've considered dropping my entire motherboard/cpu combo and dropping in a 3930K with an Asus Maximus IV Extreme and just being done with it, but I'd hate to do so if I know I could just drop in a 2600k/2700k, or perhaps later on, Ivy-Bridge, and be done with it.

Before those of you say that it may be a PCI-E bandwidth problem... I'm running the mobo in my sig which runs at 8x/8x/8x/8x, so I highly doubt that is the case.

Thanks


----------



## DOM.

so your running 3x7970 on one screen ? thats like so over kill imo

and yes you need more cpu to get out of more gpus


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> so your running 3x7970 on one screen ? thats like so over kill imo
> and yes you need more cpu to get out of more gpus


Yeah, but I came upon some $ and decided to go a little overkill with it. Plus I want to be able to keep a 120fps minimum @ 1080p or at least 90-100fps+ at all times with my 120hz monitor.

I'm wondering if a 2600K would add the extra power I need via hyperthreading... some people say it brought their GPU usage up by 20% or so in BF3 because of BF3's 8 thread usage.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> I'm consistently hovering around 50% on each GPU in BF3 @ 1080p maxed out w/4xMSAA which I find very strange because I know my CPU at 4.7ghz is much more capable than that. I've been considering ordering a 2600k for the extra CPU oomph necessary to push these 3 cards, since my CPU usage sits around 85-95% on all 4 cores during gaming in BF3 with these 3 7970s.
> The thing is, my 3 6970s were getting a bit higher FPS than these 3 7970s because they were all running at 99% GPU most of the time, and rarely dipping into the 80s. I'm really disappointed to only be making use of half of my GPU power with my tri-fire setup when I know damn well my framerates should be MUCH higher. I do sit at no lower than 50-60fps during firefights BUT, I should be pegged at 100-120fps MINIMUM with these 3 cards if they were all at 100% GPU speed, not to mention I've got them all at 1125/1575 +20%.
> I've considered dropping my entire motherboard/cpu combo and dropping in a 3930K with an Asus Maximus IV Extreme and just being done with it, but I'd hate to do so if I know I could just drop in a 2600k/2700k, or perhaps later on, Ivy-Bridge, and be done with it.
> Before those of you say that it may be a PCI-E bandwidth problem... I'm running the mobo in my sig which runs at 8x/8x/8x/8x, so I highly doubt that is the case.
> Thanks


Just going to mention, Maximus IV Extreme is for 1155 and Rampage IV Extreme is for 2011









I'd say you'd probably need to overclock the processor further or get a 2600K.


----------



## yesitsmario

I wonder what a 7970 Lightenings could do on air, maybe 1300 mhz 24/7? Who has the highest 24/7 7970 oc here on air?


----------



## Scorpion667

God dammit, 3rd 7970 that can't do 1200mhz... screw it I give up. Next round AMD, next round.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yesitsmario*
> 
> I wonder what a 7970 Lightenings could do on air, maybe 1300 mhz 24/7? Who has the highest 24/7 7970 oc here on air?


Hmm I'm thinking a good lightning will 1400mhz ... maybe. My ref msi already does 1320mhz on air with the right bios; probably even farther, tonight i will know.

Parton, I didn't even try beyond 1.3v, it just helped me a lot with vdroop instead of 1.205 after vdroop with original bios now I get 1.26 with this one, my asic quality is 77.7% = 1.112v so i think the added volts may really do something.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Hmm I'm thinking a good lightning will 1400mhz ... maybe. My ref msi already does 1320mhz on air with the right bios; probably even farther, tonight i will know.


Is this the MSI or ASUS? Could you link the BIOS please dude?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion667*
> 
> God dammit, 3rd 7970 that can't do 1200mhz... screw it I give up. Next round AMD, next round.


...









This is directed towards everyone looking to purchase a 7000 series card or has already purchased one:

If your card can't overclock to some certain level you've come up with in your mind, don't complain. Not every card is created equal and you shouldn't think you have some right to a certain overclock. Stop complaining because your card isn't going 300-400+ MHz over stock. These cards already perform ridiculously well and don't require overclocks to work. Do not return or replace the card, its not defective.

/vent


----------



## NeoandGeo

We're on Overclock.net.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> We're on Overclock.net.


Thus, you shouldn't expect anything to overclock or go exactly as well as other people's did. And its OCN, not XtremeSystems


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Yeah, but I came upon some $ and decided to go a little overkill with it. Plus I want to be able to keep a 120fps minimum @ 1080p or at least 90-100fps+ at all times with my 120hz monitor.
> I'm wondering if a 2600K would add the extra power I need via hyperthreading... some people say it brought their GPU usage up by 20% or so in BF3 because of BF3's 8 thread usage.


Sell one of the three and get a 2700k. Done deal.


----------



## myerz635

Just finished flashing the Asus bios. Anyone else have issues launching GPU Tweak from the 7970 pack? It crashes immediately....uninstalled/reinstalled it multiple times. Latest version from Asus works just fine, curious to see if that happened to anyone else


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Thus, you shouldn't expect anything to overclock or go exactly as well as other people's did. And its OCN, not XtremeSystems


Agree to disagree. I feel as though you should get what you set out for.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Is this the MSI or ASUS? Could you link the BIOS please dude?


10 steps ahead of ya lol, sry if you haven't seen Dogma hilarious movie. http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html i posted it earlier, but this thread moves so fast. Use Gpu Tweak to overclock as it will allow for 1.4v core and 1.75v mem, Parton took the leap to 1.4v so try it, it definitely helped me out a lot with vdroop.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> 10 steps ahead of ya lol, sry if you haven't seen Dogma hilarious movie. http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html i posted it earlier, but this thread moves so fast. Use Gpu Tweak to overclock as it will allow for 1.4v core and 1.75v mem, Parton to the leap to 1.4v so try it, it definitely helped me out a lot.


Thanks for that mate - I'm sure there was also an MSI BIOS floating around. I'm interested in how they're different (or the same).


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Thanks for that mate - I'm sure there was also an MSI BIOS floating around. I'm interested in how they're different (or the same).


I tried both the msi one can be found here http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359021, they both unlock CCC to 2000/2000, the Asus one allows for more volts, pretty similiar vdroop up to 1.3v though.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> I tried both the msi one can be found here http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359021, they both unlock CCC to 2000/2000, the Asus one allows for more volts, pretty similiar vdroop up to 1.3v though.


Interesting - so all the MSI BIOS does is unlock core clocks, not voltage?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Interesting - so all the MSI BIOS does is unlock core clocks, not voltage?


Yep even if you run afterburner with the asus bios it still only goes to 1.3v, gpu tweak is the only one that allows for 1.4v. Lol on a side note anyone else loving the bios switch, if anything goes wrong, or a game works better on the original bios, bam switch it to 2 and it works, no reinstall of drivers neither!


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Yep even if you run afterburner with the asus bios it still only goes to 1.3v, gpu tweak is the only one that allows for 1.4v. Lol on a side note anyone else loving the bios switch, if anything goes wrong, or a game works better on the original bios, bam switch it to 2 and it works, no reinstall of drivers neither!


Bit of a bugger there! Was hoping that I'd be able to use an MSI BIOS so that my warranty stays intact. Shame we can't edit the BIOSes ourselves either with RBE out of the picture.

Although as you say, the BIOS switch is a life saver. I'm assuming all I'd have to do to restore the original would be to flip the switch, dump the BIOS, then flip the switch and reflash.

Hmm....


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Just got a HD 7970 Reference. This is what i think of it so far after using HD 69XX, GTX580.
-> Cooling

Quiter then Reference HD 6950/70 but hotter.
This was with same fan profile to make the test fair.
It was as Quite as GTX580 but much hotter.

-> Performance

Did not even try to install drivers for this Card. Just used old Drivers from HD 6990, 12.2
Only BF3 because thats all i care about. 2560 x 1440
HD 6970 would choke at this resolution ~ 40fps.
@ Stock its not as fast as HD 6990 @ 950/1375
@ 1125Mhz/1375 its faster.
I could not believe this card could walk same fps with HD 6990.

-> Stutter

Being a Single GPU there is none.
I did some testing and as long as fps are 60+ for this and HD 6990 i did not feel the difference in BF3.
What surprised me is that with higher frame time you feel more stutter and HD 6990 being dual GPU you can get higher times.
As a matter of fact looking @ first 200fps HD 6990 did them 50ms faster, 500ms vs 450ms.

All i can say is that i cant wait to fully overclock it. Its truly a beast. I have a GTX580 @ 900Mhz and its not even close in BF3.


----------



## OverClocker55

Well I returned my 7950 and got 2 GTX 550 TI's 2GB. Got about a 140 left. What should I get case wise?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Well I returned my 7950 and got 2 GTX 550 TI's 2GB. Got about a 140 left. What should I get case wise?


Really? Why GTX550?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Well I returned my 7950 and got 2 GTX 550 TI's 2GB. Got about a 140 left. What should I get case wise?


Fans as your case is now going to get hot as you went Nvidia, why are you posting this here? And Zealot just wait untill you pass 3Dmark11 over p10,000 on a single GPU!


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Really? Why GTX550?


there not ordered yet. just like pre-checked out


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> there not ordered yet. just like pre-checked out


Well if you think the gain is worth it, more power to you, I'm not a Nvidia hater in fact i rocked Nvidia until the 500 series, it's just the 7000 series from Ati is incredible, plus the bios switch for 7970.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Just got a HD 7970 Reference. This is what i think of it so far after using HD 69XX, GTX580.
> -> Cooling
> Quiter then Reference HD 6950/70 but hotter.
> This was with same fan profile to make the test fair.
> It was as Quite as GTX580 but much hotter.
> -> Performance
> Did not even try to install drivers for this Card. Just used old Drivers from HD 6990, 12.2
> Only BF3 because thats all i care about. 2560 x 1440
> HD 6970 would choke at this resolution ~ 40fps.
> @ Stock its not as fast as HD 6990 @ 950/1375
> @ 1125Mhz/1375 its faster.
> I could not believe this card could walk same fps with HD 6990.
> -> Stutter
> Being a Single GPU there is none.
> I did some testing and as long as fps are 60+ for this and HD 6990 i did not feel the difference in BF3.
> What surprised me is that with higher frame time you feel more stutter and HD 6990 being dual GPU you can get higher times.
> As a matter of fact looking @ first 200fps HD 6990 did them 50ms faster, 500ms vs 450ms.
> All i can say is that i cant wait to fully overclock it. Its truly a beast. I have a GTX580 @ 900Mhz and its not even close in BF3.


Hehe you joined the HD7970 group, i'm shocked!









Overclock that sucka !


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Just got a HD 7970 Reference. This is what i think of it so far after using HD 69XX, GTX580.
> -> Cooling
> Quiter then Reference HD 6950/70 but hotter.
> This was with same fan profile to make the test fair.
> It was as Quite as GTX580 but much hotter.
> -> Performance
> Did not even try to install drivers for this Card. Just used old Drivers from HD 6990, 12.2
> Only BF3 because thats all i care about. 2560 x 1440
> HD 6970 would choke at this resolution ~ 40fps.
> @ Stock its not as fast as HD 6990 @ 950/1375
> @ 1125Mhz/1375 its faster.
> I could not believe this card could walk same fps with HD 6990.
> -> Stutter
> Being a Single GPU there is none.
> I did some testing and as long as fps are 60+ for this and HD 6990 i did not feel the difference in BF3.
> What surprised me is that with higher frame time you feel more stutter and HD 6990 being dual GPU you can get higher times.
> As a matter of fact looking @ first 200fps HD 6990 did them 50ms faster, 500ms vs 450ms.
> All i can say is that i cant wait to fully overclock it. Its truly a beast. I have a GTX580 @ 900Mhz and its not even close in BF3.


You've got a LONG way to go on that memory btw. Every card can do 1500mhz on the memory out of the box, and some can hit up to 1800-1900, but you have to keep an eye on performance as you increase due to the error checking feature of GDDR5.

I hit 1310/1800 on my 7970 and broke a 10k Pscore and 10,500 GPU score in 3dmark11.. beating my CF 6970 setup @ 1040/1400, even if barely, it's still a massive feat for a single GPU. Nearly a 100% increase in performance in 1 die shrink is unheard of these days, regardless of what people say.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Well I returned my 7950 and got 2 GTX 550 TI's 2GB. Got about a 140 left. What should I get case wise?


*PUKE* Get ready for some microstutter with those cards. You need a bit more power per GPU to not get stutter with an SLI setup like that. Nvidia is a bit better with MS, but 550 Ti's are not enough to avoid running into MS issues.
Why not at least get 2 560 2GBs or 2 560 Ti's? They can be found for 170-180 each used or even nearly new on these forums and others.

To each his own, I guess.


----------



## pfunkmort

I would probably wait for Kepler to come out (presumably later this month) and then either look at those options, or maybe AMD will be forced to come out with a stabler driver at that point and you can come back to the 7900 series.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I would probably wait for Kepler to come out (presumably later this month) and then either look at those options, or maybe AMD will be forced to come out with a stabler driver at that point and you can come back to the 7900 series.


This


----------



## PenguinoPapa

So for those of you running the ASUS BIOS, have you found a way to get Powerplay to work properly? I was never able to get my card to drop to 300/150 at idle when using the ASUS BIOS. I did notice an improvement in vdroop, though, which was very cool.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Well I returned my 7950 and got 2 GTX 550 TI's 2GB. Got about a 140 left. What should I get case wise?


Have fun with those









Case wise, NZXT Switch 810. A little over your $140, but totally worth it.


----------



## wireeater

He sold one awesome card with crappy drivers for two crappy cards with awesome drivers, meh... mind $#%$^


----------



## sena

Not smart move, my HD 7950 on 975/1400 is trading blows in 80% games with my ex GTX 570 SLI setup at 772/950.


----------



## switchblade

overclocker55 had issues because he still had nvidia drivers on the system conflicting with the amd drivers imo . Oh well sold a great card for 2 mediocre ones that will have micro-stutter and less performance than 1 7950. Plus in SLI both cards will have to share the 2gb of vram. Umm is that card even powerful enough to utilize the 2gb of ram? Why didn't he buy a 580 3gb if he felt the urge to go back to nvidia?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> So for those of you running the ASUS BIOS, have you found a way to get Powerplay to work properly? I was never able to get my card to drop to 300/150 at idle when using the ASUS BIOS. I did notice an improvement in vdroop, though, which was very cool.


In GPUTweak, where it says 3D click it and select 2d. There you can set 2d clocks and voltage. You won't be able to get as low as what the stock bios does automatically, but it helps.


----------



## Denim-187

Just sold my 7970's for $350 less than i bought them for.
They both were monsters 1250/1750mhz 24/7 @ 1225mv.
Sensational hardware, extremely impressive cards but in all honesty, their driver support is horrid and spoils the awesomeness.
Just settled for a gtx 260 sli for $100 for now.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> Just sold my 7970's for $350 less than i bought them for.
> They both were monsters 1250/1750mhz 24/7 @ 1225mv.
> Sensational hardware, extremely impressive cards but in all honesty, their driver support is horrid and spoils the awesomeness.
> Just settled for a gtx 260 sli for $100 for now.


That is unfortunate...
While I have had little to complain about... I would really like AMD to devote more resources towards their driver development.


----------



## pfunkmort

I really like the hardware, and I like the temps, the performance, the noise. Everything. I like supporting the little guy (as much as multinational computer manufacturers can be "little"). But it has really been frustrating for me dealing with the lack of support for critical games I want to play :/.


----------



## dumpsterj

I want to love my 7970 . but the driver issues are killing me. 12.2 whql , random crashes in windows, cant survive a 3dmark loop. 12.3 beta feb 28th , windows dont crash , however bad graphical errors in bf3 and swtor which is the only games i play. I used ATIMAN in between each driver install so i know its not that. The card isnt stable at benchmark loads for more than 15 mins or so. I may have a bad card , but i still have the option to return it for refund.

[edit] forgot to mention the card XFX BE DD 7970


----------



## pfunkmort

What do your temps look like? If it's not stable at load in benchmarks, it's either not getting enough air, or it's a bad card (especially if you haven't OC'ed it). What about other benchmarks like heaven or OCCT?


----------



## NeoandGeo

I've started playing multiplayer BF3 B2K lately, and even at 1100/1500 I am struggling to keep 60fps in intense situations with lots of smoke. I have everything maxed and not using MSAA at all. At stock 925 core I am getting slightly worse performance than the OC 570 (920 core) I had at same settings. I have tried 11.12 WHQL, 12.2/3 WHQL and now using .8960 driverset from Feb 28, all net roughly the same performance.

Is this happening to everyone or just me?


----------



## dumpsterj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> What do your temps look like? If it's not stable at load in benchmarks, it's either not getting enough air, or it's a bad card (especially if you haven't OC'ed it). What about other benchmarks like heaven or OCCT?


in game and with 3dmark 70-71 degrees at load. with furmark (i use it as the ultimate test, never had a card crash out of it before) it will skyrocket to 85 . around 2000rpm (only hit in furmark) fans have an almost unbalanced wobble sound. at normal game speeds though they are effectively silent (1600rpm).

I was able to complete 3dmark at 1250mhz core and 1600mhz mem (didnt go for max on mem) and it was fine , even temp wise.

havent tried heaven yet need to redownload it. going to be labled noob for not knowing what occt is lol ill google it. Im not new to overclocking , my first OC was an old Cyrix MII (which i eventually literally smoked btw) , every system ive used as my main has been oc'ed since)


----------



## dumpsterj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> I've started playing multiplayer BF3 B2K lately, and even at 1100/1500 I am struggling to keep 60fps in intense situations with lots of smoke. I have everything maxed and not using MSAA at all. At stock 925 core I am getting slightly worse performance than the OC 570 (920 core) I had at same settings. I have tried 11.12 WHQL, 12.2/3 WHQL and now using .8960 driverset from Feb 28, all net roughly the same performance.
> Is this happening to everyone or just me?


my 7970 maintains a higher framerate than 2x 470s at stock speeds , mostly due to the vram i think. thats a hell of an OC on that 570 btw







. I got my 470s to 825 for a 3dmark session. I unfortunately have been having trouble with bft , but when it plays without any glitches it doesnt seem to have a problem maintaining 60fps @ 1125/5750


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dumpsterj*
> 
> I want to love my 7970 . but the driver issues are killing me. 12.2 whql , random crashes in windows, cant survive a 3dmark loop. 12.3 beta feb 28th , windows dont crash , however bad graphical errors in bf3 and swtor which is the only games i play. I used ATIMAN in between each driver install so i know its not that. The card isnt stable at benchmark loads for more than 15 mins or so. I may have a bad card , but i still have the option to return it for refund.
> [edit] forgot to mention the card XFX BE DD 7970


I play BF3 and I have no issues whatsoever. Dumpster what card were u using before you got the 7950?
What are the gpu clocks and mem clocks that you are currently using and voltages as well.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I really like the hardware, and I like the temps, the performance, the noise. Everything. I like supporting the little guy (as much as multinational computer manufacturers can be "little"). But it has really been frustrating for me dealing with the lack of support for critical games I want to play :/.


Keep in mind that AMD isn't the only 1 at fault. The game developers also have the task of optimizing or patching their game as well.


----------



## pfunkmort

No. And I realize that. I'm not really trying to paint AMD as the bad guy...just venting frustration.


----------



## Newbie2009

I have had no driver issues. Still on the ones released around 20th Jan.


----------



## switchblade

I think a poll needs to be done. I believe that alot of the guys having issues with the drivers have nvidia drivers or bits of it left over on their system. I am not sure if there is any correlation or if its coincidence but i feel as though there may be a link. I dont have any issues with drivers and I have heard of some real bad driver issues since I have joined this thread. Why is there such a drastic difference even when ppl are using the same driver set?


----------



## Evil Penguin

It's probably wise to do a fresh Windows installation when switching between camps.


----------



## NeoandGeo

I've been through 3 fresh installs since I got my 7970, with trying out Windows 8 and everything. I do seem to get a normal (I believe it's normal) ~9,100 3DMark11 Graphics score overclocked to 1125. Not sure what the deal is with BF3, I may try and reinstall it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I have had no driver issues. Still on the ones released around 20th Jan.


I think I tried those and they gave me good performance. Have a link?


----------



## pfunkmort

I built this system from scratch. I had no nvidia anything on it before I built it. Since then (~a month ago) I have had no issue with the drivers in GTA4, Sims 3, League of Legends, BF3, Dead Space 2, TF2 (lol), Batman AC, and the couple others I've installed. I haven't tried Witcher 2, or Skyrim, or Portal 2 or some others as I simply haven't installed them on this comp yet. BUT, I can't play ME3 on here well. It uses 10-30% of my gpu, but the driver crashes bad - so bad I need to reboot. I've had a few 4-5 hour play sessions on the game, but it is almost invariable that eventually...I have a problem with it. Now, I COULD be an isolated case, and I admit I'm not THE most insane when it comes to wiping old drivers (I've switched to 12.2, 12.3, and am now on RC11), but the differences in characteristics in ME3 with the different drivers makes me think that's not the issue.

It's a minor inconvenience. And as I said, I love the card. I LOVE it. I just wish the driver was more a set it and forget it piece of software. I'm sure it will mature. And in fact, I'm sure it will mature before any of the games I REALLY care about release (D3, GW2, Max Payne 3, some others in may-june, and the fall slug). However, it's noticeable sometimes.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dumpsterj*
> 
> I want to love my 7970 . but the driver issues are killing me. 12.2 whql , random crashes in windows, cant survive a 3dmark loop. 12.3 beta feb 28th , windows dont crash , however bad graphical errors in bf3 and swtor which is the only games i play. I used ATIMAN in between each driver install so i know its not that. The card isnt stable at benchmark loads for more than 15 mins or so. I may have a bad card , but i still have the option to return it for refund.
> [edit] forgot to mention the card XFX BE DD 7970


thats why. its killing me. AMD u are ded to me


----------



## Sebe

Still got BSODs with 12.2 wqhl after a windows reinstall. Guess im staying with RC11 for a while.


----------



## OverClocker55

Guys as you know you can't ship stuff out on Sunday so I can't return my 7950 till monday. That gives me little over 24 hours to solve everything







Also I never got the 550's I went to compusa and got them but didn't open them after what you thought. Might just pick up a GTX 460 for the time being until the GTX 670/680's are released


----------



## dajez

my card is working fine on that 12.2 pre-cert driver


----------



## NeoandGeo

Results after fiddling with my system. I changed my card type in MSI Afterburner to 1112mv instead of 1175 since I recall AB reading 1112 from a fresh install of Windows+drivers. I have always had 1193 set to keep BF3 from crashing. I noticed my GPU usage went up to 70+% at all times, and my CPU usage went down to hover around 30% at all times. I have stopped dipping below 60fps on B2K maps and notice a heat increase which is good.

I guess the performance hindrance was being starved of volts? I thought that would always hard lock the system and/or game?


----------



## dumpsterj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I play BF3 and I have no issues whatsoever. Dumpster what card were u using before you got the 7950?
> What are the gpu clocks and mem clocks that you are currently using and voltages as well.
> Keep in mind that AMD isn't the only 1 at fault. The game developers also have the task of optimizing or patching their game as well.


ive tried stock and with the CCC sliders maxxed at 1125/5750/+20% pw . keep in mind ive had this thing thru 3dmark @ 1250/6000/ 1.25v (i think i remember right) . I figured after reading about all the great ocs the CCC max oc settings would be a piece of cake . the BSOD i keep getting is ATIMAG etc (cant remember the full name. im at work). If i recall with the 1125/5750/+20% i was seeing 1.16v in everest

its also interesting that the temps stay lower using the 12.2s over the 12.3s even with the same settings


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> Still got BSODs with 12.2 wqhl after a windows reinstall. Guess im staying with RC11 for a while.


do u get BSODS at stock settings?


----------



## Roedi

Most crashes are due to unstable overclock (cpu gpu ram) my system is intel burnintest + furmark test stable @4,5 since i used intel burntest and upped the voltages my system has never generated a bluescreen again. Im running 2X 7970 in crossfire.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roedi*
> 
> Most crashes are due to unstable overclock (cpu gpu ram) my system is intel burnintest + furmark test stable @4,5 since i used intel burntest and upped the voltages my system has never generated a bluescreen again. Im running 2X 7970 in crossfire.


Yup he is correct. There was this 1 guy earlier with a hd 7950 and he says he was getting crashes and he was quick to blame drivers and the card and he posted a screenshot that had the memory on the card clocked at 1800mhz with stock voltages i cant remember his core clock speed but it was ridiculous overclocking.


----------



## Levesque

Everything is working fine for me with latest drivers and CAP, with 4X 7970 Quad-Fire in my main system with 3X 30" LCDs Eyefinity, and 2X 7970 Crossfire in my 2nd rig for LAN games at home.
All my cards are watercooled and heavealy OCed.

So if those 2 really complicated systems are working fine with over 100 games in my Steam profile, then there is only 2 possibilities.

1) I am extremely lucky, or 2) I know what I'm doing, and those with problems are suffering from PEBKAC.

I'm 99% sure number 2 is the good answer. So learn 2config, and stop complaining.


----------



## nugget toes

What memory voltages are you folks using? My default is 1600mV, running 1620mV at 1700mhz. Sorry if this has been posted before, this thread is huge


----------



## Sebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> do u get BSODS at stock settings?


Yes, everything stock. It does however work fine with RC11 on 1200 / 1600.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Everything is working fine for me with latest drivers and CAP, with 4X 7970 Quad-Fire in my main system with 3X 30" LCDs Eyefinity, and 2X 7970 Crossfire in my 2nd rig for LAN games at home.
> All my cards are watercooled and heavealy OCed.
> 
> So if those 2 really complicated systems are working fine with over 100 games in my Steam profile, then there is only 2 possibilities.
> 
> 1) I am extremely lucky, or 2) I know what I'm doing, and those with problems are suffering from PEBKAC.
> 
> I'm 99% sure number 2 is the good answer. So learn 2config, and stop complaining.


----------



## fibre_optics

do want a 7950 to replace my 6950









No cash atm tho :L


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nugget toes*
> 
> What memory voltages are you folks using? My default is 1600mV, running 1620mV at 1700mhz. Sorry if this has been posted before, this thread is huge


same as urs


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Everything is working fine for me with latest drivers and CAP, with 4X 7970 Quad-Fire in my main system with 3X 30" LCDs Eyefinity, and 2X 7970 Crossfire in my 2nd rig for LAN games at home.
> All my cards are watercooled and heavealy OCed.
> So if those 2 really complicated systems are working fine with over 100 games in my Steam profile, then there is only 2 possibilities.
> 1) I am extremely lucky, or 2) I know what I'm doing, and those with problems are suffering from PEBKAC.
> I'm 99% sure number 2 is the good answer. So learn 2config, and stop complaining.


Can you elaborate on "Working Fine" please?
If we are talking benchmarking, then so are mine as you can see...
http://hwbot.org/user/stu_a_msd/

But when it comes tom eyefinity gaming... problems.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I think a poll needs to be done. I believe that alot of the guys having issues with the drivers have nvidia drivers or bits of it left over on their system. I am not sure if there is any correlation or if its coincidence but i feel as though there may be a link. I dont have any issues with drivers and I have heard of some real bad driver issues since I have joined this thread. Why is there such a drastic difference even when ppl are using the same driver set?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Everything is working fine for me with latest drivers and CAP, with 4X 7970 Quad-Fire in my main system with 3X 30" LCDs Eyefinity, and 2X 7970 Crossfire in my 2nd rig for LAN games at home.
> All my cards are watercooled and heavealy OCed.
> So if those 2 really complicated systems are working fine with over 100 games in my Steam profile, then there is only 2 possibilities.
> 1) I am extremely lucky, or 2) I know what I'm doing, and those with problems are suffering from PEBKAC.
> I'm 99% sure number 2 is the good answer. So learn 2config, and stop complaining.


I did several fresh installs and tried multiple driver versions, and only had success with one - that I'd already tried. I had to install it as soon as I went into Windows, doing it after Windows update didn't work. Not PEBKAC, the drivers are legitimately buggered. Some cases are PEBKAC of course but for most of us it's the drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Can you elaborate on "Working Fine" please?
> If we are talking benchmarking, then so are mine as you can see...
> http://hwbot.org/user/stu_a_msd/
> But when it comes tom eyefinity gaming... problems.


I'm on my second set of 7970s (1st set returned due to registration issues not because of defective) and they're running on rc11 perfectly. Bf3 gets Max usage on all three cards. Benches are even higher since the cards are all similar asic, helps with volting.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm on my second set of 7970s (1st set returned due to registration issues not because of defective) and they're running on rc11 perfectly. Bf3 gets Max usage on all three cards. Benches are even higher since the cards are all similar asic, helps with volting.


BF3 on mine has no interest in running at all unless just crossfired. Alan Wake crashes, Syndicate is hit and bloody miss, crysis 2 runs 3 cards fine, best one of the lot actually. Skyrim, windowed only... Batman to be fair... seems ok. LOL


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Everything is working fine for me with latest drivers and CAP, with 4X 7970 Quad-Fire in my main system with 3X 30" LCDs Eyefinity, and 2X 7970 Crossfire in my 2nd rig for LAN games at home.
> All my cards are watercooled and heavealy OCed.
> So if those 2 really complicated systems are working fine with over 100 games in my Steam profile, then there is only 2 possibilities.
> 1) I am extremely lucky, or 2) I know what I'm doing, and those with problems are suffering from PEBKAC.
> I'm 99% sure number 2 is the good answer. So learn 2config, and stop complaining.


Don't be an arrogant prick. You're running quad-fire on X79 on your Quadfire setup with the 2nd best CPU available from intel right now. Of course throwing money at any problem will eventually work in your favor. And 'working fine' has many meanings as the above poster stated. 99% of those '100 steam games' you refer to would run eyefinity on a SINGLE 7970, so of course they'll 'work fine' on a quad-fire setup as well. What some people focus on are more than just if a game will 'work fine', and moreso if a game is running to the potential of their setup (GPU usage, etc.). Most of the people here aren't pompous and arrogant people that like to brag about their setups and make statements like those, belittling those that have issues with their setups. Obviously you haven't been around long enough to realize that you can 'config' a system until hell freezes over, but if your hardware isn't compatible, there will be glitches.

As far as 'latest drivers', that could mean you're running the latest BETA, or the latest WHQL... vague statements and bragging doesn't help anyone here. Of course we know that Quad-fire CAN work, as many reviewers have tested it, but if you've noticed, none of them could get EVERY game to work with it properly, and I would consider their credentials just a little bit better than yours wouldn't you say?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm on my second set of 7970s (1st set returned due to registration issues not because of defective) and they're running on rc11 perfectly. Bf3 gets Max usage on all three cards. Benches are even higher since the cards are all similar asic, helps with volting.


Do you disable hyperthreading? I'm considering grabbing a 2700k to alleviate my GPU usage issues with my 2500k due to the fact that its nearly maxed out with Tri-fire 7970s. If leaving hyper threading enabled works for you, I might just go with the cheaper short term solution of upgrading my CPU instead of my platform entirely.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Do you disable hyperthreading? I'm considering grabbing a 2700k to alleviate my GPU usage issues with my 2500k due to the fact that its nearly maxed out with Tri-fire 7970s. If leaving hyper threading enabled works for you, I might just go with the cheaper short term solution of upgrading my CPU instead of my platform entirely.


Threading is enabled. I can run a bench w/o threading if you want? This 2600k isn't far behind the new chips. My benches are not very far from Levs.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Threading is enabled. I can run a bench w/o threading if you want? This 2600k isn't far behind the new chips. My benches are not very far from Levs.


Well most importantly with Battlefield 3 is what I mean. That game is the bane of this setup. I would love to be able to slap a 2600k in and remove the CPU bottleneck if there are no longer any HT issues associated with it.


----------



## polynomialc

no bf3 problems with ht on , 2600k here. one 7950 isnt enough to get 120fps - 120hz, hows crossfire so far with these cards.


----------



## Kinzer

I made the mistake of upgrading the drivers. Ugh worst mistake ever, Skyrim started crashing every time I fast traveled. Why are the old drivers so much more stable than their "latest certified' drivers.


----------



## pfunkmort

Because you touch yourself at night.

No, but seriously, it makes sense. Those drivers were worked on the longest, because they had all that lead up time until the product launch. The alterations to that, generally, I'd assume, to add support for new games or fix flaws, probably muck with all that.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Don't be an arrogant prick. You're running quad-fire on X79 on your Quadfire setup with the 2nd best CPU available from intel right now. Of course throwing money at any problem will eventually work in your favor. And 'working fine' has many meanings as the above poster stated. 99% of those '100 steam games' you refer to would run eyefinity on a SINGLE 7970, so of course they'll 'work fine' on a quad-fire setup as well. What some people focus on are more than just if a game will 'work fine', and moreso if a game is running to the potential of their setup (GPU usage, etc.). Most of the people here aren't pompous and arrogant people that like to brag about their setups and make statements like those, belittling those that have issues with their setups. Obviously you haven't been around long enough to realize that you can 'config' a system until hell freezes over, but if your hardware isn't compatible, there will be glitches.
> As far as 'latest drivers', that could mean you're running the latest BETA, or the latest WHQL... vague statements and bragging doesn't help anyone here. Of course we know that Quad-fire CAN work, as many reviewers have tested it, but if you've noticed, none of them could get EVERY game to work with it properly, and I would consider their credentials just a little bit better than yours wouldn't you say?


No reason to be arrogant back at him...

He was simply stating that a system (or two) as complicated as quad-xfire and normal xfire both work, including with ridiculous EyeFinity resolution, that others should be able to get it to work. While this does hold some merit, it simply isn't true. Not every single piece of hardware on the market has been tested to work together, nor has every game. Even with 100 games in Steam, they sell about 4,500 games...

I concur that he shouldn't simply decide since it worked for his setup it will work with every configuration ever, but no reason to think he was simply bragging about his 5K+ setup.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I am in with Gigabyte Reference HD 7970.


----------



## phillyd

hey guys! i want to buy a 7970 and im looking to either buy from OCN or new after kepler drops.
please give me input









is there a 7970 that can output an analog DVI signal that i can use with a VGA adapter?
i have an old secondary VGA monitor id like to keep using.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> hey guys! i want to buy a 7970 and im looking to either buy from OCN or new after kepler drops.
> please give me input
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is there a 7970 that can output an analog DVI signal that i can use with a VGA adapter?
> i have an old secondary VGA monitor id like to keep using.


Yes it can


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> hey guys! i want to buy a 7970 and im looking to either buy from OCN or new after kepler drops.
> please give me input
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is there a 7970 that can output an analog DVI signal that i can use with a VGA adapter?
> i have an old secondary VGA monitor id like to keep using.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes it can
Click to expand...

the cards ive found have 1 DVI output.
i need one DVI-D and one DVI-A


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> the cards ive found have 1 DVI output.
> i need one DVI-D and one DVI-A


None of the 7900s have dual DVI I believe. I think all of them have HDMI>DVI or DP>DVI connectors included though


----------



## firestorm1

the cards come with a dvi to vga adapter.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> the cards ive found have 1 DVI output.
> i need one DVI-D and one DVI-A
> 
> 
> 
> None of the 7900s have dual DVI I believe. I think all of them have HDMI>DVI or DP>DVI connectors included though
Click to expand...

would i lose anything by switching my main monitor to HDMI?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> would i lose anything by switching my main monitor to HDMI?


Nope.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> no bf3 problems with ht on , 2600k here. one 7950 isnt enough to get 120fps - 120hz, hows crossfire so far with these cards.


Easy. I get around 60-90FPS in 5760x1080 (NO MSAA).


----------



## phillyd

problem solved. thanks guys








hope to be posting here with my validation by next month.


----------



## pfunkmort

For the record the Asus Directcu II has 4 display ports, a dvi-d and a dvi-i. Not sure if that covers your needs, but it's a non-standard which might give you what you're looking for.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> For the record the Asus Directcu II has 4 display ports, a dvi-d and a dvi-i. Not sure if that covers your needs, but it's a non-standard which might give you what you're looking for.


hmm...good thoughts








anyone wanna educate me on Directcu II?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> For the record the Asus Directcu II has 4 display ports, a dvi-d and a dvi-i. Not sure if that covers your needs, but it's a non-standard which might give you what you're looking for.


The DirectCUII has major defects with the heatsink not being mounted correctly, I would not recommend it.


----------



## phillyd

i dnt think id get it, as its a tri-expansion slot card.
too big. to be in my case unsupported. my 6950 already sags enough.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> hmm...good thoughts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> anyone wanna educate me on Directcu II?


If yer into Sadomasochism, then go for it.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> hmm...good thoughts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> anyone wanna educate me on Directcu II?
> 
> 
> 
> If yer into Sadomasochism, then go for it.
Click to expand...

lolololo
reps to you, sir


----------



## pfunkmort

For the record, the defective batch of Directcu II's (which were recalled) were the 7950s only, unless I"m mistaken. They used a different heat sink (size-wise). I think you'd be fine with a 7970, especially if you were buying used from OCN (hypothetically, per your original post), from a reputable seller. That said, it IS a triple-slot card and too big for many systems. The PCB droop isn't as big of a factor as it has a backplate.

But, I'm not an Asus rep or anything. I have the reference 7970 and don't let anyone tell you different, it is cool and overclocks to the 9s.

I don't have a particularly nice one, either, in terms of how they can overclock. But I can get it to OC about 20-30% while still keeping my fan profile from ever getting past 40%. From the low 60s in avg. fps in Heaven 2.5, to 82.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> For the record, the defective batch of Directcu II's (which were recalled) were the 7950s only, unless I"m mistaken. They used a different heat sink (size-wise). I think you'd be fine with a 7970, especially if you were buying used from OCN (hypothetically, per your original post), from a reputable seller. That said, it IS a triple-slot card and too big for many systems. The PCB droop isn't as big of a factor as it has a backplate.
> But, I'm not an Asus rep or anything. I have the reference 7970 and don't let anyone tell you different, it is cool and overclocks to the 9s.


7970, issue is a whole other bag of worms. Just ask LAF, or search this subforum.


----------



## pfunkmort

I'm aware of the issues LAF had with his card, but I haven't read anything else about it. There's one really negative review on Newegg, but it's entered twice. Can't find anything else about it on this forum. I'm not really trying to bicker, I was just unaware of an issue with it. Consider my suggestion rescinded.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I'm aware of the issues LAF had with his card, but I haven't read anything else about it. There's one really negative review on Newegg, but it's entered twice. Can't find anything else about it on this forum. I'm not really trying to bicker, I was just unaware of an issue with it. Consider my suggestion rescinded.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1224823/any-asus-7970-directcu-ii-owners-out-there/0_40

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Machiyariko*
> 
> I have the ASUS 7970 DirectCu II TOP and the VRM temps do get pretty hot. I have seen it topping out at 105c under a few hours of full load.
> The GPU temps are amazing tho, 60c is the highest I have seen.
> Maybe I will open it up and try and remedy the VRM problem.
> Sounds like a weekend project for me.
> Edit:
> VRM Temps at load = 105c
> max stable overclock(stock voltage) = I haven't overclocked yet because of the VRMs
> max stable overclock(above stock voltage) = I haven't overclocked yet because of the VRMs
> idle temps = 1 screen 35c, 3 screens 43c
> load temps = 60c
> noise = The fan has been on auto and it has never gone above 35%. The noise is less that my 180mm case fans on low.
> Eyefinity experience = I can play anything on 3 portrait monitors on the highest settings (no AA) at 60fps+ except for Metro 2033 (40fps) and BF3 (50fps)
> and any other information that you have for us.
> If you guys have any more questions or want me to run any benchmarks please let me know.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *forever109*
> 
> ok guys. i think i am returning my asus hd7970 dc2 .
> i try to over clock it in the ccc with out voltage increase, n furmar 15 minutes seens all fine.
> but after 20 minutes of BF3 , windows turns into black n freeze up my pc.
> also the power tem in the gpu tweek goes up to 108.
> also the stock vcore it's lot higher than my reference xfx hd7970.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tijgert*
> 
> Hmm... then I guess I must return mine too.
> Stock speeds & stock voltage & fan @ 100% it runs Furmark burn-in test at 800x600 for only a few minutes before it freezes.
> VRM's went all the way to 108 once and the core's gone up to 89 at the most. Crazy temps for such a big-ass cooler.
> I'll try some BF3 tonight and read what temps it gives then, if it doesn't freeze.
> I'd maybe accept this kind of situaiton if EK had their blocks ready, but seems to take forever too....


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psun786*
> 
> I am kind disappointed at this card as well. My DC2T turns black screen the second BF3 started. It wouldn't even output signal after CMOS reset. So I had to reinstall my old GTX 580 power cycle and then swap back to HD 7970. I am doing a fresh install of Windows as we speak. Hopfully this will solve the back screen.
> Sure the cooler looks sexy, but it doesn't perform nearly as good as the Zalman VF3000 on my GTX 580. It idle 10c hotter than VF3000!
> BTW, does anyone know if I can use official AMD driver 12.2 for Asus DC2T?


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lots of problems!


good info man. ill stay away from this card unless they re-release it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> good info man. ill stay away from this card unless they re-release it.


It's really sad that ppl are having issues with that card. I really really wanted to trifire them on water with the awesome HOTWIRE with an ROG Extreme. Freaking aye! But really, I'd have to be a masochist to chance with 3 cards and 3 waterblocks on it, so I canceled my order, too risky.


----------



## atluu

Will a 2500k bottle neck me? I have an asus dcII. I'm trying to play bf3 at 1070p on ultra.


----------



## firestorm1

no, but having an oc definitely helps.


----------



## pfunkmort

on a related note, would a 2500k OC'ed bottleneck you with 7970x2?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> hmm...good thoughts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> anyone wanna educate me on Directcu II?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> The DirectCUII has major defects with the heatsink not being mounted correctly, I would not recommend it.


As has been previously stated in the thread, it was the 7950 that had the heatsink mounting problems. However, as the quotes tsm posted stated, many users have had trouble with VRM temps, and some unlucky folk like myself have had the card die on them because of those temperatures.

The last time I looked at temps before the card died (after 4hrs uptime no load, then 15mins of Heaven), my GPU was at 58C (50% fan) and the VRMs were up at 95


----------



## UNOE

How do I keep powertune enabled while using afterburner ?


----------



## Smo

The 2500k bottlenecks 7970 crossfire in *some* applications. BF3 for instance. The majority of the time it will handle the cards just fine.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> How do I keep powertune enabled while using afterburner ?


Afterburner beta 14 has its own +/- 20% slider, there's no need to use CCC.


----------



## UNOE

Oh thanks

- Edit : don't see it

- Edit : found it









- Edit : This is pretty awesome actually I instantly have 100 core more first run. It eliminated all the artifacting I was having.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> The DirectCUII has major defects with the heatsink not being mounted correctly, I would not recommend it.


My HD 7950 DCII dont have overheating problems, dont know for other tough.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

My Card has Stock Voltage of 1.175v. Not sure if thats normal. It could do 1125/1575 no problem. After that nothing is really helping. 1175Mhz @ 1.2v or 1.225v get artifacts. Whats the best way to overclock these cards?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> My Card has Stock Voltage of 1.175v. Not sure if thats normal. It could do 1125/1575 no problem. After that nothing is really helping. 1175Mhz @ 1.2v or 1.225v get artifacts. Whats the best way to overclock these cards?


watercool it and and add voltage.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> watercool it and and add voltage.


Not worth it. People are not getting any better OCs with Water. I even tried 1200Mhz with 1.25v and nothing.


----------



## OverClocker55

Derp


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Not worth it. People are not getting any better OCs with Water. I even tried 1200Mhz with 1.25v and nothing.


Silence alone is worth it. People with big overclocks on air have their fans screaming. Heat is what kills the overclock. I could not even do 1125 on stock voltage on air like you said that you can. I 'm guessingt you could hit 1225+ if you could keep the core temp below 45C.

Water most definitely helps reach higher oc.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Afterburner beta 14 has its own +/- 20% slider, there's no need to use CCC.


Or just set it in CCC when using Trixx, does the same I guess


----------



## DarthBaiter

I got a HD7970 OCd to 1125/1575 with a FX8150 OCd to 4100MHz.

When I play BF3 on ultra, GPU only shows around 70% usage and FPS keep dropping to mid 50's.
















Running driver 12.2


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DarthBaiter*
> 
> I got a HD7970 OCd to 1125/1575 with a FX8150 OCd to 4100MHz.
> When I play BF3 on ultra, GPU only shows around 70% usage and FPS keep dropping to mid 50's.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Running driver 12.2


Thats the CPU Sorry. 1080p does that for you.


----------



## DarthBaiter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Thats the CPU Sorry. 1080p does that for you.


If 1080P does that what other res can I use? Time for a monitor upgrade?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DarthBaiter*
> 
> If 1080P does that what other res can I use? Time for a monitor upgrade?


Or get an Intel CPU


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DarthBaiter*
> 
> I got a HD7970 OCd to 1125/1575 with a FX8150 OCd to 4100MHz.
> When I play BF3 on ultra, GPU only shows around 70% usage and FPS keep dropping to mid 50's.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Running driver 12.2


Ya I noticed that with the WHQL 12.2, my GPU usage has dropped as well (70-80% along with lower temps), BUT my FPS is still @ 120 so I dont mind. So far I am very happy with the WHQL release, no issues for me in the past 3 days









Here is my 3D11 with 12.2 WHQL. CPU @ 4.4, GPU's @ 1025/1475
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2945539;jsessionid=18ijzrfa8ftdbb4z759bdz1ny


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm using the Feb 28th 12.3 driver that was leaked. Is this one on AMD's site now better than the one I'm using? How's it running for others?


----------



## DarthBaiter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm using the Feb 28th 12.3 driver that was leaked. Is this one on AMD's site now better than the one I'm using? How's it running for others?


Where did you find the 12.3 drivers?

I'm running the pre certified 12.2 and was wondering if I should try the certified 12.2?


----------



## Hambone07si

This is the driver I'm using, but you need to install it over RC11 and everything works great.
http://downloads.guru3d.com/AMD-Catalyst-12.x--8.96-February-28-download-2867.html


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm using the Feb 28th 12.3 driver that was leaked. Is this one on AMD's site now better than the one I'm using? How's it running for others?


I havnt tried the one you are on. Im hoping other WHQL 12.2 people will chime in as I have had no issues.


----------



## tsm106

12.2/12.3 have been full of fail for me.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 12.2/12.3 have been full of fail for me.


which 12.2?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> which 12.2?


All of them, beta, pre and whql surprisingly.


----------



## Gluon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> All of them, beta, pre and whql surprisingly.


Same here, random hard locks. Unless something happens very quick I am going to nv. I am not a fanboy of either side, but I just want to enjoy my computer. I cant tell you how frustrating it is to lock up while you are in the middle of a PvP match.


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> All of them, beta, pre and whql surprisingly.


Interesting RC11 was best for me until the WHQL 12.2

The Pre 12.2 was a major fail for me.


----------



## DarthBaiter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> This is the driver I'm using, but you need to install it over RC11 and everything works great.
> http://downloads.guru3d.com/AMD-Catalyst-12.x--8.96-February-28-download-2867.html


+rep

So I have to uninstall 12.2 pre cert, install RC11, then install 12.3beta?

Might try it...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DarthBaiter*
> 
> +rep
> So I have to uninstall 12.2 pre cert, install RC11, then install 12.3beta?
> Might try it...


Yup. That's exactly what I did and it worked perfect. Had no issues, lockups, or crashes. I can enable unofficial overclocking mode with AB 14. I disabled ULPS for my 2nd card to stay on and everything has been great so far. I was just wondering if the WHQL was even better, but if others are having issues with it, I will stay here.

For those using RC11. For myself using crossfire the RC11 was best until installing 12.x (feb28) over it and things have been better. I don't have BF3 yet so I can't tell you how it acts for that game. I do play some BBC2 sometimes and Rc11 was getting crazy artifacts and since installing the 12.x, not a single issue. I've been meaning to pull the trigger on BF3, but my RC car hobby is killing my extra play money


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> Interesting RC11 was best for me until the WHQL 12.2
> The Pre 12.2 was a major fail for me.


Is there any difference between them?
From what I have heard pre 12.2 and WHQL 12.2 are exactly the same.


----------



## wireeater

New certified release are working OK with me. However, I did do a completely clean OS installation before putting them on.

Before I was running the pre 12.2 with out issues but anything else like RC11, 12.3 pre, etc were crashing/BSOD.. AMD drivers are just down right bizarre.

I think a lot of issues obviously have to do with system configurations/hardware/overclocking obviously since there is a wide rang of users who it works for and those who it doesn't


----------



## Sir_Gawain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Is there any difference between them?
> From what I have heard pre 12.2 and WHQL 12.2 are exactly the same.


They cant be the same...It they run BF3 completely different. The pre had fps dips galore, the whql has me nice and steady.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir_Gawain*
> 
> They cant be the same...It they run BF3 completely different. The pre had fps dips galore, the whql has me nice and steady.


WHQL drivers usually are missing the current feature sets due to the fact that it takes time to get WHQL certifications for the new features. Then by the time that it does get them, the driver is a bit behind the current beta. It's a vicious cycle I tell.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> My Card has Stock Voltage of 1.175v. Not sure if thats normal. It could do 1125/1575 no problem. After that nothing is really helping. 1175Mhz @ 1.2v or 1.225v get artifacts. Whats the best way to overclock these cards?


I would start with putting the volts straight up to 1.3. Under strain it will only pull about 1.24 volts, if even that. Put up to max and start at 1200 core clock and go up gradually.

Thats what I did anyway. Custom fan profile, try keep the temps under/just above 60c.

I had my cards clocked only a little lower on AIR so you should be able to max out that card. 1200 core is nice overclock,1250 is very nice, 1300 is probably yhe absolute best you can get.

Best programs for finding bad overclocks are crysis 1 or warhead,crysis 2 benchmark. Unigine is so so in my experience. 3DMark 11 waste of time, will always run in my experience.

You will see noticable gains with memory OC in crysis 2 btw.

GL.


----------



## NeoandGeo

What's up with the notion of keeping these cards under 70c and down to 60. Is the longtime norm of below 85c bad now? I try to keep a good balance of between 78-80c and great noise levels, and haven't noticed any issues, this bad for newer cards?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> What's up with the notion of keeping these cards under 70c and down to 60. Is the longtime norm of below 85c bad now? I try to keep a good balance of between 78-80c and great noise levels, this bad for newer cards?


My card won't run stable at 1200 core no matter the volts.....UNLESS I can keep it at or below 67*C. As soon as I hit 68*C, it starts artifacting. This is why I stay at 1150.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My card won't run stable at 1200 core no matter the volts.....UNLESS I can keep it at or below 67*C. As soon as I hit 68*C, it starts artifacting. This is why I stay at 1150.


I noticed that too. As soon as i am pass 70C in BF3 is see artifacts. Also should i increase voltage for memory?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My card won't run stable at 1200 core no matter the volts.....UNLESS I can keep it at or below 67*C. As soon as I hit 68*C, it starts artifacting. This is why I stay at 1150.
> 
> 
> 
> I noticed that too. As soon as i am pass 70C in BF3 is see artifacts. Also should i increase voltage for memory?
Click to expand...

I didn't touch memory voltage, and I'm at 1600 memory. I wasn't comfortable doing that myself. But I already know my card won't go any higher till I can get it colder anyway.


----------



## NeoandGeo

So is it normal for me to get away with 1165/1575 1.2v max temp of 81c after 3 hours of BF3 without artifacting? I haven't ran any stressing programs other than 3DMark to test breaking points or anything, I will just use as normal.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> So is it normal for me to get away with 1165/1575 1.2v max temp of 81c after 3 hours of BF3 without artifacting? I haven't ran any stressing programs other than 3DMark to test breaking points or anything, I will just use as normal.


I think it is only when you are really pushing the card. Mine did not like temps above about 67c on air if I remember. But that was with much higher clocks.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Appreciate the feedback. What are the max temps the card can withstand on Core/VRMs for 24/7 use if I don't see artifacts or have hard locks?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> Appreciate the feedback. What are the max temps the card can withstand on Core/VRMs for 24/7 use if I don't see artifacts or have hard locks?


85c should be fine as far as I know.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I am getting 74C Load in BF3 with fan ~ 48%. 1150/1575 @ 1.2v. I am not sure why but i was expecting this card to OC more. There was so much hype when they came out. I feel like AMD did this in purpose. They could have easily released this cards @ 1.05v @ 925Mhz and leave no OC headroom until you pump up the voltage.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I am getting 74C Load in BF3 with fan ~ 48%. 1150/1575 @ 1.2v. I am not sure why but i was expecting this card to OC more. There was so much hype when they came out. I feel like AMD did this in purpose. They could have easily released this cards @ 1.05v @ 925Mhz and leave no OC headroom until you pump up the voltage.


I don't know what you've been reading, but that's a good overclock for air while keeping the fan bearable.


----------



## pfunkmort

I can get 1125 at 1.2v, or 1150 at 2.4, or 1200 at 2.6. But at 2.6v, I still get artifacts in OCCT, and the temps SKYROCKET under serious load (the real reason I run OCCT - nothing heats up my card quite like it). It will run heaven, but the FPS gain is like...2, so I dropped it back to 1125. Memory on the other hand...I've had no problem with. I'm at 1700 at 1.64, and I haven't found any real issue in temps increasing my memory voltage, while increasing performance (albeit moderately). That is about a 15-20 fps increase in my heaven benchmark over stock, for reference.

With that, and a more or less cap at 40% fan, I never really get about 72C, and it doesn't seem to affect my stability. I was running BOINC for 48 straight and at ~98% load last week, and playing TF2 and league of legends on top of it, and it didn't seem to be too much of a problem for the card.

From a detached perspective, that's normal, and some people are getting much better. When you look vs. stock, it's like a 20-25% increase in performance (according to programs like heaven). I know what I said about the 2 fps, but the "score" increase was higher, even bumping up just 75 mh. I think why everyone revels in these cards is that the OC's they get give them gives such linear returns, not that they OC to 1400.

...now if I can ever put the thing under water...


----------



## Hambone07si

So is anyone liking the 12.2 WHQL? Should I try it out? Has it fixed anything for anyone? Some feedback please


----------



## pfunkmort

Yeah. On a related note - does it play ME3 effectively? Or are there still driver crashes with it?


----------



## Hambone07si

I just tried to fire up the ME3 demo and it wont launch now. Either will Dirt 3. I uninstalled Dirt 3 and redownloaded it and it still wont launch. I'm wondering if that's because of this 12.X Feb28 driver. I had no issues with the RC11 driver. Everything else was working so well, but these are not launching now and I'm thinking of trying the 12.2 whql. You guys think I should give it a go or should I try something else to get these games to launch?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I just tried to fire up the ME3 demo and it wont launch now. Either will Dirt 3. I uninstalled Dirt 3 and redownloaded it and it still wont launch. I'm wondering if that's because of this 12.X Feb28 driver. I had no issues with the RC11 driver. Everything else was working so well, but these are not launching now and I'm thinking of trying the 12.2 whql. You guys think I should give it a go or should I try something else to get these games to launch?


No ME3, but Dirt3 works on rc11 here. I was surprised the scaling works now lol. GPUs all pegged 142fps on 3 screens on ultra 4x. I don't play it much anymore to go back and bother with 8x hehe.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I don't know what you've been reading, but that's a good overclock for air while keeping the fan bearable.


I dont know but i was expecting a bit more. My HD 5850 did 975Mhz from 725Mhz. Thats 250Mhz more. That just a normal OC with 1.2v.


----------



## Hambone07si

well I installed the new 12.2 whql and 12.2 cap 1 and still can't launch dirt 3 and Me3 demo. BBC2 plays great still with no artifacts. I can't enable Unofficial overclocking in AB now either. Clocks go to 0 when I try. What a pain in the arse


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> well I installed the new 12.2 whql and 12.2 cap 1 and still can't launch dirt 3 and Me3 demo. BBC2 plays great still with no artifacts. I can't enable Unofficial overclocking in AB now either. Clocks go to 0 when I try. What a pain in the arse


Yer missing those files again.


----------



## alfredo82

Hey all. Can this 600w ocz 80plus psu handle a 7970? joining the club soon...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alfredo82*
> 
> Hey all. Can this 600w ocz 80plus psu handle a 7970? joining the club soon...
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017


some will some wont. I've bought a few of those for some budget systems and some work good and others shut down on me. If your's squeals like crazy under load, I'd try another.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yer missing those files again.


So how do I go about just putting those files where they need to go, and how do I get them?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> well I installed the new 12.2 whql and 12.2 cap 1 and still can't launch dirt 3 and Me3 demo. BBC2 plays great still with no artifacts. I can't enable Unofficial overclocking in AB now either. Clocks go to 0 when I try. What a pain in the arse


[Fixes] Post If No Solution Here - Catalyst Drivers Error & OC & Eyefinity & General Issues


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> some will some wont. I've bought a few of those for some budget systems and some work good and others shut down on me. If your's squeals like crazy under load, I'd try another.
> So how do I go about just putting those files where they need to go, and how do I get them?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> Does Heaven 2.5 work with fullscreen AA enabled ? Thats what crashed it for me.
> Yeah they sound like good drivers if you dont use BF3 !!!!
> All you need to do then is unistall AB, copy that file, reinstall AB, hey presto you'll be good to go
> No need to install any Caps, as the 28th Feb 8.96 come bundled with 12.2 cap 1 anyway.
> Oh heres a simple installer that will copy the file for you, from ATIman
> http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yer missing those files again.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*


+ Rep







worked like a charm. Thanks

I need to order up my 2nd water block. It's holding me back from overclocking any higher. Card gets too warm on air and too dame loud. Look at the VRM temp difference between air and water. Lot more potential with water.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jiia*
> 
> Okay here's the deal. Yesterday I was running my card at 1200 core and 1600 memory with no problems. But today I installed some new hardware and had to reinstall Windows.
> I found out that in their latest driver (12.2) ATI has removed some dll files that are required to go beyond the official OC limits. I was using the same driver yesterday but apparently the missing files were still there from previous driver installation. Now I don't have these files anymore and can't OC past the official limits.
> I tried installing driver 12.1 but it refused to install because that version doesn't support 7900-series. I also traced what dll files the latest 12.2 driver was missing that still existed in 12.1 and copied those dll files to /system32/drivers/ but it didn't help.
> So is there any way to OC the card now?


i have used 12.3 drivers,and just before 2 days i deleted some files from windows and had to reinstall windows.Before reinstallation everything was great ,at 1125/1575 at 1118v.But now i reinstalled OS,installed drivers again and clocked again,and now started to notice some artifacts in BF3.... any1 have any clue what could be?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Jiia*
> 
> Okay here's the deal. Yesterday I was running my card at 1200 core and 1600 memory with no problems. But today I installed some new hardware and had to reinstall Windows.
> I found out that in their latest driver (12.2) ATI has removed some dll files that are required to go beyond the official OC limits. I was using the same driver yesterday but apparently the missing files were still there from previous driver installation. Now I don't have these files anymore and can't OC past the official limits.
> I tried installing driver 12.1 but it refused to install because that version doesn't support 7900-series. I also traced what dll files the latest 12.2 driver was missing that still existed in 12.1 and copied those dll files to /system32/drivers/ but it didn't help.
> So is there any way to OC the card now?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i have used 12.3 drivers,and just before 2 days i deleted some files from windows and had to reinstall windows.Before reinstallation everything was great ,at 1125/1575 at 1118v.But now i reinstalled OS,installed drivers again and clocked again,and now started to notice some artifacts in BF3.... any1 have any clue what could be?
Click to expand...

Try this http://www.mediafire.com/?p5y24gfh4s5bmrz

Or [Fixes] Post If No Solution Here - Catalyst Drivers Error & OC & Eyefinity & General Issues

See post above you.


----------



## Hambone07si

Here's for those so worried about the min fps I had last time. Before it was 18.4 min. Ran again and this time it didn't dip like that. Min fps is 55.3. Ran at 1150/1600


----------



## unrealskill

any one know a fix from the card not responding after im away from my pc for a few hours and come back? also every time firefox is opend i go away and come back firefox had crashed is tells me. im running a 7970


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Here's for those so worried about the min fps I had last time. Before it was 18.4 min. Ran again and this time it didn't dip like that. Min fps is 55.3. Ran at 1150/1600


I can't wait for Ivy Bridge to come out so I can get clocks like you! 5ghz DAAAAANG.


----------



## 125837

Hey guys, looking like I'm going to get credited this week for my 7970, so I'm going to wait a week and see if there is any news on Kepler/7970 Lightning release dates, and if not (or if it's bloody ages), I will be dropping on one of these cards.

Now, my problem is, I lean very heavily towards MSI and much much prefer them. I also have to have a black PCB to fit into my blue/black theme as best as possible. However the MSI 7970 has a red PCB. Ew. My two options from PCCG (store credit have to buy from them) as far as a 7970 goes are Sapphire ref or HIS ref. The Sapphire ref is $639, the HIS ref is $599, but I'd much rather go with the Sapphire as I've had a bad experience with HIS cards.

PCCG also stock an MSI 7950OC, which fits my colour scheme the best out of all three cards (very little red on it), but is a 7950. I game at 1080p and want to max out BF3 as much as possible, and from what I have read the cards differ very little, especially when overclocked high (which I intend to do regardless of what I get). The other great thing about the 7950 is it'd leave me less out of pocket for a few other upgrades I've been considering (DCII was $800) because it is $569.

Yes, us Aussies get horribly jacked up prices even though our dollar is stronger. No, it doesn't make sense.

Anyway, what do you guys reckon I should go for? BF3 is easily the most demanding game I play, and I'd love to be able to do Ultra/HBAO/4xMSAA but I can settle if the 7950 will manage at least 2xAA

Finally (long post!), on an unrelated note, I've never used the CCC/nVidia graphics options, and don't really understand them. Since I'm a massive fan of eyecandy (obviously it has to be a fun game, but I like being able to put everything to max and leave it rather than fiddlefaddling with settings), how much of a difference does it make to the purdyness and how much of an impact is it likely to have on frames?


----------



## pfunkmort

It depends on what your definition of "is" is. MSI 7970s have a black dark brown PCB (as I think others do as well). I think pics of red PCBs are from pre-release. I would go with the MSI.

I don't use CCC at all because I was afraid when I started OC'ing that it would screw with my stuff...and I never went back. I get a pretty stable 60+ (a few dips into the 50s) on BF3 with full ultra, but AA off...other than that, I just set the stuff in CCC the way I wanted it, and never reopened it.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> It depends on what your definition of "is" is. MSI 7970s have a black PCB. I think pics of red PCBs are from pre-release. I would go with the MSI.
> I don't use CCC at all because I was afraid when I started OC'ing that it would screw with my stuff...and I never went back. I get a pretty stable 60+ (a few dips into the 50s) on BF3 with full ultra, but AA off...other than that, I just set the stuff in CCC the way I wanted it, and never reopened it.


I had only looked at the picture on PCCG - this is what I found on their website and it confuses me greatly: MSI 7970

I'll be really annoyed if I order a card and it has a red PCB!

I mean the AA settings etc, I don't know because I've never really looked except in passing. Is that the same thing you were talking about? What res do you play at to give you that FPS? I am only at 1920x1080, and my only upgrade plan is to go to a U2410 (1920x1200) in June.

EDIT: Urgh I just realised the MSI 7970 is out of stock with no ETA. :/


----------



## pfunkmort

Well, wait for confirmation from others in this thread, if you like. I've been wrong before (it happens all the time. my mom calls to remind me whenever she can). But I've never heard of a red PCB released and I know that was the issue at launch (the pics were from pre-release AMD boards).

As for BF3...empirical data is always the best. Let me test it right now.

[edit] - well, on seine crossing with like 30 people, in the middle of combat, I'm getting about 80+ fps. I know with the same settings, I would usually float above 60 (typically sub 70) on larger caspian, or wake island (my personal favorite).

As for the settings, I'm on full ultra with 2xMSAA, at 1080p. I have heard that putting AA to post, instead (I believe in CCC), will yield better fps, so if you were having issues once you upgraded that monitor, that would be an option to keep fps locked.

[edit edit] - Yeah. Lower 60s upper 50s with everything maxed in outdoor whatnot. One thing though, is that I'm getting some minor screen tearing with this RC11 driver, which I wasn't when I was on 12.2/12.3. It's really not an issue because I don't play a lot of BF3 anymore, but I have a feeling if I were to look deeper, I'd probably upgrade to a different driver.


----------



## tsm106

Reference pcb is always black/dark brown. Any colors is just marketing. I haven't seen a red reference pcb since the 4890s.

In bf3 turn off msaa and set post aa to high.


----------



## Ruined

I have a reference MSI and it is a Black PCB


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> I have a reference MSI and it is a Black PCB


same.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> I have a reference MSI and it is a Black PCB


Cheers
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Well, wait for confirmation from others in this thread, if you like. I've been wrong before (it happens all the time. my mom calls to remind me whenever she can). But I've never heard of a red PCB released and I know that was the issue at launch (the pics were from pre-release AMD boards).
> As for BF3...empirical data is always the best. Let me test it right now.
> [edit] - well, on seine crossing with like 30 people, in the middle of combat, I'm getting about 80+ fps. I know with the same settings, I would usually float above 60 (typically sub 70) on larger caspian, or wake island (my personal favorite).
> As for the settings, I'm on full ultra with 2xMSAA, at 1080p. I have heard that putting AA to post, instead (I believe in CCC), will yield better fps, so if you were having issues once you upgraded that monitor, that would be an option to keep fps locked.
> [edit edit] - Yeah. Lower 60s upper 50s with everything maxed in outdoor whatnot. One thing though, is that I'm getting some minor screen tearing with this RC11 driver, which I wasn't when I was on 12.2/12.3. It's really not an issue because I don't play a lot of BF3 anymore, but I have a feeling if I were to look deeper, I'd probably upgrade to a different driver.


Thanks for the info







I'll see. The RMA is still listed as "testing" - hopefully they don't send me another DCII, I've requested that they don't but it might be policy


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> any one know a fix from the card not responding after im away from my pc for a few hours and come back? also every time firefox is opend i go away and come back firefox had crashed is tells me. im running a 7970


I have this same problem, only thing I can do is reset the PC.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I can't wait for Ivy Bridge to come out so I can get clocks like you! 5ghz DAAAAANG.


That was ran at 5.2ghz







.. My chip runs 5ghz at 1.392v and Ivy is very close. I'm running 5.2ghz until Ivy comes out now. It only needs 1.475v for 5.2ghz but I'm giving it 1.500v and temps are still under 80c max load. I'm hoping to get Ivy up to 6ghz. I'm loving the speed of my new setup. Parts are getting pretty sick these days.

2500k @ 5.2ghz (Ivy @ 6ghz soon I hope)
2x 7970's at 1.2ghz core / 6.4ghz memory
2x Ocz Vertex 3 120gig @ 1gb/s Read / Write

Everything is now in ghz and gb/s, no more mhz and mb/s.


----------



## Newbie2009

Just pulled the trigger on a 2nd waterblock.

I think I will go with the HIS brand again, however tempted by asus as there is an unlocked volts bios floating around. How have the asus cards been performing guys?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Here's for those so worried about the min fps I had last time. Before it was 18.4 min. Ran again and this time it didn't dip like that. Min fps is 55.3. Ran at 1150/1600


Can you run Heaven 3.0 at the same setting.

Interesting scores, I have lower Min FPS andlower Max FPS, but have higher score and FPS.

This run was at the same card clocks and Heaven setting.( but I used version 3.0, I wonder if it makes a difference ?)

Also using an i7 950 @ 4GHz with HT off.

I will do a run now with HT on and same settings

One card is under water, still waiting on seconded block, supplier messed up order








, but sorted now and it should be here tomorrow.

Edits not showing up on main page but show up when I go to edit the post.


----------



## quakermaas

Yes a double post, because edit doesn't seem to be working


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> any one know a fix from the card not responding after im away from my pc for a few hours and come back? also every time firefox is opend i go away and come back firefox had crashed is tells me. im running a 7970


u could always stop your computer from going to sleep by disabling it. There is another way where you enter ur BIOS to disable some option I cant remember exactly but some dude on amazon in 1 of the hd 7970 reviews had the same issue and solved it this way.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> any one know a fix from the card not responding after im away from my pc for a few hours and come back? also every time firefox is opend i go away and come back firefox had crashed is tells me. im running a 7970


I had this issue, I told the monitor to never shut off and it seemed to resolve the issue.

I am assuming you were having the same issue where when you let the computer idle and you'd come back, you couldn't get it to wake back up and have to do a hard reboot. At first I thought it was the SSD but I had all sleep/hibernate settings turned off so it didn't make sense. So i thought maybe it had to do with the cards going into some sort of suspend mode. So I went into the power settings and told it to never put the monitor to sleep and just put a screen saver on it instead. I haven't had any issues since.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> u could always stop your computer from going to sleep by disabling it. There is another way where you enter ur BIOS to disable some option I cant remember exactly but some dude on amazon in 1 of the hd 7970 reviews had the same issue and solved it this way.


Ya setting the computer to not sleep doesn't fix it but I am interested in the bios setting you speak of. Could you possibly find the review you were talking about as 7970 review is kind of vague considering the amount of cards.


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Anyway, what do you guys reckon I should go for? BF3 is easily the most demanding game I play, and I'd love to be able to do Ultra/HBAO/4xMSAA but I can settle if the 7950 will manage at least 2xAA


The 7970 at 1260/6200 will do what you want (x4MSAA) and maintain mostly 60fps on the vanilla maps,with a few dips to mid-low 50's here and there but generally playable. But the B2K maps will see hefty dips to mid 40's with x4MSAA and feel quite laggy in those moments,

My compromise is to run x2MSAA combined with SMAA_ultra injector (ingame post process off of course)
This is 1080p and all other settings maxed.
IQ is great and textures are sharp now that the post process AA is off and SMAA is being used instead.
SMAA does its wonders on most stuff & X2MSAA just does enough to clear up the jaggies in motion.

With this I keep 60fps in all Vanilla maps, and some dips to mid 50's in B2k maps... but it stays smooth and un-noticeable.

Its the dips below 50's and into the 40's that made the game laggy for me and with x4MSAA even oc'd at 1260/6200 you will still feel a bit of lag occasionally.

I'd say with the 7950 you'd be fine for x2MSAA though, (without the SMAA which takes around 5fps hit ) in fact that is what I was running with my 580 3GB at 900mhz and it was mainly smooth gameplay.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Yes a double post, because edit doesn't seem to be working


Yeah, I'll run it once I get home. I'm sure the difference is because the versions run different scenes.


----------



## NeoandGeo

I just did a fresh install of the 12.2/3 WHQL and copied over the .dll file to enable unofficial overclocking. Even if I am not going over the 1125/1575 overdrive limit is it better to leave overdrive in CCC disabled and let MSI AB take care of everything? I'm leaving it disabled for the time being.


----------



## Hambone07si

I haven't opened or enabled anything in CCC yet either. I did the same install as you also.


----------



## Ziver

What about XFX Black Edition ? İs it louder ?


----------



## NeoandGeo

I'm hoping this clears up some of my performance issues in BF3. I see others using 2xMSAA getting and exceeding my 0xAA performance. When I enable any kind of AA it seems to hit me pretty hard.


----------



## wireeater

Are you running a single monitor or multiple?


----------



## NeoandGeo

Single 1080p monitor.


----------



## Hambone07si

What a joke on the Gtx 680 they are releasing to compete with the 7970. Nvidia releasing a gtx 680 (usually the top single gpu card) and it only has 2 6pin pci-e connectors. That's hilarious!! You won't see that gpu pulling 3dmark11 records running 1700mhz on the core


----------



## slickric21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What a joke on the Gtx 680 they are releasing to compete with the 7970. Nvidia releasing a gtx 680 (usually the top single gpu card) and it only has 2 6pin pci-e connectors. That's hilarious!! You won't see that gpu pulling 3dmark11 records running 1700mhz on the core


Guess the joke will be on us if it beats or is on par the 7970 *and uses less power*


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slickric21*
> 
> Guess the joke will be on us if it beats or is on par the 7970 *and uses less power*


Yes and no. It's rumored to be a paper launch, and the card is already 3-4 months late to the party. In addition, this is possibly their 256-bit card marketed as the top end, because of poor numbers on their manufacturing of the higher end chips. What implications that sort of thing would have for these cards to stand up to the wide spectrum of demands that users in different fields have is yet to be seen.

In short : *This is all a lot of speculation. We'll just have to wait and see.*

[edit] - I'm not trying to come off flippant, but there really ARE a lot of variables which we just don't know the answer to yet.


----------



## Hambone07si

No the joke will be on those that buy the card that was going to be around the $400 mark but are going to charge $550 because it competes. I can't wait to see what it does overclocked vs the 7970 at 1200/1600 or even higher like some others have gotten. So glad I went with the 7970's instead.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unrealskill*
> 
> any one know a fix from the card not responding after im away from my pc for a few hours and come back? also every time firefox is opend i go away and come back firefox had crashed is tells me. im running a 7970


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> I have this same problem, only thing I can do is reset the PC.


I had this problem once I went with eyefinity, and my issue seemed to be attributed to Unofficial Overclocking in MSI Afterburner + monitors going to sleep. My issue was either solved by disabling sleep on the monitors in power options, or by disabling unofficial overclocking in MSI AB. Overclocking past 1125 core was still able to be achieved after disabling unofficial overclocking in MSI AB by using the -xcl flag when opening MSI AB and rebooting.

Here is what I did to fix my issue, not sure if it is the same as yours, but worth noting I guess:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Just posting this in case anyone else is having a similar issue:
> I am using MSI Afterburner with unofficial overclocking, and after getting eyefinity, my display driver would continually crash after I woke my monitors from sleep, forcing me to reboot my computer to rectify the issue.
> I found this thread and it seemed to work: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1671423
> How I fixed it:
> Disable unofficial overclocking in the MSI afterburner config file. Reboot
> Run MSI afterburner with the -xcl flag. Reboot (this will allow for extended clocks without unofficial being enabled in the config)
> That's it. You should now be able to overclock past the 1125 core without unofficial overclocking enabled. My monitors going to sleep and waking up no longer cause my display driver to crash.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I had this problem once I went with eyefinity, and my issue seemed to be attributed to Unofficial Overclocking in MSI Afterburner + monitors going to sleep. My issue was either solved by disabling sleep on the monitors in power options, or by disabling unofficial overclocking in MSI AB. Overclocking past 1125 core was still able to be achieved after disabling unofficial overclocking in MSI AB by using the -xcl flag when opening MSI AB and rebooting.
> Here is what I did to fix my issue, not sure if it is the same as yours, but worth noting I guess:











+REP


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Just pulled the trigger on a 2nd waterblock.
> I think I will go with the HIS brand again, however tempted by asus as there is an unlocked volts bios floating around. How have the asus cards been performing guys?


You don't need an asus card just for the bios because the bios is not needed if you use Afterburner. The bios does not control OCP.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I had this problem once I went with eyefinity, and my issue seemed to be attributed to Unofficial Overclocking in MSI Afterburner + monitors going to sleep. My issue was either solved by disabling sleep on the monitors in power options, or by disabling unofficial overclocking in MSI AB. Overclocking past 1125 core was still able to be achieved after disabling unofficial overclocking in MSI AB by using the -xcl flag when opening MSI AB and rebooting.
> Here is what I did to fix my issue, not sure if it is the same as yours, but worth noting I guess:


After some more thought, I don't think its necessarily Powerplay, but your cards stability. The cards that have trouble are having issues switching between the different clock and voltage modes. The BIG question or glaring issue is that if you used AB right, the card would be in a low power idle clock before sleep anyways! My main card is at 500/[email protected] due to the eyefinity monitors, so switching between that and a lower state is not a clocking issue.

How do you have AB setup with your 2D profile? What driver are you on? I know that 12.2/12.3 even with the missing files, has issues releasing the clocks to AB. In other words it won't let the clocks drop all the way down. I don't know if its the driver or AB, cuz AB isn't perfect and we def know the Catalyst team is on glue sometimes If you check and see that your memory won't drop... it's indicative of an issue of driver control over clocks. XCL bypasses this by using Overdrive to switch clocks, it doesn't fix the problem right?


----------



## wireeater

My cards did this without being O/C.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> My cards did this without being O/C.


I didn't mention overclock nor is it actually about overclocks. Imo it's about AB and its interaction with Powerplay, which AB is supposed to manage w/o a problem. Anyways for the other guys, worst case scenario you can bypass/disable Powerplay in the AB config if you are married to the current driver. Then you can control, well not anywhere as well but still control the lower power mode.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You don't need an asus card just for the bios because the bios is not needed if you use Afterburner. The bios does not control OCP.
> After some more thought, I don't think its necessarily Powerplay, but your cards stability. The cards that have trouble are having issues switching between the different clock and voltage modes. The BIG question or glaring issue is that if you used AB right, the card would be in a low power idle clock before sleep anyways! My main card is at 500/[email protected] due to the eyefinity monitors, so switching between that and a lower state is not a clocking issue.
> How do you have AB setup with your 2D profile? What driver are you on? I know that 12.2/12.3 even with the missing files, has issues releasing the clocks to AB. In other words it won't let the clocks drop all the way down. I don't know if its the driver or AB, cuz AB isn't perfect and we def know the Catalyst team is on glue sometimes If you check and see that your memory won't drop... it's indicative of an issue of driver control over clocks. XCL bypasses this by using Overdrive to switch clocks, it doesn't fix the problem right?


Think we are talking about 2 different things. Modded asus bios removes the 1.3v limit when overclocking. I tried to flash that bios to my current card but would not have it.

Anyway no matter now, I bought another block and an AMD branded card. Cheapest I could find.

TSM you having xfire already, how have you found it so far? What oc, if any, have you got at the moment. Are they under water?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Think we are talking about 2 different things. Modded asus bios removes the 1.3v limit when overclocking. I tried to flash that bios to my current card but would not have it.
> Anyway no matter now, I bought another block and an AMD branded card. Cheapest I could find.


The modded asus bios that was posted way back from kingpin? That bios removed overdrive limits. There is no bios that I know of that can remove a *hardwired* overvoltage protection, and if you have one you better share it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> TSM you having xfire already, how have you found it so far? What oc, if any, have you got at the moment. Are they under water?


It's freaking fast to put it bluntly. Two cards alone are faster than my old workhorse quad 6950s. Three is just wow. I had a feeling I wouldn't need quads again this time and I was right.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The modded asus bios that was posted way back from kingpin? That bios removed overdrive limits. There is no bios that I know of that can remove a *hardwired* overvoltage protection, and if you have one you better share it.


lol, never got it to work, so I couldn't tell you. It is in this topic somewhere, give me a few minutes.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> It will. See below.
> I'm getting about .200v over with this bios.
> Good find
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This may be well-known, but I've been trying to get more voltage since I got this card on 1/10.
> That asus overclock bios and gputweak will do it. Notice the actual voltage in gpuz. Before I was stuck at setting at 1.3v so I could only get about 1.23v load. Setting to 1.4 gets me all the way to 1.31v load. Before I could not get past 1190 stable and now I can set to 1318mv for a stable 1200mhz.
> ASIC quality is 55.8% fwiw, so my stock vid is 1.175V(1.12v load). This bios is obviously allowing my to go past +.125 or whatever the hardware OCP limit was thought to be. It allows for ~+200mv. Anyone with a decent clocking chip(mine is really on the bad end of the spectrum) on water should get some nice results with this.


----------



## tsm106

This is the only known OCP bypass... er and the DCII+ROG Hotwire. I was going to switch to 3 DCIIs and a ROG w/ 3820, dammit was so close too, but the DCIIs turned out to be capsized.


----------



## OverClocker55

And for less money I got the new Corsair 300R, GTX 560 448 and a LG Blue Ray Drive







Only 415 vs the 470 on the 7950,,, Derp AMD


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> It will. See below.
> I'm getting about .200v over with this bios.
> Good find
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This may be well-known, but I've been trying to get more voltage since I got this card on 1/10.
> That asus overclock bios and gputweak will do it. Notice the actual voltage in gpuz. Before I was stuck at setting at 1.3v so I could only get about 1.23v load. Setting to 1.4 gets me all the way to 1.31v load. Before I could not get past 1190 stable and now I can set to 1318mv for a stable 1200mhz.
> ASIC quality is 55.8% fwiw, so my stock vid is 1.175V(1.12v load). This bios is obviously allowing my to go past +.125 or whatever the hardware OCP limit was thought to be. It allows for ~+200mv. Anyone with a decent clocking chip(mine is really on the bad end of the spectrum) on water should get some nice results with this.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is the only known OCP bypass... er and the DCII+ROG Hotwire. I was going to switch to 3 DCIIs and a ROG w/ 3820, dammit was so close too, but the DCIIs turned out to be capsized.


lol no thanks! Don't want more volts that bad. I post the link in my previous post mentioning the unlocked bios. Only skimmed it and never got it to flash myself, so fact or fiction?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> lol, never got it to work, so I couldn't tell you. It is in this topic somewhere, give me a few minutes.


I can't believe that till I see it in hw64. Is this an instance of reading intended voltage and mistaking it for real voltage?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I can't believe that till I see it in hw64. Is this an instance of reading intended voltage and mistaking it for real voltage?


No, looks like set to 1.39 and pulling 1.31. Meh I don't know. I will try it out on the new card see if I have any joy.


----------



## tsm106

Lemme check the kingpincooling thread, haven't read it in weeks. I hope you is right.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You don't need an asus card just for the bios because the bios is not needed if you use Afterburner. The bios does not control OCP.
> After some more thought, I don't think its necessarily Powerplay, but your cards stability. The cards that have trouble are having issues switching between the different clock and voltage modes. The BIG question or glaring issue is that if you used AB right, the card would be in a low power idle clock before sleep anyways! My main card is at 500/[email protected] due to the eyefinity monitors, so switching between that and a lower state is not a clocking issue.
> How do you have AB setup with your 2D profile? What driver are you on? I know that 12.2/12.3 even with the missing files, has issues releasing the clocks to AB. In other words it won't let the clocks drop all the way down. I don't know if its the driver or AB, cuz AB isn't perfect and we def know the Catalyst team is on glue sometimes If you check and see that your memory won't drop... it's indicative of an issue of driver control over clocks. XCL bypasses this by using Overdrive to switch clocks, it doesn't fix the problem right?


I am not at home, so I cannot effectively look up all the info at the moment. Driver is 12.2 from the 7th---http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx . What you say makes sense in regard to why xcl works for stopping the sleep crashes, though, if this truly is the case with the clocks.

Well, it fixes the symptom of the problem--at least for me. I haven't had a crash since. But does it fix the problem, technically no, it is rather just a way around it until it is _truly_ fixed. Whether the problem actually exists in the driver or AB, of that I am not certain.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> lol no thanks! Don't want more volts that bad. I post the link in my previous post mentioning the unlocked bios. Only skimmed it and never got it to flash myself, so fact or fiction?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> No, looks like set to 1.39 and pulling 1.31. Meh I don't know. I will try it out on the new card see if I have any joy.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Lemme check the kingpincooling thread, haven't read it in weeks. I hope you is right.


Not fiction guys, the screens speak for themselves. Flash the bios, install gputweak, and see for yourself.


----------



## tsm106

55% asic is 1.185v + .125=1.31. Can you get higher voltage Parton cuz it looks like you can't if you put in 1.39v and it comes out 1.31v?


----------



## luca717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> When do you guys think the price will drop?
> Within the month?
> 550$ Seems really steep for a videocard


its a great card, especially in crossfire. its worth the 550


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 55% asic is 1.185v + .125=1.31. Can you get higher voltage Parton cuz it looks like you can't if you put in 1.39v and it comes out 1.31v?


I think the point is, if it was not unlocked, max volts he can put in is 1.3v, regardless os asic. mmmm interesting. That bios will not work on my HIS unfortunately to test myself.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I think the point is, if it was not unlocked, max volts he can put in is 1.3v, regardless os asic. mmmm interesting. That bios will not work on my HIS unfortunately to test myself.


The lock is .125v over asic. There's clearly a link between asic, voltage, and ocp. I always wondered what happens if god forbid you got a 50% chip which equals 1.19v or something, does ocp top off at 1.3v or does it still give you the .125v overhead.

If Parton can volt past .125v, then ok maybe its unlocked or raised a bit. So can ya get past 1.31v?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The lock is .125v over asic. There's clearly a link between asic, voltage, and ocp. I always wondered what happens if god forbid you got a 50% chip which equals 1.19v or something, does ocp top off at 1.3v or does it still give you the .125v overhead.
> If Parton can volt past .125v, then ok maybe its unlocked or raised a bit. So can ya get past 1.31v?


Yeah its possible. Especially looking at the clocks he is running at those volts. eeek.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The lock is .125v over asic. There's clearly a link between asic, voltage, and ocp. I always wondered what happens if god forbid you got a 50% chip which equals 1.19v or something, does ocp top off at 1.3v or does it still give you the .125v overhead.
> If Parton can volt past .125v, then ok maybe its unlocked or raised a bit. So can ya get past 1.31v?


You've got to understand that the 1.31 is merely a result of the load on the card. More load would drop it further, less load would result in less vdroop. You know this, though.

Ignore the clock speeds. I set them arbitrarily.

*Stock no load:



Max no load:



Stock example load:



Max example load:*



Fixed.


----------



## tsm106

Sorry, I don't see anything over 1.31v. Prove it man, it's all I ask. Btw, use hw64info or whatever its called.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> You've got to understand that the 1.31 is merely a result of the load on the card. More load would drop it further, less load would result in less vdroop. You know this, though.
> Ignore the clock speeds. I set them arbitrarily.


I've never seen gpu droop on the order of magnitude you are claiming, .08v!! Gpu droop is normally .01v to .02v even under LN2.


----------



## PARTON

*Stock bios:*

setpoint stock/max:

1.175/1.300

actual under load:

1.12/1.23 => +110mv was max overvolt

*Asus test bios:*

setpoint stock/max:

1.175/1.400

actual under load:

1.12/1.31 => +190mv is new overvolt


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I think the point is, if it was not unlocked, max volts he can put in is 1.3v, regardless os asic. mmmm interesting. That bios will not work on my HIS unfortunately to test myself.


Are you flashing from a usb boot drive in dos? A reference HIS card should take the bios just as easily as any other ref card.

I believe I used these parameters to force the flash:

*atiflash -p -fs 0 asushd~1.bin*


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> *Stock bios:*
> setpoint stock/max:
> 1.175/1.300
> actual under load:
> 1.12/1.23 => +110mv was max overvolt
> *Asus test bios:*
> setpoint stock/max:
> 1.175/1.400
> actual under load:
> 1.12/1.31 => +190mv is new overvolt


What's the max core clock you can get with that bios?


----------



## JassimH

***...everyone seems to be getting miles more performance than me.

BF:3 for reference:

In 1080p with EVERYTHING MAXED, including MSAA 4x, I get 54 minimum and usually between 58-66 on 1080p on larger back to karkand maps, and 64 player maps such as caspian border. On the team TDM like noshair canals or w/e it's called I usually only get an increase in 8 fps on that...

Edit: Running 1220 Core, 1850 memory. 1.625 memory voltage, 1274 core voltage (100% stable, I can lower it to 1258 or so with no crashes but the occasional artifact - yes I know I have a crappy GPU which would benefit from WCing but I'm waiting for a new CGN/Kepler before I go multi GPU and watercoolz). Thanks!

Edit: How do people get more than 1.3v on the core?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What's the max core clock you can get with that bios?


Set at 1.4v results in:

1.37v no load, drops to 1.31v under heavy load.

Max with stock bios was 1.3 setpoint resulting in 1.244v under full load.

The asus oc bios allows me additional over-voltage of about 70mv.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JassimH*
> 
> ***...everyone seems to be getting miles more performance than me.
> BF:3 for reference:
> In 1080p with EVERYTHING MAXED, including MSAA 4x, I get 54 minimum and usually between 58-66 on 1080p on larger back to karkand maps, and 64 player maps such as caspian border. On the team TDM like noshair canals or w/e it's called I usually only get an increase in 8 fps on that...
> Edit: Running 1220 Core, 1850 memory. 1.625 memory voltage, 1274 core voltage (100% stable, I can lower it to 1258 or so with no crashes but the occasional artifact - yes I know I have a crappy GPU which would benefit from WCing but I'm waiting for a new CGN/Kepler before I go multi GPU and watercoolz). Thanks!
> Edit: How do people get more than 1.3v on the core?


At 4xMSAA I'm pretty sure a minimum of 54 on the B2K 64 Player maps is incredible.


----------



## ElGreco

Apologies if this issue has already been mentioned in this forum!








*AIB partners changed capacitors on HD 7970 cards resulting in compatibility issues*.









*Caution.*
We have been warned about a change on some AMD reference HD 7970 graphics cards (AMD 109-C38637-00) which now use one capacitor slightly higher (about 1mm higher, with blue instead of pink markings) than what it was originally.
http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=133&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=17


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Set at 1.4v results in:
> 1.37v no load, drops to 1.31v under heavy load.
> Max with stock bios was 1.3 setpoint resulting in 1.244v under full load.
> The asus oc bios allows me additional over-voltage of about 70mv.


My ? is what core clock can you get with the 1.37v idle and 1.31v load?? I have 1 of mine on water and will have the 2nd on water this week also. I may flash to get more out of it too. Max temps with water is only 44c if it's 75f in my living room.

Just wondering if you maxed out at say 1250core and then after the bios flash you were able to get 1350???


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Apologies if this issue has already been mentioned in this forum!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *AIB partners changed capacitors on HD 7970 cards resulting in compatibility issues*.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Caution.*
> We have been warned about a change on some AMD reference HD 7970 graphics cards (AMD 109-C38637-00) which now use one capacitor slightly higher (about 1mm higher, with blue instead of pink markings) than what it was originally.
> http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=133&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=17


mmm, good find. Not impressed.


----------



## Hambone07si

Dame, mine has the caps with pink on them. Maybe I will replace them all with the blue ones and my coil whine will go away. I can put my EK block in a Cnc mill here at work and make room for the other caps. Hmm


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame, mine has the caps with pink on them. Maybe I will replace them all with the blue ones and my coil whine will go away. I can put my EK block in a Cnc mill here at work and make room for the other caps. Hmm


If i understood the article correctly, pink is good, blue is bad... regarding the EK WB clearances (currently fixed for all sizes)

Regarding the coil whine, I think it exists more or less in all 7970 cards?!


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> My ? is what core clock can you get with the 1.37v idle and 1.31v load?? I have 1 of mine on water and will have the 2nd on water this week also. I may flash to get more out of it too. Max temps with water is only 44c if it's 75f in my living room.
> Just wondering if you maxed out at say 1250core and then after the bios flash you were able to get 1350???


It only got me from 1190 to 1210, but my chip is about as bad as it gets. For reference, It only did about 1075 on stock voltage. I'm doing pretty good to have 1200 24/7.


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame, mine has the caps with pink on them. Maybe I will replace them all with the blue ones and my coil whine will go away. I can put my EK block in a Cnc mill here at work and make room for the other caps. Hmm


I didn't have pics of that portion of my bare card or the ek block before I put it on so I slipped a piece of paper in and was able to clear the second cap. This tells me the block isn't riding on that cap so I'm good. Easy test if you're unsure if you're affected.


----------



## firestorm1

hey guys. when using radeon pro for custom profiles, which aa is better? multisampling or cfaa?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame, mine has the caps with pink on them. Maybe I will replace them all with the blue ones and my coil whine will go away. I can put my EK block in a Cnc mill here at work and make room for the other caps. Hmm


That's what it's supposed to look like!









The bad one is all blue caps and one red. It's a clear sign the AIB has deviated from spec.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame, mine has the caps with pink on them. Maybe I will replace them all with the blue ones and my coil whine will go away. I can put my EK block in a Cnc mill here at work and make room for the other caps. Hmm


I think you have the 1mm taller cap and need to have it checked.

It's the smaller cap in the row, second from end.

"which now use one capacitor slightly higher (about 1mm higher, with blue instead of pink markings) than what it was originally."



My card has the pink cap.



You can see here with the modified EK block


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I think you have the 1mm taller cap and need to have it checked.
> 
> Its the smaller cap. in the row, second from end.
> 
> "which now use one capacitor slightly higher (about 1mm higher, with blue instead of pink markings) than what it was originally."
> 
> 
> 
> My card has the pink cap.


WRONG.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EK_tiborrr*
> 
> Good for you tsm! :up:
> Another picture of the problem:


----------



## quakermaas

I'm going by the picture and info on the EK site

http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=133&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=17

and there caps look nothing like what you posted and the VRMs are different there as well.

The second cap from the end is BLUE, where my cap is pink with the blue check marker on it.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Finally testing BF3 at 1125/1500 and with Vsync/MSAA off, everything else maxed out I get a maximum of 200fps and a minimum of 74fps in a full scale B2K 64 Player Map. Shouldn't I be staying at 60fps locked using vsync if I don't ever dip below that point with it off?

One oddity I noticed is the MSAA ingame never works, I get same performance whether it is 4xAA or off and no visual difference. What's up with that?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I'm going by the picture and info on the EK site
> 
> http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=133&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=17
> 
> and there caps look nothing like what you posted and the VRMs are different there as well.
> 
> The second cap from the end is BLUE, where my cap is pink with the blue check marker on it.


I would have that the person quoted would be good enough? Who is this ek_tiborr guys anyways?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame, mine has the caps with pink on them. Maybe I will replace them all with the blue ones and my coil whine will go away. I can put my EK block in a Cnc mill here at work and make room for the other caps. Hmm


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> If i understood the article correctly, pink is good, blue is bad... regarding the EK WB clearances (currently fixed for all sizes)
> Regarding the coil whine, I think it exists more or less in all 7970 cards?!


PowerColor is now using blue and the tall cap.

Below are pictures of my PowerColor 7970 (AX7970 3GBD5-M2DHG):


----------



## quakermaas

By the looks of things, it can be blue caps with the a high pink one or pink caps with the a high blue one


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Guys what do i do about Drivers. 12.2 Dont let me OC over Stock Limits, RC11 fails to install Display Driver.


----------



## svthomas

Yup, the second cap is touching the block. Crap. This upsets me. I even emailed that picture of the caps to *EK_tiborrr* on 2/28/2012 and wasn't told anything about needing a different block.







My trust in EK just went out the window. http://www.coolingconfigurator.com doesn't even mention this, either.

Do you guys think I should put the stock cooler back on my card until I can get a new block?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Can you run Heaven 3.0 at the same setting.
> Interesting scores, I have lower Min FPS andlower Max FPS, but have higher score and FPS.
> This run was at the same card clocks and Heaven setting.( but I used version 3.0, I wonder if it makes a difference ?)
> Also using an i7 950 @ 4GHz with HT off.
> I will do a run now with HT on and same settings
> One card is under water, still waiting on seconded block, supplier messed up order
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , but sorted now and it should be here tomorrow.
> 
> Edits not showing up on main page but show up when I go to edit the post.


Here's the run of 3.0 at the same settings. I had a pretty low dip on my min fps. Never saw it tho but here's the results


----------



## Ottesen

Quick tip for you guys having problems starting Bf3 with freezes and stuff, start bf3 then move a window or something around so the game open in windows-mode and goes in the background until menu comes up, works 100% here


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Ya setting the computer to not sleep doesn't fix it but I am interested in the bios setting you speak of. Could you possibly find the review you were talking about as 7970 review is kind of vague considering the amount of cards.


http://www.amazon.com/review/R1RN2W97ZX5Q4O/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B006V6RHVM&nodeID=541966&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful

There u go I found the thread on amazon its on the single review of the visiontek hd 7970 card


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/review/R1RN2W97ZX5Q4O/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B006V6RHVM&nodeID=541966&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful
> There u go I found the thread on amazon its on the single review of the visiontek hd 7970 card


it's wrong, lol the dude names of a few things. Which is it, sleep, hibernate or powerplay? My system goes into standby fine and i have 3 visionteks. Everything is default except hibernate is off which is a must on a ssd. Need to conserve that precious space lol.


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Yup, the second cap is touching the block. Crap. This upsets me. I even emailed that picture of the caps to *EK_tiborrr* on 2/28/2012 and wasn't told anything about needing a different block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My trust in EK just went out the window. http://www.coolingconfigurator.com doesn't even mention this, either.
> Do you guys think I should put the stock cooler back on my card until I can get a new block?


I'm going to give an unscientific, unprofessional, unmitigated yes on that one. I can't see how a week or two (or more if that's how long to get a block) of WC temps/OC is worth potentially frying your card. Especially if it's one who's warranty doesn't cover taking off the ref heatsink.


----------



## tsm106

Get a dremel, or if you have a drill press... 2 minutes and done. It's just on the top plate.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Get a dremel, or if you have a drill press... 2 minutes and done. It's just on the top plate.


Yup, did just that--used a dremel.







Had to be really careful, though, it's quite thin where one needs to dremel for the cap.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Yup, did just that--used a dremel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Had to be really careful, though, it's quite thin where one needs to dremel for the cap.


Nice. +1 for taking matters into your own hands.


----------



## ElGreco

Guys,

For you who have the higher cap, could you please post your PN, part number? EK refers to one specific PN, but according to your statements this might be worse...


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Get a dremel, or if you have a drill press... 2 minutes and done. It's just on the top plate


Quote:



> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Get a dremel, or if you have a drill press... 2 minutes and done. It's just on the top plate.
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, did just that--used a dremel.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Had to be really careful, though, it's quite thin where one needs to dremel for the cap.
Click to expand...

Well done , was going to suggest that.

This is what EK do.



Quote:



> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Guys what do i do about Drivers. 12.2 Dont let me OC over Stock Limits, RC11 fails to install Display Driver.


Install 12.2 over RC11 with out un-installing RC11.

If you cant do that, then install the missing files from 12.2 manually.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1226892/fixes-post-if-no-solution-here-catalyst-drivers-error-oc-eyefinity-general-issues/0_30


----------



## 125837

So PCCG tested my DCUII and found no fault with it... now I am super confused o_0


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> So PCCG tested my DCUII and found no fault with it... now I am super confused o_0


Oooh dear







, after all the trouble you have had !!!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Oooh dear
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , after all the trouble you have had !!!


Well I just can't figure out what else it could possibly be! The VRM evidence was there (95C!!) and everything else was at perfectly acceptable temps... I've just parted the whole thing down and I can't see any obvious signs of damage but something was definitely burning because I smelt it when I opened the case. The only thing I haven't looked at is my PSU, but it's under a year old and is really plenty of wattage for what I am running.

Anyway they're posting the card back to me and I've bought a new mobo and RAM sooner than I had intended but that will rule most things out. Everything else in the system except the CPU and SSD (which wasn't in when I had the card issues) has been used in previous builds.


----------



## disintegratorx

Tried installing catalyst 12.2 over thr 11RC drivers and it turns out that worked great! I'm getting almost flawless graphics on all full settings now.


----------



## MrTOOSHORT

Asus Direct Cu II 7970 review:

http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-radeon-hd-7970-directcu-ii-review/


----------



## azdre

I have both an EK waterblock (assuming it's a "new/fixed" one as I just ordered yesterday) and a 7970 on their way. Just want to make sure that as long is my EK waterblock looks like this:

I'll be fine regardless of whether or not my 7970 has the raised capacitor.

Basically will an 'old' version 7970 work with the _*new*_ EK Waterblock without any problems?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Hmm, just about to spend about £700 with EK so keen to know the answer to this one myself.


----------



## Newbie2009

Same, mine 2nd card and block should arrive tomorrow.


----------



## alfredo82

My build isn't done yet but can I join the club?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> I have both an EK waterblock (assuming it's a "new/fixed" one as I just ordered yesterday) and a 7970 on their way. Just want to make sure that as long is my EK waterblock looks like this:
> 
> I'll be fine regardless of whether or not my 7970 has the raised capacitor.
> Basically will an 'old' version 7970 work with the _*new*_ EK Waterblock without any problems?


I believe so? I would check out this thread: http://www.overclock.net/t/1228205/warning-ek-fc-7970-incompatibilities#post_16694460


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> I have both an EK waterblock (assuming it's a "new/fixed" one as I just ordered yesterday) and a 7970 on their way. Just want to make sure that as long is my EK waterblock looks like this:
> 
> I'll be fine regardless of whether or not my 7970 has the raised capacitor.
> Basically will an 'old' version 7970 work with the _*new*_ EK Waterblock without any problems?


This is a problem with your board not the block. You need to check your and figure out if it is from one of the lame AIBs, ie. powercolor or possibly msi. All other brands were not cheap and did not deviate from AMDs spec.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Hmm, just about to spend about £700 with EK so keen to know the answer to this one myself.


Normally you shouldn't buy a block till you've seen the pcb. The bottom line is cya right? Anyways, just make sure you don't have a powercolor card for starters!

Where's all the lashings for powercolor?


----------



## Focus182

I am going to be buying a 7950 to go with my 7970.

Does anyone know what leads I need for my PSU, 2x 6pin to 2x molex or 2x 6pin to 1x molex ? (my PSU doesn't have extra 6pin leads)

Rep for answers


----------



## Ken1649

The video card shipped with the 2x 6pin to 2x molex adapter. It's recommended a 750W PSU with 7900 crossfire.


----------



## omega17

I'd say if you really need to, then get 4x {2x molex to 1x PCIe 6pin}, that way you're maximising the potential power going to the card. You don't want to run short.

4pin molex provides 60W. One 6pin PCIe draws 75W. The card can get 75W thru the PCIe slot itself. To cover the TDP of the card, one single molex to each PCIe power slot would give 60+60+75 = 195W, but I'd get the double connectors just to be sure. (these allow the PCIe power sockets to draw the specification of 75W, IF they need to)


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> I'd say if you really need to, then get 4x {2x molex to 1x PCIe 6pin}, that way you're maximising the potential power going to the card. You don't want to run short.
> 4pin molex provides 60W. One 6pin PCIe draws 75W. The card can get 75W thru the PCIe slot itself. To cover the TDP of the card, one single molex to each PCIe power slot would give 60+60+75 = 195W, but I'd get the double connectors just to be sure. (these allow the PCIe power sockets to draw the specification of 75W, IF they need to)


Something like this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-PCI-E-Splitter-Power-Adapter/dp/B005J8DGTU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1331751727&sr=8-4

And why would I need four of them? my 7970 is already connected through 6pin +6+8pin from my PSU.

@Ken I'm fairly sure if I run the cards at stock and don't programs like furmark I should be ok. If not then I can always undervolt.

Plus, I wanted to ask you something, I heard you saying that the 7970 and 7950 can run at their own speeds. Would I encounter any problems with this while playing games at all?


----------



## omega17

You'd need two, not four. Sorry. Bad maths. I had it in my head that you need 4 spare molexs off your PSU.

My 7970 came with them, so you might want to check if you've already got one, and another one might come with your 7950. But those are the correct ones you linked to, yes.

Crossfiring different cards from the same gen (i.e 7970 & 7950) works perfectly. I did it with both the 6xxx and 5xxx series, mixing and matching, and it was fine.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> @Ken I'm fairly sure if I run the cards at stock and don't programs like furmark I should be ok. If not then I can always undervolt.
> 
> Plus, I wanted to ask you something, I heard you saying that the 7970 and 7950 can run at their own speeds. Would I encounter any problems with this while playing games at all?


That will be fine if you don't push the PSU to 100% of its rated capacity 52A=624W. A single 7970 + PowerTune 20% can easily hit 300W. So the idea is never push the PSU more than 80% for safety and life span. I am sure someone will jump in "I never had a single issue with SLI 580 heavily overclocked".

You won't have any problems with 7970+7950 in any applications. Just make sure your mainboard supports at least 2x PCIe @x8/x8 or x16/x8. @x16/x4 is a big NO.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That will be fine if you don't push the PSU to 100% of its rated capacity 52A=624W. A single 7970 + PowerTune 20% can easily hit 300W. So the idea is never push the PSU more than 80% for safety and life span. I am sure someone will jump in "I never had a single issue with SLI 580 heavily overclocked".
> 
> You won't have any problems with 7970+7950 in any applications. Just make sure your mainboard supports at least 2x PCIe @x8/x8 or x16/x8. @x16/x4 is a big NO.


I will be sure not to push the 7970 to 20% powertune







Also, I will probably upgrade my PSU 2-3 months later anyway.

I do have a x8/x8 motherboard









Thanks for the information









Another rep +


----------



## stevman17

Hey guys, I'm gonna sell my 6950's and get a 79xx series.

Which one should I get? I have my eye on the Sapphire 7950 OC for $470 at Tigerdirect. Are they a decent company to buy from? Do you know of any 7970's that are worth getting over the 7950? (Emphasis on noise, temps, and overclockability.).


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stevman17*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm gonna sell my 6950's and get either a 79xx series.
> Which one should I get? I have my eye on the Sapphire 7950 OC for $470 at Tigerdirect. Are they a decent company to buy from? Do you know of any 7970's that are worth getting over the 7950? (Emphasis on noise and temperatures).


Where are you located?


----------



## stevman17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Where are you located?


New Jersey, US.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> It will. See below.
> I'm getting about .200v over with this bios.
> Good find
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This may be well-known, but I've been trying to get more voltage since I got this card on 1/10.
> That asus overclock bios and gputweak will do it. Notice the actual voltage in gpuz. Before I was stuck at setting at 1.3v so I could only get about 1.23v load. Setting to 1.4 gets me all the way to 1.31v load. Before I could not get past 1190 stable and now I can set to 1318mv for a stable 1200mhz.
> ASIC quality is 55.8% fwiw, so my stock vid is 1.175V(1.12v load). This bios is obviously allowing my to go past +.125 or whatever the hardware OCP limit was thought to be. It allows for ~+200mv. Anyone with a decent clocking chip(mine is really on the bad end of the spectrum) on water should get some nice results with this.


Parton, are you getting any INSANE jumps in volts you have monitored with that bios?


----------



## Focus182

Just ordered my VTX3D 7950 to crossfire with my 7970.

Woohoo


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Parton, are you getting any INSANE jumps in volts you have monitored with that bios?


Not sure what you mean. Do you mean dangerous spikes not seen with stock? If you're simply asking how much it increased my voltage ceiling, it increased max load voltage by about 70mA.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Not sure what you mean. Do you mean dangerous spikes not seen with stock? If you're simply asking how much it increased my voltage ceiling, it increased max load voltage by about 70mA.


No I mean like getting readings of memory and VDDC spiking to 10v.

Just be careful man, watch readings on all sensors. I was getting some real worrying jumps on it. Enough to make me go back to the stock bios. Very wacky.


----------



## AndresR

Not sure if someone already asked this but there is any way to keep the overdrive at 20% all the time?
Everytime I shutdown or restart the computer have to enter in the CCC the 20%. And sometimes forgot to do this and when working on 3D Max the drivers fail and have to restart







.
The card is OC 1300 core 1500 memory


----------



## Invisible

Does anyone have an idea on why my 7950 clocks at almost my full OC whenever I first turn my PC on, and will stay at that OC until I actually boot up a game and close it. I have my OC at 1200/1750, and whenever I boot up into Windows, AB reads my current clocks at 900/1750. And it won't down to the normal idle clocks until I boot up a game, and then exit. And then it's either at the normal 501/1250 or 300/150. I'm not really worried about this, but it's kind of annoying that I have to boot up something whenever my PC starts to get back down to a idle fan speed/temp.

Also, I have another little issue. Whenever I have a video in my FireFox open (whether it be on YouTube or wherever), my in game clock speeds are locked at 501/1250, resulting in horrible performance. And whenever I close out of that video, my clock speeds jump back up to 1200/1750. I have tested this, and the problem only occurs whenever I have a video in FireFox, and it ALWAYS go back to my full clocks whenever I change the web page to something else that doesn't have that video up.

Can I get any help with these two issues as well?

I was using beta 12 for AB, and I just uninstalled and upgraded to beta 14, and I still have the same issue.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AndresR*
> 
> Not sure if someone already asked this but there is any way to keep the overdrive at 20% all the time?
> Everytime I shutdown or restart the computer have to enter in the CCC the 20%. And sometimes forgot to do this and when working on 3D Max the drivers fail and have to restart
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> The card is OC 1300 core 1500 memory


mmm it should stay at +20. Are you using the new Afterburner or old one?


----------



## hamzta09

This card is now PISSING ME OFF.

I wont allow me to play any of these titles: Skyrim, Red Orchestra 2, Crysis Warhead, Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3 or GTA IV.
I boot the games and IMMEDIATELY I get thrown back to desktop and the ONLY game that works after that is Red Orchestra 2.
The others wont allow me to get back into the games.
Skyrim = Back to desktop after logo.
Crysis Warhead lots of idiotic noise from GPU and back to desktop.
Mass Effect 3 back to desktop.
GTA IV I see all splash screens - enters main menu and back to desktop.
BF3 randomly get thrown out of the game.

AMD sickens me, I had not a single issue with my 5850, but damn this card. Pisses me off.

Ive reformated, Ive used two different drivers - 12.3 and 12.2

Guess I gotta sell this **** cause it wont allow me to play any games other than SWTOR.. and I wont be able to RMA it back to the store as its a "software issue" they would claim. And knowing AMD, we wont get a proper driver until atleast 30 days if not months later, and they dont give a rats ass on the official forum about anything, since there are no officials on there.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> This card is now PISSING ME OFF.
> I wont allow me to play any of these titles: Skyrim, Red Orchestra 2, Crysis Warhead, Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3 or GTA IV.
> I boot the games and IMMEDIATELY I get thrown back to desktop and the ONLY game that works after that is Red Orchestra 2.
> The others wont allow me to get back into the games.
> Skyrim = Back to desktop after logo.
> Crysis Warhead lots of idiotic noise from GPU and back to desktop.
> Mass Effect 3 back to desktop.
> GTA IV I see all splash screens - enters main menu and back to desktop.
> BF3 randomly get thrown out of the game.
> AMD sickens me, I had not a single issue with my 5850, but damn this card. Pisses me off.
> Ive reformated, Ive used two different drivers - 12.3 and 12.2
> Guess I gotta sell this **** cause it wont allow me to play any games other than SWTOR.. and I wont be able to RMA it back to the store as its a "software issue" they would claim. And knowing AMD, we wont get a proper driver until atleast 30 days if not months later, and they dont give a rats ass on the official forum about anything, since there are no officials on there.


12.3 and 12.2 are the same drivers.

Have you attempted to install RC11, then 12.2 over the top? It's been successful for many people.


----------



## AndresR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> mmm it should stay at +20. Are you using the new Afterburner or old one?


I'm using Sapphire Trixx, for some reason Afterburner doesn't work on my Asus card.
But even if i disable Trixx and restart the computer Overdrive returns to 0.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> 12.3 and 12.2 are the same drivers.
> Have you attempted to install RC11, then 12.2 over the top? It's been successful for many people.


Question: Why would that make any difference? Does RC11 contain something 12.2 does not?

Anyhow I wonder when AMD will sort their **** out with drivers. Had not a single problem with my 5850 since 2009.. (and now the fan is basicly dead so I cant sell it or use it)


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> 12.3 and 12.2 are the same drivers.
> Have you attempted to install RC11, then 12.2 over the top? It's been successful for many people.
> 
> 
> 
> Question: Why would that make any difference? Does RC11 contain something 12.2 does not?
> 
> Anyhow I wonder when AMD will sort their **** out with drivers. Had not a single problem with my 5850 since 2009.. (and now the fan is basicly dead so I cant sell it or use it)
Click to expand...

For your 5850....you could always get an aftermarket cooler for it.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Question: Why would that make any difference? Does RC11 contain something 12.2 does not?
> Anyhow I wonder when AMD will sort their **** out with drivers. Had not a single problem with my 5850 since 2009.. (and now the fan is basicly dead so I cant sell it or use it)


Actually, yes, there are a couple of dll files in RC11 that are not in 12.2.

The only driver I could get working for 3D applications when I had my 7970 was RC11. Give it a try, you might change your mind.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For your 5850....you could always get an aftermarket cooler for it.


I heard the arctic cooling or whatever it is called 2-3 fans mounts pretty bad on the (VRM?) or whatever, so you need to use an eraser on them. But still wont be properly fit.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Actually, yes, there are a couple of dll files in RC11 that are not in 12.2.
> The only driver I could get working for 3D applications when I had my 7970 was RC11. Give it a try, you might change your mind.


I will try it. If it doesnt work, then i'll hang myself lol


----------



## hamzta09

Ok.. I uninstalled drivers, used sweeper.
Installed RC11.

I can boot GTA IV.
However I cant change ANY setting because this carda pparently has no VRAM, Game tells me with big fat red text at the bottom corner that Im running out of VRAM.. So I cant change any setting so I am stuck at medium with 800x600 resolution, YAY!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Ok.. I uninstalled drivers, used sweeper.
> Installed RC11.
> I can boot GTA IV.
> However I cant change ANY setting because this carda pparently has no VRAM, Game tells me with big fat red text at the bottom corner that Im running out of VRAM.. So I cant change any setting so I am stuck at medium with 800x600 resolution, YAY!


Sounds like a card problem. RMA that thing.

EDIT: Actually, I just noticed that you have the same board as I do. Since my card has been tested as not faulty, do you have another mobo you could try? I've bought a new mobo and RAM so I'll know next week whether that eliminates the problem. The new parts in this build were the mobo, CPU, and GPU. The CPU was secondhand and was working before being sent to me.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Sounds like a card problem. RMA that thing


No, its the game that says I am running out of VRAM.
It says usage: 200/3000MB.

Guess its like those old 90s games that think you have no/very little VRAM because you're too modern and have too much... -.-


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> No, its the game that says I am running out of VRAM.
> It says usage: 200/3000MB.
> Guess its like those old 90s games that think you have no/very little VRAM because you're too modern and have too much... -.-


Read my edited post. Have you tried any other games?


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Read my edited post. Have you tried any other games?


I fixed the GTA problem by making a commandline.txt and adding -norestrictions AND -nomemrestrict. CAn play the game flawlessly right now on "all maxed" woopdeedoo.

Anyway I havent tried any other games yet, will do so.
The board was working fine before, still is, Ive had it since ~november or december 2011.

Tried Skyrim now, it boots properly and runs. Yay seems like the driver RC11 is ~10000 times better than the "new" ones..


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> I fixed the GTA problem by making a commandline.txt and adding -norestrictions AND -nomemrestrict. CAn play the game flawlessly right now on "all maxed" woopdeedoo.
> Anyway I havent tried any other games yet, will do so.
> The board was working fine before, still is, Ive had it since ~november or december 2011.


Ok fantastic







I'll know if it's the board next week, might've just been unlucky


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Ok fantastic
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll know if it's the board next week, might've just been unlucky


What revision of the board? Mine is 1.3, BIOS F9


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> What revision of the board? Mine is 1.3, BIOS F9


rev 1.3, don't know what BIOS, the one that came with it


----------



## Cliors

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Just ordered my VTX3D 7950 to crossfire with my 7970.
> Woohoo


Could you show some test results when you have the card installed ?
I'm also looking to crossfire a 7950 with my 7970


----------



## stevman17

I posted a couple pages back.

I'm looking to sell my unlocked 6950s and get a 79xx. I have it narrowed down to the Sapphire OC models. Either the 7950 for $470 or the 7970 for $580 (with shipping), or Card C, a completely different card. What do you guys think?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stevman17*
> 
> I posted a couple pages back.
> I'm looking to sell my unlocked 6950s and get a 79xx. I have it narrowed down to the Sapphire OC models. Either the 7950 for $470 or the 7970 for $580 (with shipping), or Card C, a completely different card. What do you guys think?


I would get the xfx 7970 black, lifetime, higher clock same price from amazon. If you no likey xfx, the reg sapphire is 550 right now from amazon, in stock. I'm not a fan of open fan/dual fan coolers on this sort card. Your case and other components will see a lot of the heat.


----------



## Invisible

I would say for the 7950. I have that exact card, the Sapphire OC, and I have it easily clocked at 1200/1750. It maxes BF3 at 1080p (with MSAA turned off cause of the bad performance with AMD cards and I literally don't see a difference), and it only uses about 65-80% GPU usage. It's a fantastic card.

Save the $110 and get something else, or just save it for the future.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> rev 1.3, don't know what BIOS, the one that came with it


I found the cause of my problem

MSI Afterburner. Disable "Low Level Hardware" or w/e its called and all of a sudden games dont want to work. It is required to be disabled for BF3 though to prevent PB kicks.


----------



## hamzta09

Ok now I wonder, why do I not have that power slider in CCC like everyone else?

I only have the coreclock, mem and the fan control and test custom clocks, but not that Power slider -20 - +20%

Using RC11, I didnt have it either with 12.2


----------



## wirefox

I don't touch the ccc overclock area... there is +20 slider in afterburner. are you using the beta afterburner? I they are up to AB 14?

Edit: http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2859

also I found that ATIMAN cleans a little better than driver sweeper.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Ok now I wonder, why do I not have that power slider in CCC like everyone else?
> I only have the coreclock, mem and the fan control and test custom clocks, but not that Power slider -20 - +20%
> Using RC11, I didnt have it either with 12.2


Sounds like you need to do a proper uninstall of old ccc and drivers. Did you do that? Obviously that is your problem.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> I don't touch the ccc overclock area... there is +20 slider in afterburner. are you using the beta afterburner? I they are up to AB 14?
> Edit: http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=2859
> also I found that ATIMAN cleans a little better than driver sweeper.


exactly. why even bother with amd overdrive to begin with? just disable it and use afterburner for your overclocking.


----------



## Newbie2009

Bought what I thought was an AMD branded card and received a sapphire card. Good or bad? How have they been for overclocking?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Bought what I thought was an AMD branded card and received a sapphire card. Good or bad? How have they been for overclocking?


Depends how it is cooled 
If for instance you got a HD7950 and you have the standard Sapphire card you only get 1 cooling fan, if you have the HD7950 sapphire oc edition you have 2 cooling fans which should give you higher OC capabilities


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Depends how it is cooled
> If for instance you got a HD7950 and you have the standard Sapphire card you only get 1 cooling fan, if you have the HD7950 sapphire oc edition you have 2 cooling fans which should give you higher OC capabilities


Not my experience. My HIS card performs in a similar manner to air vs under water. More asking if sapphire cards are duds when it comes to overclocking.


----------



## derfer

My buddies 7950 is freezing at stock about twice a day, and he's discovered that after waking it from sleep performance is down about 30 fps in wow. Running 12.2 with cap 1 and AB beta 14. Anybody else got these issues?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> No I mean like getting readings of memory and VDDC spiking to 10v.
> Just be careful man, watch readings on all sensors. I was getting some real worrying jumps on it. Enough to make me go back to the stock bios. Very wacky.


I haven't seen that, but I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for lookin out.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derfer*
> 
> My buddies 7950 is freezing at stock about twice a day, and he's discovered that after waking it from sleep performance is down about 30 fps in wow. Running 12.2 with cap 1 and AB beta 14. Anybody else got these issues?


Send a PM to pioneerisloud mate, he's been having the same issue and might be able to help.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Not my experience. My HIS card performs in a similar manner to air vs under water. More asking if sapphire cards are duds when it comes to overclocking.


Your the one with the card bud, overclock it and you tell us if it's a dud. Every card is it's own animal. Water will let you go further with less volts thats for sure. My VRM temps on water never reach 50c and on air they were going above 80c. My card can run stable at 1200/1600 if temps are under 70c loaded. If it hits 75c, it will crash. I have 1 card on air and 1 on water. Can't wait to have them both on water. It does make a difference and being silent is golden.


----------



## edo101

**** are a lot of people having driver issues with their HD 7000 series. Damn AMD get your **** together


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Your the one with the card bud, overclock it and you tell us if it's a dud. Every card is it's own animal. Water will let you go further with less volts thats for sure. My VRM temps on water never reach 50c and on air they were going above 80c. My card can run stable at 1200/1600 if temps are under 70c loaded. If it hits 75c, it will crash. I have 1 card on air and 1 on water. Can't wait to have them both on water. It does make a difference and being silent is golden.


Yeah have not installed it yet. Reason I asked was I remember there being a thread of people complaining about lame overclocks, think most of them were sapphire owners.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah have not installed it yet. Reason I asked was I remember there being a thread of people complaining about lame overclocks, think most of them were sapphire owners.


Denim managed excellent clocks with his Sapphires, it's just luck of the draw bud.


----------



## NeoandGeo

I have a sapphire and I am getting 1150/1500 @1.206 voltage. Passing the CCC limit even a tad feels good all on its own I guess. At 1.212v I can hit 1165/1175 but I start to hit 82c+ which is what I want to stay under with acceptable noise levels.

The only thing i do find lame is my memory. Max I can achieve is 1500 on stock volts and I get hard locks if I try and up the voltage at all, and get performance drops when I try and take it above 1500.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah have not installed it yet. Reason I asked was I remember there being a thread of people complaining about lame overclocks, think most of them were sapphire owners.


My 7950 OC sapphire : 1175 core (1,175 Volt), 1580 memory (stock volt)

Not a lame overclock if you ask me


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Bought what I thought was an AMD branded card and received a sapphire card. Good or bad? How have they been for overclocking?


Overclocking is purely up to lottery.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> rev 1.3, don't know what BIOS, the one that came with it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found the cause of my problem
> 
> MSI Afterburner. Disable "Low Level Hardware" or w/e its called and all of a sudden games dont want to work. It is required to be disabled for BF3 though to prevent PB kicks.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure if you set it to "kernel mode", PB won't kick you.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derfer*
> 
> My buddies 7950 is freezing at stock about twice a day, and he's discovered that after waking it from sleep performance is down about 30 fps in wow. Running 12.2 with cap 1 and AB beta 14. Anybody else got these issues?


I cant even wake my PC up from sleep(even though I dont have sleep enabled in Win7) its totally frozen, cpu activity and everything.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *derfer*
> 
> My buddies 7950 is freezing at stock about twice a day, and he's discovered that after waking it from sleep performance is down about 30 fps in wow. Running 12.2 with cap 1 and AB beta 14. Anybody else got these issues?
> 
> 
> 
> I cant even wake my PC up from sleep(even though I dont have sleep enabled in Win7) its totally frozen, cpu activity and everything.
Click to expand...

Does it do that when you're at stock clocks, and MSI AB / Trixxx aren't running? If it does, then I don't know a fix. But if its only doing it because you're overclocked.....I've got a fix for you.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> I cant even wake my PC up from sleep(even though I dont have sleep enabled in Win7) its totally frozen, cpu activity and everything.


Do you have your monitors set to sleep?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Overclocking is purely up to lottery.


1280/1775 on air! nice








Hurry up WB and arrive!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> 1280/1775 on air! nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hurry up WB and arrive!


Time for you to buy a Super Lotto ticket lol.


----------



## PARTON

me es muy jelly


----------



## Invisible

Can someone give me the most updated version of ATIMan Uninstaller, and the instructions on how to do it? My friend needs to clear out all his AMD drivers cause he is installing a 560Ti. He just did it and whenever he turned his PC off and put the 560Ti, he BSOD'ed, and his PC system restored (put the old AMD drivers back on). So I think he did it wrong.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Can someone give me the most updated version of ATIMan Uninstaller, and the instructions on how to do it? My friend needs to clear out all his AMD drivers cause he is installing a 560Ti. He just did it and whenever he turned his PC off and put the 560Ti, he BSOD'ed, and his PC system restored (put the old AMD drivers back on). So I think he did it wrong.


http://atiman.go-board.net/

Disable UAC, big first step.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Time for you to buy a Super Lotto ticket lol.


lol. AND it was €75 cheaper than the asus.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Can someone give me the most updated version of ATIMan Uninstaller, and the instructions on how to do it? My friend needs to clear out all his AMD drivers cause he is installing a 560Ti. He just did it and whenever he turned his PC off and put the 560Ti, he BSOD'ed, and his PC system restored (put the old AMD drivers back on). So I think he did it wrong.


[Fixes] Post If No Solution Here - Catalyst Drivers Error & OC & Eyefinity & General Issues


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> lol. AND it was €75 cheaper than the asus.


You have a golden card, ya know. They're pretty freaking rare.


----------



## 125837

My new motherboard and RAM should be arriving today, so I think I'll test just running integrated graphics and see what happens. I still haven't heard back regarding the 7970 so hopefully that's just a blip, I usually have fantastic service from these guys.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

EK waterblocks / backplates and connectors will be here tomorrow!
1260rad and 200mm fans already installed and testing.


----------



## slice259

Bench-Stable 1265core/1800memory on both of my MSI Reference cards on air. Quite Happy With them overall


----------



## wirefox

I know there has been a ton of folks saying CAPs are for multi GPUs but I was just looking at the AMD download page and saw

Darkness 2 - Resolves flickering issues on *single* GPU configurations when Anti-Aliasing is forced on in the Catalyst Control Center

single gpu .... thoughts?

Crossfire setup question:
I've thinking of getting another 7970 and/or also waiting for trifire 7990... as my 120hz monitor needs a little more get up and FPS to get BF3 where I want it

I also have/ran a 5970 which used CAPSs etc... but never really physically had two AMD gpus on one mobo...

I did SLI when on the green team 3x 9800gtx ...you'd always put your top reference clocked card in the first slot as and the others would mirror it...

How does this work if you have a great overclocking 7970 with different ASIC scores ... are you basically limited to the best ocz from one card or the other?


----------



## Ottesen

Guys, quick questions.... I've read almost every post here but still... I'm using 7950 with dual fans, crossfire...

*1:* What is the max/ highest i should go in temps ?
*2:* Same question as above but with VRM temps ?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys, quick questions.... I've read almost every post here but still... I'm using 7950 with dual fans, crossfire...
> *1:* What is the max/ highest i should go in temps ?
> *2:* Same question as above but with VRM temps ?


Try to stay under 85ish max on the GPU, low as possible on the VRMs but 80ish is still safe.


----------



## wirefox

7970 w/ek on water rarely higher that 46 deg ...under loads ...

new 12.2 drivers, AB +20
1.112v
76% ASIC

1200 @1.237
1800 @ 1.637

Unigene
FPS: 49.5
Scores: 1247
Min FPS:27.0
Max FPS: 124.9

-uber minor texture/light artifacts

I keep getting brown screens and lock-ups on BF3 and with the recent updates on SWTOR too ... with below sig rig the closer I get to 1200 ... is this lock up a driver/gpu issue?

Usually can play BF3 without issue at 1150 with similar settings as above

I wonder why unigene is used for stable testing/benching when you can't play games etc ... I'm sort of a rant... just after my years of 5970 driver issues ... I feel like I've signed up for it again ... guess I should be satisfied with 1150/1800 but I can feel gaming differences in BF3 with that extra 50 plus...

Edit: I also have a 24" dell ultrasharp plugged in for work .. will this affect gaming/benches if it's still plugged in even though monitor is in standby ? ? ?

thanks


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Try to stay under 85ish max on the GPU, low as possible on the VRMs but 80ish is still safe.


Thanks man, i'm no way near that... low 70's at most


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> 1800 @ 1.637
> 
> -uber minor texture/light artifacts
> I keep getting brown screens and lock-ups on BF3 and with the recent updates on SWTOR too ... with below sig rig the closer I get to 1200 ... is this lock up a driver/gpu issue?


I can guarantee you guys running over 1750 are pushing into error correction territory. In other words, artifacting way beyond the error correction can keep up.


----------



## wirefox

I'll drop it down and give it a go

--thanks

other weird thing is that with AB beta14 - OSD doesn't run in BF3 ? elsewhere its fine ...


----------



## tsm106

My low-level is set to user mode and it works fine.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Damn all I want to do is get an XFX HD 7970 Black Edition Double Dissipation, and no one has it in stock. arrgghhhhh...


----------



## wirefox

one more question BF3 realted and 7970 and my i920 @ 4.4

when I play on smaller maps FPS and game is faster ... when on a 64 map ... I'm always toast... is this my gpu or my cpu ? or just b/c it's a 64 player map ??? I have 50/10 comcast

... just frustrating...









lowering ram has help ... thanks ts I'm sure I've repped you but I'll give another


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> one more question BF3 realted and 7970 and my i920 @ 4.4
> when I play on smaller maps FPS and game is faster ... when on a 64 map ... I'm always toast... is this my gpu or my cpu ? or just b/c it's a 64 player map ??? I have 50/10 comcast
> ... just frustrating...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lowering ram has help ... thanks ts I'm sure I've repped you but I'll give another


Man, 4.4ghz is one helluva overclock so it's tricky calling it a cpu bottleneck. The gpu does what it does, and its the fastest thing out there so it can't be that. What are your detail settings? I would turn off msaa and run post aa at high, turn off ssao/hbao while you're at it.


----------



## wirefox

yeah I lucked out with this i920 chip ... keep wanting to upgrade but keep feeling its not worth it ... I thought I read somewhere that larger maps task the cpu ... so thought that might be my issues... have fps minimums at 90 and other profile tweaks I can't recall ...

on high settings I keep to a 70 FPS on the low end ... 100 fps on high side .. .with vsync on ... I found that if I set the refresh rate to 100 in bf3 ... It keep the low better...

on ultra low of 57 high of 100 ...

still tweaking...

and I feel like in some cased the higher the setting e.g. ultra I actually play better ... again some folks ... but other I'm blindsided..


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> I know there has been a ton of folks saying CAPs are for multi GPUs but I was just looking at the AMD download page and saw
> Darkness 2 - Resolves flickering issues on *single* GPU configurations when Anti-Aliasing is forced on in the Catalyst Control Center
> single gpu .... thoughts?
> Crossfire setup question:
> I've thinking of getting another 7970 and/or also waiting for trifire 7990... as my 120hz monitor needs a little more get up and FPS to get BF3 where I want it
> I also have/ran a 5970 which used CAPSs etc... but never really physically had two AMD gpus on one mobo...
> I did SLI when on the green team 3x 9800gtx ...you'd always put your top reference clocked card in the first slot as and the others would mirror it...
> How does this work if you have a great overclocking 7970 with different ASIC scores ... are you basically limited to the best ocz from one card or the other?


CAPs apply to single GPU and crossfire. Some of the recent ones have been giving people issues with certain games.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> *CAPs apply to single GPU* and crossfire. Some of the recent ones have been giving people issues with certain games.


I wouldn't use caps for single setups.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I wouldn't use caps for single setups.


They're Catalyst Application Profiles. They are mainly Crossfire profiles, but do include minor patches for single GPU.

"Darkness 2 - Resolves flickering issues on single GPU configurations when Anti-Aliasing is forced on in the Catalyst Control Center
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Resolves character texture corruption seen using single GPU configurations when Anti-Aliasing is forced on in the Catalyst Control Center"

-Notes from latest CAP release.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> They're Catalyst Application Profiles. They are mainly Crossfire profiles, but do include minor patches for single GPU.
> "Darkness 2 - Resolves flickering issues on single GPU configurations when Anti-Aliasing is forced on in the Catalyst Control Center
> Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Resolves character texture corruption seen using single GPU configurations when Anti-Aliasing is forced on in the Catalyst Control Center"
> -Notes from latest CAP release.


that was my point ... so if there are performance increase... makes me wonder if it help for single gpus too...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> that was my point ... so if there are performance increase... makes me wonder if it help for single gpus too...


When they put single gpu references in caps, its not for performance, it's to fix something, that usually doesn't pan out.


----------



## wireeater

I just order over 500$ worth of water cooling stuff. 2 7970 EK blocks coming in, those were the bank killers.

In total, with all parts I'm up to 800$ for the full loop i am going to build. Ah well... pleasure comes with a price tag.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I just order over 500$ worth of water cooling stuff. 2 7970 EK blocks coming in, those were the bank killers.
> In total, with all parts I'm up to 800$ for the full loop i am going to build. Ah well... pleasure comes with a price tag.


800 isn't bad for a quality loop. They can get a bit higher pretty easily. You'll have fun, it's a big erector set for grown people, lol. Btw, did you mean 7950 blocks like in your sig?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I just order over 500$ worth of water cooling stuff. 2 7970 EK blocks coming in, those were the bank killers.
> In total, with all parts I'm up to 800$ for the full loop i am going to build. Ah well... pleasure comes with a price tag.


I'm up to $500 in blocks alone







No one said this hobby was cheap









EDIT: Like the guy above me asked, you didn't order 7970 blocks did you?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 800 isn't bad for a quality loop. They can get a bit higher pretty easily. You'll have fun, it's a big erector set for grown people, lol. Btw, did you mean 7950 blocks like in your sig?


Well, they are label as 7970 blocks but they are compatible with the 7950 cards.

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14867/ex-blc-1044/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_Electroless_Nickel_Plated_EK-FC7970_-_AcetalEN_Nickel.html


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Well, they are label as 7970 blocks but they are compatible with the 7950 cards.
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14867/ex-blc-1044/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_Electroless_Nickel_Plated_EK-FC7970_-_AcetalEN_Nickel.html










You better get ready to try and return them. None of the 7950 cards available on the market are "reference" design so the 7970 blocks do NOT work. You have to buy the new FC-7950 blocks that will be ready on Monday (hopefully).


----------



## wireeater

Well that stinks. I wasn't able to load up the EK configuration site and the description on the sellers site didn't really say anything concerning me that the 7950 wouldn't work. I thought the XFX core edition/Sapphire I have were plain janes. Well hopefully I can get refunded without any restocking BS.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Well that stinks. I wasn't able to load up the EK configuration site and the description on the sellers site didn't really say anything concerning me that the 7950 wouldn't work. I thought the XFX core edition/Sapphire I have were plain janes. Well hopefully I can get refunded without any restocking BS.


Yeah, almost no site says anything about this, but if you actually ask EK they'll tell you no commercially available 7950 fits the block. The main problem is that there were never any of those AMD-brand cards. I've been waiting on the 7950 blocks since late January







One of their machines failed and delayed the blocks another week, so hopefully Monday they'll actually be available (on the EK site, about the same price as Frozen or PPC after shipping/tax/no VAT). I hope Frozen will let you return them, I don't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure they don't allow returns of water-cooling parts :/


----------



## wireeater

But if they haven't even boxed them then I am not sure what the issue would be. I am not returning anything as I just placed the order at 2:30am in the morning..







lol

I didn't order the blocks from Frozen though. I ordered separate parts from them. I got the blocks from Jab Tech.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> But if they haven't even boxed them then I am not sure what the issue would be. I am not returning anything as I just placed the order at 2:30am in the morning..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol
> I didn't order the blocks from Frozen though. I ordered separate parts from them. I got the blocks from Jab Tech.


Make sure you contact them as soon as they open before they get anything done. I figured since you linked to Frozen, you ordered there, lol.


----------



## tsm106

You better email [email protected] right away, cuz he ships fast.


----------



## quakermaas

Got my second GPU block yesterday, will fit a RAD in between CPU and GPU later today, but computer is super quiet now at 1200/1600 clocks, haven't tested more.



Very shiny


----------



## TheJesus

Hmm, if I try to overclock past 1000/1450 (core, I haven't messed with memory) on my 7950s the screen goes black and the comp seems like its restarting, but I have to hard shutdown for it to come back on. My stock voltage is 0.993 (at least on the first 7950, the other one I just slapped in and went to town) so I assume that's the voltage protection kicking in?

EDIT: Goes black after a few minutes of gaming. Now that I think about it, maybe its temps


----------



## rageofthepeon

I was messing around with Afterburner today, figuring out how to turn on OSD and capping FPS and all that when I was noticing that I was having major FPS dips in BF3.

My clocks are 1125/1575 and I was running on a 64 hardcore rush server with ultra setting (4x msaa) when I noticed this. This is the first day I was watching my FPS like a hawk, Operation Metro was kicking my 7970s behind in particular, but is this normal? I'm talking high 30s to low 40s dips.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> I was messing around with Afterburner today, figuring out how to turn on OSD and capping FPS and all that when I was noticing that I was having major FPS dips in BF3.
> My clocks are 1125/1575 and I was running on a 64 hardcore rush server with ultra setting (4x msaa) when I noticed this. This is the first day I was watching my FPS like a hawk, Operation Metro was kicking my 7970s behind in particular, but is this normal? I'm talking high 30s to low 40s dips.


Disable MSAA. It destroys AMD GPUs and isn't a very noticeable difference. I think you can manually force FXAA in CCC if you want.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Disable MSAA. It destroys AMD GPUs and isn't a very noticeable difference. I think you can manually force FXAA in CCC if you want.


I was mostly just trying to see what FPS I got when having all settings maxed. Tomorrow I plan on trying it out again with no MSAA. I was mostly curious if this is normal behavior for a 7970 in a 64 player server with similar settings.

I was also thinking of testing vsync + triple buffering since my monitor is a lowly 60Hz (thought it was 120Hz for some reason). Not sure how the input lag will be but I guess I'll find out







.


----------



## battlenut

how well would a XFX black edition 7970 work in my system or would there be a huge bottleneck? I recently purchased one from a seller here on OCN. What after market cooler would be best I think the accellero extreme is to big.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *battlenut*
> 
> how well would a XFX black edition 7970 work in my system or would there be a huge bottleneck? I recently purchased one from a seller here on OCN. What after market cooler would be best I think the accellero extreme is to big.


You're gonna be a bit bottlenecked, not positive how much, but you should be fine.

Are there other aftermarket coolers that aren't liquid?


----------



## battlenut

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> You're gonna be a bit bottlenecked, not positive how much, but you should be fine.
> Are there other aftermarket coolers that aren't liquid?


I like air cooling helps heat my house better. nah just kidding. I just like air I actually water cooled at 1 time But got scared of it ever leaking.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *battlenut*
> 
> I like air cooling helps heat my house better. nah just kidding. I just like air I actually water cooled at 1 time But got scared of it ever leaking.


He means, he doesn't think any other aftermarket coolers really exist! You don't particularly need an aftermarket cooler, the reference coolers are apparently pretty good if you don't mind a bit of noise.


----------



## battlenut

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> He means, he doesn't think any other aftermarket coolers really exist! You don't particularly need an aftermarket cooler, the reference coolers are apparently pretty good if you don't mind a bit of noise.


I don't mind a little noise But I don't like the sound of jet air planes in my house either. That big accellero extreme 2 or what ever is way to big for my case.


----------



## battlenut

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> He means, he doesn't think any other aftermarket coolers really exist! You don't particularly need an aftermarket cooler, the reference coolers are apparently pretty good if you don't mind a bit of noise.


I don't mind a little noise But I don't like the sound of jet air planes in my house either. That big accellero extreme 2 or what ever is way to big for my case.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Noise levels on AMD cards are ok up to about 40-45% fan speed, 50 is my personal limit.. Anything over that is ridiculously loud.


----------



## 125837

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1444/pg1/msi-r7970-lightning-enthusiast-overclocked-graphics-card-review-introduction.html

Woohoo! Lightning review







Can't wait till they come out in Australia, I'll lose money selling my DCUII but oh well, much rather have decent VRM temps


----------



## Levesque

Wow! The Ligthning is totally owning the 580 3Gb in those tests, and with BETA drivers. Not the ''7970 only 15-20% better then 580 3Gb'' we read everywhere. The Lightning is killing the 580 3Gb.









Nice review.


----------



## Smo

Bye-bye reference 7970s, hello Lightnings


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> Noise levels on AMD cards are ok up to about 40-45% fan speed, 50 is my personal limit.. Anything over that is ridiculously loud.


Agree totally for one card, with three its less than amusing at 35%


----------



## wireeater

Well according to EK, the 7950 they have right now for the ref 7950's were visual inspected to work with the two cards I have.

John @ Jab Tech got back to me and was very nice about changing the order. He said they will not be getting the EK 7950 blocks in for maybe another 3 weeks but offered to ship them to me for free when they do but I kind of don't want to wait that long for something that might be out of stock when I go to order. I'm thinking about just ordering them from EK and paying for the 40$ shipping because it's 3 day.

Hmmmmm...



Sent an email to EK to confirm that I can indeed use these on my cards. If the answer is yes, then I will order them.


----------



## Ottesen

Guys....

*1:* What is the stock voltage on my 7950 powercolor pcs+ with dual fans ? i can't find it...lol
*2:* How do one change memory voltage ?


----------



## Focus182

Hi guys

I got my 7950 today and installed it.

First thing I did was install the latest cap from AMD and ran bf3

I got a huge performance boost but also a few problems... When I dip below 90 fps I get what feels like 30 fps.

Then 3-5 mins later I get a directX error crash and then my screen gets set to 1024x768 on the desktop.

Any ideas?

EDIT: Ok, When I turn Vsync on the lag goes away but is replaced by stuter every 5-10 seconds. Also, Vsync makes my mouse lag

2nd edit : all fixed by adding an fps limit in game above my refresh rate.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Is there a general consensus on Power Control Settings in AMD CCC? Played a round in BF3 at 1125/1575 and didn't notice any artifacting but I don't want to damage the card either. Some people say tweak voltage (which I don't want to do yet) instead of using power control.


----------



## wireeater

Put the slider all they way to +20%, you wont hurt anything.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> Hi guys
> I got my 7950 today and installed it.
> First thing I did was install the latest cap from AMD and ran bf3
> I got a huge performance boost but also a few problems... When I dip below 90 fps I get what feels like 30 fps.
> Then 3-5 mins later I get a directX error crash and then my screen gets set to 1024x768 on the desktop.
> Any ideas?
> EDIT: Ok, When I turn Vsync on the lag goes away but is replaced by stuter every 5-10 seconds. Also, Vsync makes my mouse lag


I was thinking about adding a second 7970 to my rig, but thought I would need a bigger power supply before I do. It looks like you are running your setup with a 650 - is that enough power?


----------



## polynomialc

try new drivers that got leaked 8.951.1 March 3rd www.benchmark3d.com


----------



## pioneerisloud

So I'm STILL having the idle lock up issue with the latest official drivers.







I thought I had it fixed with 2D / 3D profiles in MSI AB, and disabling my screensaver. Apparently not though. When I opened up a game last night, everything was fine for hours (overclocked). I left, the machine was sitting at idle stock clocks....all fine and dandy. Came back to it this morning, and it was hard locked.









So apparently, if I play a game on my machine, it'll hard lock. I think it has something to do with the super low 2D clocks of like 350 / 150 or whatever they are.


----------



## tsm106

I was chatting with Newbie2009 about bios' and overclocking and what not. Then he was showing off his golden cards, well I had to do something about that.









Old score: 5.2ghz 1235/1670



New score: 5.2ghz 1300/1715


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So I'm STILL having the idle lock up issue with the latest official drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought I had it fixed with 2D / 3D profiles in MSI AB, and disabling my screensaver. Apparently not though. When I opened up a game last night, everything was fine for hours (overclocked). I left, the machine was sitting at idle stock clocks....all fine and dandy. Came back to it this morning, and it was hard locked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So apparently, if I play a game on my machine, it'll hard lock. I think it has something to do with the super low 2D clocks of like 350 / 150 or whatever they are.


Try bypassing AB for clock control with the -xcl option which unlocks Overdrive. You'd then set your voltage profiles in AB and clocks in Overdrive. svthomas said its worked for him.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> try new drivers that got leaked 8.951.1 March 3rd www.benchmark3d.com


Better driver here.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1202945/amd-new-7970-drivers-released-8-921-2-rc11/0_40


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I was thinking about adding a second 7970 to my rig, but thought I would need a bigger power supply before I do. It looks like you are running your setup with a 650 - is that enough power?


It seems to be just about enough. If I overclocked them much I would probably be hearing a pop from my PSU.

Your 750 is completely fine for dual 7970's

Edit: Fixed my problems by the way, I now have no stuttering/lag/mouse lag.

Your going to love cf 7970's


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Bye-bye reference 7970s, hello Lightnings


Yep


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So I'm STILL having the idle lock up issue with the latest official drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought I had it fixed with 2D / 3D profiles in MSI AB, and disabling my screensaver. Apparently not though. When I opened up a game last night, everything was fine for hours (overclocked). I left, the machine was sitting at idle stock clocks....all fine and dandy. Came back to it this morning, and it was hard locked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So apparently, if I play a game on my machine, it'll hard lock. I think it has something to do with the super low 2D clocks of like 350 / 150 or whatever they are.
> 
> 
> 
> Try bypassing AB for clock control with the -xcl option which unlocks Overdrive. You'd then set your voltage profiles in AB and clocks in Overdrive. svthomas said its worked for him.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> try new drivers that got leaked 8.951.1 March 3rd www.benchmark3d.com
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Better driver here.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1202945/amd-new-7970-drivers-released-8-921-2-rc11/0_40
Click to expand...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yep


Too early to tell, just like it was the DC2. And we know how that one turned out. Reviewers need to really wring these high end cards out, these fluff reviews are a joke. imo.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*


-xcl option in AB unlocks Overdrive in the registry, just like racerx. You're having an issue with AB and AMD's powersaving features, you know like hand in hand, white on rice? Thus by not controlling clocks with AB, it removes the pita 3rd party from the equation. You still use AB for volts thru yer profile.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Too early to tell, just like it was the DC2. And we know how that one turned out. Reviewers need to really wring these high end cards out, these fluff reviews are a joke. imo.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> -xcl option in AB unlocks Overdrive in the registry, just like racerx. You're having an issue with AB and AMD's powersaving features, you know like hand in hand, white on rice? Thus by not controlling clocks with AB, it removes the pita 3rd party from the equation. You still use AB for volts thru yer profile.
Click to expand...











Is there a step by step guide on how to do this, from an "unofficial overclocking unlocked" AB with stock CCC?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is there a step by step guide on how to do this, from an "unofficial overclocking unlocked" AB with stock CCC?


http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4243725&postcount=101

MSIAfterburner.exe /xcl

**Or you could just wipe your profiles, and run racerx.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Too early to tell, just like it was the DC2. And we know how that one turned out. Reviewers need to really wring these high end cards out, these fluff reviews are a joke. imo.
> -xcl option in AB unlocks Overdrive in the registry, just like racerx. You're having an issue with AB and AMD's powersaving features, you know like hand in hand, white on rice? Thus by not controlling clocks with AB, it removes the pita 3rd party from the equation. You still use AB for volts thru yer profile.


That's true, but I trust MSI with their Lightnings.

Also, this screenshot here shows VRMs idling at 32C (I know, not the same as load, but for reference my DCUII had them at 65):


And this screenshot has popped up:


----------



## TheJesus

If anyone was wondering, BF3 campaign maxed out Ultra runs at ~190FPS on 2 7950 @ 1000/1450.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Try bypassing AB for clock control with the -xcl option which unlocks Overdrive. You'd then set your voltage profiles in AB and clocks in Overdrive. svthomas said its worked for him.
> Better driver here.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1202945/amd-new-7970-drivers-released-8-921-2-rc11/0_40


I was having an issue with my monitors going to sleep. Once I woke them up my display drivers would instantly crash, and I'd be forced to reboot--the display driver would crash, recover after a minute or two, then instantly crash again...and this would loop until I rebooted.

What I did to fix this was turn off unofficial overclocking in AB, reboot, then open AB with the -xcl flag (unlocks your clocks so you can go past 1125), reboot again, and then use AB for all overclocking, without using the unnofficial overclocking bit in the AB config. I don't use Overdrive for anything, though.

I am not exactly sure why this works, but for me it does, and I no longer have the display driver crashes once my monitors go to sleep. /shrug

**update** Also, this only started happening once I started using eyefinity w/ 3 monitors, when I had been previously only using 2 w/o eyefinity. Forgot to add that last piece.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I was having an issue with my monitors going to sleep. Once I woke them up my display drivers would instantly crash, and I'd be forced to reboot--the display driver would crash, recover after a minute or two, then instantly crash again...and this would loop until I rebooted.
> What I did to fix this was turn off unofficial overclocking in AB, reboot, then open AB with the -xcl flag (unlocks your clocks so you can go past 1125), reboot again, and then use AB for all overclocking, without using any unofficial overclocking. I don't use Overdrive for anything, though.
> I am not exactly sure why this works, but for me it does, and I no longer have the display driver crashes once my monitors go to sleep. /shrug


Like I wrote above, it removes AB from controlling clocks! You don't have to do the -xcl either, you can just wipe the AB profile and use racerx. This will let you re-enable ULPS! lol imagine that one.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> If anyone was wondering, BF3 campaign maxed out Ultra runs at ~190FPS on 2 7950 @ 1000/1450.


Is that one 3 screens like yer sig?


----------



## pioneerisloud

So I still use MSI AB for clocks and volts then?

Because right now, I tried using CCC, and it does absolutely nothing after a reboot....I have to go back in and re overclock.









So what EXACTLY do I do here?

1. Remove unofficial overclocking
2. Run -xcl
3. Overclock / volts / fan control via MSI AB, like I would normally (without profiles)

Done and done? Don't do anything in CCC then?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Like I wrote above, it removes AB from controlling clocks! You don't have to do the -xcl either, you can just wipe the AB profile and use racerx. This will let you re-enable ULPS! lol imagine that one.
> Is that one 3 screens like yer sig?


Interesting, now you got me curious! haha Thanks for the info, going to mess around with this over the weekend.


----------



## svthomas

Sorry about the double post, it wasn't intentional.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> So I still use MSI AB for clocks and volts then?
> Because right now, I tried using CCC, and it does absolutely nothing after a reboot....I have to go back in and re overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So what EXACTLY do I do here?
> 1. Remove unofficial overclocking
> 2. Run -xcl
> 3. Overclock / volts / fan control via MSI AB, like I would normally (without profiles)
> Done and done? Don't do anything in CCC then?


That is how I am doing it. I am still using AB for everything, I just am doing it without unofficial overclocking being enabled. There are diff ways to do this, but I just created a new shortcut for MSI afterburner, and appended -xcl to the end of the path in the shortcut and ran it. This will notify you that you now need to reboot. Then, just run MSI afterburner as you normally would, only now the clocks will be extended without using unofficial overclocking. You can delete the temporary shortcut with the -xcl flag after you're done too, you only need to run it once.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> I was having an issue with my monitors going to sleep. Once I woke them up my display drivers would instantly crash, and I'd be forced to reboot--the display driver would crash, recover after a minute or two, then instantly crash again...and this would loop until I rebooted.
> 
> What I did to fix this was turn off unofficial overclocking in AB, reboot, then open AB with the -xcl flag (unlocks your clocks so you can go past 1125), reboot again, and then use AB for all overclocking, without using the unnofficial overclocking bit in the AB config. I don't use Overdrive for anything, though.
> 
> I am not exactly sure why this works, but for me it does, and I no longer have the display driver crashes once my monitors go to sleep. /shrug
> 
> **update** Also, this only started happening once I started using eyefinity w/ 3 monitors, when I had been previously only using 2 w/o eyefinity. Forgot to add that last piece.


How did you set the Windows Power Option? Did you set the GPU to sleep before computer?

For example: Turn off Monitor 10 Mins > Turn off HD > 20 Mins > Turn off GPU 15 mins > Computer sleep after 30 Min > Hibernate after 30 mins. I guess there will be issue if you put the PC to sleep before the GPU.

Or you can put the monitors to sleep but never set the PC to sleep. Problems solved.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well now it keeps resetting my clocks back to default.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> How did you set the Windows Power Option? Did you set the GPU to sleep before computer?
> *snip*
> For example: Turn off Monitor 10 Mins > Turn off HD > 20 Mins > Turn off GPU 15 mins > Computer sleep after 30 Min > Hibernate after 30 mins. I guess there will be issue if you put the PC to sleep before the GPU.


I will need to double check once I get home from work.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well now it keeps resetting my clocks back to default.










So if you set them in AB it just resets and doesn't take? I am able to set the clocks, voltages and it keeps them set.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> So if you set them in AB it just resets and doesn't take? I am able to set the clocks, voltages and it keeps them set.


You might have missed something. THat's not possible without enabling "unofficial......".


----------



## pioneerisloud

It keeps them set for a little while, yes. But it eventually returns back to stock....just sitting here in Chrome.

Just reinstalled AB, just in case to see if I had some sort of problem in the config file or something, from having unofficial overclocking on before.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Nope, even after a reinstall of MSI AB, its still resetting back to stock clocks after a bit. Fan control stays working though.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You might have missed something. THat's not possible without enabling "unofficial......".


Will look into this in about 45 mins and report back.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Apparently fan control AND voltage stay working, but not clock speeds. I can't say for certain on voltage, but my temps are still pretty high at idle (1.175v high). So I know its not dropping my voltage back down to 1.112v, because at 1.112v I idle at about 48-50*C. Right now, I'm at 60*C idle.

So yeah, voltage and fan speed are still working. Just not clock speeds.


----------



## Suffokate666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> If anyone was wondering, BF3 campaign maxed out Ultra runs at ~190FPS on 2 7950 @ 1000/1450.


I actually was wondering, and thank you for letting me know the 900 bucks i dropped on video cards was worth it =D


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Suffokate666*
> 
> I actually was wondering, and thank you for letting me know the 900 bucks i dropped on video cards was worth it =D


Glad to be of assistance







Its buttery smooth. I could run it in EyeFinity if anyone cares


----------



## wireeater

Hmmm, EK is not too quick with email response are they...I would have had these blocks ordered by now if I got a complete confirmation that my cards work with them.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Hmmm, EK is not too quick with email response are they...I would have had these blocks ordered by now if I got a complete confirmation that my cards work with them.


Coolingconfigurator.com should say. You also have to realize they only answer emails from 4AM-12PM (only one time I've gotten a response after 8AM) EST because they are in Slovenia.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> That's true, but I trust MSI with their Lightnings.
> Also, this screenshot here shows VRMs idling at 32C (I know, not the same as load, but for reference my DCUII had them at 65):


How do you get AB to show VRM temp?


----------



## Ken1649

That's exclucsive to MSI cards. MSI = Afterburner.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Coolingconfigurator.com should say. You also have to realize they only answer emails from 4AM-12PM (only one time I've gotten a response after 8AM) EST because they are in Slovenia.


Go into the water forum and pm Niko, aka ek_tiborrr.

Temps were good today so I ran a couple more max speed runs. The memory gives paltry gains past 1730. Hell I could run it deep into 1775 but the gain vs torture of the memory just isn't worth it. The core has a bit more room, but this is enough for me. Daily clocks are 1200/1650 btw.

5.2ghz 1305/1725


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You might have missed something. THat's not possible without enabling "unofficial......".


It's letting me go over the 1125 core clocks while having unofficial overclocking disabled:



I was experimenting a bit, though, and if I open up Catalyst, it resets it and I have to reapply my afterburner or reboot with the apply on boot. Weird... lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> It's letting me go over the 1125 core clocks while having unofficial overclocking disabled:
> 
> I was experimenting a bit, though, and if I open up Catalyst, it resets it and I have to reapply my afterburner or reboot with the apply on boot. Weird... lol


This is the world of AB + Overdrive, it dates way back and their clashing is older than time.


----------



## pfunkmort

How can one tell what graphics processor type they have? (I'm talking about the pulldown menu in AB that refers to volts)


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is the world of AB + Overdrive, it dates way back and their clashing is older than time.


I hope AMD gets these drivers all squared away, having to use these little work-arounds is just wonky. lol


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> How can one tell what graphics processor type they have? (I'm talking about the pulldown menu in AB that refers to volts)


in GPU-Z, if you click the little icon in the top left, and then go to Read ASIC Quality, it will give you the ASIC Quality Percentage. This percentage is what correlates to the voltage needed for your specific GPU type.

So, if I understand correctly, it should go something like this (I found this on hardforum):
Quote:


> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V


----------



## pioneerisloud

Okay, so what happens if you DON'T open up CCC, and yet its still resetting clocks to stock?









I have a feeling its CCC doing it to me, but I have no way of finding out for sure. It happens after like a minute or two of being fully booted.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Well according to EK, the 7950 they have right now for the ref 7950's were visual inspected to work with the two cards I have.
> John @ Jab Tech got back to me and was very nice about changing the order. He said they will not be getting the EK 7950 blocks in for maybe another 3 weeks but offered to ship them to me for free when they do but I kind of don't want to wait that long for something that might be out of stock when I go to order. I'm thinking about just ordering them from EK and paying for the 40$ shipping because it's 3 day.
> Hmmmmm...
> 
> Sent an email to EK to confirm that I can indeed use these on my cards. If the answer is yes, then I will order them.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Coolingconfigurator.com should say. You also have to realize they only answer emails from 4AM-12PM (only one time I've gotten a response after 8AM) EST because they are in Slovenia.


It said they are (visually) but I just wanted to verify before I pay 40$ to have them shipped over here.

I sent it @ 11am EST. I just have an itchy finger. I just want to get everything here around the same time next week so I can get rolling.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Okay, so what happens if you DON'T open up CCC, and yet its still resetting clocks to stock?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a feeling its CCC doing it to me, but I have no way of finding out for sure. It happens after like a minute or two of being fully booted.


If I don't open up CCC, and just let it run as a daemon in my system tray, my clocks from AB stick. But if I happen to open CCC, it resets them to 925 (I didn't realize this until you said something, actually).

The way to set them back, or so I have found, is to then X out of CCC, and reset settings with AB and reapply. What a pita this is.









I am going to search around and see what others are doing, there is probably a better way. I didn't realize that CCC was resetting them if it opened. What a buzzkill lol.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Okay, so what happens if you DON'T open up CCC, and yet its still resetting clocks to stock?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a feeling its CCC doing it to me, but I have no way of finding out for sure. It happens after like a minute or two of being fully booted.
> 
> 
> 
> If I don't open up CCC, and just let it run as a daemon in my system tray, my clocks from AB stick. But if I happen to open CCC, it resets them to 925 (I didn't realize this until you said something, actually).
> 
> The way to set them back, or so I have found, is to then X out of CCC, and reset settings with AB and reapply. What a pita this is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am going to search around and see what others are doing, there is probably a better way. I didn't realize that CCC was resetting them if it opened. What a buzzkill lol.
Click to expand...

I don't have CCC in my tray, and I didn't even open it. It would reset to stock on its own after a few minutes, without me having to open CCC.


----------



## tsm106

LOL, poor you guys. This brings me back to my Caymen days before I found the light, that being RBE + Racerx.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> LOL, poor you guys. This brings me back to my Caymen days before I found the light, that being RBE + Racerx.


Well help me fix it?


----------



## Daffie82

Was just playing Batman for about 45min when suddenly the game kinda freezed. Was still able to get to desktop and close the game via task manager. In event viewer I could see this : Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding and has successfully recovered.

Thats 95% due to too high overclock I guess?

I was running my 7950 at 1175 core / 1600 memory (core voltage 1175)

Didnt happen before while gaming (but before I was using 1580 for the memory).
Will try with 1580 again and see what happens


----------



## WiL11o6

My 7970s under heavy load makes a tick, tick, tick, tick, tick noise. I don't know if this is the sound of "coil whine" or not but I only experience this in a SC2 map called "Desert Strike". In the final stage of the game, it's pretty much 800 units on screen and I get 1-2FPS, which is normal considering how much CPU/GPU power is needed. It is only then I hear a tick, tick, tick, tick noise then when all units disappear, when the load is taken off, it goes away. Only this SC2 map can stress my card THIS much making it tick, not even Heaven or other stress tests can make it tick.

I'm just wonder if this "ticking" is considered coil whine and is it dangerous if I let it run with this much load a lot.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well help me fix it?


If you are set on using AB's xcl method, don't open catalyst. Beyond that, Catalyst and AB never play well together when they are sharing clocking tasks, never have.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> My 7970s under heavy load makes a tick, tick, tick, tick, tick noise. I don't know if this is the sound of "coil whine" or not but I only experience this in a SC2 map called "Desert Strike". In the final stage of the game, it's pretty much 800 units on screen and I get 1-2FPS, which is normal considering how much CPU/GPU power is needed. It is only then I hear a tick, tick, tick, tick noise then when all units disappear, when the load is taken off, it goes away. Only this SC2 map can stress my card THIS much making it tick, not even Heaven or other stress tests can make it tick.
> I'm just wonder if this "ticking" is considered coil whine and is it dangerous if I let it run with this much load a lot.


Coil whine is normal under heavy stress. Some cards are louder than others. Thank gawd mine are not bad. They're noticeable at 1300/1700 but silent on 24/7 clocks at 1200/1650.


----------



## pioneerisloud

I already did the xcl method, and it keeps resetting it to stock clocks, even without opening CCC. I'll try xcl with the 2D / 3D profiles like I had before, see if that fixes it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I already did the xcl method, and it keeps resetting it to stock clocks, even without opening CCC. I'll try xcl with the 2D / 3D profiles like I had before, see if that fixes it.


Good luck.

Doh, amazon dinged me on my return of 3 visionteks lol. Just finished chatting with them, getting my full refund back yay. Love amazon!


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> It said they are (visually) but I just wanted to verify before I pay 40$ to have them shipped over here.
> I sent it @ 11am EST. I just have an itchy finger. I just want to get everything here around the same time next week so I can get rolling.


That's the best you'll get. Unless someone specifically reports either way, they can only go off the PCB. If they visually checked it, its almost guaranteed to work (basically they make sure there's no weird cap or resistor sticking out and the chips are all aligned according to pics). In the end, your shipping with the lower cost of blocks will be about the same price as Frozen, lol.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Tried updating from 12.1 to 12.2 but no dice. AMD CCC doesn't seem to recognize the driver for some reason. Uninstalled the previous driver, installed the new one, and rebooted. Any ideas?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Good luck.
> Doh, amazon dinged me on my return of 3 visionteks lol. Just finished chatting with them, getting my full refund back yay. Love amazon!


what ... why are you sending them back ? ? ?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You might have missed something. THat's not possible without enabling "unofficial......".
> 
> 
> 
> It's letting me go over the 1125 core clocks while having unofficial overclocking disabled:
> 
> 
> 
> I was experimenting a bit, though, and if I open up Catalyst, it resets it and I have to reapply my afterburner or reboot with the apply on boot. Weird... lol
Click to expand...

Is there a reason why you have "Force Constant Voltage" ticked, does it force your voltage setting even when card is idle ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You might have missed something. THat's not possible without enabling "unofficial......".


He's using -xcl option which is using the hole that AMD left open to unlock Catalyst limits, aka Baggz's Racerx. So yea, you can overclock w/o unofficial and doing this you can enable ULPS.
Quote:


> /XCL eXtends Clock Limits for official AMD overclocking APIs. Which means that it also extends clock limits for CCC or any other other vendor specific tool using official overclocking interfaces provided by AMD. Considering that it is using official AMD overclocking interface, it is compatible with ULPS. This method is equal to flashing new VGA BIOS with extended Overdrive clock limits.
> However, this method uses hidded VGA BIOS emulation debug feature of Catalyst driver. Once AMD decide to remove it from driver, it will stop working. It is also necessary to re-extend clock limit after driver re-installation because VGA bios emulator resides in Catalyst registry entries.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> what ... why are you sending them back ? ? ?


They are gone already. Amazon took two years to ship them out and Visiontek only gives 30 days to register. Thus I had issues registering with Visiontek. I consulted with Amazon and they said to return them. I'm happy cuz the two xfx be's and one sapphire I got do 1300+ on the core lol.


----------



## Ken1649

Yeah I know the -xcl switch. What I meant was PowerTune, Clock adjustment and Voltage tweak will not play nice without enabling "Unofficial...".


----------



## TheJesus

Anyone link this yet?

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1444/pg1/msi-r7970-lightning-enthusiast-overclocked-graphics-card-review-introduction.html

Outrageous.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Anyone link this yet?
> http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1444/pg1/msi-r7970-lightning-enthusiast-overclocked-graphics-card-review-introduction.html
> Outrageous.


Vague review is rather vague. OC'd it to 1265 core but mem is stuck at 1505, lol wut? No fluke to test the 88% more current? Why bother mentioning it? Did they throw more volts on the card? No mention.


----------



## LSeed

Hi. I'm new on this thread, and it's "theme", and have, three questions for You folks, before i damp into a week long 650+ thread-page march.

1. Is my 40oC idle temp is considered high, compared to Yours' setups. My windforce 7970 is alone installed in midi tower case with 14cm fan serving it's best air right below GPU's cooling. Before I've had SLI 560ti's with two slot space between them. Their "idles" stayed 36 first/33 second.

2. Every 7970 is so great overclock machine? I've managed to reach 1hr Heaven2.5 run on 1200Mhz core with only 0,03V bump.

3. I'm wondering why my [email protected] with 2133Mhz memory, driving [email protected] reaches only 86 average fps in far cry 2 in FullHD res. bench, when first review of my card i've stomp on, says of about 110fps with comparable setup. (link to review: http://www.guru3d.com/article/gigabyte-radeon-hd-7970-oc-windforce-review/13)

Thanks for the answers, and... up,up, and to work.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Anyone link this yet?
> http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1444/pg1/msi-r7970-lightning-enthusiast-overclocked-graphics-card-review-introduction.html
> Outrageous.


Yeah I did a few pages back
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Vague review is rather vague. OC'd it to 1265 core but mem is stuck at 1505, lol wut? No fluke to test the 88% more current? Why bother mentioning it? Did they throw more volts on the card? No mention.


That's true, but it still seems to be a nice card so far. And there is that 1800 core screenshot I posted


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah I did a few pages back
> That's true, but it still seems to be a nice card so far. And there is that 1800 core screenshot I posted


I'm not crazy enough to deny that its one badarse card. I just wish these pansy reviewers would get their hands dirty on a card like this.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm not crazy enough to deny that its one badarse card. I just wish these pansy reviewers would get their hands dirty on a card like this.


True enough. I'm still getting two of them







Who wants a brand new 7970 DCII for cheap(ish)? As an added bonus, we've made sure the VRMs hit 95C under load, so you don't have to decide whether you'll overclock or not!

More seriously, I'm going to lose money on this :/ But I'd rather be out a few hundred than have a card with such insane VRM temps. The main problem for me is that if I sell it internationally I have to lower the price substantially because of the jacked up prices here.


----------



## LSeed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> True enough. I'm still getting two of them
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Who wants a brand new 7970 DCII for cheap(ish)? As an added bonus, we've made sure the VRMs hit 95C under load, so you don't have to decide whether you'll overclock or not!
> More seriously, I'm going to lose money on this :/ But I'd rather be out a few hundred than have a card with such insane VRM temps. The main problem for me is that if I sell it internationally I have to lower the price substantially because of the jacked up prices here.


Have you owned past versions of Lightning? Single 6970 gave me so many trouble with using it... Regardless how much voltage i've sent to core or which driver i've been using.
I've selled it right away to some poor soul.








Singled card was far from stable with OCZ 1000W PSU, which droved perfectly 560tis' SLI at, even 8h long, Skyrim Runs(average load about 80%, all eyecandy mods, oclussions High), which is also perfectly feeding current 7970.


----------



## sena

Guys, anyone here play World of Tanks and have problems with HD 7950 or HD 7970, sometimes i can play for long time without problems, but sometimes i get dirver crash within minutes, also game glitches all over the place, even on stock clocks, i tryed Metro 2033 and 12 loops of crysis warhead (8XAA) and it passed ok. Is this driver problem or game or something else.
Cheers


----------



## TheJesus

Nvidia might have a problem if those benchmarks that leaked are true:

GTX 680+ i7 3960x 3.3GHz (bars in leaked benchmark) VS. 7970 + i7 950 3.28GHz


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LSeed*
> 
> Have you owned past versions of Lightning? Single 6970 gave me so many trouble with using it... Regardless how much voltage i've sent to core or which driver i've been using.
> I've selled it right away to some poor soul.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Singled card was far from stable with OCZ 1000W PSU, which droved perfectly 560tis' SLI at, even 8h long, Skyrim Runs(average load about 80%, all eyecandy mods, oclussions High), which is also perfectly feeding current 7970.


Yes, I had a 3GB 580 Lightning Xtreme. I did have issues with that card but the card itself was faulty. I have awful luck with components, I know :/


----------



## Raarup

Hey guys

I got my hands on a XFX 7970 with the dual fan ghost stuff, looks great and all.

Now, I use a SA950 120hz monitor, I installed all the latest drivers ect - everything is uptodate, when I load up BF3 and enter a map, this instance it was Wake island - it would go up to 80c - this seems like alot.

Is this normal, or should I look into it ?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LSeed*
> 
> Hi. I'm new on this thread, and it's "theme", and have, three questions for You folks, before i damp into a week long 650+ thread-page march.
> 
> 2. Every 7970 is so great overclock machine? I've managed to reach 1hr Heaven2.5 run on 1200Mhz core with only 0,03V bump.


Also test some games, thats the best way to know if your OC is stable


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raarup*
> 
> Hey guys
> I got my hands on a XFX 7970 with the dual fan ghost stuff, looks great and all.
> Now, I use a SA950 120hz monitor, I installed all the latest drivers ect - everything is uptodate, when I load up BF3 and enter a map, this instance it was Wake island - it would go up to 80c - this seems like alot.
> Is this normal, or should I look into it ?
> Thanks in advance.


I think its too much. What case you have?


----------



## Raarup

Coolermaster HAF 912 I belive, can never remember the name, the medi tower ..


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raarup*
> 
> Coolermaster HAF 912 I belive, can never remember the name, the medi tower ..


Case is preety small, and that XFX exhaust almost all air back inside case. So i think the case is problem, but wait for more answers.


----------



## Raarup

Well,

I dont know if the cards need to Run for awhile to get the sinks and all to work proberly.

but ive just been out of the house for an hour or so came back and its dropped from a idle temp of 51 to 34, havnt tried to load it yet - going to take the case apart to see if something can be done.

I got an extra fan as well I could use to put some more air into it if thats the case.


----------



## Outcasst

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raarup*
> 
> but ive just been out of the house for an hour or so came back and its dropped from a idle temp of 51 to 34.


That would be the card dropping down to power saving clocks.


----------



## Newbie2009

Are there any caps for 11.2. I am using the driver released on the 20th of Jan as 12.2 does not work for me.
Crysis Warhead artifacts like mad with xfire on.


----------



## aageres

Hi guys. i have reference sapphire 7970, core overclock -1070 (stable, no overheating, no throtling).
Performance in battlfield 3 (gulf of oman, karkand strike) is dissapointing, with these settings:
everything on ultra, motion blur off, msaa-2x, full hd, i get average 52 fps, min 30.
I have core i 5 2300, 8 gb ram, windows 7 64 bit. I know my cpu could be bottlneck, but not THAT much!
And my gpu load during gaming between 60-90, very rarly 100%, is it normal? could someone monitor 7970 gpu load during battlfield 3?
P.S. drivers 12.3.


----------



## pfunkmort

turn off msaa and go into CCC and set your AA to post (fxaa)


----------



## Outcasst

The B2K expansion has extremely bad GPU usage in my experience. What is performance like on Caspian Border?


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Nvidia might have a problem if those benchmarks that leaked are true:
> GTX 680+ i7 3960x 3.3GHz (bars in leaked benchmark) VS. 7970 + i7 950 3.28GHz


I feel like that's low. I just got like 1700 with my mild overclock and 2500k (68 avg fps).


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> turn off msaa and go into CCC and set your AA to post (fxaa)


didnt help.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Outcasst*
> 
> The B2K expansion has extremely bad GPU usage in my experience. What is performance like on Caspian Border?


A little bit better 40-60 fps, but still not smooth, often dips to low-mid 40-s.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys....
> *1:* What is the stock voltage on my 7950 powercolor pcs+ with dual fans ? i can't find it...lol
> *2:* How do one change memory voltage ?


Quoting my self









Seems i can run the cards stock on 980-1000mv, its that what they come with stock ?
And how far on the memory voltage can i got, 1600mhz on 1650mv is ok-ish but gives me minor artifacts...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Nvidia might have a problem if those benchmarks that leaked are true:
> GTX 680+ i7 3960x 3.3GHz (bars in leaked benchmark) VS. 7970 + i7 950 3.28GHz


Dude, now that's some serious shenanigans!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I feel like that's low. I just got like 1700 with my mild overclock and 2500k (68 avg fps).


Dude, you missed the shenanigans!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quoting my self
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seems i can run the cards stock on 980-1000mv, its that what they come with stock ?
> And how far on the memory voltage can i got, 1600mhz on 1650mv is ok-ish but gives me minor artifacts...


At that point when artifacts appear, it is not because its the first time, but because the error correction can no longer keep up with fixing frames. It means you've probably been artifacting for a bit, so lower memory clocks down until one, they go away, two lower it some more and bench till you start to see your gains disappear. When your benching gains start shrinking, this means you're starting to artifact and the EC (error correction) is fixing frames, thus wasting gpu time re-rendering bad frames.

Btw, stock voltage is about 1v to about 1.1v. iirc, similar to 6950 voltage vs 6970.


----------



## pfunkmort

As for wake island, I'm staying over 60 fps pretty much 100% of the time with my one card. I'm using RC11 (which can be found on the first page of this thread). I'd suggest trying it if you don't get anything else to work for you, as some people have said it's the most reliable driver of the bunch.

........I always miss the shenanigans. foreveralone.jpg


----------



## NeoandGeo

Once I dialed back my memory overclock from 1575 to 1500 I went from 55fps minimum on B2K to 70fps minimum. Guess I was being throttled a bit.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> Once I dialed back my memory overclock from 1575 to 1500 I went from 55fps minimum on B2K to 70fps minimum. Guess I was being throttled a bit.


You'd be surprised how many people are killing themselves or their card right now living in EC world 24/7.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dude, now that's some serious shenanigans!
> Dude, you missed the shenanigans!
> At that point when artifacts appear, it is not because its the first time, but because the error correction can no longer keep up with fixing frames. It means you've probably been artifacting for a bit, so lower memory clocks down until one, they go away, two lower it some more and bench till you start to see your gains disappear. When your benching gains start shrinking, this means you're starting to artifact and the EC (error correction) is fixing frames, thus wasting gpu time re-rendering bad frames.
> Btw, stock voltage is about 1v to about 1.1v. iirc, similar to 6950 voltage vs 6970.


Thanks man







Don't happen to know how high i can go on the memory voltage ?


----------



## Raarup

So, heres my card - sits nicely in there and works just fine - however, as stated before - I got issues with the temp, it can easily go past 80c, I even had it hit 90 at some point - someone suggested that my case, a Coolermaster HAF 912 was the issues, since its a small case so the airflow is restricted.

Afterwards, I cleaned it up for everything, dust ect - was a bit in the front - but nothing major, it got lowered by an avg of 2c all around.

To check if it was the air flow, that was the issue, I removed the sidepanel and my temp wouldnt go past 76c, no matter what I did, where it before could reach 90, if I put it on ultra settings in BF3, everything on max ect.

So, im not a airflow master mind - but I suppose that my case is the problem?

I know the picture is kinda dark, it taken with my iPhone 4S.

So, any advice on this - Im also thinking maybe the cooler on the card is faulty .. it sits at around 46% on auto when it loads.

Im a mess, just bought this card and now this


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Thanks man
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't happen to know how high i can go on the memory voltage ?


Memory volts goes upto 1.7v but be careful on air. You should find the point where EC triggers and then decide whether you want to add volts to get more. Another thing is, memory isn't as big of a factor in overclocking as the gpu. Thus, you can go hog wild on the memory but imo it's not really worth it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raarup*
> 
> 
> So, heres my card - sits nicely in there and works just fine - however, as stated before - I got issues with the temp, it can easily go past 80c, I even had it hit 90 at some point - someone suggested that my case, a Coolermaster HAF 912 was the issues, since its a small case so the airflow is restricted.
> Afterwards, I cleaned it up for everything, dust ect - was a bit in the front - but nothing major, it got lowered by an avg of 2c all around.
> To check if it was the air flow, that was the issue, I removed the sidepanel and my temp wouldnt go past 76c, no matter what I did, where it before could reach 90, if I put it on ultra settings in BF3, everything on max ect.
> So, im not a airflow master mind - but I suppose that my case is the problem?
> I know the picture is kinda dark, it taken with my iPhone 4S.
> So, any advice on this - Im also thinking maybe the cooler on the card is faulty .. it sits at around 46% on auto when it loads.
> Im a mess, just bought this card and now this


Cut a bigger hole and stick a 200m fan there where the puny stock 120mm is on the side panel. I would then point the other fans in your case to exhaust duty.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You'd be surprised how many people are killing themselves or their card right now living in EC world 24/7.


LOLWUT? What does EC mean?


----------



## rageofthepeon

After playing around with my 7970 I was able to get it to 1200/1600 before hitting a wall the core clocks and it started CTD in BF3. Dropped the memory clocks back down to stock since I don't see the point yet of keeping it that high.

Out of curiosity, will overclocking cause damage to the components of the graphics card, vram in particular, if I haven't messed around with voltage at all?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> LOLWUT? What does EC mean?


Error correction I think he means.

@rageofthepeon No, Its highly unlikely. I have never seen anyone damage a card through stock voltage overclocking the core on AMD cards.

I have seen people kill their 6950/6970's through overclocking the memory too high though.

I guess you could maybe damage it by raising the core/memory to crazy amounts and putting it under load but that would just be idiotic.


----------



## zpaf

On the left 925/1375 on the right 1125/1800 at default core/mem voltage.
20% plus just from ccc only.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> On the left 925/1375 on the right 1125/1800 at default core/mem voltage.
> 20% plus just from ccc only.


Run one with memory incremented at 1600/1650/1700. Compare your numbers then. There's no way you can run 1800 mem on stock mem volts, I'll put money on it.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Run one with memory incremented at 1600/1650/1700. Compare your numbers then. There's no way you can run 1800 mem on stock mem volts, I'll put money on it.


I can do more than 1800 on stock voltage.
It depends on game.
Have a look.










About your money how much because I want to buy a second card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> I can do more than 1800 on stock voltage.
> It depends on game.
> Have a look.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> About your money how much because I want to buy a second card.


You don't understand what I'm trying to get across to you, nor have you actually tried the example I recommended. Catalyst won't let you kill your card. Try doing that in AB, you will crash.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You don't understand what I'm trying to get across to you, nor have you actually tried the example I recommended. Catalyst won't let you kill your card. Try doing that in AB, you will crash.


I think its better for you to run a metro 2033 bench with 1175/1575 and the same game settings to see if you can do 44 avg.
I use AB only once with /xcl just to open ccc limits.
Thats all.
After this I play only with ccc to o/c my card.


----------



## NeoandGeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> On the left 925/1375 on the right 1125/1800 at default core/mem voltage.
> 20% plus just from ccc only.


Do 1125/1500 and you will get a higher score guaranteed.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> I think its better for you to run a metro 2033 bench with 1175/1575 and the same game settings to see if you can do 44 avg.
> I use AB only once with /xcl just to open ccc limits.
> Thats all.
> After this I play only with ccc to o/c my card.


This is fast going nowhere. XCL is using AMD's official overclocking process, NOT AB's unofficial overclocking. YOU ARE using Catalyst to overclock but with AB's front end. Anyways, you know what's best huh, so good luck to you.


----------



## JassimH

Isn't the molex 12v rail only specced to provide 60w while each 6pin provides 75w? Unless the adapters are 2 molex to single 6pin I'd recommend against it.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Anyways, you know what's best huh, so good luck to you.


I have the card a long time http://www.overclock.net/t/1192382/sapphire-hd7970 and I have done a lot of tests.
Good luck to you too.


----------



## Hambone07si

So I bought BF3 of sale last night for $29 and the game won't launch with the 12.3 drivers. All I get is this error. What's the best drivers to use for BF3?


----------



## tsm106

That driver sucks! You know what driver I'm gonna say without asking man.









RC11


----------



## Hambone07si

LOL.. I hate that one, but i'll try it again.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So I bought BF3 of sale last night for $29 and the game won't launch with the 12.3 drivers. All I get is this error. What's the best drivers to use for BF3?


What theme is that on your Windows?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I feel like that's low. I just got like 1700 with my mild overclock and 2500k (68 avg fps).


Realize that your 2500K is at 4.5GHz, both of the scores I referenced were at 3.3GHz, lol.


----------



## pfunkmort

I didn't think processor speed made that much of an impact.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I didn't think processor speed made that much of an impact.


Go talk to an AMD owner with the same card as you and compare scores


----------



## Hambone07si

Well back on RC11 and things are working again


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well back on RC11 and things are working again


Cha ching.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Cha ching.


----------



## Alexsubri

Sorry if this has already been posted, but I am trying to overclock my 7950 and I can get decent clocks, however I want to benchmark stress it through Furmark and the overclocked core keeps resetting to its idle clock...what am I doing wrong? All the voltages are fine, etc..

I am using AB latest Beta, and yes everything is unlocked.

Thanks


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alexsubri*
> 
> Sorry if this has already been posted, but I am trying to overclock my 7950 and I can get decent clocks, however I want to benchmark stress it through Furmark *and the overclocked core keeps resetting to its idle clock*...what am I doing wrong? All the voltages are fine, etc..
> 
> I am using AB latest Beta, and yes everything is unlocked.
> 
> Thanks


Idle clock is 300MHz, can you elaborate ?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raarup*
> 
> Hey guys
> I got my hands on a XFX 7970 with the dual fan ghost stuff, looks great and all.
> Now, I use a SA950 120hz monitor, I installed all the latest drivers ect - everything is uptodate, when I load up BF3 and enter a map, this instance it was Wake island - it would go up to 80c - this seems like alot.
> Is this normal, or should I look into it ?
> Thanks in advance.


Ya. these card operate around 80-90c full load on stock fans. Make a fan profile using AB to help with the temps because the stocks speeds won't cut it if you want to drop your temps.


----------



## WillFi

+1 7950 owner here. Sapphire 7950 OC Dual Fan version.

got a P9471 3dmakr11 score, I'm very pleased to say the least!


----------



## firestorm1

does anyone have a patched version of evga oc scanner by chance? the one that works with all cards, not just evga.. i had an older version of it, but accidently deleted teh folder it was in. now i cant find the site i got it from.

thanks.

*EDIT:*

nevermind. i found what i was looking for.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Nvidia might have a problem if those benchmarks that leaked are true:
> GTX 680+ i7 3960x 3.3GHz (bars in leaked benchmark) VS. 7970 + i7 950 3.28GHz


Btw, what's the back story on this? I wanted to ask when you first posted it, but I got side tracked. Why are the Chinese faking graphs for the leprechauns?


----------



## Evil Penguin

I really hope CCC 12.3 is released next week (March 21st?).
RC11 drivers seem to work better for me.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Btw, what's the back story on this? I wanted to ask when you first posted it, but I got side tracked. Why are the Chinese faking graphs for the leprechauns?


To get more traffic for ads would be my immediate assumption, but possibly to stir the pot before NDA lifts.


----------



## Raarup

Update on my cooling issue,

Well - I changed the PCIe slot, since i got two that runs full x16 if its a single card, this provides the card with a bit more room to breeth, i now runs at around 65-68 on load, which is alot better then 80ish.

Proberly going to change my case - anyone got experience with a Cooler Master HAF X ?


----------



## igrease

So I just recently purchased the Sapphire 7950 OC Edition Graphics Card. Having some issues.

Current Specs:
1920x1080
i5 2500k @ 3.3
G. Skill 8gb 1600 DDR3
Sapphire 7950 OC Edition
Corsair 750w Enthusiast PSU

I feel I am not getting the performance I should be getting.

*Battlefield 3-*
When I used my 560 Ti I got anywhere between 35-45 (50 max) FPS with 4x AA & 16x AF.
With my 7950 I get 40-50 (55 max) FPS with 4x AA & 16x AF

*Just Cause 2-*
While I do get 60fps with my 7950 on max settings it plummets to 30fps about every 10-20 seconds.

*Crysis Warhead-*
On Enthusiast settings I only get 25 FPS.
On Gamer settings I get 50 FPS.
My 560 Ti gets 45fps on Gamer settings.
I never tested the 560 Ti on Enthusiast.

*Tera Online-*
My 7950 gets anywhere between 50-70 FPS while I'm just idling and leveling.
My 560 Ti gets the same FPS when doing the same thing.
When I try to force AA on through CCC my frames drop down to 25 yet when I have the same settings applied to my 560 Ti I get 40-60 FPS.

A streamer I watch has somewhat of a similar build to mine and says he gets an average of 110-120 FPS in Tera. i7 2600k @ 4.5Ghz - GTX 580 (mildly overclocked) - 12gb Ram.
Now as far as I know the i7 does not have much of a performance difference than an i5 for gaming plus the 7950 is supposed to be better than the 580 anyways. And yes even though I don't currently have my CPU overclocked I am certain that 4.5Ghz doesn't magically add 20-30 FPS in this game. I tried OC'ing mine to 4.3Ghz and it didn't really make much of a difference in Tera.

It is seated correctly and the power cables are plugged in correctly. And yes, I uninstalled all of my Nvidia drivers. I actually reinstalled windows to see if that would do anything and it didn't. I have increased the power consumption to +20% and that did yield some improvements but not much. The card will also sometimes idle at 501 Core Clocks instead of 300 and when it does go to 501 Core Clock it stays there until I reboot. I am currently using 12.3 hoping improvements over 12.2 but not much has changed. I have also tried overclocking the card and current have it set to 980/1450 @ 1.130v. For whatever reason it wont clock to 1000/1450 even at 1.175v. From what I hear it is supposed to easily get to 1000/1500 on the default voltage.


----------



## pfunkmort

@Raarup, 65-68 is probably your target zone if you're overclocking at all (maybe in the 70s). That said, make sure you have a custom fan profile in AB for you temps, as that helps substantially.

@igrease, when you're forcing AA through CCC are you also turning off in-game AA? It's been said to death, but these cards take a larger than normal performance hit with in-game AA.


----------



## basicIO

Well, a Club3D HD7970 won't run on a Zalman ZM500-HP PSU, hope I can find another one today, so I can fire this card up


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I really hope CCC 12.3 is released next week (March 21st?).
> RC11 drivers seem to work better for me.


Those drivers on the website now says 12.3 in CCC :S
Wierd


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> @Raarup, 65-68 is probably your target zone if you're overclocking at all (maybe in the 70s). That said, make sure you have a custom fan profile in AB for you temps, as that helps substantially.
> @igrease, when you're forcing AA through CCC are you also turning off in-game AA? It's been said to death, but these cards take a larger than normal performance hit with in-game AA.


When I force AA in Battlefield 3 nothing happens. Even if I turn off AA in-game. As for Tera it really doesn't have an in-game AA option. Just a light enrichment option that makes it go to 2x AA which I turn off and I still get terrible FPS. Are there any other programs that work for ATI cards that force AA in games?


----------



## KromickoN

Hi guys,

I've recently had some problems which I don't really know what it is now. Ever since I'vew played SWTOR , my pc just hard crashes/hard locks with no BSOD message every time, but if i was to put it in windowed mode, the crash disappears. I've read up earlier post and researched for days to solve my issue, and I've not found any idea what the problem may be.

So far what I've done is, tried all drivers for the 7970 crossfire, with proper procedures to uninstall them (with driversweeper and atiman uninstaller) and then reinstall(first released, RC11, 12.2 WHQL, 8.96.0 Feb 14th release, etc etc) and I kept getting hard crashes on SWTOR. This however does not happen on games like BF3, Skyrim, CIV 5, Saints Row 3, Anno 2070, in fact they performed extremely well.

I defaulted all my settings, reformatted windows, rechecked my cables and ensure all components are fit in, and I still get hard locks in SWTOR, but like i mentioned earlier, if i set the game to windowed(full screen), i don't crash at all. I'm assuming going into window mode disables crossfire right?

I checked the event logs and i received Event ID kernal power (41) , every time I crashed. Could there be an issue with the second card, or its just SWTOR issue? I'm also thinking if the gigabyte windforce 7970 cards extra factory overclock might have caused an issue to it, i've yet to try to by setting it to default clocks like the other 7970s.

I'm not sure if swapping both the cards to each other's pci-e slot would solve it, but i'd like some suggestions before i proceed on a much thorough break down to find out the issue. My hardware specifications are below.

I'd like to apologize for my horrible english in case most of you do not understand...


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Got my 3x 7970's underwater now if anyone is interested in teh build and dataloggs?

clicky


----------



## omega17

^^^


----------



## Williswx2

I've had my MSI twin Frozr III 7950 for a little while now, I try to overclock via the CCC but I guess I'm not doing it right...

I can run furmark without a problem and the temps stay below 70,

but when I play Battlefield 3 (BF3) on custom settings so that everything is maxed out, I always seem to get random crashes

either when flying a jet or heli... I know, just stay out of the jets and heli's...

I am only overclocked to 1000 core 1575 memory... any thoughts?


----------



## nugget toes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Williswx2*
> 
> I've had my MSI twin Frozr III 7950 for a little while now, I try to overclock via the CCC but I guess I'm not doing it right...
> I can run furmark without a problem and the temps stay below 70,
> but when I play Battlefield 3 (BF3) on custom settings so that everything is maxed out, I always seem to get random crashes
> either when flying a jet or heli... I know, just stay out of the jets and heli's...
> I am only overclocked to 1000 core 1575 memory... any thoughts?


I have the same Twin Frozr III. Using the CCC Power control +20% I cannot run @ 1000 core either. This might be because the default core voltage is only 0.993v. By comparison, most of the stock 7970 @925 core run at 1.174v

One thing from the overclocking and benching I've noticed is, I can run furmark with zero issues at a higher overclock and lower voltage then what I can run BF3 and 3dMark11 at.

1. Install the latest afterburner beta
2. Uncheck the 'Enable Graphics OverDrive' option within CCC

I've had good success running @1060 core / 1630 memory using 1.118v core/def. voltage memory. Usually runs about 69C with auto-fan settings. I could go higher clocks /voltage but then the fan gets too noisy.


----------



## Newbie2009

Got xfire set up and I must say, what a pain in the ass. Wish I didn't bother!
12.2 xfire does not work, went back to RC drivers.
With xfire enabled windows 7 won't load, gets stuck at the loading screen. Works ok when it is turned off.

BALLZ amd, last time for me!


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Got xfire set up and I must say, what a pain in the ass. Wish I didn't bother!
> 12.2 xfire does not work, went back to RC drivers.
> With xfire enabled windows 7 won't load, gets stuck at the loading screen. Works ok when it is turned off.
> BALLZ amd, last time for me!


Dang, and I just bought a second 7970 last night too.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Got xfire set up and I must say, what a pain in the ass. Wish I didn't bother!
> 12.2 xfire does not work, went back to RC drivers.
> With xfire enabled windows 7 won't load, gets stuck at the loading screen. Works ok when it is turned off.
> BALLZ amd, last time for me!


I don't understand why these scenarios are so different.

I came from Team Green on the same Windows install (in theory the worst way to do it due to driver conflicts) and installing, overclocking and crossfiring my 7970s has been extremely easy and gone without a hitch to be honest.

Is this just something to do with different hardware in each persons rig not supported by AMD software? I can't fathom it.


----------



## criznit

RC 11 is never being upgraded from my system again lol. I went through 5-6 full reinstalls (using atiman during the process) because of flaky performance in certain apps. Just tried 3dMark11 with the "install 12.3 on top of 11.12" technique and my score was P7500 ish. After this last install BACK to RC 11, its P9283, lower than the 7950 OC score from the previous pages

But now the flickering problem is back... I'm connected using a displayport cable to my s23a750d and the only thing that fixed this was the newer driver. Is there a way to fix it without upgrading?


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> So I just recently purchased the Sapphire 7950 OC Edition Graphics Card. Having some issues.
> Current Specs:
> 1920x1080
> i5 2500k @ 3.3
> G. Skill 8gb 1600 DDR3
> Sapphire 7950 OC Edition
> Corsair 750w Enthusiast PSU
> I feel I am not getting the performance I should be getting.
> *Battlefield 3-*
> When I used my 560 Ti I got anywhere between 35-45 (50 max) FPS with 4x AA & 16x AF.
> With my 7950 I get 40-50 (55 max) FPS with 4x AA & 16x AF
> *Just Cause 2-*
> While I do get 60fps with my 7950 on max settings it plummets to 30fps about every 10-20 seconds.
> *Crysis Warhead-*
> On Enthusiast settings I only get 25 FPS.
> On Gamer settings I get 50 FPS.
> My 560 Ti gets 45fps on Gamer settings.
> I never tested the 560 Ti on Enthusiast.
> *Tera Online-*
> My 7950 gets anywhere between 50-70 FPS while I'm just idling and leveling.
> My 560 Ti gets the same FPS when doing the same thing.
> When I try to force AA on through CCC my frames drop down to 25 yet when I have the same settings applied to my 560 Ti I get 40-60 FPS.
> A streamer I watch has somewhat of a similar build to mine and says he gets an average of 110-120 FPS in Tera. i7 2600k @ 4.5Ghz - GTX 580 (mildly overclocked) - 12gb Ram.
> Now as far as I know the i7 does not have much of a performance difference than an i5 for gaming plus the 7950 is supposed to be better than the 580 anyways. And yes even though I don't currently have my CPU overclocked I am certain that 4.5Ghz doesn't magically add 20-30 FPS in this game. I tried OC'ing mine to 4.3Ghz and it didn't really make much of a difference in Tera.
> It is seated correctly and the power cables are plugged in correctly. And yes, I uninstalled all of my Nvidia drivers. I actually reinstalled windows to see if that would do anything and it didn't. I have increased the power consumption to +20% and that did yield some improvements but not much. The card will also sometimes idle at 501 Core Clocks instead of 300 and when it does go to 501 Core Clock it stays there until I reboot. I am currently using 12.3 hoping improvements over 12.2 but not much has changed. I have also tried overclocking the card and current have it set to 980/1450 @ 1.130v. For whatever reason it wont clock to 1000/1450 even at 1.175v. From what I hear it is supposed to easily get to 1000/1500 on the default voltage.


i hear you man! i have same problem.
on karkand maps i get average 48-52 fps , with dips to 30 or lower, on my [email protected] core clock. i start to regret my purchase!
p.s.
i5 2300
8gb ram.


----------



## banditscout

Anyone else still having issues with their card down clocking to 501 mhz? Mine does it randomly, and won't come out of it (even in 3d applications). I am running a 1100/1500 OC through ccc, with a ref sapphire 7970.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *banditscout*
> 
> Anyone else still having issues with their card down clocking to 501 mhz? Mine does it randomly, and won't come out of it (even in 3d applications). I am running a 1100/1500 OC through ccc, with a ref sapphire 7970.


That's the clock for UVD (Unified Video Decoder). It means GPU hardware acceleration as in Youtube, FlashPlayer, WMP (DirectX Video Acceleration) or in Internet browser settings. Disable hardware acceleration or close the running application will restore full 3D clocks.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *banditscout*
> 
> Anyone else still having issues with their card down clocking to 501 mhz? Mine does it randomly, and won't come out of it (even in 3d applications). I am running a 1100/1500 OC through ccc, with a ref sapphire 7970.


It could be an unstable overclock bud - I would try dropping to 1050/1500 just to see if the card down locks again. If it does, you may need a tad more voltage to manage 1100.

Worth a try


----------



## Ottesen

Guys, i've had all kinda of trouble. Talking +60 hours testing and stuff, but suddenly everything works, woot ??

Using 12.2/12.3 and everygame works, both with and without overlock... (knock on wood here, scared.) Bf3 is a little hard to start, and alan wake likes on one card, but that normal here.

*Questions again:*

*1:* I'm clocking now, have 1130mv and 1600mv(stock) on memory. Its at 1100/1750mhz.... Is there any point in having that much memory mhz ? I'm still at stock volt on the memory, seems i can go really really high on that... any point ?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys, i've had all kinda of trouble. Talking +60 hours testing and stuff, but suddenly everything works, woot ??
> Using 12.2/12.3 and everygame works, both with and without overlock... (knock on wood here, scared.) Bf3 is a little hard to start, and alan wake likes on one card, but that normal here.
> *Questions again:*
> *1:* I'm clocking now, have 1130mv and 1600mv(stock) on memory. Its at 1100/1750mhz.... Is there any point in having that much memory mhz ? I'm still at stock volt on the memory, seems i can go really really high on that... any point ?


Run Heaven or 3DMark11 with that memory score, and then run it at something lower. You'll probably notice that have 1750 memory actually gives you a decrease in performance because you're getting into error correction.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Dang, and I just bought a second 7970 last night too.


Nevermind, found the issue! Not AMD's fault, mine.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> I don't understand why these scenarios are so different.
> I came from Team Green on the same Windows install (in theory the worst way to do it due to driver conflicts) and installing, overclocking and crossfiring my 7970s has been extremely easy and gone without a hitch to be honest.
> Is this just something to do with different hardware in each persons rig not supported by AMD software? I can't fathom it.


My cpu overclock had a 104.5 BCLK, because the auto tuner said it was stable. Returned to 100 and all the problems went away. Well, RC drivers anyway. tried 12.2, still garbage for me.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *banditscout*
> 
> Anyone else still having issues with their card down clocking to 501 mhz? Mine does it randomly, and won't come out of it (even in 3d applications). I am running a 1100/1500 OC through ccc, with a ref sapphire 7970.


Not me. Did you disable ULPS?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Run Heaven or 3DMark11 with that memory score, and then run it at something lower. You'll probably notice that have 1750 memory actually gives you a decrease in performance because you're getting into error correction.


I tried your thought/theory now, and it doesn't seem like it..

Did 4x 3dmark11, 2 on each setting to have a baseline.

*1:* _With 1100/1600mhz, test 1: "13716" test 2: "13714"._
*2:* _With 1100/1725mhz, test 1: "13808" test 2: "13811"._

Got more with higher memory clock and it seemed a little less laggy/studder-ish, and its on stock memory voltage.


----------



## Ottesen

I just made a little fun thread/challenge on who can get the lowers core voltage thu 3dmark11 with out cards, join in









http://www.overclock.net/t/1230914/the-lowest-core-voltage-on-ati-7950-7970-through-3dmark11-challenge#post_16743917


----------



## hamzta09

Question.

Is there a solution to Windows 7 freezing when the computer has been idle for quite the while?

Sleepmode is turned off so the computer is basicly ON at all times, just the harddrives go to sleep after 30min, and monitors 20.
Thing is, randomly with my 7950 when it has been idling for long, perhaps when Ive been sleeping, and I turn on the monitors, move the mouse, everything but the mouse is frozen.

And the famous Mouse pointer bug is back(when moving from one monitor to the other) where it turns into a dotted vertical line. Back to normal if you move back n forth between monitors.


----------



## TheJesus

I've recently been having a weird issue since I got the 7950(s) where one of my monitors will just make the cursor freak out and glitch like this:


















It will randomly just go back to normal after a few minutes. Ideas?


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I've recently been having a weird issue since I got the 7950(s) where one of my monitors will just make the cursor freak out and glitch like this:
> 
> It will randomly just go back to normal after a few minutes. Ideas?


I just said that I also had it.

Just move it back and forth between the monitors, make sure the mouse goes "through" various windows that you have open. So it "changes" between the various shapes.

REAL QUESTION IS: WHERE IS THE OFFICIAL AMD FORUM? I CANT FIND IT ANYMORE ON GOOGLE. ONLY UNOFFICIAL SWEDISH ONE.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> I just said that I also had it.
> Just move it back and forth between the monitors, make sure the mouse goes "through" various windows that you have open. So it "changes" between the various shapes.
> REAL QUESTION IS: WHERE IS THE OFFICIAL AMD FORUM? I CANT FIND IT ANYMORE ON GOOGLE. ONLY UNOFFICIAL SWEDISH ONE.


Having this issue in eyefinty. Just noticed it today.

So far, at least for me, I haven't had an issue that was more than an annoyance that I couldn't work around. We'll see if I am still singing the same tune once my second card gets here.


----------



## banditscout

Thanks all for the suggestions with regards to my clocks stuck at 501 mhz. Any idea where to look to disable hardware acceleration on video playback??


----------



## derfer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *banditscout*
> 
> Anyone else still having issues with their card down clocking to 501 mhz? Mine does it randomly, and won't come out of it (even in 3d applications). I am running a 1100/1500 OC through ccc, with a ref sapphire 7970.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Question.
> Is there a solution to Windows 7 freezing when the computer has been idle for quite the while?
> Sleepmode is turned off so the computer is basicly ON at all times, just the harddrives go to sleep after 30min, and monitors 20.
> Thing is, randomly with my 7950 when it has been idling for long, perhaps when Ive been sleeping, and I turn on the monitors, move the mouse, everything but the mouse is frozen.
> And the famous Mouse pointer bug is back(when moving from one monitor to the other) where it turns into a dotted vertical line. Back to normal if you move back n forth between monitors.


These two, above everything else I've seen need a fix. I rolled my friend back to launch drivers and that made running AB consistently cause the 2d clock issue. My next idea is to run the latest drivers to get AB compatibility back and try messing with the powerplay settings on it as someone said that worked for them, though someone else said the opposite settings fixed their problem so who effin' knows.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *banditscout*
> 
> Thanks all for the suggestions with regards to my clocks stuck at 501 mhz. Any idea where to look to disable hardware acceleration on video playback??


mmm, right click the video and disable hardware acceleration?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I've recently been having a weird issue since I got the 7950(s) where one of my monitors will just make the cursor freak out and glitch like this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It will randomly just go back to normal after a few minutes. Ideas?


Ahhh, my old friend the cursor bug. It's mostly fixed, though sometimes it creeps back. I'd ignore it and it'll go away. You can also move the mouse between the screens and it will refresh.

I thinking of making a video on my phone showing that zerocore and sleep work on eyefinity or single screen.... hmm.


----------



## basicIO

Hmm, got my 7970 (Club3D, 975/1375 standard clocks) running with a Zalman ZM600-HP at the moment, and it performs great in BF3. After gradually increasing the clocks to 1025/1400, my rig just shut down during Metro 2033. I just booted again, and the fan of the 7970 started spinning like crazy, sounded like the fans were at 50/60%+ When I saw the login screen, it went to normal speeds (20%) again. Windows didnt show me any errors.

My CPU is running at 4.6ghz, so I think this happened due to power shortage. Or should I look into something else ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *basicIO*
> 
> Hmm, got my 7970 (Club3D, 975/1375 standard clocks) running with a Zalman ZM600-HP at the moment, and it performs great in BF3. After gradually increasing the clocks to 1025/1400, my rig just shut down during Metro 2033. I just booted again, and the fan of the 7970 started spinning like crazy, sounded like the fans were at 50/60%+ When I saw the login screen, it went to normal speeds (20%) again. Windows didnt show me any errors.
> My CPU is running at 4.6ghz, so I think this happened due to power shortage. Or should I look into something else ?


Fill out your rig specs so we can better help you.

Considering 99% of cards can hit 1k core, I doubt you have a horrible overclocker and it likely could be a power *issue ignoring your cpu overclock.


----------



## hamzta09

basicIO

Do it like this.

Overclock by 10mhz in whatever app you use.
Run Furmark in fullscreen in your native res with the amount of AA you usually use for ~2-5min depending on how patient you are.
Increase another 10mhz and repeat this process til you see artifacts, your computer locks up or reboots and drop the clocks back 5-10mhz (or start increasing voltage a tiny bit at a time)


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Fill out your rig specs so we can better help you.
> Considering 99% of cards can hit 1k core, I doubt you have a horrible overclocker and it likely could be a power *issue ignoring your cpu overclock.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *basicIO*
> 
> Hmm, got my 7970 (Club3D, 975/1375 standard clocks) running with a Zalman ZM600-HP at the moment, and it performs great in BF3. After gradually increasing the clocks to 1025/1400, my rig just shut down during Metro 2033. I just booted again, and the fan of the 7970 started spinning like crazy, sounded like the fans were at 50/60%+ When I saw the login screen, it went to normal speeds (20%) again. Windows didnt show me any errors.
> My CPU is running at 4.6ghz, so I think this happened due to power shortage. Or should I look into something else ?


Both my cards max stock volt OC are 1025. It is possible 1000 on the core is your max. I would not worry about it too much though, as with volts they both overclock very well.
Some people can get excellent clocks on stock and not very good with extra volts, some other way around. Check the ASIC of your card with GPU-Z.

Quoted TSM by accident, woops.


----------



## nugget toes

Anyone else getting better 3dMark11 scores on RC11 drivers compared to the new 12.2? Went up from P8730 to P8994 using the older driver


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> basicIO
> Do it like this.
> Overclock by 10mhz in whatever app you use.
> Run Furmark in fullscreen in your native res with the amount of AA you usually use for ~2-5min depending on how patient you are.
> Increase another 10mhz and repeat this process til you see artifacts, your computer locks up or reboots and drop the clocks back 5-10mhz (or start increasing voltage a tiny bit at a time)


Furmark is a horrible app to test true stability. It is a throttled app so it will never give you a true idea of maximum clock. I use Furmark as a quick look see, if it explodes or not, crossfire is working etc... but never for stability. Crysis 2, Heaven, etc or many times better and more accurate.


----------



## basicIO

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Fill out your rig specs so we can better help you.
> Considering 99% of cards can hit 1k core, I doubt you have a horrible overclocker and it likely could be a power *issue ignoring your cpu overclock.


Oh, had to figure out how to set it in my sig. I have adjusted it now. I'll also try Crysis 2 asap.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Furmark is a horrible app to test true stability. It is a throttled app so it will never give you a true idea of maximum clock. I use Furmark as a quick look see, if it explodes or not, crossfire is working etc... but never for stability. Crysis 2, Heaven, etc or many times better and more accurate.


Crysis 2 doesnt stress as much as furmark or occt. And id rather quickly know if the PC is unstable, rather than spending perhaps 1min to 5 hours in a game in order to find out if the pc is unstable at current clock.

And not everyone has Crysis 2 (because its a POS console port)


----------



## derfer

No seriously do not waste your time on furmark. I can't believe people still don't know this. It's been unable to properly stress cards for a few generations now. OCCT did work up until throttling was added. To this date Crysis 1 + Metro 2033 on 99 loops remains the most accurate stress test.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Crysis 2 doesnt stress as much as furmark or occt. And id rather quickly know if the PC is unstable, rather than spending perhaps 1min to 5 hours in a game in order to find out if the pc is unstable at current clock.
> And not everyone has Crysis 2 (because its a POS console port)


Maybe you'll understand it from someone else...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derfer*
> 
> No seriously do not waste your time on furmark. I can't believe people still don't know this. It's been unable to properly stress cards for a few generations now. OCCT did work up until throttling was added. To this date Crysis 1 + Metro 2033 on 99 loops remains the most accurate stress test.


----------



## Hambone07si

@ tsm106, been playing some Bf3 for a while today and with 4xAA in CCC and Ultra settings in game, no motion blur tho I hate that. Running 1100/1500 1.174v at 5884x1080p res and getting 75-150fps. Usuallly around 100-120fps. Can't believe Rc11 runs so much better than all others. Bf3 looks insane in Eyefinity with Ultra settings and 4xAA. Unreal


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Crysis 2 doesnt stress as much as furmark or occt. And id rather quickly know if the PC is unstable, rather than spending perhaps 1min to 5 hours in a game in order to find out if the pc is unstable at current clock.
> And not everyone has Crysis 2 (because its a POS console port)


Furmark is a focused program. it makes the card do the same thing over and over. it is totally unrealistic in that you will never see a game able to stress any card like it does, so it cannot be used as a proper tool for stress-testing.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> Furmark is a focused program. it makes the card do the same thing over and over. it is totally unrealistic in that you will never see a game able to stress any card like it does, so it cannot be used as a proper tool for stress-testing.


Yet Prime95 for 12 hours is considered stable for cpu's where the average user would never stress their cpu like that. I get what your saying about furmark, occt vs. in game, but if you want a quick stabilty test then furmark and occt are the best choice.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derfer*
> 
> No seriously do not waste your time on furmark. I can't believe people still don't know this. It's been unable to properly stress cards for a few generations now. OCCT did work up until throttling was added. To this date Crysis 1 + Metro 2033 on 99 loops remains the most accurate stress test.


99 loops, each test take like what? 1-2 minutes?

So 99 - 198 minutes? To see if a card is stable? HAHA


----------



## Ottesen

Guys, furmark and occt won't be a good test.... read this: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1488/4/

(its for 6950/6970, but its the same with our cards...)


----------



## Ruined

Well that is if the bios you are using throttles with programs like furmark.


----------



## tsm106

It's like you pro- Furmark/OCCT guys lived under a rock for the last year or two? Everybody knows those programs are throttled.


----------



## Alexsubri

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Idle clock is 300MHz, can you elaborate ?


As in idle...300mhz core clock and 150mhz memory clock...I cannot overclock because the clock speeds are not adjusting from idle speeds...


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's like you pro- Furmark/OCCT guys lived under a rock for the last year or two? Everybody knows those programs are throttled.


It can be a hassle to get around the throttle, lol so that is why I usually loop Heaven for stability.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> It can be a hassle to get around the throttle, lol so that is why I usually loop Heaven for stability.


Heaven is so much better eye candy wise than looking at a furry donut, as my 7yr old calls it lol.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> @ tsm106, been playing some Bf3 for a while today and with 4xAA in CCC and Ultra settings in game, no motion blur tho I hate that. Running 1100/1500 1.174v at 5884x1080p res and getting 75-150fps. Usuallly around 100-120fps. Can't believe Rc11 runs so much better than all others. Bf3 looks insane in Eyefinity with Ultra settings and 4xAA. Unreal


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Heaven is so much better eye candy wise than looking at a furry donut, as my 7yr old calls it lol.


Lol me and my friends call it the same thing. SO BORING after about a minute with furmark, heck OCCT doesn't even move, also I didn't mean it to seem like I want everyone to use these programs, as A. Yes they are throttled for a reason, my friends gtx 260 can't even overclock anymore as he overused the program, sometimes fails at stock; and B. There are better looking programs out there! I just don't like it when I buy something for 600 dollars and the company is still limiting me, hey AMD and Nvidia release a ref. and ref + No OCP, you could even charge us enthusiasts more for it lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Lol me and my friends call it the same thing. SO BORING after about a minute with furmark, heck OCCT doesn't even move, also I didn't mean it to seem like I want everyone to use these programs, as A. Yes they are throttled for a reason, my friends gtx 260 can't even overclock anymore as he overused the program, sometimes fails at stock; and B. There are better looking programs out there! I just don't like it when I buy something for 600 dollars and the company is still limiting me, hey AMD and Nvidia release a ref. and ref + No OCP, you could even charge us enthusiasts more for it lol.


They do have cards like that, they're called the DC2 (+ROG R4E) and Lightning. Or you could get medieval on it with a hard mod. But that's getting real serious.


----------



## Ottesen

Man right now i wish i had 2600k or a newer cpu, did a 3dmark11 test and summited on hwbot, came ranking 121 of 650... if i've had a better cpu or mye bios wasn't ****ed (can't enter bios without much trouble ) i would have been way higher + 1st on dual 7950









Good still tho, 18623 graphics score...


----------



## 1rkrage

new 7970 owner here. great card, but I have one with coil whine at high overclocks :/


----------



## firestorm1

yea, they are known to do that. i ran occt overnight on my card and it took care of the coil whine i had. sometimes thatll work, sometimes it wont. it just depends on the card.


----------



## prjindigo

Crossfired ASUS 7950 CU][ on a Rampage IV.

Fixed the heatsink issue easily with washers on the heatsink mount screws. Just put em on the widened section by the screw head.

Funny thing happened to me with this system. The XMP in my Dominator Cas7 4x4gb ram told the motherboard "burn me to cinders" and the motherboard did.









Not completely happy with the massive weight of the 3 slot sinks, so going to check to see if a pair of Zalman 3000 for the 6970 will mount up nice.


----------



## igrease

When I set AA in Battlefield nothing happens. It still looks like AA is turned off and there are still jaggies everywhere + I get lower FPS. Even if I try to force it through CCC or RadeonPro, nothing happens. Also I found another issue. My card's usage wont go past 50% unless I alt-tab and re-enter the game. I am currently running this card @ 975/1450 @ 1.131v and it will not go any higher than this. I have tried cranking the voltage all the way up to 2.0 and it will not stay stable at 1000/1500. I am using the Sapphire 7950 OC Edition.


----------



## TheJesus

I can't seem to find a stable overclock or Tribes: Ascend just doesn't like Crossfire on these cards, lol. I only have it at 1000/1450. I've tried bumping voltage to 1.050 from 0.993, but still no luck. Gonna try 1.100 next.


----------



## Newbie2009

Anyone have the issue with crossfire enabled windows sometimes hangs at the loading screen? Only get it with xfire on.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> When I set AA in Battlefield nothing happens. It still looks like AA is turned off and there are still jaggies everywhere + I get lower FPS. Even if I try to force it through CCC or RadeonPro, nothing happens. Also I found another issue. My card's usage wont go past 50% unless I alt-tab and re-enter the game. I am currently running this card @ 975/1450 @ 1.131v and it will not go any higher than this. I have tried cranking the voltage all the way up to 2.0 and it will not stay stable at 1000/1500. I am using the Sapphire 7950 OC Edition.


I have a 2500k @ 5ghz and that runs around 50-70% usage while both of my 7970's are running at 99% all time. If you enable Vsync and your locked at 60fps, then your gpu's wont be at 99%, it's only when you disable Vsync or your not getting 60fps that you would see 99% usage. I use no AA in game and enabled 4xAA in CCC and it works perfect. Looks better than using 4xAA in game. With using in game AA my fps drops to 50-60fps with Ultra settings in Eyefinity 5884x1080p. If I use 4xAA in CCC with ultra settings, I get 75-150fps and usually it's around 100-120fps. Never dropped below 75fps with settings like that. Don't Alt-tab out of the game and make changes. Make changes in game and then exit, make changes in CCC, then restart the game and play, don't tab out, use Alt-enter if its in window mode. I'm using Rc11 if that's not what your using, you may want to try.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Anyone have the issue with crossfire enabled windows sometimes hangs at the loading screen? Only get it with xfire on.


Nope, no issues at the load screen for me. I don't even see the load screen really because of my 2 Vertex 3's in a raid 0 is over 1gb/s read and write. I have crossfire on and eyefinity setup.


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I have a 2500k @ 5ghz and that runs around 50-70% usage while both of my 7970's are running at 99% all time. If you enable Vsync and your locked at 60fps, then your gpu's wont be at 99%, it's only when you disable Vsync or your not getting 60fps that you would see 99% usage. I use no AA in game and enabled 4xAA in CCC and it works perfect. Looks better than using 4xAA in game. With using in game AA my fps drops to 50-60fps with Ultra settings in Eyefinity 5884x1080p. If I use 4xAA in CCC with ultra settings, I get 75-150fps and usually it's around 100-120fps. Never dropped below 75fps with settings like that. Don't Alt-tab out of the game and make changes. Make changes in game and then exit, make changes in CCC, then restart the game and play, don't tab out, use Alt-enter if its in window mode. I'm using Rc11 if that's not what your using, you may want to try.


I don't alt-tab to make changes to CCC or anything. It is just that it wouldn't use all the GPU usage. Alt-Tabbing and re-entering the game fixed that. Also if I don't use Vsync I get massive screen tearing. What exactly are your settings in CCC and do you turn off AA in-game? Last thing, is there a way to make it so I can go past 1100 core clocks in Afterburner?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> I don't alt-tab to make changes to CCC or anything. It is just that it wouldn't use all the GPU usage. Alt-Tabbing and re-entering the game fixed that. Also if I don't use Vsync I get massive screen tearing. What exactly are your settings in CCC and do you turn off AA in-game? Last thing, is there a way to make it so I can go past 1100 core clocks in Afterburner?


I only set 4xAA in CCC and don't touch anything else. Don't even open overdrive. I set in game AA to "off". I don't get much screen tearing at all and I have 3 screens, it usually would show worst on 3 over 1. Also, WHAT driver are you using???

For getting Afterburner to clock higher, you just have to read a little in here. It's been said numerous times. Rc11 is the only driver that lets you unlock unofficial overclocking mode without having to patch files. If your on Rc11, just go to C: / x86 program files / Msi folder / then click on the cfg file and go to the bottom of the page, change Unofficial overclocking mode to 1 instead of 0. You need to have Msi closed when you do this. When you open Msi again, it will prompt you and just hit yes.


----------



## Raarup

Hey guys.

Have anyone of you tried out the ARCTRIC Cooler for the 7950/7970 ? .. .I had one on a 6950, it was amazing.

Considering to buy one, but wanted to hear if anyone had it atm.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raarup*
> 
> Hey guys.
> 
> Have anyone of you tried out the ARCTRIC Cooler for the 7950/7970 ? .. .I had one on a 6950, it was amazing.
> 
> Considering to buy one, but wanted to hear if anyone had it atm.


It should be the same thing as the one you had on the 6950. The only thing they changed was the mounting on it, because of the way the die sits on the 7900 cards. So if you liked your old one...you'll like this one too, as its the same cooler, just different mounting (and it works on previous 6900 and GTX 5xx cards too if I recall right).


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I only set 4xAA in CCC and don't touch anything else. Don't even open overdrive. I set in game AA to "off". I don't get much screen tearing at all and I have 3 screens, it usually would show worst on 3 over 1. Also, WHAT driver are you using???
> For getting Afterburner to clock higher, you just have to read a little in here. It's been said numerous times. Rc11 is the only driver that lets you unlock unofficial overclocking mode without having to patch files. If your on Rc11, just go to C: / x86 program files / Msi folder / then click on the cfg file and go to the bottom of the page, change Unofficial overclocking mode to 1 instead of 0. You need to have Msi closed when you do this. When you open Msi again, it will prompt you and just hit yes.


I was using RC11 but just switched back to 12.2 again. Strange, when I have it set to 4x AA in CCC it doesn't work in-game. You use Override Application Settings, correct? The only game I actually got it AA to work with so far has been League of Legends.


----------



## Hambone07si

Yeah I use override application. With 12.2 when you enable unofficial overclocking mode, your clocks will go to 0 in AB. You need to add some files for it to work. 12.2 was a complete mess and I couldn't open Dirt 3 or Me3 demo. Rc11 works the best. You should try that out. Just make sure it's off in the game and it should work fine. I'm going to try 8xAA later today when I play. I have plenty of fps to try it out.


----------



## tsm106

Sleep...


----------



## Hambone07si

I don't sleep a 5ghz overclocked cpu. Not good at all


----------



## tsm106

Note the fans were off right... I was the one who fell asleep lol, left it on sleep all night in that mode and am now posting on it.


----------



## aageres

Could owners of 7970 tell me please what auto settings you have in battlfield 3? Another words how game sees your graphic card performance. Mine are all medium, ecxept texture ( ultra).


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Could owners of 7970 tell me please what auto settings you have in battlfield 3? Another words how game sees your graphic card performance. Mine are all medium, ecxept texture ( ultra).


Who cares about auto settings, select ultra and turn off AA. I turn off motion blur because I don't like it. Use 4xAA in CCC and go to town. I have 2 7970's so my auto settings mite not be the same.

@tsm106, LOL, I feel asleep watching BF3 download the other night. I woke up with my head on the keyboard and squares imprinted on my forehead







. Curious, whats your frame rate like in BF3 with 3 cards? I'm using ultra settings and running eyefinity at 5884x1080p and mine are great, like I said 75-150fps and avg of about 100-120fps.

EDIT: I have a question. Does anyone have a 3930/3960k overclocked to 5ghz with a pair of 7970's?? I'd like to see what 3dmark11 P score that would get. I can get P15,400 or so with my 2500k @ 5ghz and 2 7970's @ 1200/1600. I want to know the difference of what my 2500k gets vs a 3930k at the same speed. Thanks if anyone can share.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> EDIT: I have a question. Does anyone have a 3930/3960k overclocked to 5ghz with a pair of 7970's?? I'd like to see what 3dmark11 P score that would get. I can get P15,400 or so with my 2500k @ 5ghz and 2 7970's @ 1200/1600. I want to know the difference of what my 2500k gets vs a 3930k at the same speed. Thanks if anyone can share.


Everything at stock clocks with single 7970 (no time with the waterblocks for Tri/Quad). The difference is the Physics & Combine Test.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Sorry if this has been answered before but this thread moves too fast if I'm not checking it every hour







.

I am downloading games overnight and initially set my computer to never sleep and for the display to turn off after 10 minutes. The computer still went to sleep so then I poked around in AMD CCC and noticed it's power management was still set to sleep after 30 minutes as well. Told it to never sleep and turn off display after 10 minutes and it was downloading fine. Here's the problem, when I woke up this morning the computer was on and everything seemed fine but when I moved the mouse to wake up the monitor I got the black screen lock up and had to reboot. Any solutions?

Also, since we're discussing BF3 settings...
Quote:


> I only set 4xAA in CCC and don't touch anything else. Don't even open overdrive. I set in game AA to "off". I don't get much screen tearing at all and I have 3 screens, it usually would show worst on 3 over 1. Also, WHAT driver are you using???


So I should set anti-aliasing post AND deferred to off or none and play with CCC AA instead?


----------



## dumpsterj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Could owners of 7970 tell me please what auto settings you have in battlfield 3? Another words how game sees your graphic card performance. Mine are all medium, ecxept texture ( ultra).


Mine are EVERYTHING MAXED except the AA which i force through CCC at 4x , 35-60 (i use vsync too) mostly 40 up looks great , in game AA kind of stutters and bothers me. thats 1920x1200.


----------



## wirefox

Why did my meeting just now have to be so close to the local computer shop ...

7970 part duex will let you know how the play together..

Never done crossfire before

-should I remove my current driver / clean - add cards, bridge and power --- then ---boot --- install drivers then caps --- the play around?

also my mobo has only on 16x slot ... so should I drop down to 8x | 8x ... (plan to upgrade soon but will it affect things a lot) things = games ...


----------



## tsm106

Uninstall afterburner if yer using it. Install card. If you use AB, you'll need to disable ULPS, then you can reinstall AB. Profit.


----------



## Smo

Do you guys think I could watercool my entire rig for £300? I'm sorely tempted by the EK Acetal blocks (not Nickel).


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Uninstall afterburner if yer using it. Install card. If you use AB, you'll need to disable ULPS, then you can reinstall AB. Profit.


yes using AB so I'll unistall

the ulps ... is that's the regedit change

I see there are two

EnableUlps

EnableUlps_NA

which do I change ...

and is it simply going from 1 to 0 .. then saving file.

thanks - not like you need it but REP otw.









will let you know how it goes shortly ...


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> yes using AB so I'll unistall
> the ulps ... is that's the regedit change
> I see there are two
> EnableUlps
> EnableUlps_NA
> which do I change ...
> and is it simply going from 1 to 0 .. then saving file.
> thanks - not like you need it but REP otw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> will let you know how it goes shortly ...


Change them all mate - keep hitting F3 and make sure not to miss any. Then restart and begin overclocking


----------



## wirefox

also I have the ASUS OC bios flashed to 1) on my Asus card...

for crossfire ... should they both be the same bios?

or should I load up the new Sapphire card flash as a single card - add bios - then set up crossfire?

or can I fire it up and flash in crossfire?

or if I'm lazy can I just load both up under switch 2 on the cards


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> yes using AB so I'll unistall
> the ulps ... is that's the regedit change
> I see there are two
> *EnableUlps*
> EnableUlps_NA
> which do I change ...
> and is it simply going from 1 to 0 .. then saving file.
> thanks - not like you need it but REP otw.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> will let you know how it goes shortly ...


You only need to do the bolded one. Make it so, make it "0"

Flashing bios is passe. You are using AB, why you need flash for? AB does it all.

*There's a rare instance to flash a certain bios, but for 99% of the time, no need to flash.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You only need to do the bolded one. Make it so, make it "0"
> Flashing bios is passe. You are using AB, why you need flash for? AB does it all.
> *There's a rare instance to flash a certain bios, but for 99% of the time, no need to flash.


so I've already flashed one .. should I flash back or maybe just run them with stock 2 bois


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> so I've already flashed one .. should I flash back or maybe just run them with stock 2 bois


It won't matter either way so it's up to you.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Do you guys think I could watercool my entire rig for £300? I'm sorely tempted by the EK Acetal blocks (not Nickel).


close. Check out a site called specialtech.co.uk.


----------



## igrease

Still can't force AA in BF3 with AA & Differed (sp?) off in game.

WHY


----------



## wirefox

took a few tries but figured out I had to load up slot 2 first power off ... then load and plug in slot 1 for my mobo.

drivers up -

Asus 76.6% ASIC
(new) Saphaire 76.5% ASIC

meh...time to run some test post later

Also who says overclocking isn't a contact sport???


__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content


----------



## Alexsubri

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alexsubri*
> 
> Sorry if this has already been posted, but I am trying to overclock my 7950 and I can get decent clocks, however I want to benchmark stress it through Furmark and the overclocked core keeps resetting to its idle clock...what am I doing wrong? All the voltages are fine, etc..
> I am using AB latest Beta, and yes everything is unlocked.
> Thanks


BUMP!!!









It appears for some odd reason that I cannot overclock past 1200/1500. I had it working in 12.2 Beta, but things went hay wire again. So I am now using RC11

So please, can anybody elaborate? Why can't I overclock them past these clocks? Is it because ATI is holding back on driver upgrades when Keplar comes out? Or is it because all these drivers suck as a whole? The highest I got was 1300/1600 before it started crashing again


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alexsubri*
> 
> BUMP!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It appears for some odd reason that I cannot overclock past 1200/1500. I had it working in 12.2 Beta, but things went hay wire again. So I am now using RC11
> So please, can anybody elaborate? Why can't I overclock them past these clocks? Is it because ATI is holding back on driver upgrades when Keplar comes out? Or is it because all these drivers suck as a whole? The highest I got was 1300/1600 before it started crashing again


Furmark and OCCT throttle your cards. nvidia and amd do this as you can damage your card using these programs. Hence the downclocking.

You should NOT use these programs for stability testing, as the cards can/will throttle. These programs can brick your card and they put HUGE stress on the VRMS, much more than any real world application (games, benchmarks) ever will.

You must also remember, all cards are not made equal. Some cards may work ok, some will not. The cards downclock as a safety measure.
You could have, for example, one card and the temps, vrm temps, will hold steady, but high. An identical card could pop purely because components are not identical and weaker vrm.

You have been warned!


----------



## Bigm

Anyone else have a problem getting the drivers and CCC installed on XP64? I just can't for the life of me figure this out. I tried running as admin and everything.


----------



## wirefox

functional ... not pretty ... will be ordering another EK block --- guess if I've gone nickel/acetate .. I should stick to nickel again ... right no mixing metals?










Question on buying the EK spacer ... I see there are two and 3 slot spacers...

considering Idk what mobo I'll have next ... does it makes sense to buy the 3 spacer? in case I can't use the first two and need to do slot 1 & 3?

Also if anyone has a 3 spacer... do they provide plugs for the additional holes or do you need to buy separately ?

starting to ocx now ... tbd


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> functional ... not pretty ... will be ordering another EK block --- guess if I've gone nickel/acetate .. I should stick to nickel again ... right no mixing metals?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Question on buying the EK spacer ... I see there are two and 3 slot spacers...
> considering Idk what mobo I'll have next ... does it makes sense to buy the 3 spacer? in case I can't use the first two and need to do slot 1 & 3?
> Also if anyone has a 3 spacer... do they provide plugs for the additional holes or do you need to buy separately ?
> starting to ocx now ... tbd


I'd say yes. I am using one. Mine is messy too!


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bigm*
> 
> Anyone else have a problem getting the drivers and CCC installed on XP64? I just can't for the life of me figure this out. I tried running as admin and everything.


did you remove all previous drivers - I found using atiman works the best ... driver sweeper is okay too


----------



## wireeater

So I am a big dummy.

I am first time Eyefinity user and since using it for the past couple weeks, I have been annoyed to all ends about the bezels lining up correctly and they never seemed to do anything when running the correction. Well I guess it would have helped if I knew it created its own bezel correction resolution. I was always putting it on the standard 5760x1080 thinking the bezel correction was some how injected.. nope. Now I am happy though because BF3 is lining up correctly. Nothing was more annoying then sitting in a cockpit and not having the stuff match up.


----------



## Bigm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> did you remove all previous drivers - I found using atiman works the best ... driver sweeper is okay too


No previous drivers, this is on a fresh install. Turns out I had to use the driver disk that came with the card for once. Honestly have never had to do that before


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Also if anyone has a 3 spacer... do they provide plugs for the additional holes or do you need to buy separately ?
> starting to ocx now ... tbd


Hi mate,
Yes, you can buy any bridge you like, but you need to buy the blanks seperate.

Here is my triple. I have bought 1 blanks so I can take any card out I like, for mods / repairs and leave the rest in working.



More pics on my build log here.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Hi mate,
> Yes, you can buy any bridge you like, but you need to buy the blanks seperate.
> Here is my triple. I have bought 1 blanks so I can take any card out I like, for mods / repairs and leave the rest in working.
> 
> More pics on my build log here.


so you need just one bland to run the 3x with two cards. thanks! +1 rep


----------



## dumpsterj

I just want to be on page 666. I hope the gtx 680 ends up being crap , i just hope i find out before i cant return my 7970 for refund lol.


----------



## wirefox

;so I disabled ulsp and loaded up AB ...

AB is only showing GPU 1 temps... but no GPU2 ?

both gpus are seen by ccc and gpu-z ... fan is kicking in when running unigeine and both gpu's are fulling utilized

any thoughts on why gpu temp isn't being shown?

my mobo is a 16x,1 8x,8x using slot 1 and slot 2 from top down

aslo just put it to a modest 1000 core and got

fps:81
Scores: 2052
min fps:27.1
max fps: 195

My single asus was stable at 1200 @ 1.237v | 1750 @1.637

just don't want to go to far w/o seeing the fanned gpu temps ...


----------



## tsm106

^^When you uninstalled, did you do a full uninstall or did ya hit the yes button to save settings?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I'd say yes. I am using one. Mine is messy too!


Wah, messy!

Anyways, I prefer regular sli connectors, less leaks and no impact on flow. Btw, paint yo cfx ribbon connectors.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^When you uninstalled, did you do a full uninstall or did ya hit the yes button to save settings?
> 
> I didn't save the settings.... removed and reinstalled
> 
> runing beta 14
> 
> enabled unofficaloverclocking 1
> 
> but now can only go to 1124 on core?
> 
> I was able to go over 1200+ previously when running my asus w/ocz bios ... wondering should I flash the new card? or am I doing something wrong .


----------



## tsm106

Did AB analyze the gpu's and ask to reboot? Also, what driver are you using?


----------



## Alexsubri

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Furmark and OCCT throttle your cards. nvidia and amd do this as you can damage your card using these programs. Hence the downclocking.
> You should NOT use these programs for stability testing, as the cards can/will throttle. These programs can brick your card and they put HUGE stress on the VRMS, much more than any real world application (games, benchmarks) ever will.
> You must also remember, all cards are not made equal. Some cards may work ok, some will not. The cards downclock as a safety measure.
> You could have, for example, one card and the temps, vrm temps, will hold steady, but high. An identical card could pop purely because components are not identical and weaker vrm.
> You have been warned!


Thanks, which do you prefer? Kombustor?

I did notice however in some cases, the games won't load fully as well (300core / 500mem) ...i think its due to incorrect clock speeds..


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alexsubri*
> 
> Thanks, which do you prefer? Kombustor?
> I did notice however in some cases, the games won't load fully as well (300core / 500mem) ...i think its due to incorrect clock speeds..


I'd run a few loops of Heaven, and then 3DMark11 to confirm.

This was posted a little while ago in this thread, it's well written if you want a good step by step hand.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Did AB analyze the gpu's and ask to reboot? Also, what driver are you using?


brain farting ... think I may have ticked off unofficial ocz before I started it up for the first time ... and don't recall if it asked me to reboot ... I guess I will redo

running new 12.2 and caps from amd site ...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> brain farting ... think I may have ticked off unofficial ocz before I started it up for the first time ... and don't recall if it asked me to reboot ... I guess I will redo
> running new 12.2 and caps from amd site ...


Stop. Uninstall 12.2 right now after ya uninstall AB, hit no when asking if yer upgrading. Then install rc11. It's in the OP of this gigantor thread.


----------



## Alexsubri

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I'd run a few loops of Heaven, and then 3DMark11 to confirm.
> This was posted a little while ago in this thread, it's well written if you want a good step by step hand.


thanks +rep


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop. Uninstall 12.2 right now after ya uninstall AB, hit no when asking if yer upgrading. Then install rc11. It's in the OP of this gigantor thread.


I'll give it a go .. though 12.2 was working pretty good for me in single gpu ... 1200/1750


----------



## firestorm1

you can also try this beta thats out.
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4272409&postcount=1

ive tested a few games and they appear to play better using that driver set, than the one that came with the card. so for now its a keeper.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> I'll give it a go .. though 12.2 was working pretty good for me in single gpu ... 1200/1750


All the 12.2 and above have issues with clock control and AB in cfx. I don't say this cuz that's what I think. Ask hambone, he was a non-believer. 12.2+ have cool eyefinity 2.1 features, but they don't work 100%, and are broken. Lame.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> @ tsm106, been playing some Bf3 for a while today and with 4xAA in CCC and Ultra settings in game, no motion blur tho I hate that. Running 1100/1500 1.174v at 5884x1080p res and getting 75-150fps. Usuallly around 100-120fps. Can't believe Rc11 runs so much better than all others. Bf3 looks insane in Eyefinity with Ultra settings and 4xAA. Unreal


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop. Uninstall 12.2 right now after ya uninstall AB, hit no when asking if yer upgrading. Then install rc11. It's in the OP of this gigantor thread.


going to go with the opening post driver and see how it goes. just to clarify .. i've ATIman the driver .. do I instal AB, hit no, then install rc11? or rc11 then AB - then unofficialovercocke 1


----------



## 125837

My DCUII just came back, I'll let you know how it goes shortly. Since I've only changed the motherboard (same chipset and brand, just a step up (UD3H - UD5)) and RAM (4x2GB Ripjaws - 2x4GB Ripjaws X, same speed/timings lower voltage) I should be fine just to go on the install I already have right?

It's pretty barebones, just Win7 + updates, drivers (chipset, soundcard, RC11), and temp monitors/AB, Origin + BF3


----------



## tsm106

^^ Good luck man. Coincidentally the DC2 I ordered moons ago is gonna be here tomorrow. I'm gonna have to refuse it because the waterblock doesn't line up with the ek 7970 blocks. There's some coils in the way, lameness Asus!!!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> going to go with the opening post driver and see how it goes. just to clarify .. i've ATIman the driver .. do I instal AB, hit no, then install rc11? or rc11 then AB - then unofficialovercocke 1


Uninstall ab, choose no when it asks to save. Run atiman, it does its thing reboots etc. Then install rc11, reboot. Disable ulps, install ab run it, it will ask to reboot. Then do the unofficial oc bizness.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop. Uninstall 12.2 right now after ya uninstall AB, hit no when asking if yer upgrading. Then install rc11. It's in the OP of this gigantor thread.


cleaned drivers, fired up rc11 .. then AB, selected no upon install ... tick unofficialocz ... everything seems to be in order with AB settings ... EXCEPT ... for some reason it only shows graph temps for GPU1 and nothing for GPU2 ? (shows all other settings for GPU2 but no temp) ... hrmmm


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> cleaned drivers, fired up rc11 .. then AB, selected no upon install ... tick unofficialocz ... everything seems to be in order with AB settings ... EXCEPT ... for some reason it only shows graph temps for GPU1 and nothing for GPU2 ? (shows all other settings for GPU2 but no temp) ... hrmmm


DO exactly as I wrote in above post. What you did is a bit off of the procedure.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> going to go with the opening post driver and see how it goes. just to clarify .. i've ATIman the driver .. do I instal AB, hit no, then install rc11? or rc11 then AB - then unofficialovercocke 1


Do it in this order:


Uninstall Afterburner and Catalyst.
Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1 (turn off UAC to install this).
Install 1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
Install MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 14 Download
Enable "unoffcial overclocking" HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner
Afterburner settings > enable all voltage controls.

_Note: Exit Afterburner prior to editing .cfg file and ULPS._

Crossfire User; from step #4 > #7 > #5 > #6

7. Disable ULPS:


Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
For *ALL instances* (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
Reboot PC.


----------



## 125837

All good so far, booted with no issues, the system is a little bit sluggish but I'm picking up an H100 next week and so I'll put Windows on the SSD then and configure my install properly (as well as cable management etc). It's currently installed to the 500GB drive.

Just need to restart to install Windows updates then I'll put her under load, see what happens. Sadly I'm not sure how much of an OC I'll get out of it because of the VRMs









Got similar temps to last time (62C/94C) so I haven't bothered with a screenshot this time around.

Here is my 3DMark11 result.

And here is my Heaven result:


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> cleaned drivers, fired up rc11 .. then AB, selected no upon install ... tick unofficialocz ... everything seems to be in order with AB settings ... EXCEPT ... for some reason it only shows graph temps for GPU1 and nothing for GPU2 ? (shows all other settings for GPU2 but no temp) ... hrmmm


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^ Good luck man. Coincidentally the DC2 I ordered moons ago is gonna be here tomorrow. I'm gonna have to refuse it because the waterblock doesn't line up with the ek 7970 blocks. There's some coils in the way, lameness Asus!!!
> Uninstall ab, choose no when it asks to save. Run atiman, it does its thing reboots etc. Then install rc11, reboot. Disable ulps, install ab run it, it will ask to reboot. Then do the unofficial oc bizness.


I did exactly this ... everything seemed to be good... started tweaking voltz/clocks and they saved properly.

after about 2 minutes after any boot up ... I get a BSOD 1000007e ...


----------



## Bigm

OK bored of xp now..any way to get a 7970 working on Win8 since there's no drivers yet?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> I did exactly this ... everything seemed to be good... started tweaking voltz/clocks and they saved properly.
> after about 2 minutes after any boot up ... I get a BSOD 1000007e ...


What is two mins after any boot up? Boot up what, os/game? You have to be more clear.
Btw BSOD 07E = ram or OS, mostly ram.


----------



## 125837

So BF3 is running beautifully! I haven't played a game yet or run a fraps benchmark, but I just drove a tank for 5 minutes on an empty Caspian and got 55-80 solid all maxed with 2xMSAA and no motion blur. Very happy







The only thing is I had a few massive framedrops (down to 6 while running up to and getting in the tank) - no stutter, just actual drops. Is this a known problem? I'm going to go play a game and bench it using fraps, might have just been a hiccup at the start, we'll soon find out.


----------



## ryanhaver

hey everyone I'm glad to be a part of the Owner's Club! this is my first post so I wanted to say hi before I jumped into an issue I've been having. hope you're all enjoying your HD 7950/7970.









THE ISSUES:
I have two HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 that I am using in crossfire. Whenever I start a DX11 game and the game launches (after initial menus) my system halts/freezes and I have to hard reboot because it is completely unresponsive. I can replicate this issue every time any game is opened that is run using Direct X 11. The strangest thing is that it only occurs when the game is full-screened. So if I launch a DX11 game in windowed mode, it runs just fine. I've also been able to verify the same things occur with bench-marking suits like: Heaven DX11 Benchmark 3.0

When running the same games in Direct X 9 mode, with crossfire enabled the issue is non existent. This issue only happens when Crossfire is enabled, with all Direct X 11 games when full-screened. Each card works fine when used independently (with crossfire disabled) for a prolonged period of time with no issues. I've tested each card in separate PCI-E slots with no issues, so it doesn't appear to be the motherboard.

I've tried with various drivers, but I am currently using the newest driver's provided on AMD's website and still not able to get it working even after using ATIman to completely uninstall. Before I tried the 8.9.21.2 RC11 drivers, but no luck there either. I've also tried 3 different crossfire bridges to no avail. Any help would be much appreciated.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Do it in this order:
> 
> 
> Uninstall Afterburner and Catalyst.
> Clean it with Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1 (turn off UAC to install this).
> Install 1/25/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx
> Install MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 14 Download
> Enable "unoffcial overclocking" HOW TO: Enable UNOFFICIAL overclocking mode in MSI AfterBurner
> Afterburner settings > enable all voltage controls.
> _Note: Exit Afterburner prior to editing .cfg file and ULPS._
> 
> Crossfire User; from step #4 > #7 > #5 > #6
> 
> 7. Disable ULPS:
> 
> 
> Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
> In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
> For *ALL instances* (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
> Reboot PC.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What is two mins after any boot up? Boot up what, os/game? You have to be more clear.
> Btw BSOD 07E = ram or OS, mostly ram.


was doing this BSOD after a clean boot up in 2d ... i would just sitting there ... but not happening anymore ...

did ever step as noted... and still not working...

going to try to do it all over again ...

but at present I have run through exactly what was posted earlier and once AB is put into oczenabled... the core and mem keep reseting to 0 and won't save. the ocz bars allow for the extra voltz but nothing saves ...

getting tired been trying to get this going for hours ... will try one more cycle then need to go to bed ... thanks for the help so far ...


----------



## 125837

Ok, just ran my benchmark in BF3, during a few games of 32p TDM on Kharg. I know it's not the most intense thing but it's what I felt like. Min 43, Max 148, and Avg of 75. Really happy with it, gameplay was smooth throughout and I'm not as rusty as I thought I'd be after 6 weeks







Still came within sight of the top 3, and went just over, then just under parity KDR (counts because it's TDM - I still revived etc!).

Can't wait to get an OC going on this 2500K, and when I swap this card for a Lightning, OC the GPU!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> was doing this BSOD after a clean boot up in 2d ... i would just sitting there ... but not happening anymore ...
> did ever step as noted... and still not working...
> going to try to do it all over again ...
> but at present I have run through exactly what was posted earlier and once AB is put into oczenabled... *the core and mem keep reseting to 0 and won't save.* the ocz bars allow for the extra voltz but nothing saves ...
> getting tired been trying to get this going for hours ... will try one more cycle then need to go to bed ... thanks for the help so far ...


What driver are you using??


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> hey everyone I'm glad to be a part of the Owner's Club! this is my first post so I wanted to say hi before I jumped into an issue I've been having. hope you're all enjoying your HD 7950/7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> THE ISSUES:
> I have two HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 that I am using in crossfire. Whenever I start a DX11 game and the game launches (after initial menus) my system halts/freezes and I have to hard reboot because it is completely unresponsive. I can replicate this issue every time any game is opened that is run using Direct X 11. The strangest thing is that it only occurs when the game is full-screened. So if I launch a DX11 game in windowed mode, it runs just fine. I've also been able to verify the same things occur with bench-marking suits like: Heaven DX11 Benchmark 3.0
> When running the same games in Direct X 9 mode, with crossfire enabled the issue is non existent. This issue only happens when Crossfire is enabled, with all Direct X 11 games when full-screened. Each card works fine when used independently (with crossfire disabled) for a prolonged period of time with no issues. I've tested each card in separate PCI-E slots with no issues, so it doesn't appear to be the motherboard.
> I've tried with various drivers, but I am currently using the newest driver's provided on AMD's website and still not able to get it working even after using ATIman to completely uninstall. Before I tried the 8.9.21.2 RC11 drivers, but no luck there either. I've also tried 3 different crossfire bridges to no avail. Any help would be much appreciated.


Fill out your rig specs so we can better understand the problem. If they both work fine one at a time, when in cfx, the gpu tdp will be doubled... hows your psu?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What driver are you using??


opening post drivers rc11

I just ran through process .. installed AB ... it asked to reboot.

now do I open AB .. .close ... then enableoverclock

or just enableoverclock then ope AB - let it reload ...


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> opening post drivers rc11
> I just ran through process .. installed AB ... it asked to reboot.
> now do I open AB .. .close ... then enableoverclock
> or just enableoverclock then ope AB - let it reload ...


just enabledoverclock ... fired up AB and everythings seems to be working !!!!!

thanks so so so so much for the help ... going to run one bench then need to go to bed...

so much for crossfire bf3 tonight.


----------



## 125837

Played BF3, computer turned the screen off but kept running fullfans (so I assume still on) while I went away. Went back onto BF3 and battlelog was whinging about not having flash installed, so I installed it, then just got a white screen on BF3 while stuck on "logging in" in BLog. Going to try again now after a restart.


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Ok, just ran my benchmark in BF3, during a few games of 32p TDM on Kharg. I know it's not the most intense thing but it's what I felt like. Min 43, Max 148, and Avg of 75. Really happy with it, gameplay was smooth throughout and I'm not as rusty as I thought I'd be after 6 weeks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still came within sight of the top 3, and went just over, then just under parity KDR (counts because it's TDM - I still revived etc!).
> Can't wait to get an OC going on this 2500K, and when I swap this card for a Lightning, OC the GPU!


Could you test your card on Gulf of Oman, 64 conquest please?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Could you test your card on Gulf of Oman, 64 conquest please?


Sure thing, I'll do it right now. Couldn't find a server with 64 players on it, but I found one with ~20, hopefully more will join









EDIT: Ok mate, got a minimum of 32, max of 156, and average of 64. Felt smooth throughout though. This was C4 running while capping flags, spent some time in a heli and some in a tank/BTR, varied stuff.


----------



## aageres

Thanks a lot, pretty much what i have, at least now i know its not just me.


----------



## Evil Penguin

CCC 8.95.5
Get them while they're hot!


----------



## igrease

Do I have to uninstall my old drivers?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Ahh... here we go again. LOL


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> Do I have to uninstall my old drivers?


It's highly recommended.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Guys,
If any of you are running 7970's in eyefinity, can you please comment on this topic for me.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1231653/do-you-have-2-or-more-7970s-crossfire-eyefinity-if-so-i-need-your-help-please-read-on/0_40


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> CCC 8.95.5
> Get them while they're hot!


Yayyyy. I can't wait to install more unstable drivers!!!!!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Yayyyy. I can't wait to install more unstable drivers!!!!!


Think positive.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I'd say yes. I am using one. Mine is messy too!


Not trying to bash you guys, but you both need to learn cable management








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> functional ... not pretty ... will be ordering another EK block --- guess if I've gone nickel/acetate .. I should stick to nickel again ... right no mixing metals?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Question on buying the EK spacer ... I see there are two and 3 slot spacers...
> considering Idk what mobo I'll have next ... does it makes sense to buy the 3 spacer? in case I can't use the first two and need to do slot 1 & 3?
> Also if anyone has a 3 spacer... do they provide plugs for the additional holes or do you need to buy separately ?
> starting to ocx now ... tbd


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> All the 12.2 and above have issues with clock control and AB in cfx. I don't say this cuz that's what I think. Ask hambone, he was a non-believer. 12.2+ have cool eyefinity 2.1 features, but they don't work 100%, and are broken. Lame.


Yes, I completely agree with TSM. I wasn't a non believer, just wanted some smoother game play but no driver works as good as the RC11. I've tested everyone that's out. 12.3 with 12.2 cap 1 worked great for BBC2, but then I couldn't even open Dirt 3, or play the ME3 demo. I installed BF3 and it wouldn't even launch too. Back on Rc11 and everything is good.


----------



## Evil Penguin

BTW, Afterburner 2.2 beta 15 has been released...
No change log yet.

DL Link:
http://download3.msi.com/files/downloads/uti_exe/vga/MSIAfterburnerSetup220Beta15.zip


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> CCC 8.95.5
> Get them while they're hot!


MLAA 80% Speed increase eh.


----------



## wireeater

Verdict of the new drivers so far..

Oh wait, I couln't tell you because I am still trying to get them to work right after getting BSOD as soon as windows boots in to the log in screen. Ran a windows repair which fixed that issue but now CCC is being a P.I.T.A like always with created a Eyefinity group. It will not create one even though it thinks it is. It's just cloning all 3 monitors.

AMD for life!...

And yes I did a clean install, yada, yada. I had RC 11 on there which really wasn't a great performer for me. So far 12.2 seemed to work the best.

It seems like these drivers work differently for different hardware profiles it seems.


----------



## igrease

New drivers seem to be working pretty well for me.

Have had 0 issues so far


----------



## wireeater

If only we were all lucky like that.

Doing an install over top of the install to see if that works...

You most certainly need to enjoy working with issues if you go with AMD, lol.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> New drivers seem to be working pretty well for me.
> Have had 0 issues so far


What have you tested them with? Also time for you to fill in system specs so we are not guessing. It doesn't help us much when you have no system specs. Please take the time to do that.


----------



## wireeater

Ok. I am about to give up.

BF3 won't even launch now. It will not create Eyefinity group. Disabled CFX, no go. I guess I will clean install, put in RC 11 then install over top and see what happens.

Like I said before, the only reason it works with some and not other is obviously because there are different hardware profiles. For the guy who has it working, he may only be using 1 monitor with 2 cards, or that guy might be using 1 monitor with one card, etc.

It just seems like these drivers are not tested on a multiple devices or something. If one driver set works then the next doesn't, its obviously the drivers. AMD, get it together.


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What have you tested them with? Also time for you to fill in system specs so we are not guessing. It doesn't help us much when you have no system specs. Please take the time to do that.


How do I enter my system specs?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Ok. I am about to give up.
> BF3 won't even launch now. It will not create Eyefinity group. Disabled CFX, no go. I guess I will clean install, put in RC 11 then install over top and see what happens.
> Like I said before, the only reason it works with some and not other is obviously because there are different hardware profiles. For the guy who has it working, he may only be using 1 monitor with 2 cards, or that guy might be using 1 monitor with one card, etc.
> It just seems like these drivers are not tested on a multiple devices or something. If one driver set works then the next doesn't, its obviously the drivers. AMD, get it together.


It definitely wasn't tested in Eyefinity that well. Every driver after RC11 has been horrible for eyefinity. Options don't appear or don't work. I was on 12.3 (feb28) driver. I bought BF3 and downloaded and installed. Then tried to launch BF3 and it wouldn't work. I thought that was weird because that's the driver I was on when I installed the game and still a no go.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> How do I enter my system specs?


Go to the top of the page and click on My Profile. Then it's down at the bottom.


----------



## ryanhaver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Fill out your rig specs so we can better understand the problem. If they both work fine one at a time, when in cfx, the gpu tdp will be doubled... hows your psu?


Here is a quick rundown of my system specs. I'll get my rig details filled out later today when I have some time. It's all new and my PSU shouldn't be having any issue with the TDP unless it's defective, which I doubt.

Graphic Card
2X Asus HD7970 Direct CU II (Crossfire)

Motherbaord:
Asus Rampage IV Extreme
*Motherboard BIOS Revision : BIOS 1101

CPU:
Intel Core i7-3930K (C2 Stepping)
*CPU Speed : 3.2 Ghz
CPU Cooler: Corsair H-100 (4x Cougar Vertex fans in push/pull config)

PSU:
Corsair AX1200

Memory (RAM):
Corsair CORSAIR DOMINATOR GT 16GB (Quad Channel Kit)
*Memory Speed : DDR3 2133

HDD:
OS Drive: Corsair Force GT 120GB SSD
Data Drive: WD Caviar Black 500GB

Case:
Corsair Obsidian 800D
(3x 140MM Cougar Vortex Fans)
(2x 120MM Cougar Vortex Fans)

Operating System:
Windows 7 Ultimate (All current Updates)


----------



## votum

CF has always been a pain in the ass. Add eyefinity to the mix and you are screwed and have no supprt. Sorry mate, that's why I sold mine and now have one GPU and one monitor. Try widescreengaming forum, that's the best place for help witj your issues.

AMD tests their stuff sufficiently, but you are definitely in the minority with xfire and eyefinity lol. Haven't you noticed it takes a lot of work getting most games working right?


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Go to the top of the page and click on My Profile. Then it's down at the bottom.


Thanks, but for whatever reason it doesn't want to do everything. So I just but the main **** in my sig.

Also still having that ******ed problem where it gets stuck on 501 core clocks and wont change until i restart.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> It definitely wasn't tested in Eyefinity that well. Every driver after RC11 has been horrible for eyefinity. Options don't appear or don't work. I was on 12.3 (feb28) driver. I bought BF3 and downloaded and installed. Then tried to launch BF3 and it wouldn't work. I thought that was weird because that's the driver I was on when I installed the game and still a no go.
> Go to the top of the page and click on My Profile. Then it's down at the bottom.


I just had an issue with sleep (which was due to unofficial overclocking in my case), other than that, eyefinity has been working great for me, and I am on the drivers from 3/7/2012 (12,2). It seems like it is extremely hit-or-miss with drivers atm.









**update** that was with one card, though. Tonight I am going to update drivers and install the second card. /crosses_fingers


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I just had an issue with sleep (which was due to unofficial overclocking in my case), other than that, eyefinity has been working great for me, and I am on the drivers from 3/7/2012 (12,2). It seems like it is extremely hit-or-miss with drivers atm.


Do you have BF3 or Dirt 3? If so try to open them and then tell me how that driver works


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Do you have BF3 or Dirt 3? If so try to open them and then tell me how that driver works


Have both. Works fine.

That is with the drivers from the 7th, though. Haven't tried the new ones from the 19th yet.

For what it is worth, though, I have been lucky, the only thing I have had an issue with was when my monitors would sleep, and it was only when I had unofficial overclocking in AB. Oh, and one time I saw my cursor turn to squiggly lines for about 30 seconds on one of my monitors in eyefinity, like another poster in this thread.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sleep...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Note the fans were off right... I was the one who fell asleep lol, left it on sleep all night in that mode and am now posting on it.


Interesting. Could you confirm the followings?

1. Is the RAM supported by motherboard BIOS or listed in QVL.

2. What is the RAM speed, timing, sub-timing and the voltages (nevermind what stress tests the settings passed - it doesn't matter)? How it was set in BIOS?

3. Do you have error coming out of sleep state if nothing overclocked and at BIOS Optimized Defaults?

Try to understand why some users have this sleep/wake error crash and some don't.

I can reproduce this crash by lowering the RAM or the QPI/Vtt voltage though it can pass Prime, but instant crash waking up from sleep state.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> Here is a quick rundown of my system specs. I'll get my rig details filled out later today when I have some time. It's all new and my PSU shouldn't be having any issue with the TDP unless it's defective, which I doubt.
> Graphic Card
> 2X Asus HD7970 Direct CU II (Crossfire)
> Motherbaord:
> Asus Rampage IV Extreme
> *Motherboard BIOS Revision : BIOS 1101
> CPU:
> Intel Core i7-3930K (C2 Stepping)
> *CPU Speed : 3.2 Ghz
> CPU Cooler: Corsair H-100 (4x Cougar Vertex fans in push/pull config)
> PSU:
> Corsair AX1200
> Memory (RAM):
> Corsair CORSAIR DOMINATOR GT 16GB (Quad Channel Kit)
> *Memory Speed : DDR3 2133
> HDD:
> OS Drive: Corsair Force GT 120GB SSD
> Data Drive: WD Caviar Black 500GB
> Case:
> Corsair Obsidian 800D
> (3x 140MM Cougar Vortex Fans)
> (2x 120MM Cougar Vortex Fans)
> Operating System:
> Windows 7 Ultimate (All current Updates)


Zomg, you have a R4E and two DC2? Ya need to hotwire them up like now!!

Anyways, you should confirm that each slot you want to use actually works, and that you have not turned off any of the pcie slots. Thus run each card by itself in each slot, one at a time. If it's not an individual card, you need to confirm the pcie slots/mb is ok, then ya move onto power. AX1200 go bad too ya know, they're not perfect. Hell everything goes bad, specially them DC2's but that's a whole other topic.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Interesting. Could you confirm the followings?
> 
> 1. Is the RAM supported by motherboard BIOS or listed in QVL.
> 
> 2. What is the RAM speed, timing, sub-timing and the voltages (nevermind what stress tests the settings passed - it doesn't matter)? How it was set in BIOS?
> 
> 3. Do you have error coming out of sleep state if nothing overclocked and at BIOS Optimized Defaults?
> 
> Try to understand why some users have this sleep/wake error crash and some don't.
> 
> I can reproduce this crash by lowering the RAM or the QPI/Vtt voltage though it can pass Prime, but instant crash waking up from sleep state.


Samsungs 8gb, not in qvl, running a bit overclocked, 1600 ---> 2133 10/10/10/28/[email protected], everything else voltage wise is auto, PLL disabled, not auto, cpu is [email protected] Literally, it is auto on vccio, etc. Most everything is default, however I shutdown all unnecessary things like serial port/nics/ext sata/etc, etc. Come to think of it, it's always worked that is the complete shutdown on Tahitti, shrugs. It worked with 3 visionteks, and it works with my current array 1 sapph/2 xfx be.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Have both. Works fine.
> That is with the drivers from the 7th, though. Haven't tried the new ones from the 19th yet.
> For what it is worth, though, I have been lucky, the only thing I have had an issue with was when my monitors would sleep, and it was only when I had unofficial overclocking in AB. Oh, and one time I saw my cursor turn to squiggly lines for about 30 seconds on one of my monitors in eyefinity, like another poster in this thread.


very strange. I was on that driver in eyefinity and bought, downloaded, and installed BF3 using that driver, tried to open it and it wouldn't launch. I have seen the weird cursor too but it will only show on one screen. As soon as I would move to the other it would be fine.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> very strange. I was on that driver in eyefinity and bought, downloaded, and installed BF3 using that driver, tried to open it and it wouldn't launch. I have seen the weird cursor too but it will only show on one screen. As soon as I would move to the other it would be fine.


DX11 bug with that driver here too. BF3 would auto hand on load.


----------



## wirefox

looking to buy another EK block ...

Frozen CPU (CC,PP etc) versus EK direct (PP only)

- shipping to US ...

Frozen is a bit cheaper and I think they are located in US so may ship faster...

EK direct is a bit more cash (not really a big deal just on principle) -- My thoughts are since the blocks had thouse quality control issues where the capacitor was touching the block ? ... would it make sense to buy direct EK versus through frozencpu? considering EK would likely ship the better/beveled cards?

am I over thinking it ?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I have seen the weird cursor too but it will only show on one screen. As soon as I would move to the other it would be fine.


I have had that on EVERY driver. Bizzare, but for me, the fix is to move *slowly* from one screen to another and thats it, gone.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Interesting. Could you confirm the followings?
> 
> 1. Is the RAM supported by motherboard BIOS or listed in QVL.
> 
> 2. What is the RAM speed, timing, sub-timing and the voltages (nevermind what stress tests the settings passed - it doesn't matter)? How it was set in BIOS?
> 
> 3. Do you have error coming out of sleep state if nothing overclocked and at BIOS Optimized Defaults?
> 
> Try to understand why some users have this sleep/wake error crash and some don't.
> 
> I can reproduce this crash by lowering the RAM or the QPI/Vtt voltage though it can pass Prime, but instant crash waking up from sleep state.
> 
> 
> 
> Samsungs 8gb, not in qvl, running a bit overclocked, 1600 ---> 2133 10/10/10/28/[email protected], everything else voltage wise is auto, PLL disabled, not auto, cpu is [email protected] Literally, it is auto on vccio, etc. Most everything is default, however I shutdown all unnecessary things like serial port/nics/ext sata/etc, etc. Come to think of it, it's always worked that is the complete shutdown on Tahitti, shrugs. It worked with 3 visionteks, and it works with my current array 1 sapph/2 xfx be.
Click to expand...

Yep. Just to confirm it's not related to drivers or softwares. Can not reproduce the issue with combination of drivers and third party app tweak but only voltages will result in BSOD/crash.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> looking to buy another EK block ...
> Frozen CPU (CC,PP etc) versus EK direct (PP only)
> - shipping to US ...
> Frozen is a bit cheaper and I think they are located in US so may ship faster...
> EK direct is a bit more cash (not really a big deal just on principle) -- My thoughts are since the blocks had thouse quality control issues where the capacitor was touching the block ? ... would it make sense to buy direct EK versus through frozencpu? considering EK would likely ship the better/beveled cards?
> am I over thinking it ?


Just know, it's not a quality control issue, some of the AMD partners started using different capacitors, and one is about 1mm taller. The PCB is still the same layout, but the capacitors just are different heights. EK responded to this super-fast, and is notching all the blocks made for the tall capacitor post Feb 25. So any block made after Feb 25 won't have an issue. Also, as far as I am aware, PowerColor is the only one doing this (MSI maybe, too?), but I could be mistaken--I have one of these PowerColors. Performs well, but just has that blasted tall capacitor lol.

Also, I had asked frozencpu about this last week, they are aware and have put a note on the description of the blocks. If you are worried call the order in, that's what they told me to do. I just put in a order for a 7970 block last night and simply put in a note saying I wanted one with the notch for the taller capacitor. I am going to call here in a bit just to make sure they got the note, but unless it's old stock (prior to Feb 25), they should only have the revised blocks anyways.

In regard to FrozenCPU themselves: I have had great luck with frozencpu (they are located in East Rochester, New York), they've shipped every one of my orders the same day (if I order before their cut off), and I am quite certain I am over 2k worth of orders (various watercooling goodies) within the last 12 months. Just thought I would put in my







, I really like that shop. In fact, I will wait for something to come back in stock at frozen, rather than order from somewhere else...and I am impatient lol, so that's saying something.









Hope this helps.


----------



## ryanhaver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Zomg, you have a R4E and two DC2? Ya need to hotwire them up like now!!
> Anyways, you should confirm that each slot you want to use actually works, and that you have not turned off any of the pcie slots. Thus run each card by itself in each slot, one at a time. If it's not an individual card, you need to confirm the pcie slots/mb is ok, then ya move onto power. AX1200 go bad too ya know, they're not perfect. Hell everything goes bad, specially them DC2's but that's a whole other topic.


I've been thinking about hotwiring them, I just might when I get this issue fixed. My first DC2 died on me within minutes, others have had the issue to. I think there was a manufacturing defect with the mounting of the cooler and heatsink. These have both been working great, out of crossfire. I have tried them both independently in their respective PCI-E slots. What I did was disable each slot and use each card on it's own. I did not switch slots at all, I could try that but I don't see what that would do if they both work as stand alone cards in their own PCI-E slots.

I 'm not sure that its the PSU, I think it might be more of a software issue because I've run the Heaven DX11 Benchmark in windowed mode at 2560x1424 with all settings all the way up and benchmarked it 4 times with no issues (after every benchmark i closed Heaven and reopened it to run the benchmark). I've also run a few games in fullscreen with DX9 support instead of DX11 and they ran without incident. The issue only every occurs when and DX11 application/game is launched in fullscreen. Once I get past any menus and the game itself is started that's when my system crashes, but I don't get a BSOD. It will freeze whatever is on screen and the audio will loop/skip it's last second and my system will become completely unresponsive. I've actually launched a game and minimized it, then after knowing the game was fully loaded, maximized it only to have the same issue.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> I've been thinking about hotwiring them, I just might when I get this issue fixed. My first DC2 died on me within minutes, others have had the issue to. I think there was a manufacturing defect with the mounting of the cooler and heatsink. These have both been working great, out of crossfire. I have tried them both independently in their respective PCI-E slots. What I did was disable each slot and use each card on it's own. I did not switch slots at all, I could try that but I don't see what that would do if they both work as stand alone cards in their own PCI-E slots.
> I 'm not sure that its the PSU, I think it might be more of a software issue because I've run the Heaven DX11 Benchmark in windowed mode at 2560x1424 with all settings all the way up and benchmarked it 4 times with no issues (after every benchmark i closed Heaven and reopened it to run the benchmark). *I've also run a few games in fullscreen with DX9 support instead of DX11 and they ran without incident. The issue only every occurs when and DX11 application/game is launched in fullscreen.* Once I get past any menus and the game itself is started that's when my system crashes, but I don't get a BSOD. It will freeze whatever is on screen and the audio will loop/skip it's last second and my system will become completely unresponsive. I've actually launched a game and minimized it, then after knowing the game was fully loaded, maximized it only to have the same issue.


This is tell-tale driver issue. Are you on the 12.2?


----------



## Hambone07si

I also am a loyal customer of FrozenCpu. They have never done me wrong and I always order my watercooling parts from them. I'm waiting for them to get stock on the EK Acetal/copper block so I can cool my 2nd card.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Just know, it's not a quality control issue, some of the AMD partners started using different capacitors, and one is about 1mm taller. The PCB is still the same layout, but the capacitors just are different heights. EK responded to this super-fast, and is notching all the blocks made for the tall capacitor post Feb 25. So any block made after Feb 25 won't have an issue. Also, as far as I am aware, PowerColor is the only one doing this (MSI maybe, too?), but I could be mistaken--I have one of these PowerColors. Performs well, but just has that blasted tall capacitor lol.
> Also, I had asked frozencpu about this last week, they are aware and have put a note on the description of the blocks. If you are worried call the order in, that's what they told me to do. I just put in a order for a 7970 block last night and simply put in a note saying I wanted one with the notch for the taller capacitor. I am going to call here in a bit just to make sure they got the note, but unless it's old stock (prior to Feb 25), they should only have the revised blocks anyways.
> In regard to FrozenCPU themselves: I have had great luck with frozencpu (they are located in East Rochester, New York), they've shipped every one of my orders the same day (if I order before their cut off), and I am quite certain I am over 2k worth of orders (various watercooling goodies) within the last 12 months. Just thought I would put in my
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , I really like that shop. In fact, I will wait for something to come back in stock at frozen, rather than order from somewhere else...and I am impatient lol, so that's saying something.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope this helps.


+1 ... I've used frozen cpu in the past... and my new 7970 is a sapphire ... so I think I'll buy from FCPU again.


----------



## ryanhaver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is tell-tale driver issue. Are you on the 12.2?


i tried it last night on CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11, then updated to whatever was most current before yesterdays CCC 8.95.5 got posted, both had the issue. I'll try CCC 8.95.5, but can't test it until after work.


----------



## hamzta09

So Im returning my 7950 cause I keep getting freezes when PC has been idle for hours.

I cant do anything at all other than move the mouse, backgrounds are black, I cant see the startmenu other than the Icon, but I cant click it.
And I can see the previous windows I had open, but cant interact with anything.
((Not to forget the Mousepointer bug is back))

Good Job AMD.

Quick reply doesnt work?


----------



## Hambone07si

Sorry about your luck there hamzta09. You can't seem to fix it?


----------



## ProgenitorX

Hello! Hopefully I'll be joining this club soon. However, I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on which manufacturer to go with. I haven't had much experience with any in the past to know their ups and downs. I've been waiting to see if that XFX DD Radeon HD 7970 BE gets stocked on NewEgg since I don't need the card any time soon, but I was hoping to learn more about the quality of components XFX and other manufacturer's use. Feel free to PM me with any advice. Here's to hopping I join soon! Thanks!

*Edit:* Does XFX still have their lifetime warranty for their 7970s (mainly the DD BE)? I hear some people say it's been removed and now is only 2-year but others say once you register the card you upgrade from 2-year to lifetime. Also, I ran out of PMs for the day so pardon me if I don't reply.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm using a Diamond and a Visiontek. Both are playing well with no issues other that they whine a bit if overclocked like crazy. My VisionTek shows lifetime warranty on the box. My Diamond has 5yr limited.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> i tried it last night on CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11, then updated to whatever was most current before yesterdays CCC 8.95.5 got posted, both had the issue. I'll try CCC 8.95.5, but can't test it until after work.


Don't bother with 8.95.5, its crash city. I have not been able to get the lastest beta to run anything but Heaven. BF3 crashes, Crysis 2 crashes, Dirt 3 crashes, stock or overclocked. What the hell AMD?


----------



## NeoandGeo

On Guru3D I have heard almost nothing but praise for the set. :/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> On Guru3D I have heard almost nothing but praise for the set. :/


I've no idea what they're doing, but this is just straight crash BSOD 116, with CAPS or w/o. With AB on or w/o. Btw, eyefinity 2.1 features still broke, center start button does not auto enable (have to manully right click to open catalyst before it enables), well at least this driver it still works. 12.2 would stop centering after the next boot. I'm getting tired of these driver updates.


----------



## derfer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> So Im returning my 7950 cause I keep getting freezes when PC has been idle for hours.
> I cant do anything at all other than move the mouse, backgrounds are black, I cant see the startmenu other than the Icon, but I cant click it.
> And I can see the previous windows I had open, but cant interact with anything.
> ((Not to forget the Mousepointer bug is back))
> Good Job AMD.
> Quick reply doesnt work?


Did you try the new beta? or fiddling with powerplay through afterburner?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NeoandGeo*
> 
> On Guru3D I have heard almost nothing but praise for the set. :/


Think the problem is everyone is testing these drivers to fix various issues on all cards and rarely stating exactly what their card setup is. Would help a lot if everyone would post their exact card, whether it's in crossfire or not, etc... so you know if that driver might help with your issues.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Still have the idle issues with the new drivers.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> I've been thinking about hotwiring them, I just might when I get this issue fixed. My first DC2 died on me within minutes, others have had the issue to. I think there was a manufacturing defect with the mounting of the cooler and heatsink. These have both been working great, out of crossfire. I have tried them both independently in their respective PCI-E slots. What I did was disable each slot and use each card on it's own. I did not switch slots at all, I could try that but I don't see what that would do if they both work as stand alone cards in their own PCI-E slots.
> I 'm not sure that its the PSU, I think it might be more of a software issue because I've run the Heaven DX11 Benchmark in windowed mode at 2560x1424 with all settings all the way up and benchmarked it 4 times with no issues (after every benchmark i closed Heaven and reopened it to run the benchmark). I've also run a few games in fullscreen with DX9 support instead of DX11 and they ran without incident. The issue only every occurs when and DX11 application/game is launched in fullscreen. Once I get past any menus and the game itself is started that's when my system crashes, but I don't get a BSOD. It will freeze whatever is on screen and the audio will loop/skip it's last second and my system will become completely unresponsive. I've actually launched a game and minimized it, then after knowing the game was fully loaded, maximized it only to have the same issue.


Definitely sounds like a driver issue. Try running ATIman and reinstalling RC11 totally fresh, I made the mistake of not doing that initially and it took me ages to get my card setup.


----------



## firestorm1

what do you guys have your power limit set to in the power control properties? mine is still at 0%. would it be beneficial to rais it even though i havent noticed any throttling? my oc is 1125/1575


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> what do you guys have your power limit set to in the power control properties? mine is still at 0%. would it be beneficial to rais it even though i havent noticed any throttling? my oc is 1125/1575


Yes...
If the game stresses the card just enough, it will throttle the card.
So it's best in my opinion to just have it set to +20%.


----------



## firestorm1

ok. thanks.


----------



## Hambone07si

^^AGREED


----------



## tsm106

Ok, I gave these 8.955 another shot and they still suck.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> looking to buy another EK block ...
> Frozen CPU (CC,PP etc) versus EK direct (PP only)
> - shipping to US ...
> Frozen is a bit cheaper and I think they are located in US so may ship faster...
> EK direct is a bit more cash (not really a big deal just on principle) -- My thoughts are since the blocks had thouse quality control issues where the capacitor was touching the block ? ... would it make sense to buy direct EK versus through frozencpu? considering EK would likely ship the better/beveled cards?
> am I over thinking it ?


You're not overthinking it at all. This was cause for alarm from many users. EK has stated that all stock they've made since Feb 25 has been altered. It is still possible the Frozen or PPCs still have some left of the old ones, but I doubt it.

Honestly, when you factor in that the blocks are about $20 less from EK themselves with increased shipping cost, its about the same and they ship 3 day worldwide.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bigm*
> 
> OK bored of xp now..any way to get a 7970 working on Win8 since there's no drivers yet?


No one ever answered you, so I figured I would









Theoretically, the Win7 drivers would work, but its probably going to be more hassle than its worth. Since Windows 8 is built on the same framework (IIRC, someone correct me if I'm wrong) it should work fine. If it gives you hassles of not being Win 7 or failing during install, try running in compatibility mode and run as an administrator. Report your findings if you do try this


----------



## tsm106

Back on rc11, crysis 2 loads, no crashes. Damn you AMD.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> No one ever answered you, so I figured I would
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Theoretically, the Win7 drivers would work, but its probably going to be more hassle than its worth. Since Windows 8 is built on the same framework (IIRC, someone correct me if I'm wrong) it should work fine. If it gives you hassles of not being Win 7 or failing during install, try running in compatibility mode and run as an administrator. Report your findings if you do try this


No official support but the 7000m...?.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Windows8ConsumerPreviewDrivers.aspx


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Back on rc11, crysis 2 loads, no crashes. Damn you AMD.
> No official support but the 7000m...?.
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/Windows8ConsumerPreviewDrivers.aspx


No support for 7000 series (only mobile)









"Please note: A future AMD Catalyst Windows 8 driver release that adds support for the AMD Radeon™ HD 7900 Series, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series is planned for the coming weeks."


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Bizzare isnt it. 8.95.5 are the best for my setup without a doubt. And they have fixed skyrim and Alan Wake too!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Bizzare isnt it. 8.95.5 are the best for my setup without a doubt. And they have fixed skyrim and Alan Wake too!


have you tried running any dx11 games?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> have you tried running any dx11 games?


To be honest, I am not sure what is and isnt, but I have tried:


BF3
SkyRim (used to CTD in eyefinity)
Alan Wake (Used to CTD in any config)
Mass Effect 3
Batman (Used to BSOD 116)
NFS shift
Driver - The run
Crysis 2
Syndicate
F1 2011
Other than that, have been benchmarking all night with HW bot, it ran all the 3Dmark 11 benches perfectly and tweaked my scores up a couple of hundred points on each test bar basic, which was lower for some reason. :?.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> have you tried running any dx11 games?


quite a few. lost planet 2, fear 3, da2, deus ex: hr, crysis 2 and bf3 work fine with this new beta driver. it seems _most_ of the issues ive read about with this driver is coming from people with 2 or 3 cards. although i have seen a few people using single cards say they have problems, but no where near the ammount compared to the latter.

its a beta though. i dont expect it to be 100% bug free anyways.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> it seems _most_ of the issues ive read about with this driver is coming from people with 2 or 3 cards.


I have 3.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> To be honest, I am not sure what is and isnt, but I have tried:
> 
> BF3
> SkyRim (used to CTD in eyefinity)
> Alan Wake (Used to CTD in any config)
> Mass Effect 3
> Batman (Used to BSOD 116)
> NFS shift
> Driver - The run
> Crysis 2
> Syndicate
> *F1 2011*
> Other than that, have been benchmarking all night with HW bot, it ran all the 3Dmark 11 benches perfectly and tweaked my scores up a couple of hundred points on each test bar basic, which was lower for some reason. :?.


Ah that reminds me I need to switch out the worn switches in my oldschool Momo, the red metal one. I had digikey make me a whole new set of potentiometers for all three, steering, brake, gas.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> quite a few. lost planet 2, fear 3, da2, deus ex: hr, crysis 2 and bf3 work fine with this new beta driver. it seems _most_ of the issues ive read about with this driver is coming from people with 2 or 3 cards. although i have seen a few people using single cards say they have problems, but no where near the ammount compared to the latter.
> its a beta though. i dont expect it to be 100% bug free anyways.


I've no idea what's up with the drivers. They keep releasing new versions that are completely broken for a whole lot of us. Something is up, but what? Another oddity is that my rig has no problems with zerocore and suspend, yet it won't run any current driver. Shrugs...


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> I have 3.


i know, thats why i added *most* to my statement. there are some with multiple cards that are having no issues at all.


----------



## Ottesen

Guys the hole thing with drivers seems so random, everybody has different/same problems with different or same drivers... I had EVERY fu**** problem in the start, with all combos and drivers, but now suddenly everything works just fine... And now i'm using 12.2/12.3 which so many have problems with... Hopefully newer drivers come soon, they are right around the corner arn't they ?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

The new 8.95.5 work good now i can play alan wake and alot other games with not half as much probs also it seems i can do the mex oc in ccc now no prob no crashes .


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> i know, thats why i added *most* to my statement. there are some with multiple cards that are having no issues at all.


I know mate, sorry, the clarification was for people reading who dont know what I have. For me, this drivers fixed my problems for 3x 7970's


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> I know mate, sorry, the clarification was for people reading who dont know what I have. For me, this drivers fixed my problems for 3x 7970's


Same here bro fixed my trifire so that makes 2 so far


----------



## svthomas

8.955 crashed during installation and locked up my machine. Windows no longer boots... YAY, now I get to fix it. Not impressed. SOOO glad I just spent $560 bucks to ruin an evening. Thanks AMD.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> 8.955 crashed during installation and locked up my machine. Windows no longer boots... YAY, now I get to fix it. Not impressed. SOOO glad I just spent $560 bucks to ruin an evening. Thanks AMD.


My card was $800, took me days to get it working. I know that feel :/


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Oh and btw I want some folks opinions . Should I get a 4th 7970 or sell the 3 I have and get 2 7990s ? My motherboard will support 4 gpus I have 8 pci e slots but I was thinking if i go water later it will be cheaper in water blocks for 2 7990 water blocks. Will performance but much worse if I went with 2 7990s cause i know the gpu and mem on them will be lower.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> I know mate, sorry, the clarification was for people reading who dont know what I have. For me, this drivers fixed my problems for 3x 7970's


its cool. no need to apologize.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> 8.955 crashed during installation and locked up my machine. Windows no longer boots... YAY, now I get to fix it. Not impressed. SOOO glad I just spent $560 bucks to ruin an evening. Thanks AMD.


Damn why is everyone having probs with this driver your either not getting completely rid of old drivers or have a bad card somehow .


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> 8.955 crashed during installation and locked up my machine. Windows no longer boots... YAY, now I get to fix it. Not impressed. SOOO glad I just spent $560 bucks to ruin an evening. Thanks AMD.


They are preview drivers...
You didn't try to install these drivers over the old ones..?
Must be a "fresh" installation.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> My card was $800, took me days to get it working. I know that feel :/


Goddamn where do you live $800 for a 7970 that will prob get a 7990 when its out here.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Oh and btw I want some folks opinions . Should I get a 4th 7970 or sell the 3 I have and get 2 7990s ? My motherboard will support 4 gpus I have 8 pci e slots but I was thinking if i go water later it will be cheaper in water blocks for 2 7990 water blocks. Will performance but much worse if I went with 2 7990s cause i know the gpu and mem on them will be lower.


Why 4 GPUs? The scaling is horrible and not worth the investment. You would be better off with just the 3 7970s or a 7970 + 7990 (would still save some money on blocks).

The only time I recommend 4 GPU+ is if you fold or similar.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Goddamn where do you live $800 for a 7970 that will prob get a 7990 when its out here.


More than likely Australia.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> They are preview drivers...
> You didn't try to install these drivers over the old ones..?
> Must be a "fresh" installation.


Yeah bro folks must not be doing a fresh install . They work real good for me .


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> They are preview drivers...
> You didn't try to install these drivers over the old ones..?
> Must be a "fresh" installation.


No, all drivers were removed with atiman.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Yeah bro folks must not be doing a fresh install . They work real good for me .


It's simply bad software.

The only thing left to determine is how much time I will give this bad software until I RMA the second card and sell the other. Nvidia may have a new customer.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Why 4 GPUs? The scaling is horrible and not worth the investment. You would be better off with just the 3 7970s or a 7970 + 7990 (would still save some money on blocks).
> The only time I recommend 4 GPU+ is if you fold or similar.
> More than likely Australia.


Hell I really dont know what the scaling is like i came from 2 5970s to 2 6990s and now three 7970s but befor the 5970s I
had 2 asus matrix 5870s that I paied alot of money for that could not overclock worth a damn .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> No, all drivers were removed with atiman.
> It's simply bad software.
> The only thing left to determine is how much time I will give this bad software until I RMA the second card and sell the other. Nvidia may have a new customer.


Well i do understand what your talking about awhile back in this fourm i was pretty pissed off with the drivers myself and said i was gonna swap to nvidia still might if it smashes the cards i have now like the bench marks im seeing







but thes drivers are working real good for me now.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Goddamn where do you live $800 for a 7970 that will prob get a 7990 when its out here.


Australia + nonref card









Our prices suck and our dollar is really strong, makes no sense whatsoever.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> No, all drivers were removed with atiman.
> It's simply bad software.
> The only thing left to determine is how much time I will give this bad software until I RMA the second card and sell the other. Nvidia may have a new customer.


All I can suggest is to give it another go.









AMD still has kinks to work out.
Like the Zero-Core idle non-responsive issues I'm still having.
It's annoying as hell.


----------



## DrJns

Can I join?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> All I can suggest is to give it another go.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD still has kinks to work out.
> Like the Zero-Core idle non-responsive issues I'm still having.
> It's annoying as hell.


Finally got Windows to boot--yay for safemode + driver sweeper lol... Running atiman to try and clean up anything left, and I shall try again, lol. /crosses_fingers

Thank god I have OCN to keep me sane while I do this









**update** Now it Bluescreened during installation of 12.2 Getting a bit pissed.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Hell I really dont know what the scaling is like i came from 2 5970s to 2 6990s and now three 7970s but befor the 5970s I
> had 2 asus matrix 5870s that I paied alot of money for that could not overclock worth a damn .


Stick with the three 7970s unless you EyeFinity at 7680x1600, even then I don't know if the scaling is worth it.

It actually can hurt your FPS if you go from 3 to 4 GPUs, lol.


----------



## wireeater

My 7950 EK blocks left LJUBLJANA - SLOVENIA today, LOL. 3 day shipping, so hopefully that means Friday which hopefully means the stuff from performance PC and Jab Tech will be here before then too so I can use the weekend to build the loop.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I am loving this HD 7970 so far. Had it @ 1125/1575 @ 1.175v (Stock Voltage) With Auto fan profile it hit ~ 80C in BF3 with fan ~ 46%. Now i have it @ 1.125v and it still stable. My Temps are 4C down and fan is @ 41%. First card that can Overclock and Under-volt this much.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> My 7950 EK blocks left LJUBLJANA - SLOVENIA today, LOL. 3 day shipping, so hopefully that means Friday which hopefully means the stuff from performance PC and Jab Tech will be here before then too so I can use the weekend to build the loop.


DAMN YOU! I wanted to be the first with 7950 crossfire watercooled







I shouldn't have told you about the block incompatibility


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> DAMN YOU! I wanted to be the first with 7950 crossfire watercooled
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I shouldn't have told you about the block incompatibility


Why haven't you ordered? They have been on there for a week now. Now these are for the REF cards but the 2 I have are compatible.

Weren't you waiting for a different block?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Why haven't you ordered? They have been on there for a week now. Now these are for the REF cards but the 2 I have are compatible.
> Weren't you waiting for a different block?


I have to wait for the backplates to come in stock :/ All of the 7950 cards are the same, just not true "reference." I've been waiting since January for the blocks, lmao.


----------



## ryanhaver

So I tried a fresh install with CCC 8.95.5 and still same issues. Then I took another SSD I had on hand installed windows 7 and ran all the updates, proceeded to install CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11 on the virgin install of Windows 7. Still having the same issues. this is just insane I think I might RMA both of my DC2s and just get two GTX 680s this week. I am extremely frustrated with these trashy drivers.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> So I tried a fresh install with CCC 8.95.5 and still same issues. Then I took another SSD I had on hand installed windows 7 and ran all the updates, proceeded to install CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11 on the virgin install of Windows 7. Still having the same issues. this is just insane I think I might RMA both of my DC2s and just get two GTX 680s this week. I am extremely frustrated with these trashy drivers.


Honestly, it sounds like you have system issues or you have no clue what you're doing?

I've had my 7970 since launch and have tried about 7 drivers around 20 times and haven't needed to re-install Windows once.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Honestly, it sounds like you have system issues or you have no clue what you're doing?
> I've had my 7970 since launch and have tried about 7 drivers around 20 times and haven't needed to re-install Windows once.


This has been said before.

Just because it works for you and you haven't had issues, does not mean it works for everyone.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Finally got Windows to boot--yay for safemode + driver sweeper lol... Running atiman to try and clean up anything left, and I shall try again, lol. /crosses_fingers
> Thank god I have OCN to keep me sane while I do this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> **update** Now it Bluescreened during installation of 12.2 Getting a bit pissed.


Is the bsod even with a fresh install of windows ?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> So I tried a fresh install with CCC 8.95.5 and still same issues. Then I took another SSD I had on hand installed windows 7 and ran all the updates, proceeded to install CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11 on the virgin install of Windows 7. Still having the same issues. this is just insane I think I might RMA both of my DC2s and just get two GTX 680s this week. I am extremely frustrated with these trashy drivers.


Think I am going to do the same. RMA the card I got today and sell the PowerColor. This is unacceptable. Shame on AMD.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Think I am going to do the same. RMA the card I got today and sell the PowerColor. This is unacceptable. Shame on AMD.


You must just have a bad card or somthing is not running stable on your setup . I really dont understand how no driver so far can not work for you thats wired. I'm thinking somthing is not stable or setup right or bad card its one of them. If you do a rma the wise thing to do would be to get a GTX680 it will be cheaper and faster in almost everything.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> You must just have a bad card or somthing is not running stable on your setup . I really dont understand how no driver so far can not work for you thats wired. I'm thinking somthing is not stable or setup right .


Each card works fine, I am just going to stop posting here.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Honestly, it sounds like you have system issues or you have no clue what you're doing?
> I've had my 7970 since launch and have tried about 7 drivers around 20 times and haven't needed to re-install Windows once.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> This has been said before.
> Just because it works for you and you haven't had issues, does not mean it works for everyone.


What TheJesus said, and also, the DCIIs are pretty finicky


----------



## ryanhaver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Honestly, it sounds like you have system issues or you have no clue what you're doing?
> I've had my 7970 since launch and have tried about 7 drivers around 20 times and haven't needed to re-install Windows once.


Do you even know what the problem is with my DC2s?

I didn't re-install windows. Did I say anything about a re-install? I had a spare drive that I tried a fresh install of windows on, because I thought that perhaps my install of windows could be the source of my issues. Just because your installation of windows hasn't given you problems doesn't mean that someone else can't have an issue with theirs. I don't think you even know a thing about the issue at hand. Is it customary for you to blindly comment and insult people by telling them they have no idea what they are doing? If you'd like to give criticism then at least make an attempt to understand what's actually going on before you chime in.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Honestly, it sounds like you have system issues or you have no clue what you're doing?
> I've had my 7970 since launch and have tried about 7 drivers around 20 times and haven't needed to re-install Windows once.


Same here dude I go through the hard drive and registry and delete everything myself I see amd/ati then run 2 registry cleaners and run driver sweeper jus to see if i did not get everything and i look in device manager and delete old leftover stuff in there I have not installed windows but 1 time and i have installed many drivers on this os im running now im talking maybe 14 or so installes of drivers trying to find the best one . This 8.95.5 is the best so far.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

BTW folks It seems I can oc higher with lower voltage now, if you did not see my post further up. With the 12.2 I would bsod even with a slight oc like 1ghz now I can oc yay . Crysis 2 and Metro 2033 are smoth as silk with a 1035mhz core on all 3 cards. With 12.2 I could not even think of that.


----------



## firestorm1

i figured after this long it might be a good idea to add myself to the list and post some pics.







.


----------



## Derek1387

I am having problems only in BF3 with "This display driver has crashed and has recovered."

I am sick of this. Cant play more than 20 minutes of BF3 without freezing and crashing. Have tried all the drivers since release... and it gets better, then gets worse, then better, then worse.

I have tried stock clocks, and OC'd....


----------



## wireeater

I like when people say "oh it must just be you and how you're doing it because mine have been perfect for EVAARRR" as if you are some technical driver installing genius. No, it has to do with everyone having different hardware setups and a lot of things to factor in that just cause instability with these drivers and it's not user related, it's coder related.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> i figured after this long it might be a good idea to add myself to the list and post some pics.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Damn that is long.

Got my rig back on rc11. Just played some BF3 on three screens. It's nice having an operable rig again lol.


----------



## firestorm1

yea man. when i had it in my half x, there was literally a 2 finger gap between the end of that cooler and the side of the hdd cage.


----------



## Daffie82

Hi Guys

Seems my clocks of 1175 core and 1580 of memory for my sapphire HD7950 OC edition are not as stable as I thought...
Despite running benches in Heaven and Furmark I get ''driver not responding and has recovered'' after gaming for a while in Batman : AA

I am running at 1175 volt and default voltage for the memory.

What would you guys suggest? Just try running abit lower (lets say : 1150 core and 1550 memory) or upping the voltage a little more?

I am getting low 70 degrees in Furmark, low 60 degrees in Heaven at 1175 voltage.

Thanks for your advice !


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hi Guys
> Seems my clocks of 1175 core and 1580 of memory for my sapphire HD7950 OC edition are not as stable as I thought...
> Despite running benches in Heaven and Furmark I get ''driver not responding and has recovered'' after gaming for a while in Batman : AA
> I am running at 1175 volt and default voltage for the memory.
> What would you guys suggest? Just try running abit lower (lets say : 1150 core and 1550 memory) or upping the voltage a little more?
> I am getting low 70 degrees in Furmark, low 60 degrees in Heaven at 1175 voltage.
> Thanks for your advice !


You've got some wiggle room there dude, I reckon bump the voltage to 1.181v.


----------



## firestorm1

bump the voltage up and stop using furmark to test your card.


----------



## WiL11o6

I've been an Nvidia owner since Riva TNT2 and the 7970 is my first AMD card. I've heard people with problems with AMD drivers and they are not up to par with Nvidia's. I was a nonbeliever as Nvidia's drivers were always so smooth and I would think it's just user error with AMD's drivers since why would they release something that is unstable and doesn't work? Especially for $550?

Picked up my 7970 during launch and expected it to run flawlessly because I thought people were just idiots and couldn't do a clean enough driver install. Turns out, I was one of those idiots. It took me a good 2-3 days and much headaches to get it working. I tried multiple fresh installs, went through every variable and it didn't work. On my final attempt before I throw my card against the wall, I did what I normally did. Fresh install of Windows for the 100th time and it worked! How? No idea. I haven't touched it ever since. It's running on the Jan 9th drivers, which I think are the RC11s?

Yes the drivers do work and I am happy now, but when this thread is near 700 pages, 300 pages are about drivers, something is wrong AMD! Not everyone is willing to spend hours troubleshooting their cards to get it to work. I am sure Nvidia drivers have problems too, but at a much lesser scale of AMDs. At first I thought people were just blowing up AMD driver problems out of proportions but they have a reason to.

Make your drivers better for us idiots who want to plug in card, install drivers, and play games! Not plug in card, install drivers, BSOD!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> bump the voltage up and stop using furmark to test your card.


I am only using Furmark to see what my max temps will be, nothing more. I am using games to test stability as you can see from my post








But I will try upping voltage abit more like suggested here.
Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> I am going to be buying a 7950 to go with my 7970.
> Does anyone know what leads I need for my PSU, 2x 6pin to 2x molex or 2x 6pin to 1x molex ? (my PSU doesn't have extra 6pin leads)
> Rep for answers


Donno Focus but you should make sure that you have plenty of power to run 2 of these cards. I don't even think I could run 2 of these on my 800 watt PSU.


----------



## disintegratorx

Haven't got to read everything yet to see if these were mentioned, but ...







http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx - Tested with BF3 and they work for me very nicely.







Untnstalled everything and installed these drivers fresh. I think they're very nice drivers.







Oh damn, I didn't realise that these may not work with 1080p monitors. :/ Ahh just did a dirty install from the RC 11.12 to these and they work fine again. Working on a new 1080p monitor.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> 8.955 crashed during installation and locked up my machine. Windows no longer boots... YAY, now I get to fix it. Not impressed. SOOO glad I just spent $560 bucks to ruin an evening. Thanks AMD.


Same as, I did a complete W7 wipe. Guess what!? My windows still hangs at loading screen sometimes with crossfire enabled
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> They are preview drivers...
> You didn't try to install these drivers over the old ones..?
> Must be a "fresh" installation.


These drivers messed up my windows 7, had to reinstall. Now I have same issues I had with every other driver in xfire.


----------



## wireeater

I run 2 7950's on a 750watt without any issues, this includes O/C on the CPU cards. I guess the next test will be adding the water cooling to it.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Donno Focus but you should make sure that you have plenty of power to run 2 of these cards. I don't even think I could run 2 of these on my 800 watt PSU.


You can easily run crossfire 7970's on a good 850w psu like a Corsair TX850 HX850 or AX850. The 750w's don't have 4 pci connections and isn't recommended to use molex adapters. You will run into power issue's like that. I have my 7970's up to 1200/1600 with a 5.2ghz 2500k and water cooling and the most I've ever seen form my UPS was 765w.

I played about 3hrs of BF3 last night on RC11 in Eyefinity with Ultra settings and 4xAA(in CCC) and enabled Vsync this go around. FPS never dropped off of 60.1. Game looks so nice in eyefinity. Not 1 crash or problem at all.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Donno Focus but you should make sure that you have plenty of power to run 2 of these cards. I don't even think I could run 2 of these on my 800 watt PSU.


Thats bullocks, 800 watt is more than enough for these 2 cards.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Drivers are pretty terrible with HD 7970. Never had this much problems with ATi and i have been using them since HD 4850. Even HD 6990 had next to no problems. My main problem right now is that i cant install RC11 Drivers because they crashed on install. Also i get a lot o flickering in Windows. Drivers are changing 2D and 3D Clock for no reason.


----------



## Levesque

8.95.5 working fine for me: 3X30'' Eyefinity + 4X 7970 Quad-Fire.

Tried over 35 games since yesterday. No problems to report.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> 8.95.5 working fine for me: 3X30'' Eyefinity + 4X 7970 Quad-Fire.
> Tried over 35 games since yesterday. No problems to report.


What up Levesque? Glad to hear someone having luck. I haven't tried them yet myself. Can you launch BF3? Do you use AB for overclocking and if yes, do you enable Unofficial Overclocking Mode?

Thanks,
Hambone


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> 8.95.5 working fine for me: 3X30'' Eyefinity + 4X 7970 Quad-Fire.
> Tried over 35 games since yesterday. No problems to report.


No problem with games but with Windows here.


----------



## Daffie82

8.95.5 seem to be the best drivers for alot of people.
Finally a driver version that is worth upgrading to from RC11 ??


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You can easily run crossfire 7970's on a good 850w psu like a Corsair TX850 HX850 or AX850. The 750w's don't have 4 pci connections and isn't recommended to use molex adapters. You will run into power issue's like that. I have my 7970's up to 1200/1600 with a 5.2ghz 2500k and water cooling and the most I've ever seen form my UPS was 765w.
> I played about 3hrs of BF3 last night on RC11 in Eyefinity with Ultra settings and 4xAA(in CCC) and enabled Vsync this go around. FPS never dropped off of 60.1. Game looks so nice in eyefinity. Not 1 crash or problem at all.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 8.95.5 seem to be the best drivers for alot of people.
> Finally a driver version that is worth upgrading to from RC11 ??


If you can get them to work right just like all the other drivers then possibly.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 8.95.5 seem to be the best drivers for alot of people.
> Finally a driver version that is worth upgrading to from RC11 ??


DEFINATLY.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1231819/new-drivers-out-today-have-amd-finally-done-it-and-fixed-the-7970-issues/0_40#post_16767796


----------



## Daffie82

Is it possible that new drivers will alow a better overclock for my card? Or allow a lower voltage for the same clocks?

I am wondering this because I am still searching for my perfect stable OC.
And if I upgrade drivers now, there is a chance that I get more problems and I will have a difficult time finding out if problems occur from too high overclock or from the new drivers.

I have zero driver issues at the moment with RC11.
EDIT : only thing I get sometimes = ''driver stopped responding'' message, but as said earlier I think this is due to unstable OC.


----------



## svthomas

8.95.5 completely crashed a fresh install of Windows 7 x64 that had nothing more than Windows Updates and mobo drivers installed. I am talking Windows booting to a lonely blinking cursor, and here's the good part, the machine couldn't even boot into safemode without crashing! Did another full system wipe and 12.2 worked just fine. 12.2 seems to be my 'magic driver.' LOL I feel soooo special now that I know I have a 'magic driver.' OHH AMD, YOU IS SURE KNOWZ HOW TO PULL ON MY <3 STRINGZ. /swoon

I am not even mad anymore, now it's just funny.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> 8.95.5 completely crashed a fresh install of Windows 7 x64 that had nothing more than Windows Updates and mobo drivers installed. I am talking Windows booting to a lonely blinking cursor, and here's the good part, the machine couldn't even boot into safemode without crashing! Did another full system wipe and 12.2 worked just fine. 12.2 seems to be my 'magic driver.' LOL I feel soooo special now that I know I have a 'magic driver.' OHH AMD, YOU IS SURE KNOWZ HOW TO PULL ON MY <3 STRINGZ. /swoon
> I am not even mad anymore, now it's just funny.


Mine got stuck @ blinking cursor. I had to reset the computer and then i cant install them anymore. 12.2 also work fine for me but i have driver related problems with them not installation problems.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hi Guys
> Seems my clocks of 1175 core and 1580 of memory for my sapphire HD7950 OC edition are not as stable as I thought...
> Despite running benches in Heaven and Furmark I get ''driver not responding and has recovered'' after gaming for a while in Batman : AA
> I am running at 1175 volt and default voltage for the memory.
> What would you guys suggest? Just try running abit lower (lets say : 1150 core and 1550 memory) or upping the voltage a little more?
> I am getting low 70 degrees in Furmark, low 60 degrees in Heaven at 1175 voltage.
> Thanks for your advice !


You can raise the core some more but i would lower your memory speed or add some volts to the memory. Running the memory too far for too long is not advisable. At least with the core w when it crashes and you know you're absolute limit, but the memory could be artifacting the whole time and you wouldn't know it to the error correction algorithm.


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Donno Focus but you should make sure that you have plenty of power to run 2 of these cards. I don't even think I could run 2 of these on my 800 watt PSU.


Already sorted it.

Had my 7950 + 7970 both at 925/1375 up for a while now











Running it on the Corsair TX650 V2 with no problems

Although I did have a low leakage 7970 with a stock volt of 1.050mv that i have undervolted to 1.018 so far. I have also undervolted my 7950 0.012mv so far

Hopefully i can push the volts a little lower and i'll probably run at 960/1375 or something.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can raise the core some more but i would lower your memory speed or add some volts to the memory. Running the memory too far for too long is not advisable. At least with the core w when it crashes and you know you're absolute limit, but the memory could be artifacting the whole time and you wouldn't know it to the error correction algorithm.


Thanks for the tip +rep









With ''you can raise the core some more'' you mean the core voltage I presume?

I will try first by upping the core voltage a bit to 1.181v or something and lowering the memory to 1550 (-30 mhz).
If that runs fine I can try putting the core voltage back to 1.175v and see if that holds up while gaming.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the tip +rep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With ''you can raise the core some more'' you mean the core voltage I presume?
> I will try first by upping the core voltage a bit to 1.181v or something and lowering the memory to 1550 (-30 mhz).
> If that runs fine I can try putting the core voltage back to 1.175v and see if that holds up while gaming.


I would drop both down by 15-20mhz. See if it's stable with heaven then work my way back up incrementally. It's important to go up one small jump at a time and test each step of the way.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I would drop both down by 15-20mhz. See if it's stable with heaven then work my way back up incrementally. It's important to go up one small jump at a time and test each step of the way.


Thats the problem, with heaven benches my clocks are stable.
Its after some heavy gaming with Batman : AA that I get the ''driver stopped responding'' error. Thats why your explanation of the ram speed made alot of sense to me (due to the error correction etc).
I will leave the voltage as it is and adapt the cores to 1150 / 1550 (-25mhz and -30mhz)
After that I can try upping one at a time slightly to see how high I can get.


----------



## phillyd

I just got my Diamond 7970
i have a few questions...
what program should i use to OC it?
what should be my max voltage?
what should be the max temps?


----------



## tsm106

^^Read the OP.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thats the problem, with heaven benches my clocks are stable.
> Its after some heavy gaming with Batman : AA that I get the ''driver stopped responding'' error. Thats why your explanation of the ram speed made alot of sense to me (due to the error correction etc).
> I will leave the voltage as it is and adapt the cores to 1150 / 1550 (-25mhz and -30mhz)
> After that I can try upping one at a time slightly to see how high I can get.


What I mean is when you move clocks up, do one at a time. You are looking for the point where memory clock returns start to shrink. For ex. if you move mem clock up 5 mhz and you get 5pts in return, then you go up 5mhz more and you get back 2pts in return. That shrinking return is a sign of error correction working. At that point I would drop mem clock down a little bit for margin.

Once you've found your sweet spot, then try a game etc.


----------



## igrease

Can someone explain to me the top couple reasons for your card to never work again after overclocking? Nothing has happened to mine, I just want to know.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> What up Levesque? Glad to hear someone having luck. I haven't tried them yet myself. Can you launch BF3? Do you use AB for overclocking and if yes, do you enable Unofficial Overclocking Mode?
> Thanks,
> Hambone


I'm not using Afterburner. Too much problems and bugs for now. My 4X 7970 are at 1150/1600 on stock voltage. Not worth the aggravation for 100 more on the cores.









Probably the reason everything is working fine for me. Afterburner is not ready yet for the 7970 and AMD beta drivers... I'm still waiting a bit until Afterburner gets better and more stable before using it.

I never liked Afterburner anyway. Why can't AMD gives us voltage sliders and controls in CCC? It would be so much easier...









They could easily put this under an ''Advanced users'' tab or something.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> Can someone explain to me the top couple reasons for your card to never work again after overclocking? Nothing has happened to mine, I just want to know.


I would assume one of the biggest reason is people changing the voltages and blowing the capacitors. Other than that I don't think there is any other way of really breaking them. You change the volts, you risk killing the card.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I'm not using Afterburner. Too much problems and bugs for now. My 4X 7970 are at 1150/1600 on stock voltage. Not worth the aggravation for 100 more on the cores.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Probably the reason everything is working fine for me. Afterburner is not ready yet for the 7970 and AMD beta drivers... I'm still waiting a bit until Afterburner gets better and more stable before using it.


How are you getting those clocks? Modded bios?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> Can someone explain to me the top couple reasons for your card to never work again after overclocking? Nothing has happened to mine, I just want to know.


I don't understand your question? Overclocking in and of itself won't kill your card, but pushing your card too hard and too long can kill it. There's been a few Caymans, ie. 69xx that have died due to fried memory, vrms, too much voltage, etc. This is why Tahitti has such draconian OCP.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> How are you getting those clocks? Modded bios?


He's oldschool. Baggz's racerx I bet.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> How are you getting those clocks? Modded bios?


Latest Kingpin BIOS for Asus cards.


----------



## tsm106

Why you flash 4 but you no AB? Unwinder's fixed most of the annoyances in AB btw and you know I'm his number 1 fan as he calls it.


----------



## firestorm1

beta 15 works better than 14 and 12 did. thats for sure.


----------



## Jared2608

I'm thinking of a 7950. Seems to have plenty of grunt, and it's not totally out of my price range. Maybe the prices will come down after the GTX 680 launches, since everyone is saying it's going to destroy the 7970...

I've never overclocked a graphics card, I wanted to know if you up the clocks, but keep the volts stock, is there a lot of risk to your card? I know you can't go as far as you can when you up volts, I'm just wondering if it's safer at stock voltages.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> beta 15 works better than 14 and 12 did. thats for sure.


Yep the force fan update feature is great, finally no random fan changes.


----------



## jadenx2

what do you guys think of upgrading to a 7970 from crossfired 6870s?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> beta 15 works better than 14 and 12 did. thats for sure.


How does 15 differ from 14. 14 does everything perfect as well. I have had not 1 issue with it so far
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jadenx2*
> 
> what do you guys think of upgrading to a 7970 from crossfired 6870s?


I think you would love it. Way more power and smoothness of having 1 card over 2. My 2 7970's run pretty smooth, but not a smooth as just 1 did.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jared2608*
> 
> I'm thinking of a 7950. Seems to have plenty of grunt, and it's not totally out of my price range. Maybe the prices will come down after the GTX 680 launches, since everyone is saying it's going to destroy the 7970...
> I've never overclocked a graphics card, I wanted to know if you up the clocks, but keep the volts stock, is there a lot of risk to your card? I know you can't go as far as you can when you up volts, I'm just wondering if it's safer at stock voltages.


Better to have a little more volts and a stable overclock then a not so stable overclock on stock volts. Temps are the key. Keep them down and you'll be fine. Let them sore above 80-85c and you'll have some issues.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jadenx2*
> 
> what do you guys think of upgrading to a 7970 from crossfired 6870s?


I guess it depends what you need the upgrade for, are you short of vram in that setup? Are you getting 60 fps with all the settings you want and such? If not then yes I would try to sell that if you can and grab the new badboy in town lol.

Edit* Hambone, I think it's mostly for kepler support.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What I mean is when you move clocks up, do one at a time. You are looking for the point where memory clock returns start to shrink. For ex. if you move mem clock up 5 mhz and you get 5pts in return, then you go up 5mhz more and you get back 2pts in return. That shrinking return is a sign of error correction working. At that point I would drop mem clock down a little bit for margin.
> Once you've found your sweet spot, then try a game etc.


What do you mean with points? Results in benchmarks like Heaven I guess?
Will try your suggestion, good tip


----------



## Hambone07si

Agreed with TSM there. That's why I don't go so far with my memory clocks. If I have a clock of 1200/1500 and get say 56.3fps in heaven, and with 1200/1600 I get 56.5fps, that's not even worth pushing the memory to 1600 for such a small gain. If you find that 1600 would get you too 58fps+, then it may be worth it. I myself like to start with the core and move up until noticeable gains are lost or unstable clock appears, then I move to Vram and stop when the gains are minimal.


----------



## Jared2608

Thanks for the tip. I don't want to go too far over stock, I'll be happy to take it as far as stable on stock voltage.

Is it true that the GTX680 launches tomorrow(22nd)? I wonder how long any price cuts from AMD will take to filter down. As far as I'm concerned the cheaper the better!


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> How does 15 differ from 14. 14 does everything perfect as well. I have had not 1 issue with it so far.


osd would not work for me in bf3 when using beta 14 and 12. beta 11 and previous workd just fine, so does the newest one. its weird. cant really explain why.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> osd would not work for me in bf3 when using beta 14 and 12. beta 11 and previous workd just fine, so does the newest one. its weird. cant really explain why.


You can try dynamic offset detection?


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can try dynamic offset detection?


its working fine now. no need to mess with what aint broke.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> osd would not work for me in bf3 when using beta 14 and 12. beta 11 and previous workd just fine, so does the newest one. its weird. cant really explain why.


Strange, works perfect for me. I always have Gpu temp, usage, core clock, memory clock, memory usage, and Fps on OSD. I always change from pink to green on both colors and never an issue. Can't wait to give this new driver a go. I know your gonna tell me no TSM, but few others are saying it's working perfect so I'll try. What's the worst that can happen? I loose another hour of life, I'll just make up for it by not sleeping as much tonight


----------



## firestorm1

more or less lol.


----------



## thrgk

is higher or lower asic quality best for watercooled 7970s? To get the highest overclock?


----------



## firestorm1

it dont matter how its being cooled. the higher the asic quality, the better.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Strange, works perfect for me. I always have Gpu temp, usage, core clock, memory clock, memory usage, and Fps on OSD. I always change from pink to green on both colors and never an issue. Can't wait to give this new driver a go. I know your gonna tell me no TSM, but few others are saying it's working perfect so I'll try. What's the worst that can happen? I loose another hour of life, I'll just make up for it by not sleeping as much tonight


Better have some beer handy.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> it dont matter how its being cooled. the higher the asic quality, the better.


Generally, higher is better due to lower voltage but asic % doesn't have a direct correlation on overclock. It's still down to the lottery.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Better have some beer handy.
> Generally, higher is better due to lower voltage but asic % doesn't have a direct correlation on overclock. It's still down to the lottery.


agreed.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What I mean is when you move clocks up, do one at a time. You are looking for the point where memory clock returns start to shrink. For ex. if you move mem clock up 5 mhz and you get 5pts in return, then you go up 5mhz more and you get back 2pts in return. That shrinking return is a sign of error correction working. At that point I would drop mem clock down a little bit for margin.
> Once you've found your sweet spot, then try a game etc.


Ok, I did some testing in Heaven 2.5 (8xAA, 16xAF, 1920x1080, rest default)

I lowered core clock a little to 1150 and left the voltage at 1.175v

(mem speed - avg fps - score)
1) 1460mhz - 49 - 1233
2) 1490mhz - 49,2 - 1239
3) 1520mhz - 49,7 - 1253
4) 1550mhz - 50,2 - 1266
5) 1560mhz - 50,3 - 1266
6) 1570mhz - 50,4 - 1269
7) 1580mhz - 50,5 - 1272

Now, what do you guys think my stable memory speed is or should be ?
To me this looks like 1550mhz would be the best setting.
You guys agree?
Thx for your suggestions!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ok, I did some testing in Heaven 2.5 (8xAA, 16xAF, 1920x1080, rest default)
> I lowered core clock a little to 1150 and left the voltage at 1.175v
> (mem speed - avg fps - score)
> 1) 1460mhz - 49 - 1233
> 2) 1490mhz - 49,2 - 1239
> 3) 1520mhz - 49,7 - 1253
> 4) 1550mhz - 50,2 - 1266
> 5) 1560mhz - 50,3 - 1266
> 6) 1570mhz - 50,4 - 1269
> 7) 1580mhz - 50,5 - 1272
> Now, what do you guys think my stable memory speed is or should be ?
> To me this looks like 1550mhz would be the best setting.
> You guys agree?
> Thx for your suggestions!


Yea, 1550 is the break even point. Look at how much it takes to get .1fps lol. It's getting into EC land there.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea, 1550 is the break even point. Look at how much it takes to get .1fps lol. It's getting into EC land there.


Thought the same








I am now doing the same test with my core clock and mem clock at 1550

So far I got
(core speed - avg fps - score)
1) 1150mhz - 50,2 - 1266
2) 1160mhz - 50,3 - 1268
3) 1170mhz - 50,7 - 1278
4) 1180mhz - 51,1 - 1287
5) 1190mhz - 51,2 - 1291
6) 1200mhz - no result (Unigine fatal error !) + "Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding"

Will edit as I go








Would appreciate the same feedback from you as you did with the memory !









EDIT : this seems pretty easy, I would say my max core clock is 1180mhz on 1.175 voltage, you agree tsm106?


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ok, I did some testing in Heaven 2.5 (8xAA, 16xAF, 1920x1080, rest default)
> I lowered core clock a little to 1150 and left the voltage at 1.175v
> (mem speed - avg fps - score)
> 1) 1460mhz - 49 - 1233
> 2) 1490mhz - 49,2 - 1239
> 3) 1520mhz - 49,7 - 1253
> 4) 1550mhz - 50,2 - 1266
> 5) 1560mhz - 50,3 - 1266
> 6) 1570mhz - 50,4 - 1269
> 7) 1580mhz - 50,5 - 1272
> Now, what do you guys think my stable memory speed is or should be ?
> To me this looks like 1550mhz would be the best setting.
> You guys agree?
> Thx for your suggestions!


When you try to do > 1600mhz you have locks/freeze ?

A nice review for your card here Catch Me if You Can: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC 3 GB Graphics Card Review. Page 8 - X-bit labs


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> When you try to do > 1600mhz you have locks/freeze ?
> A nice review for your card here Catch Me if You Can: Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC 3 GB Graphics Card Review. Page 8 - X-bit labs


Thanks for the link, good read!
I tried 1580mhz for the memory but I got driver errors (driver stopped responding) while playing latest Batman game.


----------



## tsm106

Lol, I love amazon. This is my quick picks for the day, ie. their customized gold deals. 3930k for 560, nzxt 8pin pcie 7.40. I got three cards on gold deals, sapphire 7970/xfx be/dc2t. But I'm sending the dc2t back.


----------



## vccowan

I have this tearing (idk if that's even the right word here) problem that has been present in all driver versions. It only happens when I'm in duplicate mode and then only on one monitor. If in CCC I choose "make preferred" that display will be clean while the other will have the tearing. Anyone know what I can do other than RMA?

My card is the Sapphire 7950, I've also lowered and raised the clocks as well as power slider in CCC


----------



## Hambone07si

Well, first try with the new drivers. Fail. First I tried just installing over Rc11, didn't work. windows was fine. could run any bench, no bsod, just driver crash.

Doing fresh install. Disabling ULPS, installing AB, Enabling UOM, and give it a go. See in a few min.

This process of driver changes would really suck if I didn't have these 2 Vertex 3's in raid0.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thought the same
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am now doing the same test with my core clock and mem clock at 1550
> So far I got
> (core speed - avg fps - score)
> 1) 1150mhz - 50,2 - 1266
> 2) 1160mhz - 50,3 - 1268
> 3) 1170mhz - 50,7 - 1278
> 4) 1180mhz - 51,1 - 1287
> 5) 1190mhz - 51,2 - 1291
> 6) 1200mhz - no result (Unigine fatal error !) + "Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding"
> Will edit as I go
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would appreciate the same feedback from you as you did with the memory !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT : this seems pretty easy, I would say my max core clock is 1180mhz on 1.175 voltage, you agree tsm106?


Oh for ****s sake !
I played Batman now for a while with 1180mhz core and 1550mhz on the memory and again after a while "display driver stopped responding" ...
Dont know what else to do


----------



## Hambone07si

up the voltage now and see what happens. Are you using +20%


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> up the voltage now and see what happens. Are you using +20%


Good point - is your memory voltage stock too?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> up the voltage now and see what happens. Are you using +20%


Yes, using +20%
Will try upping the voltage a little.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Good point - is your memory voltage stock too?


Yes, memory is on stock voltage.


----------



## Daffie82

sorry for double post


----------



## firestorm1

you can only do .06mv increments. just bump your core up to 1.187v or 1.193v and see how it goes. i would reset memory back to stock until you get your core stable.


----------



## Hambone07si

Cant get BF3 to launch on the new driver. Any way to do this without reinstalling the game?


----------



## Levesque

I just played 2 hours of BF3 without any problems.

4X 7970 Quad-Fire, 8.95.5.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Cant get BF3 to launch on the new driver. Any way to do this without reinstalling the game?


not that im aware of. although, i didnt have that problem.


----------



## criznit

I've installed the new drivers, completely removing all of the others with atiman, and now my overclocks wont go past limits. Is there a workaround?


----------



## Hambone07si

yeah I'm doing a reinstall and see what happens. I have to download from origin. Mite take 30min


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I just played 2 hours of BF3 without any problems.
> 4X 7970 Quad-Fire, 8.95.5.


Did you get an increase in frame rates at all?

I'm like a few fps off 60 fps min on gulf of oman with my cards but I shouldn't OC my cards more because of my PSU.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> I've installed the new drivers, completely removing all of the others with atiman, and now my overclocks wont go past limits. Is there a workaround?


read this.
http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4262135&postcount=1


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Cant get BF3 to launch on the new driver. Any way to do this without reinstalling the game?


Hmm... well, ugh... there's...

No. I tried a myriad of tricks, notta. Driver either works for you or it doesn't.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Oh for ****s sake !
> I played Batman now for a while with 1180mhz core and 1550mhz on the memory and again after a while "display driver stopped responding" ...
> Dont know what else to do


You've got your memory pretty well figured out. Did you test your core out?


----------



## svthomas

The name of this thread should be changed to **OFFICIAL* AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970 Support Club for Bad AMD Drivers*

HEHE







Hey look, my squiggly cursor is back...and it won't go away. /facepalm


----------



## Hambone07si

I deleted and reinstalled the game and still wont launch. Wth?


I really don't want to do a fresh os install. just did that when I got my first card

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> The name of this thread should be changed to **OFFICIAL* AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970 Support Club for Bad AMD Drivers*
> HEHE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey look, my squiggly cursor is back...and it won't go away. /facepalm


THIS







by the way, seen the pic of your eyefinity setup. very nice. case looks slick too.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I deleted and reinstalled the game and still wont launch. Wth?
> 
> I really don't want to do a fresh os install. just did that when I got my first card


Why oh why? It's the driver. At least yours throws a crash screen. My rig would BSOD 116 on dx11 games on 8.955.


----------



## Hambone07si

I can run AvP bench, 3dmark11, Heaven 3.0, Skyrim, BBC2, but no Dirt 3 or BF3. The driver gods hate me







lol

Ok, now I deleted everything BF3 out and redownloading it now. Says 45min for 13gigs more. We'll see if that helps.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> The name of this thread should be changed to **OFFICIAL* AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970 Support Club for Bad AMD Drivers*
> HEHE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey look, my squiggly cursor is back...and it won't go away. /facepalm


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> read this.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4262135&postcount=1


Thanks! it worked


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I can run AvP bench, 3dmark11, Heaven 3.0, Skyrim, BBC2, but no Dirt 3 or BF3. The driver gods hate me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol
> Ok, now I deleted everything BF3 out and redownloading it now. Says 45min for 13gigs more. We'll see if that helps.


I keep all my download setup files on a image drive just for moments like this. I have a 3MB line but still, yikes. I find BF3 like Crysis just has that special something to really push the rigs, and with bum drivers...


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Thanks! it worked


yw.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I can run AvP bench, 3dmark11, Heaven 3.0, Skyrim, BBC2, but no Dirt 3 or BF3. The driver gods hate me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol
> Ok, now I deleted everything BF3 out and redownloading it now. Says 45min for 13gigs more. We'll see if that helps.


Off topic, but 45mins? :'( The 4GB patch takes me ~3.5hrs

On topic, I want to see how far I can push my card on stock volts (so no risk to the VRMs, right?) either today or tomorrow. Just to confirm, I set power something to +20% (is this in AB?) and enable unofficial overclocking using regedit (what are the steps for this?). Will raising the power thing affect my VRM temps?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Off topic, but 45mins? :'( The 4GB patch takes me ~3.5hrs
> On topic, I want to see how far I can push my card on stock volts (so no risk to the VRMs, right?) either today or tomorrow. Just to confirm, I set power something to +20% (is this in AB?) and enable unofficial overclocking using regedit (what are the steps for this?). Will raising the power thing affect my VRM temps?


Did you read about the new DC2 block? Niko from ek ran it thru the gauntlet. You might wanna check it out. He says compared to measurements the back of the vrm mosfets are cool and the vrm controller is reporting 20c higher than vrm real temps.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1232191/ek-fc7970-dcii-for-asus-hd7970-dc2-t-3gd5-beast/0_40


----------



## WhitePrQjser

I have a Sapphire 7950 3 Gb. "OC", and it crashes my PC from time to time... I mean, it's done it two times today, and I'm in the middle of a very important project. It's the atikmdag.sys file that's acting up, but I can't find anything about it









Could someone help me?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Did you read about the new DC2 block? Niko from ek ran it thru the gauntlet. You might wanna check it out. He says compared to measurements the back of the vrm mosfets are cool and the vrm controller is reporting 20c higher than vrm real temps.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1232191/ek-fc7970-dcii-for-asus-hd7970-dc2-t-3gd5-beast/0_40


He does have a block on it though - so when my card is reporting 99C VRMs (as it did last night), they are actually running at around 79C? How can I confirm this without voiding warranty? I don't want to blow the card because I think it's reporting incorrectly.

Even if this is the case, I think I'll still sell it and get a Lightning or two when they come out here.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I deleted and reinstalled the game and still wont launch. Wth?
> 
> I really don't want to do a fresh os install. just did that when I got my first card
> THIS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> by the way, seen the pic of your eyefinity setup. very nice. case looks slick too.


After I got rid of the BSOD's last night, I couldn't even launch BF3. It wouldn't even crash.. it just wouldn't launch. The process was running but it just wasn't showing in the taskbar or loading. Changed back to RC 11 problem fixed. These drivers are comical and different keep your trouble shooting skills fresh.


----------



## Hambone07si

HAHA, ya know. If this doesn't launch BF3, I will be on Rc11 in 10min after. I got 15min left to download.

Edit: Didn't work, BF3 still wont launch with new driver. Same error message.


----------



## Levesque

Did you try WITHOUT Afterburner?

Also, I always uninstall drivers from Windows, then reboot in Safe mode, and then I use Drivercleaner.net and clean everything ATI. Never had a problem using that method with AMD drivers.

Also not using Afterburner is probably why my system is working fine.


----------



## ELCID777

Ok, so it's been a while since I've put myself up to date with the latest drivers from AMD and what not, so what are (if any) the latest official drivers that support the 7900 series? The latest with CAPS. Has there been any performance increases?


----------



## Ken1649

I don't know if this is related to your issue or not but I can re-produce the crash by the followings;

1. Windows Screen Resolution > Change refresh rate.

2. Overwite Catalyst Driver with latest 3/19/2012 http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx

3. Restart PC > open BF3 > instant crash.

4. Go back to Windows Screen Resolution > set the correct refresh rate > Restart PC > problem solved.

The only problem I could imagine why you crash with lastest Catalyst (#2 above) contains updated EDID for the monitors. You are on Eyefinity, might worth to look into the refresh rate for each monitors see if that will fix it.

So if you are on Eyefinity, disable it then set each monitor as primary with correct refresh rate. If all of them not crash starting games then enable Eyefinity.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WhitePrQjser*
> 
> I have a Sapphire 7950 3 Gb. "OC", and it crashes my PC from time to time... I mean, it's done it two times today, and I'm in the middle of a very important project. It's the atikmdag.sys file that's acting up, but I can't find anything about it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could someone help me?


The card is simply ****.

Or its AMD being terrible at drivers, as usual. I returned mine because it keep freezing my PC when it has been idle for a couple hours.


----------



## Ken1649

Can you test with another card in your system if it will crash after idle and waking up from sleep? Are you really sure it's the card fault?


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Can you test with another card in your system if it will crash after idle and waking up from sleep? Are you really sure it's the card fault?


Hurr durr derp derp.

I have my 5850 in right now and have had for the past 2 days and NO freezes, ever.


----------



## Ken1649

Yeah, maybe some systems work better with nVidia cards.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Hurr durr derp derp.
> I have my 5850 in right now and have had for the past 2 days and NO freezes, ever.


Just because you're frustrated it doesn't mean you have to be rude


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Edit: Didn't work, BF3 still wont launch with new driver. Same error message.


Been there. I had the same issues with all the 12.2xx drivers.


----------



## wireeater

I got the new drivers working with some work.

*
Step by step for those having trouble installing new drivers. This is a little long but worth it.*

Go to the control panel/ programs and uninstall ALL AMD software.
Once that has completed, reboot your machine.
Then run ATIMAN and run (A) un-install, let it reboot and do the rest.
Then run Driver Cleaner and select ALL ATI products and run it. It did find a decent amount of stuff ATIMAN did not find.
Reboot and then run the new driver installation. You may get an error saying "Driver Install: the INF file was not found" this was removed by Driver Cleaner.
Go to device manager, select your cards and manually point the update driver to the ATI folder with the new drivers and make sure you let it search the sub folders.
Once windows installs the drivers, reboot your machine.
Go back to the control panel/programs and open the ATI software and select remove ALL software again (it will still install even when you get the INF error)
Reboot your machine, run the new driver pack again, it should install flawlessly this time. If you have 3 monitors, don't worry, they will flicker probably about 11 times and "dadoop" sound from windows.
Once they complete, reboot and you should be gold.

I was able to set up Eyefinity without ANY issue like last time I tried installing them. No errors, crashes or BSODs. BF3 started up without a hitch. I haven't tried any other games so it's not my fault if they don't work for you.

I am running 5996x1080 @ ULTRA everything, Anti Def off, ANTI Post High, Blur off, 16 AF and I am running 8X AA standard in CCC + AA Adaptive Multi Sample and I am not getting under 60 (vsync on) on campaign mode on Operation Guillotine. This is running at stock clocks on CPU (3.4/4) and 7950 (800/1250X2).

If you do this and it does work for you, please give me some rep


----------



## Ken1649

If I may add, avoid Driver Sweeper because some systems will fail after deleteng files especially users with AMD CPU. It is more than enough to delete the remaining folders which ATIman Uninstaller didn't delete.

﻿﻿Delete these folders;


C:\user\Program files\ ATI & AMD.
C:\user\Program files (x86)\ ATI & AMD.
C:\user\ProgramData\ATI & AMD (need to show hidden files).

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I got the new drivers working with some work.
> 
> *Step by step for those having trouble installing new drivers. This is a little long but worth it.*
> 
> Go to the control panel/ programs and uninstall ALL AMD software.
> Once that has completed, reboot your machine.
> Then run ATIMAN and run (A) un-install, let it reboot and do the rest.
> Then run Driver Cleaner and select ALL ATI products and run it. It did find a decent amount of stuff ATIMAN did not find.
> *Reboot and then run the new driver installation. You may get an error saying "Driver Install: the INF file was not found" this was removed by Driver Cleaner.*
> Go to device manager, select your cards and manually point the update driver to the ATI folder with the new drivers and make sure you let it search the sub folders.
> Once windows installs the drivers, reboot your machine.
> Go back to the control panel/programs and open the ATI software and select remove ALL software again (it will still install even when you get the INF error)
> Reboot your machine, run the new driver pack again, it should install flawlessly this time. If you have 3 monitors, don't worry, they will flicker probably about 11 times and "dadoop" sound from windows.
> Once they complete, reboot and you should be gold.
> 
> I was able to set up Eyefinity without ANY issue like last time I tried installing them. No errors, crashes or BSODs. BF3 started up without a hitch. I haven't tried any other games so it's not my fault if they don't work for you.
> 
> I am running 5996x1080 @ ULTRA everything, Anti Def off, ANTI Post High, Blur off, 16 AF and I am running 8X AA standard in CCC + AA Adaptive Multi Sample and I am not getting under 60 (vsync on) on campaign mode on Operation Guillotine. This is running at stock clocks on CPU (3.4/4) and 7950 (800/1250X2).
> 
> If you do this and it does work for you, please give me some rep


----------



## wireeater

That's OK, its a lesson learned for owning a AMD CPU


----------



## Hambone07si

Hell yeah!! The driver is working proper now after a fresh install again. BF3 launching with no issues and so is Dirt 3. AvP bench went up from 100fps at 1150 to 105fps at 1100. Running Heaven 3.0 to compare. Some reason this time the driver seemed to install differently even tho I did the same.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Hell yeah!! The driver is working proper now after a fresh install again. BF3 launching with no issues and so is Dirt 3. AvP bench went up from 100fps at 1150 to 105fps at 1100. Running Heaven 3.0 to compare. Some reason this time the driver seemed to install differently even tho I did the same.


Glad to hear it!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Hell yeah!! The driver is working proper now after a fresh install again. BF3 launching with no issues and so is Dirt 3. AvP bench went up from 100fps at 1150 to 105fps at 1100. Running Heaven 3.0 to compare. Some reason this time the driver seemed to install differently even tho I did the same.


I think I figured something out. When it crashed on you... your first run of bf3, was it with eyefinity setup?


----------



## pfunkmort

All I can think of is the Hitler dog from the Venture Bros.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You've got your memory pretty well figured out. Did you test your core out?


So far I got
(core speed - avg fps - score)
1) 1150mhz - 50,2 - 1266
2) 1160mhz - 50,3 - 1268
3) 1170mhz - 50,7 - 1278
4) 1180mhz - 51,1 - 1287
5) 1190mhz - 51,2 - 1291
6) 1200mhz - no result (Unigine fatal error !) + "Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding"

I tried core speed of 1180 in combination with 1550 for memory we figured out earlier.
This evening I will try : 1150 for core and 1520 for memory at 1181 volt instead of 1175 volt.
If that works I will work my way up from there. If it doesnt work, I will try at stock setting to rule out a driver issue.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I think I figured something out. When it crashed on you... your first run of bf3, was it with eyefinity setup?


When I would hit launch game, with in 5sec that error would just pop up. I could not even see the load screen for BF3, no getting in at all. Just that error that I showed. This time around no error, just works.

It had to be something with the way the install went with the new drivers. I run eyefinity. Anytime I've updated my drivers and ran ATIman, as soon as I rebooted my pc for the last time, eyefinity was always set up already which didn't make sense. This last time that I did it, I had a couple errors while installing and kinda like wireeater said, you may have a few errors then it will install flawlessly. That's what happened this last time. I had to set up eyefinity, and set my bezel correction. Very strange, but I'm thinking also that ATIman isn't doing a good enough job on removing all that is needed. There's no reason for eyefinity to be set up when you removed all drivers and then ran ATIman. Anyways, it's working perfect this time around and every game opens now. I played the following last night just to test. BF3, BBC2, Crysis 2, Dirt 3, Need for speed Hot pursuit, Heaven 3.0, AvP Benchmark, 3dmark11, and Vantage. All with no crashing. Man was I happy for once also









I've noticed that my temps on my 2nd card still on air came down some. Usually playing BF3 Ultra settings in Eyefinity my temps were around 80-82c, now were 72-74c after 30min of playing









Maybe we need to add what files are to be deleted to one of the processes of uninstalling our drivers after ATIman runs. Or maybe us eyefinity users have to completely disable eyefinity before starting the uninstall process. I bet Ken will shed a little light on it.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Since when is this rude?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I just felt like you were saying he'd asked a stupid question, when often it's the obvious "stupid" things that solve your issue. If you meant no harm by it all good








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> When I would hit launch game, with in 5sec that error would just pop up. I could not even see the load screen for BF3, no getting in at all. Just that error that I showed. This time around no error, just works.
> It had to be something with the way the install went with the new drivers. I run eyefinity. Anytime I've updated my drivers and ran ATIman, as soon as I rebooted my pc for the last time, eyefinity was always set up already which didn't make sense. This last time that I did it, I had a couple errors while installing and kinda like wireeater said, you may have a few errors then it will install flawlessly. That's what happened this last time. I had to set up eyefinity, and set my bezel correction. Very strange, but I'm thinking also that ATIman isn't doing a good enough job on removing all that is needed. There's no reason for eyefinity to be set up when you removed all drivers and then ran ATIman. Anyways, it's working perfect this time around and every game opens now. I played the following last night just to test. BF3, BBC2, Crysis 2, Dirt 3, Need for speed Hot pursuit, Heaven 3.0, AvP Benchmark, 3dmark11, and Vantage. All with no crashing. Man was I happy for once also
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've noticed that my temps on my 2nd card still on air came down some. Usually playing BF3 Ultra settings in Eyefinity my temps were around 80-82c, now were 72-74c after 30min of playing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe we need to add what files are to be deleted to one of the processes of uninstalling our drivers after ATIman runs. Or maybe us eyefinity users have to completely disable eyefinity before starting the uninstall process. I bet Ken will shed a little light on it.


Hrm, I might try these new drivers then. If not, I can always return to RC11


----------



## Hambone07si

I tried and I was fed up and went back to Rc11 and as soon as Rc11 was installed and ready to go, I got PM'd by Ken with a possible fix, so I tried the new driver again. Before I was able to try the fix he was wanting me to try, it was working perfect. For the work that Ken is doing for all, I was definitely going to give it a shot for him.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Maybe we need to add what files are to be deleted to one of the processes of uninstalling our drivers after ATIman runs. Or maybe us eyefinity users have to completely disable eyefinity before starting the uninstall process. I bet Ken will shed a little light on it.


Delete these folders from Safe Mode then run Atiman in Normal Windows.


C:\user\Program files\ ATI & AMD.
C:\user\Program files (x86)\ ATI & AMD.
C:\ProgramData\ATI & AMD (need to show hidden files).
C:\user\AppData\Local\ATI & AMD (need to show hidden files).


----------



## 125837

Cheers, I'll do that first thing tomorrow. What exactly is the power setting I am moving, will it affect VRM temps, and is it in Afterburner or CCC? I read the first 20 pages or so of this thread and couldn't find it so I figured I was better just asking.

Also, is there any way to confirm the VRM temps without having some kind of manual reader? Or will I just have to trust that mine are 20C cooler than reported? I won't overvolt anyway, but it'd still be good because after an hour or so of BF3 last night they were at 99C


----------



## Hambone07si

I think the biggest frustration with these new AMD cards is just getting drivers properly installed. How does AMD expect everyone to know how to uninstall there drivers like we have too. If their process was like Nvidia's, we'd all be happy. I think that's the real issue. AMD's driver install is just a mess all together. We should not have to go through all this trouble shooting and hassle. I mean come on, 6900 posts of nothing but driver issues is insane. I will not be changing drivers for a long time if everything is working 100% now.


----------



## firestorm1

the thing is, atiman uninstaller is a good tool to use. but unfortunately it dont get rid of all the necessary files. once the program is finished, if you run driver sweeper, check the amd display box and then hit analyze, itll still have amd folders and registry entries left over. i think this is where some of the problems could be coming from.


----------



## NeoandGeo

I always run driver sweeper after ATIMan and haven't had any problems besides normal issues that crop up form driver to driver.

I'm still patiently waiting for some drivers that have noticeable percentage improvements on games. Coming from Nvidia I was used to every few months getting 10% in games here and there.


----------



## WhitePrQjser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> The card is simply ****.
> Or its AMD being terrible at drivers, as usual. I returned mine because it keep freezing my PC when it has been idle for a couple hours.


I don't hope I will have to return it... It's only after I installed the drivers that it keeps blue screening on me.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Can you test with another card in your system if it will crash after idle and waking up from sleep? Are you really sure it's the card fault?


I know it's the card that's at fault. It says atikdmag.sys or something...


----------



## Hambone07si

Should we really need to use 2 programs after deleting the driver to install the new one, I think not. If we have to use anything to install a new driver, AMD should supply the tool that works perfect with no helping software.


----------



## firestorm1

no, but lazy coding requires us to.


----------



## ProgenitorX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Delete these folders from Safe Mode then run Atiman in Normal Windows.
> 
> C:\user\Program files\ ATI & AMD.
> C:\user\Program files (x86)\ ATI & AMD.
> C:\ProgramData\ATI & AMD (need to show hidden files).
> C:\user\AppData\Local\ATI & AMD (need to show hidden files).


Right now I get an immediate crash of the CCC when I try opening it. If I delete these, run ATIMan, then run Driver Sweeper, and install the new drivers, will that make it show up again? Or will running ATIMan and/or Driver Sweeper be enough? Also, since I'm new to this, do I have to reboot between each step? I'd be deleting all drivers that have to do with the Radeon HD 4870 and installing the latest (Or most stable? Which would that be?) drivers for the 7970. Thanks!


----------



## firestorm1

if you run atiman uninstaller it will do the rebooting for you.


----------



## Hambone07si

Once atiman is done and you select "Q" to quit the program, you should reboot before installing the new ones still.

Other note: Gtx680 can do Surround on 1 card. HardOCP has a good review.


----------



## wireeater

I just got my EK water blocks...!









They were in Germany yesterday. I though maybe tomorrow.

I now have all my parts. I know what I will be doing this evening.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Cheers, I'll do that first thing tomorrow. What exactly is the power setting I am moving, will it affect VRM temps, and is it in Afterburner or CCC? I read the first 20 pages or so of this thread and couldn't find it so I figured I was better just asking.
> 
> Also, is there any way to confirm the VRM temps without having some kind of manual reader? Or will I just have to trust that mine are 20C cooler than reported? I won't overvolt anyway, but it'd still be good because after an hour or so of BF3 last night they were at 99C


If you are on stock air cooler just stick to Afterburner and don't touch or enable CCC Overdrive to avoid possible conflicts. As to Power Setting, is allowing the card to draw more power when it needs to before throttling down to stay within power set limit. The DCII is definitely drawing more than the reference by design. Say the TDP is 250W with PS +20% (50W), you are allowing the card to draw 300W at drivers level. After hitting 300W limit, it will throttle down.

VRMs by design to operate at max temp of 120°C before shutting down. But you don't want to go there, it will dissipate the heat through PCB and affecting other components. I would take it apart and fix it. As long as the VRMs having proper contact with heat-sink, it should never go beyond 90°C in normal gaming with hottest summer ambient. Use HWiNFO64.exe to monitor the VRMs just to make sure. Do not assume it's 20°C cooler.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I think the biggest frustration with these new AMD cards is just getting drivers properly installed. How does AMD expect everyone to know how to uninstall there drivers like we have too. If their process was like Nvidia's, we'd all be happy. I think that's the real issue. AMD's driver install is just a mess all together. We should not have to go through all this trouble shooting and hassle. I mean come on, 6900 posts of nothing but driver issues is insane. I will not be changing drivers for a long time if everything is working 100% now.


I think the biggest issue with the drivers are not digitally signed by Microsoft. It takes too long for the certification to keep up with the fixes. Hence why we need to turn of UAC to disable driver signature enforcement with non WHQL drivers. By doing so, the installation bypass the security check and in some ways affecting the registry and other Windows configurations. I think this explains why it works for some users with first install and doesn't for others. I'd like to know the exact reasons too.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WhitePrQjser*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> The card is simply ****.
> Or its AMD being terrible at drivers, as usual. I returned mine because it keep freezing my PC when it has been idle for a couple hours.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't hope I will have to return it... It's only after I installed the drivers that it keeps blue screening on me.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Can you test with another card in your system if it will crash after idle and waking up from sleep? Are you really sure it's the card fault?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I know it's the card that's at fault. It says atikdmag.sys or something...
Click to expand...

I am not going to argue with that. But from my limited experience often than not always related to OC instability (CPU, RAM, Motherboard & card) and hardware issue (RAM, motherboard/PCIe and PSU).

Quote:


> Right now I get an immediate crash of the CCC when I try opening it. If I delete these, run ATIMan, then run Driver Sweeper, and install the new drivers, will that make it show up again? Or will running ATIMan and/or Driver Sweeper be enough? Also, since I'm new to this, do I have to reboot between each step? I'd be deleting all drivers that have to do with the Radeon HD 4870 and installing the latest (Or most stable? Which would that be?) drivers for the 7970. Thanks!


Delete those folders then run ATIMAN should be sufficient. I have nothing against Driver Sweeper. But it will delete everything related to ATI/AMD/Nvidia. This includes everything nVidia installed by Windows and chipset drivers. If you have previously used it without issues then by all means use it again.

If you need to perform clean drivers install or overwrite to keep the missing files after RC11, more details in here.

[Fixes] Catalyst Drivers Error & OC & Eyefinity & General Issues


----------



## Smo

Anyone want my 7970s?


----------



## jshotz

anybody jump ship to gtx680?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> anybody jump ship to gtx680?


I got 1 on the way from newegg will test if faster then a 7970 like they are showing by alot i will sell my 3 7970s


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I got 1 on the way from newegg will test if faster then a 7970 like they are showing by alot i will sell my 3 7970s


By a lot? I seen maybe a max of 10FPS difference in most benches.


----------



## firestorm1

didnt you know that 10fps is the game changer?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> didnt you know that 10fps is the game changer?


Well in some instances it is, but not when comparing to a card that is already capable of playing most games maxed @ 50-60FPS avg.

I mean, I wouldn't mind having one but it's not like they are going to be leaps and bounds better than the 79xx series. Just more great marketing hype by a company who have the fans and money to make it work.

I am interested in seeing real time reviews from non biased sources and users of how much difference it really makes between the two cards.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> ...
> I am interested in seeing real time reviews from non biased sources and users of how much difference it really makes between the two cards.


^this, and perhaps even more importantly, I am interested in how well their drivers are functioning in comparison to the 7970's. I can probably say with some confidence that a small performance increase and a stable driver will more than likely entice me to count my losses and jump ship from AMD.

Unfortunately that loss will include taking a hit on two 7970s, two EK waterblocks, two Ek backplates, two EK bridge links, and two single slot I/O brackets.









gg, AMD.


----------



## Hambone07si

All these reviews you are going to see so far are a stock vs stock, which means 925/1375 vs 1006-1056/1500. Let me ask how many of us are running 925/1375? NONE or maybe 1. How bout before thinking that card is so great, lets see what we can compare at 7970 at its potential vs 680 at it's potential. I'm running lower clocks then a lot of you on memory just because I don't like pushing the memory too high as it can damage the chip and then you are stuck doing a RMA. I run on the norm, 1150/1500 just because 1 card is on air still. Once both on water, 1200/1600 will be my clocks.

It's real easy for the GTX680 to be faster than the 7970 because Nvidia clocked it at 1006/1500 and with power boost. Nvidias card runs a little warmer. AMD could have released their card with the same clocks and it would have been neck and neck I bet. I want to see a comparison of both at say 1200/1600 and see what those numbers bring, or bring out the big boys here that are up in 1300+/1800+ and put one of them head to head with a 680 owner that has reached it's highest clocks possible. I still think that the 7970 will be my card of choice even with these dame drivers.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> ^this, and perhaps even more importantly, I am interested in how well their drivers are functioning in comparison to the 7970's. I can probably say with some confidence that a small performance increase and a stable driver will more than likely entice me to count my losses and jump ship from AMD.
> Unfortunately that loss will include taking a hit on two 7970s, two EK waterblocks, two Ek backplates, two EK bridge links, and two single slot I/O brackets.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gg, AMD.


I don't think the 680 cards would be worth that loss unless you could keep it under 50$. I know the drivers suck but things always get better with time. After last night and doing a more stringent cleaning, I didn't have any issues with the new drivers so I am looking forward to the next driver package to just test and see if this works again, if so then I will be happy.

Will the 7970 black plates fit on the 7950 cards?









After feeling how heavy these blocks are I'm thinking I should get some.


----------



## ryanhaver

Finally found out that my second card is bad. I had tested them both on their own before and the second card ran fine with a few artifacts on screen (i figured it was just due to the drivers), but this time I tested them and the second DCII would crash my system completely. Huge vertical lines would cover the screen when it was put under any stress and my system would completely halt. Now the card just crashes my system whenever it's plugged into any PCI-E slot. It was a slow death, but I'm betting that the card was from the first or second batch that Asus had to recall because of the manufacturing defect with the mounting of the heatsink and cooler.

I just RMA'd it. What a relief I thought I was going to have to deal with never ending driver issues, maybe I still will have to deal with never ending driver issues


----------



## Ruined

Ati drivers are slowly getting better they just released MLAA 2.0 with the beta which is great in my opinion. The 680 is looking nice, but I'm a little uneasy about the new GPU Boost, as it may just make it look great on paper. i.e. Clocks are reported at 1250 yet with the power option and GPU Boost real clock speed could be +50mhz depending on load, making a similar clocked 7970 seem slow. Also it may add to unnecessary instability at high overclocks for the average user, as it may be hardwired into the system like OCP meaning it would take some serious modding to achieve steady clocks. We shall see in a while once everyone gets the new gear and the hype is gone. OTOH 7970 prices will drop.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I don't think the 680 cards would be worth that loss unless you could keep it under 50$. I know the drivers suck but things always get better with time. After last night and doing a more stringent cleaning, I didn't have any issues with the new drivers so I am looking forward to the next driver package to just test and see if this works again, if so then I will be happy.
> Will the 7970 black plates fit on the 7950 cards?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After feeling how heavy these blocks are I'm thinking I should get some.


I cannot say on whether or not if will fit a 7950. If I were you, I would ask EK directly, just to be safe. Using an EK bridge may help with the weight of the blocks, too.


----------



## chorner

So, does anyone want a pretty darn new 7970 with a Koolance Waterblock for a discount?


----------



## rageofthepeon

I have 7 more days to decide if I want to return the card back to amazon for a full refund







. Maybe buy a cheaper card, or even plug in my old 9800GT, to pass the time until AMD releases their 6GB version/refresh, buy 680, or wait for 'big' Kepler.

Hmmm...


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/nvidia_gtx680_review/1

This is a fair review of oc vs oc and the 7970 and 680 have no difference LOL! Nvidia was running their mouth like they were going to stomp the 7970. HAAHHAHAA


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/nvidia_gtx680_review/1
> This is a fair review of oc vs oc and the 7970 and 680 have no difference LOL! Nvidia was running their mouth like they were going to stomp the 7970. HAAHHAHAA


Thanks for sharing, that was good.


----------



## Levesque

The 680 is a great card. It will force AMD to react and lower their prices. For once, Nvidia did it right the first time.









But like other have said, stock vs stock is not really what OCN members are usnig everyday. So let's wait for max 24/7 stable OC on both side before making any conclusions. With Afterburner, I can do 1250/1600 rock-stable with 4X 7970 Quad-Fire. So let's see what Quad-SLi 680 will be able to do.









With 3X 2560X1600 monitors, I appreciate the 3Gb on my 7970s vs 2gb on the 680.

But the 680 is really impressive, and surprising. Nvida did a good job with that card. But let's see what in can do it the hands of OCN members.

Lame reviews at 1080p where they compare stock vs stock are not even worth reading for me.







Let's wait for real OC numbers for the 680.


----------



## Ocnewb

I think all of you who have a 7970 that can do 1250+ OC stable should just hold onto to your cards, you don't really need to sell them fast and lose your money. 1250+ 7970 is only on par with the GTX 680 @ 1335 in a few benchies but better in most other (only 1 reviewer could do this OC, others like Guru3D could only get to 1264 with power limiter to the max 132%). Yes the GTX680 is good at stock but when you push them both to the max, it falls behind and barely on par.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Lame reviews at 1080p where they compare stock vs stock are not even worth reading for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's wait for real OC numbers for the 680.


Well not all of us have money trees growing in our backyard like you obviously.


----------



## ryanhaver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/nvidia_gtx680_review/1
> This is a fair review of oc vs oc and the 7970 and 680 have no difference LOL! Nvidia was running their mouth like they were going to stomp the 7970. HAAHHAHAA


Thanks for sharing. What a great unbiased review!! One of the best I've seen so far.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> So far I got
> (core speed - avg fps - score)
> 1) 1150mhz - 50,2 - 1266
> 2) 1160mhz - 50,3 - 1268
> 3) 1170mhz - 50,7 - 1278
> 4) 1180mhz - 51,1 - 1287
> 5) 1190mhz - 51,2 - 1291
> 6) 1200mhz - no result (Unigine fatal error !) + "Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding"
> I tried core speed of 1180 in combination with 1550 for memory we figured out earlier.
> This evening I will try : 1150 for core and 1520 for memory at 1181 volt instead of 1175 volt.
> If that works I will work my way up from there. If it doesnt work, I will try at stock setting to rule out a driver issue.


That core test was at 1175mv? What is your true stock voltage, per your asic%?

I've noticed that these cores like a fair bit of juice to make a jump in core clocks. It could just be me, but I've had to push more than a few increments at a time to hit X clock. So what I did was just push max voltage and worked pushed the clocks up to hit my upper boundary. Then from there I worked my way down. You also want to get an idea of your vgpu droop. Fire up hwinfo64, disable AB voltage monitoring in your OSD and run furmark. Furmark is great for loading the gpu and hwinfo64 for watching real time voltage. Write what you put into AB and what is displayed by hwinfo. The difference is your droop. If we calculate from your stock vgpu which is 1093mv +125mv = 1218mv is your max before OCP kicks in. I'd guesstimate your real max voltage to be somewhere around 30mv less, 1188mv.

Now here's the kicker. 125mv "IS" what AMD has deemed safe, since that's the limit they set. And it would be logical that they've set it actually lower than the true limit as to provide a cushion for safety margins.

Ok with that aside, go see what your max vgpu droop is.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> ^this, and perhaps even more importantly, I am interested in how well their drivers are functioning in comparison to the 7970's. I can probably say with some confidence that a small performance increase and a stable driver will more than likely entice me to count my losses and jump ship from AMD.
> Unfortunately that loss will include taking a hit on two 7970s, two EK waterblocks, two Ek backplates, two EK bridge links, and two single slot I/O brackets.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gg, AMD.


BF3 flicker is driving me insane as well and trying out different drivers has yet to fix it. If that little nuisance was removed I would be happy with my 7970 and glad that the prices are going down for another 7970 to crossfire...eventually.

Other than that I'm pretty happy with my card. 1200/1600 on stock volts and maybe 1250 if I ever get up the courage to mess with volts







.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Lame reviews at 1080p where they compare stock vs stock are not even worth reading for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's wait for real OC numbers for the 680.


True, I'm not playing at 1080. I haven't played at 1080 in two years lol. On three screens and large res, the gap is really small but don't get me wrong the 680 is a freaking fast card. There is something strange though, it's like the cards have reversed roles. The 680 is now super efficient doing more for less and the 7970 is the brute force kid. Look at the Crysis1/2 and Metro numbers where the 7970 is more or less holding its ground.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Lame reviews at 1080p where they compare stock vs stock are not even worth reading for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let's wait for real OC numbers for the 680.


agreed. 1080p was so last year.









i want to see 4way sli and 15900x1600 benches.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> When I would hit launch game, with in 5sec that error would just pop up. I could not even see the load screen for BF3, no getting in at all. Just that error that I showed. This time around no error, just works.
> It had to be something with the way the install went with the new drivers. I run eyefinity. Anytime I've updated my drivers and ran ATIman, as soon as I rebooted my pc for the last time, eyefinity was always set up already which didn't make sense. This last time that I did it, I had a couple errors while installing and kinda like wireeater said, you may have a few errors then it will install flawlessly. That's what happened this last time. I had to set up eyefinity, and set my bezel correction. Very strange, but I'm thinking also that ATIman isn't doing a good enough job on removing all that is needed. There's no reason for eyefinity to be set up when you removed all drivers and then ran ATIman. Anyways, it's working perfect this time around and every game opens now. I played the following last night just to test. BF3, BBC2, Crysis 2, Dirt 3, Need for speed Hot pursuit, Heaven 3.0, AvP Benchmark, 3dmark11, and Vantage. All with no crashing. Man was I happy for once also
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've noticed that my temps on my 2nd card still on air came down some. Usually playing BF3 Ultra settings in Eyefinity my temps were around 80-82c, now were 72-74c after 30min of playing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe we need to add what files are to be deleted to one of the processes of uninstalling our drivers after ATIman runs. Or maybe us eyefinity users have to completely disable eyefinity before starting the uninstall process. I bet Ken will shed a little light on it.


I figured out my problem with 8.95.5. It's the eyefinity driver, it fails and BSODs in dx11 games. I confirmed this by running BF3 and Crysis on single screens with no issue. Once you've run a game at that res, it will load in single screen res even with eyefinity on, so as I go to ingame change the res for widescreen, BAMM crash BSOD 116.

So after I tired of playing all the uninstall/install tricks, I went with a different driver, 8.960 leaked beta OpenCL driver. The result is a mixed bag, BF3 now works in dx11, but there are still broken parts to this driver. Synch with DP and DVI is off, so I always have a flickering bottom portion of the DP connected screen. That's better than making the single DP screen primary lol and having two flickering DVI screens, lesser of two evils.









Now if I could mod rc11 eyefinity control into these 8.960... hmm maybe I will reinstall rc11 and manual update 8.960?


----------



## Anachronist

Just got my 2nd Sapphire 7970 after I had to RMA the first for desktop artifacting less than 24 hours after getting it...I've read a bit here about screen flickering issues..and V Sync seems to fix it partially for me. It still flickers in BF3 even after forcing refresh rate in CCC and enabling V Sync in all games I play...although enabling V Sync seems to have fixed it in Diablo 3.

I did a clean wipe/install with ATIman and was wondering if anyone has a fix for this, if it's driver immaturity, etc. It beats artifacting, but still annoying for such an expensive piece of hardware.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anachronist*
> 
> Just got my 2nd Sapphire 7970 after I had to RMA the first for desktop artifacting less than 24 hours after getting it...I've read a bit here about screen flickering issues..and V Sync seems to fix it partially for me. It still flickers in BF3 even after forcing refresh rate in CCC and enabling V Sync in all games I play...although enabling V Sync seems to have fixed it in Diablo 3.
> I did a clean wipe/install with ATIman and was wondering if anyone has a fix for this, if it's driver immaturity, etc. It beats artifacting, but still annoying for such an expensive piece of hardware.


Screen flicker ingame is a driver issue or game dev issue, not hardware. Thus what driver are you using? RC11 has been the all around most stable, but the current beta has shown a bit of success, though not for everyone.


----------



## Anachronist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Screen flicker ingame is a driver issue or game dev issue, not hardware. Thus what driver are you using? RC11 has been the all around most stable, but the current beta has shown a bit of success, though not for everyone.


Using 12.2..may have to downgrade.

I'm primarily asking because both these cards I've gotten from Newegg have given me reason to believe they aren't new. First one had open seal on the box and this second one didn't have the cellophane on the card and the PCI connector has minor scuffing like it's been installed already..I would be pretty irate if I had to RMA a second "new" card.


----------



## firestorm1

damn look at all those 7970's in the fs section.


----------



## Ocnewb

Here is another review posted by El_gappo (benchmark editor). I think at top OC level (that's what overclock.net is about right







), the AMD 7970 is still the king, also the 7950 is right behind.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> damn look at all those 7970's in the fs section.


Look at the first OC review, they are even pretty much. 680 OC'd to 1335 or something silly. 680 gets pounded in all the compute tests though.

http://www.overclock.net/forum/unread/1232719


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I figured out my problem with 8.95.5. It's the eyefinity driver, it fails and BSODs in dx11 games. I confirmed this by running BF3 and Crysis on single screens with no issue. Once you've run a game at that res, it will load in single screen res even with eyefinity on, so as I go to ingame change the res for widescreen, BAMM crash BSOD 116.
> So after I tired of playing all the uninstall/install tricks, I went with a different driver, 8.960 leaked beta OpenCL driver. The result is a mixed bag, BF3 now works in dx11, but there are still broken parts to this driver. Synch with DP and DVI is off, so I always have a flickering bottom portion of the DP connected screen. That's better than making the single DP screen primary lol and having two flickering DVI screens, lesser of two evils.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now if I could mod rc11 eyefinity control into these 8.960... hmm maybe I will reinstall rc11 and manual update 8.960?


I played BF3 in Dx11 and Eyefinity for 1/2 hr last night with no issues, no flickers, actually not one bad thing to say except I had to go to bed lol. I'm waiting to get out of work so I can test a little more, just wanted to see all my games launch and play well and they did. Now lets see how long.

HA, I like that Overclock3D review. Overclocked, 7970 holds it's ground well. FrozenCpu, I need another Acetal/copper block please


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Look at the first OC review, they are even pretty much. 680 OC'd to 1335 or something silly. 680 gets pounded in all the compute tests though.
> http://www.overclock.net/forum/unread/1232719


i saw that. its not enough of a difference for me to get one, thats for sure.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I played BF3 in Dx11 and Eyefinity for 1/2 hr last night with no issues, no flickers, actually not one bad thing to say except I had to go to bed lol. I'm waiting to get out of work so I can test a little more, just wanted to see all my games launch and play well and they did. Now lets see how long.
> HA, I like that Overclock3D review. Overclocked, 7970 holds it's ground well. FrozenCpu, I need another Acetal/copper block please


And the kicker is to get to 1400mhz on the 680, you have to absolutely hardmod it to replace NV's craptacular vrms and use the Evga board. You don't have to do this with any AMD boards lol. It's not clearly a slam dunk on the extreme front. I'm thinking things will change when you look at a tri or quad 7970 setup pushing 1300mhz+ unmodded.


----------



## Anachronist

I don't know whether it's worth me trying to troubleshoot this stupid thing at the moment or not..about to platform switch (the right direction!) from an 8120 to a 2600k. I'll have to mess with it later I guess. Tired of troubleshooting this god forsaken bulldozer debacle.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anachronist*
> 
> I don't know whether it's worth me trying to troubleshoot this stupid thing at the moment or not..about to platform switch (the right direction!) from an 8120 to a 2600k. I'll have to mess with it later I guess. Tired of troubleshooting this god forsaken bulldozer debacle.


If you fancy getting more cards whether they be red or green, you'd want a better cpu. Look at the incoming z77 boards, especially the P8Z77 WS.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Finally found a link to the almighty RC11 driver. Will give it a try when I get home and see if that fixes BF3 in-game environmental flicker.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Finally found a link to the almighty RC11 driver. Will give it a try when I get home and see if that fixes BF3 in-game environmental flicker.


Psst, for future reference, its on the OP.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That core test was at 1175mv? What is your true stock voltage, per your asic%?
> I've noticed that these cores like a fair bit of juice to make a jump in core clocks. It could just be me, but I've had to push more than a few increments at a time to hit X clock. So what I did was just push max voltage and worked pushed the clocks up to hit my upper boundary. Then from there I worked my way down. You also want to get an idea of your vgpu droop. Fire up hwinfo64, disable AB voltage monitoring in your OSD and run furmark. Furmark is great for loading the gpu and hwinfo64 for watching real time voltage. Write what you put into AB and what is displayed by hwinfo. The difference is your droop. If we calculate from your stock vgpu which is 1093mv +125mv = 1218mv is your max before OCP kicks in. I'd guesstimate your real max voltage to be somewhere around 30mv less, 1188mv.
> Now here's the kicker. 125mv "IS" what AMD has deemed safe, since that's the limit they set. And it would be logical that they've set it actually lower than the true limit as to provide a cushion for safety margins.
> Ok with that aside, go see what your max vgpu droop is.


Thanks for taking the time to help me !
That core test I did was indeed at 1175mv. My True stock voltage = 1090mv. Asic = 76,3%

I did a 1 minute test in Furmark at 1150 core / 1520 memory @ 1175mv in Trixx (not using Afterburner) :

So in Trixx is 1175mv and I see : 

1157mv it looks to me...

Now what do to next?


----------



## Smo

Looks like I jumped the gun a little - now some unbiased reviews have surfaced I'm going to stick with my 7970s.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Wicked... 12hrs after I finally get my system stable... MORE DRIVERS!

Dont think I will bother... need to start enjoying this rig a little. LOL


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Psst, for future reference, its on the OP.


Apparently I have selective blindness or BF3 is making me blind with rage. Take your picker either way







.

I felt like a Hardy Boy with my sleuthing skills. Way to burst my bubble.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Looks like I jumped the gun a little - now some unbiased reviews have surfaced I'm going to stick with my 7970s.










Lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to help me !
> That core test I did was indeed at 1175mv. My True stock voltage = 1090mv. Asic = 76,3%
> I did a 1 minute test in Furmark at 1150 core / 1520 memory @ 1175mv in Trixx (not using Afterburner) :
> So in Trixx is 1175mv and I see :
> 1157mv it looks to me...
> Now what do to next?


Nice, as I expected, 30mv drop. Push max voltage get as high a clock as you can, this will let us know what are max clock is. I suspect you will only be able to hit 1185mv inputting 125mv into Trixx so you are almost at your maximum.

A point on Heaven. Imo it is very good at stability testing, but it isn't a game so it won't put the gpu into real time pressure. You can't simulate Crysis in game or BF3, etc. So when you find a stable point in Heaven, you're not done yet. Do you have Crysis btw?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Looks like I jumped the gun a little - now some unbiased reviews have surfaced I'm going to stick with my 7970s.


Yeah, me too a bit. So the performance boost isn't there with the gtx680. Let's just hope AMD's drivers get fixed sometime soon


----------



## tsm106

Why the Chunky Chimp close the overclock thread?? They are different topics no?


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> damn look at all those 7970's in the fs section.


LOL....silly troll.
'
A 7970 overclocked to 1250 on the core, which is not a hard thing to do for most people with a slight voltage bump) beats the 680 around 95% of the time in benchmarks and games.


----------



## jackrabb1t

To the people taking your memory above 1375 on stock voltages: are you actually seeing performance increases? I can take mine all the way to 1600 and it's stable, but my benchmark results end up being worse than stock.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nice, as I expected, 30mv drop. Push max voltage get as high a clock as you can, this will let us know what are max clock is. I suspect you will only be able to hit 1185mv inputting 125mv into Trixx so you are almost at your maximum.
> A point on Heaven. Imo it is very good at stability testing, but it isn't a game so it won't put the gpu into real time pressure. You can't simulate Crysis in game or BF3, etc. So when you find a stable point in Heaven, you're not done yet. Do you have Crysis btw?


I have Crysis Warhead + Crysis Wars on steam.
Not yet installed though, wanne play one game at a time









But as said before I am playing new batman game at the moment.

I will push the voltage to 1185mv in Trixx and start Batman today with 1100 on the core and 1500 on the memory. Lets see if that will hold up without driver error.

EDIT : isnt my drop 20mv by the way? 1175 - 1157 = 18mv or am I calculating something wrong here?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jackrabb1t*
> 
> I can take mine all the way to 1600 and it's stable, but my benchmark results end up being worse than stock.


I learned yesterday this actually means it is not stable due to error correction things or something.
So if performance increases are not as high as before or even worse that means you should back down your clocks.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jackrabb1t*
> 
> To the people taking your memory above 1375 on stock voltages: are you actually seeing performance increases? I can take mine all the way to 1600 and it's stable, but my benchmark results end up being worse than stock.


Give us some of these benchmarks to see.
My card can do 1800+ on stock voltage and of course my results depend on game is up to 10% plus.


----------



## DarthBaiter

Personally, I was hoping the 680 would kick our asses.









...and used HD7970 prices would drop to around $400.

Now my kids are gonna have to wait for their upgrade till the next launch.


----------



## Ocnewb

Even at @ 1848, the GTX 680 still can't beat the 7970 @ 1800 so the 7970 is still the king here guys (link). Congrats! I'm still gonna buy a GTX 680 to try it out since i don't have a 7970 already, wish they could drop $50 in price at least.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I have Crysis Warhead + Crysis Wars on steam.
> Not yet installed though, wanne play one game at a time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But as said before I am playing new batman game at the moment.
> I will push the voltage to 1185mv in Trixx and start Batman today with 1100 on the core and 1500 on the memory. Lets see if that will hold up without driver error.
> EDIT : isnt my drop 20mv by the way? 1175 - 1157 = 18mv or am I calculating something wrong here?


You're math is right. I still had the 1185 number in my head when counting volts. Also, Crysis is just to test out stability. I always keep Metro and some version of Crysis installed for testing.


----------



## Hambone07si

WOOT, get to go home and continue testing the new driver that finally install correct


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> WOOT, get to go home and continue testing the new driver that finally install correct


I'm jelly. I'm going to try modding my drivers lol.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> WOOT, get to go home and continue testing the new driver that finally install correct


Which driver are you referring to? I am still using 12.3 pre-certified. Is there a better driver out?


----------



## ProgenitorX

Hm, I just ordered an XFX DD 7970 BE and it arrives tomorrow. However, I just saw that the Gygabyte OC 7970 seems to have better cooling plus a discount code for $20. Think it's worth returning the one that's on its way and order that one instead (Gain: Better air cooling, ~$30 | Loss: Time and Effort of Shipping Back).


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Which driver are you referring to? I am still using 12.3 pre-certified. Is there a better driver out?


The 8.95.5 I think. So many numbers in my head right now as I'm leaving work and I'm the CNC programer at my company









Here's the link
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx


----------



## tsm106

I modded 8.921 aka rc11 package with the driver from 8.960 aka OpenCL 1.2 and the rc11 catalyst isn't compatible with the 8.960 driver. However, I do know the flashing of 8.960 package is related to the driver because with the driver only loaded, the DP panel is flickering. Will try 8.95.5 package with rc11 driver, yeehaw.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Have any of you guys had this issue in BF3? My flickering isn't quite as bad as the person from this video but it is most certainly there.






Made a post here and on anandtech/tom's hardware/guru3d and so far no advice has helped yet, lol. Can't wait to get home and do a clean install of RC11.


----------



## Hambone07si

I think you like that we have some crappy drivers TSM, you seem to be making a game out them now


----------



## firestorm1

it seems all those 7970's that were added to the for sale section this morning are no longer there.









why the change of heart guys?


----------



## Focus182

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Have any of you guys had this issue in BF3? My flickering isn't quite as bad as the person from this video but it is most certainly there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Made a post here and on anandtech/tom's hardware/guru3d and so far no advice has helped yet, lol. Can't wait to get home and do a clean install of RC11.


I believe everyone has this issue bud









When scoped in at least...


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Focus182*
> 
> I believe everyone has this issue bud
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When scoped in at least...


Problem is it's still there when I'm not scoped in and looking at it and even as I'm walking towards it. I would have uploaded a video but to upload a 10 second fraps clip on YouTube it would have taken 337 minutes on my home connection. Guess I'll have to make due with screenshots later this evening lol.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> it seems all those 7970's that were added to the for sale section this morning are no longer there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> why the change of heart guys?


I think it went something like this:
1: ZOMG, 680








2: list 7970(s) in marketplace
3: research 680 benchies
4: ...
5: remove 7970 from market place, and return to ' 7970







'


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I think it went something like this:
> 1: ZOMG, 680
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2: list 7970(s) in marketplace
> 3: research 680 benchies
> 4: ...
> 5: remove 7970 from market place, and return to ' 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> '


Exactly


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I think it went something like this:
> 1: ZOMG, 680
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2: list 7970(s) in marketplace
> 3: research 680 benchies
> 4: ...
> 5: remove 7970 from market place, and return to ' 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> '

















7970


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProgenitorX*
> 
> Hm, I just ordered an XFX DD 7970 BE and it arrives tomorrow. However, I just saw that the Gygabyte OC 7970 seems to have better cooling plus a discount code for $20. Think it's worth returning the one that's on its way and order that one instead (Gain: Better air cooling, ~$30 | Loss: Time and Effort of Shipping Back).


Yes get the Giga or Sapphire Dual Fan if you can find that one.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> The 8.95.5 I think. So many numbers in my head right now as I'm leaving work and I'm the CNC programer at my company
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's the link
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx


Thanks! Any CAPs to go with that? Or can I use the one I currently have installed?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Thanks! Any CAPs to go with that? Or can I use the one I currently have installed?


Not sure to tell you the truth. I haven't installed one yet for this driver and everything is working well in crossfire and eyefinity. Someone else may know for sure

New driver is playing very well for me


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I think it went something like this:
> 1: ZOMG, 680
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2: list 7970(s) in marketplace
> 3: research 680 benchies
> 4: ...
> 5: remove 7970 from market place, and return to ' 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> '


Same here, only difference is that in my case its HD 7950.


----------



## ProgenitorX

Can someone explain to me the drivers in the OP? Do I install the Catalyst 12.2 WHQL drivers first and then the CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11? And is OCCT an alternative to Furmark (should I use it instead?)? Thanks for all the help so far guys.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Yes get the Giga or Sapphire Dual Fan if you can find that one.


Does XFX have a bad reputation when it comes to cards? Do they use low quality components or just have bad customer service?
I think they have lifetime warranty for DD 7970's even if something does happen.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProgenitorX*
> 
> Can someone explain to me the drivers in the OP? Do I install the Catalyst 12.2 WHQL drivers first and then the CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11? And is OCCT an alternative to Furmark (should I use it instead?)? Thanks for all the help so far guys.
> Does XFX have a bad reputation when it comes to cards? Do they use low quality components or just have bad customer service?


Sorry to ask, but what is "OP".


----------



## Hambone07si

Original Post OP


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProgenitorX*
> 
> Can someone explain to me the drivers in the OP? Do I install the Catalyst 12.2 WHQL drivers first and then the CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11? And is OCCT an alternative to Furmark (should I use it instead?)? Thanks for all the help so far guys.
> Does XFX have a bad reputation when it comes to cards? Do they use low quality components or just have bad customer service?


If it is reference, it doesn't matter--choose the company with the best warranty and return policy. I will say, though, when I emailed a few card manufacturers with a question about watercooling before I purchased my PowerColor, all of them responded except XFX, XFX didn't even bother to respond to my inquiry.


----------



## firestorm1

i seriously doubt amd will lower the price on the 7970 that much. not when it has 1GB more vram. you guys know that stuff aint cheap.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Sorry to ask, but what is "OP".


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> If it is reference, it doesn't matter--choose the company with the best warranty and return policy. I will say, though, when I emailed a few card manufacturers with a question about watercooling before I purchased my PowerColor, all of them responded except XFX, XFX didn't even bother to respond to my inquiry.


Shhh, they never know









if your clean about it


----------



## ELCID777

Just installed 8.95.5 drivers, and now my system goes into an unresponsive state shortly after the windows logo appears. I get a black screen with blinking cursor on the upper right hand side.







Seriously, *** AMD?? This is totally unacceptable and it's no freaking wonder why so many people bash AMD for their drivers, which at the moment, I beginning to believe are quite buggy and unimpressive.

Wow, what do I do now? I had to start up my rig in safe mode with networking to be able to post this. Can I just download the previous driver I was using? I really hope I don't have to do a fresh windows install as I have none of my data backed-up (yes I know, very stupid of me) but I don't have the cash for an extra HDD at the moment.


----------



## Hambone07si

Should be able to uninstall the driver and use other.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're math is right. I still had the 1185 number in my head when counting volts. Also, Crysis is just to test out stability. I always keep Metro and some version of Crysis installed for testing.


Ok, what does that mean in terms of my max voltage? I can go up 10mv more? To about 1195mv ?

By the way : just played about 3 hours of batman without any "driver stopped responding" message with 1100mhz core / 1500mhz memory and 1187mv voltage

I will play some more tomorrow at 1125 / 1525 @ 1187mv voltage. I will keep pushing untill I get the driver error again so I know where to stop and back one level down









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> New driver is playing very well for me


How much of an increase is this performance-wise compared to RC11 ?
Very interested in that !


----------



## ELCID777

Really unfortunate that these won't install properly in my system as I hear that they provide a nice performance boost once properly running. I will install the previous driver I was using, but I am still interested in trying these out again. There must be a way to get them properly installed.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Hey guys,

Just wondering what the max safe voltage and clocks are on 7970s that are under water?

I am at 1350mhz core & 1500mhz mem with a max temp of 35c @ 1.3v.

Anyone used higher voltage under water?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ryanhaver*
> 
> Finally found out that my second card is bad. I had tested them both on their own before and the second card ran fine with a few artifacts on screen (i figured it was just due to the drivers), but this time I tested them and the second DCII would crash my system completely. Huge vertical lines would cover the screen when it was put under any stress and my system would completely halt. Now the card just crashes my system whenever it's plugged into any PCI-E slot. It was a slow death, but I'm betting that the card was from the first or second batch that Asus had to recall because of the manufacturing defect with the mounting of the heatsink and cooler.
> I just RMA'd it. What a relief I thought I was going to have to deal with never ending driver issues, maybe I still will have to deal with never ending driver issues


The heatsink issues were only with the 7950s, not the 7970s.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you are on stock air cooler just stick to Afterburner and don't touch or enable CCC Overdrive to avoid possible conflicts. As to Power Setting, is allowing the card to draw more power when it needs to before throttling down to stay within power set limit. The DCII is definitely drawing more than the reference by design. Say the TDP is 250W with PS +20% (50W), you are allowing the card to draw 300W at drivers level. After hitting 300W limit, it will throttle down.
> 
> VRMs by design to operate at max temp of 120°C before shutting down. But you don't want to go there, it will dissipate the heat through PCB and affecting other components. I would take it apart and fix it. As long as the VRMs having proper contact with heat-sink, it should never go beyond 90°C in normal gaming with hottest summer ambient. Use HWiNFO64.exe to monitor the VRMs just to make sure. Do not assume it's 20°C cooler.


I was only ever going to use AB to overclock - my question was, where do I find the power setting - AB or CCC?

I know that about the VRMs, I am not taking apart my card - all the DCIIs have this problem. However, there was a post yesterday stating that someone had put a WB on a DCII, and when they measured the VRM temps they were 20C cooler than the system was reporting.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> How much of an increase is this performance-wise compared to RC11 ?
> Very interested in that !


This was Rc11. I had way lower min fps on Rc11.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Really unfortunate that these won't install properly in my system as I hear that they provide a nice performance boost once properly running. I will install the previous driver I was using, but I am still interested in trying these out again. There must be a way to get them properly installed.


Go here and read. It may help you too.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1226892/fixes-catalyst-drivers-error-oc-eyefinity-general-issues


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alchemist07*
> 
> The review at hardware.fr
> 
> says it all about overclocking...


I am happy to see both (7970 and 680) competing like this, it should prove beneficial for us consumers.


----------



## martianaphid

So I'm assuming I'm not the only one who has read the 680 reviews. I'm left with a few questions which I hope the more technically experienced among you might be able to highlight.

What exactly it is about the 7900 series that is limiting its performance??? I'm not a technical expert but on paper it has a larger die, greater TDP, a wider memory bus, more VRAM... yet it still falls behind - where is the bottleneck??? I wonder if they are actually unlocking the full potential of the extra VRAM and wider memory bus and if so is the rumoured 6GB version of the 7970 going to be a waste of time. On the other hand, if we see more memory intensive games and in multi-monitor setups will the 7970 begin to regain some ground.

I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martianaphid*
> 
> So I'm assuming I'm not the only one who has read the 680 reviews. I'm left with a few questions which I hope the more technically experienced among you might be able to highlight.
> What exactly it is about the 7900 series that is limiting its performance??? I'm not a technical expert but on paper it has a larger die, greater TDP, a wider memory bus, more VRAM... yet it still falls behind - where is the bottleneck??? I wonder if they are actually unlocking the full potential of the extra VRAM and wider memory bus and if so is the rumoured 6GB version of the 7970 going to be a waste of time. On the other hand, if we see more memory intensive games and in multi-monitor setups will the 7970 begin to regain some ground.
> I'd love to hear some thoughts on this.


If I had to guess, and believe me when I say this is only a guess, I would say we'll be rewarded once our 7xxx drivers fully mature.

I say this because if we look here at the info for 8.95.5, and notice the improvements, it's quite impressive: http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx

In particular, notice the part that says
Quote:


> MLAA now operates up 80% faster than previous versions of MLAA


If this is any hint about the types of things we have coming as our drivers mature, we're in for a real treat.


----------



## Hambone07si

680 will have a limit to how far it can go with the 2 6pins. I like my 8pin


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> If I had to guess, and believe me when I say this is only a guess, I would say we'll be rewarded once our 7xxx drivers fully mature.


your spot on. it normally takes a few months to get things working properly. then once they are working, amd breaks it.


----------



## pfunkmort

Also, just going by some of the stuff I read when the card first released (I was shopping at the time for 570s, so I only read it out of curiosity), the locked shader clocks limit the amount that you can really OC the card. That and the drivers/games that are optimized better for nvidia cards, as others have said.


----------



## firestorm1

afaik, the locked shader shouldnt have anything to do with how well the card overclocks.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> your spot on. it normally takes a few months to get things working properly. *then once they are working, amd breaks it.*












Anyways, the 680 wasn't as impressive as the leaks were pointing to. What happened to the 40% gain over 7970?









Someone asked awhile ago, FC-7970 Backplate will not work with 7950, they have their own backplate which should be available this week from EK's webshop.

Also, the 680 is a butchered GPU. They ripped a large majority of the compute stuff (GPGPU) to get the efficiency, TDP, and temps they wanted (see: 7870 or 560Ti).


----------



## firestorm1

in all honesty, amd makes some damn good graphics cards. on the other hand, their drivers are sorely lacking at times and it puts a hurting on performance.

when i had my 2 4870x2's running, i was was having nothing but problems with those drivers. then a friend of mine sent me a link to some forum (cant remember which one) and i found a guy on there that was modding/fixing amd drivers. cant remember the guys name to save my life. but to make a long story short, those drivers he was messing with worked like a charm and from that day on, i never used a driver that he didnt mod.


----------



## tsm106

Don't go overboard guys, the 680 is still a damned fast card. It's the arch nemesis for a reason.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Don't go overboard guys, the 680 is still a damned fast card. It's the arch nemesis for a reason.


Yes indeed. I'm still sticking by my plan of Xfire Lightnings though







They just need to come out in Aus!

OCing now, running 3DMark11 at 1150 core and it seems good. Hopefully I can push 1200 on stock volts, although I don't know that there's much chance of that! After running 3DMark at 1100 (and getting 500 more points because of it o_0) GPU was at 58C, and VRMs 86C

Ha, nope, display driver stopped responding at 1200. I might leave it at 1150 for now, see what I can do on the mem.

Seems all stable at 1150/1600, and I'm happy with that for now. Going to run Heaven to test, then play some BF3 later and see how I go.

Scored 9152 3DMarks


----------



## martianaphid

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Also, the 680 is a butchered GPU. They ripped a large majority of the compute stuff (GPGPU) to get the efficiency, TDP, and temps they wanted (see: 7870 or 560Ti).


Agreed they did sacrifice those features. Nonetheless as a gaming card it is a lean and mean product, I don't think it kills the HD7970 by any means but it does take ground whilst having advantages in die size and memory size (in terms of the cost of card and the room for price shifting). I don't think this rules out the 7970 but I do think it needs to at least match the RRP of the 680.

As of yet I havent seen any reviews dealing with multi-monitor set-ups (not applicable to me personally) but I would be interested to see if the added VRAM would be a benefit to the 7900s here.


----------



## Twistacles

Do we know yet if the gtx680 OCs as well as the 7970? I can see it beating the 7970 @ 925, but @ 1250?


----------



## firestorm1

i think it does to a point, then theres a limit to how far it can oc before it requires a hard mod to go any higher. w


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Do we know yet if the gtx680 OCs as well as the 7970? I can see it beating the 7970 @ 925, but @ 1250?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> i think it does to a point, then theres a limit to how far it can oc before it requires a hard mod to go any higher. w


They can overclock very well but their vrms could pose a problem with very high clocks 24/7.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martianaphid*
> 
> Agreed they did sacrifice those features. Nonetheless as a gaming card it is a lean and mean product, I don't think it kills the HD7970 by any means but it does take ground whilst having advantages in die size and memory size (in terms of the cost of card and the room for price shifting). I don't think this rules out the 7970 but I do think it needs to at least match the RRP of the 680.
> As of yet I havent seen any reviews dealing with multi-monitor set-ups (not applicable to me personally) but I would be interested to see if the added VRAM would be a benefit to the 7900s here.


I saw one, it was perfectly fine surprisingly. They were dead locked maxed out in BF3 IIRC.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Do we know yet if the gtx680 OCs as well as the 7970? I can see it beating the 7970 @ 925, but @ 1250?


It has been getting really decent clocks and the 7970 pretty much matches at the high-end clocks.

K|ngp|n or w/e his name is hit like 1854 on LN2 with a 680.


----------



## tsm106

kingpin broke 1900 on the core dude.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> kingping broke 1900 on the core dude.


that guy is going to blow something up one of these days lol


----------



## tsm106

Woops, spelling error doh.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> kingping broke 1900 on the core dude.


Sorry, only saw the 1848 post, I don't troll the 680 threads enough


----------



## firestorm1

same here. ive noticed its alot nicer on this side of the tracks.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Look at how pathetic the 680s score in Quad SLI vs the 7970s...

http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2641/7/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-quad-sli-review-english-version-battlefield-3


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Look at how pathetic the 680s score in Quad SLI vs the 7970s...
> http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2641/7/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-quad-sli-review-english-version-battlefield-3












Not gonna lie, that's totally drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Look at how pathetic the 680s score in Quad SLI vs the 7970s...
> http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2641/7/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-quad-sli-review-english-version-battlefield-3


Wow.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Look at how pathetic the 680s score in Quad SLI vs the 7970s...
> http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2641/7/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-quad-sli-review-english-version-battlefield-3


Hmm, I like threesomes







after looking at that, my M4E wouldn't mind a threesome either for eyefinity


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Look at how pathetic the 680s score in Quad SLI vs the 7970s...
> http://nl.hardware.info/reviews/2641/7/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-quad-sli-review-english-version-battlefield-3


OMG. dat fps difference.









drivers most likey. only reason i can think of to cause that much difference in fps.


----------



## Hambone07si

AvP also up over Rc11. Was 103fps now 108fps


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> AvP also up over Rc11. Was 103fps now 108fps


Argh, I'm tempted but I don't want to spend all day mucking about with drivers :S

Maybe I'll upgrade on Sunday afternoon.

Also, I had a quick flick through but couldn't see - any FPS increase in BF3? I'm about to run a benchmark to see what kind of frames I get now I have the card at 1150/1600. It got me an extra 6 fps avg in Heaven with extreme tessellation, and another 10 fps avg with normal tessellation.


----------



## Ottesen

I've been on this thread a while now, but still i have questions to clarify ... I have *7950 crossfire* btw.

*The questions:*

*1:* Does the core voltage and memory voltage work together/affect each other ? I can't run super high core mhz but memory i can take up like hell...

*2:* Is running my 7950's at 1100/1700mhz with 1135mv and stock memory voltage a good overclock ?

*3:* I see peeps saying "error correction" all the time with high memory clock, but how do i know/see that ? i can go 1700mhz stock memory voltage for some reason...

*4:* Should i get my core mhz up first and see where its max, then do memory ?


----------



## PARTON

Lost 15 on 3d11 X score going from rc11 to 8.95.5

Not that it matters, but fyi.

*RC11*


*8.95.5*


----------



## ProgenitorX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Sorry to ask, but what is "OP".


Opening or Original Post.

By the way, I'm still confused on how to install the drivers. Do I need both the Catalyst and the RC11 ones? Or just one or the other? Thanks and I'm sorry for being such a noob


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I've been on this thread a while now, but still i have questions to clarify ... I have *7950 crossfire* btw.
> *The questions:*
> *1:* Does the core voltage and memory voltage work together/affect each other ? I can't run super high core mhz but memory i can take up like hell...
> *2:* Is running my 7950's at 1100/1700mhz with 1135mv and stock memory voltage a good overclock ?
> *3:* I see peeps saying "error correction" all the time with high memory clock, but how do i know/see that ? i can go 1700mhz stock memory voltage for some reason...
> *4:* Should i get my core mhz up first and see where its max, then do memory ?


The voltages shouldn't affect each other.
As long as its stable and you get what you want out of it








If you see crazy artifacting and errors happening in games on textures and what not.
Core is going to be the most beneficial to performance, memory is second.


----------



## PARTON

Miniscule gain in crysis 1 GPU bench going from rc11 to 8.95.5.


----------



## TheJesus

http://developer.amd.com/Downloads/OpenCL1.2betadriversWindows.exe

12.4 OpenCL 1.2 Developer Beta drivers (8.960.0)? Opinions?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> http://developer.amd.com/Downloads/OpenCL1.2betadriversWindows.exe
> 12.4 OpenCL 1.2 Developer Beta drivers (8.960.0)? Opinions?


It was the only current beta that worked for me, that was good. The bad was that it had serious issues keeping my DP port and my DVI ports in sync, ie. my DP screen flickered.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> The voltages shouldn't affect each other.
> As long as its stable and you get what you want out of it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you see crazy artifacting and errors happening in games on textures and what not.
> Core is going to be the most beneficial to performance, memory is second.


Thanks for answering mate... i got another question also tho, is there really any point in setting powerlimit up to +20 ? i can't really tell any difference...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Thanks for answering mate... i got another question also tho, is there really any point in setting powerlimit up to +20 ? i can't really tell any difference...


AFAIK, it allows you to violate the TDP limit allowing for higher temps/clocks/power/etc.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> AFAIK, it allows you to violate the TDP limit allowing for higher temps/clocks/power/etc.


Hehe, violates a really harsh, graphic word. Boom, up on the backside of the TDP limit...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hehe, violates a really harsh, graphic word. Boom, up on the backside of the TDP limit...


It fits the subject, lol.


----------



## thrgk

why here http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1452/pg11/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-kepler-graphics-card-review-star-wars-the-old-republic.html does a max overclocked 7970 just meet stock 680 for like swtor, bf3, 3dmark11, is that really true? a stock 680 meets a 7970 oced?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> why here http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1452/pg11/nvidia-geforce-gtx-680-kepler-graphics-card-review-star-wars-the-old-republic.html does a max overclocked 7970 just meet stock 680 for like swtor, bf3, 3dmark11, is that really true? a stock 680 meets a 7970 oced?


1505 is max mem OC? Mine is at 1600 stock volts and I haven't tried to go further, probably could.


----------



## thrgk

still 1250 core the 680 still matches? that is amazing tbh. Idk I might go green if these benchmarks are true.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

I've had my 7970 under water for about a month now, and finally had the time to explore the limits of this particular GPU. 1250 MHz core @ 1.3v and 1800 MHz memory @ 1.7v Here is the Unigine Heaven Benchmark result:



Hit 55*C while stress testing using OCCT, but doesn't get over 45*C while gaming. Not bad, but not great either. I'm happy though.


----------



## wireeater

Got the CPU and cards under water tonight. The highest FurDonut could get my cards to was 43-45C. They would hit 80+ on air and wide open fan... I am going to enjoy this.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

How do i clock more then 1125Mhz? I Installed Cat 12.4 Beta and MSI was not working with Unofficially Overclocking. I downloaded the required files and now i apply 1150 but still stuck @ 1125Mhz?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> How do i clock more then 1125Mhz? I Installed Cat 12.4 Beta and MSI was not working with Unofficially Overclocking. I downloaded the required files and now i apply 1150 but still stuck @ 1125Mhz?


Try this, it should work

AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 536k .zip file


----------



## pfunkmort

I think part of the reason those fps numbers are skewed is that these cards (mine at least) don't really perform well with MSAA. I'd assume that's what they're using. I kind of wonder what it would look like if they put the AA to post or whatever.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you are on stock air cooler just stick to Afterburner and don't touch or enable CCC Overdrive to avoid possible conflicts. As to Power Setting, is allowing the card to draw more power when it needs to before throttling down to stay within power set limit. The DCII is definitely drawing more than the reference by design. Say the TDP is 250W with PS +20% (50W), you are allowing the card to draw 300W at drivers level. After hitting 300W limit, it will throttle down.
> 
> VRMs by design to operate at max temp of 120°C before shutting down. But you don't want to go there, it will dissipate the heat through PCB and affecting other components. I would take it apart and fix it. As long as the VRMs having proper contact with heat-sink, it should never go beyond 90°C in normal gaming with hottest summer ambient. Use HWiNFO64.exe to monitor the VRMs just to make sure. Do not assume it's 20°C cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> I was only ever going to use AB to overclock - my question was, where do I find the power setting - AB or CCC?
> 
> I know that about the VRMs, I am not taking apart my card - all the DCIIs have this problem. However, there was a post yesterday stating that someone had put a WB on a DCII, and when they measured the VRM temps they were 20C cooler than the system was reporting.
Click to expand...

Power Setting in Afterburner > Settings > Under General tab.



As for the VRMs temperature is a very easy fix if you want. There's nothing high tech about it. I will give you comparisons below. The tiny aluminum heat-sink on Gigabyte 7970 OC never break 60 °C in any situations. Now look at the huge heat-sink on the Asus 7970 DCII. If the heat-sink seated properly with VRMs, the temp should be better than Gigabyte 7970 OC. Take it apart to replace the thermal pad or add another layer of .5mm should fix the temp for good.


















This is Levesque ghetto tiny RAM heat-sink on MSI 6970 VRMs. He will be able to confirm it never go higher than 42 °C.


----------



## wTheOnew

Updated the driver to whatever came with 12.2. Turns out that was a bad idea.







Blue screens and freezes all over the place. This is the first time I've ever had a problem with an ATi/AMD driver. My good luck streak is broken.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Original Post OP


Thanks mate.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> still 1250 core the 680 still matches? that is amazing tbh. Idk I might go green if these benchmarks are true.


I don't think so

http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-gtx-680-2gb-overclocking-review-win-some-lose-some/15322-4.html

http://vr-zone.com/articles/asus-gtx-680-2gb-overclocking-review-win-some-lose-some/15322-5.html

http://www.overclock.net/t/1232948/7970-vs-gtx-680-who-is-the-real-king/30_30#post_16785312

But I think moving from a 7970 to a gtx680 is a side grade and a waste of money to be honest.


----------



## gzhil

After sharing you guys the MSI R7970 monster video card, his little brother the MSI R7950 Twin frozr is finally here. It has the same GPU chip but fewer stream processors, texture units and slower clock speeds. The card's PCB is still based on the reference design but the good thing is, its using the famous Twin Frozr III heatsink and the gpu have been factory overclocked already from 800MHz to 880MHz.









The package is a bit smaller than the R7970 but has the same color black and blue theme. Lifting the front part of the box, you will find information about the features that MSI did with the video card such as Military Class III Components, MSI Afterburner and how the Twin Frozr III performs. A glimpse of the actual video card can be also seen through the clear plastic.









Inside the box you have ofcourse your beloved R7950 and the bundled accessories below:
•Quick User Guide and Manual
•Driver Utility Disc
•6Pin PCIE Power to 4 Pin Molex
•Crossfire Bridge
•Mini Display Port to Display Port
•DVI to D-Sub Adaptor








So here is the R7950 using the latest Twin Frozr III cooler with 2x 80mm propeller blade fans for better heat dissipation.









Video Output Functions"
•Dual-Link DVI x1
•Mini DisplayPort x2
•HDMI x1








5 thick heatpipes and Check out the black plate on top of the VRMs and Power Phases  Does the job pretty well and supports the card to prevent from bending down.









The card is powered up by 2x 6Pin Power Cables and Quadfire capable









Test System Specs Below:
•Processor- Intel Core i7 3960x
•Memory - 2x2GB Kingston HyperX Genesis DDR3 2133MHz
• Hard Drive - OCZ Agility 3 120GB AHCI
•Motherboard - MSI X79A-GD65 8D
•PSU - Antec Quattro True Power 1200W
•Software - Windows 7 Ultimate 64 Bit, First release ATI Catalyst Driver, Futuremark Bench Softwares, Heaven, GPU-Z, CPU-Z

OC OC OC!!!!! I was able to push the card from 880mhz to 1215mhz then the memory from 1250 to 1515mhz


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gzhil*


3Dmark 11 ready









When I got my MSI R7970 I seen the 3D mark 11 on the cover of the box and thought it came with a key for the full edition inside , well that didn't happen


----------



## TheJesus

If you're looking for 7970s, [H]ardForum has at least 5 for $440-460 shipped... Roflmao.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> If you're looking for 7970s, [H]ardForum has at least 5 for $440-460 shipped... Roflmao.


That's some pretty damn good prices.








Hell... I might buy a 2nd one.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That's some pretty damn good prices.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hell... I might buy a 2nd one.


If you want watercooled, there are a pair on TPU for $1020 shipped.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I have yet to determine if getting a 2nd one is worth the trouble...
I recently got a 30-inch monitor and perhaps now I could justify _needing_ a 2nd card.
Decisions, decisions...









Right now there's an ASUS 7970 going for 450 dollars shipped.
Me want!


----------



## wireeater

I think it's funny how people are selling their 79xx series for the GTX 680. People are acting like this is some sort of revolutionary card that is going to have some sort of ground breaking technology. The card is going yield very little difference in everyday use between these 2 cards...

Or do AMD drivers really suck THAT bad, LOL.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I think it's funny how people are selling their 79xx series for the GTX 680. People are acting like this is some sort of revolutionary card that is going to have some sort of ground breaking technology. The card is going yield very little difference in everyday use between these 2 cards...
> Or do AMD drivers really suck THAT bad, LOL.


They do, lol. I don't care, mine haven't caused too much trouble luckily









I'm going to be folding on these monsters, so 680 is worthless.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Some people still have the idle issues where the system becomes unresponsive (mostly fixed with 8.95.5).
Texture flickering in some games with CF.
Drivers screwing up when being installed (some users reported that).

Overall for me it's working pretty well but there's still quite a bit of room for improvement I think.

Now regarding [email protected]
It's not really the drivers, it's not the hardware this time around...
It's the software ([email protected]).
It simply isn't optimized for GCN.

Eventually somewhere down the line Stanford/AMD will put out a properly performing core.
Who knows when, I've been waiting since the release of the HD 4870.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Some people still have the idle issues where the system becomes unresponsive (mostly fixed with 8.95.5).
> Texture flickering in some games with CF.
> Drivers screwing up when being installed (some users reported that).
> Overall for me it's working pretty well but there's still quite a bit of room for improvement I think.


Who leaves their computer on while not in use? Come on, at least fold with it or turn it off


----------



## wireeater

I will be honest, as much as I hate it when I am trying to play a game, I enjoy the challenge the AMD drivers give me because I enjoy troubleshooting but still no excuse for it and hopefully they see the roller this has caused. Because this is going to affect them next series launch.

.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Who leaves their computer on while not in use? Come on, at least fold with it or turn it off


Check my edited post, please.








Performance with [email protected] and AMD GPUs is horrible.
This card can do much better than 5-9k PPD.

I do however run [email protected] from time to time.
It absolutely dominates that project.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Check my edited post, please.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Performance with [email protected] and AMD GPUs is horrible.
> This card can do much better than 5-9k PPD.
> I do however run [email protected] from time to time.
> It absolutely dominates that project.


Are you running the OpenCL 1.2 driver (8.960.0) with the experimental WUs? I haven't tried because I'm waiting to go under water.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Are you running the OpenCL 1.2 driver (8.960.0) with the experimental WUs? I haven't tried because I'm waiting to go under water.


I'm currently running 8.95.5 with what I assume is OCL 1.1.
The current beta WUs give me about 4-5k PPD.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

If any of your guys are OC'ing your 7970's with water cooling, I would appreciate your input on ths topic:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1232981/7970-overclocking-underwater-post-your-achievements/0_40


----------



## DimmyK

You can take me off the owners' spreadsheet, I'll be selling my Asus 7970, EVGA GTX 680 incoming. If someone is interested, PM me.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> You can take me off the owners' spreadsheet, I'll be selling my Asus 7970, EVGA GTX 680 incoming. If someone is interested, PM me.


Congratulations and good luck to you sir.


----------



## thrgk

is the new 12.4 beta better then R11? will it let me oc in msi ab?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

When i overclock with MSI AB UOC ON is it normal for Voltage and Core to Get Stuck to 3D Mode?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> is the new 12.4 beta better then R11? will it let me oc in msi ab?


CCC 8.95.5 still requires the patch to overclock using unofficial overclocking.
Is it better than RC11?
For me it's running a bit more stable (idle bug is mostly gone it seems).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> When i overclock with MSI AB UOC ON is it normal for Voltage and Core to Get Stuck to 3D Mode?


If you have it set to unofficialoverclocking=2 it is.
PowerPlay is disabled and as a result so is its power saving features (it stays at high 3D clocks).
UO=1 _shouldn't_ disable PowerPlay, though.


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> You can take me off the owners' spreadsheet, I'll be selling my Asus 7970, EVGA GTX 680 incoming. If someone is interested, PM me.


Edited: Good luck!


----------



## thrgk

patch? did r11 require patch? im at 12.2precert now and cant oc in ab. When is amd planning on releasing good stable drivers?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> This was Rc11. I had way lower min fps on Rc11.


Nice indeed.
But would like to see the same comparison for a single card setup also (since I am only running 1 card







)


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> patch? did r11 require patch? im at 12.2precert now and cant oc in ab. When is amd planning on releasing good stable drivers?


No, Rc11 works fine. The new one needs a patch if you want to enable UOM. I have always been able to overclock with AB and had no problems.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> patch? did r11 require patch? im at 12.2precert now and cant oc in ab. When is amd planning on releasing good stable drivers?


This patch:

AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 536k .zip file


...and like another user pointed out, RC11 doesn't need the patch and newer versions do for unofficial overclocking on AB.


----------



## thrgk

can i uninstall this patch once i install it? incase amd release a final driver that doesnt need it to oc?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

UOC i have it set to 1. As soon as i open MSI AB afterwards the screen flickers.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> patch? did r11 require patch? im at 12.2precert now and cant oc in ab. When is amd planning on releasing good stable drivers?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> can i uninstall this patch once i install it? incase amd release a final driver that doesnt need it to oc?


I believe it's uninstalled once you uninstall the main driver.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> UOC i have it set to 1. As soon as i open MSI AB afterwards the screen flickers.


Possibly a bug in either AB or the drivers.
UOC 2 should be the only setting that disables power saving.


----------



## igrease

I'm seriously considering on returning my 7950. It won't even hit 60fps in Bad Company 2 at max settings. My MSI 560 Ti got 70fps with 8x AA and 16x AF with all on High. My 7950 sticks around the low 50's/high 40's. I should of just waited till the 680 came out.


----------



## DimmyK

@chillgreg: I am not entirely sure why you quoted my post in your lengthy rant, but I'm glad you're enjoying your 7970 so much. After all, that is the only thing that matters. Good luck.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> I'm seriously considering on returning my 7950. It won't even hit 60fps in Bad Company 2 at max settings. My MSI 560 Ti got 70fps with 8x AA and 16x AF with all on High. My 7950 sticks around the low 50's/high 40's. I should of just waited till the 680 came out.


You are doing something wrong then, cuz with just 1 7970 I could get over 60fps with maxed settings in eyefinity in BBC2, With 2 7970's, 120-160fps


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> I'm seriously considering on returning my 7950. It won't even hit 60fps in Bad Company 2 at max settings. My MSI 560 Ti got 70fps with 8x AA and 16x AF with all on High. My 7950 sticks around the low 50's/high 40's. I should of just waited till the 680 came out.


I don't think 8x AA on AMD cards is the same as on nVIDIA cards.


----------



## firestorm1

its not. anything over 4xEQ aa rapes my frame rate.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Is there a way to get more than 1100MHz in afterburner with my 7950? I did a "search this thread" but i got nothing of value back from the search.


----------



## Ken1649

680 is not the high end release right? Will wait for the flagship as dedicated PCIe 3.0 PhysX card


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You are doing something wrong then, cuz with just 1 7970 I could get over 60fps with maxed settings in eyefinity in BBC2, With 2 7970's, 120-160fps


What could I possibly be doing wrong? The card SHOULD be getting 60fps in this game. There is nothing wrong with my PC. If I can get more FPS with my 560 then it is either a faulty card or it has something to do with drivers. I have never had such problem with any of my nvidia purchases.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> What could I possibly be doing wrong? The card SHOULD be getting 60fps in this game. There is nothing wrong with my PC. If I can get more FPS with my 560 then it is either a faulty card or it has something to do with drivers. I have never had such problem with any of my nvidia purchases.


Are you using in game AA or forcing it through CCC? I just use the in game AA and set that to max and works perfect. Looks great too.


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Are you using in game AA or forcing it through CCC? I just use the in game AA and set that to max and works perfect. Looks great too.


Yes I am using in-game AA.


----------



## Hambone07si

what happens when you use 4xAA


----------



## jackrabb1t

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Is there a way to get more than 1100MHz in afterburner with my 7950? I did a "search this thread" but i got nothing of value back from the search.


Have you done this?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Is there any other way to increase limits without the uses of AB UOC? Each time i apply it it does not work properly. My idle temps increase and its not going to it lowest 2D mode @ 0.8v.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Is there any other way to increase limits without the uses of AB UOC? Each time i apply it it does not work properly. My idle temps increase and its not going to it lowest 2D mode @ 0.8v.


Who cares? Idle temps are going to hurt you. My 2nd card (still on air) sits at 54c idle


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> what happens when you use 4xAA


Well obviously I get better FPS. About the same as my 560 with 8x AA on.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> Well obviously I get better FPS. About the same as my 560 with 8x AA on.


No "better" or "worst", give me some numbers and what res your playing in. I'll run it when I get home and see what I get on 1 7970 at your res.

Run 4x and 8x and let me know your fps for each.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> 680 is not the high end release right? Will wait for the flagship as dedicated PCIe 3.0 PhysX card


LOL...I'm getting so tired of the fanboys claiming this isn't Nvidia's current high-end release. I highly doubt Nvidia will release Gk110 this year, or even later this year, so the claims that this is part of their mid-range lineup is moot. as they will most likely be one generation apart.


----------



## igrease

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No "better" or "worst", give me some numbers and what res your playing in. I'll run it when I get home and see what I get on 1 7970 at your res.
> Run 4x and 8x and let me know your fps for each.


1920 x 1080
70ish FPS @ 4x AA
48-57 FPS @ 8x AA


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jackrabb1t*
> 
> Have you done this?


Have I done what search? Yes I have! The max I can get is 1100MHz in afterburner. The slider is all the way over to the right.


----------



## jackrabb1t

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Have I done what search? Yes I have! The max I can get is 1100MHz in afterburner. The slider is all the way over to the right.


Click on the link in my post. It takes you to an article on how to unlock Afterburner. The word 'this' is hyperlinked.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jackrabb1t*
> 
> Click on the link in my post. It takes you to an article on how to unlock Afterburner. The word 'this' is hyperlinked.


Did not see that... I will give it a go when i get home and see if it works.


----------



## Hambone07si

LMAO. Just got a email from one of my sales guys at microcenter. He said "Hey, I got a Evga 680. I will put it on hold just in case you want it".







it is only $499 tho


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO. Just got a email from one of my sales guys at microcenter. He said "Hey, I got a Evga 680. I will put it on hold just in case you want it".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it is only $499 tho


I was tempted by the 499 listing on Amazon too lol.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Who cares? Idle temps are going to hurt you. My 2nd card (still on air) sits at 54c idle


I idle 34C Normally. If i use UOC it got 46C. That increases fan seed too and idle power consumption which i dont like since i dont game more then 2 hours a day.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm going to buy it. Not for me, but for a friend. He's not good with drivers so it will keep him from bugging me







when I think about it like that, the 680 is AWESOME









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I idle 34C Normally. If i use UOC it got 46C. That increases fan seed too and idle power consumption which i dont like since i dont game more then 2 hours a day.


Sooo, what's you pc doing the other 22hrs, sitting at idle? Turn it off


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm going to buy it. Not for me, but for a friend. He's not good with drivers so it will keep him from bugging me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when I think about it like that, the 680 is AWESOME
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sooo, what's you pc doing the other 22hrs, sitting at idle? Turn it off


Can we be friends?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm going to buy it. Not for me, but for a friend. He's not good with drivers so it will keep him from bugging me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when I think about it like that, the 680 is AWESOME
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I idle 34C Normally. If i use UOC it got 46C. That increases fan seed too and idle power consumption which i dont like since i dont game more then 2 hours a day.
> 
> 
> 
> Sooo, what's you pc doing the other 22hrs, sitting at idle? Turn it off
Click to expand...

Yeah I'd like to be your friend also


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm going to buy it. Not for me, but for a friend. He's not good with drivers so it will keep him from bugging me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when I think about it like that, the 680 is AWESOME
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sooo, what's you pc doing the other 22hrs, sitting at idle? Turn it off


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Can we be friends?


It depends on what kinda friends we're talking about here???


----------



## Hambone07si

LMAO. I build a lot of gaming systems around my area, around 100+. When people want to upgrade, they just bring me their tower and I install, load drivers, and get it running. Then I give them the tower back and they give me MONEY for what was put in the system. It's easier that way so nothing gets messed up.

Sure, All of you are my friends!!

Many look crazy like this too, that's why I would rather do the work. But this one here would be very easy to do a Gpu upgrade yourself


----------



## RagingCain

Got my 7970s a new tuxedo:











Heatkiller X3 GPU 7970 Block w/ Heatkiller Backplate. EK Single Bracket on the side.

Idle temps: 25c (1c above Room Temp)
Load Temps: 32c (5 full loops of Heaven benchmark)



Extremely pleased with the outcome. I give the Heatkillers 10/10 in quality and functionality. Temperature in the room after hours of gaming is easily 10F+ cooler.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Got my 7970s a new tuxedo:


Incredible. Looks very nice.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> http://developer.amd.com/Downloads/OpenCL1.2betadriversWindows.exe
> 12.4 OpenCL 1.2 Developer Beta drivers (8.960.0)? Opinions?


Tried them last night with my 2x 7970 setup. BF3 performed worse for me than with 12.2 (12.3) pre-certified. Gameplay not as smooth, and lower minimums. Also had strange throttling issues and higher idle and load temps. Switched back to old drivers and I'm doing fine.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Incredible. Looks very nice.


Thanks ^.^ Almost wanted to keep them on display haha. They look great in the case too.

Definitely worth the money, now if I could just figure out how to unlock voltage control and overclock the cards....


----------



## D77ooM

Hello guys

I have Sapphire 7970, I've overclocked it to 1080, memory 1420... i can go above but the fan is really annoying
So i've decided to get water cooling for my GPU, what exactly do i need ? and how much probably would it cost ?

Thanks


----------



## RagingCain

Giving 12.4 a clean install, see if I can unlock voltage adjustments in Afterburner Beta 15.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> Hello guys
> I have Sapphire 7970, I've overclocked it to 1080, memory 1420... i can go above but the fan is really annoying
> So i've decided to get water cooling for my GPU, what exactly do i need ? and how much probably would it cost ?
> Thanks


Reservoir, pump, radiator(s), GPU Block, fittings, tubing, fans, and perhaps some other little things.

Would cost anywhere from $350 - $700 (if you included your cpu into the loop)


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Got my 7970s a new tuxedo:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heatkiller X3 GPU 7970 Block w/ Heatkiller Backplate. EK Single Bracket on the side.
> Idle temps: 25c (1c above Room Temp)
> Load Temps: 32c (5 full loops of Heaven benchmark)
> 
> Extremely pleased with the outcome. I give the Heatkillers 10/10 in quality and functionality. Temperature in the room after hours of gaming is easily 10F+ cooler.


Those are good temps. What is your room temperature?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> Hello guys
> I have Sapphire 7970, I've overclocked it to 1080, memory 1420... i can go above but the fan is really annoying
> So i've decided to get water cooling for my GPU, what exactly do i need ? and how much probably would it cost ?
> Thanks


I just built mine and I spent around 700-$800. Some of the parts I probably could have trimmed some of the cost but you arent going to get a CPU, 2GPU build for under $500


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Those are good temps. What is your room temperature?


Right now its a bit cooler 23.33c, earlier with the sun coming in my room it was 25c. AC is on. 6 Degree difference on a fully loaded GPUs going for over 15 minutes is pretty good to me









Anticipate 40c full load for hours, can't wait to get into this afternoon. Installing these 12.4betas now.


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Got my 7970s a new tuxedo:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heatkiller X3 GPU 7970 Block w/ Heatkiller Backplate. EK Single Bracket on the side.
> Idle temps: 25c (1c above Room Temp)
> Load Temps: 32c (5 full loops of Heaven benchmark)
> 
> Extremely pleased with the outcome. I give the Heatkillers 10/10 in quality and functionality. Temperature in the room after hours of gaming is easily 10F+ cooler.


That is some sexy block action! As far as temps... Put the card undler load for more than a few seconds. Heh.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> That is some sexy block action! As far as temps... Put the card undler load for more than a few seconds. Heh.


5 full loops of Heaven Benchmark is about 20~25 minutes.

[EDIT]
Managed to enable voltage control and proper clock reading. I haven't stayed up with the 7970 overclocking wise because I have been on air, and just needed time to put on blocks.

Software I Used:
Using the latest Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 15, 12.4 Beta Catalyst, 12.2 Cap1

Clean uninstall using AtiMan. Then Install of your choice of drivers and CAP profile.

Downloaded the missing atipdl64 / atipdlxx.dll, but them in the MSI Afterburner folder.

Source: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359671

Edited the Config:


Launched Afterburner, edited these settings, the new setting that worked for me was enabling Kernel mode.


Edit Afterburner's shortcut and change Target line:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" */XCL*

Start Afterburner one time (it may pop up with a window asking you to reboot) and it will not start. Go back in, delete the /XCL part. Reboot machine now.

End Result:


----------



## Hambone07si

RagingCain, you should disable ULPS so your 2nd card doesn't shut off and you will see the temps in AB for both cards all the time. You will have better luck overclocking them also. What do you mean unlock voltage control? You should be able to control volts without any "unlocking" with AB.

Very nice looking tho, I was tempted to get those but went with the EK's instead as I already have the EK cpu block.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> RagingCain, you should disable ULPS so your 2nd card doesn't shut off and you will see the temps in AB for both cards all the time. You will have better luck overclocking them also. What do you mean unlock voltage control? You should be able to control volts without any "unlocking" with AB.
> 
> Very nice looking tho, I was tempted to get those but went with the EK's instead as I already have the EK cpu block.


I been changing drivers left and right, I keep forgetting to disable ULPS, I appreciate you reminding me, but look up at my previous post its been edited.

Voltage control was locked due to low level access being unchecked for me. Infact, I was not used to seeing that, must have overlooked it 6 or 7 times before I gave it a try and figured it out. Happens when you take a few months off from benchmarking/overclocking.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I been changing drivers left and right, I keep forgetting to disable ULPS, I appreciate you reminding me, but look up at my previous post its been edited.
> Voltage control was locked due to low level access being unchecked for me. Infact, I was not used to seeing that, must have overlooked it 6 or 7 times before I gave it a try and figured it out. Happens when you take a few months off from benchmarking/overclocking.


Cool. Those are the first things checked every time I install AB. Clock away now bud, good luck.


----------



## D77ooM

Quote:


> I just built mine and I spent around 700-$800. Some of the parts I probably could have trimmed some of the cost but you arent going to get a CPU, 2GPU build for under $500


I already got H100 for the CPU, stable at 4.8 with i5 2500k so i'm cool with it
I only need water cooling for the GPU
anyway, can you please tell me where can i buy it from Amazon, or any other online stores ?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Right now its a bit cooler 23.33c, earlier with the sun coming in my room it was 25c. AC is on. 6 Degree difference on a fully loaded GPUs going for over 15 minutes is pretty good to me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anticipate 40c full load for hours, can't wait to get into this afternoon. Installing these 12.4betas now.


Mine are running @ 42-44 full load. I just went home from lunch and had them folding all morning (7 hours) and they highest they went was 45C. I also have all my windows open and it's 85F out right now... doh. I've been trying to not turn the AC on, sucks money out of my wallet worse than my bad habit of buying PC stuff.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> I just built mine and I spent around 700-$800. Some of the parts I probably could have trimmed some of the cost but you arent going to get a CPU, 2GPU build for under $500
> 
> 
> 
> I already got H100 for the CPU, stable at 4.8 with i5 2500k so i'm cool with it
> I only need water cooling for the GPU
> anyway, can you please tell me where can i buy it from Amazon, or any other online stores ?
Click to expand...

I purchased my stuff from Performance-PCS and Jab-Tech. I got it in 3 days with their standard shipping. Between them and Frozen CPU, they will be your best bet as they carry EVERYTHING you need. Check all sites and order each part from which every one is cheapest. I ordered 1/2 from one and 1/2 from the other because one is always cheaper than the other in some way.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> Hello guys
> I have Sapphire 7970, I've overclocked it to 1080, memory 1420... i can go above but the fan is really annoying
> So i've decided to get water cooling for my GPU, what exactly do i need ? and how much probably would it cost ?
> Thanks


You'll get more thorough help if you create a thread for your question in the watercooling section of the site. This thread moves quite fast at times and it's easy to lose responses, and also, your question will be easier found by people with lots of watercooling experience, here you'll only be helped by watercoolers who just so happen to see your request.

Just trying to help


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimmyK*
> 
> @chillgreg: I am not entirely sure why you quoted my post in your lengthy rant, but I'm glad you're enjoying your 7970 so much. After all, that is the only thing that matters. Good luck.


Hi DimmyK

That was a copy and paste and a mistake - my bad. Was tired and not thinking straight. I also hope you enjoy the EVGA.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I been changing drivers left and right, *I keep forgetting to disable ULPS,* I appreciate you reminding me, but look up at my previous post its been edited.
> Voltage control was locked due to low level access being unchecked for me. Infact, I was not used to seeing that, must have overlooked it 6 or 7 times before I gave it a try and figured it out. Happens when you take a few months off from benchmarking/overclocking.


Quote:


> Edit Afterburner's shortcut and change Target line:
> "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /XCL


This is strange... to do both -xcl and ULPS. XCL is a pass thru to use official overclocking via AMD's method while using AB's front end. Disabling ULPS is for use with the unofficial overclocking method. You need to choose which method and stick with it, cuz you're blending both together.


----------



## borandi

The joys of reviewing. The cards are going to be part of my motherboard test bed for at least the next twelve months, not part of my daily (yet)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> 
> The joys of reviewing. The cards are going to be part of my motherboard test bed for at least the next twelve months, not part of my daily (yet)


You better hook up the hotwire and oc key or I'm gonna have to kick your shins.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Guys is there a way to flash some kind of Unlocked Bios so i dont have to use UOC? Its driving me nuts. PowerPlay does not work no matter what i try. As a matter of fact this card was working better using HD 6990 drivers i had installed back in Feb.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> http://developer.amd.com/Downloads/OpenCL1.2betadriversWindows.exe
> 12.4 OpenCL 1.2 Developer Beta drivers (8.960.0)? Opinions?
> 
> 
> 
> Tried them last night with my 2x 7970 setup. BF3 performed worse for me than with 12.2 (12.3) pre-certified. Gameplay not as smooth, and lower minimums. Also had strange throttling issues and higher idle and load temps. Switched back to old drivers and I'm doing fine.
Click to expand...

The 12.4 didnt work so well for me either, crossfire kept breaking in heaven and BF3 was locking up


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Guys is there a way to flash some kind of Unlocked Bios so i dont have to use UOC? Its driving me nuts. PowerPlay does not work no matter what i try. As a matter of fact this card was working better using HD 6990 drivers i had installed back in Feb.


im wondering this as well. its a PITA everytime i got to test new drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Guys is there a way to flash some kind of Unlocked Bios so i dont have to use UOC? Its driving me nuts. PowerPlay does not work no matter what i try. As a matter of fact this card was working better using HD 6990 drivers i had installed back in Feb.


Yes, but its doing the same thing. You still have to run software to overvolt it and that will make you tear your hair out. Lemme ask ya, what is wrong with powerplay? How did you go about installing AB? You have one card... ya put in the text agreement, change a 0 to 1, save, run AB hit yes when it asks to reboot after analyzing your asic%. Run AB check the voltage options, done.

Btw, you are supposed to create a 2D profile that is completely stock, which will allow AB to pass clock control to Powerplay which will then underclock the gpu into powersave modes.


----------



## firestorm1

but wouldnt modding your bios (violts, 3d clocks, fan profile) take out the need for software like ab? i mean id still use it for the osd.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> but wouldnt modding your bios (violts, 3d clocks, fan profile) take out the need for software like ab? i mean id still use it for the osd.


I will use AB for Voltage Control and monitoring. I just want something to increase limits just like UOC. Also i am trying to OC it with fan @ 100% to eliminate temp problem. I tried 1.2v @ 1200Mhz. Stock Memory. I get texture flickering and random artifacts. What does this mean? I had it @ 1175v and upped it to 1200v and made no difference at all.


----------



## firestorm1

bump it to 1206mv or 1212mv and see what happens.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> bump it to 1206mv or 1212mv and see what happens.


I am going to stick to 1125/1575 @ 1.125v until more info is out.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO. I build a lot of gaming systems around my area, around 100+. When people want to upgrade, they just bring me their tower and I install, load drivers, and get it running. Then I give them the tower back and they give me MONEY for what was put in the system. It's easier that way so nothing gets messed up.
> Sure, All of you are my friends!!
> Many look crazy like this too, that's why I would rather do the work. But this one here would be very easy to do a Gpu upgrade yourself


If I didn't have cats...









Also, I ran 3DMark and Heaven several times yesterday at 1150/1600 without issue, then played a few hours of BF3. Started getting odd artifacts. The game was running fine but it got to the stage where I had a huge pink wall running through the middle of Caspian which I could only see if I was on one side of it - it disappeared when I went to the other side. I set everything back to stock then had to go to work, so I've not tested.

I don't have any other games to try because at the moment I'm pretty much on a test + BF3 install. So if it's stable in Heaven and 3DMark, but not stable in BF3, how can I test stability without launching a game?


----------



## wTheOnew

Had some fun in Heaven 2.5. Comparing memory clocks.

925 / 1375 - 63.0
1200 / 1500 - 73.6
1200 / 1600 - 75.4
1200 / 1700 - 77.7
1200 / 1800 - 79.4
1200 / 1900 - 80.9

Fairly linear increase.

Still fighting this driver so I didn't push it any further for this little OC session.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is strange... to do both -xcl and ULPS. XCL is a pass thru to use official overclocking via AMD's method while using AB's front end. Disabling ULPS is for use with the unofficial overclocking method. You need to choose which method and stick with it, cuz you're blending both together.


Official overclock blue screens if I change any settings, the BIOS is limited to 1125 MHz max frequency. I am currently not using ULPS, however I believe the Ultra Low Power State has nothing to do with overclocking, it has to do with it being unstable. Essentially what causes instability is going from idle ULPS to full load. Its buggy and often crashes CFX setups. Majority of our issues are solved here. ULPS basically stops Catalyst from completely turning off the second card and it idles like the first card does.

XLC command line just makes a registry setting that when you reboot, Afterburner doesn't limit you to the contraints of your BIOS. It doesn't even start Afterburner, it just makes the changes to afterburner, you have to remove /XCL once you are done to start Afterburner, but the changes don't take place till after reboot.

XCL from Unwinder:
Quote:


> /XCL eXtends Clock Limits for official AMD overclocking APIs. Which means that it also extends clock limits for CCC or any other other vendor specific tool using official overclocking interfaces provided by AMD. *Considering that it is using official AMD overclocking interface, it is compatible with ULPS.* This method is equal to flashing new VGA BIOS with extended Overdrive clock limits.
> However, this method uses hidded VGA BIOS emulation debug feature of Catalyst driver. Once AMD decide to remove it from driver, it will stop working. It is also necessary to re-extend clock limit after driver re-installation because VGA bios emulator resides in Catalyst registry entries.
> 
> Unofficial overclocking uses old undocumented "hole" in AMD driver, which allows to re-program PowerPlay table and bypass Overdrive clock limits. AMD used this unofficial interface in the past for their internal AMDGPUClockTool. Currently the "hole" is not supported by AMD in any way, it is incompatible with some AMDs own power saving technologies (ULPS), it has many side effects due to "nice" AMD programming skills (such as resetting fan speed and powertune to defaults, etc, etc).
> 
> Alexey Nicolaychuk aka Unwinder, RivaTuner creator


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> I just built mine and I spent around 700-$800. Some of the parts I probably could have trimmed some of the cost but you arent going to get a CPU, 2GPU build for under $500
> 
> 
> 
> I already got H100 for the CPU, stable at 4.8 with i5 2500k so i'm cool with it
> I only need water cooling for the GPU
> anyway, can you please tell me where can i buy it from Amazon, or any other online stores ?
Click to expand...

If a H100 is the extent of your liquid cooling experiences, I'm not sure I would suggest diving into GPU cooling without a thorough amount of research. Make a thread in the liquid cooling section and ask for recommendations based on a budget and your cards/case.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Official overclock blue screens if I change any settings, the BIOS is limited to 1125 MHz max frequency. I am currently not using ULPS, however I believe the Ultra Low Power State has nothing to do with overclocking, it has to do with it being unstable. Essentially what causes instability is going from idle ULPS to full load. Its buggy and often crashes CFX setups. Majority of our issues are solved here. ULPS basically stops Catalyst from completely turning off the second card and it idles like the first card does.
> XLC command line just makes a registry setting that when you reboot, Afterburner doesn't limit you to the contraints of your BIOS. It doesn't even start Afterburner, it just makes the changes to afterburner, you have to remove /XCL once you are done to start Afterburner, but the changes don't take place till after reboot.
> XCL from Unwinder:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> /XCL eXtends Clock Limits for official AMD overclocking APIs. Which means that it also extends clock limits for CCC or any other other vendor specific tool using official overclocking interfaces provided by AMD. *Considering that it is using official AMD overclocking interface, it is compatible with ULPS.* This method is equal to flashing new VGA BIOS with extended Overdrive clock limits.
> However, this method uses hidded VGA BIOS emulation debug feature of Catalyst driver. Once AMD decide to remove it from driver, it will stop working. It is also necessary to re-extend clock limit after driver re-installation because VGA bios emulator resides in Catalyst registry entries.
> Unofficial overclocking uses old undocumented "hole" in AMD driver, which allows to re-program PowerPlay table and bypass Overdrive clock limits. AMD used this unofficial interface in the past for their internal AMDGPUClockTool. Currently the "hole" is not supported by AMD in any way, it is incompatible with some AMDs own power saving technologies (ULPS), it has many side effects due to "nice" AMD programming skills (such as resetting fan speed and powertune to defaults, etc, etc).
> Alexey Nicolaychuk aka Unwinder, RivaTuner creator
Click to expand...

So do you have a Tutorial how to work it?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Official overclock blue screens if I change any settings, the BIOS is limited to 1125 MHz max frequency. I am currently not using ULPS, however *I believe the Ultra Low Power State has nothing to do with overclocking, it has to do with it being unstable.* Essentially what causes instability is going from idle ULPS to full load. Its buggy and often crashes CFX setups. Majority of our issues are solved here. *ULPS basically stops Catalyst from completely turning off the second card and it idles like the first card does*.
> XLC command line just makes a registry setting that when you reboot, Afterburner doesn't limit you to the contraints of your BIOS. It doesn't even start Afterburner, it just makes the changes to afterburner, you have to remove /XCL once you are done to start Afterburner, but the changes don't take place till after reboot.
> XCL from Unwinder:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> /XCL eXtends Clock Limits for official AMD overclocking APIs. Which means that it also extends clock limits for CCC or any other other vendor specific tool using official overclocking interfaces provided by AMD. *Considering that it is using official AMD overclocking interface, it is compatible with ULPS.* This method is equal to flashing new VGA BIOS with extended Overdrive clock limits.
> However, this method uses hidded VGA BIOS emulation debug feature of Catalyst driver. Once AMD decide to remove it from driver, it will stop working. It is also necessary to re-extend clock limit after driver re-installation because VGA bios emulator resides in Catalyst registry entries.
> Unofficial overclocking uses old undocumented "hole" in AMD driver, which allows to re-program PowerPlay table and bypass Overdrive clock limits. AMD used this unofficial interface in the past for their internal AMDGPUClockTool. Currently the "hole" is not supported by AMD in any way, it is incompatible with some AMDs own power saving technologies (ULPS), it has many side effects due to "nice" AMD programming skills (such as resetting fan speed and powertune to defaults, etc, etc).
> Alexey Nicolaychuk aka Unwinder, RivaTuner creator
Click to expand...

I don't think you understand what I wrote because you just quoted what I wrote about -xcl back to me in long form. You are wrong about ULPS, because what you are saying is that AMD's ULPS, you know AMD made ULPS, is unstable and causes crashes in CFX right? The fact is that's not true. Do you even know what ULPS stands for? It's sole job is to do what you say it cannot do! The only reason we even mention ULPS is because it conflicts with programs using UNOFFICIAL OVERCLOCKING METHODS, causing crashes as soon as said program tries to set clocks in CFX. As for the rest of that, you are talking in circles. Anyways, I'm going to repeat my point. Whichever method you use, stick with it. You are mixing both official and unofficial overclocking methods.


----------



## wireeater

Ok. Since I got the cards under water I was ready to find my new home on my card settings.

Here are my logs if anyone is interested with a similar setup.

I've also found my spot on the CPU [email protected] with auto offset. Cards are 7950 CFX.

The bench I was using was 3Dmark 11, Graphic Test 1 @ [P] mode. Temps are max temps reached during bench. Driver: 8.95.5-120224a-134185E-ATI

_Test#, Core Clock, Memory Clock, Voltage, AVG FPS, Full load Temp_

*Test #1 - 800/1250/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #2 - 825/1275/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #3 - 850/1300/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #4 - 875/1325/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #5 - 900/1350/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #6 - 925/1375/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #7 - 950/1400/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #8 - 975/1425/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #9 - 1000/1450/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #10 - 1025/1475/1.093 = [email protected]
Test #11 - 1050/1500/1.093 = Lock
Test #11b - 1050/1500/1.125 = [email protected]
Test #12 - 1075/1525/1.125 = Lock
Test #12b - 1075/1500/1.125 = Lock
Test #12c - 1075/1500/1.150 = [email protected]
Test #13 - 1100/1500/1.206 = Lock
Test #13b - 1100/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
Test #14 - 1125/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
Test #15 - 1150/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
Test #16 - 1175/1525/1.206 = [email protected]
Test #16 - 1200/1550/1.206 = Lock

Sweet Spot = 12C, 1075/1500/1.174* - I bumped up the volts because temps aren't being affected by it and gives the card a little more head room if it needs it. I can't complain, 800/1250 stock, that's a nice increase.





PC mark run


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:
Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er* 


> So do you have a Tutorial how to work it?


You simply open up your short-cut of Afterburner, and add the command /xcl after the quotes in the Target field.

It should look like this:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\Afterburner.exe" */xcl*

Save.

Run the program once. Nothing should show up on Beta 15, but 14 had a popup.

Go back and remove /XCL.

Restart the computer. The new registry settings should be loaded for your AMD card.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't think you understand what I wrote because you just quoted what I wrote about -xcl back to me in long form. You are wrong about ULPS, because what you are saying is that AMD's ULPS, you know AMD made ULPS, is unstable and causes crashes in CFX right? The fact is that's not true. Do you even know what ULPS stands for? It's sole job is to do what you say it cannot do! The only reason we even mention ULPS is because it conflicts with programs using UNOFFICIAL OVERCLOCKING METHODS, causing crashes as soon as said program tries to set clocks in CFX. As for the rest of that, you are talking in circles. Anyways, I'm going to repeat my point. Whichever method you use, stick with it. You are mixing both official and unofficial overclocking methods.


I am only overclocking in Afterburner, and I am only overclocking with XCL (Extends Clock Limits) enabled, and ULPS (Ultra Low Power State) enabled as well. I wasn't arguing with you, I know what causes ULPS to crash thats all. Unwinder claims using XCL and ULPS is supposedly supported and I agree. Considering he has made RivaTuner, which... is a pretty big deal, I am willing to believe him. Besides I have a screenshot of it working.

Can you show me what I said that was confusing in my previous post, I apologize for any confusion, I was simply trying to understand or clarify your original post by explaining why I was doing what I was doing with a source, thats all.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

This is really Crazy. I can do 1125Mhz with 1.125v. I set it to 1200Mhz/ Start with 1.175v and scale to 1.3v and i still get those weird texture artifacts in BF3. I keped temps below 65C.


----------



## PARTON

Some chips won't run at 1200.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> This is really Crazy. I can do 1125Mhz with 1.125v. I set it to 1200Mhz/ Start with 1.175v and scale to 1.3v and i still get those weird texture artifacts in BF3. I keped temps below 65C.


Possibly drivers? Want me to try BF3 with 12.4 drivers for you see if it works well?


----------



## TheJesus

If anyone has a Sapphire 7950 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102962) and would be willing to trade for my PowerColor 7950 (I'll pay shipping for both of us), it would be greatly appreciated so I can match these cards. Newegg refuses to stock more of this Sapphire, so I had to buy a PowerColor


----------



## wireeater

Which sapphire is it? Is it the dual fan or single, link isn't bring up anything.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Possibly drivers? Want me to try BF3 with 12.4 drivers for you see if it works well?


It does not happen with 1125Mhz. My Card Quality is 72.8%. Never had a AMD card that artifacts like before. With my old HD 6970 it would crash if it was not stable. HD 5850 i would get lines and stuff. This one i get Texture Flicker. Try 12.4 if u can. Only Drives i could install are 12.2 and 12.4.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Which sapphire is it? Is it the dual fan or single, link isn't bring up anything.


Jesus, Newegg makes me angrier every ten seconds











This one ^^ Sapphire 11196-00-40G.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Jesus, Newegg makes me angrier every ten seconds
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one ^^ Sapphire 11196-00-40G.


If it will fit on your PowerColor, I have the same one and now I have the cover and heat sink sitting in the box since I put the EK blocks on. You cover shipping and you can have it.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Possibly drivers? Want me to try BF3 with 12.4 drivers for you see if it works well?
> 
> 
> 
> It does not happen with 1125Mhz. My Card Quality is 72.8%. Never had a AMD card that artifacts like before. With my old HD 6970 it would crash if it was not stable. HD 5850 i would get lines and stuff. This one i get Texture Flicker. Try 12.4 if u can. Only Drives i could install are 12.2 and 12.4.
Click to expand...

I figured it would help, I have been downloading it since I asked. Going to probably be all night at these slow Origin speeds.

Are they red squares / artifacts? I get those at about ~1341 MHz. What was the voltage you had in AB for that clock? I know I can NOT hit that high (1125) on stock voltage. I can't even get 1100 MHz, the most I can get on stock is about 1060 MHz. Have you been upping the Memory Clocks at the same time? Try keeping it lower, the thermal padding on the Memory Chips is pretty thick, I don't know if the quality is good but on the heatsink design and the fact its air cooling, those pads might be trapping in more heat then letting pass through.

I have ASICs of 84.4% and 80.4%. I don't even know what ASIC quality is but this generation is crazy about the number. All I saw that my overclocking on water would be "lower" with a higher ASIC, I just chuckled. Yeah right Mr. GPU-z.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> If it will fit on your PowerColor, I have the same one and now I have the cover and heat sink sitting in the box since I put the EK blocks on. You cover shipping and you can have it.


I'm more after the actual card, lmao. I have the EK blocks on the way, but mis-matched PCBs is gonna bother me to no end. I'd even do the Sapphire for another PowerColor, doesn't really matter to me.


----------



## wireeater

Meh, get back plates for them, you will hardly even notice.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Meh, get back plates for them, you will hardly even notice.


Those are on the way as well







(first one to get them) I will notice! That and I'll know in my mind that they aren't matched. Very few things bother me, but this is one of them


----------



## stinart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> It does not happen with 1125Mhz. My Card Quality is 72.8%. Never had a AMD card that artifacts like before. With my old HD 6970 it would crash if it was not stable. HD 5850 i would get lines and stuff. This one i get Texture Flicker. Try 12.4 if u can. Only Drives i could install are 12.2 and 12.4.


Your 7970 is much like mine. Above 1150mhz the card becomes very picky with temps and even 60C may cause artifacts. Test with fan at max to find your limits. My 7970 can keep 1205 with 1.22v and 80-100% fan + a set of bleeding ears







Anything higher cuases artifacts.One cold morning with 10c in my room , i set the fan to 100% and tested again. Now the bar raised to 1250mhz easily but as soon as the temps reached 55c ,artifacts began to spread rapidly. So no water no party for us.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I figured it would help, I have been downloading it since I asked. Going to probably be all night at these slow Origin speeds.
> 
> Are they red squares / artifacts? I get those at about ~1341 MHz. What was the voltage you had in AB for that clock? I know I can NOT hit that high (1125) on stock voltage. I can't even get 1100 MHz, the most I can get on stock is about 1060 MHz. Have you been upping the Memory Clocks at the same time? Try keeping it lower, the thermal padding on the Memory Chips is pretty thick, I don't know if the quality is good but on the heatsink design and the fact its air cooling, those pads might be trapping in more heat then letting pass through.
> 
> I have ASICs of 84.4% and 80.4%. I don't even know what ASIC quality is but this generation is crazy about the number. All I saw that my overclocking on water would be "lower" with a higher ASIC, I just chuckled. Yeah right Mr. GPU-z.


I left memory @ Stock (1375/1.6v). I set the Core to 1200Mhz and Increased Voltage to 1.3v Fan @ 100% GPU core was ~ 62-63C. I will upload a Video on Youtube for other too see and learn something from it.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Anyways it will take me sometime to upload it with my slow INTERNET. Set the Voltage to 1.25v and Core to 1200Mhz. Fan @ 75%. I dont get any artifacts. Set my Fan profile and card Start heating up. As soon as its over 60C its start to artifact. I think this is the cause of Low Quality ASIC. The Lower The Temps the Better the OC. I dont know if i should go Water Now. I Would have to keep the card under 50C for sure to OC it over 1.2Ghz.


----------



## PARTON

most folks are getting low 40s with full cover blocks/7970s


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> most folks are getting low 40s with full cover blocks/7970s


Will i be bale to get that low with just a RS360 running a 2500K currently?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> most folks are getting low 40s with full cover blocks/7970s
> 
> 
> 
> Will i be bale to get that low with just a RS360 running a 2500K currently?
Click to expand...

I think you might hit 50c running everything for a few hours in game. Any room for a 240 or another 360? You would be golden if you could.

Get the Heatkiller blocks, absolute BAMFs.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> I think you might hit 50c running everything for a few hours in game. Any room for a 240 or another 360? You would be golden if you could.
> 
> Get the Heatkiller blocks, absolute BAMFs.


I am going to make sure the card can do 1250Mhz+ on cold air 100% fan before i go Water, No point for extra 75Mhz. Also are there any reviews out for HD 7970 blocks?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> I think you might hit 50c running everything for a few hours in game. Any room for a 240 or another 360? You would be golden if you could.
> 
> Get the Heatkiller blocks, absolute BAMFs.
> 
> 
> 
> I am going to make sure the card can do 1250Mhz+ on cold air 100% fan before i go Water, No point for extra 75Mhz. Also are there any reviews out for HD 7970 blocks?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen one yet sorry , I can tell you qualitatively this block is awesome, I could always run Furmark for 30 minutes as well. Let you know how both cards handle it.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I just want to go Water because this Summer will be too hot even here in Toronto / Canada. Just 2 days ago temps hit 27C here.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I just want to go Water because this Summer will be too hot even here in Toronto / Canada. Just 2 days ago temps hit 27C here.


Just remember that you still need cool air to have cool water.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Just remember that you still need cool air to have cool water.


Thats true.
Also here is the Video.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Just remember that you still need cool air to have cool water.
> 
> 
> 
> Thats true.
> Also here is the Video.
Click to expand...

Definitely looks overclock related, I wound anticipate a drivers and OC are the culprit.

Definitely try another title, or stock. Something not as intensive GPU wise with the same overclock may work. If there are no issues, and its isolated to BF3, could be a driver/OC issue. I have seen it before where certain drivers, or groups, just are no good for overclocking. I have also seen some titles that don't respond well to overclocking. I will let you know if I see the same thing tomorrow in BF3.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> Definitely looks overclock related, I wound anticipate a drivers and OC are the culprit.
> 
> Definitely try another title, or stock. Something not as intensive GPU wise with the same overclock may work. If there are no issues, and its isolated to BF3, could be a driver/OC issue. I have seen it before where certain drivers, or groups, just are no good for overclocking. I have also seen some titles that don't respond well to overclocking. I will let you know if I see the same thing tomorrow in BF3.


I will Try Skyrim.


----------



## stinart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Anyways it will take me sometime to upload it with my slow INTERNET. Set the Voltage to 1.25v and Core to 1200Mhz. Fan @ 75%. I dont get any artifacts. Set my Fan profile and card Start heating up. As soon as its over 60C its start to artifact. *I think this is the cause of Low Quality ASIC*. The Lower The Temps the Better the OC. I dont know if i should go Water Now. I Would have to keep the card under 50C for sure to OC it over 1.2Ghz.


My card is 80% asic and regarding the ratio between clocks/vcore/temps ,we have roughly the same limits. Other guys hit golden chips on air, with asic sub 70%.


----------



## Sebe

Still no driver other than RC11 that works for me. I either get BSOD or black sreen then automatically reboot with any driver except RC11.

Anyone else got this issue?


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Thats true.
> Also here is the Video.


That is an unstable overclock.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> That is an unstable overclock.


That OC is stable with fan @ 75%. These cards are very very Temp sensitive.


----------



## PARTON

The guy that commented on your vid said it was an instability or drivers, so I was simply saying that it was an instability, not drivers.

I'm not saying you can't hit whatever clock speed that is at a lower temp; I'm just saying that during that recorded run, the chip was unstable.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Official overclock blue screens if I change any settings, the BIOS is limited to 1125 MHz max frequency. I am currently not using ULPS, however I believe the Ultra Low Power State has nothing to do with overclocking, it has to do with it being unstable. Essentially what causes instability is going from idle ULPS to full load. Its buggy and often crashes CFX setups. Majority of our issues are solved here. ULPS basically stops Catalyst from completely turning off the second card and it idles like the first card does.
> XLC command line just makes a registry setting that when you reboot, Afterburner doesn't limit you to the contraints of your BIOS. It doesn't even start Afterburner, it just makes the changes to afterburner, you have to remove /XCL once you are done to start Afterburner, but the changes don't take place till after reboot.
> XCL from Unwinder:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> /XCL eXtends Clock Limits for official AMD overclocking APIs. Which means that it also extends clock limits for CCC or any other other vendor specific tool using official overclocking interfaces provided by AMD. *Considering that it is using official AMD overclocking interface, it is compatible with ULPS.* This method is equal to flashing new VGA BIOS with extended Overdrive clock limits.
> However, this method uses hidded VGA BIOS emulation debug feature of Catalyst driver. Once AMD decide to remove it from driver, it will stop working. It is also necessary to re-extend clock limit after driver re-installation because VGA bios emulator resides in Catalyst registry entries.
> Unofficial overclocking uses old undocumented "hole" in AMD driver, which allows to re-program PowerPlay table and bypass Overdrive clock limits. AMD used this unofficial interface in the past for their internal AMDGPUClockTool. Currently the "hole" is not supported by AMD in any way, it is incompatible with some AMDs own power saving technologies (ULPS), it has many side effects due to "nice" AMD programming skills (such as resetting fan speed and powertune to defaults, etc, etc).
> Alexey Nicolaychuk aka Unwinder, RivaTuner creator
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I am only overclocking in Afterburner, and I am only overclocking with XCL (Extends Clock Limits) enabled, and ULPS (Ultra Low Power State) enabled as well. I wasn't arguing with you, I know what causes ULPS to crash thats all. *Unwinder claims using XCL and ULPS is supposedly supported and I agree. Considering he has made RivaTuner, which..*. is a pretty big deal, I am willing to believe him. Besides I have a screenshot of it working.
> 
> *Can you show me what I said that was confusing in my previous post, I apologize for any confusion*, I was simply trying to understand or clarify your original post by explaining why I was doing what I was doing with a source, thats all.


What you wrote in your earlier posts (even the one with all the pics) contradict what you're saying now. You're finally saying what I told you, you should have been doing. Also, you don't still understand what the difference between official and unofficial is. Official is using AMD's method and unofficial is not. If you used official overclock, then the question about using ULPS is moot, because obviously it is compatible since it is made to be used with official overclock.

And in truth this "hole" thru the driver that AMD left open which Unwinder calls xcl was actually used few years ago by Baggz aka the RBE creator. You don't even have to use -xcl, just use RACERX, the registry editor that Baggz made to go along with RBE.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> The guy that commented on your vid said it was an instability or drivers, so I was simply saying that it was an instability, not drivers.
> I'm not saying you can't hit whatever clock speed that is at a lower temp; I'm just saying that during that recorded run, the chip was unstable.


I concur. Btw, mem unstability looks like typical digital artifacting, blocks/squares/lines... digital mess. Core instability manifests as simply a crash or sometimes in rare (or lucky/unlucky) instances where you are right on the edge or lockup, bursts or flashes of color.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What you wrote in your earlier posts (even the one with all the pics) contradict what you're saying now. You're finally saying what I told you, you should have been doing. Also, you don't still understand what the difference between official and unofficial is. Official is using AMD's method and unofficial is not. If you used official overclock, then the question about using ULPS is moot, because obviously it is compatible since it is made to be used with official overclock.
> And in truth this "hole" thru the driver that AMD left open which Unwinder calls xcl was actually used few years ago by Baggz aka the RBE creator. You don't even have to use -xcl, just use RACERX, the registry editor that Baggz made to go along with RBE.
> I concur. Btw, mem unstability looks like typical digital artifacting, blocks/squares/lines... digital mess. Core instability manifests as simply a crash or sometimes in rare (or lucky/unlucky) instances where you are right on the edge or lockup, bursts or flashes of color.


Thats with memory @ Stock though.
Also would flashing to ASUS or MSI Bios help my HD 7970 in any way?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Thats with memory @ Stock though.
> Also would flashing to ASUS or MSI Bios help my HD 7970 in any way?


Bios flashing doesn't do anything. It meant something when the cards first came out, but since AB, Trixx, etc are working fine there's no need to hack you bios anymore.

Have you confirmed that you have zero issues at stock speeds? Also, when you overclock, do yo do it in steps? If you're not, you should be. Otherwise you're just making it more difficult on yourself.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, anyone with 7950 running at 1Ghz? My default clocks are 900Mhz and Afterburner reports 1.031V. ASIC Quality 72%.

I can't overclock to 1Ghz without getting instant or after 1 minute crash in Battlefield 3. What voltage do you suggest? Seemingly at least, it works nicely if I bump it to 1.055. No more crashes and I can play for hours. Do you think it's low or something?

I'd like to keep the clocks 1Ghz core and 1400 Memory and thus, I'd really like to know about yours. Do I have to worry about ULPS? Trixx kept spamming "You need to disable ULPS" but it couldn't give me option how to do it. Afterburner once, I don't know why, it kept the 1Ghz, but lowered back to default the voltage and suddenly got a crash after a tank was firing on me ( intense scene ).

Any advices or about your experiences would be much appreciated!

Drivers: 8.95.5 and just for the record, I haven't experienced a signle problem while running at default clocks.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What you wrote in your earlier posts (even the one with all the pics) contradict what you're saying now. You're finally saying what I told you, you should have been doing. Also, you don't still understand what the difference between official and unofficial is. Official is using AMD's method and unofficial is not. If you used official overclock, then the question about using ULPS is moot, because obviously it is compatible since it is made to be used with official overclock.
> 
> And in truth this "hole" thru the driver that AMD left open which Unwinder calls xcl was actually used few years ago by Baggz aka the RBE creator. You don't even have to use -xcl, just use RACERX, the registry editor that Baggz made to go along with RBE.


I am not sure what I am contradicting, I can't use Official Overclocking. Any changes using AMD Overdrive cause a BSOD. Don't know if its my Black Edition BIOS, or just Drivers.

Regarldess of actually working. I was *unable to overclock passed 1125 MHz* in Overdrive or Afterburner. XCL was the only option other than flashing a BIOS.

Nothing you guys did to unlock overclocking worked for me. Kind of like Zealot, there seems to be a lock on overclocking.

XCL emulates different BIOS settings in the registry and supports AMDs API. To the end user, it allows you to clock passed your current limitations either in BIOS or drivers installed.

My other settings enabled unofficial overclocking, but it doesn't seem to make a "difference" to Afterburner and my cards. Neither "Official" or "Unofficial" overclocking AB config make any difference, all the clocks registered as zero and voltage control was not available. I just included every change I made, if this is the "contradiction" then yeah, its probably not necessary.

Infact, I probably just could have left that step out of the things I did. I then learned the AMD have removed a couple of files from SysWoW64 / System32 that would give 3rd Party utilities access to overclocking. Which I included in that quick how-to.

It wasn't until I enabled XCL, unlock voltage control & monitoring, add the driver files, and enabling low-level hardware access, was I able to overclock. This is probably just specific users and not everyone.

ULPS doesn't have anything to do with up above. Its a completely different setting, one I have yet to disable.


----------



## tsm106

XCL is a trick to unlock Overdrive limits TO USE OFFICIAL OVERCLOCKING METHOD. Dude, when you use XCL, it unlocks Overdrive in the registry, just like racerx. You then leave AB stock!, unlock voltage control, then overclock within AB. AB DOESN'T CHANGE CLOCKS, it passes this to OVERDRIVE!


----------



## Hambone07si

8.95.5 is still rocking without issues, seems to be the best driver I've used so far. Everything works PERFECT overclocking with AB and UOM


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Thats with memory @ Stock though.
> Also would flashing to ASUS or MSI Bios help my HD 7970 in any way?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Bios flashing doesn't do anything. It meant something when the cards first came out, but since AB, Trixx, etc are working fine there's no need to hack you bios anymore.
> Have you confirmed that you have zero issues at stock speeds? Also, when you overclock, do yo do it in steps? If you're not, you should be. Otherwise you're just making it more difficult on yourself.


If you have good temps but would benefit from more voltage, flash the Asus overclock bios. It'll go to 1.4v with gputweak. Not recommended for air







2d power state is not as good either.

*Asus overclock bios min 2d clocks*(must be set, these are not automatic, but will toggle automatically after setting up profile in gputweak)


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> XCL is a trick to unlock Overdrive limits TO USE OFFICIAL OVERCLOCKING METHOD. Dude, when you use XCL, it unlocks Overdrive in the registry, just like racerx. You then leave AB stock!, unlock voltage control, then overclock within AB. AB DOESN'T CHANGE CLOCKS, it passes this to OVERDRIVE!


I don't know whats the issue here you don't get, Overdrive causes me to BSOD. I can't touch Overdrive. Period.

I can only change my clocks, EVEN if its changing them in Overdrive itself, with Trixx or AB. The second I move the slider in Overdrive, it crashes because of our crappy drivers. Please understand, I can't use Overdrive interface itself, it crashes the entire computer.

Without my settings in Afterburner, I couldn't even use Afterburner, everything was locked. I don't know why you are having a go and me, all I did was share what I HAD to do to get it working, you don't need it, then why are you giving me a hard time. I might as well kept it to myself so anybody else having the issue was stuck till they figured out. Jesus.


----------



## Levesque

Just flash your 7970 with Kingpin BIOS for Asus cards. Take 20 seconds to do, problem solved. Higher CCC limits.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Just flash your 7970 with Kingpin BIOS for Asus cards. Take 20 seconds to do, problem solved. Higher CCC limits.


That Bios has High 2D Clocks and Voltage though which is not a option for Air Cooling. If i go water i will surely flash my card.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> most folks are getting low 40s with full cover blocks/7970s


thats what i almost get on air
from playing bf3(all ultra) a couple hours temp was max 47°C


----------



## Hambone07si

Time to do some comparing


----------



## sockpirate

been doing some benchmarks at varios cpu clock speeds and various GPU clock speeds. I noticed something weird today, i was testing on the standard performance settings in 3DM11 and my 4.5ghz cpu OC at stock on my 7970s got a better score than my 4.8ghz cpu OC with my 7970s on stock, i ran it a few times and still got the same thing, just thought this was a bit weird anyone know why this would happen ?

Also should i be using the +20% power limit in MSI AB? I have tested successfully without it thus far, although i am only going up to 1.1ghz without having to adjust voltage on the cards.


----------



## spinejam

works for me:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Hambone07si

that is weird, maybe the 4.8ghz isn't as stable as thought.

If you have no issues with using 0%, and don't want to go higher, just sit back and enjoy.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> that is weird, maybe the 4.8ghz isn't as stable as thought.
> If you have no issues with using 0%, and don't want to go higher, just sit back and enjoy.


actually its super stable lol, and i only get the bad result at that clock with the cards on stock, when i do my testing at 1ghz and 1.1ghz things seem normal. Maybe it has something to do with having my second display plugged in while testing?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> I don't know whats the issue here you don't get, Overdrive causes me to BSOD. I can't touch Overdrive. Period.
> 
> I can only change my clocks, EVEN if its changing them in Overdrive itself, with Trixx or AB. The second I move the slider in Overdrive, it crashes because of our crappy drivers. Please understand, I can't use Overdrive interface itself, it crashes the entire computer.
> 
> Without my settings in Afterburner, I couldn't even use Afterburner, everything was locked. I don't know why you are having a go and me, all I did was share what I HAD to do to get it working, you don't need it, then why are you giving me a hard time. I might as well kept it to myself so anybody else having the issue was stuck till they figured out. Jesus.


What I was trying to get across taking into account your pics from your big post is that you are mixing elements from official overclocking and unofficial overclocking methods. If one uses -xcl, then you don't need to also go into AB's cfg file and enable unofficial overclock. If I were to guess, that would further cause complications, especially with the ulps setting.

Your issue with moving the slider in overdrive is another issue which I think is related to which driver you are using. Drivers 12.2 and 12.3 are missing dll's pertaining to clock control. As I wrote I believe they are two separate issues. Which driver were you using that caused your bsod in overdrive btw? Fwiw, 12.4 (8.96), 8.95.5 and 8.921 (aka rc11) have proper clock control. Although not everyone will have success with all three drivers. For instance rc11 is a winner for me, but 8.95.5 causes eyefinity crashes, and 8.96.0 causes flickering on either DP or DVI panels.

Imo, the simplest method is just to use straight unofficial overclock method, with a driver that has proper clock control. For me that's rc11. For other it may be 8.95.5, like Hambone. Further, others use -xcl w/o using UOM like svthomas w/o issues.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> 8.95.5 is still rocking without issues, seems to be the best driver I've used so far. Everything works PERFECT overclocking with AB and UOM


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Sorry about the double post, it wasn't intentional.
> That is how I am doing it. I am still using AB for everything, I just am doing it without unofficial overclocking being enabled. There are diff ways to do this, but I just created a new shortcut for MSI afterburner, and appended -xcl to the end of the path in the shortcut and ran it. This will notify you that you now need to reboot. Then, just run MSI afterburner as you normally would, only now the clocks will be extended without using unofficial overclocking. You can delete the temporary shortcut with the -xcl flag after you're done too, you only need to run it once.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> works for me:
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Did you adjust Memory Voltage? Right now i am stable 1165Mhz @ 1.175v. Memory @ 1575. Should i bother to OC it more or the gain is minimal?


----------



## omega17

To those saying OC is temp dependent, I had the unfortunate situation yesterday whereby AB 'forgot' to apply my fan curve, so I was happily playing Mass Effect 3 (multiplayer) with 16xEQ AA on, pushing both 7970s to 70ish%, until I ended the round and noticed that both cards were @ 93C with 23% fan speed









No artifacts whatsoever.

I blasted them with 100% fan speed ASAP to get them down







hate seeing temps that high, even if very briefly.


----------



## firestorm1

what are you using to get your AA that high?


----------



## spinejam

*stock voltage:*



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

*1174mV core & 1600mV mem.:*



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, anyone with 7950 running at 1Ghz? My default clocks are 900Mhz and Afterburner reports 1.031V. ASIC Quality 72%.
> I can't overclock to 1Ghz without getting instant or after 1 minute crash in Battlefield 3. What voltage do you suggest? Seemingly at least, it works nicely if I bump it to 1.055. No more crashes and I can play for hours. Do you think it's low or something?
> I'd like to keep the clocks 1Ghz core and 1400 Memory and thus, I'd really like to know about yours. Do I have to worry about ULPS? Trixx kept spamming "You need to disable ULPS" but it couldn't give me option how to do it. Afterburner once, I don't know why, it kept the 1Ghz, but lowered back to default the voltage and suddenly got a crash after a tank was firing on me ( intense scene ).
> Any advices or about your experiences would be much appreciated!
> Drivers: 8.95.5 and just for the record, I haven't experienced a signle problem while running at default clocks.


Yo dude









I have ASIC 74 and 78, my cards are 880 stock and run at max 990mv. Overclocked i run both cards a 1100/1700mhz at 1130-1150mv...

I have had every possible problem, you would seriously not believe me..lol. But suddenly everything worked. Almost out of nowhere, BUT i THINK many off my problems came with using TRIXX. So with some work i now only use afterburner, i'm never opening trixx or ccc. I also had some sudden volt spikes using trixx which i only now see if i run at "extreme" clocks...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> To those saying OC is temp dependent, I had the unfortunate situation yesterday whereby AB 'forgot' to apply my fan curve, so I was happily playing Mass Effect 3 (multiplayer) with 16xEQ AA on, pushing both 7970s to 70ish%, until I ended the round and noticed that both cards were @ 93C with 23% fan speed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No artifacts whatsoever.
> I blasted them with 100% fan speed ASAP to get them down
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hate seeing temps that high, even if very briefly.


It only happens when the card is close to it limit and has low ASIC Quality.


----------



## Lowki

Im in xfx 7970 core edition on order. : )


----------



## Ballatician

Is this normal Heavan scores for 7970 reference @ stock?


----------



## wireeater

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Ok. Since I got the cards under water I was ready to find my new home on my card settings.
> Here are my logs if anyone is interested with a similar setup.
> I've also found my spot on the CPU [email protected] with auto offset. Cards are 7950 CFX.
> The bench I was using was 3Dmark 11, Graphic Test 1 @ [P] mode. Temps are max temps reached during bench. Driver: 8.95.5-120224a-134185E-ATI
> _Test#, Core Clock, Memory Clock, Voltage, AVG FPS, Full load Temp_
> *Test #1 - 800/1250/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #2 - 825/1275/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #3 - 850/1300/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #4 - 875/1325/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #5 - 900/1350/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #6 - 925/1375/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #7 - 950/1400/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #8 - 975/1425/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #9 - 1000/1450/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #10 - 1025/1475/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #11 - 1050/1500/1.093 = Lock
> Test #11b - 1050/1500/1.125 = [email protected]
> Test #12 - 1075/1525/1.125 = Lock
> Test #12b - 1075/1500/1.125 = Lock
> Test #12c - 1075/1500/1.150 = [email protected]
> Test #13 - 1100/1500/1.206 = Lock
> Test #13b - 1100/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #14 - 1125/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #15 - 1150/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #16 - 1175/1525/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #16 - 1200/1550/1.206 = Lock
> Sweet Spot = 12C, 1075/1500/1.174* - I bumped up the volts because temps aren't being affected by it and gives the card a little more head room if it needs it. I can't complain, 800/1250 stock, that's a nice increase.
> 
> 
> PC mark run





Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, anyone with 7950 running at 1Ghz? My default clocks are 900Mhz and Afterburner reports 1.031V. ASIC Quality 72%.
> I can't overclock to 1Ghz without getting instant or after 1 minute crash in Battlefield 3. What voltage do you suggest? Seemingly at least, it works nicely if I bump it to 1.055. No more crashes and I can play for hours. Do you think it's low or something?
> I'd like to keep the clocks 1Ghz core and 1400 Memory and thus, I'd really like to know about yours. Do I have to worry about ULPS? Trixx kept spamming "You need to disable ULPS" but it couldn't give me option how to do it. Afterburner once, I don't know why, it kept the 1Ghz, but lowered back to default the voltage and suddenly got a crash after a tank was firing on me ( intense scene ).
> Any advices or about your experiences would be much appreciated!
> Drivers: 8.95.5 and just for the record, I haven't experienced a signle problem while running at default clocks.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> what are you using to get your AA that high?


He is probably using the override in Catalyst Control Center for AA.


----------



## ProgenitorX

Ok, so I finally setup my 7970 and it's working like a charm. I'm ready to begin overclocking it but I have a few questions. First, I'm using Heaven to test stability and increasing the clock by steps of 25MHz. Should I set the settings in Heaven as high as possible (Extreme tessellation, High Shaders, 16x Antisotropic, x8 AA) when I test for artifacts or just what I would normally select for games (Normal, High, x8 Anti, x4 AA)?

Also, what temps do I want to be under during load and is running Heaven once good enough to consider the card to be under load?

Lastly, I slid the power slider all the way to the right (20). Will that bring any negative consequences?

Thanks everyone!


----------



## 125837

I run heaven all max with "Normal" Tessellation, since that is what I usually have in games.

As I discovered myself, a single run of Heaven is not enough to prove a stable overclock - after a few hours of BF3 I was artifacting. Temps under load are tricky, personally my card maxes at about 65C, and it seems fine with that, at 45% fan. I have a non reference card though so my findings are likely to be different to yours.

I had it running at 1150/1600 yesterday, and ran Heaven and 3DMark without issues. Got into BF3, played a few rounds, started artifacting. I've dropped it back to 1100/1500 for the time being and I've played a fair bit of BF3 on that without problems. I might check my ASIC quality soon. Still not at all keen on overvolting this thing though.

I'm a bit stuck tbh. What is the likelihood of waterblocks being released for the 7970 Lightning? I'm considering WCing my whole build because it'd prevent me upgrading my GPU for a while (the most expensive part), but I'm pretty keen on getting a Lightning over a ref design, partly because they're binned chips, but also because if I end up keeping it on air I'd much rather have that than a ref design.


----------



## svthomas

Just some preliminary benches using CCC for overclocking @ 1125/1575 +20% xfire 7970s. Will collect some more once I start doing some real overclocking.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProgenitorX*
> 
> Ok, so I finally setup my 7970 and it's working like a charm. I'm ready to begin overclocking it but I have a few questions. First, I'm using Heaven to test stability and increasing the clock by steps of 25MHz. Should I set the settings in Heaven as high as possible (Extreme tessellation, High Shaders, 16x Antisotropic, x8 AA) when I test for artifacts or just what I would normally select for games (Normal, High, x8 Anti, x4 AA)?
> Also, what temps do I want to be under during load and is running Heaven once good enough to consider the card to be under load?
> Lastly, I slid the power slider all the way to the right (20). Will that bring any negative consequences?
> Thanks everyone!


First question i will say yes, heaven and 3dmark11 is a good bench, and so is bf3. The ultimate test i do is heaven/3dmark11 AND prime95









Temps, i would say stay below 85-ish... i like to be under 80 but it all depends a bit. For instance i guess having like 85 for one hour is less stress on the card then 80 in many many hours..if you get my point.

Slider to 20+ don't have any negative consequences from what i've leaned. (well, high power bill







)


----------



## omega17

Indeed I am overriding AA in CCC, seems to work nicely









Aha, I haven't touched the voltages, and have it mildly OC'ed ( > 1Ghz







) in CCC to 1075/1525, so maybe that's why it was ok.

Still not too pleased about them > 92C


----------



## Hambone07si

just got finished building, loading, updating, overclocking and testing of that 2500k 4.5ghz and Gtx 680 system I refreshed for a old customer. Just had it picked up. After running some benches on the new 680, don't be mad at all that you have the AMD's. Not even close to the performance of the 7970 at 1200/1500 in games. I didn't overclock it tho. Just ran at stock and with the boost. Was fun to play with for a while and see the difference, but rather have the AMD's. Just wish amd's driver installed as easy.

Note: 680 was silent the whole time tho


----------



## sockpirate

I keep getting bad scores at certain clocks, whether it be a CPU clock that is different or GPU clock.....anyone know whats going on here?!

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3034462;jsessionid=g0mcs8lxaye0a0u7y5dgb8lj

super annoying! Or should i even bother to care about the "STOP" thing ?

is a P13586 @ 4.5ghz a normal score? For stock clocks of 925 in Xfire?


----------



## Hambone07si

are you not using +20% power? you may be getting throttled









Here's what 1200/1600 should do but my 2500k is at 5ghz


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> are you not using +20% power? you may be getting throttled
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's what 1200/1600 should do but my 2500k is at 5ghz


I made sure to try with the +20% in AB this time, i closed CCC to make sure no conflicts were happening, switched to only single monitor, closing all unnecessary programs etc. Hmmm I dunno....

Why does it still give you the "STOP" message even with your score? I can test at different CPU clocks , i have 4.8 and 5.0 stable, but im just wondering why i keep getting that "STOP" message, is it because there are people with my same chip and cards that are testing with Higher CPU and GPU overclocks and that is taken into consideration for the score? I thought scores were based on the current clock on CPU and GPU and pitted against others with that same clock configuration.

Like of course someone will get a higher score with a cpu of 5.0 as apposed to someon with 4.5 but are they being compared in the final score, and you receive that "STOP" message?

How can i make sure i am not being throttled? Is there a setting i need to mess with ? Temps are more than fine, i never break 45c, both cards and CPU under water.


----------



## Ballatician

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ballatician*
> 
> Is this normal Heavan scores for 7970 reference @ stock?




this seems terrible to me, please let me know if it is, everyone skipped over me


----------



## Hambone07si

Do you have AvP? I'll run at same clocks and res as you and see what happens?

@"Ballatician" running now for you to compare
Can't run at 1680x1050. I can run 1080p or 720 to compare for you?


----------



## stevman17

I bought a GTX 680 from Tigerdirect, and I just recently cancelled it after seeing Tom's OC review. With both cards at their max OC, it looks like AMD passes Nvidia in the main game I play, BF3.

So, I am back to square one. Anyone get the Sapphire 7970 OC yet? If so, how is it working out for you?

I am probably going to take another month before I decide what card to get.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Do you have AvP? I'll run at same clocks and res as you and see what happens?
> @"Ballatician" running now for you to compare


AvP the benchmark?

IIRC isnt there a setting that throttles the cards? ULPS or something ? When it comes to my OCing with the cards, the only things i have manipulated are via AB and that is just sliding the core clock, +20% power, and honestly that is it. Am i missing a setting?


----------



## Hambone07si

You should disable ULPS in regedit. I do. That just keeps you 2nd card from shutting down.

AvP bench, yes. Run at 1100/1500 at 1080p


----------



## stevman17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> AvP the benchmark?
> IIRC isnt there a setting that throttles the cards? ULPS or something ? When it comes to my OCing with the cards, the only things i have manipulated are via AB and that is just sliding the core clock, +20% power, and honestly that is it. Am i missing a setting?


Search "regedit" for "EnableULPS" and modify each number to zero. That is definitely your problem.







(I'm gonna try to find the link for you explaining it.)


----------



## Hambone07si




----------



## sockpirate

The value was set to 1, i set it to 0, is this how you do it ?

EDIT: Lol you are quick man!


----------



## Ballatician

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Do you have AvP? I'll run at same clocks and res as you and see what happens?
> @"Ballatician" running now for you to compare
> Can't run at 1680x1050. I can run 1080p or 720 to compare for you?


run at 720p i have close to that res


----------



## Hambone07si

yup, just do it to all of them that are 1. You don't have to double click on it, just hit enter and it brings it up too. Reboot after you change them all
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ballatician*
> 
> run at 720p i have close to that res


Ok, What clocks? Stock?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> yup, just do it to all of them that are 1. You don't have to double click on it, just hit enter and it brings it up too. Reboot after you change them all
> Ok


It seems i only found 1 enableulps, i set it to 0, the only other one was the NA one you told me not to touch. I am good now?


----------



## Hambone07si

No, you should have to change about 12 or so of them. Make sure you search all of it. close all the folders down so it looks like this and then search. After you change one, then hit F3 to go to the next one.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No, you should have to change about 12 or so of them. Make sure you search all of it. close all the folders down so it looks like this and then search. After you change one, then hit F3 to go to the next one.


Ok i did exactly what you said and after searching i still only found one?


----------



## Hambone07si

Look right below that one LOL there's another right there. Hit f3 after you change that one. F3 should go to the next. Keep trying youll see

Here's my run at stock clocks at 720p


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No, you should have to change about 12 or so of them. Make sure you search all of it. close all the folders down so it looks like this and then search. After you change one, then hit F3 to go to the next one.


Why so many? There's only one entry for 4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318 under currentcontrolset. I change one entry per card, making three entries. You do it enough and the regedit should keep ya bookmarked right at 4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318.


----------



## Hambone07si

Really, I've always changed any search that was enableulps 1 to 0 and there was around 12 or so. Never worked when I just changed the first. You have to change all for it to work right I thought.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Really, I've always changed any search that was enableulps 1 to 0 and there was around 12 or so. Never worked when I just changed the first. You have to change all for it to work right I thought.


You can change them all but it just reads from that one iirc, enableulps. I think it works cuz I never bothered to change the others.









Btw, it's also the same entry that contains the powerplay tables.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ballatician*
> 
> Is this normal Heavan scores for 7970 reference @ stock?


Yeah it is right, I have a first gen i7 at 4ghz and I done this at default clocks and CF disabled.





Overclocked at 1200/1600 with same setting.



and a benchmark at 1200/1600 with crossfire enabled (same settings).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> just got finished building, loading, updating, overclocking and testing of that 2500k 4.5ghz and Gtx 680 system I refreshed for a old customer. Just had it picked up. After running some benches on the new 680, don't be mad at all that you have the AMD's. Not even close to the performance of the 7970 at 1200/1500 in games. I didn't overclock it tho. Just ran at stock and with the boost. Was fun to play with for a while and see the difference, but rather have the AMD's. Just wish amd's driver installed as easy.
> Note: 680 was silent the whole time tho


How was the overclocking? I've been reading the 680 overclocking thread, and the mood isn't one of great joy. I thought we had it bad with the OCP, but those guys have got it worse and in spades. I feel for them though, no one said jack about the evilness of the boost/voltage/OCP overlord control. You'd think all the reviewers were forced to keep their mouths shut over it, lol.


----------



## sockpirate

does this look right ?!

This is even after i disabled Ulps.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Why disable ULPS? Won't that get rid of the card going into power saving mode?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Why disable ULPS? Won't that get rid of the card going into power saving mode?


You have to when using AB/Trixx/etc because they are not compatible with cfx cards in an off state.


----------



## Hambone07si

I really wasn't impressed wtih the 680. It was silent and that was the best part. At stock clocks and 4.5ghz 2500k, it got 99fps in AvP. I got 103fps at stock on 1 7970 and 120fps overclocked. I'd take the 7970 any day over it.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Why disable ULPS? Won't that get rid of the card going into power saving mode?


that is what we are trying to do for me, for the sake of benching scores. Takes it out of the equation if this is what is giving me such a poor stock clock score.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> does this look right ?!
> This is even after i disabled Ulps.


This ok or no?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> does this look right ?!
> This is even after i disabled Ulps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This ok or no?
Click to expand...

At stock clocks in Crossfire, that doesn't look too bad at all honestly with a 4.5GHz CPU.


----------



## Hambone07si

yep, here's a run I did at stock


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You have to when using AB/Trixx/etc because they are not compatible with cfx cards in an off state.


Thanks for the info!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> that is what we are trying to do for me, for the sake of benching scores. Takes it out of the equation if this is what is giving me such a poor stock clock score.


Detach the AB monitor and expand so we can see clock speeds. 3Dmark is problematic because it forces the card/AB to switch clock profiles often because it goes in and out of 3D mode each time it switches between the bench steps, like 24 steps lol.


----------



## hamzta09

So Ive been using my Sapphire HD5850 (725/1000) for a week now or so, and I honestly cant say I miss the performance bump I had with the 7950, its like it wasnt even there.
Though I guess the issues I had, block that thought.

Now the question is, will AMD drop prices on 7970 soon? Like ~50? Or will the prices remain the same? Im thinking of using my 5850 until AMD drops prices on the '70


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Well just for reference here is what I get with just one 7950
Volts: 1081
Core:1100 MHz
Memory: 1398


----------



## Hambone07si

Here's another stock run and my chip is at 5ghz and you beat me LOL.


----------



## travva

Hey guys, i'm wanting to get my 7970's overclocks bumped a little bit, and I've got a few questions. I've read through the thread and caught up as I've been away for a few days, but anyway... What's the consensus on how I should overclock these? I've had 1100/1500 stable via CCC with no increase in volts. I want 1200, and want to know if I should use AB and do everything there? Should I use the +20% power setting? Should I do the -xcl or whatever shortcut thing and then just use CCC? Please let me know what tips and tricks I need so I can try to get this working! Thanks. Also, I've disabled ULPS via registry and have beta 15 of MSI AB.

edit: should i sync clocks in msi AB?


----------



## Hambone07si

I'd use AB and +20% and start at .125v over stock. My stock is 1.049v and I use 1.174v for 1150-1200


----------



## travva

Ok, well thanks for that. I'm using BF3 as my stability test because if it doesn't play that stable, then it's not. If my system hard freezes, is that a sign of unstable OC, or GPU overheating or what? I've never noticed much artifacting with my cards, always just a hard freeze.


----------



## spinejam

I've been using 1200mV for 1200c 1600m on my Asus 7970 ref.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> At stock clocks in Crossfire, that doesn't look too bad at all honestly with a 4.5GHz CPU.


Why do i keep getting that stupid "STOP" thing then?!

I want the green + sign lol.....


----------



## travva

i think my problem must be because i have two different cards (brands) and maybe one of them just isn't as good as the other one, but I really don't want to test them both separately lol but I may have to.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Why do i keep getting that stupid "STOP" thing then?!
> I want the green + sign lol.....


what driver are you using?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> i think my problem must be because i have two different cards (brands) and maybe one of them just isn't as good as the other one, but I really don't want to test them both separately lol but I may have to.


I have 2 different and it's fine


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> i think my problem must be because i have two different cards (brands) and maybe one of them just isn't as good as the other one, but I really don't want to test them both separately lol but I may have to.


It's easy, disable cfx in catalyst and plug the monitor into the one you wanna test.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> So Ive been using my Sapphire HD5850 (725/1000) for a week now or so, and I honestly cant say I miss the performance bump I had with the 7950, its like it wasnt even there.
> Though I guess the issues I had, block that thought.
> Now the question is, will AMD drop prices on 7970 soon? Like ~50? Or will the prices remain the same? Im thinking of using my 5850 until AMD drops prices on the '70


Why not get one from the market place, they already have nice drops on them.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> what driver are you using?
> I have 2 different and it's fine


I think this is the latest?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Why do i keep getting that stupid "STOP" thing then?!
> I want the green + sign lol.....


I've never used it but it's probably linked to some sort of BS that you can purchase to make your system run "better".


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> At stock clocks in Crossfire, that doesn't look too bad at all honestly with a 4.5GHz CPU.
> 
> 
> 
> Why do i keep getting that stupid "STOP" thing then?!
> 
> I want the green + sign lol.....
Click to expand...

You're not using FM approved drivers, that's all.

Here's my record on my setup so far (copy / pasted from the 7970 vs 680 battle royal thread):
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I did it!!!! Broke 10k!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Free For All Benchmark:
> 
> *Verification URL:*
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3026166
> 
> *CPU Clocks:* 5.15GHz, 1.62v (Core i5 2500k)
> *DRAM Clocks / Timings:* DDR3-2244 @ 9-11-10-28-2T, 1.75v
> *GPU Information:* Sapphire HD7970 @ 1280 / 1680, 1.275v
> *GPU Voltage:* 1.275v
> *Driver Version*: 12.2 WHQL's
> *3DMark11 Score:* P10203
> *Proof (of score AND settings):*
> 
> 
> EDIT:
> It would appear MSI AB decided to switch me back to 2D clocks before I screenshotted that. You're just going to have to trust me on my GPU speeds. If you don't...well then compare my GPU score to similar clocked 7970's and see for yourself. Sorry, I really REALLY doubt I can get that to rerun...I'm not even stable at stock on my CPU right now. The Verification URL shows the clock speeds though too.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You're not using FM approved drivers, that's all.
> Here's my record on my setup so far (copy / pasted from the 7970 vs 680 battle royal thread):


It says my drivers are FM approved. Maybe i should flash my BIOS to the Asus one ?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You're not using FM approved drivers, that's all.
> Here's my record on my setup so far (copy / pasted from the 7970 vs 680 battle royal thread):
> 
> 
> 
> It says my drivers are FM approved. Maybe i should flash my BIOS to the Asus one ?
Click to expand...

Try overclocking your cards then. Your Stop error looks to be because your score is "low" compared to similar systems...which is because similar systems are overclocked.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Try overclocking your cards then. Your Stop error looks to be because your score is "low" compared to similar systems...which is because similar systems are overclocked.


I see, yeah i was just wanting to run tests at stock, 1ghz, and 1.1ghz for now.


----------



## Hambone07si

sockpirate, I'm using the 12.2 3-7-12 that's up now on AMD's site.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> sockpirate, I'm using the 12.2 3-7-12 that's up now on AMD's site.


Same here, I'm on the latest WHQL. I don't run beta drivers unless I have to.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> sockpirate, I'm using the 12.2 3-7-12 that's up now on AMD's site.


can you link it to me? I cant ever seem to navigate the AMD site without wanting to pull my hair out...


----------



## Hambone07si

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Found my new 24/7 overclock for this the puppy.
Volts: 1125
Core: 1150
Memory: 1475



Best thing PC wise i have ever bought is this card!!!

Now i just need a water block; don't think the wife is gonna let me spend no more money on this thing for a while


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Same here, I'm on the latest WHQL. I don't run beta drivers unless I have to.


----------



## Ballatician

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> yup, just do it to all of them that are 1. You don't have to double click on it, just hit enter and it brings it up too. Reboot after you change them all
> Ok, What clocks? Stock?


yup stock. i turned off tesselation and got 88ish, which is much better, but yes please test yours.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ballatician*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> yup, just do it to all of them that are 1. You don't have to double click on it, just hit enter and it brings it up too. Reboot after you change them all
> Ok, What clocks? Stock?
> 
> 
> 
> yup stock. i turned off tesselation and got 88ish, which is much better, but yes please test yours.
Click to expand...

Your card is running OK and score is normal, I ran benchmarks for you, at your settings and same CPU @ 4GHz

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-club/7200_30#post_16802127


----------



## sockpirate

any idea how i would go about flashing to the Asus Bios?

EDIT: I really dont know what going on here....my stock clock of 925 @ 4.5ghz (P13593)scored better than my 1ghz clock @ 4.5ghz (P13587) .....something seems weird here...


----------



## Hambone07si

are you monitoring the clock speed when running the test?


----------



## zpaf




----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> any idea how i would go about flashing to the Asus Bios?
> EDIT: I really dont know what going on here....my stock clock of 925 @ 4.5ghz (P13593)scored better than my 1ghz clock @ 4.5ghz (P13587) .....something seems weird here...


Remember what I wrote about detaching AB monitor and watching clocks and 3dmark?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Remember what I wrote about detaching AB monitor and watching clocks and 3dmark?


Like watching them on my second monitor or what?

EDIT: Hmm weird i just checked the registry editor again and ULPS was still enabled, it had a 1 next to it. I set it to 0, is there a reason it didn't save?


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*


Try to run thru this http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123184 with the same settings as mine.


----------



## Hambone07si

how do you open that menu? anytime I click on the icon it just launches the bench??


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> how do you open that menu? anytime I click on the icon it just launches the bench??


Get this http://www.radeonpro.info/Download/avp/AvPTool_x64.rar GUI tool for AvP.


----------



## OverSightX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Like watching them on my second monitor or what?
> EDIT: Hmm weird i just checked the registry editor again and ULPS was still enabled, it had a 1 next to it. I set it to 0, is there a reason it didn't save?


Did you reboot after you changed them? Mine never save unless I reboot after i change it to 0.


----------



## Hambone07si




----------



## pioneerisloud

What's with all the eyefinity AvP benches?


----------



## Hambone07si

Some peeps are just curious if there systems are running right. That's all.

I know mine is


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Some peeps are just curious if there systems are running right. That's all.
> 
> I know mine is


Makes sense.

I know mine is as well. I broke 10k in 3DMark11 Performance, and I'm matching a single GTX 680 with my 7970 at lesser clock speeds. I'm happy.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*


Nice score for 2x7970.


----------



## Hambone07si

I built a 2500k and overclocked it to 4.5ghz and put a 680 in it today and wasn't that impressed with it. I like my 7970's better. Was fun but glad I didn't wait









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> Nice score for 2x7970.


Not too bad. I didn't clock as high as you did.


----------



## RagingCain




----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*


How many GPUs is that?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> How many GPUs is that?


Just two.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Just two.


Nice man!!! That is a better score than i got with my 3x 580 Lightning Extremes a few months back, but i must say, very impressive CPU OC there!!! That voltage for that clock is nice!

EDIT: So all, my scores are much better now, although, one question what do i have to do to get higher clocks in AB, my current limit is of course 1125.


----------



## CyberDeath

X6 4.2Ghz , CPU-NB 3Ghz
7970 1165/7000

X3070
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3031940;jsessionid=9d2dhnhivtps15k02kitwvbrj

P8425
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/2886260


----------



## lofax

lemme join


----------



## Andrazh

Count me in too










Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Found my new 24/7 overclock for this the puppy.
> Volts: 1125
> Core: 1150
> Memory: 1475
> 
> Best thing PC wise i have ever bought is this card!!!
> Now i just need a water block; don't think the wife is gonna let me spend no more money on this thing for a while


Woah that is a nice score. How come I cant get that high with my card?

My config:
2500K @ 4,5ghz
P8Z68V
spinpoint F3
2x4GB corsair vengence
sapphire 7950


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> thats what i almost get on air
> from playing bf3(all ultra) a couple hours temp was max 47°C


You must have low ambient; you would get much lower with that cool air flowing through your rad.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> thats what i almost get on air
> from playing bf3(all ultra) a couple hours temp was max 47°C
> 
> 
> 
> You must have low ambient; you would get much lower with that cool air flowing through your rad.
Click to expand...

Yeah.

I would like to see proof of that, but as you say, it is all down to ambient.


----------



## wireeater

Those are REALLY good overclock numbers for a 7950...!

My cards don't run past 43C @ 1.25v on full load but I can't seem to get my clock past 1075. I get lock ups and then the driver goes in a crash/recover loop and I have to reboot. I would like to see how much power I am using, maybe PSU (750w).


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Those are REALLY good overclock numbers for a 7950...!
> 
> My cards don't run past 43C @ 1.25v on full load but I can't seem to get my clock past 1075. I get lock ups and then the driver goes in a crash/recover loop and I have to reboot. I would like to see how much power I am using, maybe PSU (750w).


750w is more than sufficient for your system. Now... a THERMALTAKE 750w on the other hand, that could easily be the problem. Not sure how good the Thermaltake units have been lately, but I haven't heard anybody recommend them.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Count me in too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Woah that is a nice score. How come I cant get that high with my card?
> My config:
> 2500K @ 4,5ghz
> P8Z68V
> spinpoint F3
> 2x4GB corsair vengence
> sapphire 7950


Go read post #7115 and you are golden!!!

I only noticed 3 points differance from 1400 to 1600 MHz on the memory clock. Is that normal???


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 750w is more than sufficient for your system. Now... a THERMALTAKE 750w on the other hand, that could easily be the problem. Not sure how good the Thermaltake units have been lately, but I haven't heard anybody recommend them.


It was ordered on accident back when I place my order through Newegg. I was looking @ a corrair 750 and somehow managed to put this one in there but I went with it. So far I think most of the issues with their PSU is DOA or they stop working, so far so good... LOL. It was the nicest PSU I ever opened in boxing I can tell you that. Everything was in it's own felt, drawstring bag, like a Royal Purple pouch.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3605/thermaltake_toughpower_grand_tpg_750m_power_supply/index6.html

According to this a cfx system would be running in the 550 range, so ya, I guess I should have plenty head room, even with O/C on CPU/GPU's and WC. I'd imagine I would probably be running closer to 600w ATM.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Go read post #7115 and you are golden!!!
> I only noticed 3 points differance from 1400 to 1600 MHz on the memory clock. Is that normal???


I guess that allows u to OC higher than 1100.. But that's not what i'm surprised about. If check the scores. U got 9268 and i got 8500. I don't think 50mhz makes that kind of diference?

I got another question. I had 2 gtx 295's before and they were hot, got up to 100C. Is ok for my card to be running at 82C or should be these cards much cooler?

Oh and another thing. All of u guys buying water blocks whould someone trade their 2fan OC cooler for my sapphire reference cooler? Since it doesnt do u any got after all and if u wish to sell in future u would still have a reference one.

Tnx in advance.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Go read post #7115 and you are golden!!!
> I only noticed 3 points differance from 1400 to 1600 MHz on the memory clock. Is that normal???
> 
> 
> 
> I guess that allows u to OC higher than 1100.. But that's not what i'm surprised about. If check the scores. U got 9268 and i got 8500. I don't think 50mhz makes that kind of diference?
> 
> I got another question. I had 2 gtx 295's before and they were hot, got up to 100C. Is ok for my card to be running at 82C or should be these cards much cooler?
> 
> Oh and another thing. All of u guys buying water blocks whould someone trade their 2fan OC cooler for my sapphire reference cooler? Since it doesnt do u any got after all and if u wish to sell in future u would still have a reference one.
> 
> Tnx in advance.
Click to expand...

You've got an i5 2500k, he's got an i7 3820. There is a HUGE difference in CPU score there.


----------



## Nemesis158

sorry for the low quality you can thank my crappy internet.
This video was recorded with MSI AB at half frame. i was in 5760x1080 eyefinity @ stock clocks on my 7970:


----------



## Focus182

Nice heli skills

Looks like your going 2x as fast as normal









I would have crashed within the first 20 seconds.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You've got an i5 2500k, he's got an i7 3820. There is a HUGE difference in CPU score there.


Ok, thought it shouldnt effect the result. Thanks


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> He is probably using the override in Catalyst Control Center for AA.


its only goes to 8xEQ AA though


----------



## pioneerisloud

Anybody use the MLAA feature? How do you have it setup? Because for me....its a REALLY HUGE hit on performance. And I'm not sure why.


----------



## ShooterFX

Got mine yesterday , registered. Can only say awesome card.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Hey *pioneerisloud* how did your CPU and Board die? Just curious


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Hey *pioneerisloud* how did your CPU and Board die? Just curious


Well, the CPU died of "unknown causes" and we can just leave it at that.









The board died when I swapped my i3 into it. Somehow...it killed my top PCIe 16x lane. So now I have an 8x lane or a 1x lane (middle or bottom). I have absolutely no clue how it died by swapping the CPU out honestly. All I was going for, was an i3 benchmark run with my 7970 vs. an i3 + GTX680 a few days before release.







I also killed my i3's stock cooler....so my entire server is actually down for the count right now...until I can afford a new cooler for it. Which won't be anytime soon sadly.









Can't afford to RMA either right now, so I'm stuck with it as is.


----------



## Hambone07si

pioneerisloud, You need a stock cooler?


----------



## firestorm1

LOL @ unknown causes. if i had a dime for everytime i used that excuses, id be rich.
















but in all seriousness, sorry for your loss. loosing computer parts definitely sucks.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Yo dude
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have ASIC 74 and 78, my cards are 880 stock and run at max 990mv. Overclocked i run both cards a 1100/1700mhz at 1130-1150mv...
> 
> I have had every possible problem, you would seriously not believe me..lol. But suddenly everything worked. Almost out of nowhere, BUT i THINK many off my problems came with using TRIXX. So with some work i now only use afterburner, i'm never opening trixx or ccc. I also had some sudden volt spikes using trixx which i only now see if i run at "extreme" clocks...


The "small" difference in ASIC quality takes your card in a whole different ( better ) level. 0.990 default? Nice...

I uninstalled Trixx anyway. Previously when I had Overdrive enabled along with Afterburner, seemingly at least there was some kind of conflicts... I was getting black-lines ( artifacts ) etc. Currently I only use AB and no more problems except the one I reported.

Now the problem is, you run 100Mhz higher than I'd like and with better ASIC quality. Anyway, thanks for the report!


----------



## CyberDeath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Anybody use the MLAA feature? How do you have it setup? Because for me....its a REALLY HUGE hit on performance. And I'm not sure why.


Try Official AMD 8.95.5 driver ... its have new MLAA . Its very gut . No FPS drop.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CyberDeath*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Anybody use the MLAA feature? How do you have it setup? Because for me....its a REALLY HUGE hit on performance. And I'm not sure why.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Try Official AMD 8.95.5 driver ... its have new MLAA . Its very gut . No FPS drop.
Click to expand...

I'm on the latest official driver. 12.2, released 3-7-2012.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Anybody use the MLAA feature? How do you have it setup? Because for me....its a REALLY HUGE hit on performance. And I'm not sure why.


I was reading this last night. Maybe this can help you.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=360336


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Ok. Since I got the cards under water I was ready to find my new home on my card settings.
> Here are my logs if anyone is interested with a similar setup.
> I've also found my spot on the CPU [email protected] with auto offset. Cards are 7950 CFX.
> The bench I was using was 3Dmark 11, Graphic Test 1 @ [P] mode. Temps are max temps reached during bench. Driver: 8.95.5-120224a-134185E-ATI
> _Test#, Core Clock, Memory Clock, Voltage, AVG FPS, Full load Temp_
> *Test #1 - 800/1250/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #2 - 825/1275/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #3 - 850/1300/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #4 - 875/1325/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #5 - 900/1350/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #6 - 925/1375/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #7 - 950/1400/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #8 - 975/1425/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #9 - 1000/1450/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #10 - 1025/1475/1.093 = [email protected]
> Test #11 - 1050/1500/1.093 = Lock
> Test #11b - 1050/1500/1.125 = [email protected]
> Test #12 - 1075/1525/1.125 = Lock
> Test #12b - 1075/1500/1.125 = Lock
> Test #12c - 1075/1500/1.150 = [email protected]
> Test #13 - 1100/1500/1.206 = Lock
> Test #13b - 1100/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #14 - 1125/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #15 - 1150/1500/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #16 - 1175/1525/1.206 = [email protected]
> Test #16 - 1200/1550/1.206 = Lock
> Sweet Spot = 12C, 1075/1500/1.174* - I bumped up the volts because temps aren't being affected by it and gives the card a little more head room if it needs it. I can't complain, 800/1250 stock, that's a nice increase.
> 
> 
> PC mark run
Click to expand...

I'll try exactly this. Core 1000Mhz, Mem 1450 with 1.093V. What's your ASIC quality? Was 1.093 ( so high ) your default core-voltage?


----------



## CyberDeath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm on the latest official driver. 12.2, released 3-7-2012.


http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx


----------



## firestorm1

is anyone using radeon pro for their games? i have a question or 2 ii need to ask. the aa compatibilty profiles have almost no games listed. can i add the .exe of the games i play to that? or how would that work. sorry, im so used to using nivdia inspector.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> LOL @ unknown causes. if i had a dime for everytime i used that excuses, id be rich.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but in all seriousness, sorry for your loss. loosing computer parts definitely sucks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> its only goes to 8xEQ AA though


This is from my CCC.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Ahh I see. Requires a new beta driver. I'll just wait till WHQL 12.4 comes out then I suppose.









Really sucks though, MLAA seems to be GREAT when I tell it to enhance application settings. But it makes every game I've tried it with unplayable except Borderlands...and even with Borderlands I'm dipping to an unacceptable framerate of around 45 at times.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> This is from my CCC.


odd. probably because you have crossfire.


----------



## SacredChaos

Is there a way to get the 7970 to stop lowering the Memory Speed to 150mhz? Its making my screen flicker. I've done some Googling and all I found was to edit profiles.xml and restart. Every time I do that it just changs back to 150Mhz. The only way I got it to stop was disabling the Power Play, but I don't like my card running hot all the time...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Ahh I see. Requires a new beta driver. I'll just wait till WHQL 12.4 comes out then I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really sucks though, MLAA seems to be GREAT when I tell it to enhance application settings. But it makes every game I've tried it with unplayable except Borderlands...and even with Borderlands I'm dipping to an unacceptable framerate of around 45 at times.


It's in the driver your using now.


----------



## CyberDeath

pioneerisloud : Try that 8.95.5 what im post ... its the best driver for 7900 !


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Ahh I see. Requires a new beta driver. I'll just wait till WHQL 12.4 comes out then I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really sucks though, MLAA seems to be GREAT when I tell it to enhance application settings. But it makes every game I've tried it with unplayable except Borderlands...and even with Borderlands I'm dipping to an unacceptable framerate of around 45 at times.
> 
> 
> 
> It's in the driver your using now.
Click to expand...

Yes I know its there....I've been tinkering with it since about 3am or so (its 9am now). The problem is the MASSIVE performance hit I take when I use even 2x MLAA....or any AA at all for that matter forced in the CCC.


----------



## firestorm1

i have something similar. but its with the msaa. every time i go past 4xEQ AA, my frame rates tank.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> i have something similar. but its with the msaa. every time i go past 4xEQ AA, my frame rates tank.


If I enable any sort of AA in CCC, my framerate tanks like crazy. In Crysis and 4x MSAA (in game) I get about 36 FPS average. In Crysis with no AA + 2x MLAA (enhance app setting), same settings otherwise, I get 9 FPS average.

Borderlands, its playable but does dip as low as 45 FPS...which isn't right at all.

GTA IV = single digits with any MLAA settings on.

Not too happy with that setting right now to be honest.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Ahh I see. Requires a new beta driver. I'll just wait till WHQL 12.4 comes out then I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really sucks though, MLAA seems to be GREAT when I tell it to *enhance application* settings. But it makes every game I've tried it with unplayable except Borderlands...and even with Borderlands I'm dipping to an unacceptable framerate of around 45 at times.


....enhance I thought meant in addition too. So... you are running AA through the game AND again through the drivers. Try just override with MLAA, thats what I do, 2x or 4x is enough for me.

Note: Some titles break with MLAA so you might have to be flexible when using it. If I remember correctly doesn't work very good in BF3. I will try it out.

Give me a title you want me to look at, and I will see if 12.4 is working (maybe change drivers.)


----------



## Hambone07si

I was playing BF3 last night with 4xAA super sampling in CCC in eyefinity with ultra settings and getting 80-100fps


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Ahh I see. Requires a new beta driver. I'll just wait till WHQL 12.4 comes out then I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really sucks though, MLAA seems to be GREAT when I tell it to *enhance application* settings. But it makes every game I've tried it with unplayable except Borderlands...and even with Borderlands I'm dipping to an unacceptable framerate of around 45 at times.
> 
> 
> 
> ....enhance I thought meant in addition too. So... you are running AA through the game AND again through the drivers. Try just override with MLAA, thats what I do, 2x or 4x is enough for me.
> 
> Note: Some titles break with MLAA so you might have to be flexible when using it. If I remember correctly doesn't work very good in BF3. I will try it out.
Click to expand...

I use enhance yes....but I'm usually not using any AA at all in the games I'm using it on (or they don't even support AA). Like Borderlands and GTA IV. Neither has AA at all anyway. Even if I override app settings, its the same problem, framerate tanks.


----------



## wireeater

I think the new BETA drivers increased performance by 80% on the MLAA if I remember correctly.


----------



## firestorm1

all the games i play i override ingame settings with radeon pro and i still have that issue i mentioned.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Ahh I see. Requires a new beta driver. I'll just wait till WHQL 12.4 comes out then I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really sucks though, MLAA seems to be GREAT when I tell it to *enhance application* settings. But it makes every game I've tried it with unplayable except Borderlands...and even with Borderlands I'm dipping to an unacceptable framerate of around 45 at times.
> 
> 
> 
> ....enhance I thought meant in addition too. So... you are running AA through the game AND again through the drivers. Try just override with MLAA, thats what I do, 2x or 4x is enough for me.
> 
> Note: Some titles break with MLAA so you might have to be flexible when using it. If I remember correctly doesn't work very good in BF3. I will try it out.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I use enhance yes....but I'm usually not using any AA at all in the games I'm using it on (or they don't even support AA). Like Borderlands and GTA IV. Neither has AA at all anyway. Even if I override app settings, its the same problem, framerate tanks.
Click to expand...

I am sure you will figure it out. Want to show us your CCC settings, maybe its something else?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Sure...

All I have done is checkmarked MLAA, and messed with Enhance or override. Both result in huge framerate tanks just using 2x or 2xEQ (2xEQ on enhance, regular 2x on override). I found out I can save individual profiles for specific games as well (which is nice). But no idea why the huge framerate tanks.


----------



## firestorm1

i dont even have the high quality AF selection in my ccc.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> i dont even have the high quality AF selection in my ccc.


I'm on the latest WHQL drivers (as I've stated a few times). So 12.2, released on 3-7-2012. I avoid beta drivers whenever I can.

If its a driver issue, that the latest beta fixes...then the new WHQL in April should fix it too.


----------



## Hambone07si

Just played BF3 with 16xEQ super sample with 80-180fps Ultra. I'm not seeing any issues with AA


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> is anyone using radeon pro for their games? i have a question or 2 ii need to ask. the aa compatibilty profiles have almost no games listed. can i add the .exe of the games i play to that? or how would that work. sorry, im so used to using nivdia inspector.


[Fixes] Catalyst Drivers Error & OC & Eyefinity & General Issues

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> *AMD CrossFireX Mode for 3D Applications*.
> 
> Starting Catalyst 12.1, AMD incorporated user settings similar *to RadeonPro*. It's self-explanatory.
> 
> Under the drop down list:
> 
> 
> *Disabled*. This option turns off CrossFireX multi-GPU acceleration.
> *Default* uses whatever the global system default option is, or whatever AMD has configured, if the game already has a profile in the CAP package.
> *AFR Friendly*, which is for games which generally work well with Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR).
> *Optimize 1x1*. This is another AFR option, but with optimizations for 1x1 surfaces. The idea is, if *AFR Friendly* has problems, *Optimize 1x1* is another option to try.
> *Use AMD Pre-Defined Profile* allows us to select the CrossFireX configuration of another game and apply it to the one for which we are making a profile.
> 
> (For more details and example: HARDOCP - Introduction - AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview Profiles and *...* )


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, anyone with 7950 running at 1Ghz? My default clocks are 900Mhz and Afterburner reports 1.031V. ASIC Quality 72%.
> I can't overclock to 1Ghz without getting instant or after 1 minute crash in Battlefield 3. What voltage do you suggest? Seemingly at least, it works nicely if I bump it to 1.055. No more crashes and I can play for hours. Do you think it's low or something?
> I'd like to keep the clocks 1Ghz core and 1400 Memory and thus, I'd really like to know about yours. Do I have to worry about ULPS? Trixx kept spamming "You need to disable ULPS" but it couldn't give me option how to do it. Afterburner once, I don't know why, it kept the 1Ghz, but lowered back to default the voltage and suddenly got a crash after a tank was firing on me ( intense scene ).
> Any advices or about your experiences would be much appreciated!
> Drivers: 8.95.5 and just for the record, I haven't experienced a signle problem while running at default clocks.


Deo, I'm running my Sapphire 7950 OC Edition at 1100 core, 1500 mem and have not had any problems whatsoever, max temps hitting ~63c I believe (just woke up, ill be able to confirm in a hour or two haha) my volts are at 1231mV. ASIC quality at 74.4%... I use only Afterburner, and have not tampered with any CCC OC settings at all. Hope this helps







Let me know if I can do anything else for you
Edit: I'm running Driver 8.950


----------



## BuildBuildBuild

Hello Folks,

I have a feeling my PowerColor HD 7950 PCS+ 3 GB is underperforming.

Is a 3DMark 11 Score of *P7187* about par for the course for a Radeon 7950 (with latest drivers) on a non-overclocked *i7-3820* / Asus P9X79 Deluxe / 16 GB RAM System or is it underperforming?

Here are the full details of the results: *http://i.imgur.com/QKewv.png*

Please confirm so that I can determine whether to exchange the card or if I'm good to go with this new build.

Thanks fellow 79xx'ers!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I think the new BETA drivers increased performance by 80% on the MLAA if I remember correctly.


If we put that into the reality translator /4 we get 20% real world.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm uploading a vid to youtube of BF3 ultra / 4xEQ MLAA / 16xAF / 5872x1080 .. I did notice only about 10fps dip with MLAA checked but very playable

Sorry for crappy vid, used my Galaxy S2


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm uploading a vid to youtube of BF3 ultra / 4xEQ MLAA / 16xAF / 5872x1080 .. I did notice only about 10fps dip with MLAA checked but very playable
> 
> Sorry for crappy vid, used my Galaxy S2


That doesn't explain my poor performance though.







Maybe my 12.2 WHQL drivers perhaps?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That doesn't explain my poor performance though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe my 12.2 WHQL drivers perhaps?


DO I need to link the beta band again?


----------



## Hambone07si

But aren't you using the same one as me?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> But aren't you using the same one as me?


It says right there yer using the beta 8.95.5?


----------



## Hambone07si

Well this is the driver that rocks!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well this is the driver that rocks!!


That driver doesn't work for me. I might have to blast a new win7 install on though because sp1 won't install... maybe it got borked from all the tweaking over time.


----------



## Hambone07si

This one runs great on everything, except skyrim is a little weird. Kinda does this lag thing every couple seconds. Not really bothered by that cuz I beat it already and done with it for now.

Even playing Bf3 with Vsync off, it barely screen tears at all in eyefinity

I need to get me some 120hz monitors. When will 240hz ones be out for the pc


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well this is the driver that rocks!!


Should try this: http://developer.amd.com/Downloads/OpenCL1.2betadriversWindows.exe

Source page: http://developer.amd.com/sdks/AMDAPPSDK/downloads/Pages/default.aspx

Simply overwrite the existing drivers then restart. If crash, restart again.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Should try this: http://developer.amd.com/Downloads/OpenCL1.2betadriversWindows.exe
> 
> Source page: http://developer.amd.com/sdks/AMDAPPSDK/downloads/Pages/default.aspx
> 
> Simply overwrite the existing drivers then restart. If crash, restart again.


What's that going to do for me?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Should try this: http://developer.amd.com/Downloads/OpenCL1.2betadriversWindows.exe
> 
> Source page: http://developer.amd.com/sdks/AMDAPPSDK/downloads/Pages/default.aspx
> 
> Simply overwrite the existing drivers then restart. If crash, restart again.
> 
> 
> 
> What's that going to do for me?
Click to expand...

Did a quick run all on stock clocks with that drivers. Should impove games too.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Hambone, could you do me a favor if you've got it? Can you try out GTA IV (preferrably EFLC), maxed out, and tell me if it stutters for you with a single card? That's the only game I really have any issues with, other than my MLAA problem. I can't be bothered to be a beta tester for drivers just because of MLAA problems, when I never used them before.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> Hello Folks,
> I have a feeling my PowerColor HD 7950 PCS+ 3 GB is underperforming.
> Is a 3DMark 11 Score of *P7187* about par for the course for a Radeon 7950 (with latest drivers) on a non-overclocked *i7-3820* / Asus P9X79 Deluxe / 16 GB RAM System or is it underperforming?
> Here are the full details of the results: *http://i.imgur.com/QKewv.png*
> Please confirm so that I can determine whether to exchange the card or if I'm good to go with this new build.
> Thanks fellow 79xx'ers!


I got 2 of those, haven't got that feeling. What makes you say that ? Card looks really good, and have a longer warranty + tested to be one of the best 7950's

I just compared our result with mine, its really close to each other, you actually got higher gpu score than me using one card.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Found my new 24/7 overclock for this the puppy.
> Volts: 1125
> Core: 1150
> Memory: 1475
> 
> Best thing PC wise i have ever bought is this card!!!
> Now i just need a water block; don't think the wife is gonna let me spend no more money on this thing for a while


Make sure you buy the actual 7950 block, not the 7970 that says it works with 7950s








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> This one runs great on everything, except skyrim is a little weird. Kinda does this lag thing every couple seconds. Not really bothered by that cuz I beat it already and done with it for now.
> Even playing Bf3 with Vsync off, it barely screen tears at all in eyefinity
> I need to get me some 120hz monitors. When will 240hz ones be out for the pc


Just don't expect 2560x1440/1600 monitors @ 120Hz, our cards physically can't do it


----------



## BuildBuildBuild

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> Hello Folks,
> 
> I have a feeling my PowerColor HD 7950 PCS+ 3 GB is underperforming.
> 
> Is a 3DMark 11 Score of *P7187* about par for the course for a Radeon 7950 (with latest drivers) on a non-overclocked i7-3820 / Asus P9X79 Deluxe / 16 GB RAM System or is it underperforming?
> 
> Here are the full details of the results: http://i.imgur.com/QKewv.png
> 
> Please confirm so that I can determine whether to exchange the card or if I'm good to go with this new build.
> 
> Thanks fellow 79xx'ers!
> 
> 
> 
> I got 2 of those, haven't got that feeling. What makes you say that ? Card looks really good, and have a longer warranty + tested to be one of the best 7950's
> I just compared our result with mine, its really close to each other, you actually got higher gpu score than me using one card.
Click to expand...

Someone had told me that the typical 3DMarks11 Scores for the HD 7950 was around "7800", so I was concerned that getting a score of around 7200 (especially with my X79 System) was low. So are you saying my score is where it should be and my card is not faulty? I just want to be sure, because if the score is off because the card is faulty, then I have no problem exchanging it for another of the same card.

Also, how can I be getting a higher score than you with 2 cards? Surely something is amiss?

Please confirm, and thanks.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> Hello Folks,
> 
> I have a feeling my PowerColor HD 7950 PCS+ 3 GB is underperforming.
> 
> Is a 3DMark 11 Score of *P7187* about par for the course for a Radeon 7950 (with latest drivers) on a non-overclocked i7-3820 / Asus P9X79 Deluxe / 16 GB RAM System or is it underperforming?
> 
> Here are the full details of the results: http://i.imgur.com/QKewv.png
> 
> Please confirm so that I can determine whether to exchange the card or if I'm good to go with this new build.
> 
> Thanks fellow 79xx'ers!
> 
> 
> 
> I got 2 of those, haven't got that feeling. What makes you say that ? Card looks really good, and have a longer warranty + tested to be one of the best 7950's
> I just compared our result with mine, its really close to each other, you actually got higher gpu score than me using one card.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Someone had told me that the typical 3DMarks11 Scores for the HD 7950 was around "7800", so I was concerned that getting a score of around 7200 (especially with my X79 System) was low. So are you saying my score is where it should be and my card is not faulty? I just want to be sure, because if the score is off because the card is faulty, then I have no problem exchanging it for another of the same card.
> 
> Also, how can I be getting a higher score than you with 2 cards? Surely something is amiss?
> 
> Please confirm, and thanks.
Click to expand...

Your score is considered "low" because of the stock clocks on your CPU. If you overclocked that processor, you'd see well over 9k I'll bet. With the highest maximum overclocks on both CPU and GPU you could break 10k easy.

At stock clocks, P7200 is honestly perfectly acceptable. Mine gets less than that at stock CPU / GPU.


----------



## Hambone07si

You really want me to install that game? ok. It's always played like crap on the pc so I didn't bother with it.

Dvd drives gotta go. It's sad that I can download a 15gig game from steam and install it faster than I can off the dvd drive.


----------



## pfunkmort

This is sort of a weird problem..but, I recently bought the tomb raider collection on steam, and I'm putzing through them...The issue I'm having is that in Underworld, if I enable vsync in game, it tanks my performance, and it sometimes drops to like 45-50 fps with churn. But if I disable vsync, I get like 400 fps and the game stutters. So I tried forcing vsync through ccc, and it doesn't seem to be doing anything. Is there something simple that I'm missing about that option? Or is it simply hit or miss with various games?

[edit] - for reference I'm still using RC11


----------



## zpaf




----------



## stevman17

OK, I finally made up my mind for now and bought the Sapphire 7970 OC on Amazon for $550. Probably a dumb idea, but whatever.


----------



## wireeater

There is nothing dumb about it. You will be able to O/C very nicely and probably do better on most stuff than the 680. Although I probably would have saved a 100$ and grabbed one from a sale thread.


----------



## stevman17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> There is nothing dumb about it. You will be able to O/C very nicely and probably do better on most stuff than the 680. Although I probably would have saved a 100$ and grabbed one from a sale thread.


Yea, I feel like at this price I'd rather just get a new one. Amazon is good with returns in my experience. It's a bad ass looking card FWIW.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Do any of you guys have any idea when the 7970 Lightnings are going to be available? They released last week and there were reviews and stuff but now its just crickets. No stock anywhere and I'm down for two as soon as I can find them....


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> Someone had told me that the typical 3DMarks11 Scores for the HD 7950 was around "7800", so I was concerned that getting a score of around 7200 (especially with my X79 System) was low. So are you saying my score is where it should be and my card is not faulty? I just want to be sure, because if the score is off because the card is faulty, then I have no problem exchanging it for another of the same card.
> Also, how can I be getting a higher score than you with 2 cards? Surely something is amiss?
> Please confirm, and thanks.


+
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Your score is considered "low" because of the stock clocks on your CPU. If you overclocked that processor, you'd see well over 9k I'll bet. With the highest maximum overclocks on both CPU and GPU you could break 10k easy.
> At stock clocks, P7200 is honestly perfectly acceptable. Mine gets less than that at stock CPU / GPU.


He said it all







And you are not getting higher score than me with 2 cards, i just forgot to mention that i've tested with one card. (Done + 40 3dmark11 runs with one and two cards, overclocked and not 







)


----------



## Ottesen

Here are some of the results with *one card* mate







Some words are in Norwegian but you'll get the point.

3DMark Score 3dmark11 med 4,7ghz og 1140/1540mhz best hitil !
P8691
Graphics Score
8738
Physics Score
8572
Combined Score
8532
GraphicsTest1
37.19 FPS
GraphicsTest2
43.73 FPS
GraphicsTest3
54.06 FPS
GraphicsTest4
27.0 FPS
PhysicsTest
27.21 FPS
CombinedTest
39.69 FPS

3DMark Score 3dmark11 m3d 4,7ghz og 1140/1540
P8644
Graphics Score
8760
Physics Score
8316
Combined Score
8314
GraphicsTest1
37.34 FPS
GraphicsTest2
43.8 FPS
GraphicsTest3
54.3 FPS
GraphicsTest4
27.03 FPS
PhysicsTest
26.4 FPS
CombinedTest
38.67 FPS

3DMark Score 3dmark11 med 4,7ghz og 1150/1550
P8651
Graphics Score
8835
Physics Score
8107
Combined Score
8198
GraphicsTest1
37.75 FPS
GraphicsTest2
44.08 FPS
GraphicsTest3
54.76 FPS
GraphicsTest4
27.26 FPS
PhysicsTest
25.74 FPS
CombinedTest
38.13 FPS

3DMark Score 3dmark11 med 4,7ghz og 1125/1525
P8504
Graphics Score
8646
Physics Score
8110
Combined Score
8104
GraphicsTest1
36.96 FPS
GraphicsTest2
43.23 FPS
GraphicsTest3
53.53 FPS
GraphicsTest4
26.64 FPS
PhysicsTest
25.75 FPS
CombinedTest
37.7 FPS

3DMark Score 3dmark11 med 4,7ghz og 1125/1525mhz
P8557
Graphics Score
8562
Physics Score
8541
Combined Score
8546
GraphicsTest1
35.94 FPS
GraphicsTest2
42.87 FPS
GraphicsTest3
53.47 FPS
GraphicsTest4
26.6 FPS
PhysicsTest
27.12 FPS
CombinedTest
39.75 FPS

3DMark Score 3dmark11 med 4,7ghz og 880/1250 (stock gpu)
P7128
Graphics Score
6967
Physics Score
8111
Combined Score
7071
GraphicsTest1
29.68 FPS
GraphicsTest2
34.75 FPS
GraphicsTest3
43.69 FPS
GraphicsTest4
21.42 FPS
PhysicsTest
25.75 FPS
CombinedTest
32.89 FPS


----------



## wirefox

AB OSD isn't showing up? I have everything ticked off and it shows up in unigine ? ... anyone have this issue just don't feel like going through the whole re-install process...

rc11, AB beta 14, crossfired

edit: not showing up on BF3


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Do any of you guys have any idea when the 7970 Lightnings are going to be available? They released last week and there were reviews and stuff but now its just crickets. No stock anywhere and I'm down for two as soon as I can find them....


April is when I last read for shipping from the pre-orders.


----------



## sockpirate

Guys how do go about getting a higher core clock slider in AB? I wanna start doing some higher tests than what i have access to.


----------



## BuildBuildBuild

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Your score is considered "low" because of the stock clocks on your CPU. If you overclocked that processor, you'd see well over 9k I'll bet. With the highest maximum overclocks on both CPU and GPU you could break 10k easy.
> At stock clocks, P7200 is honestly perfectly acceptable. Mine gets less than that at stock CPU / GPU.


If that's the case, then why is 3dMarks11 saying "*STOP: Your score is Low compared to similar systems. There may be a problem*"? *See here.*

Are you saying that the 3dMarks 11 Benchmark compares your score against the overclocked version? Because the FPS in the results I posted above don't look very good for a resolution of 1280 x 720.

Any additional insight is appreciated, and sorry to be so picky here, but I've spent so much money on this System that if _anything_ is underperforming even _slightly_, I have no problem replacing it (but I would need to do so ASAP).

Thanks again.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> If that's the case, then why is 3dMarks11 saying "*STOP: Your score is Low compared to similar systems. There may be a problem*"? *See here.*
> Are you saying that the 3dMarks 11 Benchmark compares your score against the overclocked version? Because the FPS in the results I posted above don't look very good for a resolution of 1280 x 720.
> Any additional insight is appreciated, and sorry to be so picky here, but I've spent so much money on this System that if _anything_ is underperforming even _slightly_, I have no problem replacing it (but I would need to do so ASAP).
> Thanks again.


Yes your score is compared by hardware, not clocks. So your machine is being compared to anyone with the same hardware running O/C on their CPU/GPU's.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> April is when I last read for shipping from the pre-orders.


Where can you preorder???


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Guys how do go about getting a higher core clock slider in AB? I wanna start doing some higher tests than what i have access to.


Go read post #7115


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm uploading a vid to youtube of BF3 ultra / 4xEQ MLAA / 16xAF / 5872x1080 .. I did notice only about 10fps dip with MLAA checked but very playable
> Sorry for crappy vid, used my Galaxy S2


Put a Frame limiter so you dont have as high temps under load.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Go read post #7115


Thanks for directing me there, hmm will give it a try, although i thought it was as simple as flashing to an Asus Bios?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Put a Frame limiter so you dont have as high temps under load.


As soon as FrozenCpu gets some more Ek Acetal/copper blocks in, I'm ordering another. Only 1 card is on air. The other only loads at 42c or so with it 75f in my house. I like lots of frames


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> As soon as FrozenCpu gets some more Ek Acetal/copper blocks in, I'm ordering another. Only 1 card is on air. The other only loads at 42c or so with it 75f in my house. I like lots of frames


They work great! I have two and haven't seen them go over 45c! They idle at around 35c to low 30s, although i do have a rx 360 cool both









EDIT: I will be posting tons of 3dm11 Performance scores at various CPU overclocks and various GPU overclocks here in the next day or so (maybe sooner) hope you all enjoy. They will be located in the OP of my build log which can be found at the link in my sig!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?


----------



## pfunkmort

the amd drivers can be hit or miss. It's rare that none of the drivers will work for someone. It's more usual that one version will give you some problems in this random game or that one, and you have to screw with them, or wipe them and go to a different version, to get them to work right. They're more of a pain than they should be. I don't want to understate that. But it's really rare that they're a REAL problem. As for xfire, I dunno.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?


I just switched from Nvidia to AMD and I can honestly say that I am quite pleased. Drivers have been a bit or or miss as someone previously stated, but I am currently using the 8.95.0 drivers and they are performing great. Regarding the CF micro-stutter issues, I cannot directly comment on how micro-stutter has been in past AMD series of GPU's, but I can say that it does not seem to be a major issue in the 7900 series. I did start to notice what one may refer to as micro-stuttering, but it was in no way or form game breaking. It was hardly if at all noticeable and was quickly fixed by simply limiting the frame rate to 60 fps, in accordance with my screens refresh rate of 60Mhz, and by enabling in game vysnc.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> the amd drivers can be hit or miss. It's rare that none of the drivers will work for someone. It's more usual that one version will give you some problems in this random game or that one, and you have to screw with them, or wipe them and go to a different version, to get them to work right. They're more of a pain than they should be. I don't want to understate that. But it's really rare that they're a REAL problem. As for xfire, I dunno.


That's the kind of thing I'm afraid of. I have yet to have any issues with any of the Nvidia drivers I have used all the way back to 266.XX (other than a flickering in Crysis 2 which was quickly fixed). It just sucks because considering the OC limitations of the 680's I seem to be forced to stay with my 580's if I want great driver support AND overclock-ability. The 7970 Lightnings seem so tempting but if I'm going to have annoying driver issues in the games I play then no thanks...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?


Honestly, they're not that bad. I installed one driver and they worked, haven't messed with them since (except when CF broke them for overclocking since I added the 2nd card later on, lmao).

As for microstutter, I've seen it in a few games, but I think that might have to also do with running 2 side monitors while gaming on the middle one.

The drivers are fine if you just read in this thread when new ones come out and see what people say








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> I just switched from Nvidia to AMD and I can honestly say that I am quite pleased. Drivers have been a bit or or miss as someone previously stated, but I am currently using the 8.95.0 drivers and they are performing great. Regarding the CF micro-stutter issues, I cannot directly comment on how micro-stutter has been in past AMD series of GPU's, but I can say that it does not seem to be a major issue in the 7900 series. I did start to notice what one may refer to as micro-stuttering, but it was in no way or form game breaking. It was hardly if at all noticeable and was quickly fixed by simply limiting the frame rate to 60 fps, in accordance with my screens refresh rate of 60Mhz, and by enabling in game vysnc.


This has to be the first pleased person coming from Nvidia's drivers to our's


----------



## pfunkmort

Of course, the other thing is that the AMD drivers usually mature and are fantastic after that happens. Most of the people here from previous AMD generations will probably agree with that. So, if you're really worried about it, wait until the lightnings are even available (which is a good month away if you didn't preorder)...and see then how the drivers look. I think unless nvidia comes out with a nice 690 or a better answer to overclocking on their cards, AMD has a bit of an advantage for the next 8 months or so, especially at the high end that the lightnings represent. So really it comes down to how serious you are about upgrading (in my humble opinion). If you are going to want the cards for a serious step up for a good year or two, I'd say the 7970 is a pretty good investment. But if you're going to flip it 4 months from now for something else (who knows what)...the driver pains are probably not worth it.


----------



## sockpirate

Lets just put it this way man, i was the owner of tri-sli MSI Lightning Extreme cards, i went with crossfire 7970s and could not have been happier, although if the 680 was just a tad more impressive i would have had no problem selling these babies for a pair, which is more than likely what i will be doing when the 780 finally drops, whenever that is....Although, until then, these are doing the job beautifully.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> This has to be the first pleased person coming from Nvidia's drivers to our's


Oh, don't get me wrong. I've done my share of complaining, but that's just me being me







. Overall, AMD drivers seem to be just as good as Nvidia drivers. A few things here and there that have rubbed me wrong, but nothing too bad.


----------



## sockpirate

Little preview of some of the work i have been doing. Temps didn't break 47c on the cards, wish i could say the same for my CPU lol....


----------



## Smo

I've not experienced any micro stutter at all with my crossfire 7970s and I've used both driver sets 12.2 and the latest 8.950.0 (if that's what it is, I can't remember!). Games are playing silky smooth. The only game I've had a problem with is Alan Wake which at first wouldn't work with crossfire at all, it would just crash. Now with the latest drivers I'm getting full usage on both GPUs and like 45fps lol.

Otherwise, The performance of these cards is outstanding - I ran a fully maxed DiRT 3 bench earlier with a minimum FPS of 130. It's so nice to play like that on a 120Hz monitor, I can't really describe it. It's just really satisfying.


----------



## pioneerisloud

My only complaint with the 12.2 WHQL drivers is the MLAA taking a huge performance hit. It's a driver problem...sure. But its an add on feature, not a necessity. It looks like the latest beta drivers might fix that problem, so the new WHQL's in April will fix it as well. For raw stability, I haven't had a problem EVER with AMD drivers, except when I first got this card and didn't know how to overclock it properly. Again, not a driver fault, but user error on that one.

I have used Nvidia and AMD / ATI for over a decade. My first graphics cards were an ATI Rage and a GeForce 2 (of each brand). I have used just about every series of cards, in just about every Windows OS. And I have NEVER had a driver problem, that was specifically a problem with the drivers...from AMD / ATI. Nvidia on the other hand, its always been hit or miss with me lately. Didn't use to be back in the day though.

So honestly... neither company has "better" drivers than the other. They're both solid. They just offer different features, that's really the biggest difference.

As far as crossfire / SLI goes...you're going to be riddled with problems with those kind of setups regardless of the brand. It DOES seem that Nvidia tends to have less issues than AMD does in this regard. But there's still problems with more than one GPU, no matter the brand name.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> 5 full loops of Heaven Benchmark is about 20~25 minutes.
> [EDIT]
> Managed to enable voltage control and proper clock reading. I haven't stayed up with the 7970 overclocking wise because I have been on air, and just needed time to put on blocks.
> Software I Used:
> Using the latest Afterburner 2.2.0 Beta 15, 12.4 Beta Catalyst, 12.2 Cap1
> Clean uninstall using AtiMan. Then Install of your choice of drivers and CAP profile.
> Downloaded the missing atipdl64 / atipdlxx.dll, but them in the MSI Afterburner folder.
> 
> Source: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359671
> Edited the Config:
> 
> Launched Afterburner, edited these settings, the new setting that worked for me was enabling Kernel mode.
> 
> Edit Afterburner's shortcut and change Target line:
> "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" */XCL*
> Start Afterburner one time (it may pop up with a window asking you to reboot) and it will not start. Go back in, delete the /XCL part. Reboot machine now.
> End Result:


figured id bump this post in case others needed the info. 1 question though. what is the difference between using user mode vs kernel mode?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> If that's the case, then why is 3dMarks11 saying "*STOP: Your score is Low compared to similar systems. There may be a problem*"? *See here.*
> 
> Are you saying that the 3dMarks 11 Benchmark compares your score against the overclocked version? Because the FPS in the results I posted above don't look very good for a resolution of 1280 x 720.
> 
> Any additional insight is appreciated, and sorry to be so picky here, but I've spent so much money on this System that if _anything_ is underperforming even _slightly_, I have no problem replacing it (but I would need to do so ASAP).
> 
> Thanks again.


I just tried 3D Mark 11 for first time. Everything stock ( CPU: 3.3Ghz - GPU: 900Mhz ) and I got 7200 too. Then, I overclocked the card to 1100Mhz and I got 7815. Then, I overclocked the CPU +400Mhz and went 7990.

http://3dmark.com/healthcheck/3dm11/3042800

So I guess everything is O.K.

Personally, I don't give much attention to benchmarks. I don't trust 'em so much, to be honest. I certainly prefer in-game results. The indication you get "STOP: Your score is Low compared to similar systems. There may be a problem?" clearly leads on ads..."Check your PC with this Antivirus" - lol. Why I'd worry about?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Deo, I'm running my Sapphire 7950 OC Edition at 1100 core, 1500 mem and have not had any problems whatsoever, max temps hitting ~63c I believe (just woke up, ill be able to confirm in a hour or two haha) my volts are at 1231mV. ASIC quality at 74.4%... I use only Afterburner, and have not tampered with any CCC OC settings at all. Hope this helps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me know if I can do anything else for you
> Edit: I'm running Driver 8.950


I tried almost the same clocks ( Memory 1400 ). 2 hours battlefield 3 without a signle problem, although, I didn't like the temps. 70C Max - 57% Fan Speed. What's yours? Do you play BF3? So, 1000Mhz with 1.075V and Max Temps 55-57C, I think it's gonna be my default clocks when I play. I can with lower voltage ( 1.055 ), but I want to be sure.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?


The only driver issue I'm still currently having is the long idle bug that will leave the system unresponsive.
The only way around that for me is to not have the monitor shut off at all (via software).

Games run great and very smooth.
I haven't noticed any texture flickering yet.
I can't comment on CF for the 7970, but I did have dual 6970s before and I didn't notice any heavy micro stuttering or crashes directly related to CF.
The only problem was the lateness of AMD's App Profiles that would enable or improve CF performance for new games.
According to AMD, they are stepping it up in that department.

Am I honestly pretty happy with my card?
Yes.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> figured id bump this post in case others needed the info. 1 question though. what is the difference between using user mode vs kernel mode?


I too would like to know this









I've noticed texture flickering in BF3 at times (particularly on B2K, and even more so on Wake Island), but I've had it ever since BF3 came out (in that time I've had AMD CF, nVidia, AMD) so I think it's a game issue.


----------



## unrealskill

anyone getting a grass glitch where it go's white when you move in arma 2 arrowhead? and the gfx seem like they did not load all the way?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> figured id bump this post in case others needed the info. 1 question though. what is the difference between using user mode vs kernel mode?
> 
> 
> 
> I too would like to know this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've noticed texture flickering in BF3 at times (particularly on B2K, and even more so on Wake Island), but I've had it ever since BF3 came out (in that time I've had AMD CF, nVidia, AMD) so I think it's a game issue.
Click to expand...

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=351678&page=2

Kernel mode RTCore driver has been upgraded to v1.6. New driver introduces RivaTuner-styled experimental protected MMIO IOCTLs and removes outdated IOCTLs dedicated for some old and currently abandoned RTCore technology based applications (HIS iTurbo and RMClock)

New protected MMIO IOCTLs allow MSI Afterburner to hide all low-level access to hardware much deeper into the driver, into separate kernel address space, where it cannot be accessed by unsafe user mode applications like Punkbuster. Protected MMIO can be enabled by editing configuration file and setting MMIOUserMode to 0 (it is set to 1 by default).

Quote:


Regarding this interesting new feature (protected MMIO), there is any other advantage in using it besides avoiding conflicts with apps like PunkBuster (which is great btw)? Just out of curiosity, why did you opted to leave it disabled by default? Any possible drawbacks?


There are no additional advantages in this mode besides hiding MMIO memory ranges from Punkbuster's nose. And yes, there are drawbacks as well. First, it eats kernel memory space (which is shared for all drivers running into the system and limited to 1gb on 32-bit OS). Second, it is a few times slower in terms of accessing GPU registers.

http://www.guru3d.com/news/-msi-afterburner-220-beta-9/

Added new compatibility option allowing using protected kernel mode low-level access to hardware instead of user mode one. This option can also be used to bypass Punkbuster related stability issues.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My only complaint with the 12.2 WHQL drivers is the MLAA taking a huge performance hit. It's a driver problem.


This is fixed with the amd_radeon_hd_7800_8.95.5_win7-64 beta drivers that came out last week so look for it in the next release. It was an 80% performance bump with MLAA 2.0.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?


I experience no microstutter in every recent major release aside from Skyrim where the microstutter is honestly horrendous. That title doesn't seem to like multi-GPU setups though.

Outside of the long idle bug mentioned before I haven't had any problems in any of the games I usually play and scaling seems to be quite good. As long as you understand how to properly clean a system of old drivers and you keep your Windows install clean (honestly I feel those two things are why people have issues) you shouldn't have many problems at all.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I experience no microstutter in every recent major release aside from Skyrim where the microstutter is honestly horrendous. That title doesn't seem to like multi-GPU setups though.
> Outside of the long idle bug mentioned before I haven't had any problems in any of the games I usually play and scaling seems to be quite good. As long as you understand how to properly clean a system of old drivers and you keep your Windows install clean (honestly I feel those two things are why people have issues) you shouldn't have many problems at all.


Bizarre. Skyrim for me is silky smooth.

Could these issues be caused by the way people are installing drivers? Perhaps in diffierent orders (driver, OC software, CAPs etc) or maybe the way the drivers are updated locally (uninstalling, rebooting, installing over the top etc).


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Getting ready to order my Block. Cant want to clock it higher.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Getting ready to order my Block. Cant want to clock it higher.


I want to watercool my entire rig but I have only set a budget of ~£300 ($470) for the moment. I'm tempted to wait a couple of months and put some cash aside for more radiators









I'd like 2x360's ideally and a case swap from the Raven to a Switch 810.


----------



## wireeater

I run a 360 and 240 in my Phantom and it keeps my max temps @ 42-45C max loads on overclocks. This is with CPU + 2 GPU (7950). Ambient is around 34C for idle temps on the devices (75-80F temps in room). I had the windows opened this morning and ran a burn test, I was getting a max of 35-38C.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I experience no microstutter in every recent major release aside from Skyrim where the microstutter is honestly horrendous. That title doesn't seem to like multi-GPU setups though.
> Outside of the long idle bug mentioned before I haven't had any problems in any of the games I usually play and scaling seems to be quite good. *As long as you understand how to properly clean a system of old drivers* and you keep your Windows install clean (honestly I feel those two things are why people have issues) you shouldn't have many problems at all.


Is this vital with AMD drivers because with Nvidia's I can just install the new drivers and the old ones are automatically deleted. I've never had a problem with this method before and I don't really feel like running driver-sweeper, running in safe mode, and all that other BS just to update my drivers...


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I experience no microstutter in every recent major release aside from Skyrim where the microstutter is honestly horrendous. That title doesn't seem to like multi-GPU setups though.
> Outside of the long idle bug mentioned before I haven't had any problems in any of the games I usually play and scaling seems to be quite good. *As long as you understand how to properly clean a system of old drivers* and you keep your Windows install clean (honestly I feel those two things are why people have issues) you shouldn't have many problems at all.
> 
> 
> 
> Is this vital with AMD drivers because with Nvidia's I can just install the new drivers and the old ones are automatically deleted. I've never had a problem with this method before and I don't really feel like running driver-sweeper, running in safe mode, and all that other BS just to update my drivers...
Click to expand...

Driver Sweeper isn't necessary. I uninstall CAPS, reboot, uninstall drivers, delete any ATI folders left over in \Program Files\ and under the AppData folder in your user directory, then I reboot and install fresh.

I also keep a clean Windows install which is probably very important.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Bizarre. Skyrim for me is silky smooth.


Its fine outdoors but in caves etc I actually warp back and forward its that bad. I just run Skyrim in fullscreen-windowed as its fine with just a single card


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Driver Sweeper isn't necessary. I uninstall CAPS, reboot, uninstall drivers, delete any ATI folders left over in \Program Files\ and under the AppData folder in your user directory, then I reboot and install fresh.
> I also keep a clean Windows install which is probably very important.
> Its fine outdoors but in caves etc I actually warp back and forward its that bad. I just run Skyrim in fullscreen-windowed as its fine with just a single card


That still sounds like a lot more trouble to go through than just clicking "Install" like with new Nvidia drivers. Just something to get used to I guess...


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Is this vital with AMD drivers because with Nvidia's I can just install the new drivers and the old ones are automatically deleted. I've never had a problem with this method before and I don't really feel like running driver-sweeper, running in safe mode, and all that other BS just to update my drivers...


Takes me 5 minutes total to do it. Never had any problems doing it.

I have more problems with my high-end Asus gaming laptop with an Nvidia card in it... They force me to use old Asus drivers, and if I want to use the newest Nvidia drivers, when they are coming out, I'm not ''allowed'' to do it... I need to modify a .inf in the install directory each time, or else Nvidia drivers won't install. Stupid and complicated for no reason.

The grass in not always ''greener'' on the other side of the fence.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> figured id bump this post in case others needed the info. 1 question though. what is the difference between using user mode vs kernel mode?


That's not the proper way to overclock. You're not supposed to use xcl with UOM.


----------



## JedixJarf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?


There are no driver issues right now, I get zero stutter in the games I play. (ME3, BF3, SWTOR)


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?
> 
> 
> 
> There are no driver issues right now, I get zero stutter in the games I play. (ME3, BF3, SWTOR)
Click to expand...

I haven't experienced much if any stutter at all. Crashing on the other hand... *not related to benching* has been hit or miss. BF3 has stopped working a few times.

Sims 3, BF3, ME3, MW3, Metro2033, Crysis 2, Crysis, WoW, Old Republic

All but BF3 and Crysis w/ MLAA on seem to run fine.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That still sounds like a lot more trouble to go through than just clicking "Install" like with new Nvidia drivers. Just something to get used to I guess...


It sounds like you would be more happy sticking with NVIDIA.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That still sounds like a lot more trouble to go through than just clicking "Install" like with new Nvidia drivers. Just something to get used to I guess...


If you stick to Official releases all you have to do is uninstall the old ones, restart and install the new drivers.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That still sounds like a lot more trouble to go through than just clicking "Install" like with new Nvidia drivers. Just something to get used to I guess...
> 
> 
> 
> If you stick to Official releases all you have to do is uninstall the old ones, restart and install the new drivers.
Click to expand...

That's all I ever do.


----------



## Norlig

Andrew D aka Catalyst Creator promised new beta (?) drivers around the 21st, but nothing yet.

Any1 seen any new drivers out there yet?


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not the proper way to overclock. You're not supposed to use xcl with UOM.


What is UOM? unofficial overclock mode?

I have my drivers setup to auto update! Should I not do that? When you install new drivers it does not auto delete? First ATI/AMD card for me so be nice


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> If you stick to Official releases all you have to do is uninstall the old ones, restart and install the new drivers.


Ok cool, that sounds like no issue then...


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Andrew D aka Catalyst Creator promised new beta (?) drivers around the 21st, but nothing yet.
> 
> Any1 seen any new drivers out there yet?


http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx

Could it be that one ?


----------



## SkateZilla

I've had nothing but issues since updating to Cat 12.3

On My 7950
Cinebench reports it fails the render tests, (less than 90% Accuracy), lots of red pixels
Heaven Bench has occasional Artifacts,

DX9/10 games seem OK.

Still no apparent options for FXAA.

on my 6850
CineBench reports it fails render tests (less than 90% Accuracy), lots of red pixels.

Heaven seems OK,

Oblivion and a few other games look scrambled w/ artifacts when using any type of Anti-Aliasing.

All After Updating to Cat 12.3


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm having issues with MW3 now with the 8.95.5 driver







I guess I didn't try that game until last night. Dame Rc11 haunting me again


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> If you stick to Official releases all you have to do is uninstall the old ones, restart and install the new drivers.


Actually AMD said all you have to do is install the new drivers right over the last ones. I do that if I am going from a WHQL to a WHQL driver. No need to uninstall the last ones and I have never had a problem. Hell when steam updates your AMD drivers it just writes the new ones over the old ones and that is the official method from AMD.

Unless you are messing around with beta drivers there should be no need to uninstall and then install.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?


Getting terrible stuttering in bf3. Have had 8.95.5 crash a fresh Windows install that had nothing more than Windows Updates and motherboard drivers installed--safe mode wouldn't even boot... GG AMD. With a single card, no issues, but once I crossfired, my 7970 experience has been a nightmare. Spent my entire Sunday trying to fix the bf3 microstutting to no avail. It seems these drivers either like your hardware, or they don't.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am seriously contemplating two 7970 Lightnings when they become available but I have never owned an AMD card before and the Nvidia guys have me a little worried about drivers and CF (stuttering). Somebody give me the truth about the 7970 driver situation and the microstutter issue with CF. Are the latest drivers for the 7970 really that bad and if so, in which games?
> 
> 
> 
> Getting terrible stuttering in bf3. Have had 8.95.5 crash a fresh Windows install that had nothing more than Windows Updates and motherboard drivers installed--safe mode wouldn't even boot... GG AMD. With a single card, no issues, but since I have crossfired, my 7970 experience has been a nightmare. Spent my entire Sunday trying to fix the bf3 microstutting to no avail. It seems these drivers either like your hardware, or they don't.
Click to expand...

And this....is EXACTLY why I stick with WHQL drivers only.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> And this....is EXACTLY why I stick with WHQL drivers only.


The stuttering is with the 12.2 drivers. But yeah, the crashing was with the 8.95.5, so I am waiting


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm running a 5ghz 2500k and 2 7970's. 8.95.5 works great in BF3 even with 16xEQ MLAA SuperSample in eyefinity. Did you see that vid I linked?


----------



## svthomas

These may be up for sale soon. I cannot believe I am saying this, but these drivers may cause me to go green.


----------



## Hambone07si

You'll be pretty mad if the finally fix the driver in a month or so. Give them some time, I'm sure they will. If you don't play MW3, you should try the 8.95.5 driver for BF3, works great.


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Driver Sweeper isn't necessary. I uninstall CAPS, reboot, uninstall drivers, delete any ATI folders left over in \Program Files\ and under the AppData folder in your user directory, then I reboot and install fresh.
> I also keep a clean Windows install which is probably very important.
> Its fine outdoors but in caves etc I actually warp back and forward its that bad. I just run Skyrim in fullscreen-windowed as its fine with just a single card
> 
> 
> 
> That still sounds like a lot more trouble to go through than just clicking "Install" like with new Nvidia drivers. Just something to get used to I guess...
Click to expand...

Well,

Frankly, I've been using AMD GPUs for years (except when I had a sad episode of getting the, imo, crappy gtx 590), and all I've EVER done is uninstall CCC, reboot, install CCC.
Never had any problems about that, I think. Every problem I had related to CCC was expected (poor skyrim performance etc), and had nothing to do with my particular installation.
I went, without a problem from a 5870 to a 6990 to a 7970... and never used this wipe method or safe mode procedure.

So, I'm not saying the problems don't exist, just that I've never experienced them. All I had to do to install my 7970 was uninstall CCC -> take 6990 out --> plug 7970 --> boot, install CCC, reboot, good to go.


----------



## firestorm1

yea it normally takes amd like 7 or 8 months after they release a card to have a working driver for it.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You'll be pretty mad if the finally fix the driver in a month or so. Give them some time, I'm sure they will. If you don't play MW3, you should try the 8.95.5 driver for BF3, works great.


8.95.5 won't install on my hardware, it crashes, and takes the entire OS with it. I even reinstalled the entire OS, installed mobo drivers, and patched (that's it), then tried to install it. Crashed. Result? Dead OS, safe mode wouldn't even boot after. I have tried to use it, but no dice.

There is a piece of hardware the AMD driver Gods aren't pleased with in my rig, and I am trying to find it.

Going to see if I have any available mobo bios updates tonight.


----------



## wireeater

Ya, the drivers work for me but they broke safe mode. As soon as you hit the login it resets to bios.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm guessing there will be a huge mess if I just try to install AMD drivers without completely removing all the Nvidia stuff so I'm just going to do a fresh Windows install when I get my 7970's...


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You'll be pretty mad if the finally fix the driver in a month or so. Give them some time, I'm sure they will. If you don't play MW3, you should try the 8.95.5 driver for BF3, works great.
> 
> 
> 
> 8.95.5 won't install on my hardware, it crashes, and takes the entire OS with it. I even reinstalled the entire OS, installed mobo drivers, and patched (that's it), then tried to install it. Crashed. Result? Dead OS, safe mode wouldn't even boot after. I have tried to use it, but no dice.
> 
> There is a piece of hardware the AMD driver Gods aren't pleased with in my rig, and I am trying to find it.
> 
> Going to see if I have any available mobo bios updates tonight.
Click to expand...

Is it possible it's a PCI 3.0 problem?
Because I'm experiencing no problems at all, but I use a x79 board... same model as yours.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That still sounds like a lot more trouble to go through than just clicking "Install" like with new Nvidia drivers. Just something to get used to I guess...


I never do any of that stuff. I download the new driver, install it, and it works fine. I've been messing around with trying to OC my cards last night and early today, and I've (re)installed drivers at least 20 times. Everything works fine.


----------



## Hambone07si

So the latest WHQL is 12.2 (3-7-12) and should be used with 12.2 cap1 ?? I haven't tried that one yet. Do you have to install the missing files for AB to use UOM?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> Is it possible it's a PCI 3.0 problem?
> Because I'm experiencing no problems at all, but I use a x79 board... same model as yours.


Hmm, this could be an excuse to upgrade my mobo







Just not sure about the one I want.


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That still sounds like a lot more trouble to go through than just clicking "Install" like with new Nvidia drivers. Just something to get used to I guess...
> 
> 
> 
> I never do any of that stuff. I download the new driver, install it, and it works fine. I've been messing around with trying to OC my cards last night and early today, and I've (re)installed drivers at least 20 times. Everything works fine.
Click to expand...

This.
As I said before, only thing I do different is unistalling the old one, then I reboot and install new one.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, I guess if I stick to WHQL drivers I should be fine. I'm a total AMD noob though, I don't understand the numbering scheme or the "CAP" deal...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> Is it possible it's a PCI 3.0 problem?
> Because I'm experiencing no problems at all, but I use a x79 board... same model as yours.


Nether of us are on X79. If your referring to mine, that's my work pc.

You guys saying that you never do anything else, try having EYEFINITY. If you done "nothing else" and install the driver, reboot, come back into windows and your eyefinity resolution will already be setup and so will bezel correction, which then = problems.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Where can you preorder???


http://www.amazon.com/MSI-DisplayPortx4-SL-DVI-I-R7970-Lightning/dp/B007NG3WQI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332785690&sr=8-1


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> 8.95.5 won't install on my hardware, it crashes, and takes the entire OS with it. I even reinstalled the entire OS, installed mobo drivers, and patched (that's it), then tried to install it. Crashed. Result? Dead OS, safe mode wouldn't even boot after. I have tried to use it, but no dice.
> There is a piece of hardware the AMD driver Gods aren't pleased with in my rig, and I am trying to find it.
> Going to see if I have any available mobo bios updates tonight.


I had the same issues upon attempting to install 8.95.5. NOTHING worked for me. The Windows splash screen would come up and then shortly after that my system would crash. I finally got it to work by using a combination of drive sweeper, atiman unistaller, and windows install clean up, in that order. Windows install cleaner is crucial to get the files the others missed. After that, everything booted up fine.


----------



## SkateZilla

only time i had driver issues was when i put my 8800 GTS into my brothers system to test his mainboard without uninstalling AMD's drivers first... 5 hours of reboots and blue screens and driver cleaning.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Getting terrible stuttering in bf3. Have had 8.95.5 crash a fresh Windows install that had nothing more than Windows Updates and motherboard drivers installed--safe mode wouldn't even boot... GG AMD. With a single card, no issues, but once I crossfired, my 7970 experience has been a nightmare. Spent my entire Sunday trying to fix the bf3 microstutting to no avail. It seems these drivers either like your hardware, or they don't.


Try limiting the frames with Dxtory to match your screens refresh rate. Combine this with in-game vsync. This eliminated micro-stuttering for me. The FPS limiter in afterburner did not work for me, for whatever reason., but Dxtory did. Gameplay is smooth as ever now.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/MSI-DisplayPortx4-SL-DVI-I-R7970-Lightning/dp/B007NG3WQI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332785690&sr=8-1


Thanks, just put in my order!


----------



## killertea

I am ordering my 7950 3 gb version along with a 64 gb ssd in 2 weeks. I so can't wait any longer i have been waiting for 3 months now 2 more weeks one more pay check and boom my rig will have a gaming computer once again.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, anyone with 7950 running at 1Ghz? My default clocks are 900Mhz and Afterburner reports 1.031V. ASIC Quality 72%.
> I can't overclock to 1Ghz without getting instant or after 1 minute crash in Battlefield 3. What voltage do you suggest? Seemingly at least, it works nicely if I bump it to 1.055. No more crashes and I can play for hours. Do you think it's low or something?
> I'd like to keep the clocks 1Ghz core and 1400 Memory and thus, I'd really like to know about yours. Do I have to worry about ULPS? Trixx kept spamming "You need to disable ULPS" but it couldn't give me option how to do it. Afterburner once, I don't know why, it kept the 1Ghz, but lowered back to default the voltage and suddenly got a crash after a tank was firing on me ( intense scene ).
> Any advices or about your experiences would be much appreciated!
> Drivers: 8.95.5 and just for the record, I haven't experienced a signle problem while running at default clocks.


Hi mate, i also cant get 1 GHz on stock volts, i have Asus HD 7950 DCII Top, i can pass 3d mak11 and vantage sometimes, but its far from stable. I cant even do 975 MHz, it works in all games, but it crashes in Crysis 2, ihmo Tahiti is preety complicate to overclock compared to my old GTX 570 SLI setup.
ASIC is 77.9 % in my case.


----------



## jomama22

Msi 7970 lightnings are up on newegg for 599!!!! I grabbed 3 so i hope some are left!!!


----------



## pfunkmort

Yeah, I would definitely make sure there aren't any Nvidia drivers on your system when you start installing the AMD drivers. That's really the BIG no no. Other than that, just follow the step by step on installing xfire drivers (which are posted here every few pages) and you'll be fine.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Try limiting the frames with Dxtory to match your screens refresh rate. Combine this with in-game vsync. This eliminated micro-stuttering for me. The FPS limiter in afterburner did not work for me, for whatever reason., but Dxtory did. Gameplay is smooth as ever now.


Will certainly try it this evening, thanks for the tip.

I am thinking this may help, it's only a guess though, because when I reduce the game settings to medium my FPS skyrockets, and I don't notice the stuttering anymore. It is the worst when I have the eyecandy turned up and the FPS is between 60fps and 75fps(ish) in multiplayer.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Yeah, I guess if I stick to WHQL drivers I should be fine. I'm a total AMD noob though, I don't understand the numbering scheme or the "CAP" deal...


Never really need CAP when i had CF but its usually helpful if a new game comes out and CF is broken. To fix this AMD releases a CAP for that driver version. This is a quick fix. In the next Driver release CAP will be implemented. As far as games go i have not has any problems with HD 7970. Only had some Windows Problems where the card would change clocks when watching movies which would create a flicker. The issue got resolved with 12.4 Beta.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hi mate, i also cant get 1 GHz on stock volts, i have Asus HD 7950 DCII Top, i can pass 3d mak11 and vantage sometimes, but its far from stable. I cant even do 975 MHz, it works in all games, but it crashes in Crysis 2, ihmo Tahiti is preety complicate to overclock compared to my old GTX 570 SLI setup.
> ASIC is 77.9 % in my case.


I have a DCII TOP and the stock clocks are 1000/1400 - so you probably have a faulty card, or it's driver instability. What drivers are you on? And, have you tried bumping the voltage? My card is running 1175mv stock


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I have a DCII TOP and the stock clocks are 1000/1400 - so you probably have a faulty card, or it's driver instability. What drivers are you on? And, have you tried bumping the voltage? My card is running 1175mv stock


You have a 7970. He has a 7950.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## firestorm1

are any of you guys using that "special" msi bios that was released last month? the one that susposedly lets you take your ocing up to 2000mhz and offer better overclocking ability i just flashed my 7970 with it and the sliders max out at 1665mhz core and 2475mhz memory. which they did prior to me flashing.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> You have a 7970. He has a 7950.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


derp lol.


----------



## Projector

Hey, just about to order a 7950 asus directcu II and was wondering if the driver problems were fixed yet. Thats why I waited a bit it's awlays a problem with new cards, but I cant wait any longer!


----------



## firestorm1

the driver problems are never fixed.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> are any of you guys using that "special" msi bios that was released last month? the one that susposedly lets you take your ocing up to 2000mhz and offer better overclocking ability i just flashed my 7970 with it and the sliders max out at 1665mhz core and 2475mhz memory. which they did prior to me flashing.


SPECIAL!..... Where do I find it at? Did you notice anything difference overclocking it?


----------



## firestorm1

Here:
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359021

There's nothing special about it. that's why I was asking what it did. It does nothing more that what my original bios did. i also have a copy of that asus bios that everyone is talking about. im about to flash that in a moment and see if its any better.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Projector*
> 
> Hey, just about to order a 7950 asus directcu II and was wondering if the driver problems were fixed yet. Thats why I waited a bit it's awlays a problem with new cards, but I cant wait any longer!


There aren't any showstopper bugs that I can think of for gaming.
I would say go for it.


----------



## firestorm1

oops wrong post.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Projector*
> 
> Hey, just about to order a 7950 asus directcu II and was wondering if the driver problems were fixed yet. Thats why I waited a bit it's awlays a problem with new cards, but I cant wait any longer!


I highly recommend the Gigabyte Windforce x3 7950 as it is much smaller and has better cooling than any other third party cooling.

I have one and I am heavily overclocked with room to go on voltage and my temps never go over 60C even after a solid 2 hour session of BF3. The card is extremely well cooled and near silent. Gigabyte did a perfect job of this card and offers a 3 year warranty.

I did the research and this card came out on top of all the other ones.

Just a suggestion.

Also I am using the 7800 release drivers (8.95.5) and they are running flawlessly. I haven't had a single problem with any of the drivers and I have used most of them (WHQL and beta).


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> are any of you guys using that "special" msi bios that was released last month? the one that susposedly lets you take your ocing up to 2000mhz and offer better overclocking ability i just flashed my 7970 with it and the sliders max out at 1665mhz core and 2475mhz memory. which they did prior to me flashing.


Yeah I have tried it and the asus bios like it and you can not idle you stay maxed out


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm installing 12.2 3-7 and try that out.

Tried GTA IV and it was horrible!!


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm installing 12.2 3-7 and try that out.
> Tried GTA IV and it was horrible!!


Tell me you maxed out GTA IV?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Tell me you maxed out GTA IV?


I sure did







and got 8fps









Just finished installing everything 12.2 and now again I can't even launch BF3. I don't get it. I'm using firefox, does that have anything to do with it? I wouldn't think so?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Msi 7970 lightnings are up on newegg for 599!!!! I grabbed 3 so i hope some are left!!!


Grabbed one! Thanks!


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I sure did
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and got 8fps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just finished installing everything 12.2 and now again I can't even launch BF3. I don't get it. I'm using firefox, does that have anything to do with it? I wouldn't think so?


If you have afterburner, turn off the OSD. Prevented me from booting: GTA IV, BF3, Skyrim and several others.

And 8fps in GTA IV? I had atleast 55 with everything "maxed out"


----------



## Hambone07si

***!! Now I can't even open Widescreen Fixer to see if MW3 works. This is pretty sad. I don't play that many games. Never had these kinds of issues with Nvidia. I had a lot more microstutter on Nvidia compared to these 7970's, but at least I could play every game.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> If you have afterburner, turn off the OSD. Prevented me from booting: GTA IV, BF3, Skyrim and several others.
> And 8fps in GTA IV? I had atleast 55 with everything "maxed out"


I will try that. I do have OSD enabled.
Yeah with 8.95.5 GTA IV was horrible and didn't like Xfire.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> Here:
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359021
> There's nothing special about it. that's why I was asking what it did. It does nothing more that what my original bios did. i also have a copy of that asus bios that everyone is talking about. im about to flash that in a moment and see if its any better.


Let us know how it goes!


----------



## Hambone07si

No luck. I uninstalled MSI AB and still no BF3 launch.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No luck. I uninstalled MSI AB and still no BF3 launch.


How did you install the drivers?


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Let us know how it goes!


It didnt work for some reason. The flash was bad. Oh well. Thankfully these cards have a backup bios. I'll just have to flip the switch and get a copy, then fix it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> ***!! Now I can't even open Widescreen Fixer to see if MW3 works. This is pretty sad. I don't play that many games. Never had these kinds of issues with Nvidia. I had a lot more microstutter on Nvidia compared to these 7970's, but at least I could play every game.
> I will try that. I do have OSD enabled.
> Yeah with 8.95.5 GTA IV was horrible and didn't like Xfire.


Disable eyefinity and it'll run I bet. Btw I get 40-80fps in gta4 on three screens, but it still ran like poo.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> Here:
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359021
> There's nothing special about it. that's why I was asking what it did. It does nothing more that what my original bios did. i also have a copy of that asus bios that everyone is talking about. im about to flash that in a moment and see if its any better.


What are you expecting to be better about it?


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are you expecting to be better about it?


Honestly, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It did no better or worse than the bios that came on the card.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Well, 700+ pages and I can finally add myself to this here club! I got two 7970 Lightnings incoming with free two day shipping with shop runner! I'm so excited because I have gotten so fed up trying to squeeze the last bit of performance out of my 580's! I can't wait to bench these beasts against the 680's in the battle royale! I really wanted to go with Kepler but the voltage limitations really turned me off. This will be my first experience with team red so I hope it goes smoothly. Sucks I gotta set up my raid array again...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Well, 700+ pages and I can finally add myself to this here club! I got two 7970 Lightnings incoming with free two day shipping with shop runner! I'm so excited because I have gotten so fed up trying to squeeze the last bit of performance out of my 580's! I can't wait to bench these beasts against the 680's in the battle royale! I really wanted to go with Kepler but the voltage limitations really turned me off. This will be my first experience with team red so I hope it goes smoothly. Sucks I gotta set up my raid array again...


Welcome to the dark side.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> Honestly, I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It did no better or worse than the bios that came on the card.


I was just asking because other than raising overdrive clocks it doesn't do anything. You still have to use AB to control voltage.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No luck. I uninstalled MSI AB and still no BF3 launch.


If nothing else works, try starting bf3 while moving a folder or something... so that the game starts up in the background. I have problems starting the game but doing as i said it starts 10/10 times. Just click on bf3 and for instance move you netbrowser around... hopefully you got my point, i suck at explaining it seems


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Is max safe volts on these1174mV?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Is max safe volts on these1174mV?


The OCP has deemed max safe voltage as 125mv over asic voltage. Have at it. You won't blow it.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The OCP has deemed max safe voltage as 125mv over asic voltage. Have at it. You won't blow it.


Who is OCP? My ASIC is 71.4% so where does that leave me?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Who is OCP? My ASIC is 71.4% so where does that leave me?


I don't have 7950 asic tables memorized but I reckon you are somewhere around 1095 mv.


----------



## afadzil21

Hi all. Thanks for welcoming me to the owners club.

I seem to have a weird problem since switching to the 7970. Everything runs fine after boot, game for a few hours, leave to machine while downloading from Steam for a few hours get back home and move the mouse... black screen. Mouse cursor is there, moving. CTRL-ALT-DEL, start Task Manager... still black screen after that. Reset button and all is back to normal. Thoughts???


----------



## erocker

Hey all! Where can one get the Asus bios/flash utility for the 7970 that used to be listed (I think) here?

Thanks!


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The OCP has deemed max safe voltage as 125mv over asic voltage. Have at it. You won't blow it.


Ha ha i have thrown 1300 at them to try and get a passable bench at 1.3ghz, although all i got was a black screen. I am running 1.2 at 1250 for 24/7, although i am on water. Temps never raise above 46ish c.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Hi all. Thanks for welcoming me to the owners club.
> I seem to have a weird problem since switching to the 7970. Everything runs fine after boot, game for a few hours, leave to machine while downloading from Steam for a few hours get back home and move the mouse... black screen. Mouse cursor is there, moving. CTRL-ALT-DEL, start Task Manager... still black screen after that. Reset button and all is back to normal. Thoughts???


It's a driver issue. Which driver version are you using?


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Ha ha i have thrown 1300 at them to try and get a passable bench at 1.3ghz, although all i got was a black screen. I am running 1.2 at 1250 for 24/7, although i am on water. Temps never raise above 46ish c.


Well right now I am at 1200mV and 1200 Core!!! Temps are around 72C


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> It's a driver issue. Which driver version are you using?


Downloaded and installed the 12.2. WHQL drivers from AMD. But CCC says it's 12.3.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> If nothing else works, try starting bf3 while moving a folder or something... so that the game starts up in the background. I have problems starting the game but doing as i said it starts 10/10 times. Just click on bf3 and for instance move you netbrowser around... hopefully you got my point, i suck at explaining it seems


LMAO!!! Really
















I'M NEVER GIVING A CUSTOMER A AMD CARD! SORRY


----------



## wireeater

I am running 1212MV @ 1100/1575


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Ha ha i have thrown 1300 at them to try and get a passable bench at 1.3ghz, although all i got was a black screen. I am running 1.2 at 1250 for 24/7, although i am on water. Temps never raise above 46ish c.


Work your way up to find your max clock? 1.2v at 1250 is pretty darn good though.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I am running 1212MV @ 1100/1575


Whats ASIC for your card? That looks like a Lot of Voltage for just 1.1Ghz


----------



## Hambone07si

Rc11 doesn't like GTA IV either. 150fps when I loaded, as soon as I went outside, 22fps. F-that game







sorry but done testing that one.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Rc11 doesn't like GTA IV either. 150fps when I loaded, as soon as I went outside, 22fps. F-that game
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sorry but done testing that one.


I could never Play GTA IV. I hope V is better. I went from HD 4850 to HD 7970 and no difference.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Rc11 doesn't like GTA IV either. 150fps when I loaded, as soon as I went outside, 22fps. F-that game
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sorry but done testing that one.


How did it do on the latest beta's?

How exactly did the game feel?

For me, the game plays fine maxed out without vsync, with one problem. It stutters to high hell and back. Framerate is perfectly fine and acceptable....50-60+ FPS. But its stuttering to the point its completely unplayable. It does this no matter what resolution I use as well, from 800x600 up to 2560x1600. When I crank the settings to the max, it stutters to high hell. Which is really weird because I have a single card.









My single GTX 580 did it beautifully maxed out, and was always 45+ FPS. So I expected a 7970 to do better. My friend's 5870 actually pulls higher settings without issue.

EDIT:
Forgot to mention, I have my settings on all "High", 16x AF, sliders all at 50, Definition on, and vsync on now....and it plays fine, without issue. It's only when I turn off vsync, or if I crank the settings up higher.


----------



## Hambone07si

I maxed everything. 100 on each slider 16xAF Very High everything. Only using 1400mb of Vram and still crap, That game has always been crap on pc. I played through it 90% finished and beat on PS3 and it was great. Figured it would just be that much better on pc, and boy was I wrong







.. Games I do play tho, working good on Rc11. I just tried 8xEQ MLAA on Rc11 (in BF3) and I went from 120fps to 30fps. Turned just ML off and went back to 120fps. That newer beta rocks with MLAA. The 80% they said, well 30fps to 120fps is 400% in BF3.

EDIT: The latest beta's did the same thing, but MLAA worked great in BF3

Edit 2 in main


----------



## RagingCain

Anybody having issues with particular titles especially older ones like GTA IV, be sure to leave Catalyst Feedback:

http://www.amdsurveys.com/se.ashx?s=5A1E27D27E29B0E3

This may end up in somebody's recycling bin but you never know.

I just sent one for the BF3 crashing on start up issue and included info for GTA IV. Terrible FPS.


----------



## Hambone07si

I bet our comments on here will get the job done faster then sending error reports


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I just Tried GTA IV and Everything Max with Shadows OFF i get more fps then i need so i limited them with Vsync. Had Stutter because i did not restarted the game after i changed settings. Got back to the game and smooth as butter. GPU usage ~ 35-45% with fps caped @ 55. Using Beta 12.4


----------



## pfunkmort

How did you even get GTA IV running on a 7970? Mine always gives me a ram limitation error and won't let me off the ground in terms of graphics settings.


----------



## wirefox

i recently jumped through the hoops to get crossfire running and noticed there is a beta15 AB.... can I just unistall AB and reinstall ... or do I have to join the circus again?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> i recently jumped through the hoops to get crossfire running and noticed there is a beta15 AB.... can I just unistall AB and reinstall ... or do I have to join the circus again?


Uninstall and choose yes when it asks if yer updating. Then install the new one, it will reuse all your settings.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> How did you even get GTA IV running on a 7970? Mine always gives me a ram limitation error and won't let me off the ground in terms of graphics settings.


I found that ionic knowing the card has 3GB of vRAM. Add this extensions to the game shortcut.

-norestrictions -nomemrestrict

Something like this.

"E:\Program Files (x86)\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto IV\LaunchGTAIV.exe" -norestrictions -nomemrestrict


----------



## tsm106

GTA IV is one of the most annoying games to install legitimately as a paid owner, let alone play it. Even reading about I'm getting annoyed lol.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> Hey all! Where can one get the Asus bios/flash utility for the 7970 that used to be listed (I think) here?
> 
> Thanks!


This one? http://hwbot.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36905

Or this?

Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## wirefox

thanks for being such a huge help here.


----------



## derfer

Is saints row 3 performance back up in 8.95.5?


----------



## firestorm1

it sure would be nice to run these clocks without melting EVERYTHING.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> it sure would be nice to run these clocks without melting EVERYTHING.





Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Agreed about GTA IV. I can't even get the stupid game to run with my SLI 580's...


----------



## firestorm1

*1180mhz core / 1600mhz memory*


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I can't wait to run Heaven on max settings with my 7970's and compare the results to my 580's score!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I can't wait to run Heaven on max settings with my 7970's and compare the results to my 580's score!


Remember the top 30 heaven thread? My old 6950 quads were fast, as fast as most of the 580 quads with 980x. When I got my first two 7970s, it beat my quads and my jaw dropped. Dropped in another one for good measure lol.


----------



## GetTheMoney

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> GTA IV is one of the most annoying games to install legitimately as a paid owner, let alone play it. Even reading about I'm getting annoyed lol.


Can't even run it on my 7950 with shadows on. Worst port of all time


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I can't wait to run Heaven on max settings with my 7970's and compare the results to my 580's score!


hey man, you should update your gpu-z.


----------



## pfunkmort

Rep to you, fine killer of zealots. And I can't stop laughing. I love this game so effing much. It fills me with an earnest sense of happiness to listen to PLR on the radio and just drive around. Framerate stinks. I think it boils down to not having a good vsync. CCC doesn't work, and most in-game vsyncs end up throttling too much so there's churn. GTA IV, for example, limits you to 55. While I can drop some of the view distance, etc, and get a stabler fps, 55 is just low enough to be annoying.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Well right now I am at 1200mV and 1200 Core!!! Temps are around 72C


I can get through 3dm11 with 1200mV and 1200 core but it isnt stable for bf3, needs that extra 50mV. Seems like you got some good card(s) throw them under water!


----------



## firestorm1

agreed. it took me 1256mv to hit 1180 core


----------



## Exostenza

I find it is easy to pass benchmarks at lower voltages when the same settings crash in BF3. I use BF3 as my stability test now instead of any of the benchmarks.

Running 1200/1650 @1.225v core and never go over 60C when gaming.

AISC 68%

Thought I would chime in.


----------



## Ken1649

I have done further testing with the sleep crash issue.

Tested with identical motherboard (X79 Chipset) but different Lot #, it crash coming out of sleep state as you guys described. Tested with other VGA cards (5870, 580) same result.

Contacted manufacturer, came back with reply the motherboard with specifics Lot # has compatibility issue with PSU (Enermax 1500W and AX1200).

Two idendital motherboards, one without issue and the other one has PSU compatibility issue.


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I have done further testing with the sleep crash issue.
> 
> Tested with identical motherboard (X79 Chipset) but different Lot #, it crash coming out of sleep state as you guys described. Tested with other VGA cards (5870, 580) same result.
> 
> Contacted manufacturer, came back with reply the motherboard with specifics Lot # has compatibility issue with PSU (Enermax 1500W and AX1200).
> 
> Two idendital motherboards, one without issue and the other one has PSU compatibility issue.


I had "crash" or well "freeze" after looong idles.

With my 7950, only that card.


----------



## tsm106

I've got two P67 WS Revos, one tri 7970 (silverstone 1500w), other dual 6950s (corsair hx1000) and they both go to sleep and wake w/o crashing.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> it sure would be nice to run these clocks without melting EVERYTHING.


At least I can have these clocks on 2D.

















http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/5pxvb/


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I have done further testing with the sleep crash issue.
> 
> Tested with identical motherboard (X79 Chipset) but different Lot #, it crash coming out of sleep state as you guys described. Tested with other VGA cards (5870, 580) same result.
> 
> Contacted manufacturer, came back with reply the motherboard with specifics Lot # has compatibility issue with PSU (Enermax 1500W and AX1200).
> 
> Two idendital motherboards, one without issue and the other one has PSU compatibility issue.
> 
> 
> 
> I had "crash" or well "freeze" after looong idles.
> 
> With my 7950, only that card.
Click to expand...

If you have ruled out everything else and it is bad AMD product, the only clear and smart choice is GTX680. There's no point to keep using bad products.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/5pxvb/


 LN2 or DICE?


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> LN2 or DICE?


On air.
Just for fun.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> I had "crash" or well "freeze" after looong idles.
> With my 7950, only that card.


Same problem I'm having with my 7970. Driver??? Same system with my old GTX 550 Ti (yeah I know) didn't have any problem. I forked a huge amount of cash for this, and this is what I get.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No luck. I uninstalled MSI AB and still no BF3 launch.


I take it you had RC11 on there at some point?

If so, if you open up the event viewer, I'd guess that you're getting errors in regard bf3 and dirt3 similar to this: 'Faulting module path: C:\Windows\syswow64\msvcrt.dll' ?

I have found if you install RC11, it toasts system files (dealing with Visual C++ I believe), and 12.2 or 8.95.5 will not function properly after--you can run atiman and driversweeper all day long, but it won't fix the issue because the RC11 driver files aren't the problem, it's what the driver _did_ that's causing fault. SFC doesn't fix it, it just complains that it cannot fix the system files in the log. Reinstalling visual C++ redists didn't fix the issue either. I have seen a few posts blaming 12.2 for dirt3 and bf3 not launching, but the issue (at least on my system) has been that RC11 was on the system at some point and changed things that atiman/drive sweeper, etc. can't fix, because it has nothing to do with the AMD driver itself, but rather, system files the AMD driver _changed_.

Just some things I have found since mucking around with these drivers. I would stay away from RC11, if you can help it. I have been doing full OS reinstalls between drivers just to isolate things, and that's what I have noticed. Just my









Also, a mobo bios update seems to have fixed my install issues with 8.95.5, oddly enough.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> You have a 7970. He has a 7950.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Yeah, it was 5AM and I was tired


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I have done further testing with the sleep crash issue.
> 
> Tested with identical motherboard (X79 Chipset) but different Lot #, it crash coming out of sleep state as you guys described. Tested with other VGA cards (5870, 580) same result.
> 
> Contacted manufacturer, came back with reply the motherboard with specifics Lot # has compatibility issue with PSU (Enermax 1500W and AX1200).
> 
> Two idendital motherboards, one without issue and the other one has PSU compatibility issue.


Its not that I dont believe you, but it completely baffles me how a motherboard can have PSU compatibility issues.

PSU is just supplying the power, its not like there is any communication between the two


----------



## sockpirate

I am really sorry for all of you who are having such troubles, wish you all had a more pleasant experience as myself. These cards have only done well by me.


----------



## pfunkmort

Next question - about AA injection. Do I need to keep CCC like up (or in the sys tray) - or can I just assume it's going if ccc.exe is on my task manager? Additionally, is it worthless then to run benches with MSAA on? Specifically in Heaven just now, it didn't seem like it was doing anything to have injection running, if I turned off msaa in the program.


----------



## mltms

what is the max volt for 7950 for 7/24


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I have done further testing with the sleep crash issue.
> 
> Tested with identical motherboard (X79 Chipset) but different Lot #, it crash coming out of sleep state as you guys described. Tested with other VGA cards (5870, 580) same result.
> 
> Contacted manufacturer, came back with reply the motherboard with specifics Lot # has compatibility issue with PSU (Enermax 1500W and AX1200).
> 
> Two idendital motherboards, one without issue and the other one has PSU compatibility issue.
> 
> 
> 
> Its not that I dont believe you, but it completely baffles me how a motherboard can have PSU compatibility issues.
> 
> PSU is just supplying the power, its not like there is any communication between the two
Click to expand...

I didn't pursue the details further because this is not user fixable (hardware limitation - components used in the motherboard). They will send another 2 new boards with 2 different Lot # to try.

By common sense it has to do with the power plane components used in this specific Lot # of the motherboard and the PSU Active PFC. So, when the system goes into sleep or hibernate state, it will put the PSU in standby or low power standby state (ErP- in BIOS) and a certain amount on the motherboard. When the PC coming out of sleep/hibernate, it will need the power distribution and sufficient amount in terms of voltage and wattage for the bios to initiate the power cycle. Failing which will prevent the system to fully recover/resume result in crash/BSOD. The BIOS is smart enough to detect such shortages then shutdown/restart system to prevent damage. Hope that makes sense from a user point of view.

*Compatibility issues for ATX power supplies and motherboards*

When ATX was originally introduced there was just one kind of ATX power supply. If you had an ATX power supply and an ATX motherboard then you plugged them together and they worked. At least they did if the power supply delivered enough wattage. Back then ATX life was simple. Nowadays things are a bit more complicated. Now you can get an ATX power supply and ATX motherboard and end up with connectors which don't match. Even if the connectors do match you can still run into trouble even though the power supply appears to have sufficient wattage. This page introduces you to the issues you need to consider to maximize the chance that an ATX power supply and motherboard will work together properly. The information below is just a summary. The green links provide more detailed information on the subject.

*The motherboard main power cables*

The ATX standard has two different versions of the main power cable: *the original 20 pin cable*, and the *the newer 24 pin cable*. The 24 pin cable is just the 20 pin cable with 4 extra wires added to the end to provide extra current. If your power supply main power cable and motherboard main power connector both have the same number of pins then they'll (of course) fit together just fine. But what happens if they don't match? If you *plug a 24 pin power cable into a 20 pin motherboard* then it will work fine but you often can't get them to physically fit together because something gets in the way. If they don't fit together then you can get an adapter cable which converts a 24 pin power cable into a 20 pin cable. You can always *plug a 20 pin power cable into a 24 pin motherboard* but whether it works over the long haul depends on how much current your motherboard draws. Those extra 4 pins provide more current carrying capacity. Plugging a 20 pin cable into a 24 pin motherboard can strain the 20 pins that you're using. If the motherboard draws too much current then it will overheat the connector which can burn or melt it. There are adapters which convert 20 pin cables into 24 pin cables but they *don't* solve the problem and can cause problems of their own. Many newer power supplies come with a *20+4 power cable* which has a 24 pin connector which can be split into two pieces: a 20 pin piece, and a 4 pin piece. This kind of power cable is fully compatible with both 20 and 24 pin motherboards. If you're buying a new power supply then try to get one with a 20+4 power cable.

*The 12V CPU power cables*

CPUs used to be powered by the 20 pin main power cable. Almost all current motherboards power their CPU with a 12 volt CPU power cable. There are two kinds: *the 4 pin 12V cable* and *the 8 pin 12V cable*. The 4 pin cable is often called a P4 cable (although it's a very bad name) and the 8 pin cable is called an EPS12V cable. You must plug a cable into this motherboard connector or the CPU will receive no power. The compatibility rules between 4 and 8 pin connectors have a lot in common with the rules for 20 and 24 pin connectors. The best choice is to plug a 4 pin cable into a 4 pin connector, an 8 pin cable into an 8 pin connector, or a 4+4 cable into either kind of connector. You can get adapters which will convert various kinds of power supply cables into both 4 pin and 8 pin 12V cables. You can *plug a 4 pin 12V cable into an 8 pin motherboard* and it will sometimes work properly but other times it won't work at all or will burn/melt the connector. As with plugging a 24 pin cable into a 20 pin motherboard connector, you can plug an 8 pin cable into a 4 pin connector and leave 4 pins hanging over the end but you can also have the same problems with things preventing it from fitting. It will work fine if it fits. If you're buying a new power supply then the safest choice for the long haul is to get one with a 4+4 power cable because it's compatible with both 4 and 8 pin connectors.

*The aux power cable*

A cable you're not likely to run into is the *6 pin aux connector*. Some older AMD dual CPU motherboards have them. If the motherboard requires this connector then you have to get a power supply which provides one. Most current power supplies don't have aux cables and aux cable adapters apparently don't exist (unless you're good with a soldering iron and can build your own).

*Where's most of the load? 3.3/5 volts or 12 volts?*

How a computer uses power has *gone through a lot of changes over the years*. Older machines used to consume most of their power from the 3.3/5 volt rail. Since the Athlon 64 and Pentium 4, computers have consumed most of their power from the 12 volt rail. Older power supplies provided the bulk of their wattage on the 3.3/5 volt rail and new supplies deliver it on the 12 volt rail. As a result, you need to be careful when *plugging an old power supply into a new computer or a new supply into an old computer*. If you know that the power supply won't be used in an older computer then you can use an ATX12V 2.0 or newer power supply which delivers the bulk of its power on the 12 volt rail and not much power (less than 150 watts) on the 3.3/5 volt rail. If you need a power supply for an older computer then you can use an ATX12V 1.3 or earlier power supply which provides most of its power on 3.3/5. There are also many newer ATX12V 2.0 or newer power supplies which provide enough wattage on 12 volts for newer computers as well as enough wattage on 3.3/5 for older computers. Those are the best supplies because they provide enough wattage for all kinds of machines.

*Obscure considerations*

If you're easily worried then you might want to skip this paragraph. Most of the things mentioned here are either more detail than you need to know or problems which rarely crop up. But these issues are listed for the thorough types out there (you know who you are). If you've been researching power supplies then you've probably noticed that newer ones usually come with dual 12 volt rails. Sometimes they have three or even four 12 volt rails. This subject of multiple 12 volt rails is *more complicated then you may think*. And if you have a multiple 12 volt rail power supply in a very high-powered computer then you may have to deal with *rail balancing problems*. You can have *cross loading problems* with some power supplies if you draw unbalanced amounts of wattage from the 3.3/5 volt and 12 volt rails. You can even get into trouble if you *draw too little wattage*.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> what is the max volt for 7950 for 7/24


Stock Volt + 125mV


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> what is the max volt for 7950 for 7/24


For me the stock voltage is 1090mv + 125mv - 20mv vdrop = 1195mv
I keep 1175mv for safety measures though.


----------



## stinart

I tested my 7970 at 1165mhz/1.20mv (not 100% stable) and found that HWiNFO reports 1.162mv as my max VID. Tested with crysis 2 and unigine for 45 minutes , max VID stays at 1.162mv. I know that some vdroop is common , but isn't mine somehow wide?


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Stock Volt + 125mV


i am it 1.218 volt
1140/1550


----------



## Norlig

Do I need to install 12.2 cap1 after installing the 8.95.5 driver?


----------



## fullrespect

Straight Q: What's the best BF3 driver for a 7970? I've switched from a 6850 cfx to 7970 and the fps drops in BF3 are terrible. Right now I'm using fresh W7 x64 with 8.951.1 05 March (tried them all) and it's awful, I've never thought that I'll spend 500$ on a graphics card and not be able to run BF3 @ 60fps without massive drops at ultra + high. I know, my 1090T @ 4.0GHz might be a bottleneck or something, but 6850 cfx ran well at high settings with the same CPU, fps drops were so much fewer.

Am I the only one with this problem? A little bench numbers made with Fraps: Caspian Border - 64p, Conquest: min 34fps / avg 59,7fps. Keep in mind that I use vsync ON (Textures Ultra, Shadows Medium, Mesh High, HBAO, 2xMSAA (with this switched off it's almost the same thing, so ...), Motion Blur off and pretty much everything else at high.

My fps drops as hell ... any suggestions?


----------



## BuildBuildBuild

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> Hello Folks,
> I have a feeling my PowerColor HD 7950 PCS+ 3 GB is underperforming.
> Is a 3DMark 11 Score of *P7187* about par for the course for a Radeon 7950 (with latest drivers) on a non-overclocked *i7-3820* / Asus P9X79 Deluxe / 16 GB RAM System or is it underperforming?
> Here are the full details of the results: *http://i.imgur.com/QKewv.png*
> Please confirm so that I can determine whether to exchange the card or if I'm good to go with this new build.
> Thanks fellow 79xx'ers!


I had been advised that my 7950 *without* Overclocking would play BF3 on ULTRA settings in 1920 x 1080 with a very good frame rate (that's why I bought it). However, I just installed BF3 and noticed two things:

1) The "Auto" video settings recommended by the game show almost everything on "Medium": http://i.imgur.com/c1QGJ.png

2) When I manually select "Ultra", the FPS is not very good and the game is somewhat choppy (e.g. frame rates of around 37 at the beginning of the main Campaign). That's a far cry from this benchmark.

Can someone please explain these 2 points above and how I can improve it? I obviously didn't spend a ton of money on this card to play on "Medium" settings. In fact, I spent a ton of money on it precisely so I could play on Ultra settings without any problem, but it's too choppy to enjoy. My drivers are the latest stable ones.

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.


----------



## fullrespect

Looks like I'm not the only one with bad BF3 performance. Please, God, let this be just bad, imature drivers, please.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> I had been advised that my 7950 *without* Overclocking would play BF3 on ULTRA settings in 1920 x 1080 with a very good frame rate (that's why I bought it). However, I just installed BF3 and noticed two things:
> 1) The "Auto" video settings recommended by the game show almost everything on "Medium": http://i.imgur.com/c1QGJ.png
> 2) When I manually select "Ultra", the FPS is not very good and the game is somewhat choppy (e.g. frame rates of around 37 at the beginning of the main Campaign). That's a far cry from this benchmark.
> Can someone please explain these 2 points above and how I can improve it? I obviously didn't spend a ton of money on this card to play on "Medium" settings. In fact, I spent a ton of money on it precisely so I could play on Ultra settings without any problem, but it's too choppy to enjoy. My drivers are the latest stable ones.
> Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.


Umm use AB and do the overlay and look at the clocks and gpu usage.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> i am it 1.218 volt
> 1140/1550


1.218 volt???
That looks way too high to me ...


----------



## BuildBuildBuild

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Umm use AB and do the overlay and look at the clocks and gpu usage.


How do I do all of that (step-by-step)? I'm a complete newbie...sorry.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Next question - about AA injection. Do I need to keep CCC like up (or in the sys tray) - or can I just assume it's going if ccc.exe is on my task manager? Additionally, is it worthless then to run benches with MSAA on? Specifically in Heaven just now, it didn't seem like it was doing anything to have injection running, if I turned off msaa in the program.


No need. All you have to do in CCC is set it to Application Settings or Overwrite Application Settings.

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *fullrespect*
> 
> Looks like I'm not the only one with bad BF3 performance. Please, God, let this be just bad, imature drivers, please.


Try this FXAA injector mod.

Details; http://www.overclock.net/t/1185211/bf3-fxaa-inject-color-corection/


----------



## lofax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 1.218 volt???
> That looks way too high to me ...


took me 1.23v to past 1171mhz and beyond that is a never ending crash.first time to own AMD card and also took me so many install & reinstall process just to find a better driver that would not crash on OC and will not turn off my dislpay randomly







but dont have a choice since i already jumped.


----------



## wireeater

I haven't had the sleep issue ever since I put a screen saver on instead of energy saver. I would get them ALL the time, even trying to wipe windows I'd still get them. At first I thought it was related to my SSD but I had EVERYTHING turned off regarding sleep/hibernation. The only thing I noticed was the monitors were set to sleep, once I disabled that I never had the issue again. I guess when you sleep your monitors the card gets bored and goes to sleep too.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> I had been advised that my 7950 *without* Overclocking would play BF3 on ULTRA settings in 1920 x 1080 with a very good frame rate (that's why I bought it). However, I just installed BF3 and noticed two things:
> 1) The "Auto" video settings recommended by the game show almost everything on "Medium": http://i.imgur.com/c1QGJ.png
> 2) When I manually select "Ultra", the FPS is not very good and the game is somewhat choppy (e.g. frame rates of around 37 at the beginning of the main Campaign). That's a far cry from this benchmark.
> Can someone please explain these 2 points above and how I can improve it? I obviously didn't spend a ton of money on this card to play on "Medium" settings. In fact, I spent a ton of money on it precisely so I could play on Ultra settings without any problem, but it's too choppy to enjoy. My drivers are the latest stable ones.
> Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.


MSAA will be your biggest gain. Turn off AA/Blur and you will see a nice increase. You can cycle through the settings and see what difference they make which is not much really. I run CFX and I don't run everything at ultra because there is not much difference at all. Like shadows, run them at high. There are quite a few settings that you can run at high and get a extra few FPS without losing any quality. Who ever told you one 7950 could run it maxed... lol.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> How do I do all of that (step-by-step)? I'm a complete newbie...sorry.


dwnload MSI Afterburner then go to settings after installation is complete. Then click on settings to the lower right and then click on monitoring tab at the top. You will then see a list of things.
GPU TEMPATURE, GPU CLOCK, MEMORY CLOCK etc. Now look below that list and you should see an option that says SHOW IN ON-SCREEN DISPLAY. In on screen display and you have to click on the items in the list then make sure you check the SHOW IN ON-SCREEN DISPLAY. If they are selected to be displayed on screen you will see OSD beside each in the list.


----------



## Projector

Thats not good news I just sent back my new 580 to get a 7950, my 580 could max bf3 even online with everything at full except msaa turned off and get 60 constantly. Sigh this is the problem with amd they make amazing cards outright but there never optimized for games and terrible drivers, while nividas cards are not as powerfull but game better. I may aswell go all out and get a 7970/680 now


----------



## sena

Laf i have HD 7950 DCII Top, default clocks are 900/1250, and it works ok on that clocks.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fullrespect*
> 
> Straight Q: What's the best BF3 driver for a 7970? I've switched from a 6850 cfx to 7970 and the fps drops in BF3 are terrible. Right now I'm using fresh W7 x64 with 8.951.1 05 March (tried them all) and it's awful, I've never thought that I'll spend 500$ on a graphics card and not be able to run BF3 @ 60fps without massive drops at ultra + high. I know, my 1090T @ 4.0GHz might be a bottleneck or something, but 6850 cfx ran well at high settings with the same CPU, fps drops were so much fewer.
> Am I the only one with this problem? A little bench numbers made with Fraps: Caspian Border - 64p, Conquest: min 34fps / avg 59,7fps. Keep in mind that I use vsync ON (Textures Ultra, Shadows Medium, Mesh High, HBAO, 2xMSAA (with this switched off it's almost the same thing, so ...), Motion Blur off and pretty much everything else at high.
> My fps drops as hell ... any suggestions?


For BF3, 8.95.5 was the best for me BY FAR. I can run Ultra with 16xEQ MLAA at 5884x1080res in eyefinity and my fps was 100-160fps.

OFF topic. If anyone knows how to use Inventor and do things like this Render. PM me,


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Stock Volt + 125mV


I'm running my 7950 at 1175 core and 1650 memory @1,174mV
My stock voltage is 0,993mV.

Its totally stable at these clocks. Run 3d mark11, unigine and played bf3 and some other games without problems.

Should I be worried about my voltage? Or is it safe for 24/7?

And another thing. With what program can i check my vram temps? And which other temps should i worry about on graphics card because I have non-OC version of sapphire 7950 and its cooler is very simplified(looks worse then coolers on card older then 3years when u take the plastic off)

I get max 82°C while playing bf3 intensively.


----------



## sena

Check stability in Crysis 2, i could run any game with 975 Mhz core, but soon i entered Crysis 2 it crashed.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I'm running my 7950 at 1175 core and 1650 memory @1,174mV
> My stock voltage is 0,993mV.
> Its totally stable at these clocks. Run 3d mark11, unigine and played bf3 and some other games without problems.
> Should I be worried about my voltage? Or is it safe for 24/7?
> And another thing. With what program can i check my vram temps? And which other temps should i worry about on graphics card because I have non-OC version of sapphire 7950 and its cooler is very simplified(looks worse then coolers on card older then 3years when u take the plastic off)
> I get max 82°C while playing bf3 intensively.


Vcore is ok I would say, I am running the same.
82 degrees is maybe abit high, with HWiNFO you can monitor vrm temps also.
Have you tried setting custom fan cooler profile? Maybe that will get your temps abit lower.
I am surprised you can run at these high settings. With 1175 core and 1580 on the memory I get driver errors while playing Batman.
Still figuring out what my max will be, but it will be lower, def. for the memory (performance is decreasing when going over 1550mhz on memory - stock voltage)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I take it you had RC11 on there at some point?
> If so, if you open up the event viewer, I'd guess that you're getting errors in regard bf3 and dirt3 similar to this: 'Faulting module path: C:\Windows\syswow64\msvcrt.dll' ?
> I have found if you install RC11, it toasts system files (dealing with Visual C++ I believe), and 12.2 or 8.95.5 will not function properly after--you can run atiman and driversweeper all day long, but it won't fix the issue because the RC11 driver files aren't the problem, it's what the driver _did_ that's causing fault. SFC doesn't fix it, it just complains that it cannot fix the system files in the log. Reinstalling visual C++ redists didn't fix the issue either. I have seen a few posts blaming 12.2 for dirt3 and bf3 not launching, but the issue (at least on my system) has been that RC11 was on the system at some point and changed things that atiman/drive sweeper, etc. can't fix, because it has nothing to do with the AMD driver itself, but rather, system files the AMD driver _changed_.
> Just some things I have found since mucking around with these drivers. I would stay away from RC11, if you can help it. I have been doing full OS reinstalls between drivers just to isolate things, and that's what I have noticed. Just my
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, a mobo bios update seems to have fixed my install issues with 8.95.5, oddly enough.


Where be your proof that rc11 breaks the subsystems? Have you proven that you've been able to run 12.2/8.95.5 on a fresh install? It reads like this is your hunch but I'm looking for a definite conclusion in your findings and I'm not seeing it?

Hambone was on rc11 and updated to 8.95.5 w/o issues. I don't think that he's the only one to move to another driver with success from rc11. I can run 8.96, hell all of them without issues on one screen! It's when I enable eyefinity that I get crashes in dx11 games.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where be your proof that rc11 breaks the subsystems? Have you proven that you've been able to run 12.2/8.95.5 on a fresh install? It reads like this is your hunch but I'm looking for a definite conclusion in your findings and I'm not seeing it?
> Hambone was on rc11 and updated to 8.95.5 w/o issues. I don't think that he's the only one to move to another driver with success from rc11. I can run 8.96, hell all of them without issues on one screen! It's when I enable eyefinity that I get crashes in dx11 games.


I don't need to prove a thing. I am simply providing some information that may be useful to someone having an issue that smells quite similar to a symptom of one that I had previously looked into a bit.

Yes, 12.2 runs after a fresh install. But once I installed RC11, any subsequent 12.2 or 8.95.5 installs did not work properly, and event logs show fault in the DLL I posted of earlier--I use eyefinity, so that's what I am testing with. Reinstalled Windows, installed 12.2, no more problems. Just providing some information, take it how you want.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Vcore is ok I would say, I am running the same.
> 82 degrees is maybe abit high, with HWiNFO you can monitor vrm temps also.
> Have you tried setting custom fan cooler profile? Maybe that will get your temps abit lower.
> I am surprised you can run at these high settings. With 1175 core and 1580 on the memory I get driver errors while playing Batman.
> Still figuring out what my max will be, but it will be lower, def. for the memory (performance is decreasing when going over 1550mhz on memory - stock voltage)


Ok i just played half an hour of BF3, my core temps where max 80. My vrm temps were max 83°C.
What do u mean performance decreasing? So i'd be better of down to 1550? Or is that only at stock volt if i understood you?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I don't need to prove a thing, and I am not going to waste my time attempting to do so. Just providing some information that may be useful for someone having an issue that smells quite similar to a symptom of one that I had previously looked into a bit.
> *Yes, 12.2 runs after a fresh install. But once I installed RC11, any subsequent 12.2 or 8.95.5 installs did not work properly*, and event logs show fault in the DLL I posted of earlier--I use eyefinity, so that's what I am testing with. *Reinstalled Windows, installed 12.2, no more problems.* Just providing some information, I can care less if you think it's a hunch--take it how you want.


That's what I wanted to know dude, because it was vague what the fix was.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Ok i just played half an hour of BF3, my core temps where max 80. My vrm temps were max 83°C.
> What do u mean performance decreasing? So i'd be better of down to 1550? Or is that only at stock volt if i understood you?


Well, tsm106 pointed this out to me, that you can sometimes run high memory clocks - on stock voltage or higher voltage - but that in fact it doesnt give you any improvement in terms of FPS. And while gaming for a while it could even lead to instability. But you can check this in heaven 2.5 or 3.0 benchmarks. Try to run a different memory clock with every bench and see what the difference is (1500mhz = x FPS ; 1510mhz = x FPS ; etc...). If the increase is zero or not as much as before you should stop increasing the memory clock.


----------



## Hambone07si

I've installed about every driver out there for these cards. I did a fresh windows install when I bought my 2 Vertex 3's and I was running my 3 480's. 2 weeks later just uninstalled my Nvidia drivers and installed the 7970 and Rc11. Since then I've installed 12.2, and all the betas. 8.95.5 was the best, but couldn't play Mw3, so I went back to Rc11.

From what you've said, I would have a messed up version of windows now right? I don't get it? I've always been able to get back into windows and never had any issues with windows that I can tell. If I need to install a fresh OS, maybe I will.


----------



## BuildBuildBuild

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> dwnload MSI Afterburner then go to settings after installation is complete. Then click on settings to the lower right and then click on monitoring tab at the top. You will then see a list of things.
> GPU TEMPATURE, GPU CLOCK, MEMORY CLOCK etc. Now look below that list and you should see an option that says SHOW IN ON-SCREEN DISPLAY. In on screen display and you have to click on the items in the list then make sure you check the SHOW IN ON-SCREEN DISPLAY. If they are selected to be displayed on screen you will see OSD beside each in the list.


Thanks, I did that, and after 40 minutes of playing BF3 @ 1920 x 1200 on HIGH settings, the GPU temperature never went above 54 C (hovered between 52-53 mostly), the GPU usage jumped around between 70 - 99%, the fan speed stayed at a constant 30%, and the Core/Memory clocks remained at a stable 880/1250 Mhz.

Do these numbers look right?

Thanks.


----------



## Twistacles

Hey all,

I'm still using the drivers that shipped with the card. It's stable and perfect right now, but is there a performance gain from using the newer ones?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BuildBuildBuild*
> 
> Thanks, I did that, and after 40 minutes of playing BF3 @ 1920 x 1200 on HIGH settings, the GPU temperature never went above 54 C (hovered between 52-53 mostly), the GPU usage jumped around between 70 - 99%, the fan speed stayed at a constant 30%, and the Core/Memory clocks remained at a stable 880/1250 Mhz.
> Do these numbers look right?
> Thanks.


Looks good to me, 54c max is very comfortable.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Hey all,
> I'm still using the drivers that shipped with the card. It's stable and perfect right now, but is there a performance gain from using the newer ones?


If you are happy where you're at there's no need to swap to different driver. Wait till there is more consensus on a best driver I say.


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Looks good to me, 54c max is very comfortable.
> If you are happy where you're at there's no need to swap to different driver. Wait till there is more consensus on a best driver I say.


I figured. It already runs bf3 max and perfectly anyways, so until I get 3 screens who cares right?

On a side note, what causes artifacts? Not enough voltage, too much heat or over-all unstable OC?

I'm saying this cause I can run 1225/1700 @ 1.25v but 1250/1700 @ 1.25v randomly makes artifacts in games...sometimes it runs fine all day, sometimes it gives artifacts right away


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> I figured. It already runs bf3 max and perfectly anyways, so until I get 3 screens who cares right?
> On a side note, what causes artifacts? Not enough voltage, too much heat or over-all unstable OC?
> I'm saying this cause I can run 1225/1700 @ 1.25v but 1250/1700 @ 1.25v randomly makes artifacts in games...sometimes it runs fine all day, sometimes it gives artifacts right away


Artifacts come in two flavors. There's the typical blocks, lines, digital noise looking type that is usually memory. Then there are the more rare organic looking colors, flashes or splotches of light that are core related. It reads like you are one, at your cores limit of stability at 1250 and two you might be in error correction with your memory at 1700. What do your artifacts look like? The ideal way is to test core then memory, working your way up till you find your stable maximum clock. How did you arrive at the 1700 on the memory btw?


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Do I need to install 12.2 cap1 after installing the 8.95.5 driver?


Any1?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Any1?


Which one is newer? 8.95.5 is newer right so you don't have to install them.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 1.218 volt???
> That looks way too high to me ...


now i am it 1.212 powertune 20%
1160/1550

do you use powertune


----------



## nugget toes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Any1?


After I went from RC11 to 8.95.5, my driver was updated but my Cat was still the old 11.12. Even after I manually updated my Cat to 12.2 it was still showing Cat 11.12 in the "Software INformation" tab in CCC. I finally ran ATIMan uninstall and then installed the Cat 12.4 Open CL w/8.96.

HOWEVER, I received an error about C++ distributable failing to install. This may be tied into the post a page or 2 back saying that RC11 does mess with Windows system files. So far have not had any issues playing games on 12.4 w/8.96


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nugget toes*
> 
> After I went from RC11 to 8.95.5, my driver was updated but my Cat was still the old 11.12. Even after I manually updated my Cat to 12.2 it was still showing Cat 11.12 in the "Software INformation" tab in CCC. I finally ran ATIMan uninstall and then installed the Cat 12.4 Open CL w/8.96.
> HOWEVER, I received an error about C++ distributable failing to install. This may be tied into the post a page or 2 back saying that RC11 does mess with Windows system files. So far have not had any issues playing games on 12.4 w/8.96


8.96? what have I missed now? =/


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> now i am it 1.212 powertune 20%
> 1160/1550
> do you use powertune


Yeah, I also set powertune to 20%
But considering 125mv is the max increase, your voltage looks high for a 7950 card.
But if you wanne burn out your card soon, thats your decision ofcourse


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I've installed about every driver out there for these cards. I did a fresh windows install when I bought my 2 Vertex 3's and I was running my 3 480's. 2 weeks later just uninstalled my Nvidia drivers and installed the 7970 and Rc11. Since then I've installed 12.2, and all the betas. 8.95.5 was the best, but couldn't play Mw3, so I went back to Rc11.
> From what you've said, I would have a messed up version of windows now right? I don't get it? I've always been able to get back into windows and never had any issues with windows that I can tell. If I need to install a fresh OS, maybe I will.


I've never owned any AMD cards but from all the issues I've read about in this thread you can be sure I will be doing a complete reformat and fresh Windows install when I get my 7970 Lightnings. Just seems like that will eliminate a lot of headaches, especially coming from Nvidia drivers...


----------



## pfunkmort

Yeah. I've only seen 2-3 people who had real, unfixible problems and returned their cards. One was LAF, but he still has his! (that's a joke). And the other big one was this 15 year old kid who never wiped his drivers from his 570.


----------



## PARTON

Some people have issues, some don't. On this same windows install I ran one 6950, two 6950s, a 4870 after those sold, a 7600gt as another stopgap, and this 7970. The only issue I had was when I installed the latest WHQL on Jan 10 which didn't support the 7970. After I actually read that the 7970 wasn't supported and used the right driver, it's been great. The only thing I used to get rid of old catalyst or nvidia drivers is control panel uninstall.


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fullrespect*
> 
> Looks like I'm not the only one with bad BF3 performance. Please, God, let this be just bad, imature drivers, please.


No, you are not the only one, and to be honest i doubt new drivers will change anything. My main problem Karkand and Gulf of Oman, with same settings as yours a get dips to 30 and average 45-50


----------



## alexmaia_br

So,

I've been wanting to test if my OC is stable ([email protected]) at 1131v.
I just run 3dmark11 (the free edition) and it ran alright. Are the scores good? I suppose they aren't bad because of the green thingie, but if anyone can give me tips on my OC, I'll be glad.



- cheers!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm sure you can get over 10k Performance score if you clock that 7970 to over 1200MHz. Still, that's definitely a respectable score...


----------



## wTheOnew

Seems about right. I'm at 9.6k at 1175/1700 or 10.3k at 1250/1900 so 9.1k at 1125/1575 is respectable/reasonable.


----------



## sockpirate

How much would you say memory clock affects scores in 3DM11? Thus far i have left my memory at stock and just pushed the core with volts. I scored a 16343 with my CPU at 5.1ghz and my 7970s (2)
at 1.250ghz.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

You guys with fast single 7970's need to get into the Battle Royale thread and post them up. The single GPU section is being lead by a 680 right now...


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You guys with fast single 7970's need to get into the Battle Royale thread and post them up. The single GPU section is being lead by a 680 right now...


I would but too much hassle to mess with my loop just for the epeen over a 680.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You guys with fast single 7970's need to get into the Battle Royale thread and post them up. The single GPU section is being lead by a 680 right now...


I thought my 1280 / 1680 run was on top?









Although I am on a wimpy little i5. That's holding me back big time on 3DMark.


----------



## DeadSkull

How are the MSI 7970 Lightnings or Gigabyte 7970 oc doing overclocking wise?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DeadSkull*
> 
> How are the MSI 7970 Lightnings or Gigabyte 7970 oc doing overclocking wise?


my highest clock so far is 1.250ghz still working on getting higher, still haven't touched memory.


----------



## SkateZilla

oy.. i cant wait for the Cat 12.4s


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm sure you can get over 10k Performance score if you clock that 7970 to over 1200MHz. Still, that's definitely a respectable score...


My OC is set as far as AB and CCC will allow. Haven't looked into tweaks to unlock that just yet. Isn't there a way to unlock CCC?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

I'll jump into the thread with my 1300/1700 7970 and crank up my 3930k to 4.9ghz


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I thought my 1280 / 1680 run was on top?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although I am on a wimpy little i5. That's holding me back big time on 3DMark.


They aren't in order of result. The 680 score is over 11k on 3dmark 11 (with an i7 920 at that!!!!)


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I thought my 1280 / 1680 run was on top?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although I am on a wimpy little i5. That's holding me back big time on 3DMark.
> 
> 
> 
> They aren't in order of result. The 680 score is over 11k on 3dmark 11 (with an i7 920 at that!!!!)
Click to expand...

His CPU is stronger than mine.







Although his graphics points alone are almost 100 points higher than mine.









I'm in first in the restricted single card section.







I may be the only one there...but I'm still in first place.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> I'll jump into the thread with my 1300/1700 7970 and crank up my 3930k to 4.9ghz


Yeah man, you need to get on the ball!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> His CPU is stronger than mine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although his graphics points alone are almost 100 points higher than mine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm in first in the restricted single card section.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I may be the only one there...but I'm still in first place.


Lol, I totally forgot about HTing, I guess a 920 is stronger in 3dmark11 than a 2500k?


----------



## svthomas

Anyone know if 8.95.5 is scoring better in benchmarks?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> My OC is set as far as AB and CCC will allow. Haven't looked into tweaks to unlock that just yet. Isn't there a way to unlock CCC?


Read the hot to overclock you amd card thread or Google unlock ab.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm sure you can get over 10k Performance score if you clock that 7970 to over 1200MHz. Still, that's definitely a respectable score...
> 
> 
> 
> My OC is set as far as AB and CCC will allow. Haven't looked into tweaks to unlock that just yet. Isn't there a way to unlock CCC?
Click to expand...

I'll PM you this information as well, just in case you miss it.

1) Make sure unofficial overclocking in MSI AB is NOT turned on.
2) Run MSI AB with the xcl flag on first start. (Put -xcl at the end of the target in the shortcut).
3) MSI AB will say you need to restart, so restart. Do NOT restart MSI AB yet.
4) Once restarted, remove the xcl command out of the shortcut.
5) Start up MSI AB as normal.
6) Create a bone stock profile. Save as 1 (as an example). You CAN use a custom fan profile, but otherwise leave all settings stock.
7) Create your overclocked profile (again, a custom fan profile is preferred). Make sure you use +20% in settings for your overclocked profile.
8) Go to settings, scroll all the way over to the right to "Profiles". Set "2D" as your stock profile. Set "3D" as your overclocked profile.
9) Disable screensavers. You can have your monitors turn off, but no screensavers, as those put you into your 3D profile. Overclocked seems to be what causes idle lock ups.


----------



## Hambone07si

8.95.5 ran better and scored a little higher is some benches for me. I'd be using it if I was able to play Mw3 as well.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Didn't MSI unlock voltage control for the 7970 Lightning?


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm sure. You have to check the boxes on the first tab in settings tho.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'll PM you this information as well, just in case you miss it.
> 1) Make sure unofficial overclocking in MSI AB is NOT turned on.
> *2) Run MSI AB with the xcl flag on first start. (Put -xcl at the end of the target in the shortcut).*
> 3) MSI AB will say you need to restart, so restart. Do NOT restart MSI AB yet.
> 4) Once restarted, remove the xcl command out of the shortcut.
> 5) Start up MSI AB as normal.
> 6) Create a bone stock profile. Save as 1 (as an example). You CAN use a custom fan profile, but otherwise leave all settings stock.
> 7) Create your overclocked profile (again, a custom fan profile is preferred). Make sure you use +20% in settings for your overclocked profile.
> 8) Go to settings, scroll all the way over to the right to "Profiles". Set "2D" as your stock profile. Set "3D" as your overclocked profile.
> 9) Disable screensavers. You can have your monitors turn off, but no screensavers, as those put you into your 3D profile. Overclocked seems to be what causes idle lock ups.


Why do you like using official over unoffical method?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm sure. You have to check the boxes on the first tab in settings tho.


I figured the unlocking of voltage control was implied.







Everybody should already know how to do that. My instructions were on how to avoid the idle lock up problem, and how to be successful in overclocking the card without too terribly much headache.

I wanted to pull my hair out soo badly when I first got my card, till I learned about that. Unofficial overclocking helped, but I still had idle lock ups. With the xcl command and the profiles though...not a single issue so long as when I leave my machine, its on the stock profile.

If I leave it and its on the 3D profile (when I was downloading World of Tanks for some reason the launcher put me to overclocked)...it still locks up.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You guys with fast single 7970's need to get into the Battle Royale thread and post them up. The single GPU section is being lead by a 680 right now...


Wow, his system is a great comparison against mine. He has a 930 at 4.44 mine's at 4.40. He's clocked at 1260/1750ish I'm at 1250/1900. Our physics and combined scores are identical. His graphics scores are 10-20% higher. Can't say I'm not fairly impressed with it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Wow, his system is a great comparison against mine. He has a 930 at 4.44 mine's at 4.40. He's clocked at 1260/1750ish I'm at 1250/1900. Our physics and combined scores are identical. His graphics scores are 10-20% higher. Can't say I'm not fairly impressed with it.


What voltage are you running on the memory? Its an unbelievable speed, the world record 7970 is running 1925 with special access to more volts.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

No doubt, I think the 680 really is the stronger card, even clock to clock. At least his is anyway; a lot of the guys in the 680 CLub haven't been as lucky...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I figured the unlocking of voltage control was implied.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Everybody should already know how to do that. My instructions were on how to avoid the idle lock up problem, and how to be successful in overclocking the card without too terribly much headache.
> *I wanted to pull my hair out soo badly when I first got my card, till I learned about that. Unofficial overclocking helped, but I still had idle lock ups. With the xcl command and the profiles though...not a single issue so long as when I leave my machine, its on the stock profile.*
> If I leave it and its on the 3D profile (when I was downloading World of Tanks for some reason the launcher put me to overclocked)...it still locks up.


Nice, so svthomas' finding worked for you too. I wonder, if everyone who has this issue is also using AB or not, if we could get a tally somehow?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I figured the unlocking of voltage control was implied.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Everybody should already know how to do that. My instructions were on how to avoid the idle lock up problem, and how to be successful in overclocking the card without too terribly much headache.
> I wanted to pull my hair out soo badly when I first got my card, till I learned about that. Unofficial overclocking helped, but I still had idle lock ups. With the xcl command and the profiles though...not a single issue so long as when I leave my machine, its on the stock profile.
> If I leave it and its on the 3D profile (when I was downloading World of Tanks for some reason the launcher put me to overclocked)...it still locks up.


My cards are sitting at 400/1500 gpu1 and 300/150 gpu2 on the desktop. I've never had a idle lockup with them yet. I don't use screensavers or monitor shut down. I just leave them on







I've never tried Official method.

I always have AB on and running my G15 display and I use the OSD too. No issues at all like that.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I figured the unlocking of voltage control was implied.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Everybody should already know how to do that. My instructions were on how to avoid the idle lock up problem, and how to be successful in overclocking the card without too terribly much headache.
> I wanted to pull my hair out soo badly when I first got my card, till I learned about that. Unofficial overclocking helped, but I still had idle lock ups. With the xcl command and the profiles though...not a single issue so long as when I leave my machine, its on the stock profile.
> If I leave it and its on the 3D profile (when I was downloading World of Tanks for some reason the launcher put me to overclocked)...it still locks up.
> 
> 
> 
> My cards are sitting at 400/1500 gpu1 and 300/150 gpu2 on the desktop. I've never had a idle lockup with them yet. I don't use screensavers or monitor shut down. I just leave them on
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've never tried Official method.
> 
> I always have AB on and running my G15 display and I use the OSD too. No issues at all like that.
Click to expand...

Well, my rig stays on near 24/7. I can't leave my monitors on...too much heat from the 3007WFP.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> No doubt, I think the 680 really is the stronger card, even clock to clock. At least his is anyway; a lot of the guys in the 680 CLub haven't been as lucky...


Games seem to favor the GTX 680, but GPGPU currently favors the HD 79x0.
Anyway, when it comes to games and both cards are overclocked they trade punches.


----------



## Hambone07si

I see. I turn mine off when I walk away. Turns on so fast with the Vertex 3's in raid. I have a Asus G73 for downloading.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> How much would you say memory clock affects scores in 3DM11? Thus far i have left my memory at stock and just pushed the core with volts. I scored a 16343 with my CPU at 5.1ghz and my 7970s (2)
> at 1.250ghz.


anyone?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Games seem to favor the GTX 680, but GPGPU currently favors the HD 79x0.
> Anyway, when it comes to games and both cards are overclocked they trade punches.


I think this is what makes having an enthusiast card right now really exciting!


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> anyone?


With the 7970 the memory clock affects scores quite a bit. Each time I went up 50mhz I gained another 50+ points with 3dmark.


----------



## theyedi

Well, I just bought a 7970 lightning. It's been a long time since I've owned an ATI card. Hope the exaggerations about drivers are.. exaggerations.


----------



## Jmickey

Was overclocking my 7970 last night (Sapphire Ref.), It was only a modest OC - 1200Mhz/1650Mhz @ 1.225v, ran Heaven with highest settings possible and the ATi drivers kept crashing a couple of scenes in. So I upped the volts to 1.25v. It didn't crash after that, but I was getting some really strange artifacts on a couple of the scenes (only a couple out of the 26 possible), strange being a rather odd grey color, as well as there being lots of them.

Is this normal for such a modest OC? The temps were fine, not going above 73 deg/c. Not sure if I should up the volts a bit more, but 1.25v should be enough for such a small OC...

Any ideas?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> With the 7970 the memory clock affects scores quite a bit. Each time I went up 50mhz I gained another 50+ points with 3dmark.


It's probably because of the larger memory bandwidth the 7970 has. Pushing the memory clock a bit more on a 384-bit bus vs a 256-bit bus will most definitely yield better results. I haven't pushed mine anywhere very much yet, but then again, the Windforce 3 cooler on my GA card is insane, my temps reach a max of 48C on load at stock, and stock is already 1GHz core.

EDIT: I know my load temp does not make much sense, but that's what GPU-Z log shows. Or it could be the 2 fans blowing right down on my card from the side panel.

EDIT: My bad, I was reading the wrong time stamp. Temp's were at 60C on load. Which is still amazing. Though I agree, I wasn't loading the card much playing MW3.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theyedi*
> 
> Well, I just bought a 7970 lightning. It's been a long time since I've owned an ATI card. Hope the exaggerations about drivers are.. exaggerations.


The only problems anyone has with AMD drivers are when they are gaming with 2+ cards. With single card setups, the 7970s are perfect...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jmickey*
> 
> Was overclocking my 7970 last night (Sapphire Ref.), It was only a modest OC - 1200Mhz/1650Mhz @ 1.225v, ran Heaven with highest settings possible and the ATi drivers kept crashing a couple of scenes in. So I upped the volts to 1.25v. It didn't crash after that, but I was getting some really strange artifacts on a couple of the scenes (only a couple out of the 26 possible), strange being a rather odd grey color, as well as there being lots of them.
> 
> Is this normal for such a modest OC? The temps were fine, not going above 73 deg/c. Not sure if I should up the volts a bit more, but 1.25v should be enough for such a small OC...
> 
> Any ideas?


Temperatures.







Mine starts doing that when I pass over about 63-68*C, depending on the overclock.


----------



## pfunkmort

I basically have to go up to 1.25+ to run at 1200 mhz on the core. I thought (and still do) it was because my ASIC quality is a measly 53%. I also get artifacts usually when I do it (I think because of the heat I generate). So, to answer your question, depending on your card, it could very well be that you're having that issue. Not all cards are created equal, and 1200 mhz can be getting to the wall, so to speak, with these cards (especially on air).

For reference, my current setup gets temps up to about 72-73 degrees, but not any hotter, even after hours of full load. I don't really see issues personally until I get to about 80C on the core.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jmickey*
> 
> Was overclocking my 7970 last night (Sapphire Ref.), It was only a modest OC - 1200Mhz/1650Mhz @ 1.225v, ran Heaven with highest settings possible and the ATi drivers kept crashing a couple of scenes in. So I upped the volts to 1.25v. It didn't crash after that, but I was getting some really strange artifacts on a couple of the scenes (only a couple out of the 26 possible), strange being a rather odd grey color, as well as there being lots of them.
> Is this normal for such a modest OC? The temps were fine, not going above 73 deg/c. Not sure if I should up the volts a bit more, but 1.25v should be enough for such a small OC...
> Any ideas?


Me personally I wouldn't push my card anything past 1070/1400 MHz....
Have you tried lower memory clocks?
Since upping the voltage this far has helped you out, try bumping it another .025v.


----------



## Jmickey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Me personally I wouldn't push my card anything past 1070/1400 MHz....
> Have you tried lower memory clocks?
> Since upping the voltage this far has helped you out, try bumping it another .025v.


I haven't tried lower mem clocks yet. On stock volts I easy sit on 1125mhz/1575mhz, 68 deg/c and it works perfectly, even without adding +20% power. ASIC quality is 70.6%.

One things however, I am only upping the core voltage, should I be upping the Mem voltage as well?

One thing I noticed which was rather odd. When I put settings back to stock, applied them and ran Heaven Benchmark again...I was still getting the artifacts. MS AB said temps didn't go about 65ish degrees. I restarted the computer, applied the highest CCC OC and it was completely fine again....Cautious to try again with anything higher until I figure out why it was doing it...


----------



## Evil Penguin

The thing with high overclocks is that the higher you go, the more voltage you need as a result of higher temps as well.
Someone that keeps their core at 55c under load might need less voltage than the person that has it at 80c.

It's very possible you need another core voltage boost, Jmickey.
I would keep memory clocks at stock until you can stabilize the core.


----------



## Jmickey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The thing with high overclocks is that the higher you go, the more voltage you need as a result of higher temps as well.
> Someone that keeps their core at 55c under load might need less voltage than the person that has it at 80c.
> It's very possible you need another core voltage boost, Jmickey.
> I would keep memory clocks at stock until you can stabilize the core.


No worries. Will give it a shot when I get home from work! Thanks for the help =D.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Cant wait for my Block to arrive. Also does EK Back Plate do anything other then synthetics?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Cant wait for my Block to arrive. Also does EK Back Plate do anything other then synthetics?


It probably helps to prevent the card from warping or sagging over time and reduce overall board temps slightly.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> The only problems anyone has with AMD drivers are when they are gaming with 2+ cards. With single card setups, the 7970s are perfect...


Uh oh. I got two 7970 Lightnings incoming, please tell me I'll be OK!!


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jmickey*
> 
> I haven't tried lower mem clocks yet. On stock volts I easy sit on 1125mhz/1575mhz, 68 deg/c and it works perfectly, even without adding +20% power. ASIC quality is 70.6%.
> One things however, I am only upping the core voltage, should I be upping the Mem voltage as well?
> One thing I noticed which was rather odd. When I put settings back to stock, applied them and ran Heaven Benchmark again...I was still getting the artifacts. MS AB said temps didn't go about 65ish degrees. I restarted the computer, applied the highest CCC OC and it was completely fine again....Cautious to try again with anything higher until I figure out why it was doing it...


That's completely normal. Anytime you push an OC to the point that you get artifacts, most of the time you'll need to reboot to clear those artifacts, even if you go back to stock.


----------



## pioneerisloud

*For those of you with water cooled 7970's....*

I have a question.







Will this block on its own do a fine job?
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsra79fucowa.html

I just want to make sure it'll make contact with everything that needs cooled. Trying to put together a full loop here in the next few weeks, but I have to keep costs as low as possible, while maintaining quality.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> *For those of you with water cooled 7970's....*
> I have a question.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will this block on its own do a fine job?
> http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsra79fucowa.html
> I just want to make sure it'll make contact with everything that needs cooled. Trying to put together a full loop here in the next few weeks, but I have to keep costs as low as possible, while maintaining quality.


I had a XSPC for HD 6990 and its was not bad. My first block so i cant really say. Now i am trying EK. I would try to find a used one around the forums. I found a band new one 115 Shipped which also had EK backplate. To buy that in Canada just the cost of the pasts is 115 for the block and 35 for the backplate.

Edit: That block should work no problem as long as you have a reference model.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> *For those of you with water cooled 7970's....*
> I have a question.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will this block on its own do a fine job?
> http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsra79fucowa.html
> I just want to make sure it'll make contact with everything that needs cooled. Trying to put together a full loop here in the next few weeks, but I have to keep costs as low as possible, while maintaining quality.
> 
> 
> 
> I had a XSPC for HD 6990 and its was not bad. My first block so i cant really say. Now i am trying EK. I would try to find a used one around the forums. I found a band new one 115 Shipped which also had EK backplate. To buy that in Canada just the cost of the pasts is 115 for the block and 35 for the backplate.
> 
> Edit: That block should work no problem as long as you have a reference model.
Click to expand...

I do have a reference model. I'm just worried because it LOOKS like the VRM's aren't being cooled by it.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I do have a reference model. I'm just worried because it LOOKS like the VRM's aren't being cooled by it.


I dont think they are cooled with like the EK one. The top of the block is cooling the Black part whic i think are no plastic.

Edit: "while the area over VRM features aluminum"

This just means its not as good for VRM cooling but maybe VRMs dont get that hot?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I do have a reference model. I'm just worried because it LOOKS like the VRM's aren't being cooled by it.
> 
> 
> 
> I dont think they are cooled with like the EK one. The top of the block is cooling the Black part whic i think are no plastic.
> 
> Edit: "while the area over VRM features aluminum"
> 
> This just means its not as good for VRM cooling but maybe VRMs dont get that hot?
Click to expand...

I don't know...









I just want a good block that won't break the bank. $160 for the Swiftech is WAAAY too much.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't know...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just want a good block that won't break the bank. $160 for the Swiftech is WAAAY too much.


What about EK? I think they are ~ 115?. Also looking at it the top of th card gets cooled from the water and the heat it transfered from the aluminum heat sink to the block so it should be good enough. Get the XSPC and dont look back.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> With the 7970 the memory clock affects scores quite a bit. Each time I went up 50mhz I gained another 50+ points with 3dmark.


17k+ here i come!!! I think i can push 5.2 out of my cpu too upping the BCLK !!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't know...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just want a good block that won't break the bank. $160 for the Swiftech is WAAAY too much.
> 
> 
> 
> What about EK? I think they are ~ 115?. Also looking at it the top of th card gets cooled from the water and the heat it transfered from the aluminum heat sink to the block so it should be good enough. Get the XSPC and dont look back.
Click to expand...

Only place I can find an EK at is at FrozenCPU. I'm trying to avoid them (except tubing). Sidewinder carries the XSPC and the HeatKiller. Both blocks look to be the same design, but the HeatKiller does have more copper.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't know...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just want a good block that won't break the bank. $160 for the Swiftech is WAAAY too much.


Ek is solid this generation, and they're the only ones that were forthcoming with performance data. regarding the vrm cooling, why wouldn't you want active vrm cooling? This has always been an issue with xspc fullcover blocks.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't know...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just want a good block that won't break the bank. $160 for the Swiftech is WAAAY too much.
> 
> 
> 
> Ek is solid this generation, and they're the only ones that were forthcoming with performance data. regarding the vrm cooling, why wouldn't you want active vrm cooling? This has always been an issue with xspc fullcover blocks.
Click to expand...

The EK blocks aren't active VRM either though.......

And its not that I don't want EK, I don't want to deal with FrozenCPU....


----------



## erocker

Really don't need water traveling over the VRM.. If anything I would think those designs decrease flow pretty good.

Mine don't ever go above 31c with my EK block


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The EK blocks aren't active VRM either though.......
> And its not that I don't want EK, I don't want to deal with FrozenCPU....


Doh was recalling my 6970 blocks. But you what, i always thought that that's what that metal plate on top was for... Maybe next time i drain the loop I'll take it apart to see.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

A noob can count on you guys for help right? A little nervous with my purchases today...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Okay, so I'm torn now between the XSPC Razor and the Heatkiller. Both at Sidewinder.

Anybody good with WC gear care to help me pick which one? I trust Sidewinder...but I don't want to buy from FrozenCPU, except tubing...and only because Sidewinder doesn't have Primochill.

Heatkiller:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/wahegp79fora.html
Razor:
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsra79fucowa.html


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Okay, so I'm torn now between the XSPC Razor and the Heatkiller. Both at Sidewinder.
> Anybody good with WC gear care to help me pick which one? I trust Sidewinder...but I don't want to buy from FrozenCPU, except tubing...and only because Sidewinder doesn't have Primochill.
> Heatkiller:
> http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/wahegp79fora.html
> Razor:
> http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsra79fucowa.html


The Heatkiller does cool the VRMs. So does EK. XSPC is Passive. IF you wan to save $15 go XSPC. Otherwise HK would cool better.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Okay, so I'm torn now between the XSPC Razor and the Heatkiller. Both at Sidewinder.
> Anybody good with WC gear care to help me pick which one? I trust Sidewinder...but I don't want to buy from FrozenCPU, except tubing...and only because Sidewinder doesn't have Primochill.
> Heatkiller:
> http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/wahegp79fora.html
> Razor:
> http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsra79fucowa.html
> 
> 
> 
> The Heatkiller does cool the VRMs. So does EK. XSPC is Passive. IF you wan to save $15 go XSPC. Otherwise HK would cool better.
Click to expand...

All of them are passive VRM cooling though. It's just how well the passive design gets put into it really. The HK, the entire block is a passive heatsink for the VRM's it looks like. With the XSPC, its just a small aluminum chunk that's seperate from the actual block.


----------



## Ken1649

EK FC7970 has coolant flow thru VRM




























HK *GPU-X³ 79X0* is passive but it doesn't really matter. Difference would be 1 - 3 °C at best.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> EK FC7970 has coolant flow thru VRM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HK *GPU-X³ 79X0* is passive but it doesn't really matter. Difference would be 1 - 3 °C at best.


Its not Passive. Cant you see the small part at the back?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Its not Passive. Cant you see the small part at the back?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> All of them are passive VRM cooling though. It's just how well the passive design gets put into it really. The HK, the entire block is a passive heatsink for the VRM's it looks like. With the XSPC, its just a small aluminum chunk that's seperate from the actual block.


Zealot is right. Look at the o-rings and follow them. The ek design now that I look at it looks to flow a whole helluva lot more than the others with those wide channels.

Btw Pio, jab-tech has one 7970 acetal block in stock.


----------



## Ken1649

If you mean the path pointed by arrow, don't think there's path for the coolant to flow thru as it is a one piece block. To have a path flow, it has to be two piece.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you mean the path pointed by arrow, don't think there's path for the coolant to flow thru as it is a one piece block. To have a path flow, it has to be two piece.


Top side is raised, the channel is prolly in there.


----------



## Ken1649

That could be it. My 3 dimension vision don't work lol


----------



## pioneerisloud

I'm so confused..... -_-

$115 or less block, NOT at FrozenCPU. Sidewinder preferred, but jab-tech is fine I suppose, I forgot about them.

The problem with a $115 block though, is I'll have to knock down to the HK CPU block instead of the Raystorm.







I'll have to compensate cost differences somewhere, because I can't break over $300 with this.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm so confused..... -_-
> $115 or less block, NOT at FrozenCPU. Sidewinder preferred, but jab-tech is fine I suppose, I forgot about them.
> The problem with a $115 block though, is I'll have to knock down to the HK CPU block instead of the Raystorm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have to compensate cost differences somewhere, because I can't break over $300 with this.


Use facebook code.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That could be it. My 3 dimension vision don't work lol


You should see the terribad aqua design. Remember they made that thread, worlds first 7970 block, and it didn't even actively cool the vrms lol. Anyways they slapped on a bridge channel just like heatkiller. Looks like arse.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm so confused..... -_-
> $115 or less block, NOT at FrozenCPU. Sidewinder preferred, but jab-tech is fine I suppose, I forgot about them.
> The problem with a $115 block though, is I'll have to knock down to the HK CPU block instead of the Raystorm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have to compensate cost differences somewhere, because I can't break over $300 with this.


Raystorm is nothing special really. Get HK CPU and HK Block. The other thing is that you keep CPU block for longer so a better one is more future proof.


----------



## tsm106

Haha, awesome. I found a local seller on craigslist selling a fanatec gt3 rs v2 with Clubsport pedals for cheap!


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jmickey*
> 
> Was overclocking my 7970 last night (Sapphire Ref.), *It was only a modest OC - 1200Mhz/1650Mhz* @ 1.225v, ran Heaven with highest settings possible and the ATi drivers kept crashing a couple of scenes in. So I upped the volts to 1.25v. It didn't crash after that, but I was getting some really strange artifacts on a couple of the scenes (only a couple out of the 26 possible), strange being a rather odd grey color, as well as there being lots of them.
> Is this normal for such a modest OC? The temps were fine, not going above 73 deg/c. Not sure if I should up the volts a bit more, but 1.25v should be enough for such a small OC...
> Any ideas?


I would call that anything but modest, 1200Mhz on the core is a 30%+ overclock, don't be expecting much more, and that

is if you manage to get that fully stable on air at 1200Mhz.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm so confused..... -_-
> $115 or less block, NOT at FrozenCPU. Sidewinder preferred, but jab-tech is fine I suppose, I forgot about them.
> The problem with a $115 block though, is I'll have to knock down to the HK CPU block instead of the Raystorm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have to compensate cost differences somewhere, because I can't break over $300 with this.
> 
> 
> 
> Use facebook code.
Click to expand...

Facebook code? For what?








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm so confused..... -_-
> $115 or less block, NOT at FrozenCPU. Sidewinder preferred, but jab-tech is fine I suppose, I forgot about them.
> The problem with a $115 block though, is I'll have to knock down to the HK CPU block instead of the Raystorm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have to compensate cost differences somewhere, because I can't break over $300 with this.
> 
> 
> 
> Raystorm is nothing special really. Get HK CPU and HK Block. The other thing is that you keep CPU block for longer so a better one is more future proof.
Click to expand...

The Raystorm is dead sexy, comes with blue LED's (which is a huge plus), and its one of the best blocks on the market last time I looked into it. The Heatkiller Rev 3.0 is fine, but the Raystorm is better. Sadly its also more expensive.....

OR.....
I can get a Koolance PC370 (the new revision that's all black), with a Koolance 7970 block. Thoughts on that?


----------



## tsm106

5% off at jab-tech. I'd get the ek block and raystorm personally.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That could be it. My 3 dimension vision don't work lol
> 
> 
> 
> You should see the terribad aqua design. Remember they made that thread, worlds first 7970 block, and it didn't even actively cool the vrms lol. Anyways they slapped on a bridge channel just like heatkiller. Looks like arse.
Click to expand...

Darn! After posting above, took a look at my Koolance blocks are actually passive and I got 4 of them. Don't think I will put the blocks on. I am sure by the time got time to complete it, the 8970 will near release.

Also got confirmation from AMD regarding ZeroCore Power State will not function if you have HDMI and DP poplutated because it carries audio signal from device. The only port that works is DVI. They are working on a possible fix at drivers level. Not sure when.


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Its not Passive. Cant you see the small part at the back?


Huh, you're correct! The channel goes through the top (behind the metal plate, and dumps in the o-ringed part on the VRM's.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Darn! After posting above, took a look at my Koolance blocks are actually passive and I got 4 of them. Don't think I will put the blocks on. I am sure by the time got time to complete it, the 8970 will near release.
> 
> Also got confirmation from AMD regarding ZeroCore Power State will not function if you have HDMI and DP poplutated because it carries audio signal from device. The only port that works is DVI. They are working on a possible fix at drivers level. Not sure when.


Can I say this? I've never been a fan of koolance, except for their awesome ddc heatsinks.

Regarding the zerocore... I've got two seperate systems using all three ports, hdmi/dvi/dp at the same time with no lock up issues. However, I use optical for audio!?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> Huh, you're correct! The channel goes through the top (behind the metal plate, and dumps in the o-ringed part on the VRM's.


That lil o-ring area is so puny though!


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Facebook code? For what?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Raystorm is dead sexy, comes with blue LED's (which is a huge plus), and its one of the best blocks on the market last time I looked into it. The Heatkiller Rev 3.0 is fine, but the Raystorm is better. Sadly its also more expensive.....
> OR.....
> I can get a Koolance PC370 (the new revision that's all black), with a Koolance 7970 block. Thoughts on that?


I have EK Supreme HF and getting EK Block for HD 7970. If you like Raystorm so much get it.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Okay so Raystorm block, and standard EK Acetal block for $105 at jab tech?

By the way, appreciate that jab tech idea. Except for rads (they don't have the RS240 or EX240 in stock)....I'm at only $300 including 8 fans for the whole thing. I did substitute 2x $45 radiators in there, since the EX's are $45 each, and the RS's are $37 each. So I was just estimating cost by using the MCR220's.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Darn! After posting above, took a look at my Koolance blocks are actually passive and I got 4 of them. Don't think I will put the blocks on. I am sure by the time got time to complete it, the 8970 will near release.
> 
> Also got confirmation from AMD regarding ZeroCore Power State will not function if you have HDMI and DP poplutated because it carries audio signal from device. The only port that works is DVI. They are working on a possible fix at drivers level. Not sure when.
> 
> 
> 
> Can I say this? I've never been a fan of koolance, except for their awesome ddc heatsinks.
> 
> Regarding the zerocore... I've got two seperate systems using all three ports, hdmi/dvi/dp at the same time with no lock up issues. However, I use optical for audio!?
Click to expand...

To enter ZeroCore Power State and entering sleep/hibernate are two different issues. Most I have seen users are having crash after the system entered sleep state not that the card in ZeroCore Power State.

Most users identify it by "crash after long idle". By that maybe they don't know the PC is actually in Sleep/Hibernate state or ZeroCore Power State.

We don't know for sure in which stage they are having crash; Monitor Off > ZeroCore > PC Sleep > Hibernate > Resume.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Darn! After posting above, took a look at my Koolance blocks are actually passive and I got 4 of them. Don't think I will put the blocks on. I am sure by the time got time to complete it, the 8970 will near release.
> 
> Also got confirmation from AMD regarding ZeroCore Power State will not function if you have HDMI and DP poplutated because it carries audio signal from device. The only port that works is DVI. They are working on a possible fix at drivers level. Not sure when.
> 
> 
> 
> Can I say this? I've never been a fan of koolance, except for their awesome ddc heatsinks.
> 
> Regarding the zerocore... I've got two seperate systems using all three ports, hdmi/dvi/dp at the same time with no lock up issues. However, I use optical for audio!?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> To enter ZeroCore Power State and entering sleep/hibernate are two different issues. Most I have seen users are having crash after the system entered sleep state not that the card in ZeroCore Power State.
> 
> Most users identify it by "crash after long idle". By that maybe they don't know the PC is actually in Sleep/Hibernate state or ZeroCore Power State.
> 
> We don't know for sure in which stage they are having crash; Monitor Off > ZeroCore > PC Sleep > Hibernate > Resume.
Click to expand...

I don't use sleep or hibernation or anything....except turning my monitors off. I get the problem if my card is overclocked when the monitors turn off. Hence why I use profiles in MSI AB.


----------



## Ken1649

You said monitors, that means more than one and must use DVI, HDMI or DP. So the card will never go into ZeroCore Power State. As of now, only using DVI port the ZeroCore will function as it should.

Easy test, if you are on stock air cooler, after your monitors are OFF, the fan should stop spinning. If it doesn't stop, the card never in ZeroCore State. Then try with one monitor hooked to DVI port. After few seconds monitor off, the fan will stop. That's ZeroCore state.

As for TSM with multi monitors, his cards never go into ZeroCore state either. It simply enters sleep state.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm so confused..... -_-
> $115 or less block, NOT at FrozenCPU. Sidewinder preferred, but jab-tech is fine I suppose, I forgot about them.
> The problem with a $115 block though, is I'll have to knock down to the HK CPU block instead of the Raystorm.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll have to compensate cost differences somewhere, because I can't break over $300 with this.


I'm sure you have your reasons for not shopping at FrozenCPU, so I'm going to skip that. Why not PPCs?









http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33182
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33181
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33179
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33180


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You said monitors, that means more than one and must use DVI, HDMI or DP. So the card will never go into ZeroCore Power State. As of now, only using DVI port the ZeroCore will function as it should.
> 
> Easy test, if you are on stock air cooler, after your monitors are OFF, the fan should stop spinning. If it doenst stop, the card never in ZeroCore State. Then try with one monitor hooked to DVI port. After few seconds monitor off, *the fan will stop*. That's ZeroCore state.


First thing I do is disable hibernate. Sleep... sleep doesn't shutdown the pc, fans etc. I know my rig is in zerocore because it acts just like hibernate but it snaps back into a wake state in seconds. Hibernate takes a while for the system to wake the drives, read memory state before its back up.

You saw that vid I made right? Fans off, psu off, acts like its dead, just the flashing light. Hit the mouse/keyboard, bam in 2 seconds its back on in a flash.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You said monitors, that means more than one and must use DVI, HDMI or DP. So the card will never go into ZeroCore Power State. As of now, only using DVI port the ZeroCore will function as it should.
> 
> Easy test, if you are on stock air cooler, after your monitors are OFF, the fan should stop spinning. If it doesn't stop, the card never in ZeroCore State. Then try with one monitor hooked to DVI port. After few seconds monitor off, the fan will stop. That's ZeroCore state.
> 
> As for TSM with multi monitors, his cards never go into ZeroCore state either. It simply enters sleep state.


I'm using DVI and DP to DVI. And no, it probably doesn't enter ZeroCore. But that doesn't mean I don't have a problem with it locking up after my monitors shut off....and that's EXACTLY when it happens to. However it only seems to do it if I've screwed with clock speed.


----------



## tsm106

Fans off what?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You said monitors, that means more than one and must use DVI, HDMI or DP. So the card will never go into ZeroCore Power State. As of now, only using DVI port the ZeroCore will function as it should.
> 
> Easy test, if you are on stock air cooler, after your monitors are OFF, the fan should stop spinning. If it doenst stop, the card never in ZeroCore State. Then try with one monitor hooked to DVI port. After few seconds monitor off, *the fan will stop*. That's ZeroCore state.
> 
> 
> 
> First thing I do is disable hibernate. Sleep... sleep doesn't shutdown the pc, fans etc. I know my rig is in zerocore because it acts just like hibernate but it snaps back into a wake state in seconds. Hibernate takes a while for the system to wake the drives, read memory state before its back up.
> 
> You saw that vid I made right? Fans off, psu off, acts like its dead, just the flashing light. Hit the mouse/keyboard, bam in 2 seconds its back on in a flash.
Click to expand...

Yes I saw that video hence why I asked about the RAM and settings you are using. Yes, Sleep turn off the fans (at least with my system). ZeroCore is not controlling the PC at all. The cards enter ZeroCore State to save power consumption and it doesn't trigger the PC into standby state unless we tell the PC what to do at the set period of time in Windows Power Options.

That video shows the PC fans were off. If you are with water cooling, the only way to know if the cards in ZeroCore State is using power meter because you don't have fans to tell you.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You said monitors, that means more than one and must use DVI, HDMI or DP. So the card will never go into ZeroCore Power State. As of now, only using DVI port the ZeroCore will function as it should.
> 
> Easy test, if you are on stock air cooler, after your monitors are OFF, the fan should stop spinning. If it doesn't stop, the card never in ZeroCore State. Then try with one monitor hooked to DVI port. After few seconds monitor off, the fan will stop. That's ZeroCore state.
> 
> As for TSM with multi monitors, his cards never go into ZeroCore state either. It simply enters sleep state.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm using DVI and DP to DVI. And no, it probably doesn't enter ZeroCore. But that doesn't mean I don't have a problem with it locking up after my monitors shut off....and that's EXACTLY when it happens to. However it only seems to do it if I've screwed with clock speed.
Click to expand...

That's something conflicting there. Maybe when monitors are OFF the card is not able to enter ZeroCore because the DP is active + overclock + Afterburner in the picture.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I'm sure you have your reasons for not shopping at FrozenCPU, so I'm going to skip that. Why not PPCs?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33182
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33181
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33179
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33180


I like PPC's. Just got some stuff from them for CMST. Shipped all the way to my country. I was considering getting some stuff from FrozenCPU as well, I do hope you can share your 'experience' with them pioneerisloud.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Yes I saw that video hence why I asked about the RAM and settings you are using. Yes, Sleep turn off the fans (at least with my system). ZeroCore is not controlling the PC at all. The cards enter ZeroCore State to save power consumption and it doesn't trigger the PC into standby state unless we tell the PC what to do at the set period of time in Windows Power Options.
> 
> That video shows the PC fans were off. If you are with water cooling, the only way to know if the cards in ZeroCore State is using power meter because you don't have fans to tell you.
> 
> That's something conflicting there. Maybe when monitors are OFF the card is not able to enter ZeroCore because the DP is active + overclock + Afterburner in the picture.


Ok. I plugged in my killawatt. It draws 5 watts in sleep and 200 watts or so on wake. I made a vid too and can post it if need be.


----------



## Ken1649

Yes I believe you. Total system draws 5 watts is in Sleep/Standby State. There's no way the total power the cards draw during idle is 200 watts. That must include total system idle.

If ZeroCore is working from idle 200W with 3 cards maybe down to 150W because the cards are in ZeroCore State.

With 3 cards, only two are able to enter ZeroCore, not the primary one because of 3 monitors. You can measure the power consumption during idle from 3 cards down to one card.


----------



## sockpirate

So just wanted to report in on some progress i have been making with my Xfire 7970s, i think i may have found my limit on the core for these guys in Xfire, being 1.250 keep crashing at 1260 but havent fed them more voltage than what 1.250ghz requires (1262mV).

Although i am quite impressed with how well the memory is clocking!!! I have my memory up to 1675 currently and going up in 50mhz jumps, i have almost broke a 17k P score with my processor just at 4.5ghz....I can almost bet that i will get over 18k or close to it with my processor at 5.1ghz (sadly this is my 2600Ks limit) i did not expect the memory to clock this well!!! Once i find the memory limit im gonna throw my 5.1ghz OC at it and see what score i will get!! Will keep you guys updated!

Haven't had this much fun benching in a while!

EDIT: Temps have not broken 44c...... <3 <3

EDIT#2: Anyone know why 3DM11 sometimes doesnt record my GPU core clock correctly? It shows 300mhz a lot for some reason, although my scores clearly reflect that my core clock is not 300mhz on the gpu lol....


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

I did a lot of research when buying mine and opted for EK in the end. The VRM cooling was important to me.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well will the regular EK Acetal blocks work properly, and cool the VRM's well? It's $105 on jab tech. I like that block, and I like the price.







Actually, I like jab tech's prices in general. I think there was only the CPU block that was cheaper elsewhere. Only other thing was the rads, but they weren't cheaper elsewhere....its just that jab tech didn't have any stock.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well will the regular EK Acetal blocks work properly, and cool the VRM's well? It's $105 on jab tech. I like that block, and I like the price.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, I like jab tech's prices in general. I think there was only the CPU block that was cheaper elsewhere. Only other thing was the rads, but they weren't cheaper elsewhere....its just that jab tech didn't have any stock.


Still confused why PPCs isn't fine?

On a different note, if anyone was interested. I installed the 8.960.0 (12.4 beta or whatever) over the 12.3 preview (with RC11 file patch). The [email protected] scores don't change at all even with OpenCL 1.2


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well will the regular EK Acetal blocks work properly, and cool the VRM's well? It's $105 on jab tech. I like that block, and I like the price.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, I like jab tech's prices in general. I think there was only the CPU block that was cheaper elsewhere. Only other thing was the rads, but they weren't cheaper elsewhere....its just that jab tech didn't have any stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still confused why PPCs isn't fine?
> 
> On a different note, if anyone was interested. I installed the 8.960.0 (12.4 beta or whatever) over the 12.3 preview (with RC11 file patch). The [email protected] scores don't change at all even with OpenCL 1.2
Click to expand...

Because jab tech is cheaper?

I did notice that PPC's has the Raystorm CPU block for cheaper, AND they have the XSPC radiators in stock. So that's nice, and I might shop there for those parts. I'm trying to find the cheapest possible prices on everything shipped. jab tech has it...EXCEPT they don't have the radiators in stock right now. ;( Since I had a $16 shipping charge at PPC's anyway for the rads, figured an extra dollar to ship the Raystorm wouldn't be too bad, considering I'd be saving $7 by ordering it there.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> A noob can count on you guys for help right? A little nervous with my purchases today...


Yes, everyone here is very helpful.

I've had problems with mine and everyone was very helpful in trying to help and very responsive. Though, following this thread and other threads, I was sure you were going to get a 680 instead.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Because jab tech is cheaper?
> I did notice that PPC's has the Raystorm CPU block for cheaper, AND they have the XSPC radiators in stock. So that's nice, and I might shop there for those parts. I'm trying to find the cheapest possible prices on everything shipped. jab tech has it...EXCEPT they don't have the radiators in stock right now. ;( Since I had a $16 shipping charge at PPC's anyway for the rads, figured an extra dollar to ship the Raystorm wouldn't be too bad, considering I'd be saving $7 by ordering it there.


I just wanted to make sure it had been considered since it wasn't mentioned before









The whole cost comparison is really difficult due to the high shipping prices these companies come up with. I would recommend EK's online shop if you were getting more than 1 block as they cost ~$20 less direct because of VAT, but the shipping is extremely high (Slovenia to US via DHL = holy crap. I paid $65 shipping for 3 blocks :O)


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Because jab tech is cheaper?
> I did notice that PPC's has the Raystorm CPU block for cheaper, AND they have the XSPC radiators in stock. So that's nice, and I might shop there for those parts. I'm trying to find the cheapest possible prices on everything shipped. jab tech has it...EXCEPT they don't have the radiators in stock right now. ;( Since I had a $16 shipping charge at PPC's anyway for the rads, figured an extra dollar to ship the Raystorm wouldn't be too bad, considering I'd be saving $7 by ordering it there.
> 
> 
> 
> I just wanted to make sure it had been considered since it wasn't mentioned before
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The whole cost comparison is really difficult due to the high shipping prices these companies come up with. I would recommend EK's online shop if you were getting more than 1 block as they cost ~$20 less direct because of VAT, but the shipping is extremely high (Slovenia to US via DHL = holy crap. I paid $65 shipping for 3 blocks :O)
Click to expand...

I've been figuring shipping costs into everything. Since I need rads anyway, the cheapest is PPC's for rads, but shipping is $16 alone there.







At jab tech for both blocks, tubing, and 8 Yate Loon fans, shipping is $7 (only $11 with two rads and the rest of that stuff)...but they don't have the XSPC rads in stock.







However the CPU block is $7 cheaper at PPC....and only adds $1 onto shipping (saving $6 there).

I dunno...I'm watching all my prices everywhere, and trying to make sure I get the best deal possible.

I'm at $307 and some change right now for everything for my entire loop, plus the shipping to get my pump, res, and fittings here from Australia (which shouldn't be TOO expensive).


----------



## DeadSkull

Wow this thread moves fast. Really interested in getting a high overclocking HD 7970. 1300Mhz on the core is a 40% overclock for 7970 while most GTX 680s max at 150-175mhz overclock.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> So just wanted to report in on some progress i have been making with my Xfire 7970s, i think i may have found my limit on the core for these guys in Xfire, being 1.250 keep crashing at 1260 but havent fed them more voltage than what 1.250ghz requires (1262mV).
> Although i am quite impressed with how well the memory is clocking!!! I have my memory up to 1675 currently and going up in 50mhz jumps, i have almost broke a 17k P score with my processor just at 4.5ghz....I can almost bet that i will get over 18k or close to it with my processor at 5.1ghz (sadly this is my 2600Ks limit) i did not expect the memory to clock this well!!! Once i find the memory limit im gonna throw my 5.1ghz OC at it and see what score i will get!! Will keep you guys updated!
> Haven't had this much fun benching in a while!
> EDIT: Temps have not broken 44c...... <3 <3
> EDIT#2: Anyone know why 3DM11 sometimes doesnt record my GPU core clock correctly? It shows 300mhz a lot for some reason, although my scores clearly reflect that my core clock is not 300mhz on the gpu lol....


Two MSI 7970 Lightnings right? Have you tried maxing the voltage to 1.3V? Whats the fanspeed for both cards and what is your ambient temperature like?


----------



## mltms

Can someone explain to me what is the use for powertone in CCC i am it 1140/1550 volt 1.218. If i use the powertune up to 20% can i go for more higer clock it the same volt 1.218


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DeadSkull*
> 
> Wow this thread moves fast. Really interested in getting a high overclocking HD 7970. 1300Mhz on the core is a 40% overclock for 7970 while most GTX 680s max at 150-175mhz overclock.
> Two MSI 7970 Lightnings right? Have you tried maxing the voltage to 1.3V? Whats the fanspeed for both cards and what is your ambient temperature like?


awe poop man, no they are just MSI ref designs with EK blocks on them. I havent tried maxing the voltage yet, still doing some testing right now. I will eventually though, but it honestly feels like the max OC for these guys is 1250 on the core and 1725 on the memory @ 1262mV.

Hopefully i can squeeze some more out of them with max voltage of 1300 becuase temps are oh so beautiful !


----------



## Andrazh

Sry to bother u guys again but i still ain't sure if my OC at 1174mV from 0,993V is ok and will not damage my card too soon?
+vram temps 82C?
+core temps ~80C?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Sry to bother u guys again but i still ain't sure if my OC at 1174mV from 0,993V is ok and will not damage my card too soon?
> +vram temps 82C?
> +core temps ~80C?


For a reference cooler those temps are to be expected i would imagine.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Sry to bother u guys again but i still ain't sure if my OC at 1174mV from 0,993V is ok and will not damage my card too soon?
> +vram temps 82C?
> +core temps ~80C?


You are adding more than 125mv from stock voltage... I wouldn't do that if I were you. 1120mv is not enough?


----------



## afadzil21

See this:

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/powercolor_lcs_hd7970/


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> You are adding more than 125mv from stock voltage... I wouldn't do that if I were you. 1120mv is not enough?


I want to make the most of the card so i could run BF3 at avg 60fps.

I figured that other cards have higher stock voltage because they have higher stock clock.
So this is not the case?
If I get lets say watercooling then i could only turn up the voltage by 125mV? Cuz if its at 80°C i dont mind as long the card dont break.


----------



## Daffie82

watercooling is a different story.
But for air I would not add more than 125mv. Specially with those temps you are getting.


----------



## Hambone07si

On 1 monitor, a 7970 at only 1100/1500 should max BF3 out. With 1125/1500 on 2 cards I can run ultra on 3 screens. 80c is fine but I wouldn't let it get much warmer, turn the fan up some.


----------



## Levesque

IMHO, there is something wrong with the Asus DCT2 design.

With stock air cooler, 1025/1400 was crashing in 3 seconds. LOL!

Installed a 60$ EK unviversal waterblock on it, some thermal pads on the back side directly on the VRMs, and now at stock voltage I can do 1175/1600 without any problems. Just ran Furmark 30 minutes and 3D Mark 11 10X in a row, played BF3 2 hours, and everything is rock-stable.

Temp is 33 celsius MAX on my chip at stock voltage 1175/1600 after 30 minutes of Furmark.

Asus. There is something wrong with your air cooler design.









The ''mammoth tank'' is working much better!


----------



## sockpirate

New update

[email protected] ,1300mV, core 1.270ghz, mem 1.825ghz , P score 16316

Going to test this again at 4.8ghz, 5.0ghz and 5.1ghz, hopefully will break 17k with my 5.1ghz cpu OC!

Became unstable and crashed at 1.280ghz core, and 1.825ghz mem.

Will have screens and 3dm11 results later today, its 6:02 AM....


----------



## Hambone07si

@ sockpirate, why do you have 2 7970's for just 1 1080p screen? What game could you not max out? Just curious?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> IMHO, there is something wrong with the Asus DCT2 design.
> 
> With stock air cooler, 1025/1400 was crashing in 3 seconds. LOL!
> 
> Installed a 60$ EK unviversal waterblock on it, some thermal pads on the back side directly on the VRMs, and now at stock voltage I can do 1175/1600 without any problems. Just ran Furmark 30 minutes and 3D Mark 11 10X in a row, played BF3 2 hours, and everything is rock-stable.
> 
> Temp is 33 celsius MAX on my chip at stock voltage 1175/1600 after 30 minutes of Furmark.
> 
> Asus. There is something wrong with your air cooler design.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The ''mammoth tank'' is working much better!


You just confirm my suspicion.

Now let's see the OVP/OCP control into RIVE and breaking few records with watercooling


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> watercooling is a different story.
> But for air I would not add more than 125mv. Specially with those temps you are getting.


Okay gonna be then at 1.1Ghz @ 1.1V.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> On 1 monitor, a 7970 at only 1100/1500 should max BF3 out. With 1125/1500 on 2 cards I can run ultra on 3 screens. 80c is fine but I wouldn't let it get much warmer, turn the fan up some.


I have 7950. And with 1175 core and 1650mem i rearly see a dip below 60 with everything on ultra.

Overall i don't think the heat would kill the chip. I'm just afraid that the voltage would. But then again i see ppl having 1.25 Volts on a same card. Thats really confusing=\

I'd like to get as much as I can from this card. I have 2 fans from side panel blowing direct on my card, I even took the plastic off my card so its only the chunk of aluminium and a fan on there. But still goes up to 80°C. I have set up a fan profile to 80C=>60% fan. Gonna try now with 80% but thats kinda loud..=\


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You just confirm my suspicion.
> 
> Now let's see the OVP/OCP control into RIVE and breaking few records with watercooling


That card is in my kids computer, with a Maximus.









With my Rampage, I have 4 vanilla Asus 7970.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> Can someone explain to me what is the use for powertone in CCC i am it 1140/1550 volt 1.218. If i use the powertune up to 20% can i go for more higer clock it the same volt 1.218


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Okay gonna be then at 1.1Ghz @ 1.1V.
> I have 7950. And with 1175 core and 1650mem i rearly see a dip below 60 with everything on ultra.
> Overall i don't think the heat would kill the chip. I'm just afraid that the voltage would. But then again i see ppl having 1.25 Volts on a same card. Thats really confusing=\
> I'd like to get as much as I can from this card. I have 2 fans from side panel blowing direct on my card, I even took the plastic off my card so its only the chunk of aluminium and a fan on there. But still goes up to 80°C. I have set up a fan profile to 80C=>60% fan. Gonna try now with 80% but thats kinda loud..=\


Care to show what plastic you took off? That usually channels the air THROUGH the heatsink. The cooler the chip stays, the more stable the overclock stays. you could have a overclock run all day at 70c, but if it hits 80c, it could fail. Just a tip bud.


----------



## Twistacles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Artifacts come in two flavors. There's the typical blocks, lines, digital noise looking type that is usually memory. Then there are the more rare organic looking colors, flashes or splotches of light that are core related. It reads like you are one, at your cores limit of stability at 1250 and two you might be in error correction with your memory at 1700. What do your artifacts look like? The ideal way is to test core then memory, working your way up till you find your stable maximum clock. How did you arrive at the 1700 on the memory btw?


I just saw someone post 1225/1700 @ 1.25, copied the exact numbers and it worked, lol. I get the ones that seem to be memory related. This is odd, though. Why would it be fine @ 1225 but not 1250? Arent the core and memory independant


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> I just saw someone post 1225/1700 @ 1.25, copied the exact numbers and it worked, lol. I get the ones that seem to be memory related. This is odd, though. Why would it be fine @ 1225 but not 1250? Arent the core and memory independant


You should always test your chip as it's own beast. I would never copy someone else values and try on your own hardware. That could end up in a "pop" if you did that with certain hardware.


----------



## Lard

ASUS OC Test Bios with working Clockstates:

2D: 300/150MHz 0,8V
Low3D/UVD: 501/1375MHz 0,95V
3D: 925/1375MHz


Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Yes, everyone here is very helpful.
> I've had problems with mine and everyone was very helpful in trying to help and very responsive. Though, following this thread and other threads, I was sure you were going to get a 680 instead.


Not happy with the locked down voltage control, plus the Lightnings were just too sweet to pass up!


----------



## Daffie82

What programs/benchmarks come the closest to real heavy gaming?
I know Furmark does very heavy stresstesting on your GPU and maybe 3dmark 11 ?
Reason why I am asking : I get driver error issues after gaming for a while (batman), so I am still figuring out my max core clock for gaming.
I would like to know this max clock a little sooner with some bench program instead of getting driver error messages while gaming








Thx in advance!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> Can someone explain to me what is the use for powertone in CCC i am it 1140/1550 volt 1.218. If i use the powertune up to 20% can i go for more higer clock it the same volt 1.218
Click to expand...

Power Setting is allowing the card to draw more power when it needs to before throttling down to stay within power set limit. Say the TDP is 250W with PS +20% (50W), you are allowing the card to draw 300W at drivers level. After hitting 300W limit, it will throttle down.

Regardless of voltage, that's the total power you let the card to draw at drivers level. Physical measurement could be different because of OCP (Over Current Protection).

You can not go higher than +125mV over stock voltage based on the ASIC quality. If you go higher than +125mV, the OVP (Over Voltage Protection) will kick in.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Yes, everyone here is very helpful.
> I've had problems with mine and everyone was very helpful in trying to help and very responsive. Though, following this thread and other threads, I was sure you were going to get a 680 instead.
> 
> 
> 
> Not happy with the locked down voltage control, plus the Lightnings were just too sweet to pass up!
Click to expand...

Worry not. The lightnings are equipped with goodies to by pass OVP and OCP as in ASUS DCII 7970. That's if you really are up to it


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What programs/benchmarks come the closest to real heavy gaming?
> I know Furmark does very heavy stresstesting on your GPU and maybe 3dmark 11 ?
> Reason why I am asking : I get driver error issues after gaming for a while (batman), so I am still figuring out my max core clock for gaming.
> I would like to know this max clock a little sooner with some bench program instead of getting driver error messages while gaming
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thx in advance!


furmark is usless for stress testing because is trips OCP. heaven or 3dmark 11 will suffice.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> @ sockpirate, why do you have 2 7970's for just 1 1080p screen? What game could you not max out? Just curious?


Speaking for myself, BF3 at 100FPS on 120Hz monitor, ultra setting (no blur and AA via CCC), but I am thinking of getting a 27" 2540 x 1440 very soon







and after that it will be Ivy+z77 or Sandy Bridge E


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> furmark is usless for stress testing because is trips OCP. heaven or 3dmark 11 will suffice.


Heaven does not suffice in my opinion... I am stable in heaven but not in heavy games.
Or maybe I should run heaven longer ? Lets say 30 min in continious loops ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You just confirm my suspicion.
> 
> Now let's see the OVP/OCP control into RIVE and breaking few records with watercooling


Why all you people who have R4Es no hotwire with your DC2's?

Also, it's a shame asus layed the pcb out the way they did since it forced ek to move the g1/4 ports. More dumbness from asus.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> See this:
> http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/powercolor_lcs_hd7970/


Powercolor's infamous cheaper capped reference but not really reference pcb with a waterblock for 100 extra bucks on top of a ref card plus ek block?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I've been figuring shipping costs into everything. Since I need rads anyway, the cheapest is PPC's for rads, but shipping is $16 alone there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At jab tech for both blocks, tubing, and 8 Yate Loon fans, shipping is $7 (only $11 with two rads and the rest of that stuff)...but they don't have the XSPC rads in stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However the CPU block is $7 cheaper at PPC....and only adds $1 onto shipping (saving $6 there).
> I dunno...I'm watching all my prices everywhere, and trying to make sure I get the best deal possible.
> I'm at $307 and some change right now for everything for my entire loop, plus the shipping to get my pump, res, and fittings here from Australia (which shouldn't be TOO expensive).


Yeah, its hard to compare with the shipping involved, lol.

I'll warn you now, Australia tends to think everything is worth double there


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I've been figuring shipping costs into everything. Since I need rads anyway, the cheapest is PPC's for rads, but shipping is $16 alone there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At jab tech for both blocks, tubing, and 8 Yate Loon fans, shipping is $7 (only $11 with two rads and the rest of that stuff)...but they don't have the XSPC rads in stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However the CPU block is $7 cheaper at PPC....and only adds $1 onto shipping (saving $6 there).
> I dunno...I'm watching all my prices everywhere, and trying to make sure I get the best deal possible.
> I'm at $307 and some change right now for everything for my entire loop, plus the shipping to get my pump, res, and fittings here from Australia (which shouldn't be TOO expensive).
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, its hard to compare with the shipping involved, lol.
> 
> I'll warn you now, Australia tends to think everything is worth double there
Click to expand...

Is there Yakima in Australia? It's not SE of Tacoma Puyallup?

Edit:

Nvm. I can't read.


----------



## tsm106

PPC is a freaking rip job. I try to avoid that place like the plague. Half the time I've received product that's been tampered with and their shipping prices have profit included in it and then on top they want you to pay extra insurance cuz they exclude themselves from liability.


----------



## wireeater

I didn't have any issues with the parts I ordered from them (ppcs), but it was only 1 time.

I used them and Jab-Tech for all my W/C parts. I didn't use FrozenCPU because last month when I wanted to cancel an order I placed an hour and 1/2later after placing they charged me a 10% cancellation fee. To me, if it was a first time customer, i would have waived it. Jab-Tech did when I placed the 7970 blocks and found it they might not work with my cards. I think it's John, emailed me right back and said he would change the order for me and recommend what blocks to get and also offered free shipping when they came in. Although I ordered directly from EK, it was nice of him to offer.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> PPC is a freaking rip job. I try to avoid that place like the plague. Half the time I've received product that's been tampered with and their shipping prices have profit included in it and then on top they want you to pay extra insurance cuz they exclude themselves from liability.


After reading some of the horror stories about PPC on this forum, I wouldn't order from that place even if it meant going without the part, indefinitely. I have actually waited weeks for FrozenCPU to get things back in stock to order, even when PPC had the parts the whole time.

You see that PPC? You may have your infamous 'bad customer' blacklist, but don't forget, us consumers bite too... and it's much, much harder.


----------



## firestorm1

PPC isnt that bad. i got a really good deal on the accelero xtreme 7970 cooler. they had it for $75 when everywhere else wanted $99. a couple other things that i picked that day were cheaper thorugh them than anywhere else i looked. insurance is optional and tbh you dont need it. its not like missing packages is a common occurance these days. i see nothing wrong with the usps shipping price. the ups shipping is what looks like a rip off.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I didn't have any issues with the parts I ordered from them (ppcs), but it was only 1 time.
> I used them and Jab-Tech for all my W/C parts. I didn't use FrozenCPU because last month when I wanted to cancel an order I placed an hour and 1/2later after placing they charged me a 10% cancellation fee. To me, if it was a first time customer, i would have waived it. Jab-Tech did when I placed the 7970 blocks and found it they might not work with my cards. I think it's John, emailed me right back and said he would change the order for me and recommend what blocks to get and also offered free shipping when they came in. Although I ordered directly from EK, it was nice of him to offer.


Jab-tech is the best imo. Fedex dropped my rx480. I didn't check it till a week or so later, had no clue and well I was busy. I could sense John's troll face behind the screen since I notified him a week later, but then he shrugged and sent out a new one. They be better than Sidewinder. Sidewinder sent me a rad with lots of flux trapped inside and no amount of flushing would remove it. I'm talking big chunks that thudd inside the rad. They wouldn't let me return it for another and forwarded me to swiftech for rma. LOL Wut? I'm not a fan of pawning the customer off on RMAs on brand new product. Yea, last time I buy from them.

Btw svthomas... that so funny with the customer blacklist. It's like they are penalizing you for being their customer lol.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Power Setting is allowing the card to draw more power when it needs to before throttling down to stay within power set limit. Say the TDP is 250W with PS +20% (50W), you are allowing the card to draw 300W at drivers level. After hitting 300W limit, it will throttle down.
> 
> Regardless of voltage, that's the total power you let the card to draw at drivers level. Physical measurement could be different because of OCP (Over Current Protection).
> 
> You can not go higher than +125mV over stock voltage based on the ASIC quality. If you go higher than +125mV, the OVP (Over Voltage Protection) will kick in.
> 
> Worry not. The lightnings are equipped with goodies to by pass OVP and OCP as in ASUS DCII 7970. That's if you really are up to it


so max volt will be 1.093(stock) +125vm = 1.218
so what is the advantge if i enable powertune 20% ??? more fps in games or high clocks


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You can not go higher than +125mV over stock voltage based on the ASIC quality. If you go higher than +125mV, the OVP (Over Voltage Protection) will kick in.


I have +180mV and no problems. Even after hours of gaming BF3.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> so max volt will be 1.093(stock) +125vm = 1.218
> so what is the advantge if i enable powertune 20% ??? more fps in games or high clocks


There's a TDP limiter on the card. WHen you hit that limit it will throttle the card. Powertune is a setting to adjust that limit, +20% raises it by said amount.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I have +180mV and no problems. Even after hours of gaming BF3.


Are you reading this voltage from AB? Are you reading REAL voltage or intended voltage, because the two are not the same.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You can not go higher than +125mV over stock voltage based on the ASIC quality. If you go higher than +125mV, the OVP (Over Voltage Protection) will kick in.
> 
> 
> 
> I have +180mV and no problems. Even after hours of gaming BF3.
Click to expand...

Can you try +200mV or +300mV? Maybe it will clock higher and perform much better?

Quote:


> so max volt will be 1.093(stock) +125vm = 1.218
> so what is the advantge if i enable powertune 20% ??? more fps in games or high clocks


Quote:


> *Power Setting is allowing the card to draw more power when it needs to before throttling down to stay within power set limit.* Say the TDP is 250W with PS +20% (50W), you are allowing the card to draw 300W at drivers level. After hitting 300W limit, it will throttle down.


----------



## mltms

last Q









my stock is 1.093 is my max volt for it 1.218
amd 7950 oc edition


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's a TDP limiter on the card. WHen you hit that limit it will throttle the card. Powertune is a setting to adjust that limit, +20% raises it by said amount.
> Are you reading this voltage from AB? Are you reading REAL voltage or intended voltage, because the two are not the same.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Can you try +200mV or +300mV? Maybe it will clock higher and perform much better?


Not sure if sarcasm? It probably would go higher resulting in better performance until it would pop:>
i don't get it, why are some 1,093V and mine is 0,993V at stock?
Is it because the other ones are 900Mhz stock and mine 810 or is there a less capable chip in mine? Oo


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Not sure if sarcasm? It probably would go higher resulting in better performance until it would pop:>
> i don't get it, why are some 1,093V and mine is 0,993V at stock?
> Is it because the other ones are 900Mhz stock and mine 810 or is there a less capable chip in mine? Oo












What wasn't I clear about and what is this sarcasm? AB does not read REAL VOLTAGE. You can slide it over to 1.4v but that doesn't mean you are feeding the card 1.4v.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What wasn't I clear about and what is this sarcasm? AB does not read REAL VOLTAGE. You can slide it over to 1.4v but that doesn't mean you are feeding the card 1.4v.


So how much can i set it in AB? And where can i read real woltage?
Sry for nagging:\


----------



## firestorm1

new driver is out.









http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/downloads.aspx


----------



## wireeater

Are these certified releases?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> So how much can i set it in AB? And where can i read real woltage?
> Sry for nagging:\


Download hwinfo64 to read real voltage. AB only reads what you input into it so it's not good for actual voltage monitoring, in fact at all. While you are reading this voltage in hwinfo, disable the OSD monitoring of voltage in AB. Using multiple readers will cause conflicts and throw your results off. Run furmark and read what hwinfo says.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> new driver is out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/downloads.aspx


Nice, but you go first.


----------



## wireeater

I will test them on my lunch break. I aint scert.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I will test them on my lunch break. I aint scert.


Let's hope this is the driver to close the gap.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nice, but you go first.


i would be honored to take one for the team. but i am not home.









someone else gets to be the guinea pig.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> I will test them on my lunch break. I aint scert.


Nice, home in office.


----------



## RagingCain

http://www.aquatuning.us/index.php/cat/c1159_7950-7970.html

Aquatuning.us for the win. EK Blocks for 103$

P.S. Aqua's VRMs are water cooled by top channel. So is Heatkiller's block I am using.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Nice, home in office.


Nah, I live about 10-15 minutes from work.

I work from home sometimes, just isn't for me.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Let's hope this is the driver to close the gap.


Lets!
Quote:


> *NEW FEATURES
> 
> Full Support for AMD Radeon HD 7000 series of products
> 
> Catalyst 12.3 now fully supports the AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 and AMD Radeon HD 7700 series of products*


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Let's hope this is the driver to close the gap.
> 
> 
> 
> Lets!
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> *NEW FEATURES
> 
> Full Support for AMD Radeon HD 7000 series of products
> 
> Catalyst 12.3 now fully supports the AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 and AMD Radeon HD 7700 series of products*
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Someone mind posting the driver version? Anticipate its older than 12.4 beta.


----------



## wireeater

*
AMD Catalyst 12.3 WHQL 64-bit
On this page you can download AMD Catalyst 12.3 WHQL 64-bit.
Version: (8.951.0 March 8) AMD Official WHQL
Publisher: AMD
Date added: 2012-03-29 12:06:16
File Size: 161 MB
OS Support: Windows 7 and Vista 64-bit
License: Freeware
Downloads: 286 downloads
Software type: Videocards - ATI Catalyst Vista - Win 7*


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Someone mind posting the driver version? Anticipate its older than 12.4 beta.


8.951-120308a-135594C-ATI


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

You guys please post back your feedback on this new driver release. I'll be installing my 7970's tomorrow or Friday and I want to start out on the best drivers possible (fresh install of Win7 of course)....


----------



## wireeater

I will. I think people expect too much performance per driver releases though. As long as there aren't any installation issues I will call them a successful driver from AMD, lol.

I know my 3Dmark score was 13400 last time I checked, so I will bench with the new ones and see if there is any change there.


----------



## tsm106

Grabs fresh cup of coffee and a smoke.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> *AMD Catalyst 12.3 WHQL 64-bit
> On this page you can download AMD Catalyst 12.3 WHQL 64-bit.
> Version: (8.951.0 March 8) AMD Official WHQL
> Publisher: AMD
> Date added: 2012-03-29 12:06:16
> File Size: 161 MB
> OS Support: Windows 7 and Vista 64-bit
> License: Freeware
> Downloads: 286 downloads
> Software type: Videocards - ATI Catalyst Vista - Win 7*


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Someone mind posting the driver version? Anticipate its older than 12.4 beta.
> 
> 
> 
> 8.951-120308a-135594C-ATI
Click to expand...

Official 12.3 not recommended. 12.4 is the latest.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

If anybody wants to run Heaven 3.0 at max settings 1080p with CF 7970's and post the results here I'd be very interested to see how it matches up with the 680 results posted in their club...


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You guys please post back your feedback on this new driver release. I'll be installing my 7970's tomorrow or Friday and I want to start out on the best drivers possible (fresh install of Win7 of course)....


Fresh win7 install, really?

I'd just install the damn drivers. If I found any bugs, then I'd proceed to more extreme solutions.

But... then again, if you're having fun with new toys and all, rock on


----------



## Denca

Can someone please tell me how to properly use ATIMAN. I know a noob question.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> i would be honored to take one for the team. but i am not home.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> someone else gets to be the guinea pig.


*cough*cough*, ugh, I feel sick, I need to go home sick from work. HAHA JK.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denca*
> 
> Can someone please tell me how to properly use ATIMAN. I know a noob question.


Install it, run the program, the command prompt will ask you a few options, just hit A for Automatic.

Then it will take a while, screens will go off, resolutions will change etc etc. It will reboot eventually, or ask you to, say yes.

When you reboot, it starts back up automatically asking you to C for Continue.

When its all done you will be given more options but Q is for Quit.

I am going by memory, let me know if I made a mistake.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> Fresh win7 install, really?
> I'd just install the damn drivers. If I found any bugs, then I'd proceed to more extreme solutions.
> But... then again, if you're having fun with new toys and all, rock on


Lol, yeah, I'm replacing my two Intel 320's with a Corsair Force 3 240GB for simplicity so I'll have to do a fresh install anyway (plus I don't feel like ferreting out all of the residual Nvidia stuff on here)...


----------



## Denca

Will do RagingCain


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Download hwinfo64 to read real voltage. AB only reads what you input into it so it's not good for actual voltage monitoring, in fact at all. While you are reading this voltage in hwinfo, disable the OSD monitoring of voltage in AB. Using multiple readers will cause conflicts and throw your results off. Run furmark and read what hwinfo says.
> 
> Nice, but you go first.


Voltage in AB: 0,993 1,174
Voltage in HWinfo: 0,977 1,142

So what is my max? 993+125=1118mV or 977+125=1102mV? If i read it from HWinfo?


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> *cough*cough*, ugh, I feel sick, I need to go home sick from work. HAHA JK.


HAHA.


----------



## thrgk

Let me know if these amd drivers are better to use, more stable then the 11.2 that originally came with the 7970. If so i will install em tonight!


----------



## Denca

I never had any problems with AMD drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Voltage in AB: 0,993 1,174
> Voltage in HWinfo: 0,977 1,142
> So what is my max? 993+125=1118mV or 977+125=1102mV? If i read it from HWinfo?


Sending you a pm to try something.


----------



## Daffie82

Just did a run on 3dmark 11
i5 2500K @ 4.5ghz
sapphire oc hd7950 @ 1150 / 1525

result : 3042

Is this pretty normal/ok ?

EDIT : extreme preset !


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What wasn't I clear about and what is this sarcasm? AB does not read REAL VOLTAGE. You can slide it over to 1.4v but that doesn't mean you are feeding the card 1.4v.


ye that is true,it shows different voltage in FurMark and AB for me,at AB is 1118 and in Furmark shows 1175,but when i push over 1.2 in AB i getting freezes...


----------



## alexmaia_br

Ok,
fooled around with my gpu, thanks to you guys and the tips on how to unlock AB.

Reached [email protected] with corevolt: 1210

Comments, tips?









pics/links:

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3061154;jsessionid=rzfsfxmt600ae1cc8nuihdl4


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Just did a run on 3dmark 11
> i5 2500K @ 4.5ghz
> sapphire oc hd7950 @ 1150 / 1525
> result : 3042
> Is this pretty normal/ok ?
> EDIT : extreme preset !


I hope you mean [E]xtreme and not [P]erformance.

NM, you edited it.

Run it in performance as that is the standard benchmark.


----------



## Ruined

double post


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> Ok,
> fooled around with my gpu, thanks to you guys and the tips on how to unlock AB.
> Reached [email protected] with corevolt: 1210
> Comments, tips?


What's your stock voltage if it's 1.112 or 1.175 you still might get a little more on the core. Memory wise you still might have a fair bit to go, but stop overclocking it if you see artifacts. Artifacts=To high a memory clock, Crash to Desktop or just plain crash=To high a core clock. Also if you put the fan at +80% your temps would be a lot lower, I know though the stock fan is so loud.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Speaking for myself, BF3 at 100FPS on 120Hz monitor, ultra setting (no blur and AA via CCC), but I am thinking of getting a 27" 2540 x 1440 very soon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and after that it will be Ivy+z77 or Sandy Bridge E


Yeah, but I get that in eyefinity. Figured 1 card would do that on 1 screen.


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> double post


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> Ok,
> fooled around with my gpu, thanks to you guys and the tips on how to unlock AB.
> Reached [email protected] with corevolt: 1210
> Comments, tips?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What's your stock voltage if it's 1.112 or 1.175 you still might get a little more on the core. Memory wise you still might have a fair bit to go, but stop overclocking it if you see artifacts. Artifacts=To high a memory clock, Crash to Desktop or just plain crash=To high a core clock. Also if you put the fan at +80% your temps would be a lot lower, I know though the stock fan is so loud.
Click to expand...

My stock voltage is 1175. I ran 3dmark and saw no artifacts.

I'd like to achieve a medium OC... nothing extreme, but a reasonable, safe result.
maybe I'll push a bit more then... put 5% more on fan profile overall too. Thanks for the tip.
+rep.

Here's my fan profile:


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well, just installed those 12.3 WHQL's. Same problem with MLAA.....absolutely horrible performance.







Otherwise doesn't seem to be a change from 12.2 for me.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, just installed those 12.3 WHQL's. Same problem with MLAA.....absolutely horrible performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Otherwise doesn't seem to be a change from 12.2 for me.


[zombie]

12.4 betas, join us.... holding your benchmarks back....

[/zombie]


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Download hwinfo64 to read real voltage. AB only reads what you input into it so it's not good for actual voltage monitoring, in fact at all. While you are reading this voltage in hwinfo, disable the OSD monitoring of voltage in AB. Using multiple readers will cause conflicts and throw your results off. Run furmark and read what hwinfo says.
> 
> Nice, but you go first.


Whoa?? I just ran furmark with HW open and with AB set too 1.174v cards at idle were 1.154v/1.144v and load was 1.095v and the other 0.939v. Why's my 2nd card getting less voltage?


----------



## Daffie82

***








Just did a GPU test in OCCT 3.1 @ 1150 core, 1525 memory, 1175mv
After about 90sec I got a hard automatic reboot !
And if I now look in CCC power control is back to 0% ! (it was +20%)

I guess that means my OC is not stable at all ?
Should I put power control to 0% before testing with OCCT 3.1 ?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, just installed those 12.3 WHQL's. Same problem with MLAA.....absolutely horrible performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Otherwise doesn't seem to be a change from 12.2 for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [zombie]
> 12.4 betas, join us.... holding your benchmarks back....
> [/zombie]
Click to expand...

[zombie]
I don't run beta drivers unless required (first release)
[/zombie]


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'll be sticking to whql drivers too...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> If anybody wants to run Heaven 3.0 at max settings 1080p with CF 7970's and post the results here I'd be very interested to see how it matches up with the 680 results posted in their club...


sure


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Download hwinfo64 to read real voltage. AB only reads what you input into it so it's not good for actual voltage monitoring, in fact at all. While you are reading this voltage in hwinfo, disable the OSD monitoring of voltage in AB. Using multiple readers will cause conflicts and throw your results off. Run furmark and read what hwinfo says.
> 
> Nice, but you go first.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Whoa?? I just ran furmark with HW open and with AB set too 1.174v cards at idle were 1.154v/1.144v and load was 1.095v and the other 0.939v. Why's my 2nd card getting less voltage?
Click to expand...

There should be 4 or 5 stages of voltage in BIOS register.

1. Full 3D Clocks.

2. Throttling down (TDP, Temperature or OCP).

3. UVD (Unified Video Decoder).

4. 2D Clocks.

5. ULPS or ZeroCore Power State.

Your second card is in ULPS/ZeroCore State during idle.

There's nothing wrong with the readings from HWInfo64 or Furmark. It just read the different stage of voltage from GPU-Z. So far GPU-Z under sensor tap is the most accurate.


----------



## wireeater

Well I installed the new drivers. I didn't even remove them, i wanted to be dangerous. All I did was upgrade over the previous drivers.

No problems, everything installed didn't ask to reboot even though I did anyways.

So I ran a benchmark to compare.

My last score with same settings as now was 13400 even.

Here is the bench after upgrading.

I'm sure there can be error because no computer runs a consistent score, but no hardware changes were made other than voltage bumps on the cores.



Edit: Comparing screens from last benchmark. it seems some points I gained in Physics some how, graphic score I gained 50 points, physics I gained 340 points /shrug.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Anybody here know how overclocking works on the 7970 lightning? I've read that it has voltage unlocked so will it be as simple as unlocking voltage control in AB and setting it to whatever value i want?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> [zombie]
> I don't run beta drivers unless required (first release)
> [/zombie]


12.3 Still have MLAA 1.0 which only 12.4 have the new one MLAA 2.0.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Whoa?? I just ran furmark with HW open and with AB set too 1.174v cards at idle were 1.154v/1.144v and load was 1.095v and the other 0.939v. Why's my 2nd card getting less voltage?


What's the ASIC quality for each of the cards? Does your second card have a higher ASIC percentage by chance?


----------



## Hambone07si

Here's Heaven 3.0 maxed settings with 2 7970's @ 1200/1600 1.200v/1.600v

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> What's the ASIC quality for each of the cards? Does your second card have a higher ASIC percentage by chance?


No, there almost exactly the same. I was amazed


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> [zombie]
> I don't run beta drivers unless required (first release)
> [/zombie]
> 
> 
> 
> 12.3 Still have MLAA 1.0 which only 12.4 have the new one MLAA 2.0.
Click to expand...

Correct


----------



## Hambone07si

Where's the comparison that Heaven run was for? Was I suppose to use 4xAA or 8?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> [zombie]
> I don't run beta drivers unless required (first release)
> [/zombie]
> 
> 
> 
> 12.3 Still have MLAA 1.0 which only 12.4 have the new one MLAA 2.0.
Click to expand...


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Here's Heaven 3.0 maxed settings with 2 7970's @ 1200/1600 1.200v/1.600v
> ...
> No, there almost exactly the same. I was amazed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Lucky! Mine are way different. I want to say (going from memory), 69% (Sapphire) and 82% (PowerColor) on mine.









I would think you'd get a higher score in heaven with those clocks, I was running that same benchmark at 1080p with settings maxed and getting scores in the 2600s, and was only running an 1150/1600 OC. hmm.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

It was me and it was 8xAA. My current 580 lightnings at 940mhz get 79fps at that setting...


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Lucky! Mine are way different. I want to say (going from memory), 69% (Sapphire) and 82% (PowerColor) on mine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would think you'd get a higher score in heaven with those clocks, I was running that same benchmark at 1080p with settings maxed and getting scores in the 2600s, and was only running an 1150/1600 OC. hmm.


I ran the Heaven benchmark on max at 1100/1500 on both cards last night, resolution at 1920x1200/8xAA and got an average FPS of 95. I, too, am a bit surprised at his score. Hmmm


----------



## Hambone07si

HA, I had 16xEQ and Super sample on in CCC. running again.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> I ran the Heaven benchmark on max at 1100/1500 on both cards last night, resolution at 1920x1200/8xAA and got an average FPS of 95. I, too, am a bit surprised at his score. Hmmm


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> HA, I had 16xEQ and Super sample on in CCC. running again.


Oh, well that certainly explains it. For some reason, enabling MLAA, or super sampling through CCC isn't working in games for me. I'm only playing BF3 and when I enable 4xEQ in CCC I see no difference in CCC?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> @ sockpirate, why do you have 2 7970's for just 1 1080p screen? What game could you not max out? Just curious?


Its one 1080p 120hz monitor. 120hz can be quite demanding with games like bf3 on ultra preset. I am sure you know this though.


----------



## omega17

Just tried out 12.3, second card was stuck at default 3D clocks no matter what I did.

Reverted back to whatever I've been on [hassle-free] for a while, whichever they are









(8.95-120214a-133662E-ATI)


----------



## Hambone07si

Here's the real score for the 7970's







What do the 680's get?
















































































































































Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Its one 1080p 120hz monitor. 120hz can be quite demanding with games like bf3 on ultra preset. I am sure you know this though.


Oh, I see.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Whoa?? I just ran furmark with HW open and with AB set too 1.174v cards at idle were 1.154v/1.144v and load was 1.095v and the other 0.939v. Why's my 2nd card getting less voltage?


Restart AB. It is still buggy. Btw, run the Top 30 Heaven 3 bench. I just posted my run, scored 4505.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Here's the real score for the 7970's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What do the 680's get?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, I see.


I have plans for eyefinity 120hz in fall possibly though, first i wanted to see if i would even like 120hz so i started with this single first.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Here's the real score for the 7970's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What do the 680's get?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
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> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, I see.


That looks much better!







Thats 33% faster than my overclocked 580's! Thats the kind of improvement i'm looking for with my 7970's...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Restart AB. It is still buggy. Btw, run the Top 30 Heaven 3 bench. I just posted my run, scored 4505.


Link?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I have plans for eyefinity 120hz in fall possibly though, first i wanted to see if i would even like 120hz so i started with this single first.


Nice! I want to step up to 120hz too. Was almost going to do 3 42" Samsung 240hz, but it will take up a lot of room. I will when I open a shop








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That looks much better!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thats 33% faster than my overclocked 580's! Thats the kind of improvement i'm looking for with my 7970's...


Yeah, I thought it was low. Whats a pair of 680's getting?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> ***
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just did a GPU test in OCCT 3.1 @ 1150 core, 1525 memory, 1175mv
> After about 90sec I got a hard automatic reboot !
> And if I now look in CCC power control is back to 0% ! (it was +20%)
> I guess that means my OC is not stable at all ?
> Should I put power control to 0% before testing with OCCT 3.1 ?


Just did same OCCT 3.1 test now with 1100 core, 1500 memory, 1175mv
Set power control in CCC to 10% this time.

Passed 15min test without problems.

Will try to up it a little more and see where I end up


----------



## tsm106

http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/0_40#post_16832479

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Just tried out 12.3, second card was stuck at default 3D clocks no matter what I did.
> Reverted back to whatever I've been on [hassle-free] for a while, whichever they are
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (8.95-120214a-133662E-ATI)


Looks like AMD is sticking to the no uinofficial overclock method.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Just tried out 12.3, second card was stuck at default 3D clocks no matter what I did.
> Reverted back to whatever I've been on [hassle-free] for a while, whichever they are
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (8.95-120214a-133662E-ATI)


Remember anytime you upgrade you have to disable the ULPS and all that crap because it rewrites it to the registry.


----------



## Hambone07si

every driver I've used has always dropped my clocks to 400/1500 and 300/150 on both. I have ULPS disabled always.


----------



## wireeater

Interesting. Are you sure it's actually disabled though?

You have to add the 2 files to the syswow64/sys32 folder for it to actually work if you are using the newer drivers.

It might say it is in the reg but it doesn't actually disable. Best way to know is using Trixx, it will tell you when you start it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Interesting. *Are you sure it's actually disabled though?*
> You have to add the 2 files to the syswow64/sys32 folder for it to actually work if you are using the newer drivers.
> It might say it is in the reg but it doesn't actually disable. Best way to know is using Trixx, it will tell you when you start it.


His cfx system would hard lock on applying clocks over Overdrive limit, ie. when AB tries to use UOM = hard lock.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> @ sockpirate, why do you have 2 7970's for just 1 1080p screen? What game could you not max out? Just curious?


I can't quite max BF3 above 60fps on my card, at 1100/1500. I get average of 75ish, but still get dips into the 50s. I run all maxed, 2xMSAA.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> His cfx system would hard lock on applying clocks over Overdrive limit, ie. when AB tries to use UOM = hard lock.


Exactly! Its disabled.

I avg about 90-100fps dips to 70fps and Max of 200+ with Ultra and 8xAa super sample in ccc


----------



## afadzil21

New catalyst drivers out folks:

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2127/mirrors.php


----------



## sockpirate

Finally broke 17k on 3DM11...was tough on my CPU but the 7970s still had great temps!!!

This is 2600k @ 5.148ghz, GPUs @ 1300mV, core @ 1.270ghz, and 1.825ghz mem


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I can't quite max BF3 above 60fps on my card, at 1100/1500. I get average of 75ish, but still get dips into the 50s. I run all maxed, 2xMSAA.


Drop MSAA. You dont need it. Just use Medium FXAA.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Just did same OCCT 3.1 test now with 1100 core, 1500 memory, 1175mv
> Set power control in CCC to 10% this time.
> Passed 15min test without problems.
> Will try to up it a little more and see where I end up


YES !
Passed again same test 15 min in OCCT 3.1 now at 1130 core @ 1175mv, 1550 memory (stock volt)
note: this custom 15 min test was at max res. and 8x shader - in these 15min there were 5min idle time though during the test (1 min before - 4 min after), program did this automatically.

I'm guessing this is VERY close to my max stable OC since it crashed on me at 1150 core...
Only difference though is power control setting in CCC which I have now set to 10% while it was at 20% when my pc had a hard crash during OCCT test.

Only question now is : should I put power control back to 20% in CCC or just leave it at 10% ?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Finally broke 17k on 3DM11...was tough on my CPU but the 7970s still had great temps!!!
> This is 2600k @ 5.148ghz, GPUs @ 1300mV, core @ 1.270ghz, and 1.825ghz mem


That settles it, I'm going to be shooting for P17000 in 3DMark11 once I get my lightnings installed. I doubt I'll be able to match your gpu clocks but I should make up some ground on my cpu score.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That settles it, I'm going to be shooting for P17000 in 3DMark11 once I get my lightnings installed. I doubt I'll be able to match your gpu clocks but I should make up some ground on my cpu score.


Yeah definitely, the 3960x gets some really nice scores, with tri sli 580 lightning extremes you can expect 20k+ with a measley 1ghz OC with a 3960x.

and seeing how these 7970s get such great scores in just Xfire, you should beat my score, im thinking upper 17k .


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Link?
> *Nice! I want to step up to 120hz too. Was almost going to do 3 42" Samsung 240hz, but it will take up a lot of room. I will when I open a shop
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> Yeah, I thought it was low. Whats a pair of 680's getting?


You do know that any of those HDTVs marketed as 120, 240, or 600Hz aren't really any of those right? They use processing engines to generate frames between the frames. It works decently unless the scene changes drastically then it rips in half for a very split second.


----------



## trippinonprozac

Can anyone confirm that the new 12.3/12.4 CAT drivers dont really work with afterburner and unofficial overclocking?

As soon as I enable it in the cfg file my sliders all go to 0 and I cant adjust??


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Can anyone confirm that the new 12.3/12.4 CAT drivers dont really work with afterburner and unofficial overclocking?
> As soon as I enable it in the cfg file my sliders all go to 0 and I cant adjust??


I can overclock, my sliders are there, but EVERY TIME I try to launch a game after OCing my games freeze, go black, and then a window's notification pops up saying my drivers have stopped working.

This is with eyefinity, and I can play the games normally in eyefinity WITHOUT an OC. But once I OC, I've rendered my computer useless for widescreen gaming xD

Can anyone help me with my issue? I have another thread opened discussing this same issue.

Thanks! - Jessekin32


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trippinonprozac*
> 
> Can anyone confirm that the new 12.3/12.4 CAT drivers dont really work with afterburner and unofficial overclocking?
> As soon as I enable it in the cfg file my sliders all go to 0 and I cant adjust??


You need to patch it. Im on my galaxy s2 so can't give them to you. It works.


----------



## Denca

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Install it, run the program, the command prompt will ask you a few options, just hit A for Automatic.
> 
> Then it will take a while, screens will go off, resolutions will change etc etc. It will reboot eventually, or ask you to, say yes.
> 
> When you reboot, it starts back up automatically asking you to C for Continue.
> 
> When its all done you will be given more options but Q is for Quit.
> 
> I am going by memory, let me know if I made a mistake.


You were right good sir it was all the same except its e for exit not q









cheers


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You need to patch it. Im on my galaxy s2 so can't give them to you. It works.


Isn't one of the solutions to install RC11 and then install over it to keep the files intact? I don't think I have a copy of the files needed to patch currently :/


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Drop MSAA. You dont need it. Just use Medium FXAA.


Why? It's perfectly playable. I want to be able to do 4xMSAA though.


----------



## Jessekin32

Every time I OC my card, and try to launch a game in Eyefinity, the drivers crash.

I can launch and play the game in eyefinity without an overclock, but everytime I try to oc my card to 1125 / 1575 my games freeze and then go to a black screen. Any way to resolve this issue?

I'm using 12.3 CCC drivers. And I try to OC both through CCC and MSI AB.

Thanks guys, and let me know what I can do! - Jessekin32.


----------



## firestorm1

raise your voltage.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> raise your voltage.


Power control settings are set to +20%. Should I chance it to something else through MSI AB?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Power control settings are set to +20%. Should I chance it to something else through MSI AB?


Change your core voltage to something like 1.200.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Change your core voltage to something like 1.200.


I just tried in MSI AB, and my voltage slider isn't there D: and yes i have unlocked voltage control.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> I can overclock, my sliders are there, but EVERY TIME I try to launch a game after OCing my games freeze, go black, and then a window's notification pops up saying my drivers have stopped working.
> This is with eyefinity, and I can play the games normally in eyefinity WITHOUT an OC. But once I OC, I've rendered my computer useless for widescreen gaming xD
> Can anyone help me with my issue? I have another thread opened discussing this same issue.
> Thanks! - Jessekin32


That's not the driver. The part that holds your eyefinity info is corrupted. I don't know where it is held unfortunately. I've had the same issue and reinstalling fixed it.


----------



## TheJesus

Thank Google! Gmail kept this in trash. Use the attached file.

First take the atipdl64.dll and move it in to the C:\windows\system32 folder. Then take the atipdlxx.dll and move that into the C:\windows\SYSWOW64 folder.

Reboot the machine, then run the ULPS application which will ask you if you want to disable them. Then it will reboot your machine then you should be good to go. Also make sure you disabled Overdrive in the CCC for both cards.

ATIDrivers+ULPS_Fix.zip 478k .zip file


This is for trippinonprozac and Jesskin32.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not the driver. The part that holds your eyefinity info is corrupted. I don't know where it is held unfortunately. I've had the same issue and reinstalling fixed it.


Reinstalling... what? Windows?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Reinstalling... what? Windows?


Yea, Windows. Oh wait, hold on I read that wrong. You can use eyefinity fine or no? The overclock issue is something completely different. If its overclocking then What was posted above is what you should try.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Thank Google! Gmail kept this in trash. Use the attached file.
> First take the atipdl64.dll and move it in to the C:\windows\system32 folder. Then take the atipdlxx.dll and move that into the C:\windows\SYSWOW64 folder.
> Reboot the machine, then run the ULPS application which will ask you if you want to disable them. Then it will reboot your machine then you should be good to go. Also make sure you disabled Overdrive in the CCC for both cards.
> 
> ATIDrivers+ULPS_Fix.zip 478k .zip file
> 
> This is for trippinonprozac and Jesskin32.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea, Windows.


If I reinstall windows, will I still have to do this? Cause I need to setup my raid for my two SSD's anyway, then reinstall windows.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Grabs fresh cup of coffee and a smoke.


Ditto... just about to click install. LOL


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Thank Google! Gmail kept this in trash. Use the attached file.
> First take the atipdl64.dll and move it in to the C:\windows\system32 folder. Then take the atipdlxx.dll and move that into the C:\windows\SYSWOW64 folder.
> Reboot the machine, then run the ULPS application which will ask you if you want to disable them. Then it will reboot your machine then you should be good to go. Also make sure you disabled Overdrive in the CCC for both cards.
> 
> ATIDrivers+ULPS_Fix.zip 478k .zip file
> 
> This is for trippinonprozac and Jesskin32.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea, Windows.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> If I reinstall windows, will I still have to do this? Cause I need to setup my raid for my two SSD's anyway, then reinstall windows.
Click to expand...

If you reinstall Windows, make it easier on yourself. Install the RC11 drivers first. Uninstall them (just using the control panel uninstall option). Then install the latest WHQL drivers. I started my install with the RC11's, and jumped to 12.2 WHQL, and now 12.3 WHQL. I only use the uninstall in the control panel, and I have NEVER had a driver related problem specifically (except GTA IV being highly unoptimized).


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> If you reinstall Windows, make it easier on yourself. Install the RC11 drivers first. Uninstall them (just using the control panel uninstall option). Then install the latest WHQL drivers. I started my install with the RC11's, and jumped to 12.2 WHQL, and now 12.3 WHQL. I only use the uninstall in the control panel, and I have NEVER had a driver related problem specifically (except GTA IV being highly unoptimized).


Should this fix my eyefinity OC issue then? Cause I don't know if you've tried eyefinity, and then had issues. D:


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> If you reinstall Windows, make it easier on yourself. Install the RC11 drivers first. Uninstall them (just using the control panel uninstall option). Then install the latest WHQL drivers. I started my install with the RC11's, and jumped to 12.2 WHQL, and now 12.3 WHQL. I only use the uninstall in the control panel, and I have NEVER had a driver related problem specifically (except GTA IV being highly unoptimized).
> 
> 
> 
> Should this fix my eyefinity OC issue then? Cause I don't know if you've tried eyefinity, and then had issues. D:
Click to expand...

It SHOULD. There's quite a few people in here that run Eyefinity and overclocked without issue. And I'll bet they all started on the RC11 driver.

No, I haven't tried eyefinity. I couldn't even afford the ONE 30" monitor that I have...let alone 3 of them.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It SHOULD. There's quite a few people in here that run Eyefinity and overclocked without issue. And I'll bet they all started on the RC11 driver.
> No, I haven't tried eyefinity. I couldn't even afford the ONE 30" monitor that I have...let alone 3 of them.


Nah, 12.2 only on my system. This is what I did: Fresh OS install ->mobo drivers ->Windows Updates -> 12.2 install +caps
Haven't had any issues (aside from the xfire micro-stutter annoyances, but I am just sensitive to it I guess). I run xfire and eyefinity.

Actually, the driver issue I did previously have (on a previous OS install) with eyefinity and DX11 was caused by RC11. It mucked up my Visual C++ libraries and wouldn't allow games like BF3 or Dirt2 to launch on anything other than RC11. Screwed up my eyefinity too, I couldn't reset eyefinity settings or create groups after the RC11 driver install in any other driver.

In my opinion, and this is what I am doing: stick to the official releases, and stay away from release candidates and preview drivers. And also, and I will probably get flamed for this: stay away from driver sweeper and atiman, or any other third party clean up software unless you run into a problem.

Just my


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Nah, 12.2 only on my system. This is what I did Fresh OS install ->mobo drivers ->Windows Updates -> 12.2 install +caps
> Haven't had any issues. I run xfire and eyefinity.
> Actually, the driver issue I did previously have (on a previous OS install) with eyefinity and DX11 was caused by RC11. It mucked up my Visual C++ libraries and wouldn't allow games like BF3 or Dirt2 to launch on anything other than RC11.


You know when I was having the launching problems like that? I've found that all I had to do was go back to 1920x1080 desktop res and launch the games and they would launch, even be in eyefinity res too. Just when I would try to launch right off the bat after all my driver installs everything didn't. After doing that once, then I could change back to eyefinity desktop res and launch them fine. LOL

I have to build another system at work now tomorrow or friday. I'm thinking of picking up a 2700k for that system and swapping my 2500k out of my system at home. I know I'd get a lot more in these benchmarks with a i7 over my i5. I just don't want to give up this golden chip. 5ghz 1.392v under load Prime95 stable 15hrs








. Thinks I should try the 2700k? I know I'm buying Ivy in a month or so anyways


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You know when I was having the launching problems like that? I've found that all I had to do was go back to 1920x1080 desktop res and launch the games and they would launch, even be in eyefinity res too. Just when I would try to launch right off the bat after all my driver installs everything didn't. After doing that once, then I could change back to eyefinity desktop res and launch them fine. LOL
> I have to build another system at work now tomorrow or friday. I'm thinking of picking up a 2700k for that system and swapping my 2500k out of my system at home. I know I'd get a lot more in these benchmarks with a i7 over my i5. I just don't want to give up this golden chip. 5ghz 1.392v under load Prime95 stable 15hrs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Thinks I should try the 2700k? I know I'm buying Ivy in a month or so anyways


My desktop was in 1920x1080, but wouldn't launch games (bf3 dirt3) or go back into eyefinity. Eyefinity was stuck, and wouldn't reset or create a new group.

Brb, going to try out the new drivers that released today.


----------



## firestorm1

this guy i know has a dell u3011 and wants to add 3 more to his setup. so he can have it look like 1 giant screen.









i told him he was nuts. but now that i think about it. it might just look pretty awesome,


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> this guy i know has a dell u3011 and wants to add 3 more to his setup. so he can have it look like 1 giant screen.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i told him he was nuts. but now that i think about it. it might just look pretty awesome,


So 4 total? The crosshair will be on the bezels







He should have 3 total. I wish I had $3k+ to blow on monitors alone, lmao.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> My desktop was in 1920x1080, but wouldn't launch games (bf3 dirt3) or go back into eyefinity. Eyefinity was stuck, and wouldn't reset or create a new group.
> Brb, going to try out the new drivers that released today.


Do you have MW3? If so, could you tell me if that driver lets you play with out crazy texture colors.


----------



## Marcus Rogers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> this guy i know has a dell u3011 and wants to add 3 more to his setup. so he can have it look like 1 giant screen.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i told him he was nuts. but now that i think about it. it might just look pretty awesome,


Well at the time the idea was great. I blame the Guinness. This is why i hate talking about rig upgrades while drinking.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> So 4 total? The crosshair will be on the bezels
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He should have 3 total. I wish I had $3k+ to blow on monitors alone, lmao.


Yea, I realized that after i sobered up. I would need 6 total to make it look right. Then i would have to explain to my wife why im buying stuff i dont need, AGAIN. Oh wait.....I'm not married.









I t hink 1 monitor is enough for now.. There are other things i have my eyes on.


----------



## Exostenza

Catalyst 12.3 WHQL


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> My desktop was in 1920x1080, but wouldn't launch games (bf3 dirt3) or go back into eyefinity. Eyefinity was stuck, and wouldn't reset or create a new group.
> Brb, going to try out the new drivers that released today.
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have MW3? If so, could you tell me if that driver lets you play with out crazy texture colors.
Click to expand...

I'm having no issues at all with MW3. 12.3 WHQL's now (was on 12.2 WHQL's without issue as well).


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marcus Rogers*
> 
> Well at the time the idea was great. I blame the Guinness. This is why i hate talking about rig upgrades while drinking.
> 
> Yea, I realized that after i sobered up. I would need 6 total to make it look right. Then i would have to explain to my wife why im buying stuff i dont need, AGAIN. Oh wait.....I'm not married.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I t hink 1 monitor is enough for now.. There are other things i have my eyes on.


1,3, or 5 if you're doing a single row. If you do a row of 3 on top of 3, that works as well.

Honestly, one 30" is fine


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marcus Rogers*
> 
> Then i would have to explain to my wife why im buying stuff i dont need, AGAIN. Oh wait.....I'm not married.


oh its on now.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm having no issues at all with MW3. 12.3 WHQL's now (was on 12.2 WHQL's without issue as well).


What problems do you experience in GTA IV?


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marcus Rogers*
> 
> Yea, I realized that after i sobered up. I would need 6 total to make it look right. Then i would have to explain to my wife why im buying stuff i dont need, AGAIN. Oh wait.....I'm not married.












This is the best. I didn't have one to worry about it this time when I built this one which is why I spent over 3g's LOL.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm having no issues at all with MW3. 12.3 WHQL's now (was on 12.2 WHQL's without issue as well).
> 
> 
> 
> What problems do you experience in GTA IV?
Click to expand...

I'm forced to use all Medium settings, sliders at a measely 50, and I absolutely MUST have vsync on. Any setting over that, or if I disable vsync....it stutters really REALLY badly. It doesn't matter what resolution I use either. I've tested 800x600 up to 2560x1600. They all do it with maxed out settings.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm having no issues at all with MW3. 12.3 WHQL's now (was on 12.2 WHQL's without issue as well).


I can't get BF3 to launch at all now. HA, I'm sure it's something stupid too. I've tried many things but still can't get it to launch this time. I uninstalled Rc11 and installed the new one 12.3 whql.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

As many problems as you are having at this point I think I'd just do a fresh Windows install...


----------



## wirefox

currently causing belly acid....

7970 Cards + sig rig - 76% default volts show 1117... clocked to 1175 core @1237 | 1600 ram @1618 --- changed ulps, running rc11, and ran the monty for driver setup... (can bench @ 1200 -- 94 fps | 2375 scores| 31.3 min | 228 max)

-My mobo has only one 16x slot so I'm running as 8x 8x ...how much is that affecting my gaming experience?

-My gpu usages are dipping and rising on bf3... previously with on gpu this never occurred is this vdroop? is it fixable?

-AB 15 is only showing gpu1 memory usage (which at ultra on bf3 is like 2100+/- ... but there is no gpu 2 or are they assumed to be synce? - fixable or not?

-Additionally HWMOntior only shows one card (I typically use gpu-z) just saying...

-My one gpu is showing idol 300/150 mhz clocks, while the other is 500/100 - fixable or not or what should I know about it?

-on bf3 seeing 60-71degrees on load - idols mid/low 30's depending on weather (2x fesar radiator - cougar fans)

-on bf3 98-120 fps vscync on ultra settings - smooth

-I've read bf3 is a cpu heavy game... am I losing b/c of my chip? I get great fps now but I feel like I never win a gun fight or shoot a crowd and only get one kill... or am dead from one shot way off in the distance.... while my cpu is HT and 4.4 and not really maxing out it's "close on a few cores" I'm wondering if I'm just losing to SB technology? or old age (contemplation for me on the 3930 upgrade)

-Thick ram pad vs thin. my one EK came with white ram pads the other with thin gray ones - is one better than the other?

...

my thumb it itching to give out reps for good answer


----------



## Hambone07si

everything is fine if I install Rc11. Or the 8.95.5 beta. Any other driver and things wont launch sometimes. This time BF3 wont. I'll try more tomorrow. GTA IV played pretty nice now


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So when I get my cards and install Windows on my new SSD, which drivers should I download first? I was just going to go straight to 12.3 WHQL...


----------



## wireeater

Not bad for 2x7950 eh? Max GPU temp was 44C.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wireeater*
> 
> Not bad for 2x7950 eh? Max GPU temp was 44C.


That core voltage is a little high for clock i think. For my 1150 core i only needed 1174mV


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> That core voltage is a little high for clock i think. For my 1150 core i only needed 1174mV


it's fine, temps are low. These cards are stubborn. 1175 is the most I can get out of them. Not all cards take the same volts some require a little more squeeze. These are only benchmark profiles. I'm sure it has to do with CFX as well. I can't complain. I wouldn't be running this for gaming. I already have my sweet spot for that.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm forced to use all Medium settings, sliders at a measely 50, and I absolutely MUST have vsync on. Any setting over that, or if I disable vsync....it stutters really REALLY badly. It doesn't matter what resolution I use either. I've tested 800x600 up to 2560x1600. They all do it with maxed out settings.


I have everything to High. Shadows Off. Sliders to 100. Vsync on since getting more fps does nothing for me. No stutter at all. 2560 x 1440. Using Beta 12.4.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm forced to use all Medium settings, sliders at a measely 50, and I absolutely MUST have vsync on. Any setting over that, or if I disable vsync....it stutters really REALLY badly. It doesn't matter what resolution I use either. I've tested 800x600 up to 2560x1600. They all do it with maxed out settings.
> 
> 
> 
> I have everything to High. Shadows Off. Sliders to 100. Vsync on since getting more fps does nothing for me. No stutter at all. 2560 x 1440. Using Beta 12.4.
Click to expand...

Try it with shadows on. I'll bet your framerate ends up being fine (30+ is fine in this game)....but I'll bet it stutters to hell and back.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Try it with shadows on. I'll bet your framerate ends up being fine (30+ is fine in this game)....but I'll bet it stutters to hell and back.


Yes fps did drop a lot but no stutter even when i go as low as 36fps in a street with a lot of cards.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So when I get my cards and install Windows on my new SSD, which drivers should I download first? I was just going to go straight to 12.3 WHQL...


I just tried 12.3 WHQL and I had a problem where my slave cards would be locked at their 3D clocks. Can't speak about performance as when I couldn't find a way to get them into 2D clocks while on desktop I just rolled back to 12.2 WHQL with the latest CAP which seems to work great.

I added a third card this morning and BF3 does not launch anymore. DirectX out of memory error as soon as the map loads


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Here is a Video i uploaded:


----------



## wireeater

[email protected] driving.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I just tried 12.3 WHQL and I had a problem where my slave cards would be locked at their 3D clocks. Can't speak about performance as when I couldn't find a way to get them into 2D clocks while on desktop I just rolled back to 12.2 WHQL with the latest CAP which seems to work great.
> I added a third card this morning and BF3 does not launch anymore. DirectX out of memory error as soon as the map loads


Yep, i noticed the issue with slave cards too. It's annoying, so i went back to 8.95.5.


----------



## Jessekin32

So could it be my card is just crap? D: Cause the girl I bought it from said she had it stable at what I'm trying to OC it too.

Do you think a clean install would solve it? And what does everyone think I should do in terms of drivers on my clean machine?

should is do RC11 first then 12.3? or should I go straight to 12.3 after mobo drivers? I just want to play BF3 with eyefinity on an OC'd card D,:

Every bit of insightful info I could get would be nice. Thanks guys


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> So could it be my card is just crap? D: Cause the girl I bought it from said she had it stable at what I'm trying to OC it too.
> 
> Do you think a clean install would solve it? And what does everyone think I should do in terms of drivers on my clean machine?
> 
> should is do RC11 first then 12.3? or should I go straight to 12.3 after mobo drivers? I just want to play BF3 with eyefinity on an OC'd card D,:
> 
> Every bit of insightful info I could get would be nice. Thanks guys


You should start a thread to read the connection from your previous posts. This thread moves too fast.

I'd install RC11 then just overwrite with whatever version you wish to have. Don't ask which is better because some have better performance and worse for other. The rule is no rule. Find whatever is working best for you.

Create backup image file after fresh install with activasion and all. If you are too lazy to do so, OC using a dedicated drive. Don't mix everything in one drive because fail OC crash/BSOD has a good chance to damage the OS to the point of no return..

Also, let Windows manage everything. Do not do any optimizations and customizations including pagefile.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> So could it be my card is just crap? D: Cause the girl I bought it from said she had it stable at what I'm trying to OC it too.
> Do you think a clean install would solve it? And what does everyone think I should do in terms of drivers on my clean machine?
> should is do RC11 first then 12.3? or should I go straight to 12.3 after mobo drivers? I just want to play BF3 with eyefinity on an OC'd card D,:
> Every bit of insightful info I could get would be nice. Thanks guys


12.3 isnt that good. I would use 8.95.5 and add the missing files.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx

http://www.mediafire.com/?q1fao4pdih5kp9j

The unlock AB and have fun.


----------



## Exostenza

So can anyone tell me why AMD decided to kill unofficial overclocking? It seems they are either shooting themselves in the foot keeping a lot of people out of OCing or they are getting ready to release a refresh of the cards at higher clocks and they don't want us all at the same speeds on our original cards.

I think it is a very stupid move as these cards OC like crazy.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> So can anyone tell me why AMD decided to kill unofficial overclocking? It seems they are either shooting themselves in the foot keeping a lot of people out of OCing or they are getting ready to release a refresh of the cards at higher clocks and they don't want us all at the same speeds on our original cards.
> I think it is a very stupid move as these cards OC like crazy.


I don't think it's that big a deal, more of a nuisance. You want stupid move? Look at what the 680 guys have to put up with. AMD's application of OCP and removing two files is a cake walk in comparison. Obviously for us enthusiasts it's a pain, but they as a company have to protect against yahoo overclockers frying cards. Two way street, again I'm happy they left us a path to overclock with ease.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't think it's that big a deal, more of a nuisance. You want stupid move? Look at what the 680 guys have to put up with. AMD's application of OCP and removing two files is a cake walk in comparison. Obviously for us enthusiasts it's a pain, but they as a company have to protect against yahoo overclockers frying cards. Two way street, again I'm happy they left us a path to overclock with ease.


What do the 680 guys have to put up with?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> What do the 680 guys have to put up with?


They really got the short end of the stick with such an awesome card. They have undeafeatable voltage control, undefeatable turbo boost which plays havoc with overclocking. Cards are limited to +160mhz if yer lucky. Then they freaking throttle whenever they feel like soon as the heat gets going tough. It's not a fun time for them, though they can take solace in knowing its a top card.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They really got the short end of the stick with such an awesome card. They have undeafeatable voltage control, undefeatable turbo boost which plays havoc with overclocking. Cards are limited to +160mhz if yer lucky. Then they freaking throttle whenever they feel like soon as the heat gets going tough. It's not a fun time for them, though they can take solace in knowing its a top card.


Damn! Happier I got this AMD card then. Overclocks like crazy!


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I can't get BF3 to launch at all now. HA, I'm sure it's something stupid too. I've tried many things but still can't get it to launch this time. I uninstalled Rc11 and installed the new one 12.3 whql.


What is the error in the event log?

I am having no issues launching bf3 using the new driver.


----------



## wirefox

Does this look right?



http://imgur.com/povPk


how do you read the perfoverlay chart? (my regular game play is prior to the big yellow spike) seems red a lot so I thought it might be my cpu/gpu issue but task manager shows I have clearance...

I'm playing on ultra ... getting 120 fps with vsync on ... but drops as low as 70-98 depending on where I am.

also my gpu usage is fluctuating... while not in this example it was 70-90ish zig zagin ..would love even usage...


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Damn! Happier I got this AMD card then. Overclocks like crazy!


You got max 1200 on your 7950 WF3? What's your ambient? I have to deal with pretty scorching temp's here, typically 32C.


----------



## svthomas

Running 1275/1600 on both cards (just for the bench). I have used nothing on my system but 12.2, uninstalled it via the control panel, and then properly installed the new driver. No driver sweeper, no atiman, and certainly no RC11.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> So could it be my card is just crap? D: Cause the girl I bought it from said she had it stable at what I'm trying to OC it too.
> Do you think a clean install would solve it? And what does everyone think I should do in terms of drivers on my clean machine?
> should is do RC11 first then 12.3? or should I go straight to 12.3 after mobo drivers? I just want to play BF3 with eyefinity on an OC'd card D,:
> Every bit of insightful info I could get would be nice. Thanks guys


I wouldn't do all this goofy stuff like installing over RC drivers, using driver sweeper or atiman. Rather, I recommend installing the drivers the way AMD has intended and has programmed for them to be installed and removed--in my opinion, doing these goofy installs and cleanups is what is causing a lot of the issues. I mean, if one does an unconventional install, and these uses third party apps for cleanup, how in the world can one expect a programmer to have programmed properly for all those external variables? It's just asking for instability, if you ask me.

This is what I would do:

Install OS -> Install mobo drivers -> Install Windows Updates -> Install the newest supported release. In this case, install 12.3.

Then again, this is all just my


----------



## nerdybeat

I am | | close to pulling the trigger on a new 7970. The main reason is because I really want to ditch this mini displayport to DVI adapter I am using with my GTX580. I will take a big cut selling the 580 and going to a 7970, but I will feel better having a direct connection to my GPU, and higher VRAM for my 2560x1440.

My main games: BF3, D3, Skyrim, SC2.

I don't care too much overall about the 680vs7970 war, the fact is I want a new GPU now and 680s are hard to come by and I would need display port to mini displayport adapter as well.

Someone just nudge me enough to snag one! I am looking into the OC Windforce Gigabyte, ASUS direct CU II, and Lightning models.

EDIT: funny story - last night I had this card in my cart about to pull the trigger, and waited to see if any 680s came in on newegg in the morning. Came back this afternoon and the 7970 had gone up 25$.... I thought if anything they'd be going down a bit... maybe just amazon?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nerdybeat*
> 
> I am | | close to pulling the trigger on a new 7970. The main reason is because I really want to ditch this mini displayport to DVI adapter I am using with my GTX580. I will take a big cut selling the 580 and going to a 7970, but I will feel better having a direct connection to my GPU, and higher VRAM for my 2560x1440.
> 
> My main games: BF3, D3, Skyrim, SC2.
> 
> I don't care too much overall about the 680vs7970 war, the fact is I want a new GPU now and 680s are hard to come by and I would need display port to mini displayport adapter as well.
> 
> Someone just nudge me enough to snag one! I am looking into the OC Windforce Gigabyte, ASUS direct CU II, and Lightning models.
> 
> EDIT: funny story - last night I had this card in my cart about to pull the trigger, and waited to see if any 680s came in on newegg in the morning. Came back this afternoon and the 7970 had gone up 25$.... I thought if anything they'd be going down a bit... maybe just amazon?










buy it


----------



## mltms

i done some test to my 7950 oc edition stock volt 1.093 <<AB 1.085 << HW
set the clock it 1150/1550 volt AB 1.218 run some bench and games and its staple the max temp 66 gpu 63 vram
HW shows the high volt 1.209
so is this overclock good for 24/7


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nerdybeat*
> 
> I am | | close to pulling the trigger on a new 7970. The main reason is because I really want to ditch this mini displayport to DVI adapter I am using with my GTX580. I will take a big cut selling the 580 and going to a 7970, but I will feel better having a direct connection to my GPU, and higher VRAM for my 2560x1440.
> My main games: BF3, D3, Skyrim, SC2.
> I don't care too much overall about the 680vs7970 war, the fact is I want a new GPU now and 680s are hard to come by and I would need display port to mini displayport adapter as well.
> Someone just nudge me enough to snag one! I am looking into the OC Windforce Gigabyte, ASUS direct CU II, and Lightning models.
> EDIT: funny story - last night I had this card in my cart about to pull the trigger, and waited to see if any 680s came in on newegg in the morning. Came back this afternoon and the 7970 had gone up 25$.... I thought if anything they'd be going down a bit... maybe just amazon?


Amazon is the wild west of computer parts, lol.

Buy the 7970, but I suggest checking [H]ardForum, they have some used ones for $440-460 shipped


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nerdybeat*
> 
> I am | | close to pulling the trigger on a new 7970. The main reason is because I really want to ditch this mini displayport to DVI adapter I am using with my GTX580. I will take a big cut selling the 580 and going to a 7970, but I will feel better having a direct connection to my GPU, and higher VRAM for my 2560x1440.
> 
> My main games: BF3, D3, Skyrim, SC2.
> 
> I don't care too much overall about the 680vs7970 war, the fact is I want a new GPU now and 680s are hard to come by and I would need display port to mini displayport adapter as well.
> 
> Someone just nudge me enough to snag one! I am looking into the OC Windforce Gigabyte, ASUS direct CU II, and Lightning models.
> 
> EDIT: funny story - last night I had this card in my cart about to pull the trigger, and waited to see if any 680s came in on newegg in the morning. Came back this afternoon and the 7970 had gone up 25$.... I thought if anything they'd be going down a bit... maybe just amazon?


If you don't plan for watercooling, the Windforce is pretty quiet but lack of adapters as shipped with reference 7970s. MSI also a good choice with Eyefinity6 but very little is known about it from user experience as it's just available for purchase.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> i done some test to my 7950 oc edition stock volt 1.093 <<AB 1.085 << HW
> set the clock it 1150/1550 volt AB 1.218 run some bench and games and its staple the max temp 66 gpu 63 vram
> HW shows the high volt 1.209
> so is this overclock good for 24/7


Test your overclock with OCCT 3.1 for 15 minutes.
If it passes that, you are good to go I would say


----------



## Evil Penguin

So far the approved 12.3 drivers are working pretty well for me.
I can't comment on the idle bug just yet, I don't have the display turned off automatically.








Regarding OCCT... You would have to disable PowerPlay in order to make sure the card isn't throttled and yes even at +20% PT.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Regarding OCCT... You would have to disable PowerPlay in order to make sure the card isn't throttled and yes even at +20% PT.


I did my OCCT 3.1 bench at +10% PT, did not seem to be throttling : fps visible in occt bench was constant the whole time, so I guess it was not throttling ?

btw : should I put PT back to 20% for gaming or is 10% enough?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I did my OCCT 3.1 bench at +10% PT, did not seem to be throttling : fps visible in occt bench was constant the whole time, so I guess it was not throttling ?
> btw : should I put PT back to 20% for gaming or is 10% enough?


Check out how many frames you have between +10% and +20%.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> What is the error in the event log?
> I am having no issues launching bf3 using the new driver.


I will check when I get home. It was late and I was getting tipsy







. You liking 12.3 WHQL?


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I wouldn't do all this goofy stuff like installing over RC drivers, using driver sweeper or atiman. Rather, I recommend installing the drivers the way AMD has intended and has programmed for them to be installed and removed--in my opinion, doing these goofy installs and cleanups is what is causing a lot of the issues. I mean, if one does an unconventional install, and these uses third party apps for cleanup, how in the world can one expect a programmer to have programmed properly for all those external variables? It's just asking for instability, if you ask me.
> This is what I would do:
> Install OS -> Install mobo drivers -> Install Windows Updates -> Install the newest supported release. In this case, install 12.3.
> Then again, this is all just my


So I just did this all. I cleaned my SSDs, put them in raid 0 as I should have a month ago, reinstalled windows, just finished installing all the updates and SP1, and JUST now installed 12.3.

So now that I've done all of this, what's the best way to OC my card? I want to get 1125 - 1575 and still use eyefinity. What would you recommend I do? I just disabled AMD OverDrive until I can figure this all out.

Thanks in advanced







- Jessekin32

EDIT*: Also, What would be the best way, do you think, to set this all up? should I OC first, then setup eyefinity? Or should I do eyefinity setup first, then OCing?


----------



## 125837

Lightnings are out in Australia









Now I just need to sell my DCUII, and wait until payday for extra funds


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Check out how many frames you have between +10% and +20%.


Good tip !
Had about 303 fps at +10% I think....
But Im a little scared to put it back at +20% because that was when I got a hard reboot in occt 3.1 (at a higher core clock though)...


----------



## Silvaren

XFX 7970 Black Edition

I dont have any problem with default clocks but when i try to oc my card and increase core clock and memory clock to max from msi afterburner i get display driver error so i get a black screen randomly for a few seconds. then it keeps running again for 30 seconds more and boom 1 more black screen and another display driver error.

I am using a fresh w7 and i installed 12.3 drivers first. Then i followed these steps http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7800#post_16833757 but nothing changed.

Whats wrong with it ? Card seems fine with stock speeds but not fine with oc. Can it be about core voltage ? Because i am not touching it at all but as far as i know these cards should be able to hit 1125/1575 without voltage increase..

I need some help here, thanks.


----------



## firestorm1

up your core voltage to 1200mv or 1206mv. just because some of these cards can do those clocks on stock voltage, dont mean they all can.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Good tip !
> Had about 303 fps at +10% I think....
> But Im a little scared to put it back at +20% because that was when I got a hard reboot in occt 3.1 (at a higher core clock though)...


That's to prevent the VRM's from blowing up.








I think there's a hardware cap around 300w.
Not sure on that one.


----------



## Silvaren

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/24/xfx_r7970_black_edition_video_card_review/7

Hmm on this website it says that default voltage is 1112 but my default voltage is 1176 so lets see what will i get when i increase it.

(what is max safe voltage for these cards on air btw ?)


----------



## Jason33w

I'm using SMI Afterburner 2.2.0 beta 15 on my cards. I remember in an older version that there was a way to extend the clock scales. Right now I can only get max core of 1125 and mem to 1575. Where is the option to go higher? thx.

BTW:

Sapphire/MSI 7970 in CFX
Stock cooling (will be getting koolance blocks next week)
clocks currently at 1125/1575


----------



## HGooper

Just do a Win7 clean install, which driver should I use? RC11 works well with AB, but somehow AB didn't work very well after RC11.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/24/xfx_r7970_black_edition_video_card_review/7
> Hmm on this website it says that default voltage is 1112 but my default voltage is 1176 so lets see what will i get when i increase it.
> (what is max safe voltage for these cards on air btw ?)


HD 7970 have difference Voltages. Safe is as long as you can keep it cool and is beneficial to you. The hotter the card gets the lower it will clock. If you hit Voltage too high you might get worst OC. I think you should go up to 1.25v.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> XFX 7970 Black Edition
> I dont have any problem with default clocks but when i try to oc my card and increase core clock and memory clock to max from msi afterburner i get display driver error so i get a black screen randomly for a few seconds. then it keeps running again for 30 seconds more and boom 1 more black screen and another display driver error.


Thats what I get also when my OC is too high / unstable ....
Solution : lower clocks or same clocks with higer voltage


----------



## ElGreco

Perhaps this has been reported before, but with the official 12.3 whql drivers i get 3d clocks while i am in 2d on my second card, which increases both my temperatures and the noise coming out of the 2nd card!
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/12-3_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc.exe


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That's to prevent the VRM's from blowing up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think there's a hardware cap around 300w.
> Not sure on that one.


Hmmm, so my system crapping out on me in occt 3.1 is not 100% due to too high clocks, but maybe due to +20% PT ?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hmmm, so my system crapping out on me in occt 3.1 is not 100% due to too high clocks, but maybe due to +20% PT ?


It's because OCCT makes the card use more power than it's supposed to.
I think OCP is kicking in.


----------



## Silvaren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> XFX 7970 Black Edition
> I dont have any problem with default clocks but when i try to oc my card and increase core clock and memory clock to max from msi afterburner i get display driver error so i get a black screen randomly for a few seconds. then it keeps running again for 30 seconds more and boom 1 more black screen and another display driver error.
> I am using a fresh w7 and i installed 12.3 drivers first. Then i followed these steps http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7800#post_16833757 but nothing changed.
> Whats wrong with it ? Card seems fine with stock speeds but not fine with oc. Can it be about core voltage ? Because i am not touching it at all but as far as i know these cards should be able to hit 1125/1575 without voltage increase..
> I need some help here, thanks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> up your core voltage to 1200mv or 1206mv. just because some of these cards can do those clocks on stock voltage, dont mean they all can.


I am still getting it difference is i dont get it instantly but i get it after playing for a while. What should i use to test stability when i oc my card ? Right now i am just using games to do that.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Perhaps this has been reported before, but with the official 12.3 whql drivers i get 3d clocks while i am in 2d on my second card, which increases both my temperatures and the noise coming out of the 2nd card!
> http://www2.ati.com/drivers/12-3_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc.exe


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yep, i noticed the issue with slave cards too. It's annoying, so i went back to 8.95.5.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 12.3 isnt that good. I would use 8.95.5 and add the missing files.
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/HD78007Support.aspx
> http://www.mediafire.com/?q1fao4pdih5kp9j
> The unlock AB and have fun.


12.3 whql was a let down in that department.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hmmm, so my system crapping out on me in occt 3.1 is not 100% due to too high clocks, but maybe due to +20% PT ?


What are you doing with occt? I wouldn't be messing around with that and furmark more than just simple testing. Those apps are bad for the health of your card, specially when you raise the TDP limits.


----------



## Hambone07si

TSM, so how did you go about installing 8.95.5 without the troubles you had before? You didn't seem to like it at first when I was liking it? I couldn't play MW3, textures were all messed up so I went back to Rc11. You must of done something different if your liking those now?


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> I am still getting it difference is i dont get it instantly but i get it after playing for a while. What should i use to test stability when i oc my card ? Right now i am just using games to do that.


use heaven 3.0 to test for stability. run the program and if your oc isnt stable, it will crash. just keep raising the volts .06mv each time until your able to run the program with out crashing. once you get stable, loop it for about an hour. if you dont crash, then test some games out. just keep an eye on your temps while doing testing.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> So I just did this all. I cleaned my SSDs, put them in raid 0 as I should have a month ago, reinstalled windows, just finished installing all the updates and SP1, and JUST now installed 12.3.
> So now that I've done all of this, what's the best way to OC my card? I want to get 1125 - 1575 and still use eyefinity. What would you recommend I do? I just disabled AMD OverDrive until I can figure this all out.
> Thanks in advanced
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> - Jessekin32
> EDIT*: Also, What would be the best way, do you think, to set this all up? should I OC first, then setup eyefinity? Or should I do eyefinity setup first, then OCing?


This is what I would do:

First and foremost, I would do research/reading. Reading about overclocking 7970s; the types of overclocks others are getting; how ASIC quality correlates to the GPU type, its voltages, and how one then determines the max voltage (up 125mV up from the voltage for your GPU type); and, max safe temps for your GPU, VRMs, etc.. You may also need to learn how to safely flash your card's BIOS, you'll see why I say this below.

After researching, I would determine the ASIC Quality Percentage for my GPU, and note the GPU type, its appropriate voltage, and the its max voltage.

Is your card Reference? If so, I would say, and this is just my opinion, the best way would be to flash one of your card's BIOSes to the unlocked ASUS BIOS. This way, you'll have extended clock limits, and won't need to mess with software to enable unofficial overclocking, or xcl methods. This is what I am doing.

However, if you don't want to do that, or you're not on a reference PCB, there are other ways. But as I am using a flashed BIOS, I haven't used these methods on 12.3, and it sounds like it may require one to copy files over from a previous driver which have been removed from the new driver. So if you prefer this method, I am probably not the best resource, but I am sure there are others here that would be of much more help in that regard.

As for setup, I use MSI Afterburner for all the card's overclocking, so that's obviously what I would recommend. I would set your desktop up with eyefinity and have it the way you plan on using it, and make sure everything works at stock settings. Once you're confident that everything is okay at stock, begin overclocking. So to answer your question: yes, I would do the eyefinity setup first.

If you use MSI afterburner, I would highly recommend enabling the On Screen Display with your GPU temp, load percentage, clock speed, and memory usage. Additionally, I would recommend that you get HWINFO and have that running in the background so that you make sure your VRM temperatures are safe.

This is all just my







, so please take it with a grain of salt.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are you doing with occt? I wouldn't be messing around with that and furmark more than just simple testing. Those apps are bad for the health of your card, specially when you raise the TDP limits.


I test my card for stability in occt, just 10minutes, no more.
Remember the troubles I have with playing Batman and receiving driver errors...
I wanted an app/benchmark that would find my max core, instead of always trying different values when gaming and only finding out after 2 hours of play or something.

I will just set PT back to 20% in CCC and try with my new clocks in Batman. See if that will hold up without driver errors this time...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> TSM, so how did you go about installing 8.95.5 without the troubles you had before? You didn't seem to like it at first when I was liking it? I couldn't play MW3, textures were all messed up so I went back to Rc11. You must of done something different if your liking those now?


I didn't use atiman on a fresh install. I'm starting to think the app sucks, it just does a buncha jibberish but it doesn't even actually remove the leftover old drivers, you know physically from the sys32/syswow directories. I was scratching my head, before the fresh install why just my eyefinity configs were corrupted. On a hunch I decided to not use atiman at all, just like I had always not used it. I only started using it cuz all the mofos are boasting it is great. Well, it broke my OS, corrupted the install even where I couldn't run SP1. I could be attributing more to atiman but eh, nothing has changed this time around but atiman. I've tried a few different drivers though they didn't all work, however each time I was able to go back to 8.95.5 and not have eyefinity corrupted. Regular uninstall for me for life.

**Btw, lemme show you a trick for cleaning out your main radeon entry in registry. It's unbelievably simple. After you uninstall the driver by choosing uninstall via the setup.exe, you can choose to remove catalyst manager from control panel too, I usually do, anyways after reboot. Go to device manager and uninstall the standard vga controller. If you see anything else like amd radeon XXXX, it means you still have drivers in there, choose to uninstall them and check the delete option. Reboot and redo.

Once you uninstall the standard vga entry in device manager, it will wipe the registry entries for your radeon card or cards. Then after another two boots, to let the system inintialize the card as if it was new, ie. install standard vga driver, install your driver of choice.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> You got max 1200 on your 7950 WF3? What's your ambient? I have to deal with pretty scorching temp's here, typically 32C.


Oh no, this is not my max. I just figured this is good enough for now. BF3 is the most demanding game temperature wise and I have not seen it go over 60C. Most games I play it sits around 53C. I could probably easily his 1300/1800 if I wanted too, but no need atm as everything plays 60 fps smooth.










@tsm106 that sucks because when ever I have an issue with the CCC I use ATiman's uninstaller and everything is golden again. I have used it several times on this installation of windows and it has never caused a problem for me.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I didn't use atiman on a fresh install. I'm starting to think the app sucks, it just does a buncha jibberish but it doesn't even actually remove the leftover old drivers, you know physically from the sys32/syswow directories. I was scratching my head, before the fresh install why just my eyefinity configs were corrupted. On a hunch I decided to not use atiman at all, just like I had always not used it. I only started using it cuz all the mofos are boasting it is great. Well, it broke my OS, corrupted the install even where I couldn't run SP1. I could be attributing more to atiman but eh, nothing has changed this time around but atiman. I've tried a few different drivers though they didn't all work, however each time I was able to go back to 8.95.5 and not have eyefinity corrupted. Regular uninstall for me for life.
> **Btw, lemme show you a trick for cleaning out your main radeon entry in registry. It's unbelievably simple. After you uninstall the driver by choosing uninstall via the setup.exe, you can choose to remove catalyst manager from control panel too, I usually do, anyways after reboot. Go to device manager and uninstall the standard vga controller. If you see anything else like amd radeon XXXX, it means you still have drivers in there, choose to uninstall them and check the delete option. Reboot and redo.
> Once you uninstall the standard vga entry in device manager, it will wipe the registry entries for your radeon card or cards. Then after another two boots, to let the system inintialize the card as if it was new, ie. install standard vga driver, install your driver of choice.


Sounds good. I think I'm going to do a fresh install myself. Only takes 10min to install windows and with my 50mb download speed, updates are done in a few mins also with having 2 vertex 3's in raid.

If you got a sec, check out this thread and drop your comment
http://www.overclock.net/t/1236110/should-i-swap-out-my-2500k-goldie-for-a-2700k-for-free-thoughts-please


----------



## Jason33w

I have an MSI and a Sapphire 7970 CFX setup and I am constantly getting atikmpag.sys BSODs. Could it be because I have 2 different brands of card? It happens with OC settings and stock. Temps are all good. I'm running with the latest set of AMD Drivers (12.3)

Does anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking that it might be due to a voltage requirement difference but it still crashes when I add a little extra voltage to it. I also have ULPS off.

Thank you for all of your help.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Oh no, this is not my max. I just figured this is good enough for now. BF3 is the most demanding game temperature wise and I have not seen it go over 60C. Most games I play it sits around 53C. I could probably easily his 1300/1800 if I wanted too, but no need atm as everything plays 60 fps smooth.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @tsm106 that sucks because when ever I have an issue with the CCC I use ATiman's uninstaller and everything is golden again. I have used it several times on this installation of windows and it has never caused a problem for me.


Nice clocks.

As for atiman, I watch it do stuff and imo it does crap I don't need it too. I don't need it to wipe every instance of radeons from the registry, I just need it to clean THE ONE entry that controls all radeon cards. There's just one entry! You know what I mean? And then it doesn't actually remove the files from the directories.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Sounds good. I think I'm going to do a fresh install myself. Only takes 10min to install windows and with my 50mb download speed, updates are done in a few mins also with having 2 vertex 3's in raid.


I'm on some cheap agility 3s atm waiting on a pair of 830s, oh yea.


----------



## omega17

The Sammy 830s aren't going to blow those Agility3s out of the water; I've got 2 A3s in RAID0 and they are _quick_









Also glad I'm not the only one with the 2nd card clocking up to max with the 12.3's. Best wait for 12.4 I guess


----------



## Silvaren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> use heaven 3.0 to test for stability. run the program and if your oc isnt stable, it will crash. just keep raising the volts .06mv each time until your able to run the program with out crashing. once you get stable, loop it for about an hour. if you dont crash, then test some games out. just keep an eye on your temps while doing testing.


I increased it just 1 level (+06) and testing it for 45 minutes without an issue so far temperatures are around 70-71


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *Btw, lemme show you a trick for cleaning out your main radeon entry in registry. It's unbelievably simple. After you uninstall the driver by choosing uninstall via the setup.exe, you can choose to remove catalyst manager from control panel too, I usually do, anyways after reboot. Go to device manager and uninstall the standard vga controller. If you see anything else like amd radeon XXXX, it means you still have drivers in there, choose to uninstall them and check the delete option. Reboot and redo.
> Once you uninstall the standard vga entry in device manager, it will wipe the registry entries for your radeon card or cards. Then after another two boots, to let the system inintialize the card as if it was new, ie. install standard vga driver, install your driver of choice.










Good job, didn't know that trick.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Getting very excited!


----------



## NorxMAL

After updating to 12.4 beta, I have trouble with my middle eyefinity screen, that half the screen "jumps".

I think it has to do with it Core goes down to 300 and Memory 150 that causes this. I have tried to turn off ULPS with atiman uninstaller, but is this the right thing to turn off? I'm also trying to control it with MSI AB, but it will not properly respond to it.
What do I do?

Also, any tips to how to prevent tearing? Now my left and right screen is going DP active single link DVI adapter and my middle goes ordinary DVI.


----------



## svthomas

Any word on 7970 performance and the new big BF3 patch?


----------



## firestorm1

i havent had a chance to play it yet.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> After updating to 12.4 beta, I have trouble with my middle eyefinity screen, that half the screen "jumps".
> 
> I think it has to do with it Core goes down to 300 and Memory 150 that causes this. I have tried to turn off ULPS with atiman uninstaller, but is this the right thing to turn off? I'm also trying to control it with MSI AB, but it will not properly respond to it.
> What do I do?
> 
> Also, any tips to how to prevent tearing? Now my left and right screen is going DP active single link DVI adapter and my middle goes ordinary DVI.


Try "Restore to Factory Defaults" from CCC menu and "reset" Afterburner then restart PC. If that doesn't fix it, go to Windows resolution to make sure the correct refresh rate for each monitor.

I notice there's updated EDID for monitors in 12.3 and 12.4. I have to reset all the monitors and restart PC all fixed.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> After updating to 12.4 beta, I have trouble with my middle eyefinity screen, that half the screen "jumps".
> 
> I think it has to do with it Core goes down to 300 and Memory 150 that causes this. I have tried to turn off ULPS with atiman uninstaller, but is this the right thing to turn off? I'm also trying to control it with MSI AB, but it will not properly respond to it.
> What do I do?
> 
> Also, any tips to how to prevent tearing? Now my left and right screen is going DP active single link DVI adapter and my middle goes ordinary DVI.
> 
> 
> 
> Try "Restore to Factory Defaults" from CCC menu and "reset" Afterburner then restart PC. If that doesn't fix it, go to Windows resolution to make sure the correct refresh rate for each monitor.
> 
> I notice there's updated EDID for monitors in 12.3 and 12.4. I have to reset all the monitors and restart PC all fixed.
Click to expand...

I have seen this issue myself, my center monitor was my 120Hz 1080P and when I had it matched, there was a weird issue on my 69xx's that caused my center monitor to go to 75 Hz where my side monitors went to 59 Hz. It looked funny when fast turning and caused "jumping."

Forcing the same refresh rate to all fixed the issue.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Any word on 7970 performance and the new big BF3 patch?


This patch come out today?


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Getting very excited!


so jelly.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Getting very excited!


Congrats bud! That looks sweet. I'm sure if anyone can, your going get some nice over clocks. I saw the video on it through the MSI website and that Lightning is built from the ground up for over clocking like a 580 Classified ULTRA.

Side question:

I'm thinking of a second build an AMD 8150/Sabertooth 990 and 7970 Lightning. Do you think the 7970 Lightning would be bottled necked by the AMD 8150? It'd be running PCIe 2.0 x16.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> [clip]
> Side question:
> I'm thinking of a second build an [clip] and 7970 Lightning. Do you think the 7970 Lightning would be bottled necked by [clip]


I think you may want to ask that question in its own thread, because it's likely to stir up a heated debate with lots of emotional posts resulting in a thread lock.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> This patch come out today?


Indeed. 3.5 more hours till work is over.







I think it is somewhere in the ballpark of 1.5 gigs, or so a co-worker has told me.

I think they nerfed tanks, too. Thank you Jesus!

**sorry for the double post, didn't realize.


----------



## Norlig

Do I still need to use the ATIman patch to get MSI Afterburner to work with the drivers?

on 12.4 Beta, and MSI AB still resets to 0 when I press apply, havent tried the patch yet as its stated on its name it is for driver 8.95


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Do I still need to use the ATIman patch to get MSI Afterburner to work with the drivers?
> 
> on 12.4 Beta, and MSI AB still resets to 0 when I press apply, havent tried the patch yet as its stated on its name it is for driver 8.95


Yes, still need to unless updating from RC11.

Here;

AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Getting very excited!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Congrats bud! That looks sweet. I'm sure if anyone can, your going get some nice over clocks. I saw the video on it through the MSI website and that Lightning is built from the ground up for over clocking like a 580 Classified ULTRA.
> 
> Side question:
> 
> *I'm thinking of a second build an AMD 8150/Sabertooth 990 and 7970 Lightning. Do you think the 7970 Lightning would be bottled necked by the AMD 8150? It'd be running PCIe 2.0 x16.*
Click to expand...

Pre-liminary data from benching says yes. Slightly by a 1090T under 3.8GHz, more so by an 8150 @ 4GHz. If you are doing an AMD build, get the 1090T, overclock both the core (4.2~4.3 is ideal) and the Northbridge at least 2.8GHz and give the PCI-E boost to 110~115 MHz. Should even it out to a stock or slightly overclocked i7-920/930.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I didn't use atiman on a fresh install. I'm starting to think the app sucks, it just does a buncha jibberish but it doesn't even actually remove the leftover old drivers, you know physically from the sys32/syswow directories. I was scratching my head, before the fresh install why just my eyefinity configs were corrupted. On a hunch I decided to not use atiman at all, just like I had always not used it. I only started using it cuz all the mofos are boasting it is great. Well, it broke my OS, corrupted the install even where I couldn't run SP1. I could be attributing more to atiman but eh, nothing has changed this time around but atiman. I've tried a few different drivers though they didn't all work, however each time I was able to go back to 8.95.5 and not have eyefinity corrupted. Regular uninstall for me for life.
> **Btw, lemme show you a trick for cleaning out your main radeon entry in registry. It's unbelievably simple. After you uninstall the driver by choosing uninstall via the setup.exe, you can choose to remove catalyst manager from control panel too, I usually do, anyways after reboot. Go to device manager and uninstall the standard vga controller. If you see anything else like amd radeon XXXX, it means you still have drivers in there, choose to uninstall them and check the delete option. Reboot and redo.
> Once you uninstall the standard vga entry in device manager, it will wipe the registry entries for your radeon card or cards. Then after another two boots, to let the system inintialize the card as if it was new, ie. install standard vga driver, install your driver of choice.


I agree with this and stopped using it few drivers ago.

I think using this might actually be the cause of a lot of upgrading issues because it removes too much.

I went as simple is a driver upgrade last night from the PRE-release to the certified and had no issues what-so-ever. When I first got the cards and doing drivers, I thought that running a tool like this was necessary, but I don't think that is the case anymore. When was the last time it was updated? Drivers change along with the way they work. Very well could be dependent on something that this application is now removing, causing the BSODS and CCC issues. Who knows..., next driver I am going to upgrade again to see how it goes.

I think getting too fancy with the drivers is the actual issues most of the time.


----------



## Silvaren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> use heaven 3.0 to test for stability. run the program and if your oc isnt stable, it will crash. just keep raising the volts .06mv each time until your able to run the program with out crashing. once you get stable, loop it for about an hour. if you dont crash, then test some games out. just keep an eye on your temps while doing testing.


Nothing happened with Heaven then i started to play rift and boom after 1 minute screen went black for a while then it came back and i saw this things again with oc settings.



What is wrong ? What do i need to do ?

vcore: 1231
core clock: 1150
memory clock: 1520
Power Limit : +20%


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> Nothing happened with Heaven then i started to play rift and boom after 1 minute screen went black for a while then it came back and i saw this things again with oc settings.
> 
> What is wrong ? What do i need to do ?
> vcore: 1231
> core clock: 1150
> memory clock: 1520
> Power Limit : +20%


Try lowering your memory clock. What are your temps like?


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> use heaven 3.0 to test for stability. run the program and if your oc isnt stable, it will crash. just keep raising the volts .06mv each time until your able to run the program with out crashing. once you get stable, loop it for about an hour. if you dont crash, then test some games out. just keep an eye on your temps while doing testing.
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing happened with Heaven then i started to play rift and boom after 1 minute screen went black for a while then it came back and i saw this things again with oc settings.
> 
> 
> 
> What is wrong ? What do i need to do ?
> 
> vcore: 1231
> core clock: 1150
> memory clock: 1520
> Power Limit : +20%
Click to expand...

What is your temperature on the core? I had to increase core voltage to avoid that same artifacting, but I'm on water though.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> Nothing happened with Heaven then i started to play rift and boom after 1 minute screen went black for a while then it came back and i saw this things again with oc settings.
> 
> What is wrong ? What do i need to do ?
> vcore: 1231
> core clock: 1150
> memory clock: 1520
> Power Limit : +20%


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Try lowering your memory clock. What are your temps like?


xfx be should run 1125/1575 or close to it on stock voltage. I have two be cards and they both can max overdrive with no volts on the stock cooler. Have you tested the card on stock voltage? This will give you an idea of how good the card is. Btw, whats your asic%? I didn't like 12.3 whql very much, it removed some aspects of unofficial overclocking control.


----------



## Silvaren

%60.7 ASIC

My temperatures are fine i get something like 70-73 not more than that. Should i reduce memory clock ? or Increase voltage ? and how much should i reduce/increase.

Thanks.


----------



## Jessekin32

I don't think I'll ever be able to OC my card T_T

After fresh install of windows 7, windows updates, RC11, AND 12.3, I STILL can't OC my card and play BF3 or TF2. (only two games i have installed at the moment)

They play just fine without an Overclock in eyefinity, but once I OC, the games freeze, RIGHT at start up (bf3, and tf2 will freeze once I join a server)

What can I do? I'm sick of not being able to do this D: all I want is an OC'd card with eyefinity running...


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> %60.7 ASIC
> My temperatures are fine i get something like 70-73 not more than that. Should i reduce memory clock ? or Increase voltage ? and how much should i reduce/increase.
> Thanks.


try to reduce memory clock to 1500mhz.


----------



## Silvaren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> xfx be should run 1125/1575 or close to it on stock voltage. I have two be cards and they both can max overdrive with no volts on the stock cooler. Have you tested the card on stock voltage? This will give you an idea of how good the card is. Btw, whats your asic%? I didn't like 12.3 whql very much, it removed some aspects of unofficial overclocking control.


Can this issue be about vrm temperatures since it is not happening instantly and it is not happening when i use default clocks but i cant check vrm temperatures with anything... Is there a way for it ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> %60.7 ASIC
> My temperatures are fine i get something like 70-73 not more than that. Should i reduce memory clock ? or Increase voltage ? and how much should i reduce/increase.
> Thanks.


Do you know what your stock asic voltage is? By my math your base volts is over 1.2v lol, can't be right.


----------



## Silvaren

Do you mean when i press on reset while using Afterburner ? It gives me 1174 core voltage.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Getting very excited!


Ooooh baby! They come out here today - but I need to sell my DCUII first so I have funds








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Indeed. 3.5 more hours till work is over.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think it is somewhere in the ballpark of 4.5 gigs, or so a co-worker has told me.
> I think they nerfed tanks, too. Thank you Jesus!
> **sorry for the double post, didn't realize.


It's 1.5GB, according to a mate who downloaded it last night. I'm about to boot up my main rig and do it - 300kbps woohoo
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> try to reduce memory clock to 1500mhz.


I only got that artifacting with an unstable core clock.


----------



## dubbydub

I've got my 7970 oc'ed to 1216 core and 1800 mem on 1.2v. When i try to go higher on the core I instantly get artifacts (even if I lower mem and/or raise volt ). Does this mean that my card won't go any higher... ever? Or could I get s better oc if I use the asus BIOS?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> Can this issue be about vrm temperatures since it is not happening instantly and it is not happening when i use default clocks but i cant check vrm temperatures with anything... Is there a way for it ?


HWinfo64 will read the VRMs

http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html#


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> I don't think I'll ever be able to OC my card T_T
> After fresh install of windows 7, windows updates, RC11, AND 12.3, I STILL can't OC my card and play BF3 or TF2. (only two games i have installed at the moment)
> They play just fine without an Overclock in eyefinity, but once I OC, the games freeze, RIGHT at start up (bf3, and tf2 will freeze once I join a server)
> What can I do? I'm sick of not being able to do this D: all I want is an OC'd card with eyefinity running...


If you are using afterburner, do you have your GPU type set with the proper voltage when you go to settings? What is your ASIC percentage?

This should give you an idea about the GPU type and the voltages each should be set at.

up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V


----------



## stinart

For all with o/c problems : *watch your temps !* For picky chips even 70c is enough for artifacts above 1125mhz.

Some examples from my 7970 :


1125/1570 /1.13mv ok but with artifacts threshold at 75c. Above that i get slight artifacts

1130/1570/1.13 ok but with artifacts threshold now at 71c.

1200mhz my artifact threshold is at 58c = 100% fan
This chip is thirsty and needs water as hell









As you can understand more speed= lower temp threshold for artifacts . My card is not vcore hungry at all but its very picky with temps.

So raise your fan rpm and test again

.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Guys the memory on some of these cards can't OC nearly as well as other cards can. It varies even more than core clocks do. Always overclock your core first and find the maximum value you can attain with your core, and THEN OC the memory.


----------



## nugget toes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> If you are using afterburner, do you have your GPU type set with the proper voltage when you go to settings? What is your ASIC percentage?
> This should give you an idea about the GPU type and the voltages each should be set at.
> up to 2F90 (up to 75% quality) - 1.1750V
> up to 34D0 (up to 80% quality) - 1.1125V
> up to 3820 (up to 85% quality) - 1.0500V
> up to 3A90 (up to 90% quality) - 1.0250V


Interesting... where do these numbers come from?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> Nothing happened with Heaven then i started to play rift and boom after 1 minute screen went black for a while then it came back and i saw this things again with oc settings.
> 
> What is wrong ? What do i need to do ?
> vcore: 1231
> core clock: 1150
> memory clock: 1520
> Power Limit : +20%


Heaven is no good to test for OC stability. It really is NOT. And stuff like 3dmark is not good either. It just doesnt push your card enough in my opinion.
Use real games to test or short minutes of occt (10 minutes max).


----------



## pioneerisloud

Okay so I'm on 8.95.5 now, after furiously not wanting to.

Same performance as 12.3 WHQL's. Same MLAA problems. Same idle lock up. Still can't play GTA IV maxed out, while my GTX 580 could.


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stinart*
> 
> For all with o/c problems : *watch your temps !* For picky chips even 70c is enough for artifacts above 1125mhz.
> Some examples from my 7970 :
> 
> 1125/1570 /1.13mv ok but with artifacts threshold at 75c. Above that i get slight artifacts
> 
> 1130/1570/1.13 ok but with artifacts threshold now at 71c.
> 
> 1200mhz my artifact threshold is at 58c = 100% fan
> This chip is thirsty and needs water as hell
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As you can understand more speed= lower temp threshold for artifacts . My card is not vcore hungry at all but its very picky with temps.
> So raise your fan rpm and test again
> .


Are you using a fan profile in AB? If so, could I use it? My card is similar and a strong fan profile seems to work for it but wanted to see other examples.


----------



## Silvaren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Ooooh baby! They come out here today - but I need to sell my DCUII first so I have funds
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's 1.5GB, according to a mate who downloaded it last night. I'm about to boot up my main rig and do it - 300kbps woohoo
> I only got that artifacting with an unstable core clock.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> try to reduce memory clock to 1500mhz.


What should i do then ? Should i reduce memory clock or should i do something about core clock/voltage.

Is there any XFX Black Edition OC 7970 user with some good stable overclock ?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> What should i do then ? Should i reduce memory clock or should i do something about core clock/voltage.
> Is there any XFX Black Edition OC 7970 user with some good stable overclock ?


You'll have to test for your own settings, no two chips are the same. Take off your memory clock entirely, and see if you still get the issues. If so, raise voltage and see if that fixes it. If not, try putting your memory clock back on and then back it down until you don't see the error anymore.


----------



## stinart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Are you using a fan profile in AB? If so, could I use it? My card is similar and a strong fan profile seems to work for it but wanted to see other examples.


That depends on how much fan noise you want. i set my AB to 45% from 50c to 85c and then max of course. 45% its barely ok for 1125 because i have above 20c ambient temp


----------



## Daffie82

Here some 3dmark results for my rig :

Game OC bench (1130mhz core @ 1175mv / 1550mhz memory @ stock voltage)



Bench OC bench (1200mhz core @ 1193mv / 1600mhz memory @ stock voltage)



Are these results what to be expected?


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stinart*
> 
> That depends on how much fan noise you want. i set my AB to 45% from 50c to 85c and then max of course. 45% its barely ok for 1125 because i have above 20c ambient temp


I play with headphones now so I don't hear the fans. I will try this setup out, thanks!


----------



## RagingCain

New CAP profiles 12.3 CAP1:

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx

EDIT:

Half of the fixes are in single-gpu mode haha.









New profiles added to this release:
- FireFall: Resolve corruption when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations
- Test Drive Unlimited 2: Improves CrossFire performance
- Ridge Racer Unbounded - Fixes full screen corruption for single GPU configurations
- Stacking - Resolved image quality issues when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations
- Dirt 3: Fixes corruption found in particular scenes when CrossFire is enabled


----------



## stinart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> I play with headphones now so I don't hear the fans. I will try this setup out, thanks!


Then my fan setup is weak for you. Ramp up your fan at 60-70% and see your limits!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Okay so I'm on 8.95.5 now, after furiously not wanting to.
> Same performance as 12.3 WHQL's. Same MLAA problems. Same idle lock up. Still can't play GTA IV maxed out, while my GTX 580 could.


I would suggest staying on 12.3 WHQL until a newer version of 12.4 beta is available.
MLAA performance should go up significantly with 12.4 and the idle bug...
It really hope it's fixed in 12.4.


----------



## Denim-187

So what been happening here guys, ive recently sold my 7970's.... but thinking about going for 7970 lightnings now.
i have a few questions to ask...

*How are the drivers now?*
Any performance improvements?
Anyone else got lighnings that could give a little review on them and report any of your Overclocks with them?
THANKS in advance... Will be basing my purchase on these answers pretty much.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> So what been happening here guys, ive recently sold my 7970's.... but thinking about going for 7970 lightnings now.
> i have a few questions to ask...
> 
> *How are the drivers now?*
> Any performance improvements?
> Anyone else got lighnings that could give a little review on them and report any of your Overclocks with them?
> THANKS in advance... Will be basing my purchase on these answers pretty much.


I'll hopefully have a Lightning by late next week and I can let you know then if you can wait. As far as drivers go, I'm still on RC11 but a lot of people are having success with the 12.3 WHQL and 12.4 beta drivers.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Denim-187*
> 
> So what been happening here guys, ive recently sold my 7970's.... but thinking about going for 7970 lightnings now.
> i have a few questions to ask...
> 
> *How are the drivers now?*
> Any performance improvements?
> Anyone else got lighnings that could give a little review on them and report any of your Overclocks with them?
> THANKS in advance... Will be basing my purchase on these answers pretty much.


I've got two 7970 Lightnings sitting in my office right now but I'm not retiring my 580's until this weekend. I'll be posting my results in a new thread (and hopefully in the battle royale thread) next week. Of course that assumes I can get everything working right straight away....


----------



## Derek1387

Every. Single. Driver... except RC11. I crash after about 10 minutes of BF3. Starting to piss me off. I use ATIman every single time, clean install, everything. Still crash after about 10 minutes of BF3. UNLESS, running RC11. Sick of this crap!


----------



## Denim-187

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Every. Single. Driver... except RC11. I crash after about 10 minutes of BF3. Starting to piss me off. I use ATIman every single time, clean install, everything. Still crash after about 10 minutes of BF3. UNLESS, running RC11. Sick of this crap!


I had similar issues. Why is it so hard to produce some kick ass drivers? I mean maybe they should put the hardware team in software training.
Seems that they're the only ones with noggins that work.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> New CAP profiles 12.3 CAP1:
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Half of the fixes are in single-gpu mode haha.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> New profiles added to this release:
> - FireFall: Resolve corruption when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations
> - Test Drive Unlimited 2: Improves CrossFire performance
> - Ridge Racer Unbounded - Fixes full screen corruption for single GPU configurations
> - Stacking - Resolved image quality issues when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations
> - Dirt 3: Fixes corruption found in particular scenes when CrossFire is enabled


It doesn't matter. Starting from Catalyst 12.1, we can configure the 3D profiles anyway we want for best Crossfire scaling as in using RadeonPro.

*AMD CrossFireX Mode for 3D Applications*.

Under the drop down list:


*Disabled*. This option turns off CrossFireX multi-GPU acceleration.
*Default* uses whatever the global system default option is, or whatever AMD has configured, if the game already has a profile in the CAP package.
*AFR Friendly*, which is for games which generally work well with Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR).
*Optimize 1x1*. This is another AFR option, but with optimizations for 1x1 surfaces. The idea is, if *AFR Friendly* has problems, *Optimize 1x1* is another option to try.
*Use AMD Pre-Defined Profile* allows us to select the CrossFireX configuration of another game and apply it to the one for which we are making a profile.

(For more details and example: HARDOCP - Introduction - AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview Profiles and *...* )


----------



## dubbydub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dubbydub*
> 
> I've got my 7970 oc'ed to 1216 core and 1800 mem on 1.2v. When i try to go higher on the core I instantly get artifacts (even if I lower mem and/or raise volt ). Does this mean that my card won't go any higher... ever? Or could I get better oc if I use the asus BIOS?


Anyone with any feedback on this?








Except for changing bios, is it possible to find a better balance between memory and volt that will let me bump up the core, or have I hit the ceiling here?


----------



## lofax

i returned my card to the shop cuz it comes with a ridiculous voltage on such low factory oc 71.4% asic and they replace it with new one.guess what it comes with low voltage 83.7%asic,i hope this card will surpass my previous card.


----------



## HGooper

I'm overclocking one of my 7970 right now, but I keep getting blackouts when I o/c it to 1300Mhz/1800-1700Mhz at voltage 1300mv/1700mv, it's under water now so temp is not a issue here.

This card has 88.4% asic quality, default voltage is 1024mv when I open up AB, AB /rr174 = 00000174 00003880.

Am I pushing the voltage too hard or what? Need inputs and thanks.


----------



## mmstick

That is a rather extreme overclock at a such a low voltage, yes, you've hit a ceiling.

Meanwhile, what's this about driver issues? I haven't had a single driver issue with my Radeon HD 7950, neither with 12.1 that came with driver CD, 12.2 WHQL, and 12.3 WHQL also work perfectly in all the games you guys are having problems with. Are we just installing the drivers wrong?


----------



## mmstick

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> I'm overclocking one of my 7970 right now, but I keep getting blackouts when I o/c it to 1300Mhz/1800-1700Mhz at voltage 1300mv/1700mv, it's under water now so temp is not a issue here.
> This card has 88.4% asic quality, default voltage is 1024mv when I open up AB, AB /rr174 = 00000174 00003880.
> Am I pushing the voltage too hard or what? Need inputs and thanks.


That is a 40% overclock, dear god man. If temps are fine, can't be any harm.


----------



## HGooper

Catalyst version is 11.12, driver version is 8.921.2, I think it's RC11. What's the max voltage that I can apply for this card btw?


----------



## mmstick

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Catalyst version is 11.12, driver version is 8.921.2, I think it's RC11. What's the max voltage that I can apply for this card btw?


1300mv, and why are you using an ancient driver? You should do a clean driver sweep to remove any and all traces, reboot the system, install Catalyst 12.3 with driver version of 8.951, and reboot again.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Catalyst version is 11.12, driver version is 8.921.2, I think it's RC11. What's the max voltage that I can apply for this card btw?


Even how much volt you apply to your card, the GPU will only get Stock+125mV . so whatever your stock voltage is, your GPU will only be fed 125mV more than that.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mmstick*
> 
> *1300mv*, and why are you using an ancient driver? You should do a clean driver sweep to remove any and all traces, reboot the system, install Catalyst 12.3 with driver version of 8.951, and reboot again.


No, see above


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Here some 3dmark results for my rig :
> Game OC bench (1130mhz core @ 1175mv / 1550mhz memory @ stock voltage)
> 
> Bench OC bench (1200mhz core @ 1193mv / 1600mhz memory @ stock voltage)
> 
> Are these results what to be expected?


http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3073338;jsessionid=1txntql8gy9satwjbijocghem

1170/[email protected]

So i think u're good:>


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Even how much volt you apply to your card, the GPU will only get Stock+125mV . so whatever your stock voltage is, your GPU will only be fed 125mV more than that.


So it doesn't matter whether I put the max voltage on AB, the max voltage for this card is 1024mv+125mv=1149mv, am I right?

And how to solve the blackout problem?


----------



## Denca

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mmstick*
> 
> That is a rather extreme overclock at a such a low voltage, yes, you've hit a ceiling.
> Meanwhile, what's this about driver issues? I haven't had a single driver issue with my Radeon HD 7950, neither with 12.1 that came with driver CD, 12.2 WHQL, and 12.3 WHQL also work perfectly in all the games you guys are having problems with. Are we just installing the drivers wrong?


I'm wondering my self that too. Never had any problems with amd drivers.


----------



## Newbie2009

I have had issues with drivers of late, not so much in games, but updating to the newest onest.
Problems I have had:
BSOD on desktop with xfire enabled, random.
Windows would hang on the Loading screen randomly.

All my woes went away when I stopped using afterburner.


----------



## mmstick

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Even how much volt you apply to your card, the GPU will only get Stock+125mV . so whatever your stock voltage is, your GPU will only be fed 125mV more than that.
> No, see above











You were saying? (p_-)

As for Afterburner, I have noticed it causes crashes with one of my games.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mmstick*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You were saying? (p_-)
> As for Afterburner, I have noticed it causes crashes with one of my games.


I was saying, that even how much voltage you set in MSI afterburner, the HD7970 and HD7950 both have OCP physically on the PCB of the card, which will limit the given voltage to the GPU to stock+125mV, as stated many many times in this thread.


----------



## HGooper

Uninstall RC11 with ATIman and update to 12.3, run heaven for a while and still blackout occurs., hmmm what should I do?


----------



## Ken1649

Norlig is right. You can't go over +125mV on top of the stock voltage based on ASIC quality of the chip.

If you go over that number, OVP will kick in and often than not will see artifacts from overclocking. Not because of unstable OC settings but you set the voltage pass +125mV.


----------



## mmstick

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I have had issues with drivers of late, not so much in games, but updating to the newest onest.
> Problems I have had:
> BSOD on desktop with xfire enabled, random.
> Windows would hang on the Loading screen randomly.
> All my woes went away when I stopped using afterburner.


I've heard disabling ULPS in Windows registry solves the Crossfire and Afterburner problem


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Every. Single. Driver... except RC11. I crash after about 10 minutes of BF3. Starting to piss me off. I use ATIman every single time, clean install, everything. Still crash after about 10 minutes of BF3. UNLESS, running RC11. Sick of this crap!


Are you overclocking the card? I know since the patch yesterday that BF was locking up on me, changed the O/C settings and it was fixed. It was fine with the O/C speeds prior to the patch.

And ATIMAN doesn't mean successful driver installation. Find the discussion on it a page back or so. It misses things and removes things that just aren't needed. You SHOULD be able to install drivers without using any tools. I think the problem is people have got so use to AMDs driver implementation and installing horrors that they still fill like it's necessary to nuke their system to get all the drivers off when really you just need to remove them from the CP or just upgrade them...

After I stopped using the cleaning tools, I haven't had ANY issues with the drivers, kind of funny. I've installed 3 drivers now that way.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Basically the VRM's (not the temps of the VRM's) are the limiting factor when overclocking these cards pretty high.
I assume the Lightning version of the 7970 wouldn't have this issue (for most people).

If I were to disable PowerPlay and clock my 7970 to 1070 MHz core and stock vcore it would work just fine while running OCCT.
Now if I were to push it any further than that, whether it's voltage or core clocks it would trip the card resulting in a black screen.

I don't believe there's anyway around that other than doing a hard mod.


----------



## Ken1649

First, we all accuse AMD drivers are bad. Now Atiman is the culprit because we ......... If we can't find answer or solution, out of frustation we just need something and someone to blame


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Lol Ken...PREACH!


----------



## Hambone07si

I blame Ken









J/K bud


----------



## wireeater

It has nothing to do with blame it has to do with facts/observations. If I have had more successful installs not using it VS using it then it comes down to the tool being the issue as no other step in the installation has changed. So it sounds like a solution WAS found, so no blame needed...









All I'm saying is try doing it without the tool and I wouldn't test that unless you had a clean windows installation that you haven't let it run on. The ATIMAN tool can have flaws just like the drivers... things do break when things change (like driver packages..)


----------



## Ken1649

Luckily, we are not in Midieval or a lot of innocent people will got burnt at the stake for sorcery.

Scary









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PROBN4LYFE*
> 
> Lol Ken...PREACH!


On the contrary, I perform Exorcism.


----------



## wireeater

He's a witch, burn him!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3073338;jsessionid=1txntql8gy9satwjbijocghem
> 1170/[email protected]
> So i think u're good:>


Thanks


----------



## lofax

need help guys.

just reinstalled OS and found out AB is not working correctly after i unlock it.only shows 0 digits on core,mem except voltage.using AB beta & 12.3wql.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lofax*
> 
> need help guys.
> just reinstalled OS and found out AB is not working correctly after i unlock it.only shows 0 digits on core,mem except voltage.using AB beta & 12.3wql.


You need to install the patch files for it and it will work. They were posted a few pages back yesterday. Mite be in the OP too.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mmstick*
> 
> I've heard disabling ULPS in Windows registry solves the Crossfire and Afterburner problem


No nothing to do with that, as I have done and have left alone. Convinced it is AB.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lofax*
> 
> need help guys.
> just reinstalled OS and found out AB is not working correctly after i unlock it.only shows 0 digits on core,mem except voltage.using AB beta & 12.3wql.


Try trixx, I have had same issues.


----------



## lofax

@hamboneo7si, found it thnx. +1 for sir.

trixx dont work also eve though i already disable ulps in registry.


----------



## Ken1649

Here, the patch;

AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I was saying, that even how much voltage you set in MSI afterburner, the HD7970 and HD7950 both have OCP physically on the PCB of the card, which will limit the given voltage to the GPU to stock+125mV, as stated many many times in this thread.


As far as I understand it the Lightnings are voltage unlocked...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> As far as I understand it the Lightnings are voltage unlocked...


It still has OCP, they just turned it down and made it more lax.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> First, we all accuse AMD drivers are bad. Now Atiman is the culprit because we ......... If we can't find answer or solution, out of frustation we just need something and someone to blame


Lol, who said they didn't suck anymore?


----------



## lofax

this i have manage so far after exchanging the card.

1240/1600 @ 1.18v


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> First, we all accuse AMD drivers are bad. Now Atiman is the culprit because we ......... If we can't find answer or solution, out of frustation we just need something and someone to blame


Some of us have been saying atiman is bad for a while (driver sweeper too)--the issue with these pieces of software should be blatantly obvious after one use--it's a bazooka to a fly. My success with these drivers made a dramatic turn for the better once I started to follow this simple concept: Install and uninstall the software the way the developer intended, without the use of third party software.

Your mileage may vary, and this is just my







.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> New CAP profiles 12.3 CAP1:
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Half of the fixes are in single-gpu mode haha.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> New profiles added to this release:
> - FireFall: Resolve corruption when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations
> - Test Drive Unlimited 2: Improves CrossFire performance
> - Ridge Racer Unbounded - Fixes full screen corruption for single GPU configurations
> - Stacking - Resolved image quality issues when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations
> - Dirt 3: Fixes corruption found in particular scenes when CrossFire is enabled
> 
> 
> 
> It doesn't matter. Starting from Catalyst 12.1, we can configure the 3D profiles anyway we want for best Crossfire scaling as in using RadeonPro.
> 
> *AMD CrossFireX Mode for 3D Applications*.
> 
> Under the drop down list:
> 
> 
> *Disabled*. This option turns off CrossFireX multi-GPU acceleration.
> *Default* uses whatever the global system default option is, or whatever AMD has configured, if the game already has a profile in the CAP package.
> *AFR Friendly*, which is for games which generally work well with Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR).
> *Optimize 1x1*. This is another AFR option, but with optimizations for 1x1 surfaces. The idea is, if *AFR Friendly* has problems, *Optimize 1x1* is another option to try.
> *Use AMD Pre-Defined Profile* allows us to select the CrossFireX configuration of another game and apply it to the one for which we are making a profile.
> 
> (For more details and example: HARDOCP - Introduction - AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview Profiles and *...* )
Click to expand...

This doesn't replace CAPs which primarily fix bugs, which none of those options fix driver or application profile's actual bugs. Nothing (within reason) usually beats the CAPs. Experimenting with AFR or Optimize 1x1, is all fine and dandy, but if the driver support isn't there, it can be extremely buggy forcing any of those options.

Food for thought.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> First, we all accuse AMD drivers are bad. Now Atiman is the culprit because we ......... If we can't find answer or solution, out of frustation we just need something and someone to blame
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of us have been saying atiman is bad for a while (driver sweeper too)--the issue with these pieces of software should be blatantly obvious after one use--it's a bazooka to a fly. My success with these drivers made a dramatic turn for the better once I started to follow this simple concept: Install and uninstall the software the way the developer intended, without the use of third party software.
> 
> Your mileage may vary, and this is just my
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
Click to expand...

Keep in mind, both tools were considered absolutely mandatory or necessary because of how crappy the Driver installation and uninstallation solutions performed from ATi/AMD. Blaming DriverSweeper and AtiMan is like blaming Cops for not preventing all murders, there is only so much it can do. The issues have always been the driver and the developers "laziness." This is coming from A developer, not just Joe Blow giving off steam.

AMDs drivers do suck in terms of handling errors and uninstalling cleanly.

I recommend all of you view AceEventLog in your EventViewer and view how many Hardware based crashes its handled. The exceptions it doesn't know what to do with causes your AMD drivers to crash or your computer to BSOD / Hang.

This is feeling very similar to the 5870 launch  Although this is not AS bad.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> First, we all accuse AMD drivers are bad. Now Atiman is the culprit because we ......... If we can't find answer or solution, out of frustation we just need something and someone to blame
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of us have been saying atiman is bad for a while (driver sweeper too)--the issue with these pieces of software should be blatantly obvious after one use--it's a bazooka to a fly. My success with these drivers made a dramatic turn for the better once I started to follow this simple concept: Install and uninstall the software the way the developer intended, without the use of third party software.
> 
> Your mileage may vary, and this is just my
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
Click to expand...

Well, I have to admit I am a complete n00b when it comes to this.

But why on earth would someone utilize third party applications to clean up the traces of drivers if the regular uninstall and install are working fine? I thought we should only use it if as the last attempt other than suggesting RE-FORMAT? No?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> First, we all accuse AMD drivers are bad. Now Atiman is the culprit because we ......... If we can't find answer or solution, out of frustation we just need something and someone to blame
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of us have been saying atiman is bad for a while (driver sweeper too)--the issue with these pieces of software should be blatantly obvious after one use--it's a bazooka to a fly. My success with these drivers made a dramatic turn for the better once I started to follow this simple concept: Install and uninstall the software the way the developer intended, without the use of third party software.
> 
> Your mileage may vary, and this is just my
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Well, I have to admit I am a complete n00b when it comes to this.
> 
> But why on earth would someone utilize third party applications to clean up the traces of drivers if the regular uninstall and install are working fine? I thought we should only use it if as the last attempt other than suggesting RE-FORMAT? No?
Click to expand...

People in the Red army (ATi/AMD users) tend to split down the middle, those that admit the drivers are bad/quirky, those that blame everyone and everything, including the user with the problem, and never the drivers.

This is one, just one, thing in a list of things to try when having issues: Clean install, or as close to a re-format without having to re-format as possible. Many people had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, because of tards blaming the user him/herself, that he knows how to install and uninstall the drivers.

All you have to do is uninstall the drivers, and start looking through your Windows folder for ATi drivers. They are always still there.

The other thing is disabling ULPS for example, <- although it works, it is completely unacceptable solution.... but everyone seems okay with it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> The other thing is disabling ULPS for example, <- although it works, it is completely unacceptable solution.... but everyone seems okay with it.


You do not understand why it must be disabled??

Why is it unacceptable, when you are using unofficial overclock methods. Lemme repeat that, unofficial overclock method. ULPS is not compatible with UNOFFICIAL overclock method.

Thus if its unacceptable, don't use UOM. Anyways, ULPS just drops the cards from low power state to ultra low power state, ie. 300/150 to almost 0. This brings up an perplexing counter to that though and it's that using OFFICIAL method, means the memory speed on your main card will stay clocked at 3D speed or defaults 3D speed. Which is worse...? Imo, I'd rather not run my memory at 3D clocks 24/7.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> The other thing is disabling ULPS for example, <- although it works, it is completely unacceptable solution.... but everyone seems okay with it.
> 
> 
> 
> You do not understand why it must be disabled??
> 
> Why is it unacceptable, when you are using unofficial overclock methods. Lemme repeat that, unofficial overclock method. ULPS is not compatible with UNOFFICIAL overclock method.
> 
> Thus if its unacceptable, don't use UOM. Anyways, ULPS just drops the cards from low power state to ultra low power state, ie. 300/150 to almost 0. This brings up an perplexing counter to that though and it's that using OFFICIAL method, means the memory speed on your main card will stay clocked at 3D speed or defaults 3D speed. Which is worse...? Imo, I'd rather not run my memory at 3D clocks 24/7.
Click to expand...

ULPS needs to be disabled just to be stable physically installed, not even when overclocking. Here you go again, talking about something that is only partially related. ULPS should not need to be disabled just because you have CrossfireX, its specifically designed for CFX users, to enter the other GPUs to zero power state. I am talking about when your not OVERCLOCKING.

BSOD 7E - No overclocking, nothing going on idle desktop BSOD, without it disabled. The other issue it fixes is when starting up a video game with Crossfire enabled at times causing the game to CTD or ATIKMPAG to recover.

^- Not Acceptable.


----------



## navit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> As far as I understand it the Lightnings are voltage unlocked...


From what I understand the second bios is fully unlocked.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ULPS needs to be disabled just to be stable physically installed, not even when overclocking. Here you go again, talking about something that is only partially related. ULPS should not need to be disabled just because you have CrossfireX, its specifically designed for CFX users, to enter the other GPUs to zero power state. I am talking about when your not OVERCLOCKING.
> 
> BSOD 7E - No overclocking, nothing going on idle desktop BSOD, without it disabled. The other issue it fixes is when starting up a video game with Crossfire enabled at times causing the game to CTD or ATIKMPAG to recover.
> 
> ^- Not Acceptable.


We've been running with ULPS untouched since Caymen allowed use to NOT HAVE to use AFTERBURNER, w/o an issue whatsoever. I'd been using ULPS since 2010 on my old quads w/o 1 issue, ever. Godamn I miss the days of RBE and RacerX with my 7970s. Btw, my qiads are now split into two separate rigs, still with ULPS on with RBE/RacerX, without issues. Whatever problems you have, it reads like you are blaming ULPS, w/o looking at the things you have attached to it.


----------



## thrgk

wait, so the MSI Lightnings have fully unlocked, so if you water cool you can prolly go up to 1.35v or even 1.4v fine? Instead, the reference are locked to 1.3 at the most.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ULPS needs to be disabled just to be stable physically installed, not even when overclocking. Here you go again, talking about something that is only partially related. ULPS should not need to be disabled just because you have CrossfireX, its specifically designed for CFX users, to enter the other GPUs to zero power state. I am talking about when your not OVERCLOCKING.
> 
> BSOD 7E - No overclocking, nothing going on idle desktop BSOD, without it disabled. The other issue it fixes is when starting up a video game with Crossfire enabled at times causing the game to CTD or ATIKMPAG to recover.
> 
> ^- Not Acceptable.


Yeah I agree,it seems AMD are going out of their way to hinder the consumer overclocking their cards. What is stopping them from having memory volts,core volts and unlimited overclocking in CCC, nothing.

If all the overclocking was integrated by AMD into CCC, we could have great overclocking AND great powersaving all in one. But I guess we are talking about a company who cannot seem to release a solid driver for a card, so asking for the above is probably just fantasy.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Not sure if this was said before for 2 night in a row my card does not wake up from sleep? Basically i turn off the monitor which when it does it loses connection with the GPU. The PC is own and in the morning i turn on the display and nothing.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:

Originally Posted by *tsm106* 

Quote:
Originally Posted by *RagingCain* 

Quote:

ULPS needs to be disabled just to be stable physically installed, not even when overclocking. Here you go again, talking about something that is only partially related. ULPS should not need to be disabled just because you have CrossfireX, its specifically designed for CFX users, to enter the other GPUs to zero power state. I am talking about when your not OVERCLOCKING.

BSOD 7E - No overclocking, nothing going on idle desktop BSOD, without it disabled. The other issue it fixes is when starting up a video game with Crossfire enabled at times causing the game to CTD or ATIKMPAG to recover.

^- Not Acceptable.

We've been running with ULPS untouched since Caymen allowed use to NOT HAVE to use AFTERBURNER, w/o an issue whatsoever. I'd been using ULPS since 2010 on my old quads w/o 1 issue, ever. Godamn I miss the days of RBE and RacerX with my 7970s. Btw, my qiads are now split into two separate rigs, still with ULPS on with RBE/RacerX, without issues. Whatever problems you have, it reads like you are blaming ULPS, w/o looking at the things you have attached to it.

So you are in that group that blames users with a problem that its their fault, as I pointed out that a lot of AMD users do this. I am glad/happy *things work for you.* ULPS doesn't work for me, and it doesn't work for other users aswell. Has nothing to do with overclocking, this is only one of the myriad of issues I have faced. Others have had similar and different issues, but I am sure its their fault too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er* 

Not sure if this was said before for 2 night in a row my card does not wake up from sleep? Basically i turn off the monitor which when it does it loses connection with the GPU. The PC is own and in the morning i turn on the display and nothing.

Happens to me after long idle periods, but I am on 12.4 Beta and didn't have this before with 12.2 WHQL (at least I don't think I did.)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah I agree,it seems AMD are going out of their way to hinder the consumer overclocking their cards. What is stopping them from having memory volts,core volts and unlimited overclocking in CCC, nothing.
> If all the overclocking was integrated by AMD into CCC, we could have great overclocking AND great powersaving all in one. But I guess we are talking about a company who cannot seem to release a solid driver for a card, so asking for the above is probably just fantasy.


That's not his argument, he's saying using ULPS which is a defacto standard in any AMD driver install causes instability.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> So you are in that group that blames users with a problem that its their fault, as I pointed out that a lot of AMD users do this. I am glad/happy *things work for you.* ULPS doesn't work for me, and it doesn't work for other users aswell. Has nothing to do with overclocking, this is only one of the myriad of issues I have faced. Others have had similar and different issues, but I am sure its their fault too.


You're using afterburner with xcl right? I coulda sworn I warned you about mixing UOM and OM methods. Btw, if you read Unwinders comments, enabling the UOM option in the config file disables xcl.

Which would require one to diable what amd process...?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> So you are in that group that blames users with a problem that its their fault, as I pointed out that a lot of AMD users do this. I am glad/happy *things work for you.* ULPS doesn't work for me, and it doesn't work for other users aswell. Has nothing to do with overclocking, this is only one of the myriad of issues I have faced. Others have had similar and different issues, but I am sure its their fault too.
> 
> 
> 
> You're using afterburner with xcl right?
Click to expand...

Afterburner is not on my system at the moment, I just fresh installed after breaking my system benching the 3dmark11. After installing drivers, first thing I had to do was disable ULPS had a BSOD within 5 minutes idle. Finally got into Windows disabled ULPS and it was stable again at least idling.

Have the issue that Zealot has regarding waking up.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Afterburner is not on my system at the moment, I just fresh installed after breaking my system benching the 3dmark11. After installing drivers, first thing I had to do was disable ULPS had a BSOD within 5 minutes idle. Finally got into Windows disabled ULPS and it was stable again at least idling.
> 
> *Have the issue that Zealot has regarding waking up.*


That issue is a known issue that Ken's been researching, but there's no fix. It's a driver issue for sure that's supposedly in the works for a fix. Btw, what driver are you using?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Afterburner is not on my system at the moment, I just fresh installed after breaking my system benching the 3dmark11. After installing drivers, first thing I had to do was disable ULPS had a BSOD within 5 minutes idle. Finally got into Windows disabled ULPS and it was stable again at least idling.
> 
> *Have the issue that Zealot has regarding waking up.*
> 
> 
> 
> That issue is a known issue that Ken's been researching, but there's no fix. It's a driver issue for sure that's supposedly in the works for a fix.
Click to expand...

Good to know, I don't mind hard-resetting machine, used to it crashing now with unstable OCs from OCN Battle Royale. Just time consuming, but to be honest I usually turn my machine off when not running.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> Good to know, I don't mind hard-resetting machine, used to it crashing now with unstable OCs from OCN Battle Royale. Just time consuming, but to be honest I usually turn my machine off when not running.


I know you are blaming it on ULPS, but its not technically ULPS. You are disabling ULPS so that your cards don't drop into ultra low mode, which then by default will move onto the next mode, Zerocore. This is the issue, Zerocore NOT ULPS. Zerocore, fwiw from my discussions with Ken, is bugged on setups using anything but DVI.


----------



## navit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> wait, so the MSI Lightnings have fully unlocked, so if you water cool you can prolly go up to 1.35v or even 1.4v fine? Instead, the reference are locked to 1.3 at the most.


Yes , on the second bios. The ocp is turned off, fully unlocked.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> Good to know, I don't mind hard-resetting machine, used to it crashing now with unstable OCs from OCN Battle Royale. Just time consuming, but to be honest I usually turn my machine off when not running.
> 
> 
> 
> I know you are blaming it on ULPS, but its not technically ULPS. You are disabling ULPS so that your cards don't drop into ultra low mode, which then by default will move onto the next mode, Zerocore. This is the issue, Zerocore NOT ULPS. Zerocore, fwiw from my discussions with Ken, is bugged on setups using anything but DVI.
Click to expand...

My satellite monitor is on DP with a DPtoHDMI dongle... I have second monitor disabled at the moment but I wonder if this is why I am experiencing the issue.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I know you are blaming it on ULPS, but its not technically ULPS. You are disabling ULPS so that your cards don't drop into ultra low mode, which then by default will move onto the next mode, Zerocore. This is the issue, Zerocore NOT ULPS. Zerocore, fwiw from my discussions with Ken, is bugged on setups using anything but DVI.


Very, very interesting. I changed out my last monitor to DVI, from HDMI--I am having a slight microstutter issue in bf3, so am currently ruling out possible causes--and I haven't seen the sleep issue since changing, but I haven't specifically tested for it either. But now I am curious. Thanks for the information.


----------



## Ken1649

About ZeroCore Power State if anyone interested to find out more, I put a note here *post #22*. The note is more like for myself.


----------



## Alexsubri

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Here, the patch;
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


Thanks for that patch...I tried to flash my 7950 to an ASUS 7970 and it bricked :-( ...now I am stuck on BIOS 1 for my Sapphire 7950 ...oh well, I can now clock higher. Thanks for the patch once again!!!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> My satellite monitor is on DP with a DPtoHDMI dongle... I have second monitor disabled at the moment but I wonder if this is why I am experiencing the issue.


You'll have to re-enable ulps to get zerocore running. If you are only using one panel anyways, go dvi. I guess it would be easy to confirm the bug regardless. In my case, because I prefer UOM over Unwinders OM, I have to disable ulps so I by coincidence never run into that bug.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Very, very interesting. I changed out my last monitor to DVI, from HDMI--I am having a slight microstutter issue in bf3, so am currently ruling out possible causes--and I haven't seen the sleep issue since changing, but I haven't specifically tested for it either. But now I am curious. Thanks for the information.


Try it out, swap the back and forth and let us know how it goes. Btw check out ken's link to the vid..








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alexsubri*
> 
> Thanks for that patch...I tried to flash my 7950 to an ASUS 7970 and it bricked :-( ...now I am stuck on BIOS 1 for my Sapphire 7950 ...oh well, I can now clock higher. Thanks for the patch once again!!!!


Whoa? Bios 1 is the one you flash to. Bios 2 is the fail safe. Did you end up flashing to Bios 2?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So wait, what's the bug when using DP over DVI? I have a 120Hz monitor so I have to use either dual link DVI or DP but the Lightnings only have single-link DVI. What issues am I going to have running with DP???


----------



## thrgk

since the bios is totally unlocked for lightnings, can they hit 1500 mhz on the core?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alexsubri*
> 
> Thanks for that patch...I tried to flash my 7950 to an ASUS 7970 and it bricked :-( ...now I am stuck on BIOS 1 for my Sapphire 7950 ...oh well, I can now clock higher. Thanks for the patch once again!!!!


Pull a backup of the BIOS from number 1, the one you have working, and flash that backup to number 2. I certainly wouldn't leave one BIOS on your card with a bad flash, you may need it one day.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> since the bios is totally unlocked for lightnings, can they hit 1500 mhz on the core?


Just because the voltage is unlocked doesn't necessarily meant that they will OC any better than any other 7970. It just means you have the ability to try out higher voltages and see if that helps. They will ultimately only OC to their limits regardless of how much voltage you throw at them...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *navit*
> 
> Yes , on the second bios. The ocp is turned off, fully unlocked.


That's the LN2 bios right?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> since the bios is totally unlocked for lightnings, can they hit 1500 mhz on the core?


I highly doubt that. It's the same silicon as reference golden cards, just cuz it has the lightning name doesn't make it like magic beans.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So wait, what's the bug when using DP over DVI? I have a 120Hz monitor so I have to use either dual link DVI or DP but the Lightnings only have single-link DVI. What issues am I going to have running with DP???


Zerocore does not work properly on systems using anything but DVI.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Zerocore does not work properly on systems using anything but DVI.


What does zerocore do and do I need it?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What does zerocore do and do I need it?


Its just more AMD low pwer savings nuttery. You can prevent your cards from entering zerocore powerstate by disabling ulps, which you'd probably do anyways using AB to overclock with.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Its just more AMD low pwer savings nuttery. You can prevent your cards from entering zerocore powerstate by disabling ulps, which you'd probably do anyways using AB to overclock with.


Do you do that in CCC? Sorry for the noob questions but I've never even see an AMD card before, much less used one...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Do you do that in CCC? Sorry for the noob questions but I've never even see an AMD card before, much less used one...


Well, first thing from the start is ya gotta make a choice to use AB or not? If you use AB, and for the record on Tahitti aka 7970s, I recommend AB, aka UOM method of overclock. Official overclocking, aka OM, aka Overdrive which is AMD's built in app, sucks right now. Anyways...

If you use AB, and I would and do, don't bother to ever open up Overdrive, or to enable it at all. After yer drivers are installed, before you hit the button to reboot disable ulps. Reboot. Then install AB, don't check ze box to start AB. Go abouts unlocking UOM in the config. You should know how to do that right? Now run AB, it will analyze your gpus and ask to reboot, so reboot and you are done with setup. Upon reboot unlock voltage control, then w/o doing anything else, save that default to profile #1, etc. Then create your 3D profiles as you please.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I had ULPS ON for some reason. Turned it off and see if i get the problem Tonight.


----------



## navit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's the LN2 bios right?


Correct


----------



## dubbydub

Have any of you guys downlclocked your HD7970 2D profile in AB?
I'm down to 1.0v, 922MHz core and 1374MHz memory. My idle temp har dropped from 40c to 36c. I like the lower temps.









Any pointers on how low I can go? Can this damage my card in any way?


----------



## thrgk

Anyone own the sapphire dual fan 7970? Its so quiet, I have it set at 80% fan and so quiet, just a little whine. I keeps my card at 65C or less in 3dmark11, and so far passed 3dmark11 with 1.27v 1300mhz core. IDK if i will watercool it its so quiet lol. Is it just me, or did i find holy grail haha jk.
Really tho, let me know!


----------



## Alexsubri

when I am in ATI Flash, what would be the command? I already saved my 7950 Bios from BIOS #2 ...**** i thought BIOS 2 was for overclocking


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Well, first thing from the start is ya gotta make a choice to use AB or not? If you use AB, and for the record on Tahitti aka 7970s, I recommend AB, aka UOM method of overclock. Official overclocking, aka OM, aka Overdrive which is AMD's built in app, sucks right now. Anyways...
> If you use AB, and I would and do, don't bother to ever open up Overdrive, or to enable it at all. After yer drivers are installed, before you hit the button to reboot disable ulps. Reboot. Then install AB, don't check ze box to start AB. Go abouts unlocking UOM in the config. You should know how to do that right? Now run AB, it will analyze your gpus and ask to reboot, so reboot and you are done with setup. Upon reboot unlock voltage control, then w/o doing anything else, save that default to profile #1, etc. Then create your 3D profiles as you please.


Ok thanks but one more stupid question. I got lightnings which actually come with AB as part of the software. Since AB is MSI's own utility, wouldnt they have made it possible to overclock with it without having to use an unofficial overclocking method? I feel like such a dummy... :/


----------



## aageres

Does anyone else have smoke flickering on Strike to Karkand? Is it a driver issue? It doesnt matter if card is on stock or overclocked, its still there.


----------



## phillyd

wow :O
over 1000 posts since i last looked

check this concept for a switch810 build out
if you like it, send a message to the NZXT reps, Retell or XNine for me


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Ok thanks but one more stupid question. I got lightnings which actually come with AB as part of the software. Since AB is MSI's own utility, wouldnt they have made it possible to overclock with it without having to use an unofficial overclocking method? I feel like such a dummy... :/


No. UOM has nothing to do with MSI or anything else for that matter. It has everything to do with how the software accesses the driver to change clocks. However when you use a msi card with msi ab, you get to monitor vrm temps inside ab.


----------



## Hambone07si

Ok, here's my error for BF3 not launching


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Ok, here's my error for BF3 not launching


Which driver did you move to when you got hit with this?

The only driver that I've found that doesn't suffer from this bug sooner or later is rc11. I've found that if you install/uninstall enough times, you will get hit by this bug.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Ok, here's my error for BF3 not launching


Same error I posted about getting a while back after installing RC11 on my machine and going back to 12.2

FYI, it was a fresh install. Installed OS, mobo drivers, windows updates, and then 12.2. Used 12.2 for a few days, uninstalled 12.2, and installed RC11. Used RC11 for a few hours, uninstalled, and when I reinstalled 12.2, but then BF3 wouldn't launch, nor would Dirt3 anymore. Tried several 12.2 reinstalls, no dice. Put RC11 back on just to test, everything worked fine. But for some reason 12.2 wouldn't work properly anymore.

They launched before RC11, but not after. If I remember correctly, that DLL is related to MS Visual C++. I didn't spend much time on it, honestly. sfc didn't fix it (but did log errors about those files), nor did MS Visual C++ redist package reinstalls. I was in a hurry, and didn't feel like manually fixing it from the command-line, so I just reinstalled and bypassed any instance of RC11. I haven't seen that error since.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Same error I posted about getting a while back after installing RC11 on my machine and going back to 12.2


It's not just rc11. Nvidia guys have been plagued with the msvcrt crash too.


----------



## Hambone07si

This is me trying to use the 12.3 whql. Soon as I installed, I can't launch. Even if I go to 1 monitor or anything. If I go back to Rc11 it will launch and play fine. When I installed 8.95.5 it worked and played great, but MW3 was all crazy looking and we still play that. I'm thinking about putting this 2700k in and doing a fresh install of the OS and then try 12.3 whql.

TSM, do you have MW3? Your on 8.95.5 right? I'm wondering if anyone else has that issue on that driver in this game.


----------



## tsm106

I went back to rc11. I got tired of all these pansy drivers. I modded rc11 with 12.4 beta opencl1.2 stuffs. Rc11 is awesome you can throw all sorts of junk at it and it just runs.

If you start fresh with 12.3, watch out for the clock control bug. A lot of systems have their slave cards locked in 3d clocks on the desktop, lol.

No MW3, though I've been reading the about the blackout. Hell, I suck enough at BF3 so no need to humiliate myself further with another FPS.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Ok, let me just ask the question this way. What if I just install a fresh copy of windows, mobo drivers, windows updates, latest whql drivers (12.3), and latest AB. What would be my software overclock limit in CF? I'd like to get to 1200mhz core if possible but with the least amount of aggravation. I know every gpu clocks differently but does that sound even remotely doable?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Ok, let me just ask the question this way. What if I just install a fresh copy of windows, mobo drivers, windows updates, latest whql drivers (12.3), and latest AB. What would be my software overclock limit in CF? I'd like to get to 1200mhz core if possible but with the least amount of aggravation. I know every gpu clocks differently but does that sound even remotely doable?


Put em on water and I bet it is.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Ok, let me just ask the question this way. What if I just install a fresh copy of windows, mobo drivers, windows updates, latest whql drivers (12.3), and latest AB. What would be my software overclock limit in CF? I'd like to get to 1200mhz core if possible but with the least amount of aggravation. I know every gpu clocks differently but does that sound even remotely doable?


Ambients willing it is likely that you could hit 1200 on air or more. The test I do is I see how far the card can run on stock voltage after checking its asic %. You want an asic around 77-80%... well that was for reference cards, cuz it gives you a balance with the limited voltage you can throw at it. However you will probably want a higher asic % since you are not limited by voltage. You can just throw MOAR volts at it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Ok, let me just ask the question this way. What if I just install a fresh copy of windows, mobo drivers, windows updates, latest whql drivers (12.3), and latest AB. What would be my software overclock limit in CF? I'd like to get to 1200mhz core if possible but with the least amount of aggravation. I know every gpu clocks differently but does that sound even remotely doable?


1180-1210 MHz on the core using about 1.250v or so.
It'll take some trial and error to find that ceiling for both cards.


----------



## Hambone07si

So what do you think? Do a fresh OS and 12.3 or just install Rc11 and call it a day


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So what do you think? Do a fresh OS and 12.3 or just install Rc11 and call it a day


I dunno, try 12.3. What have ya got to lose, its a fresh install and if it buggers up everything you can just wipe again. You have a 50/50 chance the driver is compatible and you will have normal clock control.

However, the MLAA v2.0 is in the 12.4 OpenCL 1.2 driver... so I'm not sure that going to 12.3 whql will gain you anything as far as mlaa in BF3 is concerned. 12.3 still has mlaa 1.0 iirc.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> 1180-1210 MHz on the core using about 1.250v or so.
> It'll take some trial and error to find that ceiling for both cards.


I'd be totally satisfied with those clocks in CF! Would destroy my 580's at 950mhz! I hope I got decent chips...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I dunno, try 12.3. What have ya got to lose, its a fresh install and if it buggers up everything you can just wipe again. You have a 50/50 chance the driver is compatible and you will have normal clock control.
> However, the MLAA v2.0 is in the 12.4 OpenCL 1.2 driver... so I'm not sure that going to 12.3 whql will gain you anything as far as mlaa in BF3 is concerned. 12.3 still has mlaa 1.0 iirc.


I did like that I was running 16xEQ MLAA Super Sample in BF3 with Ultra on 8.95.5 <-(this is 12.4 beta right?)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'd be totally satisfied with those clocks in CF! Would destroy my 580's at 950mhz! I hope I got decent chips...


Dude, my trifire array does 1300+ with 1.28v to 1.26v on water. The general quality of the silicon is high and you have the best chance. My silicon is just run of the mill left up to chance, lol.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I did like that I was running 16xEQ MLAA Super Sample in BF3 with Ultra on 8.95.5 <-(this is 12.4 beta right?)


No. 12.4 beta = 8.96.0.

LOL AMD WHY YOU NO USE LOGIC IN NAMING DRIVERS?


----------



## Hambone07si

so what driver is 8.95.5 ??


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> so what driver is 8.95.5 ??


That was the 7800 launch driver.


----------



## Hambone07si

So I don't even want that then right LOL


----------



## Jokah

Any chance of getting the ASIC quality in the OP. As in what percentage equals what voltage? It's a nightmare trying to find it at the moment! Could be anywhere.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I had ULPS ON for some reason. Turned it off and see if i get the problem Tonight.


Why not just shut your computer down at night? It's not like it takes hours to start up, and it'd save power.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Does anyone else have smoke flickering on Strike to Karkand? Is it a driver issue? It doesnt matter if card is on stock or overclocked, its still there.


I've noticed a lot of texture flickering and general issues in BF3, and I'm pretty sure it's the game. I've had them on my CF 6870's, my 580, and now on this 7970. Before you say it's something else, when I went 7970 I also changed CPU/Mobo/RAM


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Why not just shut your computer down at night? It's not like it takes hours to start up, and it'd save power.
> I've noticed a lot of texture flickering and general issues in BF3, and I'm pretty sure it's the game. I've had them on my CF 6870's, my 580, and now on this 7970. Before you say it's something else, when I went 7970 I also changed CPU/Mobo/RAM


I get texture flicker really bad when scoped out really far. I get this with both my 7970s and my 6950. I agree, I think it's just the game.


----------



## Hambone07si

just got done with fresh os and updates. bout to try 12.3whql and hope to god it works out and lets me play bf3


----------



## WakaFlockaFlam2

i just got the 12.3 driver and now get 30 fps (instead of 55-60) in bf3. should i go back to 12.2 or is there a 12.4 beta somewhere?


----------



## svthomas

Would any of you guys/girls mind going into this thread and helping the OP with a question about the current state of the 7970 drivers, and your opinion on trading two 680s for 7970s. He is concerned about the drivers in regard to crossfire, etc. because he is thinking about trading two 680s for 7970s.

I think he really isn't getting much detailed information from many people who actually own them (there is some), so I thought it would be beneficial if some of you could chime in, as you've had much experience with these cards and can probably give a more thorough response than I can.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1233246/2x-sapphire-7970-wb-trade-for-2x-bnib-gtx-680s/60#post_16845362


----------



## Hambone07si

I just played some BF3 on 12.3







all seems good so far. I'm going to swap my cpu and see what happens. Back in a bit.


----------



## 1rkrage

Hey guys what is your memory voltages at? what's the safe voltage limit for those?

i'm stuck at 1534 MHz on stock 1.6v so I bumped it a bit, but was wondering if that was safe


----------



## iDeal

Hey all, could someone recommend a software app to allow me to overclock my card beyond CCC maximum?

This card overclocks so well, I reckon I can push it much further without issues.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

This is probably the wrong place to post (maybe in the rumors section) but I heard that an HD 7950 1.5 GB version is going to come out? IS there any evidence for this?


----------



## Hambone07si

Fresh install is going good with drivers so far. 2700k even better.
so far I like. Didn't even boot at stock. Went straight for 5ghz with 1.450v. My temps in the room are 76f, just opened the window to drop a bit.


----------



## iDeal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iDeal*
> 
> Hey all, could someone recommend a software app to allow me to overclock my card beyond CCC maximum?
> This card overclocks so well, I reckon I can push it much further without issues.


Also, in addition to the above, how does this bench compare to some of yours?

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3079890

It seems a little low to me...?


----------



## EKfine

hi all! i have a sapphire 7950 single fan, i noticed that my vddc current is high compared to what ive seen on some forums including here. is this normal? im using corsair hx1000 psu. ive set gpu volt to 1.137v using trixx. plus my oc used to be 1100/1600 @1.137v(trixx) for over a month stable on bench like heaven, vantage, 3dmark11 mark06, and been playing skyrim, bf3, mw3, crysis 2 with no problems but after a month or two its starting to lock up thats why i reduced it to 1090/1550 to get it stable again. TIA!


----------



## Hambone07si

i7 is getting me better scores too and I like that. 15,769 at only 1125 now. I only got 15200 with i5 and 1200/1600


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> i7 is getting me better scores too and I like that. 15,769 at only 1125 now. I only got 15200 with i5 and 1200/1600


Big processors pay dividends in 3D 11, whether real or not. You see it in the physics score. At the same speeds or relative, E chips get 2K more physics in 3D 11. Weighted differently? I think so.


----------



## Hambone07si

Yeah, believe me, I've thought about bringing my SB-E chip and board home from work and trying my 7970's on that with 3.0 but too much work on my work pc. Got 1000's of 3D files and Cnc programs to swap. I think I'll run this 2700k til IVY now. Running same 5hgz clock with 1.450v so far and haven't tried dropping yet. It's a good one.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yeah, believe me, I've thought about bringing my SB-E chip and board home from work and trying my 7970's on that with 3.0 but too much work on my work pc. Got 1000's of 3D files and Cnc programs to swap. I think I'll run this 2700k til IVY now. Running same 5hgz clock with 1.450v so far and haven't tried dropping yet. It's a good one.


Have solace in the fact that it's only 3d 11, waste of a bench to build a system around imo.









I neutered my system, and did a single gpu run in the whatever big 680/7970 thread btw.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm not favoring it, just using it







I got 15,200 with these settings here and now I get 16,400. I'll take it. Free performance.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm not favoring it, just using it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got 15,200 with these settings here and now I get 16,400. I'll take it. Free performance.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1233063/gtx-680s-vs-hd-7970s-the-ocn-battle-royale-part-2/0_30

Get it in there, push them GTX680s down









Show them who is BOSS


----------



## Hambone07si

I'll post some results tomorrow in there and show them whats up


----------



## wirefox

Are there any suggested caps to use running RC11 ... seems to be okay.. some lighting flickers... and more often than not I die fast in BF3 - feel like it's lag.

I shoot more than half a clip into someone .. and I hear 3 shots.. .and I'm dead...

I never win a heads up gun fight ... arrrghhh.. is it my i920?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> This is probably the wrong place to post (maybe in the rumors section) but I heard that an HD 7950 1.5 GB version is going to come out? IS there any evidence for this?


Probably the best place actually, cause I saw it, lol.

If you look at the bottom with the two markings (one has a black dot in it), one is 3GB and one is 1.5GB.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> This is probably the wrong place to post (maybe in the rumors section) but I heard that an HD 7950 1.5 GB version is going to come out? IS there any evidence for this?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Probably the best place actually, cause I saw it, lol.
> If you look at the bottom with the two markings (one has a black dot in it), one is 3GB and one is 1.5GB.


Here is a picture of a PowerColor 7970 showing the same 1.5G, 3G markings:


----------



## pfunkmort

This is a long shot, but I can't find information on it online. I recently bought Bionic Commando Rearmed, but the game is screwed. I go to start it, and the characters show up, and bullets, but just about everything else on screen is black. I was using RC11, and updated to 12.3 WHQL in hopes that it would fix it, but to no avail. Basically, anyone know what type of issue it is so I can try to troubleshoot it? I was hoping it was a driver issue, but now I have no idea.

[edit] - no crap, RIGHT after posting here, I stumbled upon someone having the same issue from 2008. Basically, forced AA from CCC completely breaks the game. Turning it off enabled me to play.


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I've noticed a lot of texture flickering and general issues in BF3, and I'm pretty sure it's the game. I've had them on my CF 6870's, my 580, and now on this 7970. Before you say it's something else, when I went 7970 I also changed CPU/Mobo/RAM


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I get texture flicker really bad when scoped out really far. I get this with both my 7970s and my 6950. I agree, I think it's just the game.


Thanks guys, you took the load of my mind!


----------



## nabokovfan87

Messed around with my lightning. First OC for me....

Any ideas on how to up the VRAM voltage above 1.6? Only think I think I may need to do is switch to the other bios selection?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nabokovfan87*
> 
> Messed around with my lightning. First OC for me....
> 
> Any ideas on how to up the VRAM voltage above 1.6? Only think I think I may need to do is switch to the other bios selection?


No need to switch the BIOS to have that voltage control.

What you need to do is to click the small button on the right voltage slider will drop down the selection for:

1. GPU voltage.

2. Memory voltage.

3. Aux voltage.


----------



## Wiffinberg

Got a Sapphire 7950 Dual X OC edition the other day









I am satisfied with 1GHz/1375MHz at this stage:
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/fk4ax/


----------



## Hambone07si

So I'm pretty happy with the way my system is running after the fresh OS install and driver 12.3whql. Runs good, but I think I lost some performance over Rc11 for a little smoothness now. My only dislike is that my 2nd card is running 3d clocks and that one's on air. With out making the fan go nuts, it's idling at 58c. I need another water block bad and this would bother me one bit as the other is only at 32c. Anyway to get that card dropping down with 12.3?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So I'm pretty happy with the way my system is running after the fresh OS install and driver 12.3whql. Runs good, but I think I lost some performance over Rc11 for a little smoothness now. My only dislike is that my 2nd card is running 3d clocks and that one's on air. With out making the fan go nuts, it's idling at 58c. I need another water block bad and this would bother me one bit as the other is only at 32c. Anyway to get that card dropping down with 12.3?


I installed rc11, then installed 12.3 over the top of rc11(without un-installing) and have no problems with 2d clocks on second card.

Give it a shot.



I am also get a 1 to 2% performance increase over 8.95.5

8.95.5



12.3



3Dmarks was the same, slight increase with 12.3

8.95.5

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3063189

12.3

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3069482


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm not touching Rc11 again. That's why I did a fresh OS yesterday. 12.3whql until 12.4whql. I've wasted way too many hrs F'n with these dame drivers. I listened to svthomas and it worked perfect.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm not touching Rc11 again. That's why I did a fresh OS yesterday. 12.3whql until 12.4whql. I've wasted way too many hrs F'n with these dame drivers. I listened to svthomas and it worked perfect.


Well then, you could try the patch to see if that helps


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Well then, you could try the patch to see if that helps


Patch to enable 2d clocks? Link? Is it in the OP?

Edit: I don't see in the OP, but would be a good thing to have in there for us Xfire guys.


----------



## owikh84

7970x3 @ 1300/1700 with 12.3 WHQL









sigh Dirt3 still crashed on me since previous 12.x


----------



## quakermaas

From what I understand it is a patch that replaces missing files that 12.3 doesn't have, installing rc11 first is meant to do the same thing as the patch.

I just thought it would be worth a shot, since you don't want to go near the rc11 again









I will try to find a link to it.

you have it all ready so I guess it don't help.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You need to install the patch files for it and it will work. They were posted a few pages back yesterday. Mite be in the OP too.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Here, the patch;
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Whoa? Bios 1 is the one you flash to. Bios 2 is the fail safe. Did you end up flashing to Bios 2?


Does it matter anyway?
Afaik the 2 Bios versions on the sapphire 7950 cards are identical, no?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EKfine*
> 
> hi all! i have a sapphire 7950 single fan, i noticed that my vddc current is high compared to what ive seen on some forums including here. is this normal? im using corsair hx1000 psu. ive set gpu volt to 1.137v using trixx. plus my oc used to be 1100/1600 @1.137v(trixx) for over a month stable on bench like heaven, vantage, 3dmark11 mark06, and been playing skyrim, bf3, mw3, crysis 2 with no problems but after a month or two its starting to lock up thats why i reduced it to 1090/1550 to get it stable again. TIA!


Try upping the voltage a little to get stable again. 1175mv is pretty good for these cards. I have the same card and run on this voltage 1130 core, 1550 memory (stock)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> Got a Sapphire 7950 Dual X OC edition the other day
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am satisfied with 1GHz/1375MHz at this stage:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/fk4ax/


Is there a way to also have the same BIOS he has?
Got same card but I have BIOS : 015.01*3*.000.0*10*.000*705* (113-1E20720X-T4*3*)
( he has 113-1E20720X-T4*6* )
Or would this have no gain in performance anyway?


----------



## EKfine

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Try upping the voltage a little to get stable again. 1175mv is pretty good for these cards. I have the same card and run on this voltage 1130 core, 1550 memory (stock)
> Is there a way to also have the same BIOS he has?
> Got same card but I have BIOS : 015.01*3*.000.0*10*.000*705* (113-1E20720X-T4*3*)
> ( he has 113-1E20720X-T4*6* )
> Or would this have no gain in performance anyway?


yep i did that settings but im not happy with the temps. i apply that settings for benchmarks only. im still waiting for my gpu water block.

i noticed that you have a p8z68-v/gen 3 board too. are you having issues with cold start slow pre post with it? coz i do, 30-34 seconds before i see the post and hear the all good to go beep but after that windows loads in 8-9sec thanks to ssd. tried everything i can find on the web. just pm me so we wont get out of topic. thanks!


----------



## nabokovfan87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> No need to switch the BIOS to have that voltage control.
> 
> What you need to do is to click the small button on the right voltage slider will drop down the selection for:
> 
> 1. GPU voltage.
> 2. Memory voltage.
> 3. Aux voltage.


WOW, that was simple....

What would aux voltage be for?


----------



## nabokovfan87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *owikh84*
> 
> 7970x3 @ 1300/1700 with 12.3 WHQL
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sigh Dirt3 still crashed on me since previous 12.x


I had some artifacting issues, I had the voltage a bit too high. I would try lowering it or raising it by 10-25 mV and then test it. If nothing changes, set it back and drop the core down 5-15 MHz. then you are fine.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Try upping the voltage a little to get stable again. 1175mv is pretty good for these cards. I have the same card and run on this voltage 1130 core, 1550 memory (stock)
> Is there a way to also have the same BIOS he has?
> Got same card but I have BIOS : 015.01*3*.000.0*10*.000*705* (113-1E20720X-T4*3*)
> ( he has 113-1E20720X-T4*6* )
> Or would this have no gain in performance anyway?


I have the same card as u do. 7950 single fan. I think the bios from OC version only has higher stock voltage and higher stock clock.

What is your stock voltage? 0.993V?


----------



## theyedi

Hmm, are lock ups related to temps? My temps were like low 60s


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nabokovfan87*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> No need to switch the BIOS to have that voltage control.
> 
> What you need to do is to click the small button on the right voltage slider will drop down the selection for:
> 
> 1. GPU voltage.
> 2. Memory voltage.
> 3. Aux voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> WOW, that was simple....
> 
> What would aux voltage be for?
Click to expand...

Auxiliary voltage is for feeding memory bus a.k.a. VDDCI on AMD graphics similar to QPI/Vtt (VTTD/A) or VCCIO on Intel motherboad BIOS.

Yes, Memory and Aux are exclusive to MSI Triple Voltage cards only adjustable with Afterburner. Reference boards will have to hard modding.


----------



## Hambone07si

Wonder If I can break 17k

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3087335;jsessionid=1v5ghmwdxijee1gdonlwufekm


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nabokovfan87*
> 
> Messed around with my lightning. First OC for me....
> Any ideas on how to up the VRAM voltage above 1.6? Only think I think I may need to do is switch to the other bios selection?


Try to close Hyper-Threading to avoid these drops and push your mem as you can.
Metro needs memory bandwidth.
Good luck.


----------



## theyedi

Hmm, so 1200/1500 is stable so far at 1.175(stock), but if I try to up it to 1225/1500, it locks up in 30 seconds. Temps don't go above 50 when this happens. Tried boosting the voltage to 1.25, but it didn't help. Would changing aux voltage possibly help? Not really sure what it is/ how much is safe to change that. It's currently at +0


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Does it matter anyway?
> Afaik the 2 Bios versions on the sapphire 7950 cards are identical, no?


They're not identical. One is a failsafe and won't flash. PPL have tried to flash over the failsafe and it fails horribly and renders that switch useless. The automated asus bios is dangerous in this respect because it blindly force flashes and if you are on the wrong switch, not good.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

What kind of Voltage/Clocks should i try to achieve with my card? I only have 72.8% Quality. Its Water Cooled.


----------



## RagingCain

Anybody know why Skyrim forces primary GPU to 500 MHz and remains in Power State 2? I am getting super pissed with these cards.

About to try 12.3 WHQL...


----------



## Andrazh

I have sapphire single fan 7950 and i wonder if every cooler that is for 7950 fits on my pcb? Lets say gigabyte windforce3 or sapphire dual fan or sth like that?

Tnx


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I have sapphire single fan 7950 and i wonder if every cooler that is for 7950 fits on my pcb? Lets say gigabyte windforce3 or sapphire dual fan or sth like that?
> Tnx


If you have the same PCB i would say yes but its not something you can do considering you need to buy those cards to get that cooler.


----------



## Andrazh

Yes, but if i find someone who bought the card with better cooler then mine and now uses watercooling i could buy it from him. Just need to make sure it fits


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Anybody know why Skyrim forces primary GPU to 500 MHz and remains in Power State 2? I am getting super pissed with these cards.
> 
> About to try 12.3 WHQL...


Usually if that ever happend it was because i had something like YouTube in the background. Also most of the Time a restart will fix it. It could also be that the card is not pushed enough to need the extra power. I hit 60fps+ Maxed out with single HD 7970 @ 2560x1440.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Yes, but if i find someone who bought the card with better cooler then mine and now uses watercooling i could buy it from him. Just need to make sure it fits


Yours is Reference. The Gigabyte Windforce looks a bit different but since its just a Cooler with no VRMs it should work.


----------



## Andrazh

Y i think it would fit. I looked some of the reviews. so anyone interested? I give u 20-30e+ref cooler for dual or triple fan cooler.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Y i think it would fit. I looked some of the reviews. so anyone interested? I give u 20-30e+ref cooler for dual or triple fan cooler.


Nobody would do it. You need it in case of Warranty.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Y i think it would fit. I looked some of the reviews. so anyone interested? I give u 20-30e+ref cooler for dual or triple fan cooler.


Why not buy the Accelero Extreme? I know it costs more, but its more likely to happen.


----------



## Wiffinberg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Try upping the voltage a little to get stable again. 1175mv is pretty good for these cards. I have the same card and run on this voltage 1130 core, 1550 memory (stock)
> Is there a way to also have the same BIOS he has?
> Got same card but I have BIOS : 015.01*3*.000.0*10*.000*705* (113-1E20720X-T4*3*)
> ( he has 113-1E20720X-T4*6* )
> Or would this have no gain in performance anyway?
> 
> 
> 
> I have the same card as u do. 7950 single fan. I think the bios from OC version only has higher stock voltage and higher stock clock.
> 
> What is your stock voltage? 0.993V?
Click to expand...

Yup the stock voltage for the OC Edition is 1.093v, I did not realise that they had different bios versions? I suppose thats just to tell the difference between the two cards?


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Wonder If I can break 17k
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3087335;jsessionid=1v5ghmwdxijee1gdonlwufekm


you should be able to, i did.

5.148ghz on cpu and 1270/1825 on my Xfire 7970s.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

12.3 keeps my 2nd and 3rd card running @ full speed . Anyone know how to fix that ? My primary card is running at the speed it should 500mhz cause im running a 30" 2560x1600 . Thank you for anyone who helps me .







BTW this is with a clean install .


----------



## Ottesen

Naise ! I was hoping to get 15k with my cards, but i can only run at 4,7ghz now and its holding me back bigtime, if i enter bios my pc just goes to ****..haha... dunno why.


----------



## Cyrilmak

You guys with the 7970 and two DVI monitors... What are you guys using an HDMI to DVI adapter?


----------



## Boomstick777

Can anybody share the MSI Lightning Bios 1070Mhz/1500Mhz?

Would love you forever!


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boomstick777*
> 
> Can anybody share the MSI Lightning Bios 1070Mhz/1500Mhz?
> Would love you forever!


I doubt that bios will work on a ref card but you can always try and if it bricks it use that lovely little bios selector switch .


----------



## Boomstick777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I doubt that bios will work on a ref card but you can always try and if it bricks it use that lovely little bios selector switch .


Lol, im hoping that it doesn't brick it, but im willing to be a guinea pig and see how my reference 7970 handles the lightning bios


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boomstick777*
> 
> Lol, im hoping that it doesn't brick it, but im willing to be a guinea pig and see how my reference 7970 handles the lightning bios


Will if someone uploads it for you I will try 2 myself.








So let me know if you find it you can just pm me.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boomstick777*
> 
> Lol, im hoping that it doesn't brick it, but im willing to be a guinea pig and see how my reference 7970 handles the lightning bios


+rep for being guinea pig. Keep us posted


----------



## Boomstick777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Will if someone uploads it for you I will try 2 myself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So let me know if you find it you can just pm me.


No worries


----------



## Ruined

I have been looking for one forever as well if it does end up working please post it here, if you can find it...


----------



## Boomstick777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> +rep for being guinea pig. Keep us posted


Thanks np


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Trying to get 1250Mhz. Tried 1.225v and was getting some random artifacts. With I upped it to 1.25v and i feel like they are worse.


----------



## lightsout

So whats the overall consensus here? Are you guys happy with your 7970's? Thinking of getting one, 680's sound a little wonky.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> So whats the overall consensus here? Are you guys happy with your 7970's? Thinking of getting one, 680's sound a little wonky.


I feel like HD 7970 has hidden potential which AMD is taking their time to unlock.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Well I got a 7950 and I love it! I came from a 460 and it is a different world.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> So whats the overall consensus here? Are you guys happy with your 7970's? Thinking of getting one, 680's sound a little wonky.


Cards are good drivers suck bad . I think if they would just get a good driver team there will be alot of potential to unlock , but if they keep the driver team they have now they are only going down hill I would get a GTX680 just for the fact they have good drivers . I have 1 GTX680 already I bought when it first came out . I only have 1 so I dont know what there drivers are like for sli . AMDs driver are good if just running 1 card but could even be better . I feel for anyone who spends almost 2gs on GPUS you should get vip support lol.


----------



## RagingCain

I don't know what exactly was causing my earlier Skyrim issue, but after tweaking, installing, re-installing, new drivers, uninstalling, tweaking, testing it out....

...may have been a glitch with Afterburner.

I have both my GPUs running the same speed, supposedly, and I had a default profile pushing an overclock at startup. The issue is, I had GPU2 selected in the Afterburner menu, and for some reason it wasn't synchronizing settings with GPU1. Infact, for some reason it was keeping GPU1 idle Power State2, 500 / 150 MHz. Very annoying and caused a variety of BSOD.

Solution to prevent this, was switching the GPU selector back to GPU1, uncheck Synchronize cards, close Afterburner, start Afterburner back up, reset to defaults, select synchronize video cards, restart AB one more time, then apply default clocks or overclock.

A simple uninstall / reinstall of Afterburner didn't seem to catch, assume a registry setting was caught in the mix somewhere.


----------



## nabokovfan87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boomstick777*
> 
> Can anybody share the MSI Lightning Bios 1070Mhz/1500Mhz?
> Would love you forever!


I don't know if this is the way to do it, but in gpu-z went to save bios...

Here ya go.

MSI_7970_Lightning.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I don't know what exactly was causing my earlier Skyrim issue, but after tweaking, installing, re-installing, new drivers, uninstalling, tweaking, testing it out....
> 
> ...may have been a glitch with Afterburner.
> 
> I have both my GPUs running the same speed, supposedly, and I had a default profile pushing an overclock at startup. The issue is, I had GPU2 selected in the Afterburner menu, and for some reason it wasn't synchronizing settings with GPU1. Infact, for some reason it was keeping GPU1 idle Power State2, 500 / 150 MHz. Very annoying and caused a variety of BSOD.
> 
> Solution to prevent this, was switching the GPU selector back to GPU1, uncheck Synchronize cards, close Afterburner, start Afterburner back up, reset to defaults, select synchronize video cards, restart AB one more time, then apply default clocks or overclock.
> 
> A simple uninstall / reinstall of Afterburner didn't seem to catch, assume a registry setting was caught in the mix somewhere.


AB is still buggy, especially depending upon a variety of other conditions, like using a driver with the proper files for clock control. Heck, all on its own sometimes AB just doesn't even work, ie. failure to actually overclock the cards. You have to close it and reopen it. It's really annoying when your're trying to run a bench, like 3dmark which is the most annoying bench app because it dumps you out to the desktop a bazillion times during the bench, and you have to trust that AB ramps the clocks back up. LOL.


----------



## nabokovfan87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Trying to get 1250Mhz. Tried 1.225v and was getting some random artifacts. With I upped it to 1.25v and i feel like they are worse.


Same here. I'm new to OC world, but yeah... would love to get some "advice" on this.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nabokovfan87*
> 
> I don't know if this is the way to do it, but in gpu-z went to save bios...
> Here ya go.
> 
> MSI_7970_Lightning.zip 41k .zip file


+rep for bios


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm running 12.3 and my 2nd card is staying at 3d clocks too. If I run 3dmark11 once, then it kicks my card into 2d clocks after and stays


----------



## Hambone07si

My 1st is on water and goes to 500/1500 and the 2nd on air goes to 300/150 after a 3dmark run. My water card sits at 30-32c no matter what, but the air card at 3d clocks sits at 57c. If I run 3dmark11 real quick then it clocks down and sits at only 33c on air







dame drivers.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nabokovfan87*
> 
> I don't know if this is the way to do it, but in gpu-z went to save bios...
> Here ya go.
> 
> MSI_7970_Lightning.zip 41k .zip file


BTW I will try the bios tomorrow i dont feel like formating my flashdrive and making it bootable again lol im lazy


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> My 1st is on water and goes to 500/1500 and the 2nd on air goes to 300/150 after a 3dmark run. My water card sits at 30-32c no matter what, but the air card at 3d clocks sits at 57c. If I run 3dmark11 real quick then it clocks down and sits at only 33c on air
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> dame drivers.


I know dude im about tired of it lol im prob going to end up selling all 3 of mine and going nvidia.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I know dude im about tired of it lol im prob going to end up selling all 3 of mine and going nvidia.


wouldn't do that until GK110 drops. Even when that drops the 7990 will have been out for a while and prolly faster. Dame AMD let go of my nutz.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'm running 12.3 and my 2nd card is staying at 3d clocks too. If I run 3dmark11 once, then it kicks my card into 2d clocks after and stays


Told you so...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Told you so...


Dame you







Lmao I need my other block and would care. After I run a 3dmark11 run it's all good tho









Did you see this?


----------



## 4514kaiser

hey i'm not geting any temps readings on my 1st 7970 running cf is this just RE4 bios?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> hey i'm not geting any temps readings on my 1st 7970 running cf is this just RE4 bios?


did you disable ULPS?? If not, that's why


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lmao I need my other block and would care. After I run a 3dmark11 run it's all good tho
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did you see this?


Holy Cracker Jacks!

That's quite the prize you got there.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm loving it too







. That only took me 10min to achieve


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> did you disable ULPS?? If not, that's why


Cheers just did that and restarted pc now it works







strangely didn't have the 0003 keys lol


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Cheers just did that and restarted pc now it works
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> strangely didn't have the 0003 keys lol


High 5


----------



## Romin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lmao I need my other block and would care. After I run a 3dmark11 run it's all good tho
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did you see this?


Nice one !! My 2600k did 5400 @ that voltage ! guess that's the difference between 2700 and 2600 !








Edit: Just noticed u had disabled HT ! That makes more sense


----------



## tsm106

Oh that was with no ht? Booo. What can you do with ht on? Why did ya make your 2700k into a 2500k?


----------



## Boomstick777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nabokovfan87*
> 
> I don't know if this is the way to do it, but in gpu-z went to save bios...
> Here ya go.
> 
> MSI_7970_Lightning.zip 41k .zip file


Thankyou, +Rep for the bios. Will test this out in a bit


----------



## veronex

all powered by a sapphire HD 7950


----------



## Boomstick777

Can confirm the 7970 lightning bios didn't work on my reference Powercolor 7970. All I got was a black screen. Dual Bios to the rescue, back on my original bios again.

Thanks for sharing the bios though, was worth a try


----------



## Besty

I tried the MSI Lightning BIOS on my card and it looks like MSI have implemented a custom controllers so the card will work just no DVI output and no voltage control.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Boomstick777*
> 
> Can confirm the 7970 lightning bios didn't work on my reference Powercolor 7970. All I got was a black screen. Dual Bios to the rescue, back on my original bios again.
> 
> Thanks for sharing the bios though, was worth a try


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Besty*
> 
> I tried the MSI Lightning BIOS on my card and it looks like MSI have implemented a custom controllers so the card will work just no DVI output and no voltage control.


The MSI 7970 Lightnings will not work because it has different components (PWM, APS, VRM, Memory, OCP, OVP & Power Tune). This should work on ref 7950 or 7970. It's Gigabyte 7970 OC with default clocks 1000/1375 MHz for core and memory. Here if you want to try. Remember to flip the switch to position #1. Never flash the BIOS in position #2.

Tahiti.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## lofax

sorry guys need to bail out cant live anymaa with the horrors,but been happy camper for 1 week will miss the looks of my dual-x.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh that was with no ht? Booo. What can you do with ht on? Why did ya make your 2700k into a 2500k?


That was just a quick max multi boot for munaim1. He wanted to see if it could do 55x and it can. 56x got to windows logo and rebooted. No BSOD at all. I'm sure I could of done that with Ht on also. When going for a Max multi boot, you just turn it off. Just having some fun


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lmao I need my other block and would care. After I run a 3dmark11 run it's all good tho
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did you see this?


Why do you have HT off btw i can do 5.6ghz with ht on @ 1.53v im running 4.8 @ 1.35 12 hour prime stable been running for months now never had a bsod from my cpu yet i think my motherboard is about the best out for overclocking for sandybridge


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Why do you have HT off btw i can do 5.6ghz with ht on @ 1.53v im running 4.8 @ 1.35 12 hour prime stable been running for months now never had a bsod from my cpu yet i think my motherboard is about the best out for overclocking for sandybridge


I'd like to see the pics for that 5.6ghz HT on @ 1.53 please. That's a nice clock. LIKE I said, was just a quick test to see if it could boot to 55x for munaim1. If it's bothering you guys that bad, I'll be right back.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Hey if anyone has a DS-307W 30" what screens do you think would look best on each side in porteait mode ?


----------



## Hambone07si

Here







and I'm running it now and loading this here for you


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I'd like to see the pics for that 5.6ghz HT on @ 1.53 please. That's a nice clock. LIKE I said, was just a quick test to see if it could boot to 55x for munaim1. If it's bothering you guys that bad, I'll be right back.


Well it would not boot for me either @ 56 times I put it on 55 x for multi and uped the bus speed a bit from 100mhz ! Did u try that ?







I really dont feel like going into bios right now been stable from day 1 on what im at now I dont want to mess that up , but when/if I do it again I will pm you a screen shot . I took one when I did it to show someone but I think I deleted it though .
I was not stable @ 5.6Ghz but I could get a screen shot that was it. i'm sure if i did 1.56v or somthing i could have been stable but i dont want to burn my chip up yet im getting a ivy bridge when out then i will really push this chip lol


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and I'm running it now and loading this here for you










i no it could do it.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Well i still think im gonna sell my cards and even stay with amd im jus ganna get 2 7990s when out although i could just get 1 more 7970 my mb supports 4 way crossfire.


----------



## Hambone07si

I really wasn't going for nothing crazy, just was a request to see 55x. I'm happy sitting at 5ghz. I'm sure I could get 56x out of this one for sure, maybe even 57x. I will stomp all over this chip when my Ivy shows up so I can compare both to their MAX like I always do. 1.6v+ on chilled water









EDIT: Wow, tripple post crunkazcanbe







4 7970's would more than likely crush 2 7990's. Why would you do that?

psst, there's a edit button


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

After one full day of headaches trying to unlock voltage control with my new 7970's (plus other minor annoyances like trying to keep my 120Hz monitor from black-screening) I can easily say that Nvidia definitely has better and more stable drivers. I've never had the kind of crazy issues with an Nvidia card that I am having with these 7970's. That being said, I think I've finally gotten things settled down. I unlocked voltage control with the missing .dll files, disable ULPS in the registry, and am now slowly trying to find max OC at min voltage (1150MHz at 1137mV so far). My ASIC's suck (77.5% and 66.8%) so these are definitely not binned chips.

Overall I'd say I am satisfied though a bit disappointed that the stories I've heard about AMD's drivers seem to be somewhat accurate...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Did anyone notice huge performance loss in BF3 after the patch?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Did anyone notice huge performance loss in BF3 after the patch?


I noticed after installing my fresh OS and 12.3. Wasn't sure if it was 12.3 or the patch. I was on avg before around 90-100 and now 70-90


----------



## elzhi

should i update my drivers to the 12.3 ? i'm still using 8.921.2 RC11 ...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *elzhi*
> 
> should i update my drivers to the 12.3 ? i'm still using 8.921.2 RC11 ...


I like them better than Rc11 and everything is working well, but I had to do a fresh OS install. Going from Rc11 to 12.3 without was nothing but nightmares


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> After one full day of headaches trying to unlock voltage control with my new 7970's (plus other minor annoyances like trying to keep my 120Hz monitor from black-screening) I can easily say that Nvidia definitely has better and more stable drivers. I've never had the kind of crazy issues with an Nvidia card that I am having with these 7970's. That being said, I think I've finally gotten things settled down. I unlocked voltage control with the missing .dll files, disable ULPS in the registry, and am now slowly trying to find max OC at min voltage (1150MHz at 1137mV so far). My ASIC's suck (77.5% and 66.8%) so these are definitely not binned chips.
> Overall I'd say I am satisfied though a bit disappointed that the stories I've heard about AMD's drivers seem to be somewhat accurate...


What drivers are you on or have you been battling? I would try rc11 if you haven't yet. OOhh, you are using one of the 12.3 drivers eh? Those drivers annoy me.
Quote:


> these are definitely not binned chips.


Like I've always said man, they are not binned like how people think they are. It's just like Alex says, binned for voltage at advertised speeds does not equate to guaranteed overclock. Btw, did you try running each card and maxing out overdrive at stock voltage first?

Btw, that's a nice looking rig.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Did anyone notice huge performance loss in BF3 after the patch?


I got great performance with patch and 12.4 beta.

Resolution: 2560x1600

Settings: Custom / Ultra, except MSAA was 2xMSAA.

Results were varied: 80 (min) FPS ~ 170 FPS, but absolutely satisfactory.

Overclock: 1250 MHz / 1600 MHz @ 1.231v GPU / 1.605v MEM <- Reported by Afterburner no HWinfo or HWMonitor etc.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I like them better than Rc11 and everything is working well, but I had to do a fresh OS install. Going from Rc11 to 12.3 without was nothing but nightmares


A lot of people have been talking about ATiMon or DSweep not necessary, did you infact use it before the fresh OS install?

I hate beating a dead horse to people, but for the last 2 years+ its been absolutely necessary to fix at least 80% of driver issues for 5xxx, 6xxx cards I don't honestly see any evidence its mysteriously been fixed. Installing AMD drivers on top of each other is asking for trouble in my opinion.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> After one full day of headaches trying to unlock voltage control with my new 7970's (plus other minor annoyances like trying to keep my 120Hz monitor from black-screening) I can easily say that Nvidia definitely has better and more stable drivers. I've never had the kind of crazy issues with an Nvidia card that I am having with these 7970's. That being said, I think I've finally gotten things settled down. I unlocked voltage control with the missing .dll files, disable ULPS in the registry, and am now slowly trying to find max OC at min voltage (1150MHz at 1137mV so far). My ASIC's suck (77.5% and 66.8%) so these are definitely not binned chips.
> 
> Overall I'd say I am satisfied though a bit disappointed that the stories I've heard about AMD's drivers seem to be somewhat accurate...


Very pretty sleeving, definitely need that white in my rig.

I think thats what a lot of AMD only users don't get, it is incredibly rare at least for high end GPUs to have to jump through these hoops to get stability, and setup correctly, or just properly installed.

I think that with the introduction of 680, there is added complexity in overclocking, similar to AMD, however, as far as being a nightmare at times, AMD's drivers are pro at that. Anybody who disagrees simply hasn't owned CrossfireX or tried enough different/plethora of games. I am sure I on the high end of the bellcurve, but every Steam sale leaves me with an extra 10 games I wasn't planning on buying, and I do eventually play them, or try to, only to find out AMDs drivers often prevent me from just "jumping in game." I have to find a fix/specific driver/work around etc. Its gotten really old.

Just yesterday, a combination of Skyrim plus AMD drivers plus Afterburner couldn't get my main GPU clocks out of idle. BF3 was working, MW3 was working as it should, Sims 3 was glitching to high hell, but had the right clock speeds. 3 Sets of drivers, disabling all mods, troubleshooting utilities one by one. Afterburner showed no issues, Skyrim didn't work even with no utilities on start up. Essentially took 2 hours of troubleshooting when I had 2.5 hours to play. Crap like that always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.


----------



## Diber

I've been having some serious issues trying to do eyefinity gaming with the 12.3 drivers... I seem to be able to play older stuff, like World of Warcraft at 5760x1080 with everything on ultra fine, but when I get near any water effects, I get massive lag- as low as 12 FPS. I can also get roughly the first 30 seconds of Skyrim at 5760x1080, but then it BSoDs out with a 0x0000116 (Graphics driver) Error code... I ditched my OCs thinking that it would help, but it really did nothing. I was running it off a portable HD (USB 3 drive) and thought that it was bottle necking it or something, and have found that it's not the case (After buying a WD Caviar Black and transferring 500 GB of games onto it).

Anyone else having these issues with the drivers? It seems I've had nothing but bad luck with my GPUs since I got them ):


----------



## jomama22

here are my 3 lightnings. I had a bit of problems with the drivers but i found that NOT UNLOCKING/editing msi cfg helped me out in the end. Unfortunetly one of my lightnings was doa so i put in an rma and will be sending back for a replacement.

With the 2 in crossfire i top out at 1150/1500 as well with 1.150 v (asic 85.6%) and 1.225 (asic 67.8%). Anything more and i hardlock even with a voltage bump. I feel like im doing somthing wrong but who knows lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Diber*
> 
> I've been having some serious issues trying to do eyefinity gaming with the 12.3 drivers... I seem to be able to play older stuff, like World of Warcraft at 5760x1080 with everything on ultra fine, but when I get near any water effects, I get massive lag- as low as 12 FPS. I can also get roughly the first 30 seconds of Skyrim at 5760x1080, but then it BSoDs out with a 0x0000116 (Graphics driver) Error code... I ditched my OCs thinking that it would help, but it really did nothing. I was running it off a portable HD (USB 3 drive) and thought that it was bottle necking it or something, and have found that it's not the case (After buying a WD Caviar Black and transferring 500 GB of games onto it).
> Anyone else having these issues with the drivers? It seems I've had nothing but bad luck with my GPUs since I got them ):


The 12.2+ beta drivers and 12.3 whql drivers are bugged in eyefinity and dx11. Aftr enough installs/uninstalls they stop working. Have a try with rc11.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The 12.2+ beta drivers and 12.3 whql drivers are bugged in eyefinity and dx11. Aftr enough installs/uninstalls they stop working. Have a try with rc11.


Yep I've been using RC11, after having nothing but problems with any of the newer drivers. I've tried every new release, including betas, with no luck. Since I only really play BF3, RC11 works just fine.

Good luck!


----------



## m3t4lh34d

I just got a P22000 3dmark 11 score with my 3 7970s, and my 3930k @ 4.5ghz. I'm going to try to clock up my 3930k closer to 5ghz and go for higher.


----------



## borandi

Having fun with one of my four cards. Memory running at 1900 MHz very nicely, broke the UK record in Heaven DX11


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> I just got a P22000 3dmark 11 score with my 3 7970s, and my 3930k @ 4.5ghz. I'm going to try to clock up my 3930k closer to 5ghz and go for higher.


With a close to 5ghz OC and high clocks on your gpus, you should clear a P score of 24K.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I have the same card as u do. 7950 single fan. I think the bios from OC version only has higher stock voltage and higher stock clock.
> What is your stock voltage? 0.993V?


Nope, my stock voltage = 1090mv
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They're not identical. One is a failsafe and won't flash. PPL have tried to flash over the failsafe and it fails horribly and renders that switch useless. The automated asus bios is dangerous in this respect because it blindly force flashes and if you are on the wrong switch, not good.


Ah, I see. Good info.
But performance wise both BIOS versions are the same I guess?
Its not that one of the two allows for a better overclock or something?


----------



## the_duality

I think I got a bit of a lemon of a 7970 - my Sapphire reference card is only stable up to 1060/1500 (didn't bother sending the VRAM higher, didn't see much of a gain) otherwise it starts artifacting like crazy in BF3, Witcher 2 etc. Looks like MSI AB reports it's stock voltage as 1.112 and I have an ASIC of 77.1% - debating whether it is at all worth it trying to push the thing any higher.

Having said that, I have never needed to use anything other than CCC to get a modest overclock on previous cards - I'd be happy if the damn thing got to 1125/1575 without needing to be fiddled with.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Nope, my stock voltage = 1090mv
> Ah, I see. Good info.
> But performance wise both BIOS versions are the same I guess?
> Its not that one of the two allows for a better overclock or something?


The asus bios basically unlocks overdrive. You could achieve the same thing with racerx or using afterburners xcl option. I don't see the point of flashing bios' on 7970s, they don't do anything imo, except in rare situations.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The asus bios basically unlocks overdrive. You could achieve the same thing with racerx or using afterburners xcl option. *I don't see the point of flashing bios' on 7970s, they don't do anything imo, except in rare situations*.


Yeah, that was my feeling also.
We can conclude the same for 7950s I guess, since they are basically the same chip?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Failed Heaven at 1175MHz/1200mV... :/


----------



## Greg1

What's safe 24/7 core voltage for 7950 ? I've got a Gigabyte 7950 Windforce 3


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Failed Heaven at 1175MHz/1200mV... :/


What Temps are you hitting? If the cards fail or Drivers Crash they need more voltage. I need 1.25v and High Fan speed for 1200Mhz. Now with Water i get 1250Mhz with 1.225v.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> What Temps are you hitting? If the cards fail or Drivers Crash they need more voltage. I need 1.25v and High Fan speed for 1200Mhz. Now with Water i get 1250Mhz with 1.225v.


If you don't mind me asking mate - what voltage did you need before you watercooled the card?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> If you don't mind me asking mate - what voltage did you need before you watercooled the card?


he clearly stated it above


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> What Temps are you hitting? If the cards fail or Drivers Crash they need more voltage. I need 1.25v and High Fan speed for 1200Mhz. Now with Water i get 1250Mhz with 1.225v.


What's your ASIC? I haven't been able to get 1200MHz stable at all up to 1225mV. Haven't gone as high as 1250mV yet. By the way, what would you recommend as a max safe voltage for these cards?

By the way, at 1200Mhz and 1225mV I hit 85C on the top card... :/


----------



## thrgk

guys, i made a thread, but might as wekk ask her,e do i need to register my sapphire product so that it will be warranted covered, or is having a serial number enough?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> guys, i made a thread, but might as wekk ask her,e do i need to register my sapphire product so that it will be warranted covered, or is having a serial number enough?


I think if you register it extends the warranty but dont hold me to that i registered all 3 of mine just for the hell of it.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> he clearly stated it above


Haha, douche!

I'm tired


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Did anyone notice huge performance loss in BF3 after the patch?


Yep. I now get strange FPS dips in maps like Capsian Border and Gulf of Oman. Never happened before the patch. Damn Dice......


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

This is going like, 12 pages back, but any rumors on when the 1.5 GB version of the 7950 will come out?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What's your ASIC? I haven't been able to get 1200MHz stable at all up to 1225mV. Haven't gone as high as 1250mV yet. By the way, what would you recommend as a max safe voltage for these cards?
> By the way, at 1200Mhz and 1225mV I hit 85C on the top card... :/


When i apply 1.225v i get MAX 1.211v with GPU-Z reading. That being said if i record the voltage during the game play it dips to 1.180v. I had to increase from 1.2v just because i was getting some artifacts looking in different places because the card was applying different voltages. You can go up to 1.3v but i am 100% 85C is the reason u are not getting high overclocks. If i where you i would test each card one by one. Not sure how much better TF IV is but even with reference i did not hit 85C. I was like 76C MAX with 45% fans speed.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What's your ASIC? I haven't been able to get 1200MHz stable at all up to 1225mV. Haven't gone as high as 1250mV yet. By the way, what would you recommend as a max safe voltage for these cards?
> By the way, at 1200Mhz and 1225mV I hit 85C on the top card... :/


I highly suggest you test each card one at a time. Not doing so will bring a randomness to your overclocking that will waste a lot of time. On top of this since your two cards have such a gap in asic, you will need to know the differences between them in how much voltage they need for x clock.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What's your ASIC? I haven't been able to get 1200MHz stable at all up to 1225mV. Haven't gone as high as 1250mV yet. By the way, what would you recommend as a max safe voltage for these cards?
> By the way, at 1200Mhz and 1225mV I hit 85C on the top card... :/
> 
> 
> 
> I highly suggest you test each card one at a time. Not doing so will bring a randomness to your overclocking that will waste a lot of time. On top of this since your two cards have such a gap in asic, you will need to know the differences between them in how much voltage they need for x clock.
Click to expand...

Yeah multi-GPU setups, for the most part, are always lower on Overclocks than what either of the cards would have done on their own.

Two factors to consider: You are only as strong as your weakest card, and second the VRAM / mirroring and CFX overhead will add additional stress which add additional room for instability to sneak in.


----------



## wirefox

just did a fresh install of windows 7 --- haven't done so in over a year.. so many updates ...

so which Drivers should I gamble on?

rc11

12.4

load my 5970 drivers onto my 7970 card...


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone here with a CF setup playing Crysis 2?

I am getting pretty bad stuttering. Not microstutter, but literal massive drops of fps at random spots. It would be smooth and then suddenly lose 10fps for a couple seconds and jumps back up. I am on the RC11 drivers and running at 1080p only. The stutter would happen randomly it seems.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> just did a fresh install of windows 7 --- haven't done so in over a year.. so many updates ...
> so which Drivers should I gamble on?
> rc11
> 12.4
> load my 5970 drivers onto my 7970 card...


RC11 is the only proven winner in my book and it always works. Thus you can try your luck with 12.4, it would be a good time to try it on a fresh install.


----------



## wirefox

agreed rc11 has been the best for me thus far

but I think I'll gamble on 12.4

have there been know after burrner issues? or any install tricks?

figured I'd install > disable ulps > load AB > run AB> reload > enable unofficial overclocks

or do I need to add that MSI patch ? somewhere along the way


----------



## tsm106

^^Iirc you will need the patch.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Anyone here with a CF setup playing Crysis 2?
> I am getting pretty bad stuttering. Not microstutter, but literal massive drops of fps at random spots. It would be smooth and then suddenly lose 10fps for a couple seconds and jumps back up. I am on the RC11 drivers and running at 1080p only. The stutter would happen randomly it seems.


If you're playing on dx11, don't. It sucks and Crytek has left the building.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not his argument, he's saying using ULPS which is a defacto standard in any AMD driver install causes instability.


Ok, probably mis-read when skimming.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You'll have to re-enable ulps to get zerocore running. If you are only using one panel anyways, go dvi. I guess it would be easy to confirm the bug regardless. In my case, because I prefer UOM over Unwinders OM, I have to disable ulps so I by coincidence never run into that bug.
> Try it out, swap the back and forth and let us know how it goes. Btw check out ken's link to the vid..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Whoa? Bios 1 is the one you flash to. Bios 2 is the fail safe. Did you end up flashing to Bios 2?


Don't think that is possible, you will get a hard crash. I know, woops!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Just because the voltage is unlocked doesn't necessarily meant that they will OC any better than any other 7970. It just means you have the ability to try out higher voltages and see if that helps. They will ultimately only OC to their limits regardless of how much voltage you throw at them...


Very true.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Anyone here with a CF setup playing Crysis 2?
> I am getting pretty bad stuttering. Not microstutter, but literal massive drops of fps at random spots. It would be smooth and then suddenly lose 10fps for a couple seconds and jumps back up. I am on the RC11 drivers and running at 1080p only. The stutter would happen randomly it seems.


You should be ok with RC, but you should apply a cap from newer driver, known xfire issue and was fixed with a cap in 12.2 I believe.


----------



## Ottesen

Anyone else getting really high VDDC (voltage) reading in gpu-z ? I only get it sometimes but my second cards suddenly has had 1,49v...lol. Whats that about ? Stock voltage and speed when it got it...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Anyone else getting really high VVD (voltage) reading in gpu-z ? I only get it sometimes but my second cards suddenly has had 1,49v...lol. Whats that about ? Stock voltage and speed when it got it...


Mine did jump once to 1.32v. I had it set to 1.225v. It could just a bug.


----------



## jtom320

Reading through this thread I'm glad I'm waiting for the 7990 to go into multi-GPU with the 79** series. Seems like you multi-card users are having way more trouble then I have.

12.2 and 12.3 have both worked extremely well for me. It's been more then a month now since I had an issue and that was only in Just Cause 2 of all games.

Hopefully drivers have matured by the time the dual version comes out.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Reading through this thread I'm glad I'm waiting for the 7990 to go into multi-GPU with the 79** series. Seems like you multi-card users are having way more trouble then I have.
> 12.2 and 12.3 have both worked extremely well for me. It's been more then a month now since I had an issue and that was only in Just Cause 2 of all games.
> Hopefully drivers have matured by the time the dual version comes out.


don't hold your breath.. I did the same with the 5970 ... and it was just as much a nightmare.... drink the poison now


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Anyone else getting really high VDDC (voltage) reading in gpu-z ? I only get it sometimes but my second cards suddenly has had 1,49v...lol. Whats that about ? Stock voltage and speed when it got it...


Are you using the unlocked asus bios?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Mine did jump once to 1.32v. I had it set to 1.225v. It could just a bug.


Ye, could just be a bug... i noticed it move before when i had the cards overclocked but its always on card nr 2 (bottom card). Could be just because i have 2xgpu-z open tho... dunno


----------



## DarthBaiter

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but here's something I noticed.

If I install RC11, then some other driver on top of that, I need to, manually, remove RC11 from device manager/card properties or ATIMAn DriverSweeper, or even ATI CCC uninstall will not touch RC11, just what was put on top of that.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you using the unlocked asus bios?


No ,stock powercolor bios. (The one the cards came with i mean







)


----------



## PARTON

Anyone get this?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> No ,stock powercolor bios. (The one the cards came with i mean
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Ok, good so w know it's not bios related. Are you monitoring stats in more than one monitor at a time, for ex. having AB and gpuz on at the same time? Using more than one monitoring app will cause conflicts with the sensors.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ok, good so w know it's not bios related. Are you monitoring stats in more than one monitor at a time, for ex. having AB and gpuz on at the same time? Using more than one monitoring app will cause conflicts with the sensors.


Ye i have 2xgpu-z and afterburner up... Before i tried to use Trixx and it was then i first noticed it. Now is the first time i see it again after weeks. I was thinking i could monitor/log with afterburner also a while and see if it shows there, but it seems that afterburner only shows the voltage i've said it should use. (and not the real voltage after v-drop and stuff...)

I think its just a sensor/bug thing, not heard or seen anybody else noticing this...


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Anyone get this?


If off, turn your pagefile back on, if on, make sure it's big enough. BF3 is a pagefile whore


----------



## the_duality

Ok, so I managed to get my Sapphire 7970 stable at 1124/1575 with a voltage of 1168 up from 1112 (stock).

The highest I have seen my temps go is about 82C. Are those temps cause for concern or is this acceptable for a 24/7 overclock? It seems to hit these temperatures at the end of a round in BF3, and hover around 78/79 for most of the round. Cheers!


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> If off, turn your pagefile back on, if on, make sure it's big enough. BF3 is a pagefile whore


I got the pagefile thing toay and i was just worrying about that. I thought the RAM was bad or the DIMM/ Removed them installed it in other slots and back again. Now it isnt giving me pagefile error even though i turned it off. This was just weird


----------



## lightsout

Ok dumb question. Can I run dual monitors off the dvi port and the hdmi port? I'm old school and still prefer dual dvi ports.


----------



## thrgk

My default voltage is 1118mv and asic is 75.1%, can i psh more then +125mv somehow? So i can get 1300+ or no way? Also, can i do 1.7memory voltage on air, atm 1.65 only gets me 1700 and hoping for 1800 or 1900 even.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Ok dumb question. Can I run dual monitors off the dvi port and the hdmi port? I'm old school and still prefer dual dvi ports.


yes and if u get the hdmi to dvi cable u can use 2 dvi displays


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Ok dumb question. Can I run dual monitors off the dvi port and the hdmi port? I'm old school and still prefer dual dvi ports.
> 
> 
> 
> yes and if u get the hdmi to dvi cable u can use 2 dvi displays
Click to expand...

Thank you sir.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Ok dumb question. Can I run dual monitors off the dvi port and the hdmi port? I'm old school and still prefer dual dvi ports.


Yep, that's how you do it with two.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> My default voltage is 1118mv and asic is 75.1%, can i psh more then +125mv somehow? So i can get 1300+ or no way? Also, can i do 1.7memory voltage on air, atm 1.65 only gets me 1700 and hoping for 1800 or 1900 even.


The most volts I've ever seen anyone push is just 1.31x. Whether you hit 1300+ or not is trip the silicon and you won't know til you try. as for the mem volts, i don't know. We haven't had these cards long and the last gen had locked mem volts. Regardless, like the core voltage it's really only 100mv so it's not much. Anyways i run 1.65v daily.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Those of you having stability issues when overclocking, take these 2 things into consideration.

1) 7970s are VERY Temperature sensitive. It's best to keep the cards under 70C at all times when overclocking to maintain stability and avoid artifacting. It will require running the stock fans at rather high speeds, but it's the price you pay for wanting higher framerates, unless you want to watercool them.

2) Increase your memory voltage if you are artifacting or crashing in multi-card configs. Perhaps even try it in single card configs. I'm running 1.70v on the mem atm (the max), and it has helped reduce artifacts and BF3 stability and help me attain a higher OC.

Good luck


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Those of you having stability issues when overclocking, take these 2 things into consideration.
> 1) 7970s are VERY Temperature sensitive. It's best to keep the cards under 70C at all times when overclocking to maintain stability and avoid artifacting. It will require running the stock fans at rather high speeds, but it's the price you pay for wanting higher framerates, unless you want to watercool them.
> 2) Increase your memory voltage if you are artifacting or crashing in multi-card configs. Perhaps even try it in single card configs. I'm running 1.70v on the mem atm (the max), and it has helped reduce artifacts and BF3 stability and help me attain a higher OC.
> Good luck


Thanks. I haven't even touched the memory yet but I have noticed a very high sensitivity to temps with these cards. Things are starting to come along though...


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Those of you having stability issues when overclocking, take these 2 things into consideration.
> 1) 7970s are VERY Temperature sensitive. It's best to keep the cards under 70C at all times when overclocking to maintain stability and avoid artifacting. It will require running the stock fans at rather high speeds, but it's the price you pay for wanting higher framerates, unless you want to watercool them.
> 2) Increase your memory voltage if you are artifacting or crashing in multi-card configs. Perhaps even try it in single card configs. I'm running 1.70v on the mem atm (the max), and it has helped reduce artifacts and BF3 stability and help me attain a higher OC.
> Good luck


how do you increase the memory voltage? also, my reference 7970's are different asics and different brands, is it imperative that i do their clocks (and accordingly voltages) separately in afterburner?


----------



## wirefox

Fresh install of o/s
updated everything
loaded 12.4 8.95.5
disabled ulps
reboot
added 12.3 CAPS
Reboot
loaded AB b.15
Reboot
added patch
reboot
enabled official ocz in config file
proceeding to test - updates tbd

runs ... plays bf3 a little better than before new install of o/s... but not as stable in unigine 1200 @1.237 1725 1.637 runs through it but a little artificting ...

RC11 had no artifcating on old o/s ... will test it out later

at least O/S is much snappier ...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> Fresh install of o/s
> updated everything
> loaded 12.4 8.95.5
> disabled ulps
> reboot
> added 12.3 CAPS
> Reboot
> loaded AB b.15
> Reboot
> added patch
> reboot
> enabled official ocz in config file
> proceeding to test - updates tbd
> runs ... plays bf3 a little better than before new install of o/s... but not as stable in unigine 1200 @1.237 1725 1.637 runs through it but a little artificting ...
> RC11 had no artifcating on old o/s ... will test it out later
> at least O/S is much snappier ...


I've noticed that after doing that we gained a bit of smoothness for a little less fps. Rc11 ran a little faster but was choppier. I'm using 12.3 whql and it's a little slower than 8.95.5 . If you go back to Rc11, you will have to do a OS install again if you want to move back forward without issues. I couldn't launch any of my games once leaving Rc11 for the new drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I've noticed that after doing that we gained a bit of smoothness for a little less fps. Rc11 ran a little faster but was choppier. I'm using 12.3 whql and it's a little slower than 8.95.5 . If you go back to Rc11, you will have to do a OS install again if you want to move back forward without issues. I couldn't launch any of my games once leaving Rc11 for the new drivers.


I don't think its just rc11. On a fresh os, I was on 8.95.5 was running ok. I then went onto 12.4 beta(got greedy wanting the mlaa 2.0 lol), didn't like it so much had some clock synch issues between DP and DVI. I went to 12.3 whql, clock control issues, added files still wonky. Lo and behold, eyefinity in dx11 is now broke. All drivers now broke too in eyefinity, 8.95.5, 8.96.0, 12.3 whql. Bleh! I went back to rc11, she works again!

I'm not doing another fresh install till I get my 830s which is wed.


----------



## Tslm

So I just tried 12.4 beta again trying to get BF3 to run smoothly in Trifire, it seems I don't get the idle issue anymore where slave cards would be locked at 3D clocks. Maybe it was a bad install the first time?

12.4 beta + the latest CAP seems to smooth Trifire out pretty well for BF3 if anyone is having trouble.

About the ASIC discussion, I really dont know what to make of it. I have 2 cards at 80% ASIC, both default to 1.175v. My third card has a rating of 62% and runs at 1.05v, and its by far the coolest card. If I up the third card to 1.175v I can run them all at 1125 on the core. Seems to me like its a misleading/pointless figure.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> how do you increase the memory voltage? also, my reference 7970's are different asics and different brands, is it imperative that i do their clocks (and accordingly voltages) separately in afterburner?


anyone wanna answer these questions for me? it would be greatly appreciated, especially the second one.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> how do you increase the memory voltage? also, my reference 7970's are different asics and different brands, is it imperative that i do their clocks (and accordingly voltages) separately in afterburner?


Only if a particular card is sensitive to voltage adjustments when you test it on its own. As in in crashes due to any adjustment of voltage. I used to have that problem with ANY Powercolor 6950 or 6970s that I owned, and I've heard similar issues with 7970s, although not as widespread. I think perhaps they used proprietary vregs that didn't work well with 3rd party application adjustments.

You COULD determine the exact voltages that each card requires to hit "x" clock speed, but the thing is, once you crossfire them and the added heat and stress is introduced, those clocks and vcores will go out the window and you'll need to find all new clocks and voltages. If I'm going for super high clocks, I usually just run all 3 of my cards at the same voltage, as I know they wont crash from higher voltage, just produce more heat, which I counter with higher fanspeeds. I do that to reduce the variable of voltage and heat, and to simply find the maximum corespeed possible at the highest voltage. Then you can try reducing voltage until you have issues, and perhaps even tweaking each cards voltage if you can remember which card was your worst overclocker (required the most voltage, etc).

As far as memory voltage goes, there is a little down arrow by the vcore selector on MSI Afterburner. You simply click that and a little menu will come down where you can adjust the vMem voltage. As far as other 3rd party apps, I'm sure some of them have the functionality, but I haven't used them myself. I mainly only use MSI AB for it. Most 6970s didnt have memory voltage adjustments, so I never used it with my 6970s. Only lightnings and Asus Vtweak cards had it, but with the 7970 series, they all do.


----------



## travva

Thanks for that metalhead. Are your cards stable in BF3 at 1300mhz? Also, if you've tested BF3 with your 7970's, what instability symptoms do they show if they're unstable? When I mess with AB and try to OC my cards, they almost always cause a hard freeze after playing for some random amount of time.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Only if a particular card is sensitive to voltage adjustments when you test it on its own. As in in crashes due to any adjustment of voltage. I used to have that problem with ANY Powercolor 6950 or 6970s that I owned, and I've heard similar issues with 7970s, although not as widespread. I think perhaps they used proprietary vregs that didn't work well with 3rd party application adjustments.
> You COULD determine the exact voltages that each card requires to hit "x" clock speed, but the thing is, once you crossfire them and the added heat and stress is introduced, those clocks and vcores will go out the window and you'll need to find all new clocks and voltages. If I'm going for super high clocks, I usually just run all 3 of my cards at the same voltage, as I know they wont crash from higher voltage, just produce more heat, which I counter with higher fanspeeds. I do that to reduce the variable of voltage and heat, and to simply find the maximum corespeed possible at the highest voltage. Then you can try reducing voltage until you have issues, and perhaps even tweaking each cards voltage if you can remember which card was your worst overclocker (required the most voltage, etc).
> As far as memory voltage goes, there is a little down arrow by the vcore selector on MSI Afterburner. You simply click that and a little menu will come down where you can adjust the vMem voltage. As far as other 3rd party apps, I'm sure some of them have the functionality, but I haven't used them myself. I mainly only use MSI AB for it. Most 6970s didnt have memory voltage adjustments, so I never used it with my 6970s. Only lightnings and Asus Vtweak cards had it, but with the 7970 series, they all do.


7970s don't have issues with voltage. I think you're mistaking AMD's yanking of unofficial overclocking method support from the drivers. And I don't agree with 69xx having issues either, except in regards to the neutered non-ref 69xx.

I would just add that the point of testing each card separately is to find the weakest card and how it needs voltage. This will be your weakest link and the limit of how far you can overclock with AB! If you used Overdrive you could clock each card independently but with AB that is not a strong suit.

For ex. with Caymen, using RBE you can edit each card's voltage independently. Then using overdrive set each card to its own clock settings, etc. You can't really do that with AB well, or I've always had headaches trying to do so with AB. Thus it's a lot easier synching the clocks and overclocking with the known limitations of your weakest card in mind.


----------



## erocker

So, I seem to get some pretty good vdroop on my card. Is there any way to fix this? Such as a different bios, etc?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> So, I seem to get some pretty good vdroop on my card. Is there any way to fix this? Such as a different bios, etc?


cards are limited by +.125 volts. How high you can go will depend on the stock voltage for your card.AB voltage, 1.3 for example, is just the aim, not the actual.

There is an asus bios, but i don't trust it.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Only if a particular card is sensitive to voltage adjustments when you test it on its own. As in in crashes due to any adjustment of voltage. I used to have that problem with ANY Powercolor 6950 or 6970s that I owned, and I've heard similar issues with 7970s, although not as widespread. I think perhaps they used proprietary vregs that didn't work well with 3rd party application adjustments.
> You COULD determine the exact voltages that each card requires to hit "x" clock speed, but the thing is, once you crossfire them and the added heat and stress is introduced, those clocks and vcores will go out the window and you'll need to find all new clocks and voltages. If I'm going for super high clocks, I usually just run all 3 of my cards at the same voltage, as I know they wont crash from higher voltage, just produce more heat, which I counter with higher fanspeeds. I do that to reduce the variable of voltage and heat, and to simply find the maximum corespeed possible at the highest voltage. Then you can try reducing voltage until you have issues, and perhaps even tweaking each cards voltage if you can remember which card was your worst overclocker (required the most voltage, etc).
> As far as memory voltage goes, there is a little down arrow by the vcore selector on MSI Afterburner. You simply click that and a little menu will come down where you can adjust the vMem voltage. As far as other 3rd party apps, I'm sure some of them have the functionality, but I haven't used them myself. I mainly only use MSI AB for it. Most 6970s didnt have memory voltage adjustments, so I never used it with my 6970s. Only lightnings and Asus Vtweak cards had it, but with the 7970 series, they all do.
> 
> 
> 
> 7970s don't have issues with voltage. I think you're mistaking AMD's yanking of unofficial overclocking method support from the drivers. And I don't agree with 69xx having issues either, except in regards to the neutered non-ref 69xx.
> 
> I would just add that the point of testing each card separately is to find the weakest card and how it needs voltage. This will be your weakest link and the limit of how far you can overclock with AB! If you used Overdrive you could clock each card independently but with AB that is not a strong suit. Also microstutter is a product of uneven amounts of time between each frame yes? So wouldn't clocking cards differently only make that problem worse?
> 
> For ex. with Caymen, using RBE you can edit each card's voltage independently. Then using overdrive set each card to its own clock settings, etc. You can't really do that with AB well, or I've always had headaches trying to do so with AB. Thus it's a lot easier synching the clocks and overclocking with the known limitations of your weakest card in mind.
Click to expand...

I'm not even sure there'd be any benefit to clocking stronger cards higher anyway. They all have to wait their turn to render each frame so they'd still only be as quick as the slowest card, if I understand how it works correctly


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Thanks for that metalhead. Are your cards stable in BF3 at 1300mhz? Also, if you've tested BF3 with your 7970's, what instability symptoms do they show if they're unstable? When I mess with AB and try to OC my cards, they almost always cause a hard freeze after playing for some random amount of time.


Most of the time with BF3 you'll notice artifacting, such as random objects popping out of characters and general random shapes appearing on textures. If you're WAY beyond where you should be, you'll get a hard freeze or a sound loop, where you hear buzzing and there is no video and you have to either hard reboot or use CTRL+ALT+DEL, IF you still can at that point. If the driver has recovered.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 7970s don't have issues with voltage. I think you're mistaking AMD's yanking of unofficial overclocking method support from the drivers. And I don't agree with 69xx having issues either, except in regards to the neutered non-ref 69xx.
> I would just add that the point of testing each card separately is to find the weakest card and how it needs voltage. This will be your weakest link and the limit of how far you can overclock with AB! If you used Overdrive you could clock each card independently but with AB that is not a strong suit.
> For ex. with Caymen, using RBE you can edit each card's voltage independently. Then using overdrive set each card to its own clock settings, etc. You can't really do that with AB well, or I've always had headaches trying to do so with AB. Thus it's a lot easier synching the clocks and overclocking with the known limitations of your weakest card in mind.


Everyone has their own method. When you test each card individually they do not OC the same as they do with the added heat and stress of crossfire/tri/quad. As long as the cards are still stable at a higher voltage and you can keep the heat down during testing, there is no reason not to eliminate that variable to find the maximums in crossfire. You can always adjust down afterwards.

Sure, if you have a card that can do the same clock at a much lower voltage than the rest, you would want to keep it at or near that voltage, as long as its stable in crossfire. It doesn't hurt to write down the voltages and clocks of each card so that you can try similar settings in crossfire and reduce heat/power consumption. However for the beginner OC'er, there's no reason not to use my method as long as its stable and you can keep heat down, just to simply find the maximums of your cards.

Btw, my method has worked for me on air to attain 1300mhz in tri-fire, so I'm not talking out of my ass lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> So, I seem to get some pretty good vdroop on my card. Is there any way to fix this? Such as a different bios, etc?


There's a hardmod to reduce the vgp droop, though I doubt that's what you wanted to read.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I'm not even sure there'd be any benefit to clocking stronger cards higher anyway. They all have to wait their turn to render each frame so they'd still only be as quick as the slowest card, if I understand how it works correctly


Yeap, concur. It starts to get into bandwidth situations as in the wait states with 16x vs 4x. The 16x card has to wait for the 4x card anyways so...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Everyone has their own method. When you test each card individually they do not OC the same as they do with the added heat and stress of crossfire/tri/quad. As long as the cards are still stable at a higher voltage and you can keep the heat down during testing, there is no reason not to eliminate that variable to find the maximums in crossfire. You can always adjust down afterwards.


You're missing the point. You want to find the weakest card and overclock with its limitation in mind. Otherwise you're just throwing stuff on a wall hoping something sticks.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's a hardmod to reduce the vgp droop, though I doubt that's what you wanted to read.
> Yeap, concur. It starts to get into bandwidth situations as in the wait states with 16x vs 4x. The 16x card has to wait for the 4x card anyways so...
> You're missing the point. You want to find the weakest card and overclock with its limitation in mind. Otherwise you're just throwing stuff on a wall hoping something sticks.


Sure, however as I said the same voltages simply wont work in crossfire or trifire with the added heat involved, unless youre watercooling. You almost always have to re-adjust once they're setup. I have my own methods. I prefer to eliminate variables whenever possible to determine the maximum capability of my hardware and then tweak DOWN from there. This technique would not be viable for CPUs, but when OC'ing multiple GPUs, it has always worked for me.

Also, in regards to the 69xx series having voltage tweaking issues. I was speaking about powercolor, as I've owned 3 69xx powercolors and all of them would BSOD instantly upon any change of voltage. It was the only brand that would do it. I've owned 12+ 69xx cards and have only had it happen with Powercolor 6970s.

As far as 7970s go, as I said I wasn't certain if the aftermarket powercolors would have the same issue or not, and was simply answering his question.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I'm not even sure there'd be any benefit to clocking stronger cards higher anyway. They all have to wait their turn to render each frame so they'd still only be as quick as the slowest card, if I understand how it works correctly


I didn't say anything about clocking stronger cards higher.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> I'm not even sure there'd be any benefit to clocking stronger cards higher anyway. They all have to wait their turn to render each frame so they'd still only be as quick as the slowest card, if I understand how it works correctly


It doesn't work that way. If every cards in Crossfire to Quafire config has to wait for the other cards finish rendering for the other card to render next frame, we are not going to see any gain in FPS. If that's how they work, we all will be sticking to one card.

Crossfiring between different card of the same series


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> I didn't say anything about clocking stronger cards higher.


I think he was referring to my comment about being able to clock cards at different speeds. Regardless, it doesn't matter what your method is because it is all predicated on your weakest card. If you need to drop voltage in cfx by your process, you start with the weakest card's stats and not just randomly.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It doesn't work that way. If every cards in Crossfire to Quafire config has to wait for the other cards finish rendering for the other card to render next frame, we are not going to see any gain in FPS. If that's how they work, we all will be sticking to one card.
> 
> Crossfiring between different card of the same series


He's talking about the time to render frames between cards. Think about it for a sec cuz you've argued for this before in terms of cfx on differing lane widths and how 4x is bad juju. I believe its the same effect if you end up with cards with big gaps in performance.


----------



## 125837

Sold my DCII, I'll hopefully have my Lightning by next week (stupid Easter weekend







). Then, with the Easter paycheck, I might be tempted to buy a second straight away


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It doesn't work that way. If every cards in Crossfire to Quafire config has to wait for the other cards finish rendering for the other card to render next frame, we are not going to see any gain in FPS. If that's how they work, we all will be sticking to one card.
> 
> Crossfiring between different card of the same series
> 
> 
> 
> He's talking about the time to render frames between cards. Think about it for a sec cuz you've argued for this before in terms of cfx on differing lane widths and how 4x is bad juju. I believe its the same effect if you end up with cards with big gaps in performance.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Also microstutter is a product of irregular intervals between frames, I imagine clocking cards differently would only make this problem worse.

edit: looking at that link though, maybe it wouldnt


----------



## Patrikc8

I am getting a Graphics score of P9438 in 3D Mark 11 Performance at clocks of 1199mhz ,1796mhz memory clock and a voltage of 1.275.

Is that good? Also m i5 2500K at 4.5ghz is at P8199 which brings the score total to P9097

Thanks


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> It doesn't work that way. If every cards in Crossfire to Quafire config has to wait for the other cards finish rendering for the other card to render next frame, we are not going to see any gain in FPS. If that's how they work, we all will be sticking to one card.
> 
> Crossfiring between different card of the same series
> 
> 
> 
> He's talking about the time to render frames between cards. Think about it for a sec cuz you've argued for this before in terms of cfx on differing lane widths and how 4x is bad juju. I believe its the same effect if you end up with cards with big gaps in performance.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah. Also microstutter is a product of irregular intervals between frames, I imagine clocking cards differently would only make this problem worse.
Click to expand...

OK if ya all say how it works then that's how it works


----------



## 4514kaiser

Just finished my first stress test (no oc yet was getting random bsod (116 & 24)thought it may have been the 7970's installed a dozen drivers + old CCC and i'm not getting them any more







)
Get great temps
GPU1 41C 99% load
GPU2 40C 96% load

Under 'full' load for 1h









How long would you run a stability test after a OC?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Just finished my first stress test (no oc yet was getting random bsod (116 & 24)thought it may have been the 7970's installed a dozen drivers + old CCC and i'm not getting them any more
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> Get great temps
> GPU1 41C 99% load
> GPU2 40C 96% load
> 
> Under 'full' load for 1h
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How long would you run a stability test after a OC?


Restore CPU + RAM to BIOS Optimized Defaults then give this a try *post #28*


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Most of the time with BF3 you'll notice artifacting, such as random objects popping out of characters and general random shapes appearing on textures. If you're WAY beyond where you should be, you'll get a hard freeze or a sound loop, where you hear buzzing and there is no video and you have to either hard reboot or use CTRL+ALT+DEL, IF you still can at that point. If the driver has recovered.
> Everyone has their own method. When you test each card individually they do not OC the same as they do with the added heat and stress of crossfire/tri/quad. As long as the cards are still stable at a higher voltage and you can keep the heat down during testing, there is no reason not to eliminate that variable to find the maximums in crossfire. You can always adjust down afterwards.
> Sure, if you have a card that can do the same clock at a much lower voltage than the rest, you would want to keep it at or near that voltage, as long as its stable in crossfire. It doesn't hurt to write down the voltages and clocks of each card so that you can try similar settings in crossfire and reduce heat/power consumption. However for the beginner OC'er, there's no reason not to use my method as long as its stable and you can keep heat down, just to simply find the maximums of your cards.
> Btw, my method has worked for me on air to attain 1300mhz in tri-fire, so I'm not talking out of my ass lol


I can see your point with regards to extra heat etc. But in my experience, cards in crossfire can clock higher than they might be stable in a single gpu config. I personally always test the cards individually before I play with crossfire.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Just finished my first stress test (no oc yet was getting random bsod (116 & 24)thought it may have been the 7970's installed a dozen drivers + old CCC and i'm not getting them any more
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> Get great temps
> GPU1 41C 99% load
> GPU2 40C 96% load
> Under 'full' load for 1h
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How long would you run a stability test after a OC?


I think you will find crysis and warhead will be the most stressful on the gpu temps wise. For stability, use crysis 2.


----------



## borandi

Tested two of my reference ASUS 7970s so far. Using stock shrouds

1st: ASIC 73.7%, does 1250/1900 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V (GPU/Mem voltages)
2nd: ASIC 76.2%, does 1275/1850 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V

paired with a 3930K @ 5G, cards in CF at 1200/1850, got 59773 in Vantage - a UK record for 2x GPU
time to push for 1250/1850 on both


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> Tested two of my reference ASUS 7970s so far. Using stock shrouds
> 1st: ASIC 73.7%, does 1250/1900 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V (GPU/Mem voltages)
> 2nd: ASIC 76.2%, does 1275/1850 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V
> paired with a 3930K @ 5G, cards in CF at 1200/1850, got 59773 in Vantage - a UK record for 2x GPU
> time to push for 1250/1850 on both


Nice job man, 2 monstor overclocks on the memory there!
Both my cards do 1775 with a .25 bump. May have to revisit.


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> Tested two of my reference ASUS 7970s so far. Using stock shrouds
> 1st: ASIC 73.7%, does 1250/1900 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V (GPU/Mem voltages)
> 2nd: ASIC 76.2%, does 1275/1850 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V
> paired with a 3930K @ 5G, cards in CF at 1200/1850, got 59773 in Vantage - a UK record for 2x GPU
> time to push for 1250/1850 on both
> 
> 
> 
> Nice job man, 2 monstor overclocks on the memory there!
> Both my cards do 1775 with a .25 bump. May have to revisit.
Click to expand...

Still got two more cards to test








Will also need to flash with the latest KPC ASUS BIOS to increase that vcore limit. Only 1.25 V max, should be able to dump 1.35 V through them for benchmarking, see if they'll budge on the MHz then


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> Still got two more cards to test
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will also need to flash with the latest KPC ASUS BIOS to increase that vcore limit. Only 1.25 V max, should be able to dump 1.35 V through them for benchmarking, see if they'll budge on the MHz then


Is there a new asus bios? I tried old one, seen some really concerning spikes in memory volts and core. The type of spikes which would kill your card, not small ones.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I think you will find crysis and warhead will be the most stressful on the gpu temps wise. For stability, use crysis 2.


Really more stressful, is that simply due to the increased temps in the loop due to the cpu load, because just from past experiences game never tend to get close to stress test temps...
Just out of also just out of interest should the 7970 be capable of running mark 11 physics tests just seems to crash on my pc I assumed at the time the physics test was just for invidia cards....


----------



## armartins

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> That card is in my kids computer, with a Maximus.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With my Rampage, I have 4 vanilla Asus 7970.


So, what's the highest OC you achieved on water with the DCII? Any chance, with some modding to fit the stock coolers over the universal block for better VRM cooling? That was my initial intention, but now with a full cover block out that seens pointless. Also are you planning getting 4 Lightnings? =)


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Nice job man, 2 monstor overclocks on the memory there!
> Both my cards do 1775 with a .25 bump. May have to revisit.


Is there really so much to gain with memory overclocking?
I always thought most gain in FPS was to be made with the core clock?
Im talking games here, not interested in those ''I have a longer e-penis than you'' benchmarks


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Is there really so much to gain with memory overclocking?
> I always thought most gain in FPS was to be made with the core clock?
> Im talking games here, not interested in those ''I have a longer e-penis than you'' benchmarks


At least in my tinkering 100MHz on the memory will get about the same increase as 50MHz on the GPU. Little more, little less depending on what I'm running.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Is there really so much to gain with memory overclocking?
> I always thought most gain in FPS was to be made with the core clock?
> Im talking games here, not interested in those ''I have a longer e-penis than you'' benchmarks


Crysis 2, scales really nicely with memory overclock. That is the game I used for stability testing and I myself was surprised by how much my min fps and averages would increase as the memory clock did.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Is there really so much to gain with memory overclocking?
> I always thought most gain in FPS was to be made with the core clock?
> Im talking games here, not interested in those ''I have a longer e-penis than you'' benchmarks


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Crysis 2, scales really nicely with memory overclock. That is the game I used for stability testing and I myself was surprised by how much my min fps and averages would increase as the memory clock did.


The difference between two gpus, clocked 1300 core 1700 mem vs 1200 core 1800 mem is 1000+ P score on graphics FOR the 1300 core clocked card.

Its hard to quantify anecdotal evidence btw. Run some Crysis 2 benches and then we have something to judge.


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> Tested two of my reference ASUS 7970s so far. Using stock shrouds
> 
> 1st: ASIC 73.7%, does 1250/1900 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V (GPU/Mem voltages)
> 2nd: ASIC 76.2%, does 1275/1850 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V
> 
> paired with a 3930K @ 5G, cards in CF at 1200/1850, got 59773 in Vantage - a UK record for 2x GPU
> time to push for 1250/1850 on both


3rd: ASIC 63.6%, does 1200/1850 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're missing the point. You want to find the weakest card and overclock with its limitation in mind. Otherwise you're just throwing stuff on a wall hoping something sticks.


Its not random to overclock in Crossfire, often times Crossfire/Trifire/Quadfires highest overclock is even lower than your weakest card. Testing clocks willy nilly isn't useful either, I am not advocating that, but you are forgetting that Crossfire adds overhead and additional processes on a cards IMC / GPU.

You should really overclock in Crossfire the same way you overclock weakest and strongest cards, Crossfire clocks are often different. It isn't correct that your weakest card will be your strongest overclock for Crossfire. I have seen Crossfire enabled reduce the ability to overclock completely (ex. regarding the 5870s.).

@All

There is little to zero gain in overclocking your GPU memory. It helps at really high end setups with Eyefinity and all that, but you guys hit the GPU bottleneck way before you hit the memory one. Higher memory overclocks are prone to crashing, reduction in performance sometimes, and general instability all around. Pushing your memory really has one place, benchmarking.

Don't forget your memory is all ECC, you can push it essentially till the computer hard locks. As the error correcting begins more frequently with higher overclocks, you may or may not see glitching/artifact/stability issues, but you will see a decline in performance after a small peak, and decline to levels worse than stock.

A lot of people push 300~400 MHz more on memory then play games like WoW. Its pointless, 90% of the time, and the other 10% of the time, you are reaching the GPUs limits way before you run out of memory bandwidth. Same goes for Crossfire, only its a little more beneficial as the VRAM data transfers are using more, but the gains are often negligible or negated by other factors.

In short, you don't have to increase your memory speeds.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> 3rd: ASIC 63.6%, does 1200/1850 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V


How did you increase memory voltage to 1.75v? My limit is 1.7v with AB.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> @All
> There is little to zero gain in overclocking your GPU memory. It helps at really high end setups with Eyefinity and all that, but you guys hit the GPU bottleneck way before you hit the memory one. Higher memory overclocks are prone to crashing, reduction in performance sometimes, and general instability all around. Pushing your memory really has one place, benchmarking.
> .............
> 
> In short, you don't have to increase your memory speeds.


I have wondered this too and I don't have time to test. It would be great to have a definitive answer to this. Some people here have ran benchmarks upping memory speed and have seen incremental benefits by doing so. Example I've remembered is someone upping in increments of 50mhz and a 300mhz to the memory yielded a good +5fps in Heaven. If performance improves in benchmarking, shouldn't it have an improvement in real world gaming as well? I mean, if it is perfectly stable, why not increase from the stock 1375mhz to 1575 if it gives a nice +3-5fps boost to average fps and possibly min. fps.

I understand that you're saying that it'll hit the core ceiling before the memory one, but if that's true, then we wouldn't even see a +1fps increase if we up the memory speeds from 1375 to 1900mhz? Because if you are correct, then I might just bump my memory speed down back to stock to help with temps and stability.

I'm new at this so correct me if I'm wrong. I'm running my CF at 1000/1500 @ 1.025/1.6v and I can bump my mem speed to 1600mhz at stock mem voltages but I was thinking it would increase heat. It's perfectly stable but does an increase in memory speed have a large affect on temperatures? If I was getting 80c at 1500mhz would I see 81-82c at 1600mhz?


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> 3rd: ASIC 63.6%, does 1200/1850 @ 1.25 V / 1.75 V
> 
> 
> 
> How did you increase memory voltage to 1.75v? My limit is 1.7v with AB.
Click to expand...

I have ASUS cards, so I'm using ASUS GPU Tweak.
It is also BIOS dependant on your card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> *Its not random to overclock in Crossfire, often times Crossfire/Trifire/Quadfires highest overclock is even lower than your weakest card.* Testing clocks willy nilly isn't useful either, I am not advocating that, but you are forgetting that Crossfire adds overhead and additional processes on a cards IMC / GPU.
> 
> You should really overclock in Crossfire the same way you overclock weakest and strongest cards, Crossfire clocks are often different. * It isn't correct that your weakest card will be your strongest overclock for Crossfire.* I have seen Crossfire enabled reduce the ability to overclock completely (ex. regarding the 5870s.).


This doesn't make sense. I'm not sure what your point is with the first part in bold, but I find it not true in my experience. My 7970 array overclocks exactly like they do in single card config, or that they will go as far as the weakest card I have. With this card in question, it doesn't matter if its in the array or not, it still will only hit X max clocks at X voltage. In the array it doesn't lose its overclocking threshold.

The IMC, whatever makes zero difference aside from whatever difference it made to begin with. Btw, who said anything about the last part in bold? What?

I'm not sure whats so hard to understand? Your weakest card will LIMIT ALL YOUR cards to its limits. Whether you have to reduce your clocks because you are running crossfire on air, doesn't matter. You still will be limited by your weakest card. Thus, it makes great logical sense to KNOW what your weakest card can do.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> @All
> There is little to zero gain in overclocking your GPU memory. It helps at really high end setups with Eyefinity and all that, but you guys hit the GPU bottleneck way before you hit the memory one. Higher memory overclocks are prone to crashing, reduction in performance sometimes, and general instability all around. Pushing your memory really has one place, benchmarking.
> .............
> 
> In short, you don't have to increase your memory speeds.
> 
> 
> 
> I have wondered this too and I don't have time to test. It would be great to have a definitive answer to this. Some people here have ran benchmarks upping memory speed and have seen incremental benefits by doing so. Example I've remembered is someone upping in increments of 50mhz and a 300mhz to the memory yielded a good +5fps in Heaven. If performance improves in benchmarking, shouldn't it have an improvement in real world gaming as well? I mean, if it is perfectly stable, why not increase from the stock 1375mhz to 1575 if it gives a nice +3-5fps boost to average fps and possibly min. fps.
> 
> I understand that you're saying that it'll hit the core ceiling before the memory one, but if that's true, then we wouldn't even see a +1fps increase if we up the memory speeds from 1375 to 1900mhz? Because if you are correct, then I might just bump my memory speed down back to stock to help with temps and stability.
> 
> I'm new at this so correct me if I'm wrong. I'm running my CF at 1000/1500 @ 1.025/1.6v and I can bump my mem speed to 1600mhz at stock mem voltages but I was thinking it would increase heat. It's perfectly stable but does an increase in memory speed have a large affect on temperatures? If I was getting 80c at 1500mhz would I see 81-82c at 1600mhz?
Click to expand...

We should definitely get definitive numbers, but correlation vs. causation are different. I anticipate in these tests memory speeds were not the only increase. I would need to see the numbers and proof side by side before I accepted such an increase had been made.

Does it increase frame rates? It is possible, faster in Storage and faster out display does add up over time, but the engine behind the rendering is still largely sitting with the GPU.

Large affect on temperatures at this speed? The precentage of increase of speeds of any device has shown a correlation to a percentage of increase in temperatures. How much would I guess? Not much, but I also noticed that the thermal padding on the stock heat sink was thick and made good contact with the heatsink. My only concern was the padding (at least XFX was) be too thick. Act as a blanket rather than quickly transferring all the heat.

Regarding FPS increase in Heaven, or any other semi-intense benchmark will show that boosting memory speeds helps. One thing you forgot to take in account for is what I already said, boosting memory speeds are good for benchmarks. You don't play Heaven do you? 

Secondly, since there is no "proof" proof, look at any numbers in hypothetical contexts. Claiming 3~5 fps out of 50 fps is 10%, thats a good increase for a simple overclock on Memory, 3~5 fps on 110FPS is 2.7% ~ 4.5%, well within the range of "Marin of Error" or system score fluctuation. Consistent benchmarking would be needed at this point to prove its a gain, and not guaranteed.

Let me ask you, would increasing the 1375 MHz to 1900 MHz (assuming IT IS stable) make any measurable difference? Absolutely, IT HAS TO, thats an extremely high overclock for GDDR5. Is that difference huge? No its also not possible, the core component of VRAM is not the driving component of frame rendering. Its akin to Overclocking Uncore for an i7 9xx or Northbridge for a 1090T, it HELPS the overall performance of the system, but it is never Earth shattering.

Don't forget, that in Crossfire/Trifire systems, I also accounted for them being more dependent on the speed of Memory and the IMC. Faster in + Faster out. I would say it aids in scaling to a certain degree, but again nothing Earth shattering.

Does it mean its pointless to OC VRAM? Not entirely, but the focus these last two generations from a variety of amateurs OCers has been how much VRAM it has, and how fast the VRAM is. Which is just slight ignorance and the affect of Marketing shoving big numbers in the faces of consumers?

A certain equilibrium is met with the GPU overclock, the faster the GPU overclock, the potential for Memory overclock to be beneficial increases as well. However, the Memory overclocks go so much higher than anything the GPU can contain, so its best to find a good blend of performance with OC at the lowest possible voltage, to reduce the overall production of heat. <- This should be all "gamers" care about. Stretching the dollar further, with the least amount of risk, and the longest longevity of the card.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> *Its not random to overclock in Crossfire, often times Crossfire/Trifire/Quadfires highest overclock is even lower than your weakest card.* Testing clocks willy nilly isn't useful either, I am not advocating that, but you are forgetting that Crossfire adds overhead and additional processes on a cards IMC / GPU.
> 
> You should really overclock in Crossfire the same way you overclock weakest and strongest cards, Crossfire clocks are often different. * It isn't correct that your weakest card will be your strongest overclock for Crossfire.* I have seen Crossfire enabled reduce the ability to overclock completely (ex. regarding the 5870s.).
> 
> 
> 
> This doesn't make sense. I'm not sure what your point is with the first part in bold, but I find it not true in my experience. My 7970 array overclocks exactly like they do in single card config, or that they will go as far as the weakest card I have. With this card in question, it doesn't matter if its in the array or not, it still will only hit X max clocks at X voltage. In the array it doesn't lose its overclocking threshold.
> 
> The IMC, whatever makes zero difference aside from whatever difference it made to begin with. Btw, who said anything about the last part in bold? What?
> 
> I'm not sure whats so hard to understand? Your weakest card will LIMIT ALL YOUR cards to its limits. Whether you have to reduce your clocks because you are running crossfire on air, doesn't matter. You still will be limited by your weakest card. Thus, it makes great logical sense to KNOW what your weakest card can do.
Click to expand...

You are saying you should only focus on your weakest cards overclock, but that is the same error in logic you are claiming another guy is having. If you are running CrossfireX 24/7, then your fastest route to stability is finding your max stable OC at a voltage you are comfortable with, with Crossfire enabled. CrossfireX *can weaken* (not saying it will) your overclock *even further* than your weakest card. Thats factual, and its been proven many times in the past. Crossfire and SLI adds overhead, and one can only lose overclocking potential with CrossfireX, not gain any, so you should test accordingly.


----------



## zpaf




----------



## Andrazh

Radeon 7950 @1150 core

Unigine 3.0
Render: direct3d11
Mode: 1920x1080 4xAA fullscreen
Shaders: high
Textures: high
Filter: trilinear
Anisotropy: 4x
Occlusion: enabled
Refraction: enabled
Volumetric: enabled
Tessellation: normal

1800 mem:

FPS:
79.1
Scores:
1993
Min FPS:
35.8
Max FPS:
168.5

1575 mem:

FPS:
77.4
Scores:
1949
Min FPS:
44.0
Max FPS:
157.6

1250 mem:

FPS:
73.9
Scores:
1861
Min FPS:
46.6
Max FPS:
148.2


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*


See these are very good numbers displaying Memory overclock, and it does show some mystery performance gained.

But I have to ask, were you changing CPU frequencies at all?

Can you also run it in Eyefinity as well?

Some quick math here:

Stock = 1375 MHz

End OC = 1875 MHz = 500+ / 36% OC

FPS Gained = 11.3% or 8.2 FPS gained. Although that OC is respectable, I am not sure everyone can hit that, I know I can't for example, but we have here is a rotation of clock for fps to go by.

Stock Ratio = 0.0546 FPS / 1 MHz

OC Ratio = 0.0482 FPS / 1 MHz

Max OC Ratio = 0.04298 FPS / 1 MHz <- Diminishing returns with gains, anticipate ECC is already kicking in but slow.

As OC increases, gains decrease, the usual anticipation, the diminishing though has been greatly improved over last few generations of GPU. So we are seeing something nice and new.

These tests should be re-ran at 925 MHz on GPU, and then again, with 1300 MHz, and see the combination effect of these overclocks.


----------



## Simkin

I have two MSI 7970 @ 1125/1575, i7-2600k @ 4.7Ghz and 16GB of Ram.

I'm struggling with screentearing in BF3. running one 120Hz monitor 1080p. V-sync helps, but still screentearing.

What driver and CCC/BF3 settings (and user.cfg) are people playing with in BF3 and 7970 Crossfire here?

im now at the 8.95.5 driver, 12.3 CAP1, MLAA Activated in CCC, everything else is set to default.

My BF3 user config lokks like this.

WorldRender.SpotLightShadowmapResolution 256
RenderDevice.TripleBufferingEnable 1
RenderDevice.ForceRenderAheadLimit 1
WorldRender.DxDeferredCsPathEnable 0
PostProcess.DynamicAOEnable 0
WorldRender.TransparencyShadowmapsEnable 0
WorldRender.MotionBlurEnable 0
Worldrender.spotlightshadowmapenable 1

Any tips and tricks?


----------



## svthomas

.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> You are saying you should only focus on your weakest cards overclock, but that is the same error in logic you are claiming another guy is having. If you are running CrossfireX 24/7, then your fastest route to stability is finding your max stable OC at a voltage you are comfortable with, with Crossfire enabled. CrossfireX *can weaken* (*not saying it will*) your overclock *even further* than your weakest card. *Thats factual*, and its been proven many times in the past. Crossfire and SLI adds overhead, and one can only lose overclocking potential with CrossfireX, not gain any, so you should test accordingly.


I've said no such thing. You're saying that and arguing about it. And as for losing overclock potential, overhead, sli, etc, that's got nothing to do with my point. Which again is that it's foolish not to know the limit of your weakest card. It's that simple. It doesn't matter if your best card overclocks 100mhz more cuz your array will lockup when you unknowingly hit your weakest cards limit! Duh, then you're like ugh what happened scratch head. Btw, I don't know what's factual because it's not fact just because you say so. I've my own findings and have not seen my cards lose their overclocking ability inside an array BECAUSE I know the limit of my weakest card.

There's also another benefit to testing individually. Once you have found your strongest to weakest card, use your best card for the main card and the weaker ones as the slave card. The main card has to do the most work, run the displays, desktop, have all the cards synch thru it. You wouldn't want your weakest card to bare the brunt of that duty.

Btw, is it fact or not though you disclaim that you're not saying it will?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> You are saying you should only focus on your weakest cards overclock, but that is the same error in logic you are claiming another guy is having. If you are running CrossfireX 24/7, then your fastest route to stability is finding your max stable OC at a voltage you are comfortable with, with Crossfire enabled. CrossfireX *can weaken* (*not saying it will*) your overclock *even further* than your weakest card. *Thats factual*, and its been proven many times in the past. Crossfire and SLI adds overhead, and one can only lose overclocking potential with CrossfireX, not gain any, so you should test accordingly.
> 
> 
> 
> I've said no such thing. You're saying that and arguing about it. And as for losing overclock potential, overhead, sli, etc, that's got nothing to do with my point. Which again is that it's foolish not to know the limit of your weakest card. It's that simple. It doesn't matter if your best card overclocks 100mhz more cuz your array will lockup when you unknowingly hit your weakest cards limit! Duh, then you're like ugh what happened scratch head. Btw, I don't know what's factual because it's not fact just because you say so. I've my own findings and have not seen my cards lose their overclocking ability inside an array BECAUSE I know the limit of my weakest card.
> 
> There's also another benefit to testing individually. Once you have found your strongest to weakest card, use your best card for the main card and the weaker ones as the slave card. The main card has to do the most work, run the displays, desktop, have all the cards synch thru it. You wouldn't want your weakest card to bare the brunt of that duty.
> 
> Btw, is it fact or not though you disclaim that you're not saying it will?
Click to expand...

Regarding Overhead: You will have to follow benchmarkers and more to the extreme benchmarking sections of forums and what not. I know of the info I have seen over time, but not anything that stands out right at the second as the end all be all of explaing CFX/SLI overhead. Instead go over to HWbot for the multiple card category submission's, you see the trending of multi-cards even on the professional bencher's who cherry pick multiple GPUs.

One example, while not definitive, and I am sure there are more, and maybe even a few categories where they managed to get CrossfireX higher than their stock run for various reasons. This is just to illustrate the general case of adding cards to CFX or SLI. What you are asking me to prove beyond doubt to something you don't even believe is possible. Much like knowing about the bottleneck bandwidth issue in the Crossfire bridges, just something that you pick up overtime.



Again, this is not PROOF, this is just an example of what you may see, but like I said its only one case, and not guaranteed to be the reason why his clocks were limited, but this is atypical of what to expect.

When overclocking, you should go by your weakest link, like you were saying, but in CrossfireX, your weakest link is the fact that it is enabled. It only makes sense to test for stability in a complete Crossfire or SLI setup, not individual cards.

Your "strongest" card according to you should be your main card, however, this is also a choice born out of illogical thinking, same GPUs and the same clocks should be the same, when both are clocked at the same speed (i.e. your weakest card) then they are both equal in that they are both matching. What should be your main card, is the card that can achieve the intended clocks at the lowest possible voltage of the two or three gpus. CrossfireX / SLI always produce more heat in the top card, therefore the card requiring the least voltage creating the least excess heat should be the top card. If you are getting that specific. This GPU is usually associated as your "strongest" GPU, when in fact it is better to call it the more "efficient" GPU.


----------



## zpaf




----------



## jtom320

My rule of thumb for memory OCing has just been to push it up 150-200mhz or so and be happy with that. Real world experience has borne out that the GPU OC is way more important to overall performance. However as the guy above me has shown there is obviously some benefit to doing it.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *zpaf*


Very odd that your 200 MHz OC showed virtually no gain at all, and within error of margin, yet your jump from 1575 to 1875 showed in increase just shy of 10%.

Either the voltage was too low for the 1575 MHz, meaning ECC was getting involved, and 1875 MHz had adequate voltage, or something else is going on here.

Very excited to get some numbers out when I get home. Analyze the numbers and flesh out some kind of scaling.


----------



## borandi

Results of my four cards.
All done with 1.25 volts on the core and 1.75 volts on the memory

Card 1: ASIC 63.6%, 1200/1850
Card 2: ASIC 73.7%, 1250/1900
Card 3: ASIC 76.2%, 1275/1850
Card 4: ASIC 81.0%, 1225/2000

Now to fire up the R4E for some 4-way, go for 75k+ in vantage


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Very odd that your 200 MHz OC showed virtually no gain at all, and within error of margin, yet your jump from 1575 to 1875 showed in increase just shy of 10%.
> 
> Either the voltage was too low for the 1575 MHz, meaning ECC was getting involved, and 1875 MHz had adequate voltage, or something else is going on here.
> 
> Very excited to get some numbers out when I get home. Analyze the numbers and flesh out some kind of scaling.


On all screenshots I am with default core/mem volts (1.175/1.6)


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Very odd that your 200 MHz OC showed virtually no gain at all, and within error of margin, yet your jump from 1575 to 1875 showed in increase just shy of 10%.
> 
> Either the voltage was too low for the 1575 MHz, meaning ECC was getting involved, and 1875 MHz had adequate voltage, or something else is going on here.
> 
> Very excited to get some numbers out when I get home. Analyze the numbers and flesh out some kind of scaling.
> 
> 
> 
> On all screenshots I am with default core/mem volts (1.175/1.6)
Click to expand...

Want to run the first two tests again? The first test could be on the high end of the bell-curve for stock, and the second test could be on the low-end of the curve for the first OC results. Explaining how close they are.

If it was stable enough for 1875 MHz @ 1.6v. I would assume [email protected] 1.6v was stable too.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Want to run the first two tests again? The first test could be on the high end of the bell-curve for stock, and the second test could be on the low-end of the curve for the first OC results. Explaining how close they are.
> 
> If it was stable enough for 1875 MHz @ 1.6v. I would assume [email protected] 1.6v was stable too.


You want metro or avp ?
Tell me exactly the clocks you want for these tests.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Want to run the first two tests again? The first test could be on the high end of the bell-curve for stock, and the second test could be on the low-end of the curve for the first OC results. Explaining how close they are.
> 
> If it was stable enough for 1875 MHz @ 1.6v. I would assume [email protected] 1.6v was stable too.
> 
> 
> 
> You want metro or avp ?
> Tell me exactly the clocks you want for these tests.
Click to expand...

Metro, same settings, 1125 GPU w/ 1375 MHz Mem, then again with 1125 GPU w/ 1575 Mem.


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Metro, same settings, 1125 GPU w/ 1375 MHz Mem, then again with 1125 GPU w/ 1575 Mem.


Here we are.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simkin*
> 
> I have two MSI 7970 @ 1125/1575, i7-2600k @ 4.7Ghz and 16GB of Ram.
> Any tips and tricks?


Sorry, I really don't know about your setup, 2 cards and 120Hz monitor, but personally I reduce it significantly by capping the FPS at 53-55.

51FPS I get the least, almost non-existent tearing, but 53-55 makes the game smooth.

By the way, I was getting the same tearing with my previous Nvidia card. If I enable Vsync tearing is gone 100%, but I've to play on Medium Settings.


----------



## stinart

This metro 2033 benchmark is a huge HT hater - at least with my 920. HT off = plus 5 fps. And these fps count when we are in the 40-60 fps area.


----------



## lightsout

Hey guys can anyone tell me if this is a reference card..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Hey guys can anyone tell me if this is a reference card..
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652


According to Coolingconfigurator.com it is, but I would email MSI just in-case and ask. I have had coolingconfigurator be wrong before. Not because the site is bad, but because AMD partners sometimes make small changes and keep the same model number.

http://coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=634


----------



## 125837

Had a play around on that site and it listed the 7970 Lightning as "Coming Soon"







Maybe I will go WC sometime in the near future


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Hey guys can anyone tell me if this is a reference card..
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> 
> 
> 
> According to Coolingconfigurator.com it is, but I would email MSI just in-case and ask. I have had coolingconfigurator be wrong before.
> 
> http://coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=634
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm a little concerned about it. I know newegg review's suck but comparing this card to the stock MSI 7970 it seems to have some issues. Bad cards, bad temps. Maybe I should stay away.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Thanks. I'm a little concerned about it. I know newegg review's suck but comparing this card to the stock MSI 7970 it seems to have some issues. Bad cards, bad temps. Maybe I should stay away.


Can't go wrong with a Lightning


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Thanks. I'm a little concerned about it. I know newegg review's suck but comparing this card to the stock MSI 7970 it seems to have some issues. Bad cards, bad temps. Maybe I should stay away.


I have had 0 problems with my 2 Reference 7970s, and they are some of the fasted clocked cards in Xfire that i have seen on the forums, 1270 on the core and 1825 on the memory.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Thanks. I'm a little concerned about it. I know newegg review's suck but comparing this card to the stock MSI 7970 it seems to have some issues. Bad cards, bad temps. Maybe I should stay away.
> 
> 
> 
> I have had 0 problems with my 2 Reference 7970s, and they are some of the fasted clocked cards in Xfire that i have seen on the forums, 1270 on the core and 1825 on the memory.
Click to expand...

Yah I want the reference model. I'm assuming the one I linked has a reference PCB. But the cooler may be a tad different. Maybe not. I would rather just get the regular MSI version. Someone was selling that OC version at a pretty good price. But not sure its worth the risk.


----------



## Daffie82

Hmmm

Still got some problems with the latest Batman game.
After finding my stable core overclock for gaming I do not get the "driver has recovered error anymore".
I now get this though :

Faulting application name: BatmanAC.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
Faulting module name: atidxx32.dll, version: 8.17.10.422, time stamp: 0x4f1855d4
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000122c9
Faulting process id: 0xf4
Faulting application start time: 0x01cd11181030f8c6
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\WB Games\Batman Arkham City\Binaries\Win32\BatmanAC.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\atidxx32.dll
Report Id: 437ca9c1-7d1a-11e1-a3fe-c8600006bd0e

I got latest Batman patch (automatically via windows live games) and still running RC11.

Any idea what is causing this?


----------



## wirefox

ARGH I think my pump died on me .. I didn't notice till my pc just shut down. ..7970s are blisteringly hot.

fingers crossed they aren't damaged... waiting the cool down atm ...

sigh.


----------



## lightsout

So I just called MSI to see if the MSI 7970 OC is a reference card. He said it was. He said all three of there that they have out now including the lightning are reference cards.

But according to Guru3d the lightning was totally re-designed. Can't even get proper info straight from the company. Or am I missing something.


----------



## 125837

The Lightning is not reference, that's for sure.

Speaking of which, I'm about to take out and post my DCII. I'm uninstalling AB, but will I need to get rid of the drivers too?


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> The Lightning is not reference, that's for sure.
> 
> Speaking of which, I'm about to take out and post my DCII. I'm uninstalling AB, but will I need to get rid of the drivers too?


Thats what I thought too.


----------



## xxmastermindxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> So I just called MSI to see if the MSI 7970 OC is a reference card. He said it was. He said all three of there that they have out now including the lightning are reference cards.
> But according to Guru3d the lightning was totally re-designed. Can't even get proper info straight from the company. Or am I missing something.


yea, that guy didn't know *** he was talking about. the other two cards are reference, definitely not the Lightning though.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxmastermindxx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> So I just called MSI to see if the MSI 7970 OC is a reference card. He said it was. He said all three of there that they have out now including the lightning are reference cards.
> But according to Guru3d the lightning was totally re-designed. Can't even get proper info straight from the company. Or am I missing something.
> 
> 
> 
> yea, that guy didn't know *** he was talking about. the other two cards are reference, definitely not the Lightning though.
Click to expand...

Yah he even put me on hold to confirm. He said the lightning is just added cooling, next round of cards will have a pcb designed by msi.

Anyways whatever. Pulled the trigger on a Sapphire on the egg just now. Should be joining the club in the next couple days.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

There's an extra 1/2 inch of PCB on the Lightnings that isn't reference for God's sake! How could they not know that it is not reference?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> The Lightning is not reference, that's for sure.
> Speaking of which, I'm about to take out and post my DCII. I'm uninstalling AB, but will I need to get rid of the drivers too?


Drivers are all the same unless you change actual GPUs (physical chip).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> There's an extra 1/2 inch of PCB on the Lightnings that isn't reference for God's sake! How could they not know that it is not reference?


Lol, because he's not paid enough and most of them don't care.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Drivers are all the same unless you change actual GPUs (physical chip).
> Lol, because he's not paid enough and most of them don't care.


Yeah I know they're the same, I just wasn't sure if I needed to reinstall them because of the different BIOS/PCB. Cheers


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> There's an extra 1/2 inch of PCB on the Lightnings that isn't reference for God's sake! How could they not know that it is not reference?


I know sheesh. And then he even puts me on hold to ask someone. And I asked him twice "even the lightning"?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah I know they're the same, I just wasn't sure if I needed to reinstall them because of the different BIOS/PCB. Cheers


I don't see why you would, its the same components realistically. They changed some physical parts that aren't ever known by the PC









The BIOS is only really seen at the POST and GPU-Z levels, never entered into memory to my knowledge


----------



## lightsout

Whos got a 7970 on air in a small case. I'm putting one of these in a TJ08 and hoping to hit 1200 or so. Hopefully it doesn't get too hot.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm running two 7970 Lightnings in a 600T (not a small case but airflow challenged) and I hit 80C at 1200MHz/1250mV. Definitely need better airflow for ultimate overclocks...


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm running two 7970 Lightnings in a 600T (not a small case but airflow challenged) and I hit 80C at 1200MHz/1250mV. Definitely need better airflow for ultimate overclocks...


Yah thats not great. I'm hoping the exhaust style cooler will help in my small case. My DCII 580 has great temps in this case. Totally different cooler of course.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Guys after a fresh install of Windows and 12.3 i cant get /xcl to work. Do i need to do anything else other then put it to shortcut open it up and then remove and and restart PC?


----------



## xxmastermindxx

Yes, 12.3 and xcl don't play well together.

Check out this thread and this thread.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm running two 7970 Lightnings in a 600T (not a small case but airflow challenged) and I hit 80C at 1200MHz/1250mV. Definitely need better airflow for ultimate overclocks...
> 
> 
> 
> Yah thats not great. I'm hoping the exhaust style cooler will help in my small case. My DCII 580 has great temps in this case. Totally different cooler of course.
Click to expand...

I have a Define R3 which is pretty small for a mid tower. Doesn't have a huge amount of airflow either. I went for the blower style cooling because I knew I would crossfire and I don't think the case can properly exhaust recycled hot air and it works pretty well.

As long as you have some sort of air moving through the case you'll be fine especially with only one card. TBH with one card you would be fine with a non reference cooler. But if you ever plan to Crossfire I don't think that sort of cooling is ideal no matter how big your case is, only because one card will always be sucking up the exhaust from the other one. Blowers solve that problem


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> So I just called MSI to see if the MSI 7970 OC is a reference card. He said it was. He said all three of there that they have out now including the lightning are reference cards.
> But according to Guru3d the lightning was totally re-designed. Can't even get proper info straight from the company. Or am I missing something.


OMG lol, the guy said the lightning was reference?







That's concerning...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Guys after a fresh install of Windows and 12.3 i cant get /xcl to work. Do i need to do anything else other then put it to shortcut open it up and then remove and and restart PC?


You need to add those files.


----------



## Ken1649

*MSI 7970 Lightning*

Just a heads up, it has 2 DVIs Single Link unlike ASUS DCII that applied a switch to enable DVI Dual Link by disabling one DisplayPort.

So for those that need 120Hz but no native DisplayPort, the Lightning is not the right choice because there's no adapter out there to convert true DisplayPort signal to DVI Dual Link that supports 120Hz.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> *MSI 7970 Lightning*
> 
> Just a heads up, it has 2 DVIs Single Link unlike ASUS DCII that applied a switch to enable DVI Dual Link by disabling one DisplayPort.
> 
> So for those that need 120Hz but no native DisplayPort, the Lightning is not the right choice because there's no adapter out there to convert true DisplayPort signal to DVI Dual Link that supports 120Hz.


That's apparently also an issue with ATI cards locking the pixel clock rate for DP. I've been talking to them (ATI support) because of those Korean 2560x1440 monitors that were doing 120Hz, but no one could get their cards that high.

This is an interesting thing to note for all these people that rushed to get the Lightnings.


----------



## tsm106

I don't think its a surprise because it's explain in the reviews, comes with two single link dvi-d and dvi-i ports. The difference in dvi ports in itself will be a pain lol.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> *MSI 7970 Lightning*
> 
> Just a heads up, it has 2 DVIs Single Link unlike ASUS DCII that applied a switch to enable DVI Dual Link by disabling one DisplayPort.
> 
> So for those that need 120Hz but no native DisplayPort, the Lightning is not the right choice because there's no adapter out there to convert true DisplayPort signal to DVI Dual Link that supports 120Hz.
> 
> 
> 
> That's apparently also an issue with ATI cards locking the pixel clock rate for DP. I've been talking to them (ATI support) because of those Korean 2560x1440 monitors that were doing 120Hz, but no one could get their cards that high.
> 
> This is an interesting thing to note for all these people that rushed to get the Lightnings.
Click to expand...

There's a lot of misinformation about those Korean Catleap too or w/e they are called. It's just impossible to get 1600/1440 @120Hz using DVI Dual Link. It's hardware limitation, the bandwidth of DVI Dual Link can not and will not be able to carry such resolution @120Hz.

The only capable is DisplayPort 1.2 but such monitor does not exist yet. At least for regular consumer market.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> There's a lot of misinformation about those Korean Catleap too or w/e they are called. It's just impossible to get 1600/1440 @120Hz using DVI Dual Link. It's hardware limitation, the bandwidth of DVI Dual Link can not and will not be able to carry such resolution @120Hz.
> 
> The only capable is DisplayPort 1.2 but such monitor does not exist yet. At least for regular consumer market.


ATI declared shenanigans on DVI Dual Link and DP not being able to handle 1440P @ 120Hz, lol. I'm waiting on some files from people with the OC monitors so I can send them to ATI.

Someone managed to push 120Hz to the monitors with a 680, but it kept resetting in games (I think they managed to fix that, but I'm not sure).


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> There's a lot of misinformation about those Korean Catleap too or w/e they are called. It's just impossible to get 1600/1440 @120Hz using DVI Dual Link. It's hardware limitation, the bandwidth of DVI Dual Link can not and will not be able to carry such resolution @120Hz.
> 
> The only capable is DisplayPort 1.2 but such monitor does not exist yet. At least for regular consumer market.
> 
> 
> 
> ATI declared shenanigans on DVI Dual Link and DP not being able to handle 1440P @ 120Hz, lol. I'm waiting on some files from people with the OC monitors so I can send them to ATI.
> 
> Someone managed to push 120Hz to the monitors with a 680, but it kept resetting in games (I think they managed to fix that, but I'm not sure).
Click to expand...

That's just physically impossible. I can fool others with proof with screen shot to show 2560x1600 @120Hz. But I won't be able to fool myself. I can force the EDID to do so but in reality = 0. That's just like 60Hz monitors showing 120 or 200 FPS.

DisplayPort 1.2 is true and has the bandwidth for 2560x1600 @120Hz but DVI is next to impossible.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That's just physically impossible. I can fool others with proof with screen shot to show 2560x1600 @120Hz. But I won't be able to fool myself. I can force the EDID to do so but in reality = 0. That's just like 60Hz monitors showing 120 or 200 FPS.
> 
> DisplayPort 1.2 is true and has the bandwidth for 2560x1600 @120Hz but DVI is next to impossible.


Now you know why I want to get AMD to actually admit that its impossible, lol. This was my first email and their response:

_
Thank you for contacting AMD

I understand that you asking are the AMD Radeon HD cards capable of outputting 2560x1440 resolution at 120Hz refresh rate via the DisplayPort connection (or DL-DVI)? From a hardware point of view at least, because the drivers have this locked to ~85Hz I believe. A lot of argument has been over the pixel clock limit.

Also, it would be incredibly appreciated if the drivers could be changed to remove this 85Hz limitation or at least a way to get past it.

If I missed any information about your issue please let me know, as my suggestions may change.

Any of our HD5000 series or higher cards is capable of outputting 2560X1440 resolution at 120Hz Refresh rate but has to be one with a dual link DVI connection or native DP output, and also the display has to provide the resolution and refresh rate as supported for it to be available for selection.

I believe since Catalyst 10.X or after as long as the display supported 120Hz, the selection was available. The reason people are seeing 85Hz is because their display isn't supporting 120Hz.
_

They haven't admitted it yet


----------



## Ken1649

Hehe actually there're more than the drivers when it comes to bandwidth. It's the TMDS bandwidth as in HDMI which is supposed to support 120Hz for HDMI 1.4. The bandwidth is available (340 MHz) but there's no manufacture to utilize it. Maybe it has something to do with Royalty is my guess.

When contacting technical support I always start with; "Let's not start with the text book trouble shoothing because I have been following your product since..... and I know exactly what I am talking about and let's not wasting your time as well as mine. Please show this inquiry to the engineer or whoever there that are qualified to answer....." Otherwise, you will end up explaining more to them more their own products lol.

That's how I got my reply about ZeroCore Power State. One reply straight to the point lol.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Hehe actually there're more than the drivers when it comes to bandwidth. It's the TMDS bandwidth as in HDMI which is supposed to support 120Hz for HDMI 1.4. The bandwidth is available (340 MHz) but there's no manufacture to utilize it. Maybe it has something to do with Royalty is my guess.
> 
> When contacting technical support I always start with; "Let's not start with the text book trouble shoothing because I have been following your product since..... and I know exactly what I am talking about and let's not wasting your time as well as mine. Please show this inquiry to the engineer or whoever there that are qualified to answer....." Otherwise, you will end up explaining more to them more their own products lol.
> 
> That's how I got my reply about ZeroCore Power State. One reply straight to the point lol.


Lol, that's why I didn't get a response to the follow-up question for a week, and that was simply that it was being elevated to a higher level







Then they said:

_Response and Service Request History:
Would you be able to send the EDID information that is coming from the monitor?

This utility will provide information on how the EEPROM chip or the driver file from the monitor is reporting this to the OS.

1. Please provide the EDID report (using GetEDID.exe) of your monitor while it is connected to the graphics card. You can obtain the GetEDID.exe file from the following location using an FTP Client Software like FileZilla or CuteFTP.

*snip for privacy*

In order to update this service request, please respond, leaving the service request reference intact.

Best regards,

AMD Global Customer Care_

So, they still think it works


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Hehe actually there're more than the drivers when it comes to bandwidth. It's the TMDS bandwidth as in HDMI which is supposed to support 120Hz for HDMI 1.4. The bandwidth is available (340 MHz) but there's no manufacture to utilize it. Maybe it has something to do with Royalty is my guess.
> 
> When contacting technical support I always start with; "Let's not start with the text book trouble shoothing because I have been following your product since..... and I know exactly what I am talking about and let's not wasting your time as well as mine. Please show this inquiry to the engineer or whoever there that are qualified to answer....." Otherwise, you will end up explaining more to them more their own products lol.
> 
> That's how I got my reply about ZeroCore Power State. One reply straight to the point lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Lol, that's why I didn't get a response to the follow-up question for a week, and that was simply that it was being elevated to a higher level
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then they said:
> 
> _Response and Service Request History:
> Would you be able to send the EDID information that is coming from the monitor?
> 
> This utility will provide information on how the EEPROM chip or the driver file from the monitor is reporting this to the OS.
> 
> 1. Please provide the EDID report (using GetEDID.exe) of your monitor while it is connected to the graphics card. You can obtain the GetEDID.exe file from the following location using an FTP Client Software like FileZilla or CuteFTP.
> 
> *snip for privacy*
> 
> In order to update this service request, please respond, leaving the service request reference intact.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> AMD Global Customer Care_
> 
> So, they still think it works
Click to expand...

I am afraid AMD is right at this point.

Because there's no such monitors exist. The one you should inquire is the Korean manufacturer that claimed possible 2560x1600/1440 @120Hz with DVI Dual Link. The DP 1.2 standard is not applied yet for regular consumer market.

The Korean manufacturers either don't know about the DVI standard or just full of it for marketing purposes


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I am afraid AMD is right at this point.
> 
> Because there's no such monitors exist. The one you should inquire is the Korean manufacturer that claimed possible 2560x1600/1440 @120Hz with DVI Dual Link. The DP 1.2 standard is not applied yet for regular consumer market.
> 
> The Korean manufacturers either don't know about the DVI standard or just full of it for marketing purposes


I don't think any of them ever actually said that they could do 120Hz, that was just a magical feature that people on here discovered, hah. LG actually has plans to release a 1440P with 120Hz IPS this year (I think this is where all the PCBs went







).

They just don't want to admit that the card can't actually push 120Hz @ 1440P







"Its not the card, its the monitor!"


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Is there a new asus bios? I tried old one, seen some really concerning spikes in memory volts and core. The type of spikes which would kill your card, not small ones.


I read this and it concerned me a bit, as I use the unlocked ASUS BIOS as my main card BIOS. I logged my voltages to a file while gaming tonight and haven't gotten any voltage spikes likes this. I even flipped the switch to the stock BIOSes on the cards just to try and identify any voltage anomalies between the two, but haven't seen any.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hmmm
> Still got some problems with the latest Batman game.
> After finding my stable core overclock for gaming I do not get the "driver has recovered error anymore".
> I now get this though :
> Faulting application name: BatmanAC.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
> Faulting module name: atidxx32.dll, version: 8.17.10.422, time stamp: 0x4f1855d4
> Exception code: 0xc0000005
> Fault offset: 0x000122c9
> Faulting process id: 0xf4
> Faulting application start time: 0x01cd11181030f8c6
> Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\WB Games\Batman Arkham City\Binaries\Win32\BatmanAC.exe
> Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\atidxx32.dll
> Report Id: 437ca9c1-7d1a-11e1-a3fe-c8600006bd0e
> I got latest Batman patch (automatically via windows live games) and still running RC11.
> Any idea what is causing this?


Nobody has an idea ?


----------



## 125837

Have you tried any other driver versions?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Have you tried any other driver versions?


I knew you were going to say this








Have only been on RC11 from the beginning.
After all the horror stories here I have not dared to update my drivers.
Would you suggest doing so though?
And to which driver? 12.3 whql? Or wait for 12.4 whql?
And how to proceed in installing? I am not going to use Atiman or driversweeper, and plan on just uninstalling RC11 - also uninstall from device manager just to be sure - afterwards install the new driver.
I am not using AB, using Trixx. So that should make things a little easier I guess.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Welp, I installed BFBC2, updated, then ran it and it locked up in about 30 seconds. Reboot, make sure AB is set to stock clocks and, BSOD on the desktop. These AMD drivers are just fantastic...


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Welp, I installed BFBC2, updated, then ran it and it locked up in about 30 seconds. Reboot, make sure AB is set to stock clocks and, BSOD on the desktop. These AMD drivers are just fantastic...


Damn that doesn't make me feel very good.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Welp, I installed BFBC2, updated, then ran it and it locked up in about 30 seconds. Reboot, make sure AB is set to stock clocks and, BSOD on the desktop. These AMD drivers are just fantastic...


I had to turn off eyefinity to get mine to stop. Mine were quite random while playing bf3, but annoying enough for me to go back to 1080p gaming until they get it worked out. I am not impressed with AMD's programming talent at the moment.


----------



## Aventadoor

Whats the best way to overclock 7970s these days?
Still MSI AB?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Whats the best way to overclock 7970s these days?
> Still MSI AB?


Get AMD 12.3 Drivers.
Get the Patch that Allows to OC over CCC limits
Extended Clock by applying /xcl to MSI AB file destination name via a Shortcut.

In reality MSI AB is the best we got.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Get AMD 12.3 Drivers.
> Get the Patch that Allows to OC over CCC limits
> Extended Clock by applying /xcl to MSI AB file destination name via a Shortcut.
> In reality MSI AB is the best we got.


This, or bypass the RC11 stuff and just use the unlocked ASUS BIOS to extend the clocks in MSI AB, imo.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Whats the best way to overclock 7970s these days?
> Still MSI AB?


Yep, that's what most of us use.


----------



## switchblade

I was crashing in games and was wondering *** was happening then i check AB and saw that it was not saving the voltage i had set for my overlock. Everytim i restarted pc it would keep the overclock but nt the voltage. Also after resetting to default clocks and voltages sometimes it seems to actually revert to a overclock when i restart. Another issue is the fact that my profiles saved seems buggy sometimes they save sometimes they dont. What version of AB are you guys using the old version worked great but i updated to a beta version and its buggy for me


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I was crashing in games and was wondering *** was happening then i check AB and saw that it was not saving the voltage i had set for my overlock. Everytim i restarted pc it would keep the overclock but nt the voltage. Also after resetting to default clocks and voltages sometimes it seems to actually revert to a overclock when i restart. Another issue is the fact that my profiles saved seems buggy sometimes they save sometimes they dont. What version of AB are you guys using the old version worked great but i updated to a beta version and its buggy for me


Afterburner 2.2 Beta 15 is showing a similar issue for me, but in reverse. It over volts my card to what I set the voltage, but my overclocks are not getting set.

You might want to uninstall AB and re-install, to get the glitch fixed. Mine is lucky as its the voltage increased. I think the "apply" overclocks on start up feature is bugged, even if you have only turned on once and turned it back off, it can still be an issue.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Welp, I installed BFBC2, updated, then ran it and it locked up in about 30 seconds. Reboot, make sure AB is set to stock clocks and, BSOD on the desktop. These AMD drivers are just fantastic...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had to turn off eyefinity to get mine to stop. Mine were quite random while playing bf3, but annoying enough for me to go back to 1080p gaming until they get it worked out. I am not impressed with AMD's programming talent at the moment.
Click to expand...

In all honesty, they will probably get these drivers "stable/mature" but its going to take time, longer than it will for nVidia. Every time I have left and gone with team green after being on ATi/AMD, eventually the major issues I had seen do get fixed. I personally played catch up this time, I didn't buy at release, and low and behold its 3 months out and they are still flakey, which often baffles me. I would anticipate potentially another 3 months for maybe 50% more stability using things like Eyefinity.

Its up to you if you can wait. I do get tired of the waiting game, but at the same time I am super busy and I am just not on the machine 24/7.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Wow the length of this thread say so much about current ATI drivers........ 12.4 better be brilliant







(I know it won't)


----------



## ZealotKi11er

These cards seem to hit 1.2-1.3Ghz for the most parts. Under or Over That are rare exceptions. After a lot of BF3 I had to increase my Voltage for 1250Mhz from 1.225v to 1.287v. I decided stick to nice 1200Mhz with 1.2v which does not make Capacitors wine. Also is 1.7v safe for Memory? I got it clocked up to 1875Mhz.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> These cards seem to hit 1.2-1.3Ghz for the most parts. Under or Over That are rare exceptions. After a lot of BF3 I had to increase my Voltage for 1250Mhz from 1.225v to 1.287v. I decided stick to nice 1200Mhz with 1.2v which does not make Capacitors wine. Also is 1.7v safe for Memory? I got it clocked up to 1875Mhz.


Has your coil whine (or whatever you want to call it) lessened since you've been using the card? Mine has almost entirely gone away since I started gaming and benching a lot with them, although I got lucky and neither of my cards had to very bad to begin with.


----------



## onthemour

never had a single issue with rc11 eyefinity. now i am on 12.3 whql and i get way better performance in bf3 plus i can crank my oc much higher









question here how high is a safe max volt?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Has your coil whine (or whatever you want to call it) lessened since you've been using the card? Mine has almost entirely gone away since I started gaming and benching a lot with them, although I got lucky and neither of my cards had to very bad to begin with.


Well i never applied more then 1.225v for 24/7. After 1.25v the coil whine starts. Not sure if it goes away. I rarely bench. All i do is BF3 and SC2. 1875Mhz in Memory gave me a good boost. Now i rarely hit 60s @ 2560x1440.


----------



## lightsout

Is there a post that says exactly how to set up overclocking on these? Seems to be sort of a pain and I want to do it right the first time.


----------



## owikh84

revert to RC11 & turn off tessellation


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Is there a post that says exactly how to set up overclocking on these? Seems to be sort of a pain and I want to do it right the first time.


1) Install Latest Drivers and make sure everything is working correctly.
2) Install latest MSI Afterburner.
3)

MSI AB Patch.zip 535k .zip file

4) Restart the Computer.
5) Create a Shortcut of MSI Afterburner in the desktop.
6) Close MSI Afterburner, @ the Shortcut got to Target: and add /xcl like this ("C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl)
7) Open the Modified Shortcut. (It shut say CCC Limits have been Increased.
8) Delete the Shortcut and Restart PC.
9) Not you are all set to OC without Limits.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Is there a post that says exactly how to set up overclocking on these? Seems to be sort of a pain and I want to do it right the first time.


2 methods: Official or Unofficial, aka OM UOM

OM = install ya driver of choice, 12.3+ needs this installed afterwards, then you unlock the registry. It's essentially the same as racerx. I pre-extracted the Powerplay Tables here. Open notepad, copy paste this in there save it as a *.reg file or rename .reg then merge that into your reg. Install AB, reboot. Run AB, unlock voltage control. And you are done.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> You need this MSI AB patch to replace the missing files ( 12.3 WQHL - 8.95.5 )
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch (1).zip 535k .zip file
> Have Fun Overclocking


*Open notepad, copy paste this in there save it as a *.reg file or rename .reg then merge that into your reg.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0000]

"PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable"=hex:f3,01,06,01,00,00,00,10,18,58,00,6b,00,dd,00,e8,\
03,e8,03,58,00,00,80,03,00,10,00,00,02,07,3b,00,00,6d,00,df,00,00,3f,01,0a,\
00,3f,01,4f,01,4e,02,00,00,27,10,00,00,5b,01,75,01,8f,01,00,00,c2,01,00,00,\
04,01,00,00,af,00,00,00,60,ea,00,00,a9,01,52,03,00,00,14,00,40,00,04,01,00,\
00,03,01,04,05,00,03,02,05,05,00,03,03,06,06,06,07,10,54,69,01,1c,19,02,01,\
ff,6b,03,02,00,00,00,00,00,50,c3,00,80,38,01,20,03,5c,03,01,00,00,00,00,00,\
30,75,00,80,38,01,20,03,5c,03,01,00,00,00,00,00,40,9c,00,80,38,01,20,03,5c,\
03,02,00,00,00,00,00,30,75,00,98,3a,00,52,03,6b,03,00,00,00,00,00,00,b4,c3,\
00,1c,19,02,b6,03,6b,03,01,00,00,00,00,00,30,75,00,98,3a,00,20,03,6b,03,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,04,18,08,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,05,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,04,00,00,7a,00,00,00,00,00,00,40,19,01,00,c0,da,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,02,06,7c,15,8c,23,48,26,d0,07,7c,15,58,1b,48,26,0c,00,20,bf,02,00,\
f4,e9,03,00,cb,01,05,30,75,00,20,03,50,c3,00,52,03,60,ea,00,84,03,70,11,01,\
b6,03,54,69,01,01,ff,05,98,3a,00,5c,03,30,75,00,61,03,80,38,01,66,03,1c,19,\
02,6b,03,80,19,02,6c,03,05,98,3a,00,20,03,30,75,00,52,03,80,38,01,84,03,1c,\
19,02,b6,03,80,19,02,01,ff,04,20,03,00,00,00,00,52,03,00,00,00,00,b6,03,00,\
00,00,00,92,04,00,00,00,00,01,e8,03,98,3a,00,a8,61,00,00,03,d8,d6,00,d8,d6,\
00,70,11,01,70,11,01,30,75,00,30,75,00,02,b6,03,00,1a,04,01,06,01,01,00,01,\
02,02,00,01,02,03,00,03

UOM = install ya driver of choice, 12.3+ needs this installed afterwards. Install AB, reboot. Run AB, unlock voltage control, then unlock Unofficial Overclock Method, you should know that via the msi cfg file right?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> You need this MSI AB patch to replace the missing files ( 12.3 WQHL - 8.95.5 )
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch (1).zip 535k .zip file
> Have Fun Overclocking


----------



## RagingCain

Added a quickstart / overclocking 7970 with Afterburner HowTo to OCN:

http://www.overclock.net/a/getting-started-with-radeon-hd-7970-overclocking


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *onthemour*
> 
> never had a single issue with rc11 eyefinity. now i am on 12.3 whql and i get way better performance in bf3 plus i can crank my oc much higher
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> question here how high is a safe max volt?


How did you upgrade to 12.3 whql?
Install over RC11 or uninstall RC11 first?

EDIT : reading over some RESOLVED ISSUES of the 12.2 driver release... _"Batman - Arkam City no longer experiences intermittent system crashes when run in DirectX 11 mode."_

Seems I have no choice but to upgrade









That probably also means my "driver has recovered" errors were not due to too high overclocks but just the RC11 drivers having problems with Batman game...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I knew you were going to say this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have only been on RC11 from the beginning.
> After all the horror stories here I have not dared to update my drivers.
> Would you suggest doing so though?
> And to which driver? 12.3 whql? Or wait for 12.4 whql?
> And how to proceed in installing? I am not going to use Atiman or driversweeper, and plan on just uninstalling RC11 - also uninstall from device manager just to be sure - afterwards install the new driver.
> I am not using AB, using Trixx. So that should make things a little easier I guess.


To add a question to this list... Should I also uninstall Trixx before installing the new driver ??

I would probably do it like this :

- uninstall Trixx ??
- reboot
- cap uninstall
- reboot
- RC11 uninstall (via control panel - NOT using atiman or driver sweeper)
- reboot
- device manager uninstall (just to be sure it is really gone)
- reboot
- install new driver

Any step I am forgetting here? Thx for the advice !









(sorry for the double post, didnt notice ! )


----------



## lightsout

Thanks for the info guys I'll give rep at home later.


----------



## quakermaas

Flashed the special Asus BIOS to both my cards, doesn't seem give me any extra voltage control with MSI AB, maybe I have to use Asus Trix ?

Also noticed that since I flashed the cards, card two is stuck at full 3D clocks


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Flashed the special Asus BIOS to both my cards, doesn't seem give me any extra voltage control with MSI AB, maybe I have to use Asus Trix ?
> 
> Also noticed that since I flashed the cards, card two is stuck at full 3D clocks


You mean Sapphire Trixx? No, you have to use ASUS GPU-Tweak Utility: http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?2624-GPU-Tweak-(Beta)

Yeah the BIOSes are a bit flakey. I wouldn't use them unless I was benchmarking.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> You mean Sapphire Trixx? No, you have to use ASUS GPU-Tweak Utility: http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?2624-GPU-Tweak-(Beta)
> 
> Yeah the BIOSes are a bit flakey. I wouldn't use them unless I was benchmarking.


Yes Asus GPU Tweak is what I meant.

Anyway flashed back to original BIOS and all back to normal (2nd GPU 2D/3D clocks).


----------



## thrgk

What is the backplate for? what benefits from it? Decidng swiftech 7970 block or ek,


----------



## wireeater

I guess it depends. They are good for looks and plus they help keep the board from warping because the weight of the block pulls down on the card. However, I don't see the point if you run 2 cards because a SLI bridge will prevent that.


----------



## thrgk

between the swiftehc 7970 and ek 7970 block,s which would you go with? for $35 I get the pads cut and installed, backplate, and the block is sweet, however for $35 less I can just get the ek block


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> What is the backplate for? what benefits from it? Decidng swiftech 7970 block or ek,


Some passive cooling for the backside of the vrms, it looks good, and it makes the individual cards a bit more rigid. I have two backplates plus an ek bridge for my 7970s, and the cards are rock solid without any sag.

Here is some 7970 backplate motivation


----------



## tsm106

Blasphemer, green rig running red team gear!


----------



## nlmiller0015

Hello I just received my amd 7970 im new to the series of amd so can anyone tell me how to disable V sync Thank you


----------



## xxmastermindxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nlmiller0015*
> 
> Hello I just received my amd 7970 im new to the series of amd so can anyone tell me how to disable V sync Thank you


You can set it to be application controlled in Catalyst, where you can turn it on or off on a per application basis, using the applications settings menu. You can also set it to always off, or you can just go into your game settings and switch it off.

I recently switched to a 680 so I can't make a screenshot of the exact section of Catalyst where you can find it, but that would be the easiest way to do a global change.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nlmiller0015*
> 
> Hello I just received my amd 7970 im new to the series of amd so can anyone tell me how to disable V sync Thank you


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxmastermindxx*
> 
> You can set it to be application controlled in Catalyst, where you can turn it on or off on a per application basis, using the applications settings menu. You can also set it to always off, or you can just go into your game settings and switch it off.
> I recently switched to a 680 so I can't make a screenshot of the exact section of Catalyst where you can find it, but that would be the easiest way to do a global change.


Under Gaming, 3D Application Settings, Wait for vertical refresh, slide it to off.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> between the swiftehc 7970 and ek 7970 block,s which would you go with? for $35 I get the pads cut and installed, backplate, and the block is sweet, however for $35 less I can just get the ek block


The Backplate also acts as a Passive cooler for the back of VRMs. I would get EK Block. Its not had to cut the Thermal Pads.


----------



## TheJesus

You all will appreciate this single 7970 Lightning run by Elmor.


----------



## tsm106

LN2, doesn't have any relation to us regular folk.


----------



## wireeater

GOOD LERD


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> LN2, doesn't have any relation to us regular folk.


I personally just like the 15K score when people are trying to break 17K with 2 7970s, lmao.


----------



## wireeater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Wow the length of this thread say so much about current ATI drivers........ 12.4 better be brilliant
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (I know it won't)


Actually probably 90% of this thread is people who don't read it and ask the same questions over and over again.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I personally just like the 15K score when people are trying to break 17K with 2 7970s, lmao.


Yet trying with 2 x HD 7970 its cheaper and easier.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Yet trying with 2 x HD 7970 its cheaper and easier.


It was posted on XtremeSystems, they don't understand cheaper or easier


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Yet trying with 2 x HD 7970 its cheaper and easier.
> 
> 
> 
> It was posted on XtremeSystems, they don't understand cheaper or easier
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I personally just like the 15K score when people are trying to break 17K with 2 7970s, lmao.
> 
> 
> 
> Yet trying with 2 x HD 7970 its cheaper and easier.
Click to expand...

My 3d11 P results on water CPU (3930k @ 5G), GPU with stock shrouds:

1x: P12224
2x: P19995
3x: P24436
4x: P27010

17k on two cards is easy


----------



## xxmastermindxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> My 3d11 P results on water CPU (3930k @ 5G), GPU with stock shrouds:
> 1x: P12224
> 2x: P19995
> 3x: P24436
> 4x: P27010
> 17k on two cards is easy


Not with stock tessellation settings, it isn't.


----------



## borandi

That's true, but I'm not fussed about those.


----------



## xxmastermindxx

Hey, the testing we compare to each other should all be on equal ground


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxmastermindxx*
> 
> Hey, the testing we compare to each other should all be on equal ground


You can score for a daily run around, I score for the standing quarter mile.







Otherwise we're just debating small nuances, e.g. who has the better memory. Might as well run them all at the same voltages as well. Remember this is a synthetic, so it's unrealistic of a normal gaming workload anyway.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> You can score for a daily run around, I score for the standing quarter mile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Otherwise we're just debating small nuances, e.g. who has the better memory. Might as well run them all at the same voltages as well. Remember this is a synthetic, so it's unrealistic of a normal gaming workload anyway.


You're not pushing the card as hard. Besides, hwbot benches don't mean jack in the real world when you throw all them switches.


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> You can score for a daily run around, I score for the standing quarter mile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Otherwise we're just debating small nuances, e.g. who has the better memory. Might as well run them all at the same voltages as well. Remember this is a synthetic, so it's unrealistic of a normal gaming workload anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> You're not pushing the card as hard. Besides, hwbot benches don't mean jack in the real world when you throw all them switches.
Click to expand...

Neither does drag racing a standard quarter mile compared to driving to the shops. It's still fun to see how hard you can work and push them at the limit. If it's not for you then fine, but it's great fun from where I'm sitting.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Whats the best thing to test Memory OC?


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Whats the best thing to test Memory OC?


prime95 custom fft size, make it big enough and it will use it all.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Whats the best thing to test Memory OC?


Quote:



> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Whats the best thing to test Memory OC?
> 
> 
> 
> prime95 custom fft size, make it big enough and it will use it all.
Click to expand...

I think he meant GPU Memory haha. You can try OCCT or just benchmark the hell out of it. Its hard to test Mem stability as its ECC.


----------



## xxmastermindxx

changing tessellation settings makes the scores invalid against any other default testers, that's really all there is to it. but, nice score


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxmastermindxx*
> 
> changing tessellation settings makes the scores invalid against any other default testers, that's really all there is to it. but, nice score


^this.


----------



## firestorm1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I think he meant GPU Memory haha. You can try OCCT or just benchmark the hell out of it. Its hard to test Mem stability as its ECC.


lol, my bad. its been a long day,









ill agree with your answer though.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I think he meant GPU Memory haha. You can try OCCT or just benchmark the hell out of it. Its hard to test Mem stability as its ECC.


I s running 1.7v safe under Water?


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I think he meant GPU Memory haha. You can try OCCT or just benchmark the hell out of it. Its hard to test Mem stability as its ECC.
> 
> 
> 
> I s running 1.7v safe under Water?
Click to expand...

I believe you will be absolutely fine.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firestorm1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I think he meant GPU Memory haha. You can try OCCT or just benchmark the hell out of it. Its hard to test Mem stability as its ECC.
> 
> 
> 
> lol, my bad. its been a long day,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ill agree with your answer though.
Click to expand...

Don't sweat it, I got your back


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I believe you will be absolutely fine.
> 
> Don't sweat it, I got your back


Memory Overclocking did wonders for me and BF3. Got maybe 8-10 fps extra in BF3 from Stock.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> I believe you will be absolutely fine.
> 
> Don't sweat it, I got your back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Memory Overclocking did wonders for me and BF3. Got maybe 8-10 fps extra in BF3 from Stock.
Click to expand...

Yeah its really strange, but the numbers aren't lying. I am a bit taken back, I haven't seen gains like this before on Memory overclocking. We should all get some benchmarks out and start recording the results. I know I will be in the future.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Yeah its really strange, but the numbers aren't lying. I am a bit taken back, I haven't seen gains like this before on Memory overclocking. We should all get some benchmarks out and start recording the results. I know I will be in the future.


I think its got to do because its 500Mhz OC with 384-Bit and HD 7970 has very good memory management. We got more memory bandwidth from OC then some card have Stock. Almost 100GB/s. I feel like GTX680 could use some.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I got +500 points in 3dmark11 just by bumping memory to 1650mhz on the lightnings...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Could some of you guys run this GPU memory test to see if you get any errors?
I'm getting several with my card no matter the clock or voltage.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Yeah its really strange, but the numbers aren't lying. I am a bit taken back, I haven't seen gains like this before on Memory overclocking. We should all get some benchmarks out and start recording the results. I know I will be in the future.


I have been benching teh bot all night with one card and found that every 25mhz i give the memory on my 7970 gains me approx 20 points in heaven Xtreme. Currently at 1850 with 1.7v.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Could some of you guys run this GPU memory test to see if you get any errors?
> I'm getting several with my card no matter the clock or voltage.


Getting similar reported errors for both cards.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Getting similar reported errors for both cards.


Hmm... Could be a bug in the program?
I just tried it out today...
More results from different people would be appreciated.


----------



## jtom320

I was wondering if anyone has thoughts on the 12.4 betas? 12.3 is working fine for me but I just crashed in ME3. It was odd because in my first 35 hour playthrough I didn't crash once. Anyway I heard 12.4 has a pretty good increase in BF3 FPS and I've really taken a liking to Adaptive AA in BF3. Makes the fences look normal. Anyway I'm downloading them now but I have a feeling installing them will break my overclock and I'll have to go through that whole song and dance again so being that they are beta I'm just wondering if anyone knows if they're stable. I'm still just on one card so things are generally more forgiving but I've had beta drivers before that literally didn't work with anything so feedback would be appreciated.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> I was wondering if anyone has thoughts on the 12.4 betas? 12.3 is working fine for me but I just crashed in ME3. It was odd because in my first 35 hour playthrough I didn't crash once. Anyway I heard 12.4 has a pretty good increase in BF3 FPS and I've really taken a liking to Adaptive AA in BF3. Makes the fences look normal. Anyway I'm downloading them now but I have a feeling installing them will break my overclock and I'll have to go through that whole song and dance again so being that they are beta I'm just wondering if anyone knows if they're stable. I'm still just on one card so things are generally more forgiving but I've had beta drivers before that literally didn't work with anything so feedback would be appreciated.


I think 12.3 are better drivers.


----------



## juang1985

I got crossfire 7970s, I am also using the 12.3 drivers, one of my cards doesent seem to downclock like it should and gets hotter than the other one. right now as we speak, one card is 150mhz memory and 300mhz core (as it should) and second card is 1575 mhz memory and 925 core.
is this a driver problem? the down clock one idles at 51c and the one that doesnt downclock idles at 64c....

know driver issue? any way to fix it? thanks in advance!


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *juang1985*
> 
> I got crossfire 7970s, I am also using the 12.3 drivers, one of my cards doesent seem to downclock like it should and gets hotter than the other one. right now as we speak, one card is 150mhz memory and 300mhz core (as it should) and second card is 1575 mhz memory and 925 core.
> is this a driver problem? the down clock one idles at 51c and the one that doesnt downclock idles at 64c....
> know driver issue? any way to fix it? thanks in advance!


same prob with trifire 2 bro my primary card down clocks and the other 2 dont.


----------



## juang1985

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> same prob with trifire 2 bro my primary card down clocks and the other 2 dont.


dude, that blows! Amd needs to get on this, my card gets loud cause is running a bit hot.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *juang1985*
> 
> I got crossfire 7970s, I am also using the 12.3 drivers, one of my cards doesent seem to downclock like it should and gets hotter than the other one. right now as we speak, one card is 150mhz memory and 300mhz core (as it should) and second card is 1575 mhz memory and 925 core.
> is this a driver problem? the down clock one idles at 51c and the one that doesnt downclock idles at 64c....
> know driver issue? any way to fix it? thanks in advance!


Known issue. Just look back a few pages and you'll see it...


----------



## thrgk

why am i getting 9600 in 3dmark11 http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3112624;jsessionid=13xk88fr6kkoe1gyhmy10pk7jh
? If you look i have my card at 1285/1675, cpu at 5ghz ht on. I was at 10500 before, what happened? Didnt do anything, should I restart or?


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> why am i getting 9600 in 3dmark11 http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3112624;jsessionid=13xk88fr6kkoe1gyhmy10pk7jh
> ? If you look i have my card at 1285/1675, cpu at 5ghz ht on. I was at 10500 before, what happened? Didnt do anything, should I restart or?


Your graphics score is definitely low. Don't know why though.


----------



## thrgk

Yea, idk if its drivers or what, I just restarted, and still the same. Hmm


----------



## UpgradeSolution

Just got my 7970, I love it


----------



## thrgk

Weird, up to pass 10700 now http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3112685;jsessionid=6nplef79ae6dc5kgr75o7pii, and all I did was up mem to 1700 and core to 1300. Does artifacting mean it need more core voltage, mem voltage, or what? What does a little artifacting exactly mean?
EDIT: at 1300core i get like 2 secs of artifacting in one part of 3dmark11, 1295core, none at all, how can i get rid of it? Would better cooling help?


----------



## ToastyX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> There's a lot of misinformation about those Korean Catleap too or w/e they are called. It's just impossible to get 1600/1440 @120Hz using DVI Dual Link. It's hardware limitation, the bandwidth of DVI Dual Link can not and will not be able to carry such resolution @120Hz.


That's not true. Dual-link DVI doesn't have a defined bandwidth limit. The limits people have been hitting are driver limits and pixel clock limitations in the hardware. AMD/ATI's driver ignores resolutions in the EDID where the pixel clock is greater than 330 MHz when using dual-link DVI even if the hardware is capable of more. When using PowerStrip to control the hardware directly, it's possible to get around 400 MHz on most cards, which is enough to get 100 Hz. I verified the refresh rate with a camera. It's real.

NVIDIA's driver allows the pixel clock to go up to the hardware limit when using a custom resolution, which happens to be 400 MHz on most cards, but the new GTX 680 seems to support up to 500 MHz, which is how people are getting 115-120 Hz.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That's just physically impossible. I can fool others with proof with screen shot to show 2560x1600 @120Hz. But I won't be able to fool myself. I can force the EDID to do so but in reality = 0. That's just like 60Hz monitors showing 120 or 200 FPS.
> 
> DisplayPort 1.2 is true and has the bandwidth for 2560x1600 @120Hz but DVI is next to impossible.


Why are you saying it's impossible when you haven't even verified it yourself?


----------



## nlmiller0015

What Overclock is good for the 7970 I head using the drivers and clocking the core to max and memeroy to max was good but for some reason I crash in bf3 and other games when doing it and the power is on the 20% mark


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Played an hour so each of BFBC2 and BF3 with no issues. Maybe the drivers will be okay...


----------



## tsm106

*OK you guys with Eyefinity crashes in BF3/Crysis 2 and DX11 in general check this out.*

Since I got my new samsung 830s, I've been throwing on new os for each driver. Anyways to the point, those dx11 eyefinity crashes are due to a msvcrt.dll which is a c runtime file. I figured this file gets updated when you run win update, and it gets changed quite a bit AND it has really serious security rights on it to further complicate things. I got an older version thinking I would swap dll's and see. I managed to swap the file thru playing with rights trickery, and swapped files.

Long story short it fubard the install. At this point I could either do the command line deal and revert the file or windows repair. I opted for windows repair and it blasted out the sys32 folder and replaced the runtimes. Thus in my long winded adventure, having windows run repair fixed this msvcrt bug and voila, Crysis 2 runs in dx11 in eyefinity.

Previously I've had issues running all the drivers past 12.2 to 12.4, all of them exhibited bsod 116 msvcrt at some point or other. I'm currently running 12.3 whql and crosses fingers it continues to work. So far its pretty stable, I'm vnc'd into the box with Crysis 2 running as I type this.


----------



## ELCID777

12.3 were total crap for me. I had the same issue you describe and many more. I switched back to 8.95.0 and the problem was gone. They're the best and most stable drivers imo.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *juang1985*
> 
> I got crossfire 7970s, I am also using the 12.3 drivers, one of my cards doesent seem to downclock like it should and gets hotter than the other one. right now as we speak, one card is 150mhz memory and 300mhz core (as it should) and second card is 1575 mhz memory and 925 core.
> is this a driver problem? the down clock one idles at 51c and the one that doesnt downclock idles at 64c....
> know driver issue? any way to fix it? thanks in advance!


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm running two 7970 Lightnings in a 600T (not a small case but airflow challenged) and I hit 80C at 1200MHz/1250mV. Definitely need better airflow for ultimate overclocks...


Or you can run a higher fan speed. More noise, sure, but your cards will will thank you. I run both of mine at 75% fan, loud as hell, but I play with a headset so I don't even hear them. Also, capping the fps with a limiter, I recommend Dxtory, will keep temps up to 10 degrees cooler.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I got +500 points in 3dmark11 just by bumping memory to 1650mhz on the lightnings...


What drivers are you on? I just got my Lightning and it's booted to a low res screen, I haven't touched anything yet but I usually take that as needing to re/install drivers. I was/am on RC11, but might go to 12.3 if there are BF3 gains to be had. With my DCII at 1100/1500 I ran everything completely maxed out, no motion blur, 2xMSAA. I can record at a solid 60fps with those settings. I want to be able to push it to 4xMSAA and still record solidly at those settings. My Lightning will go further than my DCII did purely because I can overvolt safely, but will one card do that anyway? I'll be pushing my CPU further next week too, when my H100 gets here.

Speaking of which, today actually worked out rather well for me









I was meant to start work at 5, but woke up at 540 :S Rushed about and got to work by 6, and said I'd work until 3 instead of 2. No worries for them, but my Lightning was onboard with driver this morning and I was hoping to get home in time to get it. He usually delivers between 1 and 2 so it was going to be slim, but 3 ruined it. Then, as I was leaving, the manager asked me to do an extra job which ended up taking half an hour, so I thought I'd go to the post office just in case. Walked in right behind the AAE man, and I'm about to put the card in my system









EDIT: It just wanted a reboot, installed AB now. I need a new Windows install though so I'll probably start OCing once everything is set up correctly with my H100 etc.


----------



## Bama12

This is my first on your forum. I attempted to flash my reference Sapphire HD 7970 with the new non-reference Sapphire HD 7970 OC Dual-X Bios I found in the Tech Power UP! Bios database. I have done it previously with my XFX HD 6970 with no issues. I tried winflash and atiflash, neither of them would do anything. Followed the instruction exactly as stated, with no change. Is it possible the reference card is not allowing either of the dual bios switches slots to take the non-reference bios flash?









Any responses would be greatly appreciated,

Thank you,

Frank in Alabama.


----------



## 125837

I have a 76.6% ASIC quality, that seems about average from what I've seen on here. AB is giving me a stock of 1112mV.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bama12*
> 
> This is my first on your forum. I attempted to flash my reference Sapphire HD 7970 with the new non-reference Sapphire HD 7970 OC Dual-X Bios I found in the Tech Power UP! Bios database. I have done it previously with my XFX HD 6970 with no issues. I tried winflash and atiflash, neither of them would do anything. Followed the instruction exactly as stated, with no change. Is it possible the reference card is not allowing either of the dual bios switches slots to take the non-reference bios flash?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any responses would be greatly appreciated,
> Thank you,
> Frank in Alabama.


Bios 2 is locked and the fail safe, don't try to flash to it,

Bios 1 is unlocked and flashable.

You should really do some research before attempting to flash, very easy to end up with a brick or at best difficult to recover.

You will need a boot disk or boot usb.
Once you have ati flash and the bios stored onto your newly formatted usb or cd...
Select it as your primary boot option...it will load into dos.
Then type the following....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 (name of rom or bin) for your primary GPU
Atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 (name of rom or bin) for your secondary GPU

Ooh and welcome


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> 12.3 were total crap for me. I had the same issue you describe and many more. I switched back to 8.95.0 and the problem was gone. They're the best and most stable drivers imo.


8.95.0 is 12.4 beta?

So I should try 12.4 beta before 12.3 whql ?
Remember, I am single card, no eyefinity.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> To add a question to this list... Should I also uninstall Trixx before installing the new driver ??
> I would probably do it like this :
> - uninstall Trixx ?? --> is this needed?
> - reboot
> - cap uninstall
> - reboot
> - RC11 uninstall (via control panel - NOT using atiman or driver sweeper)
> - reboot
> - device manager uninstall (just to be sure it is really gone)
> - reboot
> - install new driver
> Any step I am forgetting here? Thx for the advice !


Can someone shed his light on this? Tia !


----------



## pfunkmort

Anyone know what could cause this? I think DirectX or a driver update changed it so that some text and some programs fade and are screwed like this. But I've since updated DirectX at least once, to no avail.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ToastyX*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> There's a lot of misinformation about those Korean Catleap too or w/e they are called. It's just impossible to get 1600/1440 @120Hz using DVI Dual Link. It's hardware limitation, the bandwidth of DVI Dual Link can not and will not be able to carry such resolution @120Hz.
> 
> 
> 
> That's not true. Dual-link DVI doesn't have a defined bandwidth limit. The limits people have been hitting are driver limits and pixel clock limitations in the hardware. AMD/ATI's driver ignores resolutions in the EDID where the pixel clock is greater than *330 MHz* when using dual-link DVI even if the hardware is capable of more. When using PowerStrip to control the hardware directly, it's possible to get around 400 MHz on most cards, which is enough to get 100 Hz. I verified the refresh rate with a camera. It's real.
> 
> NVIDIA's driver allows the pixel clock to go up to the hardware limit when using a custom resolution, which happens to be 400 MHz on most cards, but the new GTX 680 seems to support up to 500 MHz, which is how people are getting 115-120 Hz.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> That's just physically impossible. I can fool others with proof with screen shot to show 2560x1600 @120Hz. But I won't be able to fool myself. I can force the EDID to do so but in reality = 0. That's just like 60Hz monitors showing 120 or 200 FPS.
> 
> DisplayPort 1.2 is true and has the bandwidth for 2560x1600 @120Hz but DVI is next to impossible.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Why are you saying it's impossible when you haven't even verified it yourself?
Click to expand...

What am I missing here? RAMDAC? TMDS?

DisplayPort 1.2 = 21.6 Gbit 720Mhz.

The standard cable bandwidth of DVI-Dual Link = *9.9 Gbit 330MHz.*

1920 x 1080 @120Hz 24 bit = *8.8 Gbit 248 MHz* <-- supported by AMD/Nvidia and Microsoft/Mac.

2560 x 1440 @100Hz 24 bit = *13.2 Gbit 368 Mhz*

2560 x 1600 @120Hz 24 bit = *17.5 Gbit 490 Mhz*

Will it even be possible to force 2560x1600 @120Hz with DVI-Dual Link though monitor only supports 60Hz?

Then why on AMD card there's no adapter to support DipslayPort to DVI Dual Link @120Hz? No TMDS?

If the Catleap defacto supports 1440 @100Hz with DVI-Dual Link, the manufacturer should get the driver digitally signed by Microsoft (WHQL) then left to AMD and Nvidia to support the monitor. Don't you think this is the easiest for consumer? Because forcing EDID with custom resolutions might get you 100Hz for validation but always present other issues not user fixable.

Please kindly fill in what I am missing here. If you found something that I stated to be incorrect let me know; I'll revise it!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *OK you guys with Eyefinity crashes in BF3/Crysis 2 and DX11 in general check this out.*
> 
> Since I got my new samsung 830s, I've been throwing on new os for each driver. Anyways to the point, those dx11 eyefinity crashes are due to a msvcrt.dll which is a c runtime file. I figured this file gets updated when you run win update, and it gets changed quite a bit AND it has really serious security rights on it to further complicate things. I got an older version thinking I would swap dll's and see. I managed to swap the file thru playing with rights trickery, and swapped files.
> 
> Long story short it fubard the install. At this point I could either do the command line deal and revert the file or windows repair. I opted for windows repair and it blasted out the sys32 folder and replaced the runtimes. Thus in my long winded adventure, having windows run repair fixed this msvcrt bug and voila, Crysis 2 runs in dx11 in eyefinity.
> 
> Previously I've had issues running all the drivers past 12.2 to 12.4, all of them exhibited bsod 116 msvcrt at some point or other. I'm currently running 12.3 whql and crosses fingers it continues to work. So far its pretty stable, I'm vnc'd into the box with Crysis 2 running as I type this.


What will happen if install the latest C++ with security fix then install Catalyst? Because Windows will not install what's Catalyst trying to install if the system has the latest. That's why we often see error message at the end of Catalyst installation.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Its hard to test Mem stability as its ECC.


Quote:



> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Yeah its really strange, but the numbers aren't lying. I am a bit taken back, I haven't seen gains like this before on Memory overclocking. We should all get some benchmarks out and start recording the results. I know I will be in the future.


Was testing for memory stability at 1.6v using Heaven 3.0, all setting remained the same other that GPUs memory speed.

started at 1450 and went up in 30MHz steps.

Also forgot to take screen shot of 1570MHz, 1600MHz and 1690MHz, but had them written down









MHz FPS score

1450 95.9 2415

1480 96.3 2425

1510 96.8 2439

1540 97.3 2450

1570 97.6 2458

1600 98.1 2470

1630 98.3 2475

1660 98.5 2487

1690 98.6 2484 ECC kicking in for sure

Memory at 1.64v

1690 98.7 2487 slight bump in voltage didn't yield much


----------



## 125837

I'll be having a go at my Lightning once I'm on a fresh install, as I believe I stated already but w/e. Is there any harm in increasing Memory voltage provided temps don't go too high? Also, is there any way to remove the +125 limit? I thought I read that the Lightnings don't have it but then that could be wrong. After about an hour of BF3, all temps on the card were around the 65C mark, with 50% fan. Not quite as good as the DCII with 50% fan, but 99C VRMs compared to 67C VRMs, I'll take 67C anyday. I'm going to set up a 140mm fan (probably my Silverstone AP141, I read somewhere that it's better used as an intake so I'll buy another 140mm to go on the exhaust as I don't have the stock fan) in the lower 5.25 Bays to blow directly onto the GPU and force the air out the back of the case - is this likely to work?

I'm going to need to rejig my fan setup when the H100 arrives anyway :/


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I'll be having a go at my Lightning once I'm on a fresh install, as I believe I stated already but w/e. Is there any harm in increasing Memory voltage provided temps don't go too high? Also, is there any way to remove the +125 limit? I thought I read that the Lightnings don't have it but then that could be wrong. After about an hour of BF3, all temps on the card were around the 65C mark, with 50% fan. Not quite as good as the DCII with 50% fan, but 99C VRMs compared to 67C VRMs, I'll take 67C anyday. I'm going to set up a 140mm fan (probably my Silverstone AP141, I read somewhere that it's better used as an intake so I'll buy another 140mm to go on the exhaust as I don't have the stock fan) in the lower 5.25 Bays to blow directly onto the GPU and force the air out the back of the case - is this likely to work?
> I'm going to need to rejig my fan setup when the H100 arrives anyway :/


I run my memory at 1775 24/7 with .025 bump on the voltage. I was kinda afraid to raise the memory volts too much, but it seems some people are without any problems, yet anyway.


----------



## CyberDeath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Anyone know what could cause this? I think DirectX or a driver update changed it so that some text and some programs fade and are screwed like this. But I've since updated DirectX at least once, to no avail.


Turn off MLAA


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CyberDeath*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Anyone know what could cause this? I think DirectX or a driver update changed it so that some text and some programs fade and are screwed like this. But I've since updated DirectX at least once, to no avail.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Turn off MLAA
Click to expand...

Either that or Restore to Factory Defaults in CCC menu then restart PC. Then create game profile with all the 3D settings. The settings will only apply when you open that game.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *OK you guys with Eyefinity crashes in BF3/Crysis 2 and DX11 in general check this out.*
> Since I got my new samsung 830s, I've been throwing on new os for each driver. Anyways to the point, those dx11 eyefinity crashes are due to a msvcrt.dll which is a c runtime file. I figured this file gets updated when you run win update, and it gets changed quite a bit AND it has really serious security rights on it to further complicate things. I got an older version thinking I would swap dll's and see. I managed to swap the file thru playing with rights trickery, and swapped files.
> Long story short it fubard the install. At this point I could either do the command line deal and revert the file or windows repair. I opted for windows repair and it blasted out the sys32 folder and replaced the runtimes. Thus in my long winded adventure, having windows run repair fixed this msvcrt bug and voila, Crysis 2 runs in dx11 in eyefinity.
> Previously I've had issues running all the drivers past 12.2 to 12.4, all of them exhibited bsod 116 msvcrt at some point or other. I'm currently running 12.3 whql and crosses fingers it continues to work. So far its pretty stable, I'm vnc'd into the box with Crysis 2 running as I type this.


...been telling you guys that the drivers are mucking up the visual C++ libraries for a while--this _exact_ file. When I said this, because RC11 messes it up too (this is what messes up the upgrade from RC11 to 12.x), I got the old 'proof' from you, actually.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7540#post_16820377


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> ...been telling you guys that the drivers are mucking up the visual C++ libraries for a while--this _exact_ file. When I said this, because RC11 messes it up too (this is what messes up the upgrade from RC11 to 12.x), I got the old 'proof' from you, actually.


So.... To cut a long story short... What is the beste way for people on RC11 to upgrade to 12.3 ? Step by step so we have the least bit of troubles ?
Thx in advance!


----------



## svthomas

.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Fresh Windows install?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> So.... To cut a long story short... What is the beste way for people on RC11 to upgrade to 12.3 ? Step by step so we have the least bit of troubles ?
> Thx in advance!


I installed 12.3 over the top of RC11 (didn't un-install rc11) and all good other than sometimes after leaving computer for 30mins or so and I move mouse to turn on the screen, it would get a bit flaky. (driver would restart, firefox window I left open would be very slow or unresponsive)


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I installed 12.3 over the top of RC11 (didn't un-install rc11) and all good other than sometimes after leaving computer for 30mins or so and I move mouse to turn on the screen, it would get a bit flaky.


Are you able to launch BF3 and dirt3 in fullscreen dx11?


----------



## Emmett

Hey all. couple questions

1) if i ever need to recover bad flash, then do i boot comp with switch in postion 2, then just switch it while
computer is on to postion 1 and flash? is that safe?

2)putting two of my 3 cards under water, do I want to use my best asic ones? or worst? (worst ones will allow higher volts?)

thanks

Emmett

EDIT: I see that lower asic cards better for water, what about the flash question though?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Are you able to launch BF3 and dirt3 in fullscreen dx11?


Play BF3 all the time, no issues.

Dirt3 I don't have, but I do have Dirt2 but would need to download it via steam again.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Play BF3 all the time, no issues.


Not to ask a lot of questions, I just am curious because I have reproduced this across several installs. You're able to do this using eyefinity, right? If so, dang, these drivers are more inconsistent than I thought, lol.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> no way !
> If that is the only way to install ATI drivers correctly .... one big LOL to that.
> Will be my last ATI card in a long while if that would be true....


Let's just say my next card will be an NVIDIA lol


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Fresh Windows install?


no way !
If that is the only way to install ATI drivers correctly .... one big LOL to that.
Will be my last ATI card in a long while if that would be true....


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *OK you guys with Eyefinity crashes in BF3/Crysis 2 and DX11 in general check this out.*
> Since I got my new samsung 830s, I've been throwing on new os for each driver. Anyways to the point, those dx11 eyefinity crashes are due to a msvcrt.dll which is a c runtime file. I figured this file gets updated when you run win update, and it gets changed quite a bit AND it has really serious security rights on it to further complicate things. I got an older version thinking I would swap dll's and see. I managed to swap the file thru playing with rights trickery, and swapped files.
> Long story short it fubard the install. At this point I could either do the command line deal and revert the file or windows repair. I opted for windows repair and it blasted out the sys32 folder and replaced the runtimes. Thus in my long winded adventure, having windows run repair fixed this msvcrt bug and voila, Crysis 2 runs in dx11 in eyefinity.
> Previously I've had issues running all the drivers past 12.2 to 12.4, all of them exhibited bsod 116 msvcrt at some point or other. I'm currently running 12.3 whql and crosses fingers it continues to work. So far its pretty stable, I'm vnc'd into the box with Crysis 2 running as I type this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...been telling you guys that the drivers are mucking up the visual C++ libraries for a while--this _exact_ file. When I said this, because RC11 messes it up too (this is what messes up the upgrade from RC11 to 12.x), I got the old 'proof' from you, actually.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7540#post_16820377
Click to expand...

AMD Drivers are always PEBKAC, until the person that claims that has issues. Only *then* there is an underlying problem with the drivers haha.

In all seriousness, don't worry about msvcrt.dll failing to install because the newer or equal timestamp is already on your system. The fact that drivers are crashing in the game just proves that there is an issue with the drivers, or catalyst control center, or the communication in between. If you install 12.3 WHQL, it has no issue, the Beta 12.4 should be treated as a beta for all things, including the installer it comes with. Cash money bet that the runtime dll error is fixed or properly handled when 12.4 gets released. Unfortunately its really hard to tell if there is anything more to it.

If you are looking for a work around to troubleshooting MSVCRT.DLL errors and crashing, your best bet is to completely uninstall the Catalyst Control Panel/Manager. That may alleviate the problem (just leaving the D3D driver installed for example.) I do believe though CFX may end up disabled, but things have changed a lot since my 58xx days of troubleshooting, and I simply didn't bother with 69xx series.

Alternatively to that, if I am not mistaken, Catalyst is modulated. It is possible to install only the Control Manager from... lets say RC11, and then install the latest D3D driver from newer drivers. I have never tried but since each component is potentially installable individually.... I would expect that mix matching them would be feasible. Unfortunately, thats taking the approach only that the Catalyst Control Manager is borked. If its the Driver, then you would install the latest CCC, with an older D3D Driver. You also open yourself up to quite a few issues of incompatibility. Thats if you want to trouble shoot it, which I usually do, either enthusiastically or begrudgingly.

I personally feel though after a while, enough is a enough, from AMD.


----------



## Bama12

Excellent, Thank you very much. I did switch over to the #2 bios when I kept getting the annoying ULPS message when trying to overclock with Trixx. Will change flash today. Fortunately I can fall back on the #2 bios slot if anything goes wrong. BTW, is there a simple fix for changing the ULPS setting. I did it once and it seemed more difficult than it should have been. Seems to have reverted back to the *ulps* state upon updating to the 12.3 whql driver.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> AMD Drivers are always PEBKAC, until the person that claims that has issues. Only _*then*_ there is an underlying problem with the drivershaha.
> 
> In all seriousness, don't worry about msvcrt.dll, it fails to install because the newer or equal timestamp is already on your system. The fact that drivers are crashing in the game just proves that there is an issue with the drivers, or catalyst control center, or the communication in between.
> 
> If you install 12.3 WHQL, it has no issue, the Beta 12.4 should be treated as a beta for all things, including the installer it comes with. Cash money bet that the runtime dll error is fixed or properly handled when 12.4 gets released. Unfortunately its really hard to tell if there is anything more to it.
> 
> If you are looking for a work around to MSVCRT.DLL errors and crashing, your best bet is to completely uninstall the Catalyst Control Panel/Manager. That may alleviate the problem (just leaving the D3D driver installed for example.) I do believe though CFX may end up disabled, but things have changed a lot since my 58xx days of troubleshooting, and I simply didn't bother with 69xx series.


I have just disabled eyefinity and am gaming 1080p until a new driver comes out. So far the drivers seem far more stable with eyefinity disabled, at least in my case. I am down to around one driver crash/reboot a night while playing bf3... Which I can live with for a few weeks until AMD gets this all sorted out.

In the very least, though, it's quite entertaining to watch crossfire 7970s roflstomp maxed out BF3 at 1080p. This seems to have appeased me, for now at least.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I have just disabled eyefinity and am gaming 1080p until a new driver comes out. So far the drivers seem far more stable with eyefinity disabled, at least in my case. I am down to around one driver crash/reboot a night while playing bf3... Which I can live with for a *few months* until AMD gets this all sorted out *while they break another 10 things.*
> In the very least, though, it's quite entertaining to watch crossfire 7970s roflstomp maxed out BF3 at 1080p. This seems to have appeased me, for now at least.


Fixed.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Fixed.


HAHA, and it's probably more accurate, too. hahah


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Not to ask a lot of questions, I just am curious because I have reproduced this across several installs. You're able to do this using eyefinity, right? If so, dang, these drivers are more inconsistent than I thought, lol.
> Let's just say my next card will be an NVIDIA lol


NO NO NO...no eyefinity


----------



## Lard

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Flashed the special Asus BIOS to both my cards, doesn't seem give me any extra voltage control with MSI AB, maybe I have to use Asus Trix ?
> Also noticed that since I flashed the cards, card two is stuck at full 3D clocks


I posted a modified ASUS OC Test Bios with working clockstates , the orginal has only 3D clockstates:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7680#post_16829129

How-to edit the HD7970 bios with a hexeditor:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/4200#post_16495299

How-to edit the Sapphire HD7950 oc bios with a hexeditor:

GPU clock
RAM clock
GPU voltage

You have to reverse the value and change the hex to decimal.

Examples:

90 5F 01 -> 01 5F 90 = 90000 = 900 MHz GPU clock.
To change 2D GPU voltage from 0,85V to 0,8V (Lower is not supported) hex= 52 03 to 20 03
01 FF is your VID which is saved on the GPU, you can overwrite it in the bios.

You can't write your high oc-values in the bios, because the AMD drivers don't support it.
Values like 1000 MHz GPU clock will probably work, but not much higher values.
This is why you have to use oc tools like GPU Tweak.


----------



## jtom320

Just want to throw out to any new 7970 owners. Adaptive AA + MLAA yields *much* better IQ in BF3 then their standard MSAA + FXAA. In fact Adaptive AA alone does as well and if you prefer a sharper image is most definitely the way to go. As far as I can tell the performance hit thankfully is pretty low as well.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lard*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Flashed the special Asus BIOS to both my cards, doesn't seem give me any extra voltage control with MSI AB, maybe I have to use Asus Trix ?
> Also noticed that since I flashed the cards, card two is stuck at full 3D clocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I posted a modified ASUS OC Test Bios with working clockstates , the orginal has only 3D clockstates:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7680#post_16829129
> 
> How-to edit the HD7970 bios with a hexeditor:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/4200#post_16495299
> 
> How-to edit the Sapphire HD7950 oc bios with a hexeditor:
> 
> GPU clock
> RAM clock
> GPU voltage
> 
> You have to reverse the value and change the hex to decimal.
> 
> Examples:
> 
> 90 5F 01 -> 01 5F 90 = 90000 = 900 MHz GPU clock.
> To change 2D GPU voltage from 0,85V to 0,8V (Lower is not supported) hex= 52 03 to 20 03
> 01 FF is your VID which is saved on the GPU, you can overwrite it in the bios.
> 
> You can't write your high oc-values in the bios, because the AMD drivers don't support it.
> Values like 1000 MHz GPU clock will probably work, but not much higher values.
> This is why you have to use oc tools like GPU Tweak.
Click to expand...

You son of a... beat me to it. I must say well done. I was about to release a XFX Black Edition BIOS with the stock clock of 1100 @ 1100v and 1600 MHz of Memory.

Have you identified max voltage, not stock voltage? I am still looking for a way to get higher than 1.3, I don't think the value is stored as 1.300 which is why I am having trouble.


----------



## Lard

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> You son of a... beat me to it. I must say well done. I was about to release a XFX Black Edition BIOS with the stock clock of 1100 @ 1100v and 1600 MHz of Memory.
> 
> Have you identified max voltage, not stock voltage? I am still looking for a way to get higher than 1.3, I don't think the value is stored as 1.300 which is why I am having trouble.


I know that 1.281V will not work, if you write it in the bios.
I didn't checked other voltages higher than the VID.


----------



## Bama12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Bios 2 is locked and the fail safe, don't try to flash to it,
> Bios 1 is unlocked and flashable.
> You should really do some research before attempting to flash, very easy to end up with a brick or at best difficult to recover.
> 
> You will need a boot disk or boot usb.
> 
> Once you have ati flash and the bios stored onto your newly formatted usb or cd...
> 
> Select it as your primary boot option...it will load into dos.
> 
> Then type the following....
> 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> 
> Atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 (name of rom or bin) for your primary GPU
> 
> Atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 (name of rom or bin) for your secondary GPU
> 
> Ooh and welcome


Excellent, Thank you very much!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> What will happen if install the latest C++ with security fix then install Catalyst? Because Windows will not install what's Catalyst trying to install if the system has the latest. That's why we often see error message at the end of Catalyst installation.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> ...been telling you guys that the drivers are mucking up the visual C++ libraries for a while--this _exact_ file. When I said this, because RC11 messes it up too (this is what messes up the upgrade from RC11 to 12.x), I got the old 'proof' from you, actually.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7540#post_16820377


Since I was installing a new raid array I took that chance to throw some new os installs and see what would happen with the different driver installs on a new os. 12.4 didn't work, got bsod 116 in eyefinity dx11 games. Besides that I lost synching between the DP and DVI ports, one screen would flash and tear no matter what I did. 12.3 on a fresh os got bsod 1116 as well in eyefinity etc. Both on a fully patched/updated system. It was then that I tried messing with msvcrt. Anyways, windows repair fixed it for a while, but then add in AB overclocking and I started to get teh bsods again.

Svthomas, this shows that it's not just rc11 for me at least. Same errors, without rc11 ever being in the picture! It's a really annoying issue, wish AMD would fix this crap already.


----------



## Daffie82

Gonna give it a go...
Uninstalling RC11 and installing 12.3 whql ...
Wish me luck !


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> What will happen if install the latest C++ with security fix then install Catalyst? Because Windows will not install what's Catalyst trying to install if the system has the latest. That's why we often see error message at the end of Catalyst installation.
> 
> 
> 
> Since I was installing a new raid array I took that chance to throw some new os installs and see what would happen with the different driver installs on a new os. 12.4 didn't work, got bsod 116 in eyefinity dx11 games. Besides that I lost synching between the DP and DVI ports, one screen would flash and tear no matter what I did. 12.3 on a fresh os got bsod 1116 as well in eyefinity etc. Both on a fully patched/updated system. It was then that I tried messing with msvcrt. Anyways, windows repair fixed it for a while, but then add in AB overclocking and I started to get teh bsods again.
Click to expand...

How much system RAM you have? 8GB? Could you try double that?

I remember with 2x 6990 + 580 total VRAM is 10.5GB and when I had 12GB RAM, I was having issues with Eyenifity. Hence why I added another 12GB to total 24GB. For some reasons Windows mirror VRAM to RAM then pagefile. If I changed pagefile to smaller size will also get into trouble with some applications. From there on I always set the pagefile to system managed.

Imagine 3x 7970 = 9GB of VRAM and mirrored by Windows to system RAM you are left with -1GB usable RAM. Then if you set your pagefile to smaller size, very possible that's where the issue is.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lard*
> 
> How-to edit the HD7970 bios with a hexeditor:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/4200#post_16495299


Nice man, you found out how to bump up the power control settings from 20% to 50% like the 6970? http://www.techimo.com/forum/graphics-cards-displays/256789-enable-higher-overclocks-ccc-reg-entry-7.html last post on page.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> How much system RAM you have? 8GB? Could you try double that?
> I remember with 2x 6990 + 580 total VRAM is 10.5GB and when I had 12GB RAM, I was having issues with Eyenifity. Hence why I added another 12GB to total 24GB. For some reasons Windows mirror VRAM to RAM then pagefile. If I changed pagefile to smaller size will also get into trouble with some applications. From there on I always set the pagefile to system managed.
> Imagine 3x 7970 = 9GB of VRAM and mirrored by Windows to system RAM you are left with -1GB usable RAM. Then if you set your pagefile to smaller size, very possible that's where the issue is.


Counter point, it's not an issue on rc11.


----------



## Nemesis158

ok guys ive got no idea whats going on here, it just started doing this last night. ill just be playing a game or browsing the web and all the sudden all of my monitors start cycling through disconnecting/reconnecting to the card.
i know its not a driver crash due to OC because it happened while the card is at stock and it happens alot faster than looping driver crashes, plus i can hear the device disconnected sound from windows.
Im running the 12.4 preview on a fresh windows install. it just started doing this out of the blue. the only way to stop it is to either hard reset my comp or unplug all but one monitor. anyone got any ideas or experience this before?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> ok guys ive got no idea whats going on here, it just started doing this last night. ill just be playing a game or browsing the web and all the sudden all of my monitors start cycling through disconnecting/reconnecting to the card.
> i know its not a driver crash due to OC because it happened while the card is at stock and it happens alot faster than looping driver crashes, plus i can hear the device disconnected sound from windows.
> Im running the 12.4 preview on a fresh windows install. it just started doing this out of the blue. the only way to stop it is to either hard reset my comp or unplug all but one monitor. anyone got any ideas or experience this before?


12.4 always gives me synch issues, and dammit I've given that driver a lot of chances.


----------



## Aventadoor

It looks like 1 off my cards will clock higher then the other... I did run that Asus Bios flash program found here, but can it be so I only have that bios on 1 off the cards? Therefore one of the cards cant get voltage increase?


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 12.4 always gives me synch issues, and dammit I've given that driver a lot of chances.


ive had this driver running for over a week now, and this just started last night. what driver is everyone else using?


----------



## Nemesis158

now it wont work at all if i have two monitors plugged in via DP. could this indicate a problem with my card?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> now it wont work at all if i have two monitors plugged in via DP. could this indicate a problem with my card?


Just roll back to RC11 for the time being and install latest CAP.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Gonna give it a go...
> Uninstalling RC11 and installing 12.3 whql ...
> Wish me luck !


All seems well so far.
No increase in 3dmark 11 though, exactly the same results as RC11...
Lets hope the crashing in Batman is gone !


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Gonna give it a go...
> Uninstalling RC11 and installing 12.3 whql ...
> Wish me luck !


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> All seems well so far.
> No increase in 3dmark 11 though, exactly the same results as RC11...
> Lets hope the crashing in Batman is gone !


I'll pray for you.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> now it wont work at all if i have two monitors plugged in via DP. could this indicate a problem with my card?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Just roll back to RC11 for the time being and install latest CAP.


Yea, go rc11, its the only sure shot. My synch issues are slightly different from yours, but my DP was so far out of synch that it was unbearable with 12.4.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'll pray for you.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yea, go rc11, its the only sure shot. My synch issues are slightly different from yours, but my DP was so far out of synch that it was unbearable with 12.4.


i actually had less synch issues in eyefinity with 12.4 than i had with any previous driver i had tried. it wasnt that, all my screens were just disconnecting from the card over and over again.
went to 12.3 and it seems to be working fine again though.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

My DP monitor keeps disconnecting from the card as well. My DVI monitor has no issues though...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> My DP monitor keeps disconnecting from the card as well. My DVI monitor has no issues though...


Mine does this occasionally when I have three plugged in, 1 DVI, 1 DVI-to-HDMI, 1 DVI-to-ActiveDP Adapter. The DP one flickers on and off every 15-30 seconds or so. I just unplug it, wait for all the screens to adjust and go back to normal, then plug it back in, seems to solve it


----------



## Penryn

It's odd because I'm using 12.4 and don't have any issues in eyefinity.


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> My DP monitor keeps disconnecting from the card as well. My DVI monitor has no issues though...


Are you using an adapter? If you are this is likely causing the problem.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Are you using an adapter? If you are this is likely causing the problem.


Not always. 12.4 causes synch issues for myself and others that is completely driver related.


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> It's odd because I'm using 12.4 and don't have any issues in eyefinity.


but do you use xfire?
I have no problems with amd drivers, but maybe that's because I use single gpu config


----------



## juang1985

is any of you guys experiencing weird airtifacts in starcraft 2? kinda like checker boxes discolored blinking.... i got hd 7970 crossfire ....


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not always. 12.4 causes synch issues for myself and others that is completely driver related.


Not always but this has been an issue for many people using many different graphics cards. I would be willing to bet he is using an adapter. I've just seen/heard this happening many times and that was the issue.

No doubt of course it could be the drivers. Hopefully Majiin get's back to us on it though and someone can come up with something to help him fix it.


----------



## Lard

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Nice man, you found out how to bump up the power control settings from 20% to 50% like the 6970? http://www.techimo.com/forum/graphics-cards-displays/256789-enable-higher-overclocks-ccc-reg-entry-7.html last post on page.


I can't reach the Powertune limit of 0% with my oc card on air (1200/1875MHz 1,143V).
I have no reason to raise it over 20%.


----------



## juang1985

is any of you guys experiencing weird airtifacts in starcraft 2? kinda like checker boxes discolored blinking.... i got hd 7970 crossfire ...


----------



## 4514kaiser

hey have people found much correlation between ASCI quality and OC potential or is it rather unclear
mine were
67%
71%


----------



## Lard

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> hey have people found much correlation between ASCI quality and OC potential or is it rather unclear
> mine were
> 67%
> 71%


I have a high ASIC quality of 87,5% and can't reach 1250MHz stable on air.
More voltage don't help, because of my higher leakage, but I need only 1,143V for stable 1200MHz.
A lower ASIC quality is possibly better, where you can put more voltage on the GPU, especially under Water, because of the lower leakage.
Maybe it's just luck.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lard*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> hey have people found much correlation between ASCI quality and OC potential or is it rather unclear
> mine were
> 67%
> 71%
> 
> 
> 
> I have a high ASIC quality of 87,5% and can't reach 1250MHz stable on air.
> More voltage don't help, because of my higher leakage, but I need only 1,143V for stable 1200MHz.
> A lower ASIC quality is possibly better, where you can put more voltage on the GPU, especially under Water, because of the lower leakage.
> Maybe it's just luck.
Click to expand...

I agree with the others, its temperature, and I agree with you, that its just luck. ASIC's and its measurements while probably based off something reliable, seems to be a bit random with no guarantees.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *juang1985*
> 
> is any of you guys experiencing weird airtifacts in starcraft 2? kinda like checker boxes discolored blinking.... i got hd 7970 crossfire ...


Some Texture flickering here and there when i overcloked the card too much. Run SC2 in Windows Full Screen. You dont need to run CF for SC2.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *juang1985*
> 
> is any of you guys experiencing weird airtifacts in starcraft 2? kinda like checker boxes discolored blinking.... i got hd 7970 crossfire ...


Checker flickering is what I see when overclocking too high. Try just stock for SC2?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *juang1985*
> 
> is any of you guys experiencing weird airtifacts in starcraft 2? kinda like checker boxes discolored blinking.... i got hd 7970 crossfire ...
> 
> 
> 
> Some Texture flickering here and there when i overcloked the card too much. Run SC2 in Windows Full Screen. You dont need to run CF for SC2.
Click to expand...

This.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Not always but this has been an issue for many people using many different graphics cards. I would be willing to bet he is using an adapter. I've just seen/heard this happening many times and that was the issue.
> No doubt of course it could be the drivers. Hopefully Majiin get's back to us on it though and someone can come up with something to help him fix it.


No adapter. Just a mini-DP to DP cable. It doesn't happen regularly but it has happened more than a few times...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Oh and also:












I'll get the hang of these cards soon enough!


----------



## RagingCain

I was wondering if any of you wanted to help out?

I want to begin working on troubleshooting and documenting every issue we are seeing and I will need help. I would like to start recording a game library and what driver versions are working well / poorly for as many games as we can determine.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1239016/unofficial-amd-radeon-hd-7970-resource-info-library/0_50


----------



## jtom320

Would love to man.


----------



## wirefox

fresh install of windows... loaded up 12.4 and did all the bells and whilste, ulps, msi patch.. enable unofficial, overclock.. cap 12.3 whatever the order was ...

mid way through a run of heaven ... my clocks drop to stock and stay there..

thought I read this happening to others... ?

thinking I may go back to rc 11 ...or give 12.3 a try... just getting tired...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> fresh install of windows... loaded up 12.4 and did all the bells and whilste, ulps, msi patch.. enable unofficial, overclock.. cap 12.3 whatever the order was ...
> mid way through a run of heaven ... my clocks drop to stock and stay there..
> thought I read this happening to others... ?
> thinking I may go back to rc 11 ...or give 12.3 a try... just getting tired...


Reminds me of the 8k P score runs I got with 12.4 on trifire 7970s lol. Awesome sauce.


----------



## wirefox

12.3 still not as stable as rc11 was ... can't run heaven at 1200/1725 without some artifacting...

When I save changes on AB b15... I get the horizontal flicker line shifts screen up/down

anyone else?

Edit: even lower ram to stock ...


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> 12.3 still not as stable as rc11 was ... can't run heaven at 1200/1725 without some artifacting...
> When I save changes on AB b15... I get the horizontal flicker line shifts screen up/down
> anyone else?
> Edit: even lower ram to stock ...


I had that happening for a while, switching to -xcl and not installing the unofficial overclocking driver fix seemed to work.


----------



## wirefox

^^ which driver combo did you use? will try the -xcl later ...

rc11 with msi fix .. +20% no CAP --- just one loop - got a little artifacting on second go around.... likely ram... will noodle tomorrow


----------



## tsm106

^^You don't use the msi patch on RC11 as it's not a broken driver and comes with all the files needed for clock control.


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone getting minor stutter in Metro 2033 with 7970 CF?

I'm using RC11 on a 60hz 1080p, all maxed, v-sync enabled, cards at 1000/1500 and [email protected]

I am getting random stutters where I would be at 60fps and then it would drop down to 56-59fps for no reason. It is really random as I can go back and be in the same spot and have it at a perfect 60. I am sure these two cards are enough to handle it since if I disable v-sync, I would be sitting at 120fps but I get screen tearing, microstutter and added heat so I enable v-sync. Is this a driver issue or is something else going on here. The minor stutter doesn't take much away from the gaming, but it's a little bit annoying.


----------



## Ken1649

Multi-GPU and Eyefinity crashes are all related to the optimization (3D settings) and Eyefinity 2.1 enhacement in the Official WHQL 12.3 as release note below.

BSOD 116 is mostly related to hardware, not because it's defect but the optimization might peg certain hardware harder than RC11. The CPU, RAM. motherboard and GPUs need to increase or lower voltage even on stock clocks.

Crashes with certain games could be related to Dx11 and Dx10, the game itself and the Eyefinity panels. 12.3 drivers passed the Microsoft and AMD lab. Could be the Eyefinity 2.1 enhancement only tested with the panels listed here AMD Eyefinity Compatible Display Panels with an updated EDID. Outside of this is a hit or miss. Compatibility issue.

Maybe that explains why some users with multi-GPU and Eyefinity have no issues at all.

Quote:


> *Windows 7 and Windows Vista support for the AMD Radeon HD 7900 and HD 7770 Series*
> 
> 
> Enables support for Windows 7 64-bit/32-bit and Windows Vista 64-bit/32-bit
> Windows XP support will be made available in AMD Catalyst 12.4
> 
> *Super Sampling Anti-Aliasing is now available for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 applications*
> 
> 
> Supported on the AMD Radeon HD 7900 and AMD Radeon HD 7770 Series
> Users can now enable Super Sample Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing through the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center for DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 applications.
> Applications must support in game Anti-Aliasing for the feature to work (Forced on Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center is not supported for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 applications)
> 
> *AMD Eyefinity 2.1 technology enhancements*
> 
> 
> Custom resolutions - users can now choose from a much larger set of display resolutions for their AMD Eyefinity configurations
> Dynamic Configuration Changes: Switching between different display configurations (when physically plugging/un-plugging displays) will occur automatically by loading the appropriate profile
> Taskbar Positioning: The Windows Taskbar can now be moved and resized based on users preference
> Profile Manager improvements: Users can now create multiple Display profiles, enabling users to seamlessly switch between various AMD Eyefinity and Display Configurations


----------



## stinart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Anyone getting minor stutter in Metro 2033 with 7970 CF?
> I'm using RC11 on a 60hz 1080p, all maxed, v-sync enabled, cards at 1000/1500 and [email protected]
> I am getting random stutters where I would be at 60fps and then it would drop down to 56-59fps for no reason. It is really random as I can go back and be in the same spot and have it at a perfect 60. I am sure these two cards are enough to handle it since if I disable v-sync, I would be sitting at 120fps but I get screen tearing, microstutter and added heat so I enable v-sync. Is this a driver issue or is something else going on here. The minor stutter doesn't take much away from the gaming, but it's a little bit annoying.


Try to set HT off. This bumped my system to a plus 5 fps boost in metro 2033 benchmark. (from 49 to 54) and improved the drops as well/


----------



## D77ooM

anybody have this problem:
I just updated my 7970 driver release date: 28/3/2012
after the update the idle temperature is 50c and above, it wouldn't decrease !
before the update it used to be 35c !!

*** !!!


----------



## Jason33w

Well, I finally fixed my atikmpag.sys BSODs. I replaced my MSI HD7970 with another Sapphire card to match my other one and now it works flawlessly with Catalyst 12.3 and CAP 1.

Booyah! Thanks to everyone who helped me figure this all out!


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> anybody have this problem:
> I just updated my 7970 driver release date: 28/3/2012
> after the update the idle temperature is 50c and above, it wouldn't decrease !
> before the update it used to be 35c !!
> *** !!!


Did you manually set the fan speed before?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> anybody have this problem:
> I just updated my 7970 driver release date: 28/3/2012
> after the update the idle temperature is 50c and above, it wouldn't decrease !
> before the update it used to be 35c !!
> *** !!!


That is because your card is not idling . Look at gpu-z it is a prob with the new driver. I went back to 12.2 and prob was fixed .


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> ^^ which driver combo did you use? will try the -xcl later ...
> rc11 with msi fix .. +20% no CAP --- just one loop - got a little artifacting on second go around.... likely ram... will noodle tomorrow


I am using 12.3whql with 12.4 beta installed on top. RC11 causes massive stuttering, glitches, and artifacts for me; unlike mostly everyone here, it doesn't work for me. -xcl brings in the Softpowerplay.reg and also extends CCC limits. I think my problems were in that the unofficial mode CCC limits are not extended and as such when it phones home to CCC it causes major problems, for me at least.


----------



## wirefox

^^ interesting ... need to do some more benching and try BF3 ... etc ... just I'm crossfiring vs you having a single card... I think the driver situation is very different... but I'm willing to try anything.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^You don't use the msi patch on RC11 as it's not a broken driver and comes with all the files needed for clock control.


i loaded it on before I even opened it ... seems to be working fine ... but need to do some more testing. good to know for next go around...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'll pray for you.


Thanks bro, seems the praying you did helped









Just played couple of hours of batman with the new 12.3 drivers and no crash. I even lowered voltage just for the heck of it and it seems stable at 7mv lower








1130 / 1550 @ 1168mv now









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> That is because your card is not idling . Look at gpu-z it is a prob with the new driver. I went back to 12.2 and prob was fixed .


Im on 12.3 WHQL and my card idles just fine


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I have been having a weird problem.

Startup BF3 or nay other game and MSI AB applies Core/Memory OC bu leaves Voltage @ Stock.
Other problem is i start BF3 and join a server. Check the FPS and they are in low 40s and hitting low 20s. Second time it happens. GPU usage says 99%. I have to restart to get normal FPS back which are at leas 2x more.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Just tried to run Heaven 3.0 at 1250mV but had to abort when the top card hit 89C. I've GOT to figure out a way to cool these cards down (btw, the fans were at max the whole time). Thinking about buying a second side panel for my 600T and installing the mesh with 4 fans to use while benching. That way I can use the glass panel for everyday use and admire my beautiful hardware but can easily get good cooling to the cards when necessary...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Just tried to run Heaven 3.0 at 1250mV but had to abort when the top card hit 89C. I've GOT to figure out a way to cool these cards down (btw, the fans were at max the whole time). Thinking about buying a second side panel for my 600T and installing the mesh with 4 fans to use while benching. That way I can use the glass panel for everyday use and admire my beautiful hardware but can easily get good cooling to the cards when necessary...


I bought a window panel and just swapped the window out for modders mesh. Dooeet!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I already have a window, I just want a second panel with mesh so I can easily swap them out rather than having to uninstall the mesh and reinstall the glass whenever I'm not benching. I want to have a window when not benching...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Are the card loud @ 100%? Reference with Fan @ 100% will not Break 70C even with 1.3v


----------



## jtom320

4 fans blowing directly on those two 7970s would lower your temps significantly I think. I would do it.

As an aside how is general gaming going for you at stock on them?


----------



## 7ranslucen7

Hey guys I haven't been keeping up with 7970 since release. What's the best working driver atm for a single card?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> 4 fans blowing directly on those two 7970s would lower your temps significantly I think. I would do it.
> As an aside how is general gaming going for you at stock on them?


On the one Lightning, gaming is beautiful. I have the fans at 50% and I saw 82C, but only after 2 hours of BF3. VRMs and Mem didn't get that high, peaked at around 75. I'm going to set up my AP141 in the hotswap bay so it blows straight across the card, so that should lower temps significantly.

In terms of graphical settings, BF3 is 60+ (nothing below 60) at Ultra/2xMSAA/Motion Blur off. High AA Post etc, no CCC settings.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Are the card loud @ 100%? Reference with Fan @ 100% will not Break 70C even with 1.3v


Believe me, they will break 70C with my case in CF. The 600T is not a well ventilated case...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> 4 fans blowing directly on those two 7970s would lower your temps significantly I think. I would do it.
> As an aside how is general gaming going for you at stock on them?


At stock so far the performance has been awesome......when it works. :/ BFBC2 has just shut down several times for no apparent reason. BF3 seems to work well with 100+fps and no issues so far. I have yet to test Crysis and Crysis 2 ...


----------



## 4514kaiser

what you need is water


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Believe me, they will break 70C with my case in CF. The 600T is not a well ventilated case...
> At stock so far the performance has been awesome......when it works. :/ BFBC2 has just shut down several times for no apparent reason. BF3 seems to work well with 100+fps and no issues so far. I have yet to test Crysis and Crysis 2 ...


The thing is that Reference dont build up air inside they take it out. Even 2 cards in CF all you need is some intake fans and you are fine.


----------



## 125837

Ok, so I've finally got around to installing Windows on my SSD and setting it up properly. Instead of going with RC11 again, I decided to go with the latest and installed 12.3 straight away. I know I have to download the extra .dll files, but am I better off using UOM, or /xcl? Does it really make a difference? I used UOM on my last install.


----------



## Bama12

FYI that Sapph. Dual-X bios is not compatible with the reference HD 7970 card.


----------



## HGooper

Need to ask one question about Heaven for testing stability on 7970, should I leave it to default setting or max out everything on Heaven for stability loop test?


----------



## ste.ru

Hello all
i buy a gigabyte 7970 (GV-R797D5-3GD-B)


Where can I find the latest bios to unlock the Vcore for more OC?=)


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Need to ask one question about Heaven for testing stability on 7970, should I leave it to default setting or max out everything on Heaven for stability loop test?


Doesn't really matter what you use. Best bet is to put it to the settings you game at. I do everything maxed and "Normal" tesselation. If you're using Heaven to stability test, you need to look for artifacting, or diminished returns. Keep a record of your scores and increase incrementally until the gains become low.


----------



## Aventadoor

Isent it wierd that my cards wont play BF3 at 1250/1500, but 3Dmark11 and Unigine will?
So annyoing


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Isent it wierd that my cards wont play BF3 at 1250/1500, but 3Dmark11 and Unigine will?
> So annyoing


Ya it seem a lot of people can get "stable OC" but once they fire up BF3 they get bsods...

I'm have issue getting my second 7970 to work on the latest bios (1202) on my MB (RE4) anyone one know how to enable it?


----------



## DMT94

So, I now have my gigabyte 7950 winforce edition, how do i join the club ? screenshots or what ?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Isent it wierd that my cards wont play BF3 at 1250/1500, but 3Dmark11 and Unigine will?
> So annyoing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ya it seem a lot of people can get "stable OC" but once they fire up BF3 they get bsods...
> 
> I'm have issue getting my second 7970 to work on the latest bios (1202) on my MB (RE4) anyone one know how to enable it?
Click to expand...

Check the motherboard manual to enable PCIe slot. There's a dip switch you have to enable.


----------



## Aventadoor

Is the voltage monitoring with MSI AB legit?
If not, which programs should I use for that?


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Check the motherboard manual to enable PCIe slot. There's a dip switch you have to enable.


Did that can't see any PCI-E controller while i can view what is installed in each PCI-e lane I don't seem to have any control of them.... Off course i could just revert to my old bios but that does seem a bit silly considering that the new bios is meant to improve OC stability and 7970 compatibility issues! would removing psu power cords and re-installing them make a differences?


----------



## Aventadoor

Oh right guys!
Now I possibly found out why I cant play BF3 with higher clocks then 1180!
MSI AB reads that my second cards Max volt is 1.175 instead of 1.3 which my first card is!
Anyone know how I can get 1.3 on my second card?

I did use the Asus Bios download stuff which was on this site so ye


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Is the voltage monitoring with MSI AB legit?
> If not, which programs should I use for that?


GPU-Z is the most reliable for real time voltage monitoring.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Isent it wierd that my cards wont play BF3 at 1250/1500, but 3Dmark11 and Unigine will?
> So annyoing


I have said this more than one time before...
Do not use benchmarks like heaven or 3dmark11 to test your OC, it only gives you a wide idea of your max clocks.
Use real heavy games to test OC, or take your max heaven OC and lower those clocks about 50mhz on core and memory to be stable while gaming.


----------



## Aventadoor

Yes checked with GPU-Z now, and it also shows a max off 1.170V on GPU2.
How can I change the voltage on GPU2 then?
Unofficialoverclockingmode?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Yes checked with GPU-Z now, and it also shows a max off 1.170V on GPU2.
> How can I change the voltage on GPU2 then?
> Unofficialoverclockingmode?


Go to Afterburner settings, under General tab slect GPU2 then click OK and back to the main page to change the voltage. Always select Unofficialoverclockingmode = 1. If you select 2 will disable all the Power Play features.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Check the motherboard manual to enable PCIe slot. There's a dip switch you have to enable.
> 
> 
> 
> Did that can't see any PCI-E controller while i can view what is installed in each PCI-e lane I don't seem to have any control of them.... Off course i could just revert to my old bios but that does seem a bit silly considering that the new bios is meant to improve OC stability and 7970 compatibility issues! would removing psu power cords and re-installing them make a differences?
Click to expand...

You missed it, the dip switch is #14.


----------



## Aventadoor

I just got a seriously bad problem!
Just for fun I went 1,3GHZ both cards (I can run 1.25GHZ with ease) and runned 3dmark11. Then it obviously freezed, but when I turned the PC back on again, it wont work. I also used 1,3V (my cards are watercooled, so shouldent be and issue either)
My screen freezes so I cant do anything, and the screens turns black for a few seconds...

Anyone can help me?
I turned the bios switch to bios2 on both cards and it works now, but ye. Id like to fix BIOS1....


----------



## afadzil21

Grraagghhh!!! Got back after being away from home for a week due to work and the Zero Core Power bug is acting up again. System idles, screen powers off... leave for a while, move the mouse and... nothing... absolutely nothing now... only hitting the reset button does anything... Damn it...


----------



## chipachap

"Oh right guys!
Now I possibly found out why I cant play BF3 with higher clocks then 1180!
MSI AB reads that my second cards Max volt is 1.175 instead of 1.3 which my first card is!
Anyone know how I can get 1.3 on my second card?

I did use the Asus Bios download stuff which was on this site so ye"

All 79xx's have a different ASIC quality which determines board leakage. A lower ASIC means higher leakage which is why one of your cards has a higher stock voltage than the other, I have 2 of them and one is 1.174 and the other is 1.049.

The actual voltage limit is +.125mv on every card, this is why it can't get to 1.3 when the other one can. You can check ASIC with GPU-Z. You'll find your 1174mv card has an ASIC ~70% and the lower voltage one will be about 90% i reckon. Don't try push it past 1.175 you could melt the board.


----------



## chipachap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> I just got a seriously bad problem!
> Just for fun I went 1,3GHZ both cards (I can run 1.25GHZ with ease) and runned 3dmark11. Then it obviously freezed, but when I turned the PC back on again, it wont work. I also used 1,3V (my cards are watercooled, so shouldent be and issue either)
> My screen freezes so I cant do anything, and the screens turns black for a few seconds...
> Anyone can help me?
> I turned the bios switch to bios2 on both cards and it works now, but ye. Id like to fix BIOS1....


After putting your 1.049mv card up to 1.3v with a modded BIOS I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it's now f*cked! Take out that card from your motherboard and leave the 1174 stock card in to see if that one works.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> I just got a seriously bad problem!
> Just for fun I went 1,3GHZ both cards (I can run 1.25GHZ with ease) and runned 3dmark11. Then it obviously freezed, but when I turned the PC back on again, it wont work. I also used 1,3V (my cards are watercooled, so shouldent be and issue either)
> My screen freezes so I cant do anything, and the screens turns black for a few seconds...
> Anyone can help me?
> I turned the bios switch to bios2 on both cards and it works now, but ye. Id like to fix BIOS1....


Why the hell would you put 1.3 volt through your GPU ?? Even if it is watercooled ...
Download the good BIOS and flash it back to the faulty switch position.


----------



## Aventadoor

I fixed it now. The card wont get 1,3V anyway. MAX is like 1.275.
But in my case only GPU1 would get 1.275, and the other 1.175, which is why I asume I couldent get stable 1.2Ghz to play BF3.
Its not a modded bios, its the ASUS bios so I can get higher clocks in CCC.

Both my cards are 1,175mV cards tho (around 70% asic)


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You missed it, the dip switch is #14.
> 
> [
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> CENTER]
> 
> 
> 
> [/CENTER]


Sorry I meant through bios tried disabling and enabling it manually doesn't do anything I was more so wondering if there is some bios setting or driver which i can just change/download so that its recognized by bios and windows the gpu is currently not even recognized in bios..... I get that this is more likely to be a MB issue but not getting any response on the RE4 fourm hope someone here might have had a similar issue an known the answer! BTW ty for the bsod guide working well!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You missed it, the dip switch is #14.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> CENTER]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry I meant through bios tried disabling and enabling it manually doesn't do anything I was more so wondering if there is some bios setting or driver which i can just change/download so that its recognized by bios and windows the gpu is currently not even recognized in bios..... I get that this is more likely to be a MB issue but not getting any response on the RE4 fourm hope someone here might have had a similar issue an known the answer! BTW ty for the bsod guide working well!
Click to expand...

Afaik, if you polulate the PCIe slot with graphics card, there's no option to disable/enable it in BIOS unless with the PCIe dip switch #4. Or you mean your second 7970 is not recognized by Windows? You can go to Device Manager under Display Adapter if the second 7970 is there or error message if any.

Could you please be more specific as what is the exact issue or what you are trying to achieve? I am afraid I don't quite understand the issue.


----------



## dajez

anyone else having crashes in daz 3D studio pro 4 ?


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Afaik, if you polulate the PCIe slot with graphics card, there's no option to disable/enable it in BIOS unless with the PCIe dip switch #4. Or you mean your second 7970 is not recognized by Windows? You can go to Device Manager under Display Adapter if the second 7970 is there or error message if any.
> 
> Could you please be more specific as what is the exact issue or what you are trying to achieve? I am afraid I don't quite understand the issue.


kk Sorry, what i'm trying to do is get bios v1202 to recognized my second HD 7970

So yes there is no option to disable and enable the lane in bios i can force pcie3 or pci2 or the speed ie 1x 4x 8x or 16x but can can not disable the dim slots in bios as far as i can see! (yes I can manually on the motherboard turn them on and off with the switch, I'v tried that but it does not work! )

The 7970 is not recognized in bios.... so windows is not the issue I simply stated that since i assumed it may be possible for bios to glitch and give an incorrect reading/statement (sorry my understanding drivers and bios is poor at best)
So in summery its not appearing as being installed in bios in any dim slot nor is appearing in device manager (as i would expect)

The dim slot is not broken worked perfectly with the default copy of bios just would prefer to run the lasted version due to improved claimed stability


----------



## Blindsay

should i be using the beta msi afterburner for a 7970, or will the last non beta release work?


----------



## Aventadoor

Is it possible to reset bios so I get the bios which came with the card? I have that "old" asus bios on my sapphire cards.
Also, when I try to OC with MSI AB I cant OC. Even when I install that AMD Driver Patch it wont work...
Any tips? Pls PM


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Is it possible to reset bios so I get the bios which came with the card? I have that "old" asus bios on my sapphire cards.
> Also, when I try to OC with MSI AB I cant OC. Even when I install that AMD Driver Patch it wont work...
> Any tips? Pls PM


u should have backed-up your original bios


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Is it possible to reset bios so I get the bios which came with the card? I have that "old" asus bios on my sapphire cards.
> Also, when I try to OC with MSI AB I cant OC. Even when I install that AMD Driver Patch it wont work...
> Any tips? Pls PM


Um there should a bios switch on the cards right beside the crossfire connections. Just flip it from 1 to 2 to get your original bios running.

Note bios 1 is flashable, but bios 2 is not so do not try. If you still are having problems you can always flash back to a stock bios there are many at Tech power up, http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=ATI&manufacturer=&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0, The ATI ones should do the trick


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Is it possible to reset bios so I get the bios which came with the card? I have that "old" asus bios on my sapphire cards.
> Also, when I try to OC with MSI AB I cant OC. Even when I install that AMD Driver Patch it wont work...
> Any tips? Pls PM


Shut down your computer and flip the switch on your card to the second BIOS that you didn't flash. Boot up and then back up the BIOS from your card. While the machine is still running, flip the switch back and flash the BIOS you just backed up over the ASUS BIOS.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Afaik, if you populate the PCIe slot with graphics card, there's no option to disable/enable it in BIOS unless with the PCIe dip switch #4. Or you mean your second 7970 is not recognized by Windows? You can go to Device Manager under Display Adapter if the second 7970 is there or error message if any.
> 
> Could you please be more specific as what is the exact issue or what you are trying to achieve? I am afraid I don't quite understand the issue.
> 
> 
> 
> kk Sorry, what i'm trying to do is get bios v1202 to recognized my second HD 7970
> 
> So yes there is no option to disable and enable the lane in bios i can force pcie3 or pci2 or the speed ie 1x 4x 8x or 16x but can can not disable the dim slots in bios as far as i can see! (yes I can manually on the motherboard turn them on and off with the switch, I'v tried that but it does not work! )
> 
> The 7970 is not recognized in bios.... so windows is not the issue I simply stated that since i assumed it may be possible for bios to glitch and give an incorrect reading/statement (sorry my understanding drivers and bios is poor at best)
> So in summery its not appearing as being installed in bios in any dim slot nor is appearing in device manager (as i would expect)
> 
> The dim slot is not broken worked perfectly with the default copy of bios just would prefer to run the lasted version due to improved claimed stability
Click to expand...

I can only see one way to find out if it is the BIOS by rolling back the previous version that worked for ya. You can also try different PCIe slots with a single 7970 to rule out other possibilities such as borked PCIe slot (hopefully not).

Note: DIMM slot is for system RAM.


----------



## Blindsay

Ive just started to overclock mine but i was able to hit 1200/1575 without touching the voltage, that seem decent?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blindsay*
> 
> Ive just started to overclock mine but i was able to hit 1200/1575 without touching the voltage, that seem decent?


YES that is great you on air or water? Add some volts to it and watch it fly, i can hit 1330 core 1850 mem on ref air. What's your stock voltage on core?


----------



## Blindsay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> YES that is great you on air or water? Add some volts to it and watch it fly, i can hit 1330 core 1850 mem on ref air. What's your stock voltage on core?


water and how do i tell what my stock volts for my card are?


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blindsay*
> 
> Ive just started to overclock mine but i was able to hit 1200/1575 without touching the voltage, that seem decent?


lol are u sure its stable?


----------



## Blindsay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> lol are u sure its stable?


I havent been able to test it for hours yet because i just got it there but it was stable enough to make several 3dmark11 runs and a heaven run.

why is that funny


----------



## nugget toes

Based on other's results, a bump in voltage is needed to reach those speeds. Use GPU-Z to check voltages, if you want to raise them use MSI Afterburner.


----------



## Blindsay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nugget toes*
> 
> Based on other's results, a bump in voltage is needed to reach those speeds. Use GPU-Z to check voltages, if you want to raise them use MSI Afterburner.


well every card is different so we shall see but if i can make several 3dmark11 passes without issue thats good enough for my needs


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blindsay*
> 
> I havent been able to test it for hours yet because i just got it there but it was stable enough to make several 3dmark11 runs and a heaven run.
> why is that funny


I don't know, but me thinks it has something to do with a certain-certain deformed smiley face.


----------



## RagingCain

Heads up flashing Bioses with Ati Winflash, just tried going back to old BIOS, it failed 13 times, succeeded the 15th time. 14th Time I flashed card1 bios to card2, just try and "clear" what was in 2.

Don't know if GPU-z is not pulling the BIOS cleanly, or ATi Winflash just needs more compatibility.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Heads up flashing Bioses with Ati Winflash, just tried going back to old BIOS, it failed 13 times, succeeded the 15th time. 14th Time I flashed card1 bios to card2, just try and "clear" what was in 2.
> 
> Don't know if GPU-z is not pulling the BIOS cleanly, or ATi Winflash just needs more compatibility.


Why you no flash from dos prompt?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why you no flash from dos prompt?


I've had good luck using atiwinflash from the command prompt in Windows. Basically just pass the same flags as you would in DOS.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why you no flash from dos prompt?
> 
> 
> 
> I've had good luck using atiwinflash from the command prompt in Windows. Basically just pass the same flags as you would in DOS.
Click to expand...

Yar, same thing is what I meant.


----------



## Draecko

Can anyone upload a stock reference design Sapphire 7970 bios .bin for me? I had one backupped, when I flashed the Asus bios into it, but an uninstaller removed the backup along with the folder, so I don't have it anymore.


----------



## RagingCain

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why you no flash from dos prompt?
> 
> 
> 
> I've had good luck using atiwinflash from the command prompt in Windows. Basically just pass the same flags as you would in DOS.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yar, same thing is what I meant.
Click to expand...

Both failed guys, I do things by CMD/DOS first. Its succeeded in flashing but the cards would then crash booting into Windows. Doing it outside of Windows with an ISO also failed. Nothing wrong with the suggestion though. Only way I could get back into Windows was with BIOS1, eventually had to do it by USB + ISO.

Just cautioning about flashing the cards.

Edit: Drivers uninstalled, no OC utilities, etc were tested as well, hence so many tries.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Draecko*
> 
> Can anyone upload a stock reference design Sapphire 7970 bios .bin for me? I had one backupped, when I flashed the Asus bios into it, but an uninstaller removed the backup along with the folder, so I don't have it anymore.


Pull the BIOS from BIOS 2 on your card, flash it back onto BIOS 1


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Draecko*
> 
> Can anyone upload a stock reference design Sapphire 7970 bios .bin for me? I had one backupped, when I flashed the Asus bios into it, but an uninstaller removed the backup along with the folder, so I don't have it anymore.


 Sapphire.HD7970.3072.111207.zip 41k .zip file


SAPPHIRE.HD7970.3072.111220.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## alfredo82

Traded for a second 7970 and I'm very dissapointed in the crossfire performance and stability. Skyrim stutters and and locks up, goes to a white screen. Battlefield 3 freezes and I have to reset. Both cards run great and play the games on their own at stock clocks and Max ccc overclocks and they benchmark 3dmark and heaven just fine but let me down in the two games I primarily play. Got depressed and just went back to single gpu. Have i5 2500k @ 4.6 I play at 1080p (overkill, I know, but I plan on doing eyefinity eventually) here's a pic of the finished build. Wanted to join the club.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alfredo82*
> 
> Traded for a second 7970 and I'm very dissapointed in the crossfire performance and stability. Skyrim stutters and and locks up, goes to a white screen. Battlefield 3 freezes and I have to reset. Both cards run great and play the games on their own at stock clocks and Max ccc overclocks and they benchmark 3dmark and heaven just fine but let me down in the two games I primarily play. Got depressed and just went back to single gpu. Have i5 2500k @ 4.6 I play at 1080p (overkill, I know, but I plan on doing eyefinity eventually) here's a pic of the finished build. Wanted to join the club.


Hey man i am running crossfire and have none of the issues u describe. First and foremost, please use atiman to clean out everything related to amd. Uninstall ur current drivers and instal 12.3 wqhl. Run the games with both cards at stock after driver installtion and see how it performs, your overclock could be the cause (it is well known that 3dmark can pass with higher clocks than what are truly playable). Also, an i5 2500k will.most likley bottleneck the 2 7970's as will your pcie lanes (i am assuming they are both at 8x pcie 2.0 which is known to bottleneck crossfire 7970's).


----------



## DMT94

I need to know something, when doing crossfire (2 cards) i only need 1 bridge don't i ?


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> I need to know something, when doing crossfire (2 cards) i only need 1 bridge don't i ?


Yes mate, no need to use two.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Dang cards are being divas tonight. Get home and start to do a little Heaven and Vantage and they won't pass nothing! These are finicky cards; sometimes they pass 1225MHz with no issue and others they can't even do 1200MHz...


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Dang cards are being divas tonight. Get home and start to do a little Heaven and Vantage and they won't pass nothing! These are finicky cards; sometimes they pass 1225MHz with no issue and others they can't even do 1200MHz...


If you have a house fan you might take your side window off and just blow it on them. Sometimes a little ghetto-rigging is all you need.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> I need to know something, when doing crossfire (2 cards) i only need 1 bridge don't i ?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes mate, no need to use two.
Click to expand...

Please allow me to disagree on this... As per Atiman's instructions, BOTH bridges should be used when in crossfire!


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alfredo82*
> 
> Traded for a second 7970 and I'm very dissapointed in the crossfire performance and stability. Skyrim stutters and and locks up, goes to a white screen. Battlefield 3 freezes and I have to reset. Both cards run great and play the games on their own at stock clocks and Max ccc overclocks and they benchmark 3dmark and heaven just fine but let me down in the two games I primarily play. Got depressed and just went back to single gpu. Have i5 2500k @ 4.6 I play at 1080p (overkill, I know, but I plan on doing eyefinity eventually) here's a pic of the finished build. Wanted to join the club.


With crossfire you have 3 issues to deal with...
a) Overclockability... more difficult
b) Stuttering and at times inbalance between the usage of the 2 cards. I have the percentage usage of each card constantly shown on my keyboards lcd screen and at times it can become uneven between the 2 cards
c) Using the last couple of official drivers you get the 2d clock of the second card stuck in 3d

Issue a) is reasonable and there is nothing that can be done to solve it.

Issues b and c are already known to AMD and try to deal with it.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Please allow me to disagree on this... As per Atiman's instructions, BOTH bridges should be used when in crossfire!


Allowed..

However, 2 bridges are not needed, you gain nothing.
In some cases dual bridges have had an adverse affect on performance.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Please allow me to disagree on this... As per Atiman's instructions, BOTH bridges should be used when in crossfire!
> 
> 
> 
> Allowed..
> 
> However, 2 bridges are not needed, you gain nothing.
> In some cases dual bridges have had an adverse affect on performance.
Click to expand...

I used to use only one bridge, but Atiman strongly recommended to use both. I am afraid I do not remember the philosophy behind this,... I will have to ask him again.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Please allow me to disagree on this... As per Atiman's instructions, BOTH bridges should be used when in crossfire!
> 
> 
> 
> Allowed..
> 
> However, 2 bridges are not needed, you gain nothing.
> In some cases dual bridges have had an adverse affect on performance.
Click to expand...

This, one bridge comes straight from AMD.


----------



## Blindsay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This, one bridge comes straight from AMD.


seconded in case anyone still wasnt sure


----------



## jtom320

Dumb question but what is considered a high Asic number? I mean it seems like 100% would be the obvious answer but I've never seen anyone say that high so I'm just curious. Just found out mine is 81%. I kind of feel like my card is more of a low volts kind of cat so I'm curious if anyone knows.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Lucky you! My best card is 77% and my worst is 68%...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Mine is 77%. Still haven't really figured out what it means anyway.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Mine is 77%. Still haven't really figured out what it means anyway.


I think it has to do with how cool it runs at a given voltage at x clock frequency.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Dumb question but what is considered a high Asic number? I mean it seems like 100% would be the obvious answer but I've never seen anyone say that high so I'm just curious. Just found out mine is 81%. I kind of feel like my card is more of a low volts kind of cat so I'm curious if anyone knows.


One of my cards is 82% and its the worst clocker out of the trio. The other two, 74% and 76% can max overdrive at stock voltage. However, they all hit 1300+ under water... go figure.


----------



## Ruined

So I've been looking everywhere on the internet for a bios editor for the 7970; I heard that RBE was not going to be updated again, is this still the case, is there another program?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> So I've been looking everywhere on the internet for a bios editor for the 7970; I heard that RBE was not going to be updated again, is this still the case, is there another program?


RBE development is dead. Baggz said he'd handover the code to someone willing to take over the project... but nobody has come forward. All there is atm is hex editing the minefield blind so to speak.


----------



## WiL11o6

Problem:

I just did a fresh Windows install because I put my SSD in RAID and I turned off ULPS in regedit like I did before and my 2nd GPU is stuck at 925/1575 speeds for some reason. It is not idling down to 300/150 like my first card so now my idle temps for the second card is 60-65c because the fan is only running at 20% with my fan profile. I was on RC11 before and now I'm on 12.3. What is going on? Is it Afterburner's doing?

I tried re-enabling ULPS in regedit again, but it's not working atm. I also went into AB's config and tried both 0/1 unofficial overclocking.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Problem:
> 
> I just did a fresh Windows install because I put my SSD in RAID and I turned off ULPS in regedit like I did before and my 2nd GPU is stuck at 925/1575 speeds for some reason. It is not idling down to 300/150 like my first card so now my idle temps for the second card is 60-65c because the fan is only running at 20% with my fan profile. I was on RC11 before and now I'm on 12.3. What is going on? Is it Afterburner's doing?
> 
> I tried re-enabling ULPS in regedit again, but it's not working atm. I also went into AB's config and tried both 0/1 unofficial overclocking.


Don't use 12.3. It's bugged, I'm pretty sure it's all over the forum by now. Check the 12.3 thread for instance.


----------



## alfredo82

Both cards have individually benched similar and stable in 3dmark11 and heaven. Since one has proven stable at max ccc clocks in bf3 multiplayer I put the second one in at max ccc and it crashed after a few minutes. I guess this is one is the problem. I set it at 1000/1425 20% and played a few matches fine. Set it at 1100/1500 20% and it ran fine. so my limit for this card is somewhere between that and the ccc limit of 1125/1575 20% Is there an easier way to test stability than to play a couple matches of BF3 multiplayer? 1125/ 1500 crashed also.


----------



## WiL11o6

Some people have been doing okay with it so I don't see how it shouldn't work for me.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Some people have been doing okay with it so I don't see how it shouldn't work for me.


Quote:


> my 2nd GPU is stuck at 925/1575 speeds for some reason












If you're fine where you are... ok.


----------



## WiL11o6

Sorry to confuse, I'm not fine where I'm at. I'm just saying other people on 12.3 have no problems so I just thought I shouldn't be either. Both my cards should be idling at 300/150 to conserve heat and noise but my second card is running at 925/1575 and not idling down so it's being shot more voltage at a lower 20% fan speed so it gets hot even on idle.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Sorry to confuse, I'm not fine where I'm at. I'm just saying other people on 12.3 have no problems so I just thought I shouldn't be either. Both my cards should be idling at 300/150 to conserve heat and noise but my second card is running at 925/1575 and not idling down so it's being shot more voltage at a lower 20% fan speed so it gets hot even on idle.


This is what we call a bugged driver. They didn't test the driver in all setups so it works great for some, and terribad for others. QC is not a strong point on the catalyst team unfortunately. If you suffer from the locked 3D clocks, like I am and many others you will find that there's nothing you can do about it except use another driver.


----------



## Tslm

They drop back to 2D clocks if you open and then close a 3D program.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is what we call a bugged driver. They didn't test the driver in all setups so it works great for some, and terribad for others. QC is not a strong point on the catalyst team unfortunately. If you suffer from the locked 3D clocks, like I am and many others you will find that there's nothing you can do about it except use another driver.


Yer the latest drivers are bugged if it does not work fully install it and try a different version until you find one that does.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I think it has to do with how cool it runs at a given voltage at x clock frequency.
> One of my cards is 82% and its the worst clocker out of the trio. The other two, 74% and 76% can max overdrive at stock voltage. However, they all hit 1300+ under water... go figure.


Wow thats some crazy cards. Mine can do 1125Mhz on stock voltage too but cant hit more then 1225Mhz even on Water. I must be doing something wrong. My quality is 72.8%


----------



## 67091

Hey guys i would like to join your club, i just recently got me self 2 7970 sapphire's and waiting for the EK blocks next week, umm i would wondering if some one could walk me though flashing the cards to something like the stock asus bios as the clocks are nice at stock

Thanks guys


----------



## 4514kaiser

just oc with MSI


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Don't use 12.3. It's bugged, I'm pretty sure it's all over the forum by now. Check the 12.3 thread for instance.


Only for XFire, yes? I am on 12.3 now but it's a single card system. Haven't tried games just yet.


----------



## omega17

Yep, the 12.3s are no good for crossfire, second card refuses to clock down.

Waiting for official 12.4s, but not holding my breath as the betas artifact badly in Mass Effect 3.


----------



## WiL11o6

Can anyone link me the latest atiman? I can't seem to find it.

And also, do I uninstalled through control panel first? Or just have atiman do everything.


----------



## DMT94

Wow thanks guys, i only have one bridge long enough to put the second card where i want it as the ones you get with the 7950 are quite short







- i got the long cfx bridge from a friend














but knowing i only need 1 is good









oh and also, is there any way i can make msi afterburner allow me to go past 1.1ghz on the core of my 7950 ? it maxes at that speed and i'd like to try higher


----------



## Woundingchaney

Well Im running Xfire 7970s what drivers do you guys suggest??


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Woundingchaney*
> 
> Well Im running Xfire 7970s what drivers do you guys suggest??


If you are not running Eyefinity gaming then any drivers are fine. But if you have Eyefinity, stick to RC11 because some users have issues with multi-gpu and Eyefinity other than RC11.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Wow thanks guys, i only have one bridge long enough to put the second card where i want it as the ones you get with the 7950 are quite short
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> - i got the long cfx bridge from a friend
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but knowing i only need 1 is good
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> oh and also, is there any way i can make msi afterburner allow me to go past 1.1ghz on the core of my 7950 ? it maxes at that speed and i'd like to try higher


Enable unofficial overclocking here; post #1

Or use the xcl switch here; post #3301


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you are not running Eyefinity gaming then any drivers are fine. But if you have Eyefinity, stick to RC11 because some users have issues with multi-gpu and Eyefinity other than RC11.
> 
> Enable unofficial overclocking here; post #1
> 
> Or use the xcl switch here; post #3301


Cheers !


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blindsay*
> 
> well every card is different so we shall see but if i can make several 3dmark11 passes without issue thats good enough for my needs


So you bought this card to run some 3dmark11 runs?








Do some heavy gaming with these clocks and we will talk again


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Can anyone link me the latest atiman? I can't seem to find it.
> 
> And also, do I uninstalled through control panel first? Or just have atiman do everything.


Here.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> So you bought this card to run some 3dmark11 runs?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do some heavy gaming with these clocks and we will talk again


I don't get this argument. Why do you need to OC a 7970 at all just to play games? Overclocking is only helpful when benching for the best numbers. In games at stock I get 100+fps in everything....


----------



## PARTON

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Why the hell would you put 1.3 volt through your GPU ?? Even if it is watercooled ...
> Download the good BIOS and flash it back to the faulty switch position.


I run 1.3v daily.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I don't get this argument. Why do you need to OC a 7970 at all just to play games? Overclocking is only helpful when benching for the best numbers. In games at stock I get 100+fps in everything....


To push solid 60 out of almost max BF3? You have CF cards remember, so single card needs OCing to do that.


----------



## PARTON

Without a big overclock, the 7970 wasn't worth the move from 6950 crossfire. With a big overclock it is.


----------



## Aventadoor

Ive desided to sell my 7970s now. Seriously tired of all the problems I get...
Hell, even that AMD Driver Patch for MSI AB makes my PC crash and not function proporly at all.
Not to mention all the clean installs off W7 I have had 2 do to fix stuff. These cards is like a ******* Alfa Romeo!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Enable unofficial overclocking here; post #1
> 
> Or use the xcl switch here; post #3301


Ken, simply running xcl is not enough in crossfire. You have to disable crossfire and manually run xcl with all the cards connected to a display, ie, the card/s need to be actively running a display for xcl to work. In other words, XCL IS ONLY ENABLED on active cards running a display.

This of course is stupid! Very stupid. How can you fix this? You cannot, go ask unwinder to confirm lol.

Anyways, I extracted the powerplay tables allowing one to edit and not do the song and dance.

*Open notepad, copy paste this in there save it as a *.reg file or rename .reg then merge that into your reg. Edit the "0000" for each card you have.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0000]

"PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable"=hex:f3,01,06,01,00,00,00,10,18,58,00,6b,00,dd,00,e8,\
03,e8,03,58,00,00,80,03,00,10,00,00,02,07,3b,00,00,6d,00,df,00,00,3f,01,0a,\
00,3f,01,4f,01,4e,02,00,00,27,10,00,00,5b,01,75,01,8f,01,00,00,c2,01,00,00,\
04,01,00,00,af,00,00,00,60,ea,00,00,a9,01,52,03,00,00,14,00,40,00,04,01,00,\
00,03,01,04,05,00,03,02,05,05,00,03,03,06,06,06,07,10,54,69,01,1c,19,02,01,\
ff,6b,03,02,00,00,00,00,00,50,c3,00,80,38,01,20,03,5c,03,01,00,00,00,00,00,\
30,75,00,80,38,01,20,03,5c,03,01,00,00,00,00,00,40,9c,00,80,38,01,20,03,5c,\
03,02,00,00,00,00,00,30,75,00,98,3a,00,52,03,6b,03,00,00,00,00,00,00,b4,c3,\
00,1c,19,02,b6,03,6b,03,01,00,00,00,00,00,30,75,00,98,3a,00,20,03,6b,03,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,04,18,08,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,05,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,04,00,00,7a,00,00,00,00,00,00,40,19,01,00,c0,da,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,78,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,\
00,00,00,02,06,7c,15,8c,23,48,26,d0,07,7c,15,58,1b,48,26,0c,00,20,bf,02,00,\
f4,e9,03,00,cb,01,05,30,75,00,20,03,50,c3,00,52,03,60,ea,00,84,03,70,11,01,\
b6,03,54,69,01,01,ff,05,98,3a,00,5c,03,30,75,00,61,03,80,38,01,66,03,1c,19,\
02,6b,03,80,19,02,6c,03,05,98,3a,00,20,03,30,75,00,52,03,80,38,01,84,03,1c,\
19,02,b6,03,80,19,02,01,ff,04,20,03,00,00,00,00,52,03,00,00,00,00,b6,03,00,\
00,00,00,92,04,00,00,00,00,01,e8,03,98,3a,00,a8,61,00,00,03,d8,d6,00,d8,d6,\
00,70,11,01,70,11,01,30,75,00,30,75,00,02,b6,03,00,1a,04,01,06,01,01,00,01,\
02,02,00,01,02,03,00,03

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Can anyone link me the latest atiman? I can't seem to find it.
> 
> And also, do I uninstalled through control panel first? Or just have atiman do everything.


Run the driver setup, choose uninstall. Don't reboot, then go contrl panel and uninstall catalyst manager, then choose uninstall all.


----------



## Qubits

Is there a significant difference between the PCI Express 3.0 specification and 2.0? Big enough to warrant the purchase of a motherboard that supports the 3.0 spec?

Just ordered a 7950







.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qubits*
> 
> Is there a significant difference between the PCI Express 3.0 specification and 2.0? Big enough to warrant the purchase of a motherboard that supports the 3.0 spec?
> 
> Just ordered a 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


The difference is negligible. They say there's potentially a difference on the ultra highend , but still I don't think so going by benches other than 3dmark11.


----------



## Qubits

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The difference is negligible. They say there's potentially a difference on the ultra highend , but still I don't think so going by benches other than 3dmark11.


Cool, thanks for the information.


----------



## omega17

"Highend" being this -> http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?high=&m=1537816&mpage=1#1537845


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> "Highend" being this -> http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?high=&m=1537816&mpage=1#1537845


Not more stuff from Vega? I like the guy but one guy doesn't prove a fact. Hell, if we listened to him, quad AMD would not work at all, and we know that does not hold true. Also, there was miniscule gains for the one other person who tried it.


----------



## aageres

How much performance gain will i get, if i replace my i5 2300 with i7 2600 without overclocking it? It seems my cpu bottlnecks my 7970, gpu load during battlfield 3 about 70-80%.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> "Highend" being this -> http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?high=&m=1537816&mpage=1#1537845


I doubt those results were cause by the swap betteew pci-e 3 v PCI- e 2 think it was more so a 'lucky re-run'

All the reviews i'v read so far basically state current gpu can barley use all the bandwidth of a PCI-e 2 x8 lane so there's point in pci 3 for current vga's that said it's nice to have! (not that i have any use for it! )

I would really only worry about it if i was going 3+ VGA's. Here's a great summery from anandtech

Quote:


> Ultimately what is clear is that 8GB/sec of bandwidth, either in the form of PCIe 2 x16 or PCIe 3 x8, will be necessary to completely feed the 7970. 16GB/sec (PCIe 3 x16) appears to be overkill for a single card at this time, and 4GB/sec or 2GB/sec will bottleneck the 7970 depending on the game. The good news is that even at 2GB/sec the bottlenecking is rather limited, and based on our selection of benchmarks it looks like a handful of games will be bottlenecked. Still, there's a good argument here that 7970CF owners are going to want a PCIe 3 system to avoid bottlenecking their cards - in fact this may be the greatest benefit of PCIe 3 right now, as it should provide enough bandwidth to make an x8/x8 configuration every bit as fast as an x16/x16 configuration, allowing for maximum GPU performance with Intel's mainstream CPUs


http://www.anandtech.com/show/5458/the-radeon-hd-7970-reprise-pcie-bandwidth-overclocking-and-msaa/1


----------



## atluu

I have a 7970 Asus DCII , how are my temps?

http://i39.tinypic.com/14e2bdl.png


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> How much performance gain will i get, if i replace my i5 2300 with i7 2600 without overclocking it? It seems my cpu bottlnecks my 7970, gpu load during battlfield 3 about 70-80%.


I have no idea if your current cpu is the problem but a not oc 2600 will not bottle necked a 7970 unless the FPS is excessive 100+fps imo in which case it may just limit your max fps


----------



## Aventadoor

When I enable Unofficialoverclockingmode, all the clocks go down to 0 even if I adjust the slider 2 for example 1ghz and click "Apply" . So I try to download the AMD Driver Patch but it doesnt help, in fact, it just makes everything worse and even makes the computer freeze and such...

Is there any other way to make it work?
Ive heard it its because off the new 12.3 Drivers...


----------



## mltms

who to display ULPS on TRIXX
i tray from the setting but it dont work and i can not overclock the card amd 7950


----------



## Aventadoor

Do you use 12.3 driver ?
That driver is pain in dat bottom with both MSI AB and Trixxx, thats why you cant disable ULPS...


----------



## mltms

no i im using 12.4 beta

do i need to use older driver like 12.2 ?


----------



## xoleras

I've posted a how-to on this in a different thread. RE: extending overclocking range. Afterburner does not work on fresh installs.


----------



## aageres

Could you guys monitor your gpu load during Battlefield 3 and post results? Is it 99-100%? Mine is usualy 70-80%, i dont know if it cpu bottleneck or something else..


----------



## WiL11o6

Youtube is causing my top card to idle at 501/1375 instead of 300/150. This causes an extra 10-15c jump in temps, so how do I fix this if possible? If youtube is causing this, I'm sure some other sites are too. I already made sure I turned hardware acceleration off in my browser.


----------



## omega17

^ Restarted the browser?


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Youtube is causing my top card to idle at 501/1375 instead of 300/150. This causes an extra 10-15c jump in temps, so how do I fix this if possible? If youtube is causing this, I'm sure some other sites are too. I already made sure I turned hardware acceleration off in my browser.


Turn it off in flash as well. Right click the video, go to settings, and it's in one of the option windows there. Then restart browser.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Could you guys monitor your gpu load during Battlefield 3 and post results? Is it 99-100%? Mine is usualy 70-80%, i dont know if it cpu bottleneck or something else..


Mine is always 95-99% on dual 7970s, using 12.3 whql w/ latest CAP


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *atluu*
> 
> I have a 7970 Asus DCII , how are my temps?
> http://i39.tinypic.com/14e2bdl.png


Idle temps mean nothing, show us some load temps and make sure you use HWiNFO64 to check VRM temps, they get hot on the DCII.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> When I enable Unofficialoverclockingmode, all the clocks go down to 0 even if I adjust the slider 2 for example 1ghz and click "Apply" . So I try to download the AMD Driver Patch but it doesnt help, in fact, it just makes everything worse and even makes the computer freeze and such...
> Is there any other way to make it work?
> Ive heard it its because off the new 12.3 Drivers...


This is how I did my fresh install the other day. Install Windows, 12.3 drivers including latest CAP, wait for all Windows updates etc. Then, download the two files directly (not the patch) and place them in system32 and SYSWOW64 respectively. Reboot. THEN install Afterburner, don't start it. Go straight in and enable UOM. Voila! All works fine. I haven't tested games or benches yet because I've been busy, but I can confirm that UOM in afterburner works for me using that procedure.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> I've posted a how-to on this in a different thread. RE: extending overclocking range. Afterburner does not work on fresh installs.


Works for me?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Could you guys monitor your gpu load during Battlefield 3 and post results? Is it 99-100%? Mine is usualy 70-80%, i dont know if it cpu bottleneck or something else..


Mine is 99% without v-sync, and with a lot less..


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Could you guys monitor your gpu load during Battlefield 3 and post results? Is it 99-100%? Mine is usualy 70-80%, i dont know if it cpu bottleneck or something else..


BF3 is a cpu hog. Check your CPU usage during gameplay. If it's at or near maxed out, chances are your GPUs aren't being fed well enough. Either OC or look to upgrade. Since you don't have a sig rig, it's hard to tell.

With my 3 7970s, I was only getting 70-80% GPU usage in BF3 on my 2500k @ 4.7ghz. I then changed platforms entirely and went with the X79/3930k @ 4.6ghz and all 3 cards are @ max gpu usage.

Also, another thing to do is to reboot before playing BF3. I've noticed sometimes when my GPU usage isn't right, it's better if I reboot and clear out any processes that may take up proc cycles. It helps me sometimes... especially with the 2500k, when I actually needed all the power I could get.

With 1 GPU, a 2500k or even an older i5 or i7 would be just fine for BF3, including even the AMD Phenom Quad/Hex cores, if they're clocked high enough...

When you move beyond 2 GPUs, X79 is pretty much necessary with BF3. A 2600k would be cutting it close.

This is my CPU usage on my 3930k when it was only @ 4.4ghz with my 3 7970s @ 1125/1575


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> Hey guys I haven't been keeping up with 7970 since release. What's the best working driver atm for a single card?


My fav. drivers so far are the official Catalyst 12.4 beta drivers, released March 15th, I believe. Haven't been able to fully test them out though bcause my power supply went bunk about a week or so ago... But they seem to be the smoothest working drivers so far for me. And also the best visuals too.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> Hey guys I haven't been keeping up with 7970 since release. What's the best working driver atm for a single card?
> 
> 
> 
> My fav. drivers so far are the official Catalyst 12.4 beta drivers, released March 15th, I believe. Haven't been able to fully test them out though bcause my power supply went bunk about a week or so ago... But they seem to be the smoothest working drivers so far for me. And also the best visuals too.
Click to expand...

You should preface that by saying if you're using a single card because they are broken in crossfire + eyefinity.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should preface that by saying if you're using a single card because they are broken in crossfire + eyefinity.


Yes I am using a single card for these drivers tsm106 lol. And I was replying to 7ranclucen7's post of asking "What's the best working atm for a single card?" Anyway, I hope that does answer your post accurately enough.


----------



## Bama12

Question, something changed a few weeks ago that has prevented me from overclocking the way I was as shown in the image of gpu-z on 2/3/2012. She was rock stable, with none of this powerplay or ulps enabled garbaged, and for the life of me I do not know what changed other than the driver updates. I cannot even OC outside of the CCC parameters without having to jump through hoops.

Followed the regedit steps of "1' to "0" for the "enableupls" fix, nothing. Trixx is worthless now and no longer can be used. Trixx was fine up until Cat 12.3 WHQL I am aware AMD set the new driver to prevent unarthorized overclocking, but wouldn't a driver sweep and installation of previous drivers eliminate this limitation?.

After rolling back to the previous drivers, Trixx is still unusable due to the ULPS warning. I have a 8000 BTU window A/C blowing inside my open case, the hottest the GPU ever hit was 52 degrees celcius according to my GPU-Z which I post an image of above. Does anyone have a therory as *** happened to my 87% asic Sapphire HD 7970???









I have always owned ATI/AMD vga's , and until now have ever though about owning a green card, but the current state of affairs makes me feel like I have been ripped off somehow. Anywho, thanks for listening to my "wine", I am gonna go have some cheese with it now. CYA...


----------



## Bama12

For some background I am 50 years old and my first ATI vga was the ATI Radeon X850 XT Platinum Edition.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should preface that by saying if you're using a single card because they are broken in crossfire + eyefinity.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I am using a single card for these drivers tsm106 lol. And I was replying to 7ranclucen7's post of asking "What's the best working atm for a single card?" Anyway, I hope that does answer your post accurately enough.
Click to expand...

This thread moves to fast so whatever history is lost in the sheer number of replies. Anyways, it is good to preface your comment because others will read your reply not knowing it was meant for single card setup. Anyone who tries the new drivers unaware with a cfx config is in for a treat lol.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bama12*
> 
> 
> 
> Question, something changed a few weeks ago that has prevented me from overclocking the way I was as shown in the image of gpu-z on 2/3/2012. She was rock stable, with none of this powerplay or ulps enabled garbaged, and for the life of me I do not know what changed other than the driver updates. I cannot even OC outside of the CCC parameters without having to jump through hoops.
> 
> Followed the regedit steps of "1' to "0" for the "enableupls" fix, nothing. Trixx is worthless now and no longer can be used. Trixx was fine up until Cat 12.3 WHQL I am aware AMD set the new driver to prevent unarthorized overclocking, but wouldn't a driver sweep and installation of previous drivers eliminate this limitation?.
> 
> After rolling back to the previous drivers, Trixx is still unusable due to the ULPS warning. I have a 8000 BTU window A/C blowing inside my open case, the hottest the GPU ever hit was 52 degrees celcius according to my GPU-Z which I post an image of above. Does anyone have a therory as *** happened to my 87% asic Sapphire HD 7970???
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have always owned ATI/AMD vga's , and until now have ever though about owning a green card, but the current state of affairs makes me feel like I have been ripped off somehow. Anywho, thanks for listening to my "wine", I am gonna go have some cheese with it now. CYA...


It sounds like your drivers are set to auto update. Check to see which driver version you are on now. As for the overclocking problems, the newest drivers removed files necessary for clock control. You can add them back in here.


----------



## atluu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Idle temps mean nothing, show us some load temps and make sure you use HWiNFO64 to check VRM temps, they get hot on the DCII.
> This is how I did my fresh install the other day. Install Windows, 12.3 drivers including latest CAP, wait for all Windows updates etc. Then, download the two files directly (not the patch) and place them in system32 and SYSWOW64 respectively. Reboot. THEN install Afterburner, don't start it. Go straight in and enable UOM. Voila! All works fine. I haven't tested games or benches yet because I've been busy, but I can confirm that UOM in afterburner works for me using that procedure.
> Works for me?


While playing BF3 on max settings, I got a temp of ~60C. I'll run HWinfo64 while playing again.

EDIT: with HWinfo64 I got 79C (VRM), with @ 50% fans speed playing BF3. Any good? I havent OC'ed yet, still trying to learn.


----------



## Ruined

So I'm looking to crossfire soon, probably within the next couple of weeks. So with the new card I'll be getting a couple of other things, ssd, some faster fans (to keep me happy until I can WC, which will hopefully be soon







), and a new CPU/mobo (maybe), however I'm at don't know what to get, either a 7970, 7950, or wait for 7990. My questions are: 1. Will the 7950 or 7990 cf with a 7970, I've asked and looked but only come up with answers for previous gens. 2. Currently I have an i5 2500K will there be a bottleneck? I have only ever run single card for my entire life, ever since the Quake 2 days, so I have no experience in terms of how adding another gfx will effect my system.

I'm only going reference as I prefer to have the hot air go straight out the back of the case, and also for WCing later. Edit: I will also be going eyefinity 120Hz (if possible) hence the upgrade.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *atluu*
> 
> While playing BF3 on max settings, I got a temp of ~60C. I'll run HWinfo64 while playing again.
> EDIT: with HWinfo64 I got 79C (VRM), with @ 50% fans speed playing BF3. Any good? I havent OC'ed yet, still trying to learn.


Sounds like you got lucky, or they fixed the VRM controller bug. Core is fine, VRMs are a bit hot but nothing to worry about









I'm having issues with Afterburner reporting min VRM temp as -127 and max as 96, but it's hovering at ~45 the whole time (just idling, haven't put it under any kind of heavy load yet). Haven't looked at HWiNFO.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Hey i'm still getting bsod 116 with my cf 7970 i'v tried a clean install 3 times and the and i'm still getting them any ideas on how to fix the problem followed this guide..
http://www.overclock.net/t/1226892/fixes-catalyst-drivers-error-oc-eyefinity-general-issues


----------



## WiL11o6

Just switched back to RC11 and it is working perfectly now. Unlike the 12.3 official drivers, it now downclocks my 2nd card back down to 2d mode.

What's up with AMD? If they were to release an official driver, wouldn't it be fixing problems, not causing more problems? If some people are less aware that this is happening, they are adding more heat to their card and they wouldn't even know it.


----------



## aageres

Is there any way to lower reference fan rpm lower than 20%? I mean when i lower it with msi af, it still stays 1200 rpm, which is pretty loud for me, may be there is bios with lower fan speed?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Hey i'm still getting bsod 116 with my cf 7970 i'v tried a clean install 3 times and the and i'm still getting them any ideas on how to fix the problem followed this guide..
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1226892/fixes-catalyst-drivers-error-oc-eyefinity-general-issues


You did mention the Rampage was not able to detect the second 7970. Have you ruled out hardware motherboard, PCIe slot or it's the latest BIOS? BSOD116 could be hardware related.

Crossfire should have no issue with any drivers for 7970s. Only some users with multi-gpu Eyefinity have issues.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Is there any way to lower reference fan rpm lower than 20%? I mean when i lower it with msi af, it still stays 1200 rpm, which is pretty loud for me, may be there is bios with lower fan speed?


Have you got your head inside the case?









20% is almost silent. I have two of them, about a metre from my head, and with the windows open I can barely hear it over general outdoor noise.

Also, I can drop mine below 20%. I have just set it to 15%, and it drops to 1000RPM, but that is the lowest it will go. It sounds exactly the same as 20% BTW







. Have you adjusted the custom fan curve in Afterburner?


----------



## omega17

Also, for the BSOD 116, try running Prime95 (with error checking), and also booting with Memtest to see if the problem is not related to your GPU. If you get errors in either of these, then it's _probably_ a RAM problem.


----------



## Aventadoor

Anyone know how to fix MSI AB for those who have crossfire?
I get that problem where I cant clock the second card because the values just goes back to 0 when clicking "Apply"
Ive tryed to format the PC and everything.

Seems like this new drivers really make fuss


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Have you got your head inside the case?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20% is almost silent. I have two of them, about a metre from my head, and with the windows open I can barely hear it over general outdoor noise.
> Also, I can drop mine below 20%. I have just set it to 15%, and it drops to 1000RPM, but that is the lowest it will go. It sounds exactly the same as 20% BTW
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Have you adjusted the custom fan curve in Afterburner?


It mostly bothers me during night, i would use zero core function , but it freezes my pc.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> It mostly bothers me during night, i would use zero core function , but it freezes my pc.


Turn it off at night? Why do people not do this?


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Turn it off at night? Why do people not do this?


Because i often download stuff at night.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Because i often download stuff at night.


Fair enough - I just leave it going while I'm at work if I need to download things, doesn't mess with my sleep then.


----------



## Flyingtreks

Hi, just checking... is it normal to hear consistent "buzzing" noise from the 7970 card at full load ? currently OCed to 1200/1600 watercooled.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> You did mention the Rampage was not able to detect the second 7970. Have you ruled out hardware motherboard, PCIe slot or it's the latest BIOS? BSOD116 could be hardware related.
> 
> Crossfire should have no issue with any drivers for 7970s. Only some users with multi-gpu Eyefinity have issues.


Ya I was have issues with my bios no other version of bios that i tried world recognized my second 7970 so i just returned to using original version of bios. I'm not running Eyefinity so that's not the problem... Its a bit weird I don't get any bsod in any of the stress test that i have run.

Current Test I'v done
Yesterday night i ran Kombuster for 6-7h no bsod
Mark 11 pc freeze in the physics section
Prime 95 or 1:30h no issue
Unigine_Heaven-3.0 3 runs no issues
CINEBENCH_11.529 cpu and VGA test 3 times each no issues

My pc screen just when black (did not turn off) last time i tried to re-install the ati drivers (at first i thought it was just the installer but after 10 min of waiting i restarted my pc. so I re-installed the driver that failed to fully install no issue and the system seemed fine for 2 days..

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> Also, for the BSOD 116, try running Prime95 (with error checking), and also booting with Memtest to see if the problem is not related to your GPU. If you get errors in either of these, then it's _probably_ a RAM problem.


I'll give that a go i'll use the windows memtest version and run prime 95 btw how do you check for error while running prime 95?

Ty for the help!!


----------



## omega17

In Prime95, click advanced, and make sure "Round off Checking" is ticked









Do a Blend torture test for a while, if there are any memory errors they should show up pretty quickly.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Turn it off at night? Why do people not do this?
> 
> 
> 
> Because i often download stuff at night.
Click to expand...

Download during the day instead


----------



## owikh84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Anyone know how to fix MSI AB for those who have crossfire?
> I get that problem where I cant clock the second card because the values just goes back to 0 when clicking "Apply"
> Ive tryed to format the PC and everything.
> Seems like this new drivers really make fuss


Disable ULPS
http://www.overclock.net/t/1088266/ulps-gui-config-utility-enable-disable
Reboot.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *omega17*
> 
> In Prime95, click advanced, and make sure "Round off Checking" is ticked
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do a Blend torture test for a while, if there are any memory errors they should show up pretty quickly.


Cheers... well i did the memtest for 2h and the prime95 test for 1h again with "Round off Checking" on no errors at all in either test!

So the ram and cpu seem fine.... maybe i should just wait for 12.4..... is it possible that the cards bios is corrupted and just changing to the other 7970 bios stored on the card would fix the issue?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Sigh. So now Crysis 2 is locking up at stock clocks. Not sure why as it was working fine up til now. That makes 3 out of 5 games tested so far that dont work.







Gonna try some different drivers but I'm starting to consider putting my 580's back in....


----------



## sena

Guys i need help.
Problems again.
I played Crysis Warhead and after about 30 minutes the game locked, freeze, only solution was reset.
Overclocked to 970/1375.
I was getting crashes before but never got crash of this "type".
Could this be RAM, because i am constantly getting 7f BSOD. I am thinking it is conected to this issue in some point.
Also i played Crysis 2 for about 30-35 minutes and it was ok.
While go i had same crash like this in Crysis 2 with GTX 570 SLI. Then i was messing with RAM voltage and GPU voltage and i fixed it.
Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## Woundingchaney

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i need help.
> Problems again.
> I played Crysis Warhead and after about 30 minutes the game locked, freeze, only solution was reset.
> Overclocked to 970/1375.
> I was getting crashes before but never got crash of this "type".
> Could this be RAM, because i am constantly getting 7f BSOD. I am thinking it is conected to this issue in some point.
> Also i played Crysis 2 for about 30-35 minutes and it was ok.
> While go i had same crash like this in Crysis 2 with GTX 570 SLI. Then i was messing with RAM voltage and GPU voltage and i fixed it.
> Any help would be appreciated.


What is your voltage at??


----------



## Daffie82

Hmmm, Seems that 12.3 WHQL gives problems when going into sleep mode.
I did not have these problems with RC11

Note : this is on stock clocks and voltage !

Seeing these kind of errors in event viewer :
error 1 : A request to disable the Desktop Window Manager was made by process (4)
error 2 :
Fault bucket , type 0
Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0
error 3 : Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding and has successfully recovered.

these errors all appear around the same time. I can still resume from sleep mode but I notice that any open program is a little ****ed up (see screenshot)
i edited the screenshot for privacy reason but you can see clearly its a little messed up (black borders, some windows from above and below visible, etc...)



Any idea what is causing this?
Just crap drivers?









EDIT : seeing the time stamps in event viewer this is not happening when going into sleep mode but when it automatically turns off the display ! (after 10 min idle - sleep is only after 20 min idle)


----------



## Simkin

While gaming, GPU-Z is showing that my second 7970 is running PCIe 1.1, its actually switching between PCIe 2.0 and 1.1. is this a GPU-Z bug, or what? most of the time, it shows 1.1

The rendertest shows both @ 2.0

P8Z68 Deluxe/GEN3 and 7970 Crossfire


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Woundingchaney*
> 
> What is your voltage at??


It was gpu.
I lowered to 955 and it was ok, but i will test more.
Also my HD 7950 has preety low stock voltage, GPU-Z is reading about 0.950-0983V in full load.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simkin*
> 
> While gaming, GPU-Z is showing that my second 7970 is running PCIe 1.1, its actually switching between PCIe 2.0 and 1.1. is this a GPU-Z bug, or what? most of the time, it shows 1.1
> The rendertest shows both @ 2.0
> P8Z68 Deluxe/GEN3 and 7970 Crossfire


Its because power saving, its not bud, everything is ok.


----------



## Andrazh

In my case when at idle its 1.1 in render test it goes to 2.0 but i have P8z68v gen3, shouldnt it be 3.0?


----------



## Simkin

Code:



Code:


Its because power saving, its not bud, everything is ok.

in idle, i know its power saving, but when i play BF3 and Alan Wake the seconds card is mostly stuck @ 1.1, while sometimes its showing 2.0?

Code:



Code:


In my case when at idle its 1.1 in render test it goes to 2.0 but i have P8z68v gen3, shouldnt it be 3.0?

to get 3.0, you have to wait for IVY Bridge.


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone else getting unsmooth gameplay in Metro 2033 and Crysis 2 in Crossfire?

I have vsync on and it just isn't smooth at all. It would fluctuate between 58-60fps and those couple fps drops makes the game stutter and feel choppy. BF3 on the other hand, is smooth throughout but these two games are a different story. It's all in the drivers? Because BF3 is flawless and my old 570 SLI was perfectly smooth as well.


----------



## omega17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simkin*
> 
> to get 3.0, you have to wait for IVY Bridge.


Or don't wait for Sandy Bridge-E on x79


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hmmm, Seems that 12.3 WHQL gives problems when going into sleep mode.
> I did not have these problems with RC11
> Note : this is on stock clocks and voltage !
> Seeing these kind of errors in event viewer :
> error 1 : A request to disable the Desktop Window Manager was made by process (4)
> error 2 :
> Fault bucket , type 0
> Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
> Response: Not available
> Cab Id: 0
> error 3 : Display driver amdkmdap stopped responding and has successfully recovered.
> these errors all appear around the same time. I can still resume from sleep mode but I notice that any open program is a little ****ed up (see screenshot)
> i edited the screenshot for privacy reason but you can see clearly its a little messed up (black borders, some windows from above and below visible, etc...)
> 
> Any idea what is causing this?
> Just crap drivers?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT : seeing the time stamps in event viewer this is not happening when going into sleep mode but when it automatically turns off the display ! (after 10 min idle - sleep is only after 20 min idle)


This is exactly what I was talking about in my earlier post. I just got it just now. Same problem. I'll be doing a fresh installation in a week to see how things go after that. Don't have the time yet. If anyone manages to figure something out. Please do share. It's driving me nuts.

EDIT : I'm not getting the f***ed up display you're getting though. But sometimes it's worst with mine. It freezes completely. I have noticed one thing though. If I have Firefox running when I leave it, it freezes. If I have Chrome or IE running, the error comes up, it takes a bit longer to wake up, but wakes with the error 'Display Driver has stopped working and has recovered'. Not sure why Firefox is causing issues with the driver.


----------



## Ken1649

Do not set the computer to "sleep" post #22 and turn off hardware acceleration everywhere.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Do not set the computer to "sleep" post #22 and turn off hardware acceleration everywhere.


It did not happen when sleeping, but happened when display is automatically turned off.

Also something I noticed with the 12.3 drivers is a new startup item :

AMD AVT Cmd.exe /c start "AMD Accelerated Video Transcoding device initialization" /min "C:\Program Files (x86)\AMD AVT\bin\kdbsync.exe" aml

maybe disabling this would help ??


----------



## DeathZone

Hi Guys,

First post on here so please be kind.

I must say I am fed up with these two Gigabyte 7970's, nothing but dramas and I have been pulling my hair out over them (must say not much hair left). The problem I am having with all the drivers (RC11, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 preview) with clean installs etc.... Currently I have the latest BIOS I can find on the cards in switch position 1 HERE.

Ok so here is the problem. All games no matter what Hard Freeze, go to desktop randomly, Monitors randomly drop out, Ati driver recover, usage on card flaps between 0% and 100% causing game to run like a dog. I can keep going but these are the majors. this happens when cards are in crossfire mode and running eyefinity, not running crossfire with eyefinity, running as single card no eyefinity, running with one monitor etc.... I have tried almost all possibility's I can think of. Both cards will do the same problem. System is running stock, card temps max out at about 72c and CPU maxes at about 48c. Ooohhh I also get the browser has locked up problem as mentioned above.

Here are my system specs.

*System 1*
Asus Rampage 4 Extreme (also tried with Sabertooth X79)
Intel 3930K (Corsair H80 water cooler)
8x 4GB G-Skill RipJaw Z (have tried with Corsair RAM also)
2x Crucial M4 SSD's (plus other STD HDD's, tried running system with WD 1TB Black also)
2x Gigabyte 7970's
Corsair AX1200 (also tried HX1050, also with one card on each PSU)

*System 2*
Gigabyte X58 UD7
Intel I7 920
3x 2GB Corsair RAM
HX 1050 PSU

Problem's happen the same in both systems.

*List of games and problems.*
1. BF3 drops to window mode, play some more and it crashes to desktop with no error in Event viewer.
2. Total War Shogun 2, Hard freeze after 5 to 10 mins on menu and in game, reset button does not respond and requires power off.
3. Alan Wake, Hard Freezes more randomly than Shogun.
4. Saints Row, Hard Freeze randomly.
5. World of tanks, runs but GPU usage does not go over 30% when running crossfire or single card.
6. CM Dirt 3 and F1 2011 hard freeze randomly. Considering both are AMD approved games and not Nvidia I thought these would work at least.
7. Star Wars Th Old Republic, game has very jittery game play. GPU usage flaps 0% to 100% but not all the time. Sometimes a reboot can solve this problem.

*My findings so far.*
1. Reliability improves marginally when HDMI audio on cards are disabled.
2. Disabling on board Realtec Sound and installing Creative XFI helped (lasts a bit longer in games, less problems in windows)
3. Setting CPU VCCSA voltage manually to 1.1V helped
4. Installing ATI game Cap files made no difference.
5. Problems same in two different systems.
6. All power saving disabled

I broke my old golden rule on this whole system and got the latest and the greatest, and now it is biting me in the arse. If any one has the same system and it is running fine please let me know what you are running driver wise etc... to get it stable. Also any other help would be great. I am rather over this now and wish I didn't even do the upgrade.

Thanks,

Peter.


----------



## jtom320

Hate so say it man but drivers simply aren't mature for these cards yet. AMD has a great hardware team an a so so driver team. My guess is it's another month or so of updates before things are really ironed out. Crossfire basically doubles your problems too.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Do not set the computer to "sleep" post #22 and turn off hardware acceleration everywhere.


Thanks for the guide. Will check it out as soon as I get home from work today.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DeathZone*
> 
> Hi Guys,
> First post on here so please be kind.
> I must say I am fed up with these two Gigabyte 7970's, nothing but dramas and I have been pulling my hair out over them (must say not much hair left). The problem I am having with all the drivers (RC11, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 preview) with clean installs etc.... Currently I have the latest BIOS I can find on the cards in switch position 1 HERE.
> Ok so here is the problem. All games no matter what Hard Freeze, go to desktop randomly, Monitors randomly drop out, Ati driver recover, usage on card flaps between 0% and 100% causing game to run like a dog. I can keep going but these are the majors. this happens when cards are in crossfire mode and running eyefinity, not running crossfire with eyefinity, running as single card no eyefinity, running with one monitor etc.... I have tried almost all possibility's I can think of. Both cards will do the same problem. System is running stock, card temps max out at about 72c and CPU maxes at about 48c. Ooohhh I also get the browser has locked up problem as mentioned above.
> Here are my system specs.
> *System 1*
> Asus Rampage 4 Extreme (also tried with Sabertooth X79)
> Intel 3930K (Corsair H80 water cooler)
> 8x 4GB G-Skill RipJaw Z (have tried with Corsair RAM also)
> 2x Crucial M4 SSD's (plus other STD HDD's, tried running system with WD 1TB Black also)
> 2x Gigabyte 7970's
> Corsair AX1200 (also tried HX1050, also with one card on each PSU)
> *System 2*
> Gigabyte X58 UD7
> Intel I7 920
> 3x 2GB Corsair RAM
> HX 1050 PSU
> Problem's happen the same in both systems.
> *List of games and problems.*
> 1. BF3 drops to window mode, play some more and it crashes to desktop with no error in Event viewer.
> 2. Total War Shogun 2, Hard freeze after 5 to 10 mins on menu and in game, reset button does not respond and requires power off.
> 3. Alan Wake, Hard Freezes more randomly than Shogun.
> 4. Saints Row, Hard Freeze randomly.
> 5. World of tanks, runs but GPU usage does not go over 30% when running crossfire or single card.
> 6. CM Dirt 3 and F1 2011 hard freeze randomly. Considering both are AMD approved games and not Nvidia I thought these would work at least.
> 7. Star Wars Th Old Republic, game has very jittery game play. GPU usage flaps 0% to 100% but not all the time. Sometimes a reboot can solve this problem.
> *My findings so far.*
> 1. Reliability improves marginally when HDMI audio on cards are disabled.
> 2. Disabling on board Realtec Sound and installing Creative XFI helped (lasts a bit longer in games, less problems in windows)
> 3. Setting CPU VCCSA voltage manually to 1.1V helped
> 4. Installing ATI game Cap files made no difference.
> 5. Problems same in two different systems.
> 6. All power saving disabled
> I broke my old golden rule on this whole system and got the latest and the greatest, and now it is biting me in the arse. If any one has the same system and it is running fine please let me know what you are running driver wise etc... to get it stable. Also any other help would be great. I am rather over this now and wish I didn't even do the upgrade.
> Thanks,
> Peter.


Are your card's the WF3 versions or reference?


----------



## DeathZone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Are your card's the WF3 versions or reference?


Reference cards.

Pete.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DeathZone*
> 
> Reference cards.
> Pete.


All my problems stopped big time after the fresh OS install (thanks svthomas) and only going with 12.3 whql. Not a single problem and I'm running 2 cards at 1150/1200 1.174v using MSI AB to overclock and monitor with OSD. Not 1 problem since and I had many before. If you haven't tried a fresh install, maybe you want too. The only issue I have is that when I boot my system, it will stay in 3d clocks on 2nd card and it runs hot. All I do is open up 3dmark11 and when it starts loading the 1st test, you'll see the 2nd card drop to 2d clocks finally and then just hit escape and it will drop to 2d clocks and idle cool. My only issue now, but I'll live with that as everything else is great and BF3 in eyefinity set to Ultra looks sick and doesn't crash.

Hambone

side note, just got this










and almost got this


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Okay, so I uninstalled everything including AB and went with 12.4 to see if that might be better. I didn't bother even reinstalling AB and am running vanilla Catalyst for OCing. I got 1150MHz stable in Heaven 3.0 with no voltage adjustment (never got above 70C, was really nice). I'm starting to think I should just stick with stock for now until more stable OCing methods come out. All of my games are running fine with Catalyst and that is still a significant boost in performance over my max-OC 580 Lightnings. Feeling a bit better about the cards right now...


----------



## Simkin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Anyone else getting unsmooth gameplay in Metro 2033 and Crysis 2 in Crossfire?
> I have vsync on and it just isn't smooth at all. It would fluctuate between 58-60fps and those couple fps drops makes the game stutter and feel choppy. BF3 on the other hand, is smooth throughout but these two games are a different story. It's all in the drivers? Because BF3 is flawless and my old 570 SLI was perfectly smooth as well.


What kind of driver and settings are you using in BF3?

If you have smooth experince, i'm curious of all of your settings..

i have unsmooth experince with my two 7970.. turning around with my mouse results in a unsmooth movement.. not directly lag, just unsmooth..


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DeathZone*
> 
> Reference cards.
> Pete.
> 
> 
> 
> All my problems stopped big time after the fresh OS install (thanks svthomas) and only going with 12.3 whql. Not a single problem and I'm running 2 cards at 1150/1200 1.174v using MSI AB to overclock and monitor with OSD. Not 1 problem since and I had many before. If you haven't tried a fresh install, maybe you want too. The only issue I have is that when I boot my system, it will stay in 3d clocks on 2nd card and it runs hot. All I do is open up 3dmark11 and when it starts loading the 1st test, you'll see the 2nd card drop to 2d clocks finally and then just hit escape and it will drop to 2d clocks and idle cool. My only issue now, but I'll live with that as everything else is great and BF3 in eyefinity set to Ultra looks sick and doesn't crash.
> 
> Hambone
> 
> side note, just got this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and almost got this
Click to expand...

Ok. Guess it's time for me to get down to business and do the fresh install. Did you do a fresh install with both cards in Xfire or did you add the 2nd card after the fresh install?


----------



## 636cc of fury

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxmastermindxx*
> 
> changing tessellation settings makes the scores invalid against any other default testers, that's really all there is to it. but, nice score


or not because there is an option to disable it in the ccc panel which is part of the driver, so nothing invalid with this.

every score at the bot has tesselation disabled, and they all count so your argument is moot.

welcome to Overclock.net


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Everything is passing at 1150MHz and stock voltage with 12.4 using Catalyst! I think it is often overlooked and quite astounding that dual 7970's can OC 225MHz over stock with no voltage adjustment! These cards are a beast! It's just too bad that AMD's driver team is so crappy that this is the only way to get a stable OC....


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I think 12.4 are the best. Every other driver is buggy as hell.


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Everything is passing at 1150MHz and stock voltage with 12.4 using Catalyst! I think it is often overlooked and quite astounding that dual 7970's can OC 225MHz over stock with no voltage adjustment! These cards are a beast! It's just too bad that AMD's driver team is so crappy that this is the only way to get a stable OC....


Ok so you like 12.4? I've been afraid to move off 12.3. It's weird cause I had no issues until now some things have gone a little weird in some games. Will try 12.4 tommorow though.

And yeah these are pretty amazing cards. I did a 1300mhz 3dmark run today.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Ok so you like 12.4? I've been afraid to move off 12.3. It's weird cause I had no issues until now some things have gone a little weird in some games. Will try 12.4 tommorow though.
> And yeah these are pretty amazing cards. I did a 1300mhz 3dmark run today.


Not sure if it MSI AB or 12.3 but i had a lot of problems. For example i had to set MSI AB voltages each time i played the game or it would use Stock volts. Also many times i had to restart the PC to rest what ever was cause super slow BF3 performance.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, 12.4 is working great so far but that is without AB at all. Just using Catalyst for OCing at stock voltage...


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Yeah, 12.4 is working great so far but that is without AB at all. Just using Catalyst for OCing at stock voltage...


You're going to murder every game at those clocks anyway. I share your sentiments about drivers, it seems like every driver release something breaks. i just want one awesome set with zero problems that i can use for a few months at least


----------



## Flyingtreks

Hi, just checking... is it normal to hear consistent "buzzing" noise from the 7970 card at full load ? currently OCed to 1200/1600 watercooled @ 1.2v mem voltage @ default


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> You're going to murder every game at those clocks anyway. I share your sentiments about drivers, it seems like every driver release something breaks. i just want one awesome set with zero problems that i can use for a few months at least


same..... i would like to have a 1150 OC.... but really the primary thing i want is just stability..


----------



## disintegratorx

I've found that using the 2D and 3D clock settings in MSI AB didn't work well for me because some of the regular apps that I use make it want to run the 3D clocks, so I just did the best that I could to use the fan profile and leave those settings off now.


----------



## Qezza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flyingtreks*
> 
> Hi, just checking... is it normal to hear consistent "buzzing" noise from the 7970 card at full load ? currently OCed to 1200/1600 watercooled @ 1.2v mem voltage @ default


My crossfire 7970's do the buzz when I start a game at stock or overclocked speeds Flyingtreks.


----------



## gaul

power color 7970 @ 1200 / 1700 REF
vpu v1.225

i5 25 K @ 5 GH


----------



## Farih

Hi guys,

Even though i just got a pair of 7850;s i thought i could come here for some info.

These 7850's run fine overclocked to catalyst max OD, fine at those clocks in MSI AB to [1050/1450]
But whenever i want to go past those clocks i seem to get problems.
UnofficialOverclocking in MSI AB grants higher clocks but i cant set even 10mhz higher or it freezes up and i have to reset.
Disabling ULPS didnt help either, infact disabling it even made the 1050/1450mhz clocks unstable.
Disabling CF and overclocking 1 card works and give's no problems, its only in CF and when trying to overclock above max catalyst OD clocks.

Any tips ?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Ok. Guess it's time for me to get down to business and do the fresh install. Did you do a fresh install with both cards in Xfire or did you add the 2nd card after the fresh install?


Both cards were in. Just installed windows. then mobo drivers, windows updates to SP1, and then 12.3 whql and 12.3 cap 1. Disabled ULPS, Install AB beta 15 and unlocked UOM. All is well


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Farih*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> Even though i just got a pair of 7850;s i thought i could come here for some info.
> 
> These 7850's run fine overclocked to catalyst max OD, fine at those clocks in MSI AB to [1050/1450]
> But whenever i want to go past those clocks i seem to get problems.
> UnofficialOverclocking in MSI AB grants higher clocks but i cant set even 10mhz higher or it freezes up and i have to reset.
> Disabling ULPS didnt help either, infact disabling it even made the 1050/1450mhz clocks unstable.
> Disabling CF and overclocking 1 card works and give's no problems, its only in CF and when trying to overclock above max catalyst OD clocks.
> 
> Any tips ?


Verify that all the enableulps are all set to "0".

To turn off ULPS;

1. Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
2. In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
3. For ALL instances (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
4. Reboot PC.


----------



## jtom320

DOn't use MSI unofficial overclocking.

The best thing to do is download the Asus overclocking tool go into settings and click extended clocks. It is way more stable and really simple.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Both cards were in. Just installed windows. then mobo drivers, windows updates to SP1, and then 12.3 whql and 12.3 cap 1. Disabled ULPS, Install AB beta 15 and unlocked UOM. All is well


Great. Thanks. I guess I'll have to get ready to do a fresh install when I get my 2nd card. Waiting for prices to drop a little though...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> DOn't use MSI unofficial overclocking.
> The best thing to do is download the Asus overclocking tool go into settings and click extended clocks. It is way more stable and really simple.


Why? It works perfect for me and always has. I use UOM always. I have crossfire and eyefinity and love MSI AB. I use OSD and LCD on G15. No issues. Maybe it's user error.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Great. Thanks. I guess I'll have to get ready to do a fresh install when I get my 2nd card. Waiting for prices to drop a little though...


No prob. Good luck to you.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Why? It works perfect for me and always has. I use UOM always. I have crossfire and eyefinity and love MSI AB. I use OSD and LCD on G15. No issues. Maybe it's user error.
> No prob. Good luck to you.


Nope, AB and UOM was a nightmare for me. I was able to get some decent OC's in benches but my game stability was ****e. Running 12.4 with no AB now and everything actually works! Still!


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Nope, AB and UOM was a nightmare for me. I was able to get some decent OC's in benches but my game stability was ****e. Running 12.4 with no AB now and everything actually works! Still!


what do u use oc then? trixx, or did u flash to asus and using their oc tool?


----------



## Farih

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Verify that all the enableulps are all set to "0".
> 
> To turn off ULPS;
> 1. Go to regedit (start > search programs and files > "regedit").
> 
> 2. In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
> 
> 3. For ALL instances (keep pressing F3) change the "1" value to a "0".
> 
> 4. Reboot PC.


I have tryed that before but didnt help, infact it made things even worse








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> DOn't use MSI unofficial overclocking.
> The best thing to do is download the Asus overclocking tool go into settings and click extended clocks. It is way more stable and really simple.


Both cant overclock beyond catalyst OD stable


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> what do u use oc then? trixx, or did u flash to asus and using their oc tool?


Just using AMD Overdrive in Catalyst. Simplest solution for stability it seems, of course I can't adjust voltages so 1150MHz seems to be my max OC now. Still, that's way more than enough to kill even BF3 on Ultra...


----------



## afadzil21

Anyone else getting crappy performance with Batman AC with 12.3? It's so damn jittery. Had to turn off AA and ratchet down tessellation to normal just to get things smooth. Oh yeah, I'm running 1920x1080. It wasn't this bad with 12.2 drivers.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Anyone else getting crappy performance with Batman AC with 12.3? It's so damn jittery. Had to turn off AA and ratchet down tessellation to normal just to get things smooth. Oh yeah, I'm running 1920x1080. It wasn't this bad with 12.2 drivers.


Its not smooth, thats for sure. Multi-Sample AA in CCC gives best performance for me when using in-game MSAA.
I played last time with 4xMSAA, all other things maxed out @ 1920x1080. V-Sync off by the way !
It was not so smooth as with 4xFXAA but I could live with it.


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Farih*
> 
> I have tryed that before but didnt help, infact it made things even worse
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Both cant overclock beyond catalyst OD stable


What are you talking about? It makes my catalyst slider go up as well.

I'm up to 1300 stable using catalyst slider and MSI AB fan setting.

Download Asus GPU tweak

Go to advanced settings and click extended clocks

Restart

Use AB as normal with increased sliders


----------



## svthomas

Going from the GTX 680 owners thread and back to this one makes me...not happy. Man, AMD is sure giving us the shaft with these drivers. I've got 11 more days on my return window for the Sapphire. What to do, what to do.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Going from the GTX 680 owners thread and back to this one makes me...not happy. Man, AMD is sure giving us the shaft with these drivers.


Definitely. I miss stable Nvidia drivers so much. Such a shame too because the hardware is amazing...


----------



## Ryncrash

I hear so many people pissed off about the HD 7900 cards. Me i have the XFX HD 7950 Black Edt. Overclocked it just a bit more. and im running every game amazing. No troubles so far. BF3 everything is turned up to Utlra. with AA and extras. Playing every game that i can throw at it. amazing. I wonder if its the brands like HIS or MIS or other brands that are having troubles, but i can say XFX HD-7950 is amazing. Plan on buying my seconded card just for **** and giggles.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> I hear so many people pissed off about the HD 7900 cards. Me i have the XFX HD 7950 Black Edt. Overclocked it just a bit more. and im running every game amazing. No troubles so far. BF3 everything is turned up to Utlra. with AA and extras. Playing every game that i can throw at it. amazing. I wonder if its the brands like HIS or MIS or other brands that are having troubles, but i can say XFX HD-7950 is amazing. Plan on buying my seconded card just for **** and giggles.


My 7970 experience was amazing until I did two things: Bought a second 7970 and enabled eyefinity. Since that day, these cards have been the bane of my existence.

Just a warning before you buy that second card.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> I hear so many people pissed off about the HD 7900 cards. Me i have the XFX HD 7950 Black Edt. Overclocked it just a bit more. and im running every game amazing. No troubles so far. BF3 everything is turned up to Utlra. with AA and extras. Playing every game that i can throw at it. amazing. I wonder if its the brands like HIS or MIS or other brands that are having troubles, but i can say XFX HD-7950 is amazing. Plan on buying my seconded card just for **** and giggles.


Are you using registry edits to disable ULPS? Are you running CF or Eyefinity? Are you using UOM, AB Beta with the replaced .dll files and and the -xcl hack? All of that is necessary to unlock voltage control and get max OC's. Most people aren't having trouble with single card setups just using Catalyst. It's when you try to maximize performance or use more than one card or monitor that issues start creeping up.

I had lock ups with almost every game I own when running unlocked voltages. Since doing a clean install of 12.4 and adding nothing else the system has been running fine. It just sucks that you are limited to a vanilla experience because nobody on AMD's driver team has figured out how to make drivers be stable with other utilities or how to allow us to OC our own cards however we see fit.

Of course the 680's are really locked down too so it looks like the days of trouble-free overclocking/over-volting are gone for good....


----------



## RagingCain

Noticed some massive stuttering (despite being 60 fps) in First Person View looking at the floor or in Dungeon walls in Skyrim, anybody know the fix?

I am trying modless later tonight, however it was working fine till "all of a sudden"... 12.3 drivers / 12.4 beta, CFX or Single GPU, all same issue. Already tried disabling Mouse Smoothing/Acceleration, but it has not fixed it.

I have very simple mods but also Skyrim HD. ONLY occurs in FPV, not third person. Third person is golden/silky, 60 FPS in gorgeousness.


----------



## jtom320

I know no one wants to hear this but I think it's going to be another month or two before drivers are really stable on these cards. As the guy with the 7950 said it's not too bad on a single card now but there are still some issues. My main problem has just been random crashes. In fact I crash more now then I did with 5850CF oddly enough but I got those a couple months after release.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> I know no one wants to hear this but I think it's going to be another month or two before drivers are really stable on these cards. As the guy with the 7950 said it's not too bad on a single card now but there are still some issues. My main problem has just been random crashes. In fact I crash more now then I did with 5850CF oddly enough but I got those a couple months after release.


I agree here.
I was thinking to buy one more HD 7950, but i will definitely wait for 2-3 months until drivers matures.


----------



## Aventadoor

Is it normal that GPU usage drops down to like 50% in BF3?
Like its never constant 99%


----------



## jackrabb1t

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Is it normal that GPU usage drops down to like 50% in BF3?
> Like its never constant 99%


Yes. Different parts of the game require different GPU loads. As long as your frames aren't dropping as well, I'd say you're fine.


----------



## WiL11o6

I think it would be a couple more months, and by that time, the 8xxx series will be out when they get their drivers right for 7xxx.

I went from SLI 570s to CF 7970 and I have never spent so much time configuring video cards and trying to make them work. This is actually my first AMD card and it's not a good start to jump ship to AMD for my future cards.

My experience with Nvidia:
Nearly flawless drivers, few bugs but no problem at all. I had a single 570 GTX, bought a second one and popped it in. Drivers detected second card and off I go into playing games, benchmarking with no problems. Games were silky smooth with no stutter (except BF3 due to VRAM choke in MP).

My experience with AMD:
First 7970 was fine, added a second one and all hell broke loose. Took near 3 days trying to get them to work. Problems with AB/CCC, etc. Games are great but they aren't as smooth as my 570s. I don't know how else to describe it but my 570s would be capped at 60fps with vsync and it does not budge. My 7970s fluctuate between 58-60fps constantly which causes stuttering and slowdowns and if I turn off vsync, it skyrockets to 100fps+ so it's not a power performance issue. There's more issues to list but I will definitely go green again when their new card comes out to dethrone the 680. As others mentioned, these cards are monsters, too bad the drivers suck. And suck is an understatement, especially when people spend $1000+ to get more than one of these and they don't work well. It's like having a Ferrari and giving it to a little kid who doesn't know how to drive.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I have my Voltage set to 1.225v/1.7v. If i dont play games for 2-3 hours they drop to 1.175v/1.6v (Stock). The problem is that when i open a game after it stick sticks to 1.175v/1.6v. Is this behavior normal? I have to reopen MSI AB or reapply the profile to get normal voltages back. Its really annoying.


----------



## svthomas

Well, AMD, this is what I think of your drivers:



So long, and thanks for all the shoes...err, I mean Windows reinstalls.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Well, AMD, this is what I think of your drivers:
> 
> So long, and thanks for all the shoes...err, I mean Windows reinstalls.


This may well be me once the 680 Lightnings release. I love the power of these babies when everything is working. Unfortunately thats a rarity...


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> This may well be me once the 680 Lightnings release. I love the power of these babies when everything is working. Unfortunately thats a rarity...


I was thinking about waiting for the lightning, but I just decided to go reference due to the guarantee that there will be full cover waterblocks available.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Well, AMD, this is what I think of your drivers:
> 
> So long, and thanks for all the shoes...err, I mean Windows reinstalls.


Same here my main pc i play games on that i need to be stable has 2 gtx680 with 3rd on the way now just ordered and my other pc is the one in my room i dont use as much has my 3 7970s was going to sell them but i think i will keep maybe 1 day there will be a driver that works good. I have not had 1 prob with my gtx680 sli set up and all my games just work and i get higher fps caint wait for a 4gb gtx680. Im loving them


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> I hear so many people pissed off about the HD 7900 cards. Me i have the XFX HD 7950 Black Edt. Overclocked it just a bit more. and im running every game amazing. No troubles so far. BF3 everything is turned up to Utlra. with AA and extras. Playing every game that i can throw at it. amazing. I wonder if its the brands like HIS or MIS or other brands that are having troubles, but i can say XFX HD-7950 is amazing. Plan on buying my seconded card just for **** and giggles.


Wait till you go crossfire thats where your probs will start yes single works fine for almost everyone


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> I hear so many people pissed off about the HD 7900 cards. Me i have the XFX HD 7950 Black Edt. Overclocked it just a bit more. and im running every game amazing. No troubles so far. BF3 everything is turned up to Utlra. with AA and extras. Playing every game that i can throw at it. amazing. I wonder if its the brands like HIS or MIS or other brands that are having troubles, but i can say XFX HD-7950 is amazing. Plan on buying my seconded card just for **** and giggles.
> 
> 
> 
> Wait till you go crossfire thats where your probs will start yes single works fine for almost everyone
Click to expand...

My crossfire 7970s are flawless. I wish I knew why so many people are having problems.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> My crossfire 7970s are flawless. I wish I knew why so many people are having problems.


Im thinking the people having probs like myself have 100s of games or 3d screens or eyefinity or a 30" and the people not having probs are ones who just play a few games that the drivers support real good like new games and have a single screen.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> My crossfire 7970s are flawless. I wish I knew why so many people are having problems.


My 30" screen picture jumped and flickered alot with the 7970s has not done it 1 time with GTX680s


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I think most problems are caused by trying to OC the cards. Also so people dont get the wrong idea only people that complain come here. Those have no problems are enjoining gaming. I got to say HD 79XX so far are not even close to the driver problems AMD has had in the past. They are borderline bad. I did not have a single issue with HD 6990. I got to say though that for me problems start once i try to OC over 1125Mhz. I dont know why AMD has to put limits on their cards. It was so simple with GTX580. Install card, drivers, MSI AB. Set voltage and Clock and Boom. Now i have to unlock this unlock that, disable this, not use that, something is bout to go wrong.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> My 30" screen picture jumped and flickered alot with the 7970s has not done it 1 time with GTX680s


This is really the only problem i had and 12.4 Beta fixed it for me. It was caused from random clock jump from 2D to 3D in desktop.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

All of my problems have been because of trying to unlock voltage with AB beta. Since running vanilla catalyst with no hacks or added code everything has worked fine. Just stuck at 1125mhz...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> *I think most problems are caused by trying to OC the cards. Also so people dont get the wrong idea only people that complain come here. Those have no problems are enjoining gaming. I got to say HD 79XX so far are not even close to the driver problems AMD has had in the past. They are borderline bad. I did not have a single issue with HD 6990. I got to say though that for me problems start once i try to OC over 1125Mhz. I dont know why AMD has to put limits on their cards. It was so simple with GTX580. Install card, drivers, MSI AB. Set voltage and Clock and Boom. Now i have to unlock this unlock that, disable this, not use that, something is bout to go wrong.*
> This is really the only problem i had and 12.4 Beta fixed it for me. It was caused from random clock jump from 2D to 3D in desktop.


This pretty much exactly...


----------



## jtom320

Not disagreeing with anyone here but if your issues are with OCing the card the 680 is probabally not the card you want to get to replace it.

Both of them have their..uh quirks with OCing.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Not disagreeing with anyone here but if your issues are with OCing the card the 680 is probabally not the card you want to get to replace it.
> Both of them have their..uh quirks with OCing.


True, thats why I said that the golden age of gpu overclocking may have died with Fermi. My 580's were so simple to use with AB...


----------



## Ken1649

I say go try 680s then share the experience









Also, I don't think AMD is watching this thread


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> True, thats why I said that the golden age of gpu overclocking may have died with Fermi. My 580's were so simple to use with AB...


It started with HD 4890 and ended with GTX580.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I say go try 680s then share the experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I don't think AMD is watching this thread


AMD would be stupid NOT to watch this thread. Lot's of owners like me are getting seriously pissed that we took the plunge with AMD and really got shortchanged with the drivers. I definitely don't think the 7970 is crap, but if they don't fix things in the next 2 months and 680's have settled down to RRP, I'm gonna have to make the switch.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> AMD would be stupid NOT to watch this thread. Lot's of owners like me are getting seriously pissed that we took the plunge with AMD and really got shortchanged with the drivers. I definitely don't think the 7970 is crap, but if they don't fix things in the next 2 months and 680's have settled down to RRP, I'm gonna have to make the switch.


Or just make to switch to GTX780 instead of HD 8970 lol.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I say go try 680s then share the experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I don't think AMD is watching this thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD would be stupid NOT to watch this thread. Lot's of owners like me are getting seriously pissed that we took the plunge with AMD and really got shortchanged with the drivers. I definitely don't think the 7970 is crap, but if they don't fix things in the next 2 months and 680's have settled down to RRP, I'm gonna have to make the switch.
Click to expand...

They are stupid loosing customers but how many? I hope a lot, so the products will go cheaper for those who can use it to the max


----------



## 7ranslucen7

Funny thing is when I had my first 7970 back in January I didn't really have any issues with games or drivers.
I buy one last week and there just seems to be problems everywhere


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> They are stupid loosing customers but how many? I hope a lot, so the products will go cheaper for those who can use it to the max


Quite true. Not everyone has money to burn again once they've bought a high-end card. Worse still is the resale value of the 7970's have dropped quite a bit since the 680's came out. If I could get another 7970 for cheap, I would. Hoping Xfire would help my performance a bit. But with all the problems many here are having with Xfire, I'm not even sure it's worth dropping the dough for a second 7970. A price would definitely help. I've got my single card set at 1100/1500 (conservative I know). But it still ain't good enough because of the damn drivers. NV is able to squeeze almost every ounce of performance out of their cards with the superb drivers. We know the 7970's are superior hardware but are being held back by crappy drivers. I do hope AMD is reading and at least update the CAP profiles to ensure the AAA titles are well covered and optimized.


----------



## disintegratorx

-.-


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Quite true. Not everyone has money to burn again once they've bought a high-end card. Worse still is the resale value of the 7970's have dropped quite a bit since the 680's came out. If I could get another 7970 for cheap, I would. Hoping Xfire would help my performance a bit. But with all the problems many here are having with Xfire, I'm not even sure it's worth dropping the dough for a second 7970. A price would definitely help. I've got my single card set at 1100/1500 (conservative I know). But it still ain't good enough because of the damn drivers. NV is able to squeeze almost every ounce of performance out of their cards with the superb drivers. We know the 7970's are superior hardware but are being held back by crappy drivers. I do hope AMD is reading and at least update the CAP profiles to ensure the AAA titles are well covered and optimized.


xfire may bring you a whole new world of hurt ...

if you aren't running a larger monitor, 120hz monitor 27" or eyefinity setup... one may be just enough imho


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I think most problems are caused by trying to OC the cards. Also so people dont get the wrong idea only people that complain come here. Those have no problems are enjoining gaming. I got to say HD 79XX so far are not even close to the driver problems AMD has had in the past. They are borderline bad. I did not have a single issue with HD 6990. I got to say though that for me problems start once i try to OC over 1125Mhz. I dont know why AMD has to put limits on their cards. It was so simple with GTX580. Install card, drivers, MSI AB. Set voltage and Clock and Boom. Now i have to unlock this unlock that, disable this, not use that, something is bout to go wrong.
> This is really the only problem i had and 12.4 Beta fixed it for me. It was caused from random clock jump from 2D to 3D in desktop.


My issue is eyefinity. I am not even overclocked outside of CCC anymore because the drivers are too unstable. I am literally vanilla and still have driver issues.

It's so bad I am going to eat the entire cost of waterblocks by switching to Nvidia. Know what? If my experience with the 680 is like my past Nvidia experiences, the loss will be worth every penny.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I say go try 680s then share the experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I don't think AMD is watching this thread


My 680 will be here tomorrow. I shall certainly share my experience.

Sorry for the double post guys, didn't mean to.


----------



## Ken1649

Only one 680 instead of two to replace 7970 crossfire? A 680 must really be that powerful to drive 5760x1080


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> xfire may bring you a whole new world of hurt ...
> if you aren't running a larger monitor, 120hz monitor 27" or eyefinity setup... one may be just enough imho


Yeah. One would be enough if it's performed like a 680 right now. The current drivers on the 7970 aren't really enough. I want 60fps with max graphics on all games if possible. So Xfire is still on the cards. SLi 680's may be the next bet, but that'll cost me big time. Thinking I should've waited for the 680 and kept my 550 for PhysX. The wake up problem is the big kicker here. Never had that with NV. I may just need to eat my losses and go back to NV. Well, I could just blow my cash and take the risk with another 7970 and see where that goes. Though I'd probably just get another Gigabyte WF3 card just to avoid the compatibility issues. Easier to run cards from the manufacturer than to try running different non-reference designs.


----------



## gaul

METRO 2033, ALL MAX OUT

7970 @ def ( 925 / 1375 )


GTX 680 @ 1110 ( with Boost ) and 1500 mem


----------



## Ryncrash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> My 680 will be here tomorrow. I shall certainly share my experience.
> Sorry for the double post guys, didn't mean to.


So what do you plan on doing with your old card I do take donation. LOL


----------



## Ryncrash

I wonder what would happen if you crossfired a 7950 and 7970 does any think problems but i should be fine. Donate way SVTHOMAS.. Donate way. I called it first plus im poor lol...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> I wonder what would happen if you crossfired a 7950 and 7970 does any think problems but i should be fine. Donate way SVTHOMAS.. Donate way. I called it first plus im poor lol...


Not any more problems than crossfired 7950 or crossfired 7970. They're the same GPU essentially.


----------



## jtom320

It's pretty well known Metro is better then AMD cards then Nvidia cards.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Only one 680 instead of two to replace 7970 crossfire? A 680 must really be that powerful to drive 5760x1080


Not running 5760x1080 at the moment because the 7970s bluescreen with eyefinity. Plus, I will buy a second 680 when I sell the other 7970.

**update**

I find myself wanting to keep one of the 7970s for testing and benching. lol Oh my significant other is going to kill me


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Not running 5760x1080 at the moment because the 7970s bluescreen with eyefinity. Plus, I will buy a second 680 when I sell the other 7970.


svthomas, did you if it's your PSU causing problems with the 7970 CF setup? Different make cards maybe?


----------



## 7ranslucen7

I don't know why I didn't realize it before. I bought a 7970 back in January and had absolutely no issues with it (single gpu).
After buying another one this past week 12.3 and 12.4 have been a PITA. Reverted back to rc11, all my problems are gone







.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

12.4 is working great for me so far with my CF setup. Sucks not using AB though...


----------



## Ken1649

If you read the AB discussion about AMD drivers team, maybe this has something do do with it. To make it "incompatible" to work with AB


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you read the AB discussion about AMD drivers team, maybe this has something do do with it. To make it "incompatible" to work with AB


Is there a link?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> svthomas, did you if it's your PSU causing problems with the 7970 CF setup? Different make cards maybe?


When I disable eyefinity I don't get any more BSOD on 12.3. Or, when I use RC11 I don't have any issues with eyefinity, just poor crossfire scaling and IQ. It's drivers, not hardware, the issues vary depending on the driver. If it were my PSU I would be having issues across the board. Good ideas, though.

I have spent more time troubleshooting these cards than I care to admit, have reinstalled windows 10+ times just to be sure I had a clean install to isolate the changes, and each time I had an issue it would trace back to the drivers.

It's to the point where I really don't want to spend much more of my free time on it. To be honest, I would much rather spend that time doing other things like hanging out with my gf.


----------



## zpaf

Finally decide to buy an accelero for my card.


















And my temps after one hour playing BF3 at 5760x1080.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> When I disable eyefinity I don't get any more BSOD on 12.3. Or, when I use RC11 I don't have any issues with eyefinity, just poor crossfire scaling and IQ. It's drivers, not hardware, the issues vary depending on the driver. If it were my PSU I would be having issues across the board. Good ideas, though.
> I have spent more time troubleshooting these cards than I care to admit, have reinstalled windows 10+ times just to be sure I had a clean install to isolate the changes, and each time I had an issue it would trace back to the drivers.
> It's to the point where I really don't want to spend much more of my free time on it. To be honest, I would much rather spend that time doing other things like hanging out with my gf.


I'm gonna try 12.4 just like Majin SSJ says. Let's see if the my single card setup works ok. I don't have 3 monitors though to go eyefinity, and I doubt my wife would let me spend my cash on it either. If the driver issue is beginning to see some resolution, I'd definitely be willing to go Xfire with the 7970's. I get you the wasted time troubleshooting. Was going through that trying to figure what all the wake up freezes are all about. Let's see how the 12.4's go when I get back home from work.


----------



## Jason33w

I'm having a hell of a time with this. I'm using the MSI Afterburner version 2.2.0 beta 15 and the -xcl or /xcl commands are doing nothing. I double click on the icon and nothing happens. I have been successful before. What is different? I'm trying to bump up my clocks so I get rid of this annoying eyefinity flickering. Any help would be awesome







thanks all.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Dang cards are being divas tonight. Get home and start to do a little Heaven and Vantage and they won't pass nothing! These are finicky cards; sometimes they pass 1225MHz with no issue and others they can't even do 1200MHz...


Yes indeed. Heat is your issue for sure. You need a new case. No point in suggesting a loop as I assume those cards are a non ref pcb.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I don't get this argument. Why do you need to OC a 7970 at all just to play games? Overclocking is only helpful when benching for the best numbers. In games at stock I get 100+fps in everything....


Same as. I have more or less found the limits of my cards, could mabye push the memory further with more volts. I found limits of cards individually and currently running cards with just ccc overclocks until drivers improve.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> Without a big overclock, the 7970 wasn't worth the move from 6950 crossfire. With a big overclock it is.


True, but with a big overclock, I get similar performance on one card.

Is there any AMD reps on this forum that can explain why the driverteam are removing dll files to hinder unofficial overclocking and making me mad?









I dropped over €1000 on new cards and blocks. Urge to kill rising.


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jason33w*
> 
> I'm having a hell of a time with this. I'm using the MSI Afterburner version 2.2.0 beta 15 and the -xcl or /xcl commands are doing nothing. I double click on the icon and nothing happens. I have been successful before. What is different? I'm trying to bump up my clocks so I get rid of this annoying eyefinity flickering. Any help would be awesome
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks all.


Download Asus GPU tweak go into settings and click extended clocks. It's the only way to OC on the newer drivers and it's also really simple. After you've restarted you can use AB and it will have the extended sliders.


----------



## Daffie82

If you do not need to increase voltage on the memory I suggest using Trixx.
Just set up a profile + custom fan profile if needed, leave it running while playing games.
Put it back to default after gaming and close the program.

Simple as that and ZERO problems


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> If you do not need to increase voltage on the memory I suggest using Trixx.
> Just set up a profile + custom fan profile if needed, leave it running while playing games.
> Put it back to default after gaming and close the program.
> Simple as that and ZERO problems


Yeah if they would add memory voltage tweak to it I would ditch AB.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I think most problems are caused by trying to OC the cards. Also so people dont get the wrong idea only people that complain come here. Those have no problems are enjoining gaming. I got to say HD 79XX so far are not even close to the driver problems AMD has had in the past. They are borderline bad. I did not have a single issue with HD 6990. I got to say though that for me problems start once i try to OC over 1125Mhz. I dont know why AMD has to put limits on their cards. It was so simple with GTX580. Install card, drivers, MSI AB. Set voltage and Clock and Boom. *Now i have to unlock this unlock that, disable this, not use that, something is bout to go wrong.*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> My 30" screen picture jumped and flickered alot with the 7970s has not done it 1 time with GTX680s
> 
> 
> 
> This is really the only problem i had and 12.4 Beta fixed it for me. It was caused from random clock jump from 2D to 3D in desktop.
Click to expand...

Yup thisi is biggest problem.
I remember when i had GTX 570 SLI, it was very simple, now its frustrating, i gave up with MSI AB, i only use AMD overdrive, beter some OC, then no OC at all.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I personally wouldn't take reference cards anything above 1070 MHz on the core with air cooling.
If I apply more voltage, I run into OCP issues, if I don't apply enough voltage the core isn't stable.
I imagine the Lightning cards don't have this issue.
1175 MHz core seems very possible to have absolutely stable but require some hefty cooling and a bump in voltage.


----------



## mltms

what is the max volt for 7950 for 24/7


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> what is the max volt for 7950 for 24/7


It depens, air or water?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> what is the max volt for 7950 for 24/7


On air I would go +125mv above your stock voltage.
1175mv is a pretty good value for 24/7; that is if your stock voltage is about 1090mv like mine.

I run stable at 1168mv but this is with Sapphire oc edition (dual fan) which keeps temps down pretty good.

EDIT : I would also make custom fan profile to keep temps below 70 degrees at all times for improved stability.


----------



## Andrazh

I have 1175mV 24/7 at 1170core and 1700mem on 7950 and my stock voltage is .993V. Its non OC sapphire edition. I'm presuming that OC version has higher stock voltage because its has better cooling and higher stock clocks. I dont get over 70°with my card with custom fan profile.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I dont know why is it so hard for AMD to increase the limits for CCC? ITs not like increasing clocks will kill the card. Why dont they remove Overdrive all together. It just hinders True Overclocking.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I dont know why is it so hard for AMD to increase the limits for CCC? ITs not like increasing clocks will kill the card. Why dont they remove Overdrive all together. It just hinders True Overclocking.


For me, the problem is that I cannot modify the voltage through OverDrive... They could give us a small margin, like +/- 1mV. When I play I increase the clocks to 1050Mhz with 1.112mV. In OverDrive the best I can do is +50Mhz ( 950Mhz ).

That way, I believe, it could become handy without being too much dangerous.


----------



## sena

I agree on Overdrive topic.
It should be removed or at least they should gave us some voltage control in CCC.
With AMD overdrive its just too complicated.


----------



## Daffie82

Overdrive is fine as long as you don't use AB with it...
Seems to me AB is conflicting often with Overdrive.

2 Options :

- use AB and disable overdrive and maybe CCC also just to be sure.
- use Trixx or ASUS GPU Tweak in combination with overdrive and CCC

My feeling is there would be a whole lot less troubles this way...


----------



## wirefox

2D Screen Flicker

I notice when I'm click through many windows, change settings in AB ... I get a horizontal flicker on my main s950 monitor.

It's connected via DVI-d to one of the 7970. I also have a dell 24" horizontally to the left.. connected DVI>apple dongle> same GPU mini port

anyone have this flickering business? wondering if it's cable, connector, card or monitor? - feels like cable but they are in pretty solid...

thoughts


----------



## sena

Its GDDR5 "design" flaw.
I also have it on HD 7950. It happens with two monitor connected to same card when card is changing memory clocks.
Btw. anyone have problem with maus cursor stuttering when i enter the system and changing clocks in AMD overdrive?


----------



## 7ranslucen7

Good news guys! New version of trixx will support overclocking again with the latest drivers.
Quote:


> To overclock the Sapphire HD 7970 OC Edition video card we are using Sapphire's overclocking utility TriXX. We do have to tell you about an issue we encountered using the latest version available at the time from the website. While TriXX detected the video card just fine, it wouldn't allow us to overclock because of an issue with ULPS. For some reason the application told us we needed to disable ULPS in the settings, and reboot else crashing and freezing would occur. Well, the setting was turned off in the settings, and we tried multiple combinations of rebooting and checking the feature on and off but nothing worked.
> 
> We contacted Sapphire and Sapphire had to send us an updated version of TriXX, which worked flawlessly. The version they sent us is 4.3.0, which is a much higher version than what is currently available on the website, which is 4.1.0. Sapphire is in the stage of finalizing the software which will be made available to the public, no date is currently known on that release yet.
> 
> The sliders are unlocked allowing increased range with speeds on the core up to 1850MHz, on the memory up to 2500MHz, and voltages up to 1.35 Volts.


source


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I have the horizontal screen flicker when changing windows. Should i run my secondary monitor off the second 7970?


----------



## ste.ru

Hello
i have a little problem i changed the bios of my 7970 with bios ASUS for more OC but now in idle mode my GPU work a 925Mhz or at the frequencies that the imposed even if the load 0..

with bios 1 the card have 3 step 300Mhz ->500->>925
with bios 2 now only 925 Mhz

is a problem of driver?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ste.ru*
> 
> Hello
> i have a little problem i changed the bios of my 7970 with bios ASUS for more OC but now in idle mode my GPU work a 925Mhz or at the frequencies that the imposed even if the load 0..
> with bios 1 the card have 3 step 300Mhz ->500->>925
> with bios 2 now only 925 Mhz
> is a problem of driver?


I think its the ASUS Bios.

I tried TriXX with HD 7970 @ 1200Mhz @ 1.225v so far so good. More stable then MSI AB.


----------



## incurablegeek

iH-282HPB_specsheet.pdf 433k .pdf file


I posted this on my own thread but lots of reads and only response.








Quote:


> Given the specs of the above monitor (will be running 2 of those 28 inchers and 1 Acer 22 incher), what ATI Graphics card would give me the Absolute Best Resolution. What I do not wish to do is buy under-kill or over-kill, the meaning of "over-kill" being a card with more "horsepower" than my 28 inch monitors can handle.
> 
> Note: I use only Cooler Master HAF 932 cases and Noctua NH-D14 heatsink/fans. In short, I have plenty of room in my Cooler Master Case - IF I don't park my car in there, a sacrifice I am willing to make.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Footnote: No gaming and No EyeFinity required.
> 
> Suggestions would be appreciated. There are things I know something about but graphics cards is not one of them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!!!


Question: Since I want to achieve the Best Possible Resolution and Clarity from these monitors, would I be out of my mind to look at the Radeon HD 7950?

Footnote: My psychiatrist says I don't take rejection well, so please be as "kind" as possible in telling me I am FOS if you indeed believe so. Otherwise, I would hope for your honest suggestions.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ste.ru*
> 
> Hello
> i have a little problem i changed the bios of my 7970 with bios ASUS for more OC but now in idle mode my GPU work a 925Mhz or at the frequencies that the imposed even if the load 0..
> with bios 1 the card have 3 step 300Mhz ->500->>925
> with bios 2 now only 925 Mhz
> is a problem of driver?


Ya it's the bios a member here already posted a modified one with working 3d clocks http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/8410#post_16890428


----------



## NoTiCe

Does anyone else's coreclock spike like this?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ste.ru*
> 
> Hello
> i have a little problem i changed the bios of my 7970 with bios ASUS for more OC but now in idle mode my GPU work a 925Mhz or at the frequencies that the imposed even if the load 0..
> with bios 1 the card have 3 step 300Mhz ->500->>925
> with bios 2 now only 925 Mhz
> is a problem of driver?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ya it's the bios a member here already posted a modified one with working 3d clocks http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/8410#post_16890428
Click to expand...

BIOS #1 is flashable.

BIOS #2 is backup - do not force flash this one or will get into trouble (bricked).

The Asus BIOS in that link is edited with Hex Editor. The problem is, you have to flash it everythime you update drivers and it only works with Asus Tweak utility. There's no way to edit the core/memory clocks with RBE starting from 6000 series.

If you are not benchmarking but for 24/7, suggest stick to original BIOS.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Anybody know if I can run my secondary monitor off my second 7970 in CF? Wondering if that would help my flickering issues as well as lowering temps on my main card....


----------



## Ken1649

Nope, unlike SLI Surround - it will break crossfire if you plug monitor to the second or third card in crossfire configuration.

Try to set the memory clock to full 3D, see if the flickering is due to low memory and core clocks. Also check if you have hardware acceleration apps running in the background such as Chrome, IE, FF, WMP, Youtube, etc. or apps set to GPU(s) affinity or remote access.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Nope, unlike SLI Surround - it will break crossfire if you plug monitor to the second or third card in crossfire configuration.
> 
> Try to set the memory clock to full 3D, see if the flickering is due to low memory and core clocks. Also check if you have hardware acceleration apps running in the background such as Chrome, IE, FF, WMP, Youtube, etc.


Well crap!









Thanks for the info Ken...


----------



## Ken1649

You can check using GPU-Z under sensor tab if the core and memory clocks are fluctuating due to hardware acceleration apps that lower the memory clocks to UVD (Unified Video Decoder). Some flash apps such as Youtube, DirectX acceleration etc will trigger the UVD clocks.

If you have more than one monitor, the 2D idle clocks should be 500/1375 to avoid flickering. And/or if you are overclocking could interfere with this 2D clocks too.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I have noticed the flickering more when watching YouTube vids than anything else. Not something I can't live with but it is a little annoying...


----------



## Blindsay

So the ASIC quality of my 7970 is 74.4% is that decent?


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I have noticed the flickering more when watching YouTube vids than anything else. Not something I can't live with but it is a little annoying...


That would seriously irk me if youtube videos flickered. Maybe temporary fix would be to disable CF when not gaming? Haven't had the issue on single card at all. (starting to sound like an echo in here)

Getting kind of nervous about adding a second 7970 because I'm just about to pull the trigger and I really wanted to do this when most of the issues were worked out. Just having a hard time waiting on 7990.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Not to worry jtom, the flickering is literally a millisecond at most and happens randomly. Not at all a deal-breaker, just a bit annoying. The flicker doesn't even cover the whole screen, just a small horizontal line across the middle for, like I said, literally a millisecond...


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I have noticed the flickering more when watching YouTube vids than anything else. Not something I can't live with but it is a little annoying...


Easy test, right click on Youtube then disable "hardware acceleration". The flickers go away?

Oh btw, it has nothing to do with Crossfire as the second card has no function other than running 3D apps such as gaming.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Anybody know if I can run my secondary monitor off my second 7970 in CF? Wondering if that would help my flickering issues as well as lowering temps on my main card....


Have you tried enabling the GPU Overscaling options in the LCD Panel Options tab in the CCC? I had flickering issues with games until I turned that option on. I think it adds progressive scanning display ability for the graphics if I'm understanding it right. Either way hope it could help.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Anybody know if I can run my secondary monitor off my second 7970 in CF? Wondering if that would help my flickering issues as well as lowering temps on my main card....
> 
> 
> 
> Have you tried enabling the GPU Overscaling options in the LCD Panel Options tab in the CCC? I had flickering issues with games until I turned that option on. I think it adds progressive scanning display ability for the graphics if I'm understanding it right. Either way hope it could help.
Click to expand...

That option is more to fill in the desktop area rather than ITC processing.

Offtopic, for those FPS freak but not allowed by HWBOT;

Virtu MVP discussion topic on our forums









*Virtu MVP*

*Uncompromised Game Response Performance*

At Lucid, we believe there shouldn't be a tradeoff between frame rates and visual quality. We think that when you click the mouse it should interact with the screen instantaneously. So we created the ultimate competitive weapon. Virtu MVP, is an optimized Lucid Virtu GPU virtualization software that makes your PC look better, respond faster, process video and media smoother, all within a low power environment.

Designed for the next generation of Intel Sandy Bridge Z68/H67/H61 and other Intel integrated graphics as well as many AMD processor-based notebooks, all in one PCs and desktop motherboards, Virtu MVP has many of the same features as the popular Virtu software, but with a twist - the addition of the optional Hyperformance™ feature for intelligent reduction of redundant rendering tasks in the flow between the CPU, GPU and display. Together with improved power management, Virtu MVP:


Boosts responsiveness to the game at any frame rate
Improves gaming frame rates 30-70%
Increases Vsync frame rates - up to 120 FPS and beyond
Sharpens visual quality without tearing
Works seamlessly with hundreds of game stations

*How Hyperformance Works*

3D games put the greatest demands on both the CPU and GPU. And as the race for higher performance on the PC and now in notebooks never ends, both CPUs and GPUs keep getting more robust. Despite this, display refresh rates have remained fairly flat over the years, 60-75 Hz, except for 3D stereo displays at 120Hz. Lucid takes advantage of this disparity and eliminates redundant rendering tasks and predicts potential synchronization issues in the graphics delivery pipeline and intelligently removes and or replaces them for better game control.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Hi guys, i flashed my 2 xfx 7970 to asus bios, desinstalled all the stuff of amd and used atiman, installed the 12.3 driver, 12.3 cap1, installed the msi afterburner 12.2 beta 15, enabled the unnoficial overclocking, but this wthats happenning



I can`t overclock it, i tried to set 1100/1500 just for example, runned the 3dmark vantage and 11 and the core clock about the two gpu`s just get to 925mhz in the core clock and 1375mhz in the memory clock.

This happenned to anyone? Can someone help me?

Sorry for the bad english.

Thanks.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Hi guys, i flashed my 2 xfx 7970 to asus bios, desinstalled all the stuff of amd and used atiman, installed the 12.3 driver, 12.3 cap1, installed the msi afterburner 12.2 beta 15, enabled the unnoficial overclocking, but this wthats happenning
> 
> 
> 
> I can`t overclock it, i tried to set 1100/1500 just for example, runned the 3dmark vantage and 11 and the core clock about the two gpu`s just get to 925mhz in the core clock and 1375mhz in the memory clock.
> 
> This happenned to anyone? Can someone help me?
> 
> Sorry for the bad english.
> 
> Thanks.


You need the patch for MSI AB I believe, floating around here somewhere, will try to find it for you.


----------



## thrgk

Right here http://www.overclock.net/attachments/3545


----------



## Acefire

Anyone know when the toxic editions of this card will be available??


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Hi guys, i flashed my 2 xfx 7970 to asus bios, desinstalled all the stuff of amd and used atiman, installed the 12.3 driver, 12.3 cap1, installed the msi afterburner 12.2 beta 15, enabled the unnoficial overclocking, but this wthats happenning
> 
> I can`t overclock it, i tried to set 1100/1500 just for example, runned the 3dmark vantage and 11 and the core clock about the two gpu`s just get to 925mhz in the core clock and 1375mhz in the memory clock.
> 
> This happenned to anyone? Can someone help me?
> 
> Sorry for the bad english.
> 
> Thanks.


If you installed drivers other than RC11, there are two dlls not included to run with third party softwares. You may ned to disable ULPS too for Crossfire to work with overclocking and run the patch to work with third party apps, found here post #1


----------



## svthomas

Had the gtx680 in the rig for the past few hours, my first impressions are very positive.


----------



## Ken1649

Hopefully with SLI surround too


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Right here http://www.overclock.net/attachments/3545


Thank you so much, you solved my problem.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you installed drivers other than RC11, there are two dlls not included to run with third party softwares. You may ned to disable ULPS too for Crossfire to work with overclocking and run the patch to work with third party apps, found here post #1


I will try this thing too, but my problem is already solved.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Hopefully with SLI surround too


Not yet, hopefully next week I will get another one.

What has really shocks me is how quiet this stock cooler is.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you installed drivers other than RC11, there are two dlls not included to run with third party softwares. You may ned to disable ULPS too for Crossfire to work with overclocking and run the patch to work with third party apps, found here post #1


Did this too, now i`m going to wait until next week, i`m going to receive all the things to make my WC, so i will do a great oc and post here some results. Thanks.


----------



## Rayleyne

Debating on waiting for the 7990 and going trifire or just grabbing another 7970 referance, sticking a waterblock on that and enjoying 7970 crossfire in eyefinity, Oh the woes of descision making


----------



## ste.ru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Ya it's the bios a member here already posted a modified one with working 3d clocks http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/8410#post_16890428


ooohhhh ty ty ty ty ty ty

i buy a wb of koolance and I'm waiting for the post office deliver it to me

but for a moment i test my vga a def frequencies



I set 1V of AB

but my limit i think is 0.956 set of After Burner


----------



## TheJesus

If anyone was wondering, EK's 7970 Lightning block will be ready in 4-5 weeks


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rayleyne*
> 
> Debating on waiting for the 7990 and going trifire or just grabbing another 7970 referance, sticking a waterblock on that and enjoying 7970 crossfire in eyefinity, Oh the woes of descision making


you cant trifire a 7990...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> you cant trifire a 7990...


Add a 7970 to it and you have tri fire.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> Good news guys! New version of trixx will support overclocking again with the latest drivers.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> To overclock the Sapphire HD 7970 OC Edition video card we are using Sapphire's overclocking utility TriXX. We do have to tell you about an issue we encountered using the latest version available at the time from the website. While TriXX detected the video card just fine, it wouldn't allow us to overclock because of an issue with ULPS. For some reason the application told us we needed to disable ULPS in the settings, and reboot else crashing and freezing would occur. Well, the setting was turned off in the settings, and we tried multiple combinations of rebooting and checking the feature on and off but nothing worked.
> We contacted Sapphire and Sapphire had to send us an updated version of TriXX, which worked flawlessly. The version they sent us is 4.3.0, which is a much higher version than what is currently available on the website, which is 4.1.0. Sapphire is in the stage of finalizing the software which will be made available to the public, no date is currently known on that release yet.
> The sliders are unlocked allowing increased range with speeds on the core up to 1850MHz, on the memory up to 2500MHz, and voltages up to 1.35 Volts.
> 
> 
> 
> source
Click to expand...

Excellent news, now add voltage control for the memory Sapphire.

Sapphire getting ready to release an (improved) overclocking tool, Sapphire being AMD's biggest partner. MSI afterburner being left out in the cold, needing patches etc.

mmm, I need my tinfoil hat.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Had the gtx680 in the rig for the past few hours, my first impressions are very positive.


So after all your headaches and telling me that a fresh install and 12.3whql worked great for you, I did the same. We both have Crossfire and Eyefinity. I have had not 1 BSOD since, but I didn't really have them before either. Now your having a bunch of issues and moved to a 680? LMAO. Other than good drivers, they suck. I've installed 2 for people so far. If your only planning on using 1 screen from now on that's fine, but if you plan on using SURROUND your going to be mad with some titles that won't even work on 3 screens. There are a quit a few games that there is no fix for surround, yet Eyefinity works perfect. ME3 for example, and more. Surround has way more microstutter then my 2 7970's do, to tell you the truth, I haven't seen any microstutter on these 7970's. I wish you good luck for sure, but if your going to get into 3 screens on those 680's, I bet your mind set will flip in 4 weeks after you spend hours and hours to get surround to work like you have spent trying to get the drivers to work on AMD. Fair trade I guess.

You will have no issues with 1 card on 1 screen with either company. If your trying to use 3 screens over 1, AMD is the way to go, as of now. I've been using surround since the 480's came out and have spent hours and hours to get that working. Once you do, a update for the game comes out on a Friday morning and Dopefish wont have a fix for about 2-3days for Widesreen Fixer, so that means you wont be playing those games on the weekends with your friends, but you will be able to play by yourself on Tuesday morning







..

Over the past year, I've set up quit a few peoples systems to use surround and eyefinity. The 7970 is by far the easiest with one card and can play a ton of titles maxed out with only 1 and it looks insane and was the smoothest ever. Surround has never been as smooth with 2, or 3 480's or 580's or any combination I've tried. It's always worked, but the stutter will get your head blown off in MW3 real quick and same in Crysis 2. I can walk all over my friends set up with 2 580's on surround now with my 7970's, as before with my 480's we were on par because of the lag. He played on my system and said the same, way smoother by far.

I'd like to hear how the surround works out for you if you go that route. So far I will not build a 3 screen setup for anyone with the 680's yet. I don't have the time to spend with them to keep it running every time there's a patch update for the games they are playing and don't want to deal with upset customers.

Good luck to you as I'm waiting to hear, but as you said, you should probably hold on to one of those 7970's until your totally satisfied.


----------



## Ken1649

Didn't want to say anything because it's gonna sound like defending AMD. The only way is for the user to find out


----------



## horror1229

Hey quick question , I have a sapphire 7950 oc edition when left at idle it locks up only when screen is set to turn off .No sleep mode or hibernation also no oc whatsoever.I am dual booting Arch linux and win7 this does not happen in linux under same circumstances . I am using catalyst 12.3 under win7 was wondering if anyone has used the 12.4 preview drivers and if they fix the problem with idle lock .

x6 1100t
16gb corsair vengence ram
sapphire hd 7950 oc
GA 990fxa ud3
120gb force gt ssd
1tb seagate 7200 hdd
corsair gs 700 psu
evga superclock
lancool pc k63


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *horror1229*
> 
> Hey quick question , I have a sapphire 7950 oc edition when left at idle it locks up only when screen is set to turn off .No sleep mode or hibernation also no oc whatsoever.I am dual booting Arch linux and win7 this does not happen in linux under same circumstances . I am using catalyst 12.3 under win7 was wondering if anyone has used the 12.4 preview drivers and if they fix the problem with idle lock .


See here *post #22* see which one is the source of the lock-up.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Didn't want to say anything because it's gonna sound like defending AMD. The only way is for the user to find out


Lol, very true


----------



## StrayderGame

Any1 know did they announce new drivers soon or somethings?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Any1 know did they announce new drivers soon or somethings?


No, but at least when they do, we know they will be awesome.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *horror1229*
> 
> Hey quick question , I have a sapphire 7950 oc edition when left at idle it locks up only when screen is set to turn off .No sleep mode or hibernation also no oc whatsoever.I am dual booting Arch linux and win7 this does not happen in linux under same circumstances . I am using catalyst 12.3 under win7 was wondering if anyone has used the 12.4 preview drivers and if they fix the problem with idle lock .
> x6 1100t
> 16gb corsair vengence ram
> sapphire hd 7950 oc
> GA 990fxa ud3
> 120gb force gt ssd
> 1tb seagate 7200 hdd
> corsair gs 700 psu
> evga superclock
> lancool pc k63


Got exactly the same problem, also 7950 oc + 12.3 drivers.
Did not happen with RC11.
Not related to overclocking thats for sure because it happens on stock values.
Link from Ken does not really help to solve this issue.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I have noticed the flickering more when watching YouTube vids than anything else. Not something I can't live with but it is a little annoying...


I have it too on youtobe, only one card here.
Its something you must live with it.
Cheers


----------



## horror1229

I have tried everything changing power settings in windows and bios , switching from dvi to hdmi ,and every combo in between . Turning off sleep and making the monitor stay on works but the monitor shutting off is what causes it . Like i said i dual boot arch linux , similar power settings ( no sleep , monitor off after 15 min ) works fine i can leave the computer on overnight and it doesnt lock up . Using propriatary amd 12.3 drivers in linux . Leads me to believe the windows driver or windows itself is at fault . Card runs great lock up bug is more of an annoyance than anything .


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Got exactly the same problem, also 7950 oc + 12.3 drivers.
> Did not happen with RC11.
> Not related to overclocking thats for sure because it happens on stock values.
> Link from Ken does not really help to solve this issue.


Damnit. MS patch Tuesday seems to have screwed up my system. I'm back to the damn wake up freeze again. Running uTorrent seems to prevent this from happening. (Qualifier, Seed only somewhat legal tors







). I just can't wait for the weekend to do the fresh install and see how things go.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *horror1229*
> 
> Hey quick question , I have a sapphire 7950 oc edition when left at idle it locks up only when screen is set to turn off .No sleep mode or hibernation also no oc whatsoever.I am dual booting Arch linux and win7 this does not happen in linux under same circumstances . I am using catalyst 12.3 under win7 was wondering if anyone has used the 12.4 preview drivers and if they fix the problem with idle lock .
> x6 1100t
> 16gb corsair vengence ram
> sapphire hd 7950 oc
> GA 990fxa ud3
> 120gb force gt ssd
> 1tb seagate 7200 hdd
> corsair gs 700 psu
> evga superclock
> lancool pc k63
> 
> 
> 
> Got exactly the same problem, also 7950 oc + 12.3 drivers.
> Did not happen with RC11.
> Not related to overclocking thats for sure because it happens on stock values.
> Link from Ken does not really help to solve this issue.
Click to expand...

That's to help identify or where to look not to solve it. AMD tech support is supposed to solve your issue


----------



## incurablegeek

*Please help Forest Gump*

Per my post post #8742 in this group, I am *still* seeking your advice and wisdom. Since I am something of a NetRat, I have literally Googled the world only to find more and more contradictory information. The latest would be
Quote:


> Tom's Hardware reports that AMD's *HD 7000 cards may present worse image quality* than their predecessors to increase overall performance.


http://videocardz.com/31806/amds-hd-7000-series-trade-image-quality-for-performance

Briefly, what I am looking for with my two (2) 28 inch monitors (see attached link) is *clarity*. I would assume, perhaps wrongly, that the more memory the card has the more facile it would be at rendering picture quality across two large monitors.

*Your Suggestions Please*


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incurablegeek*
> 
> *Please help Forest Gump*
> 
> Per my post post #8742 in this group, I am *still* seeking your advice and wisdom. Since I am something of a NetRat, I have literally Googled the world only to find more and more contradictory information. The latest would be
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Tom's Hardware reports that AMD's *HD 7000 cards may present worse image quality* than their predecessors to increase overall performance.
> 
> 
> 
> http://videocardz.com/31806/amds-hd-7000-series-trade-image-quality-for-performance
> Briefly, what I am looking for with my two (2) 28 inch monitors (see attached link) is *clarity*. I would assume, perhaps wrongly, that the more memory the card has the more facile it would be at rendering picture quality across two large monitors.
> *Your Suggestions Please*
Click to expand...

It's being fixed in drivers and represents a .5 FPS performance decreaase. 12.4 specifically.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> It's being fixed in drivers and represents a .5 FPS performance decreaase. 12.4 specifically.


If I look at this link, AMD is saying they have it fixed in 12.4 WITHOUT performance decrease...








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> AMD tech support is supposed to solve your issue


Yeah right !


----------



## incurablegeek

Thanks guys, that's very helpful response with regard to
Quote:


> HD 7000 cards may present worse image quality


But returning to my real concern, for *Image Clarity* on both 28 inch monitors, is there a better choice than these gaming cards?

(I know it's an unfair question, since video card reviews and opinions are wonderfully subjective.)


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incurablegeek*
> 
> Thanks guys, that's very helpful response with regard to
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> HD 7000 cards may present worse image quality
> 
> 
> 
> But returning to my real concern, for *Image Clarity* on both 28 inch monitors, is there a better choice than these gaming cards?
> (I know it's an unfair question, since video card reviews and opinions are wonderfully subjective.)
Click to expand...

Most 28" monitor's I've seen are 1080p, so the image quality sucks already before you get to a GPU. If you are looking at 1440p or 1600p then it's either or. Both AMD and Nvidia will be fine with mature drivers.


----------



## Jarenrune

nvm


----------



## Norlig

now I am also getting the infamous computer locks after keeping my system idle for X amount of time that I read about 1000 posts back.

Any fix to this? on 12.4 preview driver.


----------



## CyberDeath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> Good news guys! New version of trixx will support overclocking again with the latest drivers.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> To overclock the Sapphire HD 7970 OC Edition video card we are using Sapphire's overclocking utility TriXX. We do have to tell you about an issue we encountered using the latest version available at the time from the website. While TriXX detected the video card just fine, it wouldn't allow us to overclock because of an issue with ULPS. For some reason the application told us we needed to disable ULPS in the settings, and reboot else crashing and freezing would occur. Well, the setting was turned off in the settings, and we tried multiple combinations of rebooting and checking the feature on and off but nothing worked.
> We contacted Sapphire and Sapphire had to send us an updated version of TriXX, which worked flawlessly. The version they sent us is 4.3.0, which is a much higher version than what is currently available on the website, which is 4.1.0. Sapphire is in the stage of finalizing the software which will be made available to the public, no date is currently known on that release yet.
> The sliders are unlocked allowing increased range with speeds on the core up to 1850MHz, on the memory up to 2500MHz, and voltages up to 1.35 Volts.
> 
> 
> 
> source
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Excellent news, now add voltage control for the memory Sapphire.
> 
> Sapphire getting ready to release an (improved) overclocking tool, Sapphire being AMD's biggest partner. MSI afterburner being left out in the cold, needing patches etc.
> 
> mmm, I need my tinfoil hat.
Click to expand...

No memory overvoltage. Still worthless soft.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> now I am also getting the infamous computer locks after keeping my system idle for X amount of time that I read about 1000 posts back.
> Any fix to this? on 12.4 preview driver.


I havent run into this one yet but I'm sure its coming...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> now I am also getting the infamous computer locks after keeping my system idle for X amount of time that I read about 1000 posts back.
> Any fix to this? on 12.4 preview driver.


Yeah, use 12.3whql


----------



## jackrabb1t

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yeah, use 12.3whql


I get the same problem and I'm using 12.3.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yeah, use 12.3whql


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jackrabb1t*
> 
> I get the same problem and I'm using 12.3.


----------



## sena

Jarenrune
For bench you safe with even 1.3V.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> now I am also getting the infamous computer locks after keeping my system idle for X amount of time that I read about 1000 posts back.
> Any fix to this? on 12.4 preview driver.


I dont have this problem, but i am on 12.3 drivers.
Is this problem related to 12.4 or all drivers?


----------



## Hambone07si

You having a problem when you try to turn you monitors back on from being off right?

1. They are Lcd's and they don't burn, leave them on.
2. Don't have them shut off and use the power button on the Lcd.
3. Shut down your pc if your not using it.

Easy fix to me.

If that's not what your talking about, just a lock up at any point for no reason while at idle, I've never had that. If you guys are building new systems with SB chips, you may be having lockup issues because your C states aren't correct in your bios for your overclock. My pc sits at idle for hours and not a issue and any of the drivers for that.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> now I am also getting the infamous computer locks after keeping my system idle for X amount of time that I read about 1000 posts back.
> 
> Any fix to this? on 12.4 preview driver.


I also get this and then when I play a game of BF3 my second card usage percentage is about half of the first one and have to reboot to get both cards to run right, it a small niggle that I can live with, but I just wish AMD would get their finger out and make at least one solid driver for these cards.

Had HD5850 CF before thisand had very little driver problems in two years.(before the HD5850 CF I used Nvidia since the GF 2 and every gen up to GTX 8800 sli)


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You having a problem when you try to turn you monitors back on from being off right?
> 1. They are Lcd's and they don't burn, leave them on.
> 2. Don't have them shut off and use the power button on the Lcd.
> 3. Shut down your pc if your not using it.
> Easy fix to me.
> If that's not what your talking about, just a lock up at any point for no reason while at idle, I've never had that. If you guys are building new systems with SB chips, you may be having lockup issues because your C states aren't correct in your bios for your overclock. My pc sits at idle for hours and not a issue and any of the drivers for that.


Yep, this problem exactly.
It goes to standby in 20 minutes, if I do not turn it on by myself.
When I turn the screen on, or move the mouse (standby) the screen goes black, part of the desktop appears, goes black, other part of the desktop appears first part gone, goes in a continious loop. resolved by forced restarting.

Will do your fix









The screen flashing also happened after starting a Flash video in Steam while ingame on Batman Arkham City. had to force restart then as well.


----------



## John-117

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jackrabb1t*
> 
> I get the same problem and I'm using 12.3.


Me too, but only when I have the card overclocked. I'm using 12.3 WHQL.
I hope it will be fixed with 12.4 as it must be a driver issue.
I have never crashed at my overclocked settings during a game (1200MHz @ 1.175v).


----------



## incurablegeek

Thanks, Hambone07si, for urinating all over my monitor without giving any constructive suggestions. Sure as hell appreciate your blunt-force, though highly ambiguous, honestly.
Quote:


> Most 28" monitor's I've seen are 1080p, so the image quality sucks already before you get to a GPU. If you are looking at 1440p or 1600p then it's either or. Both AMD and Nvidia will be fine with mature drivers.


----------



## Hambone07si

You asked what card to get for a 28" monitor. The only 28" I know of was the HannsG or something like that and it was 1080p. There's no quality in pixels the size of 1/4" x 1/4". I didn't know if you had some 28" 1440 or 1600 that I haven't heard of. Not trying to bash your monitors, I was just saying that either card would work fine with mature drivers. Right now AMD doesn't have that great of drivers, but have great cards. Nividia has good drivers on a soso card (imho).. If your Res is 1080p, both will work.

Sorry bud but not many people would ask about quality on that monitor. It's 28" and 1080p. It's hard to make it look "Quality" with any card. Even using 64xAA if you had 4 gpus to do it with. I was stating the obvious since you had to ask your question twice. You wanted a answer and I was nice enough to give you one on what you wanted one on


----------



## Ken1649

Is there a special glasses that I could wear to make the display look super nice? That's what I want to know.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Is there a special glasses that I could wear to make the display look super nice? That's what I want to know.


I only have 2 pairs but they cost $3000 so you probably don't want to buy one


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Is there a special glasses that I could wear to make the display look super nice? That's what I want to know.
> 
> 
> 
> I only have 2 pairs but they cost $3000 so you probably don't want to buy one
Click to expand...

I don't care how much they cost as long as "plug and play" because of this recent driversphobia


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I don't care how much they cost as long as "plug and play" because of this recent _driversphobia _


They look like this, if you like them, just send it to my paypal and I'll ship them asap


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Not sure where this elitist notion that 1080p is too low res for 27-28" monitors? I've got two 27" 1080p monitors and they both look great (especially my 950D). Hardly 1/4" pixels...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CyberDeath*
> 
> No memory overvoltage. Still worthless soft.


yeah lol, worthless soft with alot of worthless things that do exactly what you tell it to do without any hassle and without doing 15 other things including editing the registry...
Amazing they still make worthless software like that, isnt it?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Not sure where this elitist notion that 1080p is too low res for 27-28" monitors? I've got two 27" 1080p monitors and they both look great (especially my 950D). Hardly 1/4" pixels...


Nothing elitist about it, all comes down to what you are used to and what is important for you. If you are happy with it, thats good. Some others are not it seems, also fine


----------



## Ken1649

That's constructive. Now the 28" definitely will look super nice. You are a genius


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Not sure where this elitist notion that 1080p is too low res for 27-28" monitors? I've got two 27" 1080p monitors and they both look great (especially my 950D). Hardly 1/4" pixels...


You're reaching into a low PPI that is very noticeable if you sit within two feet of your monitor(s). If you replaced those monitors with 2560x1440 resolution 27" panels, you'd be blown away.

No one is being elitist, just scientifically justified


----------



## Hambone07si

I was only stating that you can't make a monitor like that look more quality. You took the quality away when you bought it over a 1440p screen at such a size. No AA can help that, and any of last years cards will play that res at max settings. If someone asked about making their quality 30" 1600p screen look better, then there would be a reason for some real answers.

It's not like I'm saying they are made crappy and the quality sucks, you just can't make that panel look any sharper with anything, I had a HP 27" for 2 months and just about gave it away because no matter what AA you use, you will always have jagged lines.


----------



## jtom320

IMHO I would only get a 27+ inch moniter if it was 1440p + but a lot of people don't care or notice. I'm a graphics whore though and am more concerned with IQ then anything else. Hence the reason I chose a laggy but pretty IPS display over 120hz.

Different strokes/different folks. Some people swear by 120hz and that's awesome for them.

Criticizing someone for it though is stupid.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'll always go with a faster monitor over hi res. No point in pushing 100+ fps on 60hz. I just think it is absurd to say that 1080p looks like crap at 27". It just doesnt...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'll always go with a faster monitor over hi res. No point in pushing 100+ fps on 60hz. I just think it is absurd to say that 1080p looks like crap at 27". It just doesnt...


You will not push 100fps+ with 1440P unless you got like 3 cards.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

The point is, I want to push over 100fps so why would I ever want a 1440p monitor which could only ever display 60fps no matter how many cards I buy?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> The point is, I want to push over 100fps so why would I ever want a 1440p monitor which could only ever display 60fps no matter how many cards I buy?


You obviously haven't seen the Catleap 2B models


----------



## m3t4lh34d

<---


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> The point is, I want to push over 100fps so why would I ever want a 1440p monitor which could only ever display 60fps no matter how many cards I buy?


Like I said just different priorities. As long as I get 60FPS I'm good. I'd rather the higher res. I can totally see your POV though. Especially if you are into competitive gaming or something of that nature or just like the fludidity.

For me though big huge IPS display is where it's at.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> <---


You have that system running on a TX850









I heard the HD 7970 can pull 300watts alone when overclocked and you have 3 of them.


----------



## incurablegeek

Quote:


> They look like this, if you like them, just send it to my paypal and I'll ship them asap


Someone has photographed you quite well.

Now if you could just recommend a camera with that resolution, all shall be forgiven.


----------



## zpaf

Cant believe but its playable.


----------



## Ottesen

Daim now i'm getting the damn "video hardware error" again, bsod 117. Problems with these cards are just idiotic, shouldn't be like that. All-in-all i think i have used more time trying to get them running correctly than playing...


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Daim now i'm getting the damn "video hardware error" again, bsod 117. Problems with these cards are just idiotic, shouldn't be like that. All-in-all i think i have used more time trying to get them running correctly than playing...


I don't think the 750W PSU cuts it for the the OC 7950's. The power draw is significant and you could be running into voltage stability issues with higher ripple at that point. Maybe a 1000W PSU would help.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> I don't think the 750W PSU cuts it for the the OC 7950's. The power draw is significant and you could be running into voltage stability issues with higher ripple at that point. Maybe a 1000W PSU would help.


No, 750w is more than enought, trust me i've checked everything. Was working on this crap weeks... sat like 12-20 days in a row testing every combo.

With my cpu running at 4,7ghz and 1,4 both cards running at 1100/1700mhz at 1150mv, and running 3dmark11 while prime in the background i didn't even hit 600w from the wall... With only cpu overclocked and stock cards i'm even having trouble using 500w...

BUT, my psu is old tho, have to say that. First got the problems when i got 1155 mobo and the 2500k, had some strange issues from day one. Like if i set my overclock in the bios and everything seems fine i can't go back in the bios without problems again. If i even change a random thing like not having the startup pic/screen it starts to mess like hell... But the problems come so randomly, worked like 60 hours just to get a somewhat working rig... So ye, i won't say its not the psu, but i don't think so. At least if it was the psu then the problems would accure when i do 3dmarks or play, but its completely random...


----------



## 125837

So I've started overclocking this card. CPU is currently at stock, I'm going to revisit clocks when I install my H100 (sometime next week). When I do that I'll also be moving my Silverstone AP141 into the 5.25 bays so it blows straight across the card and the exhaust fan will suck that air out the back. Hopefully that will improve temps somewhat.

Anyway, I run the fan at 100% because I can barely hear it with my headphones on, and never when I'm playing sound through them. It doesn't bother me as background noise. At stock, after hours of BF3, I get 59C load, with 45-50C on the VRMs and Memory.

Because of these, I set the voltage straight to 1200 (1650mem) and then clocked it to 1200/1600 to start with. I've yet to try it in games, but here is my Heaven run with temps. I'm sure I can go higher with that kind of voltage, but this was just a basic overclock while I waited for something to download







I'll be testing properly later on. Looking good though!


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> No, 750w is more than enought, trust me i've checked everything. Was working on this crap weeks... sat like 12-20 days in a row testing every combo.
> With my cpu running at 4,7ghz and 1,4 both cards running at 1100/1700mhz at 1150mv, and running 3dmark11 while prime in the background i didn't even hit 600w from the wall... With only cpu overclocked and stock cards i'm even having trouble using 500w...
> BUT, my psu is old tho, have to say that. First got the problems when i got 1155 mobo and the 2500k, had some strange issues from day one. Like if i set my overclock in the bios and everything seems fine i can't go back in the bios without problems again. If i even change a random thing like not having the startup pic/screen it starts to mess like hell... But the problems come so randomly, worked like 60 hours just to get a somewhat working rig... So ye, i won't say its not the psu, but i don't think so. At least if it was the psu then the problems would accure when i do 3dmarks or play, but its completely random...


Talking from a bit more technical point of view here. The random issues may actually be not so random. Since the PSU is old, you may actually be having PD issues on some of the insulation of the components. The PD could be causing spikes on different voltage rails and such, causing the random instability. The problem with PD is that, it appears to be completely random but will get worse over time until one fine day... bzz... pzzz... dead PSU. In my line of work I do deal with it, but on a much higher scale. The fact is, PC PSU's basically being rectifiers, they are still subject to same electrical stresses over time. I bought 1200W even though I know I would barely touch 800W simply because the components are designed to handle the higher stresses. Keeping them on, but not stressed highly extends the useful life. Since you've had problems since you got the mobo, could it be the mobo? If you could eliminate the variables by isolating each and every one (if you could borrow a bigger PSU maybe you could test and see if it's the PSU). you should be able to get to the problem. But with ASUS Sabertooth, it being the mobo is really doubtful.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> So I've started overclocking this card. CPU is currently at stock, I'm going to revisit clocks when I install my H100 (sometime next week). When I do that I'll also be moving my Silverstone AP141 into the 5.25 bays so it blows straight across the card and the exhaust fan will suck that air out the back. Hopefully that will improve temps somewhat.
> Anyway, I run the fan at 100% because I can barely hear it with my headphones on, and never when I'm playing sound through them. It doesn't bother me as background noise. At stock, after hours of BF3, I get 59C load, with 45-50C on the VRMs and Memory.
> Because of these, I set the voltage straight to 1200 (1650mem) and then clocked it to 1200/1600 to start with. I've yet to try it in games, but here is my Heaven run with temps. I'm sure I can go higher with that kind of voltage, but this was just a basic overclock while I waited for something to download
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be testing properly later on. Looking good though!


nice what drivers are you running?

When I first saw your Unigine score I was like what! so high for one card... then I realized you did't have tessellation on... You gotta enable tessellation on









also I love my H100 ... but you can do better than the stock fans they provide... I just used their TIM and it worked great on my i920 @4.4 it's rarely sees 70c on loads and idols in 40s ... lastly you can plug the fans into your mobo or I did into my fan controller ... this way you can adjust as needed - gl


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> So I've started overclocking this card. CPU is currently at stock, I'm going to revisit clocks when I install my H100 (sometime next week). When I do that I'll also be moving my Silverstone AP141 into the 5.25 bays so it blows straight across the card and the exhaust fan will suck that air out the back. Hopefully that will improve temps somewhat.
> Anyway, I run the fan at 100% because I can barely hear it with my headphones on, and never when I'm playing sound through them. It doesn't bother me as background noise. At stock, after hours of BF3, I get 59C load, with 45-50C on the VRMs and Memory.
> Because of these, I set the voltage straight to 1200 (1650mem) and then clocked it to 1200/1600 to start with. I've yet to try it in games, but here is my Heaven run with temps. I'm sure I can go higher with that kind of voltage, but this was just a basic overclock while I waited for something to download
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be testing properly later on. Looking good though!


Thats a good OC. I need 1.225v for 1.2Ghz. I am even in Water with MAX Temp @ 50C.


----------



## wirefox

So I found two things about my current set up .. that helped with crashes .. I'm on rc11 + 12.2 caps, disable ulps, AB unoffical overclock @ 1200 |1625

first I loosened up my physical RAM timings ... while the system was stable .. it just seemed to help stop crashes ... went from 7-7-7- 21 to 8-8-8-24 -2n

And I rolled back to AB 14

Also switched my monitor connection from DVI-D to This display port cable

so far no hangs or freezed on BF3 -- but I guess it's a lot of variables too


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> nice what drivers are you running?
> When I first saw your Unigine score I was like what! so high for one card... then I realized you did't have tessellation on... You gotta enable tessellation on
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also I love my H100 ... but you can do better than the stock fans they provide... I just used their TIM and it worked great on my i920 @4.4 it's rarely sees 70c on loads and idols in 40s ... lastly you can plug the fans into your mobo or I did into my fan controller ... this way you can adjust as needed - gl


I am on 12.3, straight onto a fresh Windows install, no RC11, with latest CAP. It's so far run BF3, Skyrim, and MW3 just fine with no overclock. Hopefully I won't see the issues others have had with unofficial OCing on 12.3. I realised I didn't have tesselation on after I did the test, but it doesn't matter as long as I use the same settings for every test, so I can see when performance starts to take a hit. Once I've found my final OC I'll do a run with normal tesselation so you can see the proper score









With the H100, I've bought two 3kRPM Scythe GT's for it, and I'll be setting it up in the top of my case, so the GT's push and the stock 200mm exhaust pulls. I already have a D14, so I don't expect to see much of a change in temps - I got the H100 because of space and aesthetics. The D14 is such a pain to work with and I've just got sick of having to remove it every time I want to do the slightest thing, like reseating my RAM.

I'm not bothered by noise so I'll probably just leave the fans running at max all the time. I tried using a custom profile on my Lightning but it was leaping between 20 and 100 every few seconds so I just leave it at 100 now. Card didn't want to play nice








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Thats a good OC. I need 1.225v for 1.2Ghz. I am even in Water with MAX Temp @ 50C.


Wow, goodoh then! I'll likely be overvolting further, VRMs are so cool! I'll try to keep my core under 80C though. Keep in mind I don't know if it's game stable just yet - I'll be running BF3 later in the day, too busy right now


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Talking from a bit more technical point of view here. The random issues may actually be not so random. Since the PSU is old, you may actually be having PD issues on some of the insulation of the components. The PD could be causing spikes on different voltage rails and such, causing the random instability. The problem with PD is that, it appears to be completely random but will get worse over time until one fine day... bzz... pzzz... dead PSU. In my line of work I do deal with it, but on a much higher scale. The fact is, PC PSU's basically being rectifiers, they are still subject to same electrical stresses over time. I bought 1200W even though I know I would barely touch 800W simply because the components are designed to handle the higher stresses. Keeping them on, but not stressed highly extends the useful life. Since you've had problems since you got the mobo, could it be the mobo? If you could eliminate the variables by isolating each and every one (if you could borrow a bigger PSU maybe you could test and see if it's the PSU). you should be able to get to the problem. But with ASUS Sabertooth, it being the mobo is really doubtful.


Ye i had kinda the same problems with my first 1155 mobo, bought a gigabyte one that was just buggy as hell, but that could also be because of the psu. Now everything is new, new gpu's, new ram and so on... BUT, either way i just ordered a new Corsair hx1050w silver one, 300 dollars up here. :S Worst case scenario then i'll ship it back since they have a 45 day "open buy", dunno what you guys call that tho









I actually have a mate with the same mobo, and kinda the same problems. A bit to random ? Dunno...


----------



## Ruined

Could PSU cause random spikes in amps at high overclocks? Cause while watching GPU-Z the other day I noticed some strange spikes, while under load jumping from around 165A-160A constant to 185A-190A randomly.


----------



## Bama12

"It sounds like your drivers are set to auto update. Check to see which driver version you are on now. As for the overclocking problems, the newest drivers removed files necessary for clock control. You can add them back in here."

Thank you very much TSM106. The AMD catalyst update patch worked perfectly, and put my 7970 back into top form. Totally relieved!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> So I found two things about my current set up .. that helped with crashes .. I'm on rc11 + 12.2 caps, disable ulps, AB unoffical overclock @ 1200 |1625
> first I loosened up my physical RAM timings ... while the system was stable .. it just seemed to help stop crashes ... went from 7-7-7- 21 to 8-8-8-24 -2n
> And I rolled back to AB 14
> Also switched my monitor connection from DVI-D to This display port cable
> so far no hangs or freezed on BF3 -- but I guess it's a lot of variables too


That's the exact DP cable I bought for my 950D...


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Ye i had kinda the same problems with my first 1155 mobo, bought a gigabyte one that was just buggy as hell, but that could also be because of the psu. Now everything is new, new gpu's, new ram and so on... BUT, either way i just ordered a new Corsair hx1050w silver one, 300 dollars up here. :S Worst case scenario then i'll ship it back since they have a 45 day "open buy", dunno what you guys call that tho
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I actually have a mate with the same mobo, and kinda the same problems. A bit to random ? Dunno...


I wish I had the consumer protection EU and the US enjoys. When we buy things here "Goods sold are not returnable or exchangeable". You buy it, you own it. Gotta really think before we buy anything. RMA is fine, no warranty issues as that's from the manufacturer. However, for items with more than 1 year manufacturers warranty, there's a handling fee of about $10 (US) for processing. I recently RMA's my old Logi G500, had to pay the fee, but of course since it's Logi, they gave me a brand new G500. I do wish we had the consumer protection US and EU enjoys though. Could've swapped my 7970 for a 680. I'm so thoroughly pissed with AMD and the drivers crashes right now. Have programmes running just to stop Zero Core from activating.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> I wish I the consumer protection EU and the US enjoys. When we buy things here "Goods sold are not returnable or exchangeable". You buy it, you own it. Gotta really think before we buy anything. RMA is fine, no warranty issues as that's from the manufacturer. However, for items with more than 1 year manufacturers warranty, there's a handling fee of about $10 (US) for processing. I recently RMA's my old Logi G500, had to pay the fee, but of course since it's Logi, they gave me a brand new G500. I do wish we had the consumer protection US and EU enjoys though. Could've swapped my 7970 for a 680. I'm so thoroughly pissed with AMD and the drivers crashes right now. Have programmes running just to stop Zero Core from activating.


Ye, we are lucky with that. Where i buy computer stuff isn't the cheapest place tho, but the upside is that its great service and warranty. Been thinking a bit on changing my 7950's for 680's, but i've had them to long now and need to sell them, which i will lose money on, so i'll stick with em i guess. Downside of living where i live is price on stuff, my two 7950 are 1400 dollars


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Could PSU cause random spikes in amps at high overclocks? Cause while watching GPU-Z the other day I noticed some strange spikes, while under load jumping from around 165A-160A constant to 185A-190A randomly.


Ampere jumps are normal, sudden demand from the load is non-issue. You need to be worried about the voltage though, minimal ripple in voltage is always what we want, which is where the Corsair PSU's excel. I got the CM cost it was significantly cheaper than the AX1200 where I live. But the AX1200 price just dropped to about $10 more than CM a week ago and I'm kicking myself for getting the CM now, but a Gold certified PSU, is still gold certified so they're still good. Sorry, sidetracking there. Watch your volts. If you're seeing drops in the volts, you'll be seeing spikes in the amps as well, that means the load's constant and you're having voltage regulation issues. It could be some the diodes in your PSU rectifies are having problems. If you anything where you can observe the actually PSU output DC waveform (ie. oscilloscope) it would be quite easy to diagnose the problem.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Ampere jumps are normal, sudden demand from the load is non-issue. You need to be worried about the voltage though, minimal ripple in voltage is always what we want, which is where the Corsair PSU's excel. I got the CM cost it was significantly cheaper than the AX1200 where I live. But the AX1200 price just dropped to about $10 more than CM a week ago and I'm kicking myself for getting the CM now, but a Gold certified PSU, is still gold certified so they're still good. Sorry, sidetracking there. Watch your volts. If you're seeing drops in the volts, you'll be seeing spikes in the amps as well, that means the load's constant and you're having voltage regulation issues. It could be some the diodes in your PSU rectifies are having problems. If you anything where you can observe the actually PSU output DC waveform (ie. oscilloscope) it would be quite easy to diagnose the problem.


Well I think I know why I can longer find my PSU on the egg. Watching voltages for both my cpu and gpu, both hold steady fine for about 30 secs and then start dropping volts, getting a a drop of .2v on gpu, and .35v on cpu after 30 secs of load, causing amps to go way up...







. Luckily next week I'm ordering my first water cooled set up/plus some other things


----------



## 125837

Has anyone else experienced an issue with Skyrim (on 12.3 drivers + CAP) where it won't launch past the launcher unless you verify cache? I can live with it, but I want to know if it's just me or if it's the drivers. Happens stock or overclocked, modded or unmodded (I only use the STEP graphics mods anyway)


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Has anyone else experienced an issue with Skyrim (on 12.3 drivers + CAP) where it won't launch past the launcher unless you verify cache? I can live with it, but I want to know if it's just me or if it's the drivers. Happens stock or overclocked, modded or unmodded (I only use the STEP graphics mods anyway)


did you try to reset your video settings prior to game load ?

maybe post here too: http://www.overclock.net/t/887299/official-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-information-and-discussion-thread


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> did you try to reset your video settings prior to game load ?
> maybe post here too: http://www.overclock.net/t/887299/official-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-information-and-discussion-thread


No, the first time I checked to make sure they were all on Ultra, and they were, subsequently I haven't. I copied my saves across from my last install, however it did it before that too.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> You have that system running on a TX850
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I heard the HD 7970 can pull 300watts alone when overclocked and you have 3 of them.


Yeah I ran 3 6970s on it for a year before switching to the 3 7970s. But I've since upgraded to a CoolerMaster Silent Pro Gold 1200W PSU, just to be safe since I plan on going Quad SLI 680s, which suck about 50W less juice than 7970s. But yeah 7970s CAN suck juice but only in furmark and vantage on select benches. In actual gaming runs, most people with similar rigs to mine usually see between 900-1kw from the wall, which is within the margin of an 850W psu (if it's halfway decent). Once I upgraded to the 3930k, I decided to just go ahead and pick up the 1200W. I need to update my sig, as I've also been through 2 other motherboards since. A Gigabyte X79 UD3 board, and now an Asus Rampage IV Formula


----------



## wirefox

are you just lagging at the opening screen? or actually crashing? I had trouble when I updated drivers on my old 5970 and had some mods...

try to load an older saved game (if you can get to the menu) versus your last one.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> are you just lagging at the opening screen? or actually crashing? I had trouble when I updated drivers on my old 5970 and had some mods...
> try to load an older saved game (if you can get to the menu) versus your last one.


I hit "play", and it opens the window and immediately closes. So I have a fullscreen black screen for a split second, then the game is gone. This happened yesterday as well, when I was practically on a fresh install and had no Skyrim mods installed.

Also, turns out my GPU needed a little more juice. I was playing DNF (I know, there are still a few achievements I need) and it ran fine for about 20 mins then locked up, so I gave the core 1250 and the mem 1700, temps are only slightly higher, and I was able to play without crashing. The real test is BF3 but I'm content that the clocks are fine. I'm going to push it further right now.

EDIT: Driver crash in Heaven at 1300 with 1250mv. I have to reboot so the driver is fresh again, just waiting on some downloads then I'll try 1250.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Got exactly the same problem, also 7950 oc + 12.3 drivers.
> Did not happen with RC11.
> Not related to overclocking thats for sure because it happens on stock values.
> Link from Ken does not really help to solve this issue.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Damnit. MS patch Tuesday seems to have screwed up my system. I'm back to the damn wake up freeze again. Running uTorrent seems to prevent this from happening. (Qualifier, Seed only somewhat legal tors
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). I just can't wait for the weekend to do the fresh install and see how things go.
Click to expand...

I've installed the latest MS' updates, I tried sleep/shut the monitor, nothing gives me lock-up/freeze. Just one time I got it when I was watching a Flash Video on IE9, while still it hasn't happened on Firefox. Flash Hardware acceleration ON. I hear it's a driver's issue which AMD should had already solved. Also, I don't see any kind of flickering on YouTube... I'm saying that 'cause one guy reported the same with just one card... Anyway...

Any news about the Trixx utility? I really want to get rid of Afterburner. I had conflicts too, and still sometimes it keeps the increased core-clocks while reverts voltage to default while I'm gaming and I get instant driver's crash..

By the way, I use 12.3 drivers and I am on a clean Windows Installation.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Well I think I know why I can longer find my PSU on the egg. Watching voltages for both my cpu and gpu, both hold steady fine for about 30 secs and then start dropping volts, getting a a drop of .2v on gpu, and .35v on cpu after 30 secs of load, causing amps to go way up...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Luckily next week I'm ordering my first water cooled set up/plus some other things


Get a Corsair AX, they definitely seem perform better than the rest.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> I've installed the latest MS' updates, I tried sleep/shut the monitor, nothing gives me lock-up/freeze. Just one time I got it when I was watching a Flash Video on IE9, while still it hasn't happened on Firefox. Flash Hardware acceleration ON. I hear it's a driver's issue which AMD should had already solved. Also, I don't see any kind of flickering on YouTube... I'm saying that 'cause one guy reported the same with just one card... Anyway...
> Any news about the Trixx utility? I really want to get rid of Afterburner. I had conflicts too, and still sometimes it keeps the increased core-clocks while reverts voltage to default while I'm gaming and I get instant driver's crash..
> By the way, I use 12.3 drivers and I am on a clean Windows Installation.


By implication, I guess disabling Flash hardware acceleration should solve my problem for now as well?


----------



## Sparda1990

hello, i have just bought my Sapphire HD 7970 . i went then to ATI.com and made the AUTO-DETECT updater which recommended for me this version ( AMD Catalyst 12.3 ) and driver version 8.950.0.0 . and when i try to update it said its up to date . Can anyone explain me how you guys get your drivers ? where do i look for them ? or should i just stick with this since its official ? any advise would be appreciated .


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> hello, i have just bought my Sapphire HD 7970 . i went then to ATI.com and made the AUTO-DETECT updater which recommended for me this version ( AMD Catalyst 12.3 ) and driver version 8.950.0.0 . and when i try to update it said its up to date . Can anyone explain me how you guys get your drivers ? where do i look for them ? or should i just stick with this since its official ? any advise would be appreciated .


.

Welcome to OCN. Just read a few pages back and you'll get the answers. 12.3 aren't the most stable drivers.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> I'm so thoroughly pissed with AMD and the drivers crashes right now. Have programmes running just to stop Zero Core from activating.


ZeroCore Power State has nothing to do with program running or not and has nothing to do with PC sleep/hibernate. That's certain criteria must be met for ZeroCore to function.

Internet is a dangerous place too for opinions turned to facts.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> ZeroCore Power State has nothing to do with program running or not and has nothing to do with PC sleep/hibernate. That's certain criteria must be met for ZeroCore to function.
> 
> Internet is a dangerous place too for opinions turned to facts.


The problem only seems to appear after long idle periods. I tried having GPU-Z running with logging on to monitor GPU speed and it maintains the 300 MHz clock and has no problem waking from idle. It's definitely the drivers in this case since previous drivers were nowhere near as bad as 12.3 in terms of stability.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> nice what drivers are you running?
> When I first saw your Unigine score I was like what! so high for one card... then I realized you did't have tessellation on... You gotta enable tessellation on
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also I love my H100 ... but you can do better than the stock fans they provide... I just used their TIM and it worked great on my i920 @4.4 it's rarely sees 70c on loads and idols in 40s ... lastly you can plug the fans into your mobo or I did into my fan controller ... this way you can adjust as needed - gl
> 
> 
> 
> I am on 12.3, straight onto a fresh Windows install, no RC11, with latest CAP. It's so far run BF3, Skyrim, and MW3 just fine with no overclock. Hopefully I won't see the issues others have had with unofficial OCing on 12.3. I realised I didn't have tesselation on after I did the test, but it doesn't matter as long as I use the same settings for every test, so I can see when performance starts to take a hit. Once I've found my final OC I'll do a run with normal tesselation so you can see the proper score
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the H100, I've bought two 3kRPM Scythe GT's for it, and I'll be setting it up in the top of my case, so the GT's push and the stock 200mm exhaust pulls. I already have a D14, so I don't expect to see much of a change in temps - I got the H100 because of space and aesthetics. The D14 is such a pain to work with and I've just got sick of having to remove it every time I want to do the slightest thing, like reseating my RAM.
> 
> I'm not bothered by noise so I'll probably just leave the fans running at max all the time. I tried using a custom profile on my Lightning but it was leaping between 20 and 100 every few seconds so I just leave it at 100 now. Card didn't want to play nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Thats a good OC. I need 1.225v for 1.2Ghz. I am even in Water with MAX Temp @ 50C.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, goodoh then! I'll likely be overvolting further, VRMs are so cool! I'll try to keep my core under 80C though. Keep in mind I don't know if it's game stable just yet - I'll be running BF3 later in the day, too busy right now
Click to expand...

I suggest you to run Crysis 2 with DX11, and Crysis Warhead, i was passing BF3, but crashed in Crysis 2 DX 11, and i was even passing Crysis 2 and then i crashed in Crysis Warhead.


----------



## 125837

I don't have or play crusis anyring so it doesnt matyer. im drunk and on mu phkne sorry


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I don't have or play crusis anyring so it doesnt matyer. im drunk and on mu phkne sorry


Hehe, but my sugestion when you are cool, to at least test Crysis Warhead, because if you are not full stable it will crush on some occasion. These GPUs are weird.


----------



## ste.ru

*LUCID VIRTU MVP OFF 7970/HD INTEL*










*LUCID VIRTU MVP ON 7970/HD INTEL*










all test are make at 0.956V and 925Mhz


----------



## Sparda1990

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> .
> Welcome to OCN. Just read a few pages back and you'll get the answers. 12.3 aren't the most stable drivers.


i did read some of the previous posts but couldn't find what is the the most proper driver until now . so based on the majority in this thread what is the most best stable driver based on results for the HD 7970 right now ?

also i am just wondering why when i want to update my driver version 8.950.0.0 the program says its up to date ??? .


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I don't have or play crusis anyring so it doesnt matyer. im drunk and on mu phkne sorry


LMAO, wish I was drunk







but it's only 7:45am and I just got to work


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> i did read some of the previous posts but couldn't find what is the the most proper driver until now . so based on the majority in this thread what is the most best stable driver based on results for the HD 7970 right now ?
> also i am just wondering why when i want to update my driver version 8.950.0.0 the program says its up to date ??? .


I am at 12.3, dont have any severe issues.
Also RC11 is preety stable. I used it for month.


----------



## Hambone07si

Just ordered my 2nd water block. Will be in tomorrow. Finally peace and quiet. Time to push theses beasts to their limit


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO, wish I was drunk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but it's only 7:45am and I just got to work


Pop a few oxycodone stay high all day everyday i like the 80mg ops or the 30mg roxys forget beer .








lol JK to anyone 2 stupid to know.


----------



## Sparda1990

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

i have seen alot of HD 7970 Users with 8.951.0.0 , why mine cant be updated ?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

BTW I got my 3rd gtx680 and I must say they dont scale as good as the hd 7970s do even with bad drivers . I will put up some benchmarks when i get unlazy im on my pc with the trifire 7970s right now im re building my pc with the gtx680s trying to hide the damn wires on a non modular psu is a pain in the ass.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Pop a few oxycodone stay high all day everyday i like the 80mg ops or the 30mg roxys forget beer .


LMAO, yeah, those ops would deff do the job


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Pop a few oxycodone stay high all day everyday i like the 80mg ops or the 30mg roxys forget beer .


Lol? If your taking 80mg of oxy your probabally a drug addict bro.

I had a family member with an oxy/heroin habit. I'd suggest people leave this advice alone. 30mg of oxycodone to an opiate naive person might kill them. I don't know why you'd even say that. There's dumb people everywhere you know.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> By implication, I guess disabling Flash hardware acceleration should solve my problem for now as well?


If you get a hard lock-up when you're watching a flash video, yes... This is, seemingly at least, the appropriate solution for this exact lock-up... Disable Flash' HWA, not browser's...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Pretty sure I can't be "popping oxy's" all day at work. My patients probably wouldn't appreciate that...


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Lol? If your taking 80mg of oxy your probabally a drug addict bro.
> I had a family member with an oxy/heroin habit. I'd suggest people leave this advice alone. 30mg of oxycodone to an opiate naive person might kill them. I don't know why you'd even say that. There's dumb people everywhere you know.


I am a addict oxy/h bro i know that been taking on and off for 10 years now i have quit mor the 20 times but never longer then a week . i can easily take 300+mg aday and my first time taking was 30mg so i dont think it will kill anyone if they are healthy , anyways back to gpus im not trying to tell anyone oxy is safe im stupid for ever starting my best advice is to never start ok i was just cutin up with the dude that was talking about being drunk. back on subject now


----------



## Flyingtreks

Hi, I can't seem to get the VRM and memory temperatures to show up in AB... any idea guys ?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Pretty sure I can't be "popping oxy's" all day at work. My patients probably wouldn't appreciate that...


Prob not a good idea then !
When im not takin oxy people then ask whats wrong with me but when im taking no one says anything .


----------



## Hambone07si

Still LMAO. That wouldn't help me program CNC's very well either


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Still LMAO. That wouldn't help me program CNC's very well either


lol I guess im the only one they help me focus and concentrate on building pcs and benchmarking .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

What is the best driver for the 7970s to yall so far ?


----------



## Hambone07si

12.3 is nice except for 2nd card not going to 2d clocks. Just have to run 3dmark11 until it loads first test then hit escape and it will go to 2d clocks after that.


----------



## Flyingtreks

How do you guys enable VRM and memory temps in AB ? I can't seem to enable mine using any of the options provided.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flyingtreks*
> 
> How do you guys enable VRM and memory temps in AB ? I can't seem to enable mine using any of the options provided.


You can't bud, you need to use HWinfo and have that open in the background and then check after your game or benchmark.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> i have seen alot of HD 7970 Users with 8.951.0.0 , why mine cant be updated ?


At what clocks was that tested?


----------



## Flyingtreks

Thanks Hambone, Does Asus GPU tweak show all that as well ?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flyingtreks*
> 
> Thanks Hambone, Does Asus GPU tweak show all that as well ?


Nope, it's just like AB pretty much, with a little less.


----------



## WiL11o6

Guys, I need some help.

Just bought Witcher 2 to play and it freezes within 2-3 minutes into the game. It freezes, goes into a black screen, locks my computer so I need to do a hard reset. I am running RC11 with my 7970 CFs at stock. My 2600k is OC'd to 4.5ghz and is stable for all games + benchmarks. Is there some sort of patch I need to download? I know this game should work with 7970CF so I just need to fix it somehow..


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Guys, I need some help.
> Just bought Witcher 2 to play and it freezes within 2-3 minutes into the game. It freezes, goes into a black screen, locks my computer so I need to do a hard reset. I am running RC11 with my 7970 CFs at stock. My 2600k is OC'd to 4.5ghz and is stable for all games + benchmarks. Is there some sort of patch I need to download? I know this game should work with 7970CF so I just need to fix it somehow..


Have you tried to disable ULPS? That need to be done.


----------



## Sparda1990

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> i have seen alot of HD 7970 Users with 8.951.0.0 , why mine cant be updated ?
> 
> 
> 
> At what clocks was that tested?
Click to expand...

at 1070 clock speed / 1425 memory .


----------



## Sparda1990

Why should man Uninstall previous drivers with Atiman Uninstaller and apply the new one manually ? why not just install over the old .
i was running fine this way using Nvidia Cards .


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> Why should man Uninstall previous drivers with Atiman Uninstaller and apply the new one manually ? why not just install over the old .
> i was running fine this way using Nvidia Cards .


because its ATI?


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Have you tried to disable ULPS? That need to be done.


Yup.

I somewhat found a fix. I need to enable vsync to get it to not crash. That's no problem as I play with vsync on anyway to reduce screen tear, however, it bothers me that if I do decide to turn off vsync, it would crash. It sometimes dips down to 55~ fps at certain areas and my GPUs are only at 50%, is this a CPU bottleneck?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Yup.
> I somewhat found a fix. I need to enable vsync to get it to not crash. That's no problem as I play with vsync on anyway to reduce screen tear, however, it bothers me that if I do decide to turn off vsync, it would crash. It sometimes dips down to 55~ fps at certain areas and my GPUs are only at 50%, is this a CPU bottleneck?


With Vsync on, I bet both your cards aren't at 99% usage. With it on, there probably less, like maybe 70-80% usage. If that's the case, your cards are probably not stable at the clock they are at. Even If your at stock volts and stock clocks. Try using AB and adding .125v to what it's at now and run the same clocks. Enable and disable Vsync and see if that works. If so, you know you need more juice.

It's a good test to try from what you just said.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Yup.
> I somewhat found a fix. I need to enable vsync to get it to not crash. That's no problem as I play with vsync on anyway to reduce screen tear, however, it bothers me that if I do decide to turn off vsync, it would crash. It sometimes dips down to 55~ fps at certain areas and my GPUs are only at 50%, is this a CPU bottleneck?


what game is it?


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> at 1070 clock speed / 1425 memory .


i get 51.6 at those settings

edit: mm srry for 2x post


----------



## WiL11o6

Do the 12.4 drivers have the idle problem as the 12.3 drivers in Crossfire? The problem where the second card does not downclock from 3D to 2D? Witcher 2 is the only game that is giving me less than desirable performance so I would like to try new drivers. I am on RC11 at the moment and while it's perfect in all games I play, Witcher 2 is having problems. I get dips into 40-50 during intense areas and my GPU usage would be 50-60% and CPU is at 65-75% so something isn't right. One or the other has to be at least 95%+ right?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Do the 12.4 drivers have the idle problem as the 12.3 drivers in Crossfire? The problem where the second card does not downclock from 3D to 2D? Witcher 2 is the only game that is giving me less than desirable performance so I would like to try new drivers. I am on RC11 at the moment and while it's perfect in all games I play, Witcher 2 is having problems. I get dips into 40-50 during intense areas and my GPU usage would be 50-60% and CPU is at 65-75% so something isn't right. One or the other has to be at least 95%+ right?


HELL no. Your cpu will never be at 100% in anygame really other that BF3 with a quad no HT, or FSX. If you have Vsync on, and you have enough balls on your gpus, they won't be at 99% each. If you turn off Vsync, they should both be at 99% all times.

You have a 2600k @ 4.5ghz, you have no bottle neck on the cpu. You may want to go into your bios and try turning off HT and it may be better for that game. Most games run a few fps faster with it off then on. BF3 and BBC2 both benefit from having it on.


----------



## mltms

when i overclock more than 1120 the system frezzz ? is that issue from UPLS ?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> when i overclock more than 1120 the system frezzz ? is that issue from UPLS ?


ULPS is only to disable your 2nd card or 3,4, to not shut down. If you only have 1 card then ULPS is Chinese to you.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> ULPS is only to disable your 2nd card or 3,4, to not shut down. If you only have 1 card then ULPS is Chinese to you.


one card 7950
thanks for the info


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Do the 12.4 drivers have the idle problem as the 12.3 drivers in Crossfire? The problem where the second card does not downclock from 3D to 2D? Witcher 2 is the only game that is giving me less than desirable performance so I would like to try new drivers. I am on RC11 at the moment and while it's perfect in all games I play, Witcher 2 is having problems. I get dips into 40-50 during intense areas and my GPU usage would be 50-60% and CPU is at 65-75% so something isn't right. One or the other has to be at least 95%+ right?


Doesnt work like that for CPUs. If a CPU has 8 threads and a game only utilizes 4, CPU usage won't move over 50% unless you have stuff running in the background. CPU usage that high says to me your CPU is chugging for some reason or another


----------



## Evil Penguin

I really hope the damn idle bug is fixed by the time 12.4 is released.








It's still very much present with the 12.4 beta.

I can only imagine the crap CF users has to deal with this gen.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I really hope the damn idle bug is fixed by the time 12.4 is released.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's still very much present with the 12.4 beta.
> 
> I can only imagine the crap CF users has to deal with this gen.


I find it weird they didn't pick up on it. Replicating it is as easy as turning your computer on and opening a monitoring program lol


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I find it weird they didn't pick up on it. Replicating it is as easy as turning your computer on and opening a monitoring program lol


I know lol leave it to AMD .


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO, wish I was drunk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but it's only 7:45am and I just got to work


No you don't, it was a horrible horrible night.

That aside, when I turned on my computer today (still running 1200/1600 at 1250/1700mv) it logged into Windows, then locked up, had a series of screen flashes, then opened AB and worked fine.

Is this overclock+drivers or just the overclock? Card was happily stable when I played Skyrim yesterday at those clocks. I know it's not really a hard test, as my GPU only hits 40% at those clocks locked at 60fps, but it seems weird that it'd be fine until I rebooted. I was able to boot into those clocks yesterday, however it was a restart for windows updates. This morning was cold.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I find it weird they didn't pick up on it. Replicating it is as easy as turning your computer on and opening a monitoring program lol


The disabling flash hardware acceleration and disabling monitor power off seems to work. I enabled the screen saver and just physically turn off the monitor when I go to bed at night. So far problem seems solved. But I'm still looking at fresh install this weekend. Seriously looking at getting a 2nd card soon. I know the MSI Lightnings are great, so are the new Sapphire Dual-X cards, but I'm a bit worried about mix and match card issues. Thinking of getting a another Gigabyte WF3 card just to prevent the issues, temps are definitely on the low side (I've gotten max 63C under heavy gaming load so far) but I'm still more than just a little concerned with all the Xfire issues going around. I know Xfire for 1080p single monitor sounds like overkill but I love have everything silky smooth 60fps with everything maxed out if possible.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> No you don't, it was a horrible horrible night.
> That aside, when I turned on my computer today (still running 1200/1600 at 1250/1700mv) it logged into Windows, then locked up, had a series of screen flashes, then opened AB and worked fine.
> Is this overclock+drivers or just the overclock? Card was happily stable when I played Skyrim yesterday at those clocks. I know it's not really a hard test, as my GPU only hits 40% at those clocks locked at 60fps, but it seems weird that it'd be fine until I rebooted. I was able to boot into those clocks yesterday, however it was a restart for windows updates. This morning was cold.


LMAO, cuz I'm drunk now







.. Just ran 3dmark11 with Vritu MVP enabled on 1 gpu and scored this over 10,400 with 1.


----------



## lightsout

Got a question for anyone who has put a block on their 7970. Is the gpu core recessed? I believe it is just wanted to be sure. Interested in putting an Antec Kuhler on a 7970 but I think it would need a shim over the gpu.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO, cuz I'm drunk now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .. Just ran 3dmark11 with Vritu MVP enabled on 1 gpu and scored this over 10,400 with 1.


You've got Virtu MVP running on a Z68 with a SB CPU?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> You've got Virtu MVP running on a Z68 with a SB CPU?


Your dame right son!! Works great!!


----------



## 125837

Heaven run at 1200/1600, with tesselation this time. Maxed out at 85C core, 65C mem and 60C mem. However, I do have way too much voltage through it for the clocks. I haven't done a whole lot of gaming on it so far, a bit of Skyrim, Blops, and DNF, but nothing longer than half an hour. Loaded up BF3 today and I was getting 90+ on an empty Noshahr server, played for about 5 mins then quit (was just demoing the system to friends). No artifacts, ran beautifully. I'm putting my H100 into the system, properly cable managing etc on Tues/Wed, so hopefully on Wednesday I'll be pushing both my CPU and GPU to their highest stable overclocks, then we'll get some figures in here! Skyrim is using 40% GPU usage capped at 60fps











EDIT: Am I likely to have problems if I cap BF3 at 60fps? I got almost solid 60+ before overclocking, so now I have no doubt it will never stray below that, but the reason I play without vsync is because of input lag. Whether it's perceived or not I don't know but I do much much worse with vsync. Will I see the same problem if I cap the fps? I'd rather cap it so that my GPU isn't hitting 85C everytime I play BF3.


----------



## pfunkmort

Is there any information on any water blocks available/coming available for the lightnings? I think it past generations they've worked with water, right? But the layout is different from a ref design.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Got a question for anyone who has put a block on their 7970. Is the gpu core recessed? I believe it is just wanted to be sure. Interested in putting an Antec Kuhler on a 7970 but I think it would need a shim over the gpu.


?


----------



## pcgamers

After quite sometimes not doing the OC, manage to get my7970 to 1300/1750 with 1.3v Core and 1.625v Memory. stock fan set at 90% and 2600k at 4GHz. Ran 3dmark11 extreme and got below score, not sure if comparable to other system though since 1st time running Xtreme preset.

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3174641


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcgamers*
> 
> After quite sometimes not doing the OC, manage to get my7970 to 1300/1750 with 1.3v Core and 1.625v Memory. stock fan set at 90% and 2600k at 4GHz. Ran 3dmark11 extreme and got below score, not sure if comparable to other system though since 1st time running Xtreme preset.
> 
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3174641


Would love to see the P score.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Is there any information on any water blocks available/coming available for the lightnings? I think it past generations they've worked with water, right? But the layout is different from a ref design.


I posted a few pages back







EK has them in the works, 3-4 weeks ETA.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Got a question for anyone who has put a block on their 7970. Is the gpu core recessed? I believe it is just wanted to be sure. Interested in putting an Antec Kuhler on a 7970 but I think it would need a shim over the gpu.
> 
> 
> 
> ?
Click to expand...

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14971/ex-blc-1051/EK-VGA_Supreme_HF_HD7970_Cu_Adapter.html
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Heaven run at 1200/1600, with tesselation this time. Maxed out at 85C core, 65C mem and 60C mem. However, I do have way too much voltage through it for the clocks. I haven't done a whole lot of gaming on it so far, a bit of Skyrim, Blops, and DNF, but nothing longer than half an hour. Loaded up BF3 today and I was getting 90+ on an empty Noshahr server, played for about 5 mins then quit (was just demoing the system to friends). No artifacts, ran beautifully. I'm putting my H100 into the system, properly cable managing etc on Tues/Wed, so hopefully on Wednesday I'll be pushing both my CPU and GPU to their highest stable overclocks, then we'll get some figures in here! Skyrim is using 40% GPU usage capped at 60fps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Am I likely to have problems if I cap BF3 at 60fps? I got almost solid 60+ before overclocking, so now I have no doubt it will never stray below that, but the reason I play without vsync is because of input lag. Whether it's perceived or not I don't know but I do much much worse with vsync. Will I see the same problem if I cap the fps? I'd rather cap it so that my GPU isn't hitting 85C everytime I play BF3.


I never play with vsync on.









Btw, you should run your heaven runs following the top 30 thread that way you can compare your results instead of them being random.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Got a question for anyone who has put a block on their 7970. Is the gpu core recessed? I believe it is just wanted to be sure. Interested in putting an Antec Kuhler on a 7970 but I think it would need a shim over the gpu.
> 
> 
> 
> ?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14971/ex-blc-1051/EK-VGA_Supreme_HF_HD7970_Cu_Adapter.html
Click to expand...

To the rescue thanks. But yes I did get a 680. Always going back and forth on my decision though


----------



## tsm106

Just get one, or maybe wait a week or two with the 7970 price cuts. lol.

Btw, I need a copy of that mc email hehe, pls.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14971/ex-blc-1051/EK-VGA_Supreme_HF_HD7970_Cu_Adapter.html


Would someone be so nice to tell me what coolers can i use with that? Can i use old accelero extremes from earlier series? I would like to have decent cooling and SILENT for cheap. New accelero extreme costs 100$.. I rather sell my 7950 and buy 7970 for that diference.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Your dame right son!! Works great!!


Ok. I deserve that healthy dose of sarcasm. I actually though it was supposed to be Ivy Bridge and Intel 7 series exclusive. Great numbers though. I think I'd rather go XFire though.


----------



## WiL11o6

Dang....the 7970s are dropping down to $470-490 rumor has it.

I paid $599 for my reference Sapphire ones when they were out everywhere lol. Thanks economics!


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> *Drivers and Software:*
> 
> *Latest drivers:*
> 
> Catalyst 12.3 WHQL (latest drivers)
> 
> CCC 8.95.5 (be sure to backup files, some users are reporting Windows start-up issues)
> 
> CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11
> 
> Afterburner Driver Patch (fixes a clocking issue when unofficial overclocking is enabled via AB)
> 
> *Catalyst Application Profiles:*
> 
> 12.3 CAP 1 (link will always lead to the latest version)
> 
> *Software:*
> 
> Atiman Uninstaller v.6.3.1 (used to clean out older Catalyst drivers)
> 
> ASUS GPU Tweak 2.0.6
> 
> MSI Afterburner 2.2 Beta 15 (latest beta version - link will always lead to the latest version)
> 
> OCCT 3.1 (newer versions don't quite stress the card as much)
> 
> OCCT 4.2.0 (latest)
> 
> HWiNFO64 (able to read VRM temps/voltages)
> 
> *BIOS Files:*
> 
> None currently listed here.


I'm having issues with my Asus Card, It keeps crashing when i'm playing Crysis 2, also give me Blue Screens running windows, Will following these driver above fix my problems?

RIG:
MB - Formula V 990FX
CPU - AMD 8150 Black Edition
GPU - Asus 7970 TOP
SSD - Force Series 3
OPP SYS - Windows 7Home 64Bit
PSU - Corsair Professional Series AX750 High Performance 750W Modular


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Dang....the 7970s are dropping down to $470-490 rumor has it.
> I paid $599 for my reference Sapphire ones when they were out everywhere lol. Thanks economics!


Any word about HD 7950 price cuts?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14971/ex-blc-1051/EK-VGA_Supreme_HF_HD7970_Cu_Adapter.html
> I never play with vsync on.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, you should run your heaven runs following the top 30 thread that way you can compare your results instead of them being random.


I think the Top 30 thread uses Heaven 2.5 not 3.0. I suggest he just run it maxed out as a lot of people are starting to do that...


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14971/ex-blc-1051/EK-VGA_Supreme_HF_HD7970_Cu_Adapter.html
> I never play with vsync on.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, you should run your heaven runs following the top 30 thread that way you can compare your results instead of them being random.


When you say you never play with vsync, do you mean you also have it capped? I don't play with vsync either, but I don't want it hitting 85C, especially since I'm running it at 100% fan, and I am keen to see if I can push the voltage further, because I believe the Lightnings have disabled OCP. Is that correct? I need to check how much voltage is actually going through it using HWinfo but I haven't yet.

In terms of Heaven, I'm not really fussed - maybe I'll do that once I find my final overclock. It was more for interests sake, and to show how well my card is clocking.


----------



## WiL11o6

Ooookay, another annoyance popped up.

Did a clean install of Windows and installed 8.95.5 (12.4?) with 12.3 CAP1. Installed MSI AB mainly for fan control and OSD and minor OC from 925/1375 to 1000/1500 with no changes in any config files.

The problem happens once every startup at a random time. It happens once and only once until the next shut down/start up. I would be playing a game and then sudden CCC decides to open up which then minimizes my game, I see the CCC tray icon in my system tray pop up and disappears, my GPU fans spin back up to whatever CCC set it as and I need to restart AB to apply settings.

So what happens is CCC decides to open up randomly to troll me while I'm gaming. Overrides AB settings and sometimes causes my game to freeze up without saving.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Ok. I deserve that healthy dose of sarcasm. I actually though it was supposed to be Ivy Bridge and Intel 7 series exclusive. Great numbers though. I think I'd rather go XFire though.


No sarcasm, read this. I do have Xfire, just wanted to see what I could get with 1 card and Virtu.

http://www.3dmark.com/support/troubleshooting-my-results/lucidlogix-virtu-mvp-and-3dmark/


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No sarcasm, read this. I do have Xfire, just wanted to see what I could get with 1 card and Virtu.
> http://www.3dmark.com/support/troubleshooting-my-results/lucidlogix-virtu-mvp-and-3dmark/


What about Virtu MVP with CrossFire? Wonder what that'll score like. By the way, great news everyone:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/news/video/breaking-news-amd-hd-7970-price-drop-incoming/

Oh so sweet... I should be able to get my 2nd 7970 at a great price in a month. I can wait... All those fixes have got to love my card now... now all I need to do is save just a little bit more for that 2nd card...


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Just get one, or maybe wait a week or two with the 7970 price cuts. lol.
> 
> Btw, I need a copy of that mc email hehe, pls.


Its that price now on the site. No need for it.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> No sarcasm, read this. I do have Xfire, just wanted to see what I could get with 1 card and Virtu.
> http://www.3dmark.com/support/troubleshooting-my-results/lucidlogix-virtu-mvp-and-3dmark/


That Virtu is supposed to boost your gaming performance also?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Ooookay, another annoyance popped up.
> Did a clean install of Windows and installed 8.95.5 (12.4?) with 12.3 CAP1. Installed MSI AB mainly for fan control and OSD and minor OC from 925/1375 to 1000/1500 with no changes in any config files.
> The problem happens once every startup at a random time. It happens once and only once until the next shut down/start up. I would be playing a game and then sudden CCC decides to open up which then minimizes my game, I see the CCC tray icon in my system tray pop up and disappears, my GPU fans spin back up to whatever CCC set it as and I need to restart AB to apply settings.
> So what happens is CCC decides to open up randomly to troll me while I'm gaming. Overrides AB settings and sometimes causes my game to freeze up without saving.


Man, get rid of AB and use Trixx.
AB is just buggy as hell. If you dont need voltage control on the memory I would def. suggest Trixx over AB.

Sorry for double post !


----------



## raxf

Hi guys, my cards wont run stable at 1200/ 1600.I get "display driver stopped responding and has recovered and also system lock ups while gaming and benching.No matter what voltage I feed these cards.ULPS is disabled.
Can you share MSI AB settings please?I think I may have messed up the "kernel mode" option or the force constant voltage" I have it set to 1175 mv.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Man, get rid of AB and use Trixx.
> AB is just buggy as hell. If you dont need voltage control on the memory I would def. suggest Trixx over AB.
> Sorry for double post !


I might give Trixx another try. I tried Trixx when I first bought my 7970's with the supplied CD near launch day. It did not allow me to underclock as it automatically set my voltage to 1.175 when both my cards are 1.05v cards and I actually use AB to down volt more to .975v when I run them at stock speeds in CF to reduce heat further. I don't know if that's fixed in Trixx yet, but if not, I'd stick to AB. Also, AB offers OSD which I find is very useful because AMD drivers are buggy and I always like to see what's going on in the game.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Ooookay, another annoyance popped up.
> Did a clean install of Windows and installed 8.95.5 (12.4?) with 12.3 CAP1. Installed MSI AB mainly for fan control and OSD and minor OC from 925/1375 to 1000/1500 with no changes in any config files.
> The problem happens once every startup at a random time. It happens once and only once until the next shut down/start up. I would be playing a game and then sudden CCC decides to open up which then minimizes my game, I see the CCC tray icon in my system tray pop up and disappears, my GPU fans spin back up to whatever CCC set it as and I need to restart AB to apply settings.
> So what happens is CCC decides to open up randomly to troll me while I'm gaming. Overrides AB settings and sometimes causes my game to freeze up without saving.
> 
> 
> 
> Man, get rid of AB and use Trixx.
> AB is just buggy as hell. If you dont need voltage control on the memory I would def. suggest Trixx over AB.
> 
> Sorry for double post !
Click to expand...

Trixx is sort of the same crap just a different veneer.

Btw, don't open overdrive if you use either crap hehe.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14971/ex-blc-1051/EK-VGA_Supreme_HF_HD7970_Cu_Adapter.html
> I never play with vsync on.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, you should run your heaven runs following the top 30 thread that way you can compare your results instead of them being random.
> 
> 
> 
> I think the Top 30 thread uses Heaven 2.5 not 3.0. I suggest he just run it maxed out as a lot of people are starting to do that...
Click to expand...

No, they have a new thread started for the Heaven 3.0

http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/0_30


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14971/ex-blc-1051/EK-VGA_Supreme_HF_HD7970_Cu_Adapter.html
> I never play with vsync on.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, you should run your heaven runs following the top 30 thread that way you can compare your results instead of them being random.
> 
> 
> 
> I think the Top 30 thread uses Heaven 2.5 not 3.0. I suggest he just run it maxed out as a lot of people are starting to do that...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> No, they have a new thread started for the Heaven 3.0
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/0_30
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I'll have to run it when I get home...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Any word about HD 7950 price cuts?


They'll have to do the waterfall effect all the way down the product line. Why would someone spend $30 less for a 7950 instead of a 7970 if they don't adjust the price?


----------



## Bama12

I wish we could get all the Unigine benchmarks with GPU-z readings on one thread for comparisons' sake. I downloaded the MSI catalyst patch recommended by TPM106 and here are the results with single card, Heaven 11 benchie. Everything maxed out @ 1300/1600 - 1.21 volts. With the most powerful cooling available for the Sapphire HD 7970.An 8000 btu window air conditioner!


----------



## Bama12

Could run that with tessalation on extreme with a gpu-z shot, so we can compare apples to apples please?


----------



## 125837

Just did a run of Heaven, with voltage in MSI AB set to 1250. According to GPUz, the card is getting a maximum of 1170 - does that mean that is my max voltage? Or that's just what it's being fed, and I can go higher on the voltage if I want to?


----------



## Hambone07si

Well, got both of my 7970's on water now and lovin it!! Cards max out at around 42c after playing BF3 for a hour. Nice and quiet now and able to run 1200/1600 @ 1.200v with no lockups yet. Bout time I'm happy with these cards.


----------



## gliggo

Hey guys, is my overclock at 1350core and 1850memory good at 1.28v for 24/7....

its under water and maxes out on 3dmark at 41degrees?


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> Hey guys, is my overclock at 1350core and 1850memory good at 1.28v for 24/7....
> its under water and maxes out on 3dmark at 41degrees?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*


Looks great







I wish I could put more voltage through mine but it's too hot







Tried 1300 this morning and it locked up. Is it gamestable at those clocks, and are you sure there is no EC on the memory?


----------



## pfunkmort

Well, assuming the incoming wc block is going to allow you to keep that addon chip in the back of the card, I'd bet water is going to be AMAZING for those lightnings.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Well, assuming the incoming wc block is going to allow you to keep that addon chip in the back of the card, I'd bet water is going to be AMAZING for those lightnings.


Yeah, and I'd love to, but I've set myself a challenge to not spend anything on computer parts until 2013. 1200/1600 is more than enough for everything except BF3, and I can live with only using 2xMSAA


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> Hey guys, is my overclock at 1350core and 1850memory good at 1.28v for 24/7....
> its under water and maxes out on 3dmark at 41degrees?


Great







(actually, pretty outstanding)


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Looks great
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish I could put more voltage through mine but it's too hot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tried 1300 this morning and it locked up. Is it gamestable at those clocks, and are you sure there is no EC on the memory?


hey mate, it has done a few passes with 3dmark 11, but since i have recently done a clean install im currently downloading all my steam games... lol so mite be able till i find out. im hoping so because i had it at 1300/1700 at 1.25 and i was getting 10500 in 3d mark 11 and i really wanted to get that 11k mark.

sorry but i do not understand what "EC on the memory means"?


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah, and I'd love to, but I've set myself a challenge to not spend anything on computer parts until 2013. 1200/1600 is more than enough for everything except BF3, and I can live with only using 2xMSAA


haha the amount of times ive told myself that.... never works









goodluck though !!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> hey mate, it has done a few passes with 3dmark 11, but since i have recently done a clean install im currently downloading all my steam games... lol so mite be able till i find out. im hoping so because i had it at 1300/1700 at 1.25 and i was getting 10500 in 3d mark 11 and i really wanted to get that 11k mark.
> sorry but i do not understand what "EC on the memory means"?


Error correction. Start at ~1600 and move up in ~25MHz jumps until you see diminished returns in Heaven. It's not worth having such a high memory overclock unless you're actually seeing benefit from it, and when error correction gets really bad you lose performance. I assume you're running the memory at 1.7v?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> haha the amount of times ive told myself that.... never works
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> goodluck though !!


It's going to work - the thing is, I don't need any better. I was thinking I wanted to max out BF3 at 60fps+, so I thought "oh I'll just get a second Lightning". Then I realised that's not worth a $600 graphics card. I need a car + I want to save some money to move out, so it'll be good.


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Error correction. Start at ~1600 and move up in ~25MHz jumps until you see diminished returns in Heaven. It's not worth having such a high memory overclock unless you're actually seeing benefit from it, and when error correction gets really bad you lose performance. I assume you're running the memory at 1.7v?
> It's going to work - the thing is, I don't need any better. I was thinking I wanted to max out BF3 at 60fps+, so I thought "oh I'll just get a second Lightning". Then I realised that's not worth a $600 graphics card. I need a car + I want to save some money to move out, so it'll be good.


hey mate never really tried it like that. And im pretty sure ive never adjusted memory voltage only the core voltage unless they are linked together than i wouldnt know. i have rough figures on my gaming performances of my previous overclock ill test it out with that, if i dont see many increases i will start the memory from 1600 and do as you said









ahah yeah thats fair enough, when you think about it , we dont really need to max at bf3 as long as its playable its all good


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> hey mate never really tried it like that. And im pretty sure ive never adjusted memory voltage only the core voltage unless they are linked together than i wouldnt know. i have rough figures on my gaming performances of my previous overclock ill test it out with that, if i dont see many increases i will start the memory from 1600 and do as you said
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ahah yeah thats fair enough, when you think about it , we dont really need to max at bf3 as long as its playable its all good


Alrighty - when I did my OC I set my Core voltage to 1.2 and mem voltage to 1.7. That way I didn't have to bother with slowly increasing, because I was pretty sure I could do 1200/1600 with a voltage increase. I needed an extra 25mv on the core to get it perfectly stable, but other than that I've had no issues. If you look in Afterburner it'll have a drop down slider next to the core voltage, you can adjust mem voltage from there. I run 100% fan and get high temps on the core (80-85) with my overclock, but the memory and vrms stay at a lovely 60C


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> hey mate never really tried it like that. And im pretty sure ive never adjusted memory voltage only the core voltage unless they are linked together than i wouldnt know. i have rough figures on my gaming performances of my previous overclock ill test it out with that, if i dont see many increases i will start the memory from 1600 and do as you said
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ahah yeah thats fair enough, when you think about it , we dont really need to max at bf3 as long as its playable its all good
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alrighty - when I did my OC I set my Core voltage to 1.2 and mem voltage to 1.7. That way I didn't have to bother with slowly increasing, because I was pretty sure I could do 1200/1600 with a voltage increase. I needed an extra 25mv on the core to get it perfectly stable, but other than that I've had no issues. If you look in Afterburner it'll have a drop down slider next to the core voltage, you can adjust mem voltage from there. I run 100% fan and get high temps on the core (80-85) with my overclock, but the memory and vrms stay at a lovely 60C
Click to expand...

lol I just tried to run haeven and fail!!! Runs fine on 1350/1600. Fails on anything else if I increase the memory. Lol

Bringing the core down to 1300. Find it funny how it passed 3dmark o well there goes my 11k


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*


Get that score turned in to the Battle Royale thread immediately! Nice job!


----------



## Hambone07si

Majin SSJ Eric, is 1200 on the core the best you can get? I can run 1200/1600 with no prob now that both cards are on water. Even playing BF3 for a few hours. Passed 3dmark11 at 1225/1750 with ease too.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

I'll be putting up comparisons this coming week of 7970 Tri-fire vs 680 Tri-SLI and Quad-SLI on my 3930k @ 4.8ghz/ 2133 CAS9 RAM/ ASUS RIV Formula


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> I'll be putting up comparisons this coming week of 7970 Tri-fire vs 680 Tri-SLI and Quad-SLI on my 3930k @ 4.8ghz/ 2133 CAS9 RAM/ ASUS RIV Formula


Can't wait too see!! Now that I got both cards on water, I'm pretty happy with the performance. I've installed a couple 680's in other's PC's and didn't really like them as much as I though I would.


----------



## disintegratorx

I'm really happy that they've finally come out with some really good drivers for this card. I'm very much enjoying the 12.4 beta. I know that they have that issue with the slowing after it comes out of sleep mode, and the still non compliance for some of your cards in crossfire mode, but have some of you guys seen how good Battlefield 3 plays with the newest patch??? Amazing.







I finally feel like I'm playing with the next generation of graphics. And good news about the Viurtu MVP tech. That might actually steer me to get one of those Z77s just to have the most rockin game system available. Sounds like the potential to be in total gaming bliss to me.







And last thought, I had a feeling some time into this that these were going to be the better cards for this round. And to those thinking that I'm a ATI/AMD fanboy, you're right. lol They have the best graphics. And I'm glad that I have that opinion. To all of you who have given your honest opinions and helpful input in this particular thread, thanks. Its helped me and my gaming hobby out emmensly. Cheers to you all!







One more thing for the record my clocks have been set at 1070/1400. Single card, that's how I like it for now. Way to go peeps !


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Majin SSJ Eric, is 1200 on the core the best you can get? I can run 1200/1600 with no prob now that both cards are on water. Even playing BF3 for a few hours. Passed 3dmark11 at 1225/1750 with ease too.


I'm running 1200/1600 with ease on my Lightning, but temps are the limiting factor. Hitting 80C+ on the core in Heaven.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Any word about HD 7950 price cuts?
> 
> 
> 
> They'll have to do the waterfall effect all the way down the product line. Why would someone spend $30 less for a 7950 instead of a 7970 if they don't adjust the price?
Click to expand...

Thanks, i am waiting for HD 7950 price drop, so i can pick one more for CFX.


----------



## stevman17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I'm running 1200/1600 with ease on my Lightning, but temps are the limiting factor. Hitting 80C+ on the core in Heaven.


You need to watercool those gpus and push onwards!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stevman17*
> 
> You need to watercool those gpus and push onwards!


As I said earlier, I'd love to, I really would, but I have set myself a challenge and I intend to stick by it


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> lol I just tried to run haeven and fail!!! Runs fine on 1350/1600. Fails on anything else if I increase the memory. Lol
> Bringing the core down to 1300. Find it funny how it passed 3dmark o well there goes my 11k


If it's running stable at 1350/1600 and you are at a wall on memory clock...and you haven't touched the memory voltage...might I suggest upping the memory voltage? I think the only limiting factor with memory voltage (below 1.7 or thereabouts) is heat on the ram, which doesn't seem to be an issue even on air, and error correction...which was mentioned earlier. But if it's just not running, it probably just needs more juice.


----------



## Andrazh

Woah 1350 on core. I jelly









what score do u get on heaven with 1350/1600?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> I'm really happy that they've finally come out with some really good drivers for this card. I'm very much enjoying the 12.4 beta. I know that they have that issue with the slowing after it comes out of sleep mode, and the still non compliance for some of your cards in crossfire mode, but have some of you guys seen how good Battlefield 3 plays with the newest patch??? Amazing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I finally feel like I'm playing with the next generation of graphics. And good news about the Viurtu MVP tech. That might actually steer me to get one of those Z77s just to have the most rockin game system available. Sounds like the potential to be in total gaming bliss to me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And last thought, I had a feeling some time into this that these were going to be the better cards for this round. And to those thinking that I'm a ATI/AMD fanboy, you're right. lol They have the best graphics. And I'm glad that I have that opinion. To all of you who have given your honest opinions and helpful input in this particular thread, thanks. Its helped me and my gaming hobby out emmensly. Cheers to you all!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One more thing for the record my clocks have been set at 1070/1400. Single card, that's how I like it for now. Way to go peeps !


I gotta thank whoever told about that "Disabling Flash Hardware Acceleration" thing. It has done the trick perfectly. No more problems with the system idling. Though I have disabled auto screen power off. I just turn the damn thing off with the power button but it works now. But I'm beginning to enjo 7970's as well. Really itching to pick another card soon and XFire. Thank god I didn't get so pissed as to get a 680 instead.


----------



## Ken1649

LOL so it's not ZeroCore or AMD drivers?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> LOL so it's not ZeroCore or AMD drivers?


Oh come on Ken1649, It's the AMD arivers allright. I did not have the problem with my old nvidia card,only with the 7970. It has a hassle, but nothing I can't cope with the superior gaming performance. I can definitely see the superiority in unoptimised games like Metro 2033 and AVP. Sure the 7970 doesn't rain supreme in nVidia optimised games like Batman AC. With my favourite source engine games like CSS and L4D2, AMD just rocks!


----------



## Ken1649

I'd agree if the whole PC system is only AMD and its drivers. Have been following this thread from the beginning and I can say there's no AMD fanboys here. Users will get more response here if they come for help. If they have their mind already set on the product and drivers, no one cares or bothers with the flaming wars









There's no reason to keep the products that's giving us all sort of troubles. If Nvidia is trouble free, that's the one we should keep


----------



## zpaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I'm running 1200/1600 with ease on my Lightning, but temps are the limiting factor. Hitting 80C+ on the core in Heaven.


How much volts you need for 1200 on core ?
I think 80c+ for Lightning is too much.
Recently I changed my reference cooler with accelero and my temps are very low.


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Woah 1350 on core. I jelly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what score do u get on heaven with 1350/1600?


hey mate I got 2232 on haven but there wasn't much of an increase, because I've now stuck with 1300/1700 and a score of 2257.

Could go higher but wasn't seeing much of difference in scores to increase it lol.


----------



## Hambone07si

I hate the drivers so far, but I know these cards are beasts and I'm not letting them go that for sure. Wish I had lightnings but Owell. Now that both are on water, I'm getting 1200/1750 with out a single issue. Now on a fresh boot my cards still don't drop to 2d clocks but they idle at 30-35c depending how warm it is in my living room.

I'm completely satisfied as of now. Using Eyefinity, Crossfire, MSI AB (beta 15), and UOM. all on driver 12.3whql.

AVP bench went up quite a bit too. In Eyefinity 115.8 fps and at 1920x1080 237.6fps


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gliggo*
> 
> lol I just tried to run haeven and fail!!! Runs fine on 1350/1600. Fails on anything else if I increase the memory. Lol
> Bringing the core down to 1300. Find it funny how it passed 3dmark o well there goes my 11k
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If it's running stable at 1350/1600 and you are at a wall on memory clock...and you haven't touched the memory voltage...might I suggest upping the memory voltage? I think the only limiting factor with memory voltage (below 1.7 or thereabouts) is heat on the ram, which doesn't seem to be an issue even on air, and error correction...which was mentioned earlier. But if it's just not running, it probably just needs more juice.
Click to expand...

hey mate, yeah I was thinking that but honestly did not know how safe it was running both voltages close to Max for 24/7 but I mite give it a try later on when I get bored and want to see some higher scores lol. Unless someone can say that those voltages are safe


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I hate the drivers so far, but I know these cards are beasts and I'm not letting them go that for sure. Wish I had lightnings but Owell. Now that both are on water, I'm getting 1200/1750 with out a single issue. Now on a fresh boot my cards still don't drop to 2d clocks but they idle at 30-35c depending how warm it is in my living room.
> 
> I'm completely satisfied as of now. Using Eyefinity, Crossfire, MSI AB (beta 15), and UOM. all on driver 12.3whql.
> 
> AVP bench went up quite a bit too. In Eyefinity 115.8 fps and at 1920x1080 237.6fps


Did you by any chance set the UOM = 2? Or could you try with all the ULPS on? See if it has anything to do with it for the second card.


----------



## Hambone07si

I've always only used "1" , never tried 2 at all. What's the difference there?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I've always only used "1" , never tried 2 at all. What's the difference there?


2 will disable Power Play, Power Tune all the power saving features. Good for benchmarking but not for 24/7.


----------



## Hambone07si

Even if on water and temps are very low, 2 is still not good for 24/7?


----------



## Ken1649

Only if you don't mind with the constant 3D clocks while doing nothing then it's fine.


----------



## Hambone07si

I can care less about the 2d clocks now. Even at 1200/1600 or whatever, they idle at 30-35c. Water is great









Would it help overclock more with using 2? I understand that it disables the power saving features, but dose that amount to higher clocks?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zpaf*
> 
> How much volts you need for 1200 on core ?
> I think 80c+ for Lightning is too much.
> Recently I changed my reference cooler with accelero and my temps are very low.


I'm using 1225, which GPUz is reading as 1170 actually going through it. Stock is 1112 in AB, haven't checked that in GPUz. I am running it at 100% fan, so I have to agree 80C+ is very hot, but my case hasn't got the best cooling and the D14 interferes with airflow because they're very close to each other. I'm switching it out for a H100, moving my fans around a bit, and redoing my cable management tomorrow and I'll see what happens then.


----------



## Ruined

Interesting that everyone is having problems with 2d clocks, I had it for a bit when using the Asus bios, that wasn't edited for 2d clocks. 2d is working fine for me now 12.4beta. Might be able to help some of you, or is this a crossfire only issue?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Hambone, I've actually gotten my Lightnings up to 1225MHz using 12.3 WHQL and AB beta 15 with the xcl trick and the missing .dll's but it made my computer super unstable in my games so I switched to 12.4 and no AB and everything works fine now. Seems my max OC without voltage control is 1150MHz in Overdrive which is more than plenty to get over 100fps in BF3/Crysis 2...


----------



## Simkin

Anyone else with 7970 Crossfire, who dont loose any significant framerate by activating MSAA in BF3?

if i activate 2XMSAA, i actually dont loose a single framerate, 4XMSAA i loose 6-8fps.. but, if i go from medium to high on MESH Quality, i actually loose 20fps..

I general BF3 performance with my two 7970 is not impressive, at all!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I'm using 1225, which GPUz is reading as 1170 actually going through it. Stock is 1112 in AB, haven't checked that in GPUz. I am running it at 100% fan, so I have to agree 80C+ is very hot, but my case hasn't got the best cooling and the D14 interferes with airflow because they're very close to each other. I'm switching it out for a H100, moving my fans around a bit, and redoing my cable management tomorrow and I'll see what happens then.


I'm having cooling issues with my Lightnings as well in my 600T. It's already not the best ventilated case and I also run an H80 in intake so the heat just builds up in there. I've actually seen 95C on my upper card while playing Crysis2 (forgot to enable my fan curve in AB so it was running at only 50% and 1225MHz/1250mV!!!!). Using stock voltage and 1150MHz I rarely get over 70C now using Overdrive's default fan curve...


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm having cooling issues with my Lightnings as well in my 600T. It's already not the best ventilated case and I also run an H80 in intake so the heat just builds up in there. I've actually seen 95C on my upper card while playing Crysis2 (forgot to enable my fan curve in AB so it was running at only 50% and 1225MHz/1250mV!!!!). Using stock voltage and 1150MHz I rarely get over 70C now using Overdrive's default fan curve...


Yeah it seems like the TF4 is a pretty disappointing cooler. Unfortunate really, I expect so much from these cards, my TFIII 580 wouldn't touch 60C


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I'd agree if the whole PC system is only AMD and its drivers. Have been following this thread from the beginning and I can say there's no AMD fanboys here. Users will get more response here if they come for help. If they have their mind already set on the product and drivers, no one cares or bothers with the flaming wars
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's no reason to keep the products that's giving us all sort of troubles. If Nvidia is trouble free, that's the one we should keep


Not exactly Ken1649. I am trully a fan of ATI/AMD, and I always have been as I have never owned a Nvidia card to date. Afterall.. Who wouldn't be concerned with the graphics wars if they weren't a true fan, reasons being Very obvious. I know you have some extensive knowledge about these technologies for one reason or another and I know you've helped people on the forum, but let's face it you wouldn't be the best detective or analyst about why we say what we do because have you ever thought that we as consumers may have our own agendas, one that you won't be able to pry from someoine who knows what they're doing. Maybe even so as much as yourself? Hmm. Wouldn't know. But I can tell you that I am a true ATI fan and I always have been. Anyone else's standards of that expression mean not alot to me, but yes. I do have caertain "feelings" for my favorite graphics card company. Its not polite to tell someone that their opinion is false, putting it lightly, even though we all like to play our little games at times, so I can sort of understand. lol And while all the facts still aren't determined yet, I can say that ATI/AMD is doing a very good job at their marketing technique. You see I would have said tactics but I think that ATI, now owned by AMD and also branded as such, have pretty much perfected their tactics and have successfully moved on to their strategies as being... Help me out? Nah that's ok, I got it... Techniques.







But thanks for the find on the Virtu MVP, and for doing so I'll give you a rep. +1 dude


----------



## 4514kaiser

Bit of the topic i'm looking for a program to show my VGA temps can't us MSI AB since it makes my pc slightly unstable.... any idea what i should use I can use aida64 to show current temps but really want something to show max min and current temps what program could i use?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah it seems like the TF4 is a pretty disappointing cooler. Unfortunate really, I expect so much from these cards, my TFIII 580 wouldn't touch 60C


I wouldn't say that at all. We are pushing a lot of voltage through a much smaller GPU so the heat produced is significant. Plus, neither of us has ideal cooling scenarios so I don't really think its a problem with the TFIV (which in reality is probably very similar to TFIII)...


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Bit of the topic i'm looking for a program to show my VGA temps can't us MSI AB since it makes my pc slightly unstable.... any idea what i should use I can use aida64 to show current temps but really want something to show max min and current temps what program could i use?


Gpu-z should work just go to the sensors tab and click on core temp until it shows max.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I wouldn't say that at all. We are pushing a lot of voltage through a much smaller GPU so the heat produced is significant. Plus, neither of us has ideal cooling scenarios so I don't really think its a problem with the TFIV (which in reality is probably very similar to TFIII)...


I hadn't thought about that... it is a lot of voltage but I am running 100% fan constantly - even at stock it was idling in the 40's. But oh well, I'm happy with my overclock, and I'm going to limit all the games I play to 60fps so the card won't be maxing out anyway


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I can care less about the 2d clocks now. Even at 1200/1600 or whatever, they idle at 30-35c. Water is great
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would it help overclock more with using 2? I understand that it disables the power saving features, but dose that amount to higher clocks?


Theoretically it should, because disabling Power Play also bypass Power Tune (TDP Limit) at drivers level before hitting the OCP at hardware level. Didn't have time to test this with power meter yet. I still need to find time to put the waterblocks on the cards (still having issues with motherboard).

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I'd agree if the whole PC system is only AMD and its drivers. Have been following this thread from the beginning and I can say there's no AMD fanboys here. Users will get more response here if they come for help. If they have their mind already set on the product and drivers, no one cares or bothers with the flaming wars
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's no reason to keep the products that's giving us all sort of troubles. If Nvidia is trouble free, that's the one we should keep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not exactly Ken1649. I am trully a fan of ATI/AMD, and I always have been as I have never owned a Nvidia card to date. Afterall.. Who wouldn't be concerned with the graphics wars if they weren't a true fan, reasons being Very obvious. I know you have some extensive knowledge about these technologies for one reason or another and I know you've helped people on the forum, but let's face it you wouldn't be the best detective or analyst about why we say what we do because have you ever thought that we as consumers may have our own agendas, one that you won't be able to pry from someoine who knows what they're doing. Maybe even so as much as yourself? Hmm. Wouldn't know. But I can tell you that I am a true ATI fan and I always have been. Anyone else's standards of that expression mean not alot to me, but yes. I do have caertain "feelings" for my favorite graphics card company. Its not polite to tell someone that their opinion is false, putting it lightly, even though we all like to play our little games at times, so I can sort of understand. lol And while all the facts still aren't determined yet, I can say that ATI/AMD is doing a very good job at their marketing technique. You see I would have said tactics but I think that ATI, now owned by AMD and also branded as such, have pretty much perfected their tactics and have successfully moved on to their strategies as being... Help me out? Nah that's ok, I got it... Techniques.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But thanks for the find on the Virtu MVP, and for doing so I'll give you a rep. +1 dude
Click to expand...

Don't take me wrong. For my own curiosity, I have been trying to know why the drivers work for some users (mutli-GPU and Eyefinity) but some have issues with it. You just don't get any informations from users who already blaming on the brand. I can understand the frustration from those (genuine users) who don't have enough time to test and research. But bringing Nvidia to the discussion doesn't exactly solve the issue more so will start flaming wars. Or be misconstrued as shilling for the other brand









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Bit of the topic i'm looking for a program to show my VGA temps can't us MSI AB since it makes my pc slightly unstable.... any idea what i should use I can use aida64 to show current temps but really want something to show max min and current temps what program could i use?


Whatever hardware monitoring, you still need these runtimes to work with it after RC11. HWinfo, AIDA, Trixx etc will need these 2 dlls omitted after RC11 or official 12.1.

AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


----------



## Aventadoor

How do you reset bios?
I powered the PC off, took the PSU off and then switched 2 BIOS2. Then booted up, turned off and switched 2 BIOS1. But it dident seem to work I think. Values in CATA is still the same. Might need 2 do a new driver install?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Don't take me wrong. For my own curiosity, I have been trying to know why the drivers work for some users (mutli-GPU and Eyefinity) but some have issues with it. You just don't get any informations from users who already blaming on the brand. I can understand the frustration from those (genuine users) who don't have enough time to test and research. But bringing Nvidia to the discussion doesn't exactly solve the issue more so will start flaming wars. Or be misconstrued as shilling for the other brand


Sometimes I think it has to do with some sort of software/hardware conflict. Could also be a bloated Windows install or just a flawed method of installing/removing old drivers. There are quite a few legit issues that anybody can reproduce though


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Gpu-z should work just go to the sensors tab and click on core temp until it shows max.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Ty new i had seen i somewhere.... For some strange reason i thought CpuID had temp reading for all sensors lol
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Whatever hardware monitoring, you still need these runtimes to work with it after RC11. HWinfo, AIDA, Trixx etc will need these 2 dlls omitted after RC11 or official 12.1.
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


Ya all ready got those... AB seemed rather stable after a week of re-install drivers for a week and then i got a random 116 bsod in Mass effect 3.... so i'll just have to use CCC unfortunately


----------



## Acrylic

Hi guys!

I made a thread but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask here too.

I'm thinking about getting a 7970 to replace my 2 460's, I want to run BF3 at ultra without any AA and low AF at 5040x1050, is this possible? (My rig is in my sig)

Also, I have 3 monitors all with a DVI port, will I need to buy anything else to run the 3 monitors on just the one GPU? Like a splitter?
Cheers!


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Acrylic*
> 
> Hi guys!
> 
> I made a thread but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask here too.
> 
> I'm thinking about getting a 7970 to replace my 2 460's, I want to run BF3 at ultra without any AA and low AF at 5040x1050, is this possible? (My rig is in my sig)
> 
> Also, I have 3 monitors all with a DVI port, will I need to buy anything else to run the 3 monitors on just the one GPU? Like a splitter?
> Cheers!


Depends on which 7970 you will buy. Some of them shipped with one miniDP to DVI Single Link Active Adapter. If it's not included you have to get one;

Accell Ultra AV Mini Display Port to DVI-D Single Link *...* - Frys.com

<a>







</a>


----------



## sena

Ken i think he is asking from perfomance side.


----------



## Andrazh

Can someone explain to me how to set up Virtu to give me a boost in BF3?

2500k, p8z68v

Tnx


----------



## Bilie

loving the new 7970 driver, came from 2720x 3dmark 11 score and now i am beating the highscore i72700k/7970 at 1125/6500 clocks on a reference card !  thats 500 points more guys !


----------



## sena

Is that 12.4 driver?


----------



## Bilie

12.3 but i came from the first one


----------



## 4514kaiser

Ya you should check out Hardwareheaven for there reveiw of the 7970 from memory they run tons of benchmarks and games at a massive res......

Also of topic AB seem not to be the issue just got another 116 bsod









Time to try CCC 12.4beta may just be a issue with my PCI slot but really do not want to drain that part of the system again!!

Hey are there any PCI slot test that i can run with a 7970 in the slot? also is it possible that my keyboard or mouse could cause a 116 bsod I'v run memtest and prime no errors at all and no bsods so fairly confident that there not the problem.... think it's the drivers but guess it could be the MB or VGA....


----------



## raghu78

Definitely possible especially without MSAA. A couple of reviews with FXAA at 5760 x 1080

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/03/22/nvidia_kepler_gpu_geforce_gtx_680_video_card_review/10 Ambient occlusion - SSAO FXAA - High

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/53263-msi-hd-7970-lightning-3gb-review-18.html Ambient occlusion - HBAO FXAA - High

You need to play around with FXAA and ambient occlusion and arrive at whats acceptable performance to you.


----------



## raghu78

Acrylic
Definitely possible especially without MSAA. A couple of reviews with FXAA at 5760 x 1080

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/03/22/nvidia_kepler_gpu_geforce_gtx_680_video_card_review/10 Ambient occlusion - SSAO FXAA - High
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/53263-msi-hd-7970-lightning-3gb-review-18.html Ambient occlusion - HBAO FXAA - High

You need to play around with FXAA and ambient occlusion and arrive at whats acceptable performance to you.


----------



## sena

Guys is still + 0.125V over stock voltage valid for HD 7950?


----------



## Exostenza

raghu78: Hit the edit button instead of making a double post. That way the thread stays clean.

Just a heads up.


----------



## Andrazh

@sena

i have it +175mV in AB 24/7 no problems.


----------



## disintegratorx

+1 Tslm +1 sena. We live in a realistic world where these companies are most likely going to be competing still for a long time to come and from a consumer's standpoint I can see it written in all the places that I go to look up and research for this information. From the trends that I've seen for awhile, ATI/AMD tends to go the way of the stronger and more sharp graphics style tech with their GPU, while I see a more stable GPU with more concentration on the extra software support and extra processing for the patented Physx technology built from Nvidia. Now I'm just relaying and basing what I know of these cards from very already known facts of the PC graphics community. And I didn't think that it was necessary to even have to go this far to explain things, but yes. Sena is right when that person said that I am trying to promote performance. Aren't you excited that you have one of these cards, Ken? Or would you prefer that Nvidia were the ones making the card to edge out on the performance side, because from my experience, ATI/AMD were always the innovators of the GPU industry. Not saying that what Nvidia is doing is bad, but from just reading the specifications, I'm seeing that its better to watch a movie on an AMD card for several reasons right now. And do everything else for that matter. Now being realistic you never know what may happen in the future. Either company can make new developments, but either way I won't fault ATI/AMD for any of their achievements that they've made so far because... I'm a fan. :\ And yeah I don't overclock much and I don't even plan to because I'm happy with how my system is running which is utterly perfect. I just really come back here to read everyone else's posts and throw in a quick comment or help tip for someone else. Not needing any advice or scrutinization.


----------



## Ken1649

I have AMD/Nvidia. So this is what I think. Both can do much better with the latest release 7970/680. They have to keep the balance and to push for high resolution gaming as in DisplayPort 1.2 with max resolution: 4096x2160. How many % of Surround and Eyefinity users? 1%? The whole industry will come to a halt when nobody is replacing their graphics cards. Who is going to replace their 7970/680 with the next generation for 1980x1080? Maybe the few with Eyefinity and Surround will.

So saying one brand is better than the other is a bit silly ....


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

There is anyway to set more than 1.3v in MSI AB?

Thanks.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> @sena
> i have it +175mV in AB 24/7 no problems.


i am it 1.206 volt
1130 core
and you ?


----------



## sena

Guys. why MSI is reseting Power Tune to 0%?
Edit: My bad, didnt click apply. EPIC facepalm.
@mltms
1.050V, 1000/1575 at moment.
Memory voltage is stock.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys. why MSI is reseting Power Tune to 0%?


what is the use for that powertune coz i dont see any different when i overclock i set it to 20% and 0% nothing can make my overclock staple like uping the volt little higher


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> i am it 1.206 volt
> 1130 core
> and you ?


1165 core @ 1174mV
1675 mem @ stock V

I'm tempted to OCjing memmory even further by incresing voltage. But i have a stock 1 fan cooler so i dont know.

I have a question tho. My 1 fan cooler seems to cover Vram also. But accelero extreme covers only GPU. Whats with that? I mean according to logic vrms should be off the charts with other coolers? Or are some passive heatsinks enough to OC memmory?


----------



## veyron1001

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I don't get this argument. Why do you need to OC a 7970 at all just to play games? Overclocking is only helpful when benching for the best numbers. In games at stock I get 100+fps in everything....


You also have a processor that cost more than 90% of the OCN user computers here. Quit bragging.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> what is the use for that powertune coz i dont see any different when i overclock i set it to 20% and 0% nothing can make my overclock staple like uping the volt little higher


Its here to stop GPU downclocking if you are breaching TDP, i only saw downclocking in Metro 2033 if i set power tune to 0%.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> How do you reset bios?
> I powered the PC off, took the PSU off and then switched 2 BIOS2. Then booted up, turned off and switched 2 BIOS1. But it dident seem to work I think. Values in CATA is still the same. Might need 2 do a new driver install?


Anyone?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *veyron1001*
> 
> You also have a processor that cost more than 90% of the OCN user computers here. Quit bragging.


What does that have to do with anything? My point is you don't need a stable 1300MHz OC to get decent frames with a 7970 unless you are running eyefinity. At least that's my opinion.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, I'd like a little later to get a second 7950, but check my M/B's specifications about the 2 PCIe slots:

1 x PCIe 2.0 x16
1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4 mode, black)

So, the second is gonna run at x4 mode... Do you think it's not worth getting a second card without a new M/B?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, I'd like a little later to get a second 7950, but check my M/B's specifications about the 2 PCIe slots:
> 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16
> 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4 mode, black)
> So, the second is gonna run at x4 mode... Do you think it's not worth getting a second card without a new M/B?


There will be some bottleneck, but nothing major.
It also depends on resolution.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> 1165 core @ 1174mV
> 1675 mem @ stock V
> I'm tempted to OCjing memmory even further by incresing voltage. But i have a stock 1 fan cooler so i dont know.
> I have a question tho. My 1 fan cooler seems to cover Vram also. But accelero extreme covers only GPU. Whats with that? I mean according to logic vrms should be off the charts with other coolers? Or are some passive heatsinks enough to OC memmory?


is the max volt will be 1.212 ?

1.095 +125mv=1.212


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> There is anyway to set more than 1.3v in MSI AB?
> Thanks.


Anyone?


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> is the max volt will be 1.212 ?
> 1.095 +125mv=1.212


Actually like i said i have ~+175mV

My stock voltage is .993V. I have one fan sapphire card. I presume the lower voltage is due to weaker fan and lower stock core(810).


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, I'd like a little later to get a second 7950, but check my M/B's specifications about the 2 PCIe slots:
> 
> 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16
> 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4 mode, black)
> 
> So, the second is gonna run at x4 mode... Do you think it's not worth getting a second card without a new M/B?


Read the real world user experience then decide;

http://www.overclock.net/t/1193677/crossfirex-nightmares#post_16087715

http://www.overclock.net/t/1193985/msi-5770-crossfire-issues-poor-performance-pls-help/20#post_16119391

http://www.overclock.net/t/867370/x16-x4-crossfire-performance-hit/20


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Anyone?


I do not believe so.


----------



## Deo Domuique

@Sena, @Ken, thank you guys! I started digging the issue, and I think I'll proceed, eventually. Later of course, as I said when the prices will drop a little and drivers issues will be sorted out. So, I'll have to deal only with the PCIe lanes.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> is the max volt will be 1.212 ?
> 1.095 +125mv=1.212
> 
> 
> 
> Actually like i said i have ~+175mV
> 
> My stock voltage is .993V. I have one fan sapphire card. I presume the lower voltage is due to weaker fan and lower stock core(810).
Click to expand...

My card also have 0.993V stock voltage, its Asus HD 7950 DCII Top.
Can you please tell me what is max oc you achived?


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I have AMD/Nvidia. So this is what I think. Both can do much better with the latest release 7970/680. They have to keep the balance and to push for high resolution gaming as in DisplayPort 1.2 with max resolution: 4096x2160. How many % of Surround and Eyefinity users? 1%? The whole industry will come to a halt when nobody is replacing their graphics cards. Who is going to replace their 7970/680 with the next generation for 1980x1080? Maybe the few with Eyefinity and Surround will.
> 
> So saying one brand is better than the other is a bit silly ....


Well.. I have yet to try a high speed HDMI cable but that's nice to know that you are happy with both of your cards and interesting to know what you think about them too and although I won't be going with a Nvidia card this round I'll be sure to post any new findings that I come across in the future. Other than that I don't believe that it's silly at all to have a favorite brand but maybe one day I'll check out a Nvidia brand card maybe when I think that they have more features to offer. Ok then, so if you would like to share about your Nvidia graphics card then how are the colors compared to ATI's blue stretch technology? I've been curious to know about that and how they compare? lol Good topics though from you. Well done Oh, Displayport. Very nice. I don't have one of those ports but I know that's the best one they say. I'll be trying a high speed HDMI eventually for my new monitor.


----------



## sena

I agree with Ken on one point.
That there is no more reason for us with HD 7900/GTX680 and one FHD monitor to upgrade anymore, all games run really good.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I agree with Ken on one point.
> That there is no more reason for us with HD 7900/GTX680 and one FHD monitor to upgrade anymore, all games run really good.


Yeah I could see why you both would say that. I haven't been able to experiment as far as a 120hz monitor would go on that definition but for my 60hz it does run pretty much absolutely smooth. (Common I wanna do the smiley hah but I can't this time or I'll play it out lol)


----------



## Andrazh

@sena 1165 and 1675 are my highest stable clocks.

My 7950 on max oc cant run bf3 on ultra with min 60 fps. Sometimes it drops to 55:> I'm so mad cuz i think 7970 or 680 can handle bf3 with min fps of 60


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> @sena 1165 and 1675 are my highest stable clocks.
> My 7950 on max oc cant run bf3 on ultra with min 60 fps. Sometimes it drops to 55:> I'm so mad cuz i think 7970 or 680 can handle bf3 with min fps of 60


On what voltage?


----------



## Andrazh

1175mV

I am trying now with 1200mV. Was playing bf3 earlier with 1220core. But it locked up after 10minutes. I think 1200 is stable. Gonna test this now Gonna put some volts on my vram so i see how high can i get.

Ok so i've been playing BF3 for few minutes 5-10min. And run unigine benchmark with [email protected]/[email protected]

This is what i get in unigine 3.0 at these clocks:
FPS:
57.2
Scores:
1440
Min FPS:
22.9
Max FPS:
141.2

And this is at [email protected]/[email protected]:
FPS:
55.5
Scores:
1398
Min FPS:
23.2
Max FPS:
136.2

Settings were all maxed on 1680x1050.

Its funny because i can have core at 1200 with 1200 voltage but in hwinfo says that core gets only 1140mV. The same value as when i had the voltage set on 1175mV but with that voltage i couldnt reach 1200 on core.

Edit:

I tested it with 3dmark and this is what i get.
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3196632;jsessionid=1ae6d9lffwhxojoyjkkbapoyd
And with lower clocks:
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3066767

Feel free to post any of your benchmark so we can compare


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> I have AMD/Nvidia. So this is what I think. Both can do much better with the latest release 7970/680. They have to keep the balance and to push for high resolution gaming as in DisplayPort 1.2 with max resolution: 4096x2160. How many % of Surround and Eyefinity users? 1%? The whole industry will come to a halt when nobody is replacing their graphics cards. Who is going to replace their 7970/680 with the next generation for 1980x1080? Maybe the few with Eyefinity and Surround will.
> 
> So saying one brand is better than the other is a bit silly ....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well.. I have yet to try a high speed HDMI cable but that's nice to know that you are happy with both of your cards and interesting to know what you think about them too and although I won't be going with a Nvidia card this round I'll be sure to post any new findings that I come across in the future. Other than that I don't believe that it's silly at all to have a favorite brand but maybe one day I'll check out a Nvidia brand card maybe when I think that they have more features to offer. Ok then, so if you would like to share about your Nvidia graphics card then how are the colors compared to ATI's blue stretch technology? I've been curious to know about that and how they compare? lol Good topics though from you. Well done Oh, Displayport. Very nice. I don't have one of those ports but I know that's the best one they say. I'll be trying a high speed HDMI eventually for my new monitor.
Click to expand...

I am not happy with both. I feel like being fooled by both. We will see the real performance when the high resolution displays available for regular consumer market (gaming) at affordable cost.

HDMI 1.4 is available long time ago but there's no monitor manufacturer applying HDMI 1.4 standard


----------



## PARTON

I just flashed the asus overclock bios that allows for 1.4v to my new diamond reference card. It hard locks regardless of clocks as soon as I initialize a voltage over ~1.33v. My old sapphire card could go all the way to 1.4v. Both cards are the same stock vid(1.175). Any ideas?

ANother thing I noticed is that OCCT runs at a higher framerate with the Asus oc bios. Both show 99 or 100% gpu usage but the stock bios has to be throttling.


----------



## disintegratorx

-.-


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> @sena 1165 and 1675 are my highest stable clocks.
> My 7950 on max oc cant run bf3 on ultra with min 60 fps. Sometimes it drops to 55:> I'm so mad cuz i think 7970 or 680 can handle bf3 with min fps of 60


Those are already 7970 clocks! I can only do 1200/1600 on my 7970 on air, and you're wrong, I can't max BF3 with 60fps. I run everything max, no motion blur, and 2xMSAA, and get ~80+. But if I run 4xMSAA, I get dips into the 50's as well.

However, in terms of what you were saying about voltage, I believe +125mV is a hardware limit. I know it's relaxed on the Lightnings, maybe some other nonref cards too, but reference cards have that hard limit of +125mV, no matter what you set in Afterburner.


----------



## franktherabbit

Hello everyone. I received my Asus 7950 a few days ago. Everything worked (sort of) until last night. I started getting BSOD's, as well the system wouldn't start with both display port monitors connected. When it would get to the Windows login screen the displays would both scramble and eventually would get a crash. I disconnected one of the display port monitors and the system started up, and then crashed once inside windows. I then disconnected all monitors except for one on the DVI port. I am able to get the system running without crashing while only connected to the one display, however the display driver continues to fail repeatedly and then recover. I have run WhoCrashed and the report contained two amd drivers.
atihdw76.sys (AtihdW76+0x1E9AF) and atikmpag.sys (atikmpag+0x7AE4) It is installed onto an Asus P6 X58 E Workstation mobo with an i7 960. Thanks in advance for help guys.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Those are already 7970 clocks! I can only do 1200/1600 on my 7970 on air, and you're wrong, I can't max BF3 with 60fps. I run everything max, no motion blur, and 2xMSAA, and get ~80+. But if I run 4xMSAA, I get dips into the 50's as well.
> However, in terms of what you were saying about voltage, I believe +125mV is a hardware limit. I know it's relaxed on the Lightnings, maybe some other nonref cards too, but reference cards have that hard limit of +125mV, no matter what you set in Afterburner.


That's what everyone keeps saying. I have reference cards and I just ran 3dmark11 @ 1250/1600 1.200v Failed, 1.225v Failed, 1.250v Passed. My cards are 1.049v stock, both are good ASIC 86.1% and 86.5%. So for what I just passed was .201v over stock. Any less and Fail. No OCP kicked in, but I am testing with UOM set to 2 now instead of 1.


----------



## Hambone07si

Just a teaser for you guys. Just remember that my max temps were only 45c on my cards. Don't push your cards harder then they can handle.

EDIT: sorry for the double post


----------



## Ken1649

LOL


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> That's what everyone keeps saying. I have reference cards and I just ran 3dmark11 @ 1250/1600 1.200v Failed, 1.225v Failed, 1.250v Passed. My cards are 1.049v stock, both are good ASIC 86.1% and 86.5%. So for what I just passed was .201v over stock. Any less and Fail. No OCP kicked in, but I am testing with UOM set to 2 now instead of 1.


What is GPUz showing the vcore as though? My stock is 1.112, and I have it set to 1.225 in AB, but GPUz shows only 1.170v going through it.


----------



## spikernum1

I have a *Gigabyte (tri-fan) 7970 OC edition*, overclocked using MSI Afterburner (2.2 Beta 15) with the following settings:
voltage: 1.170
Core: 1175MHz
Mem: 1575MHz
Display driver : 7.14.10.0894, Catalyst 12.3
BIOS : 015.012.000.006

When running FurMark at extreme, my temp hits ~66C and the fan speed sits at 90% (~4400RPM). Seems okay to me.

However, when trying to use 3DMark 11, display driver crashes when loading the first test.

Any ideas why it is crashing?


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spikernum1*
> 
> I have a *Gigabyte (tri-fan) 7970 OC edition*, overclocked using MSI Afterburner (2.2 Beta 15) with the following settings:
> voltage: 1.170
> Core: 1175MHz
> Mem: 1575MHz
> Display driver : 7.14.10.0894, Catalyst 12.3
> BIOS : 015.012.000.006
> When running FurMark at extreme, my temp hits ~66C and the fan speed sits at 90% (~4400RPM). Seems okay to me.
> However, when trying to use 3DMark 11, display driver crashes when loading the first test.
> Any ideas why it is crashing?


Just curious does it crash when you run games? Also was always curious on how queit those aftermarket cooling cards from GIgabyte are? This mobo I'm running now is my first product from them ever and other then the color scheme I really don't like it but their windforce gpus seem nice.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

The Windforce coolers are pretty sweet. I had 2 6950's with the WF cooler and they were amazing cards. Sold those for a single 7950 with the Dual Fan Sapphire cooler which is equally good, if not better. The sound is almost non-existent and the temps are AT LEAST 10C cooler than a reference card. OC'd to 1200Mhz, my 7950 barely hits 70C under full load. The WF cooler would be much similar.


----------



## sena

Andrazh
I am now on 1025/1575 1.050V.
My card is little weird with higher votlages, have to check some things.
LAF there is always some undervolt in load. That is reason why you seeing lover values in GPU-Z.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Those are already 7970 clocks! I can only do 1200/1600 on my 7970 on air, and you're wrong, I can't max BF3 with 60fps. I run everything max, no motion blur, and 2xMSAA, and get ~80+. But if I run 4xMSAA, I get dips into the 50's as well.
> However, in terms of what you were saying about voltage, I believe +125mV is a hardware limit. I know it's relaxed on the Lightnings, maybe some other nonref cards too, but reference cards have that hard limit of +125mV, no matter what you set in Afterburner.


Here is what happens to me to:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> That's what everyone keeps saying. I have reference cards and I just ran 3dmark11 @ 1250/1600 1.200v Failed, 1.225v Failed, 1.250v Passed. My cards are 1.049v stock, both are good ASIC 86.1% and 86.5%. So for what I just passed was .201v over stock. Any less and Fail. No OCP kicked in, but I am testing with UOM set to 2 now instead of 1.


Its strange because hwinfo reads same voltage when on load. ~1140mV but with higher voltage in AB i get higher clocks which makes no sence to me.

Hambone07si can u check ur voltage in hwinfo at 1200mV and 1250mV? I wonder if they are the same. You have to test it under load. Because in idle hwinfo shows ~25mV less then in AB no mather what i set it to. Thats weird too. In idle through my card runs 1175mV on load only 1140mV..

And with my OC i figured that 7950 is 2-3% worse performer then 7970 at same clocks. So i'm really satisfied with my purchase. Especially cuz i got my card for 300€ unused


----------



## Aventadoor

Anyone here know how to reset bios?
I tryed to turn the PC off and boot up while in BIOS2 (the supposed to be reset bios) then turn it off again without taking the PSU power off and switch to BIOS1. But it doesnt look like it have been reseted.
Anyone with GPU-Z and stock bios who can post the Bios version?

Thank you!


----------



## Andrazh

You can't reset bios, you have to reflash bios u have now with previous bios. If u haven't done a backup ask someone who has the same card as u to send u the bios and then reflash it.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> You can't reset bios, you have to reflash bios u have now with previous bios. If u haven't done a backup ask someone who has the same card as u to send u the bios and then reflash it.


So what was the point with having 2 bios then?
I actually got told here that BIOS2 is for reset. So ye


----------



## sena

Andrazh
What are you temps and fan speed on your 24/7 OC?


----------



## General_Jaja

Just ordered a Sapphire HD 7970 OC for $610 from Umart (cheapest here I could find in Australia) along with an extra 8gb of corsair vengeance ram







Gonna be fun putting it in my rig when it shows up at the door!


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> So what was the point with having 2 bios then?
> I actually got told here that BIOS2 is for reset. So ye


If your card dont boot on flashed bios u have second bios as backup. But then u have to reflash the first bios to get it working again.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Andrazh
> What are you temps and fan speed on your 24/7 OC?


I got fan profile set from 30%/40°C to 80%/80.

In BF3 i get 65° with v-sync on and about 70 with it off and thats my max temp.


----------



## mltms

this is strang !! set the volt it 1.212 and core 1170/1500 staple 100% in heaven benchmark dx11 max setting

but after 4 minute in BF3 i have a hard frezz AND I HAVE TO TURN THE PC OFF ??? *** is it driver issue


----------



## sena

I found for my card that Crysis Warhead is best for stabilty testing.
I could pass Crysis 2 and Heaven 2.0. But i would get crash in Crysis Warhead.
Andrazh
I assume its preety noisy, my ears are preety sensitive so i prefer less perfomances for better acoustics.
My card is about 60-62C in Crysis Warhead, 1.049V.


----------



## AV98911

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> this is strang !! set the volt it 1.212 and core 1170/1500 staple 100% in heaven benchmark dx11 max setting
> but after 4 minute in BF3 i have a hard frezz AND I HAVE TO TURN THE PC OFF ??? *** is it driver issue


Your overclock is unstable. I usually try some heaven bench runs followed by 3dmark11 runs and scan for errors and artifacts. If the card passes all of that, then the last step is to try BF3. I have had my card pass every test/bench I threw at it but then still fail in BF3








Bump your voltage a little bit and see if you can get BF3 stable. That is usually all it takes but definitely keep trying.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Gaming to test out your card for stability... Your miles will vary.

I prefer OCCT even if the load is generally unrealistic for games.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AV98911*
> 
> Your overclock is unstable. I usually try some heaven bench runs followed by 3dmark11 runs and scan for errors and artifacts. If the card passes all of that, then the last step is to try BF3. I have had my card pass every test/bench I threw at it but then still fail in BF3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bump your voltage a little bit and see if you can get BF3 stable. That is usually all it takes but definitely keep trying.


i can do 1200 core 1.292 volt staple in evrything crysis2 bf3 but if i lower the volt to 1.245 it will be staple in benchmark but not in games
i think its driver issue and AB


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Those are already 7970 clocks! I can only do 1200/1600 on my 7970 on air, and you're wrong, I can't max BF3 with 60fps. I run everything max, no motion blur, and 2xMSAA, and get ~80+. But if I run 4xMSAA, I get dips into the 50's as well.
> However, in terms of what you were saying about voltage, I believe +125mV is a hardware limit. I know it's relaxed on the Lightnings, maybe some other nonref cards too, but reference cards have that hard limit of +125mV, no matter what you set in Afterburner.
> 
> 
> 
> Here is what happens to me to:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> That's what everyone keeps saying. I have reference cards and I just ran 3dmark11 @ 1250/1600 1.200v Failed, 1.225v Failed, 1.250v Passed. My cards are 1.049v stock, both are good ASIC 86.1% and 86.5%. So for what I just passed was .201v over stock. Any less and Fail. No OCP kicked in, but I am testing with UOM set to 2 now instead of 1.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Its strange because hwinfo reads same voltage when on load. ~1140mV but with higher voltage in AB i get higher clocks which makes no sence to me.
> 
> Hambone07si can u check ur voltage in hwinfo at 1200mV and 1250mV? I wonder if they are the same. You have to test it under load. Because in idle hwinfo shows ~25mV less then in AB no mather what i set it to. Thats weird too. In idle through my card runs 1175mV on load only 1140mV..
> 
> And with my OC i figured that 7950 is 2-3% worse performer then 7970 at same clocks. So i'm really satisfied with my purchase. Especially cuz i got my card for 300€ unused
Click to expand...

The cards have built in vdroop


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I found for my card that Crysis Warhead is best for stabilty testing.
> I could pass Crysis 2 and Heaven 2.0. But i would get crash in Crysis Warhead.
> Andrazh
> I assume its preety noisy, my ears are preety sensitive so i prefer less perfomances for better acoustics.
> My card is about 60-62C in Crysis Warhead, 1.049V.


Yes it gets pretty noisy. Thats why i will buy the copper adapter and some old silent cooler for the card for about 30€. I'm looking for cheaper, coolest and quietest i can get. I figure that with the copper adapter i can mount just about any cooler on the card as long as it fits on the card.
Example:
http://di1-3.shoppingshadow.com/images/pi/79/ca/93/106457599-260x260-0-0_arctic+arctic+cooling+accelero+s1+passive+vga+cool.jpg

I think this one should fit onto the card. The good side is that you can get these old coolers very cheap because they are old and they were build for cards that go up to 100°C so they should cool pretty good.
Just want to make sure that this would work. So if someone here has any experience or though on this please share

EDIT: I found someone already doing so:
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/hardware-clinic-2/%5Blongsiew%5D-ek-vga-supreme-hf-hd7970-cu-adapter-copper-does-wonders-3643912.html

I have a question tho. If i install this will my ram be too hot?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> The cards have built in vdroop


Yes but i don't get it why is card unstable at 1170mV in AB and stable at 1200mV in AB where in both cases hwinfo shows the same voltage is being fed to the card.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Trixx is sort of the same crap just a different veneer.
> Btw, don't open overdrive if you use either crap hehe.


I have to use overdrive to set power control to +10%








You can not do that in Trixx








BUT, I have not had any problems using overdrive in combination with Trixx ...


----------



## Evil Penguin

I think we can expect new beta drivers later this week.

My money is on Wednesday.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Whatever hardware monitoring, you still need these runtimes to work with it after RC11. HWinfo, AIDA, Trixx etc will need these 2 dlls omitted after RC11 or official 12.1.
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


I was on RC11, uninstalled it (NOT using Atiman) and installed 12.3 WHQL.
No need for these 2 files to run Trixx here...


----------



## sena

Andrazh
I am now at 1030/1575 and testing, voltage is 1.049V. I hope its stable.
1050 Mhz on same voltage is not stable, it crashed in crysis warhead.


----------



## Hambone07si

Well 1.250v in AB feeds about 1.175v under load

1.275v in AB feeds 1.200v under load which is passing my 1.174v (1.049v + .125v)

PLEASE DON'T TRY WHAT I DO. I have the mind set that I am going to blow the caps off my cards doing what I'm doing, so if it happens, I'm not going to be upset, I don't want any of you coming back at me if you damage your cards. I can care less as it's a hobby and only money. It can be replaced.

With 1.275v and under load, you thought you've heard cap squeal, HA, you should hear these things


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well 1.250v in AB feeds about 1.175v under load
> 1.275v in AB feeds 1.200v under load which is passing my 1.174v (1.049v + .125v)
> PLEASE DON'T TRY WHAT I DO. I have the mind set that I am going to blow the caps off my cards doing what I'm doing, so if it happens, I'm not going to be upset, I don't want any of you coming back at me if you damage your cards. I can care less as it's a hobby and only money. It can be replaced.
> With 1.275v and under load, you thought you've heard cap squeal, HA, you should hear these things


You really got your 3930K to 4.8GHz at 1.375V? Mine needs 1.45V for 4.8GHz...


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Andrazh
> I am now at 1030/1575 and testing, voltage is 1.049V. I hope its stable.
> 1050 Mhz on same voltage is not stable, it crashed in crysis warhead.


Try 1100Mhz at 1100mV i had that seting at first.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well 1.250v in AB feeds about 1.175v under load
> 1.275v in AB feeds 1.200v under load which is passing my 1.174v (1.049v + .125v)
> PLEASE DON'T TRY WHAT I DO. I have the mind set that I am going to blow the caps off my cards doing what I'm doing, so if it happens, I'm not going to be upset, I don't want any of you coming back at me if you damage your cards. I can care less as it's a hobby and only money. It can be replaced.
> With 1.275v and under load, you thought you've heard cap squeal, HA, you should hear these things


But is 1.046V your stock voltage in AB or is that what your card gets?


----------



## Aventadoor

Anyone here with reference Sapphire 7970 who can give me the bios pls?
Thx


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You really got your 3930K to 4.8GHz at 1.375V? Mine needs 1.45V for 4.8GHz...


Don't feel bad man I need 1.42 for 4.5ghz on my 2500k.

I got like literally the worst 2500k in existence. Now that IB looks awful I think I'm going to be stuck with it for awhile unless I decide to go SB-E too.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You really got your 3930K to 4.8GHz at 1.375V? Mine needs 1.45V for 4.8GHz...


Yeah it's not all that uncommon for that to occur, as mine only needs 1.37 for 4.8ghz as well.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Don't feel bad man I need 1.42 for 4.5ghz on my 2500k.
> I got like literally the worst 2500k in existence. Now that IB looks awful I think I'm going to be stuck with it for awhile unless I decide to go SB-E too.


lol, on my 2500k, I needed 1.505v for 4.7ghz stable ;\

Btw, I would only go SB-E if you plan on upgrading to at least 3 GPUs.

It's just not necessary otherwise. My 2500k @ 4.7ghz was perfectly fine until I moved up to my 3 7970s, with which it struggled in BF3 to keep the GPUs fed @ 1080p... I've since upgraded to the 3x7970 setup and soon to be 4x680 setup once they arrive monday/tuesday.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Anyone here with reference Sapphire 7970 who can give me the bios pls?
> Thx


Wouldnt let me upload it, but here is the download link for it.
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/112673/Sapphire.HD7970.3072.111207.html


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Anyone here with reference Sapphire 7970 who can give me the bios pls?
> Thx


here it is: https://rapidshare.com/files/768225401/sapphire_ref_7970.bin


----------



## Exostenza

Just going to put this out there for some one the new guys here. This is what a 7950 can do if you OC it right. Don't even need a crazy CPU OC as I am only @ 3.7ghz.. Also Heaven will usually be stable and BF3 will crash if the OC is unstable. Try it out in Heaven and if passes use BF3 as a stable test. If BF3 crashes then up your volts.

Also if you cannot OC with Afterburner it is because you are missing 2 .dll files and I have the link in my thread to a handy installer that will do it for you HERE

My settings are 1.225v core @ 1200 and stock RAM voltage @ 1600 although every card will vary.

Here is my Heaven 3.0


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Just going to put this out there for some one the new guys here. This is what a 7950 can do if you OC it right. Don't even need a crazy CPU OC as I am only @ 3.7ghz.. Also Heaven will usually be stable and BF3 will crash if the OC is unstable. Try it out in Heaven and if passes use BF3 as a stable test. If BF3 crashes then up your volts.
> Also if you cannot OC with Afterburner it is because you are missing 2 .dll files and I have the link in my thread to a handy installer that will do it for you HERE
> My settings are 1.225v core @ 1200 and stock RAM voltage @ 1600 although every card will vary.
> Here is my Heaven 3.0


Crank the settings up to max so we can compare to other posts here in the thread.









Also, I checked the OP and noticed we don't have a 7970/7950 Club banner there. I'd really like to replace my GTX 500 Club banner in my sig if anybody wants to make one. I would but my HTML skills are not that great and I want it to looks cool...


----------



## Exostenza

Ok well now I am not so happy... LOL

12.3 WHQL



I never use more than 4xAA anyways... The AA method in Heaven really takes a toll on AMD cards.

EDIT: Oh I see some others are on 1680x1050... that makes me feel better.







I'll give it a run at that resolution for more comparisons.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> Don't feel bad man I need 1.42 for 4.5ghz on my 2500k.
> I got like literally the worst 2500k in existence. Now that IB looks awful I think I'm going to be stuck with it for awhile unless I decide to go SB-E too.


That's indeed awful








I need 1.33 for 4,5ghz and that's on offset value.


----------



## Exostenza

Here is my 1680x1050 for reference using 12.3 WHQL:


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Here's mine maxed at 1080p:


----------



## Aventadoor

I changed bios to the original one and re installed MSI AB and enabled unofficialoverclockingmode. Then, obviously the values just went to 0 so I downloaded the patch. Then I added 1,2v to the second GPU and clocked the card to 1,2ghz. Then I get bluescreen followed by lots of suddenly black screen and PC reboot.
Now, 1,2ghz I what I usually have my cards on. Its just that try 2 change voltage so I can push the cards further. But anyone know what can cause the BSOD and black screens + reboot?
Its really really annyoing and ive defently lost my relationship with AMD


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> I changed bios to the original one and re installed MSI AB and enabled unofficialoverclockingmode. Then, obviously the values just went to 0 so I downloaded the patch. Then I added 1,2v to the second GPU and clocked the card to 1,2ghz. Then I get bluescreen followed by lots of suddenly black screen and PC reboot.
> Now, 1,2ghz I what I usually have my cards on. Its just that try 2 change voltage so I can push the cards further. But anyone know what can cause the BSOD and black screens + reboot?
> Its really really annyoing and ive defently lost my relationship with AMD


sure ur PSU is large enough?


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> sure ur PSU is large enough?


No







You think that may be the case?
(its a TX750 bcuz my 1050 is RMAed)


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Here is my 1680x1050 for reference using 12.3 WHQL:


Beat this


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> sure ur PSU is large enough?
> 
> 
> 
> No
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You think that may be the case?
> (its a TX750 bcuz my 1050 is RMAed)
Click to expand...

I bet it is tbh, to small for 2 7970s, and water cooled on top. I would see if ur 1050 makes it work .


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've now just run into my first issue while running 12.4 with no mods and no After Burner. I tried to run 3dmark Vantage at stock clocks and my computer keeps rebooting randomly during the runs. Sometimes it makes it through Jane Nash and reboots during the space one and sometimes it makes it to the CPU test and reboots. This is the only game/bench that doesn't work with 12.4 Beta so I'm wondering what it could be. I highly doubt its a PSU issue and can only assume drivers. CPU/GPU temps are fine and as I said the 7970's were at stock. My CPU is at 4.8GHz but that has been a solid OC for me for weeks. Anyway, I'm going to try a fresh install of Vantage and if that doesn't work I may roll back to vanilla 12.3 and see if that's any better...


----------



## mltms

i am it 1.250 volt 1180 core i will use it for 24/7








max temp 70 vram 69
7950 oc edition


----------



## sena

Andrazh
I will try 1100Mv. Thx


----------



## paralogixer

What would be the best 7950 edition there is, for oc?

What about the ASUS 7950 DirectCU II TOP, which i already ordered.

the XFX 7950 seems to reach clocks like Core 1156MHz Memory 1623MHz

I thought they all used the same reference PCB?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> What would be the best 7950 edition there is, for oc?
> What about the ASUS 7950 DirectCU II TOP, which i already ordered.
> the XFX 7950 seems to reach clocks like Core 1156MHz Memory 1623MHz
> I thought they all used the same reference PCB?


I personally have Asus HD 7950 DCII Top.
The card is silent, and temps are good, about 60C avarage, i have HAFX case.
Sapphire HD 7950 OC is also really good, maybe better than DCII because it takes only two slots, DCII takes three.
XFX HD 7950 DD is worst HD 7950 design on the market imho. I wouldnt recommend that card to anyone.


----------



## paralogixer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I personally have Asus HD 7950 DCII Top.
> The card is silent, and temps are good, about 60C avarage, i have HAFX case.
> Sapphire HD 7950 OC is also really good, maybe better than DCII because it takes only two slots, DCII takes three.
> XFX HD 7950 DD is worst HD 7950 design on the market imho. I wouldnt recommend that card to anyone.


I don't care about the three slot, I've HAF X too









According to one review, XFX seems to oc the best of the 7950s?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> I don't care about the three slot, I've HAF X too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> According to one review, XFX seems to oc the best of the 7950s?


OC mostly depends on chip, so lot of luck is involved.
When it comed to cooling, Asus HD 7950 DCII and Sapphire HD 7950 OC are best.


----------



## paralogixer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> OC mostly depends on chip, so lot of luck is involved.
> When it comed to cooling, Asus HD 7950 DCII and Sapphire HD 7950 OC are best.


Thanks man for making it clear +1


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> Thanks man for making it clear +1


Np mate, glad i could help.


----------



## pd411yomofo

Did you have any problems with the drivers? Got the same card but it keeps crashing in all my games. Any advice?


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Beat this


Challenge accepted


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> Did you have any problems with the drivers? Got the same card but it keeps crashing in all my games. Any advice?


I only crash when my OC is not stable.
Is your GPU overclocked?


----------



## Circlemage8

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Challenge accepted



You were saying.

As a side note. Couple of things on the Sapphire Dual X I have. It has some nasty coil whine when stress testing overclocks depending on the application (atitool + 5000 fps is the worst). Second I'm not seeing Afterburner pick up any vdroop. Is anyone else seeing no vdroop with any cards as I though these were supposed to have that?


----------



## PARTON

The droop is there, afterburner only reports setpoint. GPU-z or HWinfo will show you close to actual.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You really got your 3930K to 4.8GHz at 1.375V? Mine needs 1.45V for 4.8GHz...


Yup. That's my work pc with the 3930k 4.8ghz with 1.375v stable with a H80 that came with it. My office is 70-72f all the time tho all year. My 2500k that I just let go of was 15hr prime stable at 5ghz 1.392v. and my new 2700k can do 5ghz HT on 8hrs prime stable with 1.425v and max boot at 56x 1.575v and posted at 57x, but rebooted at windows logo screen. 1.600v would get in at 5.7ghz for sure


----------



## iscariot

Question for the Gurus out there:

I was seconds away from picking up the Sapphire Duel X 7970 for $620 AU when I noticed the 7950 for $499. that is a $220 difference. The performance seems fairly close.

How easy is to to OC the 7950 to get it to around the 7970 levels? If I can save $200 for roughly the same perforance I'll be very happy.

Im using a 1080p monitor and will be mainly playing BF3, The Witcher 2, Skyrim and Aliens: colonial Marines when it comes out.

My gut tells me the 7950 is all I really need.

What say you all?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iscariot*
> 
> Question for the Gurus out there:
> I was seconds away from picking up the Sapphire Duel X 7970 for $620 AU when I noticed the 7950 for $499. that is a $220 difference. The performance seems fairly close.
> How easy is to to OC the 7950 to get it to around the 7970 levels? If I can save $200 for roughly the same perforance I'll be very happy.
> Im using a 1080p monitor and will be mainly playing BF3, The Witcher 2, Skyrim and Aliens: colonial Marines when it comes out.
> My gut tells me the 7950 is all I really need.
> What say you all?


7950. 1080P isn't that hard to drive. $220 is completely worth going the slight step down in performance (changed by overclocking







)


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iscariot*
> 
> Question for the Gurus out there:
> I was seconds away from picking up the Sapphire Duel X 7970 for $620 AU when I noticed the 7950 for $499. that is a $220 difference. The performance seems fairly close.
> How easy is to to OC the 7950 to get it to around the 7970 levels? If I can save $200 for roughly the same perforance I'll be very happy.
> Im using a 1080p monitor and will be mainly playing BF3, The Witcher 2, Skyrim and Aliens: colonial Marines when it comes out.
> My gut tells me the 7950 is all I really need.
> What say you all?


You can OC a 7950 pretty easily to 7970 levels but on the flipside you can OC a 7970 past that. Regardless your 7950 will max both the witcher 2 and Skyrim completely and BF3 almost. You can run 4xmsaa if you want but you'll get dips down to 45 fps. You could OC the 7970 to the point where you can get it pretty much locked at 60fps.

At 1080p that will really be the only difference between the two cards. With a 200 dollar gulf I think I'd go for the 7950. You can always add a second later and have major overkill on all games.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iscariot*
> 
> Question for the Gurus out there:
> I was seconds away from picking up the Sapphire Duel X 7970 for $620 AU when I noticed the 7950 for $499. that is a $220 difference. The performance seems fairly close.
> How easy is to to OC the 7950 to get it to around the 7970 levels? If I can save $200 for roughly the same perforance I'll be very happy.
> Im using a 1080p monitor and will be mainly playing BF3, The Witcher 2, Skyrim and Aliens: colonial Marines when it comes out.
> My gut tells me the 7950 is all I really need.
> What say you all?


Don't go for the 7970. When overclocked the difference is so marginal it is ridiculous. I heavily suggest getting a 7950 that has a good third party solution and OCing it heavily as these cards like to OC high. You should have no problem getting 1200 on the core and 1650 on the memory. Easily beating out a stock 7970 and the price difference in AU is ridiculous. Save the money and you won't regret it. Buy some games to use that card with with the money saved.

I did it and I am damned glad I made that decision.









With my OC I can play all the games you mentions on the max setting (Witcher 2 without ubersampling of course) and I have a 1080p monitor as well.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Circlemage8*
> 
> 
> You were saying.
> As a side note. Couple of things on the Sapphire Dual X I have. It has some nasty coil whine when stress testing overclocks depending on the application (atitool + 5000 fps is the worst). Second I'm not seeing Afterburner pick up any vdroop. Is anyone else seeing no vdroop with any cards as I though these were supposed to have that?


At what clocks is that?


----------



## iscariot

Order placed for 7950. Hope I can manage a good OC. You watch now the price drop will come through. Damn I hate being impatient.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iscariot*
> 
> Order placed for 7950. Hope I can manage a good OC. You watch now the price drop will come through. Damn I hate being impatient.


I could choose between custom HD 7950 and reference HD 7970, there was some difference in money, about 70 euros i think.
I choosed custom HD 7950, because my ears are preety sensitive, and i heard and saw on some testing that reference HD 7970 is preety noisy.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Don't go for the 7970. When overclocked the difference is so marginal it is ridiculous. I heavily suggest getting a 7950 that has a good third party solution and OCing it heavily as these cards like to OC high. You should have no problem getting 1200 on the core and 1650 on the memory. Easily beating out a stock 7970 and the price difference in AU is ridiculous. Save the money and you won't regret it. Buy some games to use that card with with the money saved.
> I did it and I am damned glad I made that decision.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With my OC I can play all the games you mentions on the max setting (Witcher 2 without ubersampling of course) and I have a 1080p monitor as well.


Even BF3? With my OCed 7970 I can't manage a solid 60fps with 4xMSAA. No trouble with 2xMSAA, but it dips at 4x


----------



## pd411yomofo

I haven't clocked that card at all. Though it would be good enough stock.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> I haven't clocked that card at all. Though it would be good enough stock.


Then unfortnately looks like you have this problem.
Fault
I suggest immediate RMA, but just to be sure can you touch you card PCB when gaming to see is it temp problem, if you can hold your hand on PCB then temp is not problem, its something else.
EDIT: Now i saw in your rig that you have HD 7970 DCII, but i also heard they too have problems with temps.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've now just run into my first issue while running 12.4 with no mods and no After Burner. I tried to run 3dmark Vantage at stock clocks and my computer keeps rebooting randomly during the runs. Sometimes it makes it through Jane Nash and reboots during the space one and sometimes it makes it to the CPU test and reboots. This is the only game/bench that doesn't work with 12.4 Beta so I'm wondering what it could be. I highly doubt its a PSU issue and can only assume drivers. CPU/GPU temps are fine and as I said the 7970's were at stock. My CPU is at 4.8GHz but that has been a solid OC for me for weeks. Anyway, I'm going to try a fresh install of Vantage and if that doesn't work I may roll back to vanilla 12.3 and see if that's any better...


Drivers I guess. I have goneback to the drivers released in Jan, they are the only ones which have not given me some sort of problem, and I use 12.3 cap.
Patiently waiting for new drivers and Sapphire trixx new edition.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've now just run into my first issue while running 12.4 with no mods and no After Burner. I tried to run 3dmark Vantage at stock clocks and my computer keeps rebooting randomly during the runs. Sometimes it makes it through Jane Nash and reboots during the space one and sometimes it makes it to the CPU test and reboots. This is the only game/bench that doesn't work with 12.4 Beta so I'm wondering what it could be. I highly doubt its a PSU issue and can only assume drivers. CPU/GPU temps are fine and as I said the 7970's were at stock. My CPU is at 4.8GHz but that has been a solid OC for me for weeks. Anyway, I'm going to try a fresh install of Vantage and if that doesn't work I may roll back to vanilla 12.3 and see if that's any better...


Both 3DMark 11 and Vantage always do that unless I run them in compatibility mode with visual theme and desktop composition disabled. Or caused by Adobe Flash auto updater.

Took me 30 min to figure it out after building new RAID.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yup. That's my work pc with the 3930k 4.8ghz with 1.375v stable with a H80 that came with it. My office is 70-72f all the time tho all year. My 2500k that I just let go of was 15hr prime stable at 5ghz 1.392v. and my new 2700k can do 5ghz HT on 8hrs prime stable with 1.425v and max boot at 56x 1.575v and posted at 57x, but rebooted at windows logo screen. 1.600v would get in at 5.7ghz for sure


Well you sure seem to have all the luck. My 2600K wouldn't do a stable 5.0GHz at under 1.5V which exceeded my temp limits and my 3960X needs 1.45V for 4.8GHz which pretty much maxes out my H80...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Well you sure seem to have all the luck. My 2600K wouldn't do a stable 5.0GHz at under 1.5V which exceeded my temp limits and my 3960X needs 1.45V for 4.8GHz which pretty much maxes out my H80...


LOL, yeah it's either I'm VERY lucky, or just know what I'm doing when I'm overclocking. I have overclocked hundreds of cpus. The one thing that a lot of you guys do wrong is push to much Vcore through your Cpu's and barely use the motherboard. To many try to use the power saving features or the thermal features on the mobo instead of beating the crap out of your phases. If you run your mobo on tprobe (on SB or SB-E) you will end up needing way more Vcore than using Extreme. Yes using Extreme will heat up your phases more and could become unstable, but it's the same as overclocking your cpu, if you push it harder, you have to cool it better.

USE you mobo more and you cpu will need less. Use your mobo less and you'll need to feed more to the cpu. YOU PICK. I know how I do it









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iscariot*
> 
> Question for the Gurus out there:
> I was seconds away from picking up the Sapphire Duel X 7970 for $620 AU when I noticed the 7950 for $499. that is a $220 difference. The performance seems fairly close.
> How easy is to to OC the 7950 to get it to around the 7970 levels? If I can save $200 for roughly the same perforance I'll be very happy.
> Im using a 1080p monitor and will be mainly playing BF3, The Witcher 2, Skyrim and Aliens: colonial Marines when it comes out.
> My gut tells me the 7950 is all I really need.
> What say you all?


I say RE-take your math classes







, $620 - $499 = $121 NOT $220









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> 7950. 1080P isn't that hard to drive. $220 is completely worth going the slight step down in performance (changed by overclocking
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


IF your going to cheat on your tests, make sure your looking at someones answers that are right


----------



## Circlemage8

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> At what clocks is that?


1250/1700
Vcore is set to 1250 and memory voltage is still at 1.6. However I'm getting a couple of rare artifacts in long term BF3 play (but nowhere else) so I may need to up one of the two. It has never exceeded 70C though so I'm definitely liking the cooler.


----------



## OverClocker55

Ok I'm moving back.. need a 7970.. Whats a good one.. Also all the amd boys said today there was a price drop?? Where!?







whats the best one and cheapest out of the 7970 fleet ?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Ok I'm moving back.. need a 7970.. Whats a good one.. Also all the amd boys said today there was a price drop?? Where!?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> whats the best one and cheapest out of the 7970 fleet ?


Reference or non-reference design?

This Diamond 7970 is 480 dollars for example.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Reference or non-reference design?
> This
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Diamond 7970 is 480 dollars for example.


I have one of those in my pair and it works great. 1275/1750 paired with my VisionTek. Diamond has only 5yr limited but who cares, not likely to have for more than 2-3yrs at most.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Circlemage8*
> 
> 1250/1700
> Vcore is set to 1250 and memory voltage is still at 1.6. However I'm getting a couple of rare artifacts in long term BF3 play (but nowhere else) so I may need to up one of the two. It has never exceeded 70C though so I'm definitely liking the cooler.


Ok. Your sig rig says u have a 7970. Is that so?









Because I have 7950.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Ok I'm moving back.. need a 7970.. Whats a good one.. Also all the amd boys said today there was a price drop?? Where!?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> whats the best one and cheapest out of the 7970 fleet ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Reference or non-reference design?
> This
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Diamond 7970 is 480 dollars for example.
Click to expand...

any







Non or Ref


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> any
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Non or Ref


Use google, don't be lazy


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> any
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Non or Ref
> 
> 
> 
> Use google, don't be lazy
Click to expand...

but I need to know the best one without coil whine and the when is the price drop


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> but I need to know the best one without coil whine and the when is the price drop


Ncix has XFX, Gigabyte, Powercolor, and Visiontek all on sale at price drop prices right now


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> but I need to know the best one without coil whine and the when is the price drop
> 
> 
> 
> Ncix has XFX, Gigabyte, Powercolor, and Visiontek all on sale at price drop prices right now
Click to expand...

ncix us or cad


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> ncix us or cad


Both, XFX and gigabyte non ref are also only $499.


----------



## Circlemage8

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Ok. Your sig rig says u have a 7970. Is that so?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Because I have 7950.


Ah missed that you have a 7950. Yes I do have a 7970. Amusing how close the performance between the two cards is when overclocked roughly the same.


----------



## 1rkrage

damn AMD. sweet price for the 7970 right now


----------



## Supranium

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> damn AMD. sweet price for the 7970 right now


Yes, I just bought mine with old price. Ouch!
Happy with my card tho. 77,8% asic and 1315mhz on air is not too bad.
BTW GB Windforce model has 1.11v GPU on default. That was suprice for me. 1000/1350 clocks on def.


----------



## Ryncrash

OK question????
Price drop for the 7950 is making me want to get a second card.
But my question is I have NZXT gold 850 power supply do you think that is anuf power to run two HD 7950

Check the white beast for my build that is the one i want to add a second 7950 too..


----------



## Supranium

Its enought for sure. Even enough for nice overclock.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Circlemage8*
> 
> Ah missed that you have a 7950. Yes I do have a 7970. Amusing how close the performance between the two cards is when overclocked roughly the same.


Yes that is why i'm so glad with my purchase

Would this:
http://www.vincentverhagen.nl/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/img_2736.JPG

be an improvement over this:
http://tof.canardpc.com/preview2/7df3daa1-09b5-4909-8392-bd65f7f542a9.jpg

?


----------



## sena

Andrazh
It passed 3d mark vantage on 1100 MHz with 1.087V. But i think i will keep 1030 for everyday use.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> OK question????
> Price drop for the 7950 is making me want to get a second card.
> But my question is I have NZXT gold 850 power supply do you think that is anuf power to run two HD 7950
> Check the white beast for my build that is the one i want to add a second 7950 too..


Its enough, also got 850 watts in my system in case I decide to put another card in...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> damn AMD. sweet price for the 7970 right now


I can buy another sapphire OC 7950 for 374 Euro at the moment








But I will resist and keep it at one for the moment


----------



## sena

Daffie82
I am also going to buy one more card, but i will wait for some time.
Drivers mature and more price cuts.


----------



## 1rkrage

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> OK question????
> Price drop for the 7950 is making me want to get a second card.
> But my question is I have NZXT gold 850 power supply do you think that is anuf power to run two HD 7950
> Check the white beast for my build that is the one i want to add a second 7950 too..


for sure.heck it should almost be enough for 3.


----------



## shockre

I just got Asus 7950 DC II TOP and prepared for some OCing, but I can't adjust voltage in GPU Tweak, 1004 is max!
I did enable overclocking range enhancement.
Can someone help me with this?
Also, what is the sweet spot of this cards, what settings?

Thanks!


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> I just got Asus 7950 DC II TOP and prepared for some OCing, but I can't adjust voltage in GPU Tweak, 1004 is max!
> I did enable overclocking range enhancement.
> Can someone help me with this?
> Also, what is the sweet spot of this cards, what settings?
> Thanks!


I advise you to use MSI - AB and also disable AMD Overdrive.


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Then unfortnately looks like you have this problem.
> Fault
> I suggest immediate RMA, but just to be sure can you touch you card PCB when gaming to see is it temp problem, if you can hold your hand on PCB then temp is not problem, its something else.
> EDIT: Now i saw in your rig that you have HD 7970 DCII, but i also heard they too have problems with temps.


Fixed it. i found the user profile for the fan and adjusted it to suite. plus the 12.4 Beta and other drivers and .....







ta da it works now







i'm a very happy man. thanks for all the help


----------



## sena

pd411yomofo
Glad to hear that.
Have fun with card.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LOL, yeah it's either I'm VERY lucky, or just know what I'm doing when I'm overclocking. I have overclocked hundreds of cpus. The one thing that a lot of you guys do wrong is push to much Vcore through your Cpu's and barely use the motherboard. To many try to use the power saving features or the thermal features on the mobo instead of beating the crap out of your phases. If you run your mobo on tprobe (on SB or SB-E) you will end up needing way more Vcore than using Extreme. Yes using Extreme will heat up your phases more and could become unstable, but it's the same as overclocking your cpu, if you push it harder, you have to cool it better.
> USE you mobo more and you cpu will need less. Use your mobo less and you'll need to feed more to the cpu. YOU PICK. I know how I do it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I say RE-take your math classes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , $620 - $499 = $121 NOT $220
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IF your going to cheat on your tests, make sure your looking at someones answers that are right


I think that was when I was half asleep







I'll make sure to double-check their math next time, but make sure YOU'RE double-checking your spelling







(I had to correct you since you corrected me







)


----------



## shockre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I advise you to use MSI - AB and also disable AMD Overdrive.


I've tried 12.3 & 12.4 (clean installs every time), all the OC programs (AB, GPU Tweak, Trixx, Overdrive) and I CAN'T get this thing to OC. As soon as i change clock, it crashes in 3D apps! WHY?!

I have experience with OCing, so it's not first time I'm doing this. Really don't know whats the deal here.
Also, I tried both BIOS 1 & 2.


----------



## Andrazh

Probably gonna buy this:
http://www.scythe-usa.com/product/vga/002/scvms1000_detail.html

should cool much better then one fan sapphire cooler + vrm and mem heatsinks will help too.
+ There is a copper adapter included


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I think that was when I was half asleep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll make sure to double-check their math next time, but make sure YOU'RE double-checking your spelling
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (I had to correct you since you corrected me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


My spelling will never be good. I'm a Cnc programmer, pc builder, overclocker, 3d software user. All run on numbers and not letters really


----------



## CyberDeath

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> My spelling will never be good. I'm a Cnc programmer, pc builder, overclocker, 3d software user. All run on numbers and not letters really


Hey my spelling is bad to . Im a CNC programmer , PC builder and overclocker too :-D


----------



## 1rkrage

Anyone getting issues after waking up from sleep? I always get the Display Driver has crashed issue always after waking up from sleep


----------



## tsm106

Man, I drove to the grand canyon, drove down to the floor at over 40mph tail out in the woman's subie weee. Get back hoping there's some new driver love and notta, but all I get is my cards have now taken a dump value wise due to the price cuts. Thanks AMD, bittersweet...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Fingers crossed I still haven't had any of the waking from sleep issues with 12.3 or 12.4.


----------



## Silvaren

After having tons of issues i returned my 7970 to get 680 and it will arrive today. I suggest people who is having same issues to do the same.

We do not have to do tons of tweaks just because some coders who is working for AMD cant make a proper driver. I dont want to spend a few hours per day to fix driver issues. I dont want to format my pc tons of times. I dont want to install drivers one by one to try and see if they will work or not. Most of us payed more than what Nvidia users payed for their 680 but instead of good service all we get is nothing. We dont have to deal with this kind of issues. We need plug in our card install drivers and we should be good to go. Thats how things work for Nvidia. How hard to do the same ?

There are no forums to get official replies. This is enough to realize difference between 2 companies but i do understand why they dont have proper forums. Otherwise it would be full of messages like mine and surely it wouldnt help them to sell cards.

Good bye AMD you will not be missed. I will never ever put any AMD product inside of my case. I am sorry if i sound mad but these issues pissed me off a lot. I really feel tired of it.

I want to thank people who tried to help me under this thread, thank you so much for sharing your time.

and good luck with your cards i hope everything works well for you guys.


----------



## Supranium

No thnanks. I´ll take few issues above one-legged card any day. Not all of us use cards for games only.
Today morning i had PC wake up issue too. I dont know if it was the card of PC general issue. I just hard reset it.

I have used AMD cards since 2007. The issues i have had are rather minor. So i dont really complain.
Theres absolutely no need to format ur PC or reisntall all drivers etc... Thats just silly complaining IMO.
I agree that AMD cards have had more driver issues than Nvidia cards do, but if you think twice before you actually install new driver , theres nothing to worrie about. I use 12.3 too. Theres no problems for me other than this todays morning issue. Im happy with my card and AMD. The card is absolute beast and my thuban is enough for my need for now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Supranium*
> 
> No thnanks. I´ll take few issues above one-legged card any day. Not all of us use cards for games only.
> *Today morning i had PC wake up issue too. I dont know if it was the card of PC general issue. I just hard reset it.*
> 
> I have used AMD cards since 2007. The issues i have had are rather minor. So i dont really complain.
> Theres absolutely no need to format ur PC or reisntall all drivers etc... Thats just silly complaining IMO.
> I agree that AMD cards have had more driver issues than Nvidia cards do, but if you think twice before you actually install new driver , theres nothing to worrie about. I use 12.3 too. Theres no problems for me other than this todays morning issue. Im happy with my card and AMD. The card is absolute beast and my thuban is enough for my need for now.


What monitor output/s are you using? The zerocore sleep issue doesn't affect dvi only setups.

As for the complaining about AMD... I can respect that but what will you do when Nvidia releases another driver that fries your card? LOL, it's not like it hasn't happened twice before...


----------



## General_Jaja

Really hope I don't come across problems with my Sapphire 7970 OC, I'm still waiting for it to show up in the mail. If the 680 wasn't a ludicrous price of $700 for the REFERENCE model I might have gotten one, the 7970 I bought was $610. Cheaper for another 1gb vram and custom cooling...


----------



## Supranium

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What monitor output/s are you using? The zerocore sleep issue doesn't affect dvi only setups.
> As for the complaining about AMD... I can respect that but what will you do when Nvidia releases another driver that fries your card? LOL, it's not like it hasn't happened twice before...






Im using DVI + 2xmini DP. 3 monitor setup. Separate resolutions. Not in eyefinity mode.


----------



## alexmaia_br

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Really hope I don't come across problems with my Sapphire 7970 OC, I'm still waiting for it to show up in the mail. If the 680 wasn't a ludicrous price of $700 for the REFERENCE model I might have gotten one, the 7970 I bought was $610. Cheaper for another 1gb vram and custom cooling...


One monitor and one GPU just like me.

This gpu is awesome, never had any problem... and I was able to put another 200mhz on both memory and core clock while UNDERVOLTING from stock.

You'll have tons of fun.

It's unfortunate some with multiple monitors or xfire face problems... hope they can sort it out


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> I've tried 12.3 & 12.4 (clean installs every time), all the OC programs (AB, GPU Tweak, Trixx, Overdrive) and I CAN'T get this thing to OC. As soon as i change clock, it crashes in 3D apps! WHY?!
> I have experience with OCing, so it's not first time I'm doing this. Really don't know whats the deal here.
> Also, I tried both BIOS 1 & 2.


Hmm, when MSI AB request reset do it, then he will properly register GPU voltage.
Mine was registering 1.093V with AMD overdrive and without reset, with reset and shutting down overdrive, i am getting GPU voltage like i sould, 0.993V.
And also what type of crash you are getting? Black screen, hard lock?


----------



## General_Jaja

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alexmaia_br*
> 
> One monitor and one GPU just like me.
> This gpu is awesome, never had any problem... and I was able to put another 200mhz on both memory and core clock while UNDERVOLTING from stock.
> You'll have tons of fun.
> It's unfortunate some with multiple monitors or xfire face problems... hope they can sort it out


That's a relief, thanks!


----------



## WiL11o6

Single card + single monitor should be flawless on AMD drivers.

I have them in crossfire and get enough problems. Imagine if I add Eyefinity to the mix. O_O It would surely cause me to shoot someone.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> After having tons of issues i returned my 7970 to get 680 and it will arrive today. I suggest people who is having same issues to do the same.
> We do not have to do tons of tweaks just because some coders who is working for AMD cant make a proper driver. I dont want to spend a few hours per day to fix driver issues. I dont want to format my pc tons of times. I dont want to install drivers one by one to try and see if they will work or not. Most of us payed more than what Nvidia users payed for their 680 but instead of good service all we get is nothing. We dont have to deal with this kind of issues. We need plug in our card install drivers and we should be good to go. Thats how things work for Nvidia. How hard to do the same ?
> There are no forums to get official replies. This is enough to realize difference between 2 companies but i do understand why they dont have proper forums. Otherwise it would be full of messages like mine and surely it wouldnt help them to sell cards.
> Good bye AMD you will not be missed. I will never ever put any AMD product inside of my case. I am sorry if i sound mad but these issues pissed me off a lot. I really feel tired of it.
> I want to thank people who tried to help me under this thread, thank you so much for sharing your time.
> and good luck with your cards i hope everything works well for you guys.


I have to mention this bad, horrible, utterly destructive experience I had with one nVidia GPU, anyone remember the 8600M GT? I had that in a Dell XPS 15. Went pphhhtt.. zzzttt... black screen just as my warranty ran out. No recall by nVidia or anything when they knew the hardware had issues. I think I can deal with some bad drivers just until AMD get their act together on that side. Can't wait for the prices to start tumbling where I live, gonna get me that 2nd 7970 for XFire. I don't blame you for switching to the NV camp especially with the 79xx series driver issues. I'd rather have driver issues that hardware issues. NV has clocked the hell out of those GK104's just to beat AMD. Let's see how things go as time passes. TSMC has had serious problem with NV's 28nm parts, and I believe we have yet to see the issues since the card is so new.


----------



## disintegratorx

Yeah. Personally speaking, I've never had an issue with a bad card. Now I know that I'm a bit lucky with that as there's always gonna be a small chance of a bad piece of electronical equipment in the bunch, but I have a (ATI) card with an AGP slot that I'm positive if I put it in an old system with one of those slots, would still work.


----------



## Deo Domuique

How do you achive Memory OC around 1450-1500Mhz? I mean, I can't get over 1350Mhz... Do you somehow increase the Memory Voltage? If yes, how? When I'm trying over 1400Mhz, after 10-15mins of BF3, I'll get a weird artifact coming out of the players' eyes... Like black laser!

My Core's clocks:

1000Mhz - 1.068V. -> Mem 1350 pass
1050Mhz - 1.112V. -> Mem 1400 I'd like
1100Mhz - 1.167V. -> Mem 1450 I'd like

What I've to do? ASIC 73.2%. Default Voltage 1.031 @900Mhz.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Man, I drove to the grand canyon, drove down to the floor at over 40mph tail out in the woman's subie weee. Get back hoping there's some new driver love and notta, but all I get is my cards have now taken a dump value wise due to the price cuts. Thanks AMD, bittersweet...


Beating up a subie is always sweet!! I'll have a pic of my buddies in a month or so. Put over $25k into his 02 2.5 impreza. On the other note, yeah we are loosing money. That's what happens anytime you buy gpus when they first came out. At least you probably didn't pay $635 + tax for one of yours like I did just because Microcenter had it the first day









Edit: Yeah I remember one of those drivers, I fried 3 280's and a buddy fried his 260. That's why I'm still easy on my memory overclocks.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> After having tons of issues i returned my 7970 to get 680 and it will arrive today. I suggest people who is having same issues to do the same.
> We do not have to do tons of tweaks just because some coders who is working for AMD cant make a proper driver. I dont want to spend a few hours per day to fix driver issues. I dont want to format my pc tons of times. I dont want to install drivers one by one to try and see if they will work or not. Most of us payed more than what Nvidia users payed for their 680 but instead of good service all we get is nothing. We dont have to deal with this kind of issues. We need plug in our card install drivers and we should be good to go. Thats how things work for Nvidia. How hard to do the same ?
> There are no forums to get official replies. This is enough to realize difference between 2 companies but i do understand why they dont have proper forums. Otherwise it would be full of messages like mine and surely it wouldnt help them to sell cards.
> Good bye AMD you will not be missed. I will never ever put any AMD product inside of my case. I am sorry if i sound mad but these issues pissed me off a lot. I really feel tired of it.
> I want to thank people who tried to help me under this thread, thank you so much for sharing your time.
> and good luck with your cards i hope everything works well for you guys.


I have also had bad experiences with Nvidia Cards as well. Also you will also run into both hardware and software issues with nvidia cards. I work at asus tech support currently and there are alot of calls about driver related issues with the gtx500 series cards. He should even take a look in the gtx590 owners thread and see the driver and bios related issues they have to go through just like some individuals in this thread. I dont have an issue with my setup and i absolutely love my sexy looking hd7970 which is better at multimonitor gaming, better clock for clock performance, more vram available for multi gpu setups (3gb vs. 2gb). As much as I would love for you to change your mind you won't be missed AMD is for real tech enthusiasts not quitters


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I have also had bad experiences with Nvidia Cards as well. Also you will also run into both hardware and software issues with nvidia cards. I work at asus tech support currently and there are alot of calls about driver related issues with the gtx500 series cards. He should even take a look in the gtx590 owners thread and see the driver and bios related issues they have to go through just like some individuals in this thread. I dont have an issue with my setup and i absolutely love my sexy looking hd7970 which is better at multimonitor gaming, better clock for clock performance, more vram available for multi gpu setups (3gb vs. 2gb). As much as I would love for you to change your mind you won't be missed AMD is for real tech enthusiasts not quitters


I'm with this Dude. I recently had loads of issues with my 7970 and fix it last night, I know very little about drivers and over-clocking but with help from people like this dude i did it I will always love AMD no matter what







My last card was a 5770 and had some driver issues to start with but when they where fix it ran like a champ.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Played around in Crysis 2 last night and noticed that none of the water was being rendered. If you jumped in you'd still be under water but as soon as you got to the surface the water disappeared and it was like you were floating above the ground. Did a restart and everything was back to normal. Weird.


----------



## Hambone07si

I had tons of troubles with my 3 480's running is surround. 7970's were the best things that came to my 3 monitors. Yes a few headaches right now, but when everything is working, my gaming has never been this nice until now. More titles work on eyefinity then surround. I've bought a few games hoping to play on 3 screens and just no fixes at all for surround and I didn't even play the game. Now I can. I'm not going to say I wont be going back to Nvidia at some point cuz I'm sure I will. I go with whats best. I've tested and messed with a 680 in 2 systems. BLAH. 7970's for me until maybe the 780's.

To tell you the truth, I was playing the same driver game with the 3 480's just before getting my amd's. Same crap with nvidia, just a lot easier to install the drivers.


----------



## paralogixer

At finally, ASUS has released new version for DC II, DC II V2. Too bad there is no word about the DC II V2 on 79xx

http://wccftech.com/asus-equips-radeon-hd-7870-revision-direct-cu-ii-cooler/


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> At finally, ASUS has released new version for DCII, DC II V2. Too bad there is no word about the problems on 79xx
> 
> http://wccftech.com/asus-equips-radeon-hd-7870-revision-direct-cu-ii-cooler/


Yeah the 7950 one is especially dodgy


----------



## eternal7trance

Wow, I just noticed that http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127670 went down by $60.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I'm *sooooooo* tempted to get another 7970 right now.


----------



## switchblade

Just took a peek at the gtx680 owners club and sv thomas still has issues this time seems hardware related and SLI setup is limited to only 2gb for each card and BF3 is kickings the gtx680's ass so is crysis 2 which they are saying its best to avoid running the card at highest settings. Also Metro 2033 seems to also pose a problem as well. SV Thomas is getting alot of microstutter smh.

And M3t4lh34d posted this

I'm glad I Held onto my 3 7970s. I just popped the 3 680s I got in today ahead of time before the 4th arrived, and I'm already having problems. Gameplay is fine, and the 3 680s perform nearly IDENTICAL to my 3 7970s. Even the 3dmark11 score (when the 680s would make it through the run) were only 400 points apart on my 3930k @ 4.7ghz.

The main problem I'm having is during 3dmark11 runs or even during BF3 (which never happened EVER with my 7970s), the PC will completely lose power. No BSOD. Nothing. Just poof, it's off. I'm running a 1200W PSU and there's NO way it's not enough power for the 680s when my 3 7970s ran just fine OC'd.

What I'm wondering is, have any of you running Tri-SLI setups or any of you with 680s for that matter been having this issue? Is it perhaps a driver issue?

I'm contemplating cancelling the 4th 680 and grabbing a cheap 7970 for Quadfire instead.

Let me know if any of you have experienced this problem.

I'm running the latest Nvidia driver as of today on their site btw.

Both camps will have problems with hardware and software you will still have to do workarounds and adjust settings and try all sorts of installs for drivers.


----------



## jtom320

The only thing I really miss about Nvidia is driver based Ambient Occlusion. It was seriously a very thoughtful addition from them and adds nicely to games with lots of shadows. Oh their transparency only super sampling was nice to but I literally never found a game it worked it. I know driver forced AA is hit or miss in a lot of games but it's way worse on Nvidia unless your willing to put in the time with Inspector.

I wish AMD would add it in even though a lot of games have AO thru their own engines.


----------



## shockre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> I've tried 12.3 & 12.4 (clean installs every time), all the OC programs (AB, GPU Tweak, Trixx, Overdrive) and I CAN'T get this thing to OC. As soon as i change clock, it crashes in 3D apps! WHY?!
> I have experience with OCing, so it's not first time I'm doing this. Really don't know whats the deal here.
> Also, I tried both BIOS 1 & 2.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm, when MSI AB request reset do it, then he will properly register GPU voltage.
> Mine was registering 1.093V with AMD overdrive and without reset, with reset and shutting down overdrive, i am getting GPU voltage like i sould, 0.993V.
> And also what type of crash you are getting? Black screen, hard lock?
Click to expand...

Looks like my card suffers from HSF problem. It's hardlocking after few seconds.
I've RMAed it.

***


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> After having tons of issues i returned my 7970 to get 680 and it will arrive today. I suggest people who is having same issues to do the same.
> We do not have to do tons of tweaks just because some coders who is working for AMD cant make a proper driver. I dont want to spend a few hours per day to fix driver issues. I dont want to format my pc tons of times. I dont want to install drivers one by one to try and see if they will work or not. Most of us payed more than what Nvidia users payed for their 680 but instead of good service all we get is nothing. We dont have to deal with this kind of issues. We need plug in our card install drivers and we should be good to go. Thats how things work for Nvidia. How hard to do the same ?
> There are no forums to get official replies. This is enough to realize difference between 2 companies but i do understand why they dont have proper forums. Otherwise it would be full of messages like mine and surely it wouldnt help them to sell cards.
> Good bye AMD you will not be missed. I will never ever put any AMD product inside of my case. I am sorry if i sound mad but these issues pissed me off a lot. I really feel tired of it.
> I want to thank people who tried to help me under this thread, thank you so much for sharing your time.
> and good luck with your cards i hope everything works well for you guys.


I don't know what all the craziness is about the drivers lately. My drivers / GPU work perfectly and have on every driver since release. If I have ever had a slight problem I just use ATiman's uninstaller and then install the new driver and, bam, it works perfectly.

Never had a wake from sleep issue, never had a bsod, never had a lock up, never had lines across the screen, never had anomalies in games. Everything works perfectly.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I don't know what all the craziness is about the drivers lately. My drivers / GPU work perfectly and have on every driver since release. If I have ever had a slight problem I just use ATiman's uninstaller and then install the new driver and, bam, it works perfectly.
> Never had a wake from sleep issue, never had a bsod, never had a lock up, never had lines across the screen, never had anomalies in games. Everything works perfectly.


I have never had any issues as well. I believe people are having issues with crossfire or eyefinity mostly. I also know people who have no issues in Crossfire and have eyefinity setups running as well.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silvaren*
> 
> After having tons of issues i returned my 7970 to get 680 and it will arrive today. I suggest people who is having same issues to do the same.
> We do not have to do tons of tweaks just because some coders who is working for AMD cant make a proper driver. I dont want to spend a few hours per day to fix driver issues. I dont want to format my pc tons of times. I dont want to install drivers one by one to try and see if they will work or not. Most of us payed more than what Nvidia users payed for their 680 but instead of good service all we get is nothing. We dont have to deal with this kind of issues. We need plug in our card install drivers and we should be good to go. Thats how things work for Nvidia. How hard to do the same ?
> There are no forums to get official replies. This is enough to realize difference between 2 companies but i do understand why they dont have proper forums. Otherwise it would be full of messages like mine and surely it wouldnt help them to sell cards.
> Good bye AMD you will not be missed. I will never ever put any AMD product inside of my case. I am sorry if i sound mad but these issues pissed me off a lot. I really feel tired of it.
> I want to thank people who tried to help me under this thread, thank you so much for sharing your time.
> and good luck with your cards i hope everything works well for you guys.


I think you'll be happy with your move, I switched from crossfire 7970s for the same reason. I now run sli 680s at 5760x1080 and am quite happy with my decision to switch. SLI feels just as smooth as a single 680 (it's bloody impressive), and surround has been painless for me thus far. Most importantly, I haven't had a single bluescreen since I switched. Not one. Nor have I had _any_ need to reinstall my system, I didn't even reinstall coming from the AMD drivers.







Best of luck to you


----------



## Thebreezybb

I'll be soon joining this club with an Asus DCUII 7950


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> How do you achive Memory OC around 1450-1500Mhz? I mean, I can't get over 1350Mhz... Do you somehow increase the Memory Voltage? If yes, how? When I'm trying over 1400Mhz, after 10-15mins of BF3, I'll get a weird artifact coming out of the players' eyes... Like black laser!
> My Core's clocks:
> 1000Mhz - 1.068V. -> Mem 1350 pass
> 1050Mhz - 1.112V. -> Mem 1400 I'd like
> 1100Mhz - 1.167V. -> Mem 1450 I'd like
> What I've to do? ASIC 73.2%. Default Voltage 1.031 @900Mhz.


Try to increase voltage for the memory from 1.6V to 1.7V, i am running 1575 on stock voltage for more than a week, and everything is ok.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Try to increase voltage for the memory from 1.6V to 1.7V, i am running 1575 on stock voltage for more than a week, and everything is ok.


Is 1.7 on voltage totally safe? I once added 24mV and got scared ..no cooling on mem=\


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Is 1.7 on voltage totally safe? I once added 24mV and got scared ..no cooling on mem=\


It is, you dont have to worry.


----------



## Andrazh

I'm not that sure. Many have OCed core and put voltage to the highest and still had memory on stock voltage. Why not OC memory aswell then?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I'm not that sure. Many have OCed core and put voltage to the highest and still had memory on stock voltage. Why not OC memory aswell then?


Because there is no point OC-ing memory on these cards, i got 1 fps in Heaven 2.0 going from 1250 to 1575.
There is already plenty of bandwidth.


----------



## mltms

you dont need to overclock the memory to high even it stock coz its faaast enough
what is your max clocks and volt core/mem

i am it 1130/1550 volt 1.206


----------



## Ryncrash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> for sure.heck it should almost be enough for 3.


That was my next question 3 / 7950 on 850 watts w/ a OC 8120 might be pushing it right or wrong would i be fine.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> That was my next question 3 / 7950 on 850 watts w/ a OC 8120 might be pushing it right or wrong would i be fine.


3 HD 7950 would be usseles on that FX 8120 imho.


----------



## Supranium

I dont get it, how come hes card does so bad on memory? I can run 1750mhz with no overvoltage and 0 problems in any game i play.








BTW. Mem OC does matter. Just not in any game.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> I'm with this Dude. I recently had loads of issues with my 7970 and fix it last night, I know very little about drivers and over-clocking but with help from people like this dude i did it I will always love AMD no matter what
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My last card was a 5770 and had some driver issues to start with but when they where fix it ran like a champ.


i love to see when people cheers for the underdog amd


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I have also had bad experiences with Nvidia Cards as well. Also you will also run into both hardware and software issues with nvidia cards. I work at asus tech support currently and there are alot of calls about driver related issues with the gtx500 series cards. He should even take a look in the gtx590 owners thread and see the driver and bios related issues they have to go through just like some individuals in this thread. I dont have an issue with my setup and i absolutely love my sexy looking hd7970 which is better at multimonitor gaming, better clock for clock performance, more vram available for multi gpu setups (3gb vs. 2gb). As much as I would love for you to change your mind you won't be missed AMD is for real tech enthusiasts not quitters


i totally agree with you......for me as longs ati/amd can keep trading blows with nvidia offering i'll always be choosing them though i'm not happy with price 549 @ the time of purchase
yes so their are not always on point but when your rooting for the underdog your patients is a virtue for them....they are a great company that makes kickass product sames goes for nvidia


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Because there is no point OC-ing memory on these cards, i got 1 fps in Heaven 2.0 going from 1250 to 1575.
> There is already plenty of bandwidth.


I think I got better performance in BF3 with ram at higher clocks. Or maybe just placebo effect.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I advise you to use MSI - AB and also disable AMD Overdrive.
> 
> 
> 
> I've tried 12.3 & 12.4 (clean installs every time), all the OC programs (AB, GPU Tweak, Trixx, Overdrive) and I CAN'T get this thing to OC. As soon as i change clock, it crashes in 3D apps! WHY?!
> 
> I have experience with OCing, so it's not first time I'm doing this. Really don't know whats the deal here.
> Also, I tried both BIOS 1 & 2.
Click to expand...

Was same here, did 4 win-reinstalls, tried everything, talking 60+hours testing... As soom as i did a OC it crashed, got a "video hardware error" in the reability logs...

Then suddenly the oc worked, have no idea what did that...lol


----------



## Andrazh

Can someone tell me the sollution for my problem. I had this problem since forever i think but now it started do bother me. I have one screen pluged in HDMI and other DVI. I have default power saving settings in win7.
The problem is when i don't use my computer for a longer period of time, firstly it turns off the screens and then eventually it shuts down(can be started with simple mouse click) I think it goes to sleep. So what is the fix for that?
I have to point out that my screens have to turn off when not in use.

I know that this has been answered before but i just dont have time to go through the whole topic...


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> i love to see when people cheers for the underdog amd


Yow JVOODOO23 yuh deh yah 2?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> you dont need to overclock the memory to high even it stock coz its faaast enough
> what is your max clocks and volt core/mem
> i am it 1130/1550 volt 1.206


thats hd7950 I guess?
Funny, got exactly same clocks for stable gaming








Only difference is I only need 1168mv voltage








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Can someone tell me the sollution for my problem. I had this problem since forever i think but now it started do bother me. I have one screen pluged in HDMI and other DVI. I have default power saving settings in win7.
> The problem is when i don't use my computer for a longer period of time, firstly it turns off the screens and then eventually it shuts down(can be started with simple mouse click) I think it goes to sleep. So what is the fix for that?
> I have to point out that my screens have to turn off when not in use.
> I know that this has been answered before but i just dont have time to go through the whole topic...


Just turn off sleep mode in power options (control panel) ?

Click "Change Plan Settings"


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Just took a peek at the gtx680 owners club and sv thomas still has issues this time seems hardware related and SLI setup is limited to only 2gb for each card and BF3 is kickings the gtx680's ass so is crysis 2 which they are saying its best to avoid running the card at highest settings. Also Metro 2033 seems to also pose a problem as well. SV Thomas is getting alot of microstutter smh.
> And M3t4lh34d posted this
> I'm glad I Held onto my 3 7970s. I just popped the 3 680s I got in today ahead of time before the 4th arrived, and I'm already having problems. Gameplay is fine, and the 3 680s perform nearly IDENTICAL to my 3 7970s. Even the 3dmark11 score (when the 680s would make it through the run) were only 400 points apart on my 3930k @ 4.7ghz.
> The main problem I'm having is during 3dmark11 runs or even during BF3 (which never happened EVER with my 7970s), the PC will completely lose power. No BSOD. Nothing. Just poof, it's off. I'm running a 1200W PSU and there's NO way it's not enough power for the 680s when my 3 7970s ran just fine OC'd.
> What I'm wondering is, have any of you running Tri-SLI setups or any of you with 680s for that matter been having this issue? Is it perhaps a driver issue?
> I'm contemplating cancelling the 4th 680 and grabbing a cheap 7970 for Quadfire instead.
> Let me know if any of you have experienced this problem.
> I'm running the latest Nvidia driver as of today on their site btw.
> Both camps will have problems with hardware and software you will still have to do workarounds and adjust settings and try all sorts of installs for drivers.


Just wanne add to the discussion here.
I have had like 3 or 4 PC's before this one, having nvidia based GPU's aswell as AMD's.
My feeling is that I got the most satisfying gaming experience with my AMD based GPU's.
For instance my last PC had a 9800gtx+ with a factory overclock and I felt that I always had some artifacts in games.
After some time I figured out that the standard overclock on the card was causing the artifacts... Go figure !
If I now see what my AMD is capable of... Quite the difference.
And by the way nvidia drivers are not that great either. Back in the day when I was playing Fifa alot on the PC I would constantly have lock-ups with that game.
I could not figure it out and decided to bring the PC back to the shop I bought it.
They fixed it by installing the drivers that went with the card... Those drivers were like 18 months old...
And not really GPU related but you should take a look at NFORCE drivers for your sata chipset on nvidia based motherboards... The internet is full of problems with those that were causing lockups for unexplainable reasons (happened to me also, had to switch from 2 hard disks to 1 to solve it).

Remember one important saying : "the grass is always more green on the other side"


----------



## pd411yomofo

What kinda temps should a be avoiding when i'm overclocking my 7970? just want to know when i'm pushing it to hardrolleyes:


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> What kinda temps should a be avoiding when i'm overclocking my 7970? just want to know when i'm pushing it to hardrolleyes:


Generally 80 degrees is a good maximum, but my feeling is that these cards like it a little lower not to cause artifacts. I would keep it below 75 degrees at all times, preferably 70 degrees


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Yow JVOODOO23 yuh deh yah 2?


yea mon, damn i didn't know you roam this forum too lol it's nice to know bud


----------



## 1rkrage

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> That was my next question 3 / 7950 on 850 watts w/ a OC 8120 might be pushing it right or wrong would i be fine.


no it won't be fine. get a 1000w for that


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Can someone tell me the sollution for my problem. I had this problem since forever i think but now it started do bother me. I have one screen pluged in HDMI and other DVI. I have default power saving settings in win7.
> The problem is when i don't use my computer for a longer period of time, firstly it turns off the screens and then eventually it shuts down(can be started with simple mouse click) I think it goes to sleep. So what is the fix for that?
> I have to point out that my screens have to turn off when not in use.
> I know that this has been answered before but i just dont have time to go through the whole topic...


Temporary fix would be to disable Sleep/Hibernate in Windows Power Oprtions.

Permanent fix; contact the motherboard manufacturer with your specific configurations (RAID, SSD, HDD, RAM, Sound device, NIC, etc). They should give you an edited BIOS update to fix it.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Wow, I just noticed that http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127670 went down by $60.


Really? I was glad I bought my Lightning when I did because here in Australia they've gone from $649 to $669


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> What kinda temps should a be avoiding when i'm overclocking my 7970? just want to know when i'm pushing it to hardrolleyes:
> 
> 
> 
> Generally 80 degrees is a good maximum, but my feeling is that these cards like it a little lower not to cause artifacts. I would keep it below 75 degrees at all times, preferably 70 degrees
Click to expand...

Sorry to be the newb







but you are referring to the GPU temp or for all temps? My power temp went up to 90c is that bad?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> What kinda temps should a be avoiding when i'm overclocking my 7970? just want to know when i'm pushing it to hardrolleyes:
> 
> 
> 
> Generally 80 degrees is a good maximum, but my feeling is that these cards like it a little lower not to cause artifacts. I would keep it below 75 degrees at all times, preferably 70 degrees
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Sorry to be the newb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but you are referring to the GPU temp or for all temps? My power temp went up to 90c is that bad?
Click to expand...

If you mean the GPU temp is 90 °C, it's not only bad and the VRMs temps must be in the scary zone.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I think you'll be happy with your move, I switched from crossfire 7970s for the same reason. I now run sli 680s at 5760x1080 and am quite happy with my decision to switch. SLI feels just as smooth as a single 680 (it's bloody impressive), and surround has been painless for me thus far. Most importantly, I haven't had a single bluescreen since I switched. Not one. Nor have I had _any_ need to reinstall my system, I didn't even reinstall coming from the AMD drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Best of luck to you


Maybe its related to u saying that ^ .


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Maybe its related to u saying that ^ .


It is all very much true. I _am_ happy with my 680s. What exactly is your point? I am not having trouble, I only pointed out that 2gb of vram _can_ be saturated in bf3 at 5760x1080 with 4x MSAA. I turned MSAA down to 2x and the vram dropped back down and my fps locked back at 60, as I use vsync. I think you conveniently missed the part where I said it was playable....

Now for some clarification:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Just took a peek at the gtx680 owners club and sv thomas still has issues this time seems hardware related and SLI setup is limited to only 2gb for each card and BF3 is kickings the gtx680's ass so is crysis 2 which they are saying its best to avoid running the card at highest settings. Also Metro 2033 seems to also pose a problem as well. SV Thomas is getting alot of microstutter smh.
> [clip]


I am not having any issues with my setup. I am getting no microstutter, in fact it is just as smooth as a single card--at least to my eyes. The only game that has maxed out the vram is BF3 with every possible setting turned up. I haven't even tested metro 2033. Again, and I repeat, I get no microstutter. The only stutter that I have written of has been in regard to fps changes when the vram would fill and the fps would drop into the 50s. SLI and surround _has_ been painless so far. Heck, I haven't even needed to make profiles for any games yet, they're working with the global for crying out loud. I will be making a profile tonight for crysis 2, though, following the advice of another user here.

**update**
Here is a screencapture of AB Hardware Monitor showing my SLI 680s @5760x1080 having no issue with running BF3 in multiplayer (24 man server that I frequent) with all settings maxed except MSAA is at 2x and motion blur is off. I was playing quite fast paced too, as this is a TDM server.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Hambone07si

interesting here. I was looking for the microstutter comment myself and didn't see one. That was one of my biggest worries after having the tri 480's. Didn't see it


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> interesting here. I was looking for the microstutter comment myself and didn't see one. That was one of my biggest worries after having the tri 480's. Didn't see it


Only thing I can think is that when I was talking about how when the 2GB vram would completely fill, that the frames would drop and you could feel a stuttering as the fps would vary down in the 50s. But that's not microstutter, I am not having any sync issues between my two GPUs. The stuttering that I am speaking of is having my FPS suddenly dropping lower than my refresh rate. I am quite sensitive to fps changes, that's why I try to always use vsync. Maybe I should clarify a bit more in my previous posts.

Sorry to crap in this thread, everyone. I just happened to check to see if any progress or information about drivers was out and saw some posts about me that were taking some of my comments quite a bit out of context.


----------



## Hambone07si

agreed. That is a type of stutter I guess you can say. Same types I had when my 480's would drop even to 58fps you could feel it, but if it stayed at 60 it was fine. Some may mistake that as microstutter. I don't notice that with the amd's. they can dip down to 40 and still feel smoother than a nvidia dropping to 55. Just tried a 32 player match at metro in BF3 with ultra and 16xAA in CCC and ram was showing 3300mb in the OSD and min fps was only 85 outside and avg of 140-160 inside where the action was, but the whole time it was butta smooth. AA can't hurt these cards


----------



## tsm106

That's called vram choke and it is a form of stuttering. I don't monitor my vram usage at all but did Alexey change the way AB reads vram? It used to read all vram and then you'd divide that by x number of cards? I assume things have changed and it reads individual vram now?


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's called vram choke and it is a form of stuttering. I don't monitor my vram usage at all but did Alexey change the way AB reads vram? It used to read all vram and then you'd divide that by x number of cards? I assume things have changed and it reads individual vram now?


It showed it all on my AMD cards, and I would need to divide, but it seems to not be that way with my Nvidia cards. Only reason I say that is because as soon as it goes a few mb over 2gb my frames take a hit. I am going to mess around with it a bit more right now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's called vram choke and it is a form of stuttering. I don't monitor my vram usage at all but did Alexey change the way AB reads vram? It used to read all vram and then you'd divide that by x number of cards? I assume things have changed and it reads individual vram now?
> 
> 
> 
> It showed it all on my AMD cards, and I would need to divide, but it seems to not be that way with my Nvidia cards. Only reason I say that is because as soon as it goes a few mb over 2gb my frames take a hit. I am going to mess around with it a bit more right now.
Click to expand...

Ok, that's right. AMD cards are read differently. I remember now.









Yea, you are hitting vram choke. There's nothing you can do really, it's just mathematics at this point imo. Viva la 680 4GB!


----------



## Hambone07si

Yeah, it read right on my 3 480's. Still showed only 1400-1500 for my limits. Now with these I've seen up to 3800 but never hit a limit so I guess I'm good up to 6000


----------



## N3M3SIS

I'm lost with my asus directcu ii 7970. Everything is great with the card yet when I clock past 1125 I get slight artifacts but once it gets to 1200, thats when these black and white triangles start replacing textures, like chess boardish. In 3dmark it causes black and red lines, but if I change the voltage to 1.68v it becomes stable in 3dmark. Any other voltage and back to artifacting. Im stable with the.1.68v on dirt 3 for eg with v sync. But with v sync off it artifacts. I've clean installed and tried different drivers and anything else you can think of, i've most probably done it already. You reckon this could be resolved with a future bios update? Seems too coincidental that it only becomes unstable beyond the max ccc limits. Mem clock is 1700 by the way.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Interestingly I feel like my 7970's perform smoother than my 580's did which I never really noticed stuttering. In 3DMark11 specifically I feel like the action is much smoother now than with my old setup even though I was perfectly happy with the 580's. It's probably just a matter of the 7970's outputting 20-30 more fps than my 580's were and the fact that I have a 120Hz monitor capable of displaying that increase...


----------



## jtom320

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Interestingly I feel like my 7970's perform smoother than my 580's did which I never really noticed stuttering. In 3DMark11 specifically I feel like the action is much smoother now than with my old setup even though I was perfectly happy with the 580's. It's probably just a matter of the 7970's outputting 20-30 more fps than my 580's were and the fact that I have a 120Hz monitor capable of displaying that increase...


I've found using dual card setups from both companies that games will feel choppy under 60 frames and they will feel fine over. I don't know why people act like there is some kind of science to it.


----------



## 1rkrage

ok. lately my card is having problems with my monitor blinking on and off randomly. when I reset afterburner it goes away.

Is that a bad sign?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> ok. lately my card is having problems with my monitor blinking on and off randomly. when I reset afterburner it goes away.
> Is that a bad sign?


You using DP on your monitor? I've had my DP monitor randomly black-screen for no apparent reason but my DVI monitor hasn't had any issues...


----------



## 1rkrage

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You using DP on your monitor? I've had my DP monitor randomly black-screen for no apparent reason but my DVI monitor hasn't had any issues...


I'm using an HDMI. I previously tested the overclock with OCCT so was worried that I overclocked too much. (1180 mV 1180 MHz 1440 MHz mem 80.8% ASIC)

no artifacts now when I test at same overclock on OCCT so idk what gives


----------



## neoroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gaul*
> 
> METRO 2033, ALL MAX OUT
> 7970 @ def ( 925 / 1375 )
> 
> GTX 680 @ 1110 ( with Boost ) and 1500 mem


Woow 7970 beats 680 in this game







(Halo bro Gaul hehe ketemu lagi disini ya







)


----------



## brettjv

Cleaned this thread a bit









SV, you may be right about the vram thing ... but unfortunately the methodology of the testing that led to that particular deduction is not quite conclusive. Lowering AA does lower vram usage, however, it also lowers the load on the GPU, so it's hard to be quite sure, based on your published observations. Esp. when the fps change is relatively small going from 2x to 4xAA ... it could caused by vram usage going over with 4xAA, or it could just be too hard for the GPU to process 4xAA at that resolution, and it's keeling over a bit.

One way to maybe tell a bit more conclusively is that, in theory, running out of vram should bottleneck your gpu usage somewhat. Thus, if you find you actually get higher GPU usage at 2xAA than you do at 4xAA, it would go a ways towards confirming the 'I'm out of vram and it's hurting my fps' hypothesis.

Interestingly enough, according to the [H] review, at triple monitor resolution, SLI 680's distinctly outperforms 7970XF in terms of max playable settings, esp. in multi-player mode (which uses more vram than SP) ... although they found neither could really handle MSAA at all at 5760x1200 in MP, and both could only do 2xAA in SP. I'll link the article but it's getting a 404 at the moment ... funny I'z just looking at it yesterday









Anyways, what I'm getting at is the contents of the erstwhile article makes me question whether the situation you describe is truly caused by the 2gb limit, as there was no advantage to 7970XF over 680SLI in terms of max playable settings whatsoever. The 680's were actually stronger according to that article.

Generally speaking, one has a good amount of 'headroom' where a game can 'use' 20-25% over what your card has onboard before it starts to really suffer in perf, at least in terms of a substantial change in AVG fps ... stutters could become more common perhaps at a lower % use 'overage', though.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brettjv*
> 
> Cleaned this thread a bit
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SV, you may be right about the vram thing ... but unfortunately the methodology of the testing that led to that particular deduction is not quite conclusive. Lowering AA does lower vram usage, however, it also lowers the load on the GPU, so it's hard to be quite sure, based on your published observations. Esp. when the fps change is relatively small going from 2x to 4xAA ... it could caused by vram usage going over with 4xAA, or it could just be too hard for the GPU to process 4xAA at that resolution, and it's keeling over a bit.
> One way to maybe tell a bit more conclusively is that, in theory, running out of vram should bottleneck your gpu usage somewhat. Thus, if you find you actually get higher GPU usage at 2xAA than you do at 4xAA, it would go a ways towards confirming the 'I'm out of vram and it's hurting my fps' hypothesis.
> Interestingly enough, according to the [H] review, at triple monitor resolution, SLI 680's distinctly outperforms 7970XF in terms of max playable settings, esp. in multi-player mode (which uses more vram than SP) ... although they found neither could really handle MSAA at all at 5760x1200 in MP, and both could only do 2xAA in SP. I'll link the article but it's getting a 404 at the moment ... funny I'z just looking at it yesterday
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyways, what I'm getting at is the contents of the erstwhile article makes me question whether the situation you describe is truly caused by the 2gb limit, as there was no advantage to 7970XF over 680SLI in terms of max playable settings whatsoever. The 680's were actually stronger according to that article.
> Generally speaking, one has a good amount of 'headroom' where a game can 'use' 20-25% over what your card has onboard before it starts to really suffer in perf, at least in terms of a substantial change in AVG fps ... stutters could become more common perhaps at a lower % use 'overage', though.


Thanks for the info!
Also, I will just link to the post in the 680 thread with the graphs showing it happening, and a graph of 2x for comparison, as I don't really want to be filling this thread with any more 680 stuff








http://www.overclock.net/t/1232473/official-nvidia-gtx680-owners-club/2160#post_17006806


----------



## MooMoo

Anybody here have Accelero Xtreme 7970 mounted on any brand 7950? I would like to get 7950 which fits Accelero Xtreme 7970 cooler.







I contacted Arctic but not yet havent answered, their support is so slow









And Im curious how big FPS you could get with 7950 on Team Fortress 2?







I wont need bigger FPS right now, its more than enough for me







but still would like to know, just can't wait till the prices comes down in europe too







and then... its mine


----------



## Ryncrash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> 3 HD 7950 would be usseles on that FX 8120 imho.


I dont think the CPU will bottle neck 3 cards


----------



## Ryncrash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Anybody here have Accelero Xtreme 7970 mounted on any brand 7950? I would like to get 7950 which fits Accelero Xtreme 7970 cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I contacted Arctic but not yet havent answered, their support is so slow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And Im curious how big FPS you could get with 7950 on Team Fortress 2?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wont need bigger FPS right now, its more than enough for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but still would like to know, just can't wait till the prices comes down in europe too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and then... its mine


I have a Accelero Xtreme mounted on my 6950, I love it that damn thing is quiet and keeps it super cool at load about 53c playing BF3


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I'm *sooooooo* tempted to get another 7970 right now.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> I dont think the CPU will bottle neck 3 cards


Amd are garbage for crossfire or sli. This is coming from an ex amd user.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Anybody here have Accelero Xtreme 7970 mounted on any brand 7950? I would like to get 7950 which fits Accelero Xtreme 7970 cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I contacted Arctic but not yet havent answered, their support is so slow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And Im curious how big FPS you could get with 7950 on Team Fortress 2?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wont need bigger FPS right now, its more than enough for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but still would like to know, just can't wait till the prices comes down in europe too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and then... its mine


If i can sugest u to wait a week because i'm getting accelero s1 rev2 for my 7950 and putting 2 120mm fans on it. I watch tests and it should perform good and for so cheap. Because it is an old product.. It costs 20€ whereas accelero costs more then 80€.

Or if u rly want accelero xtreme you could buy this one:
http://www.commit.si/sl/virtuemart/22-strojna-oprema/92-zrano-hlajenje/95-vga-hladilniki/563-arctic-accelero-xtreme-plus.html

for half a price, u would only need the copper adapter that costs 3€.
I wanted xtreme but its too bit and wouldnt fit my case


----------



## General_Jaja

Hey guys I was wondering when I get my 7970 (tomorrow morning from the post office







) do I need to reinstall drivers? Or can I just pull out the 6850 and whack the 7970 in? I have catalyst fully updated. Thanks!


----------



## Ryncrash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Hey guys I was wondering when I get my 7970 (tomorrow morning from the post office
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) do I need to reinstall drivers? Or can I just pull out the 6850 and whack the 7970 in? I have catalyst fully updated. Thanks!


For no problems i would do a complete uninstall of all drivers and then put that bad boy in and install drivers. You dont want to have any hick ups form the old drivers


----------



## 125837

Finally got around to cleaning up my cables and swapping my D14 for a H100. So much tidier


----------



## TheJesus

Dual 7950 w/ backplates treat for you


----------



## 125837

Looks nice Jesus









I don't know if you noticed in my picture, but I ziptied a silverstone AP141 into the 5.25 bays to get rid of the hot air the Lightning spits back into the case. Previously (with D14, minor cable management, and no 5.25 bay fan) my Lightning, at the same clocks and voltage and 100% fan, hit 85C core, ~65C mem, and ~60C VRMs after a Heaven run.

I just ran Heaven, and my card now hits 71C core, 56C mem, and 50C VRMs.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> I have a Accelero Xtreme mounted on my 6950, I love it that damn thing is quiet and keeps it super cool at load about 53c playing BF3


I know, they are superb, got one Accelero Twin Turbo PRO where one screw broke and now using asus cooler








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> If i can sugest u to wait a week because i'm getting accelero s1 rev2 for my 7950 and putting 2 120mm fans on it. I watch tests and it should perform good and for so cheap. Because it is an old product.. It costs 20€ whereas accelero costs more then 80€.
> Or if u rly want accelero xtreme you could buy this one:
> http://www.commit.si/sl/virtuemart/22-strojna-oprema/92-zrano-hlajenje/95-vga-hladilniki/563-arctic-accelero-xtreme-plus.html
> for half a price, u would only need the copper adapter that costs 3€.
> I wanted xtreme but its too bit and wouldnt fit my case


Well, I just wanted to know does that Accelero Xtreme 7970 fit, Im not going to buy old stuff, when Im actually getting that for free & those newer ones perform better.


----------



## jtom320

I used two AXP's on my 480sand they do an amazing job keeping things cool. I was able to OC my 480s to 950mhz on them and I still wasn't breaking 70 degrees on the core.

The only problem with the thing is it causes your cards to sag in a pretty major way compared to pretty much any other after market cooler. For that reason alone I'd probabally never use one again but the cooling performance is there w/o a doubt.


----------



## Aventadoor

Any news with drivers or Sapphire Trixx new version which is suppose to be much better?


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Well, I just wanted to know does that Accelero Xtreme 7970 fit, Im not going to buy old stuff, when Im actually getting that for free & those newer ones perform better.


I don't know why they should cool better. Old cards run much hotter then todays cards thats why old coolers had to cool better than todays to get same temps. New labels are just marketing. Thats my logic and I could be wrong.

I've been reading about xtreme 7970 but still aint sure. To be honest I stopped reading when i saw the price tag:>


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Any news with drivers or Sapphire Trixx new version which is suppose to be much better?


Nothing yet. I check the site daily.


----------



## Axon14

Does anyone know the _precise_ length of the XFX Double D 7950? I know newegg claims it is 10.5", but that appeared to be a generalization. I'm looking to put it in the SG05 and every mm counts. Please let me know.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I don't know why they should cool better. Old cards run much hotter then todays cards thats why old coolers had to cool better than todays to get same temps. New labels are just marketing. Thats my logic and I could be wrong.
> I've been reading about xtreme 7970 but still aint sure. To be honest I stopped reading when i saw the price tag:>


Are you serious? Thats passive vs active cooling, even if you put fans there, that Xtreme 7970 haves better heatpipes and aluminium fins = more metal, you know? You also should read reviews or something...


----------



## votum

Trying to decide between reference or non reference. Really like the Double D, but I have an FT03 so I don't want my GPU dumping heat inside. What do you guys think?


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Are you serious? Thats passive vs active cooling, even if you put fans there, that Xtreme 7970 haves better heatpipes and aluminium fins = more metal, you know? You also should read reviews or something...


I was refering to this:
http://www.commit.si/sl/virtuemart/22-strojna-oprema/92-zrano-hlajenje/95-vga-hladilniki/563-arctic-accelero-xtreme-plus.html

I don't think there 40€ diference between this one and the 7970 version.


----------



## Clockster

Finally installed my card, hopefully getting my other one tomorrow








So how do I join the club lol xD

You guys will also be shocked if you knew how much us South Africans pay for these things lol Its crazy.


----------



## Hambone07si

One of my customers wants to buy a 7970 now. He's always been on Diamond reference cards and loves them. I have one and it works great on water. He's not wanting to go with water cooling and he didn't like the noise the stock cooler made. So I was thinking of maybe the Xfx DD. I haven't really followed up on those and was wondering how those were working out for those who have them. Is there any major issues with them at all, or is everything good. It also comes with BF3 and that's another reason he wants it.

Thanks
Hambone
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clockster*
> 
> Finally installed my card, hopefully getting my other one tomorrow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So how do I join the club lol xD
> You guys will also be shocked if you knew how much us South Africans pay for these things lol Its crazy.


That's ok, you South Africans have lots of diamonds


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Are you serious? Thats passive vs active cooling, even if you put fans there, that Xtreme 7970 haves better heatpipes and aluminium fins = more metal, you know? You also should read reviews or something...


All comes down to what you wanne pay for something and some people just look at the best performance for the least bit of money.
Most 7950 owners are these kind of people I think








When I looked at comparisons between 7950 and 7970 for example, my decision was made pretty quick... Price difference is not in line with the difference in performance.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> All comes down to what you wanne pay for something and some people just look at the best performance for the least bit of money.
> Most 7950 owners are these kind of people I think
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I looked at comparisons between 7950 and 7970 for example, my decision was made pretty quick... Price difference is not in line with the difference in performance.


y + xtreme maybe doesnt fit in their case









Ordered this:
http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/vga/430/accelero-s1-plus.html
Gonna mount 2 fans on it and already have 2 fans from the side. That should keep it cool. Can't wait to try it out and a bit scared if possibly wouldnt cool better then stock. I'm truly disapointed with the stock cooler. Its so cheap and loud..


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> One of my customers wants to buy a 7970 now. He's always been on Diamond reference cards and loves them. I have one and it works great on water. He's not wanting to go with water cooling and he didn't like the noise the stock cooler made. So I was thinking of maybe the Xfx DD. I haven't really followed up on those and was wondering how those were working out for those who have them. Is there any major issues with them at all, or is everything good. It also comes with BF3 and that's another reason he wants it.
> Thanks
> Hambone
> That's ok, you South Africans have lots of diamonds


DD is pretty bad. I suggest something else.


----------



## Hambone07si

Why is the DD bad? I want to be able to tell him the story, not just stay away. I'd like to know why it's bad. Is there certain issues? So what non ref card would be best then? I always go water and ref. I'd like him to get a Lightning but there nowhere to be found.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Why is the DD bad? I want to be able to tell him the story, not just stay away. I'd like to know why it's bad. Is there certain issues? So what non ref card would be best then? I always go water and ref. I'd like him to get a Lightning but there nowhere to be found.


Its preety nosiy, and VRMs are extremly hot.


----------



## votum

Hey guys what is the quietest reference card?

Also has anyone found out about the three for free thing? How to redeem specifically


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> One of my customers wants to buy a 7970 now. He's always been on Diamond reference cards and loves them. I have one and it works great on water. He's not wanting to go with water cooling and he didn't like the noise the stock cooler made. So I was thinking of maybe the Xfx DD. I haven't really followed up on those and was wondering how those were working out for those who have them. Is there any major issues with them at all, or is everything good. It also comes with BF3 and that's another reason he wants it.
> Thanks
> Hambone
> That's ok, you South Africans have lots of diamonds


Both the Sapphire Dual-X* and the Powercolor Dual AX look like nice cards with improved cooling solutions....


----------



## staryoshi

I'd buy a PowerColor PCS+ HD7950 if NewEgg ever receives more of them.


----------



## Clockster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> One of my customers wants to buy a 7970 now. He's always been on Diamond reference cards and loves them. I have one and it works great on water. He's not wanting to go with water cooling and he didn't like the noise the stock cooler made. So I was thinking of maybe the Xfx DD. I haven't really followed up on those and was wondering how those were working out for those who have them. Is there any major issues with them at all, or is everything good. It also comes with BF3 and that's another reason he wants it.
> Thanks
> Hambone
> That's ok, you South Africans have lots of diamonds










Yeah unfortunately our goverement keeps them all lol
Converted directly we pay roughly $800 compared to the $550 you guys pay xD


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone else getting constant FPS drops in Crysis 2?

I have vsync on and it is butter smooth when it's capped at 60FPS, but it fluctuates often dipping down into 55s and feels stuttery.


----------



## votum

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982

just bought


----------



## Andrazh

Can someone do me a favor and highlight the chips(vrms) that need to be cooled on this pcb. I know they are next to R22s but dont know if all of them or just first column or which one.

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviewimages/his-radeon-7950/his-radeon-7950_open.jpg

Thank u in advance.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *votum*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982
> just bought


That's a nice card there to. Is it a reference card with just a different air cooler on it, or are they different pcb's to?


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *votum*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982
> just bought
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's a nice card there to. Is it a reference card with just a different air cooler on it, or are they different pcb's to?
Click to expand...

Same PCB, i have one and love it, fan @ 90% you can just hear a little whine lol and it keeps it below 70C when gaming. I love the card, and sapphire is great with warranty. Cant wait t'ill I install the swiftech waterblock, its just in my drawer waiting for a radiator lol


----------



## OverClocker55

$479.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150585
XFX 7970


----------



## Hambone07si

DAME! Price keeps on going down!


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Can someone do me a favor and highlight the chips(vrms) that need to be cooled on this pcb. I know they are next to R22s but dont know if all of them or just first column or which one.
> http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviewimages/his-radeon-7950/his-radeon-7950_open.jpg
> Thank u in advance.


Nice card, congrats and good luck with it and have fun.


----------



## thrgk

I hate to say it, but the resell value is going to suck on these 7970's 6months from now, already $100 less and thats without reselling.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> DAME! Price keeps on going down!


Must...not...buy...another one...

KHAAAAAN!!!


----------



## staryoshi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I hate to say it, but the resell value is going to suck on these 7970's 6months from now, already $100 less and thats without reselling.


The "high-end" single GPU models from this generation (HD7000 and GTX600) will be supplanted by the end of the year... Flippers will take quite a hit when they go to sell 'em in Q4. But if you're planning on keeping it for a while, it's a non-issue, really.


----------



## thrgk

I most likely would up to 8000series or nvidea 700 series, should I bail now eventhough i got my 7970 from sapphire when my 6990 broke or stay with this?


----------



## jtom320

Every video card loses resale value quickly. The 680 will lose it's value quickly. Not sure why anyone is suprised about any of this. I doubt you could sell your old 580s for more then 350 right now (high end) and not two months ago they were retailing for 500+.

The 7970 will follow the same pattern of every other card the only difference is they were overpriced out of the gate. Chances are these cards will be worth about 350 give or take when the next models come out just like previous high end cards.


----------



## AllGamer

have any of you done a 7970 on crossfire?

well regardless i'm getting crap load of problems and instability with even 1 of them

so i got 2 of these beast ASUS HD7970-DC2T-3GD5

however tested and tried on a clean Win7 x64bit install on both Intel and AMD platform

and it crashes randomly, and it hangs on all the 3D mark benches

i have several old ATI 5900, 6800 and 6900 series, and many of even older ATI X series, all of them runs great on both rigs (intel / AMD platform)

is quite discomforting and stressful not being able to fully enjoy your $1500 purchase in game, only old games runs fine on the 7970, but most of the newer games crashes as soon as it loads into the game, regardless of Crossfire or not.

all my old cards can fully complete the 3Dmark benches without any error, yet the 7970 crashes on the spot.

I'm contemplating going for the 7800 series, since the latest Catalyst 12-3 drivers just provided official support for them.

I'll like to hear some feedback on the 7800 cards, are they as problematic as the 7970?

how about the 7950, i'll assume the 7950s faces the same issue as they are on the same trunk of the series


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Dam i hate my card. Cant even maintain 1.2Ghz no matter the voltage even under water. The card is stable even @ 1.175v but no matter what i increase voltage too i dont remove artifacts in some games.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> have any of you done a 7970 on crossfire?
> well regardless i'm getting crap load of problems and instability with even 1 of them
> so i got 2 of these beast ASUS HD7970-DC2T-3GD5
> however tested and tried on a clean Win7 x64bit install on both Intel and AMD platform
> and it crashes randomly, and it hangs on all the 3D mark benches
> i have several old ATI 5900, 6800 and 6900 series, and many of even older ATI X series, all of them runs great on both rigs (intel / AMD platform)
> is quite discomforting and stressful not being able to fully enjoy your $1500 purchase in game, only old games runs fine on the 7970, but most of the newer games crashes as soon as it loads into the game, regardless of Crossfire or not.
> all my old cards can fully complete the 3Dmark benches without any error, yet the 7970 crashes on the spot.
> I'm contemplating going for the 7800 series, since the latest Catalyst 12-3 drivers just provided official support for them.
> I'll like to hear some feedback on the 7800 cards, are they as problematic as the 7970?
> how about the 7950, i'll assume the 7950s faces the same issue as they are on the same trunk of the series


Have you cards checked. There have been serious issues with the ASUS DC2 79xx series. The cooler on some units is not making proper contact with the GPU and mem chips. Check your temps and RMA if necessary. I was originally going to go for the DC2 but didn't want a triple slot card and didn't want a loud reference card either went for the Gigabyte WF3 series instead. Not much regrets here.


----------



## OverClocker55

return my 580 and get the 7970 or wait for stepup and get my 680







hmm


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Can someone do me a favor and highlight the chips(vrms) that need to be cooled on this pcb. I know they are next to R22s but dont know if all of them or just first column or which one.
> http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviewimages/his-radeon-7950/his-radeon-7950_open.jpg
> Thank u in advance.


Anyone? Need to know this asap


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Anyone? Need to know this asap


I think this is all you need to cool as far as VRMs go.


----------



## gotendbz1

just got this baby today. got to 1150 on stock voltage so far, haven't tried higher yet.
anyone esle got this? what kinda OC can i expect with it?

card looks sick, blue led are nice.



here is msi being stupid lol


----------



## jtom320

If you can get 1150 on stock volts you got a good card. 1300 not out of the question once you overvolt in which case you got the fastest single GPU around.


----------



## N3M3SIS

I posted this before but got no replies so apologies for posting again but im really curious about it.

I'm lost with my asus directcu ii 7970. Everything is great with the card yet when I clock past 1125 I get slight artifacts but once it gets to 1200, thats when these black and white triangles start replacing textures, like chess boardish. In 3dmark it causes black and red lines, but if I change the voltage to 1.68v it becomes stable in 3dmark. Any other voltage and back to artifacting. Im stable with the.1.68v on dirt 3 for eg with v sync. But with v sync off it artifacts. I've clean installed and tried different drivers and anything else you can think of, i've most probably done it already. You reckon this could be resolved with a future bios update? Seems too coincidental that it only becomes unstable beyond the max ccc limits. Mem clock is 1700 by the way.


----------



## disintegratorx

Just thought I'd throw it out there.. I'm using an FXAA injector for BF3 on top of my normal settings. Here's a link for the files if anyone would like to use it, it does make it look much better imo. http://www.mediafire.com/?75ioxk0plokeai4


----------



## gotendbz1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jtom320*
> 
> If you can get 1150 on stock volts you got a good card. 1300 not out of the question once you overvolt in which case you got the fastest single GPU around.


yea the stock clock for it is already 1070, i just tried it at 1200 to see if i was super lucky and got drivers recovery. will try 1175 and see.

this is with only a few passes of 3dmarks so prolly not real stable.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gotendbz1*
> 
> just got this baby today. got to 1150 on stock voltage so far, haven't tried higher yet.
> anyone esle got this? what kinda OC can i expect with it?
> card looks sick, blue led are nice.


I have mine at 1200/1600 with 1.225V, but I have to run 100% fan to keep temps under control. I can go higher, but it hardlocks once it hits ~75C


----------



## iscariot

My 7950 arrived last night  should go in over the weekend. Any good guides to OCing around? I'd love to get it to clock speeds near the MSI lighnings.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> have any of you done a 7970 on crossfire?
> well regardless i'm getting crap load of problems and instability with even 1 of them
> so i got 2 of these beast ASUS HD7970-DC2T-3GD5
> however tested and tried on a clean Win7 x64bit install on both Intel and AMD platform
> and it crashes randomly, and it hangs on all the 3D mark benches
> i have several old ATI 5900, 6800 and 6900 series, and many of even older ATI X series, all of them runs great on both rigs (intel / AMD platform)
> is quite discomforting and stressful not being able to fully enjoy your $1500 purchase in game, only old games runs fine on the 7970, but most of the newer games crashes as soon as it loads into the game, regardless of Crossfire or not.
> all my old cards can fully complete the 3Dmark benches without any error, yet the 7970 crashes on the spot.
> I'm contemplating going for the 7800 series, since the latest Catalyst 12-3 drivers just provided official support for them.
> I'll like to hear some feedback on the 7800 cards, are they as problematic as the 7970?
> how about the 7950, i'll assume the 7950s faces the same issue as they are on the same trunk of the series


man you must have the worst luck....i'm running xfire with my cards using 12.3 drivers also overlclock @ 1260 core /1660 mem and i'm not experiencing any crushing running games or benchmarks
it could just be the cards it self (hardware problems) as its not reference pcb.....


----------



## gotendbz1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I have mine at 1200/1600 with 1.225V, but I have to run 100% fan to keep temps under control. I can go higher, but it hardlocks once it hits ~75C


can get to 1160 stock, anything over and driver recovery. [email protected] max temp after 3 runs of 3dmark is 72c, i haven't seen 75c+ yet.

will go up in voltage a lil and see where i can get to.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gotendbz1*
> 
> can get to 1160 stock, anything over and driver recovery. [email protected] max temp after 3 runs of 3dmark is 72c, i haven't seen 75c+ yet.
> will go up in voltage a lil and see where i can get to.


What fan speed are you using? My 1200/1600 hits 85C at 100%, but if I go up to 1250 (haven't tested in between because I like multiples of 50 for my GPU clock







) it hardlocks once it hits the 75ish mark. I've tried with more voltage, same result.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I have mine at 1200/1600 with 1.225V, but I have to run 100% fan to keep temps under control. I can go higher, but it hardlocks once it hits ~75C


1200/1600 1.237 both on water with 2x fesar radiator ... on load ultra with BF3 (sig rig) I get to about 59/60... idles stock 28-32 - they are very sensitive to heat ... likely your vrm is even hotter hence the lock


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> 1200/1600 1.237 both on water with 2x fesar radiator ... on load ultra with BF3 (sig rig) I get to about 59/60... idles stock 28-32 - they are very sensitive to heat ... likely your vrm is even hotter hence the lock


No, memory and VRMs only hit 56C and 50C respectively - that is where the TFIV excels it seems


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> 1200/1600 1.237 both on water with 2x fesar radiator ... on load ultra with BF3 (sig rig) I get to about 59/60... idles stock 28-32 - they are very sensitive to heat ... likely your vrm is even hotter hence the lock


Dame, your cards get warm. Mine on water with 1 Feser quad with 4 R4's on it and my 2700k @ 5ghz idle at 30-33c and only load at 45c running 1200/1600 1.225v and about 48c 1275/1750 1.275v. I have a custom tech bench tho not a case.


----------



## gotendbz1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> What fan speed are you using? My 1200/1600 hits 85C at 100%, but if I go up to 1250 (haven't tested in between because I like multiples of 50 for my GPU clock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) it hardlocks once it hits the 75ish mark. I've tried with more voltage, same result.


i just use the auto AB has. highest fans have gotten is 60ish.

what case do you have? i have pretty decent airflow in my case, that is helping with temps.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gotendbz1*
> 
> i just use the auto AB has. highest fans have gotten is 60ish.
> what case do you have? i have pretty decent airflow in my case, that is helping with temps.


I have a HAF X, so pretty much the same thing you have, and I have decent airflow too. Who knows? It was getting to 85C, but I've tidied up cables, changed my D14 for a H100 (which I'm sure helps airflow, no more big hunk of metal in the way), and have a 140mm fan ziptied into my 5.25 bays to blow straight across the GPU, and temps have dropped to ~71C. Might try to push a bit more out of it now, but then again maybe not, 1200 is plenty


----------



## thrgk

When will new 7970 april drivers be released beta or whatever?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, what happens when the card receives less power than it needs? I mean, mine at 1050Mhz with 1.1V it crashes on BF3. With 1.112 everything seems normal... I'd like to know, if this voltage ain't enough either, is there any chance the card not giving the 100% ? Or when it hasn't sufficient power, it just crashes? Could I get more if I give a little more voltage ( 1.118 ) for example?

I hope you get what I'd like to know...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've gotten 1225MHz stable through Heaven and 3DMark11 @ 1.25V with both of my Lightnings. My top card will hit 1150MHz at stock voltage but my bottom card only gets to 1125MHz...


----------



## Supranium

Yeah. Unfortunately even the Lightings dont have cherry picked chips on them. If they did, i would have bought it instead of my GB windforce card. Lighting has no overclock bonus as long as you dont use extreme cooling. On air its tottally same than others - overclock only depending on its GPU quality.
My Gigabutt Windforce does 100% stable 1125mhz on 1100mv, 1230mhz on 1200mv and i can bench 1315mhz on 1300mv.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Supranium*
> 
> Yeah. Unfortunately even the Lightings dont have cherry picked chips on them. If they did, i would have bought it instead of my GB windforce card. Lighting has no overclock bonus as long as you dont use extreme cooling. On air its tottally same than others - overclock only depending on its GPU quality.
> My Gigabutt Windforce does 100% stable 1125mhz on 1100mv, 1230mhz on 1200mv and i can bench 1315mhz on 1300mv.


How good is the thermals / acoustics at 1230 Mhz. Is it stable for long periods of gaming (3+ hrs) . I would like to know so that I can recommend to a friend of mine who is looking to buy a high end card


----------



## Supranium

Those Windforce coolers are good. The 7950 does not have vrm heatsink and 7970 does. Thats the only difference between cards. Cooler stays quieter and GPU stays cooler as long as your case has good air ventilation. Remember, that those aftermarket coolers blow air inside the case. My card is perfectly stable @ 1.2v 1230/1750. Played hours of BF3 with this setting.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I think this is all you need to cool as far as VRMs go.


All the black and "white" chips? Or only the "white" ones?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> All the black and "white" chips? Or only the "white" ones?


Both sections outlined in red. A large thermal pad will take care of it all at once on a waterblock


----------



## Andrazh

I will probably get copper or aluminium heatsink in shape of Z on top of those and have 4 fans blowing on it. So i think it should be much better then without any.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> have any of you done a 7970 on crossfire?
> well regardless i'm getting crap load of problems and instability with even 1 of them
> so i got 2 of these beast ASUS HD7970-DC2T-3GD5
> however tested and tried on a clean Win7 x64bit install on both Intel and AMD platform
> and it crashes randomly, and it hangs on all the 3D mark benches
> i have several old ATI 5900, 6800 and 6900 series, and many of even older ATI X series, all of them runs great on both rigs (intel / AMD platform)
> is quite discomforting and stressful not being able to fully enjoy your $1500 purchase in game, only old games runs fine on the 7970, but most of the newer games crashes as soon as it loads into the game, regardless of Crossfire or not.
> all my old cards can fully complete the 3Dmark benches without any error, yet the 7970 crashes on the spot.
> I'm contemplating going for the 7800 series, since the latest Catalyst 12-3 drivers just provided official support for them.
> I'll like to hear some feedback on the 7800 cards, are they as problematic as the 7970?
> how about the 7950, i'll assume the 7950s faces the same issue as they are on the same trunk of the series


Ive had nothing but problems with crossfire with afterburner. With AB installed, windows hangs on startup randomly. Tried all the drivers, same problem. Fresh install. I uninstalled AB and went back to RC 11 drivers and have been running them at stock volts since.
No game needs 2 overclocked cards anyway so im not too bothered. Hopefully drivers will be better by the time I need to overclock them to maxout crysis 3 and the likes.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Dame, your cards get warm. Mine on water with 1 Feser quad with 4 R4's on it and my 2700k @ 5ghz idle at 30-33c and only load at 45c running 1200/1600 1.225v and about 48c 1275/1750 1.275v. I have a custom tech bench tho not a case.


Same as me, his temps are bad for water.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've gotten 1225MHz stable through Heaven and 3DMark11 @ 1.25V with both of my Lightnings. My top card will hit 1150MHz at stock voltage but my bottom card only gets to 1125MHz...


You should watercool them my friend.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Supranium*
> 
> My Gigabutt Windforce


LOL








Sounds like a gadget from a porn shop


----------



## General_Jaja

Yeah got my 7970! Reinstalled windows, drivers etc having heaps of fun with overclocking and games


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Yeah got my 7970! Reinstalled windows, drivers etc having heaps of fun with overclocking and games


that's good know bud enjoy!!!


----------



## pd411yomofo

Newd here

I did some benchmarking last night and just wanted to make sure I'm doing this right, also don't want to damage my card.

I used GPU Tweak for the over-clocking

*GPU Tweak Readings:*

GPU Temp Max: 60c
GPU Clock, MHz: 1125
GPU Usage Max: 97
GPU Voltage, mV: (1185 Max) - 1120 Average
FAN: 60%
PCIE12V, mV: (12000.0 Max) - 11968 Average
Memory Temp: 26c
Memory Clock, MHz: (5680 Max) - 5600 Average
Memory Usage, MB: (2572.9 Max) - 2405.8 Average
Power Temp Max: 90c

*Heaven Benchmark Results:*



Any Advice or help would be Awsome


----------



## rck1984

I ordered a Sapphire 7950 OC edition today, should be in the mail by tomorrow!
I hope its gonna satisfy me as much as my 5850 did a couple years ago, that card was a beast for its pricetag


----------



## disintegratorx

Dudes, just realized that the Diablo 3 Beta was still running and got a quick 5 minute play in. They're now on the 17th patch for the beta and I can tell you all that game will be amazing when its released on May 15th! When I was playing it, I was in a constant state of awe. I'm so happy for the last and this year's game releases. This year will be equally as great as the end of last year's games were, I'm sure.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Dudes, just realized that the Diablo 3 Beta was still running and got a quick 5 minute play in. They're now on the 17th patch for the beta and I can tell you all that game will be amazing when its released on May 15th! When I was playing it, I was in a constant state of awe. I'm so happy for the last and this year's game releases. This year will be equally as great as the end of last year's games were, I'm sure.


What games are/were so great in your opinion?
Lost track a little since I only had a 9800gtx the last 3 years...


----------



## Hambone07si

MW3, BF3, Dirt 3, and Skyrim were my favs of last year


----------



## Bcider

I ordered a sapphire 7970 oc version for $460 and free shipping from newegg. I was gonna get a 680 but ive had ati in the past and had no issues. Did i do good or did i dun goofed?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bcider*
> 
> I ordered a sapphire 7970 oc version for $460 and free shipping from newegg. I was gonna get a 680 but ive had ati in the past and had no issues. Did i do good or did i dun goofed?


Your making the wise dcision


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bcider*
> 
> I ordered a sapphire 7970 oc version for $460 and free shipping from newegg. I was gonna get a 680 but ive had ati in the past and had no issues. Did i do good or did i dun goofed?


You should be fine.


----------



## Bcider

Thanks guys, im no fanboy of either side but it was the price drop and 3gb ram that made my decision. Ive heard people claim on these forums that the 680 is something like 20% faster but that seemed bogus from the reviews ive seen.

All in all, should be a good upgrade from my 512mb ram 4870 with q6600. I cant wait to upgrade to ivy bridge next week and unleash the 7970 in it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bcider*
> 
> Thanks guys, im no fanboy of either side but it was the price drop and 3gb ram that made my decision. Ive heard people claim on these forums that the 680 is something like 20% faster but that seemed bogus from the reviews ive seen.
> 
> All in all, should be a good upgrade from my 512mb ram 4870 with q6600. I cant wait to upgrade to ivy bridge next week and unleash the 7970 in it.


Yup, you should see a huge difference in speed overall.


----------



## Supranium

Few pointers to you if you choose Radeon vs GTX

What favors Radeon?

1. GTX is not 20% but only slightly faster. Around 9% is accurate enought. Clock for clock they are pretty much identical.
2. GTX is only faster vs Radeon reference cards, which are very much underclocked.
3. Radeons overclock to same speeds or better vs GTX and they scale better with clocks.
4. You can get Radeon OC version, which are as fast as GTXes with less money now than GTX reference are costing. In addition you get better cooler for this money.

What favors GTX?

Perhaps less buggy draivers. Thats all i can think of.


----------



## Aventadoor

If you play BF3, Nvidia is the way to go.
And if you want more then 1 card, Nvidia is the way to go (based on my personal experience with AMD)


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What games are/were so great in your opinion?
> Lost track a little since I only had a 9800gtx the last 3 years...


Well, my taste can be a little different than most, I know. lol I'm also looking forward to the game Prototype 2 because it looks like its going to be ssick! Haven't got to play the newest Deus Ex (Human Revolution) yet and I have to get that one. Other than that maybe another shooter, a new Neverwinter which from the preview looks better than any PC - RPG i've ever seen (other than Diablo 3) and in 2013 will come Crysis 3.







Any other mentions by the club would be welcome too. I'm looking forward to this year and early next year's games line up. And some from last year. These, in my opinion, are really going to be like no others.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Well, my taste can be a little different than most, I know. lol I'm also looking forward to the game Prototype 2 because it looks like its going to be ssick! Haven't got to play the newest Deus Ex (Human Revolution) yet and I have to get that one. Other than that maybe another shooter, a new Neverwinter which from the preview looks better than any PC - RPG i've ever seen (other than Diablo 3) and in 2013 will come Crysis 3.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any other mentions by the club would be welcome too. I'm looking forward to this year and early next year's games line up. And some from last year. These, in my opinion, are really going to be like no others.


Should I play Prototype 1 ? Havent got around to it yet...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> If you play BF3, Nvidia is the way to go.
> And if you want more then 1 card, Nvidia is the way to go (based on my personal experience with AMD)


I'm playing BF3 on my 2 7970's WAY better than my 3 480's did. Way smoother, higher settings all ultra and 16xEQ now in CCC, and eyefinity. I have no issues and like the way these run it over my nvidias. Everyone has a different look on things.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Supranium*
> 
> Few pointers to you if you choose Radeon vs GTX
> 
> What favors Radeon?
> 
> 1. GTX is not 20% but only slightly faster. Around 9% is accurate enought. Clock for clock they are pretty much identical.
> 2. GTX is only faster vs Radeon reference cards, which are very much underclocked.
> 3. Radeons overclock to same speeds or better vs GTX and they scale better with clocks.
> 4. You can get Radeon OC version, which are as fast as GTXes with less money now than GTX reference are costing. In addition you get better cooler for this money.
> 
> What favors GTX?
> 
> Perhaps less buggy draivers. Thats all i can think of.


Proprietary features such as Physx and arguably CUDA as well.

Subjectively drivers...

I'm currently only experiencing one issue with my 7970 (that really annoys me).

The long idle bug. 

I have to disable automatic monitor standby or else my system becomes unresponsive.

Then every now and then the freaking setting resets and it happens again.


----------



## rck1984

Isnt that related to drivers anyway? I mean, maybe it takes some more time for AMD to design optimal drivers for the 79xx serie to play BF3..


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Isnt that related to drivers anyway? I mean, maybe it takes some more time for AMD to design optimal drivers for the 79xx serie to play BF3..


I think the competition gave AMD more incentive to squeeze performance out through drivers. 

I'm a bit surprised they didn't release another beta driver this week so far.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Supranium*
> 
> Few pointers to you if you choose Radeon vs GTX
> What favors Radeon?
> 1. GTX is not 20% but only slightly faster. Around 9% is accurate enought. Clock for clock they are pretty much identical.
> 2. GTX is only faster vs Radeon reference cards, which are very much underclocked.
> 3. Radeons overclock to same speeds or better vs GTX and they scale better with clocks.
> 4. You can get Radeon OC version, which are as fast as GTXes with less money now than GTX reference are costing. In addition you get better cooler for this money.
> What favors GTX?
> Perhaps less buggy draivers. Thats all i can think of.


For an idea on performance (as far as benchmarks can provide), one may want to check RagingCain's contest out, it's pretty cool:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1233063/gtx-680s-vs-hd-7970s-the-ocn-battle-royale-part-2


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> For an idea on performance (as far as benchmarks can provide), one may want to check RagingCain's contest out, it's pretty cool:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1233063/gtx-680s-vs-hd-7970s-the-ocn-battle-royale-part-2


I tried posting in the battle thread, crap gets ignored. I just post in the Top 30 Heaven thread, cdman is fair.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Yay! I have a 2nd ASUS 7970 on my way!

Now I'm really going to get messy with drivers. 

Can't wait for Tuesday!


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I tried posting in the battle thread, crap gets ignored. I just post in the Top 30 Heaven thread, cdman is fair.


I will check that one out, I haven't been following that one.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I tried posting in the battle thread, crap gets ignored. I just post in the Top 30 Heaven thread, cdman is fair.
> 
> 
> 
> I will check that one out, I haven't been following that one.
Click to expand...

It's lonely waiting on the trisli/quadsli guys, who are waiting on nvidia to get their [email protected]#$ together and fix yall's scaling problem.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Should I play Prototype 1 ? Havent got around to it yet...


I don't know. lol That's a good question though. I like that question. lol You could always You Tube it and look or check and see if there's a review on it. Personally I'd just go with 2 but I'm super picky and a little bit shallow when it comes to playing games most of the time. lol. But my reply to you. Not sure. But nice question/response.









Ooh.. here you go Daffie82.











Hope that helps ya!


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Yay! I have a 2nd ASUS 7970 on my way!
> Now I'm really going to get messy with drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can't wait for Tuesday!


lol that should be fun.... I had my second 7970 disabled for a week because of bsod ( Think its fine now







) At least the people that got the GTX 680 are having issues also..... so much for Nivida having good drivers


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

ANybody know whether or not the new AB 2.2 release will work any better for us than beta 15?


----------



## dosmond

I have the same video card wake up issue on my Gigabyte hd7950. The problem is in win 7 sp1 64bit, not in windows 8 developer preview. ln windows 8 it will resume correctly, so I doubt its a hardware/motherboard settings issue, tried reverting back to original 12.1 drivers no change, I might try to install the windows 8 driver on windows 7 and see if that takes care of issue, we will see. If it helps the driver versions are listed as being different versions in win7 versus win8.

Windows 7 sp1 - 64 bit device manager shows driver as 8.950.0.0
Windows 8 developer preview build 8102 shows driver as 8.921.2.0
in both os's power management is set for: turn off display 5mins, Put computer to sleep 15mins
even if I only wait 6 mins the display will not resume.

I thought it might be something to do with the os or bios turning off usb devices thats not it, I have them set not to power off, and I tried a ps2 keyboard instead of my usb on, and like I said before the issue is only with windows 7....


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dosmond*
> 
> I have the same video card wake up issue on my Gigabyte hd7950. The problem is in win 7 sp1 64bit, not in windows 8 developer preview. ln windows 8 it will resume correctly, so I doubt its a hardware/motherboard settings issue, tried reverting back to original 12.1 drivers no change, I might try to install the windows 8 driver on windows 7 and see if that takes care of issue, we will see. If it helps the driver versions are listed as being different versions in win7 versus win8.
> Windows 7 sp1 - 64 bit device manager shows driver as 8.950.0.0
> Windows 8 developer preview build 8102 shows driver as 8.921.2.0
> in both os's power management is set for: turn off display 5mins, Put computer to sleep 15mins
> even if I only wait 6 mins the display will not resume.
> I thought it might be something to do with the os or bios turning off usb devices thats not it, I have them set not to power off, and I tried a ps2 keyboard instead of my usb on, and like I said before the issue is only with windows 7....


why you dont use 12.4?i think its better than 12.3.i used to have wake up issue the first week that i bought my 7970.reintall the windows fixed me for me


----------



## dosmond

Just switched to 12.4 no change.... So, I'm stuck turning off my monitor and using a screensaver


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dosmond*
> 
> Just switched to 12.4 no change.... So, I'm stuck turning off my monitor and using a screensaver


Next week there should be a new driver.
We'll have to wait and see.


----------



## jman246

http://www.overclock.net/t/1231819/new-drivers-out-today-have-amd-finally-done-it-and-fixed-the-7970-issues/20 Follow wireeater's instructions on the 24th post (make sure you are installing 12.4) and after you follow all the steps set your voltage to 1149mv or anything higher and your problems are most likely miraculously solved


----------



## Capla

I wonder how many people have GSOD on new HD 79.. series?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Capla*
> 
> I wonder how many people have GSOD on new HD 79.. series?


I did, turns out my card was bad. Anytime any kind of graphical load (I assume anytime it went to 3D clocks) was applied, even YouTube, it would GSOD. Threw in the other 7950 I had, no issues at all.


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Man, I can't seem to get my 7970 stable at anything over 1150-1175 regardless of voltage tweaks. Kind of a bummer.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> Man, I can't seem to get my 7970 stable at anything over 1150-1175 regardless of voltage tweaks. Kind of a bummer.


These cards are pretty sensitive to temperature bud - is it getting warm (~70c+)?


----------



## homestyle

What kind of overclocks are you guys seeing on average for the 7950 and 7970?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *homestyle*
> 
> What kind of overclocks are you guys seeing on average for the 7950 and 7970?


I think Most cards hit 1200 on the core, not sure about memory. I would guess 5% can hit 1300 and beyond,70% 1200 on the core, 25% the rest.

Speaking about the 7970 btw.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *homestyle*
> 
> What kind of overclocks are you guys seeing on average for the 7950 and 7970?


my card 7950 1130/1550 volt 1.206 in its nice and save volt


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> These cards are pretty sensitive to temperature bud - is it getting warm (~70c+)?


While it is on air, I'm not actually letting it get above mid 60's at the absolute most. It generally hovers around 60 degrees and every once in a while it'll creep up to 64-66. I have the fan profile tuned REALLY aggressively, so short of buying a water block I don't know that there's a heckuva lot left for me to do here. Hey, I certainly can't complain about hitting 1125 on a card sold at 925.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> my card 7950 1130/1550 volt 1.206 in its nice and save volt


same here, except volt is 1.168


----------



## afadzil21

Check this out:

http://www.techpowerup.com/164528/GIGABYTE-WindForce-5X-Cooling-Solution-on-GTX-680-SOC-Pictured-5-Fan-Mayhem.html

Hoping for a 7970 SOC version with that cooler as well... it looks sic!


----------



## Supranium

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> same here, except volt is 1.168


1100/1650 for 24/7 here with stock 1,1v on windforce 3 OC 7970.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Check this out:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/164528/GIGABYTE-WindForce-5X-Cooling-Solution-on-GTX-680-SOC-Pictured-5-Fan-Mayhem.html
> Hoping for a 7970 SOC version with that cooler as well... it looks sic!


Looks stupid tbh. I doubts its any better cooler than windforce coolers are. And its certainly a lot louder. Those tiny fans scream quite heavily.


----------



## bhardy1185

So I have been resisting the jump to different drivers. I am still on 11.12 and AB 2.2.0 Beta 14. I have been getting pop ups from both CCC and AB that I need to update drivers. The AB actually said that the version expires today. What version is everyone using these days? I haven't had a problem with the drivers that I am using but have read several pages of people having problems. Just don't want to switch and start having problems. Your thoughts?


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> Newd here
> 
> I did some benchmarking last night and just wanted to make sure I'm doing this right, also don't want to damage my card.
> 
> I used GPU Tweak for the over-clocking
> 
> *GPU Tweak Readings:*
> 
> GPU Temp Max: 60c
> GPU Clock, MHz: 1125
> GPU Usage Max: 97
> GPU Voltage, mV: (1185 Max) - 1120 Average
> FAN: 60%
> PCIE12V, mV: (12000.0 Max) - 11968 Average
> Memory Temp: 26c
> Memory Clock, MHz: (5680 Max) - 5600 Average
> Memory Usage, MB: (2572.9 Max) - 2405.8 Average
> Power Temp Max: 90c
> 
> *Heaven Benchmark Results:*
> 
> 
> 
> Any Advice or help would be Awsome


HELP


----------



## Newbie2009

I installed the new MSI afterburner. Working fine so far. Started to overclock my newer card as never pushed it due to driver issues.

1325 on the core so far


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I installed the new MSI afterburner. Working fine so far. Started to overclock my newer card as never pushed it due to driver issues.
> 1325 on the core so far


Is it plug and play with voltage control or do you still have to d/l the .dll's and use the xcl trick?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Is it plug and play with voltage control or do you still have to d/l the .dll's and use the xcl trick?


plug and play. Although I am still on old drivers.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Is it plug and play with voltage control or do you still have to d/l the .dll's and use the xcl trick?


OP should put a link to the .dll's and the xcl trick! Maybe even a how too?


----------



## PARTON

I've never used the dlls or the -xcl and I have no issue with overvolting.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Is it plug and play with voltage control or do you still have to d/l the .dll's and use the xcl trick?


That has nothing to do with MSI AB. Its a AMD thing.


----------



## kfxsti

just wanted to show the new addition to my other 7970s . overclocks like a monster from what little bit i have gotten to play with it. and i will be doing some benching this weekend.













sorry for the bad quality. will take some better one later tonight.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> just wanted to show the new addition to my other 7970s . overclocks like a monster from what little bit i have gotten to play with it. and i will be doing some benching this weekend.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sorry for the bad quality. will take some better one later tonight.


mmm, powercolor brand WC card?
Looks just like an EK FC


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> mmm, powercolor brand WC card?
> Looks just like an EK FC


Yep. lol


----------



## Blindsay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> mmm, powercolor brand WC card?
> Looks just like an EK FC


Yeah it is EK, its powercolor's LCS series. I had a pair of 6970 LCS's myself until recently.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blindsay*
> 
> Yeah it is EK, its powercolor's LCS series. I had a pair of 6970 LCS's myself until recently.


Pretty cool, and you get to have a warranty too.


----------



## rck1984

Yay, got my Sapphire 7950 Dual-X OC in the mail today, just installed it and about to test it.
Starting on overclocking, what would be nice to start with? Leave voltage on stock and see how far i can go?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Yay, got my Sapphire 7950 Dual-X OC in the mail today, just installed it and about to test it.
> Starting on overclocking, what would be nice to start with? Leave voltage on stock and see how far i can go?


I pushed volts to max and went from there.








Stock volts are for girls.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*


Hmm, PC's all blue cap altered reference board.


----------



## kfxsti

ill take you a better picture when i get home from work so you can check it out a bit better.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> ill take you a better picture when i get home from work so you can check it out a bit better.


Gratz on the new card.

I have a PowerColor with blue caps as well. Basically a cap (the pink one) is about 1 mm higher. But other than that, it should function just the same as it's still the reference PCB. The unlocked ASUS BIOS works fine on this card, just in case you were wondering about that, too. EK has modified their blocks so this taller cap isn't an issue, and I have contacted Koolance and they assure me that they're blocks can clear it as well.

Here are some pictures of my PowerColor PCB for comparison:



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Pretty cool, and you get to have a warranty too.


I had emailed PowerColor and MSI about this a few months ago.

PowerColor doesn't void the warranty for removing the stock heatsink, and using an aftermarker cooler. They only require that you install the stock heatsink before sending it in, and that the damage wasn't caused by the heatsink removal.

MSI has the same policy.


----------



## tsm106

^^His LCS come pre-dremeled Thomas.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^His LCS come pre-dremeled Thomas.


HAHA, yeah, I remember when I was all worried about that! The PowerColor actually ended up being my preferred 7970 out of the two, I actually kept it over the Sapphire as it was a better overclocker.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I had emailed PowerColor and MSI about this a few months ago.
> PowerColor doesn't void the warranty for removing the stock heatsink, and using an aftermarker cooler. They only require that you install the stock heatsink before sending it in, and that the damage wasn't caused by the heatsink removal.
> MSI has the same policy.


Do you know about Sapphire and Gigabyte warranties? Im going to get one of sapphires or gigabytes 7950


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Do you know about Sapphire and Gigabyte warranties? Im going to get one of sapphires or gigabytes 7950


No, sorry, I had only emailed MSI, PowerColor, and XFX. I cannot say whether or not XFX will void the warranty, they didn't respond.


----------



## 1rkrage

XFX has the same policy afaik.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> HAHA, yeah, I remember when I was all worried about that! The PowerColor actually ended up being my preferred 7970 out of the two, I actually kept it over the Sapphire as it was a better overclocker.


my other standard power color 7970 was a better overclocker than both my msi 7970s aswell . lol i really like powercolor and their support.

but my only concern with the lcs is the coil whine i have. but the card runs perfect. and i have warranty. so if it blows, it goes.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^His LCS come pre-dremeled Thomas.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> HAHA, yeah, I remember when I was all worried about that! The PowerColor actually ended up being my preferred 7970 out of the two, I actually kept it over the Sapphire as it was a better overclocker.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> HAHA, yeah, I remember when I was all worried about that! The PowerColor actually ended up being my preferred 7970 out of the two, I actually kept it over the Sapphire as it was a better overclocker.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> my other standard power color 7970 was a better overclocker than both my msi 7970s aswell . lol i really like powercolor and their support.
> 
> but my only concern with the lcs is the coil whine i have. but the card runs perfect. and i have warranty. so if it blows, it goes.
Click to expand...

Let me say this, overclocking has nothing to do with the Brand of card. No AIB bin silicon in that manner.


----------



## svthomas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> my other standard power color 7970 was a better overclocker than both my msi 7970s aswell . lol i really like powercolor and their support.
> but my only concern with the lcs is the coil whine i have. but the card runs perfect. and i have warranty. so if it blows, it goes.


I have only inquired about things, and haven't had to RMA anything, but based on that I have been impressed so far with how prompt they respond, and how quickly one is able to get to a live person--that's why I went with PowerColor the first go-round. Calls went to an actual person, none of that automated crap. Email was responded to within an hour and a half, if I remember correctly. My only scare was that the board had different caps.

Mine significantly went away after I benched it really hard a lot.

Anyone else have their coil whine reduce after using the card a lot?


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Let me say this, overclocking has nothing to do with the Brand of card. No AIB bin silicon in that manner.


true that. i just have had better experiences with pc than others. lol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> I have only inquired about things, and haven't had to RMA anything, but based on that I have been impressed so far with how prompt they respond, and how quickly one is able to get to a live person--that's why I went with PowerColor the first go-round. Calls went to an actual person, none of that automated crap. Email was responded to within an hour and a half, if I remember correctly. My only scare was that the board had different caps.
> Mine significantly went away after I benched it really hard a lot.
> Anyone else have their coil whine reduce after using the card a lot?


^^ this. for the support.
but for the whine.. i hope it calms down lol ive read of a few others on some other forums that had the whine with the lcs and it eventually went away.


----------



## svthomas

Afterburner 2.2.0 Final Release

http://www.guru3d.com/news/afterburner-220-final-release-download/
Quote:


> ATIPDLXX.DLL is now redistributed with MSI Afterburner to address issues with unofficial overclocking under Catalyst 12.2 and newer AMD drivers


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Afterburner 2.2.0 Final Release
> 
> http://www.guru3d.com/news/afterburner-220-final-release-download/
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ATIPDLXX.DLL is now redistributed with MSI Afterburner to address issues with unofficial overclocking under Catalyst 12.2 and newer AMD drivers
Click to expand...









N1

Now that was a good idea


----------



## Ottesen

Like the afterburner 2.2... had the beta one and got message that i only had some days before that was removed/gone/something...

But what up with the memory clock on the 2.2 ? I can "only" go to 1600mhz.... with the beta i'm running 1700mhz memory, but now the slider won't go that far...


----------



## quakermaas

Check your unofficial overclocking is set to 1, I had to reset it after the update.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Check your unofficial overclocking is set to 1, I had to reset it after the update.


Ah, good call man, that was the problem. Thanks !


----------



## Lowki

How are the 12.4 beta drivers better then the 12.3?


----------



## Bama12

Hello there!


----------



## MooMoo

I've tried to look at reviews about Gigabyte 7950 with Windforce cooler, but Im still unclear about VRM cooling, are they cooled at all? Like heat-spreaders?

Also, if somebody likes to play TF2 (Team Fortress 2), what FPS do you get? Im impatient to get my new card and test it out


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Also, if somebody likes to play TF2 (Team Fortress 2), what FPS do you get? Im impatient to get my new card and test it out


I think that game is the least of your worries







, but I get 300fps+ on my 7970, gpu usage is at 20%-40%...


----------



## 1rkrage

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> my other standard power color 7970 was a better overclocker than both my msi 7970s aswell . lol i really like powercolor and their support.
> but my only concern with the lcs is the coil whine i have. but the card runs perfect. and i have warranty. so if it blows, it goes.


my regular one with EK block has coil whine too. Idk if it's a Powercolor thing?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Also, if somebody likes to play TF2 (Team Fortress 2), what FPS do you get? Im impatient to get my new card and test it out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think that game is the least of your worries
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , but I get 300fps+ on my 7970, gpu usage is at 20%-40%...
Click to expand...

Well yea, I know, Im just curious what is the avarage, Im getting myself too 300+ on some points but not all the time. Im getting avg like ~130fps (benched with Fraps) but depends on the map, that was on full 30player idle map.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So I tried AB 2.2 final and it was just as bad as Beta 15 for me. Heaven hard locked even at 1175MHz and Crysis 2 was all screwed up. Totally removed it from my system and all is well again. Not sure what AB is messing up in my system but its something and I can't seem to use it...


----------



## 125837

You're on 12.3 aren't you? I was running 12.3 plus 12.3 CAPs, and I was having quite a bit of trouble with AB, some games, and startup time was really sluggish. I uninstalled the CAPs and I haven't had an issue since


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm running 12.4 right now actually. Works great with no AB...


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm running 12.4 right now actually. Works great with no AB...


So you're just back to the 1125/1575 CCC limits? I keep having some strange issues with AB and idle voltages if I unlock UOC even when I set a stock profile for 2d apps and a modified one for 3d. I wish that Trixx had a power limit option, but I hate running CCC AND another program.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I wasn't aware that you could disable CCC?


----------



## PenguinoPapa

Well, not disable as such. Just turning off Overdrive.


----------



## disintegratorx

Diablo 3 Beta is open to the public for this weekend only: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/4963739/Diablo%C2%AE_III_Open_Beta_Weekend-4_19_2012


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Tried AB again and noticed that even though I can adjust the voltage slider my voltage remains at 1170mV no matter what I set it to in AB according to HWMonitor. That's probably why my 1200MHz OC is failing...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Diablo 3 Beta is open to the public for this weekend only: http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/4963739/Diablo%C2%AE_III_Open_Beta_Weekend-4_19_2012


I just beat the beta in about 3 hours







Absolutely great time







Ran like butter on the 7950s. Well, my Afterburner expired, time to re-download.

Also, I've been having an issue where the GPU2 temp doesn't show up in AB's chart, but GPU2 usage does. Ideas?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I just beat the beta in about 3 hours
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Absolutely great time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ran like butter on the 7950s. Well, my Afterburner expired, time to re-download.
> Also, I've been having an issue where the GPU2 temp doesn't show up in AB's chart, but GPU2 usage does. Ideas?


There is a final release now http://www.guru3d.com/news/afterburner-220-final-release-download/


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I just beat the beta in about 3 hours
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Absolutely great time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ran like butter on the 7950s. Well, my Afterburner expired, time to re-download.
> Also, I've been having an issue where the GPU2 temp doesn't show up in AB's chart, but GPU2 usage does. Ideas?


Nice...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> There is a final release now http://www.guru3d.com/news/afterburner-220-final-release-download/


Just grabbed that, thanks









Still didn't resolve my GPU2 temp being invisible in AB and AIDA64.


----------



## piskooooo

Is my score alright?

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3242193

Also my max temp so far is 73c, does that seem okay?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Just grabbed that, thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still didn't resolve my GPU2 temp being invisible in AB and AIDA64.


i had this happen to me a while ago... not sure what I did to change as I've don't so many driver tweaks... but I'd just try to unistall AB - and don't save settings... then reinstall


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> N1
> 
> Now that was a good idea


Anyone else think this is how AMD drivers SHOULD be?

Every so often there's a new AB that gets released and each one is much better than the previous version. Addressing problems, adding the OC option back when AMD took them out, adding power tune, etc. to make our lives easier. AMD on the other hand....releases an official driver that causes way, way more problems that a beta did.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *piskooooo*
> 
> Is my score alright?
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3242193
> Also my max temp so far is 73c, does that seem okay?


Should be around 9-10k


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *piskooooo*
> 
> Is my score alright?
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3242193
> Also my max temp so far is 73c, does that seem okay?


looks normal


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone having this problem in Witcher 2? Two 7970s should definitely be able to run this game maxed (Uber OFF) at a constant 60fps I would assume. This happens at everywhere I go, sometimes worse in intense areas. It also happens randomly, I would make a quick turn and it would dip into 55s and if I just stand there and wait it out, it would go back up to 60fps. Here's a screenshot of AB during the beginning of the game where Geralt just slept with Triss and walks outside.



Notice it never stays at a constant 60fps, it fluctuates very frequently as I run around, 55-60 most of the time and that's enough to cause the game to feel sluggish and skippy. I have tried 12.3, RC11, and am on 12.4 at the moment and none seems to work. They've been paired with 12.3 CAP and each driver was a clean Windows install. Could it be the CAPs?

Anyone experiencing this or has it been smooth? The 0fps is when I alt tabbed.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Anyone having this problem in Witcher 2? Two 7970s should definitely be able to run this game maxed (Uber OFF) at a constant 60fps I would assume. This happens at everywhere I go, sometimes worse in intense areas. It also happens randomly, I would make a quick turn and it would dip into 55s and if I just stand there and wait it out, it would go back up to 60fps. Here's a screenshot of AB during the beginning of the game where Geralt just slept with Triss and walks outside.
> 
> Notice it never stays at a constant 60fps, it fluctuates very frequently as I run around, 55-60 most of the time and that's enough to cause the game to feel sluggish and skippy. I have tried 12.3, RC11, and am on 12.4 at the moment and none seems to work. They've been paired with 12.3 CAP and each driver was a clean Windows install. Could it be the CAPs?
> Anyone experiencing this or has it been smooth? The 0fps is when I alt tabbed.


Try it without the CAPs. Removing them fixed a problem with launching Skyrim for me. I have The Witcher 2 as of yesterday but it's not installed yet, I can test it for you sometime next week when I do install it.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PenguinoPapa*
> 
> but I hate running CCC AND another program.


Why?
No problems here running Trixx with CCC








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> I don't know. lol That's a good question though. I like that question. lol You could always You Tube it and look or check and see if there's a review on it. Personally I'd just go with 2 but I'm super picky and a little bit shallow when it comes to playing games most of the time. lol. But my reply to you. Not sure. But nice question/response.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ooh.. here you go Daffie82.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope that helps ya!


Looks sick that trailer, lots of immense action. I had it in my list games to play but have not gotten around to it yet.
Almost finished Batman AA now, ordered Mass Effect 3 already.
After that im gonna play Alan Wake or Prototype








Probably both but still have to decide in which order


----------



## Wiffinberg

dang one of my fans died on my sapphire 7950 oc edition. anyone else with this card have any issues?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> dang one of my fans died on my sapphire 7950 oc edition. anyone else with this card have any issues?


Nope, same card, no problems so far.
Just contact the shop or sapphire directly.
You (should) have at least 24 months warranty.


----------



## Wiffinberg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> dang one of my fans died on my sapphire 7950 oc edition. anyone else with this card have any issues?
> 
> 
> 
> Nope, same card, no problems so far.
> Just contact the shop or sapphire directly.
> You (should) have at least 24 months warranty.
Click to expand...

I've had it for less than a month lol. I contacted the retailer and am awaiting a reply

I guess I'm lucky I held on to my 6950, otherwise i would be in a deeper hole right now


----------



## Daffie82

OMG I just saw max payne 3 is coming out next month !!! WOOT








That makes me wonder if I should even buy Prototype 1 and play it... Could buy it for 10 euros though... But with older games lots of problems could pop up trying to play it... Oh the choices....








I DONT HAVE THE TIME TO PLAY ALL THESE GAMES !!


----------



## mltms

what is the GPU compute ?
i read this revew but i dont now what is talking about ?
http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-kepler-gpus--back-to-games-away-from-compute-/15332.html


----------



## iscariot

Question guys:

What are safe levels for voltage increases with the 7950s? I tried core clocks of 1025 and BF3 didnt like it. It hung up every 5 minutes. When I reduced it to 1000 it runs perfectly. Im thinking if I increase the voltage a bit I might be able to squeeze for out of the card but Im not sure what safe levels are. Any guidance?


----------



## Andrazh

If u are looking for a minor OC then set it at 1.1V that will give u enough boost to go as high as 1050-1100 on core.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> what is the GPU compute ?
> i read this revew but i dont now what is talking about ?
> http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-kepler-gpus--back-to-games-away-from-compute-/15332.html


GPU computing or GPGPU is the use of a GPU (graphics processing unit) as a co-processor to accelerate CPUs for general purpose scientific and engineering computing.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/GPU_Computing.html


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> what is the GPU compute ?
> i read this revew but i dont now what is talking about ?
> http://vr-zone.com/articles/nvidia-kepler-gpus--back-to-games-away-from-compute-/15332.html


The new GCN architecture is also very good at it, vast improvement from the previous generations.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> GPU computing or GPGPU is the use of a GPU (graphics processing unit) as a co-processor to accelerate CPUs for general purpose scientific and engineering computing.
> http://www.nvidia.com/object/GPU_Computing.html


ok but what program or software that the new amd is faster than the new nvidia ?


----------



## polynomialc

just installed second 7950 sapphire oc for crossfire, using 12.4 driver, you guys using 12.3 caps with it?


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> just installed second 7950 sapphire oc for crossfire, using 12.4 driver, you guys using 12.3 caps with it?


i'd suggest you try a few different drivers and see what works best. some folks even feel the earlier rc11 drivers work the best. depending on what your set up is, certain drivers boink xfire etc..

Going to reload drivers etc and try the fianl AB ... I'll do 12.4 and 12.2 caps... I recall folks with 2x cards had issues with 12.3 cap.


----------



## Nemesis158

So a buddy of mine is picking up a Sapphire DUAL-X (which is actually basically a ref card with the missing VRM pieces installed on it) and he is going to WC it. He's going to send me the DUAL-X cooler so i can put it on my ref card








i should be able to go past 1200 with that cooler on there


----------



## DeaDLocK

Ordered a Gigabyte 7970 OC yesterday now just got to wait for delivery







can't wait to get it and overclock it even more! and then let it loose on BF3 and Skyrim.


----------



## CyberDeath

Im have change my X6 1090T 4.2Ghz for i7-3820 4.875Ghz. And change my no name thermal Compound on my VGA for Geild GC Extreme and now i have under water only 38°C in full Load :-D ... my max OC raised up to 1190Mhz/1.2V

And some test http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3247359;jsessionid=1s2ne3zcvq4c9pr1s3lmij433


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Try it without the CAPs. Removing them fixed a problem with launching Skyrim for me. I have The Witcher 2 as of yesterday but it's not installed yet, I can test it for you sometime next week when I do install it.


I uninstalled CAPs and still the same old poor performance. I know my two cards are capable because other people have their Witcher 2 running butter smooth on 2 7970s so I don't see why I can't. Here's a graph of vsync OFF. It still dips below 60 and fluctuates between 100-55 which is annoyingly jittery and stuttery.


----------



## PsYLoR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> I uninstalled CAPs and still the same old poor performance. I know my two cards are capable because other people have their Witcher 2 running butter smooth on 2 7970s so I don't see why I can't. Here's a graph of vsync OFF. It still dips below 60 and fluctuates between 100-55 which is annoyingly jittery and stuttery.


Just throwing this out in the air but with your SSD do you have a small Page File or is it system managed?


----------



## WiL11o6

Sorry, I have no idea what either of those mean. This is my first computer build and all I know is I have two 120GB Corsair Force GTs in RAID 0 with a 128KB stripe.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Your gpu usage is terribad. Definitely a driver issue I would think...


----------



## polynomialc

using 12.4 with 12.2 cap1, tested it, and when im playing WoW running around, killing stuff.. all of a sudden it just minimizes to desktop, but doesnt crash i can go back into game, but it keeps randomly happening. so i unisntalled 12.2cap1, and installed 12.3 cap1 with the 12.4 drivers. still same problem, has anyone had this happen to them, or know a fix? i just did fresh install of win7 x64 sp1, only extra software installed is mse for antivirus. im thinking its driver problem but i have no idea


----------



## piskooooo

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3248795

Managed to get 9297 which I'm guessing is good? Only problem is it's only saying I have 1GB VRAM when I clearly have 3GB. This is the only program that does it too so I dunno.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *polynomialc*
> 
> using 12.4 with 12.2 cap1, tested it, and when im playing WoW running around, killing stuff.. all of a sudden it just minimizes to desktop, but doesnt crash i can go back into game, but it keeps randomly happening. so i unisntalled 12.2cap1, and installed 12.3 cap1 with the 12.4 drivers. still same problem, has anyone had this happen to them, or know a fix? i just did fresh install of win7 x64 sp1, only extra software installed is mse for antivirus. im thinking its driver problem but i have no idea


Same here... But with bf3. I feel like rc11 with no caps worked best with me...going back to this


----------



## 125837

I can't quote on my phone but to the wow guy, try without caps.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I do remember Witcher 2 performance being very choppy with my single 7970.


----------



## ilikebeer

I'll be joining this club in a few hours gonna get a reference asus 7970. Prefer kepler a bit but I want the extra gig of VRAM and once the price drops I should be good to get another 7970 for xfire.

If the 4GB kepler were avaliable today i'd get that though. I think the 7970 is a bit slower than the 680 because of its compute performance, so it'll probably give me 10fps less in bf3 which i play but i'll be able to fold at home on it etc.

I very much want to watch 3movies on a 3d projector so I'll have to buy that tridef 3D software, haven't seen any reviews on it but I'd assume its quite good.


----------



## ilikebeer

Just to add I think xfire 7970 should be enough to max out all games till the end of 2013. If battlefield 4 comes out and needs 4gigs of vram though i'll shoot someone.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I wouldn't count on getting the 7970 to fold with decent PPD anytime soon, though.

It's been over a year now that the OpenCL core was released and performance hasn't really changed one bit.

Quite sad...


----------



## TheJesus

I think this should be our OP's header:


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I think this should be our OP's header:


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ilikebeer*
> 
> Just to add I think xfire 7970 should be enough to max out all games till the end of 2013. If battlefield 4 comes out and needs 4gigs of vram though i'll shoot someone.


hahahahahahahaha xD indeed....count 1 more with u in army vs DICE xDD

btw are thos 12.4 any good for 7970?


----------



## dosmond

Video card sleep resume issues Gigabyte hd7950. This is not my first post on this topic so after this one I'll probably leave things alone for a while, My pc is not set to sleep, only the video card is, I run win7 64 bit, and win8 developer 64bit, the windows 8 os works fine with the latest drivers, video sleep and pc sleep resume works fine its just windows 7 that has issues, the monitor shuts down with message no video signal, that disappears, then all I have is a yellow amber power saving light on monitor I can move my mouse, hit space on keyboard ect, it will not resume, I can then press windows key>left arrow>enter and the pc will power off, so I know my pc is not locked up. I've tried multple drivers removed drivers, ran the ati cleanup tool nothing no driver reinstall will fix it, However if I go into device manager and right click and choose disable on my display adapter, this seems to disable ati's drivers and the system will start using a basic display mode / vga driver mode, and guess what THE DARN VIDEO SLEEP
/ RESUME ISSUE IS GONE...... So without completely throwing my pc out the window or selling off my new video card, logically doesn't that mean its specifically a ati driver issue?


----------



## dosmond

Oh, and while I'm here I might as well bring up another topic... I have the Gigabyte windforce hd7950 card, and I'm using a older case, the case is in good condition with adequate cooling its a Lian Li pc-7 Plus II case... I kind of freaked a bit after buying the card because I ended up thinking it will not fit in my case with the harddrive rack in place, and since this is an older case I have to use drive bad adapters to move my hdds and ssds to the upper 5 1/4" slots.... THIS WAS NOT NEEDED... why is it everywhere I look the card dimensions list the card as being 11.4 inches long, it is not .... its 10.4 inches, and that one inch makes a big difference! I actually ghetto modded my upper drive bays to use the hdds and ssds and it was not needed, as well as being messy with hiding wires and such, either way its done, I thought I'd point out the actual length to people who are considering buying the card.


----------



## D77ooM

What is the best driver for 7970 so far ?


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm running 12.4 right now actually. Works great with no AB...


Hells ya dude. got the same here. jut wish i knew a bit more about overclocking.


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I think this should be our OP's header:


AAAAAhahahahahahahahahahahahaha.... All in favor? I


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dosmond*
> 
> Video card sleep resume issues Gigabyte hd7950. This is not my first post on this topic so after this one I'll probably leave things alone for a while, My pc is not set to sleep, only the video card is, I run win7 64 bit, and win8 developer 64bit, the windows 8 os works fine with the latest drivers, video sleep and pc sleep resume works fine its just windows 7 that has issues, the monitor shuts down with message no video signal, that disappears, then all I have is a yellow amber power saving light on monitor I can move my mouse, hit space on keyboard ect, it will not resume, I can then press windows key>left arrow>enter and the pc will power off, so I know my pc is not locked up. I've tried multple drivers removed drivers, ran the ati cleanup tool nothing no driver reinstall will fix it, However if I go into device manager and right click and choose disable on my display adapter, this seems to disable ati's drivers and the system will start using a basic display mode / vga driver mode, and guess what THE DARN VIDEO SLEEP
> / RESUME ISSUE IS GONE...... So without completely throwing my pc out the window or selling off my new video card, logically doesn't that mean its specifically a ati driver issue?


issue with zero core mhz sleep and screens.
good with such saving features but some have a headache with it-


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, its a known issue though I have yet to have it. The simplest workaround AFAIK is to use a screen saver rather than having the monitor shut down. That or just turn off your monitor when you leave your desk...


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Yeah guys I've got 3 680s atm, and compared to my 3 7970s, they aren't really anything special. Until Nvidia works on the scaling with their drivers, I wouldn't recommend to anyone to mvoe to 680s. I have my 4th 680 coming in tomorrow, so I'm hoping Nvidia steps on the gas, or I'll be selling all 4 and buying a 4th 7970


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Man you must crap $100 bills...


----------



## Hambone07si

I only crap $10s


----------



## polynomialc

"Quote:
Originally Posted by polynomialc

using 12.4 with 12.2 cap1, tested it, and when im playing WoW running around, killing stuff.. all of a sudden it just minimizes to desktop, but doesnt crash i can go back into game, but it keeps randomly happening. so i unisntalled 12.2cap1, and installed 12.3 cap1 with the 12.4 drivers. still same problem, has anyone had this happen to them, or know a fix? i just did fresh install of win7 x64 sp1, only extra software installed is mse for antivirus. im thinking its driver problem but i have no idea

Same here... But with bf3. I feel like rc11 with no caps worked best with me...going back to this"

somehow fixed the problem, i was running WoW in Admin mode, once i loaded without admin, the flickers to desktop stopped while playing. very strange. but it seems to be working fine now.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Man you must crap $100 bills...


xDDDDDD.


----------



## OverClocker55

<3 I want one..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Yeah guys I've got 3 680s atm, and compared to my 3 7970s, they aren't really anything special. Until Nvidia works on the scaling with their drivers, I wouldn't recommend to anyone to mvoe to 680s. I have my 4th 680 coming in tomorrow, so I'm hoping Nvidia steps on the gas, or I'll be selling all 4 and buying a 4th 7970


Yea, 680 scaling is a pretty good buzzkill.


----------



## Simkin

Anyone else who have stuttering/lag problems in CS Source with 7970?


----------



## youra6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea, 680 scaling is a pretty good buzzkill.


At least 2 way SLI is.


----------



## WiL11o6

I'd still feel 680 SLI would provide smoother gameplay. Half of all the games I play are stuttery and skippy. Of the games that are butter smooth are only BF3 and L4D2. Witcher 2 is skippy, Metro 2033 and Crysis as well. And by skippy, I mean it cannot hold 60fps with vsync enabled. It will constantly drop to 57-59 which causes a split second of stutter which is annoying. But when it does hold 60fps, it's butter smooth. I've tried all drivers and CAPs and haven't found a fix since a month ago.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dosmond*
> 
> Video card sleep resume issues Gigabyte hd7950. This is not my first post on this topic so after this one I'll probably leave things alone for a while, My pc is not set to sleep, only the video card is, I run win7 64 bit, and win8 developer 64bit, the windows 8 os works fine with the latest drivers, video sleep and pc sleep resume works fine its just windows 7 that has issues, the monitor shuts down with message no video signal, that disappears, then all I have is a yellow amber power saving light on monitor I can move my mouse, hit space on keyboard ect, it will not resume, I can then press windows key>left arrow>enter and the pc will power off, so I know my pc is not locked up. I've tried multple drivers removed drivers, ran the ati cleanup tool nothing no driver reinstall will fix it, However if I go into device manager and right click and choose disable on my display adapter, this seems to disable ati's drivers and the system will start using a basic display mode / vga driver mode, and guess what THE DARN VIDEO SLEEP
> / RESUME ISSUE IS GONE...... So without completely throwing my pc out the window or selling off my new video card, logically doesn't that mean its specifically a ati driver issue?


you issue is amd ultra low power state aka ulps thats what causing your issues to fix this you of to disable they made a utility for it here a link download it and run as administrator restart you pc and you should be good to go









http://www.overclock.net/t/1088266/ulps-gui-config-utility-enable-disable

make sure you download the one that say disable.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> It amazes me how pathetically immature some people portray themselves around here. Make me? Really? I haven't heard somebody say that since the 6th grade...


----------



## Ryncrash

NEED HELP PLEASE

Ok today i woke up and started to leagues of Legend, and the out of no where my computer just shut down screen faded and nothing. unplugged it and plugged it back in and nothing. After pain and trouble shooting i figured out that it was my videocard XFX -HD-7950 that was causing my computer not to turn on. So i tested it out in other computers and the same problem. I put in my old 6950 and bam computer started right up.

So i did some testing if i plug the 7950 into the PCIe slot with no 6pin power to it the computer starts right up. Even the fans on the Video Card are spinning. When i plug in the 2 six pin power plugs the computer acts like its not ground the light flicker on and makes a crack sound and nothing.
Mother board light are on but i can not get it to start.
Unplug the 6 pins plugs and starts right up..

So i started to think will maybe power supply so i tested the card in 2 other computer they did the same thing.
Even tested out a new powersupply in my computer thinking the cords might be bad or the PSU might be bad.

Question is i have never seen this happen just got the card like 2 months ago. I hear bad storys about XFX RMA process. D3 is just around the corner and want my 7950 to work does anyone have any idea what my be causing this or a quick fix so i dont have to deal with XFX RMA

HAS ANYONE RMA with XFX company please let me know good or bad


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> NEED HELP PLEASE
> 
> Ok today i woke up and started to leagues of Legend, and the out of no where my computer just shut down screen faded and nothing. unplugged it and plugged it back in and nothing. After pain and trouble shooting i figured out that it was my videocard XFX -HD-7950 that was causing my computer not to turn on. So i tested it out in other computers and the same problem. I put in my old 6950 and bam computer started right up.
> 
> So i did some testing if i plug the 7950 into the PCIe slot with no 6pin power to it the computer starts right up. Even the fans on the Video Card are spinning. When i plug in the 2 six pin power plugs the computer acts like its not ground the light flicker on and makes a crack sound and nothing.
> Mother board light are on but i can not get it to start.
> Unplug the 6 pins plugs and starts right up..
> 
> So i started to think will maybe power supply so i tested the card in 2 other computer they did the same thing.
> Even tested out a new powersupply in my computer thinking the cords might be bad or the PSU might be bad.
> 
> Question is i have never seen this happen just got the card like 2 months ago. I hear bad storys about XFX RMA process. D3 is just around the corner and want my 7950 to work does anyone have any idea what my be causing this or a quick fix so i dont have to deal with XFX RMA
> 
> HAS ANYONE RMA with XFX company please let me know good or bad


xfx has a good RMA. talk to them and open a ticket


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryncrash*
> 
> NEED HELP PLEASE
> Ok today i woke up and started to leagues of Legend, and the out of no where my computer just shut down screen faded and nothing. unplugged it and plugged it back in and nothing. After pain and trouble shooting i figured out that it was my videocard XFX -HD-7950 that was causing my computer not to turn on. So i tested it out in other computers and the same problem. I put in my old 6950 and bam computer started right up.
> So i did some testing if i plug the 7950 into the PCIe slot with no 6pin power to it the computer starts right up. Even the fans on the Video Card are spinning. When i plug in the 2 six pin power plugs the computer acts like its not ground the light flicker on and makes a crack sound and nothing.
> Mother board light are on but i can not get it to start.
> Unplug the 6 pins plugs and starts right up..
> So i started to think will maybe power supply so i tested the card in 2 other computer they did the same thing.
> Even tested out a new powersupply in my computer thinking the cords might be bad or the PSU might be bad.
> Question is i have never seen this happen just got the card like 2 months ago. I hear bad storys about XFX RMA process. D3 is just around the corner and want my 7950 to work does anyone have any idea what my be causing this or a quick fix so i dont have to deal with XFX RMA
> HAS ANYONE RMA with XFX company please let me know good or bad


RMA. Sounds like problems with the power connector. More likely that not, it appears to be a short between the connector pins. Most likely a phase to ground. Trying a few more times could totally fry your cards power circuitry. Just do an RMA. Get an ASUS or GA card. I heard they're pretty reliable. Sapphire is great as well.


----------



## piskooooo

Is anyone else getting ridiculous temps in The Witcher 2? I can play Skyrim/Tera for hours and max at 50-54c but in The Witcher 2 I hit 90c in the first 10 minutes before I quit out.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *piskooooo*
> 
> Is anyone else getting ridiculous temps in The Witcher 2? I can play Skyrim/Tera for hours and max at 50-54c but in The Witcher 2 I hit 90c in the first 10 minutes before I quit out.


That's weird. I only 68C with Furmark. But that's with fans going up 75% making things a bit loud. I doubt a game is anywhere near as stressfull as Furmark. Maybe you've got fan control on Manual?


----------



## tsm106

You know what that means right? Stop playing the witcher 2, it sucks anyways.









On a more serious note, I wish they'd actually "fix" the game instead releasing more crap for it.


----------



## WiL11o6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *piskooooo*
> 
> Is anyone else getting ridiculous temps in The Witcher 2? I can play Skyrim/Tera for hours and max at 50-54c but in The Witcher 2 I hit 90c in the first 10 minutes before I quit out.


If you use AB, do you have a custom AB fan profile or OC profile? Maybe it didn't load your fan profile when you launched TW2? Or defaulted your volts to higher than needed.

What's your GPU usage for those listed? Vsync on/off?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You know what that means right? Stop playing the witcher 2, it sucks anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a more serious note, I wish they'd actually "fix" the game instead releasing more crap for it.


Really? I was thinking about picking up Witcher 2 just to mess around with...


----------



## WiL11o6

TW2 is one of those games that made me go "WOW". Definitely a game to play if you have a good computer. It has great gameplay to boot. I honestly think TW2 has one of the best, if not the best graphics on PC to date, and it's a DX9 title.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You know what that means right? Stop playing the witcher 2, it sucks anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a more serious note, I wish they'd actually "fix" the game instead releasing more crap for it.
> 
> 
> 
> Really? I was thinking about picking up Witcher 2 just to mess around with...
Click to expand...

TW2 ver 1.2 could run flawless widescreen for surround/eyefinity. We expected them to actually fix the game/scaling so they could add in surround/eyefinity, but NO, they did nothing of the sort. No surround/eyefinity.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

What about single monitor. Does it run ok at 1080p with the 7970's?


----------



## piskooooo

I just played for like a half hour and it maxed at 80c so I'm good now. I think last time my After Burner fan profile just glitched or something I dunno.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What about single monitor. Does it run ok at 1080p with the 7970's?


Works fine for me on a single monitor.


----------



## hyp36rmax

I caved... I'm now a proud owner of an XFX HD 7970 Black Edition Double Dissipation... I couldn't wait any longer for an Nvidia GTX 680 to magically appear or the time to camp out f5'ing all day for a card.









I really like the look of a back plate. Is there one available without having to purchase a water cooling block?


----------



## StrayderGame

Btw guys there are 2 type of 12.4 drivers.One is OpenCL 1.2 drivers they are 220 mb and others are some 8.96... 330 mb...what the heck is difference?


----------



## horror1229

Hey i have a question . I played a bit of crysis warhead and experienced some oddness . In a few parts i got black artifacts in the foilage but nowhere else and in one part during explosions the screen would flash black . I have a sapphire 7950 OC edition using 12.3 drivers . My card is at stock and all other games run fine . Is this a known issue with this game has anyone experienced anything similar ? Minus the long idle bug and this one game this is a great card .


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Btw guys there are 2 type of 12.4 drivers.One is OpenCL 1.2 drivers they are 220 mb and others are some 8.96... 330 mb...what the heck is difference?


I only see 12.3 on the site.


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *horror1229*
> 
> Hey i have a question . I played a bit of crysis warhead and experienced some oddness . In a few parts i got black artifacts in the foilage but nowhere else and in one part during explosions the screen would flash black . I have a sapphire 7950 OC edition using 12.3 drivers . My card is at stock and all other games run fine . Is this a known issue with this game has anyone experienced anything similar ? Minus the long idle bug and this one game this is a great card .


They are known issues if the game is modded. Both my GTX 590 and Crossfire 7970s show the black areas in foliage (but not the flickering screen).


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smo*
> 
> They are known issues if the game is modded. Both my GTX 590 and Crossfire 7970s show the black areas in foliage (but not the flickering screen).


Yeah I get it at the beginning of the game. Few trees look like some weird sap is on them or something. Same with my 5870s and 6950s. Only at the beginning of the game, over the bridge.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *horror1229*
> 
> Hey i have a question . I played a bit of crysis warhead and experienced some oddness . In a few parts i got black artifacts in the foilage but nowhere else and in one part during explosions the screen would flash black . I have a sapphire 7950 OC edition using 12.3 drivers . My card is at stock and all other games run fine . Is this a known issue with this game has anyone experienced anything similar ? Minus the long idle bug and this one game this is a great card .


There are lots of problem with this game, especially when AA is enabled, i see randoms yellow/green/white dots, same in Crysis 1, i first experienced this with my old HD 5970, and i thought it was faulty GPU, but i am seeing the same with GTX 570 SLI and HD 7950.


----------



## dosmond

As I said before I'm still having issues with resume from video sleep with my hd7950, I disabled amd ultra low power state, changed to 12.4 drivers as suggested but that didn't fix the issue, Then I thought for the heck of it, press the mouse button, and keyboard spacebar, I heard a windows chime in the background so I know windows is running, I unplugged the hdmi cable from the mach of my video card, plugged it back in, and I have video???? I tried it again, and by doing that it restored the video..... after that I tried just turning off the monitor and turning it back on with the monitor power button after I already press the mouse button and / or the keyboard space bar, and guess what? That restored the video again?!?!??! So really does anyone know if this is a hdmi cable issue, a video card issue or just my monitor, I mean really its not the end of the world If I just need to turn off and on the monitor to wake my video display... I can live with that, but this issue is strange.


----------



## Beens17

Hey guys.

I'm about to buy Sapphire 7970 in just few hours
Do they have worldwide warranty?
I'm from Israel.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Beens17*
> 
> Hey guys.
> I'm about to buy Sapphire 7970 in just few hours
> Do they have worldwide warranty?
> I'm from Israel.


I think yes. If something go wrong, you just ship it back to Sapphire.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Beens17*
> 
> Hey guys.
> I'm about to buy Sapphire 7970 in just few hours
> Do they have worldwide warranty?
> I'm from Israel.


Sapphire conducts their warranty/RMA service through the retailer where the GPU was purchased. For example, if you bought a Sapphire GPU from Newegg, you'd have to go through Newegg for an RMA.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Sapphire conducts their warranty/RMA service through the retailer where the GPU was purchased. For example, if you bought a Sapphire GPU from Newegg, you'd have to go through Newegg for an RMA.


Didnt knew that. Thanks for info. +1 for this.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dosmond*
> 
> As I said before I'm still having issues with resume from video sleep with my hd7950, I disabled amd ultra low power state, changed to 12.4 drivers as suggested but that didn't fix the issue, Then I thought for the heck of it, press the mouse button, and keyboard spacebar, I heard a windows chime in the background so I know windows is running, I unplugged the hdmi cable from the mach of my video card, plugged it back in, and I have video???? I tried it again, and by doing that it restored the video..... after that I tried just turning off the monitor and turning it back on with the monitor power button after I already press the mouse button and / or the keyboard space bar, and guess what? That restored the video again?!?!??! So really does anyone know if this is a hdmi cable issue, a video card issue or just my monitor, I mean really its not the end of the world If I just need to turn off and on the monitor to wake my video display... I can live with that, but this issue is strange.


Yep, sometimes my DP monitor will black screen but my DVI monitor will stay on. WHen I cycle power I hear the USB connection sound and it will come back on. Weird.


----------



## AllGamer

I keep seeing 12.4 being mentioned in several forums, yet google shows no reference to the download.
and AMD site only shows 12.3

Can some one please post the 12.4 drivers download link

I'm having helluva of instability with all drivers except 11.2

but with 11.2 i can't control my GPU fan


----------



## brettjv

Okay, this thread has been cleaned up (again)









Allow me to issue a "Good Job" to the people who properly used the Alert button to let us Mods know what's going on, and big ol' FAIL to those of you who took the troll-bait









Let's keep this thread on topic moving forward, and furthermore let's please not get into the 680 vs 7970 debate on this thread. This is an OWNERS CLUB thread, guys. That means it's a place for people who own the cards in question to discuss them, not a thread for debating whether some other card is better.

And to answer an above question .. YES on Crysis Warhead. That game has always had certain areas where grey, blocky artifacts appear for me, and it's happened with a bunch of different gfx cards and drivers.


----------



## sena

Guys, does any one experience random fps drops in Crysis/Crysis Warhead.
Its going pretty solid, mostly +50fps, max settings, plus 2XAA, and then sudden it stutters, its pretty rare, but i am curios what is it. GPU usage drops below 20%.
Drivers?
Regards


----------



## Simkin

New driver is out.

Can confirm they work good on 7970 Crossfire and BF3. No doubt the best driver for BF3 and CFX so far!

*AMD Catalyst 8.97 18th April*

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=361892


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simkin*
> 
> New driver is out.
> Can confirm they work good on 7970 Crossfire and BF3. No doubt the best driver for BF3 and CFX so far!
> *AMD Catalyst 8.97 18th April*
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=361892


Was waiting for new drivers, these give better performance any, or just stability? Also, notice if u can oc more or the same on em?


----------



## 7ranslucen7

New drivers are so lovely!







BF issues are pretty much gone for me.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I think yes. If something go wrong, you just ship it back to Sapphire.


I know Asus has a global warranty depot in Israel.

Lived in Jerusalem for a year.


----------



## Exostenza

EDIT 2: Looks like everyone on Guru3D are raving about these drivers for the 79xx cards. Dl'ing now. - might give em a go.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brettjv*
> 
> Okay, this thread has been cleaned up (again)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Allow me to issue a "Good Job" to the people who properly used the Alert button to let us Mods know what's going on, and big ol' FAIL to those of you who took the troll-bait


What about hose of us that did both?









EDIT: Damn double post - just woke up. Sorry.


----------



## NorxMAL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> EDIT 2: Looks like everyone on Guru3D are raving about these drivers for the 79xx cards. Dl'ing now. - might give em a go.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *brettjv*
> 
> Okay, this thread has been cleaned up (again)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Allow me to issue a "Good Job" to the people who properly used the Alert button to let us Mods know what's going on, and big ol' FAIL to those of you who took the troll-bait
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What about hose of us that did both?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Damn double post - just woke up. Sorry.
Click to expand...

My antivirus told me there is virus in it. Didn't quite install either.


----------



## rck1984

Got my Sapphire 7950, very satisfied with it. Great card and awesome overclocker!
Still finetuning voltage but 1100/1500 on 1.175 is decent i guess


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NorxMAL*
> 
> My antivirus told me there is virus in it. Didn't quite install either.


Strange, Guru3D dudes are saying checked virus free....

Just scanned with MSE 2.0 and it says it is clean too. Might be a false positive for you.


----------



## piskooooo

Scanned the one from Guru3D with MSE and it says it's clean. Going to install it now.


----------



## rck1984

I installed the new driver some minutes ago but i havent tried it yet.
What are we gaining? performance or stability with these drivers?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simkin*
> 
> New driver is out.
> 
> Can confirm they work good on 7970 Crossfire and BF3. No doubt the best driver for BF3 and CFX so far!
> 
> *AMD Catalyst 8.97 18th April*
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=361892


Just keep in mind that those are unofficial beta drivers.

Newer official drivers are bound to be released later this week.

That said I just installed the unofficial drivers because I'm curious.


----------



## Hambone07si

Anyone got a good link? I keep getting crap from these links.


----------



## Simkin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Just keep in mind that those are unofficial beta drivers.
> Newer official drivers are bound to be released later this week.
> 
> That said I just installed the unofficial drivers because I'm curious.


Not the first beta driver i test







. dont care if its beta or whql. as long as they work ok. and these seems to run very well!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Got my Sapphire 7950, very satisfied with it. Great card and awesome overclocker!
> Still finetuning voltage but 1100/1500 on 1.175 is decent i guess


Yes, decent. Very similar to my clocks and voltage. (check my rig for full details)
My ASIC quality in GPU-Z is 76,3%, whats yours?


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Yes, decent. Very similar to my clocks and voltage. (check my rig for full details)
> My ASIC quality in GPU-Z is 76,3%, whats yours?


71,1%


----------



## SportFissureman

Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried to search for it, but I might not have been using the correct wording.

I have an XFX 7970 Black Edition and when I hook up a 2nd display to the card, the GPU clock goes up to 500MHz and the Memory clock to 1425MHz as well the idle temp shoots up to 60ºC. I let it sit for a while but the card never went back to 300/150 MHz and idle temp of around 32ºC it has when only 1 display is attached.

Is this a hardware problem?

Thanks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SportFissureman*
> 
> Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried to search for it, but I might not have been using the correct wording.
> 
> I have an XFX 7970 Black Edition and when I hook up a 2nd display to the card, the GPU clock goes up to 500MHz and the Memory clock to 1425MHz as well the idle temp shoots up to 60ºC. I let it sit for a while but the card never went back to 300/150 MHz and idle temp of around 32ºC it has when only 1 display is attached.
> 
> Is this a hardware problem?
> 
> Thanks.


No problem, that is default behavior. Clocks go up to 500 to handle multi display chores.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SportFissureman*
> 
> Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried to search for it, but I might not have been using the correct wording.
> I have an XFX 7970 Black Edition and when I hook up a 2nd display to the card, the GPU clock goes up to 500MHz and the Memory clock to 1425MHz as well the idle temp shoots up to 60ºC. I let it sit for a while but the card never went back to 300/150 MHz and idle temp of around 32ºC it has when only 1 display is attached.
> Is this a hardware problem?
> Thanks.


Everything is ok.
Card clocks like that to prevent flickering when second monitor is connected. That flickering is GDDR5 desing "flaw".


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SportFissureman*
> 
> Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried to search for it, but I might not have been using the correct wording.
> 
> I have an XFX 7970 Black Edition and when I hook up a 2nd display to the card, the GPU clock goes up to 500MHz and the Memory clock to 1425MHz as well the idle temp shoots up to 60ºC. I let it sit for a while but the card never went back to 300/150 MHz and idle temp of around 32ºC it has when only 1 display is attached.
> 
> Is this a hardware problem?
> 
> Thanks.


That's perfectly normal as per design.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> Hambone07si FTW I LOVE YOU DUDE , YOU ARE FROM PAGE 1 CONTRIBUTING TO THIS THREAD UNTIL YOUR EYES BLED . I WANNA MARRY YOU


LMAO







as long as something I said helps someone, it's worth it. Now if I could only download this dame new beta I would be happy. The file keeps stopping on me.

EDIT: Finally got a mirror to work







http://www2.zippyshare.com/v/61260914/file.html


----------



## SportFissureman

Thanks for the answers, but I have another question now









Since the card idles at 60ºC and the memory clock is full pin, would having a 2nd display shorten the lifespan of my card?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SportFissureman*
> 
> Thanks for the answers, but I have another question now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since the card idles at 60ºC and the memory clock is full pin, would having a 2nd display shorten the lifespan of my card?


Sorta irrelevant.

How long to intend on keeping the card?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SportFissureman*
> 
> Thanks for the answers, but I have another question now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since the card idles at 60ºC and the memory clock is full pin, would having a 2nd display shorten the lifespan of my card?


No.


----------



## Beens17

Add me to the club !
Just got my Sapphire 7970 few hours ago.

Running at 1000\1400
Will try to OC to 1300 core once i attach the water cooling which will probably be next week.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simkin*
> 
> New driver is out.
> 
> Can confirm they work good on 7970 Crossfire and BF3. No doubt the best driver for BF3 and CFX so far!
> 
> *AMD Catalyst 8.97 18th April*
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=361892


Thanks! was looking for them


----------



## ElGreco

I just happen to beta test a slightly newer beta version of these new 12-5 drivers and from what I observe in my 2nd 7970 card I get 2d clocks of 500core/150mem instead of 300/150 until I open and close a 3d application.

Can somebody tell me if thats the case also with this driver?


----------



## afadzil21

Hmm... should I get another WF3 card or a reference card for XFire?


----------



## travva

thanks for the link guys. installing now, then off to play some bf3 to test!


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Hmm... should I get another WF3 card or a reference card for XFire?


Stick to the same card as it look ugly. Reference is better for CF.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I just happen to beta test a slightly newer beta version of these new 12-5 drivers and from what I observe in my 2nd 7970 card I get 2d clocks of 500core/150mem instead of 300/150 until I open and close a 3d application.
> 
> Can somebody tell me if thats the case also with this driver?


why don't you upload them and we can test them for you and report back


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> why don't you upload them and we can test them for you and report back


I really wish I could do that... its for beta testing purposes only, but usually has excellent results!

EDIT: In the version you have, are the 2d clocks ok of the 2nd GPU card?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> why don't you upload them and we can test them for you and report back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really wish I could do that... its for beta testing purposes only, but usually has excellent results!
> 
> EDIT: In the version you have, are the 2d clocks ok of the 2nd GPU card?
Click to expand...

Come in here bumming and blowing about some special driver you have and not sharing


----------



## TheJesus

By the way, I solved my missing GPU2 temps. I ran ULPSControl and disabled it. Apparently it was enabled, but I could've sworn I disabled it


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Come in here bumming and blowing about some special driver you have and not sharing


My question was very specific and referred to the latest beta driver that appeared in Guru3D. If you can help me with an answer, that would be nice... if not, its ok again









note: if it was up to me, i would have shared the drivers i use a looong time ago... but I have to respect the beta tester's rules and the conditions I am being given such drivers.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> why don't you upload them and we can test them for you and report back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really wish I could do that... its for beta testing purposes only, but usually has excellent results!
> 
> EDIT: In the version you have, are the 2d clocks ok of the 2nd GPU card?
Click to expand...

Yes.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Yes.


Ok thanks a lot!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Yes.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

If you have a line to the devs, tell them to fix dx11+eyefinity. These bsods I get from every driver except rc11 is just downright embarrassing and really... starting to piss me off enough to ponder a different brand next time around.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

With the headaches I've been through just with CF, I'm glad I don't have eyefinity to deal with too!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> With the headaches I've been through just with CF, I'm glad I don't have eyefinity to deal with too!


I've got a lot of patience but this crap is really starting to piss me off. I don't want to be stuck on rc11 forever! AMD had better be reading these forums. Get off your butts and fix this junk.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> With the headaches I've been through just with CF, I'm glad I don't have eyefinity to deal with too!


LOL









i just recovered from that trauma

BSOD - due missing swap file
CF driver problems, only stable with 11.2
Eyefinity 6 issues due the adapters


----------



## Evil Penguin

I'm not sure if the latest beta fixed the idle issue or not.

Someone had mentioned that Firefox's video acceleration caused the idle bug.

I installed the new drivers and switched to Chrome and now my monitor goes to standby and resumes from it no problem.

For the people who have the idle bug, do you use Firefox?

Also... Can't wait until tomorrow when I get my 2nd 7970. 

I want to see if the CF horror stories apply to me.


----------



## ElGreco

Well, I must admit that running a single 7970 card in non-eyefinity non-crossfire configuration is smooth like silk. Fantastic frames for single card, no stuttering, almost no problems.

Issues arise - as you say - sometimes either with eyefinity or with CF or with both. I cannot give feedback regarding eyefinity, since i do not have such configuration. I want to believe that they know the problems and are working on that.

On the other hand, i realized that eventhough the new drivers are in many ways better than the previous ones , i still have issues with CF since the 2nd GPU runs the 2d environment with clocks 500core/150mem. The strange thing is that if you open a 3d application and then close it and revert back to 2d clocks, BOTH cards run normally with 2d values (and NOT core freq of 500).

I was promised that this will be fixed, so will be looking forward to that...







I am sure that they have feedback also from many many other guys about other issues and things can only improve.

From our part, as users the only thing we can do, is to uninstall thoroughly old drivers and leftovers (i prefer to use Atiman's uninstaller) and avoid using modded drivers from unknown sources. Sometimes, modded drivers have parameters that do not get uninstalled properly, causing issues to the next driver installations.

Just a few thoughts...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I'm not sure if the latest beta fixed the idle issue or not.
> Someone had mentioned that Firefox's video acceleration caused the idle bug.
> 
> I installed the new drivers and switched to Chrome and now my monitor goes to standby and resumes from it no problem.
> For the people who have the idle bug, do you use Firefox?
> 
> Also... Can't wait until tomorrow when I get my 2nd 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *I want to see if the CF horror stories apply to me. *


To be fair, all of my CF issues (not counting my DP monitor shutting off randomly) are due to trying different OC-ing methods mostly with AB. Using stock CCC and Overdrive on 12.4 I have had no issues with CF whatsoever...


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I'm not sure if the latest beta fixed the idle issue or not.
> Someone had mentioned that Firefox's video acceleration caused the idle bug.
> 
> I installed the new drivers and switched to Chrome and now my monitor goes to standby and resumes from it no problem.
> For the people who have the idle bug, do you use Firefox?
> 
> Also... Can't wait until tomorrow when I get my 2nd 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I want to see if the CF horror stories apply to me.


Firefox (with acceleration) only prevents the GPUs from turning off, its not the cause of the cards being locked at 3D clocks. It's 100% a driver problem. I run RC11 now anyway thanks to tsm, much smoother gameplay and no idle bug.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I'm not sure if the latest beta fixed the idle issue or not.
> Someone had mentioned that Firefox's video acceleration caused the idle bug.
> 
> I installed the new drivers and switched to Chrome and now my monitor goes to standby and resumes from it no problem.
> For the people who have the idle bug, do you use Firefox?
> 
> Also... Can't wait until tomorrow when I get my 2nd 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I want to see if the CF horror stories apply to me.
> 
> 
> 
> Firefox (with acceleration) only prevents the GPUs from turning off, its not the cause of the cards being locked at 3D clocks. It's 100% a driver problem. I run RC11 now anyway thanks to tsm, much smoother gameplay and no idle bug.
Click to expand...

The monitor would go into idle mode, it just wouldn't resume from it properly.

I did notice that when it did resume, the GPU usage would spike up to 80% percent for no reason until I closed FF.

Weird stuff.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Stick to the same card as it look ugly. Reference is better for CF.


Not following you here. Stick with getting another WF3 and putting it in XFire or get a reference card and pair with my WF3 in XFire?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I'm not sure if the latest beta fixed the idle issue or not.
> 
> Someone had mentioned that Firefox's video acceleration caused the idle bug.
> 
> I installed the new drivers and switched to Chrome and now my monitor goes to standby and resumes from it no problem.
> 
> For the people who have the idle bug, do you use Firefox?
> 
> Also... Can't wait until tomorrow when I get my 2nd 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I want to see if the CF horror stories apply to me.
> 
> 
> 
> Firefox (with acceleration) only prevents the GPUs from turning off, its not the cause of the cards being locked at 3D clocks. It's 100% a driver problem. I run RC11 now anyway thanks to tsm, much smoother gameplay and no idle bug.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The monitor would go into idle mode, it just wouldn't resume from it properly.
> I did notice that when it did resume, the GPU usage would spike up to 80% percent for no reason until I closed FF.
> Weird stuff.
Click to expand...

Firefox just prevents slave cards in Crossfire from going into zerocore if acceleration is turned on, which made it seem like Firefox was the cause of the 3D clocks bug (because Firefox always woke them up). The drivers are what locks the cards in 3D mode, except for earlier ones like RC11.

What you're referring to is the monitor off bug caused by the master GPU (the only GPU in the case of single gpu config) not waking up properly when the monitor is turned off. To fix that I just set it so it never does.

Its hard to keep track of all the bugs. We should come up with official names and write up some kind of 7000 series bug encylopedia


----------



## sockpirate

K guys just wanted some insight, i plan on going with a triple 120hz monitor set up in the fall, gonna be running three cards.

You think i should just add a third 7970 with block of course, or sell my current ones and go with the new Kepler cards that will be released in the fall?

I am really scared of the driver problems i will have in eyefinity, as of now i haven't had even close to the amount of problems i see people having with Xfire that i have seen in here, i have actually had a great experience with these cards in Xfire and the performance is awesome with my 1.2ghz on the core and 1.6ghz on the mem.

I know the response may be quite biased, as for just getting another 7970 and blocking it, hopefully i can get some unbiased opinions. As for the 680, i was expecting more, the 7970 and 680 are too similar to warrant me running tri-sli with them, now if they left the 7970 in the dust i would have had no problem selling these, i am not a fanboy, i go with what works simply, which was the main reason i had no buyers remorse when the 680 was released.

PS. Can someone link the post that shows how to enable unnoficial OCing with MSI afterburner again ? Will +rep.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, does any one experience random fps drops in Crysis/Crysis Warhead.
> Its going pretty solid, mostly +50fps, max settings, plus 2XAA, and then sudden it stutters, its pretty rare, but i am curios what is it. GPU usage drops below 20%.
> Drivers?
> Regards


Anyone?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Here's some interesting results comparing 12.3 WHQL and the latest unofficial 8.97 drivers.

I ran Metro 2033's official benchmarking tool.

12.3:



8.97:



Something's just not right...


----------



## Newbie2009

Id reinstall them if I were you.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Id reinstall them if I were you.


I wiped out the older drivers and installed 8.97.

Not only that... but the drivers kinda came off as incomplete.

It didn't even create an installation entry.

I don't think I did anything wrong the first time installing them.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Here's some interesting results comparing 12.3 WHQL and the latest unofficial 8.97 drivers.
> 
> I ran Metro 2033's official benchmarking tool.
> 
> 12.3:
> 
> 8.97:
> 
> Something's just not right...


Now I'm scared to even try those


----------



## Tslm

What are AMD doing lol


----------



## sena

Nvidia bribed AMD to slow HD 7000 cards in Metro 2033, because Kepler is slow in Metro 2033, so Nvidia can again be Metro 2033 lord.


----------



## Newbie2009

Well they are leaked drivers, not official.
I am sure AMD will fix this fps drop in metro before release..... well not sure, more hopeful, and doubtful.


----------



## WiL11o6

^ makes sense, that's all how businesses work nowadays


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Well they are leaked drivers, not official.
> I am sure AMD will fix this fps drop in metro before release..... well not sure, more hopeful, and doubtful.


I'll probably end up re-installing the drivers as you suggested just to be sure.

BF3 and TW2 also had poor performance.


----------



## Daffie82

I dont understand why people are even trying these crap beta drivers.
Just stay the hell away from them or be prepared for a likelihood of problems....
I just try and install WHQL drivers, those are bad enough


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I dont understand why people are even trying these crap beta drivers.
> Just stay the hell away from them or be prepared for a likelihood of problems....
> I just try and install WHQL drivers, those are bad enough


They're all bad, we hold hope that the newest ones will fix the problems.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> They're all bad, we hold hope that the newest ones will fix the problems.


True, but at least the WHQL ones are installing correctly, unlike most beta drivers...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> True, but at least the WHQL ones are installing correctly, unlike most beta drivers...


I haven't had an issue with them not installing correctly, they just have their own issues and quirks.


----------



## Acefire

What up Guys! I'm In!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Acefire*
> 
> What up Guys! I'm In!


You are into what?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I wiped out the older drivers and installed 8.97.
> 
> Not only that... but the drivers kinda came off as incomplete.
> It didn't even create an installation entry.
> 
> I don't think I did anything wrong the first time installing them.


Hi,
I just saw your results and I cannot comment on these since I have not checked / installed this specific Guru3d driver.

*BUT* based on the 8.97xx.x drivers I currently beta test (slightly newer than the ones in Guru3d) that are an absolutely complete package, I have observed a much much better picture quality (eg in BF3) and a slight drop of fps. This "drop", is not a "real" drop, since in the drivers I use, have *MLAA 2.0* *ENABLED* and there are a *lots of extra parameters available* to play with...
The overall result is fantastic (picture quality wise) and really promising (lets hope they fix also the minor issue with the 2d clocks of the 2nd GPU that gets stuck at 500/150 instead of 300/150)


----------



## Thebreezybb

I got my Asus DCUII 7950, and i probably have the lowest ASIC around here lol!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thebreezybb*
> 
> I got my Asus DCUII 7950, and i probably have the lowest ASIC around here lol!


It will probably not overclock well on stock volts, but id guess 1200 with volts on the core without too much issue. Of course all cards different though.


----------



## rck1984

What tool are you guys using overclocking your 7950/7970?
MSI Afterburner, Trixx, Asus GPU Tweak?


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> What tool are you guys using overclocking your 7950/7970?
> MSI Afterburner, Trixx, Asus GPU Tweak?


I believe the general consensus is that MSI Afterburner is the superior choice.


----------



## rck1984

All right, cheers









I tried most of them but couldn't really pick one. MSI Afterburner has a coreclock limit of 1100Mhz, the way to unlock this is to edit the CFG file, right? Just wanna be sure before editing things..


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Hi,
> I just saw your results and I cannot comment on these since I have not checked / installed this specific Guru3d driver.
> *BUT* based on the 8.97xx.x drivers I currently beta test (slightly newer than the ones in Guru3d) that are an absolutely complete package, I have observed a much much better picture quality (eg in BF3) and a slight drop of fps. This "drop", is not a "real" drop, since in the drivers I use, have *MLAA 2.0* *ENABLED* and there are a *lots of extra parameters available* to play with...
> The overall result is fantastic (picture quality wise) and really promising (lets hope they fix also the minor issue with the 2d clocks of the 2nd GPU that gets stuck at 500/150 instead of 300/150)


Those settings you are using in CCC, do you recommend these to everyone for the best quality vs. performance ?
Thanks for your reply !


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> All right, cheers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried most of them but couldn't really pick one. MSI Afterburner has a coreclock limit of 1100Mhz, the way to unlock this is to edit the CFG file, right? Just wanna be sure before editing things..


Yes, and you need two files, if you dint had RC11 driver before. Here are files you need: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359671
Sorry for some grammar mistakes.
@ Newbie2009
His HD 7950 DCII should overclock pretty good on stock volts, because lower ASIC quality means higher clocks with stock volts, higher ASIC means lower clocks with stock volts. That is because higher ASIC chips requires less volts for stock speeds, while lower ASIC chips requires more volts, my card stock voltage is only 0.993V, while some HD 7950 are over 1.080V. Of course this is just theory. Its not something that you can rely on for every card.
Mine card is example.
ASIC is 77.9 %, on stock volts 955 Mhz is max.


----------



## Hambone07si

So you guys that have tried the new beta, are you liking or switching back? I didn't have time to test yesterday. I read that these were the best BF3 drivers yet, and then some of you are saying the are worst. Lol.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Those settings you are using in CCC, do you recommend these to everyone for the best quality vs. performance ?
> Thanks for your reply !


NO, definately not... I just got the driver yesterday and did a quick test run/bench with unigine. As you can see there are many parameters to play with and I dont really know what would be the best settings for optimum quality/performance.

We have to get screenshots, fps etc to get an idea of the optimum values.

My post's point was that even if it seems that the fps have dropped a little (in some cases) its easy to increase these by readjusting the parameters. I just wish that AMD leaves MLAA 2.0 enabled... This picture quality is very nice.









The only problem I foresee is that we have to be very carefull with benchmark comparisons. If the parameters are NOT identical then it will be like comparing potatos to apples.









*Note:* I do NOT refer to the latest Guru3d drivers!


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> NO, definately not... I just got the driver yesterday and did a quick test run/bench with unigine. As you can see there are many parameters to play with and I dont really know what would be the best settings for optimum quality/performance.
> We have to get screenshots, fps etc to get an idea of the optimum values.
> My post's point was that even if it seems that the fps have dropped a little (in some cases) its easy to increase these by readjusting the parameters. I just wish that AMD leaves MLAA 2.0 enabled... This picture quality is very nice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The only problem I foresee is that we have to be very carefull with benchmark comparisons. If the parameters are NOT identical then it will be like comparing potatos to apples.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Note:* I do NOT refer to the latest Guru3d drivers!


I could care less about NEW parameters from AMD. They can't get the original ones to even work right, so why start adding more BS to the mix. Fix what's there first and then move to new ones.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> NO, definately not... I just got the driver yesterday and did a quick test run/bench with unigine. As you can see there are many parameters to play with and I dont really know what would be the best settings for optimum quality/performance.
> We have to get screenshots, fps etc to get an idea of the optimum values.
> My post's point was that even if it seems that the fps have dropped a little (in some cases) its easy to increase these by readjusting the parameters. I just wish that AMD leaves MLAA 2.0 enabled... This picture quality is very nice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The only problem I foresee is that we have to be very carefull with benchmark comparisons. If the parameters are NOT identical then it will be like comparing potatos to apples.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Note:* I do NOT refer to the latest Guru3d drivers!


Thanks for your reply.
How should we enable MLAA 2.0 ? Or isnt this possible?


----------



## John-117

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> So you guys that have tried the new beta, are you liking or switching back? I didn't have time to test yesterday. I read that these were the best BF3 drivers yet, and then some of you are saying the are worst. Lol.


With 12.4 BETA I was getting P9900 with 3dmark11, with the new driver it does P10100. Same clocks, 1200/1600.
So they are faster, don't know how stable. I tried them because I couldn't get ZeroCore to work properly.Will try BF3 later and post back.


----------



## sockpirate

I noticed with the new MSI afterburner that when i am in BF3 and using FRAPS my cards like to sit at 56-70% usage when recording at 60fps...when i stop recording my usage on both cards shoots back up to 99%, i do not remember this happening with the previous MSI AB im pretty sure my usage was at 99% on both cards even when recording with FRAPS. Anyone know why this is happening?

Also with the new MSI AB, i seem to not have access to unnofficial OCing anymore...even though i have the correct .dll files in the correct locations...hmmm? Anyone?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I noticed with the new MSI afterburner that when i am in BF3 and using FRAPS my cards like to sit at 56-70% usage when recording at 60fps...when i stop recording my usage on both cards shoots back up to 99%, i do not remember this happening with the previous MSI AB im pretty sure my usage was at 99% on both cards even when recording with FRAPS. Anyone know why this is happening?


You just answered your own ? really. Lol. When recording your fps is at 60fps so you wont have 99% on each card. When your done it goes back up, most likely is because your fps went up and your pushing the cards without anything limiting there speed







Same thing with Vsync at 60fps, cards will not see 99% until they are stressed enough to drop below 60fps. That's a way to see how much extra power you have in reserve.


----------



## Thebreezybb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> It will probably not overclock well on stock volts, but id guess 1200 with volts on the core without too much issue. Of course all cards different though.


I will be Overclocking them just for fun nothing more







Stock clock are plenty enough for 1680*1050


----------



## pat031

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> With 12.4 BETA I was getting P9900 with 3dmark11, with the new driver it does P10100. Same clocks, 1200/1600.
> So they are faster, don't know how stable. I tried them because I couldn't get ZeroCore to work properly.Will try BF3 later and post back.


I really do not understand. With the similar rig, i only got 9100.
my CPU is @ 4.8 ghz
GPU @ 1200 mhz and 1600 mhz for the memory

How almost anyone I see with similar setup are close to 10000 score.


----------



## John-117

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pat031*
> 
> I really do not understand. With the similar rig, i only got 9100.
> my CPU is @ 4.8 ghz
> GPU @ 1200 mhz and 1600 mhz for the memory
> How almost anyone I see with similar setup are close to 10000 score.


Which drivers are you using?
And it may be a long shot, but have you C3/C6 disabled? Because having it on affects me negatively (300 points).

These BETA drivers (8.97) are great with BF3 !!! Single card.


----------



## pat031

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> What drivers are you using?
> And it may be a long shot, but have you C3/C6 disabled? Because having it on affects me negatively (300 points).
> These BETA drivers (8.97) are great with BF3 !!! Single card.


I got the 12.3 WQHL.
C3/C6 are enable
Will try those new driver tonight


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for your reply.
> How should we enable MLAA 2.0 ? Or isnt this possible?


I will ask and let you know...


----------



## John-117

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pat031*
> 
> I got the 12.3 WQHL.
> *C3/C6 are enable*
> Will try those new driver tonight


Try disabling it. I think somehow it's affecting you. It did affect me.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> Try disabling it. I think somehow it's affecting you. It did affect me.


Hmmm, is this also having effect on game performance?
Or only on benchmarks?
Thanks for the reply


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Yes.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok thanks a lot!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> If you have a line to the devs, tell them to fix dx11+eyefinity. These bsods I get from every driver except rc11 is just downright embarrassing and really... starting to piss me off enough to ponder a different brand next time around.
Click to expand...

i can only run 11.2 drivers anything else will break my Eyefinity and Crossfire on my 7970s

it's indeed embarrassing to have the top of the line card, and not being able to enjoy it.

by the way if you are getting BSOD, make sure you have your swap file Enabled in Windows

I had that problem before, until i read another posting saying the same thing, and indeed after i turned mine back on, then the BSOD went away.

still doesn't make any F sense to have 47GB of swap file just to run video drivers









with 32 GB RAM Win7 wants you to have a 47GB pagefile, anything less it makes the BSOD comes back









last night i tried the latest 12.4 beta, and that was still a P.O.S. like all the previous 12.x drivers









breaks eyefinity, and unstable when in crossfire


----------



## John-117

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hmmm, is this also having effect on game performance?
> Or only on benchmarks?
> Thanks for the reply


It affected me in 3dmark11 and Heaven 3.0.
Probably games too, but it's impossible to tell a 5% difference in a game. I don't know if it affects other setups, it may not. I have a Gigabyte Z68 and an 2600K.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> It affected me in 3dmark11 and Heaven 3.0.
> Probably games too, but it's impossible to tell a 5% difference in a game. I don't know if it affects other setups, it may not. I have a Gigabyte Z68 and an 2600K.


Good tip, will try with Heaven to see if it makes any difference on my setup.


----------



## NathG79

I have 2 x XFX Double D BE 7970`s in Crossfire, just installed the leaked 8.97`s last night and BF3 kept going windowed, My comp actually shut down on furmark... meh! ...Oh, And have you noticed how quiet it is on the Andrew D Catalyst Creator Twitter Page. he hasn`t made a single comment since March 29th.. The must be working really hard on the new 12.6 "PERFORMANCE DRIVER!"..







really dissapointed with the driver support for these great cards, I know the drivers will mature. but, at this rate we`ll probs be on 18.6 by then..


----------



## Ken1649

Informations overflow. Very confusing.

From now on, anyone using this smiley







is considered trolling and will be banned


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Informations overflow. Very confusing.
> 
> From now on, anyone using this smiley
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is considered trolling and will be banned


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Informations overflow. Very confusing.
> 
> From now on, anyone using this smiley
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is considered trolling and will be banned


----------



## NathG79




----------



## Tslm




----------



## Ken1649

Ya all banned, no exception









C'mon guys lighten up, gaming is supposed to be funs don't make it as 'way of life'


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I was promised that this will be fixed, so will be looking forward to that...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am sure that they have feedback also from many many other guys about other issues and things can only improve.
> 
> From our part, as users the only thing we can do, is to uninstall thoroughly old drivers and leftovers (i prefer to use Atiman's uninstaller) and avoid using modded drivers from unknown sources. Sometimes, modded drivers have parameters that do not get uninstalled properly, causing issues to the next driver installations.
> 
> Just a few thoughts...


Apparently they don't have enough feedback as crap is STILL broke.

If you have a line on them devs, you best tell them to fix the setups of the guys spending 2 grand on their cards! You want us to buy a different brand next time or what? What the hell is this? Whose talking about modded drivers? Atiman doesn't even wipe the eyefinity configs. AMD's drivers do not wipe the eyefinity configs. Tell AMD we are really growing tired of their shenanigans. Each driver release HAS gotten WORSE!!


----------



## Alchemist07

Has anyone tried these?

apparently they are the best performing yet?

http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-8-97-18-april-benchmark/4

stable?

EDIT: people on guru3d forums are saying some crossfire bugs have been fixed..

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=361892&page=2


----------



## AllGamer

i can honestly say i do not concur with their findings

it simply makes my rig to hang & reboot like all previous 12.x drivers

it does work some what ok with Eyefinity with a twist & some gotchas

but it's a no go when the rig freezes randomly when using those drivers

i had to go back to the 11.2 to get a working rig without any freezes or reboot

still hoping to see a real driver that can properly do Crossfire and Eyefinity on the 7970s


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i can honestly say i do not concur with their findings
> it simply makes my rig to hang & reboot like all previous 12.x drivers
> it does work some what ok with Eyefinity with a twist & some gotchas
> but it's a no go when the rig freezes randomly when using those drivers
> i had to go back to the 11.2 to get a working rig without any freezes or reboot
> still hoping to see a real driver that can properly do Crossfire and Eyefinity on the 7970s


12.3 and 12.4 work perfectly fine in CF as long as you don't use AB and try to unlock voltages. My computer is rock stable at 1125MHz using just CCC and OD...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i can honestly say i do not concur with their findings
> it simply makes my rig to hang & reboot like all previous 12.x drivers
> it does work some what ok with Eyefinity with a twist & some gotchas
> but it's a no go when the rig freezes randomly when using those drivers
> i had to go back to the 11.2 to get a working rig without any freezes or reboot
> still hoping to see a real driver that can properly do Crossfire and Eyefinity on the 7970s
> 
> 
> 
> 12.3 and 12.4 work perfectly fine in CF as long as you don't use AB and try to unlock voltages. My computer is rock stable at 1125MHz using just CCC and OD...
Click to expand...

That's not saying much! And its expected that it runs on 1 screen at max stock speed. And your point isn't even related to the eyefinity+cfx+dx11 issue.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not saying much! And its expected that it runs on 1 screen at max stock speed. And your point isn't even related to the eyefinity+cfx+dx11 issue.


Well you of all people should know that overclocking is never guaranteed. AMD only has an obligation to make the cards work at stock. Anything beyond that is gravy. But granted, the Eyefinity issues need to be fixed asap...


----------



## dajez

euh, why did my antivirus got currupt when i installed the new drivers??? oO


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not saying much! And its expected that it runs on 1 screen at max stock speed. And your point isn't even related to the eyefinity+cfx+dx11 issue.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Well you of all people should know that overclocking is never guaranteed. AMD only has an obligation to make the cards work at stock. Anything beyond that is gravy.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> But granted, the Eyefinity issues need to be fixed asap...
Click to expand...

It's ironic that Allgamer and I are not talking about overclocking. And even on that point I don't have problems overclocking, and I know you are still peeved about AB not working. Though it's ironic that 2.2 works fine for me.... I digress.

The point which you missed is that cfx+eyefinity+dx11 is broke, period, fat lady singing, overclock not even in the picture broke. So again your statement that I quoted, it's got nothing to do with nothing.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's ironic that Allgamer and I are not talking about overclocking. And even on that point I don't have problems overclocking, and I know you are still peeved about AB not working. Though it's ironic that 2.2 works fine for me.... I digress.
> The point which you missed is that cfx+eyefinity+dx11 is broke, period, fat lady singing, overclock not even in the picture broke. So again your statement that I quoted, it's got nothing to do with nothing.


2.2 doesn't cause my system to crash anymore but I'm not getting the same overclocks I was getting before either. I passed Heaven and 3dmark11 at 1225MHz with Beta 15 but would randomly crash in games even at stock. Now with 2.2 I don't have instability anymore but I can'e even pass Heaven at 1175MHz. It is weird.

As for your specific issues, there's no reason to get mad at me. I agree that Eyefinity is broken with CF and that needs to be addressed like yesterday. All I was saying is that if you use only AMD provided software and hardware with a single screen you won't have any issues with the drivers. That's not exactly great news but at least for the vast majority of users the drivers are fine...


----------



## sena

Guys i need help.
Once i saw one reveiw here at OCN, it was HD 7970 CFX, i want to check something, but i cant find it.
Can anyone give me link?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

For those that have HD 7970 under water what kind of Volts are you using and what Temps are you getting? I have tried to OC to 1250Mhz @ 1.3v and as soon as i hit 45C+ i start to see artifacts.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> For those that have HD 7970 under water what kind of Volts are you using and what Temps are you getting? I have tried to OC to 1250Mhz @ 1.3v and as soon as i hit 45C+ i start to see artifacts.


1280 @ 1.28v max of 3dmarks11, I go over that and hard lock.

For daily use, 1100 @ 1.18 and hit mid to high 40s


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> 1280 @ 1.28v max of 3dmarks11, I go over that and hard lock.
> For daily use, 1100 @ 1.18 and hit mid to high 40s


Good to know. I run 1175Mhz @ 1.2v for 24/7. Tried 1250Mhz @ 1.3v in BF3 was was stable and no artifacts because i was getting ~ 43C load temps. This was dut to me limiting the fps to 59 which cause lower GPU usage and less heat. If i let i lose temps hit 52C and i see artifacts. No crash though. Might have to add more RADs to keep it cool.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's ironic that Allgamer and I are not talking about overclocking. And even on that point I don't have problems overclocking, and I know you are still peeved about AB not working. Though it's ironic that 2.2 works fine for me.... I digress.
> 
> The point which you missed is that cfx+eyefinity+dx11 is broke, period, fat lady singing, overclock not even in the picture broke. So again your statement that I quoted, it's got nothing to do with nothing.


you got that right my man

I can't even fathom the idea of play OC-ing until i get a stable driver that actually *Works!*

all my other cards 7750 6870, 5970, 4000 series, etc runs so sweet on my new rig using any of the 12.x drivers

yet the top of the line card 7970 is so unstable, it's a ridiculous embarrassment

Even if i do not do Crossfire, the thing is still not stable enough to finish a full 3Dmark bench, in which all the old cards were able to finish without any problem.

Yes, it works "fine" on a 1 screen solution, but... I didn't drop $1000+ on 6 new 24" LED screen to have 5 of them sit in a black screen


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> For those that have HD 7970 under water what kind of Volts are you using and what Temps are you getting? I have tried to OC to 1250Mhz @ 1.3v and as soon as i hit 45C+ i start to see artifacts.


my 24/7 settings are 1.250v 1.2ghz on the core and 1.6ghz on the memory, temps never rise above 45c thus far, although once the summer starts getting hotter here in Southern New Mexico i can definitely see temps getting into the mid 50s on hot days.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> It affected me in 3dmark11 and Heaven 3.0.
> Probably games too, but it's impossible to tell a 5% difference in a game. I don't know if it affects other setups, it may not. I have a Gigabyte Z68 and an 2600K.


Here are some results with Heaven 2.5

C3 + C6 ENABLED :



C3 + C6 DISABLED :



Well... I'll be damned !
It's only an increase of 1,5 % in terms of frames but its a clear improvement.
Normally my benches are max 0,2 FPS apart or something so this definitely makes a difference.
Dunno if this was known to everyone?

Either way, rep for John-117


----------



## tsm106

^^doesn't that fall into range of deviations. That's .4 fps for crying out loud.


----------



## disintegratorx

I just tried to max out the sliders for the standard overclock ability in the CCC and mine's able to do it, np with my config and stable as far as I know.







I ran the OCCT to check it and it seems to be running great.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^doesn't that fall into range of deviations. That's .4 fps for crying out loud.


Nope it doesnt cause I have run like 25 benches so far, writing down the numbers every time.
My FPS is higher cause c3+c6 is disabled instead of enabled.
Yes, it is only 1,5% but still it is good to know


----------



## ElGreco

*IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER ABOUT DRIVERS*

Very often we see AMD drivers over the internet (leaked, modded etc) that we install without second thoughts. Many times, these drivers DO NOT include CIM in their package, so there is NO OTHER WAY to uninstall properly these other than using *ATIMAN's Uninstaller* ver *6.3.1*

Neither Device Manager nor driver sweeper or cclean can do the job properly with such drivers that are missing the CIM. These uninstallation ways mainly manage to delete files and NOT clean the registry in depth. As so, there are many leftovers in the registry that cause problems in the NEW drivers you install afterwards!

You are free to install whatever you like in your machine... but my suggestion would be:
a) If its not an official AMD Driver, then at least use ATIMANs uninstaller to thoroughly uninstall drivers even with no CIM
b) When you use ATIMAN's uninstaller... do not use any other driver/CAP uninstallation program before or after... not even the device manager

CIM: Catalyst Install Manager folder


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^doesn't that fall into range of deviations. That's .4 fps for crying out loud.


57.6 - 56.8 = .8


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> 57.6 - 56.8 = .8


Yeah and 3dmark11 score went up from 8545 to 8728 points just by disabling c3+c6








That is more than 2% increase or almost 200 points. Used to be like 5 points max difference between benches so its def. not just the "range of deviations"


----------



## AllGamer

so, i just managed to get eyefinity working properly on 12.4 beta by disabling crossfire

and finally managed to complete a 3Dmark Vantage bench without crashing http://3dmark.com/3dmv/4043744



wall paper = http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6760135001/sizes/m/in/photostream/


----------



## kj1060

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> so, i just managed to get eyefinity working properly on 12.4 beta by disabling crossfire
> 
> and finally managed to complete a 3Dmark Vantage bench without crashing http://3dmark.com/3dmv/4043744
> 
> 
> 
> wall paper = http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6760135001/sizes/m/in/photostream/
























































































































Edit: sorry if there is a large puddle on the floor, but holy mother of god!


----------



## AllGamer

if i turn off all the lights

it feels like almost if i'm really up there in space


----------



## TheJesus

Holy my name.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

That is a sick set up!


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> so, i just managed to get eyefinity working properly on 12.4 beta by disabling crossfire
> and finally managed to complete a 3Dmark Vantage bench without crashing http://3dmark.com/3dmv/4043744
> 
> wall paper = http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6760135001/sizes/m/in/photostream/


OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!

Oooo I wish I was so damn filthy stinking rich I could have such a setup!!!

That is so crazy sick! +++++++++REP!


----------



## dosmond

Hi Guys, This is an update about an issue with my Gigabyte hd7950. The issue so far is the monitor will not wake up once power light turns to amber on the monitor, Everything was tried, driver removal and updates, reset bios, do not overclock anything, disable low power mode, ect, I was told my Gigabyte to try running on one stick of ram to see if the problem would still be there... No change... swapped hdmi cables, tried secondary hdmi input on monitor no change. I don't know what is causing the problem ... But i have found some strange things going on and a work around.... moving the mouse or pressing on the keyboard will not restore my video, however if I unplug the hdmi cable from the back of my pc or monitor and plug it back in the video is restored... also, if I turn off my monitor and turn it back on after pressing on the keyboard or moving the mouse the video again is restored... if I swap hdmi cables same issue cannot bring wake monitor up, however. I can use a dvi to vga adapter, that works also a dvi to hdmi adapter will also work properly, so after many hours fooling around I have some what of a work around...

1) using hdmi press keyboard or mouse button and turn off and on the monitor
1) use a vga cable only
2) use a dvi to hdmi adapter

So the problem seems to be something to do with the hdmi connector on the video card not getting a wakeup signal, but why?

So...
1) monitor vga port to vga to dvi adapter to video cards dvi port works.
2) monitor hdmi to video card dvi works
3) monitor hdmi to video card hdmi fails.


----------



## Ken1649

See here CCC Profiles/Presets if you have a similar issue.


----------



## shellbunner

Just purchased the Sapphire 7970 Dual X OC. Pretty pumped!!!!!
Debated for 1 month between 7970 and 680.
Made a pro/con list tonight and my fiance told me that it was obvious I preferred the 7970.
I really wanted to try Nvidia this time, but AMD won out.
Nvidia = $550 for EVGA Signature+ Version that I wanted, poor Bitcoin mining which is a hobby I enjoy, and runs hotter
AMD = $90 cheaper before $10 prepaid card, plus free Dirt 3, which I can resell for a couple dollars

Looking forward to oc'ing this and playing some games on high settings on my U3011 finally!!! Goodbye 6850 CF!


----------



## Thebreezybb

My 7950 can't go beyond 1100 Core and 1575 Memory on MSI AB!! That is the slider limit.


----------



## AllGamer

still having trouble with Crossfire, can finish any 3Dmark bench when crossfire is enabled.

LOL







finally spend a couple of minutes to chill and fill up the Club submission form


----------



## darkstar585

not sure if I have registered here or not...but here is my entry

MSI 7970, custom bench

highest hwbot entry on stock cooler:


HWBOT submission


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> For those that have HD 7970 under water what kind of Volts are you using and what Temps are you getting? I have tried to OC to 1250Mhz @ 1.3v and as soon as i hit 45C+ i start to see artifacts.


mmm thatsa pretty low threshold. When I was on air I would see artifacts over 65c.
Run mine @ 1.3v @ 1270. Temps are usually mid to high 40s.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thebreezybb*
> 
> My 7950 can't go beyond 1100 Core and 1575 Memory on MSI AB!! That is the slider limit.


enable unofficial overclocking.


----------



## Newbie2009

Does evga precision work for ati cards?


----------



## Thebreezybb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> enable unofficial overclocking.


Got it thanks.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Here are some results with Heaven 2.5
> C3 + C6 ENABLED :
> 
> C3 + C6 DISABLED :
> 
> Well... I'll be damned !
> It's only an increase of 1,5 % in terms of frames but its a clear improvement.
> Normally my benches are max 0,2 FPS apart or something so this definitely makes a difference.
> Dunno if this was known to everyone?
> Either way, rep for John-117


I was going to comment on this yesterday, but got to busy. NO ONE should tell anyone to mess with C3 and C6 unless they asked you what way you are overclocking your SB chip. If your using manual voltage, disabling C3 and C6 can cause idle BSOD's. If your using offset Vcore, then your fine. If your on manual Vcore, it may start BSOD'n while at idle. Just wanted to let you know that before you blame your GPU's or something.

That was a bad call without asking you the method of overclocking first. BSOD vs .4fps








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> For those that have HD 7970 under water what kind of Volts are you using and what Temps are you getting? I have tried to OC to 1250Mhz @ 1.3v and as soon as i hit 45C+ i start to see artifacts.


I'm using 1.225v for 1200/1600 on water and max load hits about 45c depending on my ambient temps in my living room. I have 1 Feser quad with 4 R4's and it also has my 2700k at 5ghz in the same loop. Never seen 50c on the cards yet since on water. One thing to note is that I have modded my cpu block to have more flow through my loop. Even tho I have a EK high flow, still needed modded. Once that was done, temps got a lot better.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I was going to comment on this yesterday, but got to busy. NO ONE should tell anyone to mess with C3 and C6 unless they asked you what way you are overclocking your SB chip. If your using manual voltage, disabling C3 and C6 can cause idle BSOD's. If your using offset Vcore, then your fine. If your on manual Vcore, it may start BSOD'n while at idle. Just wanted to let you know that before you blame your GPU's or something.
> That was a bad call without asking you the method of overclocking first. BSOD vs .4fps


Thanks for the tip, I am using offset Vcore for my CPU overclock (as you can see in my rig also), so I should be fine. But thanks for the heads-up







+rep

Its more than .4fps by the way


----------



## Hambone07si

No prob bud, just didn't want to see you end up with a unstable system. Since your on offset, you will be fine. I have actually started using a different method of overclocking SB chips with Manual voltage and enabling C3 and C6 and getting better idle temps even tho Vcore doesn't drop.

Very true tho, .8fps is WAY faster then .4fps


----------



## DaClownie

Any info on whether Reference ASUS or ASUS DC2 cards are overclocking better? I'm picking up one with a water block today, just curious which is typically a better clocker

TY


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Very true tho, .8fps is WAY faster then .4fps


You Bet !!








The improvement in 3dmark was even higher though









Question about the upcoming Max Payne 3 :
Will this also be a Nvidia Physx game like the Batman games are?
If yes, I am beginning to regret going AMD, lol


----------



## Newbie2009

New sapphire trixx version released!

•Add the overvolte support to Sapphire HD 7950 and HD 7870 series.
•Add OC and HW monitor support for HD 7850 and HD 7700 series.
•Add new feature to adjust PT limit in TriXX.
• Fix ULPS issue in CrossFire.
• Fix overclocking with Catalyst 12.2+

https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx

Which is the same version used in this review:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/3


----------



## Daffie82

^^^^ Nice !
Previous version of Trixx worked great for me with 12.3 whql but will update nonetheless.
With the new version I should be able to disable Overdrive in CCC and just use Trixx in combination with +20%








This was the only reason I was still using Overdrive actually...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> You Bet !!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The improvement in 3dmark was even higher though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Question about the upcoming Max Payne 3 :
> Will this also be a Nvidia Physx game like the Batman games are?
> If yes, I am beginning to regret going AMD, lol


You can run a Nvidia card for physx while using your Amd card for graphics. All you need is a card like the GT 520 for $60 and you will have physx for those games.

I still have no issues using MSI AB with UOM with Xfire and Eyefinity. I don't use CCC at all for overclocking, just for AA settings.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> You can run a Nvidia card for physx while using your Amd card for graphics. All you need is a card like the GT 520 for $60 and you will have physx for those games.


Yeah true, just dont wanne go to such lengths for only a couple of games. But I searched around abit and it seems Max Payne 3 is not a dedicated Physx game (at least not like Batman), so thats good


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> New sapphire trixx version released!
> 
> •Add the overvolte support to Sapphire HD 7950 and HD 7870 series.
> •Add OC and HW monitor support for HD 7850 and HD 7700 series.
> *•Add new feature to adjust PT limit in TriXX.*
> • Fix ULPS issue in CrossFire.
> • Fix overclocking with Catalyst 12.2+
> 
> https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx
> 
> Which is the same version used in this review:
> 
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/3


Is it the real deal alternative to AB now?


----------



## CyberDeath

Dont have memory voltage control. But its have less compatibility issue.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CyberDeath*
> 
> Dont have memory voltage control. But its have less compatibility issue.


Damn, so close yet so far.


----------



## sena

Guys, anyone have problem with low GPU usage in Crysis 1, esspecially in last mission, its sometime fall below 40% and then game is choppy.
Cheers


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is it the real deal alternative to AB now?


I think yes TSM. Remember me mentioning how my cards never reached the +.125 above the stock volts. In theory I should be hitting about 1.29v but in benchmarks it would always hover around the 1.25v.

With this new trixx I can put the volts all the way up to 1.38v instead of the AB 1.3.
I am now hitting the 1.29v in benchmarks.

EXCELLENT. Now only of they add memory volt control!!!


----------



## Newbie2009

i tell a lie, pulling over 1.3v now


----------



## Jessekin32

While resolving some issues, i went to download 12.3 again, but instead was presented with 12.4 WHQL! Enjoy everyone!

12.4 Release Notes:
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalystSoftwareSuiteVersion124ReleaseNotes.aspx

(Link is to Windows 7 64 bit.)
http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx

(Universal Link to chose which OS and bit you need.)
http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/downloads.aspx

*EDIT: FINALLY Eyefinity screen tearing has been fixed! WOOT!


----------



## AllGamer

sweet!

gonna try them out when i get home









hopefully they fixed up all the crossfire & eyefinity issues


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> While resolving some issues, i went to download 12.3 again, but instead was presented with 12.4 WHQL! Enjoy everyone!
> 
> (Link is to Windows 7 64 bit.)
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx
> 
> (Universal Link to chose which OS and bit you need.)
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/downloads.aspx


[email protected]#$orget that. I'm not falling for this again. Will wait for Allgamer to be the guinea pig LOLZ.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> i tell a lie, pulling over 1.3v now


Waits for mem volt control.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> i tell a lie, pulling over 1.3v now


Is that with normal BIOS or are you using a modified BIOS ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Is that with normal BIOS or are you using a modified BIOS ?


Stock sapphire and HIS bios.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Any info on whether Reference ASUS or ASUS DC2 cards are overclocking better? I'm picking up one with a water block today, just curious which is typically a better clocker
> 
> TY


Need to make my order in the next hour, so if anyone has any insight on to this it'd be really helpful.

I only ask because EK has a block for each type, reference and DCII


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> While resolving some issues, i went to download 12.3 again, but instead was presented with 12.4 WHQL! Enjoy everyone!
> 12.4 Release Notes:
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalystSoftwareSuiteVersion124ReleaseNotes.aspx
> (Link is to Windows 7 64 bit.)
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx
> (Universal Link to chose which OS and bit you need.)
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/downloads.aspx
> *EDIT: FINALLY Eyefinity screen tearing has been fixed! WOOT!


hehe, nice. Release notes:
Quote:


> Highlights of the AMD Catalyst 12.4 Windows release includes:
> 
> NEW FEATURES
> 
> Windows XP support for the AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
> 
> In addition to Windows 7 and Windows Vista support, Catalyst 12.4 now also introduces Windows XP (64-bit/32-bit) support for the AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
> 
> Super Sampling Anti-Aliasing: Level of Detail (LOD) Image Quality enhancements
> 
> Supported on the AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
> LOD Image quality enhancements have been improved when enabling Super Sample Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing through the AMD Catalyst™ Control Center for DirectX® 10 and DirectX® 11 applications.
> Applications must support in game Anti-Aliasing for the feature to work (Forced on Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center is not supported for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 applications)
> 
> Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA): Significant performance enhancements
> 
> Supported on the AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series, AMD Radeon HD 6000 Series, and AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series
> MLAA now operates up to 80% faster than previous versions
> 
> Texture filtering quality improvements
> 
> Supported on the AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
> Improvements have been made to the texture filtering algorithm (for both DirectX9 and DirectX10/DirectX11 applications) to increase the quality of rendered textures, with no impact to performance
> 
> RESOLVED ISSUES
> 
> Resolved Issues for the Windows 7 Operating System
> 
> This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst 12.4 software suite for Windows 7. These include:
> 
> Elder Scrolls: Skyrim: no longer hangs on single GPU configurations when used with AMD Catalyst 12.3 CAP1 and later CAP releases
> Elder Scolls: Skyrim: flickering square corruption is no longer observed.
> Rage: Vsync is no longer disabled after task switching.
> Enemy Territory: Quake Wars: no longer crashes when launched in High Performance Mode.
> Stalker - Call of Pripyat: flickering is no longer observed in trees with specific Catalyst Control Center settings.
> Tom Clancy HAWX 2: no longer crashes on game launch.
> Windows Media Center: no longer crashes when run in Eyefinity mode and High Performance mode settings.
> AMD Steady Video: an error message is no longer displayed when enabling AMD Steady Video for the Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.0 plugin.
> Duplicating displays no longer generates random corruption.
> Tearing is no longer observed on the third screen in 3x1 and 1x3 Eyefinity configurations.
> A system crash is no longer experienced when enabling Crossfire in a 4 display configuration.
> The advanced video quality settings are now correctly displayed in the Catalyst Control Center.
> 
> Resolved Issues for the Windows Vista Operating System
> 
> This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst™ 12.4 software suite for Windows Vista. These include:
> 
> The Catalyst Control Center now renders correctly when launched while playing a Bluray disc using WinDVD.
> 
> Resolved Issues for the Windows XP Operating System
> 
> This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst™ 12.4 software suite for Windows XP. These include:
> 
> Dirt 3: a system hang is no longer experienced when running game at maximum in game settings.
> Dragon Age 2: visual corruption is no longer observed.
> 
> KNOWN ISSUES
> 
> Known issues under the Windows 7 operating system
> 
> The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced under the Windows 7 operating system in the latest version of AMD Catalyst. These include:
> 
> Blocky video corruption may be observed while using Windows Media Player to playback HD WMV content.
> The Catalyst Control Center may experience random crashes in specific configurations.
> A green screen may be triggered when playing back Flash content using Google Chrome and Firefox.
> The Unigine Tropics demo may experience random crashes when run with shaders=low and Vsync enabled.
> 
> Known issues under the Windows Vista operating system
> 
> The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced under the Windows Vista operating system in the latest version of AMD Catalyst™. These include:
> 
> Cyberlink PowerDVD may crash when enabling BOB de-interlace mode.
> 
> Known issues under the Windows XP operating system
> 
> The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced under the Windows XP operating system in the latest version of AMD Catalyst™. These include:
> 
> The system may fail to resume from sleep/hibernate mode is some configurations.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> [email protected]#$orget that. I'm not falling for this again. Will wait for Allgamer to be the guinea pig LOLZ.
> Waits for mem volt control.


lol. I'm going to start testing all my games now. I'm so glad they fixed the Eyefinity screen tearing. It's evident, too. No more tear









I'll post back here later tonight after I've had some time to spend with these drivers.

*EDIT: And yes these are legit









*proof*


http://imgur.com/YCY2L


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Need to make my order in the next hour, so if anyone has any insight on to this it'd be really helpful.
> I only ask because EK has a block for each type, reference and DCII


They OC pretty much like any other card.If you are going to watercool i suggest you to buy standard one's. You will save some money.


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CyberDeath*
> 
> Dont have memory voltage control. But its have less compatibility issue.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Damn, so close yet so far.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I think yes TSM. Remember me mentioning how my cards never reached the +.125 above the stock volts. In theory I should be hitting about 1.29v but in benchmarks it would always hover around the 1.25v.
> With this new trixx I can put the volts all the way up to 1.38v instead of the AB 1.3.
> I am now hitting the 1.29v in benchmarks.
> EXCELLENT. Now only of they add memory volt control!!!


Here ya go, fixed that!!










*Sapphire Trixx 4.3.0-MOD*
http://www.mediafire.com/?08jizxzm2z2ajaa

Memory voltage added, set to 1.8 max but can only hit 1.7 it seems? Ohh well, more is better than none!









Rename to TRIXX (sorry I forgot to do that before uploading) then replace original file with new one! If anyone needs installer rebuilt with this file let me know!

Enjoy!!!









* Latest version here for anyone finding this post later















http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/17260#post_18441904


----------



## tsm106

^^What have you done?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Here ya go, fixed that!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sapphire Trixx 4.3.0-MOD*
> http://www.mediafire.com/?08jizxzm2z2ajaa
> Memory voltage added, set to 1.8 max but can only hit 1.7 it seems? Ohh well, more is better than none!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Enjoy!!!


+REP times 100
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^What have you done?


OMG OMG OMG


----------



## Daffie82

Originally Posted by Daffie82

How should we enable MLAA 2.0 ? Or isnt this possible?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I will ask and let you know...


12.4 is out now, already got around to asking this bro?
Tia


----------



## Jessekin32

K... so before I downloaded 12.4, I was having this issue with BF3:

Go to launch the game, load battlelog, and when I try and join a server it says "Battlefield 3(TM) has stopped working" as the game trys to launch. I've had this issue before, but i can remember what I did to fix it. Can anyone help me out here?

Problem details:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: bf3.exe
Application Version: 1.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 4f6d0e10
Fault Module Name: msvcrt.dll
Fault Module Version: 7.0.7601.17744
Fault Module Timestamp: 4eeaf722
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000097e9
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> K... so before I downloaded 12.4, I was having this issue with BF3:
> 
> Go to launch the game, load battlelog, and when I try and join a server it says "Battlefield 3(TM) has stopped working" as the game trys to launch. I've had this issue before, but i can remember what I did to fix it. Can anyone help me out here?
> 
> Problem details:
> 
> Problem signature:
> Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
> Application Name: bf3.exe
> Application Version: 1.0.0.0
> Application Timestamp: 4f6d0e10
> Fault Module Name: msvcrt.dll
> Fault Module Version: 7.0.7601.17744
> Fault Module Timestamp: 4eeaf722
> Exception Code: c0000005
> Exception Offset: 000097e9
> OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
> Locale ID: 1033
> Additional Information 1: 0a9e
> Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
> Additional Information 3: 0a9e
> Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789


Checks your rig, aha... you have a very bad combo, cfx + eyefinity + dx11 = kaboom. RC11 works well with that kaboom combo. Try 12.4 whql, maybe it will work with your combo.


----------



## Jessekin32

I'm on 12.4 now. I didn't have any issues on 12.3 or 11.12 the past few weeks.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> I'm on 12.4 now. I didn't have any issues on 12.3 or 11.12 the past few weeks.


Did 12.4 increase ur 3dmark11 score any, or how far you can oc ur card?


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Did 12.4 increase ur 3dmark11 score any, or how far you can oc ur card?


I just installed the drivers all of 15 minutes ago, so I haven't done much, and I probably won't until I get my BF3 issues resolved.


----------



## Rickles

Got my 7970 installed last night, used ATIMAN and the drivers on the disk. No problems whatsoever!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Did 12.4 increase ur 3dmark11 score any, or how far you can oc ur card?
> 
> 
> 
> I just installed the drivers all of 15 minutes ago, so I haven't done much, and I probably won't until I get my *BF3 issues* resolved.
Click to expand...

Read my post again, your specific issue is a driver issue related to your combo of hardware.


----------



## Newbie2009

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3274452


I can confirm my cards are running higher clocks now thanks to trixx.

Score may seem low to some, but it is the cpu holding back the cards in comparison to a 2700k @ 5ghz.

Running a 2500k @ 4.9ghz

Both cards running at 1325/1775

Both my cards now comfortable pass the 1.3ghz mark, which I am very happy about. Temps hit around 46c


----------



## sockpirate

Should i go for tri-fire when i eventually get my other 2 120hz monitors? I currently average easily over 100fps with everything maxed including AA etc in BF3 with my current Xfire 7970s. To keep this kind of average FPS should i go tri-fire?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> [email protected]#$orget that. I'm not falling for this again. Will wait for Allgamer to be the guinea pig LOLZ.


LOL







don't you worry i'll be testing them out for sure









can't get any worse than what it's already is (hope i didn't jinx it







)


----------



## piskooooo

Before - http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3274422
After - http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3274563

No change for 3DMark. Maybe I should retry at 5GHz?

5GHz - http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3274701


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my post again, your specific issue is a driver issue related to your combo of hardware.


Reinstalled 12.4 again. still have the issue. I'm going to revert back to 11.12 to see if that fixes it. I wasn't having this issue 3 hours ago.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Reinstalled 12.4 again. still have the issue. I'm going to revert back to 11.12 to see if that fixes it. I wasn't having this issue 3 hours ago.


All I can say is: DO A FRESH W7 install!!
Or use Atiman and delete the AMD Folder and reboot


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> Got my 7970 installed last night, used ATIMAN and the drivers on the disk. No problems whatsoever!


i do believe most 7970 works fine if it's just a single card install

you only start seeing problems when you do Crossfire and/or Eyefinity setups


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my post again, your specific issue is a driver issue related to your combo of hardware.
> 
> 
> 
> Reinstalled 12.4 again. still have the issue. I'm going to revert back to 11.12 to see if that fixes it. I wasn't having this issue 3 hours ago.
Click to expand...

The only clean way of cleaning out the eyefinity config that I know of is to reinstall the OS. Moving from driver to driver with this specific issue doesn't do anything and generally the moving to and fro of drivers makes the system worse off. But that's my experience, you may be able to move around w/o an OS reinstall.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> [email protected]#$orget that. I'm not falling for this again. Will wait for Allgamer to be the guinea pig LOLZ.
> 
> 
> 
> LOL
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> don't you worry i'll be testing them out for sure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can't get any worse than what it's already is (hope i didn't jinx it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
Click to expand...











Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Should i go for tri-fire when i eventually get my other 2 120hz monitors? I currently average easily over 100fps with everything maxed including AA etc in BF3 with my current Xfire 7970s. To keep this kind of average FPS should i go tri-fire?


You're fps will drop if you stay with two cards on three screen, no doubt about that one.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> Got my 7970 installed last night, used ATIMAN and the drivers on the disk. No problems whatsoever!


You should install newer drivers from internet, usually drivers from CD just gives you problems, like Bluescreens


----------



## svthomas

Hope this is the driver that you all have been waiting for and deserve. Fingers crossed that they got the eyefinity thing all figured out and fixed.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Reinstalled 12.4 again. still have the issue. I'm going to revert back to 11.12 to see if that fixes it. I wasn't having this issue 3 hours ago.


I am going to agree with all the advice advising you to reinstall the OS. The DLLs for your visual c++ got mucked up with all the driver switches and it'll be easier to fix the issue by reinstalling Windows. At least that was my experience with it.


----------



## Aventadoor

Guys, I can report my GPU score in 3dmark11 went from 10400 @ 1,320ghz - 10707 @ 1,310ghz.
So yes the new driver does improve score!


----------



## Daffie82

Something strange happened with the new Trixx.
Default VDDC sometimes shows as 993, other times as 1087








In previous version it always showed as 1087
what the hell ?

I can confirm increase in 3dmark11 with 12.4 also








Bench yesterday was 8728 points, bench today is :


----------



## Jessekin32

BOOM. Clean install of windows. Lets see what happens after installing updates and BF3. Every other game I have is on another drive ready to play xD

BF3 was on my SSD Raid with my OS









P.S: ATIMan didn't work


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> BOOM. Clean install of windows. Lets see what happens after installing updates and BF3. Every other game I have is on another drive ready to play xD
> 
> BF3 was on my SSD Raid with my OS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *P.S: ATIMan didn't work
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *


^^We know.









Good luck, we wish you the best.


----------



## Daffie82

Def. a bug in the new trixx version.
Did a bench of 3dmark again now with GPU-Z logging in the background.
My max VDDC was 1.154 (in Trixx set at 1.168) with vdroop in mind this a very much possible.
But the default voltage mentioned in Trixx (0.990) is not possible since 1.154 is an 164mv increase while the cards should be capped at 125mv increase.
So im guessing my default voltage is 1.087 just like the previous version of Trixx mentioned all along.


----------



## Ottesen

So, whats the lowdown on the new 12,4 ? Better ? i'm really scared of doing anything, have had every possible problem...


----------



## sena

I confirm also there is 3d mark 11 increase.
Also daffie82 check is it MSI AB turned ON, i was also getting 1.093V before, altrough my true stock voltage is 0.993V, turning off AMD overdrive fixed the problem.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I confirm also there is 3d mark 11 increase.
> Also daffie82 check is it MSI AB turned ON, i was also getting 1.093V before, altrough my true stock voltage is 0.993V, turning off AMD overdrive fixed the problem.


never used MSI AB on this installation








and overdrive is turned off


----------



## sena

Funny thing happened to me also, after i installed 12.4, my gpu was working on 450 Mhz. Some bug in MSI AB i guess.


----------



## Newbie2009

Installed new trixx and new 12.4

So far so good.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> P.S: ATIMan didn't work


Why?

I'm sure the problem is yours.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> Why?
> 
> I'm sure the problem is yours.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*


Tell us why, please.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Here ya go, fixed that!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sapphire Trixx 4.3.0-MOD*
> http://www.mediafire.com/?08jizxzm2z2ajaa
> Memory voltage added, set to 1.8 max but can only hit 1.7 it seems? Ohh well, more is better than none!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rename to TRIXX (sorry I forgot to do that before uploading) then replace original file with new one! If anyone needs installer rebuilt with this file let me know!
> Enjoy!!!


Lsdmeasap.... you are everywhere man








Thanks


----------



## svthomas

Anyone tested the new driver with crossfire and eyefinity yet?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Originally Posted by Daffie82
> How should we enable MLAA 2.0 ? Or isnt this possible?
> 12.4 is out now, already got around to asking this bro?
> Tia


Sorry but I thought I had answered this and cannot find my answer in the thread









MLAA can be enabled by the Morphological filter checkbox. When this is checked (in the 12-5 beta drivers) it would take you DIRECTLY to MLAA 2.0. Thats all. Yes, you can enable/disable it through CCC > 3d settings


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> never used MSI AB on this installation
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and overdrive is turned off


Eventhough I love this kind of settings, are you sure you have uninstalled the previous drivers properly? The xcl command of MSI AB, I thought is automatically reset / deleted whenever you change drivers.

Having these settings still there after the new installation, IMHO it implies that your previous drivers where never deeply uninstalled from the registry and have leftovers there!

Just a few thought I am not 100% sure about, though...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> never used MSI AB on this installation
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and overdrive is turned off
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Eventhough I love this kind of settings, are you sure you have uninstalled the previous drivers properly? The xcl command of MSI AB, I thought is automatically reset / deleted whenever you change drivers.
> 
> Having these settings still there after the new installation, IMHO it implies that your previous drivers where never deeply uninstalled from the registry and have leftovers there!
> 
> Just a few thought I am not 100% sure about, though...
Click to expand...

This is true, the powerplay tables are wiped. You could find my posts with the extracted tables and make the necessary reg file and import. Also those using cfx will not have fun trying to get xcl to work lol but it's made painless with the extracted tables info.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *svthomas*
> 
> Anyone tested the new driver with crossfire and eyefinity yet?


Waiting on Jessekins lol.


----------



## pat031

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Here ya go, fixed that!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sapphire Trixx 4.3.0-MOD*
> http://www.mediafire.com/?08jizxzm2z2ajaa
> Memory voltage added, set to 1.8 max but can only hit 1.7 it seems? Ohh well, more is better than none!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rename to TRIXX (sorry I forgot to do that before uploading) then replace original file with new one! If anyone needs installer rebuilt with this file let me know!
> Enjoy!!!


Hi there!
With my Asus reference 7970 , do I need to change my GPU bios for the Saphire Bios to unlock 1.3 + volt from TRIXX ?


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is true, the powerplay tables are wiped. You could find my posts with the extracted tables and make the necessary reg file and import. Also those using cfx will not have fun trying to get xcl to work lol but it's made painless with the extracted tables info.
> Waiting on Jessekins lol.


Must be delete Overdrive5 and LEGACY_AMDKMDAG key from registry.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is true, the powerplay tables are wiped. You could find my posts with the extracted tables and make the necessary reg file and import. Also those using cfx will not have fun trying to get xcl to work lol but it's made painless with the extracted tables info.
> Waiting on Jessekins lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Must be delete Overdrive5 and LEGACY_AMDKMDAG key from registry.
Click to expand...

Nope.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nope.


You are expert !!!!

Tell me how ?


----------



## Aventadoor

My card just readed 1,37v!!!
AWSM


----------



## Norlig

what is the main difference between 12.4 WHQL and the 8.97 driver?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> what is the main difference between 12.4 WHQL and the 8.97 driver?


It would be wise to stick to the official drivers.

I know that doesn't answer your question, but I don't think you should consider the botched leaked drivers.


----------



## Jessekin32

Oh wow. So brand new, clean install of windows 7, basic mobo drivers , 12.4 drivers, and a clean install of BF3. I'm now able to launch the game, but my frames went to complete crap. I'm at about 20-22 in BF3 ultra settings no motion blur, 8xEQ. I was at around minimum 58ish frames, and max around 120 before. Average was about 60 because of vsync.

I need to figure why my frames are so low now. GPU1's usage was at 25% constant, and GPU2 was at 100%. Really weird.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Need to make my order in the next hour, so if anyone has any insight on to this it'd be really helpful.
> I only ask because EK has a block for each type, reference and DCII


Since you are putting a block on it, you should have issues, however I had horrible VRM temps on the DCII and that prevented me overclocking it at all. If you are going water I'd grab a reference card because they clock bloody well anyway.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> All I can say is: DO A FRESH W7 install!!
> Or use Atiman and delete the AMD Folder and reboot


I agree, I always do a fresh install when changing components or troubleshooting drivers, it's a nuisance but it makes it a lot quicker and easier to isolate problems.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i do believe most 7970 works fine if it's just a single card install
> you only start seeing problems when you do Crossfire and/or Eyefinity setups


I have had quite a few problems with my single card, however you are right when you say there are more to be had with cfx/eyefinity









On that note, I'll be fresh installing soon, I was just waiting on the new drivers and the latest version of S.T.E.P. Should I try Trixx? I have an MSI card, and I'm a loyal MSI fanboy so I have a lot of time for AB. I've also found that HWiNFO cannot read the VRM or Memory temps so AB is somewhat of a necessity while overclocking.


----------



## quakermaas

12.3



12.4












Will test with Trixx tomorrow, see if I can get the cores to 1300+, get a good submission for battle royal


----------



## Jessekin32

I'm completely stumped here. I have no idea other than the new 12.4 drivers, that could cause my issue. My frames are so bad! D:


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Installed new trixx and new 12.4
> So far so good.


Are both ur cards stable @ 1325Mhz? Did you do anything for this to happen?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> I'm completely stumped here. I have no idea other than the new 12.4 drivers, that could cause my issue. My frames are so bad! D:


Have you tried messing with the AA settings?

Turn AA off and see if it makes a difference in GPU usage.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Have you tried messing with the AA settings?
> Turn AA off and see if it makes a difference in GPU usage.


Same thing...

What's weird, is GPU1 @ 25% usage is at ~75c, whereas GPU2 @ 100% is only at 54c-55c I have NO AA of any kind on right now.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> I'm completely stumped here. I have no idea other than the new 12.4 drivers, that could cause my issue. My frames are so bad! D:


I forgot which driver but it was 12.3. Had BF3 in Ultra with 0x MSAA. Stated the game and would get like 20fps. This would happened almost every time. had to restart the PC to restore this problem every time.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Have you tried messing with the AA settings?
> Turn AA off and see if it makes a difference in GPU usage.
> 
> 
> 
> Same thing...
> 
> What's weird, is GPU1 @ 25% usage is at ~75c, whereas GPU2 @ 100% is only at 54c-55c I have NO AA of any kind on right now.
Click to expand...

Is there anything you have configured differently via CCC from before?


----------



## Jessekin32

47-60 fps with a single card...


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Is there anything you have configured differently via CCC from before?


Nothing. Driver install (included CFX setup) > Eyefinity > 8xEQ > Disable ULPS > Change Flip Queue to 0 in Radeon Pro > Download Gaimz >Play Gaimz > Sadface.jpg


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> 47-60 fps with a single card...


I believe its a CF issue. Make sure crossfire is enabled in ccc.
Restart, uninstall CAP, RESTART, Reinstall latest CAP, RESTART, check in ccc that cf is enabled (also check gpuZ about that) and run BF3

Pease note that after 12.3 catalyst drivers only one crossfire brdge is required to be connected in crossfire setups!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Sorry but I thought I had answered this and cannot find my answer in the thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MLAA can be enabled by the Morphological filter checkbox. When this is checked (in the 12-5 beta drivers) it would take you DIRECTLY to MLAA 2.0. Thats all. Yes, you can enable/disable it through CCC > 3d settings


Thanks for the answer








In the 12.4 drivers you can check the Morphological filter checkbox but after that nothing happens. No MLAA 2.0.
This is cause im only on 12.4 drivers?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Eventhough I love this kind of settings, are you sure you have uninstalled the previous drivers properly? The xcl command of MSI AB, I thought is automatically reset / deleted whenever you change drivers.
> Having these settings still there after the new installation, IMHO it implies that your previous drivers where never deeply uninstalled from the registry and have leftovers there!
> Just a few thought I am not 100% sure about, though...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is true, the powerplay tables are wiped. You could find my posts with the extracted tables and make the necessary reg file and import. Also those using cfx will not have fun trying to get xcl to work lol but it's made painless with the extracted tables info.


Im not sure what U guys are on about here?
I have never installed AB on this OS, and I uninstalled previous drivers by uninstalling via control panel.
Only thing I did not do this time is uninstall the GPU in device manager.
And I have to admit overdrive was disabled with the last upgrade. With this upgrade overdrive was automatically enabled (which I disabled again immediately after install though), so indeed it did not reset this setting it seems.
No harm in that though I guess?


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Since you are putting a block on it, you should have issues, however I had horrible VRM temps on the DCII and that prevented me overclocking it at all. If you are going water I'd grab a reference card because they clock bloody well anyway.
> I agree, I always do a fresh install when changing components or troubleshooting drivers, it's a nuisance but it makes it a lot quicker and easier to isolate problems.
> I have had quite a few problems with my single card, however you are right when you say there are more to be had with cfx/eyefinity
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On that note, I'll be fresh installing soon, I was just waiting on the new drivers and the latest version of S.T.E.P. Should I try Trixx? I have an MSI card, and I'm a loyal MSI fanboy so I have a lot of time for AB. I've also found that HWiNFO cannot read the VRM or Memory temps so AB is somewhat of a necessity while overclocking.


If you dont have water to cool the card I wouldent bother with Trixx. Only postive with Trixx is the higher voltage if u ask me.
My card wont go further then 1315Mhz core at 1,37V...I just get artifacts in 3Dmark11 if I go higher
Hopefully I will get both cards at 1.3Ghz when I get my PSU back.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I believe its a CF issue. Make sure crossfire is enabled in ccc.
> Restart, uninstall CAP, RESTART, Reinstall latest CAP, RESTART, check in ccc that cf is enabled (also check gpuZ about that) and run BF3
> Pease note that after 12.3 catalyst drivers only one crossfire brdge is required to be connected in crossfire setups!


I only use 1 bridge on my 2 cards since day one. 11.12 and up. Still thinking of trying the 8.97 or wait for the 12.4whql


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I only use 1 bridge on my 2 cards since day one. 11.12 and up. Still thinking of trying the 8.97 or wait for the 12.4whql


12.4 is just out


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I believe its a CF issue. Make sure crossfire is enabled in ccc.
> Restart, uninstall CAP, RESTART, Reinstall latest CAP, RESTART, check in ccc that cf is enabled (also check gpuZ about that) and run BF3
> Pease note that after 12.3 catalyst drivers only one crossfire brdge is required to be connected in crossfire setups!
> 
> 
> 
> I only use 1 bridge on my 2 cards since day one. 11.12 and up. Still thinking of trying the 8.97 or wait for the 12.4whql
Click to expand...

ok, i would suggest the follwing...

Use atimans uninstaller in automatic mde to remove all cap/ccc/drivers etc from amd. Then install the latest 12.4 official drivers just released, then restart, the install latest CAP restart and then check in ccc if cf is enabled.

I would also suggest to use a little tool by atiman to disable ulps.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> 12.3
> 
> 
> 12.4
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will test with Trixx tomorrow, see if I can get the cores to 1300+, get a good submission for battle royal


Wow. Those scores with Crossfire. Great.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Is there anything you have configured differently via CCC from before?
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing. Driver install (included CFX setup) > Eyefinity > 8xEQ > Disable ULPS > Change Flip Queue to 0 in Radeon Pro > Download Gaimz >Play Gaimz > Sadface.jpg
Click to expand...

Change the FQS back to the default 3 and see if it helps.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

What the point of going over 1.3v? After 1.2v i cant get any better OC no matter the voltage. Even being under water.


----------



## afadzil21

Ok, getting a 2nd reference Sapphire card tomorrow for XFire. Finally prices have come down.


----------



## thrgk

3dmark11 11k+ finally. Woohoo, and this is not even the best core/mem, once i get it wc'ed and 1.3v+ man we will blow 680s out of the OCEAN lol.
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3276415;jsessionid=1q743tp47vh5l122th2e4nzib2


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> ok, i would suggest the follwing...
> Use atimans uninstaller in automatic mde to remove all cap/ccc/drivers etc from amd. Then install the latest 12.4 official drivers just released, then restart, the install latest CAP restart and then check in ccc if cf is enabled.
> I would also suggest to use a little tool by atiman to disable ulps.


Already did all of that, AND a clean install of windows.


----------



## slice259

Just played an 1.5 Hrs of BF3 with 12.4 WHQL on my crossfire 7970's and I have to say the drivers work great ! Game-play is smoother in every way, and sheer performance seems to be up. Thumbs up AMD







. Also I would love to go head to head with a pair of 680's once I get me some Ivy Bridge.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Just played an 1.5 Hrs of BF3 with 12.4 WHQL on my crossfire 7970's and I have to say the drivers work great ! Game-play is smoother in every way, and sheer performance seems to be up. Thumbs up AMD
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Also I would love to go head to head with a pair of 680's once I get me some Ivy Bridge.


Man, it really seems like I'm the only person on the forums that's having issues...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 12.4 is just out


WHQL is out? Don't see it on AMD's site.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Just played an 1.5 Hrs of BF3 with 12.4 WHQL on my crossfire 7970's and I have to say the drivers work great ! Game-play is smoother in every way, and sheer performance seems to be up. Thumbs up AMD
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Also I would love to go head to head with a pair of 680's once I get me some Ivy Bridge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Man, it really seems like I'm the only person on the forums that's having issues...
Click to expand...

Did you try changing the flip queue size back to default?


----------



## Jessekin32

It's doing the same thing with Dirt 3. GPU1 @ 25% usage, GPU2 @ 100%. Getting slightly better frames in Dirt 3 vs BF3.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Did you try changing the flip queue size back to default?


Yeah I did. I completely disabled Radeon Pro, and deleted the profile. Radeon Pro isn't even running right now.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> WHQL is out? Don't see it on AMD's site.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1248335/12-4-whql-ccc-drivers-released-discussion-thread


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> It's doing the same thing with Dirt 3. GPU1 @ 25% usage, GPU2 @ 100%. Getting slightly better frames in Dirt 3 vs BF3.


I use a FQS of 1, seems to work great. Hope you get your problems resolved !


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Did you try changing the flip queue size back to default?
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I did. I completely disabled Radeon Pro, and deleted the profile. Radeon Pro isn't even running right now.
Click to expand...

Try 12.3 to see if it changes anything.


----------



## furyn9

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> 3dmark11 11k+ finally. Woohoo, and this is not even the best core/mem, once i get it wc'ed and 1.3v+ man we will blow 680s out of the OCEAN lol.
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3276415;jsessionid=1q743tp47vh5l122th2e4nzib2


very nice score!!!!


----------



## Ottesen

Trying 12,4 and 12.3 CAP 1 now...only tried 3dmark11 so far but i'm getting a bit better score. Just talking about 2% tho but still...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Trying 12,4 and 12.3 CAP 1 now...only tried 3dmark11 so far but i'm getting a bit better score. Just talking about 2% tho but still...


So am I. 3dmark11 was fine. BF3 won't run right tho. Card 1 is at 20% and running 1125/1500 and card 2 is at 100% only running 500/150. Getting terrible fps in bf3 with 12.4whql.

Anyone?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm on 12.4 beta and I was just getting around 120fps is BF3 on Ultra at stock 1070MHz. I definitely have no issues with this title on the beta 12.4 drivers...


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Trying 12,4 and 12.3 CAP 1 now...only tried 3dmark11 so far but i'm getting a bit better score. Just talking about 2% tho but still...
> 
> 
> 
> So am I. 3dmark11 was fine. BF3 won't run right tho. Card 1 is at 20% and running 1125/1500 and card 2 is at 100% only running 500/150. Getting terrible fps in bf3 with 12.4whql.
> 
> Anyone?
Click to expand...

Check ULPS disabled?


----------



## Jessekin32

Update: Fixed my framerate issues by going back to 12.3, but now I'm still left with this weird screen tearing happening down at the bottom of my screen. It's never in another spot, it's always there in every game.

Anyone else getting anything like this? It ONLY happens with Vsync on. And it seems as if I get more mircostuttering with Vsync anyways, So it looks like I'll be playing without Vsync for a bit.

Ignore the ghosting with the rest of the image, notice only the screen tear at the bottom of my screen. It looks like a weird "3" shape, and the line along the bottom extends ALL the way across my right monitor, too:

(Had to take a pic with my phone. Screen caps won't show Tearing.)


----------



## derfer

My friend absolutely could not install 12.4. No cleaning program helped. Plotting his 680 switch... I always liked the AMD hardware but without the drivers what good does it do you.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *derfer*
> 
> My friend absolutely could not install 12.4. No cleaning program helped. Plotting his 680 switch... I always liked the AMD hardware but without the drivers what good does it do you.


I had a similar issue. What I did was go through the whole install process. I then used the control panel to update the driver by pointing it to where the driver files where extracted c:\AMD\support. This worked a charm.


----------



## Ottesen

I tried some 3dmark11 again now with the new drivers...didn't get much more but a little. Man my score would have been much higher with another cpu...

2500k at 5,1ghz with 1,53-1,54v on water
2x7950 at 1170/1725mhz at 1275mv on air...lol yepp









Global 2x GPU rank:

128th out of 682

2nd
2x Radeon HD 7950 rank:

2nd out of 4


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I tried some 3dmark11 again now with the new drivers...didn't get much more but a little. Man my score would have been much higher with another cpu...
> 2500k at 5,1ghz with 1,53-1,54v on water
> 2x7950 at 1170/1725mhz at 1275mv on air...lol yepp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Global 2x GPU rank:
> 128th out of 682
> 2nd
> 2x Radeon HD 7950 rank:
> 2nd out of 4


I must take you down! Lol, if my 3DMark11 worked and my 7950s would clock higher


----------



## TheJesus

Sorry for double post, but I'm having an issue (have been for awhile), was hoping the 12.4 would fix it, but nope.

I keep getting random BSODs of 116 with atikmpag.sys being the culprit. No idea where to start :/


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I must take you down! Lol, if my 3DMark11 worked and my 7950s would clock higher


Will be easy mode for you, i think you'll get much higher since you have 2600k and now 2500k... i think. If i had a better cpu with more cores and crap i would have way way way higher score...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Will be easy mode for you, i think you'll get much higher since you have 2600k and now 2500k... i think. If i had a better cpu with more cores and crap i would have way way way higher score...


Yeah, but my 7950s won't play nice past 1000 core -_-


----------



## horror1229

Any one with a 7950 do me a favor pop in crysis and let me know if you see artifacts in the shadows , pixel sized white dots and only in the shadows nowhere else . Want to make sure its not my card . Sapphire 7950 oc , amd 12.4 was using 12.3 same thing .Didnt get this with my last card ( 6950 ) . Hopefully its the game or driver my 30 days for refund at the egg are up and rma ing through sapphire is a pain . Also if i run in dx9 mode the artifacts are not there .


----------



## sevenup

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Sorry for double post, but I'm having an issue (have been for awhile), was hoping the 12.4 would fix it, but nope.
> I keep getting random BSODs of 116 with atikmpag.sys being the culprit. No idea where to start :/


isnt the BSOD 116 for unstable cpu overclock?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Yeah, but my 7950s won't play nice past 1000 core -_-


i don't think it will be a problem anyway, i see others getting like almost 12k on the physic score with the same cpu speed i just had, and i got 9,2k. And also a much higher combined score... so i think you have a good chance !


----------



## jman246

Should i use atiman and what not before I upgrade to 12.4? I'm assuming yes but i want it to be no


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sevenup*
> 
> isnt the BSOD 116 for unstable cpu overclock?


116 is for a whole variety of issues. Could be overclock, could be something else. However, the BSOD specifically states the atikmpag.sys file as the issue and right before this my screens stop output, then take turns of two at a time turning on (not displaying anything though), then it BSODs. Leading me to drivers.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> Should i use atiman and what not before I upgrade to 12.4? I'm assuming yes but i want it to be no


I would use it.


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Lsdmeasap.... you are everywhere man
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks


Haha, yes I do get around! I'm on time out right now though, doing reviews - just happened to be reading this thread today to see how the 12.4 drivers were doing so I could decide if I want to use them in review or not.

And I knew I could change that in TRIXX, so thought I'd stop in and help everyone out!









Now, if I could only find out how to change the +Power setting!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pat031*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Here ya go, fixed that!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sapphire Trixx 4.3.0-MOD*
> http://www.mediafire.com/?08jizxzm2z2ajaa
> Memory voltage added, set to 1.8 max but can only hit 1.7 it seems? Ohh well, more is better than none!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rename to TRIXX (sorry I forgot to do that before uploading) then replace original file with new one! If anyone needs installer rebuilt with this file let me know!
> Enjoy!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi there!
> With my Asus reference 7970 , do I need to change my GPU bios for the Saphire Bios to unlock 1.3 + volt from TRIXX ?
Click to expand...

No, you can use any card/BIOS, I'm using HIS IceQ Turbo 7950









And for the 0.993v user, some cards are that voltage by default (Mine is), but not sure why yours would show up differently at different times? Does it also show different values randomly in GPU-z


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Yeah, but my 7950s won't play nice past 1000 core -_-
> 
> 
> 
> i don't think it will be a problem anyway, i see others getting like almost 12k on the physic score with the same cpu speed i just had, and i got 9,2k. And also a much higher combined score... so i think you have a good chance !
Click to expand...

You better watch out for my awesome score:










-_-


----------



## Ottesen

I've tried some games now, and i can't really tell if the new drivers are better or worse :S I get some studdering/lag sometimes, but maybe i got that before also. Bf3 worked fine tho.... i think most of you will like 12,4


----------



## TheJesus

HO YEAH!










For future reference, CAPs change your score from ~4700 to 14700... Lmao.

By the way, this is number one for 2x 7950s...


----------



## travva

I have a question for everyone who has crossfire 7970's or 7950's: when you're overclocking and testing in a game for BF3, what usually happens to indicate your overclock is unstable? I know this seems like a dumb question, but just humor me and tell me your personal experience, please.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> 116 is for a whole variety of issues. Could be overclock, could be something else. However, the BSOD specifically states the atikmpag.sys file as the issue and right before this my screens stop output, then take turns of two at a time turning on (not displaying anything though), then it BSODs. Leading me to drivers.


typically this happens when there isn't enough volts to your norhbridge ...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> I have a question for everyone who has crossfire 7970's or 7950's: when you're overclocking and testing in a game for BF3, what usually happens to indicate your overclock is unstable? I know this seems like a dumb question, but just humor me and tell me your personal experience, please.


You see random artifacts. Stuff like popping textures. I really have how 79xx behave. I Mich rather have the card crash then see artifacts. I have to drop core 100mhz.to completely remove them.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> I have a question for everyone who has crossfire 7970's or 7950's: when you're overclocking and testing in a game for BF3, what usually happens to indicate your overclock is unstable? I know this seems like a dumb question, but just humor me and tell me your personal experience, please.
> 
> 
> 
> You see random artifacts. Stuff like popping textures. I really have how 79xx behave. I Mich rather have the card crash then see artifacts. I have to drop core 100mhz.to completely remove them.
Click to expand...

What would you say is the cause of a complete system freeze then Zealot (in BF3 while overclocked/overvolted)? I have NEVER had any artifact whatsoever with my cards, but every time I overclock, usually with either AB or Trixx, I get hard locks in BF3. I NEVER get a hard lock if I stay within a low limit in CCC, such as 1070 on my clocks. I'm aiming for 1200 core on my cards and I'm trying the new Trixx and 12.4's out, so we'll see.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> typically this happens when there isn't enough volts to your norhbridge ...


Hmm, I haven't had it happen since I reset the CMOS and re-overclocked. I did set some extra values I hadn't before.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> What would you say is the cause of a complete system freeze then Zealot (in BF3 while overclocked/overvolted)? I have NEVER had any artifact whatsoever with my cards, but every time I overclock, usually with either AB or Trixx, I get hard locks in BF3. I NEVER get a hard lock if I stay within a low limit in CCC, such as 1070 on my clocks. I'm aiming for 1200 core on my cards and I'm trying the new Trixx and 12.4's out, so we'll see.


Hmm, have you upped voltage?


----------



## StrayderGame

Ok guys now one serious question....Any1 of u use Vray 2.0 for Maya 2012 with that RT GPU rendering?When i shoose CPU it uses 100% cpu so it works ok,but GPU It seems to can't get it work...when i set up OpenCL rendering and start rendering,my GPU works on 1-2% gpu load ...Any1 know anything? 12.4 drivers here


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Are both ur cards stable @ 1325Mhz? Did you do anything for this to happen?


I installed sapphire trixx and put volts to 1350. One card could already do 1325, one card's max was 1270.
Main card can do 1350 on the core now, weaker one can do 1325. i have volts to spare, reached card's max clocks.

Oh using 12.4 for xfire now. So far they seem like best xfire drivers I have used. zero issues, so far.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> What the point of going over 1.3v? After 1.2v i cant get any better OC no matter the voltage. Even being under water.


Issue I had, with my default volts, under load my cards were pulling 1.245v, with the hardware limiter of +.125 i should ave been getting around 1.29. By moving the slider up I get the correct power draw now.


----------



## TheJesus

16695, trying to break 17K, but I'm already at 1300/1850, lmao.

EDIT: Not happening, nothing past 1300 will get through 3DMark11









Oh well, here's the final score I achieved. 1st for 2x 7950, 89th for 2x GPU, and just plain fun


----------



## Jessekin32

Installed 12.4 again. Frames are still complete crap. 16-21 fps. This is so disappointing.


----------



## Jessekin32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Update: Fixed my framerate issues by going back to 12.3, but now I'm still left with this weird screen tearing happening down at the bottom of my screen. It's never in another spot, it's always there in every game.
> Anyone else getting anything like this? It ONLY happens with Vsync on. And it seems as if I get more mircostuttering with Vsync anyways, So it looks like I'll be playing without Vsync for a bit.
> Ignore the ghosting with the rest of the image, notice only the screen tear at the bottom of my screen. It looks like a weird "3" shape, and the line along the bottom extends ALL the way across my right monitor, too:
> (Had to take a pic with my phone. Screen caps won't show Tearing.)


Anyone with any insight on this issue as well?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> 16695, trying to break 17K, but I'm already at 1300/1850, lmao.
> EDIT: Not happening, nothing past 1300 will get through 3DMark11
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh well, here's the final score I achieved. 1st for 2x 7950, 89th for 2x GPU, and just plain fun


What volts you running on the memory?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> What volts you running on the memory?


1.7









Also, these were all on 12.4.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> And for the 0.993v user, some cards are that voltage by default (Mine is), but not sure why yours would show up differently at different times? Does it also show different values randomly in GPU-z


Yeah strange shizzle eh...

Have you seen my other post testhing this abit more?, here it is again :
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Def. a bug in the new trixx version.
> Did a bench of 3dmark again now with GPU-Z logging in the background.
> My max VDDC was 1.154 (in Trixx set at 1.168) with vdroop in mind this a very much possible.
> But the default voltage mentioned in Trixx (0.990) is not possible since 1.154 is an 164mv increase while the cards should be capped at 125mv increase.
> So im guessing my default voltage is 1.087 just like the previous version of Trixx mentioned all along.


So... Conclusion? Bug in new Trixx version?


----------



## lsdmeasap

Na, 0.993 default is possible and is not a TRIXX bug, some cards come that way such as mine.

I've also seen several reviewers note this as well









Here you can see in GPU-z, lowest voltage I can set applied, and highest applied, going way above the .125 I keep hearing about and have seen my card go way outside this window in many logged benchmark runs. So not sure where that came from or how it's suppose to apply to all cards, but it obviously doesn't apply to them all.

Here is a HUGE difference in actual voltage, *0.478v-0.459v idle/load difference (@ 0.85V - 1.309/1.328V)*, compared to the 0.125 allowed that everyone mentions.

*0.800V Set / Idle*








http://i.imgur.com/jNwdv.png

*1.381 Set / Under GPU-z render load*








http://i.imgur.com/XPbWr.jpg

*^^ That same core voltage before vdroop steps in ^^*








http://i.imgur.com/VEyS8.png

My card shows 0.993 in GPU-z, HWInfo, ect before / without the use of any apps such as iTurbo, AB, Trixx, ect, and when all of those are opened voltage starts at 0.993. Google around about it, you'll find some reviews mentioning their samples came that way as well.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *horror1229*
> 
> Any one with a 7950 do me a favor pop in crysis and let me know if you see artifacts in the shadows , pixel sized white dots and only in the shadows nowhere else . Want to make sure its not my card . Sapphire 7950 oc , amd 12.4 was using 12.3 same thing .Didnt get this with my last card ( 6950 ) . Hopefully its the game or driver my 30 days for refund at the egg are up and rma ing through sapphire is a pain . Also if i run in dx9 mode the artifacts are not there .


I have problems with crysis too. Looks like its game, i am getting, green dots when AA is enabled.
Also i witnessed this with GTX 570 SLI setup.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Na, 0.993 default is possible and is not a TRIXX bug, some cards come that way such as mine.
> I've also seen several reviewers note this as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you can see in GPU-z, lowest voltage I can set applied, and highest applied, going way above the .125 I keep hearing about and have seen my card go way outside this window in many logged benchmark runs. So not sure where that came from or how it's suppose to apply to all cards, but it obviously doesn't apply to them all.
> Here is a HUGE difference in actual voltage, *0.478v-0.459v idle/load difference (@ 0.85V - 1.309/1.328V)*, compared to the 0.125 allowed that everyone mentions.
> *0.800V Set / Idle*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/jNwdv.png
> *1.381 Set / Under GPU-z render load*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/XPbWr.jpg
> *^^ That same core voltage before vdroop steps in ^^*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/VEyS8.png
> My card shows 0.993 in GPU-z, HWInfo, ect before / without the use of any apps such as iTurbo, AB, Trixx, ect, and when all of those are opened voltage starts at 0.993. Google around about it, you'll find some reviews mentioning their samples came that way as well.


Thanks for your info !








And indeed I have seen cards and reviews mentioning this 0.993 BUT I have also seen and read people with the same card having a voltage of around 1090mv. So thats 100mv higher, probably depending on ASIC quality.
Strange thing though is that Trixx is sometimes displaying this 0.990 and other times 1087mv... While the previous version of Trixx ALWAYS displayed 1087mv as default vcore.
Confused...


----------



## sena

My card default voltage is also 0.993V.
ASIC is 77.9%.


----------



## lsdmeasap

Well, I know if you set x.xx voltage, even "Stock" with any app, then open another app and try to reset it's still going to be the same you just set it at with the previous app. So, in playing around trying to figure out what was going on maybe that is what happened and you didn't notice or think of that?

Often, a reboot or manual set back down to 0.993 is the only way it's going to go back there, as most apps will have the higher stock value programmed as the default when you hit reset. So you'd always have to manually set yours back to 0.993 if you raised it, or reboot, same would apply if you hit default/reset in any app that doesn't have the 0.993 default programmed in there.

That's the only reasons I can think of, and the only times I've seen mine at a higher value when at stock. But on reboot with any app it shows 0.993 as default, until you play around with it








I tried to mod Trixx for everyone with lower value, but 0.800 is as low as I could get it, at least on 79xx cards anyway.

My Asic value is 75.5%


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Check ULPS disabled?


Always







I disable that right after installing driver and cap. I've got that down for sure by now. Then I will install MSI AB. I didn't enable UOM yet tho, but don't think that's going to help. Will try later today. This is the first time changing the driver since my fresh OS install and using only 12.3 whql, so I waited for 12.4 whql. Maybe I'll just try the 8.97 as it was showing the highest FPS out of any drivers yet.


----------



## sena

Guys, now i have one stupid question.
What is CAP?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, now i have one stupid question.
> What is CAP?


Catalyst Application Profiles.

Is the proper voltage set a feature of Trixx, or the 12.4 drivers? If you can set voltage correctly in 12.4, I'll continue to use AB, but if it's Trixx - well I might just have to leave AB until it's properly stable


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Well, I know if you set x.xx voltage, even "Stock" with any app, then open another app and try to reset it's still going to be the same you just set it at with the previous app. So, in playing around trying to figure out what was going on maybe that is what happened and you didn't notice or think of that?
> Often, a reboot or manual set back down to 0.993 is the only way it's going to go back there, as most apps will have the higher stock value programmed as the default when you hit reset. So you'd always have to manually set yours back to 0.993 if you raised it, or reboot, same would apply if you hit default/reset in any app that doesn't have the 0.993 default programmed in there.
> That's the only reasons I can think of, and the only times I've seen mine at a higher value when at stock. But on reboot with any app it shows 0.993 as default, until you play around with it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried to mod Trixx for everyone with lower value, but 0.800 is as low as I could get it, at least on 79xx cards anyway.
> My Asic value is 75.5%


Got around the same ASIC, around 76%.
But your explanation makes sense, and thinking of it, its often when pushing the reset button that Trixx is reverting back to 1087mv instead of 990mv.
So.... It seems that the previous version of Trixx was reading the default voltage of my card wrong...
So I have been gaming at a pretty dangerous volt the last couple of months lol, as I have been told all the time you should overvoltage your card max 125mv on air... That would mean 1115mv instead of the 1168mv I am using at the moment


----------



## sena

Thx LAF. That is only useful for CFX, right?
Daffie, i also had problem with voltage reading, MSI AB and trixx when i click reset, they revert voltage to 1.087V, and if i manually set voltage to 0.993V, i would get carsh, so to work properly, i would have to delete MSI AB, or Trixx, or GPU Tweak.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Got around the same ASIC, around 76%.
> But your explanation makes sense, and thinking of it, its often when pushing the reset button that Trixx is reverting back to 1087mv instead of 990mv.
> So.... It seems that the previous version of Trixx was reading the default voltage of my card wrong...
> So I have been gaming at a pretty dangerous volt the last couple of months lol, as I have been told all the time you should overvoltage your card max 125mv on air... That would mean 1115mv instead of the 1168mv I am using at the moment


That's not true, there is a built in limit of +125mV on the cards, so you would have only been running 1115mV anyway unless your card is unlocked, and really, if temps aren't getting too high on air I don't think you're anyway near dangerous voltage levels.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx LAF. That is only useful for CFX, right?
> Daffie, i also had problem with voltage reading, MSI AB and trixx when i click reset, they revert voltage to 1.087V, and if i manually set voltage to 0.993V, i would get carsh, so to work properly, i would have to delete MSI AB, or Trixx, or GPU Tweak.


No, CAPs should be used for single card configurations as well. That said, a LOT of my problems disappeared when I uninstalled CAPs.


----------



## DaClownie

Just scooped up a gigabyte 7970 reference! wewt! Should be in tomorrow..

question... Anyone order a 7970 and get Deus Ex: Human revolution code and want a Dirt 3 code in trade? I really want human revolution, don't care AT ALL about Dirt 3. I hate how they give you choices like that :/


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx LAF. That is only useful for CFX, right?
> Daffie, i also had problem with voltage reading, MSI AB and trixx when i click reset, they revert voltage to 1.087V, and if i manually set voltage to 0.993V, i would get carsh, so to work properly, i would have to delete MSI AB, or Trixx, or GPU Tweak.


CAP is not only for cfx, from time to time improvements for single card users are also added.
But there is no new CAP for 12.4 yet, so no use for now I think.

About the voltage... I am abit concerned now about my voltage being to high (1168mv), Should I try and lower it to 1115mv or just leave it as it is since my temps are not going above 70degrees in gaming (on air)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> That's not true, there is a built in limit of +125mV on the cards, so you would have only been running 1115mV anyway unless your card is unlocked, and really, if temps aren't getting too high on air I don't think you're anyway near dangerous voltage levels.
> No, CAPs should be used for single card configurations as well. That said, a LOT of my problems disappeared when I uninstalled CAPs.


No offence but this 125mv limit seems to be bull****...
Read a few posts back about my post recording my 3dmark run... I had 1154mv as real voltage during the run, that is 164mv over stock voltage !


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> CAP is not only for cfx, from time to time improvements for single card users are also added.
> But there is no new CAP for 12.4 yet, so no use for now I think.
> About the voltage... I am abit concerned now about my voltage being to high (1168mv), Should I try and lower it to 1115mv or just leave it as it is since my temps are not going above 70degrees in gaming (on air)


If it's stable at 1115, then go ahead. If not, you'll need to leave it. Those temps are fine so don't be concerned about the voltage.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> 16695, trying to break 17K, but I'm already at 1300/1850, lmao.
> EDIT: Not happening, nothing past 1300 will get through 3DMark11
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh well, here's the final score I achieved. 1st for 2x 7950, 89th for 2x GPU, and just plain fun


I suddenly don't like you anymore







Just kidding







You put me back down a place in 2x7950...

How the hell do you manage 1300/1850 ? seriously ? I thought my cards was ok and it stops at 1170/1725 on mine, i even had to do 3-4 restarts and 3dmark just to get that past the
whole bench. And are you on water on gpu, and last question, what was your physic and combined ?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I am a huge AMD Fan but is AMD ******ed? Do i still got to use RC11 even after 4 months of the card being out? I use RC11 but in reality you want to use the latest drivers to get all the performance they afford. Just got 12.4 and they have fixed nothing i mean nothing.

1) After not using the PC @ Night i sometimes either turn off the monitor or it goes to power saving mode. (U2711 Loses Connection to PC if you turn it off) In the morning the PC does not wake up. By PC i mean the GPU HD 7970 because the computer i know for a fact its working because i can still access my Video Server and everything works.
Had this problem with other official releases but no RC11.
2) This other one kills it for me. I am not sure if any of you have experienced it but in short after using the computer for different things like Youtube, word processing, picture, video and then try to play a game the GPU is infected? Basically i get super low fps (BF3 ~ 20-40fps appose to 60-80fps, Dota 2 60fps but drops to 30-40fps) This can be normal if you leave a youtube video on and the card gets stuck in 2D clocks but based on MSI AB and GPU-Z the GPU is @ full speed, full clock, full volts and even 99% GPU usage even in Dota 2 which i get 30-40%.
3) Another stupid thing is when you are using the computer for different things and you stitch from page to page and depending on the load the GPU clocks up and down the screen flickers. Its is really anointing. Did not not do it it RC11 but it did with 12.2.

I feel really stupid. I am not going to go buy a GTX680 but i will definitely consider Nvidia over AMD next upgrade. I really find it hard to speed as much money on a AMD card as a Nvidia GPU having these kind of drivers.
Does AMD have like 2 people working on drivers? Did they not bother after RC11?


----------



## Exostenza

Just want to report that these drivers work flawlessly just like 12.1/2/3 did for me. Haven't had a single issue gaming with this uber sick card and the AMD drivers.









Super stoked they fixed the screen tearing with multiple monitors. That was annoying as hell.

It seems to me like the people out there having issues either have Crossfire-X or it must be something with their setup or a faulty GPU. I have literally had NO PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER and have used all 4 drivers since I got my card. Never had a sleep issue, never had a game crash, never had graphical anomalies, never had clock issues (while OC'd the whole time). Everything just works perfectly!


----------



## Dousand Thollars

I'm still shopping around and I was considering two 7970s in Crossfire, but after what Zealot said I'm not so sure. It's a beastly overclocker, but AMD seems to have just put it on the market and said "Yep, we're done here, lets go put some more cores on something"

All these issues are hugely concerning for a potential customer like me. And frankly, they're issues that AMD should have ironed out months ago.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Just want to report that these drivers work flawlessly just like 12.1/2/3 did for me. Haven't had a single issue gaming with this uber sick card and the AMD drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Super stoked they fixed the screen tearing with multiple monitors. That was annoying as hell.
> It seems to me like the people out there having issues either have Crossfire-X or it must be something with their setup or a faulty GPU. I have literally had NO PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER and have used all 4 drivers since I got my card. Never had a sleep issue, never had a game crash, never had graphical anomalies, never had clock issues (while OC'd the whole time). Everything just works perfectly!


Get another card and join the fun then


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dousand Thollars*
> 
> I'm still shopping around and I was considering two 7970s in Crossfire, but after what Zealot said I'm not so sure. It's a beastly overclocker, but AMD seems to have just put it on the market and said "Yep, we're done here, lets go put some more cores on something"
> All these issues are hugely concerning for a potential customer like me. And frankly, they're issues that AMD should have ironed out months ago.


He is annoyed no doubt. But generally people with no problems don't post telling everyone.
I have had no issues with a single gpu setup. xfire was a headache but 12.4 drivers have resolved all my problems.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I am a huge AMD Fan but is AMD ******ed? Do i still got to use RC11 even after 4 months of the card being out? I use RC11 but in reality you want to use the latest drivers to get all the performance they afford. Just got 12.4 and they have fixed nothing i mean nothing.
> 1) After not using the PC @ Night i sometimes either turn off the monitor or it goes to power saving mode. (U2711 Loses Connection to PC if you turn it off) In the morning the PC does not wake up. By PC i mean the GPU HD 7970 because the computer i know for a fact its working because i can still access my Video Server and everything works.
> Had this problem with other official releases but no RC11.
> 2) This other one kills it for me. I am not sure if any of you have experienced it but in short after using the computer for different things like Youtube, word processing, picture, video and then try to play a game the GPU is infected? Basically i get super low fps (BF3 ~ 20-40fps appose to 60-80fps, Dota 2 60fps but drops to 30-40fps) This can be normal if you leave a youtube video on and the card gets stuck in 2D clocks but based on MSI AB and GPU-Z the GPU is @ full speed, full clock, full volts and even 99% GPU usage even in Dota 2 which i get 30-40%.
> 3) Another stupid thing is when you are using the computer for different things and you stitch from page to page and depending on the load the GPU clocks up and down the screen flickers. Its is really anointing. Did not not do it it RC11 but it did with 12.2.
> I feel really stupid. I am not going to go buy a GTX680 but i will definitely consider Nvidia over AMD next upgrade. I really find it hard to speed as much money on a AMD card as a Nvidia GPU having these kind of drivers.
> Does AMD have like 2 people working on drivers? Did they not bother after RC11?


dude did you disable amd ulps aka ultra low power state since you install the new driver.... if not then thats your problem, 12.4 driver it flawless in gaming for me its sooooo much smoother in bf3


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dousand Thollars*
> 
> I'm still shopping around and I was considering two 7970s in Crossfire, but after what Zealot said I'm not so sure. It's a beastly overclocker, but AMD seems to have just put it on the market and said "Yep, we're done here, lets go put some more cores on something"
> All these issues are hugely concerning for a potential customer like me. And frankly, they're issues that AMD should have ironed out months ago.


It could be a simple fix but seeing as i have had ATi GPUs for over 5 years and installed more then 100 drivers i dont thing i as a person need to be in any way or form qualified to install driver for HD 7970. The thing is that i dont even have CF.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> dude did you disable amd ulps aka ultra low power state since you install the new driver.... if not then thats your problem, 12.4 driver it flawless in gaming for me its sooooo much smoother in bf3


Never had to so it with with RC11. Also why should i do? All these problems happen @ Stock. I also though ULPS is for CF only? In games 12.4 when they work are better for use. With RC11 i got 7805 GPU score, 12.4 i got 8058 GPU score so its a nice improvement.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> He is annoyed no doubt. But generally people with no problems don't post telling everyone.
> I have had no issues with a single gpu setup. xfire was a headache but 12.4 drivers have resolved all my problems.


It might sound false but that would be every 7970 in this forum has posted about something bad. Also being a active member and following this thread i dont post negative but positive experiences too. If 12.4 gave me no problems i would have posted something in here.


----------



## John-117

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I am a huge AMD Fan but is AMD ******ed? Do i still got to use RC11 even after 4 months of the card being out? I use RC11 but in reality you want to use the latest drivers to get all the performance they afford. Just got 12.4 and they have fixed nothing i mean nothing.
> 1) After not using the PC @ Night i sometimes either turn off the monitor or it goes to power saving mode. (U2711 Loses Connection to PC if you turn it off) In the morning the PC does not wake up. By PC i mean the GPU HD 7970 because the computer i know for a fact its working because i can still access my Video Server and everything works.
> Had this problem with other official releases but no RC11.
> 2) This other one kills it for me. I am not sure if any of you have experienced it but in short after using the computer for different things like Youtube, word processing, picture, video and then try to play a game the GPU is infected? Basically i get super low fps (BF3 ~ 20-40fps appose to 60-80fps, Dota 2 60fps but drops to 30-40fps) This can be normal if you leave a youtube video on and the card gets stuck in 2D clocks but based on MSI AB and GPU-Z the GPU is @ full speed, full clock, full volts and even 99% GPU usage even in Dota 2 which i get 30-40%.
> 3) Another stupid thing is when you are using the computer for different things and you stitch from page to page and depending on the load the GPU clocks up and down the screen flickers. Its is really anointing. Did not not do it it RC11 but it did with 12.2.
> I feel really stupid. I am not going to go buy a GTX680 but i will definitely consider Nvidia over AMD next upgrade. I really find it hard to speed as much money on a AMD card as a Nvidia GPU having these kind of drivers.
> Does AMD have like 2 people working on drivers? Did they not bother after RC11?


1) Has happened to me too. Try 12.4 WHQL
2) It's happened to me with the 5870. I had played a Youtube video and left the browser on, then played some BF3. But GPU clocks were stuck at 500MHz (video playback). So close any Youtube tabs before you game.
3) Do you use Firefox?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> 1) Has happened to me too. Try 12.4 WHQL
> 2) It's happened to me with the 5870. I had played a Youtube video and left the browser on, then played some BF3. But GPU clocks were stuck at 500MHz (video playback). So close any Youtube tabs before you game.
> 3) Do you use Firefox?


1)I have 12.4 WHQL
2) That is normal. What i have need a PC restart. It happens with nothing open other then the game.
3) I use Opera. No problems with RC11, I even tried to disable HW Acceleration but it did not help. Monitoring MSI AB it happens each time there is a clock up or down of the GPU.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> 1)I have 12.4 WHQL
> 2) That is normal. What i have need a PC restart. It happens with nothing open other then the game.
> 3) I use Opera. No problems with RC11, I even tried to disable HW Acceleration but it did not help. Monitoring MSI AB it happens each time there is a clock up or down of the GPU.


Uninstall AB. Gave me all weird problems, even when the program was not running, just installed.


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> 1)I have 12.4 WHQL
> 2) That is normal. What i have need a PC restart. It happens with nothing open other then the game.
> 3) I use Opera. No problems with RC11, I even tried to disable HW Acceleration but it did not help. Monitoring MSI AB it happens each time there is a clock up or down of the GPU.


Install all Windows updates.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Uninstall AB. Gave me all weird problems, even when the program was not running, just installed.


I think that could be it. Should i try Trixx?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I think that could be it. Should i try Trixx?


Yeah, its nice. Totally hassle free.

Remove AB totally, ATI man to remove all ati now, some reboots. 12.4 install, then trixx.

I went round and round and could not figure for the life of me what the problem was with EVERY driver since RC11. I was having bizarre problems that nobody else seemed to be having. RC11 was only driver that played nice with AB in my experience but it is just too old now.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> 1)I have 12.4 WHQL
> 2) That is normal. What i have need a PC restart. It happens with nothing open other then the game.
> 3) I use Opera. No problems with RC11, I even tried to disable HW Acceleration but it did not help. Monitoring MSI AB it happens each time there is a clock up or down of the GPU.


1) Get rid of AB and any other overclocking tool (uninstall via control panel)
2) uninstall current drivers via control panel (uninstall CAP first - reboot every time inbetween)
3) remove all ATI/AMD dirs in your user directories (show hidden folders / Files)
4) uninstall the GPU also via device manager and reboot (this should erase every setting)
5) use ccleaner to clean registry
6) install 12.4 whql (reboot when needed)
7) install newest Trixx
8) have fun !









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> If it's stable at 1115, then go ahead. If not, you'll need to leave it. Those temps are fine so don't be concerned about the voltage.


I doubt it will be stable at 1115mv.
First time with new Trixx I made a mistake and run a 3dmark at 1068mv instead of 1168mv and got all kinds of screen flickering + hanging + display driver stopped working. Only thing I could do in the end was forced reboot...
But I will try, you never know


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Welp, played BF3 for 3 hours last night with absolutely no issues whatsoever. Then switched to Crysis 2 and hard locked after like 10 mins. This was at stock. Really starting to hate AMD...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Welp, played BF3 for 3 hours last night with absolutely no issues whatsoever. Then switched to Crysis 2 and hard locked after like 10 mins. This was at stock. Really starting to hate AMD...


On the other hand, you can not expect new drivers to work with all ''older'' games. This is the same story with nvidia drivers, I speak out of experience


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Wasn't aware Crysis 2 and BF3 were "old" games (both DX11 after all)...


----------



## Sparda1990

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> On the other hand, you can not expect new drivers to work with all ''older'' games. This is the same story with nvidia drivers, I speak out of experience


Crysis 2 is not old , even if its old thats not justify the constant fail of amd new drivers which indicate How bad are the developers in Amd .

Nvidia are ahead big time in the drivers stability and preformance in the long run .


----------



## sena

Looks like i am also the victim of long idle bug. Now drivers just crashed in win, after monitor wake up.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> [email protected]#$orget that. I'm not falling for this again. Will wait for Allgamer to be the guinea pig LOLZ.
> 
> 
> 
> LOL
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> don't you worry i'll be testing them out for sure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can't get any worse than what it's already is (hope i didn't jinx it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
Click to expand...

alright my worst fear has come to light

12.4 WHQL is worse than the beta version

Crossfire is dead completely with or without crossfire enable,

Eyefinity is ok, or it might be broken, as when you run non Eyefinity compatible games only 1 screen turns on
but now the same game / bench shows up in all 6 screen

for Eyefinity compatible games, they still work properly

i'll try 12.4 WHQL again if i have time later today in a clean install of Win7 to see if it makes any difference


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Wasn't aware Crysis 2 and BF3 were "old" games (both DX11 after all)...


Wasn't aware I said somewhere that BF3 is an ''old'' game ??
Dont put words in my mouth please...
I was speaking about crysis 2.
And like I told here before on the forum, I had the same thing happening with me with a nvidia card and a certain game. Only drivers that did not crash with that game were the ones that came with the card.
People here should really try and look at the big picture. Its not like nvidia is so great with their drivers so that every single game works without problems. It really is not. I wish it were, I would buy nvidia every time if it was !


----------



## sena

I agree with daffie here.
We all know AMD drivers sucks, but Nvidia is not flawless either. They too have some quirks.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dousand Thollars*
> 
> I'm still shopping around and I was considering two 7970s in Crossfire, but after what Zealot said I'm not so sure. It's a beastly overclocker, but AMD seems to have just put it on the market and said "Yep, we're done here, lets go put some more cores on something"
> All these issues are hugely concerning for a potential customer like me. And frankly, they're issues that AMD should have ironed out months ago.


The cards will go to 2d clocks when playing videos because to play the video without crashing it needs to downclock. Now this is not a problem and i feel zealotkiller is making more of it than he needs to. If you do not play videos while your playing a game the clocks will be fine and so will the performance. Can you watch video while playing a game idk? Now the sleep issue can be solved by turning of ULPS or simply turning off sleep/hibernate. I work for Asus Tech support and i also get calls about Nvidia cards that do this as well. I thought it was an AMD problem but it isn't. I had the problem with my hd 5870 and it only did it when i put the computer to sleep from the log in screen with the keyboard. If i put it to sleep inside windows it woke up everytime. I have not had this issue with my 7970. I got better FPS in crysis 2, bf3 and a huge improvement in DIRT3.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> alright my worst fear has come to light
> 12.4 WHQL is worse than the beta version
> Crossfire is dead completely with or without crossfire enable,
> Eyefinity is ok, or it might be broken, as when you run non Eyefinity compatible games only 1 screen turns on
> but now the same game / bench shows up in all 6 screen
> for Eyefinity compatible games, they still work properly
> i'll try 12.4 WHQL again if i have time later today in a clean install of Win7 to see if it makes any difference


I'm having bad probs to with 12.4 WHQL drivers the only good thing is now my cards idle @ 500/1375 that is what I expect running on a 30" . When I was using 12.3 WHQL 2 of my cards in crossfire would not idle . What I dont understand is why does my 30" get the same idle speeds as if I was running eyefinity , and now when I run Heaven or other benchmarks 2 of my 3 cards in crossfire stay at idle speeds 500/1375 and only my primary card runs at full speed this is with 12.4 WHQL I am hoping it is not another damn bug again . BTW this is with a clean install of Windows 7 I always wait for windows to install all updates befor I install the drivers . So now when I run games only 1 of my cards that is my primary card my screen is hooked up to runs full speed while the other 2 are idle . Damn AMD I know for sure next upgrade I will go Nvidia , and I hope more go Nvidia to .
Its pretty sad for us people that spend this kinda money to go through this we dont deserve this . I guess I will just have a big expensive computer sitting here for looks that dont play games . For every new driver relessed there is new problems . I am fed up . There is no need at all for 1 30" screen to need all 3 cards running at 500/1375 all the time if that was the only prob though I would not be that mad and would actually be pretty lucky . I said it once befor I left AMD cpus and chipsets there gpus are next .


----------



## Hambone07si

Well I've always used AB. I have a G15 and like the monitoring that I get from AB. I also use the OSD all the time. I would really hate to give that up. Does the new Trixx support OSD and Logitech display. I'm using Firefox also, could that be a issue with 12.4 whql?

What I did:
Fresh OS install
all drivers and updates
installed 12.3 whql
installed 12.3 cap 1
disable ulps
install Msi AB
enable UOM

Everything was fine even overclocking and playing all games. Only thing was 2nd card wouldn't drop to 2d clocks unless I opened 3dmark11 and stopped it while loading first test, then 2nd card would drop.

12.4 whql came out.

I uninstalled MSI AB, reboot
uninstalled 12.3 cap 1, reboot
uninstalled 12.3 whql, reboot
installed 12.4 whql, reboot
installed 12.3 cap1, reboot
disable ulps, reboot
installed MSI AB, seen new hardware, reboot
I didn't enable UOM yet,

Fired up BF3 and then I get 21fps and card 1 running 9-20% at 1125/1500 and 2nd card running 100% at 500/1375. Shut down AB and same thing.

Thought if I didn't mess with any beta's, this was the correct way that should of been fine.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well I've always used AB. I have a G15 and like the monitoring that I get from AB. I also use the OSD all the time. I would really hate to give that up. Does the new Trixx support OSD and Logitech display. I'm using Firefox also, could that be a issue with 12.4 whql?
> What I did:
> Fresh OS install
> all drivers and updates
> installed 12.3 whql
> installed 12.3 cap 1
> disable ulps
> install Msi AB
> enable UOM
> Everything was fine even overclocking and playing all games. Only thing was 2nd card wouldn't drop to 2d clocks unless I opened 3dmark11 and stopped it while loading first test, then 2nd card would drop.
> 12.4 whql came out.
> I uninstalled MSI AB, reboot
> uninstalled 12.3 cap 1, reboot
> uninstalled 12.3 whql, reboot
> installed 12.4 whql, reboot
> installed 12.3 cap1, reboot
> disable ulps, reboot
> installed MSI AB, seen new hardware, reboot
> I didn't enable UOM yet,
> Fired up BF3 and then I get 21fps and card 1 running 9-20% at 1125/1500 and 2nd card running 100% at 500/1375. Shut down AB and same thing.
> Thought if I didn't mess with any beta's, this was the correct way that should of been fine.


Dog 2 of my cards are not even working in crossfire in everything . what a wast lol







BTW everything was fine for me 2 with 12.3 WHQL other then idle I could not even watch youtube videos with out getting my cards stuck in 3d clocks now the cards are stuck in 2D clocks . AMD must have a few retarts making drivers they need to hire some pros .


----------



## Hambone07si

LMAO, I know, Did you try running 3dmark11 with 12.4 whql? My cards both jump to 3d clocks with that, but not in BF3 now. BF3 was the only game I tried last night. I will try more later today.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Wasn't aware I said somewhere that BF3 is an ''old'' game ??
> Dont put words in my mouth please...
> I was speaking about crysis 2.
> And like I told here before on the forum, I had the same thing happening with me with a nvidia card and a certain game. Only drivers that did not crash with that game were the ones that came with the card.
> People here should really try and look at the big picture. Its not like nvidia is so great with their drivers so that every single game works without problems. It really is not. I wish it were, I would buy nvidia every time if it was !


Dude, I mentioned the games I was playing and you said drivers can't be expected to work on "old games". You didn't specify which game was "old" so I assumed you meant both (neither of which is old anyway considering their both DX11).

And as far as Nvidia vs. AMD goes, NOBODY said Nvidia is perfect but facts are facts and I can say without any reservation that I never had ANY of the issues with my Nvidia single card and SLI setups that I am now suffering from with these 7970's. There is an absolute, 100% for certain conclusion that Nvidia's drivers are better, more stable, and reliable on more games than any of AMD's. I just wish AMD's drivers were even half as good as their hardware...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> [email protected]#$orget that. I'm not falling for this again. Will wait for Allgamer to be the guinea pig LOLZ.
> 
> 
> 
> LOL
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> don't you worry i'll be testing them out for sure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can't get any worse than what it's already is (hope i didn't jinx it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> alright my worst fear has come to light
> 
> 12.4 WHQL is worse than the beta version
> 
> Crossfire is dead completely with or without crossfire enable,
> 
> Eyefinity is ok, or it might be broken, as when you run non Eyefinity compatible games only 1 screen turns on
> but now the same game / bench shows up in all 6 screen
> 
> for Eyefinity compatible games, they still work properly
> 
> i'll try 12.4 WHQL again if i have time later today in a clean install of Win7 to see if it makes any difference
Click to expand...

From what I've come across, think Tslm posted a reference to it, that supposedly AMD is working their butts off to fix our specific issue in 12.5. But when is that lol? Where is Waldo??


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO, I know, Did you try running 3dmark11 with 12.4 whql? My cards both jump to 3d clocks with that, but not in BF3 now. BF3 was the only game I tried last night. I will try more later today.


No I did not run that benchmark yet !


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I can say for certain that these will be the last AMD video cards I buy. The GPU itself is fantastic as is the MSI non-reference board but I just can't stomach spending $1200 for video cards that crash in my games even at stock with stock drivers. As soon as 680 Lightnings show up I'm gone...


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> From what I've come across, think Tslm posted a reference to it, that supposedly AMD is working their butts off to fix our specific issue in 12.5. But when is that lol? Where is Waldo??


I just herd waldo in this song lol 



 gud song skip to 1:02


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I can say for certain that these will be the last AMD video cards I buy. The GPU itself is fantastic as is the MSI non-reference board but I just can't stomach spending $1200 for video cards that crash in my games even at stock with stock drivers. As soon as 680 Lightnings show up I'm gone...


Same here to dude its my last anything amd


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I can say for certain that these will be the last AMD video cards I buy. The GPU itself is fantastic as is the MSI non-reference board but I just can't stomach spending $1200 for video cards that crash in my games even at stock with stock drivers. As soon as 680 Lightnings show up I'm gone...


It's because the guy that ran the Catalyst team moved. The previous team matured the Cayman drivers in 3 months. This team, we're still on the damn release drivers because all the updates have broken things worse. Care to ask me if I wish the old team head was still here?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well I've always used AB. I have a G15 and like the monitoring that I get from AB. I also use the OSD all the time. I would really hate to give that up. Does the new Trixx support OSD and Logitech display. I'm using Firefox also, could that be a issue with 12.4 whql?
> What I did:
> Fresh OS install
> all drivers and updates
> installed 12.3 whql
> installed 12.3 cap 1
> disable ulps
> install Msi AB
> enable UOM
> Everything was fine even overclocking and playing all games. Only thing was 2nd card wouldn't drop to 2d clocks unless I opened 3dmark11 and stopped it while loading first test, then 2nd card would drop.
> 12.4 whql came out.
> I uninstalled MSI AB, reboot
> uninstalled 12.3 cap 1, reboot
> uninstalled 12.3 whql, reboot
> installed 12.4 whql, reboot
> installed 12.3 cap1, reboot
> disable ulps, reboot
> installed MSI AB, seen new hardware, reboot
> I didn't enable UOM yet,
> Fired up BF3 and then I get 21fps and card 1 running 9-20% at 1125/1500 and 2nd card running 100% at 500/1375. Shut down AB and same thing.
> Thought if I didn't mess with any beta's, this was the correct way that should of been fine.


Only thing I dont understand is why you would install a cap that is meant for an older driver?
Maybe try without the CAP?
Dunno, just trying to help !


----------



## jamaican voodoo

i dont think the majority of you guys knows how to install drivers







it's really sad cause i'm not having any of the issues you guys are having. maybe i need to make a video showing you guys how uninstall and install the drivers... i'm running crossfire with the new drivers and i am seeing increase performance in bf3 also my 3dmark score when up no issues here







.....i feel bad for the guys that having problems imo most you guys problems are simple fixies too, when your frustrated you wont think straight


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's because the guy that ran the Catalyst team moved. The previous team matured the Cayman drivers in 3 months. This team, we're still on the damn release drivers because all the updates have broken things worse. Care to ask me if I wish the old team head was still here?


Well let's get him the hell back because I can't take much more of this crap. I understand that most of *my problems* have dealt with trying to unlock voltages and overclocking but this is a clean, stock install and its still crashing in games for no apparent reason. There's just no excuse for that. I mean, I know these are beta 12.4 drivers but the same issue was there on 12.3 WHQL as well...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's because the guy that ran the Catalyst team moved. The previous team matured the Cayman drivers in 3 months. This team, we're still on the damn release drivers because all the updates have broken things worse. Care to ask me if I wish the old team head was still here?
> 
> 
> 
> Well let's get him the hell back because I can't take much more of this crap. I understand that most of *my problems* have dealt with trying to unlock voltages and overclocking but this is a clean, stock install and its still crashing in games for no apparent reason. There's just no excuse for that. I mean, I know these are beta 12.4 drivers but the same issue was there on 12.3 WHQL as well...
Click to expand...

I would love that but the APU team stole him from us!


----------



## Dousand Thollars

Switchblade, I do often run media player while I'm playing games, now that I have a 3 monitor setup I expect I'll focus a lot more on the gaming side of it. But back when I was using 2 screens one would be dedicated to whatever I was playing and the other would be some playlist of whatever mindless crap I wanted to watch while waiting to spawn again. So yes, it is an issue for me. But that's not my point.

AMD has had this card out for what...almost 4 months now?

It is inexcusable to still not have such a simple fix as "Increase the video performance when there is more video demand".

I understand there's a whole lot more to it than that. But it's been almost a third of a year and this is their *FLAGSHIP* card. Personally I expect more from AMD's software department and it seems that everyone else feels the same way.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> i dont think the majority of you guys knows how to install drivers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it's really sad cause i'm not having any of the issues you guys are having. maybe i need to make a video showing you guys how uninstall and install the drivers... i'm running crossfire with the new drivers and i am seeing increase performance in bf3 also my 3dmark score when up no issues here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .....i feel bad for the guys that having problems imo most you guys problems are simple fixies too, when your frustrated you wont think straight


There is only 1 way to install driver on a fresh windows install or is there more then 1 way cause the last i knew was you just hit the install button on the catalyst install manager


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Well let's get him the hell back because I can't take much more of this crap. I understand that most of *my problems* have dealt with trying to unlock voltages and overclocking but this is a clean, stock install and its still crashing in games for no apparent reason. There's just no excuse for that. I mean, I know these are beta 12.4 drivers but the same issue was there on 12.3 WHQL as well...


you sure that overlcocking on you processor is stable dude...you might be blaming the card for no reason when can be an unstable overclock


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dousand Thollars*
> 
> Switchblade, I do often run media player while I'm playing games, now that I have a 3 monitor setup I expect I'll focus a lot more on the gaming side of it. But back when I was using 2 screens one would be dedicated to whatever I was playing and the other would be some playlist of whatever mindless crap I wanted to watch while waiting to spawn again. So yes, it is an issue for me. But that's not my point.
> AMD has had this card out for what...almost 4 months now?
> It is inexcusable to still not have such a simple fix as "Increase the video performance when there is more video demand".
> I understand there's a whole lot more to it than that. But it's been almost a third of a year and this is their *FLAGSHIP* card. Personally I expect more from AMD's software department and it seems that everyone else feels the same way.


I am just saying that it is supposed to do that. It is supposed to downclock or the videos especially flash will crash. But Nvidia cards also do this. You can set a custom profile that set clocks when certain applications are being used


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> i dont think the majority of you guys knows how to install drivers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it's really sad cause i'm not having any of the issues you guys are having. maybe i need to make a video showing you guys how uninstall and install the drivers... i'm running crossfire with the new drivers and i am seeing increase performance in bf3 also my 3dmark score when up no issues here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .....i feel bad for the guys that having problems imo most you guys problems are simple fixies too, when your frustrated you wont think straight


Please do. I'd watch it for sure. I'd like to see the "real way". As long as it's still letting me use Msi AB, perfect. If not, that sucks. I have never had any issues with drivers Amd or Nvidia like whats been happening since buying the 7970's. Never had these issues with my Xfire 5870's, before that I haven't had a Ati card since the 9800 pro. Been on Nvidia since, tried the 5000's, then went to 3 480's for surround, I had my share of issues with the 3 480's too, but driver installs were very simple and worked ok and never had to use third party software to do it and never had to do a fresh OS install because they broke windows files.


----------



## slice259

Running 12.4 WHQL Drivers and AB 2.2.0 Final on my Crossfire 7970's with zero issues. 12.4 seems to be a big improvment over 12.3 in BF3, Game-play is so smooth, its like butter. Overall I can safely say these cards are working great.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slice259*
> 
> Running 12.4 WHQL Drivers and AB 2.2.0 Final on my Crossfire 7970's with zero issues. 12.4 seems to be a big improvment over 12.3 in BF3, Game-play is so smooth, its like butter. Overall I can safely say these cards are working great.


Hmm, maybe it 2.2 beta 15 giving me the problem. I'll try 2.2.0 when I get home.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Hi guys.( new on this forum know it isn't OT)

now further OT.
since day 1 the 7970's came out till now im using the RC11 drivers.
12.3/12.4beta/12.4WHQL didn't work properly for me.
rediculously bad frames when playing BF3. 12.4 @ 5760x1200 7970's are sapphire ref. cards @ 1200/1600Mhz 24/7
been busy for few hours testing/installing/resintalling etc. getting fed up with the drivers......... since im still on release date drivers. they are the only ones that seem to work properly
did everything the proper way. (image without display drivers) so i can revert back when drivers aint working properly.disabling ulps etc etc etc.
Hope some guys can give me some insight wth is going on since the RC 11 drivers. seems like they are getting worse. 12.3->bad ->12.4 even worse.

Im on a 3x1+1 setup 26 inch. iyama's

2600k - 5Ghz 1.5V @ h2O
g-skils @ 2200 Mhz 9-10-9-28 @ 1.60
7970's are sapphire ref. cards @ 1200/1600Mhz 24/7
800 watt corsair PSU.


----------



## sena

Guys, what you experience when memory is not stable. Crash or something else?
I need answer fast.
Cheers


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Artifacts(empty polygons) black/white squares etc./driver crashes/program stopped responding/freezes/black screens
Decreased peformance (because of error check) when bumping to high


----------



## killertea

I got my his radeon HD 7970 and a rat 7 gaming mouse just a few days ago. 4/24/2012. battlefield 3 is looking great now. video rendering is 1 hour, games run real smooth very happy with this card.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jayless*
> 
> Artifacts(empty polygons) black/white squares etc./driver crashes/program stopped responding/freezes/black screens
> Decreased peformance (because of error check) when bumping to high


Thx. And, these empty polygons, square, that is in large scale or barely noticable?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killertea*
> 
> I got my his radeon HD 7970 and a rat 7 gaming mouse just a few days ago. 4/24/2012. battlefield 3 is looking great now. video rendering is 1 hour, games run real smooth very happy with this card.


What are you rendering with?


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx. And, these empty polygons, square, that is in large scale or barely noticable?


It can be in small amouts but it usually means you are @ the max ammount of your clocks.
Can i ask what are your temps.? are you under water?
Volts.? frequencies.?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Hmm, maybe it 2.2 beta 15 giving me the problem. I'll try 2.2.0 when I get home.


Hambone AB 2.2 BETA is kind of rubbish. My games crashed from time to time especially when i just turned the computer on. I was quick to say it was the drivers because the screen would go black and then I would see driver has recovered. When i did it once more and checked the OSD I saw that my voltage was at stock and my overclock was now unstable. AB 2.2 Beta caused the issue and would not save my voltage settings. It also would not save my profiles either. Some ppl have their voltage increase to unacceptable levels instead of being too low because of AB.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I suddenly don't like you anymore
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just kidding
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You put me back down a place in 2x7950...
> How the hell do you manage 1300/1850 ? seriously ? I thought my cards was ok and it stops at 1170/1725 on mine, i even had to do 3-4 restarts and 3dmark just to get that past the
> whole bench. And are you on water on gpu, and last question, what was your physic and combined ?


Lol, shouldn't be too hard to beat the other people, I cleared them on the 2nd run










Umm, pretty much luck. I spent a good three hours or so slowly bumping up there. I'm going to type up a chart with voltages and what not at some point. Just so you know, it took 2 runs of 1300/1850 to get through and it was tossing a few artifacts.

I'm on water (see rig in sig







), but I was still hitting 55C on the GPUs









Graphics: 21123
Physics: 10916
Combined: 9390


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jayless*
> 
> It can be in small amouts but it usually means you are @ the max ammount of your clocks.
> Can i ask what are your temps.? are you under water?
> Volts.? frequencies.?


I am on the air, DCII cooler, i am on 1050/1575, voltage is 1.075V, temp hover between 55C and 64C, depending on the game. I didnt saw any black/white squares and empty polygons, but i am little paranoid.
Altrough i saw something, i dont know how to describe and also i dont know is it game bug or artefact.
Also what app you use to check mem stability?


----------



## killertea

Sony Vegas pro 10 i can't get 11 to work so i am going to ask Sony for a refund.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

@ sena

If you don't see anything nothing to worry about.
Look for the max of your card. when you start seing artifacts. back down 25 Mhz.) and so on-(when programs stop responding it ussualy means you have to crank up the VDDC) voltage on the GPU to maintain a stable overclock . aswell crank up the fan )by making a custom fan profile i found out mine didn't like to go over 75C.
when i keep them under i can crank out 50 Mhz more but that comes with a louder noise.(100% fan speed)
try to find a good balance because there is a difference betweem running cards 24/7 @ certain speeds than benching @ certain speeds (for a small ammount of time)
Post me some scores when you get done









GL !









(almost any 7970(50) will max out CCC clocks @ stock voltage) so there is nothing to concern about.
When you get any higher and have to bump up the voltage you will have to pay some more attention)

(sorry for my english im not an native english speaker)


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jayless*
> 
> @ sena
> If you don't see anything nothing to worry about.
> Look for the max of your card. when you start seing artifacts. back down 25 Mhz.) and so on-(when programs stop responding it ussualy means you have to crank up the VDDC) voltage on the GPU to maintain a stable overclock . aswell crank up the fan )by making a custom fan profile i found out mine didn't like to go over 75C.
> when i keep them under i can crank out 50 Mhz more but that comes with a louder noise.(100% fan speed)
> try to find a good balance because there is a difference betweem running cards 24/7 @ certain speeds than benching @ certain speeds (for a small ammount of time)
> Post me some scores when you get done
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> GL !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (sorry for my english im not an native english speaker)


Thx, i will post some screens when i resolve MSI AB unoficial mode problems.
1100 Mhz is easy to obtain, even for 24/7, if you dont mind some extra noise, but my ears are preety sensitive so i prefer less perfomance for better acoustic. I need 45% fan on my card to keep it under 70C, i have custom profile too, if its hot in my room. And do you have HD 7970 or HD 7950 and what model you have?
Also sorry for my english too, its not my native language.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx, i will post some screens when i resolve MSI AB unoficial mode problems.
> 1100 Mhz is easy to obtain, even for 24/7, if you dont mind some extra noise, but my ears are preety sensitive so i prefer less perfomance for better acoustic. I need 45% fan on my card to keep it under 70C, i have custom profile too, if its hot in my room. And do you have HD 7970 or HD 7950 and what model you have?
> Also sorry for my english too, its not my native language.


Im running running Sapphire's 7970's 1200/1600 @ 1.2 V 24/7
supplying my videosignal for 3 x 26 inch iyama's + 1 small 19inch acer for desktop activities.(check my profile for pics)


----------



## sena

@ jayless
Very nice rig. I am also waiting for some price drops so i can grab one more.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Thx m8!

yes it definatly would be worth it.
these things scale like monsters.

To bad the drivers are still a bit messed up for using eyefinity + crossfire in certain configurations.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> you sure that overlcocking on you processor is stable dude...you might be blaming the card for no reason when can be an unstable overclock


I assume so, it was stable with my 580's...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> 1) Has happened to me too. Try 12.4 WHQL
> 2) It's happened to me with the 5870. I had played a Youtube video and left the browser on, then played some BF3. But GPU clocks were stuck at 500MHz (video playback). So close any Youtube tabs before you game.
> 3) Do you use Firefox?
> 
> 
> 
> 1)I have 12.4 WHQL
> 2) That is normal. What i have need a PC restart. It happens with nothing open other then the game.
> 3) I use Opera. No problems with RC11, I even tried to disable HW Acceleration but it did not help. Monitoring MSI AB it happens each time there is a clock up or down of the GPU.
Click to expand...

Which port are ya using for the U2711? Sleep bug doesn't affect DVI only.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

I just tried to play cod Black ops and it crashed my pc everytime trying no bsod or anything just black screen and caint do anything other then reset . This is the only game I have found so far that is not acting right with the 12.4 WHQL drivers with clean windows 7 install . Still have probs with 2 of my 7970's being stuck in 2D when running a 3D app like a game . I dont know what's worse being stuck in 3D with 12.3 or stuck in 2D with the new 12.4 . Think i'm going back to 12.3 with a clean windows install and just dealing with stuck 3D thats better then stuck 2D I think .







BTW anyone else have cod black ops to try out for me ? Just to see if it's just me or what .


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Lol, shouldn't be too hard to beat the other people, I cleared them on the 2nd run
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Umm, pretty much luck. I spent a good three hours or so slowly bumping up there. I'm going to type up a chart with voltages and what not at some point. Just so you know, it took 2 runs of 1300/1850 to get through and it was tossing a few artifacts.
> I'm on water (see rig in sig
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ), but I was still hitting 55C on the GPUs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Graphics: 21123
> Physics: 10916
> Combined: 9390












There was some of my point earlier mate, if i had say 2600k or 3xxx-something from intel my score would increase, but i'm happy still. Gpu's are on air.

Graphics Score
18875
Physics Score
9220
Combined Score
8486

55c on water,lol thats not high normally but you really gotto have some voltage on those cards to get that temp. I had 4870x2 before these cards, so 84c idle and +100at load was normal, now i get scared when i enter the 70's







lol


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the answer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the 12.4 drivers you can check the Morphological filter checkbox but after that nothing happens. No MLAA 2.0.
> This is cause im only on 12.4 drivers?


I was just informed that MLAA 2.0 is not available at 12.4 whql


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Which port are ya using for the U2711? Sleep bug doesn't affect DVI only.


I am using DVI port.


----------



## Lompang

Recently bought a 7970 HD from XFX and It worked fine for 4 days, but now starts artifacting WITH ONLY drivers installed. If I uninstall them it goes away, no idea why it happens any help? I've tried 12.4/12.3 both give me artifacts and it's not overheating, it gets random artifacts when I'm just surfing and watching videos.


----------



## sena

What kinds of artifacts?
Dots, squares?


----------



## Lompang

Like these.

http://filesmelt.com/dl/faceofmankind.png


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Like these.
> http://filesmelt.com/dl/faceofmankind.png


Looks like Vram, i suggest RMA.
Altrough before RMA, you can try it in anather PC.


----------



## Lompang

Going to do so. But I think it may be something else in my computer. I had a Radeon 5970 that artifacted, but it worked fine in another one's comp. I have no idea why. And it was the main reason I upgraded and artifacting shown up again. I don't know if it's my bad luck or not. Could it be another component in the computer like the Power Supply or something as I just bought a new MOBO/CPU/RAM.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Going to do so. But I think it may be something else in my computer. I had a Radeon 5970 that artifacted, but it worked fine in another one's comp. I have no idea why. And it was the main reason I upgraded and artifacting shown up again. I don't know if it's my bad luck or not. Could it be another component in the computer like the Power Supply or something as I just bought a new MOBO/CPU/RAM.


System specks? Did you try a Clean Install of Windows?


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Recently bought a 7970 HD from XFX and It worked fine for 4 days, but now starts artifacting WITH ONLY drivers installed. If I uninstall them it goes away, no idea why it happens any help? I've tried 12.4/12.3 both give me artifacts and it's not overheating, it gets random artifacts when I'm just surfing and watching videos.


You could try this, http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/remove-old-drivers-after-upgrading-to-new-hardware/ . Also I use ATIman to remove all of the old Catalyst drivers. Hope you get you get your problem fixed.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There was some of my point earlier mate, if i had say 2600k or 3xxx-something from intel my score would increase, but i'm happy still. Gpu's are on air.
> Graphics Score
> 18875
> Physics Score
> 9220
> Combined Score
> 8486
> 55c on water,lol thats not high normally but you really gotto have some voltage on those cards to get that temp. I had 4870x2 before these cards, so 84c idle and +100at load was normal, now i get scared when i enter the 70's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol


Lol, I know. Its not like I have a 3960X or something on LN2









I have them at 1.299V (1.3 doesn't go, lol), so.... USE ALL THE VOLTS!

I had a 5970 before and it didn't pass 44C load under water, lmao.

I remember my 4870X2s, those were hilariously loud and powerful (at the time).


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Like these.
> 
> http://filesmelt.com/dl/faceofmankind.png


I don't know the game, but in that screen shot is it meant to be raining ?...because if it is, then I would say a driver problem.

The artifacts look very uniformed


----------



## XDyuXD

Can someone help me? I have an HD7950 Sapphire Dual Fan overclocked, and I keep getting the "the amd display driver stopped working" at random. Using 12.4 official release, in games i can play hours of The Witcher 2 but when Iam just browsing it randomly crashes. I use stock while browsing and 1.1ghz/1500mhz @ 1.150V while gaming, temps are good so fat (68 at full and 42 at idle and browsing).


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Can someone help me? I have an HD7950 Sapphire Dual Fan overclocked, and I keep getting the "the amd display driver stopped working" at random. Using 12.4 official release, in games i can play hours of The Witcher 2 but when Iam just browsing it randomly crashes. I use stock while browsing and 1.1ghz/1500mhz @ 1.150V while gaming, temps are good so fat (68 at full and 42 at idle and browsing).


Which browser are you using?


----------



## Dahlmann

Just got my 2nd 7970, finally! And the best of it all, it reads 88.3% ASIC!







Can't wait to break this puppy in - unfortunately my 1st card is a 74.1%


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Which browser are you using?


Mozilla Firefox 12, i dunno if its something with mozilla or the graphics card.


----------



## switchblade

what psu are u using? And pls note your temps, clock speeds and voltages


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> what psu are u using? And pls note your temps, clock speeds and voltages


Its a XFX 650w, temps are around 40 at idle and maximum of 68-69 playing The Witcher 2, using stock during browser ( 900 Core and 1250 Memos @ 0.993v) and during game i change the profile on MSI afterburner ( 1.1ghz Core and 1500 memos @ 1.150V).


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I can say for certain that these will be the last AMD video cards I buy. The GPU itself is fantastic as is the MSI non-reference board but I just can't stomach spending $1200 for video cards that crash in my games even at stock with stock drivers. As soon as 680 Lightnings show up I'm gone...


I promised myself I wouldn't buy any more computer parts until 2013... but if you're getting rid of them I'll have one








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Only thing I dont understand is why you would install a cap that is meant for an older driver?
> Maybe try without the CAP?
> Dunno, just trying to help !


As I've said multiple times in this thread, a lot of my problems disappeared when I removed CAPs. I run 12.3 with no CAP now. Going to try 12.4 sometime soon, just waiting on the new S.T.E.P then I'm reformatting to 12.4


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I promised myself I wouldn't buy any more computer parts until 2013... but if you're getting rid of them I'll have one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As I've said multiple times in this thread, a lot of my problems disappeared when I removed CAPs. I run 12.3 with no CAP now. Going to try 12.4 sometime soon, just waiting on the new S.T.E.P then I'm reformatting to 12.4


Deal! But you're going to have to wait until the 680 Lightning releases...


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Deal! But you're going to have to wait until the 680 Lightning releases...


No worries, I have quite a few expenses coming up over the next month anyway


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Its a XFX 650w, temps are around 40 at idle and maximum of 68-69 playing The Witcher 2, using stock during browser ( 900 Core and 1250 Memos @ 0.993v) and during game i change the profile on MSI afterburner ( 1.1ghz Core and 1500 memos @ 1.150V).


srry was asking lompang. Your'e problem isnt the PSU since under load its ok. what u need to do is try a different browser and see if the problem still exists. Then we could narrow down the focus and see whats happening.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Which browser are you using?
> 
> 
> 
> Mozilla Firefox 12, i dunno if its something with mozilla or the graphics card.
Click to expand...

Try turning off hardware acceleration for FF.


----------



## Jessekin32

Still need some help if someone could help me...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Oh wow. So brand new, clean install of windows 7, basic mobo drivers , 12.4 drivers, and a clean install of BF3. I'm now able to launch the game, but my frames went to complete crap.
> 
> I'm at about 20-22 in BF3 ultra settings no motion blur, 8xEQ. I was at around minimum 58ish frames, and max around 120 before. Average was about 60 because of vsync.
> 25-30 in DiRT 3, max settings.
> 
> I need to figure why my frames are so low now. GPU1's usage was at 25% constant, and GPU2 was at 100%. Really weird.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Update: Fixed my framerate issues by going back to 12.3, but now I'm still left with this weird screen tearing happening down at the bottom of my screen. It's never in another spot, it's always there in every game.
> 
> Anyone else getting anything like this? It ONLY happens with Vsync on. And it seems as if I get more mircostuttering with Vsync anyways, So it looks like I'll be playing without Vsync for a bit.
> 
> Ignore the ghosting with the rest of the image, notice only the screen tear at the bottom of my screen. It looks like a weird "3" shape, and the line along the bottom extends ALL the way across my right monitor, too:
> (Had to take a pic with my phone. Screen caps won't show Tearing.)


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> srry was asking lompang. Your'e problem isnt the PSU since under load its ok. what u need to do is try a different browser and see if the problem still exists. Then we could narrow down the focus and see whats happening.


Yup, installe chrome and it APPEARS to stop the crashing, but because its random Iam not sure.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Try turning off hardware acceleration for FF.


Iam using chrome and it apeears to be working fine.


----------



## Frojoe

Im just posted after a bit to see the word on getting more out of the card. im up to 1.262 volts 1220 core 1600mem (if I want too) Im looking to try to increase the core speed. If I try an voltage higher I cant surpass the 1220 mark. I was wondering if there is any new tips? If flashing the Asus bios actually works and does something different. Any suggestions or is my max reached?


----------



## Hambone07si

12.4 is killing me. I can't get this to work at all with BF3. I'm trying the 8.97 beta


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> 12.4 is killing me. I can't get this to work at all with BF3. I'm trying the 8.97 beta












Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> While resolving some issues, i went to download 12.3 again, but instead was presented with 12.4 WHQL! Enjoy everyone!
> 
> (Link is to Windows 7 64 bit.)
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx
> 
> (Universal Link to chose which OS and bit you need.)
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/downloads.aspx
> 
> 
> 
> [email protected]#$orget that. I'm not falling for this again. Will wait for Allgamer to be the guinea pig LOLZ.
Click to expand...


----------



## Hambone07si

8.97 is rock'n


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 8.97 is rock'n


Really???


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 8.97 is rock'n
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really???
Click to expand...

I *really* wouldn't try it.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Really???


Yes sir







12.4 whql was ridiculous!! 8.97 working great. Msi AB 2.2.0 installed, UOM enabled. OSD enabled. G15 screen enabled. BF3 working great. MW3 working great. 3dmark11 ran at 1150/1500 got 16K+. 12.5, can't wait!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I *really* wouldn't try it.


YOUR CRAZY! It actually works. Not 1 issue. Played a hour of MW3 with a bud and got 1rst 5 out of 6 rounds. Locked at 90.1fps at only 50-60% on both cards. Using Msi AB with OSD and UOM enabled, ulps disabled. In Eyefinity on Xfire. You sure?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Anyone else having issues with with pc waking up after installing the new drivers?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dousand Thollars*
> 
> Switchblade, I do often run media player while I'm playing games, now that I have a 3 monitor setup I expect I'll focus a lot more on the gaming side of it. But back when I was using 2 screens one would be dedicated to whatever I was playing and the other would be some playlist of whatever mindless crap I wanted to watch while waiting to spawn again. So yes, it is an issue for me. But that's not my point.
> 
> AMD has had this card out for what...almost 4 months now?
> 
> It is inexcusable to still not have such a simple fix as "Increase the video performance when there is more video demand".
> 
> I understand there's a whole lot more to it than that. But it's been almost a third of a year and this is their *FLAGSHIP* card. Personally I expect more from AMD's software department and it seems that everyone else feels the same way.


same here, another major reason why i wanted Eyefinity

so i can play games in a gigantic windowed mode, while watching my Animes or whatever TV series like Fringe or whatever i happen to be following while playing online

specially times when you are just camping the base, or waiting for things to happen in game, the wait gets pretty boring, or if people are just yapping away nonsense and you don't wanna hear any of that stuff

LOL


----------



## ZealotKi11er

So far AMD Betas > Offical Updates.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> So far AMD Betas > Offical Updates.


Sadly that ain't sayin' much.


----------



## Hambone07si

Only drivers that worked great so far for me was Rc11, 7800 launch driver 8.95.5 , and now 8.97. All have worked with Xfire and Eyefinity with no issues and proper CCC functioning. Guess we all have different beast to tame


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm on 12.4 beta right now and everything was fine until Crysis 2 locked on me last night. All my other games seem to be stable with 12.4 so far...


----------



## travva

I've given up on trying to get my cards to go up to 1200 core, it just isn't gonna happen I guess. I'm not sure where the problem is, whether it's a PSU limitation, or the cards themselves, or what, but I'm trying 1125 now to see if it's BF3 stable. I seriously wonder if a lot of these guys claiming to have these ridiculous clocks are even remotely stable, or what they're using to deem their cards stable.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Only drivers that worked great so far for me was Rc11, 7800 launch driver 8.95.5 , and now 8.97. All have worked with Xfire and Eyefinity with no issues and proper CCC functioning. Guess we all have different beast to tame


That's the same exact ones that have been good for me 2. That's wired me and you must be having similar problems. I'm going to try the 8.97!!! Did you just uninstall 12.4 WHQL and then install 8.97? BTW MW3 worked good for me though with 12.4 WHQL I played with my new account and worked all the way up from level 1 to 76 in 3 hours using my aimbot







getting noobz mad I could have just used my rank hack and typed any level I wanted in and had level 81 and prestige 15 in one sec but I wanted to play some what legit I keep my aimbot turned down so I did not look so obvious . Anyhow COD Black Ops is what I was having probe in did you try that with 12.4 WHQL?


----------



## disintegratorx

I'm running my clocks with the Catalyst 12.4, on games now at 1105/1475 with my voltage at 1.125 with the MSI AB.. Very solid. And looks great.









Update. I'm at 1105/1475 with voltage set at 1.143 and now my card's supermanning BF3. lol I also did a couple more driver installations, but still on 12.4.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Trifire is broke for me in a few games with 12.4 . Only 2 cards working in Crysis 2 , MW3 , Alan Wake along with bad FPS . And still COD Black Ops crashes my pc when starting .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm on 12.4 beta right now and everything was fine until Crysis 2 locked on me last night. All my other games seem to be stable with 12.4 so far...


Crysis 2 runs for me just bad FPS and only 2 out of 3 cards running . I did a clean windows install with 12.4 WHQL , did you ?


----------



## kumquat

Im having a BSOD issue with CS:S as soon as i installed 12.4, im running CF 7970's at stock clocks.
The game crashes when its launched. The game launches into a video which freezes and BSODs.
The BSOD code thingo is 116.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm on 12.4 beta right now and everything was fine until Crysis 2 locked on me last night. All my other games seem to be stable with 12.4 so far...
> 
> 
> 
> Crysis 2 runs for me just bad FPS and only 2 out of 3 cards running . I did a clean windows install with 12.4 WHQL , did you ?
Click to expand...

install the latest caps from amd's site, i bet that's your issue.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Just played Crysis 2 for about 2 hours and no problems. Weird.


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Only drivers that worked great so far for me was Rc11, 7800 launch driver 8.95.5 , and now 8.97. All have worked with Xfire and Eyefinity with no issues and proper CCC functioning. Guess we all have different beast to tame


^^^ this .. agreed and likely will role back ... 12.4 & caps are junk for me in BF3... seriously getting tired of this .. I just want to play...


----------



## wirefox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kumquat*
> 
> Im having a BSOD issue with CS:S as soon as i installed 12.4, im running CF 7970's at stock clocks.
> The game crashes when its launched. The game launches into a video which freezes and BSODs.
> The BSOD code thingo is 116.


116 usually means not enough volts to NB ... e.g. you card needs more juice.

I noticed that the new AB doesn't have the +20 boost ... I feel like I need to juice up my AB mv to compensate... are you running AB?


----------



## Ruined

I'm getting close to RMAing this card, always had a weird stutter + artifacts in 3dmark and some games, now even at stock and in every game, earlier drivers used to not cause problems in certain games, yet were terrible in others. Now even going back to them doesn't do anything. Edit: Any tips would be really appreciated as I really don't want to go through the process.


----------



## Ken1649

If you have overclocked the card, it could be the after effect of pushing it too hard.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> I've given up on trying to get my cards to go up to 1200 core, it just isn't gonna happen I guess. I'm not sure where the problem is, whether it's a PSU limitation, or the cards themselves, or what, but I'm trying 1125 now to see if it's BF3 stable. I seriously wonder if a lot of these guys claiming to have these ridiculous clocks are even remotely stable, or what they're using to deem their cards stable.


My 7970 is running 1300MHz/1700MHz @ 1299Mv stable under water and with the 12.4 drivers (Battlefield 3 stable). It also ran fine with those clocks at 1250Mv in the Heaven Benchmark and Kombustor Benches/Burn-ins but would lock up and crash the driver after a few minutes of BF3...so I maxed voltage and there have been no problems what-so-ever. Temps hit a max of ~52°C after a couple hours of BF3.

With the 12.3 drivers I had trouble getting it above 1250MHz and could only get it BF3 stable running 1225MHz/1675MHz @ 1225Mv.

This doesn't help you at all but yeah...


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> I've given up on trying to get my cards to go up to 1200 core, it just isn't gonna happen I guess. I'm not sure where the problem is, whether it's a PSU limitation, or the cards themselves, or what, but I'm trying 1125 now to see if it's BF3 stable. I seriously wonder if a lot of these guys claiming to have these ridiculous clocks are even remotely stable, or what they're using to deem their cards stable.


Lol, well I'm on water first of all. And I will fully admit that 1300/1850 was throwing quite a few artifacts and what-not, but it cleared 3DMark11 and that was good enough for me







The coil whine on these things is ridiculous...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kumquat*
> 
> Im having a BSOD issue with CS:S as soon as i installed 12.4, im running CF 7970's at stock clocks.
> The game crashes when its launched. The game launches into a video which freezes and BSODs.
> The BSOD code thingo is 116.


I have a similar issue with 116 and it says atikmpag.sys, but mine just happens randomly. I'm thinking its because I run 3 monitors and it hates me, lol. When I went down to one monitor to do benches and push the cards, not a single BSOD. Went back to three, threw a BSOD in like 15 minutes. Went to two, haven't seen one in a really long time. I'm not really sure what it is.


----------



## Ruined

I'll be trying a fresh windows reinstall hopefully that will fix somethings, if not I'll probably send it back as MSI covers overclocking







, I have pushed this card pretty hard, but from day one it had problems with 3Dmark and multiple games. A weird stutter is the main issue, it goes fine no artifacts and all but then fps will go kinda random for a sec while the screen freezes, and then continues from where it would have been if it didn't freeze, very noticeable.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Lol, well I'm on water first of all. And I will fully admit that 1300/1850 was throwing quite a few artifacts and what-not, but it cleared 3DMark11 and that was good enough for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The coil whine on these things is ridiculous...
> I have a similar issue with 116 and it says atikmpag.sys, but mine just happens randomly. I'm thinking its because I run 3 monitors and it hates me, lol. When I went down to one monitor to do benches and push the cards, not a single BSOD. Went back to three, threw a BSOD in like 15 minutes. Went to two, haven't seen one in a really long time. I'm not really sure what it is.


I have the same thing.
BSODíng on me with anything but RC11.
Atikmdag.sys
happening in Black ops ,Crysis 2,Alan wake.
It sometimes occure's even in IDLE mode. getting pretty sick of it.
everytime i get my hopes up with a new driver i end up loading back rc11..

(Did anyone got 12.4 working properly with eyefinity + crossfire 7XXX)


----------



## Jessekin32

Loaded up 8.97, and i'm running everything flawlessly. MUCH better frames than 12.3. BF3 averages around 100 fps in an open metro setting, thats all Ultra at 6080x1080 (8xEQ)

I'm happy now.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jessekin32*
> 
> Loaded up 8.97, and i'm running everything flawlessly. MUCH better frames than 12.3. BF3 averages around 100 fps in an open metro setting, thats all Ultra at 6080x1080 (8xEQ)
> I'm happy now.


Would you be so kind to upload a few benchmarks for me.?
Im thinking of switching to LGA 2011. but want to see what the increases in peformance are between running 2 x 7970 océd on x 8 x 8 pci-e 2.0
VS your pci-e 3.0 X16 x 16.

Because you seem to have verry good FPS.
(its aloud to ask here in this Topic?)


----------



## piskooooo

5GHz, 1200/1500MHz, 1.2v = P9504
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3285848

5GHz, 1200/1500MHz, 1.299v = P9717
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3275662

wut?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *piskooooo*
> 
> 5GHz, 1200/1500MHz, 1.2v = P9504
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3285848
> 5GHz, 1200/1500MHz, 1.299v = P9717
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3275662
> wut?


What driver are you on?


----------



## piskooooo

12.4/7.14.10.0903


----------



## John-117

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *piskooooo*
> 
> 5GHz, 1200/1500MHz, 1.2v = P9504
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3285848
> 5GHz, 1200/1500MHz, 1.299v = P9717
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3275662
> wut?


4.5GHz, 1200/1500, 1.187v =P9960
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3285916;jsessionid=1a6x9y3nkj8nas14odzdhqvzy

Same scores, except for physics. Probably you aren't exactly stable at 1.2v

edit:
1200/1600, 1.187v/1.6v = P10081
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3285943


----------



## kumquat

Quote:


> 116 usually means not enough volts to NB ... e.g. you card needs more juice.
> 
> I noticed that the new AB doesn't have the +20 boost ... I feel like I need to juice up my AB mv to compensate... are you running AB?


not running afterburner, just stock clocks, stock volts (1174mV).......BF3 is perfectly stable, CS:S wont even launch, can someone else try and play CS:S ?


----------



## piskooooo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> 4.5GHz, 1200/1500, 1.187v =P9960
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3285916;jsessionid=1a6x9y3nkj8nas14odzdhqvzy
> Same scores, except for physics. Probably you aren't exactly stable at 1.2v
> edit:
> 1200/1600, 1.187v/1.6v = P10081
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3285943


Alright cool, I'll have to mess with it more.


----------



## kumquat

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kumquat*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> 116 usually means not enough volts to NB ... e.g. you card needs more juice.
> I noticed that the new AB doesn't have the +20 boost ... I feel like I need to juice up my AB mv to compensate... are you running AB?
> 
> 
> 
> not running afterburner, just stock clocks, stock volts (1174mV).......BF3 is perfectly stable, CS:S wont even launch, can someone else try and play CS:S ?
Click to expand...

CS:S does work when Crossfire is disabled with 12.4 (7970's), i know it doesnt matter but......yeh, dodgey stuff going on


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Going to do so. But I think it may be something else in my computer. I had a Radeon 5970 that artifacted, but it worked fine in another one's comp. I have no idea why. And it was the main reason I upgraded and artifacting shown up again. I don't know if it's my bad luck or not. Could it be another component in the computer like the Power Supply or something as I just bought a new MOBO/CPU/RAM.


It could be PSU.
What PSU you have.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Anyone else having issues with with pc waking up after installing the new drivers?


Me looks like. Yesterday PC just waked up without reason, and when i tryed to enter Google Chrome after wake up, my drivers crashed.
EDIT: Now i saw you are mentiontg entire PC, i had problem with monitor sleep.
Sorry for double post.


----------



## TheJesus

Alright, so my 2 monitors wasn't impervious, lol. I bumped the NF200 voltage, we'll see if that fixes it. Could it possibly be that I don't have those molex plugs on the mobo plugged in (the EZ Plugs that give extra GPU power)?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Alright, so my 2 monitors wasn't impervious, lol. I bumped the NF200 voltage, we'll see if that fixes it. Could it possibly be that I don't have those molex plugs on the mobo plugged in (the EZ Plugs that give extra GPU power)?


I doubt that thosw extra molexes make difference, i had two GTX 570 cards, and they were working superb without those molexes.


----------



## TheJesus

If anyone was interested in a chart with relative gains, voltage, temps, etc for 7950s CF under water, I made one while I was brutalizing my cards







Here you go:



Stable* denotes it ran through the benchmarks but hiccuped and ruined the score.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> If anyone was interested in a chart with relative gains, voltage, temps, etc for 7950s CF under water, I made one while I was brutalizing my cards
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you go:
> 
> Stable* denotes it ran through the benchmarks but hiccuped and ruined the score.


Those are some verry nice figures.
What are your 24/7 clocks.


----------



## Andrazh

I bumbed into a weird problem.

I installed new cooler on my graphics card and when i installed it back into my computer. My screens were black and the standby light were blinking on screens. Tried only one screen. Same problem. Tried other PCI-e slot. Screen turns on and everything works normally. Try first slot. Again same problem. Figured i somehow damaged the slot. I tried my gtx 295 on first slot. It works. So slot works, card works. I don't know what could be the problem? I reset bios couple of times. Don't know what else to try? I really want it working in first slot cuz its 16x second is only 8x. I know there is not alot of diference but there is some and that counts.


----------



## Dahlmann

Any new developments regarding BIOS for overclocking?

Is the general consensus still, that the ASUS overclock bios does the trick well, or has MSI or Sapphire come up with something interesting as of lately?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> That's the same exact ones that have been good for me 2. That's wired me and you must be having similar problems. I'm going to try the 8.97!!! Did you just uninstall 12.4 WHQL and then install 8.97? BTW MW3 worked good for me though with 12.4 WHQL I played with my new account and worked all the way up from level 1 to 76 in 3 hours using my aimbot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> getting noobz mad I could have just used my rank hack and typed any level I wanted in and had level 81 and prestige 15 in one sec but I wanted to play some what legit I keep my aimbot turned down so I did not look so obvious . Anyhow COD Black Ops is what I was having probe in did you try that with 12.4 WHQL?


I didn't try MW3 with 12.4 whql cuz BF3 wasn't going to work no matter what I tried. After 2hrs of beating my head in the wall, said F-it. Going 8.97. All I did was uninstall 12.4, reboot and installed 8.97 , then disabled ulps , installed Msi AB and set up my g15 and OSD displays, set clocks to 1125/1500 1.174v and fired up BF3 and fps went from 21 (12.4 whql) to 110 (8.97).







enabled UOM and then set clocks too 1200/1600 1.200v and fired up BF3 again and now was at 120fps Ultra in eyefinity. Fired up MW3 and played that for about a hour and a half, no AIM BOT







. just merk'n fools and got 1srt 5 out of 6 and 2nd once. Was happy with that as I was pretty lit up







. This weekend is double points for MW3. Gonna run up to next prestige. Ran 3dmark11 and AvP benchmarks and everything was perfect.

It's pretty funny that I know when a driver is going to work right. When I install it and boot up, if it's going to work right, I have to set up eyefinity and arrange the screens, when a driver isn't going to work for me, I set up eyefinity and it just goes to 5760x1080 and I don't have to arrange the screens. Weird, but it's true. Will test this driver some more when I get home tonight
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Alright, so my 2 monitors wasn't impervious, lol. I bumped the NF200 voltage, we'll see if that fixes it. Could it possibly be that I don't have those molex plugs on the mobo plugged in (the EZ Plugs that give extra GPU power)?


Yes you should have those plugged in. Both of them. I use them and when I had my 3 480's on this board is helped get higher clocks and stable. I bump the NF200 up some also, just not crazy. Try about .05v - .075v over default.


----------



## mltms

i want to rise the memory voltt up 1.65
is it dangerous ?

max mem oc 1550 amd 7950


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> I've given up on trying to get my cards to go up to 1200 core, it just isn't gonna happen I guess. I'm not sure where the problem is, whether it's a PSU limitation, or the cards themselves, or what, but I'm trying 1125 now to see if it's BF3 stable. I seriously wonder if a lot of these guys claiming to have these ridiculous clocks are even remotely stable, or what they're using to deem their cards stable. [
> 
> are your cards stock or watercooled?. also how much voltage are you applying to those cards if you want to go higher bud you of to max the voltage out dont be a wuss it work for me my cards are stable as can be... at 1290 core i needed 1.343mv to stabilize my cards i'm running 1800 mem and i needed 1700 volts to stabilize the mem as well. maybe because i'm water cooling why my temps dont get out of control like max temps for me with those clocks are 58/55 , but you running on air i wouldn't recommend those clocks


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Just played Crysis 2 for about 2 hours and no problems. Weird.


haha thats funny


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> If you have overclocked the card, it could be the after effect of pushing it too hard.


yea your right i push my 7970s too far all of sudden while running 3dmark they start to artifact really bad but even when i but them back @ stock it still did it... so i have restart the computer that that seem to fix it for me


----------



## Hambone07si

jamaican voodoo,, TRIPLE posts







You do know there's a "edit" button right


----------



## jamaican voodoo

lol i'm not using to all the features yet i"ll try and familiar myself with it as i keep posting


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> lol i'm not using to all the features yet i"ll try and familiar myself with it as i keep posting


If you want to quote many people in the same post, quote someone and post it. Then quote the next guy and in the reply box, just copy that, go back and use "edit post" and paste that in below and then comment. You can keep doing that to the same post. That way you can quote 5 people and stay in one post. This tread at almost 1000 pages already and it's huge. Just helps other get info and not have to go through so many pages, but with this thread, your gonna have to do some reading for sure


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I was just informed that MLAA 2.0 is not available at 12.4 whql


Thanks for your reply ! Cant wait for 12.5 since you said it is really nice








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> That's the same exact ones that have been good for me 2. That's wired me and you must be having similar problems. I'm going to try the 8.97!!! Did you just uninstall 12.4 WHQL and then install 8.97? BTW MW3 worked good for me though with 12.4 WHQL I played with my new account and worked all the way up from level 1 to 76 in 3 hours using my aimbot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> getting noobz mad I could have just used my rank hack and typed any level I wanted in and had level 81 and prestige 15 in one sec but I wanted to play some what legit I keep my aimbot turned down so I did not look so obvious . Anyhow COD Black Ops is what I was having probe in did you try that with 12.4 WHQL?


Wow, you are so great using an aimbot








I thought you were going the nvidia way?


----------



## afadzil21

Ok. Got my 2nd 7970, Sapphire reference card. Will my Gigabyte card need to be down-clocked to match the Sapphire card to get the gains for XFire?


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Ok. Got my 2nd 7970, Sapphire reference card. Will my Gigabyte card need to be down-clocked to match the Sapphire card to get the gains for XFire?


It will automaticly downclock your fastest GPu to match your other

(or you could clock youre sapphire's to match youre gigabyte's)


----------



## Daffie82

Anybody tried the modded Trixx already?
Will be interesting to know if the memory voltage really works


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> If you want to quote many people in the same post, quote someone and post it. Then quote the next guy and in the reply box, just copy that, go back and use "edit post" and paste that in below and then comment. You can keep doing that to the same post. That way you can quote 5 people and stay in one post. This tread at almost 1000 pages already and it's huge. Just helps other get info and not have to go through so many pages, but with this thread, your gonna have to do some reading for sure


Or you could just hit the handy "multi" button, and then reply when you're done...


----------



## Dahlmann

I got a quick question for you guys.

Whenever I do a uninstall with Atiman, and it goes through all the strings like crazy. I always spot quite a bit of strings that reads "Could not be accessed", "Access Denied" or ".... could not be found" etc. First I thought I just had to run Atiman as an administrator, but I don't even have that option, it's just greyed out in Properties :/

The thing is though, when it's all done doing it's thing, Atiman tells me the uninstall was successful. BUT, if I then proceed on to Driver Sweeper (I know, I know, the antichrist...", it will still show me AMD files which has to be removed. "Fair enough", I tell myself, "let's try Driver Sweeper then, can't hurt to double-tap it, right?". BUT, even after it's done, and I've restarted my rig, Driver Sweeper will still prompt me with the same files to be removed, as if the darn thing didn't remove a damn thing!!

So, my quick question is: Is my Atiman ******* up, and not removing every bit of cursed AMD software?

PS: Didn't bring this up until now, because I've had no problems running a single card, but now that I've gotten my 2nd card, woooooaahh boy, am I in for a world of pain.....


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I didn't try MW3 with 12.4 whql cuz BF3 wasn't going to work no matter what I tried. After 2hrs of beating my head in the wall, said F-it. Going 8.97. All I did was uninstall 12.4, reboot and installed 8.97 , then disabled ulps , installed Msi AB and set up my g15 and OSD displays, set clocks to 1125/1500 1.174v and fired up BF3 and fps went from 21 (12.4 whql) to 110 (8.97).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> enabled UOM and then set clocks too 1200/1600 1.200v and fired up BF3 again and now was at 120fps Ultra in eyefinity. Fired up MW3 and played that for about a hour and a half, no AIM BOT
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . just merk'n fools and got 1srt 5 out of 6 and 2nd once. Was happy with that as I was pretty lit up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . This weekend is double points for MW3. Gonna run up to next prestige. Ran 3dmark11 and AvP benchmarks and everything was perfect.
> It's pretty funny that I know when a driver is going to work right. When I install it and boot up, if it's going to work right, I have to set up eyefinity and arrange the screens, when a driver isn't going to work for me, I set up eyefinity and it just goes to 5760x1080 and I don't have to arrange the screens. Weird, but it's true. Will test this driver some more when I get home tonight


If i caint get my probs worked out with trifire not working im going to 8.97 . I just installed the 12.3 cap 1 with 12.4 WHQL drivers , so I will see if it helps anythin . I dont know why AMD would send out drivers that breaks crossfire for three cards and not two . Do they not test things befor sending them out .







I really hate to have to install beta drivers I just did a clean install of windows . I was trying to stick with WHQL drivers cause betas seem to be a bit harder to get off , but betas are the best so far oh well .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for your reply ! Cant wait for 12.5 since you said it is really nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, you are so great using an aimbot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought you were going the nvidia way?


I have 2 GTX680 in my computer in my living room . Not near as many probs , but my computer in my room with 7970s is 1 prob after another I will never buy AMD again for any computer even computers I build for people . I was going to sell the 7970's but I know now I caint get anywhere near what I paid for them so I thought I would keep them . Plus untill I get 1 more GTX680 my 3 7970's are faster .


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Anybody tried the modded Trixx already?
> Will be interesting to know if the memory voltage really works


Yes, it works, see my images of and comments on voltages here!








http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/9730#post_17078897

Mod Version here for anyone that missed it! Maybe we should try to get the OP to edit it into the first post?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/9620#post_17072447


----------



## sena

Damn, i am also victim of long idle bug, the problem appeared when i installed 12.4.
Zero Power was working like champ on my card until now.


----------



## horror1229

Installed 12.4 , fps in games are good . Still getting the idle bug and if i set my monitor to shut off and the card goes into low power state my fps in games goes way down ( 7 fps in skyrim ! ) This will stay this way until i reboot and then it is fine . Sapphire 7950 no oc any idea what causes this .


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I bumbed into a weird problem.
> I installed new cooler on my graphics card and when i installed it back into my computer. My screens were black and the standby light were blinking on screens. Tried only one screen. Same problem. Tried other PCI-e slot. Screen turns on and everything works normally. Try first slot. Again same problem. Figured i somehow damaged the slot. I tried my gtx 295 on first slot. It works. So slot works, card works. I don't know what could be the problem? I reset bios couple of times. Don't know what else to try? I really want it working in first slot cuz its 16x second is only 8x. I know there is not alot of diference but there is some and that counts.


Anyone?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Anyone?


My first tought was that you killed you car when you were mounting a cooler, but if other card works, something else is problem.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Damn, i am also victim of long idle bug, the problem appeared when i installed 12.4.
> Zero Power was working like champ on my card until now.


Had the idle bug the whole time using 12.4


----------



## Thebreezybb

How does my Heaven unigine score compare to people with similar settings? 1100 Core / 6300 Memory. Default volts. The CPU is @ 3.6GHz


----------



## sena

1100 on default volts, you gotta be kidding me.








Btw. score is ok.
crunkazcanbe
Its pretty sad that this feature doesnt work, its very useful for me, because my PC is in room where i sleep, and i like to shut down monitor when i am sleeping.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> If i caint get my probs worked out with trifire not working im going to 8.97 . I just installed the 12.3 cap 1 with 12.4 WHQL drivers , so I will see if it helps anythin . I dont know why AMD would send out drivers that breaks crossfire for three cards and not two . Do they not test things befor sending them out .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really hate to have to install beta drivers I just did a clean install of windows . I was trying to stick with WHQL drivers cause betas seem to be a bit harder to get off , but betas are the best so far oh well .


I was doing the same, fresh OS, Whql only. I did fresh OS install and 12.3 whql and hung through til 12.4 whql came out. Installed and Xfire was broke in some games but not benches. 12.3 cap 1 didn't help so I ditched it. My Xfire was broke with 2 card also, not just 3 like you have. Tried everything form using CCC and no other software to 3 versions of MSI even forcing custom 3d profiles, then even the new TriXX. Nothing got my cards running full in BF3.

Just uninstalled and installed 8.97, disabled ULPS, installed Msi AB 2.2.0 and everything was perfect. Enabled UOM and still perfect. 8.97 beta is the best driver yet. Don't be hesitant to try. Mite be the best for you as well.


----------



## Thebreezybb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> 1100 on default volts, you gotta be kidding me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw. score is ok.
> crunkazcanbe
> Its pretty sad that this feature doesnt work, its very useful for me, because my PC is in room where i sleep, and i like to shut down monitor when i am sleeping.


I kid you not it's on default! I'll update again once i get new CPU.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Yes, it works, see my images of and comments on voltages here!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/9730#post_17078897
> Mod Version here for anyone that missed it! Maybe we should try to get the OP to edit it into the first post?
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/9620#post_17072447


Nice, thanks








Whats considered safe voltage for memory on sapphire 7950 oc edition ? +100mv max ?


----------



## switchblade

Those with the long idle bug try changing the power settings to include never for turn off display and sleep. You should be able to use your button on keyboard or start menu to put the computer to sleep and it will wake up.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> If i caint get my probs worked out with trifire not working im going to 8.97 . I just installed the 12.3 cap 1 with 12.4 WHQL drivers , so I will see if it helps anythin . I dont know why AMD would send out drivers that breaks crossfire for three cards and not two . Do they not test things befor sending them out .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really hate to have to install beta drivers I just did a clean install of windows . I was trying to stick with WHQL drivers cause betas seem to be a bit harder to get off , but betas are the best so far oh well .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was doing the same, fresh OS, Whql only. I did fresh OS install and 12.3 whql and hung through til 12.4 whql came out. Installed and Xfire was broke in some games but not benches. 12.3 cap 1 didn't help so I ditched it. My Xfire was broke with 2 card also, not just 3 like you have. Tried everything form using CCC and no other software to 3 versions of MSI even forcing custom 3d profiles, then even the new TriXX. Nothing got my cards running full in BF3.
> 
> Just uninstalled and installed 8.97, disabled ULPS, installed Msi AB 2.2.0 and everything was perfect. Enabled UOM and still perfect. 8.97 beta is the best driver yet. Don't be hesitant to try. Mite be the best for you as well.
Click to expand...

Eyefinity is still broke for me with 8.97. However I will say that they've finally fixed eyefinity 2.1 features, but the core driver issue with dx11/cfx/eyefinity is still broke in varying builds. But of course that didn't affect you!

Gdamn luck of the irish!


----------



## Aventadoor

Trade 2x watercooled 7970s for 1x GTX 680. Do it or not?
I really prefer singel card now that ive used it for some weeks. Its just so much smoother.
Or is it just AMDs crossfire which dont work very well?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Trade 2x watercooled 7970s for 1x GTX 680. Do it or not?
> I really prefer singel card now that ive used it for some weeks. Its just so much smoother.
> Or is it just AMDs crossfire which dont work very well?


Eh? Why would you burn money like that? Who are you Floyd Mayweather?

If you like single gpu, go to a single gpu, pull out one of your 7970s, and sell it. Go to night club and pull out a hundie and burn it.


----------



## Aventadoor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Eh? Why would you burn money like that? Who are you Floyd Mayweather?
> If you like single gpu, go to a single gpu, pull out one of your 7970s, and sell it. Go to night club and pull out a hundie and burn it.


Well, you wont be getting much for the 7970s these days. Mostly thanks to AMD whos making them cheaper.
On top of that Nvidia is a better card and more popular. So basicly 2x used 7970s = 1x 680
Atleast in Scandinavia. Cards here are so expensive that they cost the same used as it costs for you guys to buy new.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Well, you wont be getting much for the 7970s these days. Mostly thanks to AMD whos making them cheaper.
> On top of that Nvidia is a better card and more popular. So basicly 2x used 7970s = 1x 680
> Atleast in Scandinavia


1 7970 on water should be fine. I was running 1 and it was great. No issues at all. Overclocked it should be faster then the 680 in most games. Why would you want just 1 680 over 1 7970 on water? Use 1 and when the drivers are finally ironed out, drop the other in and be screaming. I'd almost buy you a new 680 for the 2 7970's/water








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Eyefinity is still broke for me with 8.97. However I will say that they've finally fixed eyefinity 2.1 features, but the core driver issue with dx11/cfx/eyefinity is still broke in varying builds. But of course that didn't affect you!
> Gdamn luck of the irish!


You not getting 8.97 to work well? What's giving you issues in it? I'm curious to see if it's something I haven't tried yet. I finally felt luck for once last night


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I bumbed into a weird problem.
> I installed new cooler on my graphics card and when i installed it back into my computer. My screens were black and the standby light were blinking on screens. Tried only one screen. Same problem. Tried other PCI-e slot. Screen turns on and everything works normally. Try first slot. Again same problem. Figured i somehow damaged the slot. I tried my gtx 295 on first slot. It works. So slot works, card works. I don't know what could be the problem? I reset bios couple of times. Don't know what else to try? I really want it working in first slot cuz its 16x second is only 8x. I know there is not alot of diference but there is some and that counts.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> My first tought was that you killed you car when you were mounting a cooler, but if other card works, something else is problem.


I thought that too at first but it works in other slot. And other card works in first slot. Only 7950 wont work in 1st slot. Every other combo works. I don't get it.
Apprecciate any help.

Btw with new cooler i get max 60°c in BF3 when max oc. I got round 70 before+fan at max. Now is dead silent. With v-sync on i get max 55c. So i think i well spent my 20€.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Anybody tried the modded Trixx already?
> Will be interesting to know if the memory voltage really works


Works great.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Trade 2x watercooled 7970s for 1x GTX 680. Do it or not?
> I really prefer singel card now that ive used it for some weeks. Its just so much smoother.
> Or is it just AMDs crossfire which dont work very well?


I think u should trade so I can laugh at you.


----------



## sena

Andrazh
What new you cooler you bought?
Also, did you tried to reset bios?


----------



## Andrazh

I reset bios with switch on motherboard and when on othercard even in bios to the optimal defaults.

I tried switching the cards bios with the switch. Still nothing...

I bought accelero s1 plus+copper adapter.

I really cant figure this ***** out=\


----------



## sena

Really strange problem, you can try to reinstall windows, its a long shot, but maybe it will work.


----------



## WiL11o6

Off topic:

Just bought Crysis 1 from Amazon for $5. The last time I tried to play Crysis was on my old computer which housed a e6400 and 9800GTX which I couldn't play smoothly. Just tried on my CF 7970 on RC11 and this game is amazingly beautiful for a game developed back in 2007. The graphics actually look sharper and more photo realistic vs Crysis 2. This game ran flawlessly on my CF 7970 which I was expecting problems from the get-go since CF drivers are not the best by far. There was no stutter unlike Crysis 2, Metro, etc. It was as buttery-smooth as BF3. While BF3, and Crysis 2 look amazing in its own art, the picture quality seem washed out, blurred vs the sharpness and texture quality in Crysis. The Witcher 2 does look better and it's sad that the best looking games to date are ran on DX9 engines. Imagine if they spent the time, effort and money on producing a DX11 game with as much effort as Crysis and TW2.


----------



## Hambone07si

Isn't the witcher 2 in Dx11. I was told it has all the Dx11 features.


----------



## Ken1649

Just to share with those who have idle/sleep/hibernate BSOD/crash, I finally nailed it down to Intel RAID ROM/drivers. Updated with an edited motherboard BIOS from manufacturer fixed it.

I originally thought it was related to AMD ZeroCore Power post #22, but it wasn't.


----------



## piskooooo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Isn't the witcher 2 in Dx11. I was told it has all the Dx11 features.


Nope: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_games_with_DirectX_11_support


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Isn't the witcher 2 in Dx11. I was told it has all the Dx11 features.


No but ubersambling will destroy most setups anyway, I don't even run it, just everything on max and it still dips below 60fps sometimes on my 7970 no matter how much I overclock.


----------



## XDyuXD

So far so good here, no crashes with google chrome thanks evrybody








And, do you think the voltage is okay to 1.1ghz? 1.150v?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I get screen flickering with Chrome on Youtube but not with IE9...


----------



## Eliath

Hey guys anyone having idle .high clocks problem with the 12.4 Catalyst?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Hey guys anyone having idle .high clocks problem with the 12.4 Catalyst?


If anything people are having the opposite of 12.3 . Im having 2 cards now stay stuck in 2D clocks , and on 12.3 they where stuck in 3D clocks . Only the primary card acts right with any driver for me .


----------



## stinart

After some artifact prblems with my ref 7970 o/c , i made some further tests and found that GPUTool with Afterburner OSD for monitoring , is the best and fastest way for results and conclusions.

So the conclusion is that my 7970 is a lousy clocker at best. It can keep 1100/1750 at default 1.11 vid , 77c temp and autofan speed. For 1125 core the chip needs 1.138vid but *regardeless the voltage* i must keep it under 70c degrees or it will artifact like crazy. Its funny that at 68c ,it runs perfect , at 69c some very small dots appear, and at 70c you can play on screen "chess" ->(artifact shape)









So with room temp 23c and in order to run it at 1125 for 3 hours and not artifact , i need a 63% fanspeed= crazy loud.

Imo , if you plan to buy a 7970 and stay on air , i really recommend a non-ref card because if its a temp picky biatch like mine, you will at least fight it with a silent fan.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Just to share with those who have idle/sleep/hibernate BSOD/crash, I finally nailed it down to Intel RAID ROM/drivers. Updated with an edited motherboard BIOS from manufacturer fixed it.
> 
> I originally thought it was related to AMD ZeroCore Power post #22, but it wasn't.


Been having this issue after installing 12.4. What motherboard are you using? So you just updated the bios? What editing are you referring to?


----------



## Eliath

I have my clocks after installing the 12.4 .stuck at 501/1375 idle.....going to roll back to 12.3 /


----------



## thrgk

im on 12.4, and way up on wake island, everything on high, i was getting 25fps in a helicopter way up in the air, that normal? the game looked terrible. This was at stock btw


----------



## EG8196

Is my 7970 defective?


















Thanks


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Doesn't look good but there are other areas to consider such as monitor connections and/or driver conflicts...


----------



## EG8196

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Doesn't look good but there are other areas to consider such as monitor connections and/or driver conflicts...


Using 12.4,
same result on dvi, display port, HDMI


----------



## piskooooo

If that's stock settings I would just RMA it.


----------



## EG8196

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *piskooooo*
> 
> If that's stock settings I would just RMA it.


All stock, no OC


----------



## derfer

Has anyone been able to solve the monitor sleep issue or flash 2d clock issue by doing a fresh install?


----------



## Ottesen

A quick feedback on 12.4 and cap 12.3 from me....

I have been thru _everything_ with these cards, and things seemed random, suddenly one day after trying everything it all worked, that was on 12.3 drivers. My biggest problem with 12.3 was the alan wake didn't like crossfire and i got a annoying flimmering line down on the bottom of my screen when i watched movies/youtube/series ans such...

*With 12.4 drivers...*
Watching video: Flawless
3dmark11: Flawless
Mass effect 3: Flawless
Syndicate: Flawless
Fallout Nv: Laggy/studdery like always (not because of graphics cards...)
Saints row 3: Flawless
Alan Wake: Flawless
Bf3: Freezes at startup same as with 12.3 but runs Flawless (+120fps avg with overclock)

All-in-all really good !


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Hey guys anyone having idle .high clocks problem with the 12.4 Catalyst?


Your problem is the card goes to 2d clocks. Now what you need to make sure is that there are no videos open or any embedded video on anywebpage. Having any video will cause the card to downclock to abt 500 to play the video or the video will crash and you will get an adobe crash error


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> im on 12.4, and way up on wake island, everything on high, i was getting 25fps in a helicopter way up in the air, that normal? the game looked terrible. This was at stock btw


Same problem here. Just Get RC11. I have to restart the PC each time i want to play a game. Basically after idle or non 3D mode the GPU enters this low state mode which does not get out of. It has nothing to do with clocks.


----------



## WiL11o6

Can anyone run a Crysis 1/2 bench in CF or link me to one please? I couldn't find many using Google search but seems like my scores are pretty low because they sit around 580s range. Both my cards are always sitting in 65%~ range.

Here's a Crysis 2 one. 60fps at stock speeds and the 67fps is at 1100/1575 with the AB showing both benches with GPU usage around 65%


Here's the Crysis 1. GPU usage on both is only 75% and ran at stock 925/1375 speeds.


These numbers seem a low and same with GPU usage. I doubt my 2600k at 4.5ghz is the choke point for two 7970s....I ran a Crysis 1 bench with 1 card at 1100/1575 and netted me 56fps with 95%~ GPU usage. I am on RC11, are these numbers right?

****Edit:*
Just realized my Crysis 2 bench was ran at the lowest "High" settings so I reran it with Ultra @ 1100/1575:


Same results from Ultra/High settings at 1100/1575 @ 67fps~ with GPU usage floating around 65%


----------



## skaboy607

Hi Chaps,

Need some advice if you don't mind. I'm making the jump over from Nvidia and I think i've narrowed my new GPU choices down to a 7950 and i'm torn between the XFX and the powercolor because they both have black PCB's (lame I know). Powercolor seems to have better reviews from users in terms of quality but they have two models, the standard and the PCS+. Is the PCS+ just a model with higher stock clock (factory overclock applied) and better cooling. The reason for asking is that I will overclock the card anyway and be watercooling it so is there any reason for me to spend the extra £ on the PCS+?

Thanks


----------



## sena

If you are going to watercool, yust buy the cheapest one.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Can anyone run a Crysis 1/2 bench in CF or link me to one please? I couldn't find many using Google search but seems like my scores are pretty low because they sit around 580s range. Both my cards are always sitting in 65%~ range.
> Here's a Crysis 2 one. 60fps at stock speeds and the 67fps is at 1100/1575 with the AB showing both benches with GPU usage around 65%
> 
> Here's the Crysis 1. GPU usage on both is only 75% and ran at stock 925/1375 speeds.
> 
> These numbers seem a low and same with GPU usage. I doubt my 2600k at 4.5ghz is the choke point for two 7970s....I ran a Crysis 1 bench with 1 card at 1100/1575 and netted me 56fps with 95%~ GPU usage. I am on RC11, are these numbers right?
> ****Edit:*
> Just realized my Crysis 2 bench was ran at the lowest "High" settings so I reran it with Ultra @ 1100/1575:
> 
> Same results from Ultra/High settings at 1100/1575 @ 67fps~ with GPU usage floating around 65%


Just ran mine at your settings at stock (1070MHz with my Lightnings) and noticed the same kind of GPU usage you were getting (~75%). I guess this is just more driver issues with the 7970's. Even still, my score was just about 7fps higher at stock than my 580 Lightnings were at max OC...


----------



## Clockster

Im back with the Red team.

GTX680..Stuttering issue is insane..It drove me mad..and it seems there is huge amount of people with the same issue and nothing is being done about it. 7970 here I come again


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Wow, you're the first I've seen go to the 7970 from the 680. I wasn't aware there was a stuttering issue with the 680's?


----------



## xoleras

Hi, I bought 7970s at release and also 680 sli at release. Have a pretty good idea of which one does what better, it is generally application specific. The 7970s are definitely better in crysis 1/2/WH in terms of framerates, I play at 2560 resolution with everything maxed. Also, with RC11 drivers there is a bug where your GPU usage goes awry when you switch from windowed mode with alt enter to full screen. Or should I say, if you go to windowed mode and switch back to full screen your GPU usage goes up. This only happens with RC11...it was weird, not sure how to explain it. Anyway, whoever did that crysis test, upgrade your drivers. 11.2 is horrible with GPU usage in crossfire, I had the same issues with RC11 at release.

Once I upgraded to 12.x everything was fine, really, the 12.x WHQL's are far better with GPU usage in crossfire. 12.4 WHQL has been really solid on my 7970 box as well.


----------



## Balsagna

Well I am back from basic and in tech school. Waiting to get my computer somehow. That said I am sad to see he 7970s beat and sad that they dropped 75$ in 3 months

Anyways . How are the drivers now for say skyrim? Was getting a lot of stuttering score I shipped out has that been fixed ?


----------



## Clockster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Wow, you're the first I've seen go to the 7970 from the 680. I wasn't aware there was a stuttering issue with the 680's?


Don't want to go off topic but here you go:

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=226227

Anyway I ran a 7970, then got a 2nd...then drivers drove me mad so jumped on the GTX680 bus and I regret it.

Live and learn


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Well I am back from basic and in tech school. Waiting to get my computer somehow. That said I am sad to see he 7970s beat and sad that they dropped 75$ in 3 months
> Anyways . How are the drivers now for say skyrim? Was getting a lot of stuttering score I shipped out has that been fixed ?


Its not so clear cut. At maximum overclocks for both cards, they are even, and the 7970 wins many titles. If you compare stock clocks then yes, the 680 wins, but once you overclock the advantage goes away completely.

http://hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/

There you can see the 7970 OC basically decimate a stock 680. So don't fret too much. The 680 isn't by any means a bad card, it is awesome, but IMO it does not scale as well with overclocks as does the 7970.

Also: I see you joined the air force, lol. Why didn't you join a branch for real men? I kid







I was in the Marines side of the house and both Army and Marines are always jealous, if not completely hating on airmen because you guys have it GOOD compared to us. A LOT BETTER. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune and air force guys stationed there get substandard housing pay ... because apparently our facilities are run down compared to AF. lol.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clockster*
> 
> Don't want to go off topic but here you go:
> http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=226227
> Anyway I ran a 7970, then got a 2nd...then drivers drove me mad so jumped on the GTX680 bus and I regret it.
> Live and learn


Wow, hadn't heard about that over in the 680 Club. I'm planning on jumping ship to 680 Lightnings when they release simply for the superior drivers and support. That forum link you posted had an Nvidia Tech Support guy responding to the original complaint within ten minutes! Try getting anybody from AMD to respond to a complaint at all...


----------



## xoleras

Bro sell me one of your 7970 lightnings! I was a big fan of the 580 lightnings, I can't find the 7970 lightning for sale anywhere though.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Bro sell me one of your 7970 lightnings! I was a big fan of the 580 lightnings, I can't find the 7970 lightning for sale anywhere though.


I will when the 680's come out!







Already got the other one sold too!


----------



## Clockster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Wow, hadn't heard about that over in the 680 Club. I'm planning on jumping ship to 680 Lightnings when they release simply for the superior drivers and support. That forum link you posted had an Nvidia Tech Support guy responding to the original complaint within ten minutes! Try getting anybody from AMD to respond to a complaint at all...


Problem is that is the only response they gave...and it was almost a month ago..
Meh oh well I am back to the red come monday morning.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Hi, I bought 7970s at release and also 680 sli at release. Have a pretty good idea of which one does what better, it is generally application specific. The 7970s are definitely better in crysis 1/2/WH in terms of framerates, I play at 2560 resolution with everything maxed. Also, with RC11 drivers there is a bug where your GPU usage goes awry when you switch from windowed mode with alt enter to full screen. Or should I say, if you go to windowed mode and switch back to full screen your GPU usage goes up. This only happens with RC11...it was weird, not sure how to explain it. Anyway, whoever did that crysis test, upgrade your drivers. 11.2 is horrible with GPU usage in crossfire, I had the same issues with RC11 at release.
> Once I upgraded to 12.x everything was fine, really, the 12.x WHQL's are far better with GPU usage in crossfire. 12.4 WHQL has been really solid on my 7970 box as well.


xoleras
Do you have both the multi GPU setups running. What clocks are you running the HD 7970's and GTX 680s at. Can you say which of the setups runs BF3 faster at 2560 x 1600 Ultra 4X MSAA , 7970 Crossfire or 680 SLI. can you tell both singleplayer and multiplayer. Also as they say at hardocp is the 680 SLI subjectively " smoother in BF3 " ?


----------



## Balsagna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Well I am back from basic and in tech school. Waiting to get my computer somehow. That said I am sad to see he 7970s beat and sad that they dropped 75$ in 3 months
> Anyways . How are the drivers now for say skyrim? Was getting a lot of stuttering score I shipped out has that been fixed ?
> 
> 
> 
> Its not so clear cut. At maximum overclocks for both cards, they are even, and the 7970 wins many titles. If you compare stock clocks then yes, the 680 wins, but once you overclock the advantage goes away completely.
> 
> http://hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/
> 
> There you can see the 7970 OC basically decimate a stock 680. So don't fret too much. The 680 isn't by any means a bad card, it is awesome, but IMO it does not scale as well with overclocks as does the 7970.
> 
> Also: I see you joined the air force, lol. Why didn't you join a branch for real men? I kid
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was in the Marines side of the house and both Army and Marines are always jealous, if not completely hating on airmen because you guys have it GOOD compared to us. A LOT BETTER. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune and air force guys stationed there get substandard housing pay ... because apparently our facilities are run down compared to AF. lol.
Click to expand...

That's what I have been hearing. Are the drivers doing good now? If I remember right one of my cards was a dud and couldn't get 1200. The other was flawless though.

Are the 680s doing decent at that and how are they sli vs crossfire?

By the way for the air force you're right lol. I did want to join the marines when I was in high school. Then I became wise







just kidding

I am doing diagnostic imaging as my job. Tough tech school here.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I will when the 680's come out!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Already got the other one sold too!


Can I start lowballing you or is it too early? 400?! Just kidding


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clockster*
> 
> Problem is that is the only response they gave...and it was almost a month ago..
> Meh oh well I am back to the red come monday morning.


Ahh, I see. There must not have been an easy fix then. I've actually got my rig running pretty good right now on stock voltage with 12.4 beta. Problems arise when I start to clock beyond 1125MHz though and that's really the reason I got these cards. My 580 Lightnings could max every game too but I wanted better bench numbers that the 7970 gives at over 1200MHz. Not being able to adjust voltages without breaking all of my games is just frustrating as heck...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Can I start lowballing you or is it too early? 400?! Just kidding


I'll probably try to get $500 if they are still hard to find at the time. $450 if they aren't. Supply and demand baby (of course I paid $600!!!)


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> xoleras
> Do you have both the multi GPU setups running. What clocks are you running the HD 7970's and GTX 680s at. Can you say which of the setups runs BF3 faster at 2560 x 1600 Ultra 4X MSAA , 7970 Crossfire or 680 SLI. can you tell both singleplayer and multiplayer. Also as they say at hardocp is the 680 SLI subjectively " smoother in BF3 " ?


BF3 honestly felt the same speed on both setups. I use FRAPs to measure runtime framerates and the 2 setups are generally within 4-5 fps of each other. The max I was able to get on 680 sli stable was +100 offset, even at 135 offset I would get TDR's unless I used manual fan at ridiculously high settings (70%+...).

I think the issues with HardOCP is they run 3d surround. What is applicable to 3d surround is not applicable to single screen - I have had absolutely zero stutter or any such issues with single screen 2560 resolution. As far as eyefinity goes, it is really picky with the type of adapters you use, if you mix inputs improperly (1x dvi, 2x dp) you will get tearing and stuttering. I'm not sure how HardOCP has their testbed eyefinity setup. Nor do I care, I do not care about eyefinity or surround at ALL.

Anyway, with CF 7970 at 1125/1700, these games were faster on 7970 CF, 680 SLI at +100 offset:

Saints Row 3
Witcher 2 (a LOT faster)
Crysis 1/2/WH
Metro 2033 (a lot faster to my eyes)
Bulletstorm (a lot faster)
Just Cause 2 (slower on single gpu, faster on dual gpu)
Alan Wake (a lot faster on AMD)
Deus Ex: HR

Roughly the same, within 3-5 fps of each other:

Dragon Age 2
BF3
WoW
Kingdom of Amalur

Faster on 680:

Skryim (680 is just better in skyrim)
Dirt 3 (better on 680 but dirt 3 runs in the 100s of fps on anything )
Batman: AC (latest Batman: AC patch improved AMD framerates a TON in CF, they're about the same speed now....)
Batman: AA
GTA IV

The 680 is pretty awesome but the overclocking on my EVGA cards was not spectacular. I'll revisit it once good aftermarket cards are released, so far nearly every 680 doesn't allow you to manipulate voltage and have cheap VRM's.


----------



## sena

Guys i need help, is it safe to increase memory voltage to say 1.65V?
And also, purple dots in Metro 2033, what could be, Vram or GPU core.
I just found video of same problem.




But intensity is much lower on my card, exm. one in half hour.
If anyone can give couople of words on this, i will appreciate.


----------



## raghu78

xoleras
appreciate your feedback. So single screen dual Crossfire seems to favour HD 7970. If AMD could only get their Eyefinity drivers working stable . As a single card do you feel a 1.25 Ghz voltage OC HD 7970 is the better card against a 1.35 Ghz 680 OC (with turbo ) .


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> xoleras
> appreciate your feedback. So single screen dual Crossfire seems to favour HD 7970. If AMD could only get their Eyefinity drivers working stable . As a single card do you feel a 1.25 Ghz voltage OC HD 7970 is the better card against a 1.35 Ghz 680 OC (with turbo ) .


Where are you going to get a 1.35gz 680??? Are they falling off trees or something?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where are you going to get a 1.35gz 680??? Are they falling off trees or something?


I wanted to know against a GTX 680 OC edition card like asus gtx 680 direct cu ii top (max overclock)

http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-geforce-gtx-680-asus-directcu-ii-top-review/25


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> I wanted to know against a GTX 680 OC edition card like asus gtx 680 direct cu ii top (max overclock)
> http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-geforce-gtx-680-asus-directcu-ii-top-review/25


I don't know. At the max offset on my 680s, my top card would reach 1250mhz while the lower would always be 10-20 below that. I want to say they ran at those boost speeds with 120ish offset, although I had to crank the fan to high settings for stress testing. At those speeds, I didn't consider the 680s an upgrade at all except in the specific games I mentioned in my earlier post, and they were noticeably slower in some games, especially all crysis games/metro 2033.

Anyway, i'll revisit the 680s once a good aftermarket card is released. IMO, the 7970s scale better with overclocks, that is my personal opinion. Obviously the reference 680 has a cheap VRM and only 2x 6 pin power, I don't know how an aftermarket 680 would fare in comparison to that. I'd say anyone going from a heavily overclocked 7970 to a 680 will be disappointed unless they really want physx, but like I said -- I don't know how well aftermarket 680s will fare in comparison.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where are you going to get a 1.35gz 680??? Are they falling off trees or something?
> 
> 
> 
> I wanted to know against a GTX 680 OC edition card like asus gtx 680 direct cu ii top (max overclock)
> 
> http://www.guru3d.com/article/asus-geforce-gtx-680-asus-directcu-ii-top-review/25
Click to expand...

If you haven't learned yet, you need to take reviewers overclocks with a huge grain of salt. What those yahoos advertised was actually a bit different than what users faced when it came time to overclock their own cards. Browsing the 680 overclock thread, there are not a whole lot ppl hitting 1300+. This DC2 could be different, but I do not trust 680 reviewers when it comes to overclocking and the specifics of it. They sort of pulled the wool over ppl.


----------



## raghu78

the boost speeds you gave kind of cleared up things. HD 7970 CF 1125 core / 1700 mem wins more games against GTX 680 SLI 1100 core / 1230 boost. Even though your setup is dual cards, I think a 1.25 Ghz HD 7970 would be the better card than a 1.35 Ghz GTX 680. thanks xoleras. enjoy your gaming


----------



## Exostenza

Been using 12.4 for a few days. Not a single problem with any game what so ever. My pc works flawlessly and I'm OC'd.

Loving all the AMD CCC drivers as they have all worked flawlessly for me!

12.1/2/3/4 all good!

Loving this generation so much!!!!!


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Been using 12.4 for a few days. Not a single problem with any game what so ever. My pc works flawlessly and I'm OC'd.
> Loving all the AMD CCC drivers as they have all worked flawlessly for me!
> 12.1/2/3/4 all good!
> Loving this generation so much!!!!!


Thats nice to hear









I see that you have gigabyte 7950 and I was considering to buy Gigabyte or Sapphire 7950, but I haven't found anywhere are the VRMs cooled on Gigabyte card? Do you know anything about this? Could you check it easily?


----------



## HankScorpio

Am I the only one with this










Great custom card, whisper quiet and I got it for £323 with 3 for free AMD game coupon


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Thats nice to hear
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I see that you have gigabyte 7950 and I was considering to buy Gigabyte or Sapphire 7950, but I haven't found anywhere are the VRMs cooled on Gigabyte card? Do you know anything about this? Could you check it easily?


The entire card is cooled by the windforce x3, so I am sure the VRMs care cooled.

I have a very nice OC with very low temps - the gigabyte is the clear winner when it comes to third party cooling. The Sapphire is a nice card, but not as good cooling. Go for the Gigabyte!

If you could tell me what to look for to see if the VRMs are specifically cooled I could take a look.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Wow, you're the first I've seen go to the 7970 from the 680. I wasn't aware there was a stuttering issue with the 680's?


I switched from 3 7970s to 4 GTX 680s after release. There are some benefits, but it's not worth all of the chasing stock quantity that is involved with buying 680s at this time.


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Ahh, I see. There must not have been an easy fix then. I've actually got my rig running pretty good right now on stock voltage with 12.4 beta. Problems arise when I start to clock beyond 1125MHz though and that's really the reason I got these cards. My 580 Lightnings could max every game too but I wanted better bench numbers that the 7970 gives at over 1200MHz. Not being able to adjust voltages without breaking all of my games is just frustrating as heck...


Did you try the new Sapphire TriXX, 4.3.0 version?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i need help, is it safe to increase memory voltage to say 1.65V?
> And also, purple dots in Metro 2033, what could be, Vram or GPU core.
> I just found video of same problem.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But intensity is much lower on my card, exm. one in half hour.
> If anyone can give couople of words on this, i will appreciate.


Anyone?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Been using 12.4 for a few days. Not a single problem with any game what so ever. My pc works flawlessly and I'm OC'd.
> Loving all the AMD CCC drivers as they have all worked flawlessly for me!
> 12.1/2/3/4 all good!
> Loving this generation so much!!!!!


Yeah running 1 card works good for most im sure .


----------



## Abovethelaw

I'm getting driver crashes and restarts in several games and benchmarks. Would that always be a result of poor driver software?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So how the hell does Trixx work again? Won't let me change clocks or voltages...


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tinate*
> 
> I'm getting driver crashes and restarts in several games and benchmarks. Would that always be a result of poor driver software?


check the voltages especially if using AB 2.2 to overclock.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> The entire card is cooled by the windforce x3, so I am sure the VRMs care cooled.
> I have a very nice OC with very low temps - the gigabyte is the clear winner when it comes to third party cooling. The Sapphire is a nice card, but not as good cooling. Go for the Gigabyte!
> If you could tell me what to look for to see if the VRMs are specifically cooled I could take a look.


I know that its cooled with that but havent seen any pictures where it haves heatsink/plate on VRM like this Sapphire haves: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/xfx_sapphire_hd7950_3gb/images/48.htm

"the gigabyte is the clear winner when it comes to third party cooling. The Sapphire is a nice card, but not as good cooling" whys that?

When you look at that gigabytes cooler http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/gigabyte_hd7950_windforce_review,7.html It looks cheaper than Sapphire, so I would go with Sapphire, unless gigabyte haves VRM heatsink/speaderWhateverItIs cooling too.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So how the hell does Trixx work again? Won't let me change clocks or voltages...


What problem are you having with OC'ing?

You have to do 1 of 2 things to extend clocks if thats your problem. First method:

1) Use MSI afterburner 2.2 final. Create a desktop shortcut using the -xcl argument. Will prompt you for reboot. Reboot, enjoy extended clocks and voltages.

OR

2) Use asus gpu tweak 2.06 or greater. Install application, select "advanced". Click "tuning". Select "extend overclock range". Hit apply, then reboot. Enjoy extended clocks and voltages.

Do not use gpu tweak for oc'ing, use it ONLY to extend clock range and voltage range. Use msi afterburner for everything.


----------



## hill01

Hello, I'm hitting a nasty voltage barrier with Asus GPU Tweak when I try to increase voltage on my Asus 7970 DC II:



According to GPU Tweak the card is running at 1050 mV at standard clock, while 1060 mV is the maximum value allowed by the software:

Since it's a custom card, unsurprisingly MSI Afterburner can't adjust voltages:



Any ideas how I could get past this laughably low voltage barrier? (Extended overclock in GPU Tweak is of course enabled) I already tried GPU Tweak version 2.0.5.3, 2.0.7.7 and 2.0.8.3 - only the latest version could read and set the gpu voltage.


----------



## Abovethelaw

I'm using Trixx. Voltages are 1.2V for Vcore and stock for memory.

I'm running at 1100/1600. It's not a great OC, but my ASIC quality is only 75%


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tinate*
> 
> I'm using Trixx. Voltages are 1.2V for Vcore and stock for memory.
> I'm running at 1100/1600. It's not a great OC, but my ASIC quality is only 75%


Try with default settings and see if you have crashes.


----------



## Abovethelaw

That's what I'm doing right now, but I'm not sure why an unstable overclock would cause the driver to crash. It seems I'd get a green screen or maybe artifacts, but I don't get why the driver would fail.


----------



## sena

@hill01
Turn off AMD overdrive.
tinate
Drivers mostly crash when GPU core is not stable, while memory is producing artefacts. Also if you memory is pushed too hard, you may see perfomance drop due to ECC.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> @hill01
> Turn off AMD overdrive.
> tinate
> Drivers mostly crash when GPU core is not stable, while memory is producing artefacts. *Also if you memory is pushed too hard, you may see perfomance drop due to ECC*.


System could just reboot if not hard lock over vram overclocks as well. Also, I would not use ECC to describe the error correction algorithm because true ECC it is not.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> System could just reboot if not hard lock over vram overclocks as well. Also, I would not use ECC to describe the error correction algorithm because true ECC it is not.


Didnt knew that, thx for info. +1
Also one question, what about stopped responding, could that be memory?


----------



## afadzil21

Finally got XFire stable. Had the BSOD with atikmpag.sys. Did the registry hack, reinstalled drivers. A few restarts. Manually equalised the GPU clocks to default clock. These reference cards run rather hot and loud when the fan spins up. 72 under load... woooww... I'm so used to WF3 card being in the low 60's the temps are cetainly unusual to me.


----------



## Aventadoor

Holy shjiiit!
GPU-Z shows that MAX VDDC on my card is 1,42V :O
This is with Trixx @ 1,36V and 20% Board Power Li!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

When i try to set a new clock with trixx it just reverts back to stock immediately. Whats up with that?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Holy shjiiit!
> GPU-Z shows that MAX VDDC on my card is 1,42V :O
> This is with Trixx @ 1,36V and 20% Board Power Li!


Mine also did that from time to time, but it showed 1,5v on both my cards... dunno why tho, haven't seen that anymore.


----------



## Ottesen

*POST 10K !!!!!!!!!!!*

Guys, what graphics Score does you get with 2x7970 stock in 3dmark11 ? And at what voltage ? I'm trying to clock my cards to match 2 stock 7970 but with less voltage...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> System could just reboot if not hard lock over vram overclocks as well. Also, I would not use ECC to describe the error correction algorithm because true ECC it is not.
> 
> 
> 
> Didnt knew that, thx for info. +1
> *Also one question, what about stopped responding, could that be memory?*
Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not. Who knows really what could be the culprit, but what it means is that the system was unstable just enough not to crash and the system was able to recover. Imo it means time to reboot because the system most assuredly will lockup/crash any second.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> *POST 10K !!!!!!!!!!!*
> 
> Guys, what pfysic score does you get with 2x7970 stock in 3dmark11 ? And at what voltage ? I'm trying to clock my cards to match 2 stock 7970 but with less voltage...


Physics scores in 3dmark11 is tied to the cpu type. Get a SB-E and your score is at the top. My 2600k gets around 12k at 5.2.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Maybe, maybe not. Who knows really what could be the culprit, but what it means is that the system was unstable just enough not to crash and the system was able to recover. Imo it means time to reboot because the system most assuredly will lockup/crash any second.
> Physics scores in 3dmark11 is tied to the cpu type. Get a SB-E and your score is at the top. My 2600k gets around 12k at 5.2.


I meant graphics Score.... big error on my part !


----------



## tsm106

Ah, in that case I got 10600 graphics on a 10744 3dmark score, single gpu.


----------



## Ottesen

Cool, how about in crossfire ? I'm trying to match my 2x7950 with 2x7970 at stock, want to see how much i need in core and memory to match


----------



## tsm106

I don't recall, I never ran dual card config very much. Anyhow, my graphics scor eon 3 cards is 31500 with a 21906 score.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tinate*
> 
> That's what I'm doing right now, but I'm not sure why an unstable overclock would cause the driver to crash. It seems I'd get a green screen or maybe artifacts, but I don't get why the driver would fail.


The only time my driver would crash and recover while gaming was because AB 2.2 beta had a bug that caused my card's voltage to go to stock but it kept the overclock. I was wondering if it ws just drivers until i did the OSD and saw what was happening. Artifacts are normally a result of memory clocks being unstable and possibly overheating at times.


----------



## Ottesen

Lol, damn...thats high. I get max 19k grafic score on mine. But due to 2500k i can't crack 15k total score







Don't mater tho...

Reason i'm trying to match 7970 in crossfire is because i bought my two 7950 super early, like day 2 they came out, and therefor i payed a lot for them. And i kind regret not waiting a bit longer for 7970's. BUT on another note i'm really happy with them, got the powercolor pcs+ ones with dual fan, i can't even hear them outside my tower and i just tried and could easily run the stock 7970 clocks (925/1375mhz) at only 993mv in ab. That has to be good right ?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> *POST 10K !!!!!!!!!!!*
> 
> Guys, what graphics Score does you get with 2x7970 stock in 3dmark11 ? And at what voltage ? I'm trying to clock my cards to match 2 stock 7970 but with less voltage...


i can't get **** with 2x7970 it either slows down to like 20 fps or it dies

but with a single 7970 it gets way over 120 fps

crap 12.4 drivers


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> *POST 10K !!!!!!!!!!!*
> Guys, what graphics Score does you get with 2x7970 stock in 3dmark11 ? And at what voltage ? I'm trying to clock my cards to match 2 stock 7970 but with less voltage...


Just ran my cards at stock for ya!











That's at 1070MHz / 1170mV which is stock for my Lightnings...


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i can't get **** with 2x7970 it either slows down to like 20 fps or it dies
> but with a single 7970 it gets way over 120 fps
> crap 12.4 drivers


I had success with 12.3 and now 12.4 is even better here. Problems people having seems so random, i have every f***** problem in the start, but suddenly everything went as it should. (knock on wood there)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Just ran my cards at stock for ya!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's at 1070MHz / 1170mV which is stock for my Lightnings...


Ah, thanks man, appreciate that







16,9k at 1070 and i get 15,2 in graphics score at 925/1375 (stock reference card clock) means its somewhere between 15,5 to 16,5 circa, then i have something to go bye. Thanks again mate







Ones good thing with 7950 is that i can run really low voltage, i kinda also bought 7950 due to i had a old 750w psu... but with my 1050 silver i guess that won't be a problem anymore








lol


----------



## hyp36rmax

I found a working solution for those with the 12.4 monitor wake up issue for Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit. Check your monitor settings in:

Code:



Code:


CONTROL PANEL / HARDWARE & SOUND / POWER OPTIONS

 [*] select "Choose when to turn off the display"
 [*] select one of your 'Preferred plans"
 [*] select "Change plan settings"
 [*] select "Turn off the display"
 [*] select  "Never" from the drop down menu

I went an extra step and did the same for "Change when the computer sleeps"

This seems to work fine for me and I have yet to get a wake up hang when i'm away from my PC for a long period of time. I just physically turn the monitor off at that point if I expect to be away.

Hope this helps some of you until AMD has an official fix.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> I had success with 12.3 and now 12.4 is even better here. Problems people having seems so random, i have every f***** problem in the start, but suddenly everything went as it should. (knock on wood there)
> Ah, thanks man, appreciate that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 16,9k at 1070 and i get 15,2 in graphics score at 925/1375 (stock reference card clock) means its somewhere between 15,5 to 16,5 circa, then i have something to go bye. Thanks again mate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ones good thing with 7950 is that i can run really low voltage, i kinda also bought 7950 due to i had a old 750w psu... but with my 1050 silver i guess that won't be a problem anymore
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol


Just did another run at stock after upgrading to 12.4 WHQL and saw some modest increases...


----------



## azdre

Just bench-marked my reference XFX "Black Edition" 7970 for anyone interested...
Overclocked to: 1300MHz/1700MHz @ 1299mV


----------



## Hambone07si

Ran 3dmark11 with 8.97 at 1200/1600 and 5ghz 2700k


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Just bench-marked my reference XFX "Black Edition" 7970 for anyone interested...
> Overclocked to: 1300MHz/1700MHz @ 1299mV


What are your temps with that overclock? Still using the DD air cooler or water cooled?


----------



## stiv

P15072
1209 core clock
1610 memory


----------



## azdre

The card I have isn't the "DD Black Edition" with the custom cooling, it's the "Black Edition" that just comes with a stock/reference blower.

But it doesn't matter because yes, it's water-cooled.

*Temp during benching hit 50°C.

Temp after a couple hours of BF3 get to ~55°C max.

Temp right now is idling at 38°C.*


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Just bench-marked my reference XFX "Black Edition" 7970 for anyone interested...
> Overclocked to: 1300MHz/1700MHz @ 1299mV


What's your cpu overclocked to? The scores are pretty good but you're heaven score better and your cpu score in 3dmark is on the low side for a 2600k.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> I know that its cooled with that but havent seen any pictures where it haves heatsink/plate on VRM like this Sapphire haves: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/xfx_sapphire_hd7950_3gb/images/48.htm
> "the gigabyte is the clear winner when it comes to third party cooling. The Sapphire is a nice card, but not as good cooling" whys that?
> When you look at that gigabytes cooler http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/gigabyte_hd7950_windforce_review,7.html It looks cheaper than Sapphire, so I would go with Sapphire, unless gigabyte haves VRM heatsink/speaderWhateverItIs cooling too.


Well I read a hell of a lot of articles before buying my card and every single review showed that the gigabyte card cooled a bit better than the Sapphire which was a close second and then the Asus DCUII. I did the research and the Gigabyte came out the winner from what I read. Just passing on my findings. Also yes the cooler looks cheaper, but it performs so darn good!


----------



## 125837

Would my 750w psu be enough to run my 2500K at 4.5 (1.4v, yes I know voltage is too high) and two 7970 Lightnings at stock, or slightly higher?


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What's your cpu overclocked to? The scores are pretty good but you're heaven score better and your cpu score in 3dmark is on the low side for a 2600k.


4.3 GHz
I just used ASUS's "quick overclock" or whatever in the BIOS and that's what it set it at. I haven't tried to manually overclock and see how high it could go. I'm only playing games right now and if I'm not mistaken it's not as if an i7 2600k even at stock is going to bottleneck my 7970, right?


----------



## sena

tsm106
Thx very much.
I had sam strange crashes, exm. when laoding heaven 2.0, so i am thinkigg, could be memory, because that is time when Vram is filling. At least i think so.
LAF
You will be on limit, but i think you will be ok.
But if you decide to overvolt cards, 750W is not enough.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> 4.3 GHz
> I just used ASUS's "quick overclock" or whatever in the BIOS and that's what it set it at. I haven't tried to manually overclock and see how high it could go. I'm only playing games right now and if I'm not mistaken it's not as if an i7 2600k even at stock is going to bottleneck my 7970, right?


well for one card it wouldn't, but seeing that you have it @ 4.3 your in good hands....but if you decide to push it a litttle further like say 4.6ghz you will be in great hands







...you get much more usage out of your cards /card with higher cpu clock speeds


----------



## sena

Guys is it safe to increase mem. voltage for 24/7 on air?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What's your cpu overclocked to? The scores are pretty good but you're heaven score better and your cpu score in 3dmark is on the low side for a 2600k.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 4.3 GHz
> I just used ASUS's "quick overclock" or whatever in the BIOS and that's what it set it at. I haven't tried to manually overclock and see how high it could go. I'm only playing games right now and if I'm not mistaken it's not as if an i7 2600k even at stock is going to bottleneck my 7970, right?
Click to expand...

The more cpu the better, most times sheer clock alone gives more gains. For ex.

[email protected] no HT 1200/1750



http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/160_40#post_17026230

Here's a 5.2ghz cpu run 1300/1750


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys is it safe to increase mem. voltage for 24/7 on air?


It depends on how much you're talking about, but we really don't know long term. There's no data to prove one way or the other, but imo a 50mv is safe, its what I use 24/7 on water though.


----------



## sena

I increased 0.25mV. I hope i wont damage something.
Btw thx for help.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The more cpu the better, most times sheer clock alone gives more gains. For ex.


Damn! Time to overclock me some CPU!









Edit: Just upped my CPU from 4.3Ghz to 4.7Ghz (@1.35 Volts - didn't want to go any higher) and I saw just over a 2 frame increase in the Heaven Benchmark...so there was an improvement...but meh


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Well I read a hell of a lot of articles before buying my card and every single review showed that the gigabyte card cooled a bit better than the Sapphire which was a close second and then the Asus DCUII. I did the research and the Gigabyte came out the winner from what I read. Just passing on my findings. Also yes the cooler looks cheaper, but it performs so darn good!


But hows the VRMs? Are they cooled with heatsink or not?


----------



## Andrazh

Anyone figured out how to prevent the card to be stuck at 2d clocks if u have open broadcast video(youtube)?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> But hows the VRMs? Are they cooled with heatsink or not?


I'm sure they'll be right, I've only seen issues with the DCUII. Personally, with the Lightning, I run 100% fan with 1.2v/1.7v - the chip itself hits 85C but the Memory and VRMs hardly touch 60C, so they're very safe.


----------



## Imprezzion

I'll be getting my Sapphire Reference HD7970 sometime this week









Already have a Arctic Acellero Xtreme 7970 laying next to me here waiting to be installed.

I am very curious as to what this beast can do in core clocks with the AAX7970.

Has anyone here got a AAX7970 on a reference card? If yes, whats your results?

The card is new, or at least, the guy I bought it from never used it and the seals still on the package lol so I have no idea what this guy can do








It's a replacement for a crappy ASUS GTX580 DCII that overclocks like ****. Only does 857Mhz on stock VGPU and it wont go anything over 930Mhz even with voltage maxed at 1.21v..

EDIT: One little thing eh, I assume my XFX XXX 650W won't be a problem? It did work perfectly fine with my GTX580 and even a HD6950 unlocked CF OC set even though that could get it pretty hot.


----------



## Culex

Just started playing BF3 with my Asus HD 7970 after a fresh re-install of 7 Pro x64, catalyst 12.4 drivers, doing a standard max overdrive OC of 1.125 GHz core and 1.575 GHz mem which has been reported as stable, the game runs completely smoothly on max settings and then crashes when I look at an enemy. Has anyone else had a similar problem?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Also one question, what about stopped responding, could that be memory?


Speaking from own experience : I get this error for 2 reasons :

- Core clock too high for the core voltage I am using
- Core voltage too low for the core clock I am using

These 2 reasons are basically 1 reason of course








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Works great.


Thanks for the reply.
For using this modded version of Trixx, do you just replace the exe file in Trixx folder with the modded one?
Tia !


----------



## PARTON

Your clocks aren't stable. Everyone has different results.You'll even have different results as the card's temps change.


----------



## afadzil21

Call me crazy. Just exchanged the ref 7970 for a Gigabyte WF3 card. Oh the sweet sound of silence... and the till registering my extra cash on doing the exchange for a higher priced card...


----------



## mltms

my card 7950 and i cant change setting in GTA IV ??????????????


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> my card 7950 and i cant change setting in GTA IV ??????????????


English?


----------



## 125837

Getting texture flickers in blops at stock and oced, and enormous framedrops for the whole first tound in snd. I know it's not the best optimised game but come on!

On my phone, sorry


----------



## drbaltazar

by the way guys newegg has a special on these card going on 459$(10$ mail in rebate)


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Anybody got any idea why HWMonitor doesn't show my second card? Maybe because of ULPS? Also, how come with GPU-Z the sensor mode shows less info for the second card than the first (doesn't display GPU load or Memory Usage)? Thanks guys!


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Culex*
> 
> Just started playing BF3 with my Asus HD 7970 after a fresh re-install of 7 Pro x64, catalyst 12.4 drivers, doing a standard max overdrive OC of 1.125 GHz core and 1.575 GHz mem which has been reported as stable, the game runs completely smoothly on max settings and then crashes when I look at an enemy. Has anyone else had a similar problem?


did you even raise the voltage? And remember that every card is different. But more than likely its unstable and u need to increase the voltages


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Culex*
> 
> Just started playing BF3 with my Asus HD 7970 after a fresh re-install of 7 Pro x64, catalyst 12.4 drivers, doing a standard max overdrive OC of 1.125 GHz core and 1.575 GHz mem which has been reported as stable, the game runs completely smoothly on max settings and then crashes when I look at an enemy. Has anyone else had a similar problem?


My cards are unstable and need a slight voltage bump at 1.1GHz when playing BF3.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Speaking from own experience : I get this error for 2 reasons :
> - Core clock too high for the core voltage I am using
> - Core voltage too low for the core clock I am using
> These 2 reasons are basically 1 reason of course
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the reply.
> For using this modded version of Trixx, do you just replace the exe file in Trixx folder with the modded one?
> Tia !


Thx, i upped mem vots to 1.625 just to be sure, i am also testing more.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Anybody got any idea why HWMonitor doesn't show my second card? Maybe because of ULPS? Also, how come with GPU-Z the sensor mode shows less info for the second card than the first (doesn't display GPU load or Memory Usage)? Thanks guys!


Yea that's why. It's also why apps like AB, Trixx and GPU Tweak go crazy trying to deal with cards magically disappearing from the array, hence disabling ulps.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The more cpu the better, most times sheer clock alone gives more gains. For ex.
> 
> 
> 
> Damn! Time to overclock me some CPU!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Just upped my CPU from 4.3Ghz to 4.7Ghz (@1.35 Volts - didn't want to go any higher) and I saw just over a 2 frame increase in the Heaven Benchmark...so there was an improvement...but meh
Click to expand...

2 FPS at that setting is huge, or put another way is really hard once you are tapped out.


----------



## Manooloo

Hey guys. Do you think that now is a good time to pull the trigger on a 7950, or do you guys expect there to be any price drops when the Nvidia cards are launched?


----------



## UltimateNubs

Hey guys,
been reading this forum for a while now. Ive got myself a XFX HD 7950 Double D (non black edition) and i'm wondering about my overclock.

In afterburner beta 15 i've got a 1.068v @ 1025/1450. Seems like i've really unlocked some hidden performance of the card, but my temps have come up and i want my card to last as long as it can.

3DMarks 11 is stable and ive looped it a couple times, in Heaven i've gotten a max temp of 71C in two loops, and after an hour long match of BF3 1080p maxed VSYNC off i hit 70C.
Are these temps decent? good/bad, could be better? Stock temps are 62-65C after an hour of BF3.

Whats really surprised me is BF3. Before the OC in a full 64 player match, i'd see somewhere around 35-40FPS, and it stuttered a bit. Now im seeing 55-80FPS, smooth as butter. anyone know what gives?

Btw cpu is 2500k @ 4.2GHz and using 12.4 drivers.

Thanks to anyone that takes the time to reply


----------



## UltimateNubs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Manooloo*
> 
> Hey guys. Do you think that now is a good time to pull the trigger on a 7950, or do you guys expect there to be any price drops when the Nvidia cards are launched?


Maybe pick up a 7950 or 7970 from someone moving to a gtx680??? considering the price drop and all, might get a good deal.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Not a bad run for stock voltage...



Run using the settings from the Official Metro Benchmark thread in the benchmarking section. Beats Tri-SLI 580's again with stock voltage! These 7970's aren't too shabby!


----------



## sena

You may wait couple more day for Nvidia to release GTX 670, whicl should bring HD 7950 prices more by 10-20 USD.


----------



## Manooloo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> You may wait couple more day for Nvidia to release GTX 670, whicl should bring HD 7950 prices more by 10-20 USD.


Thanks good sir. Rep.


----------



## Balsagna

So,

Since I'm back and active on these forums after several months. What have I missed regarding these cards? I'm waiting for my computer to get here once my dad tears my computer apart to ship it to me. Wha have we learned about these cards since I've been back?

I know one of my cards couldn't get to 1125 no matter what voltage I pumped through it nor if I kept the fan at 100% to keep it cool. The other however hit 1200mhz with very very small voltage bump.

Any hopes or a way I could reach 1200mhz on both cards by chance? That was my ultimate goal before I shipped. Also, how are the new drivers on these? I know they were terrible in crossfire for skyrim. Stuttering all over the place. I also know I had random crashes in heavy games like BF3.

Waiting for my computer and getting one of those Korean 27'' IPS panels as well.


----------



## sena

@Manooloo
Np, glad i can help.
Cheers.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> So,
> Since I'm back and active on these forums after several months. What have I missed regarding these cards? I'm waiting for my computer to get here once my dad tears my computer apart to ship it to me. Wha have we learned about these cards since I've been back?
> I know one of my cards couldn't get to 1125 no matter what voltage I pumped through it nor if I kept the fan at 100% to keep it cool. The other however hit 1200mhz with very very small voltage bump.
> Any hopes or a way I could reach 1200mhz on both cards by chance? That was my ultimate goal before I shipped. Also, how are the new drivers on these? I know they were terrible in crossfire for skyrim. Stuttering all over the place. I also know I had random crashes in heavy games like BF3.
> Waiting for my computer and getting one of those Korean 27'' IPS panels as well.


The new Sapphire Trixx/Mod for VRAM voltage seems to work the best as it is allowing up to 1.384v target on stock bios. No hassle with previous ASUS bios which allowed 1.4v target, however had worse performance. However the cards will be different/a hassle sometimes as even my setup has problems from time to time, and I'm only running 1 gpu.

Don't know if running that kind of voltage will help, but it might. For me it only causes problems, but I have seen on in this thread people actually maintaining it, at least for a bench or two. For drivers the best seem to be: Dual GPU, RC11, 7870 release driver, or 14.7 beta. Single Gpu; Most are working but, 7870 release, and both 12.4 betas are featuring MLAA 2.0 which is vastly improving AA quality/performance IMO.

Hope this helps. Side note finally fixed my artifacts for my 7970, lowering Power level to +10% instead of +20% did the trick.


----------



## Diber

'lo there folks.

I recently upgraded to X79, and found out that one of my 7970s was causing me all the issues (I had thought it was drivers / motherboard, turns out it was my second 7970, being bad the whole time). Now... I seem to be having some new issues. I recently realized that my second GPU was doing nothing... And I mean nothing. It works, but then when I go to game, it dies out. 0MHz core, and 0 MHz Memory, and my whole computer freezes and crashes (Without a blue screen no less).
All Event Viewer says is "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly." Everything is back to full stock. I also tried switching my cards in the Sabertooth, and found that no matter what, it's always the second card doing it. Could I have a bad Motherboard?

I got a photo of it with my GPU-Zs up:


Anyone else experiencing these issues? Any help would be much appreciated!







Or could this simply be GPU-Z not liking to read second GPUs?

[EDIT] Forgot to mention- I'm on RC11 drivers


----------



## MooMoo

nvm.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Not a bad run for stock voltage...
> 
> Run using the settings from the Official Metro Benchmark thread in the benchmarking section. Beats Tri-SLI 580's again with stock voltage! These 7970's aren't too shabby!


Still benching and showing your e-penis are you?








I thought you were sick of these cards and going 680 ?
I bet your e-penis will be alot smaller if you moved over


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Not sick of the cards at all, just the hassle of overvolting...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Diber*
> 
> 'lo there folks.
> 
> I recently upgraded to X79, and found out that one of my 7970s was causing me all the issues (I had thought it was drivers / motherboard, turns out it was my second 7970, being bad the whole time). Now... I seem to be having some new issues. I recently realized that my second GPU was doing nothing... And I mean nothing. It works, but then when I go to game, it dies out. 0MHz core, and 0 MHz Memory, and my whole computer freezes and crashes (Without a blue screen no less).
> All Event Viewer says is "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly." Everything is back to full stock. I also tried switching my cards in the Sabertooth, and found that no matter what, it's always the second card doing it. Could I have a bad Motherboard?
> 
> I got a photo of it with my GPU-Zs up:
> 
> 
> Anyone else experiencing these issues? Any help would be much appreciated!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or could this simply be GPU-Z not liking to read second GPUs?
> 
> [EDIT] Forgot to mention- I'm on RC11 drivers


The card dropping to zero is actually working properly on the desktop. ULPS shuts off un-used cards. Now when you are in games, the card is supposed to power up. At this point it comes down to how or if you are overclocking and with what app. How are you overclocking if at all? You should also use afterburner and setup the OSD to monitor gpu stats to see if that bad card truly is bad. If you're overclocking with AB, you need to shutoff ULPS, so the fact that the card is shutdown, leads me to think you are not using AB in typical UOM mode.


----------



## Wattser93

I've been tempted to buy a Sapphire Dual X 7970, but have read Newegg reviews where people comment on coil whine.

Can anybody here on the forums confirm whether or not they've experienced any coil whine with this particular model of 7970?


----------



## flyingsaucers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Still benching and showing your e-penis are you?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought you were sick of these cards and going 680 ?
> I bet your e-penis will be alot smaller if you moved over


..."e-penis?"

that just sounds soooo filthy and wrong...


----------



## afadzil21

Holy crap! I think I had the ASIC jackpot with my second Gigabyte card. ASIC 84.9%.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> I've been tempted to buy a Sapphire Dual X 7970, but have read Newegg reviews where people comment on coil whine.
> Can anybody here on the forums confirm whether or not they've experienced any coil whine with this particular model of 7970?


The Dual-X is actually a reference board, so it will be hit or miss on that im afraid. my card doesn't have any coil whine that im aware of


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flyingsaucers*
> 
> ..."e-penis?"
> that just sounds soooo filthy and wrong...


lol, not intended to be filthy


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> The Dual-X is actually a reference board, so it will be hit or miss on that im afraid. my card doesn't have any coil whine that im aware of


Thanks for the response. I've heard from some other threads that the whine (if present) is very difficult to hear unless you put your head up to the case and listen for it.

I think I'm going to buy one, it'll come out to $430 after rebate and credit so I don't think I can beat it for that price. It should max any game I plan on running for the next 18 months with ease.


----------



## shellbunner

Mine comes in tomorrow, and I'll be benching it on Tuesday, so I'll let you know also if I get any coil whine.


----------



## Diber

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The card dropping to zero is actually working properly on the desktop. ULPS shuts off un-used cards. Now when you are in games, the card is supposed to power up. At this point it comes down to how or if you are overclocking and with what app. How are you overclocking if at all? You should also use afterburner and setup the OSD to monitor gpu stats to see if that bad card truly is bad. If you're overclocking with AB, you need to shutoff ULPS, so the fact that the card is shutdown, leads me to think you are not using AB in typical UOM mode.


I'm actually not OCing either card at all. Both are 100% stock. I had them OCd via Catalyst Control on my old Z68 system and when I moved to X79, I left them stock, and never installed anything GPU related past the RC11 drivers. Each card /alone/ is fine. Each card when paired is fine- up until I throw something graphicly intense at it, and the second card should "kick in" and get some work done- it doesn't. It lays deader then a coffin nail. Another odd thing is that within the past couple of days, I've gotten some weird BSoDs. They seem to be one-offs, though- 0x0000050, 0x00000f4, and full on freezing, where no BSoD happened, it just was an old school freeze. None however were 0x0000116 (GPU driver / card) like I previously had with my bad card. This leads me to believe it's either the motherboard PCI-E lane (Though it's a sabertooth... I've never heard of one having an issue), or driver issues (likely, but I'd like to find out which before my direct-replacement runs out in a week). Any other help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to give some help, Tsm.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Mine comes in tomorrow, and I'll be benching it on Tuesday, so I'll let you know also if I get any coil whine.


I should have mine by Wednesday. I didn't want to miss out on the MIR so I pulled the trigger, I'm sure I won't be disappointed. The HD3000 has kept me limping along through internet browsing and school work, but it's time to get a real GPU and start gaming.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Diber*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The card dropping to zero is actually working properly on the desktop. ULPS shuts off un-used cards. Now when you are in games, the card is supposed to power up. At this point it comes down to how or if you are overclocking and with what app. How are you overclocking if at all? You should also use afterburner and setup the OSD to monitor gpu stats to see if that bad card truly is bad. If you're overclocking with AB, you need to shutoff ULPS, so the fact that the card is shutdown, leads me to think you are not using AB in typical UOM mode.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm actually not OCing either card at all. Both are 100% stock. I had them OCd via Catalyst Control on my old Z68 system and when I moved to X79, I left them stock, and never installed anything GPU related past the RC11 drivers. Each card /alone/ is fine. Each card when paired is fine- up until I throw something graphicly intense at it, and the second card should "kick in" and get some work done- it doesn't. It lays deader then a coffin nail. Another odd thing is that within the past couple of days, I've gotten some weird BSoDs. They seem to be one-offs, though- 0x0000050, 0x00000f4, and full on freezing, where no BSoD happened, it just was an old school freeze. None however were 0x0000116 (GPU driver / card) like I previously had with my bad card. *This leads me to believe it's either the motherboard PCI-E lane (Though it's a sabertooth... I've never heard of one having an issue)*, or driver issues (likely, but I'd like to find out which before my direct-replacement runs out in a week). Any other help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to give some help, Tsm.
Click to expand...

Turn off pcie3 in the bios and see if things start working. Btw, I've read of a few problems with x79 sabertooths and at least 3 users are on this forum.


----------



## Culex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> did you even raise the voltage? And remember that every card is different. But more than likely its unstable and u need to increase the voltages


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> My cards are unstable and need a slight voltage bump at 1.1GHz when playing BF3.


The funny thing is, I have no problems in Unigine Heaven maxed out. BF3 runs perfectly until I look at an enemy at relatively close range. Very bizarre.


----------



## Wiffinberg

Yuss! Finally got my sapphire 7950 back from RMA, I had one of the dual x fans die on me







,

I have asked before, but anyone else had a dud fan? I'm hoping its not a common issue


----------



## Sapientia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Holy crap! I think I had the ASIC jackpot with my second Gigabyte card. ASIC 84.9%.


Nice! 83.9% over here









In GPU tweak, the voltage of my card (DCII) cannot be adjusted beyond 1060mV. I have no way of working past it. AB doesn't even report voltage, I'm guessing because it's a non reference card, and I've found no answers anywhere. Anyone have any ideas?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, on Afterburner I can change the voltage, but on Trixx 4.3.0 I cannot... Is it because I don't have Sapphire card?

EDIT: Sorry, I can... I had to scroll down, lol!


----------



## sena

I can chagne in trixx, i have asus card, check is it voltage control unlocked in trixx.
Didnt saw edit.


----------



## afadzil21

Arrgghh. Why is Batman AC performance so crap with Crossfire on max settings? I had to turn of AA and DX11 features to get decent framerates. Huge scores in 3DMark11 and Heaven. Advice please...


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Holy crap! I think I had the ASIC jackpot with my second Gigabyte card. ASIC 84.9%.


Hmm, what does that ASIC % means?


----------



## sena

@MooMoo
Chip silicon qualty, leakage, etc.
Higher ASIC qualty is better for air/water, lower is better for dice/ln2.


----------



## Deo Domuique

I've to deal with a strange issue...

So long Afterburner was reporting default voltage 1.031. With this voltage never could overclock over 950Mhz ( 900 def ).

Now I installed Trixx and it resets to 1.087... With this voltage I can overclock over 1020 Mhz...

What is going on? Trixx and AB are reporting exactly the same voltage ( VDDC ) or different kind? Ι had problems at times, like choppy gameplay, black lines etc... and now I'm trying to find if those were related to insufficient voltage AB was setting on my machine...

Until I clear this out, I don't claim anything... I'll try to find what is going on and if you have any suggestion, I'd like to hear it!


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> I've to deal with a strange issue...
> So long Afterburner was reporting default voltage 1.031. With this voltage never could overclock over 950Mhz ( 900 def ).
> Now I installed Trixx and it resets to 1.087... With this voltage I can overclock over 1020 Mhz...
> What is going on? Trixx and AB are reporting exactly the same voltage ( VDDC ) or different kind? Ι had problems at times, like choppy gameplay, black lines etc... and now I'm trying to find if those were related to insufficient voltage AB was setting on my machine...
> Until I clear this out, I don't claim anything... I'll try to find what is going on and if you have any suggestion, I'd like to hear it!


I suggest to you delete both MSI AB and Trixx, and disable AMD overdrive, then install MSI AB, and when it ask to reset computer, do it, and then MSI AB will show you right voltage.
Had similiar issue, wrong voltage reading.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> There was a patch by rockstar specifically addressing sli and crossfire performance around 2 months ago, crossfire scaling with that version is perfect with 12.2whql+. *Not to be rude but you are not using a pirated version are you? If you're using a pirated version go F yourself*, but if you have the proper version make sure it updates via Steam or try to find it on their website.
> I get 99% gpu usage on all gpu's after applying that patch.


That is rude, what you said there (and its maybe against ToS). Why do you even care if somebody uses pirated version? You aint losing anything.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Thread cleaned up a little bit.....

I would like to remind you guys, that piracy is 110% against our ToS here at OCN.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I suggest to you delete both MSI AB and Trixx, and disable AMD overdrive, then install MSI AB, and when it ask to reset computer, do it, and then MSI AB will show you right voltage.
> Had similiar issue, wrong voltage reading.


I always do that... I did it again, I uninstalled everything, even drivers and I installed only TRIXX this time. When I started it, It showed me 1.031, but strangely I could press 'reset'. I did and went again to 1.087.

I don't know what else to do. Probably there are some leftovers that conflict now. Why I can press 'reset' since I just installed Trixx is beyond logic.


----------



## afadzil21

Somebody please explain what just happenned. Where did my last post disappear to?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Somebody please explain what just happenned. Where did my last post disappear to?


Same as the other guy, it got cleaned up cause it was off topic pirating stuff.

I wish that Lightning would come back in stock, it's at a nice price now.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Somebody please explain what just happenned. Where did my last post disappear to?


I already said what happened a few posts up.







Thread was cleaned up due to piracy discussions, which aren't allowed here at OCN.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I got rid of Trixx. It wouldn't let me change clocks at all (as soon as I changed them it changed back to stock) and the VDDC slider was already at max at my stock voltage (1.170V) so that was useless as well. Guess I'm just stuck with OD and 1135MHz...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Turn off pcie3 in the bios and see if things start working. Btw, I've read of a few problems with x79 sabertooths and at least 3 users are on this forum.


My x79 sabertooth works perfect. Not 1 issue with it at all. What issues were you hearing about?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I already said what happened a few posts up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thread was cleaned up due to piracy discussions, which aren't allowed here at OCN.


Oh ok. I was clearly stating that I wasn't using any pirated software. All my gaming is Steam, with a few boxed copy games (mostly EA stuff cause I hate buying stuff on Origin).

Back to topic. My Batman AC is up to date with Steam auto-patching enabled, but my frame rate still tanks if enable tessellation. Don't get it.


----------



## xoleras

Running the in game (options > benchmark) benchmark at 2560 resolution, my Batman: AC results are:

Average fps: 95
Maximum fps: 122

Around 200 with crossfire enabled.

Settings: 2560, FXAA high, all settings maximum, tessellation DX11 very high, Single card 7970 @ 1140/1700 stock voltage, WHQL 12.4, latest patched version of Batman: AC on steam. Tessellation shouldn't affect performance....7970 has very strong tess performance. You're not doing anything crazy with CCC are you? Make sure MLAA is turned off , AA slider should be MSAA and not adaptive/supersample, everything should be application preference.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Running the in game (options > benchmark) benchmark at 2560 resolution, my Batman: AC results are:
> Average fps: 95
> Maximum fps: 122
> Around 200 with crossfire enabled.
> Settings: 2560, FXAA high, all settings maximum, tessellation DX11 very high, Single card 7970 @ 1140/1700 stock voltage, WHQL 12.4, latest patched version of Batman: AC on steam. Tessellation shouldn't affect performance....7970 has very strong tess performance. You're not doing anything crazy with CCC are you? Make sure MLAA is turned off , AA slider should be MSAA and not adaptive/supersample, everything should be application preference.


Nope. Nothing crazy with CCC. Just have both cards clocks locked at 1000 right now just to try and get Batman AC to give some stable results. I'm only running at 1080p so that should yield even better performance. The whole thing goes lag crazy when it starts. The menu after the nvidia thing just slows to a crawl.

Ok, found this in CCC. Tessellation set to AMD Optimised. Uncheck this and set it to application settings?

UPDATE: Yup. Unchecking and setting to application settings fixed it.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> @MooMoo
> Chip silicon qualty, leakage, etc.
> Higher ASIC qualty is better for air/water, lower is better for dice/ln2.


My understanding is higher is better for air while lower is better for water.

Also my AISC is 68% and I get much better overclocks than most people here and could easily run 1300+ core on air alone. I think it isn't a very good indicator on AMD cards (which even the developers of GPU-Z said it is mostly geared towards nVidia cards and might not actually be reflective of much on AMD cards).


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Nope. Nothing crazy with CCC. Just have both cards clocks locked at 1000 right now just to try and get Batman AC to give some stable results. I'm only running at 1080p so that should yield even better performance. The whole thing goes lag crazy when it starts. The menu after the nvidia thing just slows to a crawl.
> Ok, found this in CCC. Tessellation set to AMD Optimised. Uncheck this and set it to application settings?


Yeah, I have my tess set to application settings although it doesn't affect performance usually (compared to amd optimized). Are you using 12.4 WHQL? I think you need 12.2 or higher for prioper batman: AC scaling. What scores do you get in the batman benchmark? Its under options once you select your game save or profile.


----------



## Sparda1990

Holymoly 1000+ pages thread for HD 7970 , basically i don't understand you guys . are you not satisfying with the card . i mean i got my sapphire HD7970 last week and i am enjoying playing every game at ultra with the stock values in it . its really decent card plays everything i throw at , i saw my friend overclocking his GTX 680 and he says look i got more frame rates than you , i was like there is no difference in 62 fps or 70 fps . seriously what is the point of overclocking when you can play all latest demanding games with ultra settings without overclocking ? your 4-5 frames increase don't justify your reason . its still basically the same , you are not robots to notice a small mangle in frame difference .

Hambone07si FTW THE BEST CONTRIBUTOR AND SHOUTOUT TO TSM16 FOR BEING RICH MOTHER****ER .


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> Holymoly 1000+ pages thread for HD 7970 , basically i don't understand you guys . are you not satisfying with the card . i mean i got my sapphire HD7970 last week and i am enjoying playing every game at ultra with the stock values in it . its really decent card plays everything i throw at , i saw my friend overclocking his GTX 680 and he says look i got more frame rates than you , i was like there is no difference in 62 fps or 70 fps . seriously what is the point of overclocking when you can play all latest demanding games with ultra settings without overclocking ? your 4-5 frames increase don't justify your reason . its still basically the same , you are not robots to notice a small mangle in frame difference .
> Hambone07si FTW THE BEST CONTRIBUTOR AND SHOUTOUT TO TSM16 FOR BEING RICH MOTHER****ER .


fps difference is seldom any one will notice in gameplay.
todays card are so good.
look forward autumn and getting some 7900 series action.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sapientia*
> 
> Nice! 83.9% over here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In GPU tweak, the voltage of my card (DCII) cannot be adjusted beyond 1060mV. I have no way of working past it. AB doesn't even report voltage, I'm guessing because it's a non reference card, and I've found no answers anywhere. Anyone have any ideas?


My middle card is 80.6% I can not still get it to go past 1200mhz without alot of voltage . So I dont think that really means anything.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sparda1990*
> 
> Holymoly 1000+ pages thread for HD 7970 , basically i don't understand you guys . are you not satisfying with the card . i mean i got my sapphire HD7970 last week and i am enjoying playing every game at ultra with the stock values in it . its really decent card plays everything i throw at , i saw my friend overclocking his GTX 680 and he says look i got more frame rates than you , i was like there is no difference in 62 fps or 70 fps . seriously what is the point of overclocking when you can play all latest demanding games with ultra settings without overclocking ? your 4-5 frames increase don't justify your reason . its still basically the same , you are not robots to notice a small mangle in frame difference .
> Hambone07si FTW THE BEST CONTRIBUTOR AND SHOUTOUT TO TSM16 FOR BEING RICH MOTHER****ER .


Anytime bud. You will notice the difference in 60fps to 70fps if your playing on eyefinity or surround with 3 or more screens. Not really noticeable on 1 screen, but on 3 you can tell for sure. From 60 to 70 is a 15% gain in fps. I like to stay above 90fps with eyefinity and it really shines.

Thanks bud









crunkazcanbe, what up homes


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> My understanding is higher is better for air while lower is better for water.
> Also my AISC is 68% and I get much better overclocks than most people here and could easily run 1300+ core on air alone. I think it isn't a very good indicator on AMD cards (which even the developers of GPU-Z said it is mostly geared towards nVidia cards and might not actually be reflective of much on AMD cards).


Could be, dont know, i am only relating to info i found on net.
@ Deo Domuique
Hmm, can you repeat all process, but instead Trixx, install MSI AB only, and see what happens.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> I always do that... I did it again, I uninstalled everything, even drivers and I installed only TRIXX this time. When I started it, It showed me 1.031, but strangely I could press 'reset'. I did and went again to 1.087.
> I don't know what else to do. Probably there are some leftovers that conflict now. Why I can press 'reset' since I just installed Trixx is beyond logic.


Dont mind that, I have the same thing. When pressing reset it reads 1087mv but my stock voltage is actually 993mv (you see it when you start trixx and not load any profile)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Arrgghh. Why is Batman AC performance so crap with Crossfire on max settings? I had to turn of AA and DX11 features to get decent framerates. Huge scores in 3DMark11 and Heaven. Advice please...


You have latest patch of Batham AC?
I have dx11, max settings (1920x1080) and 4xMSAA. It is not butter smooth, but its very playable for me
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Culex*
> 
> The funny thing is, I have no problems in Unigine Heaven maxed out. BF3 runs perfectly until I look at an enemy at relatively close range. Very bizarre.


Must have said this like 5 times already.
Its not cause you are stable in Unigine benches that you are stable in games.
Lower the stable clocks you are using in Heaven with 30 to 50mhz in BF3 and see if that makes a difference.


----------



## sena

@ Daffie82
Had same problem, but in my case, if Trixx showed 1.087V and then i return it to .993, i would get black screen, after 20 minutes - half hour in games.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> @ Daffie82
> Had same problem, but in my case, if Trixx showed 1.087V and then i return it to .993, i would get black screen, after 20 minutes - half hour in games.


I did not have this problem, cause I only reset clocks AFTER gaming and I leave the voltage on the one Trixx is defaulting to (1087mv in my case)
I am gaming on higher voltage anyway (1137mv minimum)


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I got rid of Trixx. It wouldn't let me change clocks at all (as soon as I changed them it changed back to stock) and the VDDC slider was already at max at my stock voltage (1.170V) so that was useless as well. Guess I'm just stuck with OD and 1135MHz...


i have a question for you... have you tried the unofficial overlcocking method in afterburner ? cause i'm baffle to how you cant overclclock those and their from msi who made afterburner also their aftermarket cards with lot more phases than a stock 7970 and your having issues overclocking them i'm baffle


----------



## Sebe

I heard that the 12.12 driver will be amazing!









On a more serious note, getting BSOD with 12.4 aswell. Only RC11 works for me.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> I heard that the 12.12 driver will be amazing!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a more serious note, getting BSOD with 12.4 aswell. Only RC11 works for me.


Welcome to the 12.4 bugged club









with 12.4 i can only run at REFerence card speed 925 Mhz instead of stock 1000 Mhz
same deal with RAM speed

with RC11 i can run stock 1000 Mhz just fine, but it's missing a few things for me, more importantly on RC11 crossfire works, and eyefinity as well

on 12.4 eyefinity is fine, but it breaks crossfire

when crossfire is Enabled, it's actually waaaaay slower than a single 7970 running









waiting anxiously for 12.5, but that means we'll need to wait until like June or at least May 18 before we see the Beta version of it out.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sebe*
> 
> I heard that the 12.12 driver will be amazing!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a more serious note, getting BSOD with 12.4 aswell. Only RC11 works for me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Welcome to the 12.4 bugged club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> with 12.4 i can only run at REFerence card speed 925 Mhz instead of stock 1000 Mhz
> same deal with RAM speed
> 
> with RC11 i can run stock 1000 Mhz just fine, but it's missing a few things for me, more importantly on RC11 crossfire works, and eyefinity as well
> 
> on 12.4 eyefinity is fine, but it breaks crossfire
> 
> when crossfire is Enabled, it's actually waaaaay slower than a single 7970 running
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> waiting anxiously for 12.5, but that means we'll need to wait until like June or at least May 18 before we see the Beta version of it out.
Click to expand...

You know... when Terry left the position of Catalyst chief, we didn't really make much of it at the time.

Now I'm like what the [email protected]#$%^, come back HOLMES!


----------



## rageofthepeon

I'm still running RC11 as well. Every time CCC gets updated I take a look at the release notes for improvements then to this thread to see how it works. Looks like I won't be updating...again







.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> I'm still running RC11 as well. Every time CCC gets updated I take a look at the release notes for improvements then to this thread to see how it works. Looks like I won't be updating...again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Personally, I think 12.4 is great. I don't run eyefinity though. It is far better for single screen crossfire than RC11 or any previous driver. Unless you're using eyefinity it is the best one to use (IMO)

As far as those having OC woes, the ONLY WAY to extend clocks with 12.2+ is as follows :

Choose one:

1) Run MSI Afterburner 2.2 FINAL. Create desktop shortcut. Modify shortcut to run the .exe with the -xcl argument. Prompt for reboot. Voila, clocks extended all the way to 1800/2200, now you can OC.

2) Run ASUS GPU TWEAK 2.06 or later. Install. Reboot. Run app, then click the advanced button. Then tuning. Select ":extend overclocking range". Hit apply. Reboot. Note: Only use gpu tweak to extend clocks, afterburner is better for actually oc'ing.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> i have a question for you... have you tried the unofficial overlcocking method in afterburner ? cause i'm baffle to how you cant overclclock those and their from msi who made afterburner also their aftermarket cards with lot more phases than a stock 7970 and your having issues overclocking them i'm baffle


I was using the unofficial overclocking method with afterburner beta 15 originally, that's how I was able to get a core of 1225 megahertz in several benches. Doing this however, caused multiple crashes in almost all of my games so I ended up going back to stock overdrive and removing afterburner completely. I want to be able to overclock my cards as high as possible but not at the expense of stability in my games.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Well no more bugs in 12.4 for me anymore . I had 1 of the bios switch on 2 out of the three cards I left on 2 by mistake .







Now all my cards are working right so far zero core is working on the cards now 2


----------



## PwrElec

12.4 = random bsod

I will stick with 11.12.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> As far as those having OC woes, the ONLY WAY to extend clocks with 12.2+ is as follows :
> 
> Choose one:
> 
> 1) Run MSI Afterburner 2.2 FINAL. Create desktop shortcut. Modify shortcut to run the .exe with the -xcl argument. Prompt for reboot. Voila, clocks extended all the way to 1800/2200, now you can OC.
> 
> 2) Run ASUS GPU TWEAK 2.06 or later. Install. Reboot. Run app, then click the advanced button. Then tuning. Select ":extend overclocking range". Hit apply. Reboot. Note: Only use gpu tweak to extend clocks, afterburner is better for actually oc'ing.


That's not the only way to overclock with AB!!!! Imo xcl sucks cuz you don't have nearly the control over powerstates in relation to voltage that you do with straight up UOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> i have a question for you... have you tried the unofficial overlcocking method in afterburner ? cause i'm baffle to how you cant overclclock those and their from msi who made afterburner also their aftermarket cards with lot more phases than a stock 7970 and your having issues overclocking them i'm baffle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was using the unofficial overclocking method with afterburner beta 15 originally, that's how I was able to get a core of 1225 megahertz in several benches. Doing this however, caused multiple crashes in almost all of my games so I ended up going back to stock overdrive and removing afterburner completely. I want to be able to overclock my cards as high as possible but not at the expense of stability in my games.
Click to expand...

You know, I don't know if its your cards or you're doing something wrong, but on Tahiti AB works, it's not perfect but it works. There I said it Unwinder lol.









If I were on Cayman, I would totally use Overdrive with RBE to control voltage in the different powerstates and only use AB for OSD.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> @ Daffie82
> Had same problem, but in my case, if Trixx showed 1.087V and then i return it to .993, i would get black screen, after 20 minutes - half hour in games.
> 
> 
> 
> I did not have this problem, cause I only reset clocks AFTER gaming and I leave the voltage on the one Trixx is defaulting to (1087mv in my case)
> I am gaming on higher voltage anyway (1137mv minimum)
Click to expand...

I do the same too... I reset clocks when I finish playing. So, you mean you don't mind running your card with default core-clock, but much higher voltage when you're not playing? I'm just trying to understand.


----------



## sena

@ Deo Domuique
That voltage is only in game, so you have no worry that that voltage is going to be in idle.
Idle voltage is 0.845V, and video (youtobe etc) is 0.945V, in my case.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> I do the same too... I reset clocks when I finish playing. So, you mean you don't mind running your card with default core-clock, but much higher voltage when you're not playing? I'm just trying to understand.


Just forget what Trixx is saying when you press reset, cause it is incorrect.
Load Trixx, load your profile, start gaming.
When done, push reset, push apply and then close Trixx.

Now do a render test in GPU-Z and check your voltage... It is back to stock values and not to the value Trixx was saying when you pressed reset button








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Well no more bugs in 12.4 for me anymore . I had 1 of the bios switch on 2 out of the three cards I left on 2 by mistake .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now all my cards are working right so far zero core is working on the cards now 2


How should it matter what Bios switch your card is on ??
that does not make much sense to me...


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I was using the unofficial overclocking method with afterburner beta 15 originally, that's how I was able to get a core of 1225 megahertz in several benches. Doing this however, caused multiple crashes in almost all of my games so I ended up going back to stock overdrive and removing afterburner completely. I want to be able to overclock my cards as high as possible but not at the expense of stability in my games.


Did you sync your cards in afterburner options? I had weird crashes unless I selected the "synchronize all graphics processors" option checked.


----------



## General_Jaja

Hey guys,
I was running 1200/1700 at 1.150mV last night, played battlefield 3, Skyrim and the temps hardly went over 70 degrees Celsius, was stable too. I haven't really overclocked graphics cards before, but is this a safe overclock for 24/7? Thanks!


----------



## 7ranslucen7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I was running 1200/1700 at 1.150mV last night, played battlefield 3, Skyrim and the temps hardly went over 70 degrees Celsius, was stable too. I haven't really overclocked graphics cards before, but is this a safe overclock for 24/7? Thanks!


Perfectly safe as long as the clocks stay stable at that voltage (test with 3dm11/ heaven). If it doesn't crash 30-45mins running either one in loop I'd say it's stable. Good clocks for sure if they're stable


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not the only way to overclock with AB!!!! Imo xcl sucks cuz you don't have nearly the control over powerstates in relation to voltage that you do with straight up UOM.
> You know, I don't know if its your cards or *you're doing something wrong,* but on Tahiti AB works, it's not perfect but it works. There I said it Unwinder lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I were on Cayman, I would totally use Overdrive with RBE to control voltage in the different powerstates and only use AB for OSD.


It's a distinct possibility as I still really have very little clue what I'm doing with these AMD cards. Things were definitely much easier with my 580's


----------



## stinart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I was running 1200/1700 at 1.150mV last night, played battlefield 3, Skyrim and the temps hardly went over 70 degrees Celsius, was stable too. I haven't really overclocked graphics cards before, but is this a safe overclock for 24/7? Thanks!


Be sure to set power control at +20% , otherwise your o/c is not "real" and will throttle to way lower clocks while gaming.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not the only way to overclock with AB!!!! Imo xcl sucks cuz you don't have nearly the control over powerstates in relation to voltage that you do with straight up UOM.
> You know, I don't know if its your cards or *you're doing something wrong,* but on Tahiti AB works, it's not perfect but it works. There I said it Unwinder lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I were on Cayman, I would totally use Overdrive with RBE to control voltage in the different powerstates and only use AB for OSD.
> 
> 
> 
> It's a distinct possibility as I still really have very little clue what I'm doing with these AMD cards. Things were definitely much easier with my 580's
Click to expand...

There's not much to it. Get on a driver you like, maybe 12.4 whql or 12.5 beta although 12.5 beta has a bug with clocks only dropping to 500mhz instead of 300mhz.

Disable ulps in in currentcontrolset, you can ignore the rest.

In registry go here:, [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} find each 0000/0001/0002/etc etc folder and change enableulps to 0 (zero).

In AB cfg file, enable UOM, in mode 1, paste the agreement into cfg file, etc. Reboot.

If I were doing this from scratch, install driver, do not reboot, disable ulps. Install fresh AB. Do not choose to start, finish install. Open cfg file and enable UOM. Reboot.

Upon reboot, install CAP file, do not reboot. STart AB, it will ask to reboot, choose to reboot.

Upon reboot open AB unlock voltage. Check your asic, ie. graphics processor type, ie. 1175mv/112mv/etc. Set it to the value of the lowest voltage card, ie. your highest asic card. For ex. if you have 72% (1175mv) and 80% (1050mv) set it 1050mv.

All other AB settings should be properly defaulted, for ex. synch clocks, etc etc.

At this point, go into catalysts and check to see that crossfire is enabled, and change AMD tess setting to use app settings. Everything should be honky dory now. In AB you can create your profiles. For 2D profile, hit the reset button (should already be at default but anyways...) then hit save to button 1. Set profile one for your 2D settings under profiles. Set you 3D profile appropriately.


----------



## Yumyums

I grabbed one of these because my current card died, and I figured it was time for an upgrade -

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127651&Tpk=msi%20hd%207950

Good choice?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's not much to it. Get on a driver you like, maybe 12.4 whql or 12.5 beta although 12.5 beta has a bug with clocks only dropping to 500mhz instead of 300mhz.
> Disable ulps in in currentcontrolset, you can ignore the rest.
> In registry go here:, [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} find each 0000/0001/0002/etc etc folder and change enableulps to 0 (zero).
> I*n AB cfg file, enable UOM, in mode 1, paste the agreement into cfg file, etc.* Reboot.
> If I were doing this from scratch, install driver, do not reboot, disable ulps. Install fresh AB. Do not choose to start, finish install. Open cfg file and enable UOM. Reboot.
> Upon reboot, install CAP file, do not reboot. STart AB, it will ask to reboot, choose to reboot.
> Upon reboot open AB unlock voltage. Check your asic, ie. graphics processor type, ie. 1175mv/112mv/etc. Set it to the value of the lowest voltage card, ie. your highest asic card. For ex. if you have 72% (1175mv) and 80% (1050mv) set it 1050mv.
> All other AB settings should be properly defaulted, for ex. synch clocks, etc etc.
> At this point, go into catalysts and check to see that crossfire is enabled, and change AMD tess setting to use app settings. Everything should be honky dory now. In AB you can create your profiles. For 2D profile, hit the reset button (should already be at default but anyways...) then hit save to button 1. Set profile one for your 2D settings under profiles. Set you 3D profile appropriately.


Thanks for taking the time to explain but I still don't get this part. Could your expand on this? Thanks!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's not much to it. Get on a driver you like, maybe 12.4 whql or 12.5 beta although 12.5 beta has a bug with clocks only dropping to 500mhz instead of 300mhz.
> Disable ulps in in currentcontrolset, you can ignore the rest.
> In registry go here:, [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} find each 0000/0001/0002/etc etc folder and change enableulps to 0 (zero).
> I*n AB cfg file, enable UOM, in mode 1, paste the agreement into cfg file, etc.* Reboot.
> If I were doing this from scratch, install driver, do not reboot, disable ulps. Install fresh AB. Do not choose to start, finish install. Open cfg file and enable UOM. Reboot.
> Upon reboot, install CAP file, do not reboot. STart AB, it will ask to reboot, choose to reboot.
> Upon reboot open AB unlock voltage. Check your asic, ie. graphics processor type, ie. 1175mv/112mv/etc. Set it to the value of the lowest voltage card, ie. your highest asic card. For ex. if you have 72% (1175mv) and 80% (1050mv) set it 1050mv.
> All other AB settings should be properly defaulted, for ex. synch clocks, etc etc.
> At this point, go into catalysts and check to see that crossfire is enabled, and change AMD tess setting to use app settings. Everything should be honky dory now. In AB you can create your profiles. For 2D profile, hit the reset button (should already be at default but anyways...) then hit save to button 1. Set profile one for your 2D settings under profiles. Set you 3D profile appropriately.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to explain but I still don't get this part. Could your expand on this? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Go to AB directory, open MSIAfterburner.cfg in notepad, change the lines listed as in the pic. Close and save. If you installed AB in a protected folder, you will have to add rights to the cfg file before you can save. Btw, UOM = UnofficialOverclockingMode or Method.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Go to AB directory, open MSIAfterburner.cfg in notepad, change the lines listed as in the pic. Close and save. If you installed AB in a protected folder, you will have to add rights to the cfg file before you can save. Btw, UOM = UnofficialOverclockingMode or Method.


I changed permissions to full control yet it still says access denied when I try to save over MSIAfterburner.cfg


----------



## tsm106

Take ownership of the file.


----------



## shellbunner

Just installed my new Sapphire Dual X 7970, and updated to the 12.4 Catalyst package. It still shows it as 12.3, but when I reinstall again, it says it's up to date. Any way to get it to update to 12.4?
Thank you


----------



## Modz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Just installed my new Sapphire Dual X 7970, and updated to the 12.4 Catalyst package. It still shows it as 12.3, but when I reinstall again, it says it's up to date. Any way to get it to update to 12.4?
> Thank you


You don't 12.4 there are tons of problems with that driver


----------



## s-f-r-j

I am getting much better results using 12.3 on Dual-X 7970 then 12.4.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Take ownership of the file.


Got it working and everything looks good so far! Just passed Heaven 3.0 at 1200MHz @ 1250mV, now its time to try for 1225MHz again. If I can play a few games with this setup without crashing I will be totally amazed. Thanks for taking the time to school me dude!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Take ownership of the file.
> 
> 
> 
> Got it working and everything looks good so far! Just passed Heaven 3.0 at 1200MHz @ 1250mV, now its time to try for 1225MHz again. If I can play a few games with this setup without crashing I will be totally amazed. Thanks for taking the time to school me dude!
Click to expand...

Nice, grats. After you do it a few times, it becomes second nature. Think I should write a guide?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nice, grats. After you do it a few times, it becomes second nature. Think I should write a guide?


Absolutely! You definitely know your stuff and could help a lot of us AMD newbs out!


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Got it working and everything looks good so far! Just passed Heaven 3.0 at 1200MHz @ 1250mV, now its time to try for 1225MHz again. If I can play a few games with this setup without crashing I will be totally amazed. Thanks for taking the time to school me dude!


sweet dude i'm glad you got them overlcock now have sum fun with them


----------



## hyp36rmax

Yes I'M IN!









XFX R7970 Black Edition Double Dissipation

GPU-Z (Ver.0.6.0)



My games run smooth like butter! I was originally anticipating the Nvidia/EVGA GTX 680 FTW 4gb card, but its like an needle in a hay stack just for the reference cards so I made a leap of faith and i'm content. I'm in the process of getting a water-cooled setup together and really like Swiftechs Komodo HD7970 block. However have had a weird monitor suspend / sleep / wakeup issue with AMD's latest Catalyst 12.4. I have a solution that seems to work for me. Hope this helps someone


----------



## General_Jaja

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stinart*
> 
> Be sure to set power control at +20% , otherwise your o/c is not "real" and will throttle to way lower clocks while gaming.


Thanks. Yeah it is set to +20%, I didn't even know what it did at the time, I just saw everyone else setting it to that...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *7ranslucen7*
> 
> Perfectly safe as long as the clocks stay stable at that voltage (test with 3dm11/ heaven). If it doesn't crash 30-45mins running either one in loop I'd say it's stable. Good clocks for sure if they're stable


Thanks, I just dowloaded Heaven now, gonna do a test at 1200/1700 1.150mV and see if its stable


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Got it working and everything looks good so far! Just passed Heaven 3.0 at 1200MHz @ 1250mV, now its time to try for 1225MHz again. If I can play a few games with this setup without crashing I will be totally amazed. Thanks for taking the time to school me dude!


What kind of temps are you seeing at those clocks? I see 85C with 1250mV at 100% fan and you are running CF :O


----------



## Exostenza

*General_Jaja:* I found that I was stable in Heaven 3.0 and 3D Mark11, but would crash in BF3. In my opinion BF3 is the best indicator of stability. If you don't crash while playing BF3 you don't have to run other tests because you are stable.









1200 core @ 1.150 is a sign of a great card. I need 1.225 to be stable in BF3 @ 1200.









Although 70C seems a bit high as I am using more voltage and never go over 60C during BF3 etc... although it might be due to the fact that the Gigabyte card has the best third party cooling. 70c is nothing to be worried about though as long as you don't go over 80c while playing games I would not worry about it at all.


----------



## General_Jaja

Ran 2 tests, everything was fine







Playing Battlefield 3 now, still fine


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Ran 2 tests, everything was fine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Playing Battlefield 3 now, still fine


Wow, [email protected], amazing card o_0 Mine takes 1.225


----------



## General_Jaja

Temps are about 67 degrees whenever I check, and the fan speed around 53%. Best time for overclocking at the moment, nice and cold!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Yes I'M IN!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My games run smooth like butter! I was originally anticipating the Nvidia/EVGA GTX 680 FTW 4gb card, but its like an needle in a hay stack just for the reference cards so I made a leap of faith and i'm content. I'm in the process of getting a water-cooled setup together and really like Swiftechs Komodo HD7970 block. However have had a weird monitor suspend / sleep / wakeup issue with AMD's latest Catalyst 12.4. I have a solution that seems to work for me. Hope this helps someone


Swiftech Komodo makes baby jesus cry from all the restriction.


----------



## jman246

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Temps are about 67 degrees whenever I check, and the fan speed around 53%. Best time for overclocking at the moment, nice and cold!


Mines maxed out at 60degrees with 54% fan 1.19mv 1250mhz 1600mhz







When summer comes we're all going down though. What's your asic quality btw? 1.15mv is crazy


----------



## General_Jaja

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> Mines maxed out at 60degrees with 54% fan 1.19mv 1250mhz 1600mhz
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When summer comes we're all going down though. What's your asic quality btw? 1.15mv is crazy


Nice temps you got there







My ASIC quality is 84.3%


----------



## Thebreezybb

I can do 1100/1600 on stock V , but no matter how much V i can't go past 1150 Core!! my card doesn't like anything above 1150 Core, i can do 1750 Memory with no problem too.


----------



## Ghost23

So would you guys say the ~$100 price difference btween the 7950 and 7950 is worth it? Benchmarks show an average of 4-6 FPS min difference..


----------



## Thebreezybb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> So would you guys say the ~$100 price difference btween the 7950 and 7950 is worth it? Benchmarks show an average of 4-6 FPS min difference..


You can always OC that 7950


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thebreezybb*
> 
> You can always OC that 7950


Eurghh I'm so conflicted.

Buy a second 2b 6950 for $199, or a 7950. [My second 6950 right now is 1gb, so it hinders me]


----------



## General_Jaja

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Eurghh I'm so conflicted.
> Buy a second 2b 6950 for $199, or a 7950. [My second 6950 right now is 1gb, so it hinders me]


Sell both your 6950's and get a 7970


----------



## DaClownie

Well, finally got my 7970 installed in my rig (not water cooled yet) but here is my issue... in any 3D game... RIDICULOUS coil whine... is that something I can RMA for? Does water cooling fix that issue usually?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> What kind of temps are you seeing at those clocks? I see 85C with 1250mV at 100% fan and you are running CF :O


Top card got to 90C during the first run so I took off the side panel and temps stayed in the low 80C's even at 1299mV. Probably should be running the mesh with fans rather than the window in my 600T but taking off the panel seems to work ok....


----------



## kfxsti

hey guys, has anyone running 12.4 experienced in bf3 the FPS jumping crazily from 0-100 ? i normally run the game well over 100 fps but last night after the 0-100 fps it would not run above 70? could it be that afterburner is screwing with 12.4? or should i just drop back to 8.97 ?

*edit*
forgot to add that
after i rebooted the problem seemed to go away. for the most part but the load temp on my card has gone from 43c to 46c since moving from 8.79 to 12.4?
my wife and a friend also pointed out to me a minute ago that they had some lag issues going on last night.. it just aswell may had been my server. what do you guys think?


----------



## PARTON

I logged on to a server Sunday evening and was getting 35 and 40 fps with msaa off. I had already been playing and it was running normal 70 - 200fps. After a couple of minutes it went away, but I had never experienced it before. Something to do with the server or windows was doing something in the background.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> I logged on to a server Sunday evening and was getting 35 and 40 fps with msaa off. I had already been playing and it was running normal 70 - 200fps. After a couple of minutes it went away, but I had never experienced it before. Something to do with the server or windows was doing something in the background.


that makes me feel a bit better. lol


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Well no more bugs in 12.4 for me anymore . I had 1 of the bios switch on 2 out of the three cards I left on 2 by mistake .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now all my cards are working right so far zero core is working on the cards now 2


^ Glad to hear 1 of the cards harshest critics has everything running well now. This goes to show that you have to check your config thoroughly and troubleshoot properly that will allow you to narrow down the problem before blaming the drivers or cards.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> hey guys, has anyone running 12.4 experienced in bf3 the FPS jumping crazily from 0-100 ? i normally run the game well over 100 fps but last night after the 0-100 fps it would not run above 70? could it be that afterburner is screwing with 12.4? or should i just drop back to 8.97 ?
> *edit*
> forgot to add that
> after i rebooted the problem seemed to go away. for the most part but the load temp on my card has gone from 43c to 46c since moving from 8.79 to 12.4?
> *my wife and a friend also pointed out* to me a minute ago that they had some lag issues going on last night.. it just aswell may had been my server. what do you guys think?


Wait wait wait...your complaining about fps loss even though your wife not only lets you play but plays with you? **** ill take a 20fps hit for that kind of life!


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Wait wait wait...your complaining about fps loss even though your wife not only lets you play but plays with you? **** ill take a 20fps hit for that kind of life!


LOL. i know that i am very fortunate to have a wife that not only enjoys playing, but also building. She browses the forum here as well from time to time.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Eurghh I'm so conflicted.
> Buy a second 2b 6950 for $199, or a 7950. [My second 6950 right now is 1gb, so it hinders me]


Buying the 1gb 6950 wouldnt make much sense. If running xfire and or multimonitor setup you will suffer greatly because of the limited amount of vram that you will have especially games like crysis 2 and bf3. Buy the hd7950 it has 3gb of vram and also has the ability to overclock and beat hd 6950s is many games. Look at the benchmarks for hd 7970 it often surpassed the hd6990 in many of the benchmarks. You will also get better tessellation performance which may increase as time goes by with driver revisions.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Well, finally got my 7970 installed in my rig (not water cooled yet) but here is my issue... in any 3D game... RIDICULOUS coil whine... is that something I can RMA for? Does water cooling fix that issue usually?


Coil whine is present in many top range cards nvidia or amd. Now i dont have a card that whines which i am glad for but i believe some people have stated that the whine goes away after some time I am nt sure. You could always try RMAing and getting a nother card with less or no whine.

srry abt double post didnt realise.


----------



## a1mawade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Coil whine is present in many top range cards nvidia or amd. Now i dont have a card that whines which i am glad for but i believe some people have stated that the whine goes away after some time I am nt sure. You could always try RMAing and getting a nother card with less or no whine.
> srry abt double post didnt realise.


My coil whine went away after about a week .


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Swiftech Komodo makes baby jesus cry from all the restriction.


It looks soooo niiiiice..... What do you recommend? How is it restrictive? Are there temp samples available since it was just released? My inquiring mind wants to know


----------



## s-f-r-j

How much % (more) is my current overclock (approx), can somebody tell me?










Should i push it more?

Thank you


----------



## a1mawade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Wait wait wait...your complaining about fps loss even though your wife not only lets you play but plays with you? **** ill take a 20fps hit for that kind of life!


Lol....I've never got in the way of his gaming and yes I play pc games with him but it wasn't always that way.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> ^ Glad to hear 1 of the cards harshest critics has everything running well now. This goes to show that you have to check your config thoroughly and troubleshoot properly that will allow you to narrow down the problem before blaming the drivers or cards.


Still... it does not make much sense that his problems went away with changing the bios switch... Or am I missing something?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Just forget what Trixx is saying when you press reset, cause it is incorrect.
> Load Trixx, load your profile, start gaming.
> When done, push reset, push apply and then close Trixx.
> Now do a render test in GPU-Z and check your voltage... It is back to stock values and not to the value Trixx was saying when you pressed reset button


To quote myself here...
It seems the value Trixx is defaulting to when pushing reset is indeed the voltage your card is running on in 3D mode from that moment on. I was wrong when saying the value is incorrect. It is incorrect in a way that it is not your default stock voltage BUT it IS the voltage you are running on from that moment on...
Seems like a bug in Trixx to me...

EDIT: I left PC for a while and it went to sleep state. Now after resuming I decided to check Trixx again and now it is saying the correct stock voltage again and when checking with GPU-Z in 3D mode it also confirms it.
So sleep resets the voltage to the correct value?? Now I am really lost


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Swiftech Komodo makes baby jesus cry from all the restriction.
> 
> 
> 
> It looks soooo niiiiice..... What do you recommend? How is it restrictive? Are there temp samples available since it was just released? My inquiring mind wants to know
Click to expand...

Swiftech fullcovers are notorious for being hyper restrictive for what amounts to little gain, ie. 1c on the core. It's not a well balanced block imo. Right now the ek block is top imo, especially for the cost. It also has the largest vrm cooling channel which is a bonus for our cards.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> ^ Glad to hear 1 of the cards harshest critics has everything running well now. This goes to show that you have to check your config thoroughly and troubleshoot properly that will allow you to narrow down the problem before blaming the drivers or cards.
> 
> 
> 
> Still... it does not make much sense that his problems went away with changing the bios switch... Or am I missing something?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Just forget what Trixx is saying when you press reset, cause it is incorrect.
> Load Trixx, load your profile, start gaming.
> When done, push reset, push apply and then close Trixx.
> Now do a render test in GPU-Z and check your voltage... It is back to stock values and not to the value Trixx was saying when you pressed reset button
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> To quote myself here...
> It seems the value Trixx is defaulting to when pushing reset is indeed the voltage your card is running on in 3D mode from that moment on. I was wrong when saying the value is incorrect. It is incorrect in a way that it is not your default stock voltage BUT it IS the voltage you are running on from that moment on...
> Seems like a bug in Trixx to me...
> 
> EDIT: I left PC for a while and it went to sleep state. Now after resuming I decided to check Trixx again and now it is saying the correct stock voltage again and when checking with GPU-Z in 3D mode it also confirms it.
> So sleep resets the voltage to the correct value?? *Now I am really lost*
Click to expand...

Welcome to Trixx.

"Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!"


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *a1mawade*
> 
> Lol....I've never got in the way of his gaming and yes I play pc games with him but it wasn't always that way.


I wish my wife would game with me too... PC gaming that is... she just complains, "Why is it that thing so loud".


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> I wish my wife would game with me too... PC gaming that is... she just complains, "Why is it that thing so loud".


she started off watching me play single player games and we treated them as movies. then i finally got her talked into experiencing it all for herself and now every night once the baby goes to bed its game time.lol
and like she said a few posts ago, she has never once complained about or got in the way of my gaming lol .

just take it easy with her, and let her learn and find what she like to play and maybe she will get hooked.









*edit*
for the ones running 12.4 whats your temps looking like with bf3? if you guys dont mind me asking.?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

If it doesnt say Victorias Secret or Coach on it my wife aint gonna be interested....


----------



## kfxsti

you could do a coach or victorias secret case mod for her ? lol


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Top card got to 90C during the first run so I took off the side panel and temps stayed in the low 80C's even at 1299mV. Probably should be running the mesh with fans rather than the window in my 600T but taking off the panel seems to work ok....


Hrm, ok. What kind of ambients do you see there? My card seems very hot then :S I'll try running 1299mV and see what it does.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Ambient was 72F...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Ambient was 72F...


It's good to see you pushing those cards the way they were meant to be used.


----------



## STUDIE

Anyone else's 3DMARK11 score around 8000?
With the 7970?

It seems so low... I'm running stock clock rates.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *STUDIE*
> 
> Anyone else's 3DMARK11 score around 8000?
> With the 7970?
> It seems so low... I'm running stock clock rates.


at stock speed http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3298670

i don't know if i need to push them more power or what, but they hang or freezes on me randomly with almost any driver

plays fine 70% of the time, but the other 30% are all random lock ups, which i need to hit the Restart buttons

i never had to do that before with my 5000 series or 6000 series


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Buying the 1gb 6950 wouldnt make much sense. If running xfire and or multimonitor setup you will suffer greatly because of the limited amount of vram that you will have especially games like crysis 2 and bf3. Buy the hd7950 it has 3gb of vram and also has the ability to overclock and beat hd 6950s is many games. Look at the benchmarks for hd 7970 it often surpassed the hd6990 in many of the benchmarks. You will also get better tessellation performance which may increase as time goes by with driver revisions.


Appreciate the response, although I was saying buy a second 2gb 6950, not 1gb, I'm running xfire now with a 1gb and a 2gb, was saying get rid of my current 1gbfor another 2gb. I'm just leaning towards selling them both off and grabbing a 7950 though.


----------



## Ottesen

So one of my two cards just went to hell, damnit !

Was in my room, then suddenly pc shuts off... Though it was my new psu but after some messing around it was one gfx-card. Computer won't even turn on with that card in, tried it at a friend and same there. Tried my other (identical) card and everything was ok...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's good to see you pushing those cards the way they were meant to be used.


Couldnt ever get overclocking working right until you told me exactly what to do. I really appreciate it!


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> So one of my two cards just went to hell, damnit !
> Was in my room, then suddenly pc shuts off... Though it was my new psu but after some messing around it was one gfx-card. Computer won't even turn on with that card in, tried it at a friend and same there. Tried my other (identical) card and everything was ok...


R.I.P. in a moment of desperation flip the BIOS switch. did you smell any burning?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> R.I.P. in a moment of desperation flip the BIOS switch. did you smell any burning?


Nope, and computer was just idling... not overclocked either actually. It hadn't been used in like 8 hours, it was just idling. i though for sure my new 1050w psu when to hell or something. With the bad card in the pc'n it won't even start, it just tries for like 0,3sek then dies. Same when i tried at a friend... Luckily i have one more







Hope i get a new/money back...


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Nope, and computer was just idling... not overclocked either actually. It hadn't been used in like 8 hours, it was just idling. i though for sure my new 1050w psu when to hell or something. With the bad card in the pc'n it won't even start, it just tries for like 0,3sek then dies. Same when i tried at a friend... Luckily i have one more
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope i get a new/money back...


You are under warranty so try to get it RMA'd


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> she started off watching me play single player games and we treated them as movies. then i finally got her talked into experiencing it all for herself and now every night once the baby goes to bed its game time.lol
> and like she said a few posts ago, she has never once complained about or got in the way of my gaming lol .
> just take it easy with her, and let her learn and find what she like to play and maybe she will get hooked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *edit*
> for the ones running 12.4 whats your temps looking like with bf3? if you guys dont mind me asking.?


My babies are 3 and 1 and it's quite impossible for my wife to find the time.

Back on topic. Extreme tessellation knocks my fps quite badly in Batman AC. Should I be pushing my CPU further than 4GHz? Not much effort for the Noctua D14, but I don't think I need to lessen my CPU's life any further that what it is right now.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> You are under warranty so try to get it RMA'd


Jupp, thats what i'm doing now







I normal buy at a place that is a bit more expensive then other places, but the service is just awesome there. (knock on wood tho)


----------



## stinart

I 'd like to see some feedback from sub 65% asic chip owners on air !







I consider myself lucky because mine at 63,5% , can do 1135/1140mhz - stock 1.17 voltage. I expected way less. For 1200mhz stable , it needs around 1.22volt. At 1.30v i think its capable for 1280 but not sure yet. Another thing i like is that the chip is very resistant to artifacts. Just feed it with voltage and good cooling and it gets the job done


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stinart*
> 
> I 'd like to see some feedback from sub 65% asic chip owners on air !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I consider myself lucky because mine at 63,5% , can do 1135/1140mhz - stock 1.17 voltage. I expected way less. For 1200mhz stable , it needs around 1.22volt. At 1.30v i think its capable for 1280 but not sure yet. Another thing i like is that the chip is very resistant to artifacts. Just feed it with voltage and good cooling and it gets the job done


Its said that the Asic quality doesn't work as a good indicator of how well the gpu can overclock. Its said that the Asic quality works best as an indicator for Nvidia cards and isnt as accurate for amd cards.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Its said that the Asic quality doesn't work as a good indicator of how well the gpu can overclock. Its said that the Asic quality works best as an indicator for Nvidia cards and isnt as accurate for amd cards.


This was my exact comment a few pages back. The makers of GPU-Z said that it is no real indication on AMD cards as it was made for nVidia cards.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> This was my exact comment a few pages back. The makers of GPU-Z said that it is no real indication on AMD cards as it was made for nVidia cards.


Well, I have noticed that my newer Gigabyte card runs slightly cooler than the older one. About 2C cooler on load (testing with 3DMark 11 and Heaven). That could be due to airflow as well. Not sure if it's ASIC quality or not. I'll try OC'ing the cards further than their current speeds. But ambients are ridiculous right now in Malaysia at around 30C leaving my case temps around 38C and I can't push the cards too much until I get an A/C for the room with the rig.


----------



## shellbunner

OK, I'm learning slowly that my crashes are due to my overclocks. But they are minimal, and it keeps crashing.

I have the Sapphire Dual OC, which hasn't gone over 70C, and isn't stable at even 1085mhz on my stock voltage.

Shouldn't my card be able to run 1085 and stock memory without adding voltage?

Overclocking --->

So my voltage in GPU-Z is .95 at idle, and then with AB 20% Power Limit, and max voltage in AB turned up to 1.2, and 1175mhz and 1550mhz memory, my voltage never reads above 1.08 in GPU-Z.

All my GPU programs show my stock voltage as either 1.17 (Gpu Shark, Msi Kombustor) or 1.05 (Msi AB 2.20).
GPU-Z 6.0 shows my stock voltage on Bios Switch 2 (1000mhz, 1450mhz memory) as .95.

I'm guessing GPU-Z is the accurate one, but how can my voltage be that low compared to the rest of the cards?

In a stress test right now, at 1175mhz and 1550mhz with 1.08 voltage, with 83% fan, it's at 82C.
At 1200mhz it crashes, and voltage still never goes above 1.08. How can I get the voltage up? I have the slider in AB at 1.2 max.

Trixx- Now, using Trixx, the voltage in GPU-Z shows up to 1.17 under load, with 20% Power Limit.
Stress testing 1185mhz and 1550mhz memory.
I'm running Msi Kombustor with Trixx overclocking, and the voltage and Gpu load are all over the place. Voltage is anywhere from 1.06 to 1.13 and Gpu load is 30%-65%.
Why is overclocking so damn confusing?

Thx for any help.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Couldnt ever get overclocking working right until you told me exactly what to do. I really appreciate it!












Man, I'm a little sad. I just posted two 6950s from my old quad array for sale. I ran those things for so long and went thru the early teething problems till they were matured.

I think I accidentally bought a 680 lol. I used the funds from stuff I sold from the wife's computer lol. Don't tell her. Will sell 6950s to get replace, sssshh.


----------



## shellbunner

Anyone have any ideas how I can get this voltage thing stable and sorted out? Thank you. My original post is 2 posts up.

Also, any driver out that doesn't crash when using dual monitors? I want to game and monitor my temps and such on my 2nd monitor, and it just keeps crashing. Amd drivers are freaking frustrating!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Couldnt ever get overclocking working right until you told me exactly what to do. I really appreciate it!


So you aren't selling them now?









Also, ambient of 72F = 22C, so I'd reckon it's about 25C here right now, in winter at 3:30 PM...

Not too much hotter than you though... hrm


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas how I can get this voltage thing stable and sorted out? Thank you. My original post is 2 posts up.


It sounds like your programs are not properly regulating the voltage of your card.

Try this: Uninstall AB and Trixx and then make sure you have a fresh install of 12.4 (use atiman uninstaller to do this) and then install afterburner 2.2.0 and put in the unofficial overclocking EULA thing in the config and make sure to set unofficialoverclocking to 1 instead of a 0. Next go into afterburner and hit settings and then make sure you have "unlock voltage control" and "unlock voltage monitoring" checked so it is actually regulating the voltage for you. Next up the voltage and click apply and get yourself into something windowed like kombustor or whatever and while it is running check to see what the voltage is in afterburner (you dont need gpu-z for this as it is built into afterburner). It should be regulating your voltage up now when you are in 3d programs.

It seems like you are missing one more of the steps to ensure voltage regulation in AB - I hope following my instructions help. It should be very easy to get this to work provided you have done all of the options correctly. Let me know what happens.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> OK, I'm learning slowly that my crashes are due to my overclocks. But they are minimal, and it keeps crashing.
> I have the Sapphire Dual OC, which hasn't gone over 70C, and isn't stable at even 1085mhz on my stock voltage.
> Shouldn't my card be able to run 1085 and stock memory without adding voltage?
> Overclocking --->
> So my voltage in GPU-Z is .95 at idle, and then with AB 20% Power Limit, and max voltage in AB turned up to 1.2, and 1175mhz and 1550mhz memory, my voltage never reads above 1.08 in GPU-Z.
> All my GPU programs show my stock voltage as either 1.17 (Gpu Shark, Msi Kombustor) or 1.05 (Msi AB 2.20).
> GPU-Z 6.0 shows my stock voltage on Bios Switch 2 (1000mhz, 1450mhz memory) as .95.
> I'm guessing GPU-Z is the accurate one, but how can my voltage be that low compared to the rest of the cards?
> In a stress test right now, at 1175mhz and 1550mhz with 1.08 voltage, with 83% fan, it's at 82C.
> At 1200mhz it crashes, and voltage still never goes above 1.08. How can I get the voltage up? I have the slider in AB at 1.2 max.
> Trixx- Now, using Trixx, the voltage in GPU-Z shows up to 1.17 under load, with 20% Power Limit.
> Stress testing 1185mhz and 1550mhz memory.
> I'm running Msi Kombustor with Trixx overclocking, and the voltage and Gpu load are all over the place. Voltage is anywhere from 1.06 to 1.13 and Gpu load is 30%-65%.
> Why is overclocking so damn confusing?
> Thx for any help.


One, your voltage could never be .95v, lowest is 993mv give or take. 950mv is actually the idle voltage. Regardless none of the apps you used actually reads true voltage, only intended voltage. If you want to see true voltage use hwinfo64. You can get an idea of your true base voltage by checking your asic % with gpuz. Then set AB to the core type following my post below. I would just uninstall everything, go to control panel uninstall all amd crap. Reboot, then grab driver of your choice and follow the post.

Also, don't use kombuster or any of those lame heat inducing wannabe benches, furmark, atitool, whatever. Use Heaven to get you stable, then use crysis or bf3 to actually prove you are stable.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/10110#post_17119193


----------



## General_Jaja

Gonna try lowering the voltages to 1.125mV, getting a bit optimistic but still wont hurt to try









Tested on Skyrim for 10mins, everything ran fine and temps were below 60







Doing Heaven benchmark now, then on to Battlefield 3 if its alright


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Gonna try lowering the voltages to 1.125mV, getting a bit optimistic but still wont hurt to try
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tested on Skyrim for 10mins, everything ran fine and temps were below 60
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Doing Heaven benchmark now, then on to Battlefield 3 if its alright


Skyrim is no test







Vanilla uses 40% of my overclocked 7970, and even with full S.T.E.P I usually only see up to 90%


----------



## General_Jaja

Crashed at about stage 16 of Heaven ;( Back to 1150, just gonna raise the clocks to 1220 or 50 and 1750 or 1800


----------



## SocksWthSandals

So I just got the black edition 7950 in the mail today and im having some black screen crashes. sometimes on boot and a lot of the time right when i start a game. whats that all about? bad card or bad drivers? its really annoying because I was really excited for this card


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SocksWthSandals*
> 
> So I just got the black edition 7950 in the mail today and im having some black screen crashes. sometimes on boot and a lot of the time right when i start a game. whats that all about? bad card or bad drivers? its really annoying because I was really excited for this card


Sounds like a bad card. RMA.


----------



## shellbunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> It sounds like your programs are not properly regulating the voltage of your card.
> Try this: Uninstall AB and Trixx and then make sure you have a fresh install of 12.4 (use atiman uninstaller to do this) and then install afterburner 2.2.0 and put in the unofficial overclocking EULA thing in the config and make sure to set unofficialoverclocking to 1 instead of a 0. Next go into afterburner and hit settings and then make sure you have "unlock voltage control" and "unlock voltage monitoring" checked so it is actually regulating the voltage for you. Next up the voltage and click apply and get yourself into something windowed like kombustor or whatever and while it is running check to see what the voltage is in afterburner (you dont need gpu-z for this as it is built into afterburner). It should be regulating your voltage up now when you are in 3d programs.
> It seems like you are missing one more of the steps to ensure voltage regulation in AB - I hope following my instructions help. It should be very easy to get this to work provided you have done all of the options correctly. Let me know what happens.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> One, your voltage could never be .95v, lowest is 993mv give or take. 950mv is actually the idle voltage. Regardless none of the apps you used actually reads true voltage, only intended voltage. If you want to see true voltage use hwinfo64. You can get an idea of your true base voltage by checking your asic % with gpuz. Then set AB to the core type following my post below. I would just uninstall everything, go to control panel uninstall all amd crap. Reboot, then grab driver of your choice and follow the post.
> Also, don't use kombuster or any of those lame heat inducing wannabe benches, furmark, atitool, whatever. Use Heaven to get you stable, then use crysis or bf3 to actually prove you are stable.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/10110#post_17119193


Thank you!! Finally works. So far stable at 1180 and 1650. Haven't tried higher yet.
+REP


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Thank you!! Finally works. So far stable at 1180 and 1650. Haven't tried higher yet.
> +REP


Glad to be of service and glad to see you got your OC sorted out.









Hey guys I just had the first problem with my GPU. I had no issues what so ever on my last build, but I recently replaced my core components and then this just happened:

I was listening to some music doing some stuff away from the computer and the monitor went to sleep after 10 minutes and the music was still playing. When I was done what I was doing I came back to the computer and moved the mouse to get the screen back and when it came back on there were horizontal lines across the whole screen that were yellow fore and I think also blue and gray. The whole screen was lined with them and I couldn't see anything else. The music continued to play until the song was done, but stopped playing after the song was done even though there were more to play which I found odd. I tried to shut down with the power button, but I had to hard restart.

Any idea what this could be? I haven't played any games since I got my new build up a few days ago, but I have the same settings on my OC on afterburner and I did do some tests to make sure it was stable in 3D rendering environments.

Thanks for any input.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Glad to be of service and glad to see you got your OC sorted out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey guys I just had the first problem with my GPU. I had no issues what so ever on my last build, but I recently replaced my core components and then this just happened:
> I was listening to some music doing some stuff away from the computer and the monitor went to sleep after 10 minutes and the music was still playing. When I was done what I was doing I came back to the computer and moved the mouse to get the screen back and when it came back on there were horizontal lines across the whole screen that were yellow fore and I think also blue and gray. The whole screen was lined with them and I couldn't see anything else. The music continued to play until the song was done, but stopped playing after the song was done even though there were more to play which I found odd. I tried to shut down with the power button, but I had to hard restart.
> Any idea what this could be? I haven't played any games since I got my new build up a few days ago, but I have the same settings on my OC on afterburner and I did do some tests to make sure it was stable in 3D rendering environments.
> Thanks for any input.


Disable the monitor sleep like in someone's previous post. It's still buggy and does the same with mine. Mine won't even wake.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Welcome to Trixx.
> "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!"


Yeah... I have seen no complaints/problems with AB around here...























You see the rolleyes?


----------



## Newbie2009

Well my xfire woes are gone now with 12.4. Never had an issue with single card config.
I have binned MSI afterburner.
Using modded trixx with moar volts and memory volts.

I am now a satisfied customer of AMD.


----------



## stinart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Its said that the Asic quality doesn't work as a good indicator of how well the gpu can overclock. Its said that the Asic quality works best as an indicator for Nvidia cards and isnt as accurate for amd cards.


Agreed about the overclock capability , but based on my experience it somehow indicates the amount of voltage a card needs for same clocks. Tested 2 other 7970s with asic above 80% and they were capable of 1125 with 1.11v , while mine (63,5%) needs 1.16. On the other hand , above 1160 they would artifact regardless the voltage , while mine is artifact free till 1290mhz but voltage thirsty.
So yes, in general, asic has nothing to do with the o/c potential.


----------



## General_Jaja

Now running 1200/1700 at 1.150mV 24/7 stable. Happy with that!


----------



## PsYLoR

Can anyone tell me if there is a program that will let me run my ref sapphire 7970 past 1.3v

I can get to at max 1340/1800 @ 1.3v but get artifacts

At 1325/1775 @ 1.3v with temps aroundlow 40's - 45 benching its stable but i want to push it further if it possible. thanks


----------



## Miklo

Just bought a Gigabyte 7970.







Can't wait to try it out.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> OK, I'm learning slowly that my crashes are due to my overclocks. But they are minimal, and it keeps crashing.
> I have the Sapphire Dual OC, which hasn't gone over 70C, and isn't stable at even 1085mhz on my stock voltage.
> Shouldn't my card be able to run 1085 and stock memory without adding voltage?
> Overclocking --->
> So my voltage in GPU-Z is .95 at idle, and then with AB 20% Power Limit, and max voltage in AB turned up to 1.2, and 1175mhz and 1550mhz memory, my voltage never reads above 1.08 in GPU-Z.
> All my GPU programs show my stock voltage as either 1.17 (Gpu Shark, Msi Kombustor) or 1.05 (Msi AB 2.20).
> GPU-Z 6.0 shows my stock voltage on Bios Switch 2 (1000mhz, 1450mhz memory) as .95.
> I'm guessing GPU-Z is the accurate one, but how can my voltage be that low compared to the rest of the cards?
> In a stress test right now, at 1175mhz and 1550mhz with 1.08 voltage, with 83% fan, it's at 82C.
> At 1200mhz it crashes, and voltage still never goes above 1.08. How can I get the voltage up? I have the slider in AB at 1.2 max.
> Trixx- Now, using Trixx, the voltage in GPU-Z shows up to 1.17 under load, with 20% Power Limit.
> Stress testing 1185mhz and 1550mhz memory.
> I'm running Msi Kombustor with Trixx overclocking, and the voltage and Gpu load are all over the place. Voltage is anywhere from 1.06 to 1.13 and Gpu load is 30%-65%.
> Why is overclocking so damn confusing?
> Thx for any help.


That OC is clearly unstable I think the voltage on the core is too low. Damn too late


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Well my xfire woes are gone now with 12.4. Never had an issue with single card config.
> I have binned MSI afterburner.
> Using modded trixx with moar volts and memory volts.
> I am now a satisfied customer of AMD.


Good to hear








I'll take the new modded Trixx over AB any day of the week, that's for sure


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Well my xfire woes are gone now with 12.4. Never had an issue with single card config.
> I have binned MSI afterburner.
> Using modded trixx with moar volts and memory volts.
> I am now a satisfied customer of AMD.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Yeah... I have seen no complaints/problems with AB around here...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You see the rolleyes?


Don't taze me bro.









Anyways, I'm not going to make the jump till you guys get it sorted, however I'm not ready to give up my OSD either. I also, haven't had much issue overclocking on AB with Tahiti. On Caymen, that was a whole other story.

It's interesting though... maybe Trixx has figured out the driver hash mystery... hmm.


----------



## verbatim

Got my Sapphire 7970 OC today. Sitting at 1200/1800 @ 1.260vddc. Haven't tried higher volts as I want reliability.

I would have liked more FPS on eyefinity though. FPS lower than Id like for multiplayer in BF3.
For single player, I can turn all to max nicely tho. Looks awesome.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PsYLoR*
> 
> Can anyone tell me if there is a program that will let me run my ref sapphire 7970 past 1.3v
> I can get to at max 1340/1800 @ 1.3v but get artifacts
> At 1325/1775 @ 1.3v with temps aroundlow 40's - 45 benching its stable but i want to push it further if it possible. thanks


The newest sapphire trixx.
https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Don't taze me bro.


Hehe, I wouldn't dare


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

AB will let me set voltage as high as 1350mV but I still get artifacts at anything over 1240mhz. Im guessing Im at the limit of these cards? If so, that still aint bad...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> AB will let me set voltage as high as 1350mV but I still get artifacts at anything over 1240mhz. Im guessing Im at the limit of these cards? If so, that still aint bad...


Yeah sounds like it, still a massive overclock and a big jump from stock performance though.

Btw the artifact issue is probably due to aircooling.


----------



## verbatim

Ooh just played crysis warhead at 5780x1080 all maxed. Always 30fps or above. Pretty sweet.


----------



## shellbunner

So now, after hours of BF3 testing and Unigine stable at 1180 and 1675 memory, the driver keeps crashing on system start up. Crashed over and over again, recovered, and it took me quite some time to get atiman to start inbetween the crashes and finally uninstall the driver.
Is it just the driver? Or could it have been my overclocks from last night? I didn't tell AB to boot with with those clocks, so it should have been booting with stock clocks.
Just when I thought I had this all sorted out.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> So now, after hours of BF3 testing and Unigine stable at 1180 and 1675 memory, the driver keeps crashing on system start up. Crashed over and over again, recovered, and it took me quite some time to get atiman to start inbetween the crashes and finally uninstall the driver.
> Is it just the driver? Or could it have been my overclocks from last night? I didn't tell AB to boot with with those clocks, so it should have been booting with stock clocks.
> Just when I thought I had this all sorted out.


Did you uninstall all your drivers and AB and restart from scratch before trying to OC again? The first thing after doing all that is to test your card at stock voltage, don't even install AB after installing your vidcard/drivers. Run bench apps to prove stability first, then after which start the overclock.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Disable the monitor sleep like in someone's previous post. It's still buggy and does the same with mine. Mine won't even wake.


Hmm I though that was just for actual sleep, but I will try this thanks. This is strange as I have never had this problem before and it is going to be quite annoying to remember to turn off my monitor manually if it is not going to be in use for a little while.

Anyways, thanks.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> So now, after hours of BF3 testing and Unigine stable at 1180 and 1675 memory, the driver keeps crashing on system start up. Crashed over and over again, recovered, and it took me quite some time to get atiman to start inbetween the crashes and finally uninstall the driver.
> Is it just the driver? Or could it have been my overclocks from last night? I didn't tell AB to boot with with those clocks, so it should have been booting with stock clocks.
> Just when I thought I had this all sorted out.


This sounds to me like you still had your overclock set in some program but not the higher voltage or something.
I had this happen to me before also when overclocking with Trixx. I forgot to reset one time and because of this the overclock values stayed in CCC but the voltage was back to stock after a reboot. This caused my drivers to crash also. Just a tought though!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Hmm I though that was just for actual sleep, but I will try this thanks. This is strange as I have never had this problem before and it is going to be quite annoying to remember to turn off my monitor manually if it is not going to be in use for a little while.
> Anyways, thanks.


Set a screensaver after 10 min (in case you do forget to shut down monitor)


----------



## DaClownie

All water cooled and ready to rock... Gonna run some stock benchmarks so that I have something to compare to, and then let the fun begin


----------



## Andrazh

Another problem. My comp turns off every time my card comes to 71°. I have a fresh install of win7 and 12.4 drivers with latest CAP. Before i could go over 70 with no problems.

Any thoughts?


----------



## Ghost23

Ordered my 7950, should be here tomorrow. Can't wait.


----------



## SocksWthSandals

going through the RMA process with my 7950 black edition







driver sweeper didnt help the black screens


----------



## shellbunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> This sounds to me like you still had your overclock set in some program but not the higher voltage or something.
> I had this happen to me before also when overclocking with Trixx. I forgot to reset one time and because of this the overclock values stayed in CCC but the voltage was back to stock after a reboot. This caused my drivers to crash also. Just a tought though!


Yea, this is exactly what I think is happening. I can run stable on Unigine and any game for as long as I'd like, but once I reboot, it's endless crashes until I reinstall the drivers. This happened on Afterburner and Trixx. I want profiles for Desktop and Gaming. Shouldn't it automatically boot at stock voltage/clocks once I reboot?
Any way to fix this?


----------



## 125837

I've left my overclock enough right now, until I get around to going to 12.4, but I was experiencing that crash cycle for a while, if I tried to open anything before AB started it would constantly crash, for between 1 and 5 minutes, and then just work.

I never worried about it because it still ran fine in games and we all know the drivers suck. Have you tried just sitting it out? I think it's to do with fan profiles.


----------



## shellbunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I've left my overclock enough right now, until I get around to going to 12.4, but I was experiencing that crash cycle for a while, if I tried to open anything before AB started it would constantly crash, for between 1 and 5 minutes, and then just work.
> I never worried about it because it still ran fine in games and we all know the drivers suck. Have you tried just sitting it out? I think it's to do with fan profiles.


I tried sitting it out, but it goes on for at least 15 minutes, so I figured it wasn't going to get better.
I'm trying to find my max overclock, but everytime I get close and BF3 or Unigine crashes, the reboot is a neverending loop of driver crashing.
How am I supposed to find my max overclock and save profiles if everytime I crash a benchmark and reboot Windows, I get the neverending looping?
Is this only a problem with 12.4?
Thx for your help guys.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> I tried sitting it out, but it goes on for at least 15 minutes, so I figured it wasn't going to get better.
> I'm trying to find my max overclock, but everytime I get close and BF3 or Unigine crashes, the reboot is a neverending loop of driver crashing.
> How am I supposed to find my max overclock and save profiles if everytime I crash a benchmark and reboot Windows, I get the neverending looping?
> Is this only a problem with 12.4?
> Thx for your help guys.


I am on 12.3, so no. Are you sure you've properly enabled UOM? Also, if you have CAPs installed, try uninstalling them. A lot of issues I was having vanished when I uninstalled CAPs.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Hey guys, since I had to reinstall windows I figured I'll give 12.4 a go. Quick question though, are caps useful for single GPU setups? Never used them before. Thanks.


----------



## shellbunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I am on 12.3, so no. Are you sure you've properly enabled UOM? Also, if you have CAPs installed, try uninstalling them. A lot of issues I was having vanished when I uninstalled CAPs.


Well, I wiped everything.
Reinstalled 12.4 and Trixx.
Disabled Trixx from starting on boot, and problem seems to have gone away.
Thx for your help! +REP

Another question, is it unstable memory clocks that cause artifacting?
And should I be able to run stable at 1200mhz and 1675mhz memory at 1.21 voltage or is that unrealistic?


----------



## pjBSOD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Quick question though, are caps useful for single GPU setups? Never used them before. Thanks.


There have been cases in which a CAP will provide maybe 1-2 small fixes for a game regarding single GPU configurations, but mostly they're 99.9% fixes that are for crossfire and crossfire specific issues only, the other fixes tend to just be enveloped in the driver version itself.

You will see virtually zero performance increase if you install CAPs with a single GPU configuration, don't even bother.


----------



## shellbunner

Sorry for the list of neverending questions, but in order to unlock voltage control in Trixx, is clicking the Disable ULPS button the only thing I need to do?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Sorry for the list of neverending questions, but in order to unlock voltage control in Trixx, is clicking the Disable ULPS button the only thing I need to do?


Nope it should be unlocked on it's own, at the bottom of the overclocking panel.


----------



## shellbunner

Cool, thank you.
Is 1550mhz on memory pretty pathetic?
I have the voltage slider all the way to 1.25, even though it never goes above 1.17ish on Unigine, and 1200 core and 1550 memory is as high as I can go. How come the voltage won't go past 1.17 and go up to say 1.2ish?
It seems like I should be able to hit over 1550 memory without artifacting. Temps are low so I doubt that is the issue.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *E-Peen*
> 
> You will see virtually zero performance increase if you install CAPs with a single GPU configuration, don't even bother.


I would check one of the latest CAPs that AMD released... It is/was full of fixes for single GPU...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Yea, this is exactly what I think is happening. I can run stable on Unigine and any game for as long as I'd like, but once I reboot, it's endless crashes until I reinstall the drivers. This happened on Afterburner and Trixx. I want profiles for Desktop and Gaming. Shouldn't it automatically boot at stock voltage/clocks once I reboot?
> Any way to fix this?


Do you push the reset button in Trixx when you are done with gaming and before closing Trixx?
You should hit reset, apply and then close Trixx.
Try that before rebooting and all should be ok








- sorry for double post


----------



## pjBSOD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I would check one of the latest CAPs that AMD released... It is/was full of fixes for single GPU...


Full?

It contains 3 fixes:

- Ridge Racer Unbounded - Fixes full screen corruption for single GPU configurations

- FireFall: Resolve corruption when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations

- Stacking - Resolved image quality issues when enabling Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst Control Center on single GPU configurations

Not arguing with you, just saying if it was a key fix / important fix that actually effected everyone / popular games, it would be implemented into the driver version rather than a CAP. Thus the CAP being unnecessary unless you're the minority.


----------



## shellbunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Do you push the reset button in Trixx when you are done with gaming and before closing Trixx?
> You should hit reset, apply and then close Trixx.
> Try that before rebooting and all should be ok
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> - sorry for double post


The problem ended up being that I had Trixx set to boot when Windows starts and it was causing the crash loop.
I'm getting this overclock finetuned, just trying to get rid of the artifacts in Unigine.
Seems if I give too much voltage, that it crashes. Weird.
Either way, I'm enjoying this card, and I appreciate everyone's help!


----------



## PsYLoR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> The newest sapphire trixx.
> https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx


Thanks







I just did this......

http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/220#post_17136517

Got it to 1350/1795 so far, will push further when i finish work.


----------



## afadzil21

Hmm... new question. How can you tell if the second card in Crossfire has powered down through Zerocore when idling? If I run GPU-Z it never powers down. Any other way to tell?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Hmm... new question. How can you tell if the second card in Crossfire has powered down through Zerocore when idling? If I run GPU-Z it never powers down. Any other way to tell?


Look at the fan, is it moving? I would think that would be the only way to tell, as if it's off, Windows will not show it being off. And if it's being accessed through sensors, it will stay on. Any other suggestions? That's the only way I can tell.


----------



## psyclum

just got my 7970 today and been keeping a close eye on catalyst.. is it normal for the clock rate to be "twitchy"? what i mean is when i'm typing this post, i've watched the GPU and mem clock go from 300/150 mhz (idle speed) to 950/1425 mhz (performance speed) at least 15 to 20 times (and staying at the performance speed most of the time).... activity remains 0% about 95% of the time and only jump up to maybe 3% on occasions... it also jumped to performance speed from me opening an avi file... is typing, moving the mouse, or reading the msg board supposed to trigger the clock to jump to performance clock? i would think scrolling up and down a page on a msg board would not trigger it to jump to high performance clock speeds?

can someone confirm this as normal behavior? or do i have a bum card?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyclum*
> 
> just got my 7970 today and been keeping a close eye on catalyst.. is it normal for the clock rate to be "twitchy"? what i mean is when i'm typing this post, i've watched the GPU and mem clock go from 300/150 mhz (idle speed) to 950/1425 mhz (performance speed) at least 15 to 20 times (and staying at the performance speed most of the time).... activity remains 0% about 95% of the time and only jump up to maybe 3% on occasions... it also jumped to performance speed from me opening an avi file... is typing, moving the mouse, or reading the msg board supposed to trigger the clock to jump to performance clock? i would think scrolling up and down a page on a msg board would not trigger it to jump to high performance clock speeds?
> can someone confirm this as normal behavior? or do i have a bum card?


This is fine, it's hardware acceleration that is doing this. Mine does it too.


----------



## psyclum

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> This is fine, it's hardware acceleration that is doing this. Mine does it too.


i donno. right now the card is sitting at 55C from me just reading the msg board.... seems REALLY high for "idle"


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyclum*
> 
> i donno. right now the card is sitting at 55C from me just reading the msg board.... seems REALLY high for "idle"


Ya that's what mine does without a custom fan profile. I think it's because of programs like 3ds max, Maya, Photoshop, and such; as I was having problems with those (Driver failure and stuff) until I switched back to stock bios and WHQL drivers, allowing the card to that again. It probably is only happening if it detects a load where 300mhz isn't enough without it crashing and bumps it too 500mhz or 3d clocks.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I uninstalled all overclocking software. Put the card via CCC @ 1125Mhz/1575Mhz and called it a day. Waisting my time trying to OC this card with no real results. Water does not help. Anything 1175Mhz and over no matter the voltages will artifact in games. Can play fine for some times. As soon as the card heats up and reaches 50C+ you see a ton of artifacts. Most frustrating card to OC in the world. Why cant i have same OC as HD 69XX? Why dont drivers crash like they used too? People have overestimated these cards greatly.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *E-Peen*
> 
> There have been cases in which a CAP will provide maybe 1-2 small fixes for a game regarding single GPU configurations, but mostly they're 99.9% fixes that are for crossfire and crossfire specific issues only, the other fixes tend to just be enveloped in the driver version itself.
> You will see virtually zero performance increase if you install CAPs with a single GPU configuration, don't even bother.


Thanks, +rep







.


----------



## psyclum

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Ya that's what mine does without a custom fan profile. I think it's because of programs like 3ds max, Maya, Photoshop, and such; as I was having problems with those (Driver failure and stuff) until I switched back to stock bios and WHQL drivers, allowing the card to that again. It probably is only happening if it detects a load where 300mhz isn't enough without it crashing and bumps it too 500mhz or 3d clocks.


still tho. considering the most graphics intensive thing i'm looking at right now is that red ban button and the animated sonic in your sig







i don't think those require more then 300mhz to render









also, i jumped into LotRO earlier and my full load temp was only 61C... so the difference between full DX11, 16x AF, 8xAA, everything turned to max gaming mode was a difference of 6C (from 55C to 61C) granted the fan speed actually move up to 39% in game instead of 20% of just reading the msg board... something just doesn't seem right with idle on this card....


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I uninstalled all overclocking software. Put the card via CCC @ 1125Mhz/1575Mhz and called it a day. Waisting my time trying to OC this card with no real results. Water does not help. Anything 1175Mhz and over no matter the voltages will artifact in games. Can play fine for some times. As soon as the card heats up and reaches 50C+ you see a ton of artifacts. Most frustrating card to OC in the world. Why cant i have same OC as HD 69XX? Why dont drivers crash like they used too? People have overestimated these cards greatly.


Agreed. This is the only way I have found to be able to enjoy my setup without headaches. Just now I tried to fire up Crysis 2 after having done a bunch of things to get AB to OC correctly and guess what? 15fps and 20% GPU1 usage! Benchmarks run fine but my games are all broken *AGAIN*! So I unisntall AB, all AMD drivers, delete all AMD/ATI folders, reinstall 12.4 from scratch, use vanilla CCC and OD and guess what? Insta-crash in Crysis 2! So now I am left with the prospect of having to do a full Win7 reinstall just to get my game working again. All this after trying UOM with AB! I am so fed up to death with these cards *I really want them gone NOW*. I'll just plug my last 580 Lightning in and call it a day until I can get some decent non-reference 680's. *I will never, EVER, EVER buy another AMD product as long as I live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


----------



## Evil Penguin

People screw up their system configs with 3rd party programs that use unstable overclocking methods and then blame the cards for it.

I know you guys should have the right tweak your hardware, but when you do something that messes it up put the blame on yourself.

I've read every single post in this thread and it's getting quite tiring to see people to do unwise things and blame it on something else.

You want to overclock? Stick to CCC for now if you want it to be more or less stable.

Want to continue using problematic 3rd party tools?

AMD is probably not for you then.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyclum*
> 
> i donno. right now the card is sitting at 55C from me just reading the msg board.... seems REALLY high for "idle"


yup, i got the same numbers, and same thing just browsing the net, i've not even ran any game or bench yet today.

the 2nd card that is idle, is actually sitting even higher at 58c

both on stock settings, as the drivers are so unstable, i can't even get them to run properly on stock in games / benches


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> People screw up their system configs with 3rd party programs that use unstable overclocking methods and then blame the cards for it.
> I know you guys should have the right tweak your hardware, but when you do something that messes it up put the blame on yourself.
> 
> I've read every single post in this thread and it's getting quite tiring to see people to do unwise things and blame it on something else.
> You want to overclock? Stick to CCC for now if you want it to be more or less stable.
> Want to continue using problematic 3rd party tools?
> AMD is probably not for you then.


Been overclocking AMD card for ages. HD 7970 totally new way to OC.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Been overclocking AMD card for ages. HD 7970 totally new way to OC.


Unofficial overclocking mode is crap and I strongly advise anyone again'st using it.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> People screw up their system configs with 3rd party programs that use unstable overclocking methods and then blame the cards for it.
> I know you guys should have the right tweak your hardware, but when you do something that messes it up put the blame on yourself.
> 
> I've read every single post in this thread and it's getting quite tiring to see people to do unwise things and blame it on something else.
> You want to overclock? Stick to CCC for now if you want it to be more or less stable.
> Want to continue using problematic 3rd party tools?
> *AMD is probably not for you then.*


You know what? You are absolutely right! All I know is that overclocking my 580's via AB was a simple as it gets. No fuss, no muss. These 7970's have been nothing but trouble since day one, at least when not using just stock CCC. Sorry but I didn't pay $1200 for these cards to be stuck at stock voltage and 1125MHz. These things are going up for sale asap....


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You know what? You are absolutely right! All I know is that overclocking my 580's via AB was a simple as it gets. No fuss, no muss. These 7970's have been nothing but trouble since day one, at least when not using just stock CCC. Sorry but I didn't pay $1200 for these cards to be stuck at stock voltage and 1125MHz. These things are going up for sale asap....


Interesting that you say that because that's exactly what you're getting with the GTX 680 if you get that.

If it makes you happy I'm all for it.

I don't want anyone chained to any brand.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> People screw up their system configs with 3rd party programs that use unstable overclocking methods and then blame the cards for it.
> I know you guys should have the right tweak your hardware, but when you do something that messes it up put the blame on yourself.
> 
> I've read every single post in this thread and it's getting quite tiring to see people to do unwise things and blame it on something else.
> You want to overclock? Stick to CCC for now if you want it to be more or less stable.
> Want to continue using problematic 3rd party tools?
> *AMD is probably not for you then.*
> 
> 
> 
> You know what? You are absolutely right! All I know is that overclocking my 580's via AB was a simple as it gets. No fuss, no muss. These 7970's have been nothing but trouble since day one, at least when not using just stock CCC. Sorry but I didn't pay $1200 for these cards to be stuck at stock voltage and 1125MHz. These things are going up for sale asap....
Click to expand...

GTX 680s are voltage locked aren't they?

Why are you still using Afterburner? From what I understand 2.2.0 is borked and has been causing problems for weeks. I have no problems with Trixx at all, have you tried that? There are plenty of people who are successfully raising the voltage and overclocking. If you are having problems then something is happening on your end.

Anyway it sounds like youd be happier with nvidia, hope you get it all sorted

edit: also, you may look into trying ASUS' GPU Tweak. I have only used it a little myself but from what I've heard it works fine


----------



## tsm106

Shrugs, I don't have any issues overclocking with AB. Zero. I also know the difference between a driver issue and an AB issue.

Quote:


> Just now I tried to fire up Crysis 2 after having done a bunch of things to get AB to OC correctly and guess what? 15fps and 20% GPU1 usage!


Just curious are you on 12.4 whql?

Dammit, Clips are gonna lose Gm 2.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> GTX 680s are voltage locked aren't they?
> Why are you still using Afterburner? From what I understand 2.2.0 is borked and has been causing problems for weeks. I have no problems with Trixx at all, have you tried that? There are plenty of people who are successfully raising the voltage and overclocking. If you are having problems then something is happening on your end.
> Anyway it sounds like youd be happier with nvidia, hope you get it all sorted
> edit: also, you may look into trying ASUS' GPU Tweak. I have only used it a little myself but from what I've heard it works fine


2.2 final works fine for OC'ing, not sure what issue you guys are having. You have to run it with the -xcl argument, and you also have to be wary of the "apply overclock at system startup" and "synchronize all gpu's" options. Those can cause instability sometimes with AB....anyway, works fine here.


----------



## tsm106

Yea, I read all the crap ppl complained about 2.2 and was like omg they broke it. Then I wiped my os while testing 12.4whql which sucked btw, and I ran AB 2.2. I had ZERO issues with it. What the heck are ppl complaining about???


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea, I read all the crap ppl complained about 2.2 and was like omg they broke it. Then I wiped my os while testing 12.4whql which sucked btw, and I ran AB 2.2. I had ZERO issues with it. What the heck are ppl complaining about???


Getting stuck in 2d clocks, stuttering, artifacts, crashes, random fan changes/lack of fan movement, you know the usually







. And to the OP you are extremely right, just got rid of trixx, using CCC now, problems solved







. I thought I had solved everything and my card was bugged with artifacts from time to time ... NOPE, +rep as I don't think I have yet, and for once again helping.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I am on 12.4 whql which was working fine with all of my games until I installed AB and UOM. All of my benches work brilliantly overclocked but as soon as I tried to play Crysis 2 it was a no go. Even after unistalling AB and all AMD drivers and reinstalling from scratch Crysis 2 will not run at all now...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I am on 12.4 whql which was working fine with all of my games until I installed AB and UOM. All of my benches work brilliantly overclocked but as soon as I tried to play Crysis 2 it was a no go. Even after unistalling AB and all AMD drivers and reinstalling from scratch Crysis 2 will not run at all now...


I knew you were on 12.4... That driver has issues with crossfire scaling. Allgamer can chime in on this one. Hambonie said 8.97 aka 12.5 beta was good all around btw.


----------



## AllGamer

i just managed to get it to run "stable" on 12.3 with crossfire+eyefinity6 without crashing

but performance is pretty crap


----------



## Wattser93

I purchased a Sapphire Dual-X 7970 over the weekend (it showed up today), and I couldn't be happier.

Just played a bit of Civ 5 maxed, smooth as butter, zero coil whine, and the fans didn't even spin up to noticeable levels.

Overall an awesome card IMO. At $450 after MIR I'm plenty happy with my purchase.

Glad to join the club of happy 7970 owners. It's time to get a game that'll really stress the card and see what it can do.


----------



## Andrazh

My card seems to be stuck at 8x PCIe speed. Does anyone know how to fix this?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> My card seems to be stuck at 8x PCIe speed. Does anyone know how to fix this?


It's not stuck, the lanes will automatically downclock themselves to save on power. Mine sits at 4x to 8x at idle as well.

*To those of you with Crysis 2 issues:*
No clue what your problems are honestly. I'm on 12.4 WHQL, using the latest MSI AB, and I use the -xcl method plus profiles (stock for 2D, overclocked for 3D). Crysis 2 works beautifully here, 99% GPU usage and 40-45 FPS or so at 2560x1600 maxed out with DX11 + High Res texture pack.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Agreed. This is the only way I have found to be able to enjoy my setup without headaches. Just now I tried to fire up Crysis 2 after having done a bunch of things to get AB to OC correctly and guess what? 15fps and 20% GPU1 usage! Benchmarks run fine but my games are all broken *AGAIN*! So I unisntall AB, all AMD drivers, delete all AMD/ATI folders, reinstall 12.4 from scratch, use vanilla CCC and OD and guess what? Insta-crash in Crysis 2! So now I am left with the prospect of having to do a full Win7 reinstall just to get my game working again. All this after trying UOM with AB! I am so fed up to death with these cards *I really want them gone NOW*. I'll just plug my last 580 Lightning in and call it a day until I can get some decent non-reference 680's. *I will never, EVER, EVER buy another AMD product as long as I live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


So you _are_ selling them? When is this likely to occur?


----------



## Johnny Utah

Hey guys wondering if you can provide some clarification for me.

GPU-z is telling me one thing for VDDC and Kombustor and AB are telling me another thing. Also the GPU clocks in GPU-z and Kombustor and static and in AB they jump around. What's up with that. Running AB 2.2 and cat 12.4.



Edit: Ok just had a thought, is it similar to CPU overclocking where AB is displaying the "BIOS voltage" while GPU-z is reporting the actual voltage after vdroop?


----------



## sena

That downlocking in Kombustor is happening, because power limiters. Its ok.
Polling rate in GPU-Z and Kombustor are not fast enough to catch clocks changing, MSI can catch it.


----------



## theyedi

1150/1494 is fine, but anything above this just gets artifacting, no matter how much I pump the voltage. I'm using AB... read that it's not actually changing voltage, is that true? Or am I just at the limits of my card?

edit: just loaded gpu z while stress testing, and it says VDDC 1.17 which is stock. I'm guessing my voltage changes in AB aren't applying. Any other way to get voltage changes?

2nd edit: apparently gpu z wasn't reading the voltages right, unlocking voltage monitoring in AB showed that my voltage changes were indeed applying


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Agreed. This is the only way I have found to be able to enjoy my setup without headaches. Just now I tried to fire up Crysis 2 after having done a bunch of things to get AB to OC correctly and guess what? 15fps and 20% GPU1 usage! Benchmarks run fine but my games are all broken *AGAIN*! So I unisntall AB, all AMD drivers, delete all AMD/ATI folders, reinstall 12.4 from scratch, use vanilla CCC and OD and guess what? Insta-crash in Crysis 2! So now I am left with the prospect of having to do a full Win7 reinstall just to get my game working again. All this after trying UOM with AB! I am so fed up to death with these cards *I really want them gone NOW*. I'll just plug my last 580 Lightning in and call it a day until I can get some decent non-reference 680's. *I will never, EVER, EVER buy another AMD product as long as I live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*


So... You are selling your cards again








One piece of advice dude, you should lighten up and not get so mad at these things.
Believe me, I speak out of experience.
It brings you nothing but more frustration and problems getting mad like this. I was like this also when I was younger.
You will get more dispointments in life which are far more extreme than this, so take up my advice.

Concerning your problems. I really hope you will get more joy with nvidia, but the way you are constantly trying to push your cards I really doubt you won't get problems in the end with nvidia also.
Just OC your card to what is stable and be happy with it.
Otherwise Nvidia will turn out to be a disapointment also...


----------



## WiL11o6

@Majin SSJ Eric What's wrong with 1125/1575 OC?

I honestly think it's fast enough for anything you throw at it, especially on a single 1080p like me. My cards can only top off at 1175/1700, but it is unstable and I actually just run my cards at 1000/1400 to reduce heat and fan noise. I sometimes even run it at stock 925/1375 so I can drop voltage lower and reduce more noise and it still tears through everything like Crysis 2, Metro 2033, etc. Your lightnings are stock at 1070/1400 right? That's already pretty damn fast plus it runs quieter and cooler than my reference.

If anything, if you were going to switch sides, I would just hold it until GTX 7xx, whenever that is. That's where the real upgrade is because a GTX 680 just offers better drivers, but hardware vs hardware, these two are pretty close. Just depends on if it's an Nvidia optimized game or not. I also will not be going back to AMD for my next upgrade as my CF 7970s also have caused me a lot of problems. Everything is running fine now, but some games do have some slight stutter (fps drops) and it's probably a driver problem. Nvidia was painless.

One thing I will say about AMD is that, the drivers are so crappy that I learned a lot more about my system. Having spent countless hours trying to troubleshoot by going through registry files, config files keeping an eye on voltage, core speed, etc. has taught me a lot about how to OC well. Whereas an Nvidia card, I would just set it and forget it.

Edit: Also, what Daffie said. I too was disappointed at first with the LOUD! fan and driver problems with stuttering, etc. especially paying $1200 and they are now $479 each. I too thought about selling them and getting GTX 680s however, it would be too much work and I would lose too much money for more of a side grade, and maybe even a downgrade on certain games like Metro 2033, Crysis 1/2. Plus for future proof, if I get a 1600p monitor, I am sure the 3GB of VRAM would come in handy for future VRAM demanding games like BF4 or something. I decided to just stay with the 7970s and be happy because they are monsters of cards. The loudness of the fans will remind me of that.


----------



## Artey

I bought this card a few weeks ago and severely regretting it already. It performs well, but the ATI drivers are beyond anything I've ever seen. The main reason I bought this card for, was to be able to stream my games. That, however, is impossible because it crashes with BSOD 117 no matter if I use Flash Media Encoder or Xsplit to encode. There's already a 14 page thread of 79xx owners with the same issues on the Xsplit forums
I'd like nothing more than to sell it on ebay and get a GTX680, but as it is, I'd lose €100 on it already. I'll stick with nvidia in the future. I'm sure they have their issues, but I can't imagine it being worse than the 7970 AMD experience.
It's been 5 months now, can we get some STABLE drivers please?


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's not stuck, the lanes will automatically downclock themselves to save on power. Mine sits at 4x to 8x at idle as well.
> *To those of you with Crysis 2 issues:*
> No clue what your problems are honestly. I'm on 12.4 WHQL, using the latest MSI AB, and I use the -xcl method plus profiles (stock for 2D, overclocked for 3D). Crysis 2 works beautifully here, 99% GPU usage and 40-45 FPS or so at 2560x1600 maxed out with DX11 + High Res texture pack.


It's stuck at 8x even when I benchmark or run games. I'm using 12.4 WHQL also. I tried it in another computer with the same drivers tho and it was again at 8x. Gonna try to reinstall drivers.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Look at the fan, is it moving? I would think that would be the only way to tell, as if it's off, Windows will not show it being off. And if it's being accessed through sensors, it will stay on. Any other suggestions? That's the only way I can tell.


Ha. Guess I'll have to pull my side panel off just to check if Zerocore is active. Anyone can confirm if it's working on custom cards like the Gigabyte WF3, Lightning, XFX BE or Dual-X?


----------



## Andrazh

How to change maximum bus setting?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, any idea why I can't run smoothly BF3 without capping the FPS? Vsynced of course it's smooth, but I can't maintain it.

I cap the FPS @54 for nearly complete removal of tearing or @56 with a little tearing and it's smooth like Vsynced.. If I let it as is, the gameplay is choppy, while the FPS has fluctuates... I tried the ForceRenderAhead and TrippleBuffering, but nothing...

Drivers 12.4 WHQL. Also, I tried The WItcher 2 without Vsync and it's smooth, not like BF3... I gave more voltage, I tried with stock, ref or OCed clocks, still nothing.


----------



## Dousand Thollars

Any ETA on 12.5?

I read from a source that I have long forgot that AMD claimed to have sorted a lot of these CF bugs in 12.5.


----------



## majnu

Has the issue with the ASUS HD7970 Direct CU II card having high VRM temps when overclocked been fixed?

I ordered this card in the UK for £360 but read it overclocks poor and causes all sort of artefacting.

I can cancel my order if needs be, as I wanted the Palit Jetstream GTX680 but for £100 more I went for the 7970 instead.

Any quick replies from owners would be much appreciated as the 7970 ASUS HD7970 Direct CU II is a one day deal only.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm going to try 8.97 basically because my only other option at this point is a fresh OS install. Sorry guys if I'm pissing you off with my frustration, I just really, REALLY wanted to love these cards but I have had so many stupid problems it has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I know that these are great cards, I just wish the software would let them shine! It seems like I can either get good clocks for benching or I can get good performance in my games, but NEVER both at the same time and that is just frustrating as heck! Maybe 12.5 beta will work at least at stock again...


----------



## crunkazcanbe

My computer is as stable as its ever been now with 12.4 and Sapphire Trixx. I have never been able to overclock with anything like trixx , afterburner , gpu tweak now I can . Normaly I would have a bsod or just crash and coumputer just cut off because my voltage would never stick longer then 5 mins for some reason by the time i turned a game on with a overclock my cards would go back to 1.175v or go up way to high . But now im running @ 1.1ghz for gpu and 1.6ghz for memory @ 1.225v is that a good voltage for that Befor I could only run about 1030mhz without changing the voltage on all three my cards and I only used CCC to overclock cause everything else sucked .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Sorry for so many post i messed up just got up


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm going to try 8.97 basically because my only other option at this point is a fresh OS install. Sorry guys if I'm pissing you off with my frustration, I just really, REALLY wanted to love these cards but I have had so many stupid problems it has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I know that these are great cards, I just wish the software would let them shine! It seems like I can either get good clocks for benching or I can get good performance in my games, but NEVER both at the same time and that is just frustrating as heck! Maybe 12.5 beta will work at least at stock again...


I had to do a clean install with win 7 for things to run semi right . I do clean installs all the time anyhow does not take long with my ssd







btw all my 300+ games on steam are installed on a 2tb drive in raid 1 so i dont have to reinstall them thank god. I have another 2tb raid 1 setup for my pictures and videos and music all i have to do when i install windows is change the path for videos folder and pictures and music folder.


----------



## jman246

can someone please do me a favour and tell me their gpu usage/fps of crysis at 1080p with all settings at max except msaa which is x4 (for 7970)

Edit: Single 7970


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Well 8.97 fixed my issues with Crysis 2. I'm afraid to reinstall AB though so I'll just stick to stock again for stability...


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> can someone please do me a favour and tell me their gpu usage/fps of crysis at 1080p with all settings at max except msaa which is x4 (for 7970)


Just ran the game for 15mins or so and was getting 122 max and as low i seen it go with fraps was 84fps this was everything maxed out and vsync off with vsync on it stays at 60fps and does not move this is all @ 2560x1600 .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Well 8.97 fixed my issues with Crysis 2. I'm afraid to reinstall AB though so I'll just stick to stock again for stability...


Im getting about 70fps drops to about 38 or so fps sometimes on crysis 2 with everything maxed out is that seem about right to you @ 2560x1600 . this is with 12.4 .


----------



## jman246

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Just ran the game for 15mins or so and was getting 122 max and as low i seen it go with fraps was 84fps this was everything maxed out and vsync off with vsync on it stays at 60fps and does not move .


Thanks so much but is that single 7970? I almost had a heart attack until i saw tri-fire in your sig rig


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> can someone please do me a favour and tell me their gpu usage/fps of crysis at 1080p with all settings at max except msaa which is x4 (for 7970)
> Edit: Single 7970


90/100 on both
ultra settings
Hi res pack/DX 11
1200 Mhz core 1600 mem 1.2 V
@ 5760x1200

Edit with 1 card 100% usage)

(RC11)
occasionally tecture flickering. (this occures only in crysis 2 and has nothing to do with my overclock)
stable in other games like
metro
BF3
COD

Benches

Heaven,
3Dmark 11


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, any idea why I can't run smoothly BF3 without capping the FPS? Vsynced of course it's smooth, but I can't maintain it.
> 
> I cap the FPS @54 for nearly complete removal of tearing or @56 with a little tearing and it's smooth like Vsynced.. If I let it as is, the gameplay is choppy, while the FPS has fluctuates... I tried the ForceRenderAhead and TrippleBuffering, but nothing...
> 
> Drivers 12.4 WHQL. Also, I tried The WItcher 2 without Vsync and it's smooth, not like BF3... I gave more voltage, I tried with stock, ref or OCed clocks, still nothing.


And the solution was... A clean installation of 8.97 drivers! Damn! These drivers are nearly perfect! The gameplay is smooth even with 4xMSAA ( HBAO/Blur off - Ultra Textures, all other High ) when I get as low as ~47-50FPS.

I really love these drivers... Can't wait for official 12.5!

Edit: Now I'm on Operation Firestorm, the card is running at 1Ghz, the FPS is capped at 56 and the game is almost smoth as vsynced without the input lag, jesus!


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> Thanks so much but is that single 7970? I almost had a heart attack until i saw tri-fire in your sig rig


Yeah this is with trifire with all stock clocks . it goes up a bit when i overclock but i wanted to give you as close to stock as i could with out turning off crossfire .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jayless*
> 
> 90/100 on both
> ultra settings
> Hi res pack/DX 11
> 1200 Mhz core 1600 mem 1.2 V
> @ 5760x1200
> Edit with 1 card 100% usage)
> (RC11)
> occasionally tecture flickering. (this occures only in crysis 2 and has nothing to do with my overclock)
> stable in other games like
> metro
> BF3
> COD
> Benches
> Heaven,
> 3Dmark 11


I really dont believe your getting 90/100 with 1 card even if you overclocked to 1.2ghz . also im sure he wanted with stock clocks


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I really dont believe your getting 90/100 with 1 card even if you overclocked to 1.2ghz . also im sure he wanted with stock clocks


The bs was pretty thick, yea.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm going to try 8.97 basically because my only other option at this point is a fresh OS install. Sorry guys if I'm pissing you off with my frustration, I just really, REALLY wanted to love these cards but I have had so many stupid problems it has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I know that these are great cards, I just wish the software would let them shine! It seems like I can either get good clocks for benching or I can get good performance in my games, but NEVER both at the same time and that is just frustrating as heck! Maybe 12.5 beta will work at least at stock again...


Dude, forget for a moment about your e-penis and enjoy these cards for what they are meant for... FOR GAMING.
Nobody is going to remember you any longer just because you were able to run an extreme insane OC in 3dmark11...


----------



## rageofthepeon

Had some wierd issues with Skyrim last night. Unfortunately it's hard to pinpoint the problem as I installed 3770k, motherboard, and WQL 12.4 all together. FPS is smoother but I'm getting random flickers. In the intro dungeon when I looked up in the cave/tunnel areas textures would pop in and out like it was trying to decide which to render: sky or tunnel ceiling. I'm running on default ultra settings and I never had this problem on my phenom II x4 955.

The card is overclocked to 1125/1575 which should be fine. On the previous build I messed around and was playing BF3 default ultra on 1220/1800 with no problems. I'll try to test more tonight with screen shots.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Well 8.97 fixed my issues with Crysis 2. I'm afraid to reinstall AB though so I'll just stick to stock again for stability...


When are you gonna really listen man... told you about 12.4 right?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The bs was pretty thick, yea.


Yeah it was








Also the person was asking about crysis 1 not 2 lol . im just getting 120fps at stock clocks with 3 cards on crysis 2 there is no way 1 card even oced can be getting close to that .







I really dont understand why people have to lie on here people come here wanting help truth and guidance not to be filled full of lies


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Dude, forget for a moment about your e-penis and enjoy these cards for what they are meant for... FOR GAMING.
> Nobody is going to remember you any longer just because you were able to run an extreme insane OC in 3dmark11...


Can you really blame anyone though, it is Overclock.net. But yes you are correct if you use any product (even a coffee mug) for something it wasn't intended for you will have problems. AMD built this cards to use CCC and OC up to 1125/1500, anything higher and your just asking for problems. Also I'm just gonna say this (people will probably disagree) but if you are not getting 60FPS average at the settings you want, then OCing will not get you there. OCing at best will net you maybe on average an extra 8-10fps, at least that's the difference for me between stock and max overclock in game, and my max is 1270. Best way to get more FPS lower res, lower settings. Honestly I would rather have more FPS than higher fidelity, even in BF3 I usually only play with High and Post AA, so I can see them before they see me, except Metro so easy on the card. You payed 500+ for these cards and won't let them work the way they are designed, why don't you put some jet fuel in your car while your at it and see what happens. The OP is right. Yes this overclock.net, and yes it is about getting your max and being stable. But no mechanic is going to recommend you put a turbo in a Civic, unless you want more problems and headaches, for a slight increase in performance. Just as AMD isn't recommending to anyone that they use third-party apps for Overclocking. I'm gonna go hide under my rock now, and wait for the haters.


----------



## Miklo

Just installed my 7970 and so far I have no problems.







Everything runs smooth.


----------



## rivalknet

Newegg had a deal for the non-OC Sapphire 7950 that I couldn't pass up. Been loving it so far. I tend to prefer to slightly lower settings rather than have a lot of fan noise so I haven't pushed the card very much but I'm already impressed with what I've seen. Did a fresh install of Win7, running with 12.4 and tweaking in Trixx and so far zero issues.

Since I'm new (and didn't read through the first 1k+ pages of this thread







) what speeds/temps have you other 7950 owners been able to achieve?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Dude, forget for a moment about your e-penis and enjoy these cards for what they are meant for... FOR GAMING.
> Nobody is going to remember you any longer just because you were able to run an extreme insane OC in 3dmark11...


Please don't tell me what I should be "happy" with concerning my cards, OK? By your reckoning my 580 Lightnings were plenty for gaming as I could easily max every game with them too. The whole purpose of me trading in the 580's for 7970's was to maximize performance in benching (which is something I do more than gaming if you want to know the truth). If I was only worried about gaming performance I would have just stuck with my 580's...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When are you gonna really listen man... told you about 12.4 right?


I'm trying to listen but I just don't get it I guess. Which driver should I be running to use AB for OCing but still have stability in games at stock?????


----------



## shellbunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Had some wierd issues with Skyrim last night. Unfortunately it's hard to pinpoint the problem as I installed 3770k, motherboard, and WQL 12.4 all together. FPS is smoother but I'm getting random flickers. In the intro dungeon when I looked up in the cave/tunnel areas textures would pop in and out like it was trying to decide which to render: sky or tunnel ceiling. I'm running on default ultra settings and I never had this problem on my phenom II x4 955.
> The card is overclocked to 1125/1575 which should be fine. On the previous build I messed around and was playing BF3 default ultra on 1220/1800 with no problems. I'll try to test more tonight with screen shots.


Had similar issues last night in Skyrim. I only installed the 7970, so it's definitely that. Happened a few times, but after a while, I didn't see it again. Weird.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Please don't tell me what I should be "happy" with concerning my cards, OK? By your reckoning my 580 Lightnings were plenty for gaming as I could easily max every game with them too. The whole purpose of me trading in the 580's for 7970's was to maximize performance in benching (which is something I do more than gaming if you want to know the truth). If I was only worried about gaming performance I would have just stuck with my 580's...


You can bench along till smoke comes out of your ass. I really do not care.
But you should NOT be shouting along these forum blaming AMD for all the crap of this world because... YOU CAN NOT BENCH AT HIGH ENOUGH SETTINGS.
I am sorry but that is totally ridiculous and nobody will take that seriously imo.

If you can not game at stock settings you should blame AMD
If you can not get a mild OC you could even blame AMD imo
but blaming AMD for not getting insane bench results is abit too far fetched, no?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm trying to listen but I just don't get it I guess. Which driver should I be running to use AB for OCing but still have stability in games at stock?????


12.5 beta aka 8.97 is supposedly a good all around driver if 12.4 is a no go. Those using eyefinity will want to stay on rc11 btw. The other thing is you have to separate the driver issues from AB/overclocking issues. You have to put things in perspective, though I know first hand its hard to when it all adds up to the same frustrations. Don't blame one for the bugs of the other.

Each driver has its own quirks btw, and you sort of have to juggle these with your end goal. Another wrench in the works is that you can only install/uninstall drivers so many times before the dll libraries get fubar'd. After you've jumped thru the hoops to find the "right" for you, don't change drivers again until others have tested the new ones. Another thing, you're contradicting yourself in a way, because benching was good with 12.4 but gaming was bad and you were not happy. Thus in reality the whole experience is important right?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm trying to listen but I just don't get it I guess. Which driver should I be running to use AB for OCing but still have stability in games at stock?????


Use 12.4 WHQL On a clean Windows install. And never use beta drivers from now on . I think most of people haveing probs including me have used beta drivers and things like driver sweaper and the other thing like driver sweper . Those things only tend to make things worse . Only use WHQL drivers . I dont mess with betas anymore half of the time they dont uninstall right . I did a clean windows install with 12.3 WHQL then when 12.4 came out I just uninstalled it the right way in control panel restarted then installed 12.4 WHQL . I had a few probs with 12.4 but it was my fault cause I had 1 of the bios switches on 2 on the others where on 1 . I dont know why that would mess with anything but it did . The only time I would use a beta anymore is if it is a preview driver on AMD's official website . I simply don't trust the source of the other drivers .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> You can bench along till smoke comes out of your ass. I really do not care.
> But you should NOT be shouting along these forum blaming AMD for all the crap of this world because... YOU CAN NOT BENCH AT HIGH ENOUGH SETTINGS.
> I am sorry but that is totally ridiculous and nobody will take that seriously imo.
> If you can not game at stock settings you should blame AMD
> If you can not get a mild OC you could even blame AMD imo
> but blaming AMD for not getting insane bench results is abit too far fetched, no?


True I dont really like messing around with voltage . I really only like overclocking as high as I can in CCC . There is really no need and blowing up my card to get like 8fps more . Just buy another card if you want more fps . The only probs I have had is with the drivers not the cards . AMD really needs to work harder on the drivers I think though . 12.4 WHQL is the best so far . I also believe there is more performance that could be unlocked with better drivers


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I tbink my issues are more an AB/overclocking issue than drivers. Stock drivers so far seem to work OK, but AB breaks my games for some reason. Is that AMD's fault? Well of course not. But my complaint is in relation to the fantastic experience I had using AB with my 580's for ovetclocking and the stark reality that for some reason these 7970's wont allow that at all....


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I tbink my issues are more an AB/overclocking issue than drivers. Stock drivers so far seem to work OK, but AB breaks my games for some reason. Is that AMD's fault? Well of course not. But my complaint is in relation to the fantastic experience I had using AB with my 580's for ovetclocking and the stark reality that for some reason these 7970's wont allow that at all....


I have always had bad luck with ab and trixx but for some reason now trixx works good on 12.4


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Use 12.4 WHQL On a clean Windows install. And never use beta drivers from now on . I think most of people haveing probs including me have used beta drivers and things like driver sweaper and the other thing like driver sweper . Those things only tend to make things worse . Only use WHQL drivers . I dont mess with betas anymore half of the time they dont uninstall right . I did a clean windows install with 12.3 WHQL then when 12.4 came out I just uninstalled it the right way in control panel restarted then installed 12.4 WHQL . I had a few probs with 12.4 but it was my fault cause I had 1 of the bios switches on 2 on the others where on 1 . I dont know why that would mess with anything but it did . The only time I would use a beta anymore is if it is a preview driver on AMD's official website . I simply don't trust the source of the other drivers .


Yep, I agree with you here.
2 golden rules I follow :
1) stay away from beta drivers
2) stay away from atiman or driversweeper.

I first installed the drivers that came with the card (RC11), then installed a very small update over it (without uninstalling).
After that I uninstalled RC11 before installing 12.3 WHQL
After that I uninstalled 12.3 before installing 12.4 WHQL

Only problem I had was with Batman AC sometimes crashing which AMD fixed in 12.2 or something. That was the reason that I moved away from RC11.
And I had slight problems when letting the monitor shut down after a while which I fixed by disabling it and using a screensaver instead.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I tbink my issues are more an AB/overclocking issue than drivers. Stock drivers so far seem to work OK, but AB breaks my games for some reason. Is that AMD's fault? Well of course not. But my complaint is in relation to the fantastic experience I had using AB with my 580's for ovetclocking and the stark reality that for some reason these 7970's wont allow that at all....


Yeah that's something that irritates me too. I had a 580 Lightning Xtreme that was broken on arrival, but it still played nice with AB, no issues. There shouldn't be issues with AB, especially for those using an MSI branded card, and I'm not talking about OCing, I'm talking about those who have to uninstall it to get their system to work properly.


----------



## Exostenza

Alright now I get my turn to have problems. On my last build I did not have a single issue and now I am having a slight problem with the AMD display driver has stopped responding and has recovered although the PC is too messed up and slow after "recovery" so I have to hard restart it. I have all the same settings as my last PC and the same PSU. I have also made sure my OC is perfectly stable so it shouldn't have to do with my CPU...

I don't know what to do. It seems to happen when it comes out of monitor sleep (not full PC sleep).


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I tbink my issues are more an AB/overclocking issue than drivers. Stock drivers so far seem to work OK, but AB breaks my games for some reason. Is that AMD's fault? Well of course not. But my complaint is in relation to the fantastic experience I had using AB with my 580's for ovetclocking and the stark reality that for some reason these 7970's wont allow that at all....


Majin SSJ Eric, have you had a go with Trixx yet? It definitely works quite well. I was using AB earlier but could not got very high. But then again I'm not going OC crazy. Just enough to max things out in my games without my fans screaming "WAAAAAAA" all the time. I'm pissed too, but I guess as someone said earlier, these 7970's need some tuning and attention to get them just right. Sure the 680's perform great out of the box (I'm probably getting one for a mATX build I have coming up), but then you can tweak em very much. Crossfire seems a headache across the board. But once you get it right, damn performance just screams.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Alright now I get my turn to have problems. On my last build I did not have a single issue and now I am having a slight problem with the AMD display driver has stopped responding and has recovered although the PC is too messed up and slow after "recovery" so I have to hard restart it. I have all the same settings as my last PC and the same PSU. I have also made sure my OC is perfectly stable so it shouldn't have to do with my CPU...
> I don't know what to do. It seems to happen when it comes out of monitor sleep (not full PC sleep).


That's the zerocore issue, what driver are you using?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Guys, how many times have I said it?

Don't use Driver Sweeper or anything like that (or beta drivers). Just uninstall via the uninstall utility.
Use MSI AB with the -xcl method (do NOT use Unofficial Overclocking).
Once you're setup there, set a stock profile and an overclocked profile (seperated). Then use the Profiles tab in settings, and set stock as your 2D profile, and overclocked to your 3D profile.

Your problems with zero core and MSI AB overclocking WILL be fixed by doing that. If you've used beta drivers or are having too much issues, then try a reformat before doing the above methods. I have YET to have an issue since RC11 drivers doing this method with my single 7970, and ONLY using WHQL drivers.

EDIT:
For the record, I'm on 12.4 WHQL drivers, and the latest MSI AB. I've tried Skyrim, The Witcher 2, Crysis, Crysis 2, BF3......all of them. Absolutely ZERO issues maxing these games out (except Witcher 2, have AA off and Uber off). And this is at 2560x1600.


----------



## Evil Penguin

What is exactly is the complaint with using Atiman Uninstaller?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I tbink my issues are more an AB/overclocking issue than drivers. Stock drivers so far seem to work OK, but AB breaks my games for some reason. Is that AMD's fault? Well of course not. But my complaint is in relation to the fantastic experience I had using AB with my 580's for ovetclocking and the stark reality that for some reason these 7970's wont allow that at all....


AB used to have problems overclocking AMD cards and integrating with AMD's powersave tech. The current versions don't have this problem as its basically for all intents and purposes fixed.

However, AMD has decided to remove support for AB and other programs of their kind. Given this one has to jump thru hurdles to put that functionality back into the AMD drivers. Yea, put it back into the AMD drivers, you read that right.

Thus, who's fault is it that AB doesn't work right? Christ, can't believe I'm backing AB here lol. But like I wrote before, you're borderline whining here. AMD drivers suck ass, and they've withdrawn support for unofficial overclock methods. And it's these methods that AB/Trixx/GPU Tweak use to go about their business and you blame it on the apps? On top of this, there's a gulf in not only yours but many other new AMD owners knowledge and ability to traverse this minefield, and let me tell you it is a minefield.

All I can say or repeat again, is that I've got no problems overclocking with UOM in AB at all on my 7970s and I'm running three cards over 1300/1750. On my junior 2500k I'm using dual 6950s with Overdrive because I can edit the AMD Powerstate voltages in bios. Thus I know both sides of the coin. I also know little tricks, like the fact that you often cannot adjust Powertune of the slave card in cfx with Overdrive. It's ironic that you have to disable ULPS to keep the slave cards from turning off to change their Powertune setting. LOL, nice shot AMD. After you raise Powertune, you go back and enable ULPS. There's a lot of these types of insights that you guys keep missing over and over. I often see the more experienced members write stuff out and no one pays attention, shrugs.

I don't know where I'm going but I guess what I'm saying is this crap lays at the foot of AMD. If Andrew didn't get the bright idea of hash locking the bios with driver checks, we wouldn't have to use AB at all. I don't think you understand how far back the issue goes. What pisses me off more is that the 680 hash lock is broken and we are still sitting complaining in all directions instead of talking about breaking this bios lock.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Yep... If you don't disable ULPS, PowerTune can't be adjusted on the slave cards (or it can't be permanently saved).

However, if I leave ULPS disabled the slave card is forced to 500 MHz and GPGPU programs can't make it go into high 3D clocks no matter what.

So I'm screwed either way right now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Yep... If you don't disable ULPS, PowerTune can't be adjusted on the slave cards (or it can't be permanently saved).
> However, if I leave ULPS disabled the slave card is forced to 500 MHz and GPGPU programs can't make it go into high 3D clocks no matter what.
> So I'm screwed either way right now.


It's a freaking MINEFIELD man.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's a freaking MINEFIELD man.


They are however aware of that bug and should eventually fix it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> They are however aware of that bug and should eventually fix it.


That bug had been around for a long long time.

Btw 8.97 idles at 250/150 ulps off.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> They are however aware of that bug and should eventually fix it.
> 
> 
> 
> That bug had been around for a long long time.
> 
> Btw 8.97 idles at 250/150 ulps off.
Click to expand...

Are you using 8.97 or RC11 still?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Guys, how many times have I said it?
> Don't use Driver Sweeper or anything like that (or beta drivers). Just uninstall via the uninstall utility.
> Use MSI AB with the -xcl method (*do NOT use Unofficial Overclocking*).
> Once you're setup there, set a stock profile and an overclocked profile (seperated). Then use the Profiles tab in settings, and set stock as your 2D profile, and overclocked to your 3D profile.
> Your problems with zero core and MSI AB overclocking WILL be fixed by doing that. If you've used beta drivers or are having too much issues, then try a reformat before doing the above methods. I have YET to have an issue since RC11 drivers doing this method with my single 7970, and ONLY using WHQL drivers.
> EDIT:
> For the record, I'm on 12.4 WHQL drivers, and the latest MSI AB. I've tried Skyrim, The Witcher 2, Crysis, Crysis 2, BF3......all of them. Absolutely ZERO issues maxing these games out (except Witcher 2, have AA off and Uber off). And this is at 2560x1600.


See, that's what I was using with 12.4 WHQL (UOM) and it worked absolutely great in 3DMark11 and Heaven 3.0 but totally broke Crysis 2 to the point where I had to totally unsistall 12.4 and go to a different driver (12.5 beta) just to get it to work at stock again. I guess AB just hates my rig, I dunno?

Edit - Didn't read TSM's comment above. I agree that AMD's drivers are ultimately at fault for having workarounds removed from the drivers for overclocking. What are they so worried about anyway? Most cards can be beaten to an inch of their life repeatedly and don't ever actually break....


----------



## HardwareDecoder

add me to the list got a 7950 and oc'ed it to 1gig/1575mhz


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Are you using 8.97 or RC11 still?


RC11 on my trifire/eyefinity 7970 rig and 8.97 modded on 6950 cfx 120hz rig.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> That's the zerocore issue, what driver are you using?


12.4 on a fresh format. Never heard of this zero core issue before.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Guys, how many times have I said it?
> Don't use Driver Sweeper or anything like that (or beta drivers). Just uninstall via the uninstall utility.
> Use MSI AB with the -xcl method (do NOT use Unofficial Overclocking).
> Once you're setup there, set a stock profile and an overclocked profile (seperated). Then use the Profiles tab in settings, and set stock as your 2D profile, and overclocked to your 3D profile.
> Your problems with zero core and MSI AB overclocking WILL be fixed by doing that. If you've used beta drivers or are having too much issues, then try a reformat before doing the above methods. I have YET to have an issue since RC11 drivers doing this method with my single 7970, and ONLY using WHQL drivers.
> EDIT:
> For the record, I'm on 12.4 WHQL drivers, and the latest MSI AB. I've tried Skyrim, The Witcher 2, Crysis, Crysis 2, BF3......all of them. Absolutely ZERO issues maxing these games out (except Witcher 2, have AA off and Uber off). And this is at 2560x1600.


I've been using AB with the UOC method and have not had a problem until this new build. What is the -xcl method?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> 12.4 on a fresh format. Never heard of this zero core issue before.
> I've been using AB with the UOC method and have not had a problem until this new build. What is the -xcl method?


The issue with wake from sleep is a problem with zerocore not working as it should. I don't know if it's been fixed yet - personally I have all sleep disabled and just physically turn my monitor off.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Funnily enough I have yet to experience the sleep issues with my cards on any of the drivers I have tried. It's about the ONLY issue I haven't experienced mind you...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Funnily enough I have yet to experience the sleep issues with my cards on any of the drivers I have tried. It's about the ONLY issue I haven't experienced mind you...


That's cuz you run DVI on one screen, and/or ulps off whenever you run UOM. PPL running cfx + UOM whether it be AB or Trixx, or that other white meat porkish GPU Tweak, you run ulps off which bypasses zerocore state.


----------



## Tslm

Sleep issue still happens with one screen DVI + ULPS on. It wakes up the first time but 2D performance is weird, if it goes to sleep again its not waking up


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I run DVI on one monitor and DP on the other with ULPS both enabled and disabled and haven't had the issue at all....


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's cuz you run DVI on one screen, and/or ulps off whenever you run UOM. PPL running cfx + UOM whether it be AB or Trixx, or that other white meat porkish GPU Tweak, you run ulps off which bypasses zerocore state.


I run single card DVI single screen and still get this issue.


----------



## tsm106

Supposedly from the horses you know what it's suppose to work with dvi. But you know how things are supposed to work lol.

I know for cfx guys, disable ulps and issue is gone since with ulps off, the slave cards never shut off completely. Single cards guys, I got nothing. Disabling sleep etc, just seems wrong but if you must you must.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I've been using AB with the UOC method and have not had a problem until this new build. What is the -xcl method?


Old system working fine but new had issues. Might want to narrow it down to which new hardwares are causing it.

I was having BSOD issues, one with PSU compatibility and replacing the board fixed it. And one with Intel RAID ROM, the manufacturer edited the motherboard BIOS fixed it. I had to do various time consuming tests to know it's related to Intel RAID ROM. Based on this informations, contacted tech support and they sent me an edited BIOS.

If I were to wait for AMD new drivers, the problem would never be fixed. AMD is not going to fix every issues not related to its products just because we are using AMD graphics cards - it's not going to happen. I thought all this sleep/hibernate/wake up BSOD issues related to ZeroCore, but it wasn't in both cases.

If anyone interested about AMD ZeroCore Power State; here post #22


----------



## amadnei

Anyone know if the 7950 need vrm heatsink ( going to cool the chip with antec kuhler 620 )

If so do you know where to get a kit that have enough of them . ( I only found the one coming with accelero cooler but I dont need the cooler itself


----------



## Qubits

Hi guys,

I have a Gigabyte 7950 that I am interested in water cooling. Does anyone have any recommended products or websites to start researching this? I've never water cooled before but I'm happy to provide as much information as I can to help out.

Thanks!


----------



## Ken1649

Start fro here CoolingConfigurator.com

All you need to know is there.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Qubits*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I have a Gigabyte 7950 that I am interested in water cooling. Does anyone have any recommended products or websites to start researching this? I've never water cooled before but I'm happy to provide as much information as I can to help out.
> 
> Thanks!


----------



## jman246

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I really dont believe your getting 90/100 with 1 card even if you overclocked to 1.2ghz . also im sure he wanted with stock clocks


Preferably wanted a OC'd 7970 bench at 1080p with all at max with 4x msaa on crysis but yes, he is definitely bs'ing big time. Really no need, i couldn't care less if he said 200fps, i care about my system and not his e-penis


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Also the person was asking about crysis 1 not 2 lol . im just getting 120fps at stock clocks with 3 cards on crysis 2 there is no way 1 card even oced can be getting close to that .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really dont understand why people have to lie on here people come here wanting help truth and guidance not to be filled full of lies


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> Preferably wanted a OC'd 7970 bench at 1080p with all at max with 4x msaa on crysis but yes, he is definitely bs'ing big time. Really no need, i couldn't care less if he said 200fps, i care about my system and not his e-penis


i missed it was bout.crysis 1 and tested.with crysis 2 not bs ing anyone i never talked about.fps but about my gpu usage and res .

SO THX FOR CALLING ME A LIAR BASED ON NOTHING:doh:







!,
Don't jump to conclusions to fast !.
If there was something i wasn;t clear about just ask me. instead of flaming on me !
when i wasn't even talking about FPS.
but about GPU usage.
















5760x1200 100% usage
1080P 90 to 100% usage
1920x1200 aswell.

FPS @ 1080P with 1 card hi res pack and DX 11 was arround
Crysis 2 that is.
25 to 60 FPS( FPS could be effected By that i don't have all the updates for Crysis 2)
and running on Rc11.

( i don;t own crysis 1)


----------



## Andrazh

My card was stuck at 8x bus speed with 12.4. Anyone having the same issue? I'm now on 12.3 and its normal


----------



## sena

Guys it is ok to buy second HD 7950 with reference cooler, i now have DCII.
Cheers


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> Preferably wanted a OC'd 7970 bench at 1080p with all at max with 4x msaa on crysis but yes, he is definitely bs'ing big time. Really no need, i couldn't care less if he said 200fps, i care about my system and not his e-penis


If you wanted Crysis 1 results... here are mine at 1160/1575:

!TimeDemo Run 2 Finished.
Play Time: 29.55s, Average FPS: 67.68
Min FPS: 38.64 at frame 165, Max FPS: 77.82 at frame 995
Average Tri/Sec: -17774594, Tri/Frame: -262633
Recorded/Played Tris ratio: -3.49
TimeDemo Play Ended, (3 Runs Performed)
==============================================================

<><><><><><><><><><><><><>>--SUMMARY--<<><><><><><><><><><><><><>

4.5.2012 9:44:24 - Vista 64

Run #1- DX10 1920x1080 AA=4x, 32 bit test, Quality: VeryHigh ~~ Overall Average FPS: 6770

Straight from the benchmark tool


----------



## amadnei

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *amadnei*
> 
> Anyone know if the 7950 need vrm heatsink ( going to cool the chip with antec kuhler 620 )
> If so do you know where to get a kit that have enough of them . ( I only found the one coming with accelero cooler but I dont need the cooler itself


bump


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> 12.4 on a fresh format. Never heard of this zero core issue before.


I have this also on 12.4. Workaround is to disable monitor sleep in power options and turn on a screensaver instead.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> My card was stuck at 8x bus speed with 12.4. Anyone having the same issue? I'm now on 12.3 and its normal


You saw 8x bus speed reported in GPU-Z ??
Strange, cause I checked this for myself when I saw your post and this was not the case for me. Im also on 12.4 by the way.


----------



## Andrazh

Yes its weird. First i installed a new cooler, the computer would boot but the screens were black. Then i tried second pcie slot and it worked normally in 8x. Then i reinstalled my cpu and updated mobo bios and reinstall windows and installed 12.4 version of drivers. Then the card worked in the first pcie slot but was stuck at 8x. Now i went for 12.3 and it works like it did at the begging and with the new cooler:>

Y it did say 8x in Gpuz and the maximum bus was 8x in ccc(only info couldnt change it there).

Well i'm glad now

@sena

u goin for the second gpu? What clocks are u running at now?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys it is ok to buy second HD 7950 with reference cooler, i now have DCII.
> Cheers


Don't. I regretted doing it with my 7970. The reference cooler was just too loud for my liking. Just fork out the little extra for the second DCII.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *amadnei*
> 
> bump


Yes, you would be insane to not use a VRM heatsink. Just something passive would be fine, you should be able to buy them separately. I wouldn't recommend using a CPU CLC on a GPU (yes I know it's been done) but if you want to go ahead, just make sure you have sufficient cooling on your VRMs and memory.

Might be best to have a read of this thread.


----------



## ste.ru

my 7970 on fullcover koolance:


1300Mhz on 1.25V


----------



## SkateZilla

3 months later and im Still trying to resolve screen tearing in eyefinity on the desktop.

I have all 3 screens using a DVI cable,

Left Screen is Native DVI
Middle Screen is miniDP to DVI Active Adapter
Right Screen is HDMI to DVI Adapter (that came with card).

I set the left screen to preferred, and the Window Movement Tearing goes away, but the center screen has tearing in flash video etc.

So What I may end up doing is setting the middle screen to the native DVI Cable, and the left screen to miniDP -> DVI, and setting the Middle screen as the deferred that way the middle screen doesnt have Flash video tearing, when im just surfin the web, but all the screens should run on the DVI "clock" (except the left screen which runs on DP clock and converted to DVI).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 3 months later and im Still trying to resolve screen tearing in eyefinity on the desktop.
> I have all 3 screens using a DVI cable,
> Left Screen is Native DVI
> Middle Screen is miniDP to DVI Active Adapter
> Right Screen is HDMI to DVI Adapter (that came with card).
> I set the left screen to preferred, and the Window Movement Tearing goes away, but the center screen has tearing in flash video etc.
> So What I may end up doing is setting the middle screen to the native DVI Cable, and the left screen to miniDP -> DVI, and setting the Middle screen as the deferred that way the middle screen doesnt have Flash video tearing, when im just surfin the web, but all the screens should run on the DVI "clock" (except the left screen which runs on DP clock and converted to DVI).


My gawd, you're inducing the tear or making it worse on yourself. Move the DP port screen tip the left or right and make the dvi port screen the middle.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> My gawd, you're inducing the tear or making it worse on yourself. Move the DP port screen tip the left or right and make the dvi port screen the middle.


i was gonna do that tonight,

dunno why i put DP on the center..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i was gonna do that tonight,
> dunno why i put DP on the center..


Just make sure the DP panel is on the least used side.


----------



## kj1060

Assuming this is true, will this affect those who already bought 7970s?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Assuming this is true, will this affect those who already bought 7970s?


It'll probably be a bios update from AMD for current owners, not a big deal though CCC can do that.


----------



## krayziekmf

After reading some posts, am I correct to assume that Sapphire Trixx is causing my monitor to not wake up from sleep mode?

My monitor is the only thing I have setup to go to sleep. When I try to wake it up, I receive a DVI No signal message and my monitor won't wake up. I am assuming this is caused by Sapphire Trixx as it only seems to occur when I have the program running. I just put the computer together so I haven't really done enough testing to know this for sure. I have not overclocked anything yet.

I am using a Sapphire HD 7970 OC and an Asus VH236H monitor. I did not seem to have any sleep issues when I was just using the 2600k's integrated graphics. Thanks!


----------



## jomama22

After 3 and a half weeks i have finaly recieved my third 7970 lightning (one of the 3 i originaly ordered was doa). No screen shots yet but i will post them later. I am waiting for ek to get around to finishing their full block for it so i can watercool.

The most fun thing with these 3 is i have 3 completely different asic scores. 1 is 70.8% (1175v) 1 is 78.5% (1112v) 1 is 85.6%(1050) so as you can imagine it can be quite tedious to oc.

Best iv gotten in 80*f room (no ac at the moment) is 1125/1700 with only slight voltage adjustments to the top and bottom asic, the stock 1112 needed no v changes(1112,1112,1200) memory is at 1.65 across all three

Btw, i am the example of needing watercooling and why with different asic you need to turn off gpu sync in afterburner


----------



## Lard

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> The issue with wake from sleep is a problem with zerocore not working as it should. I don't know if it's been fixed yet - personally I have all sleep disabled and just physically turn my monitor off.


This issue is fixed with the AMD Catalyst 12.x (8.97 April 18) Unofficial BETA


----------



## deusofhearts

Anybody have an opinion on the HIS IceQ cards?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krayziekmf*
> 
> After reading some posts, am I correct to assume that Sapphire Trixx is causing my monitor to not wake up from sleep mode?
> My monitor is the only thing I have setup to go to sleep. When I try to wake it up, I receive a DVI No signal message and my monitor won't wake up. I am assuming this is caused by Sapphire Trixx as it only seems to occur when I have the program running. I just put the computer together so I haven't really done enough testing to know this for sure. I have not overclocked anything yet.
> I am using a Sapphire HD 7970 OC and an Asus VH236H monitor. I did not seem to have any sleep issues when I was just using the 2600k's integrated graphics. Thanks!


It has nothing to do with Trixx, it is caused by 12.4 WHQL


----------



## TheTruth

I've got about $400 and I'm looking to upgrade to a 7950. I'm not so much concerned about which overclocks best, I want whichever runs quietest.

I was looking at the DirectCU II, but I read that there may have been batches with poor/faulty coolers, and I read stories about the XFX Double Dissipation cards, as well as a couple other cards having poor VRM cooling?

How is the Sapphire card? the one with the dual fan cooler. Or perhaps the TwinFrozr III (a bit out of my price range, but I can pay extra if it is indeed the best)? Or even the Gigabyte's Windforce version?

What do you suggest?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheTruth*
> 
> I've got about $400 and I'm looking to upgrade to a 7950. I'm not so much concerned about which overclocks best, I want whichever runs quietest.
> I was looking at the DirectCU II, but I read that there may have been batches with poor/faulty coolers, and I read stories about the XFX Double Dissipation cards, as well as a couple other cards having poor VRM cooling?
> How is the Sapphire card? the one with the dual fan cooler. Or perhaps the TwinFrozr III (a bit out of my price range, but I can pay extra if it is indeed the best)? Or even the Gigabyte's Windforce version?
> What do you suggest?


I've seen nothing but positive remarks for the Sapphie OC edition (Dual fan one).


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheTruth*
> 
> I've got about $400 and I'm looking to upgrade to a 7950. I'm not so much concerned about which overclocks best, I want whichever runs quietest.
> I was looking at the DirectCU II, but I read that there may have been batches with poor/faulty coolers, and I read stories about the XFX Double Dissipation cards, as well as a couple other cards having poor VRM cooling?
> How is the Sapphire card? the one with the dual fan cooler. Or perhaps the TwinFrozr III (a bit out of my price range, but I can pay extra if it is indeed the best)? Or even the Gigabyte's Windforce version?
> What do you suggest?


I'd say sapphire 7950OC or Twin Frozr 3. I have accelero's installed on my 7970s and its an amazing cooler, but costly.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

The Sapphire OC 7950 is an immaculate card. Quite honestly, I have mine running here beating a 7970 AND a 680. The overclock potential is insane, but where the card really shines is in the cooler. It is almost non existent while operating under normal load conditions. The fan never needs to go about 50% and at that speed, it is SILENT. So if you are after a quiet card first and foremost, the Sapphire is a great choice. The Gigabyte Windforce coolers are also very good, I had them on a pair of 6950's which I sold to get the 7950, and the cooler on them is probably equally as good as the Sapphite, although I have not used the 7950 version of the Windforce. HOWEVER, be careful with the Gigabyte card, as I have read that out of all the 7950 boards, this one had a little trouble in regards to the performance when OC'd. In my opinion, you simply cannot go past the Sapphire card. With the recent price drop, the value is outstanding and the quality of the card makes me proud to own one.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> The Sapphire OC 7950 is an immaculate card. Quite honestly, I have mine running here beating a 7970 AND a 680. The overclock potential is insane, but where the card really shines is in the cooler. It is almost non existent while operating under normal load conditions. The fan never needs to go about 50% and at that speed, it is SILENT. So if you are after a quiet card first and foremost, the Sapphire is a great choice. The Gigabyte Windforce coolers are also very good, I had them on a pair of 6950's which I sold to get the 7950, and the cooler on them is probably equally as good as the Sapphite, although I have not used the 7950 version of the Windforce. HOWEVER, be careful with the Gigabyte card, as I have read that out of all the 7950 boards, this one had a little trouble in regards to the performance when OC'd. In my opinion, you simply cannot go past the Sapphire card. With the recent price drop, the value is outstanding and the quality of the card makes me proud to own one.
> Good luck with whatever you decide to go with!


Stop saying one card clocks better than another when they're all reference cards. The only true custom pcb cards are the Lightning and DC2 7970s, all the rest are reference. If you can swing it get a fancy cooler 7970 since most of them are more quiet than the stock cooler.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *krayziekmf*
> 
> After reading some posts, am I correct to assume that Sapphire Trixx is causing my monitor to not wake up from sleep mode?
> My monitor is the only thing I have setup to go to sleep. When I try to wake it up, I receive a DVI No signal message and my monitor won't wake up. I am assuming this is caused by Sapphire Trixx as it only seems to occur when I have the program running. I just put the computer together so I haven't really done enough testing to know this for sure. I have not overclocked anything yet.
> I am using a Sapphire HD 7970 OC and an Asus VH236H monitor. I did not seem to have any sleep issues when I was just using the 2600k's integrated graphics. Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> It has nothing to do with Trixx, it is caused by 12.4 WHQL
Click to expand...

Incorrect, the 12.4 WHQL drivers are just fine. The problem is Trixxx. Use MSI AB with the -xcl method and 2D at stock and 3D at overclocked profiles, and the issue disappears 110%. I had that "idle lock up" issue when I first got my card. About a week later I fixed it completely by using the above method. Never once had the issue since then, using only WHQL drivers.


----------



## krayziekmf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Incorrect, the 12.4 WHQL drivers are just fine. The problem is Trixxx. Use MSI AB with the -xcl method and 2D at stock and 3D at overclocked profiles, and the issue disappears 110%. I had that "idle lock up" issue when I first got my card. About a week later I fixed it completely by using the above method. Never once had the issue since then, using only WHQL drivers.


Ok, I'll try that. Thanks!


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Incorrect, the 12.4 WHQL drivers are just fine. The problem is Trixxx. Use MSI AB with the -xcl method and 2D at stock and 3D at overclocked profiles, and the issue disappears 110%. I had that "idle lock up" issue when I first got my card. About a week later I fixed it completely by using the above method. Never once had the issue since then, using only WHQL drivers.


MSI AB also causes issues with some configs, as it did with mine. The -xcl method isn't always the best way to go if you don't have to.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Incorrect, the 12.4 WHQL drivers are just fine. The problem is Trixxx. Use MSI AB with the -xcl method and 2D at stock and 3D at overclocked profiles, and the issue disappears 110%. I had that "idle lock up" issue when I first got my card. About a week later I fixed it completely by using the above method. Never once had the issue since then, using only WHQL drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> MSI AB also causes issues with some configs, as it did with mine. The -xcl method isn't always the best way to go if you don't have to.
Click to expand...

All I can say is that it has completely fixed all my issues by using the -xcl method and 2D / 3D profiles. This way at the desktop, its just sitting at stock clocks, so the zero core can actually function correctly.

I don't know, maybe its different for Crossfire users. For a single card user, I feel personally that its the best way to go, as it completely fixed all of my issues as a single card user.


----------



## Ghost23

Well I got my 7950. And I'm quite impresses going from 6950 xfire to a single 7950, honestly the performance difference isn't THAT huge on BF3, and I can max out 4xmsaa as well. A single card setup is just smoother all around.

Although my OC-Ability seems poor, I can't hit the highest clocks in CCC without a loop of display driver crashes. Guess I'll fiddle with MSI and voltages.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

There is no Bios flashing for HD79XX? For example editing Voltage and Clocks?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> All I can say is that it has completely fixed all my issues by using the -xcl method and 2D / 3D profiles. This way at the desktop, its just sitting at stock clocks, so the zero core can actually function correctly.
> I don't know, maybe its different for Crossfire users. For a single card user, I feel personally that its the best way to go, as it completely fixed all of my issues as a single card user.


For cfx users, the act of disabling ulps prevents zerocore from ever entering the picture so it's not an issue at all with UOM.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deusofhearts*
> 
> Anybody have an opinion on the HIS IceQ cards?


I had an IceQ 6950 in my LAN up until yesterday when I got a chance to swap it out for a 6970 DCUII for free. It has been my only HIS card and I can say from the single experience that it was very good. It stayed very quiet and fairly cool while having no problems what so ever and being fairly small (which is a plus for some people). Overall experience is positive and would buy another HIS IceQ card.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> All I can say is that it has completely fixed all my issues by using the -xcl method and 2D / 3D profiles. This way at the desktop, its just sitting at stock clocks, so the zero core can actually function correctly.
> I don't know, maybe its different for Crossfire users. For a single card user, I feel personally that its the best way to go, as it completely fixed all of my issues as a single card user.


The -xcl command doesn't seem to apply the extended clocks for slave cards.

Perhaps something else has to be added.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The -xcl command doesn't seem to apply the extended clocks for slave cards.
> Perhaps something else has to be added.


Your mission if you decide to accept it, is to find my posts with the extracted powerplay tables for slave cards so you don't have to jump thru monkey hoops to get the slave cards working. This post will self destruct in 5 seconds....


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Your mission if you decide to accept it, is to find my posts with the extracted powerplay tables for slave cards so you don't have to jump thru monkey hoops to get the slave cards working. This post will self destruct in 5 seconds....


I don't need the extended clock, I just wanted to understand what the command does and try it myself.

I am pretty happy with 1070/1400 MHz. 

Above that and I dare certain people to run a certain test with a certain configuration and call their cards stable.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I don't need the extended clock, I just wanted to understand what the command does and try it myself.
> I am pretty happy with 1070/1400 MHz.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Above that and I dare certain people to run a certain test with a certain configuration and call their cards stable.


-xcl is very much like racerx mod edited to run with AB using Official Overclock path. Essentially, it's a loophole that uses Overdrive to overclock with. You only use AB to pass the intended clocks to Overdrive. With the clock limits extended via the powerplay table reg hack. The point of this is to bypass UOM, in the case that UOM has an issue with the varying powerplay states, which it does depending on driver on single cards.

Ideally, we could overclock like we do on Cayman, ala Overdrive with Racerx extended clocks, using RBE for voltage control. AB's -xcl comes close but when you have to add in voltage, this can pose problems of infighting between Powerplay and AB. Powerplay has like 4 states and AB can only control two states.

If we had RBE support you could just edit the 3D state voltage and be done with it, like with Cayman. But no, some dufus decided to lock the bios hashes and do a driver check.


----------



## xoleras

Correct, afterburner will not always extend clocks for gpu2 in a crossfire config. ASUS GPU tweak will, however.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Don't. I regretted doing it with my 7970. The reference cooler was just too loud for my liking. Just fork out the little extra for the second DCII.


Ok thx.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I don't need the extended clock, I just wanted to understand what the command does and try it myself.
> I am pretty happy with 1070/1400 MHz.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Above that and I dare certain people to run a certain test with a certain configuration and call their cards stable.


why only 1400 for memory?


----------



## DaClownie

Two questions

1. What is the maximum voltage I should go up to on my memory for a reference Gigabyte 7970?
2. How do I stress test the GPU's memory? or does Kombuster work for that as well?

Currently at 1300/1525 on my card... watercooled, load temps of 46C after about 30 minutes of Kombuster... VRMs are showing 50C, which is nice and cool... once I'm done tweaking core, it'll be time to push the memory.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> why only 1400 for memory?


Because I don't have a very concrete way of error checking/stressing the memory.

Basically I don't like going in blind with overclocking.

I need a way of checking for errors (effectively).


----------



## General_Jaja

The best drivers I have used are from benchmark3d. Their 7900 modded drivers work perfect for me, much better then official drivers.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> why only 1400 for memory?
> 
> 
> 
> Because I don't have a very concrete way of error checking/stressing the memory.
> Basically I don't like going in blind with overclocking.
> I need a way of checking for errors (effectively).
Click to expand...

OCCT has error checking.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> OCCT has error checking.


Not for GPU memory (at least with AMD GPUs).


----------



## chillgreg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> -xcl is very much like racerx mod edited to run with AB using Official Overclock path. Essentially, it's a loophole that uses Overdrive to overclock with. You only use AB to pass the intended clocks to Overdrive. With the clock limits extended via the powerplay table reg hack. The point of this is to bypass UOM, in the case that UOM has an issue with the varying powerplay states, which it does depending on driver on single cards.
> Ideally, we could overclock like we do on Cayman, ala Overdrive with Racerx extended clocks, using RBE for voltage control. AB's -xcl comes close but when you have to add in voltage, this can pose problems of infighting between Powerplay and AB. Powerplay has like 4 states and AB can only control two states.
> If we had RBE support you could just edit the 3D state voltage and be done with it, like with Cayman. But no, some dufus decided to lock the bios hashes and do a driver check.


Sorry google translate doesn't seem to be working...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Correct, afterburner will not always extend clocks for gpu2 in a crossfire config. ASUS GPU tweak will, however.


What are you talking about? AB has *NEVER* extended clocks using xcl on slave cards. It's a known limitation.... maybe one that not many know but known nonetheless.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chillgreg*
> 
> Sorry google translate doesn't seem to be working...


I thought that made perfect sense.


----------



## ElGreco

Bundymania "hits" again...

*7970 Waterblock Review by Bundymania*
http://www.planet3dnow.de/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=404774


----------



## DaClownie

Ok, so I got my card overclocked right now...

Gigabyte Reference 7970, watercooled... 1300/1725... however, when overclocked, it won't wake from sleep (screen sleep only, not computer or hard drive sleep). I tried searching around and reading through this thread...

Pioneerisloud - you said that by setting stock clocks 925/1325 or whatever it was (I saved a profile) as your 2d Clock, and your OC as your 3d clock... then it would alleviate that issue. My idle clocks still go to 300/150 even though I set that profile up in Afterburner. Am I missing something? Running a single monitor with a single 7970. Will eventually have two monitors, and maybe a third soon (not to be used in eyefinity though, single monitor gaming). I have the -xcl modifier applied... my overclock is stable for heaven, occt, kombuster, and gaming.

Thanks for any help guys... sucks having to turn off screens instead of putting the screen to sleep.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Ok, so I got my card overclocked right now...
> 
> Gigabyte Reference 7970, watercooled... 1300/1725... however, when overclocked, it won't wake from sleep (screen sleep only, not computer or hard drive sleep). I tried searching around and reading through this thread...
> 
> Pioneerisloud - you said that by setting stock clocks 925/1325 or whatever it was (I saved a profile) as your 2d Clock, and your OC as your 3d clock... then it would alleviate that issue. My idle clocks still go to 300/150 even though I set that profile up in Afterburner. Am I missing something? Running a single monitor with a single 7970. Will eventually have two monitors, and maybe a third soon (not to be used in eyefinity though, single monitor gaming). I have the -xcl modifier applied... my overclock is stable for heaven, occt, kombuster, and gaming.
> 
> Thanks for any help guys... sucks having to turn off screens instead of putting the screen to sleep.


Yes sir, that's exactly how I've done it. -xcl method, and save 2 profiles. Stock everything, and overclocked. I'm even using a modified fan profile (for both profiles). In the profiles tab in settings, I have the 2D profile set as stock, and overclocked is my 3D. I use no screensavers at all (that seems to ramp me up to 3D). So all I can do is allow my monitors to sleep on their own.

Works perfectly for me at least, and quite a few other people that have PM'd me and IM'd me.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Ok, so I got my card overclocked right now...
> 
> Gigabyte Reference 7970, watercooled... 1300/1725... however, when overclocked, it won't wake from sleep (screen sleep only, not computer or hard drive sleep). I tried searching around and reading through this thread...
> 
> Pioneerisloud - you said that by setting stock clocks 925/1325 or whatever it was (I saved a profile) as your 2d Clock, and your OC as your 3d clock... then it would alleviate that issue. My idle clocks still go to 300/150 even though I set that profile up in Afterburner. Am I missing something? Running a single monitor with a single 7970. Will eventually have two monitors, and maybe a third soon (not to be used in eyefinity though, single monitor gaming). I have the -xcl modifier applied... my overclock is stable for heaven, occt, kombuster, and gaming.
> 
> Thanks for any help guys... sucks having to turn off screens instead of putting the screen to sleep.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes sir, that's exactly how I've done it. -xcl method, and save 2 profiles. Stock everything, and overclocked. I'm even using a modified fan profile (for both profiles). In the profiles tab in settings, I have the 2D profile set as stock, and overclocked is my 3D. I use no screensavers at all (that seems to ramp me up to 3D). So all I can do is allow my monitors to sleep on their own.
> 
> Works perfectly for me at least, and quite a few other people that have PM'd me and IM'd me.
Click to expand...

I'll try it again, and see what happens.

EDIT: Do I need to keep AB running in the tray? it is right now, but just making sure.

/me sets 1 minutes sleep timer.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yes sir, that's exactly how I've done it. -xcl method, and save 2 profiles. Stock everything, and overclocked. I'm even using a modified fan profile (for both profiles). In the profiles tab in settings, I have the 2D profile set as stock, and overclocked is my 3D. I use no screensavers at all (that seems to ramp me up to 3D). So all I can do is allow my monitors to sleep on their own.
> Works perfectly for me at least, and quite a few other people that have PM'd me and IM'd me.


I tried it and it didn't use the 3D profile fan settings. I am however about to reformat and I'll be going to 12.4/2.2 Final so I'll let you know how that goes for me.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Ok, so I got my card overclocked right now...
> 
> Gigabyte Reference 7970, watercooled... 1300/1725... however, when overclocked, it won't wake from sleep (screen sleep only, not computer or hard drive sleep). I tried searching around and reading through this thread...
> 
> Pioneerisloud - you said that by setting stock clocks 925/1325 or whatever it was (I saved a profile) as your 2d Clock, and your OC as your 3d clock... then it would alleviate that issue. My idle clocks still go to 300/150 even though I set that profile up in Afterburner. Am I missing something? Running a single monitor with a single 7970. Will eventually have two monitors, and maybe a third soon (not to be used in eyefinity though, single monitor gaming). I have the -xcl modifier applied... my overclock is stable for heaven, occt, kombuster, and gaming.
> 
> Thanks for any help guys... sucks having to turn off screens instead of putting the screen to sleep.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes sir, that's exactly how I've done it. -xcl method, and save 2 profiles. Stock everything, and overclocked. I'm even using a modified fan profile (for both profiles). In the profiles tab in settings, I have the 2D profile set as stock, and overclocked is my 3D. I use no screensavers at all (that seems to ramp me up to 3D). So all I can do is allow my monitors to sleep on their own.
> 
> Works perfectly for me at least, and quite a few other people that have PM'd me and IM'd me.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'll try it again, and see what happens.
> 
> EDIT: Do I need to keep AB running in the tray? it is right now, but just making sure.
> 
> /me sets 1 minutes sleep timer.
Click to expand...

I do, yes. I have it set to auto start (and minimize) at startup, and it just sits there for me.

If that doesn't work, try removing MSI AB and your drivers via the Control Panel (and ONLY the control panel). Reinstall the latest WHQL's (they work great for single cards), and then setup MSI AB using that method. It's possible perhaps that you used UOM before or something, or you used CCC.....something could be off from yours vs. mine. I'm not saying a reinstall of Windows either, that shouldn't be necessary at all.

Just the idle lock up bug, the method I've been saying that SHOULD fix it. Just don't use a screensaver and allow your monitor(s) to go to sleep.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Ok, so I got my card overclocked right now...
> 
> Gigabyte Reference 7970, watercooled... 1300/1725... however, when overclocked, it won't wake from sleep (screen sleep only, not computer or hard drive sleep). I tried searching around and reading through this thread...
> 
> Pioneerisloud - you said that by setting stock clocks 925/1325 or whatever it was (I saved a profile) as your 2d Clock, and your OC as your 3d clock... then it would alleviate that issue. My idle clocks still go to 300/150 even though I set that profile up in Afterburner. Am I missing something? Running a single monitor with a single 7970. Will eventually have two monitors, and maybe a third soon (not to be used in eyefinity though, single monitor gaming). I have the -xcl modifier applied... my overclock is stable for heaven, occt, kombuster, and gaming.
> 
> Thanks for any help guys... sucks having to turn off screens instead of putting the screen to sleep.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes sir, that's exactly how I've done it. -xcl method, and save 2 profiles. Stock everything, and overclocked. I'm even using a modified fan profile (for both profiles). In the profiles tab in settings, I have the 2D profile set as stock, and overclocked is my 3D. I use no screensavers at all (that seems to ramp me up to 3D). So all I can do is allow my monitors to sleep on their own.
> 
> Works perfectly for me at least, and quite a few other people that have PM'd me and IM'd me.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'll try it again, and see what happens.
> 
> EDIT: Do I need to keep AB running in the tray? it is right now, but just making sure.
> 
> /me sets 1 minutes sleep timer.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I do, yes. I have it set to auto start (and minimize) at startup, and it just sits there for me.
> 
> If that doesn't work, try removing MSI AB and your drivers via the Control Panel (and ONLY the control panel). Reinstall the latest WHQL's (they work great for single cards), and then setup MSI AB using that method. It's possible perhaps that you used UOM before or something, or you used CCC.....something could be off from yours vs. mine. I'm not saying a reinstall of Windows either, that shouldn't be necessary at all.
> 
> Just the idle lock up bug, the method I've been saying that SHOULD fix it. Just don't use a screensaver and allow your monitor(s) to go to sleep.
Click to expand...

What is UOM? I see that acronym a lot, and I don't know what it is


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> What is UOM? I see that acronym a lot, and I don't know what it is


Unofficial Overclocking Mode (its a config file edit for MSI AB).


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> What is UOM? I see that acronym a lot, and I don't know what it is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unofficial Overclocking Mode (its a config file edit for MSI AB).
Click to expand...

I never edited any config files. I simply got AB, put -xcl in the command line for it, and started overclocking.

I totally smashed all over P11000 in 3DMark11 though.

Gonna let the monitor go to sleep and come back a few times, see what happens.

What happens if the 3D clocks are going when the monitor goes to sleep? Will it recover fine then? Time will tell!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> What is UOM? I see that acronym a lot, and I don't know what it is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unofficial Overclocking Mode (its a config file edit for MSI AB).
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I never edited any config files. I simply got AB, put -xcl in the command line for it, and started overclocking.
> 
> I totally smashed all over P11000 in 3DMark11 though.
> 
> Gonna let the monitor go to sleep and come back a few times, see what happens.
> 
> What happens if the 3D clocks are going when the monitor goes to sleep? Will it recover fine then? Time will tell!
Click to expand...

For me, I get the idle lock up if I'm in the 3D profile (aka overclocked). If I'm at stock its fine.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> What is UOM? I see that acronym a lot, and I don't know what it is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unofficial Overclocking Mode (its a config file edit for MSI AB).
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I never edited any config files. I simply got AB, put -xcl in the command line for it, and started overclocking.
> 
> I totally smashed all over P11000 in 3DMark11 though.
> 
> Gonna let the monitor go to sleep and come back a few times, see what happens.
> 
> What happens if the 3D clocks are going when the monitor goes to sleep? Will it recover fine then? Time will tell!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> For me, I get the idle lock up if I'm in the 3D profile (aka overclocked). If I'm at stock its fine.
Click to expand...

So, I had my browser and ventrilo open, nothing else. Got up, monitor went to sleep, recovered to the black screen with the mouse cursor again, had to power down using the reset button. So annoying. It's gotta be due to the idle clocks or something. I also noticed a few times when the monitor recovered it was in the 3D clocks and then downclocked. Strange issue to say the least. Wonder if AMD has a fix in the pipeline. I know people at full stock that are having this issue.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> What is UOM? I see that acronym a lot, and I don't know what it is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unofficial Overclocking Mode (its a config file edit for MSI AB).
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I never edited any config files. I simply got AB, put -xcl in the command line for it, and started overclocking.
> 
> I totally smashed all over P11000 in 3DMark11 though.
> 
> Gonna let the monitor go to sleep and come back a few times, see what happens.
> 
> What happens if the 3D clocks are going when the monitor goes to sleep? Will it recover fine then? Time will tell!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> For me, I get the idle lock up if I'm in the 3D profile (aka overclocked). If I'm at stock its fine.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> So, I had my browser and ventrilo open, nothing else. Got up, monitor went to sleep, recovered to the black screen with the mouse cursor again, had to power down using the reset button. So annoying. It's gotta be due to the idle clocks or something. I also noticed a few times when the monitor recovered it was in the 3D clocks and then downclocked. Strange issue to say the least. Wonder if AMD has a fix in the pipeline. I know people at full stock that are having this issue.
Click to expand...

Check your clock speeds before you let it idle. I know with Mumble open, my card for some odd reason is stuck in 3D clocks (overclocked). Thus causing that same problem.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> What is UOM? I see that acronym a lot, and I don't know what it is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unofficial Overclocking Mode (its a config file edit for MSI AB).
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I never edited any config files. I simply got AB, put -xcl in the command line for it, and started overclocking.
> 
> I totally smashed all over P11000 in 3DMark11 though.
> 
> Gonna let the monitor go to sleep and come back a few times, see what happens.
> 
> What happens if the 3D clocks are going when the monitor goes to sleep? Will it recover fine then? Time will tell!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> For me, I get the idle lock up if I'm in the 3D profile (aka overclocked). If I'm at stock its fine.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> So, I had my browser and ventrilo open, nothing else. Got up, monitor went to sleep, recovered to the black screen with the mouse cursor again, had to power down using the reset button. So annoying. It's gotta be due to the idle clocks or something. I also noticed a few times when the monitor recovered it was in the 3D clocks and then downclocked. Strange issue to say the least. Wonder if AMD has a fix in the pipeline. I know people at full stock that are having this issue.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Check your clock speeds before you let it idle. I know with Mumble open, my card for some odd reason is stuck in 3D clocks (overclocked). Thus causing that same problem.
Click to expand...

And this time it snaps out of it no problem. Clocks are 300/150, when the screen came back up they were 925/1325 like usual. So strange. Is there anyway to make it so the 2D and idle clocks are all the same? why have it go idle at all?


----------



## phillyd

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/4yavg/
never got added, so rollin again
just got my new Danger Den backplate for my sponsorship, got other stuff and made an unboxing as well.


----------



## Ghost23

What FPS should I be seeing with a 2500k @ 4.5 and a 7950 oc'd in BF3 on Ultra? Some of the benchmarks I saw don't seem to match up to my performance..


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> What FPS should I be seeing with a 2500k @ 4.5 and a 7950 oc'd in BF3 on Ultra? Some of the benchmarks I saw don't seem to match up to my performance..


Depends on if you have MSAA on or off. If its on, then 30-40 FPS as a guess. If its off, 60-80 FPS as a guess. AMD cards don't like MSAA in BF3.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/4yavg/
> never got added, so rollin again
> just got my new Danger Den backplate for my sponsorship, got other stuff and made an unboxing as well.


Looks like that block has no VRM cooling ?

Edit: I see on there site that it does cool the VRM's. It just looks short because the connection block it built in.


----------



## tsm106

Gdamn, Danger Den need to hire some CFD people.


----------



## azdre

Anybody have any benches for a 7970 with a 7950 Crossfired? Or any insight on the performance losses between that and a true 7970x2 Crossfire?


----------



## SkateZilla

my 7950 decided to die on me while i was sleeping, running the SCREENSAVER of all things.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Anybody have any benches for a 7970 with a 7950 Crossfired? Or any insight on the performance losses between that and a true 7970x2 Crossfire?


I would also like to know this - I have a 7950 that I am not using and was wondering if it was worth throwing it in one of my rigs to x-fire with a 7970. Currently only using one monitor with each of my rigs and can run everything at max settings without a problem


----------



## TheJesus

I've seen it done on XtremeSystems and it didn't seem to be that big of a difference. It was like 1000 points behind a 7970 crossfire IIRC in 3DMark11 Performance, but in gameplay it was almost the same.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

man trying to crack a P score 11000 here what i got so far running one 7970 @ 1285 core / 1700 mem

i think if push my cpu more and push the card a bit further i might hit the jackpot


----------



## jamaican voodoo

I FINALLY STRUCK GOAL!!!!!!!!









i love my 7970's


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> my 7950 decided to die on me while i was sleeping, running the SCREENSAVER of all things.


Read my posts above, and don't use a screensaver (only allow the monitors to enter sleep).


----------



## Evil Penguin

For some reason not using FF "fixed" my idle issue.


----------



## jman246

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> For some reason not using FF "fixed" my idle issue.


What's FF?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jman246*
> 
> What's FF?


FireFox.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> I've seen it done on XtremeSystems and it didn't seem to be that big of a difference. It was like 1000 points behind a 7970 crossfire IIRC in 3DMark11 Performance, but in gameplay it was almost the same.


Found the results when Gabe @ Swiftech put them under water and overclocked:


----------



## sena

Guys should sapphire dual X work fine with ym DCII in cfx mode?
Its a lot cheaper than DCII in my region, so that is reason why i am thinking to buy one instead of DCII.


----------



## Imprezzion

GUys, I have mounted my Accelero Xtreme 7970 on my hd7970 and went OCing, quite a good card I got.

Does 1250Mhz on 1225mV for now.
Mem is at 1750Mhz 1600mV.

Temps in-game / in Heaven 2,5 which i use for stability testing are like 60c with the AX7970.

Only thing I notice is the drop in voltage... GPU-Z's sensors tell me the load voltage is WAY lower then the idle which is also lower then I set.

I set 1225mV. Idle is about 1208mV.
Load onder BF3 Ultra is pretty much 1148-1174mV and it's pretty unstable.
The game and OC itsself run fine, no performance drops or crashes.

Is this normal? I heard stories abt VRM temps so imma check them now.
Idle VRM's are 35c but idk what they do under load so imma test load now.

EDIT: AIDA64 Ultimate tells a lot more abt the GPU.
I ran Heaven 2.5 on absolutely max settings for a couple of minutes on 1250Mhz Core, 1750Mhz VRAM and 11225mV VGPU.

Temps stabilized at 57c for the GPU core and mid-high 60's for the VRM's. They stay really cool. At almost 126A current drawn they still remained under 70c at all times. Voltage however, in AIDA64 called ''GPU VRM'' still dropped from 1.208v to around and about 1.15-1.16v under load.

Does the HD7970 suffer from bad vdrop or something? Cards perfectly stable at these clocks, only when I really push it till like 1300mV to bench at 1300Mhz+ it also drops hard causing me to not get anything past 1275mhz stable.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Read my posts above, and don't use a screensaver (only allow the monitors to enter sleep).


I turned off Sleep mode because it wouldnt come out of sleep mode.

Waiting for RMA from Sapphire now.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I turned off Sleep mode because it wouldnt come out of sleep mode.
> Waiting for RMA from Sapphire now.


RMA wont help here, its driver problem, you can get new card, but there still be problem.
Try 12.3 drivers, sleep mode was working flawless on that drivers with my card, 12.4 screwed everythin, i am now getting random BSOD when i connect second monitor.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Read my posts above, and don't use a screensaver (only allow the monitors to enter sleep).


Your method may not work for others. Hell, if it were so, then yall are all overclocking wrong because I have no issues with how I do things. But that ain't so Joe and all I can do is scratch my head why others still have persisting issues.


----------



## Ken1649

I think it's time to dig deeper. Waiting for AMD drivers is not going to fix the BSOD when monitor off, PC sleep and Hibernate. I tested all drivers from RC11 to latest drivers can not replicate what I read here.


----------



## fashric

Anybody experiencing hard lock ups in Skyrim with their 7970's? I'm running on the latest 12.4 drivers and every other game runs perfectly. Really annoying as the computer wont respond at all when it happens and I have to hit the reset button to get back to the desktop. This happens in vanilla Skyrim and modded.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> RMA wont help here, its driver problem, you can get new card, but there still be problem.
> Try 12.3 drivers, sleep mode was working flawless on that drivers with my card, 12.4 screwed everythin, i am now getting random BSOD when i connect second monitor.


12.4 isnt the reason im RMA'ing, and the sleep mode isnt the reason I'm RMAing,

Like i said yesterday, The Card Died when i left my system on and it was running the screen saver. moved the mouse, PC Locked up.

It displays the POST, and WIndows Loadining scren, then when desktop loads everything is all screwed up. and it locks up windows for 2 minutes, black screen, and the screens refresh like one frame every 45 seconds, even removed all but one display, same scenario.

I noticed some issues before that:
The vibration when the fans spun up sounded like they were scraping, in same games there was the red/blue/green texture corruption.

in the First week, i saw signs, that that GPU was going, In MS Flight (which was the first game I Installed on the New rig), the mouse pointer was constantly being scrambled (going from a pointer to a line of dots.), this started happening on the desktop as well, especially in the last few days.

Eyefinity had tearing issues, but that stopped after i played BF3 and went back to the desktop.

This Is:


----------



## tsm106

"Houston, we have a problem"


----------



## gregoryH

@SkateZilla, more pics please, we can't see the problem.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gregoryH*
> 
> @SkateZilla, more pics please, we can't see the problem.


you're kidding right?


----------



## Imprezzion

Hmm after reading up a bit I found out my freezes were caused by a conflict between using DVI and HDMI-DVI at the same time with a dual monitor setup.

Fixed it by using the Active DP-DVI converter that came with my card.

Now, the AAX7970 cooler is ding a very good job at cooling the card, it's hitting around 60-65c load.

Also found out that the vdroop on the 7970 is pretty normal and the amount I have is as well, what I wonder is if there's any fix for it.
Maybe a different vendor BIOS, modded BIOS or w/e. Cards reference so..

I hate to run 1262mV with a full .1v vdroop when all I need to get stable is 1.175mV at these clocks (1250-1750 @ 1.16-1.18v with vdroop and 1.61v VRAM)


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Gdamn, Danger Den need to hire some CFD people.


why?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> GUys, I have mounted my Accelero Xtreme 7970 on my hd7970 and went OCing, quite a good card I got.
> 
> Does 1250Mhz on 1225mV for now.
> Mem is at 1750Mhz 1600mV.
> 
> Temps in-game / in Heaven 2,5 which i use for stability testing are like 60c with the AX7970.
> 
> Only thing I notice is the drop in voltage... GPU-Z's sensors tell me the load voltage is WAY lower then the idle which is also lower then I set.
> 
> I set 1225mV. Idle is about 1208mV.
> Load onder BF3 Ultra is pretty much 1148-1174mV and it's pretty unstable.
> The game and OC itsself run fine, no performance drops or crashes.
> 
> Is this normal? I heard stories abt VRM temps so imma check them now.
> Idle VRM's are 35c but idk what they do under load so imma test load now.
> 
> EDIT: AIDA64 Ultimate tells a lot more abt the GPU.
> I ran Heaven 2.5 on absolutely max settings for a couple of minutes on 1250Mhz Core, 1750Mhz VRAM and 11225mV VGPU.
> 
> Temps stabilized at 57c for the GPU core and mid-high 60's for the VRM's. They stay really cool. At almost 126A current drawn they still remained under 70c at all times. Voltage however, in AIDA64 called ''GPU VRM'' still dropped from 1.208v to around and about 1.15-1.16v under load.
> 
> Does the HD7970 suffer from bad vdrop or something? Cards perfectly stable at these clocks, only when I really push it till like 1300mV to bench at 1300Mhz+ it also drops hard causing me to not get anything past 1275mhz stable.


did you use the paste to attach the little heatsink to ALL the VRM's? every location that the reference cooler makes contact with should be heatsinked


----------



## Imprezzion

Yes I did. I just pasted a sink on everything that the stock cooler hits as well.

But the temps are fine.

Stability is fine as well. Running 1250Mhz on 1.262v. vdroop causes it to run 1.17v on average.


----------



## sena

SkateZilla
Sorry mate, didnt saw last couple of pages.
Good luck with RMA.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> SkateZilla
> Sorry mate, didnt saw last couple of pages.
> Good luck with RMA.


i guess Sapphire doesnt work on Sundays? lol.

Im hoping they upgrade me, since i paid $480 for this card which $480 now can get ma a 7950 DualX from them.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Found the results when Gabe @ Swiftech put them under water and overclocked:


Thanks man that's good info. Did they do a write up on the actual performance differences? I'm interested to know if the 7970 is pulled down to the 7950's performance or if they both run to their full potential independent of each other....I've read conflicting statements: some say that with recent AMD cards they each run independently of each other and the better card's performance isn't capped by the lesser card, but I've also read the opposite.

I'd just hate to CF a 7970 & 7950 and not get better performance than CF'd 7950's.


----------



## xoleras

I dunno if anyone noticed this but catalyst 12.4 increases SGSSAA and MLAA performance by unbelivable margins. Many games are playable with SSAA now, note the game HAS to support native MSAA or it will not work. If its a post process only game (ie, FXAA such as Deus EX: HR SSAA will not work. You'll not want to use 8x SSAA most of the time, SSAA has a big performance penalty but not as bad as before.......been playing Batman: AC with SSAA and it looks and plays great.


----------



## Ottesen

Man prices have dropped, i regret buying the cards so early.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Thanks man that's good info. Did they do a write up on the actual performance differences? I'm interested to know if the 7970 is pulled down to the 7950's performance or if they both run to their full potential independent of each other....I've read conflicting statements: some say that with recent AMD cards they each run independently of each other and the better card's performance isn't capped by the lesser card, but I've also read the opposite.
> I'd just hate to CF a 7970 & 7950 and not get better performance than CF'd 7950's.


Nah, he was just messing around, no serious write-up.

I've never researched the topic, I assumed if they were at the same clocks it wouldn't be a big difference.

My 7950s at 1300/1850 did 16695P and his did 17305P at 1275/1825, so you will definitely be outperforming.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Nah, he was just messing around, no serious write-up.
> I've never researched the topic, I assumed if they were at the same clocks it wouldn't be a big difference.
> My 7950s at 1300/1850 did 16695P and his did 17305P at 1275/1825, so you will definitely be outperforming.


Nice, thanks for the insight.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Man prices have dropped, i regret buying the cards so early.


I got my 7970 on release day and my 2nd one after the price drop.

I'm mostly a happy camper.


----------



## UNOE

I know I found a good crossfire vs. trifire review before but I can't seem to find where I found it every time I google "7970 trifire" i get that stupid review with 680 vs. 7970. Anyone know where I can find a solid trifire vs. crossfire review ?

Second question. I have two 7970's now if for some reason I bought another 7990 would I be able to do quadfire with (2x7970's and 7990) or do you need to have (4x7970) or (2x7990) for quad fire ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I know I found a good crossfire vs. trifire review before but I can't seem to find where I found it every time I google "7970 trifire" i get that stupid review with 680 vs. 7970. Anyone know where I can find a solid trifire vs. crossfire review ?
> Second question. I have two 7970's now if for some reason I bought another 7990 would I be able to do quadfire with (2x7970's and 7990) or do you need to have (4x7970) or (2x7990) for quad fire ?


What do you want to know about cfx vs trfire? Check the Heaven 3.0 thread and you can see my scaling in my last post in it.

As for cards, you can do any combo of 79xx cards together. Although your board is limited to pcie 2.0 due to the nf200 chip. It's just something to keep in mind.

I need to get a new board cuz I sold the wife's 1366 setup lol. I'm looking at the G1 Sniper 3, yum or maybe the new Revo. Both those boards have the new PLX 3.0 switch no more nf200.


----------



## Imprezzion

F$&k. My accelero 7970 had some high idle temps and i waa still hitting 65c with the fans full open in-game so I decided to check the mount again and guess what, one screw felt really loose. So, i was like, k imma fasten it a bit more. Was I ever wrong. Threads on the screw are buggered up... I hope and pray to god that the brackets threading is ok...

I managed to make the card at least work again by making a spacer for the screw so that the damaged part doesn't reach the thread anymore but I can't fasten it nearly as tight as it should be...

Temps on stock vgpu are fine to run with till replacement comes in, only 52c fully loaded with Heaven.

However, if I apply my before stable OC, 1250Mhz with 1.262v, the cards temps jump up rapidly to ~70c and then it just loses signal to my monitors. A reset of the PC results in a No VGA Detected bleepcode. A hard restart with power off - on works and the cards ok but is that caused by the mount being too bad? I mean, it goes out at only 70c orso... Or is the card itsself also damaged even if it runs max CCC clocks stable with the crapped cooler..


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What do you want to know about cfx vs trfire? Check the Heaven 3.0 thread and you can see my scaling in my last post in it.
> As for cards, you can do any combo of 79xx cards together. Although your board is limited to pcie 2.0 due to the nf200 chip. It's just something to keep in mind.
> I need to get a new board cuz I sold the wife's 1366 setup lol. I'm looking at the G1 Sniper 3, yum or maybe the new Revo. Both those boards have the new PLX 3.0 switch no more nf200.


Yeah I plan on doing x79 or z77. I'm just waiting to see what chip I'll get from IRE. I need to drop the nf200. I still want to find that review that I say from launch week though.
Edit : I also just spent about 5 minutes trying to find your score.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Yeah I plan on doing x79 or z77. I'm just waiting to see what chip I'll get from IRE. I need to drop the nf200. I still want to find that review that I say from launch week though.
> Edit : I also just spent about 5 minutes trying to find your score.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1 - 64 fps
> 2 - 125 fps diff 61
> 3 - 184 fps diff 59


I linked the screens in for ya. Clocks are all around 1300/1750.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I linked the screens in for ya. Clocks are all around 1300/1750.


That is wonderful amazing scaling.








Edit : min FPS had some drops it seems with the third card do you have noticeable stutter with third card ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> That is wonderful amazing scaling.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit : min FPS had some drops it seems with the third card do you have noticeable stutter with third card ?


The dual min is a fluke and more a function of when you hit the bench start button. If you compare the single and tri min, it's where it should be. And more importantly, what is stutter?


----------



## WiL11o6

I think I have posted here and asked before but I don't remember and I haven't found a solution so I'll ask here again.

Any crossfire owners having issue with stuttering? I have seen videos of GTX 680 SLI and when it's at 100fps, it stays at 100fps, maybe +/- 1-3fps but it is pretty consistent throughout in games. Or when the fps drops, it drops with a smooth transition.

Here is the list of games I play: BF3, L4D2, Crysis 1/2, Metro 2033, Witcher2, and MW3. The only games that are flawless are BF3 and L4D2. That's quite sad considering more than half my games have problems on my $1200 cards. BF3, and L4D are smooth. I play with vsync on to reduce screen tearing and it stays at a solid 60fps 99% of the time. No fluctuations what so ever no matter what's going on in-game.

The other games however, are jerky. I have tried RC11 all the way up to 12.4 and am on RC11 atm and have tried all CAPs. Each driver was a clean Win7 install to rid of old lurking registry files. Here is my experience with the aforementioned games:

Vsync on: Games would start at 60fps but would very occasionally drop down to 57-59 causing a second of lag, stutter, jerkiness. It takes away from the gameplay as I'm trying to aim down my iron sights and then it jerks. This would seem to happen randomly, not only when there's something intense stressing my GPUs. I can be looking at the ground and wall and this would happen. The drop is SO sudden that's why it causes this stutter. This happens about once a minute or two so it's pretty frequent and annoying.

Vsync off just to see if it's a vsync problem: Games would be around 120fps but would suddenly drop down to 80s in a split second and shoot back up and again, same experience with vsync on. I get a lot of spiking with vsync on/off and I don't know how to fix it.

Everything is at stock 925/1375 and I have tried OCing 1000/1500, up to 1125/1575 with no difference. Just added heat and fan noise. I have been living with this for the past months since I stopped playing BF3 and other games. If anyone has suggestion or idea of how to fix, it would be appreciated. However, Kyle from [H]forums also said that 7970 CF was not smooth compared to 680SLI even if 7970CF had higher FPS.


----------



## Evil Penguin

CF at the moment isn't smooth in most games that I have tested...

I do experience stuttering as well.

We'll probably have to wait until Catalyst 12.6 to see if anything changes.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Incorrect, the 12.4 WHQL drivers are just fine. The problem is Trixxx. Use MSI AB with the -xcl method and 2D at stock and 3D at overclocked profiles, and the issue disappears 110%. I had that "idle lock up" issue when I first got my card. About a week later I fixed it completely by using the above method. Never once had the issue since then, using only WHQL drivers.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Read my posts above, and don't use a screensaver (only allow the monitors to enter sleep).


Really, Trixx has nothing to do with it.
If my monitor goes to sleep im not even running Trixx but ater waking up the screen I can see driver errors in event viewer.
After I disabled monitor sleep and used a screensaver instead, the errors were gone.

To note : I did not experience this on 12.3 WHQL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> I dunno if anyone noticed this but catalyst 12.4 increases SGSSAA and MLAA performance by unbelivable margins. Many games are playable with SSAA now, note the game HAS to support native MSAA or it will not work. If its a post process only game (ie, FXAA such as Deus EX: HR SSAA will not work. You'll not want to use 8x SSAA most of the time, SSAA has a big performance penalty but not as bad as before.......been playing Batman: AC with SSAA and it looks and plays great.


In Baman : AC you have MSAA set in the in-game settings and CCC set to Super sampling AA ? How much MSAA have you set in-game?
And what are your AA settings in CCC?
And what card are you running? single or cfx ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> CF at the moment isn't smooth in most games that I have tested...
> I do experience stuttering as well.
> 
> We'll probably have to wait until Catalyst 12.6 to see if anything changes.


Is 12.5 out already?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Is 12.5 out already?


No, but it probably won't be much different than the leaked Guru3D beta.

They should however fix the Eyefinity multi-GPU BSOD issue.

Perhaps even the 500 MHz slave idle issue as well.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Really, Trixx has nothing to do with it.
> If my monitor goes to sleep im not even running Trixx but ater waking up the screen I can see driver errors in event viewer.
> After I disabled monitor sleep and used a screensaver instead, the errors were gone.
> To note : I did not experience this on 12.3 WHQL
> In Baman : AC you have MSAA set in the in-game settings and CCC set to Super sampling AA ? How much MSAA have you set in-game?
> And what are your AA settings in CCC?
> And what card are you running? single or cfx ?


Yes, the game *must* be set to MSAA for super sampling to work. So in game select MSAA and then select SSAA in CCC to make it work. I have 7970CF in one of my boxes however i'm in the process of upgrading the cooling on one of them - but on a single card clocked to 1200 - I played Batman: AC at 2560x1440 with 2X SSAA and it was etxremely playable. My framerates with max detail ranged from 60-100, while with FXAA it was always above 100.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Yes, the game *must* be set to MSAA for super sampling to work. So in game select MSAA and then select SSAA in CCC to make it work. I have 7970CF in one of my boxes however i'm in the process of upgrading the cooling on one of them - but on a single card clocked to 1200 - I played Batman: AC at 2560x1440 with 2X SSAA and it was etxremely playable. My framerates with max detail ranged from 60-100, while with FXAA it was always above 100.


Thx for replying +rep

I play at the moment @ 4xMSAA in-game with 1x 7950 @ 1130mhz, but Im not sure what CCC is set to, I believe it is set at the setting most left (performance). Dunno out of my head how that setting is called.


----------



## DaClownie

Smashed on a P11k score in 3DMark11









i7-3770k @ 4.7GHz
Gigabyte HD7970 @ 1310/1750

EDIT: both of those overclocks are my 24/7 stable clocks. No suicide runs


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Really, Trixx has nothing to do with it.
> If my monitor goes to sleep im not even running Trixx but ater waking up the screen I can see driver errors in event viewer.
> After I disabled monitor sleep and used a screensaver instead, the errors were gone.
> To note : I did not experience this on 12.3 WHQL
> In Baman : AC you have MSAA set in the in-game settings and CCC set to Super sampling AA ? How much MSAA have you set in-game?
> And what are your AA settings in CCC?
> And what card are you running? single or cfx ?


When i started using Eyefinity w/ 12.4 if the monitors went to sleep, they wouldnt come back on, requiring a hard reset of the system.

both times my system was completely idle (no HDD activity), moved the mouse to turn screens on and waiting 5 minutes, Intense HDD activity from the time i moved the mouse to the time i hit the reset button on the case.


----------



## Twistacles

Hey all,

any point updating our drivers yet? I'm still on original 11.whatever drivers but Catalyst nags me to get 12.4.

Yay or nay?


----------



## slice259

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Hey all,
> any point updating our drivers yet? I'm still on original 11.whatever drivers but Catalyst nags me to get 12.4.
> Yay or nay?


I am having good luck with 12.4 with crossfire 7970's. Butter smooth BF3 gameplay.


----------



## SkateZilla

yea the 12.4s dont choke the 7900's like 12.2,12.3 did.


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> When i started using Eyefinity w/ 12.4 if the monitors went to sleep, they wouldnt come back on, requiring a hard reset of the system.
> both times my system was completely idle (no HDD activity), moved the mouse to turn screens on and waiting 5 minutes, Intense HDD activity from the time i moved the mouse to the time i hit the reset button on the case.


Try hitting Ctrl-Alt-Del and then selecting Task Manager. Works for me when mine gets stuck. If I don't select task manager the first time they'll go back to sleep and require a hard reset.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Try hitting Ctrl-Alt-Del and then selecting Task Manager. Works for me when mine gets stuck. If I don't select task manager the first time they'll go back to sleep and require a hard reset.


tried that plus the Alt+F5,

im not the only one that had this issue, i know a few people with a similar setup (FX CPU, 16GB Ram, 7900 Series Card) that have the same problem.

my card is in RMA process from failing anyway.


----------



## benten

Got my 7950 last week and have been doing some tests on it.

OpenGL part seems a bit weird for me with it showing up as OpenGL renderer: Ati Radeon HD 5800 series with FurMark 1.10.0.
Tried using both 12.3 and 12.4 drivers with a driversweeper in dos to fully clean out the drivers (even tried Atiman Uninstaller) but keeps showing 5800, dunno it right or what


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fashric*
> 
> Anybody experiencing hard lock ups in Skyrim with their 7970's? I'm running on the latest 12.4 drivers and every other game runs perfectly. Really annoying as the computer wont respond at all when it happens and I have to hit the reset button to get back to the desktop. This happens in vanilla Skyrim and modded.


I ran into this too. Reverted back to 12.3 and all is golden. For me it was all games though not just skyrim.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 
> Smashed on a P11k score in 3DMark11
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i7-3770k @ 4.7GHz
> Gigabyte HD7970 @ 1310/1750
> EDIT: both of those overclocks are my 24/7 stable clocks. No suicide runs


I found I was stable in as many synthetic benchmarks at 1300 core all day, but BF3 crashed within 10-15 mins of playing. You might want to try the BF3 stability test. Play for a hour to be sure on. I took my "stable" 1300 core in all synthetic benchmarks down to 1200 to be stable in demanding games.

Just a thought.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 
> Smashed on a P11k score in 3DMark11
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i7-3770k @ 4.7GHz
> Gigabyte HD7970 @ 1310/1750
> EDIT: both of those overclocks are my 24/7 stable clocks. No suicide runs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found I was stable in as many synthetic benchmarks at 1300 core all day, but BF3 crashed within 10-15 mins of playing. You might want to try the BF3 stability test. Play for a hour to be sure on. I took my "stable" 1300 core in all synthetic benchmarks down to 1200 to be stable in demanding games.
> 
> Just a thought.
Click to expand...

I was playing BF3 yesterday, was in there about 45 minutes with no issues. Gotta love watercooling man, keeping everything below 47C at all times. Feels gooooood


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I was playing BF3 yesterday, was in there about 45 minutes with no issues. Gotta love watercooling man, keeping everything below 47C at all times. Feels gooooood


What are your GPU voltages?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I was playing BF3 yesterday, was in there about 45 minutes with no issues. Gotta love watercooling man, keeping everything below 47C at all times. Feels gooooood
> 
> 
> 
> What are your GPU voltages?
Click to expand...

1.299 core and 1.7 mem


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 1.299 core and 1.7 mem


Considering I never go over 60C I was considering trying those voltages and see what my card could pull. Haven't had a game break 60FPS with vsync on yet, so I guess I'll go for that when I need it.

Good job









You should get more than 1300 on 1.3v and 1750 on 1.7v shouldn't you? Have you tried pushing it?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 1.299 core and 1.7 mem
> 
> 
> 
> Considering I never go over 60C I was considering trying those voltages and see what my card could pull. Haven't had a game break 60FPS with vsync on yet, so I guess I'll go for that when I need it.
> 
> Good job
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You should get more than 1300 on 1.3v and 1750 on 1.7v shouldn't you? Have you tried pushing it?
Click to expand...

Theoretically I will max somewhere not much higher than 1310... my memory is actually limited to the 1750 though. I might be able to squeeze 1760 or something out if, but that is of little significance really. I'm not a huge bencher. Just wanted to see what she could do. 1325 isn't stable really, though MIGHT survive a run on 3DMark11 if it needed to... I backed my OC off to 1300/1700 for some balls out gaming.

For reference, my computer got about P8300 at stock, P11100 overclocked. No complaints from this guy


----------



## dionyshst

i am going to buy them and gonna reg


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I found I was stable in as many synthetic benchmarks at 1300 core all day, but BF3 crashed within 10-15 mins of playing. You might want to try the BF3 stability test. Play for a hour to be sure on. I took my "stable" 1300 core in all synthetic benchmarks down to 1200 to be stable in demanding games.
> Just a thought.


you completely right....i can overclock cards 1290max achievable and 1750 mem and they are stable in synthetic benchmark but when boot up bf3 6-10 min within the game it crashes...i guess it not really stable it seems, one would think running heaven 3.0 or 3dmark11 at those clock stable would equate into games but i guess not.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> you completely right....i can overclock cards 1290max achievable and 1750 mem and they are stable in synthetic benchmark but when boot up bf3 6-10 min within the game it crashes...i guess it not really stable it seems, one would think running heaven 3.0 or 3dmark11 at those clock stable would equate into games but i guess not.


Like I said 5 times already, heaven and 3dmark11 is rubbish if you want to know if you are stable for games.
OCCT is better at that cause it really stresses out your system, although some will argue it will stress too much.
On the other hand, if you run OCCT for more than 15 minutes you should not be complaining when your card has broken down









To find my real stable overclock for gaming I used OCCT like 10 minutes. If it passes that you can do some gaming


----------



## xoleras

For those not liking the reference fan noise and temps, definitely consider the arctic accelero 7970 cooler. It is flat out amazing - my temps with 1220mV, 1225mhz never exceeds 56C (I have good case air flow) and it is dead silent even at 100% manual fan speed. I could not OC near these levels with the ref cooler...

It is just shockingly good.


----------



## Exostenza

DaClownie you should update your computer in your profile.


----------



## Testier

I would like to register, I got a dual fan 7970 from powercolor. It is not factory OCed.


----------



## masscrazy

I'd join except I'm not sure about my 7970!

At 1100/1500 it crashes the display drivers in mw3 and skyrim, pretty poor id say..


----------



## ZealotKi11er

For you guys that crash when you OC too high do you experience Artifacts before hand? For me to crash its really hard. Artifact in the other had show up with the smallest sign of instability. I can play for hours with artifacts. They just get worse and worse as temps increase. I am taking 50-55C.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> For you guys that crash when you OC too high do you experience Artifacts before hand? For me to crash its really hard. Artifact in the other had show up with the smallest sign of instability. I can play for hours with artifacts. They just get worse and worse as temps increase. I am taking 50-55C.


I did get artifacts when going way too high without stress testing, they just start appear.

I've crashed in game while doing nothing and while there intense fighting. 1100 core seems to be fine with furmark just not ingame.


----------



## Woundingchaney

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> For those not liking the reference fan noise and temps, definitely consider the arctic accelero 7970 cooler. It is flat out amazing - my temps with 1220mV, 1225mhz never exceeds 56C (I have good case air flow) and it is dead silent even at 100% manual fan speed. I could not OC near these levels with the ref cooler...
> It is just shockingly good.


Will they fit in an xfire config??


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Man prices have dropped, i regret buying the cards so early.


Price you pay to bleed...


----------



## Testier

Was the reference 7970 cooler louder than the 6970 reference cooler? Because the 6970 was loud...........


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> DaClownie you should update your computer in your profile.


Good idea. I shall do that


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> I'd join except I'm not sure about my 7970!
> At 1100/1500 it crashes the display drivers in mw3 and skyrim, pretty poor id say..


What voltage?

At 1.175, I can run at 1200/1500 stable in Furmark and Crysis 2, haven't tried pushing any further. ASIC quality of 75% in case that matters.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I was playing BF3 yesterday, was in there about 45 minutes with no issues. Gotta love watercooling man, keeping everything below 47C at all times. Feels gooooood


Don't want to rain on your parade but when I first updated to 12.4 I was able to OC my 7970 to 1300/1700 as well and could even play BF3 allll night no problems







, _BUT_ the next day I booted up BF3 and the damn thing crashed 10 minutes into the game. Now my max BF3 stable OC is 1250.







(still not bad though).

Anyway, I had that "feels goooooood" feeling for about 24hrs and then it was all sadness cuz BF3 stable @ 1300 was a **** tease. I envy you if your card can really maintain 1300 in BF3 consistently.


----------



## Invisible

Need some help here folks. For the longest time, my 7950 was at 1200/1600, and I thought it was stable. Recently though, as I've started having longer gaming sessions than 2 hours, the driver would eventually crash. I have my core voltage at 1.231v, and my memory voltage is stock. I got pretty mad and just decided to throw them up pretty high, and put core at 1.250v and memory at 1.661v, and the drivers crashed in Crysis in about 30 minutes.

Can anyone assist me in any way on which voltage (core or memory) would be most likely to cause unstability? Cause I tried to just put it at stock and not have that large of an overclock, but I can't stay at constant 60fps in BF3 anymore without it


----------



## SkateZilla

What i want to know is,

Where's all these DP1.2 MST Hubs??

AMD Puts 2 DP1.2 ports on the 7000 Series purposely because DP1.2 can drive 3 display Streams on each port. thus removing the need to manufacture Eyefinity 6 Cards.

Now if i can get a HUB and throw all my Displays on a MST Hub that would get rid of the tearing caused by independent Clock generators for DVI/HDMI and none for Display Port.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> I'd join except I'm not sure about my 7970!
> At 1100/1500 it crashes the display drivers in mw3 and skyrim, pretty poor id say..


90% sure this is caused by too low voltage on the core. Try upping it abit every time untill it is stable.
Mind the temps though !


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Yes, the game *must* be set to MSAA for super sampling to work. So in game select MSAA and then select SSAA in CCC to make it work. I have 7970CF in one of my boxes however i'm in the process of upgrading the cooling on one of them - but on a single card clocked to 1200 - I played Batman: AC at 2560x1440 with 2X SSAA and it was etxremely playable. My framerates with max detail ranged from 60-100, while with FXAA it was always above 100.


Been playing now a while with SSAA in CCC and gotta say it is really an immense improvement.
Quality of the graphics is insane now.
Gotta say though that running 4xSSAA is a little too much for 1130/1550 @ 1920x1080 on my HD7950. Bit choppy at times.
Gonna set it at 2xMSAA in-game and see how that goes and looks


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> I'd join except I'm not sure about my 7970!
> At 1100/1500 it crashes the display drivers in mw3 and skyrim, pretty poor id say..
> 
> 
> 
> What voltage?
> 
> At 1.175, I can run at 1200/1500 stable in Furmark and Crysis 2, haven't tried pushing any further. ASIC quality of 75% in case that matters.
Click to expand...

68.2% ASIC here.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I was playing BF3 yesterday, was in there about 45 minutes with no issues. Gotta love watercooling man, keeping everything below 47C at all times. Feels gooooood
> 
> 
> 
> Don't want to rain on your parade but when I first updated to 12.4 I was able to OC my 7970 to 1300/1700 as well and could even play BF3 allll night no problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , _BUT_ the next day I booted up BF3 and the damn thing crashed 10 minutes into the game. Now my max BF3 stable OC is 1250.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (still not bad though).
> 
> Anyway, I had that "feels goooooood" feeling for about 24hrs and then it was all sadness cuz BF3 stable @ 1300 was a **** tease. I envy you if your card can really maintain 1300 in BF3 consistently.
Click to expand...

It's been stable in games since Saturday morning... so over 48 hours, over 4 hours of BF3, a bunch of LoL, a bunch of Minecraft, and a barrage of stability tests. This thing is fine









Exostenza: Rig has been added and updated to signature. That's a picture of it, albeit of crap quality!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Yeah I plan on doing x79 or z77. I'm just waiting to see what chip I'll get from IRE. I need to drop the nf200. I still want to find that review that I say from launch week though.


You know what? I keep having these thoughts, and you're on the same track as me.

I need to get a board sooner than later...
I'm not digging the heat issue with 3770k
I don't want to buy $400+ x79 boards
the G1 Sniper 3 is mia, no eta
the z77 ws is bloody expensive almost x79 level
I do want 4 way cfx/sli
giga x79 ud3 is 230 bucks and does proper 4 way!
microcenter has the 3820 for 230 bucks!

LOL

x79 UD3 + 3820 is 119 bucks cheaper than getting a not in stock 3770K from microcenter and waiting a month on a G1 Sniper 3.

I'm seriously thinking of driving out to Tustin tomorrow. Am I crazy?

The wife doesn't understand why here htpc rig is torn apart...

I sold the parts lol. Well, in anticipation of this move.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> What voltage?
> At 1.175, I can run at 1200/1500 stable in Furmark and Crysis 2, haven't tried pushing any further. ASIC quality of 75% in case that matters.


Not touched the voltages.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 90% sure this is caused by too low voltage on the core. Try upping it abit every time untill it is stable.
> Mind the temps though !


As above, noob quesiton: how do i change the voltages, afterburner option not available.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Yeah I plan on doing x79 or z77. I'm just waiting to see what chip I'll get from IRE. I need to drop the nf200. I still want to find that review that I say from launch week though.
> 
> 
> 
> You know what? I keep having these thoughts, and you're on the same track as me.
> 
> I need to get a board sooner than later...
> I'm not digging the heat issue with 3770k
> I don't want to buy $400+ x79 boards
> the G1 Sniper 3 is mia, no eta
> the z77 ws is bloody expensive almost x79 level
> I do want 4 way cfx/sli
> giga x79 ud3 is 230 bucks and does proper 4 way!
> microcenter has the 3820 for 230 bucks!
> 
> LOL
> 
> x79 UD3 + 3820 is 119 bucks cheaper than getting a not in stock 3770K from microcenter and waiting a month on a G1 Sniper 3.
> 
> I'm seriously thinking of driving out to Tustin tomorrow. Am I crazy?
> 
> The wife doesn't understand why here htpc rig is torn apart...
> 
> I sold the parts lol. Well, in anticipation of this move.
Click to expand...

Dig deeper if you really need 4-way-SLI with Z77 board. Nvidia is pissed not using nF200 so there's licensing issue for 4-way-SLI. Afaik, there's only one Z77 capable of 4-Way-SLI.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> What voltage?
> At 1.175, I can run at 1200/1500 stable in Furmark and Crysis 2, haven't tried pushing any further. ASIC quality of 75% in case that matters.
> 
> 
> 
> Not touched the voltages.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 90% sure this is caused by too low voltage on the core. Try upping it abit every time untill it is stable.
> Mind the temps though !
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> As above, noob quesiton: how do i change the voltages, afterburner option not available.
Click to expand...

Right click the Afterburner shortcut, in the "Target:" field put '-xcl' without the ' 's... and outside the target's " "s, launch program. It'll say "unofficial overclocking enabled, restart computer.

Restart.

right click, remove -xcl from the target.

Launch, overclock that GPU to be a screaming banshee of hellish delight... well you know what I mean.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Dig deeper if you really need 4-way-SLI with Z77 board. Nvidia is pissed not using nF200 so there's licensing issue for 4-way-SLI. Afaik, there's only one Z77 capable of 4-Way-SLI.


Nah, there's two. Z77 G1 Sniper 3 and p8z77 WS. The WS is 340 ish and the Sniper is MIA, no eta. Going z77 4 way is actually rather expensive, and my issue with 3770k is the compacted core heat issue. On the other hand, clocking a 3820 fsb wise disables powersaving features.

I'm probably gonna go the cheap 4 way route, me thinks. x79 ud3 -> 238 + 3820 ->247 = just 75 bucks over what I have in paypal.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Need some help here folks. For the longest time, my 7950 was at 1200/1600, and I thought it was stable. Recently though, as I've started having longer gaming sessions than 2 hours, the driver would eventually crash. I have my core voltage at 1.231v, and my memory voltage is stock. I got pretty mad and just decided to throw them up pretty high, and put core at 1.250v and memory at 1.661v, and the drivers crashed in Crysis in about 30 minutes.
> Can anyone assist me in any way on which voltage (core or memory) would be most likely to cause unstability? Cause I tried to just put it at stock and not have that large of an overclock, but I can't stay at constant 60fps in BF3 anymore without it


Anyone?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Dig deeper if you really need 4-way-SLI with Z77 board. Nvidia is pissed not using nF200 so there's licensing issue for 4-way-SLI. Afaik, there's only one Z77 capable of 4-Way-SLI.
> 
> 
> 
> Nah, there's two. Z77 G1 Sniper 3 and p8z77 WS. The WS is 340 ish and the Sniper is MIA, no eta. Going z77 4 way is actually rather expensive, and my issue with 3770k is the compacted core heat issue. On the other hand, clocking a 3820 fsb wise disables powersaving features.
> 
> I'm probably gonna go the cheap 4 way route, me thinks. x79 ud3 -> 238 + 3820 ->247 = just 75 bucks over what I have in paypal.
Click to expand...

Last time I check, both can only do 3-way-SLI. Only Asrock Extreme is license for 4-way. You might want to check again. Just get X79 with native PCIe lanes and stay away from switches or nF200. Keep it simple.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Last time I check, both can only do 3-way-SLI. Only Asrock Extreme is license for 4-way. You might want to check again. Just get X79 with native PCIe lanes and stay away from switches or nF200. Keep it simple.


Incorrecto. Z77 doesn't use nf200 but the PLX pcie 3.0 switch chip.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Anyone?


It sounds like heatsoak is an issue. How is your case setup at moving fresh air in and hot air out?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Last time I check, both can only do 3-way-SLI. Only Asrock Extreme is license for 4-way. You might want to check again. Just get X79 with native PCIe lanes and stay away from switches or nF200. Keep it simple.
> 
> 
> 
> Incorrecto. Z77 doesn't use nf200 but the PLX pcie 3.0 switch chip.
Click to expand...

Yeah hence why nVidia is pissed to license 4-Way-SLI.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Yeah hence why nVidia is pissed to license 4-Way-SLI.


What are you saying? Nvidia doesn't even use NF200 themselves (aka 590) lol. They use the PLX chip on the 690. NF200 is dead.


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Yeah hence why nVidia is pissed to license 4-Way-SLI.
> 
> 
> 
> What are you saying? Nvidia doesn't even use NF200 themselves (aka 590) lol. They use the PLX chip on the 690. NF200 is dead.
Click to expand...

True. PLX is not nVidia or is it now?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> True. PLX is not nVidia or is it now?


What the heck or you on about?? You said there were no 4 way boards, you were wrong. What is this about PLX Tech now? What are you saying?? Nvidia doesn't have a pcie 3.0 switch, and hell they use PLX's switch. Pissed about what?


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Incorrecto. Z77 doesn't use nf200 but the PLX pcie 3.0 switch chip.
> It sounds like heatsoak is an issue. How is your case setup at moving fresh air in and hot air out?


Heatsoak? If you are talking about temps getting too high, I have my GPU set so that it is almost never over 72C, even when OC'ed and at 99% usage. I'm OCD about high temps.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Heatsoak? If you are talking about temps getting too high, I have my GPU set so that it is almost never over 72C, even when OC'ed and at 99% usage. I'm OCD about high temps.


Are your temps over the whole board the same? These cards get very sensitive to temps when overclocked.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are your temps over the whole board the same? These cards get very sensitive to temps when overclocked.


My CPU is at 4.5, and after a few seconds into Prime, it's at 52. I think I done Prime for an hour or two and the temps were around 63C. So yea, I would say the temps across my PC are pretty close.

Also, can having too much voltage cause instability?


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Price you pay to bleed...


Didn't get that one mate...


----------



## tsm106

Omg I started browsing different x79 boards and in no time came across the ASRock X79 Extreme11. That is one freaking serious board lordy. 4 way SLI/CFX at x16 each slot, ie x16/x16/x16/x16 zomg. MBILF!



Wha this thing is insane. Dual PLX chips, integrated LSI SAS = 8 more 6gb ports w/o any of that junk Marvell crap, 16 phase vrm, gold caps lol. Hmm, starts counting change in pockets...


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You know what? I keep having these thoughts, and you're on the same track as me.
> I need to get a board sooner than later...
> I'm not digging the heat issue with 3770k
> I don't want to buy $400+ x79 boards
> the G1 Sniper 3 is mia, no eta
> the z77 ws is bloody expensive almost x79 level
> I do want 4 way cfx/sli
> giga x79 ud3 is 230 bucks and does proper 4 way!
> microcenter has the 3820 for 230 bucks!
> LOL
> x79 UD3 + 3820 is 119 bucks cheaper than getting a not in stock 3770K from microcenter and waiting a month on a G1 Sniper 3.
> I'm seriously thinking of driving out to Tustin tomorrow. Am I crazy?
> The wife doesn't understand why here htpc rig is torn apart...
> I sold the parts lol. Well, in anticipation of this move.


Yeah thats a good move with proper quadfire with UD3. There is no other way to do four cards that I see. z77 UD5H is a good board though Gigabyte stepped up with the z77. The x79 UD3 I don't know how great that is, it also doesn't have extra PCIE voltage like the z77 board has. I really think the best thing to do for me is have one 7990 and two 7970's with a z77 board with x8, x4, x4 pcie 3.0. because with the extra PCIE sata voltage connector you will be able to push higher clocks and overall the CPU should preform better than x79.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Yeah thats a good move with proper quadfire with UD3. There is no other way to do four cards that I see. z77 UD5H is a good board though Gigabyte stepped up with the z77. The x79 UD3 I don't know how great that is, it also doesn't have extra PCIE voltage like the z77 board has. I really think the best thing to do for me is have one 7990 and two 7970's with a z77 board with x8, x4, x4 pcie 3.0. because with the extra PCIE sata voltage connector you will be able to push higher clocks and overall the CPU should preform better than x79.


Only the G1 Sniper 3 and P8Z77 WS have PLX chips for four way action. All the rest of the z77 are gimp lane wise.

The x79 UD3 is barebones and a super cheap way into four way x79 action. And honestly for me, I don't want to pay for crap I'll never use. I don't want to OC my pc with my non-existent iphone, or use wireless off the MB lol. You know what I mean? I don't want overpowered usb charger cuz I already use a proper 2 amp usb charger, does any board push out 2 amps?

But oh that Asrock Extreme11, is insane. If its in the range of the RIVE, I would get it. RIVE is mediocre next to those dual PEX 8749 chips on the Extreme11.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nah, there's two. Z77 G1 Sniper 3 and p8z77 WS. The WS is 340 ish and the Sniper is MIA, no eta. Going z77 4 way is actually rather expensive, and my issue with 3770k is the compacted core heat issue. On the other hand, clocking a 3820 fsb wise disables powersaving features.
> I'm probably gonna go the cheap 4 way route, me thinks. x79 ud3 -> 238 + 3820 ->247 = just 75 bucks over what I have in paypal.


I didin't realize these boards to SLI how does P8Z77 WS do x8, x8, x8, x8 is there latency involved ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I didin't realize these boards to SLI how does P8Z77 WS do x8, x8, x8, x8 is there latency involved ?


Very low. It's not like the nf200, the PEX 8749 is the only 3.0 switching chip and it happens to be fast. Hell even Nvidia use it on the 690.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Only the G1 Sniper 3 and P8Z77 WS have PLX chips for four way action. All the rest of the z77 are gimp lane wise.
> The x79 UD3 is barebones and a super cheap way into four way x79 action. And honestly for me, I don't want to pay for crap I'll never use. I don't want to OC my pc with my non-existent iphone, or use wireless off the MB lol. You know what I mean? I don't want overpowered usb charger cuz I already use a proper 2 amp usb charger, does any board push out 2 amps?
> But oh that Asrock Extreme11, is insane. If its in the range of the RIVE, I would get it. RIVE is mediocre next to those dual PEX 8749 chips on the Extreme11.


I got it with PLX chip this is new to me. I think I still rather have x4, x4, x4 ,x4 with PCIE 3.0. Thats why I might have to do z77 with UD5H with 7990 and two 7970's. for that x8, x4, x4 ( x4, x4, x4 ,x4) with PCIE 3.0.
I have always wanted a board with PCIE power. And Gigabyte has it wtih z77 UD3H and UD5H and thats awesome. I see people using LN2 with UD3H with no problems. The board is only $109 with discount.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I got it with PLX chip this is new to me. I think I still rather have x4, x4, x4 ,x4 with PCIE 3.0. Thats why I might have to do z77 with UD5H with 7990 and two 7970's. for that x8, x4, x4 ( x4, x4, x4 ,x4) with PCIE 3.0.
> I have always wanted a board with PCIE power. And Gigabyte has it wtih z77 UD3H and UD5H and thats awesome. I see people using LN2 with UD3H with no problems. The board is only $109 with discount.


Your cards are all going to run in really strange widths. The 7990 will most undoubtedly use a PLX chip already and be connected that way splitting the x8 but bridging with the extra lanes of the PLX, then you have one card running 8x and one 4x.


----------



## jomama22

Hey guys i need some help with low gpu usage.

Iv been having this problem since i installed my 3rd lightning. Bf3 will not go above 90% usage for any card when usings all three in tri fire, if i use 1 or 2 i get 99% almost the entire time.

I have just done a fresh install of windows, loaded 12.4 and cap 1. Installed afterburner 2.2.0 with unoffical oc enabled, voltages unlocked fine, can change clocks fine.

Before the fresh install i tried both 12.3 and 13.4 with their respective caps. No dice

My cpu is a 3960x @ 4.7 ghz with usage of any core/thread never going above 70%.

3 three cards are all running pcie 3.0 at 16x/16x/8x respectively.

Only change in ccc is using ingame tess. In ccc under trifire the gpu selection is 6 12 0 when set to trifire.

Even source games are affected, garrys mod and tf2 will not go above 40% usage (and this is with 1 card)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Should i used an older driver?

(Tsm106 please help! Lol)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Hey guys i need some help with low gpu usage.
> Iv been having this problem since i installed my 3rd lightning. Bf3 will not go above 90% usage for any card when usings all three in tri fire, if i use 1 or 2 i get 99% almost the entire time.
> I have just done a fresh install of windows, loaded 12.4 and cap 1. Installed afterburner 2.2.0 with unoffical oc enabled, voltages unlocked fine, can change clocks fine.
> Before the fresh install i tried both 12.3 and 13.4 with their respective caps. No dice
> My cpu is a 3960x @ 4.7 ghz with usage of any core/thread never going above 70%.
> 3 three cards are all running pcie 3.0 at 16x/16x/8x respectively.
> Only change in ccc is using ingame tess. In ccc under trifire the gpu selection is 6 12 0 when set to trifire.
> Even source games are affected, garrys mod and tf2 will not go above 40% usage (and this is with 1 card)
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> Should i used an older driver?
> (Tsm106 please help! Lol)


What driver were you on before? It sounds like you've covered most of your bases. Is this 3rd card new? Just installed it then?

However, did you confirm that it works 100%? If not, it's easiest to stick it in another system, or wait you're on air so nvm that. I assume card 1 and 2 have not changed their respective positions since you added card 3 right?

**Btw a quick scaling tester is Furmark, for future reference.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What driver were you on before? It sounds like you've covered most of your bases. Is this 3rd card new? Just installed it then?
> However, did you confirm that it works 100%? If not, it's easiest to stick it in another system, or wait you're on air so nvm that. I assume card 1 and 2 have not changed their respective positions since you added card 3 right?
> **Btw a quick scaling tester is Furmark, for future reference.


thanks for the reply,

the oldest driver my comp had seen before was 12.2 but when i got my lightnings i updated to 12.3 and had no problems with 2. The first 2 cards are still in their same position since adding the third.

What is a bit strange is that in windows, my new card is reported as gpu1 though it isnt used as such and my true gpu1 (top card) is gpu2, and true gpu2 is reported as gpu3 (this is in both gpuz and ab). When i had 2 they were labeled correctly. Whether or not this means anything is anyones guess.

its just getting annoying dropping below 100fps in games like tf2 and garrys mod (a source game) and getting not much better or even worse fps in bf3 from 2 to 3 cards.

btw i did disable ulps.

should i try 12.2? maybe rc11?


----------



## Ken1649

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Hey guys i need some help with low gpu usage.
> 
> Iv been having this problem since i installed my 3rd lightning. Bf3 will not go above 90% usage for any card when usings all three in tri fire, if i use 1 or 2 i get 99% almost the entire time.
> 
> I have just done a fresh install of windows, loaded 12.4 and cap 1. Installed afterburner 2.2.0 with unoffical oc enabled, voltages unlocked fine, can change clocks fine.
> 
> Before the fresh install i tried both 12.3 and 13.4 with their respective caps. No dice
> 
> My cpu is a 3960x @ 4.7 ghz with usage of any core/thread never going above 70%.
> 
> 3 three cards are all running pcie 3.0 at 16x/16x/8x respectively.
> 
> Only change in ccc is using ingame tess. In ccc under trifire the gpu selection is 6 12 0 when set to trifire.
> 
> Even source games are affected, garrys mod and tf2 will not go above 40% usage (and this is with 1 card)
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Should i used an older driver?
> 
> (Tsm106 please help! Lol)


What resolution are you pushing with tri-fire? If it's a single display that's perfectly normal and a 3960X won't help the GPU usage lol


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> What resolution are you pushing with tri-fire? If it's a single display that's perfectly normal and a 3960X won't help the GPU usage lol


i mentioned the 3960x to clear any idea of cpu bottleneck

i get the same results with a 2560x1440 and 120hz 1080p. and this is not normal for one screen. in bf3 when i see the usage spike, i get better fps, if i was hitting the fps top at 200fps then sure, but i am getting no where near that during playtime.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Right click the Afterburner shortcut, in the "Target:" field put '-xcl' without the ' 's... and outside the target's " "s, launch program. It'll say "unofficial overclocking enabled, restart computer.
> Restart.
> right click, remove -xcl from the target.
> Launch, overclock that GPU to be a screaming banshee of hellish delight... well you know what I mean.


Awesome, will try it out when i get home.


----------



## UltraVolta425

Just a quick question: I now have an ASUS 7970, but suppose I were to buy an XFX Double Dissipation one, would it work in CrossfireX together with my ASUS one?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UltraVolta425*
> 
> Just a quick question: I now have an ASUS 7970, but suppose I were to buy an XFX Double Dissipation one, would it work in CrossfireX together with my ASUS one?


yes, no problem.


----------



## paralogixer

Anything new info about unlocking 7950 to 7970?
Have you tried it? Was it helpful at all?
Seeing pics of unlocked 7950s with 2048 Stream Processors...


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> Anything new info about unlocking 7950 to 7970?
> Have you tried it? Was it helpful at all?
> Seeing pics of unlocked 7950s with 2048 Stream Processors...


That would be sweet. But i don't think it's real:>


----------



## SkateZilla

7900 Series do not have BIOS disabled shaders, image is prolly fake, there are no 2048 shader 7950s validated that i can see.

unless some dumbo flashed a 7970 with a 7950 BIOS, so it shows as a 7950 w/ 2048 shaders, but i dunno why anyone would do that.


----------



## SkateZilla

Waiting for Althon Micro to respond to my RMA DOC email...

yeesh, i should move to Cali, so I dont have to ship cross country to the ass bottom of Cali everytime something breaks..


----------



## paralogixer

Anyway, I've read that flashing 7950s bios to 7970, it overclocks better?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> Anyway, I've read that flashing 7950s bios to 7970, it overclocks better?


it changes the default voltages, fan profiles and a few other things


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> i mentioned the 3960x to clear any idea of cpu bottleneck
> i get the same results with a 2560x1440 and 120hz 1080p. and this is not normal for one screen. in bf3 when i see the usage spike, i get better fps, if i was hitting the fps top at 200fps then sure, but i am getting no where near that during playtime.


You didn't answer whether you confirmed the 3rd card is working 100%.

Also, the scaling that you do have, is it low but even across all three cards?


----------



## jomama22

3rd card is definatly working because of higher 3dmark11 score (20000 vs 17400). Scaling stays pretty much the same across all three if they are at 70% all of them are.

I got a bit of an improvement by installing 12.1 then 12.2 then 12.4 without cleaning before each update. Now the cards hover around 90/93% in bf3


----------



## crunkazcanbe

I know it dont have anything to do with video card drivers but now my pc dont get stuck in sleep mode after updating my ssd to 5.0.2 firmware my windows logo when starting does not even get half way and my pc is started and everything is working . Also my ssd when tested is reading 620mbs 100mbs more then the spec when bought and 100 more then it ever did . I thought it had something to do with 7970 drivers . I have never seen a computer start this fast . lol







It is a patriot pyro btw I always buy patriot when I can even if it cost a little more . Made in the USA .







Also the 3770K i got tusday ivy bridge runs hot and does not oc as good as my 2700k i think i need a bios update took it out untill I get one because it runs atleast 12c hotter then my 2700k at the same speed and I ran several benchmarks and my 2700k beats it at a few and dont at some I really dont think the heat is worth it . in almost all games i get more fps with sandy bridge I hope it is a bios prob and not a worthless upgrade .


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Right click the Afterburner shortcut, in the "Target:" field put '-xcl' without the ' 's... and outside the target's " "s, launch program. It'll say "unofficial overclocking enabled, restart computer.
> Restart.
> right click, remove -xcl from the target.
> Launch, overclock that GPU to be a screaming banshee of hellish delight... well you know what I mean.


I'm home, seems to not quite worked as hoped.

The voltage option is still disabled but am able to overclock the core all the way to 1800.

EDIT - followed this - http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=327291

Now whats a safe voltage...


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Right click the Afterburner shortcut, in the "Target:" field put '-xcl' without the ' 's... and outside the target's " "s, launch program. It'll say "unofficial overclocking enabled, restart computer.
> Restart.
> right click, remove -xcl from the target.
> Launch, overclock that GPU to be a screaming banshee of hellish delight... well you know what I mean.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm home, seems to not quite worked as hoped.
> 
> The voltage option is still disabled but am able to overclock the core all the way to 1800.
> 
> EDIT - followed this - http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=327291
> 
> Now whats a safe voltage...
Click to expand...

Weird. All I had to do with 2.2 is put the -xcl modifier, no changing of any cfg files at all.

Either way... safe volts? Not sure. I'm running 1.299 core and 1.7 mem... which is maxing out my sliders


----------



## SkateZilla

still waiting for Althon Micro to authorize my RMA,

Still looking for a DisplayPort1.2 MST hub....

Why do i feel like Upgrading my 7950 to a 7970 all of a Sudden....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> 3rd card is definatly working because of higher 3dmark11 score (20000 vs 17400). *Scaling stays pretty much the same across all three if they are at 70% all of them are*.
> I got a bit of an improvement by installing 12.1 then 12.2 then 12.4 without cleaning before each update. Now the cards hover around 90/93% in bf3


It looks like they are working properly and what you have is too much gpu power for the single screen. However you wrote something about poor fps as well. The scaling on your cards looks about right, but your fps should be through the roof on any game on one screen. What are your fps in BF3 and at what settings?


----------



## shockre

just got sapphire 7950 oc!
i'm running at 1200/1600 - 1.250v.. temps never go above 72C. what do you guys run for 24/7?
also, i have 2 "problems". GPUZ is showing that the card runs on PCIE 1.1, why is that? i had 7850 before this card and it showed normally - PCIE 2.0.
and hwmonitor/ccleaner are reporting that i have 7800 series, not 7900 series! in CCC and sapphire trixx it says 7900 series..


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> just got sapphire 7950 oc!
> i'm running at 1200/1600 - 1.250v.. temps never go above 72C. what do you guys run for 24/7?
> also, i have 2 "problems". GPUZ is showing that the card runs on PCIE 1.1, why is that? i had 7850 before this card and it showed normally - PCIE 2.0.
> and hwmonitor/ccleaner are reporting that i have 7800 series, not 7900 series! in CCC and sapphire trixx it says 7900 series..


wait till you see what DXDiag reports your ram as. lol

did you uninstall your 7850 before putting the 7950 in?


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> It is a patriot pyro btw I always buy patriot when I can even if it cost a little more . Made in the USA .


Just fyi not everything from Patriot is made in the USA.


----------



## shockre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> wait till you see what DXDiag reports your ram as. lol
> did you uninstall your 7850 before putting the 7950 in?


yes i did, uninstalled everything with atiman uninstaller.
just checked dxdiag, it shows 7800 series and 2743MB total ram.
how do i fix this? and PCIE 1.1?


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> just got sapphire 7950 oc!
> i'm running at 1200/1600 - 1.250v.. temps never go above 72C. *what do you guys run for 24/7?*
> also, i have 2 "problems". GPUZ is showing that the card runs on PCIE 1.1, why is that? i had 7850 before this card and it showed normally - PCIE 2.0.
> and hwmonitor/ccleaner are reporting that i have 7800 series, not 7900 series! in CCC and sapphire trixx it says 7900 series..


I own a Sapphire OC 7970, so your milage may vary.

I run Afterburner profiles depending on my needs.

For 24/7 general computing and playing older games, stock 1000/1450 at 1.112V (stock clocks out of the box on BIOS 2).

For playing things like Crysis 2, 1200/1525 at 1.175V or 1250/1550 at 1.200V, depending on ambient temp. My bedroom can fluctuate between 16ºC and 30ºC in the summer so my OC fluctuates between those two profiles to keep temps below 75ºC.


----------



## SkateZilla

everything on my system showed 7900 series if I remember correctly.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Yes, the game *must* be set to MSAA for super sampling to work. So in game select MSAA and then select SSAA in CCC to make it work. I have 7970CF in one of my boxes however i'm in the process of upgrading the cooling on one of them - but on a single card clocked to 1200 - I played Batman: AC at 2560x1440 with 2X SSAA and it was etxremely playable. My framerates with max detail ranged from 60-100, while with FXAA it was always above 100.


For me the in-game setting of 4xMSAA in combination with Adaptive Multi-Sample AA seems to give the best quality vs. performance for me








4xMSAA with super sample AA is just too choppy and 2xMSAA with super sample AA just looks weird to me...

What are you using for best quality vs performance?
I am using single card though @ 1920x1080, look in rig for all the info.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It looks like they are working properly and what you have is too much gpu power for the single screen. However you wrote something about poor fps as well. The scaling on your cards looks about right, but your fps should be through the roof on any game on one screen. What are your fps in BF3 and at what settings?


In bf3 it will dip as low as 110 fps when running around depending what map on 32 player mp. It will peak at 175 (excluding topping out at 200 when looking at the sky or inside a room) my average will usually fall around 130 fps which is litte or no better than 2 in crossfire.

If it was because if one screen i could understand fps jumps between 150 and 200, but since im not topping out the fps its a bit concerning.

And when tf2 will max out at 40% usage on one card then drop to 20% and giving me less than 100fps there is clearly somthing more than just the screen.

This may be a dumb question but do u think powettune may have a hand in this? I remember with my 6970s that i had to use racerx to employ 50% pt as the 20% at stock would kill my usage in games and un furmark. Maybe since the lightnings eat more power (watts) than a stock 7970 at the same clocks the tdp is getting prematurly triggered? I can try the ln2 bios when i get home (raises pt to 50% i believe)

An interesting note is that when i use a scope on a sniper rifle, the usage jumps to almost full at around 97-99% and my frames jump to 200fps. So if only having one screen was choking them, that wouldnt happen (it would do the opposite i would assume)


----------



## shockre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> everything on my system showed 7900 series if I remember correctly.


i've uninstalled all with atiman uninstaller again, cleaned with driver sweeper and without drivers in gpuz it shows 7900 series / pcie 2.0 and when i installed drivers again it shows 7800 / pcie 1.1 again.

***.

Drivers are of course from amd website universal for 7000 series.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Weird. All I had to do with 2.2 is put the -xcl modifier, no changing of any cfg files at all.
> Either way... safe volts? Not sure. I'm running 1.299 core and 1.7 mem... which is maxing out my sliders


With a reference card? Under water?

What are safe temps for a 7970, i'm reaching mid 70s to 80.

86C and rising at 1200mv 1170/1510


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> i've uninstalled all with atiman uninstaller again, cleaned with driver sweeper and without drivers in gpuz it shows 7900 series / pcie 2.0 and when i installed drivers again it shows 7800 / pcie 1.1 again.
> ***.
> Drivers are of course from amd website universal for 7900 series.


Try updating GPUZ. And using other software to see whats going on. GPUZ if outdated will report your gpuz incorrectly at times


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Weird. All I had to do with 2.2 is put the -xcl modifier, no changing of any cfg files at all.
> Either way... safe volts? Not sure. I'm running 1.299 core and 1.7 mem... which is maxing out my sliders
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With a reference card? Under water?
> 
> What are safe temps for a 7970, i'm reaching mid 70s to 80.
> 
> 86C and rising at 1200mv 1170/1510
Click to expand...

Reference, under water. My temps max out around 46C after an hour of furmark. That's plenty long enough for me. In BF3 after 2 hours my temps didn't break 43C


----------



## SkateZilla

too bad there isnt "Easy" water kits like the Corsair H100's for GPUs,


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> too bad there isnt "Easy" water kits like the Corsair H100's for GPUs,


You can always do the Antec Kuhler 620 method with the zipties. I'd say that's pretty easy. It's not exactly beautiful but it'll keep the GPU cool. Might need some airflow on the VRMs though to compensate.

I've been tempted to try it on my 2 7970s that are just sitting around, since I dont have a full loop setup, or even ANY sort of loop setup at the moment. Just an H100 for the CPU...


----------



## Lompang

Why is my GPU Clock forced to 500 when i try to manually set it higher it stays there. Running a 7970.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Why is my GPU Clock forced to 500 when i try to manually set it higher it stays there. Running a 7970.


Is this durring gameplay or when ur at desktop? The core will stay at 300/500 when not doing any intesive tasks


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> You can always do the Antec Kuhler 620 method with the zipties. I'd say that's pretty easy. It's not exactly beautiful but it'll keep the GPU cool. Might need some airflow on the VRMs though to compensate.
> I've been tempted to try it on my 2 7970s that are just sitting around, since I dont have a full loop setup, or even ANY sort of loop setup at the moment. Just an H100 for the CPU...


i was temped to see if an H100 or H60/80 Block would fit using the Intel Mounting mechanism, but i didnt want to remove the heatsinks from the VRM or Ram.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Why is my GPU Clock forced to 500 when i try to manually set it higher it stays there. Running a 7970.


Mine goes to 300/150 at idle with a single monitor. With a second monitor attached it idles at 500/1325. In 3D clocks its at 1300/1700. It should switch for ya. Worst case, run a 3D program in windowed mode so you can watch the clocks change and confirm.


----------



## bobytt

Hi guys. i just got one 7970 Direct CU II but i cant change the voltage no matter what, i tried with afterburner, trix, asus GPU tweaker, im stuck a t defoult..







I need your help guys. This is my first ATI since 4870X2


----------



## Invisible

Does anyone have any idea why my clocks drop to 501/1250 whenever I have a video up in FireFox behind my games? My clocks speeds are never at full (1200/1600) whenever I have a video up (mainly YouTube), which heavily decreases my performance in games. If this is something I can't avoid, then I can deal with it, but I usually have long YouTube playlists going whenever I game.


----------



## Bcider

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Does anyone have any idea why my clocks drop to 501/1250 whenever I have a video up in FireFox behind my games? My clocks speeds are never at full (1200/1600) whenever I have a video up (mainly YouTube), which heavily decreases my performance in games. If this is something I can't avoid, then I can deal with it, but I usually have long YouTube playlists going whenever I game.


I noticed something similar today with chrome in the background while I was playing the witcher 2. My fps dropped and the game stuttered bad until I closed chrome.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bcider*
> 
> I noticed something similar today with chrome in the background while I was playing the witcher 2. My fps dropped and the game stuttered bad until I closed chrome.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Does anyone have any idea why my clocks drop to 501/1250 whenever I have a video up in FireFox behind my games? My clocks speeds are never at full (1200/1600) whenever I have a video up (mainly YouTube), which heavily decreases my performance in games. If this is something I can't avoid, then I can deal with it, but I usually have long YouTube playlists going whenever I game.


Ya shouldn't be browsing while gaming with acceleration on, it will take over clocks from the game.


----------



## spinejam

Asus 7970 DCII: cool & quiet...love these cards!











Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## Bcider

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ya shouldn't be browsing while gaming with acceleration on, it will take over clocks from the game.


What acceleration?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bcider*
> 
> What acceleration?


Modern browsers use gpu acceleration and by default iirc. When you use an accelerated browser, it will force a change in the gpu's powerstate thus changing clocks. Just turn off acceleration.


----------



## Invisible

I use FireFox, and I went to the Advanced tab in Options, and uncheck "Use Hardware Acceleration when Available". It made my text look a little different at the top of the menu bar, but I went ahead and testing it with ME3 and a YouTube video up. My clock speeds were still at 501/1250.


----------



## tsm106

Did you disable flash acceleration?


----------



## jomama22

hey tsm, can u do me a favor and try ur setup with just 1 monitor? Id like to see ur gpu usage in bf3 with just one monotor at 1080p to try and see if one monitor really is killing my setup. If not its all good, im thinking its either powertune or afterburner messing with my usage (or just driver issues lol)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> hey tsm, can u do me a favor and try ur setup with just 1 monitor? Id like to see ur gpu usage in bf3 with just one monotor at 1080p to try and see if one monitor really is killing my setup. If not its all good, im thinking its either powertune or afterburner messing with my usage (or just driver issues lol)


I can do that in a lil bit when the kids are asleep. In the meantime, do a run of heaven 3.0 from the heaven thread. See if you can get near my score. You'll know if anything is broke if you can't break 3300.


----------



## horror1229

A buddy of mine just sold me his ice q x2 7970 for $350 ! ( his old lady made him sell it ha,ha ) . I am currently using a sapphire 7950 oc . If i crossfirex these cards will the 7970 downclock to the speeds of the 7950 ? Should i sell the 7950 and get another 7970 or xfire them and oc the 7950 to match the 7970 speed . Also what kind of preformance increase am i looking at ? The mobo i am using is a 990fxa ud3 so i have dual x16 slots .


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> hey tsm, can u do me a favor and try ur setup with just 1 monitor? Id like to see ur gpu usage in bf3 with just one monotor at 1080p to try and see if one monitor really is killing my setup. If not its all good, im thinking its either powertune or afterburner messing with my usage (or just driver issues lol)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I can do that in a lil bit when the kids are asleep. In the meantime, do a run of heaven 3.0 from the heaven thread. See if you can get near my score. You'll know if anything is broke if you can't break 3300.


I'll do you one better. Here's trifire on 1680x1050, even smaller. It's running full tilt max settings 64 man server.


----------



## Ghost23

I'm not sure how I feel about this card when it comes to OC'ing.

Mine seems to be the suck


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobytt*
> 
> Hi guys. i just got one 7970 Direct CU II but i cant change the voltage no matter what, i tried with afterburner, trix, asus GPU tweaker, im stuck a t defoult..
> 
> I need your help guys. This is my first ATI since 4870X2


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> Asus 7970 DCII: cool & quiet...love these cards!


spinejam, can you help bobytt out here? seems you have the same cards (great cards btw) and it also seems that you have your voltage adjusted.


----------



## Daffie82

Powertune at +20% could this also cause more gpu usage spikes?
Mostly I see people saying you should put this at +20% always, but I am beginning to doubt if this is true, seeing some problems/questions in the last few pages.


----------



## Ghost23

Well she cant max out BF3 with 4xMSAA and keep over 50 FPS, but I have to say my one 7950 seems to blow my old Crossfire 6950's out of the water. Although she seems to overclock horribly, but I've never had luck with OC'ing GPU's









Edit : Well, now I'm worried, when I OC and apply it, the entire right side of my screen flickers slightly, it's like grey/white/black lines for half a second...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Thread cleaned. Keep the swearing off OCN guys.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Well she cant max out BF3 with 4xMSAA and keep over 50 FPS, but I have to say my one 7950 seems to blow my old Crossfire 6950's out of the water. Although she seems to overclock horribly, but I've never had luck with OC'ing GPU's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit : Well, now I'm worried, when I OC and apply it, the entire right side of my screen flickers slightly, it's like grey/white/black lines for half a second...


Mine does that, it's just when it's changing the clocks because the drivers are herpderping. It's not quite as you describe it, I get a horizontal black flicker every time my card goes from 2D-3D profiles or changes clock in any way.


----------



## streetjumper16

i've a HD 7970 from Club3D with ASIC 86,9%...

1250/1750MHz stable @ 1,2V (real 1,115V) 1 hours Heaven 3.0







cooling with Arctic Accelero Extreme 7970!
max. takt is 1370Mhz by 1,3V (real 1,24V) under water ^^

sorry for my bad english i'm german


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> spinejam, can you help bobytt out here? seems you have the same cards (great cards btw) and it also seems that you have your voltage adjusted.


pm sent --


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> I use FireFox, and I went to the Advanced tab in Options, and uncheck "Use Hardware Acceleration when Available". It made my text look a little different at the top of the menu bar, but I went ahead and testing it with ME3 and a YouTube video up. My clock speeds were still at 501/1250.


Driver Process Priority, the driver sees a browser window and thinks your on the desktop and not in the game.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Well she cant max out BF3 with 4xMSAA and keep over 50 FPS, but I have to say my one 7950 seems to blow my old Crossfire 6950's out of the water. Although she seems to overclock horribly, but I've never had luck with OC'ing GPU's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit : Well, now I'm worried, when I OC and apply it, the entire right side of my screen flickers slightly, it's like grey/white/black lines for half a second...


My Sapphire 7950 OC ran BF3 Maxed on a 1080p screen 55-65 fr/Sec, w/ Default clocks, OC'd to 1Ghz maintained 60Fr/sec VSYNC all the time,

I run Eyefinity at 35-45 Fr/Sec depending on Map.and MSAA off.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Driver Process Priority, the driver sees a browser window and thinks your on the desktop and not in the game.


I have no idea why you would leave a browser running while gaming anyway....
If you want music, put on a light program like foobar or something in the background...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I have no idea why you would leave a browser running while gaming anyway....
> If you want music, put on a light program like foobar or something in the background...


I ran a separate screen to keep an eye one some things (sports scores, .wiki and whatever.)

But i can tell you right now, you may only have 1 window open, but Chrome will have 3-5 processes running and sucking up A TON of Memory.


----------



## akafreak

I am thinking of adding another sapphire 7970 dual x for my eyefinity setup (Silver Star see below). I read on internet and on this site about the problems some people were facing with 7970 trifire and eyefinity. So, i thought, what better place to ask than here







. So anyone of you guys have faced any problem with 7970 trifire with eyefinity? Any better solution to this problem, quadfire instead of trifire maybe?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akafreak*
> 
> I am thinking of adding another sapphire 7970 dual x for my eyefinity setup (Silver Star see below). I read on internet and on this site about the problems some people were facing with 7970 trifire and eyefinity. So, i thought, what better place to ask than here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . So anyone of you guys have faced any problem with 7970 trifire with eyefinity? Any better solution to this problem, quadfire instead of trifire maybe?


I believe recent drivers break Eyefinity and CF.

That issue should be fixed with Catalyst 12.5.

My main issue with some games is that I get stuttering...


----------



## akafreak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I believe recent drivers break Eyefinity and CF.
> That issue should be fixed with Catalyst 12.5.
> 
> My main issue with some games is that I get stuttering...


I am also experiencing it in some games, so i am thinking of going trifire. Trifire probably solves the microstuttering issue but creates another with eyefinity. I read about some guy here on ocn who had to remove each 7970 card and test them individually only to find that the drivers were faulty. AMD should really focus on their drivers. I am kind of lazy guy







so, i don't think i will be able to do everything that the guy had done, uninstalling and reinstalling every driver that has been released and testing them with each card. Damn, that's hard work with no result whatsoever.


----------



## SkateZilla

on the brighter side, Althon Micro finally issued me an RMA for my card, which has been sitting in it's static bag since Saturday, and will be shipped as soon as I pick a decent box.

1 week to bumbville bottom of Cali, then another week back plus processing time at Althon Mirco.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *streetjumper16*
> 
> i've a HD 7970 from Club3D with ASIC 86,9%...
> 1250/1750MHz stable @ 1,2V (real 1,115V) 1 hours Heaven 3.0
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> cooling with Arctic Accelero Extreme 7970!
> max. takt is 1370Mhz by 1,3V (real 1,24V) under water ^^
> sorry for my bad english i'm german


Don't use Heaven. Use benchmarks Crysis and Crysis 2. These will find weakness in your overclocks.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'll do you one better. Here's trifire on 1680x1050, even smaller. It's running full tilt max settings 64 man server.


...my post got deleted for some reason. Anyway, this pucture makes me feel much better.

The fps and gpu usage say alot towards my scaling and drivers being ok. What is most is most interesting still is why in easily rendered frames (scoping, facing sky/ground) fps rocket to 200 andusage maxes out but in intese scenes both drop. I would thonk if it was the resolution affecting it that it would do the oppisite.

What i think is we just need better scaling from both amd and gaming developers lol


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> ...my post got deleted for some reason. Anyway, this pucture makes me feel much better.
> The fps and gpu usage say alot towards my scaling and drivers being ok. What is most is most interesting still is why in easily rendered frames (scoping, facing sky/ground) fps rocket to 200 andusage maxes out but in intese scenes both drop. I would thonk if it was the resolution affecting it that it would do the oppisite.
> What i think is we just need better scaling from both amd and gaming developers lol


you dont need 3xCrossFire to get 60Fr/Sec VSYNC in BF3 on Ultra


----------



## streetjumper16

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Don't use Heaven. Use benchmarks Crysis and Crysis 2. These will find weakness in your overclocks.


how many loops ? 20... ?


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Don't use Heaven. Use benchmarks Crysis and Crysis 2. These will find weakness in your overclocks.


When overclocking my 7970 I would run the Central Park Crysis 2 bench fine, but crash in BF3 Multiplayer.


----------



## Invisible

Can't get 1200/1600 stable, no matter how high my voltage is. I guess I'll just have to stick with 1100/1575 :'(


----------



## SkateZilla

is there even a display port cable that will allow me to atleast hook TWO 1080p screens to the same display port, and I'll hook my 3rd screen to the other display port on my 7950?

Im looking at 2 weeks minimum turnaround so i might as well look into options on removing the display clock difference.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> you dont need 3xCrossFire to get 60Fr/Sec VSYNC in BF3 on Ultra


I understand this but for 120fps for my 120 hz monitor i do, even dual 7970 will drop below 110 which is very noticable to my eyes on a 120hz display. Trust me, i wouldnt throw 3 lightnings together for 1080p @ 60hz lol i just dont like eyefinity setups and even though 2560x1440 looks better the 120hz just makes me drool when i play


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> ...my post got deleted for some reason. Anyway, this pucture makes me feel much better.
> The fps and gpu usage say alot towards my scaling and drivers being ok. What is most is most interesting still is why in easily rendered frames (scoping, facing sky/ground) fps rocket to 200 andusage maxes out but in intese scenes both drop. I would thonk if it was the resolution affecting it that it would do the oppisite.
> What i think is we just need better scaling from both amd and gaming developers lol


Scaling works great in BF3. I dunno what you are expecting tbh. FPS is supposed to drop in big firefights when the CPU has to deal with data from 63 OTHER humans running around not in a script. The data crunching power is not free. The GPU's are bound by the CPU on one screen. Anyways, at this puny screen my frames don't take a dive, never seeing 120fps ever.

The funny thing is I keep looking to my left and right, lol I'm too use to eyefinity to play on one screen anymore.



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> is there even a display port cable that will allow me to atleast hook TWO 1080p screens to the same display port, and I'll hook my 3rd screen to the other display port on my 7950?
> Im looking at 2 weeks minimum turnaround so i might as well look into options on removing the display clock difference.


You want a DP hub but those are sort of vaporware at the moment.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Don't use Heaven. Use benchmarks Crysis and Crysis 2. These will find weakness in your overclocks.
> 
> 
> 
> When overclocking my 7970 I would run the Central Park Crysis 2 bench fine, but crash in BF3 Multiplayer.
Click to expand...

Currently I believe BF3 can be used as the best stress-test 'utility'. I found weaknesses -overtime- on my OCing nowhere else I could see. For example, at 1Ghz with 1.068V everywhere, even on BF3 in most cases was fine, but eventually 1.075 or even 1.081 is the proper voltage.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Scaling works great in BF3. I dunno what you are expecting tbh. FPS is supposed to drop in big firefights when the CPU has to deal with data from 63 OTHER humans running around not in a script. The data crunching power is not free. The GPU's are bound by the CPU on one screen. Anyways, at this puny screen my frames don't take a dive, never seeing 120fps ever.
> The funny thing is I keep looking to my left and right, lol I'm too use to eyefinity to play on one screen anymore.
> 
> You want a DP hub but those are sort of vaporware at the moment.


yeah i was told the DP1.2 -> 3 Display HUBs will be out in the summer.

since i dont have the power to drive 6 screens, i was gonna try to get all 3 that i have to at least use the DisplayPorts so i dont have clock interfearence.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> yeah i was told the DP1.2 -> 3 Display HUBs will be out in the summer.
> since i dont have the power to drive 6 screens, i was gonna try to get all 3 that i have to at least use the DisplayPorts so i dont have clock interfearence.


If yer ultimate goal is to run 3 panels at 120hz, you want a card with 4DP or more. You might run into latency issues, or over tax the single DP running thru a hub. And considering that there's the obvious red herring. It just might end up running like crap thru a hub.

**Also, you are going to need 4 cards to achieve that at least, so... realistically are you serious?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Scaling works great in BF3. I dunno what you are expecting tbh. FPS is supposed to drop in big firefights when the CPU has to deal with data from 63 OTHER humans running around not in a script. The data crunching power is not free. The GPU's are bound by the CPU on one screen. Anyways, at this puny screen my frames don't take a dive, never seeing 120fps ever.
> The funny thing is I keep looking to my left and right, lol I'm too use to eyefinity to play on one screen anymore.
> 
> You want a DP hub but those are sort of vaporware at the moment.


Im not expecting it to fun max 200 fps just as long as i stay above 120 im happy lol. Also, my lightnings are running bonebstock atvthe moment until i get my waterblocks for them (hopefully released soon) as the room im in gets to 80+degrees on a warm day and the desighn of the lighting means the hot air gets sucked into the card above it. Also, since i have the pleasure of having 3 cards with 3 different asic (1050, 1112 and 1175) overclocking is quite time consuming lol.

I never liked using vsync but i might give that a try as well. I mean the game runs perfect and is as smooth a butter so ill take what i get.


----------



## jomama22

Tsm, do u have any suggestions as to settings for 3d apps aside from setting tess to ingame? Id like to try amsaa or ssaa as well as edge detect but i cant seem to find good settings that dont destroy my fps.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If yer ultimate goal is to run 3 panels at 120hz, you want a card with 4DP or more. You might run into latency issues, or over tax the single DP running thru a hub. And considering that there's the obvious red herring. It just might end up running like crap thru a hub.
> **Also, you are going to need 4 cards to achieve that at least, so... realistically are you serious?


i have no interest in running 120Hz, nor did i ever state that...... i think your mixing up posts with the other guy. 60 Hz if fine for me, 75 Hz Max.

With the settings i had before i had to send my card back, i was able to run Eyefinity at 45+Fr/sec, never dipping below 30 Fr/Sec on Stock 900Mhz, so a 2nd Card in SLI should help bring that above 60Fr/Sec along with a little overclock on both.


----------



## verification11

hi, count me in the club


----------



## Imprezzion

Mine never artifacts. It just hardlocks with a vertically striped, usually green/yellow-ish, screen.

But, after busting the thread on a screw from my AAX 7970, also bending the mount and damaging the thread in the bracket making the coolingblock useless, I bought a replacement AAX 7970 and that runs like, sickeningly well.

Currently stable as a rock on 1250Mhz core, 1700Mhz VRAM. Voltages are 1.262v VGPU which after vdroop.gives me 1.18v loaded. VMEM is at 1.610v. Tried 1800Mhz VRAM as well but it hardlocked at 1.625v. Dunno how high I can push VRAM voltage with the AAX's VRAM sinks.

The thing that makes my AAX a baws is the fact that it idles in dual screen clocks, 500-1700 with 1.17v, at 31c and fully loaded with Heaven / BF3 on Ultra 1080p it reaches about 45-48c. 100% fanspeed, its unhearable anyways. On max voltage, 1.299v 1300Mhz, i had it hit 53c in BF3 but it hardlocked again after 15 minutes.

I'm happy with my cooler, temps and clocks. 1250Mhz on 1.262v aint bad. I'll test further to see how close to 1300Mhz I can get stable.

Oh and, VRM temps are very good as well.
About 35c idle and on max VGPU they do about 60-65c.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My Sapphire 7950 OC ran BF3 Maxed on a 1080p screen 55-65 fr/Sec, w/ Default clocks, OC'd to 1Ghz maintained 60Fr/sec VSYNC all the time,
> I run Eyefinity at 35-45 Fr/Sec depending on Map.and MSAA off.


With 4xmsaa, in a firefight? I can't buy that, 55-65 on stock clocks, ALL ULTRA, and 4xmsaa on a single 7950?

You have a god card or somehow I'm doing something wrong as even a 7970 will drop below 55 max'd in a firefight.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> With 4xmsaa, in a firefight? I can't buy that, 55-65 on stock clocks, ALL ULTRA, and 4xmsaa on a single 7950?
> You have a god card or somehow I'm doing something wrong as even a 7970 will drop below 55 max'd in a firefight.


Yep, I have to use 2xMSAA all ultra (no AA Post or Motion Blur) to get solid 60, and that's with my 7970 at 1200/1600


----------



## Imprezzion

Well, tbh, a 7970 shouldn't drop that low on 1080p.

I use the GameTime.MaxVariableFPS 62 command to limit FPS to 62, eliminating tearing and such but also eliminating VSyncs input lag.

In a game of Metro 64 1000 tickets with all ultra, HBAO, 2x SSAA in CCC and the FXAA Injector it never drops below that 62 no matter how extreme the firefight is.
This is running on 1250Mhz core and 1700Mhz VRAM but k.

On stock clocks it does struggle a bit more with it, but disabling SSAA and going for simpler AAA pretty much fixes that. Also, lower tesselation to about 8-16 for BF3 in CCC.
It has no impact on visuals, heck even disabling it is hardly noticable, but it does make a rather noticable difference in FPS. Especially in the minimum department.

Also, lowering Effect Details to high-medium have a large impact on performance but limited visual impact. The smoke and dust effects in BF3 are not very well coded and give a huge FPS drop.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Well, tbh, a 7970 shouldn't drop that low on 1080p.
> I use the GameTime.MaxVariableFPS 62 command to limit FPS to 62, eliminating tearing and such but also eliminating VSyncs input lag.
> In a game of Metro 64 1000 tickets with all ultra, HBAO, 2x SSAA in CCC and the FXAA Injector it never drops below that 62 no matter how extreme the firefight is.
> This is running on 1250Mhz core and 1700Mhz VRAM but k.
> On stock clocks it does struggle a bit more with it, but disabling SSAA and going for simpler AAA pretty much fixes that. Also, lower tesselation to about 8-16 for BF3 in CCC.
> It has no impact on visuals, heck even disabling it is hardly noticable, but it does make a rather noticable difference in FPS. Especially in the minimum department.
> Also, lowering Effect Details to high-medium have a large impact on performance but limited visual impact. The smoke and dust effects in BF3 are not very well coded and give a huge FPS drop.


I don't run any CCC input, just ingame settings. Metro is a lot easier to run than some of the outdoor maps, and I've noticed I only really have problems with dipping just below 60 in B2K, which is harder on the FPS for some reason.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My Sapphire 7950 OC ran BF3 Maxed on a 1080p screen 55-65 fr/Sec, w/ Default clocks, OC'd to 1Ghz maintained 60Fr/sec VSYNC all the time,
> I run Eyefinity at 35-45 Fr/Sec depending on Map.and MSAA off.
> 
> 
> 
> With 4xmsaa, in a firefight? I can't buy that, 55-65 on stock clocks, ALL ULTRA, and 4xmsaa on a single 7950?
> 
> You have a god card or somehow I'm doing something wrong as even a 7970 will drop below 55 max'd in a firefight.
Click to expand...

Probably he's using these two:

WorldRender.DxDeferredCsPathEnable 0
WorldRender.SpotLightShadowmapResolution 256

You get a nice boost, but still what he says cannot actually stand. Not even on Medium Settings you can't keep this game 100% Vsynced with a 7950 at 1Ghz.

My favorite prefs are: Textures Ultra, all other High, 2xMSAA, HBAO ON, Blur Off

With those 2 prefs disabled/lowered and my card running at 1Ghz, I play truly fine. I can even disable HBAO and increase the MSAA to 4x. All these, of course without being Vsynced.


----------



## Imprezzion

I hate Motion Blur in FPS games so I have that disabled as well.

And metro is rather easy to run, IF you stay inside.

The outside part, around the Deployment and around the conquest ''A'' flag is one of the hardest FPS points in the entire game according to my PC since that gives it the hardest drop.

The only thing that drops harder is Gulf of Oman but that map is just coded like crap cause I hear everyone in my clan complain about the crap FPS in Gulf. Wake Island and Sharqi perform fine on my rig. B2K itsself also has a drop in performance but not as bad as Gulf.

Plus, I am quite amazed about MW3 that it stays on 91fps cap (engines default max FPS) at all times with FXAA+4X SSAA and it hardly ever actually uses my 7970 100%. It's usually hovering around 70-85%.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Has anybody in here used Dwood's brackets for H50 / Antec Kuhler mounting on their 7970's yet? I just asked him, and he said that they work with reference 7970's, but I thought there was some sort of an issue with the 7900 series and the way the die was mounted.

Just curious because I've got a spare H50 just sitting here, thought it might be fun to try it out on my 7970.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Has anybody in here used Dwood's brackets for H50 / Antec Kuhler mounting on their 7970's yet? I just asked him, and he said that they work with reference 7970's, but I thought there was some sort of an issue with the 7900 series and the way the die was mounted.
> Just curious because I've got a spare H50 just sitting here, thought it might be fun to try it out on my 7970.


I think you need a copper spacer if you want to mount the heatsink on because the die is recessed so the flat cooler wont make contact with it

Like this : http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/ek-vga-supreme-hf-hd7970-cu-adapter.html


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *streetjumper16*
> 
> how many loops ? 20... ?


I run 30 loops. I have crashed after 20 when unstable. (when close to stable) Crash in first 10 when unstable.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> When overclocking my 7970 I would run the Central Park Crysis 2 bench fine, but crash in BF3 Multiplayer.


How many loops. I have had the opposite experience. BF3 runs fine, ill fail under constant bench loops of crysis 2.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Currently I believe BF3 can be used as the best stress-test 'utility'. I found weaknesses -overtime- on my OCing nowhere else I could see. For example, at 1Ghz with 1.068V everywhere, even on BF3 in most cases was fine, but eventually 1.075 or even 1.081 is the proper voltage.


As above, I have run BF3 ok and failed crysis and crysis 2 stress testing.
Crysis will heat up your cards a good 5c more than anything else.
Crysis 2 seems to beat up the card with tesselation more than bf3.

Unigine or 3D mark 11, complete waste of time.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I hate Motion Blur in FPS games so I have that disabled as well.
> 
> And metro is rather easy to run, IF you stay inside.
> 
> The outside part, around the Deployment and around the conquest ''A'' flag is one of the hardest FPS points in the entire game according to my PC since that gives it the hardest drop.
> 
> The only thing that drops harder is Gulf of Oman but that map is just coded like crap cause I hear everyone in my clan complain about the crap FPS in Gulf. Wake Island and Sharqi perform fine on my rig. B2K itsself also has a drop in performance but not as bad as Gulf.
> 
> Plus, I am quite amazed about MW3 that it stays on 91fps cap (engines default max FPS) at all times with FXAA+4X SSAA and it hardly ever actually uses my 7970 100%. It's usually hovering around 70-85%.


I strongly believe the DLC "Back to Karkand" is generally extremely unoptimized, 100% bad console port. That's why the Vanilla maps run much better...

Spawn at Hotel flag in Gulf of Oman ( or at Surveillance flag in Sharqi, or Suburb in Strike at Karkand ) and go forward... Only on Medium settings with Mesh on Low the FPS is above 60 ( you get what I mean ). Unfortunately...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Probably he's using these two:
> WorldRender.DxDeferredCsPathEnable 0
> WorldRender.SpotLightShadowmapResolution 256
> You get a nice boost, but still what he says cannot actually stand. Not even on Medium Settings you can't keep this game 100% Vsynced with a 7950 at 1Ghz.
> My favorite prefs are: Textures Ultra, all other High, 2xMSAA, HBAO ON, Blur Off
> With those 2 prefs disabled/lowered and my card running at 1Ghz, I play truly fine. I can even disable HBAO and increase the MSAA to 4x. All these, of course without being Vsynced.


oh, I turned off 4xMSAA, with it on it does dip more


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> I strongly believe the DLC "Back to Karkand" is generally extremely unoptimized, 100% bad console port. That's why the Vanilla maps run much better...
> Spawn at Hotel flag in Gulf of Oman ( or at Surveillance flag in Sharqi, or Suburb in Strike at Karkand ) and go forward... Only on Medium settings with Mesh on Low the FPS is above 60 ( you get what I mean ). Unfortunately...


Aside from re-using the same buildings, there is definitely an off feeling in Oman and B2K, doesn't seem as smooth.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> oh, I turned off 4xMSAA, with it on it does dip more


You just forgot to mention the most important :S Anyway.

Guys, is it possible a drivers-set to improve overclockability? I mean, on BF3, I never could run it with stock voltage and above 950Mhz ( at 960 = almost instant crash ) or I never could run it at 1Ghz with voltage less than 1.068 ( 1.031 def ).

Now, I can run it with stock voltage and 980Mhz or at 1Ghz with the least 1.056 I tried without any problem, seemingly at least... Is it possible the drivers 8.97 to impove the behavior or something else -I can't figure- is going on?


----------



## SkateZilla

Cat 12.4 gave me a big enough performance boost that i can actually run it in Eyefinity,

12.2, 12.3 the Frames/sec were below 25, 90% of the time. now they stay in the 35Fr/sec range


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> You just forgot to mention the most important :S Anyway.
> Guys, is it possible a drivers-set to improve overclockability? I mean, on BF3, I never could run it with stock voltage and above 950Mhz ( at 960 = almost instant crash ) or I never could run it at 1Ghz with voltage less than 1.068 ( 1.031 def ).
> Now, I can run it with stock voltage and 980Mhz or at 1Ghz with the least 1.056 I tried without any problem, seemingly at least... Is it possible the drivers 8.97 to impove the behavior or something else -I can't figure- is going on?


IMHO, MSAA doesnt really improve the image enough to justify the Performance hit, on outdoor maps, the fences power lines and stuff it cleans up are destroyed within 10 minutes of the round starting, and at high enough resolutions, MSAA isnt really "needed", when i run eyefinity, i run it with MSAA / FSAA disabled on all my games.


----------



## Deo Domuique

On open maps, simply I can't play without at least 2xMSAA. Operation Firestorm/Kharg Island etc when you look ahead, especially those freakin' electrical wires and pipes, they're extremely blurry and generally many distractions. On Caspian Border for instance, I don't mind not having MSAA on.

2xMSAA does make it playable ( for me ) and 4x almost perfect. When you're indoors, indeed, it's just useless ( but also it doesn't affect so much the perf ). I wish I cared not about MSAA like many others.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Anyone with a 7970 had or having issues with Alan Wake? Bought it during the Steam sale and getting stuttering. It was pretty terrible during the boat ride in to town. Haven't had much time to play with it but I tried high/custom presets and messed with vsync but no dice. Running stock clocks on cpu/gpu as well.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Anyone with a 7970 had or having issues with Alan Wake? Bought it during the Steam sale and getting stuttering. It was pretty terrible during the boat ride in to town. Haven't had much time to play with it but I tried high/custom presets and messed with vsync but no dice. Running stock clocks on cpu/gpu as well.


No that game played perfectly for me your 7970 might be pretty angry at the stock 3770K how's your GPU and CPU usage?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i have no interest in running 120Hz, nor did i ever state that...... i think your mixing up posts with the other guy. 60 Hz if fine for me, 75 Hz Max.
> With the settings i had before i had to send my card back, i was able to run Eyefinity at 45+Fr/sec, never dipping below 30 Fr/Sec on Stock 900Mhz, so a 2nd Card in SLI should help bring that above 60Fr/Sec along with a little overclock on both.


Ah then in that case I think two will do fine.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> No that game played perfectly for me your 7970 might be pretty angry at the stock 3770K how's your GPU and CPU usage?


I'll have to check when I get home. Haven't bothered to install MSI Afterburner OSD yet but I suppose now I have no choice







.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Probably he's using these two:
> WorldRender.DxDeferredCsPathEnable 0
> WorldRender.SpotLightShadowmapResolution 256
> You get a nice boost, but still what he says cannot actually stand. Not even on Medium Settings you can't keep this game 100% Vsynced with a 7950 at 1Ghz.
> My favorite prefs are: Textures Ultra, all other High, 2xMSAA, HBAO ON, Blur Off
> With those 2 prefs disabled/lowered and my card running at 1Ghz, I play truly fine. I can even disable HBAO and increase the MSAA to 4x. All these, of course without being Vsynced.


I never got into tweaking bf3 much, what do those two do? Any noticeable drop in quality?


----------



## jomama22

Hey quick question, how do i check vdroop under load on 7970s? I use afterburner at the voltages stay locked at .012v over what i set (im assuming the .012 increase is to help counter vdroop)

So far got the 3 lightnings on air at 1175 with voltages of 1.225/1.160/1.150 (3 different asics ahhhh) mem is [email protected] pscore of about 22500 give or take (at work so no screen shots)

I tried to hit 1200 core last night but kept getting artifacts even with increased voltages. Its a bit tough because each gpu is a different asic so changing and guess what core needa more voltage is a pain lol


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> I never got into tweaking bf3 much, what do those two do? Any noticeable drop in quality?


lol I'd like to know too...

is there also a way to keep either the Fr/PS counter ON or the detailed info without having to type it in everytime i boot the game.


----------



## STUDIE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> at stock speed http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3298670
> i don't know if i need to push them more power or what, but they hang or freezes on me randomly with almost any driver
> plays fine 70% of the time, but the other 30% are all random lock ups, which i need to hit the Restart buttons
> i never had to do that before with my 5000 series or 6000 series


Agreed. I've got the same scores... I thought this was a bit low for the fastest single GPU card from ATI...


----------



## Imprezzion

Skate, create a user.cfg file in yer BF3 directory with the commands in it


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Skate, create a user.cfg file in yer BF3 directory with the commands in it


I'll try that, but its gonna have to wait a few weeks, as my card is about to go cross country and back.

any idea what the previously mentioned entries do?

WorldRender.DxDeferredCsPathEnable 0
Dunno what this one does.

WorldRender.SpotLightShadowmapResolution 256
Lowers Shadow Maps to a Resolution BELOW LOW.


----------



## asifo

Are any of you guys using Lucid Virtu software? I'm seeing a lot of clipping in games (Tera mostly), would it help?

Setup is: i7-2600k, ASUS P8Z77-V, Sapphire OC 7970.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Hey quick question, how do i check vdroop under load on 7970s? I use afterburner at the voltages stay locked at .012v over what i set (im assuming the .012 increase is to help counter vdroop)
> So far got the 3 lightnings on air at 1175 with voltages of 1.225/1.160/1.150 (3 different asics ahhhh) mem is [email protected] pscore of about 22500 give or take (at work so no screen shots)
> I tried to hit 1200 core last night but kept getting artifacts even with increased voltages. Its a bit tough because each gpu is a different asic so changing and guess what core needa more voltage is a pain lol


You pretty much need to use a multimeter to see the real voltages, benching a 7970 last night & the vdroop is pretty heavy. Set at 1.544V I was seeing it droop down to 1.45V at times in 3d11.
Wishing I had a lightning right now, been watching for stock for a month. Lucky guy...


----------



## Fkabbz

I have 7970's in crossfire @1200/1600 playing @ 1920x1080 but gpu usage is never a constant 99% as it is with a single card. It especially dips in gulf of oman where it goes as low as 75-80%. and the fps goes down to a near 55-57. I have an x79 board with a 3820 @4.5. I've looked everywhere I can for s solution and reading through this thread it appears xfire users have well over 120fps. Also using 12.4 drivers with the latest CAP


----------



## azdre

For science:

Heaven Benchmark 3.0
"Top 30" settings

i7 2600k / 4.5GHz
XFX "Black Edition" HD7970 (water-cooled)
(core voltage mV): STOCK = 1112, MAX = 1299
(memory voltage mV): STOCK = 1600, MAX = 1700

1000 (@1112) / 1425 (@1600) ---- 49.0 ---- 1234 [STOCK "BLACK EDITION" CLOCKS]
1000 (@1112) / 1800 (@1700) ---- 50.9 ---- 1282
1125 (@1112) / 1575 (@1600) ---- 54.9 ---- 1382 [MAX CCC OC]
1250 (@1274) / 1425 (@1600) ---- 58.0 ---- 1461
1250 (@1274) / 1800 (@1625) ---- 61.2 ---- 1541
1300 (@1250) / 1800 (@1600) ---- 63.1 ---- 1590
1320 (@1299) / 1900 (@1700) ---- 64.4 ---- 1622
1325 (@1299) / 1900 (@1700) ---- 64.5 ---- 1624
1330 (@1299) / 1850 (@1650) ---- 64.5 ---- 1626
1330 (@1299) / 1900 (@1700) ---- 64.6 ---- 1627
1335 (@1299) / 1825 (@1625) ---- 64.9 ---- 1628
1335 (@1299) / 1900 (@1700) ---- 65.0 ---- 1638
1340 (@1299) / 1800 (@1649) ---- 64.6 ---- 1627
1340 (@1299) / 1850 (@1700) ---- 65.0 ---- 1636
1340 (@1299) / 1900 (@1700) ---- 65.2 ---- 1643 [MAX OC]


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fkabbz*
> 
> I have 7970's in crossfire @1200/1600 playing @ 1920x1080 but gpu usage is never a constant 99% as it is with a single card. It especially dips in gulf of oman where it goes as low as 75-80%. and the fps goes down to a near 55-57. I have an x79 board with a 3820 @4.5. I've looked everywhere I can for s solution and reading through this thread it appears xfire users have well over 120fps. Also using 12.4 drivers with the latest CAP


Try the 8.97 Beta drivers, a lot of xfire users seem to be having success with them


----------



## tsm106

Man, just tore my loop apart. Went from this:



To this:



I put my RX120 back in and rearranged the loop accordingly, and flipped the fans to push. I still need to plumb the cpu and get the cpu block on.


----------



## shellbunner

Gorgeous setup!


----------



## General_Jaja

Looking nice!


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Man, just tore my loop apart. I put my RX120 back in and rearranged the loop accordingly, and flipped the fans to push. I still need to plumb the cpu and get the cpu block on.


Nice! What's the new board/CPU?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Gorgeous setup!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General_Jaja*
> 
> Looking nice!


Thanks dudes! I'm waiting on the kids to go to sleep so I can finish up.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Nice! What's the new board/CPU?


I sold off some old stuff and had about 410 in the PP account, so this setup costs me 75 bucks more. I went for the cheapest quad cfx board x79 ud3) and a 3820. Let's see what happens with Ivy E down the line. It's nice having a Microcenter 10 minutes away.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Thanks dudes! I'm waiting on the kids to go to sleep so I can finish up.
> I sold off some old stuff and had about 410 in the PP account, so this setup costs me 75 bucks more. I went for the cheapest quad cfx board x79 ud3) and a 3820. Let's see what happens with Ivy E down the line. It's nice having a Microcenter 10 minutes away.


Nice! Yeah would be, I'm looking at a UD5/3960x at tax time (I make under the threshold so I get the entire amount back), just not sure whether to pull the trigger on it or not. It'd be awesome to have, and if I got a second 7970 I'd have no worry about a bottleneck, but I'm just not sure :/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Nice! Yeah would be, I'm looking at a UD5/3960x at tax time (I make under the threshold so I get the entire amount back), just not sure whether to pull the trigger on it or not. It'd be awesome to have, and if I got a second 7970 I'd have no worry about a bottleneck, but I'm just not sure :/


If you're not in a hurry for a board, wait for the asrock extreme11. It is freaking off the rocker crazy badass. I will probably switch to that board in anticipation of the next 2011 chips. The extreme11 does four way cfx/sli at x16 per slot!! Ahaha, craziness.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If you're not in a hurry for a board, wait for the asrock extreme11. It is freaking off the rocker crazy badass. I will probably switch to that board in anticipation of the next 2011 chips. The extreme11 does four way cfx/sli at x16 per slot!! Ahaha, craziness.


Yeah but I have to go with the UD5, it's the only one that satisfies my minimum hardware requirements AND my colour scheme. These things are important


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Yeah but I have to go with the UD5, it's the only one that satisfies my minimum hardware requirements AND my colour scheme. These things are important


Pssst. The overkill on this is beautiful. Skip to 1:50. Spec was changed to 24 phase now.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> You pretty much need to use a multimeter to see the real voltages, benching a 7970 last night & the vdroop is pretty heavy. Set at 1.544V I was seeing it droop down to 1.45V at times in 3d11.
> Wishing I had a lightning right now, been watching for stock for a month. Lucky guy...


Thanks for the reply.

Yea i fugured i would was just curious if it was possible through the desktop.

Thats sone pretty heavy droop. I plan on jumping into ln2 with these come summer, just waiting on the waterblocks atm.

At first i snagged 3 when they first came out but 1 was doa and obviously no stock for the rma. They came in stock last monday at 8 am for 519 (use c4c for firefox, it will change ur buying life lol) and i heard for 4 hrs last wed. as well.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Pssst. The overkill on this is beautiful. Skip to 1:50. Spec was changed to 24 phase now.


I know, but imagine this:



With 4 more GB of that RAM (two sticks either side of the CPU), a sexy E-ATX Gigabyte UD5 (black with hints of blue), two 7970 Lightnings, an AX1200 (I don't have the patience to sleeve so I picked a PSU with all black cables. Much as I love Seasonic, aesthetics are too important to me), and a lovely 3960x.


----------



## tsm106

^^You can use hwinfo64 to read realtime voltages. All the other apps only read intended voltage. Just don't go monitoring voltage in another app at the same time as hitting the sensors with multiple calls will cause conflicts.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^You can use hwinfo64 to read realtime voltages. All the other apps only read intended voltage. Just don't go monitoring voltage in another app at the same time as hitting the sensors with multiple calls will cause conflicts.


Hwinfo won't give accurate voltages (probably not, haven't actually looked at it with 7970), any more than it can give accurate watts for the cpu. Software can be close at times but is rarely accurate.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Thanks for the reply.
> Yea i fugured i would was just curious if it was possible through the desktop.
> Thats sone pretty heavy droop. I plan on jumping into ln2 with these come summer, just waiting on the waterblocks atm.
> At first i snagged 3 when they first came out but 1 was doa and obviously no stock for the rma. They came in stock last monday at 8 am for 519 (use c4c for firefox, it will change ur buying life lol) and i heard for 4 hrs last wed. as well.


So you're going to watercool and then get LN2 pots later on? You have too much money


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Hwinfo won't give accurate voltages (probably not, haven't actually looked at it with 7970), any more than it can give accurate watts for the cpu. Software can be close at times but is rarely accurate.


It is accurate enough for under 1.3v. Telling people to pull out a fluke for simple volt monitoring is not realistic. You are used to cold so it's a whole different ballgame then us guys in the minors.


----------



## jomama22

The current work in progress, will sleeve and clean up once water blocks get here


----------



## 125837

Ok, so I had set up my AB (2.2 release) with a 2D and 3D profile when I reformatted on Monday, and I'm currently on 12.4. It was causing display driver crashes so i removed it and I'm just applying my overclock manually to play intensive games like BF3. However, I don't use the MSI AB OSD and I think it's causing issues (I can't get it to show up ingame even if I enable it, and every other time I've tried to use it it's caused problems for me, even when I had my 580), it refuses to exit without closing Afterburner, and I like having afterburner open to keep an eye on temps. How can I stop the OSD from opening? Everytime I right click the tray icon and hit exit, it reopens.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^You can use hwinfo64 to read realtime voltages. All the other apps only read intended voltage. Just don't go monitoring voltage in another app at the same time as hitting the sensors with multiple calls will cause conflicts.


I think GPU-Z is pretty accurate also, no?


----------



## Jinny1

Hi guys is it worth getting the 7950 atm? or should i go with the GTX670?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jinny1*
> 
> Hi guys is it worth getting the 7950 atm? or should i go with the GTX670?


If you don't need the extra 1GB of RAM and don't care for GPGPU that much, the GTX 670 is currently the better option.

I personally wouldn't get either of them (I like the top dog of the line).


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> If you don't need the extra 1GB of RAM and don't care for GPGPU that much, the GTX 670 is currently the better option.
> I personally wouldn't get either of them (I like the top dog of the line).


Performance vs. cost price it is not worth it getting a 7970 over a 7950 in my opinion.
But if you want top line of everything, that is ofcourse a different story


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Performance vs. cost price it is not worth it getting a 7970 over a 7950 in my opinion.
> But if you want top line of everything, that is ofcourse a different story


I just don't like getting botched cores.

It's like a little pet peeve of mine.


----------



## rck1984

I'm a satisfied owner of a Sapphire 7950 OC edition. I got it about 3 to 4 weeks ago just after the price drop.
Been pretty pleased so far, its sillent and overclocks pretty well. Though, seeing the benchmarks of the GTX 670 now makes me feel wrong a little... Its about 15% faster than a 7950 as far as i understood? The price is about the same as i paid for my 7950.

Is it worth the hassle/trouble getting rid of my 7950 and getting a GTX 670? Or should i just stick to my 7950 and be happy with it?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I'm a satisfied owner of a Sapphire 7950 OC edition. I got it about 3 to 4 weeks ago just after the price drop.
> Been pretty pleased so far, its sillent and overclocks pretty well. Though, seeing the benchmarks of the GTX 670 now makes me feel wrong a little... Its about 15% faster than a 7950 as far as i understood? The price is about the same as i paid for my 7950.
> Is it worth the hassle/trouble getting rid of my 7950 and getting a GTX 670? Or should i just stick to my 7950 and be happy with it?


Stick with it is my advice.
You will always have something newer and faster after a while, that is how it goes in the GPU world


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I'm a satisfied owner of a Sapphire 7950 OC edition. I got it about 3 to 4 weeks ago just after the price drop.
> Been pretty pleased so far, its sillent and overclocks pretty well. Though, seeing the benchmarks of the GTX 670 now makes me feel wrong a little... Its about 15% faster than a 7950 as far as i understood? The price is about the same as i paid for my 7950.
> Is it worth the hassle/trouble getting rid of my 7950 and getting a GTX 670? Or should i just stick to my 7950 and be happy with it?


Just be happy with it. If you're concerned about something coming out that is cheaper and/or faster than what you have, you can't be in the electronics hobby









I paid $450 for each of my 7950s a week or two after they came out, still happy with my purchase. They do what I want and I haven't had any real trouble with them (some problems from my mobo/oc).

Also, I like my world record for 2x 7950s: http://hwbot.org/submission/2277174_winnah9000_3dmark11___performance_2x_radeon_hd_7950_16695_marks


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I'm a satisfied owner of a Sapphire 7950 OC edition. I got it about 3 to 4 weeks ago just after the price drop.
> Been pretty pleased so far, its sillent and overclocks pretty well. Though, seeing the benchmarks of the GTX 670 now makes me feel wrong a little... Its about 15% faster than a 7950 as far as i understood? The price is about the same as i paid for my 7950.
> Is it worth the hassle/trouble getting rid of my 7950 and getting a GTX 670? Or should i just stick to my 7950 and be happy with it?


The 7950 is no slouch when it comes to overclocking...

Why go through the hassle changing cards if you're happy with what you have?


----------



## rck1984

Well i agree on that, though its only 3-4 weeks ago.. And a 15% performance gain in such a "small" period of time?


----------



## paralogixer

Anyone noticed that the most reviews about GTX 670 uses the old Catalyst Drivers for 79xx?
That sucks. And AMD really failed by using so low clocks on their reference cards


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> Anyone noticed that the most reviews about GTX 670 uses the old Catalyst Drivers for 79xx?
> That sucks. And AMD really failed by using so low clocks on their reference cards


They had to at the time in order to meet their TDP goals.

Now they can clock them higher because of lower leakage chips.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Just be happy with it. If you're concerned about something coming out that is cheaper and/or faster than what you have, you can't be in the electronics hobby
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I paid $450 for each of my 7950s a week or two after they came out, still happy with my purchase. They do what I want and I haven't had any real trouble with them (some problems from my mobo/oc).
> Also, I like my world record for 2x 7950s: http://hwbot.org/submission/2277174_winnah9000_3dmark11___performance_2x_radeon_hd_7950_16695_marks


Nice score and overclock there!









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The 7950 is no slouch when it comes to overclocking...
> Why go through the hassle changing cards if you're happy with what you have?


Well thats true, it just feels a little odd since i purchased it just a few weeks ago. But ill stick to my Sapphire, i love it anyway








Another question, and its probably being asked a dozen times. but still: I overclocked my Sapphire to 1100/1500 @ 1.174v and its stable. Now id like to squeeze out a little more but i'm a bit carefull on the voltage.. I cant really find any "safe" voltage numbers yet...

What would be my max 24/7 voltage for a 24/7 overclock? As long as temps dont go over ~80 degrees?


----------



## Evil Penguin

I wouldn't worry too much about temps.

The card is will automatically throttle down before damage is done.

You could apply 1.25v 24/7 safely under air.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I wouldn't worry too much about temps.
> The card is will automatically throttle down before damage is done.
> 
> You could apply 1.25v 24/7 safely under air.


Hmm all right, ill try to push it a little more then. What clocks are you guys gaming at?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Well thats true, it just feels a little odd since i purchased it just a few weeks ago. But ill stick to my Sapphire, i love it anyway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Another question, and its probably being asked a dozen times. but still: I overclocked my Sapphire to 1100/1500 @ 1.174v and its stable. Now id like to squeeze out a little more but i'm a bit carefull on the voltage.. I cant really find any "safe" voltage numbers yet...
> What would be my max 24/7 voltage for a 24/7 overclock? As long as temps dont go over ~80 degrees?


Good choice









I have 1130/1550 @ 1.150v for gaming and it is stable.
I used 1.175v before that but my clocks would not go alot higher anymore (without crashing in games that is) although the voltage was 25mv higher. So I left it at that since I dont wanne squeeze every drop of life out of my card.

Your stock voltage is also 0.993v like mine is?
If it is, I would leave the voltage at 1.175v and try 1150/1550 and see how that goes.

I would keep under 80 degrees at all time by the way.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Good choice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have 1130/1550 @ 1.150v for gaming and it is stable.
> I used 1.175v before that but my clocks would not go alot higher anymore (without crashing in games that is) although the voltage was 25mv higher. So I left it at that since I dont wanne squeeze every drop of life out of my card.
> Your stock voltage is also 0.993v like mine is?
> If it is, I would leave the voltage at 1.175v and try 1150/1550 and see how that goes.
> I would keep under 80 degrees at all time by the way.


Stock voltage of my Sapphire in Afterburner is 1.093v
I have been trying to get higher clocks on 1.174v but its locking up in games after a while. 1100/1500 seems to be the limit on that amount of voltage.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Stock voltage of my Sapphire in Afterburner is 1.093v
> I have been trying to get higher clocks on 1.174v but its locking up in games after a while. 1100/1500 seems to be the limit on that amount of voltage.


I think PowerTune might affect stability when overclocking.

You could try turning PowerPlay off and see if you get better results.

One way of doing so is setting UOM in AB to the value of "2" instead of "1".

Just a little something to experiment with.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I think PowerTune might affect stability when overclocking.
> You could try turning PowerPlay off and see if you get better results.
> 
> One way of doing so is setting UOM in AB to the value of "2" instead of "1".
> 
> Just a little something to experiment with.


Gonna give that a try, thanks.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Stock voltage of my Sapphire in Afterburner is 1.093v
> I have been trying to get higher clocks on 1.174v but its locking up in games after a while. 1100/1500 seems to be the limit on that amount of voltage.


Ok, that changes things since your stock voltage is 0.100v higher than mine.

You could probably go higher on stock clocks than me but not so high when voltage is bumped to the same levels.
I would try a voltage of 1.225v (this is 125mv higher above your stock voltage so this should be safe - mind the temps though !) and see if you can get stable at 1150 core clock. If yes, try a little higher to 1175 or something. If 1150 core is also unstable at 1.225v I would just forget about it and keep it at the clocks and voltage you have now.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ok, that changes things since your stock voltage is 0.100v higher than mine.
> You could probably go higher on stock clocks than me but not so high when voltage is bumped to the same levels.
> I would try a voltage of 1.225v (this is 125mv higher above your stock voltage so this should be safe - mind the temps though !) and see if you can get stable at 1150 core clock. If yes, try a little higher to 1175 or something. If 1150 core is also unstable at 1.225v I would just forget about it and keep it at the clocks and voltage you have now.


1150/1500 1.225v (temps around 73c) @ seems to be stable, tried a 30min Battlefield 3 game without crashing/artifacts or whatsoever.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> 1150/1500 1.225v (temps around 73c) @ seems to be stable, tried a 30min Battlefield 3 game without crashing/artifacts or whatsoever.


That's with UOM 2?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> 1150/1500 1.225v (temps around 73c) @ seems to be stable, tried a 30min Battlefield 3 game without crashing/artifacts or whatsoever.


Ok, nice.
Do you have a custom fan profile? That could get your temp to drop a little more (with more noise though).

If this 1150 is stable and you want to go even higher I would try 1200 core now. If it fails back down to 1175mhz and try that. If that fails also I would stay on 1150. Good luck !


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That's with UOM 2?


That was with UOM 2, yes.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ok, nice.
> Do you have a custom fan profile? That could get your temp to drop a little more (with more noise though).
> If this 1150 is stable and you want to go even higher I would try 1200 core now. If it fails back down to 1175mhz and try that. If that fails also I would stay on 1150. Good luck !


I do have a custom fan profile, yes. Finetuned it a little and go to ~70c.
Gonna try 1175 coreclock. Will i gain something by raising the memory higher then my current 1500? Or should i keep it at 1500?


----------



## Evil Penguin

For now try keeping your memory clocks conservative until you reach your max core clock.

Just to rule out the memory being an issue.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> For now try keeping your memory clocks conservative until you reach your max core clock.
> Just to rule out the memory being an issue.


Cheers, will do


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> For now try keeping your memory clocks conservative until you reach your max core clock.
> Just to rule out the memory being an issue.


Yep, I agree
To find your max clock in memory I would use a benchmark tool like Heaven 2.5 or something and check everytime with 10mhz intervals and note down your avg and minimal FPS in each benchmark.
If the gains in FPS are not what they were in the previous run it means you reached your max memory clock.

1450 - 60fps
1500 - 61fps
1510 - 61,2fps
1520 - 61,4fps
1530 - 61,6fps
1540 - 61,8fps
1550 - 61,9fps
1560 - 61,9fps

This is just an example but this shows you that your max clock is 1540. You can see the gains afterwards becoming smaller...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> Just be happy with it. If you're concerned about something coming out that is cheaper and/or faster than what you have, you can't be in the electronics hobby
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I paid $450 for each of my 7950s a week or two after they came out, still happy with my purchase. They do what I want and I haven't had any real trouble with them (some problems from my mobo/oc).
> Also, I like my world record for 2x 7950s: http://hwbot.org/submission/2277174_winnah9000_3dmark11___performance_2x_radeon_hd_7950_16695_marks


I bought my 7950OC when it was $479,

now that same $479 can get me a 7970OC, haha..

since everyone else is posting pics of their guts..

here's what mine looked like after 3 months running, when i had to take my 7950 out to ship to Althon Micro.

I've already cleaned the Soundblaster card off, (seems to be a dust magnet.) Also Gonna see if i cant replace the ribbon cable with a Rounded one, I also need to re-tuck/ziptie some wires, when i built it in Feb. it was pristine, but i think moving stuff around i had to undo some tie downs. (kept adding HDDs and taking them out to transfer data, I think i had 1 large HDD now, but all the sata cables are just hanging, along with the power line for the DVD Drive, i never tucked that away either.

Might look into a separate closed loop for the GPU, might also put the HDDs in a Heatsink. even with the 200mm fan blowing on them, they still get warm and its not even summer yet, and my 90+ degrees room.


----------



## Biorganic

Hey guys! I was wondering the best way to test an overclock for stability. I am currently using AB and running Heaven and 3D11. I will run OCCT for like 15-20 min if stable in 3D mark and heaven, just to check max temps. Would you guys recommend a different methodology or will this work. I also run BOINC so I need an extremely stable overclock or some work units will get errors.

I am going for a good ratio between Voltage/Temp/Performance on my 7950. I would like to be right around stock 7970 performance. Also, what settings is everyone using in Heaven so I can compare some results.

Thanks!


----------



## Kitarist

Anyone knows if ATI will drop the prices on their GPUS?


----------



## SkateZilla

they did, the 7950s dropped from 479 to 399


----------



## Biorganic

Also how does one change this UOM setting?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Last time I checked guys, this was the HD7900 series owners thread.







Not the.... OMG GO BUY A 670!!!111 thread.


----------



## Admiral AnimE

Hey guys,
got my 7970 few hours ago, I installed Catalyst 12.4, ran Unigine Heaven, some BF3, TF2 and Minecraft. I have shadow flickering in BF3 and Unigine Heaven, Minecraft is running on very low GPU load (15-50%) and when I install some shader mods its almost unplayable. And i hear a very irritating noise from the card, maybe thats the famous coil whine. Is this all driver related? (except coil whine ofc) Its a reference Sapphire board, on stock clocks.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Admiral AnimE*
> 
> Hey guys,
> got my 7970 few hours ago, I installed Catalyst 12.4, ran Unigine Heaven, some BF3, TF2 and Minecraft. I have shadow flickering in BF3 and Unigine Heaven, Minecraft is running on very low GPU load (15-50%) and when I install some shader mods its almost unplayable. And i hear a very irritating noise from the card, maybe thats the famous coil whine. Is this all driver related? (except coil whine ofc) Its a reference Sapphire board, on stock clocks.


Only way to be sure is to try some other drivers. Try RC11 in the OP, or some of the beta drivers. Is this a clean windows install btw?


----------



## Admiral AnimE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Only way to be sure is to try some other drivers. Try RC11 in the OP, or some of the beta drivers. Is this a clean windows install btw?


RC11 crashed Java when i entered Minecraft.
I installed 12.5 beta, ran Heaven, its the same thing. Also something else, i've noticed this only in Heaven - sometimes everything freezes for 1+ seconds, in the same time the coil whine stops. Then everything is back to normal. It feels like the card turns itself off









And its not clean install, i've had this windows for a few months, i was with 8800GT till today, but i did clean the drivers with Driver Sweeper.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Admiral AnimE*
> 
> RC11 crashed Java when i entered Minecraft.
> I installed 12.5 beta, ran Heaven, its the same thing. Also something else, i've noticed this only in Heaven - sometimes everything freezes for 1+ seconds, in the same time the coil whine stops. Then everything is back to normal. It feels like the card turns itself off
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And its not clean install, i've had this windows for a few months, i was with 8800GT till today, but i did clean the drivers with Driver Sweeper.


Well I wasn't having crashes, but I was getting a lot of artifacts after I replaced my 560ti with this. Driver Sweeper and Atiman only made it a little better, but still problems. Honestly it's the biggest pain in the @#$ but my recommendation is to reinstall windows, and if you still have problems RMA that thing. The stop/freezes are a bit worrisome especially having the coil whine stop. Mine jumps in 3D11 Graphics Test 3 a bit, usually near the end where it gets close to the pillar, but the Coil Whine never stops and in nothing else do I get that.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fkabbz*
> 
> I have 7970's in crossfire @1200/1600 playing @ 1920x1080 but gpu usage is never a constant 99% as it is with a single card. It especially dips in gulf of oman where it goes as low as 75-80%. and the fps goes down to a near 55-57. I have an x79 board with a 3820 @4.5. I've looked everywhere I can for s solution and reading through this thread it appears xfire users have well over 120fps. Also using 12.4 drivers with the latest CAP


Had a similar issue. What I did was Alt+Tab in game and then dis a small volt tweak up or down with AB . When I return to game get 98-99% usage on both. Latest beta driver does away with that for me.


----------



## Biorganic

Hey guys! I was wondering the best way to test an overclock for stability on my new 7950. I am currently using AB and running Heaven and 3D11. I will run OCCT for like 15-20 min if stable in 3D mark and heaven, just to check max temps. Would you guys recommend a different methodology or will this work. I also run BOINC so I need an extremely stable overclock or some work units will get errors.

I am going for a good ratio between Voltage/Temp/Performance on my 7950. I would like to be right around stock 7970 performance. Also, what settings is everyone using in Heaven so I can compare some results.

Thanks!


----------



## C6ZR1

I used MSI Kombuster to test stability, I've been told if it handles the stress test for about 5-7 mins without screen flickers then its good to go, just make sure that you have the fan speed cranked up, temps sky rocket. lol


----------



## Johnny Utah

BF3 will stress your OC the best imo. I posted this a couple pages back, but on my card, OC was stable in Kombustor and Crysis 2, but I'd crash in BF3 MP. Wish BF3 had a built-in benchmark. It sucks seeing a black screen-CTD when you're having a good game.


----------



## sean222

Some of you guys have some really nice cards. My ASIC Quality is around 68%.
Using Trixx with voltage @ 1.36v...I can only get 1275 core and 1500 mem... and this is on Water!
31c idle and 39-44c load!!!!!!!!!!!! ugh...I need more volts!


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> Anyone knows if ATI will drop the prices on their GPUS?


they did already in case you haven't noticed

prices for the 7970 and 7950 came down a lot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sean222*
> 
> Some of you guys have some really nice cards. My ASIC Quality is around 68%.
> Using Trixx with voltage @ 1.36v...I can only get 1275 core and 1500 mem... and this is on Water!
> 31c idle and 39-44c load!!!!!!!!!!!! ugh...I need more volts!


both of my cards have very good ASIC, but that doesn't mean much when they crashes for like no good reason, all due the weak drivers.... sigh..









So, i was reading over on the ASUS ROG forum, it seems like the 7970 crashes might be due the PCIe Gen3 issue
by default the cards are detected as PCIe Gen3
but some people having similar problems as many of us owners of 7970 are having, they reported the card to run more stable when forcing the BIOS to run the PCIe slots to run as Gen2

i'm gonna try that when i get home to see if i can finally play a full game without crashing on me at random times


----------



## TheJesus

I haven't discovered a limit to voltage on my 7950s. I took them to the max of AB's slider, 1.299V and had no issue. The only voltage I saw from them was 0.993V stock.

Also, for anyone concerned about ruining your cards. They have protection features in place that will shutdown your computer if they are approaching an unsafe temp. I had some 3850s (x4, yeah, legit quad fire, lol) back in the day that would get to 115C before killing the comp, but no damage was ever done. Just my


----------



## C6ZR1

What kind of FPS are you guys getting with your 7950/70 in BF3?

Im wondering if my stock clock on my 8120 is holding my FPS down a little

Wake Island Rush while in fire fights/explosions going on I've seen it stay about 45-50 ish FPS

EDIT: Gulf of Oman lots of explosions/building rubble flying drops to 36


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> they did already in case you haven't noticed
> prices for the 7970 and 7950 came down a lot
> both of my cards have very good ASIC, but that doesn't mean much when they crashes for like no good reason, all due the weak drivers.... sigh..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So, i was reading over on the ASUS ROG forum, it seems like the 7970 crashes might be due the PCIe Gen3 issue
> by default the cards are detected as PCIe Gen3
> but some people having similar problems as many of us owners of 7970 are having, they reported the card to run more stable when forcing the BIOS to run the PCIe slots to run as Gen2
> i'm gonna try that when i get home to see if i can finally play a full game without crashing on me at random times


you can point me out where this conversation is taking over? (lol just had a bsod typing this..)


----------



## Fkabbz

I tried that, it doesn't help


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *C6ZR1*
> 
> I used MSI Kombuster to test stability, I've been told if it handles the stress test for about 5-7 mins without screen flickers then its good to go, just make sure that you have the fan speed cranked up, temps sky rocket. lol


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> BF3 will stress your OC the best imo. I posted this a couple pages back, but on my card, OC was stable in Kombustor and Crysis 2, but I'd crash in BF3 MP. Wish BF3 had a built-in benchmark. It sucks seeing a black screen-CTD when you're having a good game.


Thanks, I'll check it out


----------



## afadzil21

ARGHH!! Microstutter! I just started playing AC:Revelations and the microstutter has reared it's ugly head. I did this.

1. Disable XFire, Restart
2. Enable XFire,, Restart
3. Start game, disable Vsync.
4. No more microstutter???

Don't know why this works. I thought enabling VSync would stop the microstutter. Exact opposite in AC: Revelations. No such problem with Brotherhood though (tested just to check).

Haven't tested any other games yet. Was away from home on work for a week.


----------



## Zachariah

Hey guys, so I just got my Crossfire 7950s, and I have them under water. I installed the 12.4 drivers, and then installed the newests CAPs, but when I go to start 3DMark 11 (basic edition, up to date) the cards do not increase in usage according to Afterburner 2.2. Then 3DMark starts in full screen, and the system BSODs. Is there a known fix for this? Should I roll the drivers back to 11.9? Thanks for the help guys, can't wait to see what these guys can do! Oh, if anyone has a guide to get me started on overclocking the two of them, please share







Are there any differences with these new cards? Or should I jsut mind the core clocks, voltage, and memory clocks? Are there any features that I should enable/disable to get the most out of them? Thanks a lot for any help!


----------



## Admiral AnimE

Day 2 with my 7970, even worse. I wonder what tomorrow will bring me.
How do you explain this:


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Admiral AnimE*
> 
> Day 2 with my 7970, even worse. I wonder what tomorrow will bring me.
> How do you explain this:


Are you overclocked? If not, request an exchange from your store/supplier. If so, increase volts or back off on clocks.


----------



## Imprezzion

How high can i, reasonably safely, up my GPU and VRAM voltages?

I got a reference 3GB Sapphire HD7970 with a Accelero 7970 in a case with amazing airflow customized.

Running the following in MSI AB which is stable as a rock in MW3, BF3, Heaven, 3Dmark, hell even Furmark.
Core: 1250Mhz @ 1.262v
VRAM: 1750Mhz @ 1.612v
Temps Core:
Idles around 31-33c at 2 screens.
MW3 / BF3 / Heaven / 3DMark get it up to around 45-48c.
VRM's hit about 60-65c according to AIDA64.
The AAX7970s fans are always at 100% cause they are quiet as hell anyways.

So, what i was wondering, can i push beyond 1.3v as my card is JUST not stable at like, 1300Mhz with 1.299v..

I wanna aim for something like, 1325-1350Mhz with ~1.35v.

Also, VRAM voltage, how high can I push that with the AAXs heatsinks? 1750Mhz is stable on 1.612v but when I go anything near 1800Mhz even 1.625v wont do it.

Can I go to like, ~1.65v+ and go for the 2000Mhz?


----------



## Admiral AnimE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Are you overclocked? If not, request an exchange from your store/supplier. If so, increase volts or back off on clocks.


It's not overclocked.









Btw i did play some BF3 just now with overclock 1100/1400... On High settings + 2xAA + No motion blur i have 30-50 fps.. I guess that's not normal..


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Admiral AnimE*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Are you overclocked? If not, request an exchange from your store/supplier. If so, increase volts or back off on clocks.
> 
> 
> 
> It's not overclocked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw i did play some BF3 just now with overclock 1100/1400... On High settings + 2xAA + No motion blur i have 30-50 fps.. I guess that's not normal..
Click to expand...

Yep, exchange it. That one is faulty from the factory.

Unless you got some remnant drivers from a previous video card or something? is this a fresh install of Windows?


----------



## Admiral AnimE

Its not fresh install but i did clean the Nvidia drivers with Driver Sweeper, and then i used Atiman Uninstaller to clean Catalyst, because i tried RC11, 12.4 and now 12.5 beta.


----------



## UltraVolta425

Maybe a dumb question, but since the 7990 will technically be two 7970s in one, will it be able to crossfire with a 7970?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UltraVolta425*
> 
> Maybe a dumb question, but since the 7990 will technically be two 7970s in one, will it be able to crossfire with a 7970?


Given AMD's past, yes it should.


----------



## Klinkey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UltraVolta425*
> 
> Maybe a dumb question, but since the 7990 will technically be two 7970s in one, will it be able to crossfire with a 7970?


The 6990 and 6970 were able to.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Klinkey*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *UltraVolta425*
> 
> Maybe a dumb question, but since the 7990 will technically be two 7970s in one, will it be able to crossfire with a 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> The 6990 and 6970 were able to.
Click to expand...

So could....

HD6990 + 6970 or 6950
HD5970 + 5870 or 5850 or 5830
HD4870x2 + 4870 or 4850 or I think 4830
HD3870x2 + 3870 or 3850


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Admiral AnimE*
> 
> Its not fresh install but i did clean the Nvidia drivers with Driver Sweeper, and then i used Atiman Uninstaller to clean Catalyst, because i tried RC11, 12.4 and now 12.5 beta.


I suggest you try a clean Windows installation.

Driver Sweeper scares me to be honest and using Atiman Uninstaller for CCC unofficial betas is not a good idea.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Also how does one change this UOM setting?


http://pluto.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=338906


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Admiral AnimE*
> 
> Day 2 with my 7970, even worse. I wonder what tomorrow will bring me.
> How do you explain this:


Funny cards seem to change from day to day. Works one day the next .. horrible. Stick with it and you will find it's sweet spot. Mine benches best at 1225/1701 . It can do 1300/1750 stable but slower... go figure.


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Admiral AnimE*
> 
> Its not fresh install but i did clean the Nvidia drivers with Driver Sweeper, and then i used Atiman Uninstaller to clean Catalyst, because i tried RC11, 12.4 and now 12.5 beta.
> 
> 
> 
> I suggest you try a clean Windows installation.
> Driver Sweeper scares me to be honest and using Atiman Uninstaller for CCC unofficial betas is not a good idea.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Also how does one change this UOM setting?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> http://pluto.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=338906
Click to expand...

Thank you for the Link!

Why does driver sweeper scare you? I have never had any problems. In fact on the Windows debugging forum they use it heavily to get rid of drivers indicated in BSOD, and those guys know there software. Just wondering...


----------



## 4514kaiser

Using AB unofficial version or AB never worked for me I personnel just gave up for the time being until ATI release a good driver (12.6 hopefully). I continuous got bsod (116 & 124) uninstall MSI all together haven't had one since.... That said I don't really ever seem to have the time to stress those VGA at all.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> My understanding some can check this article at VideocdardZ
> http://videocardz.com/32782/amd-radeon-hd-7950-modified-to-7970
> Regarding using AB unofficial version I personnel just gave up for the time being until ATI release a good driver (12.6 hopefully). I continuous got bsod (116 & 124) uninstall MSI all together haven't had one since.... That said I don't really ever seem to have the time to stress those VGA at all.


That article is a repost of the chinese 7950. All it is is a true reference 7950 which, drumroll please = 7970.

AMD did not release a reference 7950. Why? To prevent unlockable 7950s obviously. That article, those writers... lol.

Sorry to read about AB. I can't say I feel the same though.


----------



## chaozzzsg

Hi guys..

I just got my HD 7970 Sapphire OC version a couple of days back. Love the card hate the drivers.

It took me days before able to do a OC at 1150Core / 1600Mem @ 1.112volts (default), didnt have time to do push the voltage up, hoping to get 1200Core without hitting 1.2volts. My ASCI is a whopping 91.1%. _i struck gold!!!!_

Stability test using: Unigine Heaven, 3DMark11, Crysis 2 benchmarking and ME 3.

I basically tried all the steps that was on the internet. Best I found was (just sharing, please do not blame me if it doesn't work for you):

1) Uninstall all drivers using ATIMAN
2) Download RC 11 driver. Tried all the drivers from the latest 12.5 all the way back to 10.xx, the best driver for me was the RC11 driver (In terms of OC temp and stability)
3) Install RC 11, after installation, do a custom uninstalling of CCC using the control panel; uninstall a program (found that CCC was conflicting with MSI Afterburner or TRixx for that matter)
4) Install MSI AB 2.2, go into the .cfg file to unlock unofficial beta overclocking, save it (No need to change the EULA for 2.2 'cos you will get prompt to accept once you run the program). Run the AB, accept the EULA, and reboot your PC when prompted.
5) After 1-4, proceed per normal for the normal OC-ing steps.

Gonna do a win7 clean install and hope it can bring up the OC potential, do note that this card is very sensitive to temp increase so make sure you have good cooling!!!

CHEERS!!! Hope it helps.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> they did, the 7950s dropped from 479 to 399


Haha, the prices you guys have is just funny cheap... bought my 7950 for 680-700 dollars. (just one that is)


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chaozzzsg*
> 
> Hi guys..
> I just got my HD 7970 Sapphire OC version a couple of days back. Love the card hate the drivers.
> It took me days before able to do a OC at 1150Core / 1600Mem @ 1.112volts (default), didnt have time to do push the voltage up, hoping to get 1200Core without hitting 1.2volts. My ASCI is a whopping 91.1%. _i struck gold!!!!_
> Stability test using: Unigine Heaven, 3DMark11, Crysis 2 benchmarking and ME 3.
> I basically tried all the steps that was on the internet. Best I found was (just sharing, please do not blame me if it doesn't work for you):
> 1) Uninstall all drivers using ATIMAN
> 2) Download RC 11 driver. Tried all the drivers from the latest 12.5 all the way back to 10.xx, the best driver for me was the RC11 driver (In terms of OC temp and stability)
> 3) Install RC 11, after installation, do a custom uninstalling of CCC using the control panel; uninstall a program (found that CCC was conflicting with MSI Afterburner or TRixx for that matter)
> 4) Install MSI AB 2.2, go into the .cfg file to unlock unofficial beta overclocking, save it (No need to change the EULA for 2.2 'cos you will get prompt to accept once you run the program). Run the AB, accept the EULA, and reboot your PC when prompted.
> 5) After 1-4, proceed per normal for the normal OC-ing steps.
> Gonna do a win7 clean install and hope it can bring up the OC potential, do note that this card is very sensitive to temp increase so make sure you have good cooling!!!
> CHEERS!!! Hope it helps.


I have 2 7970 above 86% 1 is 90+ % while I have 1 that is 64% . Like many have said it means nothing im not trying to be rude at all but , not even 1 of my three cards can hit above 1.2ghz on core without crazy voltage hell even @ 1150mhz with 1.2V on any of my cards will eventually
have some sort of prob like drivers stop responding , gray screen , black screen or the dreaded bsod . < --- Thats why I give up on overclocking my gpu's. I always have probs when I start touching voltage . I just run all 3 of mine @ 1050mhz with no touching the voltage and im 100% stable .
Wish I could go higher with the mem in ccc though I know 2 of my cards can run 1800mhz on mem without touching the voltage for it @ all 100% stable . But really if you think about it there is no real reason in overclocking the gpus atleast to far . Its not worth the extra 8fps . Now my cpu is golden I have had it now running 5.1ghz for three months 100% stable with 1.445v . I have had by far more fps gain overclocking the cpu then gpu .

Oh and yeah btw drivers do suck bad .


----------



## C6ZR1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chaozzzsg*
> 
> My ASCI is a whopping 91.1%. _i struck gold!!!!_
> s.


This may sound extremely n00bish but what is ASCI?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I have had by far more fps gain overclocking the cpu then gpu .


Sorry to say, but this does not make much sense to me.
Its not like getting your 2500K for instance from 4,5Ghz to 5,1Ghz will get you alot of gains in FPS (if any)... Obviously if on both occasions the clock speeds of your GPU are the same.


----------



## chaozzzsg

@crunkazcanbe

I do understand that ASCI might mean nothing, but am just happy to see the numbers...cheers, no offense taken.

Updated
Clean install of Window 7 with my MOBO bios flashed to the newest and managed to get to 1200Core / 1600Mem @ 1.187Volt.
Ran crysis 2 for a few hours, max temp is 73c. I am a happy AMD customer!!!! Gonna get 2 new fan to bring down the temp further...will take to take screenshot once i am able to hit 1250Core on air. *But i seriously don't think it is possible*


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> I have had by far more fps gain overclocking the cpu then gpu .
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry to say, but this does not make much sense to me.
> Its not like getting your 2500K for instance from 4,5Ghz to 5,1Ghz will get you alot of gains in FPS (if any)... Obviously if on both occasions the clock speeds of your GPU are the same.
Click to expand...

There's no point having slick tires if your running a 50cc engine. The CPU feeds the GPU - if the CPU is slow, then it becomes the limiting factor. It depends if the game uses the CPU more than the GPU. The GPU is only good for vector and parallel tasks - for all the more complex stuff, some of it has to be handed off to the CPU. If the GPU is waiting for the CPU, then OCing your CPU makes more of a difference than OCing the GPU.


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chaozzzsg*
> 
> @crunkazcanbe
> 
> I do understand that ASCI might mean nothing, but am just happy to see the numbers...cheers, no offense taken.
> 
> Updated
> Just managed to get to 1200Core / 1600Mem @ 1.187Volt. Running crysis 2 for a few hours, max temp is 73c. I am a happy AMD customer!!!! Gonna get 2 new fan to bring down the temp further...will take to take screenshot once i am able to hit 1250Core on air. *But i seriously t hink that this is the max we can go on Air*


My four cards on air can do:

1200/1850
1225/2000
1250/1900
1275/1850

There's plenty of room at the top on air, and that's not even stressing the voltage.


----------



## chaozzzsg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> My four cards on air can do:
> 1200/1850
> 1225/2000
> 1250/1900
> 1275/1850
> There's plenty of room at the top on air, and that's not even stressing the voltage.


I don't wanna go above 1.2V, I am already a happy customer at 1200Core / 1600Mem


----------



## Nastrodamous

Which 7950 should i get?

i was looking at getting this one
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0070APVP2/ref=s9_simh_gw_p147_d0_g147_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0T98G8D41P7KG6TD84W8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846


----------



## Insomnium

That looks to be the best one imo, same with the 7970 versions (except the lightining) but I hear alot of people get coil whine you should look into that and see if it has been fixed.
Tho at the end of the month that will be the version I get of the 7970


----------



## Nastrodamous

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Insomnium*
> 
> That looks to be the best one imo, same with the 7970 versions (except the lightining) but I hear alot of people get coil whine you should look into that and see if it has been fixed.
> Tho at the end of the month that will be the version I get of the 7970


yeah i was looking to get either a 7950 or a gtx 670, they are the same price and almost identical performance, but i prefer amd.
thanks. Will look up this coil whine issue.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> My four cards on air can do:
> 1200/1850
> 1225/2000
> 1250/1900
> 1275/1850
> There's plenty of room at the top on air, and that's not even stressing the voltage.


And what do you get with the extra heat and extra voltage an extra 10fps max . Not worth it . Also I was going to get a forth card but they dont scale good anough for me to buy another . Instead I bought 2 GTX680s for my living room pc I have been enjoying them but when the GTX690 came out I just had to have it . it is almost just as fast as 2 680s maybe 3% slower and uses less wattage so I sold both 680s and now have a gtx690 . I am loving it it is by far 1 of the best cards I have ever seen looks wise . I paid more on ebay for it but atleast they where in stock . I say it is around 15%-25% faster then just 2 of my 7970s on most if not all games I play and less driver probs to and thats a big plus . I was going to sell my 3 7970s and buy 3 gtx680s for my gaming pc in my computer room but I would really be in the hole cause I would not get what a paid for them back also I use both for comparison 7970 vs GTX680 well GTX690 now ! I am not going to lie the gtx680s dont overclock good or atleast to me I was hoping the 690 would be better . Thought I had bad overclocking 680s but the 690 still want go that high . Maybe I just suck at overclocking . But really I see more of a boost overclocking my cpu I dont know why . Oh and btw I returned my ivy bridge to newegg that kinda helped me make up for what I did not have after selling my 2 680s to get the 690.

I did not want to do a multi post so if I sold my 3 7970s on ebay what would be the best price to ask ?
I sold my 2 GTX680s for $425 each believe it or not on ebay sold in 2 days .


----------



## tsm106

Ebay is a special place. There's no shortage of crazy people there.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ebay is a special place. There's no shortage of crazy people there.


Yeah lol
Me personally I would have spent the extra 65 or so and got new but it prob helped him out money wise .

BTW what would you sell HD 7970 for on ebay ?


----------



## TheTruth

Well, you might all remember me asking which 7950 to get a couple pages ago. I went ahead and ordered the 7950, and I'm actually having some major problems. I popped it in and as soon as I booted into Windows my screen went black and I was forced to reboot. Thinking it might just be some drivers conflicting I went ahead and formatted. Booted into Windows, no black screen this time, but as soon as I launched a game (TF2) played for maybe 2 minutes, was getting lower FPS than I got with my old 4870, and my screen went black again. Now I can't even get past game menus without the screen going black forcing me to reboot.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Are you fine PSU wise?

The only time I was getting horrible FPS in games was with an older set of drivers -don't remember which one exactly- some times the clocks were stuck on Video mode ( 500 Mhz ).


----------



## TheTruth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Are you fine PSU wise?
> The only time I was getting horrible FPS in games was with an older set of drivers -don't remember which one exactly- some times the clocks were stuck on Video mode ( 500 Mhz ).


Yeah, running a 750w Corsair PSU. I'm trying an older set of drivers right now. If this doesn't work its RMA time.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheTruth*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Are you fine PSU wise?
> The only time I was getting horrible FPS in games was with an older set of drivers -don't remember which one exactly- some times the clocks were stuck on Video mode ( 500 Mhz ).
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, running a 750w Corsair PSU. I'm trying an older set of drivers right now. If this doesn't work its RMA time.
Click to expand...

Screen going black usually means your drivers are crashing, so that's not a terrible thing to try. Have you tried keeping CCC up on the screen, pressing Alt enter on your game immediately so it runs windows and confirming whether your 2d and 3d clocks are changing? Might be getting stuck in the middle there somewhere... :/

On that note, I wish AMD would allow you to choose to disable 2d/3d switching if you want. It's like disabling speedsteping and C1e/eist in BIOS for CPUs. It causes nothing but issues (such as the recover from monitor sleep issue)


----------



## TheTruth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Screen going black usually means your drivers are crashing, so that's not a terrible thing to try. Have you tried keeping CCC up on the screen, pressing Alt enter on your game immediately so it runs windows and confirming whether your 2d and 3d clocks are changing? Might be getting stuck in the middle there somewhere... :/


Just tried 12.2 drivers, unfortunately the problem persisted. I was able to keep a benchmark open long enough to confirm it is switching between 2d and 3d clocks just fine. Guess it's time to RMA.


----------



## Zachariah

Hey everyone,

have there been any conclusions drawn about the recommended max voltage to run with these cards yet? I am currently benching two 7950 in crossfire, and have gotten to 1270/1450 @ 1299/1600. I am still pushing the core clock, and then will proceed to push the memory farther. I am on water, and so temps are not a problem, but I am slightly worried about the voltage, any information on max voltages for 24/7 would be awesome, thanks!

Zac


----------



## chaozzzsg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zachariah*
> 
> Hey everyone,
> have there been any conclusions drawn about the recommended max voltage to run with these cards yet? I am currently benching two 7950 in crossfire, and have gotten to 1270/1450 @ 1299/1600. I am still pushing the core clock, and then will proceed to push the memory farther. I am on water, and so temps are not a problem, but I am slightly worried about the voltage, any information on max voltages for 24/7 would be awesome, thanks!
> Zac


Have not seen any post on the max temperature so far.


----------



## raghu78

guys

Sapphire is come with a HD 7950 OC at 950 Mhz. Seems like AMD is letting its partners stretch their wings a bit.

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991

Now if they can get that Radeon HD 7970 Ghz edition at 1050 Mhz (USD 469) with a few HD 7970 Ghz edition OC with 1200 Mhz speeds (USD 499) that would be great .


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> guys
> Sapphire is come with a HD 7950 OC at 950 Mhz. Seems like AMD is letting its partners stretch their wings a bit.
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991
> Now if they can get that Radeon HD 7970 Ghz edition at 1050 Mhz (USD 469) with a few HD 7970 Ghz edition OC with 1200 Mhz speeds (USD 499) that would be great .


I can't see that happening, 1200 isn't achievable without lots of voltage for the most part, and they don't want to be selling their cooler short by running extra voltage through the card and producing more heat.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> guys
> Sapphire is come with a HD 7950 OC at 950 Mhz. Seems like AMD is letting its partners stretch their wings a bit.
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991
> Now if they can get that Radeon HD 7970 Ghz edition at 1050 Mhz (USD 469) with a few HD 7970 Ghz edition OC with 1200 Mhz speeds (USD 499) that would be great .


The card i got have 1000/1450 on switch 2...
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/3n2s5/

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1463&psn=&lid=1&leg=0

Have a nice little chat with sapphire and they told me i can modify my 7970 with aftermarket coolers.. But if some problem arise later on the road ill just need to put the stock cooler back and rma it.. I guess this is a nice gesture from sapphire...
Quote:


> 2012-5-14 [05:18]
> 
> Well lets just put it this way, if you want to modify the card, you can do so, but if the card does have problem, make sure the card is in its orginal state before you send it back in or else it will be count as void of warranty.


wanted to try an artic cooler on here to begin with... XD

Edit: oh well after reading this
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cooling/34809-arctic-accelero-xtreme-7970-vga-cooler/?page=5

i think theres no use on doing that as i can get better performance with the stock sapphire oc cooler...


----------



## Danwo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *krazyatom*
> 
> does anyone play world of warcraft with 7970?
> I don't have any problem with others games except world of warcraft. It keep crashing randomly. It freezes my system.
> I test my stability using OCCT 3.1.0 and ran 30 mins without errors. My cpu OC stability is tested an hour with LINX. Anyone else having problem with world of warcraft?
> Also, 7970 is not performing well compared to my old gtx 580, 6970. 7970 supposed to have higher FPS. I also saw review from techpower and 7970 wasn't doing well in world of warcraft.


I have same problem. I have all drivers upp to date. My pc crash when I turn on wow with OC. Other games are fine. Have you found out how to fix this?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Danwo*
> 
> I have same problem. I have all drivers upp to date. My pc crash when I turn on wow with OC. Other games are fine. Have you found out how to fix this?


Are you overclocking with a Msi Afterburner, Trixx, or Asus GPU Tweak? If so try uninstalling them and try overclocking only through Catalyst, had so many crashes with those, start-up crashes, crash to desktop while in game, and plenty of artifacts to go around. Until I only started using Catalyst, now I have found out which games like the other overclocking apps, which is very few and far between btw, so far only Witcher 2, Metro 2033, Alan Wake, and Portal 2 work with the other apps for me.


----------



## mindinversion

Quote:


> Also, 7970 is not performing well compared to my old gtx 580, 6970. 7970 supposed to have higher FPS. I also saw review from techpower and 7970 wasn't doing well in world of warcraft.


All I can tell you is that I, too, have been fighting non stop with WoW and the 7k series cards. Slightly different scenario than yours, as I'm running 2 x 7950's [actually, I'm only running 1, as I'm seeing a HUGE performance loss/microstutter/choppy gameplay experience with crossfire, compared to a smooth if uninspiring 20-54minimum consistent FPS with xfire disabled]

Mind you, I'm running 6048 x 1080 eyefinity, CPU is a 3930k @ 4.5Ghz. Up to this point I had been overclocking with CCC, I moved to Afterburner to try to troubleshoot the crossfire performance drop and got a lockup once. Haven't seen another one yet, but I haven't had a lot of time to experiment either.

Remember, technically WoW does not support Crossfire OR eyefinity. I've seen xfire work with WoW [on 6850s] and I've seen it NOT work [xfire 6970s, apparently xfire 7950s as well. If I find some magic solution, however, i'll gladly come back and share them


----------



## Andrazh

I've bought my card without receipt can i still RMA the card? If so whats the procedure? The cards probably have min of 1 year guarantee that is why every single card should still be under waranty so even if i don't have receipt i should be able to RMA it or?


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I've bought my card without receipt can i still RMA the card? If so whats the procedure? The cards probably have min of 1 year guarantee that is why every single card should still be under waranty so even if i don't have receipt i should be able to RMA it or?


Depends on the company, some require receipt, some stickers on card, some Serial number only (MSI for sure), I would ask the company to be sure. Also what company do you have would really help


----------



## glover28

edit: 79xx someday...


----------



## Danwo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Are you overclocking with a Msi Afterburner, Trixx, or Asus GPU Tweak? If so try uninstalling them and try overclocking only through Catalyst, had so many crashes with those, start-up crashes, crash to desktop while in game, and plenty of artifacts to go around. Until I only started using Catalyst, now I have found out which games like the other overclocking apps, which is very few and far between btw, so far only Witcher 2, Metro 2033, Alan Wake, and Portal 2 work with the other apps for me.


Well I have tested bouth Catalyst and Trixx. And still wow get some qind of problem. I meen I got sapphire 7970 dual fan etc. Its made for OC. And now I have problems with wow. So far tested catalyst 12.3 and 12.4. Crash in bouth of them. Should I try other drivers? I dont know what to do next.


----------



## Ruined

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Danwo*
> 
> Well I have tested bouth Catalyst and Trixx. And still wow get some qind of problem. I meen I got sapphire 7970 dual fan etc. Its made for OC. And now I have problems with wow. So far tested catalyst 12.3 and 12.4. Crash in bouth of them. Should I try other drivers? I dont know what to do next.


Try RC11 that seems to be the driver if you are having problems.


----------



## Danwo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Try RC11 that seems to be the driver if you are having problems.


Omw to test this one. Tested it and no. Still same. Some other 7970 owners that play wow with manualy OC card?


----------



## sockpirate

Has anything been released for 7970s that increase performance in Tera Online?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I can't see that happening, 1200 isn't achievable without lots of voltage for the most part, and they don't want to be selling their cooler short by running extra voltage through the card and producing more heat.


http://www.atomicmpc.com.au/News/299279,amd-gives-the-7970-a-boost.aspx

http://www.techpowerup.com/165559/AMD-Readies-Radeon-HD-7970-GHz-Edition.html

"yields are now better, their average voltage required to hit 925MHz is much lower than it was on early ES revisions, and most chips are happily hitting 1250MHz now. "

I am optimistic that they can hit 1200 with the new chips.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Danwo*
> 
> Omw to test this one. Tested it and no. Still same. Some other 7970 owners that play wow with manualy OC card?


My advice is speak with sapphire cause its looking more like hardware problem. RMA it if things are not resolved after troubleshooting with sapphire support.


----------



## Danwo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> My advice is speak with sapphire cause its looking more like hardware problem. RMA it if things are not resolved after troubleshooting with sapphire support.


Well maybe Its alrigt now. I uinstaled catalyst and all AMD stuff. I uppgraded driver for 7970 direct from system. After that I started to use sapphire trixx. And I played wow on high Normal/high OC without any problem. So maybe this is the way to make it work. Just use sapphire trixx tool and nothing else. So I am positive about this atm. But still I need more then 30 min testing to be sure about this.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> Depends on the company, some require receipt, some stickers on card, some Serial number only (MSI for sure), I would ask the company to be sure. Also what company do you have would really help


I have sapphire. I bought it from a guy who got it as a gift.

Does the country where i live matter or are same rules worldwide?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> There's no point having slick tires if your running a 50cc engine. The CPU feeds the GPU - if the CPU is slow, then it becomes the limiting factor. It depends if the game uses the CPU more than the GPU. The GPU is only good for vector and parallel tasks - for all the more complex stuff, some of it has to be handed off to the CPU. If the GPU is waiting for the CPU, then OCing your CPU makes more of a difference than OCing the GPU.


Ofcourse, I understand this.
But for single GPU users like me, an overclocked 2500K to 4,5Ghz should always be enough and should never be a limiting factor...


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Has anything been released for 7970s that increase performance in Tera Online?


was wondering same...it's kinda suck with fps


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ofcourse, I understand this.
> But for single GPU users like me, an overclocked 2500K to 4,5Ghz should always be enough and should never be a limiting factor...


Completely agree

CPU are just not such a big deal these days with MOST games, I remember reading a review at hardwareheaven I think a few months back which i felt pretty conclusively showed that while a 'current' CPU might limit Max FPS the underline average will not change..... So while you may get a better average fps, this is just caused by a higher possible max frame rate IE for 10 secs of the VGA game test you may get a max of 120FPS instead of 80FPS... While this does affect the average it does not affect the game play ......

Unless you CPU is completely dud in most case it really should not be a big issue at all, all does is limit the range most of the time.........

So no its a bit more like buying a supercar for your daily shopping trips you may have alot more power under the hood but its completely useless for the task at hand.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Well in BF3 my avg and max went up alot when overclocked from stock 3.5ghz to 4.8GHZ . I even tested it with HT off and my FPS droped not alot but it does drop .


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Well in BF3 my avg and max went up alot when overclocked from stock 3.5ghz to 4.8GHZ . I even tested it with HT off and my FPS droped not alot but it does drop .


because your increasing the memory and the PCI-E bus speeds.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> because your increasing the memory and the PCI-E bus speeds.


Memory and pcie bus width means little to nothing in games. System memory speed is visible in synthetic benches however.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Memory and pcie bus width means little to nothing in games. System memory speed is visible in synthetic benches however.


3x 7970s occupying Three full 16 lanes,

overclocking by increasing the FSB and PCIe Frequency basically is the equivalent of raising the speed limit on a highway.

More data can flow through in the same lanes in the same amount of time as before. now, times that by 3 for Tri-Crossfire.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 3x 7970s occupying Three full 16 lanes,
> overclocking by increasing the FSB and PCIe Frequency basically is the equivalent of raising the speed limit on a highway.
> More data can flow through in the same lanes in the same amount of time as before. now, times that by 3 for Tri-Crossfire.


Considering a 7970 does not saturate a 16x lane - increasing the bandwidth is going to be of no help if you cannot take advantage of it. That is like adding a third lane to a highway that has only enough traffic for 2 so the 3rd lane goes unused.

By all means go for it!


----------



## Nemesis158

So i successfully converted my Sapphire Reference HD7970 to a Sapphire Dual-X HD7970 (well at least in appearance)
Dropped temps by at least 10C. i did try flashing the Dual-X's 1000MHz/1450MHz Bios onto this card but im guessing the bios is somehow tailored for the full VRM stack on the Dual-X PCB . it flashed just fine and the PC would boot up just fine, but the card shut itself off once you got to the desktop (it runs 1000/1450 just fine otherwise). so anyone else out there thinking about doing this, Don't.


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> was wondering same...it's kinda suck with fps


Yeah my minimum fps gets pretty bad in certain dungeons...lol bf3 on ultra with sampling maxxed doesnt even drop as low....


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Yeah my minimum fps gets pretty bad in certain dungeons...lol bf3 on ultra with sampling maxxed doesnt even drop as low....


same thing here and few more ppl in game...and i got some screen flashing from time to time,but i think that is OC related...but BF3 runs smooth on all ultra...btw i'm playin on 12.4 did u try some other drivers?


----------



## AllGamer

my 2x 7970 can only go as high as 950 Mhz core and 1400 (5600) Mhz RAM

even when they operate as single card, running at stock 1000 Mhz core and 1400 (5600) Mhz RAM it crashes very quickly.

it's not a temperature issue as the temp doesn't go really high when it crashes

not sure what it is


----------



## Imprezzion

Yo, I just signed maself up as well.

Running a Sapphire Reference HD7970 with a Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970 bolted to it.

1250Mhz core and 1675Mhz VRAM on 1.262v core and 1.612v VRAM.
Idle temps are around 31-33c. Load temps in-game under 50c.

I love this card, just too bad it won't do 1300Mhz with max voltage set








Can I somehow go higher then 1.299v and is that even safe lol..

VRM temps don't exceed 65-70c with this cooler..


----------



## rck1984

What idle temps are you guys getting on what voltage and in what case?
I'm using a Corsair Graphite 600T SE and i noticed my idle temps are pretty high (i think), around 45 - 50c @ 1.174v / 50% fan.

Case:


600T white edition by Rck1984F, on Flickr


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Thats a normal temp if your clocks arent dropping.

On a different note, does anybody know how to alter the cfg file in AB to enable UOM? All I get is access denied when I try . I already took ownership of the file too....


----------



## SkateZilla

My 7950 leaves tomorrow







, been without for over a week, but soon to have eyefinity back.

Meanwhile i might move the ultra kaze fans to my new system from my old, 130 CFM is loud though.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Thats a normal temp if your clocks arent dropping.
> On a different note, does anybody know how to alter the cfg file in AB to enable UOM? All I get is access denied when I try . I already took ownership of the file too....


You have to give yourself rights to the file ya know?

Best way though imo is to "not" install it into program files (protected folder), or you should be using a second harddrive if you have a ssd anyways right. And if yer using 2nd drive, install it on 2nd drive.


----------



## disintegratorx

Has anyone that's having issues with their cards tried re-affirming their southbridge drivers with the AMD chipset drivers? I don't actually know that they would be a solution but they are available in the Downloads category on the graphics driver page under the Options tab.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Has anyone that's having issues with their cards tried re-affirming their southbridge drivers with the AMD chipset drivers? I don't actually know that they would be a solution but they are available in the Downloads category on the graphics driver page under the Options tab.


i don't think that applies to Intel based CPU / MB combos

it might work for AMD CPU / MB


----------



## WakaFlockaFlam2

could somebody help please?:

so i hav my 7970 running at 1280 core and 1760 mem. it was artifacting in witcher 2 so i upped the voltage from 1250 to 1270. it was fine for about a minute before the monitor turned off and my headphones started making a really loud humming noise. so what can i do to get it stable? if i hav to turn clocks down, which should i turn down to increase stability with least fps drop?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> my 2x 7970 can only go as high as 950 Mhz core and 1400 (5600) Mhz RAM
> even when they operate as single card, running at stock 1000 Mhz core and 1400 (5600) Mhz RAM it crashes very quickly.
> it's not a temperature issue as the temp doesn't go really high when it crashes
> not sure what it is


You have those ASUS DCU II cards right? There have been a quite a few issues with those cards. The coolers aren't properly attached to some cards and it would be wise to check the cards yourself and RMA if needed.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You have to give yourself rights to the file ya know?
> Best way though imo is to "not" install it into program files (protected folder), or you should be using a second harddrive if you have a ssd anyways right. And if yer using 2nd drive, install it on 2nd drive.


Lol, I'm just stupid! I got it worked out and I did what I was telling you I was going to try! I installed my "extra" Intel 320 and loaded a fresh install of Win7 on it with just benching software and nothing else. I just beat my 1225MHz score on my main drive with the new drive at only 1155MHz!! I've been methodical with my OCing tonight so I hope to have some nice results later on.

Btw I'm using AB 2.2.1 with UOM, 12.4 WHQL with CCC uninstalled in Control Panel and no CAP's. I hope to get the dual card high score if possible!


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> You have those ASUS DCU II cards right? There have been a quite a few issues with those cards. The coolers aren't properly attached to some cards and it would be wise to check the cards yourself and RMA if needed.


i have been pondering about that as well.

Do we have any write up any where about what to look for?

because according to the games and benches i've ran, it handles them well, but only if i keep the clock at 950 Mhz or lower









if it was an actual issue with the head sink, I'd think it wouldn't even last long regardless at any speed, right?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Has anyone that's having issues with their cards tried re-affirming their southbridge drivers with the AMD chipset drivers? I don't actually know that they would be a solution but they are available in the Downloads category on the graphics driver page under the Options tab.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i don't think that applies to Intel based CPU / MB combos
> it might work for AMD CPU / MB


The pcie bus isn't tied to the southbridge, and their isn't really a northbridge on intel these days. And iirc catalyst drivers includes chipset drivers anyhow.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Lol, I'm just stupid! I got it worked out and I did what I was telling you I was going to try! I installed my "extra" Intel 320 and loaded a fresh install of Win7 on it with just benching software and nothing else. I just beat my 1225MHz score on my main drive with the new drive at only 1155MHz!! I've been methodical with my OCing tonight so I hope to have some nice results later on.
> Btw I'm using AB 2.2.1 with UOM, 12.4 WHQL with CCC uninstalled in Control Panel and no CAP's. I hope to get the dual card high score if possible!


Just saw this... Looking good man.









Btw, set AB's processor type to your lowest asic card. Then run furmark fullscreen while only monitoring voltage with hwinfo64 to confirm you are really getting the voltage you wanted to feed the cards.

Oh also, no CCC vs CCC installed is generally no difference, except in Skyrim. There are gains with no CCC in that game.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Just saw this... Looking good man.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, set AB's processor type to your lowest asic card. Then run furmark fullscreen while only monitoring voltage with hwinfo64 to confirm you are really getting the voltage you wanted to feed the cards.
> Oh also, no CCC vs CCC installed is generally no difference, except in Skyrim. There are gains with no CCC in that game.


Hey quick question,

Why would using your second drive be benificial for benching? (My primary is a hyperx and install all my games/benchmarks to it its 120gb)

Also, are u sure about setting every card to ur lowest asic? I have 3 different asic and set them all to their respective voltages in ab and have had much better luck with ocing that way ( each chip gets their proper voltage start point this way)


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i have been pondering about that as well.
> Do we have any write up any where about what to look for?
> because according to the games and benches i've ran, it handles them well, but only if i keep the clock at 950 Mhz or lower
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> if it was an actual issue with the head sink, I'd think it wouldn't even last long regardless at any speed, right?


I haven't found any specific write-up. Just complaints across a few forums that many owners found the early batch of cards that came out did not have the heatsinks seated properly. I believe it's a QC issue not so much inherent design. Are you having problems with both, or just one of the two cards?


----------



## Imprezzion

How high can I, safely, push the VRAM voltage?
Can't get past 1750Mhz, even with 1.625v..

My core aint doing so bad but i hit a wall on the thing. 1250Mhz is stable as a rock with 1.262v, after vdroop 1.18-1.19v. If I push voltage to the max, i still can't really pass 1265Mhz. 1275Mhz crashed on me in BF3...

Anyways, the accelero 7970 is VERY good tbh. 32C idle average with 2 screens and always on max volts.
Load in games such as MW3 is max 45c and BF3 or benching hardly even 50. On 1.262v..









Any way to push beyond 1.299v so I can get something like 1.25v after vdroop?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> How high can I, safely, push the VRAM voltage?
> Can't get past 1750Mhz, even with 1.625v..
> My core aint doing so bad but i hit a wall on the thing. 1250Mhz is stable as a rock with 1.262v, after vdroop 1.18-1.19v. If I push voltage to the max, i still can't really pass 1265Mhz. 1275Mhz crashed on me in BF3...
> Anyways, the accelero 7970 is VERY good tbh. 32C idle average with 2 screens and always on max volts.
> Load in games such as MW3 is max 45c and BF3 or benching hardly even 50. On 1.262v..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any way to push beyond 1.299v so I can get something like 1.25v after vdroop?


I didn't have any trouble with 1.299V and 1.7V on water. As long as you don't have heat issues, there's no reason you can't use the max voltage.

The only way to go higher is by modding the card (preferrably to a mobo that can push it further).


----------



## Imprezzion

I'll see if the VRAM will do about 1800-1850 with 1.65v.
As for the core, i'll leave it where it is at 1250. The few more Mhz 1.299v give me aint worth the power consumption and heat. Load temps hardly increase but idle rises to about 35-37c with max volts.


----------



## Penryn

Anyone have any idea what the best driver is atm for a 7970 eyefinity setup?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> because your increasing the memory and the PCI-E bus speeds.


Actually my ram speed is staying @ 1600mhz atleast i hope i have never seen it move . now PCI-E bus speeds my be increasing im not sure on that 1 with my old amd pc i could change that but its not in the bios on my intel


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Anyone have any idea what the best driver is atm for a 7970 eyefinity setup?


RC11 or 12.5 beta as far as I've read.


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> RC11 or 12.5 beta as far as I've read.


I'm using the 12.5 beta atm, but it doesn't seem to hold my OC well. Granted all games are still more than playable but when I OC my mem I get flickering when on any other driver I didn't.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Hey quick question,
> Why would using your second drive be benificial for benching? (My primary is a hyperx and install all my games/benchmarks to it its 120gb)
> Also, are u sure about setting every card to ur lowest asic? I have 3 different asic and set them all to their respective voltages in ab and have had much better luck with ocing that way ( each chip gets their proper voltage start point this way)


He's using a spare ssd for benching purposes.

Voltage wise, you must not be using the synch clocks option. For me, it's a lot simpler to run synched settings because of the profiles. And on the other end of the spectrum it doesn't matter on the max end of the scale voltage wise, the cards will only get X voltage when it eventually hits the volt limit. Thus in that case I definitely want to make sure the lowest volt card gets as much as it needs. The other cards I don't worry/care about because they will get the juice they need as well. With the 7970s in an array, you really are as strong as your weakest card.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I have sapphire. I bought it from a guy who got it as a gift.
> Does the country where i live matter or are same rules worldwide?


I'm from Slovenia and I'm asking about RMA without receipt if anyone knows if its possible and whats the procedure?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I'm from Slovenia and I'm asking about RMA without receipt if anyone knows if its possible and whats the procedure?


Best bet is to just contact Sapphire directly mate







Or the place you bought it from


----------



## Ghost23

So far my stable oc is 1110/1630 @ 1.15v

idle @ 30-31, max @ 81 C.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Best bet is to just contact Sapphire directly mate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or the place you bought it from


You should be able to RMA it to store where u bought card,and they will give u replacement in couple days when they figure out to card is broken.After that u will get new card and they will handle RMA with sapphire or manufacturer from card is


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> same thing here and few more ppl in game...and i got some screen flashing from time to time,but i think that is OC related...but BF3 runs smooth on all ultra...btw i'm playin on 12.4 did u try some other drivers?


I am on 12.3 seeing as 12.4 has no performance increase in Tera, and even the new CAP didn't add Tera.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> So far my stable oc is 1110/1630 @ 1.15v
> idle @ 30-31, max @ 81 C.


81c gameload or stresstested.

If it's gameload, be aware of summer temps and the higher ambient it brings. Might wanna adjust the fan profile to ramp up a bit more around 70-75c.

You could push it a bit further with a higher fan profile i guess.

It is nice to see such a low idle temp. Lower then my Acellero does at 1.262v..


----------



## UltraVolta425

Temps seem fairly normal to me. Idle temps are just the same as mine, although the highest temp I recorded was 74°C on gaming load. Although mine's a reference design.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I'm from Slovenia and I'm asking about RMA without receipt if anyone knows if its possible and whats the procedure?
> 
> 
> 
> Best bet is to just contact Sapphire directly mate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or the place you bought it from
Click to expand...

Freaky new avatar of the day award goes to...


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Freaky new avatar of the day award goes to...












I game under the name "Hydrofoil Goat" and a mate made it for me


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> You should be able to RMA it to store where u bought card,and they will give u replacement in couple days when they figure out to card is broken.After that u will get new card and they will handle RMA with sapphire or manufacturer from card is


I bought it from a guy who got it as a gift. So i don't have a receipt nor the store name.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I bought it from a guy who got it as a gift. So i don't have a receipt nor the store name.


Then contact Sapphire, or talk to the guy you bought it from


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Not getting that dual card title in Heaven 3.0 I'm afraid. Things were going well, I got to 1220MHz at 1231mV but no matter what voltage I set (up to 1307mV + 30mV Aux) they wouldn't do 1225MHz. Now its time to start OCing the VRAM...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> I am on 12.3 seeing as 12.4 has no performance increase in Tera, and even the new CAP didn't add Tera.


Im going back to 12.3 when my card returns from RMA, 12.4 introduced a mess of problems for me.

Im still looking through my windows logs for the last day or 2 before the 7950 called it quits. to see if it was a driver error, i overtaxed the GPU or if it was Injured on Arrival and finally died from its injuries.

A few days into ownership of the card the mouse cursor would scramble, but every game ran clean and fine, no GFX issues.

I noticed in BF3 some of the Mountain Textures in the map with the Tunnel had red/green/blue blotches on them but they disappeared and re-appeared at the exact same distance and angles.,

updated to Cat 12.4

Then i Re-Enabled Eyefinity once my screens arrived at my new location, started to get the corrupted mouse cursor on the desktop, but it would only be on 1 of the 3 screens, moving it to one of the other screens and the cursor was fine, back to the other screen and it was corrupted again.

left to run an errand, to find the system un-responsive after it had turned the screens off. had to hard reset, and disabled the monitor power off and set a screen saver (mystify).

next day, watched a movie, then fell asleep on the recliner, woke up looked at the screens and they all had red " s all over them, a few scrambled spots, moved the mouse, screens went blank, rebooted, same thing. Originally though post screens and windows loading were fine, but closer inspection, the red " s were present on post and windows loading, they were just faded and harder to see.

I'm guessing it was injured on arrival and died from its wounds?, i did notice that the card "Flexed" alot when it was in the slot, maybe i should route the power cables so they help hold the card up when it gets back.

on a side note, my 8800GTS is still burning along, at 50^C idle and 80^C Load in BF3, lol, my 7950 never broke 60^c underload in eyefinity.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Not getting that dual card title in Heaven 3.0 I'm afraid. Things were going well, I got to 1220MHz at 1231mV but no matter what voltage I set (up to 1307mV + 30mV Aux) they wouldn't do 1225MHz. Now its time to start OCing the VRAM...


The VRAM boosts scores more than you'd think... in 3dmark11 I had like 10700 with OCed core and no OCed VRAM. After boosting VRAM to 1700, it jumped to 11115. 400 or so points for just a memory OC? suhweet.

EDIT:

Skatezilla: I noticed a few weird texture things too with my 7970, but I can't reasonably duplicate them all (minus one). In SW:TOR, when I'm in a group, the little avatar pictures next to the person's name is always some weird scrambled array of colors. That one is the same EVERYTIME I play SW:TOR. So weird.

The other glitch is every now and then when my mouse cursor is trying to interact with something in the tray down in the lower right corner of my taskbar, it'll replace my mouse cursor with 3-4 vertical dashes... As soon as I move the mouse cursor over to another monitor, it fixes itself, but it's so intermittent I can't figure out the cause. The dashes one has only happened 2-3 times in the last few weeks.

Definitely some silly stuff going on. My card does these same things at stock too, so the OC isn't the issue. *scratches head*


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Not getting that dual card title in Heaven 3.0 I'm afraid. Things were going well, I got to 1220MHz at 1231mV but no matter what voltage I set (up to 1307mV + 30mV Aux) they wouldn't do 1225MHz. Now its time to start OCing the VRAM...


I get the feeling you never tested each card individually, which is why you're surprised you hit this wall at 1225mhz....

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Im going back to 12.3 when my card returns from RMA, 12.4 introduced a mess of problems for me.
> Im still looking through my windows logs for the last day or 2 before the 7950 called it quits. to see if it was a driver error, i overtaxed the GPU or if it was Injured on Arrival and finally died from its injuries.
> A few days into ownership of the card the mouse cursor would scramble, but every game ran clean and fine, no GFX issues.
> I noticed in BF3 some of the Mountain Textures in the map with the Tunnel had red/green/blue blotches on them but they disappeared and re-appeared at the exact same distance and angles.,
> updated to Cat 12.4
> Then i Re-Enabled Eyefinity once my screens arrived at my new location, started to get the corrupted mouse cursor on the desktop, but it would only be on 1 of the 3 screens, moving it to one of the other screens and the cursor was fine, back to the other screen and it was corrupted again.
> left to run an errand, to find the system un-responsive after it had turned the screens off. had to hard reset, and disabled the monitor power off and set a screen saver (mystify).
> next day, watched a movie, then fell asleep on the recliner, woke up looked at the screens and they all had red " s all over them, a few scrambled spots, moved the mouse, screens went blank, rebooted, same thing. Originally though post screens and windows loading were fine, but closer inspection, the red " s were present on post and windows loading, they were just faded and harder to see.
> I'm guessing it was injured on arrival and died from its wounds?, i did notice that the card "Flexed" alot when it was in the slot, maybe i should route the power cables so they help hold the card up when it gets back.
> on a side note, my 8800GTS is still burning along, at 50^C idle and 80^C Load in BF3, lol, my 7950 never broke 60^c underload in eyefinity.


Skip 12.3, go to 8.97 beta, especially the modded one.









*mouse cursor would scramble* = cursor bug, happens from time to time, they've fixed most of the issues but some still get it mildly, it's an annoyance but nothing detrimental

*the red " s were present on post and windows loading, they were just faded and harder to see.* = You suffer from the sleep idle issue unfortunately. You need to not fall asleep on the recliner and turn off yer panels or set a screensaver, etc. I don't know if it's been long enough to cause long term damage but you definitely have some degree of image persistence.

*LCD panels use a complicated process of organizing liquid crystal molecules into a twisted or untwisted state, which allows polarized light to pass through the liquid crystal substrate. Over time, it is possible these liquid crystals can "get used to" the state of twist they are in, causing a static image, very similar to phosphor burn-in, to be visible on the screen permanently...

the Windows or Macintosh desktop was left uninterrupted on a LCD display, with no screen saver for an extremely long period of time, image persistence could become an issue and (possibly) be permanent.*


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Not getting that dual card title in Heaven 3.0 I'm afraid. Things were going well, I got to 1220MHz at 1231mV but no matter what voltage I set (up to 1307mV + 30mV Aux) they wouldn't do 1225MHz. Now its time to start OCing the VRAM...
> 
> 
> 
> I get the feeling you never tested each card individually, which is why you're surprised you hit this wall at 1225mhz....
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Im going back to 12.3 when my card returns from RMA, 12.4 introduced a mess of problems for me.
> Im still looking through my windows logs for the last day or 2 before the 7950 called it quits. to see if it was a driver error, i overtaxed the GPU or if it was Injured on Arrival and finally died from its injuries.
> A few days into ownership of the card the mouse cursor would scramble, but every game ran clean and fine, no GFX issues.
> I noticed in BF3 some of the Mountain Textures in the map with the Tunnel had red/green/blue blotches on them but they disappeared and re-appeared at the exact same distance and angles.,
> updated to Cat 12.4
> Then i Re-Enabled Eyefinity once my screens arrived at my new location, started to get the corrupted mouse cursor on the desktop, but it would only be on 1 of the 3 screens, moving it to one of the other screens and the cursor was fine, back to the other screen and it was corrupted again.
> left to run an errand, to find the system un-responsive after it had turned the screens off. had to hard reset, and disabled the monitor power off and set a screen saver (mystify).
> next day, watched a movie, then fell asleep on the recliner, woke up looked at the screens and they all had red " s all over them, a few scrambled spots, moved the mouse, screens went blank, rebooted, same thing. Originally though post screens and windows loading were fine, but closer inspection, the red " s were present on post and windows loading, they were just faded and harder to see.
> I'm guessing it was injured on arrival and died from its wounds?, i did notice that the card "Flexed" alot when it was in the slot, maybe i should route the power cables so they help hold the card up when it gets back.
> on a side note, my 8800GTS is still burning along, at 50^C idle and 80^C Load in BF3, lol, my 7950 never broke 60^c underload in eyefinity.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Skip 12.3, go to 8.97 beta, especially the modded one.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *mouse cursor would scramble* = cursor bug, happens from time to time, they've fixed most of the issues but some still get it mildly, it's an annoyance but nothing detrimental
> 
> *the red " s were present on post and windows loading, they were just faded and harder to see.* = You suffer from the sleep idle issue unfortunately. You need to not fall asleep on the recliner and turn off yer panels or set a screensaver, etc. I don't know if it's been long enough to cause long term damage but you definitely have some degree of image persistence.
> 
> *LCD panels use a complicated process of organizing liquid crystal molecules into a twisted or untwisted state, which allows polarized light to pass through the liquid crystal substrate. Over time, it is possible these liquid crystals can "get used to" the state of twist they are in, causing a static image, very similar to phosphor burn-in, to be visible on the screen permanently...
> 
> the Windows or Macintosh desktop was left uninterrupted on a LCD display, with no screen saver for an extremely long period of time, image persistence could become an issue and (possibly) be permanent.*
Click to expand...

Oh image ghosting on the screen definitely happens. My work PCs have 5-6 year old Dell PCs that have white unix terminals running 24/7. Screen savers and monitor sleep isn't allowed (due to us needing to monitor the screens 24/7). This results in SEVERELY ghosted images, that continually give me headaches because my eyes have no idea what to focus on. :/


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> I haven't found any specific write-up. Just complaints across a few forums that many owners found the early batch of cards that came out did not have the heatsinks seated properly. I believe it's a QC issue not so much inherent design. Are you having problems with both, or just one of the two cards?


definitely with both

but i don't care much, as i'm getting rid of them soon

i'll either get a couple of MSI R7970 Lightning or a couple of 7990 (if and when they comes out)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> The other glitch is every now and then when my mouse cursor is trying to interact with something in the tray down in the lower right corner of my taskbar, it'll replace my mouse cursor with 3-4 vertical dashes...


yeah that's what i meant about corrupted cursor, it was doing it to me in MS Flight and on the Desktop.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *the red " s were present on post and windows loading, they were just faded and harder to see.* = You suffer from the sleep idle issue unfortunately. You need to not fall asleep on the recliner and turn off yer panels or set a screensaver, etc. I don't know if it's been long enough to cause long term damage but you definitely have some degree of image persistence.
> [/B]


They arent present when i switched to back to my 8800GTS/640

Just to clarify these are my screens, as i took pictures right away for tech support ticket:

One the images below they are randomly scattered, when i rebooted the PC, the Post/Windows Loading Screen had them in perfect lines of 3 or 4 rows.


















This is the desktop before it scrambles and cuts off:









This is what my desktop is set at now while my 8800GTS runs things until the 7950 gets back, Note the lack of Red dashes in any part of the screen.


----------



## AllGamer

that looks like the expected outcome after a video card has been pushed over the limits

either too much V, or too high temp for too long, basically some of the RAM is damaged


----------



## SkateZilla

the fans made a vibration/grinding noise when pushed above 68%

according to logs, the GPU never exceeded 40^C,

I never over clocked this card either.


----------



## Grobinov

I just found the weirdest error... JC2 start menu will shut down my computer - behaves like it was in power outage even event viewer says Kerenel-Power. I get this issue on any driver (tred 12.4 RC11 and 12.5 Beta) when I'm overclocked no matter what the clock - tried 1000 and 1100 on stock volts - tested stable with hours in Crysis 2 and BF3 multiplayer and 1180 @ 1.237v

Funny thing is it doesn't crash when using stock 925 mHz clock or when using a framerate limiter while overclocked. I had one similar occurence in Sniper Elite V2 where the computer kept shutting off during a cutscene when the game ran just fine but it did the same power off routine :/

Any ideas what could be wrong?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Okie, finally some positive results from these cards! After having installed a fresh Win7 on a spare SSD and running a bare minimum of programs (no aero or anything), using 12.4 WHQL, AB 2.2.1 with UOM, and a core of 1220MHz (1268mV) and memory of 1505MHz (1655mV):



The stability is great so far from these drivers on this Windows install but my limits seem to be temp related now. On that Heaven run the top card got to 87C. Going to try to OC the memory some more and back off the core to try to lower temps...


----------



## HardwareDecoder

The AMD drivers are CRAP on diablo III I get 5 second freezes every once in awhile and it says my display driver has quit working and then it reloads and works fine for awhile. I am so glad I am RMA'ing this card for a 670 and go ahead and flame me if anyone wants I don't give a crap what you think 

i don't even understand cause the same card works fine on batman arkham city


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> The AMD drivers are CRAP on diablo III I get 5 second freezes every once in awhile and it says my display driver has quit working and then it reloads and works fine for awhile. I am so glad I am RMA'ing this card for a 670 and go ahead and flame me if anyone wants I don't give a crap what you think
> i don't even understand cause the same card works fine on batman arkham city


eagerly waiting for time to get off work to install D3 on my rig and play that on Eyefinity6









i might disable crossfire as it stutters a bit when crossfire is active

they really need to get the drivers fixed for crossfire to work smoothly


----------



## HardwareDecoder

im not even using crossfire... a single 7950 and it doesn't stutter for me it just freezes. Oh well I should have known better than to buy this card. my 670 is only a day or two away


----------



## erocker

Well, I doubt anyone gives a crap what computer hardware you use. Use what makes you happy.









I'm not having any issues with my 7970, but if some company starts pumping out 670's for cheap I'd be all over them!


----------



## HardwareDecoder

awesome im happy for you!

also it wasn't about what *I* use it was more about AMD's drivers being horrific..... but ya know. and for the price range the 670 is the better card just wish I had known it was coming and and waited.

edit: according to event viewer in windows 7 just from last night the display driver stopped responding 17 times in like 10 hours of play. Nice amd!

also isn't this a computer hardware forum?


----------



## SkateZilla

competition is good for bringing prices down...


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> awesome im happy for you!
> also it wasn't about what *I* use it was more about AMD's drivers being horrific..... but ya know. and for the price range the 670 is the better card just wish I had known it was coming and and waited.
> edit: according to event viewer in windows 7 just from last night the display driver stopped responding 17 times in like 10 hours of play. Nice amd!
> also isn't this a computer hardware forum?


Sounds like it's more than drivers that is the problem. Did the card ever work correctly?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> The AMD drivers are CRAP on diablo III I get 5 second freezes every once in awhile and it says my display driver has quit working and then it reloads and works fine for awhile. I am so glad I am RMA'ing this card for a 670 and go ahead and flame me if anyone wants I don't give a crap what you think
> i don't even understand cause the same card works fine on batman arkham city


Just because 1 game is giving you problem you say the 670 is the better card when you haven't even TESTED the 670 to begin with? I've got 3 7970s and 4 680s atm. The 680s have just as many bugs in various games as the 7970s do. It's just a matter of WHICH games have the bugs. You're going to have bugs in games that the 79xx plays just fine. Each driver team puts more focus on their sponsored titles, it's just a given. I'm sure within a few days to a week AMD will have a driver out JUST for D3, but to each their own.

To be honest, I'm not all that impressed with the 680 series at all. The 7970 and the 680 are both great cards in SINGLE form. But when you move to SLI/Crossfire with 3-4 of them, bugs start floating to the surface. Overall scaling with 3-4 cards is still WAY better with AMD by the way.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

yea it worked fine in everything but D3 (like batman arkham city which does require alot more power and it never locked up like it does on D3) and the benchmarks all say that the 670 is better but lets just stop here cause I don't want to argue.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I finally have my rig working the way I wanted from the beginning. I may just stick with these 7970's until big kepler now...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I finally have my rig working the way I wanted from the beginning. I may just stick with these 7970's until big kepler now...


The driver situation should improve with 12.5 and onwards.

The Eyefinity BSOD issue should be fixed and perhaps even the idle bug some people are experiencing.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The driver situation should improve with 12.5 and onwards.
> The Eyefinity BSOD issue should be fixed and perhaps even the idle bug some people are experiencing.


they said that about 12.4 when we had issues with 12.2 beta/12.3 betas the cards shipped with.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> they said that about 12.4 when we had issues with 12.2 beta/12.3 betas the cards shipped with.


They did?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*


lol, you're description from before sure read like screen burn, but that ain't screen burn.









Looks like bad memory, and well you've got it in rma so good luck to ya.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> yea it worked fine in everything but D3 (like batman arkham city which does require alot more power and it never locked up like it does on D3) and the benchmarks all say that the 670 *at stock clocks* is better but lets just stop here cause I don't want to argue.


Fixed that for ya!

I know its just one benchmark but the 7970's are smoking the 680's (nevermind the 670's) in Heaven 3.0...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Fixed that for ya!
> I know its just one benchmark but the 7970's are smoking the 680's (nevermind the 670's) in Heaven 3.0...


690 SLI = 7970 Trifire, wait actually less.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 690 SLI = 7970 Trifire, wait actually less.


I know, right? I will say that the 680's do well in 3dmark though...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol, you're description from before sure read like screen burn, but that ain't screen burn.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like bad memory, and well you've got it in rma so good luck to ya.


yup, box just left my office from East coast to the west, $30 (would been $7.95 if i chose not to apply an insurance amount higher than the default $100).

like i said though it wasnt an overheat issue, as the GPU never exceeded 40^C that day, or 54^C at all in its life, the side of my case has a 200mm fan on it blowing on the mainboard and graphics card,

i think the "Flex" of the card in the slot might have been a factor leading to a ram chip coming loose or something, im already re-wiring the PCIe GPU connectors so they go up the HDD rack and come back down to the GPU so they arent pulling the end down.


----------



## theyedi

How's microstuttering with crossfire? Has it gotten better?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 690 SLI = 7970 Trifire, wait actually less.


So 4 nVidia GK104 Chips = 3 AMD 7970 Chips?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> So 4 nVidia GK104 Chips = 3 AMD 7970 Chips?


A guy with supposedly two 690's posted in the heaven 3.0 benchmarking thread and his score was lower than tsm's...


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Okie, finally some positive results from these cards! After having installed a fresh Win7 on a spare SSD and running a bare minimum of programs (no aero or anything), using 12.4 WHQL, AB 2.2.1 with UOM, and a core of 1220MHz (1268mV) and memory of 1505MHz (1655mV):
> 
> The stability is great so far from these drivers on this Windows install but my limits seem to be temp related now. On that Heaven run the top card got to 87C. Going to try to OC the memory some more and back off the core to try to lower temps...


You should be able to EASILY hit 1650mhz on the RAM with no extra voltage added. Either you are doing it for no reason or something is wrong.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> You should be able to EASILY hit 1650mhz on the RAM with no extra voltage added. Either you are doing it for no reason or something is wrong.


Will have to try that when I get home. This is the first time I've even messed with the memory clocks...


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Will have to try that when I get home. This is the first time I've even messed with the memory clocks...


On the other side of the coin. I HAD to overclock mem on my 3 lightnings of bf3 would freak out at stock lol. The memory moduals in the lightning are rated for 1600mhz if i recal. I set mine at 1700 at 1.649 (any lower and i get artifacts in bf3 ) 3dmark11 and heaven on the other had need just 1.625 for 1850 (1900 works but screen starts flashing)

Also, did u know u ran ur heaven bench at 1680 not 1920 resolution?


----------



## AllGamer

there is a new release hotfix for 12.4 http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_12.4_hotfixes/amd_catalyst_12.4a_hotfix_win7.exe

it fixes issues on Diablo III


----------



## afadzil21

From TPU: http://www.techpowerup.com/166099/NVIDIA-GeForce-Kepler-110-(GK110)-Specs-Detailed.html

However, Tenerife (supposedly the 7980) is supposed to make mincemeat out of Kepler. Well, rumours are rumours. And I'll wait for Tenerife to see how things play out.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> From TPU: http://www.techpowerup.com/166099/NVIDIA-GeForce-Kepler-110-(GK110)-Specs-Detailed.html
> However, Tenerife (supposedly the 7980) is supposed to make mincemeat out of Kepler. Well, rumours are rumours. And I'll wait for Tenerife to see how things play out.


"big Kepler" more than likely going to be released as a next gen GPU.

AMD's response will probably released around the same time-frame.


----------



## SkateZilla

GK110 is dead,

Yield and binning issues. Instead of paying for yields that are lower than the unemployment rate they should have axed the line completely


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> On the other side of the coin. I HAD to overclock mem on my 3 lightnings of bf3 would freak out at stock lol. The memory moduals in the lightning are rated for 1600mhz if i recal. I set mine at 1700 at 1.649 (any lower and i get artifacts in bf3 ) 3dmark11 and heaven on the other had need just 1.625 for 1850 (1900 works but screen starts flashing)
> Also, did u know u ran ur heaven bench at 1680 not 1920 resolution?


Thanks for the info.

And as for the resolution, I just ran it at 1680 so I could submit it to the official heaven bench thread...


----------



## Danwo

Finaly got stabile OC on my 7970. core1200mhz memory 1500mhz 1245v. Should I try to OC more now or stick with this? So far this OC have given me very stabile pc.


----------



## travva

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I finally have my rig working the way I wanted from the beginning. I may just stick with these 7970's until big kepler now...


Have you tested BF3 at all to see if everything is more stable?


----------



## travva

btw, i'm trying 12.4a posted above. anyone else tried them yet?

sorry for double post btw


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> there is a new release hotfix for 12.4 http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_12.4_hotfixes/amd_catalyst_12.4a_hotfix_win7.exe
> it fixes issues on Diablo III


You should probably be more specific as most people here will not have any use for this. It fixes issues on legacy cards 4xxx series and under. For anyone on >4xxx series this is completely a waste of bandwidth.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> You should probably be more specific as most people here will not have any use for this. It fixes issues on legacy cards 4xxx series and under. For anyone on >4xxx series this is completely a waste of bandwidth.


Aye. LEGACY. Booo.
Quote:


> We've recently identified an issue where some of our *legacy* graphics products are producing certain artifacts in Diablo III and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim with our latest release of Catalyst™ 12.4. This issue only affects users of ATI Radeon™ HD 2400, 2600, 2900, 3400, 3600 and 4500 graphics cards under Windows® Vista® and Windows 7.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *travva*
> 
> Have you tested BF3 at all to see if everything is more stable?


These are bench-only numbers. I play my games at stock because two 7970's are more than enough to give satisfactory framerates. In fact, I'm not even installing any games on this Windows install....


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> You should be able to EASILY hit 1650mhz on the RAM with no extra voltage added. Either you are doing it for no reason or something is wrong.


I tend to disagree with that. I need 1.612v for 1650Mhz, and 1700Mhz needs like, 1.631v orso. Didnt manage to get 1800Mhzz stable so far, not even with 1.649v.. Mines reference with a AAX7970..


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> The AMD drivers are CRAP on diablo III I get 5 second freezes every once in awhile and it says my display driver has quit working and then it reloads and works fine for awhile. I am so glad I am RMA'ing this card for a 670 and go ahead and flame me if anyone wants I don't give a crap what you think
> 
> i don't even understand cause the same card works fine on batman arkham city


I get zero freezes or hiccups. Game plays insanely smooth. For reference, my CPU temps and GPU temps go up 3C playing D3. Really.


----------



## Ghost23

Curious, what provides the biggest FPS boost? Mem or core?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I tend to disagree with that. I need 1.612v for 1650Mhz, and 1700Mhz needs like, 1.631v orso. Didnt manage to get 1800Mhzz stable so far, not even with 1.649v.. Mines reference with a AAX7970..


Most people OC the memory like crazy without actually gaining anything from it or even going down in FPS.
But these are mostly people who just go for high numbers trying to show off instead of actually comparing what is the most stable OC performance wise.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theyedi*
> 
> How's microstuttering with crossfire? Has it gotten better?


Would like to know this too actually.
Since I am thinking of buying another 7950 for the new Max Payne game...
I never had more than 1 GPU, so I would like to know how terrible this microstutter actually is.
I am quite picky and difficult when image quality is concerned so I am afraid it will annoy me...

Is a potential switch to something like 7990 any better in terms of microstutter? Or is this comparable to lets say 2x7950 ?


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Most people OC the memory like crazy without actually gaining anything from it or even going down in FPS.
> But these are mostly people who just go for high numbers trying to show off instead of actually comparing what is the most stable OC performance wise.
> Would like to know this too actually.
> Since I am thinking of buying another 7950 for the new Max Payne game...
> I never had more than 1 GPU, so I would like to know how terrible this microstutter actually is.
> I am quite picky and difficult when image quality is concerned so I am afraid it will annoy me...
> Is a potential switch to something like 7990 any better in terms of microstutter? Or is this comparable to lets say 2x7950 ?


I don't think micro-stutter are a big issue or have ever been a big issue I'v have run a mix of CF setups over 3 years and NEVER had a micro-stutter issue..... Lots of people claim it does not exist or is simply a name given to a verity of driver/program issue........ I don't know the truth but i doubt it's really as common as some ATI forms would lead you to believe.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> I don't think micro-stutter are a big issue or have ever been a big issue I'v have run a mix of CF setups over 3 years and NEVER had a micro-stutter issue..... Lots of people claim it does not exist or is simply a name given to a verity of driver/program issue........ I don't know the truth but i doubt it's really as common as some ATI forms would lead you to believe.


I would beg to differ on this. As this is my first XFire setup, I was quite annoyed with the microstutter when I first encountered it. It was clearly there and definitely appeared to have something to do with the drivers rather than anything else. Tinkering with CCC solved my problem. Especially manually equalising GPU clocks in CCC instead of AB or Trixx. Don't know why, it just worked for me. I didn't appear to have it other games, but I'm waiting for my boxed copy of BF3 to arrive (I hate buying anything from any online game service other than Steam) then I'll be able to test it out and see if my fix works.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> I would beg to differ on this. As this is my first XFire setup, I was quite annoyed with the microstutter when I first encountered it. It was clearly there and definitely appeared to have something to do with the drivers rather than anything else. Tinkering with CCC solved my problem. Especially manually equalising GPU clocks in CCC instead of AB or Trixx. Don't know why, it just worked for me. I didn't appear to have it other games, but I'm waiting for my boxed copy of BF3 to arrive (I hate buying anything from any online game service other than Steam) then I'll be able to test it out and see if my fix works.


Interesting... Let me/us know how it works out in BF3 !


----------



## SkateZilla

Boxed copy or not, your still gonna be forced to install Origin...

and dont link your Xbox Friends list with your origin account, thats asking for you account to be hijacked and used to illegally purchase FIFA12 Content on you expense.


----------



## Ottesen

Just got one of my cards back from RMA, had a 76,1 asic and got a 82 back...good stuff, under 990mv stock







Only thing now is that i don't trust the cards since one when to hell... it just flat out died...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Just got one of my cards back from RMA, had a 76,1 asic and got a 82 back....


A what, what and a what?


----------



## BradleyW

Can this card go beyond the CCC limit of 1125Mhz (Core), via MSI AB?
Thank you.

PowerColor HD 7970 V3


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> A what, what and a what?


I said a what what, in the butt ? (song)

One card died, got a new one....


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can this card go beyond the CCC limit of 1125Mhz (Core), via MSI AB?
> Thank you.
> PowerColor HD 7970 V3


Ye, i have that just in 7950, and both cards can do more than that







So i'm 98% sure that will go past 1125mhz... I run both at 1100/1700mhz without problems or high temps


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can this card go beyond the CCC limit of 1125Mhz (Core), via MSI AB?
> Thank you.
> 
> PowerColor HD 7970 V3


Most of the two fan designs (minus the DCII) are all reference PCBs with modified cooler. Easiest way is to check the compatible model number list for the EK water blocks. If this appears in the list for the reference 7970 block, then you can absolutely unlock voltages and unlock to your heart's desire.


----------



## SkateZilla

i just hope Sapphire sends me back a nice card and maybe upgrade me to a 7970 for my trouble


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can this card go beyond the CCC limit of 1125Mhz (Core), via MSI AB?
> Thank you.
> PowerColor HD 7970 V3


Any of the 7970's can go beyond the CCC limits. They aren't hardware limitations but software. You have to override some of the safeguards and disable ULPS but most any 7970 can be OC'ed using AB 2.2.1 and UOM. Now, game stability once all those changes are made is a whole other can of worms....


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Any of the 7970's can go beyond the CCC limits AFAIK. They aren't hardware limitations but software. You have to override some of the safeguards and disable ULPS but most any 7970 can be OC'ed using AB 2.2.1 and UOM. Now, game stability once all those changes are made is a whole other can of worms....


----------



## BradleyW

Does anybody kow if that perticular 7970 can voltage unlock?

Also, what is the min fps in BF3 max out, 1080p. I was watching a youtube vid and his fps went to 62 in the gulf of omen map.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Boxed copy or not, your still gonna be forced to install Origin...
> and dont link your Xbox Friends list with your origin account, thats asking for you account to be hijacked and used to illegally purchase FIFA12 Content on you expense.


yeah also for Mass Effect 3 that Origin crap is needed I noticed yesterday when installing


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> yeah also for Mass Effect 3 that Origin crap is needed I noticed yesterday when installing


and 2 days after installing BF3 and origin my XBL was hacked and $150 spent on FIFA12 cards.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> and 2 days after installing BF3 and origin my XBL was hacked and $150 spent on FIFA12 cards.


That sucks !








You got that refunded??


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does anybody kow if that perticular 7970 can voltage unlock?
> Also, what is the min fps in BF3 max out, 1080p. I was watching a youtube vid and his fps went to 62 in the gulf of omen map.


According to EK cooling configurator this GPU has reference design so voltage tweaking should work OK


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> That sucks !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You got that refunded??


yeah, they fixed it in a few days (compared to other players i know that went 90 days without), prolly cause Im a MS internal beta tester.

i think the leak is on EA, because it starts with FIFA and if you dont catch it they move on to arcade games.

the fact that i didnt have any trouble with it until this spring after i installed BF3 pretty much solidifies that its an EA leak. as Origin asks to link you Xbox live friends, and stores your windows live and password on their server.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> According to EK cooling configurator this GPU has reference design so voltage tweaking should work OK


How certain can we be that this is the case? I would hate to spend around £700 for nothing.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How certain can we be that this is the case? I would hate to spend around £700 for nothing.


Well in my case it was completely true because I checked how my Dual-X PCB looks like after I got it and the configurator was OK right down to the extra VRM phase...

You can check it out yourself here: http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1 just select the model from the list


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How certain can we be that this is the case? I would hate to spend around £700 for nothing.


There are only two non ref cards, dc2 and lightning.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> Well in my case it was completely true because I checked how my Dual-X PCB looks like after I got it and the configurator was OK right down to the extra VRM phase...
> You can check it out yourself here: http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1 just select the model from the list


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There are only two non ref cards, dc2 and lightning.


Rep.


----------



## AllGamer

from a ASUS fan mouth... avoid the DC2 they are buggy as hell

even i'm shopping for 2 or 3 MSI lightnings as we speak

unfortunately sold out everywhere, awaiting for new shipment, which i'm sure by then the 7990 will just be around the corner, so i might as well just wait for the 7990









get 2 or 3 of those and sweet!!


----------



## SkateZilla

7980


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> from a ASUS fan mouth... avoid the DC2 they are buggy as hell
> even i'm shopping for 2 or 3 MSI lightnings as we speak
> unfortunately sold out everywhere, awaiting for new shipment, which i'm sure by then the 7990 will just be around the corner, so i might as well just wait for the 7990
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> get 2 or 3 of those and sweet!!


What bugs did your card have in particular?


----------



## Nemesis158

does anyone know if the 12.5 drivers get rid of the eyefinity monitor sync issues? i know 12.4 was absolutely horrible for eyefinity, but now ive noticed my card start having sync issues on 12.3 (even at stock clocks)
I can put the card up to 1200MHz now that i have the Dual-X cooler but cannot run eyefinity due to monitor sync issues as well.


----------



## SkateZilla

wait for the DisplayPort 1.2 MST hubs and put all screen on via DisplayPort..


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> wait for the DisplayPort 1.2 MST hubs and put all screen on via DisplayPort..


The issue im having is not the Vsync "Line"
my monitors start disconnecting randomly while im in game on eyefinity. also we have been waiting for those hubs for a while. when they do come out theyll cost an arm and a leg......


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What bugs did your card have in particular?


if you scroll back a few thousands of posts in this topic you'll find them all









but to make your life easier, as i recall finding them Chronologically:

- drivers issue (that's a given + obvious, it's an ATI/AMD signature trade mark, shall i say it was expected?) LOL








- MB BIOS compatibility issue, upgrading to the latest MB BIOS solved many crashing issues
- Power issue, these 2 cards are power hungry, had to upgrade from a 1000w Corsair PSU to a more powerful 1250w OCZ PSU, just so it runs stable
- Video card BIOS issue one of the card came with the DC2 BIOS instead of the DC2T BIOS
- Crosshair problems, again this is related to driver issue
- Eyefinity 6 issue, it wouldn't run properly without the proper Driver, and adapter setups.
- and the most annoying of them all _*SPEED*_ issue i paid prremium to get DC2T to get stock 1000 Mhz, but the card will crash like there's no tomorrow at that speed on some games
running them at 950 Mhz makes it better but still random crashes but much less than at 1000 Mhz, at 925 Mhz (reference speed) it runs stable for long long hours/days,
it does the same with either card, as a single card system or crossfire system
again that might as well be driver related, but it's very hard to figure out if it's a hardware issue or driver issue.

if it was a hardware issue it should still crash at 925 Mhz, but it doesn't do it, so it's weird....


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does anybody kow if that perticular 7970 can voltage unlock?
> Also, what is the min fps in BF3 max out, 1080p. I was watching a youtube vid and his fps went to 62 in the gulf of omen map.


All 7970s can clock and voltage unlock. I run my Lightning at 1200/1600 and I can maintain a solid 60fps in BF3 at 1080, with Ultra/2xMSAA/no AA Post/no Motion Blur. If I go to 4xMSAA I get dips into the 50s and it's very noticeable.

I'm very tempted to jump ship to nVidia once they release their new flagship anyway. I'm getting all sorts of stupid crap (and yes I've tried at stock) like texture flickering, game crashes, sudden framedrops/lag. Sometimes it wakes from sleep properly and other times I launch a game and get 20fps.

On 12.4 but I had it on 12.3, just not as severe. The only reason I haven't already gone 680 is because I can't stand having an even number for my vRAM :/ Plus no Lightning version yet.


----------



## Daffie82

Some people here have tips for improving image quality in Mass Effect 3 with my card??
The built in AA settings are quite blurry and it is using FXAA.

Should I use an injector like this one? http://mrhaandi.blogspot.com/p/injectsmaa.html

Should I disable the AA in-game and just force it through CCC ? What would be the best settings quality wise ?

Appreciate any feedback


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Some people here have tips for improving image quality in Mass Effect 3 with my card??
> The built in AA settings are quite blurry and it is using FXAA.
> Should I use an injector like this one? http://mrhaandi.blogspot.com/p/injectsmaa.html
> Should I disable the AA in-game and just force it through CCC ? What would be the best settings quality wise ?
> Appreciate any feedback


No matter what you try you will get bad lines in this title.
Try to force AA via CCC.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> No matter what you try you will get bad lines in this title.
> Try to force AA via CCC.


This means I should deactivate AA in-game for that to work I guess ??


----------



## Ottesen

Guys having crossfire, which card do you put where ? My point is do you take the best card with highest asic on top or what are your thoughts ? I put mine with the highest asic on top because its colder... so even with the card on the bottom giving off heat to it they are somewhat the same temp...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> This means I should deactivate AA in-game for that to work I guess ??


Yes, unless you force it via CCC.


----------



## SkateZilla

could this be used for eyfinity?

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=4&gid=1010&sgid=1128&pid=1413&psn=&lid=1&leg=0

Hook 2 screens to hub, and hub to one display port, and the 3rd screen to the other display port.?


----------



## Testier

My 7970 stock voltage is at 1049, is that too low?

edit: clocked it at 1100-1110 and 1575 and stable.


----------



## Luca T

Hi guys, is it true that disabling the HT you can solve stuttering problem in game?


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> could this be used for eyfinity?
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=4&gid=1010&sgid=1128&pid=1413&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
> Hook 2 screens to hub, and hub to one display port, and the 3rd screen to the other display port.?


I guess theoretically. I've never seen it before. It looks similar to the 2Head2Go from Matrox. Assuming the screens are 1920x1080/1200.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Hi guys, is it true that disabling the HT you can solve stuttering problem in game?


this is very interesting... i'll have to try it and find out


----------



## Wiffinberg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Eliath*
> 
> Hey guys anyone having idle .high clocks problem with the 12.4 Catalyst?
> 
> 
> 
> Your problem is the card goes to 2d clocks. Now what you need to make sure is that there are no videos open or any embedded video on anywebpage. Having any video will cause the card to downclock to abt 500 to play the video or the video will crash and you will get an adobe crash error
Click to expand...

Is there any way to adjust this? its driving me nuts lol second monitor flickers when OCN has flash video adverts

EDIT: just realised I had not disabled hardware acceleration on flash videos







disable this if you have the same issue


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I just noticed they each time my PC fail to come of Monitor Sleep mode some Intel Drivers have been updated.


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> could this be used for eyfinity?
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=4&gid=1010&sgid=1128&pid=1413&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
> Hook 2 screens to hub, and hub to one display port, and the 3rd screen to the other display port.?


in theory it would if it does support the use of DP. it is listed on newegg, but it says DVI - to - Dual-DVI and its $190


----------



## Gabkicks

I just ordered an Asus 7970 Direct CU II Top... ***, i entered in wrong credit card # @ newegg so i missed the sale....


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gabkicks*
> 
> I just ordered an Asus 7970 Direct CU II Top... ***, i entered in wrong credit card # @ newegg so i missed the sale....


Don't buy it. Too many problems with the card. Check with AllGamer. He's having serious issues with both his cards.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I get zero freezes or hiccups. Game plays insanely smooth. For reference, my CPU temps and GPU temps go up 3C playing D3. Really.


well I don't know what to tell you that same 7950 can play other games fine just d3 would lock up for 5 seconds at a time.... just got my 670 yesterday played for hours and haven't had one lockup. not trying to hate was just frustrated. It also took forever to alt+tab from D3 to my desktop with the 7950 but now it takes no time at all...

I am pretty sure it is driver related since I don't think that card was bad....


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nemesis158*
> 
> in theory it would if it does support the use of DP. it is listed on newegg, but it says DVI - to - Dual-DVI and its $190


theres a DisplayPort to 2xDVI too:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999036

I don't think it will work because the Graphics Card will see it as 1 screen at 3840x1080. the box controls everything which is why its $190, its not a MST HUB its a completely separate GPU that powers 2 individual screens from 1 input.

and we all know eyefinity don't like it when displays are different resolutions.


----------



## Warfare

Ordered a Sapphire Dual-X HD 7970 OC 3GB yesterday. It will be waiting for me when I get home today.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Tell you what, I haven't seen any 7970 Lightnings for sale since I snagged my second one back in March! Wonder if MSI is making any more?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Hi guys, is it true that disabling the HT you can solve stuttering problem in game?


No not really games like Crysis 2, Battlefield 3 , Batman arkham city , Metro 2033, Just cause 2 , GTA 4 use all 8 threads just to name a few games though that I have tested benefit from ht on . For me HT is beneficial more often than not .


----------



## SkateZilla

2 Weeks... I Miss my 7950 OC







,

Do you know what its like playing BF3 on ONE screen w/ everything on low, plus the CFG Entires to lower them more, plus lowering the Resolution to 1600x900 and only doing 2x MSAA.

I was playing 3 Screens on HIGH or one Screen on Ultra!!!!!!!!!! Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 2 Weeks... I Miss my 7950 OC
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ,
> Do you know what its like playing BF3 on ONE screen w/ everything on low, plus the CFG Entires to lower them more, plus lowering the Resolution to 1600x900 and only doing 2x MSAA.
> I was playing 3 Screens on HIGH or one Screen on Ultra!!!!!!!!!! Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


What happened to your card?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Tell you what, I haven't seen any 7970 Lightnings for sale since I snagged my second one back in March! Wonder if MSI is making any more?


They have been coming in but in a trickle. I grabbed my 3rd one at the end of april from newegg after one of the first i recieved was doa. Wouldnt be surprised ifbthey are just stock pileing


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> What happened to your card?


read about 10-15 pages back... it went poof on the screensaver.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> They have been coming in but in a trickle. I grabbed my 3rd one at the end of april from newegg after one of the first i recieved was doa. Wouldnt be surprised ifbthey are just stock pileing


Superior Binning...

Strickly Bin the Lightnings to make them better than everyone else.


----------



## SkateZilla

Supposedly the problem with the ASUS 4 Display port cards is the system ram, if the system ram is under or overclocked, it will cause the ASUS card to have a fit.


----------



## Irocing

Sapphire 7970 OC Edition.

Here's Mine.
Coming from 5770's CF.

Pretty impressed, Just one of these tear up my old highly clocked and volted 5770's.
Was going to put it under water but see no reason now.

1200/1600, slight volt increase, Under 1.200 and stay cool during benching and games.Pretty sure can go higher
on Core and Mem but good for now.

Few Pics.

















































Will get serious on clocking it Later but going to enjoy for awhile.

Later


----------



## SkateZilla

im gonna upgrade my CPU/GPU this summer from my FX8120/7950 combo to a FX8xxx(Pile Driver) and a HD7970 OC,

i want to try and do water cooling on the GPU as my house doesnt have A/C.. and Running my old PC is pretty much my heating in the winter.


----------



## Simkin

Just got Deus EX - Human Revolution, and i experience some bad stuttering and lag.. Moving around and entering a new area or a new room make my fps drop from 120 to 80-90 and then up again for no reason, no action going on, just walking around.. sometimes it can drop as far as 60fps and up again, making it a really laggy experience..

The game is updated via steam, and i use the latest 8.97 driver..

Any solution?


----------



## SkateZilla

try playing the new final fantasy online... lol.


----------



## ericld

Got my 7970 up to 1100/1450 at 1.18v. What does the power setting do.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Tell you what, I haven't seen any 7970 Lightnings for sale since I snagged my second one back in March! Wonder if MSI is making any more?


I haven't seen any either now you mention it. That's the reason I have a 7970 in the first place, my 580 Lightning Xtreme was faulty. It's nice having the extra performance but I wish I'd been able to keep that card - it fit my colour scheme perfectly, and 580 just has a nice ring to it that neither 480, 7970, or 680 have. And it seemed more solid than the card I have now, even though it didn't have the backplate.


----------



## BradleyW

If i go 7970 CF, will i bottleneck the cards at PCIE 2.0 x8?


----------



## Exostenza

This is the second time this has happened when I take my computer out of sleep in the past few months (got my card pretty much at launch). Other than this happening twice everything works flawlessly. Should I just ignore it or should I RMA it as it might lead to problems down the road?

This is a RAM issue correct?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If i go 7970 CF, will i bottleneck the cards at PCIE 2.0 x8?


Not really, no.


----------



## firstchoicett

looking to get some score of those who musing this card with the i7 980X I want to get some reviews who 3-4 cards scaling with the i7 980X.

Thanks.


----------



## firstchoicett

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> This is the second time this has happened when I take my computer out of sleep in the past few months (got my card pretty much at launch). Other than this happening twice everything works flawlessly. Should I just ignore it or should I RMA it as it might lead to problems down the road?
> This is a RAM issue correct?


It can either be RAM or your card overhead real bad..

Should first try changing the thermal paste see if that works.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If i go 7970 CF, will i bottleneck the cards at PCIE 2.0 x8?


Since you're on a pair of 580's now, why not just go for a 690?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firstchoicett*
> 
> It can either be RAM or your card overhead real bad..
> Should first try changing the thermal paste see if that works.


Why would it have anything to do with the thermal paste?

Changing the thermal paste in general is a waste of time and effort in my opinion.

What is pre-applied is good enough I think.

The problem the OP occasionally gets might be a software issue.

Resume issues with the 7xx0 series is somewhat a common issue.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firstchoicett*
> 
> It can either be RAM or your card overhead real bad..
> Should first try changing the thermal paste see if that works.


Thats the driver ever since i upgraded form 12.3 I get it ever now and then ;.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If i go 7970 CF, will i bottleneck the cards at PCIE 2.0 x8?


No not much at all when I was running 2 way crossfire @ x16 i had a avg of 1-7 fps more then 8x in most games i ran but the way my motherboard is for my trifire now is i have my top 2 cards @ x8 and my bottom card @ x16 Stupid hydralogix chip on my board wish it was a nf200 chip instead .


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Superior Binning...
> Strickly Bin the Lightnings to make them better than everyone else.


This is patently false. The MSI rep, MSIAlex has gone as far as he could to dispel this urban legend in saying that they do not bin for overclocking. The top end cards are binned as far as hitting voltage requirement for the ADVERTISED clock speed, and NO HIGHER. You are not guaranteed any degree of overclock beyond the advertised clock speed.

That said, you can keep your Lightning. Do not want.

What I do want is three more freaking crazy Sapphire OC's. I just tested one out on air, and with the little time I had with it, it was running 1180/1600 on stock volts. I'm just waiting to get a waterblock on it lol. It's a shame to put a block on it though, the cooler looks quite hefty and done right.

AMD's fab yields are superb right now.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is patently false. The MSI rep, MSIAlex has gone as far as he could to dispel this urban legend in saying that they do not bin for overclocking. The top end cards are binned as far as hitting voltage requirement for the ADVERTISED clock speed, and NO HIGHER. You are not guaranteed any degree of overclock beyond the advertised clock speed.
> That said, you can keep your Lightning. Do not want.
> What I do want is three more freaking crazy Sapphire OC's. I just tested one out on air, and with the little time I had with it, it was running 1180/1600 on stock volts. I'm just waiting to get a waterblock on it lol. It's a shame to put a block on it though, the cooler looks quite hefty and done right.
> AMD's fab yields are superb right now.


You are right about the sapphire hd 7970 oc. Unless you really need the extra 10% perf I wouldn't bother pushing it further. But if you still wanna go for it with a water block 1300 might be doable.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/3


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> You are right about the sapphire hd 7970 oc. Unless you really need the extra 10% perf I wouldn't bother pushing it further. But if you still wanna go for it with a water block 1300 might be doable.
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/3


Might be doable? Try most likely WILL be doable. another 120mhz with that much voltage left is nothing. I'm able to pull 1300 on air on 2 of my 7970s, so on water on a card like that, he might see 1350.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Why would it have anything to do with the thermal paste?
> Changing the thermal paste in general is a waste of time and effort in my opinion.
> What is pre-applied is good enough I think.
> 
> The problem the OP occasionally gets might be a software issue.
> Resume issues with the 7xx0 series is somewhat a common issue.


Yeah it must be software as now that I think about it I have gotten this two times on 12.4 only. It has had no problems before this driver set.

Also to the other guy my temps are idle 31C and max 61C gaming - now way it is my temps lol.

Well I hope AMD fixes the issue in 12.5...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, the OC limits of my Lightnings is kinda disappointing. The ASIC of my second card is only 66% so so much for binning. Really starting to wish I was water cooled, especially when I can only get to stage 12 of the Heaven bench before hitting 85C at 1225MHz / 1287mV...


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Yeah, the OC limits of my Lightnings is kinda disappointing. The ASIC of my second card is only 66% so so much for binning. Really starting to wish I was water cooled, especially when I can only get to stage 12 of the Heaven bench before hitting 85C at 1225MHz / 1287mV...


Dang dude. I get 1200 @ 1.225v on my ASIC 68%. I don't think the ASIC really means much on AMD as they said they made it specifically for nVidia and it doesn't really mean much for AMD.


----------



## Imprezzion

My ASIC is pretty high, mid 80s, supposedly meaning its a voltage hog and bad to OC on air.

Which is sooo not true. 1200Mhz stable on 1.188v and 1250Mhz stable as a rock on 1.262v. That aint bad at all so I think ASIC is either pretty meaningless or totally misinterpeted. (or however you're supposed to spell that word







)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> My ASIC is pretty high, mid 80s, supposedly meaning its a voltage hog and bad to OC on air.
> Which is sooo not true. 1200Mhz stable on 1.188v and 1250Mhz stable as a rock on 1.262v. That aint bad at all so I think ASIC is either pretty meaningless or totally misinterpeted. (or however you're supposed to spell that word
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


High asic % equals the opposite actually. It requires less volts to achieve stock clocks and generally runs cooler making them excellent for aircooling. Asic % however doesn't correlate at all to overclocking. That is purely up to the silicon lottery. I've come across a 71% asic card that runs 1200mhz at 1.12v. I hope it's a lottery winner and all signs point to that conclusion.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Hey guys, been reading the last few pages on ASIC talk and just wanted to chip in my experience. My Sapphire OC 7950 (which I LOVE to death right now.....) has an ASIC of 75%, and I am able to hit 1200Mhz on 1.225v with 1700Mhz on the memory. So yeah it kind of helps the argument that it doesn't necessarily mean that a high ASIC will give great overclocking, and likewise it doesn't automatically render a low ASIC chip useless. Mine keeps around 70 - 75C gaming with that setting, and I am more than happy with that. I changed my case to a Corsair 300R to help with air flow once I realised just what a beast it was at OC'ing. Added a side panel fan to that and it has dropped my temps around 8C or so. I love the fact that my 2nd tier card from the 'inferior' manufacture destroys the oppositions flagship product. Even though I paid top dollar for the 7950 near release, I do not regret my purchase for a second.

Personally I think the 7900 series is WAY underclocked, and had they been released 100 - 150Mhz faster at stock, we would hear a lot of reviewers singing a different tune when comparing the newer cards to AMD's line up.

Just my 2 cents


----------



## General_Jaja

Running 1.125mV at 1200/1700. No changes on memory voltages either. Temps with 60% fan staying around 55 degrees while playing BF3.


----------



## Warfare

Sapphire 7970 OC is a beast. Enjoying the insane power already.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firstchoicett*
> 
> It can either be RAM or your card overhead real bad..
> Should first try changing the thermal paste see if that works.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> This is the second time this has happened when I take my computer out of sleep in the past few months (got my card pretty much at launch). Other than this happening twice everything works flawlessly. Should I just ignore it or should I RMA it as it might lead to problems down the road?
> This is a RAM issue correct?


i get that a lot, randomly, and it's either driver crashing on me, or overheating issue

i have to keep my fans pretty much at 100% to avoid that, and it makes an insane amount of noise

thinking of going water for my 2x 7970

problem is all the water block sold are only for reference 7970


----------



## SkateZilla

everytime mine went to sleep, it never woke up, so i turned off suspend and set screensaver, and the screen saver killed the card

(i guess running the screensaver uses Direct3d and with the card in Low power/desktop mode it fried it?)


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i get that a lot, randomly, and it's either driver crashing on me, or overheating issue
> i have to keep my fans pretty much at 100% to avoid that, and it makes an insane amount of noise
> thinking of going water for my 2x 7970
> problem is all the water block sold are only for reference 7970


EK (I think) make a DCII 7970 fullcover block


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> everytime mine went to sleep, it never woke up, so i turned off suspend and set screensaver, and the screen saver killed the card
> (i guess running the screensaver uses Direct3d and with the card in Low power/desktop mode it fried it?)


I just use the blank "screen saver". I used 3d text for a while. Had GPU-Z recording and found that card one clocked up to 1000 core when the screen saver was running. Your story sounds highly likely.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> everytime mine went to sleep, it never woke up, so i turned off suspend and set screensaver, and the screen saver killed the card
> (i guess running the screensaver uses Direct3d and with the card in Low power/desktop mode it fried it?)
> 
> 
> 
> I just use the blank "screen saver". I used 3d text for a while. Had GPU-Z recording and found that card one clocked up to 1000 core when the screen saver was running. Your story sounds highly likely.
Click to expand...

That shouldn't be a problem unless the fan turns off during screensavers. I dont know if it does as I normally just let the screen turn off instead


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i get that a lot, randomly, and it's either driver crashing on me, or overheating issue
> i have to keep my fans pretty much at 100% to avoid that, and it makes an insane amount of noise
> thinking of going water for my 2x 7970
> problem is all the water block sold are only for reference 7970


Check your idle temps with the normal fan profile as it is not a heating issue I get it with a 31C idle which is completely normal for the card. It is a software issue coming out of suspension. Future drivers will fix it - it is not your hardware.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Check your idle temps with the normal fan profile as it is not a heating issue I get it with a 31C idle which is completely normal for the card. It is a software issue coming out of suspension. Future drivers will fix it - it is not your hardware.


i'm still hoping that's the case, we'll know when the official 12.5 comes out

either way, i've already started shopping for another card that's hopefully more stable


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> That shouldn't be a problem unless the fan turns off during screensavers. I dont know if it does as I normally just let the screen turn off instead


I doubt they did, i have them at 69% all the time, anything above that i got grinding sounds coming from the fans., even when playing BF3 in eyefinity it never got above 70^C that i saw. but i lowered the res down a notch or 2 to get better frames/sec. But the desktop was a full 5760x1080, running Mystify (i think that was the screensaver i had on).

I've been playing on beyond low settings w/ the 8800 GTS, i may just leave everything on Low/Med when i get the replacement back, as Im used to it now. There is a difference, people that say that cant see a difference are lying, side by side shots, you can see the difference, running around not so much.

I may just start turning off the screens w/ the power buttons.

I dont think it was a heat issue, it coulda been anything, i wouldn't be surprised if a fly or something saw the lights on my mainboard and decided to fly through the 200mm side fan and spray the GFX card with guts... but it was clean when i inspected it, and the odd looking things in the solder joints on the backside were in photos i took during the un-boxing, so if those were the problem then there were present out of the box.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Check your idle temps with the normal fan profile as it is not a heating issue I get it with a 31C idle which is completely normal for the card. It is a software issue coming out of suspension. Future drivers will fix it - it is not your hardware.


mine idled in the 25^C range when its about 75^F in the room.


----------



## Daffie82

Guys, got some questions for the people here playing Mass Effect 3 with a single 7950/7970 GPU

As you all probably know the AA in-game is kinda bad. So I turned it OFF in-game.
Here are my settings :



Now I forced AA through CCC.
My settings look like this now :



Recording with FRAPS I noticed this is the highest AA I can use to get an almost steady 60 FPS.
If I use for instance 8xSSAA it fails to hold 60 FPS.

Now should I tweak some other settings in CCC or maybe in-game to get even better graphics?
Can I set the level of AA higher and keep 60 FPS by making other tweaks maybe (in-game and/or CCC) ?
Maybe use MLAA ? And how will that affect the overall graphics in the game if I would use MLAA together with 4xEQSSAA I am using now.

EDIT : Is it maybe better to use an injector like for ex. this one : http://mrhaandi.blogspot.com/p/injectsmaa.html ?

Thanks for the feedback !


----------



## SkateZilla

MLAA is shader based and usually faster.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> MLAA is shader based and usually faster.


Yeah but selecting morphological filtering together with 8xSSAA was also not giving me steady 60 FPS...

I am on 12.4 WHQL by the way


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Yeah but selecting morphological filtering together with 8xSSAA was also not giving me steady 60 FPS...
> I am on 12.4 WHQL by the way


Use one or the other - not both.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

The Sleep bug is driving me mad. For some reason using Ccleaner Uninstall Utility i see 2 programs from Intel
(Management Engine Components)
(USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver)

These 2 programs both change their Install Date to the current date when the Sleep Bug happens. Its like they are reseting or have some bug causing the GPU to fail to come to Desktop.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> The Sleep bug is driving me mad. For some reason using Ccleaner Uninstall Utility i see 2 programs from Intel
> (Management Engine Components)
> (USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver)
> These 2 programs both change their Install Date to the current date when the Sleep Bug happens. Its like they are reseting or have some bug causing the GPU to fail to come to Desktop.


You might want to tweet that to who ever runs the Catalyst twitter account. Maybe it could help them out.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> You might want to tweet that to who ever runs the Catalyst twitter account. Maybe it could help them out.


Management Engine Components monitors installed Intel components....

I dont have this on my system at all since i run AMD all around.. but i still had the suspend bug.

i think it has to do with the power features, the card downclocks and when it suspends it goes to Zero State or whatever.

wonder if its a wake up on xxxxxxxxxx option in the bios thats messing this up.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Management Engine Components monitors installed Intel components....
> I dont have this on my system at all since i run AMD all around.. but i still had the suspend bug.
> i think it has to do with the power features, the card downclocks and when it suspends it goes to Zero State or whatever.
> wonder if its a wake up on xxxxxxxxxx option in the bios thats messing this up.


It does not happen all the time. The time it happens increases if i turn my monitor off instead of letting it go to sleep. When i had RC11 Driver it never happen. Every driver after 12.2 does it. I just dont want to use a 5 months old driver lol.


----------



## SkateZilla

Zero State Bug?


----------



## Nastrodamous

Alright guys i got my overclock stable at stock voltages 1120/1750. How do i go about increasing the voltage and overclocking more? Do i set a voltage and then run a test to check temps and see if the temps are to my liking or do i just slowly increase the voltage?

Thanks
Dreday.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Use one or the other - not both.


Ok, so if you look at my screenshot of my CCC settings, what do I need to do ?
Just tick Morphological filtering to on and leave all the rest like in the screenshot ?


----------



## BradleyW

Will my motherboard bottleneck 2 7970's at 1200Mhz core each? Cheers.


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ok, so if you look at my screenshot of my CCC settings, what do I need to do ?
> Just tick Morphological filtering to on and leave all the rest like in the screenshot ?


I haven't played ME3, but I assume you turn on morphological in the AMD CCC profile for the game and turn off AA in the actual game. That should do it.

Although MAA looks like someone slightly smeared Vaseline over everything. You might like it as it has little no no performance impact or you might not like it as it does blur everything.


----------



## Nemesis158

Im fairly certain that the DisplayPort controller on my card is going out. I can no longer play BF3 in eyefinity on my card. Every time i try to play i get the blackout issue. The card is running at stock. i have swapped the adapters, atiman uninstalled and reinstalled drivers: 8.95RC 12.3 and 12.5 beta to no avail.
i even tried switching to the secondary bios on my card. nothing helped. so im asking Sapphire if i can rma it


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys having crossfire, which card do you put where ? My point is do you take the best card with highest asic on top or what are your thoughts ? I put mine with the highest asic on top because its colder... so even with the card on the bottom giving off heat to it they are somewhat the same temp...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*


Higher asic TOP.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Higher asic TOP.


Cool, thanks man !


----------



## XDyuXD

The problems are back and worst now








I was using 12.4, after a while (2-5mins) using Adobe Photoshop CS6 or Sony Vegas 11 the video driver just crashes, the same from videos on VLC or Klite. Browsing and games seems to work fine , played 1 hours or skyrim without problems and even OCCT. When I'm running OCCT, the gpu voltage goes down to 0.914v (GPU-z) even with me changing it on MSI Afterburner, is that a bios problem? Mine is a Sapphire Dual Fan OC, I think the firsts one. And the computer crashes if I leave it in idle for a long time.


----------



## Testier

Overclocked to 1200 core and 1575 memory with 1125 mv core voltage and 1600mv memory voltage(I think is stock). Stable but just some noises from the card, which I think is whining. Running on a custom fanprofile(I think) Please update , thank you.

Edit: Pretty sure is stable but could use further testing. A lot more testing.


----------



## Testier

moved the core voltage up to 1137mv for stability. Crashed in bf3.


----------



## Nastrodamous

Anybody know why I cant get the voltage to go up no matter what i use trixx or afterner burner it wont go past 1175?


----------



## Testier

lol, my overclocked card artifacts in 3dmark but not in bf3.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nastrodamous*
> 
> Anybody know why I cant get the voltage to go up no matter what i use trixx or afterner burner it wont go past 1175?


Don't know about Trixx but in AB you have to enable UOM (unofficial overclock method) or use the -xcl trick to unlock voltage control. Either way is well detailed here on OCN....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Don't know about Trixx but in AB you have to enable UOM (unofficial overclock method) or use the -xcl trick to unlock voltage control. Either way is well detailed here on OCN....


That's for unlocking the overclock limits.

To unlock voltage you just check the unlock voltage button. You have to have the proper ati dll for clock control though.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's for unlocking the overclock limits.
> To unlock voltage you just check the unlock voltage button. You have to have the proper ati dll for clock control though.


Does 12.4 WHQL have that .dll file? Because I haven't added it to this drive since installing Win7. I wasn't able to unlock voltage until I enabled UOM...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Does 12.4 WHQL have that .dll file? Because I haven't added it to this drive since installing Win7. I wasn't able to unlock voltage until I enabled UOM...


AB 2.2 and up auto adds the files required now since the catalyst team in all their wisdom removed them.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Ahhh, that explains it. So no UOM is required to adjust voltages anymore?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Ahhh, that explains it. So no UOM is required to adjust voltages anymore?


I don't think it ever did...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I don't think it ever did...


This.


----------



## Penryn

So the 12.5 preview driver caused texture problems in Diablo III and Skyrim. Going back to 12.4 fixed them in case anyone else was experiencing a low quality texture bug.


----------



## Andrazh

I had my card out and I found out what caused it to be stuck at 8x pcie speed.



One of those resistors is missing>_>
Does anyone have any idea how do i fix it? sapphire probably wont rma it since its broken off?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I had my card out and I found out what caused it to be stuck at 8x pcie speed.
> 
> One of those resistors is missing>_>
> Does anyone have any idea how do i fix it? sapphire probably wont rma it since its broken off?


what mainboard and chipset do you have?

PCIe 8X could be a chipset limitation,


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> what mainboard and chipset do you have?
> PCIe 8X could be a chipset limitation,


That seems odd that anyone using a 79XX would have a limitation unless it was in crossfire. My P8P67 pro uses 8x/8x when in crossfire or if the gpu is in the second PCI-E slot and the others below it are in use.

In this case, I say we need way more info on the setup.


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> The problems are back and worst now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was using 12.4, after a while (2-5mins) using Adobe Photoshop CS6 or Sony Vegas 11 the video driver just crashes, the same from videos on VLC or Klite. Browsing and games seems to work fine , played 1 hours or skyrim without problems and even OCCT. When I'm running OCCT, the gpu voltage goes down to 0.914v (GPU-z) even with me changing it on MSI Afterburner, is that a bios problem? Mine is a Sapphire Dual Fan OC, I think the firsts one. And the computer crashes if I leave it in idle for a long time.


Anyone can help? Fresh install of Windows 7 with fresh drivers and still have the problem.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Have you tried it with no AB?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Have you tried it with no AB?


I concur. My driver crashes if I have AB on and it goes to sleep.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I know on my system anyway that AB and CCC don't mix...


----------



## KazeyMe

So here is what i did try out on my ,i so love it, Sapphire 7950 OC Dual-X :
Link to the card i did get : http://xtreview.com/addcomment-id-22266-view-Sapphire-Radeon-HD-7950-Dual-X.html
Did try it out with Unigine Heaven DX11 Benchmarktest :
Settings : 2560x1440 / 8x AA / Shaders: high / Textures: high / Filter: trilinear / Anisotropy : 4x
Occlusion: enabled / Refraction : enabled / Volumetric : enabled / Tessellation: disabled

Stock Setting on Trixx: 810 Mhz GPU / 1250 Mhz Ram / VDDC 0,943 -> Result: FPS: 41,6 / Scores: 1047



OC 1st Step: 930 Mhz GPU / 1350 Mhz Ram / VDDC 0,943 -> Result: FPS 47,3 / Scores: 1190



Going higher than 930 Mhz on GPU i did have screen freezes ( any ideas why? ) . So I decided to give the volts a little boost.

OC 2nd Step : 1000Mhz GPU / 1500 Mhz Ram / VDDC 1,006 -> Result: FPS 50,1 / Scores: 1261



Furmark 1920 x 1080 15min Benchmark : max Temp: 69°C Burn-In Score : 3017 Points


----------



## AllGamer

a combination of things seems to have made my system more stable now

i can finally run my 2x 7970 at 1000 mhz for 5 hours straight, which crashed afterwards in mid game

probably due temperature or something else

and D3 did not get DCed for 5 hrs straight, that was a major breakthrough record for both!









not sure what else i can do about the temperature

the fans on both cards are running at 100% already

and right next to it, there are 2x 120mm door fans blowing right to both 7970

unfortunately every time it crashes i have to reboot the PC, and i don't get to see how high the temp went up to

and most likely the heat problem is not on the GPU rather the VRM which we have no proper way of knowing the exact temperature until it crashes and shows those lines on the monitor


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> a combination of things seems to have made my system more stable now
> i can finally run my 2x 7970 at 1000 mhz for 5 hours straight, which crashed afterwards in mid game
> probably due temperature or something else
> and D3 did not get DCed for 5 hrs straight, that was a major breakthrough record for both!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> not sure what else i can do about the temperature
> the fans on both cards are running at 100% already
> and right next to it, there are 2x 120mm door fans blowing right to both 7970
> unfortunately every time it crashes i have to reboot the PC, and i don't get to see how high the temp went up to
> and most likely the heat problem is not on the GPU rather the VRM which we have no proper way of knowing the exact temperature until it crashes and shows those lines on the monitor


Diablo 3 is an odd game. I can't have my OC at its usual 1100mhz core because the GPU heats up more in that game than any other. The fan noise just becomes ridiculous so I had to drop to 1000. My gpu was hitting 90 in D3 which is 15C higher than most other games I play. I wonder why 8/. Also, which drivers are you using? I went from 12.5 leaked beta to 12.4 and the temps dropped by about 5-10C.


----------



## AllGamer

y es usin g 12.4 official as well

not letting the card go into idle mode also helped a lot on stability


----------



## BradleyW

Would 2 7970's at 1.2Ghz Core be bottlenecked by my pci-e 2.0 x8 x8 config and max graphics, 1080p?

Thank you.


----------



## CyberDeath

What is beter 3x MSI R7950-2PMD3GD5/OC + 3xFullcover water blok = 1180€ or go for 2x MSI R7970 Lightning + 2xUniversal Water Block = 1060€ .


----------



## XDyuXD

Same Things happens without AB, the after sometime the screen goes all corrupt with little red dots and black, the "the video driver stopped working".


----------



## neoroy

Hello guys








I wanna join this club, may I? Already sent my details via "REGISTER" on page 1.
Btw this is my first 7970 overclocking with default voltage :



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Soon when my Thermalright Archon arrives I will do 4.5GHz or 4.8GHz for my procie, I think its abit bottleneck with 4.2GHz, my GPU score should abit higher than that...am I right or wrong??


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Would 2 7970's at 1.2Ghz Core be bottlenecked by my pci-e 2.0 x8 x8 config and max graphics, 1080p?
> Thank you.


no but you would not need 2 for 1080p 1 is plenty anough . 2 is def overkill 1 should be able to max most games


----------



## XDyuXD

This artifacts show, then the video drivers crashes, I was using CS6 without AB, stock clocks, everything stock:


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> no but you would not need 2 for 1080p 1 is plenty anough . 2 is def overkill 1 should be able to max most games


So 2 7970's at 1080p will not be bottlenecked by PCI-E 2.0 x8 x8, just to confirm? I need to know wether or not to go Ivy/Z77 for PCI-E 3.0 or not.

Thanks mate.


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So 2 7970's at 1080p will not be bottlenecked by PCI-E 2.0 x8 x8, just to confirm? I need to know wether or not to go Ivy/Z77 for PCI-E 3.0 or not.
> Thanks mate.


No, not at all.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So 2 7970's at 1080p will not be bottlenecked by PCI-E 2.0 x8 x8, just to confirm? I need to know wether or not to go Ivy/Z77 for PCI-E 3.0 or not.
> Thanks mate.


Shouldn't be a bottleneck at PCIE 2.0 but I'd still go with a Z77 anyway if I were you. That Z77 Sabertooth looks yummy!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Shouldn't be a bottleneck at PCIE 2.0 but I'd still go with a Z77 anyway if I were you. That Z77 Sabertooth looks yummy!


Why still get Z77 if x8 x8 pcie 2.0 is fine for me? Just for looks lol?


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> y es usin g 12.4 official as well
> not letting the card go into idle mode also helped a lot on stability


How do you manage to do that?, Where could I change that option, ccc???.-


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Why still get Z77 if x8 x8 pcie 2.0 is fine for me? Just for looks lol?


Lol, of course! I simply have to get the newest/best stuff I can (hence me building this SB-E rig with my perfectly fine 2600k/P67 Sabertooth build collecting dust on the desk)! It's a disease, I swear!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I haven't played ME3, but I assume you turn on morphological in the AMD CCC profile for the game and turn off AA in the actual game. That should do it.
> Although MAA looks like someone slightly smeared Vaseline over everything. You might like it as it has little no no performance impact or you might not like it as it does blur everything.


Thanks for explaining man !
+rep

I will not use MLAA in that case, since I do not like any blur








Will leave it at 4xEQSSAA


----------



## vonalka

I have CC 12.3 installed and the auto updater tells me that there is a new driver (12.4) and so I click to download it and proceed with the installation, however after it finishes installing it still shows that I am using 12.3 and if I click "check for updates" in CC it again shows that 12.4 is available and tells me to download it.

Do I need to fully uninstall 12.3 before installing 12.4?


----------



## Nastrodamous

I still can't figure out why trixx and afterbuner wont let me over volt my card, I did the unofficial overclock,enable volt control in ab and disabled ulps in trixx, but it still wont work, Anybody else have any ideas.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nastrodamous*
> 
> I still can't figure out why trixx and afterbuner wont let me over volt my card, I did the unofficial overclock,enable volt control in ab and disabled ulps in trixx, but it still wont work, Anybody else have any ideas.


That should be it then. You sure you are using AB 2.2.1? That's the latest.

All I did was install it, change the .cfg file to enable UOM, and disabled ULPS in the REGEDIT. If you are using an older AB you have to copy/pasted the disclaimer into the .cfg file as well I believe...


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Hi guys, i am wiht 2x 7970 in cross fire x, using water cooling, already with asus bios, msi ab unlocked for overclock, but when i try to pass 1300mhz in the core clock and 1600mhz in the memory frequency, the image crashes and the pc restarts, itried 3d11 and 3d vantage, and in both done this... Someone know what is this??

Thanks.


----------



## XDyuXD

Here, I made a video showing my problem with CS6, just edited some random stuff to show the problem:


----------



## Evil Penguin

Doesn't look like that set of drivers is playing well with CS6 in your case.

Do other programs/games do that (artifact)?


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> no but you would not need 2 for 1080p 1 is plenty anough . 2 is def overkill 1 should be able to max most games


1 is not plenty enough, I can't run BF3 completely maxed at 60fps, and TW2 runs ~30fps totally maxed out. If you want to max everything you have to have 2.


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Doesn't look like that set of drivers is playing well with CS6 in your case.
> Do other programs/games do that (artifact)?


Sometimes the video driver randomly crashes, but OCCT fine, and 2hours of skyrim fine too


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Sometimes the video driver randomly crashes, but OCCT fine, and 2hours of skyrim fine too


Have you tried other driver versions?


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Have you tried other driver versions?


Yup, 12.3,12.4 and 12.5 all do the same thing.


----------



## Testier

fixed the 3d mark 11 problem by rebooting.... Now it is at 1200 core with 1137 mv core voltage and 1700 at 1649 mem voltage. Didn't really use powertune.....(I think). Yeah, I am pretty happy with my overclock.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Lol, of course! I simply have to get the newest/best stuff I can (hence me building this SB-E rig with my perfectly fine 2600k/P67 Sabertooth build collecting dust on the desk)! It's a disease, I swear!


Just out of curiosity here; why do you always need the newest and best stuff? I know you like showing off with benching results, but I hope that is not the only reason for throwing your money out of the window.
And like I said just out of interest, not judging here. You can do with your money what you like of course


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Just out of curiosity here; why do you always need the newest and best stuff? I know you like showing off with benching results, but I hope that is not the only reason for throwing your money out of the window.
> And like I said just out of interest, not judging here. You can do with your money what you like of course


Quad 6950s wasn't enough lol.


----------



## wirefox

I just upgraded my sig rig to

RIVE
3930k
corsair ssd m4 256
16g corsair dominators 2133
2x 7970s

new O/S install in process updating, adding games etc... then going for the dreaded ... AMD Video driver ...

My experience with my sig rig was that RC11 and the most recent 12.4 caps ran my cards well with my hardware...

Wondering what drivers folks are using with a simliar set up ? - mostly playing BF3, swtor, batman .. and will fold eventually ...

just want to try to not have to many driver instals. I know it's a lot to ask for ..


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nastrodamous*
> 
> I still can't figure out why trixx and afterbuner wont let me over volt my card, I did the unofficial overclock,enable volt control in ab and disabled ulps in trixx, but it still wont work, Anybody else have any ideas.


Some cards are factory locked in their voltage. I had 2 x Gigabyte Windforce 6950's and I could never clock them that high because they had factory locked volts. You could unlock them, but it required actually modifying the hardware according to some posts I read up on. So since I had 2 I just decided to leave them be.

Don't know if this is the same thing that your card is experiencing, but sometimes, I have learned, software can't solve everything.

Good luck with it anyway. I am sure there is a fix for it but I thought that might help sort out what may be the problem. Factory locked cards don't seem to be too common from what I see.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> what mainboard and chipset do you have?
> PCIe 8X could be a chipset limitation,


I have 2500k and p8z68v.

And i know for a fact that there should be a resistor. I guess i bumped my card and it fell of. From then on it only shows 8x and it only works in secondary slot on mobo. Wierd.
Does any one know where i could get a resistor like that? I could find someone to solder it on.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Just out of curiosity here; *why do you always need the newest and best stuff?* I know you like showing off with benching results, but I hope that is not the only reason for throwing your money out of the window.
> And like I said just out of interest, not judging here. You can do with your money what you like of course


I don't know really. My wife would like an answer on that as well!







It's just my hobby I guess...


----------



## DMT94

My second Gigabyte 7950 Windforce GV-R795WF3-3GD Will be here Tuesday







Lots of overclocking to be done !


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Yup, 12.3,12.4 and 12.5 all do the same thing.


What did you have your memory clocked to? I find that OCing mem has a bigger effect on when and how my drivers crash and screen flickers than when I just OC core.

EDIT: 2500 posts!


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> What did you have your memory clocked to? I find that OCing mem has a bigger effect on when and how my drivers crash and screen flickers than when I just OC core.
> EDIT: 2500 posts!


No overclock at all, stock clock 1250mhz.


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> No overclock at all, stock clock 1250mhz.


Hmm. Not sure then. I hate to suggest these things but, any way to try with a clean install of windows with just CS5? May be a software conflict the likes of which we are not aware.


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Hmm. Not sure then. I hate to suggest these things but, any way to try with a clean install of windows with just CS5? May be a software conflict the likes of which we are not aware.


Yeah, tried a fresh install of windows with 12.4 drivers and CS6 and still crashes.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Sorry made a mistake.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Hi guys, i am wiht 2x 7970 in cross fire x, using water cooling, already with asus bios, msi ab unlocked for overclock, but when i try to pass 1300mhz in the core clock and 1600mhz in the memory frequency, the image crashes and the pc restarts, itried 3d11 and 3d vantage, and in both done this... Someone know what is this??
> Thanks.


Anyone?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Anyone?


You have obviously hit the limit of your card. 1300 is not very common with 7970s. 1250mhz is more common... back off the clockspeed a little and enjoy your OC


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Yeah, tried a fresh install of windows with 12.4 drivers and CS6 and still crashes.


CS6 is different and it supports OpenCL. This could be an issue with OpenCL. I would contact Adobe and AMD support about it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Anyone?


You've hit your max clocks most likely. I have 7950s under water and got to 1300/1850 max, anything past that would crash. I don't think you need anything past that honestly.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> 1 is not plenty enough, I can't run BF3 completely maxed at 60fps, and TW2 runs ~30fps totally maxed out. If you want to max everything you have to have 2.


if you running a 7970 at stock you wont be able to completely max out battlefield 3 however if you overclocked the card to a minimum of 1.25GHz core you able max the game out completely...i have tried this and its not super smooth but you be able to have fun....push it a little further and everything will iron out


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I don't know really. My wife would like an answer on that as well!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's just my hobby I guess...


My wife's gives me the same too. Too bad I've got a bad back. Planning my next build as a mini-ITX. Waiting on the 7990 before I decide.

On another note. Noticed my card with a lower ASIC has slightly higher temps than the card with the higher ASIC. I thought ASIC was only supposed to affect team green GPU's and has nothing really on AMD GPU's. Anyone with similar ASIC differentials noticing anything different in temps?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Anyone?


One card may be able to surpass 1300 one not.
For example for benching my cards can do 1360/1325, so in xfire both do the lower. I for stable 24/7 I have them running at 1300 on the core. I also something to note is the power restrictions at the hardware level, closer you get to the limit or going past will cause instability regardless of clocks.


----------



## XDyuXD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheJesus*
> 
> CS6 is different and it supports OpenCL. This could be an issue with OpenCL. I would contact Adobe and AMD support about it.


But Sony Vegas 11 crashes the same way.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

I thank you all of you guys... I really don`t need to paas, that were just for benchmarks... I am going to show you what i`ve got...





Do you thins its good?? I am using a tj11 with 2 rads, one of 480mm and 1 of 240mm, but i think my processor temps are too hot... But at the same time, i know that the sandy brigde-e are too hot, because i have a friend that has a moutain mods with 3 x 360 and one chiller and he gots 60 degree on the processor...

Thank you guys.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm certainly envious of your temps but your 3dmark11 run is barely better than mine at a much lower OC:


----------



## DB006

Tri fire 7970's beat quadfire 680's in nearly all benches!!! Tell that to the AMD haters









http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/gtx680_quad_sli_vs_hd7970_quad_crossfirex,19.html

EG

Crossfire 7970's beating quadfire 680's in BF3


----------



## Evil Penguin

It might come as a shocker to some people, but nVidia also has driver issues.









That said I'm sure they will improve the scaling down the line.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It might come as a shocker to some people, but nVidia also has driver issues.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That said I'm sure they will improve the scaling down the line.


Well I do hope so, but nVidia has never had the scaling work well with SLi. AMD have somehow got scaling right with multi-GPU. No doubt in single GPU nV performance is still beating the 7970 (sometimes), but AMD just need to work out the kinks in their drivers, nV still need to fix the damn SLi crap scaling. So glad I stuck with AMD instead of selling the AMD and switching to GTX 680. They're just as expensive as the 7970 in my country and damn hard to find.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Tri fire 7970's beat quadfire 680's in nearly all benches!!! Tell that to the AMD haters
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/gtx680_quad_sli_vs_hd7970_quad_crossfirex,19.html
> EG
> Crossfire 7970's beating quadfire 680's in BF3


Word of advice. Don't ever quote Vortez. Those guys are morons. While I agree AMD scaling right now is much better, that review is just horrific and makes baby jesus cry.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So 2 7970's at 1080p will not be bottlenecked by PCI-E 2.0 x8 x8, just to confirm? I need to know wether or not to go Ivy/Z77 for PCI-E 3.0 or not.
> Thanks mate.


If i was you bro I would save money and get the 2600k or 2700k . I bought the 3770k and returned it casue it would not overclock as high as my 2700k and it does run hotter and in almost every game i played the 3770k was no better then my 2700k i really like my 2700k it overclocks good and im running 5ghz with 1.35v and 1.4v gets me 5.1ghz im sure i could go higher but i see no real gain in doing so.
Also if you just got 1 7970 you could also buy more games and anything you might want for saving money im telling you dude 2 7970s is over kill for 1 1080p screen unless you get more screens in the future but then you can always get another 7970 then and it will be cheaper . But ill tell you this in BF3 when i ran just 2 cards in 8x i only lost 3 fps from 16x so you can overclock just to 1ghz core and gain that 3fps back easy . My 3 cards is really over kill for my 1600p screen i would sell 1 but i like using them for benchmarks with my gtx690 and i would not really get what i paid for it back i have 3 asus matrix 5870s and 2 his 6990s in my room just setting around im thinking of putting on ebay but i reall would not make much selling them plus the 6990s have water blocks on them and i dont have the stock heat sink to put on anymore and not many people would want that . I quit water cooling a while back cause i got tired of all the trouble when you wanted to upgrade .

If i was you I would buy only 1 7970 and get the 2700k or 2600k and used the left over money and bought games or what ever else you might want go water cooling or somthing .


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It might come as a shocker to some people, but nVidia also has driver issues.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That said I'm sure they will improve the scaling down the line.


BTW I have not yet had 1 prob from nvidia drivers coming from 2 gtx680s to 1 gtx690 that im really loveing wish i could get another 690 maybe if i see some in stock and have a few extra dollers ill get 1 .







GTX690 best looking card I have ever bought


----------



## jomama22

i believe nvidia and amd use different aproaches to xfire/sli. I know amd uses afr (alternate frame rendering) which allows for better scaleing but has a tendencey to be quite i.consistant interms of frame rate. I forget what nvidia uses but it allows for worse scaling but better fps consistency


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> i believe nvidia and amd use different aproaches to xfire/sli. I know amd uses afr (alternate frame rendering) which allows for better scaleing but has a tendencey to be quite i.consistant interms of frame rate. I forget what nvidia uses but it allows for worse scaling but better fps consistency


They both actually use different techniques for different games.


----------



## XDyuXD

Now I'm getting radom BSODs when I open something that uses GPU aceleration. With my old HD4850 everything runs fine, gonna send it to warranty tomorrow.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Now I'm getting radom BSODs when I open something that uses GPU aceleration. With my old HD4850 everything runs fine, gonna send it to warranty tomorrow.


It does sound like something's wrong with the card.


----------



## Andrazh

This red circled capacitor/resistor(i cant tell) is missing on my card. Can anyone measure its resistance or uF? I have sapphire radeon 7950 single fan. But i dont think that matters since they are all refernce pcbs.

I would be mega gratefull and hoping i can get that from an old card and solder it on.

Please guys


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Now I'm getting radom BSODs when I open something that uses GPU aceleration. With my old HD4850 everything runs fine, gonna send it to warranty tomorrow.


I had the exact same issue on a 6970. Had to send it for replacement.


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XDyuXD*
> 
> Now I'm getting radom BSODs when I open something that uses GPU aceleration. With my old HD4850 everything runs fine, gonna send it to warranty tomorrow.


Ah, anything that uses the GPU causes it? I had it where it would give me gray screens of death when I did anything GPU related. Had to return it since the other card I had (same model) didn't do it.


----------



## afadzil21

Question:

Anyone got hybrid PhysX working with a CrossFire setup? I was just wondering, is it worth the money? I can easily get a used GTX560 Ti for cheap now and use it as a dedicated PhysX card, even a 570 is going quite cheap used. Would PCIe X4 bottleneck the framerate with PhysX?

EDIT : Sorry, found the answer on YouTube.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Question:
> Anyone got hybrid PhysX working with a CrossFire setup? I was just wondering, is it worth the money? I can easily get a used GTX560 Ti for cheap now and use it as a dedicated PhysX card, even a 570 is going quite cheap used. Would PCIe X4 bottleneck the framerate with PhysX?
> EDIT : Sorry, found the answer on YouTube.


I was thinking about doing a similar thing however I can't find this youtube video.... Any chance of a link


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> I was thinking about doing a similar thing however I can't find this youtube video.... Any chance of a link


Damn. I'm at work and YouTube is blocked. I searched the video out on my Android Tablet. I'll edit and put in the link when I get back home a bit later.

EDIT :

YouTube Link :


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Damn. I'm at work and YouTube is blocked. I searched the video out on my Android Tablet. I'll edit and put in the link when I get back home a bit later.


Cheers


----------



## SkateZilla

week 2 without my beloved 7950... at least it will arrive at Althon Micro Tomorrow, then its just a wait for processing time and return shipping.


----------



## Andrazh

Will sapphire RMA my card?

http://shrani.si/f/3h/Ev/2SijnoIV/dsc08803.jpg

=\


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Will sapphire RMA my card?
> http://shrani.si/f/3h/Ev/2SijnoIV/dsc08803.jpg
> =\


Ouch


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Will sapphire RMA my card?
> http://shrani.si/f/3h/Ev/2SijnoIV/dsc08803.jpg
> =\


It's physically damaged.

They would refuse it.


----------



## Andrazh

Perhaps they won't notice?
And it fell off somehow I was treating the card right.


----------



## DMT94

Hi everyone, got crossfire set up with my 2 7950's
both at stock clocks at the moment
When i play certain games like need for speed pro street or the run, the PC crashes, but on other games like metro 2033, ridge racer unbounded, and split second, they all play fine.

I have tested both cards and both work well on their own.

Is there any solution to the random crashing ?
Or any other stability tests i can run to double check ?

thanks in advance !


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Whos getting random BSODS while playing wathever game?

Im getting random BSODS with dead space and BF3, dead space seems to give me BSOD quicker than bf3.. Matter of minutes, i tried raising the voltage and manage to play for awhile both games without crashing... But, need further testing...

Somebody here with random BSODS can try to raise a the voltage of their card to see if you still experiencing random BSODS... Stock clocks just raise voltage...


----------



## onthemour

Sapphire reference 7970 since release my oc has been 1150/1686 at 1250v for 5760/1080. Just updated to 12.4a and latest afterburner. I redid my oc to 1170/1700 at 1268v stable in BF3 (have not tried Skyrim yet). My temps get up to 83 degrees but is stable.

Is this a safe oc for games?

just bumped up mem to 1720 at 1620v. What are safe volts for memory?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Hi everyone, got crossfire set up with my 2 7950's
> both at stock clocks at the moment
> When i play certain games like need for speed pro street or the run, the PC crashes, but on other games like metro 2033, ridge racer unbounded, and split second, they all play fine.
> I have tested both cards and both work well on their own.
> Is there any solution to the random crashing ?
> Or any other stability tests i can run to double check ?
> thanks in advance !


EA Games crashing is nothing new


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Will sapphire RMA my card?
> http://shrani.si/f/3h/Ev/2SijnoIV/dsc08803.jpg
> =\


you can try to get them to authorize a repair, but they'll most likely charge you for it.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Will sapphire RMA my card?
> http://shrani.si/f/3h/Ev/2SijnoIV/dsc08803.jpg
> =\


To give u a bit of hope. If the cooler covers that portion of the card, they will never notice. The people at the US based rma center just look for damage without taking the cooler off.


----------



## w00tie

is this any good ?


----------



## WiL11o6

Any reason my second card is idling at 500/150?

Fresh Win7
12.4 drivers
Disabled Ulps via regedit
Turned off hardware acceleration in Firefox settings AND "right click" flash player to disable <- I thought this was the fix before, but not working
Single 1080p monitor

Is this still a problem with 12.4? I thought it was just 12.2 or 12.3 that had this problem.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w00tie*
> 
> is this any good ?


Need to see your GPU score to really know for sure...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> To give u a bit of hope. If the cooler covers that portion of the card, they will never notice. The people at the US based rma center just look for damage without taking the cooler off.


its the backside of the card, could get lucky and they wont notice.


----------



## Andrazh

I contacted sapphire directly. They wanted a picture. We shall see. I hope they will accept it open handed Afterall it was a 450€ card. For that cash they might show some support. It's not like I did it on purpoise.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I contacted sapphire directly. They wanted a picture. We shall see. I hope they will accept it open handed Afterall it was a 450€ card. For that cash they might show some support. It's not like I did it on purpoise.


You should have applied the US Military's policy gays.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Any reason my second card is idling at 500/150?
> Fresh Win7
> 12.4 drivers
> Disabled Ulps via regedit
> Turned off hardware acceleration in Firefox settings AND "right click" flash player to disable <- I thought this was the fix before, but not working
> Single 1080p monitor
> Is this still a problem with 12.4? I thought it was just 12.2 or 12.3 that had this problem.


You're using 12.4 with AB. You're slave cards will never shutoff due to no ULPS and 12.4 limits slave cards to 500 instead of 350 iirc. Gdamn, so many drivers and they all drop slave cards down at different frequencies rofl.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm certainly envious of your temps but your 3dmark11 run is barely better than mine at a much lower OC:


My score is pretty low in comparison to all those beastly processors.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Any reason my second card is idling at 500/150?
> Fresh Win7
> 12.4 drivers
> Disabled Ulps via regedit
> Turned off hardware acceleration in Firefox settings AND "right click" flash player to disable <- I thought this was the fix before, but not working
> Single 1080p monitor
> Is this still a problem with 12.4? I thought it was just 12.2 or 12.3 that had this problem.


AMD is aware of this bug.

No ETA on a fix as far as I know.


----------



## AllGamer

dammit, really wish they released a stable driver for 7970 & crossfire

right now, i'm so unhappy with this setup i feel like jumping ship to nvidia gtx 690, but i've not done so simply bcause they do not support 6 monitor setups

don't feel like spending $700 on 2x Matrox 3ple head box to split the nvidia DVI out


----------



## SkateZilla

once i get my card back from RMA im going back to 12.3, too many issues with 12.4


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> once i get my card back from RMA im going back to 12.3, too many issues with 12.4


Perhaps 12.5 by the time you get it back.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Perhaps 12.5 by the time you get it back.


it just got delivered today, so 1 week for processing and another week for return shipping.

my brother's XFX card was gone for 2 months before they replaced his 5830 with a 6850.


----------



## neoroy

My card has no problem with 12.4 WHQL







It just not too good in overclocking although it has 3rdparty cooler dualfan, max for now is 1200/1700 with core 1.237v and memory 1.612v.


----------



## martinhal

Woot woot finally both stable at 1275/1800 and eyefinity works.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Woot woot finally both stable at 1275/1800 and eyefinity works.


i opened a separate topic http://www.overclock.net/forum/newestpost/1260435

to figure out the weird bug on my 7970 which might be Temp related

also running Eyefinity 6 just fine, but only at 1000 Mhz / 950 Mhz or 925 Mhz as the higher i go the faster it becomes unstable, due the Temp


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I have a question with what program i can read the real voltage? After Burner tells me one, sapphire tells me another one and GPU-Z tells me a lower one that both, can see max and average on gpu-z tho.. I put on trixx 1.2 for 1,200/1800 and in gpu-z average and constant is 1.125v.. MAX read 1.174v... Open Hardware Monitor just reads reference voltages 1.17V it dont change, just when it goes to idle clocks to .900v.. Aida reads more or less the same as gpu-z..

Im going with the gpu-z one as is the program with most updates but as im getting different readings all over the place just want to make sure.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

*Hi guys, i'm here with a little doubt about overclocking a single hd7970... I'm going to show you some pics for know what i'm talking about,ok??
*






*This first three pics are about my card, the following pics are about a friend's card, but he gets more points than i with way less overclocking in his cards... I am better just in the 3d vantage, but way worst in 3d11 and heaven dx11*







*In the first moment i thought that was because the amd driver, i was using catalyst 12.3 and he was using 12.4, but wasn't, i earned just 100 point in vantage, 100 points in 3d11 and lost points in heaven dx11...

So, if anyone can help me if this, or try to explicate what i have to do for get some extra points, i will be very happy..

Thanks everyone.*


----------



## FtW 420

It is the AMD driver, your friend disabled tesselation in the CCC, without tesselation the scores are higher in the dx11 benches.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Will sapphire RMA my card?
> http://shrani.si/f/3h/Ev/2SijnoIV/dsc08803.jpg
> =\


Sapphire said it is physical damage so they wont rma. Is there any brand that would RMA this? So i know which one to buy next.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> It is the AMD driver, your friend disabled tesselation in the CCC, without tesselation the scores are higher in the dx11 benches.


This was new to me, does everybody turn that off ? I go way higher score with that off....


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Thats just cheating yourself turning off the tesselation on ccc..


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Sapphire said it is physical damage so they wont rma. Is there any brand that would RMA this? So i know which one to buy next.


TBH, does the card even Saturate a PCIe2.0 8 Lane Slot's Bandwidth yet?


----------



## SkateZilla

lol, ok Althon Micro, I understand your 3 hours behind me time zone wise, but you signed for my box yesterday...

hrmmm.. where's any RMA notification via email at&#8230;..

I hate RMAing stuff, it always takes a month to get my stuff back&#8230; lol&#8230;


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Sapphire said it is physical damage so they wont rma. Is there any brand that would RMA this? So i know which one to buy next.


I may have missed it. How did the card get this damage ?


----------



## Andrazh

I don't know. I tried my old card so i could see if its the mobo's fault or the cards that it runs at 8x. When i took out the card i saw that capacitor was missing. I have no idea how it fell off. And there is like 10 tiny capacitors if i would bumb something with the card i dont believe that i could knock down only one of those since they are so small and so together. Very strange.

Oh and i have one old broken 8800gts card, I tried to break off one of those capacitors. I needed to use quite a lot of force to break it off. Gives me the feeling that this one is made somehow cheap.


----------



## martinhal

RMA the thing. Send it in and hope they overlook it.


----------



## SkateZilla

tell them it was that way since day 1.


----------



## SkateZilla

oooooo...

looky whats in stock on NewEgg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127677

4 miniDP, and 2 DVI..

might buy me one and give my 7950 to my brother when it comes back,


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> oooooo...
> looky whats in stock on NewEgg:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127677
> 4 miniDP, and 2 DVI..
> might buy me one and give my 7950 to my brother when it comes back,


Premium priced. Where's my OC? For $550, I want it to come with a 1100/1575 overclock. Just saying.


----------



## kow_ciller

Been talking with MSI all day, newegg might have the wrong pictures up.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kow_ciller*
> 
> Been talking with MSI all day, newegg might have the wrong pictures up.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Premium priced. Where's my OC? For $550, I want it to come with a 1100/1575 overclock. Just saying.


I'm gonna have to wait a few weeks anyway...


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kow_ciller*
> 
> Been talking with MSI all day, newegg might have the wrong pictures up.


Some 7970 lightnings did go out recently, NCIX Canada received a few yesterday, was watching for them all through MOA, now they show up....


----------



## kow_ciller

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Some 7970 lightnings did go out recently, NCIX Canada received a few yesterday, was watching for them all through MOA, now they show up....


Too bad there are none in stock in the US =/


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've got two that I'm probably going to be selling soon. Going for reference 7970's to water cool....


----------



## Daffie82

Again selling your cards?








You should wait before saying that until you are really sure this time


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've got two that I'm probably going to be selling soon. Going for reference 7970's to water cool....


There are waterblocks for the lightnings coming out at the begining of june from ek. Im buying 3


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've got two that I'm probably going to be selling soon. Going for reference 7970's to water cool....


I used to do this & need more blocks for every new generation of cards, finally broke down & got some universal blocks so I can water cool reference, non reference, new cards etc. without having the hassle of new blocks every time.
Not exactly quiet since i still need to cool the heatsinked mosfets, but much less hassle with blocks.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Do you guys think I should add a "maximum *stable* clock speeds" spreadsheet to the club first page?

Basically the rules would be 35 minutes of OCCT 3.1 (shader complexity 8, fullscreen) and PowerPlay disabled.

I haven't seen many people able to pass that above 1100 MHz core.

So if some of you guys think you have a big-shot stable clock speed, I dare you to try it out

You can disable PowerPlay via AB by setting UOM to "2" instead of "1".


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Do you guys think I should add a "maximum *stable* clock speeds" spreadsheet to the club first page?
> Basically the rules would be 35 minutes of OCCT 3.1 (shader complexity 8, fullscreen) and PowerPlay disabled.
> 
> I haven't seen many people able to pass that above 1100 MHz core.
> So if some of you guys think you have a big-shot stable clock speed, I dare you to try it out
> 
> You can disable PowerPlay via AB by setting UOM to "2" instead of "1".


Using a program like that for stable overclock is silly. The stress on the vrms is stupid. You run this with a card which has weak vrms, but within spec, and you are in for a nasty surprise, oc or no oc.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Using a program like that for stable overclock is silly. The stress on the vrms is stupid. You run this with a card which has weak vrms, but within spec, and you are in for a nasty surprise, oc or no oc.


The stress is high because the program utilizes the GPU very heavily (much more than games) and uses up a lot of power.

Is it silly to run that program for stability checking?

Not really.

It's especially useful for people that run GPGPU apps where stability is crucial.

It seems that most people don't care or notice about artifact here or there, I personally do.

I treat GPU stability much like I do for a CPU.

Zero fault tolerance due to overclocks.

Fortunately since the 5xx0 series, AMD has implemented several fail-safes to prevent the VRMs from frying.

One of them is a VRM temperature fail-safe.

Another is hardware level OCP and the other is software level OCP.

I'm sure there are others in place.

OCCT gives you the option to select the level of intensity.

Level 1 is fairly close to video game stress levels and gives you an error checker.

I think that's pretty useful.

So if you don't like the test, don't run it.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The stress is high because the program utilizes the GPU very heavily (much more than games) and uses up a lot of power.
> Is it silly to run that program for stability checking?
> Not really.
> 
> It's especially useful for people that run GPGPU apps where stability is crucial.
> It seems that most people don't care or notice about artifact here or there, I personally do.
> 
> I treat GPU stability much like I do for a CPU.
> Zero fault tolerance due to overclocks.
> 
> Fortunately since the 5xx0 series, AMD has implemented several fail-safes to prevent the VRMs from frying.
> One of them is a VRM temperature fail-safe.
> Another is hardware level OCP and the other is software level OCP.
> I'm sure there are others in place.
> 
> OCCT gives you the option to select the level of intensity.
> Level 1 is fairly close to video game stress levels and gives you an error checker.
> I think that's pretty useful.
> 
> So if you don't like the test, don't run it.


I have used it to check my overclocks, never again. It is no better than running crysis 2, because it found no weaknesses that crysis 2 didn't and puts a stupid amount of stress on the cards.
I had no errors but one of my card's VRMs spiked at 85c, watercooled. Other was fine at about 60c. Point is, you come across a weak VRM card on air, pop.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Do you guys think I should add a "maximum *stable* clock speeds" spreadsheet to the club first page?
> Basically the rules would be 35 minutes of OCCT 3.1 (shader complexity 8, fullscreen) and PowerPlay disabled.
> 
> I haven't seen many people able to pass that above 1100 MHz core.
> So if some of you guys think you have a big-shot stable clock speed, I dare you to try it out
> 
> You can disable PowerPlay via AB by setting UOM to "2" instead of "1".


Stupid question. What does PowerPlay do ?

I would like to see a max stable overclock list.


----------



## Arterial

Posted mine. I hope you can add it to the list.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The stress is high because the program utilizes the GPU very heavily (much more than games) and uses up a lot of power.
> Is it silly to run that program for stability checking?
> Not really.
> 
> It's especially useful for people that run GPGPU apps where stability is crucial.
> It seems that most people don't care or notice about artifact here or there, I personally do.
> 
> I treat GPU stability much like I do for a CPU.
> Zero fault tolerance due to overclocks.
> 
> Fortunately since the 5xx0 series, AMD has implemented several fail-safes to prevent the VRMs from frying.
> One of them is a VRM temperature fail-safe.
> Another is hardware level OCP and the other is software level OCP.
> I'm sure there are others in place.
> 
> OCCT gives you the option to select the level of intensity.
> Level 1 is fairly close to video game stress levels and gives you an error checker.
> I think that's pretty useful.
> 
> So if you don't like the test, don't run it.


With level 1 you mean the shader complexity?

I for one am glad that Evil pointed me to OCCT...
It is much faster at finding an unstable overclock than playing games.
You could play an hour of some game and not get any problem while OCCT could give errors/crashed within 5 minutes.
The key for using the program is common sense. If you run it an hour straight and you complain that your card is broken : own fault








And besides, like Evil said : there are so many fail safes in place you can hardly damage your card if you overclock with small increments every time.


----------



## SkateZilla

erm Althon Mirco signed for my Box like 2 days ago, and i havent heard nawt from them,.....

is there a site i can use to track my RMA in their building?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> erm Althon Mirco signed for my Box like 2 days ago, and i havent heard nawt from them,.....
> is there a site i can use to track my RMA in their building?


Dude no offence but chill out. Just have patience its been 2 days at a notoriously slow processing company. Even their website says to allow atleast a week for processing. If in a week you dont hear anything, then be my guest and make all the noise u want.


----------



## SkateZilla

im going through eyefinity withdrawls... roflmao.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> im going through eyefinity withdrawls... roflmao.


i feel for you

that's why i was never able to switch away from ATI cards

even when i had the GTX 690 on my hands for a short while until i found out there was absolutely no way to run all my 6 monitors on it









the force on the dark side was strong, but the light kept me from switching over to the dark side


----------



## paralogixer

LOL @ 7950 Bending


----------



## AllGamer

hmm... on the ROG Rampage 4 doesn't do that for me

but on the ROG Crosshair 5 my 7970 does drop as well just like the pic above


----------



## SkateZilla

mine flexed a lil, but not that much.

it looks like the cables going around the CPU heatsink is what's pushing it down


----------



## AllGamer

no, it's not that

it's actually the weight of the monstrous DC2 HSF that is dragging it down, because the card is too long for the PCI-E slot to support it

my work around was to use tie wraps to hold it up-right using the PCI-E power cords


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> no, it's not that
> it's actually the weight of the monstrous DC2 HSF that is dragging it down, because the card is too long for the PCI-E slot to support it
> my work around was to use tie wraps to hold it up-right using the PCI-E power cords


at one point i tried to put a ziptie through the hole in the top back corner of the PCB then run it up to the top of the case, but it didnt help with the coil vibration when the fans were above 70% and it didnt help the crashing i got so I took it off.

didnt some of the 7900 cards come with that lil "leg" thing to hold their cards up?


----------



## paralogixer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> no, it's not that
> it's actually the weight of the monstrous DC2 HSF that is dragging it down, because the card is too long for the PCI-E slot to support it
> my work around was to use tie wraps to hold it up-right using the PCI-E power cords


Yeah, it's just because its so heavy


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> no, it's not that
> it's actually the weight of the monstrous DC2 HSF that is dragging it down, because the card is too long for the PCI-E slot to support it
> my work around was to use tie wraps to hold it up-right using the PCI-E power cords


Get a pencil and cut it to size, rattle can, bam.

Or this or the HIS one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999028&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Accessories+-+Video+Card-_-PowerColor-_-14999028


----------



## SkateZilla

my card is way above the floor of my case, which has a fan on it anyway.. so, I might re-do my ziptie support line to the top of the case when i get my new one back,


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> my card is way above the floor of my case, which has a fan on it anyway.. so, I might re-do my ziptie support line to the top of the case when i get my new one back,


Just do the ek backplate mod, it's mind bogglingly easy. You don't have to be limp anymore.


----------



## Rickles

I have a daisy chain of zip ties holding my card up, didn't seem to add any noise. If you look in my picture you can see it bottom right.


----------



## SkateZilla

i just have a bunch of small/med zipties in a ziplock bag, i took the one that was about the size of the hole in the top corner of the PCB, routed it through the hole, and the zip clasp on the other end was big enough to catch, then just connected 2 more end to end, the last one coming through one of the HAF922's top radiator holes, then i add another ziptie on the outside of the case and clip the edges, I'll take photo's when i do it,... its hard to explain.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I know this isn't the right section for this but what do you guys think about this proposed loop setup for my new build?

Cosmos II
3960X
RIVE
2 x 7970 Lightnings (whenever the water blocks come out for them)
16GB Corsair Vengeance 2133 (Red)
Single slot XSPC res
MCP655 pump
2 x XSPC 240 rads (Basement)
1 x XSPC 360 rad (Roof)
Koolance RIVE blocks
Koolance CPU370 CPU block
Red 3/8" tubing with silver compression fittings
AP-15's all around



This is a quick MSPaint mockup. Flow is from upper 5 1/4 bay res to pump in the bottom of the bay, to the first 240 rad behind the second 240 rad, into the lower 7970, up to the upper 7970 and on to the upper 360 rad, back down to the mosfet block, to the CPU block, to the chipset block, and then finally back to the res.

I'm hoping this setup will allow me to really test the limits of these cards and this CPU....


----------



## tsm106

Cpu first, then x. Why you use mb blocks? They're hyper restrictive, so if you use them i would move the cards closer together and go parallel on them. Edit that, 1 and 4 are the x16 slots, but it looks so wacky having them that far apart lol.


----------



## tsm106

lol, 3820 at 4.87ghz. This one pushes 5.1ghz, though the last time I tried it was with a 5450. Will push my way back up but quads do make it harder.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Dude no offence but chill out. Just have patience its been 2 days at a notoriously slow processing company. Even their website says to allow atleast a week for processing. If in a week you dont hear anything, then be my guest and make all the noise u want.


How about this: Had to RMA my Sapphire 7950 reference after a week because of artefacts at stock clocks. Took a month to get it back from Hong Kong. Open it up, heat sink is attached by ONE screw and the other 3 are broken and wont screw back onto the heat sink no matter how hard I tried. Send it back AGAIN for another month of RMA processing... NO ON BOARD VIDEO (at the time)

What I did: As soon as I RMA'd the reference, I went and (locally) bought a Sapphire OC 7950 dual fan, which I have loved ever since I got it, and sold the reference on eBay upon return. It was great that the prices all went down on the whole range too over the time my card was being replaced, because it meant that I was lucky enough to lose 2 months of my original card AND around $200 in postage and lower sale price *sarcasm*

My point? Unless you get a replacement from the store that you bought the card from, RMA's are a pain in the ass. I don't think that there is a way around that.


----------



## 125837

I don't know, I had a month and a bit RMA for my 580 in February, and I really enjoyed that time. It was great to take a break from gaming, I only had my laptop to use and I ended up doing a lot of things I never would have done if I'd had my PC.


----------



## logicoff

Can someone help me please I bought powercolor 7970 videocard, but I can't get my second monitor to turn on, I've tried all the combinations with the cables I can't find anything about this problem on the net. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong. the second monitor power light is blinking, in catalyst controller I can see both monitors


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I don't know, I had a month and a bit RMA for my 580 in February, and I really enjoyed that time. It was great to take a break from gaming, I only had my laptop to use and I ended up doing a lot of things I never would have done if I'd had my PC.


Yeah, problem with that was I had just built my PC a few months before that , so I was hanging to keep learning KB+M and everything else associated with moving from console to PC. So yeah I can understand having a break might have been nice, but when it is not the only thing that you do, generally I have other things to turn to when I just don't have fun gaming for any given period of time. Which is not that often anyway


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Cpu first, then x. Why you use mb blocks? They're hyper restrictive, so if you use them i would move the cards closer together and go parallel on them. Edit that, 1 and 4 are the x16 slots, but it looks so wacky having them that far apart lol.


I've been watching tons of W/Cing vids on Youtube and most say that the order of your loop doesn't really affect temps that much (Linus said the difference between the hottest and coldest water in the loop is less than a degree). Apparently you are just supposed to set it up however is aesthetically pleasing to you. I'm still a noob to all this though so I definitely have more research to do.

As far as the mobo blocks, I just like the way they look (plus the SB-E mobos do have trouble with cooling because of the limited heatsink space around the added RAM slots). I think the MCP655 should be plenty to run this loop, don't you?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've been watching tons of W/Cing vids on Youtube and most say that the order of your loop doesn't really affect temps that much (Linus said the difference between the hottest and coldest water in the loop is less than a degree). Apparently you are just supposed to set it up however is aesthetically pleasing to you. I'm still a noob to all this though so I definitely have more research to do.
> As far as the mobo blocks, I just like the way they look (plus the SB-E mobos do have trouble with cooling because of the limited heatsink space around the added RAM slots). I think the MCP655 should be plenty to run this loop, don't you?


Water temp overall as a mathematical average isn't changed much by loop order but hot water being dumped into the cpu will affect cpu temp. You can't avoid that and that my friend is not averaged water temp. The rule of thumb is to give your cpu the coolest water and highest flow first if you can. From the cpu onward it will be a uphill battle. I've run different loop orders due to the components I had and case limitations so sometimes it's unavoidable. But if you can, you should feed the cpu the cleanest water you can.

Looking at that pic again, I would run parallel on the gpus with tubing for best flow. MB blocks are restrictive and it just makes life hell on a pump with typically lower head, so I'd run a top on it. Skip the MCP655, and get the Alphacool Vario instead. You won't insta void your warranty that way.

Btw, stop watching Linus' vids, pls.


----------



## jomama22

Loop temp equalization is the most annoying thing anyone says. If temp equalization was true and it didnt matter what order you set ur loop in, then we all might as well just run it through all the rads first than just link all the gpus and cpu together. This in itself proves equalization is a falsehood that needs to be forgotten. Water temp will rise after going through a block pure and simple, if you send that warmed up water to another block without a rad inbetween then you can not possibly get as low a temperature as you could by sending it through a rad first.

Remember, water can only get as cold as ambiant temperature (delta being the difference). If you get ur water to room temp by sending through all ur rads first, by the time it gets through ur remaining blocks the water temp will be much higher when entering the pump. That heat has to go somwhere and can only be dispersed through rads.

I prefer using 1 360 rad for each cpu/gpu block. Res-pump-rad-gpu/cpu-rad-gpu/gpu-rad-etc. This requires more connections and tubing but provides maximum results.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> How about this: Had to RMA my Sapphire 7950 reference after a week because of artefacts at stock clocks. Took a month to get it back from Hong Kong. Open it up, heat sink is attached by ONE screw and the other 3 are broken and wont screw back onto the heat sink no matter how hard I tried. Send it back AGAIN for another month of RMA processing... NO ON BOARD VIDEO (at the time)
> What I did: As soon as I RMA'd the reference, I went and (locally) bought a Sapphire OC 7950 dual fan, which I have loved ever since I got it, and sold the reference on eBay upon return. It was great that the prices all went down on the whole range too over the time my card was being replaced, because it meant that I was lucky enough to lose 2 months of my original card AND around $200 in postage and lower sale price *sarcasm*
> My point? Unless you get a replacement from the store that you bought the card from, RMA's are a pain in the ass. I don't think that there is a way around that.


You bought 7950 OC dual fan? Fan only?


----------



## Dousand Thollars

This talk of loop equalization has made me question my loop order, my order would be 360rad - res - pump - 7970 - 7970 - 140rad - CPU - the first rad..

The 140 should disperse quite a bit of heat before it gets dumped into my cpu, right?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> I don't know, I had a month and a bit RMA for my 580 in February, and I really enjoyed that time. It was great to take a break from gaming, I only had my laptop to use and I ended up doing a lot of things I never would have done if I'd had my PC.


my brother's XFX was sent in the week before black friday, got there in a week, diagnosed as faulty, and then we waited 2 months before they sent him a 6850 to replace his 5830, which was defective out of the box (heat sink was loose and shorting something, causing the card to randomly cut off and on.) he wanted a 6870 as it was the same shader count but i explained VLIW5 was crap, and the 6850 was better.

this time next week if I have the funds, I'll look at a 7970 w/ enough display ports to use all 3 screens without the display clock issue, and prolly give my 7950 to my brother, which he runs one 1600x900 screen, so he should be able to run everything on ultra no problem.


----------



## spinejam

Happy w/ this one so far:











Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've been watching tons of W/Cing vids on Youtube and most say that the order of your loop doesn't really affect temps that much (Linus said the difference between the hottest and coldest water in the loop is less than a degree). Apparently you are just supposed to set it up however is aesthetically pleasing to you. I'm still a noob to all this though so I definitely have more research to do.
> As far as the mobo blocks, I just like the way they look (plus the SB-E mobos do have trouble with cooling because of the limited heatsink space around the added RAM slots). I think the MCP655 should be plenty to run this loop, don't you?


i'd set it up so there is less pressure on the pump...


----------



## gliggo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I know this isn't the right section for this but what do you guys think about this proposed loop setup for my new build?
> Cosmos II
> 3960X
> RIVE
> 2 x 7970 Lightnings (whenever the water blocks come out for them)
> 16GB Corsair Vengeance 2133 (Red)
> Single slot XSPC res
> MCP655 pump
> 2 x XSPC 240 rads (Basement)
> 1 x XSPC 360 rad (Roof)
> Koolance RIVE blocks
> Koolance CPU370 CPU block
> Red 3/8" tubing with silver compression fittings
> AP-15's all around
> 
> This is a quick MSPaint mockup. Flow is from upper 5 1/4 bay res to pump in the bottom of the bay, to the first 240 rad behind the second 240 rad, into the lower 7970, up to the upper 7970 and on to the upper 360 rad, back down to the mosfet block, to the CPU block, to the chipset block, and then finally back to the res.
> I'm hoping this setup will allow me to really test the limits of these cards and this CPU....


hey mate i can tell you that there is little to no difference in which way the loop order will go.

speaking from experience in my cosmos 2, i had my loop going res,pump,360,cpu,120,2x790s then to the 240 down the bottom and back in the res.

how ever now i have it going from res,pump,240 then both gpus then the 120 and the cpu then 360 and barely noticed anything. pretty sure its user preference and what looks better to you. just of course make sure that you go res/pump always pretty much.

People will have their own opinions but just saying from experience what has happened to me and didn't find any problems..

PM me if you want some more info









Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## SkateZilla

Another MSI Card added to newegg for $599. (well re-activated)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127670


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> You bought 7950 OC dual fan? Fan only?


Nah man, the whole card! The reference card has single fan, the OC has dual fans and a custom heat sink.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Nah man, the whole card! The reference card has single fan, the OC has dual fans and a custom heat sink.


Yeah, my Sapphire 7950OC idled in the teens, and barely went above 45 in games...

Single Center Fan and blower units just dont cut it anymore. GPUs generate twice the heat of a CPU when in use nowadays..... and yet they are held to dual, with a max 3 slot cooling solution.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dousand Thollars*
> 
> This talk of loop equalization has made me question my loop order, my order would be 360rad - res - pump - 7970 - 7970 - 140rad - CPU - the first rad..
> The 140 should disperse quite a bit of heat before it gets dumped into my cpu, right?


yea it would i had similar loop and it worked well, you will def notice a difference in temps with that loop order


----------



## vonalka

Hey - I am sure I could probably find this out if I trolled through the 1000+ pages of this thread, but I was hoping someone could quickly let me know the max safe temp for the 7970? I was hitting high 70's playing BF3 with fans on auto not even going past 50% usage. When I manually cranked the fan up to 100% it would keep it in the 50's


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Hey - I am sure I could probably find this out if I trolled through the 1000+ pages of this thread, but I was hoping someone could quickly let me know the max safe temp for the 7970? I was hitting high 70's playing BF3 with fans on auto not even going past 50% usage. When I manually cranked the fan up to 100% it would keep it in the 50's


i forgot which topic it was on, but the absolute maximum is 130c before it becomes permanent damage

so even if your GPU temp goes up to 120c you are still in the safe zone

although your VRM might probably erroring out with artifacts already


----------



## vonalka

Thanks for the quick reply.

Haven't had any errors or artifacting yet - I was only playing for about an hour or so to test a slight bump in OC


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Hey - I am sure I could probably find this out if I trolled through the 1000+ pages of this thread, but I was hoping someone could quickly let me know the max safe temp for the 7970? I was hitting high 70's playing BF3 with fans on auto not even going past 50% usage. When I manually cranked the fan up to 100% it would keep it in the 50's


60s are ok, 70s lil caution, 80s, look out, 90s, get the fire extingquisher?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> i forgot which topic it was on, but the absolute maximum is 130c before it becomes permanent damage
> so even if your GPU temp goes up to 120c you are still in the safe zone
> although your VRM might probably erroring out with artifacts already


VRM's can go upto 120c, but you are NOT SAFE, you are in the fried my gpu zone! Also iirc, shutdown is somewhere around 110c.


----------



## luches

Finally switched my 570 Gainward phantom with an Asus 7970 . Didnt feel like changing cards until recently since that 570 GTX was going strong.

I read 7970 Stock volts is 1.17 but mine shows up 1.12 on Msi afterburner. Started Ocing this afternoon and got 1125 core + 1650mhz memory on stock volts !! the memory OC potential on this card is crazy . I didnt try to push over 1650 memory on stock volts. might try for higher tonight !


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, the potential for these things is amazing. Just temp-limited at this point.

And TSM, what you got against Linus? I love his videos...


----------



## SkateZilla

all this "i can push to xxx on stock volts" talk isnt helping my eyefinity withdrawls any.


----------



## v-nom001

for me vantage ,

single



cf



2011 ,

single no tess



cf no tess



cf on 3dm 2011 with tess = 19k easy .


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *luches*
> 
> Finally switched my 570 Gainward phantom with an Asus 7970 . Didnt feel like changing cards until recently since that 570 GTX was going strong.
> I read 7970 Stock volts is 1.17 but mine shows up 1.12 on Msi afterburner. Started Ocing this afternoon and got 1125 core + 1650mhz memory on stock volts !! the memory OC potential on this card is crazy . I didnt try to push over 1650 memory on stock volts. might try for higher tonight !


my stock volt on the ASUS DC2T is 1.13

and it's driving 6 monitors in Eyefinity just fine


----------



## SkateZilla

its called Vdroooop.. lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> its called Vdroooop.. lol


On the topic of gpu vdroop, this new Sapphire 7970 OC has stupid amounts of it, lol. My three early reference all had manageable vdroop but this 7970 OC card has mad amounts, drops 60mv plus. My ref XFX only has 20mv droop. What the five Sapphire??


----------



## amvnz

Anyone with three way 7970s, what are the best drivers? Is it safe to upgrade from 11.12? I noticed I have to use single GPU for 3D on these drivers and want to update. Using a single monitor so don't care about eyefinity bugs.


----------



## afadzil21

7970 X2!!!!!!

http://www.techpowerup.com/166643/AMD-AIB-Partners-Said-to-be-Working-on-quot-HD-7970-X2-quot-.html

Ooo... I'd sell my current cards for 2 of these monstrous cards. QuadFire!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I love my 7970's but I'll admit AMD better bring it with the 7990. That 690 is one of the hottest looking video cards I ever seen!


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I love my 7970's but I'll admit AMD better bring it with the 7990. That 690 is one of the hottest looking video cards I ever seen!


I have actually considered selling my 7970's and getting a 690. But these card's appear to rarer than a pink diamond. Can't find one anywhere. I'd rather stick with what I have now than sell these two awesome cards and be stuck with nothing until the 690 pops up. But if the 7970 X2 does appear...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *amvnz*
> 
> Anyone with three way 7970s, what are the best drivers? Is it safe to upgrade from 11.12? I noticed I have to use single GPU for 3D on these drivers and want to update. Using a single monitor so don't care about eyefinity bugs.


Since you don't use eyefinity, you can pretty much go with any current or beta driver. I like 12.5 beta and the modded 8.97 driver from benchmark3d is pretty sweet.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I love my 7970's but I'll admit AMD better bring it with the 7990. That 690 is one of the hottest looking video cards I ever seen!


I hope they release it soon as it's release usually coincides with a new driver, lol.


----------



## DMHernandez

So I finally got my hands on a 7970 from diamond today, installed it and it booted up fine, installed MSI afterburner and guess what I found out? 80C idle temps, the fan is dead. Won't even pretend to turn, even at boot up it won't turn.
My friend took it home with him to run some tests, at this point I'm hoping it's the fan and not the board connector itself, problem is, my parents got it for me in chicago and brought it back to Brazil, at the time I spoke with the guy in the store they were at, asked them to test it and he told me he didn't have any computers on the bench to do it. Microcenter/chicago.
So yeah, no possibility of RMA for me, just hoping I can replace the fan with an aftermarket one (or if it's the board connector I would probably try to get a waterblock and build a loop for it I guess)

Anyone knows if the fan (blower) itself can be replaced with one from a reference 6990? Or are they just too different? (not talking about the whole setup, just the fan)

I'm wondering if I just got a really expensive paper weight >.>


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMHernandez*
> 
> So I finally got my hands on a 7970 from diamond today, installed it and it booted up fine, installed MSI afterburner and guess what I found out? 80C idle temps, the fan is dead. Won't even pretend to turn, even at boot up it won't turn.
> My friend took it home with him to run some tests, at this point I'm hoping it's the fan and not the board connector itself, problem is, my parents got it for me in chicago and brought it back to Brazil, at the time I spoke with the guy in the store they were at, asked them to test it and he told me he didn't have any computers on the bench to do it. Microcenter/chicago.
> So yeah, no possibility of RMA for me, just hoping I can replace the fan with an aftermarket one (or if it's the board connector I would probably try to get a waterblock and build a loop for it I guess)
> Anyone knows if the fan (blower) itself can be replaced with one from a reference 6990? Or are they just too different? (not talking about the whole setup, just the fan)
> I'm wondering if I just got a really expensive paper weight >.>


If you can't get it fixed get an Accelero for it.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMHernandez*
> 
> So I finally got my hands on a 7970 from diamond today, installed it and it booted up fine, installed MSI afterburner and guess what I found out? 80C idle temps, the fan is dead. Won't even pretend to turn, even at boot up it won't turn.
> My friend took it home with him to run some tests, at this point I'm hoping it's the fan and not the board connector itself, problem is, my parents got it for me in chicago and brought it back to Brazil, at the time I spoke with the guy in the store they were at, asked them to test it and he told me he didn't have any computers on the bench to do it. Microcenter/chicago.
> So yeah, no possibility of RMA for me, just hoping I can replace the fan with an aftermarket one (or if it's the board connector I would probably try to get a waterblock and build a loop for it I guess)
> 
> Anyone knows if the fan (blower) itself can be replaced with one from a reference 6990? Or are they just too different? (not talking about the whole setup, just the fan)
> 
> I'm wondering if I just got a really expensive paper weight >.>


I'd try hooking up the other fan. Best case it works. Worst case, I'd say just pick up an Aftermarket cooler... Accelero Extreme or something.


----------



## DMHernandez

If the problem is on the board, is it possible to hook the fan to my motherboard and set it to a static 60% fanspeed? (Sabertooth x79 with thermal radar).


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMHernandez*
> 
> If the problem is on the board, is it possible to hook the fan to my motherboard and set it to a static 60% fanspeed? (Sabertooth x79 with thermal radar).


Don't believe so. Almost positive they use a smaller connector for the fan header. Unless of course you want to splice that connection with the proper 3 pin connector for the motherboard.


----------



## DMHernandez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Don't believe so. Almost positive they use a smaller connector for the fan header. Unless of course you want to splice that connection with the proper 3 pin connector for the motherboard.


I have no problem doing that, I'd have to do it anyway to increase the cable length.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMHernandez*
> 
> I have no problem doing that, I'd have to do it anyway to increase the cable length.


Your board should have two PWM headers, hook it up to one of those.


----------



## Exostenza

I'm getting sick of this zero core sleep bug... I hope AMD fixed it in 12.5 and decides to release it this month.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I'm getting sick of this zero core sleep bug... I hope AMD fixed it in 12.5 and decides to release it this month.


I've just given up, I have a mate in the US who is bringing me back a 680 and if I sell my 7970 in Aus I'll hopefully be able to come out ~$30 richer because the Lightnings are always OOS.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I'm getting sick of this zero core sleep bug... I hope AMD fixed it in 12.5 and decides to release it this month.


New drivers should be out next week









Source : http://twitter.com/#!/CatalystCreator


----------



## Andrazh

Got a new 7950.

This one has 1031mV stock voltage. Strange.


----------



## rallyslag

Gigabyte windforce 7950 at 1040/1475 stock volts


----------



## Lazy Bear

Registered! Sapphire Dual-X OC at 1150/1540 with an EK FC7970 Copper+Acetal. It's weird how the Sapphire Dual-X PCB has the missing VRM, whereas the reference PCB lacks it.


----------



## Andrazh

How much voltage would be safe for 7950 if the temps are under on core 65C? No cooling on vrms or vrams.

Is it possible to burn vrms? I have accelero s1 and on 1170mV my card doesnt go over 50C on repeted runs of heaven. I want to raise voltage but don't want to burn vrms.

@rallyslag

Was 1050/1750 at stock voltage of 1.031V on my nonOC sapphire 7950. Then tried 1100 and wasnt stable. Havent tried any inbetween because i dont care about core on stock voltage. I wanna get it up to 1210mhz then i will be happy


----------



## amvnz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Since you don't use eyefinity, you can pretty much go with any current or beta driver. I like 12.5 beta and the modded 8.97 driver from benchmark3d is pretty sweet.
> I hope they release it soon as it's release usually coincides with a new driver, lol.


I just used atiman uninstaller and installed 12.3, 12.5 beta and the 8.97 7900 modded drivers and all three made a few of my games BSOD on launch. Just reinstalled windows 7 and installed the modded drivers and problem still there. It seems that they launch in 3D mode all by themselves and then the screen locks up and BSOD. Problems not there when crossfire turned to 2 cards or off. AMD drivers are terrible.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *amvnz*
> 
> I just used atiman uninstaller and installed 12.3, 12.5 beta and the 8.97 7900 modded drivers and all three made a few of my games BSOD on launch. Just reinstalled windows 7 and installed the modded drivers and problem still there. It seems that they launch in 3D mode all by themselves and then the screen locks up and BSOD. Problems not there when crossfire turned to 2 cards or off. AMD drivers are terrible.


If you can, get ahold of a 1200 watt psu and test it out. This sounds like a power draw problem. If TDP is 300w you are netting close to your power threshold.


----------



## Deo Domuique

You guys are really lucky. My 7950 Wind with ASIC 71% can only do 950Mhz at 1.031V ( def ).

I wish it could at least 1Ghz since it's my standard overclock when I play ( 1.075V ). It can max out the memory at 1575Mhz, but pointless since I only overclock the core.


----------



## amvnz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> If you can, get ahold of a 1200 watt psu and test it out. This sounds like a power draw problem. If TDP is 300w you are netting close to your power threshold.


Nothing to do with my PSU. It is just the fact that any native AMD HD3D games will launch in 3d mode regardless if you turn it off ingame. (I tried fresh windows 7 install and games still launches in 3d momentarily.) Sniper Elite V2 and BF3 both open in 3D and then change to 2D a few seconds after. It also seems three way crossfire BSOD in 3D. The only reason I didn't have this problem before was because 11.12 drivers don't support crossfire 3D. The HD3D option would be greyed out ingame. It's doing my head in because there seems to be no way to set up an application profile to have 2way or 3way crossfire specifically. Only the various crossfirex modes and turn off altogether.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> If you can, get ahold of a 1200 watt psu and test it out. This sounds like a power draw problem. If TDP is 300w you are netting close to your power threshold.


Nah, his PSU is PLENTY for 3 7970s. I ran 3 7970s on a 2500K rig with a TX850. It was right at it's limit, but in no way is a 1000W not enough.


----------



## shockre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> How much voltage would be safe for 7950 if the temps are under on core 65C? No cooling on vrms or vrams.
> Is it possible to burn vrms? I have accelero s1 and on 1170mV my card doesnt go over 50C on repeted runs of heaven. I want to raise voltage but don't want to burn vrms.
> @rallyslag
> Was 1050/1750 at stock voltage of 1.031V on my nonOC sapphire 7950. Then tried 1100 and wasnt stable. Havent tried any inbetween because i dont care about core on stock voltage. I wanna get it up to 1210mhz then i will be happy


i run mine sapphire 7950 oc on 1200/1600 1.250v since i got it and have no problems. case is well ventilated and card tops at 75C which is ok.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> i run mine sapphire 7950 oc on 1200/1600 1.250v since i got it and have no problems. case is well ventilated and card tops at 75C which is ok.


Yes but you have heatsinks on vrms.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Yes but you have heatsinks on vrms.


If your VRMs are unheatsinked, get them heatsinked ASAP. I find that hard to believe though, wouldn't they have exceeded safe temps already uncooled? Use HWiNFO to check your VRM and memory temps.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Nah, his PSU is PLENTY for 3 7970s. I ran 3 7970s on a 2500K rig with a TX850. It was right at it's limit, but in no way is a 1000W not enough.


Give it time and it will fry the psu. Back when I had quad 6950s, they ate up a TPQ1200 inside of 6 months and those were only 250w tdp max, more like 200w tdp. These 7970 are easily 300w tdp cards. Anyways, I've run the trifire readings off the wall and they suck down 1100/1200w max, so how a 1000w and 850w are handling that fine... I don't know.

Point is sure you can run your psu at redline, but for how long?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> I'm getting sick of this zero core sleep bug... I hope AMD fixed it in 12.5 and decides to release it this month.


I still cant figure out why it happens. Sometimes i get it after 10-20 mins of not using the PC and then i dont get it for 3 days.


----------



## Andrazh

Can someone explain what is what exactly? I don't want to guess. I marked the temps with numbers.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> 
> 
> Can someone explain what is what exactly? I don't want to guess. I marked the temps with numbers.


Looks like nice cool temperatures. Very similar to my 7970's VRM temps with a full cover water block on them.


----------



## paralogixer

Anyone using ASUS GPU Tweak with their 7950s?

I'm not sure which one to use, Afterburner or GPU Tweak.

+ I can't unlock voltage control on GPU Tweak









I have ASUS HD 7950 TOP


----------



## martinhal

Is this any good for 2 7970's and and i 7 2600k ?

Version: 1.0.3
SystemInfo Version: 4.6
5/27/12 6:57:34 PM
Id: 3525684

Score
P16837 3DMarks

Graphics Score
21078

Physics Score
11223

Combined Score
9574

PC Health Check


----------



## Andrazh

@daclownie

Thats on idle. Been playing bf3 with 1150/1700 @1156mV. And vrm temps1 and 2 were 59 and 61. Core 58.

Can you look at the picture and tell me which temp is vrm and which one is ram?


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Got a new 7950.
> This one has 1031mV stock voltage. Strange.


Both of my 7950's do too


----------



## DMT94

Just a question for Dual GPU people,
When i play most my games i hardly get frame rates above 60fps with crossfire enabled, but Metro 2033 gets 90+ most of the time with 99% gpu usage on both cards, now on the low frame rate games the gpu usage is usually around 30% on both, why such low usage and fps ? its really bugging me because i read reviews and they get far more fps


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> @daclownie
> Thats on idle. Been playing bf3 with 1150/1700 @1156mV. And vrm temps1 and 2 were 59 and 61. Core 58.
> Can you look at the picture and tell me which temp is vrm and which one is ram?


1 core

2 core

3 mem


----------



## Andrazh

What about vrm as voltage regulator module? Where can i see the temps? What are ram safe temps? And how much voltage is safe for vrm without heatsinks.

Only core cooled by stock. I have four 120mm fans blowing over the card tho.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> What about vrm as voltage regulator module? Where can i see the temps? What are ram safe temps? *And how much voltage is safe for vrm without heatsinks*.
> Only core cooled by stock. I have four 120mm fans blowing over the card tho.


What? Are you trying to fry your card on purpose?? Best way of reading vrm temps in a meaningful way is thru gpuz sensors.


----------



## Andrazh

No i don't want to fry anything that is why i'm asking. My card came without a single heatsink!

Like this one:
http://morpheus.custompcreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/sapphire-radeon-hd7950-single-fan-leaked-4.jpg

That is why i am worried.

I can only see core temp in gpuz(?).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> No i don't want to fry anything that is why i'm asking. My card came without a single heatsink!
> Like this one:
> http://morpheus.custompcreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/sapphire-radeon-hd7950-single-fan-leaked-4.jpg
> That is why i am worried.
> I can only see core temp in gpuz(?).


Holy carp, I've seen soem cheap stuff but that's really pathetic on an upper end card. It's a $400 card for crying out loud Sapphire. That said isn't there at least a shroud over the whole thing?

Ok, I would buy a heatsink kit for your card.

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/memandvidcar.html


----------



## Andrazh

http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Sapphire-Readies-Radeon-HD-7950-Non-Reference-Card-2.jpg

This is how it looks originaly, the temps were up to 80 with a minor OC. Now i bought accelero s1 plus+2120mm fans. The temps are max 60 with 1150 on core on full load. Dont get me started on noise.

I'm only worried about vrms and ram. More the vrms tho since ram temps i can see and they are in ~60C.

Would like to get my hands on the front plate that coveres ram and vrms from OC version of the card but i don't think that is happening.


----------



## FtW 420

If you have any ram heatsinks around they will work for the mosfets, I just pulled out the hacksaw & cut some in half to fit.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shockre*
> 
> i run mine sapphire 7950 oc on 1200/1600 1.250v since i got it and have no problems. case is well ventilated and card tops at 75C which is ok.


This sound EXACTLY like my card. Although I can usually get a away with slightly less voltage for those clocks. Any higher core than that and things start to become shaky. I have managed 1225 on the core for a 3DMark11 run, but gaming and Heaven don't like it that high, and Vantage cuts out too through the spaceship scene.

I would say that anyone looking to really push these cards, really needs to get the volts up a little. As long as you have an after market cooking solution (Sapphire Dual Fan, Gigabyte W/Force, etc.) you should not worry about temps until you're high in the 1100's or hitting 1200Mhz if the GPU can take it. Water cooling is another story entirely, but the massive size and quantity of heat pipes on the custom coolers coupled with the appropriate fan set up, which most have, have enabled these cards to operate at speeds WAY past what was intended.

I still say AMD released these cards well under clocked. Almost ANY board will hit 1000Mhz without breaking a sweat on stock fan profiles and near stock voltage. Yes, we wouldn't be raving about how we get and extra 400Mhz out of the core on most of our cards, but in turn, the benches would have been that much more impressive in the reviews.

I hate hearing how the 7950 is a NO GO now with the 670 out, even though my card is beating a slightly OC'd 680.

But I'm sure the vets here have said and heard this a million times, so....


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Sapphire-Readies-Radeon-HD-7950-Non-Reference-Card-2.jpg
> This is how it looks originaly, the temps were up to 80 with a minor OC. Now i bought accelero s1 plus+2120mm fans. The temps are max 60 with 1150 on core on full load. Dont get me started on noise.
> I'm only worried about vrms and ram. More the vrms tho since ram temps i can see and they are in ~60C.
> Would like to get my hands on the front plate that coveres ram and vrms from OC version of the card but i don't think that is happening.


That is the same card that I had to RMA the first time before I bought the OC version. Being relatively new getting back into the PC scene after 6 or 7 years, I now know a few things that I would do a little differently. Possibly number one would be not to buy reference cards unless you do not want to overclock, or are putting them under water. I LOVE getting the most out of my card, and when that happens, the standard shroud and much to be desired heatsink do not do enough to protect your gear, really.

The beefy cooler solutions that go onto the OC versions of the cards are so much more comforting. The amount of copper on my card is awesome. People say "why get the OC version, you can OC it yourself?" The thing is, I pay for the cooler, not the extra Mhz that comes along with it. That's the main thing you get an OC card for. Most have immaculate coolers which are also tonnes quieter.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Hello guys, i am from brazil and i wil ltry to explciate what is happening with my card... Sorry for the bad english, i will try my best,ok??

Thats deal, i have 2 7970 from XFX Core edition, but one of those started to show some coloured points in the screen, some times the monitor dislpay gets black and come back, like i shut him down, but is the vga, but this happens just when i am at the windows, or surfing on the internet, not in games like bf3 or mw3 and not in benchmarks like 3d11, 3d vantage and heaven benchmark... Both are under water and i dont think i can killed the vga with the overclock, don't know exactly what happened, but i would like your opnion because you have lot more of experience... Soem friend of mine told me that can be like a thermal pad that was not corrected put on the block and vga is in contact with the block, something like that... If you need some pictures i can take some ones to you guys.. But i turned off the vga, i am waiting some stuff that i bought at ppcs to finish my worklog, so i will put the vga back to stock cooler, test to see what happens and try to block again..

Thank you everyone for anything you can do for help me...


----------



## AllGamer

Guys, are any of you having trouble with StarCraft 2 on Window Mode?

I can only play in Fullscreen 1920 x 1080

every time i try to run it on Fullscreen Window mode 5760 x 2160 it crashes

but no problem with Diablo 3 with Fullscreen Window mode 5760 x 2160

that's not even Crossfire, just a single DC2T at stock speed


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Guys, are any of you having trouble with StarCraft 2 on Window Mode?
> I can only play in Fullscreen 1920 x 1080
> every time i try to run it on Fullscreen Window mode 5760 x 2160 it crashes
> but no problem with Diablo 3 with Fullscreen Window mode 5760 x 2160
> that's not even Crossfire, just a single DC2T at stock speed


What drivers you useing for your Asus rig... i seem to get gray screens on my rig.


----------



## Justlme

Hey guys currently have a diamond 7970, and wondering which overclocking programs are best suited for this? haven't overclocked in a while, but ussualy overclock with afterburner.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Justlme*
> 
> Hey guys currently have a diamond 7970, and wondering which overclocking programs are best suited for this? haven't overclocked in a while, but ussualy overclock with afterburner.


Afterburner still works, Sapphire Trixx & Asus Gpu Tweak are a couple others. I still use AB most of the time.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> If you have any ram heatsinks around they will work for the mosfets, I just pulled out the hacksaw & cut some in half to fit.


What did u use to glue them on?

I have 0.5mm 80x1000mm copper plate at home. Can i cut that up and use it. I would cut a strip and bent it in the shape of S. And then put that on, would that be any good?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Just a question for Dual GPU people,
> When i play most my games i hardly get frame rates above 60fps with crossfire enabled, but Metro 2033 gets 90+ most of the time with 99% gpu usage on both cards, now on the low frame rate games the gpu usage is usually around 30% on both, why such low usage and fps ? its really bugging me because i read reviews and they get far more fps


Sounds to me like a driver issue.
What drivers r u using?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> People say "why get the OC version, you can OC it yourself?" The thing is, I pay for the cooler, not the extra Mhz that comes along with it. That's the main thing you get an OC card for. Most have immaculate coolers which are also tonnes quieter.


Exactly ! Totally agree with that.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Give it time and it will fry the psu. Back when I had quad 6950s, they ate up a TPQ1200 inside of 6 months and those were only 250w tdp max, more like 200w tdp. These 7970 are easily 300w tdp cards. Anyways, I've run the trifire readings off the wall and they suck down 1100/1200w max, so how a 1000w and 850w are handling that fine... I don't know.
> Point is sure you can run your psu at redline, but for how long?


Quick question : is my 850 watt PSU enough for 2 x HD7950 OC'ed ? Together with 2500K OC'ed to 4,5Ghz. Just wondering in case I would put in another GPU


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> What drivers you useing for your Asus rig... i seem to get gray screens on my rig.


12.4

most games runs well, except for SC2 on Eyefinitity


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Hello guys, i am from brazil and i wil ltry to explciate what is happening with my card... Sorry for the bad english, i will try my best,ok??
> Thats deal, i have 2 7970 from XFX Core edition, but one of those started to show some coloured points in the screen, some times the monitor dislpay gets black and come back, like i shut him down, but is the vga, but this happens just when i am at the windows, or surfing on the internet, not in games like bf3 or mw3 and not in benchmarks like 3d11, 3d vantage and heaven benchmark... Both are under water and i dont think i can killed the vga with the overclock, don't know exactly what happened, but i would like your opnion because you have lot more of experience... Soem friend of mine told me that can be like a thermal pad that was not corrected put on the block and vga is in contact with the block, something like that... If you need some pictures i can take some ones to you guys.. But i turned off the vga, i am waiting some stuff that i bought at ppcs to finish my worklog, so i will put the vga back to stock cooler, test to see what happens and try to block again..
> Thank you everyone for anything you can do for help me...


First of all you need to provide what clock speeds your cards are running at for both core and memory. Also you need to tell us the voltage as well. The screen turning black and crashing out of games happens at times when the voltage is insufficient on the core. If you get coloured pixels that normally indicates that the memory clock is too high. If you don't experience the problem at stock you need to do the overclock properly.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quick question : is my 850 watt PSU enough for 2 x HD7950 OC'ed ? Together with 2500K OC'ed to 4,5Ghz. Just wondering in case I would put in another GPU


850w is fine for two cards and cpu, both overclocked. 7970 overclocked tdp is over 300w x 3 gives you what? Your overclocked 2500k will need to run closer to 5ghz to feed them, guess what it's tdp is at 5ghz? For ex. a 5ghz 2600k is pulling 240w. Add the math and it's well over 850w. But there are still ppl that like to say you can run at redline all the time. That's great but when the psu fries, these ppl won't be there to pay for the damages.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> First of all you need to provide what clock speeds your cards are running at for both core and memory. Also you need to tell us the voltage as well. The screen turning black and crashing out of games happens at times when the voltage is insufficient on the core. If you get coloured pixels that normally indicates that the memory clock is too high. If you don't experience the problem at stock you need to do the overclock properly.


But this problems that i said was occuring to me was with the vga in stock, no overclock in cpu and memory and stock voltage. What i said of overclock is that when i am running benchmarks and games including with overclocking properly nothing of problems happens. I think you understande me now... Any help is good guys..

Thanks one more time.


----------



## SkateZilla

you'd need at least 1000w,

you'll have 2 GPUs, a CPU, Ram, a few Fans /Pumps, HDD, Optical, USB Devices, etc etc


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Sounds to me like a driver issue.
> What drivers r u using?
> 
> I use 12.4 Drivers the performance just seems.... Low compared to reviews :/


----------



## mltms

i cant change the Screen resolution GTA IV
amd 7950 ???


----------



## SkateZilla

i take it althon micro isnt working this weekend... lol...

in withdrawls... no eyefinity, no BF3 on ultra, no Flight Sims on unlimited..

oh wait, my Saitek X52 went poof friday night, so no BF3 on Ultra or Eyefinity...

Im inching closer to just buying 4 DP 7970 Lightning on Newegg....... and giving the 7950 when ever it comes back to my brother......
I'd get the ASUS but it has so many issues. The MSI Card is being praised as the holy grail of the 7970 line.

But i dont have $600 to drop on another GPU


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> What did u use to glue them on?
> I have 0.5mm 80x1000mm copper plate at home. Can i cut that up and use it. I would cut a strip and bent it in the shape of S. And then put that on, would that be any good?


I used 3m thermal tape to hold the heatsinks on. You want to be able to have contact with as much of the surface of the mosfet as possible to transfer heat off it, but something there helping to keep it cool will be better than nothing. Squared S shape or U shape should get contact,
Thermal epoxy might be easier to get locally from an electronics supply place than thermal tape, just keep in mind that the epoxy is pretty much permanent.


----------



## SkateZilla

I'd just use thermal tape, or buy a 2 sided thermal pad online and cut that,

glue is potentially flammable and most of the time permanent.


----------



## Luca T

What do you think about the "XFX" brand?


----------



## switchblade

I have had an HD5870 from XFX as well as my hd 7970 very good cards. Never had any issues with either of them


----------



## KingG14

what you guys prefer to have a HIS iceQ X turbo 7970 or power color pcs+ 7970,I'm trying to pick the best one to crossfire it with my msi ref


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingG14*
> 
> what you guys prefer to have a HIS iceQ X turbo 7970 or power color pcs+ 7970,I'm trying to pick the best one to crossfire it with my msi ref


Neither? I'd much rather wait for this one to drop if not just buy it outright at current price.

http://thetracktor.com/detail/B007JGARVU/


----------



## Woundingchaney

Anyone esle having issues with cfx and oc with Diablo 3?? Im blue screening everytime I play the game and only Diablo 3.


----------



## Luca T

I'm about to buy the 7970 (I will use liquid cooling), I don't know if buy a XFX (saving 20€) or a Sapphire?!


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> I'm about to buy the 7970 (I will use liquid cooling), I don't know if buy a XFX (saving 20€) or a Sapphire?!


make sure you get the REFERENCE version as in the regular clocked 925 Mhz ones

they don't make water blocks for non-referece versions, all those factory clocked to 1000, 950, 1010, 1070, etc


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Hello guys, i am from brazil and i wil ltry to explciate what is happening with my card... Sorry for the bad english, i will try my best,ok??
> Thats deal, i have 2 7970 from XFX Core edition, but one of those started to show some coloured points in the screen, some times the monitor dislpay gets black and come back, like i shut him down, but is the vga, but this happens just when i am at the windows, or surfing on the internet, not in games like bf3 or mw3 and not in benchmarks like 3d11, 3d vantage and heaven benchmark... Both are under water and i dont think i can killed the vga with the overclock, don't know exactly what happened, but i would like your opnion because you have lot more of experience... Soem friend of mine told me that can be like a thermal pad that was not corrected put on the block and vga is in contact with the block, something like that... If you need some pictures i can take some ones to you guys.. But i turned off the vga, i am waiting some stuff that i bought at ppcs to finish my worklog, so i will put the vga back to stock cooler, test to see what happens and try to block again..
> Thank you everyone for anything you can do for help me...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> But this problems that i said was occuring to me was with the vga in stock, no overclock in cpu and memory and stock voltage. What i said of overclock is that when i am running benchmarks and games including with overclocking properly nothing of problems happens. I think you understande me now... Any help is good guys..
> Thanks one more time.


Anyone plz??

Thanks.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> you'd need at least 1000w,
> you'll have 2 GPUs, a CPU, Ram, a few Fans /Pumps, HDD, Optical, USB Devices, etc etc


To who are you talking here? Just wanne know if this was a response to my question


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> make sure you get the REFERENCE version as in the regular clocked 925 Mhz ones
> they don't make water blocks for non-referece versions, all those factory clocked to 1000, 950, 1010, 1070, etc


Both are reference XFX and Sapphire


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> you'd need at least 1000w,
> you'll have 2 GPUs, a CPU, Ram, a few Fans /Pumps, HDD, Optical, USB Devices, etc etc
> 
> 
> 
> To who are you talking here? Just wanne know if this was a response to my question
Click to expand...

If it was a response to anyone's question it's severe overkill.

850W should run dual GPU and all associated peripherals as well as pumps/fans.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Woundingchaney*
> 
> Anyone esle having issues with cfx and oc with Diablo 3?? Im blue screening everytime I play the game and only Diablo 3.


Nope. No BSOD's here. Did you do the timedelay fix thing in the registry? I did it when I first set up my Xfire as it was giving me random BSOD's. Google and I'm sure you'll find the details of the fix. I also manually set the clocks of both cards to the same speed in CCC rather than use AB or Trixx. No microstutter once you do that.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i take it althon micro isnt working this weekend... lol...
> in withdrawls... no eyefinity, no BF3 on ultra, no Flight Sims on unlimited..
> oh wait, my Saitek X52 went poof friday night, so no BF3 on Ultra or Eyefinity...
> Im inching closer to just buying 4 DP 7970 Lightning on Newegg....... and giving the 7950 when ever it comes back to my brother......
> I'd get the ASUS but it has so many issues. The MSI Card is being praised as the holy grail of the 7970 line.
> But i dont have $600 to drop on another GPU


Well I really don't know if the MSI should be praised as the 'holy grail' of the 7970's. My Gigabyte cards are great as well (I can't OC like crazy due to my high ambient) but they are definitely beastly at OC'ing and keeping temps in high 60's and low 70's under some significant OC. I've gone back to running my cards at stock 1000 since with Xfire, the OC isn't needed anymore. The damn things just smoke any game I throw at them.

What about the Sapphire Dual-X, I've heard great things about them as well, and they're pretty cheap compared to MSI Lightnings?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> make sure you get the REFERENCE version as in the regular clocked 925 Mhz ones
> they don't make water blocks for non-referece versions, all those factory clocked to 1000, 950, 1010, 1070, etc


Hey allgamer, you solved your ASUS woes yet? Are the cards still acting up?


----------



## truestorybro545

Does anyone else have an issue with Catalyst thinking that it's on 12.3 and not 12.4? I am also having stuttering issues with my card (don't know if drivers or card itself).


----------



## jshotz

I'm having heat issues with one of my cards runs considerably hotter



is there anyway to fix this?

Thanks


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I'm having heat issues with one of my cards runs considerably hotter
> 
> is there anyway to fix this?
> Thanks


The lovely world of Crossfire. Its no big deal.


----------



## truestorybro545

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshotz*
> 
> I'm having heat issues with one of my cards runs considerably hotter
> 
> is there anyway to fix this?
> Thanks


That doesn't look hot at all....

What are its load temps? Keep each under 85 and you should be fine. Under load, of course.


----------



## RJacobs28

Hi All, thought I'd pop in here and ask a question among the experts. I'm wondering if i can fit 2 Asus Radeon 7970 DCII cards on my Sabertooth 990FX? (the big triple slot ones?)


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Well I really don't know if the MSI should be praised as the 'holy grail' of the 7970's. My Gigabyte cards are great as well (I can't OC like crazy due to my high ambient) but they are definitely beastly at OC'ing and keeping temps in high 60's and low 70's under some significant OC. I've gone back to running my cards at stock 1000 since with Xfire, the OC isn't needed anymore. The damn things just smoke any game I throw at them.
> What about the Sapphire Dual-X, I've heard great things about them as well, and they're pretty cheap compared to MSI Lightnings?


With air & water cooling the MSI lightning is pretty much like other cards (should run a bit cooler than a reference cooler at least), you still gotta hope for some luck in the silicon lottery. The non-reference cards like lightning with the extra phases & bios' that disable OCP, etc. are more like the 'holy grail' of gpus when given some serious cooling, then they do tend to keep clocking higher where the reference cards start to crap out.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Hey allgamer, you solved your ASUS woes yet? Are the cards still acting up?


is hard to say, now it works fine 90% time

just last night found out SC2 will not play at all on big window mode

it only runs fine in Full Screen 1920 x 1080

was reading on the WSFG that Blizzard probably did it intentionally to prevent "advantages" in game

BF3 and D3 plays fine as well as many other old games


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> make sure you get the REFERENCE version as in the regular clocked 925 Mhz ones
> they don't make water blocks for non-referece versions, all those factory clocked to 1000, 950, 1010, 1070, etc


This is just plain wrong.

The only non-reference cards are the msi lightning and asis dcu ii. All others at this time use reference desighn

And since ek makes full cover blocks for the dcu ii and soon the lightning, u could buy any card you want right now and find a block for it.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> If it was a response to anyone's question it's severe overkill.
> 850W should run dual GPU and all associated peripherals as well as pumps/fans.


If u want to run ur psu into the groud then yes, use a 850w. Considering a 7970 stock has a tdp of 300w, 2 is 600w. Most mid-high end mobos in z68 will run about 240w (my x79 extreme9 will pull a bit over 300w at times) thats 840w before we get to pumps, lights, fans etc.

Can u run that on a 850w? Sure but dont be surprised when in 6 months ur psu is toast and u cant get a stable overclock to save ur life.

If u are spending $1000 alone on graphics, do urself a favor and buy a 1200 psu for $200. Hell my three lightnings at the moment pull about 1050w by themselves in furmark, which is why i have a 1475w thermaltake and it was only $220 on sale.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> If it was a response to anyone's question it's severe overkill.
> 850W should run dual GPU and all associated peripherals as well as pumps/fans.
> 
> 
> 
> If u want to run ur psu into the groud then yes, use a 850w. Considering a 7970 stock has a tdp of 300w, 2 is 600w. Most mid-high end mobos in z68 will run about 240w (my x79 extreme9 will pull a bit over 300w at times) thats 840w before we get to pumps, lights, fans etc.
> 
> Can u run that on a 850w? Sure but dont be surprised when in 6 months ur psu is toast and u cant get a stable overclock to save ur life.
> 
> If u are spending $1000 alone on graphics, do urself a favor and buy a 1200 psu for $200. Hell my three lightnings at the moment pull about 1050w by themselves in furmark, which is why i have a 1475w thermaltake and it was only $220 on sale.
Click to expand...

1000w for 2 way crossfire 7970's, and Sandy Bridge? Really?









7970's have a TDP of like 220w, not 300w (overclocked mind you). 2500k draws about 100w. Board maybe 20w. You can EASILY run crossfired 7970's off a good quality 650w. 850w will power tri fire fine.


----------



## KingG14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> This is just plain wrong.
> The only non-reference cards are the msi lightning and asis dcu ii. All others at this time use reference desighn
> And since ek makes full cover blocks for the dcu ii and soon the lightning, u could buy any card you want right now and find a block for it.


You forget the Power Color pcs+ which is also non reference design


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingG14*
> 
> You forget the Power Color pcs+ which is also non reference design


I was actually about to edit my post to include this as i had no idea the vortex 2 was released lol


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1000w for 2 way crossfire 7970's, and Sandy Bridge? Really?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 7970's have a TDP of like 220w, not 300w (overclocked mind you). 2500k draws about 100w. Board maybe 20w. You can EASILY run crossfired 7970's off a good quality 650w. 850w will power tri fire fine.


Ur right. Iv been drinking to much haterade today (and a ****ty day at work) i have no idea wht i thought a 7970 was 300 tdp and not 225.

I wouldnt say a 650w thou....thats a bit low....ok ill just stop lol


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1000w for 2 way crossfire 7970's, and Sandy Bridge? Really?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 7970's have a TDP of like 220w, not 300w (overclocked mind you). 2500k draws about 100w. Board maybe 20w. You can EASILY run crossfired 7970's off a good quality 650w. 850w will power tri fire fine.
> 
> 
> 
> Ur right. Iv been drinking to much haterade today (and a ****ty day at work) i have no idea wht i thought a 7970 was 300 tdp and not 225.
> 
> I wouldnt say a 650w thou....thats a bit low....ok ill just stop lol
Click to expand...

You'd honestly be surprised. I ran GTX 580 SLI off my 650w PSU and my 2500k at 4.8GHz. I couldn't overvolt the 580's...but remember that 580's draw a good 75w more per card than 7970's do.

A LOT of people really overestimate power draw. Go check out our PSU section here, there's a sticky for a PSU calculator. It'll show the same thing I"m saying, that a 650w is plenty for Crossfired 7970's, even overclocked.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You'd honestly be surprised. I ran GTX 580 SLI off my 650w PSU and my 2500k at 4.8GHz. I couldn't overvolt the 580's...but remember that 580's draw a good 75w more per card than 7970's do.
> A LOT of people really overestimate power draw. Go check out our PSU section here, there's a sticky for a PSU calculator. It'll show the same thing I"m saying, that a 650w is plenty for Crossfired 7970's, even overclocked.


Where do you get this 220w overclocked number from??

Quote:


> *For this test we measure power consumption of only the graphics card, via PCI-Express power connector(s) and PCI-Express bus slot. A Keithley Integra 2700 with 6.5 digits is used for all measurements. Again, the values here reflect card only power consumption measured at DC VGA card inputs, not the whole system*.


----------



## pioneerisloud

That's what I had heard.









Fine 270w. Still plenty of room there.

Maybe 220w was the 7950 then?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's what I had heard.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Fine 270w. Still plenty of room there.
> Maybe 220w was the 7950 then?


Stop going into the psu forums lol. You stay here and ask the guys pulling 1500w from the wall with quads.


----------



## 4514kaiser

A 650w PSU running sli 580 does not surprise me, but just because it works doesn't mean its a good idea PSU these days PSU are so cheap its simply not worth the risk IMO when using high end hardware.

BTW anyone know how long till 12.6?


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:
Originally Posted by joaobezerranetojbn

Hello guys, i am from brazil and i wil ltry to explciate what is happening with my card... Sorry for the bad english, i will try my best,ok??
Thats deal, i have 2 7970 from XFX Core edition, but one of those started to show some coloured points in the screen, some times the monitor dislpay gets black and come back, like i shut him down, but is the vga, but this happens just when i am at the windows, or surfing on the internet, not in games like bf3 or mw3 and not in benchmarks like 3d11, 3d vantage and heaven benchmark... Both are under water and i dont think i can killed the vga with the overclock, don't know exactly what happened, but i would like your opnion because you have lot more of experience... Soem friend of mine told me that can be like a thermal pad that was not corrected put on the block and vga is in contact with the block, something like that... If you need some pictures i can take some ones to you guys.. But i turned off the vga, i am waiting some stuff that i bought at ppcs to finish my worklog, so i will put the vga back to stock cooler, test to see what happens and try to block again..
Thank you everyone for anything you can do for help me...

Quote:
Originally Posted by joaobezerranetojbn

But this problems that i said was occuring to me was with the vga in stock, no overclock in cpu and memory and stock voltage. What i said of overclock is that when i am running benchmarks and games including with overclocking properly nothing of problems happens. I think you understande me now... Any help is good guys..
Thanks one more time.

Anyone plz??

Thanks.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> is hard to say, now it works fine 90% time
> just last night found out SC2 will not play at all on big window mode
> it only runs fine in Full Screen 1920 x 1080
> was reading on the WSFG that Blizzard probably did it intentionally to prevent "advantages" in game
> BF3 and D3 plays fine as well as many other old games


90% isn't 99.9% like it should be. I used to love Asus cards especially when I saw my friends rig with the GTX580 DCU II cards. It looked awesome and was whisper quiet under load. But with the 7970's, I have heard nothing but bad mojo. Saw quite a few on the shelves in my local IT mall the weekend but the Gigabyte cards were scarce and MSI Lightnings nowhere to be seen.

I haven't installed SC2 on the new rig. Too busy with Diablo III right now







. But if Blizzard did intentionally do that to prevent 'advantages' in game, they really can't do anything about those with 2 or more displays as they would have the 'advantageous' stuff on the other display and it does not have to be in Window mode. Sounds like a new driver bug.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Quote:
> Originally Posted by joaobezerranetojbn
> Hello guys, i am from brazil and i wil ltry to explciate what is happening with my card... Sorry for the bad english, i will try my best,ok??
> Thats deal, i have 2 7970 from XFX Core edition, but one of those started to show some coloured points in the screen, some times the monitor dislpay gets black and come back, like i shut him down, but is the vga, but this happens just when i am at the windows, or surfing on the internet, not in games like bf3 or mw3 and not in benchmarks like 3d11, 3d vantage and heaven benchmark... Both are under water and i dont think i can killed the vga with the overclock, don't know exactly what happened, but i would like your opnion because you have lot more of experience... Soem friend of mine told me that can be like a thermal pad that was not corrected put on the block and vga is in contact with the block, something like that... If you need some pictures i can take some ones to you guys.. But i turned off the vga, i am waiting some stuff that i bought at ppcs to finish my worklog, so i will put the vga back to stock cooler, test to see what happens and try to block again..
> Thank you everyone for anything you can do for help me...
> Quote:
> Originally Posted by joaobezerranetojbn
> But this problems that i said was occuring to me was with the vga in stock, no overclock in cpu and memory and stock voltage. What i said of overclock is that when i am running benchmarks and games including with overclocking properly nothing of problems happens. I think you understande me now... Any help is good guys..
> Thanks one more time.
> Anyone plz??
> Thanks.


Haven't had a similar issue with being fine in benchmarks, but things like artifacts in windows, at stock speed is even stranger. Kinda sounds like something wrong with the 2d clocks (when not in use, like at desktop, they clock themselves down, or are supposed to).
I'd pull 1 card from the system, test it out a while & see if it is the same, then try the other card by itself. If only one card does it, the card is probably defective. If both do it independently, I'd have to think driver or OS issue.


----------



## sena

@ joaobezerranetojbn
Had similiar issue with HD 5970, the bios on GPU was wrong, and it was not supplying enough voltage to the GPU when underclocked, i solved the problem with BIOS flash from Sapphire, altrough this problem with HD 5970 was preety widespread. Hope this helps, good luck.
Cheers


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RJacobs28*
> 
> Hi All, thought I'd pop in here and ask a question among the experts. I'm wondering if i can fit 2 Asus Radeon 7970 DCII cards on my Sabertooth 990FX? (the big triple slot ones?)


Since no one else answered. Yes. The only issue is that the top card won't have a lot of breathing room, but its not a huge deal really. Go for it.


----------



## Dahlmann

Hey guys,

I just encountered a weird bug/problem with 12.4 and my crossfire 7970s.

Did a clean reinstall of Windows 7 in preparation for Diablo 3.
Installed only the basics of what is needed, drivers, chrome, anti-virus and what not. No fancy stuff.
Then installed 12.4 and CAP, and that was it.

Did a lot of reboots whilst installing drivers, which was lightning fast as I'm running of an Force GT SSD.
BUT! As soon as I installed 12.4, my reboot slowed the hell down. Specifically the shutdown process. Instead of just a few seconds, the screen with the text reading "Windows is shutting down" is now hanging for 30 seconds or so. My start up time hasn't changed, but the shutdown process is damned slow now.....
I uninstalled 12.4, and my shutdown time was back to normal. And when I installed 12.4 again, the shutdown time was ruined once more.

Anyone else tried this, or heard of anyone with the problem?

Thanks in advance,

Dahlmann


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Nope. No BSOD's here. Did you do the timedelay fix thing in the registry? I did it when I first set up my Xfire as it was giving me random BSOD's. Google and I'm sure you'll find the details of the fix. I also manually set the clocks of both cards to the same speed in CCC rather than use AB or Trixx. No microstutter once you do that.


What is this timedelay fix?


----------



## Luca T

Is the Sapphire 7970 OC like the reference as pcb?
I mean Can I put it in liquid cooling with a reference Waterblock?


----------



## mltms

can some one send me bios for amd 7950

i want a bios that have a volt stock higher than 1.090


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> can some one send me bios for amd 7950
> i want a bios that have a volt stock higher than 1.090


Just increase the voltage? Stock vcore has to do with the chip, not the bios...


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> If it was a response to anyone's question it's severe overkill.
> 850W should run dual GPU and all associated peripherals as well as pumps/fans.
> 
> 
> 
> If u want to run ur psu into the groud then yes, use a 850w. Considering a 7970 stock has a tdp of 300w, 2 is 600w. Most mid-high end mobos in z68 will run about 240w (my x79 extreme9 will pull a bit over 300w at times) thats 840w before we get to pumps, lights, fans etc.
> 
> Can u run that on a 850w? Sure but dont be surprised when in 6 months ur psu is toast and u cant get a stable overclock to save ur life.
> 
> If u are spending $1000 alone on graphics, do urself a favor and buy a 1200 psu for $200. Hell my three lightnings at the moment pull about 1050w by themselves in furmark, which is why i have a 1475w thermaltake and it was only $220 on sale.
Click to expand...

7970 doesn't use anywhere near 300w though. Just because it's rated that high doesn't mean it runs that high.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1834/11/


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Is the Sapphire 7970 OC like the reference as pcb?
> I mean Can I put it in liquid cooling with a reference Waterblock?


Yes, it is and will fit reference waterblock.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 7970 doesn't use anywhere near 300w though. Just because it's rated that high doesn't mean it runs that high.
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1834/11/


You also have to realize the Performance Drop off/ Rating for these PSU's.

A 850w PSU doesnt put out a Perfect 850w under load/stress, or when it gets warm.

90% efficiency at 100% load would put out around 765w~

Also, depends on if you have a decent Rail setup.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 7970 doesn't use anywhere near 300w though. Just because it's rated that high doesn't mean it runs that high.
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1834/11/
> 
> 
> 
> You also have to realize the Performance Drop off/ Rating for these PSU's.
> 
> A 850w PSU doesnt put out a Perfect 850w under load/stress, or when it gets warm.
> 
> 90% efficiency at 100% load would put out around 765w~
> 
> Also, depends on if you have a decent Rail setup.
Click to expand...

I'm almost positive efficiency works OPPOSITE what you think it does.

1000w PSU with 80% efficiency will pull 1200W from the wall, and supply 1000W of power to the devices, because it is 80% efficient. 90% would pull 1100w instead of 1200w.

EDIT: Or maybe 1250W 1000/80*100=1250w. and 90% efficiency would be 1111w from the wall.


----------



## LongRod

What would you guys recommend to be the best drivers for the 7950? I'm running 12.4 right now, but if something else performs better, I would LOVE to get some more performance out of this highly overclocked card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 7970 doesn't use anywhere near 300w though. Just because it's rated that high doesn't mean it runs that high.
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1834/11/


Are you joking? Furmark test off a killawatt is what you call professional? Anytime you use a generalized power consumption test, the whole test becomes questionable nevermind that killawatt's are not accurate. On the other hand, take a look at TPU's consumption tests which are 100% more accurate because they measure the actual power draw of the cards off the pcie. Anyways, to play devil's advocate, take that 641 x .9 - 50w (for an idle cpu) divided by two = 263w. Now look at TPU.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where do you get this 220w overclocked number from??
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> *For this test we measure power consumption of only the graphics card, via PCI-Express power connector(s) and PCI-Express bus slot. A Keithley Integra 2700 with 6.5 digits is used for all measurements. Again, the values here reflect card only power consumption measured at DC VGA card inputs, not the whole system*.
Click to expand...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Anybody have any idea when the EK blocks for the Lightnings are going to be available? Looking to start purchasing components soon and am trying to figure out if I should trade my cards for reference or stick with them and hope the blocks are available soon.

if I went reference I could get some Komodo's which is what I really want. What do you think will be better, reference with Komodo's or Lightnings with the EK blocks? Thanks!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Anybody have any idea when the EK blocks for the Lightnings are going to be available? Looking to start purchasing components soon and am trying to figure out if I should trade my cards for reference or stick with them and hope the blocks are available soon.
> if I went reference I could get some Komodo's which is what I really want. What do you think will be better, reference with Komodo's or Lightnings with the EK blocks? Thanks!


Swiftech fullcovers are hyper restrictive man, do not want. I would wait.
Quote:


> Four new Full-cover water blocks available soon - 07/05/2012


It's kind of a wait, but I would wait. You won't know what these lightnings are like before you get rid of them. Seems a shame to me.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Anybody have any idea when the EK blocks for the Lightnings are going to be available? Looking to start purchasing components soon and am trying to figure out if I should trade my cards for reference or stick with them and hope the blocks are available soon.
> if I went reference I could get some Komodo's which is what I really want. What do you think will be better, reference with Komodo's or Lightnings with the EK blocks? Thanks!


The ek blocks should be out in 2-3 weeks ("widely available") i have been litteraly checking their site everyday waiting for updates lol.

The ek blocks will provide better flow than the komodos which are pretty restictive. Temps will be about the same.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Four new Full-cover water blocks available soon - 07/05/2012
> 
> 
> 
> It's kind of a wait, but I would wait. You won't know what these lightnings are like before you get rid of them. Seems a shame to me.
Click to expand...

Just to add a note to this 7/5/2012 is actually May 7th, the day they posted that news. The news says "widely available early june"


----------



## DaClownie

OK, tonality issue aside, I'll play along.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> 7970 doesn't use anywhere near 300w though. Just because it's rated that high doesn't mean it runs that high.
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1834/11/
> 
> 
> 
> Are you joking? Furmark test off a killawatt is what you call professional? Anytime you use a generalized power consumption test, the whole test becomes questionable nevermind that killawatt's are not accurate. On the other hand, take a look at TPU's consumption tests which are 100% more accurate because they measure the actual power draw of the cards off the pcie. Anyways, to play devil's advocate, take that 641 x .9 - 50w (for an idle cpu) divided by two = *263w*. Now look at TPU.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where do you get this 220w overclocked number from??
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> *For this test we measure power consumption of only the graphics card, via PCI-Express power connector(s) and PCI-Express bus slot. A Keithley Integra 2700 with 6.5 digits is used for all measurements. Again, the values here reflect card only power consumption measured at DC VGA card inputs, not the whole system*.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Convenient use of one graph.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/HD_7970_CrossFire/22.html

In furmark (which in no way represents REAL COMPUTER USAGE crossfire 7970s peak at 525. Real world usage is under 400W. If you're stressing your 7970s in Furmark, you're not running prime95 at the same time. You test one and then the other, unless you're purposely trying to break stuff or overheat components if you have dual GPUs and a CPU in a single loop.

CPU/Motherboard/RAM overclocked = 200w (high side, but who cares right?)
Crossfire 7970s in extreme setting Crysis 2 gaming according to those charts = 375W (peak mind you, average was closer to 300w)

That's 575W. That leaves you with almost 300W for your 75 120mm fans and 2 SSDs. Enjoy.

Once again, misinforming people. 1000W is *NOT NECESSARY* for 7970 crossfire.

EDIT: Most high end PSUs power ratings is for RMA, which is their sustained power usage. They can usually peak MUCH higher if there's a burst of demand for that power.


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1000w for 2 way crossfire 7970's, and Sandy Bridge? Really?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 7970's have a TDP of like 220w, not 300w (overclocked mind you). 2500k draws about 100w. Board maybe 20w. You can EASILY run crossfired 7970's off a good quality 650w. 850w will power tri fire fine.


Was going to say the same but you beat me to it... I did some testing a while back in this thread, i ran a 2500k at 1,4v with 4,7ghz and 2x7950 with a descent overclock...also 8 fans and 4-6 hdd.... even with prime95 and 3dmark11 running at ones i only saw like 600w one little peak... With stock gpus and only cpu overclocked i was no way near my 750w, maxed out at like 5xx something watt


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LongRod*
> 
> What would you guys recommend to be the best drivers for the 7950? I'm running 12.4 right now, but if something else performs better, I would LOVE to get some more performance out of this highly overclocked card.


12.4 for single GPU.
This week 12.5 should be out, just hold on


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> OK, tonality issue aside, I'll play along.
> Convenient use of one graph.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/HD_7970_CrossFire/22.html
> In furmark (which in no way represents REAL COMPUTER USAGE crossfire 7970s peak at 525. Real world usage is under 400W. If you're stressing your 7970s in Furmark, you're not running prime95 at the same time. You test one and then the other, unless you're purposely trying to break stuff or overheat components if you have dual GPUs and a CPU in a single loop.
> CPU/Motherboard/RAM overclocked = 200w (high side, but who cares right?)
> Crossfire 7970s in extreme setting Crysis 2 gaming according to those charts = 375W (peak mind you, average was closer to 300w)
> That's 575W. That leaves you with almost 300W for your 75 120mm fans and 2 SSDs. Enjoy.
> Once again, misinforming people. 1000W is *NOT NECESSARY* for 7970 crossfire.
> EDIT: Most high end PSUs power ratings is for RMA, which is their sustained power usage. They can usually peak MUCH higher if there's a burst of demand for that power.


Are you saying that I said :1000W is *NECESSARY* for 7970 crossfire?

This is what I commented on.
Quote:


> 7970 doesn't use anywhere near 300w though. Just because it's rated that high doesn't mean it runs that high.


And going by the link you posted and throwing math at it, stock clocked 7970's pulled roughly 260w. That is rather close to an overclocked 300w. Real world, lol what if I am folding. Yea, and I have 99% usage on gpu and cpu? Real world usage is whatever anyone might use their pc for, not just what you deem possible.


----------



## SkateZilla

okay, is there a way to track my RMA with Sapphire?


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Haven't had a similar issue with being fine in benchmarks, but things like artifacts in windows, at stock speed is even stranger. Kinda sounds like something wrong with the 2d clocks (when not in use, like at desktop, they clock themselves down, or are supposed to).
> I'd pull 1 card from the system, test it out a while & see if it is the same, then try the other card by itself. If only one card does it, the card is probably defective. If both do it independently, I'd have to think driver or OS issue.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> @ joaobezerranetojbn
> Had similiar issue with HD 5970, the bios on GPU was wrong, and it was not supplying enough voltage to the GPU when underclocked, i solved the problem with BIOS flash from Sapphire, altrough this problem with HD 5970 was preety widespread. Hope this helps, good luck.
> Cheers


I already discovered that this just happens in 1 of my cards, i already change my bios to asus bios, but its in doing even in asus bios and in xfx bios, because i switched the little button between 1 and 2. I will try to change the bios again for a sapphire one like you said,ok?

Thanks everyone.


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> okay, is there a way to track my RMA with Sapphire?


Did you register the card with Sapphire?


----------



## SkateZilla

Yeah, it was registered when i bought it in Feb.

Started a Ticket about 3 weeks ago now, got an RMA and Refer to Althon Micro,

Shipped it, RMA Info on Label and Box, Signed for Over a Week ago,

Havent had any Emails or Messages from niether Sapphire or Althon Micro,

the original Support ticket was deleted by them (my guess for in activity).


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Yeah, it was registered when i bought it in Feb.
> Started a Ticket about 3 weeks ago now, got an RMA and Refer to Althon Micro,
> Shipped it, RMA Info on Label and Box, Signed for Over a Week ago,
> Havent had any Emails or Messages from niether Sapphire or Althon Micro,
> the original Support ticket was deleted by them (my guess for in activity).


Well, looks like we need to find a rep or # to get a live person.

Boom. Got them Dos.........http://www.computerhope.com/comp/sapphire.htm


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> The ek blocks should be out in 2-3 weeks ("widely available") i have been litteraly checking their site everyday waiting for updates lol.
> The ek blocks will provide better flow than the komodos which are pretty restictive. Temps will be about the same.


Good info, thanks! I guess I'll just stick with my Lightnings even though I really love the aesthetics of the Komodo's. This way will be much simpler as I won't have to sell these cards then buy two new ones. I'm guessing the EK blocks will look similar to the DCII block?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Good info, thanks! I guess I'll just stick with my Lightnings even though I really love the aesthetics of the Komodo's. This way will be much simpler as I won't have to sell these cards then buy two new ones. I'm guessing the EK blocks will look similar to the DCII block?


im assuming so. im interested in how they plan on cooling the 2 memory vrms on the far right of the pcb. also, on the dcuII blocks, there are only 2 ports available (both facing front side of card) which makes it kind of a pain to run crossfire and have the 2 cards in series (you can buy the ek bridge for it which allows for every direction but your cards must be spaced by 1 pci slot, the bridge allows for parallel as well). i hope this is not the case with the lightning blocks but it wouldnt surprise me


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Hey guys i thibk i solved my problem... I desinstalled everything here, catallyst, cap, afterburner, used atiman, changed my old asus bios to a new asus bios following the tutorial that was posted here at page 245 by the user Denim - 187, thanks for him and everyone that tried to help, i am going to install everything again, catalyst 12.4 and cap 1 12.4, afterburner to check if is evetything ok...

But i would like you to ask one more question, when i was try to change my bios, i downloaded a sapphire bios from the techpowerup, but the bios file cate as rom file, but the files that was posted here are like bin file, i tried to change the rom file to bin file change the extension, but didn't worked, luck for me that i found other asus bios here at page 249 that cames in bin file and until now everything is ok. My question is, the flash by the DOS jsut works with originally BIN file?... I will come back here in 20-30 minutes after installing everything to say the results...

Thanks.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dahlmann*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I just encountered a weird bug/problem with 12.4 and my crossfire 7970s.
> Did a clean reinstall of Windows 7 in preparation for Diablo 3.
> Installed only the basics of what is needed, drivers, chrome, anti-virus and what not. No fancy stuff.
> Then installed 12.4 and CAP, and that was it.
> Did a lot of reboots whilst installing drivers, which was lightning fast as I'm running of an Force GT SSD.
> BUT! As soon as I installed 12.4, my reboot slowed the hell down. Specifically the shutdown process. Instead of just a few seconds, the screen with the text reading "Windows is shutting down" is now hanging for 30 seconds or so. My start up time hasn't changed, but the shutdown process is damned slow now.....
> I uninstalled 12.4, and my shutdown time was back to normal. And when I installed 12.4 again, the shutdown time was ruined once more.
> Anyone else tried this, or heard of anyone with the problem?
> Thanks in advance,
> Dahlmann


Don't know what your System is (if you wanna put that in the rig builder







), but for myself, I was having some insane issues with 12.4.
Had to driver sweep and use 12.3. Mind you, I'm on a single 7950. I'm sure there are better drivers for CF though, I believe I saw a lot of talk about still using the 11.x, but I'm not positive about that still.
Hope that helps at all.







GL!


----------



## SkateZilla

12.3 was nothing but issues for me. 12.4 fixed them, but introduced others, or made dormant issues return 10 fold.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 12.3 was nothing but issues for me. 12.4 fixed them, but introduced others, or made dormant issues return 10 fold.


Alas, I get back from class today to find that I am on a perma-loop of driver recoveries from 12.3. Back to square one (or square 12.4 issues, I guess). Time to try 12.5 beta??


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Everything ok for me guys... But can anyone answer my question i did in the previous page about the type of extension file about the bios file because i just flashed my bios when it was bin file, when was rom file and tried to change to bin didn't work. There is anywat to do that?

What i have to do when the bios file we want to flash is in rom extension?

Thank you.


----------



## switchblade

Well idk abt that but why do u need to convert the rom file?


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> Everything ok for me guys... But can anyone answer my question i did in the previous page about the type of extension file about the bios file because i just flashed my bios when it was bin file, when was rom file and tried to change to bin didn't work. There is anywat to do that?
> What i have to do when the bios file we want to flash is in rom extension?
> Thank you.


In the dos flash program you should just be able to flash the .rom file, I have flashed mine a couple times, an asus file with .100 extension, & one with .rom extension (using atiflash). You should also be able to just change the extension to .bin if necessary.
I usually try to check bios' from techpowerup, when I went to download one for a 580 before the first 5 different ones I DL'ed were all corrupt, 6th finally worked. I'm not sure what programs will work to check integrity on 7970 bios.


----------



## SonDa5

Checking in with Sapphire Dual X OC HD7950 950mhz edition.

Just got it a few hours ago.

Photos of it.























































Please comment about the PCB.

Looks like it is 1 VRM short of the HD7970 Dual X Sapphire version. I don't see any other differences from the Dual X HD7970 version.

Also does somebody know if any water blocks will fit this?


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Checking in with Sapphire Dual X OC HD7950 950mhz edition.
> Just got it a few hours ago.
> 
> Please comment about the PCB.
> Looks like it is 1 VRM short of the HD7970 Dual X Sapphire version. I don't see any other differences from the Dual X HD7970 version.
> Also does somebody know if any water blocks will fit this?


I have read there were 2 x reference cards that had the extra phase on the PCB, the rest are the same as what you have. Any reference 7970 water block should work.
Have fun with the new toy!


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Well idk abt that but why do u need to convert the rom file?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> In the dos flash program you should just be able to flash the .rom file, I have flashed mine a couple times, an asus file with .100 extension, & one with .rom extension (using atiflash). You should also be able to just change the extension to .bin if necessary.
> I usually try to check bios' from techpowerup, when I went to download one for a 580 before the first 5 different ones I DL'ed were all corrupt, 6th finally worked. I'm not sure what programs will work to check integrity on 7970 bios.


The bios that i download from this thread was in .bin and booth worked, but the 2 i download from techpowerup was in .rom and when i try to flash using atiflash in DOS says that the files was not found, sawing this i tried to change the file, right click, properties, changed the name of the bios for same but instead of .rom to .bin and when i tried to flash this time with .bin in the file, said the same thing: the file was not found. i think you guys understood now my problem here, resuming, when i download and it is already in .bin works, when its not doesn't work, no metter if its in .rom and i change to .bin dowsn't work anyway.

Thanks.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I have read there were 2 x reference cards that had the extra phase on the PCB, the rest are the same as what you have.


Would that be reference Hd7970s or HD7950s?


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Would that be reference Hd7970s or HD7950s?


7970s, when replying I could see the 7970 you have written under the pics & that must have stuck in my head.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Checking in with Sapphire Dual X OC HD7950 950mhz edition.
> Just got it a few hours ago.
> Photos of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Please comment about the PCB.
> Looks like it is 1 VRM short of the HD7970 Dual X Sapphire version. I don't see any other differences from the Dual X HD7970 version.
> Also does somebody know if any water blocks will fit this?


Holy carp, that's the deviated 7970 pcb that powercolor and msi are using. Try and unlock it dude!

Block wise it will use 7970 blocks.


----------



## truestorybro545

I need help desperately! After using DriverSweep and ATIMan my drivers don't install properly. It says that it installed with errors (and the "log" button won't open the actual log).

Now after rebooting, I click on Catalyst and get this: "Could not load file or assembly 'CCC.Implementation' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified."

What is going on?!?!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *truestorybro545*
> 
> I need help desperately! After using DriverSweep and ATIMan my drivers don't install properly. It says that it installed with errors (and the "log" button won't open the actual log).
> Now after rebooting, I click on Catalyst and get this: "Could not load file or assembly 'CCC.Implementation' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified."
> What is going on?!?!


Run the driver install.exe, choose uninstall. Go to control panel, uninstall catalyst install manager and anything else amd. If anything fails, not much you can do so move on to next step. Reboot. It will install default drivers. Go to devive manger and uninstall the standard vga device/s. Open file manager look inside

windows/system32
windows/system32\drivers
windows/syswow64

delete everything that starts atixxxx, everything. There's nothing there that starts ati that isn't driver related.

Reboot, upon login windows will install default vga device and ask to reboot.

You should be 98% clean of AMD crap now. Good luck.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Yeah, it was registered when i bought it in Feb.
> Started a Ticket about 3 weeks ago now, got an RMA and Refer to Althon Micro,
> Shipped it, RMA Info on Label and Box, Signed for Over a Week ago,
> Havent had any Emails or Messages from niether Sapphire or Althon Micro,
> the original Support ticket was deleted by them (my guess for in activity).


My ticket was deleted too, once they actually authorized my RMA. So to me that sounds normal. I had my card IN THE FACTORY for around 3 weeks when I sent my 7950 in. That doesn't include the postage time to and from my house (Australia to Hong Kong and back).

They sent me an email to notify me DHL was picking up my card (I assume from them) and then a couple of days later it got back to me. Whole process after I had posted it took just over 1 month. TWO TIMES! RMA is the worst especially when it is high end stuff. You can't just find equivalent hardware lying around the use for the time being, at least not in my case.


----------



## truestorybro545

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Run the driver install.exe, choose uninstall. Go to control panel, uninstall catalyst install manager and anything else amd. If anything fails, not much you can do so move on to next step. Reboot. It will install default drivers. Go to devive manger and uninstall the standard vga device/s. Open file manager look inside
> windows/system32
> windows/system32\drivers
> windows/syswow64
> delete everything that starts atixxxx, everything. There's nothing there that starts ati that isn't driver related.
> Reboot, upon login windows will install default vga device and ask to reboot.
> You should be 98% clean of AMD crap now. Good luck.


So I'm in SysWOW64 and see a slew of items that begin with ati

Should I delete all of them or are some of those related to my FX processor?

Also, in Device Manager, I can't find this VGA thing you speak of. Where would it be listed under?

(Posting this just in case you didn't get my PM







)


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Holy carp, that's the deviated 7970 pcb that powercolor and msi are using. Try and unlock it dude!
> Block wise it will use 7970 blocks.


So this may be a HD7970 in disguise!!!


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> So this may be a HD7970 in disguise!!!


Yep, looking at your pics & the 7970 pcb in front of me, i can't see any difference.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What is this timedelay fix?


Here it is from the Guru3D Forums:

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359695

Just because it worked for me does not mean it will work for everyone as Windows is finicky beast at times.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *truestorybro545*
> 
> So I'm in SysWOW64 and see a slew of items that begin with ati
> Should I delete all of them or are some of those related to my FX processor?
> Also, in Device Manager, I can't find this VGA thing you speak of. Where would it be listed under?
> (Posting this just in case you didn't get my PM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


ATI!!!! ATI is not AMD.









Delete everything ATIxxxx.

Under display adapters, if you see amd radeon after uninstalling the driver, choose to uninstall that adapter and check delete software. If you see standard vga, uninstall that.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> So this may be a HD7970 in disguise!!!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Yep, looking at your pics & the 7970 pcb in front of me, i can't see any difference.


It's the White Whale of 7950s lol. Sapphire has been a naughty boy releasing a 7950 on a 7970 pcb. RUbs hands together. Time to flash it with a reference bios!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> My ticket was deleted too, once they actually authorized my RMA. So to me that sounds normal. I had my card IN THE FACTORY for around 3 weeks when I sent my 7950 in. That doesn't include the postage time to and from my house (Australia to Hong Kong and back).
> They sent me an email to notify me DHL was picking up my card (I assume from them) and then a couple of days later it got back to me. Whole process after I had posted it took just over 1 month. TWO TIMES! RMA is the worst especially when it is high end stuff. You can't just find equivalent hardware lying around the use for the time being, at least not in my case.


i just hope i dont get a refurb with more problems than the card i sent them, back.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Time to flash it with a reference bios!


Going to try the Sapphire HD7970 DUAL X OC bios. The cards are almost identical other than missing a vrm.


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i just hope i dont get a refurb with more problems than the card i sent them, back.


Did you call them?


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> The bios that i download from this thread was in .bin and booth worked, but the 2 i download from techpowerup was in .rom and when i try to flash using atiflash in DOS says that the files was not found, sawing this i tried to change the file, right click, properties, changed the name of the bios for same but instead of .rom to .bin and when i tried to flash this time with .bin in the file, said the same thing: the file was not found. i think you guys understood now my problem here, resuming, when i download and it is already in .bin works, when its not doesn't work, no metter if its in .rom and i change to .bin dowsn't work anyway.
> Thanks.


Anyone?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Did you call them?


havent had time.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lazy Bear*
> 
> Registered! Sapphire Dual-X OC at 1150/1540 with an EK FC7970 Copper+Acetal. It's weird how the Sapphire Dual-X PCB has the missing VRM, whereas the reference PCB lacks it.


How is the block working out?

I just got the Sapphire Dual X HD7950 950mhz edition which is almost identical to your card. Only difference that I have found on the PCB design is 1 less VRM and more blue capacitors.

Sapphire HD7950 Dual X 940mhz edition PCB.










Do you or somebody here know what the difference is between the blue and pink capactiors?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Do you or somebody here know what the difference is between the blue pink capactiors?


Lower ratings. It also included the use of a taller 2nd cap along the row of caps which makes it incompatible with early ek blocks.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Lower ratings. It also included the use of a taller 2nd cap along the row of caps which makes it incompatible with early ek blocks.


The blue capacitors are lower rated?

The blue capacitors on the Sapphire Dual X HD7950 just left of the VRMs look a little smaller than the pink ones on the HD7970.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> The blue capacitors are lower rated?
> The blue capacitors on the Sapphire Dual X HD7950 just left of the VRMs look a little smaller than the pink ones on the HD7970.


Normally you want the red caps, but in your case, you're lucky to get either cuz you got a whole 7970 PCB to go with it! LOL.


----------



## Andrazh

Try unlocking those cards! And does 8pin power connector increase stability? Since it gets more W?


----------



## DMHernandez

Finally got my 7970 to work


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's the White Whale of 7950s lol. Sapphire has been a naughty boy releasing a 7950 on a 7970 pcb. RUbs hands together. Time to flash it with a reference bios!


I'm hoping its related to A795 Fire Hurricane.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's the White Whale of 7950s lol. Sapphire has been a naughty boy releasing a 7950 on a 7970 pcb. RUbs hands together. Time to flash it with a reference bios!


All you folks if you are looking for a high end card at USD 400 this is the card to get. Sapphire HD 7950 OC (950 Mhz). built on a HD 7970 ref PCB with the same power delivery. begging to be OC'd to 1200 Mhz


----------



## Lazy Bear

SonDa5, the block is working great, idling at 30C, max load temp of 49C. I couldn't be happier. It's very odd, I think you paid 100 or so less for a reference 7970. You lucky bastard, you!

Sadly I got a pretty high ASCI rating, so it doesn't overclock as easily under the block. The highest I have had it was at 1245/1610, and that was stable. But I was worried about overvolting, so I declocked it to 1150/1550.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lazy Bear*
> 
> Sadly I got a pretty high ASCI rating, so it doesn't overclock as easily under the block. The highest I have had it was at 1245/1610, and that was stable. But I was worried about overvolting, so I declocked it to 1150/1550.


1245/1610 is that with max volts thrown at the card? With high asic card, I've found it easier to just throw max volts at it and see where the drop settles. My 84% asic xfx hits about 1.24v which is enough for 1310/1760. On the other hand, I've found it really really hard finding stable voltages in the middle due to the voltage balance between three and four cards because they all end up getting different voltages. But on max each card is getting all she can so it's at least a little easier pushing high clocks.


----------



## SkateZilla

i had that issue in the past, 1 card was able to go higher than the other after the vdroop,

so when in SLI i had to bring down the Overclock to match the other card in SLi, i think i had 3 or 4 presets for SLI Gaming, Single Card Carding, SLI Bench, Single Card bench.

the single card gaming had higher clocks than the SLI gaming, but OC headroom on 8800 GTS 640s was minimal.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lazy Bear*
> 
> It's very odd, I think you paid 100 or so less for a reference 7970. You lucky bastard, you!


I have been saving my nickels and dimes for months eye balling 28nm cards from AMD and NVIDIA just waiting for a decent card and price to come up.

The Sapphire Dual X HD7950 950mhz was the best looking 28nm card for the money that I have found so far. Got a good deal from Amazon. I'm happy so far.

Still need to set it up in my rig and see how it operates at with stock voltage and heat sink before I feel like I got something special.









The beefed up reference HD7970 PCB is a great plus with this card. I hope the PCB helps out with performance.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Did you call them?


i just emailed them with tracking and proof of delivery asking for a status update,

lucky for me i save a copy of all my RMA/Return Emails on the Webmail server







, so i was able to just email from the office.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I have been saving my nickels and dimes for months eye balling 28nm cards from AMD and NVIDIA just waiting for a decent card and price to come up.
> The Sapphire Dual X HD7950 950mhz was the best looking 28nm card for the money that I have found so far. Got a good deal from Amazon. I'm happy so far.
> Still need to set it up in my rig and see how it operates at with stock voltage and heat sink before I feel like I got something special.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The beefed up reference HD7970 PCB is a great plus with this card. I hope the PCB helps out with performance.


Considering in the middle of February i paid $479 for my 7950 OC, and you can get a 7970 OC for the Same $479 now on Newegg.


----------



## SkateZilla

Althon Micro Emailed me back, they shipped it yesterday, will be delivered by June 4th, they didnt mention if it was a new unit or a refurb or an upgrade.

what is odd is my wieght when i shipped to them was 8 lbs, but i static bagged it, and wrapped it so it had minimum 4 inches of bubble wrap on each side. basically padded the eff outta the box.

their package they shipped to me is 3 lbs? Hrmm,

NewEgg Lists the box as 3.8 lbs when they shipped it to me in another larger box w/ the Dirt Coupon, so its possible i might be receiving a entire Retail box.

(XFX did this with my brother's 5830, shipped me an entire 6850 Retail box (so i got all the accessories again).

now i just need NewEgg to ship me my replacement cable for my SaitekX52...


----------



## AllGamer

it'll be another refurb for sure
that's how all hardware warranty works


----------



## SkateZilla

XFX replaced both cards I RMA'd with new ones still in retail packaging.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Can anyone explain me why i am not flashing my bios at dos with the bios in .rom extension, just in .bin extension and when i change the .rom file to .bin file don't work anyway, this is very important to me because i'm trying to put the xfx bios back to my vga to proceed with the rma and i am just finding xfx bios in .rom file.

Thanks.


----------



## SkateZilla

Because GPUZ saves the BIOS files as .ROM now and not .BIN, two entirely different formats.


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Because GPUZ saves the BIOS files as .ROM now and not .BIN, two entirely different formats.


So do you have any idea of what can i do and if its just with me or anyone can flash bios at dos with .rom file.

Thanks.


----------



## SkateZilla

ATI Flash 3.95+ should still be able to flash .rom bios image files.

which Graphics card do you have?


----------



## joaobezerranetojbn

I have a XFX 7970, actually i have 2 but one is with artefacts... Booth are udner water, i am going to try to flashback the original bios, and send to rma saying that i opened just to change the thermal paste..


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> 90% isn't 99.9% like it should be. I used to love Asus cards especially when I saw my friends rig with the GTX580 DCU II cards. It looked awesome and was whisper quiet under load. But with the 7970's, I have heard nothing but bad mojo. Saw quite a few on the shelves in my local IT mall the weekend but the Gigabyte cards were scarce and MSI Lightnings nowhere to be seen.
> I haven't installed SC2 on the new rig. Too busy with Diablo III right now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . But if Blizzard did intentionally do that to prevent 'advantages' in game, they really can't do anything about those with 2 or more displays as they would have the 'advantageous' stuff on the other display and it does not have to be in Window mode. Sounds like a new driver bug.


*I've had three Asus 7970 DCII's and all of them ran fine. This is my current one:*



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> *I've had three Asus 7970 DCII's and all of them ran fine. This is my current one:*
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us
> 
> Uploaded with ImageShack.us


I'm just so happy to see someone with good DCU II cards. I thought you said you had three right? Benches only for 1 card?


----------



## spinejam

I sold and traded the other two already.









*Here's one that I traded last week:*



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us


----------



## vonalka

Hey - I just installed a 7950 to crossfire with my 7970 and when I ran 3Dmark11 at stock settings I get a score of P13560, http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3548537

The strange thing is that the 7950 shows up as "Generic VGA" - anyone know if this is normal?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *joaobezerranetojbn*
> 
> So do you have any idea of what can i do and if its just with me or anyone can flash bios at dos with .rom file.
> Thanks.


Atiflash.exe -fs -p 0 ######.rom for your primary GPU
Atiflash.exe -fs -p 1 ######.rom for your secondary GPU

###### being the name of the bios

Stop trying to change the .rom to a .bin, just flash the .rom file as it is.


----------



## Andrazh

Dear Sir
For your model, it has been test without problem, no worry for this. The air flow should be efficiency for the VRM heat. Safe temp it's around 105C. We do have other dual fan version with VRM cooling as well. You can check from our product site. Hope this can help you.
Regards

This is what they answered to my question about vrm cooling on one fan 7950 and i they can provide only the alumunium heatsink from OC version.

Sure i just need a block of alumunium, i'll buy a new card. Yay. But then again i still wont have vrm cooling on this one.


----------



## sena

@ spinejam
IMHO you heaven score is low for that Mhzs, i get44.7 fps and 20 fps min with HD 7950 on 1030/1575, same settings, same res.


----------



## pd411yomofo

Hello All

I'm getting artifacting on my screen and have not idea how to fix it. I sent my card back and it came back with no faults so its not a faulty card. Drivers maybe?

I'v installed my old HIS 5770 and it runs fin so cant be any other components in my rig.

I have tried all the driver installs that are mentioned in this thread.

Please Help


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> Hello All
> I'm getting artifacting on my screen and have not idea how to fix it. I sent my card back and it came back with no faults so its not a faulty card. Drivers maybe?
> I'v installed my old HIS 5770 and it runs fin so cant be any other components in my rig.
> I have tried all the driver installs that are mentioned in this thread.
> Please Help


Can you post one screen shot of artifacts, if you cant can you explain what kind is? Lines? Dots?


----------



## pd411yomofo

its line and dots. some time the screen goes gray or black and hangs


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1245/1610 is that with max volts thrown at the card? With high asic card, I've found it easier to just throw max volts at it and see where the drop settles. My 84% asic xfx hits about 1.24v which is enough for 1310/1760. On the other hand, I've found it really really hard finding stable voltages in the middle due to the voltage balance between three and four cards because they all end up getting different voltages. But on max each card is getting all she can so it's at least a little easier pushing high clocks.


Weren't you the one in the past arguing with me that that tactic wasn't good? As far as cranking up the voltages on all cards when in Crossfire or more configurations to increase stability when trying to attain the max overclock on all cards. I've always done that, and I've always found it to be the best way to find the max OC for 7970s, since they're all running at peak voltage. Of course you can taper the voltage down later for cooling purposes though.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

That's what I achieved with my 3 7970s @ 1250/1700. Ignore the "Your system is low compared to others" message, since I scored less than that on a previous run and it said my system was "Equal or Better", so its obviously flawed.


----------



## Derko1

I was looking at getting 2 Nvidia cards and running them SLI... but I got sent over here by the Nvidia forum.









SOOOOOO... I am now interested in getting 2x 7970s.... I will be water cooling them... so can I please get some suggestions as to which cards you would recommend, that are the best for OC'ng and also that have a reference board for WC?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> I was looking at getting 2 Nvidia cards and running them SLI... but I got sent over here by the Nvidia forum.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SOOOOOO... I am now interested in getting 2x 7970s.... I will be water cooling them... so can I please get some suggestions as to which cards you would recommend, that are the best for OC'ng and also that have a reference board for WC?


I have a sapphire and HIS card.

His will do 1300/1750 ASIC 70
Sapphire will do 1325/1650. ASIC 73

24/7 Stable clocks. Both reference. Using EK FC Blocks.
Temps mid to high 40s under heavy load.

Both of my cards have coil whine.


----------



## Andrazh

Does anyone have this thing lying around:

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/Sapphire-Radeon-HD-7950-3GB-GDDR5-(11196-00-40G)-PCB.jpg

?


----------



## quakermaas

Two x MSI R7970 (reference)

ASIC 77.8 and 78

Run them 24/7 at 1100/1600, but with max volts in MSI AB can benchmark at 1280/1740

Aquacomputer full cover blocks

Temps get up to hight 40s with ambient of 23

No coil whine


----------



## Derko1

What is coil wine and ASIC?

Which of these two MSI's are the ones you have?

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-Corp-R7970-2PMD3GD5-Graphics/dp/B006X03UYO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338472593&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Computer-R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC-Graphics/dp/B0073JYZ3Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338472593&sr=8-2


----------



## quakermaas

I have the first one. I think the main difference is the first one comes with mini DP to DVI adapter and the second one is OC edition, but you can get a non-OC that looks the same at the OC edition.

http://uk.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5.html

Coil whine is a high pitch whining sound from the coils.

Asic is a quality measurement of the GPU silicon, you use GPU-Z to read it.

Not sure how accurate it is ( was more aimed at Nvidia cards) and I don't really pay much attention to it.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I have the first one. I think the main difference is the first one comes with mini DP to DVI adapter and the second one is OC edition, but you can get a non-OC that looks the same at the OC edition.
> http://uk.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5.html
> 
> Coil whine is a high pitch whining sound from the coils.
> 
> Asic is a quality measurement of the GPU silicon, you use GPU-Z to read it.
> Not sure how accurate it is ( was more aimed at Nvidia cards) and I don't really pay much attention to it.


Great! I'll go with the first one... I'm sure the second is simply to avoid going through the trouble of OC'ng you self. Which I have no problems doing. Are you happy with the waterblock you are using?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's what I achieved with my 3 7970s @ 1250/1700. Ignore the "Your system is low compared to others" message, since I scored less than that on a previous run and it said my system was "Equal or Better", so its obviously flawed.


This is a bit low. I don't have a pic with me but my:3 lightnings at stock (1070/1400) and 3960x at 4.7 get about 22000-22400


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> I'm just so happy to see someone with good DCU II cards. I thought you said you had three right? Benches only for 1 card?


My problems with the Asus DCII Cards are:

-3 Slots
-Heavy / Card Flex
-Cooling design is not optimized for being 3 slots.

If you look at it, the entire 3rd slot vent is still blocked by the shroud, the fans sit half way into slot 2 and halfway into slot 3, there is now airflow through that vent, except for maybe turbulence off the fan blades its really a 2.5 slot design,

The DVI ports block the entire 2nd slot, and any airflow coming off the heat sink, is trapped because the heat sink shroud/cover is closed at the other end, leaving only the 2 small vents on the top of the card next to the Xfire connectors and PCIe Power connectors, or down onto your mainboard.. they should have either ditched the DVI Ports, or stacked them so one is in slot 2 and one in slot 3 which would have allowed them to use 65% of slot 2 to make a high air flow exhaust, and that lil bit of space in slot 3 as well.

Having said that I like the back plate and the heat sink that mounts to the backplate;


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My problems with the Asus DCII Cards are:
> -3 Slots
> -Heavy / Card Flex
> -Cooling design is not optimized for being 3 slots.
> If you look at it, the entire 3rd slot vent is still blocked by the shroud, the fans sit half way into slot 2 and halfway into slot 3, there is now airflow through that vent, except for maybe turbulence off the fan blades its really a 2.5 slot design,
> The DVI ports block the entire 2nd slot, and any airflow coming off the heat sink, is trapped because the heat sink shroud/cover is closed at the other end, leaving only the 2 small vents on the top of the card next to the Xfire connectors and PCIe Power connectors, or down onto your mainboard.. they should have either ditched the DVI Ports, or stacked them so one is in slot 2 and one in slot 3 which would have allowed them to use 65% of slot 2 to make a high air flow exhaust, and that lil bit of space in slot 3 as well.
> Having said that I like the back plate and the heat sink that mounts to the backplate;


If you are going to spend so much on 3 cards, watercooling has to become a consideration. You can get away with 2 on most boards as room between cards. Temps rise but custom fan profiles can help.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Just to add a note to this 7/5/2012 is actually May 7th, the day they posted that news. The news says "widely available early june"


EK will have revised full cover blocks? Source!! haha I've bee interested in the Komodo so if i have options i definitely want to know


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Great! I'll go with the first one... I'm sure the second is simply to avoid going through the trouble of OC'ng you self. Which I have no problems doing. Are you happy with the waterblock you are using?


Yes very happy with the blocks, I like the chunky copper and steel look to them, goes with my CPU block as well.


----------



## Derko1

They're out of stock at FrozenCPU... how is the stock cooling? I'll get the cards tomorrow and will have to wait a while until I can get the blocks for a while I'm sure...

Also, I noticed that at Newegg that card comes with 3 free games... anyone know if the Amazon one does too? It doesn't mention it.


----------



## quakermaas

Stock cooling is fine, just a bit noisy when it gets going







, that was the main reason I which to water cooling.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> They're out of stock at FrozenCPU... how is the stock cooling? I'll get the cards tomorrow and will have to wait a while until I can get the blocks for a while I'm sure...
> Also, I noticed that at Newegg that card comes with 3 free games... anyone know if the Amazon one does too? It doesn't mention it.


usually its steam/gfwl download codes in the box.

since AMD is advertising 3 free games on their site, i think they are in the box. or they'll be thrown in the shipping box.


----------



## Derko1

Ok awesome! Thanks so much for the info.... I'm definitely gonna go with WC for the cards. I hate having noise also... and that will annoy me to no end.

If I have the coil whine, is that something that the cards can be returned for, or are they saying it's part of the design and some are worst than others yada yada yada?


----------



## SkateZilla

RMA the card,

A decent burn in may quiet the CW down, leave ti running a game/menu that causes coil whine, with 100% fan overnight worked for a few people.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> EK will have revised full cover blocks? Source!! haha I've bee interested in the Komodo so if i have options i definitely want to know


The block is for the lightnings. It is not a reference revision.


----------



## vbcrayon

Hello friends,

This method works properly with 12.4 Catalyst Drivers and next 12.5?
When installed this hack, he says "8.951.5". 12.4 is "8.961...."
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> 1) Install Latest Drivers and make sure everything is working correctly.
> 2) Install latest MSI Afterburner.
> 3)
> 
> MSI AB Patch.zip 535k .zip file
> 
> 4) Restart the Computer.
> 5) Create a Shortcut of MSI Afterburner in the desktop.
> 6) Close MSI Afterburner, @ the Shortcut got to Target: and add /xcl like this ("C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl)
> 7) Open the Modified Shortcut. (It shut say CCC Limits have been Increased.
> 8) Delete the Shortcut and Restart PC.
> 9) Not you are all set to OC without Limits.


Thanks!

Sorry my bad English.

Edit: I tried and *it seems* to work well (Still I want to know about compatibility with the news drivers.), but only on one of my cards, the other card is still limited to 1000/1250 how do i make this mod work in crossfire?
Edit 2: Unplugged the first card, applied the patch in the second, plugged back again first card and ...... Works!


----------



## neoroy

@Vbcrayon, I think its for CF so MSI AB had released a patch. I use single 7970 with 12.4 WHQL and GPU-Z reads normal 8.961. I only use -xcl and then delete it like *Pioneerisloud* said, then its open wide range of clocks


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> RMA the card,
> A decent burn in may quiet the CW down, leave ti running a game/menu that causes coil whine, with 100% fan overnight worked for a few people.


Awesome! +rep!

They just got shipped, I'll have them here at around noon time.... can't wait!!!


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Awesome! +rep!
> They just got shipped, I'll have them here at around noon time.... can't wait!!!


Nice one







Hope you are happy


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Nice one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope you are happy


Very much so! This is what my score for 3d Marks11 is right now... http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3553236

I will post another link with my new score tomorrow.









Just wanted to make sure that I had a place to put it so I don't lose it.


----------



## SkateZilla

6850s perform better than 6870s in games..... VLIW4 > VLIW5


----------



## mltms

cat 12.6 beta is out

http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_12.6_hotfixes/catalyst_12-6_beta_windows7.exe


----------



## SkateZilla

has 12.5 WHQL even come out?


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 6850s perform better than 6870s in games..... VLIW4 > VLIW5


How so?

And yea... 12.5 hadn't come out yet...


----------



## SkateZilla

does this one fix Eyefinity 3rd screen Clock tearing?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> How so?
> And yea... 12.5 hadn't come out yet...


i told you

VLIW4 is better and more efficient than VLIW5


----------



## Derko1

Ah I see...

So side question.









Would the Twin Turbo Pro that is on my 6870s fit the 7970s?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> cat 12.6 beta is out
> http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_12.6_hotfixes/catalyst_12-6_beta_windows7.exe


About FREAKING TIME!
Quote:


> *AMD Radeon™ HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 Tri-CrossFire™ configurations + Eyefinity BSOD when launching a DirectX application.
> AMDAMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 Eyefinity/Multiple Display configurations BSOD when using desktop applications.*
> AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 cards hang when system goes to sleep.
> *Tearing on Eyefinity configurations when different display connector types are used.*


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> does this one fix Eyefinity 3rd screen Clock tearing?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 6850s perform better than 6870s in games..... VLIW4 > VLIW5


Both HD 6850 and HD 6870 use VLiW5.
*AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 Eyefinity/Multiple Display configurations BSOD when using desktop applications.*
It was about time.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I have a sapphire and HIS card.
> His will do 1300/1750 ASIC 70
> Sapphire will do 1325/1650. ASIC 73
> 24/7 Stable clocks. Both reference. Using EK FC Blocks.
> Temps mid to high 40s under heavy load.
> Both of my cards have coil whine.


Are those BF3 stable clocks?


----------



## Evil Penguin

AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 cards hang when system goes to sleep.

About time they fixed that!


----------



## tsm106

*Edit, false alarm. Had a short, but it coincided with the driver install, doh.


----------



## criznit

Loving the new 12.6 beta drivers so far! Using the 12.5 beta drivers, I got but with the new 12.6 drivers I got  same clock speeds

edit: added wrong picture at first


----------



## vbcrayon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neoroy*
> 
> @Vbcrayon, I think its for CF so MSI AB had released a patch. I use single 7970 with 12.4 WHQL and GPU-Z reads normal 8.961. I only use -xcl and then delete it like *Pioneerisloud* said, then its open wide range of clocks


So it's no more necessary to apply the patch? Just / XCL in Afterbunner? Reinstall Catalyst and Afterbunner remove patch? Or I have to use DriverSweeper?
My GPU-z reads too 8.961 =)


----------



## pent

About time..........lets see if they are good. YAY!


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Does anyone have this thing lying around:
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/Sapphire-Radeon-HD-7950-3GB-GDDR5-(11196-00-40G)-PCB.jpg
> ?


Yes, why do you ask?


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> does this one fix Eyefinity 3rd screen Clock tearing?


yes it does its in the description

here a link to the thread
http://www.overclock.net/t/1264140/guru3d-amd-catalyst-12-6-8-980-0-may-22-amd-official-beta


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> cat 12.6 beta is out
> http://www2.ati.com/drivers/hotfix/catalyst_12.6_hotfixes/catalyst_12-6_beta_windows7.exe


Holy crap! this is like a god sent http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst126beta.aspx

all those are the issues I have, and i'm sure many other with Eyefinity setup are also experiencing


----------



## DaClownie

Does this 12.6 Beta hotfix ACTUALLY fix the sleep bug? If so <3 AMD.


----------



## EliteReplay

ASUS 7950 TOP for 373dollars!! free shipping








http://www.amazon.com/DirectCU-Overclocked-Eyefinity-Capability-HD7950-DC2T-3GD5/dp/B00725YQUQ/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1338509037&sr=8-13


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Holy crap! this is like a god sent http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst126beta.aspx
> all those are the issues I have, and i'm sure many other with Eyefinity setup are also experiencing


everything else works better now, and faster

but SC2 still crashes if Shader is set to high or ultra


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> About FREAKING TIME!
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> *AMD Radeon™ HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 Tri-CrossFire™ configurations + Eyefinity BSOD when launching a DirectX application.
> AMDAMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 Eyefinity/Multiple Display configurations BSOD when using desktop applications.*
> AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 cards hang when system goes to sleep.
> *Tearing on Eyefinity configurations when different display connector types are used.*
Click to expand...

I don't know why they only listed Tri-Fire, since Quad-Fire is now also working fine for me with 12.6 beta. I've tried 7 different games and they all work fine now in Quad-Fire with 3X 30'' 7680X1600!

FINALLY! I can move away from the old dusty RC11!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> ASUS 7950 TOP for 373dollars!! free shipping
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/DirectCU-Overclocked-Eyefinity-Capability-HD7950-DC2T-3GD5/dp/B00725YQUQ/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1338509037&sr=8-13


Amazon also has the newer and better Sapphire Dual X 950mhz edition for $389.99.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Amazon also has the newer and better Sapphire Dual X 950mhz edition for $389.99.


well for 10bucks more i get a GTX670... is there any review on this Sapphire Dual X 950mhz edition?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Does this 12.6 Beta hotfix ACTUALLY fix the sleep bug? If so <3 AMD.


http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst126beta.aspx
Quote:


> AMD Catalyst™ 12.6 Beta Driver
> Back
> Last Updated
> 5/31/2012
> Article Number
> GPU-163
> With the release of the AMD Catalyst™ 12.6 Beta driver ("Catalyst"), AMD would also like to announce that we are moving away from our Monthly Catalyst release plan. Our goal is to ensure that every Catalyst release delivers a substantial benefit to our end users; as we have today with the release of the Catalyst 12.6a Beta. We will still continue with the Catalyst naming convention; Catalyst: Year.Month. You just won't see a new driver every single month. We are confident that this will only benefit the end user; you'll only need to upgrade to a new Catalyst driver, when it makes sense.
> 
> We would also like to announce the introduction of our new AMD Issue Reporting Form. We made a number of improvements to the older Catalyst Crew Feedback form, making it more comprehensive, ensuring high quality feedback. Feedback is very important in every product company's life, especially in our fast paced environment. This is not just a check-box for us - we take these reports very seriously. We will review every report posted here and investigate every issue encountered. Please use this form whenever you encounter something worth mentioning.
> 
> Resolved issue highlights of the AMD Catalyst™ 12.6 Beta:
> 
> AMD Radeon™ HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 Tri-CrossFire™ configurations + Eyefinity BSOD when launching a DirectX application.
> AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800 Eyefinity/Multiple Display configurations BSOD when using desktop applications.
> AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 cards hang when system goes to sleep.
> Tearing on Eyefinity configurations when different display connector types are used.
> Poor Elder Scrolls: Skyrim CrossFire scaling seen in AMD Catalyst 12.4 (back to CrossFire scaling found in AMD Catalyst 12.3).
> AMD Catalyst Control Center - intermittently missing Overdrive page.
> AMD Catalyst Control Center - missing GPU Activity gauge.
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 CrossFire Configuration - system hang after cinematic in Call of Duty: Black Ops.
> Crysis 2 -random system hangs when run in DirectX 9 mode.
> Heroes and Generals: Blocky corruption in scenes with smoke effects when run in DirectX 11 mode.
> Disabled HDMI audio when the connected HDTV is powered Off/On.
> Feature highlights of the AMD Catalyst 12.6 Beta:
> 
> Dual Graphics enhancements - new application profiles
> 
> Supported Dual Graphics configurations:
> AMD Accelerated Processors for Desktop PCs
> AMD Radeon HD 7660D (A10-5700)
> AMD Radeon HD 7560D (A8-5500
> Notebooks with AMD Accelerated Processors
> AMD Radeon HD 7660D (A10-4600)
> AMD Radeon HD 7640G (A8-4500M)
> AMD Radeon HD 7520G (A6-4400M)
> New profiles have been added for the following game titles:
> Diablo 3
> Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
> StarCraft 2
> Portal 2
> Call of Duty Modern Warfare
> Call of Duty Black Ops
> Future Catalyst releases will continue to add Dual Graphics support for additional titles
> Instructions:
> 
> Download and install the driver from the following location:
> 
> AMD Catalyst 12.6 Beta Driver for Windows® 7 and Windows Vista®
> AMD Catalyst 12.6 Beta Driver for Windows XP
> AMD Catalyst 12.6 Beta Driver for Linux
> For detailed instructions on how to install the driver, please refer to:
> Article GPU-33 for a Windows 7 based system
> Article GPU-1 for a Windows Vista based system
> Article GPU-2 for Windows XP based system
> Note! This Driver is provided "AS IS" and under the terms and conditions of the End User License Agreement provided therewith.
> 
> Applicable Products:
> 
> This article applies to the following configuration(s):
> 
> Hardware:
> 
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 6000 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

12.6 beta looks like a winner so far. Will have to give it a d/l tonight...


----------



## tsm106

Hmm, I've lost a crap load of fps in Heaven, like 10. Lemme test eyefinity dx11.

Ok, dx11 eyefinity works.

Oh the dilemma, rc11 and 8.97 are leagues faster for trifire +.


----------



## DaClownie

SkateZilla - I know it says that, but I'm asking the loyal OCNers if they're not just blowing smoke...

How many times have they said X was fixed and it wasn't


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> well for 10bucks more i get a GTX670... is there any review on this Sapphire Dual X 950mhz edition?


No reviews that I know of.

I still haven't had time to put it in my RIG. This weekend I should have time to get it set up and operating. Only GTX670 that I would consider is the Asus Top GTX670 and it will cost quite a bit more money. However I think the Sapphire 950mhz OC HD7950 will beat any GTX670 with stock cooling. Add water cooling and I think the 950mhz HD7950 will still win.

I will be posting speeds/temps/benchmarks with stock cooling on the Sapphire 950mhz HD7950 before this upcoming weekend is over. Also I am hoping that I will be able to flash it to HD7970 with some performance gains.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> SkateZilla - I know it says that, but I'm asking the loyal OCNers if they're not just blowing smoke...
> How many times have they said X was fixed and it wasn't


I'll find out Monday/Tuesday when my card returns and I re-setup all my screens.


----------



## Biorganic

Does anyone know of a good program for monitoring VRM temps for the 7900 series? I have been using HWinfo64 and Aida64, but both are telling me that my VRMs are at 24-25 C while I am at full load. My card does have good cooling, an ultra kaze blowing on it, and VRM heastsinks but I feel that this temp is still unlikely.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> No reviews that I know of.


I'll be dropping two of these babies on my i7-3820 rig tomorrow evening. I'll be happy to post benches, temps, etc. There were some great pics of the PCB a few days ago. Looks like it's the modified reference 7970 PCB. It has a 6-pin and 8-pin connector, and the cooler is suspiciously similar to the 7970 OC edition to my eyes. I can't wait!


----------



## Johnny_Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I don't know why they only listed Tri-Fire, since Quad-Fire is now also working fine for me with 12.6 beta. I've tried 7 different games and they all work fine now in Quad-Fire with 3X 30'' 7680X1600!
> FINALLY! I can move away from the old dusty RC11!


Brother, you just made my day! I wanted to see if I could finally ditch 11.12....guess I will try now!

Thanks guys for the heads up. Finally a driver that I can use.


----------



## Johnny_Utah

Update:

Just uninstalled old 11.12 and installed beta 12.6...rebooted and got a BSOD page fault and win cannot repair it. Wow, not my night!

Looks like I will be reinstalling windows tonight. LOL.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hmm, I've lost a crap load of fps in Heaven, like 10. Lemme test eyefinity dx11.
> Ok, dx11 eyefinity works.
> Oh the dilemma, rc11 and 8.97 are leagues faster for trifire +.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I don't know why they only listed Tri-Fire, since Quad-Fire is now also working fine for me with 12.6 beta. I've tried 7 different games and they all work fine now in Quad-Fire with 3X 30'' 7680X1600!
> FINALLY! I can move away from the old dusty RC11!


You sure you wanna move away from it? Bench wise 12.6 beta is slower by a good clip for me. I've yet to try it in games though.

rc11



12.6 beta


----------



## Luca T

My sapphire 7970 had a temperature of 51*c in idle with 26*c in the room isn't it too high?

Even it's not so good in OC







it Can reach 1125 at default voltage but it can't stay at 1200 with 1,290v


----------



## AnToNCheZ

With 12.6 Beta I get my Graphics score on 3DMark11 over 10000 FINALLY! A good 100 points better than 12.5 Beta and the total P score is 70 higher also.

So far, most people's benches that I have read have been positive. Yet to try Unigine though, I will need to test that out.

In terms of pure drivers, this is the biggest jump that I have seen with no changes in clock speeds.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> I'll be dropping two of these babies on my i7-3820 rig tomorrow evening. I'll be happy to post benches, temps, etc. There were some great pics of the PCB a few days ago. Looks like it's the modified reference 7970 PCB. It has a 6-pin and 8-pin connector, and the cooler is suspiciously similar to the 7970 OC edition to my eyes. I can't wait!


Looking forward to it.

The card has gone under the radar for too long. I posted the photos of the PCB.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You sure you wanna move away from it? Bench wise 12.6 beta is slower by a good clip for me. I've yet to try it in games though.
> rc11


I know, but I don't ''play berchmarks''.







And I'm still the ''king'' of OCN's 3D Mark 11 thread after 6 months...







Like I care.









I bought my 4X7970 and 3X 30'' to play games and for productivity. And I wanted to use all the features of Eyefinity 2.0. So I can finally do it properly now.

RC11 are still Eyefinity 1.0. I know they are fast, but I only bench when I get new toys, after that, I use them to play and to be productive.¨

And now they won't do drivers every months. It's a big news. And I think it's a good thing.







I think there was too much pressure with that ''Plan'', and we were often getting unfinished drivers because of that self-imposed pressure.

*''AMD would also like to announce that we are moving away from our Monthly Catalyst release plan.''*


----------



## ZealotKi11er

(Cat 12.6 Beta) Sleep Bug is still there or maybe it my Setup. I Turn my U2711 off at night. When i have it off and try to turn it on it never wakes up. If i leave the monitor ON and goes to its own Sleep mode then the chances of the PC waking up is much much higher but i think its still not normal.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Are those BF3 stable clocks?


Yeah. xfire runs @ 1300/1650. Crysis 2, BF3, everything stable.

Currently running max payne like butter


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah. xfire runs @ 1300/1650. Crysis 2, BF3, everything stable.
> Currently running max payne like butter


I guess to run max payne maxed out (or at least pretty high settings) I need to go dual GPU, right ?

Or would my current setup be enough?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> (Cat 12.6 Beta) Sleep Bug is still there or maybe it my Setup. I Turn my U2711 off at night. When i have it off and try to turn it on it never wakes up. If i leave the monitor ON and goes to its own Sleep mode then the chances of the PC waking up is much much higher but i think its still not normal.


when my card returns, im prolly only gonna run eyefinity when im gaming or doing video editing, if im just web-browsing, i'll prolly disable Eyefinity group and allow just one screen, so the system will turn off the screens with no problems


----------



## mltms

i can run max payne it 4X 60fps
8x is kiling my card 35fps


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> i can run max payne it 4X 60fps
> 8x is kiling my card 35fps


What card do you have?
Single card ?


----------



## dinodaza

do you think this amd radeon 7950 will run smooth in 3d max or autocad. anyone experience thanks


----------



## Johnny Utah

Settled at 1225/1600 for my 7970 @ 1.3v. ASIC is 65 lol. So glad I've got this thing under water now. I'd probably be at 100% fan and flirting with 80c otherwise. Currently it runs around 45c in BF3.


----------



## useport80

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> _AMD Radeon HD 7900, AMD Radeon HD 7800, and AMD Radeon HD 7700 cards hang when system goes to sleep.
> _
> 
> About time they fixed that!


about freaking time. everytime i try to explain it to people they think im crazy. lol


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dinodaza*
> 
> do you think this amd radeon 7950 will run smooth in 3d max or autocad. anyone experience thanks


Yes! The 7000 series EATS general purpose tasks! You'll find much more value in a 7000 card than you will going with a "workstation" card these days. If your workload is optimized for CUDA, that's worth a look too, as performance depends greatly on software optimization. I found the 7870 a little too slow for my tastes (after witnessing 3dmax on a 7950) so I got 2 7950s. Gonna install them today! Remember, PCIe 3 is a big help with OpenCL tasks so if your rig is LGA2011 then AMD is your only choice right now. If you're running Ivy Bridge, things get more complicated.


----------



## Luca T

Sapphire 7970 1175Mhz at 1,230V


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> I know, but I don't ''play berchmarks''.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And I'm still the ''king'' of OCN's 3D Mark 11 thread after 6 months...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Like I care.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I bought my 4X7970 and 3X 30'' to play games and for productivity. And I wanted to use all the features of Eyefinity 2.0. So I can finally do it properly now.
> RC11 are still Eyefinity 1.0. I know they are fast, but I only bench when I get new toys, after that, I use them to play and to be productive.¨
> And now they won't do drivers every months. It's a big news. And I think it's a good thing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think there was too much pressure with that ''Plan'', and we were often getting unfinished drivers because of that self-imposed pressure.
> *''AMD would also like to announce that we are moving away from our Monthly Catalyst release plan.''*


Hey, if the driver is better in games then it's staying. I wasjust shocked at first, thought something was wrong with ma rig. Currently running 12.6 but no time for games atm. I'm optimistic. Hey, it's the first driver since rc11 that didn't bsod in eyefinity + dx11.


----------



## Derko1

Well I got my 7970s installed like 20 minutes ago! BUT! I am having issues... already... I hate ATI because of this... Scaling options are not sticking when I restart. They were working fine before, but now until something triggers the CCC panel to load, I have black borders all around my screen.

Also, I can not install the realtek HDMI sound driver. I get a message saying I have no speakers connected to the device. It seems like when the driver is installed, it only sticks to one of the other many ports the cards have. In turn not recognizing the one that actully is connected.

Anyone have any fixes?


----------



## Newbie2009

Anyone with 12.6 installed and have Max Payne 3?


----------



## ITS OVER 9000!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> Yes! The 7000 series EATS general purpose tasks! You'll find much more value in a 7000 card than you will going with a "workstation" card these days. If your workload is optimized for CUDA, that's worth a look too, as performance depends greatly on software optimization. I found the 7870 a little too slow for my tastes (after witnessing 3dmax on a 7950) so I got 2 7950s. Gonna install them today! Remember, *PCIe 3 is a big help with OpenCL tasks so if your rig is LGA2011 then AMD is your only choice right now. If you're running Ivy Bridge, things get more complicated*.


Ivy supports 3.0


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ITS OVER 9000!*
> 
> Ivy supports 3.0


It's definitely good as long as you're using the lanes off the cpu, but it takes a hit if you add in the plx chip on the two boards that support quadfire.


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Well I got my 7970s installed like 20 minutes ago! BUT! I am having issues... already... I hate ATI because of this... Scaling options are not sticking when I restart. They were working fine before, but now until something triggers the CCC panel to load, I have black borders all around my screen.
> Also, I can not install the realtek HDMI sound driver. I get a message saying I have no speakers connected to the device. It seems like when the driver is installed, it only sticks to one of the other many ports the cards have. In turn not recognizing the one that actully is connected.
> Anyone have any fixes?


1.) Are you using catalyst for your screen res? Just use Windows.
2.) Try doing a custom install for the drivers and uncheck the HDMI/audio driver part. You might have to go into the device manager and uninstall the sound device that's associated with the 7970. I had to do that with my 560Ti or else some games would crash on me. Oh how I miss those perfect Nvidia drivers.


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Does anyone know of a good program for monitoring VRM temps for the 7900 series? I have been using HWinfo64 and Aida64, but both are telling me that my VRMs are at 24-25 C while I am at full load. My card does have good cooling, an ultra kaze blowing on it, and VRM heastsinks but I feel that this temp is still unlikely.


AIDA64 showed my VRMs to get toasty when I still used the reference blower so I assumed it was working fine. Is yours a reference card?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> Settled at 1225/1600 for my 7970 @ 1.3v. ASIC is 65 lol. So glad I've got this thing under water now. I'd probably be at 100% fan and flirting with 80c otherwise. Currently it runs around 45c in BF3.


1175Mhz @ 1.2v here. 1775Mhz memory. Not going to go any higher then that. 45C is good temp. I get higher temp because i run fans at low speed and only got a slim 360 RAD.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> 1.) Are you using catalyst for your screen res? Just use Windows.
> 2.) Try doing a custom install for the drivers and uncheck the HDMI/audio driver part. You might have to go into the device manager and uninstall the sound device that's associated with the 7970. I had to do that with my 560Ti or else some games would crash on me. Oh how I miss those perfect Nvidia drivers.


I ended up using ATIman Uninstaller and it fixed my scaling issue. Sound works fine now... but still can't get the other drivers to work on them. Will keep trying!

This is my 3D Marks score with my 2x6870s: http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3553236

This is my score with the 2x7970s: http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3561342


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Does anyone know of a good program for monitoring VRM temps for the 7900 series? I have been using HWinfo64 and Aida64, but both are telling me that my VRMs are at 24-25 C while I am at full load. My card does have good cooling, an ultra kaze blowing on it, and VRM heastsinks but I feel that this temp is still unlikely.
> 
> 
> 
> AIDA64 showed my VRMs to get toasty when I still used the reference blower so I assumed it was working fine. Is yours a reference card?
Click to expand...

Nope, It is a HISiceQ 7950. I thought there were only 2 cards that did not use the reference pcb, and this is not one of them.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Nope, It is a HISiceQ 7950. I thought there were only 2 cards that did not use the reference pcb, and this is not one of them.


99% of cards are the "revised" 7950 pcb including your HIS. AMD never released an actual reference 7950 which is the same pcb at the 7970. The only two reference looking 7950s are SonDa5 and the chinese made one.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/11240_40#post_17357312


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 99% of cards are the "revised" 7950 pcb including your HIS. AMD never released an actual reference 7950 which is the same pcb at the 7970. The only two reference looking 7950s are SonDa5 and the chinese made one.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/11240_40#post_17357312


Well it seems that this version does not have a thermal sensor on the VRMs or else my vrms are at the ambient temp inside my case... I have used AIDA, HWinfo, and GPU-z. both Aida and HWinfo say the VRMS are at 25 C and GPU-z does not display a VRM temp at all.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Well it seems that this version does not have a thermal sensor on the VRMs or else my vrms are at the ambient temp inside my case... I have used AIDA, HWinfo, and GPU-z. both Aida and HWinfo say the VRMS are at 25 C and GPU-z does not display a VRM temp at all.


Hwinfo shows my vrm temps at 40c while the core is 45c. Just ran a furmark run to see. I would compare pics of the chil controller to see if HIS made an ic change.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ITS OVER 9000!*
> 
> Ivy supports 3.0


Yes it does, but Ivy will only do 16x for a single card. If you are planning on doing a lot of OpenCL on a single card then Ivy is definitely the way to go. If you want more than one card, then LGA2011 makes a lot of sense. OpenCL depends more on latency than it does on total throughput, so 16x PCIe 3.0 is actually fairly desirable. Obviously in games you can pretty much chuck that out though as 8x PCIe 3.0 should be just fine. Complicated...


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hwinfo shows my vrm temps at 40c while the core is 45c. Just ran a furmark run to see. I would compare pics of the chil controller to see if HIS made an ic change.


Thank you! I will just assume that my VRMs are the same temperature to 5 C hotter than my GPU die to allow for some room. My GPU is only running at 62 C while running BOINC at max load so I should be fine.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Thank you! I will just assume that my VRMs are the same temperature to 5 C hotter than my GPU die to allow for some room. My GPU is only running at 62 C while running BOINC at max load so I should be fine.


You could always jam a temperature probe in there if you get too worried about it. Many motherboards have jumpers for them, and 3.5in temperature monitors (LCD screens) that come with probes attached can be had as well.


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I would compare pics of the chil controller to see if HIS made an ic change.


This is the stock one from Techpowerups review
http://tpucdn.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7950/images/vreg_small.jpg

This is the Chip in the HISiceq 7950
http://benchmarkreviews.com/images/reviews/video_cards/H795QT3G2M/HIS_HD7950_IceQ_Turbo_3GB_CHIL_Voltage_Controller.jpg

They look the same to me, and both chips are the chil 8228G.


----------



## Johnny Utah

Could also be an issue with the HIS BIOS. You could try reflashing using a different manufacturer BIOS, but maybe it's riskier with the 7950.

Speaking of that, is there a known BIOS out there that unlocks 1.35v for reference cards? I'd like to shoot for 1300Mhz. My memory doesn't like anything too far past 1600. I've read a few reviews that suffered low memory OCs. Probably related to the low ASIC quality instead of the modules themselves since bumping mem volts didn't help.


----------



## DaClownie

Just to contribute some additional info on the 12.6 BETA drivers with my Gigabyte reference 7970 watercooled

My steps to install (from 12.5):

Add Remove Programs > CCC > Remove all files
Restart
Run 12.6 BETA installer
Restart

Worked perfectly. No more sleep bug! (I tested it with monitor shutting off every 5 minutes, letting it sit in shut off mode for 5 minutes and waking again over the course of just over an hour (6 tests). Came out of sleep with no driver crashes each and every time.

I also encountered the issue with the overclocking not working from Afterburner as someone else mentioned (v2.2.0). All I did was shut down afterburner, right click the shortcut, add -xcl again. Run shortcut. Edit -xcl out of the shortcut. Restart. It now accepts my clocks no issues again.

Haven't had a chance to test it (will run some 3DMark11 and see if the score alters much) but when I do I'll report back with that as well.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

I seem to have an issue with afterburner. I cant adjust the memory voltage. Also my clocks are limited to 1125 on the core and 1575 on the memory. Any ideas?


----------



## Derko1

So I'm having a weird issue. I am having random spikes on CPU usage when the cards are installed. If the cards don't have the drivers running though, there's no spikes. So I'm sure that the spikes are being caused by the drivers. I did not have this issue previously when I had my 6870s installed.









Edit: Figured it out! My CPU was getting pegged at full voltage and 100% usage every 5 secs by a program called Windows Presentation Foundation... I stopped the service and the spikes went away. It even added to my 3D11 score







. http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3562523


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Managed to get clocks unlocked fully but still cant set my memory voltage. Stable at 1250 core clock and 1700 on the memory with a core voltage of 1.25. Id like to go higher but without upping the memory voltage I dont think I will get much further.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Well I got my 7970s installed like 20 minutes ago! BUT! I am having issues... already... I hate ATI because of this... Scaling options are not sticking when I restart. They were working fine before, but now until something triggers the CCC panel to load, I have black borders all around my screen.
> Also, I can not install the realtek HDMI sound driver. I get a message saying I have no speakers connected to the device. It seems like when the driver is installed, it only sticks to one of the other many ports the cards have. In turn not recognizing the one that actully is connected.
> Anyone have any fixes?


For the black boarders, go into ccc and into display settings, go to the scaling section and slide the over scan slider to 0% and apply. That will fix it.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> For the black boarders, go into ccc and into display settings, go to the scaling section and slide the over scan slider to 0% and apply. That will fix it.


That's what I have always done... but it's just the 12.6 drivers... they seem bugged with this. It takes about a minute or two after restarting for it to kick in. Thanks though.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> Could also be an issue with the HIS BIOS. You could try reflashing using a different manufacturer BIOS, but maybe it's riskier with the 7950.
> Speaking of that, is there a known BIOS out there that unlocks 1.35v for reference cards? I'd like to shoot for 1300Mhz. My memory doesn't like anything too far past 1600. I've read a few reviews that suffered low memory OCs. Probably related to the low ASIC quality instead of the modules themselves since bumping mem volts didn't help.


There is an Asus bios floating around that will allow up to 1.4V using Asus gpu tweak. Can't remember what post, but it was in this thread http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1559


----------



## Electroneng

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> There is an Asus bios floating around that will allow up to 1.4V using Asus gpu tweak. Can't remember what post, but it was in this thread http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1559


Thanks FTW!


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> There is an Asus bios floating around that will allow up to 1.4V using Asus gpu tweak. Can't remember what post, but it was in this thread http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1559


Got it, thanks. Will try it out.









Here are the posts in-case anyone else wants a go.
http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showpost.php?p=18969&postcount=35
http://kingpincooling.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19156&postcount=58


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> Settled at 1225/1600 for my 7970 @ 1.3v. ASIC is 65 lol. So glad I've got this thing under water now. I'd probably be at 100% fan and flirting with 80c otherwise. Currently it runs around 45c in BF3.


My ASIC is 75% and is an awful overclocker. I get massive artifacts when I try to run anything above 1200/1525 at 1.2V. I can't get to 1225/1525 unless I'm at 1.275V and then the noise goes through the roof. I need to waterblock it.


----------



## RandomK

Got my two Sapphire (950 Edition) 7950s installed and ran a 3DMark P test @ stock settings just to get a taste:



http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3563657

Stay tuned for OC benches. I'm loving the temps so far, spiked around 77C but it was 74F in the room at the time. I will post temps with subsequent runs.

//Edited temps after looking at logs. Looks like I was grossly underestimating them


----------



## vonalka

I got P14290 with my two 7970's using 12.6:
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3563188

I also tested with x-fire 7970 & 7950, posted the results in my build log along with the 3dm11 score using 12.4:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1254106/cosmos-ii-i7-3960x-build/20#post_17384358


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> My ASIC is 75% and is an awful overclocker. I get massive artifacts when I try to run anything above 1200/1525 at 1.2V. I can't get to 1225/1525 unless I'm at 1.275V and then the noise goes through the roof. I need to waterblock it.


Could be worse, my reference card asic is 63%, on water I can pass 3dmark 11 at 1225 1.28V (can pass 1237 core 1.3V, but artifacting by game test 2). At least the memory is decent & can run 1800.
Cold & volt modded it is pretty good, but if I was a gamer I'd hate the card.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Could be worse, my reference card asic is 63%, on water I can pass 3dmark 11 at 1225 1.28V (can pass 1237 core 1.3V, but artifacting by game test 2). At least the memory is decent & can run 1800.
> Cold & volt modded it is pretty good, but if I was a gamer I'd hate the card.


Ouch.

My card caps at about 1200, 1150 runs at 1.15V no problem, once I try to get past 1200 it requires massive voltage. 1200 is still 275 above stock, so it's not all bad. Good enough performance for me, I just would have liked a bit more OC ability.


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Can someone please test this with eyefinity + crossfire and BF 3 please i Get horrible FPS when installing this drivers,(with the new caps and the old ones aswell)
When i monitor my cards when starting BF3 in a round of karkland, my FPS is around 17 to 30 and only 20% GPU usage.,
Again reverting to RC11 gives me my whopping FPS again.
I already uninstalled everything correctly with atiman etc,.
Help would be appreciated


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jayless*
> 
> Can someone please test this with eyefinity + crossfire and BF 3 please i Get horrible FPS when installing this drivers,(with the new caps and the old ones aswell)
> When i monitor my cards when starting BF3 in a round of karkland, my FPS is around 17 to 30 and only 20% GPU usage.,
> Again reverting to RC11 gives me my whopping FPS again.
> I already uninstalled everything correctly with atiman etc,.
> Help would be appreciated


How many cards are you running? BF3 works for me, fps is down offline play. Haven't had a chance to try a 64 man server.

However, overall 12.6 is two steps backwards in comparison to rc11 fps wise, but one step forward for eyefinity 2.0. You know, actually 8.97 was better at eyefinity 2.0, center taskbar worked everytime. 12.6 is hit or miss with the center taskbar, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I'm willing to wait it out and see how 12.6 is in a 64 man server, but not sure for how long. I lost 24 fps in Heaven 3.0 in quadfire for godsake!!!


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How many cards are you running? BF3 works for me, fps is down offline play. Haven't had a chance to try a 64 man server.
> However, overall 12.6 is two steps backwards in comparison to rc11 fps wise, but one step forward for eyefinity 2.0. You know, actually 8.97 was better at eyefinity 2.0, center taskbar worked everytime. 12.6 is hit or miss with the center taskbar, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
> I'm willing to wait it out and see how 12.6 is in a 64 man server, but not sure for how long. I lost 24 fps in Heaven 3.0 in quadfire for godsake!!!


Thx for youre reply,
Im running 2 cards @ the moment.
But it really feels unplayable.........and what explains the low GPU usage. is a mystery

Edit 24 fps loss is ALOT !


----------



## ITS OVER 9000!

I ordered an Asus 7970 DC2! Going to be here on wed! Before you ask why i went with the dc2, its because it was 300$ on open box







. Ill upload pics when i get it so i can join this club. First AMD card I've ever bought. Hope everything turns out ok


----------



## martinhal

12.6 Beta fail for me back to 11.12. Thats stable at 1300/1800 .


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ITS OVER 9000!*
> 
> I ordered an Asus 7970 DC2! Going to be here on wed! Before you ask why i went with the dc2, its because it was 300$ on open box
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Ill upload pics when i get it so i can join this club. First AMD card I've ever bought. Hope everything turns out ok


Dude DC2+OPEN BOX= DIASASTER

Some1 returned that card before more than likely VRMs gets too hot or something is wrong with it. There were alot of dc2s overheating and i believe they have made a revised version. Hopefully its ok but i would stay away from that.


----------



## bubblejet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Has anybody in here used Dwood's brackets for H50 / Antec Kuhler mounting on their 7970's yet? I just asked him, and he said that they work with reference 7970's, but I thought there was some sort of an issue with the 7900 series and the way the die was mounted.
> Just curious because I've got a spare H50 just sitting here, thought it might be fun to try it out on my 7970.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> I think you need a copper spacer if you want to mount the heatsink on because the die is recessed so the flat cooler wont make contact with it
> Like this : http://www.ekwaterblocks.com/shop/ek-vga-supreme-hf-hd7970-cu-adapter.html


Is this bracket compatible with the AMD 7950/7970?

I've searched but couldn't find any examples of the 7950/7970 with this bracket. I think I've read that it is compatible.

However, I actually can't find anyone that has put the kuhler 620 on these cards...


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> 12.6 Beta fail for me back to 11.12. Thats stable at 1300/1800 .


Is the much difference between the Beta drivers and the finished drivers? Is it worth trying both.... I'v also been wait for ATI to release a good driver so i can finally OC my 7970's...


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Is the much difference between the Beta drivers and the finished drivers? Is it worth trying both.... I'v also been wait for ATI to release a good driver so i can finally OC my 7970's...


i think its worth trying because my overclocks would fail when playing bf3 using driver 12.4... now using 12.6 fix my issues my overclocks now seem stable so i would give it go


----------



## gregoryH

Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition / preview?

http://www.coolenjoy.net/bbs/boardc.php?id=review&no=7979&p=1
http://www.playwares.com/xe/23351888


----------



## Luca T

I didn't understand Why Amd want to release a 7970 at just 1000 MHz when every 7970 Can reach the end of CCC 1125 easily


----------



## RandomK

Got some more numbers on those Sapphire 950Mhz Editon 7950s. So far I'm only looking for something that will run 24/7 without errors on the stock voltage. I was able to get a 3DMark score of 14695 running at 1100/1325, but I there were artifacts in the last two tests and a bit of tearing early on.



I dialed it back to 1075/1300, everything was a smooth as butter, and they pulled a 14482. BTW, neither 1100/1300 or 1075/1325 was able to run without artifacts/ tearing.



I might be able to get like 1090/1315 or something, but I didn't have time today to do so much fine tuning. One thing I noticed was that increasing the memory clocks increased heat far more than increasing the GPU clocks. This may be an indicator of Sapphire's steel plate memory cooling being insufficient for serious overclocks. More to come when it cools off this evening.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> I didn't understand Why Amd want to release a 7970 at just 1000 MHz when every 7970 Can reach the end of CCC 1125 easily


I would think that it is to enhance the reputation of the 7970 when people compare it to the 680 and constantly call it inferior. I've said it before, AMD has SIGNIFICANTLY underclocked the 7900 series cards. When, as you say, almost EVERY 7970 can hit 1125Mhz right out of the gate, on stock fan profiles, it is obvious. It would be different if 10% of cards were hitting these clocks, but I am yet to hear anyone that cannot hit at least 200Mhz above stock on either the 50 or the 70 variant of cards.

When 7900 series cards are at their full potential (1000Mhz +) they compare very favourably to their Nvidia counterparts. I think AMD realizes this, and is trying to get a little credibility back, which I do not feel they really every lost. Whether or not Nvidia have another chip up their sleeve is irrelevant for now. It isn't released and priced and therefore cannot be compared.

I could be wrong, but there is no denying the potential for these cards, as everyone here knows or is finding out as they purchase them. I am not sure the same headroom can be found on the 600 series for team green, but when you combine raw clock speed and gaming performance, with Eyefinity support, 3GB of VRAM (future proof sort of) the compute functions of the card to enhance non-gaming tasks you really start to have a winning combination.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

I want to get the reference powercolor HD 7950 because it is $340 after MIR, which is ridiculous pricing. Anyone have any experience with the reference cooler - is it good enough?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> 12.6 Beta fail for me back to 11.12. Thats stable at 1300/1800 .


You need to clean install windows than. 12.6 works perfect after a clean install (I just dis this) so I advise to go that routw


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> I want to get the reference powercolor HD 7950 because it is $340 after MIR, which is ridiculous pricing. Anyone have any experience with the reference cooler - is it good enough?


I had the reference, but sold it a while ago. It is good, but it depends how hard you want to push the clocks. If you want to overclock and do not intend to do water, then I would recommend one of the after market cards with their coolers. If you just want a mild boost in clocks and do not mind a little noise from the blower fan, then yeah, the reference is still good.

It all depends what you want to get out of it.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> You need to clean install windows than. 12.6 works perfect after a clean install (I just dis this) so I advise to go that routw


Is that in regards to actual installation problems, or in game performance? I installed 12.6 no problem, enjoyed a 100 point graphics score boost in 3DMark11, but then felt that the in game performance was not as good as 12.5 beta's. Benchmark 3D says that the minimum frames is lower on 12.6 drivers compared to 12.5, which I can attest to in a couple of games of BF3.

I just did a re install of windows last week, and would prefer not to do another one just to test these drivers with a re install and be disappointed.


----------



## DMT94

What drivers are all you 7950 Crossfire users using? I Had 12.1 for a while but got BSOD's like all the time, now im running 12.3 and i think they run quite choppy


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Damn, I would've thought there would be more 1300mhz cards floating around by now. I got my 7970s shortly after release and they'll both do 1300 but @ 1.3v


----------



## Irocing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Damn, I would've thought there would be more 1300mhz cards floating around by now. I got my 7970s shortly after release and they'll both do 1300 but @ 1.3v


I run the Sapphire OC Edition and can run thru Heaven with just about all the candy on at 1250/1650/1.187v
at 68cf gaming and 74c Benching.

But anything above that, Heat starts to get in the way at 1.200+.

Put a good block on here and don't think 1300 is a problem at all.
But reason got this card is good air cooling at a good clock and voltage.

Think you'll see these cards do 1300+ on the core(On Water) ALOT.

Realize, Fairly new card and hasn't been played with that much.
Hot here now and just run mine at 1225/1650/1.187v and Kicks A--.









Later


----------



## RJacobs28

Hi all, Just installed my 7970 running at 1200Mhz (on stock voltage - pretty happy these cards can do that!),
I'm looking at adding another in Xfire next weekend, but I'm wondering if there is any AMD CPU that can keep up with that power?


----------



## ITS OVER 9000!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Dude DC2+OPEN BOX= DIASASTER
> Some1 returned that card before more than likely VRMs gets too hot or something is wrong with it. There were alot of dc2s overheating and i believe they have made a revised version. Hopefully its ok but i would stay away from that.


While I already new about that. There is no risk. If the card is faulty i can send it back to newegg for a full refund. But, if it works! Then a 7970 for 300$ is an absolutely amazing deal!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ITS OVER 9000!*
> 
> While I already new about that. There is no risk. If the card is faulty i can send it back to newegg for a full refund. But, if it works! Then a 7970 for 300$ is an absolutely amazing deal!


I haven't used a DC2, but fwiw they are voltage locked. There's an active thread on the topic, dunno if the guys figured a way around it but they got no dice last I read.

The DC2T on the other hand is not locked.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> You need to clean install windows than. 12.6 works perfect after a clean install (I just dis this) so I advise to go that routw


Here's the thing. My eyefinity works and am getting good frame rates in most games 5760 x 1080 so I'm not going to go to the hassle of a windows install .


----------



## ITS OVER 9000!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I haven't used a DC2, but fwiw they are voltage locked. There's an active thread on the topic, dunno if the guys figured a way around it but they got no dice last I read.
> The DC2T on the other hand is not locked.


Ya, I know its voltage locked







. Most people are able to get 1125/6000 on stock voltage. That will be fine and dandy and a heck of a lot faster than my current set up


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> What drivers are all you 7950 Crossfire users using? I Had 12.1 for a while but got BSOD's like all the time, now im running 12.3 and i think they run quite choppy


7.14.10.0890 and CCC 11.12 works for me .


----------



## TheJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> Got some more numbers on those Sapphire 950Mhz Editon 7950s. So far I'm only looking for something that will run 24/7 without errors on the stock voltage. I was able to get a 3DMark score of 14695 running at 1100/1325, but I there were artifacts in the last two tests and a bit of tearing early on.
> I dialed it back to 1075/1300, everything was a smooth as butter, and they pulled a 14482. BTW, neither 1100/1300 or 1075/1325 was able to run without artifacts/ tearing.
> I might be able to get like 1090/1315 or something, but I didn't have time today to do so much fine tuning. One thing I noticed was that increasing the memory clocks increased heat far more than increasing the GPU clocks. This may be an indicator of Sapphire's steel plate memory cooling being insufficient for serious overclocks. More to come when it cools off this evening.


Get them under water and push it to 1300/1850 to beat my HWBot score, lmao.


----------



## Johnny_Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Here's the thing. My eyefinity works and am getting good frame rates in most games 5760 x 1080 so I'm not going to go to the hassle of a windows install .


You may not be missing much either way. I did a clean install of Win 7 with 12.6 and it was a fail for me. Reverting back to RC11. This is with 3 7970's in Eyefinity.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RJacobs28*
> 
> Hi all, Just installed my 7970 running at 1200Mhz (on stock voltage - pretty happy these cards can do that!),
> I'm looking at adding another in Xfire next weekend, but I'm wondering if there is any AMD CPU that can keep up with that power?


the answer to your question is no amd cpus are not good for multi gpu set up...if you really want to xfire get 2500k or whatever intel cpu you can afford and you'll be a happy man


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RJacobs28*
> 
> Hi all, Just installed my 7970 running at 1200Mhz (on stock voltage - pretty happy these cards can do that!),
> I'm looking at adding another in Xfire next weekend, but I'm wondering if there is any AMD CPU that can keep up with that power?


1200 core on stock voltage!! o_0 Is it game stable? I need 1.225 for 1200 on mine


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny_Utah*
> 
> You may not be missing much either way. I did a clean install of Win 7 with 12.6 and it was a fail for me. Reverting back to RC11. This is with 3 7970's in Eyefinity.


Great good to know Im not the only one.


----------



## kadeep

Hi,
hope not too late to join the club, mine is HIS 7970 ref
I flashed it with MSI [email protected], runs fine for me,

TPU
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/zq95h/


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny_Utah*
> 
> You may not be missing much either way. I did a clean install of Win 7 with 12.6 and it was a fail for me. Reverting back to RC11. This is with 3 7970's in Eyefinity.


OMG imposter!


----------



## aageres

Zero core still hangs my system on new 12.6 beta, so, didnt really fix anything.


----------



## aageres

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> You need to clean install windows than. 12.6 works perfect after a clean install (I just dis this) so I advise to go that routw


So you are saying that every time i want to install new drivers, i need to do clean install?


----------



## 4514kaiser

A clean install of windows should not be required but a clean install of the drivers can help.....


----------



## Trys0meM0re

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Great good to know Im not the only one.


Im in the same boat,although with 2 cards and eyefinity 12.6 is awful


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> So you are saying that every time i want to install new drivers, i need to do clean install?


No.

If you have Intel chipset mobo , the best (maybe the only) choice to uninstall older drivers is Atiman Uninstaller program, because 12.6 has less seven entries in the registry main driver keys.
If that entries does not delete, the new drivers working but with less performance.


----------



## gaul

try mem 1850 Mhz


----------



## gaul




----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> OMG imposter!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny_Utah*
> 
> You may not be missing much either way. I did a clean install of Win 7 with 12.6 and it was a fail for me. Reverting back to RC11. This is with 3 7970's in Eyefinity.


LOL What are the chances of that!!!!


----------



## Evil Penguin

It's a hit or miss it seems.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aageres*
> 
> So you are saying that every time i want to install new drivers, i need to do clean install?


That's really the only thing that I have found that is guaranteed to work honestly. It was so bad that I finally just set up a dual boot on a spare SSD so I can OC and check out new drivers without screwing up my main OS install....


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Damn, I would've thought there would be more 1300mhz cards floating around by now. I got my 7970s shortly after release and they'll both do 1300 but @ 1.3v


Mine benches at 1310/1750 w/ 1.3v.

I run 24/7 1300/1700 with the same voltage... under water my GPU never even clears the mid 40s, so why not.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Mine benches at 1310/1750 w/ 1.3v.
> I run 24/7 1300/1700 with the same voltage... under water my GPU never even clears the mid 40s, so why not.


God I hate you guys! Can't wait to get my Lightnings under water and find out what they can do when not temp-limited...


----------



## Luca T

Whig maximum voltage Reccomended? 1,3v?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've gone beyond 1300mV on my Lightnings but it didn't matter because I was so temp-limited at that point I had to abort anyway...


----------



## RJacobs28

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> 1200 core on stock voltage!! o_0 Is it game stable? I need 1.225 for 1200 on mine


I've been pushing it pretty hard, but it laps up Crysis at Max, and Skyrim for hours at Max. No problems yet.

Edit: When i say no problems, I mean other than my PSU spontaneously spitting out a fan blade (Scared me to death!)


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've gone beyond 1300mV on my Lightnings but it didn't matter because I was so temp-limited at that point I had to abort anyway...


How'd you go up over 1300mv? I'd be interested in playing with that...

Do a couple heaven/3dmark11 runs with 1500 core or something LOL


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> How'd you go up over 1300mv? I'd be interested in playing with that...
> Do a couple heaven/3dmark11 runs with 1500 core or something LOL


I meant maxing core voltage (1300mV) and adding aux voltage to hit 1300+mV. Not sure if any other cards can do that but the Lightnings...


----------



## jomama22

Lightnings can go up to 1.65v or so with afterburner extreme (Don't ask where to get it as ur not allowed to have it lol). On normal afterburner they can go up to 1.35v.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> You need to clean install windows than. 12.6 works perfect after a clean install (I just dis this) so I advise to go that routw


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That's really the only thing that I have found that is guaranteed to work honestly. It was so bad that I finally just set up a dual boot on a spare SSD so I can OC and check out new drivers without screwing up my main OS install....


Christ, stop telling ppl to clean install when they don't have to! You should only clean install if you've corrupted your OS. If you don't know how to install/uninstall beta drivers that's a whole other matter.


----------



## Derko1

Man! I can only imagine how long it would take me to get everything back if I reformatted... I guess it wouldn't matter if I was reformatting for every driver release.


----------



## tsm106

^^On that note.

HOW TO INSTALL/UNINSTALL YOUR DRIVERS AFTER YOU'VE BORKED THEM!!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

What you guys call temp limited whats the number??


----------



## jomama22

First I never said or implied doing it every release. Also, I like to assume everyone would install and uninstall properly well before posting about how 12.6 sucks. Reinstalling windows is a last resort and obviously should be looked upon that way. If u have tried every way of getting ur reg back in order and they are still borked, then clearly you only have one option left.

It is well worth buying an ssd (especially with the prices dropping) just as a boot drive and nothing else. Keep all downloads/programs/drivers located on your second hard drive, that way, when u need to reinstall windows, it takes a short amount of time to get up and running again. Takes me less that an hour to get everything situated and up and running again as I had it prior to the reinstall

The amount of time spent searching for help, complaining and trying to fix ur registry is equal or grater than that of reinstalling


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

For me, I start noticing artifacts in Heaven as soon as GPU1 hits about 83C. It'll hard crash if the temp gets to 90C....

As for drivers and Windows re-installs, I only mentioned what has worked for me. It's certainly not necessary for everyone to do a Windows re-installation but I found that all AMD drivers crash in my games if I try to use AB. So *FOR ME* it is advantageous to have a separate OS drive for AB and benches only and a main OS drive for games...


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> How'd you go up over 1300mv? I'd be interested in playing with that...
> Do a couple heaven/3dmark11 runs with 1500 core or something LOL
> 
> 
> 
> I meant maxing core voltage (1300mV) and adding aux voltage to hit 1300+mV. Not sure if any other cards can do that but the Lightnings...
Click to expand...

Yea, no aux voltage unfortunately for me. With the way temps stay down, I'd love to suicide run a couple times at 1.4-1.45.


----------



## jomama22

an
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> For me, I start noticing artifacts in Heaven as soon as GPU1 hits about 83C. It'll hard crash if the temp gets to 90C....
> As for drivers and Windows re-installs, I only mentioned what has worked for me. It's certainly not necessary for everyone to do a Windows re-installation but I found that all AMD drivers crash in my games if I try to use AB. So *FOR ME* it is advantageous to have a separate OS drive for AB and benches only and a main OS drive for games...


Ab definitely has conflicts with amd drivers. If I don't alt tab out of bf3 mp and re click the profiles I'm using after each round, I will get hard locked every time unless I'm at stock


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> What you guys call temp limited whats the number??


As soon i hit 72C i see artefacts. Some green squares.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> First I never said or implied doing it every release. Also, I like to assume everyone would install and uninstall properly well before posting about how 12.6 sucks. Reinstalling windows is a last resort and obviously should be looked upon that way. If u have tried every way of getting ur reg back in order and they are still borked, then clearly you only have one option left.
> It is well worth buying an ssd (especially with the prices dropping) just as a boot drive and nothing else. Keep all downloads/programs/drivers located on your second hard drive, that way, when u need to reinstall windows, it takes a short amount of time to get up and running again. Takes me less that an hour to get everything situated and up and running again as I had it prior to the reinstall
> The amount of time spent searching for help, complaining and trying to fix ur registry is equal or grater than that of reinstalling


this!!!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> As soon i hit 72C i see artefacts. Some green squares.


Depending on voltage/overclock or just stock??

So lets say the ideal temp to watch is between 70-80c according with your readings and majin's....

My question now as i dont have a reference cooler and i only have experience with the sapphire oc version of the 7970 (2 of the same cards) what temps people are seeing there normally?

The fastest way to notice a bad core overclock on mine is on heaven in the grass part looking down the hill it just artifacts if i have a bad overclock..


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've gone beyond 1300mV on my Lightnings but it didn't matter because I was so temp-limited at that point I had to abort anyway...


More voltage makes more heat & can just make things worse once at the temp limit, water should be nicer. Here's what my lightning did on air (about 20° ambient I think). Tested with stock cpu at first seeing what the memory/core could do, then backed off the memory a bit to save it & see what the score was with some OC on the cpu (tess was disabled).


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Hey ftw 420, im trying some stuff around at the moment... Why i can reach higher clocks speeds with less voltage (even if is not stable) like for example @ 1.2v i cannot reach 1250 or even 1275 on the core without getting an instant driver crash.... Im trying lowering the voltage to 1.175 and the card is not %100 stable on 1275 but gets farther on the bench with lower voltage. Heating probably is a factor and lowering the voltage seems to help some how....

I lower the voltage to my 24/7 overclock ((1200/1850)) to 1.175 and works wonders... This card is really weird..


----------



## BradleyW

Only issue i have with 12.6 is the underscan issue.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Only issue i have with 12.6 is the underscan issue.


same here it does everytime i restart or wake the system up from sleep mode...i hope they fix this in the official drivers. other than that i have no complaints


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> The amount of time spent searching for help, complaining and trying to fix ur registry is equal or grater than that of reinstalling


It's cuz you don't know what you're doing. You don't even have to ever enter the registry to clean it out lol. Also, the registry acts as a bookmark, so if you leave it at the Radeon gpu entry, guess what it always stays there.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I only find one instance of me needing to reinstall windows because uninstalling/wiping/registry editing didnt work and that was with ethernet controllers, spent a couple of days trying to resolve the issue with no luck.. Later on i find out a topic after so much searching bury in windows support forums, find out from a user with similar symptoms and after he paid over $500 for support that it was a Nasty ass windows 7 bug that i encounter randomly...

No connection, no hardware uninstall, no wiping registry, it just sits there permanently there and showing as it is working when is not..

Formatting took me only 5 minutes lol.. Formatting is the easy way to resolve the problem, but i prefer finding out whats causing the issue to begin with then i can use that knowledge on the future.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Hey ftw 420, im trying some stuff around at the moment... Why i can reach higher clocks speeds with less voltage (even if is not stable) like for example @ 1.2v i cannot reach 1250 or even 1275 on the core without getting an instant driver crash.... Im trying lowering the voltage to 1.175 and the card is not %100 stable on 1275 but gets farther on the bench with lower voltage. Heating probably is a factor and lowering the voltage seems to help some how....
> I lower the voltage to my 24/7 overclock ((1200/1850)) to 1.175 and works wonders... This card is really weird..


Heat & voltage is like a juggling act, I was passing 1300 core at 1.25V, when trying for more I couldn't raise the voltage or the core clock any more before it started artifacting or crashing, but I bet it would get more if loading 20° cooler. That's pretty much how I got into extreme cooling. Air wasn't enough & I wanted a bit more, then water, & volt modding, started chilling water, tried DICE, then finally ln2.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> As soon i hit 72C i see artefacts. Some green squares.


I have been hitting temps around 76-78 playing BF3 on stock coolers. It seems like these temps have been safe as I haven't had any crashes or artifacting, but when I had my OC pushed higher I was getting crashes.

I have my FX-8150 rig running a 7970 x-fired with a 7950. The 7970 will run hot (high 70's as noted above), but the 7950 will stay in mid 60's - even though it is OC'd to the same spec as the 7970.

Also, had 12.6 installed and it seemed to be working fine on both my rigs, but I lost audio over HDMI on my FX-8150 rig. Uninstalled 12.6 and went back to 12.4 and the audio is working perfectly again - I hope they can get that fixed as 12.6 was showing higher performance


----------



## EternalRest

How are AMD drivers? Once 7950's drop in price, I plan on getting one. Will be my first AMD card.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's cuz you don't know what you're doing. You don't even have to ever enter the registry to clean it out lol. Also, the registry acts as a bookmark, so if you leave it at the Radeon gpu entry, guess what it always stays there.


i dont understand how you think what i said has anything to do with entering the registry. Your registry gets mucked up when you have someone install/uninstall over and over with multiple drivers. I dont care if you use driver sweeper/atiman or whatever gets you off. at the end of the day, there are elements in the registry that we have no idea about and are not touched/cant be touched by any program unless you want a full out crashing computer. And god knows what else these people put on their computers/what programs they use. Your advice to just use these cleaners is fine, but only to a point. As you can see, there are multiple people on here using 12.6 with terrible performace AFTER following your instructions. When that happens, what is the next step hm?

If you seriously want to sit here and try to defend never reinstalling windows, be my guest. At the end of the day, multiple people have had perfect luck reinstalling windows and numerous people have had very bad problems after using driver sweeper/atiman.

somehow you thought i was the one messing up my crap when clearly from the 1000's of posts on here, i couldnt of been referring to anyone else right?

You sound like a mechanic who wants to rebuild a transmission on a 1987 civic instead of buying a new transmission except you dont save money here. Your advice takes just as much time and has the inevitable future problems.


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Only issue i have with 12.6 is the underscan issue.


Same here, I also have a problem with the cards hanging when overclocked , even if the overclock is very small (like 20mhz) they will both throttle really bad and freeze up then recover the driver


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> i dont understand how you think what i said has anything to do with entering the registry. Your registry gets mucked up when you have someone install/uninstall over and over with multiple drivers. I dont care if you use driver sweeper/atiman or whatever gets you off. at the end of the day, there are elements in the registry that we have no idea about and are not touched/cant be touched by any program unless you want a full out crashing computer. And god knows what else these people put on their computers/what programs they use. Your advice to just use these cleaners is fine, but only to a point. As you can see, there are multiple people on here using 12.6 with terrible performace AFTER following your instructions. When that happens, what is the next step hm?
> If you seriously want to sit here and try to defend never reinstalling windows, be my guest. At the end of the day, multiple people have had perfect luck reinstalling windows and numerous people have had very bad problems after using driver sweeper/atiman.
> somehow you thought i was the one messing up my crap when clearly from the 1000's of posts on here, i couldnt of been referring to anyone else right?
> You sound like a mechanic who wants to rebuild a transmission on a 1987 civic instead of buying a new transmission except you dont save money here. Your advice takes just as much time and has the inevitable future problems.


You should stop while you're behind. Where is this I recommend atiman/driversweeper come from? It's proabably because you think that's the only way to clean out the registry. ROFL. Again, you have no idea where the registry settings reside which is why you think its some massive convoluted exercise to clean it out.


----------



## martinhal

This thread seems to be going south....


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RJacobs28*
> 
> No problems yet.
> Edit: When i say no problems, I mean other than my PSU spontaneously spitting out a fan blade (Scared me to death!)


Do tell the story please!


----------



## RJacobs28

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Do tell the story please!


I was just playing Crysis and something started rattling, and BANG! So i shut everything down in a panic and opened it up and well.....



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







And on a side note, my second 7970 came today!


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







Pardon the mess, I'm in the middle of Sleeving and painting things to suit my new Camo theme!


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Depending on voltage/overclock or just stock??
> So lets say the ideal temp to watch is between 70-80c according with your readings and majin's....
> My question now as i dont have a reference cooler and i only have experience with the sapphire oc version of the 7970 (2 of the same cards) what temps people are seeing there normally?
> The fastest way to notice a bad core overclock on mine is on heaven in the grass part looking down the hill it just artifacts if i have a bad overclock..


Overclocked to 1030 MHz with 1.062 voltage, auto fan regulation, if i tweak fan profile, i can get 1100 MHz for 24/7 with temps below 70C,but problems is that i dont have either will or time to tweak fan profile. On stock it never reaches that kind of temps, on stock it stays below. 60C. Hope this helps, btw i have HD 7950 if that matters. Cheers
@RJacobs28
Can you please post temps of your cards with auto fan speed?
Cheers
@vonalka
Looks like every card is different, maybe my memory was overheating, because it is overvolted. Altrough i lowered voltage for memory now. And i dont like to push parts to its maximum, i had bad experience with things working at their maximum.
Seems like on stock voltage, temps are not the problem, but when you start to overvolt, that temp "wall" suddenly appears.


----------



## Luca T

To place the koolance Waterblock on the sapphire 7970 which termical pad should I use?
In the box there are 2 kind of pad 0,5mm and 1mm, does it depend on the brand?


----------



## Imprezzion

If it's a reference it should be whatever the manual says to use on a 7970.

I am kinda not getting my 7970.. Must've hit a frequency wall... 1200Mhz perfectly stable on 1.188v. 1250Mhz already needs 1.262v and anything over 1250, say 1265, is impossible to stabilize even with 1.299v ;( 1250 aint bad at all but I was hoping for a 1300+ card...

Max temps in-game with my Accelero 7970 at 1250 with 1.262v is just 55-60c so... Got the room to run 1.299v 24/7 but it just doesn't help


----------



## RJacobs28

Quote:


> @RJacobs28
> Can you please post temps of your cards with auto fan speed?


Only one is running until I get my Corsair AX850 on Thurs.

So its currently running at 1125MHz Core and Idling at 47 degrees C. Load is about 74 degrees.


----------



## SkateZilla

that Top ASUS 7970 is gonna choke...


----------



## RJacobs28

Max SAFE temps for these cards?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> If it's a reference it should be whatever the manual says to use on a 7970.
> I am kinda not getting my 7970.. Must've hit a frequency wall... 1200Mhz perfectly stable on 1.188v. 1250Mhz already needs 1.262v and anything over 1250, say 1265, is impossible to stabilize even with 1.299v ;( 1250 aint bad at all but I was hoping for a 1300+ card...
> Max temps in-game with my Accelero 7970 at 1250 with 1.262v is just 55-60c so... Got the room to run 1.299v 24/7 but it just doesn't help


I have my card on water and i need 1.2v for 1175Mhz and cant even get 1.2Ghz.


----------



## martinhal

???


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> If it's a reference it should be whatever the manual says to use on a 7970.
> I am kinda not getting my 7970.. Must've hit a frequency wall... 1200Mhz perfectly stable on 1.188v. 1250Mhz already needs 1.262v and anything over 1250, say 1265, is impossible to stabilize even with 1.299v ;( 1250 aint bad at all but I was hoping for a 1300+ card...
> Max temps in-game with my Accelero 7970 at 1250 with 1.262v is just 55-60c so... Got the room to run 1.299v 24/7 but it just doesn't help


I had a similar issue and I did two things that worked. Don't know why but it worked. I forget the exact commands and am not at home to check but perhaps the gurus can fill in the blanks. I started AfterBurner via the run command with the /xcl modification. I also disabled ULPS (??????????? forget the exact letters ) via sapphira Trixx . Now I can do 1300 + stable in games . Did that only once and it still works.


----------



## ITS OVER 9000!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> that Top ASUS 7970 is gonna choke...


Why would you say that?


----------



## Gorki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> As soon i hit 72C i see artefacts. Some green squares.


I have same problem ; switched from 12.4b to 12.6 beta an same problem. I haven't tried gaming only 3dmark11 and OCing it, finishes 3dmark fine but artefacts on some test. AT default clocks works fine as mention, it never goes that high with temps. I recently buy this card so I can't t tell more info yet but max temp i 73C for me with custom fan profile. now oced 1200/1800 @1181mv


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gorki*
> 
> I have same problem ; switched from 12.4b to 12.6 beta an same problem. I haven't tried gaming only 3dmark11 and OCing it, finishes 3dmark fine but artefacts on some test. AT default clocks works fine as mention, it never goes that high with temps. I recently buy this card so I can't t tell more info yet but max temp i 73C for me with custom fan profile. now oced 1200/1800 @1181mv


You have stock HD 7970 or custom one mate?
Cheers


----------



## Gorki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> You have stock HD 7970 or custom one mate?
> Cheers


Just regular Sapphire HD7970 card.

I blame drivers, I believe it would hang or freeze if I run it with too low mv thus temps are not that high so only drivers left...
BTW I haven't tried earlier driver releases?

Zivija!


----------



## Hambone07si

So what kind of issues are we seeing with 12.6 beta drivers? I have been busy the past month and haven't been gaming much at all. I'm still using 12.4 beta.


----------



## paralogixer

I've been wondering if I'd should go with 12.6..
I'm running with 12.4 atm.


----------



## thrgk

did people notice better 3dmark11 and fps with 12.6? or the same? I will wait for official driver if its the same, 12.5whql is working great for me!


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> did people notice better 3dmark11 and fps with 12.6? or the same? I will wait for official driver if its the same, 12.5whql is working great for me!


3dmark11 with trifire is down scaling now for me. I get 17200 when I was getting 22400. Other than that its been fine


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gorki*
> 
> I have same problem ; switched from 12.4b to 12.6 beta an same problem. I haven't tried gaming only 3dmark11 and OCing it, finishes 3dmark fine but artefacts on some test. AT default clocks works fine as mention, it never goes that high with temps. I recently buy this card so I can't t tell more info yet but max temp i 73C for me with custom fan profile. now oced 1200/1800 @1181mv


Lower memory clock. That mayb why you are getting artifacts


----------



## neoroy

From 12.4 WHQL to 12.6 BETA I found a bit improvement in 3DMark2011, which was 100poin in GPU score. But other user in this forum got almost 500poin in GPU score.
So far 12.6 BETA is great for my system


----------



## paralogixer

With 12.4 I had 2541 score from Unigine 3.0 on stock
Now with 12.6 I have 2426..


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

12.6 doesn't look good for my bench drive but may be OK for my main OS...


----------



## wTheOnew

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> With 12.4 I had 2541 score from Unigine 3.0 on stock
> Now with 12.6 I have 2426..


Least they work for you. I'm still on 11.12. Everything else crashes like a boss.









Oh, a new driver!
Wipe any trace of drivers off of the machine
Install new driver
Bask in the awesome framerate bump for a few minutes
Bluescreen
Wipe drivers
Install 11.12
Go back to playing games
Repeat next month


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> With 12.4 I had 2541 score from Unigine 3.0 on stock
> Now with 12.6 I have 2426..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> 12.6 doesn't look good for my bench drive but may be OK for my main OS...


It's a bittersweet driver I tell. Eyefinity and most of the bugs are fixed, well for most ppl. However the multi card scaling has take a serious dump. Bah!


----------



## Luca T

Metro2033 Benchmark (everything at maximum) diver 12.4:

At default clock:

•Average Framerate: 29.67
•Max. Framerate: 81.79
•Min. Framerate: 9.66

At 1125Mhz with defaut:voltage:

•Average Framerate: 31.67
•Max. Framerate: 67.80
•Min. Framerate: 9.39

At 1194Mhz with 1299V :

•Average Framerate: 32.67
•Max. Framerate: 70.50
•Min. Framerate: 9.60

Is it possible that it get worse in maximum and minimum?

In Unigine 3.0 fps improve from default clock to 1125Mhz, then at 1194Mhz it's the same (just +1fps in maximum fps)


----------



## SkateZilla

Fedex Delivered my Box today, so did UPSG,

So my GPU and Replacement cable for My HOTAs re both here and the replacement GPU is shipped all by its lonesome, not at home to visually check it though.


----------



## voidwarranty

Ordered my 7950 this morning from newegg. So stoked for this delivery, it feels like Christmas in June. Can't wait to see how far I can push this MSI HD7950 with sexy sexy Twin Frozr III


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *voidwarranty*
> 
> Ordered my 7950 this morning from newegg. So stoked for this delivery, it feels like Christmas in June. Can't wait to see how far I can push this MSI HD7950 with sexy sexy Twin Frozr III


Sounds pretty awesome. I just go my Sapphire 7950s, but OC is on hold for now due to top card cooling issues. Trying to figure out my fan situation before I go crazy and ramp up the voltage.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

OK, so as far as performance goes IN GAME with the 12.6 beta drivers, they are not as good as 12.5 beta. I have tested all the high performance games (Batman, BF3, Metro, Crysis 2) with specific benchmarks, and every one of them came back slightly slower than the 8.97 driver. Funny thing, is that my 3DMark11 score went UP.

So, these drivers definitely are a funny bunch, but I would recommend any serious gamer to stick with 12.5 beta / 8.97 until a new driver comes out from AMD under their new format.

Spent the last 90 mins benching, so if anyone wants to disagree with me, they are most welcome to post any results you have found. But the bottom line is that I play games, not benchmarks, and will be sticking with the 12.5 drivers for now. They are actually superbly performing drivers save for the problems for our dual / tri / quad card using friends here.


----------



## Geekerdom

*HELP AND ADVICE SOUGHT FRIENDS*

I wish to purchase the new MSI TRIPLE OVER VOLTAGE - MSI R7850 Power AMD/ATI Graphics Card - 2GB *LINK BELOW:*

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/2gb-msi-r7850-power-edition-2gd5-oc-950mhz-core-gddr5-4800mhz-dl-dvi-i-2xmini-dp-hdmi

Just certain people are telling me it can match or even beat a GTX580 which is something I must admit I wanted but never had the cash.. follow me..!

Now at the price on the link I can most certainly find, and *the only thing I'm missing is the PhysX for my batman games*, has the room anything that may ease my anxiety on this.?

Im not a joker either, forget the batman games, I just want a decent 'GPU I can use afterburner on which is ideal... if you follow me.
*
as I know I can turn the PhysX off but will that not ruin my pleasure and eye candy floss..*

all help appreciated, Ive been toying with this idea for over a week, and its this card MSI HD7850 OC Power Ed. or GTX 670. However the 670 is a lot more capital to find ATM.

Thanks in advance...


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wTheOnew*
> 
> Least they work for you. I'm still on 11.12. Everything else crashes like a boss.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, a new driver!
> Wipe any trace of drivers off of the machine
> Install new driver
> Bask in the awesome framerate bump for a few minutes
> Bluescreen
> Wipe drivers
> Install 11.12
> Go back to playing games
> Repeat next month


How do you know what I did Saturday ?


----------



## voidwarranty

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Geekerdom*
> 
> *HELP AND ADVICE SOUGHT FRIENDS*


This might be what you're looking for

http://www.overclock.net/t/591872/how-to-run-physx-in-windows-7-with-ati-cards


----------



## paralogixer

Here it is! 12.6 vs 12.5 and 12.4

http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-6-Beta-benchmark/3

And here vs all

http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-6-beta-benchmark/4

Looks like we got a winner here, 12.5


----------



## Andrazh

Question for guys with accelero on 7950/70. How do you cool vrms and ram?


----------



## Luca T

Which kind of AA do you usually use?

Which one do you Think is the best?


----------



## BradleyW

Speaking of AA, i can't get FXAA to work for the life of me via the injector.


----------



## SkateZilla

so far 12.6 works for me, fixes the tearing in eyefinity, BF3 runs fluid 55-65 Fr/Sec.

Got my Sapphire card back and in the system running again obviously,

According to the SKU, its a 7950 OC Dual X 950Mhz Edition (So Its an Upgrade)
Fans Have DUAL-X Stickers and Not Blue Sapphire Stickers
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991

One I sent in wasnt a Dual X Branded one and the OC was 900Mhz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102963

The Slot brackets looked a little bent, but I tested the fans for about 30 minutes, Going from 40% to 100% max for 5 minutes, then slowly ramping them up 10% at a time, no grinding now, temps are a lil lower than the one I sent in, but they will be hotter for the next 3 months (No A/C, which is why I built this system w/ water cooling and in May->August, I remove All My OCs)

i might have to dis-able AMD GPU Overdrive, as GPU-Z is still saying stock clocks are supposed to be 900MHz, and when i checked Overdrive it still had my Fan settings and stuff for my other Sapphire (even though I wiped the drivers so i can run my 8800GTS.)

that or i need to check the BIOS switch...


----------



## Luca T

I read about SMAA injector, it seems Really good!


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> so far 12.6 works for me, fixes the tearing in eyefinity, BF3 runs fluid 55-65 Fr/Sec.
> Got my Sapphire card back and in the system running again obviously,
> According to the SKU, its a 7950 OC Dual X 950Mhz Edition (So Its an Upgrade)
> Fans Have DUAL-X Stickers and Not Blue Sapphire Stickers
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991
> One I sent in wasnt a Dual X Branded one and the OC was 900Mhz
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102963
> The Slot brackets looked a little bent, but I tested the fans for about 30 minutes, Going from 40% to 100% max for 5 minutes, then slowly ramping them up 10% at a time, no grinding now, temps are a lil lower than the one I sent in, but they will be hotter for the next 3 months (No A/C, which is why I built this system w/ water cooling and in May->August, I remove All My OCs)
> i might have to dis-able AMD GPU Overdrive, as GPU-Z is still saying stock clocks are supposed to be 900MHz, and when i checked Overdrive it still had my Fan settings and stuff for my other Sapphire (even though I wiped the drivers so i can run my 8800GTS.)
> that or i need to check the BIOS switch...


Glad to hear about the card coming back. Even got an upgrade. Nice.


----------



## useport80

i installed 12.6beta yesterday and started getting some serious rubberbanding in diablo3. i'm not sure if its 12.6, i'll have to do some testing tonight. i didn't get much time to play


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *useport80*
> 
> i installed 12.6beta yesterday and started getting some serious rubberbanding in diablo3. i'm not sure if its 12.6, i'll have to do some testing tonight. i didn't get much time to play


define rubberbanding in D3

i think you have having game lags, not video related, rather server side lag

the weekend was horrible


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Glad to hear about the card coming back. Even got an upgrade. Nice.


looks like it was a refurb though, as the screw parts of the slot brackets were both bent a lil.

but yeah, immediately noticed the White "DualX" Stickers instead of the Blue "Sapphire" Stickers on the Fans, Black PCB instead of the Blue PCB.

GPUZ still reports it at 900MHz but i dont know why. But like i said, AMD CCC retained my settings for GPU/MEM/Fan Speed, I'll disable Overdrive and see what it defaults to.

Options:
A. I know i never got to "uninstall" my old one, as it died, so i had to boot windows with my 8800GTS, and it wouldnt let me touch AMDs display drivers by that point. So maybe the System thinks it's the same card, might right click and choose "uninstall".

B. Maybe the BIOS Switch position is running it at 900Mhz,

C. Or Sapphire flashed the bios to keep me at 900MHz (whooopity do 50 Mhz).

But it runs better than the 7950OC I sent them, as I noted,
-Fans do not make a grinding noise above 65%.
-BF3 in Eyefinity, w/ MSAA off and Shader AA on everything on High runs above 60Fr/Sec most of the Time
-Eyefinity on Desktop no longer has Tearing on no-preferred display type (THANK YOU AMD, FINALLY).
-Desktop is faster
-I can run desktop using no Bezel Corrected 5760x1080, but still run games with the bezel corrected resolution. or choose between bezel corrected resolution or non-bezel corrected resolution.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Question for guys with accelero on 7950/70. How do you cool vrms and ram?


there are heatsinks included to paste on them


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> looks like it was a refurb though, as the screw parts of the slot brackets were both bent a lil.
> but yeah, immediately noticed the White "DualX" Stickers instead of the Blue "Sapphire" Stickers on the Fans, Black PCB instead of the Blue PCB.
> GPUZ still reports it at 900MHz but i dont know why.
> I know i never got to "uninstall" my old one, as it died, so i had to boot windows with my 8800GTS, and it wouldnt let me touch AMDs drivers by that point.
> Maybe the BIOS Switch is running it at 900Mhz, But like i said, AMD CCC retained my settings for GPU/MEM/Fan Speed.
> Or Sapphire flashed the bios to keep me at 900MHz (whooopity do 50 Mhz).


Did you try the second bios switch? You should get 950 from bios 2.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> there are heatsinks included to paste on them


My G1 didn't hold *****


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Did you try the second bios switch? You should get 950 from bios 2.


Gonna check that tonight, wasnt sure, as its not mentioned by Sapphire on their product page or in any reviews. (other than "increased OC Performance"

I took pictures last night, but camera battery died, and I think the pictures didn't look too good anyway.

Also has some extra "Dual-X" stickers on the side/top of the card,







, more bling bling.

Also appears that the 950Mhz OC cards run the 7970 PCB Design.

Im limited to playing non-flight sims and staying in ground ops in BF3 until I get a replacement HOTAS or repair my current one, which decided to fail (prolly took too much abuse in BF3 TBH.)


----------



## Andrazh

After reading last couple of your posts it seems to me that everything you own is dying Oo


----------



## RandomK

My black Sapphire 7950 950mhz editions both run at the full 950mhz in both BIOS positions 1 and 2...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> After reading last couple of your posts it seems to me that everything you own is dying Oo


My Saitek was 6 years old and took heavy BF3 Abuse over the last few months. I either messed up the wiring in the stick abusing the rudder, or messed up the USB wiring when it was pushed off my desk and hung by the cable.

as for my camera battery, lemme rephrase, its electrical capacity was depleted and needed to be charged.


----------



## Andrazh

My post was sarcastic. You don't have to explain urself

To be on topic:
With what should i stick heatsinks on vrms? Is thermal tape any good? Seems the easiest way.


----------



## SkateZilla

if i listed the PC parts that have failed in the last year on both my systems and my brother's , it would be a long list.


----------



## SkateZilla

thermal tape..


----------



## sena

Looks like mine HD 7950 DCII also has the flaw, but the reason why its working on stock clocks is preety low voltage (0.993V), so i cant RMA because its working on stock clocks and that sucks big time.
Also cards with higher stock VID, i am sure that flaw would be presistent even on stock clocks.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Looks like mine HD 7950 DCII also has the flaw, but the reason why its working on stock clocks is preety low voltage (0.993V), so i cant RMA because its working on stock clocks and that sucks big time.
> Also cards with higher stock VID, i am sure that flaw would be presistent even on stock clocks.


that sounds exactly like the issue i have with both of my 7970

i was hoping it was an actual hardware issue to be able to RMA it, but with the latest drivers now it has got a lot more stable
unfortunately still can't really do any OC with them, as they will crash


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> that sounds exactly like the issue i have with both of my 7970
> i was hoping it was an actual hardware issue to be able to RMA it, but with the latest drivers now it has got a lot more stable
> unfortunately still can't really do any OC with them, as they will crash


Heh, actually for a one month card was tied for case, and i was able to easily run 1100 MHz without issue, but when i completed my new bild, i didnt tied the card, and now i can barely pass 3d mark vantage run with 1030 MHz. MSI AB is showning 70C, when MSI AB shows 72C, the card will shut down, i think that some other parts of chip are overheating, because when MSI AB shows 72C, the entire screen is getting filled with artefacts extremly fast, and then GPU shut down it self. Strangely when card was tied for a case, for expample. on 1030 MHz the card barely broked 65C (that is reading from MSI AB), and that was with same voltage and in way hotter room.


----------



## WakaFlockaFlam2

WOW, anybody see a huge performance (fps) increase in bf3 since the patch?


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WakaFlockaFlam2*
> 
> WOW, anybody see a huge performance (fps) increase in bf3 since the patch?


Yes !


----------



## SkateZilla

i was still 55-65 in SP running Eyefinity on HIGH?.......


----------



## WakaFlockaFlam2

they must of fixed something big! i went from 25 fps avg on ultra settings to 55 fps!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2560 x 1440


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WakaFlockaFlam2*
> 
> they must of fixed something big! i went from 25 fps avg on ultra settings to 55 fps!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2560 x 1440


There must've been something wrong with your system to only see 25fps at ultra with that res.


----------



## WakaFlockaFlam2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> There must've been something wrong with your system to only see 25fps at ultra with that res.


yes i know something was wrong, but whatever it was got fixed as i haven't changed anything except download the patch


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Did you try the second bios switch? You should get 950 from bios 2.


it was on BIOS 2, switched to BIOS 1, still 900 MHz.

So Nope...Seems the Default is 900 Mhz on both BIOS's, No Biggie for me.


----------



## DMT94

Need some help here,

I have 2 7950's in crossfire and the FPS is low on a lot of my games; bf3 on most maps online and a few other games - around 30fps (sometimes goes to 80+) ....
Now, i think it may be my Phenom 965 bottlenecking it, as both cards run at x16 mode and only use around 50% BUT in metro 2033 they use 99% and the fps is at 100+ maxed settings.

Also another question, how do i stop the cards going in to sleep ? (where the power goes off) because sometimes the second card's frequency just doesn't boost up to where it should (stays in 2d mode)- my system hangs and then i have to close the game and keep repeating until it works.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> I have 2 7950's in crossfire and the FPS is low on a lot of my games; bf3 on most maps online and a few other games - around 30fps (sometimes goes to 80+) ....
> Now, i think it may be my Phenom 965 bottlenecking it, as both cards run at x16 mode and only use around 50% BUT in metro 2033 they use 99% and the fps is at 100+ maxed settings.


Have you downloaded the latest crossfire game profiles from AMD? Have you tried the latest beta drivers?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Also another question, how do i stop the cards going in to sleep ? (where the power goes off) because sometimes the second card's frequency just doesn't boost up to where it should (stays in 2d mode)- my system hangs and then i have to close the game and keep repeating until it works.


The latest beta drivers are supposed to address these sleep issues as well. I get the waking up to a black screen problem myself, but I have yet to try out the 12.6 beta. Seems to be having mixed results. I've taken to just completely disabling sleep and remembering to actually shut down. Damn it AMD, hurry up the next release already!


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Need some help here,
> I have 2 7950's in crossfire and the FPS is low on a lot of my games; bf3 on most maps online and a few other games - around 30fps (sometimes goes to 80+) ....
> Now, i think it may be my Phenom 965 bottlenecking it, as both cards run at x16 mode and only use around 50% BUT in metro 2033 they use 99% and the fps is at 100+ maxed settings.
> Also another question, how do i stop the cards going in to sleep ? (where the power goes off) because sometimes the second card's frequency just doesn't boost up to where it should (stays in 2d mode)- my system hangs and then i have to close the game and keep repeating until it works.


lol CF7950 with Phenom 965? are u crazy? of course u have a HUGE bottleneck my friend.

u have 99% on metro because metro doesnt care about your CPU but your GPUs... try to OC that CPU to 3.8-4.0Ghz and see how it goes on BF3


----------



## Dahlmann

Hey guys.

Anyone else experiencing really poor performance in Diablo 3 with their 7970's?

I'm running the rig in my sig, CrossFire 7970's, both at 1000/1425.
I'd expect $1000 worth of graphics would be able to run it smoothly, but that's not the case. Every now and then it stutters and jitters, and it can be anywhere. But especially on the "Bridge of Korsikk" in Act III whenever the screen is getting overrun with creeps. Then it gets really bad, and my fps drops to about 5 fps.

My cousin running Tri-fire 5870 never ever experience any problems at all.....

I've tried 11.12, 12.4 and 12.6, but it's the same deal with all of them.

A friend of mine with a 7970 is having problems in the exact same way I am.

I hope you guys can help, because I'm sick and tired of this kind of performance in a game like this........


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> lol CF7950 with Phenom 965? are u crazy? of course u have a HUGE bottleneck my friend.
> u have 99% on metro because metro doesnt care about your CPU but your GPUs... try to OC that CPU to 3.8-4.0Ghz and see how it goes on BF3


haha I got this Phenom ages ago and just never had the cash to upgrade so now i'm waiting for haswell for a bigger jump in Performance







& it is at 4.0 ghz









And ,

@RandomK Yes i'm using 12.6 cap, and i'm running 12.6 beta, but i'd like to just stop the cards going in to low power mode to be honest as it would be easier that messing with drivers


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> did people notice better 3dmark11 and fps with 12.6? or the same? I will wait for official driver if its the same, 12.5whql is working great for me!


12.5 WHQL ??
Is that even out yet ??

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> I would think that it is to enhance the reputation of the 7970 when people compare it to the 680 and constantly call it inferior. I've said it before, AMD has SIGNIFICANTLY underclocked the 7900 series cards. When, as you say, almost EVERY 7970 can hit 1125Mhz right out of the gate, on stock fan profiles, it is obvious. It would be different if 10% of cards were hitting these clocks, *but I am yet to hear anyone that cannot hit at least 200Mhz above stock on either the 50 or the 70 variant of cards.*
> When 7900 series cards are at their full potential (1000Mhz +) they compare very favourably to their Nvidia counterparts. I think AMD realizes this, and is trying to get a little credibility back, which I do not feel they really every lost. Whether or not Nvidia have another chip up their sleeve is irrelevant for now. It isn't released and priced and therefore cannot be compared.
> I could be wrong, but there is no denying the potential for these cards, as everyone here knows or is finding out as they purchase them. I am not sure the same headroom can be found on the 600 series for team green, but when you combine raw clock speed and gaming performance, with Eyefinity support, 3GB of VRAM (future proof sort of) the compute functions of the card to enhance non-gaming tasks you really start to have a winning combination.


EDIT : sorry wrong calculation here







Started counting from the 900mhz core but that is the OC edition...
No idea where you get that info from but it is a load of bull**
Not every card can do +200 mhz without problems, at least not game stable.
Sure for benches, but who cares for that?
I saw a link to some site where users could post their max stable overclock and for the HD7950 it was around the 1100-1150 mhz average if I remember correctly. But mind you this is probably abit higher than any real number since these are mostly experienced users posting their results.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> did people notice better 3dmark11 and fps with 12.6? or the same? I will wait for official driver if its the same, 12.5whql is working great for me!
> 
> 
> 
> 12.5 WHQL ??
> Is that even out yet ??
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> I would think that it is to enhance the reputation of the 7970 when people compare it to the 680 and constantly call it inferior. I've said it before, AMD has SIGNIFICANTLY underclocked the 7900 series cards. When, as you say, almost EVERY 7970 can hit 1125Mhz right out of the gate, on stock fan profiles, it is obvious. It would be different if 10% of cards were hitting these clocks, *but I am yet to hear anyone that cannot hit at least 200Mhz above stock on either the 50 or the 70 variant of cards.*
> When 7900 series cards are at their full potential (1000Mhz +) they compare very favourably to their Nvidia counterparts. I think AMD realizes this, and is trying to get a little credibility back, which I do not feel they really every lost. Whether or not Nvidia have another chip up their sleeve is irrelevant for now. It isn't released and priced and therefore cannot be compared.
> I could be wrong, but there is no denying the potential for these cards, as everyone here knows or is finding out as they purchase them. I am not sure the same headroom can be found on the 600 series for team green, but when you combine raw clock speed and gaming performance, with Eyefinity support, 3GB of VRAM (future proof sort of) the compute functions of the card to enhance non-gaming tasks you really start to have a winning combination.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> No idea where you get that info from but it is a load of bull**
> *Not every card can do +200 mhz without problems,* at least not game stable.
> Sure for benches, but who cares for that?
> 
> I saw a link to some site where users could post their *max stable overclock and for the HD7950 it was around the 1100-1150* mhz average if I remember correctly. But mind you this is probably abit higher than any real number since these are mostly experienced users posting their results.
Click to expand...

You do realize you 110% contradicted yourself there, right? 800Mhz is stock on the 7950. 1100MHz is EASILY doable on the 7950, most will do 1150 completely stable. So that's 300-350 over stock.

925 is stock on a 7970. Again, most will pull off at least 1125-1150 stable at the very least. That's 200-225 over stock.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You do realize you 110% contradicted yourself there, right? 800Mhz is stock on the 7950. 1100MHz is EASILY doable on the 7950, most will do 1150 completely stable. So that's 300-350 over stock.
> 925 is stock on a 7970. Again, most will pull off at least 1125-1150 stable at the very least. That's 200-225 over stock.


Yeah my bad, I was going from the stock figures of my card, which is 900mhz. Excuse me.

But anyway, the part of his post about every card being able to hit 1125MHZ right out of the gate on stock fan profile is a load of crap anyway.
Yeah the cards are good overclockers, but not all on stock voltage and/or stock fan profiles.


----------



## kurtnilsen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dahlmann*
> 
> Hey guys.
> Anyone else experiencing really poor performance in Diablo 3 with their 7970's?
> I'm running the rig in my sig, CrossFire 7970's, both at 1000/1425.
> I'd expect $1000 worth of graphics would be able to run it smoothly, but that's not the case. Every now and then it stutters and jitters, and it can be anywhere. But especially on the "Bridge of Korsikk" in Act III whenever the screen is getting overrun with creeps. Then it gets really bad, and my fps drops to about 5 fps.
> My cousin running Tri-fire 5870 never ever experience any problems at all.....
> I've tried 11.12, 12.4 and 12.6, but it's the same deal with all of them.
> A friend of mine with a 7970 is having problems in the exact same way I am.
> I hope you guys can help, because I'm sick and tired of this kind of performance in a game like this........


if you are using vsync, remove that frame rate cap when in the foreground. i think the default is 150, just remove it, or put it at 200. Background fps can be at default... i think 8. On both my 7970 and my gtx 570 i had stutters when frame cap was at 150, but after removing the cap its silky smooth! Also, do not use any fps cap in software or D3Doverrider!


----------



## thegh0sts

is it OK to use MSI afterburner with a sapphire 7950 (OC edition)?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> is it OK to use MSI afterburner with a sapphire 7950 (OC edition)?


Yup, i used it with every ma card and i am now using it with asus card.


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Yup, i used it with every ma card and i am now using it with asus card.


sweet, gonna uninstall trixxx and install afterburner cos i want to see the FPS in Max Payne 3 and for some reason fraps doesn't work in the game.


----------



## Daffie82

I asked this before but havent gotten a reponse :

how is the performance in Max Payne 3 with only a single 7950 ?
Should I get a second card for this game to run smooth on pretty high settings ?


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> I asked this before but havent gotten a reponse :
> how is the performance in Max Payne 3 with only a single 7950 ?
> Should I get a second card for this game to run smooth on pretty high settings ?


pretty good considering rockstar's past history with PC ports of their games. The lowest I've seen is about 117fps with peaks into the 300s and 400s but mainly stays within 150 - 250fps...and at 1920x1080.

note: i have clocked 7950 OC to 1100/1250/1237 (core/memory/VDDC (mV)) and i have 3 24" 1080p monitors connected and so if i had only 1 monitor the average fps range would be higher (the card is clocked higher since having 3 monitors reduces the fps within games and i wanted similar fps to that of a single monitor setup).

i am also using the retail version and i have not seen the patching issues when starting the game. so generally i am impressed with the performance of the game.


----------



## Dahlmann

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kurtnilsen*
> 
> if you are using vsync, remove that frame rate cap when in the foreground. i think the default is 150, just remove it, or put it at 200. Background fps can be at default... i think 8. On both my 7970 and my gtx 570 i had stutters when frame cap was at 150, but after removing the cap its silky smooth! Also, do not use any fps cap in software or D3Doverrider!






Thanks for the response, will try it out when I get back home


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dahlmann*
> 
> Hey guys.
> 
> Anyone else experiencing really poor performance in Diablo 3 with their 7970's?
> 
> I'm running the rig in my sig, CrossFire 7970's, both at 1000/1425.
> I'd expect $1000 worth of graphics would be able to run it smoothly, but that's not the case. Every now and then it stutters and jitters, and it can be anywhere. But especially on the "Bridge of Korsikk" in Act III whenever the screen is getting overrun with creeps. Then it gets really bad, and my fps drops to about 5 fps.
> 
> My cousin running Tri-fire 5870 never ever experience any problems at all.....
> 
> I've tried 11.12, 12.4 and 12.6, but it's the same deal with all of them.
> 
> A friend of mine with a 7970 is having problems in the exact same way I am.
> 
> I hope you guys can help, because I'm sick and tired of this kind of performance in a game like this........


Disable one of your GPUs for Diablo3. The game can be maxed out on a 7750, so you won't lose anything. My single one maxes to 60 and never drops. Shoot, my temperatures don't even increase on my card/cpu in my watercooling loop with D3. Idle of 33, Load of 38C on CPU and idle of 29 on the GPU, load of 30C. lol


----------



## Dirtyworks

I recently got an HIS reference 7970 that has a blue PCB and no X bracket on the back.. is this normal?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dirtyworks*
> 
> I recently got an HIS reference 7970 that has a blue PCB and no X bracket on the back.. is this normal?


Mine had a bracket and was a black pcb. Reference. I am guessing you have a custom pcb.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> pretty good considering rockstar's past history with PC ports of their games. The lowest I've seen is about 117fps with peaks into the 300s and 400s but mainly stays within 150 - 250fps...and at 1920x1080.
> note: i have clocked 7950 OC to 1100/1250/1237 (core/memory/VDDC (mV)) and i have 3 24" 1080p monitors connected and so if i had only 1 monitor the average fps range would be higher (the card is clocked higher since having 3 monitors reduces the fps within games and i wanted similar fps to that of a single monitor setup).
> i am also using the retail version and i have not seen the patching issues when starting the game. so generally i am impressed with the performance of the game.


Thanks for your reply








But those FPS are surprising me...
Is this on max graphic settings ??? What AA you use ?
I am very surprised cause I heard this game would be a very heavy game like crysis 1/2 back in the day...


----------



## SkateZilla

that's actually rather cheap manufacturing.


----------



## Dirtyworks

Well I'm disappointed with HIS


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dirtyworks*
> 
> Well I'm disappointed with HIS


I would hold that thought until you see how well it overclocks


----------



## Jackirwin

i didnt know afterbuner could do fps lol and ive been using it a long time but anyway i tried it and i get 200 - 250 fps very nice


----------



## phillyd

is anyone else crashing with a 7970 at stock clocks with the catalyst 12.4? It even crashes on youtube.


----------



## Dirtyworks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I would hold that thought until you see how well it overclocks


i also have a reference sapphire 7970 that clocks well AND it has a black PCB with the x-bracket..


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> is anyone else crashing with a 7970 at stock clocks with the catalyst 12.4? It even crashes on youtube.


i had that problem as well,

but 12.6 beta fixed all those problems away


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for your reply
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But those FPS are surprising me...
> Is this on max graphic settings ??? What AA you use ?
> I am very surprised cause I heard this game would be a very heavy game like crysis 1/2 back in the day...


These are the settings i am using on my 7950 OC. Most of them are default but I have slightly changed some settings:

Shadow quality was originally set to high.
Anisotropic filtering was originally set to 16x
Ambient Occlusion was originally set to SSAO
Tessellation was originally set to Off

NOTE: Having vsync on doesn't seem to have an effect on fps as it isn't capping it to 60fps.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> is anyone else crashing with a 7970 at stock clocks with the catalyst 12.4? It even crashes on youtube.


12.4 was rubbish.. as was 12.3


----------



## EliteReplay

Question, this sapphire 7950 oc at 950mhz vs a regular [email protected] will I get same p er formance? Since the sapphire its overclock higher than 7970??
Also what about the GTX670 vs sapphire 950core version?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 12.4 was rubbish.. as was 12.3


Been using 12.4 since it came out. Worked fine for me.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> These are the settings i am using on my 7950 OC. Most of them are default but I have slightly changed some settings:
> Shadow quality was originally set to high.
> Anisotropic filtering was originally set to 16x
> Ambient Occlusion was originally set to SSAO
> Tessellation was originally set to Off
> NOTE: Having vsync on doesn't seem to have an effect on fps as it isn't capping it to 60fps.


That explains it...
You are not using the much better looking MSAA








Also tessellation is only on normal and Anisotropic filtering only 8x ...
Try with Anisotropic filtering 16x and MSAA on high


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> These are the settings i am using on my 7950 OC. Most of them are default but I have slightly changed some settings:
> Shadow quality was originally set to high.
> Anisotropic filtering was originally set to 16x
> Ambient Occlusion was originally set to SSAO
> Tessellation was originally set to Off
> NOTE: Having vsync on doesn't seem to have an effect on fps as it isn't capping it to 60fps.


having MSAA off will speed up alot of things.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Question, this sapphire 7950 oc at 950mhz vs a regular [email protected] will I get same p er formance? Since the sapphire its overclock higher than 7970??
> Also what about the GTX670 vs sapphire 950core version?


25 Mhz doesnt make up for 256 less SP.


----------



## Dahlmann

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Disable one of your GPUs for Diablo3. The game can be maxed out on a 7750, so you won't lose anything. My single one maxes to 60 and never drops. Shoot, my temperatures don't even increase on my card/cpu in my watercooling loop with D3. Idle of 33, Load of 38C on CPU and idle of 29 on the GPU, load of 30C. lol






Already tried that, and no cigar :/ Whatever is causing it, it aint the CrossFire.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dahlmann*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Disable one of your GPUs for Diablo3. The game can be maxed out on a 7750, so you won't lose anything. My single one maxes to 60 and never drops. Shoot, my temperatures don't even increase on my card/cpu in my watercooling loop with D3. Idle of 33, Load of 38C on CPU and idle of 29 on the GPU, load of 30C. lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Already tried that, and no cigar :/ Whatever is causing it, it aint the CrossFire.
Click to expand...

And you're running 12.6 beta? My game works flawlessly, WIth AB running... with a 1300/1700 OC on it. Should be zero issues running D3.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> is anyone else crashing with a 7970 at stock clocks with the catalyst 12.4? It even crashes on youtube.


I'd say a handful of people have different issues with different drivers even using the same cards. For me, the sweetspot driver is the 12.3 that came on a disc with my Sapphire OC Edition 7950. Anything higher than that and I have been crashing non-stop upon restarting my computer : \


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Question, this sapphire 7950 oc at 950mhz vs a regular [email protected] will I get same p er formance? Since the sapphire its overclock higher than 7970??
> Also what about the GTX670 vs sapphire 950core version?


You need at least 970 MHz to be on par with HD 7970 in most cases (about 95%), still HD 7970 will win when the brute power is needed.
At about 1 Ghz HD 7950 will take the the minor lead in any game/app.


----------



## BradleyW

Can max payne 3 be max out at 1080p on 1 7970?


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dahlmann*
> 
> Hey guys.
> Anyone else experiencing really poor performance in Diablo 3 with their 7970's?
> I'm running the rig in my sig, CrossFire 7970's, both at 1000/1425.
> I'd expect $1000 worth of graphics would be able to run it smoothly, but that's not the case. Every now and then it stutters and jitters, and it can be anywhere. But especially on the "Bridge of Korsikk" in Act III whenever the screen is getting overrun with creeps. Then it gets really bad, and my fps drops to about 5 fps.
> My cousin running Tri-fire 5870 never ever experience any problems at all.....
> I've tried 11.12, 12.4 and 12.6, but it's the same deal with all of them.
> A friend of mine with a 7970 is having problems in the exact same way I am.
> I hope you guys can help, because I'm sick and tired of this kind of performance in a game like this........


No....

I was able to keep things steady around 60fps using just one 7870 in D3 (on a single 1080p monitor). Graphics for that game have been a real disappointment honestly.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can max payne 3 be max out at 1080p on 1 7970?


It's a console port, I don't see why not. (not sure if there's any truth to that, but I'm yet to see a port that wasn't easily maxed)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> It's a console port, I don't see why not. (not sure if there's any truth to that, but I'm yet to see a port that wasn't easily maxed)


because their GFX engines are designed to run on low amounts of ram and a narrower bandwidth, for PC Ports they just turn a few select things on, but for the most part its still a 128-Bit GFX Engine


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> It's a console port, I don't see why not. (not sure if there's any truth to that, but I'm yet to see a port that wasn't easily maxed)


Dunno, From what I've read it is pretty intense on the graphics.

Maybe thegh0sts could try to max it out with MSAA and with FRAPS or something in the background.
That will tell us a lot more. Quite curious at that


----------



## Dahlmann

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> And you're running 12.6 beta? My game works flawlessly, WIth AB running... with a 1300/1700 OC on it. Should be zero issues running D3.






Yeah, I'm running 12.6 Beta at the moment.

Ever since I did a clean reinstall of Windows in preperation for Diablo 3, you wouldn't believe the trouble I've had with Catalyst.

First off, all the versions, 11.12, 12.4 and 12.6, all cause my Windows Shutdown screen to hang for about a minute, compared to the usual 3-5 seconds...
Second, both 11.12 and 12.4 would often cause my computer to hang and restart when opening Diablo 3, didn't even make it to the login screen. 12.6 seems to have fixed this though.
And last, but not least, the problem I've explained earlier. It's not like it's unplayable, not at all, but it's just sooooo annoying to have the game stutter from time to time, especially when you know for sure, you ought to be able to max it out, in every damn situation.



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> No....
> I was able to keep things steady around 60fps using just one 7870 in D3 (on a single 1080p monitor). Graphics for that game have been a real disappointment honestly.






I know the game aint that demanding, which is also why I'm especially bugged about these issues.

It's faulty drivers, that's all. Doesn't make the problems any less annoying though.....


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can max payne 3 be max out at 1080p on 1 7970?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> It's a console port, I don't see why not. (not sure if there's any truth to that, but I'm yet to see a port that wasn't easily maxed)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> because their GFX engines are designed to run on low amounts of ram and a narrower bandwidth, for PC Ports they just turn a few select things on, but for the most part its still a 128-Bit GFX Engine


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Dunno, From what I've read it is pretty intense on the graphics.
> Maybe thegh0sts could try to max it out with MSAA and with FRAPS or something in the background.
> That will tell us a lot more. Quite curious at that


lol... Max Payne 3 is VERY intensive from my experience at least. I beat the game @ 2560x1440 w/4xMSAA Maxed out, and generally got 60-100fps, but that's not a whole lot considering I'm running QUAD SLI...









I'm not certain if the scaling was bad or not, but when I had SLI off, 1 single 680 could NOT run the game at those settings and be able to maintain playability. I was under 30fps nearly all of the time with 1 680.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can max payne 3 be max out at 1080p on 1 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> It's a console port, I don't see why not. (not sure if there's any truth to that, but I'm yet to see a port that wasn't easily maxed)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> because their GFX engines are designed to run on low amounts of ram and a narrower bandwidth, for PC Ports they just turn a few select things on, but for the most part its still a 128-Bit GFX Engine
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Dunno, From what I've read it is pretty intense on the graphics.
> Maybe thegh0sts could try to max it out with MSAA and with FRAPS or something in the background.
> That will tell us a lot more. Quite curious at that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> lol... Max Payne 3 is VERY intensive from my experience at least. I beat the game @ 2560x1440 w/4xMSAA Maxed out, and generally got 60-100fps, but that's not a whole lot considering I'm running QUAD SLI...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not certain if the scaling was bad or not, but when I had SLI off, 1 single 680 could NOT run the game at those settings and be able to maintain playability. I was under 30fps nearly all of the time with 1 680.
Click to expand...

That's almost double the resolution of 1080p as well. No reason why backing a couple of the visuals settings down a single notch wouldn't yield 60fps solid, besides being almost identical in appearance.

I mean, its like BF3. If I put BF3 at Ultra, or High, the difference is so negligible it is almost silly to lose the FPS.

EDIT: I also just found this... 1920x1200 Very High Quality DX11 benchmark results. Single 680 appears to be about 81fps while the 7970 is averaging 67. With any sort of OC on the 7970, it should be above 680 numbers (stock).

http://www.techspot.com/review/537-max-payne-3-performance/page5.html


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> That's almost double the resolution of 1080p as well. No reason why backing a couple of the visuals settings down a single notch wouldn't yield 60fps solid, besides being almost identical in appearance.
> I mean, its like BF3. If I put BF3 at Ultra, or High, the difference is so negligible it is almost silly to lose the FPS.


over twice the native console rendering of 720p







, and over twice the native console MSAA as well.


----------



## BradleyW

So.....will 1 7970 max the game at 1080p?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So.....will 1 7970 max the game at 1080p?


Dude... Seriously... Look in the link I posted. It averages 67FPS with all settings at very high in DX11 at 1920x1200. That was without overclocks on the cards.

I hate to be that guy but ATI Max Payne 3 Benchmarks.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Dude... Seriously... Look in the link I posted. It averages 67FPS with all settings at very high in DX11 at 1920x1200. That was without overclocks on the cards.
> I hate to be that guy but ATI Max Payne 3 Benchmarks.


Yeah thanks man.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dahlmann*
> 
> Yeah, I'm running 12.6 Beta at the moment.
> Ever since I did a clean reinstall of Windows in preperation for Diablo 3, you wouldn't believe the trouble I've had with Catalyst.
> First off, all the versions, 11.12, 12.4 and 12.6, all cause my Windows Shutdown screen to hang for about a minute, compared to the usual 3-5 seconds...
> ..


that doesn't sounds like a driver issue, rather it seems like you still have other stuff running in the background

i'm using 12.6beta and when i hit the shutdown button it only takes 3 to 5 sec to log off desktop show the windows shutdown screen and black power off on PC


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dahlmann*
> 
> Yeah, I'm running 12.6 Beta at the moment.
> Ever since I did a clean reinstall of Windows in preperation for Diablo 3, you wouldn't believe the trouble I've had with Catalyst.
> First off, all the versions, 11.12, 12.4 and 12.6, all cause my Windows Shutdown screen to hang for about a minute, compared to the usual 3-5 seconds...
> Second, both 11.12 and 12.4 would often cause my computer to hang and restart when opening Diablo 3, didn't even make it to the login screen. 12.6 seems to have fixed this though.
> And last, but not least, the problem I've explained earlier. It's not like it's unplayable, not at all, but it's just sooooo annoying to have the game stutter from time to time, especially when you know for sure, you ought to be able to max it out, in every damn situation.
> I know the game aint that demanding, which is also why I'm especially bugged about these issues.
> It's faulty drivers, that's all. Doesn't make the problems any less annoying though.....


It definitely isn't your drivers. I'm running 12.4 and my machine shuts down completely in under 5 seconds. A thing of beauty really


----------



## phillyd

*I'm running 12.6 beta now and Youtube still crashes me







*

but heres some pr0n of my 7970


check my build log in the sig!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Somebody are experiencing lag problems with wireless mouse/keyboard and also intermittent hdmi audio or no audio at all with 12.6? Because i do... Try installing april18 betas only audio driver no luck, realtek audio driver no luck, windows default amd audio no luck...
Weird crap if you ask me that some gpu drivers are messing with your usb ports and audio...

I tought at first that my usb receivers for mouse and keyboard werent transmitting too much signal because i move the case a little far...

The reason i remove the 12.6 was the audio problems with my onkyo receiver... Once i remove the 12.6 and install back the april18 betas everything audio/keyboard/mouse lag went back to normal again..


----------



## tw33k

Just installed my new Sapphire 7950 but both my x16 slots are broken so it's running @ x4 til I RMA the board. I'm looking for benchmarks so I can see how much difference there is between x16 and x4.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw33k*
> 
> Just installed my new Sapphire 7950 but both my x16 slots are broken so it's running @ x4 til I RMA the board. I'm looking for benchmarks so I can see how much difference there is between x16 and x4.


Run a game in window mode and check the speed of the slots in real time. They might just be in power saving mode.


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> That explains it...
> You are not using the much better looking MSAA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also tessellation is only on normal and Anisotropic filtering only 8x ...
> Try with Anisotropic filtering 16x and MSAA on high


MSAA lowered the FPS but also made it stutter to where it was annoying.


----------



## tw33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Run a game in window mode and check the speed of the slots in real time. They might just be in power saving mode.


No, if I put a card in either of the x16 slots it's not detected. Even the UEFI says the slots are empty. I have to use the x4 slot

I ran Furmark at stock speeds. Pretty good result for x4


----------



## BradleyW

Yeah, just rma the board then mate. Not much you can do. Don't stand for x4 speeds.


----------



## ITS OVER 9000!

Well... Just got my 7970 DC II open box card today. Installed 12.4 and ran heaven benchmark... RAN LIKE A CHAMP! Peaked out at 65C On idle fan speed







Much better card than my previous 480 running at 70 fan speed and got up to 74C







Would like to be added to the club!


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> OK, so as far as performance goes IN GAME with the 12.6 beta drivers, they are not as good as 12.5 beta.


Where are you getting the 12.5 beta driver? I've heard people talk about it but never understand where they're getting it from (I've never seen AMD mention it). Also, a guy on here mentioned 12.5 WHQL...does that even exist?


----------



## BradleyW

I seem to get negative CF in MP3?
Also, the AA and FXAA won't apply properly. Quality looks really bad.
Any ideas?

CCC 12.6 with CAPS 1.


----------



## phillyd

had to uninstall catalyst in safe mode then install 12.3 from guru 3d. no problems


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Where are you getting the 12.5 beta driver? I've heard people talk about it but never understand where they're getting it from (I've never seen AMD mention it). Also, a guy on here mentioned 12.5 WHQL...does that even exist?


Those are april 18 betas... Dont know about the WHQL one.. Havent see it....


----------



## tw33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Yeah, just rma the board then mate. Not much you can do. Don't stand for x4 speeds.


That Furmark result compares to other 7950s @ stock (a few that I've seen anyway) I will RMA the board but I'm curious to see other people's numbers as a comparison


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dirtyworks*
> 
> I recently got an HIS reference 7970 that has a blue PCB and no X bracket on the back.. is this normal?


Damn. Is there still bios switch? Crack it open and to check what color the caps are, blue or red?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Damn. Is there still bios switch? Crack it open and to check what color the caps are, blue or red?


I don't see the switch.

What is the difference bewtween Red or Blue?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I don't see the switch.
> What is the difference bewtween Red or Blue?


Dye. Sometimes, the AIB can cheap out and use fewer layers... depends. Typically I would say just dye though.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> *I'm running 12.6 beta now and Youtube still crashes me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> but heres some pr0n of my 7970
> 
> 
> check my build log in the sig!


What are your temps like with that block? VRMS temps? Core temps? Looks nice.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What are your temps like with that block? VRMS temps? Core temps? Looks nice.


its a good block, and max 65 in furmark, 70 when the CPU is priming as well.
and idle at 48ish.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> its a good block, and max 65 in furmark, 70 when the CPU is priming as well.
> and idle at 48ish.


Temps are similar to my Dual X heat sink on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition. Does water cooling not help HD79XX much? Seems alot warmer than what I was expecting.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Temps are similar to my Dual X heat sink on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition. Does water cooling not help HD79XX much? Seems alot warmer than what I was expecting.


what is your overclock?


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Where are you getting the 12.5 beta driver? I've heard people talk about it but never understand where they're getting it from (I've never seen AMD mention it). Also, a guy on here mentioned 12.5 WHQL...does that even exist?


The 12.5 beta is the 8.97 driver version. It is definitely the best performing driver FOR ME, and also at Benchmark3D.com. The newest 12.6 beta was actually a big disappointment in terms of raw performance. The site tests the drivers on a 6950, so I took it upon myself to test all the games I normally play (also being the most demanding games) on the 12.6 beta driver by using my 7950. Thinking that maybe the newer 7900 cards may take advantage of some of it's features. After testing everything, the 8.97 driver is the definitive driver for any serious gamer. Forget the sleep bug and all the rest of it, we can work around that. But raw performance, driver 8.97 is the best. Google it, there are a lot of sites hosing it.

Check that, testing the 8.98 June 4 beta drivers as we speak. Get back in a little bit with some results...

Sorry for all the continuous posts, but got some driver feedback for everybody. The June 4th 8.98 driver seems to be the best one yet. Equals or beats everything that 8.97 was capable of, and (hopefully) it includes all the fixes that 12.6 Beta was meant to bring (sleep bug, eyefinity issues solved, etc). So, I recommend everybody install this latest one and give it a go for yourself. It definitely is not a waste of time, and should work out to be the best driver out for everyone.

Leave us some feedback once some of you have had a chance to try it out. I am yet to properly game with it, I have only run all the benchmark runs that the previous 12.6 beta driver failed at.

My Graphics score for 3DMark11 is 2 points shy of 10100! For an OC 7950, I find that extraordinary. The 12.6 drivers performed great in benches (Unigine & 3DMark) but failed in the games. This latest one does both


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Temps are similar to my Dual X heat sink on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition. Does water cooling not help HD79XX much? Seems alot warmer than what I was expecting.
> 
> 
> 
> what is your overclock?
Click to expand...

Seems a bit on the high side... unless 7950s run way hotter? My 7970 with EK Copper/Acetal Full Cover block maxes out at 44C with a 1300/1700 overclock and the voltage sliders maxed. Idles around 32C.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Sorry for all the continuous posts, but got some driver feedback for everybody. The June 4th 8.98 driver seems to be the best one yet. Equals or beats everything that 8.97 was capable of, and (hopefully) it includes all the fixes that 12.6 Beta was meant to bring (sleep bug, eyefinity issues solved, etc). So, I recommend everybody install this latest one and give it a go for yourself. It definitely is not a waste of time, and should work out to be the best driver out for everyone.
> Leave us some feedback once some of you have had a chance to try it out. I am yet to properly game with it, I have only run all the benchmark runs that the previous 12.6 beta driver failed at.
> My Graphics score for 3DMark11 is 2 points shy of 10100! For an OC 7950, I find that extraordinary. The 12.6 drivers performed great in benches (Unigine & 3DMark) but failed in the games. This latest one does both


Nice. I will try it out once the modded one is released.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> MSAA lowered the FPS but also made it stutter to where it was annoying.


So... To conclude...
1x 7950/7970 (even overclocked) can not run the game maxed out with any type of MSAA ... Thats disapointing


----------



## Penryn

I have to agree that the 8.98 June 4th drivers are AMAZING! I gained a bit of fps in almost EVERY game I play and things just all around look smoother. I have to hand it to AMD, I am impressed.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Seems a bit on the high side... unless 7950s run way hotter? My 7970 with EK Copper/Acetal Full Cover block maxes out at 44C with a 1300/1700 overclock and the voltage sliders maxed. Idles around 32C.


Is that max after 15 min of Furmark ?


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> So... To conclude...
> 1x 7950/7970 (even overclocked) can not run the game maxed out with any type of MSAA ... Thats disapointing


it's still a good fps but it seems to stutter even with the good fps: mind you i had FXAA completely off and MSAA at it's highest....am i supposed to have both on?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Seems a bit on the high side... unless 7950s run way hotter? My 7970 with EK Copper/Acetal Full Cover block maxes out at 44C with a 1300/1700 overclock and the voltage sliders maxed. Idles around 32C.
> 
> 
> 
> Is that max after 15 min of Furmark ?
Click to expand...

Yes. That's after 15 minutes of Furmark. 24/7 stable clocks of 1300/1700 temps are 44C.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> it's still a good fps but it seems to stutter even with the good fps: mind you i had FXAA completely off and MSAA at it's highest....am i supposed to have both on?


No, you should use one or the other.
Could you try with MSAA a little lower and FXAA off ?
Does that run a little better?


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> No, you should use one or the other.
> Could you try with MSAA a little lower and FXAA off ?
> Does that run a little better?


OK, i'll try on the medium and low settings to see if that reduces the stuttering at high fps.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Yes. That's after 15 minutes of Furmark. 24/7 stable clocks of 1300/1700 temps are 44C.


Great . Im getting 50 C for 2 7970 at 1300/1800 after 15 min Furmark... well actually 1305/1805 it just looks higher..


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> OK, i'll try on the medium and low settings to see if that reduces the stuttering at high fps.


No, leave all other settings maxed out please.
FXAA set to OFF
MSAA set to the setting just below very high (because you had stuttering on very high MSAA)

Can you see how that goes?


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> No, leave all other settings maxed out please.
> FXAA set to OFF
> MSAA set to the setting just below very high (because you had stuttering on very high MSAA)
> Can you see how that goes?


the game uses 2x, 4x, and 8x MSAA and both at 4x and 8x it looks and feels juddery when moving the mouse even when you're sitting at like 80-100fps. even tried SSAO over HDAO and i didn't see any difference. FXAA is more cleaner but not perfect.

i doubt it has to do with the card but either the game or the drivers.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> the game uses 2x, 4x, and 8x MSAA and both at 4x and 8x it looks and feels juddery when moving the mouse even when you're sitting at like 80-100fps. even tried SSAO over HDAO and i didn't see any difference. FXAA is more cleaner but not perfect.
> i doubt it has to do with the card but either the game or the drivers.


Ok, thanks for your info.
And if you try with 2xMSAA ? That is not juddery ?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I don't see the switch.
> What is the difference bewtween Red or Blue?


It is right there in the botton left corner 1/2 on the pcb


----------



## disintegratorx

Catalyst 12.6 beta Jun 4, http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-6-beta-8-98-june-4


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> its a good block, and max 65 in furmark, 70 when the CPU is priming as well.
> and idle at 48ish.


So 5c lower than my air cooler for a 100 something block?


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Ok, thanks for your info.
> And if you try with 2xMSAA ? That is not juddery ?


OK, tried 2xMSAA and I think it's about the same as very high FXAA but with a little bit of judder. it feels 2xMSAA is more playable than 4x or 8x MSAA. i still think it's got to do with the game.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Catalyst 12.6 beta Jun 4, http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-6-beta-8-98-june-4


The slave cards idling to 500 MHz core when ULPS is disabled has been fixed it seems with that release.


----------



## Dahlmann

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> It definitely isn't your drivers. I'm running 12.4 and my machine shuts down completely in under 5 seconds. A thing of beauty really








Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> that doesn't sounds like a driver issue, rather it seems like you still have other stuff running in the background
> i'm using 12.6beta and when i hit the shutdown button it only takes 3 to 5 sec to log off desktop show the windows shutdown screen and black power off on PC






Yeah, but get this guys. When I uninstall Catalyst, my shutdown time is back to normal, a satisfying 5 second process


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> OK, tried 2xMSAA and I think it's about the same as very high FXAA but with a little bit of judder. it feels 2xMSAA is more playable than 4x or 8x MSAA. i still think it's got to do with the game.


Thanks for all the checking +rep








I think it is just due to the fact that MSAA is alot more GPU intense. Nothing to do with the game I think.
What drivers r u using btw ?


----------



## SkateZilla

i was playing last night, was getting VERY low Fr/sec in BF3, Team Death Match Karkland (which is the smallest version of karkland),

I was dropping to the teens!, I dropped everything to low, no difference. mainly occured when certain players were visible..

Also noticed the usage graph was showing max usage as 50% for both CPU and GPU.

after a while, The chat box had corrupted lettering in it, hit the Start Button to get to the desktop, looked at A screen full of monitoring programs, and they all reported max GPU Temp of 52 Degrees.

then a bit later i switched to a Conquest Large server, Put GFX back to Auto (which was mostly "HIGH"s) and Fr/Sec were 60->75+Frames a Sec. on a LARGE outdoor map. (operation firestorm, then caspian border, both with high Fr/Sec.)

So, Oman, karkland and Wake island are messed up somehow.

I think maybe the GPU was also bumped back down to desktop mode. even though the only thing i have open is the Battle Log, I always TABbed out of BF3 when its loading to check messages.


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for all the checking +rep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think it is just due to the fact that MSAA is alot more GPU intense. Nothing to do with the game I think.
> What drivers r u using btw ?


it takes up more ram as noted in the video memory indicator (with my current settings it's 965Mb of 3192mb) and it goes up to about 1.4gb with MSAA active...for me at least.

i am using the 12.4 cats. i haven't gotten to the 12.6 beta yet.

i noticed it at the start of about chapter 4 when you get off the speed boat and you see a guy in a hut above you. it juddered a lot when the camera moved in and out on Max as well as generally moving the mouse around and it was the same in other levels. i even changed the mouse sensitivity to see if that would compensate but i didn't think it helped.

so, for me at least, i am sticking with FXAA set to 'Very High'.

also, i don't even notice the tesselation effects in the game









EDIT: YMMV so the best thing to do is just to get the game and give a try...you may not get the same "problems" i have encountered.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I thought the EK 7970 Lightning blocks were going to be "widely available in early June"???? Do we have an EK rep here on OCN?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> it takes up more ram as noted in the video memory indicator (with my current settings it's 965Mb of 3192mb) and it goes up to about 1.4gb with MSAA active...for me at least.
> i am using the 12.4 cats. i haven't gotten to the 12.6 beta yet.
> i noticed it at the start of about chapter 4 when you get off the speed boat and you see a guy in a hut above you. it juddered a lot when the camera moved in and out on Max as well as generally moving the mouse around and it was the same in other levels. i even changed the mouse sensitivity to see if that would compensate but i didn't think it helped.
> so, for me at least, i am sticking with FXAA set to 'Very High'.
> also, i don't even notice the tesselation effects in the game
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: YMMV so the best thing to do is just to get the game and give a try...you may not get the same "problems" i have encountered.


This juddering you mention in chapter 4, this was with 2xMSAA ?

I am on the same drivers as you. You also have a single GPU?

I have single 7950 @ 1130 core and 1550 memory and 1 monitor @ 1920x1080 60Hz.

If you have a similar setup, I guess I will have about the same results


----------



## ElGreco

*NEW ATIMAN UNISTALLER v7.0.2*
http://www.mediafire.com/?ws54b54obscd14c

http://www.mediafire.com/?0jdko53gk5npzo0


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> what is your overclock?


26 minutes of furmark: 1200/1575 OC

(Open image in separate window for high res)










PhillyD do you know how hot your VRMs are with your block?

This free program reads VRM temps:

http://www.hwinfo.com/


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *NEW ATIMAN UNISTALLER v7.0.2*
> http://www.mediafire.com/?ws54b54obscd14c


OP updated to reflect the new release.

It's a major release from what I can tell and I recommend people update from the older version.

I hope to get a change-log soon.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *NEW ATIMAN UNISTALLER v7.0.2*
> http://www.mediafire.com/?ws54b54obscd14c


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> OP updated to reflect the new release.
> It's a major release from what I can tell and I recommend people update from the older version.
> 
> I hope to get a change-log soon.


*Just few of the many new features of this version are:*
Windows 8 support
Better AMD based systems support
Direct show of ghost cards previously installed in the systems registry
Better handling of controlsets
etc

...and...

*TWO USEFUL UTILITIES:*

a) CCC start timer
CCC has by default a 300sec delay to start after windows login. This was made to avoid conflict with 3rd party programs TriXxx, MSI AB etc. Whoever likes now can change this delay time in 0 or other value in secs

b) ULPS Enable/Disable utility

Enjoy!


----------



## Snyderman34

Just ordered my ASUS 7970. Should be in in a few days! Didn't realize it was a 3 slot card. That cooler is massive


----------



## SkateZilla

technically its 2.5


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *TWO USEFUL UTILITIES:*
> a) CCC start timer
> CCC has by default a 300sec delay to start after windows login. This was made to avoid conflict with 3rd party programs TriXxx, MSI AB etc. Whoever likes now can change this delay time in 0 or other value in secs


300sec delay ?
That is 5 minutes... My CCC starts up in like 2 sec immediately after windows logon.


----------



## tsm106

lol. Power to the people, manually uninstall it ain't hard. Click the darn setup.exe and choose uninstall lol. For the rest, I wrote a how to thread, ulps, ab, and most importantly how to recover from failed atiman!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol. Power to the people, manually uninstall it ain't hard. Click the darn setup.exe and choose uninstall lol. For the rest, I wrote a how to thread, ulps, ab, and most importantly how to recover from failed atiman!


I agree, I stay away from Atiman uninstaller anyway.
For sure when reading CCC got a 300 sec start delay


----------



## Feyris

I can either bump Bandwidth, or bump 1250 to 1300 and lower the other to 1600.










I am an OC moron, so I dont know what the magical "balance" is.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> 300sec delay ?
> That is 5 minutes... My CCC starts up in like 2 sec immediately after windows logon.


Not exactly... I used to have the same impression...
The taskbar icon does not mean that CCC is running! It gets enabled after 5 mins by default (or if you click on the ccc icon if i remember correctly)
This AMDs trick is to avoid the conflict that arises when programs like MSI AB are used and set to start after windows start.

Run the utility included in the Uninstallers folder and you will see what i mean...


----------



## tsm106

When you log in the services, ccc and mom are started. Check yo task manager. There is no delay from what I can tell except maybe a minute for them to initialize fully.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Catalyst 12.6 beta Jun 4, http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-6-beta-8-98-june-4


Dumb question. Downloaded file. How do I run it ?


----------



## ElGreco

deleted


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When you log in the services, ccc and mom are started. Check yo task manager. There is no delay from what I can tell except maybe a minute for them to initialize fully.


*CCC 300sec DELAY EXPLANATORY*

Let me try to explain the CCC delay concept...

When we login to windows, we see at the taskbar CCC icon and we thing that CCC is working at the background. This is partially true... Actually it is in a standby kind of mode.

The function of the parameters we control-set through CCC gets energized/enabled ONLY when the Cli.exe (control line interface) runs and ONLY then.

The Cli.exe runs Immediately when we right click on CCC taskbar icon OR if we wait 300secs.
In both cases we say that "we start CCC"

Until then, no CCC function (GPU frequency, fan RPMs etc) is enabled.

As mentioned in my previous messages, its a a long time ago since Afterburner had conflict with CCC when AB was set to start with windows and as a solution, they put a default delay of Cli.exe activation of 300secs.

Users who do not use AB or TriXXX for overclocking but ONLY CCC, do not know this function, resulting to performance drop (until 5mins elapse)

*The Proof*

So, how can you check yourself that this delay really exists in your system?!

Simply, do the following... (obviously with MSI AB etc fan profile disabled)

Open CCC Overdrive, put the fan speed in custom high RPM e.g. 70% and press apply and ok.
Of course the speed will increase...
Now, restart windows...

When windows start, you will see that the fan rpm is low and will jump to 70% ONLY after 5mins have elapsed!
Until then nothing from CCC actually functions... every CCC setting is in standby mode.(unless you right click on the ccc icon of course)

ATIMANs CCC delay change utility lets you set the delay you want or no delay at all.

The NO DELAY setting is the suggested setting for the users who use CCC for overclocking or do not overclock at all.

I hope now this CCC delay function is more clear


----------



## SonDa5

Hoping to receive my MCW82 HD7900 soon.

Some before block testing with stock Dual X cooler on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition.

27C ambient temps.

Using Sapphire TRIXX to adjust clocks and voltage.

Just a quick 10 minute test at 1200/1575
VDDC set to 1.131v
Board Power Li at 20

(Open image in separate window for high resolution.)


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *CCC DELAY EXPLANATORY*
> Let me try to explain the CCC delay concept...
> When we login to windows, we see at the taskbar CCC icon and we thing that CCC is working at the background. This is partially true... Actually it is in a standby kind of mode.
> The function of the parameters we control-set through CCC gets energized/enabled ONLY when the Cli.exe (control line interface) runs and ONLY then.
> The Cli.exe runs Immediately when we right click on CCC taskbar icon OR if we wait 300secs.
> In both cases we say that "we start CCC"
> Until then, no CCC function (GPU frequency, fan RPMs etc) is enabled.
> As mentioned in my previous messages, its a a long time ago since Afterburner had conflict with CCC when AB was set to start with windows and as a solution, they put a default delay of Cli.exe activation of 300secs.
> Users who do not use AB or TriXXX for overclocking but ONLY CCC, do not know this function, resulting to performance drop (until 5mins elapse)
> *The Proof*
> So, how can you check yourself that this delay really exists in your system?!
> Simply, do the following... (obviously with MSI AB etc fan profile disabled)
> Open CCC Overdrive, put the fan speed in custom high RPM e.g. 70% and press apply and ok.
> Of course the speed will increase...
> Now, restart windows...
> When windows start, you will see that the fan rpm is low and will jump to 70% ONLY after 5mins have elapsed!
> Until then nothing from CCC actually functions... every CCC setting is in standby mode.(unless you right click on the ccc icon of course)
> ATIMANs CCC delay change utility lets you set the delay you want or no delay at all.
> The NO DELAY setting is the suggested setting for the users who use CCC for overclocking or do not overclock at all.
> I hope now this CCC delay function is more clear


Is this also true for specific 3d application profiles we have created in CCC?
For instance : I have a specific 3d application profile for Mass Effect 3 setup in CCC. It is linked to the EXE file of ME3, I use it to force 4xSSAA in the game. These settings will only kick in after 5 min also ?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Is this also true for specific 3d application profiles we have created in CCC?
> For instance : I have a specific 3d application profile for Mass Effect 3 setup in CCC. It is linked to the EXE file of ME3, I use it to force 4xSSAA in the game. These settings will only kick in after 5 min also ?


I had to ask Atiman for this since i do not use any 3d application profiles...

So, no in this case the delay is not valid.

CCC is the "way" to create profiles. It does not need to be open or active for the profiles to work.

PS: 
Link for unintaller just changed due to server issues

*NEW LINK for Atiman's Uninstaller 7.0.2 below*
http://www.mediafire.com/?0jdko53gk5npzo0


----------



## Andrazh

Little black squares are a sign of core clock being to high? Can't get to 1170 with this 7950.

And sometimes the screen goes into gray vertical lines, what is that?

Ty


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Hoping to receive my MCW82 HD7900 soon.
> Some before block testing with stock Dual X cooler on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition.
> 27C ambient temps.
> Using Sapphire TRIXX to adjust clocks and voltage.
> Just a quick 10 minute test at 1200/1575
> VDDC set to 1.131v
> Board Power Li at 20
> (Open image in separate window for high resolution.)


You can hit 1250 // 1750~ 1800 with 1.2v on the VDDC. I hit 80c 100% fan though. Push that baby!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> You can hit 1250 // 1750~ 1800 with 1.2v on the VDDC. I hit 80c 100% fan though. Push that baby!


Yes the card can go faster but for the test 1200mhz OC is enough.

I will push it more once it is water cooled. 110C on VRM seems awfully toasty.


----------



## SkateZilla

i still wonder if OCing mine from 900Mhz default even helps with Frames/sec or if its primarily for Bench Scores...


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i still wonder if OCing mine from 900Mhz default even helps with Frames/sec or if its primarily for Bench Scores...


It helps FPS. I get around 15~20 Frames more in most cases @ 1250.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i still wonder if OCing mine from 900Mhz default even helps with Frames/sec or if its primarily for Bench Scores...


On a single card, I have seen a fairly decent increase. I run Skyrim off just one card as I always seem to run into tearing/stuttering issues with 2 (running 12.4, I can't speak for the beat drivers). Using the max settings and the high resolution textures, @ 950 I still see minimum frame rates drop to 45ish occasionally. It's not until core speed is above 1025 that things level out and stay close to 60 most of the time. I've seen absolutely no visible improvement with memory overclocking in that game (over the stock 1250) when using my 1080p monitor though, so that might be a way to conserve heat if that's an issue.


----------



## voidwarranty

Was like a dog sitting by the front door waiting for this thing to arrive today









Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *NEW ATIMAN UNISTALLER v7.0.2*
> http://www.mediafire.com/?ws54b54obscd14c
> http://www.mediafire.com/?0jdko53gk5npzo0


Thanks for the updated link. +Rep


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Yes the card can go faster but for the test 1200mhz OC is enough.
> I will push it more once it is water cooled. *110C on VRM seems awfully toasty.*


Therein lies the rub with gpu only. Watercooled vrms FTW. Look at the max vrm temp figures.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Therein lies the rub with gpu only. Watercooled vrms FTW.


I never said I wasn't going to water cool my VRMs.









I'm going to run similar set up that I ran on my bench marking overclocking monster MSI TF3 PE/OC GTX 560 ti 448.










It doesn't look pretty but it works well. This set up dedicates cooling to each area while separating and isolating the high heat produced from the VRM. This alows for individual block dedicated water cooling to GPU and VRM.

I consider this configuration supreme for single card water cooling. Wouldn't work well for SLI/Xfire because of limited spacing between cards.

I prefer to game with sinlge card on 1920x1080 display anyways.


----------



## tsm106




----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*


Ownage.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Ownage.


I'm holding my tongue lol.


----------



## Evil Penguin

*Here's a feature list for the new Atiman Uninstaller v7.0.2:*

The feature list was kindly provided by *Atiman*.

1. Full supported AMD mobo systems.

1a.If the program recognize AMD platform, "park" the Procedure, open a Install Manager window that takes us the automatic uninstallation field.
Removing the basic package must be effected through this area where there is only the custom tab.
Select only catalyst driver of the devices.
Once finished, the window will close itself and the process flow of the uninstaller will normally continue.

1b.The program will not remove ATI folders and everything that includes AMD files relating to the operation of the mainboard.

2. Show on the first page Hardware ID of the system cards.

2a.That is necessary and useful, because it so we can see how many "phantom" cards we (if we have) in our system.

2b.If there such a card, proposed to quick uninstallation with the key (Q). After uninstalling the need to establish the procedure to obtain these cards.
To do this, you can enter the following commands in a command window "setdevmgr_show_nonpresent_devices = 1" and after "start devmgmt.msc".
In the Device Manager window will open, select 'Show hidden devices', please go to tab Vga Adapters, right click to uninstall any hidden device, and restart.

3. Full supported Windows 8 all versions.

4.Program remove all the new parameters of ControlSet's, which will come with the next drivers in the future.

More safety.

In version 7.0.2 we have predicted multiple control methods, so the result is 100% safe, so many that in my opinion is even excessive.
The program provides the basis of the above ..

1. Backup of CurrentControlSet and ControlSet's before starting the uninstall process.

2. After uninstalling and before the program closed, it will check each of the critical necessary entries for the safe booting.

2a.Check and write indication for each entry, if this is correct and bootable. If a value, at least one field that the current does not agree with properly, then automatically corrects it.
In that case if found a problem throughout the key (loss) is then automatically creates a new key with the necessary data, checking that you created us to know if with the new field the system can "boot".

That adjustment is recorded in the log file and easier to read through the log file reader (option E the final menu).
Note: To operate the keypad in the final menu we need to do a simple mouse click our anywhere on the window.

3. * If for any reason, found errors that were not corrected, then we notice that the system is unstable.
We can in the search of Windows to give the command "setrestore", which will automatically reinstall the fields of CurrentControlSet and ControlSet's in the state before uninstalling.
This will register parameters that existed when the driver was operating, which we are useless, but as a last resort will make the system bootable.

Extra..

1.In the windows Start menu, will also find the shortcuts for CCC_control ULPS_control applications.

2.Command "showlogs" from windows search .
It is useful to read the uninstaller history log file, delete them, print them and whatever else we want.

The most important part of this menu is tab (S) - Copy vbls files to sending [ATI_VBLS] folder.
That key, create a folder in c: called ATI_VBLS and write any necessary data you need to send me someone (all folder), to read if there are any problem in the system.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*


Your GPUS are processing at less than 75% of the load. Something is wrong with your Xfire set up.

My gpu at 100% performance with only 1 card.


----------



## Mr.Pie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Your GPUS are processing at less than 75% of the load. Something is wrong with your Xfire set up.
> My gpu at 100% performance with only 1 card.


Hey SonDa5 hows the performance of the card so far?

I've been on the green side since the HD5xxx series, but the the current 6xx series doesn't seem that impressive to me.

I've got my eye either on this card or the Evga 670 FTW version and will definitely be running full cover waterblocks and SLI or CFX. Anybody here like to give me some opinions?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr.Pie*
> 
> Hey SonDa5 hows the performance of the card so far?
> I've been on the green side since the HD5xxx series, but the the current 6xx series doesn't seem that impressive to me.
> I've got my eye either on this card or the Evga 670 FTW version and will definitely be running full cover waterblocks and SLI or CFX. Anybody here like to give me some opinions?


I go back and forth on what brand to buy.

My last card was GTX 560 ti 448. The HD7950 is a noticeable upgrade in performance and image 3d image quality from GTX 560 ti 448.. Can't really comment on persona usage of the GTX 670 but looking at benchmarks and reviews performance does look similar.

I like the HD7950 because it has more vram and higher memory interface than GTX 670. I've looked at many benchmarks and reviews and to me the HD7950 seems like the better card as far as hardware is concerned. For the price I think you can get better deals on the Hd7950 as well. Software wise performance varies from games and applications.

Ony GTX 670 that I might consider over HD7950 is the MSI Power Edition GTX 670 because it looks like a good over clocker.


----------



## Mr.Pie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I go back and forth on what brand to buy.
> My last card was GTX 560 ti 448. The HD7950 is a noticeable upgrade in performance and image 3d image quality from GTX 560 ti 448.. Can't really comment on persona usage of the GTX 670 but looking at benchmarks and reviews performance does look similar.
> I like the HD7950 because it has more vram and higher memory interface than GTX 670. I've looked at many benchmarks and reviews and to me the HD7950 seems like the better card as far as hardware is concerned. For the price I think you can get better deals on the Hd7950 as well. Software wise performance varies from games and applications.
> Ony GTX 670 that I might consider over HD7950 is the MSI Power Edition GTX 670 because it looks like a good over clocker.


ahh I see.
How's your 7950? Its based on the 7970 ref PCB right? hmmmm
then I can just grab a 7970 block to use....


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr.Pie*
> 
> ahh I see.
> How's your 7950? Its based on the 7970 ref PCB right? hmmmm
> then I can just grab a 7970 block to use....


Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition is built on reference HD7970 PCB. Any reference HD7970 full cover VGA block should fit fine. (doube check with manufacturer to make sure)


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Therein lies the rub with gpu only. Watercooled vrms FTW. Look at the max vrm temp figures.


I have similar temps on my HIS card, my sapphire still sky rockets though. It just sky rockets up to about 90c on the sapphire card using extreme benches like furmark.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I have similar temps on my HIS card, my sapphire still sky rockets though. It just sky rockets up to about 90c on the sapphire card using extreme benches like furmark.


It might be a chil reading problem? The fc7970 is proven to keep vrms under 50c with a temp gun measuring the vrms.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I had to ask Atiman for this since i do not use any 3d application profiles...
> So, no in this case the delay is not valid.
> CCC is the "way" to create profiles. It does not need to be open or active for the profiles to work.


Thanks for checking this, appreciated +rep


----------



## SonDa5

MCW82-7900 has been installed on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition.

23C ambient temps.

Using Sapphire TRIXX to adjust clocks and voltage.

Just a quick 10 minute test at 1200/1575
VDDC set to 1.131v
Board Power Li at 20

Click image for high resolution.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> MCW82-7900 has been installed on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition.
> 
> 23C ambient temps.
> 
> Using Sapphire TRIXX to adjust clocks and voltage.
> 
> Just a quick 10 minute test at 1200/1575
> VDDC set to 1.131v
> Board Power Li at 20
> 
> Click image for high resolution.


Them some high VRM temps still


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It might be a chil reading problem? The fc7970 is proven to keep vrms under 50c with a temp gun measuring the vrms.


mmm, maybe. My other card as stated is fine, just the sapphire one. I did take out and refit block once too just to make sure it was not an error on my behalf and had same results.

In games the temps are very low, similar to your temps and the temps of my HIS card. Just in furmark and OCCT. Not too bothered anyway, in gaming it is fine and the card can do over 1300 on the core so not holding it back or anything.


----------



## JieMan

Sapphire 7970 O.C.
I'm at my limit with the core and using 1.25v, I think I can bring the memory up a little bit more though, not sure whats up with OCCT but if I try and check a gpu o.c. with it the PC shuts down like it lost power.
No problem with Furmark or anything else, as far as benchmarks and games.
Also my 2500k is being a pain with the new mobo bios and I can't seem to get anything over 4.6Ghz I had to roll back the bios to o.c. for this run. I don't have Mark11 so I can't to extreme.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> MCW82-7900 has been installed on my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition.
> 23C ambient temps.
> Using Sapphire TRIXX to adjust clocks and voltage.
> Just a quick 10 minute test at 1200/1575
> VDDC set to 1.131v
> Board Power Li at 20
> Click image for high resolution.


mmm I see your card is a sapphire too.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Little black squares are a sign of core clock being to high? Can't get to 1170 with this 7950.
> And sometimes the screen goes into gray vertical lines, what is that?
> Ty


anyone?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> anyone?


Could be driver issue. Do you get same when at stock?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Them some high VRM temps still


GPU core temps are good though.

The VRM temps did come down about 15C. That is 30C below max rated operating temperature. My card isn't going to blow up. I am still going to try my vrm water block mod to see if it helps lower VRM temps. Hopefully the VRMs will get cooler with the block.

Here is my card with the Swiftech MCW82-7900 in place.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JieMan*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sapphire 7970 O.C.
> I'm at my limit with the core and using 1.25v, I think I can bring the memory up a little bit more though, not sure whats up with OCCT but if I try and check a gpu o.c. with it the PC shuts down like it lost power.
> No problem with Furmark or anything else, as far as benchmarks and games.
> Also my 2500k is being a pain with the new mobo bios and I can't seem to get anything over 4.6Ghz I had to roll back the bios to o.c. for this run. I don't have Mark11 so I can't to extreme.


Can you try OCCT with power limit to 0 instead of +20% ?
Could be that this is causing the PC to shut down... Worth a shot and then you know you are really stable


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> GPU core temps are good though.
> The VRM temps did come down about 15C. That is 30C below max rated operating temperature. My card isn't going to blow up. I am still going to try my vrm water block mod to see if it helps lower VRM temps. Hopefully the VRMs will get cooler with the block.
> Here is my card with the Swiftech MCW82-7900 in place.


I'd slap a FC block on that bad boy and call it a day...


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Could be driver issue. Do you get same when at stock?


No only when OC. Did i hit the wall?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Yes the card can go faster but for the test 1200mhz OC is enough.
> I will push it more once it is water cooled. 110C on VRM seems awfully toasty.


Try a more realistic scenario instead of furmark... Run heaven for an hr at least..

Furmark dont do no good for your card other than to stress the crap out with an unrealistic payload, same method as PRIME/IBT on cpus but not as efficient...

Furmark has proven not to detect a bad overclock either... It will crash if is a extreme overclock other than that no good to check a good overclock that needs to be adjusted by a little..

In the other hand PRIME/IBT are good for testing overclocks specially IBT..

I was testing my card yesterdy and today and with LI power at 0 and stock voltages i can do 1225/1800... I will sacrifice a couple of mhz on the memory to lower my temps as i dont see the need of that much i think 1600 will do just fine, dont see a significant increase of performance with 300mhz extra on them..

You dont buy and watercool a vidcard to run furmark on it, it is good just for testing some configurations other than that it is useless..

I will do a loop of furmark if i spent alot of money on a water cooling setup to be honest, but realistic talking no game is going to put that huge amount directly to burn your card like furmark does...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> No only when OC. Did i hit the wall?


Maybe. But if you are overclocking you should have a custom fan profile too, temps could be an issue. Up the fan speed to 70% and try again.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Maybe. But if you are overclocking you should have a custom fan profile too, temps could be an issue. Up the fan speed to 70% and try again.


My temps are <65°C at all times


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Try a more realistic scenario instead of furmark... Run heaven for an hr at least..
> Furmark dont do no good for your card other than to stress the crap out with an unrealistic payload, same method as PRIME/IBT on cpus but not as efficient...
> Furmark has proven not to detect a bad overclock either... It will crash if is a extreme overclock other than that no good to check a good overclock that needs to be adjusted by a little..
> In the other hand PRIME/IBT are good for testing overclocks specially IBT..
> I was testing my card yesterdy and today and with LI power at 0 and stock voltages i can do 1225/1800... I will sacrifice a couple of mhz on the memory to lower my temps as i dont see the need of that much i think 1600 will do just fine, dont see a significant increase of performance with 300mhz extra on them..
> You dont buy and watercool a vidcard to run furmark on it, it is good just for testing some configurations other than that it is useless..
> I will do a loop of furmark if i spent alot of money on a water cooling setup to be honest, but realistic talking no game is going to put that huge amount directly to burn your card like furmark does...


I agree partially, but running heaven for an hr is the same bullocks imo...
You can pass heaven for 2 hours easily with a certain overclock but crash after 30 min in some heavy game like crysis or BF3.
Heaven just doesnt do enough stress on your GPU compared to some games I feel. While Furmark is the other way around.
For me OCCT running 10 minutes is the best way to see if my overclock is stable. Just my 2 cents and experience when trying to overclock my card


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> My temps are <65°C at all times


When I was overclocking on air, I used to try keep them under 62c, would artifact above that.

What volts are you using for what clocks? Do you have powertune to +20?


----------



## Newbie2009

Double post, pls delete


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

If you have 2 or more 7970's/680's there's absolutely no need to get stable overclocks at all. Stock speed will easily get you 60+fos constant in any game. I only over clock at all for benchmark scores. I run games at stock...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

@daffle, when i refer to heaven was for heat test..

I will prefer crysis 1 or 2 for stability on an overclock.. Oh my how picky this game is with overclocks lol...


----------



## Johnny Utah

BF3 is the king of stability testing imo. I can run Crysis 2 and Furmark all day at 1250, but BF3 will crash. Had to drop it down to 1225. Really wish there was a benchmark program for BF3 like Crysis 2.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> When I was overclocking on air, I used to try keep them under 62c, would artifact above that.
> What volts are you using for what clocks? Do you have powertune to +20?


I had the same card before it could do 1180 with no problem. 1210 on unigine.

1)Now i had to rma it. And i wanted to get to 1170 with this one. I tried 0, 10, 20% powertune. And voltage from 1100 to 1250mV. It's just not stable. In 3dmark11 i get smal little black squares and if i don't quit 3dmark the comp freezes.

2)Sometimes with higher OC i get vertical grey lines all over the screen.

The first problem is probably due to weaker chip. I guess i just can't get over 1150Mhz. I want confirmation anyways.

I don't have a clue about second one.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, since I got my 7950, on BF3 when I was getting 51/50/49 and below FPS, it was like I was playing with 25-30FPS... Unplayable due to stuttering.

Since yesterday, this has been changed drastically without to do any particular changes... Now even when I'm getting dips to 40/41/42 FPS is much smoother and fully manageable...

Any explanation about what happened and everything is as it should be? Much better, I mean... Do you think the drivers 12.6 ( 4 June ) might be the reason? Why my card have had such a bad behavior? I'd like to know in case it will appear again. So many painful months...

...Or the last patch helped? Because now I see less lag, for instance, when I'm dead and ready to re-spawn, I don't see anymore the players lagging through the blue screen.

Generally, yesterday and today I've had the smoothest gameplay ever. Without any stuttering or BF's specific lag ( people teleporting 3-4 meters forward ). Also, I cap the game at 57FPS and usually I had a little tearing... Now almost completely gone!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I had the same card before it could do 1180 with no problem. 1210 on unigine.
> 1)Now i had to rma it. And i wanted to get to 1170 with this one. I tried 0, 10, 20% powertune. And voltage from 1100 to 1250mV. It's just not stable. In 3dmark11 i get smal little black squares and if i don't quit 3dmark the comp freezes.
> 2)Sometimes with higher OC i get vertical grey lines all over the screen.
> The first problem is probably due to weaker chip. I guess i just can't get over 1150Mhz. I want confirmation anyways.
> I don't have a clue about second one.


So you rma because you cant overclock the card? the hell??


----------



## Grobinov

OK I just fixed the weirdest error my 7970 has been giving me.... I was crashing in game menu of JC2 and random low load games while I was Crysis 1 2 and BF3 stable for ages - my computer just shut down no BSOD nothing.

In the end it turned out it was AMD High Definition Audio Device at fault... disabled it and everything works fine - as soon as I enable it in device manager the crashing comes back.

So if anyone gets random shutdowns for no reason at all you may want to try disabling this


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> So you rma because you cant overclock the card? the hell??


I RMAd the first card which was only running at 8x pcie. That card had nice OC potential.

This new card isn't going places...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> OK I just fixed the weirdest error my 7970 has been giving me.... I was crashing in game menu of JC2 and random low load games while I was Crysis 1 2 and BF3 stable for ages - my computer just shut down no BSOD nothing.
> In the end it turned out it was AMD High Definitin Audio Device at fault... disabled it and everything works fine - as soon as I enable it in device manager the crashing comes back.
> So if anyone gets random shutdowns for no reason at all you may want to try disabling this


Where do i disable that? I allways get anoying message that i should set up my audio device.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Where do i disable that? I allways get anoying message that i should set up my audio device.


In Windows Device Manager


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> It doesn't look pretty but it works well.


Are you kidding me? It's beautiful


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, since I got my 7950, on BF3 when I was getting 51/50/49 and below FPS, it was like I was playing with 25-30FPS... Unplayable due to stuttering.
> Since yesterday, this has been changed drastically without to do any particular changes... Now even when I'm getting dips to 40/41/42 FPS is much smoother and fully manageable...
> Any explanation about what happened and everything is as it should be? Much better, I mean... Do you think the drivers 12.6 ( 4 June ) might be the reason? Why my card have had such a bad behavior? I'd like to know in case it will appear again. So many painful months...
> ...Or the last patch helped? Because now I see less lag, for instance, when I'm dead and ready to re-spawn, I don't see anymore the players lagging through the blue screen.
> Generally, yesterday and today I've had the smoothest gameplay ever. Without any stuttering or BF's specific lag ( people teleporting 3-4 meters forward ). Also, I cap the game at 57FPS and usually I had a little tearing... Now almost completely gone!


i forgot how to cap my Fr/sec ... command line?/CFG entry?...


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i forgot how to cap my Fr/sec ... command line?/CFG entry?...


I use Dxtory to cap frame rates. It's a lot easier than having to remember the commands for every game I want to do it on.

http://download.cnet.com/Dxtory/3000-13633_4-10705596.html


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i forgot how to cap my Fr/sec ... command line?/CFG entry?...


GameTime.MaxVariableFps 57


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> GameTime.MaxVariableFps 57


Thanks... Now i just gotta remember where i put my config file... its been so long since I've updated it.


----------



## sena

Installed 12.6 beta, seems everything is ok, gained 100 points in 3d mark11.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, since I got my 7950, on BF3 when I was getting 51/50/49 and below FPS, it was like I was playing with 25-30FPS... Unplayable due to stuttering.
> Since yesterday, this has been changed drastically without to do any particular changes... Now even when I'm getting dips to 40/41/42 FPS is much smoother and fully manageable...
> Any explanation about what happened and everything is as it should be? Much better, I mean... Do you think the drivers 12.6 ( 4 June ) might be the reason? Why my card have had such a bad behavior? I'd like to know in case it will appear again. So many painful months...
> ...Or the last patch helped? Because now I see less lag, for instance, when I'm dead and ready to re-spawn, I don't see anymore the players lagging through the blue screen.
> Generally, yesterday and today I've had the smoothest gameplay ever. Without any stuttering or BF's specific lag ( people teleporting 3-4 meters forward ). Also, I cap the game at 57FPS and usually I had a little tearing... Now almost completely gone!


they might have changed the "Auto" settings, now it disables MSAA on my system on Auto, before it didnt.


----------



## BradleyW

Is anybody using 12.5 Beta?


----------



## SkateZilla

I ditched 12.5 as soon as I could...


----------



## SonDa5

The unmarked die on my 950mhz edition Sapphire HD7950.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I ditched 12.5 as soon as I could...


How come? 12.4 give me bsods and 12.6 kill CF scaling.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is anybody using 12.5 Beta?


Me, is the one that less problems has caused so far...

The hdmi audio works perfectly fine, no keyboard/mouse lag like in 12.6..... No random black screens like 12.4 whql...
No 2d clocks getting stuck like in 12.4 whql...


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> they might have changed the "Auto" settings, now it disables MSAA on my system on Auto, before it didnt.


Seemingly at least, you play too with one 7950, right? My auto-settings never included MSAA. They're set on High Settings with Ultra Textures only, since day one...


----------



## 996gt2

*If anyone's looking for a second 7970 to crossfire, I'm selling mine for $370:
*
http://www.overclock.net/t/1267602/like-new-msi-radeon-hd-7970-370/0_100


----------



## AllGamer

Did you polish that with wax? it's so shinny LOL








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> The unmarked die on my 950mhz edition Sapphire HD7950.


----------



## SkateZilla

http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/vga/569/accelero-hybrid.html?c=2182

is this any good? compared to the Sapphire Dual_X cooling system...

I'd like to water cool my GPU in its own loop (as my CPU uses the H100 system fantastically),

Im just a lil weary of spending $179 for a unit similar to the H80/H100 but with an Added Fan, if thats the case, i can use an H80, add the Heatsinks to the VRM and Ram Chips and put a fan and shround on it myself.


----------



## 996gt2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/vga/569/accelero-hybrid.html?c=2182
> 
> is this any good? compared to the Sapphire Dual_X cooling system...
> 
> I'd like to water cool my GPU in its own loop (as my CPU uses the H100 system fantastically),
> 
> Im just a lil weary of spending $179 for a unit similar to the H80/H100 but with an Added Fan, if thats the case, i can use an H80, add the Heatsinks to the VRM and Ram Chips and put a fan and shround on it myself.


It's good, but definitely not worth $179. I believe there are a few members on OCN who make custom H60 brackets for 7970s. The brackets are around $10-20, and then you can get an H60 for $50. Much less expensive than the Accelero Hybrid.


----------



## tw33k

1060/1600


----------



## JedixJarf

I wanna splash mine with ln2 and see what it'll do.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2261169_jedixjarf_unigine_heaven___xtreme_preset_(dx11)_radeon_hd_7970_3152.62_dx11_marks


----------



## Deo Domuique

tw33k, is that without voltage tweak? If not, what's your voltage?


----------



## tw33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> tw33k, is that without voltage tweak? If not, what's your voltage?


I didn't change voltage at all. It's @ 1.081v. I just wanted see how high I could @ stock voltage using Trixx


----------



## Deo Domuique

O.K., nice... Mine without voltage tweak, it can run fully stable only with +50Mhz ( 950 ). 1.031V.

I give 1.075 for 1000Mhz, my normal OC when I play. Memory goes 1575 without voltage increase.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *996gt2*
> 
> It's good, but definitely not worth $179. I believe there are a few members on OCN who make custom H60 brackets for 7970s. The brackets are around $10-20, and then you can get an H60 for $50. Much less expensive than the Accelero Hybrid.


Yes DWood makes H60/Kuller brackets and they are quite inexpensive ~$10. I'm trying to figure out whether I should set up my 7950s this way, or if simply increasing airflow in the case will be enough. I've got a terrible fan noise issue (from 5 tri-Cools running at max) that I would also like to do something about. A set of Noctua or GT fans will run almost as much as two moded H60 setups. Since I'm happy with my NH-D14 as far as CPU cooling what do you guys think about that solution for the the GPUs? I'm warry of doing a custom loop for my GPUs (so closed loop seems attractive), but my top card runs 80+ most of the time if I'm in something demanding like Metro and it feels wrong to put an FPS cap on my cards just to save heat. What about using it just for the top card?


----------



## tw33k

Yeah, I only just got this card so haven't spent much time on it but it seems to OC nicely and the temps are great. Only problem is, both my x16 slots are broken so I'm running it in the x4 slot until I RMA the board next week.


----------



## BlackWS6

This is good to know that someone is making an inexpensive bracket for the H60. Can't wait to get my 7970 on Tuesday!


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> I wanna splash mine with ln2 and see what it'll do.
> 
> http://hwbot.org/submission/2261169_jedixjarf_unigine_heaven___xtreme_preset_(dx11)_radeon_hd_7970_3152.62_dx11_marks


I want to give your card some ln2 also, nice memory on that beast!


----------



## JedixJarf

Yeah I have 2 that are just freaking monsters.


----------



## SkateZilla

Hmmm
Seems my VRMs Idle in the Upper 30s and after 1 race in Dirt 3 Peaked at 50^C, is THAT normal?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> Yeah I have 2 that are just freaking monsters.


Yea, memory is crazy. My cards hit 1310/1750 stable, but i backed down to 1300/1700 for every day use as that extra 10/50 shouldn't make a huge difference.

Will someone mod Afterburner for me to let me apply 1.4v to my core please? kthx


----------



## tw33k

How does this compare to other 7950s? Looks like a great score considering I'm running the card in the x4 slot


----------



## Feyris

I was playing Skyrim on 1250 // 1600 on 1.2v (ran stable) noticed Trixx reset my VDDC, this a Trixx issue or something todo with OC? I am thinking Trixx... the Sapphire OC is a beautiful Overclocker!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I was playing Skyrim on 1250 // 1600 on 1.2v (ran stable) noticed Trixx reset my VDDC, this a Trixx issue or something todo with OC? I am thinking Trixx... the Sapphire OC is a beautiful Overclocker!


If it reset VDDC chances are your over clock was unstable and your speeds probably slowed down as well. Get a good stable over clock and it will stick.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Will someone mod Afterburner for me to let me apply 1.4v to my core please? kthx


Might see about flashing Sapphire OC HD7970 bios to your card and run trixx with it. Trixx has 1.38v limit on my Sapphire OC 950mhz edition HD7950.


----------



## Testier

Would it be better to push the core to 1250 but leave mem at 1575 or push the core to 1200 and leave the mem at 1700(the second one crashes in crysis 2, but seems fine in bf3, haven't tested the first one.)


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> If it reset VDDC chances are your over clock was unstable and your speeds probably slowed down as well. Get a good stable over clock and it will stick.


Worked on furmark for eight hours and that stresses it out way more then normal *shrug*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> Would it be better to push the core to 1250 but leave mem at 1575 or push the core to 1200 and leave the mem at 1700(the second one crashes in crysis 2, but seems fine in bf3, haven't tested the first one.)
> Also, would a card be unstable if the lights looks flashes(hard to describe) but the game seems stable?


Push clock farther, Fill rates are more important then more bandwidth on this kind of card, It wont even fully saturate at 1700.

at 1.3v I was 1300// 1800 Stable, finally after some extra air cooling but the temps hit 80c and I consider that not to be good, and you do not want to overvolt that much for normal usage. Your going to need to give it some more power to keep the other clock...










I have never seen such a card OC so well stable on air like this with stock cooler ._. I can only imagine what the Lightning is capable of...


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I have never seen such a card OC so well stable on air like this with stock cooler.


Is that the Sapphire HD7970 Dual X OC? If so I'd like to try your BIOS.


----------



## SonDa5

This card performs well.



http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3614346


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> This card performs well.
> 
> 
> 
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3614346


Damn. Outscored my i7-3770k/7970... I must be doing something wrong. How come my results page looked completely different from that?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> How come my results page looked completely different from that?


Looks like they just recently refreshed the site.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> How come my results page looked completely different from that?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like they just recently refreshed the site.
Click to expand...

Is that with Lucid Virtu MVP running? your GPU score beat mine by 1100...

i7-3770k @ 4.7GHz
HD 7970 @ 1310/1725

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3349823;jessionid=l4s1om2lmlsti3gycapzay1c

Ah... non-standard tesselation mode in AMD drivers... Sneaky.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Is that with Lucid Virtu MVP running? your GPU score beat mine by 1100...
> i7-3770k @ 4.7GHz
> HD 7970 @ 1310/1725
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3349823;jessionid=l4s1om2lmlsti3gycapzay1c
> Ah... non-standard tesselation mode in AMD drivers... Sneaky.


My MSI Z68 GD65 G3 doesn't have the lucid Virtu MVP software. Only the Z77 boards have that.

The score is still valid with my settings. When I bench with NVIDIA cards I figure out the fastest settings and run them like that for best score. Perfectly acceptable. Try it with your card and see how if your score increases.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Is that with Lucid Virtu MVP running? your GPU score beat mine by 1100...
> i7-3770k @ 4.7GHz
> HD 7970 @ 1310/1725
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3349823;jessionid=l4s1om2lmlsti3gycapzay1c
> Ah... non-standard tesselation mode in AMD drivers... Sneaky.
> 
> 
> 
> My MSI Z68 GD65 G3 doesn't have the lucid Virtu MVP software. Only the Z77 boards have that.
> 
> The score is still valid with my settings. When I bench with NVIDIA cards I figure out the fastest settings and run them like that for best score. Perfectly acceptable. Try it with your card and see how if your score increases.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *3DMark11's site*
> Benchmark tessellation load modified by AMD Catalyst driver, result invalid.


Just sayin... you should be running your benchmark at standard performance preset with no modification or extreme setting with no modification, as it gives even ground for all benchmarks rather than who can tweak settings the best. We're looking for even ground comparison.

That's like...

Me: I can throw a ball 200ft!
You: I can throw a ball 250ft!

Only difference is you're throwing yours off the top of a 50ft. tall building. Results aren't comparable


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *3DMark11's site*
> Benchmark tessellation load modified by AMD Catalyst driver, result invalid.
> 
> 
> 
> Just sayin... you should be running your benchmark at standard performance preset with no modification or extreme setting with no modification, as it gives even ground for all benchmarks rather than who can tweak settings the best. We're looking for even ground comparison.
> That's like...
> Me: I can throw a ball 200ft!
> You: I can throw a ball 250ft!
> Only difference is you're throwing yours off the top of a 50ft. tall building. Results aren't comparable
Click to expand...

I thought everyone tweaked.









I guess Futuremark is busting down on tweakers.









I'm about 1000 less without the AMD tesselation mode.

Still a decent score.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *3DMark11's site*
> Benchmark tessellation load modified by AMD Catalyst driver, result invalid.
> 
> 
> 
> Just sayin... you should be running your benchmark at standard performance preset with no modification or extreme setting with no modification, as it gives even ground for all benchmarks rather than who can tweak settings the best. We're looking for even ground comparison.
> That's like...
> Me: I can throw a ball 200ft!
> You: I can throw a ball 250ft!
> Only difference is you're throwing yours off the top of a 50ft. tall building. Results aren't comparable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I thought everyone tweaked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess Futuremark is busting down on tweakers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm about 1000 less without the AMD tesselation mode.
> 
> Still a decent score.
Click to expand...

Oh hell yea, good score indeed. I just like seeing even playing field. Gives a better picture of how the performance really is compared to others. I would be kinda pissed if your 7950 for $100 less was getting better score same settings as my 7970


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I thought everyone tweaked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess Futuremark is busting down on tweakers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm about 1000 less without the AMD tesselation mode.
> Still a decent score.


A lot of us do, anyone submitting to the bot with an AMD dx11 card run disabled to stay competitive, only time I ever have it enabled is when i forget. Futuremark rankings aren't quite accurate, they let too many bugs through, I generally compare at the bot


----------



## JedixJarf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I thought everyone tweaked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess Futuremark is busting down on tweakers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm about 1000 less without the AMD tesselation mode.
> Still a decent score.


If HWbot accepts it then its good enough for OCN


----------



## mmstick

Why don't we all use our graphics cards in the OpenCL capable [email protected] project when not gaming (or even while gaming)?

I'm running it currently and getting a whopping 480,000 PPD with my HD 7950 at 55% utilization, with some HD6850s that my family uses producing a good amount of PPD alongside of that. If every HD79x0 owner was to suddenly start using their graphics card for something useful to scientific research there would be some major breakthroughs at record speeds. There doesn't seem to be very many people currently using the project, though it is steadily rising in users recently with its OpenCL release, but it is sad that I can say I'm ranked 15th in the entire US currently.

I would like to know how some users with RAM faster than 2000MHz perform in this project since it is very reliant on memory speed when it comes to graphics card utilization, until they make a nice GCN app that offloads more instructions onto the GPU instead of CPU.

[email protected] still isn't very helpful with the AMD side of things, but you will find that AMD cards shine here in OpenCL BOINC projects a lot better than NVIDIA does, especially considering my 7950 has 4400 SP GFLOPS with a nice 1200MHz core and 1700MHz memory.

If you need a guide I wrote a nice one here:

http://www.amdusers.com/forum/showthread.php?8356-All-Encompassing-Guide-to-POEM

More projects will be porting to OpenCL GPU+CPU based processing in the near future, such as Help Conquer Cancer and GPUGrid.net.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Is that the Sapphire HD7970 Dual X OC? If so I'd like to try your BIOS.


Yes, that is the Sapphire Dual X OC. How can I steal the Bios for you? I will get right on it when I figure out how. Trixx has a save bios feature that gives me a .bin file but I feel like that is not it.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've never tweaked tess settings in any of my scores. Definitely cheating in my book but I'm not trying to break records or anything...


----------



## WiL11o6

Haven't posted in here for awhile since I've been playing D3 but good thing I check back here once awhile. D3 on 12.4 had weird stutter problems randomly throughout the game, whether single or crossfire. It was annoying but was playable so I left it alone. I come onto here to find there are new 12.6 beta drivers!

Installed and my D3 is butter smooth with no hiccups at all. I am happy.


----------



## Derko1

I have a set of 7970s... I was wondering what would be a safe overclock to try right away? Both cards are under water, I get load temps of about 34-36C.


----------



## darkstar585

Here is my attempt at overclocking my ref MSI 7970 on stock voltages (power limit upped 5%) and a custom fan profile.

3dmark11 tess on I know my cpu clock really hurts my score as I have had to downclock to 4.5 as i was getting idle lockups.











So far I have tested it for 2hours on OCCT with error checking and I got no errors and 4hours of Crysis with no artefacts or crashes.
My question to you all is what is the maximum safe/recommended temp for the VRM's on the reference 7970? as I want to see what this could do with some added voltage but I am worried as I am on the stock cooler.


----------



## SkateZilla

in the summer months I cant do crap on my old PC because it overheated, AthlonX2 6000+, even with a Hyper 212 and Zalman 9700NT the thing idles warm 40+ and peals aat 55-59, that and the 8800 GTS IDLED in the 60s.

at least now, with the FX8120, I idle in the Teens most of the year, and the 3 hot months its in the 20s and peeks upper 30s/40s.

My Sapphire Card seems to be idling in the upper 30s/lower 40s in the hot days so far.

one thing i need to be careful of is the VRM temps, they got to 50 degrees on a 70 degree day in one race/benchmark run in Dirt 3.

which is why im considering water cooling the GFX Card too, but i dont want to have to tear everything apart for a custom Loop.


----------



## Derko1

I was hitting 70C with my cards when not WC.

So I just tried 1125/1575 with my two cards and no issues. I'm using MSI Afterburner... How can I go beyond those limits? Also, what does the power control setting in the overdrive menu do?


----------



## BradleyW

How do i overclock higher than 1125Mhz Core Speed?
Unofficial OC does not work. I changed the value via safemode.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> I was hitting 70C with my cards when not WC.
> So I just tried 1125/1575 with my two cards and no issues. I'm using MSI Afterburner... How can I go beyond those limits? Also, what does the power control setting in the overdrive menu do?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How do i overclock higher than 1125Mhz Core Speed?


go into program files(x86) > MSI AFTERBURNER then rightclick on msiafterburner.cfg and open with notepad, at the bottom of the page it should say this "UnofficialOverclockingEULA = ".

Copy and paste this in without qoute ensuring a space between the equals "I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it" next go to save as and under the document file type select all files then overwrite original...restart AB and it should have unlocked settings.









EDIT:
it should look like this when finished: "UnofficialOverclockingEULA = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it"

make sure unofficialoverclockingmode has a 1 next to it.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> go into program files(x86) > MSI AFTERBURNER then rightclick on msiafterburner.cfg and open with notepad, at the bottom of the page it should say this "UnofficialOverclockingEULA = ".
> Copy and paste this in without qoute ensuring a space between the equals "I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it" next go to save as and under the document file type select all files then overwrite original...restart AB and it should have unlocked settings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT:
> it should look like this when finished: "UnofficialOverclockingEULA = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it"
> make sure unofficialoverclockingmode has a 1 next to it.


Can you paste an example of your config for reference?
Rep+


----------



## Grobinov

This is how my config looks and it lets me OC just fine


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can you paste an example of your config for reference?
> Rep+


Sure here is the entire msiafterburner.cfg file


Spoiler: msiafterburner.cfg code



Code:



Code:


[Properties]
ShowGeneralTab                  = 1
ShowFanTab                      = 1
ShowMonitoringTab               = 1
ShowOnScreenDisplayTab          = 1
ShowScreenCaptureTab            = 1
ShowVideoCaptureTab             = 1
ShowProfilesTab                 = 1
ShowUserInterfaceTab            = 1

[Settings]
Skin                            = default.usf
StartMinimized                  = 0
StartWithWindows                = 0
RememberSettings                = 0
FirstRun                        = 1
FirstUserDefineClick            = 1
FirstServerRun                  = 0
HwPollPeriod                    = 1000
MMIOUserMode                    = 1
MMIOPageSize                    = 4
PCIBusFilter                    = -10h
ShowTooltips                    = 1
ShowHints                       = 1
PauseInSuspendedMode            = 1
CurrentGpu                      = 0
Sync                            = 1
AttachMonitoringWindow          = 1
MonitoringWindowOnTop           = 1
ShowPerformanceProfilerStatus   = 0
LCDFont                         = font4x6.dat
LCDScrollTimerPeriod            = 30
UnlockVoltageControl            = 0
UnlockVoltageMonitoring         = 0
ShowOSDTime                     = 0
RestoreAfterSuspendedMode       = 0
StartupViaTaskScheduler         = 1
StartupDelay                    = 0
MinMonitoringGraphHeight        = -1
LocalizationDebugFlags          = 0
EnableLog                       = 0
RecreateLog                     = 0
LogPath                         = 
DontStopLoggingOnWriteFailure   = 0
LogLimit                        = 10
ForceConstantVoltage            = 0
AllowCaptureVoltageDefaults     = 0
Link                            = 1
UseDirectInputHotkeyHandler     = 1
SendToTrayOnClose               = 0
DataFilteringThreshold          = 10
ScreenCaptureFolder             = 
ScreenCaptureFormat             = bmp
ScreenCaptureQuality            = 100
VideoCaptureFormat              = MJPG
VideoCaptureFolder              =
VideoCaptureQuality             = 85
VideoCaptureFramerate           = 30
VideoCaptureFramesize           = 2
VideoCaptureThreads             = FFFFFFFFh
FanSpeedReadbackDelay           = 1000
CaptureOSD                      = 1
AudioCaptureFlags               = 00000003h
UpdateCheckingPeriod            = 3
UpdateCheckingAllowBetas        = 0
VideoCaptureShowHiddenFormats   = 0
SingleTrayIconMode              = 0
I2CCache                        = 1
VideoCaptureFlagsEx             = 00000000h
VideoCaptureCustomFramesizes    = 16:9 360p,02800168h,16:9 480p,035601E0h,16:9 720p,050002D0h,16:9 900p,06400384h,16:9 1080p,07800438h,16:10 360p,02400168h,16:10 480p,030001E0h,16:10 720p,048002D0h,16:10 900p,05A00384h,16:10 1050p,0690041Ah

[ATIADLHAL]
UnofficialOverclockingEULA      = I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
UnofficialOverclockingMode      = 1
AccessibilityCheckingPeriod     = 0
UnifiedMemoryUsageMonitoring    = 1

[NVAPIHAL]
ClockDomainIdWorkaround         = -1
GenericMemoryUsageMonitoring    = 1
UnifiedMemoryUsageMonitoring    = 1





If you change the file format back to .cfg here is the file from my afterburner

MSIAfterburner.doc 2k .doc file
(had to do this as .cfg files are not allowed as attachments for some reason?)


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> This is how my config looks and it lets me OC just fine


what version of afterburner are you using? I couldn't get that method to work with 2.2.1


----------



## BradleyW

Ok it is working now, however, if i set an overclock higher than 925Mhz, my new 2d clocks become the stock 3D clocks???
Right now i set the core to 1150MHz and on idle, the Core speed is 925Mhz. How do i get the idle clocks back to what they should be?


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> what version of afterburner are you using? I couldn't get that method to work with 2.2.1


I'm using 2.2.1, all I did was change those two 0's into 1's and it worked

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Ok it is working now, however, if i set an overclock higher than 925Mhz, my new 2d clocks become the stock 3D clocks???
> Right now i set the core to 1150MHz and on idle, the Core speed is 925Mhz. How do i get the idle clocks back to what they should be?


I'm using 2 profiles so I dont have to fight with clocks. First is stock I use for idle apps and low intensive games and an overclocked one that I use for intensive game. I suggest you try this


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> I'm using 2.2.1, all I did was change those two 0's into 1's and it worked
> I'm using 2 profiles so I dont have to fight with clocks. First is stock I use for idle apps and low intensive games and an overclocked one that I use for intensive game. I suggest you try this


thats odd...it would have been soo much easier to explain if I knew that!









and yeah 2 profiles is the way to go..2d clocks will get all messed up when using AB for some reason...I think its due to how it bypasses AMD's controllers or something like that.


----------



## Derko1

Awesome! It's working for me too.

So this is with 1125/1575 clocks. P15443 3DMark11 http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3618351

How will I know I need more voltage and how much should I increase it by at a time?


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Awesome! It's working for me too.
> So this is with 1125/1575 clocks. P15443 3DMark11 http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3618351
> How will I know I need more voltage and how much should I increase it by at a time?


You add more voltage after you crash or artifact your stress test - in my case Crysis 1 benchmark loops are very good for finding instabilities.

Then you up the voltage a notch or two and test again until you hit you clock wall or a heat limit like in my case where I cant go above 1180 no matter what voltage I use


----------



## BradleyW

Thanks for the help so far. I now have a new issue. My screen will flash and then the overclock will revert the default 3D clocks and not my overclock. How can i solve this?
This is not due to temps or instability. Cheers.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thanks for the help so far. I now have a new issue. My screen will flash and then the overclock will revert the default 3D clocks and not my overclock. How can i solve this?
> This is not due to temps or instability. Cheers.


This happened to me once and I fixed it with restarting the afterburner... to be honest this software is preety buggy but when it works it's really nice


----------



## Derko1

What are some good stress testers? With my 6870s I used Furmark benchmark... it would run for 1 minute and if it had any artifacts or it crashed, I backed off a bit and then would run 3dMarks for 3 turns. Same with these?


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> What are some good stress testers? With my 6870s I used Furmark benchmark... it would run for 1 minute and if it had any artifacts or it crashed, I backed off a bit and then would run 3dMarks for 3 turns. Same with these?


I don't use furmark it's just not realistic and abuses the card way too much.... I use the Crysis Benchmarking Tool for both Crysis 1 and 2 and loop up to 10 runs. So far this found all my instabilities and I'm crash free


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> What are some good stress testers? With my 6870s I used Furmark benchmark... it would run for 1 minute and if it had any artifacts or it crashed, I backed off a bit and then would run 3dMarks for 3 turns. Same with these?


my vote is on OCCT gpu tester, set it to error check and run it for at least 2 hours for stability as nobody games for 1 minute


----------



## Derko1

I used to use OCCT, but it doesn't support crossfire, so only 1 GPU gets tested. Maybe there's a newer version, I will check it out.

So I just tried 1175/1650 and got a 116 BSOD for the ATI Driver...









So I will up the voltage.. how much should I go up at time?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> This happened to me once and I fixed it with restarting the afterburner... to be honest this software is preety buggy but when it works it's really nice


Thanks mate, i just disabled overdrive. Now my 2D clocks work and i have no bugs.


----------



## Derko1

I just downloaded the latest version of OCCT and no matter what clock I have... or what settings I am using, it crashes the driver every time I try to run the 3d test... what gives?

Edit: So it happens only when I use dx10 mode, on dx9 it's running.


----------



## BradleyW

Right, looks like 1165Mhz is the limit on my core.
What is the average voltage for 1200Mhz+ and what is the max safe voltage for air cooling/long term use.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Right, looks like 1165Mhz is the limit on my core.
> What is the average voltage for 1200Mhz+ and what is the max safe voltage for air cooling/long term use.


Its different for all cards really in my case I can get to 1180 core at 1.234V but after that my heat tolerance goes way down. At 1200 core I start to artifact at 62°C so its impossible to reach that clock for me on air. It seems that some card really become sensitive to heat at higher clocks and volts.

I suggest to slowly upping the volts and clocks and see where it leads you. Some cards are stellar but if you are unlucky like me you won't be seeing 1200 mhz on air.

Good luck mate









Oh yh you can preety much go up to 1.3V if you can keep the heat down or if you dont have a heat sensitive card - as I said before it can be a hit or miss


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mmstick*
> 
> Why don't we all use our graphics cards in the OpenCL capable [email protected] project when not gaming (or even while gaming)?
> I'm running it currently and getting a whopping 480,000 PPD with my HD 7950 at 55% utilization, with some HD6850s that my family uses producing a good amount of PPD alongside of that. If every HD79x0 owner was to suddenly start using their graphics card for something useful to scientific research there would be some major breakthroughs at record speeds. There doesn't seem to be very many people currently using the project, though it is steadily rising in users recently with its OpenCL release, but it is sad that I can say I'm ranked 15th in the entire US currently.
> I would like to know how some users with RAM faster than 2000MHz perform in this project since it is very reliant on memory speed when it comes to graphics card utilization, until they make a nice GCN app that offloads more instructions onto the GPU instead of CPU.
> [email protected] still isn't very helpful with the AMD side of things, but you will find that AMD cards shine here in OpenCL BOINC projects a lot better than NVIDIA does, especially considering my 7950 has 4400 SP GFLOPS with a nice 1200MHz core and 1700MHz memory.
> If you need a guide I wrote a nice one here:
> http://www.amdusers.com/forum/showthread.php?8356-All-Encompassing-Guide-to-POEM
> More projects will be porting to OpenCL GPU+CPU based processing in the near future, such as Help Conquer Cancer and GPUGrid.net.


My main issue with both projects is that they are not very efficient.

Both use up quite a bit of CPU time and have very low GPU utilization.

[email protected] at least assigns WUs not simply to keep "ATi" users busy *cough* [email protected] *cough*, but to get actual scientific work done.


----------



## Derko1

Man, OCCT is great at testing the one GPU... too bad it won't do two... I got errors right away using clocks I knew didn't work and got no errors with ones I knew worked.

Edit: I maxed the voltage out and I get one error on OCCT after like 4 minutes, with 1175 core. So I guess that means I've hit my wall right around there for my core...


----------



## BradleyW

Ok, what about the RAM? I am at 1700Mhz stable so far. Is this safe/normal?


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Ok, what about the RAM? I am at 1700Mhz stable so far. Is this safe/normal?


lol so am I... since I found my wall on the core, I'm just going up with the memory.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Ok, what about the RAM? I am at 1700Mhz stable so far. Is this safe/normal?


Yep its perfectly safe I'm running my VRAM at 1700 as well... VRAM overclocking is tricky as you have error correction so it will not artifact until it's badly unstable.

I checked for stability in multiple heaven runs where I compared my scores to previous runs. When your clock boost doesn't net you a jump in performance you are preety much in error correction territorry









Not that this card needs a high VRAM clock as it has insane ammount of memory bandwidth XD


----------



## BradleyW

Cheers!


----------



## Derko1

1172/1725 with 1.225v. I think that may be my limit... I will test for the next few hours and see stability, but I'm pretty confident that's my max.

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3619255 P15908 with those clocks. I'm sure that with the 12.6 drivers I could hit 17k. They boost my score up by a bit over 1k, but give me issues with the sound.

Thanks for everyone's advise!


----------



## BradleyW

Now my GPU 1 will only apply my OC? And i have 99 usage on GPU 1 and 80 on GPU 2 now?


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Now my GPU 1 will only apply my OC? And i have 99 usage on GPU 1 and 80 on GPU 2 now?


Sorry man can't help here I'm only running single gpu at the moment .....


----------



## BradleyW

It has only started since overclocking the VRAM.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> Its different for all cards really in my case I can get to 1180 core at 1.234V but after that my heat tolerance goes way down. At 1200 core I start to artifact at 62°C so its impossible to reach that clock for me on air. It seems that some card really become sensitive to heat at higher clocks and volts.
> I suggest to slowly upping the volts and clocks and see where it leads you. Some cards are stellar but if you are unlucky like me you won't be seeing 1200 mhz on air.
> Good luck mate
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh yh you can preety much go up to 1.3V if you can keep the heat down or if you dont have a heat sensitive card - as I said before it can be a hit or miss


I must be really lucky with 1205/1770 stable on stock voltages and with the ref cooler. I have to admit i am hesitant on upping the voltages as i heard rumors about the vrms failing with high temps? I wish i had a waterblock so bad as this card is turning out to be an animal









Also whats your asic value? mine is not that high at 77%, maybe that is something to do with heat sensitivity?


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> It has only started since overclocking the VRAM.


Well it could also be the afterburners fault thats why I always restart it if I'm having clock issues - but I have no experience with CF so my advice is preety much useless here


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> I must be really lucky with 1205/1770 stable on stock voltages and with the ref cooler. I have to admit i am hesitant on upping the voltages as i heard rumors about the vrms failing with high temps? I wish i had a waterblock so bad as this card is turning out to be an animal
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also whats your asic value? mine is not that high at 77%, maybe that is something to do with heat sensitivity?


My ASIC is 75.3% but it seems I have lost the silicone lottery since my core hates heat at above 1200 core.... altho I do have a Dual X cooler so at least my card is quiet but 62C at 1.25V is asking abit much









VRMS can handle up to 120°C altho its not reccomended to have them running so high. Reference cooler cools them down quite good so I doubt you have anything to fear. You can check the VRM temps in HWInfo64 if you are really worried tho









EDIT: Messed up my edit sorry about the double post


----------



## Derko1

Wow... so the ASIC has a lot to do with it... for me the main card is 71 and the second 75. I bet that the 75 one could probably handle way more than the 71....


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Wow... so the ASIC has a lot to do with it... for me the main card is 71 and the second 75. I bet that the 75 one could probably handle way more than the 71....


Not really... I've seen some nicely clocked 7970 on air here on OCN with ASIC way lower and much higher than me so its not really a good indicator

As far as I know ASIC reading was mostly built around NVidia so its not realy representative for AMD


----------



## BradleyW

Ok AB won't work now. If i OC via AB, it reduces the usage on my second GPU and will not set the clocks for GPU2, resulting in lower performance. However, the same OC in CCC yeilds far higher fps due to the overclock.

How can i battle this?
Cheers.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Ok AB won't work now. If i OC via AB, it reduces the usage on my second GPU and will not set the clocks for GPU2, resulting in lower performance. However, the same OC in CCC yeilds far higher fps due to the overclock.
> How can i battle this?
> Cheers.


Wonders of Crossfire - hopefully someone with CF experience will be able to assist you here


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Right, looks like 1165Mhz is the limit on my core.
> What is the average voltage for 1200Mhz+ and what is the max safe voltage for air cooling/long term use.


Yea, you're clear to go up to whatever you'd like as long as you keep your temps in line. On water, I'm running the voltage sliders maxed out (1.3 and 1.7 respectively) and overdrive is 20%.

The other solution to fix the idle clocks is to create two profiles. One is stock clocks, one is overclocked. Then, inside the options of Afterburner, there's an option on one of the tabs to set 2d clocks and 3d clocks to specific profiles. Set 2d to the stock profile so idle clocks go super low, and set 3d to your overclock. You can even have the stock/overclock switch voltage too if you want.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JedixJarf*
> 
> If HWbot accepts it then its good enough for OCN


That is what I am talking about. Let the pros decide what is legit.









NVIDIA probably has some hidden tweaks in their drivers for 3dMark11 anyways.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Yes, that is the Sapphire Dual X OC. How can I steal the Bios for you? I will get right on it when I figure out how. Trixx has a save bios feature that gives me a .bin file but I feel like that is not it.


GPU-Z has BIOS save and upload feature. You can save your BIOS and upload it to Techpowerup database.

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2137/TechPowerUp_GPU-Z_v0.6.2.html


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Ok AB won't work now. If i OC via AB, it reduces the usage on my second GPU and will not set the clocks for GPU2, resulting in lower performance. However, the same OC in CCC yeilds far higher fps due to the overclock.
> How can i battle this?
> Cheers.


Good luck. I got tired of conflicts with AB and CCC so I run AB on my bench OS with CCC uninstalled and I use CCC on my main OS with no AB. I only overclock and bench on the bench OS and do pretty much everything else on the main one. Works pretty good for me...


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Ok AB won't work now. If i OC via AB, it reduces the usage on my second GPU and will not set the clocks for GPU2, resulting in lower performance. However, the same OC in CCC yeilds far higher fps due to the overclock.
> How can i battle this?
> Cheers.


Have you disabled ulps through your registry? Sometimes the feature in AB doesn't work and it is best to do it manually.


----------



## Andrazh

I can't make peace with my card. I want to OC it but i'm scared because it doesnt have any vrm nor ram cooling. Cheap made card=\

Gonna sell then buy new one with better cooling. Which one is better sapphire dualX or gigabyte windforce3?


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I can't make peace with my card. I want to OC it but i'm scared because it doesnt have any vrm nor ram cooling. Cheap made card=\
> Gonna sell then buy new one with better cooling. Which one is better sapphire dualX or gigabyte windforce3?


I can personally tell you that the Dual-X cooler is very good and quiet at the same time so I reccomend it


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> I can personally tell you that the Dual-X cooler is very good and quiet at the same time so I reccomend it


It's a great air cooler, very quiet, but I would state that it doesn't seem that any of the non-ref coolers are well suited to crossfire. All that hot air dumped into the case heats up the top card pretty bad. I'm considering (ok, probably more like planning on








) moding a Kuler 620 to solve this issue. If your case has really good airflow then you might be able to get away with it though.


----------



## Derko1

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3619969

P16019!







:thumb:


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3619969
> P16019!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :thumb:


Nice. Time to update your rig profile.


----------



## Derko1

Yea I know! So! I wanted to chime in and say I have no issues with anything as far as the OC... I think the poster with the load issue, has ULPS enabled. So it needs to be disabled and I also have turned off overdrive, but have the CCC installed. He also may have the power consumption at 0 and it should be set to +20.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> That is what I am talking about. Let the pros decide what is legit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NVIDIA probably has some hidden tweaks in their drivers for 3dMark11 anyways.


Nvidia fermi cards do have their own 3d11 tweak, not as much gain as disabling tess on AMD though. The older nvidia had LOD for quite some time in dx9 benches to give an advantage over AMD, think that was the reasoning for allowing the driver tweak for AMD now.
DaClownie is also right, get some guy who doesn't know of it who runs 11 at default settings & trying to compare scores he might pull his hair out trying to figure why he scores lower at the same clocks. For guys on air/water might not be a bad idea to post both enabled/disabled (except in the official score thread in the benchmarks section, default implies tess on only, there is a post your 11 scores thread for a free for all).

This was my best tess enabled run, when starting out testing clocks I forgot to disable & saved the score anyway.
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3394179









This is where I maxed out that day with tess disabled
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3392513









Getting my 7970 Lightning prepped so I can try to beat my best with the reference card above, hopefully can bench it tonight. The current MOA qualifier is bringing out lots of great scores, I've been getting dropped in the rankings almost daily for the last couple weeks.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I can't make peace with my card. I want to OC it but i'm scared because it doesnt have any vrm nor ram cooling. Cheap made card=\
> Gonna sell then buy new one with better cooling. Which one is better sapphire dualX or gigabyte windforce3?


DEFINITELY go with the Sapphire. I have read some reviews that whiled the Windforce was fairly cool, the performance has not lived up to the other manufactures cards. My Sapphire 7950 is a proven performer on air, and the temps are fantastic. I got even lower temps when I changed cases (Corsair 300R) and added a few extra side intake fans that I didn't have on the old one. I never break 65C now even when looping Adrenaline @ 1210Mhz, 1.240V. Memory hits 1700Mhz no problems, too.

Read through a couple of reviews, I'm not sure if it affected the whole 7900 range of cards or just one in particular, but I was very surprised to see that the Gigabyte was trailing others like MSI and Sapphire.


----------



## SonDa5

Spent some time today trying to flash Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition to 7970 and it looks like a got it but when I go to boot I don't get a display.

Screen shots of my best failed attempt as of right now.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Good luck. I got tired of conflicts with AB and CCC so I run AB on my bench OS with CCC uninstalled and I use CCC on my main OS with no AB. I only overclock and bench on the bench OS and do pretty much everything else on the main one. Works pretty good for me...


I can see why.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Have you disabled ulps through your registry? Sometimes the feature in AB doesn't work and it is best to do it manually.


Can you talk me through this?


----------



## Hexa

Anyone play Skyrim with 7970's in crossfire? When I try the water flickers really fast and I get a few other weird graphical glitches every now and then. If I disable crossfire things clear up and run fine, albeit a little slower then it would with Crossfire.

I have the 12.6 beta drivers (which were supposed to have fixed alot of Skyrim Crossfire issues).

Just wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Thanks


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Here is my attempt at overclocking my ref MSI 7970 on stock voltages (power limit upped 5%) and a custom fan profile.
> 3dmark11 tess on I know my cpu clock really hurts my score as I have had to downclock to 4.5 as i was getting idle lockups.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So far I have tested it for 2hours on OCCT with error checking and I got no errors and 4hours of Crysis with no artefacts or crashes.
> My question to you all is what is the maximum safe/recommended temp for the VRM's on the reference 7970? as I want to see what this could do with some added voltage but I am worried as I am on the stock cooler.


Your graphic score is so close to mine (1200/1800 stock volts)..
Probably with the 12.6 with the extra 100points extra (everybody was getting) i will pass your score at the same clocks, dont notice to much gains on memory overclock.. Like 100points every 100mhz.. Not the same gains like in the core for example... Keeping vrms temps on check is worth more than 100points in a synthetic benchmark XD..

1200/1800
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620463

1200/1700
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620579

1200/1500
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620603

1200/1800 Tess Off
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620484

The sweet spot for this card would be 1200/1600, get that and call it a day... Unless of course you are like EXTREME BENCHER....

Your general 3dmark score is higher because of the cpu...


----------



## BradleyW

There has to be some way to stop the conflicts between CCC and AB?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> There has to be some way to stop the conflicts between CCC and AB?


Why you dont use trixx?


----------



## DaClownie

FTW: What sort of cooling were you using to get those crazy clocks on the GPU? My card runs into no temperature issues (never go above 46C after 15 minutes of furmark) but it just needs more volts than I can throw at it.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Nvidia fermi cards do have their own 3d11 tweak, not as much gain as disabling tess on AMD though. The older nvidia had LOD for quite some time in dx9 benches to give an advantage over AMD, think that was the reasoning for allowing the driver tweak for AMD now.
> DaClownie is also right, get some guy who doesn't know of it who runs 11 at default settings & trying to compare scores he might pull his hair out trying to figure why he scores lower at the same clocks. For guys on air/water might not be a bad idea to post both enabled/disabled (except in the official score thread in the benchmarks section, default implies tess on only, there is a post your 11 scores thread for a free for all).
> This was my best tess enabled run, when starting out testing clocks I forgot to disable & saved the score anyway.
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3394179
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is where I maxed out that day with tess disabled
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3392513
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Getting my 7970 Lightning prepped so I can try to beat my best with the reference card above, hopefully can bench it tonight. The current MOA qualifier is bringing out lots of great scores, I've been getting dropped in the rankings almost daily for the last couple weeks.


Awesome job mate, keep up the good work!














Wowza!


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can you talk me through this?


yeah sure thing, do the following:-

1. Go to regedit ~ start > search programs and files and type "regedit".
2. In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
3. For EVERY instance found change the "1" value to a "0".
4. Reboot PC
5. Check that it is disabled and reap the rewards.
Sometimes it may require a few attempts to get to stay disabled but you it should help with overclocking both cards.

With regards to conflicts between AB and CCC like was posted earlier you could always use trixx, personally i have always been a fan of AB and have not seen many problems with it but if it helps go for it as they both do the job equally as well.


----------



## BradleyW

Thanks mate


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thanks. It seems Trixx can disable ULPS. Only issue is that it does not have voltage control.


Yes it can but i could never get it to work properly on my old 6850 cf setup at least... if it works great stuff, if it doesn't disable it manually.

edit: Also their is a modded version of trixx with voltage control it was posted on this thread sometime ago but unfortunately i dont have the link for you.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thanks. It seems Trixx can disable ULPS. Only issue is that it does not have voltage control.


It do, i guess sapphire was trying to hide it for a reason lol...

You have to scroll down.. It dont look like you can scroll down but is there...


----------



## Deo Domuique

I thought the same about Trixx. I found it randomly after a while.

But it has 1-2 simple problems: the 'reset' button can be pressed anytime, no matter if the clocks are on the default state already. It also resets my voltage to 1.087 while the normal is 1.031. That's why I don't use it anymore. I cannot trust it.


----------



## RandomK

I also had trouble finding it. You have to scroll down.









Yes, I was that dumb.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Your graphic score is so close to mine (1200/1800 stock volts)..
> Probably with the 12.6 with the extra 100points extra (everybody was getting) i will pass your score at the same clocks, dont notice to much gains on memory overclock.. Like 100points every 100mhz.. Not the same gains like in the core for example... Keeping vrms temps on check is worth more than 100points in a synthetic benchmark XD..
> 1200/1800
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620463
> 1200/1700
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620579
> 1200/1500
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620603
> 1200/1800 Tess Off
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3620484
> The sweet spot for this card would be 1200/1600, get that and call it a day... Unless of course you are like EXTREME BENCHER....
> Your general 3dmark score is higher because of the cpu...


Thanks for the info







yeah i am no extreme bench nut...I value stability over crazy high fps and i cant stand artifacts within a game.Maybe my opinion will change on benching once i get a full waterblock for this card as i will consider starting to up the voltage to see if I can break over 1300 core







(fingers crossed).

What speed was your cpu at during the 1200/1800 test? 3dmark says it was something like 2billion mhz on the results you posted.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Thanks for the info
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeah i am no extreme bench nut...I value stability over crazy high fps and i cant stand artifacts within a game.Maybe my opinion will change on benching once i get a full waterblock for this card as i will consider starting to up the voltage to see if I can break over 1300 core
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (fingers crossed).
> What speed was your cpu at during the 1200/1800 test? 3dmark says it was something like 2billion mhz on the results you posted.


Same as yours 4.5GHz, cant fix that crap tho is out of my hands lol.....

I wish it is 2billion mhz lol

BTW here are the gains, i also rounded the number XD

1500 VS 1800

Test 1 44.87 VS 46.66 FPS (+2FPS)
Test 2 49.94 VS 51.91 FPS (+2FPS)
Test 3 61.27 VS 64.5 FPS (+3FPS)
Test 4 29.68 VS 30.55 FPS (+1FPS)

Real case scenario, i dont see no real benefit overclocking the memory to 1800 for an average of 2 fps gain. Putting the whole temps/performance/stability in perspective...

In the core it is where the gains truly are in this chip, memory is faster enough already as it is...


----------



## BradleyW

rep, thanks!!!


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Same as yours 4.5GHz, cant fix that crap tho is out of my hands lol.....
> I wish it is 2billion mhz lol
> BTW here are the gains
> 1500 VS 1800
> Test 1 44.87 VS 46.66 FPS
> Test 2 49.94 VS 51.91 FPS
> Test 3 61.27 VS 64.5 FPS
> Test 4 29.68 VS 30.55 FPS


Yeah I think everyone would at 2 bill mhz







lol

Thanks for the info...we will have to have a bench off someday


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> rep, thanks!!!


You only need to disable it under CurrentControlSet and not every instance. You can read more here, under afterburner install unofficial overclock method.


----------



## SonDa5

Work on flashing HD7950 to HD7970 still going on for me.

So close to working but unable to see anything when I boot with DVI cable out of video card.

Very close to working though. If I use the integrated gpu on 3570k to boot I can pull up gpu-z information and everthing appears to have flashed accept for the unlocked shaders.

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/k628y/


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> FTW: What sort of cooling were you using to get those crazy clocks on the GPU? My card runs into no temperature issues (never go above 46C after 15 minutes of furmark) but it just needs more volts than I can throw at it.


Ln2 cooled, was keeping it between -120° & -130° with voltage at 1.568 (vdroop to 1.468). Using stock voltage with cold it was maxing core at 1350 at 1.3V, same card maxed at 1237 1.3V on water. They like colder.

What does the ULPS actually do, disabling disables the ultra low power state I'm guessing? Haven't played with that one.

SonDa5, the different shader count on the card might not like the new bios that wants to use those extra shaders.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> SonDa5, the different shader count on the card might not like the new bios that wants to use those extra shaders.


Not sure why it is not working.

Below is the BIOS that I'm looking for.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

A more realistic test aimed to the average overclocker to see Core and Mem Gains, decided to use Crysis 2 with adrenaline tool as it more easy to understand and still a high demanding game after the dx11 patch...Also it is a more fps raw game, so it will do fine.

So specs...

2500K @ 4.5GHz
16GB of ram @ 1333MHz
the rest is the difference between clocks on the 7970..

I test 4 combinations of core clocks, memory was 1600MHz in all of the tests, choose this one as default for a reason (not everybody gets 1800/1900mhz on their 7970 and 1600MHz seems more common between all the cards) Also test 925/1000/1100/1200 for a reason too...

Here are the core clocks results









Here are the memory results, in this test 1200MHz on the core









Images are self explanatory i guess....

In another words... (rounded all the numbers to lower the margin -/+ error)

925 @ 1000: +%5
925 @ 1100: +%11
925 @ 1200: +%16

Note: Dont matter if your card is factory oced, the regular 7970 is 925/1375MHz as reference...

For the guru guru XD
GHOST EDIT (fixed)
925/1375 @ 1200/1800: +%25

The best gains taking the whole different clocks scenarios and average core/mem clocks readed on here that are ((EASY)) achievable (even without touching the card volts) are 1100/1600 in this case.... Im not saying this is the average top of this cards.....

Hope this help a few out there that are not into the extreme overclocking and just want to suck the best they can "safely" of their hardware...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Hi guys/gals,

There's a small update to Atiman Uinstaller 7.0.2:

** AMD Install Manager for AMD chipset mobo version updated.
* Fix minor bug in the Install Manager when uninstalling AMD mobo.
* Removed the express tab in the process above Install Manager.
* Removed the possibility to question in the last "gray" window.*

The DL-link and version number are the same and anyone that downloaded the previous 7.0.2 is advised to update.


----------



## Reaper2794

Does anyone have an XFX Double Dissipation 7950 for sale? PM me..?


----------



## Rmerwede

Hi All!

Quick question for the club members:

This is a really long thread, and I am unsure if there is an OC guide somewhere in here. I am looking to find out which 7970s can have their voltage controlled VIA software, and which software can do it. I am a fan of MSI AB, but I heard that you might need to alter a file to unlock voltage control? Also will AB work with all Bios' from all manufacturers? Will any of the cards need a BIOS flash? It would be nice if we had a repository of guides and tweaks necessary for unlocking the 7970s to their full potential.

Any help and/or links are greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Feyris

To those thinking about the Sapphire OC or MSI Lightning... It seems the Sapphire is a formidable foe if you dont mind the potential for coil whine (Which I do not get unless I am above 85% Utilization) My significant other, I played with his Lightning today and could only reach 1250 // 1900 stable without some serious temp. problems in Kombuster. (I am talking above 90c here) while in the secondary Bios position. Then again Im not sure If I got a golden card and he has a under achieving Lightning, since we all have different experiences... But I was able to hit 1400// 1575 (Lowered bandwidth to keep VRMs a little happier) I will furmark it later when I am awake, but... I have had no driver crashes, VDDC Resets, etc while gaming. 1.3V I will post results for both in morning (EST)


----------



## sena

Guys, anyone noticed with 12.6 drivers random stuters, and at the when it stutters, catalyst icon apears at taskbar.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> To those thinking about the Sapphire OC or MSI Lightning... It seems the Sapphire is a formidable foe if you dont mind the potential for coil whine (Which I do not get unless I am above 85% Utilization) My significant other, I played with his Lightning today and could only reach 1250 // 1900 stable without some serious temp. problems in Kombuster. (I am talking above 90c here) while in the secondary Bios position. Then again Im not sure If I got a golden card and he has a under achieving Lightning, since we all have different experiences... But I was able to hit 1400// 1575 (Lowered bandwidth to keep VRMs a little happier) I will furmark it later when I am awake, but... I have had no driver crashes, VDDC Resets, etc while gaming. 1.3V I will post results for both in morning (EST)


Run HWinfo32 to monitor VRM temps.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rmerwede*
> 
> Hi All!
> Quick question for the club members:
> This is a really long thread, and I am unsure if there is an OC guide somewhere in here. I am looking to find out which 7970s can have their voltage controlled VIA software, and which software can do it. I am a fan of MSI AB, but I heard that you might need to alter a file to unlock voltage control? Also will AB work with all Bios' from all manufacturers? Will any of the cards need a BIOS flash? It would be nice if we had a repository of guides and tweaks necessary for unlocking the 7970s to their full potential.
> Any help and/or links are greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance!


SApphire OC cards work well with TriXX and have voltage control.


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> yeah sure thing, do the following:-
> 1. Go to regedit ~ start > search programs and files and type "regedit".
> 2. In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
> 3. For EVERY instance found change the "1" value to a "0".
> 4. Reboot PC
> 5. Check that it is disabled and reap the rewards.
> Sometimes it may require a few attempts to get to stay disabled but you it should help with overclocking both cards.
> With regards to conflicts between AB and CCC like was posted earlier you could always use trixx, personally i have always been a fan of AB and have not seen many problems with it but if it helps go for it as they both do the job equally as well.


I had the same problems and still have them, what does ULPS do ? and what effects would it have on my GPU's if i disable it ?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> BF3 is the king of stability testing imo. I can run Crysis 2 and Furmark all day at 1250, but BF3 will crash. Had to drop it down to 1225. Really wish there was a benchmark program for BF3 like Crysis 2.


There is.... Running OCCT for 10 min at max shader complexity. You should be carefull with Powertune ("Board Power Limit" in Trixx) though in combination with OCCT. I would set it at 0% instead of the +20% everybody seems to be using. Setting it at +20% makes the benchmark with OCCT far less stable.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> There is.... Running OCCT for 10 min at max shader complexity. You should be carefull with Powertune ("Board Power Limit" in Trixx) though in combination with OCCT. I would set it at 0% instead of the +20% everybody seems to be using. Setting it at +20% makes the benchmark with OCCT far less stable.


That's because it throttles OCCT when you set it to 0.

Even +20 throttles it but not as much.


----------



## BradleyW

What should this feature be set to for my 7970 CF?

Thank you.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What should this feature be set to for my 7970 CF?
> 
> Thank you.


The one it was originally on.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The one it was originally on.


That would be 1175 then. However, sapphire TriXX runs at 1112 and sometimes, 1175. Problem?
Also, should i have the power at +20 when running a 3d application such as a game or bench?


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> I had the same problems and still have them, what does ULPS do ? and what effects would it have on my GPU's if i disable it ?


ULPS is a power saving mode which disables the additional GPU's when they are not needed, if you are not overclocking your cards this feature can be useful. Unfortunately almost all overclocking software conflicts with ULPS as it tries to raise the core clocks and or voltage on the additional cards but cant due to them being in an ultra low power state which causes a system crash or lock up.

Disabling ULPS means that your crossfire is always enabled which allows for the core clocks and voltages to be adjusted across each card without the system crashing...this will mean that you will using slightly more power at idle but it otherwise will not harm your setup in any way.

Hope this makes sense?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What should this feature be set to for my 7970 CF?
> 
> Thank you.


That should automatically set itself. That number all depends on what the VID for your chip is...


----------



## BradleyW

Should my cards be set tp +20 when overclocked/overvolted?
Cheers.

Edit: Rep given to those who have helped.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> ULPS is a power saving mode which disables the additional GPU's when they are not needed, if you are not overclocking your cards this feature can be useful. Unfortunately almost all overclocking software conflicts with ULPS as it tries to raise the core clocks and or voltage on the additional cards but cant due to them being in an ultra low power state which causes a system crash or lock up.
> Disabling ULPS means that your crossfire is always enabled which allows for the core clocks and voltages to be adjusted across each card without the system crashing...this will mean that you will using slightly more power at idle but it otherwise will not harm your setup in any way.
> Hope this makes sense?


Wait.... ULPS could be the culprit to VDDC resets when the card comes from idle into heavy load? If I am understanding the way that works properly.. or is this only for CF/SLI.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Should my cards be set tp +20 when overclocked/overvolted?
> Cheers.
> 
> Edit: Rep given to those who have helped.


Yes, if you're going for a nice big OC, set that thing to +20%.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Should my cards be set tp +20 when overclocked/overvolted?
> Cheers.
> Edit: Rep given to those who have helped.


It's basically one of those "I rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it".

I would keep it at +20% if I were you.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Yes, if you're going for a nice big OC, set that thing to +20%.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It's basically one of those "I rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it".
> I would keep it at +20% if I were you.


Thank you. rep+


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Wait.... ULPS could be the culprit to VDDC resets when the card comes from idle into heavy load? If I am understanding the way that works properly.. or is this only for CF/SLI.


In theory this feature only works for multi card set ups so it probably wouldn't help in that situation...saying that it wouldn't cause any harm to disable it to see if it helps as you can always enable it again afterwards by reversing the process if you didn't notice an improvement.


----------



## BradleyW

Guess what? 1200/1700Mhz stable at 1181MV CF enabled.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Guess what? 1200/1700Mhz stable at 1181MV CF enabled.


If no crysis 1/2 stable no stable at all remember that..


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> If no crysis 1/2 stable no stable at all remember that..


Will Heaven max out do?
Or even Metro 2033 max out?
If yes, it is stable









My top card is hitting 95c though. How can i reduce temps>?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Will Heaven max out do?
> Or even Metro 2033 max out?
> If yes, it is stable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My top card is hitting 95c though. How can i reduce temps>?


Not even battlefield 3.. Crysis 1 or 2 can detect the minimal of bad overclocks that only need a little bump on the vcore or a few clocks down to get fixed..
Reduce temps? Drop the vcore and clocks... 95c your vram probably would be like 20c higher "yikes"...

I will drop those temps..
Look at my crysis 2 gains and decide best case scenario... Specially you that are on CF...
I wouild sacrifice a few mhz for better temps thats for sure...


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Will Heaven max out do?
> Or even Metro 2033 max out?
> If yes, it is stable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My top card is hitting 95c though. How can i reduce temps>?


95C is not safe. I suggest you look at more intake case fans to blow air onto the cards and outlet case fans to exhaust heat out of the cabinet. If you don't have any more fan provisions then look to lower down the clocks to 1100 Mhz and try to get the temps to below 85C.. you don't want to risk your cards in the long term. so play safe.








also make sure your cables are tied up and managed in such a way that they don't obstruct cool intake air flow to the graphics cards..


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Will Heaven max out do?
> Or even Metro 2033 max out?
> If yes, it is stable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My top card is hitting 95c though. How can i reduce temps>?


Welcome to my situation. Can't do more than 1220MHz with these Lightnings because temps get too high (can really only do one loop of Heaven at that clock before temps get to 90C). Only solution I've found is going full water...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Run HWinfo32 to monitor VRM temps.


I use aida, hwinfo is to combobulated...
Love the nice history graph it provides too..

PD:
This link provides a nice representation of newer drivers, shame 12.6 are borked on my system..
http://www.ocaholic.ch/xoops/html/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=762&page=0


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've been doing extensive testing today on both of my cards individually and have found that my Lightnings are almost completely opposite clockers. My top card will do 1275MHz at 1262mV no problem but temps get into the low 80C's and it'll start to artifact. My bottom card will not do 1225MHz at all and I've already tested up to 1300mV. Weirdly temps do not seem to be a problem with the bottom card as even at 1300mV it only gets to upper 60C's.

Not really sure what this means for the future of my water-cooling build. Maybe the lower temps will help the upper card stay stable at 1275MHz and will allow me to jack up the voltage on the lower card enough to reach 1275MHz? I dunno...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Stock cooling? i doubt your second card is been scaling and working properly with 1300mv and only getting upper 60's... I just doubt it..

My card can do up to 1275 at stock volts but it will eventualy crash in a bench ....
If i do 1.25mv with the same clocks it will crash as soon i open the bench program, so yep temp limited there...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I dunno, here is a screen of AB after Heaven crashed...



Here is my completed run with the top card at 1275MHz:



Really wish my bottom card could match it...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

You check gpu-z and monitor 2nd card clocks and voltage? Im interested on the vdroop of that card in particular and the average of the volts... If it have a huge vdroop then you are feeding it with useless volts to the card.. For little gains...

You can try to do some computing power for better testing crossfire setups, is the only thing i would find to really use multiple card setups @ 100% all the time... Its the only thing that would give a constant voltage reading too, hence for what i use for voltage reading...
I would fire it up, run it a couple of times to test voltages/clocks/temps etc...
This would be more easy to the computer, instead of BSOD or a TOTAL freeze it just give you a display driver error..
The test will continue and you are going to see on gpu-z that your clocks drop to 2dclocks even when the program still running...

I freaking hate vdroops....

I recommend hashcat for example... Needs some time to figure it out tho, to configure and everything.. But in my opinion worth it..
PD: watch your temps on hashcat lol

Speed........: 28037 c/s Real, 168.7k c/s GPU
This is what happen when my overclock fail, it still running XD

See the difference? from 168k keys at sec went all way down to 28k at sec
It just give me a display error instead of a hard crash or bsod...

In a bad bad overclock it would constant freeze with constant display driver errors... ALT/CTRL/END and closing the hashcat cmd window and reseting your clocks would stop it.. You can recover from this...

Then try those stable clocks on a 3d application... I use wpa/wpa2 (grab my own wifi capture) and try to crack it with a big dictionary that is over the 3gb of vram at least... as the program loads everything on the card ram, if it is to big and dont fit it will cut the files in sections and load those on the ram when needed and space is available. So everything in your card is been tested at the same time..


----------



## thegh0sts

AB is telling me that Max Payne 3 is using only 30% of the GPU load on my 7950 and it's maxing out at 55 degrees Celsius on load.

anyone getting similar numbers?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> AB is telling me that Max Payne 3 is using only 30% of the GPU load on my 7950 and it's maxing out at 55 degrees Celsius on load.
> anyone getting similar numbers?


What cpu?


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> What cpu?


ivy bridge core i5 3550.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> AB is telling me that Max Payne 3 is using only 30% of the GPU load on my 7950 and it's maxing out at 55 degrees Celsius on load.
> anyone getting similar numbers?


Have you got vsync on with the game?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> *You check gpu-z and monitor 2nd card clocks and voltage?* Im interested on the vdroop of that card in particular and the average of the volts... If it have a huge vdroop then you are feeding it with useless volts to the card.. For little gains.....


I just checked GPU-z and it said I was running at stock 1.17V even though AB was set to 1.3V. It's definitely not at stock voltage so something is up with GPU-z's voltage monitoring...


----------



## BradleyW

Is 1150/1700 good for stock voltage?

My card just seems to hit an extra 30c if I push for around 1180 at 1.2


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> There is.... Running OCCT for 10 min at max shader complexity. You should be carefull with Powertune ("Board Power Limit" in Trixx) though in combination with OCCT. I would set it at 0% instead of the +20% everybody seems to be using. Setting it at +20% makes the benchmark with OCCT far less stable.


OCCT throotles even with power tune set +20%, GPU core is only at 1 GHz. (in my case)


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is 1150/1700 good for stock voltage?
> 
> My card just seems to hit an extra 30c if I push for around 1180 at 1.2


Yep, those clocks are just fine. It's all about finding that balance between power and temperature.

That's why water is so amazing on these 7970s... keep all those temps down and unlock some potential.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Yep, those clocks are just fine. It's all about finding that balance between power and temperature.
> That's why water is so amazing on these 7970s... keep all those temps down and unlock some potential.


I can't afford water cooling so I will just have to get a 120mm fan and change my airflow. I will also test to see which card runs hotter of the two, then put the hotter card on bottom.

Cheers.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I use aida, hwinfo is to combobulated...
> Love the nice history graph it provides too..
> PD:
> This link provides a nice representation of newer drivers, shame 12.6 are borked on my system..
> http://www.ocaholic.ch/xoops/html/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=762&page=0


HWinfo64 is more compatible with newer HD79XX cards. Much better.


----------



## neoroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> There is.... Running OCCT for 10 min at max shader complexity. You should be carefull with Powertune ("Board Power Limit" in Trixx) though in combination with OCCT. I would set it at 0% instead of the +20% everybody seems to be using. Setting it at +20% makes the benchmark with OCCT far less stable.


Hi Daffie82, I found the difference between set Power limit to 0% and 20% in benchmark








Just try *Vantage full test,* you will see same FPS in all categories but not for *Feature test 1* and *Feature test 6*







with 20% produces more FPS than 0%.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I just checked GPU-z and it said I was running at stock 1.17V even though AB was set to 1.3V. It's definitely not at stock voltage so something is up with GPU-z's voltage monitoring...


Yep yep, dont rely on a single program to monitor your stuff....


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is 1150/1700 good for stock voltage?
> My card just seems to hit an extra 30c if I push for around 1180 at 1.2


Of course my friend... Like i said read my crysis 2 gains... You have to understand also performance all over the board...


----------



## truestorybro545

Hey guys. I'm new to overclocking GPU's. What is the best method for doing so? I really want to increase my performance.


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Have you got vsync on with the game?


yes, it is enabled.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *truestorybro545*
> 
> Hey guys. I'm new to overclocking GPU's. What is the best method for doing so? I really want to increase my performance.


Download MSI Afterburner. Turn up the power limit to +20%.

Bump up the core clock to about 1100Mhz, test for stability, bump the core 25Mhz, test for stability, etc... Repeat until temps get over 80ºC or you're happy with performance.

For memory, you must be careful, because monitoring VRM temps is less convenient, and Afterburner doesn't. Download HWInfo64 and it'll give you access to VRM temps. Bump the memory to around 1500Mhz as a start, bump 25Mhz, test, repeat... Make sure to watch temps so they don't get into the danger zone.

I settled on 1150Mhz/1600Mhz at 1.15V as my 24/7 OC. I can run those clocks on stock voltage in all games but Crysis 2, so I settled on 1.15V to keep Crysis 2 happy, and avoid any shutdowns. Temps stay below 70ºC with an ambient of 23ºC.


----------



## truestorybro545

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> Download MSI Afterburner. Turn up the power limit to +20%.
> Bump up the core clock to about 1100Mhz, test for stability, bump the core 25Mhz, test for stability, etc... Repeat until temps get over 80ºC or you're happy with performance.
> For memory, you must be careful, because monitoring VRM temps is less convenient, and Afterburner doesn't. Download HWInfo64 and it'll give you access to VRM temps. Bump the memory to around 1500Mhz as a start, bump 25Mhz, test, repeat... Make sure to watch temps so they don't get into the danger zone.
> I settled on 1150Mhz/1600Mhz at 1.15V as my 24/7 OC. I can run those clocks on stock voltage in all games but Crysis 2, so I settled on 1.15V to keep Crysis 2 happy, and avoid any shutdowns. Temps stay below 70ºC with an ambient of 23ºC.


I have many issues with MSI Afterburner. Every time I start my computer up, the settings are overridden by CCC and have to manually set them. Plus, when I check for stability on the GPUTool from TechPowerUp, with CCC settings off and MSI on, my card was running at 80 FPS, when I average 420.

If you don't mind (and I really appreciate all of this, believe me), can you give me the exact order of what to shut off and enable?

Also, my last statement was a little blunt and vague. I have OC'd before, but I said I haven't because I really don't know how to do it properly









Thanks


----------



## Feyris

Lightning, why you no OC more?!

Best I could do...lol so sadistic for such a premium card.










ASIC is 76.4%


----------



## truestorybro545

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Lightning, why you no OC more?!
> Best I could do...lol so sadistic for such a premium card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ASIC is 76.4%


Mine's 66%


----------



## SkateZilla

mines only 70 or so %.

Sapphire has an AMD 6GB 7970 coming out soon.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Lightning, why you no OC more?!
> Best I could do...lol so sadistic for such a premium card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ASIC is 76.4%


My ASIC is about 75% and I have very similar results. It takes crazy voltage to get any higher, and then the temps skyrocket.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *truestorybro545*
> 
> I have many issues with MSI Afterburner. Every time I start my computer up, the settings are overridden by CCC and have to manually set them. Plus, when I check for stability on the GPUTool from TechPowerUp, with CCC settings off and MSI on, my card was running at 80 FPS, when I average 420.
> If you don't mind (and I really appreciate all of this, believe me), can you give me the exact order of what to shut off and enable?
> Also, my last statement was a little blunt and vague. I have OC'd before, but I said I haven't because I really don't know how to do it properly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks


I've never used CCC before. I open Afterburner when I'm gaming so I can OC, and shut the program down when I'm not gaming and it defaults to stock clocks.

Turn the power limit to +20% (as seen in the screenshots of the other poster above me) and then start overclocking. It's pretty simple to get a decent overclock, but overclocking for absolute maximum performance can be time consuming. If you go into Afterburner and set it to 1100Mhz/1500Mhz with the power limit turned up (stock voltage), you'll get a substantial performance boost with very little effort. To overclock more, you may need to start adjusting voltage, that's where it starts to get more difficult. I taught myself to overclock by just reading on here (OCN) and trying it myself.


----------



## Warfare

CPU 4.3GHZ /RAM 2133MHz - 10-12-10-29-1T


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *truestorybro545*
> 
> I have many issues with MSI Afterburner. Every time I start my computer up, the settings are overridden by CCC and have to manually set them. Plus, when I check for stability on the GPUTool from TechPowerUp, with CCC settings off and MSI on, my card was running at 80 FPS, when I average 420.
> If you don't mind (and I really appreciate all of this, believe me), can you give me the exact order of what to shut off and enable?
> Also, my last statement was a little blunt and vague. I have OC'd before, but I said I haven't because I really don't know how to do it properly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks


Disable overdrive.


----------



## Imprezzion

Warfare, is that with tesselation lowered or AMD optimized. I can't get over 10k unless i lower or disable tesselation and my CPU should be faster and GPU is clocked higher.

Best I did was 9640 with my 2600k at 4.8 24/7 clocks and my GPU at 1250-1675 1.262mv 24/7. RAM was at 1866 8-9-9-24-2T.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Warfare, is that with tesselation lowered or AMD optimized. I can't get over 10k unless i lower or disable tesselation and my CPU should be faster and GPU is clocked higher.
> 
> Best I did was 9640 with my 2600k at 4.8 24/7 clocks and my GPU at 1250-1675 1.262mv 24/7. RAM was at 1866 8-9-9-24-2T.


Your results are bad then. I break 11k with 4.7GHz i7-3770k and 7970 @ 1310/1725 with no driver tweaks whatsoever. That's tesselation etc. completely on.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> yes, it is enabled.


Turn it off and you should notice your gpu percentage increase in the game.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> CPU 4.3GHZ /RAM 2133MHz - 10-12-10-29-1T


Overclock that cpu and card more!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Warfare, is that with tesselation lowered or AMD optimized. I can't get over 10k unless i lower or disable tesselation and my CPU should be faster and GPU is clocked higher.
> Best I did was 9640 with my 2600k at 4.8 24/7 clocks and my GPU at 1250-1675 1.262mv 24/7. RAM was at 1866 8-9-9-24-2T.


For comparison, 2500k @ 4.8ghz. 1 7970 @ 1300/1650. My cpu is seriously hurting the score, but always scores over 10k now.
For 11k I need 5ghz.



I would check the drivers you are using. Also how does your cpu score compare? It should be higher.


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Warfare, is that with tesselation lowered or AMD optimized. I can't get over 10k unless i lower or disable tesselation and my CPU should be faster and GPU is clocked higher.
> Best I did was 9640 with my 2600k at 4.8 24/7 clocks and my GPU at 1250-1675 1.262mv 24/7. RAM was at 1866 8-9-9-24-2T.


I'm using 3DMark11 Basic and I don't fool with CCC other than to scale the screen.


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Overclock that cpu and card more!


Don't worry, I'm just getting started.


----------



## Imprezzion

Haha I figured out what the problem was.. I had AA @ Ignore application and used 2x EQ with SSAA







.

Used 12.6 beta's @ stock CCC settings and got 10536
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3631535

CPU @ 4.8, GPU @ 1250/1675. RAM sucks and new is underway.


----------



## SkateZilla

i enabled VSync to get rid of some tearing in BF3, but I limited FPS to 60,

GPU and CPU are both never fully utilized. I'll have to double check, as the graph said 50% for both was the max.


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> ULPS is a power saving mode which disables the additional GPU's when they are not needed, if you are not overclocking your cards this feature can be useful. Unfortunately almost all overclocking software conflicts with ULPS as it tries to raise the core clocks and or voltage on the additional cards but cant due to them being in an ultra low power state which causes a system crash or lock up.
> Disabling ULPS means that your crossfire is always enabled which allows for the core clocks and voltages to be adjusted across each card without the system crashing...this will mean that you will using slightly more power at idle but it otherwise will not harm your setup in any way.
> Hope this makes sense?


Thank you so much ! Great explanation i'm not fussed about power that much







hopefully this will stop the problems I have had







thanks again !

Just another question though, will this be enabled again when I update my drivers ?

EDIT - Ok i just looked through your instructions on disabling upls and this step : . In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
doesn't make sence







can you explain more please ?

EDIT 2 - Sorted it







I now don't get ANY crashes at all







I used this - http://www.overclock.net/t/1088266/ulps-gui-config-utility-enable-disable - worked a charm


----------



## snelan

So I am selling one of my 7970s, because I only have 1 1080p monitor, and have a question. Since I don't have to deal with the added heat of the second card, as they both have Accellero Xtreme coolers on them, I want to get into overclocking it. Are the newest drivers the best for overclocking? Also, is AB still the thing to use for these cards?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Has anybody heard anything about the lightning blocks from EK? I was hoping for an announcement from them soon considering they are supposed to be widely available in early June...


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Has anybody heard anything about the lightning blocks from EK? I was hoping for an announcement from them soon considering they are supposed to be widely available in early June...


Ektiborr replied to this question over at xtremesystems at the end of may and said they expect them ready and available no later than mode June.

Here's the post http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?281232-MSI-HD-7970-Lightning-water-block


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Thank you so much ! Great explanation i'm not fussed about power that much
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hopefully this will stop the problems I have had
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks again !
> Just another question though, will this be enabled again when I update my drivers ?
> EDIT - Ok i just looked through your instructions on disabling upls and this step : . In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
> doesn't make sence
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can you explain more please ?


Go to start, search regedit, then search within there to pull them up, change the vales from 1 to 0


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Thank you so much ! Great explanation i'm not fussed about power that much
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hopefully this will stop the problems I have had
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks again !
> Just another question though, will this be enabled again when I update my drivers ?
> EDIT - Ok i just looked through your instructions on disabling upls and this step : . In drop down menu: find file > type "enableulps".
> doesn't make sence
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can you explain more please ?
> EDIT 2 - Sorted it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I now don't get ANY crashes at all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I used this - http://www.overclock.net/t/1088266/ulps-gui-config-utility-enable-disable - worked a charm


Glad you got it sorted









With regards to your first question...I am not to sure actually as it has been quite a while since I ran a CF setup that I have forgot if it does re-enable after each update or not.

I am sure the multiple users that still run CF on this thread would be better at answering that question for you.


----------



## Arrehenius

First time being on the Team Red, just got my Gigabyte 7970 Windforce3








Can't wait to get home from work tonight and pop it in and see what the baby can do.
All giddy just thinking about it


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Glad you got it sorted
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With regards to your first question...I am not to sure actually as it has been quite a while since I ran a CF setup that I have forgot if it does re-enable after each update or not.
> I am sure the multiple users that still run CF on this thread would be better at answering that question for you.


Me too I finally don't have to restart my PC when I want to play a different game









I hope someone can enlighten me on that, I still have that utility anyway - which checks if it is on or not


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> First time being on the Team Red, just got my Gigabyte 7970 Windforce3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can't wait to get home from work tonight and pop it in and see what the baby can do.
> All giddy just thinking about it


Hope it goes well for you, sometimes AMD drivers don't play nice if there was previously installed Nvidia drivers.


----------



## locc

Hey. I just installed ASUS 7970 DCII TOP and I'm stuck with how to change the gpu voltage with software. Cards default voltage is 1.175v (ACID 65%). Latest Asus GPU tweak lets me only lower the voltage from 1.175v. Same with Saphire's TriXX. Afterburner doesnt show any voltage and thus doesnt let change it either. Any tips? I am a bit confused about this and starting to think there are cards with different bios out there. Some let change the voltage and some doesnt.


----------



## BradleyW

Will a waterblock fit my 7970? I have a custom pcb (Silent Revision)


----------



## darkstar585

Does anyone know where I can get/ have the bios for the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC in the factory overclocked 1010/1375 state?

Thinking of installing it to my second bios so i can select it on the switch.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Will a waterblock fit my 7970? I have a custom pcb (Silent Revision)


If it is a custom pcb than a full waterblock probably won't fit...But you could always check on EK's site Here


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> If it is a custom pcb then a full waterblock probably won't...But you could always check on EK's site Here


The site says it is fine but my PCB is red, not the colour shown in the suggested image for the powercolor 7970 v3.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> The site says it is fine but my PCB is red, not the colour shown in the suggested image for the powercolor 7970 v3.


What I would do is to pop off the cooler and compare it against the ref images to see if there are any differences to hole positions and capacitor placement etc...its also a good time to replace the TIM with some higher quality stuff to see if it improves your temps.

This might void your warranty so check first!... Shouldn't really matter if you was planning on WC anyway.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> What I would do is to pop off the cooler and compare it against the ref images to see if there are any differences to hole positions and capacitor placement etc...its also a good time to replace the TIM with some higher quality stuff to see if it improves your temps.
> This might void your warranty so check first!... Shouldn't really matter if you was planning on WC anyway.


Well i can clearly see already that my PCB is custom and 10 times better, however the holes are in different places, except the actual GPU socket area.

What TIM could reduce my temps by about 5c?


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Well i can clearly see already that my PCB is custom and 10 times better, however the holes are in different places, except the actual GPU socket area.
> What TIM could reduce my temps by about 5c?


5c nothing really, but the correct application of AS 5 ( machine placement is thick and shoddy at best) and even tightening of the heatsink could see a drop of a degree or 2c in my experience with older AMD cards.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> 5c nothing really, but the correct application of AS 5 ( machine placement is thick and shoddy at best) and even tightening of the heatsink could see a drop of a degree or 2c in my experience with older AMD cards.


Surely there must be some TIm along with a certain placement that could reduce the temps by at least 4c then?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> 5c nothing really, but the correct application of AS 5 ( machine placement is thick and shoddy at best) and even tightening of the heatsink could see a drop of a degree or 2c in my experience with older AMD cards.
> 
> 
> 
> Surely there must be some TIm along with a certain placement that could reduce the temps by at least 4c then?
Click to expand...

IC Diamond.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> IC Diamond.


How and how much should be applied?
Thanks mate.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> IC Diamond.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How and how much should be applied?
> Thanks mate.
Click to expand...

I usually just put a large dot in the center myself. But I've seen other people put a thin layer over the entire surface (since a GPU is a good bit larger than a CPU).


----------



## truestorybro545

My 7970 is on the fritz right now and I need help.

I have overdrive disabled, and my power control settings reset every time I boot my computer. I manually volted the GPU to 1.212V at a speed of 1100 Mhz Core and 1500 Mhz Memory. Although my performance in BF3, for example, went up, I have this massive screen tear when I first enable the overclock. Not the game itself. My desktop is the one experiencing it. My fix for it is that I have to enable the OC profile and then enable it again to keep it from happening. Also, sometimes at Stock, my Core and Memory won't go higher than 500/300 when stress testing. And then, in BF3, I get a throttling sound from my computer (pretty sure it' the GPU) and it doesn't even go past 76C.

My computer is so messed up. Can someone give me some pointers?


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Does anyone know where I can get/ have the bios for the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC in the factory overclocked 1010/1375 state?
> Thinking of installing it to my second bios so i can select it on the switch.
> Thanks in advance.


I've used this one, it is the 1010/1375.
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/116917/MSI.HD7970.3072.120106.rom


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I usually just put a large dot in the center myself. But I've seen other people put a thin layer over the entire surface (since a GPU is a good bit larger than a CPU).


What about shin etsu?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I usually just put a large dot in the center myself. But I've seen other people put a thin layer over the entire surface (since a GPU is a good bit larger than a CPU).
> 
> 
> 
> What about shin etsu?
Click to expand...

Shin Etsu x23 is pretty good, the G751 isn't too great. Both are a good bit better than AS5 though.

IC Diamond is currently my favorite TIM though. It dropped my GTX 580 temps a good 15-20*C (part of that was probably the over use of TIM from the factory though). I saw a good 5-8*C drop on my i5 2500k using it over AS5 (using the same method and close to the same amount both times).


----------



## jomama22

My personal favorite is tim tronics grey ice 4200. Easy on, easy off and works wonders for me on my water cooled loop. There are a few reviews around about it and is one of toms favorite tim as well.


----------



## Rob0rz

I've been messing around with my card and testing Lucid VirtuMVP to see what kind of effects it has and here is the comparison.

http://3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/3634452/3dm11/3634574
I just upgraded from a GTX 480 I had bought a month before getting this card. I think I can probably do some more tweaking and push the card more but I'm content with it at these speeds.









My ASIC Quality is 87.2%


----------



## Imprezzion

Do u guys think I should make a custom BIOS with my current stable clocks and voltages for the 2nd BIOS so I don't need to rely on MSI AB or any software for my OC?

Is it even possible to edit voltages in the BIOS?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rob0rz*
> 
> My ASIC Quality is 87.2%


I've got the same card and just slightly higher ASIC quality.










All the 950mhz Edition Sapphire HD7950s that I have read about are scoring high 80s and low 90s.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Do u guys think I should make a custom BIOS with my current stable clocks and voltages for the 2nd BIOS so I don't need to rely on MSI AB or any software for my OC?
> Is it even possible to edit voltages in the BIOS?


Techinferno guys are working on BIOS editor.

http://forum.techinferno.com/vbios-patcher/


----------



## Feyris

I put AS5 on mine got a 4c~ drop idled at 45 Now at 39~41 then again I just felt like using it... its like that bottle never runs out I've used it so many times already. (Three CPUs, two GPUs, a NB) Also anyone experiencing coil whine... I had it pretty bad, but it finally went away. my 7970 OC ASIC is 80.8%, oh well... so much for golden card.


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> Hey. I just installed ASUS 7970 DCII TOP and I'm stuck with how to change the gpu voltage with software. Cards default voltage is 1.175v (ACID 65%). Latest Asus GPU tweak lets me only lower the voltage from 1.175v. Same with Saphire's TriXX. Afterburner doesnt show any voltage and thus doesnt let change it either. Any tips? I am a bit confused about this and starting to think there are cards with different bios out there. Some let change the voltage and some doesnt.


I did some more testing and tried older drivers 12.3 and 12.4 but still cant change voltage any higher with any program and afterburner still doesnt read or let change voltages at all. Max stable gpu is 1130MHz with this seems unchangable gpu voltage and mem maxs out at 6640MHz. If I cant find solution to this voltage lock I might just return the card and wait for the now rumored "GHz models" likely hitting next week. Also I still find ASIC of 65,2% for TOP card to be low which is a let down.


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rob0rz*
> 
> I've been messing around with my card and testing Lucid VirtuMVP to see what kind of effects it has and here is the comparison.
> http://3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/3634452/3dm11/3634574
> I just upgraded from a GTX 480 I had bought a month before getting this card. I think I can probably do some more tweaking and push the card more but I'm content with it at these speeds.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My ASIC Quality is 87.2%


How did you get virtu working? Can you describe the procedure please.


----------



## Arrehenius

Hey guys, just installed my Gigabyte 7970 last night and slowly started to OC it, what's the limit for voltage on these cards, 1.3V?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, I see you're talking about the Power Limit... I understand how on stress-test programs it works and how it throttles them, but how can I see if throttles my FPS on BF3, for instance?

I've 3 different oc profiles. 1000Mhz - 1.075V ~ 1050Mhz - 1.112V and 1100Mhz - 1.149V. I mostly use the first one, the 'lighter', but I never increase the Power Limit. I leave it to 0%. Are there any solid indications for throttling while gaming?


----------



## Snyderman34

Finally it has come!




























For reference, my old 6950 idled at 49C with the fan running at 75%. Huge improvement. Very happy so far!


----------



## Snyderman34

Also, ASIC is 78.4


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, I see you're talking about the Power Limit... I understand how on stress-test programs it works and how it throttles them, but how can I see if throttles my FPS on BF3, for instance?
> I've 3 different oc profiles. 1000Mhz - 1.075V ~ 1050Mhz - 1.112V and 1100Mhz - 1.149V. I mostly use the first one, the 'lighter', but I never increase the Power Limit. I leave it to 0%. Are there any solid indications for throttling while gaming?


Put powertune to +20% immediately. It has shown to give better fps even if you run the card at stock. It just handles the load better.
Keep it at +20. Move the volts as you overclock.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Finally it has come!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For reference, my old 6950 idled at 49C with the fan running at 75%. Huge improvement. Very happy so far!


That is one BIG ASS card. Looks nice though. Congrats.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I've got the same card and just slightly higher ASIC quality.
> All the 950mhz Edition Sapphire HD7950s that I have read about are scoring high 80s and low 90s.


Oh snap! How on earth did you test yours? Did you get that 7970 bios working then? Got the same cards and I've been watching your posts on the subject intently. Did I miss something?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, I see you're talking about the Power Limit... I understand how on stress-test programs it works and how it throttles them, but how can I see if throttles my FPS on BF3, for instance?
> I've 3 different oc profiles. 1000Mhz - 1.075V ~ 1050Mhz - 1.112V and 1100Mhz - 1.149V. I mostly use the first one, the 'lighter', but I never increase the Power Limit. I leave it to 0%. Are there any solid indications for throttling while gaming?


You can tell by watching your clocks and voltage in game. If you trip the powertune limit, it throttle the card, and that implies all the things that come with throttling. If you overclock, you should definitely raise powertune.


----------



## SkateZilla

Anyone have any advise for this problem:

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3590588.html#Post3590588


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> That is one BIG ASS card. Looks nice though. Congrats.


No kidding. Didn't know it was that big when I bought it. Still room for crossfire though


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> No kidding. Didn't know it was that big when I bought it. Still room for crossfire though


how is that card NOT flexing?.. lol...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Does anyone have this problem.
When i want to play BF3 you join the server and the game opens itself. Once its done loading it comes up and u start playing in full screen. Its been a while now but i get Display Drivers Has Crashed during this loading part of the game. To avoid it i have to click the BF3 icon so that game loads opened up and not minimized.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Does anyone have this problem.
> When i want to play BF3 you join the server and the game opens itself. Once its done loading it comes up and u start playing in full screen. Its been a while now but i get Display Drivers Has Crashed during this loading part of the game. To avoid it i have to click the BF3 icon so that game loads opened up and not minimized.


What are your clock speeds?


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Finally it has come!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For reference, my old 6950 idled at 49C with the fan running at 75%. Huge improvement. Very happy so far!


Nice. Btw I am curious if you can increase the gpu voltage on that card with gpu tweak or with afterburner. I've similar card but it seems to be voltage locked. I suspect you have at least a little different revision because in the pic your gpuz can read all the different voltages (gpuz can only read the gpu voltage for me) and also you have different BIOS version.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> What are your clock speeds?


1175/1675 @ 1.2v/1.6v. Game is fully stable, No artifacts, Played Crysis and Crysis 2.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> 1175/1675 @ 1.2v/1.6v. Game is fully stable, No artifacts, Played Crysis and Crysis 2.


Off topic a little, but what kinds of artifacts you are getting when you are not stable?


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> Nice. Btw I am curious if you can increase the gpu voltage on that card with gpu tweak or with afterburner. I've similar card but it seems to be voltage locked. I suspect you have at least a little different revision because in the pic your gpuz can read all the different voltages (gpuz can only read the gpu voltage for me) and also you have different BIOS version.


I haven't tried yet. Gonna fiddle on my off day tomorrow


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> how is that card NOT flexing?.. lol...


Lol. I have no idea


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> 1175/1675 @ 1.2v/1.6v. Game is fully stable, No artifacts, Played Crysis and Crysis 2.


Have you tried stock clocks to see if it crashes?


----------



## Imprezzion

The guys from techinferno who are building a VBIOS Editor have made me tester for the HD7970 as the tool doesn't support anything except the 7970M from Dell.

The main guy send me a BIOS he tweaked with the program. So far only clock speed tweaks work and he said that if I can sucessfully test this BIOS and the clockspeeds actually work in GPU-Z and are stable then he'd look at the voltages.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> The guys from techinferno who are building a VBIOS Editor have made me tester for the HD7970 as the tool doesn't support anything except the 7970M from Dell.
> The main guy send me a BIOS he tweaked with the program. So far only clock speed tweaks work and he said that if I can sucessfully test this BIOS and the clockspeeds actually work in GPU-Z and are stable then he'd look at the voltages.


That is great news. Good luck!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> The guys from techinferno who are building a VBIOS Editor have made me tester for the HD7970 as the tool doesn't support anything except the 7970M from Dell.
> The main guy send me a BIOS he tweaked with the program. So far only clock speed tweaks work and he said that if I can sucessfully test this BIOS and the clockspeeds actually work in GPU-Z and are stable then he'd look at the voltages.


Tell him we don't need clock speed changes as those are overridden bios driver anyways. What we want are voltages!!!!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> Oh snap! How on earth did you test yours? Did you get that 7970 bios working then? Got the same cards and I've been watching your posts on the subject intently. Did I miss something?


Have been spending time with ATIFLASH trying to flash this card to HD7970. Have tried many different BIOSs and so far nothing.

I have hope.

HWifo64 shows 2048 unified shaders which is what the HD7970 has. Now if only I could unlock them.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Shin Etsu x23 is pretty good, the G751 isn't too great. Both are a good bit better than AS5 though.
> IC Diamond is currently my favorite TIM though. It dropped my GTX 580 temps a good 15-20*C (part of that was probably the over use of TIM from the factory though). I saw a good 5-8*C drop on my i5 2500k using it over AS5 (using the same method and close to the same amount both times).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> My personal favorite is tim tronics grey ice 4200. Easy on, easy off and works wonders for me on my water cooled loop. There are a few reviews around about it and is one of toms favorite tim as well.


So many TIM's lol.
Is there a TIM people are using for 7970's specifically?
How should i apply something like X23 or IC Diamond?
Please note, there is 2 versions of X23.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I put AS5 on mine got a 4c~ drop idled at 45 Now at 39~41 then again I just felt like using it... its like that bottle never runs out I've used it so many times already. (Three CPUs, two GPUs, a NB) Also anyone experiencing coil whine... I had it pretty bad, but it finally went away. my 7970 OC ASIC is 80.8%, oh well... so much for golden card.


Mine is %80.5 and it can do 1200/1800, it can do 1220/1850 but havent test those too far, without touching volts on trixx...
Think stock volts high temps card dont like it lol...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So many TIM's lol.
> Is there a TIM people are using for 7970's specifically?
> How should i apply something like X23 or IC Diamond?
> Please note, there is 2 versions of X23.


I personally wouldn't recommend changing the TIM at all.

The relatively small gains is not worth the risk of potentially damaging the card.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I personally wouldn't recommend changing the TIM at all.
> The relatively small gains is not worth the risk of potentially damaging the card.


If you have put tim on a cpu before it is the same principles on the gpu..Nothing out of the ordinary.

As a matter of fact is way more easier than the cpu application as you can remove the gpu and do it outside...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I personally wouldn't recommend changing the TIM at all.
> The relatively small gains is not worth the risk of potentially damaging the card.


Hmmm, I'm just trying to figure out how much of a gain i could achieve. I have a feeling powercolor might have used better TIM seen as i have a custom set of cards.

Also, how do i check ASIC? I can't see the option in GPU-Z (0.6.2)


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> If you have put tim on a cpu before it is the same principles on the gpu..Nothing out of the ordinary.
> As a matter of fact is way more easier than the cpu application as you can remove the gpu and do it outside...


We are dealing with more things when removing and reinstalling a GPU cooler.

Thermal pads don't quite work the same when you remove them and reuse them.

AMD has a direct-to-die contact with the cooler and I've seen people chip or crack the core before (aftermarket coolers).

I really think it's not worth the time and effort.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hmmm, I'm just trying to figure out how much of a gain i could achieve. I have a feeling powercolor might have used better TIM seen as i have a custom set of cards.
> Also, how do i check ASIC? I can't see the option in GPU-Z (0.6.2)


Open GPU-Z, and then click with right click small GPU Z icon in upper left corner, and then drop menu will appear with "read ASIC quality option". Click that and that is it.
Cheers


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> If you have put tim on a cpu before it is the same principles on the gpu..Nothing out of the ordinary.
> As a matter of fact is way more easier than the cpu application as you can remove the gpu and do it outside...


you should see some of the peoples GPUs and how much TIM they put on them..

My eVGA 8800GTS/640 had enough TIM on the GPU to cover the GPU, Every Ram Chip, and My CPU as well. they put WAY too much on most of the time.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Open GPU-Z, and then click with right click small GPU Z icon in upper left corner, and then drop menu will appear with "read ASIC quality option". Click that and that is it.
> Cheers


I have 81.9 and 81.1


----------



## Evil Penguin

AMD does a decent enough job.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> That is great news. Good luck!!


I got even better news! Clockspeed changes work 100%!

Editted BIOS's stock speeds:









MSI AB overclocked speeds w/ editted BIOS:









All powersave asf features still work.

I'll run this BIOS for a while to check long-term effects but this seems like a big leap towards fully customizable BIOS's!

EDIT: To join in on the ASIC quality discussion: My cards a 80.1% ASIC model


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I have 81.9 and 81.1


That is preety good, i have 77.9 %.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> We are dealing with more things when removing and reinstalling a GPU cooler.
> Thermal pads don't quite work the same when you remove them and reuse them.
> AMD has a direct-to-die contact with the cooler and I've seen people chip or crack the core before (aftermarket coolers).
> 
> I really think it's not worth the time and effort.


Because people dont know what they are doing bro....

My recommendation would be as follow...

1: Use the gpu, heat that sucker up, a little bit of furmark would make it easier for you..
2: Turn pc off wait a couple of minutes so the card gets a little bit cooler, warm is the best way for easy removal, bad idea removing heatskink when card is cold and been off for a couple of hours...
Now remove heatsink and remember to be careful with the thermal pads, if some of them are in the heatsink in their position dont touch them same if they are on the vrms / memchips..Only touch them if they fall out their placement..

Remember you are only applying tim on the gpu/core itself nowhere else..
Not rocket science..

.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I got even better news! Clockspeed changes work 100%!
> Editted BIOS's stock speeds:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MSI AB overclocked speeds w/ editted BIOS:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All powersave asf features still work.
> I'll run this BIOS for a while to check long-term effects but this seems like a big leap towards fully customizable BIOS's!
> EDIT: To join in on the ASIC quality discussion: My cards a 80.1% ASIC model


Why the card is running in lower pci 1.1?
2nd picture..idle??
Just wondering because first says 2.0..


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Have been spending time with ATIFLASH trying to flash this card to HD7970. Have tried many different BIOSs and so far nothing.
> I have hope.
> HWifo64 shows 2048 unified shaders which is what the HD7970 has. Now if only I could unlock them.


And here I thought I was going crazy when the first time I loaded my cards up in crossfire GPU-Z detected the second card as having 2048 shaders! I'm absolutely convinced these are 7970s with disabled shaders due to the PCB layout and coy wording on the Sapphire site. Have you tried the PowerColor or MSI "reference" 7970 BIOS? I've got a heat management problem that's preventing me from diving right into testing right alongside you. I'm thinking of swapping out the stock TIM for AS Ceramique 2 or the Noctua TIM. Both work great under a big heavy NH-D14 with it's "ribbed" baseplate (as they are really thick), but I'm not sure either would be well suited for this type of application though. I don't want to void my warranty for nothing! I've also been measuring and contemplating a Kuler 620 mod for each card, but I just don't have the funds for now.


----------



## Imprezzion

Yeah, 1st pic had youtube 1080p w/ acceleration on. 2nd pic the track ended so it went into power saving yes.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I personally wouldn't recommend changing the TIM at all.
> The relatively small gains is not worth the risk of potentially damaging the card.


Fair enough, but I remember applying TIM and strapping coolers onto naked chips back in the Thunderbird day's and I never knew anyone who cracked a chip. Those required an epic amount of force with a flat head screwdriver to clip on for you youngsters. Are these GPUs significantly less robust for some reason? Obviously it's been a while...


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Why the card is running in lower pci 1.1?
> 2nd picture..idle??
> Just wondering because first says 2.0..


It drops the bus speed back to save power.

If you click on the question mark beside that, it explains why and gives you a test to make sure all is working OK

edit: Here


----------



## BradleyW

Has anyone had an issue whereby Heaven Bench flashes and then only 1 GPU is active?
I think i got this in alan wake as well. Conflict with AB and CCC?


----------



## tsm106

I've installed my waterblocks and aircoolers on and off my 7970s and I've owned more than is in my rig, more times than I can remember. You've got to be one belligerent soul to damage the die. There's infinitely more chance of ripping a smd cap off than crushing the core. The thing is recessed with a protective plate no less.


----------



## darkstar585

I have the lowest ASIC yet of 74.2%







but I can hit 1200/1800 on stock cooler/volts with proven all day gaming stable without a wiff of artefacts in crysis,crysis warhead, cryengine 3,keyshot,solidworks realview,max payne 3,BF BC2, BF3,3dmark,heaven, etc (Summers great when your a student







)

Someone should really start a database on this thread with ASIC % over maximum clocks on stock volts to see if it even matters that much. I bet the results would be quite interesting.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> I have the lowest ASIC yet of 74.2%
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but I can hit 1200/1800 on stock cooler/volts with proven all day gaming stable without a wiff of artefacts in crysis,crysis warhead, cryengine 3,keyshot,solidworks realview,max payne 3,BF BC2, BF3,3dmark,heaven, etc (Summers great when your a student
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> Someone should really start a database on this thread with ASIC % over maximum clocks on stock volts to see if it even matters that much. I bet the results would be quite interesting.


I've got you beat! My brand new Sapphire 7970 OC has an ASIC Quality of 73.2% lol


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Put powertune to +20% immediately. It has shown to give better fps even if you run the card at stock. It just handles the load better.
> Keep it at +20. Move the volts as you overclock.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can tell by watching your clocks and voltage in game. If you trip the powertune limit, it throttle the card, and that implies all the things that come with throttling. If you overclock, you should definitely raise powertune.


O.K., thank you! You've convinced me. Wasn't so hard after all. :S

Does the power consumption increase considerably? How would rate it?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> I've got you beat! My brand new Sapphire 7970 OC has an ASIC Quality of 73.2% lol


71% here... It's like broken :S


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> 71% here... It's like broken :S


I've got a 63% 7970, & there is one guy here that posted an asic of 5?%, got everyone beat for lowest.

Do most people here find the powertune +20 helps more than hurts? I've tried it out & thought it killed stability somewhat, I was clocking higher leaving it alone.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

The discussion make me do the antec 620 mod and damn what a plaster of tim all over the tiny resistors...
So i took a toothbrush and scrub the crap out of it, the toothbrush manage to get between those tiny resistors like a pro... I usually use a paint brush to swipe dust out of pcbs work 100%, just have to be gentle with it, this time i was totally on it like hard time lmao...

The mod itself with only the straps it is a pain in the ass to do, specially even with the spacer, once you apply tim on the die and the spacer, the spacer would stay in place...
Trying to adjust the block and do pressure on it is 2 different things, have to take the video card out so i can adjust even more the pressure on the block..


----------



## RandomK

Just figured out how to test my ASIC. These Sapphire 7950 950mhz editions don't disappoint! Got 89% on the top one and 87% on the bottom.


----------



## Arrehenius

4.7GHZ on CPU, 1250core/1550 Mem.

Finally installed my card and started overclocking








Happy with the numbers I got and how smooth bf3 is running considering I upgraded from a GTX460.

Although the Physics score is hurting the overall score, it kept going lower each time I ran the test. Happy it went pass 10k on the Graphics though.
Is it normal for the Physics score to constantly decrease with each run?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Anybody interested in a pair of 7970 Lightnings? Seriously considering going with reference cards just so I can get the nickel plexi blocks that match my CPU and mobo blocks (and not get stuck with crop circles on the Lightning blocks whenever EK finally gets around to releasing them)....


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> 4.7GHZ on CPU, 1250core/1550 Mem.
> Finally installed my card and started overclocking
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Happy with the numbers I got and how smooth bf3 is running considering I upgraded from a GTX460.
> Although the Physics score is hurting the overall score, it kept going lower each time I ran the test. Happy it went pass 10k on the Graphics though.
> Is it normal for the Physics score to constantly decrease with each run?


It doesn't usually drop much with consecutive runs, after testing when going for a max score I generally do a restart first.
I was testing the other day to see why my physics score always seems to be above average, & found it's the memory. I usually overclock it & hadn't really noticed how much effect, but ran 5Ghz cpu & memory auto (1600Mhz 11-11-11" & score 11900, tighten timings at same speed & get 12500, more extreme mem overclock did 13600. So at the same cpu speed without touching multi or bclk, just mem tweaking increased the physics score by 1700 points.


----------



## SkateZilla

is it normal that HWinfo64 says my MAX GPU VRM Temps were in the 440^C range and 290^C Range?

I just noticed this after i moved the mouse to turn off the screen saver, never got above 55^C playing BF3.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> is it normal that HWinfo64 says my MAX GPU VRM Temps were in the 440^C range and 290^C Range?
> I just noticed this after i moved the mouse to turn off the screen saver, never got above 55^C playing BF3.


If that were true, there would be a whole in the ground where your pc once sat.


----------



## FtW 420

The VRM current in & power out, lol. Software can frequently be wrong, in that case, very wrong.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> The VRM current in & power out, lol. Software can frequently be wrong, in that case, very wrong.


Can't you tell? That's one point twenty-one jiggawatts!


----------



## SkateZilla

i guess it mis-reads when the card goes to sleep mode or something, it was fine, left for a minute, came back, screen saver was on (well blank screens), moved mouse and immediately noticed the VRM.

ATI PM2 reads Voltage 0-7 at 1032.079v as current and max.


----------



## sena

447C, LoL.


----------



## BlackWS6

You guys see much of a difference in BF3 when overclocking memory? My new card looks to be stable at 1200 (1.225v) and 1825 (1.664v). Just wanted opinions. I just break 70ºC when running heaven in a loop and the room heats up.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rob0rz*
> 
> I've been messing around with my card and testing Lucid VirtuMVP to see what kind of effects it has and here is the comparison.
> http://3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/3634452/3dm11/3634574
> I just upgraded from a GTX 480 I had bought a month before getting this card. I think I can probably do some more tweaking and push the card more but I'm content with it at these speeds.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My ASIC Quality is 87.2%


This Lucid VirtuMVP is this only usefull for benching or also for real gaming performance?


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> It doesn't usually drop much with consecutive runs, after testing when going for a max score I generally do a restart first.
> I was testing the other day to see why my physics score always seems to be above average, & found it's the memory. I usually overclock it & hadn't really noticed how much effect, but ran 5Ghz cpu & memory auto (1600Mhz 11-11-11" & score 11900, tighten timings at same speed & get 12500, more extreme mem overclock did 13600. So at the same cpu speed without touching multi or bclk, just mem tweaking increased the physics score by 1700 points.


I'll keep this in mind when I do more tests in the future, thanks for the info


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Anybody interested in a pair of 7970 Lightnings? Seriously considering going with reference cards just so I can get the nickel plexi blocks that match my CPU and mobo blocks (and not get stuck with crop circles on the Lightning blocks whenever EK finally gets around to releasing them)....


Like trade Ref cards for one + money or what? Getting to play with a second lightning would be fun see how it holds against the other, the sapphire OC does not fit in my case as well as I had hoped. My Baby went stable up to 1350 // 1850 (for furmarking, I did not run this clock long because i did not want to degrade card with the heat), but its a Lower 80.8% ASIC thus it may be able to go higher under water cooling.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Can't you tell? That's one point twenty-one jiggawatts!


if My Calculations are Correct.. when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious ****.


----------



## SkateZilla

anyone getting wierd GFX issues in BF3?

in the Chat box I get scrambled letters, hitting windows "Start" to get to desktop then coming back to full screen fixes it, and it occurs even when GPU is in the 40-45^C Range.

Also, had similar incident last night, top left corner of the left screen had square blocks , same thing, going to window mode and back fixed that.

i think im starting to find issues with 12.6 now. as i didnt have niether of these issues before. or it coulda been teh BF3 update, either or its annoying, along with the increased hacker activity,

I still have Green blob circles on the mountains in damavand peak.


----------



## OzGoD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I've got a 63% 7970, & there is one guy here that posted an asic of 5?%, got everyone beat for lowest.


Two out of three MSI R7970 Lightnings are in the 60% range. Hopefully going to water soon and the higher volts I hope will be worthy? What do you think about your 60%er?


----------



## BlackWS6

Holy smokes Oz, that's crazy man... Wish I had 3 of those babies! What kinda monitors are you driving with those?!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

They look nice bro, but just the tought of the heat and problems.. I just stick with 1 gpu configurations from now on, i see more trouble with more than 1, than benefits...
XD

They are awesome on hashcat tho ç_Ç


----------



## PwrElec

the 12.6 beta fixed my BSOD problem @ 5760x1200


----------



## OzGoD

im running a Dell 30" as my main U3011 and I run a few Dell 27" in portrait for business. Since upgrading to tri-fire 7970's - my online gaming has jumped dramatically - Im running g faster and SMOOTHER on the 30" - Im old school keyboard n mouse gamer only and enjoy FPS gaming. With Tri-Fire my scores went up 100% and more in the kill ratio department.


----------



## Arrehenius

Those are beautiful OZ








Hopefully they'll give nice yield's if you put them under water, must be like an oven in there with air


----------



## pioneerisloud

You don't really believe that you require 7970 tri fire for a 5 year old game do you?









I've been able to max out Cowadooty with a 9800GT at 2560x1600, and keep 60+ FPS. It's really not that hard of a game to max out, regardless of which iteration it is. It's all the same game since CoD4 (in 2007).


----------



## Imprezzion

True. my old 9800GX2 did Black Ops on 1920x1080 with 100+ FPS all maxed. No difference at all in gameplay between that, my 6950 and my 7970..


----------



## SonDa5

AMD has just recently greatly improved crossfire performance for HD7950.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OzGoD*
> 
> Two out of three MSI R7970 Lightnings are in the 60% range.


That is recommended ASIC score for cooling with liquid nitrogen.







I hope they go super fast on water.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I returned one of my 7970 for the same reason.. Think my 6870's were doing better cf scaling and performance than 2 7970's..

So i decided to step back for better performance per your money....

Cowadooty seriously?? lol


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Everyone reading I highly don't recommend buying 2 HD7950s for xfire operation because everything that I have seen shows poor xfire performance for the HD7950. Until AMD gets their Xfire drivers working right for this card don't waste your money on buying 2 HD7950s for gaming.


Other than the damn sleep bug I haven't had any issues at all. I've also found scaling to be excellent overall so I'm curious to know what problems you're having? I had two 5770s in crossfire once upon a time and believe me things have come a long way...


----------



## OzGoD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> They look nice bro, but just the tought of the heat and problems.. I just stick with 1 gpu configurations from now on, i see more trouble with more than 1, than benefits...
> XD
> They are awesome on hashcat tho ç_Ç


Im running these in a rack mount case with 3x 3000rpm 120mm fans running right through them. 5 hours of online gaming these stay at 50c with 50% fan speed. Can see better pics in this thread of the case.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1224972/tpu-msi-r7970-lightning-graphics-card-showcased-at-cebit/210
My next step is water cooling once EK releases blocks for these cards and this unit > ERM-3K3UC Liquid Cooling System
http://koolance.com/erm-3k3uc-liquid-cooling-system-copper - will post pics once completed somewhere on this site. .
All will be rack mounted in the Triplite 48U Rack witch is temp messy.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816228007

Im running a charter 100mb line and a gigbit network
http://speedtest.ookla.com/result/1692108074.png


----------



## OzGoD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You don't really believe that you require 7970 tri fire for a 5 year old game do you?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been able to max out Cowadooty with a 9800GT at 2560x1600, and keep 60+ FPS. It's really not that hard of a game to max out, regardless of which iteration it is. It's all the same game since CoD4 (in 2007).


No but there is more going on to what I do.  and the end result. My desk top will consist of 5 monitors min. I also only use AMD cards due to the display-port options.
ASUS had me with the DCUii cards but was a crossfire fail - MSI took second with the mini display-port options.
These cards will be signal sent over Gefen display-port extenders / booster / repeaters how ever you want to call them and a Gefen USB Toolbox from a room other than my work space.
These are work stations with 6x Dell 30" displays. This is the business Im in and the kinda setup powers I need to work and have fun.








I also will have a air controlled environment with supplemental air from triplite


----------



## tsm106

Wow looks like a traders office. And?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I returned one of my 7970 for the same reason.. Think my 6870's were doing better cf scaling and performance than 2 7970's..
> So i decided to step back for better performance per your money....
> Cowadooty seriously?? lol


I haven't had any CF scaling problems, it has been great.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I haven't had any CF scaling problems, it has been great.


I certainly hope not, your cfx heaven score is still making trisli 680s cry.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I certainly hope not, your cfx heaven score is still making trisli 680s cry.










Haven't checked that thread in a while, I will go have a look.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OzGoD*
> 
> Two out of three MSI R7970 Lightnings are in the 60% range. Hopefully going to water soon and the higher volts I hope will be worthy? What do you think about your 60%er?


With my 63% reference the asic chart seems to be pretty accurate, it didn't do great on air/water (passed 3d11 at 1237/1800 on water), but once I got it cold & fed it some volts it did pretty well (1559/1800).
Those 2 lightnings might be monster clockers with extreme cooling if the asic thing is correct.
Started getting my lightning cold last night but the mobo was giving me trouble, didn't get anything done with the card.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OzGoD*
> 
> No but there is more going on to what I do.  and the end result. My desk top will consist of 5 monitors min. I also only use AMD cards due to the display-port options.
> ASUS had me with the DCUii cards but was a crossfire fail - MSI took second with the mini display-port options.
> These cards will be signal sent over Gefen display-port extenders / booster / repeaters how ever you want to call them and a Gefen USB Toolbox from a room other than my work space.
> These are work stations with 6x Dell 30" displays. This is the business Im in and the kinda setup powers I need to work and have fun.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I also will have a air controlled environment with supplemental air from triplite


can i have that setup for a few days.. lol.


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How many cards are you running? BF3 works for me, fps is down offline play. Haven't had a chance to try a 64 man server.
> However, overall 12.6 is two steps backwards in comparison to rc11 fps wise, but one step forward for eyefinity 2.0. You know, actually 8.97 was better at eyefinity 2.0, center taskbar worked everytime. 12.6 is hit or miss with the center taskbar, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
> I'm willing to wait it out and see how 12.6 is in a 64 man server, but not sure for how long. I lost 24 fps in Heaven 3.0 in quadfire for godsake!!!


I agree.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Anyone having random lock ups in Windows since installing the June 4th 8.98 (12.6 beta) driver? I have had 4 very recently and closely spaced together, as well as one situation where the monitor just went into sleep mode, from me just browsing though Chrome. Seems really weird, I have never had these freezes with the other drivers (8.97 was my most recent best performer) and the driver itself performs very good, but it seems to have some stability issues.

It might be caused by something else, but it is the most recent change I have made to the system, and I don't really know what else to point the finger at.


----------



## Testier

Have anyone achieved 1300 on air yet?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Posted my 7970 Lightnings up for sale in the Marketplace. PM me if interested!!









http://www.overclock.net/t/1269747/2-x-msi-r7970-lightning


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I haven't had any CF scaling problems, it has been great.


HD7950 multicard scaling doesn't seem to work very well.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> HD7950 multicard scaling doesn't seem to work very well.


I thought CF scaling got better lately.......... Still not enough?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> Other than the damn sleep bug I haven't had any issues at all. I've also found scaling to be excellent overall so I'm curious to know what problems you're having? I had two 5770s in crossfire once upon a time and believe me things have come a long way...


I ran HD5770 crossfire as well and HD5770 crossfire with the reference HD5770s worked great for me. I very noticeable performance increase.

HD7950 scaling is far from double performance... Right now looks like mabey 33% performance increase.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> I thought CF scaling got better lately.......... Still not enough?


Far from enough. Lousy.

Single Card HD5770 on 3dMark11 4,572 marks.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2211261_sniperoz_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_5770_4572_marks

2xHD5770 on 3dMark11 7,277 marks.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2266857_poparamiro_3dmark11___performance_2x_radeon_hd_5770_7277_marks

About 59% improvement with 2 cards.

Single card HD7950 on 3dMark11 12,386 marks.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2286693_publicenemy_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_7950_12386_marks

2xHD7950 on 3dMark11 16,695 marks.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2277174_winnah9000_3dmark11___performance_2x_radeon_hd_7950_16695_marks

About 34% improvement with 2x cards.

HD5770 scaled much better. The new GTX 6XX cards scale way better than AMD HD7XXX cards.


----------



## Testier

I dont think high end card scales that well and you are looking at 3d marks 11 score which includes CPU and etc. IMO


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> I dont think high end card scales that well and you are looking at 3d marks 11 score which includes CPU and etc. IMO


Scaling is pretty good actually in real 3D based benching. And I concur about the mixed bench aspect of 3Dmark, it puts too much weight on other aspects.

1


2


3


4


I had some issues with the 4th card, Sapphire OC. It was a crappy overclocker at 1300mhz but am replacing it with a diff card at which point will try and raise that quad score some more.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Scaling is pretty good actually in real 3D based benching. And I concur about the mixed bench aspect of 3Dmark, it puts too much weight on other aspects.


Comparing GTX 670 for SLI with 3dMArk11 and its easy to see much better scaling on the GTX 670 in multi card operation.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Comparing GTX 670 for SLI with 3dMArk11 and its easy to see much better scaling on the GTX 670 in multi card operation.


The scores you posted..., the score with one card was score with tess off, and score wit two cards, was with tess on.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> The scores you posted..., the score with one card was score with tess off, and score wit two cards, was with tess on.


Still probably only going to add about 1000 points with tess off.

I see that crossfire does work well a few 3d applications like Heaven and that is good to see.

Hope AMD drivers improve. Would be nice to see Heaven like crossfire performance on everything.


----------



## quakermaas

I get great scaling in BF3, very easy to tell when my crossfire hasn't enabled, night and day difference.

Here is my best 3dmarks11 score, I can overclock higher now and still cant get over the 19,000, guess that is down to the 12.6beta, think I might just roll back on the AMD drivers

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3279379


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Still probably only going to add about 1000 points with tess off.
> I see that crossfire does work well a few 3d applications like Heaven and that is good to see.
> Hope AMD drivers improve. Would be nice to see Heaven like crossfire performance on everything.


Still you need to watch only GPU score, because that 2600k is starting to be bottleneck in main score with two HD 7950 even on 5.0 GHz.


----------



## SonDa5

2xHD7950

P15,000+ GPU score over 19,000

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3649832


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> 2xHD7950
> P15,000+ GPU score over 19,000
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3649832


These are some old drivers, look the memory size.
Btw i am quitting on serius overclocking these cards for 24/7, i just dont have more nerves to watch for artefacts and other things.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Still probably only going to add about 1000 points with tess off.
> I see that crossfire does work well a few 3d applications like Heaven and that is good to see.
> Hope AMD drivers improve. Would be nice to see Heaven like crossfire performance on everything.


Since when are we judging scaling performance of AMD drivers on freakin' benchmarks ?








Bit of a bold statement to say that the scaling is crap only based on benchmark results...


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> These are some old drivers, look the memory size.
> Btw i am quitting on serius overclocking these cards for 24/7, i just dont have more nerves to watch for artefacts and other things.


I run 1100/1600 24/7, I only wring their necks when doing benchmarks and that isn't to often (When I first get new hardware and then every few months or so after, if I feel like it).


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Third 12.6 beta driver released this month, this one with the 9.00 driver version attached to it. Going to install and bench it now... *rubs hands together excitedly...*


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Third 12.6 beta driver released this month, this one with the 9.00 driver version attached to it. Going to install and bench it now... *rubs hands together excitedly...*


 Any links ?

Edit: got it

http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-6-9-00-beta-june-12

"Finally, we have a 12.6 Beta on par with 8.97 April 18th driver (currently the best performing one)"














OK, lets see.

Edit: Well the modded driver isn't playing nice at all, lots of jumping and flickering on the screen, and that's just on the desktop(feels like it is going to BSOD any minute now)

Will try the standard ones now.

Still getting the screen jumping&flickering, but it only happens when I apply any sort of overclock with MSI AB


----------



## Rob0rz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> How did you get virtu working? Can you describe the procedure please.


First I installed the Lucidlogix VirtuMVP software that came with my motherboard (Sabertooth z77) then found out there was an updated and downloaded it from http://www.lucidlogix.com/driverdownloads.html

I would think you can just download it straight from there and once it is installed, after a reboot or two, it will add an icon to the task tray. To tell if it is working by default when you load a game it will display Lucid Hyperformance logo at the top left corner, you can change this to display for a short few seconds then let it go away, and change the positioning of its logo. If you need more help with it let me know. I'm doing this off the top of my head, I'm currently at work and can look at it closer and reset it up to help if need be.


----------



## Arrehenius

*deleted*


----------



## Rob0rz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> This Lucid VirtuMVP is this only usefull for benching or also for real gaming performance?


From what I can tell its not useful for benchmarking, it currently just pads the numbers because of it not being officially supported yet with 3dmark11.

It does provide a nice boost in performance when having vsync enabled. I've read how it works and if I recall correctly it removes frames that would never make it to be displayed, and reduces the amount of visual tearing. It works with the dedicated gpu and the cpu to take advantage of clock cycles and reduce redundant rendering tasks. Lucidlogix claims to boost the frame rate 30-70%.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rob0rz*
> 
> From what I can tell its not useful for benchmarking, it currently just pads the numbers because of it not being officially supported yet with 3dmark11.
> It does provide a nice boost in performance when having vsync enabled. I've read how it works and if I recall correctly it removes frames that would never make it to be displayed, and reduces the amount of visual tearing. It works with the dedicated gpu and the cpu to take advantage of clock cycles and reduce redundant rendering tasks. Lucidlogix claims to boost the frame rate 30-70%.


wow, that sounds awesome !
Why are not more peope using it I wonder ?


----------



## AnToNCheZ

OK so the report on the new 12.6 beta driver 9.00 is positive. It equalled or improved all previous June 4 beta scores in almost every game and benchmark. 3DMark11 saw my GPU top 10100 for a single 7950, which only on the first 12.6 beta drivers back on May 31 did I first see 10000, so a HUGE improvement there from 8.97 beta (12.5) to 9.00 12.6, Unigine gave me exactly the same score as the previous test, and basically has not moved when comparing it to every test since the 8.97 betas.

So, I guess another step in the right direction in terms of support for AMD. They realized they released pretty much a ****house driver upon the first 12.6 beta release, and have corrected it with two follow up releases in successive weeks. People complaining about AMD moving away from a monthly scheduled released really have nothing to cry about now, in the short term anyway.

Remember this is testing on the 7900 series cards, so 6000 and prior may not achieve the same gains as 7000 series users. Just something to keep in mind when doing your own testing/benching.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Posted my 7970 Lightnings up for sale in the Marketplace. PM me if interested!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1269747/2-x-msi-r7970-lightning


$500 for both? or $500 each?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Still you need to watch only GPU score, because that 2600k is starting to be bottleneck in main score with two HD 7950 even on 5.0 GHz.


What the hell, 2600k bottlenecking? 2600k is more than fast enough to power quads and go neck and neck with SB-E. Crazy advice!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> OK so the report on the new 12.6 beta driver 9.00 is positive. It equalled or improved all previous June 4 beta scores in almost every game and benchmark. 3DMark11 saw my GPU top 10100 for a single 7950, which only on the first 12.6 beta drivers back on May 31 did I first see 10000, so a HUGE improvement there from 8.97 beta (12.5) to 9.00 12.6, Unigine gave me exactly the same score as the previous test, and basically has not moved when comparing it to every test since the 8.97 betas.
> So, I guess another step in the right direction in terms of support for AMD. They realized they released pretty much a ****house driver upon the first 12.6 beta release, and have corrected it with two follow up releases in successive weeks. People complaining about AMD moving away from a monthly scheduled released really have nothing to cry about now, in the short term anyway.
> Remember this is testing on the 7900 series cards, so 6000 and prior may not achieve the same gains as 7000 series users. Just something to keep in mind when doing your own testing/benching.


So, where is this new driver? I would like to try it.
In reguard to i7 2600k, yes it may bottleneck only because it reduces the slots to x8,x8, whereas my ivy gives me x8 x8 3.0 which is the same as running at x16 x16 (2.0)


----------



## Feyris

Anyone experiencing a buzzing sound when scrolling on webpages with reference it stops when I stop scrolling...? it is stupid loud when running a game from 2001 too... I dont get this at all. Im scared it is a wasp (I had one crawl out from near my GPU and sit on my PSU yesterday when I was trying to see buzzing and it was its wings too) but I pulled it out, and its not.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Anyone experiencing a buzzing sound when scrolling on webpages with reference it stops when I stop scrolling...? it is stupid loud when running a game from 2001 too... I dont get this at all. Im scared it is a wasp (I had one crawl out from near my GPU and sit on my PSU yesterday when I was trying to see buzzing and it was its wings too) but I pulled it out, and its not.










Wasps building a nest in there


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wasps building a nest in there


I have no idea ._. I got coil whine a little bit, case was closed, there is no entry points... and 4 days later I hear terrible buzzing whenever I gamed (Louder then coil whine) so I opened the case and that little bugger (It was huge, I would say the godzilla of all wasps) didnt fly away just walked down the cable from GPU to the bottom of the case next to PSU and sat there panting, I got a paper towel and let the toilet take it away to its promised land. I thought now this noise was same thing but apparently not.


----------



## SkateZilla

i had a horse fly get sucked through the 200mm side fan, since the RPM is low enough he survived.

on one of the systems i built for my brother we had a similar issue where scrolling windows would cause a hum/buzzing, turned out to be the cheapo non-shielded on-board audio and the cheapo non shielded Front HD Audio Wiring. one of those 2 things were picking up interfearance from either the video card or the Mouse USB.

one of my old systems, if I left the MIC/AUX/Line-In inputs on my SBLive breakout box and card un-muted it would pickup the same noise.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What the hell, 2600k bottlenecking? 2600k is more than fast enough to power quads and go neck and neck with SB-E. Crazy advice!


I am talking about 3d mark11 overall score, the SB-E will have more CPU points, of course its not bottleneck for games.
I was getting higher 3d mark vantage overall score with i7 970 than i am getting now with i5 3570K, but in games its different, i5 3570K provides much better gameplay.
Its not just fps,its fluidity.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I run 1100/1600 24/7, I only wring their necks when doing benchmarks and that isn't to often (When I first get new hardware and then every few months or so after, if I feel like it).


Yup, now for 24/7 only what i can do on stock volts and that is all. It just too much hassle.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i had a horse fly get sucked through the 200mm side fan, since the RPM is low enough he survived.
> on one of the systems i built for my brother we had a similar issue where scrolling windows would cause a hum/buzzing, turned out to be the cheapo non-shielded on-board audio and the cheapo non shielded Front HD Audio Wiring. one of those 2 things were picking up interfearance from either the video card or the Mouse USB.
> one of my old systems, if I left the MIC/AUX/Line-In inputs on my SBLive breakout box and card un-muted it would pickup the same noise.


^This^
I have also had horrible buzz in the past caused by a poorly made budget PSU that rippled like an ocean wave.

I have not had any encounters of flies in my system although I have had a large house spider set up home between the heat pipes of my Noctua, nasty evil thing it was...One of the many problems with an old house and bench setup


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

When are the new GHz 7970's releasing? I find myself in the market for reference cards...

Crap, I just wondered if there would be any differences between the GHz cards and the regular reference ones I bought blocks for? Shouldn't be any hardware changes right?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> When are the new GHz 7970's releasing? I find myself in the market for reference cards...
> Crap, I just wondered if there would be any differences between the GHz cards and the regular reference ones I bought blocks for? Shouldn't be any hardware changes right?


just better quality silicon


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> *I am talking about 3d mark11 overall score, the SB-E will have more CPU points, of course its not bottleneck for games.*
> I was getting higher 3d mark vantage overall score with i7 970 than i am getting now with i5 3570K, but in games its different, i5 3570K provides much better gameplay.
> Its not just fps,its fluidity.


Rubbish. The fact that 3Dmark weights value differently for the 2600K vs SB-E and Ivy does not make 2600K/SB a bottleneck. You said the 2600K was bottlenecking a pair of 7950s, where in fact it is weighting the 2600K less due to cpu architecture.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Rubbish. The fact that 3Dmark weights value differently for the 2600K vs SB-E and Ivy does not make 2600K/SB a bottleneck. You said the 2600K was bottlenecking a pair of 7950s, where in fact it is weighting the 2600K less due to cpu architecture.


I was TALKING solely about overall score, more CPU points, more overall points. I really cant see what is the problem, for exm. i7 2600k on 5.0 GHz will have 12000 points, i7 3930K on 5.0 GHz will have 16000 points, two HD 7950 have 19000 GPU points with both CPUs, it logical that setup with i7 3930K will have more overall points, because it has 4000 more CPU points.
Here is 3d mark vantage for exm, from one my friend, i will try to find some 3d mark11 scores.
i7 2600k @ 5.5 GHz, two HD 7970 overclocked : http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/627/snaphsot0005.png
i7 3930 @ 5.3 Ghz, two HD 7970 overclocked : http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/3770/62020.png
I am not talking about any bottlenecks to the GPU-s, i am only talking about bottleneck to the OVERALL points, you can see that GPU score is same with i7 2600K and i7 3930K. Hope this resolves this discussion.
And when i talked about fluidity, i was comparing my old i7 970 to IB, not SB to IB.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I was TALKING solely about overall score, more CPU points, more overall points. I really cant see what is the problem, for exm. i7 2600k on 5.0 GHz will have 12000 points, i7 3930K on 5.0 GHz will have 16000 points, two HD 7950 have 19000 GPU points with both CPUs, it logical that setup with i7 3930K will have more overall points, because it has 4000 more CPU points.
> Here is 3d mark vantage for exm, from one my friend, i will try to find some 3d mark11 scores.
> i7 2600k @ 5.5 GHz, two HD 7970 overclocked : http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/627/snaphsot0005.png
> i7 3930 @ 5.3 Ghz, two HD 7970 overclocked : http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/3770/62020.png
> I am not talking about any bottlenecks to the GPU-s, i am only talking about bottleneck to the OVERALL points, you can see that GPU score is same with i7 2600K and i7 3930K. Hope this resolves this discussion.
> And when i talked about fluidity, i was comparing my old i7 970 to IB, not SB to IB.


That's not bottlenecking lol. It's testing each system separately. It's plenty evident to everyone whom has run 3Dmark that it weights physics scores of SB-E and Ivy much higher.


----------



## sena

tsm106
Hehe, it was just misunderstanding, 2600K is superb CPU.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Anyone experiencing a buzzing sound when scrolling on webpages with reference it stops when I stop scrolling...? it is stupid loud when running a game from 2001 too... I dont get this at all. Im scared it is a wasp (I had one crawl out from near my GPU and sit on my PSU yesterday when I was trying to see buzzing and it was its wings too) but I pulled it out, and its not.


Buzzing sound when scrolling is common for AMD cards. Had this with almost all my AMD cards. Old games also caused higher frequency sounds too.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Buzzing sound when scrolling is common for AMD cards. Had this with almost all my AMD cards. Old games also caused higher frequency sounds too.


Same here, some high frequency sound when entering Crysis 1, Warhead, and when Alan Wake is pause.
DOnt have that sound when browsing web pages though.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Never have noticed this myself...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Never have noticed this myself...


Me neither. When I did have crazy arse coil whine it was the PSU. One of my quads does make inductor whine, but that's only at max clocks full tilt. My old 6950 quads have killed a few PSU for ex. TPQ1200. When that thing died it lost power in some rails and whined like a stuck pig.


----------



## Grobinov

My card gets some crazy coil whine in high FPS situation ( 1000FPS and more in menus







) so I just run the frame limiter in MSI Afterburner to get rid of it


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not bottlenecking lol. It's testing each system separately. It's plenty evident to everyone whom has run 3Dmark that it weights physics scores of SB-E and Ivy much higher.


I'll chime in on this one. Doesn't it use OpenCL to do the Physics calculations? If that's the case then the improved latency will actually have a measurable impact on performance as OpenCL is more latency-limited than bandwidth-limited. It's all due to the GPU only being able to talk to one CPU thread at a time and there being some sort of scheduling delay due to the asynchronous clock-speeds. Beyond that I don't have the necessary system level understanding to go into much further detail. I do know that the Kepler server cards solve this issue (up to 64 threads at once) so I would assume future releases from AMD and NVidia will not have this limitation. This was part of my motivation to go x79 in the first place.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Same here, some high frequency sound when entering Crysis 1, Warhead, and when Alan Wake is pause.
> DOnt have that sound when browsing web pages though.


Not noticed it in Alan Wake. I always get the buzz in the advert screens when i fire up a game, like Crysis1 as explained by you.

So where are these new 12.6 drivers?


----------



## Exostenza

So, every 12.6 beta has given me this... the clocks jump all over the place and it doesn't matter if I have Afterburner on or off... anyone else getting this?


----------



## AnToNCheZ

For those that are asking, I always get the new drivers and updates about them from Benchmark3D.com. The links are all on the front page for all new driver updates. Check them out for the newest 9.00 release driver.


----------



## BradleyW

CF keeps disabling whilst in mid-game?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> So, every 12.6 beta has given me this... the clocks jump all over the place and it doesn't matter if I have Afterburner on or off... anyone else getting this?


http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/12030_30#post_17481194

Same problem here, but only seemed to happen when I used AfterBurner , I rolled back to an earlier driver.

Also was only happening on the June 12th driver...the first 12.6beta was OK for me.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Not noticed it in Alan Wake. I always get the buzz in the advert screens when i fire up a game, like Crysis1 as explained by you.
> So where are these new 12.6 drivers?


I had problems with 12.6 drivers, randoms stuttering in windows and games.
They gaved me 100 more points in 3d mark11 though.


----------



## yesitsmario

Anybody know when the ghz editions come out?


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> For those that are asking, I always get the new drivers and updates about them from Benchmark3D.com. The links are all on the front page for all new driver updates. Check them out for the newest 9.00 release driver.


I too am doing this. Great website!

The new 9.00's (12.6 BETA 12 JUNE) appear to perform quite well. More stable FPS in BF3 and SSAA support is much better.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Edit: got it
> http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-6-9-00-beta-june-12


Please, not that driver for desktop systems...
Is a "half" driver, without Catalyst Install Manager, and with difficult uninstallation.

Will create huge problems.


----------



## Imprezzion

CIM is useless anyways and a safe mode wipe with DriverSweeper will do the trick just fine. I tested it and it's a perfecty well functioning driver.

Know this, it's the 3rd best driver as of yet for a 69** card and it runs better on 79** cards as it's specifically optimized for the 7*** series so my guess is that it's actually the best driver out there as of now.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> CIM is useless anyways and a safe mode wipe with DriverSweeper will do the trick just fine. I tested it and it's a perfecty well functioning driver.


Are you sure?

This is the biggest mistake there.

DriverSweeper ιs the worst, most useless and unfit for uninstalling the program. In the substance does not remove any of the truly damaging parameters.

With three commands could I find you, what has not delete.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> Are you sure?
> This is the biggest mistake there.
> DriverSweeper ιs the worst, most useless and unfit for uninstalling the program. In the substance does not remove any of the truly damaging parameters.
> With three commands could I find you, what has not delete.


I tried the driver, was getting a screen flickering/jumping issue when I used AB, so un-installed with ATIman, then run driver sweeper and had no problems then installing an earlier driver.

"*Supported Desktop Cards:*

AMD6798.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"
AMD679A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"

AMD6800.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 7970M""


----------



## useport80

i installed the june 12th 12.6 drivers(9.00 version) and ran 3dmark11 performance(free version) and here are my scores. i know the benchmarks aren't much but i haven't really had any flickering or issues with them. then again im not overclocking or anything right now. but they seem to be ok. i had some slowness issues with the original 12.6 drivers, so i ripped them out and installed the june 12th version.

3DMark Score P8107
Graphics Score 8156
Physics Score 8534
Combined Score 7242
Graphics Test 137.43 FPS
Graphics Test 240.33 FPS
Graphics Test 350.9 FPS
Graphics Test 424.02 FPS
Physics Test 27.09 FPS
Combined Test 33.69 FPS


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I tried the driver, was getting a screen flickering/jumping issue when I used AB, so un-installed with ATIman, then run driver sweeper and had no problems then installing an earlier driver.


Yes, Atiman uninstaller uninstall that driver, is the only way.
Why after Atiman run Driver Sweeper? not needed.

There is nothing more that can be uninstalled.
We do not care about install folders, also DS show two registry keys, is empty.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I tried the driver, was getting a screen flickering/jumping issue when I used AB, so un-installed with ATIman, then run driver sweeper and had no problems then installing an earlier driver.
> 
> "*Supported Desktop Cards:*
> 
> AMD6798.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"
> AMD679A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"
> 
> AMD6800.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 7970M""


You're not supposed to use Driver Sweeper after Atiman Uninstaller.

Driver Sweepers makes a mess.


----------



## Derko1

Quick question for everyone. So I thought I had found my limits for overclocking... but it seems like I'm not stable. I passed all of my stress testing fine... but dirt 3 crashes on a certain stage. I have gotten more stability by turn up the voltage, but I just want to make sure that I'm doing the right thing.

I'm getting a black screen and some times a driver has stopped working error. Is this indication of too high a core clock or memory clock? I'm at 1183/1825 right now.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> Are you sure?
> This is the biggest mistake there.
> DriverSweeper ιs the worst, most useless and unfit for uninstalling the program. In the substance does not remove any of the truly damaging parameters.
> With three commands could I find you, what has not delete.


I used driver sweeper with all my card, and i only had problem with HD 6950, it deleted some important files.
Also what problems people experience with driver sweeper?


----------



## Imprezzion

@Derko1, Way too high of a VRAM clock. Turn it down to ~1600-1650 and try again.


----------



## BlackWS6

I can't seem to get mine to crash at 1800Mhz on the memory, just gave it a slight bump in voltage.


----------



## Imprezzion

Mine can't even do 1700Mhz without giving it at least 1625mV.
I run 1675Mhz on 1618mV. On stock only 1600mhz is possible.

If I were to turn the VRAM voltage all the way up, as in giving it like, 1660mV orso, it does well over 180Mhz as well but that aint healthy for your VRAM is it. Not that I know what it can take in terms of voltage with a AAX7970 cooler incl VRAM sinks and the fans always @ 100 but k.

It was meant as a test. Just try turning it down and see if the crashes are gone then. Troubleshooting through elimination.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> You're not supposed to use Driver Sweeper after Atiman Uninstaller.
> 
> Driver Sweepers makes a mess.


"Driver Sweepers makes a mess."

Can you explain more ?

I probably don't need to take that extra step, but it is what I have always done and driver sweeper removes about 10 to 12 reg entries after ATIman has done it's stuff. Never had half the problems I read about on here.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Mine can't even do 1700Mhz without giving it at least 1625mV.
> I run 1675Mhz on 1618mV. On stock only 1600mhz is possible.
> If I were to turn the VRAM voltage all the way up, as in giving it like, 1660mV orso, it does well over 180Mhz as well but that aint healthy for your VRAM is it. Not that I know what it can take in terms of voltage with a AAX7970 cooler incl VRAM sinks and the fans always @ 100 but k.
> It was meant as a test. Just try turning it down and see if the crashes are gone then. Troubleshooting through elimination.


That's the truth. I'll do more testing and log VRM temps. The dual X cooler on my sapphire OC seems to do a pretty good job cooling so far.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> *"Driver Sweepers makes a mess."
> Can you explain more ?*
> 
> I probably don't need to take that extra step, but it is what I have always done and driver sweeper removes about 10 to 12 reg entries after ATIman has done it's stuff. Never had half the problems I read about on here.


They have been known to corrupt strings of information deep within the INF and chipset drivers. The way to tell if this has happened is by attempting to install the video card drivers. If you're unable to install them after using the sweeper, you may need to reformat.

DS has also corrupted other files or removed the wrong entries, which result in any sort of issue, from stuttering in games, to blue screens and so on.

I'm not saying don't use driver sweeper. What i am saying is, if you remove the entries yourself with the help of someone who can tell you what to remove, this will prove to be the best possible way for removing drivers.


----------



## BlackWS6

PS - Evil Penguin, you play BF3 under the name [RDDT]DaEvilPenguin by chance?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> PS - Evil Penguin, you play BF3 under the name [RDDT]DaEvilPenguin by chance?


Evil-P3nguin


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Evil-P3nguin


I'll keep an eye out. Just thought it may have been you, he was on one of our servers for a while last night. I play under [GS96]Fahrenheit-VS9.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Mine can't even do 1700Mhz without giving it at least 1625mV.
> I run 1675Mhz on 1618mV. On stock only 1600mhz is possible.
> If I were to turn the VRAM voltage all the way up, as in giving it like, 1660mV orso, it does well over 180Mhz as well but that aint healthy for your VRAM is it. Not that I know what it can take in terms of voltage with a AAX7970 cooler incl VRAM sinks and the fans always @ 100 but k.
> It was meant as a test. Just try turning it down and see if the crashes are gone then. Troubleshooting through elimination.


Wow! Until you just mentioned the mem voltage... I had not even thought about it. What are you using to test your mem clocks? The drivers crash when I use 1800mhz, but will work for a while before they crash. Is there a safe voltage for the VRAM? I have water cooling... so my core temps are max at 41C with 1.3v to the core.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Wow! Until you just mentioned the mem voltage... I had not even thought about it. What are you using to test your mem clocks? The drivers crash when I use 1800mhz, but will work for a while before they crash. Is there a safe voltage for the VRAM? I have water cooling... so my core temps are max at 41C with 1.3v to the core.


Jesus, 41C at 1.3v under 100% load?! lol I'm touching 70ºC after a while of running heaven loop and the room starts to heat up lol. I play BF3 and run heaven (over night) to test stability of the card, no problems yet. I've seen some fellas running 1.70v into the memory for stability, but that voltage didn't yield enough of a gain so I said the hell with it and dropped back down and settled at 1800 and 1.65v.


----------



## Wattser93

I need some help getting audio from my 7970 to my television through HDMI.

I'm running a recent 12.6 beta, around June 6 or something like that, and the video works fine.

I'm also using the latest VLC player.

By changing the audio device in the control panel to TV as default, going into VLC and changing the audio from stereo to left only, and then back to stereo, I can get audio through my TV (that then gets passed on the my HT, but that's irrelevant). The problem is, I have to do this every time I want to watch a movie, and then have to change the control panel when I want to have sound through my PC speakers.

Ha anybody found a driver that allows them to simply turn on the movie and have the audio go straight to the TV?


----------



## Imprezzion

I use OCCT to test my VRAM clocks. It usually finds the problems quite fast.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I use OCCT to test my VRAM clocks. It usually finds the problems quite fast.


What the 3d test? It doesn't do much for me... I use GPUTool. I've noticed that in full screen when it uses crossfire for me... it only uses the cards up to 49% each. GPUtool maxes them out at 98-99% constantly.

Yea 41C for BOTH 7970s and 26C for idle. Room is at 23C.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> What the 3d test? It doesn't do much for me... I use GPUTool. I've noticed that in full screen when it uses crossfire for me... it only uses the cards up to 49% each. GPUtool maxes them out at 98-99% constantly.
> Yea 41C for BOTH 7970s and 26C for idle. Room is at 23C.


That's impressive man, what kind of blocks, pump, and radiator?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> They have been known to corrupt strings of information deep within the INF and chipset drivers. The way to tell if this has happened is by attempting to install the video card drivers. If you're unable to install them after using the sweeper, you may need to reformat.
> DS has also corrupted other files or removed the wrong entries, which result in any sort of issue, from stuttering in games, to blue screens and so on.
> I'm not saying don't use driver sweeper. What i am saying is, if you remove the entries yourself with the help of someone who can tell you what to remove, this will prove to be the best possible way for removing drivers.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> You're not supposed to use Driver Sweeper after Atiman Uninstaller.
> 
> Driver Sweepers makes a mess.


I see, will skip it from now on.

Thanks.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> That's impressive man, what kind of blocks, pump, and radiator?


Check my sig... I've got some pics there too.

So my cards aren't very good... i need 1.3v for 1170 core and 1.650v for 1800 mem.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I see, will skip it from now on.
> Thanks.


Yeah no problem mate. Might wanna try my AMD ATI guide.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

What do you guys think about Tahiti XT2? 1100mhz core clock at just 1.02V! By increasing speed at reduced voltage I suspect the over locking potential of thesenew chips may be quite impressive. Already selling my Lightnings so maybe I'll wait for these new cards to show up. Should be spectacular under water!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What do you guys think about Tahiti XT2? 1100mhz core clock at just 1.02V! By increasing speed at reduced voltage I suspect the over locking potential of thesenew chips may be quite impressive. Already selling my Lightnings so maybe I'll wait for these new cards to show up. Should be spectacular under water!


I don't think they will be out in time for me the do a direct RMA on my cards.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

TPU said late June or early July.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I don't think they will be out in time for me the do a direct RMA on my cards.


upgrade time, and give the 7950 to my brother as a hand me down....


----------



## Derko1

Well guys! I have no idea what the problem could be on my end... No matter what I set my memory too... I always crash on the one stage in Dirt3. Every thing else is working fine. Except for that single stage.

I tried setting the clocks back to stock and testing the level and it still crashed. So it's gotta be something else. Maybe just an issue with the game itself?


----------



## Imprezzion

Probably. I assume it's a genuine copy?









Well, I have to test some more to find the max on my VRAM but is it even worth it? I mean, is there ANY gain from going above 1700Mhz for the VRAM?

In BF3 on Ultra with 2xAAA + FXAA injector (set in CCC) and no motionblur I get like, 75-115 FPS and if I were to use a FPS cap on 62 (60 causes tearing, 62 doesn't - command is GameTime.MaxVariableFPS 62) it pretty much never drops under it. GPU usage with no cap is a flat line on 99%, with the cap it's about anything from 80-95%.

MW3 with all maxed & the same 2x AAA + FXAA injector hits the frame limiter of 91FPS with just 40-55% GPU usage..


----------



## phillyd

Whenever I start up MW3, it crashes on the splash screen
im running 12.3 because 12.4, 12.5 beta and 12.6 crash on youtube


----------



## Derko1

I'll be 100% honest and say it is not. I own the game on the Xbox with all of the DLC and since I got into PC gaming a few months ago, I want to purchase the Dirt pack on steam 2 weeks from now. It'll be on sale and regardless the price I will be buying it, plus all the DLC.

The level I'm having issues with is the smelter level... which is the very first one. I mainly got it so I could simply run the benchmark. I am in no way justifying it though.

With that said... I tried lowering my voltage and it still works fine with the overclock. I went down to 1.225 and it's fine with the 1170. I guess it doesn't make a difference when I can not get any higher to begin with.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> upgrade time, and give the 7950 to my brother as a hand me down....


I wish I got 'hand me downs' as good as that....... :/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What do you guys think about Tahiti XT2? 1100mhz core clock at just 1.02V! By increasing speed at reduced voltage I suspect the over locking potential of thesenew chips may be quite impressive. Already selling my Lightnings so maybe I'll wait for these new cards to show up. Should be spectacular under water!


Doubt it will matter, current silicon can run 1200 at stock volts and depending upon your asic it's as low as any voltage wise. Also the highly efficient silicon doesn't necessarily mean it will run better under water ime.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I don't know of many current 7970's that can reach 1100mhz undervolted to 1.02V though. That kind of efficiency leads me to believe that some of the new ones should be able to hit 1300mhz+ at current stock voltages (1.175V) leaving more headroom for possible 1400-1500mhz over clocks. Seems possible at least.

Regardless, I'm going with reference cards just because I already bought the blocks for them. Wanted the nickel plexi EK's that go with my other blocks for aesthetic reasons...


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I don't know of many current 7970's that can reach 1100mhz undervolted to 1.02V though. That kind of efficiency leads me to believe that some of the new ones should be able to hit 1300mhz+ at current stock voltages (1.175V) leaving more headroom for possible 1400-1500mhz over clocks. Seems possible at least.
> 
> Regardless, I'm going with reference cards just because I already bought the blocks for them. Wanted the nickel plexi EK's that go with my other blocks for aesthetic reasons...


Doesn't always work like that, it's more so a matter of where the voltage to MHz ratio spikes. Every chip has it's wall where all of a sudden it demands way too much power for the gains. These chips could hit that wall at 1150mhz for all intents and purposes.


----------



## tsm106

The sapphire oc's that i had did [email protected] and they were crap when i tried to throw any voltage at them to hit 1300. Taken for what they are, they're superb cards on air.


----------



## tw33k

3DMark 11 won't run if Trixx is running (I get an error saying the program doesn't have full access or something) so I lose my OC while benching. I closed Trixx and enabled Overdrive in CCC but the max memory is only 1575 and I want 1600. My question is, can I just use RBE to increase the limit in CCC? Do I just move the sliders and reboot? Or is there a better way?


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw33k*
> 
> 3DMark 11 won't run if Trixx is running (I get an error saying the program doesn't have full access or something) so I lose my OC while benching. I closed Trixx and enabled Overdrive in CCC but the max memory is only 1575 and I want 1600. My question is, can I just use RBE to increase the limit in CCC? Do I just move the sliders and reboot? Or is there a better way?


Just use MSI afterburner. Works great on my card, didn't even bother with anything else.


----------



## tw33k

I should have mentioned that I get the same error with Afterburner as well. I just want to use CCC but I need the limits increased


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw33k*
> 
> I should have mentioned that I get the same error with Afterburner as well. I just want to use CCC but I need the limits increased


Add -xcl at the end of your MSI AB shortcut (outside of the quotes). Run MSI AB. It'll say "clocks have been increased, please restart". Do so, restart. Remove the -xcl tags from your MSI AB shortcut, and then re run MSI AB. Enjoy.









Note:
Might want to save a default profile (I use Profile 1), and then your overclocked profile (I use Profile 2). Then go under MSI AB's settings, and go to the profiles tab. Add your stock profile as your 2D clocks, and your overclocked profile as 3D clocks.


----------



## tw33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Add -xcl at the end of your MSI AB shortcut (outside of the quotes). Run MSI AB. It'll say "clocks have been increased, please restart". Do so, restart. Remove the -xcl tags from your MSI AB shortcut, and then re run MSI AB. Enjoy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Note:
> Might want to save a default profile (I use Profile 1), and then your overclocked profile (I use Profile 2). Then go under MSI AB's settings, and go to the profiles tab. Add your stock profile as your 2D clocks, and your overclocked profile as 3D clocks.


Thanks mate. I thought I uninstalled Trixx before I installed Afterburner but I didn't, so that's why I kept getting the error. All good now.

Just went to give you rep then saw that I couldn't. Thanks again

UPDATE: New problem. When I hit "Apply" in Afterburner, it resets the clocks back to stock speeds. I've been reading looking for a solution but nothing I've tried works. I'll try reinstalling it again


----------



## BradleyW

My top gpu seems to be around twelve degrees hotter. How can I bring down the temperature? Cheers.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My top gpu seems to be around twelve degrees hotter. How can I bring down the temperature? Cheers.


try putting a fan or two blowing right onto gap between the cards.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw33k*
> 
> Thanks mate. I thought I uninstalled Trixx before I installed Afterburner but I didn't, so that's why I kept getting the error. All good now.
> Just went to give you rep then saw that I couldn't. Thanks again
> UPDATE: New problem. When I hit "Apply" in Afterburner, it resets the clocks back to stock speeds. I've been reading looking for a solution but nothing I've tried works. I'll try reinstalling it again


Have you enabled "UnofficialOverclockingMode " ?


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/12030_30#post_17481194
> 
> Same problem here, but only seemed to happen when I used AfterBurner , I rolled back to an earlier driver.
> Also was only happening on the June 12th driver...the first 12.6beta was OK for me.


I'm (or was - have since rolled back to that first 12.6 driver) having that same screen flickering problem with the new 12.6...it's even crashed my system...anyone have a fix?


----------



## tw33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Have you enabled "UnofficialOverclockingMode " ?


Yes I did. A reinstall fixed that problem.

Now for my latest problem. Ran 3DMark 11 @ 1140/1575 1.25v....


Tried 1200/1575 and only scored 6799. Any ideas as to why? Not fully stable?


----------



## disintegratorx

The Catalyst 12.6 BETA June 12 drivers are working awesome for me. I finally feel just about totally free with movement and responsiveness in BF3. The visuals are noticibly better too. Best driver imo since the Catalyst 12.4.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw33k*
> 
> Yes I did. A reinstall fixed that problem.
> Now for my latest problem. Ran 3DMark 11 @ 1140/1575 1.25v....
> 
> Tried 1200/1575 and only scored 6799. Any ideas as to why? Not fully stable?


Something is very wrong with you score.
Here is mine on 1100/1575.
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3611231


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Something is very wrong with you score.
> Here is mine on 1100/1575.
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3611231


Your physics and combined score it much higher, probably due to a higher CPU overclock.

Some of his graphic scores are a good bit higher than yours


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Your physics and combined score it much higher, probably due to a higher CPU overclock.
> *Some of his graphic scores are a good bit higher than yours*


Hmm, dont get this sentence. Little explanation pls. He has higher CPU score because of hyperthreading.
Cheers


----------



## Hexa

hmm are you supposed to use both crossfire bridges?

I saw on these forums http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=473490 someone say you're supposed to use two but I've only been using one...

I went there b/c I been playing Napoleon Total War for the Steam free weekend but with xfire I'm getting glitchy ui windows where they flash and blink.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> hmm are you supposed to use both crossfire bridges?
> I saw on these forums http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=473490 someone say you're supposed to use two but I've only been using one...
> I went there b/c I been playing Napoleon Total War for the Steam free weekend but with xfire I'm getting glitchy ui windows where they flash and blink.


When i had GTX 570 SLI setup, i used only one bridge, and everything was working ok.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hmm, dont get this sentence. Little explanation pls. He has higher CPU score because of hyperthreading.
> Cheers


Ooops









Looks like I got it back to front, your graphics scores much better and his CPU scores better

Your 3Dmark11 scores



His 3Dmarks11 scores


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> try putting a fan or two blowing right onto gap between the cards.


I have a 200mm side fan and that helped by around 5c. I also put a NF F12 120mm fan at the side of the two cards but it does not seem to have much effect. If i could get the top card as cool as the bottom, i could run 1.2Ghz all day long!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I have a 200mm side fan and that helped by around 5c. I also put a NF F12 120mm fan at the side of the two cards but it does not seem to have much effect. If i could get the top card as cool as the bottom, i could run 1.2Ghz all day long!


I suggest you restrict your clocks to 1150 Mhz in CF. Also make sure your top card doesn't cross 80c under load. I say this in the interest of the longevity of your cards.


----------



## MooMoo

I just (yesterday) bought Gigabyte 7950! Im happy how games look and run, except I've experience many issues unluckily :/
GTA IV haves lagg spikes. Diablo 3 haves lagg spikes too. When my monitor goes sleep, I cant wake it up and have to turn computer off from power button.

But now I want to try to overclock this (beast?)







Where I should start? Should I try with Sapphires TriXX even when I dont have Sapphire card?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> I suggest you restrict your clocks to 1150 Mhz in CF. Also make sure your top card doesn't cross 80c under load. I say this in the interest of the longevity of your cards.


I can use 1170 at under 80c so yeah i might have to keep it that way.

btw here is the system. If you have suggestions let me know.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> I need some help getting audio from my 7970 to my television through HDMI.
> I'm running a recent 12.6 beta, around June 6 or something like that, and the video works fine.
> I'm also using the latest VLC player.
> By changing the audio device in the control panel to TV as default, going into VLC and changing the audio from stereo to left only, and then back to stereo, I can get audio through my TV (that then gets passed on the my HT, but that's irrelevant). The problem is, I have to do this every time I want to watch a movie, and then have to change the control panel when I want to have sound through my PC speakers.
> Ha anybody found a driver that allows them to simply turn on the movie and have the audio go straight to the TV?


You are going through the same exact thing I have to do everytime my dad wants to watch a movie. I live like 4 blocks down from him and he thinks ill come over and help him everytime he calls .








Anyhow I bought him 2 7950s for fathers day gave it to him early to replace a 6990 and I installed the new drivers 12.4 I think and the same exact thing is happening to him . Its like some kind of bug or somthing. I found out it is faster to unplug the hdmi and plug it back in while computer is on and everything works fine . it's annoying thats for sure !









BTW it seems this gen cards the 7000 gen has more probs then the last gen . Im not a fan boy in fact the gtx600 series was my first ever nvidia card I ever had . I still to this day have not had 1 prob from my gtx690 .
I prob will now for saying this but lets just hope not.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> You are going through the same exact thing I have to do everytime my dad wants to watch a movie. I live like 4 blocks down from him and he thinks ill come over and help him everytime he calls .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyhow I bought him 2 7950s for fathers day gave it to him early to replace a 6990 and I installed the new drivers 12.4 I think and the same exact thing is happening to him . Its like some kind of bug or somthing. I found out it is faster to unplug the hdmi and plug it back in while computer is on and everything works fine . it's annoying thats for sure !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW it seems this gen cards the 7000 gen has more probs then the last gen . Im not a fan boy in fact the gtx600 series was my first ever nvidia card I ever had . I still to this day have not had 1 prob from my gtx690 .
> I prob will now for saying this but lets just hope not.


I guess I'll have to just deal with it. My MacBook Pro is just a matter of plugging it in and it auto configures itself in a matter of 2 seconds and is ready to go. It amazes me that I can spend $450 on a GPU after it's been out for months (AMD driver team, where are you?) and still have HDMI audio problems.


----------



## Ken1649

Anyone having issue with Afterburner 2.2.1? I can't complete WEI run without crashing. Took me few hours to find the culprit.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> "Driver Sweepers makes a mess."
> Can you explain more ?
> 
> I probably don't need to take that extra step, but it is what I have always done and driver sweeper removes about 10 to 12 reg entries after ATIman has done it's stuff. Never had half the problems I read about on here.


Most keys of them is empty my friend...
DS read only headlines.


----------



## t3lancer2006

Got up to 1280 core at 1.18v, but it got way too hot, over 90C. I've backed it down to 1185 Core and can run around 75C at 1.118v. About 5 minutes into kombustor, my fan just went back 50% and it started jumping between 50% and 100% for some reason.


----------



## sena

Guys i need help, suddenly i lost about 20 fps in dirt 2, int not big deal, i still have over 90 fps, but i really want to know what the hell happened. If anyone can help, i would really appreaciate.
Cheers.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i need help, suddenly i lost about 20 fps in dirt 2, int not big deal, i still have over 90 fps, but i really want to know what the hell happened. If anyone can help, i would really appreaciate.
> Cheers.


check did u change something in AMD control panel...if u rised some options there u can loose some fps


----------



## tw33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Something is very wrong with you score.
> Here is mine on 1100/1575.
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3611231


Both my x16 slots are broken so I have to use the x4 slot until I can RMA the board


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw33k*
> 
> Both my x16 slots are broken so I have to use the x4 slot until I can RMA the board


You _still_ haven't done that RMA?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Anyone having issue with Afterburner 2.2.1? I can't complete WEI run without crashing. Took me few hours to find the culprit.


2.2.1 has given me some problems with lock ups and desktop mess ups, I dropped to 2.2.0 and it has been much better. I had the most stability with 2.2 beta 15 thou


----------



## tw33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> You _still_ haven't done that RMA?


I'm waiting on parts so I can build my AMD rig first otherwise I won't have a computer


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Anyone using this waterblock?

Heatkiller GPU-X³ 79X0 Radeon HD 7950 / 7970 Reference Design Full Coverage Water Block

If so how is it holding up?

Do you need a backplate?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> check did u change something in AMD control panel...if u rised some options there u can loose some fps


Nothing, i just deleted some registry in Ccleaner, and after that i lost some fps.


----------



## thegh0sts

how much can the 7970 be comfortably OC'd to on stock voltage?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Mine will both hit 1130MHz on stock voltage. I've seen some get as high as 1200MHz...


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Mine will both hit 1130MHz on stock voltage. I've seen some get as high as 1200MHz...


cool, cos i am thinking of doing a quick change from the 7950 to the 7970









EDIT: Which brands are good? looking at gigabyte OC version and the sapphire OC version.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Anyone using this waterblock?
> Heatkiller GPU-X³ 79X0 Radeon HD 7950 / 7970 Reference Design Full Coverage Water Block
> If so how is it holding up?
> Do you need a backplate?


You might want to have a look here:
@Bundymania review
http://forum.highflow.nl/f18/bundymania-user-review-6-waterblocks-hd7970-roundup-english-version-12950/


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

You going to switch you should wait for the XT2 chips to come out later this month. Should be better performers all around...


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You going to switch you should wait for the XT2 chips to come out later this month. Should be better performers all around...


ah ok. hopefully it should be good.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> You going to switch you should wait for the XT2 chips to come out later this month. Should be better performers all around...


What is this about XT2 chips?


----------



## thegh0sts

lower voltage + a faster clock to 1100mhz


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> lower voltage + a faster clock to 1100mhz


...and less vdroop, but still i am not convinced that it is worth the extra money, especially if you watercool in which case the reference 7970 is a pretty good performer overall.


----------



## thegh0sts

personally i don't mind just getting a current 7970 (the sapphire 7970 OC 3GB) and just OC the core clock to about 1200-1250 and be done with it for this generation.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> You might want to have a look here:
> @Bundymania review
> http://forum.highflow.nl/f18/bundymania-user-review-6-waterblocks-hd7970-roundup-english-version-12950/


Good to see a review with so many different blocks. Wish a little more info would have been provided like actual temps of gpus, ambient temps, and VRM temps.

I came close to getting the Heat Killer but then decided to go with the Swiftech MCW82-7900.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I can use 1170 at under 80c so yeah i might have to keep it that way.
> btw here is the system. If you have suggestions let me know.


You havent think about removing that hdd cage so the front active intake gets more natural flow??


----------



## BradleyW

How much would it help?
What would be the best way to remove it without taking evrything out of my system or is that not possible?
Cheers.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Good to see a review with so many different blocks. Wish a little more info would have been provided like actual temps of gpus, ambient temps, and VRM temps.
> I came close to getting the Heat Killer but then decided to go with the Swiftech MCW82-7900.


How is the swiftech working for you?

What clocks you running and temps?

+REP!!!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How much would it help?
> What would be the best way to remove it without taking evrything out of my system or is that not possible?
> Cheers.


If you are careful you can even remove it in a way that you can use it back later if you want too..
A drill with a tiny bit ( a bit smaller than the rivets) would be enough you dont have to dismantle the thing...
If you have a dremel better...

See the problem with air is, that people think you can make miracles with it... Good airflow is good but gains are not that of a much..
In your case a couple of c gained is worth it, in another cases it is not.. If you can maintain the constant 80c as tops (depending on the ambient temp) then you have good airflow

80c in a crossfire setup in the top card it is great if you ask me...

Like i told you before, i would sacrifice a couple of mhz/volts in a overclock for better significance gains in temps.
You are in crossfire i dont think overclocking is even worth it right now...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> If you are careful you can even remove it in a way that you can use it back later if you want too..
> A drill with a tiny bit ( a bit smaller than the rivets) would be enough you dont have to dismantle the thing...
> If you have a dremel better...
> See the problem with air is, that people think you can make miracles with it... Good airflow is good but gains are not that of a much..
> In your case a couple of c gained is worth it, in another cases it is not..
> 80c in a crossfire setup in the top card it is great if you ask me...
> Like i told you before, i would sacrifice a couple of mhz/volts in a overclock for better significance gains in temps.
> You are in crossfire i dont think overclocking is even worth it right now...


Thank you for the input mate. Rep.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Im telling you guys this card is weird as hell.. Doing some tests today here....
I did the red mod to my card.. Before my stable stock voltage overclock was 1200/1800...

Now that i have the core under control and below 60c and vrm temps also under control they go almost side to side with core temp difference is like 2 or 3c higher than the core...

I can do 1250/1850 stable...

I gained around 6 frames on crysis 2 benchmark (that i also use for testing new clocks and stability)... WTH!!!!!...
I even did a 2nd run because didnt believe at first what i saw....









This is my post about my settings and tests
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/11850#post_17447270

The lower the temps and voltage the better it runs as i can see in my case....


----------



## BradleyW

Restart and retest?
Nice gain. Tried other tests like metro 2033?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> how much can the 7970 be comfortably OC'd to on stock voltage?


Stock voltage is a variable from card to card depending on the ASIC

"

According to Alexey Nikolaichuk (the author of RivaTuner and MSI Afterburner), the correlation between voltage and quality is like follows:



> ASIC quality < 75% - 1.1750 V;
> ASIC quality < 80% - 1.1125 V;
> ASIC quality < 85% - 1.0500 V;
> ASIC quality < 90% - 1.0250 V;
> ASIC quality ≤ 100% - 1.0250 V."





> http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/graphics/display/xfx-r7970-double-dissipation-edition_2.html


----------



## BradleyW

my asic is 82 each on these cards! I can do 1150 core on stock voltage.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Restart and retest?
> Nice gain. Tried other tests like metro 2033?


I havent tried metro benchmark.. Plus now it is too late







as my card is already moded and i dont want to do the hazzle that i did just to make the cooper shim to work on my card, did it 3 times before proper contact...
First 2 trys once i fire heaven the gpu temp went all way up to 90c and the pc crashed lol pain in the butt if you ask me...

I only have the the tests benchs for crysis 2 that i use for gains/stability on overclocks.. That game just chew your card in a bad overclock that is not even funny...

I manage to do a re-run with my 1200/1800 settings and gained +3 frames [[same drivers same setup, only thing changed is the cooler]]...
Stock Cooler: 80.8
Red Mod: 84.2

This card dont like higher volts neither higher temps to perform at his best as im seeing in my tests...

My 3dmark score didnt went up to far neither...

1200/1800
Graphic Score: 10344
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3487153

1250/1850
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3675433
Graphic Score: 10412

Thats why i always say synthetic benchmarks dont tell you too much on how your card is doing Try the real deal first.. Synthetic benchmarks come second..

PD: they finally fixed the bug on my gazillion mhz cpu lol


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How much would it help?
> What would be the best way to remove it without taking evrything out of my system or is that not possible?
> Cheers.


I am interested how much it would help, have same case.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I havent tried metro benchmark.. Plus now it is too late
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> as my card is already moded and i dont want to do the hazzle that i did just to make the cooper shim to work on my card, did it 3 times before proper contact...
> First 2 trys once i fire heaven the gpu temp went all way up to 90c and the pc crashed lol pain in the butt if you ask me...
> I only have the the tests benchs for crysis 2 that i use for gains/stability on overclocks.. That game just chew your card in a bad overclock that is not even funny...
> I manage to do a re-run with my 1200/1800 settings and gained +3 frames [[same drivers same setup, only thing changed is the cooler]]...
> Stock Cooler: 80.8
> Red Mod: 84.2
> This card dont like higher volts neither higher temps to perform at his best as im seeing in my tests...
> My 3dmark score didnt went up to far neither...
> 1200/1800
> Graphic Score: 10344
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3487153
> 1250/1850
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3675433
> Graphic Score: 10412
> Thats why i always say synthetic benchmarks dont tell you too much on how your card is doing Try the real deal first.. Synthetic benchmarks come second..
> PD: they finally fixed the bug on my gazillion mhz cpu lol


Well, i agree that synthetic benchmarks are not very good in the long run. Playing a game or game benchmark is the way to go. It is also a matter of how hot your willing your card to be and is the gain worth it. At least that's the question i am dealing with.
You know, I am stable in every game but the only game that gives me issues when overclocked in alan wake american nightmare. The game crashes and ati driver has to recover. However, alan wake runs perfect. Just the game?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I am interested how much it would help, have same case.


Stay tuned. Here is my current test log/plan/results.

200 Side (Intake), 200 Front (Intake) 120 Front of GPU's (Intake) = 82c top card.

200 Side (Out), 200 Front (Out) 120 Front of GPU's (Out) = 85c top card

200 Side (Intake), 200 Front (Out) 120 Front of GPU's (Out) = 85c top card

Edit: Results are as above.


----------



## t3lancer2006

Some interesting things I've learned about my 7950.

* Crysis 2 crashes before I can meet prophet for the first time whether I'm on 12.6 or 12.4 drivers

* Arma 2 runs great

* My ASIC is 87.4%

* Any higher voltage than 1.10v and my temps shoot up really high, even though I can run 1280 core stable no problem. At stock voltage I can do over 1100 core.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *t3lancer2006*
> 
> Some interesting things I've learned about my 7950.
> * Crysis 2 crashes before I can meet prophet for the first time whether I'm on 12.6 or 12.4 drivers
> * Arma 2 runs great
> * My ASIC is 87.4%
> * Any higher voltage than 1.10v and my temps shoot up really high, even though I can run 1280 core stable no problem. At stock voltage I can do over 1100 core.


One thing I can tell you that the last 5% clock speed or perf gained is always disproportionately costly in terms of heat and power. Stick to 1200 Mhz. Any higher and you are not really getting a good balance of perf, heat, power and noise under air coolers. Under water it does not matter you can push even 1300 Mhz because heat and temps are taken care of.


----------



## sena

Thanks for results BradleyW.+1


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Stay tuned. Here is my current test log/plan/results.
> 200 Side (Intake), 200 Front (Intake) 120 Front of GPU's (Intake) = 82c top card.
> 200 Side (Out), 200 Front (Out) 120 Front of GPU's (Out) = 85c top card
> 200 Side (Intake), 200 Front (Out) 120 Front of GPU's (Out) = 85c top card
> Edit: Results are as above.


Why you put as OUT the front fans??? Dont touch those, leave those always as Intake...

Try this setup btw
200 Side (Out), 200 Front (Intake) 120 Front of GPU's (Intake)


----------



## 125837

What is the best way to go about removing AMD drivers to install nVidia drivers, without using third party applications or reformatting?


----------



## truestorybro545

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> What is the best way to go about removing AMD drivers to install nVidia drivers, without using third party applications or reformatting?


Uninstall the drivers, then uninstall the Install Manager.

For a complete clean wipe, go to C:\ Windows\ SysWOW64 and delete everything that has "ati" in it. Nothing more, nothing less. Then, go back and go to system32 and do the same.

Remember, "ati" files only!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I would definitely do a clean install anytime switching between nvidia and AMD. I'm sure you can do it but a fresh install guarantees the fewest headaches...


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I would definitely do a clean install anytime switching between nvidia and AMD. I'm sure you can do it but a fresh install guarantees the fewest headaches...


Yeah I know, it's just a pain in the neck cause I did so many reformats with my 7970


----------



## locc

Little driver speculation before 79xx "XT2" chips are released: In Guru3D forums Unwinder (writer of RivaTuner and Afterburner) commented:

_"Unofficial overclocking mode is completely gone with new drivers, old libs no longer work. So use official mode and stay within CCC clock limits. Thank greedy idiots from AMD for that."_

This is with current 9.xx beta drivers and possibly drivers coming after that. Could this be AMD's way to prevent the overclocking of current 79xx chips so they can "make room" for "XT2" chips with higher CCC overclocking limits after "unofficial overclocking limits" are no longer working. This means that current 79xx cards would be CCC capped to 1125 / 1575 MHz. This is purely my speculation at this point.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> Little driver speculation before 79xx "XT2" chips are released: In Guru3D forums Unwinder (writer of RivaTuner and Afterburner) commented:
> _"Unofficial overclocking mode is completely gone with new drivers, old libs no longer work. So use official mode and stay within CCC clock limits. Thank greedy idiots from AMD for that."_
> This is with current 9.xx beta drivers and possibly drivers coming after that. Could this be AMD's way to prevent the overclocking of current 79xx chips so they can "make room" for "XT2" chips with higher CCC overclocking limits after "unofficial overclocking limits" are no longer working. This means that current 79xx cards would be CCC capped to 1125 / 1575 MHz. This is purely my speculation at this point.


I sure hope not...


----------



## BradleyW

After testing the fans, it would seem the best config is to have them all the way they were. All intake.
I might look into remving the rivits that hold the HDD cage and i might try and install a 200mm fan to help shift air.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I would definitely do a clean install anytime switching between nvidia and AMD. I'm sure you can do it but a fresh install guarantees the fewest headaches...


I have tried it both ways - clean install & uninstall/reinstall, from my expereiences, it is easier to go from nVidia to AMD than to go from AMD to nVidia if you are just going to uninstall old/reinstall new.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I have tried it both ways - clean install & uninstall/reinstall, from my expereiences, it is easier to go from nVidia to AMD than to go from AMD to nVidia if you are just going to uninstall old/reinstall new.


My guides might be of some help.


----------



## Arrehenius

Has anyone encountered the issue of the video card constantly switching between idle mode (550MHZ) and full clock while ingame?



This is what I had while in bf3, it was at 550MHZ most of the time and would jump to 1220 time to time.The GPU Usage was constantly fluctuating between 0 and 100 which is odd.


----------



## sena

I saw similar thing, but in idle.


----------



## mltms

7950 clock it 1150/1550 greet card it bf3 ultra


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> 7950 clock it 1150/1550 greet card it bf3 ultra


How much Volts it needs for that clock to be stable and what is your ASIC?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> Little driver speculation before 79xx "XT2" chips are released: In Guru3D forums Unwinder (writer of RivaTuner and Afterburner) commented:
> _"Unofficial overclocking mode is completely gone with new drivers, old libs no longer work. So use official mode and stay within CCC clock limits. Thank greedy idiots from AMD for that."_
> This is with current 9.xx beta drivers and possibly drivers coming after that. Could this be AMD's way to prevent the overclocking of current 79xx chips so they can "make room" for "XT2" chips with higher CCC overclocking limits after "unofficial overclocking limits" are no longer working. This means that current 79xx cards would be CCC capped to 1125 / 1575 MHz. This is purely my speculation at this point.


I'm surprised no one else has picked up on this? This would be a big deal if true....


----------



## thegh0sts

is there an core/memory ratio when overclocking? i want to test if 1200/1500 will be stable on a 7970 oc


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> is there an core/memory ratio when overclocking? i want to test if 1200/1500 will be stable on a 7970 oc


I wouldn't say theres a distinct ratio par say but yes 1200/1500 can normally be achieved on a 7970. Unless you get an unlucky chip that can't reach 1200 on core or 1500 on Mem that is.


----------



## thegh0sts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> I wouldn't say theres a distinct ratio par say but yes 1200/1500 can normally be achieved on a 7970. Unless you get an unlucky chip that can't reach 1200 on core or 1500 on Mem that is.


i guess the only way to know for sure is to actually go and get the card, apply the oc and see if it's stable.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

So I've been flirting with getting a lot of different graphics cards over the past few months for my new build, and after seeing the 7950 for $300, I couldn't pass it up. Now, this may sound silly, but can you OC a 7950 to get 670 levels of performance? And is it like the 7850, where you can just max it out in catalyst control center without voltage control?


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> i guess the only way to know for sure is to actually go and get the card, apply the oc and see if it's stable.


Pretty much, since every chip is different. Although you could always aim for higher if you're lucky


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm surprised no one else has picked up on this? This would be a big deal if true....


That's not that big of a deal, the UOM method. You can still use the official method, either with racerx or xcl, and *coughs* hopefully voltage control is still operable or we'll have some pissed off people. I read of efforts to break the bios, but I haven't seen anything materialize yet. Crosses fingers.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> So I've been flirting with getting a lot of different graphics cards over the past few months for my new build, and after seeing the 7950 for $300, I couldn't pass it up. Now, this may sound silly, but can you OC a 7950 to get 670 levels of performance? And is it like the 7850, where you can just max it out in catalyst control center without voltage control?


If my card is anything to go by, and it seems a lot of people have achieved similar results with their cards given optimal cooling solutions are used, then you can achieve not only 670 levels of performance, but GTX 680 levels. For sure. Just depends on the type of card you have bought (reference vs custom cooling solution, i.e Gigabyte Windforce, Sapphire Dual X, etc.) and how lucky you are with the particular chip on whatever board you settle on. A GPU score of 10,100 in 3DMark11 can attest to this:

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3650866

For that price you mentioned (I paid $570 AUD for my Sapphire 7950 OC near release) you have a bucket load of performance, and great overclocking potential.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> If my card is anything to go by, and it seems a lot of people have achieved similar results with their cards given optimal cooling solutions are used, then you can achieve not only 670 levels of performance, but GTX 680 levels. For sure. Just depends on the type of card you have bought (reference vs custom cooling solution, i.e Gigabyte Windforce, Sapphire Dual X, etc.) and how lucky you are with the particular chip on whatever board you settle on. A GPU score of 10,100 in 3DMark11 can attest to this:
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3650866
> For that price you mentioned (I paid $570 AUD for my Sapphire 7950 OC near release) you have a bucket load of performance, and great overclocking potential.


Nice, nice. Can you link me to an overclocking guide for the 7950?







I'm a bit new to overclocking GPU's, I have a bunch of questions -

1. How do I test whether a GPU overclock is stable?
2. In what increments should I increase the GPU clock and memory clock?
3. How do I know when to increase the voltage, and in what increments?
4. What is the "max" voltage I should go with?


----------



## thegh0sts

i find it strange that HWInfo64 is showing my 7950 as having 2048 stream processors...i thought it has about 1792 stream processors?


----------



## truestorybro545

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> Has anyone encountered the issue of the video card constantly switching between idle mode (550MHZ) and full clock while ingame?
> 
> This is what I had while in bf3, it was at 550MHZ most of the time and would jump to 1220 time to time.The GPU Usage was constantly fluctuating between 0 and 100 which is odd.


I've had it hang at idle settings in game, but not switch between them randomly. Is your card seated properly?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> So I've been flirting with getting a lot of different graphics cards over the past few months for my new build, and after seeing the 7950 for $300, I couldn't pass it up. Now, this may sound silly, but can you OC a 7950 to get 670 levels of performance? And is it like the 7850, where you can just max it out in catalyst control center without voltage control?


I think you are underestimating a HD 7950. clock for clock HD 7950 is close to HD 7970 perf and faster than GTX 670. HD 7950 cards can do 1 Ghz at stock volts. some cards can max out the slider to 1050 Mhz in AMD CCC. With sapphire trixx and voltage tweaking 1100 - 1150 Mhz is easy. At those speeds HD 7950 will be competitive with a GTX 670 at 1200 - 1250 Mhz boost speeds.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Nice, nice. Can you link me to an overclocking guide for the 7950?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm a bit new to overclocking GPU's, I have a bunch of questions -
> 1. How do I test whether a GPU overclock is stable?
> 2. In what increments should I increase the GPU clock and memory clock?
> 3. How do I know when to increase the voltage, and in what increments?
> 4. What is the "max" voltage I should go with?


Install a third party overclocking software like MSI Afterburner or Sapphire trixx. max out the power limit or board power to +20% . Firstly you can test your HD 7950 at 1 Ghz core clock at stock volts by testing in a game like BF3 , Crysis 2. BF3 seems to be a very good stability tester. check out for half an hour. benchmarks like Unigine Heaven 3.0 or 3D Mark 11 can also be tested. If things are stable raise clock speeds by 50 Mhz. test again. If any artifacts, freezes, crashes occur it means your clock speeds are not stable. You need to add voltage in small increments of 0.05V. Suppose your default voltage is 1.05v. test at 1.1v. if not stable test at 1.15v and so on. Ideally don't push voltage beyond 1.2V because heat and temps will be a major factor. You need to monitor your GPU temps . They should not exceed 75c in game for long term stable operation. Ideally hitting 1150 Mhz with as little a voltage increase as possible is best for you. good luck and let us know the results of your overclocking .


----------



## thegh0sts

anyone know how to let MSI overclock further than 1100MHz on a 7950? Trixxx can do it but not the CCC or AB.

is it ok to use Trixxx for the overclock and AB just to show the FPS, usage and clocks?


----------



## Blaze0303

Just submitted mine


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> Little driver speculation before 79xx "XT2" chips are released: In Guru3D forums Unwinder (writer of RivaTuner and Afterburner) commented:
> _"Unofficial overclocking mode is completely gone with new drivers, old libs no longer work. So use official mode and stay within CCC clock limits. Thank greedy idiots from AMD for that."_
> This is with current 9.xx beta drivers and possibly drivers coming after that. Could this be AMD's way to prevent the overclocking of current 79xx chips so they can "make room" for "XT2" chips with higher CCC overclocking limits after "unofficial overclocking limits" are no longer working. This means that current 79xx cards would be CCC capped to 1125 / 1575 MHz. This is purely my speculation at this point.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm surprised no one else has picked up on this? This would be a big deal if true....
Click to expand...

I refuse to believe AMD are that stupid. Most likely was left out by mistake, quite a few of the 12.x drivers have had things missing in them


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thegh0sts*
> 
> anyone know how to let MSI overclock further than 1100MHz on a 7950? Trixxx can do it but not the CCC or AB.
> is it ok to use Trixxx for the overclock and AB just to show the FPS, usage and clocks?


Sapphire trixx is the best thrid party overclocking software. I don't know if you can use both at the same time , though for different purposes.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> How much Volts it needs for that clock to be stable and what is your ASIC?


1.225 asic 58%


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Sapphire trixx is the best thrid party overclocking software. I don't know if you can use both at the same time , though for different purposes.


I use CCC to stick a 20% power on and TRIXX 4.1.0 to set the sliders. Also, with the unlocked BIOS which allows clocks to 2000mhz :O


----------



## Derko1

I'm really having trouble dialing in the overclock for the memory. Anyone have tips on what to use to test it? Someone mentioned using OCCT... but it doesn't seem to go over 50% usage on each card for me ever. So I won't get artifacts there... but then I will in games that do push it further.

I've been using GPUTool... but I'll do a 10 minute run and get no artifacts, but then go and play a game and still see artifacts. How long should I be testing for? How much increments should I be going up? I've noticed that there's rarely ever any artifacts with the memory being too high also. What should I be looking out for?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> I'm really having trouble dialing in the overclock for the memory. Anyone have tips on what to use to test it? Someone mentioned using OCCT... but it doesn't seem to go over 50% usage on each card for me ever. So I won't get artifacts there... but then I will in games that do push it further.
> I've been using GPUTool... but I'll do a 10 minute run and get no artifacts, but then go and play a game and still see artifacts. How long should I be testing for? How much increments should I be going up? I've noticed that there's rarely ever any artifacts with the memory being too high also. What should I be looking out for?


What kinds of artefacts you see? And how much.


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I refuse to believe AMD are that stupid. Most likely was left out by mistake, quite a few of the 12.x drivers have had things missing in them


Alot of people often forget that those are BETA drivers. So Unofficial overclocking could be back in the next iteration. Who knows?

But a conspiration theory is alot more fun on the internet! Instant panic, raised fists of anger, and then the internet catch on fire with a witch hunt!


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> What kinds of artefacts you see? And how much.


It's weird... I have an issue with ONE track in dirt 3. After like 5-10 min on that track, the driver crashes. Now I confirmed that it's not the OC, because I put it back on stock and it still crashed, tried different drivers and it's the same. I believe it may be an issue with my copy of the game.

Yesterday I bought Driver:SF and there's a few areas where I get flashing black, but it's very quick... and then on some other areas I get flickering pink sections. Which last no more than a split second also. Again though... I put everything back to stock and still see the same issues. I was running the cards at 1183/1800... but now I went down to 1160/1600. So that's why I was asking if there's a better way of testing for just the memory...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> I use CCC to stick a 20% power on and TRIXX 4.1.0 to set the sliders. Also, with the unlocked BIOS which allows clocks to 2000mhz :O


You should use the new Trixx 4.3.0, you can set 20% power in Trixx and leave CCC out of the picture. This will result in less conflicts and problems.
Just a tip


----------



## Darkcyde

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*  It's weird... I have an issue with ONE track in dirt 3. After like 5-10 min on that track, the driver crashes. Now I confirmed that it's not the OC, because I put it back on stock and it still crashed, tried different drivers and it's the same. I believe it may be an issue with my copy of the game.


I have the same problem with Dirt 3. The smelter track on landrush or RX always crashes and I'm forced to reboot. Apparently Codemasters figured nobody would ever have crossfire HD 7970s because if i disable crossfire, the smelter track works fine. It's a problem with the game and Codemasters most likely will do nothing to fix it. I'm glad I got my copy for free.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darkcyde*
> 
> I have the same problem with Dirt 3. The smelter track on landrush or RX always crashes and I'm forced to reboot. Apparently Codemasters figured nobody would ever have crossfire HD 7970s because if i disable crossfire, the smelter track works fine. It's a problem with the game and Codemasters most likely will do nothing to fix it. I'm glad I got my copy for free.


THANK GOD! I was so worried that because of that crash.... I started thinking maybe something was wrong with my cards. It's the exact same track I have issues with too.


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *truestorybro545*
> 
> I've had it hang at idle settings in game, but not switch between them randomly. Is your card seated properly?


Ya its seated properly, restarted my computer and didn't start Afterburner this time, everything was fine this time. Not sure if it was just some kind of glitch.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> It's weird... I have an issue with ONE track in dirt 3. After like 5-10 min on that track, the driver crashes. Now I confirmed that it's not the OC, because I put it back on stock and it still crashed, tried different drivers and it's the same. I believe it may be an issue with my copy of the game.
> Yesterday I bought Driver:SF and there's a few areas where I get flashing black, but it's very quick... and then on some other areas I get flickering pink sections. Which last no more than a split second also. Again though... I put everything back to stock and still see the same issues. I was running the cards at 1183/1800... but now I went down to 1160/1600. So that's why I was asking if there's a better way of testing for just the memory...


Its probably the game, but those pink things are not good. Also is it pink/black squares? Or something else.


----------



## MooMoo

Isn't there anymore Memory temps anywhere in 7xxx series? I can't find it anywhere! I came from 4850 to 7950 and Im little confused









Edit: I tried little overclock and temps raised too much with this windforce 3x cooler, then I saw that fan is spinning around 30-40%. I tried set manual 100% and I lolled, its like vacuum!


----------



## sena

Now i discovered something funny, on 1400 MHz memory i am getting 0.2 fps less than on 1375 MHz, but if i raise memory speed to 1575 MHz, i get almost one frame over 1375 MHz, my first thought was ECC, but why higher clock is working ok? Tested in Heaven 2.1.
If anyone can give some light on this, i would really appreaciate.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Now i discovered something funny, on 1400 MHz memory i am getting 0.2 fps less than on 1375 MHz, but if i raise memory speed to 1575 MHz, i get almost one frame over 1375 MHz, my first thought was ECC, but why higher clock is working ok? Tested in Heaven 2.1.
> If anyone can give some light on this, i would really appreaciate.


almost one frame gain with 200mhz increase.... That means ECC kicked in I would say.
Seems to me 1375 is your memory limit...


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> almost one frame gain with 200mhz increase.... That means ECC kicked in I would say.
> Seems to me 1375 is your memory limit...


How much you gain with every ? MHz?


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Its probably the game, but those pink things are not good. Also is it pink/black squares? Or something else.


Black streaks... but in other areas, not near the pink ones. The pink ones are like a stripe or two and then they dissappear. They actually appear only in one section of a hill and then the black streaks some times appear near the ground, but I do have to REALLY be looking for them. Otherwise it's really hard to see them.

So is there any specific way to dial in the memory? I can go as high as 1825 and can't tell the difference between it being at stock if it's too much.

Also... between 1600mhz and 1800mhz... I gain a total of 4fps. I think it makes a huge difference. 1800mhz gets I think 6-8fps over stock for me.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Install a third party overclocking software like MSI Afterburner or Sapphire trixx. max out the power limit or board power to +20% . Firstly you can test your HD 7950 at 1 Ghz core clock at stock volts by testing in a game like BF3 , Crysis 2. BF3 seems to be a very good stability tester. check out for half an hour. benchmarks like Unigine Heaven 3.0 or 3D Mark 11 can also be tested. If things are stable raise clock speeds by 50 Mhz. test again. If any artifacts, freezes, crashes occur it means your clock speeds are not stable. You need to add voltage in small increments of 0.05V. Suppose your default voltage is 1.05v. test at 1.1v. if not stable test at 1.15v and so on. Ideally don't push voltage beyond 1.2V because heat and temps will be a major factor. You need to monitor your GPU temps . They should not exceed 75c in game for long term stable operation. Ideally hitting 1150 Mhz with as little a voltage increase as possible is best for you. good luck and let us know the results of your overclocking .


Okay, but what about the memory clock? I mean, I know I OC that too, I'm just wondering what increments I should do it in.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Black streaks... but in other areas, not near the pink ones. The pink ones are like a stripe or two and then they dissappear. They actually appear only in one section of a hill and then the black streaks some times appear near the ground, but I do have to REALLY be looking for them. Otherwise it's really hard to see them.
> So is there any specific way to dial in the memory? I can go as high as 1825 and can't tell the difference between it being at stock if it's too much.
> Also... between 1600mhz and 1800mhz... I gain a total of 4fps. I think it makes a huge difference. 1800mhz gets I think 6-8fps over stock for me.


Hmm, i am in the same boat with mem, dont know is it really stable?
My mem is really stupid, on 1250 MHz i am getting 42.2 fps, on 1260 MHz i am getting 42 fps.


----------



## xNAPx

Hi Everybody, I need a piece of advice: I wanna buy an HD7970 reference to put that under water, i wanna know what's the best reference model out there ? I'd like to have the possibility of changing volages through bios, which referece card have this possibility? Is it possible to put under water with a full cover a NON reference card like ASUS Direct CU II?

I Have also an issue I'm experiengig with Driver 12.4 WHQL: When I visualize a game in a very dark zone, my monitor swith off from itself, i experienced a performance boost disablig GPU Adaptive fuction from catalyst and a partial solution to this problem that unfortunately is still there even if without that fuction is less sensible. WHich is the option I don't need to prevent this kind of problem?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> Hi Everybody, I need a piece of advice: I wanna buy an HD7970 reference to put that under water, i wanna know what's the best reference model out there ? I'd like to have the possibility of changing volages through bios, which referece card have this possibility? Is it possible to put under water with a full cover a NON reference card like ASUS Direct CU II?
> I Have also an issue I'm experiengig with Driver 12.4 WHQL: When I visualize a game in a very dark zone, my monitor swith off from itself, i experienced a performance boost disablig GPU Adaptive fuction from catalyst and a partial solution to this problem that unfortunately is still there even if without that fuction is less sensible. WHich is the option I don't need to prevent this kind of problem?


Sapphire HD 7970 Dual X . uses ref HD 7970 PCB. has 5 (GPU) + 2 (memory) phases compared to 5 + 1 for ref HD 7970. you can see pictures here.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1038674565

this card is a fantastic overclocker with very good memory overclocking too. comes with dual BIOS. the 2nd BIOS allows aggressive overclocking. With sapphire trixx and voltage tweaking this card can do 1250 Mhz . here is a review

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/

This card is also available at a very good price of USD 480.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hmm, i am in the same boat with mem, dont know is it really stable?
> My mem is really stupid, on 1250 MHz i am getting 42.2 fps, on 1260 MHz i am getting 42 fps.


Have a look here bro... I did some testing in Heaven some time ago, might help you (and others) out









http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/6840#post_16770232


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hmm, i am in the same boat with mem, dont know is it really stable?
> My mem is really stupid, on 1250 MHz i am getting 42.2 fps, on 1260 MHz i am getting 42 fps.


Well... I would think that such a small jump like that won't be noticeable at all... plus .2 fps would just be left to error of the app monitoring it.

You need to do a huge jump to see a difference.

But yep... I'm on the same boat. No idea how to check it.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Now i discovered something funny, on 1400 MHz memory i am getting 0.2 fps less than on 1375 MHz, but if i raise memory speed to 1575 MHz, i get almost one frame over 1375 MHz, my first thought was ECC, but why higher clock is working ok? Tested in Heaven 2.1.
> If anyone can give some light on this, i would really appreaciate.


.2 frames is margin of error. Push that thing.


----------



## sena

One my friend noticed the similar thing, exm. 1775 was faster than 1800.
What hell is happening here?
btw 0.2 is in margin of error, but not in heaven, i can run bench 20 times, and i will always get the same score.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Sapphire HD 7970 Dual X . uses ref HD 7970 PCB. has 5 (GPU) + 2 (memory) phases compared to 5 + 1 for ref HD 7970. you can see pictures here.
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1038674565
> this card is a fantastic overclocker with very good memory overclocking too. comes with dual BIOS. the 2nd BIOS allows aggressive overclocking. With sapphire trixx and voltage tweaking this card can do 1250 Mhz . here is a review
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/
> This card is also available at a very good price of USD 480.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982


Same card I've got. Unboxed it, flipped the bios switch to 2 before installing, installed it and started overclocking it. Last night, I tweaked it a bit more and ran Heaven DX11 overnight at 1920x1080 with extreme tessellation. Used HWInfo64 to read the stats out of it and checked in on it this morning. Max VRM temp was 72ºC, hottest core temp got up to 69ºC. Only thing is, this unit has some serious vdroop. GUI shows 1206 for vcore but under load drops to 1.051v, and idle is close to 1.174v. Ran stable at 1200/1825 like this with 1.654v going into the vram. I would highly recommend this card. It's fast as all get out, quiet, and is an overclocking beast.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Sapphire HD 7970 Dual X . uses ref HD 7970 PCB. has 5 (GPU) + 2 (memory) phases compared to 5 + 1 for ref HD 7970. you can see pictures here.
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1038674565
> this card is a fantastic overclocker with very good memory overclocking too. comes with dual BIOS. the 2nd BIOS allows aggressive overclocking. With sapphire trixx and voltage tweaking this card can do 1250 Mhz . here is a review
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/
> This card is also available at a very good price of USD 480.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982


Thanks Mate, nice card, I'll take a look at it, thanks,


----------



## sena

Guys i have some new info, i tested 1375 vs 1575 in Dirt 2, and there were 5-6 fps difference, in other words 1575 was faster for about 5 fps.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So you can use the EK reference 7970 block on the Saphire Dual X? If so I may just grab a couple of those instead of waiting on the XT2..


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Alright guys, I am getting the 7950. After newegg raised the price on the XFX HD 7950, I called them and they agreed to price-match to the original price by giving me a $40 Newegg credit. So overall, it will cost me $300 - which is an amazing price for a 7950 with two fans. I'm pumped.


----------



## paralogixer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Alright guys, I am getting the 7950. After newegg raised the price on the XFX HD 7950, I called them and they agreed to price-match to the original price by giving me a $40 Newegg credit. So overall, it will cost me $300 - which is an amazing price for a 7950 with two fans. I'm pumped.


Welcome to the club


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i have some new info, i tested 1375 vs 1575 in Dirt 2, and there were 5-6 fps difference, in other words 1575 was faster for about 5 fps.


This is because Racing games benefit from quick VRAM. This is the same for Metro 2033 as it depends on a large bandwidth and data transfer of files.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> One my friend noticed the similar thing, exm. 1775 was faster than 1800.
> What hell is happening here?
> btw 0.2 is in margin of error, but not in heaven, i can run bench 20 times, and i will always get the same score.


Just for some comparison, my 7970 in Heaven:

Core Clock / Memory Clock ---- FPS ---- Score

1250 (@1274) / 1425 (@1600) ---- 58.0 ---- 1461
1250 (@1274) / 1800 (@1625) ---- 61.2 ---- 1541

So that boost of +375MHz on the memory netted just over 3+ FPS.


----------



## paralogixer

I was having big problems with my 7950..

After crashing on 72c on 1080Mhz/1500 I was browsing internet, then the GPU started to constantly crashing and then recovering. That happened like 7-8 in a row, before I managed to restart my PC.

I'm going to reinstall drivers, which are June 14 Beta.

That was horrible..


----------



## Rmerwede

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to share what I have experienced so far with my new MSI r7970 Lightning.

I also want to thank BradleyW for the ATI driver removal guide! Excellent work!









First, I purchased the card NEW from Amazon, and it was received in good condition. I did notice however, that there were no seals on the box. I am not sure if this is how they ship, but I noticed another poster mentioning the same thing.

Installation went well; I installed the card, with no drivers present on the system. I then installed the latest beta driver : AMD Catalyst 12.x (9.00 June 12). I did some testing at stock (lightning) speeds, and then installed MSI Afterburner 2.2.1. I have yet to experience any serious issues, after overclocking, Heaven 3.0, 3Dmark11, Skyrim, and BF3.

I did notice a few minor things: My 3dMark11 physics score seems to be awfully low. My overall score is just over P8000 @ 1175/1600. I am unsure if the processor has anything to do with this. Then, while testing in Kombustor, the GPU reached 85c @ 100% fan speed @ 1175/1600 (1174mV). Seems kind of hot even for Kombustor @ stock volts. This is my first non-blower model, and I may be mistaken. I will try and adjust my internal fans to see if it helps. Also, The very first Heaven run I did at stock clocks, was riddled with artifacts. This was the initial display and disappeared after I ran the benchmark. I have run it 3 times since and have not seen it again.

As for performance, It is quite an improvement coming from a 5850 (w/5870 BIOS @ 850/1200). It is dead silent up to about 60% fan, this is when I begin to hear it over my case fans. It does not even reach this level while gaming, all while always staying under 60c.

So far it seems to be a fantastic card! 50+ FPS in BF3 on full blast, Skyrim is as smooth as silk (I think a mod is blocking my OSD, and I have yet to see memory usage), all while being much cooler and quieter than my previous card.

If anyone has any suggestions, critiques, or comments regarding anything I am posting, please feel free to comment.

The Spoiler below contains pictures, and test results that I have compiled thus far.

Thanks all, and Cheers!












Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Unboxing, and Installation Pictures:





^ Toe!? Rofl!


3dMark11 @ 1071/1400



@ 1175/1600



Heaven 3.0 @ 1071/1400



@1175/1600



GPU-Z and ASIC quality...







lol!


----------



## SilkyJohnson

I cant seem to turn up my voltage at all. Its odd because afterburner shows my voltage going up as i adjust it but open HW monitor shows the same 1.17 all the time. If this were true id be at a happy 1285 core on stock voltage ( A guy can dream). Which one would be showing the correct voltage?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> I cant seem to turn up my voltage at all. Its odd because afterburner shows my voltage going up as i adjust it but open HW monitor shows the same 1.17 all the time. If this were true id be at a happy 1285 core on stock voltage ( A guy can dream). Which one would be showing the correct voltage?


If using afterburner to change voltage then use afterburner to track voltages as well. Running ab and hwinfo together will cause incorrect readings. If I use ab and gpuz or hwinfo my voltages always stay at 1.175 as well.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rmerwede*
> 
> I did notice a few minor things: My *3dMark11 physics score seems to be awfully low*. My overall score is just over P8000 @ 1175/1600. I am *unsure if the processor* has anything to do with this.
> Thanks all, and Cheers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> GPU-Z and ASIC quality...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


The physics score in 3Dmarks11 is all to do with CPU.

No cherry picked silicon for the lightings, yours is not the first lighting I have seen with low ASIC


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Sapphire HD 7970 Dual X . uses ref HD 7970 PCB. has 5 (GPU) + 2 (memory) phases compared to 5 + 1 for ref HD 7970. you can see pictures here.
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1038674565
> this card is a fantastic overclocker with very good memory overclocking too. comes with dual BIOS. the 2nd BIOS allows aggressive overclocking. With sapphire trixx and voltage tweaking this card can do 1250 Mhz . here is a review
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/
> This card is also available at a very good price of USD 480.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982


Is it sure u can put this card under water with a Full cover waterblock?


----------



## sena

Thx bradley and azdre.
Here my newest results from Heaven 2.5, which i found to benefint more from memory oc than Heaven 2.1. Settings are, tess. normal, 8XAA, 16AF. Core clock is 1 GHz.
1250 - 51.3
1350 - 52.5
1375 - 52.9
1400 - 51.9
1425 - 52.2
1475 - 52.9
1575 - *54.3*
This is imho very strange, why 1575 Mhz delivers such a high score, and 1400, 1425 and 1475 delivers lower than 1350 and 1375?
One big why?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx bradley and azdre.
> Here my newest results from Heaven 2.5, which i found to benefint more from memory oc than Heaven 2.1. Settings are, tess. normal, 8XAA, 16AF. Core clock is 1 GHz.
> 1250 - 51.3
> 1350 - 52.5
> 1375 - 52.9
> 1400 - 51.9
> 1425 - 52.2
> 1475 - 52.9
> 1575 - *54.3*
> This is imho very strange, why 1575 Mhz delivers such a high score, and 1400, 1425 and 1475 delivers lower than 1350 and 1375?
> One big why?


1250 to 1350 gives 1.2 extra fps

1475 to 1575 gives 1.4 extra fps

All the rest in between were done at 25MHz segments, I don't really see anything out of place ?


----------



## sena

@quakermaas
Look the 1400 vs 1375, 1400 gives me one full frame less which is too much to be margin of error.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> The physics score in 3Dmarks11 is all to do with CPU.
> No cherry picked silicon for the lightings, yours is not the first lighting I have seen with low ASIC


I've seen most of the Lightnings in the 60s on the ASIC scores which means it will over clock well with Liquid Nitrogen cooling. ASIC score for that card makes sense since it is an extreme HD7970 and liquid cooling with liquid nitrogen is extreme.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> Is it sure u can put this card under water with a Full cover waterblock?


It's reference design so it shouldn't be a problem.

Works with EK so it should be fine with other reference design HD7970 water blocks.

http://coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=658


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I've seen most of the Lightnings in the 60C which means it will over clock well with Liquid Nitrogen cooling. ASIC score for that card makes sense since it is an extreme HD7970 and liquid cooling with liquid nitrogen is extreme.


So you think they are cherry picked to have a low ASIC percentage, so they perform better under water/LN ?

I understand that, but what percent will make it to be LN cooled and no full cover water blocks yet that I know of, but EK should be releasing one soon I believe.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> @quakermaas
> Look the 1400 vs 1375, 1400 gives me one full frame less which is too much to be margin of error.


That was not the one you highlighted in bold, no idea about that one, I'm sure there is many reasons


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> So you think they are cherry picked to have a low ASIC percentage, so they perform better under water/LN ?
> 
> I understand that, but what percent will make it to be LN cooled and no full cover water blocks yet that I know of, but EK should be releasing one soon I believe.


I think the general consensus is that the Lightnings are not cherry picked period.The low ASIC score however isn't a problem if you are planning to go with water/LN2. The Sapphire 950mhz 7950s do seem to be cherry picked (mine are 89 & 87) which is nice on air, but water gains may not be so great. That said, as far as I've read the ASIC score is less meaningful on AMD cards than NVidia anyway.


----------



## Derko1

So with this whole discussion on the lighting cards... I noticed someone mentioned that they switched their BIOS switch to 2... is there any difference in either option? I figure that it was simply to "save" the card from a bad overclock no?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> So you think they are cherry picked to have a low ASIC percentage, so they perform better under water/LN ?
> 
> I understand that, but what percent will make it to be LN cooled and no full cover water blocks yet that I know of, but EK should be releasing one soon I believe.


Look up msialex and look up his post on chip binning for gpus. They DO NOT bin chips in any manner other than hitting whatever stock clockthey want at stock voltages. So for the lightnings if the chip could hit 1070 MHz at stock voltages then they used that chip, if it couldn't, they put it in a card that is labeled for less stock clock. (reference,oc edition or power edition).

Iv had 4 lightnings now with asic of 67%, 73%, 79% and 85% so I myself has disproved any sort of binning interms of asic. (I honestly can't believe I have gotten just about every different asic possible lol)

As for the memory thing, its clear ecc memory has a thing for certain speeds to work without the error correction kicking in. The lower fps show that and it seems a clock of xx75 is the best way to go.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx bradley and azdre.
> Here my newest results from Heaven 2.5, which i found to benefint more from memory oc than Heaven 2.1. Settings are, tess. normal, 8XAA, 16AF. Core clock is 1 GHz.
> 1250 - 51.3
> 1350 - 52.5
> 1375 - 52.9
> 1400 - 51.9
> 1425 - 52.2
> 1475 - 52.9
> 1575 - *54.3*
> This is imho very strange, why 1575 Mhz delivers such a high score, and 1400, 1425 and 1475 delivers lower than 1350 and 1375?
> One big why?


Why don't you give version 3.0 a try? Also, memory OC will help with AF and texture processing. Overclocking the core will help process the AA and other stuff such as rendering, shadows, lighting, tess and so on.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx bradley and azdre.
> Here my newest results from Heaven 2.5, which i found to benefint more from memory oc than Heaven 2.1. Settings are, tess. normal, 8XAA, 16AF. Core clock is 1 GHz.
> 1250 - 51.3
> 1350 - 52.5
> 1375 - 52.9
> 1400 - 51.9
> 1425 - 52.2
> 1475 - 52.9
> 1575 - *54.3*
> This is imho very strange, why 1575 Mhz delivers such a high score, and 1400, 1425 and 1475 delivers lower than 1350 and 1375?
> One big why?


I experienced the same thing - 1400 resulted in slightly lower score compared to 1375. In a way I am glad to see I am not the only one to experience this.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I experienced the same thing - 1400 resulted in slightly lower score compared to 1375. In a way I am glad to see I am not the only one to experience this.


I made a thread about it and experienced the exact same thing also... here--- http://www.overclock.net/t/1271466/when-to-stop-ocing-memory#post_17516027


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> I made a thread about it and experienced the exact same thing also... here--- http://www.overclock.net/t/1271466/when-to-stop-ocing-memory#post_17516027


Good post! Thanks for sharing +rep


----------



## BradleyW

I've noticed that GPU overclocking does nothing when it comes to demanding areas of games that require the most power.
The only game i can think of where i've seen a good gain from overclocking is Metro 2033, when it came to memory overclocking. Very strange how much the game likes good VRAM.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've noticed that GPU overclocking does nothing when it comes to demanding areas of games that require the most power.
> The only game i can think of where i've seen a good gain from overclocking is Metro 2033, when it came to memory overclocking. Very strange how much the game likes good VRAM.


I saw great gains in BF3 as well. Areas that on ultra with my single 7970 would dip below 60FPS no longer dip, and I'm rock solid 60+ with the OC applied.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I saw great gains in BF3 as well. Areas that on ultra with my single 7970 would dip below 60FPS no longer dip, and I'm rock solid 60+ with the OC applied.


Well, I think i'm wrong about my comment then.
I was basing my comment on the Heaven bench max out, in some areas i only see a few fps gains, but in the less damanding areas where i already have enough fps, i see massive gains. Am glad the OC works well for BF3. I'm impressed just 1 7970 can max the game.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I saw great gains in BF3 as well. Areas that on ultra with my single 7970 would dip below 60FPS no longer dip, and I'm rock solid 60+ with the OC applied.
> 
> 
> 
> Well, I think i'm wrong about my comment then.
> I was basing my comment on the Heaven bench max out, in some areas i only see a few fps gains, but in the less damanding areas where i already have enough fps, i see massive gains. Am glad the OC works well for BF3. I'm impressed just 1 7970 can max the game.
Click to expand...

Yea, only time I see less than 60FPS in BF3 is if I'm folding and recording with FRAPS at the same time. LOL


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Yea, only time I see less than 60FPS in BF3 is if I'm folding and recording with FRAPS at the same time. LOL


What exact settings do you play?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Yea, only time I see less than 60FPS in BF3 is if I'm folding and recording with FRAPS at the same time. LOL
> 
> 
> 
> What exact settings do you play?
Click to expand...

Ultra everything, all settings their highest, if I remember correctly. I'll have to check later on this evening. I'm folding in Linux for the next 4 hours or so (til I get home from the mother-in-law's house at 7:30PM EST)


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Ultra everything, all settings their highest, if I remember correctly. I'll have to check later on this evening. I'm folding in Linux for the next 4 hours or so (til I get home from the mother-in-law's house at 7:30PM EST)


ok mate.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

1125 On the core, too hot right now in my basement with this freaking weather 35c as ambient in here...
Heaven 3.0 everything to the max @ 1080P

here are my tests results, my memory can go up to 1900 as i have tested on this card so far without errors..

1375: 48 FPS
1575: 50 FPS
1700: 50 FPS
1900: 51 FPS

I hope this help you guys out, it raised my room temps even more







.....

Like i told you before guys, this memory is fast enough already as it is, raising it and loosing stability is not worth it...

@bradley

Im getting interesting results in metro

1375
AVG: 57

VS

1900
AVG: 62

Thats a 5 frame gain.....


----------



## Derko1

Wow... only 5fps gain? I see around 30fps by getting to 1900 over stock, but with the illusion of being stable and not really being stable.

Check my thread i linked to before on the last page.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Wow... only 5fps gain? I see around 30fps by getting to 1900 over stock, but with the illusion of being stable and not really being stable.
> Check my thread i linked to before on the last page.


Thats on metro, a 30 fps gain is like a crossfire setup almost...

+30 fps gain on a game that gives you already over +100 frames is nothing you are getting already top performance in that particular game...


----------



## Derko1

Ah ok... i was talking about unigine.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Ah ok... i was talking about unigine.


Even that i doubt it gives you a 30fps average on heaven also...

Do the benchmark and look at the average... You dont get too much gain out of it... 3 frames max


----------



## MooMoo

Anyone here used Arctic cooling acclero 7970 cooler? I seated mine and GPU max temps are 52c @1018mV and VRMs are getting to 78c! So Im wondering did I seat the heatsinks wrong or something or does these VRMs heat up so badly? Im thinking to replace that AC G-1 thermal glue and try those tape kinda thing (blue ones in picture) that came on gigabyte cooler (they were placed on memory) then put them to VRM, sounds good?



Because those (red circles) are little higher than VRMs and heatsink doesnt get in touch well on all VRMs, so that tapekindathing that came on gigabyte would work better? Is it conductive?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> 1125 On the core, too hot right now in my basement with this freaking weather 35c as ambient in here...
> Heaven 3.0 everything to the max @ 1080P
> here are my tests results, my memory can go up to 1900 as i have tested on this card so far without errors..
> 1375: 48 FPS
> 1575: 50 FPS
> 1700: 50 FPS
> 1900: 51 FPS
> I hope this help you guys out, it raised my room temps even more
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .....
> Like i told you before guys, this memory is fast enough already as it is, raising it and loosing stability is not worth it...
> @bradley
> Im getting interesting results in metro
> 1375
> AVG: 57
> VS
> 1900
> AVG: 62
> Thats a 5 frame gain.....


I got around 7-8fps gain by overclocking the vram on my CF. I was right about Metro. It loves fast VRAM and high Bandwidth!


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Even that i doubt it gives you a 30fps average on heaven also...
> Do the benchmark and look at the average... You dont get too much gain out of it... 3 frames max


You're right!









I did it with stock and then 1850mhz. Only a 6.6fps difference...



What I think I did before... is that I was using a smaller monitor for stress testing and the max res on it was 1024x768... so I was seeing a bigger gap because of that.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Anyone here used Arctic cooling acclero 7970 cooler? I seated mine and GPU max temps are 52c @1018mV and VRMs are getting to 78c! So Im wondering did I seat the heatsinks wrong or something or does these VRMs heat up so badly? Im thinking to replace that AC G-1 thermal glue and try those tape kinda thing (blue ones in picture) that came on gigabyte cooler (they were placed on memory) then put them to VRM, sounds good?
> 
> 
> 
> Because those (red circles) are little higher than VRMs and heatsink doesnt get in touch well on all VRMs, so that tapekindathing that came on gigabyte would work better? Is it conductive?


I usually chop up ramsinks to fit on the mosfets if there are SMD caps that get in the way. If there isn't too much height difference thermal tape might work, just cut out the areas where the caps are.
If you already used thermal glue they might be on for good though, that stuff is usually permanent.


----------



## Rmerwede

Hi all!

I'm getting an error when trying to run Heaven 3.0.



My card does not seem as stable as yesterday. At stock volts I can't get past 1150/1500 in Heaven 3.0. I was able to pass @ 1200/1550 @ 1.2v and 1225/1600 @ 1.256v. Funny thing is I am stable in BF3, Skyrim and OCCT (3.1) @1200/1600 on stock volts with no errors. I decided to install the 12.4 driver, and no change.

My ASIC is horrid (61.4%) is this pretty much it with the voltage? If so... kinda disappointing.

Any tips of suggestions are appreciated. I tried with power limit at 0 and 20, and it does not really make a difference unless I am at stock clocks. Trying to root out peoples settings, especially those with a Lightning, but it's head with 1230 pages lol!

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rmerwede*
> 
> Hi all!
> I'm getting an error when trying to run Heaven 3.0.
> 
> My card does not seem as stable as yesterday. At stock volts I can't get past 1150/1500 in Heaven 3.0. I was able to pass @ 1200/1550 @ 1.2v and 1225/1600 @ 1.256v. Funny thing is I am stable in BF3, Skyrim and OCCT (3.1) @1200/1600 on stock volts with no errors. I decided to install the 12.4 driver, and no change.
> My ASIC is horrid (61.4%) is this pretty much it with the voltage? If so... kinda disappointing.
> Any tips of suggestions are appreciated. I tried with power limit at 0 and 20, and it does not really make a difference unless I am at stock clocks. Trying to root out peoples settings, especially those with a Lightning, but it's head with 1230 pages lol!
> Thanks in advance!


Seems strange, but there's been a lot of strange things with these 7970's







.. Try moving up slowly. You mite have something running in the background that wasn't running yesterday?? If you change driver versions, you should probably reinstall the program first before ruling out anything. BF3 is the most intensive I've seen compared to a benchmark. I've passed 3dmark11 at 1250/1750 and crashed BF3 in second's. Couldn't even run1200/1600 @ same voltage as running 3dmark11.


----------



## Meowws

dude!! is not your overclock! is the drivers!

AMD catalyst 12.4 also crash in BF 3 every few seconds launching it! Moving back to AMD 12.1 and 11.12 doesnt have this issue. AMD 12.5 and 12.4 occur randomly! Keep me up to date on your status and your card!


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Why don't you give version 3.0 a try? Also, memory OC will help with AF and texture processing. Overclocking the core will help process the AA and other stuff such as rendering, shadows, lighting, tess and so on.


Was busy yesterday..
Anyway i didnt knew heaven version 3.0 was ever released.
After all, i left my memory at 1375, after all in last time, i dont play anything demanding. And also i am glad to hear i am not the only one with 1400 memory speed drop.








Thx for help.


----------



## Newbie2009

Just to note, I used to have my cards at 1775 memory and never had any crashes gaming. When I properly benched crysis 2 (which LOVES the memory OC) I had to drop it down significantly.


----------



## Imprezzion

I'm running mem at 1675Mhz and I did need a slight boost in vmem to 1618mV to be 100% stable.

Notice the mem OC quite well in BF3 on all Ultra, 16x AF, 2x AAA in CCC, no motion blur, HBAO and FXAA enabled both in-game and via the injector.

FPS is much more stable and GPU usage is a nice flat line on 100% even tho i'm temporary running a 2500k at 4.2 cause my 2600k is away for testing under a SS cooler to find his max multi


----------



## Rmerwede

Quote:


> Seems strange, but there's been a lot of strange things with these 7970's rolleyes.gif .. Try moving up slowly. You mite have something running in the background that wasn't running yesterday?? If you change driver versions, you should probably reinstall the program first before ruling out anything. BF3 is the most intensive I've seen compared to a benchmark. I've passed 3dmark11 at 1250/1750 and crashed BF3 in second's. Couldn't even run1200/1600 @ same voltage as running 3dmark11.


I noticed lol! I was so iffy on getting anything this generation, but my 5850's 1GB VRAM was really holding me back. I did reinstall Heaven during the driver switching process, still get the same issue. I don't think there was anything out of the ordinary running in the background. Since it is performing really well in games, I will most likely keep it at stock volts 24/7... for now. Upping the voltage did seem to help the Heaven issue though.

I was also getting a GPU usage spike ever few seconds. I adjusted the voltage as seems to have gone away... for now...

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones being able to enjoy their games with 12.4.

Question: Is there a way to get memory slider over 1600 in AB without enabling unofficial OC?

Thanks!


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Yea, only time I see less than 60FPS in BF3 is if I'm folding and recording with FRAPS at the same time. LOL
> 
> 
> 
> What exact settings do you play?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Ultra everything, all settings their highest, if I remember correctly. I'll have to check later on this evening. I'm folding in Linux for the next 4 hours or so (til I get home from the mother-in-law's house at 7:30PM EST)
Click to expand...

Sorry about not getting back to you last night about that... yes, every single setting maxed out in BF3 pulls 60fps, it dips down to about 53 occasionally while folding at the same time.

Without vsync enabled it is usually in the 70-85 range. peaks around 115fps. This is without Lucid VirtuMVP... I never installed that. Though I'm contemplating it


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Sorry about not getting back to you last night about that... yes, every single setting maxed out in BF3 pulls 60fps, it dips down to about 53 occasionally while folding at the same time.
> Without vsync enabled it is usually in the 70-85 range. peaks around 115fps. This is without Lucid VirtuMVP... I never installed that. Though I'm contemplating it


About this Lucid VirtuMVP...
According to tsm I heard this is mostly for lower-end/middle-end cards.
The problem with this technology is that it is not an improvement for every game, possibly making the performance of some games worse instead of better...
But you are free to try it ofcourse


----------



## D77ooM

Hi guys
I'm having a terrible problem while gaming with Sapphire 7970

the temp in a full load is between 70-74, But sometimes while gaming it suddenly crash !
black screen with an annoying sound ! so i have to power off my pc to get out of the game !

I'm using driver 12.6

any idea ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> Hi guys
> I'm having a terrible problem while gaming with Sapphire 7970
> 
> the temp in a full load is between 70-74, But sometimes while gaming it suddenly crash !
> black screen with an annoying sound ! so i have to power off my pc to get out of the game !
> I'm using driver 12.6
> any idea ?


Unstable overclock or bad driver install.


----------



## D77ooM

Should i do anything with the volts ? or leave it on default


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *D77ooM*
> 
> Should i do anything with the volts ? or leave it on default


Are you sure you need 1.2V to run those clocks?

Try backing the voltage down to 1.112V (stock voltage) and try 1100/1450. Most (if not all) 7970s can do 1100/1450 at stock voltage. Try that and see how it affects yours temps and stability.

Also try the latest 12.6 beta. I had issues with the first 12.6 beta, but have been very stable with the most recent 12.6 beta release.


----------



## D77ooM

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> Are you sure you need 1.2V to run those clocks?
> Try backing the voltage down to 1.112V (stock voltage) and try 1100/1450. Most (if not all) 7970s can do 1100/1450 at stock voltage. Try that and see how it affects yours temps and stability.
> Also try the latest 12.6 beta. I had issues with the first 12.6 beta, but have been very stable with the most recent 12.6 beta release.


You know what, it really worked i decreased the volt back to 1.112
the idle temp is much better then it used to be.

Is by any chance my problem could be with playing Cracked Games ? cause the issue only appear when playing Skyrim cracked
I've just been playing BF3 Multiplayer for an hour, the temp was stable at 77'c !! + no crashing !


----------



## UNOE

I switched out my Motherboard and CPU last week now I'm getting this Black screen with cursor when the computer was idle for some time. I don't have power saving options or no sleep enabled. Also while I'm using the desktop every hour or so the screen locks up and I can only move my cursor around it never bsod's the cursor will stay active for hours and still the desktop will never recover.


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I switched out my Motherboard and CPU last week now I'm getting this Black screen with cursor when the computer was idle for some time. I don't have power saving options or no sleep enabled. Also while I'm using the desktop every hour or so the screen locks up and I can only move my cursor around it never bsod's the cursor will stay active for hours and still the desktop will never recover.


I'm assuming you changed to a different CPU and motherboard Model correct? Whenever you do that you really need to do a clean Windows install as chipset drivers (among other things) can go wonky on you really quick. I've seen issues when all that was changed was going from one motherboard revision to another (IE: the same model board from the same manufacturer, but a new revision).


----------



## UNOE

I understand ill reinstall If I have too. I have months of settings invested into this OS a few hours of troubleshooting would be worth it.

I used driver sweeper then Atiman. I had to use driver sweeper first cause atiman was crashing. Then I manually delete other registry keys and driver folders. Then deleted the devices out of device manager then installed the latest beta driver. After that it said no .inf installation failed then I restarted and installed again and it finally said installation successful. All other attempts before didn't say that since switching motherboards. Then I went into Device Manager and disabled the High Definition audio associated with by video card hardware ID. On another form they said this was the conflict that crashes. I don't use it anyway so I might as well disable that and now to see if it worked.

Waiting.....


----------



## m3t4lh34d

I've just decided to RMA my Asus DirectCUII 7970 instead of getting a refund from Newegg since it was open box. Hopefully they accept the RMA, because I got the card for $380







It's not an AMAZING deal, but it's $100 off. Hopefully they send me a good overclocker though. I love the backplate and cooling on this card, even though I won't be able to do any more than Tri-fire with it because of it's 3-slot width, it's still a great card.


----------



## UNOE

didn't work


----------



## BradleyW

Can somebody help me please?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1272501/max-payne-3-poor-performance-7970cf
Thank you!


----------



## darkstar585

Anyone got any experience with the metro 2033 benchmark? Can I compare what I got with you to see If I am stable or not?

Current settings 1244/1775 @ 1.212v core & 1.612v memory on stock msi 7970 with ref cooler and custom fan profile.
All Runs were done consecutively using maximum AF,AA,DX11,DOF ON and on frontline map.


___________________________________________________________

*Run 0*


Total Frames: 2840, Total Time: 59.33715 sec
Average Framerate: 47.96
Max. Framerate: 92.95 (Frame: 2551)
Min. Framerate: 7.80 (Frame: 6)

___________________________________________________________

*Run 1*



Total Frames: 2846, Total Time: 59.90667 sec
Average Framerate: 47.61
Max. Framerate: 92.72 (Frame: 2211)
Min. Framerate: 12.42 (Frame: 2156)
___________________________________________________________

*Run 2*



Total Frames: 2810, Total Time: 59.87298 sec
Average Framerate: 47.03
Max. Framerate: 96.15 (Frame: 2481)
Min. Framerate: 11.46 (Frame: 636)

___________________________________________________________

*Average Results*

Average Framerate: 47.33
Max. Framerate: 96.15
Min. Framerate: 7.80

Does these seem normal to you? The tests finished flawlessly but there seems to be some discrepancy between the minimum and maximum FPS on each run....Could that be an indicator of instability on the memory?

Many thanks.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

My HD 7950 arrived today. I've just been staring at the box, as it needs a new build to go in. God, at $300, I don't think I've ever made a better GPU purchase. I'll let you guys know how it goes!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> My HD 7950 arrived today. I've just been staring at the box, as it needs a new build to go in. God, at $300, I don't think I've ever made a better GPU purchase. I'll let you guys know how it goes!


Hurry up and get it in a rig. As it sits it is depreciating in value. Congrats scoring on getting a great card at a decent price!


----------



## phillyd

guys i've tried 12.3, 12.4, 12.5 and 12.6 drivers, but they all are unstable/crashy.
I am selling this rig soon and i need it good and stable. im going to leave the GPU at stock speeds.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> guys i've tried 12.3, 12.4, 12.5 and 12.6 drivers, but they all are unstable/crashy.
> I am selling this rig soon and i need it good and stable. im going to leave the GPU at stock speeds.


Install fresh OS and start fresh with newest official CCC driver from AMD. Based on your gpu temps you posted earlier I think your block is either not installed properly or just doesn't do a good job at cooling your card.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> guys i've tried 12.3, 12.4, 12.5 and 12.6 drivers, but they all are unstable/crashy.
> I am selling this rig soon and i need it good and stable. im going to leave the GPU at stock speeds.
> 
> 
> 
> Install fresh OS and start fresh with newest official CCC driver from AMD. Based on your gpu temps you posted earlier I think your block is either not installed properly or just doesn't do a good job at cooling your card.
Click to expand...

oh yeah my block is jacked up, its getting replaced.
but still at 70C my gpu should be stable at stock clocks.
and its a darn good thing im redoing the OS


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Look up msialex and look up his post on chip binning for gpus. They DO NOT bin chips in any manner other than hitting whatever stock clockthey want at stock voltages. So for the lightnings if the chip could hit 1070 MHz at stock voltages then they used that chip, if it couldn't, they put it in a card that is labeled for less stock clock. (reference,oc edition or power edition).
> Iv had 4 lightnings now with asic of 67%, 73%, 79% and 85% so I myself has disproved any sort of binning interms of asic. (I honestly can't believe I have gotten just about every different asic possible lol)
> As for the memory thing, its clear ecc memory has a thing for certain speeds to work without the error correction kicking in. The lower fps show that and it seems a clock of xx75 is the best way to go.


I thought they were cherry picked for low ASIC based on the ASIC score rating.

My MSI TF3 PE/OC GTX 560 ti 448 was scored in the 70s on the ASIC scoring yet could clock to 1GHZ on air with stock voltage. I don't put alot of trust in the accuracy of the ASIC score program used in GPU-Z. DOesn't really seem to be accurate of real gpu performance.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> oh yeah my block is jacked up, its getting replaced.
> but still at 70C my gpu should be stable at stock clocks.


If it is "jacked up" you should put the stock heat sink back on till you get it replaced with a proper working block. Have you used HWinfo64 to monitor your VRM temps? Your VRM temps could be burning up the rest of the card.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> If it is "jacked up" you should put the stock heat sink back on till you get it replaced with a proper working block. Have you used HWinfo64 to monitor your VRM temps? Your VRM temps could be burning up the rest of the card.


good thought, my VRM temps are 46C though. The issue is that that there are 4 screws that go through the backplate and one of the standoffs broke off. shown here
i can tighten the others but over time it starts to separate.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Are you guys havin trouble with crisis 2 being sluggish wit 12.6 or is it just me.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Are you guys havin trouble with crisis 2 being sluggish wit 12.6 or is it just me.


crysis one was being sluggish with me on 12.3


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I thought they were cherry picked for low ASIC based on the ASIC score rating.
> My MSI TF3 PE/OC GTX 560 ti 448 was scored in the 70s on the ASIC scoring yet could clock to 1GHZ on air with stock voltage. I don't put alot of trust in the accuracy of the ASIC score program used in GPU-Z. DOesn't really seem to be accurate of real gpu performance.


Well as has been said before, asic quality is only one factor. In no way should it be taken as an determination of how well your chip will overclock. It is still all about the silicon lottery. Gpu-z correctly reports asic % as it is programed into the chip itself once the leakage is determined at the foundry (it is how programs and ccc itself can know what voltage to send to the chip).

What asic % helps us with is knowing how much voltage (thus heat and power) a chip will produce. For air users, a higher asic can mean lower heat and thus possibly a higher overclock than a lower asic % with higher voltage. As you said, you had low asic and high clocks, so it is not always the case.

Cherry picking gpus doesn't make much sense only because it is difficult to test every chip by pushing it to its limits. By merely setting a clock level at stock volts,you can effectively skim more chips quicker and with much more consistency. AIBs don't like changing voltages if they don't have to, it just becomes messy.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> good thought, my VRM temps are 46C though. The issue is that that there are 4 screws that go through the backplate and one of the standoffs broke off. shown here
> i can tighten the others but over time it starts to separate.


That back plate is awesome. Did it come with your card or did you buy it separately?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I thought they were cherry picked for low ASIC based on the ASIC score rating.
> My MSI TF3 PE/OC GTX 560 ti 448 was scored in the 70s on the ASIC scoring yet could clock to 1GHZ on air with stock voltage. I don't put alot of trust in the accuracy of the ASIC score program used in GPU-Z. DOesn't really seem to be accurate of real gpu performance.


That is reason why it managed 1 GHz on stock volts, lower ASIC means higher speed on air with stock volts, there is some true in that ASIC.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> That is reason why it managed 1 GHz on stock volts, lower ASIC means higher speed on air with stock volts, there is some true in that ASIC.


I thought it was opposite.
High ASIC, good mhz on stock - low volts, does not like extra volts so much.
LOW ASIC, You will need to overvolt to get extra mhz, great for water.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I thought it was opposite.
> High ASIC, good mhz on stock - low volts, does not like extra volts so much.
> LOW ASIC, You will need to overvolt to get extra mhz, great for water.


Hmm
My card for example has the ASIC 77.9%, max i can get on stock volts is 955 MHz (900stock altrough this is factory OC, the stock for HD 7950 is 800 ), one guy here bought the same card like me, and he has ASIC of about 60%, and hi hitted 1100 on stock volts. Also i saw more examples here, cards with lower ASIC are hitting higher speed on stock volts than cards with higher ASIC, maybe its just coincidence.
Altrough my card stock volts is just 0.993V.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hmm
> My card for example has the ASIC 77.9%, max i can get on stock volts is 955 MHz (900 is stock), one guy here bought the same card like me, and he has ASIC of about 60%, and hi hitted 1100 on stock volts. Also i saw more examples here, cards with lower ASIC are hitting higher speed on stock volts than cards with higher ASIC, maybe its just coincidence.
> Altrough my card stock volts is just 0.993V.


mmm, mine are 70% and 72%. Can do about 1025 on stock volts (very low in comparison to most) can hit 1350/1325 with lots of volts.

Think it's safe to say, ASIC is only a part of what the card can do overclocking wise.


----------



## Ksireaper

Just got my XFX 7950.

This card is a HUGE upgrade from my sli GTX 260's.

It is absolutely destroying everything that i am tossing at it. Only play at 1920 x 1200 though.

Games are so smooth and the Catalyst Control center is much easier to navigate than Nvidias settings.

Think i might be an ATI fanboy in the making here.

Ill post pics when i can.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ksireaper*
> 
> Just got my XFX 7950.
> This card is a HUGE upgrade from my sli GTX 260's.
> It is absolutely destroying everything that i am tossing at it. Only play at 1920 x 1200 though.
> Games are so smooth and the Catalyst Control center is much easier to navigate than Nvidias settings.
> Think i might be an ATI fanboy in the making here.
> Ill post pics when i can.


If you overclock can you post max clock speeds at stock voltage and with voltage OC. also temps at idle and in game would be good.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ksireaper*
> 
> Just got my XFX 7950.
> This card is a HUGE upgrade from my sli GTX 260's.
> It is absolutely destroying everything that i am tossing at it. Only play at 1920 x 1200 though.
> Games are so smooth and the Catalyst Control center is much easier to navigate than Nvidias settings.
> Think i might be an ATI fanboy in the making here.
> Ill post pics when i can.


Sounds great. Get some images for us!


----------



## jomama22

:faceplam: did any of u even read the first post on this page? Lol to ur responces


----------



## antonis21

I am so jealous of your cards..I am waiting for hd7970ghz edition to join the club


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> That back plate is awesome. Did it come with your card or did you buy it separately?


it came with it, i got one with long screws from dwood im installing soon!


----------



## BradleyW

Anybody know how to get Vsync working on MP3?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

What?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> What?


I managed to force vsync but for some reason the game feels very unsmooth.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I managed to force vsync but for some reason the game feels very unsmooth.


If it is still unsmooth I would suggest you try it with crossfire disabled... Don't worry you will still get over 120 fps on a single card with everything on maximum @ 1080p as that's what I was running.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> If it is still unsmooth I would suggest you try it with crossfire disabled... Don't worry you will still get over 120 fps on a single card with everything on maximum @ 1080p as that's what I was running.


Single card is just as bad. The game stutters with Vsync enabled and I have to force it, as the in-game vsync does not work.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Nice...

http://hwbot.org/submission/2292984_hkepc_3dmark_vantage___performance_4x_radeon_hd_7970_84


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Nice...
> http://hwbot.org/submission/2292984_hkepc_3dmark_vantage___performance_4x_radeon_hd_7970_84


Guess I have some way to go.


----------



## BradleyW

Edit: Removed.


----------



## 7evenHeaven

Which active adapter should I get for eyefinity.
I'm running eyefinity with 3 DELL U2312HM
Club3D or Sapphire?
Both are priced almost the same and both come with 1 year warranty.


----------



## BradleyW

Whenever i enable unnofficial OC i get this? 0 on the clocks.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Single card is just as bad. The game stutters with Vsync enabled and I have to force it, as the in-game vsync does not work.


What resolution you playing at? I had no problems with stuttering @1080p apart from one level with the rain but apparently everyone with an AMD card struggles on that part due to poor tess support from the devs.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> What resolution you playing at? I had no problems with stuttering @1080p apart from one level with the rain but apparently everyone with an AMD card struggles on that part due to poor tess support from the devs.


1080p


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Anyone got any experience with the metro 2033 benchmark? Can I compare what I got with you to see If I am stable or not?
> Current settings 1244/1775 @ 1.212v core & 1.612v memory on stock msi 7970 with ref cooler and custom fan profile.
> All Runs were done consecutively using maximum AF,AA,DX11,DOF ON and on frontline map.
> 
> Average Framerate: 47.33
> Max. Framerate: 96.15
> Min. Framerate: 7.80
> Does these seem normal to you? The tests finished flawlessly but there seems to be some discrepancy between the minimum and maximum FPS on each run....Could that be an indicator of instability on the memory?
> Many thanks.


Metro is very memory extensive game....

Same game settings as yours [email protected] 4.5GHz

Look at my score with 1125/1900, you have over 125mhz on the core for a gain of +1 frame

Average Framerate: 46.00

Dont pay too much attention to highs and lows they are worthless always look at the average

1250/1900
Average Framerate: 48.00


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Nice...
> http://hwbot.org/submission/2292984_hkepc_3dmark_vantage___performance_4x_radeon_hd_7970_84


 Great

Looks like the GPU's were chilled water, never seen that sort of set up before. (LN pot with a water block strapped to the side to chill the water down for the 4 GPU's)



So close to freezing point (water)..how come no condensation around the tubing and block on the side of the LN pot


----------



## UNOE

My issue above was a m4 firmware. I'm now on 000F so far so good.


----------



## n3tr0m

Not sure if any of you have noticed, there is new beta driver out because of the launch of the 7970 Gigahertz Edition (7970 GE) called 12.7. They are supposed to give a nice bump in performance in some games and benchmarks as far as I have seen







Looks like the driver supports every card in the 7xx0, 6xx0 and 5xx0 series, including some older ones.

Download from Guru3D.com:
AMD Radeon BETA 12.7 Drivers

A screenshot from AnandTech. New vs old drivers


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *n3tr0m*
> 
> Not sure if any of you have noticed, there is new beta driver out because of the launch of the 7970 Gigahertz Edition (7970 GE) called 12.7. They are supposed to give a nice bump in performance in some games and benchmarks as far as I have seen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like the driver supports every card in the 7xx0, 6xx0 and 5xx0 series, including some older ones.
> Download from Guru3D.com:
> AMD Radeon BETA 12.7 Drivers


Thanks, but I think I will skip this.

"screen is flickering when i am scrolling or opening something. Its flickering when i restore clocks into idle clocks in the AMDGPUCLOCK. "

I had the same problem with the last beta + MSI AB.


----------



## useport80

the 12.7 driver version is 8.981.2, while the 12.6 june12th driver version is 9.00 ?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Thanks, but I think I will skip this.
> 
> "screen is flickering when i am scrolling or opening something. Its flickering when i restore clocks into idle clocks in the AMDGPUCLOCK. "
> 
> I had the same problem with the last beta + MSI AB.


Had this happen once and a reboot fixed it. Also, since ab is guru3ds baby, I would assume they would of said something of the sort when testing this new card if this was indeed happening to everyone using 12.7 and AB (they used ab in the oc section of their review). Has to be driver install problems of some sort.

What I am interested in is whether or not the boost tech is staying only with the xt2 bin or if a bios/driver update can allow all cards to do this ( I'm assuming it is only the new ghz edition that gets it)


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Had this happen once and a reboot fixed it. Also, since ab is guru3ds baby, I would assume they would of said something of the sort when testing this new card if this was indeed happening to everyone using 12.7 and AB (they used ab in the oc section of their review). Has to be driver install problems of some sort.
> What I am interested in is whether or not the boost tech is staying only with the xt2 bin or if a bios/driver update can allow all cards to do this ( I'm assuming it is only the new ghz edition that gets it)


i think if its only the xt2 getting the boost, all cards can get it with the bios of the xt2.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Great
> 
> Looks like the GPU's were chilled water, never seen that sort of set up before. (LN pot with a water block strapped to the side to chill the water down for the 4 GPU's)
> 
> 
> 
> So close to freezing point (water)..how come no condensation around the tubing and block on the side of the LN pot


Darn, too bad that app only reads intended voltage. I really wanted to see the real voltage at a glance.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Darn, too bad that app only reads intended voltage. I really wanted to see the real voltage at a glance.


If there was one thing I wish these extreme clockers did was give more detail on their settings and actual outcome of these settings including asic, vdroop, temperature and individual test clocks (as in what they adjust their clocks to for each 3dmark11 test)


----------



## dajez

im testing the new beta driver atm, this is what i have atm conpared to 12.4
12.4: Heaven 3.0
min FPS: 28,8
max FPS: 220,2
Avg FPS: 70,3
Score: 1773

3DMark 11
Score: 8820

12.7: Heaven 3.0
min FPS: 28,5
max FPS: 238,3
Avg FPS: 68,7
Score: 1729

3DMark 11
Score: 8972

This was with just installing 12.7 over 12.4, gonna try fresh install later


----------



## SkateZilla

i've been happily enjoying BF3 in Eyefinity on my 7950, w/ 12.6 Beta (the 1st one).

question is, im shutting the system down this weekend to re-install the flight control system (CH FighterStick Pro, CH Throttle Pro, CH Rudder Pedals Pro), etc.
(lots of wiring management to do).

Should I Update to 12.7 Betas?


----------



## MooMoo

How high I should go with VRM temps? I did put there heatsinks that came with AC accelero 7970 but temps still goes over 70C








Any good tips to cool down VRMs than water?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> How high I should go with VRM temps? I did put there heatsinks that came with AC accelero 7970 but temps still goes over 70C
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any good tips to cool down VRMs than water?


my VRMs havent gone above 57-60 degrees in a HOT no A/C room, while playing BF3.


----------



## SkateZilla

OOO, completely forgot to check for a while, but it seems ASRock has put out a few updates for my Mainboard's BIOS...

Like always no Changelist/Readme other than a short cryptic:
V1.7
1. Modify for Windows8 shut down behavior.

V1.6
1. Update CPU code.
2. Update USB module.
3. Add "Custom Fan Speed" setup item.
4. Add Turbo UCC function for AM3+ CPU.

Wonder what else it changes....


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> my VRMs havent gone above 57-60 degrees in a HOT no A/C room, while playing BF3.


Are they cooled by anything? Or are they naked? Maybe my heatsinks are just bad and I should take them off?


----------



## SkateZilla

Stock Sapphire DUAL-X Cooling


----------



## StrayderGame

Ok guys i need to get this...any1 have some idea?

"Hi,
I recently did a clean install of my 7970 drivers after thoroughly cleaning out old drivers. Now when i click on overdrive the message to accept the terms and conditions comes up. When i accept overdrive disappears and it's an endless loop. I can still OC in afterburner."

I need that only terms of condition,coz when i have that overdrive working it have some conflict with my MSI AB clocks,and every game freeze at start and need to restart it,to go to overdrive check or uncheck (depends what was previous) and to start game again.

Whenever i had it like that i never had problem with clocks and MSI AB...any1 have any idea how to get that?

So far i remember it worked when i had to put that .dll file for MSI AB in syswow64 folder ( i think that was for 12.2 drivers) ,now i'm using 12.4 (most stable for me so far) but doesn't work with that file atm...

is there osme MSI AB patch for AMD drivers to fix it?


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *useport80*
> 
> the 12.7 driver version is 8.981.2, while the 12.6 june12th driver version is 9.00 ?


The driver version 8.98X.X is 12.6.
8.99X.X is 12.7.

That driver from asder00 is modded, don't trust it.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> is there osme MSI AB patch for AMD drivers to fix it?


From Atiman AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch
Install it on installed driver.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> From Atiman AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch
> Install it on installed driver.


Does this fix issues with MSI 2.2.2 and CCC?


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> From Atiman AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch
> Install it on installed driver.


doesn't helping...\

@BradleyW

ye i'm using 2.2.2 doesn;'t helping for what i'm looking


----------



## disintegratorx

I'm using the so called 12.7 drivers and from what I notice, the resolution does seem to look better.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> From Atiman AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch
> Install it on installed driver.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does this fix issues with MSI 2.2.2 and CCC?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> doesn't helping...\
> @BradleyW
> ye i'm using 2.2.2 doesn;'t helping for what i'm looking


AB 2.2.1 and up have the files included within the AB install. The patch is unneeded.


----------



## Hexa

Is anyone else having a problem of your clock speeds ALWAYS getting put really low in the Catalyst Control Center? I run crossfire and usually keep everything on "default" with the exception of the fan speed control. Well everytime I go back into the CCC it always has my speeds at less then half of what it's supposed to be once running a game. It's very annoying.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> From Atiman AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch
> Install it on installed driver.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does this fix issues with MSI 2.2.2 and CCC?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> doesn't helping...\
> @BradleyW
> ye i'm using 2.2.2 doesn;'t helping for what i'm looking
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> AB 2.2.1 and up have the files included within the AB install. The patch is unneeded.
Click to expand...

Any reason I should upgrade MSI AB? I've been working just fine with 2.2.0 and I don't want to break it


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Is anyone else having a problem of your clock speeds ALWAYS getting put really low in the Catalyst Control Center? I run crossfire and usually keep everything on "default" with the exception of the fan speed control. Well everytime I go back into the CCC it always has my speeds at less then half of what it's supposed to be once running a game. It's very annoying.


Kept happening to me. Installed some modded drivers that I found somehwere on this site cant seem to remember where but then tried running heaven to look for an increase and noticed my clocks locked at exactly half of what they run default. Finally chased it down to the CCC. Fixed it and have been running along ever since. Im now running at 1100 core and 1600 on the memory on both cards. Seems overclocking in crossfire is much harder because with only one card I was running 1285 core and 1750 on the memory. Ill keep upping it and find my limit. Also I dont know if its been said before in this thread but for crossfire users having issues getting their cards to clock up properly in games I found that setting un official overclocking mode to 2 in the msi AB cfg file then setting my desired clocks and then reverting the 2 back to a 1 in the cfg file has worked extremely well for me. Before I had a time getting both cards to fire up and clock up properly esp when running heaven.


----------



## Tyreal

Pretty sure these are the same card...but, do these have voltage control via Trixx?
-If yes, What is the limit? Have you tested max clocks at minimum volts and max clocks at max volts?

SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7970 OC (11197-01-40G)

SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7970 (11197-06-40G)


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> How high I should go with VRM temps? I did put there heatsinks that came with AC accelero 7970 but temps still goes over 70C
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any good tips to cool down VRMs than water?


Depends on what they are rated for but from what I have seen most of them are usually rated around 120C MAX.

Cooler the better IMO but many say as long as they are within spec they are fine.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> Pretty sure these are the same card...but, do these have voltage control via Trixx?
> -If yes, What is the limit? Have you tested max clocks at minimum volts and max clocks at max volts?
> SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7970 OC (11197-01-40G)
> SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7970 (11197-06-40G)


I have the 06 version of those 2 cards - they use the same PCB with an extra VRM added and the cooler is the same but my card has only stock BIOS and different adapters in the box than OC version. It has voltage control that maxes out at 1.3V in AB dont know about Trixx









It's also a mediocre overclocker that does 1100 mhz core on stock volts and maxes out at 1180 @ 1.237V due to a really low heatwall that causes me to artifact at 63°C if I put the core at 1200 mhz.

From what I have seen on the net the OC version does much better on air cooling (in general) so I'd reccomend the OC version


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Has anyone tried the 7970ghz edition bios on the ref 7970 Here I think that is the new bios look at the date and clock speed


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Has anyone tried the 7970ghz edition bios on the ref 7970 Here I think that is the new bios look at the date and clock speed


I'll try it now


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> I'll try it now


Let me know if it works .


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Let me know if it works .


ATI Winflash says SubsystemID Mismatch and refuses to flash.... seems incompatible to me









I'll try it with a bootable USB and a forced flash if I find a stick I can format


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> ATI Winflash says SubsystemID Mismatch and refuses to flash.... seems incompatible to me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll try it with a bootable USB and a forced flash if I find a stick I can format


Yeah i was about to say use atiwinflash and force it i have to force it on almost all bios's I flash I dont know why.









I have a flash drive set up just for flashing .


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Yeah i was about to say use atiwinflash and force it i have to force it on almost all bios's I flash I dont know why.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a flash drive set up just for flashing .


Wait you can force flash in Winflash or do I need to use the bootable dos version ?


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> Wait you can force flash in Winflash or do I need to use the bootable dos version ?


Type atiflash -pa -f biosname.rom when on the bootable dos flash drive it will flash all if you have more the 1 card

This is what i use to flash Here

Also if you dont know how to use atiflash look Here

I'm sorry for confusing you I use atiflash not atiwinflash


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Type atiflash -pa -f biosname.rom when on the bootable dos flash drive it will flash all if you have more the 1 card
> This is what i use to flash Here
> Also if you dont know how to use atiflash look Here
> I'm sorry for confusing you I use atiflash not atiwinflash


Yeah the atiwinflash part was confusing I'm lazy so I wanted to flash in windows but I have located a USB drive now so I'll do it the old fashioned way in dos


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> Yeah the atiwinflash part was confusing I'm lazy so I wanted to flash in windows but I have located a USB drive now so I'll do it the old fashioned way in dos



















If you can, check to see if you can give any extra voltage.


----------



## BradleyW

I know this sounds like the most stupid question in history of OCN, but if you have a 7970 GHz edition and a normal 7970 and overclock them both to 1170/1650, will they perform the exact same?


----------



## Grobinov

Well I got it up and running but windows is reporting a code 43 error so I don't have any 3D acceleration nor MSI AB readouts.... don't know if its driver incompatibility or BIOS issue but so far this is not working









EDIT: Just got this error so maybe this still has potential....


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I know this sounds like the most stupid question in history of OCN, but if you have a 7970 GHz edition and a normal 7970 and overclock them both to 1170/1650, will they perform the exact same?


I would say, unless they changed anything to do with the architecture of the gpu on the new Ghz models, or the memory is clocked slightly different on the Ghz model and you didn't make sure that they were the same as you have with the GPU overclock, that they would perform within a couple of points difference of each other in benchmarks. Heat would be the determining factor, as if one stays cooler than the other, it may have a SLIGHT performance advantage.

I think that the Ghz edition, as I have mentioned before, is just a way of AMD gaining some credibility back after the much loved GTX 680 stole it's short-lived performance reign. AMD would have been cringing watching all the benchmarks on the reviews of the two flagship model cards, knowing that users were gaining in excess of 50% gains once the cards hit their rigs at home. Yet the 680 was being hailed all high and mighty with its BUILT IN boost clock speeds.

My 7950 bests a slightly overclocked 680 in 3DMark11 benches, which goes to show the OC potential of the 7900 series (as we are all well aware of). It may not be the same for ALL 7950's, but I am on air with a dual fan cooler (Sapphire) in a fairly well ventilated case. Nothing extraordinary about my set up, just a fantastic performing overclocked card.


----------



## 1rkrage

Are the 12.7 drivers still overclockable? I'm using 12.4 but want to try out the new stuff. I thought I read somewhere that AMD's latest drivers finally removed the ability to overclock past Overdrive limits in Afterburner


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> Are the 12.7 drivers still overclockable? I'm using 12.4 but want to try out the new stuff. I thought I read somewhere that AMD's latest drivers finally removed the ability to overclock past Overdrive limits in Afterburner


They added the files back into the package with the 12.6 June 14th version. No idea about 12.7, do they even exist? I've tried all the drivers and 12.4 seem the best for me.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> They added the files back into the package with the 12.6 June 14th version. No idea about 12.7, do they even exist? I've tried all the drivers and 12.4 seem the best for me.


Oh, didn't know that.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/12330_30#post_17539511

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=364682

Think I will give them a try then.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Oh, didn't know that.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/12330_30#post_17539511
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=364682
> 
> Think I will give them a try then.


Any release notes ?
Cheers.


----------



## SkateZilla

Toms already tried to flash a 7970 w/ 7970 Ghz Ed. BIOS, it didnt go to well.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7970-ghz-edition-review-benchmark,3232.html


----------



## SkateZilla

didnt someone here say they disabled HDMI Audio device and got a lil bit of a performance boost?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> didnt someone here say they disabled HDMI Audio device and got a lil bit of a performance boost?


How to disable that?


----------



## Tyreal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> Well I got it up and running but windows is reporting a code 43 error so I don't have any 3D acceleration nor MSI AB readouts.... don't know if its driver incompatibility or BIOS issue but so far this is not working
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Just got this error so maybe this still has potential....


Did you try to uninstall/install after the flash?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Whenever i enable unnofficial OC i get this? 0 on the clocks.


Did you enable unofficial OC via the config of AB? Or did you do the -xcl in the shortcut method?
2.2.2 notes "ATIPDLXX.DLL is no longer included in MSI Afterburner distributive" And isn't included in most newer Catalyst versions, so you'll have to put that into AB folder or system folder.
Think AMD is giving grief to 3rd party oc tools using the API, not sure where this will go in the future.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> I have the 06 version of those 2 cards - they use the same PCB with an extra VRM added and the cooler is the same but my card has only stock BIOS and different adapters in the box than OC version. It has voltage control that maxes out at 1.3V in AB dont know about Trixx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's also a mediocre overclocker that does 1100 mhz core on stock volts and maxes out at 1180 @ 1.237V due to a really low heatwall that causes me to artifact at 63°C if I put the core at 1200 mhz.
> From what I have seen on the net the OC version does much better on air cooling (in general) so I'd reccomend the OC version


Thanks for the info. Are you able to test with a DMM from a point on the PCB. (might need a pic to figure out where)


----------



## 4514kaiser

Out of interest many people have luck with 12.7 and AB unofficial version?
And whats the current favorable drive been hearing a few good things about 12.5...... Think i might give OC another go last try gave me endless blue screens which only ended once AB was completely removed of my pc.. There's just something wrong with having 7970's on water with no OC









(and yes i did like 6 clean installs of AB and CCC)


----------



## MooMoo

Am I good with VRM max 80c (with Furmark) @ 1037mV in long run? With Battlefield 3 I get max ~57c.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> Did you try to uninstall/install after the flash?
> 
> Thanks for the info. Are you able to test with a DMM from a point on the PCB. (might need a pic to figure out where)


Yeah I did reinstall after the BIOS update I think they must have changed something so the BIOS will not work on old cards but if there will be any development I'll be sure to test it









I can't test out voltages with DMM tho beacuse my Noctua is blocking acess to the back side of the GPU


----------



## xNAPx

Anyone knows if it is possible to change voltages at the direct cu II HD7970 from asus? even through bios?


----------



## disintegratorx

Heck yeah. lol I've had sufficient time to try the 12.7's out and they kick serious butt.







I'm very content with them and also knowing that now we are out-performing Nvidia! There is an article at Tom's Warehouse that for me pretty much confirms that. Here's one of the GHZ edition HD 7970 benchmark against the competitors.. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7970-ghz-edition-review-benchmark,3232-8.html .. and here is the article claiming that the new drivers out-perform the competitor's counterparts. lol http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7970-ghz-edition-review-benchmark,3232-19.html All I have to say about all of this is 'WAY TO GO AMD!!! YOU GUYS RULE!!' Yeah.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> Did you try to uninstall/install after the flash?
> Did you enable unofficial OC via the config of AB? Or did you do the -xcl in the shortcut method?
> 2.2.2 notes "ATIPDLXX.DLL is no longer included in MSI Afterburner distributive" And isn't included in most newer Catalyst versions, so you'll have to put that into AB folder or system folder.
> Think AMD is giving grief to 3rd party oc tools using the API, not sure where this will go in the future.
> Thanks for the info. Are you able to test with a DMM from a point on the PCB. (might need a pic to figure out where)


I changed the value 0 to 1 in the config. I am using 12.4 drivers.


----------



## phillyd

can you guys get an official 12.7 beta download link up? the zip from Guru3d doesnt unzip properly.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> can you guys get an official 12.7 beta download link up? the zip from Guru3d doesnt unzip properly.


You are trying with 7zip instead of winrar? Have no problems with 7zip..


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> can you guys get an official 12.7 beta download link up? the zip from Guru3d doesnt unzip properly.


Yup, here it is: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167992

Here too on rage3d's site: http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33991427

Enjoy!


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> can you guys get an official 12.7 beta download link up? the zip from Guru3d doesnt unzip properly.
> 
> 
> 
> You are trying with 7zip instead of winrar? Have no problems with 7zip..
Click to expand...

i am using 7zip
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> can you guys get an official 12.7 beta download link up? the zip from Guru3d doesnt unzip properly.
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, here it is: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167992
> 
> Here too on rage3d's site: http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33991427
> 
> Enjoy!
Click to expand...

still doesnt work









can someone unzip the folder, rezip it, and upload it?


----------



## BradleyW

If i use the 12.7 driver that increased the 7970 Ghz card, then keep my OC on my current cards, will this give me the same increase as what the Ghz card got from the 12.7's?

Do you get what I mean?


----------



## MooMoo

Anything nice for other 7xxx cards than 7970 from that 12.7 driver?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If i use the 12.7 driver that increased the 7970 Ghz card, then keep my OC on my current cards, will this give me the same increase as what the Ghz card got from the 12.7's?
> Do you get what I mean?


It's the exact same card just with a higher base clock, so of course.


----------



## Tyreal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I changed the value 0 to 1 in the config. I am using 12.4 drivers.


Oh...thats the old method. I don't think ti works anymore, try the -xcl method.

Close AB.
Edit the shortcut on desktop.(Right click properties)
The target should read:

Code:



Code:


"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" -xcl

Click OK, close, double click the shortcut.
Message should appear saying successful.
Edit the shortcut and remove the -xcl
Reboot.

Might have to put the atipdlxx.dll into AB folder with 2.2.2, unless you already put the two other ones in system and wowsystem folders.


----------



## SkateZilla

7970 Ghz Edition has a Special BIOS,

regular 7970s will not get the "Special Features" if you even wanna call them that.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 7970 Ghz Edition has a Special BIOS,
> regular 7970s will not get the "Special Features" if you even wanna call them that.


What the boost? lol
Sorry amd but you fail in that one seriously...


----------



## BradleyW

Is there any change to the actual 7970 GHz edition other than a BIOS providing higher clocks speeds and a GPU that has a better layer of Silicon?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is there any change to the actual 7970 GHz edition other than a BIOS providing higher clocks speeds and a GPU that has a better layer of Silicon?


According to AnandTech
Quote:


> In fact the hardware is absolutely identical right down to the GPU - *there have been no changes to the PCB, the cooling, or the VRMs, and even the Tahiti GPU is the same revision that has been shipping in the 7970 since the beginning*. Everything the 7970GE adds to the 7970 is accomplished through chip binning and new Catalyst and BIOS features specific to the 7970GE.


Source

It uses the same hardware, but with binned chips and optimized bios/drivers.

My question would be how does this compare to the likes of the XFX R7970 Black Edition Double Dissipation that was released with binned chips and 1ghz default clock speed. The only difference being the Power Tune Boost.


----------



## Evil Penguin

To overclockers in general, it's probably not worth getting the GHz Edition over the regular 7970.

The main difference, like someone else pointed out, is that Tahiti die is binned for lower leakage and should use a little less power than a lower binned Tahiti die.

So if I was buying a reference 7970 today, it would be the regular one.

It remains to be seen how the higher binned GHz Edition does on water.

I suspect it wouldn't do any better with liquid nitrogen.


----------



## SacredChaos

I have a couple questions regarding the overclocking of my MSI 7970. How do I know for sure the the -xcl tag is in affect in afterburner? I have added it restarted then removed it. Also what are the highest safe voltages for the Core and Memory? I believe i have a 1050mv card, what do you think my overclocks could reach? I seems if I go above 1150mhz core or 1550mhz memory I run into issues. I have a water cooling setup, just been to lazy to install it. So maybe if I can get this card cranked up it will convince me to tackle the water cooling.


----------



## 1rkrage

what's your BF3 fps on a single 1440p monitor? Do you guys enable MSAA at that resolution?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> To overclockers in general, it's probably not worth getting the GHz Edition over the regular 7970.
> The main difference, like someone else pointed out, is that Tahiti die is binned for lower leakage and should use a little less power than a lower binned Tahiti die.
> 
> So if I was buying a reference 7970 today, it would be the regular one.
> *It remains to be seen how the higher binned GHz Edition does on water*.
> I suspect it wouldn't do any better with liquid nitrogen.


This is what I am mostly concerned with. I need reference 7970's for my EK blocks so do I go with the new GHz edition cards or do I get something like the Sapphire OC versions? I just don't think the GHz cards will perform any better under water than the binned older cards...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> This is what I am mostly concerned with. I need reference 7970's for my EK blocks so do I go with the new GHz edition cards or do I get something like the Sapphire OC versions? I just don't think the GHz cards will perform any better under water than the binned older cards...


If the GHz Edition does clock higher than the regular 7970 under water, it probably won't be much more.

It's just better binning, not a revised GPU die or anything like that.

Let's say a regular 7970 under water can do 1300 MHz core.

Would the GHz Edition do around 1400 MHz?

I don't think so.

It'll just use a bit less power at 1300 MHz than the lower binned version does.


----------



## Irocing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> This is what I am mostly concerned with. I need reference 7970's for my EK blocks so do I go with the new GHz edition cards or do I get something like the Sapphire OC versions? I just don't think the GHz cards will perform any better under water than the binned older cards...


I'm running the Sapphire OC Edition which is a Non Ref card at 1250/1650/1.2000v Stable.

Its a Non Ref card, But on a Ref PCB so that can also run the Blocks if I want to.
Also runs an extra vram chip from the Ref card.

Just a thought.










Going to go that way when can afford it.

Later


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> This is what I am mostly concerned with. I need reference 7970's for my EK blocks so do I go with the new GHz edition cards or do I get something like the Sapphire OC versions? I just don't think the GHz cards will perform any better under water than the binned older cards...
> 
> 
> 
> If the GHz Edition does clock higher than the regular 7970 under water, it probably won't be much more.
> It's just better binning, not a revised GPU die or anything like that.
> Let's say a regular 7970 under water can do 1300 MHz core.
> Would the GHz Edition do around 1400 MHz?
> I don't think so.
> It'll just use a bit less power at 1300 MHz than the lower binned version does.
Click to expand...

Not to argue, but you're spreading wrong information. It's not "better" binned. They're simply binned to ensure that they can run at 1GHz at stock voltage. Stock voltage of the chip is still decided by the ASIC%. Lower ASIC means higher stock voltage (which typically means better water OCer, but not guaranteed). Higher ASIC means lower stock voltage (which typically means better air OCer, but not guaranteed). There's no promise of better OCing, or better power usage.


----------



## SacredChaos

Anyone wanna help me lol?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> I have a couple questions regarding the overclocking of my MSI 7970. How do I know for sure the the -xcl tag is in affect in afterburner? I have added it restarted then removed it. Also what are the highest safe voltages for the Core and Memory? I believe i have a 1050mv card, what do you think my overclocks could reach? I seems if I go above 1150mhz core or 1550mhz memory I run into issues. I have a water cooling setup, just been to lazy to install it. So maybe if I can get this card cranked up it will convince me to tackle the water cooling.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> Anyone wanna help me lol?


-xcl worked if you can adjust your voltages in Afterburner. If the voltage sliders work, then xcl worked. Highest safe voltages is whatever you can run while keeping your card cool. I'm running my voltages at 1.3/1.7 with no issues. I'm running a 1310/1725 OC.

High ASIC, low voltage cards (such as yours) typically perform better on air than they do on water. I believe there's still overvoltage circuitry at play that doesn't allow your processor to run at anything .125v above stock voltage. In this case, you're going to max out at 1.175 volts. Mine was a 1.174v card, so it maxes at 1.299 volts. Mine is also under water.


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> -xcl worked if you can adjust your voltages in Afterburner. If the voltage sliders work, then xcl worked. Highest safe voltages is whatever you can run while keeping your card cool. I'm running my voltages at 1.3/1.7 with no issues. I'm running a 1310/1725 OC.
> High ASIC, low voltage cards (such as yours) typically perform better on air than they do on water. I believe there's still overvoltage circuitry at play that doesn't allow your processor to run at anything .125v above stock voltage. In this case, you're going to max out at 1.175 volts. Mine was a 1.174v card, so it maxes at 1.299 volts. Mine is also under water.


Thanks for the info. So basically setting the core voltage to 1.225 is doing absolutely nothing over 1.175? I assume the overvoltage control also affects memory voltage?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> -xcl worked if you can adjust your voltages in Afterburner. If the voltage sliders work, then xcl worked. Highest safe voltages is whatever you can run while keeping your card cool. I'm running my voltages at 1.3/1.7 with no issues. I'm running a 1310/1725 OC.
> High ASIC, low voltage cards (such as yours) typically perform better on air than they do on water. I believe there's still overvoltage circuitry at play that doesn't allow your processor to run at anything .125v above stock voltage. In this case, you're going to max out at 1.175 volts. Mine was a 1.174v card, so it maxes at 1.299 volts. Mine is also under water.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the info. So basically setting the core voltage to 1.225 is doing absolutely nothing over 1.175? I assume the overvoltage control also affects memory voltage?
Click to expand...

-xcl allows the voltage modification. However, the memory and core have seperate sliders for voltage. One doesn't adjust the other as far as I know.


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> -xcl allows the voltage modification. However, the memory and core have seperate sliders for voltage. One doesn't adjust the other as far as I know.


Yea, I know there are separate sliders. What I was meaning is there an over voltage limiter on the memory voltage also. Also, how does something perform better on air than water?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> -xcl allows the voltage modification. However, the memory and core have seperate sliders for voltage. One doesn't adjust the other as far as I know.
> 
> 
> 
> Yea, I know there are separate sliders. What I was meaning is there an over voltage limiter on the memory voltage also. Also, how does something perform better on air than water?
Click to expand...

Ah, sorry. Overvoltage doesn't exist for memory as far as I know, but if it did, the slider only allows from 1.6 to 1.7 volts. Even if it had the same .125 limit, you couldn't reach it anyway.

As to the overclocking capability... Chips that require more voltage at stock produce more heat (leakage) but also allow a higher overall voltage. Water cooling is able to keep these particular chips nice and cool, thus negating the leakage, and allowing for great overclocks.

My 7970 has a low ASIC (upper 60s if I remember correctly) and overclocks to 1310/1725. Temps don't go above 46C after 15 minutes of furmark. Gaming temps are 41C and below.


----------



## SacredChaos

Just as a test, I set my voltage to 1.3 in MSI Afterburner then launched GPU-Z and a game. Before I launched the game the VDDC was reading at 1.250 in GPU-Z and when the game started it was at 1.200. When I lower it to 1.250 in MSI Afterburner it drops to 1.200 in GPUZ without a game playing.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> Just as a test, I set my voltage to 1.3 in MSI Afterburner then launched GPU-Z and a game. Before I launched the game the VDDC was reading at 1.250 in GPU-Z and when the game started it was at 1.200. When I lower it to 1.250 in MSI Afterburner it drops to 1.200 in GPUZ without a game playing.


7970s do have pretty heavy vdroop, I haven't used a multimeter on one at normal voltage, but with the voltage cranked up to 1.56V on a reference card it was dropping to 1.46V under load.


----------



## quakermaas

Just installed the 12.7 beta and no problems with MSI AB and extended clocks (I didn't use -xcl), when I tried 12.6beta with MSI AB I was getting the screen flicker and jumping

This might help others

Un-installed MSI AB

Un-installed ATI driver using ATIman 7.0.2 (think there is a newer one now).

unpacked the 12.7 beta with winrar.

installed 12.7 beta, reboot. ( got a fail on the MS Redistributable, most likely because it was already installed ?)

installed MSI AB patch, installed 12.6 cap1, run ULPScontrol (ATIman) to disable ULPS, ATIman will auto reboot when finished)

(read a few pages back that MSI AB has removed these needed files in 2.2)

Installed MSI AB 2.2 and enabled UnofficialOverclockingMode in config, restart MSI AB

Seem to be running great, haven't done any benchmarks (maybe tomorrow because today will be Formula 1, BF3 and Euro 2012 England match tonight







)


----------



## Tyreal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Just installed the 12.7 beta and no problems with MSI AB and extended clocks (I didn't use -xcl), when I tried 12.6beta with MSI AB I was getting the screen flicker and jumping
> 
> This might help others
> 
> Un-installed MSI AB
> 
> Un-installed ATI driver using ATIman 7.0.2 (think there is a newer one now).
> 
> unpacked the 12.7 beta with winrar.
> installed 12.7 beta, reboot. ( got a fail on the MS Redistributable, most likely because it was already installed ?)
> 
> installed MSI AB patch, installed 12.6 cap1, run ULPScontrol (ATIman) to disable ULPS, ATIman will auto reboot when finished)
> (read a few pages back that MSI AB has removed these needed files in 2.2)
> 
> Installed MSI AB 2.2 and enabled UnofficialOverclockingMode in config, restart MSI AB
> 
> Seem to be running great, haven't done any benchmarks (maybe tomorrow because today will be Formula 1, BF3 and Euro 2012 England match tonight
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


cool, yep the 9.0 beta(12.6/7 June 12th) is the drivers that give grief to oc programs that use the api.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Not to argue, but you're spreading wrong information. It's not "better" binned. They're simply binned to ensure that they can run at 1GHz at stock voltage. Stock voltage of the chip is still decided by the ASIC%. Lower ASIC means higher stock voltage (which typically means better water OCer, but not guaranteed). Higher ASIC means lower stock voltage (which typically means better air OCer, but not guaranteed). There's no promise of better OCing, or better power usage.


What ASIC quality did one reviewer get?
59% was it?
I think it had a lower voltage than a higher ASIC quality 7970.
I need to check up on that.

I honestly think there's a little more to it than just seeing of a particular chip can run at 1000-1050 MHz.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Not to argue, but you're spreading wrong information. It's not "better" binned. They're simply binned to ensure that they can run at 1GHz at stock voltage. Stock voltage of the chip is still decided by the ASIC%. Lower ASIC means higher stock voltage (which typically means better water OCer, but not guaranteed). Higher ASIC means lower stock voltage (which typically means better air OCer, but not guaranteed). There's no promise of better OCing, or better power usage.
> 
> 
> 
> What ASIC quality did one reviewer get?
> 59% was it?
> I think it had a lower voltage than a higher ASIC quality 7970.
> I need to check up on that.
> 
> I honestly think there's a little more to it than just seeing of a particular chip can run at 1000-1050 MHz.
Click to expand...

ASIC quality more or less dictates to the drivers/BIOS how much voltage to demand in order to run (unless I've been taught incorrectly) so I don't think it's possible to have a higher ASIC with a higher VID and vice versa.

As to the chip's capability to OC, a couple of the reviews even mentioned that AMD said they were from the same wafers, just binned to ensure they hit 1050mhz stable. Binning by AMD won't be the same as binning by an extreme overclocker. One is looking to see what it can do balls the wall, the other is looking to make sure it's stable at specified settings.


----------



## BradleyW

If 12.7 has shown boosts for the Ghz edition, will I get the same boost on my Cards?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If 12.7 has shown boosts for the Ghz edition, will I get the same boost on my Cards?


Of course. But I seen on guru, plenty of people have issues with the drivers. I personally not going to touch 12.7 for the time being.

I notice AMD have posted 12.6 beta on their site now, how are 12.6 drivers? Currently running 12.4.


----------



## darkstar585

Well 12.7 has enabled me to break P11000 on 3dmark so I am a happy chap









http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3730216


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Well 12.7 has enabled me to break P11000 on 3dmark so I am a happy chap
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3730216


So you got a good increase on a normal 7970?


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> Anyone knows if it is possible to change voltages at the direct cu II HD7970 from asus? even through bios?


All current DCII cards seem to come with voltage locked bios. Meaning you can only lower the voltage from the default but not increase. Some ppl even tried to flash the bios but it didn't help. I fought with my voltage locked card for 2 weeks but couldn't find any way to increase the voltage and ended up retuning my card. So if Asus doesn't release new bios or gpu tweak version you wont be able to increase the voltage if you do not hard mod it with Hot Wire.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> All current DCII cards seem to come with voltage locked bios. Meaning you can only lower the voltage from the default but not increase. Some ppl even tried to flash the bios but it didn't help. I fought with my voltage locked card for 2 weeks but couldn't find any way to increase the voltage and ended up retuning my card. So if Asus doesn't release new bios or gpu tweak version you wont be able to increase the voltage if you do not hard mod it with Hot Wire.


HD 7950 DCII are not voltage locked. I can increase voltage.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So you got a good increase on a normal 7970?


well a few points..not a significant amount though i am afraid, just enough to break the 11000 mark on my system.

had to do some extra work to get over the P11000 mark:

2600k HT [email protected] with bclk of 103 x 47 @ 1.45v (running warm on air







)
XMS3 Ram overclocked to 1900mhz with looser timings
7970 @ 1270/1850 1.243v core and stock memory voltage with an aggressive fan profile
Before 12.7 I would get a p score of around 10900ish at best with the same settings.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> well a few points..not a significant amount though i am afraid, just enough to break the 11000 mark on my system.
> had to do some extra work to get over the P11000 mark:
> 
> 2600k HT [email protected] with bclk of 103 x 47 @ 1.45v (running warm on air
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> XMS3 Ram overclocked to 1900mhz with looser timings
> 7970 @ 1270/1850 1.243v core and stock memory voltage with an aggressive fan profile
> Before 12.7 I would get a p score of around 10900ish at best with the same settings.


What i am trying to figure out from all this is, the Ghz edition got an increase with 12.7, so what i want to find out is does the normal 7970 get the same increase. See what i mean?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What i am trying to figure out from all this is, the Ghz edition got an increase with 12.7, so what i want to find out is does the normal 7970 get the same increase. See what i mean?


yes the Radeon HD 7970 is now faster too.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> 
> 7970 @ 1270/1850 1.243v core and stock memory voltage with an aggressive fan profile
> .


GRAPHICS SCORE
11017

Mine with april 18 beta
1275/1900
Graphic
10956

12.7
1275/1900
Graphic
11097

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3731263


----------



## KaRLiToS

Can I crossfire a 7970 Lightning with 3 x Reference 7970 to run my triple monitors and the lightining will have the three monitors plugged in via 3 x Display Ports?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> GRAPHICS SCORE
> 11017
> Mine with april 18 beta
> 1275/1900
> Graphic
> 10956
> 12.7
> 1275/1900
> Graphic
> 11097
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3731263


So 12.7 give both the 7970 and the Ghz 7970 an increase?
Is it the exact same card?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So 12.7 give both the 7970 and the Ghz 7970 an increase?
> Is it the exact same card?


Yep, i got a nice 3 frames extra on metro benchmark too..
From 62 to 65 with 1125/1900
1275/1900
68 With MSAA 4x.
83 with AAA

Im still having issues with mouse/keyboard and audio on pandora with this drivers.. Going back to april 18...


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So 12.7 give both the 7970 and the Ghz 7970 an increase?
> Is it the exact same card?


Yes same cores but different BIOS on the cards - I tried swapping them but the GPU didn't like the swap









Driver improvements show up just fine on a regual 7970 and if I compare scores at 1050/1500 on my card with those in reviews of the GHz edition they are virtually identical


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Yep, i got a nice 3 frames extra on metro benchmark too..
> From 62 to 65 with 1125/1900
> 1275/1900
> 68 With MSAA 4x.
> 83 with AAA
> Im still having issues with mouse/keyboard and audio on pandora with this drivers.. Going back to april 18...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> Yes same cores but different BIOS on the cards - I tried swapping them but the GPU didn't like the swap
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Driver improvements show up just fine on a regual 7970 and if I compare scores at 1050/1500 on my card with those in reviews of the GHz edition they are virtually identical


Rep to both of you. Thank you for the input. I am so happy i did not get a pair of expensive 680's or 670's with less VRAM!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> *Yes same cores but different BIOS on the cards - I tried swapping them but the GPU didn't like the swap
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> Driver improvements show up just fine on a regual 7970 and if I compare scores at 1050/1500 on my card with those in reviews of the GHz edition they are virtually identical


Probably because of the new boost feature.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Probably because of the new boost feature.


Makes perfect sense to me.


----------



## Grobinov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Probably because of the new boost feature.


I'm thinking they just put a BIOS lock somewhere because the card works fine in 2D but the drivers throw a fit if you try to do anything 3D related - hell even the PCB looks the same between the versions


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> GRAPHICS SCORE
> 11017
> Mine with april 18 beta
> 1275/1900
> Graphic
> 10956
> 12.7
> 1275/1900
> Graphic
> 11097
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3731263


Nice might try a suicide run at 1310/1950 on air in a bit...got to let it cool down first though


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I find something funny with metro right now...

My card is 1.110v (trix 1112) and is stable there depending the temps in different clock scenarios...
running the same clocks on 2 different voltages show different results on metro..

for example

1.110v
1125/1900
I get an average of 55 frames

Stock Trixx (1.175v)
1125/1900
I get an average of 62 frames

Gpu-Z dont detect anomalies (like downclocking or irregular voltage ups/downs) or nothing between each voltage, no nothing..

Just to point that out... Maybe is stable for you on less volts but maybe is not performing like it should in the game...
So keep and eye on that..

edit
Im trying to replicate the error but no luck did a couple of runs with 1112 and 1150/1175 and same results..


----------



## antonis21

One question for hd7970 owners,how much is the average tempreture increase if you max out catalyst sliders mem clock,core clock and power tune20%+


----------



## BradleyW

That is very strange?
Edit: @Antonis, not much, about 10c at best, but average is around 5c for me i think.


----------



## antonis21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> That is very strange?
> Edit: @Antonis, not much, about 10c at best, but average is around 5c for me i think.


Thanks for the information.I am going to buy one to finish my new build.I am intrested in buying sapphire hd7970 oc..maximum catalyst sliders doesnt need any vcore increase right?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> Thanks for the information.I am going to buy one to finish my new build.I am intrested in buying sapphire hd7970 oc..maximum catalyst sliders doesnt need any vcore increase right?


If you get an average chip, you should be fine at those speeds.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Nice might try a suicide run at 1310/1950 on air in a bit...got to let it cool down first though


I went back to april 18 betas..

But this is just for you to think about..
GRAPHICS SCORE
11099 (april18 drivers)
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3731960


----------



## Woundingchaney

I am getting crashes in League of Legends. My overclock is stable in every other game I play. Is there an AMD driver issue with LoL.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> AB 2.2.1 and up have the files included within the AB install. The patch is unneeded.


For crossfire configuration, patch is needed at any time and at any AB version.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> One question for hd7970 owners,how much is the average tempreture increase if you max out catalyst sliders mem clock,core clock and power tune20%+


I am using reference cards and temps go up to mid 80's playing BF3 if I leave the fans set on auto.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I find something funny with metro right now...
> My card is 1.110v (trix 1112) and is stable there depending the temps in different clock scenarios...
> running the same clocks on 2 different voltages show different results on metro..
> for example
> 1.110v
> 1125/1900
> I get an average of 55 frames
> Stock Trixx (1.175v)
> 1125/1900
> I get an average of 62 frames
> Gpu-Z dont detect anomalies (like downclocking or irregular voltage ups/downs) or nothing between each voltage, no nothing..
> Just to point that out... Maybe is stable for you on less volts but maybe is not performing like it should in the game...
> So keep and eye on that..
> edit
> Im trying to replicate the error but no luck did a couple of runs with 1112 and 1150/1175 and same results..


I noticed this with my cfx 6950 toxics. When I ran 1000/1500 at 1.212v I got lower scores in all benches than when I used 1.25v I haven't tested this with the 7970s though


----------



## BradleyW

When i increase voltage on my OC, the scores are the same but i just get higher temps and noise. Might have to retest on this.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can I crossfire a 7970 Lightning with 3 x Reference 7970 to run my triple monitors and the lightining will have the three monitors plugged in via 3 x Display Ports?


Yep you can as long as you have the lightning on top. And I'm sure u realize the clocks must be the same.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Yep you can as long as you have the lightning on top. And I'm sure u realize the clocks must be the same.


Cool

Are you sure the clock should be the same?


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Cool
> Are you sure the clock should be the same?


Things get messy if they're not.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Things get messy if they're not.


True! I know this. Causes havok sometimes.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Cool
> Are you sure the clock should be the same?


Stability becomes almost impossible with different clocks. I mean u should be able to bring up the reference 7970s to 1070/1400 without much problem. Voltages may need to be adjusted.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Ok, I plan of buying 4 7970

I want 4 display ports so i will buy the ASUS 7970 DC2T ( or lightning) and 3 Reference cards.

So I have to run them all at the same clock?

With my 3 x 6970, I could run them at different speeds without issues?

And does the Aus DC2T (Lighning) absolutely need to be in the first slot?


----------



## BradleyW

I think the cards will match those speeds without any change in voltage.
If cards run a different clocks, it can pretty much render CFX useless.
Edit: Won't that card, if on top, just suck all the hot air in and blow it back into the system? Aftermarket coolers are bad for crossfire on the top card.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Ok, I plan of buying 4 7970
> I want 4 display ports so i will buy the ASUS 7970 DC2T ( or lightning) and 3 Reference cards.
> So I have to run them all at the same clock?
> With my 3 x 6970, I could run them at different speeds without issues?
> And does the Aus DC2T (Lighning) absolutely need to be in the first slot?


The biggest problem with different clocks is that each card will finish a frame a different speed than the others so you will start to induce micro stutter if it is using afr style crossfire.

Yes it must be on the top as that is the card the display is fed through. Also unless u plan on water cooling the dcuii is 3 slot so it will make quad fire impossible


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I think the cards will match those speeds without any change in voltage.
> If cards run a different clocks, it can pretty much render CFX useless.
> Edit: Won't that card, if on top, just suck all the hot air in and blow it back into the system? Aftermarket coolers are bad for crossfire on the top card.


Everything will be watercooled, the Asus Direct CU II Top is only to have more than 2 display ports, I need 3.


----------



## StrayderGame

Any of u hackers here figured out maybe how to disable AMD CCC OVerdrive tool? I badly need that just terms and conditions msg when press on Overdrive...i will start to cry or will throw this card out of the window...


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Any of u hackers here figured out maybe how to disable AMD CCC OVerdrive tool? I badly need that just terms and conditions msg when press on Overdrive...i will start to cry or will throw this card out of the window...


I am not a hacker but I can tell you if you un-install using atiman then reinstall CCC you will get it back.

why do you need it back anyway?

AMD terms and conditions from my CCC 12.7


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



WARNING: AMD processors are intended to be operated only within their associated specifications and factory settings. Operating your AMD processor outside of official AMD specifications or outside of factory settings, including but not limited to the conducting of overclocking (including use of this overclocking software, even if such software has been directly or indirectly provided by AMD or otherwise affiliated in any way with AMD), may damage your processor and/or lead to other problems, including but not limited to, damage to your system components (including your motherboard and components thereon (e.g. memory)), system instabilities (e.g. data loss and corrupted images), reduction in system performance, shortened processor, system component and/or system life and in extreme cases, total system failure. AMD does not provide support or service for issues or damages related to use of an AMD processor outside of official AMD specifications or outside of factory settings. You may also not receive support or service from your board or system manufacturer. Please make sure you have saved all important data before using this overclocking software. DAMAGES CAUSED BY USE OF YOUR AMD PROCESSOR OUTSIDE OF OFFICIAL AMD SPECIFICATIONS OR OUTSIDE OF FACTORY SETTINGS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY AMD PRODUCT WARRANTY AND MAY NOT BE COVERED BY YOUR BOARD OR SYSTEM MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY.
WARNING: The software that has been directly or indirectly provided by AMD or an entity otherwise affiliated with AMD may disable or alter: (1) software including features and functions in the operating system, drivers and applications, and other system settings; and (2) system services. WHEN THE MATERIALS ARE USED TO DISABLE OR ALTER THESE ITEMS IN WHOLE OR PART, YOU MAY EXPERIENCE (A) INCREASED RISKS THAT CERTAIN SECURITY FUNCTIONS DO NOT FUNCTION THEREBY EXPOSING YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM TO POTENTIAL SECURITY THREATS INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, HARM FROM VIRUSES, WORMS AND OTHER HARMFUL SOFTWARE; (B) PERFORMANCE AND INTEROPERABILITY ISSUES THAT MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND THE STABILITY OF YOUR COMPUTING SYSTEM; AND (C) OTHER EXPERIENCES RESULTING IN ADVERSE EFFECTS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED, TO DATA CORRUPTION OR LOSS.


----------



## Grobinov

Any ideas why I'm having this funky Zerocore issue - been like this across several driver versions I tried


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Everything will be watercooled, the Asus Direct CU II Top is only to have more than 2 display ports, I need 3.


Just remember if you go with the Lightning you will HAVE to use DP on all of your monitors (if they are greater than 1080p or 60Hz). The Lightning doesn't have any dual link DVI connectors on the back....


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Everything will be watercooled, the Asus Direct CU II Top is only to have more than 2 display ports, I need 3.


I see. Sounds good.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Ok, I plan of buying 4 7970
> I want 4 display ports so i will buy the ASUS 7970 DC2T ( or lightning) and 3 Reference cards.
> So I have to run them all at the same clock?
> With my 3 x 6970, I could run them at different speeds without issues?
> And does the Aus DC2T (Lighning) absolutely need to be in the first slot?


You cannot use DC2 waterblocks with reference waterblocks because the ports don't coime remotely close to aligning. This will I assume be the same for the Lightning. It's best to get four DC2 or lightning and get the quad bridge, etc.

Also as for clocks, you can run them at different clocks but it really is advisable to run same clocks so you cards are not showing down and speeding up to synch their screen refreshes.


----------



## KaRLiToS

tsm106: what do you think I should buy?

4 x reference 7970

OR

4 x Asus DC2T


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> tsm106: what do you think I should buy?
> 4 x reference 7970
> OR
> 4 x Asus DC2T


With RIVE I would lean towards the dc2t for the ockey controlling the clocks and all.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> I am not a hacker but I can tell you if you un-install using atiman then reinstall CCC you will get it back.
> why do you need it back anyway?
> AMD terms and conditions from my CCC 12.7
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> WARNING: AMD processors are intended to be operated only within their associated specifications and factory settings. Operating your AMD processor outside of official AMD specifications or outside of factory settings, including but not limited to the conducting of overclocking (including use of this overclocking software, even if such software has been directly or indirectly provided by AMD or otherwise affiliated in any way with AMD), may damage your processor and/or lead to other problems, including but not limited to, damage to your system components (including your motherboard and components thereon (e.g. memory)), system instabilities (e.g. data loss and corrupted images), reduction in system performance, shortened processor, system component and/or system life and in extreme cases, total system failure. AMD does not provide support or service for issues or damages related to use of an AMD processor outside of official AMD specifications or outside of factory settings. You may also not receive support or service from your board or system manufacturer. Please make sure you have saved all important data before using this overclocking software. DAMAGES CAUSED BY USE OF YOUR AMD PROCESSOR OUTSIDE OF OFFICIAL AMD SPECIFICATIONS OR OUTSIDE OF FACTORY SETTINGS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER ANY AMD PRODUCT WARRANTY AND MAY NOT BE COVERED BY YOUR BOARD OR SYSTEM MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY.
> WARNING: The software that has been directly or indirectly provided by AMD or an entity otherwise affiliated with AMD may disable or alter: (1) software including features and functions in the operating system, drivers and applications, and other system settings; and (2) system services. WHEN THE MATERIALS ARE USED TO DISABLE OR ALTER THESE ITEMS IN WHOLE OR PART, YOU MAY EXPERIENCE (A) INCREASED RISKS THAT CERTAIN SECURITY FUNCTIONS DO NOT FUNCTION THEREBY EXPOSING YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM TO POTENTIAL SECURITY THREATS INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, HARM FROM VIRUSES, WORMS AND OTHER HARMFUL SOFTWARE; (B) PERFORMANCE AND INTEROPERABILITY ISSUES THAT MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND THE STABILITY OF YOUR COMPUTING SYSTEM; AND (C) OTHER EXPERIENCES RESULTING IN ADVERSE EFFECTS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED, TO DATA CORRUPTION OR LOSS.


I need it back coz overdrive doesn;'t work with After burner clocks..i'm getting freezing in games when i start..So i need to go back to Overdrive to check or uncheck it (depends what position it was previous) and to start game again...When i have just that page with terms and conditions and wheni click accept and it turn me back to main CCC page (not giving me that Overdrive clocking page) Graphic works at charm...

i think that is coz to i get clock on 1112/1575 i need to increase voltage and since in overdrive there is no voltage options i'm increasing it in AB and coz of that they don;'t handle to work together well (Overdrive and AB) However i installed trixx so will see is it better a bit...


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Grobinov*
> 
> Any ideas why I'm having this funky Zerocore issue - been like this across several driver versions I tried


I had a similar issue with my Core jumping 550-1200 and GPU usage going 0-100 like that. Ended up only happening when I unlocked unofficial OC on Afterburner, so now that I left AB alone after a fresh re-install its fine.


----------



## MooMoo

How I can get over the max memory 1575mhz on Afterburner?
Right now Im GPU @1ghz, memory @1575mhz and testing stability.
Temps are nice for GPU: 54c max but kinda highish for VRM: 82c (tested these on Furmark).


----------



## KaRLiToS

Hey Guys, I am about to buy 4 x 7970 like I said previously.

One guy is selling a Power Color reference and a HIS reference 7970. Are those great cards? He said he didnt overclock them. I will watercool them so I need good chips.

Are those good Companies

Another guy is selling me 2 x XFX Black edition. 1300Mhz Core confirmed

What would you do?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey Guys, I am about to buy 4 x 7970 like I said previously.
> 
> One guy is selling a Power Color reference and a HIS reference 7970. Are those great cards? He said he didnt overclock them. I will watercool them so I need good chips.
> 
> Are those good Companies
> 
> Another guy is selling me 2 x XFX Black edition. 1300Mhz Core confirmed
> 
> What would you do?


I'd buy the two XFX cards and call it a day.
Do you really need four of them?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey Guys, I am about to buy 4 x 7970 like I said previously.
> One guy is selling a Power Color reference and a HIS reference 7970. Are those great cards? He said he didnt overclock them. I will watercool them so I need good chips.
> Are those good Companies
> Another guy is selling me 2 x XFX Black edition. 1300Mhz Core confirmed
> What would you do?


It's kind of a crap-shoot honestly man. Manufacturer doesn't matter in terms of reference cards as they are all the same really. If you want four identically performing cards you will likely have to buy and sell several until you come upon the right combination....


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I'd buy the two XFX cards and call it a day.
> Do you really need four of them?


I need four of them since my next build will be called Quad damage (Quake being one of my best games)








And 7680x1440 will be my resolution.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> It's kind of a crap-shoot honestly man. Manufacturer doesn't matter in terms of reference cards as they are all the same really. If you want four identically performing cards you will likely have to buy and sell several until you come upon the right combination....


I don't want to enter in such a big process. But I think the next AMD drivers will be very improved and I think I will be able to run my cards at different clock like I use to do with my triple 6970.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I think I will be able to run my cards at different clock like I use to do with my triple 6970.


You've been able to do that well, since cayman as you've been doing. However, I wouldn't recommend doing that because you introduce latencies. In crossfire faster cards will have to wait for slower cards so overtime you introduce delays in your frame time you can consider it like micro stutter.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You've been able to do that well, since cayman as you've been doing. However, I wouldn't recommend doing that because you introduce latencies. In crossfire faster cards will have to wait for slower cards so overtime you introduce delays in your frame time you can consider it like micro stutter.


Did not know that, I will have to test when I receive them. Thanks for the input.

I just bought 2 x 7970 used from a Member and 4 x EK 7970 Acetal/Nickel waterBlocks tonight. Need to find 2 other 7970s.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I'd buy the two XFX cards and call it a day.
> Do you really need four of them?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I need four of them since my next build will be called Quad damage (Quake being one of my best games)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And 7680x1440 will be my resolution.
Click to expand...

Well, that's going to be an awesome build! And a properly cooled one as well, appropriate for that resolution.
You should be able to find a couple more 7970's soon enough to make them a quad.
Looking forward to seeing photos of this build when it's done:thumb:


----------



## Aventadoor

Whats the better driver for crossfire these days?
Ive tryed the 12.6 Betas and they were really really buttery smooth with BF3!


----------



## Levesque

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I'd buy the two XFX cards and call it a day.
> Do you really need four of them?


Yes. For 3X30'' Eyefinity (he will do 7680X1440) 4X 7970 Quad-Fire is working pretty well since 12.6 beta. Probably that 3 would be enough, but 4 is more sexy. And Quake Quad, not Triake Tri.









For some people the bling factor is also important. For a build like he's planning to do, I would also go with Quad 7970.

12.7 beta are aslo working pretty good for me now. Made the switch form 12.6 beta a couple of days ago and they are fabulous with 4X 7970 at 7680X1600. Pretty happy now.

Those drivers are rock-stable for me. Good job AMD.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> Yes. For 3X30'' Eyefinity (he will do 7680X1440) 4X 7970 Quad-Fire is working pretty well since 12.6 beta. Probably that 3 would be enough, but 4 is more sexy. And Quake Quad, not Triake Tri.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For some people the bling factor is also important. For a build like he's planning to do, I would also go with Quad 7970.
> 12.7 beta are aslo working pretty good for me now. Made the switch form 12.6 beta a couple of days ago and they are fabulous with 4X 7970 at 7680X1600. Pretty happy now.
> Those drivers are rock-stable for me. Good job AMD.


What kind of frame rates are u getting for say bf3 and other graphic intensive games?


----------



## BradleyW

Does anybody have an issue where they have a black border around their games?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does anybody have an issue where they have a black border around their games?


No, not here.

I remember reading some one in this thread having the same problem or the catleap monitor thread a few months back, and it turned out to be a setting with the scaler in CCC, if I remember correctly.


----------



## NessLA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> High ASIC, low voltage cards (such as yours) typically perform better on air than they do on water. I believe there's still overvoltage circuitry at play that doesn't allow your processor to run at anything .125v above stock voltage. In this case, you're going to max out at 1.175 volts. Mine was a 1.174v card, so it maxes at 1.299 volts. Mine is also under water.


Eh, kinda. There are always exceptions I suppose. All but one of my 7x 7970's are in the 70-79% ASIC quality range, and their overclocking ranges are all over the map, BUT I do have a Diamond 7970 with an ASIC quality of 86%. When I noticed the unusually high quality I thought, "Fantastic, I have a great overclocker here!"

As it turns out, that high-ASIC Diamond is the LOWEST overclocker of all my 7970's.. It didn't matter how much voltage I gave it, the highest I could overclock it and have some stability was 1220MHz @ 1149mV. It wasn't even the coldest running 7970 I had when overclocked and running a stress test..









tl;dr ASIC quality probably just refers to chances of hitting 1GHz core. Beyond that, no guarantees. This is my experience, at least.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NessLA*
> 
> Eh, kinda. There are always exceptions I suppose. All but one of my 7x 7970's are in the 70-79% ASIC quality range, and their overclocking ranges are all over the map, BUT I do have a Diamond 7970 with an ASIC quality of 86%. When I noticed the unusually high quality I thought, "Fantastic, I have a great overclocker here!"
> As it turns out, that high-ASIC Diamond is the LOWEST overclocker of all my 7970's.. It didn't matter how much voltage I gave it, the highest I could overclock it and have some stability was 1220MHz @ 1149mV. It wasn't even the coldest running 7970 I had when overclocked and running a stress test..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> tl;dr ASIC quality probably just refers to chances of hitting 1GHz core. Beyond that, no guarantees. This is my experience, at least.


Read what he wrote. Asic deals with leakage level not overclocking ability. Again, asic does not = overclocking score. It deals with voltage requirement at stock clocks.


----------



## jomama22

Its the silicon lottery folks! Just a bummer that most cards are locked to a .125v range (lightning and hot wired dcuii are the exception). So even if that high asic can hit 1250 at 1.175, u can't give it more juice to go higher


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Its the silicon lottery folks! Just a bummer that most cards are locked to a .125v range (lightning and hot wired dcuii are the exception). So even if that high asic can hit 1250 at 1.175, u can't give it more juice to go higher


Yeap. The ideal is quad 73% asic cards all from great lottery picks.


----------



## Bastyn99

Im considering joining this club in a short while. Selling my two 570's before their value gets too low, and because Im not satisfied with 1.25GB VRAM. Not sure if I should get a 680 or 7970 and save some money, since I plan to not keep the card, which ever one I get, for much more than half a year. I'm just a little scared off by all the AMD driver talk, and there seem to be less non-reference models for 7970 than 680.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bastyn99*
> 
> Im considering joining this club in a short while. Selling my two 570's before their value gets too low, and because Im not satisfied with 1.25GB VRAM. Not sure if I should get a 680 or 7970 and save some money, since I plan to not keep the card, which ever one I get, for much more than half a year. I'm just a little scared off by all the AMD driver talk, and there seem to be less non-reference models for 7970 than 680.


If you plan to keep the card for only 6 months spend the least possible amount for the best returns. Go for HD 7950 OC. clock for clock HD 7950 is close to HD 7970, maybe 3 - 5 % slower.

Gigabyte HD 7950 - USD 370
http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Mini-Displayport-PCI-Express-Graphic-GV-R795WF3-3GD/dp/B007581QHG/

Sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition - USD 390 (USD 370 with rebate)
http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-PCI-Express-version-Graphics-11196-10-40G/dp/B0082D58P4/

here is a HD 7950 OC (900 Mhz) overclocked to 1200 Mhz and compared to HD 7970 (925 Mhz)

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/03/01/xfx_radeon_hd_7950_black_edition_video_card_review/8

Drivers have improved performance and stability a lot . Catalyst 12.6 BETA and Catalyst 12.7 BETA have really made the HD 7900 cards outshine the GTX 600 cards.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bastyn99*
> 
> Im considering joining this club in a short while. Selling my two 570's before their value gets too low, and because Im not satisfied with 1.25GB VRAM. Not sure if I should get a 680 or 7970 and save some money, since I plan to not keep the card, which ever one I get, for much more than half a year. I'm just a little scared off by all the AMD driver talk, and there seem to be less non-reference models for 7970 than 680.


Well both cards will perform quite similar and honesty you can't go wrong either way. Do u plan on 2 or 1? I ask because u will notice a dip in performance if just one. Driver issues are over blown on both sides so I personally wouldn't use that as a decision maker. Look at what games you play most and see which card fits your game preferences better. I will say, if you enjoy messing with over clocks and such then the 7970 is a treat in that regard especially since most 680s are voltage locked. It also depends how much you want to spend or if price even matters. For 7970s, you have the toxic coming out this month and the lightning already getting old. The 680s have the 4gb ftw coming and already have the lightning, though avalibility is hard to come by.


----------



## Bastyn99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> If you plan to keep the card for only 6 months spend the least possible amount for the best returns. Go for HD 7950 OC. clock for clock HD 7950 is close to HD 7970, maybe 3 - 5 % slower.
> Gigabyte HD 7950 - USD 370
> http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Mini-Displayport-PCI-Express-Graphic-GV-R795WF3-3GD/dp/B007581QHG/
> Sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition - USD 390 (USD 370 with rebate)
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-PCI-Express-version-Graphics-11196-10-40G/dp/B0082D58P4/
> here is a HD 7950 OC (900 Mhz) overclocked to 1200 Mhz and compared to HD 7970 (925 Mhz)
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/03/01/xfx_radeon_hd_7950_black_edition_video_card_review/8
> Drivers have improved performance and stability a lot . Catalyst 12.6 BETA and Catalyst 12.7 BETA have really made the HD 7900 cards outshine the GTX 600 cards.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Well both cards will perform quite similar and honesty you can't go wrong either way. Do u plan on 2 or 1? I ask because u will notice a dip in performance if just one. Driver issues are over blown on both sides so I personally wouldn't use that as a decision maker. Look at what games you play most and see which card fits your game preferences better. I will say, if you enjoy messing with over clocks and such then the 7970 is a treat in that regard especially since most 680s are voltage locked. It also depends how much you want to spend or if price even matters. For 7970s, you have the toxic coming out this month and the lightning already getting old. The 680s have the 4gb ftw coming and already have the lightning, though avalibility is hard to come by.


I will only be buying one card, so I am aware that I will have less GPU power, but the low VRAM amount is giving me trouble @1080p so I just need a quick, relatively cheap fix to that problem, until a get more money and new cards are out next year. Thats the main reason Im looking to AMD, because money _is_ important, especially since I don't know how much I will get from selling my 570's.

I will look some more at 7950 cards and consider getting one of those that I can OC the hell out of. And the new drivers sound good.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> No, not here.
> I remember reading some one in this thread having the same problem or the catleap monitor thread a few months back, and it turned out to be a setting with the scaler in CCC, if I remember correctly.


I'm already at full scale overscan.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I'm already at full scale overscan.


try lower your refresh rate...Some games will drop the resolution down if it is not fully supported e.g crysis is maximum 50Hz for some unknown reason









Playing at 75Hz on Crysis leaves me with a good two inch boarder around my screen but if I drop it to 50 i get full 1080p.

Edit: This is on HDMI though..


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> try lower your refresh rate...Some games will drop the resolution down if it is not fully supported e.g crysis is maximum 50Hz for some unknown reason
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Playing at 75Hz on Crysis leaves me with a good two inch boarder around my screen but if I drop it to 50 i get full 1080p.
> Edit: This is on HDMI though..


But full 1080p at 50Hz will bring stuttering?


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But full 1080p at 50Hz will bring stuttering?


Not with Vsync locking the framerate to 50fps...It sucks but its the only way I could play crysis smoothly on full screen without the shoddy boarder


----------



## KaRLiToS

I am in a huge dilemma now. (Everything is in CAD money)

1-wait for the Ghz Edition
2-Buy 2 x PowerColor 7970 (960$ With tax and shipping)
3-Buy 2 x Diamond 7970 (980$ with tax and shipping)

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131452 (powercolor)

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103201 (diamond)

I need your opinions . (Again)


----------



## Andrazh

I don't think there is much diference. I would go for powercolor because they are cheaper plus you get bigger bundle.


----------



## antonis21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I am in a huge dilemma now. (Everything is in CAD money)
> 1-wait for the Ghz Edition
> 2-Buy 2 x PowerColor 7970 (960$ With tax and shipping)
> 3-Buy 2 x Diamond 7970 (980$ with tax and shipping)
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131452 (powercolor)
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103201 (diamond)
> I need your opinions . (Again)


I am waiting for customs designs of hd7970 ghz edition.Just little patience,i suggest you to do the same


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> I am waiting for customs designs of hd7970 ghz edition.Just little patience,i suggest you to do the same


Why should I wait for it? Have you heard of a great improvement in their OCs or their stock clock? I heard they were no difference in the chip, many reviews explained this. They are only factory overclocked with a Boost clock just like Nvidia. I was waiting for them too until I saw this http://www.overclock.net/t/1273047/various-7970-ghz-edition-reviews/0_30

I think I'll buy the powercolors.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> I am waiting for customs designs of hd7970 ghz edition.Just little patience,i suggest you to do the same


why? Apart from the boost feature (which I can see becoming annoying) there is no difference what so ever ....They aren't even going to be binned or anything so you will not see any difference in a gen 1 overclocked 7970 vs a ghz overclock 7970....the pcb is identical


----------



## antonis21

True but first i want to see sapphire hd7970 toxic and vapor-x.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> True but first i want to see sapphire hd7970 toxic and vapor-x.


Yes, you are right, these will be some beasts but they won't have the correct ports ( I heard they will only have 2 x Display Ports)


----------



## Exostenza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> try lower your refresh rate...Some games will drop the resolution down if it is not fully supported e.g crysis is maximum 50Hz for some unknown reason
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Playing at 75Hz on Crysis leaves me with a good two inch boarder around my screen but if I drop it to 50 i get full 1080p.
> Edit: This is on HDMI though..


Just change your desktop resolution to 1080p @ 75hz and drop over/underscan to 0 and you wont have those boarders in game.

Here is a great guide to kill all the boarder issues with AMD. Just dealt with it in some games that drop me to 50hz.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Not with Vsync locking the framerate to 50fps...It sucks but its the only way I could play crysis smoothly on full screen without the shoddy boarder


Why you use HDMI for? Connect it using DVI and you're self inflicted problems will be gone.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> why? Apart from the boost feature (which I can see becoming annoying) there is no difference what so ever ....They aren't even going to be binned or anything so you will not see any difference in a gen 1 overclocked 7970 vs a ghz overclock 7970....the pcb is identical


Concur.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yes, you are right, these will be some beasts but they won't have the correct ports ( I heard they will only have 2 x Display Ports)


Since you've already gotten two ref cards that go 1300, there's no point in waiting for anything else. You want two more 1300mhz cards. Special/custom 7970s have not proven to be a sure thing when trying to hit 1300mhz . They are still a crap shoot just like any other card, since it is down to silicon only.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Just change your desktop resolution to 1080p @ 75hz and drop over/underscan to 0 and you wont have those boarders in game.
> Here is a great guide to kill all the boarder issues with AMD. Just dealt with it in some games that drop me to 50hz.


This is a great guide, thanks for the link. It should help with my HDMI. Rep+ And thanks to the guy who made it!


----------



## SkateZilla

if the 7970 GHz edition is exactly the same as the 7970s, why doesnt your 7970 Turbo to 950 or whatever..

im telling you, there is a difference, so the driver can enable/disable turbo.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> if the 7970 GHz edition is exactly the same as the 7970s, why doesnt your 7970 Turbo to 950 or whatever..
> im telling you, there is a difference, so the driver can enable/disable turbo.


BIOS? Slight hardware add on to enable boosting? I'd like to know if any actual changes have been made as well.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> BIOS? Slight hardware add on to enable boosting? I'd like to know if any actual changes have been made as well.


AMD and everyone keep repeating that they are the same PCB, Same Chips,

-Then why doesnt a 7970 Ghz Edition Bios, when flashed to a Normal 7970 Work?
-Then why doesnt a regular 7970 have a 50Mhz Turbo

The BIOS is different But there is a piece of hardware missing from the equation, if the PCB is the Reference design, then there is no reason a 7970 GHz edition BIOS wouldnt work on a 7970 Reference.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> AMD and everyone keep repeating that they are the same PCB, Same Chips,
> -Then why doesnt a 7970 Ghz Edition Bios, when flashed to a Normal 7970 Work?
> -Then why doesnt a regular 7970 have a 50Mhz Turbo
> The BIOS is different But there is a piece of hardware missing from the equation, if the PCB is the Reference design, then there is no reason a 7970 GHz edition BIOS wouldnt work on a 7970 Reference.


Yeah, this is what I am trying to work out here.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why you use HDMI for? Connect it using DVI and you're self inflicted problems will be gone.


Because my monitor is HDMI or VGA only


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> Just change your desktop resolution to 1080p @ 75hz and drop over/underscan to 0 and you wont have those boarders in game.
> Here is a great guide to kill all the boarder issues with AMD. Just dealt with it in some games that drop me to 50hz.


thanks for the guide


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Since you've already gotten two ref cards that go 1300, there's no point in waiting for anything else. You want two more 1300mhz cards. Special/custom 7970s have not proven to be a sure thing when trying to hit 1300mhz . They are still a crap shoot just like any other card, since it is down to silicon only.


What do you mean, I should get the power color ones? Or I should seek for a used one capable of doing 1300Mhz?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> try lower your refresh rate...Some games will drop the resolution down if it is not fully supported e.g crysis is maximum 50Hz for some unknown reason
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Playing at 75Hz on Crysis leaves me with a good two inch boarder around my screen but if I drop it to 50 i get full 1080p.
> Edit: This is on HDMI though..


create a custom resolution on CCC...
I have 1920x1076 just for crysis games problem solved... No more 50hz bug...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does anybody have an issue where they have a black border around their games?


try putting your resolution in the desktop and use the overscan feature and get that fixed..


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> BIOS? Slight hardware add on to enable boosting? I'd like to know if any actual changes have been made as well.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> AMD and everyone keep repeating that they are the same PCB, Same Chips,
> -Then why doesnt a 7970 Ghz Edition Bios, when flashed to a Normal 7970 Work?
> -Then why doesnt a regular 7970 have a 50Mhz Turbo
> The BIOS is different But there is a piece of hardware missing from the equation, if the PCB is the Reference design, then there is no reason a 7970 GHz edition BIOS wouldnt work on a 7970 Reference.


I wouldn't say it was a hardware change.....If I was to put a guess on why the ghz bios/core boost doesn't work on the fist gen 7970 it would be on the fact that the bios has been written specifically to determine a unique serial or code within the GPU or something within the updated card (like a mac address for your wifi for example). As the first gens code would be different to the revised code, the boost feature would fail to initiate and unlock the full features and allowing only the basic access.

Of course this is purely my speculation on the situation and i could be completely off the mark...but with my knowledge in engineering I would confidently say that it would be pretty insane for a company like AMD to make hardware changes so late in the year, especially since even the slightest change in hardware would cost them $$$$ due to needing to redesign the production line to incorporate + the additional costs per part etc. From my experience it would be far better to pay a bunch of software engineers to develop a bios that is specific to a card with a different integrated serial than look into a hardware specific lock.

Like I said this is only my opinion and I could be miles from the truth...I guess we will find out soon enough + If it is software locked, it could be cracked


----------



## tsm106

^^Parts of the bios are digitally signed, namely the parts we all want access to.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> What do you mean, I should get the power color ones? Or I should seek for a used one capable of doing 1300Mhz?


What I mean is that you have a goal of matching four cards at 1300mhz. You have two out of four already. Thus there's no time like the present to start on that goal because waiting for ghz cards will not help you in this endeavor especially with their different bios with the lame boosting. And on top of that it doesn't necessarily mean that the ghz cards will hit 1300mhz. All signs point to the exact same silicon, just slightly dolled up with a new bios. LOL.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> I wouldn't say it was a hardware change.....If I was to put a guess on why the ghz bios/core boost doesn't work on the fist gen 7970 it would be on the fact that the bios has been written specifically to determine a unique serial or code within the GPU or something within the updated card (like a mac address for your wifi for example). As the first gens code would be different to the revised code, the boost feature would fail to initiate and unlock the full features and allowing only the basic access.
> Of course this is purely my speculation on the situation and i could be completely off the mark...but with my knowledge in engineering I would confidently say that it would be pretty insane for a company like AMD to make hardware changes so late in the year, especially since even the slightest change in hardware would cost them $$$$ due to needing to redesign the production line to incorporate + the additional costs per part etc. From my experience it would be far better to pay a bunch of software engineers to develop a bios that is specific to a card with a different integrated serial than look into a hardware specific lock.
> Like I said this is only my opinion and I could be miles from the truth...I guess we will find out soon enough + If it is software locked, it could be cracked


Thanks for this mate.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I am in a huge dilemma now. (Everything is in CAD money)
> 1-wait for the Ghz Edition
> 2-Buy 2 x PowerColor 7970 (960$ With tax and shipping)
> 3-Buy 2 x Diamond 7970 (980$ with tax and shipping)
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131452 (powercolor)
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103201 (diamond)
> I need your opinions . (Again)


Prices are dropping again - at least on the Diamond, so hold off for a few days (week most)


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Prices are dropping again - at least on the Diamond, so hold off for a few days (week most)


I don't think they will drop by much, anyway, I already pulled the trigger yesterday on the PowerColor.

I bought 4 x 7970 + 4x EK F7970 EK En nickel with a quad bridge. I also have customs backplates from DWood


----------



## BradleyW

Is it just me or does DVI give better image quality compared to HDMI and takes a lot less setting up on the sharpness and so on?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I don't like HDMI at all...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I don't like HDMI at all...


How come?
I don't like how it does not adjust well on the screen at times.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I don't need an audio signal going to my monitor so it seems pointless over DVI/DP...


----------



## BradleyW

Is it important for DVI to be dual linked? Or does that not matter at 1080p?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is it important for DVI to be dual linked? Or does that not matter at 1080p?


It doesn't matter. Dual link dvi just means it will let you do higher resolutions as well.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> It doesn't matter. Dual link dvi just means it will let you do higher resolutions as well.


What is the max res for normal DVI then?
Thanks for the information.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What is the max res for normal DVI then?
> Thanks for the information.


Single link DVI is good up to 1920x1200. It can go a tiny bit higher than that, but they don't make monitors like that.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Single link DVI is good up to 1920x1200. It can go a tiny bit higher than that, but they don't make monitors like that.


Though so, cheers to Majin and yourself.


----------



## eternal7trance

Anyone in here have a 7970 that can do around 1300ghz core? If so, could you do a couple game benchmarks just so I can compare stuff? Doesn't matter which ones. Even a Heaven 3.0 run is fine.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Anyone in here have a 7970 that can do around 1300ghz core? If so, could you do a couple game benchmarks just so I can compare stuff? Doesn't matter which ones. Even a Heaven 3.0 run is fine.


On air or water?

Here is a 3mark11 run on 1300/1850 on air

Graphics score: 11189

CPU downclocked to 4.5 as i was getting warm at 4.8


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Because my monitor is HDMI or VGA only


Get a DisplayPort to HDMI cable. You'll get the clear picture of DVI and sound.


----------



## xNAPx

Guys i was searching for a full cover for my next sapphire OC dual X 7970 and my choice gone on Aquacomputer aquagrATIx for HD 7970 (Tahiti XT) G1/4, what do u think about this cover? is it compatible? is it good?


----------



## thrgk

no, go swiftech full cover block, mine is very nice, and they are very helpful


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is it important for DVI to be dual linked? Or does that not matter at 1080p?


You need dual link at 1080p 120Hz, at 60Hz it is not needed.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> Guys i was searching for a full cover for my next sapphire OC dual X 7970 and my choice gone on Aquacomputer aquagrATIx for HD 7970 (Tahiti XT) G1/4, what do u think about this cover? is it compatible? is it good?


Aquacomputer is a good block, I have two of them.

I don't know if the sapphire OC dual X 7970 is a reference board, the blocks are made for reference boards.

Edit: Looks to be reference alright

sapphire OC dual X



My own reference


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> On air or water?
> Here is a 3mark11 run on 1300/1850 on air
> Graphics score: 11189
> CPU downclocked to 4.5 as i was getting warm at 4.8


Thanks, do you have any other benchmarks/game benches you can test on?


----------



## xNAPx

someone here told me sapphire oc edition has a reference pcb with 2 memory phase instead of just 1


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> someone here told me sapphire oc edition has a reference pcb with 2 memory phase instead of just 1


Yes that is what it looks to be, I edited my previous post with pictures.

Notice the missing VRM on my MSI HD7970


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Thanks, do you have any other benchmarks/game benches you can test on?


Not without melting my vrms as I am on air cooling I am afraid









In need of water cooling pretty bad.


----------



## SkateZilla

my only peeves about Cat 12.7 so far, which may have been something else...

-Updating to 12.7 from 12.6 Beta 1 wiped my custom settings for Fan Speeds/Overclock, So I had to re-input them in, might have wiped my other CCC settings leading to problems below.
(on the brighter side, I can OC 125 more Mhz stable w/o Voltage increase, but I will stay at my proven 1Ghz (stock volts) on cooler days and factory stock 900Mhz (undervolted) on the hot summer days, didn't see no temp increase running Furmark @ 1Ghz, but I don't wanna push the GPU or VRMs in the hot summer days)

- it wiped my Eyefinity group completely
On my System, I set the bezel correction and then set the desktop back to the normal non corrected res., but run the games in the corrected resolutions), after updating to 12.7, I had to re-do all the bezel correction settings and stuff. For some reason it kicked the screens out of eyefinity mode to Extended desktop Mode, and deleted the group. I had to re-build the group, resolution, screen position, preferred screen and bezel correction again.

- Battlefield 3 kept dropping VSync to 30 Frames Sec for no reason... and every now and then back up to 60 Fr/ps (never did that before.)
And on some areas below 20 Frames/sec,never had that problem before either, but I fixed it
I had to change Graphics Preset to AUTO to get it to stay on 60 frames/sec Vsync. then go back to custom and put everything back the way I had it.
After I re-did those settings the Frames Per second instantly jumped back up to the 55-70 range, actually noticeably higher frames/sec across the board (by 5-10%)

- So did AMD sneak in an Adaptive VSync like nVidia's?

-Running the Taskbar on the Center screen only causes conflicts in BF3 and some other games.
In BF3 Bringing up the Map caused a Resolution change, which made all 3 screens go blank and come back, closing the map caused the same thing, quiting out of BF3 also revealed that Windows was having a Fit and Changing the desktop from Aero to Non Aero.

In Thirdwire Flight sims, Changing the View from internal to external caused the same thing.

I Ended up putting the task bar back across all 3 screens and windows stopped doing it, might have been something else causing it, but leaving the taskbar across all 3 screens stopped whatever was causing it.

-Full screening a window on one screen is a pain in the whoo hoo, as 99% of the time it goes across all 3 screens, and that 1 % it doesnt is when you want it too, lol...
Im forced to just manually size everything now. I know there's gotta be a trick/button sequence to fill current screen or something.

Some Flash Video Websites do not scale properly on the center screen when in full screen. (This has been an issue ever since I started using Eyefinity)
- some youtube videos full screen on the center screen and still go 3 or 4 inches onto the side screens (super wide screen).
- HBOGo/MaxGO, both do no even center properly, the video is half on the left screen and half on the center, the only way to fix is is to not full screen it, or run a 4th monitor as an extended display


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> my only peeves about Cat 12.7 so far, which may have been something else...
> -Updating to 12.7 from 12.6 Beta 1 wiped my custom settings for Fan Speeds/Overclock, So I had to re-input them in, might have wiped my other CCC settings leading to problems below.
> (on the brighter side, I can OC 125 more Mhz stable w/o Voltage increase, but I will stay at my proven 1Ghz (stock volts) on cooler days and factory stock 900Mhz (undervolted) on the hot summer days, didn't see no temp increase running Furmark @ 1Ghz, but I don't wanna push the GPU or VRMs in the hot summer days)
> - it wiped my Eyefinity group completely
> On my System, I set the bezel correction and then set the desktop back to the normal non corrected res., but run the games in the corrected resolutions), after updating to 12.7, I had to re-do all the bezel correction settings and stuff. For some reason it kicked the screens out of eyefinity mode to Extended desktop Mode, and deleted the group. I had to re-build the group, resolution, screen position, preferred screen and bezel correction again.
> - Battlefield 3 kept dropping VSync to 30 Frames Sec for no reason... and every now and then back up to 60 Fr/ps (never did that before.)
> And on some areas below 20 Frames/sec,never had that problem before either, but I fixed it
> I had to change Graphics Preset to AUTO to get it to stay on 60 frames/sec Vsync. then go back to custom and put everything back the way I had it.
> After I re-did those settings the Frames Per second instantly jumped back up to the 55-70 range, actually noticeably higher frames/sec across the board (by 5-10%)
> - So did AMD sneak in an Adaptive VSync like nVidia's?
> -Running the Taskbar on the Center screen only causes conflicts in BF3 and some other games.
> In BF3 Bringing up the Map caused a Resolution change, which made all 3 screens go blank and come back, closing the map caused the same thing, quiting out of BF3 also revealed that Windows was having a Fit and Changing the desktop from Aero to Non Aero.
> In Thirdwire Flight sims, Changing the View from internal to external caused the same thing.
> I Ended up putting the task bar back across all 3 screens and windows stopped doing it, might have been something else causing it, but leaving the taskbar across all 3 screens stopped whatever was causing it.
> -Full screening a window on one screen is a pain in the whoo hoo, as 99% of the time it goes across all 3 screens, and that 1 % it doesnt is when you want it too, lol...
> Im forced to just manually size everything now. I know there's gotta be a trick/button sequence to fill current screen or something.
> Some Flash Video Websites do not scale properly on the center screen when in full screen. (This has been an issue ever since I started using Eyefinity)
> - some youtube videos full screen on the center screen and still go 3 or 4 inches onto the side screens (super wide screen).
> - HBOGo/MaxGO, both do no even center properly, the video is half on the left screen and half on the center, the only way to fix is is to not full screen it, or run a 4th monitor as an extended display


+rep!
Great feedback on 12.7, much appreciated! I started a thread in the driver section of the AMD GPU forum in regards to 12.7 feedback, if you could post your findings there I, and probably many others, would appreciate it when doing some 12.7 researching








And this goes for everyone if they could, just to ease our researching efforts in terms of our driving info


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Yes that is what it looks to be, I edited my previous post with pictures.
> Notice the missing VRM on my MSI HD7970


MSI reference should be a good card too, right?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> MSI reference should be a good card too, right?


I haven't had any problems with them


----------



## jam3s

Just picked up a shiny VisionTek HD7970 3GB









Need another for CF, no one has one lol (at least not on OCN it seems).


----------



## BradleyW

Never seen a VisionTek version of the 7970. Reference?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Never seen a VisionTek version of the 7970. Reference?


Most definitely. My first three were visionteks.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Most definitely. My first three were visionteks.


How many have you had?
Saying that, I once had 4 470's and 3 480's lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How many have you had?
> Saying that, I once had 4 470's and 3 480's lol.


I've been thru a few. Returned the Visionteks because they were stringing me along on registration. It took Amazon 2 weeks to ship them since it was during the release. By the time I got them and confirmed they were good it was past the 30 days from invoice date. [email protected] Amazon said sorry about visiontek, return them free of charge and get a refund or whatever you want. Love Amazon.


----------



## BradleyW

This is how it goes sometimes i guess.


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> MSI reference should be a good card too, right?


I have an MSI Reference 7970 and love it.


----------



## BradleyW

I'm just glad my cards beat the 680 on min fps in most games when overclocked. So I love my cards. My mates have torrented GRFS and they say CF does not work because it flickers. Sure hope AMD bring a CAP on the UK release date for the game.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I'm just glad my cards beat the 680 on min fps in most games when overclocked. So I love my cards. My mates have torrented GRFS and they say CF does not work because it flickers. Sure hope AMD bring a CAP on the UK release date for the game.


I probably wouldn't even mention that.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I'm just glad my cards beat the 680 on min fps in most games when overclocked. So I love my cards. My mates have torrented GRFS and they say CF does not work because it flickers. Sure hope AMD bring a CAP on the UK release date for the game.


You have fantastic mates, I have to say ...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I probably wouldn't even mention that.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> You have fantastic mates, I have to say ...


There not to sort of mates I call up to go out. I just tolerate the ones in question.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> There not to sort of mates I call up to go out. I just tolerate the ones in question.


Well then you wouldnt mind doing this >>







to them for me...


----------



## grottslampan

How thick are the cards>

Sapphire Radeon HD7950 OC 950MHz Edition

Is it possible to run them in a multi gpu setup (3-4 cards), without fans hook into the card next door..

I use to have spacers between the cards..

are they 2 slot high + or - some??

Goin to place an order for some gpu's soon..


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grottslampan*
> 
> How thick are the cards>
> Sapphire Radeon HD7950 OC 950MHz Edition
> Is it possible to run them in a multi gpu setup (3-4 cards), without fans hook into the card next door..
> I use to have spacers between the cards..
> are they 2 slot high + or - some??


I'll measure mine when I get home (a few hours) if no one answers this more quickly. They're dual slot cards and I would think they would work fine right next to each other. You'll need good airflow though if you OC. I've got 2 and they can noticeably change the temperature in my living room.


----------



## grottslampan

Thanks for the fast reply..

Circulation is no prob..

Is it unlocked manual ram voltage control?

Some of the supposed dual slot cards, are dual slots, + some..

Thats why i am asking..

And the xtra +, cause probs in my setup..

Never owned Sapphire..


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grottslampan*
> 
> Thanks for the fast reply..
> Circulation is no prob..
> Is it unlocked manual ram voltage control?
> Some of the supposed dual slot cards, are dual slots, + some..
> Thats why i am asking..
> And the xtra +, cause probs in my setup..
> Never owned Sapphire..


I'll vouch for Sapphire's build quality. I've put several dozen (probably over a hundred) of them into various desktops and workstations over the years. Never had a single DOA or failed card.

As for the 950mhz editions, like all non-reference cards that dump hot hair into the case, heat is an issue. I'm currently working it out, but my top card is getting too hot during overclocks under games like Metro and/or benches. For me it is because recirculated hot air is trapped between the cards. I suspect that this is due to the hard drive cage being so close to the end of the card. I'm hoping that removing the unused PCI plates, increasing my positive pressure, and taking a dremel to the HDD cage will help that. If you have good general airflow this shouldn't be an issue.

For the record, I use triple spacing (sabertooth mobo). For me it's clear that the issue is stagnant air because my CPU temps haven't changed at all and my lower card runs a good 10-20c cooler than the top card. Another thing to note is that these cards tend to have relatively high ASIC quality scores (89 and 87 for me), so they run at lower volts stock, and _may_ not be the best cards for water cooling. It's on the "modified" 7970 reference PCB though so power delivery seems a tad overbuilt (and you'll need 1 six-pin and 1 eight-pin PCIe power connector for each card). I honestly haven't checked to see what the max volts Trixx will allow me is, as I've only really flirted with OCing them.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Well then you wouldnt mind doing this >>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to them for me...


Oh don't you worry about mate!


----------



## grottslampan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomK*
> 
> I'll vouch for Sapphire's build quality. I've put several dozen (probably over a hundred) of them into various desktops and workstations over the years. Never had a single DOA or failed card.
> As for the 950mhz editions, like all non-reference cards that dump hot hair into the case, heat is an issue. I'm currently working it out, but my top card is getting too hot during overclocks under games like Metro and/or benches. For me it is because recirculated hot air is trapped between the cards. I suspect that this is due to the hard drive cage being so close to the end of the card. I'm hoping that removing the unused PCI plates, increasing my positive pressure, and taking a dremel to the HDD cage will help that. If you have good general airflow this shouldn't be an issue.
> For the record, I use triple spacing (sabertooth mobo). For me it's clear that the issue is stagnant air because my CPU temps haven't changed at all and my lower card runs a good 10-20c cooler than the top card. Another thing to note is that these cards tend to have relatively high ASIC quality scores (89 and 87 for me), so they run at lower volts stock, and _may_ not be the best cards for water cooling. It's on the "modified" 7970 reference PCB though so power delivery seems a tad overbuilt (and you'll need 1 six-pin and 1 eight-pin PCIe power connector for each card). I honestly haven't checked to see what the max volts Trixx will allow me is, as I've only really flirted with OCing them.


Thanks for the reply..

Yes, the top one, is warmer, But when really OC, and maxxed out.. Even the lower one gets very varm..

Will do a little research on these gpu's..

Or it will be the Twin Frozer III Again..


----------



## wcooper007

Okay so i am currently running this card FX-797A-TNBC which i am considering converting over to water cooling using this water block

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16056/ex-blc-1110/Swiftech_KOMODO_HD7970_Full_Cover_VGA_Waterblock_KOMODO-HD7970.html?tl=g30c309s1590

Now what i am wondering is if this will work with my card ? can anyone give me any ideas i kinda did a little searching but to be honest there is a ton of pages and i would like to get this done before the card is out of date which would happen if i went thru all these posts on here sheesh


----------



## BradleyW

Speaking of Ghost Recon, as we were, when is it released in the US?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Speaking of Ghost Recon, as we were, when is it released in the US?


Google is not so hard to find








http://www.vgreleases.com/pc/ReleaseDate-413919.aspx


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Google is not so hard to find
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.vgreleases.com/pc/ReleaseDate-413919.aspx


You should link me to it.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> On air or water?
> Here is a 3mark11 run on 1300/1850 on air
> Graphics score: 11189
> CPU downclocked to 4.5 as i was getting warm at 4.8


Nice

Heres mine 1300/1950 before the heat wave that is coming XD

Graphic Score: 11121
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3748856

Im using april 18 drivers which dont have the boost on 3dmark of the new drivers and only (68 points) away from yours..
at least 200 points extra on gpu score with those drivers on this one.. I got 150ish with the previous clocks, at this 1300/1950 i expect at least a 200points boost on graphic score guaranteed XD


----------



## jam3s

Hey guys...

Stock 7970 3GB scores 48.8 FPS @ 2560x1440 in heaven with 8x AA, tessalation disabled, 4x Ansiotropy, everything else on high.

Just got this card.. what do you guys think?

As a reference I was scoring 43FPS with a GTX 670 at 1080p

Good?


----------



## SacredChaos

Why does my 7970 show up at a 6800 series in some programs? For example the program for overclock.net that fills out the info for your system, registers it as a 6800 series. I did have a 6870 but I have uninstalled drivers with atiman.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> AMD and everyone keep repeating that they are the same PCB, Same Chips,
> -Then why doesnt a 7970 Ghz Edition Bios, when flashed to a Normal 7970 Work?
> -Then why doesnt a regular 7970 have a 50Mhz Turbo
> The BIOS is different But there is a piece of hardware missing from the equation, if the PCB is the Reference design, then there is no reason a 7970 GHz edition BIOS wouldnt work on a 7970 Reference.


Are you using ATIFlash?

ATI flash has many different BIOS parts that can be flashed. I think that it may take a combination of different flashes on a card to make a particular BIOS work. Just not a simple -p -f type of deal.

I've played with ATIFlash alot with my Sapphire HD7950 trying to flash it to a HD7970 and the closest I have came I got the message "You are Gay". No kidding.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Nice
> Heres mine 1300/1950 before the heat wave that is coming XD
> Graphic Score: 11121
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3748856
> Im using april 18 drivers which dont have the boost on 3dmark of the new drivers and only (68 points) away from yours..
> at least 200 points extra on gpu score with those drivers on this one.. I got 150ish with the previous clocks, at this 1300/1950 i expect at least a 200points boost on graphic score guaranteed XD


Nice, you should give 12.7 a try as it is a brilliant driver I have not had a single problem on it so far


----------



## AnToNCheZ

I have a problem guys, and I can't seem to work out if it's all in my head (which I doubt) or if there is something wrong with one of my components. I will describe the scenario, and my rig is in my sig:

This morning, I log on to play some BF3 before I head out. Something is really strange. What is normally an extremely smooth experience at max settings (bar the 4x AA) seems very weird. Then, I start getting 1 second freezes every 20 seconds or so. I thought maybe something is running in the background by mistake. I close what was there, and try again. Same thing. Everything is smooth, and then, the skipping happens, like it will not recover but then it does. So I restart the PC, do the same thing again, and use GPU-Z to monitor what might be happening. This is the result:


Notice the sudden drops in VDDC voltage, and also the spiking, and the dips also in the GPU usage to zero on a couple of occasions. Also, the VDDC Current seems awfully erratic also, but I never paid much attention to this until now, so it may be normal. What definitely is not normal is the extremely erratic behaviour of the VDDC, which is normally very consistent and provides a nice smooth line across the top of it's graph close to the voltage I have specified in Trixx.

Other symptoms of funny behaviour is missing geometry when gaming, this has happened in Tribes Ascend and Crysis 2 just now as I was testing some more. Unigine Heaven and 3DMark11 seems to return normal activity, both in benchmark numbers, graphic display and also on the GPU graph. I am pulling my hair out because I love having my system perfect and this is most definitely not that. I am running the 8.97 beta drivers (which worked FLAWLESSLY for months and is the reason I have gone back to them to make sure it is not driver related, which it seems it isn't.

Am I missing something? Normally when I have a gut feeling on something, it usually turns out right, and my gut (and my knowledge from much researching on great forums such as this one) is telling me that something is most certainly busted. I have put it down to maybe 3 things: M/B, GPU or PSU. All of which are no more than 6 months old, and the GPU and MB are only 3 months old, if that.

I have tried switching the PCIe lanes, which did not help anything. I have reset all my OC (GPU and CPU) to stock and am basically running everything out of the box. Nothing has fixed it. Any help would be appreciated a tremendous amount. I have already lost a day to this thing, and tomorrow I am transplanting some parts from my brothers PC to try and diagnose what the issue is. Any further help in advance of me doing this would be fantastic.

Edit: Upon further testing, I am now beginning to see some ghosting around the gun when up against walls in BF3, and also some pixellation when looking through the red dot sight but not when in ADS. Just to add further information.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> Why does my 7970 show up at a 6800 series in some programs? For example the program for overclock.net that fills out the info for your system, registers it as a 6800 series. I did have a 6870 but I have uninstalled drivers with atiman.


Most probably you still have traces of your old card in your system.
Solution a)
Go to Control Panel > my devices > View > Shw hidden devices > graphics adaptor and see if it is still there (if it s, just right click and uninstall)... then unnstall and reinstall drivers
or
Solution b)
Simply, redownload the very latest 7.0.2 Atiman Unnstaller that uninstalls old hidden gpu devices automatically (if your registry's controlsets are not messy) and reinstall the latest driver. Still, check manually as described above if you still have in the hidden gpu devices after the atimans uninstallation process.

Do that and let us know how it went


----------



## Dousand Thollars

I'm having some issues with my eyefinity on these cards.

I'm running two in crossfire, all monitor cables are in the first card. Two through MD-DVI plugs and one directly through DVI. Yet Catalyst reads them all as my primary monitor. So it detects 3 screens, but says they're all monitor number 1. Instead of my nice eyefinity display I've just got 3 screens mirroring eachother.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> I have a problem guys, and I can't seem to work out if it's all in my head (which I doubt) or if there is something wrong with one of my components. I will describe the scenario, and my rig is in my sig:
> This morning, I log on to play some BF3 before I head out. Something is really strange. What is normally an extremely smooth experience at max settings (bar the 4x AA) seems very weird. Then, I start getting 1 second freezes every 20 seconds or so. I thought maybe something is running in the background by mistake. I close what was there, and try again. Same thing. Everything is smooth, and then, the skipping happens, like it will not recover but then it does. So I restart the PC, do the same thing again, and use GPU-Z to monitor what might be happening. This is the result:
> 
> Notice the sudden drops in VDDC voltage, and also the spiking, and the dips also in the GPU usage to zero on a couple of occasions. Also, the VDDC Current seems awfully erratic also, but I never paid much attention to this until now, so it may be normal. What definitely is not normal is the extremely erratic behaviour of the VDDC, which is normally very consistent and provides a nice smooth line across the top of it's graph close to the voltage I have specified in Trixx.
> Other symptoms of funny behaviour is missing geometry when gaming, this has happened in Tribes Ascend and Crysis 2 just now as I was testing some more. Unigine Heaven and 3DMark11 seems to return normal activity, both in benchmark numbers, graphic display and also on the GPU graph. I am pulling my hair out because I love having my system perfect and this is most definitely not that. I am running the 8.97 beta drivers (which worked FLAWLESSLY for months and is the reason I have gone back to them to make sure it is not driver related, which it seems it isn't.
> Am I missing something? Normally when I have a gut feeling on something, it usually turns out right, and my gut (and my knowledge from much researching on great forums such as this one) is telling me that something is most certainly busted. I have put it down to maybe 3 things: M/B, GPU or PSU. All of which are no more than 6 months old, and the GPU and MB are only 3 months old, if that.
> I have tried switching the PCIe lanes, which did not help anything. I have reset all my OC (GPU and CPU) to stock and am basically running everything out of the box. Nothing has fixed it. Any help would be appreciated a tremendous amount. I have already lost a day to this thing, and tomorrow I am transplanting some parts from my brothers PC to try and diagnose what the issue is. Any further help in advance of me doing this would be fantastic.
> Edit: Upon further testing, I am now beginning to see some ghosting around the gun when up against walls in BF3, and also some pixellation when looking through the red dot sight but not when in ADS. Just to add further information.


Fill out your system specs please. Maybe your power supply is failing.


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Most probably you still have traces of your old card in your system.
> Solution a)
> Go to Control Panel > my devices > View > Shw hidden devices > graphics adaptor and see if it is still there (if it s, just right click and uninstall)... then unnstall and reinstall drivers
> or
> Solution b)
> Simply, redownload the very latest 7.0.2 Atiman Unnstaller that uninstalls old hidden gpu devices automatically (if your registry's controlsets are not messy) and reinstall the latest driver. Still, check manually as described above if you still have in the hidden gpu devices after the atimans uninstallation process.
> Do that and let us know how it went


I've ran the auto mode on atiman a bunch of times since February (when I got the 7970). Just recently I downloaded and ran 7.0.2 to install the 12.6 beta drivers. 1 interesting fact, Atiman does show that I have crossfire 6870s, which I used to. Is there a specific mode I am supposed to run in ATIman?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> I've ran the auto mode on atiman a bunch of times since February (when I got the 7970). Just recently I downloaded and ran 7.0.2 to install the 12.6 beta drivers. 1 interesting fact, Atiman does show that I have crossfire 6870s, which I used to. Is there a specific mode I am supposed to run in ATIman?


Ok, first of all redownload atimans uninstaller v 7.0.2 it has been reupdated.

Second, fully uninstall your drivers using atimans uninstaller and while uninstalled check via the control panel the hidden devices you have.... most probably you still have traces of the 6800 cards there that you can easily uninstall manually via right click, uninstall (in the hidden devices)


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Fill out your system specs please. Maybe your power supply is failing.


Ok so here is my system, although I'm sure I listed all of these in my profile. Not to worry, here they are:

AsRock Z68 Ext 3 Gen 3 M/B
i5 2500K (normally @ 4.5Ghz. but I tested everything at stock also and same deal)
8G GSkill Sniper RAM
Sapphire HD 7950 OC (tested at stock but has been OC up to 1225Mhz and been stable)
750W Coolermaster GX Series PSU
Coolermaster Hyper Evo CPU Cooler
5 120/140mm case fans
1TB Seagate Barracuda HDD
640GB Samsung HDD
Pioneer BDR 202 Blu Ray Burner

I think that just about covers everything. Other things I am noticing are pixellated water on BF3, slow loading geometry on Tribes Ascend as well as terrible frame drops where there weren't any before.
Some games show the voltage all messed up, and others, especially the benchmark programs, show a nice consistent amount of volts going to the card, with no erratic behaviour as shown in the previous screens. Hope this helps.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Ok, first of all redownload atimans uninstaller v 7.0.2 it has been reupdated.
> Second, fully uninstall your drivers using atimans uninstaller and while uninstalled check via the control panel the hidden devices you have.... most probably you still have traces of the 6800 cards there that you can easily uninstall manually via right click, uninstall (in the hidden devices)


with drivers uninstalled do the ollowing...
...go to DEVICE MANAGER>VIEW> *Show Hidden Devices* then open DISPLAY ADAPTERS and uninstall your previous cards


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Ok so here is my system, although I'm sure I listed all of these in my profile. Not to worry, here they are:
> AsRock Z68 Ext 3 Gen 3 M/B
> i5 2500K (normally @ 4.5Ghz. but I tested everything at stock also and same deal)
> 8G GSkill Sniper RAM
> Sapphire HD 7950 OC (tested at stock but has been OC up to 1225Mhz and been stable)
> 750W Coolermaster GX Series PSU
> Coolermaster Hyper Evo CPU Cooler
> 5 120/140mm case fans
> 1TB Seagate Barracuda HDD
> 640GB Samsung HDD
> Pioneer BDR 202 Blu Ray Burner
> I think that just about covers everything. Other things I am noticing are pixellated water on BF3, slow loading geometry on Tribes Ascend as well as terrible frame drops where there weren't any before.
> Some games show the voltage all messed up, and others, especially the benchmark programs, show a nice consistent amount of volts going to the card, with no erratic behaviour as shown in the previous screens. Hope this helps.


You mention you are on old drivers which have been rock up to now. Have there been any recent software updates for BF3? Perhaps if there has been you need newer drivers.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Ok so here is my system, although I'm sure I listed all of these in my profile. Not to worry, here they are:
> AsRock Z68 Ext 3 Gen 3 M/B
> i5 2500K (normally @ 4.5Ghz. but I tested everything at stock also and same deal)
> 8G GSkill Sniper RAM
> Sapphire HD 7950 OC (tested at stock but has been OC up to 1225Mhz and been stable)
> 750W Coolermaster GX Series PSU
> Coolermaster Hyper Evo CPU Cooler
> 5 120/140mm case fans
> 1TB Seagate Barracuda HDD
> 640GB Samsung HDD
> Pioneer BDR 202 Blu Ray Burner
> I think that just about covers everything. Other things I am noticing are pixellated water on BF3, slow loading geometry on Tribes Ascend as well as terrible frame drops where there weren't any before.
> Some games show the voltage all messed up, and others, especially the benchmark programs, show a nice consistent amount of volts going to the card, with no erratic behaviour as shown in the previous screens. Hope this helps.


You should try some other GPU intensive games so you can rule out BF3 as the possible cause.
If you have similar things happening with other games the problem is hardware or some software drivers.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Ok so here is my system, although I'm sure I listed all of these in my profile. Not to worry, here they are:
> AsRock Z68 Ext 3 Gen 3 M/B
> i5 2500K (normally @ 4.5Ghz. but I tested everything at stock also and same deal)
> 8G GSkill Sniper RAM
> Sapphire HD 7950 OC (tested at stock but has been OC up to 1225Mhz and been stable)
> 750W Coolermaster GX Series PSU
> Coolermaster Hyper Evo CPU Cooler
> 5 120/140mm case fans
> 1TB Seagate Barracuda HDD
> 640GB Samsung HDD
> Pioneer BDR 202 Blu Ray Burner
> I think that just about covers everything. Other things I am noticing are pixellated water on BF3, slow loading geometry on Tribes Ascend as well as terrible frame drops where there weren't any before.
> Some games show the voltage all messed up, and others, especially the benchmark programs, show a nice consistent amount of volts going to the card, with no erratic behaviour as shown in the previous screens. Hope this helps.


A lot of people reporting lag spikes in BF3 since last night, it is server side, don't start pulling your system apart.









It drove me bat ***** crazy last night.

Seems to be a finger pointing to a PunkBuster problem









http://www.overclock.net/t/851366/official-battlefield-3-information-discussion-thread/41490_30#post_17572253

http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf3/forum/threadview/2832654348090028442/

"Felixlynch777 said:
Battlefield 3: Close Laggers
Battlefield 3: Armored Lag
Battlefield 3: Afterlag
Battlefield 3: End Game Lag"

lol


----------



## sena

Guys i need link for 12.7 beta fast, dont have time to browse through the topic.


----------



## 1rkrage

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i need link for 12.7 beta fast, dont have time to browse trough the topic.


http://bit.ly/NMPEhm

Guru3D usually has the latest drivers. they have a drivers section in their forums and the latest are usually stickied.


----------



## Arrehenius

Has anyone been having major stuttering issues in BF3 lately?
Me and a friend were playing last night, we both have a Gigabyte 7970 WF and we were getting some major stuttering issues with frames. Ingame and AB On-screen FPS were fine but kept getting single frames lasting for a half a second to a second. We played 2 nights ago and didn't have the issue and I don't think there was a patch for BF3 yesterday.

Ran Unigine,Crysis2 and 3D mark 11 and those ran fine, leading me to think something's wrong with BF3?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> Has anyone been having major stuttering issues in BF3 lately?


DICE: We are currently looking into the lag issues on PC. Thank you for your patience.


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> DICE: We are currently looking into the lag issues on PC. Thank you for your patience.


Ahh never saw that, thanks a lot.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *1rkrage*
> 
> http://bit.ly/NMPEhm
> Guru3D usually has the latest drivers. they have a drivers section in their forums and the latest are usually stickied.


thx. +1


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> Has anyone been having major stuttering issues in BF3 lately?
> Me and a friend were playing last night, we both have a Gigabyte 7970 WF and we were getting some major stuttering issues with frames. Ingame and AB On-screen FPS were fine but kept getting single frames lasting for a half a second to a second. We played 2 nights ago and didn't have the issue and I don't think there was a patch for BF3 yesterday.
> Ran Unigine,Crysis2 and 3D mark 11 and those ran fine, leading me to think something's wrong with BF3?


I was getting massive lag last night...

Screen would freeze for .5-2.0 seconds at a time. i thought it was my GPU but I checked and EVERYONE had 250+ms PING to the server. including myself, it happened on servers I normally have no problems with. I avoided playing a few nights ago as a Storm tore through the north/mid-east US region, knocking out power and crap in its path, so I figured the servers and internet hubs for the region would be having traffic issues, seems I was right, and its still not fixed as of this morning, as the TraceRT for a NY based Server has me taking Hops through a NC Based Router, across to the central hub and then up to NY instead of to the NoVA/Maryland Hub and right up to NY.

also, if you read a few pages back, I had said that the Cat 12.7 install seemed to have adjusted my settings in regards to VSync, As I kept dropping to 30 Fr/Sec Vsync, then go back up to 60, which causes sudden and very obvious smoothness issues.

i had to cycle my Video settings from custom, to low, med, high, ultra, and auto, then back to custom. and re-input all my settings and I stayed at Vsync 60.


----------



## SkateZilla

the amount of hacking increases exponentially with every patch EA puts out...


----------



## AnToNCheZ

So I hear other people are having problems with BF3. That is fine. BUT, there still seems to be something else wrong on my end. Would that cause ghosting around the gun against walls? Would it cause the massive peaks and total drop offs in the voltage as displayed through GPU-Z in my earlier pics? What about the random geometry that doesn't seem to render in time with Tribes Ascend?

To answer some of the questions above:

Yes I have tried other games for sure. I find nothing wrong running 3DMark and Unigine at max overclock which gives me proper and consistent voltage readings. Even Adrenaline (Crysis 2 bench) gives me my best (or close to it) score while appearing smooth.

The drivers I am using are only a couple of months old and from all reports seem to be the most stable amongst all AMD users. I actually had 12.7 beta installed when this started happening, so I began to backtrack to when I knew everything was perfect. I even tried to find an old bios (1.30) for my ASRock M/B as I had just upgraded it to the 2.20 version like Skate did, and I thought maybe that might have been it.

It may all just be because BF3 decided to **** up today and give me some funny GPU-Z readings along with it, but I feel it may be something more. If it is, what a weird coincidence. If it's not, then Tribes and BF3 seem to be giving me massive headaches for whatever reason.

I am going to test another GPU tomorrow (5870 or close to it, from memory) from my brother's computer, and hopefully it still gives me the same readings. I don't care if its the PSU or the board, but PLEASE NOT ANOTHER GPU RMA.............. right, Skate?????


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> I've ran the auto mode on atiman a bunch of times since February (when I got the 7970). Just recently I downloaded and ran 7.0.2 to install the 12.6 beta drivers. 1 interesting fact, Atiman does show that I have crossfire 6870s, which I used to. Is there a specific mode I am supposed to run in ATIman?


Fixed? or not?


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I was getting massive lag last night...
> Screen would freeze for .5-2.0 seconds at a time. i thought it was my GPU but I checked and EVERYONE had 250+ms PING to the server. including myself, it happened on servers I normally have no problems with. I avoided playing a few nights ago as a Storm tore through the north/mid-east US region, knocking out power and crap in its path, so I figured the servers and internet hubs for the region would be having traffic issues, seems I was right, and its still not fixed as of this morning, as the TraceRT for a NY based Server has me taking Hops through a NC Based Router, across to the central hub and then up to NY instead of to the NoVA/Maryland Hub and right up to NY.
> also, if you read a few pages back, I had said that the Cat 12.7 install seemed to have adjusted my settings in regards to VSync, As I kept dropping to 30 Fr/Sec Vsync, then go back up to 60, which causes sudden and very obvious smoothness issues.
> i had to cycle my Video settings from custom, to low, med, high, ultra, and auto, then back to custom. and re-input all my settings and I stayed at Vsync 60.


I haven't installed 12.7 yet but I'll give that method a try, thanks!


----------



## SkateZilla

i havent been able to get ATIMan to install, it keeps barking that I need to be an Admin, which i Am... So.....


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> I haven't installed 12.7 yet but I'll give that method a try, thanks!


The VSync Issue was with 12.7 only, 12.6 betas and before were fine...
My experience with Vsync could have been an isolated issue, as the Catalyst installer wiped my eyefinity group completely.
I also tried to run with the taskbar limited to center screen only, which causes problems as well. so went back to stretching it.

but last nights lag was insane. glad to see i wasnt the only one experiencing that.


----------



## StrayderGame

BF3 problem is not up to drivers or anything similar as some1 said it seems to be related to PunkBuster or some EA ****.I started to experience issue also,and my friend with gtx 590,at same time last night...

And i can confirm to 12.6 was nice drivers for BF3 i tested them but using now 12.4 ,coz i had problem with AB and laze to go back now to 12.6 even if i fixed that







)


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Nice, you should give 12.7 a try as it is a brilliant driver I have not had a single problem on it so far


I did, having problems with it... Turn back to april 18 which works wonderful here XD


----------



## SkateZilla

i gave up on trying to keep the vendors applications up to date with AMD's drivers.

i just run 12.7 with CCC, I can OC my 7950 to 1.125 Ghz Stable (Furmark and BF3) on stock volts with a ASIC (or whatever) in the low 70s,

before that 1.0Ghz was stable, 1.025 would cause random crashes.

No GPU heat ceiling increase, but VRMs would hit 5-10^c more than normal, so for the summer I'll back it off back down to 900Mhz.


----------



## StrayderGame

I just noticed strange thing

When i bought card was February winter,and my card temperature at 1125/1575 1.18v was around 70-75....today is end of June,temperature in room is around 28-32 dunno excatly but it's hot,and my card temperature is 60-65 ,same game,same settings







any1 have any clue?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> I just noticed strange thing
> When i bought card was February winter,and my card temperature at 1125/1575 1.18v was around 70-75....today is end of June,temperature in room is around 28-32 dunno excatly but it's hot,and my card temperature is 60-65 ,same game,same settings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> any1 have any clue?


Running AC and not Heater?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i gave up on trying to keep the vendors applications up to date with AMD's drivers.
> i just run 12.7 with CCC, I can OC my 7950 to 1.125 Ghz Stable (Furmark and BF3) on stock volts with a ASIC (or whatever) in the low 70s,
> before that 1.0Ghz was stable, 1.025 would cause random crashes.
> No GPU heat ceiling increase, but VRMs would hit 5-10^c more than normal, so for the summer I'll back it off back down to 900Mhz.


What? Do You mean 12.7 helped to increase the OC-ability? What's your voltage?

My card with 71% ASIC and 1.031V can only do 950Mhz stable on BF 3. At 1000Mhz it's instant crash. 900Mhz is my default speed.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> What? Do You mean 12.7 helped to increase the OC-ability? What's your voltage?
> My card with 71% ASIC and 1.031V can only do 950Mhz stable on BF 3. At 1000Mhz it's instant crash. 900Mhz is my default speed.


Luck of the draw, man : \ Even if it's the same Brand, no guarantee on having the same outcome with an OC

Edit: Just saw you're using stock voltage. Try bumping that up and I'm sure you could go past 1Ghz np. Trial and error time


----------



## BradleyW

My ASIC is 82 each on these cards and i can get 1150 on stock voltage. Wish my temps would allow for 1.2Ghz.


----------



## Deo Domuique

If I could achieve 1Ghz on default voltage, I'd never install AB or anything. I'd constantly had OverDrive at this speed and done...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> If I could achieve 1Ghz on default voltage, I'd never install AB or anything. I'd constantly had OverDrive at this speed and done...


That is understandable. 1Ghz is a good speed for the 7950.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> What? Do You mean 12.7 helped to increase the OC-ability? What's your voltage?
> My card with 71% ASIC and 1.031V can only do 950Mhz stable on BF 3. At 1000Mhz it's instant crash. 900Mhz is my default speed.


1.034v

Cat 12.7 increased OC-Ability by increasing Driver Stability.

Cat 12.6->12.1 if I went above 1.0Ghz, (1.025Ghz) it would get Driver Time Out recovery errors when Running Furmark, BF3, or DCS A-10 (dx9)

with Cat 12.7 I was able to Get up to 1.125Ghz without increasing voltage or Power/load in CCC and was able to Run FurMark Bench 5 times, then go right into BF3 for an hour with no problems. I havent gone above that because i dont wanna risk heat damage.

Of course I also updated my mainboard BIOS from 1.5 to 1.7 which offered some PCI-E timing adjustments.

Checked Temp Logs, GPU temps Peaked around 60^C, VRM peaked around 58/62^C, 90^F outside, no AC. Fans on 100%

running Default 900Mhz, GPU Temps Peaked At 60^c on a HOT day and No A/C VRM Peaked at 52^C. Fans on 75%

Also have a 200MM 130CFM fan on the side of the case blowing in, and a fan on the case floor blowing in, im not gonna count the front intake as the HDDs block that one. So the GPU's fans get fresh air, the warm air off the GPU is blown out by the 240mm Radiator exhaust array, the Rear 120mm exhaust just by shear pressure of the 200mm Fan blowing in forcing air out.

in the fall / winter when idle temps dorp considerably for me, i'll prolly see what the ceiling is with voltage increase.

eventually im gonna replace my 750w PSU with a 1200w and put a 2nd 7950 in XFire.


----------



## StrayderGame

nop,no AC,and i didn't use heater during winter,i have that basic one in building on gas,but now in room is hotter a lot than during winter xD


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> nop,no AC,and i didn't use heater during winter,i have that basic one in building on gas,but now in room is hotter a lot than during winter xD


Burn In Time for the TIM.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 1.034v
> Cat 12.7 increased OC-Ability by increasing Driver Stability.
> Cat 12.6->12.1 if I went above 1.0Ghz, (1.025Ghz) it would get Driver Time Out recovery errors when Running Furmark, BF3, or DCS A-10 (dx9)
> with Cat 12.7 I was able to Get up to 1.125Ghz without increasing voltage or Power/load in CCC and was able to Run FurMark Bench 5 times, then go right into BF3 for an hour with no problems. I havent gone above that because i dont wanna risk heat damage.
> Of course I also updated my mainboard BIOS from 1.5 to 1.7 which offered some PCI-E timing adjustments.
> Checked Temp Logs, GPU temps Peaked around 60^C, VRM peaked around 58/62^C, 90^F outside, no AC. Fans on 100%
> running Default 900Mhz, GPU Temps Peaked At 60^c on a HOT day and No A/C VRM Peaked at 52^C. Fans on 75%
> Also have a 200MM 130CFM fan on the side of the case blowing in, and a fan on the case floor blowing in, im not gonna count the front intake as the HDDs block that one. So the GPU's fans get fresh air, the warm air off the GPU is blown out by the 240mm Radiator exhaust array, the Rear 120mm exhaust just by shear pressure of the 200mm Fan blowing in forcing air out.
> in the fall / winter when idle temps dorp considerably for me, i'll prolly see what the ceiling is with voltage increase.
> eventually im gonna replace my 750w PSU with a 1200w and put a 2nd 7950 in XFire.


I bet the bios update added to the stability and not the drivers. Then again, i hope i am wrong because i get driver hangs now and again even though i have extensivly tested my overclock.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Hey guys...
> Stock 7970 3GB scores 48.8 FPS @ 2560x1440 in heaven with 8x AA, tessalation disabled, 4x Ansiotropy, everything else on high.
> Just got this card.. what do you guys think?
> As a reference I was scoring 43FPS with a GTX 670 at 1080p
> Good?


My post was ignored.

Anyone?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I bet the bios update added to the stability and not the drivers. Then again, i hope i am wrong because i get driver hangs now and again even though i have extensivly tested my overclock.


The BIOS update according to ASRock,
v1.6 - Apr 2012
Update CPU code
added fan control of previously locked fans,
Added Turbo UCC for FX (AM3+) CPUs
update USB Module

v1.7 - June 2012
Modified Shutdown Seq. for Windows 8

Though they dont mention timings, some PCIe options in the new BIOS didnt exist in the old one.

I think Cat 12.7 just fixed a chunk of problems with the drivers though, as 12.6 betas fixed a chunk, as the drivers get more stable, overclocking ceilings increase.

If there are instabilities in the Drivers, sometimes 800-900MHz wont be enough to exploit those problems, but 1.1+Ghz can crash the drivers on demand..


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> My post was ignored.
> Anyone?


Higher score on Higher Resolution....


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Higher score on Higher Resolution....


As skatezilla said the resolution was increased when testing the 7970 and it still managed to score higher than the 670


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i'll prolly see what the ceiling is with voltage increase.
> eventually im gonna replace my 750w PSU with a 1200w and put a 2nd 7950 in XFire.


I feel a 1200W is overkill for a 7950 CF, you could get away with a good 750W PSU or a 850W.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/325953-28-750w-850w-crossfire-7950

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> My post was ignored.
> Anyone?


Higher FPS at a higher resolution is self-answering...


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> I feel a 1200W is overkill for a 7950 CF, you could get away with a good 750W PSU or a 850W.
> http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/325953-28-750w-850w-crossfire-7950
> Higher FPS at a higher resolution is self-answering...


Yep, I ran 7970s in Tri-Fire overclocked to 1250mhz each with a 2500k @ 4.7ghz 1.515v on a TX850

You can run 3 7970s on a GOOD 850W PSU, but I wouldn't run any more than that. I ran that setup for a long time without a single issue. And prior to that I was running 3 6970s on the same PSU/Rig. Now I'm running 4 680s on my 1200W just fine.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Yep, I ran 7970s in Tri-Fire overclocked to 1250mhz each with a 2500k @ 4.7ghz 1.515v on a TX850
> You can run 3 7970s on a GOOD 850W PSU, but I wouldn't run any more than that. I ran that setup for a long time without a single issue. And prior to that I was running 3 6970s on the same PSU/Rig. Now I'm running 4 680s on my 1200W just fine.


@4.7 @ 1.515v? damn..


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> My post was ignored.
> Anyone?


Nvidia 600 series just cannot keep up on heavens vs hd 7000 series....


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> I feel a 1200W is overkill for a 7950 CF, you could get away with a good 750W PSU or a 850W.
> http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/325953-28-750w-850w-crossfire-7950
> Higher FPS at a higher resolution is self-answering...


My Current PSU doesnt have enough "PCIe" Power Cables, and I refuse to jack juice off the HDD Cables...

So Im gonna have to upgrade to get enough power cables.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> I feel a 1200W is overkill for a 7950 CF, you could get away with a good 750W PSU or a 850W.
> http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/325953-28-750w-850w-crossfire-7950
> Higher FPS at a higher resolution is self-answering...


.

My post was alluding to whether or not my 7970 score of 48.8FPS was good for stock 7970 at 2560x1440

Not whether or not it was a good thing that my new 7970 scored higher...

Jam3s


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Yep, I ran 7970s in Tri-Fire overclocked to 1250mhz each with a 2500k @ 4.7ghz 1.515v on a TX850
> You can run 3 7970s on a GOOD 850W PSU, but I wouldn't run any more than that. I ran that setup for a long time without a single issue. And prior to that I was running 3 6970s on the same PSU/Rig. Now I'm running 4 680s on my 1200W just fine.


My trifire 7970s with 5ghz 2600k pulled over 1100w. My current rig, quad 7970 w/ 5ghz 3820 pulls around 1600w.


----------



## xNAPx

some of you guys know if msi lightning 7970 give the possibility to control the voltage and if there is any kind of full cover waterblock for this non reference card?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> some of you guys know if msi lightning 7970 give the possibility to control the voltage and if there is any kind of full cover waterblock for this non reference card?


Yes and yes. Ek's block should be on sale any day now.


----------



## wcooper007

so i am curious if anyone can answer my question that i posted like 7 pages back it would really be helpful

Okay so i am currently running this card FX-797A-TNBC which i am considering converting over to water cooling using this water block

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16056/ex-blc-1110/Swiftech_KOMODO_HD7970_Full_Cover_VGA_Waterblock_KOMODO-HD7970.html?tl=g30c309s1590

Now what i am wondering is if this will work with my card ? can anyone give me any ideas i kinda did a little searching but to be honest there is a ton of pages and i would like to get this done before the card is out of date which would happen if i went thru all these posts on here sheesh


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> My post was ignored.
> Anyone?


A. Which Version of Heaven?
B. Most "Benchmark" Runs for Comparative Scores are done in 1080p.
C. There should be an Online Database for results by other people.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wcooper007*
> 
> so i am curious if anyone can answer my question that i posted like 7 pages back it would really be helpful
> Okay so i am currently running this card FX-797A-TNBC which i am considering converting over to water cooling using this water block
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16056/ex-blc-1110/Swiftech_KOMODO_HD7970_Full_Cover_VGA_Waterblock_KOMODO-HD7970.html?tl=g30c309s1590
> Now what i am wondering is if this will work with my card ? can anyone give me any ideas i kinda did a little searching but to be honest there is a ton of pages and i would like to get this done before the card is out of date which would happen if i went thru all these posts on here sheesh


Yes, that GFX Card can use Reference full cover blocks...


----------



## wcooper007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Yes, that GFX Card can use Reference full cover blocks...


Awesome thanks for the quick response another question is if anyone has actually used one of these with this card or a simular card and have you had good results.

Another quick question i have looked all over google to figure out how your all coming up with this ASICwhat exactly is it and how do you figure out this number i mean i know its a noob question but i looked on the first few pages and nothing


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wcooper007*
> 
> so i am curious if anyone can answer my question that i posted like 7 pages back it would really be helpful
> Okay so i am currently running this card FX-797A-TNBC which i am considering converting over to water cooling using this water block
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16056/ex-blc-1110/Swiftech_KOMODO_HD7970_Full_Cover_VGA_Waterblock_KOMODO-HD7970.html?tl=g30c309s1590
> Now what i am wondering is if this will work with my card ? can anyone give me any ideas i kinda did a little searching but to be honest there is a ton of pages and i would like to get this done before the card is out of date which would happen if i went thru all these posts on here sheesh


That card is ref so any ref block will fit a mentioned. However I'd get a different block because the one you picked is hyper restrictive and it's not head and shoulders above the competition for that degree of restriction. The Heatkillet is a good alternative but it's kinda ugly imo. I use the ek block but only in copper.


----------



## wcooper007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That card is ref so any ref block will fit a mentioned. However I'd get a different block because the one you picked is hyper restrictive and it's not head and shoulders above the competition for that degree of restriction. The Heatkillet is a good alternative but it's kinda ugly imo. I use the ek block but only in copper.


Thats my only problem is i am super picky about the way things look and so far this is the only one i like the way it looks now when you say its hyper restrictive can you give me a little bit more of an idea of what you mean do you mean it causes problems with the water pump in that the forces the water to go thru at a higher rate or what please a little bit more information thanks again


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Ok, first of all redownload atimans uninstaller v 7.0.2 it has been reupdated.
> Second, fully uninstall your drivers using atimans uninstaller and while uninstalled check via the control panel the hidden devices you have.... most probably you still have traces of the 6800 cards there that you can easily uninstall manually via right click, uninstall (in the hidden devices)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> with drivers uninstalled do the ollowing...
> ...go to DEVICE MANAGER>VIEW> *Show Hidden Devices* then open DISPLAY ADAPTERS and uninstall your previous cards


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Fixed? or not?


Doing this now. I did the show hidden devices in the Device Manager, the only thing showing up is AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series. I am gonna uninstall and reinstall the drivers now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wcooper007*
> 
> Thats my only problem is i am super picky about the way things look and so far this is the only one i like the way it looks now when you say its hyper restrictive can you give me a little bit more of an idea of what you mean do you mean it causes problems with the water pump in that the forces the water to go thru at a higher rate or what please a little bit more information thanks again


Fullcover blocks are generally quite restrictive with a few exceptions such as ek's fullcovers. The swiftech though is hyper restrictive, it's on average 30$ more restrictive than the average block. What this restriction does is that it slows down flow in your loop.You have to balance the restriction with the rest of the blocks in your loop, cpu, mb, ram blocks etc. That said, if you have a simple loop, two blocks, cpu and gpu then a restrictive block like the komodo isn't that big of a deal. However if you run 4 gpu blocks like I do, the komodos would kill my loop.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> Doing this now. I did the show hidden devices in the Device Manager, the only thing showing up is AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series. I am gonna uninstall and reinstall the drivers now.


Are you trying to recover from a bad driver install?


----------



## wcooper007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Fullcover blocks are generally quite restrictive with a few exceptions such as ek's fullcovers. The swiftech though is hyper restrictive, it's on average 30$ more restrictive than the average block. What this restriction does is that it slows down flow in your loop.You have to balance the restriction with the rest of the blocks in your loop, cpu, mb, ram blocks etc. That said, if you have a simple loop, two blocks, cpu and gpu then a restrictive block like the komodo isn't that big of a deal. However if you run 4 gpu blocks like I do, the komodos would kill my loop.
> 
> Okay so i am running a cpu and soon a gpu block and that will be all i am running i dont plan on adding a second video card becuase i have yet to find a game on the market that actually even stresses one graphics card when set to max settings at the resolution that i play at


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you trying to recover from a bad driver install?


There is still traces of my CFX 6870s in my drivers. Trying to get rid of em. I showed hidden items in the device manager, nothing but the 6870 showed up. I just ran atiman like 3 times, gonna check and see if the traces are still there.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> There is still traces of my CFX 6870s in my drivers. Trying to get rid of em. I showed hidden items in the device manager, nothing but the 6870 showed up. I just ran atiman like 3 times, gonna check and see if the traces are still there.


Did you try a manual uninstall yet?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> .
> My post was alluding to whether or not my 7970 score of 48.8FPS was good for stock 7970 at 2560x1440
> Not whether or not it was a good thing that my new 7970 scored higher...
> Jam3s


You'll need to run Heaven with settings comparable to others for us to be able to tell you if its good or not. Use the settings from the Heaven 3.0 benchmark thread as that has the most results...


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Did you try a manual uninstall yet?


Just did that, still shows I have a 6800 series card.


----------



## SkateZilla

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/504/how-to-uninstall-hidden-devices-drivers-and-services/

I know in XP we had to go through the registry and delete the hardware IDs manually if we couldnt get them to un-install *ie Failing external USB Devices*


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/504/how-to-uninstall-hidden-devices-drivers-and-services/
> I know in XP we had to go through the registry and delete the hardware IDs manually if we couldnt get them to un-install *ie Failing external USB Devices*


I think that worked. Before just clicking "show hidden items" didn't bring anything up. But doing this did. Gonna check now to see if problem is solved.

Thanks to everyone who helped!


----------



## darkstar585

Thank you!!! +Rep

that has finally got rid of my 56xx,57xx,58xx,68xx,69xx hidden drivers









Also I have realized that i have spent far too much money in graphic cards over the last few years


----------



## Samurai707

Just rolled in on some extra cash, About to roll over to Fry's in a little bit... debating about picking up another 7950 to CF... but I also see that a Ref DIAMOND 7970 is only $449.99 atm (whereas the 7950 Twin Frozr is $379.99). Should I stick with the 7950 since the 70 will be downclocked anyway?
I already have a Sapphire OC edition (900mhz).


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/504/how-to-uninstall-hidden-devices-drivers-and-services/
> I know in XP we had to go through the registry and delete the hardware IDs manually if we couldnt get them to un-install *ie Failing external USB Devices*


That seems to have worked. Thanks!


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> My trifire 7970s with 5ghz 2600k pulled over 1100w. My current rig, quad 7970 w/ 5ghz 3820 pulls around 1600w.


Yup. My trifire lightnings with my 3960x @ 5.2 pulls 1315 w when in full use. I use a 1475w thermaltake gold (which is an awesome power supply btw)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Just rolled in on some extra cash, About to roll over to Fry's in a little bit... debating about picking up another 7950 to CF... but I also see that a Ref DIAMOND 7970 is only $449.99 atm (whereas the 7950 Twin Frozr is $379.99). Should I stick with the 7950 since the 70 will be downclocked anyway?
> I already have a Sapphire OC edition (900mhz).


you can get a 7970 to have more power for games that dont play nice in XFire mode.

Im pretty sure XFire each card still operates at its own specs: (edit: here
http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/10#post_16551322


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> you can get a 7970 to have more power for games that dont play nice in XFire mode.
> Im pretty sure XFire each card still operates at its own specs: (edit: here
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/10#post_16551322


For sure! Thanks for the link, +rep


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Thank you!!! +Rep
> that has finally got rid of my 56xx,57xx,58xx,68xx,69xx hidden drivers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also I have realized that i have spent far too much money in graphic cards over the last few years


Damn... Thats alot of money...


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> That is understandable. 1Ghz is a good speed for the 7950.


1300mhz is better if the HD7950 is stable. I run my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition at 1300/1600 1.22v for gaming and it is perfectly stable.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

i found my audio issues... Driver are having problems @ 150mhz on the memory..... With chrome on 2d clocks, i guess gpu acceleration issue :/
Somebody knows a solution other than AB for 2dclocks>?

Audio works fine if i run some 3d which wakes the card from 2d clocks....

Freaking cat team fix something and mess something else...


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Damn... Thats alot of money...


Yup especially since most of them were also in crossfire arraignments


----------



## jam3s

Quick question...

I'm running 12.6 beta

Do I have to install CAP drivers on top of that for CFX?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Quick question...
> 
> I'm running 12.6 beta
> 
> Do I have to install CAP drivers on top of that for CFX?


You don't HAVE to. But you should


----------



## Samurai707

To follow up my buy as I posted a page or two ago, Just got a Diamond 7970 to CF with my Sapphire 7950 OC Edition...
It's an 82.9% ASIC. My only issue so far is that neither GPU-Z or AB are reading my 7950's Temp. I assume it's lower than the ref Diamond though... Just a slight downside I guess


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> You don't HAVE to. But you should


Sweet. I did it anyways


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> To follow up my buy as I posted a page or two ago, Just got a Diamond 7970 to CF with my Sapphire 7950 OC Edition...
> It's an 82.9% ASIC. My only issue so far is that neither GPU-Z or AB are reading my 7950's Temp. I assume it's lower than the ref Diamond though... Just a slight downside I guess


Try HWinfo64.


----------



## FuriousPop

Howdy all,

RMA'd my 2xAsus GTX 670 Directcu ii (non-Top) and got myself 2x Asus HD 7970 Directcu ii Top's..... and my my.......

I thought the headaches were gone from the 670's but they came back with the 7970's!!!!

installed the latest 12.6 beta drivers - heaven 3.0 crashes after doing 1 benchmark, left it on auto running, came back 15 mins later to find it had crashed/hard locked. just sitting there frozen, reset button wouldn't even work.

Fresh install of windows as well, didnt want to waste time drive sweeping everything, thought i start fresh.

Managed to get 1 benchmark run. 80 FPS average forgot the settings will post SS tonight..... strange thing was the the usual AMD Crossfire technology logo in top right had dissappeared with the 12.6 drivers. could of sworn it was there with the 12.4 drivers.

Managed to play bioshock 2 maxed out for approx 45 mins and it was fllyyyyyinggg! did notice the mouse movement was a little delayed a couple of times (would move mouse and movement occurred approx 1 - 3 seconds later).

Questions questions questions, where to begin. How about i give what im going to try tonight first.

1. Attempting drivers from the CD
2. Attempt a FurMark run - can anyone provide settings i should use when testing?
3. Testing each card separetly via heaven 3.0 or perhaps even Fur Mark as well.

Also the 12.4 drivers were giving me a BSOD when i tried to run heaven, something with ATI..... .sys file....... forgot what it was now.

On EVGA Precision monitor it was showing 300 MHZ as GPU Clock on 1 card and 0 MHz on the 2nd card. of course they were idle. (this was with the 12.6 beta drivers)

I haven't had much time to read this whole thread, started reading most of the replies from 1150 or there abouts and flicking here and there.
Haven't had much to scratch myself really!

Really want to get these bad boys up and running, have seen a number of you try each and every type of driver they could find with no luck and then RMA the dam things, hopefully i wont be in the same boat.

Guessing a quick way to tell is if they are crashing in furmark then off to the shop we go, right?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Really want to get these bad boys up and running, have seen a number of you try each and every type of driver they could find with no luck and then RMA the dam things, hopefully i wont be in the same boat.


1, I''ve read of quite a few Asus CUII cards in GTX560ti448/GTX670 and HD7970/HD7950 having problems. May just be you got some bad cards like others have gotten.

2. I have read about the new beta drivers working well for AMD HD7979/HD7950 cards.

3. I have experienced troublesome driver installation problems with AMD/ATI and NVIDIA cards more than once and I now only do manual clean uninstalls before installing new drivers. I start with the driver install application and select the uninstall then reboot and do a total manual uninstall and run driver sweeper and crap cleaner multiple times till I get all AMD/NVIDIA files out of my system before I install new driver. Pain to do but this way my cards perform best.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Also the 12.4 drivers were giving me a BSOD when i tried to run heaven, something with ATI..... .sys file....... forgot what it was now.
> On EVGA Precision monitor it was showing 300 MHZ as GPU Clock on 1 card and 0 MHz on the 2nd card. of course they were idle. (this was with the 12.6 beta drivers)


Might be a good idea to disable ULPS if using 3rd party overclocking software. Second card it being completely powered down when PC is idle, this is why you see 0 MHz and it drives 3rd party overclock tools (MSI AB) crazy.

Latest ATIman has a built in option to disable ULPS ( see OP )

or

Do in manually in registry


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Howdy all,
> RMA'd my 2xAsus GTX 670 Directcu ii (non-Top) and got myself 2x Asus HD 7970 Directcu ii Top's..... and my my.......
> I thought the headaches were gone from the 670's but they came back with the 7970's!!!!
> installed the latest 12.6 beta drivers - heaven 3.0 crashes after doing 1 benchmark, left it on auto running, came back 15 mins later to find it had crashed/hard locked. just sitting there frozen, reset button wouldn't even work.
> Fresh install of windows as well, didnt want to waste time drive sweeping everything, thought i start fresh.
> Managed to get 1 benchmark run. 80 FPS average forgot the settings will post SS tonight..... strange thing was the the usual AMD Crossfire technology logo in top right had dissappeared with the 12.6 drivers. could of sworn it was there with the 12.4 drivers.
> Managed to play bioshock 2 maxed out for approx 45 mins and it was fllyyyyyinggg! did notice the mouse movement was a little delayed a couple of times (would move mouse and movement occurred approx 1 - 3 seconds later).
> Questions questions questions, where to begin. How about i give what im going to try tonight first.
> 1. Attempting drivers from the CD
> 2. Attempt a FurMark run - can anyone provide settings i should use when testing?
> 3. Testing each card separetly via heaven 3.0 or perhaps even Fur Mark as well.
> Also the 12.4 drivers were giving me a BSOD when i tried to run heaven, something with ATI..... .sys file....... forgot what it was now.
> On EVGA Precision monitor it was showing 300 MHZ as GPU Clock on 1 card and 0 MHz on the 2nd card. of course they were idle. (this was with the 12.6 beta drivers)
> I haven't had much time to read this whole thread, started reading most of the replies from 1150 or there abouts and flicking here and there.
> Haven't had much to scratch myself really!
> Really want to get these bad boys up and running, have seen a number of you try each and every type of driver they could find with no luck and then RMA the dam things, hopefully i wont be in the same boat.
> Guessing a quick way to tell is if they are crashing in furmark then off to the shop we go, right?


1:12.4 Works fine for me, maybe a bad install.
2: Furmark is a waste of time, dont use.
3: use sapphire trixx
4ownload and use ATIMAN
5:Remove all overclocking software before you install the drivers.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> Doing this now. I did the show hidden devices in the Device Manager, the only thing showing up is AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series. I am gonna uninstall and reinstall the drivers now.


From a cmd Window (start > search > cmd), write
*set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1*
and then
*start devmgmt.msc*

Now will see hidden devices, if click tab 'show hidden devices' in the Device Manager.

Note:
Commands from Atiman Uninstaller 7.0.2 description (in Greek lang)
Uninstall that cards after uninstalling drivers with quick mode (Q)


----------



## StrayderGame

I can confirm that i'm experiencing 12.6 drivers issue from time to time (one tthat i downloaded from amd web site) I'm getting sometimes blue screen with white lines (no text or anything else) and after that appear PC freeze 2 secs after,and i need button restart it.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Howdy all,
> RMA'd my 2xAsus GTX 670 Directcu ii (non-Top) and got myself 2x Asus HD 7970 Directcu ii Top's..... and my my.......
> I thought the headaches were gone from the 670's but they came back with the 7970's!!!!
> installed the latest 12.6 beta drivers - heaven 3.0 crashes after doing 1 benchmark, left it on auto running, came back 15 mins later to find it had crashed/hard locked. just sitting there frozen, reset button wouldn't even work.
> Fresh install of windows as well, didnt want to waste time drive sweeping everything, thought i start fresh.
> Managed to get 1 benchmark run. 80 FPS average forgot the settings will post SS tonight..... strange thing was the the usual AMD Crossfire technology logo in top right had dissappeared with the 12.6 drivers. could of sworn it was there with the 12.4 drivers.
> Managed to play bioshock 2 maxed out for approx 45 mins and it was fllyyyyyinggg! did notice the mouse movement was a little delayed a couple of times (would move mouse and movement occurred approx 1 - 3 seconds later).
> Questions questions questions, where to begin. How about i give what im going to try tonight first.
> 1. Attempting drivers from the CD
> 2. Attempt a FurMark run - can anyone provide settings i should use when testing?
> 3. Testing each card separetly via heaven 3.0 or perhaps even Fur Mark as well.
> Also the 12.4 drivers were giving me a BSOD when i tried to run heaven, something with ATI..... .sys file....... forgot what it was now.
> On EVGA Precision monitor it was showing 300 MHZ as GPU Clock on 1 card and 0 MHz on the 2nd card. of course they were idle. (this was with the 12.6 beta drivers)
> I haven't had much time to read this whole thread, started reading most of the replies from 1150 or there abouts and flicking here and there.
> Haven't had much to scratch myself really!
> Really want to get these bad boys up and running, have seen a number of you try each and every type of driver they could find with no luck and then RMA the dam things, hopefully i wont be in the same boat.
> Guessing a quick way to tell is if they are crashing in furmark then off to the shop we go, right?


First.
Wipe Drivers, Show hidden devices and Wipe the nVidia Drivers as well

Second, Delete eVGA Precision, why you're using a nVidia Monitoring tool to monitor AMD GPUs is beyond me (i use eVGA Precision on my old system w/ 8800 GTS/640)

Then Try Cat. 12.7


----------



## jomama22

He did a clean install guys.

Don't use precision x, use trixx or afterburner.

Disable ulps as said before, just to a search and u will find how.

Make sure in ccc crossfire is enabled.

Make sure to install 12.6 cap 1


----------



## SkateZilla

ok AMD, still waiting for these DisplayPort 2.0 MST Hubs that were supposed to be here last summer....


----------



## 4514kaiser

Hey just wanted to check this should work since my last OC attempt was a complete failure since my cards were unstable with MSI AB installed on my pc regardless of OC.... So if i have NO 3rd party GPU OC software installed this should work correct?

Anything else i should be doing?

Uninstall all drive all drivers with atiman
RESTART
Install latest ATI full driver&#8230;.
RESTART
Then install 12.7
RESTART
Then install 12.6 CAP
RESTART
Turn of UPLS
RESTART
INSTALL TRIXX
RESTART
TEST STABLITY
OC
TEST STABILITY

(admittedly more restarts than probably needed but don't want to have two do it 5 times)


----------



## StrayderGame

Btw should i turn off ULPS on single 7970? or that is just for crossfire?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> Btw should i turn off ULPS on single 7970? or that is just for crossfire?


NO, it's only for cfx. It only applies to slave cards in cfx arrays. And it won't even actually enable on the main card in a cfx array, since the main card won't be dropped into low power mode.


----------



## Tyreal

Use programs and features to uninstall drivers.
Then use driver sweeper after a restart.

Most issues are caused when people clean without uninstalling drivers.
The installer package used to install must be used to uninstall.

*Lot's of driver issues lately so here is something to follow when using Catalyst drivers.
IMO this is the only way to do it.(Never had issues except when testing with windows8 a long time ago)*


Spoiler: Install and uninstall method - Click here!



Let's assume this is a fresh windows install.

Go to windows updates set to check but not d/l or install.
Check for updates, look in optional updates see the Radeon driver? uncheck right click, hide.
If it has been installed already(smooth move) then go to device manager, display adapter, right click and uninstall, check delete driver software.
Reboot and make sure standard graphics driver is being used and not any xxxx version drivers, repeat above until standard graphics driver is being used.
Time to install drivers, pick a set and have at it, reboot when done, install cap if necessary and reboot.

When you need to install a different version Catalyst driver.

Control panel, Programs and features - right click Catalyst and uninstall, choose custom and select everything except filter/NB drivers and AHCI for AMD motherboard users.
Intel uses can express uninstall.
Reboot to safe mode.
Clean with driver sweeper 2.3.0(earlier versions had issues that are now fixed and driver cleaner is a mess so don't use it)
Select AMD display, Analyse, Clean, Reboot.
Use install method above.


----------



## Robert03570k

Just got the wonderful MSI 7950 OC. Played around with running it at stock 7970 speeds (925 / 1375)... under BF3 load it stays at 63c and gets up to 68c with the overclock.

Great card so far.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> Use programs and features to uninstall drivers.
> Then use driver sweeper after a restart.
> Most issues are caused when people clean without uninstalling drivers.
> The installer package used to install must be used to uninstall.





Spoiler: Install and uninstall method - Click here!



Let's assume this is a fresh windows install.
Go to windows updates set to check but not d/l or install.
Check for updates, look in optional updates see the Radeon driver? uncheck right click, hide.
If it has been installed already(smooth move) then go to device manager, display adapter, right click and uninstall, check delete driver software.
Reboot and make sure standard graphics driver is being used and not any xxxx version drivers, repeat above until standard graphics driver is being used.
Time to install drivers, pick a set and have at it, reboot when done, install cap if necessary and reboot.
When you need to install a different version Catalyst driver.
Control panel, Programs and features - right click Catalyst and uninstall, choose custom and select everything except filter/NB drivers and AHCI for AMD motherboard users.
Intel uses can express uninstall.
Reboot to safe mode.
Clean with driver sweeper 2.3.0(earlier versions had issues that are now fixed and driver cleaner is a mess so don't use it)
Select AMD display, Analyse, Clean, Reboot.
Use install method above.



Absolutely wrong the process described.
The main parameters of the driver are located in these areas that do not removed with driver sweeper or Amd Install Manager.

_HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\..
Windows\winsxs\
Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
Windows\winsxs\Manifests\
Windows\system32\
Windows\system32\drivers\
Windows\syswow64\
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\LEGACY_AMDKMDAG
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\PnpLockdownFiles
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\PnpLockdownFiles
APPDATA\ATI
ALLUSERSPROFILE
Program Files\ATI Technologies
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video
HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Video_

Only Atiman Uninstaller removes that entries, and much more old and 'bad' parameters.
Only after that, the new driver work properly.


----------



## Tyreal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Install and uninstall method - Click here!
> 
> 
> 
> Let's assume this is a fresh windows install.
> Go to windows updates set to check but not d/l or install.
> Check for updates, look in optional updates see the Radeon driver? uncheck right click, hide.
> If it has been installed already(smooth move) then go to device manager, display adapter, right click and uninstall, check delete driver software.
> Reboot and make sure standard graphics driver is being used and not any xxxx version drivers, repeat above until standard graphics driver is being used.
> Time to install drivers, pick a set and have at it, reboot when done, install cap if necessary and reboot.
> When you need to install a different version Catalyst driver.
> Control panel, Programs and features - right click Catalyst and uninstall, choose custom and select everything except filter/NB drivers and AHCI for AMD motherboard users.
> Intel uses can express uninstall.
> Reboot to safe mode.
> Clean with driver sweeper 2.3.0(earlier versions had issues that are now fixed and driver cleaner is a mess so don't use it)
> Select AMD display, Analyse, Clean, Reboot.
> Use install method above.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Reply hidden
> 
> 
> 
> Absolutely wrong the process described.
> The main parameters of the driver are located in these areas that do not removed with driver sweeper or Amd Install Manager.
> _HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\..
> Windows\winsxs\
> Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
> Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
> Windows\winsxs\Manifests\
> Windows\system32\
> Windows\system32\drivers\
> Windows\syswow64\
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
> HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
> HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\LEGACY_AMDKMDAG
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\PnpLockdownFiles
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\PnpLockdownFiles
> APPDATA\ATI
> ALLUSERSPROFILE
> Program Files\ATI Technologies
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video
> HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Video_
> Only Atiman Uninstaller removes that entries, and much more old and 'bad' parameters.
> Only after that, the new driver work properly.


I really don't care about the entries you have posted as they are entries made by Catalyst installer and when my method of installing / uninstalling is used there are no issues via drivers.
Your product Atiman uninstaller is known to botch windows and i'll never use it, and it is highly recommended *against* being used by MANY.
Perhaps it is why people have issues in the first place (impropper install / uninstall + atiman uninstaller)

And to go and say my method is incorrect really shows you never read my post, but copy / pasted those entries and file sub-directories for whatever reason? who knows.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Install and uninstall method - Click here!
> 
> 
> 
> Let's assume this is a fresh windows install.
> Go to windows updates set to check but not d/l or install.
> Check for updates, look in optional updates see the Radeon driver? uncheck right click, hide.
> If it has been installed already(smooth move) then go to device manager, display adapter, right click and uninstall, check delete driver software.
> Reboot and make sure standard graphics driver is being used and not any xxxx version drivers, repeat above until standard graphics driver is being used.
> Time to install drivers, pick a set and have at it, reboot when done, install cap if necessary and reboot.
> When you need to install a different version Catalyst driver.
> Control panel, Programs and features - right click Catalyst and uninstall, choose custom and select everything except filter/NB drivers and AHCI for AMD motherboard users.
> Intel uses can express uninstall.
> Reboot to safe mode.
> Clean with driver sweeper 2.3.0(earlier versions had issues that are now fixed and driver cleaner is a mess so don't use it)
> Select AMD display, Analyse, Clean, Reboot.
> Use install method above.
> 
> 
> Absolutely wrong the process described.
> The main parameters of the driver are located in these areas that do not removed with driver sweeper or Amd Install Manager.
> _HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\..
> Windows\winsxs\
> Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
> Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
> Windows\winsxs\Manifests\
> Windows\system32\
> Windows\system32\drivers\
> Windows\syswow64\
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
> HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
> HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Enum\Root\LEGACY_AMDKMDAG
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\PnpLockdownFiles
> HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\PnpLockdownFiles
> APPDATA\ATI
> ALLUSERSPROFILE
> Program Files\ATI Technologies
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video
> HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Video_
> Only Atiman Uninstaller removes that entries, and much more old and 'bad' parameters.
> Only after that, the new driver work properly.


This.

DriverSweeper and Atiman Uninstaller are a bad combination.

I strongly recommend sticking to using Atiman Uninstaller.


----------



## Tyreal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> This.
> DriverSweeper and Atiman Uninstaller are a bad combination.
> I strongly recommend sticking to using Atiman Uninstaller.


I'm starting to understand why people have driver issues, and will withdraw from further helping *prevent* or fix driver issues.

I'm still shocked that I was told using programs and features to uninstall drivers was wrong..lol


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> I'm starting to understand why people have driver issues, and will withdraw from further helping *prevent* or fix driver issues.
> I'm still shocked that I was told using programs and features to uninstall drivers was wrong..lol


Uninstalling through Catalyst Install Manager is not as thorough as we'd like.

Atiman's Uninstaller takes care of that pretty darn well.

Other driver cleaners don't seem to uninstall everything correctly and sometimes lead to a broken OS.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> This.
> DriverSweeper and Atiman Uninstaller are a bad combination.
> I strongly recommend sticking to using Atiman Uninstaller.


Being a pretty old beta tester of Atimans uninstaller, i must say that i fully agree with you.

The last couple of years i observe so many people having problem with drivers and the main reasons are:
Usage of incomplete driver cleaners
Usage of incomplete beta unofficial drivers
Not proper removal of previous cards (hidden devices)

Atimans Uninstaller is supposed to be used directly to remove all necessary items in the most efficient way...


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> NO, it's only for cfx. It only applies to slave cards in cfx arrays. And it won't even actually enable on the main card in a cfx array, since the main card won't be dropped into low power mode.


Ty man...


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> I really don't care about the entries you have posted as they are entries made by Catalyst installer and when my method of installing / uninstalling is used there are no issues via drivers.


Too bad for you. Listen and learn.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> Your product Atiman uninstaller......


Atiman doesn't write here.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tyreal*
> 
> And to go and say my method is incorrect really shows you never read my post, but copy / pasted those entries and file sub-directories for whatever reason? who knows.


The method you talking about is for systems with AMD chipsets.
Obviously you have not tried the version 7.0.2.
Also it is obvious that you do not know the effectiveness of software and then driver performance.

Who knows?


----------



## BradleyW

Download CAPS 1 (12.7) http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey guys, just got my HD 7950 and I'm getting a score of P6750 on 3DMark 11. Is this lower than expected? I heard all 7950's got 7000 on the P score.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

P-Score depends on your CPU too...


----------



## Promitheusaudio

Need help can't seem to get atiwinflash to flash a ref sapphire7970
Tried the version where in command prompt to do the force flash

I did it before twice for my other 2 cards but seem to have on our to do it again


----------



## Promitheusaudio

When I used the atiwinflash to unlock the rom and the forcing it to flash, the program opens a bar and quickly closes it

Used
Atiwinflash -unlockrom 1
Atiwinflash -f -p 1 bios.bin

It just opens and closes the box


----------



## greg1184

I am amazed that I can crossfire two 7970's for cheaper than a GTX 690. I am seriously considering doing this.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> P-Score depends on your CPU too...


Well I have an i5-3570k, admittedly at stock.

Also... is the Heaven benchmark supposed to be kind of... wavy? I feel like there's a heat haze everywhere. I've also seen some flickering shadows. Are these visual artifacts, or am I just paranoid? I'm running at stock clocks on my 7950 ATM, btw.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Hey guys, just got my HD 7950 and I'm getting a score of P6750 on 3DMark 11. Is this lower than expected? I heard all 7950's got 7000 on the P score.


What is your GPU line score?


----------



## antonis21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *greg1184*
> 
> I am amazed that I can crossfire two 7970's for cheaper than a GTX 690. I am seriously considering doing this.


Right !Also with two cards you can achieve higher clocks so you will have higher performance than gtx690


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Well I have an i5-3570k, admittedly at stock.
> Also... is the Heaven benchmark supposed to be kind of... wavy? I feel like there's a heat haze everywhere. I've also seen some flickering shadows. Are these visual artifacts, or am I just paranoid? I'm running at stock clocks on my 7950 ATM, btw.


**** I have been waiting for someone to mention this. I get this too. 7950 OC Sapphire. I am going back to full release drivers as we speak to try and find what is the problem. I have tested my brothers GPU in my system, as well as connect my HDD to HIS system running all his hardware, and I still got the same effect. Heaven is definitely a little funny to me too, and I have run it many time and not noticed this, so it must be true. In Tribes, BF3, Blacklight Retribution (The last two especially) I get these funny diagonal lines along some edges, and they move when I move. I will post screen shots if they are still there once I install the drivers I have downloading. I thought I had butchered ANOTHER card, but, my relief was huge when my brothers 5700 series card did the same thing. Which leads me to believe, DRIVERS, being another AMD card using the same CCC suite I had already installed for the 7950.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Catalyst 12.7 Beta from AMD (link) is a bit newer than the one Guru3D released.

Just so you all know.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

OK, so I am on my fourth windows install in a week (for various reasons including a new HDD) and I have installed NOTHING but Heaven and the 8.97 drivers which were working great for me back when they were released. I still have the flickering shadows in Heaven running the stock setup, just open and run, and everything at stock clocks. Do I need to go back further? To 12.4 maybe? Why all of a sudden is this an issue? Surely I could not have just missed this before. BF3 looks terrible now with wavy shadows, pixellation where there was none before (especially the water, and inside the glass of the red dot sight). I haven't taken pics but I will once I install it. This is driving me insane. Others have reported weird shadows on various driver builds. I am paranoid about it being my card (again) but I honestly don't think there is anything wrong with it. My brothers entire system does the exact same thing. AMD is killing their awesome hardware with malicious driver releases.

Please don't tell me I don't know how to operate my machine, either. I am absolutely on a fresh install of Windows, and mainain my system almost to the point of addiction. So I just can't work it out.

I will go back to 12.4 now and test it again, after that, I am out of ideas.


----------



## sena

Guys, *** is with these drivers?
Zero core does not work with 12.7 drivers.


----------



## SkateZilla

yet more proof the 7970 Ghz edition isnt the same, it gets its own class on the 12.7's supported hardware list:

Hardware:

AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition
AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series
AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
AMD Radeon HD 6000 Series
AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series
AMD Mobility Radeon HD 7000M Series
AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6000M Series
AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5000 Series


----------



## mltms

help plz

i installed the 12.7
but the issue is the black bar i resolve it it CCC scaling but if i restart the pc the black bar come back
what to do it this issue ?

i am using hdmi caple


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> help plz
> i installed the 12.7
> but the issue is the black bar i resolve it it CCC scaling but if i restart the pc the black bar come back
> what to do it this issue ?
> i am using hdmi caple


Get a mini-DP to HDMI cable. That's what I did to fix the scaling issue. I'm sure I mentioned this a few pages back, but I want to make sure I share this with people still having the issue.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> yet more proof the 7970 Ghz edition isnt the same, it gets its own class on the 12.7's supported hardware list:
> Hardware:
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition
> AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 6000 Series
> AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series
> AMD Mobility Radeon HD 7000M Series
> AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6000M Series
> AMD Mobility Radeon HD 5000 Series


I don't know but I'm pretty sure it is the same with all the things we hear. Samples have been sent to reviewers and everything indicates that its the same chip. Has higher power consumption due to the card being overclocked at 1000Mhz and it has a 1050Mhz boost. I'm pretty sure we will be able to flash our BIOS to a 7970 Ghz edition.

*This is all MY speculation*


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I don't know but I'm pretty sure it is the same with all the things we hear. Samples have been sent to reviewers and everything indicates that its the same chip. Has higher power consumption due to the card being overclocked at 1000Mhz and it has a 1050Mhz boost. I'm pretty sure we will be able to flash our BIOS to a 7970 Ghz edition.
> *This is all MY speculation*


Same chip, same board, different bios keys. And no, you can not flash a 7970 with the ghz bios, it will not work.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> different bios keys


How do you modify BIOS key?

Atiflash command?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> How do you modify BIOS key?
> Atiflash command?


What I mean is that the bios is digitally signed and we do not know the key to access certain areas to mod/change what we would like. The bios of the ghz edition has keys that only the ghz edition card itself has/can use so when you put the bios on a normal 7970, the bios will not recognize the card. You can flash it on there but it will yell at you when you try to use it.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Same chip, same board, different bios keys. And no, you can not flash a 7970 with the ghz bios, it will not work.


Same chip, same board, different voltage regulation . Trust me.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I don't know but I'm pretty sure it is the same with all the things we hear. Samples have been sent to reviewers and everything indicates that its the same chip. Has higher power consumption due to the card being overclocked at 1000Mhz and it has a 1050Mhz boost. I'm pretty sure we will be able to flash our BIOS to a 7970 Ghz edition.
> *This is all MY speculation*


every review I've read says they are using less power


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Get a mini-DP to HDMI cable. That's what I did to fix the scaling issue. I'm sure I mentioned this a few pages back, but I want to make sure I share this with people still having the issue.


i dont have a mini dp and i try the dvi cable didn't work
any one have slove this problem ???


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> What I mean is that the bios is digitally signed and we do not know the key to access certain areas to mod/change what we would like. The bios of the ghz edition has keys that only the ghz edition card itself has/can use so when you put the bios on a normal 7970, the bios will not recognize the card. You can flash it on there but it will yell at you when you try to use it.


I have been doing all kinds of ATI flash experimenting with my HD7950 trying to unlock it to HD7970 and I have gotten the wrong keyword message which is "you gay" with smile face for my card. Sapphire has a sense of humor.










Got to be a way to erase keyword or find out what it is. Must be a program that the factory uses to do this.


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> i dont have a mini dp and i try the dvi cable didn't work
> any one have slove this problem ???


What are you talking about? If you have a 7950/7970, you have at least 2 Mini DisplayPorts.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> What are you talking about? If you have a 7950/7970, you have at least 2 Mini DisplayPorts.


yes i have it in my card 7950 butt i don't have the mini hdmi ( cable ) i have the big hdmi cable and dvi cable


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I have been doing all kinds of ATI flash experimenting with my HD7950 trying to unlock it to HD7970 and I have gotten the wrong keyword message which is "you gay" with smile face for my card. Sapphire has a sense of humor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Got to be a way to erase keyword or find out what it is. Must be a program that the factory uses to do this.


that made my day


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> yes i have it in my card 7950 butt i don't have the mini hdmi ( cable ) i have the big hdmi cable and dvi cable


Let me be clear about the cable. Different places sell Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables. This will fix the problem. I had the same scaling problem. I read up on it, and bought a cable like this for $8. Get the cable dude.


----------



## BradleyW

My idle temps have increased from 35c to 56c? Anybody know what is causing that. All i did was reformat the PC?


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> Let me be clear about the cable. Different places sell Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables. This will fix the problem. I had the same scaling problem. I read up on it, and bought a cable like this for $8. Get the cable dude.


thanks dude i have slove the issue by installing the cap1 no more scaling issue


----------



## Derko1

So I have been having issues with my cards since back when I started OC'ng them. I have been trying many different games and like half of them have issues with black flickering... pink checkerboard textures... crashes... freezing... just tons of stuff. I kept blaming the drivers, but I don't know if I should return them. I only have 3 days left to return them to Amazon.

It got me thinking about it because the new 12.7 drivers came out yesterday and work super well... but again, I'm still having the same issues with a bunch of games.

What would you guys do in my position? There's nothing that I would lose... it's just as hassle of taking them out of my water loop, putting their stock coolers back on and shipping them out. I can even wait to get the replacements first before I ship out the ones I have.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> So I have been having issues with my cards since back when I started OC'ng them. I have been trying many different games and like half of them have issues with black flickering... pink checkerboard textures... crashes... freezing... just tons of stuff. I kept blaming the drivers, but I don't know if I should return them. I only have 3 days left to return them to Amazon.
> It got me thinking about it because the new 12.7 drivers came out yesterday and work super well... but again, I'm still having the same issues with a bunch of games.
> What would you guys do in my position? There's nothing that I would lose... it's just as hassle of taking them out of my water loop, putting their stock coolers back on and shipping them out. I can even wait to get the replacements first before I ship out the ones I have.


Does it artifact when you don't overclock?


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Does it artifact when you don't overclock?


Yep! It doesn't make a difference.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Yep! It doesn't make a difference.


Why have you been sitting on a bad card for almost 30 days?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My idle temps have increased from 35c to 56c? Anybody know what is causing that. All i did was reformat the PC?


Sounds like the driver isn't dropping it down to 2d clocks.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Right, so I am back to hassle everyone again. I have taken some screens of my issue in the hope someone will recognise them. BF3, Auto settings, after a fresh install. Please keep in mind that the same thing happens in Tribes Ascend, Blacklight Retribution (DX9 & DX11) and the Unigine benchmark. Strange shadow effects, on every driver install since 12.4, but they only started happening since I have installed the first 12.7 beta drivers (around that time frame, not specifically because of the drivers). I am on my 4th fresh install of Windows, and have tried EVERYTHING to figure out what may be causing it. Like I said in a previous post, my brothers card displays similar effects (5700) in my machine AND ON HIS MACHINE. Which leads me to believe that I is not my card. Anyway, the pics:


You will notice the haze around the gun, and also the pixellation around the sight. Also, along the shadow of the lip of the yellow dumpster, there are blackish diagonal bars all the way along, and these move and sort of flicker as I move around. In Heaven, I can see wavy lines, and flickering shadows. In Tribes, shadows look overly black, almost like an ink rather than a shadow, and also blocky. In BLR, all straight lines with (I'm guessing) any sort of shadow effect display a blurry haze, similar to the BF3 dumpster. All benches perform as normal with frame rates, but this is driving me insane and I have spend the best part of 3 days just short of not building an entire new rig from scratch. I put a lot of effort into my machine and all I want is for things to operate as they should. Any help is greatly appreciated.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Right, so I am back to hassle everyone again. I have taken some screens of my issue in the hope someone will recognise them. BF3, Auto settings, after a fresh install. Please keep in mind that the same thing happens in Tribes Ascend, Blacklight Retribution (DX9 & DX11) and the Unigine benchmark. Strange shadow effects, on every driver install since 12.4, but they only started happening since I have installed the first 12.7 beta drivers (around that time frame, not specifically because of the drivers). I am on my 4th fresh install of Windows, and have tried EVERYTHING to figure out what may be causing it. Like I said in a previous post, my brothers card displays similar effects (5700) in my machine AND ON HIS MACHINE. Which leads me to believe that I is not my card. Anyway, the pics:
> 
> You will notice the haze around the gun, and also the pixellation around the sight. Also, along the shadow of the lip of the yellow dumpster, there are blackish diagonal bars all the way along, and these move and sort of flicker as I move around. In Heaven, I can see wavy lines, and flickering shadows. In Tribes, shadows look overly black, almost like an ink rather than a shadow, and also blocky. In BLR, all straight lines with (I'm guessing) any sort of shadow effect display a blurry haze, similar to the BF3 dumpster. All benches perform as normal with frame rates, but this is driving me insane and I have spend the best part of 3 days just short of not building an entire new rig from scratch. I put a lot of effort into my machine and all I want is for things to operate as they should. Any help is greatly appreciated.


Thats normal. The game shows ur teamates through the walls. So if a teamate goes down you can get an idea as to where they were. Its the game definitely not the card


----------



## BradleyW

Alright i have an issue with ghost recon future soldier.
Max out at 1080p, I see as low as 54fps even at my overclock and CF enabled.
I ran on a single stock card and the min fps i had was 34.
Is the crossfire scaling the issue? My overclock does seem to do any good in CF either?
My usage is good however!

Thanks for the help.
Using 12.7 beta with 12.7 caps.

Edit: Just tested single card on stock vs oc in the same area.
stock min fps 34.
OC minfps 44.

So why am i dropping below 60 in such areas with CF enabled and with a high overclock?


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Thats normal. The game shows ur teamates through the walls. So if a teamate goes down you can get an idea as to where they were. Its the game definitely not the card


I think you mistook what I meant was wrong with the photo. I know you can see your team mates icons. I meant look at the artefacts around the gun, the corrupted shadows, the pixels inside the sight. The diagonal lines along the inside of the top lip on the dumpster (more visible in motion) were not there weeks ago. Now they are. It happens in a lot of games too. But, after testing out another system, I can't fault my card. I almost want to, so that at least I know what it is and I can send it for repair, however painful that will be again being without my card for a month. It seems as if all shadows are not being rendered properly. But benchmarks are as high as they always are, it's just the visual corruption I notice and am sure is not right.


----------



## switchblade

Its the game not the card. Same thing happens when using different cards.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

I dont know why but my installer keeps freezing while installing the catalyst install manager. Now it seems I cant install any graphics drivers at all. I had it working fine before. Anyone else run into this issue?

EDIT: After some swearing and threats I got 12.6 working. Tested on metro and it plays smooth. Havent checked BF3 yet. Now my only issue seems to be that I cannot install any CAPS. Tried 12.6 and 12.7 they always freeze up on the last part of the initializing the msi package. Im not too sure what to do from here. Id like to enjoy 12.7 like other users but the ***** simply wouldnt install.


----------



## Expirobo23

I have a very interesting problem:

I have an XFX 7950 Double D black edition, completely stock settings. When I play after a cold boot, complete video domination. Excellent FPS and rendering. However, after I put my computer to sleep, then wake it, complete loss of speed on the video card. I go say from ~60 FPS in a benchmark tool, to 10-15. This happens with any game or benchmarking tool I try.

A few things to note.

1) Brand new computer build
2) Completely new install of Windows 7, Power Management set on High Performance
3) AMD Catalyst 12.6 drivers

System Specs:

AsRock Fata1ity 990FX
AMD 1100t overclocked to 4000Mhz
16gb Gskill 1600 Ripjaws
Samsung 830 256 ssd
HAF X Case
CoolerMaster 675 watt PSU

Other than the monitor going to sleep and never waking up, I didn't seem to locate this sleep type issue in this thread. Any ideas?

Thanks!


----------



## azdre

Here's a little taste of the improvement the 12.7 beta brings vs. 12.4 WHQL (at least in Heaven 3.0). I hadn't updated drivers since 12.4 but 12.7 sounded very promising and it looks like it's well worth it.

*Heaven Benchmark 3.0*

*XFX "Black Edition" 7970*
_Core = 1228MHz @ 1274mV
Mem = 1700MHz @ 1600mV_

12.4 WHQL vs. 12.7 beta
44.3 *FPS* 53.3
1116 *Scores* 1343

18.9 *Min FPS* 21.8
108.4 *Max FPS* 132.3

_Settings_
_Shaders:_ high
_Textures:_ high
_Filter:_ trilinear
_Anisotropy:_ 16x
_Occlusion:_ enabled
_Refraction:_ enabled
_Volumetric:_ enabled
_Tessellation:_ extreme


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Here's a little taste of the improvement the 12.7 beta brings vs. 12.4 WHQL (at least in Heaven 3.0). I hadn't updated drivers since 12.4 but 12.7 sounded very promising and it looks like it's well worth it.
> *Heaven Benchmark 3.0*
> *XFX "Black Edition" 7970*
> _Core = 1228MHz @ 1274mV
> Mem = 1700MHz @ 1600mV_
> 12.4 WHQL vs. 12.7 beta
> 44.3 *FPS* 53.3
> 1116 *Scores* 1343
> 18.9 *Min FPS* 21.8
> 108.4 *Max FPS* 132.3
> _Settings_
> _Shaders:_ high
> _Textures:_ high
> _Filter:_ trilinear
> _Anisotropy:_ 16x
> _Occlusion:_ enabled
> _Refraction:_ enabled
> _Volumetric:_ enabled
> _Tessellation:_ extreme


The 7970's have done very well in Heaven 3.0 so far. How much of an increase have you seen in 3dmark11???


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Here's a little taste of the improvement the 12.7 beta brings vs. 12.4 WHQL (at least in Heaven 3.0). I hadn't updated drivers since 12.4 but 12.7 sounded very promising and it looks like it's well worth it.
> *Heaven Benchmark 3.0*
> *XFX "Black Edition" 7970*
> _Core = 1228MHz @ 1274mV
> Mem = 1700MHz @ 1600mV_
> 12.4 WHQL vs. 12.7 beta
> 44.3 *FPS* 53.3
> 1116 *Scores* 1343
> 18.9 *Min FPS* 21.8
> 108.4 *Max FPS* 132.3
> _Settings_
> _Shaders:_ high
> _Textures:_ high
> _Filter:_ trilinear
> _Anisotropy:_ 16x
> _Occlusion:_ enabled
> _Refraction:_ enabled
> _Volumetric:_ enabled
> _Tessellation:_ extreme


RC11 is faster for multigpu. All these new drivers have forsaken multigpu.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> RC11 is faster for multigpu. All these new drivers have forsaken multigpu.


I do not use eyefinity so I know my experience is a bit different than urs but I will say, if you ignore benchmarks (you and I know how horrid trifire has been in these recent drivers for 3dmark and heaven) I find that the game play for a number of titles has improved greatly over the past few releases.

Also, how has your overclock fared with these new driver?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I do not use eyefinity so I know my experience is a bit different than urs but I will say, if you ignore benchmarks (you and I know how horrid trifire has been in these recent drivers for 3dmark and heaven) I find that the game play for a number of titles has improved greatly over the past few releases.
> Also, how has your overclock fared with these new driver?


Overclock? I prefer the clock control from rc11 tbh. 12.4 and up have issues with AB dropping clocks down to low power idle states. It's annoying that half the time I'm forced to run 3 of my 4 cards at full mem speed, that's for sure. As far as overclock, the new drivers by their poorer performance pretty much kills the overclock. I've lost my overclock. What I could achieve at a medium overclock, 1200/1600 on rc11 now equals a full on max overclock on 12.6+ in heaven bench. I love me some heaven because it actually taxes my system similar to bf3 (note it's still far from the harshness of bf3*), and it for me at least puts a hurting on my psu. Game play wise, I dunno. I never had scaling issues with rc11 in the games I play, namely bf3 for now. Anyways, max framerates are important for me in bf3. With all the craziness of a big 64p server, getting every last frame I can helps when max out on three panels.

Btw, I don't run 3dmark crap. It's so unrealistic to actual performance, and the way it run switching in and out of 2D to 3D, it wreaks havoc on AB. Half my runs are with stock clocks inter-mixed with overclock because 3Dmark keeps jumping in and out confusing AB lol. nevermind the lame over weighting of score on certain processors, yea right. Look at heaven, no reward for spending 1000 bucks lol.

*I can past hours of prime blend and yet bf3 will cause me mem errors lol.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why have you been sitting on a bad card for almost 30 days?


My replacement cards are coming next Thursday. Thanks.


----------



## Simkin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My idle temps have increased from 35c to 56c? Anybody know what is causing that. All i did was reformat the PC?


I have problems with idle temp on my second 7970 entering windows. its running 500/1600, and i need to go into a game, and the out to get the idle speed normal. also if i disable CFX, second card is still running with high idle speed..

Its resulting in high idle temp over 60c..

This is not a problem with the 12.6 Beta 9.00 OR previous drivers (all Three 12.7 Beta have this problem)


----------



## switchblade

Had an issue with 12.7 beta where I would get a black screen after playing bf3 with horizonal lines of various colors moving horizontally. There is no display what so ever when this happens. Never happened with 12.4 or 12.6 just with the beta. Then when I attempted to use atiman uninstaller it couldnt remove the driver. had to uninstall manually and reinstall 12.6. First time downloading a beta driver and never again. I will leave it up to you guys to be the Guinea Pigs







.


----------



## dog5566

Just added my card, still cant bleave how well they clock.

If any of you what to test stability, come and enter the BGB, some BIG prizes


----------



## BradleyW

I've gone back to 12.6 with 12.7 CAPS 1.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Still cannot fault my card with these corrupted shadows. Literally ran totally different set ups with NOTHING of mine connected to the other PC, and the same graphical glitches occur in Heaven. The constant? They both had the newer beta drivers installed AT SOME POINT, but I have tested drivers all the way back to 11.12, and the same thing happens. The only thing that I can think of is the power supply on my brothers PC is pitiful and may be giving me the same result as my PC which may have also have fault with the PSU. So after I test another PSU, or my enormous card in a system that will fit it, I have to put it down to drivers. This has driven me to the point of insanity for 3 days now. But I am pretty certain it is not my card. I will gladly buy another PSU if it saves me sending my card away for another month. When I get the repaired/replaced one back, I'll just sell it.

Nobody else is experiencing corrupted/weird/flickering/'shimmering' shadows in any games or applications? Seems very strange to me. BF3, BLR and Heaven seem to be the main culprits.


----------



## BradleyW

What is wrong here? Look at the fps on my CF setup?

7970 = 30
7970 CF = 45ish.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey guys, I'm getting weird vertical lines on trees in Shogun 2, and I've also noticed vertical lines on some shadows in other games. Could this mean I have a bad GPU? I'll try to get you guys screenshots.


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm getting weird vertical lines on trees in Shogun 2, and I've also noticed vertical lines on some shadows in other games. Could this mean I have a bad GPU? I'll try to get you guys screenshots.


Are you overclocked at all?


----------



## BradleyW

Any idea on Ghost recon guys?


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Are you overclocked at all?


No, this is at stock. Here are pictures, look at the trees:

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/918982156773262292/A0F305B8454E4FCE8FE51E70EB7D094F9297642D/ (top left corner)

http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/918982156773272447/2887098C86ABF0E7F498CF9CD81712A871D524F5/

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/918982156773269118/FCC6C50A54EF8982E99F380A2670807C5603B637/

Am I being too anal about this, or could I have a bad GPU?


----------



## xNAPx

just about drivers unistall, so what is the best clean method to COMPLETE unistall EVERYTHING of old drivers? just run atiman in safe boot is sufficient?


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> No, this is at stock. Here are pictures, look at the trees:
> http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/918982156773262292/A0F305B8454E4FCE8FE51E70EB7D094F9297642D/ (top left corner)
> http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/918982156773272447/2887098C86ABF0E7F498CF9CD81712A871D524F5/
> http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/918982156773269118/FCC6C50A54EF8982E99F380A2670807C5603B637/
> Am I being too anal about this, or could I have a bad GPU?


I see..what drivers you running and do you notice it on other games? I would try an older set of drivers to see if it isn't an issue with that first, If that fails to see an improvement I would suggest maybe an RMA if it is happening in other games as well on stock settings.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> I see..what drivers you running and do you notice it on other games? I would try an older set of drivers to see if it isn't an issue with that first, If that fails to see an improvement I would suggest maybe an RMA if it is happening in other games as well on stock settings.


I'm running 12.7. Should I try going back to 12.4?

EDIT: Guys, I found it's a glitch introduced in an update of Shogun 2. It's not my GPU, phew. So I'm chill now.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> just about drivers unistall, so what is the best clean method to COMPLETE unistall EVERYTHING of old drivers? just run atiman in safe boot is sufficient?


Running Atiman Uninstaller while running Windows normally is the proper way.


----------



## ElGreco

Exactly! Use automatic mode of Atimans uninstaller and let it do the job (reboot etc)


----------



## Phantom123

I just bought a HD7950. I figured the GTX 670 is not worth the money because double floating point is low and the HD7950 is just overall better value for the money. Was this a good deal for this card?


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Running Atiman Uninstaller while running Windows normally is the proper way.


I read about this program erase important system files is that true?


----------



## RandomK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phantom123*
> 
> I just bought a HD7950. I figured the GTX 670 is not worth the money because double floating point is low and the HD7950 is just overall better value for the money. Was this a good deal for this card?


Considering that you paid ~$100 less than retail I'd say yes that was a great deal. Are the warranties transferable on those cards? Used always makes me nervous (unless it's someone I trust, eg OCN users







).


----------



## Phantom123

It has a 1 year warranty. Which is still good. I've never had any problems with graphic cards and I don't plan to tweak voltages with this card (only overclock on stock voltage) so all should be ok.

Also the seller has over 700 positive reviews, so I am sure there is nothing wrong with the card.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phantom123*
> 
> I just bought a HD7950. I figured the GTX 670 is not worth the money because double floating point is low and the HD7950 is just overall better value for the money. Was this a good deal for this card?
> 
> Hmmm, that's funny, because last night I had enough of spending my days and nights trying to fix my corrupted shadow's problem and ordered a Gigabyte 670. I have had AMD the whole year since I built my PC last August, through 5 GPU's (selling and swapping, upgrading, not all at once) and I have finally decided to give the other team a go. I LOVE my Sapphire OC 7950, but I cannot deal with AMD and their drivers anymore. It might be just me, and that's fine, but when out of NOWHERE I start getting problems with ambient occlusion (which is basically what I have figured out is mainly causing the problem) and all of my games look hammered, enough is enough. How come I can reproduce these effects (which are CLEARLY not normal, nor were they there a few weeks ago) on another AMD card using similar drivers AND drivers dating back to December? I simply have no words for it.
> 
> Through problems in Crossfire for my 6950's to which I lost all patience and upgraded to the 7950 in Feb, to now this joke of a problem which has seen me not play a game in over 3 days and barely any in a week, all because I am obsessed with fixing what should not be there. It's fair enough, too. I pay a good amount of cash for my build ($1500-$1600 AUD) and I expect to be able to do what I want with it, rather than fix someone else's problems which now have become my own. I have tried driver after driver. No success. I have tried a 5700 series GPU in my system with all my gear, no success. Only thing I haven't done is find someone with a big enough case to house my card and try it on their system. Which, if the 5700 is doing the same thing on my rig, tells me it is not actually my GPU. I am getting 10,100 GPU score in 3DMark11 and 125 FPS score in Heaven, so if the card was butchered, something would have surely shown up there. Those scores are what I was getting when I was very happy with everything. Hopefully my eBay sale goes through before my 670 gets here. Start fresh and hopefully get back to gaming which is why I crossed from consoles in the first place. Not to troubleshoot for weeks on end. Thanks to anyone that helped with any issues along the way. Much appreciated.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Alright, I'm at 950/1425 OC for stock volts. Think I should up the voltage? What I'm really worried about is how it will reduce the life of the card.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> name="AnToNCheZ" Hmmm, that's funny, because last night I had enough of spending my days and nights trying to fix my corrupted shadow's problem and ordered a Gigabyte 670. I have had AMD the whole year since I built my PC last August, through 5 GPU's (selling and swapping, upgrading, not all at once) and I have finally decided to give the other team a go. I LOVE my Sapphire OC 7950, but I cannot deal with AMD and their drivers anymore. It might be just me, and that's fine, but when out of NOWHERE I start getting problems with ambient occlusion (which is basically what I have figured out is mainly causing the problem) and all of my games look hammered, enough is enough. How come I can reproduce these effects (which are CLEARLY not normal, nor were they there a few weeks ago) on another AMD card using similar drivers AND drivers dating back to December? I simply have no words for it.
> Through problems in Crossfire for my 6950's to which I lost all patience and upgraded to the 7950 in Feb, to now this joke of a problem which has seen me not play a game in over 3 days and barely any in a week, all because I am obsessed with fixing what should not be there. It's fair enough, too. I pay a good amount of cash for my build ($1500-$1600 AUD) and I expect to be able to do what I want with it, rather than fix someone else's problems which now have become my own. I have tried driver after driver. No success. I have tried a 5700 series GPU in my system with all my gear, no success. Only thing I haven't done is find someone with a big enough case to house my card and try it on their system. Which, if the 5700 is doing the same thing on my rig, tells me it is not actually my GPU. I am getting 10,100 GPU score in 3DMark11 and 125 FPS score in Heaven, so if the card was butchered, something would have surely shown up there. Those scores are what I was getting when I was very happy with everything. Hopefully my eBay sale goes through before my 670 gets here. Start fresh and hopefully get back to gaming which is why I crossed from consoles in the first place. Not to troubleshoot for weeks on end. Thanks to anyone that helped with any issues along the way. Much appreciated.


I'm sure u did this but did u try a windows reinstall?

Also, u changed ccc settings for tessilation to 'use application settings' and textures to Max quality and unchecked texture optimization correct?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I read about this program erase important system files is that true?


That is false.
The newest version even checks to see if Windows will boot correctly after uninstalling the drivers.


----------



## tsm106

I don't use any uninstall programs and I'm ok. lol.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I'm sure u did this but did u try a windows reinstall?
> Also, u changed ccc settings for tessilation to 'use application settings' and textures to Max quality and unchecked texture optimization correct?


No, I didn't do A fresh Windows install, I did FOUR fresh windows installs. Each with a different driver setup to being with, and countless catalyst option combinations. I just got sick of it. If the problem was the card, being faulty, I wouldn't care. I would send it back and wait. But, when these problems happen with OTHER cards as well, whether they are in my system or in their own (it happened on every instance that I could recreate) then there is something seriously wrong. I tried and tried and tried. I love my Sapphire 7950, best card I have owned, but what good is it to me when the majority of my time is being spent rebuilding my Windows install and testing countless driver builds? I have not tried an Nvidia card since I made the move back to PC, and now I am going to find out what where the issue really lies.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Alright, I'm at 950/1425 OC for stock volts. Think I should up the voltage? What I'm really worried about is how it will reduce the life of the card.


By the time that extra voltage damages the card, it'll be worthless anyway lol. Just keep the VRM temps down and you'll be alright. Doesn't take much voltage (generally) to get decent clocks out of these things. What is your default voltage?


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That is false.
> The newest version even checks to see if Windows will boot correctly after uninstalling the drivers.


I used this yesterday night and it gives to me a bsod sistematically at certain point, doesn't look so good this program to me


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I used this yesterday night and it gives to me a bsod sistematically at certain point, doesn't look so good this program to me


Did you use any other program before it?

Like Driver Sweeper for example.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I used this yesterday night and it gives to me a bsod sistematically at certain point, doesn't look so good this program to me


Which is the certain point ?

And one more thing.
In the next generation page (black page) the software display the vga driver that works in that moment, before press C.
If that is not a standard vga adapter then there WASTE of OEM drivers from older drivers.

Check the oem files from Windows\inf path and the standard vga adapter on your system before you judge whether the program is good or bad.

I am sure that Atiman design for most of users and perhaps some special detailed not to have thought.
Through the community, hear such detailed and this is the reason that brings new versions.


----------



## Sniffyy

have a few questions re. 7970s as im considering them for crossfire. i do have a few questions. my roomate used to have them in a trifire setup and had some problems

1. has the monitor sleep bug been fixed in recent drivers? this is kind of important to me, i need to be able to let the monitor shut off
2. i am told the best crossfire driver for a long time was rc11. have drivers improved to the point where newer drivers are an option?

thanks in advance


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sniffyy*
> 
> have a few questions re. 7970s as im considering them for crossfire. i do have a few questions. my roomate used to have them in a trifire setup and had some problems
> 1. has the monitor sleep bug been fixed in recent drivers? this is kind of important to me, i need to be able to let the monitor shut off
> 2. i am told the best crossfire driver for a long time was rc11. have drivers improved to the point where newer drivers are an option?
> thanks in advance


Beta 12.6 works best for me in Crossfire. Just be sure to disable ULPS as that causes issues in CF. Trifire will have issues as the bus speeds are 8x 8x and 4x , this leads to micro stutter .Most motherboards can't do 8x on 3 Pcie slots.


----------



## Sniffyy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Beta 12.6 works best for me in Crossfire. Just be sure to disable ULPS as that causes issues in CF. Trifire will have issues as the bus speeds are 8x 8x and 4x , this leads to micro stutter .Most motherboards can't do 8x on 3 Pcie slots.


i plan on 2 way cf. i have a gigabyte z77 board so i have pcie3 so that shouldnt be a problem.

ulps seems like it'd be useful but if it causes problems then ill disable. so you recommend 12.6 instead of the 12.7 betas? seems like 12.7 has tons of perf increases


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> No, I didn't do A fresh Windows install, I did FOUR fresh windows installs. Each with a different driver setup to being with, and countless catalyst option combinations. I just got sick of it. If the problem was the card, being faulty, I wouldn't care. I would send it back and wait. But, when these problems happen with OTHER cards as well, whether they are in my system or in their own (it happened on every instance that I could recreate) then there is something seriously wrong. I tried and tried and tried. I love my Sapphire 7950, best card I have owned, but what good is it to me when the majority of my time is being spent rebuilding my Windows install and testing countless driver builds? I have not tried an Nvidia card since I made the move back to PC, and now I am going to find out what where the issue really lies.


You'll love Nvidia drivers for sure! Never had any problems with my 580's...








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sniffyy*
> 
> i plan on 2 way cf. i have a gigabyte z77 board so i have pcie3 so that shouldnt be a problem.
> ulps seems like it'd be useful but if it causes problems then ill disable. so you recommend 12.6 instead of the 12.7 betas? seems like 12.7 has tons of perf increases


12.6 is WHQL now and works great in CF in my experience...


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sniffyy*
> 
> i plan on 2 way cf. i have a gigabyte z77 board so i have pcie3 so that shouldnt be a problem.
> ulps seems like it'd be useful but if it causes problems then ill disable. so you recommend 12.6 instead of the 12.7 betas? seems like 12.7 has tons of perf increases


I got a Z77 board too and 12.6 seems better to me than 12.7.


----------



## Evil Penguin

12.7 has been giving me some issues as well it seems.

I'm getting the occasional freeze/crashing.


----------



## paralogixer

For me, Furmark & OCCT (same thing on GPU stress)

My 7950s Core clock travels within 824-900Mhz.. 900Mhz is stock..

Weird, has anyone experienced the same?


----------



## BradleyW

Has anyone tried Ghost Recon FS? Most bugged game for crossfire and overclocks I've ever seen lol.


----------



## martinhal

Is this a good 3D Mark 11 score ?

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3786964


----------



## Expirobo23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Is this a good 3D Mark 11 score ?
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3786964


Is that in single or crossfire? Seems awesomely high for a single 7900 series...

EDIT: Yeah I just read the whole thing, crossfire!







Derp


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Expirobo23*
> 
> Is that in single or crossfire? Seems awesomely high for a single 7900 series...


Two cards


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> For me, Furmark & OCCT (same thing on GPU stress)
> My 7950s Core clock travels within 824-900Mhz.. 900Mhz is stock..
> Weird, has anyone experienced the same?


Not so much weird as you are hitting the Max tdp and being throttled because of it. Furmark is not a test I recommend as it has no real world application and only serves to throw as much power at ur card as possible. If u set power tune to +20% you shouldn't be throttled any longer.


----------



## paralogixer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Not so much weird as you are hitting the Max tdp and being throttled because of it. Furmark is not a test I recommend as it has no real world application and only serves to throw as much power at ur card as possible. If u set power tune to +20% you shouldn't be throttled any longer.


lm*ao.

It was on + 20%.

And now it "throttles" at stock _too_ on Furmark and heaven


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Not so much weird as you are hitting the Max tdp and being throttled because of it. Furmark is not a test I recommend as it has no real world application and only serves to throw as much power at ur card as possible. If u set power tune to +20% you shouldn't be throttled any longer.


lol people seem to forget that +20% is just that - +20%, not +infinity.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> lol people seem to forget that +20% is just that - +20%, not +infinity.


Is there a program that allows more than +20%?

I wish Afterburner would offer a complete voltage unlock and complete TDP unlock. If the user blows up their card shame on them.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Did you use any other program before it?
> Like Driver Sweeper for example.


yeah i used to unistall drivers with driver sweeper and ccleaner before


----------



## kahboom

I just ordered a Msi Hd 7950 twin frozr iii/oc 3gb card, I wanted to know what bios editor that will work with the hd 7000 series cards, I wanted to flash a overclocked profile on one of my bios since this card has dual bios.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> Is there a program that allows more than +20%?
> I wish Afterburner would offer a complete voltage unlock and complete TDP unlock. If the user blows up their card shame on them.


Well since u obviously know way more that I do and think throttling in furmark is weird than u obviously know way more that I do about how to increase pt limits. Thou there is a program made for CcC to do this I think u can figure it out.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> lol people seem to forget that +20% is just that - +20%, not +infinity.


It was a mere suggestion. I'm glad you added some great incite into this.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Well since u obviously know way more that I do and think throttling in furmark is weird than u obviously know way more that I do about how to increase pt limits. Thou there is a program made for CcC to do this I think u can figure it out.


I'm not claiming to know anything. I don't know where you got that idea. I know very little compared to the majority of the guys that are frequenting this thread. My questions was whether or not you can do a complete unlock of the card with zero user limitations.

Theoretically, +20% could still be throttling if the overclock is still exceeding the +20% TDP. I'm curious if there's something that allows a complete power limit unlock. If the +20% limit is enough to remove all throttling when overclocking, my question is moot.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> By the time that extra voltage damages the card, it'll be worthless anyway lol. Just keep the VRM temps down and you'll be alright. Doesn't take much voltage (generally) to get decent clocks out of these things. What is your default voltage?


Wait, how do I find my default voltage? Is it in GPU-Z?


----------



## FuriousPop

Hi All,

Apologies for the delayed response.

Got my crossfire's 7970 Top's in action by using the 11.12 drivers (cd Drivers)

So far only had 1 BSOD from Mirror's Edge when attempting to run it, restart - try to run it again and its fine. strange.....

Metro 2033 - 2560xres 4xAA 8xAS everything on High, little jerky here and there.
Starcraft 2 - no probs
COD - Black Ops - no probs
Assassin's Creed - no probs
Bioshock 2 - no probs - everything maxed

Now the fun one, BF3 - diabled ULPS as many of you suggested and that got me INTO the game. start campaign 1st level on top of the train fine, soon as he kicks through the window the flickering starts and you can barely see the screen, enabling vertical sync - snapped it out and could see everything fine. Ultra settings on 2560xRes went to console and did the render.drawfps la la, to see the frame rate and to my shock - 30 in top right corner..... played up until the part where on the roof and a sniper is taking pot shots and still the whole time i barely saw it go past 35FPS, it was averaging 30 FPS....Saw it flick to 35fps for like 2 seconds.... but majority of the whole time it was at 30fps.

Now please tell me i have missed some setting change somewhere, because if you tell me thats what you get with 2x7970 top's crossfire, then.....ahhhhh......yeah, thats just not right!!!!!

Crossfire - 100% Enabled, in GPUZ - Enabled (2 GPU's)
CCC Overdrive is on, fans set to auto. - Crossfire enabled (checked)
ULPS Disabled via Trixx AND regedit
Both cards reading at 300MHZ on idle, GPU1 Usage was at 99% while GPU2 was at about 55 - 80% most of the time. the cards haven't gone over 70degrees at all...
TdrDelay has been set to 10.

Ideas? Advice?

Haven't tried the 12.7 drivers as yet, since i just did a fresh install of windows and decided to use the cd drivers to check stability.
Ungine Heaven 3.0 -2560xRes, 4xAA, no Tess - gave me 127.7 Fps - which i am thinking is a little low.....after if gave that score i had left my machine, come back to find that it had crashed in auto with the score still on the screen at stage 5 - 6.

Trying to replicate that crash and it seems to happen mostly on stage 5 - 6, 20 - 21 and 25 - 26. always in these same spots depending on the different types of settings i pick, tess,aa, as, screen res.

I have probably done about 30 - 40 runs, to which about 5 i have saved the tests, should i post them up so you all can see?

Oh almost forgot - running everything stock, no changes made to any clock or voltage..

Any advice, thoughts, much appreciated..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *paralogixer*
> 
> lm*ao.
> It was on + 20%.
> And now it "throttles" at stock _too_ on Furmark and heaven


You're doing something wrong.

I sure as heck don't get throttling in Heaven, but Furmark is a known throttled app by both AMD and Nvidia.

On my way to this run:



I hit this:



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> My questions was whether or not you can do a complete unlock of the card with zero user limitations.
> Theoretically, +20% could still be throttling if the overclock is still exceeding the +20% TDP. I'm curious if there's something that allows a complete power limit unlock. If the +20% limit is enough to remove all throttling when overclocking, my question is moot.


The card is protected by a combo of driver and hardware safeties. You cannot defeat them without hard modding. +20 is enough for even the extreme setups imo as evidenced above. Only time you want to defeat them is when you start putting the gpus under cold.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Hi All,
> Apologies for the delayed response.
> Got my crossfire's 7970 Top's in action by using the 11.12 drivers (cd Drivers)
> So far only had 1 BSOD from Mirror's Edge when attempting to run it, restart - try to run it again and its fine. strange.....
> Metro 2033 - 2560xres 4xAA 8xAS everything on High, little jerky here and there.
> Starcraft 2 - no probs
> COD - Black Ops - no probs
> Assassin's Creed - no probs
> Bioshock 2 - no probs - everything maxed
> Now the fun one, BF3 - diabled ULPS as many of you suggested and that got me INTO the game. start campaign 1st level on top of the train fine, soon as he kicks through the window the flickering starts and you can barely see the screen, enabling vertical sync - snapped it out and could see everything fine. Ultra settings on 2560xRes went to console and did the render.drawfps la la, to see the frame rate and to my shock - 30 in top right corner..... played up until the part where on the roof and a sniper is taking pot shots and still the whole time i barely saw it go past 35FPS, it was averaging 30 FPS....Saw it flick to 35fps for like 2 seconds.... but majority of the whole time it was at 30fps.
> Now please tell me i have missed some setting change somewhere, because if you tell me thats what you get with 2x7970 top's crossfire, then.....ahhhhh......yeah, thats just not right!!!!!
> Crossfire - 100% Enabled, in GPUZ - Enabled (2 GPU's)
> CCC Overdrive is on, fans set to auto. - Crossfire enabled (checked)
> ULPS Disabled via Trixx AND regedit
> Both cards reading at 300MHZ on idle, GPU1 Usage was at 99% while GPU2 was at about 55 - 80% most of the time. the cards haven't gone over 70degrees at all...
> TdrDelay has been set to 10.
> Ideas? Advice?
> Haven't tried the 12.7 drivers as yet, since i just did a fresh install of windows and decided to use the cd drivers to check stability.
> Ungine Heaven 3.0 -2560xRes, 4xAA, no Tess - gave me 127.7 Fps - which i am thinking is a little low.....after if gave that score i had left my machine, come back to find that it had crashed in auto with the score still on the screen at stage 5 - 6.
> Trying to replicate that crash and it seems to happen mostly on stage 5 - 6, 20 - 21 and 25 - 26. always in these same spots depending on the different types of settings i pick, tess,aa, as, screen res.
> I have probably done about 30 - 40 runs, to which about 5 i have saved the tests, should i post them up so you all can see?
> Oh almost forgot - running everything stock, no changes made to any clock or voltage..
> Any advice, thoughts, much appreciated..


Did you install the CAP from the AMD website? Sometimes I make that common mistake as well. If you don't install the CAP after installing the driver, you'll only get the performance of 1 card, instead of both.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Did you install the CAP from the AMD website? Sometimes I make that common mistake as well. If you don't install the CAP after installing the driver, you'll only get the performance of 1 card, instead of both.


MetalHead - which one?

I've installed 11.12 drivers (from CD) will installing 12.7Cap 1 still work correctly?

I'll give it a crack now and see what happens and will post if any difference.

thanks,


----------



## paralogixer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're doing something wrong.
> I sure as heck don't get throttling in Heaven, but Furmark is a known throttled app by both AMD and Nvidia.


I'd be glad to hear what exactly


----------



## FuriousPop

ok installed the 12.7 CAP 1 (0.5MB)

Thought it was working, in the train at the start 40FPS 2560xRes ultra settings, looking better than before.

Go to the part when in the APC and those 3 guys talking, it was sitting at 30 FPS got outside and it dropped to about 25FPS.

dropped the res to 1920x1080 - FPS jumped to 40ish.

OK is it me or am i expecting too much from these cards? anyone with crossfire 2 of these getting similar FPS? if so then i know the cards are working as expected.
also, game still crashed shortly after changing the res settings during the game.

Heaven 3.0 still crashes during benchmark at stage 21. with 2560xRes, etrem tess, 8xAA and 16xAS

nothing running in background (gpuz, trix etc)

Fans set to auto via CCC and Trix (trix not running though)

trying to run a heaven bench now.....

and whoooaaaaa, ok looks like my 2nd Card just went MIA! was wondering why on default settings with 2560xRes only 62 FPS!!!

thats just lovely!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> ok installed the 12.7 CAP 1 (0.5MB)
> Thought it was working, in the train at the start 40FPS 2560xRes ultra settings, looking better than before.
> Go to the part when in the APC and those 3 guys talking, it was sitting at 30 FPS got outside and it dropped to about 25FPS.
> dropped the res to 1920x1080 - FPS jumped to 40ish.
> OK is it me or am i expecting too much from these cards? anyone with crossfire 2 of these getting similar FPS? if so then i know the cards are working as expected.
> also, game still crashed shortly after changing the res settings during the game.
> Heaven 3.0 still crashes during benchmark at stage 21. with 2560xRes, etrem tess, 8xAA and 16xAS
> nothing running in background (gpuz, trix etc)
> Fans set to auto via CCC and Trix (trix not running though)
> trying to run a heaven bench now.....
> and whoooaaaaa, ok looks like my 2nd Card just went MIA! was wondering why on default settings with 2560xRes only 62 FPS!!!
> thats just lovely!


I suggest you install 12.6 whql or 12.7 beta from AMD website. First test each card separately and make sure they are very stable. then test in CF. A single HD 7970 at 1 Ghz can do 40+ fps at 1600p Ultra 4X MSAA. There is definitely a problem with your setup with such low FPS. you can first start by testing single card with 12.6 whql or 12.7 beta and use the 12.7 CAP1 (Catalyst application profiles).


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> I suggest you install 12.6 whql or 12.7 beta from AMD website. First test each card separately and make sure they are very stable. then test in CF. A single HD 7970 at 1 Ghz can do 40+ fps at 1600p Ultra 4X MSAA. There is definitely a problem with your setup with such low FPS. you can first start by testing single card with 12.6 whql or 12.7 beta and use the 12.7 CAP1 (Catalyst application profiles).


What would you consider as a stable run?

Just ran heaven bench with 1 card. 2560xRes with default settings 62FPS.

Should i let it run for an hour on each card on auto through heaven?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> MetalHead - which one?
> I've installed 11.12 drivers (from CD) will installing 12.7Cap 1 still work correctly?
> I'll give it a crack now and see what happens and will post if any difference.
> thanks,


Yeah, that's a very strange situation. If you installed the CAP from the site you should see scaling. A way to see if your cards are actually scaling and doing their job is to install MSI Afterburner, and use the OSD monitoring that it comes with watch the GPU usage percentage (%) while you're gaming. I use it often to gauge how well a certain game is working with my cards, or if I'm experiencing a CPU bottleneck or something of the sort. Although that's the entire reason I upgraded from my P67 WS Revolution rig with 3 7970s to this X79 Rampage IV rig with 4 680s, and I've had mixed results. There will always be issues with crossfire and SLI, but as far as your issue is concerned, gaming maxed out @ 2560x1440+ with everything turned up is not an easy task, even for 2 680s or 2 7970s. It SHOULD be able to run 60fps avg, but you will see dips below that. However, in your case, seeing 30fps constant is more on par with a single 7970 at those settings and resolution, which leads me to believe you're having scaling issues. Is your CPU overclocked? If not, perhaps try a small OC, as it may help bring frames up a bit. Although I don't think that is the root cause of your problems. I would definitely try a few different drivers before giving up. Try the 12.6 or 12.7 betas.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

In the never ending saga to find the problem with my system (Sapphire 7950 OC), just wondering if someone could answer a question I had. If my PSU passes benchmarks at my highest stable overclocks, can I blame graphical anomalies on it being faulty? I have had 1200Mhz on the core and 1700Mhz on the memory solid as a rock with no faults in the graphics department. But ever since installing the newer driver builds, and then every driver build previous to them on fresh Windows installs, I have (as I have hassled about on here numerous times, apologies) weird shadow effects and flickering. The most common way to describe it is like a heat haze, and also there are faint diagonal bars through the shadows. On heaven, I get a blurry black bar at the bottom of the screen, which is half transparent, but definitely noticeable. Also, turning off ambient occlusion in the settings alleviates most of this effect, but there is still something not right when it is off. My problem with this, is that it never happened prior to a week or so ago, and it happens at stock clocks, and it doesn't seem to be the card because I have tested another one and it does the same thing. My onboard GPU does not seem to display the same effects, but they are Intel drivers. So, my only conclusion is that the drivers are bananas or that my PSU is failing, while allowing my 4.5Ghz OC on the CPU and 1200Mhz OC on the GPU to pass benchmarks with the same scores as when everything was great.

I haven't got another PSU to test, unfortunately. Any ideas how I could narrow down the issue further? I have put it down to drivers, or PSU.


----------



## Tslm

Well I've decided to drop the 680s and pick up 7970s again. The ridiculous 680 prices here in Aus (still ~$700 new) means I actually end up $40 richer selling 680s 2nd hand and picking up new 7970s (prices are around $500). Nvidia drivers sure were nice but I can't deny my AMD fanboyness any longer









Is RC11 still the way to go for crossfire or has a new driver emerged that isn't total fail?


----------



## raghu78

no you should run the 12.6 whql or 12.7 beta with the latest 12.7 CAP 1 for CF support in latest titles. enjoy your HD 7970s.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> In the never ending saga to find the problem with my system (Sapphire 7950 OC), just wondering if someone could answer a question I had. If my PSU passes benchmarks at my highest stable overclocks, can I blame graphical anomalies on it being faulty? I have had 1200Mhz on the core and 1700Mhz on the memory solid as a rock with no faults in the graphics department. But ever since installing the newer driver builds, and then every driver build previous to them on fresh Windows installs, I have (as I have hassled about on here numerous times, apologies) weird shadow effects and flickering. The most common way to describe it is like a heat haze, and also there are faint diagonal bars through the shadows. On heaven, I get a blurry black bar at the bottom of the screen, which is half transparent, but definitely noticeable. Also, turning off ambient occlusion in the settings alleviates most of this effect, but there is still something not right when it is off. My problem with this, is that it never happened prior to a week or so ago, and it happens at stock clocks, and it doesn't seem to be the card because I have tested another one and it does the same thing. My onboard GPU does not seem to display the same effects, but they are Intel drivers. So, my only conclusion is that the drivers are bananas or that my PSU is failing, while allowing my 4.5Ghz OC on the CPU and 1200Mhz OC on the GPU to pass benchmarks with the same scores as when everything was great.
> I haven't got another PSU to test, unfortunately. Any ideas how I could narrow down the issue further? I have put it down to drivers, or PSU.


I get the same thing in Heaven, but I haven't really noticed it in any games, so I'm not gonna worry about it. Seeing as how other people have had issues with shadows flickering and stuff, it's probably drivers.


----------



## BradleyW

I don't have any throttling in Heaven?


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Yeah, that's a very strange situation. If you installed the CAP from the site you should see scaling. A way to see if your cards are actually scaling and doing their job is to install MSI Afterburner, and use the OSD monitoring that it comes with watch the GPU usage percentage (%) while you're gaming. I use it often to gauge how well a certain game is working with my cards, or if I'm experiencing a CPU bottleneck or something of the sort. Although that's the entire reason I upgraded from my P67 WS Revolution rig with 3 7970s to this X79 Rampage IV rig with 4 680s, and I've had mixed results. There will always be issues with crossfire and SLI, but as far as your issue is concerned, gaming maxed out @ 2560x1440+ with everything turned up is not an easy task, even for 2 680s or 2 7970s. It SHOULD be able to run 60fps avg, but you will see dips below that. However, in your case, seeing 30fps constant is more on par with a single 7970 at those settings and resolution, which leads me to believe you're having scaling issues. Is your CPU overclocked? If not, perhaps try a small OC, as it may help bring frames up a bit. Although I don't think that is the root cause of your problems. I would definitely try a few different drivers before giving up. Try the 12.6 or 12.7 betas.


thanks for that info Metal.

Ended up trying the 12.7 beta drivers with 12.7 CAP 1 installed as well. to be safe i did a fresh install of windows.

Can safely just been playing BF3 now and the usual areas have increased in FPS by at least 10. in the APC with the 3 guys talking it was 30 previous with 11.12 drivers, with these beta 12.7 drivers it was at 40. played until the sniper on the roof to which the lowest i saw was 35FPS and it was averaging in the mid to high 40's. think its a little better. Ultra settings with 2560xRes.

Will install MSI afterburner - he it installed prior to reinstall of win7 but was advised to use Trixx instead.

CPU running stock standard.

There was definitely an increase with Beta 12.7 drivers. Might try another fresh install tomorrow with 12.6 and see if there is any difference.

can anyone advise what 3D settings to run on CCC so that i can compare results?

thanks!


----------



## cryohellinc

Hello fellow HD 7000 series users, please check the following link, and maybe you will be able to help me with my issue.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1276941/hd-7970-driver-problem

Thank you in advance.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cryohellinc*
> 
> Hello fellow HD 7000 series users, please check the following link, and maybe you will be able to help me with my issue.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1276941/hd-7970-driver-problem
> Thank you in advance.


Beta Drivers + Beta /Partial GPU Hardware Acceleration in WaterFox.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Just ordered two brand new Sapphire 7970 OC Edition cards from Amazon for my upcoming water cooled build! Praying to the silicon gods for good clockers!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Just ordered two brand new Sapphire 7970 OC Edition cards from Amazon for my upcoming water cooled build! Praying to the silicon gods for good clockers!


Sounds good!


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Just ordered two brand new Sapphire 7970 OC Edition cards from Amazon for my upcoming water cooled build! Praying to the silicon gods for good clockers!


Are you gonna run quad sli untill u sell lighnings?
And there are still no WB for them? Oo I bet they would be monsters under water due to their modified pcb.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've already sold the Lightnings and got EK blocks for the Sapphires....


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Just ordered two brand new Sapphire 7970 OC Edition cards from Amazon for my upcoming water cooled build! Praying to the silicon gods for good clockers!


good luck.


----------



## SkateZilla

So....

Cat 12.6 WHQL or 12. 7 Beta (the 2nd one)....


----------



## MooMoo

How I should test my card stability?
I've tried to play BF3, GTA IV + other games, run unigue heaven (but not in loop because I cant find loop option in free version, how I can get it?).

It seems stable when I game but sometimes it just stops working (windows shows that 'graphic card has stopped working' thing) or when Im on desktop it just randomly makes those vertical lines to screen (somewhere like this: http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9479/dsc00537yc.jpg but its grey colored on me).

I would like to add voltage, but VRM temps doesnt allow me, maxes are 83C on furmark, but I want to play safe (its my new baby xD). Im at 1000mhz/1575mhz with 1049mV/stock memory voltages: 1600mV.
I would like to keep that gpu at 1ghz but I dont know is it memory or gpu which is unstable so I dont know should I lower memory clocks or raise little core voltage/decrease gpu clocks.

Any help appreciated!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> How I should test my card stability?
> I've tried to play BF3, GTA IV + other games, run unigue heaven (but not in loop because I cant find loop option in free version, how I can get it?).
> It seems stable when I game but sometimes it just stops working (windows shows that 'graphic card has stopped working' thing) or when Im on desktop it just randomly makes those vertical lines to screen (somewhere like this: http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9479/dsc00537yc.jpg but its grey colored on me).
> I would like to add voltage, but VRM temps doesnt allow me, maxes are 83C on furmark, but I want to play safe (its my new baby xD). Im at 1000mhz/1575mhz with 1049mV/stock memory voltages: 1600mV.
> I would like to keep that gpu at 1ghz but I dont know is it memory or gpu which is unstable so I dont know should I lower memory clocks or raise little core voltage/decrease gpu clocks.
> Any help appreciated!


Alan Wake was a good one to test for me. Even my most stable OC would have issues on that game. If it passed Alan Wake, it would pass anything for me.

For testing VRAM overclocking specificly, Metro 2033 is the best.


----------



## xNAPx

sorry guys which are the best ccc settings? morphological AA should be activated or not? MSAA or AMSAA? AA controlled by the app or by the driver? AF?


----------



## hollowxx

zup guys how i can make atiman to do not delete (RAIDXpert) because i have a raid-0 and if i just run the setup it delete all of the amd driver and even the raidxpert soooo my raid controler get fck up and my computer wont pass windows flag and iam forced to do a fresh install of everything... any help here...=(


----------



## snow cakes

I'm buying a 7970 for my newest computer build, which is the best brand to go with because I heard the xfx stock cooler aren't good.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I just grabbed a couple of Sapphire 7970 OC cards for an upcoming build. I've read numerous places that they tend to be really good overclockers (though its still just up to luck). I also had a pair of 7970 Lightnings that I recently sold and they were fantastic cards as well...


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I just grabbed a couple of Sapphire 7970 OC cards for an upcoming build. I've read numerous places that they tend to be really good overclockers (though its still just up to luck). I also had a pair of 7970 Lightnings that I recently sold and they were fantastic cards as well...


Is the pcb completely reference?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

They are according to EK's cooling configurator...

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> They are according to EK's cooling configurator...
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist


Best of luck mate, post results of your replacements under water.


----------



## FuriousPop

managed to install 12.7 drivers with 12.7 CAP 1.

increased BF3 frames same level testing - start of campaign from avg of 30 to now 40 fps.

still everything on stock and that is a cd installation of BF3 as well, not the updated one.

Found a lot of reviews on other sites, techpowerup, guru3d, ananadtech etc... most of them seem to be around the same mark with my settings.

Still crashing everytime i attempt a run. installed MSI afterburner to check usage, temps, frames - seems to be using the crossfire and both cards in use however with MSI running in background i couldn't get past the train area since it just kept crashing.

this is driving me nuts, the only game with this many issues.

Metro 2033 - i believe is MORE demanding and yet i was able to run it without any crashing / issues.

Could i need the updated patch for BF3? could my issue be somehow related to it being a fresh install off the DVD's/CD's and not the latest downloaded version?????

if anyone can give me some hints as to what to test that would be great! perhaps some setting changes need to be made via CCC catalyst control in the 3d settings area?????

thanks all! for the help so far, that TDR delay and the ulps have helped alot, at least i believe so, hopefully these next changes should iron it all out.

thanks again,


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> managed to install 12.7 drivers with 12.7 CAP 1.
> increased BF3 frames same level testing - start of campaign from avg of 30 to now 40 fps.
> still everything on stock and that is a cd installation of BF3 as well, not the updated one.
> Found a lot of reviews on other sites, techpowerup, guru3d, ananadtech etc... most of them seem to be around the same mark with my settings.
> Still crashing everytime i attempt a run. installed MSI afterburner to check usage, temps, frames - seems to be using the crossfire and both cards in use however with MSI running in background i couldn't get past the train area since it just kept crashing.
> this is driving me nuts, the only game with this many issues.
> Metro 2033 - i believe is MORE demanding and yet i was able to run it without any crashing / issues.
> Could i need the updated patch for BF3? could my issue be somehow related to it being a fresh install off the DVD's/CD's and not the latest downloaded version?????
> if anyone can give me some hints as to what to test that would be great! perhaps some setting changes need to be made via CCC catalyst control in the 3d settings area?????
> thanks all! for the help so far, that TDR delay and the ulps have helped alot, at least i believe so, hopefully these next changes should iron it all out.
> thanks again,


Bro BF3 is one big disastrous piece of coding. EVERYBODY with varying builds reports crashing on the forums and other places. It may not even be related to your particular set up. I have found that with one setup, it crashed all the time, it ruined the game for me. Then I swapped out my Phenom 1090T for an i5, and also swapped my crossfire 6950's for a 7950, and BAM, no more crashing. Don't rely on BF3 for ANY sort of stability testing apart from artefacts and over heating. People may disagree, but that would most probably be because they never experienced the famous "bf3.exe has stopped working" "feature" of that putrid piece of software. Just my 2 cents.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

The only time BF3 ever crashed for me was back when I first got it in October last year on my SLI 580 setup. It has never crashed since on various different setups of mine....


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snow cakes*
> 
> I'm buying a 7970 for my newest computer build, which is the best brand to go with because I heard the xfx stock cooler aren't good.


um xfx stock coolers do cool very well and xfx cards have no coil whine


----------



## afadzil21

Anyone else get lockups when starting GPU-Z 0.62 with the new 12.6 WHQL in XFire? I'm getting it randomly, not on a regular basis.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> um xfx stock coolers do cool very well and xfx cards have no coil whine


No they are not and yes they do.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snow cakes*
> 
> I'm buying a 7970 for my newest computer build, which is the best brand to go with because I heard the xfx stock cooler aren't good.


I have had great experiences with HIS ICE Q versions of previous cards. Real cool and quiet. Also Sapphire Vapour/toxic edition I think will be very good. If I was going to pick up one that is air cooled it would be between those two.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> managed to install 12.7 drivers with 12.7 CAP 1.
> increased BF3 frames same level testing - start of campaign from avg of 30 to now 40 fps.
> still everything on stock and that is a cd installation of BF3 as well, not the updated one.
> Found a lot of reviews on other sites, techpowerup, guru3d, ananadtech etc... most of them seem to be around the same mark with my settings.
> Still crashing everytime i attempt a run. installed MSI afterburner to check usage, temps, frames - seems to be using the crossfire and both cards in use however with MSI running in background i couldn't get past the train area since it just kept crashing.
> this is driving me nuts, the only game with this many issues.
> Metro 2033 - i believe is MORE demanding and yet i was able to run it without any crashing / issues.
> Could i need the updated patch for BF3? could my issue be somehow related to it being a fresh install off the DVD's/CD's and not the latest downloaded version?????
> if anyone can give me some hints as to what to test that would be great! perhaps some setting changes need to be made via CCC catalyst control in the 3d settings area?????
> thanks all! for the help so far, that TDR delay and the ulps have helped alot, at least i believe so, hopefully these next changes should iron it all out.
> thanks again,


I can't usually play more that a few hours before bf3 hard locks and goes berrrrrr with the sound. I know it has nothing to do with my setup of clocks its just ****ty programing. I heard the best solution is a new sound card and disabling onboard HD audio.


----------



## SkateZilla

a trick from the Win 98/XP Days.

Disable your sound card in device manager and play... if you dont lock up.. then its your sound card drivers/mainboard drivers.

Especially valid in situations with Creative PCI cards.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I can't usually play more that a few hours before bf3 hard locks and goes berrrrrr with the sound. I know it has nothing to do with my setup of clocks its just ****ty programing. I heard the best solution is a new sound card and disabling onboard HD audio.


Do you mean by bf3 hard lock that it completly freezes your computer?
If so, then--->
It doesnt have to be your onboard soundcard, it could be your unstable system. I've got that problem too and it was because of unstable cpu/gpu. So check your stability (again).


----------



## snow cakes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I have had great experiences with HIS ICE Q versions of previous cards. Real cool and quiet. Also Sapphire Vapour/toxic edition I think will be very good. If I was going to pick up one that is air cooled it would be between those two.


I would have to agree actually, my 6970 is Ice-q


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Edit: Looks to be reference alright
> sapphire OC dual X


So my Sapphire 7970 OC cards come in today and I was looking up pics of the board without the cooler on and noticed the memory is covered by a kind of uni-sink. How am I supposed to install the FC7970 water blocks with this in place? Does it just come off? Anybody have any ideas or experience placing water blocks on this particular card?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So my Sapphire 7970 OC cards come in today and I was looking up pics of the board without the cooler on and noticed the memory is covered by a kind of uni-sink. How am I supposed to install the FC7970 water blocks with this in place? Does it just come off? Anybody have any ideas or experience placing water blocks on this particular card?


They should come off.


----------



## snow cakes

Im going to buy this one then

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> No they are not and yes they do.


I have 2 xfx dd black editions. No coil whine for me. And while the coolers were both the dual dissapation coolers and not reference, they still cooled very well and were hardly loud. Coil whine can happen to any brand of card. But I can say neither of mine have any coil whine at all.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> I have 2 xfx dd black editions. No coil whine for me. And while the coolers were both the dual dissapation coolers and not reference, they still cooled very well and were hardly loud. Coil whine can happen to any brand of card. But I can say neither of mine have any coil whine at all.


Most people mean "Reference Cooler" when they say "Stock Coolers"

the Reference Coolers blow chunks period,
1 center mounted fan in the middle of a Heat Shroud that only exhausts out of one end, most of the air moves over the heat sink below the blades, not to the right or left or the center of the fan where the effing 200+w TDP GPU is heating up the copper heat plate/vapor chamber.

my brother has a reference cooler on his GPU and I have a 7950 OC (now with a Dual-X branded HSF on it via RMA), and Mine is barely Audible at 100%, while his sounds like a blender.

my GPU in a 90 degree room idles 32^C, his idles 49^C

TBH GPU Cooling needs a fresh new design..

Back End Blower Fans are Loud.
Single Axial Fans are Loud.
Dual Axial Fans put the heat back in the case.

Only one "Water Cooling" pre-made loop is on the market, and its like $200

http://www.asetek.com/arctic-accelero-hybrid-7970.html

I might consider Modifying a H60 to Work on the 7950 GPU, then Put Heatsinks on the VRM/Ram Modules.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1237219/tript-cc-620-920-h50-h70-gpu-brackets-fan-grills-custom-case-badges


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Do you mean by bf3 hard lock that it completly freezes your computer?
> If so, then--->
> It doesnt have to be your onboard soundcard, it could be your unstable system. I've got that problem too and it was because of unstable cpu/gpu. So check your stability (again).


I run prime stable for 24 hours. Its not a stability issue, this issue has plagued many many people with many different setups. I have tried stock everything, even bumping voltages at stock.

And yes, if I disable onboard audio it goes away. Must be done in bios though. But obviously playing with no sound is not the way to go


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I run prime stable for 24 hours. Its not a stability issue, this issue has plagued many many people with many different setups. I have tried stock everything, even bumping voltages at stock.
> And yes, if I disable onboard audio it goes away. Must be done in bios though. But obviously playing with no sound is not the way to go


Audio Driver, or IRQ Settings/Conflict.

The main reason in the late 90s and early 2000s I ran every single one of my systems with ACPI Disabled, as it would Put Sound on the Same IRQ as the GPU, or LAN with the sound etc.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> I have 2 xfx dd black editions. No coil whine for me. And while the coolers were both the dual dissapation coolers and not reference, they still cooled very well and were hardly loud. Coil whine can happen to any brand of card. But I can say neither of mine have any coil whine at all.


Yes, coil whine can happen to any brand, including XFX cards. Some coolers are also louder than others, depending on type of cooler and the temperatures of the card. (Including ambient temps).


----------



## paralogixer

I've tried to reinstall 12.7, but still, stuttering on Heaven Benchmark... It is so annoying..

What should I do?

On crysis 2 benchmark at all maxed.

I get Min FPS 2.7, it has never been so low before, not with 12.6 beta or 12.4


----------



## sockpirate

Ok i am confused here, what is the difference between Catalyst 12.6 WHQL and CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11 ? I have never understood the way AMD does drivers, do i need both ? Which one is the actual driver?

I guess i am just too used to Nvidia, just having one single file, not 3 separate things.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Ok i am confused here, what is the difference between Catalyst 12.6 WHQL and CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11 ? I have never understood the way AMD does drivers, do i need both ? Which one is the actual driver?
> I guess i am just too used to Nvidia, just having one single file, not 3 separate things.


I believe RC11 drivers are the ones that come with your CD.

WHQL stands for Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing. 12.6 are the latest drivers to pass through testing by windows whereas the 12.7 drivers are still beta.

You need to decide which driver you'd like to install. Most people here would probably recommend 12.6 unless you're running crossfire. I have no experience with that.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

My Sapphire 7970 OC's that just came in today included Cat 12.6 on the driver cd...


----------



## sockpirate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sockpirate*
> 
> Ok i am confused here, what is the difference between Catalyst 12.6 WHQL and CCC 8.9.21.2 RC11 ? I have never understood the way AMD does drivers, do i need both ? Which one is the actual driver?
> I guess i am just too used to Nvidia, just having one single file, not 3 separate things.


still confused.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Bro BF3 is one big disastrous piece of coding. EVERYBODY with varying builds reports crashing on the forums and other places. It may not even be related to your particular set up. I have found that with one setup, it crashed all the time, it ruined the game for me. Then I swapped out my Phenom 1090T for an i5, and also swapped my crossfire 6950's for a 7950, and BAM, no more crashing. Don't rely on BF3 for ANY sort of stability testing apart from artefacts and over heating. People may disagree, but that would most probably be because they never experienced the famous "bf3.exe has stopped working" "feature" of that putrid piece of software. Just my 2 cents.


I disagree, games installed via CD/DVD should work no probs, been playing games since i was 5yrs old on the good old C64 days. i believe any setup can run games its just a matter of working out your settings with your current build to see what is causing it. everything PC based is built to some degree of fondamentals in place so that all parts are similar in some retrospect, just needs alot of patience.

But good news i found my settings!!!!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I can't usually play more that a few hours before bf3 hard locks and goes berrrrrr with the sound. I know it has nothing to do with my setup of clocks its just ****ty programing. I heard the best solution is a new sound card and disabling onboard HD audio.


I had a very similar case, screen locks up and then the brrrr sound lol.

This is what i did to resolve.

Disabled all palyback sound devices except my onbaord sound. (im using my onboard scard)
Disabled ulps - via Trixx - double checked with regedit
Enabled TdrDealy - 10

and the final thing i did - this one killed me the most.
INGAME - disabled vertical sync.

I cannot believe V sync was causing the issue the whole time! with 11.12 drivers (also installed 12.7 CAP1 onto it) i noticed the flickering so i was like a setting in game must be causing it since windows was fine and all other games were fine. Enabled V Sync and boom, flickering stopped, game was playable - but then i noticed the crashing and the brrrr sound... hence on the path to find out *** was wrong with my rig/setup.

Now with 12.7 beta drivers + 12.7 CAP 1 - no v sync on. i restarted my machine 3 times and run BF3 each time, and it wasn't crashing at all.2560xRes, ultra settings giving me high 40's low 50's now with everything on stock.

one thing i did notice was the during the cut scene's (had render.drawfps 1) activate and noticed the FPS top right were in the high 90's hit 150 etc, very high numbers, when i had v sync enabled i notice it would sit at 60 and not move at all.

Next test tonight is to put on MSI aftaB - and see if it crashes and to double check fps, gpu1&2 usage etc..
Will also test a heaven bench to see if that still crashes as well, since i haven't done a bench on the 12.7 drivers cos 11.12 were crashing all the time!

Hope this helps someone, but thankyou all for the assistance, much appreciated.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> I disagree, games installed via CD/DVD should work no probs, been playing games since i was 5yrs old on the good old C64 days. i believe any setup can run games its just a matter of working out your settings with your current build to see what is causing it. everything PC based is built to some degree of fondamentals in place so that all parts are similar in some retrospect, just needs alot of patience.
> But good news i found my settings!!!!
> I had a very similar case, screen locks up and then the brrrr sound lol.
> This is what i did to resolve.
> Disabled all palyback sound devices except my onbaord sound. (im using my onboard scard)
> Disabled ulps - via Trixx - double checked with regedit
> Enabled TdrDealy - 10
> and the final thing i did - this one killed me the most.
> INGAME - disabled vertical sync.
> I cannot believe V sync was causing the issue the whole time! with 11.12 drivers (also installed 12.7 CAP1 onto it) i noticed the flickering so i was like a setting in game must be causing it since windows was fine and all other games were fine. Enabled V Sync and boom, flickering stopped, game was playable - but then i noticed the crashing and the brrrr sound... hence on the path to find out *** was wrong with my rig/setup.
> Now with 12.7 beta drivers + 12.7 CAP 1 - no v sync on. i restarted my machine 3 times and run BF3 each time, and it wasn't crashing at all.2560xRes, ultra settings giving me high 40's low 50's now with everything on stock.
> one thing i did notice was the during the cut scene's (had render.drawfps 1) activate and noticed the FPS top right were in the high 90's hit 150 etc, very high numbers, when i had v sync enabled i notice it would sit at 60 and not move at all.
> Next test tonight is to put on MSI aftaB - and see if it crashes and to double check fps, gpu1&2 usage etc..
> Will also test a heaven bench to see if that still crashes as well, since i haven't done a bench on the 12.7 drivers cos 11.12 were crashing all the time!
> Hope this helps someone, but thankyou all for the assistance, much appreciated.


The only active sound device I have is my onboard sound. Ulps is disabled through registry (I have trifire so its a necessity). I don't use vsync at all. What is this tdrdelay you speak of and how do I do it? I have literal tried everything you say to try and nothing works. I get no blue screens, everything else, even YouTube works perfect. I don't get any crashing at all except this damn bf3 crap. Trust me, I monitor everything and know twice over there isn't a single problem with my computer. Simply put, this is on ea's shoulders. I have even freshed install with noting but bf3 and video drivers and it will still crash.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> The only active sound device I have is my onboard sound. Ulps is disabled through registry (I have trifire so its a necessity). I don't use vsync at all. What is this tdrdelay you speak of and how do I do it? I have literal tried everything you say to try and nothing works. I get no blue screens, everything else, even YouTube works perfect. I don't get any crashing at all except this damn bf3 crap. Trust me, I monitor everything and know twice over there isn't a single problem with my computer. Simply put, this is on ea's shoulders. I have even freshed install with noting but bf3 and video drivers and it will still crash.


TdrDelay - found that in this thread a number of pages back, at least i think it was this one! cant believe how big this has become!!!!

Under Regedit - Local machine ->graphics card or something along those lines.

Apparently its the delay windows and your GPU talk to each other. originally i think its set to 2. suggestion was made to make it 10. or at least i think its along those lines...

will find it and post it up for you.

sounds like your in the exact boat i was in, everything and i mean everything worked for me, bioshock2,starcraft2,skyrim,assassins creed... am going to try heaven3.0 - since that was the only other thing that crashed on me and i'm going to give mass effect 3 a go...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> I disagree, games installed via CD/DVD should work no probs, been playing games since i was 5yrs old on the good old C64 days. i believe any setup can run games its just a matter of working out your settings with your current build to see what is causing it. everything PC based is built to some degree of fondamentals in place so that all parts are similar in some retrospect, just needs alot of patience.
> But good news i found my settings!!!!
> I had a very similar case, screen locks up and then the brrrr sound lol.
> This is what i did to resolve.
> Disabled all palyback sound devices except my onbaord sound. (im using my onboard scard)
> Disabled ulps - via Trixx - double checked with regedit
> Enabled TdrDealy - 10
> and the final thing i did - this one killed me the most.
> INGAME - disabled vertical sync.
> I cannot believe V sync was causing the issue the whole time! with 11.12 drivers (also installed 12.7 CAP1 onto it) i noticed the flickering so i was like a setting in game must be causing it since windows was fine and all other games were fine. Enabled V Sync and boom, flickering stopped, game was playable - but then i noticed the crashing and the brrrr sound... hence on the path to find out *** was wrong with my rig/setup.
> Now with 12.7 beta drivers + 12.7 CAP 1 - no v sync on. i restarted my machine 3 times and run BF3 each time, and it wasn't crashing at all.2560xRes, ultra settings giving me high 40's low 50's now with everything on stock.
> one thing i did notice was the during the cut scene's (had render.drawfps 1) activate and noticed the FPS top right were in the high 90's hit 150 etc, very high numbers, when i had v sync enabled i notice it would sit at 60 and not move at all.
> Next test tonight is to put on MSI aftaB - and see if it crashes and to double check fps, gpu1&2 usage etc..
> Will also test a heaven bench to see if that still crashes as well, since i haven't done a bench on the 12.7 drivers cos 11.12 were crashing all the time!
> Hope this helps someone, but thankyou all for the assistance, much appreciated.


I believe someone said they fixed some sound related lockups by Disabling AMD / ATI's HD Audio Device in the Device Manager.... they may conflict with some Sound Processors if on the same IRQ.

I have 4 Audio Controllers and dont have any problems though
AMD High Definition Audio Device
Black Magic Audio
Ceton Audio Device
Creative SB X-Fi


----------



## FuriousPop

Crap!

Cant find it in this Thread, must of been else where... anywho...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers
in the root of that Create a new DWORD
Name it TdrDelay (case sensitive)
assign it a hexdecimal value of A
OR
assign it a decimal value of 10 - i did this one.

and presto.

From my understanding what it does is - Windows talks to the GPU on a regular basis to ensure its there and working correctly, think its every 2 secs or milli secs or something like that. however a game like BF3 when the GPU is at 98 - 99% usage it doesn't have time to talk to windows - so windows assumes the GPU is not responding and restarts it and hence you get a brrrrrrrrrrrrr sound and the game crashes.

Increasing that delay to 10 - gives it enough time to talk to each other.

When i did my research into this item i found the increasing it above 10 - could cause a negaitve effect as well - eg: still crashing - and keeping it below 4 also crashed certain games as well.....

Please do some research into this before you "just do it". i dont want to be held responsible for destroying your machine!!! - i too was warned when doing so. but i had just done a fresh install of windows so not fussed of losing anything on the drive and i am under the impression changing items in regedit effects software only and not hardware - someone confirm this?

found a few links so please read them.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-703888.html

http://www.overclock.net/t/1122815/display-driver-stopped-responding-and-recovered

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=696531

dont forget these 7970's very tempramental when it comes to heat - on furmark when i first got them i saw the cards in the high 70's degree's... after 12.7 drivers they haven't gone over the 70 point at all.
alot of factors to consider. my case still lieing flat on the floor since i cannot screw the dam monsters into the case!!! and if i put the machine upright (standard position) those cards will eventually come out! the things we do to get a machine going.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I believe someone said they fixed some sound related lockups by Disabling AMD / ATI's HD Audio Device in the Device Manager.... they may conflict with some Sound Processors if on the same IRQ.
> I have 4 Audio Controllers and dont have any problems though
> AMD High Definition Audio Device
> Black Magic Audio
> Ceton Audio Device
> Creative SB X-Fi


not sure about that one - i diasbled everything in my playback sound devices - but when installing the AMD drivers - i only did the express ones. I think your right with that as well since i remember reading that from someone a long way back who was trying to get several monitors going with sound and those settings were causing the issue and after disabling that resolved his issue.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Doing some preliminary testing on my new Sapphire 7970 OC's (to make sure they are good to go before installing the water blocks) and the first card is a beast! ASIC of 85.6% and a stock voltage of just 1049mV on BIOS 1. This card just did Heaven at 1200MHz and just 1125mV which is 75 mV lower than what my 7970 Lightning did! I'm hoping she'll do 1300+MHz on air...

One thing I do miss about the Lightnings though is the aesthetics. These Sapphires look pretty cheap in comparison and the top card already has a pronounced droop mounted in my 600T. Glad I got a TJ11 where droop isn't a problem!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Doing some preliminary testing on my new Sapphire 7970 OC's (to make sure they are good to go before installing the water blocks) and the first card is a beast! ASIC of 85.6% and a stock voltage of just 1049mV on BIOS 1. This card just did Heaven at 1200MHz and just 1125mV which is 75 mV lower than what my 7970 Lightning did! I'm hoping she'll do 1300+MHz on air...
> One thing I do miss about the Lightnings though is the aesthetics. These Sapphires look pretty cheap in comparison and the top card already has a pronounced droop mounted in my 600T. Glad I got a TJ11 where droop isn't a problem!


1200 Mhz on 1.125v. thats a nice chip. how does the 2nd card fare on air. also post more details with pics and game performance when the cards are water cooled and maxed out on OCs.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Still have the second card turned off on my RIVE until I can establish a max OC on the first. I will do tons of testing once my water cooled setup is done but it'll still be another couple of weeks before I can source all of my parts...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> 1200 Mhz on 1.125v. thats a nice chip. how does the 2nd card fare on air. also post more details with pics and game performance when the cards are water cooled and maxed out on OCs.


Most of the Sapph OC's will do 1200 at or near stock volts. Whether they can actually hit 1300 is a whole other story. I HAD two OC's, had. No 1300 no care. But if you are on air, they're probably the best air cards I've come across.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Still have the second card turned off on my RIVE until I can establish a max OC on the first. I will do tons of testing once my water cooled setup is done but it'll still be another couple of weeks before I can source all of my parts...


Come on dude!


----------



## Tslm

I thought I remember someone mailing AMD about stock volts on 7970s ages ago (just after release iirc) and they debunked the idea that lower stock volts = better? Was around the time where people were fishing for grey power connecters


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I thought I remember someone mailing AMD about stock volts on 7970s ages ago (just after release iirc) and they debunked the idea that lower stock volts = better? Was around the time where people were fishing for grey power connecters


My ideal card is a 73% asic card that can hit 1300/1750. I have two that fit that requirement, though all four can rock that frequency. Anyone wanna trade my 80% plus cards?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I thought I remember someone mailing AMD about stock volts on 7970s ages ago (just after release iirc) and they debunked the idea that lower stock volts = better? Was around the time where people were fishing for grey power connecters
> 
> 
> 
> My ideal card is a 73% asic card that can hit 1300/1750. I have two that fit that requirement, though all four can rock that frequency. Anyone wanna trade my 80% plus cards?
Click to expand...

Lol. I've got a 76.7% ASIC that does 1300 on water.







Too bad I can't afford water and now want to trade it for a quieter card.







I figure nobody will ever bite anyway, so I haven't even bothered with a marketplace ad, lol.


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> I thought I remember someone mailing AMD about stock volts on 7970s ages ago (just after release iirc) and they debunked the idea that lower stock volts = better? Was around the time where people were fishing for grey power connecters
> 
> 
> 
> My ideal card is a 73% asic card that can hit 1300/1750. I have two that fit that requirement, though all four can rock that frequency. Anyone wanna trade my 80% plus cards?
Click to expand...

Ill trade you 2 of my 70% cards for that orange bucket


----------



## antonis21

I am ready to buy sapphire 7970 oc but first i want to know if all of these cards have coil whine


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> I am ready to buy sapphire 7970 oc but first i want to know if all of these cards have coil whine


Some do, some don't. Most of them, the coil whine will go away after a while though. Mine had it really bad the first few days, then it just stopped doing it.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey guys, how do I find my default voltage?


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Hey guys, how do I find my default voltage?


Load up MSI Afterburner, and then click the "reset" option at the bottom so it'll reset the clocks to stock speed, that'll give you stock voltage.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Well as is typical of my luck, card number 2 has an ASIC of 65%, stock voltage of 1175mV and can barely hit 1200MHz on air. Same situation as my Lightnings, where one card could do nearly 1300 on air while the second struggled with 1200.







Neither card has coil whine that I can hear however.

So what should I do for my water setup? Sell off the ASIC 85% or the 65%? I don't really care what they'll do on air, just water. Any suggestions?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So my Sapphire 7970 OC cards come in today and I was looking up pics of the board without the cooler on and noticed the memory is covered by a kind of uni-sink. How am I supposed to install the FC7970 water blocks with this in place? Does it just come off? Anybody have any ideas or experience placing water blocks on this particular card?


They do come off just unscrew them from the back...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Well as is typical of my luck, card number 2 has an ASIC of 65%, stock voltage of 1175mV and can barely hit 1200MHz on air. Same situation as my Lightnings, where one card could do nearly 1300 on air while the second struggled with 1200.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Neither card has coil whine that I can hear however.
> So what should I do for my water setup? Sell off the ASIC 85% or the 65%? I don't really care what they'll do on air, just water. Any suggestions?


Getting @ 1300 card is difficult i would be happy if it can hit 1200 and call it a day, those extra 100mhz for what you need to get them with voltage and heat is not really worth it...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Getting @ 1300 card is difficult i would be happy if it can hit 1200 and call it a day, those extra 100mhz for what you need to get them with voltage and heat is not really worth it...


I'm going to be water cooling them so heat shouldn't be an issue. I'll be throwing as much voltage at them as I can to hit 1300MHz...


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm going to be water cooling them so heat shouldn't be an issue. I'll be throwing as much voltage at them as I can to hit 1300MHz...


That sucks man, I hope watercooling yields some better results.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm going to be water cooling them so heat shouldn't be an issue. I'll be throwing as much voltage at them as I can to hit 1300MHz...


The problem is this card with more voltage for 100mhz more dont perform the same as using lower voltages..
You barely going to see a difference on speed..


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Which would be better for water cooling with high voltage? ASIC of 65% or 85%?


----------



## eternal7trance

The lower ASIC score is supposed to be better on WC.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Which would be better for water cooling with high voltage? ASIC of 65% or 85%?


On my tests on both of my 7970's one with 60% and one with 80%
80% would clock and maintain stability better than the one with 60%...

60% card find a heatwall way faster... I always say this cards are weird they love lower voltages to perform better...

Watercooling is not so far ahead of aircooling to be honest with you, just a ease of mind on temps....
Reference cards can run up to 80-90c without problems..


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've noticed with testing two different 7970 Lightnings and 7970 OC's that artifacts tend to start showing up right at the 73C mark. With water cooling I don't expect my temps to ever reach 50C so that should make a pretty big difference....


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've noticed with testing two different 7970 Lightnings and 7970 OC's that artifacts tend to start showing up right at the 73C mark. With water cooling I don't expect my temps to ever reach 50C so that should make a pretty big difference....


That and the voltage drops... <== this is the main culprit
Like i said finding a 1300 card not easy, keeping those clocks stables just luck..


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> That and the voltage drops... <== this is the main culprit
> Like i said finding a 1300 card not easy, keeping those clocks stables just luck..


Speaking of finding a 1300 card. I'm still looking for someone with a 7970 that hits 1300 to try a few actual game benchmarks and maybe heaven 3.0. Just want a friendly comparison with mine.


----------



## Testier

I think mine might be able to pass through heaven.... not sure.
But I dont think it is stable in games.........
I think the heat is my issue with OCs......


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Speaking of finding a 1300 card. I'm still looking for someone with a 7970 that hits 1300 to try a few actual game benchmarks and maybe heaven 3.0. Just want a friendly comparison with mine.


Mine hits 1300/1950 and i know i can go bit higher on both specially on the memory (im only feeding the card with 1.235v) but right now ambient is so high for that...

3dmark11 (April18 drivers) so no extra boost on points like with the new cat drivers
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3748856


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Mine hits 1300/1950 and i know i can go bit higher on both specially on the memory (im only feeding the card with 1.235v) but right now ambient is so high for that...
> 3dmark11 (April18 drivers) so no extra boost on points like with the new cat drivers
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3748856


What about something besides 3dmark11? Looking for more real world stuff like Heaven or an actual game.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> What about something besides 3dmark11? Looking for more real world stuff like Heaven or an actual game.


Can do metro/crysis 2 and heaven but later as is too hot right now here...


----------



## antonis21

On monday i will have my new sapphire hd7970 oc


----------



## otl

Is it just me? cant find a 7970 run heaven 3 on youtube? The golden chips over 1200core? Have been looking for a heaven run 1920x1080 4x 4x normal tess. Someone know where i can find it?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *otl*
> 
> Is it just me? cant find a 7970 run heaven 3 on youtube? The golden chips over 1200core? Have been looking for a heaven run 1920x1080 4x 4x normal tess. Someone know where i can find it?


You and me both. I want a 7970 @ 1300mhz to compare to.


----------



## otl

Does it artifact at that overclock? Must be something? I mean, youtube, the popular site on net, nothing?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Which would be better for water cooling with high voltage? ASIC of 65% or 85%?


If you buy into the ASIC thing I would say the 85 is better. 65 is pretty low. But saying that, my 70% card could do 1240 with set volts of 1.3 (actual 1.25) on air. So ASIC is not reliable.

If I were you, I would run each at 100% fan & @ 1.3v and bench CRYSIS on a loop for 30mins until you reach the max for each card. It will give you a decent guide I think. I would not push higher than 1.3v though, higher is for water.

Both my cards are low 70s ASIC


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've noticed with testing two different 7970 Lightnings and *7970 OC's that artifacts tend to start showing up right at the 73C mark*. With water cooling I don't expect my temps to ever reach 50C so that should make a pretty big difference....


Same with my HD 7950.


----------



## BlackWS6

Well, something happened to my Sapphire 7970 OC. Can't even make it through Heaven on stock clocks without the screen going black and sound looping. Not even 30 days old so I've got an RMA into Newegg and will be getting a replacement. *sigh*

Even reinstalled windows and tried the 12.7 drivers (was on 12.3), even without afterburner it still does it. FRUSTRATING!!!


----------



## otl

Maybe your overclock had something to do with it?


----------



## Arrehenius

Has anyone had their GPU core clock stuck at idle speeds even when they play games?

The pass few times I've played BF3 my core clocks been at 500 MHZ, other times it was fine, not too sure what's up with it.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *otl*
> 
> Maybe your overclock had something to do with it?


Maybe... who knows... don't use it THAT much, and never got burning hot either. Crazy a card like this can degrade/burn up within 30 days of light use with that overclock (it's not THAT high).


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

That OC should not damage a card provided temps were OK....


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That OC should not damage a card provided temps were OK....


When playing BF3 I limited fps to 60, so the card wasn't even under 100% load and temps were always in the low 60's.

Only other time it was under load (which actually was quite often) was using DVD fab and using the GPU for decoding blurays to re-encode in MKV for my video server but the GPU was never at any higher than 20% usage when ripping.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've noticed with testing two different 7970 Lightnings and 7970 OC's that artifacts tend to start showing up right at the 73C mark. With water cooling I don't expect my temps to ever reach 50C so that should make a pretty big difference....


Thats what i though too but a extra 10-20Mhz drops that 73C wall to 45C wall for me. Water Cooling will not do much for a Bad overclocking card. You will et 20-30Mhz more compare to 100% fan speed at best.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Hey guys, silly question, what do you guys typically install AMD CCC to if you have ssd (operating system) + 2hdd (storage/games)? Have a new samsung 830 I installed last night and just wondering







.


----------



## otl

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That OC should not damage a card provided temps were OK....


But it did it anyway....That's strange.....Another strange thing is my posts on page 1288


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well, I've got a wanted thread up, but I figure this is where all the 7970 action is.









Any 7970 Dual X owners in here go water by chance? Willing to part with your stock Dual X cooler? (or any reference aftermarket cooler for air)? Please PM me if so.


----------



## Robert03570k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> Has anyone had their GPU core clock stuck at idle speeds even when they play games?
> The pass few times I've played BF3 my core clocks been at 500 MHZ, other times it was fine, not too sure what's up with it.


I had this happening too and I discovered it was because I had a video of some type (flash I think) playing while I was trying to play BF. It was stuck in 2d / video mode for some reason and it wasn't switching to 3d mode.


----------



## SkateZilla

you could search ebay (or sites of the like), I was able to find parts for alot of GPUs, (fried GPUs that users are selling as "parts", most people buy them for liek $30 hoping they can revive, I bought a card for $15 for the heatsink before.


----------



## Arrehenius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Robert03570k*
> 
> I had this happening too and I discovered it was because I had a video of some type (flash I think) playing while I was trying to play BF. It was stuck in 2d / video mode for some reason and it wasn't switching to 3d mode.


Awesome thanks for the info, I'll try closing all that junk and see how it goes


----------



## SkateZilla

Alt Enter a few times sometimes works.


----------



## Gibby24

With the new 12.6-12.7 drivers is anyone else experiencing grey screen while surfing the web? I'm currently running two profiles in Trixx on my 7970, one which is 1200/1800 @ 1.3v and the other at stock clocks/voltage. The overclock profile runs fine in games and benchmarks but crashes while browsing; I have to switch profiles when wanting to browse the web. I was wondering if it's just the new drivers or if there's a work around?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arrehenius*
> 
> Has anyone had their GPU core clock stuck at idle speeds even when they play games?
> The pass few times I've played BF3 my core clocks been at 500 MHZ, other times it was fine, not too sure what's up with it.


It's known problem and it's the Flash, indeed. While in game, press alt+enter, close the particular tab, close and re-open browser, re-enter full screen mode in game, done.


----------



## FuriousPop

Where is that Flash thing you have to disable in IE?

I cannot seem to find it at all.

Thought i was on a role with all the changes i had made and BOOM! BF3 Crashed on me last night.
Mind you im only playing via campaign through the BF3 shortcut, not going through the IE - so im not sure as to how the flash would still affect it, unless it runs in the background regardless IE open or not... but i have run out of ideas and have done everything i could find...BF3 and heaven 3.0 the last 2 things that crash on me....

Tested Mass effect 3 - OMG - looked awesome!!! only in some cut scene's did it drop to 33FPS - during game play first level was staying in the high 50's. 2560xRes, everything on high.... looks amazing!

Heaven still crashes on transition stage 5 - 6........ still very strange....


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey guys, my default voltages are 0.993. Does this mean I have a lot of room for overclocking?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Hey guys, my default voltages are 0.993. Does this mean I have a lot of room for overclocking?


You may, but then again, you may not. You'll have to try and see...


----------



## jam3s

Hey guys....

About to start OC'ing my two 7970's

Where should I start, I don't know much about AMD cards to begin with.

It's pretty simple right, just max the voltage slider, then up the core 20 Mhz at a time until I crash in heaven. Then lower the clocks accordingly to most stable.

Repeat with memory, 20MHz at a time.

Combine clocks, and voila?


----------



## Testier

I dont think my card can even run 1300 in heaven.......


----------



## jam3s

Also, how do I clock both cards individually without physically moving the cards into the first slot?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Too bad you don't have a Maximus board. On my Rampage I can just turn off the PCIE lanes that I don't want to use so I can just switch between the two cards at will. As far as OCing goes, I like to test each card individually moving up in 10MHz/mV increments and finding max clocks for each mV step. Most 7970's will do 1125MHz at stock voltage so that is where I always start. Set 1125MHz and leave voltage alone, then run Heaven all the way through. If it passes, bump it to 1135Mhz and so on until it crashes. then bump the voltage 10mV and repeat. Do that until you reach a clock speed that won't pass at max voltage and you have your max core speed. Then you can start dialing in your memory. I use 1650mV on the memory and that is usually good for 1600-1750MHz on the memory.

Once you get a max stable clock (core and memory) for each card you will know which is the weaker of the two and you will have to set up your CFX clocks with that weaker card in mind...

Oh, also forgot to mention that one of my 7970 OC's was indeed open box so I have put in an RMA request to Amazon. I hate to return it but I paid for a new card, not a return item. My RMA is already approved so I will hopefully get my new card by the end of the week...


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Too bad you don't have a Maximus board. On my Rampage I can just turn off the PCIE lanes that I don't want to use so I can just switch between the two cards at will. As far as OCing goes, I like to test each card individually moving up in 10MHz/mV increments and finding max clocks for each mV step. Most 7970's will do 1125MHz at stock voltage so that is where I always start. Set 1125MHz and leave voltage alone, then run Heaven all the way through. If it passes, bump it to 1135Mhz and so on until it crashes. then bump the voltage 10mV and repeat. Do that until you reach a clock speed that won't pass at max voltage and you have your max core speed. Then you can start dialing in your memory. I use 1650mV on the memory and that is usually good for 1600-1750MHz on the memory.
> Once you get a max stable clock (core and memory) for each card you will know which is the weaker of the two and you will have to set up your CFX clocks with that weaker card in mind...
> Oh, also forgot to mention that one of my 7970 OC's was indeed open box so I have put in an RMA request to Amazon. I hate to return it but I paid for a new card, not a return item. My RMA is already approved so I will hopefully get my new card by the end of the week...


Thank you sir.

I created a thread before you answered lol









But I still have some questions.

Thanks...

Jam3s


----------



## Tslm

Anyone notice with 12.6 WHQL slave cards don't clock down correctly? My 2nd card sits at 500MHz. Happens with 12.7 beta as well lol.

p-states are like the final boss for the AMD driver team. Back to good old RC11, I swear I'll be using it in 6 months time


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Who cares if the second card sits at 500MHz? Not a big deal IMO...

Besides, I'm running 12.6 WHQL and my slave card is at 300MHz at idle...


----------



## Tslm

Because its the difference between idling at 30c and 50c. It seems to go back to proper idle if I open and close a 3D app though. It just blows my mind that they still have this problem when replicating it is as easy as sticking more than one 7970 in a computer and turning it on


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Because its the difference between idling at 30c and 50c. It seems to go back to proper idle if I open and close a 3D app though. It just blows my mind that they still have this problem when replicating it is as easy as sticking more than one 7970 in a computer and turning it on


Yup. Still got it. I just run Furmark quickly and shut if off again. I use hibernate on my rig when I'm not using it, and the clock issue crops up even after coming out of hibernation. Does 12.7 fix this? And does anyone have GPUZ locking up the system with 12.6 WHQL?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Because its the difference between idling at 30c and 50c. It seems to go back to proper idle if I open and close a 3D app though. It just blows my mind that they still have this problem when replicating it is as easy as sticking more than one 7970 in a computer and turning it on
> 
> 
> 
> Yup. Still got it. I just run Furmark quickly and shut if off again. I use hibernate on my rig when I'm not using it, and the clock issue crops up even after coming out of hibernation. Does 12.7 fix this? And does anyone have GPUZ locking up the system with 12.6 WHQL?
Click to expand...

12.6 beta, 12.6 whql and 12.7 beta all have the problem. I didnt experience a GPUZ crash though. I'll stay with RC11 until 12.7 whql or whatever the next release is and give that a try


----------



## Evil Penguin

I have personally disabled flash video acceleration, it's too problematic.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I have personally disabled flash video acceleration, it's too problematic.


how do you do this?

Is it just going to ie 9 tools - advanced area - uncheck the GPU acceleration box?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Which would be better for water cooling with high voltage? ASIC of 65% or 85%?


How either card overclocks, ie max clocks is independent of the asic %. Disregarding the individual overclocking, 65% is better because it will actually be able to run more voltage. Ideal card imo is 73%, right square in the middle at 1.175. That said 65% is closer to ideal for LN2 duty than water.


----------



## Rebelord

Sup guys. Picked up a MSI TF3 7950.
Read about ASIC quality here in this thread. Intrigued me. So checked out my card. 86.4%
Prompted me to try out some overclocking.

Core: 1000Mhz
Mem: 1574Mhz

Is where I am at. Yea, you could say its the max from default sliders in CCC software, but I did slowly bump Core till I hit 1k, the backed down to stock 880, then brought up Mem till 1575. Then both up.
So far so good. Ran MSI Kombuster 1920x1080 8x MSAA for 2hrs just fine. Max temp of 72* and running a fairly linear fan profile. Stays nice n quiet.

Overall, love this card much better than my old 4890s in xfire. Mainly because under any load it doesnt sound like I have twin jet engines running.

Rebelord


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Because its the difference between idling at 30c and 50c. It seems to go back to proper idle if I open and close a 3D app though. It just blows my mind that they still have this problem when replicating it is as easy as sticking more than one 7970 in a computer and turning it on


Your slave card @ 500mhz idles at 50c?


----------



## Tslm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tslm*
> 
> Because its the difference between idling at 30c and 50c. It seems to go back to proper idle if I open and close a 3D app though. It just blows my mind that they still have this problem when replicating it is as easy as sticking more than one 7970 in a computer and turning it on
> 
> 
> 
> Your slave card @ 500mhz idles at 50c?
Click to expand...

Yea, im assuming because the fan speed doesnt budge. They get to 75c or so under full load which is fine


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> how do you do this?
> Is it just going to ie 9 tools - advanced area - uncheck the GPU acceleration box?


For YouTube I right click the video, go into settings and disable it from there.

Not sure if that applies to all flash based GPU accelerated videos.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

So, I'm glad I got the XFX DD 7950, but the cooling kind of sucks balls. I've got it running at 1100 @ 1.1 volts, and I had to set a custom fan profile. At 65% fan speed, I'm still seeing temps as high as 77 C on this guy. It was only $300 though, so I can't really complain too much. I'm also in the TJ-08E, which is a case that is a little hotter for graphics cards.


----------



## switchblade

If u have a case that isnt so good with ventilation its best to go with a reference cooler instead of 1 that exhausts into the case


----------



## vonalka

Does anyone know if there is a way to leave fan control set at auto but have it run faster before the cards get two hot? My main card get up to 90c with my current OC on auto fans when I play BF3, and while I am sure that is still safe, it would probably extend the life if the card to keep the temp in the 80's.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Does anyone know if there is a way to leave fan control set at auto but have it run faster before the cards get two hot? My main card get up to 90c with my current OC on auto fans when I play BF3, and while I am sure that is still safe, it would probably extend the life if the card to keep the temp in the 80's.


You can use afterburner to create a custom fan profile that jacks up the speed when it hits a certain temp.


----------



## darkstar585

Anyone know the best place on the ref 7970 pcb to measure vdroop on the vcore? I want to know what i am actually running on full load plus i am itching at the bit to try out my new multimeter


----------



## Malcom28

registered.
Sapphire HD 7970 3GB Ref 1100/1500 1.10V


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Does anyone know if there is a way to leave fan control set at auto but have it run faster before the cards get two hot? My main card get up to 90c with my current OC on auto fans when I play BF3, and while I am sure that is still safe, it would probably extend the life if the card to keep the temp in the 80's.


Create a custom fan profile using msi afterburner. This will allow you to create your own auto speed depending on temperatures.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Create a custom fan profile using msi afterburner. This will allow you to create your own auto speed depending on temperatures.


thanks


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> thanks


No problem, check the software out and if you need help, give me a pm.


----------



## UNOE

In battlefield with three 7970's I get 100% usage across all three cards. But with 3Dmarks I'm only getting GPU1 100%, GPU2 50%, GPU3 50%. What is going on ?


----------



## YangerD

Hey guys, I'm looking to upgrade my 5770 to a 7970 and I have a few questions:

1. I my current rig going to be capable of running the 7970 and will I be bottle necked at all?
2. How much of a performance boost would I be getting with this upgrade (generally speaking of course)
3. Which 7970 should I get?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Most of the Sapph OC's will do 1200 at or near stock volts. Whether they can actually hit 1300 is a whole other story. I HAD two OC's, had. No 1300 no care. But if you are on air, they're probably the best air cards I've come across.
> Come on dude!


LOL. This rad setup dropped my gpu temps 10c max gpu clocks in Heaven, and the pump wasn't even at 60% duty cycle. CPU doesn't get hit that card so pump hardly ramps up. Hmm, I should redo my PWM curves now lol. Current curve hits 95% DC at 60c on cpu (old loop setup) but the cpu maxes at 48c (new loop setup) doh.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *YangerD*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm looking to upgrade my 5770 to a 7970 and I have a few questions:
> 1. I my current rig going to be capable of running the 7970 and will I be bottle necked at all?
> 2. How much of a performance boost would I be getting with this upgrade (generally speaking of course)
> 3. Which 7970 should I get?


You might get slightly lower fps than core i5 2500k. But you won't be bottlenecked in a major way. As for the graphics consider one of these Gigabyte HD 7970 Windforce or Sapphire HD 7970 OC Dual X. gigabyte has 3 yr warranty while sapphire has 2 yr warranty . pick the one you like.

http://hardocp.com/article/2012/02/08/gigabyte_radeon_hd_7970_oc_video_card_review/
http://hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/


----------



## YangerD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> You might get slightly lower fps than core i5 2500k. But you won't be bottlenecked in a major way. As for the graphics consider one of these Gigabyte HD 7970 Windforce or Sapphire HD 7970 OC Dual X. gigabyte has 3 yr warranty while sapphire has 2 yr warranty . pick the one you like.
> http://hardocp.com/article/2012/02/08/gigabyte_radeon_hd_7970_oc_video_card_review/
> http://hardocp.com/article/2012/04/10/sapphire_hd_7970_oc_edition_video_card_review/


So I'll be fine running one of these 7970's right?


----------



## FuriousPop

This crossfire is driving me crazy.

Is BF3 just a piece of crap? or is it the cards. i would like to think the cards are fine since skyrim and mass efect 3 played just fine maxed out on 2560xRes. so i am guess BF3 is a piece of [email protected]^#$%[email protected]#%^$...

Have done every possible settings change i could find - unless there are some others to be done in CCC itself???

but my patience is running thin, been rattling my brain for 1 week now and still 40 - 50 FPS regardless vsync on or off on ultra settings, 2560xRes and still it either crashes or it works fine at random times - still think the FPS are low on the 1 monitor only.....

i would get 2 / 10 runs fine and can play camp up to the roof where sniper is on first level (normally i quit by then due to seeing the 40 - 50 FPS)....

Can someone screenshot for me their settings in CCC so i can compare to my 2x7970 top's crossfire and see what the difference is....

I even took off page file and disablled auto set - since i got 4x4 trident ram so i dont think amount is the problem.....

any assistance would be great.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *YangerD*
> 
> So I'll be fine running one of these 7970's right?


Can always think you upgrade your rig later on if your holding it back slightly, even if the card does not do 100% due to cpu or such is holding things back, just add some MSAA or quality and you be fine.
resolution at 1920x1080 a 7950 is as good and make no difference in practice with gaming. 2560 is another story.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> This crossfire is driving me crazy.
> Is BF3 just a piece of crap? or is it the cards. i would like to think the cards are fine since skyrim and mass efect 3 played just fine maxed out on 2560xRes. so i am guess BF3 is a piece of [email protected]^#$%[email protected]#%^$...
> Have done every possible settings change i could find - unless there are some others to be done in CCC itself???
> but my patience is running thin, been rattling my brain for 1 week now and still 40 - 50 FPS regardless vsync on or off on ultra settings, 2560xRes and still it either crashes or it works fine at random times - still think the FPS are low on the 1 monitor only.....
> i would get 2 / 10 runs fine and can play camp up to the roof where sniper is on first level (normally i quit by then due to seeing the 40 - 50 FPS)....
> Can someone screenshot for me their settings in CCC so i can compare to my 2x7970 top's crossfire and see what the difference is....
> I even took off page file and disablled auto set - since i got 4x4 trident ram so i dont think amount is the problem.....
> any assistance would be great.


driver?


----------



## FuriousPop

wrong quote!

Drivers:
12.7 beta with 12.7 Cap 1 - think i put it in my sig as well.

Previous tried 11.12 with CAP 1 - this was giving random BSOD.

Tried the 12.4 with CAP 1 - this gave random BSOD as well.


----------



## AzN1337c0d3r

Here's mine: 3x 7970 @ 1200/1650, 21530

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3764598


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *YangerD*
> 
> So I'll be fine running one of these 7970's right?


Yer not gonna be bottlenecked if that's what you're asking. If you add a second card, you will then be bottlenecked but not with just one card.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> wrong quote!
> Drivers:
> 12.7 beta with 12.7 Cap 1 - think i put it in my sig as well.
> Previous tried 11.12 with CAP 1 - this was giving random BSOD.
> Tried the 12.4 with CAP 1 - this gave random BSOD as well.


How does one card do?
If one card do well we can suspect some pci bridge communication or incompability somewhere.
However, since bsod happens, I suggest try one card, run test and game, and then shift to the other and try it the same.
(pain to do but)
if both cards work then there is a compability thing somewhere. (my best guess)


----------



## eternal7trance

What kind of overclocks are you guys getting with your 7950s?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> In battlefield with three 7970's I get 100% usage across all three cards. But with 3Dmarks I'm only getting GPU1 100%, GPU2 50%, GPU3 50%. What is going on ?


All drivers since 12.5 beta have been trash for 3+ gpu benchmarking. The same happens to me with my three lightnings. Its a driver problem but since gaming works great I'll happily stay with 12.7 beta


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> No problem, check the software out and if you need help, give me a pm.


It worked great - using the customer fan profile I created I was able to OC both cards much more and maintain reasonable temps.


----------



## kahboom

Is there any BIOS editing guide yet for the HD 7950 or 7970 cards yet


----------



## Exostenza

So I have a chance to switch out my low AISC card for a higher one that has a lower stock voltage. Should I do this because it should in theory OC better or should I just stick with and be happy with my rock solid 1200/1650 @ v1.225 core / stock voltage on RAM?


----------



## antonis21

What is the best driver for hd7970?I am going to recieve the card tomorrow with bf3


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exostenza*
> 
> So I have a chance to switch out my low AISC card for a higher one that has a lower stock voltage. Should I do this because it should in theory OC better or should I just stick with and be happy with my rock solid 1200/1650 @ v1.225 core / stock voltage on RAM?


Stick with it and be happy since there's nothing wrong with it.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

One card down boys, one to go!


----------



## Arni90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> One card down boys, one to go!


I like what I'm seeing








Here's mine:


----------



## YangerD

Beautiful man!! Can't wait to see those inside your system!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> One card down boys, one to go!


You better run some coolant lol.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Is there any BIOS editing guide yet for the HD 7950 or 7970 cards yet


Cannot edit voltage thru bios due to the digital signing. No point in trying to hex edit anything else really.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> One card down boys, one to go!


Nice, did you test on air first or going straight to the blocks?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Tested that card. ASIC of 85.5% and does 1220mhz at 1150mV. Currently testing card #2 which has an ASIC of 83.4% and 1112mV stock voltage...


----------



## BradleyW

If a 7970 is overclocked to the same speeds of a GHz edition 7970, will they perform the same?


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If a 7970 is overclocked to the same speeds of a GHz edition 7970, will they perform the same?


In my opinion, yes. It have to be clocked at 7970 ghz max boost freq imo.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> In my opinion, yes. It have to be clocked at 7970 ghz max boost freq imo.


Which would be 1050/1600 right?
So my card at that speed will be the same as a Ghz edition. No core changes with the Ghz edition?


----------



## MooMoo

Question about MSI AB: Is it normal when you want to change voltage by 5mV, it does but instead of 5mV it raises it 6mV, sometimes even more?








Im running 2.2.1 version and Catalyst 12.6.


----------



## Aaron91

Recently got myself 2 7970 Lightnings, something odd struck me though. As I was looking through MSI afterburner and switched on voltage control I noticed my Primary card was running at 1174 mVolts and my Secondary card at 1112 mVolts. Both were untouched. Anyone have an idea why?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

There are several default voltages for 7970's depending on how "good" your chip is. Generally lower stock voltages are better chips (with higher ASIC's) but not always. I have three Sapphire 7970 OC's in my possession right now and one has a stock voltage of 1049mV (ASIC 86.5%) while another has a stock voltage of 1175mV (ASIC 68%)...


----------



## Aaron91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> There are several default voltages for 7970's depending on how "good" your chip is. Generally lower stock voltages are better chips (with higher ASIC's) but not always. I have three Sapphire 7970 OC's in my possession right now and one has a stock voltage of 1049mV (ASIC 86.5%) while another has a stock voltage of 1175mV (ASIC 68%)...


Thanks for clearing that up, makes sense since the secondary card has a 83% asic and the primary card has a 68% asic rating.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Alright guys, I've got my 7950 stable at 1100/1435 at 1.1 volts. I would up it, but I'm worried about temps - at 63% fan speed, I'm getting temps at around 75 C. I really don't want to hit the 80's.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> What kind of overclocks are you guys getting with your 7950s?


Pg1 has list with clocks, voltage ect.

I run my Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz Edition at 1300/1600 1.22v.

It can go faster but where I am at right now is a sweet spot for gaming.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Alright guys, I've got my 7950 stable at 1100/1435 at 1.1 volts. I would up it, but I'm worried about temps - at 63% fan speed, I'm getting temps at around 75 C. I really don't want to hit the 80's.


those clocks are decent. you should not bother to go higher given your temps.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> One card down boys, one to go!


Looking forward to you hitting 1250 - 1300 Mhz in CF and posting some bad ass scores in games (BF3, Crysis 2, Metro 2033) and benchmarks like unigine heaven. Settle this HD 7970 vs GTX 680 thread debate which has been going on for too long once and for all .


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Which would be 1050/1600 right?
> So my card at that speed will be the same as a Ghz edition. No core changes with the Ghz edition?


exactly the same.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Hey folks for trifire 7970 whats the best driver for crysis 2 and skyrim cause every driver i try 12.2 and up is choppy


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Hey folks for trifire 7970 whats the best driver for crysis 2 and skyrim cause every driver i try 12.2 and up is choppy


12.6? support trifie and 12.4 I think.


----------



## Derko1

I sent my set of cards back to Amazon, because of flickering and artifacting I was getting in games. The new cards are better than the old ones... one is 83ASIC and the other 72ASiC... as opposed to 60 and 67 for my old cards. I was able to get a stable OC of 1224/1780 with these cards.









Now, does anyone know of a fix for AB applying OC'd clocks all the time? I remember something about the profiles, but I can't put the clocks down to what the 2d clocks are normally. Plus I also have the issue with sound cutting out through HDMI/mDP, because of AB. I'm using the latest 12.7 Betas.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> I sent my set of cards back to Amazon, because of flickering and artifacting I was getting in games. The new cards are better than the old ones... one is 83ASIC and the other 72ASiC... as opposed to 60 and 67 for my old cards. I was able to get a stable OC of 1224/1780 with these cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now, does anyone know of a fix for AB applying OC'd clocks all the time? I remember something about the profiles, but I can't put the clocks down to what the 2d clocks are normally. Plus I also have the issue with sound cutting out through HDMI/mDP, because of AB. I'm using the latest 12.7 Betas.


Can you tell me what was your cards? Which company?


----------



## jam3s

Hey guys,

Anyone tried the 12.7 beta drivers?

I'm running 12.6 beta, I'm having great performance, but they're the only drivers I've tried.

My question is, are they stable, and is it worth the upgrade?

These are basically my first AMD cards -- when I'm installing new drivers, how do I go about installing new ones?

Driver Sweeper in Safe Mode?


----------



## Thracks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> Anyone tried the 12.7 beta drivers?
> 
> I'm running 12.6 beta, I'm having great performance, but they're the only drivers I've tried.
> 
> My question is, are they stable, and is it worth the upgrade?
> 
> These are basically my first AMD cards -- when I'm installing new drivers, how do I go about installing new ones?
> 
> Driver Sweeper in Safe Mode?


This is how I install EVERY driver update:
1) Open add/remove programs and remove all Catalyst software.

2) This guide: http://pastebin.com/T7dKkPLh

Using this method I have *never* had a bluescreen, except for the CrossFire/Eyefinity bug we had in Cat 12.4. I've successfully used every driver release (beta or WHQL) since July of _last year_ without a hitch on my CrossFire 5870s.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> This is how I install EVERY driver update:
> 1) Open add/remove programs and remove all Catalyst software.
> 2) This guide: http://pastebin.com/T7dKkPLh
> Using this method I have *never* had a bluescreen, except for the CrossFire/Eyefinity bug we had in Cat 12.4. I've successfully used every driver release (beta or WHQL) since July of _last year_ without a hitch on my CrossFire 5870s.


Ok great.

Now I'm forced to try WHQL 12.6 or beta 12.7 because for some reason I'm getting 30% usage in CF on my second card...

Something is wrong. I'm hoping a driver update will fix this.

Before I had no issues with 12.6 beta at all, and I just fired up mw3 and CSGO only to see half my FPS and really ugly graphics and a horrible "feel" to the game -- ie no smoothness.

I really don't know what's wrong here.

What's worse, I can't seem to be able to download the driver from AMD's site. It times out when I click "Download"


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> This is how I install EVERY driver update:
> 1) Open add/remove programs and remove all Catalyst software.
> 2) This guide: http://pastebin.com/T7dKkPLh
> Using this method I have *never* had a bluescreen, except for the CrossFire/Eyefinity bug we had in Cat 12.4. I've successfully used every driver release (beta or WHQL) since July of _last year_ without a hitch on my CrossFire 5870s.


*Absolutely wrong.*

This method does not delete the components of the driver only the 'surface' values, where it anyway they replaced by the new ones.


----------



## Thracks

We use a third-party hosting company, named Akamai, which most big companies use, to host driver downloads. They are having issues this morning, which explains why you can't grab the driver right now. Just keep trying.


----------



## Thracks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> This is how I install EVERY driver update:
> 1) Open add/remove programs and remove all Catalyst software.
> 2) This guide: http://pastebin.com/T7dKkPLh
> Using this method I have *never* had a bluescreen, except for the CrossFire/Eyefinity bug we had in Cat 12.4. I've successfully used every driver release (beta or WHQL) since July of _last year_ without a hitch on my CrossFire 5870s.
> 
> 
> 
> *Absolutely wrong.*
> 
> This method does not delete the components of the driver only the 'surface' values, where it anyway they replaced by the new ones.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid you're incorrect. Add/Remove removes the full Catalyst suite + CIM from the system. DriverSweeper clears out the directories and the INF files, if any remain. CCLeaner cleans the registry of entries Windows generated. And the other steps in safe mode make sure there are no traces of the original driver left.


----------



## Derko1

ATIMan is by far the best and does all the methods that people usually do, combined. I would always defend the CCC uninstaller, but when I switched cards and did it my way and noticed that I had issues. ATIMan fixed the issues.


----------



## jam3s

Thracks, once I download the 12.7 beta successfully (once AMD's site is fixed) and install the new driver, do you think this will fix the fact that I'm getting piss-poor performance out of no where?


----------



## amstech

If you can't get it no matter what you do you can always do a reformat and re-install.
I had to do that for my 6970 once, coming from CrossfireX 5770's.

If your familiar with Radeons driver sets you should be able to remove them and install new ones without any problems.
Driver sweeper like programs can make things worse, I've never had to use safe mode either.

Although I do believe users when they say they needed to, nothing surprises me with Radeons driver suite.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *amstech*
> 
> If you can't get it no matter what you do you can always do a reformat and re-install.
> I had to do that for my 6970 once, coming from CrossfireX 5770's.
> If your familiar with Radeons driver sets you should be able to remove them and install new ones without any problems.
> Driver sweeper like programs can make things worse, I've never had to use safe mode either.
> Although I do believe users when they say they needed to, nothing surprises me with Radeons driver suite.


Was this in response to my above question?

I'm getting really bad performance right now on my second card, and games run awful at the moment.

Seemingly out of nowhere, however, I had an overclock on both cards and it seems my cards didn't like the overclock









For reference it was 1125MHz core at stock volts + maybe a bit on Core volts just to make sure it was ok.


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> I'm afraid you're incorrect. Add/Remove removes the full Catalyst suite + CIM from the system. DriverSweeper clears out the directories and the INF files, if any remain. CCLeaner cleans the registry of entries Windows generated. And the other steps in safe mode make sure there are no traces of the original driver left.


I am absolutely sure what I say.
All the main parameters remains in these _HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}_ fields.

The parameters because it is different from one driver to another if not deleted still active when the new driver is less than or different from the previous.

If not delete that values drivers will not work exactly with the parameters set for him, resulting in malfunctions.

Ccleaner or driver sweeper doesn't delete any of that values......


----------



## jam3s

lol, if I don't get any help in the next few minutes, I'll probably list both cards up for sale

LOL


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomas Moor*
> 
> I am absolutely sure what I say.
> All the main parameters remains in these _HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}_ fields.
> The parameters because it is different from one driver to another if not deleted still active when the new driver is less than or different from the previous.
> If not delete that values drivers will not work exactly with the parameters set for him, resulting in malfunctions.
> Ccleaner or driver sweeper doesn't delete any of that values......


Those don't need and should not be deleted. You may bsod. The only one that needs to be deleted is Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318.

I don't use/dislike atiman, and I think it and driversweeper is poop.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> lol, if I don't get any help in the next few minutes, I'll probably list both cards up for sale
> LOL


LOL James. Read that thread I linked in your help mah overclock 7970s. How to do whatever with drivers is there. It's really not hard man.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Thracks, once I download the 12.7 beta successfully (once AMD's site is fixed) and install the new driver, do you think this will fix the fact that I'm getting piss-poor performance out of no where?


Chill out man. Did u put these cards into a fresh windows or did you just directly put them in and install 12.6? I personally would do a fresh install of windows and install 12.7 plus cap if you didn't. Also, have you even looked into disabling ulps? Helps allow with cfx setups.

But if you are that frustrated I'm sure someone else would love to enjoy your two cards.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Chill out man. Did u put these cards into a fresh windows or did you just directly put them in and install 12.6? I personally would do a fresh install of windows and install 12.7 plus cap if you didn't. Also, have you even looked into disabling ulps? Helps allow with cfx setups.
> But if you are that frustrated I'm sure someone else would love to enjoy your two cards.


Haha. Seems like a lot of work just for Crossfire, tbh.

I guess I'll re-install.

Probably no point yet since I can't nab the driver from AMD's site (it is down)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Haha. Seems like a lot of work just for Crossfire, tbh.
> I guess I'll re-install.
> Probably no point yet since I can't nab the driver from AMD's site (it is down)


Reinstall just to install drivers? How inept is this (not directed at you)? Sorry, it's simple to do a driver clean w/o resorting to 3rd party tools if you only know how. Btw, what was wrong with 12.6 for you?


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Reinstall just to install drivers? How inept is this (not directed at you)? Sorry, it's simple to do a driver clean w/o resorting to 3rd party tools if you only know how. Btw, what was wrong with 12.6 for you?


I'm geting really weird usage.

I was getting 100% or 99% on both cards in CSGO and MW3 before, now, I'm getting this:

Before I had no problems.

usage.png 982k .png file


Also ULPS is disabled. (Just did it) and no fix.

Besides, AMD's site won't let me DL the 12.6 or 12.7 beta drivers -- not sure why


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> I'm geting really weird usage.
> I was getting 100% or 99% on both cards in CSGO and MW3 before, now, I'm getting this:
> Before I had no problems.
> 
> usage.png 982k .png file
> 
> Also ULPS is disabled. (Just did it) and no fix.
> Besides, AMD's site won't let me DL the 12.6 or 12.7 beta drivers -- not sure why


GPU usage is 1 part hardware, 1 part driver, and equal parts game design.

You can only really deal with your hardware and driver. Beyond that you have to hope it is optimized in the game. That said, I would have AB display the GPU usage in the OSD, you know what that is right? Then fire up a known game that works and check usage.

What yer trying to do is prove that the hardware/driver works, preferably in known quantity/game. You can even use Heaven too. I don't play MW3... er well I did for 5 minutes, did not like.









Anyways, you have to prove to yourself that you can get proper usage in other games/apps first to narrow it down. If you have no clue, then there's no point in changing drivers.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> GPU usage is 1 part hardware, 1 part driver, and equal parts game design.
> You can only really deal with your hardware and driver. Beyond that you have to hope it is optimized in the game. That said, I would have AB display the GPU usage in the OSD, you know what that is right? Then fire up a known game that works and check usage.
> What yer trying to do is prove that the hardware/driver works, preferably in known quantity/game. You can even use Heaven too. I don't play MW3... er well I did for 5 minutes, did not like.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyways, you have to prove to yourself that you can get proper usage in other games/apps first to narrow it down. If you have no clue, then there's no point in changing drivers.


Heh, I'm selling em.

I don't have time for AMD lol.

I have NEVER had a problem with nVidia. Ever.


----------



## Derko1

Have you tried disabling ULPS. It looks like that maybe the issue... if you're using Afterburner... uninstall it and see if that fixes the issue. I have an issue with mine where it's a hit or miss that the second card will come on... or it will come on, but stay at idle clocks and so only like 20-40% gets used.

Give it a try!


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Reinstall just to install drivers? How inept is this (not directed at you)? Sorry, it's simple to do a driver clean w/o resorting to 3rd party tools if you only know how. Btw, what was wrong with 12.6 for you?


The point is he obviously has tried quite a few things to clean these out and most likely has really messed up the back end so now he is having problems that would take the same time to fix than todo a fresh install. As iv said before, it takes less that 2 hours (1 for me) to get your system to how u had it prior to the fresh install. It will take him that long just to search out the proper way to clean these drivers out and fix whatever problem is occurring on the back end. Clearly he has tried just uninstalling by the methods that we know make a mess of things


----------



## Andrazh

Does anyone have sapphire 7950 watercooled and has the black aluminium cover for ram and vrm's lying around?
This:
http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/Sapphire-Radeon-HD-7950-3GB-GDDR5-(11196-00-40G)-PCB.jpg

I'm willing to pay for it.


----------



## amstech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Reinstall just to install drivers? How inept is this (not directed at you)? *Sorry, it's simple to do a driver clean w/o resorting to 3rd party tools if you only know how.* Btw, what was wrong with 12.6 for you?


You must be new to enthusiast gaming, and especially driver issues with Radeons.

Parts of the driver suite/install can become corrupt and sometimes no matter what '3rd party' tools or any methods you try, it will not work.
For the best performance with no hassles, a clean install is the best solution if all other options exhaust themselves.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Don't get TSM going on Windows reinstalls. He yells at me every time I suggest that too!


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey guys, I get minor flickering shadows like in all my games. It's not like any of the problems on youtube, the shadows are all just incredibly wavy and flickery around the edges if they move. Anyone have any troubleshooting tips for this? I'm on the 12.7 drivers.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Don't get TSM going on Windows reinstalls. He yells at me every time I suggest that too!


Well, reinstalling windows sometimes is not the most efficient method... effective yes, efficient no









Still, i prefer the usage of Atimans uninstaller. Has been helpful the last 2 years to me, adding and removing more than 30 beta and original catalyst drivers!
The good thing with atimans uninstaller is that it completely brings your system to a brand new installation status, meaning that it also deletes your previous catalyst settings though!

The only problem i have come across so far with atimans uninstaller is when the controlsets are messy in the registry eg there are users with controlset 005 while there should only be 000, 001, 002. In that case the registry is usually so messy, that it is better to do a fresh installation.

Once more, allow me to say that most of the driver problems have been caused by usage of incomplete/unofficial drivers usage! The last version of atimans uninstaller can identify of proper CIM installation or not and proceeds accordingly, even when such incomplete drivers have been used!

Check post 1 of his thread for latest Atimans uninstaller program (with ulps control utility, and ccc delay function change utility)


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Don't get TSM going on Windows reinstalls. He yells at me every time I suggest that too!


Lol me too. Hes like the friendly IT admin at the office, he will set you up, answer any questions, but don't u dare ask him to port forward anything because it would apparently cause the office to burn to the ground.

Obviously no one WANTS to reinstall windows, and it really should be the last line on the check list, but since many people are not very familiar with the registry and INF, it is only expected that these people can/will muck up their system trying 30 different ways to clean out their drivers. And at that point, the time and energy saved by just reinstalling is well worth it. Reinstalling takes but an hour or 2 if you keep yourself organized in the least. Working with a clean slate is always nice as well.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Here's a video illustrating what kind of shadows I get (this is obv a video of a GTX 580, but I get the same thing):


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Here's a video illustrating what kind of shadows I get (this is obv a video of a GTX 580, but I get the same thing):


Do you get this in all games?


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Do you get this in all games?


Yes.


----------



## jam3s

Hey guys...

Finally AMD's site allowed me to download 12.7 Beta drivers.

I used Atiman in conjunction with removing AMD's drivers through the 'program manager'

and installed 12.7 Beta with 12.7 CAP 1

Just for kicks I re-installed MSi Afterburner to the latest, 2.2.2

No problems to report here.

EDIT: I also disabled ULPS.

Working like a charm. Usage is normal for both cards now.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Good to hear James! AMD drivers are definitely not as easy to deal with as Nvidia's but unlocked voltage and true overclocking are worth it to me...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Yes.


You might have to replace the card or try to rule out software issues.


----------



## Tomas Moor

I am glad that the system works as it should.
Atiman Uninstaller doing a great job.

Enjoy your cards.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> You might have to replace the card or try to rule out software issues.


Other people have reported similar issues, so I think it may be drivers. Other people here have had weird shadows and such with their 7000 series cards, right?


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Good to hear James! AMD drivers are definitely not as easy to deal with as Nvidia's but unlocked voltage and true overclocking are worth it to me...


I'm glad. Because these cards are amazing


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Other people have reported similar issues, so I think it may be drivers. Other people here have had weird shadows and such with their 7000 series cards, right?


Not sure. I've not had issues on my end.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Well, I can't tell whether it's the card thats causing it or the drivers. Makes me want to get a 670. -.-


----------



## KaRLiToS

Can someone help me remove old GPU registry. Or do I have to do a fresh Windows Install?

Like in ULPS, I have 8 different cards. I have 3 old 6970 registry and 5 new ones because I tested two others before adding my triple 7970.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I would personally do a fresh install, especially with as badass a system as you are building. I'd want everything brand new...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can someone help me remove old GPU registry. Or do I have to do a fresh Windows Install?
> Like in ULPS, I have 8 different cards. I have 3 old 6970 registry and 5 new ones because I tested two others before adding my triple 7970.


OCD?

You leave that set alone. Only one you need to delete or want to is def not that one. Read the part on manual uninstall, walks you thru cleaning the registry.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


----------



## Thracks

You can delete the entire tree, but you have to make sure you remove the VGA adapter from device manager and re-add it before rebooting, or your system will not boot correctly.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can someone help me remove old GPU registry. Or do I have to do a fresh Windows Install?
> Like in ULPS, I have 8 different cards. I have 3 old 6970 registry and 5 new ones because I tested two others before adding my triple 7970.


Check PM... Doctor is here


----------



## RB Snake

Any of you run Xfire 7970... what's your FPS on BF3 ultra preset 1080p? In that game do you notice the dif between 60 and 120hz?

Considering adding second 7970 for xfire, and getting a 120hz just for gaming as I already have a Catleap. Crossfire scalling with the new drivers is good I hear? Do you guys reckon I could run a 7990(When they're out?) of a 650w PSU? It'd save me money not having to upgrade PSU for 7970 xfire.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RB Snake*
> 
> Any of you run Xfire 7970... what's your FPS on BF3 ultra preset 1080p? In that game do you notice the dif between 60 and 120hz?
> Considering adding second 7970 for xfire, and getting a 120hz just for gaming as I already have a Catleap. Crossfire scalling with the new drivers is good I hear? Do you guys reckon I could run a 7990(When they're out?) of a 650w PSU? It'd save me money not having to upgrade PSU for 7970 xfire.


Yes yes and yes. When I only had 2 lightnings I could run ultra and all aa settings to max and the min fps was about 110 average 120. I also bought a Ben 2420xt and let me tell you, the difference between 60hz and 120hz is stupid awesome lol. Seriously, for me it was like jumping to a whole level of gaming. You don't realize just how choppy and slow 60hz is until you have bf3 at Max with a 120hz screen. This screen is probably the best purchase I have made for my system. You will have nostalgic crt memories when you first start to use the 120hz just on the desktop lol.

I have heard that fps sensitivity depends on the person but what I will say is me and my friend will never use anything less than 120hz ever again (which means alot of $ on gfx cards lol)

I will say I would get a larger psu, you _could_ run it on a 650w but if u overclock (which u should) you will be riding that psu to the grave. An 850w would help but I would get 1000w for the sake of future investment. That i5 2500 is a bit concerning though.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can someone help me remove old GPU registry. Or do I have to do a fresh Windows Install?
> Like in ULPS, I have 8 different cards. I have 3 old 6970 registry and 5 new ones because I tested two others before adding my triple 7970.


Sent you another pm with a specific script by atiman. Check it and let me know how it goes...


----------



## RB Snake

Thanks mate, the 2420t was the monitor I was looking at also


----------



## antonis21

Tomorrow i will recieve my sapphire hd7970-oc.So Which is the best driver right now for bf3?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Thanks everyone for the help you provided to me in PMs.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> Tomorrow i will recieve my sapphire hd7970-oc.So Which is the best driver right now for bf3?


Some cards seem to differ on their favorite drivers, but a good amount of people are having some great feedback with 12.7 and 12.7 CAPs


----------



## BradleyW

I've heard 12.6 WHQL are the best so far.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've heard 12.6 WHQL are the best so far.


Is that true because yesterday I did a fresh windows install and I'm about to install the catalyst driver, I have the 12.7 Beta downloaded, let me know your experience. I want a clean install of CCC.

Thanks guys.


----------



## BradleyW

12.7 gave me some minor issues when overclocking and I had some sence of instability. My rig just did not feel right in game. I ran 12.6 and it seemed perfectly fine. It also bugged my CF. Also gave me high temps and would not downclock my GPU's.


----------



## neoroy

@Bradley W, yup I also got some instability with beta driver in case of overclocking, but with WHQL driver its 100% stable







Now I use 12.6 WHQL


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neoroy*
> 
> @Bradley W, yup I also got some instability with beta driver in case of overclocking, but with WHQL driver its 100% stable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now I use 12.6 WHQL


Yep, I would then suggest using 12.6 on a fresh install for max stability.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I haven't tried 12.7 beta yet but I tend to stick to WHQL drivers. 12.6 WHQL hasn't had a single issue on my rig so far...


----------



## Irocing

12.7s here and no problems, Seems to have helped FPS in a couple games.

Later


----------



## BradleyW

Yeah I will admit, 12.7 seem to increase fps by 2-3 in pretty much every game! But at what cost? I use to jump on Beta drivers all the time but now am not so sure since i started having issues doing so.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey guys, here's a screenshot of a weird visual thing I got in Shogun 2. Think I could have a bad card?

http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/918982608614950876/32B2BA287A67E9090B38FD8B7B0FA09151DC6E55/


----------



## Tomha

Mind if I join? I got a Gigabyte Windforce 3x 7950 a few months back, serves me very well.

On the subject, how would ya'all suggest I go about overclocking? My friend did it in AMD overdrive by just sliding up the boost speed and voltage a bit, but I wonder if there are better/more stable ways.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> How does one card do?
> If one card do well we can suspect some pci bridge communication or incompability somewhere.
> However, since bsod happens, I suggest try one card, run test and game, and then shift to the other and try it the same.
> (pain to do but)
> if both cards work then there is a compability thing somewhere. (my best guess)


I think it might be game related instead.

SKyrim - works perfect averaging mid to high 50's using Crossfire
Mass Effect 3 - works perfect averaging mid to high 50's also. - Crossfire
Both games maxed settings and 2560xRes.

BF3 - now i am guessing this is due to the basic installation of the game from DVD's - no updates whatsoever from the net since i dont have this machine connected to internet as such and i am thinking the game was perhaps that buggy that SLI / crossfire never worked correctly with the installation from the DVD. perhaps updating it through the net might resolve my issues since i highly doubt its my cards - otherwise why would all games work except BF3 !!!??

I managed to get MSI going in a BF3 campaign game and frames sitting at mid to high 40's. during game went to display settings (already set on ultra, changed it to custom) bang! up it went to 70's and then hardlock!

I noticed from the MSI readings that it was only using GPU 1 and 2nd GPU sitting at idle 150 Mhz but once i made that display setting change i did notice a quick spike in GPU 2 before the hard lock. It seems the basic installation of BF3 doesn't have the necessary stuff for crossfire - at least i hope not otherwise my idea goes out the window and there may indeed be something wrong with the card's / drivers...

But am ruling out the cards and drivers since everything else seems to work fine except BF3... would you all agree that BF3 is just a piece of [email protected]#$%@#!%)(&!#% programming??
however Heaven3.0 benchmark still does crash...........hmmmm


----------



## BradleyW

Anyone have stuttering in spec ops the line?


----------



## kahboom

more than likely a driver problem


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Mind if I join? I got a Gigabyte Windforce 3x 7950 a few months back, serves me very well.
> *On the subject, how would ya'all suggest I go about overclocking? My friend did it in AMD overdrive by just sliding up the boost speed and voltage a bit, but I wonder if there are better/more stable ways.*


You can probably take your card straight to 1050/1450 without a voltage boost. From there, bump the clocks a bit, and check stability. If unstable, bump the voltage up a bit. Keep doing this until your card reaches its thermal limit (should try to keep it below 80ºC), or you can no longer get a higher clock speed with stability.

Nobody can tell you how high your card will go until you try it yourself. Once you start overclocking a bit and learn, it becomes a lot of fun to try and eek out that extra little bit in benchmarks. Don't be too worried about blowing anything up, as long as you watch temperatures and overclock in gradual steps, you won't damage anything.


----------



## phillyd

broke a capacitor off of my 7970








it says
ULR
16V
270
AL

its from a diamond reference

i can get the soldering done, but the capacitor is broken, any help finding a replacement?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> broke a capacitor off of my 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it says
> ULR
> 16V
> 270
> AL
> its from a diamond reference
> i can get the soldering done, but the capacitor is broken, any help finding a replacement?


You can use anything that's same or higher voltage, ulr, and same or higher capacitance. There's a decent selection at digikey. I think you want to look at the alu radial caps.

http://www.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll

I did a quick search for you, btw I'm guessing its one of the surface mount caps right?

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/PCG1C271MCL1GS/493-3098-6-ND/1889455


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can use anything that's same or higher voltage, ulr, and same or higher capacitance. There's a decent selection at digikey. I think you want to look at the alu radial caps.
> 
> http://www.digikey.com/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll
> 
> I did a quick search for you, btw I'm guessing its one of the surface mount caps right?
> 
> http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/PCG1C271MCL1GS/493-3098-6-ND/1889455


yes it is


----------



## Tomha

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> You can probably take your card straight to 1050/1450 without a voltage boost. From there, bump the clocks a bit, and check stability. If unstable, bump the voltage up a bit. Keep doing this until your card reaches its thermal limit (should try to keep it below 80ºC), or you can no longer get a higher clock speed with stability.
> Nobody can tell you how high your card will go until you try it yourself. Once you start overclocking a bit and learn, it becomes a lot of fun to try and eek out that extra little bit in benchmarks. Don't be too worried about blowing anything up, as long as you watch temperatures and overclock in gradual steps, you won't damage anything.


Thanks for the advice, just a few questions:

1) Is this all using AMD overdrive, or do you suggest I do it through BIOS or something?
2) How would I check stability? What programs would you suggest I use to check stability (and benchmark) and what do I look for?
3) I just want to check, with the cards defaults being 900/1250, going straight to 1050/1450 isn't too fast? The max allowed in overdrive are 1100/1575
4) What is counted as a small (and safe) voltage bump? In AMD overdrive, its measured in %, e.g. +20% max, so what would I do to bump it if it wasn't stable? The same applies to clock speeds, I hear you want to go about 50mhz at a time, is this true?


----------



## FuriousPop

hi all,

wondering if someone can tell me, good bad ugly?

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3843336

dont understand why core and mem clocks sitting at idle values!!!

anyone have any clue?

I've just installed the free version from net, cant change any settings at all.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Thanks for the advice, just a few questions:
> 1) Is this all using AMD overdrive, or do you suggest I do it through BIOS or something?
> 2) How would I check stability? What programs would you suggest I use to check stability (and benchmark) and what do I look for?
> 3) I just want to check, with the cards defaults being 900/1250, going straight to 1050/1450 isn't too fast? The max allowed in overdrive are 1100/1575
> 4) What is counted as a small (and safe) voltage bump? In AMD overdrive, its measured in %, e.g. +20% max, so what would I do to bump it if it wasn't stable? The same applies to clock speeds, I hear you want to go about 50mhz at a time, is this true?


1. amd overdrive or msi afterburner.
2. 3dmark 11, game benhcmarks with loops.
3. no.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> dont understand why core and mem clocks sitting at idle values!!!
> anyone have any clue?
> I've just installed the free version from net, cant change any settings at all.


idle not used, normal.

No one use google and research before doing overclocking nowadays?


----------



## FuriousPop

so they are working fine...........phew

When i did some research the graphic scores i found for crossfire were mostly similar or lower to that of mine.

Thats why i thought i just check with the experts first.

never overclocked before..

thanks


----------



## Tomha

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> No one use google and research before doing overclocking nowadays?


I do, I look up many tutorials, but so often they are airy fairy "it will be different for your hardware", etc. I find it reassuring and nice to have advice on a more personal level in response to my questions. Thank you for your reply









I still wouldn't mind knowing what is a small voltage bump percentage wise, and how I will know if its unstable. These are things not always mentioned in tutorials and the likes, its assumed its known, but for someone doing it the first time, its not known.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> I do, I look up many tutorials, but so often they are airy fairy "it will be different for your hardware", etc. I find it reassuring and nice to have advice on a more personal level in response to my questions. Thank you for your reply
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I still wouldn't mind knowing what is a small voltage bump percentage wise, and how I will know if its unstable. These are things not always mentioned in tutorials and the likes, its assumed its known, but for someone doing it the first time, its not known.


Normally overclocking using ccc or amd is on defult voltage.
meaning normally it will run that fast without any issue.
stability indicators are, does the computer shut off, does the driver say it has recovered, do you get snow or artefacts when gaming, all indicators of either to high OC memory or core, as a rule, OC core more than memory due to memory is sensitive and dont allow much speed increase.
7900 series, the cooler the better due to heat is a factor.

OC normally is easy and straighforward, trying to get to high dont offer much more speed aka fps due to 30-80mhz isnt that important, 925 to 1200 however is. 1200 to 1280 isnt.

common sense IMO.


----------



## Newbie2009

I installed 12.6 and 3d mark 11 would crash half way through a bench (even at stock) Reverted to 12.4, works fine again.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> hi all,
> wondering if someone can tell me, good bad ugly?
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3843336
> dont understand why core and mem clocks sitting at idle values!!!
> anyone have any clue?
> I've just installed the free version from net, cant change any settings at all.


What are you overclocked too ? I get around 22K graphic score with 1300/1800 oc with a i7 3770K 4.7 Ghz final score around 17700.

Below is my best run 1305/1850 and 4.9Ghz

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3800437


----------



## RB Snake

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> _could_ run it on a 650w but if u overclock (which u should) you will be riding that psu to the grave. An 850w would help but I would get 1000w for the sake of future investment. That i5 2500 is a bit concerning though.


Yeah, I plan to upgrade PSU. But I really wanna see the 7990. I think it could run ok a a 650w unit... I guess we'll have to wait and see.

The i5 2500 could be a bottleneck? It's a non "k" model so I cant overclock it. But in benchmarks etc it boost up to 3.9/4.0ghz. Would an upgrade to a i7 3820 (is this overclockable?) with an x79 be worth it? Or am I better of selling the i5 and grabbing a i5 3570k or maybe a i7 2600k?


----------



## Tslm

Quick question, a mate bought a Sapphire 7970 OC (950MHz) and both Trixx and Afterburner are capping his voltage at 1.212 with the 12.7 beta drivers. I never had this issue myself so am unsure of why this is happening.

Also weird is, his card artifacts in heaven at 1175MHz at 1.212v even though the card tops out at 59c.


----------



## antonis21

My new sapphire hd7970 dual-X oc


----------



## LongRod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> My new sapphire hd7970 dual-X oc






















































I want that cooler so bad.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> My new sapphire hd7970 dual-X oc


Καλοριζικη









You will really enjoy this card!


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RB Snake*
> 
> Yeah, I plan to upgrade PSU. But I really wanna see the 7990. I think it could run ok a a 650w unit... I guess we'll have to wait and see.
> The i5 2500 could be a bottleneck? It's a non "k" model so I cant overclock it. But in benchmarks etc it boost up to 3.9/4.0ghz. Would an upgrade to a i7 3820 (is this overclockable?) with an x79 be worth it? Or am I better of selling the i5 and grabbing a i5 3570k or maybe a i7 2600k?


You may run into a bit of a Bottle neck because of the pcie lanes both running at 8x 2.0. Also in games like bf3 that CPU may hold you back a bit. Google search crossfire 7970 with 2500 and there are a few sites that have done comparisons of different processors and such. It won't be anything huge but it will affect it


----------



## Hokies83

Bah man ive got 4 failed installs on drivers... Removeing all of them after it fails and trying again... i got a crappy 65% ASIC rating card heh.


----------



## jam3s

Are you using ATIMAN to remove drivers?

Try that. Works perfect for me.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Are you using ATIMAN to remove drivers?
> Try that. Works perfect for me.


Yes that is what im using... After i reboot i get ATI driver failed to install or there is no AMD driver..


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I posted this over in the water cooling section but I think it will be more useful here (in case any of you Sapphire 7970 OC guys wanna go with water blocks):

*How to install the EK FC7970 water block on the Sapphire 7970 OC*






The 7970's do awesome on water!


----------



## Hokies83

Now 7 times after installing drivers and i reboot i get this msg ..



Gpu-Z..


----------



## neoroy

@Hokies83, try this :

1. Uninstall ati catalyst driver via windows uninstaller program, then reboot... but you need to get inside safe mode and launch driver sweeper to swap all ATI leftover stuffs.
2. After do sweeper reboot from safe mode to normal mode and do this tips from BradleyW -->http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards.
3. After do tips from Bradley W you have to restart again your windows and then finally install your driver


----------



## Samurai707

So I'm benching Heaven to test my ref Diamond 7970 OC stability... Never really used heaven before, but, I put the settings at DX11, Normal tess, high shaders, 8x Anisotropy, disabled stereo 3d, AAx4, and at 1920x1080 (system res)... I had been writing down my scores and FPS past 985 core... and the score actually didn't go up past 985...
Here are my results... Am I doing something wrong here? (Only testing core at stock voltage atm...)
985 core= score 971, min FPS 19.5, avg 38.5, max 77.6
1005 core= score 971, min 19.2, avg 38.5, max 77.8
that was a little bit better, same score. w/e.
This was the fun part.
1025= score 970. 19.0/38.5/77.4
1045= 970, 18.8/38.5/77.4

...Is this normal? Haven't noticed any real artifacting, so I plan to keep going... but just wondering if this is normal or if I should even worry about it?
(whenever I apply a new core OC, I exit out of Heaven, apply the new core clock, and then start heaven again.)


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neoroy*
> 
> @Hokies83, try this :
> 1. Uninstall ati catalyst driver via windows uninstaller program, then reboot... but you need to get inside safe mode and launch driver sweeper to swap all ATI leftover stuffs.
> 2. After do sweeper reboot from safe mode to normal mode and do this tips from BradleyW -->http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards.
> 3. After do tips from Bradley W you have to restart again your windows and then finally install your driver


done all that still no go.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> So I'm benching Heaven to test my ref Diamond 7970 OC stability... Never really used heaven before, but, I put the settings at DX11, Normal tess, high shaders, 8x Anisotropy, disabled stereo 3d, AAx4, and at 1920x1080 (system res)... I had been writing down my scores and FPS past 985 core... and the score actually didn't go up past 985...
> Here are my results... Am I doing something wrong here? (Only testing core at stock voltage atm...)
> 985 core= score 971, min FPS 19.5, avg 38.5, max 77.6
> 1005 core= score 971, min 19.2, avg 38.5, max 77.8
> that was a little bit better, same score. w/e.
> This was the fun part.
> 1025= score 970. 19.0/38.5/77.4
> 1045= 970, 18.8/38.5/77.4
> ...Is this normal? Haven't noticed any real artifacting, so I plan to keep going... but just wondering if this is normal or if I should even worry about it?
> (whenever I apply a new core OC, I exit out of Heaven, apply the new core clock, and then start heaven again.)


Try using the same settings as the Official Heaven 3.0 benchmark thread uses so you can compare your results to others...


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Try using the same settings as the Official Heaven 3.0 benchmark thread uses so you can compare your results to others...


Didn't know we had that thread, haha thanks


----------



## Hokies83

meh No AMD graphics driver is installed, or the AMD driver is not functioning properly. Please install the AMD driver appropriate for your AMD hardware error..


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> meh No AMD graphics driver is installed, or the AMD driver is not functioning properly. Please install the AMD driver appropriate for your AMD hardware error..


Have you tried right click desktop , click screen resolution , click advanced settings , click proprties , click drive tab , click update driver , browse my compurter c:\amd\support.

i.e. manual instal of driver.


----------



## Hokies83

ya i went into device manager.. has error code 31..
This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)

I was able to grt the driver to installl if i did not install the CCC..

I was installing 12.7 but after burner was showing 11.12..

Also 3d mark would not run.. and in after burner it was getting 99% useage spikes when it was idleing..

I am re installing windows.. and going to try to re install 12.7 and if it does not work.. think ima have to RMA it.. which sucks..


----------



## Tomas Moor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Now 7 times after installing drivers and i reboot i get this msg ..
> 
> Gpu-Z..


This is Driver Signature error, not a uninstallation problem.

Use official drivers.


----------



## Hokies83

After re installing windows i got it to install..

Over clocked to 1200mhz/1600 mem on 1.237v 3dmark 11 score of 10300. Which beat my gtx 590s of 9700


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> After re installing windows i got it to install..
> Over clocked to 1200mhz/1600 mem on 1.237v 3dmark 11 score of 10300. Which beat my gtx 590s of 9700


Nice! Although with both overclocked to 1200MHz, you should be getting way higher.... especially in CFX


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Nice! Although with both overclocked to 1200MHz, you should be getting way higher.... especially in CFX


Only have one atm other is in the mail lol.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Only have one atm other is in the mail lol.


haha. Good to know.

Expect at least 15-16k


----------



## pd411yomofo

I'm about to send my Asus 7970 back to get a EVGA GTX680 cuz i'v had enough of driver issues with my card. it doesn't even post anymore and when i decides to post i get artifacting on boot screen.

All I want to do is play my games and don't have loads of time to game never mind try fix buggy drivers.

Thanks to all who have tried to help. And if i get the same driver issues with the GTX680 my computer will be booted through the window one last time


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> I'm about to send my Asus 7970 back to get a EVGA GTX680 cuz i'v had enough of driver issues with my card. it doesn't even post anymore and when i decides to post i get artifacting on boot screen.
> All I want to do is play my games and don't have loads of time to game never mind try fix buggy drivers.
> Thanks to all who have tried to help. And if i get the same driver issues with the GTX680 my computer will be booted through the window one last time


hehe. Yeah I'd be mad if I were in your shoes.

Good luck with the 680.


----------



## Hokies83

Honestly i have not hit the payment key on the 2nd yet..

I want to know how the other non REF stack up..

My Power Color Vortex 2 idles at 30c with 30% fan speed OC 1200mhz/1600mem with 1.237V should i just grab another one so they match?

ON another note... i Own a catleap well it is in the mail which needs a DL DIV D to display 2560x1440res..

On the front of the box for the power color is says DL DVI-I and SL DVI-D so im thinkin this may not work..


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Honestly i have not hit the payment key on the 2nd yet..
> I want to know how the other non REF stack up..
> My Power Color Vortex 2 idles at 30c with 30% fan speed OC 1200mhz/1600mem with 1.237V should i just grab another one so they match?


I would grab an identical card so they match, same PCB color, same clocks, etc.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> I would grab an identical card so they match, same PCB color, same clocks, etc.


read the DVI info on it...

I dont see DL DVI-D anywhere on the box.


----------



## Samurai707

If I'm running a 7970 and CFing with a 7950 (bought on release), am I just not allowed to OC either? I'm crashing whenever I try and run them CFX with the 7970 at a newly found OC and the 7950 at stock... couldn't change the volts on AB on the 7950 to allow for my previously known clocks on it...









Edit: at stock clocks (with custom fan profiles) they run fine of course, but I don't really wanna just leave it at that









Edit 2: also, when CFX is enabled, MSI AB doesn't have the option (nor does it show me) the temps of GPU2 (7950)... but when CFX is disabled, I can see all the stats for both cards... whatsup with that?


----------



## Hokies83

Meh keeping getting a teal screen crash.. just turns teal then i cant do anything.. have to hit the reset button..


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Honestly i have not hit the payment key on the 2nd yet..
> I want to know how the other non REF stack up..
> My Power Color Vortex 2 idles at 30c with 30% fan speed OC 1200mhz/1600mem with 1.237V should i just grab another one so they match?
> ON another note... i Own a catleap well it is in the mail which needs a DL DIV D to display 2560x1440res..
> On the front of the box for the power color is says DL DVI-I and SL DVI-D so im thinkin this may not work..


1100 stock core and you don't even have any kind of ram nor vrm cooling. Interesting


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> 1100 stock core and you don't even have any kind of ram nor vrm cooling. Interesting


LoL bad or good interesting? this is Powwe coolers top end model.. Card runs very cool and has full pcb cover..

On another not only thing i can link the TEAL Screen freezes.. to is cause im uses an old VGA monitor with a dvi to vga adaptor.. Waiting for my catleap to get here Wens..


----------



## Andrazh

Bad for you, good for me. My 7950 doesnt have any cooling either and i was a bit scared when ocing the card. But since yours works them mine should too. Ehats your stock voltage?


----------



## wlw wl

Hey guys,

a question - this is what happened to a reference Asus 7970 in a client's PC. Core/memory fried? I tried downclocking the GPU and CPU, swapping RAM, no difference.
Also since that happened, the refresh rate over remote connection is super slow, which you can see on the Heaven benchmark window when it's changing its size.

Notice the pattern in the first video - this indicates memory.





However these shader artifacts might indicate the core as well.





The PC is 200 miles away from me so I can't just swap the GPUs etc., I can access it remotely and I need to tell the client if he should RMA his GPU or something else. Thanks for ideas.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Bad for you, good for me. My 7950 doesnt have any cooling either and i was a bit scared when ocing the card. But since yours works them mine should too. Ehats your stock voltage?


it was 1.8v i know 1.8 sounds bad.. but that is it factory OC to 1100mhz.. so that makes it not so bad. I dont like the Asic rating of 65% tho... Im looking at the Sapphire as my 2nd card.. cause if this one poops out on me and i rma with the egg.. ill get a sapphire to replace it.. which i should have in the first place..

Think if i pushed it i could get more out of it..

But im quite happy with 1200/1600 makes it faster then my 590 and that is all that mattered to me.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Hey guys. Can someone help me over here

I am trying to overclock with MSI afterburner 2.2.2 and this is what I get after enabling all voltage in the msiafterburner.cfg.



I am running 3x7970 for now on 3 x 1440p screens in (7680x1440)

I have Latest WHQL drivers (12.6)

If I don't edit the config file with the Unlocking quote. I can overclock but the Frequency is locked at a certain speed.

Thanks for your help


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey guys. Can someone help me over here
> I am trying to overclock with MSI afterburner 2.2.2 and this is what I get after enabling all voltage in the msiafterburner.cfg.
> 
> I am running 3x7970 for now on 3 x 1440p screens in (7680x1440)
> I have Latest WHQL drivers (12.6)
> If I don't edit the config file with the Unlocking quote. I can overclock but the Frequency is locked at a certain speed.
> Thanks for your help


Have you disabled ulps in the registry? Also, afterburner 2.2.2 DOES NOT include the .dll that is needed to over clock 7970s. Go and download 2.2.1and try that version as it does indeed include them.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Thanks for the advice, just a few questions:
> 1) Is this all using AMD overdrive, or do you suggest I do it through BIOS or something?
> 2) How would I check stability? What programs would you suggest I use to check stability (and benchmark) and what do I look for?
> 3) I just want to check, with the cards defaults being 900/1250, going straight to 1050/1450 isn't too fast? The max allowed in overdrive are 1100/1575
> 4) What is counted as a small (and safe) voltage bump? In AMD overdrive, its measured in %, e.g. +20% max, so what would I do to bump it if it wasn't stable? The same applies to clock speeds, I hear you want to go about 50mhz at a time, is this true?


I personally use both MSI Afterburner. The "+20%" is for the TDP of the card. Set that to +20%.

Do you own Crysis 2? I've found that Crysis 2 will artifact when benchmarking programs don't, so I use it to check stability. Also install HWInfo64 so you can check VRM temps on the GPU (Afterburner doesn't show VRM temp AFAIK, but I'm using an older version).

What I do is fire up Crysis 2, max the settings, and turn OFF Vsync, causing a 100% GPU load.

Alt+Tab to your desktop, apply some overclock, and Alt+Tab back to Crysis 2. Play for a couple minutes and if you don't see artifacting (textures "popping", weird lines appearing, anything that is obviously not a regular behavior of the game), try bumping the clocks. I generally go 25Mhz at a time, and 0.025V at a time. If you see textures popping, it is likely that your memory clock is too high. If your driver crashes, the screen blacking out and crashing to desktop, it is likely your core clock is too high, or your voltage is too low. Keep bumping the clocks until your temps start to go crazy, I personally prefer to keep my GPU and VRMs below 80ºC, but the card *should* be fine to a higher temp, I just avoid it personally.

That's the process I use. It probably isn't the optimal process, but it works for me.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> What are you overclocked too ? I get around 22K graphic score with 1300/1800 oc with a i7 3770K 4.7 Ghz final score around 17700.
> Below is my best run 1305/1850 and 4.9Ghz
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3800437


Lol - i have nothing overclocked at all, everything is running stock out of the box.

I've been having problems with certain games, so for the sake of testing i didn't OC anything at all.

Tried Fallout 3 and it was hanging when going into VATS mode when in the vault. get outside and it works fine - weird - think it was a game issue rather than my hardware.

Heaven3.0 still crashes - still cant work that out.


----------



## Tomha

Ok well I have tried some Overclocking.

I wasn't able to get the 1050/1450 suggested by some on default voltages, in fact so far the max I can get to is 1000/1450 on 10% power increase.
I notice that my 3Dmark 11 score decreases as I increase the memory clock past 1350, anyone care to explain?
I have tried adding another 5% to the voltage to get to 1050, but that doesn't work. What would you suggest as a next step?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Set your power limit to max....


----------



## Hokies83

Ya im at +20 power limit at 1.237v with 1200mhz/1600 mem i ran heaven for 2 hrs and no crashes so i think im stable lol.


----------



## Tomha

Ahk, just being careful







dont want to add too much at once, but if its safe n such ill give it a go. Hookies83 did you use afterburner to get to 1200mhz? Overdrive only lets me go to a max of 1100mhz. Also what card do you have? The model and such..

Can anyone explain though why my 3Dmark 11 score would decrease with higher mem clock though? I got X2773 with 1350mhz, then X766 with 1450. I know thats kinda tiny, but its not like an outlier, ive tested it several times and it remains true.

UPDATE:
Yeah I increased power to max but I still get a driver crash after the swap from 1000mhz core to 1050mhz core.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Set your power limit to max....


I was testing with this the other day, with the power limit at 0 I was running 1300 core/1800 memory for multiple benches, I tried setting to +20 & It was unstable in everything. Reset to 0 power limit again, & the card was happily doing 1300/1800 once more.
Seems confusing that higher power limit does lower clocks...


----------



## Tomha

See I tried with the default power first, but that got me nowhere, the most I could do was up the core voltage 50mhz.

What card do you have and what kinda cooling do you have?







That is an impressive OC imo


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> See I tried with the default power first, but that got me nowhere, the most I could do was up the core voltage 50mhz.
> What card do you have and what kinda cooling do you have?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is an impressive OC imo


LoL just snag one of these.. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131471 comes at 1100mhz 1425mem...

And at those clocks idles 28-29c lol max load in the low 50s.


----------



## FtW 420

7970 lightning with the stock cooler. I don't use a case & keep things well ventilated so generally a bit better temps than average.
Also mainly a bencher, so my usual fan speed is 100%.


----------



## Tomha

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL just snag one of these.. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131471 comes at 1100mhz 1425mem...
> And at those clocks idles 28-29c lol max load in the low 50s.


Well wouldn't that be nice







Except I already have a descent graphics card and no money so the purchase isn't justified, little own possible







Not to mention that card would screw up my colour scheme xD

I'd rather just see what I can do with my current card for the time being.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I was testing with this the other day, with the power limit at 0 I was running 1300 core/1800 memory for multiple benches, I tried setting to +20 & It was unstable in everything. Reset to 0 power limit again, & the card was happily doing 1300/1800 once more.
> Seems confusing that higher power limit does lower clocks...


Wow, well if you say so than it must be! I've always just maxed out the power limit, maybe that's where I went wrong. You're definitely the expert 420....


----------



## tsm106

I've found that it depends on the bench. 3Dmark is sensitive to power draw for me. If I have volts maxed it doesn't like power slider maxed. Heaven on the other hand could care less, I can max all, all day long.


----------



## Tomha

So does that just affect the actual benchmark results? Or the stability as a whole? (i.e. an OC crashes with 3Dmark but not Heaven)


----------



## Hokies83

LOl got very very slight wavy stuff on the screen .. there in rectangles streching from one side to another moving Vertical gotta look close to see it..

I am useing a old 17 inch TN panel.. via VGA to DVI adaptor.. wait for my cat leap to get here.. hoping it is just the old poopy monitor.. i only use this monitor on my work bench to boot systems up lol...

I had to snag it while i was waiting for the catleap.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> So does that just affect the actual benchmark results? Or the stability as a whole? (i.e. an OC crashes with 3Dmark but not Heaven)


3Dmark will not run for me if I run max volts and max ptune, it locks after the 2nd screen. Heaven on the other hand does not care.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quick question, I'm hitting roughly 8600P on 3dmark11 performance settings and I feel it should be higher. Am I right? Specs are in sig rig and my card is a Gigabyte 7950 1100/1575 oc

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3679521


----------



## Thracks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Set your power limit to max....
> 
> 
> 
> I was testing with this the other day, with the power limit at 0 I was running 1300 core/1800 memory for multiple benches, I tried setting to +20 & It was unstable in everything. Reset to 0 power limit again, & the card was happily doing 1300/1800 once more.
> Seems confusing that higher power limit does lower clocks...
Click to expand...

I'll explain why.









In the slider's default position, the coprocessor that governs AMD PowerTune will intelligently manage the GPU's core clockspeed based on the default thermal profile of the product; a hypothetical enthusiast product might be 250W. Maybe something like a 7970 would be limited to 300W draw, but I don't know the exact number.

From there, AMD PowerTune is essentially biased towards maintaining the clockspeed defined by the user or vBIOS, whichever is higher, within the limits of the configured TDP. This is driven by the AMD PowerTune logic, which forecasts the GPU's future thermal profile based on the past few microseconds of activity.

Now that you know that, it's easier to understand how the slider works. By decreasing the slider into the negative range, the user can effectively tell the AMD PowerTune logic to simulate a board with a TDP that's up to 20% lower. This could be good for HTPCs or power-constrained SFF systems with smaller PSUs. In contrast, increasing the slider can effectively raise the board's TDP by 20% of the baseline. In our hypothetical example, that's 360W for a reference product.

If a user attempts to run an application that pushes the GPU to exceed the PowerTune TDP threshold, the ASIC may throttle the clockspeed, which would cause a dip in performance even though you've raised the clockspeeds. It may also cause the board to draw more power than the ASIC's accompanying circuitry can handle, which could explain why you found instability at 1300/1800 @ +20%.

For the average gamer, PowerTune lets us design boards with higher reference clocks, because we're no longer constrained to saying "welp, this board hits 250W at 650MHz under FurMark, guess we have to ship it at 650MHz." Now we can say, "hey, every game we've tested stays under 250W at 900MHz! Ship it at 900!" PowerTune can push unrealistic, synthetic apps like FurMark/3DMark Perlin Noise down and drag up the performance of games across the board.

//EDIT: It also allows us to guarantee the wattage of a board. There are no fuzzy estimations. If we say the product has a peak draw of 250W, that is _exactly_ what it has, and not one watt more. The OEMs love it, and it makes it a lot easier for a savvy user to fit a GPU into their PSU's power budget.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> I'll explain why.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the slider's default position, the coprocessor that governs AMD PowerTune will intelligently manage the GPU's core clockspeed based on the default thermal profile of the product; a hypothetical enthusiast product might be 250W. Maybe something like a 7970 would be limited to 300W draw, but I don't know the exact number.
> From there, AMD PowerTune is essentially biased towards maintaining the clockspeed defined by the user or vBIOS, whichever is higher, within the limits of the configured TDP. This is driven by the AMD PowerTune logic, which forecasts the GPU's future thermal profile based on the past few microseconds of activity.
> Now that you know that, it's easier to understand how the slider works. By decreasing the slider into the negative range, the user can effectively tell the AMD PowerTune logic to simulate a board with a TDP that's up to 20% lower. This could be good for HTPCs or power-constrained SFF systems with smaller PSUs. In contrast, increasing the slider can effectively raise the board's TDP by 20% of the baseline. In our hypothetical example, that's 360W for a reference product.
> If a user attempts to run an application that pushes the GPU to exceed the PowerTune TDP threshold, the ASIC may throttle the clockspeed, which would cause a dip in performance even though you've raised the clockspeeds. It may also cause the board to draw more power than the ASIC's accompanying circuitry can handle, which could explain why you found instability at 1300/1800 @ +20%.
> For the average gamer, PowerTune lets us design boards with higher reference clocks, because we're no longer constrained to saying "welp, this board hits 250W at 650MHz under FurMark, guess we have to ship it at 650MHz." Now we can say, "hey, every game we've tested stays under 250W at 900MHz! Ship it at 900!" PowerTune can push unrealistic, synthetic apps like FurMark/3DMark Perlin Noise down and drag up the performance of games across the board.


What about my issue on the last page amd rep guy.








15 year Nvidia gpu only owner lol dont make me regret the switch lol


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> I'll explain why.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the slider's default position, the coprocessor that governs AMD PowerTune will intelligently manage the GPU's core clockspeed based on the default thermal profile of the product; a hypothetical enthusiast product might be 250W. Maybe something like a 7970 would be limited to 300W draw, but I don't know the exact number.
> From there, AMD PowerTune is essentially biased towards maintaining the clockspeed defined by the user or vBIOS, whichever is higher, within the limits of the configured TDP. This is driven by the AMD PowerTune logic, which forecasts the GPU's future thermal profile based on the past few microseconds of activity.
> Now that you know that, it's easier to understand how the slider works. By decreasing the slider into the negative range, the user can effectively tell the AMD PowerTune logic to simulate a board with a TDP that's up to 20% lower. This could be good for HTPCs or power-constrained SFF systems with smaller PSUs. In contrast, increasing the slider can effectively raise the board's TDP by 20% of the baseline. In our hypothetical example, that's 360W for a reference product.
> If a user attempts to run an application that pushes the GPU to exceed the PowerTune TDP threshold, the ASIC may throttle the clockspeed, which would cause a dip in performance even though you've raised the clockspeeds. It may also cause the board to draw more power than the ASIC's accompanying circuitry can handle, which could explain why you found instability at 1300/1800 @ +20%.
> For the average gamer, PowerTune lets us design boards with higher reference clocks, because we're no longer constrained to saying "welp, this board hits 250W at 650MHz under FurMark, guess we have to ship it at 650MHz." Now we can say, "hey, every game we've tested stays under 250W at 900MHz! Ship it at 900!" PowerTune can push unrealistic, synthetic apps like FurMark/3DMark Perlin Noise down and drag up the performance of games across the board.
> //EDIT: It also allows us to guarantee the wattage of a board. There are no fuzzy estimations. If we say the product has a peak draw of 250W, that is _exactly_ what it has, and not one watt more. The OEMs love it, and it makes it a lot easier for a savvy user to fit a GPU into their PSU's power budget.


How are GPU voltage's relationship with powertune? Does increasing the voltage override the powertune or powertune overrides the manually increased voltage. Thanks AMD guy.


----------



## Thracks

Increasing the voltage will increase the thermal output of the ASIC, just like OCing a CPU by upping the vcore increases heat. So if you leave the PowerTune slider in the default position, it's entirely possible that PowerTune would kick in sooner to avoid a thermal event--it really depends on the cooling of the system.

PowerTune watches the ASIC's junction temperature and the amperage going into the VRMs to forecast how it's going to manage the clockspeed in the next few microseconds.

If you increase vcore and want to avoid PowerTune kicking the clockspeed down, you need to:

A) Be sure you're not going to go past about 80C for Southern Islands.
B) You've increased the PowerTune slider to accommodate the ASIC's new, higher heat output.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> Increasing the voltage will increase the thermal output of the ASIC, just like OCing a CPU by upping the vcore increases heat. So if you leave the PowerTune slider in the default position, it's entirely possible that PowerTune would kick in sooner to avoid a thermal event--it really depends on the cooling of the system.
> PowerTune watches the ASIC's junction temperature and the amperage going into the VRMs to forecast how it's going to manage the clockspeed in the next few microseconds.
> If you increase vcore and want to avoid PowerTune kicking the clockspeed down, you need to:
> A) Be sure you're not going to go past about 80C for Southern Islands.
> B) You've increased the PowerTune slider to accommodate the ASIC's new, higher heat output.


So that is why I had problem with OC on high temps when powertune on 0. Thank so much AMD guy. What would be the maximum temp before throttling on 7970 at powertune 20%?


----------



## neoroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I was testing with this the other day, with the power limit at 0 I was running 1300 core/1800 memory for multiple benches, I tried setting to +20 & It was unstable in everything. Reset to 0 power limit again, & the card was happily doing 1300/1800 once more.
> Seems confusing that higher power limit does lower clocks...


Power limit only affect with *MSI mobo + MSI VGA + MSI Afterburner*








I use MSI Z77 GD65 + MSI HD7870 TF OC + MSI Afterburner, if I set powerllimit to zero or default it will not boost enough in benchmarking scores...or like bottleneck I guess, but with max powerlimit it goes normally








When I swapped to Powercolor HD7970v2 dualfan then changing powerlimit *didnot affect anything*.... only in vantage if you guys notice, *feature test 1* and *feature test r 6* are affected by changing powerlimit. Example : with zero powerlimit feature test 6 got 250 points but with max powerlimit feature test 6 got 330 poinst.


----------



## Thracks

I believe the 7970 is programmed to avoid meltdown around 85-90C, which is when the fans will go into dustbuster mode.

But if you're doing heavy OCing at +20% PowerTune, I would assume that you have decent cooling. Your main concern then would be having a board that's engineered to withstand the TDP you're allowing the card to hit. You know, maybe they used cheaper caps/VRMs or less power phases than somebody else's, and that could cause problems.

As with anything, you generally get what you pay for. I love the R7970 Lightnings myself.

//EDIT: I accidentally a word.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neoroy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I was testing with this the other day, with the power limit at 0 I was running 1300 core/1800 memory for multiple benches, I tried setting to +20 & It was unstable in everything. Reset to 0 power limit again, & the card was happily doing 1300/1800 once more.
> Seems confusing that higher power limit does lower clocks...
> 
> 
> 
> Power limit only affect with *MSI mobo + MSI VGA + MSI Afterburner*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I use MSI Z77 GD65 + MSI HD7870 TF OC + MSI Afterburner, if I set powerllimit to zero or default it will not boost enough in benchmarking scores...or like bottleneck I guess, but with max powerlimit it goes normally
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When I swapped to Powercolor HD7970v2 dualfan then changing powerlimit *didnot affect anything*.... only in vantage if you guys notice, *feature test 1* and *feature test r 6* are affected by changing powerlimit. Example : with zero powerlimit feature test 6 got 250 points but with max powerlimit feature test 6 got 330 poinst.
Click to expand...

No, that is incorrect. Powertune affects EVERY AMD graphics card (that has that feature). It is NOT just an MSI thing, its an AMD thing. Reason your Powercolor card wasn't affected to the same degree could simply be because its got a different default voltage, ASIC, or you weren't pushing the card hard enough.


----------



## Thracks

Pioneerisloud is right. It's a BIOS and ASIC-level feature built into these products: All Radeon 6900 (incl. 6990), 7700, 7800 and 7900 Products.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> I believe the 7970 is programmed to avoid meltdown around 85-90C, which is when the fans will go into dustbuster mode.
> But if you're doing heavy OCing at +20% PowerTune, I would assume that you have decent cooling. Your main concern then would be having a board that's engineered to withstand the TDP you're allowing the card to hit. You know, maybe they used cheaper caps/VRMs or less power phases than somebody else's, and that could cause problems.
> As with anything, you generally get what you pay for. I love the R7970 Lightnings myself.
> //EDIT: I accidentally a word.


I am using powercolor 7970 dual fan. My experience with other AMD reference cooler was not the best. This card cools the core pretty well and I am pretty happy with it. As great as watercooling sounds, I just dont think it will be that practical.

I did heard XFX sometimes uses cheaper stuff on their PCB.....................


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Quick question, I'm hitting roughly 8600P on 3dmark11 performance settings and I feel it should be higher. Am I right? Specs are in sig rig and my card is a Gigabyte 7950 1100/1575 oc
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3679521


I feel like I kinda got skipped in the middle of this debate. Any Help guys?


----------



## Testier

^I would say you are probably where you should at.... might be a bit lower but nothing to panic over imo.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> ^I would say you are probably where you should at.... might be a bit lower but nothing to panic over imo.


Thanks for the reply. I used to have a 6950 that would push 6900P so I guess I was just hoping for a bigger jump. lol


----------



## Hokies83

Hard to but it is there..

http://s792.photobucket.com/albums/yy204/hokies83/?action=view&current=SAM_0919.mp4


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I used to have a 6950 that would push 6900P so I guess I was just hoping for a bigger jump. lol


You oced the 6950 pretty far probably and your 7950 oc would = to a stock 7970 GE imo. So it would be a 25ish increase I guess.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> I'm about to send my Asus 7970 back to get a EVGA GTX680 cuz i'v had enough of driver issues with my card. *it doesn't even post anymore and when i decides to post i get artifacting on boot screen.*
> All I want to do is play my games and don't have loads of time to game never mind try fix buggy drivers.
> Thanks to all who have tried to help. And if i get the same driver issues with the GTX680 my computer will be booted through the window one last time


Drivers haven't even loaded yet at post, so that is not drivers, sounds like a fault with the card itself, send it back.


----------



## Tomha

I played around with mine for a while, I can't seem to get past 1030mhz core clock, but with 1030/1575 I got P8485. I would like to go higher but it would appear I drew a short straw and got a lower tolerance chip







. Its not too bad though, the performance increase was still significant enough.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> it was 1.8v i know 1.8 sounds bad.. but that is it factory OC to 1100mhz.. so that makes it not so bad. I dont like the Asic rating of 65% tho... Im looking at the Sapphire as my 2nd card.. cause if this one poops out on me and i rma with the egg.. ill get a sapphire to replace it.. which i should have in the first place..
> Think if i pushed it i could get more out of it..
> But im quite happy with 1200/1600 makes it faster then my 590 and that is all that mattered to me.


You mean 1.18V right? 1.8V would be very odd.
As for the card, I would probably wait for the new monitor, maybe try a different cable, adapter & different pci-e slot. It may well be an issue with the card, but ruling out other possible issues first never hurts.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> You oced the 6950 pretty far probably and your 7950 oc would = to a stock 7970 GE imo. So it would be a 25ish increase I guess.


Yeah, you're right I oc'd the 6950 hard and flashed 6970 bios. So I guess I just had high hopes for 10k...*sigh*


----------



## Tomha

Does anyone know if thats possible with the 79xx series? (flashing the bios). I understand initially it wasn't, but I have heard rumors of ways of getting it to work.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Does anyone know if thats possible with the 79xx series? (flashing the bios). I understand initially it wasn't, but I have heard rumors of ways of getting it to work.


As of right now, No.


----------



## sena

So after all debate about PowerTune, should we use 0%, 10% or 20%?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> So after all debate about PowerTune, should we use 0%, 10% or 20%?


+20.

It's nice to have an AMD rep here post useful information. Hopefully you will not get flamed too much everytime AMD release some new driver sets.

I gotta ask, AMD's calculated attempts to make MSI afterburner not work properly or difficult to get working, is it because AMD's largest parter Sapphire decided to release trixx?


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> I feel like I kinda got skipped in the middle of this debate. Any Help guys?


Your score seems reasonable, but it depends on whether your CPU is overclocked or not. I will put it into perspective for you. My (old) 7950 gave me around P9500 with my 2500K clocked at 4.5Ghz. To get that score, I had the card at 1225Mhz on the core and 1750Mhz on the memory. Graphics score was a touch over 10,000, while my physics (CPU) score came in around 8250. Now that you have those figures to measure up against, you need to see how different your clocks are on both the CPU and the GPU to mine and figure out if there is a problem. I was using the latest drivers also. 12.6 and 12.7 beta seemed to be fairly similar. Hope some of this info helps.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> Your score seems reasonable, but it depends on whether your CPU is overclocked or not. I will put it into perspective for you. My (old) 7950 gave me around P9500 with my 2500K clocked at 4.5Ghz. To get that score, I had the card at 1225Mhz on the core and 1750Mhz on the memory. Graphics score was a touch over 10,000, while my physics (CPU) score came in around 8250. Now that you have those figures to measure up against, you need to see how different your clocks are on both the CPU and the GPU to mine and figure out if there is a problem. I was using the latest drivers also. 12.6 and 12.7 beta seemed to be fairly similar. Hope some of this info helps.


Thanks for the help, what did you use to unlock the core and memory?


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Ok well I have tried some Overclocking.
> I wasn't able to get the 1050/1450 suggested by some on default voltages, in fact so far the max I can get to is 1000/1450 on 10% power increase.
> I notice that my 3Dmark 11 score decreases as I increase the memory clock past 1350, anyone care to explain?
> I have tried adding another 5% to the voltage to get to 1050, but that doesn't work. What would you suggest as a next step?


As far as I know DDR5 has built in error checking. Excuse the non-technical terms , the way I understand it is if an error is detected ( due to overclock) it can be corrected by the error checking but this uses clock cycles and thus the GPU has to wait while this is happening.
A solution may be to use AB to up the memory voltage and core voltage if nessary.


----------



## eternal7trance

Why do the AMD cards only come with one dual link dvi anyways?


----------



## wlw wl

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> I believe the 7970 is programmed to avoid meltdown around 85-90C, which is when the fans will go into dustbuster mode.


So if a reference 7970 wasn't ever overclocked and suddenly it's running at 66 degrees Celsius in idle spitting out all kinds of crazy artifacts, it means it failed to avoid meltdown?
I'm talking about this:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13060_20#post_17666659


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wlw wl*
> 
> So if a reference 7970 wasn't ever overclocked and suddenly it's running at 66 degrees Celsius in idle spitting out all kinds of crazy artifacts, it means it failed to avoid meltdown?
> I'm talking about this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13060_20#post_17666659


No, it means it avioded meltdown and only sustained slight damage rather than blowing up your computer, followed by buring your house down. I'd rather than artifacts than no house.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Thanks for the help, what did you use to unlock the core and memory?


Pretty much I just disabled overdrive in CCC and used Trixx for all my OC'ing. Really nice clean user interface, gives you all the options and control that you would need. Coupled with GPUZ for monitoring and you are pretty much good to go. To achieve my max clocks, I raised the voltage to 1.225 which seemed to give enough stability for all benches/games.


----------



## wlw wl

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wlw wl*
> 
> So if a reference 7970 wasn't ever overclocked and suddenly it's running at 66 degrees Celsius in idle spitting out all kinds of crazy artifacts, it means it failed to avoid meltdown?
> I'm talking about this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13060_20#post_17666659
> 
> 
> 
> No, it means it avioded meltdown and only sustained slight damage rather than blowing up your computer, followed by buring your house down. I'd rather than artifacts than no house.
Click to expand...

Hahaha okay, now I'm relieved!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wlw wl*
> 
> Hahaha okay, now I'm relieved!


66^C in Idle is Harsh, I get Max 70^C Full Load in Furmark/BF3 in a 90 Degree non AC Room.

But Seeing the Temps, the Fans Should have been spun up to at least 65-70% on Auto,

Imagine what it was when running Compute Apps/Games.


----------



## SkateZilla

I'd like the AMD Rep to answer this:









Either the Chips on the Board are reporting the wrong values, or something isnt right w/ the Software/Hardware.

After a Reboot they are normal, then eventually the Temps would read 400+^C, and voltages in the 1000s,

There are crazy spikes in temps, voltages etc, all in the GPU Sensor Sections,
CPU Data is always accurate, no abnormal 1.21 Gigawatt Spikes..

No Abnormal GPU Performance issues or Artifacts, just something I've noticed in hwInfo64 and GPU-z


----------



## Thracks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> So after all debate about PowerTune, should we use 0%, 10% or 20%?
> 
> 
> 
> +20.
> 
> It's nice to have an AMD rep here post useful information. Hopefully you will not get flamed too much everytime AMD release some new driver sets.
> 
> I gotta ask, AMD's calculated attempts to make MSI afterburner not work properly or difficult to get working, is it because AMD's largest parter Sapphire decided to release trixx?
Click to expand...

We don't do anything to make third-party OCing software not work, especially not "calculated attempts." There are no conspiracies.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Why do the AMD cards only come with one dual link dvi anyways?


The ASIC has six digital lanes. Dual Link DVI requires 2 of those lanes to achieve 2560x1600, whereas DisplayPort and HDMI 1.4a only require one. DVI is a technically inferior display pipeline. Board manufacturers are free to include two. The reference designs are also supposed to push the envelope of the industry a bit, and DVI doesn't push anything.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wlw wl*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> I believe the 7970 is programmed to avoid meltdown around 85-90C, which is when the fans will go into dustbuster mode.
> 
> 
> 
> So if a reference 7970 wasn't ever overclocked and suddenly it's running at 66 degrees Celsius in idle spitting out all kinds of crazy artifacts, it means it failed to avoid meltdown?
> I'm talking about this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13060_20#post_17666659
Click to expand...

It means you probably have a bad board.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> We don't do anything to make third-party OCing software not work, especially not "calculated attempts." There are no conspiracies.
> The ASIC has six digital lanes. Dual Link DVI requires 2 of those lanes to achieve 2560x1600, whereas DisplayPort and HDMI 1.4a only require one. DVI is a technically inferior display pipeline. Board manufacturers are free to include two. The reference designs are also supposed to push the envelope of the industry a bit, and DVI doesn't push anything.
> It means you probably have a bad board.


Sooo why does my screen keep turning teal and freezeing me up? does it while im just web surfing..



This is a clean windows install.. Also used a gtx 590 before and this never happend..

I am useing a Dvi-VGa plug right now cause my monitor is not here yet.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I'd like the AMD Rep to answer this:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Either the Chips on the Board are reporting the wrong values, or something isnt right w/ the Software/Hardware.
> After a Reboot they are normal, then eventually the Temps would read 400+^C, and voltages in the 1000s,
> There are crazy spikes in temps, voltages etc, all in the GPU Sensor Sections,
> CPU Data is always accurate, no abnormal 1.21 Gigawatt Spikes..
> No Abnormal GPU Performance issues or Artifacts, just something I've noticed in hwInfo64 and GPU-z


Bit unfair to ask the REP to answer questions on software that is nothing to do with AMD.

I myself have found HWinfo64 to be a bit flaky at times and can get its knickers in a knot if you are using other monitoring programs at the same time (e.g. MSI AB, GPUz)


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> We don't do anything to make third-party OCing software not work, especially not "calculated attempts." There are no conspiracies.
> The ASIC has six digital lanes. Dual Link DVI requires 2 of those lanes to achieve 2560x1600, whereas DisplayPort and HDMI 1.4a only require one. DVI is a technically inferior display pipeline. Board manufacturers are free to include two. The reference designs are also supposed to push the envelope of the industry a bit, and DVI doesn't push anything.
> It means you probably have a bad board.


If DisplayPort can do 2560x1600 why bother using it if almost all monitors don't use it and DisplayPort to DVI dual link needs a powered connection?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Sooo why does my screen keep turning teal and freezeing me up? does it while im just web surfing..
> 
> This is a clean windows install.. Also used a gtx 590 before and this never happend..
> I am useing a Dvi-VGa plug right now cause my monitor is not here yet.


come on man he isnt going to know whats wrong with your computer. after reading your posts you either have a mess of drivers/ab problems or a bad card (vortex 2s seem to be quite faulty compared to other cards). 2 things to try if you havnt: full reinstall of windows (since it seems you tried atiman/driversweeper and still have your 590 drivers on the computer) or try not using afterburner (i suggest 2.2.1, seems most stable for 7970s). when reinstalling drivers, use either 12.6 or 12.7 beta. If someone comes yelling at me about reinstalling windows i would like them to atleast offer another route that you havnt tried that wont take longer than reinstalling windows and getting yourself back to where you were previous (and one that works, not hypothetical uninstalls that lead us to having no idea how the back end was actually affected, a clean install guarantees a clean registry and inf)

Dont be reluctant to reinstall windows, you just spent $450+ on a graphics card, you should at least be willing to give it a fresh start.


----------



## flopper

Got my asus reference 7970.
replaced 6870/6850 crossfire.
removed 12.6, removed cards.
in with 7970, in with 12.6 and cap 12.7.
set 120hz eyefinity 5040x1050.
OC to 1200mhz on air.

fast test show more fps than old set up in BC2 I play.
Happy.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> come on man he isnt going to know whats wrong with your computer. after reading your posts you either have a mess of drivers/ab problems or a bad card (vortex 2s seem to be quite faulty compared to other cards). 2 things to try if you havnt: full reinstall of windows (since it seems you tried atiman/driversweeper and still have your 590 drivers on the computer) or try not using afterburner (i suggest 2.2.1, seems most stable for 7970s). when reinstalling drivers, use either 12.6 or 12.7 beta. If someone comes yelling at me about reinstalling windows i would like them to atleast offer another route that you havnt tried that wont take longer than reinstalling windows and getting yourself back to where you were previous (and one that works, not hypothetical uninstalls that lead us to having no idea how the back end was actually affected, a clean install guarantees a clean registry and inf)
> Dont be reluctant to reinstall windows, you just spent $450+ on a graphics card, you should at least be willing to give it a fresh start.


In the post it says i have just re installed windows... this is a clean install...

Onlything on this puter is windows updates AMD drivers.. 3dmark11 msi AB and Heaven.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> If DisplayPort can do 2560x1600 why bother using it if almost all monitors don't use it and DisplayPort to DVI dual link needs a powered connection?


As he said before, they like to push the envelope when designing their reference pcb connectors, throwing 3 dvi dl on there would be like us being back in 2005. dont blame amd for trying to use a tech that should of been adapted by cheap monitors 2 years ago. dp is worlds ahead of dvi (which is a dead and beaten horse). This really only matters to eyefinity users (which i assume you are since you asked the question).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007617%20600012673%20600050982&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Order=PRICE&PageSize=20

this is a link to all monitors that are 1080p and have a display port. if you cant afford 3 $215 (going with the asus) yet just dropped $500 on a graphics card, them we have a problem lol


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> As he said before, they like to push the envelope when designing their reference pcb connectors, throwing 3 dvi dl on there would be like us being back in 2005. dont blame amd for trying to use a tech that should of been adapted by cheap monitors 2 years ago. dp is worlds ahead of dvi (which is a dead and beaten horse). This really only matters to eyefinity users (which i assume you are since you asked the question).
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007617%20600012673%20600050982&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Order=PRICE&PageSize=20
> this is a link to all monitors that are 1080p and have a display port. if you cant afford 3 $215 (going with the asus) yet just dropped $500 on a graphics card, them we have a problem lol


All those monitors are only 1080p.


----------



## BradleyW

http://www.overclock.net/t/1280246/icrontic-leaked-7970-bios-turns-your-card-into-a-ghz-edition


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> In the post it says i have just re installed windows... this is a clean install...


Is it only during random activities (web surfing, workm etc.) or when gaming as well? if its only during websurfing, go ahead and turn off gpu acceleration in firefox (if you are using it) and in flash (right click on a flash video and unclick gpu acceleration).


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> All those monitors are only 1080p.


so then your talking about catsleap monitors im assuming? no offense but your shipping in monitors not meant for the usa that AMD couldnt have imagined would overtake the computer scene. Also, you are buying an ips 2560x1440 for $350, how is it AMDs problem that your cheap ips only has dvi dl? hell i own a pcbank2700 but i knew what i was getting into before buying it. Sorry but i just dont see why your upset about AMD pushing to have dp adopted


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Sooo why does my screen keep turning teal and freezeing me up? does it while im just web surfing..
> 
> This is a clean windows install.. Also used a gtx 590 before and this never happend..
> I am useing a Dvi-VGa plug right now cause my monitor is not here yet.


Your board is defective, how many times do different members have to say it?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Your board is defective, how many times do different members have to say it?


There is nothing wrong with my MB..

And since i did what above poster said it has stopped.

And he is the only one who has said anything about it.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> If DisplayPort can do 2560x1600 why bother using it if almost all monitors don't use it and DisplayPort to DVI dual link needs a powered connection?


A Single Display Port 1.2 can Run 3x 1080p screens at 60Hz via MST hub (whenever they hit shelves...)

A Single DVI/VGA Port can only run 3x 1080p screens at 50hz via Display Hub (ie triple head to go.)

I'd rather them axe DVI altogether and just have 3xHDMI and 2xMiniDP


----------



## SkateZilla

http://blogs.amd.com/play/2012/04/26/displayport-1-2-%E2%80%93-the-future-of-displays-and-what-you-might-be-missing-out-on/


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There is nothing wrong with my MB..
> And since i did what above poster said it has stopped.
> And he is the only one who has said anything about it.


Graphics Board...

All turning off Hardware acceleration does is tell the PC to use Software and CPU to decode video and HTML5 etc.. Your fixing the problem by bypassing the bad component, which is the GPU.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Graphics Board...
> All turning off Hardware acceleration does is tell the PC to use Software and CPU to decode video and HTML5 etc.. Your fixing the problem by bypassing the bad component, which is the GPU.


I also read via google that using Vga on these Gpus can cause these issues.

Gaming and benching is fine i run dirt showdown for hrs and ran heaven for 2 hrs no issues..

Only Happens very random in firefox when i was switching between windows etc.


----------



## Thracks

Anybody who has to disable hardware acceleration to fix stuff like YouTube probably has a defective UVD block on their GPU and should look into RMAing their board.


----------



## SkateZilla

^ Thank You!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> Anybody who has to disable hardware acceleration to fix stuff like YouTube probably has a defective UVD block on their GPU and should look into RMAing their board.


I've been there and done that. It is more common than what people think. AMD rep is correct, you should RMA.


----------



## Hokies83

Well i just got my catleap in the mail connected via DVI now and turned hardware accel back on if it happens again i will rma.


----------



## eternal7trance

So I just hooked up my 7950 after selling the 680 I had. Is there something wrong with my card that it's running at 58*c idle? With my 680, that's what it would be at load and it idled at around 35c. What might be wrong here?

Currently MSI Afterburner says:

Temp: 58c
GPU Usage: 0%
Fan Speed: 51%
Core Clock: 500mhz
Mem Clock: 1250mhz

At load it does pretty decent sitting at 73c, but what on earth is up with this idle temp? I don't need my computer blasting hot air when I'm not using it.

Edit: Nevermind, it's because I have multiple monitors it won't clock down unless I disable the other one. Is there a way to fix this?


----------



## wlw wl

Same problem with the 7970 I posted few pages back, it idles at 66 degrees because there are 3 monitors hooked up to it.


----------



## BradleyW

My temps have shot up 10c on idle and load?


----------



## eternal7trance

I redid the paste on my card and idle went down to 53 instead of 58-60 and load went down 4c. But there should be a way to fix these 2d clocks.


----------



## jam3s

lol, I idle at like 32c for both cards. Load at like 40-50c on both cards @ 75% fan


----------



## Thracks

500MHz is the correct 2D clock for multiple monitors. Anything less and secondary monitors would start flickering, repeating the same problem people had with some 5000 Series boards.

The board doesn't run at full voltage in this state, however. It performs DVFS to bring the voltage from its stock of ~1.15V down to <1V.


----------



## Hokies83

So i just got BSOD Code 116.. Will be calling Newegg in hte morning and doing an RMA.. I bought the Saphire OC non ref ed.. i will rma this power color and get another one of the saphires.. and just OC them to 1200mhz/1600 mem as they seem to do very easy.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> 500MHz is the correct 2D clock for multiple monitors. Anything less and secondary monitors would start flickering, repeating the same problem people had with some 5000 Series boards.
> The board doesn't run at full voltage in this state, however. It performs DVFS to bring the voltage from its stock of ~1.15V down to <1V.


What makes these flicker vs nvidia cards that are able to downclock all the way and still be fine?


----------



## jam3s

Hey guys, weird issue.

In heaven I get 100% usage (or 99% on both cards).

In MW3 I get 34% on both cards 2560x1400 everything maxed @ 90FPS constant

In CSGO, I get around 80% with everything maxed (both cards) @ 299 FPS.

Should I be concerned or is that normal?


----------



## veyron1001

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jam3s*
> 
> Hey guys, weird issue.
> In heaven I get 100% usage (or 99% on both cards).
> In MW3 I get 34% on both cards 2560x1400 everything maxed @ 90FPS constant
> In CSGO, I get around 80% with everything maxed (both cards) @ 299 FPS.
> Should I be concerned or is that normal?


Cod has a 90fps cap. That explains the low usage.


----------



## jam3s

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *veyron1001*
> 
> Cod has a 90fps cap. That explains the low usage.


Alright, good to know. I was worried.


----------



## Thracks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> 500MHz is the correct 2D clock for multiple monitors. Anything less and secondary monitors would start flickering, repeating the same problem people had with some 5000 Series boards.
> The board doesn't run at full voltage in this state, however. It performs DVFS to bring the voltage from its stock of ~1.15V down to <1V.
> 
> 
> 
> What makes these flicker vs nvidia cards that are able to downclock all the way and still be fine?
Click to expand...

Couldn't tell you. I'm not a board engineer.

Multi-monitor idle clock for GTX 680 is in the 700MHz range, too, unless both monitors are identical and connected to HDMI/DVI only.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> Couldn't tell you. I'm not a board engineer.
> Multi-monitor idle clock for GTX 680 is in the 700MHz range, too, unless both monitors are identical and connected to HDMI/DVI only.


That makes sense because that did happen with my 680. Now I just have to figure out why my card runs so hot. I hit 81c with an ambient temp of 27c. It was even worse before I replaced the thermal paste.

I want to overclock it past 1ghz but it gets too hot.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> That makes sense because that did happen with my 680. Now I just have to figure out why my card runs so hot. I hit 81c with an ambient temp of 27c. It was even worse before I replaced the thermal paste.
> I want to overclock it past 1ghz but it gets too hot.


I had the same problem with my 7970 Lightnings. Anything above 1220MHz sent temps well over 80C which led to instability. That's why I went full water loop...


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I had the same problem with my 7970 Lightnings. Anything above 1220MHz sent temps well over 80C which led to instability. That's why I went full water loop...


Well mine barely touch 61c max load at 1200/1600.. dam thing just crashes in fire fox..


----------



## FuriousPop

i managed to leave heaven 2.0 running overnight and it was still going this morning!

whereas heaven 3.0 crashes on stages 5- 6, 20 - 21 and 25 - 26 - depending on what settings i use.

very strange.....

Is there any quick ways to tell if the cards are dud's?????

put in some patching for BF3 - these babies hit in the 80fps crossfire 2560xRes ultra settings- it was like weeeeeeee. then hardlock crashed!!! did a copy and paste of files from my friend since i dont have the net.

furmark ran for over 1.5 hours and temps didn't go above 70c....

anything i can try besides overclocking? - i would like to leave cooking my cards as the last resort of seeing if cards are good or not.

thanks all,


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well mine barely touch 61c max load at 1200/1600.. dam thing just crashes in fire fox..


Just use Chrome


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well mine barely touch 61c max load at 1200/1600.. dam thing just crashes in fire fox..


use firefox beta, the whql one has issues with adobe flash.


----------



## Blaze0303

Well after the last two hours trying to get everything I could out of my card, here's the results.

Card is a Gigabyte 7950
GPU Clock: 1265mhz / Mem Clock: 1925mhz / Voltage: 1.3v
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3858107 - P9658, I was trying so hard to break 10k but just couldn't. Although the Graphics score was 10229


----------



## xNAPx

Hi guys i will receive a r7970 msi lightning and i would like to know which bios is best to use for oc the card and which are the bigger voltages (vcore, memory, and power) i can use for big daily use overclock


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Well after the last two hours trying to get everything I could out of my card, here's the results.
> Card is a Gigabyte 7950
> GPU Clock: 1265mhz / Mem Clock: 1925mhz / Voltage: 1.3v
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3858107 - P9658, I was trying so hard to break 10k but just couldn't. Although the Graphics score was 10229


Oc your cpu more and you should be able to.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Oc your cpu more and you should be able to.


I tried. The most I can get is 4.68 before I hit instabilities


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> I tried. The most I can get is 4.68 before I hit instabilities


Up your ram speed it will improve your physics score quite considerably.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Well after the last two hours trying to get everything I could out of my card, here's the results.
> Card is a Gigabyte 7950
> GPU Clock: 1265mhz / Mem Clock: 1925mhz / Voltage: 1.3v
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3858107 - P9658, I was trying so hard to break 10k but just couldn't. Although the Graphics score was 10229


What temps do you get if you do that and what ambient temps do you have?

Mine hits around 80c with no overclock and the ambient temp is around 27c. Seems hot as hell.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> What temps do you get if you do that and what ambient temps do you have?
> Mine hits around 80c with no overclock and the ambient temp is around 27c. Seems hot as hell.


That is extremely hot for stock clocks. I hit 72c max load on furmark with a custom fan profile. Ambient is right around 24-25c


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I was testing with this the other day, with the power limit at 0 I was running 1300 core/1800 memory for multiple benches, I tried setting to +20 & It was unstable in everything. Reset to 0 power limit again, & the card was happily doing 1300/1800 once more.
> Seems confusing that higher power limit does lower clocks...


This have something to do on my findings with lower voltages, you try using lower voltages with power limit at 0 at those same clocks?


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkstar585*
> 
> Up your ram speed it will improve your physics score quite considerably.


How much do you need to increase ram speed to really make much of a difference? I bumped my ram from 1333 to 1866 and it made less than 100 point difference in 3dm11 (on my AMD rig)


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> How much do you need to increase ram speed to really make much of a difference? I bumped my ram from 1333 to 1866 and it made less than 100 point difference in 3dm11 (on my AMD rig)


ops, amd.. :/


----------



## darkstar585

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> How much do you need to increase ram speed to really make much of a difference? I bumped my ram from 1333 to 1866 and it made less than 100 point difference in 3dm11 (on my AMD rig)


Doesn't seem to have the same affect on AMD systems I am afraid.







Upping your northbridge + tightening ram timings seems to have a more positive result though.









On intel sandy bridge systems, I have found that ram timings don't seem to improve anything much really. So for 3dmark it is better to loosen off the timings and run at a higher frequency...it boosted my physics score considerably. (500 points +)

Click the Pscore link in my sig...that shows that i was using my cheap corsair xms3 ram overclocked and loosened to 1900mhz and I scored pretty decent physics considering I was only at 4.8 on my 2600k.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> Anybody who has to disable hardware acceleration to fix stuff like YouTube probably has a defective UVD block on their GPU and should look into RMAing their board.


I think it's a driver issue in my case.

Unless both of my 7970's bought months apart have the exact same issue (I tested them individually).

12.6 and 12.7 Beta both have artifacts with video hardware accelerated HD movies through VLC.

I tried RC11 and the artifacts were gone and I know for certain hardware acceleration was working.

I think it's worth a try to revert to earlier drivers to see if it's a hardware or software issue.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I think it's a driver issue in my case.
> Unless both of my 7970's bought months apart have the exact same issue (I tested them individually).
> 12.6 and 12.7 Beta both have artifacts with video hardware accelerated HD movies through VLC.
> I tried RC11 and the artifacts were gone and I know for certain hardware acceleration was working.
> 
> I think it's worth a try to revert to earlier drivers to see if it's a hardware or software issue.


Im alittle worse off then that,,

I get Teal screen and full system lock up.. Only when web surfing with hardware accel on... Ima rma this Power color and get a Sapphire.. atleast it is from a better company..

The only new element in my rig is the 7970.. so i know it is nothing else.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Im alittle worse off then that,,
> I get Teal screen and full system lock up.. Only when web surfing with hardware accel on... Ima rma this Power color and get a Sapphire.. atleast it is from a better company..
> The only new element in my rig is the 7970.. so i know it is nothing else.


Try seeing if VLC does the same thing (just be sure to enable hardware acceleration).


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Try seeing if VLC does the same thing (just be sure to enable hardware acceleration).


VLC Media Player?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> VLC Media Player?


Yessir.

Just install it, go through your preferences and Inputs&Codecs then check "Use GPU enabled decoding".

From there play a video and see how it works for you.


----------



## Ottesen

Guys, i'm now 240 post behind here...lol. Whats the verdict on the 12.6 drivers ? I tried them now but having issues with one of my 2 cards always staying at 501 mhz... and its random which card does that even with upls off...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ottesen*
> 
> Guys, i'm now 240 post behind here...lol. Whats the verdict on the 12.6 drivers ? I tried them now but having issues with one of my 2 cards always staying at 501 mhz... and its random which card does that even with upls off...


That's normal for multiple monitor setups.

Alternatively you could try 12.7 Beta.


----------



## tdbone1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> BF3 is a cpu hog. Check your CPU usage during gameplay. If it's at or near maxed out, chances are your GPUs aren't being fed well enough. Either OC or look to upgrade. Since you don't have a sig rig, it's hard to tell.
> With my 3 7970s, I was only getting 70-80% GPU usage in BF3 on my 2500k @ 4.7ghz. I then changed platforms entirely and went with the X79/3930k @ 4.6ghz and all 3 cards are @ max gpu usage.
> Also, another thing to do is to reboot before playing BF3. I've noticed sometimes when my GPU usage isn't right, it's better if I reboot and clear out any processes that may take up proc cycles. It helps me sometimes... especially with the 2500k, when I actually needed all the power I could get.
> With 1 GPU, a 2500k or even an older i5 or i7 would be just fine for BF3, including even the AMD Phenom Quad/Hex cores, if they're clocked high enough...
> When you move beyond 2 GPUs, X79 is pretty much necessary with BF3. A 2600k would be cutting it close.
> This is my CPU usage on my 3930k when it was only @ 4.4ghz with my 3 7970s @ 1125/1575


ok i been arguing with someone else on this (single gpu Q)

I love BF3 (its my favorite game and i play Multiplayer which really is hard on the cpu in 64 player maps)
answer me this if you can.

I5/I7 (four cores @ 4.5Ghz) vs 1100T/FX8150 (six/eight cores @ 4.2GHz) playing (BF3, 1080P, ULTRA, 64 ppl in multiplay) with a SINGLE GPU (gtx680 or amd 7970)

who wins the lowest MIN FRAME RATE


----------



## Ottesen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That's normal for multiple monitor setups.
> Alternatively you could try 12.7 Beta.


It didn't do that with 12.3/12.4 u see, it also is having problems "settling down". Keep jumping from 300 mhz to 880 all the time... I'll give it a go for some days and we'll see


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tdbone1*
> 
> ok i been arguing with someone else on this (single gpu Q)
> I love BF3 (its my favorite game and i play Multiplayer which really is hard on the cpu in 64 player maps)
> answer me this if you can.
> I5/I7 (four cores @ 4.5Ghz) vs 1100T/FX8150 (six/eight cores @ 4.2GHz) playing (BF3, 1080P, ULTRA, 64 ppl in multiplay) with a SINGLE GPU (gtx680 or amd 7970)
> who wins the lowest MIN FRAME RATE


The 680 has always been better at BF3. The 7970 starts to get even when you get in to high res like 1600p+.

So since you are comparing 1080p the 680 will be a clear winner there in BF3. I can't find a review site that shows otherwise.


----------



## tdbone1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> The 680 has always been better at BF3. The 7970 starts to get even when you get in to high res like 1600p+.
> So since you are comparing 1080p the 680 will be a clear winner there in BF3. I can't find a review site that shows otherwise.


the 580 is capping the frame rates so we cant see which CPU is actually better

we need the 680 (hopefully OVERCLOCKED) so it will not bottleneck the frame rates

many people say BF3 is only 4 core (4 threads total)

if you have a 3930K (six core @ 4.5GHz) and you have a 3770K (four core @ 4.5GHz) BOTH WITH HT DISABLED!

then will the 3930K have higher frame rates anywhere (besides the improved memory b/w)

let me know

what im getting at is.

if its really four threads or not (people are saying alt-tab) showing 12 threads is a LIE
that is just the task schedular splitting it up and not to believe that (which might be a valid point)

so only way to test is take that 3930K (six core with HT disabled) and compare it to the 3770K OR EVEN BETTER
just disable two cores on the 3930K and let us know what happened

that would be better yet


----------



## Evil Penguin

BF3 uses about 4 of my 8 cores, so...


----------



## tdbone1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> BF3 uses about 4 of my 8 cores, so...


it uses all SIX on my 1090T
evenly distributed and all about 80%

there was no other process going on from windows that took more then 3%


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tdbone1*
> 
> it uses all SIX on my 1090T
> evenly distributed and all about 80%
> there was no other process going on from windows that took more then 3%


The resource manager shows that BF3 uses about 80%?


----------



## tdbone1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The resource manager shows that BF3 uses about 80%?


simple check with amd six core and eight core or intel six core (not talking about HT fake cores)

run BF3 benchmark

boot into bios

disable TWO CORES

run benchmark

POST FINDINGS

simple enough and sounds interesting right?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

I just scored TWO lightnings via Open Box on Newegg today, rofl.









I've got my Asus DCII TOP 7970 coming back tomorrow as well, so I'll have a pretty sick Tri-Fire setup, and a pretty sick Quad-SLI 680 setup









I'll be doing some tests with 3 680s vs 3 7970s @ max OC on my 3930k rig @ 4.9ghz when I get them all setup.

I'll also probably be watercooling the 7970s.


----------



## Evil Penguin

The idea is not having other processes eat up what resources BF3 uses.

If I only have two modules enabled, system resources will slow down BF3 more than likely.

I've seen BF3 use up to 50% CPU usage while the entire system (including BF3) uses up to 80% at the same time.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just scored TWO lightnings via Open Box on Newegg today, rofl.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've got my Asus DCII TOP 7970 coming back tomorrow as well, so I'll have a pretty sick Tri-Fire setup, and a pretty sick Quad-SLI 680 setup
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be doing some tests with 3 680s vs 3 7970s @ max OC on my 3930k rig @ 4.9ghz when I get them all setup.
> I'll also probably be watercooling the 7970s.


Jelously consumes me :O


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Jelously consumes me :O


It's honestly nothing to be jealous of. I only buy this stuff because its my only hobby. You really only need 1 or 2 of these high end cards to play any game out there today. The difference between 1 and 2 cards for me is basically AA. I'll probably barely use the cards and end up selling either my 680s or 7970s sooner or later. I had 3 7970s before that I sold because of the lackluster drivers back then, but now with the lightning out and the new 12.7 drivers, I've got some faith in AMD. Plus, I scored all 3 of these via open box @ around $400. Meanwhile I paid top dollar for my 680s, and they only have 2GB of Vram, which is probably why I'll be getting rid of them.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121489R

7950 DCII TOP OPEN BOX

Grab it!


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> It's honestly nothing to be jealous of. I only buy this stuff because its my only hobby. You really only need 1 or 2 of these high end cards to play any game out there today. The difference between 1 and 2 cards for me is basically AA. I'll probably barely use the cards and end up selling either my 680s or 7970s sooner or later. I had 3 7970s before that I sold because of the lackluster drivers back then, but now with the lightning out and the new 12.7 drivers, I've got some faith in AMD. Plus, I scored all 3 of these via open box @ around $400. Meanwhile I paid top dollar for my 680s, and they only have 2GB of Vram, which is probably why I'll be getting rid of them.


Well it's also my hobby, but the US Gov. doesnt pay me enough to support it! lmao But make sure you post those awesome benchmarks!


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121489R
> 7950 DCII TOP OPEN BOX
> Grab it!


Seriously debating about grabbing this, I don't like how loud my 7970 ref is o.o
Is that stupid? haha
So I would be CFing 2x7950 instead of 7970x7950


----------



## Blaze0303

Aww, its gone.


----------



## tdbone1

BACK ON TOPIC PLEASE!

someone with a true SIX CORE or EIGHT CORE cpu

please run BF3 benchmark (all six or eight cores) DISABLE HT IN BIOS if you have it

then go back into bios and disable either two cores or four cores (to make it so you have four cores enabled ONLY)

run BF3 benchmark just like before

what are the resutls?

dying to know


----------



## eternal7trance

I wonder why my 7950 has an 8pin and a 6pin instead of 2 6pin like in the picture.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I wonder why my 7950 has an 8pin and a 6pin instead of 2 6pin like in the picture.


Not reference, probably has more power phases which are best fed with an 8 pin and 6 pin for better power allowence.


----------



## tdbone1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I wonder why my 7950 has an 8pin and a 6pin instead of 2 6pin like in the picture.


go start a NEW thread
im sure you will get help

this thread is not about that


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tdbone1*
> 
> go start a NEW thread
> im sure you will get help
> this thread is not about that


Why not? He has a question about his 7950. This is the 7950/70 owners thread right?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tdbone1*
> 
> go start a NEW thread
> im sure you will get help
> this thread is not about that


\

This is a thread for 7950 and 7970 owners, how is it not relevant?

As a side note, I was able to OC today and I can do 1.1v and get 1100/1500 with 67c temp max load. I will try for more later.


----------



## tdbone1

oops to many tabs open

man...where did that tab go i was posting in...

grrrr


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Like bradley said it most likely is a non reference. A 6 pin and an 8 pin just means more power and stability so that may yield more overclocking room for you.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Aww, its gone.


Totally bought one


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I wonder why my 7950 has an 8pin and a 6pin instead of 2 6pin like in the picture.


The MSI TF3 HD7950 was recently revised and is now being built on a reference HD7970 PCB. It looks like a very good card.

The other HD7950s with a reference HD7970 PCB are the Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz Edition and the Fire Hurricane A795 which is sold in China. The A7950 is also more unique because it can be flashed to HD7970 all Shaders enabled.

I have Sapphire HD7950 950mhz OC Edition and it is very fast. I have it water cooled and game with it at 1300/1600. I have done alot of experimental BIOS flashing trying to unlock my card to HD7970 but so far no luck.

I have read that some of the new MSI TF3 HD7950s are being sold with full HD7970 shaders enabled on one of the BIOS switch positions. HAve fun with your card. I'm anxious to learn more about how it over clocks and performs and if it is able to be flashed to HD7970.

If you want to start a new more specific thread go for it. This thread is huge.


----------



## eternal7trance

There's a bios switch on my card?

Edit: Nvm I see it, but when I switch it GPUZ still says 1792 shaders on both ones. Maybe a flash might change it?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> There's a bios switch on my card?
> Edit: Nvm I see it, but when I switch it GPUZ still says 1792 shaders on both ones. Maybe a flash might change it?


What is the date of your BIOS?

Do you know how to run atiflash? I use atiflash on bootable USB/SD card for flashing. Not that hard to set up or learn how to do. I'd like to try your BIOS on my Sapphire HD7950. Please use gpu-z to save your BIOS then attach it in a message and send it to me.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What is the date of your BIOS?
> Do you know how to run atiflash? I use atiflash on bootable USB/SD card for flashing. Not that hard to set up or learn how to do. I'd like to try your BIOS on my Sapphire HD7950. Please use gpu-z to save your BIOS then attach it in a message and send it to me.


Not sure what the date is, but I just sent it to you.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Not sure what the date is, but I just sent it to you.


Is your MSI TF3 HD7950 the newest one built on a HD7970 PCB?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Is your MSI TF3 HD7950 the newest one built on a HD7970 PCB?


I have no idea, I just know that I got one with an 8pin and a 6 pin connector instead of two 6 pins.


----------



## Blaze0303

Some non ref MSI cards have 8 and 6. Its normal.


----------



## Tomha

If I cannot, under any circumstances in overdrive, get an overclock to work past 1040mhz, what exactly does that mean?

I mean firstly I haven't heard of anyone unable to clock lower than that, and ive looked. This annoys me significantly knowing thermally the card can do so much more, but something is holding me back with the core clocks, it would be just my luck to draw a card that barely passed quality control.

Could it be a software thing? Could changing voltages in afterburner do anything for it? Is there any possible solution at all or am I gonna have to live with it.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> If I cannot, under any circumstances in overdrive, get an overclock to work past 1040mhz, what exactly does that mean?
> I mean firstly I haven't heard of anyone unable to clock lower than that, and ive looked. This annoys me significantly knowing thermally the card can do so much more, but something is holding me back with the core clocks, it would be just my luck to draw a card that barely passed quality control.
> Could it be a software thing? Could changing voltages in afterburner do anything for it? Is there any possible solution at all or am I gonna have to live with it.


Wut card? ive went with the Sapphire non red OC ed they seem to be over clocking the best.

The Power color pc+ will hit 1250mhz with 1.3v but will crash think it is due to Vram heat.. since im RMAING thought id hit it with everything it had lol.


----------



## Tomha

Its a Gigabyte windforce 3x 7950, (http://www.gigabyte.co.nz/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4121#ov) the same card (by the looks of it) as Blaze0303's, as you can see looking in his sig. His card managed to reach over 1200mhz core clock. Sure it doesn't state its for overclocking but look at the cooling and say that the card isn't meant for it in some way


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Its a Gigabyte windforce 3x 7950, (http://www.gigabyte.co.nz/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4121#ov) the same card (by the looks of it) as Blaze0303's, as you can see looking in his sig. His card managed to reach over 1200mhz core clock. Sure it doesn't state its for overclocking but look at the cooling and say that the card isn't meant for it in some way


Every card is different, man : \... What kind of volts were you throwing at it?


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Its a Gigabyte windforce 3x 7950, (http://www.gigabyte.co.nz/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4121#ov) the same card (by the looks of it) as Blaze0303's, as you can see looking in his sig. His card managed to reach over 1200mhz core clock. Sure it doesn't state its for overclocking but look at the cooling and say that the card isn't meant for it in some way


Yes that is my card, and I beleive that yours might be faulty. While I know that every card is differant. You should atleast be able to hit 1100/1575 without issues.


----------



## Tomha

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Every card is different, man : \... What kind of volts were you throwing at it?


Yeah I understand that, I know how the binning process works and all, I believe I have just got a lower quality chip with quite small tolerances. I have tried (in overdrive) every voltage % from 0 to 20 in 5% gaps.

The main issue here is I cant request an RMA from my supplier because it doesn't overclock as well as I hoped. Gigabytes customer service is shocking, as much as I like to defend the brands of products I own. I have attempted an RMA with them for the coil whine the card produces which in some circumstances such as Crysis 1 sounds like a dying mouse. It seems their "customer support" is like a call center in some asian country (no offense intended that is my genuine impression due to the kind of replies I get and where the company is based), who is instructed to avoid all responsibility and lay it on the supplier. Of course the issue with any coil whine issue is they can be hard to replicate, if my supplier cannot replicate it, it states in their terms the item will be returned to me at my costs including labor costs. I have just attempted another RMA request, but I doubt it will be successful.


----------



## Trooge

I'm currently using the Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3 GB OC Version.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Trooge*
> 
> I'm currently using the Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3 GB OC Version.


Everything i read says those do 1200mhz/1800 mem all day.


----------



## RJacobs28

Hi all, i was wondering if there is one particular game that really lets CF shine, so far I'm a little underwhelmed with the addition of a second 7970. ? Cheers


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Some non ref MSI cards have 8 and 6. Its normal.


It's not normal. MSI just recently started making HD7950s using a reference HD7970 PCB design.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1704168


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I have no idea, I just know that I got one with an 8pin and a 6 pin connector instead of two 6 pins.


Did you just get it in the last 30 days?


----------



## KingG14

I just downlaoded the 7970 GHZ bios to flash my msi 7970 oc and it failed my card freezed after a sleep and never booted again so i switched to the second bios and reflashed the card,again epic fail







,so please can anyone tell me how can i restore my original bios are there any methods to restore the bios if both bios are messed up.


----------



## TUDJ

I just bought myself a Sapphire HD7970, it arrives tomorrow


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingG14*
> 
> I just downlaoded the 7970 GHZ bios to flash my msi 7970 oc and it failed my card freezed after a sleep and never booted again so i switched to the second bios and reflashed the card,again epic fail
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ,so please can anyone tell me how can i restore my original bios are there any methods to restore the bios if both bios are messed up.


You should only be able to flash BIOS1, , BIOS2 should be locked, and in the case of flashing a bad BIOS to BIOS1, you would flip the switch, boot up and get a copy of the original BIOS from BIOS2 and flash it to BIOS1.

Having said that, I think I remember reading about some one flashing both BIOS and borking the card









Your could try a blind BIOS flash with the BIOS switch set to 1, or fit a second vga card so you can see what you are doing.

Get your original BIOS here

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=ATI&manufacturer=&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0

Good Luck.


----------



## KingG14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> You should only be able to flash BIOS2, , BIOS1 should be locked, and in the case of flashing a bad BIOS to BIOS2, you would flip the switch, boot up and get a copy of the original BIOS from BIOS1 and flash it to BIOS2.
> Having said that, I think I remember reading about some one flashing both BIOS and borking the card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your could try a blind BIOS flash with the BIOS switch set to 2, or fit a second vga card so you can see what you are doing.
> Get your original BIOS here
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=ATI&manufacturer=&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0
> 
> Good Luck.


Thanks mate,but how can I do a blind BIOS flash (I have never flashed a gpu before).


----------



## quakermaas

Can you get your hands on a second graphics card and fit that to your system, so you can hook your monitor up to it, that way you will be able to see what you are doing.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Did you just get it in the last 30 days?


Yea I just got it a few days ago.


----------



## Hambone07si

Has anyone else tried playing Diablo 3 with 12.7 beta drivers? I tried last night and it was horrible. Gpu usage only hitting 48% with Vsync on and FPS from 38-50 at best, and game was very choppy!! Tried with and without Cap1 and still the same. On 12.4 WHQL the game runs perfect and is locked at 60.1 all times.

Anyone??


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Everything i read says those do 1200mhz/1800 mem all day.


Those seem steep for some reason...


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Those seem steep for some reason...


1200mhz is the Avg these things clock to.

Anymore is a bonus. my gpu a Power Color.. which has a 65% Asic rating clocks to 1200mhz....


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> 1200mhz is the Avg these things clock to.
> Anymore is a bonus. my gpu a Power Color.. which has a 65% Asic rating clocks to 1200mhz....


For a 7970 or a 7950?

My 7950 has no problem hitting 1100.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> For a 7970 or a 7950?
> My 7950 has no problem hitting 1100.


7979s


----------



## SkateZilla

I get 1Ghz Stable w/ no Voltage increase and Minimal to No temp increase (depending on application, max was 2^C more).

havent had a chance to go above that. I stopped testing mine when temps outside hit 95-105 Degrees (and inside, no AC in this old house),

I might try 1050/1100 when it starts to cool off.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Has anyone else tried playing Diablo 3 with 12.7 beta drivers? I tried last night and it was horrible. Gpu usage only hitting 48% with Vsync on and FPS from 38-50 at best, and game was very choppy!! Tried with and without Cap1 and still the same. On 12.4 WHQL the game runs perfect and is locked at 60.1 all times.
> Anyone??


No haven't tried 12.7 yet. D3 and the other games I play have all been working really well with 12.6 so I was in no hurry to move to 12.7. The only issue I have had with 12.6 on both of my rigs is that randomly while I am playing any game, the system will switch to the desktop and I have to switch back to the game by clicking on it in the taskbar - anyone else been seeing this with 12.6?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I get 1Ghz Stable w/ no Voltage increase and Minimal to No temp increase (depending on application, max was 2^C more).
> havent had a chance to go above that. I stopped testing mine when temps outside hit 95-105 Degrees (and inside, no AC in this old house),
> I might try 1050/1100 when it starts to cool off.


LoL id say that is is hot my non ref card only hit 64c with 1.3v at 1250mhz lol


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL id say that is is hot my non ref card only hit 64c with 1.3v at 1250mhz lol


my GPU card idles in the upper 40s/50s right now, and loads at 60 in games and 70 in furmark (give or take a few), with average room temp of 85-100^F, the lower being at night when the sun goes down and I have a window fan sucking in cooler air.)

Jumping from 900Mhz to 1000Mhz only increased Furmark by 1^c, sometimes 2^c.
Jumping to 1Ghz didnt give me any perf. boost in Furkmark, but i think it was VSynced at 60Hz, the 1Ghz score was actually lower than the 900Mhz. (shrug)
BF3 it helped a lil, nothing noticable with Fr/Ps Counter off though.

the 95-105 degrees F are the outside temperatures for the area in the last 2 weeks (not PC/GPU temps),
And since this old house has no AC, the indoor/room temps are usually only 1-2 degrees off.

but for 8 months of the year the card idles in the low-mid 20s (well with eyefinity it idles in the upper 20s/ Low 30s),
and loads in the upper 40s.
(avg. Room temp in the 60^F range, as low as 40^F in the middle of the winter)

So when it cools off outside, my room temps will go down enough for me to play with overclocking more.

Down the road I'll prolly mount a closed loop water system to it.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> my GPU card idles in the upper 40s/50s right now, and loads at 60 in games and 70 in furmark (give or take a few), with average room temp of 85-100^F, the lower being at night when the sun goes down and I have a window fan sucking in cooler air.)
> Jumping from 900Mhz to 1000Mhz only increased Furmark by 1^c, sometimes 2^c.
> Jumping to 1Ghz didnt give me any perf. boost in Furkmark, but i think it was VSynced at 60Hz, the 1Ghz score was actually lower than the 900Mhz. (shrug)
> BF3 it helped a lil, nothing noticable with Fr/Ps Counter off though.
> the 95-105 degrees F are the outside temperatures for the area in the last 2 weeks (not PC/GPU temps),
> And since this old house has no AC, the indoor/room temps are usually only 1-2 degrees off.
> but for 8 months of the year the card idles in the low-mid 20s (well with eyefinity it idles in the upper 20s/ Low 30s),
> and loads in the upper 40s.
> (avg. Room temp in the 60^F range, as low as 40^F in the middle of the winter)
> So when it cools off outside, my room temps will go down enough for me to play with overclocking more.
> Down the road I'll prolly mount a closed loop water system to it.


Ah i have central AC my room stays 73-75 degrees. I also have a Huge case with great air flow.. Cosmos 2 FTW.

Id say your next upgrade should be a Window AC unit lol.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tomha*
> 
> Yeah I understand that, I know how the binning process works and all, I believe I have just got a lower quality chip with quite small tolerances. I have tried (in overdrive) every voltage % from 0 to 20 in 5% gaps.
> The main issue here is I cant request an RMA from my supplier because it doesn't overclock as well as I hoped. Gigabytes customer service is shocking, as much as I like to defend the brands of products I own. I have attempted an RMA with them for the coil whine the card produces which in some circumstances such as Crysis 1 sounds like a dying mouse. It seems their "customer support" is like a call center in some asian country (no offense intended that is my genuine impression due to the kind of replies I get and where the company is based), who is instructed to avoid all responsibility and lay it on the supplier. Of course the issue with any coil whine issue is they can be hard to replicate, if my supplier cannot replicate it, it states in their terms the item will be returned to me at my costs including labor costs. I have just attempted another RMA request, but I doubt it will be successful.


If you are only using ccc to over clock then you are not increasing voltage at all. All power tune does is increase the tdp limit before throttling kicks in. You need to use afterburner or trixx to increase voltage. Also, coil whine isn't really a problem at all, it is just the nature of the product and will decrease with time. 1040mhz is a good oc on stock clocks honestly. I'm sure u will get more out of it once you increase voltage.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> No haven't tried 12.7 yet. D3 and the other games I play have all been working really well with 12.6 so I was in no hurry to move to 12.7. The only issue I have had with 12.6 on both of my rigs is that randomly while I am playing any game, the system will switch to the desktop and I have to switch back to the game by clicking on it in the taskbar - anyone else been seeing this with 12.6?


I've been seeing that also with 12.4 jumping to desktop. Found that windows updates was kicking me. Update and that went away for me. Was going to try 12.6, but after 2hrs of headaches with 12.7 beta, I just went back to what works.

Why is it that anytime I uninstall the drivers, all a sudden the screens just go black and stay there? They never come back on so I restart by hitting power button, then system boots to a black screen and just hangs also. Power down again and restart, then it comes back. I love the power of these cards but dame they are a pain to get working sometimes, or all the time.

I even followed Thracks instructions exactly and no where in his instructions did it say you will see black screens and system will do nothing


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Ah i have central AC my room stays 73-75 degrees. I also have a Huge case with great air flow.. Cosmos 2 FTW.
> Id say your next upgrade should be a Window AC unit lol.


I had a window AC for a few summers, And I kept my room at 65-70..

Other than Cooler temps, the load on the line when the Window unit's Compressor turned on was enough to cause damage. (old Wiring too!)

Old house, the Central Air we had that wasnt used after 1993ish, was added on by previous owner and wired separately,
which was another reason it wasnt used after a while, it kept burning out Fuses the breaker, and 10,000 BTU was not enough to cool 2 stories, 5 bedrooms, 2 bath, living/den, and kitchen. Especially in a older house with crap insulation installed.

My next upgrade needs to be:

-Re-wiring the entire house with Heavy Gauge Romex Cable,
-Re-Run the ThermoStat and Central A/C Lines to the Main box,
-Throw the old Fuse box/Power Distribution box in the trash,
-Call dominion have them come out and install a new Circuit Breaker/Distribution Center Box,
-Re-insulate the walls,
-Put up the new dry wall,
-Have someone come clean the ancient vents.
-Then cut down the tree that grew through the External Central unit.
-Tear Up the Old Central Unit, trash it or recycle the metal/radiator..
-Expand the Mounting platform,
-Drop a 40-50,000 BTU Solar Panel Assisted unit
-Install WiFi Advanced Thermostat.

I'd have to Re-Finance to cover all that, though.


----------



## Hambone07si

LOL. I have 2 12,000btu A/C units running in my place on separate breakers and ran a 20amp / 10-2 line just for my pc. My place is good to go except for my AMD drivers


----------



## neoroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> No, that is incorrect. Powertune affects EVERY AMD graphics card (that has that feature). It is NOT just an MSI thing, its an AMD thing. Reason your Powercolor card wasn't affected to the same degree could simply be because its got a different default voltage, ASIC, or you weren't pushing the card hard enough.


Hmmm maybe you were right pioneerisloud







but my friend (he use to reviews VGA in mycountry from CHIP online forum) told me that 7970 also doesnt affected by changing powerlimit, btw he uses afew brands like Club3D, Afox, etc.
Btw I have tested mypowercolor 7979v2 to *1200MHz* ... same score I got wether powerlimit "0" or"20/max" in Vantage.

But maybe... it affecting in 3DMark 2011, I saw different GPU score with MSI 7870 TF OC while set powerlimit to 0 and max.... and for 7970v2 I didnt see any difference in GPU Vantage but I forgot to test in 3DMark 2011.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Hey guys, I am currently testing my new cards and wanted to ask if its normal if under load, all my 7970s drop in voltage.

Idle stock = 1.175v and under load = 1.16v

I have no overclocking software running. When I overclock (using trixx because MSI doesn't work) I crash because the voltage is dropping too much.


----------



## BradleyW

My stock voltage is 1.112 and I don't see any drop in vcore under load. Do both cards do this? Is it stable on stock speeds when the voltage drops to 1.16v?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My stock voltage is 1.112 and I don't see any drop in vcore under load. Do both cards do this? Is it stable on stock speeds when the voltage drops to 1.16v?


I have four cards and yes it is stable at stock under heaven benchmarks.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I have four cards and yes it is stable at stock under heaven benchmarks.


At what point are you having issues? (I mean, are you overclocking the core or memory on the 4 cards and how far)


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neoroy*
> 
> Hmmm maybe you were right pioneerisloud
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but my friend (he use to reviews VGA in mycountry from CHIP online forum) told me that 7970 also doesnt affected by changing powerlimit, btw he uses afew brands like Club3D, Afox, etc.
> Btw I have tested mypowercolor 7979v2 to *1200MHz* ... same score I got wether powerlimit "0" or"20/max" in Vantage.
> But maybe... it affecting in 3DMark 2011, I saw different GPU score with MSI 7870 TF OC while set powerlimit to 0 and max.... and for 7970v2 I didnt see any difference in GPU Vantage but I forgot to test in 3DMark 2011.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> Pioneerisloud is right. It's a BIOS and ASIC-level feature built into these products: All Radeon 6900 (incl. 6990), 7700, 7800 and 7900 Products.


You forgot this post after the pioneerisloud post, Thracks is an AMD hardware REP., think I would go with what he says


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> At what point are you having issues? (I mean, are you overclocking the core or memory on the 4 cards and how far)


Stock or overclock, as soon as the cards go under 100% load, the voltage drop. I don't know if it has something to do with ULPS.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Stock or overclock, as soon as the cards go under 100% load, the voltage drop. I don't know if it has something to do with ULPS.


I would suggest disabling ULPS and then adjust the vcore slighty higher then test to see if it sticks or not.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I would suggest disabling ULPS and then adjust the vcore slighty higher then test to see if it sticks or not.


I just checked and ULPS is already disabled.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I just checked and ULPS is already disabled.


If you set a vcore of 1.22 on the cards, are you saying that under load it will drop to 1.62v?
Sorry for all the questions.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I use AIDA64 latest version to monitor my hardware, its one of the best Monitoring software.

If I OC the cards and use a voltage of 1.225v. The Idle voltage will be 1.212v and as soon as I put 100% load, it drops to 1.162v like you asked.

I just tested it using that voltage. What can it be? Do I have to use Power Tune (Or Board Power Li in Trixx) ?

Thanks for your help Brad


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I use AIDA64 latest version to monitor my hardware, its one of the best Monitoring software.
> If I OC the cards and use a voltage of 1.225v. The Idle voltage will be 1.212v and as soon as I put 100% load, it drops to 1.162v like you asked.
> I just tested it using that voltage. What can it be? Do I have to use Power Tune (Or Board Power Li in Trixx) ?
> Thanks for your help Brad


Is syncronize cards in multi GPU config enabled in Trixx?

I just left CCC settings on stock. Then, i opened Trixx, disabled ULPS, rebooted, opened Trixx, set the core and memory to my desired speed, set the board to +20 and the VDDC to my desired voltage. It seems like a software conflict, unless the 2 XFX cards have a difference in BIOS compared to your 2 powercolor cards? Either that or a software conflict.

Try both XFX cards together and test for the voltage bug. Then test with the powercolor cards.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Yes they are synchronized, I'll try this and come back to you. I never tried PowerTune yet. The 7970 is all new to me.

But keep in mind that even if MSI afterburner or Trixx is closed. The voltage still drops.

Be right back


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yes they are synchronized, I'll try this and come back to you. I never tried PowerTune yet. The 7970 is all new to me.
> But keep in mind that even if MSI afterburner or Trixx is closed. The voltage still drops.
> Be right back


I think the best test is to increase the power limit to +20. If it does not work, try 2 way CFX with the XFX cards and same for the Powercolor cards to see if you have the voltage drop issue.


----------



## SkateZilla

Vdroop anyone?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Still voltage drop, with +20 too.


----------



## MooMoo

I need little help stabilizing my overclock. I have GPU @1000Mhz with 1049mV, it seems stable when Im gaming/do other stuff/everyday stuff but when I start to game it crashes.
Example: Diablo 3, I start game, loading screen comes, then I see the world and game freezes but my mouse moves, then I press Ctrl+Alt+Del to get to the desktop where it says 'Graphic card has stopped working'.
This doesnt happen all the time, I've tried to up the voltage up to 1100mV but it didn't help in this at all, only raised my temps.
I've kept memory on stock clocks (@1250Mhz), because I though it was it but it wasnt. I've also tried to OC it too, but it didn't help to solve this problem.

*Any help here?*

Im using Catalyst 12.6 WHQL and AB 2.2.2, I've tried to change different drivers and Afterburner, but they didnt help at all.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Still voltage drop, with +20 too.


Take the two xfx cards out and just test the power color cards for the voltage issue. Then, repeat the test with just the xfx cards and report your results.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I use AIDA64 latest version to monitor my hardware, its one of the best Monitoring software.
> If I OC the cards and use a voltage of 1.225v. The Idle voltage will be 1.212v and as soon as I put 100% load, it drops to 1.162v like you asked.
> I just tested it using that voltage. *What can it be?* Do I have to use Power Tune (Or Board Power Li in Trixx) ?
> Thanks for your help Brad


It's vdroop and there's nothing you can do about it since there's no llc on the gpu. You can physically mod to compensate for vdroop but that's typically too extreme for most. Give it more juice.

FYI, no one is actually running with the voltage that they input, no one.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's vdroop and there's nothing you can do about it since there's no llc on the gpu. You can physically mod to compensate for vdroop but that's typically too extreme for most. Give it more juice.
> FYI, no one is actually running with the voltage that they input, no one.


Whatever voltage he sets, he keep at 1.16v. That is not vdroop.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's vdroop and there's nothing you can do about it since there's no llc on the gpu. You can physically mod to compensate for vdroop but that's typically too extreme for most. Give it more juice.
> FYI, no one is actually running with the voltage that they input, no one.


I remember with my 6970 (3 x 6970) they didnt have any voltage drop. When they were under load, they kept their set voltage.

But now, with my 7970s, If the idle voltage is 1.164v, when its under load, it drop at 1.12v

If I set the voltage in Trixx at 1.225v, idles will be at 1.21v and load at 1.15v

So even idle, the voltage is already lower, and the drop under load is kind of big in my opinion. Especially if I compare it to my 6970s when there was no drop at all.

I just want to know if its normal, I can't find any information on google about "power tune" or "board power Li". But even adding +20 doesn't seem to help the drop.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Take the two xfx cards out and just test the power color cards for the voltage issue. Then, repeat the test with just the xfx cards and report your results.


I tried it, no difference, the idle voltage and load voltage are always lower than what I set it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I remember with my 6970 (3 x 6970) they didnt have any voltage drop. When they were under load, they kept their set voltage.
> But now, with my 7970s, If the idle voltage is 1.164v, when its under load, it drop at 1.12v
> If I set the voltage in Trixx at 1.225v, idles will be at 1.21v and load at 1.15v
> So even idle, the voltage is already lower, and the drop under load is kind of big in my opinion. Especially if I compare it to my 6970s when there was no drop at all.
> I just want to know if its normal, I can't find any information on google about "power tune" or "board power Li". But even adding +20 doesn't seem to help the drop.
> I tried it, no difference, the idle voltage and load voltage are always lower than what I set it.


What asic % is your card? What are you using to read real voltage? Btw, 6970s had vdroop as well, it just wasn't being reported. The reality is that all processors have vdroop.









Powertune DOES NOT add voltage. It controls/limits the amount of power the card can draw. Raise Powertune to raise the TDP limit, so that the card does not throttle the fun when you are overclocking.


----------



## BradleyW

If you set 1.25vcore, what is your full load voltage?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What asic % is your card? What are you using to read real voltage? Btw, 6970s had vdroop as well, it just wasn't being reported. The reality is that all processors have vdroop.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Powertune DOES NOT add voltage. It controls/limits the amount of power the card can draw. Raise Powertune to raise the TDP limit, so that the card does not throttle the fun when you are overclocking.


The XFX have 74% ASIC and the powercolor has 69%. So it explains everything. Just wanted to be free of mind.
At 1200Mhz Core and 1625Mhz Memory, my temps max out at 43'C .
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If you set 1.25vcore, what is your full load voltage?


At 1.25v, it idles at 1.225v and load at 1.19v.

And I get enormous Coil Whine. I will have to fix that issue *IF* its possible (not).

And by the way guys, I want to know how to reach a stable overclock with that much video cards? Should I overclock them individually first . Like overclock one and keep the other at stock and then stress test like this. Or I will get scaling issues with the other cards at stock clock and one overclocked. Any Suggestions?

I appreciate your help guys, much better than googling all around.


----------



## BradleyW

Overclock them all at once and you will find your limit for all 4 cards collectivly. Don't run the cards at seperate speeds as it can cause scaling issues.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I want to know how to reach a stable overclock with that much video cards? *Should I overclock them individually first* . Like overclock one and keep the other at stock and then stress test like this. Or I will get scaling issues with the other cards at stock clock and one overclocked. Any Suggestions?
> I appreciate your help guys, much better than googling all around.


This. However, this will be a long process and I recommend you switch to rc11 drivers while testing. They are the best at overclocking stability imo and have the least issues with powerplay compatibility with AB.

Anyways, it's time to use those pcie switches on the ROG. Run one at a time by disabling the other lanes. Find the limits of each card. The weakest card will be the limit of your array. It's also a good time to run the latest version of prime95 with avx support. Running quads will tax your cpu and the IMC like hell.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This. However, this will be a long process and I recommend you switch to rc11 drivers while testing. They are the best at overclocking stability imo and have the least issues with powerplay compatibility with AB.
> Anyways, it's time to use those pcie switches on the ROG. Run one at a time by disabling the other lanes. Find the limits of each card. The weakest card will be the limit of your array. It's also a good time to run the latest version of prime95 with avx support. Running quads will tax your cpu and the IMC like hell.


But when he uses all 4 cards and the latest drivers, his overclocking results might be useless as the scenario has changed massivly.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But when he uses all 4 cards and the latest drivers, his overclocking results might be useless as the scenario has changed massivly.


Wrong.


----------



## KaRLiToS

If I can do 1250Mhz core, I will be more than happy. I will be testing the cards this week and get back to you with my results, thanks guys


----------



## tsm106

1250 is easy not too difficult with current yields. Just max the voltage. Your cards will never actually hit 1.3v. Most you can hope for is 1.28v on the lowest asic card, and you'll be praying for more volts on your high asic cards.


----------



## Andrazh

Find the max clock on each card invidualy then set all cards at the lowest max clock and then set the voltages diferent.
example:
1.1300mhz at 1.25V
2.1300mhz at 1.3V
3. 1250mhz at 1.275V
4. 1275mhz at 1.2V

U set all those clocks to 1250mhz and lower the voltages down. And the one with lowest voltage should be in your first slot


----------



## smokyexe

Hello.
I'm thinking of getting a 7950 but i'm not sure which one. This are my options:

ASUS HD7950-DC2-3GD5
SAPPHIRE HD7950 3G GD5 OC FULL
And
SAPPHIRE HD7950 3G GDDR5
SAPPHIRE HD7950 3G GD5 FULL
I'm not sure what the difference aside from 10$ is for the last two.

I hear there is some problems with the Asus one, something chipset connection. Should i go with the Sapphire?
I'm looking for some mild over 1-1.1ghz clocking if that matters.


----------



## Hokies83

LoL my gpu is sooo defective... now it wont clock higher then it's idle clock of 501mhz core lol...


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *smokyexe*
> 
> Hello.
> I'm thinking of getting a 7950 but i'm not sure which one. This are my options:
> ASUS HD7950-DC2-3GD5
> SAPPHIRE HD7950 3G GD5 OC FULL
> And
> SAPPHIRE HD7950 3G GDDR5
> SAPPHIRE HD7950 3G GD5 FULL
> I'm not sure what the difference aside from 10$ is for the last two.
> I hear there is some problems with the Asus one, something chipset connection. Should i go with the Sapphire?
> I'm looking for some mild over 1-1.1ghz clocking if that matters.


I've heard nothing but good things about the Sapphire 7950s (Including my own from personal experience, the first non-ref edition







). I would say you can't go wrong there... I ordered an ASUS DC2 7950 open box from the egg last night so I'll have more to add personally soon, however, I did read before that people were having issues with the VRMs heating up (don't remember if that was 7970 only...) and whether or not the voltage is locked for the 50s like the 70s are.

tl;dr, Sapphires seem to be really desirable due to their performance, currently.


----------



## Blaze0303

I dream of a day where I can have unlocked voltage at 1.5v


----------



## FtW 420

1.5V is easy enough, but then cooling it can be a challenge.... 1.5V is extreme cooling country.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> I've heard nothing but good things about the Sapphire 7950s (Including my own from personal experience, the first non-ref edition
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). I would say you can't go wrong there... I ordered an ASUS DC2 7950 open box from the egg last night so I'll have more to add personally soon, however, I did read before that people were having issues with the VRMs heating up (don't remember if that was 7970 only...) and whether or not the voltage is locked for the 50s like the 70s are.
> tl;dr, Sapphires seem to be really desirable due to their performance, currently.


The HD 7950 DCII has a problem with cooler fixed to the GPU too light, some samples are affected on stock speed some not, mine can run on stock without hitch, but when i overvolt it goes like crazy with temps, but i fixed with zip tie.


----------



## smokyexe

Is there a point in getting a OC version? Can't i get the normal one and clock it? Is there a difference in the fans of the SAPPHIRE HD7950 and SAPPHIRE HD7950 OC?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingG14*
> 
> I just downlaoded the 7970 GHZ bios to flash my msi 7970 oc and it failed my card freezed after a sleep and never booted again so i switched to the second bios and reflashed the card,again epic fail
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ,so please can anyone tell me how can i restore my original bios are there any methods to restore the bios if both bios are messed up.


You cannot flash both bios, only one. One is writable, one is not.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1250 is easy not too difficult with current yields. Just max the voltage. Your cards will never actually hit 1.3v. Most you can hope for is 1.28v on the lowest asic card, and you'll be praying for more volts on your high asic cards.


Use sapphire trixx, set to 1.38v, you will draw more than 1.3v.


----------



## Tomha

Someone (sorry I couldn't find who, I looked but couldn't find the post) said I needed to apply more voltage via MSI afterburner. I tried this out and have a fairly stable OC going with 1250mV at 1250/1600. Pretty pleased with that. Idle its around 25 degrees, load about 65.


----------



## mat311

Hey, just got my msi 7950 yesterday, but it seems it is not stable at 1ghz (1575 mhz on the memory), should I return this card ?
I heard that most of the 7950 can achieve that overclock with stock voltages.

edit : I dont want to increase voltage because it is a reference card.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mat311*
> 
> Hey, just got my msi 7950 yesterday, but it seems it is not stable at 1ghz (1575 mhz on the memory), should I return this card ?
> I heard that most of the 7950 can achieve that overclock with stock voltages.
> edit : I dont want to increase voltage because it is a reference card.


Almost all of us are using reference cards. All of us are using more voltage and it's completely fine. The only time you want to stop adding extra voltage is if you can't cope with the heat. I'd say stay under 78c max load while running games and you'll be fine. I run 2 reference cards and I use an overclock of 1200/1600 with 1.200v/1.631v core/mem.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mat311*
> 
> Hey, just got my msi 7950 yesterday, but it seems it is not stable at 1ghz (1575 mhz on the memory), should I return this card ?
> I heard that most of the 7950 can achieve that overclock with stock voltages.
> edit : I dont want to increase voltage because it is a reference card.


you could try a slight voltage increase of .025V - 0.050V for the GPU. See if the card is stable. Also try running memory at lower speeds like 1400 - 1450 Mhz.


----------



## Hambone07si

I'm curious if anyone has tried playing Diablo 3 with the new 12.7 beta? I would like to hear your experience


----------



## StrayderGame

any1 tested 12.7 in GW2? i know to last BWE gw2 wasn;'t fully optimized for GPU usage but anyway...?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mat311*
> 
> Hey, just got my msi 7950 yesterday, but it seems it is not stable at 1ghz (1575 mhz on the memory), should I return this card ?
> I heard that most of the 7950 can achieve that overclock with stock voltages.
> edit : I dont want to increase voltage because it is a reference card.


No, mine card wont do 1 GHz on stock volts too, it wont do even 975 MHz on stock volts, its low voltage card, stock voltage is 0.993V.
But with more volts, it can do 1100 MHz without a hitch.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> You cannot flash both bios, only one. One is writable, one is not.
> Use sapphire trixx, set to 1.38v, you will draw more than 1.3v.


Really? Thanks i've been using Afterburner


----------



## sena

Guys i have question, i am in big dilemma about buying second HD 7950.
I somehow decided to my second HD 7950 be MSI TFIII, big question to the experts and all of you is that can HAFX hold MSI TFIII and Asus DCII (one slot spacing between cards) under 70C with custom fan profile, overclocked and overvolted?
Thx everyone in advance.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i have question, i am in big dilemma about buying second HD 7950.
> I somehow decided to my second HD 7950 be MSI TFIII, big question to the experts and all of you is that can HAFX hold MSI TFIII and Asus DCII (one slot spacing between cards) under 70C with custom fan profile, overclocked and overvolted?
> Thx everyone in advance.


I would think this would depend on your cooling factors. Like fan speed, ambient temp and where the case is. Individually they can do that, but together the one of them would run hotter.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I would think this would depend on your cooling factors. Like fan speed, ambient temp and where the case is. Individually they can do that, but together the one of them would run hotter.


Now ambient is pretty high, but i can bring that down with AC, also i think DCII should not have any problems, because its going in lower slot, i am more worried about MSI because it will only have one slot to breath, because when OC, when they hit 73C i see artefacts, at least with DCII. Majin also reported same with his all 7970s cards.


----------



## BradleyW

What do you guy's think about cool lab pro TIM on a 7970?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What do you guy's think about cool lab pro TIM on a 7970?


Liquid TIM, some guys used it on Ivy Bridges dies, after popping up IHS. You need to be very, very careful with that paste, some people who did not apply paste properly on IB dies, experienced sudden temps spikes, up to 20C. But if you apply properly its very good, i am also considering to order one.


----------



## quakermaas

Just installed MSI AB 2.2.2 and using 12.7beta drivers, I could not get the clocks to work at all in AB, went back to 2.2.1 and all fine again.

Anybody else using 2.2.2 having problems/ no problems using 12.7 beta drivers ?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Liquid TIM, some guys used it on Ivy Bridges dies, after popping up IHS. You need to be very, very careful with that paste, some people who did not applied paste properly on IB dies, experienced sudden temps spikes, up to 20C. But if you apply properly its very good, i am also considering to order one.


How do you remove it and how much would be too much?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Just installed MSI AB 2.2.2 and using 12.7beta drivers, I could not get the clocks to work at all in AB, went back to 2.2.1 and all fine again.
> 
> Anybody else using 2.2.2 having problems/ no problems using 12.7 beta drivers ?


2.2.2 does not include the necessary. DLL to work with 7970s properly. 2.2.1 does.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How do you remove it and how much would be too much?


No idea how much, one guy told that one dot on IB dies IHS enough, removing is like ordinary paste's i think.
Also what i think, maybe i am wrong, is that these paste's are only good on directs dies, like on HD 7900 cards, they dont work well on heat spreader.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> No idea how much, one guy told that one dot on IB dies IHS enough, removing is like ordinary paste's i think.
> Also what i think, maybe i am wrong, is that these paste's are only good on directs dies, like on HD 7900 cards, they dont work well on heat spreader.


Thanks for the info, I really want to try and find out more about this TIM. I always thought you had to lap it off upon removal though?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What do you guy's think about cool lab pro TIM on a 7970?


Not worth the risk or effort in my opinion.

The thermal grease they use to begin with is actually pretty decent and the application is well enough.

Though I'm not entirely sure for non-reference cards.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thanks for the info, I really want to try and find out more about this TIM. *I always thought you had to lap it off upon removal though?*


Np mate.
About removal, maybe you are right, didnt find any info about removal though.
What i also think that this paste might not be good with coolers with direct pipe touch. Like on my DCII, but who knows, maybe i am wrong.
Also one question, do you experience artefacts when you touch 73C?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Not worth the risk or effort in my opinion.
> The thermal grease they use to begin with is actually pretty decent and the application is well enough.
> 
> Though I'm not entirely sure for non-reference cards.


I would just love to get rid of the high temps on my top card. Top card can hit 80c at times when overclocked, but if the paste can reduce it to around 72c or lower, that would be brilliant.


----------



## Newbie2009

http://www.overclock.net/t/1281425/amd-release-hd-7970-ghz-bios-upgrade-for-reference-hd-7970/30#post_17698544

Just thought I would bring this to the attention of reference HD7970 owners. Very surprised.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Np mate.
> About removal, maybe you are right, didnt find any info about removal though.
> What i also think that this paste might not be good with coolers with direct pipe touch. Like on my DCII, but who knows, maybe i am wrong.
> Also one question, do you experience artefacts when you touch 73C?


I think you have to lap it off.
I don't see any issues even when I've ran briefly at 92c. My cards are not bothered by heat or anything. They are very firm. I have a limit of 80c. I average at 75c in games when overclocked on auto fan.


----------



## Hokies83

welp.. sapphire OC i got was defective to... ive sent them back to newegg... going to go with 670s... just cant take the driver/hardware issues..


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I think you have to lap it off.
> I don't see any issues even when I've ran briefly at 92c. My cards are not bothered by heat or anything. They are very firm. I have a limit of 80c. I average at 75c in games when overclocked on auto fan.


The GPU can safely run up to 95c before it's throttled down automatically.

Why is one card hotter than the other?

Airflow more than likely.

Changing the thermal paste is likely to result in getting worse temps (usually due to improper application).

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> welp.. sapphire OC i got was defective to... ive sent them back to newegg... going to go with 670s... just cant take the driver/hardware issues..


It was a defective card and should be treated as such.

Doesn't mean if you got another card it would behave the same.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> The GPU can safely run up to 95c before it's throttled down automatically.
> Why is one card hotter than the other?
> Airflow more than likely.
> 
> Changing the thermal paste is likely to result in getting worse temps (usually due to improper application).


Top card sucks hot air from the second GPU.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Top card sucks hot air from the second GPU.


...and there lies the problem.

Not the thermal paste, by the airflow.

Instead of messing with the graphics card itself, try to see if you could redirect airflow to please both cards.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> ...and there lies the problem.
> Not the thermal paste, by the airflow.
> 
> Instead of messing with the graphics card itself, try to see if you could redirect airflow to please both cards.


I have done everything I can to improve airflow with the side fan and air duct and adding a NF F12 fan at the end of the cards.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I have done everything I can to improve airflow with the side fan and air duct and adding a NF F12 fan at the end of the cards.


...and just to be sure you have switch both cards around to see if one card is generally hotter than the other (regardless of position)?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> ...and just to be sure you have switch both cards around to see if one card is generally hotter than the other (regardless of position)?


I tried running both cards on their own. They both hit 73c full load on auto fan so from this, I believe they run at the same temperature. I can't reduce the temps anymore with air no matter what fan configuration I try. Intale 200mm fan with the side pointing on the left side, with a 120mm fan at the end of the cards blowing air between them if the best I can do. That is why I'm looking at the thermal.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I tried running both cards on their own. They both hit 73c full load on auto fan so from this, I believe they run at the same temperature. I can't reduce the temps anymore with air no matter what fan configuration I try. Intale 200mm fan with the side pointing on the left side, with a 120mm fan at the end of the cards blowing air between them if the best I can do. That is why I'm looking at the thermal.


I would leave the TIM the way it is...

I honestly think it could be made worse, especially with anything that uses thermal pads (RAM chips, VRM's).

I'm no expert in airflow, perhaps other OCN members in the air cooling sub-forum could help you improve that.

Otherwise, if the card behaves just fine and the only thing that concerns you is the temp of the top card... Simply put, it can take the higher temp.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I would leave the TIM the way it is...
> I honestly think it could be made worse, especially with anything that uses thermal pads (RAM chips, VRM's).
> 
> I'm no expert in airflow, perhaps other OCN members in the air cooling sub-forum could help you improve that.
> Otherwise, if the card behaves just fine and the only thing that concerns you is the temp of the top card... Simply put, it can take the higher temp.


I understand it can take it, but now and again the fans can ramp up a bit too high for my liking. I'm not saying it is loud though. I tried making a forum in the air cooling section and all the suggestions increased my temps. My own config is the best config so far. btw, rep for your help so far.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I understand it can take it, but now and again the fans can ramp up a bit too high for my liking. I'm not saying it is loud though. I tried making a forum in the air cooling section and all the suggestions increased my temps. My own config is the best config so far. btw, rep for your help so far.


I guess that's just the way it is without resorting to a different cooler.

I just want to stress that changing the TIM is not the way to go.

Perhaps you have mentioned this already, but how far apart are the two cards?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I guess that's just the way it is without resorting to a different cooler.
> I just want to stress that changing the TIM is not the way to go.
> 
> Perhaps you have mentioned this already, but how far apart are the two cards?


1 Slot.
I was thinking of the AC 3 slot cooler, but that in itself would suffer from a loss of air. (I had 2 580's with these big coolers lol)


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 1 Slot.
> I was thinking of the AC 3 slot cooler, but that in itself would suffer from a loss of air. (I had 2 580's with these big coolers lol)


So the top card is connected to the blue PCI-E slot and the bottom card to the white PCI-E slot?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> So the top card is connected to the blue PCI-E slot and the bottom card to the white PCI-E slot?


Yes. But if I was to use the black slot, I would have a big performance decrease.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Yes. But if I was to use the black slot, I would have a big performance decrease.


Hmm...









Not sure what else you could try then.

Another motherboard?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Hmm...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what else you could try then.
> Another motherboard?


I will just order one right now!


----------



## eternal7trance

You sure that changing the TIM isn't the way to go? I took off my cooler and it was slathered on there thick. After redoing it with a little bit of arctic ceramique2 my temps went down by 5c+ at load.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> You sure that changing the TIM isn't the way to go? I took off my cooler and it was slathered on there thick. After redoing it with a little bit of arctic ceramique2 my temps went down by 5c+ at load.


It's not much of an issue when the heatsink makes direct contact with the GPU die.

5c for the better is pretty optimistic and even then you run the risk of ruining some thermal pads.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It's not much of an issue when the heatsink makes direct contact with the GPU die.
> 5c for the better is pretty optimistic and even then you run the risk of ruining some thermal pads.


Why would you ruin thermal pads if you're only taking off the gpu heatsink not the other heatsink that's attached to the card.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Why would you ruin thermal pads if you're only taking off the gpu heatsink not the other heatsink that's attached to the card.


You're right.

I'm thinking of reference design boards.

If pads could be left alone, proper application of a pretty decent thermal paste *might* be worth a shot.

Still, I wouldn't expect miracles.


----------



## Samurai707

Any reason as to why my 7970 in BF3 would be at about 43% usage in a 48 person server while my 7950 is at 99%... Full ultra settings, and occasional dips into the 40s for a few seconds in FPS from 100+?
MSI AB shows a constant 45-46% usage throughout a whole 500 ticket TDM round until I alt tabbed to post this...


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Just got 1 of my 7970 lightnings in today. Just waiting on 2 more lightnings and my 7970 DCII TOP. I know there are blocks coming shortly for the lightnings, but I'm not sure about the TOP (Havent researched it yet). If I can't find a block for the TOP card, I'll probably stick it in another rig and pick up another lighting. These lightnings definitely need watercooling considering their capability. Anything past 1.25v and you start hitting the thermal threshold of artifacting, even @ 100% fan.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> You're right.
> I'm thinking of reference design boards.
> 
> If pads could be left alone, proper application of a pretty decent thermal paste *might* be worth a shot.
> Still, I wouldn't expect miracles.


I understand. I always try to do that with my cards because with every single one it's made a huge difference. I think this 7970 has the smallest difference out of all the ones I've owned @ only 5c.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Any reason as to why my 7970 in BF3 would be at about 43% usage in a 48 person server while my 7950 is at 99%... Full ultra settings, and occasional dips into the 40s for a few seconds in FPS from 100+?
> MSI AB shows a constant 45-46% usage throughout a whole 500 ticket TDM round until I alt tabbed to post this...


IS the 7970 your primary card? I have a 7970 setup in crossfire with a 7950 in my AMD rig with the 7970 as primary - when I play BF3 the 7970 is almost always between 95-100% usage, but the 7950 will fluctuate between 50%-100% bepending on demands of the game. I suspect that it is due to the 7970 being able to serve up most of the power needed for the game and the secondary card is just using what extra power the game requires


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys i have question, i am in big dilemma about buying second HD 7950.
> I somehow decided to my second HD 7950 be MSI TFIII, big question to the experts and all of you is that can HAFX hold MSI TFIII and Asus DCII (one slot spacing between cards) under 70C with custom fan profile, overclocked and overvolted?
> Thx everyone in advance.


Anymore opinions here. I dont want to drop 420USD on card and have meltdown in case.


----------



## SonicAgamemnon

Hello!

I just registered and hope to enjoy insights from past and future posts.

I'm currently building a new system using two XFX 7970s in CrossFireX:







For more, here is my ongoing build log:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1279034/build-log-derezzer-cosmos-ii-editing-and-engineering-workstation


----------



## James161324

I got my 7970 yestraday


Sadly it seems i can't break 1150, 1700 oc. One question is there any reason to flash the bios to a ghz edition?


----------



## diaBoliQu3

I thought only reference card can be flash with Ghz bios?


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> IS the 7970 your primary card? I have a 7970 setup in crossfire with a 7950 in my AMD rig with the 7970 as primary - when I play BF3 the 7970 is almost always between 95-100% usage, but the 7950 will fluctuate between 50%-100% bepending on demands of the game. I suspect that it is due to the 7970 being able to serve up most of the power needed for the game and the secondary card is just using what extra power the game requires


It is indeed my primary card. That's why i'm confused that the 50 is at 100% and my 70 doesn't break 60. Especially when the dips in FPS hit...


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *James161324*
> 
> I got my 7970 yestraday
> 
> Sadly it seems i can't break 1150, 1700 oc. One question is there any reason to flash the bios to a ghz edition?


I had that same card.. Choke whine was horrid i boxed it back that same day and sent it right back to Newegg. But i did get it to do 1250core/1600mem with 1.287


----------



## pd411yomofo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> I'm about to send my Asus 7970 back to get a EVGA GTX680 cuz i'v had enough of driver issues with my card. it doesn't even post anymore and when i decides to post i get artifacting on boot screen.
> All I want to do is play my games and don't have loads of time to game never mind try fix buggy drivers.
> Thanks to all who have tried to help. And if i get the same driver issues with the GTX680 my computer will be booted through the window one last time


Just though I'd post an update.

Got my GTX 680 today and it works with no problems. Runs faster than my old 7970 (when it did work). One thing I do mis is the extra 1GB memory.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> Just though I'd post an update.
> Got my GTX 680 today and it works with no problems. Runs faster than my old 7970 (when it did work). One thing I do mis is the extra 1GB memory.


That's why I got 4GB 670s :3


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pd411yomofo*
> 
> Just though I'd post an update.
> Got my GTX 680 today and it works with no problems. Runs faster than my old 7970 (when it did work). One thing I do mis is the extra 1GB memory.
> 
> 
> 
> That's why I got 4GB 670s :3
Click to expand...

You say that like A) You can use 4GB of VRAM anyway since you're at 1080p. B) The 670's memory bus can utilize the extra VRAM (which it can't).


----------



## 125837

Shhhh, I know it's useless/unnecessary, but just let me enjoy it


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Shhhh, I know it's useless/unnecessary, but just let me enjoy it


In that case, enjoy.







You've got some good cards there, honestly. I hope you plan on upgrading your monitor soon though. Kind of a waste of horsepower right there if you ask me.









Here's a club for you to check out.








http://www.overclock.net/t/1255980/official-nvidia-gtx-670-owners-club/0_50

Better than hanging out with us red guys, we don't really like Green in these here parts.









(Just kidding, I'd like to hope we can all be mature and not troll each other based on brand names)


----------



## James161324

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I had that same card.. Choke whine was horrid i boxed it back that same day and sent it right back to Newegg. But i did get it to do 1250core/1600mem with 1.287


It does get really annoying once you get past 60 percent on the fans. Plus it whines.
but i got a really nice price on the card so i can live with it.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> In that case, enjoy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You've got some good cards there, honestly. I hope you plan on upgrading your monitor soon though. Kind of a waste of horsepower right there if you ask me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a club for you to check out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1255980/official-nvidia-gtx-670-owners-club/0_50
> Better than hanging out with us red guys, we don't really like Green in these here parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Just kidding, I'd like to hope we can all be mature and not troll each other based on brand names)


I was planning to go something like a U27, and socket 2011, but I need to stop spending on this and start handling my money better. So maybe sometime in the future. I like my solid 60 in maxed out BF3 though







Would I still manage that at a higher res?

I only stop by this thread because I don't really browse, instead my OCN homepage is my profile, and I hate seeing the little new posts number next to it so I open it


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> In that case, enjoy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You've got some good cards there, honestly. I hope you plan on upgrading your monitor soon though. Kind of a waste of horsepower right there if you ask me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a club for you to check out.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1255980/official-nvidia-gtx-670-owners-club/0_50
> Better than hanging out with us red guys, we don't really like Green in these here parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Just kidding, I'd like to hope we can all be mature and not troll each other based on brand names)
> 
> 
> 
> I was planning to go something like a U27, and socket 2011, but I need to stop spending on this and start handling my money better. So maybe sometime in the future. I like my solid 60 in maxed out BF3 though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would I still manage that at a higher res?
> 
> I only stop by this thread because I don't really browse, instead my OCN homepage is my profile, and I hate seeing the little new posts number next to it so I open it
Click to expand...

Well, with my single 7970 I can max out BF3 (single player) with FXAA at 2560x1600. I've heard its doable just fine in multiplayer as well. So with an SLI setup of 670's, I honestly don't think you'll have a single problem maxing it out and holding 60+ (minimums) with a higher resolution. Even if you used Surround, it would still likely be playable, just have slightly lower minimums is all.


----------



## BradleyW

So a single 7970 overclocked at run BF3 fally max out at 1080p?


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So a single 7970 overclocked at run BF3 fally max out at 1080p?


Easily at 60fps, with a 1100mhz clock


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So a single 7970 overclocked at run BF3 fally max out at 1080p?


Yes it can. I was running it that way for awhile until I got a second 7970


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Easily at 60fps, with a 1100mhz clock


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Yes it can. I was running it that way for awhile until I got a second 7970


Nice! I could only just run it with GTX 580 SLI!

Edit: What is the new way to enable unnofficial OC in MSI AB?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Easily at 60fps, with a 1100mhz clock
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Yes it can. I was running it that way for awhile until I got a second 7970
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Nice! I could only just run it with GTX 580 SLI!
> 
> Edit: What is the new way to enable unnofficial OC in MSI AB?
Click to expand...

-xcl method, and use 2d / 3d profiles.

Of course anybody with a reference card (PCB), I would suggest at least trying out the GHz Edition BIOS flash. It made a huge difference for my card.


----------



## Seid Dark

I've been thinking about buying a cheap 7950, Gigabyte Windforce model. How does the 7950 handle BF3 multiplayer when overclocked to 1100-1200 MHz? I have 120Hz screen so I'd like to have fps over 100 most of the time. Would that be possible with high settings? I've heard that recent 12.7 beta drivers brought nice upgrades to BF3 performance.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I've been thinking about buying a cheap 7950, Gigabyte Windforce model. How does the 7950 handle BF3 multiplayer when overclocked to 1100-1200 MHz? I have 120Hz screen so I'd like to have fps over 100 most of the time. Would that be possible with high settings? I've heard that recent 12.7 beta drivers brought nice upgrades to BF3 performance.


It should do well enough at 1080p on "High" settings with 1100-1200MHz overclock. You'll probably see in the 80's to 90's FPS or so, if I had to guesstimate. If you REALLY want to make the most use out of 120Hz and BF3, you need SLI or Crossfire really, or sacrifice the visuals down to like Medium.

To me personally though, my one 7970 is absolutely perfect. I don't care about maximum framerate though, so long as I can hold 60+ average and 45+ minimums I'm happy.


----------



## Seid Dark

Yeah the situation would be a lot easier if I only had 60Hz screen, no need over 60 fps in that case. I don't think I will invest in CF/SLI in near future so now it's just choice between GTX 670 and 7950. My 470's resell value is diminishing fast so I guess the decision should be made soon.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> Yeah the situation would be a lot easier if I only had 60Hz screen, no need over 60 fps in that case. I don't think I will invest in CF/SLI in near future so now it's just choice between GTX 670 and 7950. My 470's resell value is diminishing fast so I guess the decision should be made soon.


Honestly, for your situation, I'd go for the 670 if you can stretch it. The 7950 is obviously cheaper, and its still an absolutely solid GPU. It'll keep right up there with the GTX 670, but the 670 will still edge it out ever so slightly. Up to you if the performance is worth the money. Either is a good card. However if you can afford a 670, I'd suggest stretching into a 7970, as they're not that much more.


----------



## SonicAgamemnon

I recently completed the registration process, so here's a new workstation build using two XFX 7970s:













The full build log is available here:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1279034/build-log-derezzer-cosmos-ii-editing-and-engineering-workstation


----------



## pioneerisloud

I"m sorry that you bought XFX cards.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I've been thinking about buying a cheap 7950, Gigabyte Windforce model. How does the 7950 handle BF3 multiplayer when overclocked to 1100-1200 MHz? I have 120Hz screen so I'd like to have fps over 100 most of the time. Would that be possible with high settings? I've heard that recent 12.7 beta drivers brought nice upgrades to BF3 performance.


60+ is achievable but 100+ might be a stretch.


----------



## diaBoliQu3

Just want to know is it worth it to install backplate to HD 7970 reference design? With stock fan? This is a silly idea.







But I think it won't help so much in cooling right?


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> Yeah the situation would be a lot easier if I only had 60Hz screen, no need over 60 fps in that case. I don't think I will invest in CF/SLI in near future so now it's just choice between GTX 670 and 7950. My 470's resell value is diminishing fast so I guess the decision should be made soon.


Not trying to SLI that 470?
They are still pretty solid if you have the power supply for it!
I still have my EVGA 470 with the AXPII right by my side just in case, when I SLI'd it, it was amazing. Just had the upgrade itch though


----------



## eternal7trance

So I'm experimenting with overclocking on my 7950 vs the 680 that I had and it has not been fun.

When I had a bad OC on my 680, the driver would simply crash and reset itself so that I could try again.

With this 7950, if I have a bad OC, the driver will crash and freeze up my computer to the point of forcing me to restart the computer. And then sometimes when I restart it goes in to this loop where the screen goes blank, comes back up, gives me a few seconds to use the computer and then loops over and over again until I can open afterburner to reset the OC.

Is this the way it's supposed to be? Because that's annoying as hell.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> So I'm experimenting with overclocking on my 7950 vs the 680 that I had and it has not been fun.
> When I had a bad OC on my 680, the driver would simply crash and reset itself so that I could try again.
> With this 7950, if I have a bad OC, the driver will crash and freeze up my computer to the point of forcing me to restart the computer. And then sometimes when I restart it goes in to this loop where the screen goes blank, comes back up, gives me a few seconds to use the computer and then loops over and over again until I can open afterburner to reset the OC.
> Is this the way it's supposed to be? Because that's annoying as hell.


Sounds like what I had with bad driver installs.
What drivers are you running? Have you ever had AMD drivers in that system before (same Win Install that is)?

In my 12.7 experience thread (in my sig) I believe Thracks (the AMD rep) posted somewhere in the page about doing the legitimate uninstall procedure for new drivers. Take a look at that, uninstall the drivers and try out the 12.6 WHQL or 12.7 Beta.
That's what I'd try and do first at least.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> So I'm experimenting with overclocking on my 7950 vs the 680 that I had and it has not been fun.
> When I had a bad OC on my 680, the driver would simply crash and reset itself so that I could try again.
> With this 7950, if I have a bad OC, the driver will crash and freeze up my computer to the point of forcing me to restart the computer. And then sometimes when I restart it goes in to this loop where the screen goes blank, comes back up, gives me a few seconds to use the computer and then loops over and over again until I can open afterburner to reset the OC.
> Is this the way it's supposed to be? Because that's annoying as hell.


Use profiles. Stock settings for profile 1 aka your 2D, don't forget to set AB to the appropriate profile as well. When you boot it uses that profile, so you don't loop lock yourself in kamikaze clocks.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I"m sorry that you bought XFX cards.


Why? My XFX Black Edition does 1300/1800 wit ease (under water).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> Why? My XFX Black Edition does 1300/1800 wit ease (under water).


Clocks have nothing to do with the brand!


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Use profiles. Stock settings for profile 1 aka your 2D, don't forget to set AB to the appropriate profile as well. When you boot it uses that profile, so you don't loop lock yourself in kamikaze clocks.


So you have to restart your computer every time you crash from a bad OC?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Sounds like what I had with bad driver installs.
> What drivers are you running? Have you ever had AMD drivers in that system before (same Win Install that is)?
> In my 12.7 experience thread (in my sig) I believe Thracks (the AMD rep) posted somewhere in the page about doing the legitimate uninstall procedure for new drivers. Take a look at that, uninstall the drivers and try out the 12.6 WHQL or 12.7 Beta.
> That's what I'd try and do first at least.


I went from a 680 to a 7950 so I had no AMD drivers installed. I'm using 12.7 atm.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diaBoliQu3*
> 
> Just want to know is it worth it to install backplate to HD 7970 reference design? With stock fan? This is a silly idea.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I think it won't help so much in cooling right?


I have three cards under water. My top card has a backplate its the hottest card. I think it raises the temps of that card that card is also lowest voltage card and is still hotter. The other two cars are roughly the same temps. So I would say forget the backplate.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I have three cards under water. My top card has a backplate its the hottest card. I think it raises the temps of that card that card is also lowest voltage card and is still hotter. The other two cars are roughly the same temps. So I would say forget the backplate.


Top card is always hotter because it's the only active card in the system at all times! Besides that, it's running the screen or screens, so it's always got load on it. On the desktop, the slave cards downclock into a lower powerstate, if not entirely shutting off.

As to the backplate, they do add a lil bit of heat because it prevents heat from radiating away from the pcb. But depending on your goals, the backplate can help keep a card from sagging and in the case of ek's backplate, it works in conjunction with the block to cool the vrms, turning the backplate into a heatsink.


----------



## diaBoliQu3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Top card is always hotter because it's the only active card in the system at all times! Besides that, it's running the screen or screens, so it's always got load on it. On the desktop, the slave cards downclock into a lower powerstate, if not entirely shutting off.
> As to the backplate, they do add a lil bit of heat because it prevents heat from radiating away from the pcb. But depending on your goals, the backplate can help keep a card from sagging and in the case of ek's backplate, it works in conjunction with the block to cool the vrms, turning the backplate into a heatsink.


I guess it's useless for me then. Hehe... Thanks guys...


----------



## TehNOXada

Proud owner of a Asus 7950 DirectCU II 3GB!! Please add me on the list


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> So you have to restart your computer every time you crash from a bad OC?
> I went from a 680 to a 7950 so I had no AMD drivers installed. I'm using 12.7 atm.


Yeah, but did you do a fresh Windows install before installing your 7950? AMD drivers don't do well following Nvidia ones....


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Easily at 60fps, with a 1100mhz clock
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Yes it can. I was running it that way for awhile until I got a second 7970
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Nice! I could only just run it with GTX 580 SLI!
> 
> Edit: What is the new way to enable unnofficial OC in MSI AB?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> -xcl method, and use 2d / 3d profiles.
> 
> Of course anybody with a reference card (PCB), I would suggest at least trying out the GHz Edition BIOS flash. It made a huge difference for my card.
Click to expand...

Huge difference how? I'm able to achieve 1310/1725 with normal BIOS...


----------



## Nwanko

Add me to - Sapphire 7950 3GB Dual-X

Oh and the card has a big vdrop.
Msi set on 1.149V,osd of aida64 shows 1.087V at 99% load.

Any bios for my card so i could run higher stock clocks?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> So I'm experimenting with overclocking on my 7950 vs the 680 that I had and it has not been fun.
> When I had a bad OC on my 680, the driver would simply crash and reset itself so that I could try again.
> With this 7950, if I have a bad OC, the driver will crash and freeze up my computer to the point of forcing me to restart the computer. And then sometimes when I restart it goes in to this loop where the screen goes blank, comes back up, gives me a few seconds to use the computer and then loops over and over again until I can open afterburner to reset the OC.
> Is this the way it's supposed to be? Because that's annoying as hell.


Same issue when OC is not stable.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> -xcl method, and use 2d / 3d profiles.
> Of course anybody with a reference card (PCB), I would suggest at least trying out the GHz Edition BIOS flash. It made a huge difference for my card.


Where do I put -xcl?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Add me to - Sapphire 7950 3GB Dual-X
> 
> Oh and the card has a big vdrop.
> Msi set on 1.149V,osd of aida64 shows 1.087V at 99% load.
> Any bios for my card so i could run higher stock clocks?


Run the latest version of TRIXX over clocking utility.


----------



## Maurauder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Add me to - Sapphire 7950 3GB Dual-X
> 
> Oh and the card has a big vdrop.
> Msi set on 1.149V,osd of aida64 shows 1.087V at 99% load.
> Any bios for my card so i could run higher stock clocks?


Go by the lower of the 2 VDDC's. For me Trixx sets VDDC to 1.212v!! I ran this way for a while until i figured out my cards were stable with WAYYYYY less voltage. Now i get great temps. So yeah if you switch over to trixx make sure you set VDDC to 1.087mV and not 1.149


----------



## BradleyW

Where do I put -xcl within msi ab to unlock it? Thank you.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Where do I put -xcl?


Close AB. click start , type run in the little bock above the start button and then put in the following command

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe /xcl

Then restart . You only do this once or ater new driver install.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Close AB. click start , type run in the little bock above the start button and then put in the following command
> C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe /xcl
> Then restart . You only do this once or ater new driver install.


Thanks man!


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maurauder*
> 
> Go by the lower of the 2 VDDC's. For me Trixx sets VDDC to 1.212v!! I ran this way for a while until i figured out my cards were stable with WAYYYYY less voltage. Now i get great temps. So yeah if you switch over to trixx make sure you set VDDC to 1.087mV and not 1.149


1100/1500
20% PT
1.078V

Aida64 shows: 1.029V
Not stable.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Where do I put -xcl?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Close AB. click start , type run in the little bock above the start button and then put in the following command
> 
> C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe /xcl
> 
> Then restart . You only do this once or ater new driver install.
Click to expand...

I always put it in the target on the shortcut. Apply the XCL (by running the shortcut), then removing it before my restart.


----------



## BradleyW

I put the directory in the run box but it did not work. Should I add xlc within the " " at the end of the direcory? Then remove it before restart.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I put the directory in the run box but it did not work. Should I add xlc within the " " at the end of the direcory? Then remove it before restart.


After the " " marks, add a space and then -xcl. So your target should read "C:\Program Files\MSI Afterburner.exe" -xcl

(or whatever the directory is, you know what I mean).

Run it like that, it'll say clocks extended, please restart. Do NOT restart. Remove that xcl from the target first, then restart. I've gotten myself a few times where I forget to remove the xcl, and I end up rebooting over and over again because I'm too tired or whatever to remember to remove that stupid xcl, lol.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> After the " " marks, add a space and then -xcl. So your target should read "C:\Program Files\MSI Afterburner.exe" -xcl
> (or whatever the directory is, you know what I mean).
> Run it like that, it'll say clocks extended, please restart. Do NOT restart. Remove that xcl from the target first, then restart. I've gotten myself a few times where I forget to remove the xcl, and I end up rebooting over and over again because I'm too tired or whatever to remember to remove that stupid xcl, lol.


I added -xcl and tried to run the software. I clicked yes to the admin warning but the software does not load at all. I also tried the edit via cfg file but the clock and memory are forced at 0 so I can't win at all here.

Thanks for your help so far though everybody.

Check this image, cheers.


Hang on, what version are you all using here? 2.2.1? I've just noticed I'm using a leaked version 2.2.2.


----------



## pioneerisloud

I think I use 2.2.1, whatever the latest official one is.

Remember, when you add that xcl, all its doing is extending the clock limits. The software WON'T run at that point, you need to remove the xcl first, restart, and THEN the software will work.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I think I use 2.2.1, whatever the latest official one is.
> Remember, when you add that xcl, all its doing is extending the clock limits. The software WON'T run at that point, you need to remove the xcl first, restart, and THEN the software will work.


Tried it, still not having fun on my end. Might revert to 2.2.1 and that should work for sure. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks to everyone who is helping me on this thread.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Edit.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I think I use 2.2.1, whatever the latest official one is.
> Remember, when you add that xcl, all its doing is extending the clock limits. The software WON'T run at that point, you need to remove the xcl first, restart, and THEN the software will work.
> 
> 
> 
> Tried it, still not having fun on my end. Might revert to 2.2.1 and that should work for sure. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks to everyone who is helping me on this thread.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe 2.2.1 will work out for you. I have a tendency of "If it ain't broke, don't' fix it" thing going on over here.

I do have a question for anybody and everybody though:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1282335/amd-drivers-causing-stuttering-in-video-playback/0_50

Anybody else experience audio stuttering in video playback since the latest Windows Update? Know of a fix? This is affecting every AMD GPU based machine in my house that got the latest updates, and I'm not sure which one did it.







I remove the AMD driver, and everything is fine. My sig rig, it only affected youtube, Steam videos (and probably any other streaming video). My HTPC is affected completely with any video playback though.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, maybe 2.2.1 will work out for you. I have a tendency of "If it ain't broke, don't' fix it" thing going on over here.
> I do have a question for anybody and everybody though:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1282335/amd-drivers-causing-stuttering-in-video-playback/0_50
> Anybody else experience audio stuttering in video playback since the latest Windows Update? Know of a fix? This is affecting every AMD GPU based machine in my house that got the latest updates, and I'm not sure which one did it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I remove the AMD driver, and everything is fine. My sig rig, it only affected youtube, Steam videos (and probably any other streaming video). My HTPC is affected completely with any video playback though.


Right, I installed 2.2.1 and it asked me to update to 2.2.2, do I did. Now, it seems this 2.2.2 is the official 2.2.2 because the xcl is now working and the installer came with Kombuster, which the leaked 2.2.2 did not.

Also, My windows is up to date. I have no sound stutter on youtube videos and music. Are you using HDMI on all your AMD rigs?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, maybe 2.2.1 will work out for you. I have a tendency of "If it ain't broke, don't' fix it" thing going on over here.
> I do have a question for anybody and everybody though:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1282335/amd-drivers-causing-stuttering-in-video-playback/0_50
> Anybody else experience audio stuttering in video playback since the latest Windows Update? Know of a fix? This is affecting every AMD GPU based machine in my house that got the latest updates, and I'm not sure which one did it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I remove the AMD driver, and everything is fine. My sig rig, it only affected youtube, Steam videos (and probably any other streaming video). My HTPC is affected completely with any video playback though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Right, I installed 2.2.1 and it asked me to update to 2.2.2, do I did. Now, it seems this 2.2.2 is the official 2.2.2 because the xcl is now working and the installer came with Kombuster, which the leaked 2.2.2 did not.
> 
> Also, My windows is up to date. I have no sound stutter on youtube videos and music. Are you using HDMI on all your AMD rigs?
Click to expand...

Sweet, right on.









And no, my sig rig uses DVI-D and a sound card, my HTPC uses a DVI to HDMI adapter (video only), and its using onboard optical out to a receiver. I can't test if my GF's rig was affected or not, but I will happily assume it was (since I lack speakers for it right now). If I uninstall the AMD GPU drivers, everything is fine and dandy (except no video drivers obviously).

What's really driving me batty about this, is everything was working just fine until this last week. It had to have been a Windows Update that did it, but I'm not sure which one.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Tried it, still not having fun on my end. Might revert to 2.2.1 and that should work for sure. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks to everyone who is helping me on this thread.


I'm not positive because I haven't done it yet being that I just recently got my 70, but I do believe you need 2.2.1 to do that.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sweet, right on.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And no, my sig rig uses DVI-D and a sound card, my HTPC uses a DVI to HDMI adapter (video only), and its using onboard optical out to a receiver. I can't test if my GF's rig was affected or not, but I will happily assume it was (since I lack speakers for it right now). If I uninstall the AMD GPU drivers, everything is fine and dandy (except no video drivers obviously).
> What's really driving me batty about this, is everything was working just fine until this last week. It had to have been a Windows Update that did it, but I'm not sure which one.


Hhhmmmm the rigs are using a variety of different connections for the sound then. Try my AMD driver uninstall guide. Can you find out the update number of this recent update and cross refernce it with microsofts database?
Also, try chaning your audio quality to something like 44,000kbps or whatever you call it. This seems to help users.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sweet, right on.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And no, my sig rig uses DVI-D and a sound card, my HTPC uses a DVI to HDMI adapter (video only), and its using onboard optical out to a receiver. I can't test if my GF's rig was affected or not, but I will happily assume it was (since I lack speakers for it right now). If I uninstall the AMD GPU drivers, everything is fine and dandy (except no video drivers obviously).
> What's really driving me batty about this, is everything was working just fine until this last week. It had to have been a Windows Update that did it, but I'm not sure which one.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hhhmmmm the rigs are using a variety of different connections for the sound then. Try my AMD driver uninstall guide. Can you find out the update number of this recent update and cross refernce it with microsofts database?
> Also, try chaning your audio quality to something like 44,000kbps or whatever you call it. This seems to help users.
Click to expand...

Yup, every rig has a different sound connection, lol. It's not the drivers themselves specifically, as every rig was working just fine till last week. Then they all started screwing up, almost all at once. I didn't do a thing to them.

I've been searching through my updates, and I honestly can't find one that would APPEAR to have done it. That's whats even weirder.









I just tried changing audio quality. Didn't do a thing, it still does it. It's fine for a while, then it starts stuttering. Then its fine again for a while, then more stutter. HTPC it stutters nearly 24/7 (with AMD drivers installed) With just using the generic WDDM drivers, its actually perfectly fine. Spongebob Slowpants stutters 24/7 (which it used to only do that on HD content as the machine is too slow).


----------



## BradleyW

Are you certain an update came through today? Are all your machines that are effected on a network with connectivity between them?

Try a system restore on the machines to before the update came though.
Maybe you could also watch a youtube video and watch to see if any processors are showing abnormal CPU usage or resources.
Is the stutter on videos that are offline as well?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Are you certain an update came through today? Are all your machines that are effected on a network with connectivity between them?


No it wasn't today, it was sometime last week that they all started screwing up. They ALL started screwing up almost at the same time (I can't tell 100% for sure as I wasn't sitting at every machine at the same time). Yes, there's a network. But every machine is clean, I've already scanned for malware / viruses. The only machine NOT affected, is the only machine that lacks an AMD GPU in it (and now HTPC01 which lacks the AMD official driver).


----------



## BradleyW

How certain are you that a windows update caused the issue?
What OS are you using?
Can you do a system restore on all machines affected?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How certain are you that a windows update caused the issue?
> What OS are you using?
> Can you do a system restore on all machines affected?


Odd, mine seems to have been fixed now after running CCleaner.







Going to go try the same on the HTPC (after re installing 12.4) and see if that works.


----------



## BradleyW

Could be a bad reg file caused by some software changes?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Could be a bad reg file caused by some software changes?


Maybe, not really sure. Just reinstalled 12.4 on the HTPC, and ran CCleaner till it found nothing. HTPC is fixed now too. Weird.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Maybe, not really sure. Just reinstalled 12.4 on the HTPC, and ran CCleaner till it found nothing. HTPC is fixed now too. Weird.


Well, I hope I was somewhat helpful. Glad it is fixed.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Top card is always hotter because it's the only active card in the system at all times! Besides that, it's running the screen or screens, so it's always got load on it. On the desktop, the slave cards downclock into a lower powerstate, if not entirely shutting off.
> As to the backplate, they do add a lil bit of heat because it prevents heat from radiating away from the pcb. But depending on your goals, the backplate can help keep a card from sagging and in the case of ek's backplate, it works in conjunction with the block to cool the vrms, turning the backplate into a heatsink.


No, Not exacly I have my cards on 24/7 It don't matter what monitor I have it plugged into. Its also water cooled the first card to recieve water is the top card. I know my system. At full load the top card is always the hottest reguardless of what the monitor is plugged into, it is due to the backplate. Before the card had backplate all the temps where within 1c of each other with the backplate at full load its 5c higher but at idle its 0c-1c higher not noticable.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Clocks have nothing to do with the brand!


So why is it a bad thing for us XFX buyers if the card can do better than most? Stock cooling?


----------



## Samurai707

I'm still having issues with MSI Afterburner reading GPU2 (in CFX) temperatures... Can you guys take a look at the thread I just made about the issue? Posted screenshots and such that will hopefully help.
I'm running 2.2.1 MSI AB, it also affected me in 2.2.2... I'm using 12.7 beta as well for CCC.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1282397/msi-afterburner-not-reading-temperatures-in-crossfirex

Any and all advice is welcome, I just wanna see how my darling 7950 is taking to the heat -.-


----------



## BradleyW

Jst hoping somebody could help me with my 7970's on BF3 please?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1282412/bf3-lag-issue
Thank you


----------



## Aaron91

Running 2 7970 lightnings in crossfire, recently I experienced a crash while watching a league of legend replay, that made my screen lock up with some weird colored lines, no desktop or anything just these lines in a straight vertical pattern. Anyone know if this could be a driver issue or hardware related? Ill post a picture if it happens again.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aaron91*
> 
> Running 2 7970 lightnings in crossfire, recently I experienced a crash while watching a league of legend replay, that made my screen lock up with some weird colored lines, no desktop or anything just these lines in a straight vertical pattern. Anyone know if this could be a driver issue or hardware related? Ill post a picture if it happens again.


I got crashing in LoL whenever I was OCing my cards with CFX enabled...
Not to mention the whole HUD and everything flashing and going crazy whenever I start a game.


----------



## Aaron91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> I got crashing in LoL whenever I was OCing my cards with CFX enabled...
> Not to mention the whole HUD and everything flashing and going crazy whenever I start a game.


I had the flashing issue aswell fixed it by running League in windowed mode, so far it has been the only crash I've had and I wasn't even playing -.-. I went to get a snack and when I came back it all I saw was a vertical colored pattern of lines. Hope it doesn't happen again, still bothers me cause I dont know what exactly causes it. Just hope it isn't hardware related. Anyone else had this issue?



Not mine but it sort of looked like that.


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aaron91*
> 
> I had the flashing issue aswell fixed it by running League in windowed mode, so far it has been the only crash I've had and I wasn't even playing -.-. I went to get a snack and when I came back it all I saw was a vertical colored pattern of lines. Hope it doesn't happen again, still bothers me cause I dont know what exactly causes it. Just hope it isn't hardware related. Anyone else had this issue?
> 
> Not mine but it sort of looked like that.


Running anything in window mode means Xfire is not active, probably why there's no crash. Could be your second card though. Try using single cards and if the issue is repeatable on single card configuration. You'll need to swap the cards out for this.


----------



## kahboom

after flashing the shaders were not unlocked but went from 240gbs to 264gbs, 880core to 1010core, 1250mem to 1375mem, 1.031volts stock to 1.024volts stock and it runs cooler jealoussmiley.gif i don't get it but what ever, and i have it hooked up in my bedroom to the hdmi and it still works, if i were you before you flash your card look at the card that that the bios your going to flash, look at the back plate and make sure that the ports are the same number and type ex: 1 dvi 1 hdmi and 3 mini hdmi ect, just make sure its the same as your card i learned this from flashing nvidia cards, as long as the ports are the same and ram is the same size 90% of the time it will work flawless the other 10% needs more voltage thumb.gif


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> No, Not exacly I have my cards on 24/7 It don't matter what monitor I have it plugged into. Its also water cooled the first card to recieve water is the top card. I know my system. At full load the top card is always the hottest reguardless of what the monitor is plugged into, it is due to the backplate. Before the card had backplate all the temps where within 1c of each other with the backplate at full load its 5c higher but at idle its 0c-1c higher not noticable.


Again, the active card is carrying the load so it will be ACTIVE all the time. Since it is active, it is generating heat. The other cards are basically in low powerstate or shut off entirely.

Now whether you got good temps or not in your loop well, that's up to your loop and how good of a contact (TIM spread) you got on the cores. The fact that the main card is always active and always carries a load can't be argued. Anyways, I did say that a backplate can hold the heat in. You should re-read my post. I also wrote that it's offset in a watercooled setup because it runs much cooler and the backplate is used as a heatsink for the vrms as in ek's plate.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> So why is it a bad thing for us XFX buyers if the card can do better than most? Stock cooling?


Sorry, I don't know what you're carrying on about. I only commented onyour implication that because your xfx card can run at X clock, that xfx is in return awesome sauce. That's what I read and commented on. Overclocks are not a result of the brand and purely up to luck.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Again, the active card is carrying the load so it will be ACTIVE all the time. Since it is active, it is generating heat. The other cards are basically in low powerstate or shut off entirely.
> Now whether you got good temps or not in your loop well, that's up to your loop and how good of a contact (TIM spread) you got on the cores. The fact that the main card is always active and always carries a load can't be argued. Anyways, I did say that a backplate can hold the heat in. You should re-read my post. I also wrote that it's offset in a watercooled setup because it runs much cooler and the backplate is used as a heatsink for the vrms as in ek's plate.


Again. My cards are on 24/7 as in all three cards are at 99% load 24/7 not idle with desktop and not lowered clocks on the slave cards. The temps don't change with or without monitor plugged in it don't matter. The load I put on the cards in the background is far more than intensive then what desktop does. In fact the card with the desktop sometimes drops 1c because its taking up lighter resources then the heavy background process that I run 24/7 so the card with desktop some times get slightly cooler because its has more of a balanced load on it rather than full throttle load like all the other cards do. My cards are warmer with this load than any game I know of, When I game my temps go down. I know you don't understand what I'm saying cause you said power state. You live by me you can come and see if you don't believe me. But this is a misunderstanding and I wasn't clear enough before I think you get the point now right ?


----------



## Aaron91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Running anything in window mode means Xfire is not active, probably why there's no crash. Could be your second card though. Try using single cards and if the issue is repeatable on single card configuration. You'll need to swap the cards out for this.


The crash happened while in windowed borderless mode. I'm just gonna wait till it happens again while I'm actually sitting behind my computer then and ill just switch out cards and wait for it to happen again, if so I'd figure its either drivers or the game itself doubt it would be the cards in that case.


----------



## martinhal

Finally got 18 K

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3900518

1325/1800


----------



## LongRod

Do you guys think a Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 will be good on my 7950? The stock cooler is loud and terrible, and this kuhler keeps it nice under idle, but it goes to practically the same temps as the stock cooler under load.

Also, nice job Martinhal, that's pretty awesome. xD


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LongRod*
> 
> Do you guys think a Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 will be good on my 7950? The stock cooler is loud and terrible, and this kuhler keeps it nice under idle, but it goes to practically the same temps as the stock cooler under load.
> Also, nice job Martinhal, that's pretty awesome. xD


The AC Extreme is ment to have some issues with VRM cooling because the mini heatsinks are a bit crap. The cooler itself though is the best you can get for air cooling.


----------



## Nwanko

Would AC Extreme 7970 fit on the http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1442&psn=&lid=1&leg=0 with the stock vrm plate on. I think its enough space,but just to be sure if anyone knows...


----------



## xNAPx

Hi, I've just installed an MSI R7970 Lightning in my rig and installed afterburner 2.2.2 and catalyst 12.7 beta, but i can't figure it out how to control memory voltage, it seems it's just able to set vcore and pwer limit voltages. How can i control memory voltage either? can you advice me some good test to run in loop to test my OC then?


----------



## BradleyW

Can somebody help me? I am at my witts end trying to solve this. I was playing Bf3 max out, vsync on with no issues. All of a sudden, today I have bad mouse stutter with vsync. To fix it, I either have to disable CF or disable Vsync. I can't have both. Nothing changed with my PC so I don't understand why the issue is happening. I've even reformatted the PC but still having issues.


----------



## Samurai707

What a waste of time, ordered an open box 7950 DC2 Newegg.
I receive it, and am ecstatic that the serial code says DC2T instead of just DC2, Lucky me, got a replacement card.
Load the card in, start up battlefield after preparations have been made, monitoring the Temp and such...
The card would not stop increasing in Temp. It crashed 2 minutes into a 32 person map on Ultra presets.
I say to myself "well that's great."
Uninstall the card, put it in the 2nd x16 slot and throw my sapphire 7950 on top, connect the crossfire and let her go.
Desktop loads up, crashes.

What a waste of my time








You would think that if newegg actually abides by their open box policy of: "These items have been tested for functionality..."
That by installing the card into a system, they would have seen that the card does not stop heating up and then crashes within minutes.


----------



## LongRod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> The AC Extreme is ment to have some issues with VRM cooling because the mini heatsinks are a bit crap. The cooler itself though is the best you can get for air cooling.


Well, I've got absolutely no cooling on the VRM's now, so their bound to be better


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> Hi, I've just installed an MSI R7970 Lightning in my rig and installed afterburner 2.2.2 and catalyst 12.7 beta, but i can't figure it out how to control memory voltage, it seems it's just able to set vcore and pwer limit voltages. How can i control memory voltage either? can you advice me some good test to run in loop to test my OC then?


In MSI afterburner, next to the Core Voltage there's a button with a down arrow. If you click on that it will open the memory voltage.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can somebody help me? I am at my witts end trying to solve this. I was playing Bf3 max out, vsync on with no issues. All of a sudden, today I have bad mouse stutter with vsync. To fix it, I either have to disable CF or disable Vsync. I can't have both. Nothing changed with my PC so I don't understand why the issue is happening. I've even reformatted the PC but still having issues.


I had a similar problem like this just with one card using the 12.7 drivers. Then I went to the 12.6 drivers and haven't had any problems.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LongRod*
> 
> Well, I've got absolutely no cooling on the VRM's now, so their bound to be better


How did you get the Antec 620 to fit on your board?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> In MSI afterburner, next to the Core Voltage there's a button with a down arrow. If you click on that it will open the memory voltage.
> I had a similar problem like this just with one card using the 12.7 drivers. Then I went to the 12.6 drivers and haven't had any problems.
> How did you get the Antec 620 to fit on your board?


I tried 12.6 but I still have mouse stutter with CF/Vsync ON.
CF OFF/Vsync ON = No Mouse Stutter
CF ON/Vsync OFF = No Mouse Stutter
CF ON/Vsync ON = Mouse Stutter

This did not happen last night. I've reformatted the PC to try and fix the issue.
Makes no sence!


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I tried 12.6 but I still have mouse stutter with CF/Vsync ON.
> CF OFF/Vsync ON = No Mouse Stutter
> CF ON/Vsync OFF = No Mouse Stutter
> CF ON/Vsync ON = Mouse Stutter
> This did not happen last night. I've reformatted the PC to try and fix the issue.
> Makes no sence!


Used to happen with me on crossfire 6950's. Got rid of them and never again will consider another dual GPU setup. Too many headaches, too much time spent fixing and not enough time enjoying. But, to fix your problem, I guess you have to work out if it's the crossfire setup doing it or something else. BF3 was notorious for mouse stutter upon release, even with single GPU cards there was an issue. All of a sudden though, it just went away for me, and everything was smooth as butter with a single 7950. One thing to note: I tended to get stuttering more with Vsync OFF, and needed it on to produce smooth frames. Having it off would make it feel as if the frame rate was always below 60, even though the counter was telling me 70+. Was there a small patch in BF3 snuck in? I haven't noticed one. I would put it down to the game's abysmal coding, in which nearly EVERYONE is having issues with the game one way or another on different setups and on varying occasions.


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sorry, I don't know what you're carrying on about.










_relaxxxxxx_


----------



## martinhal

My 7970's are great 1325/1800 so far using Trixx. Perhaps I should not have found the voltage slide in Trixx . Always thought 1.3v in AB was the max. Both cards are under water. My question is can I damage the cards if I use max volts in Trixx ? My temps are good 41 C after 1 hour of BF3 at the above speed.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> My 7970's are great 1325/1800 so far using Trixx. Perhaps I should not have found the voltage slide in Trixx . Always thought 1.3v in AB was the max. Both cards are under water. My question is can I damage the cards if I use max volts in Trixx ? My temps are good 41 C after 1 hour of BF3 at the above speed.


Don't push your card too much. 1.3V should be your max voltage. You don't want to risk the life of the card for 25 - 50 Mhz. Frankly anybody would love to have those speeds which you are running at . 1300 Mhz in CF is a beast. I envy you.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Don't push your card too much. 1.3V should be your max voltage. You don't want to risk the life of the card for 25 - 50 Mhz. Frankly anybody would love to have those speeds which you are running at . 1300 Mhz in CF is a beast. I envy you.


Thanks for that. I should be happy with it as it is but this is OCN.......


----------



## Feyris

I decided to disobey the rules, and I got a stable clock on air at 1330//1900 1.32V (only worth it for benchmarking)

but...Should I test this? >> I am kind of being a sissy with the idea.



I orig. made it for a OC thread on steam so... just disregard the profile proof in background.


----------



## Tslm

That profile


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> In MSI afterburner, next to the Core Voltage there's a button with a down arrow. If you click on that it will open the memory voltage.


I unlocked unofficial overclock and i gain those settings, now i shloud figure it out how to move for overclock this card, i would like to know a safe voltage fo daily overclock for core and memory and find stability trynig and trying, any advice just to start?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> The AC Extreme is ment to have some issues with VRM cooling because the mini heatsinks are a bit crap. The cooler itself though is the best you can get for air cooling.


This. I have one mounted myself, GPU is greatly cooled (My max is 56C with 1100mV on furmark) but VRM cooling have some difficulties if you raise your voltages :/


----------



## Andrazh

Thats weird because some of the cards come with NO ram and vrm cooling. Even the powercolors 1100mhz version.


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I decided to disobey the rules, and I got a stable clock on air at 1330//1900 1.32V (only worth it for benchmarking)
> but...Should I test this? >> I am kind of being a sissy with the idea.
> 
> I orig. made it for a OC thread on steam so... just disregard the profile proof in background.


How about a 3DMark link....proof or it did not happen


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I decided to disobey the rules, and I got a stable clock on air at 1330//1900 1.32V (only worth it for benchmarking)
> but...Should I test this? >> I am kind of being a sissy with the idea.
> 
> I orig. made it for a OC thread on steam so... just disregard the profile proof in background.


Go for it.


----------



## Hambone07si

Well since I'm so sick of the AMD driver crap trying to get things running right all the time with Crossfire and Eyefinity, I made a move. I sold my 3 Asus 24" lcd's and just order a new Dell Ultra Sharp 30" 2560x1600 U3011







. Seems that most of the issues I have are with eyefinity. My buddy with 1 screen has nowhere near the amount of issues I do with drivers. He only has 1 7970 and I'm sure that has to do with some also. I will run my 7970 crossfire and see how it does on the 2560x1600 res and hope to hell it's a lot better.

Will update Thursday once I get the new monitor.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Nice pickup Hambone!


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Nice pickup Hambone!


I think I should be happy







except for the price tag







. Dell lists it for $1399, I told them I would only pay $1199 and they gave in, then so did I


----------



## Andrazh

Red = core temp
Green = ?
Blue = ?

(i dont know which one is vrm and which is ram)

And what are max vrm and ram temps? Like for 24/7 use. Sapphire said to me that vrms tresshold temp is 125C. So under 100°C should be ok? What about ram?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> What a waste of time, ordered an open box 7950 DC2 Newegg.
> I receive it, and am ecstatic that the serial code says DC2T instead of just DC2, Lucky me, got a replacement card.
> Load the card in, start up battlefield after preparations have been made, monitoring the Temp and such...
> The card would not stop increasing in Temp. It crashed 2 minutes into a 32 person map on Ultra presets.
> I say to myself "well that's great."
> Uninstall the card, put it in the 2nd x16 slot and throw my sapphire 7950 on top, connect the crossfire and let her go.
> Desktop loads up, crashes.
> What a waste of my time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You would think that if newegg actually abides by their open box policy of: "These items have been tested for functionality..."
> That by installing the card into a system, they would have seen that the card does not stop heating up and then crashes within minutes.


I told you that DCIIş are faulty. Cooler is not fixed properly, mine can operate on stock without a problem, i think that is because pretty low stock voltage (0.993V), but when overvolted it crash, but with little zip tie, its working flawless when overclocked and overvolted. Also i cant RMA, because card works on stock clocks and voltage just fine.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *martinhal*
> 
> How about a 3DMark link....proof or it did not happen


I am having an issue with 3DMark 11, wont run fullscreen spits out an error. Proof for the 1330 or 1425? I crashed in Heaven on 1425, so thats a failed clock, too bad... ill try fix 3DMARK now though to bench it on P, I do not have payed version for X


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I told you that DCIIş are faulty. Cooler is not fixed properly, mine can operate on stock without a problem, i think that is because pretty low stock voltage (0.993V), but when overvolted it crash, but with little zip tie, its working flawless when overclocked and overvolted. Also i cant RMA, because card works on stock clocks and voltage just fine.


I shoulda listened -.- but it crashed on stock everything except for a custom Fan profile where I bumped it up to 80-100%... Luckily I can just ship it back to newegg no problem.

I think I'm also going to return my 7970 to Frys within the week for a 7950 non-ref, I don't want to deal with the leafblower, regardless of how amazing it is -.- Hoping for the Twin Frozr's to come back in stock, they said by saturday the 21st...


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I am having an issue with 3DMark 11, wont run fullscreen spits out an error. Proof for the 1330 or 1425? I crashed in Heaven on 1425, so thats a failed clock, too bad... ill try fix 3DMARK now though to bench it on P, I do not have payed version for X


Try the free one , should give a great score at 1425


----------



## andrew grp

Wow, you are somewhat unlucky with your current rig man. First the little issue with the Sabbertooth then this one...


----------



## LongRod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> This. I have one mounted myself, GPU is greatly cooled (My max is 56C with 1100mV on furmark) but VRM cooling have some difficulties if you raise your voltages :/


Well, I have no cooling on now and it works just fine at 1175/1600 w/ 1.23v, so I'm sure that even if the VRM cooling is bad, it's better then no cooling.


----------



## StrayderGame

I have installed now 12.7 drivers and i'm getting again randomly black/blue screen and PC freeze.This also was happening with 12.6 but not with 12.4 or any previous...any1 have some fix for this? Or just roll back to 12.4 till they release fix? I'm getting this freeze when play League of Legends or just browsing trough internet...


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> I have installed now 12.7 drivers and i'm getting again randomly black/blue screen and PC freeze.This also was happening with 12.6 but not with 12.4 or any previous...any1 have some fix for this? Or just roll back to 12.4 till they release fix? I'm getting this freeze when play League of Legends or just browsing trough internet...


Are you overclocking? Maybe you have an unstable core clock.

Or your driver install was bad, I recommend following Thracks installation guide to re-install 12.7.


----------



## BradleyW

Try my uninstall guide and retry 12.6. Do you have latest CAPS installed? If you do, remove them. If you don't, install them.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LongRod*
> 
> Well, I have no cooling on now and it works just fine at 1175/1600 w/ 1.23v, so I'm sure that even if the VRM cooling is bad, it's better then no cooling.


Hows your temps? Did you use that G-1 Thermal glue that came with it? I cant put that kinda voltage, my temps go throught roof









Edit:
I think I've messed something again, I was thinkin to reseat the heatsinks with this stuff "Phobya Ultra 7W/mk 100x100x1mm" it haves better Thermal Conductivity than G-1, should I try?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> 
> Red = core temp
> Green = ?
> Blue = ?
> (i dont know which one is vrm and which is ram)
> And what are max vrm and ram temps? Like for 24/7 use. Sapphire said to me that vrms tresshold temp is 125C. So under 100°C should be ok? What about ram?


Green and Blue are VRMs, there isnt RAM temps, atleast I've discovered so :s but I dont know why theres 2 VRM temp sensors. _Somebody correct me if Im wrong._


----------



## LongRod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Hows your temps? Did you use that G-1 Thermal glue that came with it? I cant put that kinda voltage, my temps go throught roof
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit:
> I think I've messed something again, I was thinkin to reseat the heatsinks with this stuff "Phobya Ultra 7W/mk 100x100x1mm" it haves better Thermal Conductivity than G-1, should I try?


I have no cooling whatsoever on the VRMs, that's why I want to get the cooler.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Green and Blue are VRMs, there isnt RAM temps, atleast I've discovered so :s but I dont know why theres 2 VRM temp sensors. _Somebody correct me if Im wrong._


I think he means the VRMs for the RAM and GPU ? That is what I always took out of the two VRM temps. ( Somebody correct me if I am wrong







)


----------



## eternal7trance

Does ASIC quality mean anything anymore?

I am at 90.2% but I find that I have to pump a ton of voltage to get a decent OC.

And anytime I do a benchmark or graphic intensive game using Trixx I'm at 1.056v for VDDC but GPUZ reports .992 VDDC, and that's with using the 20% increase on board power.

Even then at such a low reported voltage, I'm at 66c max load. Is this good or bad? And what on earth is going on with the voltage?


----------



## StrayderGame

Ye i have overclocks,but they are not unstable...that is problem with drivers themself...i have installed cap1.7 now will uninstall it and try


----------



## AllGamer

I'm starting to think, I need to send my 2 ASUS DC2TOP back for Warranty

with 12.6 it works stable as a stand alone card

but if i set it to Crossfire, it crashes way too often

I still can't quite figure out if it's really a hardware issue or a software issue


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> I'm starting to think, I need to send my 2 ASUS DC2TOP back for Warranty
> with 12.6 it works stable as a stand alone card
> but if i set it to Crossfire, it crashes way too often
> I still can't quite figure out if it's really a hardware issue or a software issue


Only stable drivers for me are 12.4. 12.6 & 12.7 do not work well for me.


----------



## disintegratorx

-.-


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> I'm starting to think, I need to send my 2 ASUS DC2TOP back for Warranty
> with 12.6 it works stable as a stand alone card
> but if i set it to Crossfire, it crashes way too often
> I still can't quite figure out if it's really a hardware issue or a software issue


FYI

For using 1 gpu, PCH voltage at auto or +.025 above auto.
2 gpu's (crossfire or sli) PCH voltage up to +.050 - +.075

So if your PCH voltage is at 1.050v in bios on auto, when trying to use 2 cards try 1.050v + .050v - .075v = 1.100v - 1.125v









3 gpu's 1.125v - 1.150v

Edit: also if that formula board has the extra molex connectors for supplying extra juice to the PCI-E lanes, USE THEM


----------



## disintegratorx

I have a single card and my voltage is at 1.156 with my clocks at 1110/1500. I actually just upped my voltage a few points because it seems to stabilize my card better with these newer drivers. Its been crashing every now and again since after the Catalyst 12.4, but like I just said, less and less often when i increase the voltage by small amounts. But other then that and it hasn't crashed yet with my current voltage setting, my card is running beautifully. These newest drivers look and perform really nice.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> FYI
> For using 1 gpu, PCH voltage at auto or +.025 above auto.
> 2 gpu's (crossfire or sli) PCH voltage up to +.050 - +.075
> So if your PCH voltage is at 1.050v in bios on auto, when trying to use 2 cards try 1.050v + .050v - .075v = 1.100v - 1.125v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3 gpu's 1.125v - 1.150v


i'll have to check the BIOS to see what they are set to
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Edit: also if that formula board has the extra molex connectors for supplying extra juice to the PCI-E lanes, USE THEM


i did this already, it's not making any difference

it might be the BIOS

i even under clocked both cards to stock 925 Mhz with stock voltage and it is still does the same thing "crash" with the lines patterns, and the only fix is to hit the hardware reset button


----------



## Hambone07si

Well "lines patterns" usually means Vram isn't stable. Have you tried raising the Vram voltage for the cards? Default is 1.600v. You can try using 1.631v - 1.650v. I use 1.650v for running 1700mhz on my cards, but mine are on water and stay cool so I'm not worried about the Vram getting to hot.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well "lines patterns" usually means Vram isn't stable. Have you tried raising the Vram voltage for the cards? Default is 1.600v. You can try using 1.631v - 1.650v. I use 1.650v for running 1700mhz on my cards, but mine are on water and stay cool so I'm not worried about the Vram getting to hot.


that is good info, i'll definitely have to review the RAM voltage

i'm using GPU Tweak that came with the cards

should i use another App to control those settings?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> that is good info, i'll definitely have to review the RAM voltage
> i'm using GPU Tweak that came with the cards
> should i use another App to control those settings?


I've tried all the different overclocking software and I'm still liking MSI Afterburner the best. There's a small drop down arrow next to the gpu voltage that drops down for changing the memory voltage.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Is MSI Afterburner still the best, and free, fps limiter? Also, I assume people use AMD CCC together with MSI Afterburner?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Is MSI Afterburner still the best, and free, fps limiter? Also, I assume people use AMD CCC together with MSI Afterburner?


Yes to both of your questions.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Got my 7950 today  have not had time to test it fully or anything but here she is. Currently stock as I just installed it


----------



## eternal7trance

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Got my 7950 today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> have not had time to test it fully or anything but here she is. Currently stock as I just installed it






I'd like to see what kind of results you get since I have the same card.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I'd like to see what kind of results you get since I have the same card.


I have honestly NEVER overclocked before (I know I am on Overclock.net but I like the community) This will be a learning process for me so I cant guarantee results yet.


----------



## BlackWS6

What kind of temps are you seeing at stock voltage/clocks on that 7950?


----------



## Testier

Well, I am loving my 7970. so I hope you love your 7950......


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Got my 7950 today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> have not had time to test it fully or anything but here she is. Currently stock as I just installed it


Cheers man! I can't wait to go pick mine up on Sunday-ish! Hope it's a winner OCer


----------



## BradleyW

@4LC4PON3
Hey, Nice card. I bet it runs cool and overclocks well!
@Samurai707
Good luck with the card. Don't forget to run 12.6 WHQL for max stability and hopefully you have a good overclocker!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> What kind of temps are you seeing at stock voltage/clocks on that 7950?


I can only say as of right now 30% fan speed *IDLE* is getting 38c. has not moved from 38c in hours. I have not tried to game on it just yet because I have been super busy today. I will try a game or two out in a little bit. OC as I said I really dont know how to OC as of yet so I can not say what kind of OC it will get. It has enough power as it is for all my needs so it may never see an OC.

I have a question about OpenCL I downloaded the new GPUZ & when I open it, it says that my Intel OpenCL Drivers are bugged & needs to be reinstalled. I Reinstalled everything and I still get this message? What am I doing wrong is this normal?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I can only say as of right now 30% fan speed *IDLE* is getting 38c. has not moved from 38c in hours. I have not tried to game on it just yet because I have been super busy today. I will try a game or two out in a little bit. OC as I said I really dont know how to OC as of yet so I can not say what kind of OC it will get. It has enough power as it is for all my needs so it may never see an OC.
> 
> I have a question about OpenCL I downloaded the new GPUZ & when I open it, it says that my Intel OpenCL Drivers are bugged & needs to be reinstalled. I Reinstalled everything and I still get this message? What am I doing wrong is this normal?


What is your ambient temp?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> What is your ambient temp?


This is running with Side panel off. I do not like side panels so I take the one side off.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> This is running with Side panel off. I do not like side panels so I take the one side off.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/964666/
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/964668/


Ambient temps mean the temp in your room.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Ambient temps mean the temp in your room.


No clue I run a 12000 BTU AC 24/7 so I have zero clue of what my temps are in my apartment. 12000BTU AC is running 24/7 at 60 degrees. Anyways here is 15 mins worth of Saints Row The Third gameplay. It stayed at a steady 64c


----------



## grandpatzer

Is it true that the real voltage on 2 cards for 7950 stock voltage can be wery different?

So when a reviewer write "Brand XXX 7950" was able to achieve 1000/1575 on stock voltage.
While another reviewer writes "Brand YYY 7950" was able to achieve 1100/1575 on stock voltage.

In reality the first card could be showing 0.99v in hwinfo64 while the later card shows 1.1v in hwinfo64?

If the above is true I guess some 7950 might give 140w tdp on stock volt while another 7950 gives 180w.


----------



## eternal7trance

I noticed that when I'm gaming, I'll see these little glitches pop up maybe every minute or half a minute, it's just like a blip or a jagged triangle/square shaped thing that pops out for a split second in a small part of the screen and goes away. This happens with any game I play. I never had this problem with any of the nvidia cards I had. Is this a problem with AMD in general or is my card bad?

I should also note this happens with both 12.6 and 12.7 beta drivers.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> This is running with Side panel off. I do not like side panels so I take the one side off.


Why would you run with side panel removed. With the side panel in place actually airflow would be better. Yor sig rig says you are running five 120mm fans. Definitely you should be able to keep temps below 60c at stock speeds. The most important factor in good system cooling is creating a good wind tunnel / good case air flow. If you have not got a 120mm fan blowing directly from the side panel you should try that. Would help a lot in getting your temps down.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I noticed that when I'm gaming, I'll see these little glitches pop up maybe every minute or half a minute, it's just like a blip or a jagged triangle/square shaped thing that pops out for a split second in a small part of the screen and goes away. This happens with any game I play. I never had this problem with any of the nvidia cards I had. Is this a problem with AMD in general or is my card bad?
> I should also note this happens with both 12.6 and 12.7 beta drivers.


I think it is something called artifacts. Did you overclock the card? It should be a problem with your card imo.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lard*
> 
> Edit the HD7970 Bios with a Hexeditor:
> 
> GPU clock
> RAM clock
> GPU voltage
> You have to reverse the value and change the hex to decimal.
> Examples:
> hex: 54 69 01 -> 01 69 54 -> dec: 92500 = 925 MHz GPU clock.
> To change 2D GPU voltage from 0,85V to 0,8V (Lower is not supported) hex= 52 03 to 20 03
> To save electricity I prefer to change all my clockstates to 300/150MHz and 0,8V (30 75 00 98 3A 00 20 03) and use a 3D profile for Games.
> This works only with Asus GPU-Tweak.
> How-to:
> - First flash the Asus bios.
> - Make a 3D-Profile with Overclocking range enhancement and Kepp setting for the next start
> - Flash the modified Asus bios, reboot
> - Disable Overclocking range enhancement and Kepp setting for the next start and enable Overclocking range enhancement again
> - Click on default close GPU-Tweak and start it again and click on default
> - Disable AMD Overdrive in the driver
> Now you can switch between default clocks and 3D:
> 
> If you install a new driver, you have to make this all over again.


I was searching for a guide, to overclock my msi r7970 lightning editing the bios with an hex editor, i don't wanna use any kind of 3rd party software so anyone can help me doin this? I'm stable @ 1250/1600 with these voltages vcore 1.274v memory 1.600v power limit +20


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> No clue I run a 12000 BTU AC 24/7 so I have zero clue of what my temps are in my apartment. 12000BTU AC is running 24/7 at 60 degrees. Anyways here is 15 mins worth of Saints Row The Third gameplay. It stayed at a steady 64c


If you run an AC at 60deg all the time, then your ambient temp is 60deg


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> If you run an AC at 60deg all the time, then your ambient temp is 60deg


Not true. At best it could be 60deg. If it's running all day and doesn't shut off, it's not keeping up with the heat inside. I have 2 12,000btu A/C units running now at my place and finally they shut off for 45min out of an hour. I can set them to 70deg and my place stays 70deg through out the house. Before I had a 8000 in the living room and 12,000 in the bedroom and I had the 8000 set to 64deg (as low as it goes) and it ran non stop and it would get up to 80deg in the living room where my Pc is.

If it's running non stop you will waste way more money then going and buying a bigger one that can keep up. With my 8000 and 12000 my bill would get over $125 a month. Now with 2 12000's my place stays at what I set it to and my bill is only $85 now. It may cost you $400-$500 to get a bigger A/C unit, but it will save you in the end and you will stay cooler


----------



## SkateZilla

Dont forget in the summer, power quality from input AC drops, which might or might not effect overclocks.


----------



## BradleyW

New improved uninstall guides.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1150443/how-to-remove-your-nvidia-gpu-drivers
http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards


----------



## DB006

Even here in the UK I have a 12000btu AC unit, set at 70ºf permanantly, 7970 idles at 90ºf


----------



## Rejven

Hi. I'm having some weird problems with my 7970.
It started a couple of days ago, and persists even after a completely fresh install of w7.



http://imgur.com/GQoYj


As you can see on the picture there are lots of small anomalities on the screen. In addition there are lots of small squares and dots around my screen that moves everytime there is a change to the picture (moving things around, clicking etc).
Dragging windows around leaves a track with lots of small dots and lines, but those wont show up in screenshots.
http://i.imgur.com/CLzsr.jpg Taken with my phone.

Tried starting up Battlefield 3, no anomalities ingame in the start, but after a while everything turned pink and there was loads of tearing etc.

When I uninstall the driver there are no problems, until I install it again. Tried with both catalyst version 12,6 and 12,7.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rejven*
> 
> Hi. I'm having some weird problems with my 7970.
> It started a couple of days ago, and persists even after a completely fresh install of w7.
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/GQoYj
> 
> As you can see on the picture there are lots of small anomalities on the screen. In addition there are lots of small squares and dots around my screen that moves everytime there is a change to the picture (moving things around, clicking etc).
> Dragging windows around leaves a track with lots of small dots and lines, but those wont show up in screenshots.
> http://i.imgur.com/CLzsr.jpg Taken with my phone.
> Tried starting up Battlefield 3, no anomalities ingame in the start, but after a while everything turned pink and there was loads of tearing etc.
> When I uninstall the driver there are no problems, until I install it again. Tried with both catalyst version 12,6 and 12,7.


Are you OCing?
Normally I get this from not enough Voltage/unstable memory OC.


----------



## Greg0986

I have a reference 7970 and I am getting idle temps of 65°c with a fan speed of 50%. Why is the temperature so high?


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg0986*
> 
> I have a reference 7970 and I am getting idle temps of 65°c with a fan speed of 50%. Why is the temperature so high?


Because you're at 50%, crank that baby to 80+ and you'll see some good temps









Plus some nice ambient noise.


----------



## Greg0986

I hate noise







Is it worth investing in a custom cooler?


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg0986*
> 
> I hate noise
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it worth investing in a custom cooler?


That's why I'm returning mine and sticking with my non-ref 7950s







the performance was amazing, but If I wanted a cool room, I wouldn't be able to hear my netflix over my bose speakers









The Arctic Xcellero 7970 edition is supposed to be really good for cooling, however VRM cooling may be a slight issue.
I have the AXPII on my GTX 470 and it was silent and cooled it amazingly.


----------



## Greg0986

Was looking at the Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 but will shop around. I cannot believe they still ship graphics cards with a shoddy blower type cooler. They could atleast update it a bit


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg0986*
> 
> Was looking at the Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 but will shop around. I cannot believe they still ship graphics cards with a shoddy blower type cooler. They could atleast update it a bit


For cases with bad airflow, I believe these coolers are actually better (and for CF setups, someone can correct me if I'm wrong). I could definitely be wrong with that though


----------



## Hambone07si

Well good bye to my 3 Asus 24" lcd's in Eyefinity and hopefully less driver headaches too.






















Hello Dell Ultra Sharp 30" U3011 2560x1600p


----------



## SkateZilla

get 3 of those in eyefinity!,


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well good bye to my 3 Asus 24" lcd's in Eyefinity and hopefully less driver headaches too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hello Dell Ultra Sharp 30" U3011 2560x1600p


Oh I was on the dell site myself today, chickened out though. Impressions please!


----------



## Greg0986

Is there anything I could do to my case, bar buying a new one, to increase airflow? I have fans in the top, front, back, sides and bottom, yet I am still getting high temps for high fan speed


----------



## Rejven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Are you OCing?
> Normally I get this from not enough Voltage/unstable memory OC.


Nope. ATI overdrive isn't even enabled.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Oh I was on the dell site myself today, chickened out though. Impressions please!


Don't pay $1,399 for it if you buy one. I told them there's no way I'm paying $1400, I said I'll give you $1200 or I'm not buying it. They gave in and sold it to me for $1,199 + tax


----------



## Andrazh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> 
> Red = core temp
> Green = ?
> Blue = ?
> (i dont know which one is vrm and which is ram)
> And what are max vrm and ram temps? Like for 24/7 use. Sapphire said to me that vrms tresshold temp is 125C. So under 100°C should be ok? What about ram?


Anyone?


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg0986*
> 
> Is there anything I could do to my case, bar buying a new one, to increase airflow? I have fans in the top, front, back, sides and bottom, yet I am still getting high temps for high fan speed


Are you fans oriented such that they induce flow? E.G. front and bottom intake, top and back exhaust.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Don't pay $1,399 for it if you buy one. I told them there's no way I'm paying $1400, I said I'll give you $1200 or I'm not buying it. They gave in and sold it to me for $1,199 + tax


$1400 for a screen isnt gonna happen .. .like at all...


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> $1400 for a screen isnt gonna happen .. .like at all...


In my world it does. I'm single with no kids. Anything I want, I buy. Make money and spend it, my motto.

Well impressions of this Dell 30" is INSANE!! This is the best screen I've ever seen. Haven't even messed with the colors/brightness/contrast at all yet and it looks amazing. I wish it was 16:9 instead of 16:10, but I'll live with it. Just played some Diablo 3 and BF3 and see no ghosting at all. I don't notice and input lag and there's really nothing bad to say about it at all yet. Maybe in a few weeks I mite find something I don't like, but as of now, nada.









BF3 with Ultra settings is locked at 60fps with only 60% gpu usage on both cards. With Vsync off, FPS is 160-220 but I don't like Vsync off. 2 7970's is plenty of power for 2560x1600 res all day. I may have to install Crysis and see if it will run maxed out settings and stay locked at 60.

I can say that I'm very pleased with this purchase and it's well worth the money. I know it may be a little step in price to some of you, but you have to save up for what you want and when you do, your very happy.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> $1400 for a screen isnt gonna happen .. .like at all...
> 
> 
> 
> In my world it does. I'm single with no kids. Anything I want, I buy. Make money and spend it, my motto.
> 
> Well impressions of this Dell 30" is INSANE!! This is the best screen I've ever seen. Haven't even messed with the colors/brightness/contrast at all yet and it looks amazing. I wish it was 16:9 instead of 16:10, but I'll live with it. Just played some Diablo 3 and BF3 and see no ghosting at all. I don't notice and input lag and there's really nothing bad to say about it at all yet. Maybe in a few weeks I mite find something I don't like, but as of now, nada.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BF3 with Ultra settings is locked at 60fps with only 60% gpu usage on both cards. With Vsync off, FPS is 160-220 but I don't like Vsync off. 2 7970's is plenty of power for 2560x1600 res all day. I may have to install Crysis and see if it will run maxed out settings and stay locked at 60.
> 
> I can say that I'm very pleased with this purchase and it's well worth the money. I know it may be a little step in price to some of you, but you have to save up for what you want and when you do, your very happy.
Click to expand...

To be perfectly honest, ONE 7970 is plenty enough for 2560x1600.







I don't mind games being at 45+ FPS though. Crysis maxed out 100% with a ton of mods, I get 46 FPS average. I'd say that's plenty playable, considering most of us beat it at 30 FPS or less.


----------



## Hambone07si

I played some BF3 on Ultra with just mild overclock of 1125/1500 on both cards and they were up to 75% usage each. 1 will not lock you at 60, but I'm sure like you said that it will maintain 45+. I myself don't like being lower then 60 all times. My one buddy says he's fine playing at 30fps but as he's playing like that I say it looks like crap on a first person shooter. Everyone has the preferences though









I'm not sure if I have a game that can bring these 7970's under 60fps on this 30". I'm going to try Crysis 2 Dx11 with highres pack installed. See what happens then


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I played some BF3 on Ultra with just mild overclock of 1125/1500 on both cards and they were up to 75% usage each. 1 will not lock you at 60, but I'm sure like you said that it will maintain 45+. I myself don't like being lower then 60 all times. My one buddy says he's fine playing at 30fps but as he's playing like that I say it looks like crap on a first person shooter. Everyone has the preferences though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not sure if I have a game that can bring these 7970's under 60fps on this 30". I'm going to try Crysis 2 Dx11 with highres pack installed. See what happens then


Blow em up!!!! lol

On a side note, Just returned my 7970 Ref to Fry's... They gave me my refund... but I just remembered I forgot to re-flash the BIOS back to non-Ghz edition







someone's gonne be happy with that card for open box cheap... 82.9% ASIC already flashed to a stable GHz edition BIOS


----------



## Hambone07si

Lol. I've done that at microcenter before too. Not many people would even know. There's probably 1 of us vs 50 people that just go but the same cards, install it and don't even use any software or overclock them. Probably never even looked at OCN ever either. lol


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Lovin that Dell Hambone. Too rich for my blood but I am considering a Catleap to go with my Sammy 950D...


----------



## Samurai707

Lol true that Ham.
Now, Just gotta decide whether or not I want the Sapphire true OC Edition 7950 to match my first edition 7950 Sapphire, or to get a Twin Frozr from the egg... decisions decisions...


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Lovin that Dell Hambone. Too rich for my blood but I am considering a Catleap to go with my Sammy 950D...


Do it, I'm enjoying mine!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> I played some BF3 on Ultra with just mild overclock of 1125/1500 on both cards and they were up to 75% usage each. 1 will not lock you at 60, but I'm sure like you said that it will maintain 45+. I myself don't like being lower then 60 all times. My one buddy says he's fine playing at 30fps but as he's playing like that I say it looks like crap on a first person shooter. Everyone has the preferences though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not sure if I have a game that can bring these 7970's under 60fps on this 30". I'm going to try Crysis 2 Dx11 with highres pack installed. See what happens then


Well, its not ALL games that I can stand 45 FPS range. But Crysis, that's fine at 45, it was playable at 30 (hell I beat the game at like 20-25 FPS, lol). And that's exactly what I get on Crysis heavily modded is about 45-48 FPS or so, peaks up to around 80-90, minimums around 36-37 or so. BF3, I don't use AA on it, and I only play single player (MSAA has a known huge performance hit with AMD cards right now). The Witcher 2 I can max out, except Uber. Metro, I have one setting disabled, I forget which.

Every other game is EASILY 60+ and vsync locked though. So its just a very select handful of games that drop me below 60 at this resolution. Honestly, I can deal with that until the 8970 comes out.


----------



## Hambone07si

Yeah it was smooth playing with 1 7970 even at lower fps. It wasn't like that with my old 480's. Soon as it dropped off 60 it would start to stutter some. 7970 is smoother with 1 then with crossfire to me too. 2 is just way faster. I'm playing BF3 with ultra settings with whatever it sets the AA to, I think 4x. Hasn't dropped off 60fps at all with vsync on. 150+ with vsync off. I using 12.4 whql and no caps lol.

Yes sir I'm loving this dell. I mean I hate dell but I can't say I hate this monitor







. Will never buy a dell pc ever again tho. This monitor keeps impressing me like crazy. Avatar blue ray







BF3 looks pretty insane too. You see way more detail at 2560x1600 then you do with a 24" 1080p, even having 3 in eyefinity like I did.

Gotta hold back, don't buy 2 more u3011's


----------



## xNAPx

About the msi lightning anyone knows which is the latest official bios? I had this version



http://imgur.com/obKVN


i changed with this one that should be more recent, right?



http://imgur.com/EDuW7


there is one more recent?


----------



## Nwanko

I still didn't get an answer if the stock 7950 vrm plate can be left on and just to install the extreme 7970 cooler on the gpu. I have a dual X version of the card.
OC
1150/1550 - 1.149V in MSI AB - - > vdrop to 1.070 - 1.087V
Ambient arround 28-30 degress celsius. Good airflop-cm storm scout,14,12cm in front,12,14cm back and top,12cm on side panel.

BF3 temps go to 75 degress celsius.

Would i benefit anything if i get the extreme7970?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> I still didn't get an answer if the stock 7950 vrm plate can be left on and just to install the extreme 7970 cooler on the gpu. I have a dual X version of the card.
> OC
> 1150/1550 - 1.149V in MSI AB - - > vdrop to 1.070 - 1.087V
> Ambient arround 28-30 degress celsius. Good airflop-cm storm scout,14,12cm in front,12,14cm back and top,12cm on side panel.
> BF3 temps go to 75 degress celsius.
> Would i benefit anything if i get the extreme7970?


I would like to know this too.


----------



## Kokin

Just got a MSI R7950 today! It's the regular version and not the TF3 version.

I'm putting it under water in a week or two and I'm wondering if there is a better BIOS for it? Current BIOS tops out at 1100 core. I'm currently at 1000/1400 with stock voltages (1.093/1.6).


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Just got a MSI R7950 today! It's the regular version and not the TF3 version.
> I'm putting it under water in a week or two and I'm wondering if there is a better BIOS for it? Current BIOS tops out at 1100 core. I'm currently at 1000/1400 with stock voltages (1.093/1.6).


Just use Sapphire Trixx, it will let you go past 1100.


----------



## BradleyW

Can MSI AB limit fps to "59.9"?
Edit: It seems it cannot.
What software can I use instead?


----------



## xNAPx

guys to test OC stabilty should i use programs like OCCT or I just should play games?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> guys to test OC stabilty should i use programs like OCCT or I just should play games?


Play the latest titles.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> guys to test OC stabilty should i use programs like OCCT or I just should play games?


Running Heaven 3.0 for a while is also good.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

What drivers are you guys running on your 7950/7970 Single cards. I am using 12.6 and they just dont seem to run all that great. Games just dont feel smooth.


----------



## BradleyW

What software can I use to limit fps to 59.9?
Edit: User above, try 12.7 beta.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> What drivers are you guys running on your 7950/7970 Single cards. I am using 12.6 and they just dont seem to run all that great. Games just dont feel smooth.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What software can I use to limit fps to 59.9?
> Edit: User above, try 12.7 beta.


12.7 Beta is a wonderful driver, if you follow Bradley's uninstall guide to clean the system of old files and such to get a clean install, it will hopefully fix your problem!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Can you guys tell me why I get an error in my GPUZ about my OpenCL driver? It states that my Driver is bugged and I need to reinstall. I reinstalled it already and nothing. Im not even sure what OpenCL is. First time ive seen this error


----------



## 4LC4PON3

By the way the Guide & the 12.7 drivers worked flawlessly. I am no longer getting skipping or the tiny stuttering I was getting in Batman Arkham City. Running both games max smooth now. Realizing that 12.6 needs work


----------



## PureSolidness

Hey guys I ordered the Visiontek 7970 (reference design) from the 369$ deal here
http://www.overclock.net/t/1283147/tigerdirect-visiontek-radeon-7970-6-games-bf3-included-370-currently-out-of-stock/0_50

My case is an NZXT Lexa S, wondering if any other 7970 owners have a reference 7970 in a Lexa S case? How's the fit?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Well "lines patterns" usually means Vram isn't stable. Have you tried raising the Vram voltage for the cards? Default is 1.600v. You can try using 1.631v - 1.650v. I use 1.650v for running 1700mhz on my cards, but mine are on water and stay cool so I'm not worried about the Vram getting to hot.


ok, tried everything you've suggested, still the same problem

i'm currently formatting the SSD, and installing Win7 from scratch, to see if it makes any difference


----------



## Andrazh

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1483&psn=&lid=1&leg=0

This seems to be the king of all cards


----------



## xNAPx

anyone knows if there is a solution for the underscan bug? i hate fix it everytime i boot windows


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> anyone knows if there is a solution for the underscan bug? i hate fix it everytime i boot windows


12.6 driver fixed it automatically. Straight DVI connection or mini-display port to HDMI cable. Hope this helps.


----------



## xNAPx

so the display port to hdmi adaptor connection is better than dvi to hdmi adaptor one ?


----------



## Hambone07si

I used mini display port > Dvi / Hdmi > Dvi / and Dvi and everything was perfect in eyefinity. If you don't have Dvi connections on your monitors, you should look at getting Dvi to Hdmi cables. The less adapters you use, the better.


----------



## xNAPx

I have a MSI Lightning, and a monitor with HDMI Connection, so In the package I found a DVI to HDMI adaptor and a mini dysplay port to HDMI adaptor, I actually utilizing the DVI to HDMI one, is the Dysplay port one better than this?


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I have a MSI Lightning, and a monitor with HDMI Connection, so In the package I found a DVI to HDMI adaptor and a mini dysplay port to HDMI adaptor, I actually utilizing the DVI to HDMI one, is the Dysplay port one better than this?


Is this the connections on the back of your card?


You should get these and use the 2 dvi ports on the card straight in to the monitors with no adapters at all.

Link: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=181-742&FTR=hdmi%20to%20dvi%20cable


Then the main monitor use a mini displayport > Hdmi adapter, then use normal hdmi for your main. You'll only use 1 adapter total and should run great.


----------



## xNAPx

mmm, i just have one monitor i actually connected the hdmi cable i have with the dvi adaptor included, i just was wondering if the mini dysplay port adaptor in better than the dvi one, that's all. until last week I also use to connect a 5850 toxic directly with the hdmi cable and overscan bug was still there, so i think the solution is not in the connection i use, but in the driver itself. 12.4 didn't give me any problem about this, i was wondering if 12.6 whql are good the same or if I still use 12.7 beta i acctually running


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> mmm, i just have one monitor i actually connected the hdmi cable i have with the dvi adaptor included, i just was wondering if the mini dysplay port adaptor in better than the dvi one, that's all. until last week I also use to connect a 5850 toxic directly with the hdmi cable and overscan bug was still there, so i think the solution is not in the connection i use, but in the driver itself. 12.4 didn't give me any problem about this, i was wondering if 12.6 whql are good the same or if I still use 12.7 beta i acctually running


I was using 12.4 with my eyefinity setup. Just took it down yesterday and put up my new Dell U3011 30" 2560x1600. With eyefinity, 12.6 and 12.7 didn't work as good as 12.4 did. I'm mainly playing diablo 3 right now and with the eyefinity setup on any driver, crossfire didn't work at all. Only one card was running all 3 screens, gpu usage wasn't at 99% so it didn't really need the 2nd card. Still on 12.4 now on 1 screen and now playing diablo 3 crossfire is working and both cards are only at 20-25% usage now. Eyefinity just gave me to many headaches to keep dealing with so I got the new Dell. No more headaches and drivers work proper now.


----------



## flopper

120hz eyefinity couldnt be happier.
12.6 and single 7970.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> 120hz eyefinity couldnt be happier.
> 12.6 and single 7970.


Single gpu eyefinity works a lot better then crossfire does. You just can't play games like BF3 on ultra settings tho. Mw3 played very well with just 1 7970.

Eyefinity + Crossfire = HELL


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I thought 12.7 fixed the eyefinity + CF issue?


----------



## AllGamer

sounds like i should try out the new 12.7 beta?

i was on 12.6 official

my rig was running fine on 12.6 beta

no idea why 12.6 official could be so problematic

yes, my Eyefinity 6 runs great on 1 card

but i wanted CF with the 2nd card, which has been mostly collecting dust on the side, since no drivers works well when it's on CF until i started using 12.6 beta,

then i though, lets try the final release of 12.6 and that's when **** happened again....


----------



## martinhal

Guess im lucky crossfire+ eyefinity + 1315/1825 and no issues on 12.6


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Yeah it was smooth playing with 1 7970 even at lower fps. It wasn't like that with my old 480's. Soon as it dropped off 60 it would start to stutter some. 7970 is smoother with 1 then with crossfire to me too. 2 is just way faster. I'm playing BF3 with ultra settings with whatever it sets the AA to, I think 4x. Hasn't dropped off 60fps at all with vsync on. 150+ with vsync off. I using 12.4 whql and no caps lol.
> Yes sir I'm loving this dell. I mean I hate dell but I can't say I hate this monitor
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Will never buy a dell pc ever again tho. This monitor keeps impressing me like crazy. Avatar blue ray
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BF3 looks pretty insane too. You see way more detail at 2560x1600 then you do with a 24" 1080p, even having 3 in eyefinity like I did.
> Gotta hold back, don't buy 2 more u3011's


Yes sir bought 1 30" awhile back if you remember and now have 3 .. Looks way better then 1080p by far


----------



## xNAPx

Finally I found a way to fix the overscan bug with 12.7 beta catalyst


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg0986*
> 
> I have a reference 7970 and I am getting idle temps of 65°c with a fan speed of 50%. Why is the temperature so high?


Something doesn't sound right with that. I also have reference 7970's and with fans on auto, they won't get up to 50% unless the system is under load and at idle temps are below 50.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Something doesn't sound right with that. I also have reference 7970's and with fans on auto, they won't get up to 50% unless the system is under load and at idle temps are below 50.


That does not sound right to me either.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg0986*
> 
> I have a reference 7970 and I am getting idle temps of 65°c with a fan speed of 50%. Why is the temperature so high?


65C idle with 50% fan speed really does not sound right. It almost sound as if the card is under load at all time. The card should not idle 65C @ 50% fan speed. Have you checked MSI Afterburner to see what kind of load the card is under? What Drivers are you running. I found 12.6 to be Terrible. Raised my temps and even caused gameplay to be sluggish. Switched to 12.7 and its perfect now


----------



## BradleyW

Yes, I agree, at that speed of the fan, on idle you should be within the late 30's at the very most.


----------



## Pentium-David

On the 13th (my bday







) I just upgraded from CrossFire 5850's to an HIS IceQ 7950 and this thing is awesome. It beats my 5850's by a decent amount, is much quieter, and uses a lot less power. And got room on my mobo and PSU headroom for a second one down the road!


----------



## disintegratorx

Yeah, but don't you have to have 2 cards to run a game well with one of thos monitors crunk?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

someone over at hardocp helped me fix my OpenCL error I was having. I had to disable my onboard video in my BIOS and after I did that the OpenCL error went away and GPUZ now has a check mark in the OpenCL box. They should have it so once you put in an aftermarket card it should Auto Disable Onboard video in the BIOS.


----------



## BlackWS6

Got my replacement 7970 OC (Sapphire) and it's a pile of crap too... lol ASIC of 73.8%


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> Got my replacement 7970 OC (Sapphire) and it's a pile of crap too... lol ASIC of 73.8%


I had a GTX 560 ti 448 with a not so stellar ASIC score that could over clock better than any other in its class.

Try over clocking it before putting all your trust in the ASIC score.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> Got my replacement 7970 OC (Sapphire) and it's a pile of crap too... lol ASIC of 73.8%


73.8% ASIC doesn't mean it's crap. My Lightning with about the same ASIC did 1200/1600 on air


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Both of my Sapphire 7970 OC's are over 85% ASIC. Not the best for water supposedly but we shall see whenever I get my rig sorted finally...


----------



## BlackWS6

Yeah, looks like this one will do 1200Mhz core like the last one. It may not have been the freaking card... Got this one in, 12.7 beta's installed, wouldn't even make it through heaven at stock, just like the last one after some time. I think the pair of PCI-E 8-pin leads on this Antec 900W high current (gamer series bs) is weak. Swapped to the other pair and no black screen/lock up *knock on wood* yet.


----------



## BlackWS6

Funny thing is, new card is roughly 5ºC Cooler than the last one with the same fan profile lol. I'll take it!


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> Got my replacement 7970 OC (Sapphire) and it's a pile of crap too... lol ASIC of 73.8%


Yea don't trust ASIC scores. Mine has a 90.2%, overclocks like crap and runs hot.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Yea don't trust ASIC scores. Mine has a 90.2%, overclocks like crap and runs hot.


Have you tried any other HD7950 BIOS? I tried your BIOS and my card wasn't stable at 1300mhz but with my BIOS my card is stable at 1300mhz no problem.

A different BIOS may help out.

Also your PCB heat sink looks a little weak for your card. You card has a very strong power design and may be heating up with the vram.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Have you tried any other HD7950 BIOS? I tried your BIOS and my card wasn't stable at 1300mhz but with my BIOS my card is stable at 1300mhz no problem.
> A different BIOS may help out.
> Also your PCB heat sink looks a little weak for your card. You card has a very strong power design and may be heating up with the vram.


Doesn't look that weak it's a solid heatsink plate that covers almost the whole card.

I would try a new bios but don't trust myself. I'm sure my card could OC pretty high but it gets too hot.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Doesn't look that weak it's a solid heatsink plate that covers almost the whole card.
> I would try a new bios but don't trust myself. I'm sure my card could OC pretty high but it gets too hot.


I've seen photos of your pcb heatsink. It is 1 piece and covers all the hots spots, the VRM area is very thin, no fins. Not a very good design for such a powerful PCB design.

Heat is definitely part of the problem like you have stated.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> Got my replacement 7970 OC (Sapphire) and it's a pile of crap too... lol ASIC of 73.8%


What's wrong with that ASIC ?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Well, I've ordered 3 MSI 7970 Lightnings, 1 Sapphire 7970 OC, and an ASUS 7970 DCII TOP edition. I'm going to order another Lightning 7970 today, to have a matching Quadfire set, but mainly I'm trying to find the best possible clockers that I can, and with the remaining cards, I plan to build and sell gaming rigs. I've also got 3 GTX 680s left that I plan to replace with 4GB versions (Hopefully Galaxys IF I can find them in stock), and do some comparisons on the exact same rig, to put the debate to an end, as far as gaming supremacy.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Well, I've ordered 3 MSI 7970 Lightnings, 1 Sapphire 7970 OC, and an ASUS 7970 DCII TOP edition. I'm going to order another Lightning 7970 today, to have a matching Quadfire set, but mainly I'm trying to find the best possible clockers that I can, and with the remaining cards, I plan to build and sell gaming rigs. I've also got 3 GTX 680s left that I plan to replace with 4GB versions (Hopefully Galaxys IF I can find them in stock), and do some comparisons on the exact same rig, to put the debate to an end, as far as gaming supremacy.


lol got too much money?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> lol got too much money?


Right now, kinda. I hit a little gold streak with advertising company that I work for, and I've had a little influx of $$, which has helped me buy some cool toys


----------



## xNAPx

guys anyone knows if there is anyway to limit fps ingame?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> guys anyone knows if there is anyway to limit fps ingame?


The easiest way would be to turn on vsync.


----------



## laozixiazi

Anyone flashed the GHZ bios with success?


----------



## Rebelord

Seem to be having some issues with 12.6. keep getting green screens on youtube, and random game flicker. multiple games. So, going to uninstall 12.6 and try out 12.7 beta. See how it works out.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I had a few issues with 12.6. tons of stuttering, gameplay was really sluggish. at time I would get some flashing. Switched to 12.7 and all was perfect. Have not had an issue since


----------



## Derko1

So after reinstalling Afterburner... my stock clocks for my cards got defaulted to 1112... instead of 1175. So idle clocks are at .806 now instead of .940 something. So I believe this is causing one of the cards to crash into a white screen when I'm simply browsing the internet. Anyone heard of this before and now how I can fix it?

One of my cards ASIC is 84 and the other is 72.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

my ASIC quality is 87.4 is that good or bad?


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> The easiest way would be to turn on vsync.


I'd like an "harder" one...


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> my ASIC quality is 87.4 is that good or bad?


Hey bud, been awhile since the Sapphire Club thread.







Congrats on your new card.









I saw you had a question on ASIC. Here is the explanation given by *TechPowerUP! - Source* when they first implemented the ASIC Rating.
Quote:


> The next new feature is ASIC quality, designed for NVIDIA Fermi (GF10x and GF11x GPUs) and AMD Southern Islands (HD 7800 series and above), aimed at advanced users, hardware manufacturers, and the likes. We've found the ways in which AMD and NVIDIA segregate their freshly-made GPU ASICs based on the electrical leakages the chips produce (to increase yield by allotting them in different SKUs and performance bins), and we've found ways in which ASIC quality can be quantified and displayed. Find this feature in the context menu of GPU-Z. We're working on implementing this feature on older AMD Radeon GPUs.


It's values can give some insight on your cards qaulity on a few different levels. Default Voltage, Power Consumption, Overclocking (stock,air cooler), & Overclocking (water,dice,LN2).



So your 87.4 is suggesting that as for over clocking on air your at 87.4 percentile of maximum 100.0 over clocking possibilty.

Example: My first GPU is 81.5 reaches 1175 MHz Core my second is 90.1 reaches 1201 MHzCore on my dual GPU. So there is some correlation on scores translating with actual over clocks acheived at least for me it did.

*However* we are seeing cards who's low ASIC score still yeilded a good over clock, so I take the scores with a grain of salt. I wouldn't give it much thought, get down to learning how to over clock your card and enjoy.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> my ASIC quality is 87.4 is that good or bad?


Good.


----------



## Derko1

So no one is having the issue of the card going into a blank screen while idle?


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I'd like an "harder" one...


Bandicam

http://www.bandicam.com/


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> So no one is having the issue of the card going into a blank screen while idle?


About once a week it'll randomly happen to me. It's part of the joy of running beta drivers I guess.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> About once a week it'll randomly happen to me. It's part of the joy of running beta drivers I guess.


Yea, but for me it started only after my idle clocks went from being .940 something to .806. So I'm guessing that the idle clocks might be too low for one of the cards. Anyway of getting them up higher?


----------



## confed

just installed my Sapphire 7970. expecting a lot coming from my HIS 6850. suggestions for me in terms of benchmarking and OC?


----------



## Dell Boi

Guys I have a problem I wonder if anyone could help me

Basically my Sapphire 7950 randomly goes into standby/power save mode by itself. It's nothing to do with windows as I have all the power options set to never put the PC to sleep, and never turn off the display. It will happen randomly, sometimes while doing work, sometimes listening to music, it's not consistent or related to one application.

The monitor goes into standby, and I hear the 7950 fan go to 100% for a couple of seconds, then it settles down to normal. However I can't wake the PC up with keyboard or mouse, only a reboot. This is happening daily now, the card is running fine while gaming with no problems.

Any ideas? I tried the 12.6 and the beta 12.7 drivers and this problem remains on both.

Thank you!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> So no one is having the issue of the card going into a blank screen while idle?


No. Actually, once I did but I moved the mouse and the screen came back on, although power option features are disabled.


----------



## Saucee

Just ordered my MSI R7950







. Moving up from SLI EVGA GTX 460's. Does anyone know how big the improvment of the 7950 will be compared to the 460's. Also considering purchasing another 7950 within the next couple of months for crossfire.

Does anyone know any good after market coolers for the MSI R7950 Twin Frozr III for over clocking? Or is the stock cooler good enough already?


----------



## tw23

Got my 7950 Twin Frozr III yesterday.
Trying to overclock it today







.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Crysis 2 is still extremely choppy @ 2560x1600 maxed out with 3 7970s in trifire have tried all drivers from 12.3 and up all the same 12.2 and down worked good is there somthing I have to do to get it to play right its like in slow motion . I really dont know what the hell to do ! My 1 GTX690 plays it with no prob @ all maxed out .


----------



## tw23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Crysis 2 is still extremely choppy @ 2560x1600 maxed out with 3 7970s in trifire have tried all drivers from 12.3 and up all the same 12.2 and down worked good is there somthing I have to do to get it to play right its like in slow motion . I really dont know what the hell to do ! My 1 GTX690 plays it with no prob @ all maxed out .


Why not upgrade to 12.7 beta? I updated it, and I heard it improves the 7700's, 7800's, and 7900's by a lot.


----------



## tw23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Saucee*
> 
> Just ordered my MSI R7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Moving up from SLI EVGA GTX 460's. Does anyone know how big the improvment of the 7950 will be compared to the 460's. Also considering purchasing another 7950 within the next couple of months for crossfire.
> Does anyone know any good after market coolers for the MSI R7950 Twin Frozr III for over clocking? Or is the stock cooler good enough already?


Pretty sure the stock cooler is good enough.
Getting max 72C (normally around 67C) while playing BF3 and overclocked to 1080/1575 and stock voltages at (1081mv/1.081v).
I might get an aftercooler fan, but it looks sick with the fan it has and it cools very well. Might upgrade to water cooling when I get enough money.

EDIT: also make sure you have the right reference board before you buy an aftermarket cooler for your TF3 7950 (you're getting that right?). Because mine came with a 7970 reference board














so I would have to get a 7970 aftermarket cooler. People are saying the newer stocks of the TF3 R7950's have the 7970 boards














.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> No. Actually, once I did but I moved the mouse and the screen came back on, although power option features are disabled.


Well my goes into a screen full of garbage... but that's another issue that when the signal is low, my receiver won't "catch" the signal, so it will just display garbage. But the PC is still fine, so it must be the same as you. Where I can get it back, but my receiver won't allow it.

Is there a keyboard shortcut for restarting the PC? That way I don't have to hard shut it down each time it happens? I'm sure it's a driver issue, does not happen with the 12.4s.


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw23*
> 
> Why not upgrade to 12.7 beta? I updated it, and I heard it improves the 7700's, 7800's, and 7900's by a lot.


Its the same thing with that one 2 also when i overclock with 12.7 beta and watch a flash video it cause my screen to tear with a lot of colored lines and stuff i have to do a hard reset does not do it with the 12.6.


----------



## tw23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crunkazcanbe*
> 
> Its the same thing with that one 2 also when i overclock with 12.7 beta and watch a flash video it cause my screen to tear with a lot of colored lines and stuff i have to do a hard reset does not do it with the 12.6.


Really? 12.7 is a big boost for me...


----------



## Saucee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tw23*
> 
> Pretty sure the stock cooler is good enough.
> Getting max 72C (normally around 67C) while playing BF3 and overclocked to 1080/1575 and stock voltages at (1081mv/1.081v).
> I might get an aftercooler fan, but it looks sick with the fan it has and it cools very well. Might upgrade to water cooling when I get enough money.
> EDIT: also make sure you have the right reference board before you buy an aftermarket cooler for your TF3 7950 (you're getting that right?). Because mine came with a 7970 reference board
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> so I would have to get a 7970 aftermarket cooler. People are saying the newer stocks of the TF3 R7950's have the 7970 boards
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I'm getting this exact model... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667

I looked at the reviews and people were confirming 7970 PCB


----------



## Kokin

No problems for me with the 12.7 Beta. GW2 has been running smooth all day long today.


----------



## dajez

im getting strange things in skyrim with 12.7, 12.4 works still the best for me.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dell Boi*
> 
> Guys I have a problem I wonder if anyone could help me
> Basically my Sapphire 7950 randomly goes into standby/power save mode by itself. It's nothing to do with windows as I have all the power options set to never put the PC to sleep, and never turn off the display. It will happen randomly, sometimes while doing work, sometimes listening to music, it's not consistent or related to one application.
> The monitor goes into standby, and I hear the 7950 fan go to 100% for a couple of seconds, then it settles down to normal. However I can't wake the PC up with keyboard or mouse, only a reboot. This is happening daily now, the card is running fine while gaming with no problems.
> Any ideas? I tried the 12.6 and the beta 12.7 drivers and this problem remains on both.
> Thank you!


Seems some can fix it with a moterboard bios for VGA compability.
for others sleep PC power options.

I would try run afterburner, set a target idle core/mem mhz, and see if that fixes it.
my OC is 1200/1500mhz gaming, idle I am down to 500/1100mhz with 3 screens.
so if the idle core is 300 or 150, raise it to 500 and if that fixes it, try different ones until one your happy with.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

The only issue im having is every once in awhile my windows areo will turn itself to basic


----------



## ultralord910

I was originally going to skip this gen but I couldn't resist a MSI 7950 for $305 AR (CAD) from NCIX. Should be a major performance upgrade from my 460. Hopefully mine comes with a 7970 board.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ultralord910*
> 
> I was originally going to skip this gen but I couldn't resist a MSI 7950 for $305 AR (CAD) from NCIX. Should be a major performance upgrade from my 460. Hopefully mine comes with a 7970 board.


It should be the 7970 pcb according to others who recently got one there. Darn good price, you'll see a big performance boost from the 460, alright


----------



## ultralord910

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> It should be the 7970 pcb according to others who recently got one there. Darn good price, you'll see a big performance boost from the 460, alright


I hope so. I'll post my overclock once my card arrives in a few days. I'm aiming for 1.1Ghz with a minimal voltage increase.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ultralord910*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> It should be the 7970 pcb according to others who recently got one there. Darn good price, you'll see a big performance boost from the 460, alright
> 
> 
> 
> I hope so. I'll post my overclock once my card arrives in a few days. I'm aiming for 1.1Ghz with a minimal voltage increase.
Click to expand...

You may be able to do that on stock juice. 1GHz is certainly no problem at stock voltage, even on my reference card. They get quite a performance boost at 1GHz, but still keeping the temps. under control with the stock voltage.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Hey bud, been awhile since the Sapphire Club thread.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Congrats on your new card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I saw you had a question on ASIC. Here is the explanation given by *TechPowerUP! - Source* when they first implemented the ASIC Rating.
> It's values can give some insight on your cards qaulity on a few different levels. Default Voltage, Power Consumption, Overclocking (stock,air cooler), & Overclocking (water,dice,LN2).
> 
> So your 87.4 is suggesting that as for over clocking on air your at 87.4 percentile of maximum 100.0 over clocking possibilty.
> Example: My first GPU is 81.5 reaches 1175 MHz Core my second is 90.1 reaches 1201 MHzCore on my dual GPU. So there is some correlation on scores translating with actual over clocks acheived at least for me it did.
> *However* we are seeing cards who's low ASIC score still yeilded a good over clock, so I take the scores with a grain of salt. I wouldn't give it much thought, get down to learning how to over clock your card and enjoy.


There's no correlation to overclock, just urban legend. The only pertinent aspect to asic is in regards to voltage and heat. High asic cards require less voltage for stock clocks, but they will still need a lot more volts to hit a high overclock. Herein lies the disadvantage of high asic. You are limited how much voltage you can apply due to OVP, and a high asic card puts you at a lower starting voltage meaning with the voltage cap you can never hit 1.3v the ideal needed for max clocks. My preferred asic is 73/74%, but that's just imo because a 70s asic means you can reach the max voltage limits.


----------



## andrew grp

Am I the only one who believes this gen is overpriced even in the mid-range line?

That's why I picked a 7970 over 7950 cause I couldn't justify its cost campared to Ati's top dog.

Back in the days I was able to get 4870 for 200EUR when the card had been out for few weeks (super deal if you ask me). What a steal for the performance of that card, similar to 7950 but a lot cheaper...


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> The only issue im having is every once in awhile my windows areo will turn itself to basic


I have seen that happen as well, but haven't noticed it on 12.6 - I would really like to know what causes it. Do you also get a popup error saying your computer is running low on resources when it happens?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> im getting strange things in skyrim with 12.7, 12.4 works still the best for me.


That should be fixed with the next Catalyst release.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I have seen that happen as well, but haven't noticed it on 12.6 - I would really like to know what causes it. Do you also get a popup error saying your computer is running low on resources when it happens?


Nope not at all. everything runs superb with 12.7. just sometimes my Aero will switch to Basic


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *andrew grp*
> 
> Am I the only one who believes this gen is overpriced even in the mid-range line?
> That's why I picked a 7970 over 7950 cause I couldn't justify its cost campared to Ati's top dog.
> Back in the days I was able to get 4870 for 200EUR when the card had been out for few weeks (super deal if you ask me). What a steal for the performance of that card, similar to 7950 but a lot cheaper...


I dont find anything honestly with PC to be expensive at all. I paid 310 for my 7950. The cheapest decent 7970 is a gigabyte version for $430.00. I saved $130.00 Maybe im different then most since I am not on a budget when buying parts as most people are so I really dont think about the prices where are most people have to budget and see what they can afford.

I dont know honestly I just feel that PC gaming, Parts n what not are reasonable


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You may be able to do that on stock juice. 1GHz is certainly no problem at stock voltage, even on my reference card. They get quite a performance boost at 1GHz, but still keeping the temps. under control with the stock voltage.


A lot of people are saying that, but I can't get mine stable past 975 on stock volts... still runs every game I play amazingly but yeah. Some gotta be bumped for that mark :\


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> A lot of people are saying that, but I can't get mine stable past 975 on stock volts... still runs every game I play amazingly but yeah. Some gotta be bumped for that mark :\


Yea not everyone will be the same. Also, I noticed that one of my bios settings has a higher stock voltage than the other. Setting 1 has .993 and setting 2 has 1.113. So they might have their's on another setting.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> *Nope not at all. everything runs superb with 12.7. just sometimes my Aero will switch to Basic*


I always get this, even with Nvidia cards.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Yea not everyone will be the same. Also, I noticed that one of my bios settings has a higher stock voltage than the other. Setting 1 has .993 and setting 2 has 1.113. So they might have their's on another setting.


Yeah, I got I'm on BIOS 2, it's all good though.
I can't tell the difference between High and Ultra settings on BF3 so it's all good, High preset at 975/1570 with 1031 mV gets me lows on ~70fps. I'm fine with that


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I am getting ticked off here. I cannot get smooth gameplay. If I max out Batman Arkham City or Assassins Creed Revelations I am getting stuttering. The games are just not running smooth. You can tell cause when you look around it looks jittery-ish. I tried 12.6 & 12.7 beta. I might go back down to 12.4 that I was running with my 6870. Never had any issues with my 6870 using 12.4

Im going to try 12.4 and see what happens. I figured my 7950 would be able to max both these games NP


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I am getting ticked off here. I cannot get smooth gameplay. If I max out Batman Arkham City or Assassins Creed Revelations I am getting stuttering. The games are just not running smooth. You can tell cause when you look around it looks jittery-ish. I tried 12.6 & 12.7 beta. I might go back down to 12.4 that I was running with my 6870. Never had any issues with my 6870 using 12.4
> 
> Im going to try 12.4 and see what happens. I figured my 7950 would be able to max both these games NP


Are you telling with 12.7 beta the HD 7950 stutters in Batman AC. Thats not what I heard. 12.7 beta had significant improvements for Batman AC. What resolution and what settings are you running at.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Lets say your flying around with your Cape obviously and you go to look left or right kind of fast it will stutter a little bit. almost like its loading but I figured since I am using an SSD I should not have any texture loading really. It does not happen unless you do something fast. Like using your grapple. While grappling look left or right fast and it stutters alittle bit. I am prolly being way to picky and its prolly normal


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I am getting ticked off here. I cannot get smooth gameplay. If I max out Batman Arkham City or Assassins Creed Revelations I am getting stuttering. The games are just not running smooth. You can tell cause when you look around it looks jittery-ish. I tried 12.6 & 12.7 beta. I might go back down to 12.4 that I was running with my 6870. Never had any issues with my 6870 using 12.4
> 
> Im going to try 12.4 and see what happens. I figured my 7950 would be able to max both these games NP


Try disabling core parking, it helps since these cards are more demanding on the cpu


----------



## 4LC4PON3

thanks I disable Core parking VIA techpowerup method. They say to shut down and do a complete restart so i will brb to test it out


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Thanks that def helped. smooth as butter now


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Thanks that def helped. smooth as butter now


Batman AC DX11 really is one unoptimized crappy port. I played the DX9 version on my XFX HD 6950 2GB when the game came out . very smooth at 60 fps. BF3 is the best example of a DX11 game built from the grounds up with a focus on delivering the best possible experience.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I was not running DX11 at all. I was running DX9 & still getting alittle stuttering. It was only when you moved to fast like it had to load or something. Turning off Core Parking really helped smooth it out. Was also shown some Registery tweaks that possibly helped also.

I will install my BF3 to see how the single player runs in DX11


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Im wondering if my SSD played a bit of a performance drop also. I did not realize that I only had about 3GB left of space. Not sure if that would of played a part but I opened up about 30GB by uninstalling a few games I beat already


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I was not running DX11 at all. I was running DX9 & still getting alittle stuttering. It was only when you moved to fast like it had to load or something. Turning off Core Parking really helped smooth it out. Was also shown some Registery tweaks that possibly helped also.
> 
> I will install my BF3 to see how the single player runs in DX11


what clocks are you running at ? Getting your MSI HD 7950 OC card to run at 1 Ghz with stock voltage should be easy. at those speeds you will be doing 60+ fps at 1080p in BF3 Ultra 4x AA.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

everythings stock atm. I have not had a single chance to mess with OC plus I have to learn how to OC so I gotta take some time and read about it


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> everythings stock atm. I have not had a single chance to mess with OC plus I have to learn how to OC so I gotta take some time and read about it


Its quite easy. Especially stock voltage overclock in AMD CCC . Open AMD Catalyst CCC. Click the Performance tab at the left of the dialog screen. It will show AMD Overdrive. You have an "Enable Graphics Overdrive" check box in the right hand side. Check it. Just max out the power control slider to +20%. Push your core clocks to 1.05 Ghz (1.05 Ghz max possible) . Test for stability in BF3 or Unigine Heaven. If you see artifacts or have freezes / crashes you need to push clocks down(maybe 25 Mhz at a time and test again) I think memory can be overclocked to 1625 Mhz max (though i am not sure) up from 1250 Mhz stock speeds. Good luck.









Here is a thread on overclocking using third party software like MSI Afterburner which allow voltage overclocking.

http://www.overclock.net/t/633816/how-to-overclock-your-amd-ati-gpu


----------



## Kokin

Yeah it's pretty easy. I have the other MSI R7950 (not the TF3 model) and it's doing 1040/1400 stable in BF3, GW2, Vindictus, Sniper Elite 2, and Minecraft. Using stock voltage of 1.092vcore/1.6vmem with power slider at 20%.

Edit: Can't wait to see how it performs when I slap on a FC waterblock on it in a few days.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Try disabling core parking, it helps since these cards are more demanding on the cpu


First time I heard this, good tip.
You have core parking disabled at all times? And does it really make much difference in games?

What CPU do you have? I got i5 2500K overclocked to 4,5ghz


----------



## dajez

anyone have an idea of what can cause this, is it driver related or...


----------



## Kokin

^ Looks more like game-issues. Does this happen in other games? If it doesn't, I would suggest reinstalling BF3.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Try disabling core parking, it helps since these cards are more demanding on the cpu


What is this core parking? and how i disable it?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> What is this core parking? and how i disable it?


http://www.overclock.net/t/1180334/xtremehardware-it-core-parking-on-windows-7/60

http://www.ghacks.net/2012/07/15/how-to-change-core-parking-states-in-windows/

Seems to be only usefull for CPU's with HT


----------



## chizzms

can i join?

i have Sapphire Radeon HD7950


----------



## Kokin

With these clocks on air, it looks like this will be good under water afterall.










Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> can i join?
> i have Sapphire Radeon HD7950


You can join through the first post of this thread.


----------



## Nelson2011

Just bought a MSI 7950


----------



## Nelson2011

anyone get a MSI 7950 with 2048 shaders? Someone posted on Newegg that they got one with it


----------



## Newbie2009

Does anyone feel that this gen of cards is just so powerful there is no reason to jump on the next gen until we get some software to justify?

It's the first time I felt that 1 card really was enough. When I overclocked my card and maxed crysis I was very happy indeed. I bought a 2nd card mainly because I was in the middle of putting computer under water and felt I should just do it all in one go.

I really don't think we will need much more power at all until we see some new consoles.


----------



## Nelson2011

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Does anyone feel that this gen of cards is just so powerful there is no reason to jump on the next gen until we get some software to justify?
> It's the first time I felt that 1 card really was enough. When I overclocked my card and maxed crysis I was very happy indeed. I bought a 2nd card mainly because I was in the middle of putting computer under water and felt I should just do it all in one go.
> I really don't think we will need much more power at all until we see some new consoles.


Really did you just say that lol?? Every generation get's faster, but developers find a way to use more of that power


----------



## Newbie2009

Really? I have always upgraded to the fastest but cannot think of any reason to this year (yet). Crysis on 1 card is now done. What next.
I don't even have to overclock my cards to max games, so there is loads of headroom.
Unlike previous generations where u could have 3 gtx 285s and still not max crysis. There was always a need for more power.
There just does not seem to be the software out to push this gen of cards.


----------



## Nelson2011

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Really? I have always upgraded to the fastest but cannot think of any reason to this year (yet). Crysis on 1 card is now done. What next.
> I don't even have to overclock my cards to max games, so there is loads of headroom.
> Unlike previous generations where u could have 3 gtx 285s and still not max crysis. There was always a need for more power.
> There just does not seem to be the software out to push this gen of cards.


lol crysis can't believe that game is almost 5 years old, well are you running it in eyefinity on 3 1440p screens


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nelson2011*
> 
> lol crysis can't believe that game is almost 5 years old, well are you running it in eyefinity on 3 1440p screens


Nah I hate the multi screen. Bezels, just don't like it. Only screen upgrade I am considering is a DELL Ultrasharp 30". We need another Crysis type game to Kill pc cards again to make upgrading interesting again imo.


----------



## Nelson2011

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Nah I hate the multi screen. Bezels, just don't like it. Only screen upgrade I am considering is a DELL Ultrasharp 30". We need another Crysis type game to Kill pc cards again to make upgrading interesting again imo.


Yea if Crytek didn't dumb down their new engine for consoles


----------



## Statius

First post here.

I'm currently running a Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 @ 1150/1550.

I have my Video memory running @ 1625MV. Is this safe?


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> ^ Looks more like game-issues. Does this happen in other games? If it doesn't, I would suggest reinstalling BF3.


still same **** after reinstall


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> still same **** after reinstall


either core or memory, try different mhz frequency but seems like a bad card.


----------



## chizzms

I have the default driver for my Sapphire HD 7950.. should i update it?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> I have the default driver for my Sapphire HD 7950.. should i update it?


Depends what you mean with default driver.
Which version do you have installed now?

I would definately update to at least 12.4 WHQL for single card, single monitor.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> First time I heard this, good tip.
> You have core parking disabled at all times? And does it really make much difference in games?
> What CPU do you have? I got i5 2500K overclocked to 4,5ghz


I have a fx 8150 @ 4.7ghz water cooled and a fx 8150 @ 4.5ghz air cooled, i have core parking disable on both it helps with microshutter and i have it disabled all the time, another useful tip for ati cards it to change the gpu priority in the registry :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile\Tasks\Games]
"Scheduling Category"="High"
"SFIO Priority"="High"
"Background Only"="False"
"Priority"=dword:00000001
"Clock Rate"=dword:00002710
"GPU Priority"=dword:00000001
"Affinity"=dword:00000000

this will also help


----------



## diaBoliQu3

Hi guys... I think my HD 7970 first bios is bricked. Unable to boot and VGA LED keep on blinking. Second bios no problem. At first, no problem in flashing however after my fourth attempt with Asus bios, the bios seems unsuccessful. Then, there the story goes... Help me guys...

GPU: Sapphire HD 7970
Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V Pro


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I have a fx 8150 @ 4.7ghz water cooled and a fx 8150 @ 4.5ghz air cooled, i have core parking disable on both it helps with microshutter and i have it disabled all the time, another useful tip for ati cards it to change the gpu priority in the registry :
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile\Tasks\Games]
> "Scheduling Category"="High"
> "SFIO Priority"="High"
> "Background Only"="False"
> "Priority"=dword:00000001
> "Clock Rate"=dword:00002710
> "GPU Priority"=dword:00000001
> "Affinity"=dword:00000000
> this will also help


Core parking is useless for me since I do not have HT on my i5 2500K

Did not know this other tip for changing gpu priority either.
What does it do exactly ?
Would like to know that before changing reg values


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diaBoliQu3*
> 
> Hi guys... I think my HD 7970 first bios is bricked. Unable to boot and VGA LED keep on blinking. Second bios no problem. At first, no problem in flashing however after my fourth attempt with Asus bios, the bios seems unsuccessful. Then, there the story goes... Help me guys...
> GPU: Sapphire HD 7970
> Mobo: Asus P8Z77-V Pro


If you've got a second gpu to output video off (could be either Nvidia or AMD), you could place both cards on your motherboard and reflash the broken BIOS of the 7970.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> either core or memory, try different mhz frequency but seems like a bad card.


If this happens with other drivers, and increasing the voltage of the core or memory doesn't help fix it, I can only agree that it's a bad card.


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> If this happens with other drivers, and increasing the voltage of the core or memory doesn't help fix it, I can only agree that it's a bad card.


meh nvmd, found the problem, it was virtu playing tricks lol


----------



## diaBoliQu3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> If you've got a second gpu to output video off (could be either Nvidia or AMD), you could place both cards on your motherboard and reflash the broken BIOS of the 7970.


Can I do this with igpu?


----------



## xNAPx

I can't find this step in the core parking disable procedure

Press CTRL + F keys > copy / paste / search " 0cc5b647-c1df-4637-891a-dec35c31858 " (no quotes). Look for data entries with Attribute, ValueMin, ValueMax, ValueIncrement.

Anyway I got that this works only for cpu with HT, Am i Right?

Another question, is 80 degrees dangerous for a 7970?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I can't find this step in the core parking disable procedure
> Press CTRL + F keys > copy / paste / search " 0cc5b647-c1df-4637-891a-dec35c31858 " (no quotes). Look for data entries with Attribute, ValueMin, ValueMax, ValueIncrement.
> Anyway I got that this works only for cpu with HT, Am i Right?
> Another question, is 80 degrees dangerous for a 7970?


only usefull for CPU with HT, that is correct.

I would say 80 degrees should be OK but it could lead to unstable gaming.
Try to keep it to 75 degrees max to be really safe


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Depends what you mean with default driver.
> Which version do you have installed now?
> I would definately update to at least 12.4 WHQL for single card, single monitor.


thanks for your comment.. hmm.. it says software version 12.3

and i have a question based on the databank most of the GPU Clock/Memory is more than mine







, what does that mean?? (le noob)


----------



## eternal7trance

I noticed that the msi 7950 does not have a heatsink on one of the memory chips, should I leave it like that or should I stick a heatsink on it?


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> thanks for your comment.. hmm.. it says software version 12.3
> and i have a question based on the databank most of the GPU Clock/Memory is more than mine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , what does that mean?? (le noob)


It's because the GPU Clock is what the owner has OC'd the Core or Memory too. Yours is at stock so it's showing stock values


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Really? I have always upgraded to the fastest but cannot think of any reason to this year (yet). Crysis on 1 card is now done. What next.
> I don't even have to overclock my cards to max games, so there is loads of headroom.
> Unlike previous generations where u could have 3 gtx 285s and still not max crysis. There was always a need for more power.
> There just does not seem to be the software out to push this gen of cards.


Have you played Max Mayne 3? You need x-fire or SLI if you want to play it with AA maxed out at 1080 or higher. So hopelly the game developers continue to push the limits and drive the need for the next gen cards


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yeah it's pretty easy. I have the other MSI R7950 (not the TF3 model) and it's doing 1040/1400 stable in BF3, GW2, Vindictus, Sniper Elite 2, and Minecraft. Using stock voltage of 1.092vcore/1.6vmem with power slider at 20%.
> Edit: Can't wait to see how it performs when I slap on a FC waterblock on it in a few days.


That high stock







My stock voltage is 993mV, no wonder that I can't overclock so well with stock voltages








Can you get your memory clock higher? I got it to max 1575 without raising mem voltage


----------



## tdbone1

ok

I been reading a lot of pages (around page 245 or so) people start talking about BF3 and a single 7970 with an I5 2500K and an I7 2600K with HT ON.

could someone please retest (as page 245 was quite a long time ago) and there are now almost 1400 pages and a lot of days have past sense then.

take a SIX core cpu and play BF3 MP (64 player) with HT On and track your FPS and then disable two cores (simulates the 2500K) but with no ht and then check fps again.

thanks


----------



## Nemesis158

Anyone else here upgrade their 7970 with the GHz edition bios have working voltage control?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Its quite easy. Especially stock voltage overclock in AMD CCC . Open AMD Catalyst CCC. Click the Performance tab at the left of the dialog screen. It will show AMD Overdrive. You have an "Enable Graphics Overdrive" check box in the right hand side. Check it. Just max out the power control slider to +20%. Push your core clocks to 1.05 Ghz (1.05 Ghz max possible) . Test for stability in BF3 or Unigine Heaven. If you see artifacts or have freezes / crashes you need to push clocks down(maybe 25 Mhz at a time and test again) I think memory can be overclocked to 1625 Mhz max (though i am not sure) up from 1250 Mhz stock speeds. Good luck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is a thread on overclocking using third party software like MSI Afterburner which allow voltage overclocking.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/633816/how-to-overclock-your-amd-ati-gpu


I overclocked to 1hz and 1350 on my memory. ill try more later. runs stable


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I overclocked to 1hz and 1350 on my memory. ill try more later. runs stable


What are your temps on a benchmark or gpu testing program like furmark or kombustor that comes with afterburner?

And what voltage?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> I noticed that the msi 7950 does not have a heatsink on one of the memory chips, should I leave it like that or should I stick a heatsink on it?


A little single ram heatsink that has fins would help if it fits under there. If not it is probably ok. i don't think the stock TF3 flash finless pcb heat sink helps much anyways, looks like it is just a big ineffective heat plate without any fins on it.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tdbone1*
> 
> ok
> I been reading a lot of pages (around page 245 or so) people start talking about BF3 and a single 7970 with an I5 2500K and an I7 2600K with HT ON.
> could someone please retest (as page 245 was quite a long time ago) and there are now almost 1400 pages and a lot of days have past sense then.
> take a SIX core cpu and play BF3 MP (64 player) with HT On and track your FPS and then disable two cores (simulates the 2500K) but with no ht and then check fps again.
> thanks


My system chews through BF3 Maxed on 1080p @ Vsynced 60Fr/sec, and Chews through 6050x1080 Bezel Corrected Eyefinity At 45~/FrPS on High.

Sapphire 7950OC 900Mhz default, Overclocked to 1Ghz, 8-Core Bulldozer @ 4.0Ghz.


----------



## Vuashke

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Have you played Max Mayne 3? You need x-fire or SLI if you want to play it with AA maxed out at 1080 or higher. So hopelly the game developers continue to push the limits and drive the need for the next gen cards


yeah, just what we need, developers making more fluff games for consoles and silly graphical settings so nvidia and amd can keep selling 600 dollar graphics cards =/

id love to see this lame, glorified tech race get the shaft. hopefully then game creators will worry more about infusing some actual content into their products, rather than finding new ways to make lifeless, inane video games look prettier and thus give more ocn str33t kred when you max em out


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> What are your temps on a benchmark or gpu testing program like furmark or kombustor that comes with afterburner?
> And what voltage?


did not use afterburner i used AMD overdrive

1000/1350 voltage I am not sure which one to look at

VDDC: 0844

MVDCC: 1602

Played BF3 around 25 mins & look at GPUZ the temps did not push above 52c. I have NOT run any other software. I can prolly push the card farther but I dont have time right now. is there anything in the BIOS i NEED to turn off? Right now when i leave my game the card goes back to 300/150


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> It's because the GPU Clock is what the owner has OC'd the Core or Memory too. Yours is at stock so it's showing stock values


thanks for your comment.. so meaning i can OC (noob) i'll try to OC but before that i must learn the pros and cons.. feel free to advice me and it will be much appreciated


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diaBoliQu3*
> 
> Can I do this with igpu?


As long as you connect your monitor(s) to the motherboard, you should be able to pull it off without any hassle.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> That high stock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My stock voltage is 993mV, no wonder that I can't overclock so well with stock voltages
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can you get your memory clock higher? I got it to max 1575 without raising mem voltage


That's the stock voltage for me, but I plan to overvolt it once my waterblock arrives. I actually haven't pushed the mem clocks yet since they are running without heatsinks for the reference (v2) 7950s. I'll see what a full cover waterblock can do in a few days.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> thanks for your comment.. so meaning i can OC (noob) i'll try to OC but before that i must learn the pros and cons.. feel free to advice me and it will be much appreciated


Overclocking will grant you better performance (FPS in games) but will run a bit hotter. You can choose to adjust your clocks without touching your voltages, so that temperatures will not rise a lot, however you are limited in your overclocking range (you can't go as high). Once you do decide to increase voltage, you can get higher overclocks, but it also means a lot more heat and higher power consumption.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> did not use afterburner i used AMD overdrive
> 
> 1000/1350 voltage I am not sure which one to look at
> 
> VDDC: 0844
> MVDCC: 1602
> 
> Played BF3 around 25 mins & look at GPUZ the temps did not push above 52c. I have NOT run any other software. I can prolly push the card farther but I dont have time right now. is there anything in the BIOS i NEED to turn off? Right now when i leave my game the card goes back to 300/150


That's a nice low voltage, thanks!


----------



## AllGamer

I found a deal for MSI lightning 1070 going for $500

so, i'm pondering if i should bother picking up 2 of them, or if i should just stick with my current ASUS 7970 DC2U 1000

the ASUS ones have been giving me nothing but problem since day 1

i just opened a RMA ticket for the one that is the most defective

the other one is okay, but every now and then it does still over heat quite quickly and crashes with the VRAM lines on the screen


----------



## Statius

When I bought my Sapphire hD 7950 in march, (I over payed for it, its cost me like $470).

i COULD of gotten either a nice HD 7950 with custom cooler, or a reference 7970.

I picked the after markter 7950...

Couldnt be happier.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> When I bought my Sapphire hD 7950 in march, (I over payed for it, its cost me like $470).
> i COULD of gotten either a nice HD 7950 with custom cooler, or a reference 7970.
> I picked the after markter 7950...
> Couldnt be happier.


Same Here, Late Feb. early March, the Sapphire 7950OC 900Mhz w/ Dual-X Cooler (wasnt branded as Dual-X until I RMA'd it.)


----------



## Plutonium10

Ok, so I was planning on buying a GTX 670. Gaming-wise, it seems to be a good deal (performance close to GTX 680 and Radeon 7970) but now there's a possibility I'll be doing some CAD work for school. Does the 7970's compute performance really contribute much to programs like Solidworks?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Plutonium10*
> 
> Ok, so I was planning on buying a GTX 670. Gaming-wise, it seems to be a good deal (performance close to GTX 680 and Radeon 7970) but now there's a possibility I'll be doing some CAD work for school. Does the 7970's compute performance really contribute much to programs like Solidworks?


newer versions of AutoCAD automatically uses the newer AMD as well as nVidia drivers for 3D support

so, it doesn't really matter which side of the fence you choose to go


----------



## 4LC4PON3

*1 hour playing BF3 almost maxed settings. What kind of power do you need to Max BF3*


----------



## tdbone1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My system chews through BF3 Maxed on 1080p @ Vsynced 60Fr/sec, and Chews through 6050x1080 Bezel Corrected Eyefinity At 45~/FrPS on High.
> Sapphire 7950OC 900Mhz default, Overclocked to 1Ghz, 8-Core Bulldozer @ 4.0Ghz.


isn't that really like saying.

my 5870 JAMS through BF3?

I mean come on
where are the settings you used and what was your frame rates in a 64 player map (then we get to compare.)

I bet when you bought that 7970 you didn't buy it because someone said its great.

you probably when and looked at some benchmarks

im betting*


----------



## kahboom

so i got my second twin frozr iii 7950 today and when its in the second slot no matter which card it is it says it has 2048 shaders, if i switch the cards i get the same results second slot says that it has 2048 shaders what is the deal?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> so i got my second twin frozr iii 7950 today and when its in the second slot no matter which card it is it says it has 2048 shaders, if i switch the cards i get the same results second slot says that it has 2048 shaders what is the deal?


thats lame my card only had 1792  maybe I should return it


----------



## kahboom

No its not even that its which ever gpu i put in the second pci-e slot says it has 2048? I was just wondering what the deal is. Oh and for all those who don't like to mess the registry for core parking here is a utility that will do it for you just run the exe, and even if you don't have HT as long as you have more than 1 core on you cpu windows 7 will park cores at random, yes i know kind of lame

Core Parking Utility.zip 1202k .zip file
 enjoy


----------



## diaBoliQu3

Can someone with Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 who able to flash to Ghz share their stock bios backup here? I forgot to backup mine. Now with bios frow Techpowerup, I can't flash to Ghz anymore. And by the way guys, how to know if the powertune is really working?

One more thing... Something wrong with my driver. I installed 12.7, but it's "not detected". No Catalyst version in CCC, GPUZ, and MSI Kombuster. Tried to uninstall and change to 12.6, detected correctly. But on 12.7, no stability issue during 3DMark 11. Haven't tried with any game yet... So, though my driver not detected correctly, is it okay if I keep using this driver right?


----------



## ahnafakeef

I asked this in the GTX 680 Lightning owner's thread once, and now I'll ask here.

MSI HD 7970 Lightning vs MSI GTX 680 Lightning - which one should I get? For a 120Hz 1080p screen.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## BlackWS6

After doing some testing with my replacement 7970 that arrived last week I found that it did the same exact thing under load (Black screen, power saving) even after a fresh install, regardless of drivers. Anyways, I decided to hook my coolmax 1200w back up again and see if it's a power-related issue. (This thing would darn near immediately black screen even at stock clocks and 1.3v so it wasn't heat). To my surprise, even at 1.3v (I know, it's high) and 1220Mhz core, 1650Mhz memory, hottest it got to after a couple hours of Heaven loop while I was working out in the garage was 74ºC and kept on carrying on. Just got done playing BF3 for about an hour with no issues either. DUMB A$$ Antec 900W "Gamer series" PSU PCI-E is weak! Have the 1200w laying next to the case and will have to somehow get it in this baby case soon lol. Just thought I'd follow up since I originally thought it was a degraded/damaged card but looks like it's my new PSU!

PS - Are you guys stating your voltages set in AB or voltages under load using HWINFO? My voltages are significantly lower under load. I'd venture to say my 1.3v in AB really puts 1.25v on the card under load. Just want to make sure I'm on the same page as everyone else!


----------



## Statius

HD 7970 for sure.

It has more V ram + it's faster...


----------



## Plutonium10

A quick glance over the owner's list seems to tell me that the Sapphire cards are quite popular and also overclock well. Good cooler + stock PCB layout is also nice since it makes water cooling easier if ever I want to do that.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> HD 7970 for sure.
> It has more V ram + it's faster...


7970/680 are both about the same speed... the 7970 isn't faster


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahnafakeef*
> 
> I asked this in the GTX 680 Lightning owner's thread once, and now I'll ask here.
> MSI HD 7970 Lightning vs MSI GTX 680 Lightning - which one should I get? For a 120Hz 1080p screen.
> Thanks a lot!


Hard call, both are great cards, 7970 better for some things, 680 better for others.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> After doing some testing with my replacement 7970 that arrived last week I found that it did the same exact thing under load (Black screen, power saving) even after a fresh install, regardless of drivers. Anyways, I decided to hook my coolmax 1200w back up again and see if it's a power-related issue. (This thing would darn near immediately black screen even at stock clocks and 1.3v so it wasn't heat). To my surprise, even at 1.3v (I know, it's high) and 1220Mhz core, 1650Mhz memory, hottest it got to after a couple hours of Heaven loop while I was working out in the garage was 74ºC and kept on carrying on. Just got done playing BF3 for about an hour with no issues either. DUMB A$$ Antec 900W "Gamer series" PSU PCI-E is weak! Have the 1200w laying next to the case and will have to somehow get it in this baby case soon lol. Just thought I'd follow up since I originally thought it was a degraded/damaged card but looks like it's my new PSU!
> PS - Are you guys stating your voltages set in AB or voltages under load using HWINFO? My voltages are significantly lower under load. I'd venture to say my 1.3v in AB really puts 1.25v on the card under load. Just want to make sure I'm on the same page as everyone else!


Think most would be reporting the voltage set in software, 7970s do have fairly heavy vdroop though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> 7970/680 are both about the same speed... the 7970 isn't faster


They are very close. For benchmark junkies the 7970 does a bit better in most 3dmark & heaven bench.


----------



## Statius

Is 1625mv safe for my HD 7950
memory voltage?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> No its not even that its which ever gpu i put in the second pci-e slot says it has 2048? I was just wondering what the deal is. Oh and for all those who don't like to mess the registry for core parking here is a utility that will do it for you just run the exe, and even if you don't have HT as long as you have more than 1 core on you cpu windows 7 will park cores at random, yes i know kind of lame
> 
> Core Parking Utility.zip 1202k .zip file
> enjoy


So you are saying that on my W7 Enterprise x64 and with my i5 2500K WITHOUT HT, I will gain performance in gaming by changing the core parking ??

Can someone confirm this?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I have a fx 8150 @ 4.7ghz water cooled and a fx 8150 @ 4.5ghz air cooled, i have core parking disable on both it helps with microshutter and i have it disabled all the time, another useful tip for ati cards it to change the gpu priority in the registry :
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile\Tasks\Games]
> "Scheduling Category"="High"
> "SFIO Priority"="High"
> "Background Only"="False"
> "Priority"=dword:00000001
> "Clock Rate"=dword:00002710
> "GPU Priority"=dword:00000001
> "Affinity"=dword:00000000
> this will also help


By reading here : http://www.mikemartin.co/gaming_tweaks/tier_2/set_proper_task_priorities

It seems that most of these settings are useless anyway...
''GPU priority'' is not yet used, so does not matter what you fill in there...
''Priority'' : For tasks with a Scheduling Category of High, this value is always treated as 2. So no use setting it as 1 ...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Multimedia\SystemProfile

This key contains a REG_DWORD value named SystemResponsiveness that determines the percentage of CPU resources that should be guaranteed to low-priority tasks. For example, if this value is 20, then 20% of CPU resources are reserved for low-priority tasks. Note that values that are not evenly divisible by 10 are rounded up to the nearest multiple of 10. A value of 0 is also treated as 10.

And setting this value to 0 as seen on the internet often is useless also because 10 is the minimum value.

So I am kind of wondering if this will be usefull in any way (usefull = performance gain)


----------



## xNAPx

Guys do you know some method to mix SMAA with FXAA? I'd like the way FXAA modifies colours and other thigs, otherwise FXAA is not so good in AA, i prefer more the SMAA but this one doesn't modify other than AA, so i'd like to know if there is some toll to use SMAA and FXAA together


----------



## sena

Guys, is it possible to set independent custom fan control in MSI AB, one custom fan control for each GPU?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> Is 1625mv safe for my HD 7950
> memory voltage?


Shouldn't be a problem since my stock voltage for memory is 1600mv, my 7950 doesn't even have a heatsink on the VRM, though that will change since I got my EK full cover block today.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, is it possible to set independent custom fan control in MSI AB, one custom fan control for each GPU?


Nope unless your GPU has 2 fan plugs.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Shouldn't be a problem since my stock voltage for memory is 1600mv, my 7950 doesn't even have a heatsink on the VRM, though that will change since I got my EK full cover block today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nope unless your GPU has 2 fan plugs.


I meant for two cards. I will buy one more HD 7950 in next 15-20 days, so i need to know.
Also anyone knows hit to fix overscan?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I meant for two cards. I will buy one more HD 7950 in next 15-20 days, so i need to know.
> Also anyone knows hit to fix overscan?


Oh yes, you can control the fan speeds for each GPU in MSI AB (I've tried up to 4 different GPUs in my old MSI 790FX-GD70 motherboard).

You can fix overscan via CCC, it is caused by using HDMI. You also can't avoid the overscan prior to the booting of WIndows, at least if you experience that.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Oh yes, you can control the fan speeds for each GPU in MSI AB (I've tried up to 4 different GPUs in my old MSI 790FX-GD70 motherboard).
> You can fix overscan via CCC, it is caused by using HDMI. You also can't avoid the overscan prior to the booting of WIndows, at least if you experience that.


Thx very much. +1
But for overscan, i have it on my monitor that is connected with DVI, but i also have TV connected at same time with HDMI.
For CCC, i just cant find that option.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Thx very much. +1
> But for overscan, i have it on my monitor that is connected with DVI, but i also have TV connected at same time with HDMI.
> For CCC, i just cant find that option.


It should be in the "My Digital Flat Panels" Tab, which used to be called Desktop Properites in the old CCC back in 2011.


----------



## BlackWS6

So... 1.3v (GUI, since there is major vdroop under load) is safe to run on these 7970's as long as temps are good (Below 80ºC)?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> So... 1.3v (GUI, since there is major vdroop under load) is safe to run on these 7970's as long as temps are good (Below 80ºC)?


I would try to find some heatsinks for your VRMs if you plan to run them at high temps. If the core is hovering around 80C, the VRMs tend to run at about 90~100C, which isn't good for the long-term lifespan of the card.


----------



## Statius

Question: What proportionaly overclocks higher, the 7959 or 7970?

I'm sitting here with my 7950 @ 1150mhz core and 1550mhz memory with 1218mv core+ 1625mv memory

Am I the only one here shattering the ghz barrier lol?
All I'm seeing is 1000-1050 mhz clocks.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> Question: What proportionaly overclocks higher, the 7959 or 7970?
> I'm sitting here with my 7950 @ 1150mhz core and 1550mhz memory with 1218mv core+ 1625mv memory
> Am I the only one here shattering the ghz barrier lol?
> All I'm seeing is 1000-1050 mhz clocks.


My card also can past 1.1 GHz, but i left it on 1 GHz for everyday, i just love silent and cool GPU.


----------



## Andrazh

I think every card goes to 1100mhz core 7950/70, higher numbers are questionable tho.


----------



## chizzms

I used Sapphire Trixx for the very first time for my HD7950


i changed the clock settings to 1000/1600
1. did i actually overclocked the GPU? (noobie) thats it?
2. should i expect after changing the settings?


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I would try to find some heatsinks for your VRMs if you plan to run them at high temps. If the core is hovering around 80C, the VRMs tend to run at about 90~100C, which isn't good for the long-term lifespan of the card.


VRM Temps are very reasonable for some reason on this Sapphire Dual X OC Edition 70. I have the profile set to run the fans at 100% at 60ºC since they aren't that loud @ 100% anyways. I'll do more checking with HWINFO on VRM's but the last time I ran them and the core was in the low 70ºC range the VRM's were in the 80's.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Im wondering I overclocked my 7950 to 1000/1450 I can push the memory higher but have not yet. I am wondering tho is there anything in the BIOS I should be changing Enabling/Disabling? I noticed my card after I come out of game goes back down to 300/150


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Im wondering I overclocked my 7950 to 1000/1450 I can push the memory higher but have not yet. I am wondering tho is there anything in the BIOS I should be changing Enabling/Disabling? I noticed my card after I come out of game goes back down to 300/150


It's supposed to do that as a power saving measure since you don't need all that power anymore.


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> I used Sapphire Trixx for the very first time for my HD7950
> 
> i changed the clock settings to 1000/1600
> 1. did i actually overclocked the GPU? (noobie) thats it?
> 2. should i expect after changing the settings?


tried this setting 1000/1600, run diablo3 twice, and it crashed twice... may i know why?


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> tried this setting 1000/1600, run diablo3 twice, and it crashed twice... may i know why?


Probably not stable?
Not all chips can take stock volts to 1000/1600.
Mine can only hit 970/1570 on stock, for example.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> It's supposed to do that as a power saving measure since you don't need all that power anymore.


Yeah i know i understand that. Should of made myself more clear. On that note is there anything in the Bios Im supposed to disable/enable?


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Probably not stable?
> Not all chips can take stock volts to 1000/1600.
> Mine can only hit 970/1570 on stock, for example.


my default is 810/1250. how will i know the overclocking limit? (<<< noobie, please bear with me)


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> my default is 810/1250. how will i know the overclocking limit? (<<< noobie, please bear with me)


I think your memory settings is too high.

On average with good cooling the core can hit 1020 on stock voltage.

Back your memory down a little bit and see what happens.

Technically I am having you work backwards.

I am not an expert in OCing but this was how I found my limit
1. Have memory back to stock settings.
2. Start with core at 960MHz
3. Run tests (Unreal Heaven 20 minutes and 3DMark11)
4. Bump up 20Mhz and repeat step 3 until a crash.
5. Back the core 10MHz from the crash setting and repeat step 3. If no crash then stress test your settings for 30minutes-hour.
6. Now increase your memory settings by 50MHz and repeat step 3 until a crash. Then take the memory settings down 10MHz and repeat until stable then stress test.


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> I think your memory settings is too high.
> On average with good cooling the core can hit 1020 on stock voltage.
> Back your memory down a little bit and see what happens.


i'm using HD7950, what is the range of the memory? when i drag the slide on trixx its 600-1800.. why can't it be maxed? or why should i lower it? your clarification on my tribal knowledge will be appreciated..


----------



## 4LC4PON3

What kind of settings are you guys getting with your 7950s in BF3? I feel like my card is not performing as it should. Maybe Im just not setting the game up correctly. The only reason I say this is because I feel that my GTX 580 had a smoother game play then this 7950. Im going format my PC and reinstall everything. Who knows I could of borked up my SSD install or something and it might not be my 7950 but I just dont feel the game play is smooth


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> I think your memory settings is too high.
> On average with good cooling the core can hit 1020 on stock voltage.
> Back your memory down a little bit and see what happens.
> Technically I am having you work backwards.
> I am not an expert in OCing but this was how I found my limit
> 1. Have memory back to stock settings.
> 2. Start with core at 960MHz
> 3. Run tests (Unreal Heaven 20 minutes and 3DMark11)
> 4. Bump up 20Mhz and repeat step 3 until a crash.
> 5. Back the core 10MHz from the crash setting and repeat step 3. If no crash then stress test your settings for 30minutes-hour.
> 6. Now increase your memory settings by 50MHz and repeat step 3 until a crash. Then take the memory settings down 10MHz and repeat until stable then stress test.


will do this.. but first things first..
1. what are the risks?
2. in #2 you said core, is it the GPU clock?
3. at #6 memory setting is the memory clock?
4. tests in #3 are the same test for #5?


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> I think your memory settings is too high.
> On average with good cooling the core can hit 1020 on stock voltage.
> Back your memory down a little bit and see what happens.
> Technically I am having you work backwards.
> I am not an expert in OCing but this was how I found my limit
> 1. Have memory back to stock settings.
> 2. Start with core at 960MHz
> 3. Run tests (Unreal Heaven 20 minutes and 3DMark11)
> 4. Bump up 20Mhz and repeat step 3 until a crash.
> 5. Back the core 10MHz from the crash setting and repeat step 3. If no crash then stress test your settings for 30minutes-hour.
> 6. Now increase your memory settings by 50MHz and repeat step 3 until a crash. Then take the memory settings down 10MHz and repeat until stable then stress test.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> will do this.. but first things first..
> 1. what are the risks?
> 2. in #2 you said core, is it the GPU clock?
> 3. at #6 memory setting is the memory clock?
> 4. tests in #3 are the same test for #5?


I saw this review from overclockers stating the max setting for OC.. can jump into this setting?
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/xfx_sapphire_hd7950_3gb/6.htm


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> will do this.. but first things first..
> 1. what are the risks?
> 2. in #2 you said core, is it the GPU clock?
> 3. at #6 memory setting is the memory clock?
> 4. tests in #3 are the same test for #5?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> I think your memory settings is too high.
> On average with good cooling the core can hit 1020 on stock voltage.
> Back your memory down a little bit and see what happens.
> Technically I am having you work backwards.
> I am not an expert in OCing but this was how I found my limit
> 1. Have memory back to stock settings.
> 2. Start with core at 960MHz
> 3. Run tests (Unreal Heaven 20 minutes and 3DMark11)
> 4. Bump up 20Mhz and repeat step 3 until a crash.
> 5. Back the core 10MHz from the crash setting and repeat step 3. If no crash then stress test your settings for 30minutes-hour.
> 6. Now increase your memory settings by 50MHz and repeat step 3 until a crash. Then take the memory settings down 10MHz and repeat until stable then stress test.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Dude, before you go crazy and OC the **** out of your card at least read up some more.
> It sounds to me you are able to detroy your card any minute, go offline and never return...
> Just take it easy, read here on these forum about general OC of GPU, this way you will know alot more what you are doing.


hahaha.. actually you are right, i'm in the midst of studying, reading and consulting.. and you are right also that i almost destroyed by gpu by setting it to 1600 using trixx.. good thing it went back to normal after 2 crashes.. im more careful now


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> hahaha.. actually you are right, i'm in the midst of studying, reading and consulting.. and you are right also that i almost destroyed by gpu by setting it to 1600 using trixx.. good thing it went back to normal after 2 crashes.. im more careful now


It won't get destroyed, it's just running at an unstable clock. You can only "destroy" your parts if you put too much voltage through them or physically break them, but seeing as you are not touching voltage, you are free to see the limits of how far you can go.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> Question: What proportionaly overclocks higher, the 7959 or 7970?
> I'm sitting here with my 7950 @ 1150mhz core and 1550mhz memory with 1218mv core+ 1625mv memory
> Am I the only one here shattering the ghz barrier lol?
> All I'm seeing is 1000-1050 mhz clocks.


Most of us are staying in stock voltage so it can run cool. I will be putting a EK waterblock on mine later tonight as I'll be getting my CPU block today and I'll finally be able to test my loop out. I'll report what I can do with stock voltage and overclocked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BlackWS6*
> 
> VRM Temps are very reasonable for some reason on this Sapphire Dual X OC Edition 70. I have the profile set to run the fans at 100% at 60ºC since they aren't that loud @ 100% anyways. I'll do more checking with HWINFO on VRM's but the last time I ran them and the core was in the low 70ºC range the VRM's were in the 80's.


With those temps, it should be good then. VRMs usually tend to run about 10C higher than the core, it's only less with active cooling or watercooling.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> I found a deal for MSI lightning 1070 going for $500
> so, i'm pondering if i should bother picking up 2 of them, or if i should just stick with my current ASUS 7970 DC2U 1000
> the ASUS ones have been giving me nothing but problem since day 1
> i just opened a RMA ticket for the one that is the most defective
> the other one is okay, but every now and then it does still over heat quite quickly and crashes with the VRAM lines on the screen


oh well i gave in

just placed an order for a couple of MSI Radeon HD 7970 Lightning 1070MHZ 3GB 5.6GHZ GDDR5









can't stand the ASUS HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 1000 Mhz not working as advertised

I'll just off load those ASUS to some other that only needs a single video card, and no plans to do CF


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> oh well i gave in
> just placed an order for a couple of MSI Radeon HD 7970 Lightning 1070MHZ 3GB 5.6GHZ GDDR5
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can't stand the ASUS HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 1000 Mhz not working as advertised
> I'll just off load those ASUS to some other that only needs a single video card, and no plans to do CF


I just had to RMA my Asus DC2T because of artifacting even at idle and BSODs, and I called them over a MONTH later, and they said they couldn't find a replacement for the card so they would call me soon with an alternate replacement, which is BS, because the TOP is the best 7970 they sell... sucks to be honest. I don't believe they don't have another TOP laying around somewhere. Especially in California where it's at now. Their RMA process is slow and absolutely horrible.

This is why I've ordered 3 lightning 7970s and a Sapphire DualX OC. The 4th lightning will be here soon.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> I saw this review from overclockers stating the max setting for OC.. can jump into this setting?
> http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/xfx_sapphire_hd7950_3gb/6.htm


Whoa hold up on that. Even the catalyst will allow you to set the gpu clock to 1100 but don't even bother because you won't be stable without also increasing voltage. And don't even try increasing the voltage on your card until you know exactly what you are doing and are willing to spend the time required to vet your OC. Otherwise you will be having a funeral for your days old card.

If you want to jump into settings on stock voltage and you have good airflow in your case... If it is a non-reference cooler like the MSI Twin Frozr I would say you should be able to hit 1000 GPU and 1400 memory easily. But make sure you have GPUz installed to watch your temps as your run tests on it. But I strongly advise you do it right starting at your default clock speeds and OC in small increments and test each one.


----------



## AllGamer

i could fit 3 MSI lightning on my ASUS RAMPAGE IV Formula, but i don't see myself needing the extra power, as long as i can turn everything to MAX quality and run over 30 fps in 5760x2160 then i'm happy

most of the games i play don't require that much power except BF3, which i seldomly play

i'm thinking i might just thrown in an old nVidia GTX 285 there to do the PhysicX hybrid thingy not sure if it'll work with the 2 lightning and Eyefinity 6 setup
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> I just had to RMA my Asus DC2T because of artifacting even at idle and BSODs, and I called them over a MONTH later, and they said they couldn't find a replacement for the card so they would call me soon with an alternate replacement, which is BS, because the TOP is the best 7970 they sell... sucks to be honest. I don't believe they don't have another TOP laying around somewhere. Especially in California where it's at now. Their RMA process is slow and absolutely horrible.
> This is why I've ordered 3 lightning 7970s and a Sapphire DualX OC. The 4th lightning will be here soon.


----------



## BlackWS6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Most of us are staying in stock voltage so it can run cool. I will be putting a EK waterblock on mine later tonight as I'll be getting my CPU block today and I'll finally be able to test my loop out. I'll report what I can do with stock voltage and overclocked.
> With those temps, it should be good then. VRMs usually tend to run about 10C higher than the core, it's only less with active cooling or watercooling.


Thanks for the response man, I appreciate it. I'll do some tests tonight and see what I come up with as far as VRM temps. (Keep in mind, I'm only testing with BF3 and Heaven loops).


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Most of us are staying in stock voltage so it can run cool. I will be putting a EK waterblock on mine later tonight as I'll be getting my CPU block today and I'll finally be able to test my loop out. I'll report what I can do with stock voltage and overclocked.
> With those temps, it should be good then. VRMs usually tend to run about 10C higher than the core, it's only less with active cooling or watercooling.


I have had my 7950 for a week OCed on air(stock voltage) only and am quite pleased with it. Waterblocks sound interesting but the price makes me wonder what value it provides over stepping up to the next tier card. They seem to cost about $100 which is about the same as the next tier card, right? I hope that doesn't read like a setup/troll question I genuinely am interested in the returns on investment.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> I have had my 7950 for a week OCed on air(stock voltage) only and am quite pleased with it. Waterblocks sound interesting but the price makes me wonder what value it provides over stepping up to the next tier card. They seem to cost about $100 which is about the same as the next tier card, right? I hope that doesn't read like a setup/troll question I genuinely am interested in the returns on investment.


After going watercooling on my last build, I can't go back to aircooling. With watercooling, I get to run everything in silence, no more noisy GPU fans. Overclocked and overvolted, I'm expecting temps for the GPU to max at around 40~45C (for 100% load) and considering my 7950 at stock voltage (1.092v) is idling at 53~54C right now, that's worth every penny to me. I also get to overclock ridiculously higher without having to worry about temps.

Another thing is that the 7970 and GTX670 (both are about $400+) aren't that much further from the 7950. I can probably get up to 1200~1300 core for my 7950, which can match the other cards overclocked on air, while running cooler and silently.

That being said, I already had a watercooling loop to begin with, so the costs are already worth it to me. I bought my 7950 for $280 + $100 water block and I get superior performance for less than the price of the 7970 and GTX 670.


----------



## xNAPx

Guys is a program like Radeon Pro recommended to better manage any application profile? I saw it has a loto of functionality and i'd like to know if is it good in forcing driver effect such as AA. I've seen that the program has't a new version for long so it works fine with 7900series (7970)?


----------



## Statius

Done with Sapphire HD 7950 @ 1150/1550 (70C max load)


----------



## kahboom

is this a good score?


----------



## iWorkAtStaples

Just ordered an open box one from newegg! Cant wait! Upgrading from my 6950 2gb.


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> is this a good score?


No. I get same gpu score with a single 7950..

Your FX-8150... Sucks for handling crossfirex or sli. (unable to is more like it).


----------



## kahboom

I know Intel gets a much better CPU score but what's your gpu score


----------



## Statius

With my HD 7950 @ 1150/1550 I get 37,2xx gpu score.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> is this a good score?


I thought this was done on 3dmark11 for a second. I almost pooped myself.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> I thought this was done on 3dmark11 for a second. I almost pooped myself.


lol... GPU scores like that in 3dmark11 only originate from OC'd Quad SLI 680 builds like my own.

I'm about to OC the hell out of 4 7970 lightnings as soon as the last one arrives and see if I can't match the 4x 680 GPU score, since the 680 has a firm grasp on P scores. Not so much on X scores, however.


----------



## Statius

I challenge a GTX 670 owner to beat this.


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It won't get destroyed, it's just running at an unstable clock. You can only "destroy" your parts if you put too much voltage through them or physically break them, but seeing as you are not touching voltage, you are free to see the limits of how far you can go.


Thanks for your words of encouragement.. but i'm having second thoughts of doing the OC for now.. maybe in the future if ill be playing a more demanding game for graphics.. currently i am playing Diablo 3, civilization 5, Dota 2 and other games that are not like the BF3 level. But if you will advice me on the benefits of doing OC now, i'll surely going to try it.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> Guys is a program like Radeon Pro recommended to better manage any application profile? I saw it has a loto of functionality and i'd like to know if is it good in forcing driver effect such as AA. I've seen that the program has't a new version for long so it works fine with 7900series (7970)?


Nah, radeon Pro is kind of useless imo because with CCC you can do almost the same with specific 3D profiles per application.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> is this a good score?


No. I get 38k GPU score with one HD 7950 at 1100/1575.


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> Whoa hold up on that. Even the catalyst will allow you to set the gpu clock to 1100 but don't even bother because you won't be stable without also increasing voltage. And don't even try increasing the voltage on your card until you know exactly what you are doing and are willing to spend the time required to vet your OC. Otherwise you will be having a funeral for your days old card.
> If you want to jump into settings on stock voltage and you have good airflow in your case... If it is a non-reference cooler like the MSI Twin Frozr I would say you should be able to hit 1000 GPU and 1400 memory easily. But make sure you have GPUz installed to watch your temps as your run tests on it. But I strongly advise you do it right starting at your default clock speeds and OC in small increments and test each one.


That "whoa" made my day.








Yes i already stopped OC as of the moment because i noticed that i don't need it for the meantime.. i say this because of my limited knowledge with the benefits of OCing today.


----------



## AnToNCheZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> I challenge a GTX 670 owner to beat this.




Sorry, I am a competitive beast. When I saw the word challenge, I couldn't resist.

Used to own a 7950, which actually benched a touch higher than this in Unigine. 670 beats it in 3DMark11, but they are awfully close in a lot of benchamarks I have run. Gaming though, I would give a slight advantage to Nvidia, for a touch nicer image quality, a fraction more smoothness even at 60 FPS, and also when dropping below 60 w/ Vsync, the 670 seems to handle that a little easier. But, both amazing cards and I am proud to have owned either one of them.

BTW, my Gigabyte 670 never touched 55C in this Unigine run. The coolest card I have ever seen. Even while flying above 1200Mhz with a hot Ivy CPU to contend with.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnToNCheZ*
> 
> 
> Sorry, I am a competitive beast. When I saw the word challenge, I couldn't resist.
> Used to own a 7950, which actually benched a touch higher than this in Unigine. 670 beats it in 3DMark11, but they are awfully close in a lot of benchamarks I have run. Gaming though, I would give a slight advantage to Nvidia, for a touch nicer image quality, a fraction more smoothness even at 60 FPS, and also when dropping below 60 w/ Vsync, the 670 seems to handle that a little easier. But, both amazing cards and I am proud to have owned either one of them.
> BTW, my Gigabyte 670 never touched 55C in this Unigine run. The coolest card I have ever seen. Even while flying above 1200Mhz with a hot Ivy CPU to contend with.


Ivy bridge at 90C is not pushing so much heat at case at all, SB at 70C will push more heat in case than IB at 90-95C, because all that heat is trapped beneath IHS.


----------



## xNAPx

how are 28degrees in idle with air cooling? good?


----------



## drcarrot

I own just a few of these cards. {8 or so} so I may not apply.
both ATI and Nvidia
3 of these -- R7970 Lightning --
even tho I would join your little group. Its a pain in the @ to set these machines up just to satisfy you're requirements for registration.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> how are 28degrees in idle with air cooling? good?


Yup, very good, my card idles at 30-35C, depending on room temp.


----------



## xNAPx

I'don't know my tamb tamb early this morning but i assume that it could have been between 18-24 degrees. I repasted my GPU with liquid pro anyway


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I'don't know my tamb tamb early this morning but i assume that it could have been between 18-24 degrees. I repasted my GPU with liquid pro anyway


Can you give us some opinions about liquid pro. I am tempted to buy one.


----------



## mat311

Hey, i got a reference 7950, but these days it runs very hot (80-83c vstock), du you know if any other cooler than the Accelero Xtreme 7970 are available ?


----------



## xNAPx

It's the best termal compound out there, that's it. Yeah you have to pay attention while you apply it on the die of every device you want to, but the result worth it. anyway it's very simple to apply. Any other question?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> It's the best termal compound out there, that's it. Yeah you have to pay attention while you apply it on the die of every device you want to, but the result worth it. anyway it's very simple to apply. Any other question?


Thx, how much temp drop you experienced, after this answer, i am ordering.


----------



## xNAPx

between 7 and 4, very important when you overclock to the max


----------



## Andrazh

I bought accelero S1 plus and put 2x120mm fans on it. On stock didnt go over 50°C under load. Overclocked was about 60°C.
For 25€ was a good deal i think

But you need a 0.5mm copper plate to fit between cooler and gpu.


----------



## mat311

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> sorry guys which are the best ccc settings? morphological AA should be activated or not? MSAA or AMSAA? AA controlled by the app or by the driver? AF?


Morphological should be used only for games that dont suppport AA, it's a huge framerate cost and in some games it f*cks up 2D.
When you can its always better to activate AA in games themselves rather than in ccc.


----------



## mat311

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I bought accelero S1 plus and put 2x120mm fans on it. On stock didnt go over 50°C under load. Overclocked was about 60°C.
> For 25€ was a good deal i think
> But you need a 0.5mm copper plate to fit between cooler and gpu.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I bought accelero S1 plus and put 2x120mm fans on it. On stock didnt go over 50°C under load. Overclocked was about 60°C.
> For 25€ was a good deal i think
> But you need a 0.5mm copper plate to fit between cooler and gpu.


Thank you +rep.

Have you applied thermal paste between the additional plate/ coolerAND between plate and gpu ?


----------



## Andrazh

Yes offcourse

It's awesome, I ran games at stock on 50% fan speed in complete silence and still under 60°c


----------



## rageofthepeon

Hoping someone who plays Skyrim with a 7970/7950 can help me with this problem. I'm trying to get the FPS to be rocksolid with no dips but it's not working. I prefer to have Vsync on over screen tearing but the stuttering when FPS dips and makes it drop to 30 and then back up again is a bit jarring.

My problem is that no matter what FPS I limit to it dips 1 or 2 frames below that at points.

Things I've tested so far:
Disabled hyperthreading
Disabled turboboost
Tweaked in-game settings anywhere from Ultra to Low.
Vsync on/offf
FPS limiter (MSI Afterburner OSD) anywhere from 30 to 60.

I heard that Skyrim native AA sucks so when I get home tonight I might try forcing it from CCC instead. Also, I know that sandboxish games stream their textures from the HDD so maybe placing it on a SSD could help but not something I really want to try at the moment.

Anyways, thanks in advance for any help







.

Edit: Running 12.6 drivers but this happened with RC11 and 12.4 as well.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Hoping someone who plays Skyrim with a 7970/7950 can help me with this problem. I'm trying to get the FPS to be rocksolid with no dips but it's not working. I prefer to have Vsync on over screen tearing but the stuttering when FPS dips and makes it drop to 30 and then back up again is a bit jarring.
> My problem is that no matter what FPS I limit to it dips 1 or 2 frames below that at points.
> Things I've tested so far:
> Disabled hyperthreading
> Disabled turboboost
> Tweaked in-game settings anywhere from Ultra to Low.
> Vsync on/offf
> FPS limiter (MSI Afterburner OSD) anywhere from 30 to 60.
> I heard that Skyrim native AA sucks so when I get home tonight I might try forcing it from CCC instead. Also, I know that sandboxish games stream their textures from the HDD so maybe placing it on a SSD could help but not something I really want to try at the moment.
> Anyways, thanks in advance for any help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Edit: Running 12.6 drivers but this happened with RC11 and 12.4 as well.


You can try the frame limiter by rivatuner built into afterburner. Works much better than vsync in my experience


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> You can try the frame limiter by rivatuner built into afterburner. Works much better than vsync in my experience


I mentioned MSI Afterburner OSD but I guess I should have clarified I'm using the built in Rivatuner lol. I just found this guide on Nexus forums that I'll tinker around with as well.

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/1387
Quote:


> ================================ Increase Available Memory ================================
> 
> We have to adjust the maximum amount of memory available to the game. This can be done by including iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes in Skyrim.ini under [Papyrus]:
> 
> iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes=3000000000
> 
> The value is in bytes (Gigabytes x 1024 x 1024 x 1024). After alot of feedback it appears being more conservative with this amount provides better results. Because Skyrim is a 32-bit application it cannot address more than 4GB, so there is no benefit going higher than 4294967295.
> 
> fMasterFilePreLoadMB and iPreloadSizeLimit control the amount of RAM available for preloading. Going by past Bethesda games (Fallout 3, Oblivion) I will assume this determines a size limitation for the Cell Buffer (described later in "Draw Distance"). The value is in bytes (Megabytes x 1024 x 1024) and 268435456 (256mb) offers good stability for anyone with 4GB RAM or more.. 536870912 (512mb) works on my PC with 6GB RAM but I have not observed any performance benefit. Copy the following values into Skyrim.ini under [General]:
> 
> fMasterFilePreLoadMB=128.0000
> iPreloadSizeLimit=268435456


Something to try when I get home I guess.


----------



## Kokin

Boo.. my 7950 stopped outputting video through all the ports. Any advice to fix it or is it straight to RMA? Both 6pins are connected and the fan in the middle does spin, but no output. I didn't even get the chance to slap on my EK 7950 waterblock and push it.









Edit: It was working fine last night, but after booting up today, I got no output. I've tried both BIOS switches, but no luck. It only happened twice, but my second monitor (DVI port) would suddenly get corrupted/artifact and basically became horizontal lines. It was always fixed after a reboot, so I didn't think anything of it. I'm guessing that was a sign that something was up with the GPU.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Rma time


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Boo.. my 7950 stopped outputting video through all the ports. Any advice to fix it or is it straight to RMA? Both 6pins are connected and the fan in the middle does spin, but no output. I didn't even get the chance to slap on my EK 7950 waterblock and push it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: It was working fine last night, but after booting up today, I got no output. I've tried both BIOS switches, but no luck. It only happened twice, but my second monitor (DVI port) would suddenly get corrupted/artifact and basically became horizontal lines. It was always fixed after a reboot, so I didn't think anything of it. I'm guessing that was a sign that something was up with the GPU.


Sounds like it's RMA time. Mine just died as well so I sent it back to Newegg.


----------



## Warfare

[email protected]!!!!!! 2 in a row RMAs.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Yup, very good, my card idles at 30-35C, depending on room temp.


37 degrees idle here on auto fan and lowest fan settings for the case fans.
I have to say it is hot here this week - so ambient temp in the room is alot higher now.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Warfare*
> 
> [email protected]!!!!!! 2 in a row RMAs.


is that related to the Sapphire HD 7970 from your sig?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Can you give us some opinions about liquid pro. I am tempted to buy one.


Read this : http://www.ocia.net/reviews/liquidpro/page6.shtml


----------



## Warfare

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> is that related to the Sapphire HD 7970 from your sig?


No. I'm talking about our club members(kokin and eternal7rance) 2 and 3 post up. Their 7950s went out on them. My Sapphire has been a bullet proof beast.


----------



## Andrazh

"Dear Sir
It's depands on your model. Some model VRM come with heatsink, some are not. Normally VRM temp higher than GPU temp plus 20c. We used to suggest around 110c as maximum for your hardware life. Hope this can help you.
Regards"

If anyone was wondering


----------



## kahboom

Flashed both my msi hd 7950 twin frozr iii cards with the hd 7970 vtx3d bios no problems so far and no having to use a oc utility and they both still show up as hd 7950's


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Flashed both my msi hd 7950 twin frozr iii cards with the hd 7970 vtx3d bios no problems so far and no having to use a oc utility and they both still show up as hd 7950's


So are you getting perfomance of HD 7970s or still HD 7950?
btw, any fix for this?


----------



## Nelson2011

Just got my msi 7950







what driver should i get and should i flash it to a 7970?


----------



## kahboom

which msi 7950 did you get? Is it recommended to disable ulps for crossfire?


----------



## Nelson2011

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> which msi 7950 did you get? Is it recommended to disable ulps for crossfire?


The twin frozr 3gd5 the one on newegg


----------



## jomama22

Flashing a 7950 with a 7970 bios will not unlock anything.


----------



## ultralord910

My MSI Twin Frozr 7950 arrived today! Yay!







Mine also came with a 7970 PCB.

I currently have it running stable at 1100/1400 with voltage set at 1081mV. Heaven crashed when I first tried the aforementioned clocks at the default voltage of 1031mV.

Here's a Heaven bench comparison between my GTX 460 @ 802 core/1604 shader/953 memory, 7950 at stock clocks of 880/1250, and 7950 at 1100/1400.



My 7950 temps are around 43 degrees idle and 72 degrees load. My only issue so far is a random Grey Screen of Death when I was browsing online, apparently it's an issue with firefox/flash that has come back since Cat 12.6. Hopefully it'll be fixed in the next driver release.

Oh, and here is my 3D Mark 11 score:


----------



## Nelson2011

Awesome card now time for another one lol, they sale like hot cakes haha


----------



## Nelson2011

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ultralord910*
> 
> My MSI Twin Frozr 7950 arrived today! Yay!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine also came with a 7970 PCB.
> I currently have it running stable at 1100/1400 with voltage set at 1081mV. Heaven crashed when I first tried the aforementioned clocks at the default voltage of 1031mV.
> Here's a Heaven bench comparison between my GTX 460 @ 802 core/1604 shader/953 memory, 7950 at stock clocks of 880/1250, and 7950 at 1100/1400.
> 
> My 7950 temps are around 43 degrees idle and 72 degrees load. My only issue so far is a random Grey Screen of Death when I was browsing online, apparently it's an issue with firefox/flash that has come back since Cat 12.6. Hopefully it'll be fixed in the next driver release.
> Oh, and here is my 3D Mark 11 score:


Hey what drivers you running?


----------



## ultralord910

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nelson2011*
> 
> Hey what drivers you running?


12.7 beta. I may try 12.4 to see whether I get any GSOD.


----------



## dookiebot

Congrats on your new card. I have nearly the same Heaven score (1111) based on 1050 core/1400 memory (stock voltage) but I have a Phenom ii 560 overclocked from 3.2 to 3.8 which shows that is the weaker link between our two setups.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Flashing a 7950 with a 7970 bios will not unlock anything.


*sticks fingers in ears* lalalalal can't hear you lalalala

Seriously though, can't one hope?


----------



## Plutonium10

Question for all you 7970 owners. I'm looking for a 7970, and I think I've narrowed it down to Sapphire, Gigabyte or MSI. ASUS would be my first choice but I'm looking for a board with reference PCB. All else equal, which of these brands has higher quality products? Evidence so far points towards Sapphire or Gigabyte but nobody is perfect.


----------



## Kokin

Well good news and bad news... my 7950 is still alive and working!























I tried it on my gf's rig and it works perfectly. The bad news is that my motherboard's PCI-E slot seems to have gone bad, but I don't even know how that happened. The good thing is I've only had it for 12 days, so I can still return and/or exchange it at Microcenter. I got it from the one that closed, so I'll have to see how they are gonna do exchanges.

I'm very relieved that I didn't have to RMA the card, since it seems to be a good clocker with semi-high leakage which is perfect for watercooling.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nelson2011*
> 
> Awesome card now time for another one lol, they sale like hot cakes haha


Id stick with 1 card. xfire has caused me nothing but headaches. Works fine now though, running 12.4. 12.6 and 12.7 don't work well for me.


----------



## Kokin

I can't say CF is bad since I've never had problems with my two previous setups (2x 5770s and 2x 5870s), but going back to a single card makes everything less complicated. I don't have to worry about always having full screen and whatnot.


----------



## sena

Guys, i just bought Liquid pro paste.
But i am interested can i use it on this base.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, i just bought Liquid pro paste.
> But i am interested can i use it on this base.


sure


----------



## k4sh

Hi there,
Got my 7950 yesterday and managed to install 12.6 official WHQL. When i tried to setup Eyefinity I got a BSOD.
Then i re installed many differents drivers (12.4, 12.7 beta) each time cleaning with ATIman uninstaller.
Now i got a bsod or a corrupted screen (1 is hooked by now) with red dots and lines.
It always end in a hard reset.
The fact is that if i start my OS in safe mode there is no dispay corruption and of course no hardware acceleration.
I tried also one driver with only display driver but the result is the same.
Obviously it's a driver problem as i managed after the very first installation to run a crysis bench for 30 mins.

I just can't figure what exactly the cause is and what could help to solve that problem.

If any one had such issues and could help ...
My rig

Core I5 2500K @ stock
PSU Master cooler silent pro gold 800 W
Windows 7 64 bits
Gigabyte Z68 XP UD3 with UEFI BIOS
8 GB of RAM (2 sticks)


----------



## BradleyW

Reinstall using my uninstall guide.
If you still have issues, try the GPU in another system.


----------



## k4sh

Thank you for your reply.
Unfortunately i can't try this card in another rig but i will give a try with your uninstall procedure.
It looks like a pain to proceed it but i guess it's worth the try.


----------



## Nelson2011

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> Thank you for your reply.
> Unfortunately i can't try this card in another rig but i will give a try with your uninstall procedure.
> It looks like a pain to proceed it but i guess it's worth the try.


Driver sweeper worked for me or whatever it's called now, make sure you don't have any traces of nvidia drivers


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nelson2011*
> 
> Driver sweeper worked for me or whatever it's called now, make sure you don't have any traces of nvidia drivers


That would be unlucky as i didn't had a nvidia card for a while


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Got my loop finished but it failed in leak testing.







Now to replace a fitting and try again. Sigh.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, i just bought Liquid pro paste.
> But i am interested can i use it on this base.


doesn't liquid pro just run off if you put the card on the side?

i saw the video of that thing, it is so fluid, how does it stays in the card CPU / GPU without running off?


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Got my loop finished but it failed in leak testing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now to replace a fitting and try again. Sigh.


I know it takes time but good to do leak testing first. Rather the above post than " I got water on my GPU and MB , will it be OK ....."


----------



## martinhal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Plutonium10*
> 
> Question for all you 7970 owners. I'm looking for a 7970, and I think I've narrowed it down to Sapphire, Gigabyte or MSI. ASUS would be my first choice but I'm looking for a board with reference PCB. All else equal, which of these brands has higher quality products? Evidence so far points towards Sapphire or Gigabyte but nobody is perfect.


I only know Sapphire Dual X . EK waterbolck fits great. My cards can do 1315/1825 in gaming.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> doesn't liquid pro just run off if you put the card on the side?
> i saw the video of that thing, it is so fluid, how does it stays in the card CPU / GPU without running off?


Just use a very little amount of it and paste it carefully, there will be not any problem


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> Hi there,
> Got my 7950 yesterday and managed to install 12.6 official WHQL. When i tried to setup Eyefinity I got a BSOD.
> Then i re installed many differents drivers (12.4, 12.7 beta) each time cleaning with ATIman uninstaller.
> Now i got a bsod or a corrupted screen (1 is hooked by now) with red dots and lines.
> It always end in a hard reset.
> The fact is that if i start my OS in safe mode there is no dispay corruption and of course no hardware acceleration.
> I tried also one driver with only display driver but the result is the same.
> Obviously it's a driver problem as i managed after the very first installation to run a crysis bench for 30 mins.
> I just can't figure what exactly the cause is and what could help to solve that problem.
> If any one had such issues and could help ...
> My rig
> Core I5 2500K @ stock
> PSU Master cooler silent pro gold 800 W
> Windows 7 64 bits
> Gigabyte Z68 XP UD3 with UEFI BIOS
> 8 GB of RAM (2 sticks)


RMA.


----------



## SkateZilla

Im actually looking into an H60/40 Mod of my 7950OC, or buy a cheaper reference one to mod.

as in the summer time, the only thing on my system that even gets close to over heating is the GPU.

- Remove Shroud/HeatSink.
- Mount H60/40 Water Block
- Mount Heatsinks to Ram and VRM using same airflow pattern (air in one end of the card, exhaust out the other).
- If I Can, re-mount the shroud part of the cooling system over top of the water block, and use the Fan to force air through the shroud and heatsinks for the Ram and VRMs

- If I cant Remount the shroud, mount the VRM/Ram heatsinks at the same angle,
fabricate a open ended shroud, put a fan on one end and the exhaust end will be raised to 3 slots, to provide less airflow resistance.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> RMA.


Yeah i will as the symptoms now are the same on a fresh new OS install with nothing more than mb drivers and Cat 12.2.
definitely a hardware problem i think.


----------



## PureBlackFire

add me to the club. just got my sapphire 7950 and I'm loving it so far. not bad for something I ordered yesterday. here are my heaven runs:


Spoiler: HD7950 heaven runs



out of box settings (950mhz/1250mhz)

1025mhz core

1025mhz core/1350mhz memory

1100mhz core/1350mhz memory




here's my best gtx670 run on my DC2T:


Spoiler: gtx670 heaven run



1268mhz core/+100 memory offset




so far so good. max temp in heaven is 62c and the card is running stock voltage (1.093mv) so there's likely more room to go. I can't seem to go above 1100mhz core in afterburner or of course AMD overdrive. going to try some Metro 2033 and BF3, then maybe try sapphire trixx for overclocking. no coil whine at all.

edit: ran BF3, Dirt 3, Metro 2033. didn't record BF3 or metro, but BF3 is about 9fps lower than my 670 was but runs more stable. Metro is about 17fps faster than my 670 at max settings. Dirt 3 1920x1080 Ultra settings 8xMSAA:
Sapphire 7950 1100/1350mhz


Asus gtx670 DC2 Top 1280/1602mhz


----------



## afadzil21

Anyone got a hold of a Sapphire Toxic card yet. I've got a chance to order 2 for a Crossfire setup here and I'm rather tempted.


----------



## Statius

My Radeon HD 7950 @ 1150/1550 does about P9150 in 3DMark '11.

Gets 37.1k GPU score in 3DMark vantage.

The idiots over at EVGA forums think that even a GTX 670 is a better card then even the HD 7970....


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> My Radeon HD 7950 @ 1150/1550 does about P9150 in 3DMark '11.
> 
> Gets 37.1k GPU score in 3DMark vantage.
> 
> The idiots over at EVGA forums think that even a GTX 670 is a better card then even the HD 7970....


well it's a lot faster in 3dmark11 unless you can hit 1300mhz on a 7900. my 670 did P9469 with a graphics score of 9965. if they want to go by only heaven and 3dmark11 then they have a point, but if actual game performance matters to anyone, things look pretty even all across the board.


----------



## mltms

my 7950 1170 got 39fps it dirtshowdown max setting the game is amazing and more powerful than dirt 3

the thing is that nvidia gpu cant run it it max 8xAA and advanced effects, like global illumination this setting will kill the keplr gpu


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> add me to the club. just got my
> sapphire 7950
> 
> so far so good. max temp in heaven is 62c and the card is running stock voltage (1.093mv) so there's likely more room to go. I can't seem to go above 1100mhz core in afterburner or of course AMD overdrive. going to try some Metro 2033 and BF3, then maybe try sapphire trixx for overclocking. no coil whine at all.
> edit: ran BF3, Dirt 3, Metro 2033. didn't record BF3 or metro, but BF3 is about 9fps lower than my 670 was but runs more stable. Metro is about 17fps faster than my 670 at max settings. Dirt 3 1920x1080 Ultra settings 8xMSAA:


Nice . 1100 Mhz at stock voltage. thats what I heard about the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition. You could easily push to 1150 with slight voltage increase and keep temps around 70c.. IMO HD 7950 (1150) wins more games against GTX 670 (1250) and is generally faster. If you have any other games please post the comparisons.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> My Radeon HD 7950 @ 1150/1550 does about P9150 in 3DMark '11.
> Gets 37.1k GPU score in 3DMark vantage.
> The idiots over at EVGA forums think that even a GTX 670 is a better card then even the HD 7970....


people will have their own opinions. But anybody who has done his homework knows the HD 7950 is an amazing card for its price .


----------



## Kokin

Well I finally got my loop up and my 7950 is a bit strange. It takes 1.25v to get 1200core, but with the stock 1.6v, it can do 1800mem no problem.









1200core with 1.25v gets the card to 45C and up
1040core with 1.093v gets the card to 38C and up

Edit: Single RX240 rad with two 2150GTs in push (runs around 1000RPM), D5 setting at 3. XSPC Raystorm also in the loop.

My Unigine score isn't as great as I expected as someone with a 1100/1400 did almost the same as my 1200/1800 overclock.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Well I finally got my loop up and my 7950 is a bit strange. It takes 1.25v to get 1200core, but with the stock 1.6v, it can do 1800mem no problem.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1200core with 1.25v gets the card to 45C and up
> 1040core with 1.093v gets the card to 38C and up
> Edit: Single RX240 rad with two 2150GTs in push (runs around 1000RPM), D5 setting at 3. XSPC Raystorm also in the loop.
> My Unigine score isn't as great as I expected as someone with a 1100/1400 did almost the same as my 1200/1800 overclock.


your performance is lesser than pureblackfire's HD 7950 at 1150 / 1350 Mhz memory. his score is 1180. avg fps 46.8 min 22.8 fps. Maybe the memory overclock on your card is running into errors and reducing performance . GDDR5 will retry if transmission fails at high speeds thus reducing performance. try with memory speeds of 1400 - 1450 Mhz. And if you get better perf then slowly increase memory till you see perf increase and not reduction.


----------



## Kokin

Will try, thanks. +rep


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Well I finally got my loop up and my 7950 is a bit strange. It takes 1.25v to get 1200core, but with the stock 1.6v, it can do 1800mem no problem.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1200core with 1.25v gets the card to 45C and up
> 1040core with 1.093v gets the card to 38C and up
> Edit: Single RX240 rad with two 2150GTs in push (runs around 1000RPM), D5 setting at 3. XSPC Raystorm also in the loop.
> My Unigine score isn't as great as I expected as someone with a 1100/1400 did almost the same as my 1200/1800 overclock.


Sounds unstable to me. The memory seems very high. If you want to find stability with overclocks with the HD79 series, crysis 2 benchmark is a must.


----------



## Statius

Do I hold the fastest Hd 7950 lol?


----------



## MACH1NE

Hey guys looking to grab myself a 7970 should I go with the gigabyte overclocked or directcu II, i'll will be running them on air and maybe go crossfire in a month or two, looking at achieving max overclock @ reso 2560x1600.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Hey guys looking to grab myself a 7970 should I go with the gigabyte overclocked or directcu II, i'll will be running them on air and maybe go crossfire in a month or two, looking at achieving max overclock @ reso 2560x1600.


Gigabyte.


----------



## MACH1NE

any reason i should go gigabyte over directcu?


----------



## Kokin

I got a worse score with 1200/1400. Maybe my core is unstable, gonna try a lower clock.

Edit:

1155/1400



1155/1800 (memory OC looks stable since it does lead to a higher score with the same core clocks)


----------



## Statius

You pansys. Take off your skirt and hit 1500 with memory.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> any reason i should go gigabyte over directcu?


Yup, DCIIs HD 7900 are really buggy, HD 7970 DCII is voltage locked (no serius overclocking), and also VRM temps problems, Gigabyte is rock solid.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Hey guys looking to grab myself a 7970 should I go with the gigabyte overclocked or directcu II, i'll will be running them on air and maybe go crossfire in a month or two, looking at achieving max overclock @ reso 2560x1600.


Gigabyte HD 7970 Windforce. probably the best cooler on any HD 7970.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/02/08/gigabyte_radeon_hd_7970_oc_video_card_review/8

"While idling at the desktop, the stock GIGABYTE Radeon HD 7970's temperature was 34 degrees Celsius while the fans were running at 20%, and extremely quiet. Under full load the temperature increased to 67c, however fan speed only increased to 34%. We did not have any issue with the fans at this speed. On the overclocked GIGABYTE Radeon HD 7970 we had fan speeds set to 80%, which was not as loud as most video cards, and helped remove a ton of excess heat. At idle, the video cards temperature was 25 degrees Celsius. Under full load with fans still at 80% temperature only reached 56c. "

HD 7970 at 1300 Mhz at 80% fan speed and running at 56c on an open test bench. with a decent case with good air flow and lower fan speeds around 50% you should still be able to keep temps around 70c.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> sure


I heard that is not soo good on heatpipe coolers, but i also see flat base in middle, am i right.


----------



## MACH1NE

thanks for the info guys, one last thing is the voltage unlocked on the gigabyte?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> thanks for the info guys, one last thing is the voltage unlocked on the gigabyte?


Yup, up to 1.3V.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I got a worse score with 1200/1400. Maybe my core is unstable, gonna try a lower clock.


I think your core needs more voltage . Since you are watercooling and temps are not an issue if you are willing try pushing that voltage to 1.3v. Try 1200 / 1600 at first and then 1200 / 1800 . if things are stable and performance improves you could try 1250 / 1800 . Also check your VRM temps under load. Its better those VRMs stay below 100c for long term reliable operation.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> You pansys. Take off your skirt and hit 1500 with memory.


You're gonna say that after my 1800 mem overclock?









My VRMs are also watercooled, they barely get hot to the touch with Unigine so they are running at around 40C, my core temps don't exceed 38C either.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> You're gonna say that after my 1800 mem overclock?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My VRMs are also watercooled, they barely get hot to the touch with Unigine so they are running at around 40C, my core temps don't exceed 38C either.


Then you have nothing holding you back from going 1.3v for the core voltage. In fact sapphire trixx allows higher votages but I wouldn't advice going above 1.3v. With 1.3v and 1200 Mhz if performance improves your next aim should be 1250 and then finally 1300 (should be possible). user sonda5 has the same card running at 1300 Mhz core with watercooling .


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Then you have nothing holding you back from going 1.3v for the core voltage. In fact sapphire trixx allows higher votages but I wouldn't advice going above 1.3v. With 1.3v and 1200 Mhz if performance improves your next aim should be 1250 and then finally 1300 (should be possible). user sonda5 has the same card running at 1300 Mhz core with watercooling .


Currently testing with 1.3v it seems like 1200 is a max for me. 1250 and 1225 were unstable and gave me horizontal lines. Makes me a bit disappointed, but my memory OC is wickedly fast.

Edit:

Retested 1200/1800 with 1.3v/1.6v.... looks like you were right about needing more core voltage. Now I'm sad that it takes 1.3v on water to reach 1200core for my card.











I'll do more testing after work today and see if lower memory can grant me higher core clocks. Thanks for your advice!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> You're gonna say that after my 1800 mem overclock?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My VRMs are also watercooled, they barely get hot to the touch with Unigine so they are running at around 40C, my core temps don't exceed 38C either.


If that 1800 mem is on stock mem voltage I really suggest to lower it.
90% chance that some or heavy error correction is kicking in.
Try heaven benches at a stable core speed and voltage and increase the memory with slow amounts.
100mhz max increase every time. That way you will notice when error correction kicked in (when fps dropped compared to previous run)

Good luck


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I heard that is not soo good on heatpipe coolers, but i also see flat base in middle, am i right.


no problem with that it's just not good with a particular kind of metal i don't know the name in english lol
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Currently testing with 1.3v it seems like 1200 is a max for me. 1250 and 1225 were unstable and gave me horizontal lines. Makes me a bit disappointed, but my memory OC is wickedly fast.
> Edit:
> Retested 1200/1800 with 1.3v/1.6v.... looks like you were right about needing more core voltage. Now I'm sad that it takes 1.3v on water to reach 1200core for my card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll do more testing after work today and see if lower memory can grant me higher core clocks. Thanks for your advice!


you make the same score i do with a lightning 7970 @1250/1600 so, or your score is awesome or mine is crap


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> no problem with that it's just not good with a particular kind of metal i don't know the name in english lol
> you make the same score i do with a lightning 7970 @1250/1600 so, or your score is awesome or mine is crap


Aluminium is that metal.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> If that 1800 mem is on stock mem voltage I really suggest to lower it.
> 90% chance that some or heavy error correction is kicking in.
> Try heaven benches at a stable core speed and voltage and increase the memory with slow amounts.
> 100mhz max increase every time. That way you will notice when error correction kicked in (when fps dropped compared to previous run)
> Good luck


It's a worth a try. I will update this post as I test.

1200/1300 - 1.3v/1.6v



1200/1400 - 1.3v/1.6v



1200/1500 - 1.3v/1.6v



1200/1600 - 1.3v/1.6v



1200/1700 - 1.3v/1.6v



1200/1800 - 1.3v/1.6v (reposted, not a new test)


----------



## Kokin

It looks like my memory OC of 1800mhz is definitely stable as there is a linear performance gain from 1300~1800mhz in steps of 100mhz.

Will test more later today as I have work in 5 hours.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It looks like my memory OC of 1800mhz is definitely stable as there is a linear performance gain from 1300~1800mhz in steps of 100mhz.
> Will test more later today as I have work in a 5 hours.


No it is not









In the beginning you almost get a full frame advantage.
In the last test it is just 0,6 fps anymore - error correction !
I would set the memory to 1600mhz


----------



## Kokin

Is that how it works? I only reposted the test I took earlier for the last one, but I'm too tired to run more tests. Thanks for your tips though, I will try to confirm by tonight.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Is that how it works? I only reposted the test I took earlier for the last one, but I'm too tired to run more tests. Thanks for your tips though, I will try to confirm by tonight.


Yep, thats how it works.
By the way, the gain in frames you get from 1600mhz to 1800mhz is really not worth it. Chances of the memory error correcting are just too high compared to the gain in performance you get.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It's a worth a try. I will update this post as I test.


Your sweet spot is 1200 core and 1600 memory. your best min fps is at 1600 mhz memory. so you can be pretty sure after that error correction is setting in a bit. and even though 1200 mhz on water might be disappointing the perf you are getting out of that card for which you paid USD 350 is amazing. As said above people with MSI HD 7970 Lightning (1250 / 1600) are getting the same perf you are getting. And not to forget the MSI Lightning costs USD 530 . so its still very decent perf and amazing price perf. you should be happy.


----------



## Kokin

I'm very happy since I paid $280 for it. I'll stick with 1200/1600 for the time being. Thanks a lot.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I'm very happy since I paid $280 for it. I'll stick with 1200/1600 for the time being. Thanks a lot.


where did you get the card for such a low price and is it a new card or a used card ?


----------



## xNAPx

i was wondering why with a msi lightning clocked at 1250/1600 i get 53 fps results like the 7950


----------



## MACH1NE

I know its not released yet but do you guys think that gigabyte oc 7970 in crossfire will outdo the upcoming 7990 in performance


----------



## Newbie2009

Anyone try the July 19th drivers on GURU? 12.6 and 12.7 were no good for me, but these seem fine.

http://forums.guru3d.com/forumdisplay.php?f=46


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Anyone try the July 19th drivers on GURU? 12.6 and 12.7 were no good for me, but these seem fine.
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/forumdisplay.php?f=46


looks like the only thing different from 12.7 beta I have is the package version. 2D/3D driver version is the same.


----------



## xoleras

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Well I got my 7970s installed like 20 minutes ago! BUT! I am having issues... already... I hate ATI because of this... Scaling options are not sticking when I restart. They were working fine before, but now until something triggers the CCC panel to load, I have black borders all around my screen.
> Also, I can not install the realtek HDMI sound driver. I get a message saying I have no speakers connected to the device. It seems like when the driver is installed, it only sticks to one of the other many ports the cards have. In turn not recognizing the one that actully is connected.
> Anyone have any fixes?


Why on earth would you use HDMI? FYI, I think HDMI needs driver 12.4, it is broken in the new version. But, I can't see why anyone would use HDMI on a PC monitor.....HDMI is great for big screen TVs but a computer LCD?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> looks like the only thing different from 12.7 beta I have is the package version. 2D/3D driver version is the same.


Is definitely more than that. 12.7 would lock up and grey screen of death for me. Also Haven graphics were all corrupted. Anyone who had problems with 12.7, these are worth a look.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> looks like the only thing different from 12.7 beta I have is the package version. 2D/3D driver version is the same.
> 
> 
> 
> Is definitely more than that. 12.7 would lock up and grey screen of death for me. Also Haven graphics were all corrupted. Anyone who had problems with 12.7, these are worth a look.
Click to expand...

I see. heaven got corrupted for me if I ran it at a certain clock/memory speed and it wasn't artifacting, it was different. I may give these a try.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> I see. heaven got corrupted for me if I ran it at a certain clock/memory speed and it wasn't artifacting, it was different. I may give these a try.


For me it was corrupted at stock and it was not normal glitches, more like static interference on an old TV or something. Anyway don't have this issue with newest ones.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xoleras*
> 
> Why on earth would you use HDMI? FYI, I think HDMI needs driver 12.4, it is broken in the new version. But, I can't see why anyone would use HDMI on a PC monitor.....HDMI is great for big screen TVs but a computer LCD?


U say hdmi is broke on new drivers except for 12.4? I run a 42 inch so i was jw. My yv does not support dvi only hdmi


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I agree about HDMI. Just a terrible way to run a PC monitor. D/L DVI or DP all the way...


----------



## PureBlackFire

I ran heaven a couple more times and 3dmark11.

1150mhz core/1375mhz memory


1180mhz core/1450mhz memory


1225mhz core/1450mhz memory


3dmark11

edit: here's Shogun 2 on my 7950 (1100mhz/1350mhz) with all in game settings maxed out 1920x1080:


just ran Shogun 2 again with 1180mhz/1450mhz


----------



## kahboom

crossfire msi 7950 twin frozr iii 1010core 1375mem both @ 1.024v


----------



## unscarred785

Hey guys! This is my first ATI card and i love it! I'm just not sure if it's performing correctly or my CPU is holding it back but i get a P score of P8004 3DMarks in 3DMark 11. My processor is a Phenom II X6 1055T @4GHz(For some reason 3DMark sees it @3386 MHz. The card is an MSI R7950 TF3 and i overclocked it @1100 core 1575 memory. The temps never go above 65c.

http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3984389


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *unscarred785*
> 
> Hey guys! This is my first ATI card and i love it! I'm just not sure if it's performing correctly or my CPU is holding it back but i get a P score of P8004 3DMarks in 3DMark 11. My processor is a Phenom II X6 1055T @4GHz(For some reason 3DMark sees it @3386 MHz.
> 
> http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3984389


welcome to the club. it seems you have a bit of a cpu bottleneck. my card scored better at lower speeds.


----------



## Aventadoor

How can I make my second card not sleep?
Its so annyoing when Im going to overclock, and the card is off...


----------



## raptor5150

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> crossfire msi 7950 twin frozr iii 1010core 1375mem both @ 1.024v


What are your temps running those in CF? The top card run alot hotter? been considering these cards but worried about temps since they dont rear exhaust.


----------



## PureSolidness

I have a dilemma









I'm upgrading from a HD5770 which had a fullsize display port where I used an active fullsize displayport to dvi adapter for eyefinity.

I just got a visiontek 7970 which only has mini displayports, does this mean I have to get an active mini-displayport to dvi adapter for eyefinity now, or can I just buy a mini-displayport to fullsize displayport adapter, than to that connect my current active fullsize displayport to dvi adapter?


----------



## afadzil21

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> I know its not released yet but do you guys think that gigabyte oc 7970 in crossfire will outdo the upcoming 7990 in performance


I've got a pair of Gigabyte 7970 WF3 in Xfire and they're great, except for the noise. Rather loud at full tilt. I'm actually even considering the new Sapphire Toxic cards in a pair (I know overkill for single monitor) but they're definitely quieter compared to WF3 from what I've read. If you don't need the extreme Toxic cards, consider the new Vapor-X from Sapphire as well, they're supposedly great clockers too and quiet.

Just my 2c as a Gigabyte owner. Definitely stay away from the Asus DCUII cards, buggy as hell and triple slot at that.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureSolidness*
> 
> I have a dilemma
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm upgrading from a HD5770 which had a fullsize display port where I used an active fullsize displayport to dvi adapter for eyefinity.
> 
> I just got a visiontek 7970 which only has mini displayports, does this mean I have to get an active mini-displayport to dvi adapter for eyefinity now, or can I just buy a mini-displayport to fullsize displayport adapter, than to that connect my current active fullsize displayport to dvi adapter?


a simple mini to full size dp adapter will do.


----------



## ultralord910

The Grey/Green Screen of Death problem I had with the 12.7 Beta seems to be gone with the 12.5 Beta. I'm going to try the new July 19th Beta tomorrow to see whether the problem is fixed.

I also did a bunch of Heaven tests and have determined that I get the best minimum fps with memory set at 1350 or 1375 as opposed to 1400. With memory clocked at 1400 I get a minimum fps of 18-19 as opposed to 25-26 fps with 1350 or 1375. Core clock is 1100.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Currently testing with 1.3v it seems like 1200 is a max for me. 1250 and 1225 were unstable and gave me horizontal lines!


Try slowing down your ram a little and lowering your gpu voltage and increasing gpu speed. Something like 1300/1700 1.25v, +10v, 1.61v(ram).


----------



## General123

I guess this is the place to ask. I am interested in selling my 670 and grabbing a 7970, a decent one(Probably even a second hand one that can clock good). Do you guys think it is worth it honestly? Is there a way I can see some benchmarks of a 7970 at 1200/1250/1300 to see how it compares to my 670 in my Sig (Single card of course.)? Thanks.


----------



## UNOE

I'm now convinced that AMD drivers are horrible. I realize with every driver update I have had one to three problems usually something different each time. My problem now is black ops is terribly glitchy with artifacts, I have tried it with 1, 2 and 3 cards still glichy no matter what I do and I can no longer get 3dMark11 to use all three cards at 100% load. But BF3 and Heaven runs awesomely. The older drivers had no problems before with those games/benchmarks. Its quite painful how many problems I have had. I went through 3 generations of nvida cards without reinstalling windows and doing many many driver updates, I did have issues from time to time usually fixable myself. But these AMD drivers they really need to work on this. I personally love the speed of these cards. Right now Battlefield is so nice with my three cards. But I'm beginning to realize I spend more time troubleshooting now a days then actually gaming.


----------



## Statius

HD 7970 is faster then a GTX 670. HD 7950 is on par with a GTX 670.

So no, I can't suggest going up there. Just keep your 670.


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> HD 7970 is faster then a GTX 670. HD 7950 is on par with a GTX 670.
> So no, I can't suggest going up there. Just keep your 670.


Im sorry I don't understand your post?
Your saying the 7970 is faster so dont upgrade?


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> Im sorry I don't understand your post?
> Your saying the 7970 is faster so dont upgrade?


HD 7970 is indeed faster. But for single monitor gaming, the effort placed into going through the hoops of selling off, then obtaining a new GPU isn't worth the slight increase in performance.

Is hd 7970 a better GPU then a GTX 670? - Yes.
Is it worth "upgrading to" a 7970? - no.

If you have the cash and time to do so, why not?

But personally, don't bother, but this is just my opinion.


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> HD 7970 is indeed faster. But for single monitor gaming, the effort placed into going through the hoops of selling off, then obtaining a new GPU isn't worth the slight increase in performance.
> Is hd 7970 a *better GPU* then a GTX 670? - Yes.
> Is it worth "upgrading to" a 7970? - no.
> If you have the cash and time to do so, why not?
> But personally, don't bother, but this is just my opinion.


Sigh I was not looking for that... "Better" is a very big statement...
I was looking for benchmarks showing how fast it indeed is at ~1200/1250/1300.
But none the less thanks for the input and opinion.


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> Sigh I was not looking for that... "Better" is a very big statement...
> I was looking for benchmarks showing how fast it indeed is at ~1200/1250/1300.
> But none the less thanks for the input and opinion.


Well, the HD 7970 is indeed faster. It's not worlds apart, but realistically, any thing the 7970 can do, the 670 will be right behind it all the way.. (Maybe 10% performance gap or so tops)

Factor in Tahiti's superior Tessellation performance + larger frame buffer

OR factor in GTX 670's massive OC head room + better performance in some games (Bf3 is the 600 series forte hands down) - The 670 will beat even the 7970 GE in BF3)

Edit: Honestly, as a reference, my 7950 @ 1150MHZ is matching a GTX 670 @ 1200-1250 or so...

And if it matters, the 670 and 680 have a firm grasp in 3D mark "P" scores.


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> Well, the HD 7970 is indeed faster. It's not worlds apart, but realistically, any thing the 7970 can do, the 670 will be right behind it all the way.. (Maybe 10% performance gap or so tops)
> Factor in Tahiti's superior Tessellation performance + larger frame buffer
> OR factor in GTX 670's massive OC head room + better performance in some games (Bf3 is the 600 series forte hands down) - The 670 will beat even the 7970 GE in BF3)
> Edit: Honestly, as a reference, my 7950 @ 1150MHZ is matching a GTX 670 @ 1200-1250 or so...
> And if it matters, the 670 and 680 have a firm grasp in 3D mark "P" scores.


I see. Also my card does ~1200-1223 out of the box. Well ill see how some 7970 owners feel and the scores they get tomorrow and base my decision off of that because I'm going to need to see overclocked numbers to get rid of my "golden" 670.


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> I see. Also my card does ~1200-1223 out of the box. Well ill see how some 7970 owners feel and the scores they get tomorrow and base my decision off of that because I'm going to need to see overclocked numbers to get rid of my "golden" 670.


Personally I don't see 1223MHZ golden. It's a damn good OC for a 670, but not golden (uness you use a low voltage)

I'm confident my 7950 @ 1150/1525 could match your 670 on a game to game basis.

The performance gap between the 7950 and 7970 is quite small.

Aside from clock's, the only differerence is:

256 less shaders.
and some removed texturing units.

Same memory, same bus, same tesselators, and same amount of rops (Difference in ROP count takes a bigger performance hit then texture units)

Although clock for clock performance is utterly stupid for comparing video cards, allow me to.

IF you take a 7950 and a 7970 and have em both @ 925/1375 (7970 reference clocks)

They are within 5% of each other. (Some times the extra shaders of the 7970 don't make a difference)


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> Personally I don't see 1223MHZ golden. It's a damn good OC for a 670, but not golden (uness you use a low voltage)
> I'm confident my 7950 @ 1150/1525 could match your 670 on a game to game basis.


It's at 1300? Where did you get 1223?
Edit: oh the out of box speeds, those don't matter lol I was just saying.


----------



## UNOE

anyways for drivers alone keep the 670


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> anyways for drivers alone keep the 670


Yes I have heard of the infamous AMD drivers. But I thought that was only really relevant for multiple gpu setups? Also I thought that the 12.7 drivers where actually "good"?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> anyways for drivers alone keep the 670
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I have heard of the infamous AMD drivers. But I thought that was only really relevant for multiple gpu setups? Also I thought that the 12.7 drivers where actually "good"?
Click to expand...

In my experience, AMD drivers have been fine, and I actually prefer some of the added options AMD has over Nvidia (such as MLAA and 5 screen Eyefinity). I only use single GPU's though. Yes, 12.7's are great drivers.

To answer your question though, you've got a pretty good GTX 670 already. Honestly, it is NOT worth it for you to "upgrade" to a 7970. As much as I love my 7970, that 670 is still a solid enough card that it doesn't warrant the headache of swapping them, plus the extra cash. You're not going to notice the difference in most applications, if any at all to justify the purchase.

You also have an "Nvidia 3D Ready" display. So if you ever want 3D (bleh personally, but whatever), then you have to use Nvidia. If its just the 120Hz aspect of it, honestly both cards are going to be similar enough....again its not going to warrant the upgrade. You're sitll only at 1080p. If you feel you need more horsepower, just grab a second GTX 670.

Is the 7970 the better card? Absolutely, it competes right up there with the 680 overclock for overclock. Is it worth it considering you've already got a 670, which is realistically only about 3-5% slower? No, definitely not.


----------



## andrew grp

I got BSOD yesterday using MSI Afterburner in Battlefield 3. Other than that, I have less problems with 7970 12.6 than my previous ati using 12.4 drivers.

The funny thing is, when I was using my 3770k to play battlefield at 800x600, other than the horrible res I had no problems at all which it would be interesting if Intel managed to release their vgu.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> I guess this is the place to ask. I am interested in selling my 670 and grabbing a 7970, a decent one(Probably even a second hand one that can clock good). Do you guys think it is worth it honestly? Is there a way I can see some benchmarks of a 7970 at 1200/1250/1300 to see how it compares to my 670 in my Sig (Single card of course.)? Thanks.


For 1080p and seeing that you are at 1300 Mhz on the GTX 670 its a definite no to change to HD 7970. There are games where the GTX 670 (1300) will get beaten significantly by HD 7970 (1200 Mhz) . Both those might not be of any interest to you. BF3 which most people play is still in Nvidia's favour at 1080p. What is your motivation in wanting to change to a HD 7970. Is it that you foresee adding a couple of 1080p monitors in the future for a triple monitor setup or you see yourself upgrading to a 1440p/1600p monitor in future.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> I guess this is the place to ask. I am interested in selling my 670 and grabbing a 7970, a decent one(Probably even a second hand one that can clock good). Do you guys think it is worth it honestly? Is there a way I can see some benchmarks of a 7970 at 1200/1250/1300 to see how it compares to my 670 in my Sig (Single card of course.)? Thanks.


at 1920x1080 no practical difference in gaming between 7950/7970/670/680.
meaning if one buy one of those cards your gaming experience is exactly the same.
once we change resolution to 2560 or eyefinity 3 screen+ gaming, then the 7900 series allow a better experience, not by much but its there.

Syntetic benchmark is useless to judge a card.
all that counts IMO is actual gaming and 5fps to one or the other is no difference.


----------



## BradleyW

Nothing wrong with AMD drivers on my side.


----------



## sena

Sometimes they suck, but most time, everything is fine.
Currently using 1.26 WHQL, pretty stable.


----------



## General123

Okay thank you for all of your answers guys! I will just keep my 670 and at the end of august. +1 to everyone.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> Okay thank you for all of your answers guys! I will just keep my 670 and at the end of august. +1 to everyone.


Glad we could help.


----------



## mltms

new driver is out
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=366295

working greet


----------



## UNOE

I have installed 7970's in three computers this week all of them have artifacts with Black Ops. Yes battlefield is better with 12.7. But my point above is that I seem to always have one problem or another. Two of the three computers that I installed this week had only single GPU's. I guarantee you anyone with latest drivers in here if you play black ops for more than 15 minutes you will get random artifacts I know so because I watched the problem duplicated on three different rigs all with different chipsets. I'm not going out and selling my cards or anything I'm stating this is what has happen so far and has been my experience with AMD drivers its been one problem solved and another one added. The only frustrating part is I want this computer to work well for this client but he mainly plays black ops its his favorite game. But there are other issues with older drivers as well that he would encounter. So I'm left with just telling him wait for a update and hopefully they will work on it.

Edit : its easier for me to just say oh well I will work around it and trouble shoot it myself. But when your giving something to someone else it some what reflects on my on how good a job I'm doing. I gave the same client a GTX 295 last time and it never had any driver issues that I know of the entire time.


----------



## Kokin

Anyone have a spare mini-DP to DP adapter they are willing to give away? I'll pay for shipping if it's not local.

I'm gonna try out Eyefinity but I prefer to use DP over HDMI.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

well i may be returning my 7950. for one its not performing as it should and 2 every now and then you look at the screen you will see some random Flicker. Im testing things now other then the card cause it might not be the video card. testing memory here in a few mins but ever since i got my 7950 i noticed it has not been running as smooth as it should be. My 580 was better then this


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> well i may be returning my 7950. for one its not performing as it should and 2 every now and then you look at the screen you will see some random Flicker. Im testing things now other then the card cause it might not be the video card. testing memory here in a few mins but ever since i got my 7950 i noticed it has not been running as smooth as it should be. My 580 was better then this


I have had that problem with all the 7970 cards I have tested very small flickering some times very small line with small pixel glichs straight down the screen in desktop mode its just drivers. Some times just turning off the screen and turning it back on will get rid of it.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I have had that problem with all the 7970 cards I have tested very small flickering some times very small line with small pixel glichs straight down the screen in desktop mode its just drivers. Some times just turning off the screen and turning it back on will get rid of it.


That is strange. I don't seem to have any flickering in games and so on.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

My cards have always hated DP for some reason. Randomly the DP monitor will shut down and say something like "Not optimized resolution" and I have to shut off the monitor and restart it to get it back (and it does the little USB device noise). Got to be driver related.

Btw, who else is using Trixx on here? Decided to try it because I do have Sapphire cards after all and I noticed that I can overvolt to 1382mV indicated whereas AB would only give me 1300mV. Unfortunately my benching SSD is borked from driver install/uninstalls so I'm going to do a fresh Win7 install tonight and load up the latest 12.7 drivers. Can't wait to really start pushing this new water loop! Running Heaven 3.0 at 1250MHz and 1275mV and my temps never got over 49C...


----------



## PureBlackFire

I'm using trixx. It's much better for overclocking my card than afterburner. AB has a limit of 1100mhz core. When I enable unofficial overclocking, it breaks AB and no settings hold. I like all the extra features and functionality like screenshots/video etc. and I wish trixx had them


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I have had that problem with all the 7970 cards I have tested very small flickering some times very small line with small pixel glichs straight down the screen in desktop mode its just drivers. Some times just turning off the screen and turning it back on will get rid of it.


yeah right now memtest passed 100%. I just reinstall my GPU into my second 3.0 slot so im going to test to make sure its not my mobo. Im going to install my 7950 onto my Samsung F3 500 gb here shortly to make sure its not my SSD. If everything passes then it is a GPU issue. The only things ive added in the last couple of weeks are my 7950 and my samsung 830 ssd so one o the other is the culprit


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> yeah right now memtest passed 100%. I just reinstall my GPU into my second 3.0 slot so im going to test to make sure its not my mobo. Im going to install my 7950 onto my Samsung F3 500 gb here shortly to make sure its not my SSD. If everything passes then it is a GPU issue. The only things ive added in the last couple of weeks are my 7950 and my samsung 830 ssd so one o the other is the culprit


What exact issues are you talking about? The screen flicker is a driver issue that affects a lot of AMD users. Not really that big a deal IMO. As far as "not performing like it should", in what way? A 7950 should easily outperform a 580...


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Well all of my lightnings are here, but it seems it's damn near impossible to do quadfire lightnings with the way their fans stick out and the gaps on my Rampage IV weren't enough without using a spacer of some sort to keep them seperated. Even after doing that, the temps on the middle 2 cards skyrocketed, so I'm awaiting the lightning blocks from EK which were supposed to be released Friday, but aren't up on their site yet. With a nice loop, these 4 lightnings should definitely give my quad SLI 680s a run for their money. It seems I was getting dangerously close to the VRAM limit of my 2GB 680s @ 2560x1440. When it becomes an issue of VRAM and not GPU compute power, I have no choice but to look elsewhere for a solution. Depending upon the 4GB 680 enthusiast models that are released in the future, I may switch back, but as of now, I'm back to AMD. I threw the 12.7 drivers in since I heard they were the best thus far, but it seems I'm having a little bit of a scaling issue as far as GPU usage goes, even with just 2 lightnings installed (which is what I'm forced to use until the waterblocks arrive).

Oh and might I mention the DL-DVI issue gave me a hell of a time with this Catleap monitor.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What exact issues are you talking about? The screen flicker is a driver issue that affects a lot of AMD users. Not really that big a deal IMO. As far as "not performing like it should", in what way? A 7950 should easily outperform a 580...


I had that same problem, it annoys the hell out of me.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> What exact issues are you talking about? The screen flicker is a driver issue that affects a lot of AMD users. Not really that big a deal IMO. As far as "not performing like it should", in what way? A 7950 should easily outperform a 580...


My 7950 was suttering and jittering alot with almost every game with crazy FPS dips. No matter how slow you moved your mouse left or right what ever. The game play was not smooth what so ever was having a hard time maxing out any game . I just installed my 7950 into my second PCIE 3.0 slot and what do you know battlefield 3 is running superb now. everything Ultra. No AA smooth as butter. I am going to test further but I think my first PCIE 3.0 slot is shot


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> My 7950 was suttering and jittering alot with almost every game with crazy FPS dips. No matter how slow you moved your mouse left or right what ever. The game play was not smooth what so ever was having a hard time maxing out any game . I just installed my 7950 into my second PCIE 3.0 slot and what do you know battlefield 3 is running superb now. everything Ultra. No AA smooth as butter. I am going to test further but I think my first PCIE 3.0 slot is shot


Or it is a software chipset issue?


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> My cards have always hated DP for some reason. Randomly the DP monitor will shut down and say something like "Not optimized resolution" and I have to shut off the monitor and restart it to get it back (and it does the little USB device noise). Got to be driver related.
> Btw, who else is using Trixx on here? Decided to try it because I do have Sapphire cards after all and I noticed that I can overvolt to 1382mV indicated whereas AB would only give me 1300mV. Unfortunately my benching SSD is borked from driver install/uninstalls so I'm going to do a fresh Win7 install tonight and load up the latest 12.7 drivers. Can't wait to really start pushing this new water loop! Running Heaven 3.0 at 1250MHz and 1275mV and my temps never got over 49C...


I should try that maybe it is the Displayport. I get the same thing too my screen shuts off randomly too. Are you saying with DVI you don't have this issue any more ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> yeah right now memtest passed 100%. I just reinstall my GPU into my second 3.0 slot so im going to test to make sure its not my mobo. Im going to install my 7950 onto my Samsung F3 500 gb here shortly to make sure its not my SSD. If everything passes then it is a GPU issue. The only things ive added in the last couple of weeks are my 7950 and my samsung 830 ssd so one o the other is the culprit


Its not a motherboard issue its not a GPU issue its drivers trust me I have had same problem I don't even have the same 7970 I had in January its done it to me with different motherboards and different GPU's I think moving to DVI might help like what was said above. But its mostly driver related.

NM


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> My 7950 was suttering and jittering alot with almost every game with crazy FPS dips. No matter how slow you moved your mouse left or right what ever. The game play was not smooth what so ever was having a hard time maxing out any game . I just installed my 7950 into my second PCIE 3.0 slot and what do you know battlefield 3 is running superb now. everything Ultra. No AA smooth as butter. I am going to test further but I think my first PCIE 3.0 slot is shot


Is your mobo BIOS up to date?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I should try that maybe it is the Displayport. I get the same thing too my screen shuts off randomly too. Are you saying with DVI you don't have this issue any more ?
> Its not a motherboard issue its not a GPU issue its drivers trust me I have had same problem I don't even have the same 7970 I had in January its done it to me with different motherboards and different GPU's I think moving to DVI might help like what was said above. But its mostly driver related.
> NM


Yep. Using DL DVI in my 950D now and the monitor shut downs stopped.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Is your mobo BIOS up to date?


nope was 2 versions out of date. up to date now


----------



## 4LC4PON3

can you guys tell me something. I keep hearing that going DVI over HDMI is a way better choice but why? I run a 42 inch LED LCD and It does not support DVI so maybe I should grab a PC monitor and go DVI?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> can you guys tell me something. I keep hearing that going DVI over HDMI is a way better choice but why? I run a 42 inch LED LCD and It does not support DVI so maybe I should grab a PC monitor and go DVI?


I don't know who is telling you that. A digital signal is a digital signal. HDMI = DVI, it really makes no difference. They're both digital.

Only reason why DVI would be used, would be something such as 2560x1440 or 1600. I don't believe HDMI can do that, I believe it stops at 1080p. Not sure about DP, as I haven't used DP yet.


----------



## Plutonium10

Does compute performance scale well with overclocking? Either the 7950 or the 7970 will be good for my gaming needs, but I'm wondering about Solidworks. 7970 gets 3790 GFLOPS while the 7950 gets 2850 GFLOPS. I'd rather pick up a 7950 because I might end up selling it anyways if Nvidia releases a GK110 gaming card with strong compute power.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I don't know who is telling you that. A digital signal is a digital signal. HDMI = DVI, it really makes no difference. They're both digital.
> Only reason why DVI would be used, would be something such as 2560x1440 or 1600. I don't believe HDMI can do that, I believe it stops at 1080p. Not sure about DP, as I haven't used DP yet.


This..

Digital is Digital, it works or it dont 1/0 theres no what ifs...

Now HDMI 1.4a support only 4096×2160p24 over a single link, if im not mistaken HDMI is limited by manufactures to ensure compatibility on most devices...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Plutonium10*
> 
> Does compute performance scale well with overclocking? Either the 7950 or the 7970 will be good for my gaming needs, but I'm wondering about Solidworks. 7970 gets 3790 GFLOPS while the 7950 gets 2850 GFLOPS. I'd rather pick up a 7950 because I might end up selling it anyways if Nvidia releases a GK110 gaming card with strong compute power.


Ohhh it do scale very nice.... Trust me..
Hashcat love it...


----------



## Plutonium10

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Ohhh it do scale very nice.... Trust me..
> Hashcat love it...


Goooood... Goooood...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Plutonium10*
> 
> Goooood... Goooood...


I do 30,000 keys more at sec on wpa encryption attack by dictionary if that say something to you...


----------



## Kokin

@4LC4PON3

Something you may want to try is to reset your CMOS. A few days ago I first thought my 7950 went bad since it wouldn't output video through any of the slots, but then other cards would also not display video, so I thought it was my PCI-E slot. The next morning when I was about to pack up my motherboard and get it exchanged, I pressed my CMOS reset button (as a last resort attempt to fix it) and what do you know, the PCI-E slot worked again.

But if anyone has a mini-DP to DP adapter that came with their 7950 that they are not using, could I get it off you? I'll post in the marketplace.

Also regarding DP, it has enough bandwidth to support 4K video on several monitors. DL DVI and HDMI may not support that feature once it comes out.


----------



## desertsolace

Hey everyone. Just got a hd 7950 windforce OC. Currently, just started overclocking using AB. Had a lot of problems getting the AB core clock to go past 1100, tried the cfg edit to no avail, reinstalled for a 4th time and it was wide open to 1620. So far it seems stable with core clock at 1200MHz but the memory clock won't go very high it seems. Currently at 1200/1350. Anyone else have trouble with the memory not oc'ing?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *desertsolace*
> 
> Hey everyone. Just got a hd 7950 windforce OC. Currently, just started overclocking using AB. Had a lot of problems getting the AB core clock to go past 1100, tried the cfg edit to no avail, reinstalled for a 4th time and it was wide open to 1620. So far it seems stable with core clock at 1200MHz but the memory clock won't go very high it seems. Currently at 1200/1350. Anyone else have trouble with the memory not oc'ing?


My problem is the opposite of yours. It takes me 1.3v to get 1200core stable, but I get 1800mhz memory at my stock 1.6v. I will be doing more testing to get higher core clocks and lower mem though.


----------



## desertsolace

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> My problem is the opposite of yours. It takes me 1.3v to get 1200core stable, but I get 1800mhz memory at my stock 1.6v. I will be doing more testing to get higher core clocks and lower mem though.


BTW I'm at 1.2v; forgot to say


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> @4LC4PON3
> Something you may want to try is to reset your CMOS. A few days ago I first thought my 7950 went bad since it wouldn't output video through any of the slots, but then other cards would also not display video, so I thought it was my PCI-E slot. The next morning when I was about to pack up my motherboard and get it exchanged, I pressed my CMOS reset button (as a last resort attempt to fix it) and what do you know, the PCI-E slot worked again.
> But if anyone has a mini-DP to DP adapter that came with their 7950 that they are not using, could I get it off you? I'll post in the marketplace.
> Also regarding DP, it has enough bandwidth to support 4K video on several monitors. DL DVI and HDMI may not support that feature once it comes out.


i will give that a shot since it cant hurt to try. I have tried 12.4, 12.6 & 12.7 it just does not seem that the card runs smooth. Its not like its skipping all over the place its more like a jitter. Like I said I added 2 new items to my PC a samsung 830 SSD and the 7950 so it could be the SSD. I am going to install my 7950 on my Mech drive and see if anything happens


----------



## xNAPx

hi guys i got this issue yesterday night, when windows was started on the screen have appeared a lot of green dots, after a cold boot everything seems to be normal again, what happened? i discovered that overdrive was enabled and setted @ the value i current use for my overclock. i have to think that my card could be broken?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I finally got around to Heaven benchmark on my GPU and this is what I got. This is obviously with Vsync off and and everything at normal settings. no AA, No Tess & running 12.4


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> What are your temps running those in CF? The top card run alot hotter? been considering these cards but worried about temps since they dont rear exhaust.


top card runs 63c 75% fan bottom card runs 66c 75% fan


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> i will give that a shot since it cant hurt to try. I have tried 12.4, 12.6 & 12.7 it just does not seem that the card runs smooth. Its not like its skipping all over the place its more like a jitter. Like I said I added 2 new items to my PC a samsung 830 SSD and the 7950 so it could be the SSD. I am going to install my 7950 on my Mech drive and see if anything happens


Sometimes changing power saving options or change HPET in the bios might help jitter game play.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> i will give that a shot since it cant hurt to try. I have tried 12.4, 12.6 & 12.7 it just does not seem that the card runs smooth. Its not like its skipping all over the place its more like a jitter. Like I said I added 2 new items to my PC a samsung 830 SSD and the 7950 so it could be the SSD. I am going to install my 7950 on my Mech drive and see if anything happens


what is you cpu running at (overclock)


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Sometimes changing power saving options or change HPET in the bios might help jitter game play.


ill give that a try.Even tho im getting great FPS im still getting some jittery game play. im going to start looking into BIOS settings. Is there anything in the BIOS that should be disabled or enabled? I will try that HPET setting and see

as for overclocking my CPU is locked so I really cant overclock much so i left it at stock. Would my CPU limit my 7950? I didnt think it would since its about = to a stock 2500k. If that was the case I would ditch the 2400 and grab the best CPU on the market if it was a bottleneck


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I finally got around to Heaven benchmark on my GPU and this is what I got. This is obviously with Vsync off and and everything at normal settings. no AA, No Tess & running 12.4
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/979546/


Most people run with max AA, normal tess, everything else max. You should try running it on those settings so you can compare to other scores.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LAF*
> 
> Most people run with max AA, normal tess, everything else max. You should try running it on those settings so you can compare to other scores.


ok I did a retest. Ran the test without Vsync the benchmark to me ran like crap lol but here are results. bench seemed to jitter through the entire thing almost like the card could not handle the bench. Its prolly normal but did not run smooth. Everything is stock CPU and GPU


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> ok I did a retest. Ran the test without Vsync the benchmark to me ran like crap lol but here are results. bench seemed to jitter through the entire thing almost like the card could not handle the bench. Its prolly normal but did not run smooth. Everything is stock CPU and GPU
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/979585/


That's a great score for a stock 7950! I only got that score with my 7950 @ 1200/1700. I'll be doing a reformat tonight or tomorrow to see if I can get rid of some issues that keeps making Steam crash.


----------



## ehpexs

Just picked up a 7950 this week. I've been doing 1100/[email protected] 1.1 volts but I think I need a better case/ cooling because I get artifacts in BF3 (and only BF3)


----------



## hyrule4927

Just ordered an MSI Twin Frozr 7950 yesterday. Excited to try it out, but I'm a little nervous about drivers after reading some of the more recent posts in this thread. I'm running Windows 8 Preview, so I won't have the option of trying different driver versions if I run into problems.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ehpexs*
> 
> Just picked up a 7950 this week. I've been doing 1100/[email protected] 1.1 volts but I think I need a better case/ cooling because I get artifacts in BF3 (and only BF3)


You need to lower your clocks or increase your voltage if you're getting artifacts. BF3 is one of the most stressful games, so it will show instability there before it does in any other game.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyrule4927*
> 
> Just ordered an MSI Twin Frozr 7950 yesterday. Excited to try it out, but I'm a little nervous about drivers after reading some of the more recent posts in this thread. I'm running Windows 8 Preview, so I won't have the option of trying different driver versions if I run into problems.


It's been running solid for me, but then again, I've never had problems with AMD drivers since 2009 and I've owned a 4890 Toxic, 2x 5770 Hawks, 2x 5870s. I would say people facing faulty drivers are doing something wrong (may have conflicting drivers) or their cards must be borked.


----------



## Aventadoor

Yo guys!

How can I make the second GPU not go to sleep?
I asume it aint smart to overclock the cards while your in a game


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Yo guys!
> How can I make the second GPU not go to sleep?
> I asume it aint smart to overclock the cards while your in a game


I've overclocked while in games and it hasn't hurt anything yet.


----------



## StrayderGame

Any1 have any information about new drivers soon?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Yo guys!
> How can I make the second GPU not go to sleep?
> I asume it aint smart to overclock the cards while your in a game


Download the latest atiman uninstaller and install it (check post 1 of this thread). Under the programs menu> atiman you will find a utility named ulps disable... run it and disable ulps


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That's a great score for a stock 7950! I only got that score with my 7950 @ 1200/1700. I'll be doing a reformat tonight or tomorrow to see if I can get rid of some issues that keeps making Steam crash.


Kokin
Those scores are with tesselation normal and not extreme . Your scores were with tesselation extreme. Nobody can get your score without running the HD 7950 at 1200 Mhz. All HD 7950 chips need to run at those clocks to get the performance you are getting. simple.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Kokin
> Those scores are with tesselation normal and not extreme . Your scores were with tesselation extreme. Nobody can get your score without running the HD 7950 at 1200 Mhz. All HD 7950 chips need to run at those clocks to get the performance you are getting. simple.


someone did tell me to run maxx AA and tess on normal so i did. lol i will try it with extreme tess


----------



## LordByron

does this score seem right?
[email protected] vram @1700mhz
reference 7970


----------



## LordByron

this is with tess at extreme


----------



## andrew grp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> You need to lower your clocks or increase your voltage if you're getting artifacts. BF3 is one of the most stressful games, so it will show instability there before it does in any other game.
> It's been running solid for me, but then again, I've never had problems with AMD drivers since 2009 and I've owned a 4890 Toxic, 2x 5770 Hawks, 2x 5870s. I would say people facing faulty drivers are doing something wrong (may have conflicting drivers) or their cards must be borked.


It is interesting and strange at the shame time how similar cards and drivers behave so differently. In the past, I had a 4870 and it was nothing but problems, one of its dvi ports sometimes didn't work and there were lots of issues with the 12... catalysts (bear in mind that I was uninstalling with the manual method of Brandley's and it's working 100% because once I had no drivers installed the card was working like it should.)

However, I went back to ati with the 7970 and I have zero problems with this cards along with 12.6 (only one BSOD when I was using msi afterburner in battlefield and I stopped running both). There is something wrong with the Amd drivers because my old card never managed to work flawless with the 12..series but 7970 doesn't have any inconsistency so far.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

ok here is the NEW test with Extreme Tess.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> does this score seem right?
> [email protected] vram @1700mhz
> reference 7970


can you run with tesselation extreme. it would be easier to compare your score with others


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> ok here is the NEW test with Extreme Tess.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/979964/


Are you running at 880 Mhz. Because your scores are quite low. I suggest a clock of 1 Ghz at stock voltage. would really improve your heaven score and general game performance.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Are you running at 880 Mhz. Because your scores are quite low. I suggest a clock of 1 Ghz at stock voltage. would really improve your heaven score and general game performance.


lol yeah everything is at stock. i switched over to my mech drive so nothing was overclock like on my SSD. I will re-rerun it at 1ghz


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> can you run with tesselation extreme. it would be easier to compare your score with others


just did thanks


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> this is with tess at extreme


those are very good scores.







Is your HD 7970 core at 1200 Mhz or 1300 Mhz. . because your sig rig says 1200 Mhz.

here are a few HD 7950 cards perf at 1200 Mhz

Watercooled HD 7950 @1200 Mhz core 1800 Mhz memory
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13810#post_17800420

Sapphire HD 7950 @1225 Mhz and 1450 memory with stock Dual X cooler
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13840#post_17802243


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> those are very good scores.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is your HD 7970 core at 1200 Mhz or 1300 Mhz. . because your sig rig says 1200 Mhz.
> here are a few HD 7950 cards perf at 1200 Mhz
> Watercooled HD 7950 @1200 Mhz core 1800 Mhz memory
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13810#post_17800420
> Sapphire HD 7950 @1225 Mhz and 1450 memory with stock Dual X cooler
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/13840#post_17802243


for this run it was on 1300 mhz as i need 1.27v for it to be stable not comfortable for 24/7 use
so for gaming i keep it at 1200mhz at 1.180v


----------



## 4LC4PON3

ok last and final lol as im not bored with heaven this is 1000/1350


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So far under water I'm having trouble pushing these 7970's past 1250MHz. I'm still on 12.6 and I really need to do a fresh Win7 install but its starting to look like 1300MHz ain't happening with these particular cards...


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> for this run it was on 1300 mhz as i need 1.27v for it to be stable not comfortable for 24/7 use
> so for gaming i keep it at 1200mhz at 1.180v


very sensible . 1200 Mhz @1.18v is a good balance. Very good performance with reasonable heat / temps. 1.27v is a bit too much for 24/7 unless you are watercooling.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So far under water I'm having trouble pushing these 7970's past 1250MHz. I'm still on 12.6 and I really need to do a fresh Win7 install but its starting to look like 1300MHz ain't happening with these particular cards...


HD 7970 CF at 1250 Mhz . man thats some amazing speeds for CF.









could you post your benchmarks like Heaven 3.0 and maybe just post some fraps avg from BF3


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So far under water I'm having trouble pushing these 7970's past 1250MHz. I'm still on 12.6 and I really need to do a fresh Win7 install but its starting to look like 1300MHz ain't happening with these particular cards...


you should go for the 12.7 beta's definite performance boost


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So far under water I'm having trouble pushing these 7970's past 1250MHz. I'm still on 12.6 and I really need to do a fresh Win7 install but its starting to look like 1300MHz ain't happening with these particular cards...


have you tried one card at a time? to see which one is the weaker overclocker? or maybe both can reach 1300mhz ,or more on there own and take it from there maybe one just needs more volts than the other to get to 1300mhz stable


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Next step is fresh Windows install and the newest 12.7 betas...


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> HD 7970 CF at 1250 Mhz . man thats some amazing speeds for CF.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> could you post your benchmarks like Heaven 3.0 and maybe just post some fraps avg from BF3


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> have you tried one card at a time? to see which one is the weaker overclocker? or maybe both can reach 1300mhz ,or more on there own and take it from there maybe one just needs more volts than the other to get to 1300mhz stable


i know with cpu overclocking to much volts can also cause for a unstable clock,the same as to little volts, not sure if this would be the case with GPU's aswell


----------



## LordByron

DriverVer=06/25/2012, 8.981.2.1000
8.981.2.1-120625a-141547E-ATI are the drivers to get


----------



## Derko1

What are you guys using to see if the overclock is too high? I have mine at 1230/1800... 1.3v


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> have you tried one card at a time? to see which one is the weaker overclocker? or maybe both can reach 1300mhz ,or more on there own and take it from there maybe one just needs more volts than the other to get to 1300mhz stable


I tested each card individually before I water cooled them and they were somewhat similar. Top card is 82.6% ASIC and the bottom card is 85.2%. Both would do 1225MHz on air but were temp-limited beyond 1260mV. Now I can pump 1300mV into them and temps are around 50C but I still get artifacts above 1250MHz...


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That's a great score for a stock 7950! I only got that score with my 7950 @ 1200/1700. I'll be doing a reformat tonight or tomorrow to see if I can get rid of some issues that keeps making Steam crash.


tessellation is on normal, not extreme.


----------



## smokyexe

What stable 24/7 clock should i go for with the Sapphire 7950 OC version?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So far under water I'm having trouble pushing these 7970's past 1250MHz. I'm still on 12.6 and I really need to do a fresh Win7 install but its starting to look like 1300MHz ain't happening with these particular cards...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I tested each card individually before I water cooled them and they were somewhat similar. Top card is 82.6% ASIC and the bottom card is 85.2%. Both would do 1225MHz on air but were temp-limited beyond 1260mV. Now I can pump 1300mV into them and temps are around 50C but I still get artifacts above 1250MHz...


Use sapphire trixx, you can put more than 1.3 in. Should get you to 1300mhz.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Already using Trixx but the indicated 1382mV is really 1300mV indicated in GPU-z (I guess because of vdroop). Already got voltages maxed I'm afraid...


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *smokyexe*
> 
> What stable 24/7 clock should i go for with the Sapphire 7950 OC version?


Go as high as you can go.

I'm running 1200/1650 with temps below 75C


----------



## smokyexe

I don't want to change the voltage, i'll keep that temp in mind.


----------



## Derko1

Are you guys simply running 3Dmarks or Heaven bench and looking for artifacts to see if you're too high with the OC?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Are you guys simply running 3Dmarks or Heaven bench and looking for artifacts to see if you're too high with the OC?


I found that latest Sniper Elite is extremly stressful on GPU, it found my instability way faster than any other game/app, including BF3 and Crysis 2.


----------



## ultralord910

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Are you guys simply running 3Dmarks or Heaven bench and looking for artifacts to see if you're too high with the OC?


I find that the Leo demo is a good stability tester. Heaven, 3D Mark, MSI Kombuster and even the Crysis Benchmark Tool indicated that my 7950 was stable at 1100/1375 with 1100mV. The Leo demo crashed halfway through and I had to raise the voltage to 1112mV.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So far under water I'm having trouble pushing these 7970's past 1250MHz. I'm still on 12.6 and I really need to do a fresh Win7 install but its starting to look like 1300MHz ain't happening with these particular cards...


I'm facing the same problem, but mine needs 1.3v to reach 1200mhz. Just finished doing a fresh reinstall of Windows so I'll see what that can do.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> tessellation is on normal, not extreme.


Ah didn't notice it, but his Tess on Extreme with 1000/1350 seemed a bit low as well.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So far under water I'm having trouble pushing these 7970's past 1250MHz. I'm still on 12.6 and I really need to do a fresh Win7 install but its starting to look like 1300MHz ain't happening with these particular cards...


What happened to your lightnings? Got tired of waiting for the EK waterblocks? They're right around the corner. Hopefully Monday we'll see them. I've got 4 lightnings I'm planning on watercooling, but I also own a Sapphire Dual-X OC 7970 and an AMD DCII TOP 7970


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I got tired of waiting for the blocks (and I can't put those hideous crop circles in my rig) plus I wanted a D/L DVI port for my S27A950D. I also heard that the Sapphire 7970 Dual-X OC's were some of the better clockers around (one of my Lightnings wouldn't do 1220MHz even at 1330mV). I'm still hoping that a fresh, stripped down OS install along with the latest 12.7 beta drivers will help my scores a bit...


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ultralord910*
> 
> I find that the Leo demo is a good stability tester. Heaven, 3D Mark, MSI Kombuster and even the Crysis Benchmark Tool indicated that my 7950 was stable at 1100/1375 with 1100mV. The Leo demo crashed halfway through and I had to raise the voltage to 1112mV.


You mean the AMD one?

I tried it and do you just simply let it run a couple of times? I got through it and the educational portion without issues.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I'm facing the same problem, but mine needs 1.3v to reach 1200mhz. Just finished doing a fresh reinstall of Windows so I'll see what that can do.
> Ah didn't notice it, but his Tess on Extreme with 1000/1350 seemed a bit low as well.


Yeah im def going to swap out my card. I have never had this many issues before which is annoying. I would just return it but I gave the games away so I can return it for something else. I will just swap it out with newegg and grab another msi 7950 and see what happens. IMO and im being blunt and honest. this 7950 runs like junk


----------



## Blaze0303

I currently have a Gigabyte 7950, and its oc'd to 1250/1900 @ 1.3v. But the only way for me to do this is by using Trixx (OC) and Afterburner (voltage). I wish to only use one program. Is there a way to get Afterburner to go past the set limits of 1100/1575?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Use unofficial overclocking method. There is a missing .dll on the newer versions of AB though so you will need to find 2.2.1 or earlier.


----------



## ultralord910

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> You mean the AMD one?
> I tried it and do you just simply let it run a couple of times? I got through it and the educational portion without issues.


Yep you just let it loop for a while.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Use unofficial overclocking method. There is a missing .dll on the newer versions of AB though so you will need to find 2.2.1 or earlier.


What does this missing dll actually do? Help enable unofficial oc? I am using 2.2.3 and everything seem to work fine.


----------



## Kokin

Currently running the new unofficial Beta drivers from Guru3d forums, so far no problems, but I haven't tried out any games yet since I've just reformatted.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Yeah im def going to swap out my card. I have never had this many issues before which is annoying. I would just return it but I gave the games away so I can return it for something else. I will just swap it out with newegg and grab another msi 7950 and see what happens. IMO and im being blunt and honest. this 7950 runs like junk


It's a shame that you're experiencing all these problems, hope your next attempt is more successful.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> What does this missing dll actually do? Help enable unofficial oc? I am using 2.2.3 and everything seem to work fine.


It allows you to set a higher clock speed iirc. Still have to use UOM but even with UOM you can't raise clock speed with 2.2.3 as I understand it...


----------



## Derko1

1300/1800 @ 1.3v/1.625v


----------



## Kokin

That scaling. Very nice clockers as well.


----------



## Derko1

So here is another one... with normal tesselation... for some reason I guess everyone uses that instead of extreme.









1300/1800mhz @ 1.3v/1.625v with 45c highest temp.


----------



## Kokin

I usually see Extreme as there's no point in seeing high numbers especially if your card isn't being pushed.


----------



## Samurai707

There is an official 3dMark thread here, with a little searching yall can find that, and they have a standard for comparing scores across the board... Give her a looksie I'd say.


----------



## Statius

HD 7950 Twin-X Sapphire @ 1150/1550 1.218/1.625v


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I usually see Extreme as there's no point in seeing high numbers especially if your card isn't being pushed.


Ok... I saw someone say to use normal a few pages back. That's why I did that.

So I had some flickering in Skyrim while at 1300, so I backed down to 1290 and nothing so far. Played it for around 45 minutes and played like 15 minutes of pCars and everything seems fine.


----------



## roninmedia

Just about to join the club.

I ordered my MSI Twin Frozer 7950 from Newegg on Thursday. I'm currently running MSI 460 Hawks in SLI on a mATX board. The card closest to the CPU maxes at ~70 after a few hours of Skyrim gameplay and the other card peaks at about ~50 but my case dumps out a ton of that heat and Florida is plenty warm already. .

Can't wait to get my hands on a powerful single card setup and OC.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

For Heaven 3.0, it would be helpful if you guys would stick to the official Heaven 3.0 benchmark thread's settings of everything maxed and a resolution of 1680 x 1050. That way your results will be easily comparable. Here is my best run for example (back with my 7970 Lightnings):


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> I currently have a Gigabyte 7950, and its oc'd to 1250/1900 @ 1.3v. But the only way for me to do this is by using Trixx (OC) and Afterburner (voltage). I wish to only use one program. Is there a way to get Afterburner to go past the set limits of 1100/1575?


use the -xcl command method on afterburner


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Use unofficial overclocking method. There is a missing .dll on the newer versions of AB though so you will need to find 2.2.1 or earlier.


dont use the unofficial OC method
use the -xcl command if you need help doing that let me know


----------



## MACH1NE

Can I have some input by the 7970 lightning owners, I think i'm going to grab one of these is it voltage unlocked and do they overclock like beasts on air?

Should I just wait for the 7990. I am going crazy trying to pick a card


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Can I have some input by the 7970 lightning owners, I think i'm going to grab one of these is it voltage unlocked and do they overclock like beasts on air?
> 
> Should I just wait for the 7990. I am going crazy trying to pick a card


All 7900 series cards are unlocked voltage, except the DC II.


----------



## SilentKilla78

Hey, it seems the first of the 7970 Ghz editions are coming out :http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=20995
The computer store I shop at just added this for pre-order, says it's coming out on the 3rd of August.
Interesting, this has 1100mhz on the core and 6000mhz on the memory, but the SOC for $10 more only has 1080 and 5500? Guess the cooler must add quite a bit of cost to the SOC.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> For Heaven 3.0, it would be helpful if you guys would stick to the official Heaven 3.0 benchmark thread's settings of everything maxed and a resolution of 1680 x 1050. That way your results will be easily comparable. Here is my best run for example (back with my 7970 Lightnings):


I don't get why 1680 x 1050 would be used instead of 1920 x 1080 since the 16:10 ratio is less common than the 16:9 ratio. I would stick to maxed settings with 1080 res.

Also you may want to crop your images instead of posting both of your monitors. Only takes a few seconds to do in MS Paint.


----------



## k4sh

So i received a brand new 7950 that is working fine this time.
But for some reason, the VRAM won't overclock at all. it's clocked at 1250 mhz (stock) and won't hit 30 more mhz.
If i try to do so the screens (3 screens eyefinity setup) will display grey and green vertical lines.

It's a VTX3D 7950 X-edition with Elpida memory on board i think.
Catalyst version is 12.6.

Any idea or suggestion ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> So i received a brand new 7950 that is working fine this time.
> But for some reason, the VRAM won't overclock at all. it's clocked at 1250 mhz (stock) and won't hit 30 more mhz.
> If i try to do so the screens (3 screens eyefinity setup) will display grey and green vertical lines.
> It's a VTX3D 7950 X-edition with Elpida memory on board i think.
> Catalyst version is 12.6.
> Any idea or suggestion ?


Could be driver related. I have grey lines issue with 12.6 and 12.7.

Try 12.4


----------



## azdre

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I don't get why 1680 x 1050 would be used instead of 1920 x 1080 since the 16:10 ratio is less common than the 16:9 ratio.


It may be a randomly chosen resolution, but the point of running at 1680x1050 for the "Official Heaven Benchmark" thread is ease of comparison. The standard could have very easily been set to 1920x1080, but for whatever reason it wasn't...you should still run at 1680x1050 (and the same other settings) as you will be able to easily compare your card with hundreds of others tested to the same standards in that thread.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> So i received a brand new 7950 that is working fine this time.
> But for some reason, the VRAM won't overclock at all. it's clocked at 1250 mhz (stock) and won't hit 30 more mhz.
> If i try to do so the screens (3 screens eyefinity setup) will display grey and green vertical lines.
> It's a VTX3D 7950 X-edition with Elpida memory on board i think.
> Catalyst version is 12.6.
> Any idea or suggestion ?


My 7950 uses Hynix chips and has no problems hitting 1600~1800mhz. How does it fare with a single screen?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azdre*
> 
> It may be a randomly chosen resolution, but the point of running at 1680x1050 for the "Official Heaven Benchmark" thread is ease of comparison. The standard could have very easily been set to 1920x1080, but for whatever reason it wasn't...you should still run at 1680x1050 (and the same other settings) as you will be able to easily compare your card with hundreds of others tested to the same standards in that thread.


Makes sense, though I may never go to that thread.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> My 7950 uses Hynix chips and has no problems hitting 1600~1800mhz. How does it fare with a single screen?


Ok i will try single screen.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Could be driver related. I have grey lines issue with 12.6 and 12.7.
> Try 12.4


I will give a try too but do you mean you cannot overclock VRAM with 12.6 or 12.7 drivers ?


----------



## MACH1NE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> All 7900 series cards are unlocked voltage, except the DC II.


Cool, how well do the lightnings overclock on air?


----------



## sena

HD 7950DCII are unlocked.


----------



## 125837

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Cool, how well do the lightnings overclock on air?


Depends on the card, like everything. They aren't cherrypicked chips. Mine did 1200/1600 with 1.225v


----------



## xNAPx

My Lightning OC is 1250/1600 @1,281v+20pw and 1,600v for memory


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've had two 7970 Lightnings. One did 1275MHz on air and the other did 1215MHz. As far as I can tell they really didn't perform any better than reference on air but may have a bit higher headroom under water...


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've had two 7970 Lightnings. One did 1275MHz on air and the other did 1215MHz. As far as I can tell they really didn't perform any better than reference on air but may have a bit higher headroom under water...


which are your voltages for both on vcore?


----------



## Ukkooh

Hi! Got my hd 7970 a few days ago and I'm having an issue but I'm not sure if the GPU causes it or not. This is a completely new rig so haven't tried any other GPUS. The problem is my computer randomly crashes to a blue screen that isn't a BSOD, it is just a light blue color all over the screen. This has happened twice and both were at low load. I haven't overclocked my gpu at all yet. The exact card I have is Sapphire HD 7970 OC edition and I am running the 2nd bios with 1ghz clocks. I am using the 12.6 drivers.


----------



## hijackerjack

I'm also joining the club guys! Bought my TF3 7950 from Fry's the other day. They were selling it for $409.99 ($438 with tax) but I did a price match to amazon and got it for $329.99 ($353 with tax LOL) and I still have a $20 rebate to mail in hah. The manager of the department was pretty pissed that they were selling it for more than a hundred bucks than Amazon and Newegg haha.

Set it up and it is running great! Have it going 1100/1300 with my vcore at 1075mV. I have a question though. Is there any way I could push it past 1100mhz? Afterburner caps it at 1100 and every time I try to use the unofficial overclocking module, the settings stop sticking and just keep reverting back to zero on everything.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Hi! Got my hd 7970 a few days ago and I'm having an issue but I'm not sure if the GPU causes it or not. This is a completely new rig so haven't tried any other GPUS. The problem is my computer randomly crashes to a blue screen that isn't a BSOD, it is just a light blue color all over the screen. This has happened twice and both were at low load. I haven't overclocked my gpu at all yet. The exact card I have is Sapphire HD 7970 OC edition and I am running the 2nd bios with 1ghz clocks. I am using the 12.6 drivers.


heat problem perhaps?

is it blue lines across the screen?


----------



## ultralord910

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Hi! Got my hd 7970 a few days ago and I'm having an issue but I'm not sure if the GPU causes it or not. This is a completely new rig so haven't tried any other GPUS. The problem is my computer randomly crashes to a blue screen that isn't a BSOD, it is just a light blue color all over the screen. This has happened twice and both were at low load. I haven't overclocked my gpu at all yet. The exact card I have is Sapphire HD 7970 OC edition and I am running the 2nd bios with 1ghz clocks. I am using the 12.6 drivers.


This problem sounds similar to the problem I had. Are you using Firefox? I had 3 grey/green screen of death with vertical lines while browsing online when using the 12.7 betas.

Try the new July 19th Unofficial Betas as they seem to have fixed the problem for me.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=366295


----------



## raghu78

Sapphire HD 7970 TOXIC 6 GB available at newegg. The price is a bit too much at USD 700. USD 600 would have been quite an attractive price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102997


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Sapphire HD 7970 TOXIC 6 GB available at newegg. The price is a bit too much at USD 700. USD 600 would have been quite an attractive price.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102997


damn. I paid less for this 7950 and my gtx670 DC2T combined.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ultralord910*
> 
> This problem sounds similar to the problem I had. Are you using Firefox? I had 3 grey/green screen of death with vertical lines while browsing online when using the 12.7 betas.
> Try the new July 19th Unofficial Betas as they seem to have fixed the problem for me.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=366295


These drivers are 32/64 bit right? I too have problems with gsod (vertical lines) and black screen from just browsing. I had to revert back to RC11 drivers to fix the issue.


----------



## mltms

does powertune relly help it high overclock ?
my overclock 1130 /1550 1.203 did not touch powertune slide


----------



## ultralord910

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> These drivers are 32/64 bit right? I too have problems with gsod (vertical lines) and black screen from just browsing. I had to revert back to RC11 drivers to fix the issue.


Yep. I would try them, especially since you had to revert to a really old driver.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> does powertune relly help it high overclock ?
> my overclock 1130 /1550 1.203 did not touch powertune slide


You will have downclocking in intensive apps, like Metro 2033 or BF3.


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> You will have downclocking in intensive apps, like Metro 2033 or BF3.


i am staple it every test
What do you advise me raise it up 20% and do more clocks like 1160


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> heat problem perhaps?
> is it blue lines across the screen?


Didn't notice any lines but I'll check when it happens next time. Gonna take a pic too.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ultralord910*
> 
> This problem sounds similar to the problem I had. Are you using Firefox? I had 3 grey/green screen of death with vertical lines while browsing online when using the 12.7 betas.
> Try the new July 19th Unofficial Betas as they seem to have fixed the problem for me.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=366295


Yes i am using Firefox and it was open at both times. Haven't had any artifacts or problems under heavy load so I would feel stupid if I have to RMA this card.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Didn't notice any lines but I'll check when it happens next time. Gonna take a pic too.
> Yes i am using Firefox and it was open at both times. Haven't had any artifacts or problems under heavy load so I would feel stupid if I have to RMA this card.


lol
just remove hardware acceleration in option menu


----------



## gokumhz

Add me to the list, just got my MSI TF3 7950 today, and loving it. I upgraded from an Nvidia GTX 460 1GB card, and man what a difference. I ran some benches before and then after installing the new card and it's made quite a difference. Playing Crysis 2 at extreme and getting a solid 60FPS (Vsync enabled) is very nice. I've clocked the card at 1000Mhz and the memory at 1350Mhz without adjusting the voltage. Just got done playing Crysis 2 for 3 hours after running some benches and no problems at all so far, so I think it's pretty solid at that overclock.

I did notice that the card gets up to 72C when either playing Crysis for long periods of time or running the Heaven bench at max settings, is this high? Should I tweak the fan settings a bit?

Anyway just wanted to chime in and say so far I'm very pleased, think this card should do me for awhile.


----------



## hijackerjack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gokumhz*
> 
> Add me to the list, just got my MSI TF3 7950 today, and loving it. I upgraded from an Nvidia GTX 460 1GB card, and man what a difference. I ran some benches before and then after installing the new card and it's made quite a difference. Playing Crysis 2 at extreme and getting a solid 60FPS (Vsync enabled) is very nice. I've clocked the card at 1000Mhz and the memory at 1350Mhz without adjusting the voltage. Just got done playing Crysis 2 for 3 hours after running some benches and no problems at all so far, so I think it's pretty solid at that overclock.
> I did notice that the card gets up to 72C when either playing Crysis for long periods of time or running the Heaven bench at max settings, is this high? Should I tweak the fan settings a bit?
> Anyway just wanted to chime in and say so far I'm very pleased, think this card should do me for awhile.


You and I are the same haha. But yeah. The max my card has gotten is 72C as well. Doesn't go higher, but I think it is normal.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Man I am struggling with these Sapphires! I can't get anything higher than 1240MHz/1800MHz in Heaven 3.0 which resulted in an avg fps of 115.7. That's nearly 4fps slower than my Lightnings were at just 1220MHz/1750MHz. I can't figure out what the hell is going wrong? I'm running the latest beta driver (8.982.0.0) and my temps are great under water (maxed voltage at 1382mV in Trixx which is really about 1290mV in GPU-z) and temps never got over 55C. Should I try different drivers? This is a fresh Win7 install with very little on it so far. Any ideas on how to squeeze out a few more fps?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> i am staple it every test
> What do you advise me raise it up 20% and do more clocks like 1160


Bear in mind when you raise to 20%, you may not be fully stable anymore, because now the card will be working in full power in every game.
Because with that clocks and voltage and with 0% power tune, i am 100% sure that card is not running in its full power in most intensive games, like Crysis 2, BF3, Metro 2033 and so on, bear in mind that i had with 0% power tune downclocking in Metro 2033 even on 900 MHz (stock clocks), let alone anything higher. For full stability, that slider must be at its maximum.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've always just put the power limit to +20 on all my bench runs. Do you guys think I may somehow get a tiny boost if I leave that at 0?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've always just put the power limit to +20 on all my bench runs. Do you guys think I may somehow get a tiny boost if I leave that at 0?


It depends on bench, and how much voltage, because voltage is in direct relation with power usage, power usage is in direct relation with power tune. You can experiment.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Hey gang. Got my komodo wb installed and waiting on replacement Molex connectors for my pump. So what's the highest oc achieved on this thread and confirmed with fur or another architecture stress program.

I have a 7970 dd be under full water (vram, gpu, etc.) ill register after I oc it. Was 1175 on air.


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> I'm using trixx. It's much better for overclocking my card than afterburner. AB has a limit of 1100mhz core. When I enable unofficial overclocking, it breaks AB and no settings hold. I like all the extra features and functionality like screenshots/video etc. and I wish trixx had them


what version of afterburner do you have?


----------



## LordByron

1 install msi AB 2.20 reboot
2 do not start afterburner
3 on the desktop shortcut right click and go to properties
4under the shortcut tab by target type in after the " -xcl so should look like this "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" -xcl (space in between " -xcl)
5 start afterburner it will give a pop that your clocks have exceeded
6reboot and remove the -xcl command from the target and start msi afterburner
7 now unistall and install what ever version of msi and apply the above steps

bear in mind that unofficial overclocking must not be applied if it is revert back before doing this
if you had v2.20 installed previously try the -xcl command on your current version


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> 1 install msi AB 2.20 reboot
> 2 do not start afterburner
> 3 on the desktop shortcut right click and go to properties
> 4under the shortcut tab by target type in after the " -xcl so should look like this "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" -xcl (space in between " -xcl)
> 5 start afterburner it will give a pop that your clocks have exceeded
> 6reboot and remove the -xcl command from the target and start msi afterburner
> 7 now unistall and install what ever version of msi and apply the above steps
> bear in mind that unofficial overclocking must not be applied if it is revert back before doing this
> if you had v2.20 installed previously try the -xcl command on your current version


Huh... Lol. I've never had any problems with msi after burner.


----------



## k4sh

So i realised that it's impossible to overclock both core and ram at the same time. I can reach 1000 Mhz at 1050mV vcore and run one hour crysis bench.
I can reach 1400 Mhz for RAM for the same bench duration.
But both overclocked always end in grey / green vertical lines. I'm using 12.4 Catalyst.

Any idea what the hell is going on ?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> So i realised that it's impossible to overclock both core and ram at the same time. I can reach 1000 Mhz at 1050mV vcore and run one hour crysis bench.
> I can reach 1400 Mhz for RAM for the same bench duration.
> But both overclocked always end in grey / green vertical lines. I'm using 12.4 Catalyst.
> Any idea what the hell is going on ?


it's hard enough to keep the 7970 running stable at stock speed, it's nearly impossible to OC them properly without much proper cooling to run for games

they usually hang on just barely long enough for 3D mark benches, but it wont last for hours running on those speeds


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> it's hard enough to keep the 7970 running stable at stock speed, it's nearly impossible to OC them properly without much proper cooling to run for games
> they usually hang on just barely long enough for 3D mark benches, but it wont last for hours running on those speeds


I'm pretty sure heat isn't an issue for Tahiti. My sapphire OC edition (Same as Dual or Twin-X)

It loads @ 70-71C @ 1150MHZ @ 1.218V.

Since the HD 6000 series, they seem to have a hard time keepnig stability over 70C...


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> I'm pretty sure heat isn't an issue for Tahiti. My sapphire OC edition (Same as Dual or Twin-X)
> It loads @ 70-71C @ 1150MHZ @ 1.218V.
> Since the HD 6000 series, they seem to have a hard time keepnig stability over 70C...


Well, both RAM and GPU overclocked or not i get the same temps , around 74°C benching and the GPU oc only it's is ok for at least 1 hour.
So i dunno what to think.
I will remove the die covering plate to put my universal WB on it. Temps will not be a problem anymore.


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> Well, both RAM and GPU overclocked or not i get the same temps , around 74°C benching and the GPU oc only it's is ok for at least 1 hour.
> So i dunno what to think.
> I will remove the die covering plate to put my universal WB on it. Temps will not be a problem anymore.


What 7950 or 7970 do you have?

As far as coolers for the 7900 series, the tier goes like this:

Sapphire Twin-X
GIGABYTE Wind force X3 (Iv'e owned both the sapphire and GIGABYTE)
HIS IceQ4 Turbo.
Powercolor Vortex II
Twin Frozr


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Please bare with me here. I read somewhere on anandtech where a user set Power Control to 20% and it caused his card to run sluggish and unstable but then he said when he went back down to 0% and and even tried -20% his card ran smooth as butter. I am wondering maybe that could be the issue with my card. Maybe the power control is set to high? Could that cause instability?


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Please bare with me here. I read somewhere on anandtech where a user set Power Control to 20% and it caused his card to run sluggish and unstable but then he said when he went back down to 0% and and even tried -20% his card ran smooth as butter. I am wondering maybe that could be the issue with my card. Maybe the power control is set to high? Could that cause instability?


No way would releasing the power restrictions cause any issue to performance or stability..


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Huh... Lol. I've never had any problems with msi after burner.


with some 7970's the core slider is locked at 1125 and memory at 1500
had to do this to unlock it
not sure if the ghz fully unlock it without this method as my msi ab already had this when i flashed it with the ghz bios


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> What 7950 or 7970 do you have?
> As far as coolers for the 7900 series, the tier goes like this:
> Sapphire Twin-X
> GIGABYTE Wind force X3 (Iv'e owned both the sapphire and GIGABYTE)
> HIS IceQ4 Turbo.
> Powercolor Vortex II
> Twin Frozr


Vtx3d x édition with custom cooler (dual fans).


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> I'm pretty sure heat isn't an issue for Tahiti. My sapphire OC edition (Same as Dual or Twin-X)
> It loads @ 70-71C @ 1150MHZ @ 1.218V.
> Since the HD 6000 series, they seem to have a hard time keepnig stability over 70C...


I also found that over 70C is pretty hard to keep stability.
At 73C i see some small artefacts.


----------



## Statius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I also found that over 70C is pretty hard to keep stability.
> At 73C i see some small artefacts.


My HD 6870's hated anything above 70C.

Iv'e never had my 7950 above 72C.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> No way would releasing the power restrictions cause any issue to performance or stability..


ok was not sure. the thread i looked at he said 20% he had stuttering but once set at 0% and below it was gone. Just wondered.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> My HD 6870's hated anything above 70C.
> Iv'e never had my 7950 above 72C.


Mine is good too from temp point, but now its extremely hot in my country, over 40C some days, so its extremly hard to keep it below 70C on overclocked on auto fan, if i use custom its ok.


----------



## Evil Penguin

The highest clock speed I could hit fully stable (not "oh I can play x game stable") is 1070 MHz for the core.

At that clock speed, the card remains stable even at 95c.

Tahiti seems to be very sensitive to temps when clocked above 1100 MHz.


----------



## sena

I figured out that, that invisible temp wall appears when you overvolt, keep vots on def. and no temp limit.

Also for above discussion, for example: You have you card at 1100 MHz with 1.2V, and power tune limit at 0%, and you can play games and stuff, but if you look closely at MSI AB, you will see that in heavy games and benchs, you are actually not running at 1100 MHz, sometimes it can drop below stock HD 7950 clocks, its sound crazy, but its true. And then you raise powertune to 20%, and now you card is working on 1100 MHz in every game/bench, and bang you are not stable anymore, because now you card is working in its full capacity, as i explained before, to ensure full stability, you need to have that slider at 20%, to ensure there is no downclocking in any game or bench.


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> Well, both RAM and GPU overclocked or not i get the same temps , around 74°C benching and the GPU oc only it's is ok for at least 1 hour.
> So i dunno what to think.
> I will remove the die covering plate to put my universal WB on it. Temps will not be a problem anymore.


i dont understand why you guy's 7970's heat runs so high,where do you live? what cases do you have at what fan speeds are you cards running at load?

i have a reference club3d 7970 that dont see 65 degrees under load....i have a fan curve with msi and using a HAF-X


----------



## Evil Penguin

I keep it at +20% all the time.

OCCT and FurMark are actually throttled even at +20%.

The only way around that would be to disable PowerPlay.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I keep it at +20% all the time.
> OCCT and FurMark are actually throttled even at +20%.
> The only way around that would be to disable PowerPlay.


i got a lot of errors in occt but every game or bench is just fine, i don't see any artifact and have any crash,


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> i got a lot of errors in occt but every game or bench is just fine, i don't see any artifact and have any crash,


I can tell you that they are not false-positives.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> i dont understand why you guy's 7970's heat runs so high,where do you live? what cases do you have at what fan speeds are you cards running at load?
> i have a reference club3d 7970 that dont see 65 degrees under load....i have a fan curve with msi and using a HAF-X


In my scenario, not even HAFX, and all case fans at max doesnt seems to help, its brutally hot here.
Only some good AC unit.


----------



## Kokin

I tried the -xcl command along with the ATI/AMD .dll that were missing from earlier drivers and it does indeed work much better. This is with a fresh install of W7 and the July 19th Unofficial Beta driver from Guru3d forums. Also using official 2.2.3 MSI Afterburner.

You only need to paste the 2 .dll files in the Afterburner folder and then include -xcl at the end of the MSI AB shortcut. When you open the program it will tell you to reboot and after removing the -xcl command and rebooting, you get extended clocks without having to do unofficial overclocking.









Now my core slider can go up to 1495 and mem slider up to 2250. The Power Tune % slider is included in MSI AB as well.

In regards to overclocking, I can hit 1275core with 1.3v but I do have to lower my mem from 1600~1800 down to about 1300~1400. With my memory running higher, I can only do 1200core max, but the scores are about the same in Heaven, so I guess there is a trade-off between higher core clocks/lower mem clocks vs lower core clocks/higher mem clocks.


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> I can tell you that they are not false-positives.


So what should i do?


----------



## LordByron

Untitled3.jpg 667k .jpg file


temp.jpg 611k .jpg file


----------



## Kokin

^Nice overclocks and temps, especially being air-cooled.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> So what should i do?


If games or other programs you regularly use don't give you overclock related issues, then let it be.

OCCT is very useful for people that do heavy GPGPU (like me).


----------



## xNAPx

perfect so i can stay at that frequencies i choice, no error for me anyway @1200/1600 with the same voltages i use for 1250/1600 but @1250/1600 gpu crash in occt. but games no problem. which kind of problem could i get if gpu will stay @1250/1600 of itìs not rock solid?


----------



## xNAPx

which parameters should i set to test vga stability? without fps limiter temps go up like crazy. I saw ooct is relly fast to get errors so 1 minute test should be enough am i right?


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> If games or other programs you regularly use don't give you overclock related issues, then let it be.
> OCCT is very useful for people that do heavy GPGPU (like me).


agreed,esp if the games you play runs fine at even stock speeds no need to overclock, ill only overclock if the game is really demanding or for benching other wise my card runs at stock...or flash it with a GHZ bios and leave it .... benefit it lowers you default voltages also and you have a card running at 1050 mhz and if you do overclock you'll need less voltage for you overclocks









if you want i saved mine

GHZ.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> ^Nice overclocks and temps, especially being air-cooled.


thanks


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> which parameters should i set to test vga stability? without fps limiter temps go up like crazy. I saw ooct is relly fast to get errors so 1 minute test should be enough am i right?


That depends on the kind of load you want to give your cards.

Shader complexity 1-3 kinda resembles a video game load.

Run it full screen and for an infinite amount of time (time it yourself).

I'm afraid at the clock speeds you run it you'll get an error no matter what.

For most people, an artifact here or there isn't a huge deal and sometimes they don't even notice them.


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> perfect so i can stay at that frequencies i choice, no error for me anyway @1200/1600 with the same voltages i use for 1250/1600 but @1250/1600 gpu crash in occt. but games no problem. which kind of problem could i get if gpu will stay @1250/1600 of itìs not rock solid?


depends on the voltages you use,temps you get


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> That depends on the kind of load you want to give your cards.
> Shader complexity 1-3 kinda resembles a video game load.
> Run it full screen and for an infinite amount of time (time it yourself).
> 
> I'm afraid at the clock speeds you run it you'll get an error no matter what.
> For most people, an artifact here or there isn't a huge deal and sometimes they don't even notice them.


so if games and other application run jut fine i can use that overclock without problem? i don't see any artifact while i'm playing


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> so if games and other application run jut fine i can use that overclock without problem? i don't see any artifact while i'm playing


if you dont have issues that you can see while playing games or so then you should be fine


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> depends on the voltages you use,temps you get


my parameters are:
GPU clock 1250
MEM speed 1600
vcore 1,281v
power limit +20
mm voltage default (1.600v)
after 1hour battlefield 3 temps was : gpu 71 mem 60 vrm 60


----------



## LordByron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> my parameters are:
> GPU clock 1250
> MEM speed 1600
> vcore 1,281v
> power limit +20
> mm voltage default (1.600v)
> after 1hour battlefield 3 temps was : gpu 71 mem 60 vrm 60


im not sure,other members can maybe jump in here, but personally 1.28v is bit high for 24/7 use


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> im not sure,other members can maybe jump in here, but personally 1.28v is bit high for 24/7 use


i don't play 24/7


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I have officially RMA'd my MSI 7950 today. I hope the next card is better. The card does nothing but stutter, lag and run driver stopped responding errors. I did not want to I was really hoping it was a software issue but I have tried everything in my power to get this card running as it should. The card runs like trash and I can barely play BF3 at all. Did my RMA with newegg since the card is new so the turn around should not be that bad

Secure erased my SSD. tried other PCIE slot, Tried every driver, Installed the 7950 on my mech drive. Reinstalled my windows twice, made sure all drivers are up to date and correct, Mem tested my memory. Reset Cmos, Updated BIOS. Disabled Core Parking, Disable HPET, Disabled Disabled Aero, Disable Hardware acceleration.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm sure the next card will work much better for you!


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Statius*
> 
> What 7950 or 7970 do you have?
> As far as coolers for the 7900 series, the tier goes like this:
> Sapphire Twin-X
> GIGABYTE Wind force X3 (Iv'e owned both the sapphire and GIGABYTE)
> HIS IceQ4 Turbo.
> Powercolor Vortex II
> Twin Frozr


You never even mentioned xfx double d.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> so if games and other application run jut fine i can use that overclock without problem? i don't see any artifact while i'm playing


Should do just fine.

There may be some more demanding games you can't play with those settings in the future but you could worry about that then.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm sure the next card will work much better for you!


I really hope so. Im frustrated as i have been all week. I really tried hard to get it to run right. I tried everything as I said to say hmm maybe its this part or this driver but in the long run I know it was the card. I really did not want to do an RMA. now im stuck with onboard


----------



## Nelson2011

Stock 880/1250









Oc 1100/1600 all stock voltage


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nelson2011*
> 
> Stock 880/1250
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oc 1100/1600 all stock voltage


testing with BF3 and Crysis 2 for atleast an hour of game stability is very important to confirm that the clocks are really stable at stock voltage. You might need to tweak voltage if its not 100% stable in games. BTW very nice clock speeds at stock voltage


----------



## Nelson2011

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> testing with BF3 and Crysis 2 for atleast an hour of game stability is very important to confirm that the clocks are really stable at stock voltage. You might need to tweak voltage if its not 100% stable in games. BTW very nice clock speeds at stock voltage


Yea still have to do that







, and im still stabilizing my cpu oc also


----------



## Kokin

Is there any GHz edition BIOS for the 7950 or would the 7970 version work?


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Should do just fine.
> There may be some more demanding games you can't play with those settings in the future but you could worry about that then.


perfect, i don't have any kind of problem right now i also runned occt at full screen with shader complexity 5 and 1024x768 resolution with 180fps limit and it gave me non errors for five minutes


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> dont use the unofficial OC method
> use the -xcl command if you need help doing that let me know


Why not use the unofficial OC method ?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Why not use the unofficial OC method ?


The profiles and clocks don't stick when you do a reboot. I also didn't have the powertune bar, though that might have been because I had just installed over older versions of MSI AB. The Unofficial OC method also doesn't work if you haven't installed AMD 12.2 drivers or older as it is missing the two .dll files to allow unofficial OC.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> The profiles and clocks don't stick when you do a reboot. I also didn't have the powertune bar, though that might have been because I had just installed over older versions of MSI AB. The Unofficial OC method also doesn't work if you haven't installed AMD 12.2 drivers or older as it is missing the two .dll files to allow unofficial OC.


OK.

I don't have any of them problems, so will stick with the unofficial method for now


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Is there any GHz edition BIOS for the 7950 or would the 7970 version work?


why would you need one?, I run my 7950OC at 1Ghz w/ no voltage increase.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Is there any GHz edition BIOS for the 7950 or would the 7970 version work?


You have a watercooled HD 7950 at 1.2 Ghz. Why would you want to change your BIOS. Your HD 7950 card at 1200 Mhz is faster than the HD 7970 Ghz edition. just enjoy your card .


----------



## the_duality

Could do with some advice about my 7970.

I have a reference Sapphire 7970 3GB that I bought at release. Its stock voltage is 1.112V. As such, it will just about do 1040/1475 at stock voltage. I have found that I need to set voltage to 1.175 (stock voltage for some 7970s?) to get the card to max out the CCC limits at 1125/1575. This is all well an good, but at these settings, the card will happily break 81/82 degrees C in games like BF3. Are these temperatures safe to maintain when the card is at load during games? This is using the stock/default fan settings. I know I could set a custom fan curve, but if I don't have to it saves me having to have afterburner sat running constantly and I can just have it set the clocks/voltage at boot!

Cheers in advance.


----------



## sena

Guys what the hell is wrong with hardware accelaration, sometimes works, sometimes not?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Guys im using just about all 3gb of Vram playing Bf3. Is this happening with anyone else? Im playing at 2560x1440 at ultra, but I started maxing out the Vram after I added another 7950.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *the_duality*
> 
> Could do with some advice about my 7970.
> I have a reference Sapphire 7970 3GB that I bought at release. Its stock voltage is 1.112V. As such, it will just about do 1040/1475 at stock voltage. I have found that I need to set voltage to 1.175 (stock voltage for some 7970s?) to get the card to max out the CCC limits at 1125/1575. This is all well an good, but at these settings, the card will happily break 81/82 degrees C in games like BF3. Are these temperatures safe to maintain when the card is at load during games? This is using the stock/default fan settings. I know I could set a custom fan curve, but if I don't have to it saves me having to have afterburner sat running constantly and I can just have it set the clocks/voltage at boot!
> Cheers in advance.


Yes mid-80's is safe for reference cards - if it gets into the 90's then you might want to take some action.

I am using MSI AB to create a fan profile to keep my temps around 80 with my cards overclocked - this works great, the only downside is the stock fans are really loud


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> The profiles and clocks don't stick when you do a reboot. I also didn't have the powertune bar, though that might have been because I had just installed over older versions of MSI AB. The Unofficial OC method also doesn't work if you haven't installed AMD 12.2 drivers or older as it is missing the two .dll files to allow unofficial OC.


I'm pretty sure there's a workaround where you go dl the .dll's and throw them in the folder with MSIAB and everything is shiny again.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I'm pretty sure there's a workaround where you go dl the .dll's and throw them in the folder with MSIAB and everything is shiny again.


Oh yes, I'm using them along with the -xcl method. What I said was the reason I didn't use the Unofficial OC method, not to mention I just did a fresh reinstall, so I was missing those two files.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> To enter ZeroCore Power State and entering sleep/hibernate are two different issues. Most I have seen users are having crash after the system entered sleep state not that the card in ZeroCore Power State.
> 
> Most users identify it by "crash after long idle". By that maybe they don't know the PC is actually in Sleep/Hibernate state or ZeroCore Power State.
> 
> We don't know for sure in which stage they are having crash; Monitor Off > ZeroCore > PC Sleep > Hibernate > Resume.


Old Post but I ran into something interesting. My Accel adapter died so I had to switch to the adapter that came with my card, a cheapo bizlink. Anyways, resume from sleep failed using this adapter. I got my replacement Accel, and voila resume from sleep works again. No more reboots or crashes from sleep with the Accel.


----------



## xNAPx

i thought i was stable @1250 with 1.3v but tonight playing dead space 2 game crashed, the core temperature was not so high (73degrees). withut v-sync the vga start going at very full load and crashed after that i noticed some strange green line on the desktop, i think i have to reduce my overclock


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Yes mid-80's is safe for reference cards - if it gets into the 90's then you might want to take some action.


That is good to know I have been avoiding voltage increases because I want to keep the card under 70c.
Right now I am at 1055core/1350 memory on stock voltage. I believe the highest temps I have seen are 66 under load and this is in the Texas summer (hit 106Ftoday outside).

I may try to push my 7950 further just so I know how far it can go. Below is my current Heaven score, I am on a Phenom ii x2 which I know is a weak link but I overclocked it from 3.2 to 3.8 to give the card a boost.


----------



## xNAPx

I actually running 1225/[email protected]+20pw and no crashing problem in same condition


----------



## desertsolace

So tomorrow I'm returning my Gigabyte 7950 windforce... because for the same price I've found a *XFX 7970 Core Ed* with *Accelero Xtreme* already installed (claimed VRM never goes over 70c)...

Anyone have first hand plus/negative experiences with this card/cooler _specifically_?

I can get the XFX with the stock ref cooler for $50 cheaper... what would you do? I appreciate your input as I'm new to ATI (only had 7950 5 days)!


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *desertsolace*
> 
> So tomorrow I'm returning my Gigabyte 7950 windforce... because for the same price I've found a *XFX 7970 Core Ed* with *Accelero Xtreme* already installed (claimed VRM never goes over 70c)...
> Anyone have first hand plus/negative experiences with this card/cooler _specifically_?
> I can get the XFX with the stock ref cooler for $50 cheaper... what would you do? I appreciate your input as I'm new to ATI (only had 7950 5 days)!


The cooler itself is nice if done right. The downside is XFX is super picky about putting 3rd party stuff on, so if you need to do a warranty it will probably get denied since they will see that someone had heatsinks on it.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> The cooler itself is nice if done right. The downside is XFX is super picky about putting 3rd party stuff on, so if you need to do a warranty it will probably get denied since they will see that someone had heatsinks on it.


It's not hard to put back the stock heatsink and clean up any sticky residue with some alcohol though.


----------



## johnnyw

I really seem to be out of luck with AMD cards. Just received XFX 7970 Black Edition (reference model) and this card has some serious coil whine, at any 3D app i get constant buzzing even with low fps, on game menus or other high fps scenes it gets really loud and high pitched which is almost unbearable.

Really peed atm, i dont think i can live with this daily but it would also suck bigtime to send it back and wait replacement several weeks


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> I really seem to be out of luck with AMD cards. Just received XFX 7970 Black Edition (reference model) and this card has some serious coil whine, at any 3D app i get constant buzzing even with low fps, on game menus or other high fps scenes it gets really loud and high pitched which is almost unbearable.
> Really peed atm, i dont think i can live with this daily but it would also suck bigtime to send it back and wait replacement several weeks


Have you tried Vsync? You can also force it in CCC. I use it to reduce coil whine, though it's not as bad for mine that I have to force it.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I get coil whine from my 7970's but only when heavily OC'd. From what I've read though, it typically goes away after time...


----------



## andrew grp

Has anyone managed to get 100% usage in Battlefield?

Mine always sticks to 99% (12.6 drivers) whether my cpu is running @ 4.1 or 4.9 it still shows 99%. I mean what does it want, like 6Ghz?


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Have you tried Vsync? You can also force it in CCC. I use it to reduce coil whine, though it's not as bad for mine that I have to force it.


Ye tried vsync and doenst really help,only makes it tad less noisy but its still very annoyingly loud. Also examply in 3Dmark11 it makes some seriously strange noise.

Sadly i only have really poor pocket cam but i think i will take few short vids just to show you guys how bad it really is.

MSI kombustor:




3DM11:





IR it sounds even much worse than on those vids


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> I really seem to be out of luck with AMD cards. Just received XFX 7970 Black Edition (reference model) and this card has some serious coil whine, at any 3D app i get constant buzzing even with low fps, on game menus or other high fps scenes it gets really loud and high pitched which is almost unbearable.
> Really peed atm, i dont think i can live with this daily but it would also suck bigtime to send it back and wait replacement several weeks


Might be the card dont harmony well with the PSU also.
If possible i try another psu.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> Might be the card dont harmony well with the PSU also.
> If possible i try another psu.


Well sadly dont have another psu, but i think its highly unlikely anyway as my GTX580 dont have coil whine even when heavily overclocked & overvolted.


----------



## AllGamer

How do i go about backup up the 7970 firmware to flash it to another 7970?

i tried using techPowerUp app, that lets you save the firmware to a ROM file

but then when i tried to flash it using ATIwinFlash utility it didn't seem to work?

if i flashed any of the BIN files download from techPowerUp then it works

is there something i can use to convert the ROM file to BIN file?


----------



## xNAPx

guys do you know where i can find a superoverclocked bios of hd7970? according to that i would like to hex edit msi lightning bios to flash my card


----------



## xNAPx

I found that 1250 in hex is 48 E8 01 and 1600 is 02 71 00 now i would understand how modify the voltage ....


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> I found that 1250 in hex is 48 E8 01 and 1600 is 02 71 00 now i would understand how modify the voltage ....


There is a program called racerx that can modify ccc to give you whatever parameters you want, even powertune limits. Look for it in techimo forums. One of the versions works with the 7970.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> i don't play 24/7


Most of us either lol..

I have 3 kind of overclocks on my setups..

1: highest stable overclock that i can reach with no voltage added for those hot days and not so demanding games
2: highest stable overclock with added voltage
3: and the "way pushing to the limits overclock"


----------



## xNAPx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> There is a program called racerx that can modify ccc to give you whatever parameters you want, even powertune limits. Look for it in techimo forums. One of the versions works with the 7970.


i wanna flash the bios because i don't wanna depend on software for overclocking


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *andrew grp*
> 
> Has anyone managed to get 100% usage in Battlefield?
> Mine always sticks to 99% (12.6 drivers) whether my cpu is running @ 4.1 or 4.9 it still shows 99%. I mean what does it want, like 6Ghz?


99% is considered 100%.
Everything is ok.


----------



## Kokin

For the guys who are experiencing screen flickering, I was finally able to emulate it on my system. I set my memory to 625, but it would stick to 1250. Once I did a reboot, it stayed at 625 and my 2nd monitor connected to the DVI slot would flicker. My core clock has also gone down to 300.

It flickers when I move my mouse around or scroll up/down in my browser since the core and mem clocks try to go back to up to their default values. However if there is a GPU load, say a Youtube video, then I get no flickers. So a fix for the people who are experiencing flickering could be to turn off the power saving options for your GPU or force the memory to run at it's regular speeds (1200 and higher).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Ye tried vsync and doenst really help,only makes it tad less noisy but its still very annoyingly loud. Also examply in 3Dmark11 it makes some seriously strange noise.
> Sadly i only have really poor pocket cam but i think i will take few short vids just to show you guys how bad it really is.
> MSI kombustor:
> -snip-
> 3DM11:
> -snip-
> IR it sounds even much worse than on those vids


The 3DM11 sounds really bad... mine is barely a whisper when it's bad. The only time I hear something that loud is when I'm exiting Unigine Heaven and that credits screen (where you have to press ESC to close it) is up. You may have to RMA it of if possible, return it.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> The cooler itself is nice if done right. The downside is XFX is super picky about putting 3rd party stuff on, so if you need to do a warranty it will probably get denied since they will see that someone had heatsinks on it.


Lies.. XFX has an amazing warranty if you live stateside or in respective countries. Doesn't matter if you put on an aftermarket cooler.


----------



## sena

And that is it, i am done with HD 7950, just too many problems, i will give HD 7870 CFX a try.
I wish to thanks everyone in this thread who was helping me, good luck.


----------



## Blaze0303

Can anybody tell me why I can't get my Gigabyte 7950 past 1250/1900? It runs fine and has plenty of thermal and voltage headroom. But if I push it any further it artifacts like crazy. Am I at the maximum I can push my card?


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Can anybody tell me why I can't get my Gigabyte 7950 past 1250/1900? It runs fine and has plenty of thermal and voltage headroom. But if I push it any further it artifacts like crazy. Am I at the maximum I can push my card?


memory at 1900mhz on a card that comes with it at 1250mhz? wanna bet that's your issue? run the memory around 1500 and see if you can push the core higher. some cards don't even do 1250mhz so that's a good number.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> memory at 1900mhz on a card that comes with it at 1250mhz? wanna bet that's your issue? run the memory around 1500 and see if you can push the core higher. *some cards don't even do 1250mhz* so that's a good number.


Typo? 1250 MHz is stock for HD 7950.


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> memory at 1900mhz on a card that comes with it at 1250mhz? wanna bet that's your issue? run the memory around 1500 and see if you can push the core higher. some cards don't even do 1250mhz so that's a good number.


Really? So I can lower my Mem OC and get a higher Core OC? I never knew that, I will try when I get home. +rep
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Typo? 1250 MHz is stock for HD 7950.


I think he means the Core clock.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> memory at 1900mhz on a card that comes with it at 1250mhz? wanna bet that's your issue? run the memory around 1500 and see if you can push the core higher. *some cards don't even do 1250mhz* so that's a good number.
> 
> 
> 
> Typo? 1250 MHz is stock for HD 7950.
Click to expand...

not a typo. that second time I was referring to his 1250mhz *core clock*, not the memory clock. sorry for the confusion








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Really? So I can lower my Mem OC and get a higher Core OC? I never knew that, I will try when I get home. +rep


it's not a sure thing. as I said, 1250mhz core is already high and 1900mhz memory sounds dangerously high, especially if your card isn't under water.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> And that is it, i am done with HD 7950, just too many problems, i will give HD 7870 CFX a try.
> I wish to thanks everyone in this thread who was helping me, good luck.


I have no problems with my 7970


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> not a typo. that second time I was referring to his 1250mhz *core clock*, not the memory clock. sorry for the confusion


Hehe.
Thx for clearing up.
@ NinjaSushi2
Good for you then. I dont what to say more, that card gave me lot of troubles.


----------



## Blaze0303

BTW heres my updated 3dmark score after installing 12.7Beta drivers. http://3dmark.com/3dm11/4014656 ITS OVER 10K! I still want more though


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hehe.
> Thx for clearing up.
> @ NinjaSushi2
> Good for you then. I dont what to say more, that card gave me lot of troubles.


Dont be surly. It wasn't meant to jab at your misfortune. I'm saying try a better card or another one. Just because you rma an item doesn't mean it's a bad company. lol derp derp


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hehe.
> Thx for clearing up.
> @ NinjaSushi2
> Good for you then. I dont what to say more, that card gave me lot of troubles.


From what I've seen since everyone started getting their cards, the DC2s are just no good (for the most part). Try a different brand if you can, sapphire, MSI, gigabyte. They all have some solid 7950s.
IMO, CFX is going to give you more problems than a single card will...

PLUS, CFX with 2 7870s is more than the price of a single 7970... Might as well just buy a Sapphire TOXIC 7970 and be done with it


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Munchkinpuncher*
> 
> Guys im using just about all 3gb of Vram playing Bf3. Is this happening with anyone else? Im playing at 2560x1440 at ultra, but I started maxing out the Vram after I added another 7950.


Yeah same here.

If you are using MSI AB to see how much Vram is being used, then you have to half it when using CF

Cards are using around 1.5GB (BF3 2560 x 1440 Ultra) each and MSI AB adds them together







, so you still have about 1.5GB on each card or 3GB total going by MSI AB


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> The 3DM11 sounds really bad... mine is barely a whisper when it's bad. The only time I hear something that loud is when I'm exiting Unigine Heaven and that credits screen (where you have to press ESC to close it) is up. You may have to RMA it of if possible, return it.


Ye its bad on 3DM11 but even worse in games that has high fps, still taked one more vid while playing rFactor2 and that squeeling is so loud that it can be hear even over gpu fan from long distance.






Also noticed another strange thing. This card seems to be missing dual bios switch, there is place to swich in pcb but it simply aint there. Guess as much that it sucks to wait new card dont think that i have much other options than just rma or return this


----------



## xNAPx

i'm using a new version of radeonpro to manage games profiles, if i would like to disable ccc from starting with windows i could do it safely?


----------



## UNOE

What do you guys think about this block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=33831
Is this a good block for the price. I have only used EK in the past so not to sure about Aquacomputer. Anyone here have this block ?


----------



## Munchkinpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Yeah same here.
> If you are using MSI AB to see how much Vram is being used, then you have to half it when using CF
> Cards are using around 1.5GB (BF3 2560 x 1440 Ultra) each and MSI AB adds them together
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , so you still have about 1.5GB on each card or 3GB total going by MSI AB


Oh ok good to know, thank you! Rep+

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNAPx*
> 
> i'm using a new version of radeonpro to manage games profiles, if i would like to disable ccc from starting with windows i could do it safely?


In msconfig, then startup programs.


----------



## xNAPx

i know how to remove ccc, but i don't know if it is safe to remove it. which services or programs must start with windows to make the driver working prperly?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> What do you guys think about this block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=33831
> Is this a good block for the price. I have only used EK in the past so not to sure about Aquacomputer. Anyone here have this block ?


Excellent. Good price.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> What do you guys think about this block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=33831
> Is this a good block for the price. I have only used EK in the past so not to sure about Aquacomputer. Anyone here have this block ?


Yeah, a good block. I use two of them.

You use TIM (not supplied) on the GPU/ram chips (no pads), and pads (supplied) on the VRMs


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Yeah, a good block. I use two of them.
> You use TIM (not supplied) on the GPU/ram chips (no pads), and pads (supplied) on the VRMs
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/985845/
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/985846/
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/985847/


Pretty sweet so less pads makes a easier install


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Pretty sweet so less pads makes a easier install


Seems like a snug fit. Not sure what gpu and vrm temps are like with it. Also there is a newer and better version of it model 23534.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Seems like a snug fit. Not sure what gpu and vrm temps are like with it. Also there is a newer and better version of it model 23534.


I would think they perform the same, but the newer model looks lighter and easier to manufacture.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I would think they perform the same, but the newer model looks lighter and easier to manufacture.


Newer one looks better and improved with all copper "3D" vrm flow channel cover.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Can anybody tell me why I can't get my Gigabyte 7950 past 1250/1900? It runs fine and has plenty of thermal and voltage headroom. But if I push it any further it artifacts like crazy. Am I at the maximum I can push my card?


Mine is watercooled and hits its limits at 1200/1800 or 1275/1400. Both have similar results in Heaven and in gaming though. I'm a bit disappointed I can't hit higher core clocks, but I'm just glad I don't have much coil whine unlike some of my previous graphics cards. My old Sapphire 4890 Toxic was very whiny.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Ye its bad on 3DM11 but even worse in games that has high fps, still taked one more vid while playing rFactor2 and that squeeling is so loud that it can be hear even over gpu fan from long distance.
> -snip-
> Also noticed another strange thing. This card seems to be missing dual bios switch, there is place to swich in pcb but it simply aint there. Guess as much that it sucks to wait new card dont think that i have much other options than just rma or return this


It's really loud in that video... if you can exchange it, it would be much better. So you don't have another PSU or rig to test it on?


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It's really loud in that video... if you can exchange it, it would be much better. So you don't have another PSU or rig to test it on?


Sadly i dont have other desktop so cant try it with different psu, anyway allredy contacted store where the card is bought and will see what they think about this. Just cant believe my luck with these AMD cards, this is like 3th in a row that has some sort or problems and need to get replaced.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Newer one looks better and improved with all copper "3D" vrm flow channel cover.


There was 3 models.

1st model didn't have active VRM cooling, test and review samples send out, but I don't think it made it to market or very briefly,

2nd model had active VRM cooling

3rd model has less copper on main block and the 3d flow part is 1 part (copper) with 2 screws Vs the 2 parts (Delrin,Stainless steel) and nine screws on the 2nd model, might be a bit higher as well.

Don't think there would be any difference in performance between 2nd and 3rd model as they have almost identical cooling channel designs, except for the 3D flow part

Looks is subjective,

I prefer the second design (more industrial rugged look that I like), was even thinking of getting another spare 2nd design block now, before they are hard to get, but I don't think I will be going 3 way crossfire, as two way handles everything I want.


----------



## perkeleprkl

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Sadly i dont have other desktop so cant try it with different psu, anyway allredy contacted store where the card is bought and will see what they think about this. Just cant believe my luck with these AMD cards, this is like 3th in a row that has some sort or problems and need to get replaced.


Ok im gonna take a shot here. Based on your nick id say you write on murobbs forum too? Based on pricing's, you purchased you card through Silent rig? If thats the case, you are good to go. I recently rma'd 1 of my 7950 twin frozr cards due the enormous coil whine. It got replaced without hesetation. Your video shows clearly huge amount of coil whine, so theres no doubt, youll be able to rma it. GL


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *perkeleprkl*
> 
> Ok im gonna take a shot here. Based on your nick id say you write on murobbs forum too? Based on pricing's, you purchased you card through Silent rig? If thats the case, you are good to go. I recently rma'd 1 of my 7950 twin frozr cards due the enormous coil whine. It got replaced without hesetation. Your video shows clearly huge amount of coil whine, so theres no doubt, youll be able to rma it. GL


Hehe i do have same nick at murobbs. Card is indeed bought from SR as you thought, allready got reply back from them that they are willing to exchange it but need to send it for testing first. Now just need to get some cheap temporary card till i can ship this back to them.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blaze0303*
> 
> Can anybody tell me why I can't get my Gigabyte 7950 past 1250/1900? It runs fine and has plenty of thermal and voltage headroom. But if I push it any further it artifacts like crazy. Am I at the maximum I can push my card?


Be happy,my 7950 Dual-X won't go over 1150/1550 no matter how much i up the voltage.


----------



## perkeleprkl

Thats a pretty decent overclock right there. i wouldnt worry about it. And if you ask me, oc'ing past 1125/1600 is unnecessary, you need too much voltage and performance increase is minimal. Well, i wouldnt say minimal, but id like to keep my card's cool. I recently sold my 7970 wf which would do ~1300/1700 completely game stable, but i kept it at 1150/1600. Performance seemed the same and card ran much much cooler and quieter. Now i have 2 7950 twin frozer's which i keep at 1100/1500. Never even checked max oc.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> How do i go about backup up the 7970 firmware to flash it to another 7970?
> i tried using techPowerUp app, that lets you save the firmware to a ROM file
> but then when i tried to flash it using ATIwinFlash utility it didn't seem to work?
> if i flashed any of the BIN files download from techPowerUp then it works
> is there something i can use to convert the ROM file to BIN file?


just a recap from this for those that missed it

it appears the new ROM firmware images are not compatible with the older cards, even when they are both of the exact same model and type of card.

I got a card RMA back from ASUS, got a new ROM with new settings that makes it very stable at any speed, wanted to backup that ROM to flash it over the other card that has not been RMAed yet, but the old card wouldn't take it for whatever reason.

tried the renaming thing, tried flashing in Win or DOS, it will just hang forever trying to flash the new image to the old card.

either that, or the techPowerUp GPUz is not saving the new ROM file properly

using the latest version of techPowerUp GPUz

comments?


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Be happy,my 7950 Dual-X won't go over 1150/1550 no matter how much i up the voltage.


I just started messing with voltage overclocks last night. The highest I got before going to bed was 1185/1500 and hit 74c on air. Also, it was the first time I heard my 7950 over my case fans. I am going to slowly back the clocks down to find the setting where the card will stay under 70c but part of me thinks since I was hitting 1055/1350 with stock volts I might as well just skip voltage tweaking unless I get a waterblock.

I was skeptical of waterblocks at first but Kokin gave some reasonable pros for them.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

My system is very much improved overall since water cooling it. I can set it up so that only two of my rad fans are even running in which case it is nearly silent yet the cooling is still adequate to game with. When going for max OC's I can crank up all four of the 560 rad's 140mm fans and temps plummet. My 3960X at 5GHz / 1.5+V never gets to 70C in Prime95! Both 7970's stay at about 50C at 1250MHz / 1.3V! All of this without the major ramp up of fan noise that is associated with OCing on air. Definitely very happy with my new set up...


----------



## Nelson2011

Whoa price went up on the msi 7950's :O


----------



## 4LC4PON3

My car will be at newegg today so hopefully they will send me out another card before it goes back out of stock. Ive been watching them and they have gone OOS a few times since Ive shipped it. Its back in stock today so hopefully they will send one


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> My system is very much improved overall since water cooling it. I can set it up so that only two of my rad fans are even running in which case it is nearly silent yet the cooling is still adequate to game with. When going for max OC's I can crank up all four of the 560 rad's 140mm fans and temps plummet. My 3960X at 5GHz / 1.5+V never gets to 70C in Prime95! Both 7970's stay at about 50C at 1250MHz / 1.3V! All of this without the major ramp up of fan noise that is associated with OCing on air. Definitely very happy with my new set up...


Eric
yet to see you post some scores on Heaven 3.0 maxed out with extreme tesselation and 8x aa at 1080p . How is the performance in games ? I know you must be getting 90- 100 fps in most games maxed out. But if you could post some fraps run chart of games like BF3 it would be very nice.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> My system is very much improved overall since water cooling it. I can set it up so that only two of my rad fans are even running in which case it is nearly silent yet the cooling is still adequate to game with. When going for max OC's I can crank up all four of the 560 rad's 140mm fans and temps plummet. My 3960X at 5GHz / 1.5+V never gets to 70C in Prime95! Both 7970's stay at about 50C at 1250MHz / 1.3V! All of this without the major ramp up of fan noise that is associated with OCing on air. Definitely very happy with my new set up...


I'm curious about going to water cooling after seeing the great results from other members on here.

How much total did it cost you to do your custom loop? I'd like to try water cooling for the performance and noise reduction, but am not sure how much it'll realistically cost to get a full loop going.

I've read the stickies in the water cooling section, but it's a lot of information to digest at once, and when I look at components on frozencpu I have no idea what's good or not considering I see pumps from $25 to $250 and everywhere in between. I have no idea how much it'd actually cost to WC my CPU and GPU with room for expansion in the future. I don't want to go cheap and buy garbage, but I also don't to spend a bunch of money I don't have to.

I just purchased a Switch 810 so I have plenty of room for water cooling, I just don't have the knowledge yet and the water cooling section is a bit overwhelming for me.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Which Drivers for Quad 7970s? Is the 12.7 Beta a good option?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Which Drivers for Quad 7970s? Is the 12.7 Beta a good option?


12.7 beta is your best bet

by far the most stable driver for any X-fire, Tri/Quad-fire setup, specially if you are doing Eyefinity 3 / 5 or 6


----------



## KaRLiToS

A little Pic of my new Quad Setup Called Quad damage

I'm in love with it, can't stop staring at it since I finished building the updates yesterday. Those pics are the only one I have taken, I have to redo the lightings because I bought some Led Strip connectors but they don't make good contact so i'll have to solder all the strips together. Will have much more pics laters with many close-ups, every details counts in that build.

@AllGamer: Thanks bud, I'm running 12.7 right now, no problem so far.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

WOW absolutely beautiful


----------



## vonalka

Nice rig - did you do a build log for it?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Nice rig - did you do a build log for it?


No, I hate myself for not doing one. I just received my new Panasonic Lumix (DMC ZS20) yesterday and I didn't want to take crappy cell pics. But I will eventually do a build log with all the steps I did and all the materials I used with PLENTY of pictures.

Dwood did the metal plates for me because I have no laser cutting tools. He is one hell of an Artisan


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Which Drivers for Quad 7970s? Is the 12.7 Beta a good option?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> 12.7 beta is your best bet
> by far the most stable driver for any X-fire, Tri/Quad-fire setup, specially if you are doing Eyefinity 3 / 5 or 6


Except clock control is still rather wonky, but that's probably much ado about nothing since they are all wonky since 12.3. The eyefinity 2.0 feature set is nice, the center taskbar option in particular. Other than that, they're all a bit slower than rc11.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Well, I'm ditching my DP cable. Sick of the monitor blacking out. Picked up a 6' DL DVI from Amazon for $5. Should do the trick!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Except clock control is still rather wonky, but that's probably much ado about nothing since they are all wonky since 12.3. The eyefinity 2.0 feature set is nice, the center taskbar option in particular. Other than that, they're all a bit slower than rc11.


I'll give it a try, I have some issues with 12.7 right now.


----------



## sena

Guys, i have offer for HD 7970 Lighting, 83% ASIC, can do 1300/1900 with 1.25V, but it was couple of minutes under LN2, its from one my trusted friend bencher.
What you guys think? Is it safe to buy card that was couple benches runs under LN2? I will have chance to try card couple of days, before paying.
btw nice rig Karlitos.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Well, I'm ditching my DP cable. Sick of the monitor blacking out. Picked up a 6' DL DVI from Amazon for $5. Should do the trick!


Let me know if you're willing to give the mini DP adapter away.


----------



## SonicAgamemnon

Perhaps the coil noise varies by manufacturing lot?


----------



## johnnyw

Nope no other problems apart superbly annoying squeeling at any 3D load, damn with my card it can be heard even over the gpu fan while gaming so that tells a bit how loud coil whine actually is here. Really sucks that this card has such problem as this seems to be overcloking really well and runs decently cool too considering its ref cooled card







I bet when i get this replaced card i get in return wont overclock even close this well, but cant live with this noise either so dont have much choices


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Nope other problems apart superbly annoying squeeling at any 3D load, damn with my card it can be heard even over the gpu fan while gaming so that tells a bit how loud coil whine actually is here. Really sucks that this card has suck problem as this seems to be overcloking really well and runs decently cool too considering its ref cooled card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I bet when i get this replaced card i get in return wont overclock even close this well, but cant live with this noise either so dont have much choices


I have the same card and it doesn't have any coil whine. XFX has a feature that says mosquito noise reduction (according to the box) that is supposed to reduce any coil whine. RMA that card


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Nope no other problems apart superbly annoying squeeling at any 3D load, damn with my card it can be heard even over the gpu fan while gaming so that tells a bit how loud coil whine actually is here. Really sucks that this card has such problem as this seems to be overcloking really well and runs decently cool too considering its ref cooled card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I bet when i get this replaced card i get in return wont overclock even close this well, but cant live with this noise either so dont have much choices


Break the card in before you return it or other. Set it up to loop heaven at stock clocks for a good few hours. Sometimes the coil whine subsides after a good break-in.


----------



## roninmedia

I just put in my MSI Twin Frozr 7950 to replace my MSI Hawk 460 SLI.

The 7950 at idle as at the same temperature as my 460 that was closest to the CPU (~42 degrees Celsius), approximately 17 degrees above ambient temp). Before throwing in the 7950, I cleaned my case fans and threw in a spare chassis fan where the hard driver tower is/was.

I was expecting it to idle around what the 2nd Hawk was (~31-32 degrees Celsius).


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *roninmedia*
> 
> I just put in my MSI Twin Frozr 7950 to replace my MSI Hawk 460 SLI.
> The 7950 at idle as at the same temperature as my 460 that was closest to the CPU (~42 degrees Celsius), approximately 17 degrees above ambient temp). Before throwing in the 7950, I cleaned my case fans and threw in a spare chassis fan where the hard driver tower is/was.
> I was expecting it to idle around what the 2nd Hawk was (~31-32 degrees Celsius).


The only thing I don't get about MSIs coolers is they always forget to put the cooling plate on one vrm.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Break the card in before you return it or other. Set it up to loop heaven at stock clocks for a good few hours. Sometimes the coil whine subsides after a good break-in.


Well leaved unigine with max settings to run for bit over 2 hours and didint seem to make any difference, still squeeling like pig. Thanks for suggestion anyway.

Also now its certain that its definately not due the psu, taked the card with me to friends house earlier today and tested it at hes system with Corsair HX850 and made exatly same noise.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Well leaved unigine with max settings to run for bit over 2 hours and didint seem to make any difference, still squeeling like pig. Thanks for suggestion anyway.


I've read of other users running it longer, as much as overnight to awaken to no more squeal. I'm not a fan of running an overnight loop, but if yer going to return the card anyways...?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

YAYA my Newegg RMA for my 7950 shipped today. I noticed that they changed my order total tho. I paid $330.00 for the card & it came with 3 FREE games as a gift. but in the new Total they took off -100 for the Free Gift games & made my new receipt $230.00

So now If I decide to return the card for any reason I will only get $230.00 instead of $330.00 I thought the game were a gift. oh well.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I've read of other users running it longer, as much as overnight to awaken to no more squeal. I'm not a fan of running an overnight loop, but if yer going to return the card anyways...?


Well might as well give it a ago but not very hopefull that it would make any difference, most likely should of made some small difference allready in that few hour run it its going to help something.

Quite funny that there is big marketing stamp on cards box that claims it has ferrite chokes and all solid capacitors, those should prevent any sort of coil whine if that would really be the case LOL. This is really by far worst coil whine ive had at any gfx card in last 10 years.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Well might as well give it a ago but not very hopefull that it would make any difference, most likely should of made some difference allready in that few hour run it its going to help something.
> Quite funny that there is big marketing stamp on cards box that claims it has solid chokes, those should prevent any sort of coil whine if that really the case LOL. This is really by far worst coil whine ive had at any gfx card in last 10 years.


my 7950s coil whine was pretty low but the coil whine in my XFX 4890 was insane.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> So now If I decide to return the card for any reason I will only get $230.00 instead of $330.00 I thought the game were a gift. oh well.


I would buy a second 7950 if newegg would hold the 3 games and just sell me the card for $230.


----------



## AllGamer

I got good news and bad news

Good news is the ASUS DCU2 1000 edition that came back from RMA is perfect in every way, very fast, very stable, and it runs properly on all the games, and 3Dmark benches, no more crash, no more VRAM lines or hanging

still waiting for the 2nd ASUS DCU2 1000 to come back

the 2 MSI lightning i ordered got cancelled due back order, they don't know when it'll be re-stocked again


----------



## ElevenEleven

I have likely missed it if it has been discussed already, and doing some searching has not yielded helpful results, but is there already a GHz BIOS edition for 7950s or still only for 7970s? (and if the latter, is there an ETA when it would become available for 7950s?)


----------



## roninmedia

I think I am losing the Silicon Lottery. I have no idea how, but after cleaning out the radiator on my H60, undervolting my processor, throwing in the 7950, and the temperatures on my CPU are worse than before and my GPU is idling at 20-25 degrees above room temp as we speak and all I am doing is posting on this thread on OCN.


----------



## Yvese

Hmm I'm noticing some weird voltage readings on GPu-Z and MSI AB.

On MSI AB I have my core voltage set to 1.156, yet on GPU-Z it reads 1.070? Wth?

Also my memory voltage is set to 1.65, yet on GPu-Z it shows 1.602? The other odd thing is even though I set my voltage to 1.65, MSI AB still shows the default 1.600?

Are my gpu sensors broken or something?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> The only thing I don't get about MSIs coolers is they always forget to put the cooling plate on one vrm.


 Do you mean memory chip ?

It does seem odd of them to do that.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Do you mean memory chip ?
> 
> It does seem odd of them to do that.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/988309/


Yea. They did it on my card too.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> my 7950s coil whine was pretty low but the coil whine in my XFX 4890 was insane.


Was it reference design? My Sapphire 4890 Toxic was reference as well, but it was really loud/whiny at load.


----------



## Luumi

I have managed to OC my sapphire 7970 OC edition's GPU to 1150 using afterburner, but after that it doesn't matter how much I increase to voltage, because it drops so low under load. In furmark it starts artifacting when the vddc drops to 1.1V so is there anything to do?


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sinebrychof*
> 
> I have managed to OC my sapphire 7970 OC edition's GPU to 1150, but after that it doesn't matter how much I increase to voltage, because it drops so low under load. In furmark it starts artifacting when the vddc drops to 1.1V so is there anything to do?


try raising the board power limit.


----------



## Luumi

I've set the power limit to +20% in AB and unofficial overclocking mode to 1


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Lots of vdroop unfortunately...


----------



## Luumi

Could a power saving setting in windows' power settings affect that? I found there is a moderate power saving setting on for PCI Express in there.

EDIT: It didn't help at all.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordByron*
> 
> agreed,esp if the games you play runs fine at even stock speeds no need to overclock, ill only overclock if the game is really demanding or for benching other wise my card runs at stock...or flash it with a GHZ bios and leave it .... benefit it lowers you default voltages also and you have a card running at 1050 mhz and if you do overclock you'll need less voltage for you overclocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> if you want i saved mine
> 
> GHZ.zip 41k .zip file


Is that a BIOS? Why do I always click on files by accident?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> I have likely missed it if it has been discussed already, and doing some searching has not yielded helpful results, but is there already a GHz BIOS edition for 7950s or still only for 7970s? (and if the latter, is there an ETA when it would become available for 7950s?)


I've been looking but there isn't any yet. You can try the 7970 version but it only really works if you have the 6/8pin PCB. At least you'll have dual bios switch.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Hmm I'm noticing some weird voltage readings on GPu-Z and MSI AB.
> On MSI AB I have my core voltage set to 1.156, yet on GPU-Z it reads 1.070? Wth?
> Also my memory voltage is set to 1.65, yet on GPu-Z it shows 1.602? The other odd thing is even though I set my voltage to 1.65, MSI AB still shows the default 1.600?
> Are my gpu sensors broken or something?


Same thing with my GPU, everything works normal in games though.


----------



## grandpatzer

Have you any pictures how the Zip ties solved the temperature problems?

Would appreciate, my card is also wery warm.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I told you that DCIIş are faulty. Cooler is not fixed properly, mine can operate on stock without a problem, i think that is because pretty low stock voltage (0.993V), but when overvolted it crash, but with little zip tie, its working flawless when overclocked and overvolted. Also i cant RMA, because card works on stock clocks and voltage just fine.


----------



## Andrazh

He tightned the cooler onto the PCB with zip tie. Over the cooler and under the pcb. Or around the heatpipes and under pcb.. Or wherever u have space.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> He tightned the cooler onto the PCB with zip tie. Over the cooler and under the pcb. Or around the heatpipes and under pcb.. Or wherever u have space.


But I think that the core needs to be secure from both sides with zip ties, according this picture only the leftside(pic) can be seated with zip ties.

http://www.sweclockers.com/image/red/2012/01/30/Hd7950-5.jpg?t=original&k=c4a857c7

Edit--> sena was wery helpful and told me how he fixed his problems with temperature and DirectCUII.
Simply one ziptie to the card, I'll try this later when I have time.

My card when overclocking gets no signal during gaming and then soundloop, anyone else having same card and problems may consider put a ziptie from the hole in card rear around cooler as this picture.


----------



## Cool Mike

Hello Guys,

The Sapphire HD7970 Toxic just keeps beating my expectations. After a few days of benching the card seems to have gotten a good burnin and has really adapted. My max core is now 1325 Mhz and memory is still at 1900Mhz. Much above 1900 on the memory i see artifacts. This is running MAX heaven! A 1500 score., This may be a record heaven score for a single air cooled GPU.


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> This may be a record heaven score for a single air cooled GPU.


Not even close. Had fellow overclockers getting 1400 on air. It all depends on how willing you are to push the voltage / flash to get more of a voltage window, and beneficial ambient temperatures also help. Not to mention an optimised operating system, perhaps a few tweaks to disable OS services et al.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> Hello Guys,
> The Sapphire HD7970 Toxic just keeps beating my expectations. After a few days of benching the card seems to have gotten a good burnin and has really adapted. My max core is now 1325 Mhz and memory is still at 1900Mhz. Much above 1900 on the memory i see artifacts. This is running MAX heaven! A 1500 score., This may be a record heaven score for a single air cooled GPU.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Pushing the memory until you see artifacts is not how you find the max stable overclock.

GDDR5 has ECC, when you see artifacts, it means you are so deep into errors that even the ECC can't cope.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I don't think he's worried about stability. Just get it stable enough to pass the bench is what I say....


----------



## Cool Mike

I understand ecc. 1900 is max memory overclock for a max score in 3dmark11 and heaven.

Heaven would run with a memory OC of 2000. error correction was a issue though.


----------



## Cool Mike

You say not even close? what is the highest score for Heaven 3.0 Maxed out on a single GPU on air? It is very rare a 7970 will hit 1325 1900 on air. I have had a problem finding scores for maxed heaven.


----------



## Cool Mike

I dont think you guys realize the power of the these Toxics. I ran Heaven 3.0 maxed out for 32 minutes. I also ran furmark at 1080p for 15 minutes. NO ISSUES. Max temps were 66C. Runs were today.
These were not suiside runs. I take pride in a stable system. I hope the few others that have purchased the Toxics will come forth with their overclocks/findings.


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> I dont think you guys realize the power of the these Toxics. I ran Heaven 3.0 maxed out for 32 minutes. I also ran furmark at 1080p for 15 minutes. NO ISSUES. Max temps were 66C. Runs were today.
> These were not suiside runs. I take pride in a stable system. I hope the few others that have purchased the Toxics will come forth with their overclocks/findings.


I don't think anyone doubts the toxic's overclockability. It's just far too expensive to justify it over a 7950 imo. I checked prices and it was like $699?!?!??!, whereas my 7950 was $349. You could get a 7990 for $1-200 more once it releases and it will stomp all over this card.

Just going by your benchmarks the differences between our cards is pretty small considering your card is clocked 100/300mhz faster. My card gets 51.6 fps ( @ 1200/1650 ) at those same heaven settings, and if my card were able to hit your clocks it could hit 55 fps. Point is, for $350 more the cost of the toxic ( Or 7970s and 680's in general ) just isn't worth it for me. Luckily for me I sold my ref 7970 back before the first price drop so I was able to save $100 while also getting a better cooler and clocker.

The toxic is a a nice piece of hardware. The price is just too ridiculous for most people.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> I dont think you guys realize the power of the these Toxics. I ran Heaven 3.0 maxed out for 32 minutes. I also ran furmark at 1080p for 15 minutes. NO ISSUES. Max temps were 66C. Runs were today.
> These were not suiside runs. I take pride in a stable system. I hope the few others that have purchased the Toxics will come forth with their overclocks/findings.


Go run the Heaven 3.0 bench thread and we'll see how fast they are. Otherwise its just a lot of smoke.


----------



## Cool Mike

I agree, the price is high. when the lightning arrived they were $600 with 3gb memory. the toxic has the ghz edition GPU (should be different) and 6gb memory for $100 more. I guess thats the way i justifiied it too purchase one.

Majin made a comment saying i was not worried about stability. From others point of view he is right, these are great overclocks and I must prove stability. I am 15 minutes into another run with KomBuster stress test @ 1080P. MAX temp 69C. If I hit 30 minutes i will concerder that stable. I will post the screen shot.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> I agree, the price is high. when the lightning arrived they were $600 with 3gb memory. the toxic has the ghz edition GPU (should be different) and 6gb memory for $100 more. I guess thats the way i justifiied it too purchase one.
> Majin made a comment saying i was not worried about stability. From others point of view he is right, these are great overclocks and I must prove stability. I am 15 minutes into another run with KomBuster stress test @ 1080P. MAX temp 69C. If I hit 30 minutes i will concerder that stable. I will post the screen shot.


Kombustor is not right app stability testing.


----------



## Cool Mike

TSM, just want to clarify

You talking about the treads recommended heaven settings


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> TSM, just want to clarify
> You talking about the treads recommended heaven settings


Yea. Check out the benchmark forums. Run benches according to thread rules and see if you can top the leaderboards. Posting random benches here is just, well blowing smoke.









Btw, as Sena mentioned and others before, Kombustor and all them heat factory apps are a waste of time for testing.


----------



## Cool Mike

Many different opinions on this. If a card can go though 30 min furmark and 30 min. heaven maxed the card is stable.

I am willing to throw anything at the card, just dont need to spend any more money to do it.


----------



## Cool Mike

yea tried one, the top 30 or something. didnt submit though. scored 1610. guess i need to.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> Many different opinions on this. If a card can go though 30 min furmark and 30 min. heaven maxed the card is stable.
> I am willing to throw anything at the card, just dont need to spend any more money to do it.


Furmark is a complete waste of time. The only thing it achieves is shaving down the lifespan of the card. LOL. Heaven is ok, but only gets you to 95% stability, it's obviously not harsh enough. BF3 or Crysis is pretty darn good. BF3 especially taxes the IMC of your cpu and if it can cope with the gpu requests.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> yea tried one, the top 30 or something. didnt submit though. scored 1610. guess i need to.


That matches my 5ghz run at 1300/1750 single card. You are wasting the life of your mem chips running deep into ecc I bet.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

The official Heaven thread's settings are fully maxed but 1680 x 1050 resolution. Run it at that res and post your score. For the record, most of the 7970's get around 62-66fps at max OC....


----------



## Cool Mike

Thanks, I will back off on the memory and if a see an improvement.


----------



## Cool Mike

I will run and post. Thanks...


----------



## sena

For my card after i ran Crysis 1 and 2, passed Metro 2033 and BF3, and ran CoD.
Card crashed in Test Drive Unlimited(2006), you need lot of games/aps to ensure full stability.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

lol ASUS is a joke. I can't believe I waited nearly 2 months for an RMA of my DCII TOP 7970 only to find out that it was a crippled design as far as overclock ability goes. Locked vcore except with a hard mod or ASUS RIVE control? Come on ASUS.

I think they definitely did this to prevent a swarm of RMAs due to their earlier bad VRM design. However my recent RMA replacement has the VRM fixed and doesnt even exceed 65C when fully loaded and OC'd on stock voltage.

I'm happy I got 3 more lightnings instead of 3 more DCII TOPs to watercool. Just waiting for DHL to arrive with my lightning blocks


----------



## Kokin

I'm amazed a single 7950 can run BF3 Ultra (with MSAA x4) at 3482x1920 (3x 1080p monitors in Portrait) with little lag. It runs between 30~40FPS.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I'm amazed a single 7950 can run BF3 Ultra (with MSAA x4) at 3482x1920 (3x 1080p monitors in Portrait) with little lag. It runs between 30~40FPS.


Thats what people don't realise. A HD 7950 OC card with decent cooling easily does 1150 - 1200 Mhz speeds with voltage tweaking and presents the best value of any high end card in the market. better than the HD 7970, GTX 670 and GTX 680. With Ultra 2x MSAA at 3 x 1080p you can really get to 40 - 50 fps range which is considered very much playable.


----------



## Cool Mike

Subject: 7970 Toxic overclocking and stability.
Spend some time playing Crysis2, BF3 and many runs of heaven, 3dmark11, Kombuster. 1325 core was slightly high, ran into a few stabilty issues. Lowered the core to 1315Mhz. Now the memory is a different story as we were discussing earlier in the day. The small amount of data I have shows 1900 Memory is the real deal with no decrease in FPS or Score when running Heaven 3.0 as required by the official Heaven thread settings that are fully maxed at 1680 x 1050 resolution.

The best I can tell my score is slightly higher than the current #1 for a single GPU. My scores: 63.8 FPS and 1606 Score. Below are the benchmark numbers I compiled showing Core Freq. Memory Freq. FPS and Score. The attached Heaven screen shot was the 1315 Core 1900 Memory run. (Actually ran it numerous times)

Core Memory FPS(Avg) Score
1315 1700 62.1 1565
1315 1750 62.6 1578
1315 1800 63.0 1587
1315 1850 63.4 1597
1315 1900 63.8 1606


----------



## tsm106

It's not the highest. Quakermass and I have the highest and they are old arse scores. 1300/1750 clocks on gpu. Quakers' is slightly higher mem with slightly lower core iirc. I think scores are up past 65fps now btw. I've posted my score in the thread but never put it up for scoring cuz I'm not really concerned with single gpu.


----------



## MACH1NE

If I grab a 7970 can I add a 7990 also to my rig once its released?


----------



## tsm106

^^Hell yes.


----------



## Cool Mike

That's alright. I am darn close.What speed is your 3820 at?

Not Sure what my weakest link is. though oh so slight. The video memory, core speed are healthy. I am running a 3930K (6 core) at 4.8Ghz, desktop memory at 2400Mhz.


----------



## tsm106

5ghz.


----------



## Cool Mike

Do you have a 3Dmark11 score (P) for this card? Would be interesting to see how close we are.
Good night, getting late here on the east coast...


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> Subject: 7970 Toxic overclocking and stability.
> Spend some time playing Crysis2, BF3 and many runs of heaven, 3dmark11, Kombuster. 1325 core was slightly high, ran into a few stabilty issues. Lowered the core to 1315Mhz. Now the memory is a different story as we were discussing earlier in the day. The small amount of data I have shows 1900 Memory is the real deal with no decrease in FPS or Score when running Heaven 3.0 as required by the official Heaven thread settings that are fully maxed at 1680 x 1050 resolution.
> The best I can tell my score is slightly higher than the current #1 for a single GPU. My scores: 63.8 FPS and 1606 Score. Below are the benchmark numbers I compiled showing Core Freq. Memory Freq. FPS and Score. The attached Heaven screen shot was the 1315 Core 1900 Memory run. (Actually ran it numerous times)
> Core Memory FPS(Avg) Score
> 1315 1700 62.1 1565
> 1315 1750 62.6 1578
> 1315 1800 63.0 1587
> 1315 1850 63.4 1597
> 1315 1900 63.8 1606


Yeah, you didn't even beat my score of 1608. Mine is still on air however, and tomorrow it'll be on water, and I'll be able to crank it up to 1.35v and still keep it cool. I've already had my core up to 1350mhz on air, but once the temps broke 65C I started seeing artifacts. I have no doubts I can get it stable at 1350mhz+ on water, and easily break 65fps, since I was only running at 4400mhz on my 3930k on this run.


----------



## Cool Mike

My goal is to go past 1620 sometimes today! I believe this toxic can do it. On air of course.


----------



## PureBlackFire

How big a difference does going from 1920x1080 to 1680x1050 make in heaven 3.0? If my score is over 1330 at 1080p, what would it be like at 1680x1050? Maybe I should just run it and find out right?


----------



## Cool Mike

*I believe my 7970 Toxic is now the Champ! Old scores must die. 1325core 1900 memory. On air... 64.9 FPS 1634 Score*


----------



## Andrazh

http://shrani.najdi.si/?1a/1O/1yaZKizm/unigine2.jpg

Some can even do 1250-1300 on air. So the diference would be even smaller. Max i've seen was 61-62 fps. Now add another 7950 to even the cost.

I think toxic is too expensive. It's a killer card on stock tho.


----------



## Cool Mike

Price killed me, best card i've ever owned. About $100 more than the lightnings were, but you get 6gb memory, the ghz edition gpu, and a nice vapor-X cooling solution.


----------



## Derko1

So I had not ran 3dMarks in a long time... I had given up on it, because I was basically stuck using the 12.4 drivers and I knew that the 12.7s were just so much better performing.

Then I got my cards RMA'd and the new ones overclocked better... but I never ran 3dMarks.

So I was wondering if anyone has a similar rig as mine, to see what it compares to either the 12.7 drivers or the 12.4s. My cards are running at 1275/1775. I had them at 1300/1800, but I was getting some flickering in some games, so I just dropped it 25 on each.









3DMarks 11 - 16880
http://3dmark.com/3dm11/4050081


----------



## Andrazh

Topdogs are allways expensive. And if you look from your point of view it makes sense but even lightnings were expensive.

I would rather buy 2x7950 then 7970 for 700$. I don't think you really need 6GB of ram.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> *I believe my 7970 Toxic is now the Champ! Old scores must die. 1325core 1900 memory. On air... 64.9 FPS 1634 Score*


Great job on getting that OC on air! Mine don't get too far above 1300... These are my scores below, with clocks of 1275/1775. For some reason I think that you should be getting higher score than mine... check on the memory OC, cause I hit a point that at 1850 my score was going down instead of up. I ended up lowering it down to 1800 where it gave me the best performance, but artifacts, so I dropped it to 1775. Something to look at, since your score is so close to mine and your system is better.

Single card:


Crossfire:


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

God you guys are making me sick! My Sapphires are crap OCers by comparison. I can only get 1240MHz / 1800MHz stable on the one and 1250MHz / 1850MHz stable on the second. Best Heaven fps I've gotten with my new cards is 115.7fps which is 3fps SLOWER than my best Lightning 7970 score on AIR! Pretty ironic really that I went full water cooling with supposedly great overclocking cards only to lose 3fps...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> God you guys are making me sick! My Sapphires are crap OCers by comparison. I can only get 1240MHz / 1800MHz stable on the one and 1250MHz / 1850MHz stable on the second. Best Heaven fps I've gotten with my new cards is 115.7fps which is 3fps SLOWER than my best Lightning 7970 score on AIR! Pretty ironic really that I went full water cooling with supposedly great overclocking cards only to lose 3fps...


I'm pretty sure I've written this plenty of times. The Sapphire OCs are great air cards but whether they can actually hit 1300/1800 has not shown much success, and that's first hand.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> *I believe my 7970 Toxic is now the Champ! Old scores must die. 1325core 1900 memory. On air... 64.9 FPS 1634 Score*


*you ninja'd the bit about air cooling.

But your card costs a helluva lot more than a reference card on water! I'm not sure that's braggin rights. You have to clock 25/150 over mine to gain .6 fps. It seems strange to me, that's a lot of clock.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm pretty sure I've written this plenty of times. The Sapphire OCs are great air cards but whether they can actually hit 1300/1800 has not shown much success, and that's first hand.
> *you ninja'd the bit about air cooling.
> But your card costs a helluva lot more than a reference card on water! I'm not sure that's braggin rights. *You have to clock 25/150 over mine to gain .6 fps. It seems strange to me, that's a lot of clock*.


It could be because of 6GB Vram, i have read about that long time ago, that if you use higher density memory modules, latencies are worse and so on.


----------



## kahboom

SAPPHIRE HD 7950 OC 3GB GDDR5 950 MHz Edition Does anyone have these bios i have been trying to find them every where with no luck, i wanted to flash my two hd 7950's with these bios.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm pretty sure I've written this plenty of times. The Sapphire OCs are great air cards but whether they can actually hit 1300/1800 has not shown much success, and that's first hand.
> *you ninja'd the bit about air cooling.
> *But your card costs a helluva lot more than a reference card on water! I'm not sure that's braggin rights. You have to clock 25/150 over mine to gain .6 fps. It seems strange to me, that's a lot of clock.*


Mine have water blocks and the one that I use as my primary overclocks up to 1340/1925... but the second one hits a wall at 1300/1800. So I run them right below that. And you're right for how much he has spent, it's way more than one with a water block.

I spent $560 on each with a water block. I wonder if his would benefit of a water set up... but it'll end up being SO MUCH MORE expensive!

This is my score against his... I would attribute the difference to his CPU being faster than mine, even though their clocked at the same speed... or even the different drivers we're using.



His:


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Which 7970's do you have Derko? I may end up replacing these slugs...


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> SAPPHIRE HD 7950 OC 3GB GDDR5 950 MHz Edition Does anyone have these bios i have been trying to find them every where with no luck, i wanted to flash my two hd 7950's with these bios.


Oh? I have the card. If you're talking about this one. I could upload my bios I suppose.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Which 7970's do you have Derko? I may end up replacing these slugs...


I have a set of MSI plain 7970s... the cheapest ones. The first set I had were TERRIBLE overclockers though. One had an ASIC of 59 and the other 61. They wouldn't go above 1100 and 1575. Then I got them replaced and these are 82/72 for their ASICs . So it's totally random whether you get good ones or not.

I don't know how you feel about messing with the system, but Amazon will send you another set if you aren't happy with them the first go. Mine had issues though, overclocked or not... they would always show artifacts. So they took them back without a question, even told me to keep the current ones installed while they overnighted the replacements! That's maybe why they were so bad at OC'ng though.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Oh? I have the card. If you're talking about this one. I could upload my bios I suppose.


That would be the one im looking for


----------



## kahboom

I think i lucked out on both of my cards first asic is 89% and other one is 89.2%


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I already had to have Amazon replace one of the Sapphire OC's I ordered because it was obviously a prior RMA return. The ASIC's of my cards are 85.6% and 82.3% but they just will not go over 1250MHz even when tested independently. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and go with 680 Lightnings. Those things are by far the fastest single GPU cards on the market right now...


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> I have a set of MSI plain 7970s... the cheapest ones. The first set I had were TERRIBLE overclockers though. One had an ASIC of 59 and the other 61. They wouldn't go above 1100 and 1575. Then I got them replaced and these are 82/72 for their ASICs . So it's totally random whether you get good ones or not.
> I don't know how you feel about messing with the system, but Amazon will send you another set if you aren't happy with them the first go. Mine had issues though, overclocked or not... they would always show artifacts. So they took them back without a question, even told me to keep the current ones installed while they overnighted the replacements! That's maybe why they were so bad at OC'ng though.


My MSI 7950 twin frozr III that I just had to RMA after a week was a complete POS. Worst video card ive ever owned. Gamed like complete garbage. I really hope the next card is better cause this one sucked.

On the flip side it had an asic of 86.9 and stayed very cool under load but gave me tons of problems


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Oh? I have the card. If you're talking about this one. I could upload my bios I suppose.
> 
> 
> 
> That would be the one im looking for
Click to expand...

Done.

7950 bios.zip 40k .zip file


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Done.
> 
> 7950 bios.zip 40k .zip file


+rep added thx


----------



## Kokin

My ASIC is only 65.8% and doesn't really like anything past 1200core, even with 1.3v. I was hoping to hit 1300.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

1300MHz is just a pipe dream for me. I've had four 7970's so far and only one ( a Lightning) got even close at 1275MHz. The other Lightning I had didn't even do 1220MHz. My two Sapphire OC's will do 1250Mhz and 1240MHz. Really disappointing especially when others have no problem hitting 1300MHz...


----------



## Kokin

Such is life.

I'm very happy with my card though. I'm still at awe that I can do Eyefinity with a single 7950 and still play BF3 at Ultra with no apparent lag at around 30~40FPS.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Oh, I can game on my rig at stock clocks and still be over 100fps in BF3 on Ultra. Gaming performance is not a problem at all. I just wanted some insane benching numbers and it doesn't look like I'm going to get them...


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Oh, I can game on my rig at stock clocks and still be over 100fps in BF3 on Ultra. Gaming performance is not a problem at all. I just wanted some insane benching numbers and it doesn't look like I'm going to get them...


lol funny how that's what matters. I feel the same way not being able to run both cards at 1340/1925!


----------



## SkateZilla

shoot..

I'm still having hard locks when my PC turns off my Screens.. System goes into suspend... move mouse, nothing, press keyboard nothing.
Reset Button does nothing, I have to physically cut power and restore and power back up.

i wonder if HwInfo64 is the Problem..

I know like a decade ago, I had system suspend issues when I left Everest running


----------



## roninmedia

My load temperatures of running Heaven before and after overclocking are approximately the same with overclocked slightly lower at times (No voltage tweaks).

880/1250 = 72-74
1000/1575 = 71-74

Is that pretty normal?


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> My ASIC is only 65.8% and doesn't really like anything past 1200core, even with 1.3v. I was hoping to hit 1300.


Through that card on a water block, since the lower the asic seems to like water and the higher the asic seems to like air.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *roninmedia*
> 
> My load temperatures of running Heaven before and after overclocking are approximately the same with overclocked slightly lower at times (No voltage tweaks).
> 880/1250 = 72-74
> 1000/1575 = 71-74
> Is that pretty normal?


Voltage is what really brings the heat into any component (CPU or GPU). Using the same voltage, but higher clocks will result in the same or slightly higher temps, so you're good.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Through that card on a water block, since the lower the asic seems to like water and the higher the asic seems to like air.


It already is on a full cover waterblock and barely hits 40~45C during BF3 or Heaven.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Voltage is what really brings the heat into any component (CPU or GPU). Using the same voltage, but higher clocks will result in the same or slightly higher temps, so you're good.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It already is on a full cover waterblock and barely hits 40~45C during BF3 or Heaven.


Do you have HWmonitor, i used this program and the max it showed even while overclocked on my msi twin frozr iii 7950 was 1.13v, but when i flashed to msi 7970oc bios it went up too 1.17v and i could overclock even higher stable then the original bios.


----------



## Kokin

It's the 6/6pin version and it is missing a single VRM (on top of the VRM right of the bottom R22 block) as seen in this picture I took:



I don't know about flashing a 7970 BIOS for it, but I'm willing to wait for the 7950Ghz BIOS to come out.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It's the 6/6pin version and it is missing a single VRM (on top of the VRM right of the bottom R22 block) as seen in this picture I took:
> 
> I don't know about flashing a 7970 BIOS for it, but I'm willing to wait for the 7950Ghz BIOS to come out.


you have dual bios right its pretty fail proof.


----------



## kahboom

even with the new 7950 ghz edition bios won't be as high overall voltage as compared to using the 7970 bios.


----------



## Kokin

Well thanks for all your help kahboom. I've tried all the 1000 or higher BIOS for the 7970s and they all resulted in no video output. I can hear it booting to Windows, but all 3 of my screens are black.

Dual BIOS really does make flashing fail-proof!









I'm going to try different 7950 BIOS and see if it does anything.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Well thanks for all your help kahboom. I've tried all the 1000 or higher BIOS for the 7970s and they all resulted in no video output. I can hear it booting to Windows, but all 3 of my screens are black.
> Dual BIOS really does make flashing fail-proof!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm going to try different 7950 BIOS and see if it does anything.


you were rocking at 1200 Mhz with very good heaven scores. why all this effort for what would be very less gain.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> you were rocking at 1200 Mhz with very good heaven scores. why all this effort for what would be very less gain.


While that is true, we are part of OCN. A lot of us don't stop at "good enough", we try everything to get higher performance. I did try some other 7950 BIOS versions, but it made no difference.

If you have the 7970 PCB for your 7950, it is well worth the effort since it gives much better scores/performance even at the same clocks.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> even with the new 7950 ghz edition bios won't be as high overall voltage as compared to using the 7970 bios.


did you flash to the sapphire bios yet? if so, how'd it go?


----------



## Rejven

Hi. I'm having some weird problems with my 7970.
It started a couple of days ago, and persists even after a completely fresh install of w7.



http://imgur.com/GQoYj


As you can see on the picture there are lots of small anomalities on the screen. In addition there are lots of small squares and dots around my screen that moves everytime there is a change to the picture (moving things around, clicking etc).
Dragging windows around leaves a track with lots of small dots and lines, but those wont show up in screenshots.
http://i.imgur.com/CLzsr.jpg Taken with my phone.

Tried starting up Battlefield 3, no anomalities ingame in the start, but after a while everything turned pink and there was loads of tearing etc.

When I uninstall the driver there are no problems, until I install it again. Tried with both catalyst version 12,6 and 12,7.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rejven*
> 
> Hi. I'm having some weird problems with my 7970.
> It started a couple of days ago, and persists even after a completely fresh install of w7.
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/GQoYj
> 
> As you can see on the picture there are lots of small anomalities on the screen. In addition there are lots of small squares and dots around my screen that moves everytime there is a change to the picture (moving things around, clicking etc).
> Dragging windows around leaves a track with lots of small dots and lines, but those wont show up in screenshots.
> http://i.imgur.com/CLzsr.jpg Taken with my phone.
> Tried starting up Battlefield 3, no anomalities ingame in the start, but after a while everything turned pink and there was loads of tearing etc.
> When I uninstall the driver there are no problems, until I install it again. Tried with both catalyst version 12,6 and 12,7.


It reminds me the first 7950 I had in hands. Red dots with red lines. Finally the card was only good for RMA.
Maybe you should consider it too.


----------



## Samurai707

So I seem to only get this problem in SWTOR, but when I'm just running around or standing still, randomly in my experience, because it could be in a warzone arming a bomb or standing in the republic fleet, the primary screen will lock up and I wont see my cursor unless I drag it to my secondary screen.
I tried running my secondary screen as primary and my primary visa versa as well, and the same thing would happen every now and then. 




Is this the gray screen a few people talk about in 12.7?

It only happens in SWTOR that I can remember, never in BF3, CS:GO, LoL or Smite (or just regular browsing streaming etc...)

Any and all help is extremely appreciated









Edit: All of these photos were taken on my Samsung GS3 after a SWTOR crash, the Top Gear stream in the 2nd screenshot was an after the fact program brought up to show that the second screen is fine whereas the primary has the black bar and is all static-like as pictured in the first picture.


----------



## MACH1NE

Bought a 7970 gigabyte overclock today asic score of 67% 1235 core @ 1.3 v, on air, temps are around 60c, crashes at 1240 (which then needs a hard reset, is this normal)? I will try ocing memory tomorrow, any tips on how to squeeze more juice outta this thing


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rejven*
> 
> Hi. I'm having some weird problems with my 7970.
> It started a couple of days ago, and persists even after a completely fresh install of w7.
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/GQoYj
> 
> As you can see on the picture there are lots of small anomalities on the screen. In addition there are lots of small squares and dots around my screen that moves everytime there is a change to the picture (moving things around, clicking etc).
> Dragging windows around leaves a track with lots of small dots and lines, but those wont show up in screenshots.
> http://i.imgur.com/CLzsr.jpg Taken with my phone.
> Tried starting up Battlefield 3, no anomalities ingame in the start, but after a while everything turned pink and there was loads of tearing etc.
> When I uninstall the driver there are no problems, until I install it again. Tried with both catalyst version 12,6 and 12,7.


Didnt you post this already?, and didnt about 5 people say "RMA"?


----------



## Janaap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> My ASIC is only 65.8% and doesn't really like anything past 1200core, even with 1.3v. I was hoping to hit 1300.


Well, it can always get worse: my Club3d 7970 won't go over 1100/1600 no matter how much voltage I put on it. I can not even reach CCC limits before becoming completely unstable. Even at 1100/1375 it starts artifacting sometimes in BF3. I run it at 1090/1375 and get a decent performance in BF3, but I had hoped to at least have reached a bit higher. Its a reference card btw. Thats a disadvantage of buying a GPU the day it's available.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janaap*
> 
> Well, it can always get worse: my Club3d 7970 won't go over 1100/1600 no matter how much voltage I put on it. I can not even reach CCC limits before becoming completely unstable. Even at 1100/1375 it starts artifacting sometimes in BF3. I run it at 1090/1375 and get a decent performance in BF3, but I had hoped to at least have reached a bit higher. Its a reference card btw. Thats a disadvantage of buying a GPU the day it's available.


Wow, that might be the worst 7970 I've ever heard of! I thought they'd ALL do 1125MHz on stock voltage...


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Wow, that might be the worst 7970 I've ever heard of! I thought they'd ALL do 1125MHz on stock voltage...


They most certainly do not. I have two MSI 7970 OC's, neither will do 1100 on stock voltage. In their defense, they do have low VID's (1.05V & 1.11V), so to have one that won't do 1100 on any voltage is really bad. Still, there is no guarantee for OC, not even with the strong promise of these Tahiti's...


----------



## Kokin

My stock voltage is 1.093v (close to 1.1v) and only reaches 1000mhz core, but maxing out at 1100, does seem much worse.


----------



## Tori

Reading this thread has made me reconsider my choice to buy a 7970.


----------



## Simkin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Wow, that might be the worst 7970 I've ever heard of! I thought they'd ALL do 1125MHz on stock voltage...


i have two MSI reference 7970 bought on release, they have a low ASIC of 60%, but they do 1125/1575 on stock voltage, however, they dont go higher than 1150 on the core before i start to see some artifacts in BF3, so 1150/1600 is as high i can have them without artifacts.. not so happy about that, but they perform well, and it could have been worse, i guess


----------



## MACH1NE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tori*
> 
> Reading this thread has made me reconsider my choice to buy a 7970.


Ye thought they were meant to be o.c beasts when ppl compared them to the 680


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tori*
> 
> Reading this thread has made me reconsider my choice to buy a 7970.


You're right. That's why the 7950 exists


----------



## desertsolace

Well I upgraded my 7950 (GB Windforce) for a 7970 (XFX with Acellero). Very pleased so far. ASIC 72%. Just have standard OC Core 1125 with Memory 1575. According to the ASIC the voltage was at 1175. Sure enough my VRM temps were up to 90 degrees with BF3 with extended play on max settings. I actually lowered the voltage to 1150 and the temps are now staying around 62 deg with some augmented fan settings. Pretty pleased. Haven't been able to unlock OC further with AB no matter what (can't find the dll's yet). But won't be able to do much till I get a case fan directly on those VRMs. BTW got the 7970 with Accelero for $320 (used Can $)... less then my 7950!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *desertsolace*
> 
> Well I upgraded my 7950 (GB Windforce) for a 7970 (XFX with Acellero). Very pleased so far. ASIC 72%. Just have standard OC Core 1125 with Memory 1575. According to the ASIC the voltage was at 1175. Sure enough my VRM temps were up to 90 degrees with BF3 with extended play on max settings. I actually lowered the voltage to 1150 and the temps are now staying around 62 deg with some augmented fan settings. Pretty pleased. Haven't been able to unlock OC further with AB no matter what (can't find the dll's yet). But won't be able to do much till I get a case fan directly on those VRMs. BTW got the 7970 with Accelero for $320 (used Can $)... less then my 7950!


Nice score. I prefer 72-75% asic cards myself, best ones since they get the best balance of volts vs leakage imo. As for your dll/oc issue, you can read about a couple methods here as well as get the dll's.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Bought a 7970 gigabyte overclock today asic score of 67% 1235 core @ 1.3 v, on air, temps are around 60c, crashes at 1240 (which then needs a hard reset, is this normal)? I will try ocing memory tomorrow, any tips on how to squeeze more juice outta this thing


Normal?
OC is a hit or miss, my card does 1250mhz easily, even 1300mhz in benching.
still run it at 1200mhz when gaming
no reason to get 50mhz more for a few fps as it pushes the cards limits.
925mhz to 1200mhz is a great step, 1200 to 1300 or such not so much.

You might get more out of it using watercooling.
low asics seems to give good wc effect due to high leakage of the transistors.


----------



## Kokin

My ASIC is kind of low, but I did not get great results. Luck is the main factor when it comes to OCing. Since a lot of us watercoolers are getting crap OCs.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

My asics are high so I didn't really expect great numbers but I was hopeful that my wc loop would help. 1250mhz appears to be my max which is acceptable, if not spectacular....


----------



## k4sh

Using MSI AB, i can see the memories voltage slider to be available but no matter what i try the modification never applies. Is it normal or am i doing something wrong ?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> Using MSI AB, i can see the memories voltage slider to be available but no matter what i try the modification never applies. Is it normal or am i doing something wrong ?


You are doing something wrong, but question is what.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> Using MSI AB, i can see the memories voltage slider to be available but no matter what i try the modification never applies. Is it normal or am i doing something wrong ?


I have read somewhere that it's a problem with the latest msi ab 2.2.3, voltages doesn't stick. Apparently it's missing 2 files. They suggested using msi ab 2.2.0, see how it goes.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Done.
> 
> 7950 bios.zip 40k .zip file


I wonder if I Can flash this to mine.. lol..

Then again mine runs 1GHz w/ no voltage increase needed.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Done.
> 
> 7950 bios.zip 40k .zip file
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder if I Can flash this to mine.. lol..
> 
> Then again mine runs 1GHz w/ no voltage increase needed.
Click to expand...

it shouldn't matter as it looks like we have the same card. my card does 1125mhz at stock voltage.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I have read somewhere that it's a problem with the latest msi ab 2.2.3, voltages doesn't stick. Apparently it's missing 2 files. They suggested using msi ab 2.2.0, see how it goes.


I'm already using the 2.2.2 version. Will give a try with 2.2.3


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

One of my 7970 OC's can do 1175MHz at stock voltage but still can't do anymore than 1250MHz with 1300mV...


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> I'm already using the 2.2.2 version. Will give a try with 2.2.3


Did you read that post at all? lol... he said *don't use 2.2.3*, use 2.2.0


----------



## PureBlackFire

Can anybody help me find version 2.2.0? I can't use the beta version because it won't work. What are these missing files? I would really like for AB to work again like it used to.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Can anybody help me find version 2.2.0? I can't use the beta version because it won't work. What are these missing files? I would really like for AB to work again like it used to.


You can use any beta if you change the date so that the alert box doesn't display any more.
Unfortunetaly for me 2.2.0 beta 15 didn't help in applying successfully the changes made to memory voltage


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> You can use any beta if you change the date so that the alert box doesn't display any more.
> Unfortunetaly for me 2.2.0 beta 15 didn't help in applying successfully the changes made to memory voltage


Sounds like you're having the same issues as me.

Even though I increased my memory voltage to 1650, msi AB is still showing 1.60. It's odd though since I only increased the voltage because it would crash immediately upon loading a BF3 map at default voltages, and after increasing it it stopped crashing yet MSI AB shows no changes.

Really annoying.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Sounds like you're having the same issues as me.
> Even though I increased my memory voltage to 1650, msi AB is still showing 1.60. It's odd though since I only increased the voltage because it would crash immediately upon loading a BF3 map at default voltages, and after increasing it it stopped crashing yet MSI AB shows no changes.
> Really annoying.


Interesting ...


----------



## robnitro

I have an idea why the 7970 bios on the 7950 (despite breaking hdmi output- anyone fix this btw???) gives slightly better results at the same clocks as 7950 without unlocking shaders.

Powertune is a crafty thing...

I have a Gigabyte 7950 Windforce model that I got a month ago and was testing a lot with overclocking.

Once I OC'ed to a stable 1100 @ 1.23v (only OCCT 4, at 480x480 , shader complexity 8 would find errors past this point, everything else was "stable"), I started to see how powertune kicks in by watching MSI AB's clock chart. It would throttle it back... pulling max 18 amps on the 12v input according to HWinfo64/gpu-z.

I tried a few other bioses, including the 7970 asus.
Of course the 7970 bios wouldn't throttle, it's already set to a higher TDP, so +20% powertune was way over what OCCT/kombustor was pulling.

But, there was a 7950 bios that didn't throttle in OCCT at the same clock/volts either!
The Sapphire 900mhz edition: http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/115188/Sapphire.HD7950.3072.120116_1.html

Both that bios and the 7970 bios would max out 12v input to 22 amps. No throttling observed in MSI AB or Hwinfo64. FPS was higher, I don't recall the difference as I did it a while ago.

I ran Unigine v3 @1100/1.23v with the stock Gigabyte Bios, the 7950 Sapphire Bios, and 7970 bios all with +20% powertune, knowing that the Sapphire and the 7970 bioses didn't throttle back in OCCT. It turns out that the Sapphire and 7970 bioses got higher scores, similar in comparison to the website that saw an improvement with the 7970 bios. It helped with the minimum FPS, IIRC it was 19,5 and afterwards 22 or so.

So, that makes me feel that the gains seen with the 7970 bios is due to powertune throttling, which also explains the better min FPS.

Also, all of you with crazy clocks, try the latest OCCT 4 at 480x480, shader 8 with PT +20, and see how errors pop up, even though it seems stable in Unigine and other games that don't really max out the card!

Anytime I overclock something, looking for a 24/7 clockspeed, I want it to be stable at the most extreme conditions.

BTW, what is dissapointing is that i can't get ram above 1400. It runs fine in benches but I get random issues when on normal desktop. The screen turns light blue (not bsod color) and the fans spin up to 100%. I can't recover it like a normal OC issue and have to power cycle the PC.


----------



## sena

Because of different memory latencies.
HD 7970 bios has more aggressive latencies than HD 7950 bios.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I have read somewhere that it's a problem with the latest msi ab 2.2.3, voltages doesn't stick. Apparently it's missing 2 files. They suggested using msi ab 2.2.0, see how it goes.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/7800_30#post_16833757


----------



## stn0092

Hi everyone!

I just got my Sapphire 7970 OC.







I bought it open box from Newegg.

Do any of you have a stuttering issue when playing Skyrim? It's like microstuttering one would get when running cards in SLI/CFX. I'm assuming it's a driver issue for now since I didn't exactly do a clean install. I uninstalled my nvidia drivers, rebooted, and promptly installed Catalyst 12.6 drivers. The rest of the parts for my X79 upgrade arrive later this week so I'll see how it runs on a clean Windows install when they arrive.

Besides that, Crysis 2, Deus Ex and some older/less intensive games run perfectly.

*EDIT*: ASIC 80.2%


----------



## Kokin

I only got the stuttering issue when I started using Eyefinity, otherwise all my games ran fine on a single monitor (Skyrim as well).

I have no issues getting MSI AB 2.2.3 to stick with my overclocks and overvolts. I used the -xcl method as suggested and I did download the 2 .dll files and pasted them in the MSI AB folder. They were very easy to find, it only takes a few minutes with google.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> it shouldn't matter as it looks like we have the same card. my card does 1125mhz at stock voltage.


What's your stock voltage? Mine can only do 1000~1040 at my stock voltage of 1.093v


----------



## phantomphenom

Are the AMD cards the only one that allow for 5-6 screen gaming?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phantomphenom*
> 
> Are the AMD cards the only one that allow for 5-6 screen gaming?


I don't think the 600 series for Nvidia goes past 3 monitors, but I may be wrong.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> Hi everyone!
> I just got my Sapphire 7970 OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I bought it open box from Newegg.
> Do any of you have a stuttering issue when playing Skyrim? It's like microstuttering one would get when running cards in SLI/CFX. I'm assuming it's a driver issue for now since I didn't exactly do a clean install. I uninstalled my nvidia drivers, rebooted, and promptly installed Catalyst 12.6 drivers. The rest of the parts for my X79 upgrade arrive later this week so I'll see how it runs on a clean Windows install when they arrive.
> Besides that, Crysis 2, Deus Ex and some older/less intensive games run perfectly.
> *EDIT*: ASIC 80.2%


try 12.7 for skyrim.
and make sure you use app profiles also.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> What's your stock voltage? Mine can only do 1000~1040 at my stock voltage of 1.093v


1.093 is my stock voltage as well.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phantomphenom*
> 
> Are the AMD cards the only one that allow for 5-6 screen gaming?
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think the 600 series for Nvidia goes past 3 monitors, but I may be wrong.
Click to expand...

they can do 4 monitors, but gaming is restricted to three still.


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Because of different memory latencies.
> HD 7970 bios has more aggressive latencies than HD 7950 bios.


Try out the sapphire bios I linked or the 950mhz bios (which I have also seen has a higher TDP limit). I saw little to no difference to the 7970 bios at the same clocks. BTW, I was running 1680x1050, nothing so high that timings alone would justify 22 fps min vs 19 or so min in Heaven 3.

Now, I'm just a bit annoyed why there wouldn't be any consistency in TDP/Powertune between brands. Maybe some manufacturers allowed higher settings due to their better VRM designs than reference? BTW, what is the reference 7970 setup, 6+1???

I am also dissapointed that the gigabyte windforce 7950 doesn't have a heatsink on the VRM. At [email protected] 1.23 v, using OCCT or any other app that pulls max current (22 A input at 12v), the VRM's can get up to 100C! What is safe?

Can I remove the gigabyte heatsink without voiding the warranty, and add a heatsink to the VRM's using thermal tape?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I don't think the 600 series for Nvidia goes past 3 monitors, but I may be wrong.


not without SLI


----------



## John-117

I'm sure this post will be lost, but...
has anyone bought the new Gigabyte 7970 Ghz card?
I'm trying to find that card's BIOS.


----------



## Testier

I hate higher asic qualities sometimes.


----------



## shankly1985

Hello guys am looking at setting a custom Fan profile in Msi Afterburner. Was wondering if some of you could post screen shots? Am using a Xfx HD 7950 Double D, I idle around 33/35 and load in bf3 is 63c and bench I hit 68c was going to see if I could drop theses down a touch.
My card is OC 1005 core and 1501 mem @ 1.041

thanks


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> not without SLI


GTX 600 series can output image to three monitors without SLI.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> GTX 600 series can output image to three monitors without SLI.


6 screens was the question, and you need SLi to run 6 screens w/ nVidia Surround.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 6 screens was the question, and you need SLi to run 6 screens w/ nVidia Surround.


As far as i know 6 screen is not possible for gaming with Nvidia.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I think 3+1 is max for Nvidia surround...


----------



## R.D.BID

Are all 7970/7950's capable of running 4 monitors?

Like 3 in eyefinity +1 extended.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> Are all 7970/7950's capable of running 4 monitors?
> 
> Like 3 in eyefinity +1 extended.


yes. some are capable of 6 and flex editions need no adapters for 5 moniotrs, though that's limited to 1080p monitors I believe.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I think 3+1 is max for Nvidia surround...


my bad.. yeah.. its 3-Surround, 1 Extended.


----------



## kahboom

So after various failures with other bios i got this xfx 7970 bios that works on my MSI twin frozr iii 7950 card and at stock volts it says its running @ 1.024v 1000core 1425memory, what is considered normal? my previous stock MSI bios was 1.031v 880core 1250memory which ran fine as well, (One of my cards already took a crap after two weeks which is being sent back already, good ol reliable MSI cards)


----------



## StrayderGame

i have problem,my card started randomly to go to 501mhz and 1375 memory speed.It;s clocked on 1125/1575 and evrything was fine before couple days,it started to drop down randomly to this speed any1 have any clue?

I just tried to disable hardware acceleration on youtube videos,so i will see will it cause problems again...


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> So after various failures with other bios i got this xfx 7970 bios that works on my MSI twin frozr iii 7950 card and at stock volts it says its running @ 1.024v 1000core 1425memory, what is considered normal? my previous stock MSI bios was 1.031v 880core 1250memory which ran fine as well, (One of my cards already took a crap after two weeks which is being sent back already, good ol reliable MSI cards)


You have a ref. pcb or not. Will this bios work on Sapphire 7950 Dual-X. Can you upload the file?


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> So after various failures with other bios i got this xfx 7970 bios that works on my MSI twin frozr iii 7950 card and at stock volts it says its running @ 1.024v 1000core 1425memory, what is considered normal? my previous stock MSI bios was 1.031v 880core 1250memory which ran fine as well, (One of my cards already took a crap after two weeks which is being sent back already, good ol reliable MSI cards)


Does the hdmi port work with this bios? When I tried some 7970 bioses, the DVI worked fine but hdmi did not detect any monitors.

Also, did you check what gpu-z says for voltage under load? Curious as to what the vdroop is.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrayderGame*
> 
> i have problem,my card started randomly to go to 501mhz and 1375 memory speed.It;s clocked on 1125/1575 and evrything was fine before couple days,it started to drop down randomly to this speed any1 have any clue?
> I just tried to disable hardware acceleration on youtube videos,so i will see will it cause problems again...


Sounds like 2d clocks. If you close any flash videos in your browser you should see it go back to 3d clocks.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Sounds like 2d clocks. If you close any flash videos in your browser you should see it go back to 3d clocks.


It's not that simple, this time. He has to reboot... I'm sure he's using the 12.7 beta driver.


----------



## Nwanko

Why i got the feeling everybody's ignoring me?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Why i got the feeling everybody's ignoring me?


you should be able to use the 7970 DualX bios.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Why i got the feeling everybody's ignoring me?


You're not the only one


----------



## MACH1NE

Hey guys im using msi afterburner 2.2.3 and after enabling unofficialoverclocking in the cfg file afterburner will not let me pass 1200 core. If I add the disclaimer I can set past 1200 but when I apply my mem n core clocks show up as 0, is there a fix for this?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Hey guys im using msi afterburner 2.2.3 and after enabling unofficialoverclocking in the cfg file afterburner will not let me pass 1200 core. If I add the disclaimer I can set past 1200 but when I apply my mem n core clocks show up as 0, is there a fix for this?


Edit msi ab shortcut and add -xcl. on the end after ". Run msi ab.


----------



## StrayderGame

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> It's not that simple, this time. He has to reboot... I'm sure he's using the 12.7 beta driver.


True i have to reboot and i'm using 12.4 drivers,since 127 causes black screen and freeze randomly....I though to that was releated to MSI AB version but it's not...


----------



## MACH1NE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Edit msi ab shortcut and add -xcl. on the end after ". Run msi ab.


is that after enabling unofficial overclock and adding disclaimer into cfg?


----------



## Imprezzion

Guys, I got a problem as well. I'm using the 8.97 leaked drivers.
Power Limit is gone in my drivers, I cannot access the power limit through the drivers but I can in MSI AB.
It does NOT throttle at all with any clocks I apply however.

Problem: Wheneven I use a core voltage past ~1240mV the card crashes in a hard lock with a black screen and looping sound.
It used to run perfectly fine at 1285Mhz 1.262v but that now crashes within 5 minutes.
Max I can run now is 1250Mhz with 1.231v.

Cooler used is a AAX7970 which keeps my core temps at ~55-60c with maxed voltage and VRM's around 75-85c.
Very low tbh so what in the name of god is causing my card to flip out so badly?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Guys, I got a problem as well. I'm using the 8.97 leaked drivers.
> Power Limit is gone in my drivers, I cannot access the power limit through the drivers but I can in MSI AB.
> It does NOT throttle at all with any clocks I apply however.
> Problem: Wheneven I use a core voltage past ~1240mV the card crashes in a hard lock with a black screen and looping sound.
> It used to run perfectly fine at 1285Mhz 1.262v but that now crashes within 5 minutes.
> Max I can run now is 1250Mhz with 1.231v.
> Cooler used is a AAX7970 which keeps my core temps at ~55-60c with maxed voltage and VRM's around 75-85c.
> Very low tbh so what in the name of god is causing my card to flip out so badly?


Similar thing happened to me with HD 7950, i was increasing voltages and at 1250 mV, i got black screen and looping around, didnt found any solution, because i used max 1160 mV for my overclocks. Dont have HD 7950 so i cant test now, that problem was happening with RC11 i think or 12.2 driver, it was while, i dont remember now.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I officially get my 7950 back from newegg RMA tomorrow. It better do what I want or its going back. Pissed off as it is that my rig has been down for about 1 1/2 weeks


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I officially get my 7950 back from newegg RMA tomorrow. It better do what I want or its going back. Pissed off as it is that my rig has been down for about 1 1/2 weeks


You never know what you get with Newegg. Ill cross mah fingers for you.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> *is that after enabling unofficial overclock* and adding disclaimer into cfg?


Wow. Stop right there. You need to read more. Unofficial is not compatible with -xcl which is a loophole to use official overclock method. So do not do both.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I officially get my 7950 back from newegg RMA tomorrow. It better do what I want or its going back. Pissed off as it is that my rig has been down for about 1 1/2 weeks


sucks.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You never know what you get with Newegg. Ill cross mah fingers for you.


Yeah I hope all is well. Hopefully its a brand new card. At the time of the RMA they went out of stock when they had my card in RMA. They said they I could either get a refund or wait for new stock to arrive. I chose to wait a day which the next day they came back in stock and they shipped out my RMA.

I appreciate the kind words and I hope all is well also. I really cant live without playing my games. I have been going absolutely nuts this past 1 1/2 weeks since RMA and Im starting to lose focus. I have really bad Anxiety & OCD (with Panic attacks) and Ive been gaming since I was very young and when I cant get on to play I start to lose focus and it makes everything worse. I should not of sold my 6870 that I was using cause my 580 crapped out on me until I fully tested that 7950


----------



## PureBlackFire

seems I've got that issue sorted out.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> is that after enabling unofficial overclock and adding disclaimer into cfg?


Instead of doing Unofficial Method, do -xcl instead. Don't do both.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Yeah I hope all is well. Hopefully its a brand new card. At the time of the RMA they went out of stock when they had my card in RMA. They said they I could either get a refund or wait for new stock to arrive. I chose to wait a day which the next day they came back in stock and they shipped out my RMA.
> 
> I appreciate the kind words and I hope all is well also. I really cant live without playing my games. I have been going absolutely nuts this past 1 1/2 weeks since RMA and Im starting to lose focus. I have really bad Anxiety & OCD (with Panic attacks) and Ive been gaming since I was very young and when I cant get on to play I start to lose focus and it makes everything worse. I should not of sold my 6870 that I was using cause my 580 crapped out on me until I fully tested that 7950


I also had to rma one out of my two cards today. Instead of sending to newegg like you did I just sent it two msi don't even want the hassle you went threw with that game voucher. Hopefully the turn around is fast I live close enough that they get it the next day on regular shipping. Crossing my fingers.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I also had to rma one out of my two cards today. Instead of sending to newegg like you did I just sent it two msi don't even want the hassle you went threw with that game voucher. Hopefully the turn around is fast I live close enough that they get it the next day on regular shipping. Crossing my fingers.


What was wrong with the card you had to RMA?


----------



## MACH1NE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You never know what you get with Newegg. Ill cross mah fingers for you.
> Wow. Stop right there. You need to read more. Unofficial is not compatible with -xcl which is a loophole to use official overclock method. So do not do both.


When i add -xcl, afterburner will not run after clicking on it? This is driving me insane if i dont add -xcl and enable unofficial overclocking via cfg, my clocks set to zero upon opening msi and it wont let me o.c


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> When i add -xcl, afterburner will not run after clicking on it? This is driving me insane if i dont add -xcl and enable unofficial overclocking via cfg, my clocks set to zero upon opening msi and it wont let me o.c


same thing here.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> When i add -xcl, afterburner will not run after clicking on it? This is driving me insane if i dont add -xcl and enable unofficial overclocking via cfg, my clocks set to zero upon opening msi and it wont let me o.c


http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40

Ok, the -xcl switch is just to tell AB to create new modified Powerplay Tables in the registry. All it does is unlock the overclock limits of Overdrive. Note you won't be using Overdrive at all. You'll instead be using AB but using AB just as default with only the check marks for unlocking voltage. Don't do anything in AB's config file, that method is for "unofficial method" whereas you'll be using "official method."

When you add -xcl to the AB shortcut, it doesn't run, it merely imports the Powerplay Tables as mentioned above. Once that's done, you have to then remove the -xcl you added, and reboot. Upon reboot, you can open up AB and overclock like normal.

**There are a couple caveats with the -xcl method. The most annoying is that AB cannot edit the Powerplay Tables of more than 1 card. And that 1 card is only the active card so if you have crossfire you will have to jump thru some hurdles. There's a trick to add all the Powerplay Tables for ppl in crossfire in that link.

**The other annoyance is that you will have to redo the -xcl method after each driver install.

**Also, you will need the clock control files.

It's also a good idea if you are crossfired, to do this on a cleaned registry so you know which Radeon folder to edit.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

^^^^I wonder how many times you've explained that in this thread?


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> ^^^^I wonder how many times you've explained that in this thread?


he left out that patch though. the patch did it for me.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> ^^^^I wonder how many times you've explained that in this thread?


You having flashbacks?







I dunno man, I write this how to thread and no one reads it, shrugs.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> he left out that patch though. the patch did it for me.


You didn't click the link??


----------



## phantomphenom

Which cards are the best choice, The MSI 7970 Lighting, or any of the other 7970 GHZ edition cards? Im looking to run a 5 monitor set up, much appreciated input on the lightings and ghz cards from personal experiences. And yes I will be buying 2 cards to crossfire







. I love my gtx 680 sli, but I want the extra gb of memory and add 2 more screens to my portrait set up.


----------



## geoxile

Question for you guys. How does this compare to the GTX 670? At stock it seems to lose out but what about MAX OC? With the 12.6 or 12.7 drivers. It's been a while since I've bought anything ATI but I'm thinking about it


----------



## johnnyw

Finally my ears can rest.

Got new XFX 7970 BE today to replace the whiny one







This dont seem to have coil whine other than in very high fps scenes ( over 1000fps ) which i still count as normal behaviour, as it only happens in game menus etc it is not really disturbing. Havent tried OC yet with this new card but noticed that this has lower voltage than old one, this has 1.112v when old one had 1.175v.


----------



## MACH1NE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40
> Ok, the -xcl switch is just to tell AB to create new modified Powerplay Tables in the registry. All it does is unlock the overclock limits of Overdrive. Note you won't be using Overdrive at all. You'll instead be using AB but using AB just as default with only the check marks for unlocking voltage. Don't do anything in AB's config file, that method is for "unofficial method" whereas you'll be using "official method."
> When you add -xcl to the AB shortcut, it doesn't run, it merely imports the Powerplay Tables as mentioned above. Once that's done, you have to then remove the -xcl you added, and reboot. Upon reboot, you can open up AB and overclock like normal.
> **There are a couple caveats with the -xcl method. The most annoying is that AB cannot edit the Powerplay Tables of more than 1 card. And that 1 card is only the active card so if you have crossfire you will have to jump thru some hurdles. There's a trick to add all the Powerplay Tables for ppl in crossfire in that link.
> **The other annoyance is that you will have to redo the -xcl method after each driver install.
> **Also, you will need the clock control files.
> It's also a good idea if you are crossfired, to do this on a cleaned registry so you know which Radeon folder to edit.


Thanks alot following your guideline worked, Happy Overclocking


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phantomphenom*
> 
> Which cards are the best choice, The MSI 7970 Lighting, or any of the other 7970 GHZ edition cards? Im looking to run a 5 monitor set up, much appreciated input on the lightings and ghz cards from personal experiences. And yes I will be buying 2 cards to crossfire
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I love my gtx 680 sli, but I want the extra gb of memory and add 2 more screens to my portrait set up.


The Lightnings are fantastic cards but have an odd output selection. You'll need DP monitors (or adapters) as the Lightning only has 4 mini-DP and two S/L DVI connectors....


----------



## perkeleprkl

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Finally my ears can rest.
> Got new XFX 7970 BE today to replace the whiny one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This dont seem to have coil whine other than in very high fps scenes ( over 1000fps ) which i still count as normal behaviour, as it only happens in game menus etc it is not really disturbing. Havent tried OC yet with this new card but noticed that this has lower voltage than old one, this has 1.112v when old one had 1.175v.


Thats good news.







Be sure to report back when you have oc'd your card!


----------



## KingT

Proud new owner of *ASUS HD7950 DC2 TOP*..









Came backt to ATI after 2 years..

My card has 0.993V stock voltage, pre overclocked to 900MHz core (1250Mhz memory)..

Now I'm running it @ *1000/1375MHz* with *1.024V* (+0.031V) and max temp in games is 60C (fan hits 40%)









*3DMark 11 - P9447*










CHEERS..


----------



## johnnyw

Hmm noticed strange thing with this new card. When i reboot computer and then start afterburner it shows voltage for the card as 1.112v, but when i hit reset button voltage jumps to 1.174v till i do next reboot. Quite strange really, bit confused which is the stock colt of this card now LOL? Any program suggestions htat would give prober reading?


----------



## perkeleprkl

hwinfo or gpu-z will give you proper readings

http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html

Fire up 3dmark for example and check max voltage afterwards


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Proud new owner of *ASUS HD7950 DC2 TOP*..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Came backt to ATI after 2 years..
> My card has 0.993V stock voltage, pre overclocked to 900MHz core (1250Mhz memory)..
> Now I'm running it @ *1000/1375MHz* with *1.024V* (+0.031V) and max temp in games is 60C (fan hits 40%)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *3DMark 11 - P9447*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


Hey, KingT, whats up? In my system that card could not do 1 GHz at that voltage, very interesting, maybe because i am GPU stability fanatic, i test my stability in over 20 games/apps.
Pozzz.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *johnnyw*
> 
> Hmm noticed strange thing with this new card. When i reboot computer and then start afterburner it shows voltage for the card as 1.112v, but when i hit reset button voltage jumps to 1.174v till i do next reboot. Quite strange really, bit confused which is the stock colt of this card now LOL? Any program suggestions htat would give prober reading?


That is one bug, solution is to delete MSI AB.
Disable AMD overdrive, install MSI AB, and when he ask for reboot, do it, then it will be fine.
Sorry for double.


----------



## johnnyw

Ok thx. Its not really big problem anyway but will do clean instal of ab and drivers.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Hey, KingT, whats up? In my system that card could not do 1 GHz at that voltage, very interesting, maybe because i am GPU stability fanatic, i test my stability in over 20 games/apps.
> Pozzz.




I tested it in Crysis, Crysis 2 (Revival Mod), Battlefield 3, Heaven, 3DMark 11, so for me it's stable..









Crashed in Crysis 2 @ 1GHz an 1.012V (previously stable @ 975MHz at that voltage) so I buped it to 1.024V and it held up just fine @ 1GHz..









CHEERS..


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> 
> I tested it in Crysis, Crysis 2 (Revival Mod), Battlefield 3, Heaven, 3DMark 11, so for me it's stable..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Crashed in Crysis 2 @ 1GHz an 1.012V (previously stable @ 975MHz at that voltage) so I buped it to 1.024V and it held up just fine @ 1GHz..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


Do you have plans for more overclocking?
Its sounds stupid, but maybe its because of resolution, you are gaming on 1280X1024, while i game on 1920X1080, GPU is more taxed on FHD.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> When i add -xcl, afterburner will not run after clicking on it? This is driving me insane if i dont add -xcl and enable unofficial overclocking via cfg, my clocks set to zero upon opening msi and it wont let me o.c


http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/14250_30#post_17886986


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Do you have plans for more overclocking?
> Its sounds stupid, but maybe its because of resolution, you are gaming on 1280X1024, while i game on 1920X1080, GPU is more taxed on FHD.


No.

Simply for my monitor's native resolution this card even at stock is overkill







, right now at 1000/1375 it's on pair with HD7970,maybe even faster..

Maybe when I get Full HD monitor I'll get back to OC, probably it's possible to yield another 100MHz on the core..

Memory OC is really pointless beyond 1375MHz due massive bandwidth on 384bit interface..

1000/1375 MHz, 60C max under load, silent fan operation (max 40%),really could I ask for more?









CHEERS..


----------



## mat311

Damn, cant hit 1ghz with my 7950, even with 1.06v 1ghz is unstable :/ (I dont want to apply more volts because I got a ref card and i hit 76c).
If I try the second bios maybe I would be more lucky ?


----------



## Rickles

delete.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> What was wrong with the card you had to RMA?


horizontal artifacts and flashing and black screen with green upside down L's


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I got my video card today. Its def not the same card as the other card had a small ding of some sort on the Cooler itself. This one is brand new. I am moving today and later im going to install the card. what drivers SHOULD I go with first. I keep reading nothing but problems with 12.6 & 12.7 should I just go to 12.4 where most people say its more stable?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I got my video card today. Its def not the same card as the other card had a small ding of some sort on the Cooler itself. This one is brand new. I am moving today and later im going to install the card. what drivers SHOULD I go with first. I keep reading nothing but problems with 12.6 & 12.7 should I just go to 12.4 where most people say its more stable?


12.6 were one of the best for me, 12.4 suffers from random BSOD with two or more screens attached.
12.3 were most stable for me, but they are pretty old, and also slower than 12.6 and 12.7.


----------



## Nottiz

Hey there, I'm new around here but I got a problem with my Asus HD 7950....sometimes this happens to my screen:









I wonder if anyone know what it is and how to solve it...


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I got my video card today. Its def not the same card as the other card had a small ding of some sort on the Cooler itself. This one is brand new. I am moving today and later im going to install the card. what drivers SHOULD I go with first. I keep reading nothing but problems with 12.6 & 12.7 should I just go to 12.4 where most people say its more stable?


I've had nothing wrong with 12.7 beta with my Sapphire non-ref 7950... best drivers I've ran.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nottiz*
> 
> Hey there, I'm new around here but I got a problem with my Asus HD 7950....sometimes this happens to my screen:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder if anyone know what it is and how to solve it...


What model you have? DCII?


----------



## steadly2004

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mat311*
> 
> Damn, cant hit 1ghz with my 7950, even with 1.06v 1ghz is unstable :/ (I dont want to apply more volts because I got a ref card and i hit 76c).
> If I try the second bios maybe I would be more lucky ?


Have you tried a custom fan profile? It's louder but you can keep temps lower and work with more voltage.


----------



## Nottiz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> What model you have? DCII?


Yes it's the Asus DCII HD7950 Top 3Gb

btw the rest of my rig is:
CPU: i5 3570k at stock
MB: Sabertooth Z77
RAM: G.Skill Ripjaw 8Gb 1600Mhz
PSU: XFX XXX 650W


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> Hi everyone!
> I just got my Sapphire 7970 OC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I bought it open box from Newegg.
> Do any of you have a stuttering issue when playing Skyrim? It's like microstuttering one would get when running cards in SLI/CFX. I'm assuming it's a driver issue for now since I didn't exactly do a clean install. I uninstalled my nvidia drivers, rebooted, and promptly installed Catalyst 12.6 drivers. The rest of the parts for my X79 upgrade arrive later this week so I'll see how it runs on a clean Windows install when they arrive.
> Besides that, Crysis 2, Deus Ex and some older/less intensive games run perfectly.
> *EDIT*: ASIC 80.2%


I got this exact issue with one card as well as crossfire. It was especially bad in first person view. I disabled mouse smoothing and vsync in the config file and problem was solved. Try first just disabling mouse smoothing and seeing if you can leave vsync enabled. If not disable vsync and try.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nottiz*
> 
> Yes it's the Asus DCII HD7950 Top 3Gb
> btw the rest of my rig is:
> CPU: i5 3570k at stock
> MB: Sabertooth Z77
> RAM: G.Skill Ripjaw 8Gb 1600Mhz
> PSU: XFX XXX 650W


Stock clocks and volts?
That card has flaw with base not fixed properly to GPU die, that results in crashes.


----------



## Nottiz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Stock clocks and volts?
> That card has flaw with base not fixed properly to GPU die, that results in crashes.


Everything at stock, I notice the cooler is a bit loose...
This happened 1-2 days after I bought the GPU (5 or 6 months ago) I sent it back to the store and they solved it, I had a Asus P7P55D Pro and a i5 670 back then.
About 2 days ago I bought a new MB and CPU, the Sabertooth and the 3570k and now today this is happening to me again.


----------



## Simkin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nottiz*
> 
> Hey there, I'm new around here but I got a problem with my Asus HD 7950....sometimes this happens to my screen:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder if anyone know what it is and how to solve it...


I also have this issue now and then, my cards are Reference MSI 7970.

It mostly happens when browsing, but i also get freezes while gaming..


----------



## UltimateNubs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nottiz*
> 
> Hey there, I'm new around here but I got a problem with my Asus HD 7950....sometimes this happens to my screen:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder if anyone know what it is and how to solve it...


I had this same issue. only happened when browsing... i think it has something to do with browser acceleration. I could make the screen with the bars happen on things like google maps...

XFX 7950 DD btw. anyways on to how i fixed mine.

I ran Atiman Uninstaller. Follow the instructions VERY closely and carefully. It will completely remove the AMD driver you are using, and you will be clean to install a fresh one.

My driver was corrupt or something and every time i'd delete it the normal way and install a different one, didnt matter the version, i would still have that same problem. Atiman fixed everything. It hasnt happened for months now.

I would recommend the 12.4 driver for the fresh install and start from there. Thats what people find the most stable, but its your PC. Im on the 12.6.

EDIT: BTW i never had any in game issues.... I hope this sorts out for you.


----------



## Nottiz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UltimateNubs*
> 
> I had this same issue. only happened when browsing... i think it has something to do with browser acceleration. I could make the screen with the bars happen on things like google maps...
> XFX 7950 DD btw. anyways on to how i fixed mine.
> I ran Atiman Uninstaller. Follow the instructions VERY closely and carefully. It will completely remove the AMD driver you are using, and you will be clean to install a fresh one.
> My driver was corrupt or something and every time i'd delete it the normal way and install a different one, didnt matter the version, i would still have that same problem. Atiman fixed everything. It hasnt happened for months now.
> I would recommend the 12.4 driver for the fresh install and start from there. Thats what people find the most stable, but its your PC. Im on the 12.6.


Thanks, if it happens again I will do as you say, thank you a lot


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nottiz*
> 
> Hey there, I'm new around here but I got a problem with my Asus HD 7950....sometimes this happens to my screen:
> 
> I wonder if anyone know what it is and how to solve it...


Is that color grey? If it is, it is aka GSOD. I solved my problem by using RC11 drivers.


----------



## UltimateNubs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nottiz*
> 
> Thanks, if it happens again I will do as you say, thank you a lot


your welcome


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UltimateNubs*
> 
> I had this same issue. only happened when browsing... i think it has something to do with browser acceleration. I could make the screen with the bars happen on things like google maps...
> XFX 7950 DD btw. anyways on to how i fixed mine.
> I ran Atiman Uninstaller. Follow the instructions VERY closely and carefully. It will completely remove the AMD driver you are using, and you will be clean to install a fresh one.
> My driver was corrupt or something and every time i'd delete it the normal way and install a different one, didnt matter the version, i would still have that same problem. Atiman fixed everything. It hasnt happened for months now.
> I would recommend the 12.4 driver for the fresh install and start from there. Thats what people find the most stable, but its your PC. Im on the 12.6.
> EDIT: BTW i never had any in game issues.... I hope this sorts out for you.


Hmm, interesting... I sometimes would get one without bars, just blue, and yes with firefox open.
It's also strange how firefox would eat up a lot of video ram at times... maybe I should disable gpu accel if atiman doesn't work.

I thought it was a memory oc issue.... btw how do we properly determine max memory oc? I have been running stock mem for a while.


----------



## Nottiz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Is that color grey? If it is, it is aka GSOD. I solved my problem by using RC11 drivers.


No, normally it's blue, some different shades of blue...but I already got a green one too lol

I use google chrome btw.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nottiz*
> 
> No, normally it's blue, some different shades of blue...but I already got a green one too lol
> I use google chrome btw.


I made a thread when I had problems. Check it here.


----------



## Rebelord

Anything better than 12.7 beta out right now? I keep getting random video driver crashes then recovery. Random times. From web browsing, to playing Netflix, to gaming. Had the same happen with 12.6. Was great for awhile, then would get to a point of constant crashing. Hoping this doesnt start now too.
MSI 7950 TF3, stock clocks, stock volts. Have only ever OC using CCC up to 980/1500. But have been stock lately because of drivers it seems.

Rebelord


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Anything better than 12.7 beta out right now? I keep getting random video driver crashes then recovery. Random times. From web browsing, to playing Netflix, to gaming. Had the same happen with 12.6. Was great for awhile, then would get to a point of constant crashing. Hoping this doesnt start now too.
> MSI 7950 TF3, stock clocks, stock volts. Have only ever OC using CCC up to 980/1500. But have been stock lately because of drivers it seems.
> Rebelord


There is a new beta out 12.x. Lemme find the link.

EDIT: Find it here.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I also had to rma one out of my two cards today. Instead of sending to newegg like you did I just sent it two msi don't even want the hassle you went threw with that game voucher. Hopefully the turn around is fast I live close enough that they get it the next day on regular shipping. Crossing my fingers.


Yep. Always go through the manufacturer first. Even if it's an open box item. I recently did the same with an ASUS 7970 DCII TOP. It took 6 weeks to get it back from RMA, but I received a brand new replacement with the plastic film and everything, AND all new accessories that I didn't even get originally with the open box









Newegg is a complete joke with RMAs. Especially with motherboards.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Hey Guys, I'm running QuadFire 7970 and trying to play Crysis 2. Can someone tell me why the game only utilizes around 54% on each cards?


----------



## PsYcHo29388

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey Guys, I'm running QuadFire 7970 and trying to play Crysis 2. Can someone tell me why the game only utilizes around 54% on each cards?


It's a pretty bad console port, so don't expect much.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey Guys, I'm running QuadFire 7970 and trying to play Crysis 2. Can someone tell me why the game only utilizes around 54% on each cards?


DX11 is bugged.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> DX11 is bugged.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PsYcHo29388*
> 
> It's a pretty bad console port, so don't expect much.


Thanks Guys.

So this means no updates for this to work.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Thanks Guys.
> So this means no updates for this to work.


It means use DX9 cuz Crysis 2 Dev is dead.


----------



## johnnyw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *perkeleprkl*
> 
> Thats good news.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Be sure to report back when you have oc'd your card!


Well as i expected this is worse overclocker atleast with stock volts due the lower voltage. Whiny one passed Unigine & 3DM11 with 1250MHz gpu clocks with stock 1.175v, this new one only passes those only at 1100MHz with stock 1.112v. Will need to test how adding more voltage affects.

ASIC quality on old one was 72.4%

And in this new one 76.4%

E: This card only passes 3dmark11 extreme with 1170MHz and maxed out unigine 1160MHz with 1.175v but still im not really complaining, im not hc benchmarker and this card runs cooler than the old one and also more importantly wont squeel like pig so im pretty happy with it


----------



## phantomphenom

Ive read up on the MSI 7970 Lightning cards and it doesn't seem to be a GHZ card. I'm wondering if the over clocking ability of the Lightning is sufficient enough or if I should go and just get a GHZ 7970.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phantomphenom*
> 
> Ive read up on the MSI 7970 Lightning cards and it doesn't seem to be a GHZ card. I'm wondering if the over clocking ability of the Lightning is sufficient enough or if I should go and just get a GHZ 7970.


Lighting imho.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> DX11 is bugged.


Is that with more than two gpu's or on anything earlier than 12.7? Because On 12.7 and with two 7970's I'm getting great performance on Crysis 2 on Ultra with DX11 (up to 150fps sometimes)....


----------



## silver6crew

Hi guys, need help here.I'm using 7970 gc. The thing is that,everytime I open BF3 and dota 2, after 5 minutes in game..the screen will pop up, Not optimum mode, Recommended mode 1920x1080..My reso lution in game is already 1920x1080.why is this happening? tried to to search on the internet.but still no solution.Hope you guys can help me.really sad after upgrading to 7970, and this thing happen


----------



## shankly1985

Anyone get really bad frame drops on BF3 with mesh set to high or ultra? If set to medium I keep solid 60fps. I have my CPU OC to 4.4 and 7950 @1000/1500

my settings..


----------



## rdr09

i have no knowlegde if anybody else who experienced this but when i first intalled my 7950 i used 12.6 and it idled at 34/35C. this morning i installed 12.7 beta and my idle temp went up to 43C and stayed there. so, i did a windows restore (a point before installing 12.7) and to my surprise my temp went back to 34/35C.i'll be sticking with 12.6 for now.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i have no knowlegde if anybody else who experienced this but when i first intalled my 7950 i used 12.6 and it idled at 34/35C. this morning i installed 12.7 beta and my idle temp went up to 43C and stayed there. so, i did a windows restore (a point before installing 12.7) and to my surprise my temp went back to 34/35C.i'll be sticking with 12.6 for now.


For some reason with 12.7 beta, card stayed in video clocks 501/1250, that is reason why you had higher idle temps.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> For some reason with 12.7 beta, card stayed in video clocks 501/1250, that is reason why you had higher idle temps.


thanks, sena. i was getting ready to rma it.


----------



## 66racer

Hi guys, thinking about trying a 7970 or maybe even a 7950 (eventually cf) but I was curious what fps you guys get with bf3 ultra 64player matches at 1080p. CF results welcome too. I was planning on sli my 670 but scaling seems horrible. I compared with someone on ocn and on scrap metal his minimum fps was only 3fps higher and average fps was only 13fps more. I am worried about amd drivers though and going back a few pages seems like its true that drivers aren't the best. I'm on 120hz and want the most fps possible, otherwise it plays great with one 670. Please use fraps to display ave-min-max.

Thanks and +rep to response


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *66racer*
> 
> Hi guys, thinking about trying a 7970 or maybe even a 7950 (eventually cf) but I was curious what fps you guys get with bf3 ultra 64player matches at 1080p. CF results welcome too. I was planning on sli my 670 but scaling seems horrible. I compared with someone on ocn and on scrap metal his minimum fps was only 3fps higher and average fps was only 13fps more. I am worried about amd drivers though and going back a few pages seems like its true that drivers aren't the best. I'm on 120hz and want the most fps possible, otherwise it plays great with one 670. Please use fraps to display ave-min-max.
> Thanks and +rep to response


Sale the GTX 670, buy a 7970 and OC the hell out of it. Drivers usually have no or little problems with single AMD cards. One card will maybe not be enough to max EVERYTHING out . You can always try to buy two used 7970s for 650$ and you are in Business.


----------



## johnnyw

Hmm does anyone else having problems with waking pc up from sleep with 12.7 betas? I have been having this problem now with 2x 7970, mostly it works fine but randomly at every 2-3 days it suddenly wont wake up from sleep when it has been there long time.


----------



## 66racer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Sale the GTX 670, buy a 7970 and OC the hell out of it. Drivers usually have no or little problems with single AMD cards. One card will maybe not be enough to max EVERYTHING out . You can always try to buy two used 7970s for 650$ and you are in Business.


I hear ya, Im ideally considering either 7970 or 680 over an sli/cf setup right now, just hope to see some numbers soon before I list my card. In reality my switch wont come till sept when I have my wedding over with but need to come up with a game plan lol


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Why do I feel the performance of my 7950 is subpar? I RMA'd the first 7950 because well honestly it was very bad. I got my new card and its better but I am having this stutter issue. I was playing CS go and running forward and I could see my vid card stutter. Almost like a skip almost like a micro stutter. Its hard to explain. I also noticed that every once in awhile my desktop will flicker. Its very quick but if im looking at the screen I can notice it.

Not to bring up Nvidia but I have run a 580 and a 670 on this setup and they ran smooth as butter but with my 7950 I just dont feel that its doing what it should. I have not run any AMD cards in along time so maybe its just me. I am using the later version of the 12.7s. Im screwed if I decide to return the card cause newegg changed my invioce to $230.00 over the $330.00 cause I gave away all the games as freebies as I already owned them. (Screwed myself there)

I have tried everything humanly possible to figure out this stutter issue im having. Did not have this problem before with my nvidia cards. Yes fresh install on windows 7. Im stumped. Maybe I should not have gone with MSi


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I was playing CS go


That is a beta release right now and even when it is released I don't expect it to be 100% ready to go. Would be nice. I'm running official 12.6 from AMD and they are working well for me.

MSI makes good cards. I like the new TF3 HD7950.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> That is a beta release right now and even when it is released I don't expect it to be 100% ready to go. Would be nice. I'm running official 12.6 from AMD and they are working well for me.
> MSI makes good cards. I like the new TF3 HD7950.


The stuttering is with every game not just cs go. I feel that ive taken a step backwards by going with the 7950. My 580 ran smoother then the 7950 and its less powerful. I might go to bestbuy and buy a 560ti to test n see if possibly its something else in my rig causing it


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> thanks, sena. i was getting ready to rma it.


Np mate, enjoy the card.


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> The stuttering is with every game not just cs go. I feel that ive taken a step backwards by going with the 7950. My 580 ran smoother then the 7950 and its less powerful. I might go to bestbuy and buy a 560ti to test n see if possibly its something else in my rig causing it


Even if you aren't ocing, put powertune to max (+20%). I don't like the way that AMD does TDP throttling, compared to Nvidia. You can also try to turn vsync on.
If you are Ocing, make sure you don't have the ram too high. Supposedly w AMD, too high ram can run fine but be throttling itself internally. On some threads I see people don't get any more benefit past 1400 anyway.

I didn't have to do much to switch from Nvidia to AMD... just uninstalled the drivers, rebooted, and installed catalyst 12.6, and later on 12.7. I didn't try the 12.7b.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> The stuttering is with every game not just cs go. I feel that ive taken a step backwards by going with the 7950. My 580 ran smoother then the 7950 and its less powerful. I might go to bestbuy and buy a 560ti to test n see if possibly its something else in my rig causing it


stuttering might be due to card shifts between 2d/3d clocks.
Turn off aero interface.
check no software is messing with the 3D clocks, browser, youtube etc..
use msi afterburner to set 3D clocks so the card dont downclock if thats the issue.


----------



## MACH1NE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> use msi afterburner to set 3D clocks so the card dont downclock if thats the issue.


Setting 3d clocks is just simply ocing in afterburner or is there another way you are alking about?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *robnitro*
> 
> If you are Ocing, make sure you don't have the ram too high. Supposedly w AMD, too high ram can run fine but be throttling itself internally. On some threads I see people don't get any more benefit past 1400 anyway.


Do u mean no benefit from ocing memory on gfx card?

Sorry for the noob questions


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Setting 3d clocks is just simply ocing in afterburner or is there another way you are alking about?
> 
> Sorry for the noob questions


yea, just to make sure card go 3D all the time.
stuttering can be a lot, software, windwos aero, youtube, some hardware compability, nailing down the issue is a timeconsuming thing.
a need to flash new bios in motherboard is common due to vga compability also.


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> Do u mean no benefit from ocing memory on gfx card?
> Sorry for the noob questions


Supposedly with the DDR5 memory, if you go higher than it can really do, it might not show errors, because of ECC on the memory bus. I also heard that the memory ends up throttling back in order to limit errors, which may make it stutter.

For what I've heard, to find max memory speed when OC'ing, find your max core first, then benchmark the memory, adding more speed each time, until you see no more, or very little increase in FPS.

I haven't done that yet, so i run close to stock memory speed.. plus I was getting an issue with 2d as mentioned before that is related to the 12.6/12.7 drivers.

So, I am not sure what is the best benchmark to use to test out where the memory maxes out. Anyone have any recommendations? Heaven and 3dmark11 are nice, but it takes too long to keep running it over and over! Anything shorter that can help us determine max memory speed?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> The stuttering is with every game not just cs go. I feel that ive taken a step backwards by going with the 7950. My 580 ran smoother then the 7950 and its less powerful. I might go to bestbuy and buy a 560ti to test n see if possibly its something else in my rig causing it


I don't know what to tell you man. I went from SLI 580 Lightnings to my CF 7970's and the performance is vastly improved. I didn't ever get any MS on either setup and the fps now are about 40-45 fps higher than with the 580's. You got something going wrong in your rig because AMD cards work just as good for me as Nvidia (minus various specific driver issues)...


----------



## shankly1985

Anyone?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shankly1985*
> 
> Anyone get really bad frame drops on BF3 with mesh set to high or ultra? If set to medium I keep solid 60fps. I have my CPU OC to 4.4 and 7950 @1000/1500
> my settings..


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I don't know what to tell you man. I went from SLI 580 Lightnings to my CF 7970's and the performance is vastly improved. I didn't ever get any MS on either setup and the fps now are about 40-45 fps higher than with the 580's. You got something going wrong in your rig because AMD cards work just as good for me as Nvidia (minus various specific driver issues)...


I am going to try the 7950 on my mech drive. The only 2 things i have added was my samsung 830 and this 7950. I did a furmark test with 8xaa and the GPU hits 99% during the test. I do notice in games it does not hit 99% lots of fluctuation. I am going to try my mech drive to see if possibly it could be my SSD. Never know


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I am going to try the 7950 on my mech drive. The only 2 things i have added was my samsung 830 and this 7950. I did a furmark test with 8xaa and the GPU hits 99% during the test. I do notice in games it does not hit 99% lots of fluctuation. I am going to try my mech drive to see if possibly it could be my SSD. Never know


Please, stop using furmark as any representation of a valid test. About the only thing it's good for is heat testing.

That said, I've got no idea how to help you w/o knowing what driver/CAP, "how" you overclock, how much overclock/voltage, etc?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Please, stop using furmark as any representation of a valid test. About the only thing it's good for is heat testing.
> That said, I've got no idea how to help you w/o knowing what driver/CAP, "how" you overclock, how much overclock/voltage, etc?


20% - Stock - 12.7 (The newer version)

I will not use furmark anymore. Also as for CAP. I thought the Cap was only for crossfire. My problem is this. I am not getting smooth game play at all. At the moment im stumped with my setup. I have tried everything humanly possible to figure it out. lets say you straff side to side you can see it skip. Not like Vsync being off it just skips. like a split second hang. It does this a little while just walking straight also.

I also notice that every once in awhile my desktop will flicker. just for a split second. I used onboard for a week and never encountered this.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Definitely listen to Tsm, he's helped me with a million AMD teething issues....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> 20% - Stock - 12.7 (The newer version)
> 
> I will not use furmark anymore. Also as for CAP. *I thought the Cap was only for crossfire*. My problem is this. I am not getting smooth game play at all. At the moment im stumped with my setup. I have tried everything humanly possible to figure it out. lets say you straff side to side you can see it skip. Not like Vsync being off it just skips. like a split second hang. It does this a little while just walking straight also.
> 
> I also notice that every once in awhile my desktop will flicker. just for a split second. I used onboard for a week and never encountered this.


Nope, they be for single cards too. Read the readme on each individual CAP file for the description of improvements. You could have bad hardware, or not who knows. But what we can do is get you on a proper driver and your driver subsystem cleaned up to remove a driver issue from the equation.

First thing I would do is perform a clean uninstall. In other words a manual uninstall and clean your registry. Then install a 12.6 whql and the latest CAP. This will put you on a solid baseline. In a worst case scenario, I might go all the way back to RC11, my favorite kickarse super speed driver. You can find the manual uninstall process below. I can do a manual uninstall in about 5 minutes, click click click etc. Take yer time. The basics are uninstall the driver, thru the driver *.exe, uninstall CIM thru control panel, delete registry entries, delete vga devices in device manager, reboot, reboot, delete leftover drivers, reboot, take a breath, install 12.6, reboot and install CAP.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40#post_17399286


----------



## 4LC4PON3

ok i will do that. This is the second 7950 ive been through. I have tried tons of things. I never did try 12.6 or caps tho. I always tried the 12.7's. I will give this a shot. I tried swapping out my mobo, ssd, memeory (Not PSU), tried almsot every tweak I could find. i will be back as soon as I get this uninstalled and done with results.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

The card does not run correctly. I followed your entire steps and it still skips but even worse now. I am done with it. Issues an RMA/Return this is not worth it.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> 20% - Stock - 12.7 (The newer version)
> 
> I will not use furmark anymore. Also as for CAP. I thought the Cap was only for crossfire. My problem is this. I am not getting smooth game play at all. At the moment im stumped with my setup. I have tried everything humanly possible to figure it out. lets say you straff side to side you can see it skip. Not like Vsync being off it just skips. like a split second hang. It does this a little while just walking straight also.
> 
> I also notice that every once in awhile my desktop will flicker. just for a split second. I used onboard for a week and never encountered this.


The flicker is one of the joys of using the current AMD drivers. I sent my MSI 7950 back because I thought AMD had improved their drivers but I was wrong. I tried my 7950 with AMD 12.7 drivers on two completely different computers that I have, both had stuttering in some games and I had that stupid flicker in every single game. I wanted to give them another chance but they blew it. I'm not buying that both computers I have are bad.

What happened to your other 7950? You mentioned you did an RMA?


----------



## Simkin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shankly1985*
> 
> Anyone get really bad frame drops on BF3 with mesh set to high or ultra? If set to medium I keep solid 60fps. I have my CPU OC to 4.4 and 7950 @1000/1500
> my settings..


Mesh on High, and especially Ultra takes a lot of fps.. i run mine on Medium.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> The card does not run correctly. I followed your entire steps and it still skips but even worse now. I am done with it. Issues an RMA/Return this is not worth it.


Sorry to hear that. Since you're rma'ing anyways, try the RC11 driver. It's the one driver that supports hardware the best in my experience. You can simply just uninstall the current driver thru the exe, then the CIM, CAPS, and reboot, and install the RC11. You don't have to do the file delete and registry clean since it's already clean if you followed the steps in the thread.

Give it a try. If it's still borked, there's no doubt in my mind that it's hardware (assuming the rest of your rig is fine).


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I am editing this just because it may NOT be the video card but possible Bios settings problems. I will update later after I get another game or two installed.


----------



## Andrazh

Which version of 7970 has the best temperature/noise ratio?


----------



## M4fade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Which version of 7970 has the best temperature/noise ratio?


Wouldn't that be the Sapphire 7970 Dual-X? I think so.
I wonder how Sapphire's new 7970 Vapor-X does against it though?

I am debating on whether to get either one of those cards myself. Choices, choices...


----------



## Andrazh

Damn gigabyte, asus, sapphire look so tempting

Price is the best for gigabyte tho but is probably due to less accesories in the box.
These vapor-x will be quite pricy. I think i'm gonna go with gigabyte.

Is there any diference between ghz edition and earlier release? Or they are the same clock per clock? Do ghz editions OC better?


----------



## M4fade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Damn gigabyte, asus, sapphire look so tempting
> Price is the best for gigabyte tho but is probably due to less accesories in the box.
> These vapor-x will be quite pricy. I think i'm gonna go with gigabyte.
> Is there any diference between ghz edition and earlier release? Or they are the same clock per clock? Do ghz editions OC better?


Yeah, too many choices.

I don't think there's any evidence that the GHz Editions clock any better than the normal ones.

By the way, Sapphire's Vapor-X is only about $10-$30 more than the other non-reference cards. Not too bad at all if the cooler performs better than their Dual-X.


----------



## Andrazh

Gigabytes 7970 costs 390€. Sapphire dualX is 420€. So vaporX would be like 450€. I dont think its worth 60€ more.


----------



## shankly1985

Thanks for reply, but shouldn't a HD7950 run this game on High settings with 60FPS all times? I understand ultra is for xfire and sli

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Simkin*
> 
> Mesh on High, and especially Ultra takes a lot of fps.. i run mine on Medium.


----------



## kahboom

MSI HD 7950 Twin frozr III 6+8 pin flashed with VTX 7970 Bios 1050core 1425memory @ 1.043v, card still comes up as HD 7950 but still has only 1792 shaders which is ok, Using an fx 8120 @ 4.4ghz, here is the bios if anyone wants to try the flash as well,

vtx7970bios.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## robnitro

(edit: oops, I meant DX10 for the test!)
I keep hearing how furmark is not a useful test and I agree. It doesn't have anything to self check for errors, but I've found a program that does (see below).

However, I disagree that benchmarks/gaming are a valid test, because the load is variable.
I was able to pull 1020 at stock 1.09 v on my benches/games.

However, try this on your "stable" overclock- volt mods and high clocks welcome (and maybe prove my testing wrong):

*Run OCCT 4.3.0 (newest one), DX10, 480x480 res, shader complexity 8, error checking ON
Make sure powertune is set to +20%!
If that passes, try 320x320 resolution. Or anything lower if you like... but not too low- we want to keep the card loaded 99-100%gpu!
*
Don't worry, it won't burn out your card, I ran it for hours. Powertune limits TDP... thats why Nvidia added it to their cards too.

With this test at those settings, my 1.09 v stock would start having errors above 970-975! Even if I put the fan at the highest setting and kept temps below 70, I would eventually get errors in that test. It explained why I was getting random crashes in games... it wouldn't happen for days at [email protected]! I thought it was driver issues, lol.

With higher resolutions the errors wouldn't happen. I don't know why... perhaps that is why the games would randomly crash after a long long time
maybe someone else can try that too, find a place where 480x480 and 320x320 gives errors and then try higher res and see if errors happen.

Btw, OCCT 3 and OCCT 4 dx9 also wouldn't show errors.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> MSI HD 7950 Twin frozr III 6+8 pin flashed with VTX 7970 Bios 1050core 1425memory @ 1.043v, card still comes up as HD 7950 but still has only 1792 shaders which is ok, Using an fx 8120 @ 4.4ghz, here is the bios if anyone wants to try the flash as well,
> 
> vtx7970bios.zip 41k .zip file


Is that a GHz edition BIOS? If so does the boost work?

What is the date of the BIOS? Have I tried this one yet?


----------



## kahboom

It is a ghz BIOS. I don't know if it has the boost but it works great on my card. Even better than the stock bios


----------



## kahboom

2/29/12 BIOS date


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> 2/29/12 BIOS date


I will check it out. I think I may have tried it if its the same one you sent me in pm awhile back. ( didn't work out for my card)


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Well i def have to RMA the card. I installed Crysis warhead and what do you know the card is artifacting. So I retried battlefield 3 and I can confirm it I am seeing artifacts all over BF3. I decided not to go with another 7950 as its cost me $around 25.00 just for RMA's I am going to just return it and be done with it.

The card is completely stock and the card that was given to me was used by newegg's RMA


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Well i def have to RMA the card. I installed Crysis warhead and what do you know the card is artifacting. So I retried battlefield 3 and I can confirm it I am seeing artifacts all over BF3. I decided not to go with another 7950 as its cost me $around 25.00 just for RMA's I am going to just return it and be done with it.
> 
> The card is completely stock and the card that was given to me was used by newegg's RMA


VRM on that card is beefy and gets hot yet the stock PCB heat sink is weak. I think that card would work great with a proper water block though.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Called newegg they are refunding me full payment and gave me a prepaid label. Im done msi. Rma told me they are getting extensive msi twin cards back. He told me one guy sent in 3 to get a good one. I will try anotherbrand once im refunded


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Called newegg they are refunding me full payment and gave me a prepaid label. Im done msi. Rma told me they are getting extensive msi twin cards back. He told me one guy sent in 3 to get a good one. I will try anotherbrand once im refunded


sorry to hear the MSI Twin Frozr card was such a letdown. You could go for Sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition or Gigabyte HD 7950 Windforce when you get your full refund.


----------



## samoth777

hey guys, former 7970 user here. how is BF3 these days with 12.7 catalyst? on 1920x1080. i cant remember what catalyst i was using when i had my 7970. it was around 5 months ago


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> hey guys, former 7970 user here. how is BF3 these days with 12.7 catalyst? on 1920x1080. i cant remember what catalyst i was using when i had my 7970. it was around 5 months ago


I can't speak for 7970, but a single 7950 is wonderful in BF3 with 3x 1080p monitors and the July 19th Beta (newer than the 12.7Beta).

It's strange that in landscape mode, my games lag a bit at the highest settings (Ultra for BF3), but in Portrait mode, they don't lag. Is it because Portrait has a 16:9~16:10 ratio while the landscape has a 48:9 ratio and games scale better with a more "normal" ratio?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I can't speak for 7970, but a single 7950 is wonderful in BF3 with 3x 1080p monitors and the July 19th Beta (newer than the 12.7Beta).
> It's strange that in landscape mode, my games lag a bit at the highest settings (Ultra for BF3), but in Portrait mode, they don't lag. Is it because Portrait has a 16:9~16:10 ratio while the landscape has a 48:9 ratio and games scale better with a more "normal" ratio?


That could be the reason. Portrait means (1080 x 3) : 1920 , ratio of 1.6875 which is midway between 16: 10 (1.6) and 16: 9 (1.7777). Landscape is (1920 x 3) : 1080 , a ratio of 5.3333. Maybe games are designed to perform well at 16:9 and 16:10 aspect ratios.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Called newegg they are refunding me full payment and gave me a prepaid label. Im done msi. Rma told me they are getting extensive msi twin cards back. He told me one guy sent in 3 to get a good one. I will try anotherbrand once im refunded


That's not unusual. MSI TF cards have always been hit or miss going back to Caymans.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Called newegg they are refunding me full payment and gave me a prepaid label. Im done msi. Rma told me they are getting extensive msi twin cards back. He told me one guy sent in 3 to get a good one. I will try anotherbrand once im refunded


Step up to the 7970 Lightning. I had two and they were great cards...


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Is it worth it to change my 670 to a 7970? Someone will sell me his 7970 reference for a cheap price. should I accept it?
My 670 can do about 1320+ MHz or so. how much a 7970 at 1.2 GHz should be faster? I know it will dominate in Crysis/ Metro2033/ DiRT 3 but I no longer play those games, so it doesn't really matter for me, what about other games?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *robnitro*
> 
> (edit: oops, I meant DX10 for the test!)
> I keep hearing how furmark is not a useful test and I agree. It doesn't have anything to self check for errors, but I've found a program that does (see below).
> However, I disagree that benchmarks/gaming are a valid test, because the load is variable.
> I was able to pull 1020 at stock 1.09 v on my benches/games.
> However, try this on your "stable" overclock- volt mods and high clocks welcome (and maybe prove my testing wrong):
> *Run OCCT 4.3.0 (newest one), DX10, 480x480 res, shader complexity 8, error checking ON
> Make sure powertune is set to +20%!
> If that passes, try 320x320 resolution. Or anything lower if you like... but not too low- we want to keep the card loaded 99-100%gpu!*
> 
> Don't worry, it won't burn out your card, I ran it for hours. Powertune limits TDP... thats why Nvidia added it to their cards too.
> With this test at those settings, my 1.09 v stock would start having errors above 970-975! Even if I put the fan at the highest setting and kept temps below 70, I would eventually get errors in that test. It explained why I was getting random crashes in games... it wouldn't happen for days at [email protected]! I thought it was driver issues, lol.
> With higher resolutions the errors wouldn't happen. I don't know why... perhaps that is why the games would randomly crash after a long long time
> maybe someone else can try that too, find a place where 480x480 and 320x320 gives errors and then try higher res and see if errors happen.
> Btw, OCCT 3 and OCCT 4 dx9 also wouldn't show errors.


Should be noted that OCCT is still throttled when PowerTune is set to +20%.

You'd have to disable PowerPlay to eliminate software throttling (that I know of).


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Is it worth it to change my 670 to a 7970? Someone will sell me his 7970 reference for a cheap price. should I accept it?
> My 670 can do about 1320+ MHz or so. how much a 7970 at 1.2 GHz should be faster? I know it will dominate in Crysis/ Metro2033/ DiRT 3 but I no longer play those games, so it doesn't really matter for me, what about other games?


The 7970 will be a better card for sure. At your resolution the 670 is just fine though. It really depends on what games you want to play because the 670 does beat the 7970 in a few games.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Is it worth it to change my 670 to a 7970? Someone will sell me his 7970 reference for a cheap price. should I accept it?
> My 670 can do about 1320+ MHz or so. how much a 7970 at 1.2 GHz should be faster? I know it will dominate in Crysis/ Metro2033/ DiRT 3 but I no longer play those games, so it doesn't really matter for me, what about other games?


The 670-7970 trade blows from game to game. Pretty much a sidegrade. I would only suggest the 7970 if it's worth the hassle to you to sell your 670 and get the 7970 to save a few bucks. Otherwise I would be happy just sticking with the 670. It's a great card.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Is it worth it to change my 670 to a 7970? Someone will sell me his 7970 reference for a cheap price. should I accept it?
> My 670 can do about 1320+ MHz or so. how much a 7970 at 1.2 GHz should be faster? I know it will dominate in Crysis/ Metro2033/ DiRT 3 but I no longer play those games, so it doesn't really matter for me, what about other games?


Since you are at 1080p and your GTX 670 is such an excellent overclocker no point in going for a ref HD 7970 which gets loud if you go for heavy overclocking. Also your card is an EVGA card. Their customer support rocks. stick with your GTX 670.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Step up to the 7970 Lightning. I had two and they were great cards...


I understand but atm not to diss amd or anything but this entire mess has left a sour taste in my mouth. Im sure its possible that I just chose a bad brand/card but its left me without my rig complete for almost a month now. Im going to look into different brand cards n what not. when i was with AMD I was specifically Sapphire since i never had an issue with them but ever since i went MSI its been a nightmare. No offense but im skipping MSI for good now. I wil never mess with another MSI product from here on out.


----------



## samoth777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> hey guys, former 7970 user here. how is BF3 these days with 12.7 catalyst? on 1920x1080. i cant remember what catalyst i was using when i had my 7970. it was around 5 months ago


bump


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> The 7970 will be a better card for sure. At your resolution the 670 is just fine though. It really depends on what games you want to play because the 670 does beat the 7970 in a few games.


They trade blows... I doubt a 1.2ghz 7970 is faster then a 1320 670 at any game besides the one he listed. Just saying.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> They trade blows... I doubt a 1.2ghz 7970 is faster then a 1320 670 at any game besides the one he listed. Just saying.


The 7970 scales better than both the 680 and 670 when overclocked. I would say the 7970 will outperform the 670 but only marginally, a few frames here and there, but nothing to write home about. Just saying.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> The 7970 scales better than both the 680 and 670 when overclocked. I would say the 7970 will outperform the 670 but only marginally, a few frames here and there, but nothing to write home about. Just saying.


That, 7970 is superior once overclocked to the max vs 670 overclocked. imo


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> The 7970 scales better than both the 680 and 670 when overclocked. I would say the 7970 will outperform the 670 but only marginally, a few frames here and there, but nothing to write home about. Just saying.


Wasnt not talking about scaling, yes it does scale better. I was talking about performance, nothing else.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> That, 7970 is superior once overclocked to the max vs 670 overclocked. imo


If by max you mean with LN2, yes. But on air that is defiantly debatable.


----------



## jomama22

Don't worry general just giving you a hard time lol. I know u were talking about performance but scalability does play a roll as the 670 doesn't benefit nearly as much as the 7970 when overclocked. So even with the 670 120mhz over the 7970, it will not perform as well. Thus why I said what I did previously.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> bump


Well I answered it already that question using a bigger resolution, but with 1920x1080, it will play the Ultra preset with Avg frames around 45~55FPS with 1000mhz core, an overclock that many 7950/7970s can do on stock voltage. If you can bring it higher, you can do well over 60FPS.


----------



## switchblade

I would go with the HD7970 simply because when at the same clocks it will outperform the gtx 670 in most games just a few are out there that it doesn't. The few games it manages to beat the hd7970 are games that are getting way over 60 FPS on stock which is negligable. You also have 3gb of VRAM and bus size that is better. Higher vram is beneficial especially if you decide to upgrade to a larger resolution, multi-monitor or multi-gpu setups.









http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970_GHz_Edition/18.html


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I would go with the HD7970 simply because when at the same clocks it will outperform the gtx 670 in most games just a few are out there that it doesn't. The few games it manages to beat the hd7970 are games that are getting way over 60 FPS on stock which is negligable. You also have 3gb of VRAM and bus size that is better. Higher vram is beneficial especially if you decide to upgrade to a larger resolution, multi-monitor or multi-gpu setups.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970_GHz_Edition/18.html


same price here for 7970/670 and its a no brainer with a 7970.
Unless one dont OC at all which seems a nuance if one is on a overclock site.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, I'd easily take a 7970 over a 670 every time. Difference between a top tier card and a second tier one....


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not unusual. MSI TF cards have always been hit or miss going back to Caymans.


Wish i would of known this from the start. I was told to get it cause twin frozr cards were awesome. There is another guy that posted on newegg that he got his card and it artifacts already. Im done with msi period. Ill grab a gigabyte or sapphire when i get refunded


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Wish i would of known this from the start. I was told to get it cause twin frozr cards were awesome. There is another guy that posted on newegg that he got his card and it artifacts already. Im done with msi period. Ill grab a gigabyte or sapphire when i get refunded


Hopefully mine will continue to work without issue. I noticed on newegg reviews some other brand 7950s were failing after 3 months. When I went with MSI there was maybe only 3 reviews on newegg all 5 star. I am sorry to hear about your ordeal I was hoping the 2nd card would work flawless for you. Hope mine doesn't give issues down the road.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I dunno, I've had two 580 lightnings and two 7970 lightnings and they all performed flawless....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Wish i would of known this from the start. I was told to get it cause twin frozr cards were awesome. There is another guy that posted on newegg that he got his card and it artifacts already. Im done with msi period. Ill grab a gigabyte or sapphire when i get refunded


Hehe. There were a lot of "my TF3 died, or my TF3 is DOA, or my TF2 is overheating" threads about 8 months ago. This is partially why I stick to AMD reference.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hehe. There were a lot of "my TF3 died, or my TF3 is DOA, or my TF2 is overheating" threads about 8 months ago. This is partially why I stick to AMD reference.


Glad I got it right the first time







Visiontek reference here...


----------



## switchblade

Love my XFX reference card. Its quiet while gaming but I normally max the fans since i overclock and it gets really loud. The thing is I have my speakers/headphones maxed and i cannot hear the fans. I am not quite sure why ppl always say that i dont like loud gpu's when the sound of the game should drown out any fan noise. Unless they game with the volume muted. As long as it keeps my card cool its ok with me:thumb:


----------



## General121

Hey guys, I know there isnt much to go on, but my Friend is having issues with his 79xx series card ( Hes a WoW friend, im assuming he got a 7950/7970).
I dont have the full list of details yet, and ill get more info tonight if I can, but just that the card is acting funky in some way and he is using the 12.6 driver. So, all i can ask for now is, is there any issue with 12.6 driver?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General121*
> 
> Hey guys, I know there isnt much to go on, but my Friend is having issues with his 79xx series card ( Hes a WoW friend, im assuming he got a 7950/7970).
> I dont have the full list of details yet, and ill get more info tonight if I can, but just that the card is acting funky in some way and he is using the 12.6 driver. So, all i can ask for now is, is there any issue with 12.6 driver?


I suggest telling your friend to join the club so we can get further information into the matter and so he can get advise from us as to what may be the issue.


----------



## Ukkooh

I've had my Sapphire HD 7970 OC edition for a little over two neeks now. Had the GSOD problem, but disabling FF hardware acceleration seemed to fix it as I haven't had any probs after doing that. Time to OC!







What is the best way to test stability with these cards? The only gpu intensive game I have right now is BF3.


----------



## General121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I suggest telling your friend to join the club so we can get further information into the matter and so he can get advise from us as to what may be the issue.


Ill see what I can do when I get home ( 3 more hours yay!). But hes not one to know much about PCs and such and forums...


----------



## 4LC4PON3

hopefully the 6% off the gigabyte 7950 will still be on sale. Comes to 328.00 with the 6% off and there is a $20.00 MIR.

I doubt it will be on sale since newegg paid for UPS ground shipping and then it takes days to see my refund to my account. I like the gigabyte card with the tri fans so im going to get that card


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> Wasnt not talking about scaling, yes it does scale better. I was talking about performance, nothing else.
> If by max you mean with LN2, yes. But on air that is defiantly debatable.


Take a look at the 7970 toxic overclock. 1325/1900


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> hopefully the 6% off the gigabyte 7950 will still be on sale. Comes to 328.00 with the 6% off and there is a $20.00 MIR.
> 
> I doubt it will be on sale since newegg paid for UPS ground shipping and then it takes days to see my refund to my account. I like the gigabyte card with the tri fans so im going to get that card


I was tempted to get that too with the better PCB it has and all that. Also as a bonus it actually makes contact with all the memory where as MSI always seems to skip the one chip by itself on the side. No idea why they do that.


----------



## General121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> Take a look at the 7970 toxic overclock. 1325/1900


You should check out the 670 voltage unlocked thread


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> I've had my Sapphire HD 7970 OC edition for a little over two neeks now. Had the GSOD problem, but disabling FF hardware acceleration seemed to fix it as I haven't had any probs after doing that. Time to OC!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What is the best way to test stability with these cards? The only gpu intensive game I have right now is BF3.


Heaven 3.0 and BF3 are good for stability testing. And for overclocking with voltage tweaking use Sapphire trixx


----------



## KingT

If someone would be willing to run *3DMark 11 Performance* test *with stock HD7970 (925/1375MHz)* I would be very thankful.

*12.7 beta drivers* and *default settings in Catalyst* (please don't disable tessellation)

I have a HD7950 @ 1000/1500MHz , so I would like to see how much is there difference compared to a stock HD7970.

Here's my 3DMark 11 P score with HD7950 @ 1000/1500MHz, beta 12.7 drivers.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4106337

Thanx.









CHEERS..


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> If someone would be willing to run *3DMark 11 Performance* test *with stock HD7970 (925/1375MHz)* I would be very thankful.
> *12.7 beta drivers* and *default settings in Catalyst* (please don't disable tessellation)
> I have a HD7950 @ 1000/1500MHz , so I would like to see how much is there difference compared to a stock HD7970.
> Here's my 3DMark 11 P score with HD7950 @ 1000/1500MHz, beta 12.7 drivers.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4106337
> Thanx.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


3dmark depends to much on other factors for a comparison to be truly fair. Just know that if u clock ur 7950 to 1050/1400, you will be equaling or just a bit better than a 7970


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> 3dmark depends to much on other factors for a comparison to be truly fair. Just know that if u clock ur 7950 to 1050/1400, you will be equaling or just a bit better than a 7970


On 1 GHz you will equal to stock HD 7970.
I have personally tested that.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> 3dmark depends to much on other factors for a comparison to be truly fair. Just know that if u clock ur 7950 to 1050/1400, you will be equaling or just a bit better than a 7970


HD7950 @ 1000/1500 is exactly *22% faster* (GPU score) in 3DMark 11 than stock HD7950 @ 800/1250MHz.

*1000/1500MHz 3DMark 11 run*

*800/1250MHz 3DMark 11 run*

So I believe that already HD7950 @ 1000/1500MHz is equal/or maybe faster than a stock HD7970 (925/1375MHz).

I just want to know exact P score of stock HD7970 on 12.7 beta drivers.

CHEERS..


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> HD7950 @ 1000/1500 is exactly *22% faster* (GPU score) in 3DMark 11 than stock HD7950 @ 800/1250MHz.
> *1000/1500MHz 3DMark 11 run*
> *800/1250MHz 3DMark 11 run*
> So I believe that already HD7950 @ 1000/1500MHz is equal/or maybe faster than a stock HD7970 (925/1375MHz).
> I just want to know exact P score of stock HD7970 on 12.7 beta drivers.
> CHEERS..


You're missing the point. Your CPU speed, your ram and your background processes all make a difference. A brand new windows install can add 500 points alone to someone who hasn't reinstalled windows in 2 months


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> You're missing the point. Your CPU speed, your ram and your background processes all make a difference. A brand new windows install can add 500 points alone to someone who hasn't reinstalled windows in 2 months


No sir, you're missing the point.

And that two 3DMark 11 scores are my,on the same rig with identical CPU OC and drivers, so I know for a fact that HD7950 @ 1000/1500 is 22% faster in GPU score than stock reference HD7950 (800/1250MHz).

I see you have 3 x 7970, instead of pointless discussion you could've disabled CF, set GPU speeds at 925/1375 and ran P score 3dMark 11.

CHEERS..


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> No sir, you're missing the point.
> And that two 3DMark 11 scores are my,on the same rig with identical CPU OC and drivers, so I know for a fact that HD7950 @ 1000/1500 is 22% faster in GPU score than stock reference HD7950 (800/1250MHz).
> I see you have 3 x 7970, instead of pointless discussion you could've disabled CF, set GPU speeds at 925/1375 and ran P score 3dMark 11.
> CHEERS..


He will have way higher P score, because of i7 3960X.
You need to look at GPU score, and GPU score with SB/SB-E/IB cpus for right comparison.


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Should be noted that OCCT is still throttled when PowerTune is set to +20%.
> You'd have to disable PowerPlay to eliminate software throttling (that I know of).


That's why I think 480x480 and 320x320 have errors, they don't throttle for me... 480x480 at stock volts(1.09) 970 stable no throttling, and 320x320 if I go to 1100 mhz/1.23v. I watch the clock in MSI AB, HWinfo64. I also watch 12v current IN, and VDDC current to see at which resolution I get the highest current. GPU% lies, because if it throttles, it still counts that as 100% usage.

Can you run the 480x480 and 320x320, dx10, error checking on, shader 8, tests for me and tell me where you get errors popping up as compared to your known good overclock? I may very well have a dud card, who knows- if you pass those occt 4.3.1 tests at the same speed that passes games/benchmarks.

I contacted the OCCT creator, and mentioned my observations. He says that lower resolutions do stress the card more when cards throttle TDP, because if you run full res, you can see in MSI AB, it's basically throttled down to 700-800 mhz!

There are bioses that i found that seem to have a higher throttle limit, as seen in OCCT4/3/furmark/kombustor, by watching FPS and 12v Current IN.
The Sapphire 900mhz BIOS 1 on techpowerup, the sapphire 950 mhz bios, and of course the 7970 bioses (but they mess up my hdmi output- nothing detected). There may be other bioses, but I haven't tested them all, nor want to, LOL. IIRC, I was maxing out at 18 Amps 12v Input with stock bios, with the Sapphire bioses, along with the 7970 bioses, I could get the GPU to draw up to 23 amps! That is an extra 60 watts... oh and yes the PSU and PCIe power connectors handle it, stays above 11.8 v as seen as GPU, despite the card having only 2x6 connectors!

I agree with his contention that manufacturers that throttle cards are doing a disservice. Example, Heaven 3.0 and some other benchmarks, they saw that 7970 bios on 7950 would get higher scores at the same clock (by a little bit). I saw the same difference in scores between the stock gigabyte bios (that seems to have the stock 7950 max TDP, vs the sapphire bioses, that don't throttle as soon. I wonder if sapphire made a special bios for themselves, knowing that their VRM phases and cooling can handle it? I know my gigabyte can too.. very solidly built (but no VRM HEATSINK ***!?)


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> No sir, you're missing the point.
> And that two 3DMark 11 scores are my,on the same rig with identical CPU OC and drivers, so I know for a fact that HD7950 @ 1000/1500 is 22% faster in GPU score than stock reference HD7950 (800/1250MHz).
> I see you have 3 x 7970, instead of pointless discussion you could've disabled CF, set GPU speeds at 925/1375 and ran P score 3dMark 11.
> CHEERS..


:facepalm: come on man...please reread what I said. I don't care what scores you have. You are asking US To test OUR 7970s on OUR machines. My machine is completely different from yours, thus, it is not an accurate score because of the differences between our machines.

And I never even argued over what scores you have so I have no idea why you keep telling me you saw a 22% increase in performance and seem to think that I don't believe you or something.


----------



## vonalka

Nice rig jomama22







Did you add all 3 7970's at the same time? Reason I ask is I am wondering if you noticed a difference going from 2 to 3 and if so how much.


----------



## criznit

I have a quick question. I have the latest version of msi afterburner with the latest 12.7 beta driver. I am having an issue where my gpu usage will run @ 100% even if I'm idle at the desktop. It does this whether I have it overclocked or at stock. What could cause this?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> I have a quick question. I have the latest version of msi afterburner with the latest 12.7 beta driver. I am having an issue where my gpu usage will run @ 100% even if I'm idle at the desktop. It does this whether I have it overclocked or at stock. What could cause this?


Does the temp increase when you are at 100 usage on idle?
Have you tried 12.6 WHQL?
Does CCC also show 100 usage?


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does the temp increase when you are at 100 usage on idle?
> Have you tried 12.6 WHQL?
> Does CCC also show 100 usage?


Yes
I will go back to those drivers
I haven't checked


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Yes
> I will go back to those drivers
> I haven't checked


Yeah try the 12.6 drivers. You may find my uninstall guide useful.


----------



## criznit

Ok, I uninstalled 12.7 and went back to 12.6 but still had the same issue. I decided to do a full uninstall of afterburner to see if that will fix it. I will report back later when I'm done troubleshooting.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Anyone know why I am getting freezes with a sound loop and some lock up that only a hard reboot works. I experience this with all the 12.x drivers. I have no problem running RC11. Does anyone know if it has something to do with the HDMI audio. I heard so many things, I can't find my answer, i'm on a clean install and everything is stock stock stock.

I'm tired and I have been trying to make it work for the last 2-3 weeks and I am thinking of selling my whole system and all my screens because I can't enjoy the play of my cards.









Any help would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Nice rig jomama22
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did you add all 3 7970's at the same time? Reason I ask is I am wondering if you noticed a difference going from 2 to 3 and if so how much.


Thanks man! I have the lightning water blocks so by tomorrow evening I hope to have it completely under water. Funny enough, I did Go from 2 to 3 because of an rma. For 2560x1440 and 5760x1080 I saw a great jump (75 fps to 110 fps and 45 GPS to 65 fps respectively in bf3 with everything Max) for 1080p, 2 cards gave me Up to 120fps but dropped as low as 95 but with 3 it never drops below 120 but stays at about 135-145. This was important as I have a 120hz screen so I wanted to always be above 120fps


----------



## Samurai707

Question: are those with IB in order to get PCIE 3.0 actually noticing gains in performance?

A friend might be able to get me an Ivy-bridge processor at a discount and am seriously thinking about taking him up on getting one to replace my 2500k (to have a dedicated folding rig), but the main concern is whether or not it is worth the upgrade or if I should just grab a 2600k (and stay with PCIE 2.0)


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Anyone know why I am getting freezes with a sound loop and some lock up that only a hard reboot works. I experience this with all the 12.x drivers. I have no problem running RC11. Does anyone know if it has something to do with the HDMI audio. I heard so many things, I can't find my answer, i'm on a clean install and everything is stock stock stock.
> I'm tired and I have been trying to make it work for the last 2-3 weeks and I am thinking of selling my whole system and all my screens because I can't enjoy the play of my cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Let me guess, specifically bf3? If so then your problems rest with ea and dice as this happens to many people regardless of amd or nvidia. If its every game or all the time, do a clean install of windows, when u install the drivers, do custom and don't install the HDMI audio drivers.

Also, what kind of sound are u using? Onboard or pcie?


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Anyone know why I am getting freezes with a sound loop and some lock up that only a hard reboot works. I experience this with all the 12.x drivers. I have no problem running RC11. Does anyone know if it has something to do with the HDMI audio. I heard so many things, I can't find my answer, i'm on a clean install and everything is stock stock stock.
> I'm tired and I have been trying to make it work for the last 2-3 weeks and I am thinking of selling my whole system and all my screens because I can't enjoy the play of my cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.


do you have the Asus AI utility installed if so uninstall. Then test. Some motherboard have audio problems with the software installed.


----------



## PureBlackFire

hey guys. just ran 3dmark11 again. results: 1175mhz core/1375mhz memory

this is my first run at 1100mhz core/1350mhz memory and here's my gtx670 DC2Top 1254mhz core/1702mhz memory. my cpu was at 4.2ghz on my run just now, but it was clocked at 4.6ghz for the other runs. does that make a big difference in gpu score?

edit: I set my cp back to 4.6ghz and the gpu score went up a little: 1175mhz core/1375mhz memory/4.6ghz cpu

edit 2: pushed a bit further and ran it at 1225mhz core/1375mhz memory.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Let me guess, specifically bf3? If so then your problems rest with ea and dice as this happens to many people regardless of amd or nvidia. If its every game or all the time, do a clean install of windows, when u install the drivers, do custom and don't install the HDMI audio drivers.
> Also, what kind of sound are u using? Onboard or pcie?


I am Using Onboard Audio and no I don't have BF3. Ill games it does it, Unigine Heaven too, Mw3, Dirt Showdown.

Like I said, Right now, my Windows installation is Fresh with all Up to dates drivers for Intel Chipset, audio, Intel Mei, intel RSTe, blah blah blah, and only the 12.7 Beta has been installed on this new fresh windows installation. I tried all drivers on my last Windows but I thought a fresh install would help, but NOT.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> do you have the Asus AI utility installed if so uninstall. Then test. Some motherboard have audio problems with the software installed.


Yes I have Asus AI Suite II, I will unistall it right away, but If I only keep Turbo Evo, is that Possible?


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Ok, I uninstalled 12.7 and went back to 12.6 but still had the same issue. I decided to do a full uninstall of afterburner to see if that will fix it. I will report back later when I'm done troubleshooting.


Almost two hours in and no more gpu running at 100% while at the desktop. I think there was something wrong with my afterburner install. Thanks Bradleyw for the suggestions.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General121*
> 
> You should check out the 670 voltage unlocked thread


Lol, I dont really want to. We can agree to disagree.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Anyone know why I am getting freezes with a sound loop and some lock up that only a hard reboot works. I experience this with all the 12.x drivers. I have no problem running RC11. Does anyone know if it has something to do with the HDMI audio. I heard so many things, I can't find my answer, i'm on a clean install and everything is stock stock stock.
> I'm tired and I have been trying to make it work for the last 2-3 weeks and I am thinking of selling my whole system and all my screens because I can't enjoy the play of my cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Drivers 12.x to 12.5 have flawed eyefinity plus crossfire support. Those drivers will bsod, usually right away. 12.6+ is supposed to have fixed this flaw but it hasn't for everyone obviously. The thing I would ask is you are sure yer stable in the same situation on RC11? If that is the case then it is the driver. Don't get disheartened. I still can't play Skyrim on three screens, it will randomly bsod lol regardless of the driver. AI Suite has nothing to do with this though that app will fubar hwinfo64 if you use that while AI Suite is on. That said, RC11 is the fastest driver for quads. How bad do you want that center taskbar position?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Should I grab the Gigabyte 7950. I got my refund my newegg for the garbage MSI Twin Frozr III that I returned. I got back $330.00. Im a off right now about AMD cards because of this entire hassle I have gone through with the MSI 7950

The Gigabyte 7950 is 6% off that makes it $328.99


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Should I grab the Gigabyte 7950. I got my refund my newegg for the garbage MSI Twin Frozr III that I returned. I got back $330.00. Im a off right now about AMD cards because of this entire hassle I have gone through with the MSI 7950
> 
> The Gigabyte 7950 is 6% off that makes it $328.99


go for it. either that or add another $70 and grab a gtx670 windforce.


----------



## kahboom

You should read some reviews on the card you want before making the leap again


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Should I grab the Gigabyte 7950. I got my refund my newegg for the garbage MSI Twin Frozr III that I returned. I got back $330.00. Im a off right now about AMD cards because of this entire hassle I have gone through with the MSI 7950
> 
> The Gigabyte 7950 is 6% off that makes it $328.99


You've just had bad luck is all man. It happens. If you ask me, $330 for that card is almost a steal (it was a steal at $309 the other day). But you'll have to figure out if the GTX670 is worth the extra cash to you. Both cards will be just about equal after overclocks. So is it worth the extra $70 to go with an Nvidia card?

Me personally, I'd grab it up and give it a try. Worst case scenario you end up with yet another dead card (odds are honestly in your favor to get a good one this time), so you'd have to send it back and buy a 670 at a later time.

I dunno, I'd give it a shot. It's worth saving $70 to me. You had bad luck, but nobody can possibly be plagued with that kind of luck 3 times in a row, lol.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You've just had bad luck is all man. It happens. If you ask me, $330 for that card is almost a steal (it was a steal at $309 the other day). But you'll have to figure out if the GTX670 is worth the extra cash to you. Both cards will be just about equal after overclocks. So is it worth the extra $70 to go with an Nvidia card?
> Me personally, I'd grab it up and give it a try. Worst case scenario you end up with yet another dead card (odds are honestly in your favor to get a good one this time), so you'd have to send it back and buy a 670 at a later time.
> I dunno, I'd give it a shot. It's worth saving $70 to me. You had bad luck, but nobody can possibly be plagued with that kind of luck 3 times in a row, lol.


Was that for sale at 309 or with Rebate or without. Right now the card is 328 with 6% off and there is a $20.00 MIR that brings it to $308


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Should I grab the Gigabyte 7950. I got my refund my newegg for the garbage MSI Twin Frozr III that I returned. I got back $330.00. Im a off right now about AMD cards because of this entire hassle I have gone through with the MSI 7950
> 
> The Gigabyte 7950 is 6% off that makes it $328.99


I honestly think you'd be better off with a 670. Much less hassle with Nvidia drivers and support. Just not as much fun to OC...


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Question: are those with IB in order to get PCIE 3.0 actually noticing gains in performance?
> A friend might be able to get me an Ivy-bridge processor at a discount and am seriously thinking about taking him up on getting one to replace my 2500k (to have a dedicated folding rig), but the main concern is whether or not it is worth the upgrade or if I should just grab a 2600k (and stay with PCIE 2.0)


Bump for some helpful info and advice


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I honestly think you'd be better off with a 670. Much less hassle with Nvidia drivers and support. Just not as much fun to OC...


Yea true. All this locked voltage stuff is crap.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

thanks guys sorry to have to leave you but im heading back to the green team. Ordered the gigabyte 670. hanks for everything but I just could not pull the trigger on AMD.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Question: are those with IB in order to get PCIE 3.0 actually noticing gains in performance?
> A friend might be able to get me an Ivy-bridge processor at a discount and am seriously thinking about taking him up on getting one to replace my 2500k (to have a dedicated folding rig), but the main concern is whether or not it is worth the upgrade or if I should just grab a 2600k (and stay with PCIE 2.0)
> 
> 
> 
> Bump for some helpful info and advice
Click to expand...

It really won't matter until you get into tri or quad fire and super high resolution. Even at that point, you'll be CPU limited before anything anyway, even with Ivy.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> thanks guys sorry to have to leave you but im heading back to the green team. Ordered the gigabyte 670. hanks for everything but I just could not pull the trigger on AMD.


Don't feel bad.







You've got a good card coming your way. The 670's are solid cards. So are the 7900's. You really can't go wrong with any of them.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Heaven 3.0 and BF3 are good for stability testing. And for overclocking with voltage tweaking use Sapphire trixx


Looks like I'll have to get Heaven then. How much voltage these cards can take before their life is shortened a lot? My card has reference PCB so I'm not sure if the VRMs can take the beating. I will propably use this card for atleast 2 years.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Heaven 3.0 and BF3 are good for stability testing. And for overclocking with voltage tweaking use Sapphire trixx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like I'll have to get Heaven then. How much voltage these cards can take before their life is shortened a lot? My card has reference PCB so I'm not sure if the VRMs can take the beating. I will propably use this card for atleast 2 years.
Click to expand...

You'll be temperature limited far before you're voltage limited.







Feel free to crank those voltages as far as you can to get the gains you're after. Just watch your temperatures. Once you pass into the 1150-1200MHz range, these cards tend to get VERY finicky with temperatures over like 65-70*C. The higher you clock it, the lower the temperature needs to be to stay stable.

That's why I'm stuck at only 1200 core. My card can do 1370 core at 1.30v completely stable. But it takes 45*C load temperatures to keep it stable there. I load at like 52*C right now. If I hit 60*C with my overclocks in my sig, I crash (I tested this by turning fan speeds down).


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> Take a look at the 7970 toxic overclock. 1325/1900


We considering that card is $100 then a 680 lighting, check out that thread. They _easily_ hit 1350 at least, and the majority is at 1390+.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> We considering that card is $100 then a 680 lighting, check out that thread. They _easily_ hit 1350 at least, and the majority is at 1390+.


7970 scales better per clock. Meh, not going to check a thread that will probably make me feel bad.


----------



## Testier

And for the record, I think lightning oced are probably equal with 7970 toxic max oced. I would go for lightning just because toxic is way too overpriced.


----------



## stn0092

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> try 12.7 for skyrim.
> and make sure you use app profiles also.


App profiles? Is that the "AMD Catalyst Application Profile - 12.7 CAP3" download currently on AMD's driver page? Or do I just have to make a custom profile in CCC's 3D application settings?


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> And for the record, I think lightning oced are probably equal with 7970 toxic max oced. I would go for lightning just because toxic is way too overpriced.


The lightnings at 1390 are about only a few hundred points from breaking 13k in 3dmark graphics. And it is massively overpriced, wish there was a 3gb version, that would of made a stupid amount of money. And I know everyone in the world knows that the 7970 scales better


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It really won't matter until you get into tri or quad fire and super high resolution. Even at that point, you'll be CPU limited before anything anyway, even with Ivy.


Thanks so much for the info, Pioneer! (would +rep if I could!) Very appreciated!!


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *General123*
> 
> The lightnings at 1390 are about only a few hundred points from breaking 13k in 3dmark graphics. And it is massively overpriced, wish there was a 3gb version, that would of made a stupid amount of money. And I know everyone in the world knows that the 7970 scales better


You can get like 2 x 7950 with toxic's price. It is awesome, but really really overpriced. Same thing goes with 680 classified. 680 lightning is not as bad.


----------



## Testier

.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It really won't matter until you get into tri or quad fire and super high resolution. Even at that point, you'll be CPU limited before anything anyway, even with Ivy.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks so much for the info, Pioneer! (would +rep if I could!) Very appreciated!!
Click to expand...

If you really do have a 5GHz i5 2500k right now, keep it. Only reason to swap chips would be if you're going to a 3770k, and using more than just 2 way crossfire.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> If you really do have a 5GHz i5 2500k right now, keep it. Only reason to swap chips would be if you're going to a 3770k, and using more than just 2 way crossfire.


That's what I figured, but didn't really know what the deal was with PCIE 3.0... I'm planning to stick with 1 card for now, and maybe 2 cards once I completely pay off my credit card again.








2500k till it dies, then


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> That's what I figured, but didn't really know what the deal was with PCIE 3.0... I'm planning to stick with 1 card for now, and maybe 2 cards once I completely pay off my credit card again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2500k till it dies, then


I won't be changing my processor for a LONG time.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> App profiles? Is that the "AMD Catalyst Application Profile - 12.7 CAP3" download currently on AMD's driver page? Or do I just have to make a custom profile in CCC's 3D application settings?


12.7 app3.
for some games it has uses for single cards also.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Could someone with CrossFire 7970s run Alan Wake and report if it artifacts or not?

Running my cards individually, I get no artifacts with Alan Wake.

CF is a different story.

I get flickering and blur where it's not supposed to.

I would really appreciate if someone could test this out for me.

Thanks.


----------



## jimmyc1

Just upgraded from HD 4890 to Sapphire HD7970. Great upgrade even running at stock. A question for you guys, what cable do you use to connect your graphics card to your monitor, DVI or HDMI? My monitor is 1920x1200 and is HDMI 1.3 compliant. Is either better or doesn't it really matter?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jimmyc1*
> 
> Just upgraded from HD 4890 to Sapphire HD7970. Great upgrade even running at stock. A question for you guys, what cable do you use to connect your graphics card to your monitor, DVI or HDMI? My monitor is 1920x1200 and is HDMI 1.3 compliant. Is either better or doesn't it really matter?


If you have DVI connector in your monitor use that.


----------



## Kokin

I use two miniDP>DP and then a HDMI. I was using DVI for my third monitor, but it lags a bit and it causes stuttering. If I could use 3x DP, I would be all over that though.


----------



## stn0092

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> 12.7 app3.
> for some games it has uses for single cards also.


Are the profiles suppose to show up in CCC under Gaming/Application Profiles? I installed it, but there's nothing there.


----------



## Kokin

I can play Skyrim in Eyefinity if my monitors are in Portrait (16:9/16:10 ratio), but it won't even start up when it comes to Landscape (48:9 ratio). Games also run a lot more smoothly (more FPS as well) when in Portrait when compared to Landscape. I get massive lag with Landscape, even in games that I normally max out. This might be an isolated case, but the good thing is I hate the "wideness" of Landsacpe.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> That's what I figured, but didn't really know what the deal was with PCIE 3.0... I'm planning to stick with 1 card for now, and maybe 2 cards once I completely pay off my credit card again.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2500k till it dies, then


As others have mentioned, there's no big difference. This is from someone going from a 5ghz 2550K with 2x 5870s to a 4.7ghz 3570K with a 7950. Performance is very similar except the 3GB VRAM vs 1GB has helped tremendously.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> Are the profiles suppose to show up in CCC under Gaming/Application Profiles? I installed it, but there's nothing there.


all as it should be.


----------



## jimmyc1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> If you have DVI connector in your monitor use that.


Yes it has a DVi and a HDMI port on the monitor. Any reason to go DVI over HDMI?


----------



## Duggie Fre$h

Could you guys help me out? I was wondering if a Phenom II x4 955 @ 3.8 would bottleneck a Radeon 7950 @ 1920x1080. I would prefer not to change CPU before Haswell and I figure some of you guys who own 7950's could offer me insight.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jimmyc1*
> 
> Yes it has a DVi and a HDMI port on the monitor. Any reason to go DVI over HDMI?


I've had issues in the past with HDMI and computer monitors. DVI is a dedicated digital video signal whereas HDMI also carries audio which you typically don't need in a PC/monitor setup. Either should work but I'v noticed odd behavior with HDMI before. One thing I can say is that the DP connectors are useless on the 79XX cards. I get stupid "Display Resolution Not Optimal" errors on my S27A950D all the time...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Duggie Fre$h*
> 
> Could you guys help me out? I was wondering if a Phenom II x4 955 @ 3.8 would bottleneck a Radeon 7950 @ 1920x1080. I would prefer not to change CPU before Haswell and I figure some of you guys who own 7950's could offer me insight.


Should be fine with a single 7950...


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Duggie Fre$h*
> 
> Could you guys help me out? I was wondering if a Phenom II x4 955 @ 3.8 would bottleneck a Radeon 7950 @ 1920x1080. I would prefer not to change CPU before Haswell and I figure some of you guys who own 7950's could offer me insight.


No it wont


----------



## specopsFI

I've got an HDMI issue myself and since there's talk about it here, I'm just gonna shoot.

Anyone else got a problem with 7970 CF where Windows 7 shows multiple "AMD HDMI Output" devices? And by multiple I mean up to six, all but one of them listed as unavailable. This seems to be related to the fact that it takes ages to open Sound devices from control panel. Was the same on a fresh Windows install, too, and on both the 12.4 WHQL and the 12.7b.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Duggie Fre$h*
> 
> Could you guys help me out? I was wondering if a Phenom II x4 955 @ 3.8 would bottleneck a Radeon 7950 @ 1920x1080. I would prefer not to change CPU before Haswell and I figure some of you guys who own 7950's could offer me insight.


As long as you stay with a single card, it will be fine. It only starts bottlenecking once you get past the 6850CF territory.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> I've got an HDMI issue myself and since there's talk about it here, I'm just gonna shoot.
> Anyone else got a problem with 7970 CF where Windows 7 shows multiple "AMD HDMI Output" devices? And by multiple I mean up to six, all but one of them listed as unavailable. This seems to be related to the fact that it takes ages to open Sound devices from control panel. Was the same on a fresh Windows install, too, and on both the 12.4 WHQL and the 12.7b.


I did have that with my 5870CF setup before. I didn't even use the HDMI port back then. I was using DP and DVI. I just disabled all the HDMI audio outputs and it never caused me any problems. If you don't output sound via HDMI, I suggest you do the same.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Dont be surly. It wasn't meant to jab at your misfortune. I'm saying try a better card or another one. Just because you rma an item doesn't mean it's a bad company. lol derp derp


It was while, but i didnt saw. Who sad i RMA item? Card worked normal in games, it gave me lot of troubles in 2D, windows, zero power, stuttering when accessing GPU sensors, GPU acceleration problems and so on. I was not harsh, or something, i just said good for you. And i am actually happy to see someone without problem with these cards. In my system, it gave me 2D problems. I sold card and that is all story.

RMA is not easy going here, its actually very hard to get replacement.

And other guy who mentioned about Toxic HD 7970, its superb card, but unforunatly its not available in my country nor in my neighbour countries.

I actually had deal for MSI HD 7970 Lighting, but guy disappeared.

Why i have choosed HD 7870 CFX.
Its because i have read it has smallest number of issues compared to other CFX setups, and i just have bad habit having two cards, so i could not afford two HD 7970 or something similar, so i decided to try HD 7870 CFX.


----------



## Simkin

New Driver out, *12.8 WHQL*

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=4386367#post4386367

For me, i get black screen with mozilla, not the whole screen, just mozilla after browsing for some minutes.. i have tried to disable hardware acceleration now, so lets see

But i dont think AMD will EVER make a driver that not contain some black/grey/blue screen crash bug, i have lost fait.


----------



## BradleyW

I am yet to see issues with AMD drivers except the crysis 2 low performance issue on 6 series cards and the crossfire issue on 10.6 drivers when using HD 5 series cards in CF on BFBC2.

(I am a long term Nvidia user)


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I am yet to see issues with AMD drivers except the crysis 2 low performance issue on 6 series cards and the crossfire issue on 10.6 drivers when using HD 5 series cards in CF on BFBC2.
> (I am a long term Nvidia user)


My 7950 had random flicker issues in any game I played, but it was fine if I ran furmark or something like that. I tried it on two computers too.


----------



## Simkin

Some may not have problems, but there are ton of people who have blue/black/grey screen problems.

I have had AMD since X1900XT, then i had Two 2900 PRO and then a 4870X2, i didnt have a single problem before i got the 7970's.

The performance is awesome, and CFX is working really good now since the 12.6, but the issues with black/grey/ and sometimes BSOD, does not seem to go away, and mostly its while browsing, even if it can happen while gaming too.


----------



## pioneerisloud

I haven't had a single driver issue since release day on my 7970. Nor did I ever have a problem with my 4890, 4850, my other 4850, or my newly acquired 5750 (or any other AMD card).









I actually had more troubles with Nvidia drivers to be honest. Although my 580, 470, GTS 250, 9800's, 8800's and older all worked fine enough. Just had some issues with the drivers not responding and such with certain releases.

Meh, driver problems are overrated, I buy what's best in my price range.


----------



## dookiebot

I am a long time ATI user and never had a driver issue.... until I got my 7950.

From time to time - usually when I go to play a youtube video - the screen just turns to a bloody mess of lines and have to power the machine down by switching off the PSU. Has happened 3 times in the past month.

Never had driver issues with NVIDIA either. However NVIDIA has the only card that ever failed and cooked itself on me.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> I am a long time ATI user and never had a driver issue.... until I got my 7950.
> 
> From time to time - usually when I go to play a youtube video - the screen just turns to a bloody mess of lines and have to power the machine down by switching off the PSU. Has happened 3 times in the past month.


Are you overclocked, or stock? Do you have any sort of GPU utility programs running? What browser, and what settings?


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Are you overclocked, or stock? Do you have any sort of GPU utility programs running? What browser, and what settings?


I am overclocked- currently at 1040c/1350memory. I have GPUz and HWMonitor installed (usually just running HWmonitor). My temps in gaming get up to 62c now that I have added a 3rd fan to my case (used to get up to about 68c). Usually am playing L4D2, TF2, and Skyrim (heavily modded) and have had no issues in gaming. Plays those games like a champ it's just odd that I can browse the internet (latest IE) for a long time then once I go to Youtube something in the computer can't bare the stress







.
Come to think of it- since I have had my 7950 I can't play Steam videos in full screen (this is when I am checking out games to purchase) because it will become a slide show, that never happened before either getting this card either.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Are you overclocked, or stock? Do you have any sort of GPU utility programs running? What browser, and what settings?
> 
> 
> 
> I am overclocked- currently at 1040c/1350memory. I have GPUz and HWMonitor installed (usually just running HWmonitor). My temps in gaming get up to 62c now that I have added a 3rd fan to my case (used to get up to about 68c). Usually am playing L4D2, TF2, and Skyrim (heavily modded) and have had no issues in gaming. Plays those games like a champ it's just odd that I can browse the internet (latest IE) for a long time then once I go to Youtube something in the computer can't bare the stress
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Come to think of it- since I have had my 7950 I can't play Steam videos in full screen (this is when I am checking out games to purchase) because it will become a slide show, that never happened before either getting this card either.
Click to expand...

Try changing to stock clocks, and see if the issue persists. If it does, use the xcl and profiles method of overclocking instead. Try it at stock first, if it fixes it at stock, then PM me and I'll guide you through the xcl / profiles method. Too tired to write it up right now.


----------



## eternal7trance

Most people tend to ignore the flicker problem I am referring to and think it's the game or the card itself. I have a 670 to compare it to so I know that it must be driver related since i have two computers that do the same thing. I've seen a big thread about it too asking them to fix it.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

What is the average OC for reference 7970s? And which card is faster a 7970 at 1.2 GHz or 7950 can do 1.3 GHz?


----------



## General123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> What is the average OC for reference 7970s? And which card is faster a 7970 at 1.2 GHz or 7950 can do 1.3 GHz?


Probably the 7950, but its probably at 1.3v for 1300.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> What is the average OC for reference 7970s? And which card is faster a 7970 at 1.2 GHz or 7950 can do 1.3 GHz?


unless (and even sometimes still) you plan to water cool it, you simply cannot count on getting 1300mhz on a 7950 (or any gpu) 100%.


----------



## Arnotts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> What is the average OC for reference 7970s? And which card is faster a 7970 at 1.2 GHz or 7950 can do 1.3 GHz?


Average OC on 7970's on hwbot is 1215 on the core and 1706 on the memory.

For the 7950 it's 1167 and 1626.

A 7950 at 7970 clocks is only a few percent slower. If the 7950 has a core clock advantage of around 100mhz over the 7970 it'll probably perform better.

A 7950 for $330 is probably the best value high end card around. At 1100mhz on the core it'll be competing with a GTX 680. If you're lucky enough to be able to hit 1200 and above you're getting absolute top end performance at a VERY good price.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey guys, occasionally I get hard crashes with vertical lines going down my screen in different colors. Is it possible I had a bad graphics card, and if I do - how can I test it?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Hey guys, occasionally I get hard crashes with vertical lines going down my screen in different colors. Is it possible I had a bad graphics card, and if I do - how can I test it?


I got this issue with 12.6 and 12.7 drivers. 12.4 worked best for me. Or you can try 12.8 just out today.


----------



## Samurai707

Good thing 12.8 just came out








Didn't think I was having THAT many driver crashes, experienced them every now and then... lol








on 12.6, if I crash again maybe I'll revert to 12.4 and see what's going on (after maybe a little 12.8 funsies







)


----------



## switchblade

I fits not available from the AMD website I wont install it. The only time i have had any crashes was with a beta driver so I stay away from those as well and it was hard to remove certain left overs from the beta driver.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I fits not available from the AMD website I wont install it. The only time i have had any crashes was with a beta driver so I stay away from those as well and it was hard to remove certain left overs from the beta driver.


Good rule of thumb, but, with Bradley_W's uninstall guide, it's pretty easy to grab all that extra junk that isn't "Uninstalled" when doing a basic uninstall via control panel









Not trying to change your mind on using betas, just saying if you want to uninstall it, it takes less than 5 minutes


----------



## robert125381

*Has anyone done anything like this im thinking about it...*


----------



## Nemesis158

Just got myself another Sapphire 7970 from another user here on OCN. He bought his the day after i bought mine


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Good rule of thumb, but, with Bradley_W's uninstall guide, it's pretty easy to grab all that extra junk that isn't "Uninstalled" when doing a basic uninstall via control panel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not trying to change your mind on using betas, just saying if you want to uninstall it, it takes less than 5 minutes


I just use the new atiman uninstaller. Betas are for guinea pigs

[quote name="robert125381" url="/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-
hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/14530#post_17945658"]*Has anyone done anything like this im thinking about it...*
[/quote]

I am thinking of doing something similar but with white carbon fiber vinyl.


----------



## robert125381

i actually did that with matte vinyl and the vynyl vas kinda thick and it did not come out right i am thinking about ordering a sheet of blue to match my asus gen 3 mobo but i am running my rig on a bench so this still wont help i will have to see the red in the fan lol


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Drivers 12.x to 12.5 have flawed eyefinity plus crossfire support. Those drivers will bsod, usually right away. 12.6+ is supposed to have fixed this flaw but it hasn't for everyone obviously. The thing I would ask is you are sure yer stable in the same situation on RC11? If that is the case then it is the driver. Don't get disheartened. I still can't play Skyrim on three screens, it will randomly bsod lol regardless of the driver. AI Suite has nothing to do with this though that app will fubar hwinfo64 if you use that while AI Suite is on. That said, RC11 is the fastest driver for quads. How bad do you want that center taskbar position?


Thanks, I will get back on RC11.


----------



## BradleyW

So, where are the 12.8's?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *robert125381*
> 
> i actually did that with matte vinyl and the vynyl vas kinda thick and it did not come out right i am thinking about ordering a sheet of blue to match my asus gen 3 mobo but i am running my rig on a bench so this still wont help i will have to see the red in the fan lol


I am gonna do the whole shroud. The fan is gonna be red but thats ok My whole interior will be white carbon fiber. With white sleeves.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *robert125381*
> 
> i actually did that with matte vinyl and the vynyl vas kinda thick and it did not come out right i am thinking about ordering a sheet of blue to match my asus gen 3 mobo but i am running my rig on a bench so this still wont help i will have to see the red in the fan lol


use some of this on it:


----------



## robert125381

you have a link? i wanna prey it all but i afraid that a rattle can will be to thick and effect the fans preformance.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So, where are the 12.8's?


Guru leaked them, quick google search "12.8WHQL guru" will probably find it.


----------



## switchblade

I dont want to spray my fans. If there is any thickness or any fins that have become more heavy that the others during the process it will have an effect on the fan and may cause the fan to wobble a bit.


----------



## Snyderman34

Maybe someone here can help me. I have an ASUS HD 7970 DCii TOP, and for the life of me I cannot get BF3 to run most of the time. It wouldn't run at stock, so I downclocked it to reference speeds (925MHz) and it ran fine yesterday. Tried to play today and got frozen on a black screen after 20 minutes. Forget about Eyefinity, it just doesn't work. This only happens in BF3, though. I can play anything else and have no problems. I was going to WC and XFire, but right now I'm considering selling it off and going with something else (GTX680, maybe). Any ideas, something I haven't tried yet? I did try cleaning the drivers out and reinstalling them. Didn't really help

EDIT: I turned my settings from high to medium and now it's working perfectly at stock


----------



## ProgenitorX

Of course the 12.8 drivers come out on the day I decide to switch to 12.7 Beta. Well, let me know how you guys fare. I don't think I"ll swap drivers again so soon (unless they significantly improve Guild Wars 2).


----------



## Tomha

Well I have just switched to the latest 12.8 drivers, annoyingly it reset all my audio settings so I had to re-setup all of that. Secondly..Windows 7 Aero wont work for some reason, is anyone else getting this bug/has anyone else found a solution? Im stuck on the crappy windows 98 style


----------



## R35ervoirFox

Just upgraded to 12.8 dont' seem to be much different from 12.7.

I don't know how all you guys are managing to increase the voltage on the gigabyte windforce card, I've tried trixx, afterburner etc and there is no way at all to increase the voltage on this card.
Is it a problem with catalyst, do I have to use an earlier version, it's really confusing me now because this card is suppose to have voltage control.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R35ervoirFox*
> 
> Just upgraded to 12.8 dont' seem to be much different from 12.7.
> I don't know how all you guys are managing to increase the voltage on the gigabyte windforce card, I've tried trixx, afterburner etc and there is no way at all to increase the voltage on this card.
> Is it a problem with catalyst, do I have to use an earlier version, it's really confusing me now because this card is suppose to have voltage control.


12.8 should be identical to 12.7 with few minor tweaks and fixes (bugs).

Might need to add stuff to make afterburner work with voltage control.
some things was removed by amd driver team which requries fixing.


----------



## R35ervoirFox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> 12.8 should be identical to 12.7 with few minor tweaks and fixes (bugs).
> Might need to add stuff to make afterburner work with voltage control.
> some things was removed by amd driver team which requries fixing.


ye it's really annoying me, I tried 3 different bios'es and 3 different versions of afterburner, none I could get to unlock the voltage. Infact when I edited the config file. It wasnt' possible to change any value in afterburner.


----------



## Derko1

Have you disabled ULPS? That's the first thing I would check... then make sure you have actually gone into the Afterburner settings and set voltage to be adjustable. One of the middle settings in the first tab. I know obvious... but some times we overlook little things.


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R35ervoirFox*
> 
> Just upgraded to 12.8 dont' seem to be much different from 12.7.
> I don't know how all you guys are managing to increase the voltage on the gigabyte windforce card, I've tried trixx, afterburner etc and there is no way at all to increase the voltage on this card.
> Is it a problem with catalyst, do I have to use an earlier version, it's really confusing me now because this card is suppose to have voltage control.


I have a windforce too... great card, cooling is good and quiet! The only dissapointment is no VRM heatsinks but they don't go past 100 C anyway in my testing.

In MSI AB, you go into settings, and theres a checkbox to allow voltage control/monitoring.

After you get that sorted out, can you try this test out for me and tell me what you get?
http://www.overclock.net/forum/newestpost/1293678

Thanks in advance!


----------



## R35ervoirFox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Have you disabled ULPS? That's the first thing I would check... then make sure you have actually gone into the Afterburner settings and set voltage to be adjustable. One of the middle settings in the first tab. I know obvious... but some times we overlook little things.


No I didn't disable ULPS, but I've searched "EnableUlps" in the registry now and set 6/8 strings from 1 to 0
So I think ULPS is disabled now in registry.

Here are the rest of my settings.



http://imgur.com/D6CXG


----------



## ProgenitorX

Quick silly question: When installing new drivers for the same card, for those that use ATIMan, do you do a Quick Uninstallation or still use the Automated Uninstallation with that Next Generation stuff? Thanks!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R35ervoirFox*
> 
> No I didn't disable ULPS, but I've searched "EnableUlps" in the registry now and set 6/8 strings from 1 to 0
> So I think ULPS is disabled now in registry.
> Here are the rest of my settings.
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/D6CXG


Use Trixx.. It will allow you to check a box to disable ULPS. Also, you have to scroll down to see the voltage slider. This caught me out when I first used Trixx. If you've been messing around in your registry you may have mucked things up which would require a fresh install if you don't know what you are doing...


----------



## R35ervoirFox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Use Trixx.. It will allow you to check a box to disable ULPS. Also, you have to scroll down to see the voltage slider. This caught me out when I first used Trixx. If you've been messing around in your registry you may have mucked things up which would require a fresh install if you don't know what you are doing...


I don't even know why I disabled ulps, shouldn't effect wheither I can increase the voltage or not.

I tried trixx, it would only let me decrease the voltage not increase.


----------



## switchblade

Got a massive performance boost going to 12.6-12.8 in bf3. Anyone else see any difference even you guys who had the 12.7 beta?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProgenitorX*
> 
> Quick silly question: When installing new drivers for the same card, for those that use ATIMan, do you do a Quick Uninstallation or still use the Automated Uninstallation with that Next Generation stuff? Thanks!


I use auto


----------



## PureBlackFire

I will soon check out BF3, but I'm doing Just Cause 2 right now. here is my out of box results at max settings 1920x1080:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







gonna do some with my oc profiles right now.

edit: ran at 1125/1350mhz, 1175/1400mhz 1200/1500mhz and 1226/1525mhz:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!










Shogun 2 1920x1080 (1200/1500mhz):


Spoiler: default









Spoiler: all game setting maxed out in options menu


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So, where are the 12.8's?


http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx

Quote:


> Compatible Operating Systems
> 
> The latest version of the AMD Catalyst software suite is designed to support the following Microsoft Windows platforms:
> 
> Windows 8 32-bit version
> Windows 8 64-bit version
> Windows 7 32-bit version
> Windows 7 64-bit version
> Windows Vista 32-bit version
> Windows Vista 64-bit version
> Windows XP Professional
> Windows XP Home Edition
> Windows XP Media Center Edition
> Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
> Feature Highlights of the AMD Catalyst 12.8: Windows 8 support
> 
> AMD's first logo certified driver for Windows 8 production featuring support for the DirectX® 11.1 and the new WDDM 1.2 driver model:
> 
> Target-Independent Rasterization (TIR): TIR is a new rendering path that enables superior anti-aliasing in Direct3D driver applications.
> Native Stereo 3D Support: Windows 8 natively supports stereoscopic 3D gaming and videos via compatible applications.
> Unified Video API: Video playback has been integrated into the DirectX 11 API, enabling simultaneous video and gaming content. Transcoding performance may also be improved for supporting applications.
> Optimized screen rotation for rotation aware devices.
> Improved sleep/resume performance.
> Optimized GPU power consumption.
> Support for AMD features
> AMD Eyefinity
> OpenCL™
> OpenGL
> UVD
> AMD Dual Graphics / AMD CrossFire™ Technology
> AMD Overdrive
> AMD Catalyst Control Center / Vision Engine Control Center
> RESOLVED ISSUES
> 
> This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst 12.8 software suite.
> 
> Resolved Issues for the Windows 7 Operating System
> 
> Over/underscan settings are correctly restored on system reboot
> SolidWorks: Graphical corruption is no longer experienced
> Crysis Warhead: No longer crashes when launched in DirectX 10 mode
> System no longer hangs when resuming from sleep mode
> Audio is no longer disabled if the connected HDTV Is switched off/on
> Enabling dual graphics mode with a HD 7000 series product no longer displays green video playback
> Call of Duty- Black Ops : No longer hangs when loading a mission in DirectX 9 mode with Crossfire enabled
> Shogun 2: Flickering text is no longer experienced
> Star Wars - The Old Republic: In game cinematics no longer experience flicker when using the arrow keys
> Dirt Showdown: 8-Ball track no longer hangs with AMD Crossfire functionality enabled
> Max Payne 3: A black screen is no longer observed when launching game in DirectX 11 mode with AMD Crossfire functionality enabled
> Max Payne 3: Applying in game settings no longer causes the game to crash
> Resolved Issues for the Windows 8 Operating System (These issues were found in the Catalyst driver for the Windows 8 Preview)
> 
> Video playback using the Metro video player no longer shows green corruption
> Deus Ex - Human Revolution: Graphics corruption is no longer experienced during in game cinematics with AMD Crossfire functionality enabled
> Battlefield 3: game no longer crashes when AMD Crossfire functionality is enabled
> Need for Speed - The Run: game no longer crashes to the desktop
> Blocky video corruption no longer seen when using VLC
> System no longer hangs when using PowerDVD
> Green video corruption is no longer seen when using various video players
> Resolved Issues for the Windows XP Operating System
> 
> QQ Dancer: A black screen is no longer randomly experienced
> KNOWN ISSUES
> 
> The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced with the AMD Catalyst 12.8 software suite.
> 
> Known issues under the Windows 7 operating system
> 
> Max Payne 3: Lights may flicker when run in Direct X 11 mode in a triple AMD Crossfire configuration
> F1 2011: Vehicle textures may flicker when graphics profile is set to low
> Enemy Territory Quake Wars: Poor performance may be experienced with AMD Crossfire technology enabled
> Rage: Poor performance may be experienced with AMD Crossfire technology enabled
> Known issues under the Windows 8 operating system
> 
> Blocky corruption may be experienced when playing back Flash video content
> De-interlacing settings may not be applied to interlaced content when using MPC-HC and PowerDVD
> Civilization V: game may crash when run in DirectX 9 mode
> Total War - Shogun 2: game may experience random crashes
> Rage: game may experience random crashes
> Known issues under the Windows XP operating system
> 
> Diablo 3/Starcraft 2/World of Warcraft: Performance may be affected when run in windowed mode


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProgenitorX*
> 
> Quick silly question: When installing new drivers for the same card, for those that use ATIMan, do you do a Quick Uninstallation or still use the Automated Uninstallation with that Next Generation stuff? Thanks!


Quick is if you intend to install same generation drivers eg 12.8 to 12.8a.

I always use Automated Uninstallation (next generation) that will help you get rid of leftovers from badly installed beta drivers as well. Dont forget, AFTER the usage of atiman uninstalker AND prior to installation of new driver to check for any previous cards being left as hidden devices in your system!


----------



## ukic

J/w... Do you have to reinstall AMD CAPs after installing new drivers?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> J/w... Do you have to reinstall AMD CAPs after installing new drivers?


The concept is:
Uninstall drivers, cap etc by usage of atiman uninstaller only or independently if you use other way of uninstallation
then
install new driver
then reboot
then install CAP
then reboot


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> The concept is:
> Uninstall drivers, cap etc by usage of atiman uninstaller only or independently if you use other way of uninstallation
> then
> install new driver
> then reboot
> then install CAP
> then reboot


Ah ok. I always remove ati drivers using then remove profiles (using control panel), then use atiman uninstallater then install new driver/cap. But will try the concept







Ty.


----------



## PureBlackFire

BF3 64 player match on Strike at Karkand:


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Ah ok. I always remove ati drivers using then remove profiles (using control panel), then use atiman uninstallater then install new driver/cap. But will try the concept
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ty.


This is what i used to do until many months ago (normal uninstall and then atiman uninstaller), but atiman insisted in case i use his uninstaller to use it fully, meaning letting it do the whole job. So i use atiman uninstaller, sit back and enjoy


----------



## Snyderman34

Reckon I'll try these drivers real quick. BF3 started crashing on me again for no reason. Single screen, setting on medium at stock clock. If this won't make it stable, away it goes and off to the GTX680 I go. I hate complaining, but I've fought with the thing for about 3 months now and gotten nowhere.

EDIT: I found something about turning UPnP on the router so I tried that. Made it 10 minutes with no crashing, which is better than any other time. Gotta jet to work now, but I'll run it longer later. Seems it may have fixed it though. We'll find out


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> BF3 64 player match on Strike at Karkand:


What settings?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> This is what i used to do until many months ago (normal uninstall and then atiman uninstaller), but atiman insisted in case i use his uninstaller to use it fully, meaning letting it do the whole job. So i use atiman uninstaller, sit back and enjoy


Btw, which version do you use? 7.0.2 is not working for me, getting uac errors but 6.3.1 is flawless


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> BF3 64 player match on Strike at Karkand:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What settings?
Click to expand...

max settings of course.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Max settings with 4x MSAA at 1080p 62 FPS average on Strike at Karkand? Is your card running at 1300Mhz or something?









With these settings, I'd barely get 45 FPS average ( 1Ghz Core ).

The damn fast-made unoptomised B2K maps are extremely demanding... some spots, at least. Because of B2K maps, I play with Medium Settings, Ultra Textures, 2x MSAA, Low Post-AA, blur/HBAO OFF.

The game is capped at 65 FPS and as I said, the card is running at 1Ghz ( 1.056V ).


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Btw, which version do you use? 7.0.2 is not working for me, getting uac errors but 6.3.1 is flawless


I usually follow the moto of: "if it aint broken, dont fix it" but in this case, knowing how many improvements are included in version 7.0.2 i would suggest to disable uac and use 7.0.2

Please note that the latest 7.0.2 version (there where 3 versions of 7.02) is on post #2 here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread#post_16139547


----------



## Marioshi

The helicarrier arrived yesterday! Its amazing and huge. Any tips for a 7950 newb? Optimization etc? Its factory OCed to 900mhz so I assume its better to it leave it unflashed?


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Max settings with 4x MSAA at 1080p 62 FPS average on Strike at Karkand? Is your card running at 1300Mhz or something?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With these settings, I'd barely get 45 FPS average ( 1Ghz Core ).
> 
> The damn fast-made unoptomised B2K maps are extremely demanding... some spots, at least. Because of B2K maps, I play with Medium Settings, Ultra Textures, 2x MSAA, Low Post-AA, blur/HBAO OFF.
> 
> The game is capped at 65 FPS and as I said, the card is running at 1Ghz ( 1.056V ).


1200/1500mhz to be exact. my gtx 670 got 70fps avg on similar maps.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Max settings with 4x MSAA at 1080p 62 FPS average on Strike at Karkand? Is your card running at 1300Mhz or something?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With these settings, I'd barely get 45 FPS average ( 1Ghz Core ).
> The damn fast-made unoptomised B2K maps are extremely demanding... some spots, at least. Because of B2K maps, I play with Medium Settings, Ultra Textures, 2x MSAA, Low Post-AA, blur/HBAO OFF.
> The game is capped at 65 FPS and as I said, the card is running at 1Ghz ( 1.056V ).


probably he oc'ed his cpu as well.


----------



## PureBlackFire

derp. yea my cpu is at 4.6ghz.


----------



## Kokin

No problems on my end with the Official 12.8 drivers. My browser is a bit smoother when scrolling up/down compared to the July 19th drivers, but they are about the same when it comes to games (as they are the same exact video driver).


----------



## ProgenitorX

Double Post


----------



## ProgenitorX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Quick is if you intend to install same generation drivers eg 12.8 to 12.8a.
> I always use Automated Uninstallation (next generation) that will help you get rid of leftovers from badly installed beta drivers as well. Dont forget, AFTER the usage of atiman uninstalker AND prior to installation of new driver to check for any previous cards being left as hidden devices in your system!


How do I do that and what do I do once I find them? I noticed ATIMan mentioned my old 4870's.

Edit: Nevermind, I found how. I assume I just uninstall the previous cards.


----------



## yoyo711

Hello

Just got the Msi R7950 and I can not past 1025 mhz +20% on power limit


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> Hello
> Just got the Msi R7950 and I can not past 1025 mhz +20% on power limit


You need to overvolt if you want to get past 1ghz.







Mine gets to about 1040 before I need to overvolt.


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> You need to overvolt if you want to get past 1ghz.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine gets to about 1040 before I need to overvolt.


How to overvolt ??????????????????

Please let me know

Thanks


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> How to overvolt ??????????????????
> Please let me know
> Thanks


There is option in MSI Afterburner.

First you need to unlock voltage control in MSI AB settings.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProgenitorX*
> 
> How do I do that and what do I do once I find them? I noticed ATIMan mentioned my old 4870's.
> Edit: Nevermind, I found how. I assume I just uninstall the previous cards.


Yes, make sure you uninstall previous cards prior to installation of new driver!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

How long is AMD going to hold off for the Price drops? Im sure know one really knows but is there any speculation? Anyways Im limited on funds atm & I only have $330.00 total to spend. I was going to get a 660ti because I really like physx and the 670 is a bit out of my range now so I had to cancel the order.

The only 7950 is a HIS Variant on sale for 6% off that brings it to $328.99 I am wondering if it will be any good to go with

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161400


----------



## Codaisayoda

Somebody should make a cool logo or something to put in the club members signature


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> There is option in MSI Afterburner.
> First you need to unlock voltage control in MSI AB settings.


Just unlock the voltage but how can i unlock the Core clock ???? I can not pass 1100Mhz
and what voltage start for 1100mhz ????

Thanks you


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Would any of you buy a Visiontek 7970 with 4 games for $369.00? Newegg is having a sale atm for 12% off

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129264


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Would any of you buy a Visiontek 7970 with 4 games for $369.00? Newegg is having a sale atm for 12% off
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129264


If I had the money, I'd be buying at least 12 of those right now, maybe more. But alas, I don't....so I'm having to build myself up to that point one card at a time.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Would any of you buy a Visiontek 7970 with 4 games for $369.00? Newegg is having a sale atm for 12% off
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129264


nah. I'll probably never buy another reference card, especially AMD, and I own all of those games already.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> If I had the money, I'd be buying at least 12 of those right now, maybe more. But alas, I don't....so I'm having to build myself up to that point one card at a time.


^this. i have a visontek 6870 and the quality is superb. can't tell you about their customer service because i never had to call them. like my gpu, that thing has lifetime warranty. just make sure you register it asap.too bad i just bought my 7950 (gift card)









EDIT: the savings can channeled to one of these someday . . .

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_999&products_id=33831


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> nah. I'll probably never buy another reference card, especially AMD, and I own all of those games already.


are reference cards that bad? i know aftermarket cooling is better but would this cause any real issues?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> nah. I'll probably never buy another reference card, especially AMD, and I own all of those games already.
> 
> 
> 
> are reference cards that bad? i know aftermarket cooling is better but would this cause any real issues?
Click to expand...

Other than noise, no...there's nothing wrong with reference cards.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> nah. I'll probably never buy another reference card, especially AMD, and I own all of those games already.
> 
> 
> 
> are reference cards that bad? i know aftermarket cooling is better but would this cause any real issues?
Click to expand...

It's just the noise and aesthetics really. I don't like the design of the cooler. the color is fine, though I'd be inclined to coordinate lol. the noise is the real issue. AMD reference cards are often of better build quality than all but a small few custom cards from AIB's.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I was just reading about Visiontek and it seems they dont like to honor the warranty and customer service is horrible. I may end up picking up the HIS 7950 for 328. There is a Visiontek 7950 for $319 but im concerned about RMA if it ever has to be


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I was just reading about Visiontek and it seems they dont like to honor the warranty and customer service is horrible. I may end up picking up the HIS 7950 for 328. There is a Visiontek 7950 for $319 but im concerned about RMA if it ever has to be


the twin frozr III seems to be a bad batch and out of the 4 people I know that bought the xfx model at $300, 3 were DOA. too much hit/miss with the cheaper 7950 models imo. gigabyte has one of the best cards (and the least horror stories/complaints) with almost every performance class gpu this round so they are also a good option.


----------



## ProgenitorX

These 12.8 drivers were working great, but the audio via HDMI keeps messing up.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> the twin frozr III seems to be a bad batch and out of the 4 people I know that bought the xfx model at $300, 3 were DOA. too much hit/miss with the cheaper 7950 models imo. gigabyte has one of the best cards (and the least horror stories/complaints) with almost every performance class gpu this round so they are also a good option.


Would you say Sapphire or Gigabyte then. I have spent all day debating im ready to order. Sapphire is 950 core and the gigabyte is 900 core. If you had to choose right now which one would you get. Im getting tired of debating


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> the twin frozr III seems to be a bad batch and out of the 4 people I know that bought the xfx model at $300, 3 were DOA. too much hit/miss with the cheaper 7950 models imo. gigabyte has one of the best cards (and the least horror stories/complaints) with almost every performance class gpu this round so they are also a good option.
> 
> 
> 
> Would you say Sapphire or Gigabyte then. I have spent all day debating im ready to order. Sapphire is 950 core and the gigabyte is 900 core. If you had to choose right now which one would you get. Im getting tired of debating
Click to expand...

well you know which card I have and you've seen my results. it may seem biased, but based on experience, sapphire has been the best AMD card maker since I started building my own pc 10 years ago. the gigabyte is a good option based on many reviews as well. these two specifically are the best 7950 cards. they win on temps, acoustics, overclocking and performance over all the other models. others may be cheaper, but as you've experienced, the deal may be too good to be true.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Would any of you buy a Visiontek 7970 with 4 games for $369.00? Newegg is having a sale atm for 12% off
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129264


I got my Visiontek HD 7970 when they offered 6 games free for the same price. So far so good







Btw, these aren't lifetime warranty. It's only 3 years warranty for black box when registered within 30 days and 1 year if not. The white retail box is the lifetime warranty one .


----------



## ProgenitorX

Have any of you ever had a missing Overdrive tab? After reinstalling the 12.8 drivers a second time, it vanished. I can't overclock my card, which I know is at stock now based on the scores I'm getting in Heaven. Can someone help? I made a thread with more detail here. I've already tried reinstalling after this with no luck.

Also, I ran HWInfo and got this:



Yet, I can run Heaven just fine. Looks like the system is seeing my integrated card instead of my 7970 but my 7970 is actually doing the work.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Would you say Sapphire or Gigabyte then. I have spent all day debating im ready to order. Sapphire is 950 core and the gigabyte is 900 core. If you had to choose right now which one would you get. Im getting tired of debating


If you are shopping on Newegg the gigabyte is cheaper technically with a rebate. So it's up to you. They both have great contact with VRM/Memory as well compared to the MSI.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Would you say Sapphire or Gigabyte then. I have spent all day debating im ready to order. Sapphire is 950 core and the gigabyte is 900 core. If you had to choose right now which one would you get. Im getting tired of debating


Both cards receive alot of praise. I prefer the Sapphire 950mhz HD7950. Cool thing about it is if you need a good water block you can choose from any of the many reference HD7970 blocks.

I just got a Watercool HEATKILLER® GPU-X³ 79X0 Ni-Bl


----------



## neopunx

Hi, I got one. Its Nice.


----------



## pfunkmort

I recently upgraded to 12.8...not because it was just released, but because I just wiped my system. To my chagrin, I can't OC in AB with the unofficial OC method.

I think it's something about 12.8 missing 2 .dll, isn't it? They removed them a while ago. Is there a link floating around with the .dlls (didn't see them on the front page)? or should I install RC11 and 12.8 over it?


----------



## Johnny Utah

I just loaded 12.8 too. I've been running 12.4 for awhile and using AB 2.2.1.

Anyway things changed in AB 2.2.3 and/or Catalyst >12.4.

You need to close AB.
Right-click on the AB shortcut.
Under target add -xcl after the ".
Start AB again and you should be prompted to reboot.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> Just unlock the voltage but how can i unlock the Core clock ???? I can not pass 1100Mhz
> and what voltage start for 1100mhz ????
> Thanks you


Wasnt online, sorry for slow response.

Anyway, for core higher than 1.1 GHz you need to do it with-xcl command, i personally dont know what exactly has to be done.
So you need to ask someone else.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> I recently upgraded to 12.8...not because it was just released, but because I just wiped my system. To my chagrin, I can't OC in AB with the unofficial OC method.
> I think it's something about 12.8 missing 2 .dll, isn't it? They removed them a while ago. Is there a link floating around with the .dlls (didn't see them on the front page)? or should I install RC11 and 12.8 over it?


Should be easy to find the .dll files using Google. I currently don't have a link, but I have the files themselves. PM me if you'd like them sent to you.

As mentioned, once you paste the 2 .dll files in the MSI AB folder, you can add -xcl to the shortcut and once you start MSI AB and it will prompts you to reboot. Before you reboot, make sure you delete the -xcl or else it will always prompt you to reboot. Once you reboot, it will unlock the clocks.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Just bought one of these!
It's replacing my 6850 Crossfire. Hoping that it'll be a nice upgrade, (Drivers are annoying). It should be quieter and use less power.

First time with HIS, it was $300 AUD which is cheaper than a 7870 and almost as cheap as some of the nicer 7850's.
It's a HIS IceQ 3GB with a nice stock OC of 900MHz, hoping that i'll run BF3 nicely now!








Expecting this Tuesday/Wednesday

EDIT: What is the card like overall and what are HIS like with their 2 year warranty?


----------



## pfunkmort

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Should be easy to find the .dll files using Google. I currently don't have a link, but I have the files themselves. PM me if you'd like them sent to you.
> As mentioned, once you paste the 2 .dll files in the MSI AB folder, you can add -xcl to the shortcut and once you start MSI AB and it will prompts you to reboot. Before you reboot, make sure you delete the -xcl or else it will always prompt you to reboot. Once you reboot, it will unlock the clocks.


Phenomenal. A quick search on google actually yielded a small patcher in some thread here on OCN (I had searched before, but used different strings this time). Fingers crossed that it will work, but it did prompt me to reboot as you were saying, so I'm pretty sure that it's right on. +rep


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Just bought one of these!
> It's replacing my 6850 Crossfire. Hoping that it'll be a nice upgrade, (Drivers are annoying). It should be quieter and use less power.
> First time with HIS, it was $300 AUD which is cheaper than a 7870 and almost as cheap as some of the nicer 7850's.
> It's a HIS IceQ 3GB with a nice stock OC of 900MHz, hoping that i'll run BF3 nicely now!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Expecting this Tuesday/Wednesday
> EDIT: What is the card like overall and what are HIS like with their 2 year warranty?


HIS HD 7950 Iceq Turbo for 300 AUD. wow thats an amazing bargain. one of the best cooler designs

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=888&products_id=19857

here you can see tomshardware comparison of HD 7950 custom coolers and it rated the HIS IceQ Turbo as the best cooler.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7950-review-benchmark,3207-14.html

couple of reviews




http://www.guru3d.com/article/his-radeon-hd-7950-iceq-turbo-review/23


----------



## robnitro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> If you are shopping on Newegg the gigabyte is cheaper technically with a rebate. So it's up to you. They both have great contact with VRM/Memory as well compared to the MSI.


The gigabyte is great on cooling. It never goes above 70C, and yet still runs quiet, on auto the fans are at most 40%!

The only thing reviewers and I don't like is that the VRM's don't have a heatsink. But as they get a lot of air on them, they don't usually go above 80 C. In OCCT/kombustor I was able to get them to around 100C a few times. I looked around and found that these MOSFETs are safe up to 120C, so I suppose that is why they didn't put a heatsink on the VRM.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> I just loaded 12.8 too. I've been running 12.4 for awhile and using AB 2.2.1.
> Anyway things changed in AB 2.2.3 and/or Catalyst >12.4.
> You need to close AB.
> Right-click on the AB shortcut.
> Under target add -xcl after the ".
> Start AB again and you should be prompted to reboot.


By doing this, when I load msi ab, it asks for admin permission. When I click yes, nothing happenes.


----------



## ehpexs

Seems I got a card that doesn't overclock well. Right now I'm at 1100/1575 @1.125 volts.

She runs pretty hot too, about 98 degrees max


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I ordered a visiontek 7970 on egg for 370 shipped. Came with 4 games


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ehpexs*
> 
> Seems I got a card that doesn't overclock well. Right now I'm at 1100/1575 @1.125 volts.
> She runs pretty hot too, about 98 degrees max


Reduce the clocks and put it back at default voltage before you do permanent damage. Anything above 85c is just not good for long term use.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ehpexs*
> 
> Seems I got a card that doesn't overclock well. Right now I'm at 1100/1575 @1.125 volts.
> 
> She runs pretty hot too, about 98 degrees max


MSI 7950 is a huge disappointment.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I just tried 12.8 WHQL and my experience with QuadFire 7970 is still a no-go. Instant freeze during the first minutes of play. I have no luck with all the 12.x drivers but the 8.921.2 RC11 is still the best.


----------



## Imprezzion

Meh, I just thought i'd see what my 7970 can do, but it hits a voltage wall at ~1240Mhz








I used the new 12.8 drivers with afterburner 2.2.2.
Cards a sapphire reference 7970 with a Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970 on it with the original fans replaced by 2 2000RPM Enermax Appolish Vegas 120mm's.

I always ran it at 1200Mhz with 1.200v and the VRAM at 1575Mhz with a UNDERvolt of 1.55v. Super stable and PLENTY of FPS in BF3 and such even on max settings (AA forced to 2x AAA in CCC and using FXAA injector).

Well, since the ambients here are ~29c now I thought i'd see what my Arctic Accelero 7970 was worth for real. So, I loaded up Heaven 3.0, maxed it out (extreme tesselation, 16x AF, 8x AA, all filters enabled), started it up and first just jammed voltage to max, 1.299v, to see how hot it would get. MSI AB and AIDA64 Extreme (for VRM temps since AB can't read that) gave pretty proper readings and I was satisfied to see that cooling 1.30v was very well do-able. Had the Enermaxes on 100% fanspeed cause my casefans and CPU fans are the same fans or the 140mm version and I am used to running 100% on all fans while gaming anyways. <3 fancontrollers..

So, recap: 1.299v, 1200Mhz core, 1740Mhz VRAM with 1.625v on the VRAM.
I hit 68-71c on the core and about 86-92c on the VRMs. Well, VRM's are hot but this is waay below the dangerzone so.. Safe to run.

Then, I slowly increased GPU clocks to find out that at just 1280Mhz the card already crashed in a black screen with looping sound.
Now, the highest I can run for ~30 minutes and for a few runs of 3dm11 is 1260Mhz, with voltage maxed.

I can also run 1230Mhz with 1.212v but as soon as I go anywhere near 1240Mhz I have to up the voltage very rapidly







.

Does this mean I just hit the end of the silicone lottery and this card is average at best, or am I just doing something wrong.

Yes, I know you will suggest using lower VRAM clocks then the ones I tested with but that makes no difference. Even VRAM at stock speeds & voltages gives the exact same behavior.

EDIT1:
Aiiiight. Even though 1260Mhz with 1.299v is Heaven and 3dmark stable, it pretty much INSTANTLY crashed in BF3 multiplayer. That, I did not expect. I'll continue testing with BF3 MP since that's the most demanding I play.

EDIT: It's the VRM's. Corrently running 1237mV @ 1230Mhz core and in BF3 my VRM's sit at around 85-90c but in the menu, where load is flatout 99% and the drawn amperage hits 170 amps, the VRM's rapidly towards 100c only to stabilize at 99-103c. Well, if I run 1.299v through them, I bet they go well over 120c under this load with these ambients. The AAX7970 once again lives up to it's expectations. Core temps are very good, but the VRM temps blow monkeynuts.

Can I safely run 1.237mV with VRM';s sitting at 85-105c depending on load, 105c being absolute worst case with very high ambients?


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> By doing this, when I load msi ab, it asks for admin permission. When I click yes, nothing happenes.


That's weird. I've never had AB ask me for admin permission. Not sure what the problem could be with your setup unfortunately.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I just tried 12.8 WHQL and my experience with QuadFire 7970 is still a no-go. Instant freeze during the first minutes of play. I have no luck with all the 12.x drivers but the 8.921.2 RC11 is still the best.


Most probably you have already tried this, but still allow me to ask...

Have you reinstalled CAPs after new drivers installation and rebooted afterwards?


----------



## Imprezzion

Damn, VRM's just hit 103c in BF3.. man oh man. I really needa fix these VRM temps wiith those crappy Arctic sinks...


----------



## Andrazh

http://www.swiftech.com/HD7900-HSF.aspx

Try this. When i had 7950 i though about buying this.


----------



## ukic

Hmmm my first black/blank screen after 12.8 drivers... hope it was just a fluke...


----------



## Snyderman34

Cleaned out the old drivers, installed 12.8 and ran the card at 925MHz for a base. Ran BF3 in single screen and Eyefinity on medium setting no crashes. Also, I disabled the UPnP on my router and oddly enough that does seem to have helped. Hopefully it's not a placebo effect


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> http://www.swiftech.com/HD7900-HSF.aspx
> Try this. When i had 7950 i though about buying this.


Will my accelero fit inside that hole?
I know it won't fit in the reference cooler baseplates hole.

If it fits i'm buying it cause my card can do 1300Mhz+ with 1.299v but the VRM's make the card black screen within 1-2 minutes running that kinda juice.

I got a spare accelero laying around with busted up screwthreading so I can use that as a mock-up or as a measuring device if only I knew how big that hole is and how high the fins are


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Damn, VRM's just hit 103c in BF3.. man oh man. I really needa fix these VRM temps wiith those crappy Arctic sinks...


You should try to re-mount the cooler/small VRM heatsink, or mount them and wait 24-48 hours before putting card back in the case.

I have two friends with same card and cooler, and they VRM are at about 70C-75C.


----------



## Imprezzion

Yeah, 75c, but what ambient and what voltage.
It's 29c ambient here and i'm running 1.237v now.
At the stock 1.112v they also do about 65-70c with this ambient.
Problem I got is that with the reference cooler, 1.299v is do-able with VRM temps, but with these sinks it aint.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Yeah, 75c, but what ambient and what voltage.
> It's 29c ambient here and i'm running 1.237v now.
> At the stock 1.112v they also do about 65-70c with this ambient.
> Problem I got is that with the reference cooler, 1.299v is do-able with VRM temps, but with these sinks it aint.


Ambient is higher, they are in Croatia. Its extremely hot here these days, passing 40C.

Dont know about voltages. But anyway 103C is just too much imho.


----------



## Imprezzion

Well, I managed to get the VRM's under 90c loaded by pulling off the Arctic cooling triple fan module and mounting 2 Scythe SLipstream 1600RPM 88CFM 120mm's to the cooler with a buncha rubber bands haha.

Dropped the core a good few degrees to 31c idle and 62c max loaded in BF3. Also made the VRM's drop from ~103c max to ~88c max.

Case has no window anyways so IDC how it looks. It performs pretty well.

If I have some vacation money to spare I might buy that Swiftech cooling plate to see if it fits and if it doesnt? Well, good reason to go WC and buy a pump, res, rad and a non-fullcover block.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Well, I managed to get the VRM's under 90c loaded by pulling off the Arctic cooling triple fan module and mounting 2 Scythe SLipstream 1600RPM 88CFM 120mm's to the cooler with a buncha rubber bands haha.
> 
> Dropped the core a good few degrees to 31c idle and 62c max loaded in BF3. Also made the VRM's drop from ~103c max to ~88c max.
> 
> Case has no window anyways so IDC how it looks. It performs pretty well.
> 
> If I have some vacation money to spare I might buy that Swiftech cooling plate to see if it fits and if it doesnt? Well, good reason to go WC and buy a pump, res, rad and a non-fullcover block.


Would you mind posting some pictures?









My Accelero also gets my VRM's toasty at about 98*C at 1.225v. If I could lower that, so I could push more voltage, I could get 1300 stable instead of 1200.


----------



## ElGreco

*NEW GPU-Z READS VRM TEMPS*

I see all these posts about vrm temps and would just like to mention that the new GPU-Z also shows vrm temps!

By the way... with reference air cooling my vrm temps are always 10C below the core temps. Lets hope that this will be the case after i install the swiftech waterblocks as well


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *NEW GPU-Z READS VRM TEMPS*
> 
> I see all these posts about vrm temps and would just like to mention that the new GPU-Z also shows vrm temps!
> 
> By the way... with reference air cooling my vrm temps are always 10C below the core temps. Lets hope that this will be the case after i install the swiftech waterblocks as well


where does it show vrm temps?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *NEW GPU-Z READS VRM TEMPS*
> 
> I see all these posts about vrm temps and would just like to mention that the new GPU-Z also shows vrm temps!
> 
> By the way... with reference air cooling my vrm temps are always 10C below the core temps. Lets hope that this will be the case after i install the swiftech waterblocks as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> where does it show vrm temps?
Click to expand...

AIDA 64 has always shown VRM temps, that's why I've got it going in my sidebar.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> where does it show vrm temps?


At the same tab it shows gpu temp, fan rpm etc

Quote from guru3d:
http://downloads.guru3d.com/GPU-Z-0.6.4-download-2883.html
...
Changed sensor label from "VReg Temperature" to "VRM Temperature"
Fix for sensors displaying Fahrenheit not being saved properly
*Added VRM temperature monitoring for CHL8228 based cards*
Fix for various crashes


----------



## BradleyW

Anyone have stuttering with corssfire in sleeping dogs?


----------



## GhettoB170

Hi All,

So I just picked up an open box sapphire 7970 OC from newegg and I noticed that it is supposed to take up more than 2 slots. Since my plan was to crossfire pretty soon here, I was wondering if putting a reference card in the top slot and putting the sapphire in the bottom will work. My board is an evga x58 SLI.

Assuming this will work, do I lose any performance switching brands? Is there a particular reference card that is best? (I assume they are all the same though) Or maybe some other non-reference card that will work with the sapphire.

Let me know what you guys think, thanks.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GhettoB170*
> 
> Hi All,
> So I just picked up an open box sapphire 7970 OC from newegg and I noticed that it is supposed to take up more than 2 slots. Since my plan was to crossfire pretty soon here, I was wondering if putting a reference card in the top slot and putting the sapphire in the bottom will work. My board is an evga x58 SLI.
> Assuming this will work, do I lose any performance switching brands? Is there a particular reference card that is best? (I assume they are all the same though) Or maybe some other non-reference card that will work with the sapphire.
> Let me know what you guys think, thanks.


I ve got no personal experience from the specific card, but perhaps you should also consider the fact that the top card in crossfire gets a lot hotter due to the lack of airflow, meaning that if you put the reference card on top will do so much noise that you will loose the benefit of the perhaps quiter other non reference (cooling wise) card.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Would you mind posting some pictures?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My Accelero also gets my VRM's toasty at about 98*C at 1.225v. If I could lower that, so I could push more voltage, I could get 1300 stable instead of 1200.


Well, here's some pics of the insides of the case, the card with cooler & fans (not removed from the PC)
A pic of ambient temps, idle temps and load temps with Heaven 3.0 on max settings.

Managed to get it under control pretty well temp wise even though my PC is far from quiet now. Then again, noise doesn't bother me. I use a headset for gaming or VERY big studio speakers for movies / music so..

I grouped the pictures in a IMGUR album and here's the link.
Pics are too high-res to just spam in here. People will get very slow loading times...








** Pics taken with my SE Xperia Arc w/ Arconium ICS 4.0 ROM **



http://imgur.com/a


I'll show the 4 most important pics below [Clickable for high-res].

Pic of idle / load temps [Shown with AIDA64 Extreme edition]:




As you can see it's only drawing about 130 amps and in BF3 this can go as high as 155 amps so VRM's do get up to about 80-85c under BF3.

Pics of the card / case as it is now:


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pfunkmort*
> 
> Phenomenal. A quick search on google actually yielded a small patcher in some thread here on OCN (I had searched before, but used different strings this time). Fingers crossed that it will work, but it did prompt me to reboot as you were saying, so I'm pretty sure that it's right on. +rep


Glad it worked out for you. Now get to overclocking that sucker!


----------



## pioneerisloud

@Imprezzion:
Bwahaha, I love it! You had to cut your HDD cages out too I see? Did that make your case all floppy too? Gosh, my case barely stands up on its own anymore since I cut those out.







I've decided a case that properly fits what I want (Fractal Arc or Define) is my next upgrade.

I got bored yesterday, so I did that "mod" on my Accelero as well, with two Sunon 125 CFM fans. Works really well. VRM full load (crunching) went from 110-112*C down to around 75-80*C.







That's at 1150 core / 1.175v. At 1200 core, I can now crunch (couldn't before, only game), and it loads at about 112*C on the VRM's with it, before it would hit 125*C almost immediately and crash.


----------



## Imprezzion

112c is still a bit over my comfortzone for VRM's but k.
About the HDD cage, well, it doesn't affect the cases stability at all. It's still stiff as a rock wierdly enough.

I figured it would fit since the card was ~300mm long with the Accelero and the room is ~304mm.
Only when I tried it it proved to be false hope. The heatpipes got stuck on the HDD cage edge







It would've fit if not for the darn edge / heatpipes.
Decided to remove the entire cage as I didn't use it at that time. Now I wish I hadn't cause I got too many SSD's. I really needa stop buying secondhand SSD's for almost nothing.. haha
Three are stuck together with tape and shoved in the bottom cage with a single 500GB HDD as a ''lid'' 2 racks above them. Works fine.
On top of that is the 4th SSD, a Agility 3.

Well, since the ambient outside is due to hit ~36c tomorrow I decided to revert to ''stock'' for now. Meaning 1550Mhz VRAM undervolted at 1.55v and 1100Mhz core undervolted at 1.100v.
Core gets up to about 54c and VRM's to about 60-65c in BF3.

Buuut, next week holds ambients of just over 20c so finally normal temps again plus the fact I am recieving a 5.2Ghz 250k monday or tuesday means i'm leaving my GPU as it is for now..
I wanna see if that beastly Phanteks can do 5.2Ghz on that previously watercooled baby without breaking 80c in Prime 95 / LinX AVX


----------



## Nemesis158

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I just tried 12.8 WHQL and my experience with QuadFire 7970 is still a no-go. Instant freeze during the first minutes of play. I have no luck with all the 12.x drivers but the 8.921.2 RC11 is still the best.


I have freezing issues as well unless i load up a custom fan profile, i think maybe your cards get used better with the new drivers and they are heating up more. once i load up a custom fan profile, i never get graphics driver crashes.


----------



## BradleyW

Any idea where I can buy VRM cooling for my 7970's in the UK?


----------



## mltms

who mutch Power Consumption if i set my voltt 1.25 amd 7950


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> who mutch Power Consumption if i set my voltt 1.25 amd 7950


My god, do all 301 posts from you have this horrible grammar / spelling?

Ehm, my 7970 does about 160 amps on that voltage, meaning roughly 200-210w of power consumption. This is measures solely on BF3 and what I saw as highest in AIDA64.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> My god, do all 301 posts from you have this horrible grammar / spelling?
> Ehm, my 7970 does about 160 amps on that voltage, meaning roughly 200-210w of power consumption. This is measures solely on BF3 and what I saw as highest in AIDA64.


Not cool man.^ His main language may not be English. Lets not try to embarrass any of our colleagues, We all have something in common and that's our appreciation for these great cards. Lets not dampen anyone's spirits and cause them to stop coming here for help.


----------



## Wattser93

Are any other users experiencing flashes of black shortly after startup on 12.8? Mine happen about 5 seconds after I make it to my desktop. They happen only on startup and not after that.


----------



## Matt-Matt

So I'm about to pay for a HIS Radeon 7950 3GB it's the IceQ Turbo, are these any good? I know a single one beats 2x 6850s and even 2x 560ti's.
What are HIS like with warranties also?

I'm selling my 6850's for a small loss for this upgrade, I'm hoping that it should run BF3 on ultra or close enough to.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Ive read alot about the HIS 7950 IceQ as I was going to buy it also and this is what I got out of reviews

+ IceQ HSF assembly is good
+ Fan on auto is virtually silent
+ Excellent build quality
+ Excellent performance 
+ Factory overclocked to 900MHz
+ Variety of outputs: Mini Display Port, DVI-I and HDMI
+ Good power consumption
+ Support for 2/3/4-way CrossFire

Quote:


> *Best Cooling Performance: HIS HD 7950 IceQ Turbo*
> 
> The DHE cooling solution on HIS' HD 7950 IceQ Turbo really works. Not only does it cool well, but it outperforms the thermal solutions of the other cards we tested. It also manages to beat them in the gaming benchmarks without generating that much extra noise.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Why not go for a 950 core Sapphire 7950? are you getting the HIS at a lower price or what? All i can say about warranty is that its 2 years
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991
> 
> Ive read alot about the HIS 7950 IceQ as I was going to buy it also and this is what I got out of reviews
> 
> + IceQ HSF assembly is good
> 
> + Fan on auto is virtually silent
> 
> + Excellent
> build
> 
> quality
> 
> + Excellent performance
> 
> + Factory overclocked to 900MHz
> 
> + Variety of outputs:
> Mini Display Port
> , DVI-I and HDMI
> 
> + Good power consumption
> 
> + Support for 2/3/4-way CrossFire


The HIS 7950 is $300 AUD and around $320 with shipping + CC.
A decent 7870 is $300+ and a 7850 is $275. I did find a nice MSI 7870 Hawk on eBay for $280 shipped. But I figured the 7950 was a better buy being new also.
I should be able to max BF3 though yes?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I edited my above post also for you to see. As to maxing out BF3 I cannot tell you for sure as I atm do not play BF3. I played through the single player with my gtx 580 but I have not touched the game since. Others may be able to help you there


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I edited my above post also for you to see. As to maxing out BF3 I cannot tell you for sure as I atm do not play BF3. I played through the single player with my gtx 580 but I have not touched the game since. Others may be able to help you there


So it's the coolest and among the quietest? I'm buying this right now!
It'll be a nice upgrade over my current setup, the only thing that dissapoints me is that a 660ti is actually a tad better in BF3, well from what I've seen a 660ti matches the core clocks of a 670/680 and that's all that stuff like 3Dmark seems to like.

What sort of overclocks should i expect? Alot? I also love how it turns the fan off when idle









EDIT: Also +rep for both posts, this has been a great help!









Just purchased. It costed me $6.24 more with CC fee's but I'd rather have that peace of mind then possibly miss out on this killer deal











So keen for Wednesday!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> So it's the coolest and among the quietest? I'm buying this right now!
> It'll be a nice upgrade over my current setup, the only thing that dissapoints me is that a 660ti is actually a tad better in BF3, well from what I've seen a 660ti matches the core clocks of a 670/680 and that's all that stuff like 3Dmark seems to like.
> What sort of overclocks should i expect? Alot? I also love how it turns the fan off when idle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Also +rep for both posts, this has been a great help!


I would not count on the 660ti honestly especially for future reference. The 660ti is all over the charts IMO. at times its no better then a single 7850 and barely keeps up with a 580. Its just not a future proof card and you will want something that is going to be able to handle future games such as crysis 3 and Metro Last Light.

Its already been proven that the 660ti once you start to apply any sort of AA the card really shows that it just cant keep up. A friend of mine returned his yesterday. It was a decent card but could not handle any real AA settings. IMO if you go with a 660ti your going to be left wanting more. you can OC the 7950 to match a 7970 on my MSI 7950 i hit 1025/1400 with stock voltage and possibly could of gone a bit higher on the memory. I did not get to test fully because my 7950s were both defective


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I would not count on the 660ti honestly especially for future reference. The 660ti is all over the charts IMO. at times its no better then a single 7850 and barely keeps up with a 580. Its just not a future proof card and you will want something that is going to be able to handle future games such as crysis 3 and Metro Last Light.
> 
> Its already been proven that the 660ti once you start to apply any sort of AA the card really shows that it just cant keep up. A friend of mine returned his yesterday. It was a decent card but could not handle any real AA settings


Yeah I know, having 2GB of vRam isn't too nice either.. I was stuck with 1GB for ages and well It sucked.
I'm happy with my purchase so far! I'll have this up and running for the holidays too!









The 660ti does well in benchmarks, but not great in games due to that memory interface. It costs more then a 7950 here too.. Which makes it hard to suggest, especially when a 670 2GB is only $40 more...

EDIT: Wow, so happy I did! I think I just got the lucky last! My order says "pending" and right after I ordered it said "sold out no ETA"


----------



## JayKaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah I know, having 2GB of vRam isn't too nice either.. I was stuck with 1GB for ages and well It sucked.
> I'm happy with my purchase so far! I'll have this up and running for the holidays too!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 660ti does well in benchmarks, but not great in games due to that memory interface. It costs more then a 7950 here too.. Which makes it hard to suggest, especially when a 670 2GB is only $40 more...
> EDIT: Wow, so happy I did! I think I just got the lucky last! My order says "pending" and right after I ordered it said "sold out no ETA"


PCCG ?

not a bad looking card I must say but does that fan make it more that double width?

I could have been really unlucky with my Sapphire Dual X cards there 2.5 slot and wouldn't fit side by side thank the lord for water...


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> The HIS 7950 is $300 AUD and around $320 with shipping + CC.
> A decent 7870 is $300+ and a 7850 is $275. I did find a nice MSI 7870 Hawk on eBay for $280 shipped. But I figured the 7950 was a better buy being new also.
> I should be able to max BF3 though yes?


I didn't see if anyone answered this or not, but I would think the 7950 should max BF3. I can run BF3 1600x900 (max my monitor does) on Ultra and keep it about 60 fps with my 7970, and they're not too far off each other.

On a side note, the 12.8 drivers worked wonders. BF3 on one monitor on Ultra and above 60 fps, and Eyefinity Ultra with a minimum of 40 fps. High settings keeps me around 60 the whole time. Only gripe though. When I run it on stock clocks (1000/1400) BF3 crashes. Downclock it to 925/1300, works perfect. Kind of strange, but I'll take it


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JayKaos*
> 
> PCCG ?
> not a bad looking card I must say but does that fan make it more that double width?
> I could have been really unlucky with my Sapphire Dual X cards there 2.5 slot and wouldn't fit side by side thank the lord for water...


Yes its a little bigger


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> I didn't see if anyone answered this or not, but I would think the 7950 should max BF3. I can run BF3 1600x900 (max my monitor does) on Ultra and keep it about 60 fps with my 7970, and they're not too far off each other.
> On a side note, the 12.8 drivers worked wonders. BF3 on one monitor on Ultra and above 60 fps, and Eyefinity Ultra with a minimum of 40 fps. High settings keeps me around 60 the whole time. Only gripe though. When I run it on stock clocks (1000/1400) BF3 crashes. Downclock it to 925/1300, works perfect. Kind of strange, but I'll take it


Try the Gigahertz bios or a voltage bump with afterburner. This will net you a bit more performance








The only problem is that your res is a fair bit less than mine (1920 x 1080), from the reviews (on older drivers) they're getting 44FPS absolutely MAXED on a 1920x1200? screen so if i turn the AA down a tad it should be a constant 60FPS.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JayKaos*
> 
> PCCG ?
> not a bad looking card I must say but does that fan make it more that double width?
> I could have been really unlucky with my Sapphire Dual X cards there 2.5 slot and wouldn't fit side by side thank the lord for water...


I've got my HAF 932 so I'll be set!








It doesn't fit in with my colour scheme but it doesn't bother me that much, because with the dust filters you can't even see the card(s) in my rig.

I also found out why this is cheap, AMD are releasing a new BIOS for reference cards and this might not be getting it. I don't really care though, it's only a 25MHz boost in my case








I can always try it, because it's got a BIOS switch too









EDIT: Yes it's from PCCG








EDIT2: My motherboard/case has a 1 slot gap between GPU's so technically I could fit two 3 slot cards in SLI/CFX









If I've missed out (theres a chance I have). I've got a 7870 Hawk for $280 shipped. It's still a good deal but not as nice :/


----------



## Kokin

Yes a 7950 will max out BF3 Ultra on a single 1080p screen. In fact, it will do it on 3x 1080p screens in Portrait mode with very little lag. However, if you do Landscape, Ultra becomes very laggy.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Try the Gigahertz bios or a voltage bump with afterburner. This will net you a bit more performance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The only problem is that your res is a fair bit less than mine (1920 x 1080), from the reviews (on older drivers) they're getting 44FPS absolutely MAXED on a 1920x1200? screen so if i turn the AA down a tad it should be a constant 60FPS.
> I've got my HAF 932 so I'll be set!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It doesn't fit in with my colour scheme but it doesn't bother me that much, because with the dust filters you can't even see the card(s) in my rig.
> I also found out why this is cheap, AMD are releasing a new BIOS for reference cards and this might not be getting it. I don't really care though, it's only a 25MHz boost in my case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can always try it, because it's got a BIOS switch too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Yes it's from PCCG
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT2: My motherboard/case has a 1 slot gap between GPU's so technically I could fit two 3 slot cards in SLI/CFX
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I've missed out (theres a chance I have). I've got a 7870 Hawk for $280 shipped. It's still a good deal but not as nice :/


So did you get the HIS Iceq HD 7950 Turbo or the 7870 Hawk. If you ordered the HIS Iceq HD 7950 at 300 AUD its a fantastic deal. Also don't bother with the HD 7950 Boost BIOS. If you are already at 900 Mhz with the HIS Iceq HD 7950 Turbo just manually overclock to 1 - 1.05 Ghz with AMD CCC or higher speeds with voltage tweaking. You should run at 60 fps avg easily maxed out in BF3.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Flex/31.html

BF3 1920 X 1200 4x AA

HD 7970(925) - 64.4
HD 7950 (1025 Mhz) - 69.7
GTX 680 - 71.8


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> So did you get the HIS Iceq HD 7950 Turbo or the 7870 Hawk. If you ordered the HIS Iceq HD 7950 at 300 AUD its a fantastic deal. Also don't bother with the HD 7950 Boost BIOS. If you are already at 900 Mhz with the HIS Iceq HD 7950 Turbo just manually overclock to 1 - 1.05 Ghz with AMD CCC or higher speeds with voltage tweaking. You should run at 60 fps avg easily maxed out in BF3.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Flex/31.html
> BF3 1920 X 1200 4x AA
> HD 7970(925) - 64.4
> HD 7950 (1025 Mhz) - 69.7
> GTX 680 - 71.8


He put an image up of the card he ordered above. He ordered the HIS IceQ Turbo was $299.99 and it came to $318.00 AUD


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> He put an image up of the card he ordered above. He ordered the HIS IceQ Turbo was $299.99 and it came to $318.00 AUD


Yeah, darn shipping + CC fees








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> So did you get the HIS Iceq HD 7950 Turbo or the 7870 Hawk. If you ordered the HIS Iceq HD 7950 at 300 AUD its a fantastic deal. Also don't bother with the HD 7950 Boost BIOS. If you are already at 900 Mhz with the HIS Iceq HD 7950 Turbo just manually overclock to 1 - 1.05 Ghz with AMD CCC or higher speeds with voltage tweaking. You should run at 60 fps avg easily maxed out in BF3.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Flex/31.html
> BF3 1920 X 1200 4x AA
> HD 7970(925) - 64.4
> HD 7950 (1025 Mhz) - 69.7
> GTX 680 - 71.8


Good to know, what does a 7870 run it like?








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yes a 7950 will max out BF3 Ultra on a single 1080p screen. In fact, it will do it on 3x 1080p screens in Portrait mode with very little lag. However, if you do Landscape, Ultra becomes very laggy.


Woah, I really do hope I get this..

It's ordered but as I ordered it went out of stock.. I don't know if this means I'll be getting the last card or I missed out.
I'll be checking my emails every hour or so tonight, but I posted on their wall on Facebook asking that if it's pending if I'll get it or not. I'll know for sure by tomorrow.

I'll be jumping on that MSI 7870 Hawk at $280 if I don't get it








I might ring PCCG and see what they have to say, see if I can get a 7950 from another vendor at a discount or something. (Maybe pay like an exxtra $20 for a MSI one)


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, darn shipping + CC fees
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good to know, what does a 7870 run it like?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Woah, I really do hope I get this..
> It's ordered but as I ordered it went out of stock.. I don't know if this means I'll be getting the last card or I missed out.
> I'll be checking my emails every hour or so tonight, but I posted on their wall on Facebook asking that if it's pending if I'll get it or not. I'll know for sure by tomorrow.
> I'll be jumping on that MSI 7870 Hawk at $280 if I don't get it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I might ring PCCG and see what they have to say, see if I can get a 7950 from another vendor at a discount or something. (Maybe pay like an exxtra $20 for a MSI one)


if your order was confirmed it means you grabbed the card before it went out of stock.







yeah it would help if PCCG confirmed that your order is going to ship. About MSI HD 7870 Hawk performance

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/HD_7870_HAWK/31.html

BF3 1920 X 1200
HD 7870 (1.1 Ghz) - 52
HD 7870 OC(1.26 Ghz / 6.4 Ghz memory) - 62.5


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> if your order was confirmed it means you grabbed the card before it went out of stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeah it would help if PCCG confirmed that your order is going to ship. About MSI HD 7870 Hawk performance
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/HD_7870_HAWK/31.html
> BF3 1920 X 1200
> HD 7870 (1.1 Ghz) - 52
> HD 7870 OC(1.26 Ghz / 6.4 Ghz memory) - 62.5


It's not confirmed..








It's "Pending" grr, why can't PCCG just process stuff the second they receive payment?


----------



## Kokin

I hope the best for you, but try to go for the 7950 as much as you can. I just bought mine used for $280 and it's amazing.


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Try the Gigahertz bios or a voltage bump with afterburner. This will net you a bit more performance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The only problem is that your res is a fair bit less than mine (1920 x 1080), from the reviews (on older drivers) they're getting 44FPS absolutely MAXED on a 1920x1200? screen so if i turn the AA down a tad it should be a constant 60FPS.


My issue is I have the DC2 TOP, which I'm pretty sure is voltage locked. And it's already running at 1GHz, or is there another BIOS? I don't have much of a complaint running it at the 925/1300 since everything works, and with another card put with it I'm sure it'll be fine.

...now that I've committed OCN blasphemy, I think I'll look into it after work


----------



## snipekill2445

Hey guys, I'm looking at getting a better card. I just want to know if a 7950 Windforce x3 will be able to OC to achieve the same performance of a Windforce x3 7970.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snipekill2445*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm looking at getting a better card. I just want to know if a 7950 Windforce x3 will be able to OC to achieve the same performance of a Windforce x3 7970.


7950s at around 1ghz core will achieve 7970 (at 925mhz core) performance. 7950s need to get to about 1070+ to reach the 7970 Ghz Edition performance.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *snipekill2445*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm looking at getting a better card. I just want to know if a 7950 Windforce x3 will be able to OC to achieve the same performance of a Windforce x3 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 7950s at around 1ghz core will achieve 7970 (at 925mhz core) performance. 7950s need to get to about 1070+ to reach the 7970 Ghz Edition performance.
Click to expand...

Actually at 1000 core, the 7950 is ever so slightly faster (not much, but just a tiny TINY bit) than a stock 7970 at 925.

But yes, a 7950 at 1100+ which is super easy will easily meet or beat a stock GHz 7970.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snipekill2445*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm looking at getting a better card. I just want to know if a 7950 Windforce x3 will be able to OC to achieve the same performance of a Windforce x3 7970.


a HD 7950 needs atmost 75 Mhz more clock to match a HD 7970. So a 1 Ghz HD 7950 will match a HD 7970 (925). A HD 7950 (1125) will match a HD 7970 Ghz (1050 Mhz)


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> if your order was confirmed it means you grabbed the card before it went out of stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeah it would help if PCCG confirmed that your order is going to ship. About MSI HD 7870 Hawk performance
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/MSI/HD_7870_HAWK/31.html
> BF3 1920 X 1200
> HD 7870 (1.1 Ghz) - 52
> HD 7870 OC(1.26 Ghz / 6.4 Ghz memory) - 62.5


This shows how HD 7870 is limited by bus. But also shows how entire Tahiti chip is limited by its ROP number. AMD needs to increase ROP numbers ASAP.

But anyway HD 7870 is great card, i ordered one.
I will order second one for CFX soon.


----------



## snipekill2445

Ok then thanks guys, If I do buy a 7950 I've saved my self like $120.00 off the 7970


----------



## Andrazh

I think its more likely for 7970 to hit 1300 than 7950 or am i wrong?

So with 7970 you gain more shaders+higher clock.


----------



## chaozzzsg

I managed to use a lower VCORE to get a stable OC @ 1100 / 1450, my VCORE is at 1.131V by using the latest 12.8 driver!!!


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snipekill2445*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm looking at getting a better card. I just want to know if a 7950 Windforce x3 will be able to OC to achieve the same performance of a Windforce x3 7970.


have you seen this

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3499047&srkey=V261-7972%204%20GAMES

enter code DCZ69391 get $70 off comes out to $360

NVM your over seas


----------



## Arnotts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> have you seen this
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3499047&srkey=V261-7972%204%20GAMES
> enter code DCZ69391 get $70 off comes out to $360
> NVM your over seas


Tigerdirect ship internationally, and it's actually probably better for him to order from them rather than pay local NZ prices


----------



## Ukkooh

I updated to the 12.8 drivers and now i get black artifact looking things sometimes in Call of Duty 4. I have a HD 7970. Does anybody else get these with the 12.8 drivers in cod 4? I am worried that I have to RMA my card which means using the 3770k's integrated gpu for about a month. The odd thing is that I didn't have any problems running BF3 which is much more gpu intensive.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> I updated to the 12.8 drivers and now i get black artifact looking things sometimes in Call of Duty 4. I have a HD 7970. Does anybody else get these with the 12.8 drivers in cod 4? I am worried that I have to RMA my card which means using the 3770k's integrated gpu for about a month. The odd thing is that I didn't have any problems running BF3 which is much more gpu intensive.


Did you try rolling back to previous drivers to see if it goes away? Could just be the drivers


----------



## wirefox

12.8 + After burner 2.2.3 isn't working.

won't hold overclocked settings after saved .. once saved they default to 0 cor and 0 mem.

any one else seeing this happen? I feel like this happened a few driers back


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> It's not confirmed..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's "Pending" grr, why can't PCCG just process stuff the second they receive payment?


wondering on what happened did it go through?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> wondering on what happened did it go through?


It's "Processing" starting to look good, I really hope I don't get a call soon or an email


----------



## DaClownie

So, I'm very confused... my computer ran a perfectly stable 1300/1700 overclock on my Gigabyte 7970 under water. Load temps never went above mid 40s. Then, I started getting some random instability at those clocks, so I went into Afterburner to adjust it down to 1275/1675 for 3D (figured it was due to folding in the summer generating a bit too much heat for the loop), and now Afterburner won't save a single overclock. All my profiles once saved and loaded are stock clocks again.

Any idea why Afterburner would do this? I'm running CCC 12.8 drivers. I tried updating my afterburner from 2.2.0 to 2.2.3 to fix the issue, but same thing happens.


----------



## BradleyW

Crysis 2 runs very poor on my 7970's. The gameplay is choppy and stutters. I also have no end of flashing lights and textures, plus before an event, the system will stutter when loading. Also, when I move the mouse, the movement is very choppy.

Anyone else having issues with C2?
I get the same issues when running each card on it's own. I even reformatted the computer.


----------



## snipekill2445

Hmm seems odd, even Crysis 2 on my 6950 (which compared to 2 7970's is pathetic) runs fine, I even get around 30FPS on extreme settings, but that sometimes drops to 25 or so, but nonetheless it never seems choppy or laggy, and there isn't any microstutter.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Yeah, Crysis 2 runs just fine on my single 7970 without a problem at all. Very smooth 60+ FPS maxed out at 2560x1600 (don't remember if I had AA on or off).


----------



## snipekill2445

Goodness, you wouldn't even need AA at that resolution!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snipekill2445*
> 
> Goodness, you wouldn't even need AA at that resolution!


You'd be surprised actually. The pixel density on this 30" monitor is about the same as my old 23" 1080p panel was. So yeah, I do still need to use AA when I can afford to use it. I don't honestly mind disabling it though if i absolutely have to. I usually don't noticed the jaggies unless its on a really old title like Garry's Mod or something.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Crysis 2 runs very poor on my 7970's. The gameplay is choppy and stutters. I also have no end of flashing lights and textures, plus before an event, the system will stutter when loading. Also, when I move the mouse, the movement is very choppy.
> Anyone else having issues with C2?
> I get the same issues when running each card on it's own. I even reformatted the computer.


Try running off a single card.. That's all I can suggest.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> So, I'm very confused... my computer ran a perfectly stable 1300/1700 overclock on my Gigabyte 7970 under water. Load temps never went above mid 40s. Then, I started getting some random instability at those clocks, so I went into Afterburner to adjust it down to 1275/1675 for 3D (figured it was due to folding in the summer generating a bit too much heat for the loop), and now Afterburner won't save a single overclock. All my profiles once saved and loaded are stock clocks again.
> Any idea why Afterburner would do this? I'm running CCC 12.8 drivers. I tried updating my afterburner from 2.2.0 to 2.2.3 to fix the issue, but same thing happens.


Try re-installing afterburner, you could also try deleting all the afterburner settings etc in cache.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yeah, Crysis 2 runs just fine on my single 7970 without a problem at all. Very smooth 60+ FPS maxed out at 2560x1600 (don't remember if I had AA on or off).


Yeah, that's what I thought it'd be like.


----------



## snipekill2445

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I usually don't noticed the jaggies unless its on a really old title like Garry's Mod or something.


Garry's Mod O_O


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> So, I'm very confused... my computer ran a perfectly stable 1300/1700 overclock on my Gigabyte 7970 under water. Load temps never went above mid 40s. Then, I started getting some random instability at those clocks, so I went into Afterburner to adjust it down to 1275/1675 for 3D (figured it was due to folding in the summer generating a bit too much heat for the loop), and now Afterburner won't save a single overclock. All my profiles once saved and loaded are stock clocks again.
> Any idea why Afterburner would do this? I'm running CCC 12.8 drivers. I tried updating my afterburner from 2.2.0 to 2.2.3 to fix the issue, but same thing happens.
> 
> 
> 
> Try re-installing afterburner, you could also try deleting all the afterburner settings etc in cache.
Click to expand...

I uninstalled Afterburner, and then deleted the folder that contained the profiles after the uninstall. Still does it after installing the brand new version.

I'm so confused... I went from having a great clocking card to the software not allowing me to OC


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I uninstalled Afterburner, and then deleted the folder that contained the profiles after the uninstall. Still does it after installing the brand new version.
> I'm so confused... I went from having a great clocking card to the software not allowing me to OC


Hmmm, try re-installing older drivers?

Anyways.. I got the 7950! Last one!








It's shipping out tomorrow, I asked them on their facebook wall and they replied saying "Processing" means we have payment and you got the last one!
So happy, something has worked out for once!


----------



## vert5

Good evening gentlemen/ladies alike, I own a 7950 PCS+ and was wondering if anyone had removed the cooler in order to apply better compound. I just started overclocking this baby using Powercolor's Powerup Tuner and let me tell you so far the results are nothing less than impressive. 1100/1325 @ 1.178v I feel that with my temps staying well below 50c in games that I have more room to push. I would like to know what others who have the same card are getting. Thanks.


----------



## switchblade

using 12.8 with a single hd7970 and crysis performance is silky smooth with dx11 textures and everything maxed out


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vert5*
> 
> Good evening gentlemen/ladies alike, I own a 7950 PCS+ and was wondering if anyone had removed the cooler in order to apply better compound. I just started overclocking this baby using Powercolor's Powerup Tuner and let me tell you so far the results are nothing less than impressive. 1100/1325 @ 1.178v I feel that with my temps staying well below 50c in games that I have more room to push. I would like to know what others who have the same card are getting. Thanks.


If you can keep temps below 70c you can push for higher voltage and even 1300 Mhz if possible.


----------



## Matt-Matt

So what does the ASIC quality actually mean? I take it higher is better too?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> So what does the ASIC quality actually mean? I take it higher is better too?


It doesn't mean anything really. It's supposed to show how a card can OC but it's been proven wrong a lot.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> It doesn't mean anything really. It's supposed to show how a card can OC but it's been proven wrong a lot.


Oh okay, how do they get that figure? Kind of like a VID?
+ rep btw


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Oh okay, how do they get that figure? Kind of like a VID?
> + rep btw


It refers to electrical leakage level, lower leakage less voltage loss = more efficiency. That in itself however doesn't mean that particular wafer will overclock well, it just means it does more (achieve X clock) with less voltage (to an extent).


----------



## Kokin

Lower ratings mean higher leakage, which means it's better for watercooling or more extreme forms such as DICE or LN2. It doesn't give you any insight of overclocking the card though. My 65.8% ASIC rating didn't help overclock much over the stock cooler despite load temps being around 45~50C with a waterblock.

Takes me about 1.2~1.225v to get 1125mhz stable. I was hoping to get at least 1175~1200mhz though, but 1200mhz requires the max voltage of 1.3v.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Lower ratings mean higher leakage, which means it's better for watercooling or more extreme forms such as DICE or LN2. It doesn't give you any insight of overclocking the card though. My 65.8% ASIC rating didn't help overclock much over the stock cooler despite load temps being around 45~50C with a waterblock.
> Takes me about 1.2~1.225v to get 1125mhz stable. I was hoping to get at least 1175~1200mhz though, but 1200mhz requires the max voltage of 1.3v.


Wow that sucks. As you said though, chip lottery.


----------



## Kokin

Yeah I'm disappointed with the max overclocks of my card, but it performs well for Eyefinity and I have yet to face any AMD driver issues in the last 3 years. It just makes me happy that it can do everything I want it to (aside from having 3x DP ports) and it cost me as much as a 7870 as it was used.


----------



## snipekill2445

1.2ghz core clock, that isn't a bad OC at all, compared to some better cards sure, but yours is nothing short of excellent


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yeah I'm disappointed with the max overclocks of my card, but it performs well for Eyefinity and I have yet to face any AMD driver issues in the last 3 years. It just makes me happy that it can do everything I want it to (aside from having 3x DP ports) and it cost me as much as a 7870 as it was used.


Seeing as you are under water though, you do realise Trixx goes up to a target voltage of 1.38 and not the 1.3 of AB. You might want to give it a go. Mine @ 1300mhz is using 1.35 target, 1.3 actual.

If I was using a target voltage of 1.3, for reference, I could run 1250mhz on the core.


----------



## Imprezzion

I can't use TriXX for my sapphire card








The accelero makes it impossible to cool VRM's at anything above 1.250 target.

Currently maxed the card out at 1230Mhz core with 1.243v target and 1700Mhz VRAM with 1.625v target.
It's pretty stable this way.

Cannot go any higher cause at 1.268v, which is aprox. neccesary for 1250Mhz the VRM's shoot past 100c quite rapidly with these high ambients and I don't wanna risk them. Plus, at about ~115c VRM BF3 always crashes (Core temps at about 60-64c at that voltage)


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Lower ratings mean higher leakage, which means it's better for watercooling or more extreme forms such as DICE or LN2. It doesn't give you any insight of overclocking the card though. My 65.8% ASIC rating didn't help overclock much over the stock cooler despite load temps being around 45~50C with a waterblock.
> Takes me about 1.2~1.225v to get 1125mhz stable. I was hoping to get at least 1175~1200mhz though, but 1200mhz requires the max voltage of 1.3v.


Wow, I'm really hoping for 1.2GHz on mine.. 1GHz or 1.1 and I'd still be happy








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yeah I'm disappointed with the max overclocks of my card, but it performs well for Eyefinity and I have yet to face any AMD driver issues in the last 3 years. It just makes me happy that it can do everything I want it to (aside from having 3x DP ports) and it cost me as much as a 7870 as it was used.


I've only had real issues in Crossfire.. But you get that on both sides, it's part of the reason why I'm upgrading.
My 7950 was cheaper then a 7870 New


----------



## Matt-Matt

Darn internet.. Double post whoops :/


----------



## vert5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> If you can keep temps below 70c you can push for higher voltage and even 1300 Mhz if possible.


This morning I was able to get 1200/[email protected] ran a couple 3dmark11 benchmarks and BF3 for about 45 mins with temps maxing around 51c!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

DaClownie, try using Trixx. Works good for me...


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vert5*
> 
> This morning I was able to get 1200/[email protected] ran a couple 3dmark11 benchmarks and BF3 for about 45 mins with temps maxing around 51c!


51c at 1.2 Ghz.. thats amazing. are you sure its correct? what application are you using to report temps. also if you can push your memory to 1500 Mhz do it. upto1600 Mhz its worth pushing memory beyond which I would not advise.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> DaClownie, try using Trixx. Works good for me...


Might have to do that. Never had an issue with Afterburner until now.

Thanks man and I'll report back with how things go.

Trixx was a good idea, except for the lack of voltage for memory... so I can OC my core but not my memory. I just wish I knew why AB all of a sudden stopped working. It was awesome up until 2 days ago and it just stopped saving my overclocks in the profiles :/


----------



## SkateZilla

AMD Releases New HD7950 BIOS for Ref. Cards:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/HD7950-GTX660_Ti-Radeon-BIOS_Update-amd,16897.html
Quote:


> AMD has released a new BIOS ROM image file, which works on all AMD reference design Radeon HD 7950 graphics cards that implements the new specifications. The specifications increase the core frequency to 850 MHz (from 800 MHz), and introduces PowerTune with Boost, which sends the clock speed up to 925 MHz (when applications demand it). The other specifications remained the same for the HD 7950, including the memory frequency, stream processor, TMU, and ROP counts. Any Radeon HD 7950 graphics cards manufactured from mid-August and thereafter will feature the new specifications, with no planned price change.


----------



## Daffie82

Will this work on my Sapphire hd 7950 dual fan ?


----------



## Samurai707

If it's the ref OC edition, most likely. But, your 2nd BIOS is already set to 900Mhz stock. No reason to use the new powerboost really


----------



## BradleyW

Is there a fix for crossfire in sleeping dogs?
Edit: Also, anybody know what is wrong with radeonpro?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1296626/radeon-pro-will-not-work-at-all

Cheers.!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is there a fix for crossfire in sleeping dogs?
> Edit: Also, anybody know what is wrong with radeonpro?
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1296626/radeon-pro-will-not-work-at-all
> Cheers.!


gave you a direct answer just now.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> gave you a direct answer just now.


So are you saying that if the game has broken vsync, you cannot force vsync via 3rd party now?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Will this work on my Sapphire hd 7950 dual fan ?


It may slow down your base clock speed.

Also if you run your card faster than what this new BIOS will push it it may not really be worth bothering to upgrade to because you are going to slow down your card.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> It may slow down your base clock speed.
> Also if you run your card faster than what this new BIOS will push it it may not really be worth bothering to upgrade to because you are going to slow down your card.


Yeah good point.
Stock clock is 900mhz and OC is 1130mhz ...
Only running OC when I play games that need it though, but since my stock is 900mhz anyway I guess I'll just stick with current BIOS


----------



## ElevenEleven

Got my Open Box Sapphire 7970 (Dual-X Overclocked) today and ran some tests. The PCIe bracket was all bent--I still can't screw it in properly--only one screw, and at a 45-degree angle or so. I have no idea what some of these companies do with the cards when they are returned, but the bent bracket deal seems not uncommon =/ Despite my best efforts to straighten it out, it appears to actually be inserted at an odd angle to start with, which makes me wonder if it was returned for that reason.

Here's Heaven 3.0 at stock settings:



And here's a re-run at 1125MHz core clock, 1575MHz memory clock, +20% Power Limit, and I actually increased the voltage to 1150mV to decrease artifacting (though it wasn't crashing without the increase).



What I am noticing is a lot more screen tearing (without vertical sync) in Heaven, and also rather unsmooth brightness gradient transitions, and periodic artifacts here and there, versus my GTX 670. The 7970 gets a higher score, but my GTX 670 does a lot smoother runs, and FPS in Heaven 3.0 doesn't vary as widely between different scenes as it does on the 7970.

I am using Catalyst 12.7 Beta. Is it just something off with my open box card, or is this normal?

Not sure if I should try Gigahertz BIOS vs. standard overclocking (if I even can with my card). Also can't figure out how to get the card to run at something higher than 1125MHz core clock using MSI Afterburner. Can only seem to do it with Trixx, but I can't see any voltage slider, even after disabling ULPS.

P.S.: This card is going to be on my family member's computer, and he plays WoW time to time. I logged in to check FPS there, and it's dramatically lower than it was with the GTX 670 (which I'm going to use for my mini ITX build, as it's a smaller card). I know there's an nVidia bios in WoW, but I didn't expect it to be so strong! Considering that this card is supposed to be more powerful. But again, maybe there's something wrong with my particular card, as it is after all open box and perhaps even refurbished in some way.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I get my 7970 tomorrow. UPS is delivering a day early. I cant wait to get my rig running again. Its been a LONG month


----------



## antonis21

After fresh windows installation i had black screen and 100% funspeed while updating battlefield 3.I am using catalyst 12.8







.I didnt have a single problem with 12.6


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> After fresh windows installation i had black screen and 100% funspeed while updating battlefield 3.I am using catalyst 12.8
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .I didnt have a single problem with 12.6


A few friends of mine are experiencing Artifacts with there 7950/7970 cards with 12.8. they never had this problem with 12.6 I am not sure whats going on but it seems that 12.8 is causing artifacts or black screens. Looking all over the net I am seeing there are alot of users who switched to 12.8 and are now getting artifacts, driver crashes and black screens.

What is with AMDs drivers honestly. AMD needs to get there act together and put some decent drivers out


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> After fresh windows installation i had black screen and 100% funspeed while updating battlefield 3.I am using catalyst 12.8
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .I didnt have a single problem with 12.6
> 
> 
> 
> A few friends of mine are experiencing Artifacts with there 7950/7970 cards with 12.8. they never had this problem with 12.6 I am not sure whats going on but it seems that 12.8 is causing artifacts or black screens. Looking all over the net I am seeing there are alot of users who switched to 12.8 and are now getting artifacts, driver crashes and black screens.
> 
> What is with AMDs drivers honestly. AMD needs to get there act together and put some decent drivers out
Click to expand...

We have an AMD Driver representative here on the forum, and he is making note of all problems that he see's here on our forums in regards to the issues people are having.


----------



## Samurai707

It also helps when we, as enthusiasts, report the problems to AMD as well. www.amd.com/report I believe is the website, Thracks knows for sure though


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> It also helps when we, as enthusiasts, report the problems to AMD as well. www.amd.com/report I believe is the website, Thracks knows for sure though


Yes it does. Thracks said that he goes through every single report and tries to get to the bottom of them all as well. The guys that work on the drivers are just gamers like the rest of us.

I also have a feeling that a lot of the so called "driver problems" are usually user error long before its an actual driver problem. Crossfire users, yeah they get odd bugs...so some of those problems I can see being legit. But I have personally NEVER had a problem with any AMD drivers to date (note, I have not used 12.8 as of yet just been too lazy).


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yes it does. Thracks said that he goes through every single report and tries to get to the bottom of them all as well. The guys that work on the drivers are just gamers like the rest of us.
> I also have a feeling that a lot of the so called "driver problems" are usually user error long before its an actual driver problem. Crossfire users, yeah they get odd bugs...so some of those problems I can see being legit. But I have personally NEVER had a problem with any AMD drivers to date (note, I have not used 12.8 as of yet just been too lazy).


12.8 is pretty solid for me, but I'm just a single 7950 user


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yes it does. Thracks said that he goes through every single report and tries to get to the bottom of them all as well. The guys that work on the drivers are just gamers like the rest of us.
> I also have a feeling that a lot of the so called "driver problems" are usually user error long before its an actual driver problem. Crossfire users, yeah they get odd bugs...so some of those problems I can see being legit. But I have personally NEVER had a problem with any AMD drivers to date (note, I have not used 12.8 as of yet just been too lazy).


Tell them to stop breaking the clock control will ya?


----------



## Matt-Matt

I rang PCCG about 45 minutes ago to see what was going on.. The guy said that they hadn't got them in and probably won't tonight, he asked me how I paid and when and he was like "oh, we ran out of stock on Saturday".. Then he was like "well seeing as you got the email you were just lucky"

I checked back just then to see..


Yay!


----------



## DOM.

star trek express shipping ftw lol


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I also have a feeling that a lot of the so called "driver problems" are usually user error long before its an actual driver problem. Crossfire users, yeah they get odd bugs...so some of those problems I can see being legit. But I have personally NEVER had a problem with any AMD drivers to date (note, I have not used 12.8 as of yet just been too lazy).


I feel the same way and I've been using almost every AMD driver since August 2009. Even Crossfire had no issues for me. But everyone has different usages and it's possible that there is actually something wrong with their cards. *shrug*

BTW, I went from a Sapphire 4890 Toxic > 2x MSI 5770 Hawks > 2x Gigabyte 5870s > MSI 7950 OC.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> After fresh windows installation i had black screen and 100% funspeed while updating battlefield 3.I am using catalyst 12.8
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .I didnt have a single problem with 12.6


I actually experienced the black screen + 100% fan speed with 12.8 drivers. But mine was worse. I went out with friends, 5 hours later when I came back, black screen and fan was running 100%, was very loud. I reverted back to 12.x - july 19 drivers right away. Sometimes I go out on a 2 day short trip, If that happened then, my card would have been smoking when I got home.


----------



## itsamemario666

I just received my 7950 yesterday (HIS IceQ) but literally from the get-go the fans have been running 100%. The iTurbo program doesn't show an accurate fan percentage and it cannot be controlled. Afterburner and Catalyst Control Centre cannot change this either. iTurbo says the fan is always going ~3000RPM.
I have tried re-seating the graphics card twice. Temperatures seem good - 30 degrees Celsius when idle and 50 when stressed for 10mins in arkham city maxed settings at 1080p (didn't want to do more in case it damaged the card). Otherwise the card seems to work fine as far as I can tell. I have installed the latest version of all the listed software and tried the latest drivers and some older ones (both HIS and AMDs). The problem was present from the first time the card was used and the rest of the computer works fine. The problem is present when using HDMI as well and is present from before the BIOS and during windows (so all the time). The graphics card settings have not been touched (i.e. it has not been overclocked at all from out of the box).
Any idea what could be wrong? I've been in contact with HIS but so far they've just told me to do things I've already done. Thanks in advance and sorry if this is in the wrong place! I'm new here! My build is in my sig (I think)


----------



## Kokin

It looks like Sapphire Trixx did the "trick" with the higher voltage cap.









Here's Heaven 3.0 with 1250/1600 1.38v/1.625v. I really want to break the 1400 score with 1080p maxed settings.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It looks like Sapphire Trixx did the "trick" with the higher voltage cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's Heaven 3.0 with 1250/1600 1.38v/1.625v. I really want to break the 1400 score with 1080p maxed settings.


How are you adjusting the memory voltage using Trixx? Out of the blue my Afterburner stopped saving profiles and keeping OCs, so I want to use Trixx... but with only core voltage control it kinda sucks :/


----------



## Kokin

I'm using MSI Afterburner to adjust the memory clock/voltage, but I did add the 2 missing .dll files and used the -xcl method for MSI AB. My clocks and profiles stick, so I don't have your problem.

For Trixx, I'm only adjusting the core clock/voltage.

Here is 1275/1600, just shy of 1400. Looks like my card wasn't as bad as I thought!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I rang PCCG about 45 minutes ago to see what was going on.. The guy said that they hadn't got them in and probably won't tonight, he asked me how I paid and when and he was like "oh, we ran out of stock on Saturday".. Then he was like "well seeing as you got the email you were just lucky"
> I checked back just then to see..
> 
> Yay!


Congrats. looking forward to you posting some OC benchmarks with clocks, voltage, fan speeds,temps . Sapphire trixx is a good software you could use for overclocking.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Congrats. looking forward to you posting some OC benchmarks with clocks, voltage, fan speeds,temps . Sapphire trixx is a good software you could use for overclocking.


Thanks!








I like Afterburner, I've been using it since the 4850 I had almost 2 years ago.. If it supports it i'll be sticking to it


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> How are you adjusting the memory voltage using Trixx? Out of the blue my Afterburner stopped saving profiles and keeping OCs, so I want to use Trixx... but with only core voltage control it kinda sucks :/


http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/9620#post_17072447

Mod to include memory voltage.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I'm using MSI Afterburner to adjust the memory clock/voltage, but I did add the 2 missing .dll files and used the -xcl method for MSI AB. My clocks and profiles stick, so I don't have your problem.
> For Trixx, I'm only adjusting the core clock/voltage.
> Here is 1275/1600, just shy of 1400. Looks like my card wasn't as bad as I thought!


Congrats mate


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *itsamemario666*
> 
> I just received my 7950 yesterday (HIS IceQ) but literally from the get-go the fans have been running 100%. The iTurbo program doesn't show an accurate fan percentage and it cannot be controlled. Afterburner and Catalyst Control Centre cannot change this either. iTurbo says the fan is always going ~3000RPM.
> I have tried re-seating the graphics card twice. Temperatures seem good - 30 degrees Celsius when idle and 50 when stressed for 10mins in arkham city maxed settings at 1080p (didn't want to do more in case it damaged the card). Otherwise the card seems to work fine as far as I can tell. I have installed the latest version of all the listed software and tried the latest drivers and some older ones (both HIS and AMDs). The problem was present from the first time the card was used and the rest of the computer works fine. The problem is present when using HDMI as well and is present from before the BIOS and during windows (so all the time). The graphics card settings have not been touched (i.e. it has not been overclocked at all from out of the box).
> Any idea what could be wrong? I've been in contact with HIS but so far they've just told me to do things I've already done. Thanks in advance and sorry if this is in the wrong place! I'm new here! My build is in my sig (I think)


Maybe your case has terrible airflow for such a high end card?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/9620#post_17072447
> Mod to include memory voltage.
> Congrats mate


Wow that mod is a life saver! Now I don't have to use both. +rep to both you and lsdmeasap. Here I thought my card was a bad clocker, but all it took was switching from MSI AB to Sapphire Trixx.

Broke 1400 with 1285/1600! Goal reached!


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Wow that mod is a life saver! Now I don't have to use both. +rep to both you and lsdmeasap. Here I thought my card was a bad clocker, but all it took was switching from MSI AB to Sapphire Trixx.
> Broke 1400 with 1285/1600! Goal reached!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *image*


How much improvement in percentage compared to stock clocks?









Earlier today I ordered a Powercolor HD 7950 PCS+, just have to wait a few days until I can play


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> How much improvement in percentage compared to stock clocks?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Earlier today I ordered a Powercolor HD 7950 PCS+, just have to wait a few days until I can play


Stock clocks are 830/1250, let me run it at those clocks and I'll edit in the results.

Wow.. such a big jump.

830/1250 1.093v/1.6v


1285/1600 1.38v/1.625v


----------



## d3vour3r

hey guys,

I've just submitted my request to become part of this group.

I have a sapphire 7970 OC edition running at 1100/1550. It has an ASIC quality of 54.3%. Is this a bad thing? I will be watercooling the card in the next few days, apparently low ASIC is good for watercooling?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d3vour3r*
> 
> hey guys,
> I've just submitted my request to become part of this group.
> I have a sapphire 7970 OC edition running at 1100/1550. It has an ASIC quality of 54.3%. Is this a bad thing? I will be watercooling the card in the next few days, apparently low ASIC is good for watercooling?


Apparently so. I suggest Sapphire Trixx over MSI AB if you want to see higher overclocks due to a higher vcore limit.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Unfortunately Trixx hasn't helped my cards. They are higher ASIC cards (both over 83%) so they have low stock voltage. Can't get them to do any more than 1230MHz / 1750MHz in Heaven 3.0 which gives me a


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Unfortunately Trixx hasn't helped my cards. They are higher ASIC cards (both over 83%) so they have low stock voltage. Can't get them to do any more than 1230MHz / 1750MHz in Heaven 3.0 which gives me a


So higher ASIC is bad in some cases? Or can you just not adjust voltage on your cards? (Or do you not plan to?)


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Apparently so. I suggest Sapphire Trixx over MSI AB if you want to see higher overclocks due to a higher vcore limit.


Id recommend looping a crysis bench and crysis 2 bench for stability testing. Unigine I found to be not hard at all on the cards. 3D mark 11 seems decent for stability too, especially for memory for some reason.


----------



## Kokin

I'll try downloading them for stability testing later in the week. But for now, I'm really happy that I can get close to my intended goal of 1300mhz core.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> So higher ASIC is bad in some cases? Or can you just not adjust voltage on your cards? (Or do you not plan to?)


A higher ASIC tends to be good for aircooling since there is less voltage leaking. This means less heat/power and this is what limits aircooled overclocking.

On the other hand, a lower ASIC means more voltage leaking and this gives more overclocking headroom. More heat/power is produced than normal, hence aircooling will suffer due to higher heat output, which would limit a higher overclock if you're getting into the 80C+.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I'll try downloading them for stability testing later in the week. But for now, I'm really happy that I can get close to my intended goal of 1300mhz core.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A higher ASIC tends to be good for aircooling since there is less voltage leaking. This means less heat/power and this is what limits aircooled overclocking.
> On the other hand, a lower ASIC means more voltage leaking and this gives more overclocking headroom. More heat/power is produced than normal, hence aircooling will suffer due to higher heat output, which would limit a higher overclock if you're getting into the 80C+.


So that's a win-win! If I get an extremely low ASIC i'll be looking at a Antec Kuhler 620 mod maybe or an aftermarket cooler..


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, high ASIC means the cards have a lower stock voltage. Since you are only allowed a certain amount of voltage above stock, this limits the amount you can raise it. In TRIXX for instance I can set 1382mV but my cards only see about 1280mV or so (because of vdroop) which is currently limiting me to 1230MHz. One of the 7970 Lightnings that I sold to buy these Sapphire's would do 1275MHz while the other would only do 1215MHz.

Unfortunately overclocking is always a crap shoot...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Yeah, high ASIC means the cards have a lower stock voltage. Since you are only allowed a certain amount of voltage above stock, this limits the amount you can raise it. In TRIXX for instance I can set 1382mV but my cards only see about 1280mV or so (because of vdroop) which is currently limiting me to 1230MHz. One of the 7970 Lightnings that I sold to buy these Sapphire's would do 1275MHz while the other would only do 1215MHz.
> Unfortunately overclocking is always a crap shoot...


I see.. So there's no BIOS or mod/hack to make them run more above the "max voltage" slider?









EDIT: +Rep to you both.
Also what does ASIC stand for out of curiosity?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Application-specific integrated circuit


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Click to read the full post
> 
> 
> 
> Got my Open Box Sapphire 7970 (Dual-X Overclocked) today and ran some tests. The PCIe bracket was all bent--I still can't screw it in properly--only one screw, and at a 45-degree angle or so. I have no idea what some of these companies do with the cards when they are returned, but the bent bracket deal seems not uncommon =/ Despite my best efforts to straighten it out, it appears to actually be inserted at an odd angle to start with, which makes me wonder if it was returned for that reason.
> Here's Heaven 3.0 at stock settings:
> 
> And here's a re-run at 1125MHz core clock, 1575MHz memory clock, +20% Power Limit, and I actually increased the voltage to 1150mV to decrease artifacting (though it wasn't crashing without the increase).
> 
> What I am noticing is a lot more screen tearing (without vertical sync) in Heaven, and also rather unsmooth brightness gradient transitions, and periodic artifacts here and there, versus my GTX 670. The 7970 gets a higher score, but my GTX 670 does a lot smoother runs, and FPS in Heaven 3.0 doesn't vary as widely between different scenes as it does on the 7970.
> I am using Catalyst 12.7 Beta. Is it just something off with my open box card, or is this normal?
> Not sure if I should try Gigahertz BIOS vs. standard overclocking (if I even can with my card). Also can't figure out how to get the card to run at something higher than 1125MHz core clock using MSI Afterburner. Can only seem to do it with Trixx, but I can't see any voltage slider, even after disabling ULPS.
> P.S.: This card is going to be on my family member's computer, and he plays WoW time to time. I logged in to check FPS there, and it's dramatically lower than it was with the GTX 670 (which I'm going to use for my mini ITX build, as it's a smaller card). I know there's an nVidia bios in WoW, but I didn't expect it to be so strong! Considering that this card is supposed to be more powerful. But again, maybe there's something wrong with my particular card, as it is after all open box and perhaps even refurbished in some way.


I could use some help with this. I am seriously considering returning this card and trying my luck with another open box card. In addition to the above, my card has a buzzing capacitor or two at load. At idle, it's super quiet, but when I run any benchmark or game, it starts buzzing noticeably =/ I'll also try Catalyst 12.8 to see if screen tearing gets better. Oh yes, I do a clean install with DriverSweeper in between. Should I use Atiman too?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Screen tearing is usually a monitor refresh issue, shouldn't be anything to do with the card. As far as the coil whine is concerned, my Sapphires also have audible whine during load but it usually goes away after while...


----------



## itsamemario666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Maybe your case has terrible airflow for such a high end card?


Nope, the VBIOS they installed was just faulty. They gave me one to download and flash and it's been fine since. I haven't gotten temps above 60C (the average when stressed that I've seen is 55-ish, the max 59 with ambient temperatures being around 23C) yet after hours of playing dirt showdown, dear esther and arkham city with everything maxed out at 1080p. Not the the most demanding of games but certainly demanding enough to test it I'd think (and the most demanding I have atm, I could use furmark later though). It helps that there's a 230mm fan blowing air at it all the time. This is with the core clock changed to 950MHz (but the voltages unchanged). Idle temperatures generally stay at around 29C. The GPU fan never really goes above 40% either so I'm pretty sure I've got the cooling down in that case







.

Its an easy mistake to think the cooling would be bad though, if anyone is interested the card in the case looks like this:

That's an 140mm fan at the back along with the 230mm at the front. Cable management will happen one day (I promise).

I'm tempted to put 2 120mm fans on the top but I think I'm fine. The case/card is surprisingly efficient at cooling and the noise is pretty good as well, the loudest thing is that 230mm fan but only because I've got it set to full power all the time, I might just cut it down to 7V in the future but it isn't bad enough to be annoying or even anything other than just noticable. I prefer better cooling and airflow to lower noise anyway.


----------



## Seid Dark

^^
Sounds like a really good card and cooler, you could try if it would be stable at 1GHz or even 1,1GHz with stock volts. Most 7950's I've seen do at least 1GHz, rarely more though without increasing voltages.


----------



## Ukkooh

Is it normal to get flickering shadows/vertical lines in heaven 3.0 using 12.6 drivers? I just tried overclocking my HD 7970 with a bump from 1ghz to 1125mhz and noticed it. Then I tried it with stock clocks and the flickering was still there. After that I even underclocked my core from 1 ghz to 925 and mem from 1450 to 1400 and the issue was still there. Is still normal behaviour for this card? Could this be a messed up driver because I recently downgraded from 12.8 to 12.6 because I had issues in cod 4 with 12.8. After downgrading to 12.6 they went away though. Should I be worried and prepare my anus for a RMA? Haven't played any gpu taxing games as of lately, but BF3 which runs without issues.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Sounds like a driver issue. Try a clean uninstall of 12.6 and install of 12.7. Been working good for me for over a month...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Is it normal to get flickering shadows/vertical lines in heaven 3.0 using 12.6 drivers? I just tried overclocking my HD 7970 with a bump from 1ghz to 1125mhz and noticed it. Then I tried it with stock clocks and the flickering was still there. After that I even underclocked my core from 1 ghz to 925 and mem from 1450 to 1400 and the issue was still there. Is still normal behaviour for this card? Could this be a messed up driver because I recently downgraded from 12.8 to 12.6 because I had issues in cod 4 with 12.8. After downgrading to 12.6 they went away though. Should I be worried and prepare my anus for a RMA? Haven't played any gpu taxing games as of lately, but BF3 which runs without issues.


Yes I had a weird graphical error with 12.6 and Unigine also.


----------



## itsamemario666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> ^^
> Sounds like a really good card and cooler, you could try if it would be stable at 1GHz or even 1,1GHz with stock volts. Most 7950's I've seen do at least 1GHz, rarely more though without increasing voltages.


Whoops, just realised I forgot to quote the other guy... I'll do that now though, thanks for the advice!


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Sounds like a driver issue. Try a clean uninstall of 12.6 and install of 12.7. Been working good for me for over a month...


I'd rather not touch beta drivers. Could someone tell me proper steps to fully remove the old drivers and install new ones. Last time I just removed the old drivers, rebooted, installed new ones and rebooted again. I have heard of using Atiman or driver sweeper but have heard that they can mess up your computer. So what is the best and safest way to update drivers?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I just do the uninstall from the Control Panel, reboot, and install new drivers method. From what I have seen so far the 12,7 beta drivers were more stable than the 12.8WHQL...


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Screen tearing is usually a monitor refresh issue, shouldn't be anything to do with the card. As far as the coil whine is concerned, my Sapphires also have audible whine during load but it usually goes away after while...


That's interesting - I didn't realize coil whine / buzz is something that can go away over time. I thought it was just there for good. How long can I expect this sound to persist for - a few months?

_Edit: Just to add, this doesn't sound like a high pitched whistle - it's more like crickets and fan interference at once, but I don't see any fan interference. In fact I hear the fans separately when they spin up, and it's a more normal fan sound. This noise happens as soon as Heaven 3.0 loads and such. If I tab out of Heaven or a game, it stops immediately, so it's not the fans. Kind of like a high-voltage sound when going by the power lines, but on a small scale._ *There is a high piercing more whistle-like sound when on Heaven 3.0 Credits page.*

Concerning screen refresh rate: It's currently displayed as 60Hz, and has normally been 59Hz with previous cards, but always 59-60Hz. I was going to try setting it to 59 to test, but the option is unavailable (since I'm using Korean monitors without OSD, so they are entirely dependent on GPUs to drive them). 59.9* and 60Hz are the same anyway, so I don't think changing it by 1 Hz would do any good to reduce screen tearing. Any other ideas concerning screen tearing? I only notice it with the new 7970 and to some extent with my old 7870 - not my GTX 580 that I sold or GTX 670. Something I need to change in the Catalyst Control Center, perhaps? (or maybe even uninstall it altogether)


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> I'd rather not touch beta drivers. Could someone tell me proper steps to fully remove the old drivers and install new ones. Last time I just removed the old drivers, rebooted, installed new ones and rebooted again. I have heard of using Atiman or driver sweeper but have heard that they can mess up your computer. So what is the best and safest way to update drivers?


Bradley_W has an excellent guide in his sig on how to completely uninstall old drivers from one's system. I don't have a direct link but you can find him in the past couple pages


----------



## BradleyW

Find me here!


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Stock clocks are 830/1250, let me run it at those clocks and I'll edit in the results.
> Wow.. such a big jump.
> 830/1250 1.093v/1.6v
> **Image with stock clocks** - FPS: 37.9 and Scores: 954
> 1285/1600 1.38v/1.625v
> **Image with overclocking** - FPS: 55.6 and Scores: 1400


Amazing difference!









Anyone who can show a FPS test of a Crossfire X setup with one HD 7950 and HD 7970 that works *together* in the same setup? Would like to see how it should work out


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Amazing difference!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone who can show a FPS test of a Crossfire X setup with one HD 7950 and HD 7970 that works *together* in the same setup? Would like to see how it should work out


I have a 7950 crossfired with a 7970 in my AMD rig - I can test it tonight and post the results


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Find me here!


Used your guide to install the 12.8 drivers and my flickering problem with heaven 3.0 persist. I'm pretty sure that the 12.7 beta drivers wouldn't fix the problem neither because shouldn't they basically be the same drivers? So should I RMA my card or keep happily using it and test stability with other software? Now that heaven 3.0 is out of the question what should I use to test the stability in addition to BF3 if i keep the card?


----------



## Lompang

RMA's my Radeon 7970, they sent me it back and even after 10-15 minutes of Furmark my screen starts to hang black even on stock clocks. Tried to lower clocks, still happens. Upped voltage/lowered voltage, still happens. I'm at a loss what to do now I even tried all different drivers from their site, the latest, beta, and older ones. It always seem to hang the system when the GPU Usage hits 95% and above for a certain amount of time. The GPU isn't overheating as the temp stays below 70 degrees at all times.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> RMA's my Radeon 7970, they sent me it back and even after 10-15 minutes of Furmark my screen starts to hang black even on stock clocks. Tried to lower clocks, still happens. Upped voltage/lowered voltage, still happens. I'm at a loss what to do now I even tried all different drivers from their site, the latest, beta, and older ones. It always seem to hang the system when the GPU Usage hits 95% and above for a certain amount of time. The GPU isn't overheating as the temp stays below 70 degrees at all times.


what are your VRM temps 1 & 2 during load

also what brand is it ?


----------



## Lompang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> what are your VRM temps 1 & 2 during load
> also what brand is it ?


Wow never thought about VRM Temps. My brand is an XFX 7970 Double D. Apparently the VRM Temps for #1 are insanely high reaching 105 degrees Celcius + while my VRM Temps for #2 just stay under 70 degrees Celcius around 65. My main GPU Temp lingers around 75-80 during this so It may have something to do with the VRM Temps for #1. I stopped it early, because of the huge temp differences between #1 and #2 and my system was on a verge of another system hang.

Edit: Decided to let it go fully and the VRM temps for #1 caps at 115 Celcius lingering to 113-115 and if you leave it for like 15 minutes it crashes. This is with the main GPU Temp to be at 80 degrees Celcius and the 2nd VRM Temps to be at 78 degrees Celcius.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Could be over temp protection triggering at those temps - 220F+ is pretty hot if you ask me.


----------



## Lompang

I've heard VRM temps around this are normal though even made for to cap at 125 celcius.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Two questions:

1. With a factory-overclocked non-reference 7970 (Sapphire Dual-X OC), is it worth trying the Gigahertz BIOS if the card already runs at 1050MHz on factory settings? Is it mainly for better video memory settings to consume less power or some such? All the reviews I've seen seem to indicate higher power consumption for the GHz BIOS 7970s, but that might have been vs. reference cards.

2. I'm using 12.7 beta driver, as I had a very positive experience with it using an HD 7870. Is there any improvement with 12.8, or mostly a wash?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Two questions:
> 1. With a factory-overclocked non-reference 7970 (Sapphire Dual-X OC), is it worth trying the Gigahertz BIOS if the card already runs at 1050MHz on factory settings? Is it mainly for better video memory settings to consume less power or some such? All the reviews I've seen seem to indicate higher power consumption for the GHz BIOS 7970s, but that might have been vs. reference cards.
> 2. I'm using 12.7 beta driver, as I had a very positive experience with it using an HD 7870. Is there any improvement with 12.8, or mostly a wash?


Just leave your overclocked speeds via software and stick with 12.7 because 12.8 are unstable for many users.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I have a 7950 crossfired with a 7970 in my AMD rig - I can test it tonight and post the results


I would really appriciate that!







I haven't crossfire any setup before, so I thought it sound like a smart idea to mix two great cards!
I'll wait for the results, thanks in advance


----------



## crunkazcanbe

Im looking to sell 2 of my 3 7970s all 3 have an asic of 80% + I want at least $325EA or I will do $600 even for both and may do $550 for both . It's according To where I have to ship it to . I still have both the boxes they come in and can take pix on request . It will be shipped in the same box I got it in .

I may end up selling the other to for the same price im getting out of pc gaming and getting a laptop . I'm in dire need of the money , my grandpa passed away I lost my job and I just need the cash I have a ebay account but I really dont know how to go about selling it . When I go to sell everything I have a MSi Big Bang Marshall and a Intel 2700k cpu 16gb of Gskill ram and lots of other stuff . I have a DoubleSight 30" I payed $1500 for and I want atleast $700 For it it is hardly used and in real good shap . I will sell my whole computer screen and all for 5k also has trifire 7970 msibigbang marshall and h100 water cooler and 16gb ram Intel 2700k CPU this includs my logitech g19 and logitech g13 and my 30" screen

If Interested get at me @ [email protected]


----------



## AllGamer

Hey I just noticed 12.8 drivers are available for download

seems like they skipped the whole 12.7 and jumped from 12.6 official to 12.8 official

has anyone try them yet?

--- EDIT ----

never mind, i just read the messages above


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lompang*
> 
> Wow never thought about VRM Temps. My brand is an XFX 7970 Double D. Apparently the VRM Temps for #1 are insanely high reaching 105 degrees Celcius + while my VRM Temps for #2 just stay under 70 degrees Celcius around 65. My main GPU Temp lingers around 75-80 during this so It may have something to do with the VRM Temps for #1. I stopped it early, because of the huge temp differences between #1 and #2 and my system was on a verge of another system hang.
> Edit: Decided to let it go fully and the VRM temps for #1 caps at 115 Celcius lingering to 113-115 and if you leave it for like 15 minutes it crashes. This is with the main GPU Temp to be at 80 degrees Celcius and the 2nd VRM Temps to be at 78 degrees Celcius.


yeah thats what is making it crash thats way to hot imo

have you tried removing the cooler and checking the pads ?


----------



## Imprezzion

Lol. I just tried my VRM temps again as well after they overheated during a few hot ambient days here.

For the ones that didn't read that: Using a reference 7970 with a Accelero 7970 - fan module and with 2 Slipstream 1600RPM fans tied to it.
VRM sinks of Arctic are just way too small, and the thermal tape self-mix goo is rather bad as well. With a voltage of 1.243v and 1230Mhz core, 1.625v VRAM and 1700Mhz VRAM I hit well over 100c in BF3.
Also, Heaven 3.0 on all max could pull it pretty high, but not as high as BF3. Current load was about 140-160 amps in BF3 max.

Tried them at those clocks again now that ambients are back to 20~ish deg. celsius. Roomtemp was like, 21c now.

Ran Heaven, somehow VRM's stayed REAL cool, only 66c for VRM1 and 54c for VRM2 in GPU-Z. Current draw was pretty low, only averaging about 124 amps.
So, I decided to REALLY test them with something that pulls EVEN MORE amps and load then Furmark does. OCCT.
That managed to pull a figure well over 200 amps quite easily with the average current being about 223 amps. (VDrop was quite extreme, it did artifact lightly due to it)
Well, that load on the VRM's caused VRM2 to behave very normally and slowly go up to about 65c and staying there, but VRM1 just SHOT up like a rocket and within 60 seconds it had reached 105c and seemed to stabilize there but no, every 5 seconds it would climb a degree and every 4-5 degrees VDrop increased till the point OCCT just died with the VRM1 temp at about 128-130c.
So, This Arctic heatsink is VERY good in terms of core temps, only 65c even with 200+ amps (240-260w) on it, but the VRM sinks are severely worthless. I'm going to find a way to cool them better.


----------



## MACH1NE

hey guys is there any way to go above the 1.3v limit on msi afterburner?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Hey I just noticed 12.8 drivers are available for download
> seems like they skipped the whole 12.7 and jumped from 12.6 official to 12.8 official
> has anyone try them yet?
> --- EDIT ----
> never mind, i just read the messages above


12.8 are junk. most of my friends who switched to 12.8 are experiencing, Black screens or artifacts with there cards that they never had before. Going back to 12.6 fixed the new issues


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Lol. I just tried my VRM temps again as well after they overheated during a few hot ambient days here.
> For the ones that didn't read that: Using a reference 7970 with a Accelero 7970 - fan module and with 2 Slipstream 1600RPM fans tied to it.
> VRM sinks of Arctic are just way too small, and the thermal tape self-mix goo is rather bad as well. With a voltage of 1.243v and 1230Mhz core, 1.625v VRAM and 1700Mhz VRAM I hit well over 100c in BF3.
> Also, Heaven 3.0 on all max could pull it pretty high, but not as high as BF3. Current load was about 140-160 amps in BF3 max.
> Tried them at those clocks again now that ambients are back to 20~ish deg. celsius. Roomtemp was like, 21c now.
> Ran Heaven, somehow VRM's stayed REAL cool, only 66c for VRM1 and 54c for VRM2 in GPU-Z. Current draw was pretty low, only averaging about 124 amps.
> So, I decided to REALLY test them with something that pulls EVEN MORE amps and load then Furmark does. OCCT.
> That managed to pull a figure well over 200 amps quite easily with the average current being about 223 amps. (VDrop was quite extreme, it did artifact lightly due to it)
> Well, that load on the VRM's caused VRM2 to behave very normally and slowly go up to about 65c and staying there, but VRM1 just SHOT up like a rocket and within 60 seconds it had reached 105c and seemed to stabilize there but no, every 5 seconds it would climb a degree and every 4-5 degrees VDrop increased till the point OCCT just died with the VRM1 temp at about 128-130c.
> So, This Arctic heatsink is VERY good in terms of core temps, only 65c even with 200+ amps (240-260w) on it, but the VRM sinks are severely worthless. I'm going to find a way to cool them better.


I'm having something close to the same problem. My VRM 1 hits around 102C during BF3, but VRM2 never tops 30C. Any ideas on why that is??


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MACH1NE*
> 
> hey guys is there any way to go above the 1.3v limit on msi afterburner?


Not AB, just trixx.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> I would really appriciate that!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I haven't crossfire any setup before, so I thought it sound like a smart idea to mix two great cards!
> I'll wait for the results, thanks in advance


I would just recommend getting the same one though. The 7970 will be crippled to 7950 performance if you decide to match it with a 7950. Lots of people have been doing this since the 4K series and it really benefits you more to get matching cards unless you can somehow get them for super cheap.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I would just recommend getting the same one though. The 7970 will be crippled to 7950 performance if you decide to match it with a 7950. Lots of people have been doing this since the 4K series and it really benefits you more to get matching cards unless you can somehow get them for super cheap.


It's not "crippled" since the 5xxx series, but I actually did this with my 6870 and 6850 and It wasn't good.. It's better to have matching cards preferably identical


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> It's not "crippled" since the 5xxx series, but I actually did this with my 6870 and 6850 and It wasn't good.. It's better to have matching cards preferably identical


So the higher card won't run at a lower % compared to the lower card? I'm assuming you faced microstutter issues with the mismatching cards or did CF not work well at all?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> So the higher card won't run at a lower % compared to the lower card? I'm assuming you faced microstutter issues with the mismatching cards or did CF not work well at all?


It was about the same, it's just a waste of the better card because it was always sitting at 85-90% and the other was sitting at 99% (something along those lines). The memory was faster on the 6850 and the core was faster on the 6870..

The top card was a 6870 Hawk and it heated up alot.. 100c in some cases!


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> It was about the same, it's just a waste of the better card because it was always sitting at 85-90% and the other was sitting at 99% (something along those lines). The memory was faster on the 6850 and the core was faster on the 6870..
> The top card was a 6870 Hawk and it heated up alot.. 100c in some cases!


That was what I was talking about with the faster card being crippled as it has to run at a lower % when the slower card runs at a higher % (maxed in your case).

The 6870 and 6850 we're totally different cards though and aren't like the 6950/6970 or 7950/7950. The 6870 was based on a heavily disabled 6950/6970 PCB (hence the need for two 6pins) while the 6850 had a more mid-range quality PCB that was much shorter and only needed one 6pin. Later revisions may have changed that though.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> It was about the same, it's just a waste of the better card because it was always sitting at 85-90% and the other was sitting at 99% (something along those lines). The memory was faster on the 6850 and the core was faster on the 6870..
> The top card was a 6870 Hawk and it heated up alot.. 100c in some cases!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was what I was talking about with the faster card being crippled as it has to run at a lower % when the slower card runs at a higher % (maxed in your case).
> 
> The 6870 and 6850 we're totally different cards though and aren't like the 6950/6970 or 7950/7950. The 6870 was based on a heavily disabled 6950/6970 PCB (hence the need for two 6pins) while the 6850 had a more mid-range quality PCB that was much shorter and only needed one 6pin. Later revisions may have changed that though.
Click to expand...

6870 and 6850 were both very similar cards. The 6950 and 6970 were also very similar. No, the 6870 wasn't closer to the 6950 in terms of architecture, it was closer to the 6850, which is why you can't crossfire a 6950 with a 6870, but you can a 6870 with a 6850.


----------



## PureBlackFire

The reference 6870 had a much better pcb that was closer to the 6900 in design, but the chip was pretty much the same as the 6850. Of course the reference 6850 never went on sale.


----------



## Kokin

Weren't a lot of the 6870s 10.5" cards while the 6850s we're 9"? I remember some of the 6870s consumed more power than the 6950s due to being based off the 6970 PCB. But maybe I'm only thinking of a few 6870s from launch as I read up a lot about them and I helped build my friend a rig a month or two after their launch. He ended getting 6850CF since it was near GTX 580 performance for just over $300 total, such a great deal then.


----------



## Kokin

Weren't a lot of the 6870s 10.5" cards while the 6850s we're 9"? I remember some of the 6870s consumed more power than the 6950s due to being based off the 6970 PCB. But maybe I'm only thinking of a few 6870s from launch as I read up a lot about them and I helped build my friend a rig a month or two after their launch. He ended getting 6850CF since it was near GTX 580 performance for just over $300 total, such a great deal then.


----------



## PureBlackFire

The 6870 just had a netter pcb. It was a barts chip just like the 6850. The 6850 only sold on cheap non-reference boards at retail though. The in game power consumption is close as it is between 6870/6950 so an ovetclocked model or msi hawk for example ight consume more. The chips have nothing in common, but the reference pcb was of the same build quality.


----------



## Ukkooh

Looks like I got a really crap chip. My HD7970 won't even do 1125mhz @1.17V in BF3 without artifacting.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Looks like I got a really crap chip. My HD7970 won't even do 1125mhz @1.17V in BF3 without artifacting.


Your not using 12.8 whql are you?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Looks like I got a really crap chip. My HD7970 won't even do 1125mhz @1.17V in BF3 without artifacting.
> 
> 
> 
> Your not using 12.8 whql are you?
Click to expand...

I'm using 12.8 WHQL and my card still clocks to the higher 1200s like it was doing before.

Also, Trixx is really nice for those that were wondering. I just wish it auto switched clocks/volts like Afterburner used to do for me, as I don't want to course 1.3v through the chip when the thing is idle. Seems a bit overkill. Leaves me manually changing clocks before and after gaming sessions.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Your not using 12.8 whql are you?


Infact I am and I did the OC through Catalyst Control Center.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Your not using 12.8 whql are you?


I think the first question is what is the memory clocked at because Isn't artifacting normally from bad memory clocks?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I'm using 12.8 WHQL and my card still clocks to the higher 1200s like it was doing before.
> Also, Trixx is really nice for those that were wondering. I just wish it auto switched clocks/volts like Afterburner used to do for me, as I don't want to course 1.3v through the chip when the thing is idle. Seems a bit overkill. Leaves me manually changing clocks before and after gaming sessions.


Why you OCing just for gaming? That 7970 is more than capable for most games at stock clocks isn't it?


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> I think the first question is what is the memory clocked at because Isn't artifacting normally from bad memory clocks?


My memory was at its stock clock which is 1450mhz.


----------



## desertsolace

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Lol. I just tried my VRM temps again as well after they overheated during a few hot ambient days here.
> For the ones that didn't read that: Using a reference 7970 with a Accelero 7970 - fan module and with 2 Slipstream 1600RPM fans tied to it.
> VRM sinks of Arctic are just way too small, and the thermal tape self-mix goo is rather bad as well. With a voltage of 1.243v and 1230Mhz core, 1.625v VRAM and 1700Mhz VRAM I hit well over 100c in BF3.
> Also, Heaven 3.0 on all max could pull it pretty high, but not as high as BF3. Current load was about 140-160 amps in BF3 max.
> Tried them at those clocks again now that ambients are back to 20~ish deg. celsius. Roomtemp was like, 21c now.
> Ran Heaven, somehow VRM's stayed REAL cool, only 66c for VRM1 and 54c for VRM2 in GPU-Z. Current draw was pretty low, only averaging about 124 amps.
> So, I decided to REALLY test them with something that pulls EVEN MORE amps and load then Furmark does. OCCT.
> That managed to pull a figure well over 200 amps quite easily with the average current being about 223 amps. (VDrop was quite extreme, it did artifact lightly due to it)
> Well, that load on the VRM's caused VRM2 to behave very normally and slowly go up to about 65c and staying there, but VRM1 just SHOT up like a rocket and within 60 seconds it had reached 105c and seemed to stabilize there but no, every 5 seconds it would climb a degree and every 4-5 degrees VDrop increased till the point OCCT just died with the VRM1 temp at about 128-130c.
> So, This Arctic heatsink is VERY good in terms of core temps, only 65c even with 200+ amps (240-260w) on it, but the VRM sinks are severely worthless. I'm going to find a way to cool them better.






Please post if you find a solution. I also have the accelero on a ref 7970. The highest I hit was 90deg on VRM's but that was w/out upping the voltage (1.174). To keep them down I undervolted to 1.150 and they stay below 70deg but limits my overclock.


----------



## ElevenEleven

I've been trying to see if my coil whine goes away based on some reading I've done, where people claim that it goes away if a GPU is left on the load that makes it whiny/screechy for a prolonged period of time. I've been leaving it on Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War graphics menu for ~6 hour intervals (a few so far), and it appears that the noise has diminished. It's still there, but not that loud anymore, quite tolerable. Here's to hoping it will diminish even less soon.

On another note, wow, this Sapphire Dual-X 7970 has some hoover-quality fans. The BIOS auto-fan settings make RPM increase in direct proportion to temperature (1:1), and over 40%, the fan is quite audible, at 60 it's definitely a powerful whoosh. My ASUS Direct CU II GTX 670 is barely audible at high temperatures. My HIS IceQ X 7870 also had noticeable fans up from 50%, but quieter than the Sapphire. Beyond that, I haven't seen the temperatures go over mid 60s yet (beyond Furmark 15min test, where it gets to 79C 3rd way through). I'm mostly testing it at 1125MHz core, 1500MHz memory, and stock voltage with +10% power limit to establish that it performs well without too much stress at least.


----------



## vonalka

Per an earlier request, I ran Heaven on my AMD rig which currently has a reference 7970 in crossfire with a 7950. For the test I left the 7970 at stock and OC'ed the 7950 slightly to match the 7970 (925/1350).


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> I'm using 12.8 WHQL and my card still clocks to the higher 1200s like it was doing before.
> Also, Trixx is really nice for those that were wondering. I just wish it auto switched clocks/volts like Afterburner used to do for me, as I don't want to course 1.3v through the chip when the thing is idle. Seems a bit overkill. Leaves me manually changing clocks before and after gaming sessions.
> 
> 
> 
> Why you OCing just for gaming? That 7970 is more than capable for most games at stock clocks isn't it?
Click to expand...

Why do you need the radio and the TV on at the same time?

Because I like to party.

Nah, in BF3, it needs to be OCed to stay pegged at 60fps with fraps running. At 1300/1700 I never dipped below 65fps with FRAPS going at 1080p.


----------



## Bluemustang

So I just received my visiontek 7970 and it has an ASIC of 58.5% and stock voltage of 1174mv. I guess i can't expect a very good OC outa this?








Although I heard low ASIC means voltage leakage and high temps, my idle temp is at 27C right now which seems hella low to me.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I just got my Visiontek 7970 today and I am about to install it now. I hope this does not give me any issues that my MSi's gave me.  been a very long month with my rig down

my ASIC reads 73.7


----------



## 4LC4PON3

update: all my problems are fixed by switching to a new brand video card. my Visiontek 7970 is running as smooth as butter compared to those MSi Twin Frozr's that I had. Thank goodness everything is back to normal and now my rig is back running again.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> update: all my problems are fixed by switching to a new brand video card. my Visiontek 7970 is running as smooth as butter compared to those MSi Twin Frozr's that I had. Thank goodness everything is back to normal and now my rig is back running again.


good for you. do not forget to register it.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Per an earlier request, I ran Heaven on my AMD rig which currently has a reference 7970 in crossfire with a 7950. For the test I left the 7970 at stock and OC'ed the 7950 slightly to match the 7970 (925/1350).
> * Image showing 1x 7950 & 1x 7970 Crossfire X *


Big thanks for showing me that benchmark!







Plus rep for that








Planning to buy another card later, just waiting for my 7950 to be delivered this week







I think of buying a 7970 as the second card, but how good PSU do I need with that crossfire X setup (gonna buy a new one)? Look at my pc parts in my signature


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> good for you. do not forget to register it.


Yeah I wont forget. I am going to do that after i get back from the store. After I installed it I was worried because those 2 MSi's gave me hell for about a month. Im glad its all worked out cause I just could not deal with my rig being down again. If this card ran like crap then something else was wrong with my rig other then video cards & I was starting to think possibly mobo but all is now well. I can finally play some BF3


----------



## AllGamer

i'm still waiting for the HD7990 to be released if ever

i'm pretty sure by the time the HD7990 are out, HD8970 would just be around the corner.









after RMA-ing both my two HD7970 now they are finally running smooth without crashing


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Big thanks for showing me that benchmark!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plus rep for that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Planning to buy another card later, just waiting for my 7950 to be delivered this week
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think of buying a 7970 as the second card, but how good PSU do I need with that crossfire X setup (gonna buy a new one)? Look at my pc parts in my signature


I was running my AMD rig with a Cooler Master 650W PSU until recently and it worked fine, so you should be fine with your 700W OCZ.

You can always use this tool to help determine what you really need:
http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I was running my AMD rig with a Cooler Master 650W PSU until recently and it worked fine, so you should be fine with your 700W OCZ.
> You can always use this tool to help determine what you really need:
> http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp


it's pretty accurate now, for my rig:

Minimum PSU Wattage: 1134 W
Recommended
PSU Wattage: * 1184w

but when i was putting my rig together several months ago, they didn't have many choices that are now updated with.

and that is for the Stock non-OC estimates, with OC is even more

When originally i had the 800w PSU it was crapping out a lot, even when i upgraded to a 1000w Corsair and 1200w Corsair Gold AX, now that explains why

my system finally got stable after i upgraded to the OCZ 1250w PSU


----------



## Kokin

The 7950/7970 tend to just run around the 200W range, so you will be fine with two.


----------



## Saucee

This is my new ivy bridge build







. I decided to go with a MSI R7950 Twin Frozr. Mine is overclocked to 1050/1350 and I plan to be picking up a second one soon. Performance is amazing.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> update: all my problems are fixed by switching to a new brand video card. my Visiontek 7970 is running as smooth as butter compared to those MSi Twin Frozr's that I had. Thank goodness everything is back to normal and now my rig is back running again.


What drivers are you using?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Saucee*
> 
> This is my new ivy bridge build
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I decided to go with a MSI R7950 Twin Frozr. Mine is overclocked to 1050/1350 and I plan to be picking up a second one soon. Performance is amazing.


Im glad you got a good card. I had to RMA x2 of them. The first one ran like junk and was horrible. Would not play any game without chugging and I mean chugging bad. I did an RMA and the second card that came was artifacting. The RMA was brand new sealed I could not believe it. I switched to this 7970 and it runs like a champ. The MSi cards game a headache & a month down. Glad yours are fine.

Quote:


> What drivers are you using?


I went with 12.6 over 12.8 Until I stop reading the nonsense with 12.8 i will stick with these


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Im glad you got a good card. I had to RMA x2 of them. The first one ran like junk and was horrible. Would not play any game without chugging and I mean chugging bad. I did an RMA and the second card that came was artifacting. The RMA was brand new sealed I could not believe it. I switched to this 7970 and it runs like a champ. The MSi cards game a headache & a month down. Glad yours are fine.
> 
> I went with 12.6 over 12.8 Until I stop reading the nonsense with 12.8 i will stick with these


I installed 12.8 last night and got a BSOD just after the installation finished - after rebooting I got an error that there wasn't any AMD drivers installed. Ended up doing a complete uninstall and going back to 12.6


----------



## Kokin

It's strange a lot of people are experiencing so many problems with the 12.8 drivers. From a fresh install, I installed the July 19th drivers which are essentially the same drivers and then the 12.8 official. Even with the 12.7 beta drivers, there we're no issues. I think people need to not use driver sweeper or cccleaner.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It's strange a lot of people are experiencing so many problems with the 12.8 drivers. From a fresh install, I installed the July 19th drivers which are essentially the same drivers and then the 12.8 official. Even with the 12.7 beta drivers, there we're no issues. I think people need to not use driver sweeper or cccleaner.


I dont use either program. I do a Manual uninstall VIA Bradley W's Guide


----------



## BradleyW

Even I will admit that 12.8 is horrid. 2 reformats later and they still gave me issues such as crashing and artefacts. They even stopped my gpu fans from spinning every time I click shut-down. Back to 12.6 and I have no issues such as this.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Geez, it's hard to believe the new release driver would be so bad. I was going to try it out, but holding off pending the resolution of all these error reports (could be bad installs). 12.7 has been completely stable for me on 2 cards, so I'm content with it.


----------



## speedy2721

I just got my MSI TF3 7950 today. I got lucky and found it going for $265 on Ebay so I decided to grab it since my GTX 480 was having trouble with a few games at 1400p.

My ASIC is 90.1% and right now I have it clocked at 1100/1350 at 1.068v.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

loving the new 7970. played an hour of BF3 with no OC. did not break 65c and my VRMs stays around 50c max. I will bump up the clocks soon but as of right now I love the card


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> loving the new 7970. played an hour of BF3 with no OC. did not break 65c and my VRMs stays around 50c max. I will bump up the clocks soon but as of right now I love the card


glad that you got a decent card. Yeah once you have made sure the card is working fine with heaven and BF3 sessions push this card at stock voltage. Maybe 1 Ghz initially and then 1.1 Ghz if possible. make sure load temps are below 75c. good luck


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Yeah I plan on running some heaven here soon. Played about 1 1/2 hours of BF3 no issues at all never went above 65c as stated. I will do some OC maybe tomorrow when im not so tired. Im going to run heaven now stock to see what it scores


----------



## Evil Penguin

12.8 hasn't given me any serious problems so far.

Alan Wake still has CF artifact issues (older versions too).

I also have an occasional DisplayPort link failure notice.


----------



## kraytdizzle

Hey everyone, I got my VisionTek Reference 7970 in a few days ago.

It runs just fine when I'm not loading up a game, haven't seen any problems there.

But whenever I go to load a game, I keep getting black screens and the hardware disconnected/connected notification, then the screens will come back on for a second or two, before a rinse/repeat situation comes into play where I have to kill off the game I loaded, then it goes back to seemingly running just fine. This sounds like the "Display Driver stopped responding and has been reactivated" error, which I've seen a time or two pop up during the course of this.

I tried the 12.8 drivers from the catalyst suite install (full suite used), the 12.4 from the VisionTek disc, 12.6 from AMD website. I reformated, then loaded just the windows updates that showed up, tried the 12.8 drivers again, same problem (in Darksiders II), uninstalled, loaded 12.6 again, tried the MSI AB -xcl method, rebooted, set my two profiles. Same problem.

I have two dvi monitors hooked into the displayports through active adapters, and have a third waiting for me to run three monitor eyefinity (with hopefully a 4th line going to our tv for watching movies).

But I just can't seem to get the card to run my games at all without the display drivers crashing. I'm at my wits end on what could be the problem, read through as much of this thread as I could, searching to see if I find some answers. But nothing I've tried has worked thus far.

Just in case, here are my specs:

2x Asus VH236H monitors (ran displayport active adapter to dvi)
ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ700FTY 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80605I5750
COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP
CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9

The machine was built a year or two ago, I had an ASUS EAH 4870 1GB in the system, I took advantage of TigerDirect's recent sale to upgrade to the 7970, which is giving me so many problems trying to run games.

A third of the same monitor (VH236H) for eyefinity working and a samsung tv for the 4th line out eventually once gaming is stable is planned and ready.

The GPU temp sits around ~60C, fan speed at 29%/1375 rpm

I haven't changed the voltages or fan speeds, just most recently have done the 2D/3D profiles through MSI AB as pioneer suggested, 2D at stock, 3D at 1000MHz/1500MHz.

When the display driver crashes when games load, the speed drops down to 300MHz/150MHz at times.

Just so frustrating and I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

So I rebooted my PC and my CCC settings reset using 12.6 then my PC froze. I may try 12.8 after all to see how they run. Do I install 12.8 then install the 12.7 CAP? or is caps for Xfire only


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> So I rebooted my PC and my CCC settings reset using 12.6 then my PC froze. I may try 12.8 after all to see how they run. Do I install 12.8 then install the 12.7 CAP? or is caps for Xfire only


yeah first install 12.8 whql and then 12.7 cap 3. CAP improves performance in single gpu too in a few games. so install it.


----------



## Drecapz

Hey,

I ordered two HIS 3GB 7950's and I was able to OC @ 1030/1250.

My crossfire setup runs hot! When i am playing battlefield, I put my fan at 100% to keep at 75C.

IS this acceptable? I am running specs:

i7 3770k @ 4.5gz
16gb pc1333
2TB HD
2x HIS 3gb 7950
h100 Corsair
NXZT Phantom Full Tower.

My cpu stays frothy, but my cards a little toasty.

The Crossfire is using my bottom card (I think..) so is my setup running to hot do you think?

Edit: I found out I had AMD OD turned on also. I turned it off. I am now using Trixx only. Still input would be appreciated.

Edit: And I cant seem to get a stable OC >< I am hoping for around 1030 core clock, and 1500 memory >< Help needed.


----------



## Ukkooh

Again spotted a problem with 12.8 drivers. Assassin's Creed II's shadows flicker. I seriously hope that downgrading the drivers will help because I'd prefer not to RMA this card even though it is a bad overclocker. And this problems was happening with stock AND 200mhz underclock on core and mem. So should I install 12.6 or 12.7 beta drivers now?


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Drecapz*
> 
> Hey,
> I ordered two HIS 3GB 7950's and I was able to OC @ 1030/1250.
> My crossfire setup runs hot! When i am playing battlefield, I put my fan at 100% to keep at 75C.
> IS this acceptable? I am running specs:
> i7 3770k @ 4.5gz
> 16gb pc1333
> 2TB HD
> 2x HIS 3gb 7950
> h100 Corsair
> NXZT Phantom Full Tower.
> My cpu stays frothy, but my cards a little toasty.
> The Crossfire is using my bottom card (I think..) so is my setup running to hot do you think?
> Edit: I found out I had AMD OD turned on also. I turned it off. I am now using Trixx only. Still input would be appreciated.
> Edit: And I cant seem to get a stable OC >< I am hoping for around 1030 core clock, and 1500 memory >< Help needed.


There is definitely something wrong with your system. Needing to push fans @ 100% to obtain 75°C in burn @ only 1030 should make you think about checking you thermal paste and/or your rad screwing.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Drecapz*
> 
> Hey,
> I ordered two HIS 3GB 7950's and I was able to OC @ 1030/1250.
> My crossfire setup runs hot! When i am playing battlefield, I put my fan at 100% to keep at 75C.
> IS this acceptable? I am running specs:
> i7 3770k @ 4.5gz
> 16gb pc1333
> 2TB HD
> 2x HIS 3gb 7950
> h100 Corsair
> NXZT Phantom Full Tower.
> My cpu stays frothy, but my cards a little toasty.
> The Crossfire is using my bottom card (I think..) so is my setup running to hot do you think?
> Edit: I found out I had AMD OD turned on also. I turned it off. I am now using Trixx only. Still input would be appreciated.
> Edit: And I cant seem to get a stable OC >< I am hoping for around 1030 core clock, and 1500 memory >< Help needed.


You'll need to pull down your temperature before you even think about overclocking..
As for the cards, are they reference or what? I assume so seeing as you haven't mentioned "IceQ" or anything. How big is the slot between your cards?

Have you got a sidefan or such?

EDIT: I finally got my card today! It's so big!








It maxes at 60c at stock, but I only ran that once.. I'm now running 1GHz on stock clocks.
How do I check my ASIC quality?









EDIT: .64.2%... Wow


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> 12.8 hasn't given me any serious problems so far.
> 
> Alan Wake still has CF artifact issues (older versions too).
> 
> I also have an occasional DisplayPort link failure notice.


Do you use FireFox ? , is it stable with 12.8 and CF 7970 ?

I had serious issues with 12.8, FireFox and CF7970, a quick Google search showed that I was not alone.

A work around was to disable CF when using FireFox







No Thanks


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Do you use FireFox ? , is it stable with 12.8 and CF 7970 ?
> 
> I had serious issues with 12.8, FireFox and CF7970, a quick Google search showed that I was not alone.
> A work around was to disable CF when using FireFox
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No Thanks


Wow lol
Mine is stable from using the 12.8 drivers from the 6850's.. It took a few seconds to boot the first time, but after that it's fine. I needed to reboot but that's about all


----------



## Arnotts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> You'll need to pull down your temperature before you even think about overclocking..
> As for the cards, are they reference or what? I assume so seeing as you haven't mentioned "IceQ" or anything. How big is the slot between your cards?
> Have you got a sidefan or such?
> EDIT: I finally got my card today! It's so big!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It maxes at 60c at stock, but I only ran that once.. I'm now running 1GHz on stock clocks.
> How do I check my ASIC quality?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: .64.2%... Wow


60c at load is awesome, and 1ghz without a voltage increase is solid too. Especially for a 64.2% asic.

I'm excited for my IceQ's to arrive.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It's strange a lot of people are experiencing so many problems with the 12.8 drivers. From a fresh install, I installed the July 19th drivers which are essentially the same drivers and then the 12.8 official. Even with the 12.7 beta drivers, there we're no issues. I think people need to not use driver sweeper or cccleaner.


Opposite for me, 12.7 betas failed for me, 12.8 so far so good
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Even I will admit that 12.8 is horrid. 2 reformats later and they still gave me issues such as crashing and artefacts. They even stopped my gpu fans from spinning every time I click shut-down. Back to 12.6 and I have no issues such as this.


12.6 were borked for me, and 12.7. 12.8 are fine. bizarre.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Do you use FireFox ? , is it stable with 12.8 and CF 7970 ?
> 
> I had serious issues with 12.8, FireFox and CF7970, a quick Google search showed that I was not alone.
> A work around was to disable CF when using FireFox
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No Thanks


Have you tried reversing the crossfire bridge? I had problems with CF when my bridge was mounted "incorrectly" for my 5870s and at times CF would not even work. If I mounted it correctly, all the problems went away.

*By reversing I mean just switching the top of the bridge with the bottom of the bridge.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Wow lol
> Mine is stable from using the 12.8 drivers from the 6850's.. It took a few seconds to boot the first time, but after that it's fine. I needed to reboot but that's about all


This only happens with CrossFire enabled , do you CF, your sig says you don't ?

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Have you tried reversing the crossfire bridge? I had problems with CF when my bridge was mounted "incorrectly" for my 5870s and at times CF would not even work. If I mounted it correctly, all the problems went away.
> *By reversing I mean just switching the top of the bridge with the bottom of the bridge.


CrossFire works fine.

The problem for me, is CF with the 12.8 drivers and firefox combo. Every thing else works fine.

Never heard of the CF bridge having a top and bottom, don't you think they would mark them (master/slave) if there was a certain why it had to go on ?, maybe you just didn't have it mounted firmly the first time.

Its not a problem now anyway, as I am back on the 12.7 and all good again.

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?hl=en&tab=ww#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=29&gs_id=8&xhr=t&q=CF+7970+12.8+firefox+crashing&pf=p&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=CF+7970+12.8+firefox+crashing&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=1b1d0b3d31212ea3&biw=1584&bih=837


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arnotts*
> 
> 60c at load is awesome, and 1ghz without a voltage increase is solid too. Especially for a 64.2% asic.
> I'm excited for my IceQ's to arrive.


Yeah, I'm happy with it so far! I'm going for 1250MHz Core at the moment, haven't touched memory.. Yet
It's needing about 1.25v for 1250MHz too, which is rather nice. 1275 and 1300MHz make it artifact even with 1.3v.
Max temps of about 83c at 1250MHz too









Is 83c fine (that was with kombustor fullscreen) - Also what else is good to test out the vRAM?


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Is 83c fine (that was with kombustor fullscreen) - Also what else is good to test out the vRAM?


I would personnaly not reach the GPU temp that high. It will certainly not increase your GC lifetime. I suspect my first 7950 to have died after 2 days using it because of high temp.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> I would personnaly not reach the GPU temp that high. It will certainly not increase your GC lifetime. I suspect my first 7950 to have died after 2 days using it because of high temp.


Wow, what sort of temperatures did you get?

EDIT: I can't get any VRM temps.. Going to run at 1100 or 1000MHz maybe.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Wow, what sort of temperatures did you get?
> EDIT: I can't get any VRM temps.. Going to run at 1100 or 1000MHz maybe.


With my 1st 7950 i got same temps like you before it died (grey lines and freezed before windows was fully loaded).
Don't underestimate the air flow that this card needs into your case as the PCB is really hot at full load as the VRM too.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Never heard of the CF bridge having a top and bottom, don't you think they would mark them (master/slave) if there was a certain why it had to go on ?, maybe you just didn't have it mounted firmly the first time.


Nah it was definitely the bridge. Mine did have J1A and J2A labels, so maybe mine was specific about how it needed to be mounted. Switching it did help someone fix their CF problems in the past, so I thought I would just throw it out there.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *k4sh*
> 
> With my 1st 7950 i got same temps like you before it died (grey lines and freezed before windows was fully loaded).
> Don't underestimate the air flow that this card needs into your case as the PCB is really hot at full load as the VRM too.


Yeah, I can't seem to get the VRM temps as I stated.. I'll see what I can do as for reducing voltage.
Thanks for the heads up!


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Wow, what sort of temperatures did you get?
> EDIT: I can't get any VRM temps.. Going to run at 1100 or 1000MHz maybe.


I advise you to keep you temp below 75C for everyday gaming.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Nah it was definitely the bridge. Mine did have J1A and J2A labels, so maybe mine was specific about how it needed to be mounted. Switching it did help someone fix their CF problems in the past, so I thought I would just throw it out there.


I understand, thanks.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I advise you to keep you temp below 75C for everyday gaming.


Yeah, I'm running stock right now..
Gotta play around with it later, well now.

I don't know why, but my FPS in BF3 is VERY inconsistent. 110FPS then 45 all of a sudden, it was okay before on Caspian border.. Might have to re-install drivers


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, I'm running stock right now..
> Gotta play around with it later, well now.
> I don't know why, but my FPS in BF3 is VERY inconsistent. 110FPS then 45 all of a sudden, it was okay before on Caspian border.. Might have to re-install drivers


I have advised you for temps, because when i had my HD 7950, and when was overclocked and overvolted, when it touches 73C, small artefacts would appear immeadetly.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, I'm running stock right now..
> Gotta play around with it later, well now.
> I don't know why, but my FPS in BF3 is VERY inconsistent. 110FPS then 45 all of a sudden, it was okay before on Caspian border.. Might have to re-install drivers


Is it stuttering. If its not then don't worry. min fps in BF3 multiplayer can be around 50 fps

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/06/26/asus_geforce_gtx_670_directcu_ii_top_video_card_review/6

Also make sure your VRM temps are below 100c. you can use HWiNFO32 or HWiNFO64 for monitoring VRM temps. I think MSI afterburner also has VRM temps monitoring. just check on it. And anything above 70c core temps and 95c for VRM temps is not good for long term. stability with voltage overclocking depends a lot on temps. So choose your clocks accordingly.


----------



## Phenomanator53

can someone make a signature text thingy please?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I have advised you for temps, because when i had my HD 7950, and when was overclocked and overvolted, when it touches 73C, small artefacts would appear immeadetly.


Mine is fine though.. Could have just been a bad card


----------



## Nwanko

7950 dual-X running 1150/1550 1.088V(1.156V MSI AB) Temps in BF3 70-73 degress Celsius

ASIC 82.3%

Is that good?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Mine is fine though.. Could have just been a bad card


Nope, card is sold and its working flawless, lot of people reported small artefacts after 70C. But not all cards, its depends on silicy and other factors.


----------



## k4sh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> 7950 dual-X running 1150/1550 1.088V(1.156V MSI AB) Temps in BF3 70-73 degress Celsius
> ASIC 82.3%
> Is that good?


I think it is. I can reach 1170/1137 mV without having pushed it to its limit. ASIC is 91.7% for me.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Nope, card is sold and its working flawless, lot of people reported small artefacts after 70C. But not all cards, its depends on silicy and other factors.


I don't get it at all.. Mine was fine at like 80c but i think 75c and under should be fine


----------



## Arnotts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I don't get it at all.. Mine was fine at like 80c but i think 75c and under should be fine


Yeah considering the reference 7950 at load will be at 70+ and the fact that no reviews have mentioned any artifacts... I find it quite odd.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arnotts*
> 
> Yeah considering the reference 7950 at load will be at 70+ and the fact that no reviews have mentioned any artifacts... I find it quite odd.


Speaking of temps..
45c idle.. I take it you guys are getting better temps then that?








I dunno what's wrong, it's at 1000MHz with 1100mv on it and power draw of +20


----------



## Arnotts

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Speaking of temps..
> 45c idle.. I take it you guys are getting better temps then that?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I dunno what's wrong, it's at 1000MHz with 1100mv on it and power draw of +20


Idle temps don't really matter as long as load temps are fine. My Windforce 6950 idles at about 45. My case airflow is OK but I doubt cold air is constantly flowing throughout the case.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arnotts*
> 
> Idle temps don't really matter as long as load temps are fine. My Windforce 6950 idles at about 45. My case airflow is OK but I doubt cold air is constantly flowing throughout the case.


Hmm.. Fair enough. I might see if I can try another vBIOS though. Could be worth a try seeing as another user had problems with his fan out of box









I'd just prefer to see smaller numbers at idle... My 6850's ran about this temp and that was part of the reason for upgrading.

I've also noticed that if I don't turn the power limit up it throttles the card at stock? That's crazy!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Speaking of temps..
> 45c idle.. I take it you guys are getting better temps then that?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I dunno what's wrong, it's at 1000MHz with 1100mv on it and power draw of +20


As long as your load temps are below 70c its fine. And your cooler can easily keep temps below that if you stick to 1 Ghz at 1.1v. your idle temps are a bit high. normally it should be around 30c. make sure there is no PSU cables obstructing air flow.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7950-review-benchmark,3207-10.html


----------



## Bluemustang

Been testing my new visiontek 7970 and the temps and everything is great but there are problems. Metro gives me some error and just crashes and doom 3 gives me a white screen. And my performance increase in crysis bench is not good. OCing my card to 1225 core only gave me a 12% increase in frames in crysis while 1250 core in heaven 3.0 gave me a 28% improvement.

Temps are insanely low too, at 1.3v 1250mhz core it capped out at 60c and vrms at 50-55 (vrms lower then core? wow not from what ive heard from others). Idling at 29c core and 23c vrms haha, so much less than my previous 470s.

Maybe I'll just go ahead and reformat, been lazy and well over due anyway.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> 7950 dual-X running 1150/1550 1.088V(1.156V MSI AB) Temps in BF3 70-73 degress Celsius
> ASIC 82.3%
> Is that good?


Yeah, pretty good.
VERY close to mine by the way 
Got same card, old BIOS though with no boost. Stock at 900mhz

OC is at 1130 mhz on the core with 1150V in Trixx and 1550 mhz on the memory.
Load temps are also exactly the same


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Been testing my new visiontek 7970 and the temps and everything is great but there are problems. Metro gives me some error and just crashes and doom 3 gives me a white screen. And my performance increase in crysis bench is not good. OCing my card to 1225 core only gave me a 12% increase in frames in crysis while 1250 core in heaven 3.0 gave me a 28% improvement.
> Temps are insanely low too, at 1.3v 1250mhz core it capped out at 60c and vrms at 50-55 (vrms lower then core? wow not from what ive heard from others). Idling at 30c core and 24c vrms haha, so much less than my previous 470s.
> Maybe I'll just go ahead and reformat, been lazy and well over due anyway.


maybe your clocks are being throttled. did you max out your power option to +20% .is it a reference visintek HD 7970 because those temps are unbelievably low. what drivers are you using.


----------



## Bluemustang

Yes power option is at +20%. Yes reference visiontek, ambient is about 69f/20c. Drivers 12.8


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Yes power option is at +20%. Yes reference visiontek, ambient is about 69f/20c. Drivers 12.8


Which region are you from. the VRM temps are very low. what software are you using to monitor the VRM and core temps.


----------



## Bluemustang

Core temps both MSI ab and HWmonitor, vrms gpu-z. Could it be throttling? Cause in crysis 1125 core and 1225 give me about the same result. If so anything else i can do to avoid that?


----------



## Drecapz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Drecapz*
> 
> Hey,
> I ordered two HIS 3GB 7950's and I was able to OC @ 1030/1250.
> My crossfire setup runs hot! When i am playing battlefield, I put my fan at 100% to keep at 75C.
> IS this acceptable? I am running specs:
> i7 3770k @ 4.5gz
> 16gb pc1333
> 2TB HD
> 2x HIS 3gb 7950
> h100 Corsair
> NXZT Phantom Full Tower.
> My cpu stays frothy, but my cards a little toasty.
> The Crossfire is using my bottom card (I think..) so is my setup running to hot do you think?
> Edit: I found out I had AMD OD turned on also. I turned it off. I am now using Trixx only. Still input would be appreciated.
> Edit: And I cant seem to get a stable OC >< I am hoping for around 1030 core clock, and 1500 memory >< Help needed.


My CPU is good and cool. But I am using a Asus Sabertooth Z77 Board, and I feel like the bottom card is being chosen as the primary. I am hoping I dont have bad cards :/


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Drecapz*
> 
> My CPU is good and cool. But I am using a Asus Sabertooth Z77 Board, and I feel like the bottom card is being chosen as the primary. I am hoping I dont have bad cards :/


AFAIK (specially on ASUS boards) the top PCI-E slot is always the primary, the manual says so as well

not sure if the Sabertooth BIOS has the same BIOS features as the ROG boards, but if you do go into the BIOS PCI-E setup and it will list which slots you should be using, specially if you want to setup crossfire, also it'll list which ones are 16x vs 8x


----------



## 4LC4PON3

My card hit 73c last night playing bf3. Vrms stayed under 50c. This is stock


----------



## Drecapz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> AFAIK (specially on ASUS boards) the top PCI-E slot is always the primary, the manual says so as well
> not sure if the Sabertooth BIOS has the same BIOS features as the ROG boards, but if you do go into the BIOS PCI-E setup and it will list which slots you should be using, specially if you want to setup crossfire, also it'll list which ones are 16x vs 8x


Weird, Both PCI-E are running at 8x, shouldnt it be 16x and 8x?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Core temps both MSI ab and HWmonitor, vrms gpu-z. Could it be throttling? Cause in crysis 1125 core and 1225 give me about the same result. If so anything else i can do to avoid that?


try other games like BF3. Heaven 3.0 also is a good test. If it scales well in these 2 apps you shouldn't have anything to worry.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> My card hit 73c last night playing bf3. Vrms stayed under 50c. This is stock


Are your fans on auto. maybe manually setting fanspeed is a better option. My ref HD 6950 with 50% fan speed is not loud. Aft 60% the fans noise is clearly audible but not disturbing. So ramp the fan speed till the noise does not become too loud for your convenience .


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> Hey everyone, I got my VisionTek Reference 7970 in a few days ago.
> It runs just fine when I'm not loading up a game, haven't seen any problems there.
> But whenever I go to load a game, I keep getting black screens and the hardware disconnected/connected notification, then the screens will come back on for a second or two, before a rinse/repeat situation comes into play where I have to kill off the game I loaded, then it goes back to seemingly running just fine. This sounds like the "Display Driver stopped responding and has been reactivated" error, which I've seen a time or two pop up during the course of this.
> I tried the 12.8 drivers from the catalyst suite install (full suite used), the 12.4 from the VisionTek disc, 12.6 from AMD website. I reformated, then loaded just the windows updates that showed up, tried the 12.8 drivers again, same problem (in Darksiders II), uninstalled, loaded 12.6 again, tried the MSI AB -xcl method, rebooted, set my two profiles. Same problem.
> I have two dvi monitors hooked into the displayports through active adapters, and have a third waiting for me to run three monitor eyefinity (with hopefully a 4th line going to our tv for watching movies).
> But I just can't seem to get the card to run my games at all without the display drivers crashing. I'm at my wits end on what could be the problem, read through as much of this thread as I could, searching to see if I find some answers. But nothing I've tried has worked thus far.
> Just in case, here are my specs:
> 2x Asus VH236H monitors (ran displayport active adapter to dvi)
> ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
> OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ700FTY 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
> Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80605I5750
> COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP
> CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
> The machine was built a year or two ago, I had an ASUS EAH 4870 1GB in the system, I took advantage of TigerDirect's recent sale to upgrade to the 7970, which is giving me so many problems trying to run games.
> A third of the same monitor (VH236H) for eyefinity working and a samsung tv for the 4th line out eventually once gaming is stable is planned and ready.
> The GPU temp sits around ~60C, fan speed at 29%/1375 rpm
> I haven't changed the voltages or fan speeds, just most recently have done the 2D/3D profiles through MSI AB as pioneer suggested, 2D at stock, 3D at 1000MHz/1500MHz.
> When the display driver crashes when games load, the speed drops down to 300MHz/150MHz at times.
> Just so frustrating and I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out.


Anyone have any ideas with this?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I don't get it at all.. Mine was fine at like 80c but i think 75c and under should be fine


I experienced artefacts, in my scenario it happens when you overvolt the card, it doesnt happen at stock volts, second thing is that not all Tahiti chips are affected, third i think majin reported same think with his HD 7970s.
The artefacts are really minor, most people wont notice them, but i have eye for these things.









Someone here mentioned that his card would run up to 80C without problem on stock clocks/volts, but when he overclocks/overvolts, he would starts to see artefacts somewhere in mid 70s.

You would probably crash, again only if overclclock/overvolt, if you hit 90C.

On stock VID, HD 7900 ASIC can sustain up to 95C.

But what i also found that if you can keep you temps low, you will need far less voltage for you OC.

My Asus HD 7950 DCII that i sold to my friend for example, in his PC it need way less voltage than in mine for xx clocks.
Reason is that he uses custom fan profile that keeps card under 60C all times, and i have used auto fan profile.

So after all artefacts that i have seen were maybe because not enough voltage/overclock was not stable.

If you are stable, with no strange things on screen, you are good to go, enjoy the card.








Hope this info helps mate.


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> try other games like BF3. Heaven 3.0 also is a good test. If it scales well in these 2 apps you shouldn't have anything to worry.


Yeah scales well in those 2. Temps even lower in bf3, didn't break 51c core and 41c vrm heh and that's at 1.3v/1225 core not stock. Too bad I thought crysis was the one AMD was supposed to do best in









I'm quite impressed with these temps after being SLI 470s for the past year plus. If I didnt know any better I'd think I was under water.


----------



## Endeav

Hi, I'm having issues with my Radeon 7950

I bought a Gigabyte Radeon 7950 with the windforce 3 cooler two weeks ago to replace my GTX 470. While playing Shogun 2 I have system lockup problems where during battles my system would freeze and sound would enter infinite loop.

The sound and lockup is similar to this video: 




I googled it and saw that it was a common problem for Shogun 2 and Radeon 7900, so I started playing other things. Now I'm getting the same lockup problem with Civ V, other total war games, and the shooters that I play.

After some googling some people suggested it might be PSU problems. I'm not overclocking the 7950, and I'm using the same system as with my GTX 470 which I did heavily overclock. I also disconnected some extra HDD's to try to rule out PSU problems. I have also fresh installed windows 7 to clean out any lingering drivers and such. I'm on Catalyst 12.8 Beta (though I have the same issues on the official AMD releases).

Does anyone have any suggestions for this? Do I just have a faulty card?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas with this?


test with a single monitor and connect to the DVI port on the graphics card using a DVI cable. If your problems persist with just a single monitor just RMA the card.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Are your fans on auto. maybe manually setting fanspeed is a better option. My ref HD 6950 with 50% fan speed is not loud. Aft 60% the fans noise is clearly audible but not disturbing. So ramp the fan speed till the noise does not become too loud for your convenience .


I thought that cards are ok till 85c and even higher. I will do a custom fan profile but right now the card runs champ. I dont feel that i need to oc honestly. The 7970 is kicking ass at 1080.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas with this?


Man, it is very difficult to read a big wall of text!! I guess most people would just not bother.

Quote:


> Hey everyone, I got my VisionTek Reference 7970 in a few days ago.
> 
> It runs just fine when I'm not loading up a game, haven't seen any problems there.
> 
> But whenever I go to load a game, I keep getting black screens and the hardware disconnected/connected notification, then the screens will come back on for a second or two, before a rinse/repeat situation comes into play where I have to kill off the game I loaded, then it goes back to seemingly running just fine.
> 
> This sounds like the "Display Driver stopped responding and has been reactivated" error, which I've seen a time or two pop up during the course of this.
> 
> I tried the 12.8 drivers from the catalyst suite install (full suite used), the 12.4 from the VisionTek disc, 12.6 from AMD website.
> 
> I reformated, then loaded just the windows updates that showed up, tried the 12.8 drivers again, same problem (in Darksiders II), uninstalled, loaded 12.6 again, tried the MSI AB -xcl method, rebooted, set my two profiles. Same problem.
> 
> I have two dvi monitors hooked into the displayports through active adapters, and have a third waiting for me to run three monitor eyefinity (with hopefully a 4th line going to our tv for watching movies).
> 
> But I just can't seem to get the card to run my games at all without the display drivers crashing. I'm at my wits end on what could be the problem, read through as much of this thread as I could, searching to see if I find some answers. But nothing I've tried has worked thus far.
> 
> Just in case, here are my specs:
> 
> 2x Asus VH236H monitors (ran displayport active adapter to dvi)
> ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
> OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ700FTY 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
> Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80605I5750
> COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP
> CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
> 
> The machine was built a year or two ago, I had an ASUS EAH 4870 1GB in the system, I took advantage of TigerDirect's recent sale to upgrade to the 7970, which is giving me so many problems trying to run games.
> 
> A third of the same monitor (VH236H) for eyefinity working and a samsung tv for the 4th line out eventually once gaming is stable is planned and ready.
> The GPU temp sits around ~60C, fan speed at 29%/1375 rpm
> 
> I haven't changed the voltages or fan speeds, just most recently have done the 2D/3D profiles through MSI AB as pioneer suggested, 2D at stock, 3D at 1000MHz/1500MHz.
> When the display driver crashes when games load, the speed drops down to 300MHz/150MHz at times.
> 
> Just so frustrating and I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out.


As said before, try with one monitor and DVI cable to test that the card is performing correctly, then if running stable and OK start hooking up the other monitors.


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> test with a single monitor and connect to the DVI port on the graphics card using a DVI cable. If your problems persist with just a single monitor just RMA the card.


Thanks much, will report back on the status.


----------



## Ukkooh

I'm getting desperate with this card. Downgraded today to 12.7 beta drivers and still the flickering shadows issue persist on heaven 3.0 Seriously doesn't anybody else with HD 7950/7970 get this? I would RMA this card but it propably won't go through, because everything else I've tried runs flawlessly including 3Dmark. Looks like i'll have to buy crysis2/crysis1/Metro 2033 just to torture my card and hope that it fails.


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Man, it is very difficult to read a big wall of text!! I guess most people would just not bother.


Well, TL;DR version.

New reference VisionTek 7970, replacing Asus EAH 4870.

Using dual monitors (planning eyefinity setup) via the two displayports via dvi and active adapters.

Normal desktop runs fine, no hitches, as expected.

Start a game, hear hardware disconnect/reconnect sound, screens go blank/black, screens come back. Keeps repeating until game eventually freezes. Force close game, back to desktop everything stable again.

Tried MSI AB -xcl method, 12.8, 12.6, 12.4 drivers. Reformat/Reinstall. Can get it to happen every time, just interested in stock settings for now just getting it to work.


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> Well, TL;DR version.
> New reference VisionTek 7970, replacing Asus EAH 4870.
> Using dual monitors (planning eyefinity setup) via the two displayports via dvi and active adapters.
> Normal desktop runs fine, no hitches, as expected.
> Start a game, hear hardware disconnect/reconnect sound, screens go blank/black, screens come back. Keeps repeating until game eventually freezes. Force close game, back to desktop everything stable again.
> Tried MSI AB -xcl method, 12.8, 12.6, 12.4 drivers. Reformat/Reinstall. Can get it to happen every time, just interested in stock settings for now just getting it to work.


Edited my last post, have a look


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Edited my last post, have a look


Thanks, will attempt this as soon as I get home from work and report back.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Drecapz*
> 
> Weird, Both PCI-E are running at 8x, shouldnt it be 16x and 8x?


the main / primary card should be on a 16x slot

maybe try swapping around, and try another PCI-E slot

once you can confirm it's running at 16x, then you add the 2nd card


----------



## vonalka

I am running two monitors and at stock settings my reference cards will hit 85c under full load. When I OC them I use a custom fan profile to keep them around 80c otherwise they would hit 90+

I have only seen artifacting when they get above 90c


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Yeah, pretty good.
> VERY close to mine by the way
> Got same card, old BIOS though with no boost. Stock at 900mhz
> OC is at 1130 mhz on the core with 1150V in Trixx and 1550 mhz on the memory.
> Load temps are also exactly the same


I can set it to 1.149V in AB but sometimes gets the green screen with white stripes down.I rather set it a bit higher for more stable oc.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I thought that cards are ok till 85c and even higher. I will do a custom fan profile but right now the card runs champ. I dont feel that i need to oc honestly. The 7970 is kicking ass at 1080.


a slight overclock to 1 Ghz clock won't hurt







the 1 Ghz number has a nice feel to it.


----------



## raghu78

HD 7950 users can get a good idea of what kind of competitive performance they can get at 1.2 Ghz. here is a GTX 670 OC vs HD 7950 OC vs GTX 660 Ti OC

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/08/23/galaxy_gtx_660_ti_gc_oc_vs_670_hd_7950


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I was running my AMD rig with a Cooler Master 650W PSU until recently and it worked fine, so you should be fine with your 700W OCZ.
> You can always use this tool to help determine what you really need:
> http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp


Just filled those information fields out! Just choosed Crossfire Setup and OC CPU directly and some more little things I'm planning soon, so I'm redy for that day









Got those recommandations from your link !








Minimum PSU Wattage: *922* Watts
Recommended Wattage: *972* Watts

So I will have to look for a 1000W or more








Any recommendations on modular 80+ gold or better PSU? A full modular is i big plus if someone knows one









Just installed mine Powercolor HD 7950 PCS+ OC card around 2 hours ago and it runs very quitly (and big performance boost compared to my 4670 1GB that is now retired







) with 12.6 catalyst driver











Going to install a couple of games in the coming days and start playing with overclocking after that









Edit: The 8 pin CPU cable that lays directly against the 7950 card is going to get a extension cable so it can ran behind the motherboard plate


----------



## vonalka

I went with a Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W in my Intel Rig and highly recommend it. Fully modular and runs quiet. Cables also look good


Also, did you check to see what it recommends at stock speeds? You might be ok with your 700w at stock until you get your hands on a 1000w


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Endeav*
> 
> Hi, I'm having issues with my Radeon 7950
> I bought a Gigabyte Radeon 7950 with the windforce 3 cooler two weeks ago to replace my GTX 470. While playing Shogun 2 I have system lockup problems where during battles my system would freeze and sound would enter infinite loop.
> The sound and lockup is similar to this video:
> 
> 
> 
> I googled it and saw that it was a common problem for Shogun 2 and Radeon 7900, so I started playing other things. Now I'm getting the same lockup problem with Civ V, other total war games, and the shooters that I play.
> After some googling some people suggested it might be PSU problems. I'm not overclocking the 7950, and I'm using the same system as with my GTX 470 which I did heavily overclock. I also disconnected some extra HDD's to try to rule out PSU problems. I have also fresh installed windows 7 to clean out any lingering drivers and such. I'm on Catalyst 12.8 Beta (though I have the same issues on the official AMD releases).
> Does anyone have any suggestions for this? Do I just have a faulty card?


Disable on board audio and see if it continues to lock up, if it stops, then its your on board sound drivers.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Drecapz*
> 
> Weird, Both PCI-E are running at 8x, shouldnt it be 16x and 8x?


not if it's an Intel Chipset.

Intel chipsets have limitations on PCIe Bandwidth, USB3.0 I/O, and SATA3(6gb/s) I/O.

which is why most of the intel boards come with 3rd party SATA3 Controllers and 3rd Party USB 3.0 Controllers.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> Hey everyone, I got my VisionTek Reference 7970 in a few days ago.
> It runs just fine when I'm not loading up a game, haven't seen any problems there.
> But whenever I go to load a game, I keep getting black screens and the hardware disconnected/connected notification, then the screens will come back on for a second or two, before a rinse/repeat situation comes into play where I have to kill off the game I loaded, then it goes back to seemingly running just fine. This sounds like the "Display Driver stopped responding and has been reactivated" error, which I've seen a time or two pop up during the course of this.
> I tried the 12.8 drivers from the catalyst suite install (full suite used), the 12.4 from the VisionTek disc, 12.6 from AMD website. I reformated, then loaded just the windows updates that showed up, tried the 12.8 drivers again, same problem (in Darksiders II), uninstalled, loaded 12.6 again, tried the MSI AB -xcl method, rebooted, set my two profiles. Same problem.
> I have two dvi monitors hooked into the displayports through active adapters, and have a third waiting for me to run three monitor eyefinity (with hopefully a 4th line going to our tv for watching movies).
> But I just can't seem to get the card to run my games at all without the display drivers crashing. I'm at my wits end on what could be the problem, read through as much of this thread as I could, searching to see if I find some answers. But nothing I've tried has worked thus far.
> Just in case, here are my specs:
> 2x Asus VH236H monitors (ran displayport active adapter to dvi)
> ASUS P7P55D PRO LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
> OCZ Fatal1ty OCZ700FTY 700W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
> Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80605I5750
> COOLER MASTER HAF 932 Advanced RC-932-KKN5-GP
> CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ8GX3M2A1600C9
> The machine was built a year or two ago, I had an ASUS EAH 4870 1GB in the system, I took advantage of TigerDirect's recent sale to upgrade to the 7970, which is giving me so many problems trying to run games.
> A third of the same monitor (VH236H) for eyefinity working and a samsung tv for the 4th line out eventually once gaming is stable is planned and ready.
> The GPU temp sits around ~60C, fan speed at 29%/1375 rpm
> I haven't changed the voltages or fan speeds, just most recently have done the 2D/3D profiles through MSI AB as pioneer suggested, 2D at stock, 3D at 1000MHz/1500MHz.
> When the display driver crashes when games load, the speed drops down to 300MHz/150MHz at times.
> Just so frustrating and I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out.


Now that I had a minute to sit and read.

It sounds like a problem with the GPUs Power or the chip's ability to switch from 2d to 3d.

as someone else mentioned, drop to a Single screen,

BTW 4x4GB is 16 GB of ram ( lol )

If your idling on the desktop at 60^C then you have a problem there too


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I went with a Cooler Master Silent Pro 1000W in my Intel Rig and highly recommend it. Fully modular and runs quiet. Cables also look good
> * Picture of a build *
> Also, did you check to see what it recommends at stock speeds? You might be ok with your 700w at stock until you get your hands on a 1000w


Thanks, will look closer at that PSU








Just filled out the fields with all clocks stock and only the parts I use right know and with 7950 crossfire, it turned out a lot lower wattage







544w minimum and 594w recommended!









A will look at a 850W 80+ gold or better anyways, can't really get enoug power in the coming years


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Geez, it's hard to believe the new release driver would be so bad. I was going to try it out, but holding off pending the resolution of all these error reports (could be bad installs). 12.7 has been completely stable for me on 2 cards, so I'm content with it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> 12.8 hasn't given me any serious problems so far.
> Alan Wake still has CF artifact issues (older versions too).
> I also have an occasional DisplayPort link failure notice.


I concur

I tried the 12.8 yesterday, and OMG! i got artifacts on 2 of my 6 monitors!!!









went back to 12.7 beta, all is good and excellent performance

12.6 was stable, but not very good performance wise


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> HD 7950 users can get a good idea of what kind of competitive performance they can get at 1.2 Ghz. here is a GTX 670 OC vs HD 7950 OC vs GTX 660 Ti OC
> 
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/08/23/galaxy_gtx_660_ti_gc_oc_vs_670_hd_7950


this is the second review I've seen since the gtx680 launch that has stated "actual clock speeds".


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Now that I had a minute to sit and read.
> It sounds like a problem with the GPUs Power or the chip's ability to switch from 2d to 3d.
> as someone else mentioned, drop to a Single screen,
> BTW 4x4GB is 16 GB of ram ( lol )
> If your idling on the desktop at 60^C then you have a problem there too


Thanks, will give those a look too.

I have two of those sets of ram, I probably could have put it better than doubling the number of sticks in the parens and not updating the description taken from newegg.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> this is the second review I've seen since the gtx680 launch that has stated "actual clock speeds".


how many times does he say "voltage control and great cooling" in his summary of the 7950's overclocking..


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Thanks, will look closer at that PSU
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just filled out the fields with all clocks stock and only the parts I use right know and with 7950 crossfire, it turned out a lot lower wattage
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 544w minimum and 594w recommended!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A will look at a 850W 80+ gold or better anyways, can't really get enoug power in the coming years


don't bother buying anything less than 1000w now in days

last time I got an Antec 1000w it wasn't even enough
then same with Corsair Gold AX 1200w
i had to go all the way up to OCZ ZX 1250w to get enough power to run all my toys

back when i got my rig that PSU calculator was not up to date yet with all the available hardware choices, so i just went by the feel

started with a Corsair Gaming 850w and it was clearly not enough, then tried all of the above

it's hard to find PSU with more power than 1250w

worse case scenario, i had to run 2 separate PSU, one for the basic stuff, and another external with the pin shorted just for the video cards


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> don't bother buying anything less than 1000w now in days
> last time I got an Antec 1000w it wasn't even enough
> then same with Corsair Gold AX 1200w
> i had to go all the way up to OCZ ZX 1250w to get enough power to run all my toys
> back when i got my rig that PSU calculator was not up to date yet with all the available hardware choices, so i just went by the feel
> started with a Corsair Gaming 850w and it was clearly not enough, then tried all of the above
> it's hard to find PSU with more power than 1250w
> worse case scenario, i had to run 2 separate PSU, one for the basic stuff, and another external with the pin shorted just for the video cards


Cred for telling me that! It's a bad day if I buy something that turns out that it isnt enoug performance wise







I will look att 1200w and over PSU then









I've seen a couple 1500w PSU when I looked around at other parts, just so you know if you will run quad crossfire in the coming months


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I just installed 12.8 with 12.7 cap 3 on a fresh installed SSD and im going ot test it out and see what happens. Ive heard bad things about 12.8 but I had to try them

*@kraytdizzle*

If your idling at 60c something is wrong. My 7970 reference idles at 40c @ 20%

Stock clocks 925/1375


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Cred for telling me that! It's a bad day if I buy something that turns out that it isnt enoug performance wise
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will look att 1200w and over PSU then
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've seen a couple 1500w PSU when I looked around at other parts, just so you know if you will run quad crossfire in the coming months


You are correct - there are some really cool 1500w models coming out, which for most people is serious overkill, but they are still awesome units.

I took these pics of the EVGA model when I was at Computex in July - this is the one I would like to have:


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> You are correct - there are some really cool 1500w models coming out, which for most people is serious overkill, but they are still awesome units.
> I took these pics of the EVGA model when I was at Computex in July - this is the one I would like to have:
> *Pics*


Eye candy!!!









Extremely cool, but I'd go a littly less extreme I think









Mine 7950 idle around 35 degrees celsius, but time too sleep now, Godnight OCN!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

12.8 drivers are HORRIBLE. They caused 7970 fan to actually stop running and my GPU hit 95c and and it also has texture flickering in BF3. I am going to revert back to 12.7 beta


----------



## AllGamer

the only 1500w i can find around town is a Silverstone Strider ST1500 for $300

never had a Silverstone as PSU before so didn't quite trust it

i've had Silverstone as PC cases and accessories but not PSU, so not enough reference to make such a huge purchase for an unfamiliar name in the PSU arena


----------



## raptor5150

Anyone in here using sapphire 7950(950 clocked edition) or 7950 vaporx editons in crossfire? reason im asking is, what kind of temps they do they run in games and benching?
you can see what my system is but all that heat inside case makes me worry about buying these cards. Would the ref 7950 heat up the case any less? thanks for your input.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I switched back to the 12.7 Modded drivers from benchmark3d and everything is back to normal. fan is working fine as usual, drivers are running great and the texture flickering is not there anymore. 12.8 drivers IMO are junk. Here is the link for anyone who wants to try the 12.7 Modded drivers. IMO they work fantastic

http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-8-981-2-12-7-beta-7900-mod

Also I setup a custom Fan profile using Trixx and man the fan on this thing gets loud. I did a MAX fan speed of 50% and I can easily tell the difference from 45% to 50%. 45% is semi inaudible where are 50% is kind of annoyingly loud in a way. I played BF3 for a bit it never broke 65c VRMs stayed nice n cool at around 48c

This is still at stock sorry but i will get to the OCing soon. Stock clocks on my 7970 are 925/1375


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> Anyone in here using sapphire 7950(950 clocked edition) or 7950 vaporx editons in crossfire? reason im asking is, what kind of temps they do they run in games and benching?
> you can see what my system is but all that heat inside case makes me worry about buying these cards. Would the ref 7950 heat up the case any less? thanks for your input.


 reference cards will heat up the case less because they use a blow style fan that blows all the hot air outside of the case where as a custom cooler will blow all the hot air inside the case. My 7970 is reference and the heat from the back of my case is crazy but insdie my case its nice n cool.

I cant tell you what kind of temps you should get from the current cards you listed as I dont own them so my experience is null n void with those


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> 12.8 drivers are HORRIBLE. They caused 7970 fan to actually stop running and my GPU hit 95c and and it also has texture flickering in BF3. I am going to revert back to 12.7 beta


Hm that doesnt happen to my GPU using 12.8 drivers. There are no issues and Everything runs smoothly for me.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I switched back to the 12.7 Modded drivers from benchmark3d and everything is back to normal. fan is working fine as usual, drivers are running great and the texture flickering is not there anymore. 12.8 drivers IMO are junk. Here is the link for anyone who wants to try the 12.7 Modded drivers. IMO they work fantastic
> 
> http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-8-981-2-12-7-beta-7900-mod
> 
> Also I setup a custom Fan profile using Trixx and man the fan on this thing gets loud. I did a MAX fan speed of 50% and I can easily tell the difference from 45% to 50%. 45% is semi inaudible where are 50% is kind of annoyingly loud in a way. I played BF3 for a bit it never broke 65c VRMs stayed nice n cool at around 48c
> 
> This is still at stock sorry but i will get to the OCing soon. Stock clocks on my 7970 are 925/1375


Is there a reason to install the modded driver for the highest level card? I thought the purpose of the mod was to unlock features on older / lower ranked cards that are only available to the 7900 series (but you already have a 7970).


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> this is the second review I've seen since the gtx680 launch that has stated "actual clock speeds".
> 
> 
> 
> how many times does he say "voltage control and great cooling" in his summary of the 7950's overclocking..
Click to expand...

Too many lol. He was really selling the 660ti too. Sorry to xfx owners, but my card could wipe that xfx card up easily. The DC2 670 performed exactly like mine did.


----------



## RKTGX95

hey guys, i have 2 questions:

1) should i replace the thermal paste on my Sapphire 950Mhz Edition card?
2) What other 7950 have non-ref pcb/ref 7970 pcb ? (considering CF in the future if the price drops in my country, and the 950Mhz card doesn't look like it will drop its price any-time soon)

thanks for the help!


----------



## kraytdizzle

So, I dropped down to a single screen over DVI, when I booted up the temp was in the mid-low 40s C this time. I loaded up my game and no problems, even played for about a half an hour and noticed nothing.

I did notice something else. When I had the two screens hooked up, it always idled at 500MHz for core, and higher for Memory.

This time, it idled at 300MHz and 150MHz memory, which seems more in line with the research I've done.

Wondering what I'll need to do to add in the other two screens for Eyefinity and keep this stability?


----------



## R.D.BID

What kind of performance can I expect with Crossfire 7950's @ 5760x1080 in current games like BF3?

I'm looking at the Sapphire Flex because I want to eventually run with 4 monitors. 3 in eyefinity +1 extended.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> What kind of performance can I expect with Crossfire 7950's @ 5760x1080 in current games like BF3?
> I'm looking at the Sapphire Flex because I want to eventually run with 4 monitors. 3 in eyefinity +1 extended.


A single 7950 will do 3240+ x 1920 very well, but tends to lag a bit when done in 5760+ x 1080. Crossfire will blow any game out of the water right now unless you're heavily into modding texture packs.


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> What kind of performance can I expect with Crossfire 7950's @ 5760x1080 in current games like BF3?
> I'm looking at the Sapphire Flex because I want to eventually run with 4 monitors. 3 in eyefinity +1 extended.


for now i still use my 2-3 year old samsung 1080p screen (P2370 non-HD) but its hopefully just for now. i'll more likely to get a 1600p screen in a few months, and i don't have the space for 3 monitors on my desk. i was just considering even though i know it is possibly a big overkill and better wait ti 8xxx series if i wish to spend money on a new GPU.

what about the thermal paste question, would my warranty be void if i'll replace it?

Edit:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> A single 7950 will do 3240+ x 1920 very well, but tends to lag a bit when done in 5760+ x 1080. Crossfire will blow any game out of the water right now unless you're heavily into modding texture packs.


i think your comment pretty much sums up if i need CF (and i don't)


----------



## Bluemustang

Havn't owned an ATI card since 1xxx series and i'm already experiencing so many issues I never had with nvidia.

Doom 3 white screening, metro 2033 freezes and gives error, multiple games underscanning etc. Stuff used to simply work. But in a way I like it and ill just look at it the way I always do technology. The more messed up and problematic it is and the more effort it takes to fix the more i'll learn


----------



## R.D.BID

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> A single 7950 will do 3240+ x 1920 very well, but tends to lag a bit when done in 5760+ x 1080. Crossfire will blow any game out of the water right now unless you're heavily into modding texture packs.


Ok, that's great news, thank you.

I don't really need a whole lot of eye candy, but currently I'm running CF 5870's @ 5760x1080 and I have to use Low settings to get ~60 FPS. It's ok lookin, but I would sure like to have it look a bit better.
I'd like to be able to get back to using High settings with the CF 7950s. Think that's a possibility? Assuming that I don't OC or just get an average OC.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Hm that doesnt happen to my GPU using 12.8 drivers. There are no issues and Everything runs smoothly for me.


It happened twice with 12.8 where my fan all of a sudden just stopped spinning. The first time the temps reached 90c then the next time it hit 95c. the fan did eventually kick on but it sputtered. which was weired. I installed the modded 12.7's at benchmark and so far flawless. Running BF3 no issues. My fan is working perfectly. I setup a custom profile with trixx at max 50% fan speed which results in temps at 65c and never beyond. 50% fan speed is annoying loud tho but oh well.

I also experiencing texture flickering on walls in BF3 using 12.8. The fan stopping issue had me concerned but once I switched over to 12.7 its gone. So far 30 mins in BF3 was great. taking off heads and the card otherwise runs smooth


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Havn't owned an ATI card since 1xxx series and i'm already experiencing so many issues I never had with nvidia.
> Doom 3 white screening, metro 2033 freezes and gives error, multiple games underscanning etc. Stuff used to simply work. But in a way I like it and ill just look at it the way I always do technology. The more messed up and problematic it is and the more effort it takes to fix the more i'll learn


True OCNer ^


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> So, I dropped down to a single screen over DVI, when I booted up the temp was in the mid-low 40s C this time. I loaded up my game and no problems, even played for about a half an hour and noticed nothing.
> I did notice something else. When I had the two screens hooked up, it always idled at 500MHz for core, and higher for Memory.
> This time, it idled at 300MHz and 150MHz memory, which seems more in line with the research I've done.
> Wondering what I'll need to do to add in the other two screens for Eyefinity and keep this stability?


I think it is normal to have higher idle clocks when using Eyefinity. I can't confirm as I don't have a multi screen set up, but I have read it many times.

Good to hear the card is working correctly with a single monitor, now the task of getting Eyefinity to work


----------



## ElevenEleven

Does this basically say that I cannot remove the cooler on my Sapphire 7970 to change stock TIM to MX-4?

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/support/?cid=3&psn=000203&lid=1

It does not say so here explicitly, but I don't know how they would know if I open the heatsink part or not, except by looking at the TIM and seeing that it's different... Anyone know for a fact if Sapphire voids warranty for changing TIM? I've seen both kinds of replies to this, including someone from a few years ago quoting a Sapphire tech saying that it was okay to replace TIM as long as the card was carefully reassembled back to its original state afterwards.
---
On that note, would it make a difference in my temperatures? I'm trying to reduce fan speeds, because my Dual-X card is somewhat noisy.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> So, I dropped down to a single screen over DVI, when I booted up the temp was in the mid-low 40s C this time. I loaded up my game and no problems, even played for about a half an hour and noticed nothing.
> 
> I did notice something else. When I had the two screens hooked up, it always idled at 500MHz for core, and higher for Memory.
> 
> This time, it idled at 300MHz and 150MHz memory, which seems more in line with the research I've done.
> 
> Wondering what I'll need to do to add in the other two screens for Eyefinity and keep this stability?
> 
> 
> 
> I think it is normal to have higher idle clocks when using Eyefinity. I can't confirm as I don't have a multi screen set up, but I have read it many times.
> 
> Good to hear the card is working correctly with a single monitor, now the task of getting Eyefinity to work
Click to expand...

That is normal and supposed to happen. 150mhz isn't enough to power both the monitors, or caused some sort of wake from sleep issue so it was moved up to 500mhz. Mine does the same thing.


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> That is normal and supposed to happen. 150mhz isn't enough to power both the monitors, or caused some sort of wake from sleep issue so it was moved up to 500mhz. Mine does the same thing.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> I think it is normal to have higher idle clocks when using Eyefinity. I can't confirm as I don't have a multi screen set up, but I have read it many times.
> 
> Good to hear the card is working correctly with a single monitor, now the task of getting Eyefinity to work


Thanks for the information.

I tried two monitors, one DVI, one HDMI. I managed to get my game to play smoothly then as well.

Question on the temperature of the card with multiple monitors, the temp goes up to 60C+ with two monitors, is that normal for multiple displays as well?

It is looking like my displayport adapters might be the cause.

I have two "StarTech.com MDP2DVIS Mini DisplayPort to DVI Active Adapter" that I got from amazon. Tried both on the third monitor in each displayport. Each time I added them in that is when the problem started occurring.

Going to give the DVI/HDMI setup a test for a day or two and see how stable it is.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> Thanks for the information.
> I tried two monitors, one DVI, one HDMI. I managed to get my game to play smoothly then as well.
> Question on the temperature of the card with multiple monitors, the temp goes up to 60C+ with two monitors, is that normal for multiple displays as well?
> It is looking like my displayport adapters might be the cause.
> I have two "StarTech.com MDP2DVIS Mini DisplayPort to DVI Active Adapter" that I got from amazon. Tried both on the third monitor in each displayport. Each time I added them in that is when the problem started occurring.
> Going to give the DVI/HDMI setup a test for a day or two and see how stable it is.


yes its completely normal for your idle temps to rise with running multiple monitors


----------



## Thracks

I idle at 59-63C on a reference 7970 GHz Edition. This is very normal for multi-display. NVIDIA is the same.


----------



## Diber

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> yes its completely normal for your idle temps to rise with running multiple monitors


QFT

I've got 2 rigs idling with 4 monitors connected at 60c and 63c on stock Gigabyte 7970s. Both go up to roughly 75-80c while gaming in eyefinity.


----------



## DaClownie

Watercool them bad boys... I idle at 31C with two monitors


----------



## Kokin

^Yeah it's a reoccuring "issue" with doing multi-monitor for ATI/AMD cards.


----------



## Thracks

It's not an "issue," it's the way it has to be for any GPU. In order to appropriately drive multiple displays, the GPU has to have a certain core and memory clockspeed to draw (render) the display without flickering. That's about 500MHz core. RAM matters less, and its heat output is extremely marginal.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> It's not an "issue," it's the way it has to be for any GPU. In order to appropriately drive multiple displays, the GPU has to have a certain core and memory clockspeed to draw (render) the display without flickering. That's about 500MHz core. RAM matters less, and its heat output is extremely marginal.


Why can't you guys drive multiple monitors at a lower clock? A certain other company can do it.

For my 7950, if I leave it on one monitor it idles at 31c which is like a normal warm day. If I turn more than one monitor on I idle at around 48c which is like a heater for no reason. That difference doesn't seem marginal to me and my room is noticeably hotter with it doing this. 48c should be a light gaming session, not idle temps.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> It's not an "issue," it's the way it has to be for any GPU. In order to appropriately drive multiple displays, the GPU has to have a certain core and memory clockspeed to draw (render) the display without flickering. That's about 500MHz core. RAM matters less, and its heat output is extremely marginal.
> 
> 
> 
> Why can't you guys drive multiple monitors at a lower clock? A certain other company can do it.
> 
> For my 7950, if I leave it on one monitor it idles at 31c which is like a normal warm day. If I turn more than one monitor on I idle at around 48c which is like a heater for no reason. That difference doesn't seem marginal to me and my room is noticeably hotter with it doing this. 48c should be a light gaming session, not idle temps.
Click to expand...

Last I checked, Green team is idling higher than 150mhz when using multi monitor as well...


----------



## Matt-Matt

So guys, what's the best drivers for these at the moment? My 7950 doesn't seem to like the beta 12.7 drivers.. 12.8 is horrible so I assume 12.6 is alright?

EDIT: Would anyone happen to have a HIS 7950 IceQ Turbo BIOS that they'd like to copy for me? I have a feeling there's something wrong with mine..and to contact support I need a serial number, which is on the back of my card installed. There's noway I'm pulling it out just to check either









ATIMan uninstaller? doesn't work either.. Just my luck


----------



## UNOE

Yep another driver and still same problems maybe more. This is ridiculous been waiting months for 3dmark11 to work with three cards. Easy choice what to buy next time around. I'm over it.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Newb question. I own an XFX 7970 and am thinking about getting another. If I mix brands like say get an MSI lightning or Gigabyte does it really matter or in theory is it the same card when using CF? Just wondering because I am trying to find another 7970 with 2 D-DVI ports. Also, since GHz edition is only 10 bucks more would it be worth buying a GHz edition or does that mess up the CF too?

Thanks y'all.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Newb question. I own an XFX 7970 and am thinking about getting another. If I mix brands like say get an MSI lightning or Gigabyte does it really matter or in theory is it the same card when using CF? Just wondering because I am trying to find another 7970 with 2 D-DVI ports. Also, since GHz edition is only 10 bucks more would it be worth buying a GHz edition or does that mess up the CF too?
> Thanks y'all.


Its better to have the same card if possible. Any HD 7970 will work. Make sure the clocks are same. what clocks are you running your current XFX HD 7970. and is your card the DD version.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Newb question. I own an XFX 7970 and am thinking about getting another. If I mix brands like say get an MSI lightning or Gigabyte does it really matter or in theory is it the same card when using CF? Just wondering because I am trying to find another 7970 with 2 D-DVI ports. Also, since GHz edition is only 10 bucks more would it be worth buying a GHz edition or does that mess up the CF too?
> Thanks y'all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its better to have the same card if possible. Any HD 7970 will work. Make sure the clocks are same. what clocks are you running your current XFX HD 7970. and is your card the DD version.
Click to expand...

DD no matter as it's under water. Currently not oc'd because my mobo needs replacing. I will probably run it at like 1150 to 1200mhz and about 1575 mem


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> DD no matter as it's under water. Currently not oc'd because my mobo needs replacing. I will probably run it at like 1150 to 1200mhz and about 1575 mem


If you are going to watercool just get any reference HD 7970 card. pick the brand you like. here are a couple of options. HIS HD 7970 for USD 420 and Gigabyte HD 7970 (1 Ghz) for USD 420 after rebate.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161399
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Its better to have the same card if possible. Any HD 7970 will work. Make sure the clocks are same. what clocks are you running your current XFX HD 7970. and is your card the DD version.


This, if you're watercooling go with a reference card and get a full cover block


----------



## Daffie82

Hi Guys

I have currently one HD7950 with max OC @ 1130mhz core.
I am planning on buying Max Payne 3 soon.
Would you recommend me to buy another HD7950 to run in crossfire?
I think I need one to play MP3 maxed out @ 1080p (single screen)

Price has ofcourse dropped quite alot for the HD7950, so it would be quite a good deal.
But on the other hand... Reading all the problems people are having with crossfire makes me doubt it...

Advice appreciated !


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hi Guys
> I have currently one HD7950 with max OC @ 1130mhz core.
> I am planning on buying Max Payne 3 soon.
> Would you recommend me to buy another HD7950 to run in crossfire?
> I think I need one to play MP3 maxed out @ 1080p (single screen)
> Price has ofcourse dropped quite alot for the HD7950, so it would be quite a good deal.
> But on the other hand... Reading all the problems people are having with crossfire makes me doubt it...
> Advice appreciated !


For 1080p you don't need HD 7950 CF. Here is a 1.2 Ghz HD 7950 running at 60 fps avg at 1080p with all settings maxed out and MSAA 4x in Max Payne 3

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/08/23/galaxy_gtx_660_ti_gc_oc_vs_670_hd_7950/3

Also Max Payne 3 MSAA implementation is botched. The image quality improvements with MSAA are very less compared to FXAA and performance hit is severe.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/06/12/max_payne_3_performance_iq_review/7

For 1080p just stick to a single HD 7950.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Hi Guys
> I have currently one HD7950 with max OC @ 1130mhz core.
> I am planning on buying Max Payne 3 soon.
> Would you recommend me to buy another HD7950 to run in crossfire?
> I think I need one to play MP3 maxed out @ 1080p (single screen)
> Price has ofcourse dropped quite alot for the HD7950, so it would be quite a good deal.
> But on the other hand... Reading all the problems people are having with crossfire makes me doubt it...
> Advice appreciated !


Unless needed, go single card.
buy game try and find out if needed.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> For 1080p you don't need HD 7950 CF. Here is a 1.2 Ghz HD 7950 running at 60 fps avg at 1080p with all settings maxed out and MSAA 4x in Max Payne 3
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/08/23/galaxy_gtx_660_ti_gc_oc_vs_670_hd_7950/3
> Also Max Payne 3 MSAA implementation is botched. The image quality improvements with MSAA are very less compared to FXAA and performance hit is severe.
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/06/12/max_payne_3_performance_iq_review/7
> For 1080p just stick to a single HD 7950.


Thanks for the feedback +rep

Do you know why they mention in the review 4xMSAA + FXAA ? Seems strange to me, isn't it the one or the other? Both msaa + fxaa seems a little unlogical to me.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Last I checked, Green team is idling higher than 150mhz when using multi monitor as well...


Yea they idle around 300ish but the temp doesn't go way up like it does with my 7950.


----------



## djohny24

Hello! i have a new 7950 Dual X (810/1250) and its max gpu frequency is 1100Mhz. Is there any unlocked bios? or how can i overclock more than 1100?. Thanks!










This is my card: http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1442&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djohny24*
> 
> Hello! i have a new 7950 Dual X (810/1250) and its max gpu frequency is 1100Mhz. Is there any unlocked bios? or how can i overclock more than 1100?. Thanks!
> 
> This is my card: http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1442&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


Sapphire Trixx should let you clock past 1100.


----------



## djohny24

Nope, trixx gives me the same max frequency.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thanks for the feedback +rep
> Do you know why they mention in the review 4xMSAA + FXAA ? Seems strange to me, isn't it the one or the other? Both msaa + fxaa seems a little unlogical to me.


Yeah you can run both MSAA 4X and FXAA . But MSAA 4x has a performance hit. FXAA has almost none. You should check for yourself how the image quality is when both are chosen.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djohny24*
> 
> Nope, trixx gives me the same max frequency.


That's really strange, it lets me go way past that on my 7950 and I haven't changed anything in the settings.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> What kind of performance can I expect with Crossfire 7950's @ 5760x1080 in current games like BF3?
> I'm looking at the Sapphire Flex because I want to eventually run with 4 monitors. 3 in eyefinity +1 extended.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> A single 7950 will do 3240+ x 1920 very well, but tends to lag a bit when done in 5760+ x 1080. Crossfire will blow any game out of the water right now unless you're heavily into modding texture packs.


bah... even my two 7970 @ 1000 can't handle Ultra settings, it can do High with breeze at 5760x2160 but if i put Ultra it becomes like a slide show


----------



## djohny24

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> That's really strange, it lets me go way past that on my 7950 and I haven't changed anything in the settings.


Maybe is only this model?

My card dont have dual bios.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djohny24*
> 
> Nope, trixx gives me the same max frequency.


Have you unchecked "ULPS" in the settings? Just in case - I have no idea if that's the actual max for your card.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Yeah you can run both MSAA 4X and FXAA . But MSAA 4x has a performance hit. FXAA has almost none. You should check for yourself how the image quality is when both are chosen.


''As you can see, at less than 5% performance hit, and better image quality than 2X MSAA, FXAA is the way to go. It is illogical and pointless to use 2X MSAA in this game. FXAA does a better job, providing 4X MSAA-like quality on the edges. 2X MSAA causes a large reduction in performance, yet FXAA does not. When you look at 4X MSAA it gets even worse for MSAA in this game. 4X MSAA has a severe impact on performance and on the whole doesn't do as good as a job as FXAA does. You would be nuts to run MSAA in this game. FXAA is where it is at.''

Comes straight out of the review of MP3 you posted.

Very strange that in the other review they did a test with 4xMSAA + FXAA and still get 60+FPS while in the MP3 review they say its not really playable that way.

I guess I'll just run it in FXAA


----------



## TheRaven

I just started preping my 7970 (Gigabyte Windforce) card for proper over-clocking. With CCC I ramped it up to 1075 core and 1450 memory, didn't change anything else but checked off the +20% power draw. Gonna let it break in with those settings for a while before adjusting voltage with MSI Afterburner.

Not sure if I need to worry about my temperatures though. I get different readings from GPU-Z depending on the game.

Crysis 2 maxed out with HD Textures and DX 11 at 1900X1200 runs at 63/64.
Anno 2070 though maxed out seemed to stress it more running at 71.
My idle is anywhere from 40-50 after I've been playing a game.

Wondering how much headroom that gives me when I proper over-clock it. Hoping to reach 1250/1600? [H]ardOCP got it to 1300 but I'm not gonna go that high. I have an empty 120MM fan slot on the side of my case that sits next to my PCI slots, how much will adding one of those affect my temperature?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRaven*
> 
> I just started preping my 7970 (Gigabyte Windforce) card for proper over-clocking. With CCC I ramped it up to 1075 core and 1450 memory, didn't change anything else but checked off the +20% power draw. Gonna let it break in with those settings for a while before adjusting voltage with MSI Afterburner.
> Not sure if I need to worry about my temperatures though. I get different readings from GPU-Z depending on the game.
> Crysis 2 maxed out with HD Textures and DX 11 at 1900X1200 runs at 63/64.
> Anno 2070 though maxed out seemed to stress it more running at 71.
> My idle is anywhere from 40-50 after I've been playing a game.
> Wondering how much headroom that gives me when I proper over-clock it. Hoping to reach 1250/1600? [H]ardOCP got it to 1300 but I'm not gonna go that high. I have an empty 120MM fan slot on the side of my case that sits next to my PCI slots, how much will adding one of those affect my temperature?


the side fan definitely will help. Let it be an intake fan blowing cool air onto the card. Your temps at load are a bit high especially in anno 2070 . You need to increase fan speeds manually. hardocp reached 1300 Mhz but they also pushed fan speeds to 80%. See what suits you in terms of fan noise. Maybe build a custom profile using MSI AB. You need to keep load temps below 70c if you want to keep your card stable at high overclocks. First try 1150 Mhz with stock voltage . push clocks 25 Mhz higher and test for stability. if its unstable then push voltage higher in small increments of 0.05v and arrive at a good balance of clocks, temps, fan speed / noise .


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the side fan definitely will help. Let it be an intake fan blowing cool air onto the card.


That would seem to be ideal for a reference card but wouldn't it be better to make the side fan exhaust for non-reference cards since they are dumping heat back into the case?


----------



## NiMo

hi guys, i'm getting low performance with my sapphire 7950, can you please help me?
i wrote a theard about it: http://www.overclock.net/t/1296337/low-performance-with-sapphire-7950


----------



## KingT

I did a little investigatting and I have found out that my Asus HD7950 [email protected] TOP uses reference PCB..

So I decided to flah this new BOOST BIOS from AMD..

All I can say WOW!!!









This BIOS is awesome!!!









First my card with original BIOS could not go over 1050MHz on the core because adding Voltage over 1.062V would pretty much crash the card.

I have found out by watching in GPU-Z that now *w/ AMD BOOST BIOS my card has less Vdroop* than on original BIOS..
Before on Asus BIOS when I set for example 1.062V in MSI AB VDDC on VRMs would be ~ 1.01V UNDER LOAD.

Now with AMD BOOST BIOS with the same 1.062V set in MSI AB my VDDC reads 1.04V UNDER LOAD..

That might be a reason of bad Voltage/OC skaling before on Asus BIOS..

Also now GPU temp is bit higher due VRMs supplying more Voltage to GPU (1.04V vs 1.01V before with manual Vcore @ 1.062V in MSI AB)

Before w/ 1.062V my max OC was 1050/1575MHz and now with AMD BOOST BIOS it flys trough games/3DMark 11 @ 1100/1575MHz ..









CHEERS..


----------



## ElevenEleven

Welp, I'm becoming rather disillusioned with my open box Sapphire 7970. I loved my 7870 (HIS IceQ X) up until I sold it with my old rig, and thought a 7970 would be even better. But for the price difference and power consumption (and heat/noise), I'm not seeing a great performance boost vs. my GTX 670 that's on my main computer. The 7970 is for a family member who, among other games, still plays a fair amount of WoW, and when I tested GTX 670 in his computer, the difference in FPS was huge (like up to 250 fps in some areas with GTX 670, and only 130-150 fps with the 7970 in the same area). I know nVidia has a strong WoW monopoly, but I had no idea it was _that_ strong! In any case, it's the noise, temperatures, and power consumption that's bogging me down. It's using ~40 watts more in less demanding games like WoW and D3, and 180+ Watts more in Furmark Burn-in Test / OCCT GPU test for slightly better performance (and in case of WoW - worse)! (settings are stock volts, +20% power target, ~1100MHz GPU Clock / 1575MHz memory clock). Fan speed has to stay below 50% to avoid a tonal fan sound (okay, that's manufacturer/design specific), which is not happening in games.

I was going to try an ASUS DirectCu II version, since my GTX 670 of the same design is doing extremely well in terms of temperatures and noise, but now I wonder if I should scrap the whole 7970 idea and opt for cooler / lower power consumption cards.

P.S.: I finally found Lucid Virtu MVP's merit with this card - it boosts performance and smoothness significantly in some games (and Heaven 3.0). Did not notice it so much before with GTX 670 and HD 7870, curiously enough. Helps with temperatures and power consumption too. Too bad my family member's using a Z68 motherboard, so I can only use the MVP version on a trial basis.


----------



## vonalka

Hi - In an earlier post there was a request to see Heaven 3.0 results with a 7970 crossfired with a 7950, I have that setup with my AMD rig, so I posted the result:


Since I have two 7970's crossfired in my Intel rig, I thought it would be good to post the result from that system to give a comparison:


Note: One difference is that Anisotropy was set to 16X on the Intel test, but was at 4X on the AMD test. (and of course the obvious difference in CPU)


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Should i flash my visiontek 7970 woth boost bios? Or does it not make a difference


----------



## TheRaven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Should i flash my visiontek 7970 woth boost bios? Or does it not make a difference


I was wondering the same thing with my Gigabyte 7970 Windforce. How much of a difference does that make on card abilities?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Should i flash my visiontek 7970 woth boost bios? Or does it not make a difference


Do not flash the BIOS. just overclock manually in AMD CCC to 1050 Mhz core and 1500 Mhz memory. thats enough. max out your power option to +20%. If things are stable in fact you could go for 1100 Mhz . Make sure temps are under 75c and the card runs stable . test using BF3 and Heaven for stability. the Ghz BIOS increases voltage and so your temps will also increase. Just stick to your current BIOS and overclock with stock voltage .


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRaven*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Should i flash my visiontek 7970 woth boost bios? Or does it not make a difference
> 
> 
> 
> I was wondering the same thing with my Gigabyte 7970 Windforce. How much of a difference does that make on card abilities?
Click to expand...

no difference. it's a waste of time. it's a marketing move to make a dent in the awful perception of the 7950/7970 in professional reviews next to the gtx600's that boost out of the building at "stock" speeds.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Ok thx guys


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TheRaven*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Should i flash my visiontek 7970 woth boost bios? Or does it not make a difference
> 
> 
> 
> I was wondering the same thing with my Gigabyte 7970 Windforce. How much of a difference does that make on card abilities?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> no difference. it's a waste of time. it's a marketing move to make a dent in the awful perception of the 7950/7970 in professional reviews next to the gtx600's that boost out of the building at "stock" speeds.
Click to expand...

Don't say its "not a difference". That's untrue. For some people, their card overclocks higher. For some the limits are the same, and for a small percentage, it doesn't work at all.

My card used to max at 1175 / 1600 on the stock reference cooler. With the GHz Edition BIOS, I was able to get 1200 / 1800 out of it rock solid on the reference cooler.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Don't say its "not a difference". That's untrue. For some people, their card overclocks higher. For some the limits are the same, and for a small percentage, it doesn't work at all.
> 
> My card used to max at 1175 / 1600 on the stock reference cooler. With the GHz Edition BIOS, I was able to get 1200 / 1800 out of it rock solid on the reference cooler.


I stand corrected.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Don't say its "not a difference". That's untrue. For some people, their card overclocks higher. For some the limits are the same, and for a small percentage, it doesn't work at all.
> 
> My card used to max at 1175 / 1600 on the stock reference cooler. With the GHz Edition BIOS, I was able to get 1200 / 1800 out of it rock solid on the reference cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> I stand corrected.
Click to expand...

To be fair, it doesn't mean its worth the flash. Although if you've got a reference card, you've got dual BIOS's. And the flash only works on reference boards...... So just backup your original BIOS first, and you won't have anything to worry about. If the flash fails and / or bricks your card....blind flash it back to the stock BIOS.


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Don't say its "not a difference". That's untrue. For some people, their card overclocks higher. For some the limits are the same, and for a small percentage, it doesn't work at all.
> My card used to max at 1175 / 1600 on the stock reference cooler. With the GHz Edition BIOS, I was able to get 1200 / 1800 out of it rock solid on the reference cooler.


how did you flash it i havent flashed a 7970 before









would like to test it out on my card that i can bench at 1300 see if it helps it get more and my 2nd ones is stuck at arounf 1125


----------



## majnu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I did a little investigatting and I have found out that my Asus HD7950 [email protected] TOP uses reference PCB..
> So I decided to flah this new BOOST BIOS from AMD..
> All I can say WOW!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This BIOS is awesome!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> First my card with original BIOS could not go over 1050MHz on the core because adding Voltage over 1.062V would pretty much crash the card.
> I have found out by watching in GPU-Z that now *w/ AMD BOOST BIOS my card has less Vdroop* than on original BIOS..
> Before on Asus BIOS when I set for example 1.062V in MSI AB VDDC on VRMs would be ~ 1.01V UNDER LOAD.
> Now with AMD BOOST BIOS with the same 1.062V set in MSI AB my VDDC reads 1.04V UNDER LOAD..
> That might be a reason of bad Voltage/OC skaling before on Asus BIOS..
> Also now GPU temp is bit higher due VRMs supplying more Voltage to GPU (1.04V vs 1.01V before with manual Vcore @ 1.062V in MSI AB)
> Before w/ 1.062V my max OC was 1050/1575MHz and now with AMD BOOST BIOS it flys trough games/3DMark 11 @ 1100/1575MHz ..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


Hi I used to be on the p5q deluxe thread, do all reference cards flash to that bios as I'm thinking of getting a 7950 since the prices have dropped massively in the uk?
thanks


----------



## Matt-Matt

I take it my 7950 isn't a reference card, therefore no new BIOS from AMD which might allow me to overclock it more?
It's got a BIOS switch I'm fairly sure, so I guess I can always try it. I'll look for that now, also how do you blind flash? Just boot up in the second bios?









EDIT: I'm also trying to get the most out of the memory possible.. Where should I stop for memory voltage?

Didn't let me flash.. Darn


----------



## TurboSnail

Just picked up a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X from newegg. Now I have to wait for it to get here.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I take it my 7950 isn't a reference card, therefore no new BIOS from AMD which might allow me to overclock it more?
> It's got a BIOS switch I'm fairly sure, so I guess I can always try it. I'll look for that now, also how do you blind flash? Just boot up in the second bios?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: I'm also trying to get the most out of the memory possible.. Where should I stop for memory voltage?
> Didn't let me flash.. Darn


Don't flash the BIOS. Manual voltage overclocking and setting up a custom fan profile to go with it is better. You should easily be able to hit 1.15 Ghz with a bit of extra voltage. Use Sapphire Trixx and save the profile. Load it up only when you game. Other times let everything be at stock. Thats what I do on my HD 6950.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Don't flash the BIOS. Manual voltage overclocking and setting up a custom fan profile to go with it is better. You should easily be able to hit 1.15 Ghz with a bit of extra voltage. Use Sapphire Trixx and save the profile. Load it up only when you game. Other times let everything be at stock. Thats what I do on my HD 6950.


I just leave it at overclocked, as I said it didn't let me flash. It's currently overclocked to 1200MHz core and stock on the memory. My new problem is that it's idling at 500MHz and not 300?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I just leave it at overclocked, as I said it didn't let me flash. It's currently overclocked to 1200MHz core and stock on the memory. My new problem is that it's idling at 500MHz and not 300?


Is it idling at 500 Mhz even when left at default settings.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Is it idling at 500 Mhz even when left at default settings.


Yes..
It's weird, it was then I ran the Furmark benchmark (MSI Kombustor) and now it's at 300MHz? I dunno, the only thing that annoys me is that it idles at 30c while on 300MHz but at 500MHz it idles at close to 40c. I guess it's not really a problem though, I'll make a custom fan curve later


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yes..
> It's weird, it was then I ran the Furmark benchmark (MSI Kombustor) and now it's at 300MHz? I dunno, the only thing that annoys me is that it idles at 30c while on 300MHz but at 500MHz it idles at close to 40c. I guess it's not really a problem though, I'll make a custom fan curve later


It's the driver. Initiating a 3D load will temp fix it. However, next time you boot, clocks will get stuck again. Rinse repeat.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> how did you flash it i havent flashed a 7970 before
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> would like to test it out on my card that i can bench at 1300 see if it helps it get more and my 2nd ones is stuck at arounf 1125


I use atiflash for amd cards, atiflash -p -f 0 newbios.xxx


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I use atiflash for amd cards, atiflash -p -f 0 newbios.xxx


'

I used this as well, though none of the 7970 BIOS would work with my 7950.









Other 7950s were also not compatible, so I just gave up about about 20 changes and went back to stock.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

my 7970 runs a little warm. I am using a custom fan profile and to make it run 50% fan speed in games. Temps hit 70c and my VRMs still stay at a cool 49c. anything over 50% fan speed starts to get annoyingly loud but I may try a little faster to may 55%. Still running stock and the card runs smooth as butter. I have not gotten to OC yet as I was in the hospital for a nail through my foot problem yesterday.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> my 7970 runs a little warm. I am using a custom fan profile and to make it run 50% fan speed in games. Temps hit 70c and my VRMs still stay at a cool 49c. anything over 50% fan speed starts to get annoyingly loud but I may try a little faster to may 55%. Still running stock and the card runs smooth as butter. I have not gotten to OC yet as I was in the hospital for a nail through my foot problem yesterday.


What are you're temps on auto fan?
80c is a good limit.
Also, the VRM's can safely hit 85c.
My limit for VRM's is 75-80c.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

not really sure about auto as ive never run it on auto. I will give it a shot tho


----------



## 4LC4PON3

ok i fixed my fan profile I must of screwed it up or had it off because I noticed that the 72 temps where on Auto. The custom profile now has the fan up to 52% but I made it kick in once the temps get over 60c. My temps never reach above 63c now with the custom profile


----------



## djohny24

Finally i got high overclock on my 7950


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> ok i fixed my fan profile I must of screwed it up or had it off because I noticed that the 72 temps where on Auto. The custom profile now has the fan up to 52% but I made it kick in once the temps get over 60c. My temps never reach above 63c now with the custom profile


Which software are you using . sapphire trixx or msi afterburner. if you have got temps under control with the custom profile then you can look to push clocks to 1.05 Ghz with memory at 6 Ghz and you get HD 7970 Ghz performance.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Which software are you using . sapphire trixx or msi afterburner. if you have got temps under control with the custom profile then you can look to push clocks to 1.05 Ghz with memory at 6 Ghz and you get HD 7970 Ghz performance.


But he does have a 7970!? hehehe


----------



## ElevenEleven

Is it preferable to use Trixx with Sapphire 7970s in terms of stability, or Afterburner is just as good? I'm a fan of Afterburner because it allows to set a more detailed fan profile.

Also, what sort of an overclock can I reasonably expect from a locked-voltage ASUS 7970 DirectCU II non-TOP? Thankies.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Is it preferable to use Trixx with Sapphire 7970s in terms of stability, or Afterburner is just as good? I'm a fan of Afterburner because it allows to set a more detailed fan profile.
> Also, what sort of an overclock can I reasonably expect from a locked-voltage ASUS 7970 DirectCU II non-TOP? Thankies.


Use Trixx to disable ULPS, then close it down and reboot the pc. Then, just use MSI AB for overclocking and voltage control.







Trixx does not have to be running all the time once you have selected "disable ULPS". If ULPS is active, it WILL give you issues when overclocking in crossfire mode.


----------



## kahboom

1st good card Msi twin frozer III 7950 with xfx 7970 bios flash @ 1.043v

 2nd card which was RMA to Msi i got back today and also flashed as well with the xfx 7970 bios and its @ 1.024v, i will post crossfire later after further testing just to make sure i don't have to send back again but so far it looks like ill be selling my gtx 570's to run these they run great so far can't wait to get them on water


----------



## kahboom

For some reason HW monitor says 1.17v when they are at a lower voltage why is this ?


----------



## qbical

hows everyone's overclocking on these so far? on water more specifically.
Just threw my 7970 on water and holy smokes...... I went from 74-78C @ full load to 40C @ full load. I literally just started OC'ing it and just got 8359 Marks @ 1000/1425. How is that stacking up w/ everyone else?
Looking forward to upping it a little more


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> hows everyone's overclocking on these so far? on water more specifically.
> Just threw my 7970 on water and holy smokes...... I went from 74-78C @ full load to 40C @ full load. I literally just started OC'ing it and just got 8359 Marks @ 1000/1425. How is that stacking up w/ everyone else?
> Looking forward to upping it a little more


Mine does 1370 / 1800 on water.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Do you have to mess with memory voltage when OCing the memory?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Mine does 1370 / 1800 on water.


Wow!









Is that with stock BIOS on card?

What are your voltage settings?

What block?

Do you use TRIX or MSI AFterburner or something else for tuning?


----------



## JayKaos

grr chrome playing ou wrong thread


----------



## JayKaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Try the Gigahertz bios or a voltage bump with afterburner. This will net you a bit more performance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The only problem is that your res is a fair bit less than mine (1920 x 1080), from the reviews (on older drivers) they're getting 44FPS absolutely MAXED on a 1920x1200? screen so if i turn the AA down a tad it should be a constant 60FPS.
> I've got my HAF 932 so I'll be set!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It doesn't fit in with my colour scheme but it doesn't bother me that much, because with the dust filters you can't even see the card(s) in my rig.
> I also found out why this is cheap, AMD are releasing a new BIOS for reference cards and this might not be getting it. I don't really care though, it's only a 25MHz boost in my case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can always try it, because it's got a BIOS switch too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Yes it's from PCCG
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT2: My motherboard/case has a 1 slot gap between GPU's so technically I could fit two 3 slot cards in SLI/CFX
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I've missed out (theres a chance I have). I've got a 7870 Hawk for $280 shipped. It's still a good deal but not as nice :/


You need a 2 slot gap for a 3 slot card my older board has a 2 slot gap!

cheers n good luck...
FWIW PCCG are top's IMO


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> ok i fixed my fan profile I must of screwed it up or had it off because I noticed that the 72 temps where on Auto. The custom profile now has the fan up to 52% but I made it kick in once the temps get over 60c. My temps never reach above 63c now with the custom profile


Yeah, I set up my custom fan loop too! I push the fan speed up and it sounds terrible with Kombustor etc, but in Battlefield it's reasonable and it maxes at about 65c which I'm happy with for 1200/1250. It usually sits on 60-63 too. I'm now pushing 70+ FPS on all maps with max settings apart from MSAA which is off and AA which is on 8x (I don't notice a difference personally).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JayKaos*
> 
> You need a 2 slot gap for a 3 slot card my older board has a 2 slot gap!
> cheers n good luck...
> FWIW PCCG are top's IMO


I could fit two of these in here rather nicely, I doubt I could run them at this speed though If I did as heat would be a bit of an issue. It'd be do-able though!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Do you have to mess with memory voltage when OCing the memory?


I'm interested in this too, and how safe/unsafe is it to run the memory past it's specifications? This is rated at 1250MHz at 1.5v, I checked a review and it states that. I also looked up the specifications on Hynix's website. I'll +rep everyone that helps because I really want to start overclocking my memory!
It won't do 1300MHz at stock voltage, I did run it at 1300 with 1550mv for a bit








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> 1st good card Msi twin frozer III 7950 with xfx 7970 bios flash @ 1.043v
> 2nd card which was RMA to Msi i got back today and also flashed as well with the xfx 7970 bios and its @ 1.024v, i will post crossfire later after further testing just to make sure i don't have to send back again but so far it looks like ill be selling my gtx 570's to run these they run great so far can't wait to get them on water


What's the point in using a 7970 BIOS? More voltage..? I know that you can brick your cards by doing this, simply because the memory timings on the vRAM is lower/higher.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> What's the point in using a 7970 BIOS? More voltage..? I know that you can brick your cards by doing this, simply because the memory timings on the vRAM is lower/higher.


Only reason to really do it is if the card over clocks better and the performance increases.

Best reason to do it would be to unlock shaders but that has yet to be seen on a MSI HD 7950.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Only reason to really do it is if the card over clocks better and the performance increases.
> Best reason to do it would be to unlock shaders but that has yet to be seen on a MSI HD 7950.


I doubt you'll be able to ever unlock shaders on any 7950.. Remember the 6950 and 6970?









Also I forgot to add I burned myself on my 7950 the other day, I put my hand on the back of the card to see how warm it got under load.. I accidentally touched the heatpipe and wow it was so hot!









Another thing I've noted is that BF3 seems to be hard limited at 200FPS? If I look up to the sky it caps at 199-200 FPS no matter what. - Could just be a co-incidence though


----------



## 4LC4PON3

My card with a custom profile up to 52% will max out at 63c only on BF3 but when I play other games that are not as intensive I am seeing a max of 58-59c. So far im pleased


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> My card with a custom profile up to 52% will max out at 63c only on BF3 but when I play other games that are not as intensive I am seeing a max of 58-59c. So far im pleased


What's your card clocked at? That seems very similar to mine









Also.. Bricked my first BIOS. Thank god for the BIOS switch. Currently on BIOS #2, what can I do to restore my first one? I saved it with GPU-Z and I just tried to flash it back with ATIWinflash and it failed

EDIT: Rebooting and re-trying fixed it! It's really bad that ATIWinflash makes explorer.exe crash.... It scared me the first time.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> What's your card clocked at? That seems very similar to mine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also.. Bricked my first BIOS. Thank god for the BIOS switch. Currently on BIOS #2, what can I do to restore my first one? I saved it with GPU-Z and I just tried to flash it back with ATIWinflash and it failed


All stock ATM. 925/1375. I just have not had the time to play around with Overclocking. I was in the hospital for 1 day cause I put a nail through my foot & tomorrow im leaving for 10 days for vacation. After Vacation I planned on doing some fine tuning but as it is now my 7970 is producing more then enough power for my 1080p needs


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> All stock ATM. 925/1375. I just have not had the time to play around with Overclocking. I was in the hospital for 1 day cause I put a nail through my foot & tomorrow im leaving for 10 days for vacation. After Vacation I planned on doing some fine tuning but as it is now my 7970 is producing more then enough power for my 1080p needs


Ah yes, I hope the foot is alright!







How did you actually manage that one?

Have fun on your vacation also!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Ah yes, I hope the foot is alright!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How did you actually manage that one?
> Have fun on your vacation also!


lol no clue I unload freight trucks for a living. I ended up stepping on a nail that was not connected to anything at all. Just a lonely nail. It went completely through. In the process of ripping it out of my foot I tore some cartilage and hit a bone. Doctor told me I was stupid for ripping it out on my own as the nail was not a normal nail it had some sort of grooves on the nail so it held better in wood. Lesson learned I guess. Foot is ok to a point at the moment.

Anyways back on topic. I love my 7970 so far. No issues here. Killer card. I sold the 4 free games it came with for $10.00 each so I ended up paying a total of $330.00 for it


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> lol no clue I unload freight trucks for a living. I ended up stepping on a nail that was not connected to anything at all. Just a lonely nail. It went completely through. In the process of ripping it out of my foot I tore some cartilage and hit a bone. Doctor told me I was stupid for ripping it out on my own as the nail was not a normal nail it had some sort of grooves on the nail so it held better in wood. Lesson learned I guess. Foot is ok to a point at the moment.
> 
> Anyways back on topic. I love my 7970 so far. No issues here. Killer card. I sold the 4 free games it came with for $10.00 each so I ended up paying a total of $330.00 for it


That's a really good price! I thought my 7950 for $300 was good. But apparently not








As for the nail! OUCH!


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Also.. Bricked my first BIOS. Thank god for the BIOS switch. Currently on BIOS #2, what can I do to restore my first one? I saved it with GPU-Z and I just tried to flash it back with ATIWinflash and it failed
> EDIT: Rebooting and re-trying fixed it! It's really bad that *ATIWinflash* makes explorer.exe crash.... It scared me the first time.


Don't use Ati*Win*Flash, it's very risky..

Use *Atiflash* (DOS based) ad it's perfectly safe.

You need to create a Fat32 bootable USB disk, then put Atiflash and your BIOS file on the root folder.

Then restart your computer and boot from yout USB |(bootable).

once you boot to DOS then use this commmand:

*atiflash -f -p 0 BIOSname.bin*

Wait until flash is done and when you get the message to restart then do it so.

For tutorials on "How to flash a graphic card" and "how to create a bootable USB disk" go to *TechPowerUp*.

CHEERS..


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Don't use Ati*Win*Flash, it's very risky..
> Use *Atiflash* (DOS based) ad it's perfectly safe.
> You need to create a Fat32 bootable USB disk, then put Atiflash and your BIOS file on the root folder.
> Then restart your computer and boot from yout USB |(bootable).
> once you boot to DOS then use this commmand:
> *atiflash -f -p 0 BIOSname.bin*
> Wait until flash is done and when you get the message to restart then do it so.
> For tutorials on "How to flash a graphic card" and "how to create a bootable USB disk" go to *TechPowerUp*.
> CHEERS..


Yeah, thanks +rep
I've actually decided to stick to the stock BIOS. Playing around with ATIWinFlash doesn't let me put many BIOS' on there, the only one that worked was the 7970 IceQ one (i think it was that) and it bricks it.


----------



## Imprezzion

Hmm. Just a quick question whether you guys consider it safe to run eh.

Using a reference Sapphire HD7970 with a Arctic Accelero 7970 with the fan module removed and 2 120mm Scythe Slipstream 1600RPM 88CFM fans tied to it.

Clocks are at:
GPU Volts: 1.237v (After vdrop about 1.17-1.18v)
Mem Volts: 1.625v (Stays the same after drop)
GPU Clocks: 1230Mhz
MEM Clocks: 1740Mhz

The things I am concerned about, again, still, are the VRM temps and whether the VRAM is capable of running 1.625v (with heatsinks) for long periods of time.

Temps:
GPU:
BF3: 55-58c.
Sleeping Dogs: 64-66c.
OCCT: (Heats up more then Furmark will ever do tbh): 74c.
VRM's:
BF3: VRM1: 85c and VRM2: 65c.
Sleeping Dogs: VRM1: 109c VRM2: 80c.
OCCT: (Ridiculous amount of amps / watts pulled, as in almost 280 amps on 1.14v after drop being ~320w of consumption) VRM1: 126c VRM2: 94c.

Can I run the VRM's at like, 110-115c on hot days in games like Sleeping Dogs / Crysis 3 and what not more to come?
Many sources say the VRM's are rated to 125c but still, 109c (this is max temp recorded by GPU-Z eh, stable temps are at about 95-98c) seems liek A LOT.
I know Arctics VRM cooling is very crappy and I plan to buy a Swiftech HD7970-HS cooling block and mod and grind it so that the Accelero fits over it but I wanna know if it's safe to keep running untill I modded that block in a way that it fits.

I don't really wanna clock back cause Sleeping Dogs @ all max with 2x EQ AAA and FXAA is quite intensive and can go as low as 45 FPS in some areas even with these clocks.


----------



## raghu78

VRM temps above 100c are not good. As you have said get the watercooling done or get better VRM cooling heatsinks. Till then lower the clocks so that VRM stays below 100c.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Hmm. Just a quick question whether you guys consider it safe to run eh.
> Using a reference Sapphire HD7970 with a Arctic Accelero 7970 with the fan module removed and 2 120mm Scythe Slipstream 1600RPM 88CFM fans tied to it.
> Clocks are at:
> GPU Volts: 1.237v (After vdrop about 1.17-1.18v)
> Mem Volts: 1.625v (Stays the same after drop)
> GPU Clocks: 1230Mhz
> MEM Clocks: 1740Mhz
> The things I am concerned about, again, still, are the VRM temps and whether the VRAM is capable of running 1.625v (with heatsinks) for long periods of time.
> Temps:
> GPU:
> BF3: 55-58c.
> Sleeping Dogs: 64-66c.
> OCCT: (Heats up more then Furmark will ever do tbh): 74c.
> VRM's:
> BF3: VRM1: 85c and VRM2: 65c.
> Sleeping Dogs: VRM1: 109c VRM2: 80c.
> OCCT: (Ridiculous amount of amps / watts pulled, as in almost 280 amps on 1.14v after drop being ~320w of consumption) VRM1: 126c VRM2: 94c.
> Can I run the VRM's at like, 110-115c on hot days in games like Sleeping Dogs / Crysis 3 and what not more to come?
> Many sources say the VRM's are rated to 125c but still, 109c (this is max temp recorded by GPU-Z eh, stable temps are at about 95-98c) seems liek A LOT.
> I know Arctics VRM cooling is very crappy and I plan to buy a Swiftech HD7970-HS cooling block and mod and grind it so that the Accelero fits over it but I wanna know if it's safe to keep running untill I modded that block in a way that it fits.
> I don't really wanna clock back cause Sleeping Dogs @ all max with 2x EQ AAA and FXAA is quite intensive and can go as low as 45 FPS in some areas even with these clocks.


your VRM temps are way to high. you need to keep them under 100c at all times. As Raghu said water cool or get some better VRM cooling. I see at one point you got up to 126c on VRM 1 thats crazy


----------



## Imprezzion

I'll back down to 1150Mhz with 1.12v then. That stays at 85c orso.


----------



## Davidsen

How much of a bottleneck would i be at, if i decided to upgrade to a 7950 with a Phenom ii 550?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Davidsen*
> 
> How much of a bottleneck would i be at, if i decided to upgrade to a 7950 with a Phenom ii 550?


I'd say quite a bit.. It'll be better then your 5750 though. You might want to try unlocking the Phenom II 550 though, if you can get a tri/quad the bottleneck would be less








Otherwise I'd suggest upgrading to a 955BE or a 960t









EDIT: Can't seem to get VRM temps to read properly.. GPU-Z and HWID (or whatever the program is in the OP) tells me 24c idle and under load?


----------



## Jabba1977

Hi...I´ll planing buy a HD 7950 for my pc.

WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?

There are my favourites...I want the less noise posible and cooling efficency / overclock.

The cards are about same price in locar sellers.

7950 POWERCOLOR PCS+
7950 HIS ICEQ TURBO
7950 GIGABYTE WINDFORCE 3
7950 SAPPHIRE OC EDITION

It´s very difficult to me choose one, please help me...Which is the best/quietest and cooler of four?

Sorry for my english!!! and thanks.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...I´ll planing buy a HD 7950 for my pc.
> WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?
> There are my favourites...I want the less noise posible and cooling efficency / overclock.
> The cards are about same price in locar sellers.
> 7950 POWERCOLOR PCS+
> 7950 HIS ICEQ TURBO
> 7950 GIGABYTE WINDFORCE 3
> 7950 SAPPHIRE OC EDITION
> 
> It´s very difficult to me choose one, please help me...Which is the best/quietest and cooler of four?
> Sorry for my english!!! and thanks.


I prefer Sapphire over any of those IMO. Sapphire is one of the best company's around plus it has the highest clocks. Stay away from the MSi Twin Frozr IIi cards. Went through x2 of these within 3 weeks. Not worth the trouble


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...I´ll planing buy a HD 7950 for my pc.
> WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?
> There are my favourites...I want the less noise posible and cooling efficency / overclock.
> The cards are about same price in locar sellers.
> 7950 POWERCOLOR PCS+
> 7950 HIS ICEQ TURBO
> 7950 GIGABYTE WINDFORCE 3
> 7950 SAPPHIRE OC EDITION
> 
> It´s very difficult to me choose one, please help me...Which is the best/quietest and cooler of four?
> Sorry for my english!!! and thanks.


I've never used Powercolor, but the I own the HIS and it's rather good. I've got mine running at 1200/1250MHz and it never passes 65c in games. The cooler does get a bit loud though. Those Gigabyte coolers are quite good from what I hear, I don't know how good the 7950 one is though. The Sapphire is about the same sort of performance as the HIS I think. Maybe a bit quieter and a bit hotter.

I think the Windforce 3 would be the best bet for silence/cooling performance. Don't quote me on that though








EDIT: Yes, just looking at a review the Windforce 3 beats the MSI Twinfrozr cooler on heat dissapation and by noise. It would probably be one of the better choices if you have a decent case to handle it.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I've never used Powercolor, but the I own the HIS and it's rather good. I've got mine running at 1200/1250MHz and it never passes 65c in games. The cooler does get a bit loud though. Those Gigabyte coolers are quite good from what I hear, I don't know how good the 7950 one is though. The Sapphire is about the same sort of performance as the HIS I think. Maybe a bit quieter and a bit hotter.
> I think the Windforce 3 would be the best bet for silence/cooling performance. Don't quote me on that though


HIS Iceq is the best cooler. Your clocks are on the high end of voltage overclocks. So i guess the fan needs to run at high speeds to cool the chip.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7950-review-benchmark,3207-14.html


----------



## BradleyW

Just to add to the VRM stuff, 85c is a good long term max. I have no cooling on my VRM's and they hit 100c in every game, so I added a 120mm fan to blow side on, between the cards (at the end of the cards) and it kept the temps to 80c. Plus, I use vsync, so the VRM's are around 70-75c when overclocked and slightly overvolted.


----------



## Ukkooh

Is it better to oc with Afterburner/trixx than with the CCC's Overdrive? Asking because I have OD limits of 1500mhz for core and 1950 for mem.


----------



## Snyderman34

I'm having wierd VRM issues also. VRM1 hit 100C+ in BF3 (79C idle), but VRM2 sits at 27C all the time. Not sure what to make of that


----------



## Jabba1977

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...I´ll planing buy a HD 7950 for my pc.
> WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?
> There are my favourites...I want the less noise posible and cooling efficency / overclock.
> The cards are about same price in locar sellers.
> 7950 POWERCOLOR PCS+
> 7950 HIS ICEQ TURBO
> 7950 GIGABYTE WINDFORCE 3
> 7950 SAPPHIRE OC EDITION
> 
> It´s very difficult to me choose one, please help me...Which is the best/quietest and cooler of four?
> Sorry for my english!!! and thanks.


Hi...thanks...

Probably I´ll go for the Gigabyte Windoforce 3 .

I sold me about 290€ ...

One mor question?.

Do you think that THE HIS 7970 ICEQ2 TURBO is really worth for 130€ more ---> 420€

http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-692.shtml

Thank you!!.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...thanks...
> Probably I´ll go for the Gigabyte Windoforce 3 .
> I sold me about 290€ ...
> One mor question?.
> Do you think that THE HIS 7970 ICEQ2 TURBO is really worth for 130€ more ---> 420€
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-692.shtml
> Thank you!!.


IMO, I don't think it's worth it.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Davidsen*
> 
> How much of a bottleneck would i be at, if i decided to upgrade to a 7950 with a Phenom ii 550?
> 
> 
> 
> I'd say quite a bit.. It'll be better then your 5750 though. You might want to try unlocking the Phenom II 550 though, if you can get a tri/quad the bottleneck would be less
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Otherwise I'd suggest upgrading to a 955BE or a 960t
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Can't seem to get VRM temps to read properly.. GPU-Z and HWID (or whatever the program is in the OP) tells me 24c idle and under load?
Click to expand...

You never will be able to read your vrm temps with software, with your current 7950. We can thank the factory(s) that made the reference 7950 pcb's for that.








My VisionTek 7950 is the same, the reading with HWInfo 64 is stuck at 25C, never changes. Although the card appears to have the same CHIL CHL8228 chip that works with the 7970's, it is non-functional on the reference 7950's. The 7970's do not have this issue, nor do the 7950's that have a 7970 pcb, such as those from MSI and Sapphire.


----------



## kahboom

Ulps enabled 12.8 driver with 12.7 cap3 both cards flashed with vtx 7970 bios @ 1.043v 1050core and 1425mem (5700 effective) runs smooth so far no freezes or crashes


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Ulps enabled 12.8 driver with 12.7 cap3 both cards flashed with vtx 7970 bios @ 1.043v 1050core and 1425mem (5700 effective) runs smooth so far no freezes or crashes


How are your vrm temps. in CPUID Hardware Monitor with that bios, at those settings?


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You never will be able to read your vrm temps with software, with your current 7950. We can thank the factory(s) that made the reference 7950 pcb's for that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My VisionTek 7950 is the same, the reading with HWInfo 64 is stuck at 25C, never changes. Although the card appears to have the same CHIL CHL8228 chip that works with the 7970's, it is non-functional on the reference 7950's. The 7970's do not have this issue, nor do the 7950's that have a 7970 pcb, such as those from MSI and Sapphire.


Don't know what you are talking about, I have Sapphire HD7950 first edition OC Edition, (2nd BIOS @ 900Mhz), and GPU-Z reads my VRM temps fine...


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Mine does 1370 / 1800 on water.


dang!! what V are you at?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You never will be able to read your vrm temps with software, with your current 7950. We can thank the factory(s) that made the reference 7950 pcb's for that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My VisionTek 7950 is the same, the reading with HWInfo 64 is stuck at 25C, never changes. Although the card appears to have the same CHIL CHL8228 chip that works with the 7970's, it is non-functional on the reference 7950's. The 7970's do not have this issue, nor do the 7950's that have a 7970 pcb, such as those from MSI and Sapphire.
> 
> 
> 
> Don't know what you are talking about, I have Sapphire HD7950 first edition OC Edition, (2nd BIOS @ 900Mhz), and GPU-Z reads my VRM temps fine...
Click to expand...

What pcb does your Sapphire card have? A reference 7950 or 7970 pcb? It's the 7950's with reference 7950 pcb's that have this issue.


----------



## ElevenEleven

_Question:_ were any iteration of ASUS DirectCU II 7970 cards ever voltage-unlocked? Or were they all locked to start with? I saw some reviews indicating overclocks beyond what is possible at stock voltage and wonder if they just used specific motherboards to connect the cards or whether voltage was at some point unlocked.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...I´ll planing buy a HD 7950 for my pc.
> WHICH SHOULD I CHOOSE?
> There are my favourites...I want the less noise posible and cooling efficency / overclock.
> The cards are about same price in locar sellers.
> 7950 POWERCOLOR PCS+
> 7950 HIS ICEQ TURBO
> 7950 GIGABYTE WINDFORCE 3
> 7950 SAPPHIRE OC EDITION
> 
> It´s very difficult to me choose one, please help me...Which is the best/quietest and cooler of four?
> Sorry for my english!!! and thanks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...thanks...
> Probably I´ll go for the Gigabyte Windoforce 3 .
> I sold me about 290€ ...
> One mor question?.
> Do you think that THE HIS 7970 ICEQ2 TURBO is really worth for 130€ more ---> 420€
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-692.shtml
> Thank you!!.


I recieved my Powercolor PCS+ HD7950 3GB this week and I'm so far amazed of its performance in games etc, the noise levels isn't even audiable (you can't hear it in idle or even in load) and the temps is amazing, 34 degrees idle and I have only seen temps below 60 degrees (celsius) when I play games (only tested Call of Duty: MW3 and DiRT Showdown on maximium settings)









It looks great too, I would go for the Powercolor PCS+ if I found it, it's hard in some places!
Second choice would be HIS IceQ Turbo, good luck!


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> How are your vrm temps. in CPUID Hardware Monitor with that bios, at those settings?


138f on vrm 1 after an hour of gaming and 126f on vrm 2 after an hour of gaming idle temps are 118f on vrm 1 and 108f on vrm 2 both cards are within one to two degrees C temp wise of each other 64C top card and 62C bottom card after gaming, running 3dmark or unigine it goes up to 68C and 67C top and bottom cards, used artic 5 silver thermal paste on both cards, never keep original thermal paste on to compare it too don't trust stock thermal paste.


----------



## TheRaven

What do people use to monitor their temperatures? I use GPU-Z but it only has one field for temperature. Are they usually all consistent across the board?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> How are your vrm temps. in CPUID Hardware Monitor with that bios, at those settings?
> 
> 
> 
> 138f on vrm 1 after an hour of gaming and 126f on vrm 2 after an hour of gaming idle temps are 118f on vrm 1 and 108f on vrm 2 both cards are within one to two degrees C temp wise of each other 64C top card and 62C bottom card after gaming, running 3dmark or unigine it goes up to 68C and 67C top and bottom cards, used artic 5 silver thermal paste on both cards, never keep original thermal paste on to compare it too don't trust stock thermal paste.
Click to expand...

Seems quite normal for what I've seen posted for 7970's. I meant to ask what cards you are running, and what cooling for them, as you have many links for clubs, but no system specs. in your sig.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Is it better to oc with Afterburner/trixx than with the CCC's Overdrive? Asking because I have OD limits of 1500mhz for core and 1950 for mem.


If you wanna go beyond CCC limits, then yeah, just use the other tools.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Seems quite normal for what I've seen posted for 7970's. I meant to ask what cards you are running, and what cooling for them, as you have many links for clubs, but no system specs. in your sig.


MSI Twin frozer III 7950 cards, purchased the new ones with one 6pin and 8pin, new ones use the reference 7970 pcb as well only thing is its kind of the luck of the draw with these cards seems like alot are RMAed right off the back for many different problems or newegg just had a bad batch of them, I had to RMA one of the cards a week after purchase but both cards i have now run great just a crap shot with MSI i guess.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Seems quite normal for what I've seen posted for 7970's. I meant to ask what cards you are running, and what cooling for them, as you have many links for clubs, but no system specs. in your sig.
> 
> 
> 
> MSI Twin frozer III 7950 cards, purchased the new ones with one 6pin and 8pin, new ones use the reference 7970 pcb as well only thing is its kind of the luck of the draw with these cards seems like alot are RMAed right off the back for many different problems or newegg just had a bad batch of them, I had to RMA one of the cards a week after purchase but both cards i have now run great just a crap shot with MSI i guess.
Click to expand...

Thanks, those are great cards imho. Too bad about the quality problems, but from what I've heard, most of them are ok. I wish I had waited to get one, or a Sapphire, with the 7970 pcb, it would be nice to be able to read my darn vrm temps!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Mine does 1370 / 1800 on water.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> dang!! what V are you at?
Click to expand...

It takes 1.30v / 1.70v for those clocks on water. On air I can pull off 1300 / 1800 at 1.30v / 1.70v, up until my VRM's get too toasty. That's my "bench stable" speed, which doesn't artifact or anything....until my VRMs overheat. So its fine for benching. My 24/7 daily stable clocks are 1200 / 1800 at 1.225v / 1.70v. Rock solid there, VRM's load at about 96*C.


----------



## ElevenEleven

I wish I could push my Sapphire 7970 OC to faster speeds on air without it sounding like a vacuum cleaner - the fans on it emit a tonal sound at 55%+ fan speed, which becomes a lot more pronounced at higher RPM. So I can do 1090 / 1575 at stock volts stable without overheating (sub 73C in gaming and sub 80C for VRMs) - anything higher is either unstable or too hot for bearable fan sounds... so I can't even imagine overvolting it with the stock cooling solution (and anything but is out of the question, as my family member's anti tweaking stuff if it voids warranty). 1125MHz core speed is sometimes stable and sometimes not - not really dependent on temperatures, but 1090 is stable at all times.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It takes 1.30v / 1.70v for those clocks on water. On air I can pull off 1300 / 1800 at 1.30v / 1.70v, up until my VRM's get too toasty. That's my "bench stable" speed, which doesn't artifact or anything....until my VRMs overheat. So its fine for benching. My 24/7 daily stable clocks are 1200 / 1800 at 1.225v / 1.70v. Rock solid there, VRM's load at about 96*C.


That's 1.7v on the memory yes?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It takes 1.30v / 1.70v for those clocks on water. On air I can pull off 1300 / 1800 at 1.30v / 1.70v, up until my VRM's get too toasty. That's my "bench stable" speed, which doesn't artifact or anything....until my VRMs overheat. So its fine for benching. My 24/7 daily stable clocks are 1200 / 1800 at 1.225v / 1.70v. Rock solid there, VRM's load at about 96*C.
> 
> 
> 
> That's 1.7v on the memory yes?
Click to expand...

Yes it is. Obviously not all cards will clock this high.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yes it is. Obviously not all cards will clock this high.


Yeah, I guessed that. I take it 1.7v is good for the memory for 24/7 on air?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yes it is. Obviously not all cards will clock this high.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I guessed that. I take it 1.7v is good for the memory for 24/7 on air?
Click to expand...

Just so long as things are cool enough, absolutely.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Just so long as things are cool enough, absolutely.


Awesome, thanks! +rep to you

EDIT:







I always go to rep mods


----------



## Pascual

I just got the XFX DD 7950, is it safe the use the boost bios just released on it?


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It takes 1.30v / 1.70v for those clocks on water. On air I can pull off 1300 / 1800 at 1.30v / 1.70v, up until my VRM's get too toasty. That's my "bench stable" speed, which doesn't artifact or anything....until my VRMs overheat. So its fine for benching. My 24/7 daily stable clocks are 1200 / 1800 at 1.225v / 1.70v. Rock solid there, VRM's load at about 96*C.


right on. i usually just try to find the max OC without touching the V. Looks like I have quite a ways to go to get to this cards max. Nothing artifacts yet other than Crysis2 and it does even at stock. I think I need to reinstall the game.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

So these pre-OC'd cards. Can a reference card OC as much as these or do the gain an advantage.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> So these pre-OC'd cards. Can a reference card OC as much as these or do the gain an advantage.


They're the same usually, sometimes the "Factory Overclocked" ones are binned higher supposedly, which does mean that you MIGHT be able to get a better overclocker by buying them. But I doubt it, it'd be a mere marketing scheme. The only difference is the cooler, and some do have better components which allow for better voltage etc.

All in all I'd go for something like the HIS 7950 IceQ if you're looking at a 7950. If it's a 7970 i'd go with the HIS equivalent or the MSI one. Another good one is the Powercolor PCS+ from what I hear.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> So these pre-OC'd cards. Can a reference card OC as much as these or do the gain an advantage.


The reference HD 7950 / HD 7970 cards are only limited by the cooler in reaching very high overclocks. For very high clocks with voltage overclocking you need a custom cooler like HIS Iceq, Sapphire Dual X , Gigabyte Windforce . As far as factory overclocked cards are concerned they might come with slightly better binning and voltage so it would be a better idea to get a factory OC card if the price diff is just 10 - 20 bucks.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> The reference HD 7950 / HD 7970 cards are only limited by the cooler in reaching very high overclocks. For very high clocks with voltage overclocking you need a custom cooler like HIS Iceq, Sapphire Dual X , Gigabyte Windforce . As far as factory overclocked cards are concerned they might come with slightly better binning and voltage so it would be a better idea to get a factory OC card if the price diff is just 10 - 20 bucks.


That and you'll know that the card has been designed with the factory clocks in mind. Therefore it should last longer/handle it better. You're also going to know that it can do 'X' frequency straight off the bat, rather then get very unlucky and struggle to get 'X' Mhz


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> What pcb does your Sapphire card have? A reference 7950 or 7970 pcb? It's the 7950's with reference 7950 pcb's that have this issue.


A 7950 pcb, it was this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102989
before they were tagged with Flex stickers on the fans. Two 6 pin PCIE to power. GPUZ reads my VRMs fine. Bought this baby in February, when they came out, from amazon.


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> The reference HD 7950 / HD 7970 cards are only limited by the cooler in reaching very high overclocks. For very high clocks with voltage overclocking you need a custom cooler like HIS Iceq, Sapphire Dual X , Gigabyte Windforce . As far as factory overclocked cards are concerned they might come with slightly better binning and voltage so it would be a better idea to get a factory OC card if the price diff is just 10 - 20 bucks.


I am starting to wonder about that statement.

Ever since I put my GPU on water, my OC's have actually gotten worse it seems. idk what the deal is, but my 7970 just wont go past 1125/1575 (max load temp is 38C). I am at stock V, but it seems those are totally doable clocks on stock V from everything I have read. I also turned up the power control setting when i tried using CCC for OC'ing, still crash mania. Think I am going to turn off all my fans lol


----------



## NinjaSushi2

I was wondering because I currently have a XFX 7970 BE under water and was looking at getting another one but noticed all BE 7970 also come with DD. (Which is pointless money if I WC it.) So I was thinking of getting an XFX 7970 reference card and slap another block on that and was wondering if I will get the same clocks or should I buy a GHz edition?


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I was wondering because I currently have a XFX 7970 BE under water and was looking at getting another one but noticed all BE 7970 also come with DD. (Which is pointless money if I WC it.) So I was thinking of getting an XFX 7970 reference card and slap another block on that and was wondering if I will get the same clocks or should I buy a GHz edition?


The OC edition is going to be the same card, just tested/confirmed stable at those higher clocks. A stock could potentially OC higher then an actual "OC Edition" branded card. Did you check your ASIC rating with GPUZ? Just wondering what some others are


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I was wondering because I currently have a XFX 7970 BE under water and was looking at getting another one but noticed all BE 7970 also come with DD. (Which is pointless money if I WC it.) So I was thinking of getting an XFX 7970 reference card and slap another block on that and was wondering if I will get the same clocks or should I buy a GHz edition?


Don't get the DD, waste of money + possibly not reference.
If this card wasn't on stable I'd be rolling with a reference and get an Accelero Extreme sooner or later.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I was wondering because I currently have a XFX 7970 BE under water and was looking at getting another one but noticed all BE 7970 also come with DD. (Which is pointless money if I WC it.) So I was thinking of getting an XFX 7970 reference card and slap another block on that and was wondering if I will get the same clocks or should I buy a GHz edition?
> 
> 
> 
> Don't get the DD, waste of money + possibly not reference.
> If this card wasn't on stable I'd be rolling with a reference and get an Accelero Extreme sooner or later.
Click to expand...

I'm personally not too fond of the Accelero Extreme myself.







Full water, or a regular aftermarket card gets my vote these days. I bought my reference card with the intent to put an Accelero on it (which I did). While the Accelero is nice and quiet, it didn't help me overclock any higher than I could before....due to my VRM's overheating. The reference cooler was actually FAR better at VRM control than the Accelero is. The Accelero is absolutely great at core temp control though.

Full water fixes both of those problems though.









Also, I wouldn't touch anything XFX with a 10 foot pole. If you've bought an XFX card, I'm sorry for you when its RMA time.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I was wondering because I currently have a XFX 7970 BE under water and was looking at getting another one but noticed all BE 7970 also come with DD. (Which is pointless money if I WC it.) So I was thinking of getting an XFX 7970 reference card and slap another block on that and was wondering if I will get the same clocks or should I buy a GHz edition?
> 
> 
> 
> Don't get the DD, waste of money + possibly not reference.
> If this card wasn't on stable I'd be rolling with a reference and get an Accelero Extreme sooner or later.
Click to expand...

You miss understand. All XFX cards are reference PCB. I currently have one under water and plan to add another.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I was wondering because I currently have a XFX 7970 BE under water and was looking at getting another one but noticed all BE 7970 also come with DD. (Which is pointless money if I WC it.) So I was thinking of getting an XFX 7970 reference card and slap another block on that and was wondering if I will get the same clocks or should I buy a GHz edition?
> 
> 
> 
> Don't get the DD, waste of money + possibly not reference.
> If this card wasn't on stable I'd be rolling with a reference and get an Accelero Extreme sooner or later.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm personally not too fond of the Accelero Extreme myself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Full water, or a regular aftermarket card gets my vote these days. I bought my reference card with the intent to put an Accelero on it (which I did). While the Accelero is nice and quiet, it didn't help me overclock any higher than I could before....due to my VRM's overheating. The reference cooler was actually FAR better at VRM control than the Accelero is. The Accelero is absolutely great at core temp control though.
> 
> Full water fixes both of those problems though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I wouldn't touch anything XFX with a 10 foot pole. If you've bought an XFX card, I'm sorry for you when its RMA time.
Click to expand...

I actually would now have gone with MSI or Gigabyte. Why is XFX so bad? I originally was going to go Sapphire.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm personally not too fond of the Accelero Extreme myself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Full water, or a regular aftermarket card gets my vote these days. I bought my reference card with the intent to put an Accelero on it (which I did). While the Accelero is nice and quiet, it didn't help me overclock any higher than I could before....due to my VRM's overheating. The reference cooler was actually FAR better at VRM control than the Accelero is. The Accelero is absolutely great at core temp control though.
> Full water fixes both of those problems though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Also, I wouldn't touch anything XFX with a 10 foot pole. If you've bought an XFX card, I'm sorry for you when its RMA time.*


Same, XFX are really bad at RMA's from what I heard. I didn't know the Artic cooler was that bad? It doesn't matter for myself anyway seeing as my card has a good cooler on it and it's not reference.
How much difference was the Artic compared to the stock cooler?

I'm kind of worried, my cards VRM's report 24c which is bugged obviously. I have no way to check them at all, not even feel or anything because of the shroud/heatsync. I feel as if they should be fine though, the cooler is rather good and other users seem to be getting the same clocks as myself. One day I might strip the card down and take a look at it properly.

The same goes for my memory. It's at stock right now too, that's why I was asking about the over-volting. I tried 1600MV to get 1300 stable (and stopped testing), because I realised I can't actually check the temps of the vRAM - Again from speculation I think it should be okay. But I don't want to be "Thinking" about making a $300 paperweight..

I really do think it should be alright, but I'm not too sure. I'd love the support of somebody else that knows more then myself though.









EDIT: Idling at 26c! If any day is to test how far I can push the vRAM it's today!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm personally not too fond of the Accelero Extreme myself.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Full water, or a regular aftermarket card gets my vote these days. I bought my reference card with the intent to put an Accelero on it (which I did). While the Accelero is nice and quiet, it didn't help me overclock any higher than I could before....due to my VRM's overheating. The reference cooler was actually FAR better at VRM control than the Accelero is. The Accelero is absolutely great at core temp control though.
> Full water fixes both of those problems though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Also, I wouldn't touch anything XFX with a 10 foot pole. If you've bought an XFX card, I'm sorry for you when its RMA time.*
> 
> 
> 
> Same, XFX are really bad at RMA's from what I heard. I didn't know the Artic cooler was that bad? It doesn't matter for myself anyway seeing as my card has a good cooler on it and it's not reference.
> How much difference was the Artic compared to the stock cooler?
> 
> I'm kind of worried, my cards VRM's report 24c which is bugged obviously. I have no way to check them at all, not even feel or anything because of the shroud/heatsync. I feel as if they should be fine though, the cooler is rather good and other users seem to be getting the same clocks as myself. One day I might strip the card down and take a look at it properly.
> 
> The same goes for my memory. It's at stock right now too, that's why I was asking about the over-volting. I tried 1600MV to get 1300 stable (and stopped testing), because I realised I can't actually check the temps of the vRAM - Again from speculation I think it should be okay. But I don't want to be "Thinking" about making a $300 paperweight..
> 
> I really do think it should be alright, but I'm not too sure. I'd love the support of somebody else that knows more then myself though.
Click to expand...

Temperatures for my particular card.....

Reference cooler with 1.25v:
72*C core / 78*C VRM using a fan profile of roughly 1% fan speed per 1*C.

Accelero Extreme at 1.225v, fully mounted correctly with 2x Sunon 90 CFM server fans strapped to it (instead of the stock fans):
52*C core / 100*C VRM using 100% fan speed (52*C core / 112*C VRM using 60%).

Reference at 1.30v:
81*C core / 92*C VRM's (100% fan speed, this is suicide run voltages for me since cooling sucks)

Accelero at 1.30v:
56*C core / 126*C VRM and then hard lock once it hits 127*C. Same fans as above, at 100%.

Memory, so long as they have sinks on them...just anything touching them really, with airflow, they'll be fine. They'll probably be just fine without sinks, so long as they have airflow. They really don't get that hot (I have sinks on mine anyway from the Accelero).


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Temperatures for my particular card.....
> Reference cooler with 1.25v:
> 72*C core / 78*C VRM using a fan profile of roughly 1% fan speed per 1*C.
> Accelero Extreme at 1.225v, fully mounted correctly with 2x Sunon 90 CFM server fans strapped to it (instead of the stock fans):
> 52*C core / 100*C VRM using 100% fan speed (52*C core / 112*C VRM using 60%).
> Reference at 1.30v:
> 81*C core / 92*C VRM's (100% fan speed, this is suicide run voltages for me since cooling sucks)
> Accelero at 1.30v:
> 56*C core / 126*C VRM and then hard lock once it hits 127*C. Same fans as above, at 100%.
> Memory, so long as they have sinks on them...just anything touching them really, with airflow, they'll be fine. They'll probably be just fine without sinks, so long as they have airflow. They really don't get that hot (I have sinks on mine anyway from the Accelero).


Wow, those are horrible VRM temps.. Were the syncs too small or?
Anyway yeah, they have airflow, because as I said blower style card with a plastic shroud! I'd assume they'd have syncs maybe too. I might see if I can find that review later. (They took the cooler off). Anyway, how did you test your memory? Mine isn't stable at 1500MHz with 1.7v but at 1450 it seems fine, I'm getting no extra performance in the Kombustor benchmark though, it sits right on 3000 for a P-Score, so I can't tell if it's error checking kicking in or not. BF3 fluctuates too much to be able to get a good reading either.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Temperatures for my particular card.....
> Reference cooler with 1.25v:
> 72*C core / 78*C VRM using a fan profile of roughly 1% fan speed per 1*C.
> Accelero Extreme at 1.225v, fully mounted correctly with 2x Sunon 90 CFM server fans strapped to it (instead of the stock fans):
> 52*C core / 100*C VRM using 100% fan speed (52*C core / 112*C VRM using 60%).
> Reference at 1.30v:
> 81*C core / 92*C VRM's (100% fan speed, this is suicide run voltages for me since cooling sucks)
> Accelero at 1.30v:
> 56*C core / 126*C VRM and then hard lock once it hits 127*C. Same fans as above, at 100%.
> Memory, so long as they have sinks on them...just anything touching them really, with airflow, they'll be fine. They'll probably be just fine without sinks, so long as they have airflow. They really don't get that hot (I have sinks on mine anyway from the Accelero).
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, those are horrible VRM temps.. Were the syncs too small or?
> Anyway yeah, they have airflow, because as I said blower style card with a plastic shroud! I'd assume they'd have syncs maybe too. I might see if I can find that review later. (They took the cooler off). Anyway, how did you test your memory? Mine isn't stable at 1500MHz with 1.7v but at 1450 it seems fine, I'm getting no extra performance in the Kombustor benchmark though, it sits right on 3000 for a P-Score, so I can't tell if it's error checking kicking in or not. BF3 fluctuates too much to be able to get a good reading either.
Click to expand...

I use Crysis benchmark tool to check for improvements. If I see improvements, its working, if I don't its error checking. If I can pass 30 minutes of the Crysis benchmark tool (regular old Crysis), then for me its always been rock solid for everything.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I use Crysis benchmark tool to check for improvements. If I see improvements, its working, if I don't its error checking. If I can pass 30 minutes of the Crysis benchmark tool (regular old Crysis), then for me its always been rock solid for everything.


My copy of Crysis is corrupt, and I don't really have the time/quota to download it again.
Anyway, just found out my VRM's have cooling.. But it's not good (see below)


- I keep getting random shutdowns while in kombustor, I'd say it's due to the VRM's. It's usually about 3 minutes in too, If it does it while it's stock I'll have to return it.
The RAM is well cooled, as you can see. I just wish those VRM's were like the RAM attached to the core. I'll have to see what I can do to it/if anything.

It's been stable at 1200 in BF3 all week/weekend. So it's fine for games and such


----------



## Imprezzion

Pioneer, i found out that with my accelero with 2 88cfm Scythe Slipstream 1600s strapped to em VRM1 on 1.237v tends to hit 105-110c in severe loads like Sleeping Dogs or indeed Crysis 1 benchmark.

I'm going to buy one of those Swiftech HD7970-HS blocks and dremel it until it fits underneath the Accelero.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Pioneer, i found out that with my accelero with 2 88cfm Scythe Slipstream 1600s strapped to em VRM1 on 1.237v tends to hit 105-110c in severe loads like Sleeping Dogs or indeed Crysis 1 benchmark.
> 
> I'm going to buy one of those Swiftech HD7970-HS blocks and dremel it until it fits underneath the Accelero.


Let me know how that works out for you, and how much dremeling is required. This might be a solid solution for me too, I just don't want to blow $40 on a heatsink to only go off and dremel it. Hell, that right there plus the cost of my Accelero puts me at $100, which would have bought me a full cover block.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Pioneer, i found out that with my accelero with 2 88cfm Scythe Slipstream 1600s strapped to em VRM1 on 1.237v tends to hit 105-110c in severe loads like Sleeping Dogs or indeed Crysis 1 benchmark.
> I'm going to buy one of those Swiftech HD7970-HS blocks and dremel it until it fits underneath the Accelero.


Thing to note, some card's VRMs just get a lot hotter than others. Both my cards are watercooled. HIS max temp for VRMs using furmark is about 65c. My Sapphire hit 90c. Even switched blocks to make sure I had not done something wrong.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Thing to note, some card's VRMs just get a lot hotter than others. Both my cards are watercooled. HIS max temp for VRMs using furmark is about 65c. My Sapphire hit 90c. Even switched blocks to make sure I had not done something wrong.


Yes, I think my VRM's are really hot too. I need to either mod them with a bigger sync (there's heaps of space) or just run it at stock..
I'm buying a digital multimeter + Thermometer soon to actually check. But I assume throttling means too much heat on the VRM's? It also shuts off as I said before after about 3 minutes of stressing, I didn't get this before (at least I didn't realise). The back of the card is very hot when this happens, I can't touch *near* the VRM's either so I imagine they're quite hot.

The weird thing is, I get throttling at just 1000MHz with 1100Mv on the core. The stock is 900MHz with 1093mv on the core. 7mv makes them overheat.. The problem is quite bad.









I have a thin 60-80mm fan, but it JUST won't fit in there. I doubt it'd do much anyway.
Anyone want to suggest some good syncs? I think I'm going to get the thermometer and run stock till I get it then test to see what the VRM's get to. Then I guess I'll figure out what's the best option from there. I may be better off selling the card on eBay and buying another 7950 with a 7970 PCB or just better VRM cooling as opposed to modding this one.

I had faith that this was going to be a good card, and I was happy till I found this out. =.=


----------



## SonDa5

My Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition with Heatkiller full cover water block temps.

Ambient Temps 25C
Click to make larger.



Block does a decent job but VRMs still get very hot. Almost 300 watts of power.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yes, I think my VRM's are really hot too. I need to either mod them with a bigger sync (there's heaps of space) or just run it at stock..
> I'm buying a digital multimeter + Thermometer soon to actually check. But I assume throttling means too much heat on the VRM's? It also shuts off as I said before after about 3 minutes of stressing, I didn't get this before (at least I didn't realise). The back of the card is very hot when this happens, I can't touch *near* the VRM's either so I imagine they're quite hot.
> The weird thing is, I get throttling at just 1000MHz with 1100Mv on the core. The stock is 900MHz with 1093mv on the core. 7mv makes them overheat.. The problem is quite bad.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a thin 60-80mm fan, but it JUST won't fit in there. I doubt it'd do much anyway.
> Anyone want to suggest some good syncs? I think I'm going to get the thermometer and run stock till I get it then test to see what the VRM's get to. Then I guess I'll figure out what's the best option from there. I may be better off selling the card on eBay and buying another 7950 with a 7970 PCB or just better VRM cooling as opposed to modding this one.
> I had faith that this was going to be a good card, and I was happy till I found this out. =.=


Throttling? In what programs? ATI and Nvidia cards will throttle in any stress test like furmark or msi kombuster, regardless of your card. HWinfo is the best program to use for monitoring of VRM and tbh, they should not be getting that high anyway?

What temps are you getting in gaming?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> My Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition with Heatkiller full cover water block temps.
> Ambient Temps 25C
> Click to make larger.
> 
> Block does a decent job but VRMs still get very hot. Almost 300 watts of power.


Looks like you get hotter than my HIS and cooler than my SAPPHIRE.

However, these temps are just stress tests, my VRMs don't go above 65c for gaming. You agree?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yes, I think my VRM's are really hot too. I need to either mod them with a bigger sync (there's heaps of space) or just run it at stock..
> I'm buying a digital multimeter + Thermometer soon to actually check. But I assume throttling means too much heat on the VRM's? It also shuts off as I said before after about 3 minutes of stressing, I didn't get this before (at least I didn't realise). The back of the card is very hot when this happens, I can't touch *near* the VRM's either so I imagine they're quite hot.
> The weird thing is, I get throttling at just 1000MHz with 1100Mv on the core. The stock is 900MHz with 1093mv on the core. 7mv makes them overheat.. The problem is quite bad.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a thin 60-80mm fan, but it JUST won't fit in there. I doubt it'd do much anyway.
> Anyone want to suggest some good syncs? I think I'm going to get the thermometer and run stock till I get it then test to see what the VRM's get to. Then I guess I'll figure out what's the best option from there. I may be better off selling the card on eBay and buying another 7950 with a 7970 PCB or just better VRM cooling as opposed to modding this one.
> I had faith that this was going to be a good card, and I was happy till I found this out. =.=


Is the throttling in games or in apps like Furmark, Kombustor . If its in games then you have no choice but to get high quality VRM heatsink. If its in these power virus apps don't even bother. Its disappointing that a card with such a good cooler does not have quality VRM cooling.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Throttling? In what programs? ATI and Nvidia cards will throttle in any stress test like furmark or msi kombuster, regardless of your card. HWinfo is the best program to use for monitoring of VRM and tbh, they should not be getting that high anyway?
> What temps are you getting in gaming?
> Looks like you get hotter than my HIS and cooler than my SAPPHIRE.
> However, these temps are just stress tests, my VRMs don't go above 65c for gaming. You agree?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Is the throttling in games or in apps like Furmark, Kombustor . If its in games then you have no choice but to get high quality VRM heatsink. If its in these power virus apps don't even bother. Its disappointing that a card with such a good cooler does not have quality VRM cooling.


I'll try BF3 with it.. It was just in kombustor that it was throttling, I do get about 20c less temperature in BF3 (on the core) then kombustor and I know BF3 maxes my card out too

+rep to you both


----------



## djohny24

Finally, this is my latest bench @ 1200/1470Mhz on 7950 Sapphire Dual - X









7950 Stock frequencies:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

















































Heaven Tesselation Extreme: http://galeon.com/civicsport16/6950.html



7950 @ 1200/1470.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


























































Heaven Tesselation Extreme: http://galeon.com/civicsport16/heaven1.html


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I'll try BF3 with it.. It was just in kombustor that it was throttling, I do get about 20c less temperature in BF3 (on the core) then kombustor and I know BF3 maxes my card out too
> +rep to you both


Those power viruses are going to definitely throttle. Don't bother. As long as games like BF3 and benchmarks like Heaven 3.0 don't throttle you are safe. Make sure VRM temps are below 100c in these normal apps.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Those power viruses are going to definitely throttle. Don't bother. As long as games like BF3 and benchmarks like Heaven 3.0 don't throttle you are safe. Make sure VRM temps are below 100c in these normal apps.


Not throttling in BF3 at 1200/1250MHz - It kinda makes me feel nervous that Kombustor crashes though..
I was playing for about 30 minutes too, so if it was going to throttle it would have, GPU usage was sitting at a nice 99-100% all of the time. Max temp I saw was 70c which is great too.
Happy that I got it mostly sorted, the only problem is that I can't check my VRM's.. Sigh


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Not throttling in BF3 at 1200/1250MHz - It kinda makes me feel nervous that Kombustor crashes though..
> I was playing for about 30 minutes too, so if it was going to throttle it would have, GPU usage was sitting at a nice 99-100% all of the time. Max temp I saw was 70c which is great too.
> Happy that I got it mostly sorted, the only problem is that I can't check my VRM's.. Sigh


Check VRMs using HWINFO


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Check VRMs using HWINFO


Not in there, well they report as 24c constantly.. By that I mean 24/7/365. Nothing will report them at all, apparently it's broken on 7950's. So the only way is to actually go and get a thermometer which I don't have.

I'm planning on buying one soon, I guess it can't hurt them for that long. Seeing as it's got a heatsync (rather small) and doesn't throttle.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Not throttling in BF3 at 1200/1250MHz - It kinda makes me feel nervous that *Kombustor crashes though*..
> I was playing for about 30 minutes too, so if it was going to throttle it would have, GPU usage was sitting at a nice 99-100% all of the time. Max temp I saw was 70c which is great too.
> Happy that I got it mostly sorted, the only problem is that I can't check my VRM's.. Sigh


It crashes for me too, at stock. Well did last time I tested it. Borked.

Kombuster,Furmark,OCCT. They are overly stressful on the card and not the best stability tests.

If you want to find a stable OC on your card you need to run the following looped;

Crysis - Hottest game for my cards
3DMark 11-Decent for memory testing, not so much core
Crysis 2 - Heavy on memory and core including dx11.

Pass those 3 you will be stable. Forget those stress tests, kombuster was borked for me and I could run clocks in furmark and OCCT that crysis 2 would not take as they were throttling the cards. Waste of time imo, although people disagree with me.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> It crashes for me too, at stock. Well did last time I tested it. Borked.


As in crashing do you mean shutting off the PC? That's what mine does.
Anyway, it's strange.. Kombustor works fine with say 1220mv, but BF3 won't. BF3 requires 1268mv, yet BF3 doesn't warm up the VRM's nearly as much so it seems.

EDIT: Currently looking at trying to find/make? an aftermarket VRM sync because I've got so much clearance between the VRM and the fan/shroud


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> As in crashing do you mean shutting off the PC? That's what mine does.
> Anyway, it's strange.. Kombustor works fine with say 1220mv, but BF3 won't. BF3 requires 1268mv, yet BF3 doesn't warm up the VRM's nearly as much so it seems.
> EDIT: Currently looking at trying to find/make? an aftermarket VRM sync because I've got so much clearance between the VRM and the fan/shroud


I would get a hard lock and have to reset computer, this was back in Jan though, not sure of it was a driver issue. Is Kombuster DX11?

OCCT I found stresses the card hugely in dx10 but I was getting different results when benching dx11 games. Perhaps that's why you need more juice for BF3.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I would get a hard lock and have to reset computer, this was back in Jan though, not sure of it was a driver issue. Is Kombuster DX11?
> OCCT I found stresses the card hugely in dx10 but I was getting different results when benching dx11 games. Perhaps that's why you need more juice for BF3.


Yep, and yeah. Hard lock sort of.. PC reboots and then hangs till I press the power button. Then it turns off and lets me reboot.
I think the Thermalright R4 would fit my card.. It's just a matter of getting one at the right price, and if it doesn't fit well it's $50 wasted. I'll need to get a 5850/5870 and look at the VRM layout to compare to my card.

EDIT: So far it's looking like it may be a solution.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yep, and yeah. Hard lock sort of.. PC reboots and then hangs till I press the power button. Then it turns off and lets me reboot.
> I think the Thermalright R4 would fit my card.. It's just a matter of getting one at the right price, and if it doesn't fit well it's $50 wasted. I'll need to get a 5850/5870 and look at the VRM layout to compare to my card.
> EDIT: So far it's looking like it may be a solution.


I think getting worried about Kombustor or Furmark is just not worth it. Test your card with real applications like Crysis 2, BF3, Heaven 3.0, 3D Mark 11. Also your stock VRM seems to be ok. In fact getting a new VRM heatsink would be only necessary if your VRM temps cross 100c in normal apps. If it does in that case get a good VRM heatsink as it would lower VRM temps and help improve stability.


----------



## TheRaven

Personally I've found Crysis 2 not to be too intensive on the heat on these cards. Anno 2070 seems to be about all that kicks my ass. OC'd to 1075/1450 with auto fan I've gotten after about an hour of playing each:

Anno 2070 70
Crysis 2 63~64
Portal 2 60


----------



## TheRaven

What kind of VRM headsinks would work on these cards? Do you need to remove the fans first and then replace them?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRaven*
> 
> All this talk of VRM heating makes me think these cards just run at higher temps. WOuld something like these help at all?
> http://www.arcticmod.com/computer-mod/swiftech-mc14-vga-memory-ram-heatsink-pack-8-heatsinks.htm


Yeah, they can seem to run at 100c, day in day out without packing in.
I heard they can run at 120c till the card reduces it's speeds and voltage.
Also, I found that airflow from a direct 120mm fan can reduce VRM temps by 15c-20c, or at least it did for me. I have no cooling sinks on my VRM's. Those sinks in the link will help, but by how much, I am not sure.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> However, these temps are just stress tests, my VRMs don't go above 65c for gaming. You agree?


Furmark heats up the VRMs way more than any game. It produces an extreme temp situation which I like for testing cooling performance.


----------



## TheRaven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Yeah, they can seem to run at 100c, day in day out without packing in.
> I heard they can run at 120c till the card reduces it's speeds and voltage.
> Also, I found that airflow from a direct 120mm fan can reduce VRM temps by 15c-20c, or at least it did for me. I have no cooling sinks on my VRM's. Those sinks in the link will help, but by how much, I am not sure.


That's actually good to hear. I ordered a Gentle Typhoon 120mm fan that should be in today. There was an empty slot for a case fan right in front of my video card that I will slip this into.

I will post my results on what the temperature difference is. But GPU-Z doesn't have VRM temperature that I can fine. What program is everyone using to get their VRM temps?


----------



## qbical

what drivers are you guys using?


----------



## TheRaven

I use 12.8. I haven't had any problems but I also don't run in crossfire. I hear alot of issues with 12.8 in crossfire.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRaven*
> 
> But GPU-Z doesn't have VRM temperature that I can fine. What program is everyone using to get their VRM temps?


The latest Gpu-z shows vrm temps.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> what drivers are you guys using?


+1 on 12.8 here. So far so good.


----------



## qbical

12.8 is also what I am using. Just trying to narrow down the cause of my crummy OC'ing.

EDIT: I was able to break 9k marks today w/ my card at 1125/1425, but then crashed when I bumped it to 1150/1450. After I brought it back down to 1125/1425 it crashed again. After a restart I can get back to the 1150, but it sounds like I have a possible software issue/conflict somewhere.
This card on water should be destroying these clocks.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> What pcb does your Sapphire card have? A reference 7950 or 7970 pcb? It's the 7950's with reference 7950 pcb's that have this issue.
> 
> 
> 
> A 7950 pcb, it was this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102989
> before they were tagged with Flex stickers on the fans. Two 6 pin PCIE to power. GPUZ reads my VRMs fine. Bought this baby in February, when they came out, from amazon.
Click to expand...

Thanks for letting me know which pcb your Sapphire 7950 has. It's good that at least one 7950 with the 7950 pcb can register the vrm temps. I've seen a few posts now where the vrm temps. can't be monitored on some other 7950's.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Pioneer, i found out that with my accelero with 2 88cfm Scythe Slipstream 1600s strapped to em VRM1 on 1.237v tends to hit 105-110c in severe loads like Sleeping Dogs or indeed Crysis 1 benchmark.
> 
> I'm going to buy one of those Swiftech HD7970-HS blocks and dremel it until it fits underneath the Accelero.


It's doable, I did it with mine, although it's an AC Twin Turbo II, not an Accelero. I had to buy an EK copper shim for the gpu die though, which isn't necessary with the Accelero. I did have to dremel out some of the fins on the Swiftech 7950 heatsink to clear it, as well as trimming the AC TTII gpu plate to fit inside the heatsink.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Odd, for some reason all of a sudden the extended limits stopped working on the second card in crossfire. It used to work. I tried reinstalling afterburner but thats a no go. Trixx works fine.


----------



## Snyderman34

I have discovered that if I turn my fans up to 50% on my 7970 DC2T, not only do my load temps in BF3 sit around 51C. but my VRM temps drop from 101C to 85C. That's a bit better, I think. Still want to get them underwater soon if I can


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> I have discovered that if I turn my fans up to 50% on my 7970 DC2T, not only do my load temps in BF3 sit around 51C. but my VRM temps drop from 101C to 85C. That's a bit better, I think. Still want to get them underwater soon if I can


Under water with the fan at 0%, my temps sit around 40'C


----------



## TheRaven

I think I got lucky with my VRM temps. After hearing some peoples stories about how hot it can get on this forum I finally went to monitor it. After an hour of Anno 2070 (The game that stresses my card the most) my core was 73, but my VRM never went above 78.

Maybe I got lucky or Gigabyte's 7970 Windforce just cools off the VRM better. Just wanted to throw that data out there.


----------



## ElevenEleven

My Sapphire's Dual-X VRMs are fine as well - I can have the core run at 70-71C and VRMs stay sub 80C at that.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Lucky, I just found that at stock voltage/core my card throttles with kombustor.. I'm not too happy with this as of right now. I'm highly considering contacting HIS themselves and bringing up this matter. Don't know how far I'll get with it though.

That being said, I'm shipping out my 6850's today!


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Under water with the fan at 0%, my temps sit around 40'C


Can it you. lol. Water is on my to do list at some point. Thinkin about grabbing a second card first though. Though the second GPU doesn't necessarily need to be WC'd


----------



## B-Roll

Confession - I went from 2 6970s to a GTX680. I've got nothing but driver issues. Can't play BF3 for more than 30 minutes without it crashing and restarting. I think I'm coming back. 7970 all the way.

Save me!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *B-Roll*
> 
> Confession - I went from 2 6970s to a GTX680. I've got nothing but driver issues. Can't play BF3 for more than 30 minutes without it crashing and restarting. I think I'm coming back. 7970 all the way.
> Save me!


You should probably rma the card.


----------



## perkeleprkl

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *B-Roll*
> 
> Confession - I went from 2 6970s to a GTX680. I've got nothing but driver issues. Can't play BF3 for more than 30 minutes without it crashing and restarting. I think I'm coming back. 7970 all the way.
> Save me!


To be honest i dont care much about kepler. I still have 2x 670 dc2 cards, but compared to 2x 7950, they are worse. Constant stutter drives me crazy, especially on most demanding titles like crysis(all of them) and metro 2033. Stutter is at its worst when you move your mouse really fast(fast camera rotations). Fps doesnt drop but i cant seem to get rid of it. But neither of the rigs are giving me driver problems so thats a thumbs up.


----------



## BradleyW

Could somebody look at this GPU-Z reading. I don't understand what the dedicated memory is. Should it not say 3072mb?
I understand dynamic, it is how much is being used i think.
Thank you.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Could somebody look at this GPU-Z reading. I don't understand what the dedicated memory is. Should it not say 3072mb?
> I understand dynamic, it is how much is being used i think.
> Thank you.


Dedicated = Currently used vRAM - It sits there empty if it's not needed to be used
Dynamic = I don't actually know.. I was wondering this myself today.


----------



## BradleyW

Thank you for the information you've given me!


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *B-Roll*
> 
> Confession - I went from 2 6970s to a GTX680. I've got nothing but driver issues. Can't play BF3 for more than 30 minutes without it crashing and restarting. I think I'm coming back. 7970 all the way.
> 
> Save me!


Did you reformat when switching from Red to Green? Or atleast do some SERIOUS driver sweeping? AMD and Nvidia's drivers DO NOT play well together.


----------



## ElevenEleven

I don't think he needs to reformat - a simple round of Driver Sweeper always works for me, and I've switched back and forth many times on various computers.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> what drivers are you guys using?


12.6 since last week when I got the card (HD7950)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Did you reformat when switching from Red to Green? Or atleast do some SERIOUS driver sweeping? AMD and Nvidia's drivers DO NOT play well together.


Why would you need to reformat? I just switched to a 670 SC 4GB from dual 6950s. I simply uninstalled the AMD drivers manually, rebooted then installed, nv drivers, then AB, overclocked and played. No issues. I didn't delete 100 folders and comb thru the registry either.


----------



## bmdc

Welp, i'm in. Dont understand why i cant see my system specs in sig tho...


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> 12.6 since last week when I got the card (HD7950)


how are they working for you when gaming and have you OC'd the card at all?
thanks


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Thinking about doing a hybrid CFX between my 7970 and a 7950. Anybody have experience with this? From my understanding, both cards will run at their own clocks, and the 7970 will actually not downclock to 7950 performance. Can anyone verify?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> 12.8 is also what I am using. Just trying to narrow down the cause of my crummy OC'ing.
> EDIT: I was able to break 9k marks today w/ my card at 1125/1425, but then crashed when I bumped it to 1150/1450. After I brought it back down to 1125/1425 it crashed again. After a restart I can get back to the 1150, but it sounds like I have a possible software issue/conflict somewhere.
> This card on water should be destroying these clocks.


What software are you using to overclock? I like Sapphire TRIXX.

If the card doesn't want to go fast a different BIOS may help out.


----------



## pac0tac0

looks like im joining you guys should be getting a 7950 some time this week


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why would you need to reformat? I just switched to a 670 SC 4GB from dual 6950s. I simply uninstalled the AMD drivers manually, rebooted then installed, nv drivers, then AB, overclocked and played. No issues. I didn't delete 100 folders and comb thru the registry either.


^^^ This ^^^

I have switched b/w red & green camps over a dozen times in the last year on the same win7 64bit os w/o incident.


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What software are you using to overclock? I like Sapphire TRIXX.
> If the card doesn't want to go fast a different BIOS may help out.


I use Afterburner, have always had the best luck with that one. Then again I have never tried TRIXX








I was thinking about the BIOS, but I like to minimize any chance of bricking my cards. My luck i'll totally smoke the BIOS lol


----------



## broadbandaddict

Hey do those of use with a 7970*M* get to join this group?


----------



## Vrait

It has arrived!


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Thinking about doing a hybrid CFX between my 7970 and a 7950. Anybody have experience with this? From my understanding, both cards will run at their own clocks, and the 7970 will actually not downclock to 7950 performance. Can anyone verify?


The HD 7970 has to downclock. If the 7970 doesn't it will render frames at a faster rate than the 7950 giving you alot of microstutter. You can overclock the 7950 and have both cards at the same clock though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> It has arrived!


Congrats pop that in and let us know how it runs. Make sure you get rid of all traces of Nvidia







drivers.


----------



## B-Roll

This car came the same day i got a new ssd so i did a full clean install. The original drivers included with the CD work perfectly fine. Any other drivers, I get lockups and restarts. Even the newest and the newest beta drivers. Annoying. I don't want to have to just use the original drivers. I've got about 3 more weeks to return it. Still thinking of going back to red.

And when I installed the new drivers and went back to original I always cleared everything out.


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *B-Roll*
> 
> This car came the same day i got a new ssd so i did a full clean install. The original drivers included with the CD work perfectly fine. Any other drivers, I get lockups and restarts. Even the newest and the newest beta drivers. Annoying. I don't want to have to just use the original drivers. I've got about 3 more weeks to return it. Still thinking of going back to red.
> And when I installed the new drivers and went back to original I always cleared everything out.


what drivers came with it?


----------



## B-Roll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> what drivers came with it?


301.10


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *B-Roll*
> 
> 301.10


I just looked at the disc that came w/ my card and it said 12.4. they are on 12.8 now lol
idk what the 301.10 is though
and i just noticed that we have the same amount of posts


----------



## Vrait

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> The HD 7970 has to downclock. If the 7970 doesn't it will render frames at a faster rate than the 7950 giving you alot of microstutter. You can overclock the 7950 and have both cards at the same clock though.
> Congrats pop that in and let us know how it runs. Make sure you get rid of all traces of Nvidia
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> drivers.


Runs great! I have it running under load at 54-55c compared to my 460 at 60c.
This card is massive compared to the 460! Was not expecting that big of a difference haha.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> The HD 7970 has to downclock. If the 7970 doesn't it will render frames at a faster rate than the 7950 giving you alot of microstutter. You can overclock the 7950 and have both cards at the same clock though.
> -snip-


According to this:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/0_20#post_16551322

Each card will run at their respective clocks. I'm just wondering if anyone else has run this setup before I pull the trigger. See how it works for them.


----------



## Bartouille

How am I supposed to bypass 1100mhz limit on my HD7950? I've tried the unofficial thing in Afterburner and the XCL trick, none of them work.

I'm using 12.8 & lastest version of AB.

Edit: TriXX let me overclock further, but no memory voltage control, and I dislike that software. If anyone has a way to bypass limit on AB I would really appreciate! +rep

Edit2: Nvm, I found the solution. I just need to patch AB with MSI AB Patch.zip.


----------



## B-Roll

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> I just looked at the disc that came w/ my card and it said 12.4. they are on 12.8 now lol
> idk what the 301.10 is though
> and i just noticed that we have the same amount of posts


I should have quoted the original conversation where I said I was probably gonna be coming back to red from green, lol. My bad. :]


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *B-Roll*
> 
> 301.10


This sounds like a Nvidia driver number. Current WQHL for Nvidia is 301.42.

Edit: Saw you last post after posting.


----------



## kraytdizzle

I've been trying to go from my two monitor setup to 3 monitor and eyefinity.

I got in an Accell active DSP adapter in the mail today, once I add that into the system, my issues come right back. (Desktop runs fine, when gaming black screens and hardware disconnect/reconnect sounds trigger before the picture comes back and this keeps on going.

I was running Guild Wars 2, Starcraft 2, Darksiders 2 over the weekend and the last few days, without any issues whatsoever with two screens connected over DVI and HDMI.

I tried the DSP by itself, and everything seemed to go well. I added in the DVI connection and my issues came right back.

This is my third DSP adapter that I've had, I've tried uninstalling drivers, reseating all connections and installing 12.8 drivers. Everything still runs fine on two monitors.

Really getting annoyed at this and just can't seem to figure it out, it is like it doesn't like the DSP and any other connection being together on the outputs.


----------



## v1x

hey guys, i have a quick question regarding 7970 and battlefield 3.

i have single 7970, 8gb ram, i7 3770k @ 4.5ghz im using msi AB to check gpu usage and its not all ways at 99% usage.. pretty sure it used to be, i've tried 12.3 ,12.4,12.8 drivers allways using the same method to uninstall. getting random frame drops.;

uninstall via control panel, reboot in to safe mode, use driver sweeper, then install driver.

regards


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> According to this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/0_20#post_16551322
> Each card will run at their respective clocks. I'm just wondering if anyone else has run this setup before I pull the trigger. See how it works for them.


Hmm I have been looking for some1 to do the mix crossfire bench.


----------



## Bartouille

I just received my HD7950 today. So far I'm very pleased with it. Been doing a couple of Heaven 3.0 runs and overclocking already!

_DX11, Normal tessellation, High shaders, 4x anisotropy, Disabled stereo 3D, Unchecked multi monitor, 1080p 4xAA Fullscreen_

800/1250 *55.2FPS*
900/1250 *60.4FPS*
1150/1250 *71.8FPS*

I'll post some screenshots ASAP!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Thinking about doing a hybrid CFX between my 7970 and a 7950. Anybody have experience with this? From my understanding, both cards will run at their own clocks, and the 7970 will actually not downclock to 7950 performance. Can anyone verify?


I had a 6850 and a 6870 that did this, I actually noticed more problems with microstutter when I switched to 6850 CFX. I'd just suggest to get another of the same card that you have, otherwise you could try overclocking the 7950 to the 7970 speeds to make up the difference. You will probably have to downclock the 7970's VRAM though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> According to this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/0_20#post_16551322
> Each card will run at their respective clocks. I'm just wondering if anyone else has run this setup before I pull the trigger. See how it works for them.


Read above.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *v1x*
> 
> hey guys, i have a quick question regarding 7970 and battlefield 3.
> i have single 7970, 8gb ram, i7 3770k @ 4.5ghz im using msi AB to check gpu usage and its not all ways at 99% usage.. pretty sure it used to be, i've tried 12.3 ,12.4,12.8 drivers allways using the same method to uninstall. getting random frame drops.;
> uninstall via control panel, reboot in to safe mode, use driver sweeper, then install driver.
> regards


12.6 works best for me, all the other drivers gave me problems. I think 12.7 and 12.8 gave me the problem you're having.


----------



## Bartouille




----------



## TheRaven

Just wanted to say I got a massive temperature drop installing an intake fan on the side of my case. I put in a gentle typhoon 1450 right over my video card (Kinda wishing I got a more powerful version because that one is completely quiet, can't hear it at all when it's on).

My Gigabyte Wind force 7970 is now running at 1100/1500 on stock voltage and auto fan at about ~63 core temp/ ~65 VRM temp in everyhing but Anno 2070.

I got the biggest temp drop in Anno 2070 going 7 degrees cooler from 73/74 Core and 78 VRM down to 66 Core and 71 VRM. Crysis 2 only dropped one or 2 degrees but I was happy with it in the low 60's anyways. Good to see it brining games that broke 70 degrees back down below it.

Gonna get MSI afterburner and do the proper overclocking this weekend. GPU-Z only gave my card a 70.5% ASIC Quality but I'm hoping to hit 1250/1600 without problems.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*


That's a really good clock for the ASIC you have, like really good.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRaven*
> 
> Just wanted to say I got a massive temperature drop installing an intake fan on the side of my case. I put in a gentle typhoon 1450 right over my video card (Kinda wishing I got a more powerful version because that one is completely quiet, can't hear it at all when it's on).
> My Gigabyte Wind force 7970 is now running at 1100/1500 on stock voltage and auto fan at about ~63 core temp/ ~65 VRM temp in everyhing but Anno 2070.
> I got the biggest temp drop in Anno 2070 going 7 degrees cooler from 73/74 Core and 78 VRM down to 66 Core and 71 VRM. Crysis 2 only dropped one or 2 degrees but I was happy with it in the low 60's anyways. Good to see it brining games that broke 70 degrees back down below it.
> Gonna get MSI afterburner and do the proper overclocking this weekend. GPU-Z only gave my card a 70.5% ASIC Quality but I'm hoping to hit 1250/1600 without problems.


70% ASIC quality is good, you should hit 1200 easily. You might run into problems with the memory getting that fast but the core should be good for at least 1200. Goodluck


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> My Sapphire's Dual-X VRMs are fine as well - I can have the core run at 70-71C and VRMs stay sub 80C at that.


According to hwinfo my vrm temps with dual x are about 60 when core is 70 degrees. Looks like Dual-X cools the VRMs very well.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Hrm, could our 15-20C VRM temperature difference be due to differing load types? I use a 1440p monitor and tend to max out all the antialiasing and such.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> My Sapphire's Dual-X VRMs are fine as well - I can have the core run at 70-71C and VRMs stay sub 80C at that.
> 
> 
> 
> According to hwinfo my vrm temps with dual x are about 60 when core is 70 degrees. Looks like Dual-X cools the VRMs very well.
Click to expand...

my vrms were 62/57c in BF3.


----------



## stn0092

How do I overclock past 1125/1575 in Afterburner 2.2.3? I tried pioneerisloud's instructions, but the xcl command doesn't do anything. Afterburner doesn't start at all when I use it; no pop ups either.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> How do I overclock past 1125/1575 in Afterburner 2.2.3? I tried pioneerisloud's instructions, but the xcl command doesn't do anything. Afterburner doesn't start at all when I use it; no pop ups either.


Odd. Works fine on 12.7b (and older) with MSI AB 2.2.1.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> How do I overclock past 1125/1575 in Afterburner 2.2.3? I tried pioneerisloud's instructions, but the xcl command doesn't do anything. Afterburner doesn't start at all when I use it; no pop ups either.


you need the patch.


----------



## stn0092

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> you need the patch.


Hmn. Well, that seemed to do the trick. Followed pioneerisloud's instructions after installing "the patch" and MSIAB's limits have been lifted.

What exactly does that patch install or change?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> you need the patch.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmn. Well, that seemed to do the trick. Followed pioneerisloud's instructions after installing "the patch" and MSIAB's limits have been lifted.
> 
> What exactly does that patch install or change?
Click to expand...

I would also like to know this, as I have never had a problem, although I have also reluctantly refused to update MSI AB.


----------



## Kokin

Does it provide the 2 missing .dll files that allows you to do the -xcl method (or unofficial if you prefer that way)?


----------



## kfxsti

hey guys i got a question. i recently got a hold of two XFX BE 7970s one has the dip switch, and one doesnt. well, got everything installed last yesterday after noon. uninstalled drivers, and reinstalled them. and now in bf3 my gpu usage on both cards bounce between 30-67% ? should i go ahead and format and start over? or am i over looking something? any help is greatly appreciated.

*edit* oh yea has anyone here flashed their xfx be reference 7970s to the ghz bios?


----------



## Vrait

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> hey guys i got a question. i recently got a hold of two XFX BE 7970s one has the dip switch, and one doesnt. well, got everything installed last yesterday after noon. uninstalled drivers, and reinstalled them. and now in bf3 my gpu usage on both cards bounce between 30-67% ? should i go ahead and format and start over? or am i over looking something? any help is greatly appreciated.
> *edit* oh yea has anyone here flashed their xfx be reference 7970s to the ghz bios?


What is your cpu clocked at? If its stock, overclock it. Might be bottlenecked.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> What is your cpu clocked at? If its stock, overclock it. Might be bottlenecked.


its running at 4.4ghz . never experienced this with the other cards. just these two xfx cards.


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> I've been trying to go from my two monitor setup to 3 monitor and eyefinity.
> I got in an Accell active DSP adapter in the mail today, once I add that into the system, my issues come right back. (Desktop runs fine, when gaming black screens and hardware disconnect/reconnect sounds trigger before the picture comes back and this keeps on going.
> I was running Guild Wars 2, Starcraft 2, Darksiders 2 over the weekend and the last few days, without any issues whatsoever with two screens connected over DVI and HDMI.
> I tried the DSP by itself, and everything seemed to go well. I added in the DVI connection and my issues came right back.
> This is my third DSP adapter that I've had, I've tried uninstalling drivers, reseating all connections and installing 12.8 drivers. Everything still runs fine on two monitors.
> Really getting annoyed at this and just can't seem to figure it out, it is like it doesn't like the DSP and any other connection being together on the outputs.


Still no clue what is happening here.

Temps and clock speeds run fine on desktop and in games with DVI and HDMI connection, add in a DSP connection for 3 monitor (not eyefinity yet) and runs fine in desktop, but games get black screen (seemingly resolution resets and hear device unconnected/reconnected sound) and then screen comes back for a bit.

Same happens if I use DSP and DVI just two monitors.

I've tried 3 different DSP adapters (2 of startech, 1 of accel).


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stn0092*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> you need the patch.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmn. Well, that seemed to do the trick. Followed pioneerisloud's instructions after installing "the patch" and MSIAB's limits have been lifted.
> 
> What exactly does that patch install or change?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I would also like to know this, as I have never had a problem, although I have also reluctantly refused to update MSI AB.
Click to expand...

I honestly don't know what the patch does, but I know me and several others, this method to fix AB absolutely doesn't work without it. it probably does contain the missing .dll files.


----------



## BradleyW

I too might have to take a look at "the patch"


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What software are you using to overclock? I like Sapphire TRIXX.
> If the card doesn't want to go fast a different BIOS may help out.


just tried the BETA 12.7 drivers for overclocking and am still hitting the same walls. just using CCC I OC'd to 1125/1475 and bumped power control to +20%. Ran the first test of Mark11 and then crashed out the start of the second. Workload work failed with error message:
eva::d3d11::rendering::scene_renderer::render(): draw_unshadowed_illumination_task for thread 0: File: device_context.cpp
Line: 515
Function: struct ID3D11CommandList *__cdecl eva::d3d11::deferred_device_context::do_finish_command_list(bool)
Expression: native()->FinishCommandList( restore_deferred_context_state, &result): DX11 call failed.
Device hung due to badly formed commands.
DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG: ID3D11DeviceContext::FinishCommandList:

Cannot believe this card will not go past 1125/1400 on water. Almost thinking of seeing if I can go and exchange the card for another back at MC. I am really disappointed with this cards OC'ing ability. Especially when I am reading all over people going past those clocks on stock cooling no problem.

*EDIT UPDATE*
spoke w a buddy and we decided with how low my temps are, just bump the V up to 1.2V and say screw it. Did that and just got a successful run @ 1200/1475 44C at full load. I am not going to up the V anymore, but going to try and find the max OC of this card.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kraytdizzle*
> 
> I've been trying to go from my two monitor setup to 3 monitor and eyefinity.
> I got in an Accell active DSP adapter in the mail today, once I add that into the system, my issues come right back. (Desktop runs fine, when gaming black screens and hardware disconnect/reconnect sounds trigger before the picture comes back and this keeps on going.
> I was running Guild Wars 2, Starcraft 2, Darksiders 2 over the weekend and the last few days, without any issues whatsoever with two screens connected over DVI and HDMI.
> I tried the DSP by itself, and everything seemed to go well. I added in the DVI connection and my issues came right back.
> This is my third DSP adapter that I've had, I've tried uninstalling drivers, reseating all connections and installing 12.8 drivers. Everything still runs fine on two monitors.
> Really getting annoyed at this and just can't seem to figure it out, it is like it doesn't like the DSP and any other connection being together on the outputs.


you might want to jump over to the *Official ATi/AMD EyeFinity Club* Thread, as this 7950/7970 Threads moves way too fast, and your queries might get lost.

I'm using all 6 Accel adapters on my Eyefinity 6 setup, they work fine for me

running 12.7 beta drivers, official 12.6 drivers are good as well, but do not use 12.8 they are bugged horribly

heck even FireFox was having problem with 12.8... can you imagine that?









have you tried a clean fresh install of Windows?

also another note in regards to the setup.

Do not combine HDMI with DP or DVI, they don't usually go well together

so your choices to use all 3 display is probably DVI+DVI+DP or DVI+DP+DP


----------



## kraytdizzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> you might want to jump over to the Eyefinity club Thread, as this 7950/7970 Threads moves way too fast, and your queries might get lost.
> I'm using all 6 Accel adapters on my Eyefinity 6 setup, they work fine for me
> running 12.7 beta drivers, official 12.6 drivers are good as well, but do not use 12.8 they are bugged horribly
> heck even FireFox was having problem with 12.8... can you imagine that?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> have you tried a clean fresh install of Windows?
> also another note in regards to the setup.
> Do not combine HDMI with DP or DVI, they don't usually go well together
> so your choices to use all 3 display is probably DVI+DVI+DP or DVI+DP+DP


I've actually started a thread in the base AMD/ATI Graphics Card section for that very reason.

I have tried two clean fresh installs of windows, reformats both times.

I have some HDMI to DVI adapters coming since I've seen that HDMI issue crop up a bit. Though that doesn't explain why it hooked up on MDP and DVI together has the same issue.

Also someone mentioned that a MDP to VGA adapter might help as well.


----------



## leoxtxt

My summer OC: Sapphire (reference) HD7970 @ 1225/1650 [1.18v] + Accelero 7970, the card it's capable of hitting 1275/1700 with 1205mv but with this heat its impossible to keep the VRMs below the 90 degrees mark.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> you might want to jump over to the *Official ATi/AMD EyeFinity Club* Thread, as this 7950/7970 Threads moves way too fast, and your queries might get lost.
> I'm using all 6 Accel adapters on my Eyefinity 6 setup, they work fine for me
> running 12.7 beta drivers, official 12.6 drivers are good as well, but do not use 12.8 they are bugged horribly
> heck even FireFox was having problem with 12.8... can you imagine that?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> have you tried a clean fresh install of Windows?
> also another note in regards to the setup.
> Do not combine HDMI with DP or DVI, they don't usually go well together
> so your choices to use all 3 display is probably DVI+DVI+DP or DVI+DP+DP


I Run:
Mini Display Port -> DVI via Active Converter -> Right Screen
Native DVI -> DVI -> Center Screen
HDMI -> DVI via HDMI to DVI Converted -> Left Screen

But I will Move the HDMI Screen to my 2nd miniDP soon so I can hook up a Separate HDTV onthe HDMI Port and use that for Windows Media Center / HDTV


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I Run:
> Mini Display Port -> DVI via Active Converter -> Right Screen
> Native DVI -> DVI -> Center Screen
> HDMI -> DVI via HDMI to DVI Converted -> Left Screen


yeah, but that's not a true HDMI out

it's still a DVI out, then converted to HDMI via an adapter, so that doesn't count

some cards do have actual HDMI out, but their chip are shared with the DVI out, so you can only use either or but not both in those cards


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> the only 1500w i can find around town is a Silverstone Strider ST1500 for $300
> never had a Silverstone as PSU before so didn't quite trust it
> i've had Silverstone as PC cases and accessories but not PSU, so not enough reference to make such a huge purchase for an unfamiliar name in the PSU arena


The ST1500 is the original big boss. It's still one of the top gargantuan PSU's, along with the HCP1200.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> yeah, but that's not a true HDMI out
> it's still a DVI out, then converted to HDMI via an adapter, so that doesn't count
> *some cards do have actual HDMI out, but their chip are shared with the DVI out, so you can only use either or but not both in those cards*


What do you mean not true?? That HDMI out has it's own clock generator, and it's the same clock gen as DVI so there is no synch issue between the two. It's as real as it gets. Bolded part has no bearing here.


----------



## B-Roll

Went to go order the Gigabyte reference 7970 and it was out of stock. Was there yesterday. That's what I get for trying out going green. Pretty sure I'm sending this hunkajunk back to Newegg for an exchange.


----------



## Bartouille

Been doing some more OC today.



This card is very impressive.







Over 40% gains from stock!!!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Got my open box ASUS DirectCU II 7970 this evening, and it appears to be borked. Both 8-pin PCIe connectors had power (green lights on), fan spun, but no image was outputted on the monitor. I have tried both of the DVI ports and also flipped the Dual-link-DVI / Display Port switch and tried both ports too. Nothing. Connected a projector to integrated graphics, hoping to enter windows through that and see if my system sees the card - can't even do that. Boot loop. Finally took the card out and put my Sapphire 7970 back in - no problems! I'm going to send the ASUS card back tomorrow, just sad... was such a good deal, and I had high hopes for it, after my wonderful DirectCU II GTX 670.

Is there anything I forgot to do?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Got my open box ASUS DirectCU II 7970 this evening, and it appears to be borked. Both 8-pin PCIe connectors had power (green lights on), fan spun, but no image was outputted on the monitor. I have tried both of the DVI ports and also flipped the Dual-link-DVI / Display Port switch and tried both ports too. Nothing. Connected a projector to integrated graphics, hoping to enter windows through that and see if my system sees the card - can't even do that. Boot loop. Finally took the card out and put my Sapphire 7970 back in - no problems! I'm going to send the ASUS card back tomorrow, just sad... was such a good deal, and I had high hopes for it, after my wonderful DirectCU II GTX 670.
> Is there anything I forgot to do?


Try to clear your CMOS. This happened to me before and I thought my pcie slot died.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Try to clear your CMOS. This happened to me before and I thought my pcie slot died.


It's working fine with the other card though - right after I switch back, it works. And it works if I just feed the signal through integrated graphics (but if the ASUS card is plugged in, I can't get past the BIOS). Was that the case for you too? I'll see about clearing CMOS if so.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> *EDIT UPDATE*
> spoke w a buddy and we decided with how low my temps are, just bump the V up to 1.2V and say screw it. Did that and just got a successful run @ 1200/1475 44C at full load. I am not going to up the V anymore, but going to try and find the max OC of this card.


On water cooling I think you will be fine at around 1.22v for gaming. If you can hit 1250/1700 at 1.22v you can probably hit 1300/1700 at 1.25v.

1250/[email protected] v is great speed for voltage and temps on water if you can dial it in.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> According to this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/0_20#post_16551322
> Each card will run at their respective clocks. I'm just wondering if anyone else has run this setup before I pull the trigger. See how it works for them.


I ran 7970 as primary card and my 7950 as secondary, which was probably the wrong way to do it. Of course, you can overclock the main card but not secondary (at least I wasn't able to)...
It ran everything amazingly, however, the 7970 will never hit full load while the 7950 will. IMO, just grab another 7950 and OC both of them opposed to just one card (unless this was just an AB problem like we've been having... this was around the 12.7 beta I believe and I had to jump between 12.3 and 12.7, but that was before I knew how to "properly" uninstall drivers, thanks to Bradley_W's guide).

*tl;dr*, I returned my 7970 because it never ran full, and it was a ref card and was way too loud.
IMO get another non-ref 7950 if you already have one and OC both.


----------



## stn0092

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Been doing some more OC today.
> 
> This card is very impressive.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Over 40% gains from stock!!!


What are your VRM temperatures at 1150 core @ 1.20 V?

At 1150 core @ 1.20 V, Heaven takes my VRM temps up to 64°C, but games heat it up _much_ further. After 10 minutes of Sleeping Dogs, Deus Ex HR, Metro 2033, etc., my VRM temps are in excess of 90°C.







For that reason, I've left it at [email protected]; VRM temps only go up to 72°C when gaming.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> I ran 7970 as primary card and my 7950 as secondary, which was probably the wrong way to do it. Of course, you can overclock the main card but not secondary (at least I wasn't able to)...
> It ran everything amazingly, however, the 7970 will never hit full load while the 7950 will. IMO, just grab another 7950 and OC both of them opposed to just one card (unless this was just an AB problem like we've been having... this was around the 12.7 beta I believe and I had to jump between 12.3 and 12.7, but that was before I knew how to "properly" uninstall drivers, thanks to Bradley_W's guide).
> *tl;dr*, I returned my 7970 because it never ran full, and it was a ref card and was way too loud.
> IMO get another non-ref 7950 if you already have one and OC both.


That was fine for me with older cards,
You can overclock the secondary card, with MSI AB you have to switch cards. It's under options somewhere, can't remember where as I don't use it now.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Got my open box ASUS DirectCU II 7970 this evening, and it appears to be borked. Both 8-pin PCIe connectors had power (green lights on), fan spun, but no image was outputted on the monitor. I have tried both of the DVI ports and also flipped the Dual-link-DVI / Display Port switch and tried both ports too. Nothing. Connected a projector to integrated graphics, hoping to enter windows through that and see if my system sees the card - can't even do that. Boot loop. Finally took the card out and put my Sapphire 7970 back in - no problems! I'm going to send the ASUS card back tomorrow, just sad... was such a good deal, and I had high hopes for it, after my wonderful DirectCU II GTX 670.
> Is there anything I forgot to do?


that sounds like the previous owner borked a firmware flash

if you have not yet returned the card, you can try to boot from your Primary card. then put the DC2 7970 as the 2nd card, and try to flash the BIOS to it after you boot up


----------



## ElevenEleven

Okay I'll try that. I don't need to connect them with a crossfire bridge, right? Which BIOS would I flash, would TOP work on this non TOP card?


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Okay I'll try that. I don't need to connect them with a crossfire bridge, right? Which BIOS would I flash, would TOP work on this non TOP card?


try with and without

in my rig, i know that it won't detect the 2nd 7970 if it's not hooked up to crossfire

so, you might experience the same thing

by the way here's some good reference for flashing

ATIWinflash.exe -f -p 0 BIOS-file-name.bin
ATIWinflash.exe -f -p 1 BIOS-file-name.bin

Zero = primary your good card
One = 2nd dary card, the DC2 that is not working

you can get good BIOS firmware from TechPowerUp download section search for ASUS 7970


----------



## eternal7trance

Since you can boot up with the other card you have, you can always try zotac firestorm to fix it as well.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *qbical*
> 
> how are they working for you when gaming and have you OC'd the card at all?
> thanks


They are working fine, first of all I play on a 20 inch monitor with 1680x1050 resolution !
Maxing out Call of Duty: MW3 multiplayer with smoth experience, Maxing out Battlefield 3 which installed on my HDD WD Caviar Black with 40-78 fps, average around 55-60 fps








Stock clocks on both my CPU (3,1GHZ @ 8-cores) and I havn't overclocked the 7950 myself yet ! Haven't seen the temps go over 57-58 degrees celsius at load in games and it's around 36 degrees idle and best of all, I can't hear it









Going to overclock both CPU and my HD7950 someday this autumn


----------



## switchblade

Gnna upgrade to the 8120 next month.







enjoy ur rig


----------



## ElevenEleven

Does one of these happen to be an older BIOS with unlocked voltage? I can't see any voltage info just viewing the BIOS files:
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=&manufacturer=Asus&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0

Could be hidden?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Oh, one more thing, I've been wondering about my Sapphire's 7970 Dual-X VRM temperatures. It seems like people here have theirs lower than core temperature. Mine (the first VRM at least) is usually 10-15C warmer than the core. So if the core's at 70C, VRM1 will be at 80C or so. Could it be that the heatsink on the card was not mounted well during Sapphire's "recertification" process? (the PCI-E bracket was all bent, after all).


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Oh, one more thing, I've been wondering about my Sapphire's 7970 Dual-X VRM temperatures. It seems like people here have theirs lower than core temperature. Mine (the first VRM at least) is usually 10-15C warmer than the core. So if the core's at 70C, VRM1 will be at 80C or so. Could it be that the heatsink on the card was not mounted well during Sapphire's "recertification" process? (the PCI-E bracket was all bent, after all).


I believe vrms do get hotter than the core and thats the usual case. Having said that ur VRMs are running cool well within their tempature limits


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Does one of these happen to be an older BIOS with unlocked voltage? I can't see any voltage info just viewing the BIOS files:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=&manufacturer=Asus&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0
> Could be hidden?


they are all the same

just grab the Reference speed one, to see if it boots up after you flash it
Asus HD 7970 3072 MB 2012-01-04 04:16:00 PCI-E 925 / 1375

if it works OK, then you can try the Ghz versions
Asus HD 7970 3072 MB 2012-01-17 03:40:00 PCI-E 1000 / 1400


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I believe vrms do get hotter than the core and thats the usual case. Having said that ur VRMs are running cool well within their tempature limits


and this is exactly the reason why we always observe those horizontal or vertical lines crashes, on factory defective cards that crash with little load

something we were just chatting about it here on the other topic http://www.overclock.net/forum/newestpost/1292827


----------



## ElevenEleven

I think I've confirmed my earlier suspicions: the higher the resolution, the hotter my VRMs get. So like running games at my usual resolution of 1440p results in VRM1 ~10C hotter than the core. Running Heaven 3.0 benchmark at 1080p gives VRM1 temp difference of maybe 6-7C, and running it at 1650x1050 gives VRM1 temp difference of as low as 1-3C. Could just be that the stuff I normally run has all the antialiasing fancy turned up at high resolution.

Also seems that using Sapphire TRIXX (for my Sapphire 7970) gives a more stable overclock on stock voltage to 1125/1575. When I used MSI Afterburner, I couldn't quite stabilize at that core clock (some eventual artifacting and a game crash) and had to run at 1090MHz/1575MHz very solidly. Now that I've switched to TRIXX, 1125MHz on core hasn't given me any trouble. I know I can do more with increased voltage (tested), but don't have any need at the moment and prefer to stay at quieter fan profiles.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> I think I've confirmed my earlier suspicions: the higher the resolution, the hotter my VRMs get. So like running games at my usual resolution of 1440p results in VRM1 ~10C hotter than the core. Running Heaven 3.0 benchmark at 1080p gives VRM1 temp difference of maybe 6-7C, and running it at 1650x1050 gives VRM1 temp difference of as low as 1-3C. Could just be that the stuff I normally run has all the antialiasing fancy turned up at high resolution.
> Also seems that using Sapphire TRIXX (for my Sapphire 7970) gives a more stable overclock on stock voltage to 1125/1575. When I used MSI Afterburner, I couldn't quite stabilize at that core clock (some eventual artifacting and a game crash) and had to run at 1090MHz/1575MHz very solidly. Now that I've switched to TRIXX, 1125MHz on core hasn't given me any trouble. I know I can do more with increased voltage (tested), but don't have any need at the moment and prefer to stay at quieter fan profiles.


Yep, the more demanding a game is, such as an increase in resolution or features, the hotter the card will get, including the VRM's. People only think they get hotter when overvolting, which is wrong as you've proven. Yeah, Sapphire Trixx seems to be better for me when overclocking and overvolting. I'm not too sure about msi AB. I just use it for the fps counter and limiter, with the graphs to check temps and usage.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Yep, the more demanding a game is, such as an increase in resolution or features, the hotter the card will get, including the VRM's. People only think they get hotter when overvolting, which is wrong as you've proven. Yeah, Sapphire Trixx seems to be better for me when overclocking and overvolting. I'm not too sure about msi AB. I just use it for the fps counter and limiter, with the graphs to check temps and usage.


Yeah, although I meant more VRM temperature with respect to Core temperature. VRM1 temperature increases at a faster rate than core temperature at higher resolutions for my card.

edit: Very impressed with Sapphire TRIXX! My card even runs a bit cooler now vs. with Afterburner, while being stable at 1125/1575 on stock voltage. Going to try bumping up the core clock a tad more soon to see how far I can get on stock.

edit #2: well, looks like 1125 wasn't quite stable... or else GW2 is buggy. Ended up suddenly artifacting in the game, which was only solved by a full reboot. Trying 1110 now. Still runs cooler than it did with Afterburner though on the same fan profile.


----------



## Offender_Mullet

New toy arrived today.


----------



## fruitflavor

I got 7950 TF III from amazon today. The temp and quick OC is fine, 1.093V with 1100 core and stock memory. Fan doesn't go above 64% and temp stays at mid to low 70s when running kombobuster.

However disappointed that sometimes the fan makes weird noises. such a shame because the chip seems to be decent. might have to return it or move up to 7970









edit: just checked ASIC 89.7.... such a shame


----------



## stn0092

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Oh, one more thing, I've been wondering about my Sapphire's 7970 Dual-X VRM temperatures. It seems like people here have theirs lower than core temperature. Mine (the first VRM at least) is usually 10-15C warmer than the core. So if the core's at 70C, VRM1 will be at 80C or so. Could it be that the heatsink on the card was not mounted well during Sapphire's "recertification" process? (the PCI-E bracket was all bent, after all).


As others have said, you're fine. I have the Sapphire 7970 OC with the Dual-X cooler as well and my VRMs are almost always warmer than the core. I only made a quick glance, but I think the VRMs are still "naked" even with the Dual-X cooler. The heatsink isn't actually in contact with the VRMs; the fan is just blowing air on to the bare VRMs.


----------



## Jabba1977

Hi...good morning!!!.

Finally I will decide for one of these two ...

What do you think is better?

One version is "Ghz" and the other version is "turbo"

HIS 7970 ICEQ GHZ EDITION

http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-726.shtml

HIS 7970 ICEQ "TURBO"

http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-692.shtml

I think this card is one of the better 7970 in terms of quality / performance /noise...

Thank you!!!.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fruitflavor*
> 
> I got 7950 TF III from amazon today. The temp and quick OC is fine, 1.093V with 1100 core and stock memory. Fan doesn't go above 64% and temp stays at mid to low 70s when running kombobuster.
> However disappointed that sometimes the fan makes weird noises. such a shame because the chip seems to be decent. might have to return it or move up to 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: just checked ASIC 89.7.... such a shame


Time to watercool my friend.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...good morning!!!.
> Finally I will decide for one of these two ...
> What do you think is better?
> One version is "Ghz" and the other version is "turbo"
> HIS 7970 ICEQ GHZ EDITION
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-726.shtml
> HIS 7970 ICEQ "TURBO"
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-692.shtml
> I think this card is one of the better 7970 in terms of quality / performance /noise...
> Thank you!!!.


Both cards run at 1050 Mhz. and same cooler. the HIS Iceq Turbo is manually overclocked while the HIS Iceq Ghz runs at 1050 Mhz boost. so pick which ever is cheaper.


----------



## Kitarist

Guys which 7950 is worth getting? Sapphire Or Gigabyte?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> Guys which 7950 is worth getting? Sapphire Or Gigabyte?


Sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition or Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X with 950 Mhz boost. Both cards use a HD 7970 PCB design. the vapor-x comes with a newer custom PCB while the 950 mhz edition uses a ref HD 7970 PCB.


----------



## Kitarist

I noticed that 7950 comes in blue pcb while 7950 OC version comes in brown pcb. So which one has the 7970 pcb?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> I noticed that 7950 comes in blue pcb while 7950 OC version comes in brown pcb. So which one has the 7970 pcb?


Sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition. comes with reference HD 7970 PCB.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991

Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X .comes with custom HD 7970 PCB.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202003


----------



## Nwanko

Would this bios work on a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X - stock clocks 810/1250

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/117406/Sapphire.HD7970.3072.120207.html


----------



## Jabba1977

Hi...good morning!!!.
Finally I will decide for one of these two ...
What do you think is better?
One version is "Ghz" and the other version is "turbo"
HIS 7970 ICEQ GHZ EDITION
http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-726.shtml
HIS 7970 ICEQ "TURBO"
http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-692.shtml
I think this card is one of the better 7970 in terms of quality / performance /noise...
Thank you!!!.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Both cards run at 1050 Mhz. and same cooler. the HIS Iceq Turbo is manually overclocked while the HIS Iceq Ghz runs at 1050 Mhz boost. so pick which ever is cheaper.


But the Ghz edition comes with 6000 Mhz Memory and other 5600.

Both cost about same...which should I buy?, What do you think?


----------



## Andrazh

How much better is vapor-x cooler vs normal dual fan cooler?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...good morning!!!.
> Finally I will decide for one of these two ...
> What do you think is better?
> One version is "Ghz" and the other version is "turbo"
> HIS 7970 ICEQ GHZ EDITION
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-726.shtml
> HIS 7970 ICEQ "TURBO"
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-692.shtml
> I think this card is one of the better 7970 in terms of quality / performance /noise...
> Thank you!!!.
> But the Ghz edition comes with 6000 Mhz Memory and other 5600.
> Both cost about same...which should I buy?, What do you think?


It's more your choice than anything. They both have no guarantee of how high they will OC. You have to decide if you want to pay more for a factory overclock.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Gnna upgrade to the 8120 next month.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> enjoy ur rig


Thanks and look forward to a faster CPU








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Offender_Mullet*
> 
> New toy arrived today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *picture of Gigabyte Windforce 7950*


Have fun with it


----------



## Offender_Mullet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Have fun with it


Already am.







Witcher 2 and Mass Effect 3 don't even phase this card. I'm running out of room on my ssd so I'll have to try Crysis 2 and Skyrim another time. The fans on this are dead quiet. DEAD quiet. Now I'll just wait for Ivy Bridge prices to drop and upgrade the cpu+mobo.


----------



## Kitarist

http://www.hoh.de/hardware/grafikkarten/amdati/radeon-hd7000-serie/sapphire/578411/sapphire-radeon-hd7950-oc-3gb-gddr5

So is this the right one with the 7970 PCB?

Anyone owns it here? How loud is it? I did check some reviews but it was the older version with non Dual X fans.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> http://www.hoh.de/hardware/grafikkarten/amdati/radeon-hd7000-serie/sapphire/578411/sapphire-radeon-hd7950-oc-3gb-gddr5
> So is this the right one with the 7970 PCB?
> Anyone owns it here? How loud is it? I did check some reviews but it was the older version with non Dual X fans.


yeah this is the Sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz card with manufacturer code 11196-10-40G. dual x cooler is very good.

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/51112-sapphire-hd-7950-dual-fan-oc-review-12.html
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1862/13/


----------



## BradleyW

How do I set MSI to back to default after doing the -xcl method?


----------



## heroxoot

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/hnpnz/

Proudest day of my life. Probably more proud than when I have my first born son.


----------



## Imprezzion

Judging by the default clocks, a MSI R7970 Lightning?









@Bradley, the fastest way would be to re-install MSI AB IMO.


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Judging by the default clocks, a MSI R7970 Lightning?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Bradley, the fastest way would be to re-install MSI AB IMO.


Yup, definitely it's


----------



## AllGamer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/hnpnz/
> Proudest day of my life. Probably more proud than when I have my first born son.


run a few tests
keep an eye on it

make sure you don't go through the trouble this guy went through with his lightning http://www.overclock.net/forum/newestpost/1292827


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Judging by the default clocks, a MSI R7970 Lightning?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Bradley, the fastest way would be to re-install MSI AB IMO.


It did not work.


----------



## broadbandaddict

So since the lightning is crap what would be recommended for a 7970 Crossfire setup? I've been thinking about the Sapphire Ghz Vapor-X for $450 but the PCB is blue and ugly (not a deal breaker, just a con)

Why do the lightnings have to look so nice?!


----------



## raptor5150

Anyone have an 7950 vapor x? how much wider is it than a 2 slot..Its very hard to tell by the pics. Considering 2 of these or 2 refrence 7970's for 1440 ips monitor. Think 2 vapor x would have any heat issues in my rig? Thats the only thing that worries me not getting rear exh cards.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> So since the lightning is crap what would be recommended for a 7970 Crossfire setup? I've been thinking about the Sapphire Ghz Vapor-X for $450 but the PCB is blue and ugly (not a deal breaker, just a con)
> Why do the lightnings have to look so nice?!


Why not get the gigabyte windforce 7970? The cooler is just barely under 2 slots so it should do great in crossfire.


----------



## BradleyW

Any idea on resetting msi? It seems CCC limits have lifted as well, since the -xcl method.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Would this bios work on a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X - stock clocks 810/1250
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/117406/Sapphire.HD7970.3072.120207.html


Tried,works perfect. If anyone has a 7950 dual x can flash this bios over it. Stock clocks 1000/1425


----------



## fruitflavor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Time to watercool my friend.


I would but i need 1080P monitor that's around 17" first (meh dorm room). at 1366 x 768 can't really say my card is stable for sure. and then new case to fit wc stuff in and another 500 for block and pumps for only the gpu. so many things but not enough money


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/hnpnz/
> Proudest day of my life. Probably more proud than when I have my first born son.
> 
> 
> 
> run a few tests
> keep an eye on it
> 
> make sure you don't go through the trouble this guy went through with his lightning http://www.overclock.net/forum/newestpost/1292827
Click to expand...

Jeeze he must have talked to a bad rep. My 7970 doesn't pass 55c in BF3. Normally sits on 50c in gaming. In light games liek Super street fighter 4 AE my gpu is around 40c or less at load. I have not cleaned it for dust since I got it. I know its got dust removal tech but that can only work so far.

No overheating here, and yea, its a lightning. I have no found a reason to OC it as it beats the 7970 GHZ, even if the memory clock is 100mhz slower.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Jeeze he must have talked to a bad rep. My 7970 doesn't pass 55c in BF3. Normally sits on 50c in gaming. In light games liek Super street fighter 4 AE my gpu is around 40c or less at load. I have not cleaned it for dust since I got it. I know its got dust removal tech but that can only work so far.
> No overheating here, and yea, its a lightning. I have no found a reason to OC it as it beats the 7970 GHZ, even if the memory clock is 100mhz slower.


What monitor resolution do you use?


----------



## 4514kaiser

hey going to try to OC my cards again had major stability issue just at stock speeds ended up just using 12.4, which drivers do you guys think are the most stable currently 12.6 12.7 or 12.8 or a beta version?

(CF 7970 with single screen 1200 x 1920)


----------



## antonis21

From my exprience most stable driver is 12.4 .I had blackscreen/100%funspeed on desktop with 12.7 and 12.8


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> From my exprience most stable driver is 12.4 .I had blackscreen/100%funspeed on desktop with 12.7 and 12.8


same here - 12.4. lets me play my games.


----------



## DOM.

i been running 12.8 and nothing has gone wrong


----------



## BradleyW

Just wondering if anybody had any ideas on the MSI AB issue I have? I want to reset the -xcl method. Reinstalling MSI AB did not do the job. Also, the CCC limits have been lifted since.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just wondering if anybody had any ideas on the MSI AB issue I have? I want to reset the -xcl method. Reinstalling MSI AB did not do the job. Also, the CCC limits have been lifted since.


Let's see if you and I have the same issue.

Are you running 12.8? Did you install the latest MSI AB?

I did both, and I've enabled unofficial overclocking, I've done the -xcl method. It lets me dial up my overclock. I'll set it at 1275/1675, save it to profile 1. As soon as I save it, it reverts the saved profile back to stock settings again. Does the same thing if I click the "Apply" button as well.

Only solution I've found is running Sapphire TriXX, and opening it and switching profiles manually to my overclock. I got the modded version that allows me to modify the memory voltage and I can achieve the same clocks as Afterburner used to allow... it just doesn't switch profiles for 2D and 3D clocks on its own which can be a pain.

I have no clue why it stopped working. It stopped working originally BEFORE I even updated from 12.4 drivers. I figured, well, the overclock is busted, might as well install the latest drivers. Still didn't work. Figured, well, I'm still running MSI AB 2.2.0, might as well install the latest version. Still didn't work. Tried everything under the sun, battled it for about 7 hours straight (wound up staying up until 5AM that day, lol). Gave up, installed TriXX and just manually control it.

The big thing I don't like about TriXX, aside from the lack of the 2D and 3D profiles, is the fact that it's using around 1/2GB of RAM at the moment. Seems to be a quite a bit of memory... lol. Luckily I have 16GB.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Just got my OC my 7970's at first my CPU OC became strangely unstable its been fine for a week and has had 20h of Prime95 (ram set to 90%) and 3h of small prime95 FFT so i was rather surprise when it said my OC was unstable (BTW not in windows just on boot my RIVE would claim my OC failed!)

Any way reset the CPU OC and set it back up to similar settings and it seems to be fine now....(admittedly have not really bothered as yet stress testing it for much after re-OCing it) Then i went on to OC the 7970's again (clean CCC 12.8 install w/ cap 12.7) using Trixx since MSI AB just made my PC crash in the past and bsod.... Anyway haven't been bothered to tweak it to much since I have no voltage control tried 1200mhz for the core it just crashed then i tried 1100mhz seem stable...... I'v stress tested it a for 3h using Kombuster & GPUtool and 3h of BF3 and 3h of Sleeping Dogs all seems to be working if ( ATI did however crash in sleeping dogs "fatal driver error') so thus far every thing seems fine that said i still had some Questions.

1. Every second time I open GPUZ the system just freezes any idea why this is happening?? Just do get how all these programs seem to have the capacity to crash my pc when all they should be doing is monitoring it!

2. Is there any way i can get control of my Voltages like in the unofficial AB using Trixx since it seems a shame to have these two 7970's WC and not able to get a decent oc just because of ATI drivers and other programs causing problems.

Cheers any help would be great..... what i'm really after is stablity not interested in Benchmarks and in all truth get enough FPS in all games already just want to setup this system to it true potential l


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> From my exprience most stable driver is 12.4 .I had blackscreen/100%funspeed on desktop with 12.7 and 12.8


12.7 and 12.8 were fine for a while, but the blacks screen/vertical lines have been happening every day for the last 2 weeks. I just installed another SSD and did a clean windows install. same crap. couldn't play GW2 for more than 2 minutes. I went back to 12.6 and downloaded 12.4 just in case and it's be fine ever since. curious though, I was able to bench my card and play games with a very high overclock (1250mhz) when I first bought it and that was on 12.7 beta. for the past two weeks anything over 1125mhz and the stupid black/grey screen with vertical lines. well not anymore since going back to 12.6 yesterday. meanwhile my brother has been playing fine with 12.7beta/12.8 on his 7850.


----------



## Aventadoor

Whats the best overclocking software for 7970 with these new drivers?
Ive been using Sapphire TriXX, but I dont really like it, althought it let me get super high voltage on the cards


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Let's see if you and I have the same issue.
> Are you running 12.8? Did you install the latest MSI AB?
> I did both, and I've enabled unofficial overclocking, I've done the -xcl method. It lets me dial up my overclock. I'll set it at 1275/1675, save it to profile 1. As soon as I save it, it reverts the saved profile back to stock settings again. Does the same thing if I click the "Apply" button as well.
> Only solution I've found is running Sapphire TriXX, and opening it and switching profiles manually to my overclock. I got the modded version that allows me to modify the memory voltage and I can achieve the same clocks as Afterburner used to allow... it just doesn't switch profiles for 2D and 3D clocks on its own which can be a pain.
> I have no clue why it stopped working. It stopped working originally BEFORE I even updated from 12.4 drivers. I figured, well, the overclock is busted, might as well install the latest drivers. Still didn't work. Figured, well, I'm still running MSI AB 2.2.0, might as well install the latest version. Still didn't work. Tried everything under the sun, battled it for about 7 hours straight (wound up staying up until 5AM that day, lol). Gave up, installed TriXX and just manually control it.
> The big thing I don't like about TriXX, aside from the lack of the 2D and 3D profiles, is the fact that it's using around 1/2GB of RAM at the moment. Seems to be a quite a bit of memory... lol. Luckily I have 16GB.


No I think we have different issues. I want to revert what the xcl method does. You sound like you need that catalyst patch that was posted on here a few pages back.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Whats the best overclocking software for 7970 with these new drivers?
> Ive been using Sapphire TriXX, but I dont really like it, althought it let me get super high voltage on the cards


How do you do that?

O and IMO the Best Software is MSI AB Unofficial version IF you can get it to work


----------



## Aventadoor

Its just the bonus u get with Sapphire TriXX i guess








GPU-Z have read 1.3+V on my cards (they are watercooled)


----------



## burningrave101

So what do you guys think is the best 7970 regardless of price in terms of overclocking and cooling? I had an ASUS DirectCU II TOP a few months back but returned it due to the VRM temps. I'm thinking about picking up one or two of the MSI 7970 Lightnings since I see Newegg has finally started to mark them down.


----------



## majnu

Hi,

Would a Gigabyte WF3 HD7950 be a good upgrade from a 7850?

At the moment for bench comparisons I get this on my 7850 overclocked. 1200/1450.










I just want to know if what performance benefits I'd get if I "upgrade"? The HD7950 is £240 and if I sell my current card I should get around £110

Gaming on a single monitor 1080p, I like to play FPS and RPG's like BF3 and Metro 2033.

Thanks


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *burningrave101*
> 
> So what do you guys think is the best 7970 regardless of price in terms of overclocking and cooling? I had an ASUS DirectCU II TOP a few months back but returned it due to the VRM temps. I'm thinking about picking up one or two of the MSI 7970 Lightnings since I see Newegg has finally started to mark them down.


I'm still wondering this as well. The Lightnings are crazy sexy looking, it seems like all the other cards have blue PCBs.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I'm still wondering this as well. The Lightnings are crazy sexy looking, it seems like all the other cards have blue PCBs.


Sapphire Dual-X has a black PCB, ASUS comes with a nice backplate, and there are probably some others.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majnu*
> 
> Hi,
> Would a Gigabyte WF3 HD7950 be a good upgrade from a 7850? At the moment for bench comparisons I get this on my 7850 overclocked. 1200/1450. I just want to know if what performance benefits I'd get if I "upgrade"? The HD7950 is £240 and if I sell my current card I should get around £110. Gaming on a single monitor 1080p, I like to play FPS and RPG's like BF3 and Metro 2033.
> Thanks


At the same clocks HD 7950 is 40% faster than HD 7850. If you get a slightly lower overclock of 1.1 Ghz you will still be 30% or more faster. clock for clock HD 7950 is 3 - 5% slower than HD 7970.

here is a comparison of HD 7850 (1050 Mhz) and HD 7950 (1050 Mhz). Both are stock voltage overclocks.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5476/amd-radeon-7950-review/18

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5625/amd-radeon-hd-7870-ghz-edition-radeon-hd-7850-review-rounding-out-southern-islands/19

Metro 2033 1920 x 1200 Very High

HD 7850 OC (1050) - 45
HD 7870 OC (1200) - 50
XFX HD 7950 (900) - 56
XFX HD 7950 OC (1050) - 63.

BF3 1920 x 1200 Ultra 4x MSAA

HD 7850 OC (1050) - 38
HD 7870 OC (1200) - 43.3
XFX HD 7950 (900) - 46.6
XFX HD 7950 OC (1050) - 52.3

http://www.guru3d.com/article/his-radeon-hd-7850-iceqx-turbox-review/21
http://www.guru3d.com/article/his-radeon-hd-7950-iceq-turbo-review/19

Crysis 2 Ultra 4x AA

HD 7850 (1120) - 49
HD 7950 (1125 ) - 71


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Sapphire Dual-X has a black PCB, ASUS comes with a nice backplate, and there are probably some others.


I was under the assumption the Vapor-X is better than the Dual-X though. Is that incorrect?

The ASUS is a triple slot card, which I don't have room for. From what I've seen only the Lightning and ASUS have a backplate.

edit: Newegg's got the Lightning for $480 + Dirt Showdown right now on rebate. Anybody think it's worth it?


----------



## rubixcube101

Can anyone advise on how the reference HIS 7970 overclocks under water?


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> Can anyone advise on how the reference HIS 7970 overclocks under water?


depends on the card not all oc the same ive had 3 and only one oc better when benching but they all ran around 1100 1175Mv

but the one with a lower ASIC reading was the one that oc higher


----------



## BradleyW

I just got a 3b bluescreen error when disabling crossfire on a fresh install of windows 7. I also got a verticle line flash across my screen twice as I am typing this very message! Is one of my GPU's on it's way out?


----------



## rubixcube101

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> depends on the card not all oc the same ive had 3 and only one oc better when benching but they all ran around 1100 1175Mv
> but the one with a lower ASIC reading was the one that oc higher


Did the one with the lower asic reading overclock better under water? I'm confused as to how a gpu with a higher asic rating can overclock better on air and one with a lower can overclock better on water :/

mmm... i was asking because getting any other 7970 is going to be at least $50 more expensive and if i'm only going to get a few more frames out of one that reaches 1250mhz over 1150mhz i dont think its really worth it is it? So i guess its just a bit of lottery right?


----------



## kahboom

sounds like what i had accept it was horizontal flashes for me on one of my cards not even a week later seems like its rma time


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I am running 12.6 at the moment and I have noticed that a ton of games run fantastic but then there are other games that dont run great at all. For some reason I can play BF3, Crysis 2 and higher end games with ease but then I load up Worldofwarcraft and I am getting some skipping here and there where I never had it before.

I'm sorry but AMD needs to fix there friggin drivers


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> Did the one with the lower asic reading overclock better under water? I'm confused as to how a gpu with a higher asic rating can overclock better on air and one with a lower can overclock better on water :/
> mmm... i was asking because getting any other 7970 is going to be at least $50 more expensive and if i'm only going to get a few more frames out of one that reaches 1250mhz over 1150mhz i dont think its really worth it is it? So i guess its just a bit of lottery right?


for me the lower one oc better on air/water


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quick question guys. I have a xfx 7970 under water. (black edition DD, useless imo)

Anyways, was at micro center today and saw a vision tek 7970 for 360 and bought it as it was a steal imo. If I put a Wateblock on and crossfire, it will work because their both 7970 correct? Same architecture, etc? Thanks!


----------



## DOM.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Quick question guys. I have a xfx 7970 under water. (black edition DD, useless imo)
> Anyways, was at micro center today and saw a vision tek 7970 for 360 and bought it as it was a steal imo. If I put a Wateblock on and crossfire, it will work because their both 7970 correct? Same architecture, etc? Thanks!


yes you can mix brands on the same card


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Quick question guys. I have a xfx 7970 under water. (black edition DD, useless imo)
> Anyways, was at micro center today and saw a vision tek 7970 for 360 and bought it as it was a steal imo. If I put a Wateblock on and crossfire, it will work because their both 7970 correct? Same architecture, etc? Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> yes you can mix brands on the same card
Click to expand...

whew! Now I can sleep soundly lol. I thought it was true but I had that little voice in the back of my head. So a reference 7970 vs GHz 7970 overclock the same under water? This doesn't apply to me but just wondering.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> whew! Now I can sleep soundly lol. I thought it was true but I had that little voice in the back of my head. So a reference 7970 vs GHz 7970 overclock the same under water? This doesn't apply to me but just wondering.


Nobody can guarantee that 2 chips will overclock the same. even among the same model two chips will behave differently. try and match the OC speeds for both cards. thats best for your performance. Since you are on water cooling you can really push voltage to 1.3v and try for max clocks. 1200 Mhz on both cards will be nice.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I am running 12.6 at the moment and I have noticed that a ton of games run fantastic but then there are other games that dont run great at all. For some reason I can play BF3, Crysis 2 and higher end games with ease but then I load up Worldofwarcraft and I am getting some skipping here and there where I never had it before.
> 
> I'm sorry but AMD needs to fix there friggin drivers


I'm using 12.8 without any issues playing BF3/D3 and WoW. Sometimes the skipping in wow is an outdated addon issue.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> sounds like what i had accept it was horizontal flashes for me on one of my cards not even a week later seems like its rma time


What is the best way to test the cards to see if they are working? I ran heaven bench for half an hour without issues and I am no longer getting flashing and blue screens. The only time i did get flashing was whenever I use internet explorer.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What is the best way to test the cards to see if they are working? I ran heaven bench for half an hour without issues and I am no longer getting flashing and blue screens. The only time i did get flashing was whenever I use internet explorer.


Half an hour in heaven is not enough, you should test for 8-10 hours, or just play a demanding game like BF3 or Crysis 2 for a couple of hours (at least the time you usually play games)

I don't play more than 3-4 hours straight of games, so that would be perfect for me, but if you are the kind of WoW player that plays for 40 hours straight, than test for 41 hours.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What is the best way to test the cards to see if they are working? I ran heaven bench for half an hour without issues and I am no longer getting flashing and blue screens. The only time i did get flashing was whenever I use internet explorer.


I've been wondering the same thing. From what I've seen so far Crysis seems to make these cards artifact or just crash pretty quickly. I've heard that looping 3dmark 11 works alright.

I get flashing in Opera and Firefox too. Must have something to do with flash.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> sounds like what i had accept it was horizontal flashes for me on one of my cards not even a week later seems like its rma time


Yeah, I rmaed a card over that. The one that came back does it too. So does my second card. Thankfully it only appears to do it when I have a web browser open. I'm pretty sure that flash has something to do with it. I've never seen that in game.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just wondering if anybody had any ideas on the MSI AB issue I have? I want to reset the -xcl method. Reinstalling MSI AB did not do the job. Also, the CCC limits have been lifted since.


Instead of /xcl use the /rcl switch. That'll restore the clock limits.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Hey my cards are grey screening..... They seem to really like doing it when i open a GPU related program e.g MSI AB, Trinxx, GPUZ any idea if there is any fix they have done this in ever driver i'v tried 12.3 ,12.4, 12.8 (all with proper clean installations)


----------



## SkateZilla

This Could Get Interesting:

http://www.custompcreview.com/news/cooler-master-teases-new-eisberg-series-water-cooler/15454/


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What is the best way to test the cards to see if they are working? I ran heaven bench for half an hour without issues and I am no longer getting flashing and blue screens. The only time i did get flashing was whenever I use internet explorer.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Hey my cards are grey screening..... They seem to really like doing it when i open a GPU related program e.g MSI AB, Trinxx, GPUZ any idea if there is any fix they have done this in ever driver i'v tried 12.3 ,12.4, 12.8 (all with proper clean installations)


Seems like you guys are having GSOD (Grey Screen of Death) problems. I had this problem before but it went away... I made a thread for it when I was looking for solutions to fix it. A lot of people fixed it by disabling Firefox/Flash hardware acceleration. A few of us fixed it using RC11 drivers.


----------



## RKTGX95

Which is better for the Sapphire HD 7950 OC 950Mhz Ed? Sapphire Trixxx or MSI Afterburner ?

(btw, is it wrong that i use my card for only TF2 up till now?







)


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Sapphire Dual-X has a black PCB, ASUS comes with a nice backplate, and there are probably some others.


My 7950 Dual-X has a Blue PCB...


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> My 7950 Dual-X has a Blue PCB...


7970 is what he asked for. Sapphire 7970 Dual-X (OC):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102982


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> whew! Now I can sleep soundly lol. I thought it was true but I had that little voice in the back of my head. So a reference 7970 vs GHz 7970 overclock the same under water? This doesn't apply to me but just wondering.
> 
> 
> 
> Nobody can guarantee that 2 chips will overclock the same. even among the same model two chips will behave differently. try and match the OC speeds for both cards. thats best for your performance. Since you are on water cooling you can really push voltage to 1.3v and try for max clocks. 1200 Mhz on both cards will be nice.
Click to expand...

I know that lol. 360 for 7970 was too good to pass up lol. Micro Center has reference 7970 on sale.

@the flashing. I thought at first my monitor was busted but now I guess it's a driver issue? My screen does some weird ass flashing too.


----------



## BradleyW

Thank you to everyone for the help and support. Rep given.


----------



## tx-jose

so guys I come here for some help. I have this card.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102991

I just got my Sapphire 7950 OC 950Mhz edition and I removed all of my nVidia drivers with driver sweeper and what not. card performs ok but when I go to run the METRO 2033 benchmark it only uses about 60% of my GPU and yesterday I was kicking the FPS counter on BF3 in the tushh at 60+ and today like I can barley get 60FPS on LOW!!!

Also yesterday the card would just slightly touch 80* C and now it spiked to 90!!!! ( I do have a small case but 10* overnight is weird)

Only thing I did was re install metro 2033 and it said some physX.pll file was missing so I installed it. and nvidia physics showed up in the control pannel..

what gives??!!

Fresh install of windows?

EDIT: also running the latest 12.8 drivers that I got off Sapphire's site but thats all I installed


----------



## BradleyW

I would just reformat to rule out all software issues.


----------



## Ragsters

I still cant decide which 7950 to get.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I still cant decide which 7950 to get.


Which ever has the best cooling and warrenty.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I still cant decide which 7950 to get.


Sapphire hands down.


----------



## broadbandaddict

So guys I'm gonna be pulling the trigger on a 7970 any day now and I'm thinking I'll go with the Sapphire Ghz Edition Vapor-X. Anybody have this card and can comment on it? Thanks.

Oh yeah, I forgot to add that I have the Silverstone Fortress FT02B-W and I plan to get a second 7970 by the end of the year. The cards will have 1 slot between them on my mobo.


----------



## dartuil

Hello,

Can I go worth with the 7950 from my 6870 in 1920x1080.
Without being afraid by black , crash etc... I heard on the web i will avoid sapphire this time.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121490
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161407
Thank you


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> Hello,
> Can I go worth with the 7950 from my 6870 in 1920x1080.
> Without being afraid by black , crash etc... I heard on the web i will avoid sapphire this time.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121490
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161407
> Thank you


I dont know who told you to avoid Sapphire but Sapphire IS one of the best GPU makers around. In my honest opinion Its either Sapphire, Gigabyte or HIS. I avoid MSi and Asus. the MSi cards are having issues and I avoid Asus because of there plagued customer service.

If I had to choose it would be Sapphire>Gigabyte>HIS


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Im a bit worried here. I ogt my new Visiontek 7970 and it runs like a champ but the GFX card has some sort of odd burning smell to it. The temps on my VRM's never pass 49c and during gaming with a custom fan profile never reaches above 62c but it still smells.

I know its my 7970 that is doing it. I took the card apart and checked everything. Thee board is spotless and I redid the thermal which resulted in the exact same temps. I cant figure it out at all. I was thinking possibly my PSU being pushed to hard but I dont think it is. I did do a smell test and it is more of a video card smell. It only happens while gaming and not on desktop. I was thinking possibly the GPU is breaking in or there is 2 much oil or something on the fan thats burning off.

The card runs like a champ and does not struggle or hesitate at all. Temps are perfectly fine and the fan spins as normal.

Everything in my PC is nice and cool. Hardware Info shows temps for everything being normal and below.


----------



## shellbunner

Yea, don't avoid Sapphire. They are great. They're my #1 choice for cards.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I still cant decide which 7950 to get.


Depends. Water or air cooled?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I still cant decide which 7950 to get.
> 
> 
> 
> Sapphire hands down.
Click to expand...

Meh. All in preference. I know XFX has a double life time warranty which means they will keep replacing the card no matter how many times it breaks. They have also been known to upgrade your card with a replacement of a higher model. I know people who had a 6850 bust and they sent back a 7850. The guy said, "Hey! I have 2 6850 though so now I can't crossfire." XFX - "Sorry about that! Send in the other 6850 and we'll give you another 7850." Amazing customer service IMO.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> So guys I'm gonna be pulling the trigger on a 7970 any day now and I'm thinking I'll go with the Sapphire Ghz Edition Vapor-X. Anybody have this card and can comment on it? Thanks.
> 
> Oh yeah, I forgot to add that I have the Silverstone Fortress FT02B-W and I plan to get a second 7970 by the end of the year. The cards will have 1 slot between them on my mobo.


Depends on what you plan to do. Water cool or air cool. I just bought a VisionTek reference 7970 for $360 at microcenter. I plan to drop another Komodo block on this one and OC the crap out of it with my XFX Black Edition. It only comes with 1 life time warranty and not 2 but it's also $100 less than any other card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Can I go worth with the 7950 from my 6870 in 1920x1080.
> 
> Without being afraid by black , crash etc... I heard on the web i will avoid sapphire this time.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121490
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161407
> 
> Thank you
> 
> 
> 
> I dont know who told you to avoid Sapphire but Sapphire IS one of the best GPU makers around. In my honest opinion Its either Sapphire, Gigabyte or HIS. I avoid MSi and Asus. the MSi cards are having issues and I avoid Asus because of there plagued customer service.
> 
> If I had to choose it would be Sapphire>Gigabyte>HIS
Click to expand...

Fan boy much? Sapphire is amazing as a company but unless they change the PCB itself, the only thing different is the pre-overclocked settings and the cooler.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Depends. Water or air cooled?
> Meh. All in preference. I know XFX has a double life time warranty which means they will keep replacing the card no matter how many times it breaks. They have also been known to upgrade your card with a replacement of a higher model. I know people who had a 6850 bust and they sent back a 7850. The guy said, "Hey! I have 2 6850 though so now I can't crossfire." XFX - "Sorry about that! Send in the other 6850 and we'll give you another 7850." Amazing customer service IMO.
> Depends on what you plan to do. Water cool or air cool. I just bought a VisionTek reference 7970 for $360 at microcenter. I plan to drop another Komodo block on this one and OC the crap out of it with my XFX Black Edition. It only comes with 1 life time warranty and not 2 but it's also $100 less than any other card.
> Fan boy much? Sapphire is amazing as a company but unless they change the PCB itself, the only thing different is the pre-overclocked settings and the cooler.


Yep. Sapphire has been my #1 choice forever now until I switched to this VisionTek. IMO Sapphire is one of the better GPU company's around. As I said tho if I had to choose it would be Sapphire>Gigabyte>HIS

MSi and Asus are out of the question and IMO should not be looked at but thats my opinion.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Depends on what you plan to do. Water cool or air cool. I just bought a VisionTek reference 7970 for $360 at microcenter. I plan to drop another Komodo block on this one and OC the crap out of it with my XFX Black Edition. It only comes with 1 life time warranty and not 2 but it's also $100 less than any other card.


I'd love to water cool my computer but the closest I think I'll get is the CLC on my CPU, I just don't have the cash to drop on WC my parts.

So for air would anybody recommend the Vapor-X?


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Depends on what you plan to do. Water cool or air cool. I just bought a VisionTek reference 7970 for $360 at microcenter. I plan to drop another Komodo block on this one and OC the crap out of it with my XFX Black Edition. It only comes with 1 life time warranty and not 2 but it's also $100 less than any other card.
> 
> 
> 
> I'd love to water cool my computer but the closest I think I'll get is the CLC on my CPU, I just don't have the cash to drop on WC my parts.
> 
> So for air would anybody recommend the Vapor-X?
Click to expand...

I'd say so. Unless you hold off on a second gpu and buy an XSPC 360 kit. The Rasa 750 is a good one. (I think that's the one). It will provide an entire CPU loop, then just get a GPU block and some extra fittings and your good. Same price as a Sapphire 7970 except now you can over clock the crap out of your other one and will be able to add another in the future. Also you can OC your CPU which will most likely bottle neck any XFire configuration to begin with.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> So guys I'm gonna be pulling the trigger on a 7970 any day now and I'm thinking I'll go with the Sapphire Ghz Edition Vapor-X. Anybody have this card and can comment on it? Thanks.
> Oh yeah, I forgot to add that I have the Silverstone Fortress FT02B-W and I plan to get a second 7970 by the end of the year. The cards will have 1 slot between them on my mobo.


nice card. the cooler is quite capable of handling 1200 Mhz overclocks

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4883/sapphire_radeon_hd_7970_ghz_edition_vapor_x_3gb_overclocked_video_card_review/index15.html


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> Hello,
> Can I go worth with the 7950 from my 6870 in 1920x1080.
> Without being afraid by black , crash etc... I heard on the web i will avoid sapphire this time.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121490
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161407
> Thank you


The HIS Iceq has one of the best coolers .
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7950-review-benchmark,3207-14.html

Gigabyte windforce is also very good. Stay away from ASUS as its voltage locked. the MSI twin frozr cooler is not as good as the HIS Iceq or gigabyte windforce especially if you go high voltage overclocking.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Im a bit worried here. I ogt my new Visiontek 7970 and it runs like a champ but the GFX card has some sort of odd burning smell to it. The temps on my VRM's never pass 49c and during gaming with a custom fan profile never reaches above 62c but it still smells.
> 
> I know its my 7970 that is doing it. I took the card apart and checked everything. Thee board is spotless and I redid the thermal which resulted in the exact same temps. I cant figure it out at all. I was thinking possibly my PSU being pushed to hard but I dont think it is. I did do a smell test and it is more of a video card smell. It only happens while gaming and not on desktop. I was thinking possibly the GPU is breaking in or there is 2 much oil or something on the fan thats burning off.
> 
> The card runs like a champ and does not struggle or hesitate at all. Temps are perfectly fine and the fan spins as normal.
> 
> Everything in my PC is nice and cool. Hardware Info shows temps for everything being normal and below.


What are your core and VRM temps under load . If temps are fine then don't bother. I have had that smell with the Geforce FX 5800 which I had a long time ago. No issues. worked fine for a couple of years after which I sold it off.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> What are your core and VRM temps under load . If temps are fine then don't bother. I have had that smell with the Geforce FX 5800 which I had a long time ago. No issues. worked fine for a couple of years after which I sold it off.


Max temps in BF3 playing for an hour never reach above 65c. The smell is VERY faint but you know its there. VRM temps dont go over 48-49c. This is all stock. I have not attempted an OC yet as I was worried about it. I did read that alot of people noticed it go away after a week or so. I just got it officially installed today. I ran it a day before my vacation which was the 25th and just finally got to sit and play today. The card has only been run for 2 days.

In less demanding games such as WoW my temps never reach above 60c and the VRMs stay the same

*EDIT: what is a good aftermarket cooler for this thing that will keep my GPU cool AND my VRMs. Im kind of tired of the loud reference cooler.*


----------



## Snyderman34

Well, got my 7970 boxed up for RMA. VRMs too hot, crashing at any speed.... just a pain. Gonna RMA it, then sell it off.


----------



## tx-jose

What are the best drivers to run? I have heard the 12.8s have issues is this true !?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> What are the best drivers to run? I have heard the 12.8s have issues is this true !?


I am having texture flickering issues right now with 12.8. I dont see this problem with 12.6s at all. I installed 12.8 this morning and its very clear with the texture flickering. I am more then likely going to revert back to either 12.4 or 12.6


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Max temps in BF3 playing for an hour never reach above 65c. The smell is VERY faint but you know its there. VRM temps dont go over 48-49c. This is all stock. I have not attempted an OC yet as I was worried about it. I did read that alot of people noticed it go away after a week or so. I just got it officially installed today. I ran it a day before my vacation which was the 25th and just finally got to sit and play today. The card has only been run for 2 days.
> 
> In less demanding games such as WoW my temps never reach above 60c and the VRMs stay the same
> 
> *EDIT: what is a good aftermarket cooler for this thing that will keep my GPU cool AND my VRMs. Im kind of tired of the loud reference cooler.*


Your VRM and core temps are very safe. what app are you using to monitor VRM temps. At what fan speed is your reference HD 7970 fan loud. I have a reference XFX HD 6950 and upto 50% fan speed its not loud. I play all games at that fan speed. I have had no issues with temps. mostly around 65 - 70c. I use HWinfo32 and in Furmark i hit 65c with the fan speed at 50% and VRM temps hit 49c . i run the benchmark preset 1080 with 8x MSAA which takes a little over a min . I don't run the Burn in.


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I am having texture flickering issues right now with 12.8. I dont see this problem with 12.6s at all. I installed 12.8 this morning and its very clear with the texture flickering. I am more then likely going to revert back to either 12.4 or 12.6


i get terrible performance in BF3 all of a sudden. And i just re installed windows!! 3 times!!

I cant get playable frames on ultra... i get like 30FPS and my processor is at about 80% useage.

Im thinking about returning the card and just getting a 660ti









This is my first AMD experience. and its not looking good


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> i get terrible performance in BF3 all of a sudden. And i just re installed windows!! 3 times!!
> I cant get playable frames on ultra... i get like 30FPS and my processor is at about 80% useage.
> Im thinking about returning the card and just getting a 660ti
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is my first AMD experience. and its not looking good


what are your core and VRM temps. is your card overheating. it could behave erratic if that happens. try with 12.8 . if you have problems you could go for 12.6. my HD 6950 works fine with 12.8 .


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> what are your core and VRM temps. is your card overheating. it could behave erratic if that happens. try with 12.8 . if you have problems you could go for 12.6. my HD 6950 works fine with 12.8 .


Looking at all the benchmarks I was expecting 60FPS on BF3 on ultra but its not happening. I have the DualX 950Mhz edition from Sapphire and it reached 77* C in game. I dont know if thats good or bad.

I do have a tiny ITX case

EDIT::

Quick game of BF3 on Grand Bazzar and what would you know.....55+ FPS......after I installed 12.7 but CCC says 12.8 still and so does MSI AB.

Max GPU Temp 82* C

VRM 1: MAX 90*C

VRM 2: MAX 80*C

is that bad?


----------



## snoochems

Gents. I was hoping I could get some feedback and comments on my experience.

I was in the mood for some Skyrim after reading about some of the cool mods available. I installed the game again from scratch, and then applied my mods, many of them graphical (I followed the S.T.E.P mod for those that care). As recommended for the mods I was using, I decided to update my drivers for my HD6970 as I had not done so for a few months.

I then started playing the game, and was disappointed that my FPS was hovering around the 20FPS mark. Unplayable for me. I assumed it was because of higher resolution textures, and extra post-processing effects of some of the mods I installed.

So, I decided to treat myself to a new video card. I was soon installing a new HD7970.

I did my best to completely remove the drivers, and reinstalled them. Everything seemed to be fine, but I launched the game, and still ~20FPS.

Dafaq?? There was literally 0% improvement. My 3930k i7 @ 4.8GHz wasn't the problem, surely.

After lookinging around for a bit, I noticed that in CCC, my GPU speed was staying at 500MHz, even when in game. I decided to manually force it to 925MHz, and tadaaa.... 40FPS.

I'm guessing the HD6970 had the same issue, as it was the same driver. I probably didn't need to upgrade at all.

Anyone else experience this, or something similar with 12.8?

I'm kinda angry.

TLDR:
•Installed 12.8 and new game
•Game was running slow on HD6970
•Upgraded to HD7970
•Game still ran exact same FPS
•Noticed GPU clock was no longer increasing when in game
•Manually forced to stock speed.


----------



## tx-jose

^^ try 12.7


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> Looking at all the benchmarks I was expecting 60FPS on BF3 on ultra but its not happening. I have the DualX 950Mhz edition from Sapphire and it reached 77* C in game. I dont know if thats good or bad.
> I do have a tiny ITX case
> EDIT::
> Quick game of BF3 on Grand Bazzar and what would you know.....55+ FPS......after I installed 12.7 but CCC says 12.8 still and so does MSI AB.
> Max GPU Temp 82* C
> VRM 1: MAX 90*C
> VRM 2: MAX 80*C
> is that bad?


you can try and test on an open bench. see how the card fares . its a bit of work but might be well worth it. if it overheats in open test bench i would return the card. 82c core temps at 950 Mhz is not normal.


----------



## tx-jose

I can do that...

Ill rip this thing apart tomorrow and make a test bench out of it and see how it does.

i haven't touched the stock fan curve yet just FYI


----------



## samoth777

Hello 7970 users! Does anybody here know what the max voltage of the Asus 7970 DIRECTCU series? Is it the same as reference at 1.300 vcore? Thanks!


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> Hello 7970 users! Does anybody here know what the max voltage of the Asus 7970 DIRECTCU series? Is it the same as reference at 1.300 vcore? Thanks!


Those DC2 HD7970 had some serious issues, poor stability,crashes,VRM overheating etc.

And also many of them were *Voltage locked*: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168143

I would look elsewhere if I were you..

CHEERS..


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> I can do that...
> Ill rip this thing apart tomorrow and make a test bench out of it and see how it does.
> i haven't touched the stock fan curve yet just FYI


Yeah when you are testing on the open bench try a lot of cases. first stock and auto fan, then overclocked and auto, then overclocked and manual fan speed at 50 - 70% , then overclocked and custom fan curve with trixx or afterburner. you will get an idea if that card is worth keeping or not.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Your VRM and core temps are very safe. what app are you using to monitor VRM temps. At what fan speed is your reference HD 7970 fan loud. I have a reference XFX HD 6950 and upto 50% fan speed its not loud. I play all games at that fan speed. I have had no issues with temps. mostly around 65 - 70c. I use HWinfo32 and in Furmark i hit 65c with the fan speed at 50% and VRM temps hit 49c . i run the benchmark preset 1080 with 8x MSAA which takes a little over a min . I don't run the Burn in.


I am using HWiNFO64. I know my temps are safe. Is there a difference between HWiNFO64 & HWiNFO32 ?. I cant get over 50% fan speed on this card anything over 40% starts to get loud. I keep it 50% max & with no OC as I said temps stay decent. Ill get more accurate temps today


----------



## BeardedJesus

Hi guys in the market for a new card and after looking at prices a 7950 looks like my next upgrade after I sort out a CPU... what I'm wondering is, what are the chance of getting an MSI Power Edition 7950. I love the look of MSI coolers and that blue would look awesome with what I've got in mind.

Stu


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BeardedJesus*
> 
> Hi guys in the market for a new card and after looking at prices a 7950 looks like my next upgrade after I sort out a CPU... what I'm wondering is, what are the chance of getting an MSI Power Edition 7950. I love the look of MSI coolers and that blue would look awesome with what I've got in mind.
> Stu


I have the same CPU clocked at 4Ghz and a 7950 dual-x clocked at 1150/1550. The cpu does not bottleneck the the gpu it always runs at 99% in BF3, cpu-s load is between 75-95% soo the cpu u have is just fine.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I know this is not a very long test but here is 25 mins of BF3 all settings at ultra. I do not see what others see tho. my GPU fluctuates in all games. I do not see 99% GPU usage. If I run Heaven my GPU will ping at 99% during Heaven but in games I do not see 99% GPU Usage


----------



## samoth777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Those DC2 HD7970 had some serious issues, poor stability,crashes,VRM overheating etc.
> And also many of them were *Voltage locked*: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168143
> I would look elsewhere if I were you..
> CHEERS..


aww.. was considering that model.. oh well.. thanks for the info!


----------



## BeardedJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> I have the same CPU clocked at 4Ghz and a 7950 dual-x clocked at 1150/1550. The cpu does not bottleneck the the gpu it always runs at 99% in BF3, cpu-s load is between 75-95% soo the cpu u have is just fine.


Yeah the processor isn't too bad mate but my motherboard is a turd and badly needs upgraded. Snagged a Gigabyte P67A-UD5-B3 a few days ago in mint condition for £20 so another week or two and hopefully I should have a new chip in it. Couldn't pass it up











With the White Corsair Vengance, white Phantom and the blue accents on the board I really want a nice 2 slot card with a little blue on it and was really hoping for a Power Edition


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I am using HWiNFO64. I know my temps are safe. Is there a difference between HWiNFO64 & HWiNFO32 ?. I cant get over 50% fan speed on this card anything over 40% starts to get loud. I keep it 50% max & with no OC as I said temps stay decent. Ill get more accurate temps today


no diff between HWinfo32 and HWinfo64. i have win 7 32 bit. you seem to be running win 7 64 bit.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I know this is not a very long test but here is 25 mins of BF3 all settings at ultra. I do not see what others see tho. my GPU fluctuates in all games. I do not see 99% GPU usage. If I run Heaven my GPU will ping at 99% during Heaven but in games I do not see 99% GPU Usage
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1031280/


very safe temps. i think you don't need to be concerned . Just keep using the card. if the burning smell gets too strong just shoot an email to visiontek customer support


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> no diff between HWinfo32 and HWinfo64. i have win 7 32 bit. you seem to be running win 7 64 bit.
> very safe temps. i think you don't need to be concerned . Just keep using the card. if the burning smell gets too strong just shoot an email to visiontek customer support


I do not smell it anymore. I am almost wondering if it really was my GPU. I noticed that my neighbor this morning rented a GIANT Smoker to smoke meat with. Yes it sounds stupid but me and my wife really thought the smell was coming from my PC as the room smelled like something was burning. Playing today resulted in no smell.

I know that sounds stupid but my PC has been running all day with WoW and BF3 and its all good


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I do not smell it anymore. I am almost wondering if it really was my GPU. I noticed that my neighbor this morning rented a GIANT Smoker to smoke meat with. Yes it sounds stupid but me and my wife really thought the smell was coming from my PC as the room smelled like something was burning. Playing today resulted in no smell. I know that sounds stupid but my PC has been running all day with WoW and BF3 and its all good


no probs. i guess your experience with MSI HD 7950 card has got you a bit spooked







it happens. don't worry man. I think your card is begging for a slight overclock at stock voltage to 1 Ghz. heck i have my HD 6950 pushed from 800 to 860 mhz at stock voltage. you can definitely do better. by the way playing sleeping dogs now. one of the best games i have played in recent times. try it out.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> no probs. i guess your experience with MSI HD 7950 card has got you a bit spooked
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it happens. don't worry man. I think your card is begging for a slight overclock at stock voltage to 1 Ghz. heck i have my HD 6950 pushed from 800 to 860 mhz at stock voltage. you can definitely do better. by the way playing sleeping dogs now. one of the best games i have played in recent times. try it out.


Yeah i will get to that the OC soon. Yeah those 7950s were a mess so far the 7970 has been amazing. lol I will try sleeping dogs


----------



## tx-jose

quick game of BF3 multi player card is still in my case but is everything ok?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I'd say so. Unless you hold off on a second gpu and buy an XSPC 360 kit. The Rasa 750 is a good one. (I think that's the one). It will provide an entire CPU loop, then just get a GPU block and some extra fittings and your good. Same price as a Sapphire 7970 except now you can over clock the crap out of your other one and will be able to add another in the future. Also you can OC your CPU which will most likely bottle neck any XFire configuration to begin with.


Oh man... that is seriously tempting. I think I can mount the triple 120mm on my 180mm fans so it would need fans on the back. That would be so awesome. If I wen't that way it would be smarter to just get a reference card for now right? The Diamond Double Diamond or something edition is on sale now for $390. Would a 360mm rad be enough to cool 2 GPUs and an i7 or would I want to add another 120mm to the top of the case? Thanks for all the help.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> quick game of BF3 multi player card is still in my case but is everything ok?


is your fan speed on auto.its showing 44%. core temps of 79c are not good for stock speeds. the dual x cooler is supposed to keep core temps below 65c.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/02/21/sapphire_radeon_hd_7950_oc_video_card_review/9


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> is your fan speed on auto.its showing 44%. core temps of 79c are not good for stock speeds. the dual x cooler is supposed to keep core temps below 65c.
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/02/21/sapphire_radeon_hd_7950_oc_video_card_review/9


thats why Im worried I have a bad card. I have the fans on auto!!

they show idle at 35 and im idling at 43* right now and its all stock!!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> thats why Im worried I have a bad card. I have the fans on auto!!
> they show idle at 35 and im idling at 43* right now and its all stock!!


i think hardocp test on an open test bench.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

So I bought sleeping dogs and played for a little bit and now my GPU is stuck at full load 99%. Even with a complete shutdown and reboot upon rebooting its still stuck at 99%. How do I fix this.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> So I bought sleeping dogs and payed for a little bit and now my GPU is stuck at full load 99%. Even with a complete shutdown and reboot upon rebooting its still stuck at 99%. How do I fix this.


after rebooting which app says GPU usage is 99%. msi afterburner ? if so what are the temps. do you have 12.7 cap 3 installed. also try and install the latest game patch .

http://store.steampowered.com/news/8763/


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> after rebooting which app says GPU usage is 99%. msi afterburner ? if so what are the temps


Temps are about 78 and above and yes afterburner


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> Temps are about 78 and above and yes afterburner


check your task manager to see if HKShip.exe is running. thats the main executable for sleeping dogs. if it is manually close the process. i don't know how GPU usage is at 99% after you have restarted the PC. its quite weird.


----------



## tx-jose

ok did the test bench thing and its a little warm in my room and temps got to [email protected] MAX on my Sapphire card on stock 950Mhz clocks and auto fan curve.

So my case is the culprit!!!!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> ok did the test bench thing and its a little warm in my room and temps got to [email protected] MAX on my Sapphire card on stock 950Mhz clocks and auto fan curve.
> So my case is the culprit!!!!


Your signature rig appears to be very aptly named!


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Your signature rig appears to be very aptly named!


well its actually because I brought home a lady friend and she asked why I had a toaster next to my TV lol hence why I started to call it toaster lol

is 71* C at stock clocks ok then? its like 80* F in my room i think.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Highly dependent on what sort of benching you did, but if it's anything like occt and furmark, it's perfectly fine. Heaven should be resulting in reasonable temperatures, especially outside the case. If you can reasonably turn up the card fans and case fans and stay below 70c in *reasonable* applications, it's fine.


----------



## tx-jose

I was playing on Caspian border in BF3 on a 64 player server for about am hour.

In my case its not happening.......but ts only temporary. I have a 3570K and other odds and ends just need a case and motherboard for my new build.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> ok did the test bench thing and its a little warm in my room and temps got to [email protected] MAX on my Sapphire card on stock 950Mhz clocks and auto fan curve. So my case is the culprit!!!!


Also check temps at 1050 Mhz and stock voltage in BF3 or Heaven .also check if pushing fan speeds manually to 70% brings the core temps to lower than 65c. then your card is worth keeping. you need to decide on the case though.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Hey everyone, I'm having some issues with my newly bought 7950 was hoping you could help.

So here's the issue:

As you can see, GPU usage is going crazy...

I have tested this with driver version: 12.6, 12.7 beta and 12.8 - all the same.

It happens in Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3 & 3DMark Vantage.

Haven't tried anything else.

Is this normal? Is my card faulty? Could you please test yours for me and post screenshots.

Thanks so much


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Hey everyone, I'm having some issues with my newly bought 7950 was hoping you could help.
> So here's the issue:
> As you can see, GPU usage is going crazy...
> I have tested this with driver version: 12.6, 12.7 beta and 12.8 - all the same.
> It happens in Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3 & 3DMark Vantage.
> Haven't tried anything else.
> Is this normal? Is my card faulty? Could you please test yours for me and post screenshots.
> Thanks so much


What brand 7950 is that? that does not look normal to me and mine does not do that at all.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

It's the Sapphire 7950 OC Vapor-X edition.

Argh I'm so ******* worried now, sigh, I never get luck with picking cards.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> It's the Sapphire 7950 OC Vapor-X edition.
> Argh I'm so ******* worried now, sigh, I never get luck with picking cards.


I went through x2 MSi 7950s in about a 3 week period. Believe me when I tell you that I know how you feel. I lost money & more then a months time for RMA's. There might be someone on here that can help further but IMO that just does not look right to me. My GPU fluctuates while gaming but its more straight lines. Yours is just all over the place.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

If I have to send this back I'm not going with AMD again, I've always went for AMD and I've always been burned by them.

godangit ;_;


----------



## gamesandstuffs

I have just found out that by simply adjusting the core clock speed it halves my FPS aswell...

Jesus.


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> If I have to send this back I'm not going with AMD again, I've always went for AMD and I've always been burned by them.
> godangit ;_;


Are you on the second bios? I also hear that boost cards jump around between 2D and 3D states. Try adding a slight core overclock and see that that helps.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> Are you on the second bios? I also hear that boost cards jump around between 2D and 3D states. Try adding a slight core overclock and see that that helps.


Adjusting the core clock to 845Mhz causes FPS to become halved.

Adjusting it to 855Mhz causes it to become halved.

What is this witchcraft T____T

edit: not sure about the bios, where would it say?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Adjusting the core clock to 845Mhz causes FPS to become halved.
> Adjusting it to 855Mhz causes it to become halved.
> What is this witchcraft T____T
> edit: not sure about the bios, where would it say?


Look at the card itself and on the side of the card you will see a switch. What number is it on? 1 or 2


----------



## tx-jose

what drivers are you on??

I have had my card from 950Mhz to 1100mhz on the core and I get 30FPS in BF3...

SORCERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## gamesandstuffs

I'm on 12.7 atm, I'll check the card now to see what Bios It's on.

tx-jose, you on the sapphire vapor-x OC edition?


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Adjusting the core clock to 845Mhz causes FPS to become halved.
> Adjusting it to 855Mhz causes it to become halved.
> What is this witchcraft T____T
> edit: not sure about the bios, where would it say?


By pressing that white "S" button when the system is turned off. This will engage the second bios boosting your clock speeds up to 950Mhz. Problem could be driver based as well, but I sort doubt that unless you're using really old drivers or 12.8.


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> I'm on 12.7 atm, I'll check the card now to see what Bios It's on.
> tx-jose, you on the sapphire vapor-x OC edition?


Naaa I'm on the 950mhz OC edition


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Alright so the S button wasnt pushed down.

So I pushed it, and booted up fine.

But now at 850Mhz core my FPS is halved. So logically I put it upto 950Mhz and its back to normal, however, the erratic usage is still here.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Hey everyone, I'm having some issues with my newly bought 7950 was hoping you could help.
> So here's the issue:
> As you can see, GPU usage is going crazy...
> I have tested this with driver version: 12.6, 12.7 beta and 12.8 - all the same.
> It happens in Guild Wars 2, Diablo 3 & 3DMark Vantage.
> Haven't tried anything else.
> Is this normal? Is my card faulty? Could you please test yours for me and post screenshots.
> Thanks so much


Is your card using the BOOST bios. Stick with 12.8 WHQL or 12.7 beta for testing as they are the only drivers with boost support. the You could start by manually pushing clockspeed to 1 Ghz and maxing out power option to +20%. The maxing out of power option is done to avoid any clock throttling. if the problem still persists first run heaven 3.0 and check your core and VRM temps. if temps and benchmark scores are normal then we can proceed with further tests. if they are not i think it could be a faulty card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Alright so the S button wasnt pushed down.
> So I pushed it, and booted up fine.
> But now at 850Mhz core my FPS is halved. So logically I put it upto 950Mhz and its back to normal, however, the erratic usage is still here.


Are you playing windowed with another app/browser active?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> to all you that have helped. I'm now at 1Ghz Core with +20% power option and its running at 95-100% usage in games with huge FPS numbers! Thanks for being such a helpful bunch, seriously!


you are welcome. What load temps are you getting in Heaven 3.0 and BF3 . Your card is built to be overclocked. You could push to 1.05 or 1.1 Ghz at stock voltage. With sapphire trixx get that bad ass chip to 1.15 Ghz with a slight voltage increase. just build a custom fan profile in sapphire trixx to keep the core temps at 70c .


----------



## gamesandstuffs

I'll look into that tomorrow and post results here for you :3

I'll download Heaven 3.0 tomorrow and get it tested, BF3 isn't installed.

Been using Guild Wars 2 with it, I have literally EVERYTHING maxed apart from 1 setting (which you typically need cross/trifire for anyway) and I'm getting 100+fps in most zones DDD


----------



## tx-jose

what if I switched the BIOS on my card???

Would It get rid of my issues??!!

You guys should see my ITX case lolz

2 140MM intakes and 2 120mm exhausts!!









just ran heaven 3.0 and max temps were 69* C on stock volts @ 1065Mhz...

but i got a lower FPS scor then when I was on the 12.8 drivers.....im on the 12.7 betas right now and BF3 has crap FPS









also what gives!!!! Just idling and moving my mouse around the desktop!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> what if I switched the BIOS on my card???
> Would It get rid of my issues??!!
> You guys should see my ITX case lolz
> 2 140MM intakes and 2 120mm exhausts!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just ran heaven 3.0 and max temps were 69* C on stock volts @ 1065Mhz...
> but i got a lower FPS scor then when I was on the 12.8 drivers.....im on the 12.7 betas right now and BF3 has crap FPS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also what gives!!!! Just idling and moving my mouse around the desktop!


you have not maxed out power option to +20%. thats the first thing to do. without that your card is power constrained. Push that slider to +20% . and tell if your perf is better.


----------



## tsm106

Yea, first thing to do is max Powertune.


----------



## rubixcube101

Just joined Red team! picked up a HIS 7970 reference card earlier this morning


----------



## Katakylsm

I recently bought a HIS IceQ 7950 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161407 and my computer freezes when I play Diablo 3 on low settings in both CCC and the in game settings. I'm using MSI AB and I'm not OCing my voltage, but I upped the power limit to +10%, the Core Clock to 950 MHz, the memory clock is the stock 1250 MHz, and the fan is running at 80%. My idle temp is 31C, and Load while playing Diablo and Heaven 3.0 is 55C. Playing Diablo/Heaven 3.0 is 99% GPU usage, maximum memory usage was 1221 out of the total 3GB. Diablo is around 40 FPS with those low settings, and Heaven 3.0 was an average FPS of 137.7, with a Min FPS of 43.5, and a max FPS of 231.3 granted this is with basically everything turned off/lowest levels they can go. Using CCC version 12.8, drivers are completely up to date, CPU is an AMD Phenom II X4 955 black edition at 3.6 Ghz, and my main board doesn't support PCIe 3.0 only 2.0 but from what I've read that isn't anything that would effect this and won't really be used for awhile, 8GB DDR3 ram at 1600, and I have a 750 watt power supply which should also be more than enough for this build. I searched this forum for some advice and downloaded Heaven 3.0 to use that to benchmark numbers. I don't think my CPU is bottle necking my GPU but it could be... Any suggestions on what to test next/where to go from here?


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> you are welcome. What load temps are you getting in Heaven 3.0 and BF3 . Your card is built to be overclocked. You could push to 1.05 or 1.1 Ghz at stock voltage. With sapphire trixx get that bad ass chip to 1.15 Ghz with a slight voltage increase. just build a custom fan profile in sapphire trixx to keep the core temps at 70c .


Downloaded trixx now, I don't see a voltage increase thing though. Only that basic power stuff which is at 20%


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Downloaded trixx now, I don't see a voltage increase thing though. Only that basic power stuff which is at 20%


there is a scroller on the side in overclocking in sapphire trixx. move it down. you will see VDDC. thats core voltage. first see whats your stock voltage. try to run overclocks with stock voltage. start with 1050 Mhz and stock. if things are stable, try 1100 Mhz. if unstable increase voltage by 0.05v. so if stock is 1100 mv push to 1150 mv.


----------



## Kitarist

So can anyone achieve 1050mhz of OC on stock voltage?


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Voltage is at 975

I did try 1050Mhz last night and noticed some line shooting across the screen randomly so put it back down to 1Ghz.

I just ran Heaven 3 basic (no tessellation, want me to enable it?)

I took a screenshot of results but the screenshot ended up blank and I can't find where the results saved, I'll run it again now but the average FPS was over 100


----------



## gamesandstuffs

LOL don't even ask whats up with the "GPU model".

How is this score? Good, bad, average?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> 
> LOL don't even ask whats up with the "GPU model".
> How is this score? Good, bad, average?


run Heaven with tesselation extreme, 8x AA, 16X AF , everything else maxed out. lets see the score. also for voltage increase try 1.1v and 1150 Mhz.. thats a good balance of perf, power and fan noise. you could set fan speed manually to 70% . later you can create a custom fan profile in sapphire trixx. monitor temps in HWinfo32 . it allows logging temps to a file . so start logging and then run heaven 3.0 . GPU temps should stay below 75c and VRM temps below 95c for safe operation.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

With Tessellation


----------



## vonalka

You want to max out the settings to get the best indication of performance - should look like this:


----------



## gamesandstuffs

There you go, AF is even at 16x


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> 
> There you go, AF is even at 16x


its fine. you could now try memory overclocking. first try to run Heaven at 1400 Mhz memory . if its stable without artifacts, try 1500 . thats a good memory overclock. also your min fps seems a bit too low. also after heaven check BF3 with the overclocks.


----------



## AllGamer

Is the Heaven benchmark available by itself, or it only comes with the game?

i see a lot of you guys keep using it for testing and comparison


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> Just joined Red team! picked up a HIS 7970 reference card earlier this morning


Dude, you will not be sorry that you did because AMD has the best graphics by far.







I'm currently testing out the Catalyst 9.00 beta drivers and they are sweeeet! Link to those drivers for those that are interested: http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-00-august-9-ccc-fix. Now these are beta drivers so you have to be willing to test them out at your own risk, but I can tell you that they're working out wonderfully for me and along with the improvements that were just made to BF3, I'm in gamer heaven!!!!


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AllGamer*
> 
> Is the Heaven benchmark available by itself, or it only comes with the game?
> i see a lot of you guys keep using it for testing and comparison


Yes it is available stand alone


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Dude, you will not be sorry that you did because AMD has the best graphics by far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm currently testing out the Catalyst 9.00 beta drivers and they are sweeeet! Link to those drivers for those that are interested: http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-00-august-9-ccc-fix. Now these are beta drivers so you have to be willing to test them out at your own risk, but I can tell you that they're working out wonderfully for me and along with the improvements that were just made to BF3, I'm in gamer heaven!!!!


I hope they fixed that black screen + 100% fan problem...


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Dude, you will not be sorry that you did because AMD has the best graphics by far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm currently testing out the Catalyst 9.00 beta drivers and they are sweeeet! Link to those drivers for those that are interested: http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-00-august-9-ccc-fix. Now these are beta drivers so you have to be willing to test them out at your own risk, but I can tell you that they're working out wonderfully for me and along with the improvements that were just made to BF3, I'm in gamer heaven!!!!


Hi - Do you know if there are any improvements to the audio over HDMI with this driver? Since 12.6 the audio over HDMI has been buggy for me and I have seen other comment on this in other threads as well


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Hi - Do you know if there are any improvements to the audio over HDMI with this driver? Since 12.6 the audio over HDMI has been buggy for me and I have seen other comment on this in other threads as well


The audio via displayport is fine for me. So I would assume hdmi should be fine too. I am on 12.8 right now.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Hi - Do you know if there are any improvements to the audio over HDMI with this driver? Since 12.6 the audio over HDMI has been buggy for me and I have seen other comment on this in other threads as well


Nope, sorry. I use DVI. Hope that this one does fix the 100% blackscreen fan issue too because I've been experiencing that myself. But I'm lovin these drivers. The 12.8's were really nice too btw. Its apparent they're making big steps up with their graphics both with what you see on the screen and on the inner workings. I couldn't be happier that I made the decision to jump in and go for the top model, personally.


----------



## Bluemustang

SUWEET! I brought in a picture of a 7970 on sale for $258.04 at microcenter that was deactivated and probably a price mistake but I made enough of a stink about it they gave me the price! nice


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> SUWEET! I brought in a picture of a 7970 on sale for $258.04 at microcenter that was deactivated and probably a price mistake but I made enough of a stink about it they gave me the price! nice


Grats, man it's painful looking at the current prices of the 7970 I got mine for $700 EACH..... and they barely work with the current drivers!!


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> SUWEET! I brought in a picture of a 7970 on sale for $258.04 at microcenter that was deactivated and probably a price mistake but I made enough of a stink about it they gave me the price! nice


Well you suck. lol. Nice pickup!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> SUWEET! I brought in a picture of a 7970 on sale for $258.04 at microcenter that was deactivated and probably a price mistake but I made enough of a stink about it they gave me the price! nice


edited: my bad - totally misread your post... complete lack of sleep will do it


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> SUWEET! I brought in a picture of a 7970 on sale for $258.04 at microcenter that was deactivated and probably a price mistake but I made enough of a stink about it they gave me the price! nice


Yea right. They wouldn't even price match their own mistakes, yet they'd do it on a random price mistake on the internets?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea right. They wouldn't even price match their own mistakes, yet they'd do it on a random price mistake on the internets?


My Microcenter is quite good at giving good prices if you argue nicely and politely (and reasonably).


----------



## wermad

Crossfire 7970 (just two cards) and Eyefinity owners, how's your Eyefinity experience? Vram usage? What games perform well and which don't? Hows the performance at stock 925, 1000, or more?

I'm thinking of getting a couple to run 3240x1920. The most demanding games i have and I want to run in Eyefinity:

metro 2033
crysis 1 & 2
BF3
BF2

I have a few more other games but they don't require a lot of hardware. I'm on the fence on what to upgrade to. I'm running air and my mb does have two 16x (2.0) slots with perfect spacing for two cards with two-slot coolers. I don't have any worries with power or cpu tbh, just looking for something that can handle three screens. Thanks and +1


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> SUWEET! I brought in a picture of a 7970 on sale for $258.04 at microcenter that was deactivated and probably a price mistake but I made enough of a stink about it they gave me the price! nice


Who gave you the price match?


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Who gave you the price match?


Who? Microcenter, their own price mistake as i said







heres the link. GL if you can make it work as well.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/382665/GV-R797D5-3GD-B_AMD_Radeon_HD_7970_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Who? Microcenter, their own price mistake as i said
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> heres the link. GL if you can make it work as well.
> http://www.microcenter.com/product/382665/GV-R797D5-3GD-B_AMD_Radeon_HD_7970_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card


It says out of stock so thats not going to work but thanks.


----------



## Ragsters

What do you guys think of this card from XFX?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150616


----------



## wermad

I could bring this to Frys, but I'm 100% sure they will say they won't honor it. They have to pull up the price from the local store (Tustin for me) on their computers and I didn't find it when you browse their site from their main address. Would have been sweet to pick up three at this price


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> What do you guys think of this card from XFX?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150616


I ordered the same card, but in a 7970 Ghz edition. It should arrive tomorrow, and I'll be testing it. Subscribe to my build to keep up.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> What do you guys think of this card from XFX? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150616


the XFX DD coolers are not so good. the gigabyte windforce, the his iceq , sapphire dual, sapphire vapor-x are good coolers.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the XFX DD coolers are not so good. the gigabyte windforce, the his iceq , sapphire dual, sapphire vapor-x are good coolers.


Well, to be fair, I'm putting mine under water. I just wanted the black PCB and Ghz edition. But from what I understand, the DD coolers are quieter than some others. Moreover, you're recommending some cards with coolers that may not work for everyone because of the air blown into the case and SLI troubles, as well as some taking more than 2 slots.


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> It says out of stock so thats not going to work but thanks.


I know it says out of stock lol. Thats why like i said when i went to microcenter i asked for a price match and eventually got it. hence GL


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Well, to be fair, I'm putting mine under water. I just wanted the black PCB and Ghz edition. But from what I understand, the DD coolers are quieter than some others. Moreover, you're recommending some cards with coolers that may not work for everyone because of the air blown into the case and SLI troubles, as well as some taking more than 2 slots.


Do you know if the DD cooler works well with my Silverstone FT02 case? Silverstone recommend blower type but there isn't any on the 7950.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Do you know if the DD cooler works well with my Silverstone FT02 case? Silverstone recommend blower type but there isn't any on the 7950.


are you really badly price constrained. cause the visiontek HD 7970 can be had for USD 365. the ref cooler is good for light overclocking at stock voltage.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3381851&CatId=7387

http://www.overclock.net/t/1302400/visiontek-7970-reference-4-free-games-365-s-h-tax

you could ask 4lc4pon3 who recently got this card

http://www.overclock.net/u/117441/4lc4pon3


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> are you really badly price constrained. cause the visiontek HD 7970 can be had for USD 365. the ref cooler is good for light overclocking at stock voltage.
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3381851&CatId=7387
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1302400/visiontek-7970-reference-4-free-games-365-s-h-tax
> you could ask 4lc4pon3 who recently got this card
> http://www.overclock.net/u/117441/4lc4pon3


This is great! I am definitley going to get this? I have one more question before I do. How come you linked me to this when I can get this for the same price with free games?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Crossfire 7970 (just two cards) and Eyefinity owners, how's your Eyefinity experience? Vram usage? What games perform well and which don't? Hows the performance at stock 925, 1000, or more?
> I'm thinking of getting a couple to run 3240x1920. The most demanding games i have and I want to run in Eyefinity:
> metro 2033
> crysis 1 & 2
> BF3
> BF2
> I have a few more other games but they don't require a lot of hardware. I'm on the fence on what to upgrade to. I'm running air and my mb does have two 16x (2.0) slots with perfect spacing for two cards with two-slot coolers. I don't have any worries with power or cpu tbh, just looking for something that can handle three screens. Thanks and +1


Any help please







Thanks


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Any help please
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks


I see you want to play Metro 2033 and Crysis 1.
Current AMD offering smoke Nvidia in those games, HD7970 can be almost 40-50% faster than GTX 680 in some parts in those games.
At stock settings between the two the difference is not that much. But if the HD7970 memory is overclocked to 1600-1700 MHz = 326.4GB/s bandwidth it will increase the gap over the bandwidth constrained GTX 680 which can get only 236.8 GB/s at most.
Those games are known to favor AMD cards even in the past. but the difference wasn't as big as this.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Crossfire 7970 (just two cards) and Eyefinity owners, how's your Eyefinity experience? Vram usage? What games perform well and which don't? Hows the performance at stock 925, 1000, or more?
> I'm thinking of getting a couple to run 3240x1920. The most demanding games i have and I want to run in Eyefinity:
> metro 2033
> crysis 1 & 2
> BF3
> BF2
> I have a few more other games but they don't require a lot of hardware. I'm on the fence on what to upgrade to. I'm running air and my mb does have two 16x (2.0) slots with perfect spacing for two cards with two-slot coolers. I don't have any worries with power or cpu tbh, just looking for something that can handle three screens. Thanks and +1
> 
> 
> 
> Any help please
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks
Click to expand...

Your resolution isn't much higher than mine honestly (I'm at 2560x1600). My single 7970 handles all of those just fine maxed out for the most part. Metro I have to disable DOF I believe, Crysis I have to use no AA, Crysis 2 = maxed out 100%, BF3 = no AA (or use FXAA), BF2 = maxed out, BFBC2 = maxed out.

I'd give one card a try first, and see how that treats you. You might be surprised.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> This is great! I am definitley going to get this? I have one more question before I do. How come you linked me to this when I can get this for the same price with free games?


yeah same card with game bundle. the one with game bundle seems to have shipping costs while the one without seems to be free shipping today. check out which is better and pick what suits you.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> I see you want to play Metro 2033 and Crysis 1.
> Current AMD offering smoke Nvidia in those games, HD7970 can be almost 40-50% faster than GTX 680 in some parts in those games.
> At stock settings between the two the difference is not that much. But if the HD7970 memory is overclocked to 1600-1700 MHz = 326.4GB/s bandwidth it will increase the gap over the bandwidth constrained GTX 680 which can get only 236.8 GB/s at most.
> Those games are known to favor AMD cards even in the past. but the difference wasn't as big as this.


Yeah, some games it can go either way. I love amd for their lower prices and lots of vram. The 79xx has been a major improvement compared to the 69xx series. Tempted to get three 7970s but running a triple air sandwich is hard.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Your resolution isn't much higher than mine honestly (I'm at 2560x1600). My single 7970 handles all of those just fine maxed out for the most part. Metro I have to disable DOF I believe, Crysis I have to use no AA, Crysis 2 = maxed out 100%, BF3 = no AA (or use FXAA), BF2 = maxed out, BFBC2 = maxed out.
> I'd give one card a try first, and see how that treats you. You might be surprised.


Thanks bud







. I'm on the fence whether to get two 7970s (or three







), a gtx 690, or two gtx 590s. All would be around the same price and so far its really hard to pick a winner. I'm not bias since both sides have their pros and cons. I know the 7970s have the capacity but that extra bit of grunt is crucial sometimes. The 7970s are impressive at 5760x1080 but the same can be said about the 690. The 590s on the other hand are super tempting since this has a lot of hp, not a lot of vram, but that 4th may compensate for that. A few people agree that its the best performing setup but its at its limit so no upgrade path is available for that. I'm really trying to stick to air cooling for now, so two physical cards would be the most I would want to control the temps and noise.


----------



## EliteReplay

Im glad i didnt got the 7950 VaporX or the Sapphire OC version as it was suggested by other since there are ppl having issue with then, sorry for those of you that went into that , and i got my sweet XFX R7950 DD BlackEdition


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Im glad i didnt got the 7950 VaporX or the Sapphire OC version as it was suggested by other since there are ppl having issue with then, sorry for those of you that went into that , and i got my sweet XFX R7950 DD BlackEdition


Enjoy your lack of warranty and customer service.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> yeah same card with game bundle. the one with game bundle seems to have shipping costs while the one without seems to be free shipping today. check out which is better and pick what suits you.


Just bought it with the games and paid the $11 dollars for 2 day shipping. I wanted to thank you for your help here and on my other thread asking for the 7950 help


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Enjoy your lack of warranty and customer service.


At least he got some double D's









Tbh, XFX horror stories have settled down a bit. Though, I'm sure your experience is alive and well in your head Pio.

@EliteReply, Pio is not a huge XFX fan as you can see







. These are nice coolers but they still dump hot air into the case


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Enjoy your lack of warranty and customer service.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At least he got some double D's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tbh, XFX horror stories have settled down a bit. Though, I'm sure your experience is alive and well in your head Pio.
> 
> @EliteReply, Pio is not a huge XFX fan as you can see
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . These are nice coolers but they still dump hot air into the case
Click to expand...

Actually, the DD coolers are some of the worst out there for these cards....only followed by the bad batch of DC II's. The VRM's overheat on the DD cards, sometimes even at stock. And if you use another cooler.....say goodbye to any warranty you had before, because XFX puts stickers over the screws to tell if you've messed with the card or not.

I hate on XFX, yes. But I do so with good reason.


----------



## tx-jose

still craptastic FPS in BF3.. power limit pegged at 20% and GPU useage maxed out. Could it be my processor? I mean in game i get low 30s to mid 40s FPS unless i look at the sky or the ground. I can do 1100Mhz on stock clocks but no matter what I do still bad frames.

havent tested any other games tho..still on 12.7 betas


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Actually, the DD coolers are some of the worst out there for these cards....only followed by the bad batch of DC II's. The VRM's overheat on the DD cards, sometimes even at stock. And if you use another cooler.....say goodbye to any warranty you had before, because XFX puts stickers over the screws to tell if you've messed with the card or not.
> I hate on XFX, yes. But I do so with good reason *and pasion*.


fixed
















I've had turbine coolers and the fan-on-coolers that dump the air inside the case. If you can manage the air flow, you can make the non-turbines work nicely. Turbines are noisy but I've heard new cards have improved a lot. Not too surprised xfx denies warranty on removing the cooler. A lot other card amakers understand that changing the tim or cooler or adding a water block is becoming very popular so they don't mind you messing with it. As long as you didn't goof and they find out


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> still craptastic FPS in BF3.. power limit pegged at 20% and GPU useage maxed out. Could it be my processor? I mean in game i get low 30s to mid 40s FPS unless i look at the sky or the ground. I can do 1100Mhz on stock clocks but no matter what I do still bad frames.
> 
> havent tested any other games tho..still on 12.7 betas


Well, you are on a Clarkdale dual core. BF3 does REALLY like multi core processors (it even uses all 8 cores of a Bulldozer or all 8 threads on an i7). It could very easily be your old duallie.


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, you are on a Clarkdale dual core. BF3 does REALLY like multi core processors (it even uses all 8 cores of a Bulldozer or all 8 threads on an i7). It could very easily be your old duallie.


even if the GPU useage is pegged at 99% ??

It has hyper threading







....and @ 4.2Ghz (case got a lil toasty so i lowered my OC)


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Actually, the DD coolers are some of the worst out there for these cards....only followed by the bad batch of DC II's. The VRM's overheat on the DD cards, sometimes even at stock. And if you use another cooler.....say goodbye to any warranty you had before, because XFX puts stickers over the screws to tell if you've messed with the card or not.
> I hate on XFX, yes. But I do so with good reason.


This video shows that the XFX7950 maximum temp are 74C heavy load watch the video before u talking


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, you are on a Clarkdale dual core. BF3 does REALLY like multi core processors (it even uses all 8 cores of a Bulldozer or all 8 threads on an i7). It could very easily be your old duallie.


I had a huge jump in performance using the same gpu setup (4870x2 + 4870) going from a dual core 555BE to a quad core 955BE. I agree, your cpu maybe holding you back there.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Actually, the DD coolers are some of the worst out there for these cards....only followed by the bad batch of DC II's. The VRM's overheat on the DD cards, sometimes even at stock. And if you use another cooler.....say goodbye to any warranty you had before, because XFX puts stickers over the screws to tell if you've messed with the card or not.
> I hate on XFX, yes. But I do so with good reason.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This video shows that the XFX7950 maximum temp are 74C heavy load watch the video before u talking
Click to expand...

That's CORE TEMP, not VRM TEMP.







Big difference there.


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I had a huge jump in performance using the same gpu setup (4870x2 + 4870) going from a dual core 555BE to a quad core 955BE. I agree, your cpu maybe holding you back there.


even though your GPU ueage would be pegged at 99%??


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I had a huge jump in performance using the same gpu setup (4870x2 + 4870) going from a dual core 555BE to a quad core 955BE. I agree, your cpu maybe holding you back there.
> 
> 
> 
> even though your GPU ueage would be pegged at 99%??
Click to expand...

My GPU usage was pegged on my old full system (Phenom II x4 @ 3.85GHz / 2.75GHz NB with an HD4890). Everything was a lot smoother, with a lot higher framerates with my i5, even at bone stock. GPU usage only shows you that you're using all of the GPU. It doesn't tell you if you're being CPU bottlenecked or not, unless your usage is incredibly low.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> still craptastic FPS in BF3.. power limit pegged at 20% and GPU useage maxed out. Could it be my processor? I mean in game i get low 30s to mid 40s FPS unless i look at the sky or the ground. I can do 1100Mhz on stock clocks but no matter what I do still bad frames.
> havent tested any other games tho..still on 12.7 betas


how is heaven 3.0 perf at 1100 Mhz. especially the graphics score. if thats not as expected then your card might be faulty. you could get a replacement or get a complete refund and get the Visiontek HD 7970 for USD 365. If you don't want the games you can sell them and bring your costs below USD 350. imo a very good deal.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3499047&CatId=7387

the reference HD 7970 is known to be very stable and the cooler performs well at stock voltage overclocks to say 1 or 1.05 Ghz. temps are below 70c under load with fan speed at 40 - 50%. Beyond 50% fan gets quite loud. But you really don't need to run any higher than 50% .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1302400/visiontek-7970-reference-4-free-games-365-s-h-tax

my personal experience with the reference XFX HD 6950 2 GB has been very good. running without problems for close to 20 months. One of the advantages of a blower style cooler is it vents all the hot air outside. For a very small case like yours it is in fact the right choice.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> even though your GPU ueage would be pegged at 99%??


Try running GTA 4 with your dual core and you'll see how severe your cpu can hold you back. Games will need both the cpu and gpu to perform to get you a great experience. When one of them is lacking, you'll notice something is wrong. Most people see the gpu as a limitation as its becoming a bigger factor but the cpu is still very much involved. I'm sure you can find a quad core that can net you better results or better yet, lga1155 cpu are priced nicely and the p67 boards are still very good and priced extremely well.

If you have a friend that has a quad core cpu, take your card to him/her and compare performance. Still, most would recommend a quad core for max performance especially at 1920x1080.

Try lowering your resolution to see if it makes a difference.


----------



## tx-jose

here is a shot at my temps under a maxed out Heaven 3.0 run @ 1920X1080

only +20% power limit and custom fan curve


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Minimum requirements for Battlefield 3
> 
> OS: Windows Vista or Windows 7
> Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Althon X2 2.7 GHz
> RAM: 2GB
> Graphic card: DirectX 10 or 11 compatible Nvidia or AMD ATI card, ATI Radeon 3870 or higher, Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT or higher.
> Graphics card memory: 512 MB
> Sound card: DirectX compatibl sound card
> Hard drive: 15 GB for disc version or 10 GB for digital version
> 
> *Recommended system requirements for Battlefield 3*
> 
> OS: Windows 7 64-bit
> Processor: *Quad-core* Intel or AMD CPU
> RAM: 4GB
> Graphics card: DirectX 11 Nvidia or AMD ATI card, Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 or ATI Radeon 6950.
> Graphics card memory: 1 GB
> Sound card: DirectX compatibl sound card
> Hard drive: 15 GB for disc version or 10 GB for digital version


http://bf3blog.com/battlefield-3-system-requirements/

Meeting "minimum requirements" doesn't guarantee you the best performance. I still see it as a factor mate, might want to start saving for a cpu or new platform upgrade.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> here is a shot at my temps under a maxed out Heaven 3.0 run @ 1920X1080
> 
> only +20% power limit


That's just a teeny TINY bit lower than I scored with my 7970 at stock with my i3 2120 at 3.1GHz. So yeah, its a CPU limitation. Same GPU with my i5, same clock speeds, its a solid 5+ FPS higher and overclocking shows even larger improvements.


----------



## tx-jose

could it be the drivers??

here is a run I did the day i got it at 1065Mhz on 12.8 drivers


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> could it be the drivers??
> 
> here is a run I did the day i got it at 1065Mhz on 12.8 drivers


It's not drivers. You're still a tad lower than it should be, and that's simply because Heaven shows lower results with a dual core (even if it has HT). It's not much, but just a few frames. Your results are about on par with what you should expect.

Have you thought about investing in an i5 or i7? I'm sure you can find one used pretty cheap for 1156.


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's not drivers. You're still a tad lower than it should be, and that's simply because Heaven shows lower results with a dual core (even if it has HT). It's not much, but just a few frames. Your results are about on par with what you should expect.
> Have you thought about investing in an i5 or i7? I'm sure you can find one used pretty cheap for 1156.


Waiting for reviews of the MSI Z77 Mpower....

3770K will be ordered Friday


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> Waiting for reviews of the MSI Z77 Mpower....
> 3770K will be ordered Friday


you don't need a 3770k . a 2500k or 3570k is fine. heck even a 3450 is enough. are you near a microcenter. cause there are some unbelievable deals to grab.

http://microcenter.com/product/354589/Core_i5_2500K_LGA_1155_Boxed_Processor

sorry microcenter seems to very far from your location.


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> you don't need a 3770k . a 2500k or 3570k is fine. heck even a 3450 is enough. are you near a microcenter. cause there are some unbelievable deals to grab.
> http://microcenter.com/product/354589/Core_i5_2500K_LGA_1155_Boxed_Processor
> check out the nearest microcenter. even if its an hour drive it might be worth even after fuel costs .


Closest micro is 6+ hrs away

i dont need the 3770K i want it. because I plan on a 2nd 7950


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> you don't need a 3770k . a 2500k or 3570k is fine. heck even a 3450 is enough. are you near a microcenter. cause there are some unbelievable deals to grab.
> http://microcenter.com/product/354589/Core_i5_2500K_LGA_1155_Boxed_Processor
> check out the nearest microcenter. even if its an hour drive it might be worth even after fuel costs .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Closest micro is 6+ hrs away
> 
> i dont need the 3770K i want it. because I plan on a 2nd 7950
Click to expand...

For gaming alone, the 3570k is plenty for crossfire (or a 2500k). The 3770k (or 2600k / 2700k) are only useful if you will actually USE those extra threads, which gaming only will not do right now.


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, you are on a Clarkdale dual core. BF3 does REALLY like multi core processors (it even uses all 8 cores of a Bulldozer or all 8 threads on an i7). It could very easily be your old duallie.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For gaming alone, the 3570k is plenty for crossfire (or a 2500k). The 3770k (or 2600k / 2700k) are only useful if you will actually USE those extra threads, which gaming only will not do right now.


so if it uses all 8 thread on the 3770 why not go for it?

I do some video editing and quite a bit of encoding as well. But Ill contemplate the 3570K


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Well, you are on a Clarkdale dual core. BF3 does REALLY like multi core processors (it even uses all 8 cores of a Bulldozer or all 8 threads on an i7). It could very easily be your old duallie.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For gaming alone, the 3570k is plenty for crossfire (or a 2500k). The 3770k (or 2600k / 2700k) are only useful if you will actually USE those extra threads, which gaming only will not do right now.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> so if it uses all 8 thread on the 3770 why not go for it?
> 
> *I do some video editing and quite a bit of encoding as well*. But Ill contemplate the 3570K
Click to expand...

Then nevermind. Shoot for the i7.


----------



## raghu78

For all those users who have a HD 7950 / HD 7970 CF and are playing Guild wars 2 , AMD released the 12.8 CAP 2 which improves Guild Wars 2 performance.









http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> so if it uses all 8 thread on the 3770 why not go for it?
> I do some video editing and quite a bit of encoding as well. But Ill contemplate the 3570K


So you finally opened your eyes







\. 2700k/2600k is also pretty good and you can find them for $100 less than a new 3770k, I decided to keep my 2700k and sell the 3770k i have incoming. Was an impulse buy, but I'm pretty happy with the 2700k.

Now about that pesky gpu upgrade with three screens for my rig


----------



## Norlig

New Cap Yesterday.

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx
Quote:


> New profiles added to this release:
> - Guide Wars 2 - Improves games performance.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> For all those users who have a HD 7950 / HD 7970 CF and are playing Guild wars 2 , AMD released the 12.8 CAP 2 which improves Guild Wars 2 performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/crossfirex-app-profiles.aspx


I've never used CAP's before, I always thought they were for CrossFire only?

Is it worthwhile installing this given the only game I really play is GW2 and I'm using a single 7950?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> I've never used CAP's before, I always thought they were for CrossFire only?
> Is it worthwhile installing this given the only game I really play is GW2 and I'm using a single 7950?


yeah CAP improves single GPU performance too in a few games. install it.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X OC at 1050/1500Mhz VDDC 1150

MAX VRAM temp was at 62c

I have a quick question for you OC wizards. The VDDC "max safe" is that determined by VRAM temperature or something else? What would be the max safe VDDC? I dont think I wanna go any higher than 1150 given what I googled briefly.

Thanks everyone :3


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> So can anyone achieve 1050mhz of OC on stock voltage?


My 7950 can do it.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> 
> Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X OC at 1050/1500Mhz VDDC 1150
> MAX VRAM temp was at 62c
> I have a quick question for you OC wizards. The VDDC "max safe" is that determined by VRAM temperature or something else? What would be the max safe VDDC? I dont think I wanna go any higher than 1150 given what I googled briefly.
> Thanks everyone :3


your core clock can definitely be pushed to 1150 Mhz . monitor both core and VRM temps. Try with 1175 VDDC you should be able to easily hit 1150 - 1200 Mhz. the max VDDC is around 1.3 - 1.35v. But you don't need to worry. What matters is the temperatures of the chip and VRM. good luck


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> your core clock can definitely be pushed to 1150 Mhz . monitor both core and VRM temps. Try with 1175 VDDC you should be able to easily hit 1150 - 1200 Mhz. the max VDDC is around 1.3 - 1.35v. But you don't need to worry. What matters is the temperatures of the chip and VRM. good luck


1175 VDDC and 1150Mhz doesn't even load Heaven 3.0 - gonna try with 1100Mhz now

Edit: it booted with 1100Mhz but got some artifacts a few minutes into it, suggestions?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> 1175 VDDC and 1150Mhz doesn't even load Heaven 3.0 - gonna try with 1100Mhz now
> Edit: it booted with 1100Mhz but got some artifacts a few minutes into it, suggestions?


try 1.2v and 1150 Mhz and then 1.225. if heaven runs stable make sure core temps are below 75c and VRM temps below 95c. after heaven try BF3.


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> So can anyone achieve 1050mhz of OC on stock voltage?


my card does 1100mhz table on stock voltage. I tested it in heaven 3.0 twice.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Im glad i didnt got the 7950 VaporX or the Sapphire OC version as it was suggested by other since there are ppl having issue with then, sorry for those of you that went into that , and i got my sweet XFX R7950 DD BlackEdition
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


4 out of 5 people between this and another forum who bought the xfx 7950 at $300 2 months ago got DOA out of box. then there'sthe issue of dealing with xfx if the need arises. not the best choice one can make.


----------



## BradleyW

You need to do at least 45 minutes of Heaven 3.0 to check an overclock. My cards can do 1150 on stock voltage, but only 1140 on stock voltage in sleeping dogs. Even crysis 2 max out is fine at 1150.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> try 1.2v and 1150 Mhz and then 1.225. if heaven runs stable make sure core temps are below 75c and VRM temps below 95c. after heaven try BF3.


Thanks for the help, although I tried 1.225 vddc at both 1150Mhz and then at 1100Mhz.

Both times there's a specific scene in Heaven 3.0 (the grass close up and then the focus change) where there are alot of artifacts flashing all over the screen.

Lowering it to 1075Mhz gets rid of those artifacts









Not sure how to proceed, 1075 is a nice overclock, it scored me 1118 :3


----------



## ElevenEleven

Yeah, every card is different. I can do 1110MHz / 1575MHz stable on stock voltage with my Sapphire 7970 Dual-X. It runs okay at 1125MHz for a while, but crashes in games and sometimes even in Windows. 1110MHz is completely stable though. I wish I could do 1150MHz on stock, but then it's only a tiny bit more...

(I'm using a 1440p monitor, not sure if it makes a difference - definitely seems to in terms of VRM temperatures at least).


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Thanks for the help, although I tried 1.225 vddc at both 1150Mhz and then at 1100Mhz.
> Both times there's a specific scene in Heaven 3.0 (the grass close up and then the focus change) where there are alot of artifacts flashing all over the screen.
> Lowering it to 1075Mhz gets rid of those artifacts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure how to proceed, 1075 is a nice overclock, it scored me 1118 :3


check 1075 in BF3. if its stable stick with that. 1075 is ok, not good. But still performance will be very close to HD 7970 Ghz, maybe 3 - 5% slower.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> What do you guys think of this card from XFX?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150616


I've seen a FPS in games test between exactly that XFX 7950 card and GTX 670 and 680!
When they overclocked the XFX 7950 it outperformanced the GTX 670 easily and even the GTX 680 got beaten up in some game titles, so it's proberly a great card!


----------



## mltms

what is the max safe memory volt ?
i heard that BF3 love high clocked memory i am now it 1550 stock volt i want to push it to 1600


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> And if you use another cooler.....say goodbye to any warranty you had before, because XFX puts stickers over the screws to tell if you've messed with the card or not.
> I hate on XFX, yes. But I do so with good reason.


Here's a chat I had with an XFX rep I talked to when I had to RMA my 6850 earlier this year.

*Me:* I do have all the original parts however on 2 of the screws that held the heatsink in place there were little stickers saying something along the lines of "Void warranty if removed" and they were a real pain to get off so I basically just tore them up so I could get to the screws underneath.

*XFX rep:* Hi John, Breaking those seals wont void you warranty in north america,

They sent me a 6870 a week or so later. Also, I didn't have the double lifetime warranty they usually offer since I didn't register the card within 30 days of purchase.


----------



## bhardy1185

Been out of the loop for a while now. What are the best/stablest drivers out now? Really don't feel like reading back several pages. Thanks in advance.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> check 1075 in BF3. if its stable stick with that. 1075 is ok, not good. But still performance will be very close to HD 7970 Ghz, maybe 3 - 5% slower.




Got it working by setting it to 1300 VDDC at 1100/1500

Is everything looking ok by the screenshot? I shall perhaps proceed upping it 15mhz a time until its no longer stable


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Here's a chat I had with an XFX rep I talked to when I had to RMA my 6850 earlier this year.
> *Me:* I do have all the original parts however on 2 of the screws that held the heatsink in place there were little stickers saying something along the lines of "Void warranty if removed" and they were a real pain to get off so I basically just tore them up so I could get to the screws underneath.
> *XFX rep:* Hi John, Breaking those seals wont void you warranty in north america,
> They sent me a 6870 a week or so later. Also, I didn't have the double lifetime warranty they usually offer since I didn't register the card within 30 days of purchase.


Good to know. Thanks!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Here's a chat I had with an XFX rep I talked to when I had to RMA my 6850 earlier this year.
> *Me:* I do have all the original parts however on 2 of the screws that held the heatsink in place there were little stickers saying something along the lines of "Void warranty if removed" and they were a real pain to get off so I basically just tore them up so I could get to the screws underneath.
> *XFX rep:* Hi John, Breaking those seals wont void you warranty in north america,
> They sent me a 6870 a week or so later. Also, I didn't have the double lifetime warranty they usually offer since I didn't register the card within 30 days of purchase.


a lot of companies changed strategy from:

"I want your Money!" to "I'ma kiss your a... to keep your money".

they realize, if they piss you off, you prolly wont buy their stuff no more, return it and go elsewhere,

where as they kiss you butt, you keep their stuff and you feel good about it, so you buy from them again.

XFX was always nice to me, only issue i had was I RMA'd during black friday on a EOL 5830 last november, and it was a Loooooooong wait, but it was expected, as I got a 6850 in return, which even with less shaders, ran faster and cooler.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Actually, the DD coolers are some of the worst out there for these cards....only followed by the bad batch of DC II's. The VRM's overheat on the DD cards, sometimes even at stock. And if you use another cooler.....*say goodbye to any warranty you had before, because XFX puts stickers over the screws to tell if you've messed with the card or not*.
> I hate on XFX, yes. But I do so with good reason.


Rofl, this has been answered years ago. Also, Powercolor use stickers on some cards which they will actually follow thru with. C'mon dude.

http://www.overclock.net/t/892583/official-amd-69xx-owners-club/240_40#post_11787994

Quote:


> Quote: (KS @ Dec 22 2010, 09:07 PM)
> 
> Their double lifetime warranty complete with North American modder support (which allows you to keep the warranty even if you add an aftermarket heatsink) is still intact regardless of the "warranty void if removed" stickers festooning the heatsink bracket. These are installed for regions outside of North America which don't have the modder-friendly warranty. XFX has also added their own flair to the backplate with a logo laser cut into the exhaust grille.


----------



## ukic

Running stock voltages... What do you guys think?


----------



## BradleyW

Is RC11 still the best driver? And why?
Cheers.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is RC11 still the best driver? And why?
> Cheers.


Yes because it's the most stable of all according to a few fellow ocn members.


----------



## tx-jose

^^^ what is RC11??

i though drivers were labled as 12.7, 12.8 ect??.....

((my noobness in AMD cards is showing isn't it??)) lol


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> ^^^ what is RC11??
> 
> i though drivers were labled as 12.7, 12.8 ect??.....
> 
> ((my noobness in AMD cards is showing isn't it??)) lol


http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?p=4224579


----------



## ElevenEleven

Decided to test the 12.8 drivers... just out of sheer curiosity, since 12.7 had been working just fine. No issues yet, and it might be my skewed perception, but I think my GPU runs a tad cooler now and I have lost a couple FPS in various games, but the latter is difficult to quantify. Also added CAP2 where I did not use it before at all, and GW2 runs somewhat smoother.

*Full-screen mode:*

12.8 Release @ 1125MHz core / 1575MHz vram (stock voltage):


12.7 Beta @ 1125MHz core / 1575MHz vram (stock voltage):





Spoiler: More Heaven results with other clock settings - click to show



*Windowed mode:*
12.8 Release @ 1125MHz core / 1575MHz vram (stock voltage):



12.8 Release @ 1090MHz core / 1575MHz vram (stock voltage):
This is my fully stable stock overclock, although I suspect 1110MHz is okay too - still testing. 1125MHz on core works fine in Heaven but some of my games end up crashing the display driver eventually.



12.8 Release @ 1090MHz core / 1575MHz vram (stock voltage) with Lucid Virtu on (non MVP, the generic version for lowered temps and power consumption - helps a bit!)





Anyway, just figured I'd share. I did a full uninstall of the Catalyst software and display driver, restarted in safe mode, ran Driver Sweeper, restarted and installed the 12.8 drivers. I suspect _some_ people have trouble with the new driver due to the lack of a clean install.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I dont know what is it with 12.8 drivers but its just stupid. When I use them I get alot of texture flickering in BF3 but once I go back to 12.7s or even 12.6s the flickering is gone. Does AMD get anything right. All I want is a solid driver set. I hear RC11 is the most stable so I may jump on them. Does anyone have any benches from RC11 vs 12.7?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I dont know what is it with 12.8 drivers but its just stupid. When I use them I get alot of texture flickering in BF3 but once I go back to 12.7s or even 12.6s the flickering is gone. Does AMD get anything right. All I want is a solid driver set. I hear RC11 is the most stable so I may jump on them. Does anyone have any benches from RC11 vs 12.7?


Should try 12.4 before going to RC11.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Should try 12.4 before going to RC11.


12.4 has broken cfx + eyefinity for... well those with cfx + eyefinity.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I dont know what is it with 12.8 drivers but its just stupid. When I use them I get alot of texture flickering in BF3 but once I go back to 12.7s or even 12.6s the flickering is gone. Does AMD get anything right. All I want is a solid driver set. I hear RC11 is the most stable so I may jump on them. *Does anyone have any benches from RC11 vs 12.7*?


RC11 is the fastest driver for cfx I've used yet. I think 12.6 or 12.7 is faster single gpu though.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> ^^^ what is RC11??
> i though drivers were labled as 12.7, 12.8 ect??.....
> ((my noobness in AMD cards is showing isn't it??)) lol


Its the first AMD driver which was considered a stable and good performer. released in late Jan

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/RC11Driver.aspx


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I dont know what is it with 12.8 drivers but its just stupid. When I use them I get alot of texture flickering in BF3 but once I go back to 12.7s or even 12.6s the flickering is gone. Does AMD get anything right. All I want is a solid driver set. I hear RC11 is the most stable so I may jump on them. Does anyone have any benches from RC11 vs 12.7?


If 12.7 beta is stable stick with that. Its the highest performing AMD driver as of date. RC11 is a good choice if you have major driver stability isssues.


----------



## Vrait

Can you crossfire two separate non-reference 7950s?

For example, a His IceQ, and a Shapphire?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> If 12.7 beta is stable stick with that. *Its the highest performing AMD driver as of date*. RC11 is a good choice if you have major driver stability isssues.


Maybe for single/dual cards but not more.


----------



## shellbunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> Can you crossfire two separate non-reference 7950s?
> For example, a His IceQ, and a Shapphire?


Yep.


----------



## Vrait

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shellbunner*
> 
> Yep.


What if one has boost, and the other doesn't? Then what happens? Does boost auto-turn off, do both boost, or what?


----------



## spinejam

MSI 7950 TFIII w/ 7970 PCB: (may need to reapply TIM -- she gets toasty)


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> What if one has boost, and the other doesn't? Then what happens? Does boost auto-turn off, do both boost, or what?


As far as I know it will always go to the slower card, which I assume would be the non-boost card.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> MSI 7950 TFIII w/ 7970 PCB: (may need to reapply TIM -- she gets toasty)


definitely reapply the TIM. you should run at load temps of 75c or lower. anything more is not good for long term stability.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> 
> Got it working by setting it to 1300 VDDC at 1100/1500
> Is everything looking ok by the screenshot? I shall perhaps proceed upping it 15mhz a time until its no longer stable


Ugh I hate to quote my own post but it seems this overclock was far from stable. It worked fine in Heaven but when entering Guild Wars 2 there was artifacts all over ;_;

So I then tested 1050Mhz/1250 and 1200 VDDC - Artifacts still...

I think I just got a horrible card. Any advice, something I might be missing? Someone mentioned UPLS or something?


----------



## yoyo711

Just got MSI 7950 TFIII 1150 Mhz 1575Mhz momory clock voltage is 1.237 58c Ide and 3dmark11 Run 92c max at 100% fan on today was hotday but still tooo hot for me tho.....









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4311060 Score is P9440 1150 1575

maybe I try gtx 670 tho...........................


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> Just got MSI 7950 TFIII 1150 Mhz 1575Mhz momory clock voltage is 1.237 58c Ide and 3dmark11 Run 92c max at 100% fan on today was hotday but still tooo hot for me tho.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4311060 Score is P9440 1150 1575
> maybe I try gtx 670 tho...........................


Mine is the opposite.

like 60-70c with 50-70% fan speed but unstable as **** and basically won't get any higher than 1000mhz core


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> Just got MSI 7950 TFIII 1150 Mhz 1575Mhz momory clock voltage is 1.237 58c Ide and 3dmark11 Run 92c max at 100% fan on today was hotday but still tooo hot for me tho.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4311060 Score is P9440 1150 1575
> maybe I try gtx 670 tho...........................


re apply the TIM..

that is REALLY high temps!!!


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> As far as I know it will always go to the slower card, which I assume would be the non-boost card.


Unless you make the master card the non-boost and OC it, make the boost card the slave card.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Mine is the opposite. like 60-70c with 50-70% fan speed but unstable as **** and basically won't get any higher than 1000mhz core


I think your card is a dud at overclocking. you could return your card and ask a full refund. then decide on another HD 7950 like the Gigabyte Windforce or go for GTX 670 .


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> I think your card is a dud at overclocking. you could return your card and ask a full refund. then decide on another HD 7950 like the Gigabyte Windforce or go for GTX 670 .


I would recommend the Sapphire.....

I can do 1100Mhz heaven on stock voltage


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> re apply the TIM..
> that is REALLY high temps!!!


Just apply the New Tim and same temp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I guss hd 7950 are hot

and Tighten the screw hd 7950 and I Broke the one screw


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> Just apply the New Tim and same temp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> I guss hd 7950 are hot
> and Tighten the screw hd 7950 and I Broke the one screw


No your card is faulty. there are many users running HD 7950 overclocked to 1100 Mhz at 70c load temps. get a RMA replacement or a refund.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> I would recommend the Sapphire.....
> I can do 1100Mhz heaven on stock voltage


Powercolors a good brand. Both cards can do 1140 on stock voltage here.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> Just apply the New Tim and same temp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> I guss hd 7950 are hot
> and Tighten the screw hd 7950 and I Broke the one screw


Instead of reapplying the TIM and possibly voiding your warranty, I'd have checked if your card has any airflow in your case, or try it with an open case door (though HAF32 should be plenty...) Sounds way too high - something was definitely wrong (either the card is faulty in some way or your case has no airflow around the card). Either way, those temperatures are too high for normal 7950 operation.

edit: one more thought: could the fans on your card be broken? Is one or both of the fans not spinning? Have you checked your fan profile and set it manually to 100% to test if the temperatures are still so bad?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> I would recommend the Sapphire.....
> I can do 1100Mhz heaven on stock voltage


Being stable in Heaven is not the whole story. My card is stable in Heaven at 1125MHz core on stock voltage just fine, but it will crash in games, like GW2. Thus the overclock is not actually stable.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> No your card is faulty. there are many users running HD 7950 overclocked to 1100 Mhz at 70c load temps. get a RMA replacement or a refund.


Those temps mean nothing without a idea what the ambient case temperature is....... If the statement on you sig is true "TF II GTX 580 Sli When load too hot inside case" - Maybe that's the issue

And yes the do run fairly hot IMO

BTW have you check the fan speed yet maybe it's the fan download MSI AB or just look in CC when its under load both should be able to give you a reading

GL


----------



## PureBlackFire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> I would recommend the Sapphire.....
> I can do 1100Mhz heaven on stock voltage
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Being stable in Heaven is not the whole story. My card is stable in Heaven at 1125MHz core on stock voltage just fine, but it will crash in games, like GW2. Thus the overclock is not actually stable.
Click to expand...

not the case unless it crashes in BF3 or Crysis2 or other stressful games. GW2 does not work at all or crashes/freezes with many gpus if they are overclocked at all. your 7950 will likely crash in GW2 no matter what the overclock or voltage, just like mine. the vast majority of issues in GW2 are solely the fault of GW2. btw, what fps are you getting in that game. I'm averaging 125-180fps at max settings. Lions arch and some other areas go down to the 64-88 fps range.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Sometimes you get spoiled by water cooling. I'm rather used to my gpu temps being in the 40C's during gaming!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PureBlackFire*
> 
> not the case unless it crashes in BF3 or Crysis2 or other stressful games. GW2 does not work at all or crashes/freezes with many gpus if they are overclocked at all. your 7950 will likely crash in GW2 no matter what the overclock or voltage, just like mine. the vast majority of issues in GW2 are solely the fault of GW2. btw, what fps are you getting in that game. I'm averaging 125-180fps at max settings. Lions arch and some other areas go down to the 64-88 fps range.


Oh, well, that's good to know! I was wondering why it was crashing... It's not crashing at 1090MHz core though, so it's definitely what I'd consider a stable overclock. But as the person using this card is playing a lot of GW2, it's not really an option to ignore it, for now anyway =/

In my case, the display resolution is 2560x1440, and with all settings maxed, including supersampling, I get maybe 50fps, sometimes lower, down to 20-30 in some areas. I did set an upper frame limit to 60 though (but not the vertical sync) to reduce GPU load, since the monitor's 60Hz anyway, and Virtu might eat an fps or two as well.


----------



## revro

what about temperatures of aircooled (front and side fans) trifire msi 7970 lightning not overclocked? does anyone has setup like this?

thank you
revro


----------



## raptor5150

hey everyone, just joined the red team. I ordered 2 7970 refrence models and have a few questions before i get them.
What do i need? Ive used afterburner for years but see alot use Trixx also, which is better? does trixx have OSD like AB does?

Should I flash them to ghz model ?

What drivers would be the best to start with?

Any tips you can give me to get these running well right out of the gate? I will be upgrading to 2560x1440 monitor when i can afford it.

I will do some reading on how to oc these before i start asking questions about that









Switching teams almost makes ya nervous like switching jobs lol... been green team so long its like starting over.

Thanks for any help now and future


----------



## revro

well 7970 is great card but since in january 8970 will come out, some people might wait until then. like me for example 









best
revro


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *revro*
> 
> well 7970 is great card but since in january 8970 will come out, some people might wait until then. like me for example
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> best
> revro


Yep you can keep waiting. Comes January, they will announce something is coming up in June







It never ends you know...


----------



## ElevenEleven

January is quite a few months away. Being an early adopter, you would pay a significant premium and probably end up with a lot of driver issues. In my opinion, it's perfectly reasonable to wait a few months before purchasing a newly issued product. So getting a 7970 on a good deal now is still a good idea.


----------



## raptor5150

I would never pay top dollar for a brand new release, im guessing the new ones will be 600+ not gonna happen when i paid $364 with no rebate and free shipping each for the 7970 and they should last me 3 years before I need something better. Getting new tech is cool but my bank account says otherwise.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> hey everyone, just joined the red team. I ordered 2 7970 refrence models and have a few questions before i get them.
> What do i need? Ive used afterburner for years but see alot use Trixx also, which is better? does trixx have OSD like AB does?
> Should I flash them to ghz model ?
> What drivers would be the best to start with?
> Any tips you can give me to get these running well right out of the gate? I will be upgrading to 2560x1440 monitor when i can afford it.
> I will do some reading on how to oc these before i start asking questions about that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Switching teams almost makes ya nervous like switching jobs lol... been green team so long its like starting over.
> Thanks for any help now and future


If you are already used to using MSI AB, then it would probably be a good idea just to keep using it with your new cards. Also, your best bet is to install the latest drivers (12.8) and only go to older drivers if you happen to have issues with 12.9

Be sure to completely uninstall your nVidia drivers before attempting to install the AMD drivers. Good luck and post some pics once you have the new cards installed


----------



## Potholer

Hey all, after my 4870 died under mysterious circumstances, I've been looking into getting an MSI 7950 TF3 however I've been a few horror stories here and there about 7950 cards, mainly around driver issues having excessively low idle clocks, or something like that, causing black screen lock ups with 100% fan speeds. I'd rather not have a repeat of messing around with driver XML files like I had to do with the 4870 release so any advice would be well appreciated.
Thanks!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Potholer*
> 
> Hey all, after my 4870 died under mysterious circumstances, I've been looking into getting an MSI 7950 TF3 however I've been a few horror stories here and there about 7950 cards, mainly around driver issues having excessively low idle clocks, or something like that, causing black screen lock ups with 100% fan speeds. I'd rather not have a repeat of messing around with driver XML files like I had to do with the 4870 release so any advice would be well appreciated.
> Thanks!


IMO and this is just MY opinion. I absolutely HATED my MSi TF3 7950s. Complete junk honestly. Both came defective from the start. The first card Never ran anything at all & the second card artifacted brand new out of the box. I have MANY friends that have had to RMA or completely return there TF3's.

I stay away from MSi, Asus (only because there CS is shotty and XFX Double D coolers are crap.

If it was me I would look at Gigabyte, Sapphire or HIS. I honestly love Sapphire as a company so Sapphire gets my vote here but the other cards are great as well.


----------



## Potholer

Thanks very much for the quick reply. That's certainly turned me off the MSI one then








Problem is, I was under the impression that the virtue of 7950 cards was their capacity to overclock, so I imagined reference design cards with just one fan provided insufficient cooling when overclocking. With regards to Gigabyte, the Windforce looks good but I was under the impression it would require an 8-pin power lead which I don't have... however I believe this may have been mistaken so I will look into this







. The Sapphire card was mentioned as the one that was suffering from the black screen crash bug so I'd rather avoid that one. The HIS Iceq looks quite good but I don't think I have the physical space for the the extra slot that the fan will take up.


----------



## BradleyW

As for the 8000 series, I might just pick up some good aftermarket 8950's when the drivers are optimized.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Potholer*
> 
> Thanks very much for the quick reply. That's certainly turned me off the MSI one then
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Problem is, I was under the impression that the virtue of 7950 cards was their capacity to overclock, so I imagined reference design cards with just one fan provided insufficient cooling when overclocking. With regards to Gigabyte, the Windforce looks good but I was under the impression it would require an 8-pin power lead which I don't have... however I believe this may have been mistaken so I will look into this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . The Sapphire card was mentioned as the one that was suffering from the black screen crash bug so I'd rather avoid that one. The HIS Iceq looks quite good but I don't think I have the physical space for the the extra slot that the fan will take up.


I would not worry about the 8 pin. some cards are 6 pin + 8pin but the video cards come with an 8pin adapter that you can connect using x2 molex.

*You should prolly fill in your Rig/PC specs so we know what you have. as we dont know what kind of res your running or anything*


----------



## Potholer

Thanks very much for your help! I think I might have just settled on the gigabyte card then. I'll measure up my case tomorrow to make sure it fits. Exciting times!

*Edit: I've updated my rig details to reflect what I currently have, in the sig below. Obviously the HD 4870 will be the component getting replaced by the 7950. If anyone can see any glaring errors please let me know!*


----------



## ElevenEleven

In my experience in the past year (I've tried a 7870, 2 7970s, a GTX 580, and a GTX 670), if ASUS DCII cards work - they are the quietest and run quite cool. I love my DC2 TOP GTX 670 and will keep it for as long as it works / doesn't feel like I need an upgrade. I also really liked my HIS IceQ X 7870 - ran very quiet (second to quietness to ASUS DC2) and cool and had zero problems.

Sapphire has a good reputation, but my open box 7970 (Dual-X) from them had a bent bracket and the card is oddly positioned on the bracket, such that I can barely screw it onto the back side of the case (can only insert 1 screw at a 45 degree angle - not exaggerating). Not sure what Sapphire did with it, but I found it odd for an expensive card like that, and "manufacturer recertified" at that. In addition, the fans on this card have a very noticeable tonal component, so it's anything but quiet at load (but silent sub 50% fan speed). The card runs quite warm, and I have to set the fan curve to 70% at 70C (and 73%-100% shortly above that) to stay within the safe temperature range.

Recent Gigabyte Windforce cards seem to get consistent top reviews due to their cooling and overclocking abilities. My GTX 580 did not have any temperature problems and the tripple Windforce fans had a noticeable rush of air at load, but it was not a bad loud whiny sound like Sapphire's.

So based on personal experience with coolers and fans, as well as reading reviews, I'd pick ASUS DC2, HIS IceQ X, and Gigabyte cards. If a card comes DOA or has issues out of the box, it can always be returned/exchanged by a reputable vendor (such as NewEgg), which is why I'd recommend buying from places with good return/exchange policies for something like high-end GPUs.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> In my experience in the past year (I've tried a 7870, 2 7970s, a GTX 580, and a GTX 670), if ASUS DCII cards work - they are the quietest and run quite cool. I love my DC2 TOP GTX 670 and will keep it for as long as it works / doesn't feel like I need an upgrade. I also really liked my HIS IceQ X 7870 - ran very quiet (second to quietness to ASUS DC2) and cool and had zero problems.
> Sapphire has a good reputation, but my open box 7970 (Dual-X) from them had a bent bracket and the card is oddly positioned on the bracket, such that I can barely screw it onto the back side of the case (can only insert 1 screw at a 45 degree angle - not exaggerating). Not sure what Sapphire did with it, but I found it odd for an expensive card like that, and "manufacturer recertified" at that. In addition, the fans on this card have a very noticeable tonal component, so it's anything but quiet at load (but silent sub 50% fan speed). The card runs quite warm, and I have to set the fan curve to 70% at 70C (and 73%-100% shortly above that) to stay within the safe temperature range.
> Recent Gigabyte Windforce cards seem to get consistent top reviews due to their cooling and overclocking abilities. My GTX 580 did not have any temperature problems and the tripple Windforce fans had a noticeable rush of air at load, but it was not a bad loud whiny sound like Sapphire's.
> So based on personal experience with coolers and fans, as well as reading reviews, I'd pick ASUS DC2, HIS IceQ X, and Gigabyte cards. If a card comes DOA or has issues out of the box, it can always be returned/exchanged by a reputable vendor (such as NewEgg), which is why I'd recommend buying from places with good return/exchange policies for something like high-end GPUs.


I agree with that, Amazon also does no questions asked returns within 30 days. Can just say you didn't like it really... It's like returning anything to costco


----------



## wermad

Ordered one off ebay, looking for a second one, and waiting for some things to sell to buy a third one


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Dude, I still can't believe you went back to air cooling!


----------



## SkateZilla

im planning to build a custom water cooled 7970, to replace my 7950, which will prolly be kept as a backup or I'll XFire them.

Im gonna get a blower model,
Remove the shroud/fan assembly,
use custom bracket to mount a H80 to the GPU,
mount custom copper Heatsinks/Spreaders to the Ram/VRM,
Cut Hole in the Top of the Shroud to allow the hoses from the H80 Block to come out,
Mount Shroud w/ Fan Assembly back onto the card.

GPU is Actively cooled by Water Loop, the Radiator will be mounted to the floor of my case,
The VRM/RAM will be actively cooled by the blower fan.
Heat Exhausted out the back of the case.

I can get the brackets from the other thread here, the H80/Water2.0/Antec whatever cooler I can get when it goes on sale,

The 7970 I Can get when it goes on sale.

Also, Is there a Heatspreader for a 7970 that covers all the RAM/VRM but not the GPU Area?
This is the only one I could Find:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiftech-HD7970-HS-HD7900-Series-Heatsink-for-AMD-Radeon-HD7970-/251094884239?pt=US_Water_Cooling&hash=item3a766bdf8f


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Dude, I still can't believe you went back to air cooling!


Well, I've always been water cooling. Only on rare occasions was I on air (troubleshooting or something). I love its simplicity. Its not as quiet under full load but is ok. Also, I'm saving a lot of money I can invest in components.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> im planning to build a custom water cooled 7970, to replace my 7950, which will prolly be kept as a backup or I'll XFire them.
> Im gonna get a blower model,
> Remove the shroud/fan assembly,
> use custom bracket to mount a H80 to the GPU,
> mount custom copper Heatsinks/Spreaders to the Ram/VRM,
> Cut Hole in the Top of the Shroud to allow the hoses from the H80 Block to come out,
> Mount Shroud w/ Fan Assembly back onto the card.
> GPU is Actively cooled by Water Loop, the Radiator will be mounted to the floor of my case,
> The VRM/RAM will be actively cooled by the blower fan.
> Heat Exhausted out the back of the case.
> I can get the brackets from the other thread here, the H80/Water2.0/Antec whatever cooler I can get when it goes on sale,
> The 7970 I Can get when it goes on sale.
> Also, Is there a Heatspreader for a 7970 that covers all the RAM/VRM but not the GPU Area?
> This is the only one I could Find:
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiftech-HD7970-HS-HD7900-Series-Heatsink-for-AMD-Radeon-HD7970-/251094884239?pt=US_Water_Cooling&hash=item3a766bdf8f


They way your initially planning has been done before. Its a very interesting mod as you keep the "turbine" cooler to cool the vram and vrm but the water block will cool the core. Besides adding an H50/60/70/80 or Kuhler 620/920 etc., you can integrate a unversal gpu block. Should allow you to run a custom water loop. Last I recall was a guy with three gtx 570s and he cut the shroud enough to fit an EK supreme gpu block with the link. Looked very clean.

That shroud you linked is what you would use if you went with the Swiftech universal block (ie. mcw80). You can make it work but the money you'll spend is about the same as a used fullcover block or getting a new universal block. Imho, just look for a fullcover block and build a custom loop.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I am selling my Four 7970s with Ek waterblocks and custom Backplates.


----------



## Blindsay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I am selling my Four 7970s with Ek waterblocks and custom Backplates.


whaaat? how come?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I wish they were the Nickel-Plexi blocks Karlitos. I'd buy one off you...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I am selling my Four 7970s with Ek waterblocks and custom Backplates.












Going with two PC 7990s? or Lightnings? or something different?

sad to see that monster setup go


----------



## SkateZilla

which 7970s?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Well, I've always been water cooling. Only on rare occasions was I on air (troubleshooting or something). I love its simplicity. Its not as quiet under full load but is ok. Also, I'm saving a lot of money I can invest in components.
> They way your initially planning has been done before. Its a very interesting mod as you keep the "turbine" cooler to cool the vram and vrm but the water block will cool the core. Besides adding an H50/60/70/80 or Kuhler 620/920 etc., you can integrate a unversal gpu block. Should allow you to run a custom water loop. Last I recall was a guy with three gtx 570s and he cut the shroud enough to fit an EK supreme gpu block with the link. Looked very clean.
> That shroud you linked is what you would use if you went with the Swiftech universal block (ie. mcw80). You can make it work but the money you'll spend is about the same as a used fullcover block or getting a new universal block. Imho, just look for a fullcover block and build a custom loop.


My only reason for Adding an H80 or something to them was that I i need something with a lil more kick in the summer or it overheats (old house, no AC).

my CPU is WaterCooled, and My HDDs are Mounted to Heatsinks, so the HDDs Stay about 29^C in the summer.

The only thing I have left to fix is the GPU,
My 7950OC runs upper 60s/70s in the summer during gaming, and I dont wanna push it.
Now that it's cooling off outside, it idles in the upper 30s again and loads in the 50s, in the colder months (Oct->March) it will idle in the teens and load in the 20s, like my CPU does pretty much 10 months out of the year. No amount of airflow changes bring the load temp down any on the HOT summer days.

I am planning on upgrading the 7950 to a 7970, as I've noticed a few games that could benefit from the extra power in eyefinity.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> which 7970s?
> My only reason for Adding an H80 or something to them was that I i need something with a lil more kick in the summer or it overheats (old house, no AC).
> my CPU is WaterCooled, and My HDDs are Mounted to Heatsinks, so the HDDs Stay about 29^C in the summer.
> The only thing I have left to fix is the GPU, my 7950OC runs upper 60s/70s in the summer during gaming, I dont wanna push it, now that it's cooling off it idles in the 20s again and loads in the 50s, in the colder months (Oct->March) it will idle in the teens and load in teh 20s, like my CPU does pretty much 10 months out of the year.


A custom loop with the right rads and fans can kick a closed loops systems butt any day, If you have a custom loop, its much better and practical to add it to your existing loop. Sell the H80 and buy a nice 240mm radiator for the money you make off the sale.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> which 7970s?
> My only reason for Adding an H80 or something to them was that I i need something with a lil more kick in the summer or it overheats (old house, no AC).
> my CPU is WaterCooled, and *My HDDs are Mounted to Heatsinks, so the HDDs Stay about 29^C in the summer*.
> The only thing I have left to fix is the GPU,
> My 7950OC runs upper 60s/70s in the summer during gaming, and I dont wanna push it.
> Now that it's cooling off outside, it idles in the upper 30s again and loads in the 50s, in the colder months (Oct->March) it will idle in the teens and load in the 20s, like my CPU does pretty much 10 months out of the year. No amount of airflow changes bring the load temp down any on the HOT summer days.
> *I am planning on upgrading the 7950 to a 7970, as I've noticed a few games that could benefit from the extra power in eyefinity.*


I have a stack of 20 drives with a fan per 4 drives in my array. I took a fan off one group of drives cuz I was messing with watercooling the server but then I came to my senses and haven't put the fan back on. It's pretty hot right not around 91F lol. Why you need a heatsink? Just get some airflow on it, see...
Quote:


> Hardware Monitor Information
> Fan Speed 1782 RPM
> Battery Status Charged(100%)
> Hdd#1 Temperature 30 ºC
> Hdd#2 Temperature 31 ºC
> Hdd#3 Temperature 32 ºC
> Hdd#4 Temperature 31 ºC
> Hdd#5 Temperature 29 ºC
> Hdd#6 Temperature 32 ºC
> Hdd#7 Temperature 34 ºC
> Hdd#8 Temperature 34 ºC
> Hdd#9 Temperature 34 ºC
> Hdd#10 Temperature 35 ºC
> Hdd#11 Temperature 36 ºC
> Hdd#12 Temperature 29 ºC


Swapping from a 7950 to a 7970 for no good reason is a big waste imo. The gain will be 5% ish, unless you have like a crappy 7950 or something, you won't get anything appreciable to run trip screens with. What you really need is another card or two lol.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I have a stack of 20 drives with a fan per 4 drives in my array. I took a fan off one group of drives cuz I was messing with watercooling the server but then I came to my senses and haven't put the fan back on. It's pretty hot right not around 91F lol. Why you need a heatsink? Just get some airflow on it, see...
> Swapping from a 7950 to a 7970 for no good reason is a big waste imo. The gain will be 5% ish, unless you have like a crappy 7950 or something, you won't get anything appreciable to run trip screens with. What you really need is another card or two lol.


I've always Mounted my HDDs into 5.25 bay heatsinks.. even under load (format/defrag), they wont gove any higher as the heat is sucked off them and dissipated.

My 7950 right now is A Sapphire HD7950OC (Default is 900Mhz), but I can run 1Ghz with no voltage bump what so ever.

My intention was to get a 7970 and XFire it with the 7950, so thats 3840 Shaders at work, and the 7970 would be in the primary slot, so when I run a Game that dont support Xfire I have 2048 shaders instead of 1792, 256 ShaderPUs does make a Difference at 6048x1080


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Newbie question:

But what causes the artifacts you sometimes see due to overclocking?

I always thought it was excess heat, but I get some in Guild Wars 2 if I overclock and my temperature and vram temp is 60c or below.


----------



## teamrushpntball

Hello everyone, have a few questions I figured I'd ask here instead of making my own thread. I'm about to join this club but needed some information on just which card I intend to buy.

1: Is there any reason to buy a ghz edition card when I can just update the bios? That or just overclock up to those numbers?
2: I think I'm going to go with a sapphire brand card, seem to be good reviews and warranty information. Anyone have a reason why I shouldn't go with them?
3: At the end of the month I intend to include my new 7970 into my water cooling loop (Black Ice GT 360x120, Phobya Xtreme 200x200, MCP35x, Raystorm Block), and plan to use a Swiftech Komodo Fullcover Block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_582&products_id=33923. It states that the non-ghz edition Sapphire OC Model 11197-01-40G is supported as a reference card. Does anyone know if the GHZ edition is still reference? This only matters if it is worthwhile to buy the GHZ edition. If anyone has the GHZ edition would you mind posting what the pcb number is (Number right above the pci contacts)?

Thanks everyone!

*Edit, sorry if this is all blatantly obvious somewhere else. Had been intending to go nVidia (I know, I know, terrible mistake I almost made, but in my defense I was recommended it by 2 friends and would have until I read a ton of reviews myself) so have little research into this.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I have the regular Sapphire 7970 OC's and they are pretty decent cards. I don't really see the point in going for GHz cards as the basic ones still OC to at least 1200MHz in most cases (mine do 1230MHz in CF). In short, if getting a 7970 and you don't want a custom PCB, just get the cheapest one you can find with the best warranty. They're all pretty much the same...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *teamrushpntball*
> 
> Hello everyone, have a few questions I figured I'd ask here instead of making my own thread. I'm about to join this club but needed some information on just which card I intend to buy.
> 1: Is there any reason to buy a ghz edition card when I can just update the bios? That or just overclock up to those numbers?
> *No real reason.*
> 2: I think I'm going to go with a sapphire brand card, seem to be good reviews and warranty information. Anyone have a reason why I shouldn't go with them?
> *Not really.*
> 3: At the end of the month I intend to include my new 7970 into my water cooling loop (Black Ice GT 360x120, Phobya Xtreme 200x200, MCP35x, Raystorm Block), and plan to use a Swiftech Komodo Fullcover Block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_582&products_id=33923. It states that the non-ghz edition Sapphire OC Model 11197-01-40G is supported as a reference card. Does anyone know if the GHZ edition is still reference? This only matters if it is worthwhile to buy the GHZ edition. If anyone has the GHZ edition would you mind posting what the pcb number is (Number right above the pci contacts)?
> Thanks everyone!
> *Edit, sorry if this is all blatantly obvious somewhere else. Had been intending to go nVidia (I know, I know, terrible mistake I almost made, but in my defense I was recommended it by 2 friends and would have until I read a ton of reviews myself) so have little research into this.
> *GHZ cards are exact replica's of reference cards, just different bios and maybe different memory timings, but all nuts and bolts and chips same as reference pcb.*


----------



## teamrushpntball

Ok, thanks for the input. Looked into warranties, and think I'll go with a plain XFX branded reference card since they will still honor warranty even after water cooling. Thanks for the prompt help.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *teamrushpntball*
> 
> Ok, thanks for the input. Looked into warranties, and think I'll go with a plain XFX branded reference card since they will still honor warranty even after water cooling. Thanks for the prompt help.


Makes me wonder if VisionTek honors warranty after water cooling. Can't seem to find info on their site.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I've always Mounted my HDDs into 5.25 bay heatsinks.. even under load (format/defrag), they wont gove any higher as the heat is sucked off them and dissipated.
> My 7950 right now is A Sapphire HD7950OC (Default is 900Mhz), but I can run 1Ghz with no voltage bump what so ever.
> My intention was to get a 7970 and XFire it with the 7950, so thats 3840 Shaders at work, and the 7970 would be in the primary slot, so when I run a Game that dont support Xfire I have 2048 shaders instead of 1792, 256 ShaderPUs does make a Difference at 6048x1080


For Eyefinity, as much power and vram as you can because some games need a ton of it. I'm hoping three 7970s will be fine and dandy for 3240x1920. Let me know what kind of performance you get with your proposed setup (7970 or 7950+7970??).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Newbie question:
> But what causes the artifacts you sometimes see due to overclocking?
> I always thought it was excess heat, but I get some in Guild Wars 2 if I overclock and my temperature and vram temp is 60c or below.


Artifacts means your overclock is unstable. When overclocking your gpu, try small or gradual increments. Run a benchmark for stability (I use 3dMark11). If it crashes or you see tearing or artifacts, its unstable. Back down the clocks or raise the voltage.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *teamrushpntball*
> 
> Hello everyone, have a few questions I figured I'd ask here instead of making my own thread. I'm about to join this club but needed some information on just which card I intend to buy.
> 1: Is there any reason to buy a ghz edition card when I can just update the bios? That or just overclock up to those numbers?
> 2: I think I'm going to go with a sapphire brand card, seem to be good reviews and warranty information. Anyone have a reason why I shouldn't go with them?
> 3: At the end of the month I intend to include my new 7970 into my water cooling loop (Black Ice GT 360x120, Phobya Xtreme 200x200, MCP35x, Raystorm Block), and plan to use a Swiftech Komodo Fullcover Block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_582&products_id=33923. It states that the non-ghz edition Sapphire OC Model 11197-01-40G is supported as a reference card. Does anyone know if the GHZ edition is still reference? This only matters if it is worthwhile to buy the GHZ edition. If anyone has the GHZ edition would you mind posting what the pcb number is (Number right above the pci contacts)?
> Thanks everyone!
> *Edit, sorry if this is all blatantly obvious somewhere else. Had been intending to go nVidia (I know, I know, terrible mistake I almost made, but in my defense I was recommended it by 2 friends and would have until I read a ton of reviews myself) so have little research into this.


1)/ This was AMD's response to the GTX 680. Most 7970 will be able to hit 1ghz using an overclocking utility. You can also flash your card using the 1ghz bios. You'll find they sell for a bit more (new) but I would recommend find a cheaper non 1ghz model and oc or flash it.

2) Its a great brand and they have really good customer service.

3) as long as the pcb match it should be the same. You're looking for the reference model. If you have any reserves, contact Sapphire support and ask if the model you want is a "reference" card for a water block.

Again, the 1ghz edition is just to answers Nvidia's GTX 680. The original 7970 was no slouch but the 680 had the upper hand. This slight overclock helps it keep up if not best it in some situations. Also, AMD starting dropping prices. As I have suggested, you can find a cheaper non-ghz and just oc it to the 1ghz bios or use an oc program like Afterburner overclock it.


----------



## tx-jose

ok weird...

remember all the low FPS issues I was having in BF3?? well last night i fired up a rush game on one of the Karkand maps and I had my settings on MEDIUM....i noticed my GPU useage was like at 70% but running smooth....so i fire up fraps...

100FPS CONSTANT!!!! what gives??!! I crank it to high and get around 80 and then just for laughs i slam it to ultra and then it falls on its face to 40ish FPS!! I know thats my CPU cause it was pegged like at 95% useage lmao

so I dial it back to high.....but why all of a sudden? I am still on 12.7's and havent done anything else other then SP1 for Win 7 instal?

oh well...im enjoying my card now









LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> ok weird...
> remember all the low FPS issues I was having in BF3?? well last night i fired up a rush game on one of the Karkand maps and I had my settings on MEDIUM....i noticed my GPU useage was like at 70% but running smooth....so i fire up fraps...
> 100FPS CONSTANT!!!! what gives??!! I crank it to high and get around 80 and then just for laughs i slam it to ultra and then it falls on its face to 40ish FPS!! I know thats my CPU cause it was pegged like at 95% useage lmao
> so I dial it back to high.....but why all of a sudden? I am still on 12.7's and havent done anything else other then SP1 for Win 7 instal?
> oh well...im enjoying my card now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Awesome! Glad to hear you're fixed. Still, put that on your upgrade list: new quad core.


----------



## grunion

Well I caved...
Picked up an XFX 7970 for $423 shipped.
Probably get another if I'm happy with the performance.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Well I caved...
> Picked up an XFX 7970 for $423 shipped.
> Probably get another if I'm happy with the performance.


kewl


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> ok weird...
> remember all the low FPS issues I was having in BF3?? well last night i fired up a rush game on one of the Karkand maps and I had my settings on MEDIUM....i noticed my GPU useage was like at 70% but running smooth....so i fire up fraps...
> 100FPS CONSTANT!!!! what gives??!! I crank it to high and get around 80 and then just for laughs i slam it to ultra and then it falls on its face to 40ish FPS!! I know thats my CPU cause it was pegged like at 95% useage lmao
> so I dial it back to high.....but why all of a sudden? I am still on 12.7's and havent done anything else other then SP1 for Win 7 instal?
> oh well...im enjoying my card now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


if you want to clarify all doubts just see if you can test your card on a core i5 2500k . do you have any friends who will let you test your card on their core i5 PC. that might help clear whether the CPU is bottlenecking. also BF3 Ultra MSAA 4X in multiplayer is quite demanding. try setting MSAA to 2x and see if its playable. and frankly for competitive multiplayer just turn of MSAA and leave the rest at ultra . you will definitely need the fps enjoy the fragging


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tx-jose*
> 
> ok weird...
> remember all the low FPS issues I was having in BF3?? well last night i fired up a rush game on one of the Karkand maps and I had my settings on MEDIUM....i noticed my GPU useage was like at 70% but running smooth....so i fire up fraps...
> 100FPS CONSTANT!!!! what gives??!! I crank it to high and get around 80 and then just for laughs i slam it to ultra and then it falls on its face to 40ish FPS!! I know thats my CPU cause it was pegged like at 95% useage lmao
> so I dial it back to high.....but why all of a sudden? I am still on 12.7's and havent done anything else other then SP1 for Win 7 instal?
> oh well...im enjoying my card now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Game patches.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> if you want to clarify all doubts just see if you can test your card on a core i5 2500k . do you have any friends who will let you test your card on their core i5 PC. that might help clear whether the CPU is bottlenecking. also BF3 Ultra MSAA 4X in multiplayer is quite demanding. try setting MSAA to 2x and see if its playable. and frankly for competitive multiplayer just turn of MSAA and leave the rest at ultra . you will definitely need the fps enjoy the fragging


My i5 is definitely not bottlenecking, that's for sure. I play ultra settings at 60 fps on Metro.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Well I caved...
> Picked up an XFX 7970 for $423 shipped.
> Probably get another if I'm happy with the performance.


happy buy man, i got the XFX 7950 BE


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> happy buy man, i got the XFX 7950 BE


Not to ruin your moment but the only difference is the bios.


----------



## samoth777

hey guys, what is the max volt on the 7970 lightnings? Do they clock beastly?


----------



## revro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> January is quite a few months away. Being an early adopter, you would pay a significant premium and probably end up with a lot of driver issues. In my opinion, it's perfectly reasonable to wait a few months before purchasing a newly issued product. So getting a 7970 on a good deal now is still a good idea.


well buying in january would be expensive, good thing tough haswell is coming march april so i maybe make a new rig in april may and till then 8970 should have gone down in price. anyway i am mainly waiting cause of haswell, 8970 is just a bonus









best
revro


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Artifacts means your overclock is unstable. When overclocking your gpu, try small or gradual increments. Run a benchmark for stability (I use 3dMark11). If it crashes or you see tearing or artifacts, its unstable. Back down the clocks or raise the voltage.


Yesterday I was running 1050Mhz and did 40 minutes of Heaven 3.0 seemed fine.

Then I booted Guild Wars 2 and for a while it was fine, then I got some artifacts.

I'll keep trying, but a quick question to those that are techy

This Sapphire 7950 OC Vapor-X has a button to switch from 1 BIOS to another, I believe the first has a set of 850Mhz core and the other 950Mhz. Do you think all my overclocking woes are due to me setting it to 950Mhz? Perhaps going to the other BIOS preset will allow stable overclocks?

I seriously want to Overclock this card, it has so much room for more given it barely hits 65c on vram and core temperatures under full load with 60% fan speed.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> hey guys, what is the max volt on the 7970 lightnings? Do they clock beastly?


Silicon lottery man. I had one that would do 1275MHz and the other would only do 1215MHz. Still great cards though...


----------



## rubixcube101

I worked out my max oc on stock voltage is around 1175mhz, anymore and the driver crashes before artifacting. Does that mean that i can up the voltage to get more juice out of it or is it like my previous nVidia gpu's where thats the OC limit?

For my validation into the club


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> I worked out my max oc on stock voltage is around 1175mhz, anymore and the driver crashes before artifacting. Does that mean that i can up the voltage to get more juice out of it or is it like my previous nVidia gpu's where thats the OC limit?
> For my validation into the club


yeah with extra voltage you can go for higher speeds. keep your temps low by manually setting fan speed. the lower you keep temps the better your chances of a high overclock.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quick question about safe temperatures that I've been wondering about.

It used to be alright to run video cards at fairly high temp. ranges, like up to high 80s. My old XFX 9800 GT ran up to 90C periodically (it did eventually die in a super cramped Dell case with zero air flow and get RMA-replaced with another, that also ran hot - and still runs well to date).

What has changed with the new cards? Finer electronics? Is it okay that my 7970 (stock voltages 1110MHz/1575MHz) runs at 70C core a lot in GW2 and 80C VRM1 or lower in general games? I'm trying to stick to the limits I've read about here (70C/80C), though I don't quite understand them, and wonder if I have to reduce my temps even more for long-term stability (would prefer not to, as my Dual-X fan gets very loud already).

(Note: I play at 1440p, so my VRM temps are higher than they would be at 1080p).


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Those temps are perfectly acceptable...


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Those temps are perfectly acceptable...


I'm just trying to understand where these new limits of 70C/80C are coming from. I'm trying hard to abide by them, and I don't know if it's bad to run at 71-72C periodically or if I have to always stay within 70C.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

You're good up to 90C if you want. Not going to damage anything. Now if you are OCing getting the lowest possible temps will allow for the highest possible speeds...


----------



## 4LC4PON3

My Reference 7970 at stock runs 48% fan speed with any game at 65c max (VRMs never reach above 48c). Yes I can OC but I have not really wanted to as the card is powerful enough at 1080p for me. I am maxing damn near any game I play at the moment.

Its always better to run lower temps. There have been rumors by alot of people that they have started seeing artifacts with anything over 75c with there cards. Im pretty sure your OC up to about 90c but I dont think you would want your card running at 90c 24/7

My Personal preference is 70-75c and under MAX.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> My Reference 7970 at stock runs 48% fan speed with any game at 65c max (VRMs never reach above 48c). Yes I can OC but I have not really wanted to as the card is powerful enough at 1080p for me. I am maxing damn near any game I play at the moment.
> 
> Its always better to run lower temps. There have been rumors by alot of people that they have started seeing artifacts with anything over 75c with there cards. Im pretty sure your OC up to about 90c but I dont think you would want your card running at 90c 24/7
> 
> My Personal preference is 70-75c and under MAX.


Yeah a lot of people have said that artifacts appear at 75c and over. I have been stressing at 90c for around 10 minutes and I had no issues. Strange.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Yeah a lot of people have said that artifacts appear at 75c and over. I have been stressing at 90c for around 10 minutes and I had no issues. Strange.


not every card is built the same. there are quit a few people that I know of personally and in my WoW guild that have stated there 7950/7970s were artifacting at certain temps. I have not seen any artifacts / Texture flickering on my 7970 except for 12.8 drivers.

So far since I have had my 7950s and 7970 I have had nothing but problems either with Hardware problems or these stupid drivers that AMD cant get right. 12.7s for me are running strong so far but its sad then an Official 12.8 WHQL release driver runs like crap.

All I keep reading about are 7950/7970 artifacts & Texture flickering all over the net. I like my 7970 as of right now but I have slowly debated changing back to the green team.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> not every card is built the same. there are quit a few people that I know of personally and in my WoW guild that have stated there 7950/7970s were artifacting at certain temps. I have not seen any artifacts / Texture flickering on my 7970 except for 12.8 drivers.
> 
> So far since I have had my 7950s and 7970 I have had nothing but problems either with Hardware problems or these stupid drivers that AMD cant get right. 12.7s for me are running strong so far but its sad then an Official 12.8 WHQL release driver runs like crap.
> 
> All I keep reading about are 7950/7970 artifacts & Texture flickering all over the net. I like my 7970 as of right now but I have slowly debated changing back to the green team.


I've not had any flickering and 12.8 use to be unstable for me. After going back to 12.8 again, everything seems fine. I've had artifacts once but it was software related and I know what caused it.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Okay, so it's not as much about the safety for the card's components but more for overclock stability then? Just wanted to make sure that's the case and stop obsessing with the fan curve to try to keep the core sub 70s (if it feels like going to 71-72C sometimes at the expense of fan noise). I only see artifacts if my overclock is too high, doesn't really depend on temperatures in my tests, as I'm always sub 80C. A higher-than-stable overclock will artifact even at 65C for me.

Still using 12.8 and Cap2 with no issues - same overclock (on stock volts).


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> For Eyefinity, as much power and vram as you can because some games need a ton of it. I'm hoping three 7970s will be fine and dandy for 3240x1920. Let me know what kind of performance you get with your proposed setup (7970 or 7950+7970??).


HD7970 + HD7950

it dont matter how many cards you have, VRAM doesnt increase, the cards are all rendering the same scene in alternating order, so the RAM is populated by the same textures.

if you need more RAM the Sapphire 6GB is $699 on NewEgg


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Game patches.


exactly, they just put out a HUGE patch that fixed most of the issues.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> it dont matter how many cards you have, VRAM doesnt increase, the cards are all rendering the same scene in alternating order, so the RAM is populated by the same textures.
> if you need more RAM the Sapphire 6GB is $699 on NewEgg


I'm pretty sure he knows about how the vram works. Lol, werm sure sounds like an advertisement though heh. Dude, Wermad you going Tahiti now huh?


----------



## samoth777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Silicon lottery man. I had one that would do 1275MHz and the other would only do 1215MHz. Still great cards though...


But what are the max volts they allow? Is it 1.300v max just like reference?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> But what are the max volts they allow? Is it 1.300v max just like reference?


1.3v is max but you'll never hit it sure to droop and other factors.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Actually AB will let you set over 1300mV with Aux voltage on the Lightnings but as TSM said, it won't actually be 1300+mV to the card after the droop....


----------



## samoth777

how high will it let you set it?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Can't remember off the top of my head. Something like 1330mV + 30mV Aux I think. The cards never see more than 1275mV or so though in GPU-z...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

If you REALLY want a Lightning I'd recommend the 680 actually. Much better overall cards than the 7970 Lightnings IMO...


----------



## wermad

First card came in







No mb at the moment to test it

























(^^^crappy phone pic in action







)


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quick question, is enabling "force constant voltage" bad or does it allow for more stable overclocking?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Quick question, is enabling "force constant voltage" bad or does it allow for more stable overclocking?


I believe this is gear more towards crossfire but I have it checked in MSI Afterburner. Never had issues


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Quick question, is enabling "force constant voltage" bad or does it allow for more stable overclocking?


It's better to disable powerplay than to force voltage.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's better to disable powerplay than to force voltage.


Where is this "Powerplay" - I'm using afterburner

Also a general question, on the 7 series is overclocking memory even worth it? I barely even see an improvement


----------



## ElevenEleven

It's worth it if you play at high resolutions with all the settings up. Adds fps in GW2, for example, because I use my card to power a 1440p monitor. Might not make much of a difference if you use a low resolution monitor.


----------



## Bluemustang

Well after getting my second 7970 I have to say I'm quite dissapointed. I wasn't expecting my I7 930 to be this severe of a bottleneck. In metro 2033 bench I was getting as low as 50% gpu usage on each gpu and my overall score only went up about 30%. Crysis is even worse, hardly changed at all, and bf3 is around 60-70% on each gpu. Maybe a 20-25% improvement.

I tried droppin my cpu from 3.8 to 2.7ghz to see if that was the prob and sure enough metro usage dropped as low as 30%.

Is a 3.8ghz I7 930 really that weak? Is there any CPU that can power CF 7970s? I know 2500k is a bit more powerful but only around 30% i think, so even that couldn't power 2 7970s going by the gpu usage I'm getting now. How bout 3770k or such. Is there anything that can power these beasts?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Well after getting my second 7970 I have to say I'm quite dissapointed. I wasn't expecting my I7 930 to be this severe of a bottleneck. In metro 2033 bench I was getting as low as 50% gpu usage on each gpu and my overall score only went up about 30%. Crysis is even worse, hardly changed at all, and bf3 is around 60-70% on each gpu. Maybe a 20-25% improvement.
> I tried droppin my cpu from 3.8 to 2.7ghz to see if that was the prob and sure enough metro usage dropped as low as 30%.
> Is a 3.8ghz I7 930 really that weak? Is there any CPU that can power CF 7970s? I know 2500k is a bit more powerful but only around 30% i think, so even that couldn't power 2 7970s going by the gpu usage I'm getting now. How bout 3770k or such. Is there anything that can power these beasts?


You can probably hit 4.2. Make sure you have ccc settings for application default. I know there's a setting that will drop gpu usage if enabled (forgot what it was and I don't have rig up and running to confirm).


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> You can probably hit 4.2. Make sure you have ccc settings for application default. I know there's a setting that will drop gpu usage if enabled (forgot what it was and I don't have rig up and running to confirm).


I could if vcore was the only factor. This cpu seems good and doesn't require much voltage at all. But it does require a lot of QPI voltage. 1.295v for 3.6ghz then all the way up to 1.335v for just 3.8ghz on the QPI which from what I read is the limit before it's no longer safe.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

To answer your question, a 2500K will definitely handle two 7970's as will a 3770K. My GPU usage is always at 99% on both...


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> To answer your question, a 2500K will definitely handle two 7970's as will a 3770K. My GPU usage is always at 99% on both...


You got a 3960 lol


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I was just messing with you. Should get 99% from any overclocked SB in my opinion...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I was just messing with you. Should get 99% from any overclocked SB in my opinion...


2500K at 5ghz couldn't keep tri 7970s pegged in BF3, back in the day. It ran around 55% to 80%. The HT really made a difference on MP servers. He's only using two cards so he should be good though.


----------



## tw33k

Sapphire 7950 OC @ stock. Heaven settings as required by *OFFICIAL* Top 30 Heaven Benchmark 3.0 Scores


----------



## dmxdex2020

How well do these OC?

What sort of fps can you get out of BF3 maxed out?

Is this card faster than a GTX 580?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

The 7950 and 7970 are both significantly faster than the GTX 580.


----------



## dmxdex2020

From the reviews ive seen they trade blows, or has newer drivers push it on?

What is the average fps in battle at ultra?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Are you talking about the 680???


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmxdex2020*
> 
> From the reviews ive seen they trade blows, or has newer drivers push it on?
> What is the average fps in battle at ultra?


Almost every reputable review site includes BF3 benchmarks for these cards.


----------



## grunion

So is SI friendly to RBE mods, clocks and voltages?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> So is SI friendly to RBE mods, clocks and voltages?


RBE, No. But there are alternatives.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> To answer your question, a 2500K will definitely handle two 7970's as will a 3770K. My GPU usage is always at 99% on both...


I know what you mean, both mine are at 99% too when playing BF3


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> RBE, No. But there are alternatives.


And alternatives are?

I am really interested in this topic, its strange that RBE just stopped.


----------



## Maurauder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> And alternatives are?
> I am really interested in this topic, its strange that RBE just stopped.


Can the 7900's bios be edited? If so with what program? I would like to know also as all i'm able to do is flash other manufacturer's. bios' to my cards.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maurauder*
> 
> Can the 7900's bios be edited? If so with what program? I would like to know also as all i'm able to do is flash other manufacturer's. bios' to my cards.


You cannot Edit a BIOS pass a 6990 anymore with RBE. It's not possible to change the voltage into the BIOS with Tahiti (7970)

If you want a great collection of 7970's BIOSes, Techpowerup has a huge one (44 BIOSes total)

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=&manufacturer=&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> RBE, No. But there are alternatives.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> You cannot Edit a BIOS pass a 6990 anymore with RBE. It's not possible to change the voltage into the BIOS with Tahiti (7970)
> If you want a great collection of 7970's BIOSes, Techpowerup has a huge one (44 BIOSes total)
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=&manufacturer=&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0


This makes me sad, the whole reason I went away from ROG cards.
Why can't we have full editing control in bios


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> It's worth it if you play at high resolutions with all the settings up. Adds fps in GW2, for example, because I use my card to power a 1440p monitor. Might not make much of a difference if you use a low resolution monitor.


I'm at 1080p, would that be worthwhile or is it better spent using the voltage for core clock increasing?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> I'm at 1080p, would that be worthwhile or is it better spent using the voltage for core clock increasing?


I'd recommend trying it out, as in my experience, some systems see greater benefit than others. If you don't like it / don't see any positive difference, you can always just uninstall. You will see slightly better GPU temps though. If you do try it, make sure to try the MVP version, as that's the one that makes a difference in FPS and adds virtual sync (to compatible applications).


----------



## revro

anyone has aircooled trifire? what temperatures do you get when under load?

thank you
revro


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *revro*
> 
> anyone has aircooled trifire? what temperatures do you get when under load?
> thank you
> revro


Judging by my own overclocked (but on stock voltage) 7970, I'm fearful of imagining 3 of them running next to each other, _unless_ I don't overclock and run without increasing power limit. You could try a case like Silverstone Fortress/Raven 02 though for very good airflow through the cards.


----------



## sena

So my first problem with CFX, visual corruption in Crysis 2 with two HD 7870, and stuttering.

I hope i dont crush any rules, because i have HD 78xx, i am posting here because there is lot of more activity.

I am running 12.8 with cap2, anyone else experienced this?


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> So my first problem with CFX, visual corruption in Crysis 2 with two HD 7870, and stuttering.
> I hope i dont crush any rules, because i have HD 78xx, i am posting here because there is lot of more activity.
> I am running 12.8 with cap2, anyone else experienced this?


I've seen artifacts and pop ins in Crysis 2 with every gpu combo that I've tried it with and that includes Nvidia cards.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *revro*
> 
> anyone has aircooled trifire? what temperatures do you get when under load?
> thank you
> revro


I've runned trifire 6970 lightnings and 560 ti tf3 all aircooled on the EVGA Z77 FTW. I'm waiting on two more 7970s to run tri-fire. Since the MB allows you to run with an extra slot of breathing room for the top cards, it should cool vastly better than a triple sandwich. There's a few boards that can allow this arrangement (it maxes out at 8x pcie 3.0 on the EVGA Z77). I know the EVGA 4-way X58 can, the Asrock x79 Chamption, X79 Classified., and I think the BigBang x79. Some board do have the this middle pcie slot but their designated as 4x. Here's how I ran the 6970s and 560s:





If you don't plan to upgrade your mb, then expect some high temps in sandwich setup:



Source


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BababooeyHTJ*
> 
> I've seen artifacts and pop ins in Crysis 2 with every gpu combo that I've tried it with and that includes Nvidia cards.


I saw pop ups with GXT 570 SLI too, but this is little different, randomly yelow/black vinlys appear on screen. Stock clocks, others app are ok.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I've runned trifire 6970 lightnings and 560 ti tf3 all aircooled on the EVGA Z77 FTW. I'm waiting on two more 7970s to run tri-fire. Since the MB allows you to run with an extra slot of breathing room for the top cards, it should cool vastly better than a triple sandwich. There's a few boards that can allow this arrangement (it maxes out at 8x pcie 3.0 on the EVGA Z77). I know the EVGA 4-way X58 can, the Asrock x79 Chamption, X79 Classified., and I think the BigBang x79. Some board do have the this middle pcie slot but their designated as 4x. Here's how I ran the 6970s and 560s:
> 
> 
> If you don't plan to upgrade your mb, then expect some high temps in sandwich setup:
> 
> 
> Source



















: Can I borrow one of those!?

Man thats freaking insane.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> : Can I borrow one of those!?
> Man thats freaking insane.


To run three screens and high settings, you need a lot of hp and vram.

I forgot to mention the Asrock extr9 z77 has the ideal slot spacing but I'm not sure Asrock will allow you (Ill research it).

edit: per Asrock, that middle slot is actually a pcie 4x so it won't work. I wish more mb manufacturers would give is this arrange and realize that triple aircooled can be done and not just a requirement of water or for occasional use.


----------



## Kitarist

Just want to ask If Sapphire 7850 OC is a good card?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> Just want to ask If Sapphire 7850 OC is a good card?


Its great card. What are you upgrading from?


----------



## Kitarist

You really dont want to know haha







X800XL but i'm on a lappy right now.

Also is it worth it to spend a little bit more for the OC version of the card as i heard they might clock higher and be a higher quality cards?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> You really dont want to know haha
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> X800XL but i'm on a lappy right now.
> Also is it worth it to spend a little bit more for the OC version of the card as i heard they might clock higher and be a higher quality cards?


Beastly card, oh the memories


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> You really dont want to know haha
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> X800XL but i'm on a lappy right now.
> Also is it worth it to spend a little bit more for the OC version of the card as i heard they might clock higher and be a higher quality cards?


These are cards with a slightly overclock, though its not guaranteed you'll get a high binned chip. If you don't want to oc the card yourself, its alright to spend a bit more for the oc version. If you plan to do it yourself and have a limited budget, go with the regular one and just use any oc tool to bump up the speed. At worst, if the card is a poor overclocker, you can return it and try a new one (if possible).

Its a great card to start off for a custom build. What's your budget btw?


----------



## Testier

I am thinking of trading the card I have for a nvidia counterpart. It stock voltage at 1.05v and max clock to 1250mhz on 1.181v. Although the stability on the max clock is unknown and a stable clock would be 1200 at 1174mv. Reference design with dual bios with powercolor aftermarket dual fan cooling. The max voltage is 1.3v but it goes pretty hot after 1.174mv. What would be a fair straight trade for me?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> I am thinking of trading the card I have for a nvidia counterpart. It stock voltage at 1.05v and max clock to 1250mhz on 1.181v. Although the stability on the max clock is unknown and a stable clock would be 1200 at 1174mv. Reference design with dual bios with powercolor aftermarket dual fan cooling. The max voltage headroom is 1.3v but it goes pretty hot after 1.174mv. I am pretty sure you can go higher clockwise with water. What would be a fair straight trade for me?


Are you looking for something more powerful? For a single screen, I'm sure a 7970 is pretty good overall with max settings in most games. Well, look for a 680 as that would be an upgrade. skip the impressive 670 as that would just be a sidegrade tbh.


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Makes me wonder if VisionTek honors warranty after water cooling. Can't seem to find info on their site.


VisionTek does not honor the warranty if you remove the stock cooler.

From their website:
Removal of Serial/Part number sticker(s) Damaged while being installed Damaged by software or hardware by someone other than VisionTek or by motherboard incompatibility/design Damaged by tampering, user error, disaster, misuse, neglect, abuse, accident, power supply, power application, alteration, repair, modification, a fix or replacement by an unauthorized technician that in any way affects its performance or reliability.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Are you looking for something more powerful? For a single screen, I'm sure a 7970 is pretty good overall with max settings in most games. Well, look for a 680 as that would be an upgrade. skip the impressive 670 as that would just be a sidegrade tbh.


I am looking for a sidegrade to nvidia. I want physx for BL2. I am thinking of a 680 reference. I dont like 670s so I would like to avoid that.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> VisionTek does not honor the warranty if you remove the stock cooler.
> From their website:
> Removal of Serial/Part number sticker(s) Damaged while being installed Damaged by software or hardware by someone other than VisionTek or by motherboard incompatibility/design Damaged by tampering, user error, disaster, misuse, neglect, abuse, accident, power supply, power application, alteration, repair, modification, a fix or replacement by an unauthorized technician that in any way affects its performance or reliability.


The question should be, does visiontek honor warranties at all? LOL, joking. Seriously though, I heard they are pretty bad around warranties.


----------



## gtorz1136

I've just received a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X that makes this really weird, grating sound when starting the computer and just recently I've started to get artifacts and texture flickering in Dota 2 + extra screen tearing on Crysis. This is on a fresh install of 12.8 Catalyst Software Suite and nothing else; is this a hardware problem or software? Also, apparently it runs 1050/1500 on boost @ 1.256V, but sometimes I will randomly see VRM temps go above 100C, although benchmarking it on Heavens doesn't reach anywhere near that..


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gtorz1136*
> 
> I've just received a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X that makes this really weird, grating sound when starting the computer and just recently I've started to get artifacts and texture flickering in Dota 2 + extra screen tearing on Crysis. This is on a fresh install of 12.8 Catalyst Software Suite and nothing else; is this a hardware problem or software? Also, apparently it runs 1050/1500 on boost @ 1.256V, but sometimes I will randomly see VRM temps go above 100C, although benchmarking it on Heavens doesn't reach anywhere near that..


Well grating noises would be my main reason for getting a replacement. If you can I would.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gtorz1136*
> 
> I've just received a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X that makes this really weird, grating sound when starting the computer and just recently I've started to get artifacts and texture flickering in Dota 2 + extra screen tearing on Crysis. This is on a fresh install of 12.8 Catalyst Software Suite and nothing else; is this a hardware problem or software? Also, apparently it runs 1050/1500 on boost @ 1.256V, but sometimes I will randomly see VRM temps go above 100C, although benchmarking it on Heavens doesn't reach anywhere near that..


Sounds like some fan interference perhaps, which is also why you could be getting such high temperatures. Have you adjusted your fan curve? If it still gets hot at high RPM when benchmarking, I'd say something's up with one or both fans, given the noise.


----------



## gtorz1136

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Sounds like some fan interference perhaps, which is also why you could be getting such high temperatures. Have you adjusted your fan curve? If it still gets hot at high RPM when benchmarking, I'd say something's up with one or both fans, given the noise.


The weird this is the grating noise happens ONLY on startup. I'm using a custom fan curve, and no real problems happen with temps otherwise but once in a while with gpu-z on I'll see that the max VRM has suddenly hit over 100C. I dont have a clue for how long or when it starts or ends. Otherwise, the main problem I'm worried about is the graphics performance in the games...I've had a HIS IceQ X2 with artifact problems before that led to a gpu failure a day later before, but at least that didnt have screen tearing or texture flickering...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> I am looking for a sidegrade to nvidia. I want physx for BL2. I am thinking of a 680 reference. I dont like 670s so I would like to avoid that.


680 isnt a huge leap but definitely an upgrade.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Something's wrong with it if it hits over 100C on one of the VRMs if you have 90-100% fan speed set just for testing purposes. My Sapphire is OC'd on stock voltage to 1110MHz/1575MHz, and I have to have its fan ramp up to 80% or even above to stay at 80C for VRM1 (or below) in games like GW2 (this is at 1440p with everything maxed), but it never goes even close to 100C. I haven't seen it go that high in Heaven 3.0 yet (testing at 1080p with all settings maxed). I'd consider exchanging the card.

Concerning artifacts, you could be getting them when temperatures are too high. I asked about this recently, and it is the reason 70C core clock and 80C VRM temperatures are advised as desireable maxima.


----------



## gtorz1136

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Something's wrong with it if it hits over 100C on one of the VRMs if you have 90-100% fan speed set just for testing purposes. My Sapphire is OC'd on stock voltage to 1110MHz/1575MHz, and I have to have its fan ramp up to 80% or even above to stay at 80C for VRM1 (or below) in games like GW2 (this is at 1440p with everything maxed), but it never goes even close to 100C. I haven't seen it go that high in Heaven 3.0 yet (testing at 1080p with all settings maxed). I'd consider exchanging the card.
> Concerning artifacts, you could be getting them when temperatures are too high. I asked about this recently, and it is the reason 70C core clock and 80C VRM temperatures are advised as desireable maxima.


I am actually waiting for Newegg to return to their phone lines on Monday to call for an RMA, but in the meanwhile I've sent an email to Sapphire asking about the problem. Otherwise, I have no clue about the VRM, absolutely none. I've never had my card reach more than 60C or even 50C gaming, unless its Crysis, and even then artifacts appear running regular games. Does anyone have any experience with Sapphire or Newegg support in a similar situation? I've never had so much problem with a single computer component since my 2002 Toshiba Satellite that never ran below 70C...


----------



## wermad

Bought #2, got a pending offer for #3 from a member. Can't wait to run tri-fire!


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 680 isnt a huge leap but definitely an upgrade.


it is? I think is more of a sidegrade. I dont know. I doubt many people would want to trade 680 for 7970, at least locally. 590 is an option, but the vram........ ahh well, thank for the advice.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> I am pretty sure you can go higher clockwise with water.


Forget about what I said on higher clock room. I think it is a wall. The card have a high asic of 84.4. I think that the issue. And the low stock voltage.......... It might be just after 125mv increase, it does not have a big effect, or am I wrong?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> I am looking for a sidegrade to nvidia. I want physx for BL2. I am thinking of a 680 reference. I dont like 670s so I would like to avoid that.
> 
> 
> 
> 680 isnt a huge leap but definitely an upgrade.
Click to expand...

It's not an upgrade, its a sidegrade. 680 = 7970 (or GHz Edition) overclock for overclock on single monitor setups. On multi monitor setups, the 7970 takes a pretty large lead.

If he's wanting PhysX though, the 680 would definitely be his best option coming from a 7950 or 7970. Otherwise he could just get a GTS 450 or something and keep his 7900 card and do the PhysX hack.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's not an upgrade, its a sidegrade. 680 = 7970 (or GHz Edition) overclock for overclock on single monitor setups. On multi monitor setups, the 7970 takes a pretty large lead.
> If he's wanting PhysX though, the 680 would definitely be his best option coming from a 7950 or 7970. Otherwise he could just get a GTS 450 or something and keep his 7900 card and do the PhysX hack.


On the second thought, I will keep my 7970. Thanks for everyone who helped.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's not an upgrade, its a sidegrade. 680 = 7970 (or GHz Edition) overclock for overclock on single monitor setups. On multi monitor setups, the 7970 takes a pretty large lead.
> If he's wanting PhysX though, the 680 would definitely be his best option coming from a 7950 or 7970. Otherwise he could just get a GTS 450 or something and keep his 7900 card and do the PhysX hack.


Every one knows the 680 got the upper hand and on the 7970. It is a notch up but nothing too dramatic. When amd has to drop the price and overclock the 7970, you know they needed something to make it competitive. When people are pouring into the marketplace and on ebay you see "selling 7970, upgraded to 680" or "trade 7970 for 680" you know the 680 is better. Now, its not perfect and the 7970 is better for larger resolutions and I strongly feel its scaling is a lot better in two or more cards. Overclocked, a 680 will blow the 7970 1ghz. Its an upgrade, something better. Is it leaps and bounds better? No, but its better, thus an upgrade. its like switching from ls6 to a z06, not a huge increase but noticeable.

As far as the 590, its definitely better than one 7970 or one 680, but its hotter, you have to contend with sli (when its an issue), consumes more power, and you're only upgrade path is another 590. 1.5gb of vram becomes a factor with higher resolutions. The 6990 is a better card in terms of performance but you have to contend with crossfire and the heat and noise. When one 6990 is noisier than two 590s, you wanna think twice about running a stock 6990.

I'm not a fan boy of either side. I recognize a cards strengths and weakness and I make logical recommendations based on what the user needs. As I mentioned to Testier early, its a great card but if he's looking for the next step (and I stress step not level







) the 680 would be it.

Personally, i would keep it and add another 7970 down the road.


----------



## Bruennis

After a number of 7970 duds, I humbly dropped down to the 7950 only to find how supreme of a card it is. I've been testing it all day and found 1285MHz to be the highest, most stable core clock. Anything past this even 1290MHz will artifact. The memory was cranked to 1650MHz and I have not yet found my memory maximum. Voltage was set to 1.299







and fan speed cranked to 75% to control the heat. Temperature hovered around the high 60s to low 70s during 3DMark 11 and Heaven. Keep in mind that at 75% speed it is annoyingly loud and I won't be running this 24/7 or even during games as I don't really need the extra performance.

Spec for spec, I've got to have one of the highest 3DMark 11 and Heaven benchmark scores among 7950 owners




Just wanted to drop in and show off the performance of this Godzilla of a card


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's not an upgrade, its a sidegrade. 680 = 7970 (or GHz Edition) overclock for overclock on single monitor setups. On multi monitor setups, the 7970 takes a pretty large lead.
> If he's wanting PhysX though, the 680 would definitely be his best option coming from a 7950 or 7970. Otherwise he could just get a GTS 450 or something and keep his 7900 card and do the PhysX hack.
> 
> 
> 
> Every one knows the 680 got the upper hand and on the 7970. It is a notch up but nothing too dramatic. When amd has to drop the price and overclock the 7970, you know they needed something to make it competitive. When people are pouring into the marketplace and on ebay you see "selling 7970, upgraded to 680" or "trade 7970 for 680" you know the 680 is better. Now, its not perfect and the 7970 is better for larger resolutions and I strongly feel its scaling is a lot better in two or more cards. Overclocked, a 680 will blow the 7970 1ghz. Its an upgrade, something better. Is it leaps and bounds better? No, but its better, thus an upgrade. its like switching from ls6 to a z06, not a huge increase but noticeable.
> 
> As far as the 590, its definitely better than one 7970 or one 680, but its hotter, you have to contend with sli (when its an issue), consumes more power, and you're only upgrade path is another 590. 1.5gb of vram becomes a factor with higher resolutions. The 6990 is a better card in terms of performance but you have to contend with crossfire and the heat and noise. When one 6990 is noisier than two 590s, you wanna think twice about running a stock 6990.
> 
> I'm not a fan boy of either side. I recognize a cards strengths and weakness and I make logical recommendations based on what the user needs. As I mentioned to Testier early, its a great card but if he's looking for the next step (and I stress step not level
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) the 680 would be it.
> 
> Personally, i would keep it and add another 7970 down the road.
Click to expand...

Actually, that hasn't been the issue since 12.6 drivers. The GHz 7970 and the 680 stock for stock trade blows back and forth. Overclocked for overclocked, they also trade blows. The 680 clocks higher, the 7970 scales better with clock speeds. Roughly a 1200MHz 7970 = a 1300MHz 680 (roughly).

If we were talking about older drivers, then sure....the 680 was a step up, not much....but slightly. The only time the 680 is really a step up NOW, is if you're playing BF3 or some other Nvidia optimized game. Overall, on average, the two cards trade blows back and forth.

I've been wanting to tinker with a 680 for quite a while, and I agree....I am not a fanboy of either side (my last card was a 580). But to be perfectly honest, with the performance of the 7970, I just can't justify getting rid of it (yet).


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Actually, that hasn't been the issue since 12.6 drivers. The GHz 7970 and the 680 stock for stock trade blows back and forth. Overclocked for overclocked, they also trade blows. The 680 clocks higher, the 7970 scales better with clock speeds. Roughly a 1200MHz 7970 = a 1300MHz 680 (roughly).
> If we were talking about older drivers, then sure....the 680 was a step up, not much....but slightly. The only time the 680 is really a step up NOW, is if you're playing BF3 or some other Nvidia optimized game. Overall, on average, the two cards trade blows back and forth.
> I've been wanting to tinker with a 680 for quite a while, and I agree....I am not a fanboy of either side (my last card was a 580). But to be perfectly honest, with the performance of the 7970, I just can't justify getting rid of it (yet).


Amd has a head start on drivers and that's what I hate about Nvidia (late to the party).

I'm running Eyefinity so the clear choice was the 7970. I even considered a 690 but I got three 7970s for the same cash









Glad to hear current drivers are pumping out more performance







. But, I know Amd drivers are finicky so I'll see what happens in the next few days and weeks.


----------



## Testier

I am wondering how much cash can I get if I down grade my u2410. Dont get wrong, U2410 is awesome, but.....,.... I will probably stick with it in the end though.


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> After a number of 7970 duds, I humbly dropped down to the 7950 only to find how supreme of a card it is. I've been testing it all day and found 1285MHz to be the highest, most stable core clock. Anything past this even 1290MHz will artifact. The memory was cranked to 1650MHz and I have not yet found my memory maximum. Voltage was set to 1.299
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and fan speed cranked to 75% to control the heat. Temperature hovered around the high 60s to low 70s during 3DMark 11 and Heaven. Keep in mind that at 75% speed it is annoyingly loud and I won't be running this 24/7 or even during games as I don't really need the extra performance.
> Spec for spec, I've got to have one of the highest 3DMark 11 and Heaven benchmark scores among 7950 owners
> 
> 
> Just wanted to drop in and show off the performance of this Godzilla of a card


*Impressive!*


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Every one knows the 680 got the upper hand and on the 7970. It is a notch up but nothing too dramatic. When amd has to drop the price and overclock the 7970, you know they needed something to make it competitive. When people are pouring into the marketplace and on ebay you see "selling 7970, upgraded to 680" or "trade 7970 for 680" you know the 680 is better. Now, its not perfect and the 7970 is better for larger resolutions and I strongly feel its scaling is a lot better in two or more cards. Overclocked, a 680 will blow the 7970 1ghz. Its an upgrade, something better. Is it leaps and bounds better? No, but its better, thus an upgrade. its like switching from ls6 to a z06, not a huge increase but noticeable.
> As far as the 590, its definitely better than one 7970 or one 680, but its hotter, you have to contend with sli (when its an issue), consumes more power, and you're only upgrade path is another 590. 1.5gb of vram becomes a factor with higher resolutions. The 6990 is a better card in terms of performance but you have to contend with crossfire and the heat and noise. When one 6990 is noisier than two 590s, you wanna think twice about running a stock 6990.
> I'm not a fan boy of either side. I recognize a cards strengths and weakness and I make logical recommendations based on what the user needs. As I mentioned to Testier early, its a great card but if he's looking for the next step (and I stress step not level
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) the 680 would be it.
> Personally, i would keep it and add another 7970 down the road.


i can't fully agree with statement cause as of late the 7970 is the best bang per buck as far as Highend single gpu goes the gigahertz edition trade blow with the 680 majority of the time winning most games so to say the 680 is an upgrade is totally not valid, a side-grade sounds better, you also mention that he 680 overlcock can beat a 7970 1ghz thats true, but is also true that nicely overclock 7970 can counter that with ease i'm not right?. 680's are fantastic cards but at this point in the game they less attractive with that price point.... this is just my 2cents on the matter


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> After a number of 7970 duds, I humbly dropped down to the 7950 only to find how supreme of a card it is. I've been testing it all day and found 1285MHz to be the highest, most stable core clock. Anything past this even 1290MHz will artifact. The memory was cranked to 1650MHz and I have not yet found my memory maximum. Voltage was set to 1.299
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and fan speed cranked to 75% to control the heat. Temperature hovered around the high 60s to low 70s during 3DMark 11 and Heaven. Keep in mind that at 75% speed it is annoyingly loud and I won't be running this 24/7 or even during games as I don't really need the extra performance.
> 
> Spec for spec, I've got to have one of the highest 3DMark 11 and Heaven benchmark scores among 7950 owners
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just wanted to drop in and show off the performance of this Godzilla of a card


That's actually REALLY impressive. Wow! For reference, here's what my rig does at 5050MHz CPU, DDR3-2200, and my 7970 at 1300 / 1800:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Testier

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4348876

I got beaten by a 7950..........


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4348876
> I got beaten by a 7950..........


*Here's one of my MSI 7950 TFIII:*


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> *Here's one of my MSI 7950 TFIII:*


Nah, you graphic score is lower. That what I care about.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's actually REALLY impressive. Wow! For reference, here's what my rig does at 5050MHz CPU, DDR3-2200, and my 7970 at 1300 / 1800:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Yes, I am impressed myself and was blown away. I couldn't break 10K with the two 7970 lemons that I owned before settling for the 7950. One couldn't move past 1150MHz on the core regardless of voltage and the other was voltage locked. Comparing our scores, your i5-2500K is faster, our ram is about equal in speed, and your 7970 has an additional 15MHz on the core and 150MHz on the memory. Did I mention I only spent $310? LOL I kid


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's actually REALLY impressive. Wow! For reference, here's what my rig does at 5050MHz CPU, DDR3-2200, and my 7970 at 1300 / 1800:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, I am impressed myself and was blown away. I couldn't break 10K with the two 7970 lemons that I owned before settling for the 7950. One couldn't move past 1150MHz on the core regardless of voltage and the other was voltage locked. Comparing our scores, your i5-2500K is faster, our ram is about equal in speed, and your 7970 has an additional 15MHz on the core and 150MHz on the memory. Did I mention I only spent $310? LOL I kid
Click to expand...

Did I mention I've had this card since the 2nd or 3rd week of January?


----------



## ElevenEleven

These make me sad... But then I paid $340 for my non-reference 7970 on an open box deal, so that's not terrible. But definitely outperformed by a $310 card







I haven't pushed my overclock limits yet, but I know high temperatures will be my ceiling, as I use the card on a 1440p monitor.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Yes, I am impressed myself and was blown away. I couldn't break 10K with the two 7970 lemons that I owned before settling for the 7950. One couldn't move past 1150MHz on the core regardless of voltage and the other was voltage locked. Comparing our scores, your i5-2500K is faster, our ram is about equal in speed, and your 7970 has an additional 15MHz on the core and 150MHz on the memory. Did I mention I only spent $310? LOL I kid


What are your max overclocks on your older HD7970s and are they really slower than this 7950?

Wow that 7950 is really impressive. I am wondering what a 7970 can get at same clocks? 1285/1650.
HD7970 at 1300/1800 is only *3.9%* faster than 7950 1285/1650.
But too bad not all of them will clock that high.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Did I mention I've had this card since the 2nd or 3rd week of January?


Will you run Heaven and 3DMark at same clocks? 1285/1650 for reference sake


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Did I mention I've had this card since the 2nd or 3rd week of January?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will you run Heaven and 3DMark at same clocks? 1285/1650 for reference sake
Click to expand...

I suppose I can. What settings on Heaven? 1920x1080, maxed out, 8x AA?

What CPU speed do you want me to use? And RAM speed / timings?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I suppose I can. What settings on Heaven? 1920x1080, maxed out, 8x AA?


Yup max out heaven at 1920x1080


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4348876
> I got beaten by a 7950..........


I would say If you overclock your CPU you will beat it or will come really really close.
You have higher memory clock. but I still think HD7970 at 1.2 GHz is faster than HD7950 at 1.285 MHz.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I suppose I can. What settings on Heaven? 1920x1080, maxed out, 8x AA?
> 
> 
> 
> Yup max out heaven at 1920x1080
Click to expand...

See my edit please.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I suppose I can. What settings on Heaven? 1920x1080, maxed out, 8x AA?
> What CPU speed do you want me to use? And RAM speed / timings?


Go with 4.8GHz 2500K, I'm running DDR3 2400 (1200 MHz) with timings 10-12-12-31 and so something close to it. I believe our overall ram speed is pretty close.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I suppose I can. What settings on Heaven? 1920x1080, maxed out, 8x AA?
> What CPU speed do you want me to use? And RAM speed / timings?
> 
> 
> 
> Go with 4.8GHz 2500K, I'm running DDR3 2400 (1200 MHz) with timings 10-12-12-31 and so something close to it. I believe our overall ram speed is pretty close.
Click to expand...

If you want me to be as close to comparable to your sig rig, then I think 4.85-4.90GHz would actually be closer on my 2500k. I'll get the RAM speed as high as I can, but remember I'm limited to the 2133 divider on Sandy. So best I can probably get is 2200-2250 or so.

I'll be back with some results shortly. Gotta go adjust clock speeds and fan speeds.


----------



## Bruennis

I believe a 4.6GHz 3570K is about equal to a 4.8GHz 2500K but go with 4.9GHz to make up for the memory advantage that I may have. This should be interesting


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> 
> The joys of reviewing. The cards are going to be part of my motherboard test bed for at least the next twelve months, not part of my daily (yet)


Nooooo




























you are so lucky!! I envy you man!.I dream every day about buying my second 7950 and you have 4 7970's to test!!!

You my friend are a lucky man.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Here you go.....

Settings:
i5 2500k @ 4.85GHz (103.2 x 47)
16GB DDR3-1600 @ 2202, 9-11-10-28, 1.70v
Sapphire HD7970 Reference (GHz Flashed) at 1285 / 1650, 1.29v / 1.70v

Benchmarks:


Spoiler: 3DMark11 Performance









Spoiler: Heaven 3.0 Maxed out 100% at 1920x1080







EDIT:
Looks like 4.80GHz on the nose would have indeed been closer. I was 300 points higher on the Physics score.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Here you go.....
> Settings:
> i5 2500k @ 4.85GHz (103.2 x 47)
> 16GB DDR3-1600 @ 2202, 9-11-10-28, 1.70v
> Sapphire HD7970 Reference (GHz Flashed) at 1285 / 1650, 1.29v / 1.70v
> Benchmarks:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: 3DMark11 Performance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Heaven 3.0 Maxed out 100% at 1920x1080


You deserve a virtual +rep for your precious time putting those benches







.
That's a 2% difference clock-for-clock.
HD 7950 is the beast of current generation GPUs. A good clocking HD 7950 will require good 670s/680s & HD7970s to keep up with it. AMD's decision to clock it really low at 800 MHz was a really stupid decision IMO because lots of people don't know the true potential of this card.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> i can't fully agree with statement cause as of late the 7970 is the best bang per buck as far as Highend single gpu goes the gigahertz edition trade blow with the 680 majority of the time winning most games so to say the 680 is an upgrade is totally not valid, a side-grade sounds better, you also mention that he 680 overlcock can beat a 7970 1ghz thats true, but is also true that nicely overclock 7970 can counter that with ease i'm not right?. 680's are fantastic cards but at this point in the game they less attractive with that price point.... this is just my 2cents on the matter


Fanboysm aside, its all about the reviews. No one is arguing that the 7970 is the best bang for your buck. Heck, thats why I'm getting three! Amd die hard fans will never say the 680 is better and will always site oc and this and that. Check all the reviews because that's what counts. As much I as hate that, its true, all reviews have the 680 on top of the 7970. Only those of us who are true anal enthusiast will recognize its strengths and weakness. I knew I was pouring blood in the water if I mentioned this but I tell the truth. I don't see Nvidia scrambling to drop prices or oc their cards to combat amd. Nvidia cards retain their value a lot more. Heck, this is probably why Nvidia won't release a gtx 685 because their are confident the 680 has gotten the best of the 7970 no matter how much drivers are improved, or price drops, or oc editions. The damage has been done, nuff said. But down in the muddy trenches of the enthusiast, the fight continues. The 680 is a slightly better card than the 7970. Not now, not oc'd, not with newest drivers, or leter, etc.

I don't mean to start a flame ware in this thread but a member was contemplating getting something better than a 7970. My first comment was to site how good the 7970 is, but if he was serious, he's next option was s 680. He never said he had an unlimited budget or I would have suggested two PC 7970x2 or a GTX 690.

Lets leave the 680 vs 7970 for the "General Graphics Card" section. And just help 79xx owners with questions and concerns.









edit: What's the best 1ghz drivers out there to flash? I had a lot of success with Sapphire with the 69xx series. I got a Visiontek, a Sapphire coming in, and hopefully an XFX 7970.


----------



## Bruennis

Thanks for the comparable reference! Spec for spec, It's looking like 3-4% advantage in 3DMark 11 and 2-3% advantage in Heaven.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Here you go.....
> Settings:
> i5 2500k @ 4.85GHz (103.2 x 47)
> 16GB DDR3-1600 @ 2202, 9-11-10-28, 1.70v
> Sapphire HD7970 Reference (GHz Flashed) at 1285 / 1650, 1.29v / 1.70v
> Benchmarks:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: 3DMark11 Performance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Heaven 3.0 Maxed out 100% at 1920x1080
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT:
> Looks like 4.80GHz on the nose would have indeed been closer. I was 300 points higher on the Physics score.


Wow that's a great score there the reference 7970 you own is amazing I've seen others overclock high but not that high 1285 man that's a lot.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> You deserve a virtual +rep for your precious time putting those benches
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> That's a 2% difference clock-for-clock.
> HD 7950 is the beast of current generation GPUs. A good clocking HD 7950 will require good 670s/680s & HD7970s to keep up with it. AMD's decision to clock it really low at 800 MHz was a really stupid decision IMO because lots of people don't know the true potential of this card.


I totally agree,it was definitely a stupid decision that's why you see the 7950 so behind in the charts when benchmarking it at stock 800 mhz,this card can perfectly run at 1060-1100 without even increasing the voltage,specially one like the one I own.
A 7950 @ 1150/1500+ will kick the 680's ass(stock) and the 670 has no chance against it even when overclocked.
I love it,as soon as I can I'll get another one and CF before the next gen is released,I wanna see how two of those overclocked match up with 2x7970's


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Here you go.....
> Settings:
> i5 2500k @ 4.85GHz (103.2 x 47)
> 16GB DDR3-1600 @ 2202, 9-11-10-28, 1.70v
> Sapphire HD7970 Reference (GHz Flashed) at 1285 / 1650, 1.29v / 1.70v
> Benchmarks:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: 3DMark11 Performance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Heaven 3.0 Maxed out 100% at 1920x1080
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT:
> Looks like 4.80GHz on the nose would have indeed been closer. I was 300 points higher on the Physics score.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow that's a great score there the reference 7970 you own is amazing I've seen others overclock high but not that high 1285 man that's a lot.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> You deserve a virtual +rep for your precious time putting those benches
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> That's a 2% difference clock-for-clock.
> HD 7950 is the beast of current generation GPUs. A good clocking HD 7950 will require good 670s/680s & HD7970s to keep up with it. AMD's decision to clock it really low at 800 MHz was a really stupid decision IMO because lots of people don't know the true potential of this card.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I totally agree,it was definitely a stupid decision that's why you see the 7950 so behind in the charts when benchmarking it at stock 800 mhz,this card can perfectly run at 1060-1100 without even increasing the voltage,specially one like the one I own.
> A 7950 @ 1150/1500+ will kick the 680's ass(stock) and the 670 has no chance against it even when overclocked.
> I love it,as soon as I can I'll get another one and CF before the next gen is released,I wanna see how two of those overclocked match up with 2x7970's
Click to expand...

My card is capable of 1375 / 1800 on water 24/7 stable.







I can bench on air at 1300 / 1800 just fine. 24/7 stable (with high speed fans) I can pull off 1250 / 1800, limited by air temps.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Every one knows the 680 got the upper hand and on the 7970. It is a notch up but nothing too dramatic. When amd has to drop the price and overclock the 7970, you know they needed something to make it competitive. When people are pouring into the marketplace and on ebay you see "selling 7970, upgraded to 680" or "trade 7970 for 680" you know the 680 is better. Now, its not perfect and the 7970 is better for larger resolutions and I strongly feel its scaling is a lot better in two or more cards. Overclocked, a 680 will blow the 7970 1ghz. Its an upgrade, something better. Is it leaps and bounds better? No, but its better, thus an upgrade. its like switching from ls6 to a z06, not a huge increase but noticeable.
> As far as the 590, its definitely better than one 7970 or one 680, but its hotter, you have to contend with sli (when its an issue), consumes more power, and you're only upgrade path is another 590. 1.5gb of vram becomes a factor with higher resolutions. The 6990 is a better card in terms of performance but you have to contend with crossfire and the heat and noise. When one 6990 is noisier than two 590s, you wanna think twice about running a stock 6990.
> I'm not a fan boy of either side. I recognize a cards strengths and weakness and I make logical recommendations based on what the user needs. As I mentioned to Testier early, its a great card but if he's looking for the next step (and I stress step not level
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) the 680 would be it.
> Personally, i would keep it and add another 7970 down the road.


the 680 beat a stock HD 7970 (925 Mhz) on launch. but its not the same now. clock speed improvements to HD 7970 Ghz , driver improvements have made it the fastest card for any resolution above 1080p. When a product sells better it might be due to many factors other than performance - efficiency where Kepler scores and stronger brand where Nvidia is more dominant. But Nvidia's Kepler efficiency is a direct result of design choices. Nvidia GTX 680 sucks for compute and professional apps. thats why supercomputer and HPC customers are waiting for Big Kepler or GK110. Its not as if AMD has a poor design. its the cost of a chip which performs well in a range of applications. If you really want to praise Nvidia for efficiency wait for GTX 780 vs HD 8970 before doing that. In fact GTX 680 falls behind GTX 580 in cases where double precision is involved. thats not what you call flagship chip performance.

http://vr-zone.com/articles/amd-radeon-hd-7970-ghz-edition-review--tahiti-s-boost-from-overclocking-and-drivers/16362-8.html

Nvidia can afford to stay at launch prices because their brand is stronger than AMD. But that does not reflect on actual performance at all. it does not matter even if they are slightly behind the HD 7970. More people pick a Geforce over a Radeon. thats the reason. In selling a product market perception is everything. You should see how Apple makes a killing based on market perception about its products. charges huge premium and has margins which no other company in the PC and mobile space can ever dream of. Nvidia has 60% of desktop market and AMD has 40%.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7970_Toxic_6_GB/28.html

2560 x 1600

HD 7970 (925) - 88
GTX 680 - 89
HD 7970 Ghz - 97
HD 7970 Ghz (1100) - 100
HD 7970 Ghz (1200) - 106

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Point_Of_View/GeForce_GTX_680_TGT_Ultra_4_GB/28.html

2560 x 1600

HD 7970 - 95
GTX 680 - 95
GTX 680 (1175 boost) - 100
HD 7970 Ghz - 105

actually GTX 680 is a downgrade to a HD 7970 Ghz for high resolutions. Even for 1080p they are similar in performance.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> *Impressive!*


for example post like this make me wonder why some one with HD7970 would like to sell it and get a GTX680? what for?
5 or 10fps? more? lol


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My card is capable of 1375 / 1800 on water 24/7 stable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can bench on air at 1300 / 1800 just fine. 24/7 stable (with high speed fans) I can pull off 1250 / 1800, limited by air temps.


Nice clocks







How much difference in memory clocks oc vs stock?

Any one?








Quote:


> edit: What's the best 1ghz drivers out there to flash? I had a lot of success with Sapphire with the 69xx series. I got a Visiontek, a Sapphire coming in, and hopefully an XFX 7970.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> My card is capable of 1375 / 1800 on water 24/7 stable.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can bench on air at 1300 / 1800 just fine. 24/7 stable (with high speed fans) I can pull off 1250 / 1800, limited by air temps.
> 
> 
> 
> Nice clocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How much difference in memory clocks oc vs stock?
> 
> Any one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> edit: What's the best 1ghz drivers out there to flash? I had a lot of success with Sapphire with the 69xx series. I got a Visiontek, a Sapphire coming in, and hopefully an XFX 7970.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

1) Pretty large difference in memory clocks. Roughly 5-8 FPS or so in Crysis on average from 1500 to 1800.

2) 12.7b Beta's.

3) I'd advise you to avoid the XFX card unless its reference (and even then, be warned of their warranty practices). Otherwise your card choices are fine. So long as you know the risks with XFX, then whatever.







I have been hearing more and more lately that they're getting better with warranty.... but their BE cooler is absolutely horrible on the 7900's.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1) Pretty large difference in memory clocks. Roughly 5-8 FPS or so in Crysis on average from 1500 to 1800.
> 2) 12.7b Beta's.
> 3) I'd advise you to avoid the XFX card unless its reference (and even then, be warned of their warranty practices). Otherwise your card choices are fine. So long as you know the risks with XFX, then whatever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have been hearing more and more lately that they're getting better with warranty.... but their BE cooler is absolutely horrible on the 7900's.










I meant 1ghz bios









The XFx is only a couple of months and i got a super nice price for it that I couldn't pass up. And it is reference







. I got the cards based on age and price but I'm pretty stoked to run amd. I was so impressed with Eyefintiy and three 6970 though sadly one card was a dud. Having the extra vram is awesome. All in all, I'm just shy of $1k investment in all three, pricey but I needed something powerful to keep me busy for sometime. New baby on the way so no more upgrades for a while


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1) Pretty large difference in memory clocks. Roughly 5-8 FPS or so in Crysis on average from 1500 to 1800.
> 2) 12.7b Beta's.
> 3) I'd advise you to avoid the XFX card unless its reference (and even then, be warned of their warranty practices). Otherwise your card choices are fine. So long as you know the risks with XFX, then whatever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have been hearing more and more lately that they're getting better with warranty.... but their BE cooler is absolutely horrible on the 7900's.


thats not true at all i have XFX7950 BE 900mhz one... and i manually overclock it after reading this to 1050core/1500mhz memory with stock voltages
and i adjusted the fan at 75% and temp were never more than 60C on 3dmark


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1) Pretty large difference in memory clocks. Roughly 5-8 FPS or so in Crysis on average from 1500 to 1800.
> 2) 12.7b Beta's.
> 3) I'd advise you to avoid the XFX card unless its reference (and even then, be warned of their warranty practices). Otherwise your card choices are fine. So long as you know the risks with XFX, then whatever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have been hearing more and more lately that they're getting better with warranty.... but their BE cooler is absolutely horrible on the 7900's.
> 
> 
> 
> thats not true at all i have XFX7950 BE 900mhz one... and i manually overclock it after reading this to 1050core/1500mhz memory with stock voltages
> and i adjusted the fan at 75% and temp were never more than 60C on 3dmark
Click to expand...

What about your VRM temperatures though?


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> You deserve a virtual +rep for your precious time putting those benches
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> That's a 2% difference clock-for-clock.
> HD 7950 is the beast of current generation GPUs. A good clocking HD 7950 will require good 670s/680s & HD7970s to keep up with it. AMD's decision to clock it really low at 800 MHz was a really stupid decision IMO because lots of people don't know the true potential of this card.


I'd like to see the 7950's scores in each of the tests in 3DMark11, but still. Clock for clock the 7950 is just absolutely insane for it's price bracket. And knowing that most 7950s can reach 7970 Ghz clock speeds out of the box on stock voltage is even more impressive.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1) Pretty large difference in memory clocks. Roughly 5-8 FPS or so in Crysis on average from 1500 to 1800.
> 2) 12.7b Beta's.
> 3) I'd advise you to avoid the XFX card unless its reference (and even then, be warned of their warranty practices). Otherwise your card choices are fine. So long as you know the risks with XFX, then whatever.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have been hearing more and more lately that they're getting better with warranty.... but their BE cooler is absolutely horrible on the 7900's.


We know you hate XFX, but it's about the silicon not the brand right? It doesn't matter what the damn brand is whether it's a base core edition or a 600 jobber lightning crapper, it's about the silicon lottery.


----------



## Testier

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> We know you hate XFX, but it's about the silicon not the brand right? It doesn't matter what the damn brand is whether it's a base core edition or a 600 jobber lightning crapper, it's about the silicon lottery.


I am not a big fan of XFX. Their warranty is fine but they do silent revisions on cards.... which is annoying.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Testier*
> 
> I am not a big fan of XFX. Their warranty is fine but they do silent revisions on cards.... which is annoying.


You know, they weren't the first ones who started revising the pcb right? Powercolor and MSI were first. Hell Powercolor even sells a 7970 with a freaking 7950 PCB for christs sake.


----------



## Oubadah

..


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Oubadah*
> 
> I'm considering a 7970. I want the reference cooler. Have there been any silent revisions on reference cooler cards? I was probably going with Asus, any reason to re-think? How prevalent is coil whine in these cards?


the reference HD 7970 cards are good if you will stick to stock speeds or slight overclocking at stock voltage to 1 - 1.05 Ghz . the cooler can get loud with fan speeds above 50% and its not capable of cooling very high voltage overclocks above 1200 Mhz. but the ref cards are best option if you want to watercool. HD 7970 waterblocks are designed for the ref HD 7970 card.


----------



## Oubadah

..


----------



## sena

Guys i have question about caps, should i delete them before installing new version, or just install over previus version?


----------



## s0up2up

Any black PCB'd 7970 Ghz Editions?


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *s0up2up*
> 
> Any black PCB'd 7970 Ghz Editions?


Yup, the one I got. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632&Tpk=xfx%20double%20d%207970%20ghz


----------



## Kitarist

Anyone knows whats the difference between those two?

http://www.hoh.de/hardware/grafikkarten/amdati/radeon-hd7000-serie/sapphire/628241/sapphire-radeon-hd-7850-oc-2gb-gddr5?c=62051

http://www.hoh.de/hardware/grafikkarten/amdati/radeon-hd7000-serie/sapphire/616741/sapphire-radeon-hd-7850-oc-2gb-gddr5?c=62051

The only difference i can see is that the first one might be the lite version with smaller box and no additional stuff (cables...)


----------



## TheMafia

http://www.overclock.net/t/1304345/crossfire-issues-and-progression-out-of-them/0_50

guess this might be a good place to leave this, thanks in advance for your feed back


----------



## TheMafia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I've runned trifire 6970 lightnings and 560 ti tf3 all aircooled on the EVGA Z77 FTW. I'm waiting on two more 7970s to run tri-fire. Since the MB allows you to run with an extra slot of breathing room for the top cards, it should cool vastly better than a triple sandwich. There's a few boards that can allow this arrangement (it maxes out at 8x pcie 3.0 on the EVGA Z77). I know the EVGA 4-way X58 can, the Asrock x79 Chamption, X79 Classified., and I think the BigBang x79. Some board do have the this middle pcie slot but their designated as 4x. Here's how I ran the 6970s and 560s:
> 
> 
> If you don't plan to upgrade your mb, then expect some high temps in sandwich setup:
> 
> 
> Source


...you daisy chain is interesting...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1304345/crossfire-issues-and-progression-out-of-them/0_50

perhaps you can help explain proper usage in that thread?


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Oubadah*
> 
> I want the reference 'ducted blower' cooler because of my case layout. I though these cards were supposed to be very quiet. Can anyone comemnt on noise levels vs the GTX 580?


If you keep the reference cards at stock settings, they are not TOO loud, but still loud. I did have a GTX580 at one point and it was much louder than a reference 7970. If you plan to OC your reference card with stock cooler and use a customer fan profile to keep it around 80c or lower, you will find it get loud under full load - especially if you have 2 cards (or more)


----------



## vonalka

Also, considering the Heaven screens that people have been posting recently, thought I would put mine up as well:

Intel Rig running two 7970's, both clocked at 1100/1450


AMD Rig running a 7970 crossfired with a 7950, both clocked at 1050/1400


All my cards are reference cards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> ...you daisy chain is interesting...
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1304345/crossfire-issues-and-progression-out-of-them/0_50
> perhaps you can help explain proper usage in that thread?


Nice catch. Those crossfire bridges are setup wrong!


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> ...you daisy chain is interesting...
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1304345/crossfire-issues-and-progression-out-of-them/0_50
> perhaps you can help explain proper usage in that thread?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nice catch. Those crossfire bridges are setup wrong!


That's sli!!!!









First pic crossfire 6970 x3. Second pic, Sli gtx 560 448 x3. That's how you setup three Nvidia cards using ribbon cables. I know, its a pita. I found out the hard way and took me a week to find that long 140mm MSI ribbon cable. Thanks to Msi-Alex for the hook up







. Since I'm running an extra slot, I can't run the traditional triple sli hard-bridge. Also, its a little hard to notice but the cards in the second pic are slightly shorter and use two 6-pin (Lightnings 6970 used two 8-pins).

eidt: here's the thread that found the solution -

http://www.overclock.net/t/1293941/triple-sli-with-ribbon-sli-bridges-solved


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> That's sli!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> First pic crossfire 6970 x3. Second pic, Sli gtx 560 448 x3. That's how you setup three Nvidia cards using ribbon cables. I know, its a pita. I found out the hard way and took me a week to find that long 140mm MSI ribbon cable. Thanks to Msi-Alex for the hook up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Since I'm running an extra slot, I can't run the traditional triple sli hard-bridge. Also, its a little hard to notice but the cards in the second pic are slightly shorter and use two 6-pin (Lightnings 6970 used two 8-pins).
> eidt: here's the thread that found the solution.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1293941/triple-sli-with-ribbon-sli-bridges-solved


Doh, hehe. I realized after posting that it could have been sli too, oh well.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Also, considering the Heaven screens that people have been posting recently, thought I would put mine up as well:
> Intel Rig running two 7970's, both clocked at 1100/1450
> 
> AMD Rig running a 7970 crossfired with a 7950, both clocked at 1050/1400
> 
> All my cards are reference cards.


I don't think those 7970's are running correct on that Intel rig. Here are my results at the same overclock (1100/1450) on the GPU's with Heaven *max* *out* 1080p.


----------



## Subcutaneous

I dunno about that - to me it seems like your score is high for crossfire with 7970s at 1100 core.


----------



## RKTGX95

i was wondering, what is the best bench for checking stability (without being have to check for artifacts or just seating near it) and best represents game stability? (i.e. doesn't require to buy a game)


----------



## Ukkooh

Has anyone tried undervolting their card with stock clocks? Thougth of doing this today to lower my temps a little bit, mainly to see if my flickering shadows+ some other artifacts are due to temps. Seems like a better option than overclocking at the moment because my card seems to be barely stable at 1.1ghz @1.17V (stock voltage). The highest I've seen my temps is 69ºC. Could this be a reason for artifacting?


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I don't think those 7970's are running correct on that Intel rig. Here are my results at the same overclock (1100/1450) on the GPU's with Heaven *max* *out* 1080p.


Is your score with all three of your 7970's or just two? Also, I had my CPU at stock (3.3) so that might account for a lower score as well.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Is your score with all three of your 7970's or just two? Also, I had my CPU at stock (3.3) so that might account for a lower score as well.


I only have 2 7970's.


----------



## wermad

Finally, I was able to run my first 7970. I'm running my cpu stock since I'm testing an Asus mb I have for sale.



Gpu score is awesome compared to my old 560 448 and 6970 Lightning!


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I only have 2 7970's.


Interesting







I will have to take another look at my settings and run it again.

By the way, do you have a recent 3DM11 result with your two cards at that OC?

Here is the result I got the same day I ran Heaven:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4304978

P14746

I suspect 3DM11 details might shed some light on where our score differences are coming from


----------



## wermad

How common is the capacitor/vrm whine???

Its very noticeable when I launched a game.


----------



## ElevenEleven

It's quite common in high-end cards. Should calm down a bit over time.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> It's quite common in high-end cards. Should calm down a bit over time.


Hmmm, the card is a couple of months old but the guy said he was having crossfire issues w/ the drivers and pulled it a month ago.

I'll keep an eye (or ear







) on it. i have another one coming in to compare it (its 6 months old).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> How common is the capacitor/vrm whine???
> Its very noticeable when I launched a game.


It's common enough these days. I'd only be concerned if it's obnoxiously loud.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's common enough these days. I'd only be concerned if it's obnoxiously loud.


It is









Its louder than all my fans









I contacted the seller for a possible rma (need invoice). I also read a few threads where it goes away if you stress the gpu for a few hours it might go away. I'll wait later tonight when its cooler.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> It is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its louder than all my fans


I bet the seller forgot to mention that lol, sorry bro.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I bet the seller forgot to mention that lol, sorry bro.


Sure did









I'm running 3d11 right now and the its louder than the turbine fine







. Yeah, I'm hoping he can reply. Otherwise ebay-buyer protection.

Any one know how visiontek rma works? Serial number based or original buyer???

edit: I looped 3d11 and I'm hoping this will help.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Sure did
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm running 3d11 right now and the its louder than the turbine fine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Yeah, I'm hoping he can reply. Otherwise ebay-buyer protection.
> Any one know how visiontek rma works? Serial number based or original buyer???


Visiontek is original buyer based.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Interesting
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will have to take another look at my settings and run it again.
> By the way, do you have a recent 3DM11 result with your two cards at that OC?
> Here is the result I got the same day I ran Heaven:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4304978
> P14746
> I suspect 3DM11 details might shed some light on where our score differences are coming from


I don't own a copy of this benchmark. Sorry.
If i did, by all means, I would run it for you.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Visiontek is original buyer based.


ugh, just found that too. I'll see how the stressing goes. If not, I'm going to try to get my money back.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I don't own a copy of this benchmark. Sorry.
> If i did, by all means, I would run it for you.


You can get the basic version for free if you are interested


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> ugh, just found that too. I'll see how the stressing goes. If not, I'm going to try to get my money back.


I just clocked to 5.1 and 1300/1760 on mah cards including that one hoohoo.









Looks like it's Vega's number is gonna be easy pickings.


----------



## wermad

^^^I see some ppl hitting 1800 mem, I'm sure it will make a bit of difference, but worth the shot?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> ^^^I see some ppl hitting 1800 mem, I'm sure it will make a bit of difference, but worth the shot?


Not really. I'm about to beat Vegas quads clocked at 1335/1800+ something something lol.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not really. I'm about to beat Vegas quads clocked at 1335/1800+ something something lol.


Is he running Lightnings?


----------



## spinejam

*MSI 7950 TFIII (non-7970 PCB):*

*ASIC = 66.8%*


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Is he running Lightnings?


Was. He's selling everything just like always.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Was. He's selling everything just like always.


haha, I'm like that.

No dice with 10 runs of looped 3d11. I got seven days if the guy doesn't respond before I can submit a claim with ebay







. I hope the incoming Sapphire is a lot better.

I've heard of fixes for these. Anyone have any suggestions? I know these are warranty voidable procedures.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Was. He's selling everything just like always.
> 
> 
> 
> haha, I'm like that.
> 
> No dice with 10 runs of looped 3d11. I got seven days if the guy doesn't respond before I can submit a claim with ebay
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I hope the incoming Sapphire is a lot better.
> 
> I've heard of fixes for these. Anyone have any suggestions? I know these are warranty voidable procedures.
Click to expand...

Just the coil whine problem? Give it some time. Mine was pretty bad for the first couple weeks and it slowly went away.

It also helps out a lot if you use vsync or a frame limiter (like in MSI AB).


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Just the coil whine problem? Give it some time. Mine was pretty bad for the first couple weeks and it slowly went away.
> It also helps out a lot if you use vsync or a frame limiter (like in MSI AB).


The thing is that this card is pre-owned (two months to be exact). So it should have settled then already?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Just the coil whine problem? Give it some time. Mine was pretty bad for the first couple weeks and it slowly went away.
> It also helps out a lot if you use vsync or a frame limiter (like in MSI AB).
> 
> 
> 
> The thing is that this card is pre-owned (two months to be exact). So it should have settled then already?
Click to expand...

Not if the old owner never fully used it.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Not if the old owner never fully used it.


You have a point there. I'll see what develops of the next few days. The whine is louder than all my case fans and the turbine cooler


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Not if the old owner never fully used it.
> 
> 
> 
> You have a point there. I'll see what develops of the next few days. The whine is louder than all my case fans and the turbine cooler
Click to expand...

Honestly, I'd overclock the snot out of it, run some Heaven and Crysis to ensure stability, and see where its at. If its a decent enough clocker, I'd just keep it. The coil whine should eventually die down some after time, and using vsync / frame limiters helps a lot.


----------



## ElevenEleven

My Sapphire 7970 had fairly bad coil whine as well. I'd read some common recommendations, one of which was to leave the computer on some game menu on which the whine is quite loud for a long time (hours at a time). I've done that as well as various benchmarking and such, just generally stressing the card. The card's been used for various games, including many hours of Guild Wars 2, which is quite demanding, and the whine is still there, but it's so much quieter now (hasn't been that long, maybe around a month), it's easy to ignore. So I can attest to it going away over time.


----------



## KaRLiToS




----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> My Sapphire 7970 had fairly bad coil whine as well. I'd read some common recommendations, one of which was to leave the computer on some game menu on which the whine is quite loud for a long time (hours at a time). I've done that as well as various benchmarking and such, just generally stressing the card. The card's been used for various games, including many hours of Guild Wars 2, which is quite demanding, and the whine is still there, but it's so much quieter now (hasn't been that long, maybe around a month), it's easy to ignore. So I can attest to it going away over time.


Thanks for the input.

I'm concluding this is a dud that the seller was just trying to get rid of. I went back to the listing description and lots of things to match what this card is doing. I'm idling in the 60s and I have all my fans on max and the door panel is off. The guy listed idle in the low 30s. I'm also hovering in the high 80s at load which is no where near what the reviews got. Grrrrrrrrrrrr...fired off message to seller that I want a refund. Sucks big time


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Thanks for the input.
> I'm concluding this is a dud that the seller was just trying to get rid of. I went back to the listing description and lots of things to match what this card is doing. I'm idling in the 60s and I have all my fans on max and the door panel is off. The guy listed idle in the low 30s. I'm also hovering in the high 80s at load which is no where near what the reviews got. Grrrrrrrrrrrr...fired off message to seller that I want a refund. Sucks big time


This is why I don't buy hardware without history GL with the return.


----------



## Kitarist

Guys is it worth it to spend a lil bit more on 7870 instead of 7850. I heard many people having issues with the 7870 cards can anyone take to comment on this?


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> Guys is it worth it to spend a lil bit more on 7870 instead of 7850. I heard many people having issues with the 7870 cards can anyone take to comment on this?


In my opinion, yes. Plus, search good in the For Sale section or if possible, search for a good sale and sometimes you can find 7950s for very near 7870 prices.


----------



## raptor5150

So I got one of my Visiontek 7970's today, supposed to get the other tomorrow. This is my first AMD card since my rage128pro back in the q2 days







I did some testing and heres what I have so far.
card has a asic of 84.1 and stock voltage of 1.049. The highest i could clock it in AB was 1125 core so i ran it at 1125/1500 and any bench I run and kombuster for 10 min it never past 61c and 56c vrm temps at 26c ambient. I backed it off to 1100/1450 and got these scores, do i have a descent card?

Heaven 47.9
vantage p31710
3d11 p8944

It did have some coil whine in the beginning but seems to have settled down.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> So I got one of my Visiontek 7970's today, supposed to get the other tomorrow. This is my first AMD card since my rage128pro back in the q2 days
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I did some testing and heres what I have so far.
> card has a asic of 84.1 and stock voltage of 1.049. The highest i could clock it in AB was 1125 core so i ran it at 1125/1500 and any bench I run and kombuster for 10 min it never past 61c and 56c vrm temps at 26c ambient. I backed it off to 1100/1450 and got these scores, *do i have a descent card?*
> Heaven 47.9
> vantage p31710
> 3d11 p8944
> It did have some coil whine in the beginning but seems to have settled down.


Almost all 7970s can hit those clocks with stock voltage so there's no telling yet. It looks promising though.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> So I got one of my Visiontek 7970's today, supposed to get the other tomorrow. This is my first AMD card since my rage128pro back in the q2 days
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I did some testing and heres what I have so far.
> card has a asic of 84.1 and stock voltage of 1.049. The highest i could clock it in AB was 1125 core so i ran it at 1125/1500 and any bench I run and kombuster for 10 min it never past 61c and 56c vrm temps at 26c ambient. I backed it off to 1100/1450 and got these scores, do i have a descent card?
> Heaven 47.9
> vantage p31710
> 3d11 p8944
> It did have some coil whine in the beginning but seems to have settled down.


thats a very good card. considering you are on a reference cooler those temps are amazing. definitely stick to 1125 / 1500. congrats


----------



## Kitarist

a little off topic but:

Anyone knows whats the difference between those two?

http://www.hoh.de/hardware/grafikkarten/amdati/radeon-hd7000-serie/sapphire/628241/sapphire-radeon-hd-7850-oc-2gb-gddr5?c=62051

http://www.hoh.de/hardware/grafikkarten/amdati/radeon-hd7000-serie/sapphire/616741/sapphire-radeon-hd-7850-oc-2gb-gddr5?c=62051

The only difference i can see is that the first one might be the lite version with smaller box and no additional stuff (cables...)


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Also, considering the Heaven screens that people have been posting recently, thought I would put mine up as well:
> Intel Rig running two 7970's, both clocked at 1100/1450
> * Pic *
> AMD Rig running a 7970 crossfired with a 7950, both clocked at 1050/1400
> * Pic *
> All my cards are reference cards.


Amazing that you showed off the 7950 & 7970 crossfire setup again, I've decidied for myself that I will wait around 2 month and then I'll buy a 7970 to crossfire with my 7950 PCS+!








Probarly XFX Black Edition Dual Fan or MSI Lightning, feel free to give advices on any fast, quiet and well cooled HD7970


----------



## raptor5150

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> thats a very good card. considering you are on a reference cooler those temps are amazing. definitely stick to 1125 / 1500. congrats


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Almost all 7970s can hit those clocks with stock voltage so there's no telling yet. It looks promising though.


Thanks, What do yall recommend doing to test the stability? Im looking to get a nice descent OC without pushing the temps to the limit. If i were to change the voltage, how much at a time to test and whats the safe maximum?
How do i unlock the AB 2.2.3 for higher clocks? I tried the eula thing and it just made it where it wouldnt save settings.

Thanks for the help







I will be adding second card tonight so im sure I will be asking more lol <---AMD noob


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Amazing that you showed off the 7950 & 7970 crossfire setup again, I've decidied for myself that I will wait around 2 month and then I'll buy a 7970 to crossfire with my 7950 PCS+!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Probarly XFX Black Edition Dual Fan or MSI Lightning, feel free to give advices on any fast, quiet and well cooled HD7970


well i have 1 XFX BE DF 7950 and i have to say its very good overclocker, i have it 1050/1500 and i dont touch the voltages... meaning u can archive better...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*


That's beastly dude! I only got 77fps at that resolution fully maxed with my two 7970's!


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That's beastly dude! I only got 77fps at that resolution fully maxed with my two 7970's!


If you have a chance, could you run Heaven at 1920x1080 on your rig? You have somewhat similar hardware so I am really interested to see how much a difference it makes that you have your CPU @ 5.0 and your GPU's clocked a lot higher than mine.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> You can get the basic version for free if you are interested


Yeah sure?
If you can help me get it, I can run whatever tests you need.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> well i have 1 XFX BE DF 7950 and i have to say its very good overclocker, i have it 1050/1500 and i dont touch the voltages... meaning u can archive better...


Sounds great!







I will go for the 7970 edition of that XFX card if it has a good price when I got the money


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Yeah sure?
> If you can help me get it, I can run whatever tests you need.


You can download it here:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dmark11/download/

Or here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/979538/3dmark-11


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> You can download it here:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dmark11/download/
> Or here:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/979538/3dmark-11


Downloading now. What exact tests and settings do you want me to run? Cheers.
Even a screenshot of the settings would be best, if needed.
Does your CPU use HT?
Edit: Oh I see, you want me to run the Performance test right?


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Downloading now. What exact tests and settings do you want me to run? Cheers.
> Even a screenshot of the settings would be best, if needed.
> Does your CPU use HT?
> Edit: Oh I see, you want me to run the Performance test right?


For the free version I think there is really only one option - you just select run benchmark test only (or something like that) and let it go at whatever the settings are. I am not at home now, so can't pull it up on my screen

Oh and yes it is the performance test


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> For the free version I think there is really only one option - you just select run benchmark test only (or something like that) and let it go at whatever the settings are. I am not at home now, so can't pull it up on my screen
> Oh and yes it is the performance test





Why is the RAM at 2048?


----------



## cwenk

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4355200

Why is this so low? Also, my CPU appears to be under-performing. When playing Guild Wars 2 on Ultra, I probably average ~32 fps.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 
> 
> Why is the RAM at 2048?


Not sure, mine shows 1920mb:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4304978

Can you post the link to your results? I would like to take a closer look at the detailed numbers


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cwenk*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4355200
> Why is this so low? Also, my CPU appears to be under-performing. When playing Guild Wars 2 on Ultra, I probably average ~32 fps.


There is a error in your results it looks like, but I am not sure how much that impacts the result you got. Are you running it at base clocks?


----------



## cwenk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> There is a error in your results it looks like, but I am not sure how much that impacts the result you got. Are you running it at base clocks?


I've overclocked my GPU to ~1200/1520. I haven't touched my CPU as far as overclocking, but I'm seeing most i5-3570k cpu's straight stomping my physics score.


----------



## BradleyW

I will run it again and give you the link. I wonder why our VRAM is both incorrect???


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I will run it again and give you the link. I wonder why our VRAM is both incorrect???


Yeah it is weird









Also, it looks like it doesn't report GPU clocks correctly as well as it shows mine at 500mhz and my memory at 1500, but I am pretty sure I had it at 1100/1450

Interesting to see the difference in Physics results from SB-E to IB


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cwenk*
> 
> I've overclocked my GPU to ~1200/1520. I haven't touched my CPU as far as overclocking, but I'm seeing most i5-3570k cpu's straight stomping my physics score.


Yeah your physics score does look low - not sure what would be causing that, but it very well could be the same thing causing your lagging game issues. Might want to take a quick look at your bios to see if anything is turned off that shouldn't be, or just reset to defaults since your not OC'ing your CPU


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Yeah it is weird
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, it looks like it doesn't report GPU clocks correctly as well as it shows mine at 500mhz and my memory at 1500, but I am pretty sure I had it at 1100/1450
> Interesting to see the difference in Physics results from SB-E to IB


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4361923
Remember, during this test I had HT off. With HT I am sure the score would be *FAR HIGHER!*

Waiting for your feedback.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4361923
> Remember, during this test I had HT off. With HT I am sure the score would be *FAR HIGHER!*
> Waiting for your feedback.


I didn't know you had HT turned off - you should try it with it turned on just to see how high it would be.

This link compares our results:
http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/4361923/3dm11/4304978

Hope it works for you - just reviewing the details now

Are you using 12.8? I think I must still be using 12.6 as it shows your driver as 8.982 and mine as 8.980

You are about 5 fps faster on the first 4 tests and I am slightly faster on the Physics and combined tests.

It looks like your ram is clocked faster - I don't think there is much benefit in quantity of ram for me


----------



## cwenk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> Yeah your physics score does look low - not sure what would be causing that, but it very well could be the same thing causing your lagging game issues. Might want to take a quick look at your bios to see if anything is turned off that shouldn't be, or just reset to defaults since your not OC'ing your CPU


Hmm, I haven't changed a thing with the processor. Maybe the scores people are reporting from their i5-3570k's are overclocked?


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cwenk*
> 
> Hmm, I haven't changed a thing with the processor. Maybe the scores people are reporting from their i5-3570k's are overclocked?


That very well could be, but it doesn't explain the game issues you mentioned earlier - your i5 with a 7970 should be able to run every game at max settings very smoothly.

You might want to try OC'ing your CPU to see if it helps your gaming


----------



## cwenk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> That very well could be, but it doesn't explain the game issues you mentioned earlier - your i5 with a 7970 should be able to run every game at max settings very smoothly.
> You might want to try OC'ing your CPU to see if it helps your gaming


I'll head over to the CPU forum and see what I can do there.


----------



## Jokah

Haven't been doing much gaming until recently. Decided to give 12.8 a try and all I can say is thank god I've finally got a driver that works.

I've been on RC11 for most of the time because the most recent drivers for me caused random BSOD's.

Just thought I'd put that out there. Might encourage someone who's on the fence to give it a try.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> If you have a chance, could you run Heaven at 1920x1080 on your rig? You have somewhat similar hardware so I am really interested to see how much a difference it makes that you have your CPU @ 5.0 and your GPU's clocked a lot higher than mine.


Already did that a little while back:


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I didn't know you had HT turned off - you should try it with it turned on just to see how high it would be.
> This link compares our results:
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/4361923/3dm11/4304978
> Hope it works for you - just reviewing the details now
> Are you using 12.8? I think I must still be using 12.6 as it shows your driver as 8.982 and mine as 8.980
> You are about 5 fps faster on the first 4 tests and I am slightly faster on the Physics and combined tests.
> It looks like your ram is clocked faster - I don't think there is much benefit in quantity of ram for me


Your CPU clock speed is not holding you back then! I think that my drivers are just helping my GPU's to run quicker compared to 12.6 WHQL. Remember how 12.7 were way faster than 12.6? Well, there you go! Give 12.8 a shot mate.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Your CPU clock speed is not holding you back then! I think that my drivers are just helping my GPU's to run quicker compared to 12.6 WHQL. Remember how 12.7 were way faster than 12.6? Well, there you go! Give 12.8 a shot mate.


Thanks - I will give it a try when I get home tonight.


----------



## Macke93

Just did my first overclock attempt ever on graphics card !








I used Furmark burn in test in resulotition 1600x900, none MSAA or/and everything else not changed in furmark settings!

It lasted for 9 minutes, then I just quit the test!

My card is a Powercolor Radeon HD7950 PCS+!
Stock clocks is core 880mhz and memory 1250mhz, pushed it with sapphire trixxx to 980mhz core and 1400mhz memory!









Here is a pic!










Goodnight!


----------



## raptor5150

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Just did my first overclock attempt ever on graphics card !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I used Furmark burn in test in resulotition 1600x900, none MSAA or/and everything else not changed in furmark settings!
> It lasted for 9 minutes, then I just quit the test!
> My card is a Powercolor Radeon HD7950 PCS+!
> Stock clocks is core 880mhz and memory 1250mhz, pushed it with sapphire trixxx to 980mhz core and 1400mhz memory!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is a pic!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Goodnight!


nice, learning the amd tuning myself.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> Haven't been doing much gaming until recently. Decided to give 12.8 a try and all I can say is thank god I've finally got a driver that works.
> I've been on RC11 for most of the time because the most recent drivers for me caused random BSOD's.
> Just thought I'd put that out there. Might encourage someone who's on the fence to give it a try.


You should definitely try 12.9 betas


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> You should definitely try 12.9 betas


woah?


----------



## Kharnak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> woah?


Yeah, the 12.9's are pretty wicked.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=367954


----------



## Kharnak

Also, question.. My VRM temp sensors are apparently stuck/not working and every program I throw at it refuses to show something other than 25C on the VRMs...?
Does anyone know what can be done about this?


----------



## wermad

I tried the "fixes" for the whine:

-ran 10 loops of 3dmarks performance
-left it on the Cysis 2 menu for a couple of hours (I had to leave since it was too loud for my family and I)
-bumped the voltage
-bumped it to 1050mhz and 1200Mv
-swapped different cables and connectors on my psu
-changed slots on my mb.

Still the same. In fact, I find it louder. I've had coil whine in the past with other cards but it was very minor. Still no word from the seller and I have to wait a minimum of seven days before I submit dispute with ebay.


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> You should definitely try 12.9 betas


Just read through the thread and although they do seem to offer a nice improvement there are many people struggling to get them to work.

I personally have decided to only try new drivers once they've been out for a bit generally get a positive response. Yes 12.9 does look good on the whole so far but I can't be bothered with the head ache of getting it to work. RC11 worked great for me and I've had nothing but problems with others. 12.8 has had the most positive responses I have seen so far so I thought I'd give em a try.


----------



## BradleyW

I will wait for AMD to release 12.9 on their site.


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I tried the "fixes" for the whine:
> -ran 10 loops of 3dmarks performance
> -left it on the Cysis 2 menu for a couple of hours (I had to leave since it was too loud for my family and I)
> -bumped the voltage
> -bumped it to 1050mhz and 1200Mv
> -swapped different cables and connectors on my psu
> -changed slots on my mb.
> Still the same. In fact, I find it louder. I've had coil whine in the past with other cards but it was very minor. Still no word from the seller and I have to wait a minimum of seven days before I submit dispute with ebay.


Man, that really sucks.









How were the seller's references?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> Man, that really sucks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How were the seller's references?


It was a new member, I took a chance. Lesson learned. I'm crossing my fingers ebay will pull through for me or the seller will refund me.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> woah?


For me, 12.9 is the *only* RC11 replacement









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jokah*
> 
> Just read through the thread and although they do seem to offer a nice improvement there are many people struggling to get them to work.
> I personally have decided to only try new drivers once they've been out for a bit generally get a positive response. Yes 12.9 does look good on the whole so far but I can't be bothered with the head ache of getting it to work. RC11 worked great for me and I've had nothing but problems with others. 12.8 has had the most positive responses I have seen so far so I thought I'd give em a try.


People did have problems with ccc but it was all fixed in Version 3. All I did was:

1) Download V3
2) Turn UAC off, Reboot
3) Ran atiman uninstaller 7.0.2
4) Turn UAC on, Reboot
5) Install 12.9 V3
6) Reboot

Now, I am a happy camper!


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I will wait for AMD to release 12.9 on their site.


Further to our earlier discussion around 3DM11 results, I re-ran it with 12.8 installed and my score did go up to P14989
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4364159

This is also with the GPU's at 1090/1550



I am going to push them up a little more to see if I can crack 15000


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> *For me, 12.9 is the only RC11 replacement
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *
> People did have problems with ccc but it was all fixed in Version 3. All I did was:
> 1) Download V3
> 2) Turn UAC off, Reboot
> 3) Ran atiman uninstaller 7.0.2
> 4) Turn UAC on, Reboot
> 5) Install 12.9 V3
> 6) Reboot
> Now, I am a happy camper!


Amen to that brother!

Why yous need atiman? Just run the setup.exe, choose uninstall, then uninstall the cat manager from programs, done.


----------



## vonalka

Pushed it up to 1095/1560 and got P15124
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4364204


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> Thanks, What do yall recommend doing to test the stability? Im looking to get a nice descent OC without pushing the temps to the limit. If i were to change the voltage, how much at a time to test and whats the safe maximum?
> How do i unlock the AB 2.2.3 for higher clocks? I tried the eula thing and it just made it where it wouldnt save settings.
> Thanks for the help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will be adding second card tonight so im sure I will be asking more lol <---AMD noob


I wrote some how tos for getting your overclock on in my sig.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> That's beastly dude! I only got 77fps at that resolution fully maxed with my two 7970's!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Here's a trip screen for ya.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Amen to that brother!
> Why yous need atiman? Just run the setup.exe, choose uninstall, then uninstall the cat manager from programs, done.


Oh, new uninstallers are now that efficient?


----------



## wermad

uninstaller has never really worked for me. I use *shock* driver-sweeper. Never had issues and its the only way I can install amd drivers again successfully.


----------



## SabertoothZ77R

Hello! I re-welcome myself after returning my XFX DD 7970 and come back with two MSI Lightning 7970s instead.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Oh, new uninstallers are now that efficient?


I never use atiman and others like it, shrugs.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I never use atiman and others like it, shrugs.


Yeah, I don't use registry cleaners, driver cleaners, or anything like that. They tend to cause more problems than they fix. Even when switching between Nvidia and AMD cards I've never had any issues with just uninstalling the display driver, rebooting, and installing the new display driver. At most I'll let Ccleaner scan the registry and then manually pick through which entries that I want to delete.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I never use atiman and others like it, shrugs.


I have use it a few times and so far didn't get any problems. I like it coz it does everything for you hehe (including removing caps and folders).


----------



## dookiebot

Ok I am getting fed up with my MSI Twin 7950. Every once in a blue moon when I went to Youtube the screen would crash as a solid green color with wavvy lines. Now it is happening everytime I go to Youtube. I decided to try out 12.8's but no change. Anyone else had this problem?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> Ok I am getting fed up with my MSI Twin 7950. Every once in a blue moon when I went to Youtube the screen would crash as a solid green color with wavvy lines. Now it is happening everytime I go to Youtube. I decided to try out 12.8's but no change. Anyone else had this problem?


http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-8-whql-benchmark/4


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> nice, learning the amd tuning myself.


Thanks, will try to change voltage after a while








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> Ok I am getting fed up with my MSI Twin 7950. Every once in a blue moon when I went to Youtube the screen would crash as a solid green color with wavvy lines. Now it is happening everytime I go to Youtube. I decided to try out 12.8's but no change. Anyone else had this problem?


Try the 12.6?







It works great for me and yesterday I tried to change to 12.7, but it only give me problems so I've stayed at 12.6


----------



## Kharnak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> Ok I am getting fed up with my MSI Twin 7950. Every once in a blue moon when I went to Youtube the screen would crash as a solid green color with wavvy lines. Now it is happening everytime I go to Youtube. I decided to try out 12.8's but no change. Anyone else had this problem?


Type in "chromelugins" in the address bar without " " . Click "+ Details" and disable the oldest Shockwave Flash - there should be only 2 or 3 listed.

If that doesn't work, try turning off Hardware Acceleration, "chrome:flags" and disable anything GPU acceleration related


----------



## Kharnak

I can't find the edit button...

Also, Dookiebot, try the new HTML5 version of youtube, it's much faster for me and should be for everyone else aswell


----------



## skyline_king88

well i have figured on getting 1 of these 2 cards but is the sapphire worth 20$ more then the windforce. and witch can over clock on avaerage higher

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=67546&vpn=GV-R795WF3-3GD&manufacture=Gigabyte

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=67898&vpn=11196-10-40G&manufacture=SAPPHIRE

and i have enough to get 7970 but i cant see were the 100$ more is worth it and then in january i wanna get another and i think by then the 7950 will be 175 is the 7970 worth that much more?


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Hi guys, I wanted to ask something very simple. Is it worth to go an get a second 7970 for crossfire, or should I try to sell my HD7970 and get the GTX 690 instead?. I want full power, it would be possible I would be trying to make a multimonitor setup. What are your thougths?. Can anyone help me to take the best option?. I would like to make a crossfire, but since I had nightmares with my old 6807s crossfire plus endless issues in games and drivers too I don't want to live that again. Also as you see I have the Hybrid PhysX hack and that counts with a GTX560Ti. My PSU is rated at 1200w 80 plus bronze.

I want to know the experiences from ppl that have HD7970 in crossfire.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> Hi guys, I wanted to ask something very simple. Is it worth to go an get a second 7970 for crossfire, or should I try to sell my HD7970 and get the GTX 690 instead?. I want full power, it would be possible I would be trying to make a multimonitor setup. What are your thougths?. Can anyone help me to take the best option?. I would like to make a crossfire, but since I had nightmares with my old 6807s crossfire plus endless issues in games and drivers too I don't want to live that again. Also as you see I have the Hybrid PhysX hack and that counts with a GTX560Ti. My PSU is rated at 1200w 80 plus bronze.
> I want to know the experiences from ppl that have HD7970 in crossfire.


1080 screen, not worth it. triple screens, stick with the 7970s and add one or two more. the extra vram comes in handy for the larger resolutions.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-8-whql-benchmark/4


Awesome. That appears to have worked. I have had a few ATI/AMD cards throughout the years and never had major "poor driver" issues everyone says Radeons have. I was begining to think the 7950 was going to be the first but changing the txt file for flash fixed it. +Rep


----------



## lothar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Thanks, will try to change voltage after a while
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Try the 12.6?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It works great for me and yesterday I tried to change to 12.7, but it only give me problems so I've stayed at 12.6


12.6 has broken DXVA acceleration


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lothar*
> 
> 12.6 has broken DXVA acceleration


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-12-8-whql-benchmark/4


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> Ok I am getting fed up with my MSI Twin 7950. Every once in a blue moon when I went to Youtube the screen would crash as a solid green color with wavvy lines. Now it is happening everytime I go to Youtube. I decided to try out 12.8's but no change. Anyone else had this problem?


I had this problem with Catalyst 12.7 beta. Using 12.8 right now and haven't had the problem since. Maybe try reseating the card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> I had this problem with Catalyst 12.7 beta. Using 12.8 right now and haven't had the problem since. Maybe try reseating the card.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> Awesome. That appears to have worked. I have had a few ATI/AMD cards throughout the years and never had major "poor driver" issues everyone says Radeons have. I was begining to think the 7950 was going to be the first but changing the txt file for flash fixed it. +Rep


----------



## raptor5150

Finally got my 7970's up and running....guess im on the red team now. Wow they run well but a nightmare to get set up and working with afterburner and firefox, my voltage is unlocked but now i have to figure out how to make it allow higher clocks. Other than taking one card out how can i see what the stock voltage on the second card is? AB only shows master card.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Try using Sapphire Trixx instead of AB. I've found it plays nicer with CCC and gives you higher voltage settings than AB...


----------



## raptor5150

I did install it to disable ULPS but didnt go any farther with it. I like having OSD while playing.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

FRAPS??


----------



## wermad

hehe, so I submitted an ebay claim and lo-and-behold, the seller finally responded saying its normal. B.s., its super loud. Anyways, sending it back and I'm getting a refund







.

Not sure why he just didn't respond to my several messages


----------



## Macke93

Just did another great OC on my 7950 PCS+!







First time I'm getting on voltage changes, but it works great so far after a few tries haha!









Core to 1080mhz, memory to 1400mhz and the voltage showing around 1.090 but the max voltage is set by me at 1.120-1.122!
Stock core is 880mhz and stock memory is 1250mhz.
Getting noticeable more FPS in games with this compared to stock clocks which is great! Even the temps are nice, I've seen max 68-70 degrees in Battlefield 3!

A picture as proof ofcourse!










Still at 12.6 drivers if someone wounders about that







and my resolution is 1680x1050 using a 20 inch monitor!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Another happy 12.9 user! Just switched from 12.8, which I tried out for a week after using 12.7 beta for a long time. 12.8 was okay, but felt the same as 12.7, perhaps a bit better in terms of GPU temperatures. 12.9 is indeed smoother in GW2 and some of my other games! Really enjoying it. I wonder if I should install CAP2 again, since I'm afraid to mess up the smoothness. I'm only using 1 GPU, but CAP do affect single GPUs as well in some applications.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Just did another great OC on my 7950 PCS+!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> First time I'm getting on voltage changes, but it works great so far after a few tries haha!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Core to 1080mhz, memory to 1400mhz and the voltage showing around 1.090 but the max voltage is set by me at 1.120-1.122!
> Stock core is 880mhz and stock memory is 1250mhz.
> Getting noticeable more FPS in games with this compared to stock clocks which is great! Even the temps are nice, I've seen max 68-70 degrees in Battlefield 3!
> A picture as proof ofcourse!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still at 12.6 drivers if someone wounders about that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and my resolution is 1680x1050 using a 20 inch monitor!


Push that thang to 1150ish on the core and 1500+ on the mem. You are being way too nice to it when it's obviously begging you


----------



## Newbie2009

12.9 fixed Firefox hardware acceleration? I don't believe it. LIES I TELL YOU!!?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> 12.9 fixed Firefox hardware acceleration? I don't believe it. LIES I TELL YOU!!?


It's not FF, it's how Adobe runs their code. Anyways, I guess you didn't know you could've just had flash run in protected mode?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not FF, it's how Adobe runs their code. Anyways, I guess you didn't know you could've just had flash run in protected mode?


Where were you 9 months ago !!!!







I really should read these forums when sober more often


----------



## ElevenEleven

Ok, I love this leaked beta driver so much! My card runs cooler so I don't hear the fans much at all anymore. Used to have to ramp them up to over 70%. Everything is smoother from 12.8.

Heaven 3.0 comparisons (just about no change there, but GW2 does better with 12.9 and stays cooler)

1125MHz core / 1575MHz memory / stock voltage with +20% power limit

12.7 beta:



12.8 release:



12.9 beta:


----------



## pac0tac0

anyone want to buy my windforce three cooler? id feel guilty if it sat around after i tear it off for waterblock's


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pac0tac0*
> 
> anyone want to buy my windforce three cooler? id feel guilty if it sat around after i tear it off for waterblock's


Which waterblock are you putting on that Gig. 7950?


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Push that thang to 1150ish on the core and 1500+ on the mem. You are being way too nice to it when it's obviously begging you


I want to be nice against my new card !







But I tried higher clocks on both memory and core, but the temps rushed over 85 degrees quickly in furmurk burn in test








I will try to max out the card some other day, I'm happy right now and haven't more time until the weekend!









Benchmarked with Unigine Heaven 3.0 just a moment ago! Don't know if the results is good







1080mhz core compared to stock 880mhz and 1400mhz compared to stock 1250mhz !


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pac0tac0*
> 
> anyone want to buy my windforce three cooler? id feel guilty if it sat around after i tear it off for waterblock's


I'd be interested.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Where were you 9 months ago !!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *I really should read these forums when sober more often*


I know right! Lol!


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not FF, it's how Adobe runs their code. Anyways, I guess you didn't know you could've just had flash run in protected mode?


This is what you meant right? Enable/Disable flash protected mode?


----------



## pac0tac0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Which waterblock are you putting on that Gig. 7950?


probably what ever is the cheapest honestly, or most likely an ek... ive had good success with them in the past and their copper is 100 dollars
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd be interested.


im thinking 50 dollars shipped since its brand new, but i want to see if someone wont trade me cards to a watercooler friendly brand first, so in a week if no one can or will then ill tear it off and throw on a block.


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> I want to be nice against my new card !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I tried higher clocks on both memory and core, but the temps rushed over 85 degrees quickly in furmurk burn in test


No reason to run furmark, thats probably dangerous anyway. Just loop crysis bench a bunch of times. I've found it will easily tell if your OC is stable without the unrealistic temps of furmark. You'll never see those temps in games so no reason to judge by it.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> No reason to run furmark, thats probably dangerous anyway. Just loop crysis bench a bunch of times. I've found it will easily tell if your OC is stable without the unrealistic temps of furmark. You'll never see those temps in games so no reason to judge by it.


Qft, stay away from furmark. Its been known to be too harsh and could damage, or worse, kill your card. A lot of reviewers are staying away from it for this reason. Use any gpu benchmark to gauge your gpu's stats and/or stability.


----------



## grunion

Some quick and dirty oc scores.

First impressions:

Driver installation went flawlessly, no mumbo jumbo involved.
Runs cool and quiet at current OC.
Haven't gamed yet, but goodness the Heaven stuttering is gone.





Oh and why is vddc diff between AB and GPU-Z, which is correct?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quick question about Windows Aero - is it going to play any noticeable role in game FPS and responsiveness if I disable it? Looking at GPU-Z, dedicated memory usage goes down by only 100MB when I turn off Aero, which is a tiny amount compared to the total of 3GB. Or are there further consequences of having Aero on? Would it possibly add another degree to VRMs?

Playing in full-screen windowed mode.


----------



## KaRLiToS




----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Aero shouldn't really affect noticeable in-game performance unless your machine is right on the edge of adequate. It's really more for squeezing out that last ounce of FPS in benchmarking that turning off Aero can be useful...


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*


I really wish you had the Nickel-Plexi blocks on your 7970's, I'd buy one off you today!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Oh, I won't sell them finally, I decided to stay confident and hope that AMD resolve my issue under Eyefinity resolution.

We give a lot of pressure to AMD. http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?21534-AMD-Response-to-Trifire-Eyefinity-issue-on-the-Rampage-IV/page11


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Oh cool! Glad to hear you're not busting up that beautiful rig after all!


----------



## Shaded War

I just received my 7970 on Monday and I noticed there is an extra option available in the CCC that wasn't there on my 6870.

What is power control and what does it do? Is it necessary for overclocking? I am able to max the OC limits in CCC no problem.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shaded War*
> 
> I just received my 7970 on Monday and I noticed there is an extra option available in the CCC that wasn't there on my 6870.
> What is power control and what does it do? Is it necessary for overclocking? I am able to max the OC limits in CCC no problem.


Max it, just max it. It is powertune and it controls the maximum TDP of the card. Essentially it limits the power draw. When would you be in a situation where you would hit the power draw limit? Overclocking, so raise it or you will hit the limiter spoiling all the fun.


----------



## Shaded War

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Max it, just max it. It is powertune and it controls the maximum TDP of the card. Essentially it limits the power draw. When would you be in a situation where you would hit the power draw limit? Overclocking, so raise it or you will hit the limiter spoiling all the fun.


Ok now that would have been a great feture on my 6870. Definately going to make use of this.

Thanks for the explination.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shaded War*
> 
> Ok now that would have been a great feture on my 6870. Definately going to make use of this.
> Thanks for the explination.


post your results in this thread with overclocking . Even with stock voltage overclocking you can hit 1.1 Ghz on most HD 7970. you might need to control temps by manually increasing fan speed or setting up a custom profile in sapphire trixx or msi afterburner. try to keep temps around 65 - 70c in games. do not bother with furmark or other power viruses. use heaven, bf3, crysis 2 for stability testing .


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> post your results in this thread with overclocking . Even with stock voltage overclocking you can hit 1.1 Ghz on most HD 7970. you might need to control temps by manually increasing fan speed or setting up a custom profile in sapphire trixx or msi afterburner. try to keep temps around 65 - 70c in games. do not bother with furmark or other power viruses. use heaven, bf3, crysis 2 for stability testing .


Really?!!?!?!?

I got a Sapphire 7970 coming in tomorrow or Friday. I'm hoping I can hit 1ghz on the stock voltage


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Really?!!?!?!?
> I got a Sapphire 7970 coming in tomorrow or Friday. I'm hoping I can hit 1ghz on the stock voltage


Picks up rock from wermad's back. Almost all 7970s will do 1ghz on stock voltage. You'd have to have a very unfortunate card not to hit that.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Picks up rock from wermad's back. Almost all 7970s will do 1ghz on stock voltage. You'd have to have a very unfortunate card not to hit that.


I'm been sick like a dog lately (lung issues







), so I haven't researched the 7970s oc'ing potential









+1 to you sir


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I've had four 7970's so far and they all did 1125MHz on stock voltage. One of these Sapphires will do 1175MHz on stock...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've had four 7970's so far and they all did 1125MHz on stock voltage. One of these Sapphires will do 1175MHz on stock...


nice


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I've had four 7970's so far and they all did 1125MHz on stock voltage. One of these Sapphires will do 1175MHz on stock...


Just curious, all those cards that did 1125MHz on stock voltage, how much was the memory clocked at? I'm running 1050/1500, once I do 1100, artifacts starts to show.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Just curious, all those cards that did 1125MHz on stock voltage, how much was the memory clocked at? I'm running 1050/1500, once I do 1100, artifacts starts to show.


It doesn't matter really cuz all silicon is pretty much unique. Just because it does 1125/1575 on stock voltage, that doesn't mean it will hit 1300/1750 on water. I experienced this exact thing, came across a 67% card that did 1125/1575 stock voltage, but it couldn't take max clocks.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> No reason to run furmark, thats probably dangerous anyway. Just loop crysis bench a bunch of times. I've found it will easily tell if your OC is stable without the unrealistic temps of furmark. You'll never see those temps in games so no reason to judge by it.


Uinstalled furmark, it's true, gaming doesnt stress the card that much and for me it is the gaming performance that matters








Will try to OC higher when I got time, it's fun too see that I can get even more out of my nice HD7950









Edit: Couldn't hold the OC fingers back







Got higher OC again, tested with Unigine Heaven and Battlefield 3 multiplayer to confirm stability and it's stable!
What a monster card it is







1125mhz core (stock 880mhz) and 1575mhz memory (stock 1250mhz)!

Get better gameplay in BF3, no big drops at all, FPS around 40-80+ with all ultra settings and unigine heaven 3.0 gave me higher score and FPS!









Temps I've seen doesnt go any further than 70-72 degrees !


----------



## Andrazh

Every card i have heard of can make 1125 stable unless you are on stock voltage?

1200+ is when the fun beggins


----------



## raptor5150

What could cause the #2 gpu in cf not to downclock to 300 at idle? Only running 1 monitor on top card but at idle the clocks look like this: gpu1 300/150 gpu2 500/1375 which makes the second card run hotter at idle. Also using afterburner 2.2.3


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It doesn't matter really cuz all silicon is pretty much unique. Just because it does 1125/1575 on stock voltage, that doesn't mean it will hit 1300/1750 on water. I experienced this exact thing, came across a 67% card that did 1125/1575 stock voltage, but it couldn't take max clocks.


QFT. In fact, the card that will do 1175MHz on stock won't go past 1230MHz at max voltage...


----------



## spinejam

*MSI 7950 TFIII:* (ASIC 91.5%) -- great card except for the fact that it sounds like crickets in my case!


----------



## grunion

So which is the correct vddc, AB or GPU-Z?


----------



## BradleyW

From experience, GPU-Z.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> So which is the correct vddc, AB or GPU-Z?


Gpuz or heinfo64 or any app that actually reads voltage. AB does not read real voltage, it only displays your input voltage, ie. what voltage you set the slider to.


----------



## grunion

^^ Where'd that come from..
So you think 1.02 is legit?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> From experience, GPU-Z.


I find 1100 @ 1.02v hard to believe, don't you?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> I find 1100 @ 1.02v hard to believe, don't you?


Why? I do 1150 on stock voltage







Anything more needs a lot of voltage, which I refuse to put through the cards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> ^^ Where'd that come from..
> So you think 1.02 is legit?
> I find 1100 @ 1.02v hard to believe, don't you?


I'll bet a 100 bucks you don't actually hit, or EVER hit 1.3 with just AB.









gpu vdroop.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Why? I do 1150 on stock voltage
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anything more needs a lot of voltage, which I refuse to put through the cards.


What is your stock voltage?
I did have to bump the voltage to get stable at 1125.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'll bet a 100 bucks you don't actually hit, or EVER hit 1.3 with just AB.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gpu vdroop.


Alright once I unlock the speed limit I'll have a go at it.
Hopefully they're as good a clockers as my old XFX 5870s, both of those could do 1070.


----------



## raptor5150

My stock voltage is 1.039, ran heaven fine at 1100/1500 but BF3 and 3d11 would lock after 10 min so i also ended up at 1.125 and no problems since then. One of my cards must be weaker. 74,0 and 84 asic.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> What is your stock voltage?
> I did have to bump the voltage to get stable at 1125.
> Alright once I unlock the speed limit I'll have a go at it.
> Hopefully they're as good a clockers as my old XFX 5870s, both of those could do 1170.


Well msi ab reports 1112mv but I will have to check on load with GPU-Z. Only issue is, GPU-Z sometimes crashes on me causing the system to hault till I hit reset.


----------



## Casey Ryback

I can't seem to get a decent memory OC, I've tried 1700/1600/1500 on the memory with 1.2V and no good.

Even at 1050 core I'm crashing running 3dmark 11 at these memory clocks.

Any ideas? maybe i've hit a wall as I can't do 1250 core either at 1.2V even with 1300 memory.

My VRM's are around 60C max while playing BF3 for hours at 1.16V (1200/1400)

Maybe another voltage increase?


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Casey Ryback*
> 
> I can't seem to get a decent memory OC, I've tried 1700/1600/1500 on the memory with 1.2V and no good.
> Even at 1050 core I'm crashing running 3dmark 11 at these memory clocks.
> Any ideas? maybe i've hit a wall as I can't do 1250 core either at 1.2V even with 1300 memory.
> My VRM's are around 60C max while playing BF3 for hours at 1.16V (1200/1400)
> Maybe another voltage increase?


My Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP does 1750MHz @ stock VRAM Voltage on the memory regardless of core speed and core Voltage..

But on the other hand my GPU's max speed is 1.1GHz (1.112V), beyond 1.1GHz simply it's not stable at all..

Monitoring with GPU-z I see that card at speed beyond 1.1GHz and voltage beyond 1.112V starts to pull current unrealistically (over 135A VDDC Current) and it crashes, VRM temp well under 80C..

It's reference design HD7950 PCB..

But VRAM is stable @ 1750MHz (havent tried to go any further)..

Here's 3Dmark 111575MHz memory vs 1750MHz (both 1.1GHz on the core):

*1100/1750MHz 3DMark 11*

*1100/1575MHz 3DMark 11*










CHEERS..


----------



## Casey Ryback

Hmm thanks for the answer KIngT.

So raising the memory didn't really require more voltage?

I think I have just hit the memory wall for the card at 1400mhz I guess.

My 3Dmark11 GPU score was 9160, at my current clocks of 1200/1400, so very happy with performance anyway.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Casey Ryback*
> 
> Hmm thanks for the answer KIngT.
> So raising the memory didn't really require more voltage?
> I think I have just hit the memory wall for the card at 1400mhz I guess.
> My 3Dmark11 GPU score was 9160, at my current clocks of 1200/1400, so very happy with performance anyway.


It's really going to depends on the selected card. My Gigabyte 7950 maxes out at 1280MHz on the core and 1800 on the memory. Set your core to what you desire as well your core voltage to what will stabilize your desired core frequency and then raise the memory in 25-50MHz increments (What I did) and test for stability using Heaven and 3DMark 11. Mine required a slight bump as in 0.005 mV at certain increments to be stable all the way up to 1.8GHz.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Just curious, all those cards that did 1125MHz on stock voltage, how much was the memory clocked at? I'm running 1050/1500, once I do 1100, artifacts starts to show.


I am in the same boat - when I pushed it to 1100 I would get artifacts and instability, but I found I could go to 1090/1500 and it keep it stable - with reference coolers too


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I am in the same boat - when I pushed it to 1100 I would get artifacts and instability, but I found I could go to 1090/1500 and it keep it stable - with reference coolers too


What's your stock voltage? What voltage do you need to hit 1100?


----------



## Bluemustang

Curious if higher voltage is dangerous despite low temps? (Such as is the case with CPU's). At 1225 core and 1.3v in AB my 7970s only hit about 60c core and 55c vrms. Temps are fine so I was thinking of switching to trixx to go to 1.4v but not sure if thats safe.


----------



## Invisible

I'm still on 12.4, and I know 12.8 is out now. I'm wondering if there have been any noticeable optimization between these driver releases for GW2? I know on 12.4 GW2 wasn't even out yet.


----------



## criznit

I'm having an issue with my card that I would like to get some guidance. I've used 12.7, 12.8 and even 12.9 and each time i leave just my desktop up, my GPU usage will ease up to 100% and my 3d clocks kick in. I'm using the current AB with the -xcl command to unlock the unofficial overclock mode. What would cause this?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> I'm having an issue with my card that I would like to get some guidance. I've used 12.7, 12.8 and even 12.9 and each time i leave just my desktop up, my GPU usage will ease up to 100% and my 3d clocks kick in. I'm using the current AB with the *-xcl command to unlock the unofficial overclock mode*. What would cause this?


Your sentence there contradicts the process. You're either confusing the terminology or are doing it wrong or both? I suspect you're at least doing it wrong? I've written a how to for either method that you can double check the steps you used to enable whichever method you're actually using. Remember, one or the other not both.


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> What's your stock voltage? What voltage do you need to hit 1100?


I haven't changed voltage at all - just set power level all the way to +20


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Your sentence there contradicts the process. You're either confusing the terminology or are doing it wrong or both? I suspect you're at least doing it wrong? I've written a how to for either method that you can double check the steps you used to enable whichever method you're actually using. Remember, one or the other not both.


I will check it out when I get home. I'm rusty in the gpu overclock department since my last card was a x850xt lol. I know I did the -xcl method, just can't remember if I followed the directions or if I just did it real quick and jumped in to overclocking.


----------



## Shaded War

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> post your results in this thread with overclocking . Even with stock voltage overclocking you can hit 1.1 Ghz on most HD 7970. you might need to control temps by manually increasing fan speed or setting up a custom profile in sapphire trixx or msi afterburner. try to keep temps around 65 - 70c in games. do not bother with furmark or other power viruses. use heaven, bf3, crysis 2 for stability testing .


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Really?!!?!?!?
> I got a Sapphire 7970 coming in tomorrow or Friday. I'm hoping I can hit 1ghz on the stock voltage


I easily have the card at 1125/1575 without ever touching the voltage. The stock fan profile keeps my card at 75C max so I think its fine.

As for benches, heres some with sliders in CCC maxed, stock voltage.
Vantage Perfoamnce
3DMark11 Performance

Heaven maxed everything 1080P


----------



## Rickles

add me to the coil whine club!


----------



## Shaded War

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> add me to the coil whine club!


Really? I just got my reference 7970 last monday and I dont hear anything.


----------



## banwell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kharnak*
> 
> Also, question.. My VRM temp sensors are apparently stuck/not working and every program I throw at it refuses to show something other than 25C on the VRMs...?
> Does anyone know what can be done about this?


Same here on my 7970. The VRM temps seem locked at 26C, but all other measurements such as ampage and wattage fluctuate as expected. I am thinking of maybe trying a different bios otherwise I may just have to accepted the temp sensor is broken..


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shaded War*
> 
> I easily have the card at 1125/1575 without ever touching the voltage. The stock fan profile keeps my card at 75C max so I think its fine.
> As for benches, heres some with sliders in CCC maxed, stock voltage.
> Vantage Perfoamnce
> 3DMark11 Performance
> Heaven maxed everything 1080P
> 
> 
> Spoiler: *snip*


Nice







. Unfortunately, usps saw fit my Sapphire to take a day off in central California







. Crossing fingers it gets here by tomorrow or Saturday.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> add me to the coil whine club!


Same here. I sent it back and the seller is fighting me arguing its my psu. I tested it thourougly and tested a few gpu(s) as well. I've had whine on other gpus (both sides) in the past but it was very minute and eventually it went away.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shaded War*
> 
> Really? I just got my reference 7970 last monday and I dont hear anything.


I've read quite a few cases on the 7970s. But, it does happen all the time on all types of cards (most notably the highend ones). Sometimes its barely audible, some times its crazy high.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I haven't changed voltage at all - just set power level all the way to +20


But I thought your getting artifacts when running at 1100? Normally you get rid of artifacts by increasing voltage so I thought you increased your voltage.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shaded War*
> 
> I easily have the card at 1125/1575 without ever touching the voltage. The stock fan profile keeps my card at 75C max so I think its fine.
> As for benches, heres some with sliders in CCC maxed, stock voltage.


What's your stock voltage?


----------



## criznit

Ok I removed 12.9 and put 12.8 back on, removed msi afterburner and left CCC's Overdrive up to check clocks. After a few minutes, my gpu usage will shoot up to 100% while im sitting idle at the desktop. I'm at a lost here









Edit: I'm running one monitor thru displayport if that matters.


----------



## Twistacles

Hey guys,

Wondering if anyone has similar experiences. My card is reference, but does 1225/1800 @ 1.25V with no artifacts. The problem, is that to run it at this speed, my fan setting has to be quite high cause as soon as I hit 80~C I start to get artifacts. If I keep it under that, no problem runs great. However, the reference cooler is loud as ****, so I was wondering if my temperatures were normal?

Even idle Im at 65C?
EDIT: Might be cause i have two monitors


----------



## ElevenEleven

You are correct on both accounts. That is a high overclock for a reference card cooler design, so load temperatures will be high unless you turn fans way up.

Radeon cards run warmer / at higher clocks with more than one monitor.


----------



## Twistacles

Cool, thanks.

Do you think adding side panel fans (2x120mm) would make a discernible difference? I didn't play with it long cause they rattled the side panel and it made me mad


----------



## ElevenEleven

Do you have rubber mounts? If not, you can use double-sided foam tape between the fans and the case side to dampen vibrations (you don't need to peel the paper off one side - just stick small squares onto the fans around the screws.

It could possibly help, difficult to say... depends on overall airflow in your case and location of side fans. Worth a try though!


----------



## Mazel

Got my Vapor-X to 1070/1600 stable on the stock 0.975v (GPU-Z records .987 or so.) Temps typically stay around the low 50s for the core and VRAM for most games and benchmarks. Sleeping Dogs is very close to a torture test as it ran my card up to 59C and VRAM temps of 70C. But that could just be playing completely maxed out. Otherwise I'm extremely happen with this card, hopefully they'll resolve the voltage problem soon (Can't change it with 12.8, even if I force it.) Will also be Crossfiring it soon, either with another 7950 Vapor-X or the 7970 Vapor-X. In the mean time here's my Heaven score.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> Got my Vapor-X to 1070/1600 stable on the stock 0.975v (GPU-Z records .987 or so.)


That's quite low! My factory-overclocked Sapphire Dual-X voltage is 1.174V according to Afterburner. I definitely don't think it needs that much for a low factory overclock.


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> That's quite low! My factory-overclocked Sapphire Dual-X voltage is 1.174V according to Afterburner. I definitely don't think it needs that much for a low factory overclock.


I believe the 7970 Vapor-X comes with a voltage of 1.2, which is complete overkill for 1050Mhz. Also, looks like Sapphire has launched another 7950 Boost Card. This time with the Dual-X Cooler and a lower price tag.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


----------



## ElevenEleven

General question: I think it's my Sapphire 7970 that does this, as I hadn't noticed it before, but I could be wrong. In this Antec 902 case, I periodically hear a crackling sound, like the sound of heated plastic settling as it cools. It happens every few minutes to 15 minutes, just a single "click" type sound. Happens mostly when the card gets to a higher load and then when it cools off. I don't even run it at over 70C, and have been tweaking it to run at 67C max in games, with low 70s for VRMs, even if it means not doing a high clock.

Anyone else experiencing this, and is it any cause for concern or perfectly normal for some cards? (Or I wonder if the card is heating up something surrounding it, like the motherboard PCI-E socket, causing this sound).


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> I believe the 7970 Vapor-X comes with a voltage of 1.2, which is complete overkill for 1050Mhz. Also, looks like Sapphire has launched another 7950 Boost Card. This time with the Dual-X Cooler and a lower price tag.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


if it is reading 1.2 it is a bug.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

I just ordered another 7970 to do CFX. Anything I need to do other than install AMD CAP to get ready for it?


----------



## wermad

Just got my Sapphire and what a world of difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can hear the turbine fan now!!!

Only got a chance to bench as I'm unsure at this point if I'm keeping my rig or not









Still working with the ebay seller and trying to get a full refund.


----------



## MarlowXim

Just got a 7970 from Visiontek 7970 Reference
ASIC 68.5%
Manage to overclock it to 1225/1600 MHZ, @ 1.237v however I can push further. After 1225 MHZ I get random artifacts tested with Uniengine, Skyrim, Crysis 2.
Will adding better cooling to the core remove the artifacts?
I'm wondering if there is a temperature wall, if keeping it under 59 degrees Celsius would remove the artifacts? or it's a limitation of the core sample.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MarlowXim*
> 
> Just got a 7970 from Visiontek 7970 Reference
> ASIC 68.5%
> Manage to overclock it to 1225/1600 MHZ, @ 1.237v however I can push further. After 1225 MHZ I get random artifacts tested with Uniengine, Skyrim, Crysis 2.
> Will adding better cooling to the core remove the artifacts?
> I'm wondering if there is a temperature wall, if keeping it under 59 degrees Celsius would remove the artifacts? or it's a limitation of the core sample.


I noticed when I was water cooled that I wouldn't get artifacts or errors until I hit ~62°C on higher overclocks. My guess is it is temperature related.


----------



## Aquila2085

Hi, I just recently bought a HD 7950 PCS+ 880 mhz. I got it for $263 on Newegg. I was wondering if that was a good deal or not and also if the card is solid? I've read some reviews but most are from January. Was wondering in terms of performance if the card has gotten better (from drivers etc) and what to expect upgrading from an old GTX 260. Thanks for any input!

Edit: First time ever buying an AMD/ATI card. Kind of nervous lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Ok I removed 12.9 and put 12.8 back on, removed msi afterburner and left CCC's Overdrive up to check clocks. After a few minutes, my gpu usage will shoot up to 100% while im sitting idle at the desktop. I'm at a lost here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: I'm running one monitor thru displayport if that matters.


Interesting.

Can you try this? Follow the manual uninstall process from the AMD how to guide in my sig and clean the drivers out. Don't install new drivers, just boot to windows with the default vga. Let me know if your fan goes crazy.


----------



## wermad

Wow, this sapphire is sweet! Stock clocks she beat the crappy Visiontek (7.9 vs 8.1!!!) I returned. Got her to 1ghz and score went up quite a bit, still on stock voltage. Going to explore some more









This douche on ebay is just delaying







. Guy won't take a hint he has the better end of the return (rma that will sell for more). Its always a gamble with ebay. The Sapphire came from a noob seller too but this guy was legit through and through. Internet, can't trust anyone


----------



## Wattser93

I'm running into issues with my Sapphire 7970 OC.

I'm running stock clocks on 12.4 drivers (I've tried them all trying to fix my problem) and I get hard crashes to a black screen. I then have to hold my power button to shut down and restart. Sometimes I can't even get a boot screen, there's audio, but no video. I then hard shut down and try again. If I can get it to boot properly, it'll browse the internet with zero issues, but the moment I start a game, I'd lucky to make it 2 minutes before a hard crash.

Any ideas? I've tried all drivers from 12.4 to 12.9 beta and I get the same result every time, a hard crash to black screen.

Occasionally, it'll crash to a black screen, then display a "lined" image of varying shades of black and dark grey. When I hit keyboard commands, I can get it to flicker here and there, but the only way to fix it is to hold the power button down again and restart.

Is an RMA in order?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> I'm running into issues with my Sapphire 7970 OC.
> 
> I'm running stock clocks on 12.4 drivers (I've tried them all trying to fix my problem) and I get hard crashes to a black screen. I then have to hold my power button to shut down and restart. Sometimes I can't even get a boot screen, there's audio, but no video. I then hard shut down and try again. If I can get it to boot properly, it'll browse the internet with zero issues, but the moment I start a game, I'd lucky to make it 2 minutes before a hard crash.
> 
> Any ideas? I've tried all drivers from 12.4 to 12.9 beta and I get the same result every time, a hard crash to black screen.
> 
> Occasionally, it'll crash to a black screen, then display a "lined" image of varying shades of black and dark grey. When I hit keyboard commands, I can get it to flicker here and there, but the only way to fix it is to hold the power button down again and restart.
> 
> Is an RMA in order?


Are you overclocked, or at stock speeds?


----------



## Wattser93

Stock BIOS 2 speeds, 1000/1450 at 1.115V.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> Stock BIOS 2 speeds, 1000/1450 at 1.115V.


Then yeah, sounds like your card itself is bad. You can try BIOS 1 instead, see if that helps any at all. You can also try flashing BIOS 1 over to the GHz Edition BIOS. But it sounds to me like the card is faulty. Which sadly, does happen from time to time.


----------



## adamlop

Hi, i just bought
Sapphire hd7950 OC 950mhz edition (this ver. with black 7970 PCB)
Have issues with Unigine Heaven (most), and crysis1 and crysis 2
I can play without issues many hours in BF3, fifa13 demo, sleeping dogs demo, and 3d mark11 no issues.
Ati catalyst 12.8 with profiles
Just look at the screens, have black screen (then helps ctrl+alt+del), or this screens in atachment (nothing helps, only power but 5sec).
Never had issue in 2d. Only UnigineHeaven(never black screen, always corruption), crysis1 and 2...
Stock speeds

IMG_2007.JPG 1516k .JPG file


IMG_2009.JPG 624k .JPG file


IMG_2047.JPG 1378k .JPG file


----------



## Wattser93

It is odd, sometimes it behaves fine, and will work for weeks on end. As long as I'm able to do a proper shut down, I reboot fine. It's booting after a hard crash that can take a few tries.

I just bumped the voltage using Trixx to 1.135V, and played Metro 2033 for about 30 minutes on max to stress it as much as possible, and didn't have a single issue. Before it would crash by the time I could click "continue" at the menu.

Is there a way to adjust the voltage in the BIOS so that it boots at a higher voltage? Before RMAing I'd like to see if I can have it boot to 1.135V and then check for reliability over the next week before jumping to any conclusions.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> It is odd, sometimes it behaves fine, and will work for weeks on end. As long as I'm able to do a proper shut down, I reboot fine. It's booting after a hard crash that can take a few tries.
> 
> I just bumped the voltage using Trixx to 1.135V, and played Metro 2033 for about 30 minutes on max to stress it as much as possible, and didn't have a single issue. Before it would crash by the time I could click "continue" at the menu.
> 
> Is there a way to adjust the voltage in the BIOS so that it boots at a higher voltage? Before RMAing I'd like to see if I can have it boot to 1.135V and then check for reliability over the next week before jumping to any conclusions.


You could always just use Trixxx or MSI AB, and have them boost the voltage at startup.


----------



## adamlop

Anyone saw similiar screen corruption ?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Anyone saw similiar screen corruption ?


I've seen it only with a beta set of drivers, 12.7 if my memory serves me correct. It was happening while browsing on Firefox and mostly when the card was slightly overclocked.

Do you have the latest BIOS at your Motherboard? Also, did you try to set just the core clock at 800Mhz?


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Then yeah, sounds like your card itself is bad. You can try BIOS 1 instead, see if that helps any at all. You can also try flashing BIOS 1 over to the GHz Edition BIOS. But it sounds to me like the card is faulty. Which sadly, does happen from time to time.


wow you can OC your second GPU bios!! Thought that was meant to be like a safely back up that would not OC

2 Question
How to i unlock voltage control in Trixx ?
Is 12.9 more stable than 12.8 in general ?


----------



## adamlop

Yes, i've checked everything. Bios tried 2.3 and newest 2.4 (msi z77a-g43).
800mhz on gpu tested. No succes. But i hope that is software problem, not hardware, because bf3 and 3dmark11 full stable


----------



## Rebelord

So with the price drops hitting these cards ~next week. I was thinking of grabbing another 7950 for crossfire. However, realizing that my 1090t will just be a bottleneck. =(


----------



## wermad

I'm liking this card a lot









edit: one more at 1100


----------



## Macke93

Just tested 3Dmark11, performance preset in basic edition!









HD 7950 Powercolor PCS+, core 1125mhz, memory 1575mhz
AMD FX-8120 @4.1GHZ

Is the result good?


Link to detailed result: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4399935


----------



## KingT

It's OK for a AMD system..

My HD7950 @ *1100/1575MHz* scores *9065Pts on GPU score*, so a bit higher than your at 1125MHz., but I have 2500K @ 4.5GHz..

*1100/1575MHz*

CHEERS...


----------



## Nwanko

1Ghz bios flash. not a 7970,just to clear that.
Messed up screen with my mouse







not bad tho for 4ghz i5-750


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> It's OK for a AMD system..
> My HD7950 @ *1100/1575MHz* scores *9065Pts on GPU score*, so a bit higher than your at 1125MHz., but I have 2500K @ 4.5GHz..
> *1100/1575MHz*
> CHEERS...


Thanks for sharing!
I will change to Intel when they reach 14nm CPU's, until then I hope my AMD CPU can keep up with whatever I want to do!


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> 
> 1Ghz bios flash. not a 7970,just to clear that.
> Messed up screen with my mouse
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> not bad tho for 4ghz i5-750


Why only x8?


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Why only x8?


Didn't even see that? Wierd,gotta check my bios settings. Oh wait,i have agility 3 sata 3 sdd,bios option like,turbo sata3 or something....x8 x16 any difference in performance?


----------



## Farmer Boe

Hey guys, I just bought a Gigabyte 7970 OC to replace my aging 5970. So far I'm very impressed with the increase in performance over my 5970. Here is a screenshot of 3dmark11 with my rig overclocked. I'm using Sapphire Trixx to manage the overclocks.

CPU at 5.3GHz
GPU at 1225 core, 1750 memory ,1.3 volts

3dmark11 7970 1225 1750 5.3ghz.png 903k .png file


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Farmer Boe*
> 
> Hey guys, I just bought a Gigabyte 7970 OC to replace my aging 5970. So far I'm very impressed with the increase in performance over my 5970. Here is a screenshot of 3dmark11 with my rig overclocked. I'm using Sapphire Trixx to manage the overclocks.
> CPU at 5.3GHz
> GPU at 1225 core, 1750 memory ,1.3 volts
> 
> 
> 3dmark11 7970 1225 1750 5.3ghz.png 903k .png file


Nice to know my Gigabyte 7950 can match your 7970 graphics score


----------



## DubbaYuArr

Got a 7950 coming for my new gaming rig, can't wait to get it fired up.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Anyone saw similiar screen corruption ?


I have experienced this same screen with one HD 7870, but only in Man of War game.

Altrough i have experienced White Screen of Death(no stripes) couple of days ago in idle, epic AMD drivers.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Yes, i've checked everything. Bios tried 2.3 and newest 2.4 (msi z77a-g43).
> 800mhz on gpu tested. No succes. But i hope that is software problem, not hardware, because bf3 and 3dmark11 full stable


I see your bios ( 2.4 ) is a little old ( 19 june ) while the problem appeared afterwards ( july/august ). You might get a new one sooner or later, but of course, I can't be sure.

Since I faced the problem, ASUS released 2 more BIOS and currently I don't have it anymore. A guy at Guru3d says AMD has responded about the issue and condirmed it's a M/B problem; you've to update your BIOS ( when it will be avalaible ).

I think it's related to the new boost function and the newer drivers we keep getting. Try 12.4 drivers and older for now, I'd say.


----------



## gm1k

Hey guys, could I ask you to weigh in with your opinions between these three cards, which I think are good value.
I am also open to alternatives red or green









{Use: maxing out modern titles on a single monitor @1080p --> option to 2440p in the future}

I'm in the UK:
1) HIS HD 7950 IceQ BOOST 3072MB
2) HIS HD 7950 3072MB
3) OcUK HD 7950 3072MB -I think this is reference?

I also have access to these 7950 cards.
The Asus has good reviews, is it better value though?

Sincerely appreciate your help before the weekend ends, then I can blow my pay cheque


----------



## BradleyW

IceQ for sure if the price is not too high. It will overclock and cool well. No need for the boost option, unless you have the cash.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gm1k*
> 
> Hey guys, could I ask you to weigh in with your opinions between these three cards, which I think are good value.
> I am also open to alternatives red or green
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> {Use: maxing out modern titles on a single monitor @1080p --> option to 2440p in the future}
> I'm in the UK:
> 1) HIS HD 7950 IceQ BOOST 3072MB
> 2) HIS HD 7950 3072MB
> 3) OcUK HD 7950 3072MB -I think this is reference?
> I also have access to these 7950 cards.
> The Asus has good reviews, is it better value though?
> Sincerely appreciate your help before the weekend ends, then I can blow my pay cheque


MSI Twinfrozr or XFX Double Fan is my vote


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Interesting.
> Can you try this? Follow the manual uninstall process from the AMD how to guide in my sig and clean the drivers out. Don't install new drivers, just boot to windows with the default vga. Let me know if your fan goes crazy.


Ok I have good news and bad news lol. Good news, me removing the drivers worked! I sat idle on my desktop for about 30 mins and my card didn't overheat nor did the fans go crazy. Bad news, after restarting I could no longer get in to Windows. A blue screen would flash real quick and then restart, so Im in the process of doing a restore. I will let you know how things go, and thx for the help!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> MSI Twinfrozr or XFX Double Fan is my vote


I like HIS cards, as my 7870 IceQ X was wonderful (cool and quiet). HIS 7000 series cards tend to get good reviews. I love my ASUS DCII TOP GTX 670 too, but from what I understand, that card is a bit of a special case with it's super quiet 2-slot cooler. ASUS 7970 has a tripple-slot cooler and is not as quiet.


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> Ok I have good news and bad news lol. Good news, me removing the drivers worked! I sat idle on my desktop for about 30 mins and my card didn't overheat nor did the fans go crazy. Bad news, after restarting I could no longer get in to Windows. A blue screen would flash real quick and then restart, so Im in the process of doing a restore. I will let you know how things go, and thx for the help!


UPDATE: After about 40 restarts (literally) and some tears, I finally got back in to windows and I'm re-installing my drivers. I dont know if its something I did or if it was related to 12.7 beta/12.8, but this fan issue will just be a nuisance from now on lol. I will just turn my pc off when Im not gaming and just call it a day if starts up again.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *criznit*
> 
> UPDATE: After about 40 restarts (literally) and some tears, I finally got back in to windows and I'm re-installing my drivers. I dont know if its something I did or if it was related to 12.7 beta/12.8, but this fan issue will just be a nuisance from now on lol. I will just turn my pc off when Im not gaming and just call it a day if starts up again.


Roll back a few drivers to see if that helps. Are you getting any errors or warnings at the end of the driver installation? I use drivesweeper. I know its not popular any more but its worked for me and amd. Doesn't bode well with nvidia so I just use the uninstaller or the CP.


----------



## gm1k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> MSI Twinfrozr or XFX Double Fan is my vote


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> IceQ for sure if the price is not too high. It will overclock and cool well. No need for the boost option, unless you have the cash.


So much choice, I've read a few more good reviews about the HIS iceQ, unless someone stops me, my moneys with them


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gm1k*
> 
> So much choice, I've read a few more good reviews about the HIS iceQ, unless someone stops me, my moneys with them


I had a HD 4670 IceQ before my 7950 and HIS makes great cards! Both very quiet and very cool temps


----------



## wermad

The twin frozr III cooler is very good and noise is much better than the reference turbine. Keep in mind these coolers dump heat back into the case.


----------



## gm1k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> The twin frozr III cooler is very good and noise is much better than the reference turbine. Keep in mind these coolers dump heat back into the case.


That's how I understood it, but I think the HIS iceQ card dumps it out the back, through the expansion slot, correct?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gm1k*
> 
> That's how I understood it, but I think the HIS iceQ card dumps it out the back, through the expansion slot, correct?


Yep, and from the reviews I've seen, it's pretty good at it's job, too.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gm1k*
> 
> That's how I understood it, but I think the HIS iceQ card dumps it out the back, through the expansion slot, correct?


Some of them are a turbine cooler like the Amd reference turbine design but its not a complete seal. The new reference design is a big improvement compared to the 69xx series. HIS does make a cooler with the fan(s) in the middle and they push air through both sides.

If you setup good *positive* air flow, cards that dump heat back into the case can be managed quite well. Still, I believe these are thermally better and quieter if done properly (vs the reference turbine).


----------



## KaRLiToS

Wermad, I don't understand?? Have you ditched the water cooling ?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Wermad, I don't understand?? Have you ditched the water cooling ?


Did a few months ago. Then found out new baby is incoming, going back to water for silent cooling. Air cooling is nice but its definitely a tad bit more loud














. I can keep my fans in low speed and still remain respectably cooler as far as the gpu(s). The cpu on the other hand can go both ways. My Silver Arrow was super quiet and kept temps very close to the custom loop. Its huge but that's really its only drawback. It sold in less than one day. They don't make the older one's any more so they seem to be a bit more desirable.

Just selling a few more bits to start buying water again. Still on a budget but that's why the market is so great


----------



## gm1k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Some of them are a turbine cooler like the Amd reference turbine design but its not a complete seal. The new reference design is a big improvement compared to the 69xx series. HIS does make a cooler with the fan(s) in the middle and they push air through both sides.
> If you setup good *positive* air flow, cards that dump heat back into the case can be managed quite well. Still, I believe these are thermally better and quieter if done properly (vs the reference turbine).


Thank's, this is the card with the fan at the end.


In my tiny box I run with positive air pressure pushing air from front to back.
So it would be great if you could confirm this card pushes air out the back, although as it's positive pressure you mentioned it wouldn't matter if it didn't, but even so


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gm1k*
> 
> Thank's, this is the card with the fan at the end.
> 
> In my tiny box I run with positive air pressure pushing air from front to back.
> So it would be great if you could confirm this card pushes air out the back, although as it's positive pressure you mentioned it wouldn't matter if it didn't, but even so


Correct









I had three 6970 and then 560 448 TFIII and with three 230mm fans + two 140s + two 120s as intake, I had enough positive pressure to keep them nice respectably cool (mind you the EVGA FTW z77 helped a lot with its pcie slot spacing). I only had *one* 140mm fan as exhaust.

The IceQ Turbo is indeed a turbine cooler and routes air through the rear (though its not completely sealed back there). The trade off with turbines is acoustics. Turbines are still noisy but the new generation has improved them. I really haven't seen many makers go with a custom turbine coolers. I'm guessing due to the uniqueness and what looks like a good decent design, it should fall between the reference turbine and the dual fan coolers. I'm siding it might be close to the dual fan. I would check out some reviews; most will show thermal and acoustic comparisons to the reference cooler.


----------



## gm1k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Correct
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had three 6970 and then 560 448 TFIII and with three 230mm fans + two 140s + two 120s as intake, I had enough positive pressure to keep them nice respectably cool (mind you the EVGA FTW z77 helped a lot with its pcie slot spacing). I only had *one* 140mm fan as exhaust.
> The IceQ Turbo is indeed a turbine cooler and routes air through the rear (though its not completely sealed back there). The trade off with turbines is acoustics. Turbines are still noisy but the new generation has improved them. I really haven't seen many makers go with a custom turbine coolers. I'm guessing due to the uniqueness and what looks like a good decent design, it should fall between the reference turbine and the dual fan coolers. I'm siding it might be close to the dual fan. I would check out some reviews; most will show thermal and acoustic comparisons to the reference cooler.


Thank you for that.

As for the reviews, it looks good









Best Cooling Performance: HIS HD 7950 IceQ Turbo


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

My 7970's each get around 60fps in Heaven 3.0 at 1080P maxed (1230MHz / 1750MHz). For fun I ran my backup rig at those same settings with a 2600K and a GTX 580 Lightning overclocked to 930MHz:



Keep in mind that this time last year the 580 Lightning was about the fastest single-GPU card you could buy! Can't wait until the next generation releases!


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Hello I need some help here, any eyefinity user?.

Look I'll buy 3 monitors for eyefinity but I'm really noob and I read this from AMD's web page:

" Monitors:
• AMD recommends DisplayPort Display monitors, as they offer optimal flexibility with the highest number of display outputs
• Depending on the specific graphic card and operating system, ATI Eyefinity technology can support up to six displays. For configurations using more than two displays, additional displays must have DisplayPort connectors. "

SO all the plan I made for the setup was wrong or...??. Look the next pic please.



Now I thougth I would be able to use 2 MiniDisplay Port to HDMI and hook by HDMI cables all monitors as I draw in the pic.

Is it wrong that way?. Should I listen AMD's recommendations and get a DisplayPort Display monitors??. AHhh please help I'm going nuts.


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Roll back a few drivers to see if that helps. Are you getting any errors or warnings at the end of the driver installation? I use drivesweeper. I know its not popular any more but its worked for me and amd. Doesn't bode well with nvidia so I just use the uninstaller or the CP.


I decided to not to a complete restore; I lucked out and got back to my desktop. I had my system restore option off for some dumb reason so I couldn't rollback but now its back on. I'm back up and running but the gpu usage still shoots to 100% if I stay idle on my desktop. I decided to just live with it just because of the headache I went thru to try and fix it.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> Hello I need some help here, any eyefinity user?.
> Look I'll buy 3 monitors for eyefinity but I'm really noob and I read this from AMD's web page:
> " Monitors:
> • AMD recommends DisplayPort Display monitors, as they offer optimal flexibility with the highest number of display outputs
> • Depending on the specific graphic card and operating system, ATI Eyefinity technology can support up to six displays. For configurations using more than two displays, additional displays must have DisplayPort connectors. "
> SO all the plan I made for the setup was wrong or...??. Look the next pic please.
> * Pic of eyefinity idea Ä
> Now I thougth I would be able to use 2 MiniDisplay Port to HDMI and hook by HDMI cables all monitors as I draw in the pic.
> Is it wrong that way?. Should I listen AMD's recommendations and get a DisplayPort Display monitors??. AHhh please help I'm going nuts.


I think your solution will work ! I am thinking of the same setup with mini displayport to HDMI on both, then a third screen to the fullsize HDMI, in my head it will work great, but I can't give you a 100% straight answer on that


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> I think your solution will work ! I am thinking of the same setup with mini displayport to HDMI on both, then a third screen to the fullsize HDMI, in my head it will work great, but I can't give you a 100% straight answer on that


I've been surfing through the web and I found this, look read for yourself and be informed about recommended eyefinity setups:

http://www.sapphireforum.com/showthread.php?28164-EWP-Guide-3-or-More-Monitors-Eyefinity-Setups-and-You!!

Sapphire the best. I'll be buying this card:

Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC Version 3Gb GDDR5



In its bundle comes all the required adapters to make eyefinity possible.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> I've been surfing through the web and I found this, look read for yourself and be informed about recommended eyefinity setups:
> http://www.sapphireforum.com/showthread.php?28164-EWP-Guide-3-or-More-Monitors-Eyefinity-Setups-and-You!!
> Sapphire the best. I'll be buying this card:
> Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC Version 3Gb GDDR5
> * Picture of 7970 bundling *
> In its bundle comes all the required adapters to make eyefinity possible.


Thanks for sharing !








I will buy a 24 inch gaming screen with displayport later and use that screen into displayport output








Also a sapphire card is interesting me, the Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X 3 GB seems very nice with Fullsize outputs of 1x HDMI and 1x Displayport and 2x DVI








This card !

















It is also available as 7970 model, I haven't decidied which is most interesting for me yet


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Thanks for sharing !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will buy a 24 inch gaming screen with displayport later and use that screen into displayport output
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also a sapphire card is interesting me, the Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X 3 GB seems very nice with Fullsize outputs of 1x HDMI and 1x Displayport and 2x DVI
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This card !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is also available as 7970 model, I haven't decidied which is most interesting for me yet


Yes thats the Sapphire Flex edition I think. Also I've read this card is the best option to make eyefinity a little less stressful because it has all the needed outputs and bundle for making eyefinity viable.


----------



## s0up2up

The Sapphire 7970 Ghz is such a nice card! But why the Blue PCB?!?! WHY!!?!?!?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *s0up2up*
> 
> The Sapphire 7970 Ghz is such a nice card! But why the Blue PCB?!?! WHY!!?!?!?


It would match your motherboard.....

I'd rather have blue PCB / black cooler than a black PCB with red cooler. Red doesn't go with anything in my rig (its all blue / black). For the record, my card is "technically" a reference Sapphire 7970 with a black PCB / red cooler (stock).

But meh, we're just nit picking at this point.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Is it good at all??

XFX r7970 CORE EDITION 1100/1500 (Reference Cooler).


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> I just ordered another 7970 to do CFX. Anything I need to do other than install AMD CAP to get ready for it?


For xfire I have found RC 11, 12.4 and 12.8 best for xfire. Obviously go with the newest as you will need the profiles.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Just got my Sapphire and what a world of difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> I can hear the turbine fan now!!!
> Only got a chance to bench as I'm unsure at this point if I'm keeping my rig or not
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still working with the ebay seller and trying to get a full refund.


You will be licky. Coil whine is not a fault. Just have to live with it.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MarlowXim*
> 
> Just got a 7970 from Visiontek 7970 Reference
> ASIC 68.5%
> Manage to overclock it to 1225/1600 MHZ, @ 1.237v however I can push further. After 1225 MHZ I get random artifacts tested with Uniengine, Skyrim, Crysis 2.
> Will adding better cooling to the core remove the artifacts?
> I'm wondering if there is a temperature wall, if keeping it under 59 degrees Celsius would remove the artifacts? or it's a limitation of the core sample.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> I'm running into issues with my Sapphire 7970 OC.
> I'm running stock clocks on 12.4 drivers (I've tried them all trying to fix my problem) and I get hard crashes to a black screen. I then have to hold my power button to shut down and restart. Sometimes I can't even get a boot screen, there's audio, but no video. I then hard shut down and try again. If I can get it to boot properly, it'll browse the internet with zero issues, but the moment I start a game, I'd lucky to make it 2 minutes before a hard crash.
> Any ideas? I've tried all drivers from 12.4 to 12.9 beta and I get the same result every time, a hard crash to black screen.
> Occasionally, it'll crash to a black screen, then display a "lined" image of varying shades of black and dark grey. When I hit keyboard commands, I can get it to flicker here and there, but the only way to fix it is to hold the power button down again and restart.
> Is an RMA in order?


I would try a fresh install. I had weird issues when I first installed drivers. All the drivers I installed were effected. Did a wipe and all worked after.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> wow you can OC your second GPU bios!! Thought that was meant to be like a safely back up that would not OC
> 2 Question
> How to i unlock voltage control in Trixx ?
> Is 12.9 more stable than 12.8 in general ?


Trixx should automatically be unlocked volts.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Why only x8?


It downclocks when not in use.


----------



## BradleyW

Just as a note to everybody, don't bother with 12.9 until it is released on the AMD site. From the comments about it, I am finding it hard to find anything positive.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just as a note to everybody, don't bother with 12.9 until it is released on the AMD site. From the comments about it, I am finding it hard to find anything positive.


Have you tried it Bradleyw?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just as a note to everybody, don't bother with 12.9 until it is released on the AMD site. From the comments about it, I am finding it hard to find anything positive.


My experience with 12.9 is completely positive so far. I like it more than 12.7 and 12.8, because of better and smoother performance and better GPU temps.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Didn't even see that? Wierd,gotta check my bios settings. Oh wait,i have agility 3 sata 3 sdd,bios option like,turbo sata3 or something....x8 x16 any difference in performance?


So any expansion slots occupied other than the gpu?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> For xfire I have found RC 11, 12.4 and 12.8 best for xfire. Obviously go with the newest as you will need the profiles.
> You will be licky. Coil whine is not a fault. Just have to live with it.
> I would try a fresh install. I had weird issues when I first installed drivers. All the drivers I installed were effected. Did a wipe and all worked after.
> Trixx should automatically be unlocked volts.
> It downclocks when not in use.


I'm not talking about the gpu-z reading, cpu-z is reading x8.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

How bad is the microstutter with the 7 series in crossfire?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> How bad is the microstutter with the 7 series in crossfire?


Personally i dont notice it, i have two HD 7870.


----------



## Kitarist

Which brand is the most reliable for a 7950 card? Kinda looking at Sapphire right now


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> Which brand is the most reliable for a 7950 card? Kinda looking at Sapphire right now


My room mate has a Sapphire with the dual fan cooler and it is extremely quiet at idle and under load. I've also had some older Sapphire cards and they've never let me down.


----------



## adamlop

Sapphire 7950OC 950mhz edition *11196-10-40G* with hd7970 black PCB







(8+6pin PCIE)


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> Which brand is the most reliable for a 7950 card? Kinda looking at Sapphire right now


My Powercolor PCS+ HD7950 is very quiet and powerful, i recommend it ! From what I heard the HIS IceQ 7950 is also good and very quiet


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just as a note to everybody, don't bother with 12.9 until it is released on the AMD site. From the comments about it, I am finding it hard to find anything positive.


BradleyW, I really want you to answer to me, have you tried 12.9???


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> BradleyW, I really want you to answer to me, have you tried 12.9???


Judging by his answer I would say no. But like I previously mentioned, 12.9 is the new RC11 for me as far as stability/performance.


----------



## adamlop

Unigine Heaven (downgraded to cat 12.4)
After vertical stripes,


First time (because always freezed on 12.8 and only PwrBtn helps)
after 3-5 seconds back into windows with message:


DirectX of corurse reinstalled many times. It's really looks like issue beetwen z77's PCIE3.0 and hd7950
The same with crysis 1 and 2 only. The rest works perfectly for me.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *s0up2up*
> 
> The Sapphire 7970 Ghz is such a nice card! But why the Blue PCB?!?! WHY!!?!?!?


Why indeed...

Still a nice card though. I'm gonna get a backplate made for mine from Dwood.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Unigine Heaven (downgraded to cat 12.4)
> After vertical stripes,
> 
> First time (because always freezed on 12.8 and only PwrBtn helps)
> after 3-5 seconds back into windows with message:
> 
> DirectX of corurse reinstalled many times. It's really looks like issue beetwen z77's PCIE3.0 and hd7950
> The same with crysis 1 and 2 only. The rest works perfectly for me.


Which Z77 board?


----------



## adamlop

Msi Z77A-G43 cheapest one


----------



## Geekerdom

*The Price of the HD7950 has fallen steeply (Thanks Nvida)* keep the competition going. =)

*Now Ive upgraded* from my GTX 570 to an *HD 7950* last week. and so far Im happy NO need for a change for at least 2 years.

I just would like to say I believe in the *next update Im due a push of a small OC compliments of ATI/AMD*, because of the launch of the 660Ti

Just to try and stay ahead, so AMD are playing cool, to keep customers..

if I want PhysX to Play Batman Games, *is there a Patch to let my GTX 570 play beside as a PhysX Card? anyone*.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Geekerdom*
> 
> *The Price of the HD7950 has fallen steeply (Thanks Nvida)* keep the competition going. =)
> *Now Ive upgraded* from my GTX 570 to an *HD 7950* last week. and so far Im happy NO need for a change for at least 2 years.
> I just would like to say I believe in the *next update Im due a push of a small OC compliments of ATI/AMD*, because of the launch of the 660Ti
> Just to try and stay ahead, so AMD are playing cool, to keep customers..
> if I want PhysX to Play Batman Games, *is there a Patch to let my GTX 570 play beside as a PhysX Card? anyone*.


Thats no problem at all check this thread and follow the steps as it says.

http://www.overclock.net/t/591872/how-to-run-physx-in-windows-7-with-ati-cards

Good Luck.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just as a note to everybody, don't bother with 12.9 until it is released on the AMD site. From the comments about it, I am finding it hard to find anything positive.




Totally [email protected]#$ lol.


----------



## Arni90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> How bad is the microstutter with the 7 series in crossfire?


12.7 beta and 12.8 WHQL is tolerable as long as GPU load is kept lower than 90% and framerate is high.
Anything else is horrible.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just as a note to everybody, don't bother with 12.9 until it is released on the AMD site. From the comments about it, I am finding it hard to find anything positive.




Driver 9.00


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Unigine Heaven (downgraded to cat 12.4)
> After vertical stripes,
> 
> First time (because always freezed on 12.8 and only PwrBtn helps)
> after 3-5 seconds back into windows with message:
> 
> DirectX of corurse reinstalled many times. It's really looks like issue beetwen z77's PCIE3.0 and hd7950
> The same with crysis 1 and 2 only. The rest works perfectly for me.


Just RMA that card.


----------



## BradleyW

Those results don't mean anything to me because I don't know if they are good or bad.


----------



## Newbie2009

I installed 12.9. CCC didn't work so I uninstalled CCC and installed the CCC from 12.8.

Played a little witcher 2, worked fine. Also the black scrolling error I got with 12.8 and xfire enabled is gone (screen would turn black/tearing using firefox randomly)


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arni90*
> 
> 12.7 beta and 12.8 WHQL is tolerable as long as GPU load is kept lower than 90% and framerate is high.
> Anything else is horrible.


Mkaay, I guess I'll wait until I can afford two more 7950's and Tri-fire to fix that issue


----------



## adamlop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Just RMA that card.


Are you sure ? Only crysis1, crysis2 and Heaven problem. Battlefield3, 3d mark11, fifa13 demo, sleepeng dogs demo, civ5 demo, batman demo, colin demo and many many more game demos from steam stable, tested from 4 days.

Are you sure at the are not problem in msi z77a-g43 but sapphire 7950OC fault???


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Are you sure ? Only crysis1, crysis2 and Heaven problem. Battlefield3, 3d mark11, fifa13 demo, sleepeng dogs demo, civ5 demo, batman demo, colin demo and many many more game demos from steam stable, tested from 4 days.
> Are you sure at the are not problem in msi z77a-g43 but sapphire 7950OC fault???


I had same problem and RMAd card. No problem since


----------



## BradleyW

My PC always crashes if i load GPU-Z up after using MSI AB. Even with MSI AB closed, the issue still occurs. It just locks the system instantly.


----------



## grunion

Must be a CFX thing.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My PC always crashes if i load GPU-Z up after using MSI AB. Even with MSI AB closed, the issue still occurs. It just locks the system instantly.


your not the only one i'm having the same problem too, i can play games fine and eveything but as soon i click on gpuz my system locks up completely and i of to reboot. i'm clueless to the issues is can anyone helps us out thanks


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Must be a CFX thing.


Yeah, it only happenes with CF enabled.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

oh i c well thats sucks i want to use both my cards at all times lol....amd seriously you better fix this i want to use both my cards you hear me


----------



## Bluemustang

To everyone having issues in crossfire with gpuz. While not quite the same as I had it's similar. Disabling ULPS fixed issues for me.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My PC always crashes if i load GPU-Z up after using MSI AB. Even with MSI AB closed, the issue still occurs. It just locks the system instantly.


Same thing with ULPS disabled, altrough in my case GPU-Z hard lock pc after i exit 3d game and want to access GPU-Z, very strange. Same thing with aida64 and hwinfo, but these two are not important for me.

I have literally tried every possisble fix that i could think, no luck, now i only use MSI AB.

With ULPS enabled, no GPU-Z hard locks.


----------



## TheRaven

Just a question about overclocking this card with Afterburner. I'm not getting much better results and was wondering if CCC overdrive needed to be disabled or enabled and matching what afterburner has listed? RIght now i have my CCC overdrive disabled. Am I missing a fundamental rule of over clocking these things?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Any particular reason to disable ULPS when not using Crossfire? (only one GPU installed). Just wondering if it will have any effect on the smoothness of FPS in demanding games. Right now I have ULPS enabled and wonder if I should disable it, or whether I'd only notice a difference with more than one card.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Same thing with ULPS disabled, altrough in my case GPU-Z hard lock pc after i exit 3d game and want to access GPU-Z, very strange. Same thing with aida64 and hwinfo, but these two are not important for me.
> I have literally tried every possisble fix that i could think, no luck, now i only use MSI AB.
> With ULPS enabled, no GPU-Z hard locks.


So, it seems every CFX user is getting hard locking when using GPU-Z? No fix for me. ULPS on and off causes the issue.
Edit: I just tested GPU-Z and it worked? I have also previosuly ran MSI AB and a game? Hhhmmmmm?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRaven*
> 
> Just a question about overclocking this card with Afterburner. I'm not getting much better results and was wondering if CCC overdrive needed to be disabled or enabled and matching what afterburner has listed? RIght now i have my CCC overdrive disabled. Am I missing a fundamental rule of over clocking these things?


It does not matter if it is enabled or disabled. You might not be getting that greater of results because you might have only done a small overclock. Also, the more demanding a 3d application, the less gain you see on an overclock compared to testing an overclock on something easy to run such as call of duty 4.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Any particular reason to disable ULPS when not using Crossfire? (only one GPU installed). Just wondering if it will have any effect on the smoothness of FPS in demanding games. Right now I have ULPS enabled and wonder if I should disable it, or whether I'd only notice a difference with more than one card.


It will not make a difference with on card. Just leave it. It is more of a feature that comes into play for crossfire.


----------



## sena

Hmmm, very strange bradleyw, in my case, i can get in aida64,GPU-Z/MSI AB all in same time, but only before running some 3d app, after 3d app, there is no way to access GPU-Z. All this is with ULPS off, with ulps as i already explained everything is ok.

What drivers you are using bradleyw?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I got a hard lock in Warhead the other day. Running 12.8 and there have been no other issues so far. My cards weren't OC'd at all though I'm starting to think I'm having CPU stability issues. Trying to use offset but keep having to bump voltage. Seems I need 1.47-1.49V for 4.8GHz and even though I've got my RIVE under water I'm still getting what I assume is thermal throttling in P95. Can't seem to figure this OC out....


----------



## BradleyW

You might need to adjust other motherboard settings such as PLL, VRM frequencies and so on?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I got LLC at high, VCCSA at 1.2, VTT is auto and offset is currently +.065. Just updated to latest BIOS for the RIVE and am running my Patriot memory with the XMP profile (1.65V and 1866MHz).

Weird thing is I was not having instability or throttling until I went full custom loop...


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Just got my second 7970 installed. I've noticed that the second card doesn't downclock like the first card. Is that supposed to happen? And if not, how do I fix it?

I do have ULPS disabled. I've tried uninstalling all OC software, and re-installing CCC. No dice.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Just got my second 7970 installed. I've noticed that the second card doesn't downclock like the first card. Is that supposed to happen? And if not, how do I fix it?
> I do have ULPS disabled. I've tried uninstalling all OC software, and re-installing CCC. No dice.


My second HD 7870 also doesnt downlock to low 2D speeds, it stays in 300/1200.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

It may have been an ULPS related issue. I was using Trixx. I used the disable ULPS within the program. Then I was having issues with the fan control on it, so I uninstalled it, and re-installed MSI AB. I had already gone through and manually disabled ULPS. Started benching, and noticed issues with my 2nd card turning off. Went back into RegEdit and noticed ULPS was back on. Got it disabled again, and everything seems to be working as expected.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> It may have been an ULPS related issue. I was using Trixx. I used the disable ULPS within the program. Then I was having issues with the fan control on it, so I uninstalled it, and re-installed MSI AB. I had already gone through and manually disabled ULPS. Started benching, and noticed issues with my 2nd card turning off. Went back into RegEdit and noticed ULPS was back on. Got it disabled again, and everything seems to be working as expected.


Do you have GPU-Z issues?


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Do you have GPU-Z issues?


Sure did. Locked up my system as expected. Also gave me back the not downclocking on the second card issue again....









Edit: No longer locks up my system when opened, and MSI AB shows both cards downclocking correctly.


----------



## Plutonium10

I just changed my PSU to a Corsair AX850 and now my Sapphire 7970 has even more coil whine than before! I can hear it buzzing away in the background whenever I scroll down a web page or sometimes even when I 'm just moving my mouse around. Is there anything I can do about it short of trying to RMA it and spending who knows how long without a GPU?


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Plutonium10*
> 
> I just changed my PSU to a Corsair AX850 and now my Sapphire 7970 has even more coil whine than before! I can hear it buzzing away in the background whenever I scroll down a web page or sometimes even when I 'm just moving my mouse around. Is there anything I can do about it short of trying to RMA it and spending who knows how long without a GPU?


Could be the psu, set it up outside of the case and listen.


----------



## Plutonium10

It's the card for sure. I just double-checked.


----------



## PcG_AmD

I've been reading this article http://www.anandtech.com/show/5458/the-radeon-hd-7970-reprise-pcie-bandwidth-overclocking-and-msaa and now I'm a little worried about the bandwidth that my mobo can deliver.It's still a PCI-E 2.0 and at x16(8GB/s) there is almost no difference between PCI-E 2 and 3 but when it comes down to PCI-E 2 at x8(4GB/s) then the article clearly states that the 7970 will be bottleneck







.

I'm thinking of getting another 7950 and they will be running at PCI-E 2 x8/x8 in my motherboard,will that bottleneck my 2 cards?

There are no PCI-E 3.0 AMD chipsets yet! It's not like I can get another mobo and that's it,i'd have to go intel.
I just can't beleive how AMD didn't see this coming,they are the same manufacturer of the video card.


----------



## broadbandaddict

So guys I got a Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 the other day and just got a change to really mess with it and the fan makes a rattling noise.









Any tricks with the card to maybe get the fan to shut up? I *really* don't want to send it back. Thanks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> I've been reading this article http://www.anandtech.com/show/5458/the-radeon-hd-7970-reprise-pcie-bandwidth-overclocking-and-msaa and now I'm a little worried about the bandwidth that my mobo can deliver.It's still a PCI-E 2.0 and at x16(8GB/s) there is almost no difference between PCI-E 2 and 3 but when it comes down to PCI-E 2 at x8(4GB/s) then the article clearly states that the 7970 will be bottleneck
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I'm thinking of getting another 7950 and they will be running at PCI-E 2 x8/x8 in my motherboard,will that bottleneck my 2 cards?
> There are no PCI-E 3.0 AMD chipsets yet! It's not like I can get another mobo and that's it,i'd have to go intel.
> I just can't beleive how AMD didn't see this coming,they are the same manufacturer of the video card.


Best bet is to ignore anandtech. There's maybe 1-2% difference. Bottleneck lol, so dramatic.


----------



## EliteReplay

*Can i join the Club







*


----------



## connectwise

I just received mine today, the HIS 7970 x2


Only 73.6% asic qual tho


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> So guys I got a Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 the other day and just got a change to really mess with it and the fan makes a rattling noise.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any tricks with the card to maybe get the fan to shut up? I *really* don't want to send it back. Thanks.


You can replace the fans on the cooler or switch the whole cooler to a aftermarket one. Both break the warranty however so you should just send it back.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Best bet is to ignore anandtech. There's maybe 1-2% difference. Bottleneck lol, so dramatic.


Lol that's why I'm asking here the forum I trust the most.








I won't be dramatic if there is a 2% difference,not at all I was just asking cause I wasn't sure.
Now ill just get another 7950.


----------



## banwell

Yeah there is a few conflicting reports on PCIE 3 and 2 and the Anandtech one is more alarming. Others have shown that for the 7970 PCIE 2.0 x8 is adequate with minimal performance hit 1-2%. Which consequently means PCIE 3.0 x4 is also enough - which has some great cost saving options when picking out future CF mobos.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Sure did. Locked up my system as expected. Also gave me back the not downclocking on the second card issue again....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: No longer locks up my system when opened, and MSI AB shows both cards downclocking correctly.


So looks like there is lot of CFX users with some sort of the lock up, hmmmm.

So when you enter the system you can open GPU-Z, but later when you try, you get GPU-Z?
Also my second card sometimes downlocks, sometimes not.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> Lol that's why I'm asking here the forum I trust the most.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I won't be dramatic if there is a 2% difference,not at all I was just asking cause I wasn't sure.
> Now ill just get another 7950.


I was referring to Anandtech, they be very dramatic. I don't read their site nor Guru3D, too much bad info.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> You can replace the fans on the cooler or switch the whole cooler to a aftermarket one. Both break the warranty however so you should just send it back.


That's what I though. Oh well, I'll box it up then. Thanks.


----------



## Bluemustang

Was having problems getting much performance out of my crossfire set with my old processor. Was getting 50% gpu usage in metro and 60-70 in bf3. Resulting in frames as low as the 50s in large scenes (such as in a helicopter).

I upgraded my I7 930 to a 3570k and OCd it to 4.6ghz. Still not getting more then 50% in metro and 60-70 in bf3 resulting in the same frames. So pissed with this. I don't expect to see numbers below 90 fps in bf3 and 99% gpu usage. Starting to think this isnt a cpu issue.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Was having problems getting much performance out of my crossfire set with my old processor. Was getting 50% gpu usage in metro and 60-70 in bf3. Resulting in frames as low as the 50s in large scenes (such as in a helicopter).
> I upgraded my I7 930 to a 3570k and OCd it to 4.6ghz. Still not getting more then 50% in metro and 60-70 in bf3 resulting in the same frames. So pissed with this. I don't expect to see numbers below 90 fps in bf3 and 99% gpu usage. Starting to think this isnt a cpu issue.


sounds more like a chipset/XFire issue.

which slots do you have the cards in?

the bottom x16 is only 4X - PCIe2.x , and shares bandwidth with the the other 1x slots

the top x16 is PCIe3.0 16x

the mid x16 is PCIe3.0 8x.

every review I read said this board is not a good choice for XFire or SLI.

I'll have to download the manual and give it a read,

but Both PCIe3.0 x16 Slots even in 8x Mode should be enough to run both cards at max.

..

on my 7950OC, running at 1Ghz, i get 75fr/s average on Caspian Border in a chopper at altitude looking down at the entire battlefield, only when Im running 1 screen though, in eyefinity, it drops to 45/50, so I drop some of the GFX Details to maintain vsync.

2 Cards in XFire should be able to drive BF3 on a Single display at max settings with ease.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> sounds more like a chipset/XFire issue.
> which slots do you have the cards in?
> the bottom x16 is only 4X - PCIe2.x , and shares bandwidth with the the other 1x slots
> the top x16 is PCIe3.0 16x
> the mid x16 is PCIe3.0 8x.
> *every review I read said this board is not a good choice for XFire or SLI.*
> I'll have to download the manual and give it a read,
> but Both PCIe3.0 x16 Slots even in 8x Mode should be enough to run both cards at max.
> ..
> on my 7950OC, running at 1Ghz, i get 75fr/s average on Caspian Border in a chopper at altitude looking down at the entire battlefield, only when Im running 1 screen though, in eyefinity, it drops to 45/50, so I drop some of the GFX Details to maintain vsync.
> 2 Cards in XFire should be able to drive BF3 on a Single display at max settings with ease.


Why?


----------



## Bluemustang

They're in the first 2 of course. PCIE 3.0 at x8 is the same bandwidth as 2.0 at x16.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I was referring to Anandtech, they be very dramatic. I don't read their site nor Guru3D, too much bad info.


I didn't know that thanks for the tip.
After looking at the charts again I realized tat the difference between 3.0 x8 and x4 was minimum so I'm not worried now







.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Why?


the lower spec Z77 chipsets have too many shared bandwidth options/slots/ports


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> Lol that's why I'm asking here the forum I trust the most.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I won't be dramatic if there is a 2% difference,not at all I was just asking cause I wasn't sure.
> Now ill just get another 7950.
> 
> 
> 
> I was referring to Anandtech, they be very dramatic. I don't read their site nor Guru3D, too much bad info.
Click to expand...

I'm too dramatic? How so? Edit never mind, thought you were referring to the motherboard section there.

PCIe bandwidth in this case has two different effects:

PCIe 2.0 x16 vs. x8 - the only game this really affects is Dirt3, which loves bandwidth and GPU power.

Using tri-GPU on Z77 - depending on your board, you will have one of two setups.

One: x8/x8/x4 where the first two are PCIe 3.0 and the last one is PCIe 2.0 (because it is routed through the chipset)
Two: x8/x4/x4 which are all PCIe 3.0 and all come from the CPU.

Here are my results with Dirt3 at 2560x1440 on 3-way 7970s:










Here we see different types of boards at play. The bottom two use config one, where the PCIe 2.0 x4 really is a bottleneck. The next up is the UP4 TH and UD5, which use config two in the all PCIe 3.0 config. The ones above this use PLX 8747 chips for more PCIe bandwidth. To find out more about the PLX chip, I go into a lot of detail here: (http://www.anandtech.com/show/6170/four-multigpu-z77-boards-from-280350-plx-pex-8747-featuring-gigabyte-asrock-ecs-and-evga), but basically it does to a very small extent affect single and dual setups negatively, but surpases three-way setups barely. For four-way, PLX on Z77 is the only way to do it.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> I didn't know that thanks for the tip.
> After looking at the charts again I realized tat the difference between 3.0 x8 and x4 was minimum so I'm not worried now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


i dont think any of the current flagship SINGLE GPU cards even saturate the bandwidth of a PCIe2.0x16Lane Slot yet, let alone PCIe3.0-16Lanes, which is doubled 2.0x16-Lane


----------



## MarlowXim

Anyone measure the Tahiti XTs die size? Trying to get a shim made for it.
In press releases it's 352mm^2, so roughly ~18.76mm x 18.76mm but in reviews it's 365mm^2 ~19.1mm x 19.1 mm.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> I'm too dramatic? How so? Edit never mind, thought you were referring to the motherboard section there.
> PCIe bandwidth in this case has two different effects:
> PCIe 2.0 x16 vs. x8 - the only game this really affects is Dirt3, which loves bandwidth and GPU power.
> Using tri-GPU on Z77 - depending on your board, you will have one of two setups.
> One: x8/x8/x4 where the first two are PCIe 3.0 and the last one is PCIe 2.0 (because it is routed through the chipset)
> Two: x8/x4/x4 which are all PCIe 3.0 and all come from the CPU.
> Here are my results with Dirt3 at 2560x1440 on 3-way 7970s:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here we see different types of boards at play. The bottom two use config one, where the PCIe 2.0 x4 really is a bottleneck. The next up is the UP4 TH and UD5, which use config two in the all PCIe 3.0 config. The ones above this use PLX 8747 chips for more PCIe bandwidth. To find out more about the PLX chip, I go into a lot of detail here: (http://www.anandtech.com/show/6170/four-multigpu-z77-boards-from-280350-plx-pex-8747-featuring-gigabyte-asrock-ecs-and-evga), but basically it does to a very small extent affect single and dual setups negatively, but surpases three-way setups barely. For four-way, PLX on Z77 is the only way to do it.


Thanks a lot for the info very useful!

So what I understand from all this is that as long as you have x8 PCI-E 2.0 then your card will not be bottlenecked in most games,maybe some in DIRT 3.Am I right?


----------



## connectwise

Borlandi is from anandtech?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> So looks like there is lot of CFX users with some sort of the lock up, hmmmm.
> So when you enter the system you can open GPU-Z, but later when you try, you get GPU-Z?
> Also my second card sometimes downlocks, sometimes not.


My system locked up yesterday as well with just single 7970. The sound jammed in a loop and it had to be force resetted.


----------



## disintegratorx

There was a new post for Catalyst 12.9 beta drivers yesterday. They seem to work and look the nicest for me out of all of the 12.9 betas so far. Here's the link: http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-001-september-4
I hope they keep these one's in mind for their next final release because they seem to be made overall, better.


----------



## D3l7a3ch0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> There was a new post for Catalyst 12.9 beta drivers yesterday. They seem to work and look the nicest for me out of all of the 12.9 betas so far. Here's the link: http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-001-september-4
> I hope they keep these one's in mind for their next final release because they seem to be made overall, better.


BETA DRIVERS LOADING NAO.

where have you been all my life since September 4th. hahaha


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> There was a new post for Catalyst 12.9 beta drivers yesterday. They seem to work and look the nicest for me out of all of the 12.9 betas so far. Here's the link: http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-001-september-4
> I hope they keep these one's in mind for their next final release because they seem to be made overall, better.


No crashes or any problems at all with the beta drivers?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Mine are still working fine, even with the finicky Guild Wars 2.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> For four-way, PLX on Z77 is the *wrong* way to do it.


X79?


----------



## connectwise

Daily system lockups atm...


----------



## borandi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> Thanks a lot for the info very useful!
> 
> So what I understand from all this is that as long as you have x8 PCI-E 2.0 then your card will not be bottlenecked in most games,maybe some in DIRT 3.Am I right?


Correct. I should add a rider on the graph I produced. When a new platform is out, I get locked in to the drivers when it was released. For Ivy Bridge, that was 12.3 for Catalyst. Things may be different in 12.9, but I doubt they would have changed much for Dirt3. If anything newer games would work better!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *connectwise*
> 
> Borlandi is from anandtech?


Yes. I'm the motherboard reviewer. But I'm also on the OCN HWBot overclocking team, and a sub-admin of TeamGB Overclockers.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> For four-way, PLX on Z77 is the *wrong* way to do it.
> 
> 
> 
> X79?
Click to expand...

Ideally, yes.

Here's some more data. Again, Dirt3, 2560x1440, All the special stuff turned on, 7970s, 12.3 drivers, CPUs at stock with 16 GB DDR3-2400 9-11-11(or as close to it).

The boards used:

ASUS Rampage IV Extreme - X79, i7-3960X. x16/x16/x8 and x16/x8/x8/x8, has MultiCore Enhancement
ASUS Rampage IV Formula - X79, i7-3960X. x16/x16/x8 and x16/x8/x8/x8, has MultiCore Enhancement
ASRock X79 Extreme11 - X79, i7-3960X, x16/x16/x16 and x16/x16/x16/x16 (uses two PLX 8747 chips to go x16/x16/x16/x16, but those chips cause 2-4% drop on perf each) in PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 2.0, no MCE
ASUS P8Z77-V Premium, Z77, i7-3770K, x16/x8/x8, x8/x8/x8/x8 all PCIe 3.0, uses a single PLX 8747 chip, has MultiCore Enhancement
ASRock Z77 Extreme9, i7-3770K, x16/x8/x8, x8/x8/x8/x8 all PCIe 3.0, uses a single PLX 8747 chip, no MCE
Gigabyte G1.Sniper 3, i7-3770K, x16/x8/x8, x8/x8/x8/x8 all PCIe 3.0, uses a single PLX 8747 chip, MCE-Plus
EVGA Z77 FTW, i7-3770K, x16/x16/x8, x16/x8/x8/x8 all PCIe 3.0, uses a single PLX 8747 chip (routed differently), no MCE
Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H, x8/x4/x4 all PCIe 3.0, no PLX, MCE
Biostar TZ77XE4, x8/x8/x4, last card is PCIe 2.0 x4 as it is routed through the chipset, no PLX, no MCE
ASRock Z77 Extreme6, x8/x8/x4, last card is PCIe 2.0 x4 as it is routed through the chipset, no PLX, no MCE

(MCE is Multicore Enhancement - read about it http://www.anandtech.com/show/6214/multicore-enhancement-the-debate-about-free-mhz)



















For Dirt3, X79 wins out. After that, you want PCIe 3.0 with a PLX, and finally the bottom two have that x4 PCIe 2.0 setup.

For Metro 2033:


















It doesn't matter that much, we're all GPU bound. But picking the right board would give 5 FPS difference if you care about it. In this case, X79 or high end Z77 is still the way to go.

Out of my Z77 and X79 reviews, the ASUS X79 ROG boards, and the Gigabyte Sniper/UD5H Z77 boards are the ones I gave awards. I don't give awards out like some websites do with free nachos. Awards my end have to be earned, no-one gets a free ride where I'm concerned, and the manufacturers know that.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> No crashes or any problems at all with the beta drivers?


Not as of yet for me... Very nice though, I've been noticing alot better detail from these ones while I've been using the desktop. Very very nice lol.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *connectwise*
> 
> Borlandi is from anandtech?
> My system locked up yesterday as well with just single 7970. The sound jammed in a loop and it had to be force resetted.


On GPU-Z or random?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *borandi*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For Dirt3, X79 wins out. After that, you want PCIe 3.0 with a PLX, and finally the bottom two have that x4 PCIe 2.0 setup.
> For Metro 2033:


Just look at the PLX chips get in the way on the Ext 11. I noticed that another user here has to clock his cards a bit higher using an Ext 11 just to keep up at max clock benching. It's not a surprise I suppose, it's to be expected when you double the latency.

Btw, did you have any crashing in tri/quad with the RIVE? I only ask because some users here are experiencing these crashes. It's a pretty rare setup and replicating it is hard.


----------



## Ukkooh

Just sent my Sapphire HD 7970 OC for a RMA because of grinding fan noise. Let's see if I'll get a better overclocker back.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Just sent my Sapphire HD 7970 OC for a RMA because of grinding fan noise. Let's see if I'll get a better overclocker back.


They will probably just replace the fan assembly and return the same card to you. Unless they do just send you a new one and then fix and use your old for a replacement.


----------



## Levesque

For those interested in Borderlands 2. WOW!

I'm surprised at how the game is so nicely optimized for Eyefinity/Quad-Fire on day 1, with the hud in the middle screen at 7680X1600 (3X30'') (instead of the usual stretching with life/ammo on the side screens where we can't see them), and running fine with every settings maxed out. We had CAP for this game before it came out! I played 12 hours already, and didn't had a single crash/BSOD/freeze etc! PQ is really great, and the game is awesome. Love it.

It's so rare to see a game working so well with Eyefinity/Crossfire on the first day, out of the box! I'm impressed.


----------



## crash01

Hi guys, finally there is a review of Hybrid 7970 if someone is curious, like me!









Review: ARCTIC Accelero Hybrid 7970


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> For those interested in Borderlands 2. WOW!
> I'm surprised at how the game is so nicely optimized for Eyefinity/Quad-Fire on day 1, with the hud in the middle screen at 7680X1600 (3X30'') (instead of the usual stretching with life/ammo on the side screens where we can't see them), and running fine with every settings maxed out. We had CAP for this game before it came out! I played 12 hours already, and didn't had a single crash/BSOD/freeze etc! PQ is really great, and the game is awesome. Love it.
> It's so rare to see a game working so well with Eyefinity/Crossfire on the first day, out of the box! I'm impressed.


Yes I also played it, its very well done. Its nice for the 15 first minutes until I get my routine lockups.








But honestly, I think its the game of the year.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crash01*
> 
> Hi guys, finally there is a review of Hybrid 7970 if someone is curious, like me!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Review: ARCTIC Accelero Hybrid 7970


If only it didn't void the warranty on my Sapphire 7970, I'd try this =/ Risking voiding the warranty on a card that I got as an open box deal doesn't seem worth it. I wish Sapphire didn't care if we replace coolers!


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yes I also played it, its very well done. Its nice for the 15 first minutes until I get my routine lockups.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But honestly, I think its the game of the year.


Forgive me for my ignorance what is exactly what you call a "lockdown"?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> Forgive me for my ignorance what is exactly what you call a "lockdown"?


Its a freeze or "hardlock" which only a hard reset or hard reboot can get you out of the annoying freeze with 2ms sound loop.

Check at 0:43


----------



## ElevenEleven

Isn't that a "lock-up"?









http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockdown

*linguistic hat off*


----------



## crash01

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> If only it didn't void the warranty on my Sapphire 7970, I'd try this =/ Risking voiding the warranty on a card that I got as an open box deal doesn't seem worth it. I wish Sapphire didn't care if we replace coolers!


If u change cooler u dont void warranty.

I got sapphire too, and a friend with Sapphire 6970 changed cooler and warraty is stll ok









Ask to sapphire


----------



## ElevenEleven

Yeah, it's right on the Sapphire site:

" GPU or ASIC device (VGA) is sensitive to thermal (heat) issue. The heat sink or fan is designed to meet the requirements for reliability of the product and the warranty is rendered invalid if the product is dismantled or the heat sink or cooler fan are removed as this may causes damage to the GPU or ASIC device . Non-compliance will cause the warranty of the product to be void and repair will be at the users cost."

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/support/?cid=3&psn=000203&lid=1

Removing the heatsink voids the warranty.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *connectwise*
> 
> Borlandi is from anandtech?
> My system locked up yesterday as well with just single 7970. The sound jammed in a loop and it had to be force resetted.


In MOst cases, lockups like that are Sound Card Drivers.

in the Days of the Creative SB Live! -> X-Fi, We narrowed it to the drivers by disabling the audio hardware and running the same test /game with no sound hardware.

I think someone said disabling the AMD Audio/HDMI thing fixed some issues with his hardlocks/crashing.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Levesque*
> 
> For those interested in Borderlands 2. WOW!
> I'm surprised at how the game is so nicely optimized for Eyefinity/Quad-Fire on day 1, with the hud in the middle screen at 7680X1600 (3X30'') (instead of the usual stretching with life/ammo on the side screens where we can't see them), and running fine with every settings maxed out. We had CAP for this game before it came out! I played 12 hours already, and didn't had a single crash/BSOD/freeze etc! PQ is really great, and the game is awesome. Love it.
> It's so rare to see a game working so well with Eyefinity/Crossfire on the first day, out of the box! I'm impressed.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yes I also played it, its very well done. Its nice for the 15 first minutes until I get my routine lockups.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But honestly, I think its the game of the year.


I was getting over 120fps avg with the 12.9 asder00 release driver, but it kept crashing my driver lol. It could be the CAP3, dunno. Went back to the 12.9 benchmark 3D release with the fixed CCC. No more crashes but also no 120+ fps lol. Haven't reinstalled CAP3, crosses fingers.

*Edit, figured it out, was AB causing a host of issues.

**Edit, it still is the 12.9 asder00 driver release that is causing explorer crashes, then the driver crashes after that.

AB is causing a weird stutter/synch issue on the desktop with GW2 login screen only. Once ingame it is smooth sailing. I reverted back to 12.9 betas from benchmark with AB. The driver from asder00 was wicked fast though, over 120fps in BD2 maxed to the gills.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> There was a new post for Catalyst 12.9 beta drivers yesterday. They seem to work and look the nicest for me out of all of the 12.9 betas so far. Here's the link: http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-001-september-4
> I hope they keep these one's in mind for their next final release because they seem to be made overall, better.


Hrm, so this is the description/benchmark thread for 9.001:
http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-001-september-4-benchmark

No comparisons here, sadly:

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=367954

I'm on 9.00 v3 at the moment, and I don't see any weighty arguments to try 9.001 yet, or how stable 9.001 is.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quick question, I'm overclocking my 7950 Vapor-X Sapphire OC card but to get it stable at 1100/1300 I need it up at 1200+ vddc

But in doing so, the VRAM temps get to around 85-90c

I assume thats too high? Is it?


----------



## s0up2up

Yeah I would say that it's too high. So it's completely unstable anywhere below 1200+ vddc?


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *s0up2up*
> 
> Yeah I would say that it's too high. So it's completely unstable anywhere below 1200+ vddc?


Yeah at anything above 1050Mhz it becomes unstable without really high vddc - The game locks up for abit, I minimize and then find out the display driver has crashed. I maximize the game again and theres artifacts flying all over. Then my computer requires a reboot to get those artifacts to go away


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Got monitor 2 of three. My cards don't like to downclock the memory now that I have a 2nd monitor. I don't know what's doing it, so I just set up a custom profile for the desktop with super low clocks and just run that, and then swap back to my OC for gaming. A tad tedious, but it works.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Its a freeze or "hardlock" which only a hard reset or hard reboot can get you out of the annoying freeze with 2ms sound loop.
> Check at 0:43


For some reason the video won't load


----------



## connectwise

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Its a freeze or "hardlock" which only a hard reset or hard reboot can get you out of the annoying freeze with 2ms sound loop.
> Check at 0:43


I get that annoying freeze with 2ms sound loop.

Only happens it seems either when I have vent on, youtube on, coaxial digital music out on, dx10 games on. Which's like all the time.


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MarlowXim*
> 
> Anyone measure the Tahiti XTs die size? Trying to get a shim made for it.
> In press releases it's 352mm^2, so roughly ~18.76mm x 18.76mm but in reviews it's 365mm^2 ~19.1mm x 19.1 mm.


The chip itself is 365mm^5, but transistors cover only 352mm^2.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> For some reason the video won't load


Here is the url


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Quick question, I'm overclocking my 7950 Vapor-X Sapphire OC card but to get it stable at 1100/1300 I need it up at 1200+ vddc
> But in doing so, the VRAM temps get to around 85-90c
> I assume thats too high? Is it?


That's definitely high.With my sapphire 7950 OC dual x I can reach 1200mhz with only 1175mv(1156 stock) and I get max temps of 76c.
It was surprising to me really because when I got it I had read that you needed at least 1237mv to get it stable at 1150mhz but for some reason for my card that's worse!.
If I set the voltage to 1200mv or higher then the temps go as high as 82c and then it crashes after a few minutes.

Try setting the voltage to around 1185-1190 and test it.
Also with my dual x I have to set the fans to at least 90% to get the temps below 75c.I don't know about the vapor x.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gregoryH*
> 
> The chip itself is 365mm^5, but transistors cover only 352mm^2.
> Here is the url


Thanks Yeah I've just watched it's amazing I would kill myself If I had that system and it wouldn't work! I mean 4x7970's all of that watercooling I would kill to get a system like that(I will have someting like that someday when I graduate)

Karlitos have you tried running previous drivers and the beta of 12.9 and still nothing?


----------



## ChrisTahoe

So, I've got an odd issue here. I have both cards flashed to the GHz BIOS. However, when I switch both cards to the GHz BIOS, I get an "AMD cannot detect drivers or drivers aren't functioning properly" error message. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling CCC, but had no luck. It isn't a HUGE deal that I get it working, but it'd be nice. Anybody have any suggestions?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> Thanks Yeah I've just watched it's amazing I would kill myself If I had that system and it wouldn't work! I mean 4x7970's all of that watercooling I would kill to get a system like that(I will have someting like that someday when I graduate)
> Karlitos have you tried running previous drivers and the beta of 12.9 and still nothing?


I have tried everything and nothing works. The only thing that works is drinking many many beers then I forget about it, but when I wake up the next morning, the damn problem is still there.

Annoying issue.

I have been playing Borderlands 2 the whole morning, more than 4 hours in Quadfire but single screen and I have no issue. But as soon as I try to play eyefinity, I can only play few minutes until I get the DAMN LOCKUPS.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Good, now look this review:

http://www.geeks3d.com/20120502/physx-test-gtx-680-vs-gtx-580-vs-gtx-480-in-fluidmark/


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChristianUshuaia*
> 
> Good, now look this review:
> http://www.geeks3d.com/20120502/physx-test-gtx-680-vs-gtx-580-vs-gtx-480-in-fluidmark/


What is the point to comparing 7970+560ti to Nvidia cards in Nvidia PhysX benchmark? So, GTX480 is better than 560ti, now what?


----------



## PcG_AmD

Can anyone here with 2x7950's post his results in BF3 ultra? because many people have 2x7970's but I'm about to get another 7950 and I have no idea about the performance some reviews say more some others less but they are always stock,what about when overclocked?.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> Can anyone here with 2x7950's post his results in BF3 ultra? because many people have 2x7970's but I'm about to get another 7950 and I have no idea about the performance some reviews say more some others less but they are always stock,what about when overclocked?.


well i would say same as the HD7970 because as far as i know u can get same result with the HD7950 OC


----------



## trendy

So I just bought a XFX HD 7950... first AMD card in a VERY long time. I installed it, everything is great, but when I check out my idle temperatures.... they are 60C. Is that normal?


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trendy*
> 
> So I just bought a XFX HD 7950... first AMD card in a VERY long time. I installed it, everything is great, but when I check out my idle temperatures.... they are 60C. Is that normal?


It is pretty close to normal if you have multiple screens and a reference cooler.








What temps are you getting under load?


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> It is pretty close to normal if you have multiple screens and a reference cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What temps are you getting under load?


I'm afraid to try it out... I loaded up furmark and it hits 75C pretty quickly. I'm kind of disappointed right now. My 570 at stock with 2 monitors was just fine, maxed out around 65C under load....


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trendy*
> 
> I'm afraid to try it out... I loaded up furmark and it hits 75C pretty quickly. I'm kind of disappointed right now. My 570 at stock with 2 monitors was just fine, maxed out around 65C under load....


Which XFX version? Plus, what are your ambient temperatures in the room and which case? Those factors may be playing a roll in your temps.

Mine, a TF3 is sitting at 72*c, under full load, while folding for the past week. My ambient temp is close to 80* in the corner where my case sits. Running at 1Ghz Core, 1575Mem

Edit: So looked back at MSI Afterburner and my fan profile. I had it turned off and running at a static 55% fan speed. /facepalm. Back on my profile temps back down to ~65*c.


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Which XFX version? Plus, what are your ambient temperatures in the room and which case? Those factors may be playing a roll in your temps.
> Mine, a TF3 is sitting at 72*c, under full load, while folding for the past week. My ambient temp is close to 80* in the corner where my case sits. Running at 1Ghz Core, 1575Mem
> Edit: So looked back at MSI Afterburner and my fan profile. I had it turned off and running at a static 55% fan speed. /facepalm. Back on my profile temps back down to ~65*c.


This card.

Ambient is 23-24C.

I'm running at bone stock speeds. I do have two monitors, which I know on Nvidia cards causes them to run in "performance" mode at idle, but I wasn't aware this was the same for AMD cards. I just played BF3 for a little bit and temps were hitting 75C.... I'm thinking I need to replace the thermal paste on my card.

BTW, This is all with the side panel off the case, because it's being modded soon....


----------



## Mazel

Just got my 7970 Vapor-X Ghz, decided to compare it to my 7950 Vapor-X clock per clock. And it pretty much reconfirms what we already know.

*7950 Vapor-X 1070/1600*


*7970 Vapor-X Ghz 1070/1600*


*7970+7950 in Crossfire 1075/1575*


Temps rarely shot above 62C in Crossfire, VRAM/VRM stayed around 65C. It may be that the cards are mounted at a 90 degree angle, but man do these cards run nice and cool.


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> Just got my 7970 Vapor-X Ghz, decided to compare it to my 7950 Vapor-X clock per clock. And it pretty much reconfirms what we already know.
> *7950 Vapor-X 1070/1600*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *7970 Vapor-X Ghz 1070/1600*
> 
> *7970+7950 in Crossfire 1075/1575*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Temps rarely shot above 62C in Crossfire, VRAM/VRM stayed around 65C. It may be that the cards are mounted at a 90 degree angle, but man do these cards run nice and cool.


Nice dude! Sweet setup for sure ^_^

BTW, to all, I just thought about checking my fan speeds and it turns out it was stuck at 25% static from my old Nvidia profile... So I switched it to 50%+ static/variable and it's now idling at 45C. Much better lol


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trendy*
> 
> Nice dude! Sweet setup for sure ^_^
> 
> BTW, to all, I just thought about checking my fan speeds and it turns out it was stuck at 25% static from my old Nvidia profile... So I switched it to 50%+ static/variable and it's now idling at 45C. Much better lol


Aah, see. My edit about my fan profile got a light to click. Glad you got it figured out.


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Aah, see. My edit about my fan profile got a light to click. Glad you got it figured out.


Yes sir it did! You can do this every day for years, but sometimes it's just the simplest thing that makes you feel so not smart... hahaha.

I'm getting a little OC action going now :-]

Testing 1100mhz/1450mhz

Furmark is going, temps are 70C under load with a moderate fan profile.... very good :-]


----------



## Rebelord

Nice. If I try to go over 1k, it takes some voltage tweaks to be stable. However, at 1k core and 1575mem. I am NOT complaining. Considering GPU-z is reporting .986 for VDDC. At these clocks.


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Nice. If I try to go over 1k, it takes some voltage tweaks to be stable. However, at 1k core and 1575mem. I am NOT complaining. Considering GPU-z is reporting .986 for VDDC. At these clocks.


I think I might be in the same boat, as Furmark keeps crashing on me.

Upping the voltage limit is that only slider Afterburner has available, is that the only way to up the voltage?


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trendy*
> 
> I think I might be in the same boat, as Furmark keeps crashing on me.
> 
> Upping the voltage limit is that only slider Afterburner has available, is that the only way to up the voltage?


MSI Afterburner, or alot of people are using Sapphire Trixx too now.


----------



## trendy

I tried both, neither give me the option to change my voltages.... this is just a downer lol.


----------



## Rebelord

MSI Afterburner: Settings: General Tab: Towards the middle: Unlock Voltage Control and Unlock Voltage Monitoring Check those boxes.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> Just got my 7970 Vapor-X Ghz, decided to compare it to my 7950 Vapor-X clock per clock. And it pretty much reconfirms what we already know.
> *7950 Vapor-X 1070/1600*
> * Pic *
> *7970 Vapor-X Ghz 1070/1600*
> * Pic *
> *7970+7950 in Crossfire 1075/1575*
> * Pic *
> Temps rarely shot above 62C in Crossfire, VRAM/VRM stayed around 65C. It may be that the cards are mounted at a 90 degree angle, but man do these cards run nice and cool.


Thinking of getting a Vapor-X later to run CrossfireX with my 7950, do you recommend the card?







I'm curious about noise level, cooling, does it take 2 slots or 2,5?








Thanks in advance


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> MSI Afterburner: Settings: General Tab: Towards the middle: Unlock Voltage Control and Unlock Voltage Monitoring Check those boxes.


Been there, done that. It's not working. Dammit, I knew AMD would do this crap to me. I've been looking all over the web for the last hour. Apparently, it's hit or miss. Either you can do a number of work arounds and get it working, or you're stuck with the default voltage. I'm really upset right now, I was looking at getting 7970 performance out of this thing.

*sigh* Technology... haha


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Thinking of getting a Vapor-X later to run CrossfireX with my 7950, do you recommend the card?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm curious about noise level, cooling, does it take 2 slots or 2,5?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance


I do, however they've had voltage lock issues. Yet, they're capable of great 24/7 overclocks on their stock voltage. Noise isn't much of a issue if you keep the fans below 60%, but I generally don't notice much of a difference past 65% in terms of cooling anyways. Cooling is top notch, should be just as effective in a traditional case with good airflow. And to round it off it's 2.5 slots.


----------



## locc

Just installed my 7950 vapor-x and have to say I am disappointed at the noise and the heat. Unigine Heaven run raises the temps to 85C when the whole system crashes and fan blows at 70% which makes really nasty noise.. not sure whats up with the card. I've not even used the overclock button.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> I do, however they've had voltage lock issues. Yet, they're capable of great 24/7 overclocks on their stock voltage. Noise isn't much of a issue if you keep the fans below 60%, but I generally don't notice much of a difference past 65% in terms of cooling anyways. Cooling is top notch, should be just as effective in a traditional case with good airflow. And to round it off it's 2.5 slots.


Big thumb down for locked voltage control!







My PCS+ 7950 is free to set the voltage and I really like it! Stock voltage made it a bad OC, but with my own set voltage it OC great, so I think I will have to look for a Powercolor PCS+ 7950 or a Vortex II 7970









Thanks for sharing the info! Atleast I will not buy that card and not be satisfied


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> Just installed my 7950 vapor-x and have to say I am disappointed at the noise and the heat. Unigine Heaven run raises the temps to 85C when the whole system crashes and fan blows at 70% which makes really nasty noise.. not sure whats up with the card. I've not even used the overclock button.


what is your cabinet and CPU . also is your GPU fan speed on auto. 85c is really bad.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Vapor-X/32.html

the vapor-x should stay below 70c even at 1.1 Ghz. first test on an open bench to rule out a faulty card. if temps under load are around 65c on an open bench then it might be worth looking at your case cooling. if temps are still high in an open test bench just return the card.


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> what is your cabinet and CPU . also is your GPU fan speed on auto. 85c is really bad.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Vapor-X/32.html
> the vapor-x should stay below 70c even at 1.1 Ghz. first test on an open bench to rule out a faulty card. if temps under load are around 65c on an open bench then it might be worth looking at your case cooling. if temps are still high in an open test bench just return the card.


I found the culprit. When the amd's gpu boost was working it also increased the gpu voltage up to 1.25v which caused heating up. As that happened card also hit the power limit and lowered the gpu clocks as well resulting worse fps and massive heat. I turned on the cards gpu boost button which essentially disables the amd gpu boots and increases the clocks to fixed 950MHz. After this the gpu speed remains constantly at 950MHz with 1.056v and temperatures below 65C with auto fan. Seems amd's driver based gpu boost needs still some work.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trendy*
> 
> Been there, done that. It's not working. Dammit, I knew AMD would do this crap to me. I've been looking all over the web for the last hour. Apparently, it's hit or miss. Either you can do a number of work arounds and get it working, or you're stuck with the default voltage. I'm really upset right now, I was looking at getting 7970 performance out of this thing.
> 
> *sigh* Technology... haha


I wouldn't necessarily blame AMD. If you search this thread, it seems to be more on the manufacture about locking voltage control. Atleast by my opinion. If you can, return it quickly for a Sapphire Vapor-x or MSI TF3.


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> I wouldn't necessarily blame AMD. If you search this thread, it seems to be more on the manufacture about locking voltage control. Atleast by my opinion. If you can, return it quickly for a Sapphire Vapor-x or MSI TF3.


Well, I bought this card because it has the 6+8 pin power connectors and was only $289.99 after MIB.

I got some voltage control in Asus GPU Tweaker, but that application wouldn't raise the clocks or memory past certain points. (1100mhz core and 6300mhz mem). Which was also disappointing.


----------



## sena

Guys is it normal to have massive Vram usage in CFX?

I remember someone also else had massive Vram usage in CFX, performances are ok, but its little weird.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys is it normal to have massive Vram usage in CFX?
> I remember someone also else had massive Vram usage in CFX, performances are ok, but its little weird.


Just set up 2 different profiles in MSI AB or Trixx or whatever OC software you use. Once for the 2d applications, and one for 3d. I know with AB you can have it automatically swap between the 2 profiles. I set my 2d profile to 500mhz core, 685mhz memory. No issues, and it keeps my idle temps down.


----------



## TheMafia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trendy*
> 
> Well, I bought this card because it has the 6+8 pin power connectors and was only $289.99 after MIB.
> 
> I got some voltage control in Asus GPU Tweaker, but that application wouldn't raise the clocks or memory past certain points. (1100mhz core and 6300mhz mem). Which was also disappointing.


whats the benefit of voltage control? i have slightly unstable cards....i've always considered lack of power.... should i look into this as a solution?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Just set up 2 different profiles in MSI AB or Trixx or whatever OC software you use. Once for the 2d applications, and one for 3d. I know with AB you can have it automatically swap between the 2 profiles. I set my 2d profile to 500mhz core, 685mhz memory. No issues, and it keeps my idle temps down.


I know that, problem is that i seeing Vram usage over 2000 MB with CFX enable, with CFX disable i am getting about 1000MB Vram usage.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I know that, problem is that i seeing Vram usage over 2000 MB with CFX enable, with CFX disable i am getting about 1000MB Vram usage.


Hmm, I'm not experiencing that issue. Any programs in the background that could be doing it?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Hmm, I'm not experiencing that issue. Any programs in the background that could be doing it?


Dont know, performances are ok, so its maybe just wrong reading.


----------



## Snyderman34

So I sent my ASUS HD7970 DC2T back into ASUS for RMA. Thing wouldn't quit crashing at stock or while underclocked under load. They got it back to me... and no difference. On the upside they're sending me a replacement, so hopefully that one works. I hope it does, since I'll be selling it. Switched to a GTX680. I like it a lot better overall (everything feels better, as it were)


----------



## sena

Guys with CFX, what GPU usage you are getting in Crysis 1, i have very good fps, but gpu usage is mostly abou 75-85%, pretty often on 99%, but its not locked on 99%.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

My sig rig doesn't seem to ever crash on me while using it (except for a random Warhead lockup here and there) but almost every morning when I go to wake the monitors they remain off and I have to hard reset. What the heck is going on? I'm going to try running a blank screen saver instead and see if that's the problem....


----------



## revro

hello,

i have a question, is stock i7-3770k @3,9GHz bottlecking crossfire/trifire/quadfire in games? and if yes by how many fps?

thank you
revro


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> My sig rig doesn't seem to ever crash on me while using it (except for a random Warhead lockup here and there) but almost every morning when I go to wake the monitors they remain off and I have to hard reset. What the heck is going on? I'm going to try running a blank screen saver instead and see if that's the problem....


That looks like famous zero power problem, its works for me now, as it stands now i only have problem with GPU-Z hardlock after i exit the game.


----------



## cametall

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> My sig rig doesn't seem to ever crash on me while using it (except for a random Warhead lockup here and there) but almost every morning when I go to wake the monitors they remain off and I have to hard reset. What the heck is going on? I'm going to try running a blank screen saver instead and see if that's the problem....


My 7950 Vapor-X did this when I had the PC set to turn the monitor off (maybe put it to sleep is the better term) after it was idle for however long.

Turning that feature off stopped the lock ups when idle for me.

For the record I did and still do have a screen saver come up.


----------



## trendy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> whats the benefit of voltage control? i have slightly unstable cards....i've always considered lack of power.... should i look into this as a solution?


It allows you to OC higher. Of course, the increase in voltage makes more heat, which means you need better cooling.


----------



## sena

Again GSOD in idle with 12.6 drivers, sound is till going in background and enitire pc is working.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> Just got my 7970 Vapor-X Ghz, decided to compare it to my 7950 Vapor-X clock per clock. And it pretty much reconfirms what we already know.
> *7950 Vapor-X 1070/1600*
> 
> *7970 Vapor-X Ghz 1070/1600*
> 
> *7970+7950 in Crossfire 1075/1575*
> 
> Temps rarely shot above 62C in Crossfire, VRAM/VRM stayed around 65C. It may be that the cards are mounted at a 90 degree angle, but man do these cards run nice and cool.


I decided to test my results to see how my single 7950 would perform.

Here are my results with my 7950 OC Dual-X 1200/1450:



The core speed of your card is slower but if I wanna reach your score I have to overclock the card to at least 1150mhz

I just can't get the memory that high! I can run BF3 perfectly with the memory @1550 mhz with the voltage at 1650 a 50mv increase,but in heaven for some reason it always crashes in the stage 21-22 but only because of the memory.

On the other hand,the core can run at 1200mhz and the voltage 1175mv without a single problem,the temperature stays always under 75ºC with the fans set to 93%.

Now I'll try if I can reach higher speeds with the core.

Considering that my Phenom II x6 is considerably worse than your i7 I think my result is pretty good.









Next Tuesday I'm getting my second 7950 dual-x and by then I'll benchmark it against your cf score.









Thanks for publishing them so I can now see how my system compares to others with similar settings







.


----------



## Bruennis

Need help guys.

Recently bought the Lightning 7970 but I'm having a monitor signal problem. After shutting my PC off for sometime and then turning it back on, I get no signal. Repeatedly turning it on and off wakes it up but I'm contemplating replacing the card if I am unable to resolve this. I've had other 7970s and a 7950 on the same board and same PCI-E slot with no problems and so I doubt it is a faulty motherboard / slot. I thought it could be my monitor but switching the DVI cable to integrated graphics works just fine and so it can't be the monitor. I've tried flashing the motherboard to the latest bios and the problem still persists. I've also tried Catalyst 12.7 and 12.8 and still no luck. Specs are in signature rig. Suggestions? I've had terrible luck with 7970s







Seriously considering the switch to Kepler 680


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> I decided to test my results to see how my single 7950 would perform.
> Here are my results with my 7950 OC Dual-X 1200/1450:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The core speed of your card is slower but if I wanna reach your score I have to overclock the card to at least 1150mhz
> I just can't get the memory that high! I can run BF3 perfectly with the memory @1550 mhz with the voltage at 1650 a 50mv increase,but in heaven for some reason it always crashes in the stage 21-22 but only because of the memory.
> On the other hand,the core can run at 1200mhz and the voltage 1175mv without a single problem,the temperature stays always under 75ºC with the fans set to 93%.
> Now I'll try if I can reach higher speeds with the core.
> Considering that my Phenom II x6 is considerably worse than your i7 I think my result is pretty good.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next Tuesday I'm getting my second 7950 dual-x and by then I'll benchmark it against your cf score.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for publishing them so I can now see how my system compares to others with similar settings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Yeah, that 7950 is running at .987V. If I could unlock the voltage, I could easily see upwards of 1200/1600 on it. Waiting to see if MSI can get Afterburner working with the new Boost cards before I flash on my 7970 Bios. I just don't like the fact that it's running 1.200V. But I don't think it'll be much of a problem as they pretty much share all the same components besides the GPU. Otherwise I'd love to see how two 7950s do in crossfire, shouldn't be far off my score.


----------



## CattleCorn

My card came at 1.2v stock and I was able to go to 1175/1650 without touching voltage. Haven't messed with it much but thought that was pretty good for initial overclock. Never go above 50 degrees playing BF3.


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Need help guys.
> Recently bought the Lightning 7970 but I'm having a monitor signal problem. After shutting my PC off for sometime and then turning it back on, I get no signal. Repeatedly turning it on and off wakes it up but I'm contemplating replacing the card if I am unable to resolve this. I've had other 7970s and a 7950 on the same board and same PCI-E slot with no problems and so I doubt it is a faulty motherboard / slot. I thought it could be my monitor but switching the DVI cable to integrated graphics works just fine and so it can't be the monitor. I've tried flashing the motherboard to the latest bios and the problem still persists. I've also tried Catalyst 12.7 and 12.8 and still no luck. Specs are in signature rig. Suggestions? I've had terrible luck with 7970s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously considering the switch to Kepler 680


What bios is on your 7970 Lightning? Is it a Ghz Edition Lightning?

Here's mine: (non-Ghz)


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> What bios is on your 7970 Lightning? Is it a Ghz Edition Lightning?
> Here's mine: (non-Ghz)


Box says GHz Edition so I assume it's not the non-GHz


----------



## spinejam

Here is my bios if you'd like to try it.

7970L.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Need help guys.
> Recently bought the Lightning 7970 but I'm having a monitor signal problem. After shutting my PC off for sometime and then turning it back on, I get no signal. Repeatedly turning it on and off wakes it up but I'm contemplating replacing the card if I am unable to resolve this. I've had other 7970s and a 7950 on the same board and same PCI-E slot with no problems and so I doubt it is a faulty motherboard / slot. I thought it could be my monitor but switching the DVI cable to integrated graphics works just fine and so it can't be the monitor. I've tried flashing the motherboard to the latest bios and the problem still persists. I've also tried Catalyst 12.7 and 12.8 and still no luck. Specs are in signature rig. Suggestions? I've had terrible luck with 7970s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously considering the switch to Kepler 680


Do you have hibernation disabled for your SSD? Also is your cable in the correct port in your graphics card? Other than that you should go with Catalyst 12.8 because its the latest driver. Good luck.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> Yeah, that 7950 is running at .987V. If I could unlock the voltage, I could easily see upwards of 1200/1600 on it. Waiting to see if MSI can get Afterburner working with the new Boost cards before I flash on my 7970 Bios. I just don't like the fact that it's running 1.200V. But I don't think it'll be much of a problem as they pretty much share all the same components besides the GPU. Otherwise I'd love to see how two 7950s do in crossfire, shouldn't be far off my score.


I'll know next tuesday can't wait.

I have to make a correction in my post though,I was running the card at 1175mv but after running the test again I got almost the same score but I could see a lot of artifacts,It's the first time I experience them but I'm sure it was probably because of the high voltage.The more I increased the voltage the more frequent were the artifacts the screen flickering a lot and the sunlight in the benchmark was violet sometimes,I got a little worried.
Then I tried to run the test with the voltage at 1156mv,I could see less but I could still see them.The only reason I was setting it to 1156 was because that is what sapphire trixx detectes as my stock voltage when I click reset but apparently trixx is wrong because every time I run BF3 with those voltages @1200mhz after 20 minutes I start experiencing those artifacts again and 10-15 minutes later the display driver stops responding and when that happens the core voltage resets to 1056 and not 1156.If I don't open trixx and only open afterburner then it detects that my stock voltage is 1056,so all this time I was running a much higher voltage than needed and stock voltage was actually 1056mv.
I set the voltage to 1135 and then the artifacts were gone completely and the test run perfectly hitting almost the same fps 49.
I'll see how BF3 runs now.
Quote:


> That's quite low! My factory-overclocked Sapphire Dual-X voltage is 1.174V according to Afterburner. I definitely don't think it needs that much for a low factory overclock.


ElevenEleven has the same card I have and his voltage was even higher,I don't get it I don't really know what the stock voltage of my card really is.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PcG_AmD*
> 
> I decided to test my results to see how my single 7950 would perform.
> Here are my results with my 7950 OC Dual-X 1200/1450:
> 
> The core speed of your card is slower but if I wanna reach your score I have to overclock the card to at least 1150mhz
> I just can't get the memory that high! I can run BF3 perfectly with the memory @1550 mhz with the voltage at 1650 a 50mv increase,but in heaven for some reason it always crashes in the stage 21-22 but only because of the memory.
> On the other hand,the core can run at 1200mhz and the voltage 1175mv without a single problem,the temperature stays always under 75ºC with the fans set to 93%.
> Now I'll try if I can reach higher speeds with the core.
> Considering that my Phenom II x6 is considerably worse than your i7 I think my result is pretty good.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Next Tuesday I'm getting my second 7950 dual-x and by then I'll benchmark it against your cf score.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for publishing them so I can now see how my system compares to others with similar settings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Here is my score for more comparison with two HD 7870 at 1125/1350.


----------



## Aquila2085

Hi everyone. Just recently got my 7950 pcs+ installed and benchmarked. I've noticed some problems already in certain games like skyrim and wow. Wow has an fps drop from 60 to 25-30 in town and skyrim stays at 60 fps almost entirely but I have some sort of jittery movement when moving the camera. It goes away when I get out of first person mode. Should I be alarmed by these things and send it back or keep it? Battlefield 3 works flawlessly. Temps stay around 60C and I've had no BSOD or anything like that. Here is my heaven benchmark at 975/1325


----------



## Rebelord

The WoW issue is because it relies heavily on the CPU. So, crowded towns will cause the drop. As for Skyrim, dont know. Have the game, never played.


----------



## DigitalSavior

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trendy*
> 
> So I just bought a XFX HD 7950... first AMD card in a VERY long time. I installed it, everything is great, but when I check out my idle temperatures.... they are 60C. Is that normal?


I just bought a reference 7970 and my idle is at 60c as well, load goes up to about 80c.


----------



## Arrandale

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DigitalSavior*
> 
> I just bought a reference 7970 and my idle is at 60c as well, load goes up to about 80c.


Check the reference card reviews for the temps that they got. I have a Windforce 3x 7950 and I idle at 30 C and max at 60 degrees with furmark. Obviously the reference cards will run a good deal hotter, but 60 degrees for idle seems a little on the hot side.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DigitalSavior*
> 
> I just bought a reference 7970 and my idle is at 60c as well, load goes up to about 80c.


Check and see if your card is downclocking. That would explain the high idle. If it IS downclocking, then something is wrong, but by looking at your load temps, I believe your card is working right, and perhaps it is a driver issue of sorts. What version of CCC are you using?


----------



## Rebelord

What card did you have before? Check your fan settings in CCC or Afterburner. It may be stuck on manual and a stupid low speed.


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Here is my score for more comparison with two HD 7870 at 1125/1350.


I'm pretty impressed with that score, just 13FPS lower then my 7950/7970 CF setup. And all for around $500.


----------



## Jabba1977

Hi...What about this scores?

The Graphic Card is a HIS 7970 Ice Q2 Ghz Edition.

The temps are very good, My voltage is 1.256, what about this?, I know this card have this...

With this voltage can [email protected]/Core1600Mem

What about coil whine?, is usual?...Mine has under load...¿I have to RMA de card?

Thank you (sorry for my english)


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jabba1977*
> 
> Hi...What about this scores?
> The Graphic Card is a HIS 7970 Ice Q2 Ghz Edition.
> The temps are very good, My voltage is 1.256, what about this?, I know this card have this...
> With this voltage can [email protected]/Core1600Mem
> What about coil whine?, is usual?...Mine has under load...¿I have to RMA de card?
> Thank you (sorry for my english)


Many users have experienced coil wine here,just use the search button and you will find many posts about it.

Some have said that you can fix that keeping the core with 100 gpu load for a long time.


----------



## kahboom

Im looking for these bios if anyone has one i would add rep for it XFX FX-795A-TNBC its stock clocks are 900mhz core and 1375mem


----------



## ChrisTahoe

For anyone using CFX and a multi-monitor setup, and is noticing one of the GPUs is not downclocking correctly, I fount out the issue. Apparently when mixing inputs such as DVI / HDMI / and DP the card(s) increase their memory speeds to try to sync them better... The only solutions are to use only DVI, only DP, or only HDMI, and you can't use adapters. You can also set a separate 2d and 3d profile in a program such as MSI AB and switch between the two. The last thing you can do is disable all but one monitor when not in use.


----------



## jamborhgini313

1st time turning on my PC after being unplugged for almost 5 months now lol...2 7970's collecting dust!!!


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> 1st time turning on my PC after being unplugged for almost 5 months now lol...2 7970's collecting dust!!!


Get them working. Heh.

San Diego, 5 months..either Navy or Marine Corps.


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> 1st time turning on my PC after being unplugged for almost 5 months now lol...2 7970's collecting dust!!!


Could I borrow your rig if you leave for another five months??









I'd give those 7970's a good use xD.

Enjoy it:thumb:


----------



## jamborhgini313

Prob gonna put it back to collecting dust...I'm so disappointed in AMD drivers wow I just updated to newest 12.8 and I get constant crashes even during idle...


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Prob gonna put it back to collecting dust...I'm so disappointed in AMD drivers wow I just updated to newest 12.8 and I get constant crashes even during idle...


There should be new drivers this week.


----------



## sena

If all games have great CFX support like BF3 and Dirt3......


----------



## PcG_AmD

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Prob gonna put it back to collecting dust...I'm so disappointed in AMD drivers wow I just updated to newest 12.8 and I get constant crashes even during idle...


Not sure what you are experiencing,I've been getting some crashes in BF3 but because the game stopped responding.

My 7950 is running @1200mhz/1450 without a single problem.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamborhgini313*
> 
> Prob gonna put it back to collecting dust...I'm so disappointed in AMD drivers wow I just updated to newest 12.8 and I get constant crashes even during idle...


I have this issue if I try using the GHz BIOS. If you are using the GHz BIOS, switch back to the old one. If you aren't, then try 12.7 beta. It's better than 12.8


----------



## CattleCorn

If I go over 1100/1550 then BF3 starts blacking out on me. The game doesn't crash, audio is fine, video turns black. Can alt-tab out of game, just lose "video" part of BF3. Temps are under 60. Any ideas?


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aquila2085*
> 
> Hi everyone. Just recently got my 7950 pcs+ installed and benchmarked. I've noticed some problems already in certain games like skyrim and wow. Wow has an fps drop from 60 to 25-30 in town and skyrim stays at 60 fps almost entirely but I have some sort of jittery movement when moving the camera. It goes away when I get out of first person mode. Should I be alarmed by these things and send it back or keep it? Battlefield 3 works flawlessly. Temps stay around 60C and I've had no BSOD or anything like that. Here is my heaven benchmark at 975/1325 * Heaven Benchmark *


I think it's the game that isnt optimized for our high end cards! Therefore it doesnt give "wobble free" FPS in some game titles, I think your heaven test looks great!









Here is mine heaven benchmark with my HD 7950 PCS+ overclocked to 1125mhz core and 1575mhz memory, voltage is 1.120 on the test (1.140 now at same clocks)


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> I think it's the game that isnt optimized for our high end cards! Therefore it doesnt give "wobble free" FPS in some game titles, I think your heaven test looks great!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is mine heaven benchmark with my HD 7950 PCS+ overclocked to 1125mhz core and 1575mhz memory, voltage is 1.120 on the test (1.140 now at same clocks)


Test is not run on max settings, its hard for a compare the two scores.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Test is not run on max settings, its hard for a compare the two scores.


Will re run the test, I'll be back









Edit: Here it is with max settings!


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Will re run the test, I'll be back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Here it is with max settings!


is your CPU overclocked or stock?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Will re run the test, I'll be back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Here it is with max settings!


1680x1050? Are you monitor limited?


----------



## BeardedJesus

Folks I'm pulling the plug on a 7950 and a 3570k/2500k (undecided atm) this week and was wondering which card you guys would reccomend.

XFX Double D 7950 for £225
Source

MSI Twin Frozr for £255
Source

Don't really know much about the two as I've always used stock reference cards so I'm asking here for your input. Another thing is to anyone who already has the XFX card how is it performing (clocks/voltages) and would you reccomend it.

Sorry for being a pain









Stu


----------



## pioneerisloud

Between those two, most definitely the MSI. The Sapphire Dual X is also a solid choice.


----------



## BeardedJesus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Between those two, most definitely the MSI. The Sapphire Dual X is also a solid choice.


After checking out delivery etc. it looks like the MSI would be £270 minimum and the XFX would still be £225 delivered. Honestly I don't know much about these cards and have heard some bad/good stories about both. If it was your choice would you pay the additional £45?

Stu


----------



## spinejam

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BeardedJesus*
> 
> Folks I'm pulling the plug on a 7950 and a 3570k/2500k (undecided atm) this week and was wondering which card you guys would reccomend.
> XFX Double D 7950 for £225
> Source
> MSI Twin Frozr for £255
> Source
> Don't really know much about the two as I've always used stock reference cards so I'm asking here for your input. Another thing is to anyone who already has the XFX card how is it performing (clocks/voltages) and would you reccomend it.
> Sorry for being a pain
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stu






*My vote goes to the TFIII -- I've had 4 and they all ran great!*


----------



## BeardedJesus

It's so hard to choose







At the end of the day it's alot of money that could be put elsewhere on some new fans or a cpu cooler. Hope to hear from some owners of the XFX but if none come through then I may jump in the Twin Frozr as you guys certainly know more about this kind of thing than myself.

Thanks for the input guys
Stu


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> *My vote goes to the TFIII -- I've had 4 and they all ran great!*


wish I went for this card ;_;


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BeardedJesus*
> 
> It's so hard to choose
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At the end of the day it's alot of money that could be put elsewhere on some new fans or a cpu cooler. Hope to hear from some owners of the XFX but if none come through then I may jump in the Twin Frozr as you guys certainly know more about this kind of thing than myself.
> 
> Thanks for the input guys
> Stu


The XFX cards have a poor cooler design, in the effect of VRM cooling. The VRM's are naked on those cards, so they'll overheat with even a slight voltage adjustment. Also, remember XFX's customer service. I personally think its horrible here in the US, and I've heard its a LOT worse outside of the US. Those stickers over the screws, those are meant for ANY area outside of the US, meaning if you remove your cooler, you can kiss your warranty goodbye. Sad thing is, you'll want to remove it to reseat it properly, and add some VRM cooling to it.

You'll save money in the long run by getting the MSI card. If you can find a Sapphire with a Dual X cooler, or even the 950Mhz edition Sapphire (has a 7970 PCB actually), you'll be a lot better off.


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> wish I went for this card ;_;


*This one was a good clocker too:*


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> wish I went for this card ;_;
> 
> 
> 
> *This one was a good clocker too:*
Click to expand...

Meh. 1175 / 1600 is pretty average. Still an excellent card and should do a nice hurt to a 680. 1250+ is a "good clocker" and 1350+ is "golden", at least in my eyes. I have mine clocked down a bit because its too hot right now being summer. But mine can pull 1375 / 1800 stable under water.


----------



## spinejam

(posted wrong image earlier -- that was a 7970 Lightning)









This is what I'm working on now:


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The XFX cards have a poor cooler design, in the effect of VRM cooling. The VRM's are naked on those cards, so they'll overheat with even a slight voltage adjustment. Also, remember XFX's customer service. I personally think its horrible here in the US, and I've heard its a LOT worse outside of the US. Those stickers over the screws, those are meant for ANY area outside of the US, meaning if you remove your cooler, you can kiss your warranty goodbye. Sad thing is, you'll want to remove it to reseat it properly, and add some VRM cooling to it.
> You'll save money in the long run by getting the MSI card. If you can find a Sapphire with a Dual X cooler, or even the 950Mhz edition Sapphire (has a 7970 PCB actually), you'll be a lot better off.


Regardless of your alleged VRM issues with the XFX 7970s, they have been the best clocking Reference 7970s I've ever had. I've owned 10 7970s in total, and my 3 XFX Reference cards all clocked at or near 1300mhz on air. Memory was around 1600-1700mhz. The worst card did 1250mhz BF3 stable. Even with my 4 lightnings, only 1 of them will do 1347mhz, and the other 3 are under 1300mhz.

I also had about 7 6970s in total, and my XFX reference cards all clocked at or near 1.1ghz, which was great for those cards. For some reason, I've had MUCH more luck with XFX reference cards than other brands. However their Non-Ref designs have sucked.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> If I go over 1100/1550 then BF3 starts blacking out on me. The game doesn't crash, audio is fine, video turns black. Can alt-tab out of game, just lose "video" part of BF3. Temps are under 60. Any ideas?


Anyone?


----------



## eltebe

anyone playing GuildWars 2 @2560x1440 could post their temps?
Settings all maxed with FXAA
I get - this is in peak moments

Code:



Code:


GPU Temperature [°C]  = 78.0
Fan Speed (%) [%]  = 72
Fan Speed (RPM) [RPM]  = 3159    
GPU Load [%]  = 98
Memory Usage (Dedicated) [MB] = 703
Memory Usage (Dynamic) [MB] = 126        
VDDC Current [A] = 107.8
VDDC Current In [A] = 14.0
VRM Temperature 1 [°C]  = 99
VRM Temperature 2 [°C]  =  86

Generally card stays @100 load all the time


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> If I go over 1100/1550 then BF3 starts blacking out on me. The game doesn't crash, audio is fine, video turns black. Can alt-tab out of game, just lose "video" part of BF3. Temps are under 60. Any ideas?
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone?
Click to expand...

Have you tried giving it some more voltage?


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Have you tried giving it some more voltage?


It is running at 1200 voltage stock. Doesn't that seem like plenty for that clock?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Have you tried giving it some more voltage?
> 
> 
> 
> It is running at 1200 voltage stock. Doesn't that seem like plenty for that clock?
Click to expand...

What does GPUz report under load? I'll bet its not 1.20v.


----------



## Tatakai All

Just bought a 7970 DC2T from another member here on OCN which comes in on Wednesday, can't wait.


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eltebe*
> 
> anyone playing GuildWars 2 @2560x1440 could post their temps?
> Settings all maxed with FXAA
> I get - this is in peak moments
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> GPU Temperature [°C]  = 78.0
> Fan Speed (%) [%]  = 72
> Fan Speed (RPM) [RPM]  = 3159
> GPU Load [%]  = 98
> Memory Usage (Dedicated) [MB] = 703
> Memory Usage (Dynamic) [MB] = 126
> VDDC Current [A] = 107.8
> VDDC Current In [A] = 14.0
> VRM Temperature 1 [°C]  = 99
> VRM Temperature 2 [°C]  =  86
> 
> Generally card stays @100 load all the time


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> *This one was a good clocker too:*


Isn't the VRM temperature abit high?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So I disabled monitor sleep and set up a screen saver. No more hard locks anymore!


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So I disabled monitor sleep and set up a screen saver. No more hard locks anymore!


I haven't had the idle lock up since 12.7's. 12.8's I don't lock up either, but I keep having the card default to 2D clocks of 300 / 150 when under load.







It seems my stable overclock since January isn't stable on 12.8's for whatever reason.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> What does GPUz report under load? I'll bet its not 1.20v.


Would that be VDDC? It's about 1.18 - 1.19


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> What does GPUz report under load? I'll bet its not 1.20v.
> 
> 
> 
> Would that be VDDC? It's about 1.18 - 1.19
Click to expand...

That's under a load? Wow, that's not a whole lot of droop.....impressive. Yeah that's definitely odd, that should be stable at 1100 unless your VRM's are overheating. That's always a possibility as you do have the XFX DD Edition.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's under a load? Wow, that's not a whole lot of droop.....impressive. Yeah that's definitely odd, that should be stable at 1100 unless your VRM's are overheating. That's always a possibility as you do have the XFX DD Edition.


It's under a full cover waterblock. Temps are not above 54.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That's under a load? Wow, that's not a whole lot of droop.....impressive. Yeah that's definitely odd, that should be stable at 1100 unless your VRM's are overheating. That's always a possibility as you do have the XFX DD Edition.
> 
> 
> 
> It's under a full cover waterblock. Temps are not above 54.
Click to expand...

Even your VRM's?


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Even your VRM's?


Not above 62.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Even your VRM's?
> 
> 
> 
> Not above 62.
Click to expand...

Very odd indeed.

What drivers are you running, what version of MSI AB, and what overclocking method in MSI AB are you using?


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Very odd indeed.
> What drivers are you running, what version of MSI AB, and what overclocking method in MSI AB are you using?


I am using 12.8 WHQL, and I'm using MSI AB 2.2.4 (latest). I have Core Voltage set at 1200 (stock), Power Limit % at +0, Core Clock at 1100, Memory Clock at 1550. Anything above that on Core Clock and I get the black-out screen problem in BF3.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Very odd indeed.
> What drivers are you running, what version of MSI AB, and what overclocking method in MSI AB are you using?
> 
> 
> 
> I am using 12.8 WHQL, and I'm using MSI AB 2.2.4 (latest). I have Core Voltage set at 1200 (stock), Power Limit % at +0, Core Clock at 1100, Memory Clock at 1550. Anything above that on Core Clock and I get the black-out screen problem in BF3.
Click to expand...

Oh dear lord dude, roll back to 12.7b's. Your black screen problem is likely you dropping to 2D clocks of 300 / 150, just like I do, and it causes the game to crash. I have that same problem on 12.8's. Roll back to 12.7b's and MSI AB 2.2.1. And use this guide to use the xcl method:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1305260/unlocking-hd7970-core-speed-limit/0_50#post_18144356


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Oh dear lord dude, roll back to 12.7b's. Your black screen problem is likely you dropping to 2D clocks of 300 / 150, just like I do, and it causes the game to crash. I have that same problem on 12.8's. Roll back to 12.7b's and MSI AB 2.2.1. And use this guide to use the xcl method:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1305260/unlocking-hd7970-core-speed-limit/0_50#post_18144356


Oh wow, I didn't know that was a thing. This is my first AMD card in forever.

EDIT: Found and downloaded 12.7 beta drivers and MSI AB 2.2.1. I am using ATIMan to uninstall drivers. Then I'll give your method a shot.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Oh wow, I didn't know that was a thing. This is my first AMD card in forever. Having trouble finding a link to AB 2.2.1.


Yep, and 12.8 sucks... I couldn't even keep it stable with 2 7970s, much less 3 or 4. Meanwhile 12.7b works fine.


----------



## pioneerisloud

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has issues with 12.8's...... I thought I was going crazy because I've been praising AMD's driver team since January when I got my card. Haven't had a SINGLE issue yet...until 12.8's.

My card works fine at stock though, go figure.









So yeah, definitely use 12.7b's and 2.2.1 version of MSI AB using the xcl method. That's always been my way of overclocking my card since release day (well a few weeks after....it took me a while to figure it out). I have yet to have a problem at all that way.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BeardedJesus*
> 
> Folks I'm pulling the plug on a 7950 and a 3570k/2500k (undecided atm) this week and was wondering which card you guys would reccomend.
> XFX Double D 7950 for £225
> Source
> MSI Twin Frozr for £255
> Source
> Don't really know much about the two as I've always used stock reference cards so I'm asking here for your input. Another thing is to anyone who already has the XFX card how is it performing (clocks/voltages) and would you reccomend it.
> Sorry for being a pain
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stu


i have a XFX7950 BE, i can get this baby running at core1050/1500mem STOCK voltages









http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1044046/


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm glad I'm not the only one that has issues with 12.8's...... I thought I was going crazy because I've been praising AMD's driver team since January when I got my card. Haven't had a SINGLE issue yet...until 12.8's.
> My card works fine at stock though, go figure.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So yeah, definitely use 12.7b's and 2.2.1 version of MSI AB using the xcl method. That's always been my way of overclocking my card since release day (well a few weeks after....it took me a while to figure it out). I have yet to have a problem at all that way.


One of my VRM temps is hitting 100. Is that ok?


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The XFX cards have a poor cooler design, in the effect of VRM cooling. The VRM's are naked on those cards, so they'll overheat with even a slight voltage adjustment. Also, remember XFX's customer service. I personally think its horrible here in the US, and I've heard its a LOT worse outside of the US. Those stickers over the screws, those are meant for ANY area outside of the US, meaning if you remove your cooler, you can kiss your warranty goodbye. Sad thing is, you'll want to remove it to reseat it properly, and add some VRM cooling to it.
> You'll save money in the long run by getting the MSI card. If you can find a Sapphire with a Dual X cooler, or even the 950Mhz edition Sapphire (has a 7970 PCB actually), you'll be a lot better off.


thats not true at all, look at my temps with my card OC
http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1044046/


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> One of my VRM temps is hitting 100. Is that ok?


No that is not okay... VRM on my Lightning 7970 (1210MHz / 1600MHz / 75% fan usage) during numerous instances of 3DMark 11 and Heaven hover in the 70s


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> No that is not okay... VRM on my Lightning 7970 (1210MHz / 1600MHz / 75% fan usage) during numerous instances of 3DMark 11 and Heaven hover in the 70s


What are you using to monitor it? Wondering if my GPU-Z is off.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm glad I'm not the only one that has issues with 12.8's...... I thought I was going crazy because I've been praising AMD's driver team since January when I got my card. Haven't had a SINGLE issue yet...until 12.8's.
> My card works fine at stock though, go figure.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So yeah, definitely use 12.7b's and 2.2.1 version of MSI AB using the xcl method. That's always been my way of overclocking my card since release day (well a few weeks after....it took me a while to figure it out). I have yet to have a problem at all that way.
> 
> 
> 
> One of my VRM temps is hitting 100. Is that ok?
Click to expand...

It's very toasty....I wouldn't pass 90*C personally. They're technically safe up to around 105-110*C, but you're way too close to that danger zone.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> The XFX cards have a poor cooler design, in the effect of VRM cooling. The VRM's are naked on those cards, so they'll overheat with even a slight voltage adjustment. Also, remember XFX's customer service. I personally think its horrible here in the US, and I've heard its a LOT worse outside of the US. Those stickers over the screws, those are meant for ANY area outside of the US, meaning if you remove your cooler, you can kiss your warranty goodbye. Sad thing is, you'll want to remove it to reseat it properly, and add some VRM cooling to it.
> You'll save money in the long run by getting the MSI card. If you can find a Sapphire with a Dual X cooler, or even the 950Mhz edition Sapphire (has a 7970 PCB actually), you'll be a lot better off.
> 
> 
> 
> thats not true at all, look at my temps with my card OC
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1044046/
Click to expand...

You're at 1.07v and your VRM temps are hitting near 70*C on the colder one, and there's no telling how hot your hotter VRM temp is hitting, seeing as how it reports 328*C, but that one IS the hotter running VRM temp sensor.

And that's only at 1.07v. Pump 1.20-1.30v through that card, and come back and tell me how it lived through it. I promise you you'll end up with a paperweight.

My VRM's at 1.09v top out at 42*C. On the reference cooler they topped out around 62*C at 1.17v. So yeah, your VRM's are naked, and you WILL overheat that card if you push it.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> What are you using to monitor it? Wondering if my GPU-Z is off.


MSI Afterburner 2.2.4 and HWinfo. 100 is way beyond what I would be comfortable with. Personally, I wouldn't allow it past 80c.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's very toasty....I wouldn't pass 90*C personally. They're technically safe up to around 105-110*C, but you're way too close to that danger zone.
> You're at 1.07v and your VRM temps are hitting near 70*C on the colder one, and there's no telling how hot your hotter VRM temp is hitting, seeing as how it reports 328*C, but that one IS the hotter running VRM temp sensor.
> And that's only at 1.07v. Pump 1.20-1.30v through that card, and come back and tell me how it lived through it. I promise you you'll end up with a paperweight.
> My VRM's at 1.09v top out at 42*C. On the reference cooler they topped out around 62*C at 1.17v. So yeah, your VRM's are naked, and you WILL overheat that card if you push it.


men, i live on the carribean DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, here its super hot right now... u cant compare USA vs my country regarding temp...

im pretty sure u dont have a beach like this one










or like this one do you?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It's very toasty....I wouldn't pass 90*C personally. They're technically safe up to around 105-110*C, but you're way too close to that danger zone.
> You're at 1.07v and your VRM temps are hitting near 70*C on the colder one, and there's no telling how hot your hotter VRM temp is hitting, seeing as how it reports 328*C, but that one IS the hotter running VRM temp sensor.
> And that's only at 1.07v. Pump 1.20-1.30v through that card, and come back and tell me how it lived through it. I promise you you'll end up with a paperweight.
> My VRM's at 1.09v top out at 42*C. On the reference cooler they topped out around 62*C at 1.17v. So yeah, your VRM's are naked, and you WILL overheat that card if you push it.
> 
> 
> 
> men, i live on the carribean DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, here its super hot right now... u cant compare USA vs my country regarding temp...
Click to expand...

Your point? I live in a desert. It's been 100*F here daily with the AC running. So yes, I can compare temps. I still say that its VERY CLEAR that your card has zero VRM cooling at all, other than airflow over it. There's no sinks at all touching your VRM's, that point is clear considering your high VRM temps at stock voltages.


----------



## CattleCorn

Backed it down to 1100/1550 and still hit 93 degrees on VRM Temp 1 sensor while under load using Kombuster. GPU is at 65 degrees. Really lost as to what I should try.

My waterblock advertises: "Unlike other full-coverage blocks where a portion of the block that doesn't have flowing coolant makes contact with the VRM, the Komodo HD 7970 has "active" VRM cooling, where the area over the VRM has its own coolant chamber, and is part of the coolant's primary flow."

Seems like I should have good VRM cooling, but it seems like I don't?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Backed it down to 1100/1550 and still hit 93 degrees on VRM Temp 1 sensor while under load using Kombuster. GPU is at 65 degrees. Really lost as to what I should try.
> 
> My waterblock advertises: "Unlike other full-coverage blocks where a portion of the block that doesn't have flowing coolant makes contact with the VRM, the Komodo HD 7970 has "active" VRM cooling, where the area over the VRM has its own coolant chamber, and is part of the coolant's primary flow."
> 
> Seems like I should have good VRM cooling, but it seems like I don't?


That block doesn't LOOK like the VRM area is part of the loop to be honest. I could be wrong, that's just how it looks to me by the pictures of it.

You could try setting a fan on top of your VRM area on top of the card, blowing down on the topside of the VRM's. That's dropped my VRM temps a solid 25*C, and mine are actively air cooled with heat sinks and a 120mm fan on the cooler.

I wouldn't worry about them too terribly much, so long as they're under 100*C, and as far down from 100*C as you can get them. 93*C isn't going to hurt anything. They don't throttle the card till 116*C anyway.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Your point? I live in a desert. It's been 100*F here daily with the AC running. So yes, I can compare temps. I still say that its VERY CLEAR that your card has zero VRM cooling at all, other than airflow over it. There's no sinks at all touching your VRM's, that point is clear considering your high VRM temps at stock voltages.


i already told u, i have a XFX and i dont get those temp you are talking about sorry, but your allegation dont make any sense since im showing you my temps...
ok one of the sensor showed 300C would my card be running at this time if those temp where like that? think about it


----------



## erocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Backed it down to 1100/1550 and still hit 93 degrees on VRM Temp 1 sensor while under load using Kombuster. GPU is at 65 degrees. Really lost as to what I should try.
> My waterblock advertises: "Unlike other full-coverage blocks where a portion of the block that doesn't have flowing coolant makes contact with the VRM, the Komodo HD 7970 has "active" VRM cooling, where the area over the VRM has its own coolant chamber, and is part of the coolant's primary flow."
> Seems like I should have good VRM cooling, but it seems like I don't?


With a waterblock on your card, temps shouldn't be close to what you are getting. There is either a lack of flow or bad contact.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Your point? I live in a desert. It's been 100*F here daily with the AC running. So yes, I can compare temps. I still say that its VERY CLEAR that your card has zero VRM cooling at all, other than airflow over it. There's no sinks at all touching your VRM's, that point is clear considering your high VRM temps at stock voltages.
> 
> 
> 
> i already told u, i have a XFX and i dont get those temp you are talking about sorry, but your allegation dont make any sense since im showing you my temps...
> ok one of the sensor showed 300C would my card be running at this time if those temp where like that? think about it
Click to expand...

70*C on the COLDER of the two VRM sensors.....and that's only at 1.07v. I'm not alleging anything, its very clear that your VRM's are naked judging by those temperatures.

For reference.....

My VRM temps are 98*C full load on VRM sensor 1, and 42*C on sensor 2. And my VRM's are actively cooled via heatsinks and large fans. Your VRM sensor 2 shows 70*C, now imagine how hot your VRM sensor 1 really is getting up to with some voltage? I'm at 1.30v though too (1.19v after droop).


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That block doesn't LOOK like the VRM area is part of the loop to be honest. I could be wrong, that's just how it looks to me by the pictures of it.
> You could try setting a fan on top of your VRM area on top of the card, blowing down on the topside of the VRM's. That's dropped my VRM temps a solid 25*C, and mine are actively air cooled with heat sinks and a 120mm fan on the cooler.
> I wouldn't worry about them too terribly much, so long as they're under 100*C, and as far down from 100*C as you can get them. 93*C isn't going to hurt anything. They don't throttle the card till 116*C anyway.


http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx#tab1
^^ Its description says VRM are part of the loop.

I don't know if a fan would work with my waterblock covering the VRM









I'm sure they probably don't get as hot playing BF3 as when I am using Kombuster, but I wanted to overclock the card some more past 1100/1550 and I'm a bit afraid.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> im pretty sure u dont have a beach like this one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or like this one do you?


100% Irrelevant


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> That block doesn't LOOK like the VRM area is part of the loop to be honest. I could be wrong, that's just how it looks to me by the pictures of it.
> You could try setting a fan on top of your VRM area on top of the card, blowing down on the topside of the VRM's. That's dropped my VRM temps a solid 25*C, and mine are actively air cooled with heat sinks and a 120mm fan on the cooler.
> I wouldn't worry about them too terribly much, so long as they're under 100*C, and as far down from 100*C as you can get them. 93*C isn't going to hurt anything. They don't throttle the card till 116*C anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx#tab1
> ^^ Its description says VRM are part of the loop.
> 
> I don't know if a fan would work with my waterblock covering the VRM
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sure they probably don't get as hot playing BF3 as when I am using Kombuster, but I wanted to overclock the card some more past 1100/1550 and I'm a bit afraid.
Click to expand...

Is the BACK SIDE of your card naked, or is there a backplate covering it? If its naked, that's where I'm talking about....blow a fan DOWN onto the BACK SIDE of the PCB, cooling off the VRM area from on top. Your block covers the bottom of the card. The top of the VRM's can also put off a ton of heat....and just a simple fan blowing on them will help a LOT.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Is the BACK SIDE of your card naked, or is there a backplate covering it? If its naked, that's where I'm talking about....blow a fan DOWN onto the BACK SIDE of the PCB, cooling off the VRM area from on top. Your block covers the bottom of the card. The top of the VRM's can also put off a ton of heat....and just a simple fan blowing on them will help a LOT.


It has a backplate.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Is the BACK SIDE of your card naked, or is there a backplate covering it? If its naked, that's where I'm talking about....blow a fan DOWN onto the BACK SIDE of the PCB, cooling off the VRM area from on top. Your block covers the bottom of the card. The top of the VRM's can also put off a ton of heat....and just a simple fan blowing on them will help a LOT.
> 
> 
> 
> It has a backplate.
Click to expand...

I wonder if the backplate is touching properly then..... Hmmmm

Just for giggles, try just placing a fan on top of your card, blowing straight down onto the backplate, at the rear end of the card, where the VRM's are at. If that helps, then we know its a lack of airflow over your backplate. If it does nothing, then something isn't touching your VRM's properly.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 70*C on the COLDER of the two VRM sensors.....and that's only at 1.07v. I'm not alleging anything, its very clear that your VRM's are naked judging by those temperatures.
> For reference.....
> My VRM temps are 98*C full load on VRM sensor 1, and 42*C on sensor 2. And my VRM's are actively cooled via heatsinks and large fans. Your VRM sensor 2 shows 70*C, now imagine how hot your VRM sensor 1 really is getting up to with some voltage? I'm at 1.30v though too (1.19v after droop).


OK what do u have to say now?

Heatsink

Throwing caution to the wind, we removed the cooler to display a near perfect contact with the GPU. The TIM was soft and perfectly aligned so I see little reason to break the warranty seal as stated above. *The VRM and memory modules have fabric thermal interface material and again are all in place with excellent coverage.* The heatsink is a three part design with the main bracket holding the copper baseplate in situ along with the aluminium finned heatsink array welded to the core baseplate.

The cooler also makes use of 'Hyrdocell' cooling which in short makes use of condensation wicks to efficiently transfer heat from the copper baseplate to the aluminium heatsink.


Source http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/xfx_dd_r7950_review,7.html


----------



## CattleCorn

My VRM temps only get that high 93+ in Kombuster. In BF3 it is never above 59 degrees.


----------



## pioneerisloud

1) That's not full VRM coverage so they're liars right off the bat. You're missing the VRM's up at the front of the card according to that picture.

2) A thermal pad that's touching your plastic shroud =/= proper VRM cooling. The ONLY reason why that same principal works fine on reference cards is because of the blower cooler that sits DIRECTLY on top of them. And at least with a proper reference card, ALL of the VRM's are cooled (including the ones up front).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> My VRM temps only get that high 93+ in Kombuster. In BF3 it is never above 59 degrees.


Then don't worry about it.







Mine hit 98*C in Kombuster on Sensor 1. I don't think they ever pass 60-65*C in gaming.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1) That's not full VRM coverage so they're liars right off the bat. You're missing the VRM's up at the front of the card according to that picture.
> 2) A thermal pad that's touching your plastic shroud =/= proper VRM cooling. The ONLY reason why that same principal works fine on reference cards is because of the blower cooler that sits DIRECTLY on top of them. And at least with a proper reference card, ALL of the VRM's are cooled (including the ones up front).
> Then don't worry about it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine hit 98*C in Kombuster on Sensor 1. I don't think they ever pass 60-65*C in gaming.


OK sweet. I'll try upping clocks then, now that I have 12.7 beta drivers and AB 2.2.1 installed.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1) That's not full VRM coverage so they're liars right off the bat. You're missing the VRM's up at the front of the card according to that picture.
> 2) A thermal pad that's touching your plastic shroud =/= proper VRM cooling. The ONLY reason why that same principal works fine on reference cards is because of the blower cooler that sits DIRECTLY on top of them. And at least with a proper reference card, ALL of the VRM's are cooled (including the ones up front).
> Then don't worry about it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine hit 98*C in Kombuster on Sensor 1. I don't think they ever pass 60-65*C in gaming.


so this website are liars too?

With the cooler removed, we can see the copper plate for *GPU cooling and thermal pads for the memory and VRMs*. As is sadly often the case, way too much thermal compound was used during the assembly of this card.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/images/reviews/video_cards/FX-795A-TDBC/xfx_r7950_black_edition_cooler.jpg

source http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=867&Itemid=72&limit=1&limitstart=3

do u need me to keep going?
Edit *the VRMs in the front are covered as well, so u are just a XFX hater... thats all*


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> OK sweet. I'll try upping clocks then, now that I have 12.7 beta drivers and AB 2.2.1 installed.


Well shoot. BF3 still hates it. I upped to 1150/1600 and BF3 goes to black screen when my soldier dies. What gives???


----------



## gamesandstuffs

I have a couple of questions, rather newbish so bare with me! :3

Firstly, does the Driver Version / Afterburner version affect temperatures? if so... I'm on 12.6 and 2.2.2 - are those bad for it?

Secondly, if any of you play Guild Wars 2, which driver version have you found best for it?

Using a single 7950 here


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> is your CPU overclocked or stock?


Yes it is! Running the CPU at 4,1GHZ (stock 3,1GHZ) with manual 1,275 voltage and 1.5V internal memory running 1866mhz








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> 1680x1050? Are you monitor limited?


Yes I am, tested to change the resolution several times, but it doesnt benchmark in those settings








Going to change screen to 1920x1080 next year








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> I have a couple of questions, rather newbish so bare with me! :3
> Firstly, does the Driver Version / Afterburner version affect temperatures? if so... I'm on 12.6 and 2.2.2 - are those bad for it?
> Secondly, if any of you play Guild Wars 2, which driver version have you found best for it?
> Using a single 7950 here


Not using afterburner, but using Trixxx on my 7950, also using 12.6 drivers since day one! Haven't got any problem at all yet with my 12.6 drivers


----------



## kahboom

http://www.sapphireforum.com/showthread.php?29827-Catalyst-12.9-9.00-amp-9.001-BETA-Leaks&p=264701 12.9 beta drivers 9.00 and 9.01. Running 9.01 now much smoother open gl on cinebench 11.5 Went up a bit from 12.7b on my cards. Crossfire also picked up a few fps in games.


----------



## eltebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Isn't the VRM temperature abit high?


Mine was @stock clocks :S


----------



## Jabba1977

Hi to all... I´ll share my results with my new ring...

I´ll would to say that my ATI 7970 has some coil whine buzz under load, but I´m very happy with the results.

What do you think about the results?.

HARD:

FRACTAL DESIGN R3 WHITE
ASUS Sabertooth 990FX
PHENOM II X4 980BE
HIS 7970 ICE Q2 GHZ EDITION
2X4GB G.SKILL RIPJAWS 2133
SAMSUNG SSD 830
CPU COOLER APERLHORM MATTERN SAMROCK EDITION

*Con teselación:*










http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4470606

*Sin teselación:*










http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4470721

Saludos...:70:


----------



## Shredit5150

Hello there







I just bunt in my new Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor-X Ghz edition! 1175mhz core/ 1550 mem and got it from the egg. Super happy with the card so far. I could use a little help from some overclocking experts to break the 1200mhz core cieling I hit though. Anyone over 1200mhz core stable?


----------



## grunion

^^ >1200 is rare air, keep it cool, maybe leave the mem at stock and try the core first.
But no matter what I do, 1200 is my max.
Maybe winter time temps will help.

Finally bested my 5870 CFX GPU score, took 2 gens of cards.


----------



## Shredit5150

Ok so just got done with pass 2 on mark 11and I am pretty optimistic that this thing will do 1200mhz core. Check this out









Not bad for a single card imo.


----------



## CattleCorn

Here's my first 3DMark11 score. CPU at 4.5 Ghz, 7970 at 1150/1600.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Here's my first 3DMark11 score. CPU at 4.5 Ghz, 7970 at 1150/1600.


Seems really high. I couldn't break 10k, even with my CPU @ 5GHZ and 7970 at 1265/1800.

Are you using Lucid Virtu MVP?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Are you using Lucid Virtu MVP?


Without question. An i5-2500K and 7970 @ 1150 / 1600 can only dream of scoring 12,000+ on performance preset.







My 3570K and Lightning 7970 @ 1225 / 1600 barely breached 10,000. My 7950 @ 1280 / 1800 with the same CPU scores ~10,200 on performance preset.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Seems really high. I couldn't break 10k, even with my CPU @ 5GHZ and 7970 at 1265/1800.
> Are you using Lucid Virtu MVP?


Yes I am using Lucid. Should I not be?


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Yes I am using Lucid. Should I not be?


You can, but it makes your 3DMark scores invalid.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Not comparable scores running Lucid. Run again and it should be around 9500-9700 GPU score with an 1150MHz 7970...


----------



## CattleCorn

OK here we go, without Lucid this time:


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Wow, called that! My best CF GPU score so far has been around 20,500 which is peanuts compared to what the 680 Lightning guys are getting. 3DMark11 loves Kepler...


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> OK here we go, without Lucid this time:


Much more comparable now. Not a bad score at all







1150MHz / 1600MHz is a practical overclock


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Much more comparable now. Not a bad score at all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1150MHz / 1600MHz is a practical overclock


Thought about overclocking it some more, but not sure what I should use to test with. Kombustor makes my VRM temps too hot for some reason.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Thought about overclocking it some more, but not sure what I should use to test with. Kombustor makes my VRM temps too hot for some reason.


don't use kombustor or furmark . use real world apps like BF3, Heaven,3D Mark 11 to find out what are the max load temps on GPU core and VRMs.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> don't use kombustor or furmark . use real world apps like BF3, Heaven,3D Mark 11 to find out what are the max load temps on GPU core and VRMs.


OK cool. I bought 3DMark11 so should I just go by the standard Performance preset benchmark to test VRM temps?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Thought about overclocking it some more, but not sure what I should use to test with. Kombustor makes my VRM temps too hot for some reason.


What I do is I just loop 3DMark 11 but this option is only available to users who bought 3DMark. You can also loop Heaven OR just room a number of 3DMark 11 / Heaven 3.0 instances. I find Heaven to be more stressful on the GPU and more effective at detecting GPU instability. You can also test your overclocks in games like BF3 as that should give you a more realistic idea of how stable your clocks are


----------



## ukic

^^^ I could run Heaven for an hour without problems but when playing BF3 for 30 mins, if there was instability, I could see artifacts right away.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Anyone notice that in certain games, regardless of overclock, that they get some (albeit minor) artifacts. In Borderlands 1 and 2, and Sonic Generations, even at stock clocks I will get some slight artifacts at random times? I saw on another forum (can't remember, as I was just Google-ing to see if it was just me or not) that games that use the Unreal engine are generally the ones that produce this issue. Apparently one of the CoD games will do it too.

Some people even went to the point of underclocking their cards and were still getting issues with slight artifacting. Apparently this issue only exists with the 7000 series cards, particularly the 7950/7970. Anyone here besides me noticing this?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Anyone notice that in certain games, regardless of overclock, that they get some (albeit minor) artifacts. In Borderlands 1 and 2, and Sonic Generations, even at stock clocks I will get some slight artifacts at random times? I saw on another forum (can't remember, as I was just Google-ing to see if it was just me or not) that games that use the Unreal engine are generally the ones that produce this issue. Apparently one of the CoD games will do it too.
> Some people even went to the point of underclocking their cards and were still getting issues with slight artifacting. Apparently this issue only exists with the 7000 series cards, particularly the 7950/7970. Anyone here besides me noticing this?


Chalk it up to poor driver support? I was getting garbage fps and artifacts in League of Legends! With my 7950 and 7970.


----------



## CattleCorn

CPU = 4.5 Ghz
GPU = 1200/1600


----------



## Gorki

What would you guys recommend me for cooling my ref Sapphire 7970? I was thinking of this, though this one looks more appealing to me, but I believe Koolance is slightly better performing? Or should I use some kind of modified Cpu cooler like corsair H series? Which would perform the best.
Thanks


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gorki*
> 
> What would you guys recommend me for cooling my ref Sapphire 7970? I was thinking of this, though this one looks more appealing to me, but I believe Koolance is slightly better performing? Or should I use some kind of modified Cpu cooler like corsair H series? Which would perform the best.
> Thanks


I had great luck with my EK block. I did use the backplate though too.


----------



## spinejam

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> CPU = 4.5 Ghz
> GPU = 1200/1600






What is your CPU clocked at? Graphics score looks good!









Here's my 7970 Lightning:



*MSI 7950 TFIII:*


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Anyone notice that in certain games, regardless of overclock, that they get some (albeit minor) artifacts. In Borderlands 1 and 2, and Sonic Generations, even at stock clocks I will get some slight artifacts at random times? I saw on another forum (can't remember, as I was just Google-ing to see if it was just me or not) that games that use the Unreal engine are generally the ones that produce this issue. Apparently one of the CoD games will do it too.
> Some people even went to the point of underclocking their cards and were still getting issues with slight artifacting. Apparently this issue only exists with the 7000 series cards, particularly the 7950/7970. Anyone here besides me noticing this?


I only get artifacts when my oc is unstable. With my current settings, I can play bf3 for 2-3 hrs without getting artifacts. Using 9.01 drivers + msi ab 2.2.4.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I only get artifacts when my oc is unstable. With my current settings, I can play bf3 for 2-3 hrs without getting artifacts. Using 9.01 drivers + msi ab 2.2.4.


See, BF3 is fine, Metro 2033 is fine, Crysis is fine, it's ONLY those few games. And like I said, it's regardless of OC. I can be at stock clocks and it still happens. Other people experiencing the same thing even went so far as to underclock their cards and it still happened.


----------



## Gorki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> I had great luck with my EK block. I did use the backplate though too.


You mean something like this? You think it's worth the price?

Some time ago I bumped on this interesting thread reviewing 7970 blocks.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

I think it's worth the price difference, as it flows much better. Also, that block is a revised version from the one that was used in the review thread you mentioned, and should perform better.


----------



## Gorki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> I think it's worth the price difference, as it flows much better. Also, that block is a revised version from the one that was used in the review thread you mentioned, and should perform better.


You got the point thus I almost forget EK block cools VRMs which is very important factor. Too bad they don't have copper version available.







Shipping from frozen is just too much for block only...

+1 rep for opening my eyes.


----------



## Shredit5150

I got these scores with a 1175 core clock which isnt much higher, not use Lucid


----------



## Jabba1977

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Here's my first 3DMark11 score. CPU at 4.5 Ghz, 7970 at 1150/1600.


Great result!!!; I suppose its with tesselation off... 

isn´t it?

Thank you.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> See, BF3 is fine, Metro 2033 is fine, Crysis is fine, it's ONLY those few games. And like I said, it's regardless of OC. I can be at stock clocks and it still happens. Other people experiencing the same thing even went so far as to underclock their cards and it still happened.


I clearly understand what you said. I'm just saying that's the only time I get artifacts. Problem is probably from the game coding itself. It's a possibility.


----------



## DigitalSavior

Just upgraded my 7970 to the GHZ Edition Bios and it has ran well so far. Borderlands 2 was great. Did some Boinc-ing with no issues. I'll have to try and push it a little more later on.


----------



## CattleCorn

Found my BF3 stable overclock. 1215/1650. Got a lot higher overclock but wasn't stable so this is where I settled.


----------



## Shredit5150

I kinda thought on xtreme the 7970 would have done a little better







but here is the score I got.


----------



## EternalRest

Thinking about getting the 7950. What brand should I get? Looking at getting the HIS IceQ since it pushing air outsude the case.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Thinking about getting the 7950. What brand should I get? Looking at getting the HIS IceQ since it pushing air outsude the case.


That or the Gigabyte Windforce. You can go for the dual fans from Sapphire or MSI as well, but make sure it is reference design if you want to overvolt.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

The Windforce dumps hot air in the case doesn't it?


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shredit5150*
> 
> I kinda thought on xtreme the 7970 would have done a little better
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but here is the score I got.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Point? Everyone knows Kepler does better in 3DMark11. Heaven favors Tahiti...


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Thinking about getting the 7950. What brand should I get? Looking at getting the HIS IceQ since it pushing air outsude the case.


The Gigabyte 7950 is the best 7950 in the market. No other 7950 can match it in cooling performance. Generally speaking, it may also be the most overclockable 7950. Mine can do 1280MHz / 1800MHz and I've seen two other OCN users with similar clocks and have yet to see other 7950s match this.

Personal Best 3DMark 11

1280MHz / 1800MHz / 1.3 V / Catalyst 12.8 / 3570K @ 4.6GHz


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*


Majin he posted an MSI lightning score.

I win


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Majin he posted an MSI lightning score.
> I win


Overall: X3679 Graphics Score: 3365
1280MHz/1850MHz Gigabyte 7950


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Majin he posted an MSI lightning score.
> 
> I win
Click to expand...

Negative. I win.









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/3917395

And that was just at 1200 / 1800, I can run 3dMark all day at 1300 / 1800. Just waiting for futuremark to fix my login issues.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> The Gigabyte 7950 is the best 7950 in the market. No other 7950 can match it in cooling performance. Generally speaking, it may also be the most overclockable 7950. Mine can do 1280MHz / 1800MHz and I've seen two other OCN users with similar clocks and have yet to see other 7950s match this.
> Personal Best 3DMark 11
> 1280MHz / 1800MHz / 1.3 V / Catalyst 12.8 / 3570K @ 4.6GHz


Careful, you might get slammed for saying such a comment here. There is no such thing as "best" when it comes to OCN.







However, I would agree that the Gigabyte is one of the better models to get. I have to give to you though, since that is a really nice overclock for aircooling.

You should use Sapphire Trixx to go past 1.3v and see if you can hit 1300~1350mhz core.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Overall: X3679 Graphics Score: 3365
> 1280MHz/1850MHz Gigabyte 7950


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Negative. I win.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/3917395
> And that was just at 1200 / 1800, I can run 3dMark all day at 1300 / 1800. Just waiting for futuremark to fix my login issues.


Hates both of you and your 1200+ cards


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Hates both of you and your 1200+ cards


You're not missing out THAT much.







Just get a second one and whoop them.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Careful, you might get slammed for saying such a comment here. There is no such thing as "best" when it comes to OCN.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However, I would agree that the Gigabyte is one of the better models to get. I have to give to you though, since that is a really nice overclock for aircooling.
> You should use Sapphire Trixx to go past 1.3v and see if you can hit 1300~1350mhz core.


I stand by my comment and I'd be more than willing to share temperature results with another OCN member running the same clocks 1280-1285MHz / 1800-1850MHz. As good as the cooler on the MSI 7950 is, the Windforce is better and I believe the gap would widen once both are given a good overclock. In terms of overclockability, obviously it will depend on the chip but the Gigabyte model tends to hit higher clocks based on what I've seen here on OCN.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I can run 3dMark all day at 1300 / 1800. Just waiting for futuremark to fix my login issues.


Pioneer - you are extremely lucky to have gotten a 7970 that can reach 1300MHz. I've had three 7970s (MSI Lightning, Sapphire OC, and Gigabyte) and only the Lightning was able to hit 1210-1225MHz depending on benchmark and game. The Sapphire couldn't even surpass 1150MHz regardless of voltage and the Gigabyte 7970 was voltage locked. All have been returned for refunds and have switched to Kepler 680. The 7950 I have now is the only bright spot in my dreadful AMD experience for this generation.


----------



## tsm106

^^I've have 5 that will do 1300.

1320 / 1770


----------



## pioneerisloud

Just for you grunion.....


----------



## spinejam

Nice card pioneer!


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just for you grunion.....


Wow cpu vcore at 1.6V? Damnnnnnnnnnnnn


----------



## tsm106

Now that's hot.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just for you grunion.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow cpu vcore at 1.6V? Damnnnnnnnnnnnn
Click to expand...

What? Problem?









My chip is dead anyway.







It's never been a good chip, and now its BSOD'ing at bone stock, so yeah 1.60v for 5GHz, lol. I'm also multi walled at 49x, always have been.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> What? Problem?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My chip is dead anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's never been a good chip, and now its BSOD'ing at bone stock, so yeah 1.60v for 5GHz, lol. I'm also multi walled at 49x, always have been.


Lol I was expecting that.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> What? Problem?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My chip is dead anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's never been a good chip, and now its BSOD'ing at bone stock, so yeah 1.60v for 5GHz, lol. I'm also multi walled at 49x, always have been.
> 
> 
> 
> Lol I was expecting that.
Click to expand...

Like I said, the chip has been a HORRIBLE chip from day one anyway. So meh, it is what it is.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Anyone notice that in certain games, regardless of overclock, that they get some (albeit minor) artifacts. In Borderlands 1 and 2, and Sonic Generations, even at stock clocks I will get some slight artifacts at random times? I saw on another forum (can't remember, as I was just Google-ing to see if it was just me or not) that games that use the Unreal engine are generally the ones that produce this issue. Apparently one of the CoD games will do it too.
> Some people even went to the point of underclocking their cards and were still getting issues with slight artifacting. Apparently this issue only exists with the 7000 series cards, particularly the 7950/7970. Anyone here besides me noticing this?


I had this issue in many games. Cod 4 is the cod game with these issues. I sent it for an rma last week. I'll post in this thread when i know if it goes through the RMA or not. My card artifacted even with heavy underclocking.


----------



## connectwise

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Majin he posted an MSI lightning score.
> I win


what card do you have? I missed it.


----------



## sosna

Guys i need some help please.

The problem is that i get a black screen after long idle times with a VTX3D X-Edition HD7950 3GB GDDR5 (V2)

Ive recently -almost 2 weeks ago- purchased the VTX Radeon 7950 v2 with the pcb of one 6pin and one 8pin.The gpu device id is 1002 - 679A.

At first i used the 12.8 drivers with 12.8 cap3 and whenever i tried to work it anything above its stock clocks,i got instast errors.Then i discovered that the memory was at fault -low quality i guess cause the max clock speed it can work is 1325 ,when the memory of most other 7950 cards reach 1400+ with ease- and i had to lower it to 1210 in order to be stable.So with a lower than stock memory clock and the use of 12.4 drivers i managed to get the card working again.After some time and many driver changes though i could use it at the stock clocks.

The more serious problem though that i havent solved still is the black screen after a long idle period (If i leave my pc on but turn off the screen).I have hardware acceleration disabled and i even tried to close any broswer but still.This was random before but now whenever i leave my computer for longer periods of time at idle then the screen stays black and isnt responding afterwards.

I tried different drivers -12.6, 12.7- ,I upped my 2d clocks but still nothing -using afterburner profiles-.I should also mention that i tried with and without the use of MSI Afterburner and i got the same results.

I have i5 [email protected] -perfectly stable- an Asrock P55 Extreme, Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 8gigs ram -also tested and full stable- and the OS win 7 64bit freshly installed.I should also mention that i have three 22'' screens -1680x1050 each- connected to the card.When i use it in games i can play easily at 1050/1210 with no extra voltage @5040x1050, but when the card sits in idle a lot of time then it needs a hard reset in order to continue.

Also whenever i tried to install another bios to the card i got a SSID mismatch.

I also changed the ATI/ACE/profiles clocks upping the clock target_0 value to 450 but after a restart,this setting needs to be changed again.Anyone know how i can set it permanently?

I now use 12.8 drivers with 12.8 cap3.

This card was 20 euros more expensive than other 7950 cards, but i thought that it would be nice to help a new company.So far im regretting my choise because of the above issues.

Thanks in advance


----------



## Hambone07si

Hey there guys, been awhile since I've been on this forum. Been pretty busy with summer activities. Anyways, does anyone have any input on 12.8 Drivers and how they are working for them. I have not updated my driver yet, but would like some feedback.

Thanks, Hambone

What up TSM, Pioneerisloud, been a minute


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Hey there guys, been awhile since I've been on this forum. Been pretty busy with summer activities. Anyways, does anyone have any input on 12.8 Drivers and how they are working for them. I have not updated my driver yet, but would like some feedback.
> Thanks, Hambone
> What up TSM, Pioneerisloud, been a minute


I went back to 12.7 beta drivers at the advice of a member here, and so far they are working a lot better for me than 12.8 WHQL. Less texture popping, and more luck with overclocks.


----------



## Raven.7

What kind of overclocks can I expect out of an MSi Twin Frozr3? Is there a set number anyone could recommend where I can bring it to before I start bumping the voltage? I'll be getting my card Wednesday.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raven.7*
> 
> What kind of overclocks can I expect out of an MSi Twin Frozr3? Is there a set number anyone could recommend where I can bring it to before I start bumping the voltage? I'll be getting my card Wednesday.


When to bump your voltage will depend entirely on your card but typically with voltage modification you can expect anywhere from 1150-1250ish (Possibly higher) MHz on the core. I would say the 1200MHz is the practical limit for 7970s with fan usage at 60-70% sound would be noticeable but acceptable but then again that would depend on how sensitive you are to sound. Some people prefer quiet setups.


----------



## Shredit5150

I could probably get that exact score or a tad higher if i clocked my rig up that high. How does the 680 compare on similar machines?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shredit5150*
> 
> I could probably get that exact score or a tad higher if i clocked my rig up that high. How does the 680 compare on similar machines?


In 3DMark 11? 680s score higher than 7970s. We don't stand a chance in the 3DMark.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> Hey there guys, been awhile since I've been on this forum. Been pretty busy with summer activities. Anyways, does anyone have any input on 12.8 Drivers and how they are working for them. I have not updated my driver yet, but would like some feedback.
> Thanks, Hambone
> What up TSM, Pioneerisloud, been a minute


Welcome back, Kotter!

12.9 betas is the right stuff. Check the heaven top 30 leaderboard, then check my submission here. There are 3 different versions at benchmark 3d. I use the Aug 9 fixed CCC. The Sept 4 release is stupid fast, but slightly unstable with my quads in BL2. I have not tried the Aug 15 release. The Aug 9 is my new RC11.











Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Honestly someone please explain. How an overclock is completely stable for an hour in Heaven at max and then you open Guild Wars 2 and it fails right off the bat...

¬_¬


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Honestly someone please explain. How an overclock is completely stable for an hour in Heaven at max and then you open Guild Wars 2 and it fails right off the bat...
> ¬_¬


Heaven isn't a stability test. It's a benchmark.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Honestly someone please explain. How an overclock is completely stable for an hour in Heaven at max and then you open Guild Wars 2 and it fails right off the bat...
> ¬_¬


Simple... synthetic benchmarks aren't 100% accurate at detecting instability. I normally use 3DMark 11 and maximize every setting in advanced mode (More stressful than extreme preset and ONLY available to users that paid) and loop it for hours on end. It's a little unorthodox and some people would disagree with this method but I shoot for maximum stability and from my experience, this is pretty fail-safe. I'll also test the overclock in games like Battlefield 3 and Skyrim.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Thinking about getting the 7950. What brand should I get? Looking at getting the HIS IceQ since it pushing air outsude the case.


I already have one Powercolor PCS+ 7950 and it's a really great card with quiet and effecient cooling, it's a good OC'er too







Thinking of getting a second 7950 or 7970 for crossfireX later, right know I would buy a IceQ 7950 from HIS if 7950 is what you want!


----------



## grunion

Crysis pukes on an unstable overclock every time, that what I use to determine a stable oc.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> I already have one Powercolor PCS+ 7950 and it's a really great card with quiet and effecient cooling, it's a good OC'er too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thinking of getting a second 7950 or 7970 for crossfireX later, right know I would buy a IceQ 7950 from HIS if 7950 is what you want!


CFX 7950 @ 1200MHz+ / 1800MHz+ for $600


----------



## raptor5150

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Simple... synthetic benchmarks aren't 100% accurate at detecting instability. I normally use 3DMark 11 and maximize every setting in advanced mode (More stressful than extreme preset and ONLY available to users that paid) and loop it for hours on end. It's a little unorthodox and some people would disagree with this method but I shoot for maximum stability and from my experience, this is pretty fail-safe. I'll also test the overclock in games like Battlefield 3 and Skyrim.


Same here, If it holds up to 3dM 11 and BF3 I never have a problem. Not sure how folding is for a stress test but it they never fail there either.


----------



## Shredit5150

So I threw this score up a minute ago with the Sapphire 7970 ghz running at 1175/1500 with the i7 3770k @4.5ghz







all of the mark 11 settings are all the default settings for the performance benchmark run. forgot to add there was no overvolting I just cranked up the usage to +20


----------



## eltebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Honestly someone please explain. How an overclock is completely stable for an hour in Heaven at max and then you open Guild Wars 2 and it fails right off the bat...
> ¬_¬


in my case I did some benchmarks in 1920x1080 in heaven fine as requested. while card @stock 1050/1500 got beating in native 2560x1440 100% load all the time. temps popped to the roof and so did fans.


----------



## Hambone07si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Welcome back, Kotter!
> 12.9 betas is the right stuff. Check the heaven top 30 leaderboard, then check my submission here. There are 3 different versions at benchmark 3d. I use the Aug 9 fixed CCC. The Sept 4 release is stupid fast, but slightly unstable with my quads in BL2. I have not tried the Aug 15 release. The Aug 9 is my new RC11.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


LMAO,









Can you link me something to this new RC11? I need a new one too. I'm still on 12.4 whql as it runs pretty well for myself on Diablo 3. Just want something that will support the AA settings properly


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hambone07si*
> 
> LMAO,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can you link me something to this new RC11? I need a new one too. I'm still on 12.4 whql as it runs pretty well for myself on Diablo 3. Just want something that will support the AA settings properly


Aug 9

http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-00-august-9-ccc-fix


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Aug 9
> http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-00-august-9-ccc-fix


Can't wait for this to appear on the AMD site!


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Aug 9
> http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-00-august-9-ccc-fix


What's up with that d/l link, crashes FF.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> What's up with that d/l link, crashes FF.


Right click save as.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Right click save as.


----------



## sena

Guys, I NEED HELP URGENT.

I was playing Metro 2033, and i got 116 BSOD ati drivers, bla,bla, but now i dont see my second card at all in OS/MSI AB/GPU-Z, i hear it spining, but no detection.

Is it dead?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, I NEED HELP URGENT.
> I was playing Metro 2033, and i got 116 BSOD ati drivers, bla,bla, but now i dont see my second card at all in OS/MSI AB/GPU-Z, i hear it spining, but no detection.
> Is it dead?


Is your 7870 overclocked?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Is your 7870 overclocked?


Yea, they are both overclocked to 1150/1350.

I played Dirt 3 for about one hour before Metro 2033 without problems.


----------



## Shredit5150

wow that's really strange your temps jumped that much in the higher resolution. What type of case and powersupply do you have? Mt 7970 Vapor--x OC to 1200/1600 never breaks 65c.


----------



## Bruennis

Error code 116 is definitely video card related. Reset clocks and restart computer? If no detection then try reinstalling card and drivers.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Error code 116 is definitely video card related. Reset clocks and restart computer? If no detection then try reinstalling card and drivers.


Doing that at moment, i will post results.

EDIT: Installed 12.7 beta, and everything is back in normal, hjuuu, i was scared, i must admit.


----------



## eltebe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shredit5150*
> 
> wow that's really strange your temps jumped that much in the higher resolution. What type of case and powersupply do you have? Mt 7970 Vapor--x OC to 1200/1600 never breaks 65c.


p183 with cp-850 nh-d14
2 intake GTs running 1300rpm and one noctua sflex or sth like that exhaust and psu working as exhaust as well.
but even with GTs at 1850 it does not change much
CPU highest i saw was around 60C


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Doing that at moment, i will post results.
> EDIT: Installed 12.7 beta, and everything is back in normal, hjuuu, i was scared, i must admit.










May have just been a driver crash from your overclock


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> May have just been a driver crash from your overclock


Maybe, altrough i never experienced BSOD from unstable OC, it was always just hardlock.

I will try with same voltage to run metro 2033 again, to see what will happen.

Thx for help.


----------



## Raven.7

Is 1185/1600 a realistic OC for a 7950? I'm looking at the TT review.


----------



## dookiebot

The highest I got on my MSI Twin Frorz is 1150 on the core on air. I don't remember my memory but I really didn't see how high I could get on that. I am keeping it at 1060/1450 for now though just because I want to stay at stock voltage.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Aug 9
> http://benchmark3d.com/amd-catalyst-9-00-august-9-ccc-fix


My card did not like these drivers.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Weirdly 12.8 works great for me except I picked up the idle bug that I had been spared through 12.4-12.7...


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Weirdly 12.8 works great for me except I picked up the idle bug that I had been spared through 12.4-12.7...


Yeah I got that and all of my overclocks became unstable.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can't wait for this to appear on the AMD site!


I hope that they never do, those drivers are awful for tri-fire. I've been told 12.9 is supposed to be a different branch than what was uploaded by asder.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Crysis pukes on an unstable overclock every time, that what I use to determine a stable oc.


Same here


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Warhead is the only game on my computer that still randomly freezes even at stock...


----------



## broadbandaddict

Alright so after looking through some of the other posts that I missed it looks like my Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X runs hotter than it should. I'm sitting at 76C, 99% load, stock clocks (1050 and 1500), fan is at 88%, VDDC is 1.154V to 1.2V (possibly issue?), Catalyst 12.8, fresh install of Windows 7, VRMs are sitting at 99C and 78C.

I have until the 4th to return it to Newegg, should I? It's out of stock right now but the Lightning is in stock and only $20 more. Also it runs the same whether I have the boost button pushed or not.

Thanks in advance.

edit: Installed Afterburner and it was reporting a 1.256V for the GPU. That seems high...


----------



## gamesandstuffs

Any Guild Wars 2 players here? Which Drivers have you found to be the best for this game?


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gamesandstuffs*
> 
> Any Guild Wars 2 players here? Which Drivers have you found to be the best for this game?


12.7 beta working great for me so far.


----------



## billgates8889

Just installed my Sapphire 7950 950MHz Ed, my ASIC quality is 86.9%. Just wondering, is my ASIC quality the norm average for 7950?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Just installed my Sapphire 7950 950MHz Ed, my ASIC quality is 86.9%. Just wondering, is my ASIC quality the norm average for 7950?


It's above avg for asic, but that only refers to how much it likes voltage at stock clocks. If you're on aircooling, higher is better.


----------



## Dmac73

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> ^^ >1200 is rare air, keep it cool, maybe leave the mem at stock and try the core first.
> But no matter what I do, 1200 is my max.
> Maybe winter time temps will help.
> Finally bested my 5870 CFX GPU score, took 2 gens of cards.


What did your 5870s score in 3DM11 if you don't mind me asking?


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Alright so after looking through some of the other posts that I missed it looks like my Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X runs hotter than it should. I'm sitting at 76C, 99% load, stock clocks (1050 and 1500), fan is at 88%, VDDC is 1.154V to 1.2V (possibly issue?), Catalyst 12.8, fresh install of Windows 7, VRMs are sitting at 99C and 78C.
> I have until the 4th to return it to Newegg, should I? It's out of stock right now but the Lightning is in stock and only $20 more. Also it runs the same whether I have the boost button pushed or not.
> Thanks in advance.
> edit: Installed Afterburner and it was reporting a 1.256V for the GPU. That seems high...


I hear the lightning is problematic, and yes I believe that voltage is right. That's what I typically get with the second bios. Otherwise that seems really hot, just use the first bios which has a voltage of 1.2.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> edit: Installed Afterburner and it was reporting a 1.256V for the GPU. That seems high...


Iirc, that's the boost voltage, but it's not a real voltage since AB cannot read real voltage and instead display "intended" voltage.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> I hear the lightning is problematic, and yes I believe that voltage is right. That's what I typically get with the second bios. Otherwise that seems really hot, just use the first bios which has a voltage of 1.2.


Problematic? It's one of the best, if not the best 7970 available right now. Plus there are water blocks available for it. I've got 4 and they easily match or beat my 680s depending on the game and OC.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Problematic? It's one of the best, if not the best 7970 available right now. Plus there are water blocks available for it. I've got 4 and they easily match or beat my 680s depending on the game and OC.


Top 30 heaven go for it.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's above avg for asic, but that only refers to how much it likes voltage at stock clocks. If you're on aircooling, higher is better.


I would argue it is the opposite. Higher ASIC means lower VID, but at least for AMD it means a higher leakage chip. AMD wants to balance the power consumption between the chips, which means they use lower VIDs for chips with higher leakage. Seeing how my 84.3% ASIC card shoots up in power consumption and temperature when put on similar voltage as my 75.5% card, I can only come to this conclusion. I have also read a lot of hard core OCers saying they love high ASIC quality 7970s for LN2. For air, a card with a _lower_ ASIC quality would be better.

From the horse's mouth: http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1344008&postcount=29


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dmac73*
> 
> What did your 5870s score in 3DM11 if you don't mind me asking?


It's in that post you quoted








For awhile I had the highest GPU score on the bot, course my cpu held back my total score.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I can tell you that high ASIC ain't great for water. Both my 7970's are over 84% but they won't budge beyond 1230MHz no matter the voltage...


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I can tell you that high ASIC ain't great for water. Both my 7970's are over 84% but they won't budge beyond 1230MHz no matter the voltage...


And I can tell you that high ASIC ain't that great on air, either. So are we coming to a conclusion that high ASIC ain't that great PERIOD?









Still, LN2 crowd seems to like them.

Edit: The thing is, I'm seriously considering going for water with my cards, but if even water isn't enough for these high leakage chips... idk.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> And I can tell you that high ASIC ain't that great on air, either. So are we coming to a conclusion that high ASIC ain't that great PERIOD?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still, LN2 crowd seems to like them.
> Edit: The thing is, I'm seriously considering going for water with my cards, but if even water isn't enough for these high leakage chips... idk.


Your confused.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Your confused.


Care to elaborate? As far as I know, there is no official data on this above what Dave Baumann said in my quote.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> Care to elaborate? As far as I know, there is no official data on this above what Dave Baumann said in my quote.


Why don't you help yourself and do a search since you know it all?


----------



## Bruennis

I think ASIC quality has zero bearing on overclocking potential. First 7970 that I owned had an ~84% asic rating and couldn't overclock past 1150MHz. This was with the factory Dual-X cooler. The Lightning that I am currently in the process of refunding had an ASIC of 56% and could reach 1210-1225MHz on the core.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why don't you help yourself and do a search since you know it all?


I do NOT know it all. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking you for elabotarion. I know something about it, having read hundreds of posts on Tahiti ASIC quality and having talked about it with some hard core overclockers. So if you have something substantially more credible data to back up your opinion, I would appreciate you making it public.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> I do NOT know it all. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking you for elabotarion. I know something about it, having read hundreds of posts on Tahiti ASIC quality and having talked about it with some hard core overclockers. So if you have something substantially more credible data to back up your opinion, I would appreciate you making it public.


You realize you weren't asking? And this topic is universal to processors, not just AMD gpus right? Engineering spends vast amounts of time to lower leakage power on mobile processors? Why would they bother to do this when some product manager who is already disclaimered on AMD's own site, says the exact opposite?
Quote:


> Dave Baumann (@Wavey_Dave) is a Product Manager at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD's positions, strategies or opinions.


Here's what he wrote.
Quote:


> Actually, it does the opposite! We scale the voltage based on leakage, so the higher leakage parts use lower voltage and the lower leakage parts use a higher voltage - what this is does narrow the entire TDP range of the product.


This is opposite of reality. High leakage require more volts (because it's leaking voltage [email protected]#$) and low leakage require less volts. LN2 ppl prefer high leakage because it bleeds off the voltage more, meaning they can feed it more voltage. High leakage power chips need more voltage to do the same work as low leakage.

Old as dirt article on leakage power.
Quote:


> As you can see, dynamic power - which does useful work - has increased relatively slowly despite the increase in CPU complexity. Leakage power, however, increases exponentially, and not linearly. It has grown quickly from a "minor nuisance" to a "circuit killing monster".
> 
> Leakage is comparable to a small hole in a waterhose of a firefighter. The more pressure (i.e. the higher the core voltage), the bigger the hole gets, and thus, the more water that leaks to the ground. The thinner the walls of the tube (i.e. smaller process technology), the quicker the holes become bigger, and the more water you lose, the harder the pumps must work to get the same amount of water to extinguish the fire. If the pumps overheat, you better throttle them down, or they will cease to work after a while.
> 
> Power Leakage happens as a part of the current, which is supposed to make our transistors switch leaks away in the substrate and finally in the ground. There are several leakage currents, but the two most important ones are the gate oxide tunnelling current and sub-threshold leakage.[3]


Real world applications of lowering leakage.

Quote:


> *Blaze MO typically reduces leakage by 10% to 40%.* This leakage reduction comes from selectively increasing gate-lengths along non-critical paths. The gate-length biasing gives fine-grain control over the delay-leakage tradeoff of a given transistor; increasing gate length reduces leakage at the cost of transistor speed, while reducing gate length makes the transistor faster at the cost of increased leakage. In leakage reduction mode, there is no change to the overall timing performance of the device, even though leakage is significantly reduced. In timing improvement mode, *the performance of the device is improved without any additional leakage.*


http://chipdesignmag.com/display.php?articleId=475

Why can't you google yourself?


----------



## spinejam

My personal observations: (I know, who gives a xxxx!)









I've had over 12 7970s and 6 7950s to date and from what Ive seen, the lower ASIC cards tend to overclock higher on air but require juice to get there. Of course, some cards can dissipate the heat better than others -- thereby enhancing their stability.

Look at this 7970 Lightning (64.4% ASIC) and the required voltage it needs for stability: (yet, even w/ all that juice she stays cool)


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You realize you weren't asking?


Yes I was. You know, when I said "Care to elaborate?" That's me asking.
Quote:


> And this topic is universal to processors, not just AMD gpus right? Engineering spends vast amounts of time to lower leakage power on mobile processors? Why would they bother to do this when some product manager who is already disclaimered on AMD's own site, says the exact opposite?


Yes, it is universal. Reading ASIC quality and interpreting it is not, however. We are not in disagreement on whether or not high leakage is a bad thing, we're disagreeing on whether or not high ASIC quality as read by GPU-Z means high or low leakage.
Quote:


> This is opposite of reality. High leakage require more volts (because it's leaking voltage [email protected]#$) and low leakage require less volts. LN2 ppl prefer high leakage because it bleeds off the voltage more, meaning they can feed it more voltage. High leakage power chips need more voltage to do the same work as low leakage.


That is not my understanding at all. Electric leakage is _current_ leaking from the chip, not voltage. When a chip is leaking current, it needs more current, not more voltage. Also, if a chip is leaking more current, it can't use as high a voltage if it is to be kept under a certain TDP. See: more leakage means less voltage for the same power consumption. That is in line with what Dave Baumann said. So is the fact that people dealing with LN2 seem to prefer Tahiti chips with a high ASIC quality percentage reading.
Quote:


> Old as dirt article on leakage power.
> Real world applications of lowering leakage.
> http://chipdesignmag.com/display.php?articleId=475
> Why can't you google yourself?


Cause Google don't seem to know what you know.


----------



## tsm106

Current and voltage are inter-related. I see this is going no where.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> I would argue it is the opposite. Higher ASIC means lower VID, but at least for AMD it means a higher leakage chip. AMD wants to balance the power consumption between the chips, which means they use lower VIDs for chips with higher leakage. Seeing how my 84.3% ASIC card shoots up in power consumption and temperature when put on similar voltage as my 75.5% card, I can only come to this conclusion. I have also read a lot of hard core OCers saying they love high ASIC quality 7970s for LN2. *For air, a card with a lower ASIC quality would be better.*
> From the horse's mouth: http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1344008&postcount=29


70%, 72% here, both do over 1300 under water. In your comment which is in *BOLD* I would say the opposite. More of a trend than an absolute though, chip lottery in play too.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I can tell you that high ASIC ain't great for water. Both my 7970's are over 84% but they won't budge beyond 1230MHz no matter the voltage...


I would agree with this.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> I hear the lightning is problematic, and yes I believe that voltage is right. That's what I typically get with the second bios. Otherwise that seems really hot, just use the first bios which has a voltage of 1.2.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Iirc, that's the boost voltage, but it's not a real voltage since AB cannot read real voltage and instead display "intended" voltage.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Problematic? It's one of the best, if not the best 7970 available right now. Plus there are water blocks available for it. I've got 4 and they easily match or beat my 680s depending on the game and OC.


Yeah the Sapphire card is on its way back to get a refund. One of the VRMs got up to 120C and a few minutes later the card started flickering the screen.

I got a Lightning on the way! So excited!


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Current and voltage are inter-related. I see this is going no where.


It could be going somewhere. I haven't made up my mind, but I've received a lot of data to support the "higher ASIC % = higher leakage". That includes my own testing, where the higher ASIC % card has the same power consumption with a voltage of 1.05V than my other card with a lower ASIC % with a voltage of 1.112V. This would indicate that a higher ASIC % = lower VID voltage = higher current leakage = about the same TDP.


----------



## sena

12.9 Beta on AMD site:http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> 12.9 Beta on AMD site:http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx


Thanks man!


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thanks man!


Glad to help.


----------



## sena

Looks like there are not so bad after all, but there is one problem, i dont know is it related to MSI AB or drivers, when i overclock my GPU, second card keeps downlockoking it self in 3d nad GPU usage stays at 64% in 3d, without overclock everything is normal.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Looks like there are not so bad after all, but there is one problem, i dont know is it related to MSI AB or drivers, when i overclock my GPU, second card keeps downlockoking it self in 3d nad GPU usage stays at 64% in 3d, without overclock everything is normal.


Disable ULPS. It enabled when you install drivers again.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Disable ULPS. It enabled when you install drivers again.


I did, altrough i disabled it after i deleted drivers, maybe i screwed something in regedit.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I did, altrough i disabled it after i deleted drivers, maybe i screwed something in regedit.


Download sapphire trixx and select disable ULPS, then close it and reboot. That should hopefully help you out, unless it is an issue with 12.9?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Disable ULPS. It enabled when you install drivers again.


ULPS has nothing to do with gpu utilization. If he was overclocking with AB using unofficial method, he would have hard locked with ULPS on anyways, hard to miss that. And with official method, you don't have to disable ULPS.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *ULPS has nothing to do with gpu utilization*. If he was overclocking with AB using unofficial method, he would have hard locked with ULPS on anyways, hard to miss that. And with official method, you don't have to disable ULPS.


It can do in some cases. (Not common though).


----------



## sosna

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sosna*
> 
> Guys i need some help please.
> The problem is that i get a black screen after long idle times with a VTX3D X-Edition HD7950 3GB GDDR5 (V2)
> Ive recently -almost 2 weeks ago- purchased the VTX Radeon 7950 v2 with the pcb of one 6pin and one 8pin.The gpu device id is 1002 - 679A.
> 
> At first i used the 12.8 drivers with 12.8 cap3 and whenever i tried to work it anything above its stock clocks,i got instast errors.Then i discovered that the memory was at fault -low quality i guess cause the max clock speed it can work is 1325 ,when the memory of most other 7950 cards reach 1400+ with ease- and i had to lower it to 1210 in order to be stable.So with a lower than stock memory clock and the use of 12.4 drivers i managed to get the card working again.After some time and many driver changes though i could use it at the stock clocks.
> 
> The more serious problem though that i havent solved still is the black screen after a long idle period (If i leave my pc on but turn off the screen).I have hardware acceleration disabled and i even tried to close any broswer but still.This was random before but now whenever i leave my computer for longer periods of time at idle then the screen stays black and isnt responding afterwards.
> I tried different drivers -12.6, 12.7- ,I upped my 2d clocks but still nothing -using afterburner profiles-.I should also mention that i tried with and without the use of MSI Afterburner and i got the same results.
> 
> I have i5 [email protected] -perfectly stable- an Asrock P55 Extreme, Corsair Vengeance Low Profile 8gigs ram -also tested and full stable- and the OS win 7 64bit freshly installed.I should also mention that i have three 22'' screens -1680x1050 each- connected to the card.When i use it in games i can play easily at 1050/1210 with no extra voltage @5040x1050, *but when the card sits in idle a lot of time then it needs a hard reset in order to continue.*
> 
> Also whenever i tried to install another bios to the card i got a SSID mismatch.
> 
> I also changed the clocks upping the clock target_0 value to 450 but after a restart,this setting needs to be changed again.*Anyone know how i can set it permanently?*
> 
> I now use 12.8 drivers with 12.8 cap3.
> 
> This card was 20 euros more expensive than other 7950 cards, but i thought that it would be nice to help a new company.So far im regretting my choise because of the above issues.
> Thanks in advance


Just for future reference and in case anyone is facing the same problem, i managed to solve it but changing the setting _turn off the display_ to never in power options.I also disabled the ULPS in the registry.

I tested the turn off the display option and put it in 2 minutes and it instantly froze the system needing a hard reset,so i guess the driver crashes due to the low clocks and isnt responding.

As for the ATI/ACE/profiles file that kept reverting to its original settings i set it to read only in the folder options.No more reverting after that.

The other question i still have is why i cant install any other bios and get a SSID mismatch every time.Anyone know why or how i could overcome this -i tried flashing both from windows and a usb drive to avail-?


----------



## noblex

hi guis i'm about to buy an HD7950, i can take the asus direct cu II V2 or the msi twin frozr III ... i wanna take the most silent and the coolest possible, here in italy the msi is 275 and the asus 290 € so is not a big difference... i'm not interested in an extreeme overclock, i'll only take the cards to 1 GHz or a few above... i knew tha the first model of directcu had a problem whit VRM, but it was really silent
can you please help me?


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *noblex*
> 
> hi guis i'm about to buy an HD7950, i can take the asus direct cu II V2 or the msi twin frozr III ... i wanna take the most silent and the coolest possible, here in italy the msi is 275 and the asus 290 € so is not a big difference... i'm not interested in an extreeme overclock, i'll only take the cards to 1 GHz or a few above... i knew tha the first model of directcu had a problem whit VRM, but it was really silent
> can you please help me?


Grab the Gigabyte 7950. It has the the most powerful and efficient and I dare say, the most silent cooler among all current 7950s. Based on what I've seen here on OCN, the Gigabyte 7950s can manage higher clocks better than any other 7950 due to its superior cooler. Also, keep in mind that some Tahiti cards including the 7970 are shipping out with locked voltage control that may or may not be unlocked with updates to current software. Only time will tell...


----------



## noblex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Grab the Gigabyte 7950. It has the the most powerful and efficient and I dare say, the most silent cooler among all current 7950s. Based on what I've seen here on OCN, the Gigabyte 7950s can manage higher clocks better than any other 7950 due to its superior cooler. Also, keep in mind that some Tahiti cards including the 7970 are shipping out with locked voltage control that may or may not be unlocked with updates to current software. Only time will tell...


oh i know, i want it so bad... sadly the only way to have a giga here is to import her from germany








the choose is only: msi, asus or a reference+acellero... but cost too much


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ULPS has nothing to do with gpu utilization. If he was overclocking with AB using unofficial method, he would have hard locked with ULPS on anyways, hard to miss that. And with official method, you don't have to disable ULPS.


Its really strange, one user reported the same but only when GPU was on stock clock, in my case verything is ok when GPU is on stock clocks, problem rise when i overclock GPU.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Download sapphire trixx and select disable ULPS, then close it and reboot. That should hopefully help you out, unless it is an issue with 12.9?


I used Ati man ULPS control software.

EDIT: Bad news again, second GPU is downlocking no metter what, and that causes stuttering, looks like there is no solution for this problem.


----------



## Raven.7

Just got my 7950 MSi!

Now I can't play with it...I have an exam in 3 hours









MOTHER.OF.GOD

I can play Borderlands 2, maxed out between 90-120 FPS.


----------



## noblex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raven.7*
> 
> Just got my 7950 MSi!
> Now I can't play with it...I have an exam in 3 hours
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MOTHER.OF.GOD
> I can play Borderlands 2, maxed out between 90-120 FPS.


hi, can yu run a game 10 minutes and tell me if the card is loudy in idle and in full load?


----------



## Raven.7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *noblex*
> 
> hi, can yu run a game 10 minutes and tell me if the card is loudy in idle and in full load?


Its is neither loud at idle nor load by my standards...considering I had two 6870s blasting at 80% a few hours ago.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raven.7*
> 
> Just got my 7950 MSi!
> Now I can't play with it...I have an exam in 3 hours
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MOTHER.OF.GOD
> I can play Borderlands 2, maxed out between 90-120 FPS.


Worry about your exam! No flunking here on OCN


----------



## noblex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raven.7*
> 
> Its is neither loud at idle nor load by my standards...considering I had two 6870s blasting at 80% a few hours ago.


lol
i had a gtx460 gigabyte windforce 2.. and i would remain at the same loud levels... the msi is given for 37 db... the 460 i can't find a review that say it


----------



## ukic

Hmmm 12.9 Beta official is out... Anyone know what the advantage is with .Net 4 support?


----------



## BradleyW

12.9 Seem stable so far. Good Job AMD. Great to see a fix for F1 2012 as well.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dmac73*
> 
> What did your 5870s score in 3DM11 if you don't mind me asking?


Oh in 11, let me check.
Don't think I ever got suicidal with 11.

10,470


----------



## grifers

Hi!.

Is recommendable disable ULPS to Overclocking this cards?. For me 1050/1500 with stock voltaje is unstable in a few games, but in MSI Kombustor is stable 3 minuts :/. I dont touch voltages, only overclocking with CCC,....is recommendable disable ulps?.

Thanks a sorry my english, use google translator :/.

Bye.

P.D - I have two 7970 references cards.


----------



## Tatakai All

Hey guys, I just got my 7970 DC2T in today and was wondering if uninstalling nvidia drivers is enough or do I need to do more to complete wipe nvidia drivers?


----------



## Dmac73

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Oh in 11, let me check.
> Don't think I ever got suicidal with 11.
> 
> 10,470


Those little buggers aren't bad in 11.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 12.9 Seem stable so far. Good Job AMD. Great to see a fix for F1 2012 as well.


That is nice to hear, looks like AMD abandoned us with HD 78xx, esspecially with 7870 CFX, lot of people are having similar issues like me, idle GSODs, second card downlocking to 450 MHz in 3d, wrong GPU usage in reports.


----------



## Raven.7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tatakai All*
> 
> Hey guys, I just got my 7970 DC2T in today and was wondering if uninstalling nvidia drivers is enough or do I need to do more to complete wipe nvidia drivers?


Go into safe mode and either run drive sweeper or just run the nVidia uninstall and clean your registry with CCleaner BEFORE swapping cards. Power off, insert the 7970 and install the latest AMD drivers.

You shouldn't run into any problems! Enjoy your new card.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> That is nice to hear, looks like AMD abandoned us with HD 78xx, esspecially with 7870 CFX, lot of people are having similar issues like me, idle GSODs, second card downlocking to 450 MHz in 3d, wrong GPU usage in reports.


That seems strange. Have you emailed AMD for any support?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> That seems strange. Have you emailed AMD for any support?


Yup, no reply, with 12.7 beta GPU usage is ok, no downlocking, but idle GSODs.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Yup, no reply, with 12.7 beta GPU usage is ok, no downlocking, but idle GSODs.


For the Idle issue, people say to disable the power saving features in power options and to switch off the screen when you are not using the PC for long periods of time.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> For the Idle issue, people say to disable the power saving features in power options and to switch off the screen when you are not using the PC for long periods of time.


So that is fix for gray screen of death?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> So that is fix for gray screen of death?


A few people claim it to be.


----------



## CattleCorn

Can anyone here help with my 3DMark11 problem? My 3DMark11 program won't launch, period.


----------



## grifers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grifers*
> 
> Hi!.
> 
> Is recommendable disable ULPS to Overclocking this cards?. For me 1050/1500 with stock voltaje is unstable in a few games, but in MSI Kombustor is stable 3 minuts :/. I dont touch voltages, only overclocking with CCC,....is recommendable disable ulps?.
> 
> Thanks a sorry my english, use google translator :/.
> 
> Bye.
> 
> P.D - I have two 7970 references cards.


Can anyone help me?







:

Thanks in advance.


----------



## grifers

sorry double post+........


----------



## Behemoth777

Just got my sapphire 7950 yesterday. Amd is definitely killing nvidia when it comes to overclocking, this thing is a beast


----------



## Speshy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> For the Idle issue, people say to disable the power saving features in power options and to switch off the screen when you are not using the PC for long periods of time.


I'm not sure if the idle issue is the same as the one I, and many others had (GPU not clocking down at idle). If it is, the solution is to disable hardware acceleration (right click a video such as one on youtube>Settings>Disable hardware acceleration).
If it's a different issue and this has been covered many times, then ignore and forgive me









Oh, picked up my Sapphire 7950 OC 950mhz edition last week. Me likes


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 12.9 Seem stable so far. Good Job AMD. Great to see a fix for F1 2012 as well.


lol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just as a note to everybody, don't bother with 12.9 until it is released on the AMD site. From the comments about it, I am finding it hard to find anything positive.


It's basically the same driver with the same issues.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol
> It's basically the same driver with the same issues.


How can you know for certain if it is exactly the same? is it not safer to download from proper websites?
tsm106, You seem to have this thing were you wait for me to post just so you can depict it. Sad life to wait for someone to post. Are my posts the highlight of your day?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How can you know for certain if it is exactly the same? is it not safer to download from proper websites?
> tsm106, You seem to have this thing were you wait for me to post just so you can depict it. Sad life to wait for someone to post. Are my posts the highlight of your day?


It still causes the same flickering when used with AB causing explorer to crash. You don't know what you don't. You can't seem to handle technical issues, especially your contradictions.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It still causes the same flickering when used with AB causing explorer to crash. You don't know what you don't. You can't seem to handle technical issues, especially your contradictions.


Like I said, I was only giving advice that it is better to download drivers from the official website in many cases. That's all. It is a reasonable point.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Like I said, I was only giving advice that it is better to download drivers from the official website in many cases. That's all. It is a reasonable point.


Again giving out advice while you don't know the first thing about the driver. It has some flaws and will hit half the people on here because we're big time AB users.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Again giving out advice while you don't know the first thing about the driver. It has some flaws and will hit half the people on here because we're big time AB users.


I've been using AB and I don't seem to be having the issues. Fresh install with Cat 12.9 Beta. ULPS disabled. hmmmm?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've been using AB and I don't seem to be having the issues. Fresh install with Cat 12.9 Beta. ULPS disabled. hmmmm?


You're saying you're incapable of clicking on the links for either of the 12.9 official beta threads and reading about the problems ppl are facing?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're saying you're incapable of clicking on the links for either of the 12.9 official beta threads and reading about the problems ppl are facing?


eh? You for real?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> A few people claim it to be.


I will try, thx mate.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I will try, thx mate.


It may not work, but hopefully it will help you out. Some users have reported it to work so fingers crossed.


----------



## sena

Yeah i hope, i was on AMD support site yesterday, and i cant believe how users are surly, and even moderators, one moderator said that downclocking is related to my CPU, ROFL.


----------



## TheBenson

Figured I'd ask in here since I don't like to make new threads but what kind of PSU would you need for CF 7970 Lightnings?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> Figured I'd ask in here since I don't like to make new threads but what kind of PSU would you need for CF 7970 Lightnings?


A good quality 700/750w to be safe. I would think the average system with 7970's would pull around 500-550w at most from the wall during heavy gaming.


----------



## Raven.7

What's a good starting memory clock to bump an HD 7950 to right out of the gate? I managed to get my MSi to 1000 core speed without a problem, but I'm scared to touch the memory speed.

Any suggestions?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raven.7*
> 
> What's a good starting memory clock to bump an HD 7950 to right out of the gate? I managed to get my MSi to 1000 core speed without a problem, but I'm scared to touch the memory speed.
> Any suggestions?


50mhz at a time, bench with crysis 2. 3D Mark 11 is decent for memory overclock stability testing too, but crysis 2 is the best.


----------



## Behemoth777

Don't know about anyone else but 12.9 beta is working great for me.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Behemoth777*
> 
> Don't know about anyone else but 12.9 beta is working great for me.


i second this


----------



## Rickles

anyone else jelly of the pyhsx effects in borderlands?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> anyone else jelly of the pyhsx effects in borderlands?


Yep, So then I decided to get a 550 ti for physx. In the post atm. I just sent my GT 630 back.


----------



## Rickles

maybe i should have asked what it takes for dedicated physx to stay above 50 fps... in the goo with blood and banners flapping


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I'm going to try it using my CPU for PhysX. See if the 3960X can hang...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> maybe i should have asked what it takes for dedicated physx to stay above 50 fps... in the goo with blood and banners flapping


From this video, anything above a 550 Ti is not needed.
http://physxinfo.com/news/5449/how-powerful-must-be-a-dedicated-physx-card/


----------



## ElevenEleven

Any comparisons between the "official" 12.9 and the earlier leaked versions? I'm happily using this version: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=367954 ("Catalyst 12.9 (9.00 August 9)")

On one hand, I'd love to get an "official" version, as it's had some time to brew and improve at this point (probably), but on the other, I'm really loving the stability and reduced temperatures that the unofficial driver gave me (switched from 12.8, and was using 12.7 for a long long time before that, and I prefer my current unofficial 12.9).


----------



## KaRLiToS

My issue is still not solved with this driver (12.9 Beta) . I am pissed. Please someone kill me.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> My issue is still not solved with this driver (12.9 Beta) . I am pissed. Please someone kill me.


Does PowerColor have knowledgeable/reliable tech support?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Does PowerColor have knowledgeable/reliable tech support?


I don't know, I didnt contact them.

I can play for hours (35 hours ) in Borderlands with my Quadfire and Single Screen.
But I CAN'T play Eyefinity. I can play few minutes then I get the usual random Lockup /Freeze with the 2ms sound loop.

We have tried everything to make it work, I mean everything. We even have an AMD BETA TESTER that is experiencing the same issue as us. We are all exhausted, wasted, my money is lost.

I had no problem with my 3 x 6970. And some people just swapped their card to Nvidia and their problems went away.

*Clearly AMD issue* and they don' t give a crap about it and *they do NOTHING*

What should I do? Filling bug reports everyday and nothing's moving.

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?21534-AMD-Response-to-Trifire-Eyefinity-issue-on-the-Rampage-IV

If something/someone can help. Feel free to suggest something.


----------



## disintegratorx

Hey how about these new 12.9 betas guys... Sweet huh?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> If something/someone can help. Feel free to suggest something.


Send me your rig, I'll make it work. Do you need it back right away?


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> AMD rabble rabble
> .


You are using the ez plug, yeah?

Funny thing, just comparing a RIVE with a MIVE today and the MIVE has 2x ez plugs.
One at the top slot and one at the bottom slot.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> You are using the ez plug, yeah?
> Funny thing, just comparing a RIVE with a *MIVE today* and the MIVE has 2x ez plugs.
> One at the top slot and one at the bottom slot.


PLX... eek. Are you really contemplating going tri or quad on z77?


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> PLX... eek. Are you really contemplating going tri or quad on z77?


MIVE be P67, MVE be Z77.
And no









Just typing aloud as to why the old platform has 2 ez plugs.


----------



## KaRLiToS

What kind of EZ Plugs are you referring to? If you are referring to a 4-Pin Molex on the MIVE. My Rampage III (3) Extreme also had two molex to supply power to the GPUs. I had 2 x 5850s and 1 x 5870 back then.

The Maximus V Extreme has the same type of power supply than the Rampage IV Extreme. Its one PCIe 6 pin connector and its more than enough power.

My issue is not related to power. I can't understand what happenning. Never seen this with the same setup and 3 x 6970.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Send me your rig, I'll make it work. Do you need it back right away?


At least I can play all games I want on single screen. I am playing Single screen with Quadfire 7970s. Do you belive me if I say that I can max out everything easily with everything at stock even CPU to save power (2560x1440).

I dream about Eyefinity.


----------



## tsm106

There's a floppy connector for the ram too.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's a floppy connector for the ram too.


Everything has been plugged since day one (December/January/C2 Stepping release) .


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I'm going to try it using my CPU for PhysX. See if the 3960X can hang...


I'd love to know what your max CPU utilization hits. I am of the opinion that physx cpu mode doesn't thread up much - as per the benchmarks I run when I turn on multi-threaded cpu physx (that uses 100%), and normal (up to 20%). BL2 does the latter.


----------



## EternalRest

Anyone know if the Boost edition of the 7950 makes a differeance?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That or the Gigabyte Windforce. You can go for the dual fans from Sapphire or MSI as well, but make sure it is reference design if you want to overvolt.


I was going to the Sapphire 950 OC Edition. But I can't find it anywhere. =[. So its either the HIS IceQ, or the MSI Twin Frozr.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> The Windforce dumps hot air in the case doesn't it?


Yes, it does.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Anyone know if the Boost edition of the 7950 makes a differeance? I was going to the Sapphire 950 OC Edition. But I can't find it anywhere. So its either the HIS IceQ, or the MSI Twin Frozr.


The HD 7950 Boost edition runs at 850 Mhz core clocks and 925 Mhz boost speeds. its faster than the stock HD 7950 at 800 Mhz. But if you are manually overclocking with sapphire trixx and voltage control you can hit 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz on most of the HD 7950s. pick the card which you like in terms of PCB build quality , cooler efficiency and brand/customer support. Gigabyte HD 7950 Windforce (900 Mhz) is a good card. the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition is currently available at amazon for a higher price.

Sapphire HD 7950 950 mhz
http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-11196-10-40G-PCIE3-0-2xMiniDP-Video/dp/B0085APWKK/

Gigabyte HD 7950 Windforce (900 Mhz)
http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Mini-Displayport-PCI-Express-Graphic-GV-R795WF3-3GD/dp/B007581QHG/


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> My issue is still not solved with this driver (12.9 Beta) . I am pissed. Please someone kill me.


I am also in similar postion with a alot cheaper cards, but i know your frustration.

AMD DOESNT CARE ABOUT USERS AT ALL.


----------



## BradleyW

I had an issue whereby the second GPU would not downclock on the memory frequency. In order to fix it, I would have to start a full screen 3d application, then close it. After that, the frequency of the memory would downclock to the correct speeds. 12.9 Beta has seemed to fix this issue. It has also fixed an issue what I noticed a while ago, when dowmething is loading and you see the animated circle pointer, it would wobble......but it's fixed now.
Disabled GPU rendering in the web browser has fixed some flickering issues too.

(Within Internet Options, see below)


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







Hopefully this post will be of some use to people.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I *had an issue whereby the second GPU would not downclock on the memory frequency.* *In order to fix it, I would have to start a full screen 3d application, then close it. After that, the frequency of the memory would downclock to the correct speeds.* 12.9 Beta has seemed to fix this issue. It has also fixed an issue what I noticed a while ago, when dowmething is loading and you see the animated circle pointer, it would wobble......but it's fixed now.
> Disabled GPU rendering in the web browser has fixed some flickering issues too.
> (Within Internet Options, see below)
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hopefully this post will be of some use to people.


Same problem, too bad 12.9 is not option for me.


----------



## Socram13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> I am also in similar postion with a alot cheaper cards, but i know your frustration.
> AMD DOESNT CARE ABOUT USERS AT ALL.


Ya, in 2010 i had 3 RMA´s of 4870, XFX, ASUS, SAPPHIRE, and nothing solved damm black screen/freezing, after changing to Nvidia problems dissapear.
That was a fact, not my opinion, so please don´t blame me about this comment.
2 years passed and AMD can´t fix this problems, they got fast gpu´s, when they work...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Same problem, too bad 12.9 is not option for me.


Is there any modified ini's that may allow your 7870 to be recognised?


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I'd love to know what your max CPU utilization hits. I am of the opinion that physx cpu mode doesn't thread up much - as per the benchmarks I run when I turn on multi-threaded cpu physx (that uses 100%), and normal (up to 20%). BL2 does the latter.


I don't think it will use many threads either but as long as I can get playable frame rates at max PhysX off the CPU I'd be happy...


----------



## AznDud

New Egg has a few references up NOW .. i just picked up an ASUS 7970 .. .can't wait .. I hope to see a good boost in BF3 and on my S950, 27" 120hz monitor .

My 5970 runs like a champ but I can feel the VRAM needs...

I was torn to wait for the 7990 but just couldn't

Can't wait for the blocks to come out!

... now when are those 3930k coming back in stock ...


----------



## Speshy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Anyone know if the Boost edition of the 7950 makes a differeance?
> *I was going to the Sapphire 950 OC Edition. But I can't find it anywhere*. =[. So its either the HIS IceQ, or the MSI Twin Frozr.
> Yes, it does.


I just picked up one from a high street shop (reserved via their website, and it's a UK place so I won't link you to it) and despite it being the 950mhz edition, the sticker on the box states that it's the 900mhz edition... You need to search for it using the product code: (11196-10-40G), which is what the assistant had to do to confirm it before I paid for it and opened the box to check the pcb colour and 6+8pin specs.

In all honesty though, I'm not sure that this card will guarantee super high overclocks. I can get it to a good stable 1150/1400 (which is ample), but get artifacting and crashes if I go much higher regardless of voltage. YMMV


----------



## SkateZilla

so hows the official AMD 12.9 Betas?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> so hows the official AMD 12.9 Betas?


Iffy at best. It will work great for some, but terribad for others. Basically nothing's changed lol. There's some tricks to getting it running great though.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Going for more!
> tsm106 --- i7 3930 / 5.1Ghz ---- HD 7970 Quadfire, 1320 / 1770 ---- 226.5 ---- 5707
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## shellbunner

Jesus tsm106!
4 7970's at 1320/1770!
Holy mother of god. I'm super jelly!


----------



## Gorki

*tsm106* great run, how about 3dmark score?
Could you tell me what are asic numbers on your cards? I would love to WC my sapphire ref card and OC it but I'm kinda skeptical though. Not sure would full cover block help me pass 1300 on core. Mine is 81.4% I never seriously tried OC ing it. got around 1100/1500 just to keep it cool since I'm too annoyed by the fan.


----------



## Jabba1977

Hi...This is mine!!!!. I´m very happy with it...it´s an overclock beast...

Model: HIS 7970 ICE Q2 Ghz Edition

Caution!!! 2560x1600


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

















My Asic quality is 61.5%...I think less Asic Quality >>> Better OC by air.

Mine is totally stable 1170 / 1600 @ 1.193V for relajate 24/7 use

I can pass 1300 Core and 1700Mem with very good temps... I really love this card!!!; has some "coil whine" but is aceptable and I´ll expect with time the "buzz" dissapear... I only have this card mounted in my system for three use days...

Regards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gorki*
> 
> *tsm106* great run, how about 3dmark score?
> Could you tell me what are asic numbers on your cards? I would love to WC my sapphire ref card and OC it but I'm kinda skeptical though. Not sure would full cover block help me pass 1300 on core. Mine is 81.4% I never seriously tried OC ing it. got around 1100/1500 just to keep it cool since I'm too annoyed by the fan.


My aisc numbers are all 71-76%. I had to go thru a few cards, dumped the 77% plus cards, do not want, and the low ones 60% ish do not want those either.

I don't like running 3dmark cuz it's heavily cpu and memory based. It's not a realistic bench of the cards imo, so I don't bother spending much time on it. Anyways, I run about upper 26K.

Thing about max overclocking silicon is it is heavily dependent on temps. There's like 1 maybe 2 cards that have monstro coolers on them that can keep temps low enough to get close or hit 1300, but for the 99% of the rest, water is a much better way. That said, you'll never know if it can hit 1300 until you try. I run some test on my cards on air to get a feel for their capability. However unfortunately it really comes down to actually putting the block on it and maxing voltage and going for the gold to find out. Running tests on air can't tell you how it will do at max overclocking.


----------



## RKTGX95

is anyone here running a hybrid crossfire setup? (i.e. 7970 & 7950)

should i (or anyone) consider such a thing?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Guys, I think my issues will be coming to an end soon, really soon I hope this time.

Please I hope its not false hope.

Quote:
Quote:


> Finally some info I can share with you guys. AMD has identified a potential compatibility issue with a specific manufacturer's hardware and is working closely with them to resolve the issue. The issue is receiving the highest attention at AMD and they hope to have a solution very shortly. AMD wants to thank all the users that have reported this problem, their feedback has been really valuable for them.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Guys, I think my issues will be coming to an end soon, really soon I hope this time.
> Please I hope its not false hope.
> Quote:


I sure hope it works out for you.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I can't wait for Karlitos's mega rig to finally be bug-free!


----------



## Rickles

If not you can send me an extra 7970


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Guys, I think my issues will be coming to an end soon, really soon I hope this time.
> Please I hope its not false hope.
> Quote:


Crosses fingers.









Now if you could pls ask them to unsign the bios, that would be great too.


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> is anyone here running a hybrid crossfire setup? (i.e. 7970 & 7950)
> should i (or anyone) consider such a thing?


Answer anyone?


----------



## R.D.BID

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> Answer anyone?


Why would you want to do that?
You already have a 7950, just get another 7950. If you put a 7970 with a 7950, the 7970 is going to downclock itself to run at 7950 speeds. You will have lost performace of that 7970 card.


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> Why would you want to do that?
> You already have a 7950, just get another 7950. If you put a 7970 with a 7950, the 7970 is going to downclock itself to run at 7950 speeds. You will have lost performace of that 7970 card.


lets say i'll find a deal on a 7970 which would become cheaper than all 7950's available, then i can't see a reason not to grab it. also, i remember somewhere it was said that neither of the cards would change its clock speeds, but they would in fact keep on running on their own clocks and the crossfire still works. (not sure about that completely)


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Socram13*
> 
> Ya, in 2010 i had 3 RMA´s of 4870, XFX, ASUS, SAPPHIRE, and nothing solved damm black screen/freezing, after changing to Nvidia problems dissapear.
> That was a fact, not my opinion, so please don´t blame me about this comment.
> 2 years passed and AMD can´t fix this problems, they got fast gpu´s, when they work...


Yea, when they work, they are super fast, sad thing is that i though that i will have problem in CFX with 3d, not 2d.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is there any modified ini's that may allow your 7870 to be recognised?


Hmm, if i somehow could fix that wrong GPU usage reports and downcloking on second card, i think they would be grats.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Iffy at best. It will work great for some, but terribad for others. Basically nothing's changed lol. There's some tricks to getting it running great though.


Does that trick work for HD 78xx?


----------



## R.D.BID

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> lets say i'll find a deal on a 7970 which would become cheaper than all 7950's available, then i can't see a reason not to grab it. also, i remember somewhere it was said that neither of the cards would change its clock speeds, but they would in fact keep on running on their own clocks and the crossfire still works. (not sure about that completely)


If you can find a 7970 for less money than you can find a 7950 (even used) then go for it.
Unless things have drastically changed with how crossfire works, both cards in a crossfire set up will run at the same clock speeds of the slowest card.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> If you can find a 7970 for less money than you can find a 7950 (even used) then go for it.
> Unless things have drastically changed with how crossfire works, both cards in a crossfire set up will run at the same clock speeds of the slowest card.


This is false. For hybrid crossfire setups, each card will actually run at its respective clocks. I will find a link here shortly.

Links:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1226872/radeon-hd-7970-7950-crossfire/0_20#post_16671734

http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/0_20#post_16551322


----------



## R.D.BID

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> This is false. For hybrid crossfire setups, each card will actually run at its respective clocks. I will find a link here shortly.
> Links:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1226872/radeon-hd-7970-7950-crossfire/0_20#post_16671734
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1220193/crossfiring-between-different-card-of-the-same-series/0_20#post_16551322


Well I'll be damned. Thanks for sharing, I learned something new.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> Well I'll be damned. Thanks for sharing, I learned something new.


You're welcome!









I learned this because I was considering doing a hybrid CF setup when I was still on water to save a bit of money, but I ended up going back to air and bought another 7970 with the money I made selling all the WC equipment.


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> is anyone here running a hybrid crossfire setup? (i.e. 7970 & 7950)
> should i (or anyone) consider such a thing?


In general there's very little information on hybrid 7900 setups. However I do have 7950+7970 setup, and in my opinion you'd be better off grabbing another 7950. The performance is very close once you clock them up to the same speeds, and if you do plan to do a hybrid setup the faster card doesn't down clock. I did some benchmarks comparing the cards if that'll help you.

7950 & 7970 benchmarks


----------



## EternalRest

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition is currently available at amazon for a higher price.
> Sapphire HD 7950 950 mhz
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-11196-10-40G-PCIE3-0-2xMiniDP-Video/dp/B0085APWKK/
> /


Too much. If I was going to spent that much, I would just get 670.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Too much. If I was going to spent that much, I would just get 670.


Too much. If I was going to spend that much for a 670, I'd just get a 7970...


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Too much. If I was going to spend that much for a 670, I'd just get a 7970...


Too much. If I was going to spend that much for a 7970, I'd just get two 7970s.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Whats the point??? if you want to be bandwidth limited, just get the GTX 670, its perfect for 720p







( Shut up KaRLiToS )


----------



## tsm106

Two is not enough, whose with with me on this?


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Too much. If I was going to spent that much, I would just get 670.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Too much. If I was going to spend that much for a 670, I'd just get a 7970...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Too much. If I was going to spend that much for a 7970, I'd just get two 7970s.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Two is not enough, whose with with me on this?


and thus we get the meaning of OCN...


----------



## SimpleTech

Ménage à trois or get the hell out.

On a more serious note, a single 7970 should be plenty @ 1920x1200. When you move on up to 2560x1440 or higher, it would be best to get a second card.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> Well I'll be damned. Thanks for sharing, I learned something new.


not to mention, games that dont support XFire will benefit more from the extra power of the 7970 in Single GPU mode.


----------



## Pao

I always tell myself that I'm not going to be upgrading anything in my rig unless I feel like I'm not able to play smoothly.

Well....I finally installed Metro 2033 this past week.....yeah, I have a 7950 on the way, ordered yesterday. But at least with my 6850 freed up I could just build my son a computer as I have all the other parts needed down in the basement, it'd be nice to get full use of my computer back! Not too many almost 6 year olds get a PhII X6 with a 6850 to play on nicktoons.com!


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pao*
> 
> I always tell myself that I'm not going to be upgrading anything in my rig unless I feel like I'm not able to play smoothly.
> Well....I finally installed Metro 2033 this past week.....yeah, I have a 7950 on the way, ordered yesterday. But at least with my 6850 freed up I could just build my son a computer as I have all the other parts needed down in the basement, it'd be nice to get full use of my computer back! Not too many almost 6 year olds get a PhII X6 with a 6850 to play on nicktoons.com!


Sounds like my almost 5 year old's rig with a Q6600 @ 3.6 and his 5770 is about to be switched out with my spare 680 that isn't doing anything. Quite a mismatch, but I got annoyed by playing borderlands 2 on the 5770 @ 1200p and I've got 2 Zotac 680s just laying on the shelf since I've started my quad lightning loop, so why not make use of it. I'll bet the 680 doesn't use very much more power than the 5770 anyways, and triples the performance or more.









Some people say a Q6600 @ 3.6 will bottleneck a 680, and it will, but that's why you tax the GPU instead and run at the highest settings possible with AA, etc. Of course it wont run at 100% usage, but it's more than playable for a 4 1/2 year old


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Two is not enough, whose with with me on this?










one is never enough


----------



## kahboom

Cards were running too hot 78c using my triple rad as intake and side as exhaust
 After turning fans around and using triple rad as exhaust and side as intake temps droped too 64c , but cpu temp went up 4c at the most but room to spare, room temp is 80f during test using vtx 7970 bios on both runs, more than happy with temps now, for a while there i thought it was just too hot in my house.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Hi guys I need some serious help here if you don't mind anyway. I don't want to mess this official thread so you can check my post please:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1311333/help-with-wc-kit-noob#post_18264388


----------



## pioneerisloud

Sigh, my 7970 died.







Not sure what happened. It was fine at 5am, dead at 9am (no video output). Card appears to function, it gets warm to the touch, Windows boots up fine....there's just no video.

So if anybody needs an Accelero, well check my sig.









Maybe I can score another 5750 for Crossfire with that money.


----------



## ChristianUshuaia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pao*
> 
> I always tell myself that I'm not going to be upgrading anything in my rig unless I feel like I'm not able to play smoothly.
> Well....I finally installed Metro 2033 this past week.....yeah, I have a 7950 on the way, ordered yesterday. But at least with my 6850 freed up I could just build my son a computer as I have all the other parts needed down in the basement, it'd be nice to get full use of my computer back! Not too many almost 6 year olds get a PhII X6 with a 6850 to play on nicktoons.com!


Hehehe you made my day. To much computer for a little boy, wait till he gets a genious on LN2 OC, maybe he will be a great engineer at designing chips. You won't regreat. XD.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, my 7970 died.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what happened. It was fine at 5am, dead at 9am (no video output). Card appears to function, it gets warm to the touch, Windows boots up fine....there's just no video.
> So if anybody needs an Accelero, well check my sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I can score another 5750 for Crossfire with that money.


"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long...
...and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy."


----------



## 4514kaiser

Any one having any luck with 12.9? Any improvements in stability?


----------



## AznDud

need help guys.

just reinstalled OS and found out AB is not working correctly after i unlock it.only shows 0 digits on core,mem except voltage.using AB beta & 12.3wql.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long...
> ...and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy."


What a great movie!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AznDud*
> 
> need help guys.
> just reinstalled OS and found out AB is not working correctly after i unlock it.only shows 0 digits on core,mem except voltage.using AB beta & 12.3wql.


Sounds like a bad driver install.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, my 7970 died.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what happened. It was fine at 5am, dead at 9am (no video output). Card appears to function, it gets warm to the touch, Windows boots up fine....there's just no video.
> So if anybody needs an Accelero, well check my sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I can score another 5750 for Crossfire with that money.


What voltage were you running it at and for how long? Would be also nice to know the temps it ran at. I'll be grateful if you provide this info as it will help me to overclock my 7970 safely.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, my 7970 died.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what happened. It was fine at 5am, dead at 9am (no video output). Card appears to function, it gets warm to the touch, Windows boots up fine....there's just no video.
> So if anybody needs an Accelero, well check my sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I can score another 5750 for Crossfire with that money.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What voltage were you running it at and for how long? Would be also nice to know the temps it ran at. I'll be grateful if you provide this info as it will help me to overclock my 7970 safely.
Click to expand...

You have no reason to fear.







My card was at 1.001v (1.065v set in aB) when it died, and temps were 42*C core / 62*C VRM's (full load), I was at stock GHz BIOS speed. Typically I ran 1150 core at 1.13v (1.175v set), and it loaded at about 48*C core / 68*C VRM. 1200 core at 1.16v (1.225v set) ran me at about oh 55*C core / 90*C VRM....which was still perfectly safe as the VRM's don't throttle until 125*C (I tested this theory out...and they do in fact throttle). Keeping in mind of course, that STOCK voltages can go as high as 1.25v set, and 1.30v set is perfectly safe so long as you can keep it cool.

No, I think the display outputs are what died on my card. I have zero ideas as to why though. The card still gets warm, and my rig will still boot up with it in there. It just gives me nothing on the screen.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You have no reason to fear.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My card was at 1.001v when it died, and temps were 42*C core / 62*C VRM's (full load), I was at stock GHz BIOS speed. Typically I ran 1150 core at 1.05v, and it loaded at about 48*C core / 68*C VRM. 1200 core at 1.13v ran me at about oh 55*C core / 90*C VRM....which was still perfectly safe as the VRM's don't throttle until 125*C (I tested this theory out...and they do in fact throttle).
> No, I think the display outputs are what died on my card. I have zero ideas as to why though. The card still gets warm, and my rig will still boot up with it in there. It just gives me nothing on the screen.


Before it died were you getting an error at the welcome screen about the wrong res/refresh rate being set?
I'd have to turn my display off then on to get a signal, then all was fine.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

That sucks Pio. Hope mine hang around for a while...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You have no reason to fear.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My card was at 1.001v when it died, and temps were 42*C core / 62*C VRM's (full load), I was at stock GHz BIOS speed. Typically I ran 1150 core at 1.05v, and it loaded at about 48*C core / 68*C VRM. 1200 core at 1.13v ran me at about oh 55*C core / 90*C VRM....which was still perfectly safe as the VRM's don't throttle until 125*C (I tested this theory out...and they do in fact throttle).
> No, I think the display outputs are what died on my card. I have zero ideas as to why though. The card still gets warm, and my rig will still boot up with it in there. It just gives me nothing on the screen.
> 
> 
> 
> Before it died were you getting an error at the welcome screen about the wrong res/refresh rate being set?
> I'd have to turn my display off then on to get a signal, then all was fine.
Click to expand...

Nope. Everything was perfectly fine and normal at 5am yesterday. At 9am it was dead (I was asleep during that time, so i have no idea when it actually died). There was absolutely zero signs of it failing, it just decided to up and die on me for no apparent reason.

Funny, all of my high end, expensive graphic cards ALWAYS end up with this fate.


----------



## Rebelord

Have you tried other video cables, another monitor yet? Just in case its one of those that went out?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Have you tried other video cables, another monitor yet? Just in case its one of those that went out?


I'm on my monitor with the same cable just fine with my 5750. I tried absolutely everything. Swapped BIOS switch positions, swapped coolers back, tried all 3 of my adapters (that I wasn't using before), DP ports, HDMI port, tried all 3 of my PCIe slots, tried another rig, tried another monitor..........

Nope, card isn't coming on, at least not gonna give me a display, lol. It gets warm, its got power...the system will boot, but I have no display.


----------



## Rebelord

Well, that answers that. Man, I can only wish you a happy RMA at least.


----------



## martinhal

Beta 12.9 are working for me.

My stable 24/7 bench.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4525531


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Well, that answers that. Man, I can only wish you a happy RMA at least.










Sadly I can't say this is my first time having issues with a high end GPU.......

May my poor GTX 580 RIP. Same with my poor GTX 470. Oh, and my HD4890. Surprisingly my HD4850 stayed alive for a long time. My 8800GTS 512 / 9800GTX / GTS 250 (I flashed the BIOS on each release)....also ended up with a sad fate after the last flash and a cooler mod on it.

It would appear that I need to quit tinkering with video cards............


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

I need a third 7970 stat! Really just have to find another EK FC7970 Nickel-plexi as the 7970 would be easy to find...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I need a third 7970 stat! Really just have to find another EK FC7970 Nickel-plexi as the 7970 would be easy to find...


I'll sell you my 7970.....









Lol


----------



## Rebelord

I remember you having 4890 from the old 4890 owners thread. Hell, I still have mine. Still work at a fairly high overclock. But now they both sit in a box.
I have a. . . 5570 here. LOL


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AznDud*
> 
> need help guys.
> just reinstalled OS and found out AB is not working correctly after i unlock it.only shows 0 digits on core,mem except voltage.using AB beta & 12.3wql.


You need to install this:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/8320#post_16881525


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, my 7970 died.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what happened. It was fine at 5am, dead at 9am (no video output). Card appears to function, it gets warm to the touch, Windows boots up fine....there's just no video.
> So if anybody needs an Accelero, well check my sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I can score another 5750 for Crossfire with that money.


I guess 1300/1800 was really pushing it


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, my 7970 died.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what happened. It was fine at 5am, dead at 9am (no video output). Card appears to function, it gets warm to the touch, Windows boots up fine....there's just no video.
> So if anybody needs an Accelero, well check my sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I can score another 5750 for Crossfire with that money.


Pal, firstly, sorry to hear that...

Please, I'd like to know, were you using HDMI-HDMI connection? I'm asking because I see we've similar M/B and when I was going at the BIOS, I was getting one blink first, and after a while the second which was giving me a strange black screen of death... Just curious, I don't say it's related.

Also, I think I was with 12.9 unofficial driver ( 4 September ). Now I'm with 12.9 official beta, but I use an HDMI-DVI adapter ( DVI was fine even with the problematic driver ). I don't even want to try it again.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Sigh, my 7970 died.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure what happened. It was fine at 5am, dead at 9am (no video output). Card appears to function, it gets warm to the touch, Windows boots up fine....there's just no video.
> So if anybody needs an Accelero, well check my sig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I can score another 5750 for Crossfire with that money.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pal, firstly, sorry to hear that...
> 
> Please, I'd like to know, were you using HDMI-HDMI connection? I'm asking because I see we've similar M/B and when I was going at the BIOS, I was getting one blink first, and after a while the second which was giving me a strange black screen of death... Just curious, I don't say it's related.
> 
> Also, I think I was with 12.9 unofficial driver ( 4 September ). Now I'm with 12.9 official beta, but I use an HDMI-DVI adapter ( DVI was fine even with the problematic driver ). I don't even want to try it again.
Click to expand...

No, I was using straight DVI-D.

I honestly think my situation was just some freak incident, I really REALLY dont' think anybody else will have such a similar fate. I always end up with bad luck on high end GPU's.


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AznDud*
> 
> need help guys.
> just reinstalled OS and found out AB is not working correctly after i unlock it.only shows 0 digits on core,mem except voltage.using AB beta & 12.3wql.


Unofficial overclocking only works with any version of Catalyst older than 12.2, if you want unofficial overclcoking mode to work on newer versions you must first install 12.2 then install the version you wish to use, hope I helped!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Unofficial overclocking only works with any version of Catalyst older than 12.2, if you want unofficial overclcoking mode to work on newer versions you must first install 12.2 then install the version you wish to use, hope I helped!


Incorrect. You can use unofficial with any driver, just add in the clock control files. Hell you need the clock control files with official mode as well if you want to control voltage since those files are only used for voltage!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sadly I can't say this is my first time having issues with a high end GPU.......
> May my poor GTX 580 RIP. Same with my poor GTX 470. Oh, and my HD4890. Surprisingly my HD4850 stayed alive for a long time. My 8800GTS 512 / 9800GTX / GTS 250 (I flashed the BIOS on each release)....also ended up with a sad fate after the last flash and a cooler mod on it.
> It would appear that I need to quit tinkering with video cards............


LOL, you must really abuse those cards. Don't suppose your definition of water cooling is tipping a jug of water into the top fan of your PC is it ?









RIP.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sadly I can't say this is my first time having issues with a high end GPU.......
> May my poor GTX 580 RIP. Same with my poor GTX 470. Oh, and my HD4890. Surprisingly my HD4850 stayed alive for a long time. My 8800GTS 512 / 9800GTX / GTS 250 (I flashed the BIOS on each release)....also ended up with a sad fate after the last flash and a cooler mod on it.
> It would appear that I need to quit tinkering with video cards............
> 
> 
> 
> LOL, you must really abuse those cards. Don't suppose your definition of water cooling is tipping a jug of water into the top fan of your PC is it ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> RIP.
Click to expand...

No no no, my CPU just got thirsty, so I just strapped a 1L bottle of water to the cooler, that way it keeps the water cool.









Seriously though, after looking back on all the cards I've gone through....I think I just have absolutely horrible luck. Because any cards that ARE NOT my daily driver....all live long and healthy lives. I've still got my original HD4850 that I've had for YEARS (since it was a new card).....and its perfectly fine and kicking in my GF's rig. Unstable at stock overclocked speeds, but its fine at reference stock speeds.


----------



## Kokin

Sorry to see your beast of a card go pioneer.







How much voltage were you putting on it?

I keep my card on stock voltage 90% of the time so I can run my rad fans on low, though I've had no problem using 1.36v when I go for my max overclock.

Edit: I guess waterblocks are different compared to the Accelero, so voltage is almost meaningless to me.


----------



## pac0tac0

soo, not sure if this has been discussed, but im OCing my gigabyte 7950 and my max gpu and mem clocks are locked so i can only get to 1100gpu and 1575 mem, but my minimum voltage is locked as well and i mean i dont mind those clock speeds but i want to increase my voltage from 1.090 up to 1.1050 just to compensate the clock speeds. Anyone know how to unlock the card, ive been looking around and found nothing, i was going to try updating the bios.

btw im using oc guru II, i may try afterburner.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pac0tac0*
> 
> soo, not sure if this has been discussed, but im OCing my gigabyte 7950 and my max gpu and mem clocks are locked so i can only get to 1100gpu and 1575 mem, but my minimum voltage is locked as well and i mean i dont mind those clock speeds but i want to increase my voltage from 1.090 up to 1.1050 just to compensate the clock speeds. Anyone know how to unlock the card, ive been looking around and found nothing, i was going to try updating the bios.
> btw im using oc guru II, i may try afterburner.


you will need to enable unofficial overclocking. Sapphire trixx is best least hassle OC app for HD7XXX series imo. Extra voltage levels too.


----------



## pac0tac0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> you will need to enable unofficial overclocking. Sapphire trixx is best least hassle OC app for HD7XXX series imo. Extra voltage levels too.


what would you say is a safe voltage to run? i don't think i feel comfortable going past 1.225, am i being overzealous?


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pac0tac0*
> 
> what would you say is a safe voltage to run? i don't think i feel comfortable going past 1.225, am i being overzealous?


As long as your gpu and vrm temps are good then I'd say up to 1.3v on the core would be enough for a safe overclock.


----------



## RKTGX95

i'm not sure if anyone had a similar experience but i'd like to share it with you:

it has been a few months since i started my new (and the first real) rig and i couldn't be happier, especially with my Sapphire HD 7950 950 MHz Edition (one of the best







)
as good as everything was, i had a few times where i had weird errors and crashes of the display, like black screens which sometimes require to restart and sometimes not, lined screens etc and at first i blamed the drivers (because its simple to do so). additionally sometimes after i restarted i had the b2 code on the MoBo Q-LED indicator and it required a few restarts to get it solved after i updated to 12.8 i didn't had any problems, or so i thought. after a little while the same problems repeated and a bit more often, which made me frustrated. after a little searching and some problem solving thinking i reached the thing that i see as the solution.

since by my manual the b2 code is: "Legacy Option ROM Intialization" and because before it comes (not stuck at, just a stage at the POST) 96: "PCI Bus Assign Resources" and also i recently noticed my MoBo has a great feature of having little indicator LEDs that say where the problems is, i.e. either boot device, vga, dram, or cpu (and also the magical powers of Google) the problem became clear:
its a problem with the pci-e connection.

at first i tried booting without a vga card, which worked. later i plugged the card to the second slot, which didn't work. after i tried to boot without plugging power to the card, worked. i still didn't have a clear idea of what is the solution, but because i remembered that when my card's fans operate at 60-75% it vibrates it came to me to try and hold the card and pressing it a little to the pci-e connection, and viola it worked. my conclusion is that either the card is a little to heavy for the pci-e and 2 pci slots to handle or my cable management of the pci power plugs is pushing the card down a bit so it ruins the connection or a combo of both. so i'll try to redo the cables a bit (so they'll come from above the card and not below like most or just try not to make them so tight) or think of a creative support solution for the card's weight (a string or some sort of a pillar like this)

not sure if it is my main problem, but i hope it might help someone out there with similar problems since my card has a not-so-light cooler.
(if anyone have any sort of feedback it is very welcome)

edit:
i was wondering, does a back-plate add/help to hold the structure of a card or they just add weight?


----------



## Aspec89

recently got a sapphire vapor-x 7950, my 1st card since a radeon 9550 lol is it normal for the end of the card(where pcie connectors are) to bend down a small bit due to the size/weight of the card?


----------



## Garvani

Yes you can expect the end of the card to bend a little.

Also another question in regards to the Vapor-X 7950.. Wanting to get around the voltage lock issue these cards are plagued with, im thinking that flashing a different bios over it is really the only way to go but not entirely sure what one to go for.. I am thinking the sapphire 7950 950mhz would be a good one or possibly a sapphire 7970?? not sure about that one though, don't want to kill it.. I have good cooling in my case, my 2 crossfired 6870's were sitting at about ~65c under full load.

I would like to get 1100/1450 out of my V-X, anything higher than that would be a bonus.. Anyone have suggestions?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aspec89*
> 
> recently got a sapphire vapor-x 7950, my 1st card since a radeon 9550 lol is it normal for the end of the card(where pcie connectors are) to bend down a small bit due to the size/weight of the card?


Nothing a sexy stainless steel backplate won't fix.

Also thick enough to deflect small caliber bullets. Seriously.


----------



## grifers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grifers*
> 
> Hi!.
> Is recommendable disable ULPS to Overclocking this cards?. For me 1050/1500 with stock voltaje is unstable in a few games, but in MSI Kombustor is stable 3 minuts :/. I dont touch voltages, only overclocking with CCC,....is recommendable disable ulps?.
> Thanks a sorry my english, use google translator :/.
> Bye.
> P.D - I have two 7970 references cards.


Anyone help me?







.

Thanks!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grifers*
> 
> Anyone help me?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Thanks!


What makes you think disabling ULPS will help your overclocking? Not directed at you but this myth of ULPS is blown way out of proportion.

ULPS is disabled when you use unofficial overclock method because 3rd party apps cannot operate with ULPS enabled. That's it! It's got nothing to do with nothing, especially in your case since you're not even using unofficial overclock method (UOM).

What do you want to do? Do you want higher overclocks? If so you're going to need to add voltage and decide on a method to overclock with. Check my sigs and read a lil bit on the differences. That said I prefer unofficial overclock method (UOM) versus using the official method.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What makes you think disabling ULPS will help your overclocking? Not directed at you but this myth of ULPS is blown way out of proportion.
> ULPS is disabled when you use unofficial overclock method because 3rd party apps cannot operate with ULPS enabled. That's it! It's got nothing to do with nothing, especially in your case since you're not even using unofficial overclock method (UOM).
> What do you want to do? Do you want higher overclocks? If so you're going to need to add voltage and decide on a method to overclock with. Check my sigs and read a lil bit on the differences. That said I prefer unofficial overclock method (UOM) versus using the official method.


Yeah I don't think ULPS will help on a max overclock potential, however it does reduce the chance of an issue with clock speeds when overclocking, which I've found to be true on my system. Disabling ULPS allowed me to overclock without the risk of having a clock speed mis match.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> Anyone notice that in certain games, regardless of overclock, that they get some (albeit minor) artifacts. In Borderlands 1 and 2, and Sonic Generations, even at stock clocks I will get some slight artifacts at random times? I saw on another forum (can't remember, as I was just Google-ing to see if it was just me or not) that games that use the Unreal engine are generally the ones that produce this issue. Apparently one of the CoD games will do it too.
> Some people even went to the point of underclocking their cards and were still getting issues with slight artifacting. Apparently this issue only exists with the 7000 series cards, particularly the 7950/7970. Anyone here besides me noticing this?


Just got an e-mail stating that my card was faulty and I'll receive a replacement. I had these artifacts, so I can confirm that this is due to a faulty card.


----------



## ElevenEleven

I woke up to my primary monitor all of a sudden not receiving any signal from my Sapphire 7970 but it otherwise appears to be as usual =/ Granted, it's a finicky Korean monitor, could be something up with that, but after some minimal testing (gotta run to work and will look into it when Im back home), I feel like it could be the DVI output on my GPU. I can still read everything through my integrated graphics connected to a projector (as a secondary monitor), but the other monitor is not detected at all. The GPU is detected in the device manager, and it says that the driver for it is operating properly.

Anyway, going to test with another monitor later and perhaps try a display port -> DVI adapter for the 7970, if I can get one cheap from Microcenter. I'm thinking it could be a similar thing to what Pioneerisloud experienced =/ My card was at near stock, at just 1000MHz/1525MHz at low voltage.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> I woke up to my primary monitor all of a sudden not receiving any signal from my Sapphire 7970 but it otherwise appears to be as usual =/ Granted, it's a finicky Korean monitor, could be something up with that, but after some minimal testing (gotta run to work and will look into it when Im back home), I feel like it could be the DVI output on my GPU. I can still read everything through my integrated graphics connected to a projector (as a secondary monitor), but the other monitor is not detected at all. The GPU is detected in the device manager, and it says that the driver for it is operating properly.
> Anyway, going to test with another monitor later and perhaps try a display port -> DVI adapter for the 7970, if I can get one cheap from Microcenter. I'm thinking it could be a similar thing to what Pioneerisloud experienced =/ My card was at near stock, at just 1000MHz/1525MHz at low voltage.


This definitely makes me afraid of ocing my HD 7970 when i get it back from RMA. I seriously hope that this doesn't start to get more common with overclocked hd 7970s.


----------



## grifers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What makes you think disabling ULPS will help your overclocking? Not directed at you but this myth of ULPS is blown way out of proportion.
> ULPS is disabled when you use unofficial overclock method because 3rd party apps cannot operate with ULPS enabled. That's it! It's got nothing to do with nothing, especially in your case since you're not even using unofficial overclock method (UOM).
> What do you want to do? Do you want higher overclocks? If so you're going to need to add voltage and decide on a method to overclock with. Check my sigs and read a lil bit on the differences. That said I prefer unofficial overclock method (UOM) versus using the official method.


Thanks!!.

Im only oveclock with CCC, I tought to disable ULPS for better stability. A few games have freezes, but other games and MSI Kombustor not (1050 Mhz core and 1500 Mhz Memory, like a Ghz edition







). I tought this problem is ULPS, only this.

Hope you understand me







, me english is too bad.

Thanks!


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Just got an e-mail stating that my card was faulty and I'll receive a replacement. I had these artifacts, so I can confirm that this is due to a faulty card.


Sent you a PM.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grifers*
> 
> Thanks!!.
> Im only oveclock with CCC, I tought to disable ULPS for better stability. A few games have freezes, but other games and MSI Kombustor not (1050 Mhz core and 1500 Mhz Memory, like a Ghz edition
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). I tought this problem is ULPS, only this.
> Hope you understand me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , me english is too bad.
> Thanks!


Are you using a GE bios? Those overclock the gpu while dropping the voltage. It doesn't work like on the actual GE card because non-GE does not have the asic logic to allow the boost voltage.


----------



## Pao

My 7950 is set to arrive today, look it up on the egg this morning and the blasted thing had dropped $20. Not that I expected them to do anything, but I opened a chat window with CS anyhow, and politely asked if there was anything I could do about the price drop, I do order quite a few things from them fairly often after all. (As most on OCN do I'm sure)

To my surprise she's sending me a $20 gift card to make up the difference, sure I have to spend it at the Egg, but it's a whole lot better then the nothing I deserved. I love NewEgg, and their customer service. Gestures like this are why I solely shop there, and recommend them as the only place to shop if you want a painless ordering process!


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you using a GE bios? Those overclock the gpu while dropping the voltage. It doesn't work like on the actual GE card because non-GE does not have the asic logic to allow the boost voltage.


Not true. The GE BIOS raised my voltages, substantially so.

Stock BIOS, card #0: voltage under load 0.98V
GE BIOS, card #0: voltage under load 1.05V

Stock BIOS, card #1: voltage under load 1.05V
GE BIOS, card #1: voltage under load 1.11V

Besides, many reviewers got a nominal voltage of 1.218V-1.256V flashing their reference cards to the GE BIOS, up from 1.175V nominal. The boost voltage logic is in the BIOS, not in the hardware.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So I wonder if it would be worth it to flash my 7970's to the GE bios?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So I wonder if it would be worth it to flash my 7970's to the GE bios?


It's not going to make your card into a GE card ya know but how your card reacts to the voltage control will be interesting. Many people end up losing voltage. Check the GE bios thread.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> So I wonder if it would be worth it to flash my 7970's to the GE bios?


It is a great tool for a simple OC setup. BIOS flash and CCC, no messing with 3rd party software for voltage control or removing clock limits. That's the way I like it.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not going to make your card into a GE card ya know but how your card reacts to the voltage control will be interesting. Many people end up losing voltage. Check the GE bios thread.


Being that GE is a BIOS change and a different binning procedure, I'd say it pretty much does.

I ain't buying a single "GE BIOS lowered my voltage" post unless there's actual voltage readings.


----------



## Greg1

Is there any good aftermarket cooler for 7950 ? I exclude the Accelero Extreme because of rubbish VRM cooling.
Anyone is using Alpenfohn Peter 79XX ?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg1*
> 
> Is there any good aftermarket cooler for 7950 ? I exclude the Accelero Extreme because of rubbish VRM cooling.
> Anyone is using Alpenfohn Peter 79XX ?


I've not seen that cooler, but based on the design and specs, it probably looks like it would be very good for cooling a 7950/70. Only issue is the weight on the cooler would cause far more PCB flexing.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> *Being that GE is a BIOS change and a different binning procedure, I'd say it pretty much does.*
> I ain't buying a single "GE BIOS lowered my voltage" post unless there's actual voltage readings.


I would have to agree with that. Minor differences between the products.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Greg1*
> 
> Is there any good aftermarket cooler for 7950 ? I exclude the Accelero Extreme because of rubbish VRM cooling.
> Anyone is using Alpenfohn Peter 79XX ?


First I'd like to express my extreme paranoia of anything code-named, or model named, Peter.

Otherwise it looks solid, I'm just curious how you go about sticking two 140mm fans to it. I guess they expect you to mod the existing shroud? Where's a picture of one of these in use?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Update: it wasn't my 7970 that suddenly got a defect in the DVI port... of all things it was my shmancy DL-DVI cord from Monoprice that went bad. The super thick kind. Thankfully I have a few, so I was able to replace it. All is well - false alarm!


----------



## Ukkooh

Yay! I'll get a Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor-X GHZ edition back instead of the Sapphire HD 7970 OC that I RMA'd. I'll definitely know what shop i'll use in the future when purchasing hardware.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> *Being that GE is a BIOS change and a different binning procedure, I'd say it pretty much does.*
> I ain't buying a single "GE BIOS lowered my voltage" post unless there's actual voltage readings.


This. I don't know why some people insist that the GE's have some kind of different hardware or something.


----------



## Socram13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> This. I don't know why some people insist that the GE's have some kind of different hardware or something.


7970GHZ use 1.25V like 7950 B ?


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> First I'd like to express my extreme paranoia of anything code-named, or model named, Peter.
> Otherwise it looks solid, I'm just curious how you go about sticking two 140mm fans to it. I guess they expect you to mod the existing shroud? Where's a picture of one of these in use?


maybe *this* would help?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Recently AMD announced that they reclaimed the speed crown for the world's fastest single-GPU graphics card with the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition. The announcement bred a certain suspicion, which we have today confirmed: a leaked BIOS file will change your standard, "old" AMD Radeon HD 7970 almost completely into a Gigahertz Edition GPU.
> 
> We say "almost completely" *because there are indeed certain hardware differences between the original and Gigahertz editions. The newer cards have improved sensors for more accurate PowerTune adjustments-but that's the only physical difference.* In all other respects, the upgrade should provide the Gigahertz Edition benefits to the older standard 7970 GPU


http://icrontic.com/article/leaked-bios-easily-turns-radeon-hd-7970-into-ghz-edition

I also recall Thracks mentioning this but I forget where he did in our matrix of threads.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> As far as performance and functionality goes, the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition (7970GE) is a rather straightforward upgrade to the existing Radeon HD 7970. In fact the hardware is absolutely identical right down to the GPU - there have been no changes to the PCB, the cooling, or the VRMs, and even the Tahiti GPU is the same revision that has been shipping in the 7970 since the beginning. *Everything the 7970GE adds to the 7970 is accomplished through chip binning and new Catalyst and BIOS features specific to the 7970GE*. So in many ways this is the 7970 we've already become familiar with, but with more pep in its step.


http://www.anandtech.com/show/6025/radeon-hd-7970-ghz-edition-review-catching-up-to-gtx-680

As there is actually no reference 7970 GE cards available to purchase, this whole argument on whether your missing some GE magic by just flashing your reference card with the GE BIOS is pointless. What it is, is a BIOS making your reference card run at 1050/1500 with a higher voltage and higher OC limits in CCC.


----------



## BradleyW

I don't see the need to risk flashing the bios in this case. I can simply adjust the speeds higher than the Ghz edition via software. It is also easy to remove the overclocking limit.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I don't see the need to risk flashing the bios in this case. I can simply adjust the speeds higher than the Ghz edition via software. It is also easy to remove the overclocking limit.


The risk is absolutely minimal with a card with dual BIOS. Making a backup of your original BIOS is the key. Even if the first BIOS gets screwed up beyond boot, the second BIOS remains untouched and lets you recover the first one.

But sure, if you like tinkering with all the different softwares you'll (eventually) get similar results. I get enough of messy software installing Catalyst so not needing to booby-trap my rig with hacked 3rd party software sounds like a deal.


----------



## banwell

GHZ Bios is interesting but while it worked once for me it became unstable. I dont think my memory was upto 1500mhz. Core is good for 1150plus though. Aso moved my volts from 1.175 to 1.2.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Hey guys I could use a little help. I just got my new 7970 Lightning and it is a super nice card. I installed afterburner and tried to enable the unofficial overclocking. I cannot get it to work, it just sets all my clocks to 0 and doesn't let me do anything. I tried pasting the EULA and marking the "unofficialoverclocking =" or whatever to 1 and I tried marking it to 2 later and accepting the EULA but I cannot get it to work. Any help would be much appreciated.


----------



## billgates8889

Try using Sapphire Trixx, it usually does the trick.


----------



## Kokin

Yeah just go for Sapphire Trixx and make sure you download the mod one member here made to allow memory voltage control (just search this thread).


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Trixx is the way to go for AMD's 7XXX series cards. AB or precision for Nvidia cards...


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Try using Sapphire Trixx, it usually does the trick.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yeah just go for Sapphire Trixx and make sure you download the mod one member here made to allow memory voltage control (just search this thread).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> Trixx is the way to go for AMD's 7XXX series cards. AB or precision for Nvidia cards...


Well that's good to know, I'll have to play around with it tomorrow. I guess I'm crazy for thinking MSI's software would go with their card.









edit: Couple questions. Trixx doesn't have an OSD does it? Should I leave afterburner installed for that? What benefits FPS more, core or memory clocks? I have my 7970 set at 1200 core, 1600 memory hitting 63C. Are those pretty good clocks?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yeah just go for Sapphire Trixx and make sure you download the mod one member here made to allow memory voltage control (just search this thread).


http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/9600_40#post_17072447


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Well that's good to know, I'll have to play around with it tomorrow. I guess I'm crazy for thinking MSI's software would go with their card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: Couple questions. Trixx doesn't have an OSD does it? Should I leave afterburner installed for that? What benefits FPS more, core or memory clocks? I have my 7970 set at 1200 core, 1600 memory hitting 63C. Are those pretty good clocks?


Don't get me wrong, AB works fine with the 7970 Lightning using UOM or the -XCL trick and allows for aux voltage as well. Trixx is just easier as far as I'm concerned...


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Hey guys I could use a little help. I just got my new 7970 Lightning and it is a super nice card. I installed afterburner and tried to enable the unofficial overclocking. I cannot get it to work, it just sets all my clocks to 0 and doesn't let me do anything. I tried pasting the EULA and marking the "unofficialoverclocking =" or whatever to 1 and I tried marking it to 2 later and accepting the EULA but I cannot get it to work. Any help would be much appreciated.


with any afterburner after 2.2.1 the amd .dll's are not included in the package. o say you are using ab 2.2.4, you must download the .dll and place them in your afterburner dir. Then all you have to do is change the unofficialoverclock from 0 to 1. No need to put in the sentence above it.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showpost.php?p=4354192&postcount=30 these are the .dlls. unpack it and do above.

then just run ab, it will ask you to agree, if it asks you to reboot do it, then go to settings and click unlock voltage and voltage monitoring. restart ab and save profile one as those stock settingsm and now you are good to go.


----------



## Garvani

Just flashed my 2 hour old 7950 Vapor-X with the Sapphire 7950 950mhz OC bios.. Getting some good o/c's out of it now







so much for voltage locks









Just have to get the ratio / voltage right as it runs fine in heaven 3.0 at 1200/1400 but as soon as i fire up BF3 i get corruption/crashing.. i wound it down to 1120/1350 and its fine, so probably just need to up the voltage a bit.. i need to do more reading up tomorrow as this is my first gpu oc and ive just gathered info from various places.

Just one quick thing, in GPU-Z what is a safe VRM1 temp? mine topped out at 102c tonight, while at the same time vrm2 was at 62c and the gpu was at 59c.. (1200/1400/1112v/20% Li). I had the fan at 60%.. Ambient temperature is on the colder side.. 102c doesn't sound good (obviously) so im a bit weary of it, what can i do to get this down?


----------



## Rebelord

I am reading about you guys having to do some work for unlocking voltage control and monitoring. But for my setup, TF3 7950 now with 12.8 drivers and AB 2.2.3. I just checked unlock the stuff and it restarted AB and I can do what I want. However, staying stock volts myself for OCing. Happy with my OC, in sig.


----------



## bacccloak

I need help.

My Gigabyte 7970 OC is not getting speeds like others in the forum.

Stock voltage at 1.17 and +20% power limit.

The best I could do was 1165/1600.

Is there anything I should take note of?


----------



## Rebelord

Go back to stock speed settings. Work up the highest Core overclock you can get. With memory at stock. Once, you get artifacting or crashes. Back down about 50Mhz. Make sure your stable at that speed. Once good, record that. Then core back to stock, and do the same but for the memory. Then you should have your max OC.
Also, open GPU-z and top bar, right click AISC quality. Others with better knowledge will probably want to know that, seems certain % are better for water, some are better for air OCing.


----------



## bacccloak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Go back to stock speed settings. Work up the highest Core overclock you can get. With memory at stock. Once, you get artifacting or crashes. Back down about 50Mhz. Make sure your stable at that speed. Once good, record that. Then core back to stock, and do the same but for the memory. Then you should have your max OC.
> Also, open GPU-z and top bar, right click AISC quality. Others with better knowledge will probably want to know that, seems certain % are better for water, some are better for air OCing.


Thanks for the reply. What you said seems to be the same as the guide posted by coffeejunky, which was what I did before asking for help. Current ASIC quality seems to be 70.2%. Any thoughts on that?


----------



## Rebelord

I am not a ASIC guru, so I would just do a search for the in this thread or the ATI video card sub forum and see what you get. Best, I can offer ATM.


----------



## bacccloak

Thanks for the help either way.


----------



## Gooberman

Should be receiving my 7950 today :O


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gooberman*
> 
> Should be receiving my 7950 today :O


Nice, what you upgrading from?


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bacccloak*
> 
> I need help.
> My Gigabyte 7970 OC is not getting speeds like others in the forum.
> Stock voltage at 1.17 and +20% power limit.
> The best I could do was 1165/1600.
> Is there anything I should take note of?


That is a perfectly acceptable OC right there. Lines up well with the voltage you're using. Going for 1200MHz usually needs 1.2V+ which means a lot more power consumption, heat and noise. If you want to go there, then pump up the voltage (if not locked, some of those Gigabyte 7970s seem to be) but for 24/7 I'd say 1165/[email protected] is a well balanced OC.

Edit: Don't mind the ASIC quality, it has little to do with the OC capability of an individual card.


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bacccloak*
> 
> I need help.
> My Gigabyte 7970 OC is not getting speeds like others in the forum.
> Stock voltage at 1.17 and +20% power limit.
> The best I could do was 1165/1600.
> Is there anything I should take note of?


My Gigabyte 7970 OC maxed out at around 1230/1810 for benchmarking so don't feel bad if you can't go higher. I had to crank my voltage to 1.3v on the core to get it there using Sapphire Trixx. Definitely not a 24/7 clock.


----------



## bacccloak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> That is a perfectly acceptable OC right there. Lines up well with the voltage you're using. Going for 1200MHz usually needs 1.2V+ which means a lot more power consumption, heat and noise. If you want to go there, then pump up the voltage (if not locked, some of those Gigabyte 7970s seem to be) but for 24/7 I'd say 1165/[email protected] is a well balanced OC.
> Edit: Don't mind the ASIC quality, it has little to do with the OC capability of an individual card.


I don't think the voltage is locked. Slider on the MSI Afterburner seems to be working. Anyway to confirm that it works for sure? Anyway, thanks for the confirmation that the card is decent.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Farmer Boe*
> 
> My Gigabyte 7970 OC maxed out at around 1230/1810 for benchmarking so don't feel bad if you can't go higher. I had to crank my voltage to 1.3v on the core to get it there using Sapphire Trixx. Definitely not a 24/7 clock.


Is it something that has to do with Gigabyte? Seems like I am not the only one that has problems with this card. Good to hear that I am not that far off of from a good clock.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bacccloak*
> 
> I don't think the voltage is locked. Slider on the MSI Afterburner seems to be working. Anyway to confirm that it works for sure? Anyway, thanks for the confirmation that the card is decent.


GPU-Z or HWinfo will show you the actual voltage delivered to the chip. Mind you that the stock 1.17V will show as something around 1.1V when the card is stressed. If that goes higher once you apply a higher voltage in AB, you know the voltage control works.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Go back to stock speed settings. Work up the highest Core overclock you can get. With memory at stock. Once, you get artifacting or crashes. Back down about 50Mhz. Make sure your stable at that speed. Once good, record that. Then core back to stock, and do the same but for the memory. Then you should have your max OC.
> Also, open GPU-z and top bar, right click AISC quality. Others with better knowledge will probably want to know that, seems certain % are better for water, some are better for air OCing.


What program would you suggest to use for looking for those artifacts while rasing the core?


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> What program would you suggest to use for looking for those artifacts while rasing the core?


Some people may recommend Furmark but I think it goes above and beyond what you'll experience in real-world applications. I would suggest Heaven DX11 Benchmark.


----------



## bacccloak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> GPU-Z or HWinfo will show you the actual voltage delivered to the chip. Mind you that the stock 1.17V will show as something around 1.1V when the card is stressed. If that goes higher once you apply a higher voltage in AB, you know the voltage control works.


Thanks once again. Tried to increase the voltage over 1.2V. The results were not so good though. Nothing I could do to get 1200MHz stable. GPU-Z does show the increased voltage when the card is stressed just not as high as the voltage set. At least it is not locked.


----------



## Rebelord

^^^ What SimpleTech said, Heaven. A lot more people are using that more and more over Furmark, or even MSI Kombuster etc. I think its better because it puts more of a real gaming stress on the card. But thats personal opinion.
Also, after I stress tested, I started Folding @ Home on my GPU. Can be a good second test for stability IMO, but more on the core side versus memory side.


----------



## Gooberman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Nice, what you upgrading from?


from a 5770


----------



## Derko1

I use Heaven and while it does crash at some point... I can go as high as 1330 and not see any artifacts. I'm running right now at 1287/1870 with 1.3v and 1.7v for mem. Max temps are like around 45-47C. I'm experiencing crashing just like in this vid:




I don't know if to blame the drivers or the overclock. I've tried a range of core and mem clocks and even stock and it doesn't seem to really go away. Latest 12.9 drivers also give me issues with windows explorer crashing while playing.

I'm using AB for overclocking with the -xcl method and it seems to have been working fine, but a lot of people say that AB causes more problems than it helps with. So I'm just trying to figure out what can I do.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gooberman*
> 
> from a 5770


Congrats. I updated from a 5770 to a 7950 myself back in July.


----------



## ketxxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> If only it didn't void the warranty on my Sapphire 7970, I'd try this =/ Risking voiding the warranty on a card that I got as an open box deal doesn't seem worth it. I wish Sapphire didn't care if we replace coolers!


Just don't tell them. You can't break a card putting a cooler on it unless you are totally incompetent. Bottom line, as long as you don't mention it manufacturers don't care about:

You using a 3rd party cooler
Replacing the TIM

If anything ever goes wrong with the card, just stick the stock cooler back on.


----------



## Luca T

I have a 7970 liquid-cooled with fullcover, I overclocked at 1200Mhz GPU and 1500mhz RAM but I need 1237mv to be full stable in every game (Batman 1 gave problems and I had to rise voltage)!

Is it too much?

Which is the safe voltage limit?


----------



## jerrolds

Heaven is a good start - but its not fool proof imo, neither is Furmark.

When i was overclocking my 7970, it would be stable in Heaven for hours, as well as Furmark (just hotter) - but when i ran actual games - i would notice artifacting/instability.

I used Max Payne 3 and Left 4 Dead 2 (the games i played at length) - those 2 games would show issues pretty early even though Heaven/Furmark was fine. I guess still running your system through real world apps for a while before you consider it stable.

1237mv is pretty high - whats the default voltage? Mine has 1050mV as default, and i was able to hit 1200/1700 on stock air (XFX Core 7970) with 55% fan speed...but it would artifact even at 1160mv...i just pulled it back a bit and settled on 1150/1650 at 1150mV.

I suppose if the temps are fine its ok - i think when its liquid cooled slightly different rules apply.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> I have a 7970 liquid-cooled with fullcover, I overclocked at 1200Mhz GPU and 1500mhz RAM but I need 1237mv to be full stable in every game (Batman 1 gave problems and I had to rise voltage)!
> Is it too much?
> Which is the safe voltage limit?


This is fine. 1.3v is the limit for 24/7 in my mind. If its not up 24/7 up to 1.35v is good. I run my lightnings at 1.33v/1.7v for 1310/1800. All three are water cooled.


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jerrolds*
> 
> Heaven is a good start - but its not fool proof imo, neither is Furmark.
> When i was overclocking my 7970, it would be stable in Heaven for hours, as well as Furmark (just hotter) - but when i ran actual games - i would notice artifacting/instability.
> I used Max Payne 3 and Left 4 Dead 2 (the games i played at length) - those 2 games would show issues pretty early even though Heaven/Furmark was fine. I guess still running your system through real world apps for a while before you consider it stable.
> 1237mv is pretty high - whats the default voltage? Mine has 1050mV as default, and i was able to hit 1200/1700 on stock air (XFX Core 7970) with 55% fan speed...but it would artifact even at 1160mv...i just pulled it back a bit and settled on 1150/1650 at 1150mV.
> I suppose if the temps are fine its ok - i think when its liquid cooled slightly different rules apply.


Testing more In game and found out I need 1243mv to be stable in Batman 1!
Anyway Max temperature showed by GPU-Z is 35*C in game!

Ps: my default voltage is 1175mv


----------



## Garvani

What is the maximum temp you should expect out of VRM1 in gpu-z? for example my gpu was 59c/VRM2 62c/VRM1 103c. Why is VRM1 so much higher than the rest, is it a faulty reading?


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Testing more In game and found out I need 1243mv to be stable in Batman 1!
> Anyway Max temperature showed by GPU-Z is 35*C in game!
> Ps: my default voltage is 1175mv


That seems to be very very cool for load temps. Either your under a crazy water setup, or its fairly cool where your at. Considering thats cooler than most peoples cards idle at. . .


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> That seems to be very very cool for load temps. Either your under a crazy water setup, or its fairly cool where your at. Considering thats cooler than most peoples cards idle at. . .


For CPU and GPU I have Two pomps and a Mora 9x120


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> For CPU and GPU I have Two pomps and a Mora 9x120


Haha, that's awesome, a single 9x120 for two blocks!


----------



## Aspec89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Nothing a sexy stainless steel backplate won't fix.
> Also thick enough to deflect small caliber bullets. Seriously.


The vapor x isn't a reference card though? And its not water cooled so how would that work or will it still work? Lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aspec89*
> 
> The vapor x isn't a reference card though? And its not water cooled so how would that work or will it still work? Lol


It wouldn't work at all.


----------



## ElevenEleven

He's not talking about cooling it - he's referencing a post that talks about a card bending under its weight with insufficient support.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> He's not talking about cooling it - he's referencing a post that talks about a card bending under its weight with insufficient support.


Vapor-X has different mount points so how's he simply going to screw it on right?


----------



## billgates8889

To find your max stable overclock, how long would you run Heaven for?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> To find your max stable overclock, how long would you run Heaven for?


Heaven isn't great for finding max stable overclock. You'll need to run a variety of games/benches. Some like to run it for hours, but I don't follow the same philosophy. I try to get a broad sample of different apps instead using one long looping test reducing the life of my gear. For ex. crysis, bf3, 3dmark 11, metro bench, etc...


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Heaven isn't great for finding max stable overclock. You'll need to run a variety of games/benches. Some like to run it for hours, but I don't follow the same philosophy. I try to get a broad sample of different apps instead using one long looping test reducing the life of my gear. For ex. crysis, bf3, 3dmark 11, metro bench, etc...


This... When I run Heaven v3.0 for 30-45mins at full settings without getting artifacts but with when I play 10-15mins of BF3 at full settings, I get artifacts.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SimpleTech*
> 
> Some people may recommend Furmark but I think it goes above and beyond what you'll experience in real-world applications. I would suggest Heaven DX11 Benchmark.


Use Crysis, 3D Mark 11, Crysis 2
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> To find your max stable overclock, how long would you run Heaven for?


As above


----------



## Garvani

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> This... When I run Heaven v3.0 for 30-45mins at full settings without getting artifacts but with when I play 10-15mins of BF3 at full settings, I get artifacts.


This.. Heaven dosn't seem to work as well. BF3 can be instant. Just now i was playing bf3 with trixx, afterburner, gpu-z on my 2nd screen for monitoring, i was alt tabbing and changing overclock values, going back into bf3 and seeing what FPS improvement i had and what artifacts if any were present. BRILLIANT! Massive time saver!!! until battlelog went down for maintenece







tbc


----------



## Matt-Matt

Just saw a thread about 7950's possibly unlocking to 7970's..
Going to try this, my only problem is I can't seem to find a 7970 IceQ BIOS anywhere.. Hmmm.


----------



## billgates8889

Ok, thanks guys for the suggestions.


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Just saw a thread about 7950's possibly unlocking to 7970's..
> Going to try this, my only problem is I can't seem to find a 7970 IceQ BIOS anywhere.. Hmmm.


Good luck on trying, be sure to post if you actually unlock it. IDK about this bios but here's the link
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/116915/HIS.HD7970.3072.120105_1.html


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Good luck on trying, be sure to post if you actually unlock it. IDK about this bios but here's the link
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/116915/HIS.HD7970.3072.120105_1.html


I can only see three reference BIOS' when I search through them..
There are no 7950 BIOS' and I've uploaded mine 3-4 times to get no response about it. I take it the person who updates them must have resigned or something or doesn't have a 7950 to test them on









I'll have a look at this one quickly tonight though, I've actually got to be up really early tomorrow for a gig at college








+rep for finding that, I didn't realise there was even a HIS one there.


----------



## Derko1

Anyone familiar with using GPU Tool? From here? It's great at showing artifacts when in full screen. Just wondering if anyone has tried it and what results they get. If it's something viable to use to find max clock?


----------



## PARTON

GPUtool is good to find your max quickly, but I did have to back off a few ticks to stay stable in bf3 long term.


----------



## Derko1

If it does actually work, then yea it is. I get artifacts right away when it's too much.

I never let it run more than a few minutes though. I'm sure someone could run it for hours to ensure that it's stable, but I've read from people that if after around 10 minutes it has not shown anything, then it won't. Unless there's a huge change in ambient temp that will make it run hotter.


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Haha, that's awesome, a single 9x120 for two blocks!


Liquid-cooling system built thinking to the future and Possible upgrading!









Anyway at 1200/1500 I'm totally stabile only with 1243mv, is it too much?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Liquid-cooling system built thinking to the future and Possible upgrading!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Anyway at 1200/1500 I'm totally stabile only with 1243mv, is it too much*?


Nope.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, there's a new BIOS for my card ( 7950 Windforce ), but I set to boot with the BIOS 1, but it doesn't boot at all. The BIOS 2 is locked, AtiWinFlash says "cannot erase ROM".

Any advice? Can you tell me how to run ati win flash in Windows to unlock the locked BIOS?


----------



## Aspec89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Vapor-X has different mount points so how's he simply going to screw it on right?


Yeah that's why I wasn't sure why the guy linked me to it... My first card since a ATI 9550. Also my first build so I'm sticking to stock cooler and gonna try to wc my CPU for practice as a starter. Maybe later on when 8xxx are released ill go reference and watercool a gpu. Just wanted to make sure the bending was normal and wasn't gonna mess anything up.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aspec89*
> 
> Yeah that's why I wasn't sure why the guy linked me to it... My first card since a ATI 9550. Also my first build so I'm sticking to stock cooler and gonna try to wc my CPU for practice as a starter. Maybe later on when 8xxx are released ill go reference and watercool a gpu. Just wanted to make sure the bending was normal and wasn't gonna mess anything up.


You can do a couple things for the saggy butt card syndrome. Fishing line drop from the top of the case, just about invisible to the eye. Use a rod cut to the right length to prop it up (ala le home depot balsa sticks), or get a product such as the power jack. Btw, HIS actually bundles a card lifter with their 7970s.


----------



## sena

Does anyone experienced windows explorer crashes with 12.9 beta?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Vapor-X has different mount points so how's he simply going to screw it on right?


Has anyone put up or found a comparison? I'm still not seeing much of a physical difference between any of the vapor-x and the reference PCB's. But maybe I'm just stupid.


----------



## neonthetank

Hi all!

I have a quick question. I recently bought a MSI HD7950 twin froser III 3gb OC edition.
Most everything is working very well so far, Battelfield, MW3, Blackops all working great holding 80-90 fps no problem.
My issues start when i play world of warcraft. I run at my native 1920x1080 and i see major fps issues. In all the other games i play at pretty much maxed out settings. When i play wow i have fps issues if i play at low settings or high settings. This is irritating considering wow is my main game and i got better performance out of my old HD6770. Has anyone else noticed these problems and if so, how did you remedy it.

System specs.

Asrock 990x extreme 3 mobo
Fx8120 overclocked to 4.01
16gb ram
700w bronze rated power supply.
Msi Hd7950 oc.

Please help


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Hi all!
> I have a quick question. I recently bought a MSI HD7950 twin froser III 3gb OC edition.
> Most everything is working very well so far, Battelfield, MW3, Blackops all working great holding 80-90 fps no problem.
> My issues start when i play world of warcraft. I run at my native 1920x1080 and i see major fps issues. In all the other games i play at pretty much maxed out settings. When i play wow i have fps issues if i play at low settings or high settings. This is irritating considering wow is my main game and i got better performance out of my old HD6770. Has anyone else noticed these problems and if so, how did you remedy it.
> System specs.
> Asrock 990x extreme 3 mobo
> Fx8120 overclocked to 4.01
> 16gb ram
> 700w bronze rated power supply.
> Msi Hd7950 oc.
> Please help


Make sure you are using cat 12.9 beta and cap 12.9 cap 1. The newest cap has a few fixes for wow.


----------



## neonthetank

I will try that. Is there a way to make sure that the old driver wont conflict with the new one? (Sorry newb here)

Thanks


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Does anyone experienced windows explorer crashes with 12.9 beta?


Nope. Zero crashes since install. My new 12.4


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Nope. Zero crashes since install. My new 12.4


You are lucky man, i am now browsing some forums, tons of people with explorer crashes.


----------



## stubass

Yesterday i bought a ASUS HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 at the spare of the moment. Then i read there are or were alot of issues with this card back in Feb-March so it seems.

1: were these issues ever resolved?
2: has anyone had problems with this card personally?

FYI i will try it out after i mod my case today and have 7 days to swap if i want...

cheers


----------



## ElevenEleven

Seems like every few pages someone asks if there are still issues with this card. Mine is still fine.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> You are lucky man, i am now browsing some forums, tons of people with explorer crashes.


I had this problem, after playing a game and ending it i would get the windows explorer has crashed error, i used the ati uninstall guide, then reinstalled and no problems for almost a week now. http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Seems like every few pages someone asks if there are still issues with this card. Mine is still fine.


thanks i might just stick with it.. atleast here in Thailand Asus RMA doesnt suck, and yeah i should had a look more through this thread


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I had this problem, *after playing a game and ending it i would get the windows explorer has crashed error*, i used the ati uninstall guide, then reinstalled and no problems for almost a week now. http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards


Similar situation is also in my case.
Hmm, i uinstalled my last drivers by using tsm106 guide.

Some guys at guru3d forums said that replacing this file fixed issues: http://www.dllme.com/dll/files/atiumd64_dll.html


----------



## neonthetank

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Make sure you are using cat 12.9 beta and cap 12.9 cap 1. The newest cap has a few fixes for wow.


Thanks for the input. It helped a lot.

Thanks again.


----------



## Norlig

Can someone help me Find the two .DLL's needed to enable Unofficial overclocking with MSI Afterburner?

I reinstalled my machine and installed the drivers and MSI afterburner.

I go to enable Unofficial overclocking but they are stuck to 0. I read the thread on Guru3d that you need two .DLL files, but in the same thread the Link to download them does not work.

Much appreciated if anyone could find or upload these two .DLL files.


----------



## sena

Here you go:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread
Open Afterburner install - unofficial overclock method, you will find it on bottom.


----------



## dezerteagle323

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Can someone help me Find the two .DLL's needed to enable Unofficial overclocking with MSI Afterburner?
> I reinstalled my machine and installed the drivers and MSI afterburner.
> I go to enable Unofficial overclocking but they are stuck to 0. I read the thread on Guru3d that you need two .DLL files, but in the same thread the Link to download them does not work.
> Much appreciated if anyone could find or upload these two .DLL files.


the post above...

actually I had the hardest time trying to find where to download the files from but I knew their names.... so I realized I could just search and copy them from my system/amd folder and paste them into the afterburner directory and all done


----------



## Beforenight

Okay, so i finally got my XFX HD 7950 today







and i'm super excited about it but i don't feel like overclocking it for a bit just to make sure it runs correctly first. Also i feel like my stock 3dmark11 score might be bizarrely low and i was hoping someone could tell me if it is or not.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4569958

And if it is what should it look like at 800/1250 and an AMD FX-6200 3.8ghz?

Also i'm new here so hello everyone ^_^


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Beforenight*
> 
> Okay, so i finally got my XFX HD 7950 today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and i'm super excited about it but i don't feel like overclocking it for a bit just to make sure it runs correctly first. Also i feel like my stock 3dmark11 score might be bizarrely low and i was hoping someone could tell me if it is or not.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4569958
> And if it is what should it look like at 800/1250 and an AMD FX-6200 3.8ghz?
> Also i'm new here so hello everyone ^_^


CPU is little bottleneck here.


----------



## Beforenight

I'm too scared to overclock my CPU, i know how to do the GPU so i feel safe doing it but i really can't afford messing up components of my computer.

Other than that tho is the graphics getting what you would expect at stock everything with such a bottleneck, i just want to make sure my card is doing what it is able to?


----------



## Ganf

You got that backwards buddy. You're more likely to burn out your card by overclocking than you are your CPU. Go to the AMD forum and read a how-to until you're sure you've got a good idea of what steps to take, and maybe even print out a couple pages, because BIOSes for AMD chips can be a little confusing for beginners.

Edit: Oh, and it looks like your card was running on 2d clocks during the test? How did that happen? Better check with GPU-Z while running a benchmark to make sure that isn't just a fluke.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> You got that backwards buddy. You're more likely to burn out your card by overclocking than you are your CPU. Go to the AMD forum and read a how-to until you're sure you've got a good idea of what steps to take, and maybe even print out a couple pages, because BIOSes for AMD chips can be a little confusing for beginners.
> Edit*: Oh, and it looks like your card was running on 2d clocks during the test*? How did that happen? Better check with GPU-Z while running a benchmark to make sure that isn't just a fluke.


Nope, that is just bug within System info.


----------



## Beforenight

I just always use a program to do my GPU overclocking, i just worry when it comes to actually messing around in the BIOS for stuff.


----------



## Norlig

I got it working half of the times I pressed Apply. it would sometimes revert back to stock clocks and I had to restart MSI AB to get them to hold.

But I seem to be getting alot of screen tearing while in windows. as if the screen splits up, the task bar drops down and then a split second later it is back to normal. Then it splits again, several times.

In CCC in Overdrive I can see that the GPU clock, memory clock, "speedometer" vanishes, then comes back, then vanishes again. it looks like it has something to do with the screen tearing I am having.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Beforenight*
> 
> I just always use a program to do my GPU overclocking, i just worry when it comes to actually messing around in the BIOS for stuff.


The BIOS is only confusing because it has a lot of arcane terms in it that aren't explained. If you know what those terms are, it's really pretty simple. I can't even begin to count just how many good guides there are for overclocking on this forum, you are doing yourself a disservice if you allow timidity to hold you back.

I can understand not OCing because you don't think it's necessary for what you do, to extend the life of your PC, or to save on the light bill, but because you're scared? Pshaw.







Look at the address bar in your browser. Why are you here?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> I got it working half of the times I pressed Apply. it would sometimes revert back to stock clocks and I had to restart MSI AB to get them to hold.
> But I seem to be getting alot of screen tearing while in windows. as if the screen splits up, the task bar drops down and then a split second later it is back to normal. Then it splits again, several times.
> In CCC in Overdrive I can see that the GPU clock, memory clock, "speedometer" vanishes, then comes back, then vanishes again. it looks like it has something to do with the screen tearing I am having.


If you are using 12.9 beta, you should disable PP with MSI AB, and then made two profiles in MSI AB for 2D and 3D, tearing should minimize.


----------



## Speshy

I found another way to be rid of the 12.9/AB desktop stutter was to open CCC>My digital flat panels>HDTV support and either enable/disable whichever format you're using and hit 'apply'.
In my case 1080p60. On or off it make no difference to my framerate or what the screen displays.

The only thing is that you have to do this every time you power up your PC or change your AB oc settings.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Speshy*
> 
> I found another way to be rid of the 12.9/AB desktop stutter was to open CCC>My digital flat panels>HDTV support and either enable/disable whichever format you're using and hit 'apply'.
> In my case 1080p60. On or off it make no difference to my framerate or what the screen displays.
> *The only thing is that you have to do this every time you power up your PC* or change your AB oc settings.


Yea, ugh that's not really a long term sustainable method.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yea, ugh that's not really a long term sustainable method.


Hopefully it can be fixed without having to mess around everytime he starts up the PC. Well, a fix is a fix i guess. Better than no fix at all.


----------



## Speshy

Yeah, it's not ideal but it does only take a few seconds


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Speshy*
> 
> Yeah, it's not ideal but it does only take a few seconds


I find this to be more ideal.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> You got that backwards buddy. You're more likely to burn out your card by overclocking than you are your CPU.


That more when you begin increasing voltage ,right? OCing while keeping your voltage at stock the biggest risk is freezes/CTD's but not actually frying the card?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> That more when you begin increasing voltage ,right? OCing while keeping your voltage at stock the biggest risk is freezes/CTD's but not actually frying the card?


I wouldn't worry about it. These cards are really hard to fry unless you are an ocn mod.


----------



## Speshy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I find this to be more ideal.


I'm sure it is, but I couldn't really see what was going on in that vid unfortunately.

Either way, I wasn't suggesting that this is the perfect solution. Just one that I've found to work


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dookiebot*
> 
> That more when you begin increasing voltage ,right? OCing while keeping your voltage at stock the biggest risk is freezes/CTD's but not actually frying the card?


Correct. But like it has been mentioned, you gotta do something pretty stupid to fry either a GPU or CPU. I say it's easier to fry a GPU because they're less likely to shut down before excessive heat damages some of the components, whereas a CPU will throttle itself as soon as it hits it's thermal limit.

In order to fry either with voltage, you pretty much have to set it to the highest possible setting from the OS and then immediately jump into a benchmark, or stop pouring Liquid nitrogen into your pot because your wife is on the phone and won't leave you alone, or whatever. People on the forums can tell you exactly what the safe 24/7 voltage is for your processor or card, and I'd be surprised if there isn't a master list somewhere that someone compiled that I'm too lazy to find. The concept is very simple, you change the settings, they don't change themselves, so if you don't put the voltage above the safe maximum, your chances of frying anything are virtually nil.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ~SNIP~ SWEET VIDEO ~SNIP~


I used to get this occasionally. Resetting my clocks and then re-overclocking fixed it. Now it is never bad like that, but for a brief moment I do get a flicker when my OC profiles change.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Can someone help me Find the two .DLL's needed to enable Unofficial overclocking with MSI Afterburner?
> I reinstalled my machine and installed the drivers and MSI afterburner.
> I go to enable Unofficial overclocking but they are stuck to 0. I read the thread on Guru3d that you need two .DLL files, but in the same thread the Link to download them does not work.
> Much appreciated if anyone could find or upload these two .DLL files.


Only need one .DLL or I only needed this one. Drag and drop in MSI AB main folder in hard disk. Should prevent AB from reverting the clocks and allow overclocks to apply.

atipdlxx - Copy.zip 161k .zip file


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Speshy*
> 
> I'm sure it is, but I couldn't really see what was going on in that vid unfortunately.
> Either way, I wasn't suggesting that this is the perfect solution. Just one that I've found to work


Sorry about the quality. I only had my phone and it was difficult working the mouse and camera. If you expand the vid and pause it so you can take in the info more easily. The flicker is caused by clock speed fluctuations. There's a few different kinds of flicker and that vid deals with the flicker from 3D apps on the desktop that conflict with Powerplay.

Essentially, Powerplay sees 3D clocks on the desktop so it will drop the clocks to idle speeds. That's a problem because the game log on screen has enabled 3D acceleration, and therein lies the problem. The clock speeds jump up and down over and over.

Those two clicks I did in the video were disabling AB's interface with Powerplay. This prevents Powerplay from dropping the clocks, voila no flicker due to 3D clocks on the desktop.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> CPU is little bottleneck here.


thats not true... FX6200 should bottleneck a sigle hd7950... by watching the results it seem that the videocard was running at stock speed
i see 300core and 150 memory clock... maybe not in the entire benchmark but in part of it...


----------



## Speshy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sorry about the quality. I only had my phone and it was difficult working the mouse and camera. If you expand the vid and pause it so you can take in the info more easily. The flicker is caused by clock speed fluctuations. There's a few different kinds of flicker and that vid deals with the flicker from 3D apps on the desktop that conflict with Powerplay.
> Essentially, Powerplay sees 3D clocks on the desktop so it will drop the clocks to idle speeds. That's a problem because the game log on screen has enabled 3D acceleration, and therein lies the problem. The clock speeds jump up and down over and over.
> Those two clicks I did in the video were disabling AB's interface with Powerplay. This prevents Powerplay from dropping the clocks, voila no flicker due to 3D clocks on the desktop.


Thanks, I'll give that a shot later on.


----------



## rmorse27

If anyone in the lower USA 48 is looking for a Brand New EK 7950 water block shoot me a email.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> thats not true... FX6200 should bottleneck a sigle hd7950... by watching the results it seem that the videocard was running at stock speed
> i see 300core and 150 memory clock... maybe not in the entire benchmark but in part of it...


300/150 is just wrong reading of system info, i have experienced on almost every card that i had.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> 300/150 is just wrong reading of system info, i have experienced on almost every card that i had.


ok but it will not be the cpu holding the videocard either


----------



## Bigm

Installed this card last night, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00713RT62/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00

Anyone know if I can use the new boost BIOS on it? Sorry, total newb when it comes to GPUa


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bigm*
> 
> Installed this card last night, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00713RT62/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00
> Anyone know if I can use the new boost BIOS on it? Sorry, total newb when it comes to GPUa


I wouldn't bother updating to the newest BIOS IMO. You can just as easily OC yourself and not have to mess with flashing a BIOS.

As to your question, I have no idea.


----------



## josephimports

XFX 7950 TDJC.
Stock Voltage .99
ASIC rating 91.6%
Max Voltage 1.13v
Custom fan profile using Trixx
Stable 1150c/1375m/15+/1.13v
Ambient 23c
Max temp 72c


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *josephimports*
> 
> XFX 7950 TDJC.
> Stock Voltage .99
> ASIC rating 91.6%
> Max Voltage 1.13v
> Custom fan profile using Trixx
> Stable 1150c/1375m/15+/1.13v
> Ambient 23c
> Max temp 72c


Thats not too bad.







i sofar have managed 1050/1500 stable 62*C max temp with my card in my sig but score about P8010.


----------



## Beforenight

So i finally got around to overclocking my XFX HD 7950 and i got it to 1100mhz/1400mhz/1.13V might try to go higher after i get a couple more fans to counter the temperatures(they aren't completely insane but i just prefer to keep them lower than they are at load after a while of stress testing) anywho this is what i got on 3dmark 11 and Heaven 3.0 (i had to do heaven in 1600X900 since thats the max my monitor supports) let me know if they are pretty good or not please ^_^

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4588632


----------



## jeezuz

Hello all glad i found this thread.

Just placed my order for an XFX HD 7950 as an upgrade from my GTX 480. This will be my first AMD card as i've been a longtime Nvidia user.

Wondering if someone can point me to a guide or some general steps as far as what i'll need to do on the PC to transition from the GTX to the HD. I figured the basics such as uninstalling the nvidia software and drivers etc. Just want to get some specific AMD input or best practices since this will be my first go around with this. Thanks.


----------



## neonthetank

Hey Guys

Quick question. When i overclock my card it seems to not want to keep the fan running fast enough to keep the temps down. Should i set the fans manually to like 70% and leave it or is there a problem with my driver?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Hey Guys
> Quick question. When i overclock my card it seems to not want to keep the fan running fast enough to keep the temps down. Should i set the fans manually to like 70% and leave it or is there a problem with my driver?
> Thanks in advance.


What are you using to OC? If you're using MSI Afterburner or Sapphire Trixx, you can set custom fan curves that will ramp fans according to temperature. I haven't used any other OC utilities so I can't comment on them.

In MSI AB, look at the fan speed slider, and to the right there is a "User Define" option, and in Trixx, go to the "Fan Control" tab and set to "custom", then adjust the points on the graph until the fan curve is the way you want it.

Mine ramp from 40% to 80% from 40C to 70C, and then 80% to 100% from 70C to 80C, any higher than 80C and they're at 100%. It keeps noise level in check on my card while still keeping temperatures in check.


----------



## Luca T

Hi guys,

I tried 12.9Beta then I had a big problem ( I don't know if it's connected with 12.9, but never had before):
Started with several crash in game then later reboot it started to block after the win7 password request with green screen and immediately black screen,
reboot and some artifacts during the boot in the image of the Gigabyte UD7 (like a cloud of a lot of green dots scattered around) and then block again after Win7 password, and so on at every reboot!
But if I boot in Safe mode everything normal!

I thought a damage at the card considering the artifact in the boot (where drivers a not loaded yet) but then in safe mode it worked!

After a restore with a backup image everything came back to normal!

I Really don't understand what could it be?!


----------



## Garvani

Could someone with a SAPPHIRE FLEX HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 OC WITH BOOST or the SAPPHIRE HD 7970 3GB GDDR5 OC with Boost pleaseeee post there bios for download??

I need one of these specific bios's for my Vapor-X as flashing it with a bios from a 7950 that only has 1 dvi port disables my second dvi port on my Vapor-X which is a p.i.t.a. I cant find a 7950 bios online from a 2 port dvi model.
So if you have the model above, please goto gpuz and save your bios and upload to a hosting site.. Thanks heaps!


----------



## b0z0

I just replaced my Asus Matrix GTX580 platinum with an XFX 7950 BE. WOW what a difference.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *b0z0*
> 
> I just replaced my Asus Matrix GTX580 platinum with an XFX 7950 BE. WOW what a difference.


i have the same card but i went from CF6850 to 1 XFX 7950 BE and yes there is a good difference...


----------



## Deadroger

Hey, i can join the club tomorrow when my new HD7970 arrives. Just £315! A bargain in my opinion! http://www.ebuyer.com/342736-gigabyte-hd-7970-oc-3gb-gddr5-dvi-hdmi-dual-mini-displayport-pci-e-gv-r797oc-3gd

It replaces my HD6870 which was the only excisting part from my old build.









Don't you just love the feeling when you upgrade to a new powerful graphics card?! I do hehe


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadroger*
> 
> Hey, i can join the club tomorrow when my new HD7970 arrives. Just £315! A bargain in my opinion! http://www.ebuyer.com/342736-gigabyte-hd-7970-oc-3gb-gddr5-dvi-hdmi-dual-mini-displayport-pci-e-gv-r797oc-3gd
> It replaces my HD6870 which was the only excisting part from my old build.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't you just love the feeling when you upgrade to a new powerful graphics card?! I do hehe


yes but u need to upgrad your cpu otherwise you wont see any real advantage over your old card... what cpu do u have?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> yes but u need to upgrad your cpu otherwise you wont see any real advantage over your old card... what cpu do u have?


Looks like he has a 3570K @ 4.6Ghz. A 7970 will provide an upgrade with that CPU.


----------



## Rebelord

He has a 3570k. He'll be perfectly fine.

Eliterplay: enter your rig specs into the Rigbuilder, and add that to your sig.


----------



## Deadroger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> yes but u need to upgrad your cpu otherwise you wont see any real advantage over your old card... what cpu do u have?


It's in my rig in my sig. i5 3570K @4.6GHz









Basically a few months ago i upgraded my entire PC from my old socket 775 system that had a q6600 to my one in my sig. But i didn't have enough to get a new GPU aswell so i kept my HD6870. Although the 6870 is a good card it cannot allow me to max a few recent games at the smoothness i like. Namely Max Payne 3 and Witcher 2. And it also cannot max Metro 2033, which i want to play again before the new one comes out early next year. And i want to max that too.
I also am currently playing alot of Dark Souls, modded with the resolution and 60fps fix. And i cannot run the 60fps mod without lowering the resoltuion fix's _internal_ res to 1920x1080. Without the 60fps mod i can run at 2560x1440. With the 7970 i know i can push that internal res even higher. Can't wait!

So there you have it


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> He has a 3570k. He'll be perfectly fine.
> Eliterplay: enter your rig specs into the Rigbuilder, and add that to your sig.


lol i read that but didnt pay to much atention now i can see the specs without going into the profile


----------



## Deadroger

It's been a while since i had a juicy GPU upgrade. Had my 6870 2 years now and it itself was a direct replacement for a faulty 6 month old 5850. And as you know they are pretty much the same performance wise so it was just an unplanned sidegrade









So yea, pretty excited about the 7970


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadroger*
> 
> ... And it also cannot max Metro 2033, which i want to play again before the new one comes out early next year. And i want to max that too.
> ...


Its really nice to see somebody happy, like you are with your new 7950.









What worries me though is that you want to: Max out METRO 2033









With 2x 7970 I am NOT able to max out Metro! I dont know if my first generation i7 bottlenecks my cards, but still i havent heard of somebody who managed to max out metro (constant 60fps at 1080p)

Enjoy your new card


----------



## Deadroger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Its really nice to see somebody happy, like you are with your new 7950.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What worries me though is that you want to: Max out METRO 2033
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With 2x 7970 I am NOT able to max out Metro! I dont know if my first generation i7 bottlenecks my cards, but still i havent heard of somebody who managed to max out metro (constant 60fps at 1080p)
> Enjoy your new card


Thanks, but it's a 7970 not a 7950 Ah maybe not max out metro 2033 but it will be alot better i'm sure.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadroger*
> 
> Thanks, but it's a 7970 not a 7950 Ah maybe not max out metro 2033 but it will be alot better i'm sure.


Of course it is much better than your previous card... still IMHO, Metro2033 needs a monster card to max it out


----------



## Ghost23

So I've been fiddling around to find my max volt, core, and memory..

Max volt I can get without temps going off the wall is 1.050, at 1.050v I can achieve a stable OC of 1000 Core and 1400 Memory, still pushing memory as I pushed core first.

It seems like my main limit is cooling, I had no crashes at 1.1v and 1100 core but thermal throttle and the card reached an insane like 97c, was horrible. I'm using one of the original cards with the horrible shroud, any suggestions for after-market cooling?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> So I've been fiddling around to find my max volt, core, and memory..
> Max volt I can get without temps going off the wall is 1.050, at 1.050v I can achieve a stable OC of 1000 Core and 1400 Memory, still pushing memory as I pushed core first.
> It seems like my main limit is cooling, I had no crashes at 1.1v and 1100 core but thermal throttle and the card reached an insane like 97c, was horrible. I'm using one of the original cards with the horrible shroud, any suggestions for after-market cooling?


Either the Antec CLC mod with a bracket from Dwood, or a Artic Accelero that will fit. I'm unsure what will fit though as I haven't looked myself personally


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Either the Antec CLC mod with a bracket from Dwood, or a Artic Accelero that will fit. I'm unsure what will fit though as I haven't looked myself personally


This is what I'm currently looking at getting

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064


----------



## Ghost23

Any idea why unofficial doesn't work in MSI? Sets the clocks to 0, 0.. can't do anything.


----------



## Bruennis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Any idea why unofficial doesn't work in MSI? Sets the clocks to 0, 0.. can't do anything.


Go back a couple pages and download the ati .dll file I uploaded for some other user. Unzip file and drop dll file in MSI AB main folder in hard disk


----------



## stubass

with my Asus HD7950 DCU II i have managed to get it to 1150/1600 stable and have unlocked the OC wall set by CCC with Afterburner.. temps are amazing at this clock at 64*C.
tried to go to 1200 core and run 3Dmark11 but in the 2nd test i get flickering galore that i crashes, does this mean 1200 core i out of my reach????

using 12.9b CCC
and clocking with the latest afterburner!


----------



## Bluemustang

I can't get my clocks to stick, they keep resetting after I get into a game (though not all games, clocks reset in metro but not bf3). Then they reset after I exit games. Anyone know what's up with this?

I have ULPS disabled, unofficial OCing enabled in MSI AB and that dll file in there too.

Edit: It's also causing what looks like screen tearing every time the clocks change. Really irritating.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> This is what I'm currently looking at getting
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064


Looks pretty nice! I've gotta look around for coolers for a HD5850 that's compatible with newer cards soon as a friends 5850's cooler is starting to wear out and it'll only be a temporary fix till he gets a new card (probably set him up with a 7950 or something)


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> This is what I'm currently looking at getting
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064
> 
> 
> 
> Looks pretty nice! I've gotta look around for coolers for a HD5850 that's compatible with newer cards soon as a friends 5850's cooler is starting to wear out and it'll only be a temporary fix till he gets a new card (probably set him up with a 7950 or something)
Click to expand...

Cough cough, I've got an Accelero for sale.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Cough cough, I've got an Accelero for sale.


RIP golden card.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Cough cough, I've got an Accelero for sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> RIP golden card.
Click to expand...

Thinking about buying a ton of 5850's now.







Do some tri fire results, and throw a few more in some spare rigs.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Thinking about buying a ton of 5850's now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do some tri fire results, and throw a few more in some spare rigs.


I didn't realise the golden 7970 was dead!








I'd suggest to throw some 5830's and 5870's in the mix, to see what the shaders etc do for heat/performance and overclocking potential on all the cards. (Average on 5850 might be higher on a 5870 due to heat?) etc.

Would be a good read, and it would probably still apply for newer cards in some cases.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Thinking about buying a ton of 5850's now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do some tri fire results, and throw a few more in some spare rigs.


If my memory serves xfire performance only became worthwhile with the HD6900 series. Although I was running two 5870s on a thurban for a long time so I might be wrong.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Thinking about buying a ton of 5850's now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do some tri fire results, and throw a few more in some spare rigs.


why couldn't you get a RMA for your golden HD 7970 which died ?


----------



## Deadroger

Adding to my post yesterday, the Gigabyte HD7970 has been delivered and installed. But i have yet to run anything except gpuz at the moment hehe.

The first thing i noticed was just how noisey the fan is. I thought the Windforce cooler with it's 3 fans was supposed to be quiet? It's far louder than my just replaced Stock cooled HD6870.

Then i took a look in CCC to see it fans are running at 50%. Why so high? Is this normal? I put the fan on manual and turned it down to 35% and it was silent. And it's running at a cool 34c, which is a full 11c cooler than my 6870 at idle.

So can anyone recommend a good program to adjust the fans as as when i need them? I heard msi afterburner is ideal for this? I have never had to use anything other than ccc's auto setting for fans before.

Well i better get on with some benchies and then some gaming









Here's a few (poor) shots of it. Taken half an hour ago. Yes it's that new


----------



## Rebelord

I use MSI Afterburner. Just as you stated, alot of us use it. There is also Sapphire Trixx. But I like AB better.


----------



## Deadroger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> I use MSI Afterburner. Just as you stated, alot of us use it. There is also Sapphire Trixx. But I like AB better.


I went for Afterburner. Great little program, thanks.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> why couldn't you get a RMA for your golden HD 7970 which died ?


Why do you consider it golden? AFAIK it only did 1200mhz core. Or did pioneerisloud run it at around 1300mhz without me noticing?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> why couldn't you get a RMA for your golden HD 7970 which died ?
> 
> 
> 
> Why do you consider it golden? AFAIK it only did 1200mhz core. Or did pioneerisloud run it at around 1300mhz without me noticing?
Click to expand...

after a chat with him, i believe he had it up to 1300 but couldnt pass at 1375 due to temps and temp scaling


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> why couldn't you get a RMA for your golden HD 7970 which died ?
> 
> 
> 
> Why do you consider it golden? AFAIK it only did 1200mhz core. Or did pioneerisloud run it at around 1300mhz without me noticing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> after a chat with him, i believe he had it up to 1300 but couldnt pass at 1375 due to temps and temp scaling
Click to expand...

1300 on air and 1375 underwater is freaking gold. I'd guess the wear and tear of high clocks and air did it in. Just because you can run 1300 on air, I wouldn't do it for the duration.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> why couldn't you get a RMA for your golden HD 7970 which died ?
> 
> 
> 
> Why do you consider it golden? AFAIK it only did 1200mhz core. Or did pioneerisloud run it at around 1300mhz without me noticing?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> after a chat with him, i believe he had it up to 1300 but couldnt pass at 1375 due to temps and temp scaling
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 1300 on air and 1375 underwater is freaking gold.
Click to expand...

amen to that


----------



## tsm106

I think it was derickwm's old card btw.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I think it was derickwm's old card btw.


yep


----------



## Phenomanator53

Anyone know what the normal overclocked speeds are for my card? im getting crashes with 970Mhz and stock speed is 900.


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1300 on air and 1375 underwater is freaking gold. I'd guess the wear and tear of high clocks and air did it in. Just because you can run 1300 on air, I wouldn't do it for the duration.


I didn't know it went that far. :O That definitely is golden. I'd definitely go for 1300mhz if my card could do it. I'll post my OC results with Vapor-x 7970 on the weekend assuming that I receive it by then.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bruennis*
> 
> Go back a couple pages and download the ati .dll file I uploaded for some other user. Unzip file and drop dll file in MSI AB main folder in hard disk


Weirdest issue ever.. I put that .dll in, and overclock even.. 10mhz above stock, screen goes all wonky, kind of like it starts tearing, uninstall it and restart, fine with my old clocks, put it back in.. same thing.

WHAT IS THIS I DON'T EVEN.. I thought my OC was becoming unstable, but it hasn't crashed in any of the benchmarks, hell I let it run a 45 min heaven pass on all max settings just for the fun of it and it didn't sweat it, temps never reach over 70-71 at 100% usage, and I've had no issues in any games including Crysis, BF3, etc.


----------



## FtW 420

1300Mhz card died, that sucks.









Haven't been playing with my 7970 too much since the 680s came, the 7970 Lightning benches at 1300/1900 with 1,25V & +50 on the memory. Have to find the shim & try it on water....


----------



## grunion

So do these screws allow for easy removal of just the shroud?


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> I can't get my clocks to stick, they keep resetting after I get into a game (though not all games, clocks reset in metro but not bf3). Then they reset after I exit games. Anyone know what's up with this?
> I have ULPS disabled, unofficial OCing enabled in MSI AB and that dll file in there too.
> Edit: It's also causing what looks like screen tearing every time the clocks change. Really irritating.


Anyone?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Anyone?


Hmmm, could be a driver problem?
Tried reinstalling MSI AfterBurner etc? Might need to update?

What card(s)? have you got, it could be a locked feature on those quite possibly. It could also be the VRM's overheating too. it really sounds like it's overheating because I know Metro 2033 is much harder on the card then what BF3 would be (BF3 is still hard on the cards though, Metro is just worse).

Try running something like MSI Kombustor for 10mins+ and see what happens. I think you'll find it'll downclock there too if it's anything to do with heat/VRM's.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Guys, the plastic BIOS switch has been broken... Can you tell me if there's a way to change BIOS? Currently is at position 1, the locked one and I'd like to go at the unlocked, no 2.

Incidentally, be gentle with it... It's extremely sensitive, at least on Gigabyte Windforce.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, the plastic BIOS switch has been broken... Can you tell me if there's a way to change BIOS? Currently is at position 1, the locked one and I'd like to go at the unlocked, no 2.
> Incidentally, be gentle with it... It's extremely sensitive, at least on Gigabyte Windforce.


Maybe try a pin? You should be able to see the little switch in there. It's actually rather tiny.
Otherwise you're kind of stuffed...


----------



## Bluemustang

No certainly not temps heh. Loads 60c and vrms 55c. Fluctuating clocks i've heard of but don't remember where or how to fix it and didn't see it on google. The clocks constantly resetting themselves im not sure but sure is annoying.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> No certainly not temps heh. Loads 60c and vrms 55c. Fluctuating clocks i've heard of but don't remember where or how to fix it and didn't see it on google. The clocks constantly resetting themselves im not sure but sure is annoying.


60c under load?
That could always be an error with the reading too, because it sounds like it unless they're under water and you have golden cards at 1225MHz.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Anyone?


Use sapphire trixx


----------



## Bluemustang

No not golden cards. That clock requires a full 1.3v too and I get those temps. Though I do have an aggressive fan profile, at 60c it's about 80% fan speed.

And 60c core isnt the most impressive part either, its my 24c idle 55c load VRMs, both of em


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Maybe try a pin? You should be able to see the little switch in there. It's actually rather tiny.
> Otherwise you're kind of stuffed...


I did that and all I accomplished was to remove the remaining plastic part.









Now seems there's nothing there... damn!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> I did that and all I accomplished was to remove the remaining plastic part.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now seems there's nothing there... damn!


Ouch! You might be able to contact Gigabyte and tell them the story? Maybe tell them that it came like that








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> No not golden cards. That clock requires a full 1.3v too and I get those temps. Though I do have an aggressive fan profile, at 60c it's about 80% fan speed.
> And 60c core isnt the most impressive part either, its my 24c idle 55c load VRMs, both of em


I'd suggest to back off to 1200MHz if that requires a fair bit less voltage personally. But otherwise that is really good!


----------



## Kokin

Yes, if they were under water, he would most likely see core and VRMs in the 40C range, lower if his ambient is low and his loop is overkill.

Winter is coming for us in the US and it is overclocking heaven.


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yes, if they were under water, he would most likely see core and VRMs in the 40C range, lower if his ambient is low and his loop is overkill.
> *Winter is coming for us in the US and it is overclocking heaven.*


I can't wait. Going from 30C to 15C ambients will allow me to bump my OCs quite a bit on air.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Guys, the plastic BIOS switch has been broken... Can you tell me if there's a way to change BIOS? Currently is at position 1, the locked one and I'd like to go at the unlocked, no 2.
> 
> Incidentally, be gentle with it... It's extremely sensitive, at least on Gigabyte Windforce.


Incorrect.

#1 is the unlocked position, #2 is the fail safe.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Well, then I'm at position 2, since I tried to update the bios and I get an error ( normal BIOS from F2 to F3 with Gigabyte's Utility within Windows ).

The point is, can I change it somehow without the plastic switch being there?

When the switch is going from left to right, for instance, what is changing? I can't see there what is going on.


----------



## XProXPoX

Hey guys i've been doing research for almost to weeks on why in CFX w/ 7950's why the slave card gets stuck in 2D clock? does anyone have a fix/solution i've been going crazy with this and im still stuck at a wall. Im almost regretting buying these cards regardless of the performance they're known to dish out.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1312438/help-w-8120-7950x2
Is my thread any info you might need/ask should be in there.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Well, then I'm at position 2, since I tried to update the bios and I get an error ( normal BIOS from F2 to F3 with Gigabyte's Utility within Windows ).
> 
> The point is, can I change it somehow without the plastic switch being there?
> 
> When the switch is going from left to right, for instance, what is changing? I can't see there what is going on.


You broke off the switch? Or just the tip? It's a two position switch, three points 1 shared. Get a needle and magnifying glass, and get the switch over to position 1?


----------



## Snyderman34

So I got my HD7970 DC2T back from its 2nd RMA today. All excited, "Alright, I'm gonna plug it in and it's gonna work and things will be great!" .....opened the package to find they didn't attach the backplate to the card (as in, it's not here. It's still at ASUS), and they left out almost all the screws in the back, save for the 4 spring loaded ones. Gotta dig for some screws before I put her in the rig. Either way, ASUS is getting a call from me. This is my first bad RMA experience ever, and it's frustrating to send of a $450 card twice, not get it working the first time (and potentially the second. I'll know tomorrow) and missing pieces the second. Think I'll be buying cards somewhere else form now on.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> So I got my HD7970 DC2T back from its 2nd RMA today. All excited, "Alright, I'm gonna plug it in and it's gonna work and things will be great!" .....opened the package to find they didn't attach the backplate to the card (as in, it's not here. It's still at ASUS), and they left out almost all the screws in the back, save for the 4 spring loaded ones. Gotta dig for some screws before I put her in the rig. Either way, ASUS is getting a call from me. This is my first bad RMA experience ever, and it's frustrating to send of a $450 card twice, not get it working the first time (and potentially the second. I'll know tomorrow) and missing pieces the second. Think I'll be buying cards somewhere else form now on.


WoW! I wouldnt even put it in. I would call them. Make them pay for any and ALL shipping. To send you a NEW card, and for them to take back that. For having paid that much, then have to RMA it twice, then have them send you a incomplete card....ASUS fails.


----------



## tsm106

Freaking Asus, lol do they even try anymore?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Freaking Asus, lol do they even try anymore?


From what I have seen in this forum, lots of fail from Asus lately


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> So I got my HD7970 DC2T back from its 2nd RMA today. All excited, "Alright, I'm gonna plug it in and it's gonna work and things will be great!" .....opened the package to find they didn't attach the backplate to the card (as in, it's not here. It's still at ASUS), and they left out almost all the screws in the back, save for the 4 spring loaded ones. Gotta dig for some screws before I put her in the rig. Either way, ASUS is getting a call from me. This is my first bad RMA experience ever, and it's frustrating to send of a $450 card twice, not get it working the first time (and potentially the second. I'll know tomorrow) and missing pieces the second. Think I'll be buying cards somewhere else form now on.


'

I wouldnt even use it take photos with timestamps and start contacting them demanding a new card with prepaid shipping for this one that really sucks.

On another note i should get my 7970 with a waterblock next week probly next friday guys shipped it fedex ground so probly will take 3-5 days.


----------



## Monomyth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> I'm sure this post will be lost, but...
> has anyone bought the new Gigabyte 7970 Ghz card?
> I'm trying to find that card's BIOS.


Just popping into this thread to see if anyone's gotten this. I'm seconding this guy's request from early this week.


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> WoW! I wouldnt even put it in. I would call them. Make them pay for any and ALL shipping. To send you a NEW card, and for them to take back that. For having paid that much, then have to RMA it twice, then have them send you a incomplete card....ASUS fails.


Pretty sure that's what I'm gonna do. Mad doesn't begin to describe my mood when I opened the package and saw that. I'm gonna demand either a new card or reimbursement (not sure how likely the second one is though. I think I'd be fine with the card)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> '
> I wouldnt even use it take photos with timestamps and start contacting them demanding a new card with prepaid shipping for this one that really sucks.
> On another note i should get my 7970 with a waterblock next week probly next friday guys shipped it fedex ground so probly will take 3-5 days.


Pictures will be taken first thing in the morning. I'm tired of dealing with this crap. 2 RMAs was quite enough, but now I'm not getting parts that should be with the cards? I mean, screws are fairly important in the whole card-construction business.

I'll also assume we don't have an ASUS rep on the boards?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> '
> I wouldnt even use it take photos with timestamps and start contacting them demanding a new card with prepaid shipping for this one that really sucks.
> On another note i should get my 7970 with a waterblock next week probly next friday guys shipped it fedex ground so probly will take 3-5 days.


pre paid shipping for everything, a "NEW" card and not a refurb, plus coupons. and a few stickers, Tshirt or something.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Pretty sure that's what I'm gonna do. Mad doesn't begin to describe my mood when I opened the package and saw that. I'm gonna demand either a new card or reimbursement (not sure how likely the second one is though. I think I'd be fine with the card)
> Pictures will be taken first thing in the morning. I'm tired of dealing with this crap. 2 RMAs was quite enough, but now I'm not getting parts that should be with the cards? I mean, screws are fairly important in the whole card-construction business.
> I'll also assume we don't have an ASUS rep on the boards?


post a 1 egg review on newegg, that 'll get their attention.


----------



## SkateZilla

IM still a lil peaved with the fact that it's been a year, and Im still waiting for decent drivers that work on all fronts: Eyefinity, CrossFire, and Screen Standby,

Seems one driver Fixes one, the next fixes the other and breaks the one before&#8230;. Etc etc.


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> IM still a lil peaved with the fact that it's been a year, and Im still waiting for decent drivers that work on all fronts: Eyefinity, CrossFire, and Screen Standby,
> Seems one driver Fixes one, the next fixes the other and breaks the one before&#8230;. Etc etc.


I've been ati/amd card user since Radeon DDR 32 and been fairly happy with the drivers. I was about to jump into nvidias camp and tried out 2 different GTX 670 cards but had to return both. One because of crazy fan noise (reference) and another because driver issues or lack of functions I missed from amd drivers. I recently upgraded from 5850 to 7950 and I am really disappointed how they still do not have fixed the issue with world of warcraft where whole system freezes when playing in DX11 mode. With 5850 there was no issues or crashes ever.


----------



## Rebelord

I have been pretty good with the 12.8 drivers. Was on 12.7Beta before.
But I will agree, it seems it takes AMD about a year of a series being released to get the drivers right for it. Now even longer since we are not getting monthly releases, but releases when they feel its done.


----------



## sexypirates

Not wanting to go through more than 1000 posts, is it okay if I just install the drivers, NOT install CCC, and just use MSI Afterburner to control my speeds? I already flashed the GHz bios using Pioneer's file in DOS. Will I have to do the -xcl trick?

Thank god for the dual BIOs, I would have been splendidly screwed if it weren't for that failsafe.


----------



## jbmayes2000

What kind of FPS can I expect from these setups?

Assumptions:

3 120hz Monitors in Eyefinity
Highest Quality Settings on Game/Benchmarks
5760x1080 resolution

Setups:

2x7950 stock
3x7950 stock
2x7950 Overclocked
3x7950 Overclocked

I'm trying to find the difference in stock vs overclocked and then whether a 3rd is really worth the extra money or not.

I've already tried googling benchmarks for things like this but not really what i'm looking for.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jbmayes2000*
> 
> What kind of FPS can I expect from these setups?
> Assumptions:
> 3 120hz Monitors in Eyefinity
> Highest Quality Settings on Game/Benchmarks
> 5760x1080 resolution
> Setups:
> 
> 2x7950 stock
> 3x7950 stock
> 2x7950 Overclocked
> 3x7950 Overclocked
> I'm trying to find the difference in stock vs overclocked and then whether a 3rd is really worth the extra money or not.
> I've already tried googling benchmarks for things like this but not really what i'm looking for.


http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/6

I have heard the 3rd card in sli/xfire setups remove microstutter.


----------



## jbmayes2000

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/01/09/amd_radeon_hd_7970_overclocking_performance_review/6
> I have heard the 3rd card in sli/xfire setups remove microstutter.


Thanks! Looks like that will make them very playable! May just stick with two and add a third down the road.


----------



## jshzigler

I have the XFX Double D non Black Edition 7950 running drivers 12.8 and I'm getting like 10 pixels flashing green on the top left and right part of my screen. I just built this machine last week so I would like to get this resolved asap.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshzigler*
> 
> I have the XFX Double D non Black Edition 7950 running drivers 12.8 and I'm getting like 10 pixels flashing green on the top left and right part of my screen. I just built this machine last week so I would like to get this resolved asap.


Still stock clocks? If not, put back to stock. If stock, could try a different cable real quick just to rule that out. If not, then remove the drivers completely and try either 12.7Beta or 12.9Beta drivers.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jshzigler*
> 
> I have the XFX Double D non Black Edition 7950 running drivers 12.8 and I'm getting like 10 pixels flashing green on the top left and right part of my screen. I just built this machine last week so I would like to get this resolved asap.


Try a fresh install of the driver. If that don't work try 12.9 beta. If that don't work try 12.4. If that don't work try ol faithful Late Jan beta drivers, rc 11 I believe.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Just wanted to stop by and thank bradleyw for his amd driver removal guide. I had been having driver issues with 12.7/12.8/.12.9 after a fresh windows installation and couldn't seem to find a working driver for me. Decided to ditch the atiman method and try his guide thinking itvcertainly couldn't hurt. Fixed all my issues. I'm now running 12.9 with zero issues. Thanks Bradley.


----------



## rck1984

Hi folks,

I am considering to buy a 2nd Sapphire 7950 and run them crossfire in my sig rig.
Though i am wondering about a couple things and i hope you guys can help me out on this.

*- I been very busy lately and haven't been around much, therefore i am not 100% up-to-date on this. I know for a fact that there was a lot of trouble with crossfiring 7950/7970 in the past, due to drivers and whatsoever. Is this still the case? Or are there actually 100% working drivers around? Or should i stay away from crossfire still?*

*- Also, i am wondering if my current PSU would be sufficient enough to feed the two 7950 of enough juice? even with average overclocked GPU/CPU?*

PSU:

OCZ ZS 750
80 Plus Bronze



Current system contains:

i5 2500k @ 4800Mhz - 1.375v.
Asus P8P67 Pro.
2x 4gb Corsair Vengeance memory (stock).
Corsair H100 + 2 Gentle Typhoons.
1x Sapphire 7950 OC edition.
2x 7200 rpm HDD.
1x Crucial 64gb SSD.
1x Bitfenix Caselight
2x Bitfenix LED fans.
DVD-Drive, keyboard, mouse.
Scythe fancontroller.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Hi folks,
> I am considering to buy a 2nd Sapphire 7950 and run them crossfire in my sig rig.
> Though i am wondering about a couple things and i hope you guys can help me out on this.
> *- I been very busy lately and haven't been around much, therefore i am not 100% up-to-date on this. I know for a fact that there was a lot of trouble with crossfiring 7950/7970 in the past, due to drivers and whatsoever. Is this still the case? Or are there actually 100% working drivers around? Or should i stay away from crossfire still?*
> *- Also, i am wondering if my current PSU would be sufficient enough to feed the two 7950 of enough juice? even with average overclocked GPU/CPU?*
> PSU:
> OCZ ZS 750
> 80 Plus Bronze
> 
> Current system contains:
> i5 2500k @ 4800Mhz - 1.375v.
> Asus P8P67 Pro.
> 2x 4gb Corsair Vengeance memory (stock).
> Corsair H100 + 2 Gentle Typhoons.
> 1x Sapphire 7950 OC edition.
> 2x 7200 rpm HDD.
> 1x Crucial 64gb SSD.
> 1x Bitfenix Caselight
> 2x Bitfenix LED fans.
> DVD-Drive, keyboard, mouse.
> Scythe fancontroller.


Im sure plenty of people will call me out on this one but im telling you that youll be pushing that PSU. My sig rig is on a 1000 watt kingwin and according to my P3 kill-a-watt im running over 1000 watts with my cpu at 4.4 ghz and my 7970s at 1000/1425. I see tons of post claiming that anything above 850 is overkill even for two but unless my p3 is wrong im telling you 750 likely isnt enough. When I try setting my overclock on my cards to 1200/1700 I watch kill-a-watt when I start OCCT it goes to about 1100 and then shuts the pc down. I kept wondering why it would do this in crysis so I started wondering if possibly I was pulling too much power after the recent increase on my cpu from 4.0 to 4.4.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Im sure plenty of people will call me out on this one but im telling you that youll be pushing that PSU. My sig rig is on a 1000 watt kingwin and according to my P3 kill-a-watt im running over 1000 watts with my cpu at 4.4 ghz and my 7970s at 1000/1425. I see tons of post claiming that anything above 850 is overkill even for two but unless my p3 is wrong im telling you 750 likely isnt enough. When I try setting my overclock on my cards to 1200/1700 I watch kill-a-watt when I start OCCT it goes to about 1100 and then shuts the pc down. I kept wondering why it would do this in crysis so I started wondering if possibly I was pulling too much power after the recent increase on my cpu from 4.0 to 4.4.


Thanks for your fast reply. One thing i'd like to make you aware of is that i am talking about 7950 crossfire, no 7970 crossfire. I think there is quite some difference on wattage between those? I might be mistaken though.


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Im sure plenty of people will call me out on this one but im telling you that youll be pushing that PSU. My sig rig is on a 1000 watt kingwin and according to my P3 kill-a-watt im running over 1000 watts with my cpu at 4.4 ghz and my 7970s at 1000/1425. I see tons of post claiming that anything above 850 is overkill even for two but unless my p3 is wrong im telling you 750 likely isnt enough. When I try setting my overclock on my cards to 1200/1700 I watch kill-a-watt when I start OCCT it goes to about 1100 and then shuts the pc down. I kept wondering why it would do this in crysis so I started wondering if possibly I was pulling too much power after the recent increase on my cpu from 4.0 to 4.4.


Strange your meter reads that. Seems highly unlikely that just 2 7970s (and rest of system ofc) would pull that kind of power. I experience no problems on my system with an 850 watt.

I havn't checked what 7970s pull but I know when I used to have my SLI 470 setup people used to run those on 750 watt and everyone called 470s crazy power consumers.


----------



## grunion

I think your KAW might be off, but still odd it shuts down at 1100w.

I've not seen >1000w since my SLI GTX480 days.
I could push to 1200w before my psu would shut down.

My SB system ov/oc with a 7970/6950 combo hits ~700w on my KAW.


----------



## rck1984

Guys, just to make this clear. I am talking about *7950* crossfire here, NOT 7970


----------



## rck1984

Anyone else with an opinion on this?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Anyone else with an opinion on this?


if you plan on upgrading your monitor, then go for it. your psu will suffice.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Anyone else with an opinion on this?


I'm running crossfire on two HD 7950s and it works great. Much better scaling with these cards the previous series. Just two cards is worth it but past that its hit and miss it seems like reading this forum. Driver support is alittle better. There is also radeon pro too make crossfire profiles for older or unsupported games works OK. But yeah you would need a new psu two run two cards.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> I think your KAW might be off, but still odd it shuts down at 1100w.
> I've not seen >1000w since my SLI GTX480 days.
> I could push to 1200w before my psu would shut down.
> My SB system ov/oc with a 7970/6950 combo hits ~700w on my KAW.


Very well could be. I wouldnt even know how to check it since I have no other readings to compare it too. I also found it strange to be pulling so much when I have read so many posts about guys running crossfire on 750/850 watts and overclocking everything with no issues. I just assumed since I was running SB-E that it was pulling alot more power since it is clocked kind of high.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I'm running crossfire on two HD 7950s and it works great. Much better scaling with these cards the previous series. Just two cards is worth it but past that its hit and miss it seems like reading this forum. Driver support is alittle better. There is also radeon pro too make crossfire profiles for older or unsupported games works OK. But yeah you would need a new psu two run two cards.


why? it is only a SB. a 95w cpu. even if oc'ed it is nowhere near your rig's power consumption with the cpu at 4.7GHz.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> I think your KAW might be off, but still odd it shuts down at 1100w.
> I've not seen >1000w since my SLI GTX480 days.
> I could push to 1200w before my psu would shut down.
> My SB system ov/oc with a 7970/6950 combo hits ~700w on my KAW.
> 
> 
> 
> Very well could be. I wouldnt even know how to check it since I have no other readings to compare it too. I also found it strange to be pulling so much when I have read so many posts about guys running crossfire on 750/850 watts and overclocking everything with no issues. I just assumed since I was running SB-E that it was pulling alot more power since it is clocked kind of high.
Click to expand...

It seems a lil high given your mild cpu overclock. What was your gpu overclock at the time? Your psu is probably on the weak/failing side because 1100w is only 935w after factoring in losses, thus your psu should have been able to handle that draw and some.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> why? it is only a SB. a 95w cpu. even if oc'ed it is nowhere near your rig's power consumption with the cpu at 4.7GHz.


http://www.techpowerup.com/mobile/reviews/AMD/HD_7950_CrossFire/22.html if you overclock there's cards you could easily pull as much or exceed that of a 7970 crossfire cards would not in counting a overclocked CPU draws more power as well plus running fans pump hard drives ect. Its your money if you blow a psu when overclocking it and take out other parts its a lession learned. Avoid ocz power supplys they are worse then dynex or even a rockfish psu.


----------



## Snyderman34

Ok, so I called ASUS today. The only reason I didn't wig out on someone is because the guy I spoke with (Lance) immediately asked if I would be able to send him some pictures so he could show his boss. I sent them to the provided email address, and they're looking into getting me a completely different card. Lance saved them for a bit, as I'm willing to go through one more RMA because of his service. Dude stayed on the phone while I was taking pictures and emailing them, talked to his boss right then and there where I could hear him. This call, though I don't like the reason, was a good experience.


----------



## suntzu617

New to the forum, building a system with 2x sapphire 7950 950mhz (dual x) that I got for $500. I'll check back with results in a day or two!


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/mobile/reviews/AMD/HD_7950_CrossFire/22.html if you overclock there's cards you could easily pull as much or exceed that of a 7970 crossfire cards would not in counting a overclocked CPU draws more power as well plus running fans pump hard drives ect. Its your money if you blow a psu when overclocking it and take out other parts its a lession learned. Avoid ocz power supplys they are worse then dynex or even a rockfish psu.


I have read everywhere that the OZC ZS series are very solid and reliable. Getting good results in all sorts of reviews also. Their ZS and ZX are nothing like their old series, those were crap as far as I know.

These are the mixed opinions I hear on PSU and crossfire in general. People have a lot of different opinions on this. I'd like to hear some more thoughts please


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It seems a lil high given your mild cpu overclock. What was your gpu overclock at the time? Your psu is probably on the weak/failing side because 1100w is only 935w after factoring in losses, thus your psu should have been able to handle that draw and some.


With the gpus at 1000/1425 (stock clocks for my cards) it was pulling just over 1000, somewhere in the 1025-1045 range. Once I turn em up to 1200/1700 I can either run OCCT and instantly shut down or I can play a game like crysis or metro 2033 for anywhere from 5 to 20 mins and it will eventually shut off on me. Not very comforting to know it could be a PSU failing as I just spent around 80$ on some MDPC sleeving and single sleeved the whole thing.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It seems a lil high given your mild cpu overclock. What was your gpu overclock at the time? Your psu is probably on the weak/failing side because 1100w is only 935w after factoring in losses, thus your psu should have been able to handle that draw and some.
> 
> 
> 
> With the gpus at 1000/1425 (stock clocks for my cards) it was pulling just over 1000, somewhere in the 1025-1045 range. Once I turn em up to 1200/1700 I can either run OCCT and instantly shut down or I can play a game like crysis or metro 2033 for anywhere from 5 to 20 mins and it will eventually shut off on me. Not very comforting to know it could be a PSU failing as I just spent around 80$ on some MDPC sleeving and single sleeved the whole thing.
Click to expand...

You should try putting a fan on the psu, give it a lil extra cooling.

7970 at max clocks with +20% = 300w, limit of the pcie spec btw, times 2 = 600w. I'd imagine with your light overclock on the cpu you're only around 200w. At your stock gpu clocks you're no where near that 300w max per card so you're at least closer to 250wx2+200w, bringing it to 700w give or take. That's why I think it's a combo of over-zealous killawatt and failing psu.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I have read everywhere that the OZC ZS series are very solid and reliable. Getting good results in all sorts of reviews also. Their ZS and ZX are nothing like their old series, those were crap as far as I know.
> These are the mixed opinions I hear on PSU and crossfire in general. People have a lot of different opinions on this. I'd like to hear some more thoughts please


I was using Ocz ZT 750 about 2 months ago. Had problems with it twice. Their customer service is amazing. I got a replacement in 3-5 days (depends if it was a weekend or not). I did advance replacement so they charge my cc and send me a new one first before I send them the defective one. The third time I had to rma was due to a faulty cable, instead of sending me another brand new Ocz ZT 750, they sent me a free upgrade, Ocz ZX 1000!


----------



## BritishBob

Anyone know the height of the 7970s pcb. I am lazy and cannot be bothered to remove mine to measure it.

I have a sagging issue and want to buy a Cardkeeper bracket cos that's alarming:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


>


----------



## KaRLiToS

I don't think it will damage anything.

But if you think it is alarming,

-You can always buy a backplate for better support.

-Or for easier cheaper solution. Just get a stick with the perfect lenght, I would prefer plastic/black, cut to the exact lenght . Put between bottom of your case (or PSU Cover) and your card / Cooler. Don't put it directly on the PCB.


----------



## Honk5891

Just bought a new Sapphire 7950 and Im noticing its always swapping between 850Mhz and 925Mhz core clock in game and Im not super happy with the performance so I tried to increase my core to 1000Mhz core in AB but as soon as I change it my in game core clock goes down to like 500-600Mhz and I get half the fps as I did before. Any ideas?


----------



## jagz

Put a part list together for my neighbor and I helped him slap it all together last night, but I thought you all might like this:


----------



## Garming

Today I installed my 7950 TF3 and I seem to have ran into some issues. As I connected everything, it would not...i suppose post? I switched to my onboard graphics and booted properly but it took a bit longer than usual. I checked my device manager and it seems to detect the card and I installed the AMD drivers with no issue. But it seems that I can't actually use the card. Any ideas? I am using a Seasonic x-660 and my other components include an 3570k at stock speeds, 8gb ram, wifi card, ssd and asrock z77 extreme 4.

FIXED!


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Garming*
> 
> Today I installed my 7950 TF3 and I seem to have ran into some issues. As I connected everything, it would not...i suppose post? After a few seconds, it switched to my onboard graphics and booted properly. I checked my device manager and it seems to detect the card and I installed the AMD drivers with no issue. But it seems that I can't actually use the card. Any ideas? I am using a Seasonic x-660 and my other components include an 3570k at stock speeds, 8gb ram, wifi card, ssd and asrock z77 extreme 4.


i cant see anything you did wrong.. if you used CCC 12.8 might cause problems but i think you might be unlucky and got a defective card so you might have to run back to the store and exchange it


----------



## Garming

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i cant see anything you did wrong.. if you used CCC 12.8 might cause problems but i think you might be unlucky and got a defective card so you might have to run back to the store and exchange it


That's what I am starting to believe. This is certainly a first. Never purchased a lemon till today. I just installed afterburner and I can't use any of the sliders either. My card also shows up on gpuz.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Put a part list together for my neighbor and I helped him slap it all together last night, but I thought you all might like this:


they look beautiful, man.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Garming*
> 
> Today I installed my 7950 TF3 and I seem to have ran into some issues. As I connected everything, it would not...i suppose post? After a few seconds, it switched to my onboard graphics and booted properly (I am only guessing it switched to my onboard, but is that possible when I am using the HDMI port on the 7950). I checked my device manager and it seems to detect the card and I installed the AMD drivers with no issue. But it seems that I can't actually use the card. Any ideas? I am using a Seasonic x-660 and my other components include an 3570k at stock speeds, 8gb ram, wifi card, ssd and asrock z77 extreme 4.


you may have to go into bios and disable igpu or enable the discrete gpu.


----------



## Garming

Hm, just checked my bios, seems like I do have to return it. Bummer.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Garming*
> 
> That's what I am starting to believe. This is certainly a first. Never purchased a lemon till today. I just installed afterburner and I can't use any of the sliders either. My card also shows up on gpuz.


Did you check it on device manager?


----------



## Garming

Oh mannnnnnn, this is a double face palm moment. So initially, when it did not boot, I unplugged my hdmi from my card onto my onboard to see if installing drivers work. I apparent'y forgotten that it was still connected on my onboard and assumed it was still in my 7950. Thanks guys. It works now.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Garming*
> 
> Oh mannnnnnn, this is a double face palm moment. So initially, when it did not boot, I unplugged my hdmi from my card onto my onboard to see if installing drivers work. I apparent'y forgotten that it was still connected on my onboard and assumed it was still in my 7950. Thanks guys. It works now.


lol good news









Nothing more annoying that error checking a DOA product


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Garming*
> 
> Oh mannnnnnn, this is a double face palm moment. So initially, when it did not boot, I unplugged my hdmi from my card onto my onboard to see if installing drivers work. I apparent'y forgotten that it was still connected on my onboard and assumed it was still in my 7950. Thanks guys. It works now.


glad you have it working







and i am sure we all have our little mishaps


----------



## Garming

Now its time to work on an OC


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Garming*
> 
> Now its time to work on an OC


amen








follow this to unlock the limits set by CCC
http://www.overclock.net/t/1305260/unlocking-hd7970-core-speed-limit#post_18144356


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should try putting a fan on the psu, give it a lil extra cooling.
> 7970 at max clocks with +20% = 300w, limit of the pcie spec btw, times 2 = 600w. I'd imagine with your light overclock on the cpu you're only around 200w. At your stock gpu clocks you're no where near that 300w max per card so you're at least closer to 250wx2+200w, bringing it to 700w give or take. That's why I think it's a combo of over-zealous killawatt and failing psu.


Naturally it already has the built in fan but I may see if i can figure a way to raise the case and strap a 140 down there to play with temporarily. I have a friend with a killawatt as well im gonna borrow and compare readings. If the PSU is struggling/dying as you suggested would that explain pulling more watts from the wall trying to keep up with the power demands? I was unaware that PCI-E was 300 watt max. Is that for 6 pin and 8 pin plugs? Or is it 150 watts per plug?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Naturally it already has the built in fan but I may see if i can figure a way to raise the case and strap a 140 down there to play with temporarily. I have a friend with a killawatt as well im gonna borrow and compare readings. If the PSU is struggling/dying as you suggested would that explain pulling more watts from the wall trying to keep up with the power demands? I was unaware that PCI-E was 300 watt max. Is that for 6 pin and 8 pin plugs? Or is it 150 watts per plug?


I think it's pci-e slot 75w, 6pin 75w and 8 pin 150w.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I think it's pci-e slot 75w, 6pin 75w and 8 pin 150w.


I see. Thanks for the info I wasnt aware. Thats troubling because if my killawatt is accurate then that means my psu is dying. Be a good excuse to get that seasonic ive been wanting but the pain of sleeving the whole thing isnt alluring by any means. Ill check with another killawatt tomorrow.


----------



## psyside

Guys, what would be the average memory oc on this cards (7950) and does voltage helps with memory oc as well? for example if you hit wall at 1400 can you pass it by increase the voltage from lets say 1.16 to 1.25? thanks.


----------



## Ghost23

So my cards fan died.. like the motor burnt up, it was burning to the touch.. what do?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

rma it or look for a replacement fan on ebay maybe if you dont have a warranty


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> rma it or look for a replacement fan on ebay maybe if you dont have a warranty


I'm thinking of using this as an excuse to buy the Accelero aftermarket on Newegg, don't really want to wait a few weeks for RMA.. just kind of intimidated, never installed an after-market cooler before.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> So my cards fan died.. like the motor burnt up, it was burning to the touch.. what do?


either buy an aftermarket cooler like the Accelero or maybe RMA

ahhh nij'ed


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> either buy an aftermarket cooler like the Accelero or maybe RMA
> ahhh nij'ed


Yeah just intimidated, never installed an after-market xD


----------



## ElevenEleven

I was briefly testing the 7970 (Sappire Dual-X) in my Prodigy case, since my GTX 670 went bad and I have nothing better to do now on my computer (I just wanted to crunch some power consumption numbers to see if my PSU would run a 7970), and I have to give more props to the Dual-X cooler! The card ran cooler than my ASUS DCII GTX 670 TOP did, and therefore at lower fan speed and quieter. Still a fair amount of electric buzzing (a kind of coil whine, I guess) when in games, but since the fan didn't really spin up much at all, that's all I heard over the ambient noise (my computer is very quiet in general). Core and VRM temperatures stayed under 64C where my GTX 670 ran at 69C core at much more audible fans. This is at 1000MHz/1500MHz at 1040mV as set in MSI Afterburner, since I was going for efficiency and not max possible performance.


----------



## mohit9206

hey i could not spot any amd radeon hd7700 owners thread.. if it exists please link me to the thread. i love my hd7750 and i want to be a part of 7700 series owners thread.. thank you


----------



## Phenomanator53

Anyone else think its weird how 6-pins can output 75W while the same plug, but with another extra 2 pins; 30% more, can give 100% more power than a standard 6 pin?

EDIT: 6Pin---75W
8Pin---150W---30% more pins but 100% more power.


----------



## JayKaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> Anyone else think its weird how 6-pins can output 75W while the same plug, but with another extra 2 pins; 30% more, can give 100% more power than a standard 6 pin?
> EDIT: 6Pin---75W
> 8Pin---150W---30% more pins but 100% more power.


NO 6 pin 2 yellow 2 GND 1 sense 1 NC
8 Pin 3 yellow, 3 GND, 1 sense 0, 1 sense 1 this is so the card knows there is an 8 pin in the 8 pin plug if you put a 6 pin in an 8 pin the card can still work at lower clock's/power iirc

FWIW here is a bit of info on it http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,3061-12.html


----------



## overpass

Maybe try the Gelid Icy Vision - A cooler for 7950 and 7970 cards. Could be a cheaper but just as efficient solution.
If you are not sure, there is a review site that shows installation progress

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1535/pg3/gelid-icy-vision-a-gpu-cooler-for-amd-review-installation.html


----------



## Snyderman34

Another small bit of good news. I received an email yesterday that I thought was return shipping info for my RMA. I opened it today, and found no trace of return shipping. Instead, I found a tracking # for the card they're sending me. I'm waiting to see if the return info is in this package, but I may end up with 2 cards out of this. We'll see


----------



## BritishBob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpass*
> 
> Maybe try the Gelid Icy Vision - A cooler for 7950 and 7970 cards. Could be a cheaper but just as efficient solution.
> If you are not sure, there is a review site that shows installation progress
> http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1535/pg3/gelid-icy-vision-a-gpu-cooler-for-amd-review-installation.html


That's allot smaller than the areo. Might be a better option if you have a lack of space. My installation went fine, apart from the fact the glue didn't set properly on one f the VRM heat-sinks, it fell off and caused me to BSOD.


----------



## Bluemustang

After upgrading my I7 930 to this 3570k i still rarely get more then 50-60% gpu usage on both 7970s in games, sometimes perhaps 70%. I don't know if it's a cpu issue or what but id have thought 4.6ghz 3570k should be enough.

Thinking of just selling these and switching back to the green team and see if i get better % usage in SLI. Cause as it stands i barely get more then 20-30% more performance then 1 card (and it was the same deal on my last x58 rig so its not a system problem).

Though I can only afford 670 sli not 680 and dont like the idea of going down to 2gb vrm and lower memory bandwidth either. Shame shame shame


----------



## ElevenEleven

Look at some benchmarks for 1600p performance and higher : overclocked GTX 680 has no trouble with it (and an overclocked GTX 670 should be similar). I know people keep bringing up memory bandwidth, but it seems more of a theoretical discussion. In practice, games that favor nVidia will do better with nVidia cards, and games that favor Radeons will do better with Radeons. It's mostly a wash though. Your monitor is a single 1080p one, from your signature, so you should be more than fine with even a single GTX 670.

Depending on a level of overclock, a factory-overclocked GTX 680 can compete with a GHz edition 7970 fine at 1600p:

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/KFA2/GTX_680_Limited_OC/28.html.

Just get what you like, _what will play the games you prefer to play better_, and what is on a good sale. 7970s have been very well priced vs. GTX 680 (don't really need a GHz edition, since you can bump any 7970 to 1GHz core and ~1500MHz RAM anyway).


----------



## rck1984

Ordered a 2nd Sapphire 7950 Dual-X today, should arrive on Monday.
Never gotten any crossfire before, excited to try it out and hopefully I'm future-proof for a while now









So, my rig will have two of these by Monday:

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


----------



## SniperTeamTango

Anyone have one of these 
7950s from XFX and is able to tell me whether the DVI supports VGA? My prelim research says yes my luck and experience says no.


----------



## ElevenEleven

It's DVI-I, according to XFX:
http://xfxforce.com/en-gb/Products/Graphics-Cards/AMD/AMD-Radeon-HD-7000/AMD-Radeon-HD-7950/FX-795A-TDFC.aspx
(specifications tab)

So it should support both digital and analog. A lot of cards with 2 DVI ports have one DVI-I and one DVI-D, but with a single port they are probably being on the safe side.

(Unless your question implies that you know this but wonder if there's something wrong with the implementation).


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Ordered a 2nd Sapphire 7950 Dual-X today, should arrive on Monday.
> Never gotten any crossfire before, excited to try it out and hopefully I'm future-proof for a while now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So, my rig will have two of these by Monday:
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


Congrats! -- that's some serious power you'll be wielding!


----------



## rck1984

Thanks bud!








Excited and looking forward to install and try it out.

Anyone else with crossfire 7950's? and are you satisfied?









Edit: I see you are having CF 7950 also. Are you satisfied? Could you give me some info on gaming? BF3 perhaps, resolution/ fps? Also what drivers are you using? Newest or sticking to older ones?

Thanks


----------



## King4x4

CF 7950s here... best buy I did. Good luck on those Sapphiress... Can you confirm if they are voltage locked?


----------



## SniperTeamTango

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> It's DVI-I, according to XFX:
> http://xfxforce.com/en-gb/Products/Graphics-Cards/AMD/AMD-Radeon-HD-7000/AMD-Radeon-HD-7950/FX-795A-TDFC.aspx
> (specifications tab)
> So it should support both digital and analog. A lot of cards with 2 DVI ports have one DVI-I and one DVI-D, but with a single port they are probably being on the safe side.
> (Unless your question implies that you know this but wonder if there's something wrong with the implementation).


Thanks much, +rep.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

any of you own SAPPHIRE HD 7970 ref cards how well did they overclock on air and water mine comes in monday cant wait to give it a try.
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1443&leg=0


----------



## billgates8889

Just tried overclocking my Sapphire 7950 950mhz edition. I've hit the wall at 1250 mhz for the core, temps at load is 71 celcius and voltage is at 1.206v. Trying to go anything further like 1260 mhz core would instantly result in artifacting and locking up, no matter which voltage I set it at. The temperatures are never above 75 celcius so I should be fine. Would there be any reason for hitting the wall at such a early stage? My ASIC is 86.9%.


----------



## billgates8889

I've also noticed that the voltage could only be adjusted in 0.006 increments.


----------



## KaRLiToS

You are not happy with 1250Mhz Core on a *7950* ????









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Just tried overclocking my Sapphire 7950 950mhz edition. I've hit the wall at 1250 mhz for the core, temps at load is 71 celcius and voltage is at 1.206v. Trying to go anything further like 1260 mhz core would instantly result in artifacting and locking up, no matter which voltage I set it at. The temperatures are never above 75 celcius so I should be fine. *Would there be any reason for hitting the wall at such a early stage?* My ASIC is 86.9%.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> You are not happy with 1250Mhz Core on a *7950* ????
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Just tried overclocking my Sapphire 7950 950mhz edition. I've hit the wall at 1250 mhz for the core, temps at load is 71 celcius and voltage is at 1.206v. Trying to go anything further like 1260 mhz core would instantly result in artifacting and locking up, no matter which voltage I set it at. The temperatures are never above 75 celcius so I should be fine. Would there be any reason for hitting the wall at such a early stage? *My ASIC is 86.9%*.
Click to expand...

Oh the rub with high asic cards.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> any of you own SAPPHIRE HD 7970 ref cards how well did they overclock on air and water mine comes in monday cant wait to give it a try.
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1443&leg=0


I have one and it does 1330/1800 under water, ymmv.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh the rub with high asic cards.
> I have one and it does 1330/1800 under water, ymmv.


nice i hope i get that lucky lol mine will be under water with a rx360 and rx240 has a koolance block on it.


----------



## billgates8889

Well, its not that i'm not happy with this, i'm just confused as why the card would hit the wall so quickly. Also, my vrm temperatures are hitting 105 celcius, is this normal?


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Well, its not that i'm not happy with this, i'm just confused as why the card would hit the wall so quickly. Also, my vrm temperatures are hitting 105 celcius, is this normal?


The "wall" varies with each piece of silicon, mine happens to be 1200.

Is it a reference design or an AIB special?


----------



## billgates8889

Its a 7950 on a 7970 PCB. It has a 6+8 pin PCI-e connector. Link -http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1551&leg=0


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Its a 7950 on a 7970 PCB. It has a 6+8 pin PCI-e connector. Link -http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1551&leg=0


Bad design for vreg cooling, ref design is the best design.
Except maybe a full coverage wb.


----------



## billgates8889

Check this thread out for the design and pics of the PCB and cooling. http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?s=f8c1a9862e0edac9fbb02e59d1378fd6&p=1038777638&postcount=12


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Check this thread out for the design and pics of the PCB and cooling. http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?s=f8c1a9862e0edac9fbb02e59d1378fd6&p=1038777638&postcount=12


Doesn't matter, for vrm cooling it is inferior to the ref design.
The ref design actually has a copper heatpipe for the vrms and the blower is right above it.

I've had plenty of those blow down dual fan coolers, only one has provided a better vrm cooling solution.
The best one I've had was the VF3000, the vrm heatsink was better than the ref design in a single card config, equal in dual card config.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Doesn't matter, for vrm cooling it is inferior to the ref design.
> The ref design actually has a copper heatpipe for the vrms and the blower is right above it.
> I've had plenty of those blow down dual fan coolers, only one has provided a better vrm cooling solution.
> The best one I've had was the VF3000, the vrm heatsink was better than the ref design in a single card config, equal in dual card config.


Thats true almost all ref coolers cool the vrms better, the MSI Radeon HD 7970 Lightning tho has great vrm and core cooling but the card does cost 500usd darkryders vrms running boinc hit like 50-60c he says and the core in the 70s.


----------



## billgates8889

The VRM temperature I'm getting on load is 105 Celsius. Would this be acceptable for normal 24/7 run?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The VRM temperature I'm getting on load is 105 Celsius. Would this be acceptable for normal 24/7 run?


omg, i would say NO.... wow that is high


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The VRM temperature I'm getting on load is 105 Celsius. Would this be acceptable for normal 24/7 run?


I'd say no as well. My Lightning only gets to 45C max load with the core at ~64C.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The VRM temperature I'm getting on load is 105 Celsius. Would this be acceptable for normal 24/7 run?


i would want them to stay under 100c but they are vrms probly have a high limit of 110-120 not sure on the exact card you have.


----------



## billgates8889

Sapphire 7950 950MHz Ed, link to PCB/Cooling here - http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?s=f8c1a9862e0edac9fbb02e59d1378fd6&p=1038777638&postcount=12
I've also overclocked it to 1.25ghz on 1.175v so that might be a huge factor in the high VRM temps.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Sapphire 7950 950MHz Ed, link to PCB/Cooling here - http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?s=f8c1a9862e0edac9fbb02e59d1378fd6&p=1038777638&postcount=12
> I've also overclocked it to 1.25ghz on 1.175v so that might be a huge factor in the high VRM temps.


an OC of 1250 wow, it could just be the factor causing high temps but then again your voltage isnt so bad


----------



## psyside

Some kind off advanced questions, please anyone help me.

1. What would be the benefit of 7970 BIOS on 7950 card?

2. Is this early revision of Sapphire dual X any good, it uses 7970 PCB or im wrong?

3. its better then Vapor-X recent locked bs right, but Vapor-X has thermal pads, this does not correct?

4. Is the vrm design bad/good, inferior to newer Sapphire 950mhz versions, what is the difference?

5. Does it worth to replace the stock thermal paste and add some aluminium plates to improve VRM cooling ?is it good at all on this card, and does this card also have thermal pads?

6. Does adding new paste + pads or even tighting the card (if its not good mounted) avoid the warranty?

7. Does it worth to flash the latest vBIOS at all?

8. What would be the max temps lets say at 1150/1600 with 1.2v with fans @ 60%

Few more pics,


----------



## stubass

hmmm i only have a pretty good idea about one question.
Quote:


> 1. What would be the benefit of 7970 BIOS on 7950 card?


i have heard it is possible but however i have seen this mentioned a few times
Quote:


> read it somewhere that AMD has disabled the extra shaders on 7950 at the H/W level so it is not possible to unlock them. However, overclocking it to 1000 MHz or more will almost make it equal to 7970 anyway. So, no need to worry about any shader unlocking I would think.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> hmmm i only have a pretty good idea about one question.
> i have heard it is possible but however i have seen this mentioned a few times


Thanks bro, i guess ill stay at stock vBIOS









Edit, nevermind, i forgot that i already asked that in the post above.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> hmmm i only have a pretty good idea about one question.
> i have heard it is possible but however i have seen this mentioned a few times
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks bro, i guess ill stay at stock vBIOS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Does it worth to flash to newest vBIOS *for my card* anyway?
Click to expand...

hey dude, that one i can say, hopefully some else can answer as i dont want to give you bad advice if it isnt worth it


----------



## King4x4

Well on stock bios I would hit a wall at around 1090mhz and it will never be stable. That was with 1.05v.

On the 7970 bios I am having rock stable daily performance on the same voltage at 1100mhz.

Don't know what changed but it's that good.


----------



## adamlop

Hello again after succesfull RMA.

After an unsuccessful adventure with sapphire hd7950 950mhz (black 7970pcb) i coming back again with sapphire hd7950 vapor-x.
The problem is that the first (850mhz) and second (950mhz boost) bios keeps giving the same results in Unigine Heaven - exactly the same (score, min/max fps).
Gpu-z in the second BIOS shows gpu clock 950MHz, but sensors bookmark shows 850MHz Gpu clock, which is the same as in the BIOS first.
The same shows OSD from AfterBurner, don't seen any changes to the clock - 850MHz constantly. What is wrong?
Catalyst 12.9, but now i'm on 12.8 still the same.

EDIT: When i set PowerLimit +20% clock goes up to 950mhz... ???!!!??? Boost doesn't work on standard settings ???

WARNING! Comparing to old card sapphire's vapor-x is much much louder than sapphire's dual-x on the same speeds, but comes with better temps


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Hello again after succesfull RMA.
> After an unsuccessful adventure with sapphire hd7950 950mhz (black 7970pcb) i coming back again with sapphire hd7950 vapor-x.
> The problem is that the first (850mhz) and second (950mhz boost) bios keeps giving the same results in Unigine Heaven - exactly the same (score, min/max fps).
> Gpu-z in the second BIOS shows gpu clock 950MHz, but sensors bookmark shows 850MHz Gpu clock, which is the same as in the BIOS first.
> The same shows OSD from AfterBurner, don't seen any changes to the clock - 850MHz constantly. What is wrong?
> Catalyst 12.9, but now i'm on 12.8 still the same.
> EDIT: When i set PowerLimit +20% clock goes up to 950mhz... ???!!!??? Boost doesn't work on standard settings ???
> WARNING! Comparing to old card sapphire's vapor-x is much much louder than sapphire's dual-x on the same speeds, but comes with better temps


it seems your GPU is not boosting at all with power option at 0%. that should not happen. anyway maxing power option to 20% will make sure your clock runs at 950 mhz. if your card is not voltage locked then you should be happy cause i have heard from many users of the vapor-x being voltage locked. try overclocking with sapphire trixx. if voltage control is not there you should still be able to hit 1.05 - 1.1 Ghz. With voltage control you can go higher.


----------



## adamlop

Voltage locked, but 1100/1575 (max ccc sliders+ pwr 20%) rock stable on standard vgpu (gpu-z shows 1.063v)

After one hour of BF3 at 1920x1080 Ultra (without AA and Blur)
With 1100/1575 and AUTO fan speed , values from GPU-Z looks quite good:
max fan speed 53%
max gpu temp 60 oC
max vrm1 temp 92 oC


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The VRM temperature I'm getting on load is 105 Celsius. Would this be acceptable for normal 24/7 run?


no way. get that down to 90c. ramp up fan speeds or clock down the GPU and if you have increased voltage reduce that too.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The VRM temperature I'm getting on load is 105 Celsius. Would this be acceptable for normal 24/7 run?
> 
> 
> 
> i would want them to stay under 100c but they are vrms probly have a high limit of 110-120 not sure on the exact card you have.
Click to expand...

If you keep them that hot for the duration they will go pop, pop, fizz.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If you keep them that hot for the duration they will go pop, pop, fizz.


Im not sure about vrms on the 7900s but i remmber for 5800s they had a max temp of 120c and the cores would start to thottle or shutdown if you hit those temps. But im with you id want to keep them as low as possable under 90c.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Im not sure about vrms on the 7900s but i remmber for 5800s they had a max temp of 120c and the cores would start to thottle or shutdown if you hit those temps.


I hear it is 120c for the 7000 series. Not sure if that is true.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I hear it is 120c for the 7000 series. Not sure if that is true.


same but i cant find any hard proof that its 120c just a post on guru3d.
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359184#post4253688


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I hear it is 120c for the 7000 series. Not sure if that is true.
> 
> 
> 
> same but i cant find any hard proof that its 120c just a post on guru3d.
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359184#post4253688
Click to expand...

You can get the pdf for the vrms, iirc there's thread in the amd cooling where swiftech gabe was saying 120c is safe lol cuz you know he's trying to sell a gpu only block.


----------



## Cancer

Sapphire 7950 OC


----------



## sena

Guys, now after i sell HD 7870s(i already have customer, he is waiting for paycheck), i am thinking to return HD 7950, HD 7950 CFX more precisely.

Can anyone give me some words on drivers with HD 7900 in CFX, HD 78xx is pretty bad, esspecially in 2D.

Cheers


----------



## mdatmo

Just got a Powercolor 7950. Too impatient to test many OCs, I simply set the core to 1100 and upped to voltage to 1.13. No artifacts in the hour I played Crysis 2 this morning. Will post more definitive OC results when I have time.

I came from a 470 with a 40% OC underwater to a 7950 with a 37.5% OC (also under water) after 1 minute. Gotta love cards that are ridiculously underclocked from the factory


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> CF 7950s here... best buy I did. Good luck on those Sapphiress... Can you confirm if they are voltage locked?


Dont think these are voltage locked yet. However the newer versions are.
Edit: checked to be sure, this version is not voltage locked.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Some kind off advanced questions, please anyone help me.
> 1. What would be the benefit of 7970 BIOS on 7950 card?
> 2. Is this early revision of Sapphire dual X any good, it uses 7970 PCB or im wrong?
> 3. its better then Vapor-X recent locked bs right, but Vapor-X has thermal pads, this does not correct?
> 4. Is the vrm design bad/good, inferior to newer Sapphire 950mhz versions, what is the difference?
> 5. Does it worth to replace the stock thermal paste and add some aluminium plates to improve VRM cooling ?is it good at all on this card, and does this card also have thermal pads?
> 6. Does adding new paste + pads or even tighting the card (if its not good mounted) avoid the warranty?
> 7. Does it worth to flash the latest vBIOS at all?
> 8. What would be the max temps lets say at 1150/1600 with 1.2v with fans @ 60%
> Few more pics,


Let's see if I can hit these...

1: Higher stock voltage on the memory without using afterburner, and a more aggressive overall profile for overclocking.
2: All Sapphire 7970 OC versions use the reference PCB. I have a reference waterblock on mine.
3: It has thermal pads, that black plate is a heatsink and part of the cooling system.
4: I'm not sure of any difference between the two myself.
5: I didn't see any difference between stock thermal paste and aftermarket paste while swapping my stock cooler back and forth. VRM sinks are not needed, see #3
6: Sapphire puts a silly amount of TIM on their cards. It's impossible to clean off without leaving some behind in places where it can't be removed, and if the cooler has been removed, your warranty is void.
7: Updates are always better.
8: Completely situational, you'll only know with your card in your case what it'd be.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Been wondering about installing a custom backplate onto my Sapphire Dual-X 7970 (OC). Question is - will it void my warranty? My guess is yes, since I'll probably have to remove at least some of the screws. Under my LED lights in my case on a white LED setting, it looks like there's something on the X indents on all of the phillips screws, possibly a substance to help identify whether a screwdriver has been used on them (looks kind of copper-tinted on otherwise silver screws). Or am I imagining things? Is there a good way to go about this?

Anyway, to install a backplate, I'd also have to get some thermal pads in between to avoid any electrical shorting? So maybe I could just stick it on with thermal pads that are semi-sticky, without removing any screws? (Any suggestions which pads to use for that, so they could be removed in the future without issues?)


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Dont think these are voltage locked yet. However the newer versions are.
> Edit: checked to be sure, this version is not voltage locked.


What's with all of the voltage locking? First Nvidia, now AMD, are we going to have to go back to soldering irons and pencils?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Been wondering about installing a custom backplate onto my Sapphire Dual-X 7970 (OC). Question is - will it void my warranty? My guess is yes, since I'll probably have to remove at least some of the screws. Under my LED lights in my case on a white LED setting, it looks like there's something on the X indents on all of the phillips screws, possibly a substance to help identify whether a screwdriver has been used on them (looks kind of copper-tinted on otherwise silver screws). Or am I imagining things? Is there a good way to go about this?
> Anyway, to install a backplate, I'd also have to get some thermal pads in between to avoid any electrical shorting?


I didn't have any tamper paste on the screws of mine, but that may be a recent addition. If there is paste on them, that's a voided warranty.

When you buy a backplate it comes with the insulator of choice, typically plastic washers to go around the screws. Be careful when you're installing to read the manual and make sure that none of the leads are touching the backplate before you reinstall it. Double and triple check, sometimes they can be hard to see.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Let's see if I can hit these...
> 1: Higher stock voltage on the memory without using afterburner, and a more aggressive overall profile for overclocking.
> 2: All Sapphire 7970 OC versions use the reference PCB. I have a reference waterblock on mine.
> 3: It has thermal pads, that black plate is a heatsink and part of the cooling system.
> 4: I'm not sure of any difference between the two myself.
> 5: I didn't see any difference between stock thermal paste and aftermarket paste while swapping my stock cooler back and forth. VRM sinks are not needed, see #3
> 6: Sapphire puts a silly amount of TIM on their cards. It's impossible to clean off without leaving some behind in places where it can't be removed, and if the cooler has been removed, your warranty is void.
> 7: Updates are always better.
> 8: Completely situational, you'll only know with your card in your case what it'd be.


Thanks alot, rep +









And about temps, i get the idea that they are variable, but i wanted to get general idea for room around 20c is winter here


----------



## Ganf

I can't even guess then, because my ambient temps when I had my stock cooler were 35c. I saw load temperatures of 72 or so at those clocks and at that temperature, so assuming optimal conditions you could expect about 60.


----------



## OverClocker55

Will be picking up a 7970 when I sell my 580. Best brands and should I get custom or just the 1 fan design?


----------



## billgates8889

*Double post*


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Some kind off advanced questions, please anyone help me.
> 1. What would be the benefit of 7970 BIOS on 7950 card?
> 2. Is this early revision of Sapphire dual X any good, it uses 7970 PCB or im wrong?
> 3. its better then Vapor-X recent locked bs right, but Vapor-X has thermal pads, this does not correct?
> 4. Is the vrm design bad/good, inferior to newer Sapphire 950mhz versions, what is the difference?
> 5. Does it worth to replace the stock thermal paste and add some aluminium plates to improve VRM cooling ?is it good at all on this card, and does this card also have thermal pads?
> 6. Does adding new paste + pads or even tighting the card (if its not good mounted) avoid the warranty?
> 7. Does it worth to flash the latest vBIOS at all?
> 8. What would be the max temps lets say at 1150/1600 with 1.2v with fans @ 60%
> Few more pics,


I personally have a Sapphire 950mhz ed so I might be able to take some pictures for you.

1. Using a 7970 bios would only provide you with higher clocks and a higher stock voltage. You shouldn't need to use the 7970 bios as those speeds could easily be achieved by some overclocking. You have to be really unlucky to not get 925 on core clock.
2. That early version of the 7950 is a reference design non AIB 7950 board.
3. The Vapor X is only voltage locked when you select the second boost clock. It's completely voltage adjustable when you select the normal 850mhz bios. Check out this review for the cooler and temps - http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Vapor-X/
4. VRM vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but its best off to keep the temperatures below 90. The 950 mhz ed. uses a reference 7970 design, the difference being an added VRM.
5. Yes, however you would void your manufacturer warranty. Just remember to use a thin layer of thermal paste, rather than the slop that Sapphire slapped on. I STRONGLY recommend you improve your VRM cooling if you are going to overclock your card. The VRM temperatures was what stopped me from going to a higher stable core clock.
6. Yes, yes and yes. But as long as your very careful and don't damage your card in the process you should be fine.
7. Yes, but I never knew sapphire would publish a new revision of a BIOS. Mind linking me?
8. I cannot say your temperatures, but I'll give you mine as a reference. Mine is currently overclocked at 1235 core clock, memory 1250, voltage 1.162, custom fan profile. The temperature is 32 idle and 68 load. However in mine the VRM cooling is bad and adding any more voltage would cause my VRMs to heat up to 110.


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Will be picking up a 7970 when I sell my 580. Best brands and should I get custom or just the 1 fan design?


I'd recommend the Sapphire 7950 950mhz ed, as it comes with a 7970 PCB and is super quiet under load even when overclocked.


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Voltage locked, but 1100/1575 (max ccc sliders+ pwr 20%) rock stable on standard vgpu (gpu-z shows 1.063v)
> After one hour of BF3 at 1920x1080 Ultra (without AA and Blur)
> With 1100/1575 and AUTO fan speed , values from GPU-Z looks quite good:
> max fan speed 53%
> max gpu temp 60 oC
> max vrm1 temp 92 oC


The Sapphire Vapor-x is not voltage locked when you select the normal 850 mhz clock.


----------



## OverClocker55

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> I'd recommend the Sapphire 7950 950mhz ed, as it comes with a 7970 PCB and is super quiet under load even when overclocked.


Thanks now what is this I hear about coil whine? Only amd gpus I have owned didn't have it (6950,6970,7950). Is it annoying?


----------



## adamlop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The Sapphire Vapor-x is not voltage locked when you select the normal 850 mhz clock.


Not true, mine locked on both bioses... (sapphire trixx and afterburner checked - still 1.006v in GPU-Z sensors)

BIOS ver: 015.025.000.001.000000 (113-210P2HY-V03)


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Thanks now what is this I hear about coil whine? Only amd gpus I have owned didn't have it (6950,6970,7950). Is it annoying?


There isn't coil mine on mine, only when its running at a very high FPS as in 2000 then it would whine. It's not that annoying if you do have it and you can always RMA your card. I've had a PSU that had coil whine but it wasn't that loud or annoying. I guess it all comes down to the VRM and capacitors.


----------



## billgates8889

Which version of Sapphire Trixx are you using? If your not on Sapphire Trixx please go here and download the latest version (4.3) https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx

Just try downloading the latest version of Trixx if you haven't and use that to overvolt. I'd recommend against using Afterburner due to stability issues.


----------



## billgates8889

If all that doesn't work then try flashing your Vapor X with a 950 mhz bios. The link is here http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club#post_17724563

or

Sapphire Trixx (4.40b)

http://www.sapphiretech.com/archive/drivers/TRIXX_installer_4.4.0b.exe_634854038404929144.zip


----------



## adamlop

I have this BIOS from 7950 950mhz(black 7970pcb), because that was my first card, and was RMA.
Using trixx 4.3, so should try with 4.4b now.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> I personally have a Sapphire 950mhz ed so I might be able to take some pictures for you.
> 1. Using a 7970 bios would only provide you with higher clocks and a higher stock voltage. You shouldn't need to use the 7970 bios as those speeds could easily be achieved by some overclocking. You have to be really unlucky to not get 925 on core clock.
> 2. That early version of the 7950 is a reference design non AIB 7950 board.
> 3. The Vapor X is only voltage locked when you select the second boost clock. It's completely voltage adjustable when you select the normal 850mhz bios. Check out this review for the cooler and temps - http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Vapor-X/
> 4. VRM vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but its best off to keep the temperatures below 90. The 950 mhz ed. uses a reference 7970 design, the difference being an added VRM.
> 5. Yes, however you would void your manufacturer warranty. Just remember to use a thin layer of thermal paste, rather than the slop that Sapphire slapped on. I STRONGLY recommend you improve your VRM cooling if you are going to overclock your card. The VRM temperatures was what stopped me from going to a higher stable core clock.
> 6. Yes, yes and yes. But as long as your very careful and don't damage your card in the process you should be fine.
> 7. Yes, but I never knew sapphire would publish a new revision of a BIOS. Mind linking me?
> 8. I cannot say your temperatures, but I'll give you mine as a reference. Mine is currently overclocked at 1235 core clock, memory 1250, voltage 1.162, custom fan profile. The temperature is 32 idle and 68 load. However in mine the VRM cooling is bad and adding any more voltage would cause my VRMs to heat up to 110.


Thanks alot! rep + btw this is the PIN N: 11196-10-40G but some say the EU version is 900 mhz clocked, with same PN from USA with is 950, TBH i don't care for 50mhz as long this card is using 7970 PCB and the improved PCB aluminium pads, the versions with blue PCB look quite a bit inferior in that regard, also the VRM design look cheaper as well.

Btw how come on "yours" the VRM cooling is bad? the Sapphire 7950 950 core, should be the best build 7950's out there or i'm wrong? i will be getting this card in 1 hour.


----------



## adamlop

My first card was 11196-10-40G EU version, and that was 950mhz ver with BLACK pcb,
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0

many of users with blue pcb thinking at they have this 7970 reference board, but thats not true. Just look at power connectors - black 950mhz with 7970 PCB have 8+6pin, and that other have only 2x6pin


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Not true, mine locked on both bioses... (sapphire trixx and afterburner checked - still 1.006v in GPU-Z sensors)
> BIOS ver: 015.025.000.001.000000 (113-210P2HY-V03)


Have you tried Trixx 4.4.0 beta as thats 1st version which supports properly voltage control on vapor-x. With MSI Afterburned you need to select "constant voltage" from the setting to voltage control to work (proper support for amd cards with boost are likely coming later).


----------



## adamlop

OK, trixx 4.4b and my voltage still locked.
Flashed card with atiflash and 950mhz ver bios, but card stay in 2d mode and i hear the sound of windows, but on screen i have still boot from windows7 starting.
Trying to flash with 850mhz bios from my card, but it give me black screen. The same if i try flashing bios2 onto bios1, black screen.
I'm staying on bios2 (950mhz boost locked) now, and thinking that i have lost bios1, because flashing back with original bios doesn't help. Of corsue it gives me succesfull flashing message, but after reboot black screen appear...

EDIT...
I maked one more BIOS2 copy, but this time with trixx 4.4.0b, and flashed succesfully bios1 with this file.
So copies from both bioses maked with GPU-Z doesn't work with my card.
If someone can post bios1 850mhz from 7950vapor-x that will be great, but saved with TRIXX, not with GPU-Z (any reason why don't work if size in bytes exactly the same?)


----------



## sena

So guys can anyone give me final word about voltage and bioses on HD 7950 Vapor-X cards, i am planning to buy two of these so i need to know.

Is it voltage locked? Are both bioses locked or only one?

I can have them for 270 euros(one card) which is great price in my area.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

I got my card in i bought from ebay looks like the previous owner flashed the ati bios that clocks it at 1050/1500 was looking for the bios switch button but i cant seem to find it i thought all ref cards had it. Looks like its running 1050/1500 on 1.1131 not sure if thats good or bad sence im new to 7900s.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/122148/ATI.HD7970.3072.120607.html


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> So guys can anyone give me final word about voltage and bioses on HD 7950 Vapor-X cards, i am planning to buy two of these so i need to know.
> Is it voltage locked? Are both bioses locked or only one?
> I can have them for 270 euros(one card) which is great price in my area.


Seems that there might be come voltage locked cards around but I cant say that for sure. Is it user or his system related issue I cant say. My vapor-x 7950 is not voltage locked at least with boost bios. I've not tried voltage adjustment with normal bios as normal bios game me other issues. With boost bios you need to use Trixx 4.4.0 beta (or later) to adjust voltage. Afterburner voltage adjustment works only if you check "constant voltage" from settings. Later versions of afterburner might support amd boost card voltage adjustments without needing to check constant voltage.


----------



## adamlop

EDIT... Ive checked constant voldage in Afterburner, and can change voltage on 950mhz boost bios Vapor-X, and still looking for trixx saved bios1 copy.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

looks like i cant adjust my voltages either on this card i just got whoever had it befor flashed the amd bios.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *locc*
> 
> Seems that there might be come voltage locked cards around but I cant say that for sure. Is it user or his system related issue I cant say. My vapor-x 7950 is not voltage locked at least with boost bios. I've not tried voltage adjustment with normal bios as normal bios game me other issues. With boost bios you need to use Trixx 4.4.0 beta (or later) to adjust voltage. Afterburner voltage adjustment works only if you check "constant voltage" from settings. Later versions of afterburner might support amd boost card voltage adjustments without needing to check constant voltage.


Thx for info.

Now i see its 2.5 slot card, so i dont how it would look on my board, then i would have only 0.5 slot between them.
Can anyone give me words about this, what temps i can expect, now i am running dual HD 7870 with one slot between and temp are almost the same on both cards when i apply same voltage on them(upper card is about 2-3 hotter).

Or should i buy these two(two slot cards):http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1442&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
Are these voltage unlocked, and if anyone have it, can you give me some info about temps and noise.


----------



## adamlop

Try to go with this one http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
Have 7970pcb


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Try to go with this one http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
> Have 7970pcb


Unfortunately is not available in my area.
Any other suggestions, gigabyte WF3 HD 7950, what about that one?


----------



## spinejam

*MSI 7950 TFIII BF3 gamplay logged:* (@1150c 1650m)


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Thanks alot! rep + btw this is the PIN N: 11196-10-40G but some say the EU version is 900 mhz clocked, with same PN from USA with is 950, TBH i don't care for 50mhz as long this card is using 7970 PCB and the improved PCB aluminium pads, the versions with blue PCB look quite a bit inferior in that regard, also the VRM design look cheaper as well.
> Btw how come on "yours" the VRM cooling is bad? the Sapphire 7950 950 core, should be the best build 7950's out there or i'm wrong? i will be getting this card in 1 hour.


the sapphire hd 7950 950 mhz has the manufacturer code 11196-10-40G. 7970 dark brownish PCB with 8 pin + 6 in power. The specs are the same wherever you get it. the websites selling the card at times don't mention the right specifications. you can see the card in the given links

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/11260#post_17357026
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1695577&page=1


----------



## Bal3Wolf

do these cards have vdroop alot of it lol i been testing my card on some other bios's i can change volts but its like .20 lower then what i set in Afterburner the 1050 bios wont let me change it at all tho.


----------



## Speshy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Thanks alot! rep + btw this is the PIN N: 11196-10-40G but some say the EU version is 900 mhz clocked, with same PN from USA with is 950, TBH i don't care for 50mhz as long this card is using 7970 PCB and the improved PCB aluminium pads, the versions with blue PCB look quite a bit inferior in that regard, also the VRM design look cheaper as well.
> Btw how come on "yours" the VRM cooling is bad? the Sapphire 7950 950 core, should be the best build 7950's out there or i'm wrong? i will be getting this card in 1 hour.


Tbh, I'm not so sure that it's the best built 7950. It's good, but I'm starting to think that perhaps the MSI TF3 (and a couple of others) is perhaps a little more reliable in terms of OC potential based on what I've seen/heard from other users and also on my own results with this card.
It's a lottery anyway, so ymmv









As for the VRM temps, I'm not sure about the other cards, but the Sapphire 950 Ed does have a pretty decent heatspreader/heatsink setup imo.
I have just lowered those temps by a large margin (15-20C) with an Alpenfohn Peter VGA cooler and a custom fan setup. With this setup, I used the sapphire VRM heatsink at first, and then replaced it with the big Alpenfohn sink. VRM temps dropped by 1-7C depending on fan speed.

It's obviously better with my setup, but the stock VRM heatsink on this card is still pretty good.
A lot depends on your case airflow/venting as these can chuck a lot of heat into the case at higher clocks which can raise the VRM temps quite seriously at times.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire hd 7950 950 mhz has the manufacturer code 11196-10-40G. 7970 dark brownish PCB with 8 pin + 6 in power. The specs are the same wherever you get it. the websites selling the card at times don't mention the right specifications. you can see the card in the given links
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/11260#post_17357026
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1695577&page=1


Yep, wrong specs can be given. I bought my Sapphire 950mhz from a high street store (UK) and the sticker on the box stated '900mhz'. The product code had to be checked to ensure it was the right card.


----------



## neonthetank

Hey guys,

I have been thinking about getting. Second HD 7950 MSI TFIII. My question is tho, do i spend the money to upgrade my amd 8120 to an i5 3570k and if that is worth it for the performance boost. Or if there will be a boost.

Thanks


----------



## rck1984

Getting my 2nd 7950 tomorrow, and will be running crossfire setup.
Though i am still using a 24 inch / 60hz LED screen right now, gonna look for a 120hz screen in about a month..

At around what fps am i looking at in for example, Battlefield 3 with CF 7950s? with everything maxed out on 1080p? Reason i am asking is because i possibly get screen tearing on my 60hz screen.

What would be the best solution until i have my 120hz screen then? Running the game with Vsync on if screen tearing appears due too high fps? Or are there any other solutions? except for not installing the 2nd card until i have the new screen as well?


----------



## SniperTeamTango

Just ordered my 7950! Can't wait to tri screen GW1 GW2 and TF2 without overheating!!!


----------



## Samurai707

Getting graphic tearing on my stock memory clock for my Gigabyte 7970 SOC 5xwindforce. Is it safe to up the memory voltage? I've never done so before on any of my cards :X
Any assistance is greatly appreciated!


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Thanks alot! rep + btw this is the PIN N: 11196-10-40G but some say the EU version is 900 mhz clocked, with same PN from USA with is 950, TBH i don't care for 50mhz as long this card is using 7970 PCB and the improved PCB aluminium pads, the versions with blue PCB look quite a bit inferior in that regard, also the VRM design look cheaper as well.
> Btw how come on "yours" the VRM cooling is bad? the Sapphire 7950 950 core, should be the best build 7950's out there or i'm wrong? i will be getting this card in 1 hour.


I think his was a unique case. Between stock cooling of my VRM's and a full cover waterblock that cools them, I saw no difference in my clocks. However, the 7970 plate underneath the radiator is a bit different, in that it's ridged for extra surface area.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Well looks like my cards limit is 1185/1500 havet tried overclocking memory i get no voltage control and power limit does not seem to help either tried a few differt bios and most of them made it worse least it runs cool under water never hits 40c even in furmark.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Well looks like my cards limit is 1185/1500 havet tried overclocking memory i get no voltage control and power limit does not seem to help either tried a few differt bios and most of them made it worse least it runs cool under water never hits 40c even in furmark.


Sounds to me like it's time to flash it to a GHZ edition BIOS.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Sounds to me like it's time to flash it to a GHZ edition BIOS.


Funny enugh the bios it has is clocked at 1050/1500 if i use any other bios i get wierd problems like voltages not going into 3d or the computer refusing to boot into windows.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Funny enugh the bios it has is clocked at 1050/1500 if i use any other bios i get wierd problems like voltages not going into 3d or the computer refusing to boot into windows.


I believe the ghz edition BIOS is kinda stuck in the 12.7 drivers, so that might've been part of the issue if you were trying to run 12.9 or something else. Have you actually gotten a 7970 reference card BIOS to try? There might be something hinky going on that causes it to only function well with it's original BIOS.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> I believe the ghz edition BIOS is kinda stuck in the 12.7 drivers, so that might've been part of the issue if you were trying to run 12.9 or something else. Have you actually gotten a 7970 reference card BIOS to try? There might be something hinky going on that causes it to only function well with it's original BIOS.


Yea im on 12.9 betas and sence i got the card off ebay used i cant say what the orginal bios is just the one on the card when i got it was clocked at 1050/1500. 1.115-1.117 it looks like. Even when i got some of the 925/1375 bios to work the voltages wouldnt change right their would be a huge drop from what i set in afterburner.


----------



## Ganf

7970's do see some significant vdroop. My card is set to 1.25 but while testing I've never seen it above 1.2 according to GPU-z. If you're not putting the voltage significantly higher than stock it might look like it's not changing. I had my card set at a voltage that would droop to what the stock setting is supposed to be for quite a while. Also different benches will use different amounts of voltage.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> 7970's do see some significant vdroop. My card is set to 1.25 but while testing I've never seen it above 1.2 according to GPU-z. If you're not putting the voltage significantly higher than stock it might look like it's not changing. I had my card set at a voltage that would droop to what the stock setting is supposed to be for quite a while. Also different benches will use different amounts of voltage.


lol i was having major major droop like i could max out 1.30 in msi ab and the voltage would still be in the 1.08 range and sometimes go negative im gonna mess with it some more but i thk the bios the card had is going to be the best one.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> lol i was having major major droop like i could max out 1.30 in msi ab and the voltage would still be in the 1.08 range and sometimes go negative im gonna mess with it some more but i thk the bios the card had is going to be the best one.


Afterburner doesn't always play right with 7970 voltage, try Trixx for some confirmation.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Afterburner doesn't always play right with 7970 voltage, try Trixx for some confirmation.


trixx does not even show me voltage lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Afterburner doesn't always play right with 7970 voltage, try Trixx for some confirmation.
> 
> 
> 
> trixx does not even show me voltage lol.
Click to expand...

Scroll down.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

i flashed the SAPPHIRE 925mhz bios now if i set 1.250 in msi ab i get 1.20 under load in gpuz is that much droop normal ? By what Ganf said this looks to be working correct now.


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Samurai707*
> 
> Getting graphic tearing on my stock memory clock for my Gigabyte 7970 SOC 5xwindforce. Is it safe to up the memory voltage? I've never done so before on any of my cards :X
> Any assistance is greatly appreciated!


Installed 12.9 caps and tearing went away -_______- what a noob I am.


----------



## dstoler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Afterburner doesn't always play right with 7970 voltage, try Trixx for some confirmation.
> 
> 
> 
> trixx does not even show me voltage lol.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Scroll down.
Click to expand...

OMGGGGG!!!! The best post ever! I have been trying for 5 hours to raise the voltage on my xfx HD7950 with no luck. I have ben looking all over the internet for the black edition bios and could not find it. I tried MSI and did all the .cfg tricks registry stuff and i tried sapphire trixx utility. I was like well trixx isnt going to work because it doesnt even show the voltage so i kept searching the interwebs for an answer. Just about to call it a night and Saw these 2 posts and i was like OMG! I opened up Trixzx and "scrolled down" and sure enough it lets me change the voltages! Wow how dumb am i? I upgraded from a hd6850 and it didnt have the power options in trixx so there was no scrolling down so i didnt even see it.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> OMGGGGG!!!! The best post ever! I have been trying for 5 hours to raise the voltage on my xfx HD7950 with no luck. I have ben looking all over the internet for the black edition bios and could not find it. I tried MSI and did all the .cfg tricks registry stuff and i tried sapphire trixx utility. I was like well trixx isnt going to work because it doesnt even show the voltage so i kept searching the interwebs for an answer. Just about to call it a night and Saw these 2 posts and i was like OMG! I opened up Trixzx and "scrolled down" and sure enough it lets me change the voltages! Wow how dumb am i? I upgraded from a hd6850 and it didnt have the power options in trixx so there was no scrolling down so i didnt even see it.


lol yea i didnt even know you had to scroll down either that didnt fix my issue tho after a few flashes and driver changes i got voltage control in msi-ab and trixx.


----------



## adamlop

Guys with Sapp hd7950 Vapor-x any success with flashing this card? Mine don't want to work with bioses dumped with GPU-Z.
I've lost my first(850mhz), and now flashed with second one (950mhz Boost dumped with TRIXX).
Any confirmed bios which work with Vapor-x ?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

whats max safe volts for a 7970 under water right now 1200mhz is taking 1.231 in msi ab and showing 1.215 in gpuz under load. And is their a way to go over the 1.30 that msi ab lets you set for benchmarking ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Afterburner doesn't always play right with 7970 voltage, try Trixx for some confirmation.
> 
> 
> 
> trixx does not even show me voltage lol.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Scroll down.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> OMGGGGG!!!! The best post ever! I have been trying for 5 hours to raise the voltage on my xfx HD7950 with no luck. I have ben looking all over the internet for the black edition bios and could not find it. I tried MSI and did all the .cfg tricks registry stuff and i tried sapphire trixx utility. I was like well trixx isnt going to work because it doesnt even show the voltage so i kept searching the interwebs for an answer. Just about to call it a night and Saw these 2 posts and i was like OMG! I opened up Trixzx and "scrolled down" and sure enough it lets me change the voltages! Wow how dumb am i? I upgraded from a hd6850 and it didnt have the power options in trixx so there was no scrolling down so i didnt even see it.
Click to expand...











You should use the modded trixx linked in my sig thread, 2nd post. It gives trixx memory voltage.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> whats max safe volts for a 7970 under water right now 1200mhz is taking 1.231 in msi ab and showing 1.215 in gpuz under load. And is their a way to go over the 1.30 that msi ab lets you set for benchmarking ?


Use trixx for benching, it holds voltage a lot better and you can squeeze a lil bit more out of it. 1.3v is safe under water. That said I run 1.2v 24/7 and bench 1.3v and up.


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> whats max safe volts for a 7970 under water right now 1200mhz is taking 1.231 in msi ab and showing 1.215 in gpuz under load.


7970 can take up to 1.3v on the core clock. Your vdrop should depend on your ASIC quality.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> 7970 can take up to 1.3v on the core clock. Your vdrop should depend on your ASIC quality.


How do i know the ASIC quality ?


----------



## adamlop

GPU-Z right click on top window bar, read ASIC quality option


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> GPU-Z right click on top window bar, read ASIC quality option


Thanks my card is 72% looks like i got a crappy card lol 1200mhz with 1.23 in msi-ab and 1.215 in gpuz.


----------



## adamlop

So i compared two 950mhz boost bioses left side dumped with TRIXX (work), right side GPU-Z (black screen)
Only with that left my vapor-x wakes up (clear fields), so why GPU-Z writing some additional bytes...

For example i found something in win atiflash revision history (of course i use dos ver.)
_-Fixed checksum issue when flashing boards with ISR already existing_



My dumped 850mhz bios have clear ISR fields, but doesn't work








Why this time GPU-Z not saved ISR?

So exactly i don't know, should be ISR there, or not...

Tryed to flash with -noisrsn but nothing helps


----------



## stubass

for thoose wanting to break limits imposed by CCC maybe this is also worth a look...
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335

i havernt tried this method so wondering if it is worth trying.. i did the un-official way


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> for thoose wanting to break limits imposed by CCC maybe this is also worth a look...
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335
> i havernt tried this method so wondering if it is worth trying.. i did the un-official way


It works, but if your using 12.8/12.9 is flickering galore at 2D...its crazy really









Guys, do i need to disable ULPS again with recent drivers regarding overclocking? what pros and cons i will get with it disabled? thanks!


----------



## rck1984

Received my 2nd 7950 today and installed it.
I am new to crossfire, what drivers should i be running for best performance in CF? 12.6? 12.7? or new beta drivers?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Thanks my card is 72% looks like i got a crappy card lol 1200mhz with 1.23 in msi-ab and 1.215 in gpuz.


ASIC is virtually irrelevant. My card is 84% and I'm running 1250 at 1.25 volts


----------



## RKTGX95

Does anyone here knows what is different about the ASUS HD 7950 DCUII-V2?

AFAIK it has a better fitted and performing cooler and a shorter pcb, but no real pics of that. i wonder if it comes with a backplate and which water blocks might fit on it?

(and the most interesting, its the cheapest 7950 available to me...)

though IMO its not as good as the Sapphire 950 mhz one. (which not only do i have, but is also the most expensive one)


----------



## munaim1

Hmmmm... might end up upgrading my 460s for the 7970.....


----------



## rck1984

Anyone on what drivers i should use with crossfire 7950? I have been searching OCN and on the net but I can't really find a straight answer. I am sure people with a 7950/7970 crossfire setup could point me out what drivers to pick for best performance?

Also, due heat in the past summer I only use a average overlock of 4.0ghz on my i5 2500k right now. Would this be a bottleneck for my CFX setup? Would increasing it to 4.5ghz be better?


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Anyone on what drivers i should use with crossfire 7950? I have been searching OCN and on the net but I can't really find a straight answer. I am sure people with a 7950/7970 crossfire setup could point me out what drivers to pick for best performance?
> Also, due heat in the past summer I only use a average overlock of 4.0ghz on my i5 2500k right now. Would this be a bottleneck for my CFX setup? Would increasing it to 4.5ghz be better?


i think you should increase to 4.5 regardless of the CFX setup, if your cooler will handle it without geting too hot and without too much noise. (its OCN after all)
and IMO i don't think the difference between 4 and 4.5 on a CFX setup would be more than 3 frames of a difference. (just my opinion, not to quote me on that)


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> Does anyone here knows what is different about the ASUS HD 7950 DCUII-V2?
> AFAIK it has a better fitted and performing cooler and a shorter pcb, but no real pics of that. i wonder if it comes with a backplate and which water blocks might fit on it?
> (and the most interesting, its the cheapest 7950 available to me...)
> though IMO its not as good as the Sapphire 950 mhz one. (which not only do i have, but is also the most expensive one)


Buy it! my friend has it, it was like 62c at 1.2v + 1200 on core, very very good oc load temps!

My sapphire 950 runs hot









Dunno why, i got HAF 932, (fans on max ) ambient around 24c, and with 1.1600v @1150/1460 i get like 70c with fans on *80%*









its disappointing, dunno if the cooler is not tightened or the card need "breaking in" but i expected like 5c lower at least...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> GPU-Z right click on top window bar, read ASIC quality option
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks my card is 72% looks like i got a crappy card lol 1200mhz with 1.23 in msi-ab and 1.215 in gpuz.
Click to expand...

I dunno about you, but I prefer 72-75% asic cards. Do not want 80%+ cards.


----------



## spinejam

Anyone have the Sapphire 7950 950Mhz bios? Going to try it on my MSI 7950 TFIII.


----------



## adamlop

Here is mine

s950mhz.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## mwayne5

My MSI R7950 TFIII will be delivered today...pumped


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I dunno about you, but I prefer 72-75% asic cards. Do not want 80%+ cards.


my first 7970 so im still new to them im loving it at 1200mhz tho its as fast or faster then my old trifire with 5800s and less heat then those put out running boinc all night my pc is putting out cool to luke warm air not tons of hot air like on the trifire.


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Here is mine
> 
> s950mhz.zip 41k .zip file


tx adam_


----------



## dstoler

Quote:


> You should use the modded trixx linked in my sig thread, 2nd post. It gives trixx memory voltage.


Ok so I downloaded the modded version of trixx and renamed the trixx2.exe to trixx.exe and put it in the trixx folder and replaced the old exe file and i still do not have a memory voltage control. I havent tried restarting so going to do that now. If you guys know the secret let me know please, and thank you in advance.


----------



## revro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *munaim1*
> 
> Hmmmm... might end up upgrading my 460s for the 7970.....


just wait 3-4 months and you can get 8970

best
revro


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Ok so I downloaded the modded version of trixx and renamed the trixx2.exe to trixx.exe and put it in the trixx folder and replaced the old exe file and i still do not have a memory voltage control. I havent tried restarting so going to do that now. If you guys know the secret let me know please, and thank you in advance.


modded trixx gave me memory voltage do you have memory voltage inside of msi afterburner ?

On another note whats the safe memory voltage for water cooling ? im at 1600mhz so far with the stock 1.6.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *revro*
> 
> just wait 3-4 months and you can get 8970
> best
> revro


lol then when they come out you wait another few months for the next big card if you keep waiting you will never get a upgrade i finaly bit the bullet and upgraded from a 5970 and 5870 to a 7970 with a waterblock and i love it runs so cool and super fast.


----------



## dstoler

No I do not have memory voltage option in msi ab either. hmm maybe it just doesnt work for my card. restart didnt do anything either.


----------



## adamlop

Right side of Core Voltage slider is black arrow it should open additional controls


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> You should use the modded trixx linked in my sig thread, 2nd post. It gives trixx memory voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok so I downloaded the modded version of trixx and renamed the trixx2.exe to trixx.exe and put it in the trixx folder and replaced the old exe file and i still do not have a memory voltage control. I havent tried restarting so going to do that now. If you guys know the secret let me know please, and thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

What card have you got? You need to have drivers properly installed and the supporting files/etc. Did you do the 2nd part?


----------



## dstoler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> You should use the modded trixx linked in my sig thread, 2nd post. It gives trixx memory voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok so I downloaded the modded version of trixx and renamed the trixx2.exe to trixx.exe and put it in the trixx folder and replaced the old exe file and i still do not have a memory voltage control. I havent tried restarting so going to do that now. If you guys know the secret let me know please, and thank you in advance.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> What card have you got? You need to have drivers properly installed and the supporting files/etc. Did you do the 2nd part?
Click to expand...

I have xfx Double D r7950 (800mhz stock non BE), ummmm 2nd part? Guess I missed that...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> You should use the modded trixx linked in my sig thread, 2nd post. It gives trixx memory voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok so I downloaded the modded version of trixx and renamed the trixx2.exe to trixx.exe and put it in the trixx folder and replaced the old exe file and i still do not have a memory voltage control. I havent tried restarting so going to do that now. If you guys know the secret let me know please, and thank you in advance.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> What card have you got? You need to have drivers properly installed and the supporting files/etc. Did you do the 2nd part?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I have xfx Double D r7950 (800mhz stock non BE), ummmm 2nd part? Guess I missed that...
Click to expand...

You got trixx from my sig thread right? At the top of that thread is the link for the files to enable voltage control. DL and run it.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

hey tsm whats the safe memory volts im trying to get 1800mhz stable


----------



## tsm106

When I bench, I max it.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When I bench, I max it.


for 24/7 ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When I bench, I max it.
> 
> 
> 
> for 24/7 ?
Click to expand...

You could under water, mem doesn't get that hot.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

right now i have it running 1200mhz on 1.23/1.215 droop with memory at 1800 on 1.625 i got P10,600 on 3dmark11. Just tuning what i will use for games when needed my card does not seem to like to go much faster then 1200mhz tho.


----------



## dstoler

Yes I went to the amd how to guide and then ended up downloading the modded trixx2.exe file and dropped it in the sapphire trixx directory on my pc and clicked overwrite existing file and then restarted my pc and it did not add mvddc control.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Yes I went to the amd how to guide and then ended up downloading the modded trixx2.exe file and dropped it in the sapphire trixx directory on my pc and clicked overwrite existing file and then restarted my pc and it did not add mvddc control.


At the top, dowload the amd clock control files.


----------



## ElevenEleven

ASUS ROG HD 7970 has been released:
http://rog.asus.com/162242012/graphics-cards-2/asus-rog-matrix-hd-7970-ghz-edition-graphics-card-launched/










So how about it!

TechPowerUp review : http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/HD_7970_Matrix/

Doesn't seem to be as quiet as the Sapphire I have (though I think my Sapphire has extremely whiny fans at 60% speed +... so maybe it's got defective or mis-aligned fans).


----------



## dstoler

that is for msi afterburner it says?


----------



## psyside

ULPS and overclocking single GPU, disable or not?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Doesn't make a difference for single GPU - don't disable.


----------



## psyside

Ok now i got different problem, 3 times i tried playing YT video, instant hardlock with screen in different colors/big artifacts.

Its driver right? this is are my 2d clocks, wonder if that is the issue, isn't this to low for 7950/AMD card?


----------



## stubass

i think 300/150 are like idle clocks see what the max clocks were or put it under load and see what the sensors read..

as too your hardlocking and artifacting i cant really say why


----------



## Ghost23

Installing this Accelero is the most stressful thing I've ever done. -.-


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i think 300/150 are like idle clocks see what the max clocks were or put it under load and see what the sensors read..
> as too your hardlocking and artifacting i cant really say why


Its to low clocks methinks, you got the same idle or? does YT works good for you, i'm using 12.7 beta, because it was very unstable on 12.9 flicker fest...


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Ok now i got different problem, 3 times i tried playing YT video, instant hardlock with screen in different colors/big artifacts.
> Its driver right? this is are my 2d clocks, wonder if that is the issue, isn't this to low for 7950/AMD card?


Those are legitimate low-load clocks - that's what my card does exactly.

As for your problems - what Core and VRM temperatures are you seeing? (*I'm sorry if you already said that earlier*) Is this only at max load? Do you see your artifacts and hardlocks right away or after you do intensive stuff for a while? Do you see them in certain benchmarks or everywhere in games?

Is the card stable at stock - before overclocking?

Lastly, have you tried 12.7 and 12.9? Have you done a clean install of your driver, such as by running DriverSweeper on AMD and nVidia graphics drivers in safe mode before installing your current driver?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Its to low clocks methinks, you got the same idle or? does YT works good for you, i'm using 12.7 beta, because it was very unstable on 12.9 flicker fest...


have you disabled Hardware Acceleration? Right click the video, go to Settings, and uncheck box.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i think 300/150 are like idle clocks see what the max clocks were or put it under load and see what the sensors read..
> as too your hardlocking and artifacting i cant really say why
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Its to low clocks methinks, you got the same idle or? does YT works good for you, i'm using 12.7 beta, because it was very unstable on 12.9 flicker fest...
Click to expand...

see the difference between idle and load.. it is normal..




and yeah i forgot i had some issues with youtube so i also disabled HW acceleration like that the above said to do and havernt issues with YT since


----------



## holgate

so ive had two msi 7970's since they were released earlier and i just added them to my watercooling loop. so now im trying to overclock them to 1200/1500 but i hit a wall at 1100 or i should say i cant overclock to 1100 without artifacting, ive tried to read through the forums and did some searching but i cant find an answer to this little problem, check sig rig below for specs


----------



## mwayne5

My MSI R7950 finally made it











My rig looked so lonely before without it


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> see the difference between idle and load.. it is normal..
> 
> 
> and yeah i forgot i had some issues with youtube so i also disabled HW acceleration like that the above said to do and havernt issues with YT since


Thanks rep + ye i disabled HW accelaration, will report back if i have any issues after.

BTW great clock on memory there, and temps as well!

Can you please post GPU-Z with VRM temps after oc load with heaven max settings, (10+ mins run) thanks!


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Those are legitimate low-load clocks - that's what my card does exactly.
> As for your problems - what Core and VRM temperatures are you seeing? (*I'm sorry if you already said that earlier*) Is this only at max load? Do you see your artifacts and hardlocks right away or after you do intensive stuff for a while? Do you see them in certain benchmarks or everywhere in games?
> Is the card stable at stock - before overclocking?
> Lastly, have you tried 12.7 and 12.9? Have you done a clean install of your driver, such as by running DriverSweeper on AMD and nVidia graphics drivers in safe mode before installing your current driver?


Thanks, rep +

1. Core temps at idle are around 33-40, load around 70 (oc 1150/1460) @1.150v and 70% fan, VRM 1 is around 80-90, VRM 2 - 60-70.

2. Its only when i start youtube video, but now after i disabled hw acceleartion i guess its fine, will report back.

3. I see the artifacts in game as well but pretty sure that was cause i forced my core to much around 1200

4. Yes, i'm using 12.7, 12.9 was flickering galore, due to using oc programs and unofficial oc modes (confirmed on G3D)

5, Yes clean install.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Artifacts could be due to an unstable overclock. Overclock stability seems to be a function of temperature with these cards, so if you can set your fans to 100% and check if you get lower temperatures and reduce / eliminate artifacts, that would be your answer. Could also be insufficient voltage for that overclock (not sure on that). Your temperatures look fine though. If you don't see any of those artifacts at stock without overclocking, could just be that 1150 is too high of an overclock for your card on air cooling.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Thanks rep + ye i disabled HW accelaration, will report back if i have any issues after.
> BTW great clock on memory there, and temps as well!
> Can you please post GPU-Z with VRM temps after oc load with heaven max settings, (10+ mins run) thanks!


~20 min of Heaven maxed 1200p


----------



## dstoler

Well guys I messed up BAD!!!!!!! I have a fan speed 3 position switch in my computer hooked up to my push pull h100 configuration and when the computer was off I reached in there and turned it to high position and hung it back up on its bracket i made in side the pc. Well basically the switch is metal and somehow i didnt hang it back up right (yes i know a metal anything inside pc is prob not smartest idea but with my previous card it wasnt an issue as it was a lot smaller than this one and was no threat to it) and i turned my pc back on and heard a POP sound and the pc shutdown. I felt like my world stopped for a few seconds I jsut knew it was bad. Well anyways, my 5 day old 7950 is shot. A little metal (chip?) black in color shorted out and literally popped off the graphics card. I am not sure what it is, there are many of them on the underside of the card (exposed part) so long story short I am out $300 sigh....

I didnt wanna get on here and tell this story cause i feel like such an ass but maybe there is someone as complacent as me on here reading this and it will encourage them to not do what i did. Dammit Man!


----------



## mwayne5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Well guys I messed up BAD!!!!!!! I have a fan speed 3 position switch in my computer hooked up to my push pull h100 configuration and when the computer was off I reached in there and turned it to high position and hung it back up on its bracket i made in side the pc. Well basically the switch is metal and somehow i didnt hang it back up right (yes i know a metal anything inside pc is prob not smartest idea but with my previous card it wasnt an issue as it was a lot smaller than this one and was no threat to it) and i turned my pc back on and heard a POP sound and the pc shutdown. I felt like my world stopped for a few seconds I jsut knew it was bad. Well anyways, my 5 day old 7950 is shot. A little metal (chip?) black in color shorted out and literally popped off the graphics card. I am not sure what it is, there are many of them on the underside of the card (exposed part) so long story short I am out $300 sigh....
> I didnt wanna get on here and tell this story cause i feel like such an ass but maybe there is someone as complacent as me on here reading this and it will encourage them to not do what i did. Dammit Man!


Blows, but I know those feels. In my very first build I just got in my brand new ASUS Radeon x1950Pro graphics card. In the case I had a case fan in the front that I had to get an extension cable for. I went cheap on it and I paid for it....so did my CPU. I had the computer on my desk with the side panel off. I decided to move the cable a bit, not unplug it, just kind tuck it somewhere else. I did this with the computer on not thinking anything bad would happen. Well as soon as I touched the extension cable, one of the metal ends came out of the connector and drug along the top side of the graphics card sparking along the way. Well, I killed a few things lol. So yeah, everyone has done something stupid in their lives and we pay for it.

Edit: HA just noticed your sig. Self fulfilling prophecy much lol


----------



## dstoler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mwayne5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Well guys I messed up BAD!!!!!!! I have a fan speed 3 position switch in my computer hooked up to my push pull h100 configuration and when the computer was off I reached in there and turned it to high position and hung it back up on its bracket i made in side the pc. Well basically the switch is metal and somehow i didnt hang it back up right (yes i know a metal anything inside pc is prob not smartest idea but with my previous card it wasnt an issue as it was a lot smaller than this one and was no threat to it) and i turned my pc back on and heard a POP sound and the pc shutdown. I felt like my world stopped for a few seconds I jsut knew it was bad. Well anyways, my 5 day old 7950 is shot. A little metal (chip?) black in color shorted out and literally popped off the graphics card. I am not sure what it is, there are many of them on the underside of the card (exposed part) so long story short I am out $300 sigh....
> I didnt wanna get on here and tell this story cause i feel like such an ass but maybe there is someone as complacent as me on here reading this and it will encourage them to not do what i did. Dammit Man!
> 
> 
> 
> Blows, but I know those feels. In my very first build I just got in my brand new ASUS Radeon x1950Pro graphics card. In the case I had a case fan in the front that I had to get an extension cable for. I went cheap on it and I paid for it....so did my CPU. I had the computer on my desk with the side panel off. I decided to move the cable a bit, not unplug it, just kind tuck it somewhere else. I did this with the computer on not thinking anything bad would happen. Well as soon as I touched the extension cable, one of the metal ends came out of the connector and drug along the top side of the graphics card sparking along the way. Well, I killed a few things lol. So yeah, everyone has done something stupid in their lives and we pay for it.
> 
> Edit: HA just noticed your sig. Self fulfilling prophecy much lol
Click to expand...

too many to count. To think I use to work on F16's Avionics systems. Damn glad I never killed anyone. Hah im just messin. But I did wind up with a few extra nuts n bolts after a couple jobs







thanks for sharing yours tory man it did make me feel better. Could have been worse I guess, I have over $1000 worth of stuff in my pc not counting the graphics card, that woulda been real real real bad


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> see the difference between idle and load.. it is normal..
> 
> 
> and yeah i forgot i had some issues with youtube so i also disabled HW acceleration like that the above said to do and havernt issues with YT since
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks rep + ye i disabled HW accelaration, will report back if i have any issues after.
> 
> BTW great clock on memory there, and temps as well!
> 
> Can you please post GPU-Z with VRM temps after oc load with heaven max settings, (10+ mins run) thanks!
Click to expand...

i am now having problems with heaven crashing my system after about a minute after loading


----------



## Ghost23

Spent the better half of my night setting up the heatsinks and getting my card set up for the Accelero, pretty excited, most stressful thing I've done though, taking apart my baby.

Once you get it done it's really not that big of a deal but everywhere I read someone was like "BE CAREFUL OR EVERYTHING WILL DIEEEEEE" so I was a bit intimidated. Leaving the epoxy to dry overnight, then I'll put her in in the morning!


----------



## Samurai707

I've been having some issues with my 7970, I feel like this was happening around release of the cards but I can't seem to find any threads or posts about it when I search around. My League of Legends and Garry's Mod play as though they are running in Slow-Motion. Characters are glitchy (like jumping around as to get to the natural spot on the map opposed to where they would be if it was actually in slow motion). My FPS in LoL is in the 90s when this happens, 25-75 ping depending on time of play as well.

I did see when I was in Garry's Mod that my 7970 would downclock the core to 501 mhz from my 1125 OC and stock settings (1080 core) occasionally, but not enough where it would cause the stuttering in the games.
I would be extremely grateful for all the help I can get.









The thread I created, so as to not clog up this thread, is located below:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1317055/7970-problems-every-game-is-now-in-slow-motion


----------



## adamlop

Guys, how you can seat with fan speed more than 50%, mine vapor-x is like a starting F16 with more than 50% fan speed...


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Guys, how you can seat with fan speed more than 50%, mine vapor-x is like a starting F16 with more than 50% fan speed...


is your fan set to auto, did you try setting the fan to manual and even making a speed curve?


----------



## Garming

After 3 nights of letting my 7950 TF3 run for 3 nights, it is still singing the song of its people. The coil whine is ridiculous. Just bought a used sapphire 7950 950mhz and hope it turns out better. The seller claims it doesn't whine. I really hope that is the case else my seasonic x-660 may be the problem right?


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Guys, how you can seat with fan speed more than 50%, mine vapor-x is like a starting F16 with more than 50% fan speed...


I've wondered that myself but what amount of noise people tolerate varies a lot. With boost bios enabled no OC (waiting non beta Trixx or new afterburner for OC) my temps were 70C+ with fan reaching 48%+ which was too much for me. Then I installed 14cm side fan to the case which blows straight to the card and temp's lowered to 60C and vrm temps came down 15C as well. I even ended up lowering the default fan speed with afterburner so that fan runs at 40-44% under load and temps still stay under 65C.


----------



## adamlop

My 7950 vapor-x without oc on second bios but only 850mhz (boost doesn't work for me until i set power limit to +20%)
max temp 56 oC
max fan speed 47% (1973rpm)
max vrm1 *71* oC
max vrm2 55 oC
Looks perfectly after one loop of unigine heaven for me, and that was quiet

But, on 1100/[email protected] 1.057v / Fan AUTO
max temp 64 oC
max fan speed 57% (2520 rpm)
max vrm1 *107* oC
max vrm2 69 oC

worried about vrm1 temp, but 57% speed was maximum acceptable loudnes for me.
So let's look at manual fan speed:
FAN / max gpu t / max vrm1 t / max vrm2
100% / 59 / *91* / 59
80%/ 60 / *93* / 60
60% / 63 / *105* / 68

And the last one, after dropping core to 1050mhz, Fan AUTO
57% / 64 / *104* / 68

So let's find when i drop under 90 oC on VRM1 / Fixed fan speed 60%:
clock / gpu temp / vrm1 temp
1000 / 62 / *97*
so let's look at BOOST 950 core clock
950 / 62 / *96*
So temp on vrm1 can safely reach 100 oC on sapphire 7950 Vapor-X which is normal temp at boost clock 950mhz


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> Does anyone here knows what is different about the ASUS HD 7950 DCUII-V2?
> AFAIK it has a better fitted and performing cooler and a shorter pcb, but no real pics of that. i wonder if it comes with a backplate and which water blocks might fit on it?
> (and the most interesting, its the cheapest 7950 available to me...)
> though IMO its not as good as the Sapphire 950 mhz one. (which not only do i have, but is also the most expensive one)


The ASUS has cooling issues with its 7950. Ref here http://www.behardware.com/news/12153/asus-hd-7950-directcu-ii-defaut-attention.html


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> Does anyone here knows what is different about the ASUS HD 7950 DCUII-V2?
> AFAIK it has a better fitted and performing cooler and a shorter pcb, but no real pics of that. i wonder if it comes with a backplate and which water blocks might fit on it?
> (and the most interesting, its the cheapest 7950 available to me...)
> though IMO its not as good as the Sapphire 950 mhz one. (which not only do i have, but is also the most expensive one)
> 
> 
> 
> The ASUS has cooling issues with its 7950. Ref here http://www.behardware.com/news/12153/asus-hd-7950-directcu-ii-defaut-attention.html
Click to expand...

i believe this cooling issue has been resolved in newer revisions, i think there have been 3 versions released such as the V2. the issues were mostly with the first releases early this year... what every the case i have no overheating issues i have en-counted while testing mine


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> ~20 min of Heaven maxed 1200p


Thanks dude, rep + is this 7970?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i am now having problems with heaven crashing my system after about a minute after loading


Well sorry about that








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The ASUS has cooling issues with its 7950. Ref here http://www.behardware.com/news/12153/asus-hd-7950-directcu-ii-defaut-attention.html


No cooling issues on V2 at all, your link is about first revision.


----------



## billgates8889

Oh, right sorry. Never knew a second edition came out.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Artifacts could be due to an unstable overclock. Overclock stability seems to be a function of temperature with these cards, so if you can set your fans to 100% and check if you get lower temperatures and reduce / eliminate artifacts, that would be your answer. Could also be insufficient voltage for that overclock (not sure on that). Your temperatures look fine though. If you don't see any of those artifacts at stock without overclocking, could just be that 1150 is too high of an overclock for your card on air cooling.


I get artifacts and crashes, when i pressed youtube video, with few GPU-z interations in the background.

I disabled HW acc and the issue is fixed at least for now.

Also please guys, someone explain me this.

How important is to go with small steps when you OC GPU's ? lets say if my card is good to pass 30 mins test 1150/1500 with small steps, will it crash quite a bit faster on if i jump from 950/1250 to 1150/1500 directly or even on lower clocks? does this really affect stability so much? thanks in advance!


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> I get artifacts and crashes, when i pressed youtube video, with few GPU-z interations in the background.
> I disabled HW acc and the issue is fixed at least for now.
> Also please guys, someone explain me this.
> How important is to go with small steps when you OC GPU's ? lets say if my card is good to pass 30 mins test 1150/1500 with small steps, will it crash quite a bit faster on if i jump from 950/1250 to 1150/1500 directly or even on lower clocks? does this really affect stability so much? thanks in advance!


Well, its really to do with not frying you card. For example, if your card @ load was 60 degrees stock clocks then you overclock your card to 1150 and your temps were 92 degrees, your effectively reducing your cards lifespan. Same thing goes with overvolting, setting the voltage to 1.3 without any small steps could possibly fry/overheat your hardware. I usually check my temperatures before make another small step. Overclocking is really about patience and not being overly greedy. You could go in big leaps but its not recommended.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> I get artifacts and crashes, when i pressed youtube video, with few GPU-z interations in the background.
> I disabled HW acc and the issue is fixed at least for now.
> Also please guys, someone explain me this.
> How important is to go with small steps when you OC GPU's ? lets say if my card is good to pass 30 mins test 1150/1500 with small steps, will it crash quite a bit faster on if i jump from 950/1250 to 1150/1500 directly or even on lower clocks? does this really affect stability so much? thanks in advance!
> 
> 
> 
> Well, its really to do with not frying you card. For example, if your card @ load was 60 degrees stock clocks then you overclock your card to 1150 and your temps were 92 degrees, your effectively reducing your cards lifespan. Same thing goes with overvolting, setting the voltage to 1.3 without any small steps could possibly fry/overheat your hardware. I usually check my temperatures before make another small step. Overclocking is really about patience and not being overly greedy. You could go in big leaps but its not recommended.
Click to expand...

yeah mate slowly find your stable core then move on to memory..

with memory slowly increase it and also do a 3Dmark11 bench as say your get your memory to 1600 and score 9000 graphics score then raise your memory to 1650 and you graphics score drops to 8800 this means your memory is recieving data to fast to process and has entered ECC mode in which is why the performance decrease.. thus while overclocking your vRAM its best to run a 3Dmark11 run to test this..

PS: i think heaven crashed becuase i increased my CPU OC and wasnt stable as on reboot i entered BIOS and had an error about system crashing due to overclocking and my CPU went back to stock


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah mate slowly find your stable core then move on to memory..
> with memory slowly increase it and also do a 3Dmark11 bench as say your get your memory to 1600 and score 9000 graphics score then raise your memory to 1650 and you graphics score drops to 8800 this means your memory is recieving data to fast to process and has entered ECC mode in which is why the performance decrease.. thus while overclocking your vRAM its best to run a 3Dmark11 run to test this..
> PS: i think heaven crashed becuase i increased my CPU OC and wasnt stable as on reboot i entered BIOS and had an error about system crashing due to overclocking and my CPU went back to stock


Thanks rep +

Yea, i know how DDR5 EC works, i was just wondering, how much effect has direct oc compared to slow steps, if the card temps are in check lest say 70-73 max, i guess this card have troubles over 75 regarding oc/stability.

Regarding your crash, just enter BIOS, and your CPU oc/settings should be back, thats how GB BIOS worked in the past, i think its similar now as well.

If you have some spare time, please do max heaven oc bench, with GPU-Z in the background showing max VRM/core temps, 15 mins loop would be enough








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Well, its really to do with not frying you card. For example, if your card @ load was 60 degrees stock clocks then you overclock your card to 1150 and your temps were 92 degrees, your effectively reducing your cards lifespan. Same thing goes with overvolting, setting the voltage to 1.3 without any small steps could possibly fry/overheat your hardware. I usually check my temperatures before make another small step. Overclocking is really about patience and not being overly greedy. You could go in big leaps but its not recommended.


Thanks, yea i know but my point was other, anyway thanks again.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah mate slowly find your stable core then move on to memory..
> with memory slowly increase it and also do a 3Dmark11 bench as say your get your memory to 1600 and score 9000 graphics score then raise your memory to 1650 and you graphics score drops to 8800 this means your memory is recieving data to fast to process and has entered ECC mode in which is why the performance decrease.. thus while overclocking your vRAM its best to run a 3Dmark11 run to test this..
> PS: i think heaven crashed becuase i increased my CPU OC and wasnt stable as on reboot i entered BIOS and had an error about system crashing due to overclocking and my CPU went back to stock
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks rep +
> 
> Yea, i know how DDR5 EC works, i was just wondering, how much effect has direct oc compared to slow steps, if the card temps are in check lest say 70-73 max, i guess this card have troubles over 75 regarding oc/stability.
> 
> Regarding your crash, just enter BIOS, and your CPU oc/settings should be back, thats how GB BIOS worked in the past, i think its similar now as well.
> 
> If you have some spare time, please do max heaven oc bench, with GPU-Z in the background showing max VRM/core temps, 15 mins loop would be enough
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Well, its really to do with not frying you card. For example, if your card @ load was 60 degrees stock clocks then you overclock your card to 1150 and your temps were 92 degrees, your effectively reducing your cards lifespan. Same thing goes with overvolting, setting the voltage to 1.3 without any small steps could possibly fry/overheat your hardware. I usually check my temperatures before make another small step. Overclocking is really about patience and not being overly greedy. You could go in big leaps but its not recommended.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks, yea i know but my point was other, anyway thanks again.
Click to expand...

cool, yeah i went back to my stable OC of 4.5 as i wrote the settings down.... i will do the heaven run in the morning.. its 4.30pm here so its family time soon and i am on my lappy..


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> cool, yeah i went back to my stable OC of 4.5 as i wrote the settings down.... i will do the heaven run in the morning.. its 4.30pm here so its family time soon and i am on my lappy..


No problems dude tyt


----------



## shredded

Got my 7950 day before last! Been having some constant driver issues while overclocking, but i think each time it crashes, it just means i need more voltage...
Anyway, so far im only at a OC of 1060/1250, working up slowly!


----------



## PARTON

You're right. Technically, that's not a driver issue, when it crashes, recovers, and says that the display driver had stopped responding. That's most certainly too little voltage, too much heat, too much clock, or a combination thereof.


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i believe this cooling issue has been resolved in newer revisions, i think there have been 3 versions released such as the V2. the issues were mostly with the first releases early this year... what every the case i have no overheating issues i have en-counted while testing mine


the big question is what are the changes to the pcb? ASUS says its made shorter to save space but there is no real image of it. just wonder if its a shorten 7950 pcb, a shorten 7970 pcb or a whole new custom one. (and just wonder, how would it compare to a 7950 on a 7970 pcb with 6+8 pin)

And does it have a backplate????


----------



## Wbroach23

Hey fellas I have not purchased one of these cards just yet I've been waiting out the major release issues, and am now considering a purchase. Anyways I was wanting some advice on what card I should get (7970) that has had minimal issues and sticks close to my red and black theme. Thoughts, advice, and experiences with these problems or lack of problems would be good to know thanks


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wbroach23*
> 
> Hey fellas I have not purchased one of these cards just yet I've been waiting out the major release issues, and am now considering a purchase. Anyways I was wanting some advice on what card I should get (7970) that has had minimal issues and sticks close to my red and black theme. Thoughts, advice, and experiences with these problems or lack of problems would be good to know thanks


I'm personally swooning over the new ASUS Matrix Platinum HD 7970... Our 7970 by Sapphire (Dual-X OC) has been okay - a fair amount of electrical-buzz-sounding coil whine and whiny loud fans at high RPM, but fine performance-wise.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i believe this cooling issue has been resolved in newer revisions, i think there have been 3 versions released such as the V2. the issues were mostly with the first releases early this year... what every the case i have no overheating issues i have en-counted while testing mine
> 
> 
> 
> the big question is what are the changes to the pcb? ASUS says its made shorter to save space but there is no real image of it. just wonder if its a shorten 7950 pcb, a shorten 7970 pcb or a whole new custom one. (and just wonder, how would it compare to a 7950 on a 7970 pcb with 6+8 pin)
> 
> And does it have a backplate????
Click to expand...

i am not really sure on the PCB.. but it looks to me its the same PCB but with a different cooler (its shorter and doesnt hang over the back of the PCB)
it does not have a backplate, i believe only the TOP models do..
http://wccftech.com/asus-announces-radeon-hd-7950-directcu-ii-v2-features-updated-pcb-cooling-design/
http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/AMD_Series/HD7950DC23GD5V2/#specifications


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah mate slowly find your stable core then move on to memory..
> with memory slowly increase it and also do a 3Dmark11 bench as say your get your memory to 1600 and score 9000 graphics score then raise your memory to 1650 and you graphics score drops to 8800 this means your memory is recieving data to fast to process and has entered ECC mode in which is why the performance decrease.. thus while overclocking your vRAM its best to run a 3Dmark11 run to test this..
> PS: i think heaven crashed becuase i increased my CPU OC and wasnt stable as on reboot i entered BIOS and had an error about system crashing due to overclocking and my CPU went back to stock
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks rep +
> 
> Yea, i know how DDR5 EC works, i was just wondering, how much effect has direct oc compared to slow steps, if the card temps are in check lest say 70-73 max, i guess this card have troubles over 75 regarding oc/stability.
> 
> Regarding your crash, just enter BIOS, and your CPU oc/settings should be back, thats how GB BIOS worked in the past, i think its similar now as well.
> 
> If you have some spare time, please do max heaven oc bench, with GPU-Z in the background showing max VRM/core temps, 15 mins loop would be enough
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> cool, yeah i went back to my stable OC of 4.5 as i wrote the settings down.... i will do the heaven run in the morning.. its 4.30pm here so its family time soon and i am on my lappy..
Click to expand...

i dropped the core down to 1100, here is the GPU-z screen shot after about 10minutes



still going to do a run at 1150 after some playing arround


----------



## psyside

Great temps there


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Great temps there


Makes me appreciate my water-cooling temps looking at those. Hit a toasty max of 39c playing crysis 2 modded


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Great temps there


thanks







i just cant seam to run heaven for more than a few minutes @ 1150.. and cant work out why.. could it be that i am using the asus branded CCC12.9







or hit the wall









what you think?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just cant seam to run heaven for more than a few minutes @ 1150.. and cant work out why.. could it be that i am using the asus branded CCC12.9
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or hit the wall
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what you think?


I would not waste my time with Heaven, inconsistent. Bench with Crysis, Crysis 2 and 3D Mark 11-for stability testing.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just cant seam to run heaven for more than a few minutes @ 1150.. and cant work out why.. could it be that i am using the asus branded CCC12.9
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or hit the wall
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what you think?
> 
> 
> 
> I would not waste my time with Heaven, inconsistent. Bench with Crysis, Crysis 2 and 3D Mark 11-for stability testing.
Click to expand...

well i dont have any games yet but will soon, i am a new PC gamer... however i have no issues with running 3Dmark11 at 1150/1725







+rep


----------



## rck1984

I got my crossfire Sapphire 7950 up and running now. Slightly overclocked them to 1050/1450 on stock voltage. Tried some games such as Crysis Warhead, Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3 and besides some odd and seldom random lookups/bsod's everything seems to run fine, thought I am not really sure on what fps I should expect? Also, I am running on the 12.7 drivers at this moment (feels most stable), the newest CAP and I turned ULPS off.

I am satisfied with my BF3 performance. Everything on max, 1080p. Lowest I have seen was about 65 on Caspian Border, highest about 140. Much better than my single 7950 before. Very satisfied.

The performance on Crysis Warhead and Crysis 2 isn't as good as I hoped it would be. Or maybe I am expecting too much. Warhead on Max settings, 1080p, AAx8 about 60-70 frames, dropping to mid 40's sometimes when things get crazy on the screen.

Crysis 2, I am running 1.9, Maldo HD, Blackfire and DX11 patch. Also on max settings, 1080p running on about 60-80 indoors, but as soon as I get outside (first level when u get outside) my fps drops to 30 (!) fps only... I tried without DX11 patch and that gives me a fps of around 100, whatever I do.

*What do you guys think? What drivers do you recommend? Also, is there other things I should do/could try to improve stability (random lookups/bsod's) and performance? And is Crysis 2 on max, DX11 that tough to run that even 7950 in CFX drops to 30 fps at times?*

Thanks a bunch!


----------



## Bal3Wolf

i like the 12.9 betas and i can run crysis 2 maxed out with my 7970 even with the graphic mods tho im only running the game at 1080p.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> i like the 12.9 betas and i can run crysis 2 maxed out with my 7970 even with the graphic mods tho im only running the game at 1080p.


Even with DX11 patch? The game runs perfect with all the mods mentioned but as soon as i enable DX11 my fps drops like mad.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I got my crossfire Sapphire 7950 up and running now. Slightly overclocked them to 1050/1450 on stock voltage. Tried some games such as Crysis Warhead, Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3 and besides some odd and seldom random lookups/bsod's everything seems to run fine, thought I am not really sure on what fps I should expect? Also, I am running on the 12.7 drivers at this moment (feels most stable), the newest CAP and I turned ULPS off.
> I am satisfied with my BF3 performance. Everything on max, 1080p. Lowest I have seen was about 65 on Caspian Border, highest about 140. Much better than my single 7950 before. Very satisfied.
> The performance on Crysis Warhead and Crysis 2 isn't as good as I hoped it would be. Or maybe I am expecting too much. Warhead on Max settings, 1080p, AAx8 about 60-70 frames, dropping to mid 40's sometimes when things get crazy on the screen.
> Crysis 2, I am running 1.9, Maldo HD, Blackfire and DX11 patch. Also on max settings, 1080p running on about 60-80 indoors, but as soon as I get outside (first level when u get outside) my fps drops to 30 (!) fps only... I tried without DX11 patch and that gives me a fps of around 100, whatever I do.
> *What do you guys think? What drivers do you recommend? Also, is there other things I should do/could try to improve stability (random lookups/bsod's) and performance? And is Crysis 2 on max, DX11 that tough to run that even 7950 in CFX drops to 30 fps at times?*
> Thanks a bunch!


CPU freq? you got problems for sure, i get 35 as minimum with single 7950 in Warhead heavely modded. Try 12.6/12.8 did you installed the latest 12.9 CAP?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just cant seam to run heaven for more than a few minutes @ 1150.. and cant work out why.. could it be that i am using the asus branded CCC12.9
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or hit the wall
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what you think?


Try 12.7 they seem to work good for me!









Also 1150 is where my core start to be unstable, try 1140 and you got great memory oc as well, which is more important imho for high textures mods and similar demanding games with AA/AF.

What voltage are you using?


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> CPU freq? you got problems for sure, i get 35 as minimum with single 7950 in Warhead heavely modded.


Got my i5 2500k on 4.0 ghz right now, haven't had the time to stabilize a higher overclock yet. Though i tried a 4.5 ghz overclock but that didn't make any difference. You maxed out Crysis? AA etc..?

Edit: Didn't notice your edit. I am using latest CAP indeed. Think i gave 12.8 a try but caused trouble. 12.6 i haven't tried yet.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Got my i5 2500k on 4.0 ghz right now, haven't had the time to stabilize a higher overclock yet. Though i tried a 4.5 ghz overclock but that didn't make any difference. You maxed out Crysis? AA etc..?


Not sure what you mean by maxed out, but average is around 45 fps ([email protected] 1140/1500) with 8XMSAA, 16XAF and Rygel textures pack.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Not sure what you mean by maxed out, but average is around 45 fps ([email protected] 1140/1500) with 8XMSAA, 16XAF and Rygel textures pack.


I ment AA / AF on max and such, got my answer








Strange..

I doubt its my cpu bottlenecking me, i would have noticed it on BF3 also then?
Anything i should change in CCC settings? should i run a specific AMD profile?


----------



## shredded

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PARTON*
> 
> You're right. Technically, that's not a driver issue, when it crashes, recovers, and says that the display driver had stopped responding. That's most certainly too little voltage, too much heat, too much clock, or a combination thereof.


Damn, i was hoping it was a driver issue that i could fix. It makes overclocking a pain. I would rather it screw some pixels up or something like my 5770 instead of completely crashing. Instead of the slow process of closing the non responsive game/benchmark/stress test program, i could just minimize, bump the voltage, and keep testing. Oh well, cant always have everything my way! So far i'm at 1100/1475. Anyone know how to push them further? I'm using Afterburner as CCC wont let me use the Performance tab as it is bugging out.

EDIT:
1100/1575!!!!
Core voltage at 1.156V
Stock Mem Voltage (1.5v)
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/zdsnf/

What does the Aux voltage do?


----------



## Ghost23

Just got this baby installed, amazing cooler, idle in the 20's now, can't wait to push her even further!


----------



## sherlock

Hi, I got a Gigabyte 7950 coming this weekend. Not sure which Driver is currently the best performance/stability wise, should I get:

12.7 or 12.8 or 12.9 Beta


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Even with DX11 patch? The game runs perfect with all the mods mentioned but as soon as i enable DX11 my fps drops like mad.


Yea im running high res dx11 and the MaLDoHD mod to make the game look better avg around 75 low of 56 high in the 100s. Using 1 [email protected]/1505 with my [email protected]
http://www.overclock.net/t/1315081/mt-mega-hd-crysis-2-maldohd-4-0-edition-released-beta-download/0_100


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just cant seam to run heaven for more than a few minutes @ 1150.. and cant work out why.. could it be that i am using the asus branded CCC12.9
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or hit the wall
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what you think?
> 
> 
> 
> Try 12.7 they seem to work good for me!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also 1150 is where my core start to be unstable, try 1140 and you got great memory oc as well, which is more important imho for high textures mods and similar demanding games with AA/AF.
> 
> What voltage are you using?
Click to expand...

cool, i might try 12.7 and see if its better








yeah my voltages are set at 1.2/1.7


----------



## Wbroach23

What do you guys think about The Sapphire Toxic 6GB?


----------



## Behemoth777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> cool, i might try 12.7 and see if its better
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeah my voltages are set at 1.2/1.7


12.7 made my memory oc unstable, that or there was a problem with the driver. But 12.9 works great for me. Just try them out and see which you like best.


----------



## OverClocker55

Dead Parents Club


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Behemoth777*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> cool, i might try 12.7 and see if its better
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeah my voltages are set at 1.2/1.7
> 
> 
> 
> 12.7 made my memory oc unstable, that or there was a problem with the driver. But 12.9 works great for me. Just try them out and see which you like best.
Click to expand...

cheers. Later i am going to try 12.7 and if that proves to screw my memory oc then back to 12.9


----------



## BritishBob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Just got this baby installed, amazing cooler, idle in the 20's now, can't wait to push her even further!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


20s... Lucky, my volts don't downclock on two screens, so I idle at 40.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wbroach23*
> 
> What do you guys think about The Sapphire Toxic 6GB?


http://www.overclock.net/t/1300665/massive-actual-physical-flight-sim-setup-using-fsx/0_100

Ask this man if he's satisfied with his purchase, though I think he's too busy using them to respond.


----------



## Wbroach23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1300665/massive-actual-physical-flight-sim-setup-using-fsx/0_100
> Ask this man if he's satisfied with his purchase, though I think he's too bus y using them to respond.


lol just the way you pu t that answers itself i belive lol i'll see if i can get a response lol.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shredded*
> 
> EDIT:
> 1100/1575!!!!
> Core voltage at 1.156V
> Stock Mem Voltage (1.5v)
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/zdsnf/
> What does the Aux voltage do?


Your memory runs at 1.5? how come?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Behemoth777*
> 
> 12.7 made my memory oc unstable, that or there was a problem with the driver. But 12.9 works great for me. Just try them out and see which you like best.


How come, your desktop is not flickering when using oc programs? its crazy flicker here, AFAIK AMD changed their drivers code, and now we need updated programs AB/Trixx in order to fix the issue.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> cool, i might try 12.7 and see if its better
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yeah my voltages are set at 1.2/1.7


Please report back, i also thinks 12.7 drivers make the oc a bit unstable, but they work alot better in 2D and no flickering with oc programs (last set of drivers) which dont produce issues when you use unofficial overclockers/oc programs


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Behemoth777*
> 
> 12.7 made my memory oc unstable, that or there was a problem with the driver. But 12.9 works great for me. Just try them out and see which you like best.
> 
> 
> 
> *How come, your desktop is not flickering when using oc programs?* its crazy flicker here, AFAIK AMD changed their drivers code, and now we need updated programs AB/Trixx in order to fix the issue.
Click to expand...

It's not the oc programs.









Check the 2nd post, see if it looks like what you've got going.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not the oc programs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Check the 2nd post, see if it looks like what you've got going.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


Thanks, will install 12.9 now, what version should i install there are few on Gu3u3d?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not the oc programs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Check the 2nd post, see if it looks like what you've got going.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, will install 12.9 now, what version should i install there are few on Gu3u3d?
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter which version tbh, they're all the same. I'm using 2.2.4 but honestly I couldn't tell you the difference w/o consulting the changelogs. Just make sure you get the clock control files linked at the top, run it once and then extract it and drop the files into the AB folder as well.


----------



## psyside

Thanks rep + i go uninstall/install, i think 12.9 offer better stability with OC then 12.7, but 12.7 are more stable overall (without oc)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Thanks rep + i go uninstall/install, i think 12.9 offer better stability with OC then 12.7, but 12.7 are more stable overall (without oc)


I can't stand to use 12.6/12.7/12.8 because all those drivers have broken slave card clock control, ie. in crossfire the slave cards run 3D clock speeds while idle. The only two drivers that have proper clock control is rc11 and 12.9 in my experience. 12.9 is also stupid fast, probably even faster than rc11.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So 7970's really suck at FAH, huh?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I can't stand to use 12.6/12.7/12.8 because all those drivers have broken slave card clock control, ie. in crossfire the slave cards run 3D clock speeds while idle. The only two drivers that have proper clock control is rc11 and 12.9 in my experience. 12.9 is also stupid fast, probably even faster than rc11.


I agree, only 12.9 have fixed the slave card clock issues for me.


----------



## psyside

Delete


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It doesn't matter which version tbh, they're all the same. I'm using 2.2.4 but honestly I couldn't tell you the difference w/o consulting the changelogs. Just make sure you get the clock control files linked at the top, run it once and then extract it and drop the files into the AB folder as well.


Do i need to run both files? it says create file, is that what i need to press? what about the 16 version?

What should i set regarding clocks?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It doesn't matter which version tbh, they're all the same. I'm using 2.2.4 but honestly I couldn't tell you the difference w/o consulting the changelogs. Just make sure you get the clock control files linked at the top, run it once and then extract it and drop the files into the AB folder as well.
> 
> 
> 
> Do i need to run both files? it says create file, is that what i need to press? what about the 16 version?
Click to expand...

What are you doing, need to be more clear. 16 version... are you referring to racerx?? That's not for you dude.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are you doing, need to be more clear. 16 version... are you referring to racerx?? That's not for you dude.


Oh nvm i was looking at second part of the page









Sorry and thanks again!


----------



## SniperTeamTango

7950 coming soon =.="


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Is it normal for powerlimit to do nothing i tried +20 even -20 and don't seem to get any changes at all.


----------



## adamlop

It should throttle with lower settings of PowerLimit...
For example boost in my 7950 vapor-x doesn't work until i set powerlimit more than 10%


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> It should throttle with lower settings of PowerLimit...
> For example boost in my 7950 vapor-x doesn't work until i set powerlimit more than 10%


i tried -20 and +20 really didnt see any changes at all.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> It should throttle with lower settings of PowerLimit...
> For example boost in my 7950 vapor-x doesn't work until i set powerlimit more than 10%
> 
> 
> 
> i tried -20 and +20 really didnt see any changes at all.
Click to expand...

Short of a driver issue, you need to be doing some that pushes the power draw limit.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Short of a driver issue, you need to be doing some that pushes the power draw limit.


running boinc on it maxes the gpu to 99-100%


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Short of a driver issue, you need to be doing some that pushes the power draw limit.
> 
> 
> 
> running boinc on it maxes the gpu to 99-100%
Click to expand...

Is the compute portion hitting the TDP limits?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is the compute portion hitting the TDP limits?


times

times are the same no matter where i put power limit guess i could test it with furmark that seems to be the most demanding app. How many amps do you need in gpuz to hit the tdp ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is the compute portion hitting the TDP limits?
> 
> 
> 
> times
> 
> times are the same no matter where i put power limit guess i could test it with furmark that seems to be the most demanding app. How many amps do you need in gpuz to hit the tdp ?
Click to expand...

I don't remember the math hehe. In games, the throttling will manifest as stutter and gpu clock dropping. You can also see it with a killawatt.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't remember the math hehe. In games, the throttling will manifest as stutter and gpu clock dropping. You can also see it with a killawatt.


furmark showed same clocks, same wattage and the same volts for both -20 and +20 it was showing around 175-180watts its volts tho was lower then what gpuz was showing it takes volts and times them by the amps. So my wattage would be around 200-210 if thats correct for 1150 1.168*177 showed in gpuz under full load.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Just got this baby installed, amazing cooler, idle in the 20's now, can't wait to push her even further!


How thick are those Accelero's? Buddy has XFX Double D 7950's, but a quieter, cooler, solution we would look into.



Would they fit there?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't remember the math hehe. In games, the throttling will manifest as stutter and gpu clock dropping. You can also see it with a killawatt.
> 
> 
> 
> furmark showed same clocks, same wattage and the same volts for both -20 and +20 it was showing around 175-180watts its volts tho was lower then what gpuz was showing it takes volts and times them by the amps. So my wattage would be around 200-210 if thats correct for 1150 1.168*177 showed in gpuz under full load.
Click to expand...

Furmark is an app that is designed to be throttled by the driver, you probably won't get the best results with it.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Furmark is an app that is designed to be throttled by the driver, you probably won't get the best results with it.


Might explain why its always stable in it also and bf3 can make the driver crash in my old 5800s furmark would crash the system if it waset stable.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Ok, to continue this discussion here, where it's a bit more on-topic, how anyone have connections with reviewers in places like TechPowerUp to conduct a thorough comparison of 2 cards from the same vendor (the reason I used MSI Lightning was to have a more direct price point comparison, since it's the same manufacturer and same intended product presentation level): a 7970 and a GTX 680 as follows (and more suggestions would be welcome):

at the same core / memory clocks
at the same power consumption levels
relative performance per price point
Core clock is tricky, given the nature of Kepler boost, but perhaps using the max boost for reference is okay, if a card spends most of its time at that speed in a benchmark. Otherwise, a weighted average could be taken between the set boost and max boost, based approximately on the time a GTX 680 spent at each speed respectively (since GPU-Z can give this data in a text file, it'd be easy to process it that way after a benchmark finishes running ,even in something trivial like Excel). Once that "average" core speed is figured out for GTX 680, the corresponding HD 7970 could be set to that core speed value for that same benchmark.

A lot of work, I know, but I think it'd be a fun analysis. I'd do it if I had 2 such cards and a good testing suite.


----------



## s0up2up

Hey fellas... What are ghz edition cards that feature a reference PCB? Or alternatively are there blocks that are coming out for the Ghz cards?


----------



## adamlop

Hi again, so after loosing my first bios (850mhz) from sapphire 7950 vapor-x , i got trixx dump from one fellow. (i have mine from gpu-z but only trixx dumps works for me [checked with second bios])
But the problem is that i get blue screen on windows loading (reinstalling drivers does not help).
Just look at the screenshoot and differences between bioses (my is old), so probably new revision of board/chip ?


----------



## rck1984

Hey folks,

Besides some random lockups/bsod's, I am pretty satisfied with my brand new Sapphire 7950 OC dual-x crossfire setup. Though some games perform better then others (as mentioned in previous posts). This might be a matter of drivers or so. Now I am on a two week vacation so it's impossible to try stuff out. But like anyone here on OCN, I am even thinking of how to fix my comp while being on vacation, lol.

Due being very busy lately, I didn't had the time to overclock my 2500k anywhere further than 4.0ghz. (basically just change multi and that's it).

Now I am pretty new to crossfire setups but I do know that running crossfire is more CPU demanding than running a single card. *Could my 2500k on 4.0ghz be a bottleneck for my CFX setup? What would be the frequency I should aim for to get everything out of my setup?*


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> . *Could my 2500k on 4.0ghz be a bottleneck for my CFX setup? What would be the frequency I should aim for to get everything out of my setup?*


Yes it is, get it to 4.5 at least.

Me, single card > 4.8 2600K


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Yes it is, get it to 4.5 at least.
> Me, single card > 4.8 2600K


Thanks for the quick response!

I'll get my 2500k to at least 4.5 then. See if I can push it towards 5.0ghz, though I have a pretty hungry chip, I know from the past. Not exactly the right spot to ask so I apologize in advance but 1.40-1.45v should be safe voltage for a 2500k cooled by a H100 (2x GT's) I think?

It's a little odd though, BF3 gives me pretty nice fps. Where Crysis ( a less CPU demanding game, I think) does not run as good. That was actually the reason I starting thinking of a CPU bottleneck.


----------



## shaun2k

Hi guys, just got my Sapphire vapor X 6gb 7970 with another one on the way, I've spent more money on my PC in the last 2 weeks then i ever have on all my PC's, kinda alarming so to speak

firstly my little ****ty case was not good enough so i just got a NZXT Switch 810 (white) fell in love with it, watch this...






2 x sapphire 6gb 7970 (dry your eyes on price!!)

1000watt modular PSU
Didn't upgrade my board from p8z68 pro, as its a pretty good board

i already have an i7 2700k at 4.9ghz
corsair h100
kept my 16gb of corsair Vengeance 1600mhz
Ordered my Revo drive x3 500gb worried whether or not this will work?? what with 2 massive cards, but ****it got it anyway...

hopefully this will tide me over for some years...it better do after spending that much...

may upgrade to a saber tooth x79 in the future, but i like my z68

anybody found a good Waterblock for the 7970? mine has got those vaporchill heatsink on the cards, is that even removable?

I've played with the overclocking, although on my 600watt PSU its limited but i got to 1270mhz seems stable although i get the 2nd orange light on the card at about 60ish, hella fast cards man...hella fast

I'm running a dell u3011 + 2 x 2007 fp's at 5339 x 1600


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Thanks for the quick response!
> I'll get my 2500k to at least 4.5 then. See if I can push it towards 5.0ghz, though I have a pretty hungry chip, I know from the past. Not exactly the right spot to ask so I apologize in advance but 1.40-1.45v should be safe voltage for a 2500k cooled by a H100 (2x GT's) I think?
> It's a little odd though, BF3 gives me pretty nice fps. Where Crysis ( a less CPU demanding game, I think) does not run as good. That was actually the reason I starting thinking of a CPU bottleneck.


Crysis should be driver issue, you also use auto fans? and do you have power to + 20 in AB?


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Crysis should be driver issue, you also use auto fans? and do you have power to + 20 in AB?


I use a 1:1 scheme. 70% fanspeed at 70 degrees for example.
I haven't touched the power slider in AB yet, that would push my cards more?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shaun2k*
> 
> Hi guys, just got my Sapphire vapor X 6gb 7970 with another one on the way, I've spent more money on my PC in the last 2 weeks then i ever have on all my PC's, kinda alarming so to speak
> firstly my little ****ty case was not good enough so i just got a NZXT Switch 810 (white) fell in love with it, watch this...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2 x sapphire 6gb 7970 (dry your eyes on price!!)
> 1000watt modular PSU
> Didn't upgrade my board from p8z68 pro, as its a pretty good board
> kept my 16gb of corsair Vengeance 1600mhz
> Ordered my Revo drive x3 500gb worried whether or not this will work?? what with 2 massive cards, but ****it got it anyway...
> hopefully this will tide me over for some years...it better do after spending that much...
> may upgrade to a saber tooth x79 in the future, but i like my z68
> anybody found a good Waterblock for the 7970? mine has got those vaporchill heatsink on the cards, is that even removable?
> I've played with the overclocking, although on my 600watt PSU its limited but i got to 1270mhz seems stable although i get the 2nd orange light on the card at about 60ish, hella fast cards man...hella fast
> I'm running a dell u3011 + 2 x 2007 fp's at 5339 x 1600


Forget revo, POS.

Get 2x Samsung 840 PRO 256GB! or 2x Plextor M5 Pros, they are much much much better and alot faster!


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I use a 1:1 scheme. 70% fanspeed at 70 degrees for example.
> I haven't touched the power slider in AB yet, that would push my cards more?


Are they overclocked? and yes even on stock it will stabilize the fps.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Are they overclocked? and yes even on stock it will stabilize the fps.


Slightly.
1050/1450 on stock voltage right now.


----------



## dstoler

Hey guys, I am the one who just fried my brand new xfx 7950 (non overclock) and im in the market for a new one obviously. I really thought the performance on the 7950 was great compared to my hd6850 and I only paid $270 for the card after a $30 rebate. I was just wondering, exactly how much better is a 7970? The prices range from $400-$500 and I am kinda itching to get one of those instead. Or maybe I could get 2x7950 for $600? I am only on 1080p but I jsut wanna put a card in there and turn the settings up as high as they go and not have to worry about a damn thing. Im sure some of you can relate. $600 is the absolute most I have to spend so 2x7970 is not an option. Oh and dont worry I will be more careful with my new card/cards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Hey guys, I am the one who just fried my brand new xfx 7950 (non overclock) and im in the market for a new one obviously. I really thought the performance on the 7950 was great compared to my hd6850 and I only paid $270 for the card after a $30 rebate. I was just wondering, exactly how much better is a 7970? The prices range from $400-$500 and I am kinda itching to get one of those instead. Or maybe I could get 2x7950 for $600? I am only on 1080p but I jsut wanna put a card in there and turn the settings up as high as they go and not have to worry about a damn thing. Im sure some of you can relate. $600 is the absolute most I have to spend so 2x7970 is not an option. Oh and dont worry I will be more careful with my new card/cards.


I'll sell you a 7970 if you want, a lot cheaper than retail. I have a spare one that does 1295/1750. At 1080 you only need 1 7970 unless you want like 120fps.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'll sell you a 7970 if you want, a lot cheaper than retail. I have a spare one that does 1295/1750. At 1080 you only need 1 7970 unless you want like 120fps.


I will agreee 1 7970 eats games at 1080P everything iv thrown at it usualy avgs over 60fps tsm i know someone that wants a 7970 might be interested its hes wanting to spend about 350ish i think.


----------



## shredded

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Your memory runs at 1.5? how come?


Thats how it is i guess. Afterburner's lowest setting is 1.5v. It goes up to 1.7. I had my memory up to 1575 and it seemed fine. I did have stability issues but i suspect it was my core voltage. Ill work on my oc again, still ironing out bumps


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'll sell you a 7970 if you want, a lot cheaper than retail. I have a spare one that does 1295/1750. At 1080 you only need 1 7970 unless you want like 120fps.
> 
> 
> 
> I will agreee 1 7970 eats games at 1080P everything iv thrown at it usualy avgs over 60fps tsm i know someone that wants a 7970 might be interested its hes wanting to spend about 350ish i think.
Click to expand...

Tell them to pm me, I'll sell it for less than that hah. I replaced it with an even more cherry card, so I'm good.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Tell them to pm me, I'll sell it for less than that hah. I replaced it with an even more cherry card, so I'm good.


haha hes already bought your card i told him he owes me lol.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

After a ton of tests and thinking im running out of PSU headroom it seems that I have another issue. Everytime I try to overclock and overvolt my cards I get a hard lock in the middle of a game (crysis, crysis 2) and after a hard reset I open afterburner to find that my clocks havent been reset but my voltage is back to default. Anyone know how to fix this? I never had this issue before I had to reinstall windows. I used to run 1200/1700 with both voltage sliders maxed for hours on end. Now even a small OC of 1100/1500 with a small bump in voltage results in a hard lock and a voltage reset.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> After a ton of tests and thinking im running out of PSU headroom it seems that I have another issue. Everytime I try to overclock and overvolt my cards I get a hard lock in the middle of a game (crysis, crysis 2) and after a hard reset I open afterburner to find that my clocks havent been reset but my voltage is back to default. Anyone know how to fix this? I never had this issue before I had to reinstall windows. I used to run 1200/1700 with both voltage sliders maxed for hours on end. Now even a small OC of 1100/1500 with a small bump in voltage results in a hard lock and a voltage reset.


go in ccc and set a overclock then set it to defaul and apply then uncheck the box and use msi ab to overclock. I had mine do that befor ccc trying to overclock without setting the voltage.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> After a ton of tests and thinking im running out of PSU headroom it seems that I have another issue. Everytime I try to overclock and overvolt my cards I get a hard lock in the middle of a game (crysis, crysis 2) and after a hard reset I open afterburner to find that my clocks havent been reset but my voltage is back to default. Anyone know how to fix this? I never had this issue before I had to reinstall windows. I used to run 1200/1700 with both voltage sliders maxed for hours on end. Now even a small OC of 1100/1500 with a small bump in voltage results in a hard lock and a voltage reset.
> 
> 
> 
> go in ccc and set a overclock then set it to defaul and apply then uncheck the box and use msi ab to overclock. I had mine do that befor ccc trying to overclock without setting the voltage.
Click to expand...

You can also reset to default by clicking preferences, restore factory defaults which effectively removes overdrive from the equation.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can also reset to default by clicking preferences, restore factory defaults which effectively removes overdrive from the equation.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> go in ccc and set a overclock then set it to defaul and apply then uncheck the box and use msi ab to overclock. I had mine do that befor ccc trying to overclock without setting the voltage.


Should I have to do this if ive never used CCC overdrive before? I just checked and I havent even opened overdrive since I reinstalled Win7.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Should I have to do this if ive never used CCC overdrive before? I just checked and I havent even opened overdrive since I reinstalled Win7.


I never use it either and iv had to do it befor for some reason tsm106 way seems easyer also.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> I never use it either and iv had to do it befor for some reason tsm106 way seems easyer also.


OK thank you both ill try it and see what I come up with.

EDIT.
So apparently I forgot to set afterburner unofficial overclocking to 1 and to insert the EULA. Did that and also reset CCC preferences. But now when I make ANY changes to clock speeds my screens flicker like crazy. What version of AB do you guys recommend? The only one I could ever get setup right was 2.2.1 with a patch. Maybe I should give trixx a run? Anyone got the link to that mod for trixx that enables memory voltage adjustments?


----------



## Squayle

I have a powercolor PCS+ 7950 3GB
I OC'd to these amounts

Core: 1125Mhz
Memory: 1575 Mhz
Voltage: 1.150
Fans: Auto

and played battlefield 3 for 2 or so hours at native 1080p ultra on gulf of Oman 64 players.

I'm new to this, so i don't know what's limits are etc the fans were at 47% at the highest.
It got to temperatures of around 64c, will this temperature damage my card?
Any advice towards it would be very much appreciated...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> I never use it either and iv had to do it befor for some reason tsm106 way seems easyer also.
> 
> 
> 
> OK thank you both ill try it and see what I come up with.
> 
> EDIT.
> So apparently I forgot to set afterburner unofficial overclocking to 1 and to insert the EULA. Did that and also reset CCC preferences. *But now when I make ANY changes to clock speeds my screens flicker like crazy. What version of AB do you guys recommend?* The only one I could ever get setup right was 2.2.1 with a patch. Maybe I should give trixx a run? Anyone got the link to that mod for trixx that enables memory voltage adjustments?
Click to expand...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40#post_17399313


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40#post_17399313


Thanks man that worked. Gonna go play some now and see if this issue has been resolved. Subbed the thread in the link as there is some good info in there.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilkyJohnson*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40#post_17399313
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks man that worked. Gonna go play some now and see if this issue has been resolved. Subbed the thread in the link as there is some good info in there.
Click to expand...

Cool. Post in it. No one ever post in it shrugs?


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Squayle*
> 
> I have a powercolor PCS+ 7950 3GB
> I OC'd to these amounts
> Core: 1125Mhz
> Memory: 1575 Mhz
> Voltage: 1.150
> Fans: Auto
> and played battlefield 3 for 2 or so hours at native 1080p ultra on gulf of Oman 64 players.
> I'm new to this, so i don't know what's limits are etc the fans were at 47% at the highest.
> It got to temperatures of around 64c, will this temperature damage my card?
> Any advice towards it would be very much appreciated...


64c is nothing and perfectly fine. Your good upto around 80c.
Voltage wise you can go upto about 1.25v but keep an eye on the temps, crank up your fan speed if needed.

You got some headspace with those clocks and 1.150v/64c.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

Well that definitely worked. No more hard lock ups in OCCT. And according to Killawatt im pulling 1435 watts from the wall on my 1000 watt psu


----------



## criznit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40#post_17399313


THANK YOU BASED GOD!! I've been having the 3d clocks during idle issue for about 3-4 months and this fixed it. Thank you for the post!


----------



## Ghost23

So I'm currently at 1.050 with 1000 core, and 1575 mem.

1.1v and 1050 core caused some blackscreens, should I push for 1.15? My max temps are 45c under extreme benchmarks, usually 40c during BF3 is average, 20's idle.


----------



## Ukkooh

Looks like this Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor-X I got back from rma is a bad overclocker also. 58% asic and according to hwinfo64 my stock voltage is 1.256V. Haven't overclocked it yet but I bet that it won't do more than 1100mhz at stock voltage,


----------



## jomama22

Just an fyi, the uom in ab when set to 2, basically forces constant 3d clocks/voltage at all times. I am not saying this is bad or hurts anything but you should be aware of this. I have found that running stock clocks through ab will still allow powerplay(clock/voltage 2d/3d) to be enabled and drop to 2d clocks/voltage even when setting ab uom to 2. This is nice as i just leave my ab set to stock variables when working/at desktop and then just enable my oc profile right before i start gaming.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> So I'm currently at 1.050 with 1000 core, and 1575 mem.
> 1.1v and 1050 core caused some blackscreens, should I push for 1.15? My max temps are 45c under extreme benchmarks, usually 40c during BF3 is average, 20's idle.


45c is perfectly fine. You can give it some more juice and see if u can get it stable.
People run these cards upto 1.25/1.30v. Just keep an eye on the temps/artifacting and adjust your fan speed if needed.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Just an fyi, the uom in ab when set to 2, basically forces constant 3d clocks/voltage at all times. I am not saying this is bad or hurts anything but you should be aware of this. I have found that running stock clocks through ab will still allow powerplay(clock/voltage 2d/3d) to be enabled and drop to 2d clocks/voltage even when setting ab uom to 2. This is nice as i just leave my ab set to stock variables when working/at desktop and then just enable my oc profile right before i start gaming.


Incorrect. It does not force constant clocks. My clocks idle at 500/150 on main card and 300/150 on slave cards.

For reference:


----------



## shredded

Hey guys. Im having trouble with my 7950. Im not sure if it is a physical issue or a driver/software issue.

Currently using 12.9, however had troubles with 12.4 (i think it was 12.4...)

I tried overclocking it. I got to 1100 core clock, and everytime it was unstable i had a driver crash, so i bumped volts up.
Got to a point where my drivers no longer crashed. Bumped volts up another notch for good measure. I noticed while playing some games i have pretty bad issues. Playing Sim City 4, Bf3 and Skyrim.

Several different things happen.
Screen goes black, everything still running, still have audio from windows and stuff, game is frozen (cant see game, but lack of game audio tells me this).
After pissing around trying to get video back, i turn my monitor off and back on. This gives me video again. Sometimes the game is non responsive, only shows a white window. Needs to be force closed.

Sometimes a similar thing happens. The screen freezes, and then goes white. My GPU usage, shown on my Logitech G15 shows 0% core utilization, clocks down to 300/150mhz. After mashing stuff for a while i can eventually close the game window, which has whited out my screen. The game again in non responsive.

Anyone have any insight? Could i need more voltage on my overclocks??? I had my memory at 1575 at 1.5v as well as the core at 1100mhz @ 1156mV


----------



## Bal3Wolf

sounds like a unstable overclock drop memory to stock and keep working on the core volts till its stable.


----------



## shredded

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> sounds like a unstable overclock drop memory to stock and keep working on the core volts till its stable.


Ive run Techpowerup render test for about an hour and a bit and no issues at 1100/1250 with 1.156V of core voltage.
This is pointing to my previous memory OC. I hope this was my issue, as bumping memory voltage is a very easy fix compared to screwing with drivers/hardware.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shredded*
> 
> Ive run Techpowerup render test for about an hour and a bit and no issues at 1100/1250 with 1.156V of core voltage.
> This is pointing to my previous memory OC. I hope this was my issue, as bumping memory voltage is a very easy fix compared to screwing with drivers/hardware.


Well its not a stress test so it might not help you that much better off running games and watching for artifacts or crashes.
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159099


----------



## shredded

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Well its not a stress test so it might not help you that much better off running games and watching for artifacts or crashes.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159099


Cheers for the advice, i just got Heaven and i'll run as well. The more things i try stress my card with the better i guess? When i get to my desirable clocks i run BF3 anyway. Thanks again!


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shredded*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Well its not a stress test so it might not help you that much better off running games and watching for artifacts or crashes.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159099
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers for the advice, i just got Heaven and i'll run as well. The more things i try stress my card with the better i guess? When i get to my desirable clocks i run BF3 anyway. Thanks again!
Click to expand...

i have been told heaven isnt that good for stress testing as well but i cant hurt.. games and use 3dmark11 as well especially to check your vRAM as you overclock your vRAM and reach a point where in 3dmark your score drops, this means there is too much data being sent and the vRAM is running ECC which hinders performance..


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i have been told heaven isnt that good for stress testing as well but i cant hurt.. games and use 3dmark11 as well especially to check your vRAM as you overclock your vRAM and reach a point where in 3dmark your score drops, this means there is too much data being sent and the vRAM is running ECC which hinders performance..


I find 3dmark11 a good tester if my core is not stable i get aritfacts on the screen or a driver crash but also iv noticed even when it does a good run of 3dmark11 some games will show artifacts around water,fire ,gunshots and when stuff explodes.


----------



## Benevolence

Hello all, potential 7970 crossfire owner here. So as many of you owners (and potential owners such as myself) would know, there have been countless reviews arguing that SLI is "smoother" than xfire despite 7970 xfire setups pumping out more frames. They do not offer any explanation other than it "feeling" smoother despite lower frames. This made me dubious, but upon further investigation there are actually a lot of users who have also claimed this and then there are charts like this http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=33714178&postcount=156 So it seems that the reviewers weren't just being biased.

I also noticed that many of these reviews were way back in March/May and I found that the AMD drivers had come a long way since then. Has this smoothness issue been fixed? Cos if so then it's an easy choice, more frames + equally smooth. Thanks, guys, would appreciate your input very much so.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Benevolence*
> 
> Hello all, potential 7970 crossfire owner here. So as many of you owners (and potential owners such as myself) would know, there have been countless reviews arguing that SLI is "smoother" than xfire despite 7970 xfire setups pumping out more frames. They do not offer any explanation other than it "feeling" smoother despite lower frames. This made me dubious, but upon further investigation there are actually a lot of users who have also claimed this and then there are charts like this http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=33714178&postcount=156 So it seems that the reviewers weren't just being biased.
> I also noticed that many of these reviews were way back in March/May and I found that the AMD drivers had come a long way since then. Has this smoothness issue been fixed? Cos if so then it's an easy choice, more frames + equally smooth. Thanks, guys, would appreciate your input very much so.


Welcome to OCN!









There really isn't any smoothness factors. That's just a subjective term with their minds playing tricks on them. People used to say the same thing about ATI/AMD cards having better quality image versus Nvidia cards and we all know both are pumping out the same thing.

The only worry you should have would be microstuttering and that is uncommon these days. Just make sure you're not trying to CF those 7970s on an AMD platform or else you would be facing a lot of bottlenecking and would result in your GPUs running at 50~60% usage.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shredded*
> 
> Anyone have any insight? Could i need more voltage on my overclocks??? I had my memory at 1575 at 1.5v as well as the core at 1100mhz @ 1156mV


Never saw 1.5v memory on 7950, set it to 1.6 and see how it goes?


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Welcome to OCN!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There really isn't any smoothness factors. That's just a subjective term with their minds playing tricks on them. People used to say the same thing about ATI/AMD cards having better quality image versus Nvidia cards and we all know both are pumping out the same thing.
> The only worry you should have would be microstuttering and that is uncommon these days. Just make sure you're not trying to CF those 7970s on an AMD platform or else you would be facing a lot of bottlenecking and would result in your GPUs running at 50~60% usage.


Nvidia uses frame metering to counter the stutter of multi GPU systems. AFAIK, AMD does not. What kind of advantages and disadvantages this frame metering has in real life situations is debatable, but it is a distinctive difference between Nvidia and AMD multi GPU systems.


----------



## shredded

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Never saw 1.5v memory on 7950, set it to 1.6 and see how it goes?


Really??? Wow, here i was thinking 1.5 was a lot. It is currently at 1575 @1.531V and all seems fine. Played Skyrim and had no worries, but the real test will be BF3. To bad Ea is... you get the idea. Cant connect to the server, tried for 15 mins before i gave up. "could not connect to ea online".







load of manure


----------



## Squayle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> 64c is nothing and perfectly fine. Your good upto around 80c.
> Voltage wise you can go upto about 1.25v but keep an eye on the temps, crank up your fan speed if needed.
> You got some headspace with those clocks and 1.150v/64c.


Okay, Thanks i was a little worried as this is my first rig. The last computer i had was a laptop with a core 2 duo and a 9300m gs.
Is an Asic score of 79% good?
also i have a 600w PSU, does that factor in anywhere?


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> Nvidia uses frame metering to counter the stutter of multi GPU systems. AFAIK, AMD does not. What kind of advantages and disadvantages this frame metering has in real life situations is debatable, but it is a distinctive difference between Nvidia and AMD multi GPU systems.


you need horsepower, so if you are playing at 5760x1080 for example then trifire makes more sense if you get fps limited with crossfire.
microstuttering always happens but the effect lessens the more fps your able to crank out.
the options are to either lessen visual settings to get more fps to sync better or get more cards.

the crossfire rig I did run could feel slow in spite of having 90fps.
I was feeling it and now with a single 7970 same fps or lower higher setting, none of it is present.

so using 4 cards for Bf3 running 180fps in 5760x1080 makes sense.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> you need horsepower, so if you are playing at 5760x1080 for example then trifire makes more sense if you get fps limited with crossfire.
> microstuttering always happens but the effect lessens the more fps your able to crank out.
> the options are to either lessen visual settings to get more fps to sync better or get more cards.
> the crossfire rig I did run could feel slow in spite of having 90fps.
> I was feeling it and now with a single 7970 same fps or lower higher setting, none of it is present.
> so using 4 cards for Bf3 running 180fps in 5760x1080 makes sense.


That's true. People shouldn't be blinded by 90% CF scaling numbers, if going crossfire requires you to have a much higher frame rate to get a similar gaming experience to a single card.


----------



## Squayle

Okay i have a powercolor PCS+ 7950, and i had it OC'd to the specifications i mentioned previously, i was playing payday the heist because it's free this weekend on steam 
part way through the game i decided to turn one setting up, and suddenly the fan made a sound like it was grating against something and the display wasn't registering a signal from the PC.
I hard shut it down asap because i want to prevent damage to it and the sound it was making was quite sudden and quite loud.
Anyone got any idea what just happened?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Any tips to trying to get voltage control on the ghz bios i have flashed it a few times and never get voltage control funny thing the voltage it shows in msi-ab is way to low then what it uses also.


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

Hi everyone
I just bought a HIS 7970 and the pcb is blue, i plan on putting this card under water and need to know if this is the reference pcb or if i need to return this this is the one i bought.
http://www.amazon.com/HIS-Eyefinity-Mini-Displayport-Graphics-H797F3G2M/dp/B006O714FI/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1350662807&sr=8-6&keywords=hd+7970


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *40.oz to freedom*
> 
> Hi everyone
> I just bought a HIS 7970 and the pcb is blue, i plan on putting this card under water and need to know if this is the reference pcb or if i need to return this this is the one i bought.
> http://www.amazon.com/HIS-Eyefinity-Mini-Displayport-Graphics-H797F3G2M/dp/B006O714FI/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1350662807&sr=8-6&keywords=hd+7970


http://www.coolingconfigurator.com
you can use that to check it looks like it will work but id wait to see if anyone has installed one.


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com
> you can use that to check it looks like it will work but id wait to see if anyone has installed one.


thanks alot i hope this will work with a full cover, becuase i really dont want to pay a restocking fee.
+rep


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Incorrect. It does not force constant clocks. My clocks idle at 500/150 on main card and 300/150 on slave cards.
> For reference:




this is just as i set it



and after playing bf3. They are the same.



this is after re enabling stock clocks

Unless i am using stock clocks, it always forces constant 3d clocks/voltages.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> this is after re enabling stock clocks
> 
> Unless i am using stock clocks, it always forces constant 3d clocks/voltages.












What's your point? Use it the right way and there's no issues as long as you're on the right driver. Still I don't understand your point. Warning if you use it wrong it will work wrong??


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Hey guys those of you with your 7970s/7950s should join the ocn boinc team and run dirt we are trying to hit 10bil all the help we can get woud be nice Prizes can be won like in folding.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1316656/boincers-gone-bonkers-23-november-5th-november-8th-2012-sign-up-now/0_100


----------



## tsm106

Pay my electrical bills pls?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Pay my electrical bills pls?


lol yea that can get pretty high but my 7970 consumes less power then my trifire 5970+5870 and my rads put out cool air lol not to mention stuff plays better on the 7970.


----------



## tsm106

I would unleash the Kraken, but my monthly e-bill is 250 cuz it's been darn hot. I couldn't stand to double that folding lol.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I would unleash the Kraken, but my monthly e-bill is 250 cuz it's been darn hot. I couldn't stand to double that folding lol.


Its starting to cool down here 40-60s everyday lol drawback with my 7970 is it puts out so low heat i might have to use the heat this winter to keep my room warm.


----------



## tsm106

Yeap, I'm waiting for the winter to come too hehe.


----------



## Deo Domuique

That sounds like you get a Ferrari without the ability to afford the required gasoline... :S


----------



## dstoler

Ok so I just ordered 2x hd7950 xfx (just the $300 non b.e. ones) really looking forward to the easy bake set it and forget it graphics options. Just put the sliders to maximum graphics and not worry about fps, or quality. This is going to be a big step up from my hd6850, although that is a great budget graphics card. Mostly high settings with no extras for the most part. Guys I have a extra Planetside 2 beta key if anyone is interested. I am going to just pick someone from this thread and no cry baby if you do not get picked. If I could give all my fellow 7950/7970 owners a beta key I surely would. The official release date is November 20th. It is a really amazing game that is going to change the way things are done. MASSIVE for sure


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Ok so I just ordered 2x hd7950 xfx (just the $300 non b.e. ones) really looking forward to the easy bake set it and forget it graphics options. Just put the sliders to maximum graphics and not worry about fps, or quality. This is going to be a big step up from my hd6850, although that is a great budget graphics card. Mostly high settings with no extras for the most part. Guys I have a extra Planetside 2 beta key if anyone is interested. I am going to just pick someone from this thread and no cry baby if you do not get picked. If I could give all my fellow 7950/7970 owners a beta key I surely would. The official release date is November 20th. It is a really amazing game that is going to change the way things are done. MASSIVE for sure


Grats on the new cards.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> That sounds like you get a Ferrari without the ability to afford the required gasoline... :S


Heh. Gas is pretty expensive these days now that you mention it.


----------



## R.D.BID

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dstoler*
> 
> Ok so I just ordered 2x hd7950 xfx (just the $300 non b.e. ones) really looking forward to the easy bake set it and forget it graphics options. Just put the sliders to maximum graphics and not worry about fps, or quality. This is going to be a big step up from my hd6850, although that is a great budget graphics card. Mostly high settings with no extras for the most part. Guys I have a extra Planetside 2 beta key if anyone is interested. I am going to just pick someone from this thread and no cry baby if you do not get picked. If I could give all my fellow 7950/7970 owners a beta key I surely would. The official release date is November 20th. It is a really amazing game that is going to change the way things are done. MASSIVE for sure


I'd love a PS2 beta key to try out my new 7950's with.














Either way, Novermber 20th, I can't wait! It's gonna be epic.


----------



## dstoler

TSM106 has been a big help to me in this forum so i am gonna see if he would like it and if he says no then rd bid is second on the list.

Ok I ended up giving the beta key for ps2 to RD Bid. I will be having a sleeping dogs key also in a few days and I already have the game from my first 7950 that I fried







Ill let you guys know when that comes in as well.


----------



## King4x4

Just ordered a third 7950 for some trifire goodness... Was gonna add a fourth but looked at the numbers... not really viable... an extra $300 for like 5% performance gain... no thank you.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

is running my memory at 1.650 and 1980mhz ok for 24/7 under water far as i can tell no ecc is kicking in testing with games fps are going up not down higher i push the memory.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> is running my memory at 1.650 and 1980mhz ok for 24/7 under water far as i can tell no ecc is kicking in testing with games fps are going up not down higher i push the memory.


wow nice mem oc








underwater @ 1.65V and 1980MHz i would say fine at those volts although maybe if you havernt try lowering the voltage of your mem at the same speed and still stable. but i cant find any data or info from other users to support this


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> wow nice mem oc
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> underwater @ 1.65V and 1980MHz i would say fine at those volts although maybe if you havernt try lowering the voltage of your mem at the same speed and still stable. but i cant find any data or info from other users to support this


Yea i have to work and see if it can run lower voltages i know it cant do 2000 guess it makes up for having a weak core 1150 is the best it will do 24/7 withotut having some tex poping everyone once in awhile.
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/8fhcf/
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4701448


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> wow nice mem oc
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> underwater @ 1.65V and 1980MHz i would say fine at those volts although maybe if you havernt try lowering the voltage of your mem at the same speed and still stable. but i cant find any data or info from other users to support this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yea i have to work and see if it can run lower voltages i know it cant do 2000 guess it makes up for having a weak core 1150 is the best it will do 24/7 withotut having some tex poping everyone once in awhile.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/8fhcf/
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4701448
Click to expand...

yeah i have a weak core aswell of 1152 and RAM i have only pushed it to 1725 but happy with my 3dmark score with a CPU OC of 4.5.. would love to break 10k lol.. feel so close yet so far








http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4618022
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/9ucmr/


----------



## Bal3Wolf

you know with the 79xx seems like memory clocks help out more on fps then older generations might see how high you can push the memory it might get you to 10k.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> you know with the 79xx seems like memory clocks help out more on fps then older generations might see how high you can push the memory it might get you to 10k.


thanks, i might just try that later on and see how i go


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> thanks, i might just try that later on and see how i go


good luck looks like i can lower my memory voltage droping it to 1.631 from 1.65 and got me even more points on 3dmark11 lol wished it showed my real clocks lol.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4701586


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah i have a weak core aswell of 1152 and RAM i have only pushed it to 1725 but happy with my 3dmark score with a CPU OC of 4.5.. would love to break 10k lol.. feel so close yet so far
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4618022
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/9ucmr/


1150 is far from weak core bro, remember, this cards are made for 820 stock so your like 330mhz + over stock clock









Weak core would be around 1000-1050


----------



## psyside

This cards have nothing in BF3 compared to 680, i mean nothing, the smoothness is far far from 6xx series, i get 55 fps it feels like 40 on 680....even worse maybe. Also the fps stability is nowhere near 680


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> This cards have nothing in BF3 compared to 680, i mean nothing, the smoothness is far far from 6xx series, i get 55 fps it feels like 40 on 680....even worse maybe. Also the fps stability is nowhere near 680


Sorry to hear that. I know that the 7970 overclocked can beat the 680 in some parts of this game and scaling is x2 for crossfire in most areas. I tested the gameplay on 580 and 7970 and the 7970 is smoother only when the fps limiter is used. If I don't limit the fps, I have extreme stuttering.


----------



## psyside

Its strange, how can beast like this 7950 series 384 bus, huge memory bandwidth etc lose from such a inferior card *spec wise,* i guess the texture fill rate means alot in BF3.


----------



## Ganf

Just updated my sig rig's card clocks from 1225/1600 to 1250/1750. Thanks 12.9.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Its strange, how can beast like this 7950 series 384 bus, huge memory bandwidth etc lose from such a inferior card *spec wise,* i guess the texture fill rate means alot in BF3.


No, developer support means a lot in any game.


----------



## Nwanko

Big problem here. Ever since i've cleaned my 7950 dual-x my temps went from 72 degress(Celsius) to 80-83 degress(Celsius) in BF3 full load 1150/1550 1.156v. I screwed the cooler off,kept the vrm plate on,cleaned the paste off,put on the temps went up for 10 degress. Its like 80-83 degress at 100% fan,my room temps arround 23 degress(Celsius).

I tried it twice,and the temps wont go down. Am i doing something wrong, is the compound not good enough? The cooler has only 4 screws,i tighten them carefully as far as they go...

Anyone with the solution?


----------



## Ganf

Yep. Make sure you're applying the TIM correctly, meaning a small bead in the middle of the chip and you press the block down evenly on it, and give it at least 24 hours to cure. Your temps are going to be higher until the TIM settles in.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> This cards have nothing in BF3 compared to 680, i mean nothing, the smoothness is far far from 6xx series, i get 55 fps it feels like 40 on 680....even worse maybe. Also the fps stability is nowhere near 680


Butter smooth for me..

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> good luck looks like i can lower my memory voltage droping it to 1.631 from 1.65 and got me even more points on 3dmark11 lol wished it showed my real clocks lol.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4701586


1200/1800

Odd it doesn't show your real clocks, does for me.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Big problem here. Ever since i've cleaned my 7950 dual-x my temps went from 72 degress(Celsius) to 80-83 degress(Celsius) in BF3 full load 1150/1550 1.156v. I screwed the cooler off,kept the vrm plate on,cleaned the paste off,put on the temps went up for 10 degress. Its like 80-83 degress at 100% fan,my room temps arround 23 degress(Celsius).
> I tried it twice,and the temps wont go down. Am i doing something wrong, is the compound not good enough? The cooler has only 4 screws,i tighten them carefully as far as they go...
> Anyone with the solution?


I always spread when applying TIM to an exposed die.
Works better IMO.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Butter smooth for me..
> 1200/1800
> Odd it doesn't show your real clocks, does for me.
> I always spread when applying TIM to an exposed die.
> Works better IMO.


Does it feel butter smooth when you go trough smoke/explosions and similar volumetric effects?

And what drivers are you using, is it 12.9 & 12.9 CAP1?

Maybe im more sensitive to this....but im 99% sure 680 was way way smoother, on higher settings as well.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> is running my memory at 1.650 and 1980mhz ok for 24/7 under water far as i can tell no ecc is kicking in testing with games fps are going up not down higher i push the memory.


I highly doubt that. That's world record speeds there on the memory at 1.65v? I don't know if you're in ecc but with a single card you can push excessive mem speeds more easily than with crossfire. Anyways, in benches supposedly high memory clocked rigs have lost to lower clocked rigs and by decent margins.


----------



## psyside

What is the maximum before ECC on 7970 memory chips, they use ROC modules instead of 7950 RF which are lower rated.

I guess around 1800?


----------



## BradleyW

How hot do 7970 VRAM chips run without heatsink cooling on average?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> What is the maximum before ECC on 7970 memory chips, they use ROC modules instead of 7950 RF which are lower rated.
> 
> I guess around 1800?


It's random. In each case you have to do a series of benches to determine the point where you lose performance, at which point it means you;re a few ticks too high already. Running a bench that doesn't stress the gpu memory throughput won't push it vs one that pays dividends for high mem throughput.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's random. In each case you have to do a series of benches to determine the point where you lose performance, at which point it means you;re a few ticks too high already. Running a bench that doesn't stress the gpu memory throughput won't push it vs one that pays dividends for high mem throughput.


Well nothing is better then Crysis Warhead, ICE levels for that, with tons of mods, it just kills the memory


----------



## Nwanko

BTW i'm using http://www.coolink-europe.com/en/categories/13_20.html

Is it any good or should i use MX-2 or something?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I highly doubt that. That's world record speeds there on the memory at 1.65v? I don't know if you're in ecc but with a single card you can push excessive mem speeds more easily than with crossfire. Anyways, in benches supposedly high memory clocked rigs have lost to lower clocked rigs and by decent margins.


well im using games and benchmarks to test been using 3dmark11 and sniper elite v2 and my fps go up with the memory clocked higher not down. If you know a test to use that will really show me if my memory is running good at 1980 i will try it.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4707260
single card 1213/1980. P10847

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4707327
single card 1213/1505. P10287

i gain 560 points going from 1505 to 1980 on my memory it seems to be working.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2254291_mevorach_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_7970_10858_marks
i match up to him even tho he has a sandy-e at 4700 vs my sandy at 5ghz.


----------



## adamlop

Increasing mem voltage results ECC starting on higher mem clocks?

I can push mems to 1850 on my 7950 vapor-x at standard 1,6v but ECC starts doing his job from 1525mhz and mark11 score going down...
But higher core clock is not much important on 79xx than mems ?

With 3d mark11 graphics score and mem's oc'ing it should increase constant or what?
For me on core 1100mhz mem clock:
1400mhz - G8801
1450mhz - G8881 (80pts differ)
1500mhz - G8928 (47pts differ)

(sorry for my poor english)


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> well im using games and benchmarks to test been using 3dmark11 and sniper elite v2 and my fps go up with the memory clocked higher not down. If you know a test to use that will really show me if my memory is running good at 1980 i will try it.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4707260
> single card 1213/1980. P10847
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4707327
> single card 1213/1505. P10287
> i gain 560 points going from 1505 to 1980 on my memory it seems to be working.
> http://hwbot.org/submission/2254291_mevorach_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_7970_10858_marks
> i match up to him even tho he has a sandy-e at 4700 vs my sandy at 5ghz.


I believe when he was talking about the difference in performance in Memory he wasnt suggesting such a large difference. Try running the memory @ 1900 and see if you get the same scores. I believe there is a breaking point where you will lose performance.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Does it feel butter smooth when you go trough smoke/explosions and similar volumetric effects?
> And what drivers are you using, is it 12.9 & 12.9 CAP1?
> Maybe im more sensitive to this....but im 99% sure 680 was way way smoother, on higher settings as well.


You're comparing a 680 to a card that's roughly equivalent to a 670. Soooo.....

What'd you expect?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> You're comparing a 680 to a card that's roughly equivalent to a 670. Soooo.....
> What'd you expect?


It does not matter, because the 7950 is highly overclocked and plus i compare it in the spots when i get more then 50 fps, its not smooth, aint matter if its 2K card vs 350......the point is 60 fps vs 60 fps should be same or *similar,* i see huge difference.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> It does not matter, because the 7950 is highly overclocked and plus i compare it in the spots when i get more then 50 fps, its not smooth, aint matter if its 2K card vs 350......the point is 60 fps vs 60 fps should be same or *similar,* i see huge difference.


Overclocked or not overclocked, they are physically different tiers of hardware. Speed isn't everything.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Overclocked or not overclocked, they are physically different tiers of hardware. Speed isn't everything.


You joke or? its high end card, and when i get 60 fps i expect to be smooth or at least normal, not bad...

When i'm going trough smoke its like 35 fps not 60....the same thing i felt with my 6970, and this is with 2x MSAA not 4XMSAA which i used on my GTX680 with SMAA ultra on top of that.

I will try other level, and lower my memory oc, maybe that is the cause but doubt it.

Do you get this with your 7970?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> I believe when he was talking about the difference in performance in Memory he wasnt suggesting such a large difference. Try running the memory @ 1900 and see if you get the same scores. I believe there is a breaking point where you will lose performance.


I tested it at 1900 memory and i droped points on 3dmark11 compared to 1980.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4709439


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> I believe when he was talking about the difference in performance in Memory he wasnt suggesting such a large difference. Try running the memory @ 1900 and see if you get the same scores. I believe there is a breaking point where you will lose performance.
> 
> 
> 
> I tested it at 1900 memory and i droped points on 3dmark11 compared to 1980.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4709439
Click to expand...

thats a good thing then you arent losing any performance due to ECC


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> thats a good thing then you arent losing any performance due to ECC


Yea pretty insane the card runs 1980 on 1.63 everything iv tested shows fps going up compared to running the memory at 1505.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> thats a good thing then you arent losing any performance due to ECC
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yea pretty insane the card runs 1980 on 1.63 everything iv tested shows fps going up compared to running the memory at 1505.
Click to expand...

it is insane







btw, i still havernt to been able to bust 10k.. seems my vRAM crashes my computer at 1800 IE 3Dmark freezes.. do you think it could be an unstable CPU OC cussing this like when i increase my core and 3dmark11 freezes, i notice in BIOS that my OC of the CPU has gone back to stock and an OC warning is displayed.. that said does CPU OC affect 3Dmark11 scores??


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> it is insane
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> btw, i still havernt to been able to bust 10k.. seems my vRAM crashes my computer at 1800 IE 3Dmark freezes.. do you think it could be an unstable CPU OC cussing this like when i increase my core and 3dmark11 freezes, i notice in BIOS that my OC of the CPU has gone back to stock and an OC warning is displayed.. that said does CPU OC affect 3Dmark11 scores??


don't think its a cpu overclock if it does not freeze at lower clocks lol im pushing to break 11k not to far off.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> it is insane
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> btw, i still havernt to been able to bust 10k.. seems my vRAM crashes my computer at 1800 IE 3Dmark freezes.. do you think it could be an unstable CPU OC cussing this like when i increase my core and 3dmark11 freezes, i notice in BIOS that my OC of the CPU has gone back to stock and an OC warning is displayed.. that said does CPU OC affect 3Dmark11 scores??
> 
> 
> 
> don't think its a cpu overclock if it does not freeze at lower clocks lol im pushing to break 11k not to far off.
Click to expand...

cool getting close to 11k..








Quote:


> don't think its a cpu overclock if it does not freeze at lower clocks


here you are refering to my issues? do you know why my CPU settings would revert back to stock from 4.5 by 3Dmark11 freezing?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> cool getting close to 11k..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> here you are refering to my issues? do you know why my CPU settings would revert back to stock from 4.5 by 3Dmark11 freezing?


if it crashes your pc it might think its a cpu overclock fail even tho the gpu causes it the whole pc is froze right.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> cool getting close to 11k..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> here you are refering to my issues? do you know why my CPU settings would revert back to stock from 4.5 by 3Dmark11 freezing?
> 
> 
> 
> if it crashes your pc it might think its a cpu overclock fail even tho the gpu causes it the whole pc is froze right.
Click to expand...

ahh ok thats understandable, more experimentation needed lol.. cheers for you help again









i am sure i will be back with the outcome


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> ahh ok thats understandable, more experimentation needed lol.. cheers for you help again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i am sure i will be back with the outcome


LOL im getting so close this card really hates anything over 1200 core managed to get P10933 a little more out of it and will break 11k not bad for a single card heck my 5xxx trifire only netted me P12596 with 3 overclocked cards.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4711293


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> ahh ok thats understandable, more experimentation needed lol.. cheers for you help again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i am sure i will be back with the outcome
> 
> 
> 
> LOL im getting so close this card really hates anything over 1200 core managed to get P10933 a little more out of it and will break 11k not bad for a single card heck my 5xxx trifire only netted me P12596 with 3 overclocked cards.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4711293
Click to expand...

man that is soooo close but i bet it feels so far lol


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> man that is soooo close but i bet it feels so far lol


tell me about it im trying only getting a little so far pushed my cpu up to 5200 to try to gain some im getting really close lol.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4711540


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> man that is soooo close but i bet it feels so far lol
> 
> 
> 
> tell me about it im trying only getting a little so far pushed my cpu up to 5200 to try to gain some im getting really close lol.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4711540
Click to expand...

just 26 more points


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> just 26 more points


broke it lol pushed cpu to 5300mhz P11029
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4711714


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> just 26 more points
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> broke it lol pushed cpu to 5300mhz P11029
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4711714
Click to expand...

nice, i am jelly lol..







oh bruteforce by OCing other components lol


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> nice, i am jelly lol..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> oh bruteforce by OCing other components lol


pretty much lol cpu and gpu memory got me a 1000 points gpu cant make it past 1225 without freezing no matter if i send max voltage in trixx. Cpu suprised me thats highest i ever ran it for a benchmark and it was still on 1.53 didnt have to break into 1.60 to get it stable enugh for 3dmark11.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> nice, i am jelly lol..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> oh bruteforce by OCing other components lol
> 
> 
> 
> pretty much lol cpu and gpu memory got me a 1000 points gpu cant make it past 1225 without freezing no matter if i send max voltage in trixx. Cpu suprised me thats highest i ever ran it for a benchmark and it was still on 1.53 didnt have to break into 1.60 to get it stable enugh for 3dmark11.
Click to expand...

hmmmm maybe i should push my CPU up to break 10k but IDK using this hyper evo in relation to you water cooling.. i guess i should be happy at P9777 lol


----------



## Bal3Wolf

yea i run my cpu at 5ghz 24/7 i mean it idles at like 30-35c and never goes over 60c in games i mainly run it at 5ghz is for borderlands 2 it can handle the physx on high very good with it clocked so high.


----------



## axipher

Joined with my AMD OEM 7950.


----------



## InsideJob

Thanks to the AMD guys for upgrading me to a reference Radeon 7970









http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/en53a/


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> yea i run my cpu at 5ghz 24/7 i mean it idles at like 30-35c and never goes over 60c in games i mainly run it at 5ghz is for borderlands 2 it can handle the physx on high very good with it clocked so high.


That's a sweet 2600K you got there! Mine needs 1.45V for 4.8GHz...


----------



## Malo

just picked up this badboy! although I was expecting more when compaired to my old CF setup

http://www.overclock.net/t/1318452/6870cf-vs-7970-benchies#post_18416950 - check it out


----------



## Seid Dark

Could someone who owns Gigabyte 7970 GHz Edition upload his bios? My friend bought 7970 Windforce and it's voltage locked, he can't even get 1100MHz stable at default voltage. He cannot return it to store anymore. I've heard that reference GHz Ed bios can be unstable on Gigabyte cards, so I need one that's from Windforce GHz Edition (1100/1500 MHz default clocks).


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> Could someone who owns Gigabyte 7970 GHz Edition upload his bios? My friend bought 7970 Windforce and it's voltage locked, he can't even get 1100MHz stable at default voltage. He cannot return it to store anymore. I've heard that reference GHz Ed bios can be unstable on Gigabyte cards, so I need one that's from Windforce GHz Edition (1100/1500 MHz default clocks).


Look for it here.









http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LtMatt*
> 
> Look for it here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/


Already looked at there, only stock Gigabyte bios was available, no GHz Edition. Thanks anyway.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> Already looked at there, only stock Gigabyte bios was available, no GHz Edition. Thanks anyway.


I'll ask around for you elsewhere.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> Already looked at there, only stock Gigabyte bios was available, no GHz Edition. Thanks anyway.


Is it a reference pcb?


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LtMatt*
> 
> Is it a reference pcb?


I don't know, there's no mention about custom pcb on Gigabyte website. Some users have said that reference GHz Edition bios has issues with this card, so maybe GB has made some changes to reference pcb?


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I don't know, there's no mention about custom pcb on Gigabyte website. Some users have said that reference GHz Edition bios has issues with this card, so maybe GB has made some changes to reference pcb?


Link me to it please.


----------



## Seid Dark

This is the 7970 card my friend has: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4102#ov

This is the GHz Edition card which has the bios I need: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4290#ov


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> This is the 7970 card my friend has: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4102#ov
> This is the GHz Edition card which has the bios I need: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4290#ov


That's not a reference pcb, will post back if i find one for you.


----------



## adamlop

Can someone please post 7950 vapor-x non boost bios ?


----------



## aiya

Just got a MSI 7950 TFIII, so far running great. It has the 7970 pcb w/8+6 pci-e plugs. Only thing negative is that it runs at 54c idle 500/1250 and I've read that's due to running dual monitors (2 x 24" dells).

Got in some BF3 and smooth, upgraded from a GTX 470. Also running 12.8 cats.


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aiya*
> 
> Just got a MSI 7950 TFIII, so far running great. It has the 7970 pcb w/8+6 pci-e plugs. Only thing negative is that it runs at 54c idle 500/1250 and I've read that's due to running dual monitors (2 x 24" dells).
> Got in some BF3 and smooth, upgraded from a GTX 470. Also running 12.8 cats.


Congrat's & Enjoy!


----------



## s0up2up

Hey there guys I have questions aplenty, well just at the moment, figured they were best asked here.

So 7970's now or wait for 8970's (Whenever they come out...)

And assuming the 7970's would three of them bottleneck an 3820?


----------



## Ghost23

Seems I just needed to add a bit, ran Heaven for a bit @ 1.150, 1100 core, 1575 mem with no crashes, will try some Fur and BF3 to really see if we're stable.

I was surprised to see such a gain going from 1000 to 1100 though, from 1132 score to 1221


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Seems I just needed to add a bit, ran Heaven for a bit @ 1.150, 1100 core, 1575 mem with no crashes, will try some Fur and BF3 to really see if we're stable.
> I was surprised to see such a gain going from 1000 to 1100 though, from 1132 score to 1221


Is it PCS+ cooler model. what temps are you getting at load on core and vrm . use hwinfo32 for logging temps. the scaling for tahiti is excellent. if your core temps can be kept below 70c and vrm temps below 90c you could go higher.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Is it PCS+ cooler model. what temps are you getting at load on core and vrm . use hwinfo32 for logging temps. the scaling for tahiti is excellent. if your core temps can be kept below 70c and vrm temps below 90c you could go higher.


Using an after-market cooler.

Highest temp recorded is 51c in MSI, highest on vrms was about 50c, that was on a 15min Furmark run.


----------



## Ghost23

This is so weird, so, I'm 100% stable with my current clocks, but as soon as I drop in the atipdlxx.dll to enable unofficial in MSI, I get these weird annoying screen tears on my desktop anytime I scroll, move a window, etc, remove it, and it's back to normal.

Wut.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> This is so weird, so, I'm 100% stable with my current clocks, but as soon as I drop in the atipdlxx.dll to enable unofficial in MSI, I get these weird annoying screen tears on my desktop anytime I scroll, move a window, etc, remove it, and it's back to normal.
> Wut.


http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> This is the 7970 card my friend has: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4102#ov
> This is the GHz Edition card which has the bios I need: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4290#ov


I've found one, as soon as the person gets back to me ill post it here.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LtMatt*
> 
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335


"The problem is the un-official way throws up some problems in terms of screen flicker"

Ok thanks, had me worried hardcore.


----------



## Ghost23

Seeing how far I can push 1.150, so far I'm at 1125 core and 1600 stable in Fur, heaven, and BF3.

Highest temps I hit was 56 during Fur. I have a pretty nice amount of room to go!

Average gaming temp is a high of 45, usually somewhere between 38 and 42.


----------



## adamlop

So low ? Fan at full or auto???


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> So low ? Fan at full or auto???


My accelero I usually keep it at full, it's impossible to hear.


----------



## perkeleprkl

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> This cards have nothing in BF3 compared to 680, i mean nothing, the smoothness is far far from 6xx series, i get 55 fps it feels like 40 on 680....even worse maybe. Also the fps stability is nowhere near 680


I feel you mate. I have owned 680 sli(current), 670 sli and 7950 cf, and i too noticed that. Though bf3 was totally playable, it wasnt nearly as smooth as 670/680. But maybe the new 12.11 drivers will change that, reviews show 20-30% performance increase which is freakin amazing.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6393/amds-holiday-plans-cat1211-new-bundle
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/46905-amd-catalyst-1211-benchmarked-surprising-performance-gains/?page=3
Quote:


> Look at the results, and then look at them again. AMD made a specific, concerted point about describing the GCN-related improvements for the Frostbite 2 engine that underpins Battlefield 3 - and by consequence, MOH: Warfighter. We had expected to see a 15 per cent improvement, perhaps a shade less, but the Catalyst 12.11 numbers are 33.9 per cent higher at 1080p and 19.4 per cent higher at 1600p.
> 
> We've double- and triple-checked the results and run the test multiple times; the reported figures are consistent. We can logically surmise that our benchmark map is wonderfully partial to the behind-the-scenes improvements present in the new driver. In a semi-facetious way, it makes you wonder what AMD's driver teams were doing for the past 10 months.
> 
> hexus.net


----------



## th3illusiveman

Can't wait to try the new Drivers when i get home. 10-20% improvement in BF3 should be very nice indeed.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Can't wait to try the new Drivers when i get home. 10-20% improvement in BF3 should be very nice indeed.


Some reviews are showing 20 - 30% improvement in BF3. so depends on the map and the specific test scenarios. enjoy









http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/amd_catalyst_12_11_driver_performance,7.html
http://www.computerbase.de/artikel/grafikkarten/2012/bericht-amd-catalyst-12.11-beta/9/
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6393/amds-holiday-plans-cat1211-new-bundle
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/46905-amd-catalyst-1211-benchmarked-surprising-performance-gains/?page=3


----------



## Squayle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Can't wait to try the new Drivers when i get home. 10-20% improvement in BF3 should be very nice indeed.


Do you know where i can get a download for this?

also does anyone know how easy it is to replace cooling on a Powercolor PCS+ 7950?
I've just had issues with mine and may have to send it back to the company but i'd much rather just replace the cooling or even just the one fan.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Squayle*
> 
> Do you know where i can get a download for this?
> also does anyone know how easy it is to replace cooling on a Powercolor PCS+ 7950?
> I've just had issues with mine and may have to send it back to the company but i'd much rather just replace the cooling or even just the one fan.


Buy the Accelero for the 7900 series, it's not that difficult, and it's amazing.

Average temps @ 1.150v, 1150 core, 1600 mem are 48c during BF3, 27-28c idle.


----------



## King4x4

New Drivers out at Guru3d:
http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_12_11_beta_download.html


----------



## Squayle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Buy the Accelero for the 7900 series, it's not that difficult, and it's amazing.
> Average temps @ 1.150v, 1150 core, 1600 mem are 48c during BF3, 27-28c idle.


Does that have an incomaptibilties with different kinds of 7900's
I.e reference/non reference

sorry for sounding like a complete new kid to this.


----------



## raghu78

can somebody test these drivers in BF3 and see if there are no rendering issues. pcper commented on missing geometry which AMD said would be patched in the driver released to the public. pcper encountered the problems on HD 7870.

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Never-Settle-1211-Beta-Driver-Performance-Testing/Battlefield-3

"Our testing didn't go without issues though; during one of our test we had some missing geometry that was...distracting.

This didn't happen every time we played the game, but it was frequent enough to be more than a mild issue. To be fair, AMD did tell us about this bug BEFORE we did our testing so they were upfront about it. Also, the driver that is being released later this week for the public to download should have the fix for this in place."


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Squayle*
> 
> Does that have an incomaptibilties with different kinds of 7900's
> I.e reference/non reference
> sorry for sounding like a complete new kid to this.


Not really no, it'd have to be some off-the-wall design, the hardest part is putting on the vrm coolers because you have to mix the epoxy for 5 min and leave it dry for 24 hours, the rest is a cake-walk.

It's a bit pricey at $79.99, but after seeing the results I'd pay $100 easily.

If you decide to get it, which I for sure say too, let me know I can link you to a helpful video.


----------



## Macke93

Installed and tested in Battlefield 3 multiplayer with my 7950, gone from 12.6 drivers directly to 12.11!
FPS is clearly higher than before, and less downs and ups in the FPS "drops", the only con I found yet is that the card always run full memory clocks even in "idle" when just web browsing








My solution was setting up another profile with low memory and core clocks in Sapphire Trixxx!









Give the new 12.11 a try, feels good!


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> New Drivers out at Guru3d:
> http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_12_11_beta_download.html


Mirror?


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> Installed and tested in Battlefield 3 multiplayer with my 7950, gone from 12.6 drivers directly to 12.11!
> FPS is clearly higher than before, and less downs and ups in the FPS "drops", the only con I found yet is that the card always run full memory clocks even in "idle" when just web browsing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My solution was setting up another profile with low memory and core clocks in Sapphire Trixxx!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Give the new 12.11 a try, feels good!


Can you maybe put them up for download? They got taken down for some bug fixes..


----------



## asder00

Mirror ---> http://www20.zippyshare.com/v/4431252/file.html


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *asder00*
> 
> Mirror ---> http://www20.zippyshare.com/v/4431252/file.html


All of my love to you.


----------



## psyside

Bye bye 680


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> 
> Bye bye 680


Impressive!


----------



## adamlop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Buy the Accelero for the 7900 series, it's not that difficult, and it's amazing.
> Average temps @ 1.150v, 1150 core, 1600 mem are 48c during BF3, 27-28c idle.


What about VRMs temp? Any additional cooling in set?


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> 
> Bye bye 680


Amazing work by AMD ! This just keeps the safe feeling owning a AMD card holding on, much performance for the money


----------



## adamlop

Good job AMD, many thanks 2 asder00 for mirroring


----------



## Newbie2009

This excites me more than new HD8000 series news.
AMD backing up their words about working harder and spending more money in the driver department, could it be coming true?


----------



## anticommon

Question: This new bundle, do you guys think AMD will honor it for my 7970GHZ that is coming in the mail at the end of the week? I got it from newegg, but when I ordered it this weekend there was no mention of this freaking awesome bundle.

And even if they would, who would I contact about this kind of thing? The manufacturer or AMD directly?


----------



## rck1984

Anyone tried crossfire 7950/7970 on these 12.11 drivers yet? On vacation myself so unfortunately cant test them.


----------



## Squayle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Not really no, it'd have to be some off-the-wall design, the hardest part is putting on the vrm coolers because you have to mix the epoxy for 5 min and leave it dry for 24 hours, the rest is a cake-walk.
> It's a bit pricey at $79.99, but after seeing the results I'd pay $100 easily.
> If you decide to get it, which I for sure say too, let me know I can link you to a helpful video.


I have a powercolor PCS+
If that will be okay then I'm definitely going to go for it as son as i can afford it. Thanks.
Is this an installation video?


----------



## boletop

12.11beta repair vertical stripes or gsod on 7**** series??
im having this problem and it is horrible...big minus for amd and their drivers


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> What about VRMs temp? Any additional cooling in set?


I have the thermal epoxy on with some heatsinks it came with.

VRM's stay low and cool with roughly the same idles, only hitting the 50c mark during a 15 minute Furmark burn-in.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anticommon*
> 
> Question: This new bundle, do you guys think AMD will honor it for my 7970GHZ that is coming in the mail at the end of the week? I got it from newegg, but when I ordered it this weekend there was no mention of this freaking awesome bundle.
> And even if they would, who would I contact about this kind of thing? The manufacturer or AMD directly?


Your only option is to *refuse the shipment(*contact newegg beforehand so they waive your re-stocking fee charge) when it is delivered and buy again. If you can't meet the mailman in person, you have to RMA it and eat the re-stocking fee, but the extra $$ you get with the bundle is probably worth it.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> What about VRMs temp? Any additional cooling in set?


I have the thermal epoxy on with some heatsinks it came with.

VRM's stay low and cool with roughly the same idles, only hitting the 50c mark during a 15 minute Furmark burn-in.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Squayle*
> 
> I have a powercolor PCS+
> If that will be okay then I'm definitely going to go for it as son as i can afford it. Thanks.
> Is this an installation video?


I can't see any huge issues with the PCS+ from my googling, but I'd wait a bit and post here later to see if the dimensions are super different, but you should be fine.

Yeah, it's an install video, it's not hard to do but there are some things that can easily get confusing or just frustrating.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> 12.11beta repair vertical stripes or gsod on 7**** series??
> im having this problem and it is horrible...big minus for amd and their drivers


This isn't a driver issue 90% of the time. It's typically either a defective card or bad settings for it. The only time I've gotten a GSOD was with a bad overclock and with a card that was physically damaged.

However, that being my only experience with it, others who fell in the small minority of getting this issue elsewhere will have more information for you to judge by.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> 12.11beta repair vertical stripes or gsod on 7**** series??
> im having this problem and it is horrible...big minus for amd and their drivers


What driver you running.

The driver won't be out until later today/tonight, so nobody can answer.


----------



## boletop

with 12.4 i had gsod
with 12.6 i had black screen in games and with 12.8 and 12.9beta i had verical stripes.
my card is xfx 7950 BE DD.maybe its bios.can someone suggest my what bios should i install to solve my problems


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> with 12.4 i had gsod
> with 12.6 i had black screen in games and with 12.8 and 12.9beta i had verical stripes.
> my card is xfx 7950 BE DD.maybe its bios.can someone suggest my what bios should i install to solve my problems


4 Different Driver not solving your problem-> You probably need to RMA you card for a defect.


----------



## boletop

i did that few days ago but i think they will return my card to me because it is stable in 3d applicatios but in 2d or changing 2d to 3d its very unstable


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> i did that few days ago but i think they will return my card to me because it is stable in 3d applicatios but in 2d or changing 2d to 3d its very unstable


Just email them stating your exact situation and what you have tried.If you are still in the refund period you could try getting a refund instead.


----------



## adamlop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> i did that few days ago but i think they will return my card to me because it is stable in 3d applicatios but in 2d or changing 2d to 3d its very unstable


That was the same with mine sapphire 7950 950oc. Vertical stripes, black screens. But only in Heaven and crysis 1 and 2.
Was stable like a rock in 3d mark 11, and bf3 and many other games, just look here
http://www.sapphireforum.com/showthread.php?29812-hd7950-OC-950mhz-%287970-PCB%29&p=264539#post264539
after RMA, changed to 7950 vapor-x, and all my problems just gone









Just write small letter about unstable applications and put in this bag with card, then man who will be testig can make same procedures like you


----------



## boletop

i did that.i even pictured my screen and send picture with gfx.i also described all my problem so i can hope i will get some other card because xfx is ****


----------



## MacG32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *asder00*
> 
> Mirror ---> http://www20.zippyshare.com/v/4431252/file.html


Those drivers have been pulled by AMD for errors. You might want to wait/revert back until an update is released later today/tomorrow.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MacG32*
> 
> Those drivers have been pulled by AMD for errors. You might want to wait/revert back until an update is released later today/tomorrow.


I would not expect these drivers till wednesday at least.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Says later today but that doesn't necessarily mean anything...


----------



## boletop

Guys can u please suggest my bios for my xfx 7950 DD blackedition?


----------



## Newbie2009

Does the Asus Matrix card use a stock pcb? Would a matrix bios work on a stock 7970?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> i did that few days ago but i think they will return my card to me because it is stable in 3d applicatios but in 2d or changing 2d to 3d its very unstable


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> That was the same with mine sapphire 7950 950oc. Vertical stripes, black screens. But only in Heaven and crysis 1 and 2.
> Was stable like a rock in 3d mark 11, and bf3 and many other games, just look here
> http://www.sapphireforum.com/showthread.php?29812-hd7950-OC-950mhz-%287970-PCB%29&p=264539#post264539
> after RMA, changed to 7950 vapor-x, and all my problems just gone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just write small letter about unstable applications and put in this bag with card, then man who will be testig can make same procedures like you


Same here, Sapphire 7950 (950 version) on youtube videos with hardware acceleration instant issues, i turned it off, but last night when i played HD movie with MPHC the same thing happened, are you guys saying this is hardware issue and not software related? because i got 0 problems in games.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Does the Asus Matrix card use a stock pcb? Would a matrix bios work on a stock 7970?


The ASUS matrix is the most heavily customized PCB out there, for pretty much any matrix card. I'd expect the same from the BIOS, it'd probably brick any other card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Same here, Sapphire 7950 (950 version) on youtube videos with hardware acceleration instant issues, i turned it off, but last night when i played HD movie with MPHC the same thing happened, are you guys saying this is hardware issue and not software related? because i got 0 problems in games.


I had problems with anything in adobe flash for a while because it quite frankly is a piece of steaming crap. An update I downloaded about a month ago fixed that though. I'd try completely uninstalling that, reinstalling, and making sure you have the codecs downloaded from AMD in regards to MPHC(?).


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> I had problems with anything in adobe flash for a while because it quite frankly is a piece of steaming crap. An update I downloaded about a month ago fixed that though. I'd try completely uninstalling that, reinstalling, and making sure you have the codecs downloaded from AMD in regards to MPHC(?).


Codecs? i install only CCC and GPU drivers. Nothing else.

Do i need to? : /


----------



## rck1984

Any crossfire user some feedback on the 12.11 drivers?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Codecs? i install only CCC and GPU drivers. Nothing else.
> Do i need to? : /


If you're using any sort of media player, I would recommend it. Makes life easier on the whole.


----------



## heroxoot

I bumped my 7970 lightning from 1070 to 1100 on stock voltage and the damn thing crashed with a solid color screen in a game that hardly uses my GPU. So I guess I'm not lucky.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Any crossfire user some feedback on the 12.11 drivers?


 Left side 12.9 beta right side 12.11 beta 7950 crossfire 1050core 1425mem on both


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Left side 12.9 beta right side 12.11 beta 7950 crossfire 1050core 1425mem on both


Hardcore CPU bottleneck there







Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> If you're using any sort of media player, I would recommend it. Makes life easier on the whole.


Yes, MPHC , VLC + sometimes GOM, but i did total uninstall of flashplayer, if the issue persist, i will install the codecs, thanks!


----------



## DB006

12.11 official beta out now on AMD's site









32bit - http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...w_vista32.aspx

64bit - http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...w_vista64.aspx

scroll to bottom for beta 12.11


----------



## stubass

if the new 12.11 hapends to show up as new version avaliable in CCC, can you just updat this way or is it better to do the whole manual thingy ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> 12.11 official beta out now on AMD's site
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 32bit - http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...w_vista32.aspx
> 64bit - http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...w_vista64.aspx
> scroll to bottom for beta 12.11


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> if the new 12.11 hapends to show up as new version avaliable in CCC, can you just updat this way or is it better to do the whole manual thingy ?


Probably best to un-install your current ones and then install these.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> if the new 12.11 hapends to show up as new version avaliable in CCC, can you just updat this way or is it better to do the whole manual thingy ?
> 
> 
> 
> Probably best to un-install your current ones and then install these.
Click to expand...

i was think that, but wanted to be sure becuase this is the first two weeks i have had a high end card


----------



## MacG32

Drivers are back out now here.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Just upgraded to 12.11 for HD 7970 and noticed that idle card temperature is around 50-51C now... o.o That's up from its usual 30-35C. Anyone else notice this? Still testing to see if there are any other odd differences from previous drivers.

At idle, it looks like the card is stuck in 3D clocks (running at 1575MHz memory speed even at 1% GPU load).

Also installed CAP .10 with this. It's not due to the CAP - already tried uninstalling it - same thing.

Screenshot where you can see that the card is at idle but sticking to 3D clocks:


----------



## ZealotKi11er

This my be already covered but i flashed my Reference HD 7970 to 7970 Ghz but the vCore is stuck @ 1.187v. I am using MSI AB to increase voltage but it does not change it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> This my be already covered but i flashed my Reference HD 7970 to 7970 Ghz but the vCore is stuck @ 1.187v. I am using MSI AB to increase voltage but it does not change it.


That bios doesn't work for all cards. You're not the only one that loses volt control.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That bios doesn't work for all cards. You're not the only one that loses volt control.


What do you mean for all cards?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That bios doesn't work for all cards. You're not the only one that loses volt control.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What do you mean for all cards?
Click to expand...

Exactly what i wrote. Some cards lose volt control or the volts are off, etc.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Ok, just tested - as soon as I switch to 12.11, idle clocks remain at max clocks (1100/1575MHz at the moment). With older drivers and without a driver installed, they drop to low values properly. Also noticed slightly higher core temperatures in games vs Catalyst 12.9. Going to try 12.10 out of curiosity now.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Aren't all reference cards the same? I have another HD 7970 with GHz Bios that AMD flashed for me and that one can go up to 1.275v. Could that possibly have a different newer BIOS?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Ok, just tested - as soon as I switch to 12.11, idle clocks remain at max clocks (1100/1575MHz at the moment). With older drivers and without a driver installed, they drop to low values properly. Also noticed slightly higher core temperatures in games vs Catalyst 12.9. Going to try 12.10 out of curiosity now.


I noticed a bit higher power draw on my quads as well, broke a bit over 1800w now in a few places in heaven. It used to be only a two places, but the killawatt is beeping at me all the time now.

I don't have idle clock issues but then again I'm not using Powerplay.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Powerplay? What is that, sorry? I'm not using anything fancy - just basic driver + CCC + CAP (Afterburner too, but I have it disabled now for troubleshooting).

Edit: just looked it up... I'm not using Powerplay - I have an Intel processor, and Powerplay is not even an available option for me in CCC.

Update #2: Installing 12.11 without CCC still results in high idle clocks.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Exactly what i wrote. Some cards lose volt control or the volts are off, etc.


yea my card loses votlage control when i flash the ghz bios and a few other bios i tried the card wont raise volts when it goes into 3d mode. On another note the new drivers got be over 11k without even having to push my cpu to 5300mhz or push my core of my card up to 1225.


----------



## R.D.BID

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Powerplay? What is that, sorry? I'm not using anything fancy - just basic driver + CCC + CAP (Afterburner too, but I have it disabled now for troubleshooting).
> Edit: just looked it up... I'm not using Powerplay - I have an Intel processor, and Powerplay is not even an available option for me in CCC.


What kind of issues are you having with AB?

I don't know quite yet if I'm having issues but it sure acts a lot differently since I installed my two 7950's.
AB shows that GPU usage fluctuates wildly and it also shows that the clocks fluctuate a lot too.


----------



## psyside

Guys, find other OSD and just use Trixx is like 10x more stable then AB! trust me on this one.

All props goes to tsm106 for the info about Trixx


----------



## DB006

Reference 7*** cards are not downlocking properly in 2D mode on this driver, non ref cards are not affected.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Aren't all reference cards the same? I have another HD 7970 with GHz Bios that AMD flashed for me and that one can go up to 1.275v. Could that possibly have a different newer BIOS?


I cannot adjust volts with the ghz edition bios either.

NOTE: I am getting higher clocks on these 12.11 drivers with stock volts, anyone else notice this? I could never handle 1125 core on stock before, working fine now....


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Reference 7*** cards are not downlocking properly in 2D mode on this driver, non ref cards are not affected.


seems like their downclocking backwards my card is doing 300/150 instead of 150/300.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *R.D.BID*
> 
> What kind of issues are you having with AB?
> I don't know quite yet if I'm having issues but it sure acts a lot differently since I installed my two 7950's.
> AB shows that GPU usage fluctuates wildly and it also shows that the clocks fluctuate a lot too.


I'm not having any issues with AB. I'm having an issue with the new 12.11 Beta not downclocking my card properly at idle, so it sits at ~55C for no good reason. I'm back to 12.9 for now.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Reference 7*** cards are not downlocking properly in 2D mode on this driver, non ref cards are not affected.
> 
> 
> 
> seems like their downclocking backwards my card is doing 300/150 instead of 150/300.
Click to expand...

i found this too.. but i love the increase in 3Dmark11, at same clocks i went from P9777 - over 10K finally lol
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4725755


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> Reference 7*** cards are not downlocking properly in 2D mode on this driver, non ref cards are not affected.


My card is a non-reference card (Sapphire Dual-X 7970 OC) and it's not downclocking. So I think the statement above is true for more than just reference cards.


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> My card is a non-reference card (Sapphire Dual-X 7970 OC) and it's not downclocking. So I think the statement above is true for more than just reference cards.


It might have a reference PCB but AIB cooler only.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> My card is a non-reference card (Sapphire Dual-X 7970 OC) and it's not downclocking. So I think the statement above is true for more than just reference cards.


Mr 7970 guru has the solution

http://www.overclock.net/t/1318756/amd-12-11-beta-drivers/20


----------



## Evil Penguin

My reference 7970 with the GHz Edition BIOS is downclocking just fine.








Are third-party overclocking programs being used to overclock?


----------



## BradleyW

12.10 WHQL, 12.11 Beta, 12.10 CAPS 1
http://www.overclock.net/t/1318917/amd-12-10-whql-12-11-beta-12-10-caps-1-out-now


----------



## LifeDisturbens

I have an problem with my Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 (7xxx series). And i thought maybe some of you guys could help me.

I'm getting random stutters and PC shutdowns when i'm playing games that my card easy should be able to max out. (Like GTA San Andreas, The Saboteur, Leauge Of Legends, Team Fortress 2 etc).

I've installed patches, i've reinstalled windows.. I really don't know what the problem is.

Specs:

Cooler Master HAF x Big Tower Black, Green Leds.

Silver Power SP-850M 850W PSU.

AMD FX-8120 8-Core processor socket- AMD3+

Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3, Socket-AMD3+

Corsair Vengeance DDR3 1600Mhz 16 GB.

Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 2GB GDDR5.

Samsung SSD 830 Series 128 GB.

Western Digital Desktop Black 1TB.

The PC is 1-2 months old now, and this is my first "good" PC since i'm only 17 and i've worked for this the whole summer and now it's simply not working, i'm not good with computers.. And i really need help. Does somone have answers for this?

(Sorry if it's posted in wrong thread, but this was the only forum post that i found active ppl on that maybe have answers.. I beg you, if you are able.. Please help me. :/ ).


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I cannot adjust volts with the ghz edition bios either.
> NOTE: I am getting higher clocks on these 12.11 drivers with stock volts, anyone else notice this? I could never handle 1125 core on stock before, working fine now....


I only wanted Ghz so i dont have to mess about CCC limits. I was always stable @ 1125Mhz because my card has stock voltage 1.175v. Now with Ghz Bios i hit 1.187v nad cant get 1.2Ghz stable but it is stable @ 1175Mhz.


----------



## Newbie2009

Well these drivers have me excited.

I could never run 1125/1575 stock volts before (not for proper crysis and crysis 2 benching) With 12.11 I now can.
I could never bench crysis or crysis 2 past 1320 (1350 was fine for unigine and 3dmark) core without a hardlock in the first few seconds regardless of voltage. Just ran 4 successful benchmarks on both games with nowhere near max voltage on 12.11.
Damn I have to go to bed, want to bench more.


----------



## grunion

No idle bug here..
But I am seeing some glitches during the OS load, sometimes a line through the screen, sometimes no signal.
Turning off the display then back on fixes it.



And what voodoo magic is going on here, how long before the NV focus group find an out of place rock









My 3DM11 gpu score went up by a whopping 1.3 k.


----------



## Ghost23

Anyone else notice a huge improvement in BF3 with these new drivers?

All ultra, 4xmsaa, I'm getting a silky smooth 60fps in spots where I got 45-50. Holy crap AMD.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Anyone else notice a huge improvement in BF3 with these new drivers?
> All ultra, 4xmsaa, I'm getting a silky smooth 60fps in spots where I got 45-50. Holy crap AMD.


its almost a new card increase.
I guess the mobile owners will say that..


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Does anyone else see horrendous microstutter in Stalker Clear Sky?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I only wanted Ghz so i dont have to mess about CCC limits. I was always stable @ 1125Mhz because my card has stock voltage 1.175v. Now with Ghz Bios i hit 1.187v nad cant get 1.2Ghz stable but it is stable @ 1175Mhz.


watch the volts in gpuz for me even with the ghz bios it used a ton less then what it shows my bios on my card 925/1375 gives me super high limits 1665mhz on the core and 2475mhz on the memory without doing any thing to the drivers.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> watch the volts in gpuz for me even with the ghz bios it used a ton less then what it shows my bios on my card 925/1375 gives me super high limits 1665mhz on the core and 2475mhz on the memory without doing any thing to the drivers.


Its used a bit less. 1.174v


----------



## axipher

With my AMD OEM 7950 on stock voltage, what clocks should I expect on air without touching the voltage? Currently at 1000/1500 right now and getting a 3DMark11 Graphics score of 9293: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4726279


----------



## Farmer Boe

These new drivers are awesome! Scored P11259 on 3dmark11! GPU at 1230/1800 1.3 volts.

3dmark11 7970 1230 1800 5.3ghz cat12.11.png 880k .png file


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> With my AMD OEM 7950 on stock voltage, what clocks should I expect on air without touching the voltage? Currently at 1000/1500 right now and getting a 3DMark11 Graphics score of 9293: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4726279


For a reference 7950 on stock voltage, 1Ghz is a very good result. Even slightly voltage increments should give you something around 1100Mhz.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

A) These drivers dont increase OC potential or any driver for that matter.
B) Stock idle vCore for 12.8 was 0.806v, 12.11 Beta 3 vCore 0.949v. For someone on air you are probably going to get higher idle temps 5-10C.
C) Idle clock are also higher 500/1375 vs 150/300
D)Performance always comes second.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gregoryH*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> With my AMD OEM 7950 on stock voltage, what clocks should I expect on air without touching the voltage? Currently at 1000/1500 right now and getting a 3DMark11 Graphics score of 9293: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4726279
> 
> 
> 
> For a reference 7950 on stock voltage, 1Ghz is a very good result. Even slightly voltage increments should give you something around 1100Mhz.
Click to expand...

Thanks, and I haven't actually done any real tweaking or stressing yet. When I have more time tomorrow, I'll open up FurMark and push for 1100 MHz, the max in CCC, and 1575 for the memory. If I hit those no problem, I'd be happy.

I'm not sure about upping the voltage though much more. I'm running a Xeon X3480 (i7-880) and this 7950 off an OCZ 550 W ZS. I'm thinking I might have to upgrade my GPU to get any more potential.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Thanks, and I haven't actually done any real tweaking or stressing yet. When I have more time tomorrow, I'll open up FurMark and push for 1100 MHz, the max in CCC, and 1575 for the memory. If I hit those no problem, I'd be happy.
> I'm not sure about upping the voltage though much more. I'm running a Xeon X3480 (i7-880) and this 7950 off an OCZ 550 W ZS. I'm thinking I might have to upgrade my GPU to get any more potential.


I would game test it more then furmark in furmark it runs great for me but games is where i noticed its not fully stable by little artifacts or a checkerd box never get that when running furmark.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Heaven is pretty good indication of stability once it hits MAX Temp. You have to sit and watch because HD 79XX series artifact before they crash driver.


----------



## josephimports

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Farmer Boe*
> 
> These new drivers are awesome! Scored P11259 on 3dmark11! GPU at 1230/1800 1.3 volts.
> 
> 3dmark11 7970 1230 1800 5.3ghz cat12.11.png 880k .png file


Nice. That 5.3ghz oc really helps. What was the memory set at?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Heaven is pretty good indication of stability once it hits MAX Temp. You have to sit and watch because HD 79XX series artifact before they crash driver.


http://folding.stanford.edu/English/DownloadUtils
run memtestCL while benching (wait for temps to reach max, then start it) - it'll show math errors that don't crash benches.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> I would game test it more then furmark in furmark it runs great for me but games is where i noticed its not fully stable by little artifacts or a checkerd box never get that when running furmark.


Yeah, I find Crysis really good at stress testing my 7950s.


----------



## Ganf

Solution for cards not downclocking:

Never stop playing.

Or fold when you're not playing. Problem solved.









Seriously though, downloading them now, I'll report if I have any problems.


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *josephimports*
> 
> Nice. That 5.3ghz oc really helps. What was the memory set at?


The memory was at 2133MHz using 8-9-10-15 1T timings. I'll probably try the same graphics settings with my faster ram which runs at 7-9-7-20 1T.


----------



## Testier

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4727190

So happy. Look at that graphic score!!!! with 12.11 catalyst beta. IMO


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Thanks, and I haven't actually done any real tweaking or stressing yet. When I have more time tomorrow, I'll open up FurMark and push for 1100 MHz, the max in CCC, and 1575 for the memory. If I hit those no problem, I'd be happy.
> I'm not sure about upping the voltage though much more. I'm running a Xeon X3480 (i7-880) and this 7950 off an OCZ 550 W ZS. I'm thinking I might have to upgrade my GPU to get any more potential.
> 
> 
> 
> I would game test it more then furmark in furmark it runs great for me but games is where i noticed its not fully stable by little artifacts or a checkerd box never get that when running furmark.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Heaven is pretty good indication of stability once it hits MAX Temp. You have to sit and watch because HD 79XX series artifact before they crash driver.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Heaven is pretty good indication of stability once it hits MAX Temp. You have to sit and watch because HD 79XX series artifact before they crash driver.
> 
> 
> 
> http://folding.stanford.edu/English/DownloadUtils
> run memtestCL while benching (wait for temps to reach max, then start it) - it'll show math errors that don't crash benches.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BababooeyHTJ*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> I would game test it more then furmark in furmark it runs great for me but games is where i noticed its not fully stable by little artifacts or a checkerd box never get that when running furmark.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I find Crysis really good at stress testing my 7950s.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the ideas, I'm thinking that tool from Stanford might be good along with Heaven running in loops for 30 minutes at a time once I hit the point where I need more voltage.


----------



## Ganf

Awesome. AMD drivers are released that are supposed to boost performance and everyone is crashing 3dmark's website trying to find out if it's really as good as people say. I should've reinstalled it sooner.









For those of you trying to download it like me, don't forget that you can get it through steam.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Was trying to use MSI AB with Unofficial Overclocking method.
Here is what i did.
Got version 2.2.4.
Got all the files and activated UO.
Set vCore to 1.225v.
Left memory to 1375Mhz
Core @ 1200Mhz
The moment i click apply the 2D clock drooped to normal setting 150/300 vs 500/1375 which where before with 12.11 drives.
This is good but whats bad is that somehow the card is not stable at those clocks and i get mad flickering is i try to do anything 2D like scrolling.
Waiting for a solution or updated driver.


----------



## josephimports

Nice increase in 3DMark11. Not so great in Heaven.


----------



## grunion

@ ZK Is your card reference?

I've no overclocking/downclocking issues, no AB issues, no voltage issue, everything was plug-n-play.
1200/1800 is as stable now as it was with 12.8, haven't checked for any additional headroom, as long as nothing was lost I'm fine.
Had to reset my AB -xcl and that was it.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Thanks for all the ideas, I'm thinking that tool from Stanford might be good along with Heaven running in loops for 30 minutes at a time once I hit the point where I need more voltage.


also another tool i found pretty good for 7xxx is the avp benchmark you will see artifacts pretty fast in the benchmark.
http://downloads.guru3d.com/Aliens-vs.-Predator-DirectX-11-Benchmark-Tool-download-2553.html


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Thanks for all the ideas, I'm thinking that tool from Stanford might be good along with Heaven running in loops for 30 minutes at a time once I hit the point where I need more voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> also another tool i found pretty good for 7xxx is the avp benchmark you will see artifacts pretty fast in the benchmark.
> http://downloads.guru3d.com/Aliens-vs.-Predator-DirectX-11-Benchmark-Tool-download-2553.html
Click to expand...

Thanks, downloading now


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> @ ZK Is your card reference?
> I've no overclocking/downclocking issues, no AB issues, no voltage issue, everything was plug-n-play.
> 1200/1800 is as stable now as it was with 12.8, haven't checked for any additional headroom, as long as nothing was lost I'm fine.
> Had to reset my AB -xcl and that was it.


Which drivers did you get?

I got these.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst1211betadriver.aspx


----------



## grunion

This package, should be the same.


----------



## BusterOddo

Seriously...3dmark is still down lol Everybody stop downloading so I can reinstall it already!


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Seriously...3dmark is still down lol Everybody stop downloading so I can reinstall it already!


What OCNer doesn't already have it downloaded


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Seriously...3dmark is still down lol Everybody stop downloading so I can reinstall it already!
> 
> 
> 
> What OCNer doesn't already have it downloaded
Click to expand...

yeah, i got 2 different versions saved.. not the latest tho


----------



## BusterOddo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah, i got 2 different versions saved.. not the latest tho


I just recently installed a ssd for boot drive and reformatted hdd at the same time and dont have it anymore


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> This package, should be the same.


Thats 12.10 you liked.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Thats 12.10 you liked.


Scroll down


----------



## BusterOddo

Oh and just wanted to say hello to everybody. Just registered to OCN recently and to the 7970 owner's club tonight! I love this site. So many people with tons of knowledge. Great place to learn.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Oh and just wanted to say hello to everybody. Just registered to OCN recently and to the 7970 owner's club tonight! I love this site. So many people with tons of knowledge. Great place to learn.


Great to have you aboard man. Be sure to check out our [email protected] and BOINC sections if you want to put that GPU to good use while you're not gaming on it.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah, i got 2 different versions saved.. not the latest tho
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just recently installed a ssd for boot drive and reformatted hdd at the same time and dont have it anymore
Click to expand...

owwwww, you should have a back up drive or system in place or if you do backed everything up









still more turbulence, if you want i can upload to dropbox but will take awhile


----------



## BusterOddo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> owwwww, you should have a back up drive or system in place or if you do backed everything up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> still more turbulence, if you want i can upload to dropbox but will take awhile


No that's ok, but thanks for the offer. It wasn't that bad. I only had games and oc software on it anyways. Well except for now that I need 3dmark to retest these new drivers


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Scroll down


I am







. Yeah they are the same driver i got. I am going to try to do a clean of all the drivers and get them on again.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> owwwww, you should have a back up drive or system in place or if you do backed everything up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> still more turbulence, if you want i can upload to dropbox but will take awhile
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No that's ok, but thanks for the offer. It wasn't that bad. I only had games and oc software on it anyways. Well except for now that I need 3dmark to retest these new drivers
Click to expand...

i am uploading anyway, as part of my benchmarking, overclocking and stress testing offsite backup.. so if 3dmark11 isnt still avaliable just let me know if you change your mind 45minutes to go


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Seriously...3dmark is still down lol Everybody stop downloading so I can reinstall it already!


Why not just download it on steam ?

http://store.steampowered.com/app/205270/


----------



## stubass

hey Bal3Wolf, i would love to see the score your getting now with these new drivers, especially with that vRAM OC


----------



## BusterOddo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Why not just download it on steam ?
> http://store.steampowered.com/app/205270/


Cool didnt know steam had it. Well with the new driver I'm up about a 1000 points in 3dmark 11. First score over 10000:thumb:


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Why not just download it on steam ?
> http://store.steampowered.com/app/205270/
> 
> 
> 
> Cool didnt know steam had it. Well with the new driver I'm up about a 1000 points in 3dmark 11. First score over 10000:thumb:
Click to expand...

same with me, first time over 10k







i was messing arround for ages then it just took a driver update lol


----------



## BusterOddo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> same with me, first time over 10k
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i was messing arround for ages then it just took a driver update lol


Yeah just found my handwritten notes from 12.7 scores...I was only at 9300 before. 1100points improvement








Yeah I'll take it!

And battlefield 3 seems to be up about 10-30fps as well.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BusterOddo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> same with me, first time over 10k
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i was messing arround for ages then it just took a driver update lol
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah just found my handwritten notes from 12.7 scores...I was only at 9300 before. 1100points improvement
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I'll take it!
> 
> And battlefield 3 seems to be up about 10-30fps as well.
Click to expand...












































and well done AMD


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> hey Bal3Wolf, i would love to see the score your getting now with these new drivers, especially with that vRAM OC


lol yea i need to run it with my cpu back at 5300 and the gpu clocked at 1225/1980 lol gonna do that now.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> hey Bal3Wolf, i would love to see the score your getting now with these new drivers, especially with that vRAM OC
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol yea i need to run it with my cpu back at 5300 and the gpu clocked at 1225/1980 lol gonna do that now.
Click to expand...

cool, thanks


----------



## Bal3Wolf

i broke 12k lol dang thats only like 600 points shy of what my trifire could do.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4728302


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> i broke 12k lol dang thats only like 600 points shy of what my trifire could do.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4728302










nice score for a single card









what cards were your old trifire?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nice score for a single card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what cards were your old trifire?


[email protected]/1200 and a [email protected]/1200.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nice score for a single card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what cards were your old trifire?
> 
> 
> 
> [email protected]/1200 and a [email protected]/1200.
Click to expand...

nice







well this is actually my first decent GPU set up ever and i am loving it.. now to start gaming as i havernt played anything in 10 years, last game was half life 2 back in 2002


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> well this is actually my first decent GPU set up ever and i am loving it.. now to start gaming as i havernt played anything in 10 years, last game was half life 2 back in 2002


i love my 7970 lol more then my trifire even tho it was pretty good also but single cards just seem so much more smooth.


----------



## yoyo711

Here

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4260468 p7121 900 2200 gtx 570 08/30/2012

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4260368 p6037 742 1700 gtx 570 08/30/2012

p9122 1100 1575 hd 7950 08/31/2012

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4311060 p9440 1150 1575 hd 7950 09/05/2012

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4337720 p9587 1150 1650 hd 7950 09/08/2012

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4337802 p 9980 1200 1650 hd 7950 09/08/2012

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4341756 p10027 1215 1750 hd 7950 09/08/2012

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4365598 p9755 122% 175 400 gtx 670 09/11/2012

Here is 12.11 new driver and WoW

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4728466 p10146 1100 1575 hd7950 10/22/2012

I'll push more


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> A) *These drivers dont increase OC potential or any driver for that matter.*
> B) Stock idle vCore for 12.8 was 0.806v, 12.11 Beta 3 vCore 0.949v. For someone on air you are probably going to get higher idle temps 5-10C.
> C) Idle clock are also higher 500/1375 vs 150/300
> D)Performance always comes second.


Wrong, driver stability counts. I have experienced overclocks stable on some drivers and unstable on others. If it goes up it goes down.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Heaven is pretty good indication of stability once it hits MAX Temp. You have to sit and watch because HD 79XX series artifact before they crash driver.


Unigine is garbage for overclock stability testing. Use crysis and crysis 2. Crysis 1 puts the most heat stress on the card. 3D Mark 11 is good for memory.

If you have been using Unigine all this time then you have wasted a huge amount of time. Crysis and Crysis 2 will crash quickly if unstable.


----------



## adamlop

Unigine can be used for artifacting on first steps. For me 5mhz steps shows som artifacting, then i know to lower clocks
After that i run 3d mark 11, then play 1 hour BF3 Multi, and crysis1.
Can have 3dmark 11, bf3 multi stable, but crash in crysis...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Unigine can be used for artifacting on first steps. For me 5mhz steps shows som artifacting, then i know to lower clocks
> After that i run 3d mark 11, then play 1 hour BF3 Multi, and crysis1.
> Can have 3dmark 11, bf3 multi stable, but crash in crysis...


Then the overclock is unstable, so use crysis to bench. I can say with 100% certainty, if you are stable looping the crysis series you are stable in everything.


----------



## adamlop

That's true, but you can't change clocks under crysis, so i use maxed heaven in window and play with clocks in first step until artifacting or driver stops responding + gpu-z temps monitoring on time. Of course i know that don't give any stability certainty, but after that starts with 3d mark 11-> Bf3 -> crysis1 testing


----------



## John-117

I just want to confirm that these new 12.11 drivers are amazing!
BF3 multiplayer at 2560x1440, ULTRA with FXAA and no MSAA doesn't drop below 60,
same resolution with MSAA 2x stays above 50, single card clocked at 1100/1600.

3dmark11 went up around 1500 points! 1200/1625
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4729562

Only problem is idle clocks which are at 500MHz.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *John-117*
> 
> I just want to confirm that these new 12.11 drivers are amazing!
> BF3 multiplayer at 2560x1440, ULTRA with FXAA and no MSAA doesn't drop below 60,
> same resolution with MSAA 2x stays above 50, single card clocked at 1100/1600.
> 
> 3dmark11 went up around 1500 points! 1200/1625
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4729562
> 
> Only problem is idle clocks which are at 500MHz.


they are amazing







however i think idle clocks might depend on that card.. mine still idles at normal 300/150


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> That's true, but you can't change clocks under crysis, so i use maxed heaven in window and play with clocks in first step until artifacting or driver stops responding + gpu-z temps monitoring on time. Of course i know that don't give any stability certainty, but after that starts with 3d mark 11-> Bf3 -> crysis1 testing


i know what you mean, cannot change on the fly. However the crysis 2 benchmark will hard crash if unstable, so you will know very quickly. Plus if you get it running in crysis 2 it will not crash in other applications.


----------



## Ghost23

These drivers, so sexy.


----------



## antonis21

I feel that i have a different card now.I got 1100 points more in 3dmark11 and an amazing 15fps average increase for bf3


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I am under Water. Crysis 2 has never crashed for me even-though i would get artifacts. Heaven is much easier to run. Once i am done that its game test. I am not testing for stability with HD 7970. I am testing for artifacts. If i dont get artifacts in Heaven then no game does.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Then the overclock is unstable, so use crysis to bench. I can say with 100% certainty, if you are stable looping the crysis series you are stable in everything.


Crysis 2 is joke, compared to Warhead with mods and tons of AA, it stresses alot more then C2.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> I feel that i have a different card now.I got 1100 points more in 3dmark11 and an amazing 15fps average increase for bf3


almost as a new card upgrade
Pretty good overall.


----------



## adamlop

Can someone explain me, why after installing 12.11 and move power board limit slider i get extra vgpu additional to this what i set in trixx
Example:
set 1.056v , powerboard limit 0% - vgpu 1.056v
set 1.056v , powerboard limit 10% - vgpu 1.056v/1.087v throttling
set 1.056v , powerboard limit 20% - vgpu 1.087v


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Crysis 2 is joke, compared to Warhead with mods and tons of AA, it stresses alot more then C2.


Warhead is not dx 11.
Didn't think you could mod warhead, just crysis.

Saying crysis 2 is a joke is the dumbest statement I have heard. Been benching my cards for 9+ months and it with crysis and warhead are the ONLY stability programs you need to use or are worth using.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I am under Water. Crysis 2 has never crashed for me even-though i would get artifacts. Heaven is much easier to run. Once i am done that its game test. I am not testing for stability with HD 7970. I am testing for artifacts. If i dont get artifacts in Heaven then no game does.


Odd, I never get artifacts, just hard crash.

Another odd fact, just benched 1330 core with almost max voltage on trixx (1362) for 30mins on crysis and crysis 2 and passed no sweat. Always used to get hard lock regardless of voltage over 1320 core.









Loving these drivers so far.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Warhead is not dx 11.
> Didn't think you could mod warhead, just crysis.
> Saying crysis 2 is a joke is the dumbest statement I have heard. Been benching my cards for 9+ months and it with crysis and warhead are the ONLY stability programs you need to use or are worth using.


You can use Rygel texture mods, Crysis 2 is joke regarding intensive usage...its like 70% GPU usage (and yet over 60 fps) on the card with Crysis/Warhead you get like 99% perma.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> You can use Rygel texture mods, Crysis 2 is joke regarding intensive usage...its like 70% GPU usage (and yet over 60 fps) on the card with Crysis/Warhead you get like 99% perma.


70% GPU usage in a benchmark? What are you smokin?


----------



## psyside

Ingame not benchmark...


----------



## DMT94

Does anyone else have a problem overclocking their 7950's? I take it up even 10mhz and it will crash the system







I have tried trixx, afterburner and even ccc why won't my cards overclock very far ? I'm quite dissapointed considering a lot of people hit 1ghz +


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Does anyone else have a problem overclocking their 7950's? I take it up even 10mhz and it will crash the system
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have tried trixx, afterburner and even ccc why won't my cards overclock very far ? I'm quite dissapointed considering a lot of people hit 1ghz +


You turn ULPS off?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Ingame not benchmark...


I'm not talking about playing the game. I'm talking about stress testing, having overclocks run 100% gpu for 30+mins at a time max settings.

You are not even benching the game and you come out and say it is a bad game for stress testing?









Crysis is a better benchmark than 3d Mark 11 and Unigine, even though it is DX10.

Crysis 2 you need to inflict DX11 pain on your card.


----------



## tsm106

lol

Just clocked a 229.8 FPS in Top 30 Heaven Bench using 12.11 beta. That's almost 2 FPS faster than the previous best run. 3dmark 11 on quads is down 1K points though.


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> You turn ULPS off?


yes


----------



## axipher

Well the 12.11 driver is nice for games, but since installing it, the [email protected] v7 client is only using 40% of my GPU as reported in CCC and I'm getting 1/3 of my regular PPD. Anyone else having this problem?


----------



## Newbie2009

Enable overclocking in CCC?

I would try a driver uninstall. Uninstall trixx and AB. Run ATI man. Reinstall the driver. Reinstall Trixx or AB and try again.


----------



## Paztak

So here it is, my lovely new card.



I bought this to replace my Palit GTX 670 JetStream. I didn't like the thermal throttling and locked voltage. Palit did also have very poor overclocking capability and one thing what really pissed me off was those drops under 45fps when there was big chaos going on in the games like bf3, Borderlands 2 and metro2033. So card really let you down when you needed raw power.

Here is the comparison between Palit which was overclocked as high i could (1215mhz/7200MHz) with modded bios and HD 7970 Ghz straight from the box. 7970 is using 12.11 beta drives.



So you can see that where the GTX 670 ends the HD 7970 ghz starts.

Now I'm going to see how much i can overclock this beast. I'm not trying to push it to the limits, beacause performance seems to be very crazy without any overclocking.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Enable overclocking in CCC?
> 
> I would try a driver uninstall. Uninstall trixx and AB. Run ATI man. Reinstall the driver. Reinstall Trixx or AB and try again.


ATIMan 7.0.2 doesn't work in Windows 8 for some reason, keep getting error 1925 saying that I need admin privilidges even though I'm on the only account on the system. I tried using the 12.11 built-in uninstaller, restarted, re-installed the newer beta4 driver and still same result.

So then I tried downloading the 12.10 Win8 driver, and I just get a weird error on start up saying "Installer has failed integrity check".


----------



## King4x4

12.9










12.11


----------



## DB006

12.11 beta 4 now out http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/AMD_Catalyst_12.11_Beta4_dotNET4.exe


----------



## tsm106

Nice. Whose going first? Hehe. Btw, have you got the link for the non .net4 version?


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DB006*
> 
> 12.11 beta 4 now out http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/AMD_Catalyst_12.11_Beta4_dotNET4.exe


Anyone tried this? 2d clock issue resolved?


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nice. Whose going first? Hehe. Btw, have you got the link for the non .net4 version?


Not yet dude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Anyone tried this? 2d clock issue resolved?


No, this only updated transcoding and CCC, and the idle 2d clock issue still remains.


----------



## ChrisTahoe

With the 2d clock issue my 7970 idles at 54 C.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChrisTahoe*
> 
> With the 2d clock issue my 7970 idle's at 54 C.


Same here, i found a temporary solution which i posted about here until AMD can fix it.









http://www.overclock.net/t/1319122/12-11-beta-12-10-whql-7xxx-reference-user-idle-clock-bug-fix


----------



## Evil Penguin

If you're updating from 12.11 beta 3 to beta 4 I recommend you run Atiman Uninstaller if CCC doesn't launch for you and reinstall beta 4.
I had to run the uninstaller once I updated or CCC wouldn't run and the explorer would crash as a result.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> If you're updating from 12.11 beta 3 to beta 4 I recommend you run Atiman Uninstaller if CCC doesn't launch for you and reinstall beta 4.
> I had to run the uninstaller once I updated or CCC wouldn't run and the explorer would crash as a result.


What's the difference between beta 3 and beta 4?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What's the difference between beta 3 and beta 4?


updated transcoding and CCC and fixed a bug in Medal of Honor: Warfighter when in crossfire.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> updated transcoding and CCC and fixed a bug in Medal of Honor: Warfighter when in crossfire.


Excellent stuff. Thank you for that information. Did you grab it from some form of release notes?


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> If you are having the idle clock bug, we need this;
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Please keep an eye out for incoming issues (12.11 beta) related to abnormal idle clocks. We need to get the exact system configuration from each user including the monitor model#. Also, please try to find out if any of them are overclocking with MSI Afterburner.;
> 
> 
> 
> So, I need your exact system configuration. Every part, including the monitor and the OS, and the last time you patched Windows.
Click to expand...

and post it here
http://www.overclock.net/t/1318756/amd-12-11-beta-drivers/


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Odd, I never get artifacts, just hard crash.


I've seen artifacts with every combo that I've ever run Crysis 2 with. Thats with Fermi, Kepler, and Tahit cards a P67, a Z77, an i7 2600k, and an i5 3570k.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> i broke 12k lol dang thats only like 600 points shy of what my trifire could do.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4728302


That memory is unbelievably gold man.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That memory is unbelievably gold man.


I'd have to think about removing it and soldering it on my next card if it were mine....


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That memory is unbelievably gold man.


lol yea i havet even tried pushing it any higher 1980 runs sweet with 1.637 i guess i could max the memory voltage and see how high it will clock im also not running a ghz bios using the stock one for my card. To my suprise from 1505 to 1980 that gives me like 500-600 points gain on 3dmark11 and about 5-10fps in games.


----------



## Ganf

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4737958?key=1BIvOSFdNlP7tScE3bZqlw&loginkey=Ajcc5EEKWapLNCEwbGxlmg

Yep... Broke 12k graphics score.

AMD for President 2012.


----------



## stubass

out of curioustiy... just look it Ganf's score and other I5's scores, from what i recall they have lower physics scores than i7's.. is it becuase of the HT on the i7 improves the physics score???


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That memory is unbelievably gold man.
> 
> 
> 
> lol yea i havet even tried pushing it any higher 1980 runs sweet with 1.637 i guess i could max the memory voltage and see how high it will clock im also not running a ghz bios using the stock one for my card. To my suprise from 1505 to 1980 that gives me like 500-600 points gain on 3dmark11 and about 5-10fps in games.
Click to expand...

The sweet part is your gpu score, over 12k. That sir is freaking fast.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The sweet part is your gpu score, over 12k. That sir is freaking fast.


yea lol to bad this card tops out at 1225 for 3dmark or i think i could hit 13k maybe 14k if i sent enugh volts thru it. Games i run it at 1150 maybe tweak more see if i can get 1200 stable for games but thats only 50mhz and it needs a huge bump to run without artifacting probly around 1.260 or more.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The sweet part is your gpu score, over 12k. That sir is freaking fast.
> 
> 
> 
> yea lol to bad this card tops out at 1225 or i think i could hit 13k maybe 14k if i sent enugh volts thru it.
Click to expand...

You might have a card that would be suited for cold. What's your asic?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> out of curioustiy... just look it Ganf's score and other I5's scores, from what i recall they have lower physics scores than i7's.. is it becuase of the HT on the i7 improves the physics score???


Exactly so. Moar thredds = Moar Phiseks


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The sweet part is your gpu score, over 12k. That sir is freaking fast.
> 
> 
> 
> yea lol to bad this card tops out at 1225 or i think i could hit 13k maybe 14k if i sent enugh volts thru it.
Click to expand...

pity i would love to see that, you will be heading towards to 7950 xfire territory LOL


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> out of curioustiy... just look it Ganf's score and other I5's scores, from what i recall they have lower physics scores than i7's.. is it becuase of the HT on the i7 improves the physics score???
> 
> 
> 
> Exactly so. Moar thredds = Moar Phiseks
Click to expand...

cool i thought it must and that i wasnt seeing things lol


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> pity i would love to see that, you will be heading towards to 7950 xfire territory LOL


lol if i had a better core i would even sending 1.38 in trixx 1225 is the max it will run without crashing, on my old gold 5870 i sent 1.65 volts to it to run 1400mhz on 3dmark lol.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> lol if i had a better core i would even sending 1.38 in trixx 1225 is the max it will run without crashing, on my old gold 5870 i sent 1.65 volts to it to run 1400mhz on 3dmark lol.


Wish my card hadn't taken such a chunk out of my wallet that I wasn't worried about lighting it up like Frankenstein.


----------



## Ghost23

Going to see how high I can get my memory clock stable on 1.150, 1150 is my max core, 1600 currently is my mem, gonna go for 1700.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Wish my card hadn't taken such a chunk out of my wallet that I wasn't worried about lighting it up like Frankenstein.


yea i dont wanna toast mine but sence its under water im less worried after i sold my 5970 i ended up getting my videocard and waterblock for 175 so not bad at all considering this card outperforms my old trifire.


----------



## sherlock

Regarding the 2D no-downclock issue, it seems my Gigabyte 7950 also have this problem.

My first and only driver is 12.11 Beta V4

So far

Idle at 500/1250, 0.947 V
Temp: 45-49C(25C Ambient).

Sounds normal for 79XX cards with 12.11 Beta?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> yea i dont wanna toast mine but sence its under water im less worried after i sold my 5970 i ended up getting my videocard and waterblock for 175 so not bad at all considering this card outperforms my old trifire.


Don't say that, I've got a block on mine too....


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Regarding the 2D no-downclock issue, it seems my Gigabyte 7950 also have this problem.
> My first and only driver is 12.11 Beta V4
> So far
> Idle at 500/1250, 0.947 V
> Temp: 45-49C(25C Ambient).
> Sounds normal for 79XX cards with 12.11 Beta?


mine idles at 300/150 but only one display seems like people with more then 1 are ones seeing the higher idle clocks.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Don't say that, I've got a block on mine too....


i wouldnt be to worried people have said its safe to max out voltage on trixx for benchmarking my core on my card haset went over 40c.


----------



## Ganf

My idle clocks are fine also, I forgot to mention that.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Regarding the 2D no-downclock issue, it seems my Gigabyte 7950 also have this problem.
> 
> My first and only driver is 12.11 Beta V4
> 
> So far
> 
> Idle at 500/1250, 0.947 V
> Temp: 45-49C(25C Ambient).
> 
> Sounds normal for 79XX cards with 12.11 Beta?


mines fine and as bal3Wolf said it seems to be happening on multiple monitor.. check out this thread
http://www.overclock.net/t/1319122/12-11-beta-12-10-whql-7xxx-reference-user-idle-clock-bug-fix


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Regarding the 2D no-downclock issue, it seems my Gigabyte 7950 also have this problem.
> My first and only driver is 12.11 Beta V4
> So far
> Idle at 500/1250, 0.947 V
> Temp: 45-49C(25C Ambient).
> Sounds normal for 79XX cards with 12.11 Beta?
> 
> 
> 
> mine idles at 300/150 but only one display seems like people with more then 1 are ones seeing the higher idle clocks.
Click to expand...

It's always been an issue with drivers 12.6 and up, I'm not sure what the big outcry is about now. I guess it's affecting single gpu setups now? Anyways, just set AB to mode 2.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> mines fine and as bal3Wolf said it seems to be happening on multiple monitor.. check out this thread
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1319122/12-11-beta-12-10-whql-7xxx-reference-user-idle-clock-bug-fix


Hmm, I am only connecting to one monitor and it is through Dual-link DVI.


----------



## Ganf

30fps increase in Sleeping Dogs, but I still drop down to 40 while driving by Yau Ling park. Guess that's the game acting up.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's always been an issue with drivers 12.6 and up, I'm not sure what the big outcry is about now. I guess it's affecting single gpu setups now? Anyways, just *set AB to mode 2*.


What is this "mode 2" ? Do you mean "user mode" instead of "kernel mode"??

p.s what does CAP do? and should I install it?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's always been an issue with drivers 12.6 and up, I'm not sure what the big outcry is about now. I guess it's affecting single gpu setups now? Anyways, just *set AB to mode 2*.
> 
> 
> 
> What is this "mode 2" ? Do you mean "user mode" instead of "kernel mode"??
> 
> p.s what does CAP do? and should I install it?
Click to expand...

When you use AB in unofficial overclock mode, you must "choose" which mode to use AB in. Typically ppl just leave it at default: 1, but this allows Powerplay to muck with the clocks and that's exactly what is happening. Changing that 1 to 2, has AB ignore Powerplay.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> 30fps increase in Sleeping Dogs, but I still drop down to 40 while driving by Yau Ling park. Guess that's the game acting up.


What do you get in the benchmark heres what i got with my gpu at 1150/1980 and my cpu is always at 5ghz.


----------



## Ganf




----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*


nice lol your cards extra core clock gets me lol my memory clock seems to help me tho not fall to far behide poor core just wont run any faster then 1150 i can get it to run 1225 but it will have artifacts poping up on the screen even with max voltage.


----------



## PRXVII

I'm planning on getting a 7950 soon. I was originally going to get the Gigabyte WF3 (or maybe the Sapphire Vapor-X) for $329.99. But now that Newegg has the Sapphire Dual-X for $289.99, it has got me thinking.
What do you guys think is the better buy? Is the WF3 or Vapor-X worth the extra $40?


----------



## Ganf

Tried testing Planetside 2 to see how much of an increase I have there, but that game scares me at the moment.

My controls kept randomly inverting. The ammo count box is missing. I paid to spawn a quad and it disappeared. My character was making female grunts when I got shot..... I'll let SOE get that sorted out before I decide whether I gained any frames or not.


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Anyone tried this? 2d clock issue resolved?


I tested 12.11 beta 3 & 4. Both were not unable to drop to 2D clocks of 150/300 but stayed on 500/1250. My card is Sapphire7950 Vapor-X with boots bios enabled. This is with only 1 display active. >1 display and idle clocks should not drop t0 150/300 in any case. 12.9 beta dropped to 2D clocks like it should.


----------



## Thracks

We are aware of the improper idle clocks, have it reproduced internally and from many users on OCN, and we are hot on the heels of a fix. Please be patient.


----------



## InsideJob

Got a nice pic with my parents Rebel this evening while I was there of my recently acquired 7970 in it's new home










Also the build log in my sig is up for Oct MOTM as well, check it out and maybe hit me a vote when the time comes









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Well the 12.11 driver is nice for games, but since installing it, the [email protected] v7 client is only using 40% of my GPU as reported in CCC and I'm getting 1/3 of my regular PPD. Anyone else having this problem?


Same here, Afterburner shows 30% GPU usage and dramatically lower PPD then normal.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> We are aware of the improper idle clocks, have it reproduced internally and from many users on OCN, and we are hot on the heels of a fix. Please be patient.


Not sure if you knew this but improper idle clock has been around since 12.5 for crossfire users. 12.9 was the first driver I that didn't exhibit these issues since rc11. 12.11 has been ok once you tell AB to ignore Powerplay states, and then idle clocks work again. Perhaps if I'd done this with AB I could have went to another driver soon? Hmm, scratches head... Also, crossfire users that use ULPS on probably never noticed the idle issue once ULPS put the slave cards to sleep.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thracks*
> 
> We are aware of the improper idle clocks, have it reproduced internally and from many users on OCN, and we are hot on the heels of a fix. Please be patient.


Great news.


----------



## adamlop

7950 vapor-x (B0 PROH2 rev.) owner reporting idle clocks at 300/150 on beta3 and 4


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BababooeyHTJ*
> 
> I've seen artifacts with every combo that I've ever run Crysis 2 with. Thats with Fermi, Kepler, and Tahit cards a P67, a Z77, an i7 2600k, and an i5 3570k.


Perhaps because on air? I do remember seeing in crysis when things got toasty. Don't think I had crysis 2 until after I put them under water.


----------



## pnoozi

Yes I know my cable management sucks. It's an Antec, what do you want. The 7950's been awesome so far. Haven't owned a Radeon in years...

Got it at 1100/1250 on 1.100 volts.

Heaven maxed:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/47649197/unigine_20121024_0510.html


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Perhaps because on air? I do remember seeing in crysis when things got toasty. Don't think I had crysis 2 until after I put them under water.


No, not with that much different hardware. There is only one common denominator there and its Crysis 2. My current cards are also water cooled, I still see it. Maybe you haven't played with the DX11 patch and high res textures or just didn't notice the artifacts?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BababooeyHTJ*
> 
> No, not with that much different hardware. There is only one common denominator there and its Crysis 2. My current cards are also water cooled, I still see it. Maybe you haven't played with the DX11 patch and high res textures or just didn't notice the artifacts?


No I would have noticed and yes tried DX11 and currently running Maldo 4.0 perfectly. I'm not saying I never have gotten artifacts in any games btw, just in crysis 2 it seems to work or not, no in between.

Perhaps it is because I use the benchmark rather than the game itself to set my clocks. Benchmark will hard crash if unstable and I change my clocks accordingly.

Then I play the game and no artifacts with clocks which do not make the bench hard crash.
My best guess is people who are getting artifacts in game have not gotten it stable in the benchmark tool first, thus their game has artifacts because the OC is unstable and the game does not crash because it is not as stressful as the benchmark.

That's the only logical explanation I can think of.

For example, I can run higher clocks in 90% of other games but it will not pass the test of 1 hour crysis looped or Crysis 2 looped. I really put the hurt on my cards before I call my oc stable.


----------



## Nwanko

Anyone else with non-constant gpu usage in BF3 on 12.11 beta3. The usage fluctuates between 70 an 99.

The temporary fix for 2d clocks that also worked for me till amd repairs it. Here ya go...

_When installing these new drivers idle clock speeds are not working properly. What used to be idle clocks of 300/150 is now 500/1375 or lower depending on your card resulting in higher temps and a louder fan usage.

A fix has been discovered that will allow you to use the new drivers and also still benefit from having lower clocks until AMD release a hotfix driver.

First install the drivers+caps.

Once that is done start up CCC, go to overdrive and apply 300 core and 150 memory clocks.

After this go to preset, add preset, name the preset idle, put the tooltip as 2dclocks, under location leave all items ticked, then assign a hotkey. I used F5. Click save.

After that go to preferences in the top right of CCC, then hotkeys. Click idle and go to edit. In with Hotkey press F5, Click ok.

Now whenever you quickly need to apply idle clocks, just press Alt+F5 twice._


----------



## axipher

Can anyone else try out the 12.11 beta 4 driver in [email protected] in the v7 client to see if it only uses 40% GPU usage? If so then I can report it properly to the AMD GPU team. Since the latest OCN LAN, we've had a massive influx of AMD employees join our forum.


----------



## Rebelord

I can for a bit Axipher. I will only be able to fold for a bit before I trip my breakers though. But will try.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> I can for a bit Axipher. I will only be able to fold for a bit before I trip my breakers though. But will try.


Thanks


----------



## Rebelord

Running only for a few minutes, but confirmed. 48% GPU usage only on 12.11beta4 w/.net drivers.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Running only for a few minutes, but confirmed. 48% GPU usage only on 12.11beta4 w/.net drivers.


Thanks Rebelord. Would anyone happen to have a working copy of the 12.10 drivers for Windows 8? The copy on AMD's site keeps giving me a NSIS error when I try to open the downloaded package.


----------



## Rebelord

Let me see if my copy of 12.10 works.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Let me see if my copy of 12.10 works.


That would be great, thanks a bunch.


----------



## Evil Penguin

No offense, but I see little reason to fold on AMD GPUs in core 16's current state.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> No offense, but I see little reason to fold on AMD GPUs in core 16's current state.


It's for the Team Competition, I can't afford to fold on my Xeon CPU because I require that too much for rendering and other work I do on my computer.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> It's for the Team Competition, I can't afford to fold on my Xeon CPU because I require that too much for rendering and other work I do on my computer.


Ah, fair enough.


----------



## Rebelord

Dont even bother with 12.10. Same deal, only ~50% GPU usage. Seems like 12.8 is the latest that actually works.


----------



## lsdmeasap

*Sapphire TriXX MOD 4.4.0b*










Modified to add/set:

1. Memory Voltage Added (MVDDC)

Default for all cards
VDDCMax=1.5
MVDDCMax=1.8

http://www.mediafire.com/?01bz96mfmt3jswi
http://www.filedropper.com/trixx440b-mod

** New links added*, please download or link these instead of the above - more thorough read me included!
http://www.mediafire.com/?fyh6idn79h8mxim
http://www.filedropper.com/sapphiretrixx440b-mod-n


----------



## Rebelord

Axipher, will try my copy of 12.8 drivers when I get back home to make sure it still works like before. To make sure non of my driver installs got borked up.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> *Sapphire TriXX MOD 4.4.0b*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Modified to add/set:
> 1. Memory Voltage Added (MVDDC)
> Default for all cards
> VDDCMax=1.5
> MVDDCMax=1.8
> http://www.mediafire.com/?01bz96mfmt3jswi
> http://www.filedropper.com/trixx440b-mod


No memory voltage here, and i made clean install


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> No memory voltage here, and i made clean install


did you make sure to scroll down on the right side and for me the vdcc volts max out at 1.38 still.


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> No memory voltage here, and i made clean install


What is your device ID? I might need to further mod for "Boost - GHz" Cards. If that is what you have, I'll also need to know the device ID for 7970 boost from someone too (Thanks!)

Thanks Bal3Wolf, I was about to ask that too!







As for your vddc voltage, that may be a driver limit? I can make special mod for you so you can test if it is a driver issue, as I can disable driver voltage. It's probably that, or may be a limit of your BIOS or voltage IC


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> did you make sure to scroll down on the right side and for me the vdcc volts max out at 1.38 still.


Yes, no memory voltage, i don't need it anyway because my memory is crap but just wanted to point out.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> What is your device ID? I might need to further mod for "Boost - GHz" Cards. If that is what you have, I'll also need to know the device ID for 7970 boost from someone


I got 7950 oc (950 core)


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> What is your device ID? I might need to further mod for "Boost - GHz" Cards. If that is what you have, I'll also need to know the device ID for 7970 boost from someone too (Thanks!)
> Thanks Bal3Wolf, I was about to ask that too!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for your vddc voltage, that may be a driver limit? I can make special mod for you so you can test if it is a driver issue, as I can disable driver voltage. It's probably that, or may be a limit of your BIOS or voltage IC


im running 12.11beta 4 so im not sure running a stock bios i got from techpowerup the oc limits on it are insane tho 1600/2475


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Yes, no memory voltage, i don't need it anyway because my memory is crap but just wanted to point out.
> I got 7950 oc (950 core)


What device ID though, check with GPU-z. Is that GHz edition? If not, you should for sure have memory voltage, unless they are locking it out in your BIOS or the voltage IC on that cards PCB doesn't support it (Doubt that).


----------



## psyside

On previous modded Trixx i had option for memory volttage now is gone, here is the ID


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> im running 12.11beta 4 so im not sure running a stock bios i got from techpowerup the oc limits on it are insane tho 1600/2475


Here, test with this, I set to disable fall back to driver voltage on all unsupported cards/ICs (NV and ATI).
Quote:


> DisableDriverVoltageATI = 1
> DisableDriverVoltageNV = 1
> When these options are set to 1, the software will not fall back to driver-level voltage changes which may or may not work, or have limited ranges. Depending on VBIOS. This means that only voltage ICs which support I2C and are supported in the software will be able to be controlled.


Direct file replacement only, IE no installer included w/ this
http://www.mediafire.com/?j6hkb2hjyo9978h

And, since I'm not 100% sure on the above description, also test with this (Set to 0 instead of 1)
http://www.mediafire.com/?59h0sgxdqwkq9cz


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> On previous modded Trixx i had option for memory volttage now is gone, here is the ID


Hmm, that is odd then! Sorry, I'm not sure what is causing that!?

That ID is covered by default, and is set the same as the previous mod too, so nothing has changed in regards to your cards ID for the new mod... It should work same as the old mod?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Here, test with this, I set to disable fall back to driver voltage on all unsupported cards/ICs (NV and ATI).
> Direct file replacement only, IE no installer included w/ this
> http://www.mediafire.com/?j6hkb2hjyo9978h


must be my bios cause limits are the same 1.38 for core and 1.80 for memory whats a good bios to flash to a ref 7970 i got dual bios so i can always recover if somthing goes wrong.


----------



## tsm106

Nice, new version of modded trixx. Will test out the mvolt issue.

Edit. Works fine for me here, got the mvddc slider, woo 1.8v heh.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Hmm, that is odd then! Sorry, I'm not sure what is causing that!?
> That ID is covered by default, and is set the same as the previous mod too, so nothing has changed in regards to your cards ID for the new mod... It should work same as the old mod?


I go reboot...


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> must be my bios cause limits are the same 1.38 for core and 1.80 for memory whats a good bios to flash to a ref 7970 i got dual bios so i can always recover if somthing goes wrong.


Ya, probably BIOS for that core limitation! You can leave second BIOS to default BIOS if you want for recovery


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Here, test with this, I set to disable fall back to driver voltage on all unsupported cards/ICs (NV and ATI).
> Direct file replacement only, IE no installer included w/ this
> http://www.mediafire.com/?j6hkb2hjyo9978h
> And, since I'm not 100% sure on the above description, also test with this (Set to 0 instead of 1)
> http://www.mediafire.com/?59h0sgxdqwkq9cz


stil iimits to 1.38 thanks for trying tho.


----------



## psyside

So i guess it was my fault, i used the installation version which is not modded i guess? the portable version show correct memory v









Thanks!


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> stil iimits to 1.38 thanks for trying tho.


Must be BIOS locked then. Only 1.381 on my 7950 too, so that's probably the norm for public 7950/7970 BIOSes. Much over 1.25 shouldn't really be needed anyway for most cards, unless your extreme cooling them. I can do 1300 core with around 1.25 on my 7950 (HIS IceQ Turbo), review coming this week!









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> So i guess it was my fault, i used the installation version which is not modded i guess? the portable version show correct memory v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!


Haha, yes, you must use the "MOD" exe









Did I not explain that properly in the included Read Me?


----------



## Ukkooh

My Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor-X GE 3gb seems to be a really lame overclocker. At stock 1.256V core voltage it does only 1150mhz. Asic quality is only 58.4%. Would it be worthwile in your opinion to raise the voltage to push it higher?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Must be BIOS locked then. Only 1.381 on my 7950 too, so that's probably the norm for public 7950/7970 BIOSes. Much over 1.25 shouldn't really be needed anyway for most cards, unless your extreme cooling them. I can do 1300 core with around 1.25 on my 7950 (HIS IceQ Turbo), review coming this week!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Haha, yes, you must use the "MOD" exe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did I not explain that properly in the included Read Me?


Well i think you need to change the read me, its a bit confusing for me









*"Install, then replace EXE

Or, can be ran directly from modified executable / Portable! "*

It does not say that you got to use the version from the modded folder, since there is an installation file as well, which is not modded.


----------



## lsdmeasap

OK, I will change it and reupload


----------



## Ganf

So long as your temps stay in check push the voltage up, but no higher than 1.3. Typically lower ASIC will like extra voltage a lot more, which is why they're recommended for watercooling.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> OK, I will change it and reupload


Thanks rep + and sorry for bothering


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Dont even bother with 12.10. Same deal, only ~50% GPU usage. Seems like 12.8 is the latest that actually works.


Thanks for testing for me. I'll revert to 12.8 for now once I find my copy.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> My Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor-X GE 3gb seems to be a really lame overclocker. At stock 1.256V core voltage it does only 1150mhz. Asic quality is only 58.4%. Would it be worthwile in your opinion to raise the voltage to push it higher?


Only if you can keeps temps well under control. core temps below 70c and VRM temops below 90c. Use HWinfo32 to monitor both the temps. Are you using sapphire trixx for overclocking. have you setup a custom fan profile in trixx. do that if you haven't .


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Thanks rep + and sorry for bothering


No worries, and thanks for the input! It's best to correct it now anyway, so that no one else gets confused later










New links added


----------



## ElevenEleven

Been meaning to ask - sorry if this is an obvious question to which there's an obvious answer - but is there a way to get GPU-Z to show core speed for HD 7970? It just shows up blank, inconveniently.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Been meaning to ask - sorry if this is an obvious question to which there's an obvious answer - but is there a way to get GPU-Z to show core speed for HD 7970? It just shows up blank, inconveniently.


mine shows it automatically . maybe update to the latest version if you havernt already.. or is this something that has just started to happen?


----------



## ElevenEleven

It's been happening for a long time







Ever since I got that 7970, actually - never had this problem before. I did update to the latest GPU-Z, but without invoking the installer. Maybe I'll use the installer again to be sure.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> It's been happening for a long time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ever since I got that 7970, actually - never had this problem before. I did update to the latest GPU-Z, but without invoking the installer. Maybe I'll use the installer again to be sure.


interesting, i never invoke the installer.. try installing it i guess but have a feeling it might not be the solution.. but cant hurt to try


----------



## ElevenEleven

Same thing









Here's a screenshot:


This is for a Sapphire 7970 (Dual-X OC). Doesn't show core clock for either BIOS setting.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Same thing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a screenshot:
> 
> This is for a Sapphire 7970 (Dual-X OC). Doesn't show core clock for either BIOS setting.


Ati man uninstaller.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Ati man uninstaller.


What does this have to do with the core clock not showing? That computer had an nVidia card before the 7970, and I always run driver sweeper in between any driver change.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Same thing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a screenshot:
> 
> 
> This is for a Sapphire 7970 (Dual-X OC). Doesn't show core clock for either BIOS setting.


along shot but if you click on the arrow does it show 'enabled" ?


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Only if you can keeps temps well under control. core temps below 70c and VRM temops below 90c. Use HWinfo32 to monitor both the temps. Are you using sapphire trixx for overclocking. have you setup a custom fan profile in trixx. do that if you haven't .


So far have used CCC but I'll move to trixx if I'll increase the voltage. I'm using the default fan profile as it is quiet and keeps temps good enough. So far the highest core temp I've seen is 65c which was in BF3 MENU. It is 63-64 while playing. Highest VRM temp I've seen was 70c so I think it could handle atleast 1.3V with slightly boosted fan speeds.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> What does this have to do with the core clock not showing? That computer had an nVidia card before the 7970, and I always run driver sweeper in between any driver change.


it has alot to do, make a clean install of the drivers, and clean install of GPU-Z, AB and TRIXX as well, at the end use Ccleaner as well.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> Must be BIOS locked then. Only 1.381 on my 7950 too, so that's probably the norm for public 7950/7970 BIOSes. Much over 1.25 shouldn't really be needed anyway for most cards, unless your extreme cooling them. I can do 1300 core with around 1.25 on my 7950 (HIS IceQ Turbo), review coming this week!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Haha, yes, you must use the "MOD" exe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did I not explain that properly in the included Read Me?


i wish lol my card needs 1.20 in ab to run 1150 gaming and max it will do benchmarking is 1225 no matter the volts and that even has a few artifacts.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> along shot but if you click on the arrow does it show 'enabled" ?


Might not be such a long shot after all =/ I probably noobed it up and disabled it, without realizing. Thank you.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> along shot but if you click on the arrow does it show 'enabled" ?
> 
> 
> 
> Might not be such a long shot after all =/ I probably noobed it up and disabled it, without realizing. Thank you.
Click to expand...

cool, glad its working


----------



## stubass

anyone know if i can flash my BIOS to a different/better version? or even a 7970 BIOS?
details here
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/9ucmr/

and is it worth the risk?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> anyone know if i can flash my BIOS to a different/better version? or even a 7970 BIOS?
> details here
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/9ucmr/
> and is it worth the risk?


does your card have a dual bios and iv tried 4 asus bios on my 7970 3 failed to give video 1 works but its idle volts are messed up but looks promising for overclocking.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> anyone know if i can flash my BIOS to a different/better version? or even a 7970 BIOS?
> details here
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/9ucmr/
> and is it worth the risk?
> 
> 
> 
> does your card have a dual bios and iv tried 4 asus bios on my 7970 3 failed to give video 1 works but its idle volts are messed up but looks promising for overclocking.
Click to expand...

i have no idea if my card has dual BIOS.. then again i dont think so looking at the box







might not be feasible then by the sounds..


----------



## boletop

anyone had gsod or vertical stripes with 12.11 driver?


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> anyone had gsod or vertical stripes with 12.11 driver?


Atleast I haven't had any or heard of someone having them. If you are getting them on a clean 12.11 driver install it is highly likely that your card is broken.


----------



## Ganf

Only thing I have with 12.11 is an erection.....

What?.. Was that too much?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Only thing I have with 12.11 is an erection.....
> What?.. Was that too much?


You're so excited and you just can't hide it?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

lol i wish my card could do 1200 i want to run that for games but dang its not gonna happen even with 1.30 it puts out the checkerd box artifacts 1150 is all it can do with 1.206.


----------



## pnoozi

If I OC my 7950 too high Heaven looks like I'm tripping on acid


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Im not sure how many of you have asus cards or tried this with other cards but i installed asus gpu tweak and at first it let me send 1.69 to my video card but then the gpu voltage went away.
http://support.asus.com/download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=gpu%20tweak&p=9&s=13&os=30&hashedid=n


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> On previous modded Trixx i had option for memory volttage now is gone, here is the ID


Where's your OCL support?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Im not sure how many of you have asus cards or tried this with other cards but i installed asus gpu tweak and at first it let me send 1.69 to my video card but then the gpu voltage went away.
> http://support.asus.com/download.aspx?SLanguage=en&m=gpu%20tweak&p=9&s=13&os=30&hashedid=n


i tried it for a breif moment before i changed to AB... i might try it again but how does memory speeds translate from software such as AB - GPU tweak???. i.e had on tweak 6500


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Where's your OCL support?


He probably didn't install APP SDK.


----------



## lsdmeasap

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> lol i wish my card could do 1200 i want to run that for games but dang its not gonna happen even with 1.30 it puts out the checkerd box artifacts 1150 is all it can do with 1.206.


I notice this issue can happen during extreme high temps sometimes, like if your fan is loose or voltages too high causing overheating.

So, since your voltages are not all that high, it could be your temps caused by poor paste or maybe poor contact. If I were you I would replace your stock thermal paste with something better, I'd suggest MX-2 or TX-2, not only will that help your temps by default, but I bet you'll have a much tighter contact once you redo it and then it wont overheat as easily.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lsdmeasap*
> 
> I notice this issue can happen during extreme high temps sometimes, like if your fan is loose or voltages too high causing overheating.
> So, since your voltages are not all that high, it could be your temps caused by poor paste or maybe poor contact. If I were you I would replace your stock thermal paste with something better, I'd suggest MX-2 or TX-2, not only will that help your temps by default, but I bet you'll have a much tighter contact once you redo it and then it wont overheat as easily.


cards under water core temps dont pass 40c even with max voltage vrms dont run as cool around 50-80c depending what i run games it stays in 50s furmark can push them into the 80s. My cards full load is usualy my hottest cores idle on my cpu lol so sometimes my card is full load at like 34c.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SimpleTech*
> 
> He probably didn't install APP SDK.


Righto....

Just ran 3DM11 xtreme, got a boost here as well.

Though different procs and speeds.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Does anyone have the problem where they set MSI AB 1200Mhz @ 1.225v and then after not using the card for games and such next time you open the game or after restarting the PC for some reason MSI AB will not apply 1.225v but stick to stock 1.175v for my card. I have to make sure its set before it game which really is annoying and is not done aromatically.


----------



## disintegratorx

Wonderful new drivers. Just what I needed for those new maps on BF3. I am also playing MOH: Warfighter and that's fun too.. I noticed that when I set the tesselation settings to AMD Optimized my games actually do look much better. So the new driver works out very well for that too.


----------



## Ghost23

Am I the only one who gets meh performance in Warfighter?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Am I the only one who gets meh performance in Warfighter?


Runs great here on my [email protected] and my [email protected]/1980 avg over 100fps at all times running the 12.11beta 4 drivers with the newest caps also.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Runs great here on my [email protected] and my [email protected]/1980 avg over 100fps at all times running the 12.11beta 4 drivers with the newest caps also.


The hell. I get this weird stutter..


----------



## Garming

Could it be possible that my Seasonic x-660 could cause my 7950 950mhz edition to coil whine? Or any 7950 with a 7970 PCB.


----------



## jdip

Hi 79XX people. I'm interested in picking up a MSI 7950 Twin Frozer III. Do you guys recommend this card? How will it do in BF3 @ Ultra on 2560x1440 (I will overclock)? I'd like 50-60+ FPS.


----------



## stubass

In 3Dmark11, what causes massive screen flicker? unstable overclock or can something else be the cause? if not the OC is there any tricks to fix this?


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdip*
> 
> Hi 79XX people. I'm interested in picking up a MSI 7950 Twin Frozer III. Do you guys recommend this card? How will it do in BF3 @ Ultra on 2560x1440 (I will overclock)? I'd like 50-60+ FPS.


First off, hell yes +44 in your avi!

Second off, no, not at all ultra, not at that res.


----------



## jdip

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> First off, hell yes +44 in your avi!
> Second off, no, not at all ultra, not at that res.


I hope they make another album one day!

Hmm how about if I turned off AA? Would I still not get the 50+ fps on Ultra?


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdip*
> 
> I hope they make another album one day!
> Hmm how about if I turned off AA? Would I still not get the 50+ fps on Ultra?


I'm content as long as Blink is around, but I wouldn't mind another +44 album.

With all MSAA off, and the new drivers, and an OC, you could probably get close to that mark, if not 50-60. Maybe even be able to turn up MSAA to 2x with 40-50.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Garming*
> 
> Could it be possible that my Seasonic x-660 could cause my 7950 950mhz edition to coil whine? Or any 7950 with a 7970 PCB.


Nope.


----------



## jdip

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> I'm content as long as Blink is around, but I wouldn't mind another +44 album.
> With all MSAA off, and the new drivers, and an OC, you could probably get close to that mark, if not 50-60. Maybe even be able to turn up MSAA to 2x with 40-50.


I agree. I love blink's latest album but +44 had a really nice flavor to it. It had elements of blink but was a lot darker.

Hmm I'm wondering if I should still go for the card. It really is a fantastic price though and I have always liked how TFIIIs looked. Would 650W be really pushing it for Crossfire 7950s? I guess it would be doable but I wouldn't have much OC headroom..

I had been eyeing the GTX 670 for a while but at this price it seems like the 7950 is the clear winner. Plus the difference in performance between the GTX 670 and the 7950 is moot with overclocking right?


----------



## Theultimateeye

So i posted up a question in the Volt Modding section on this forum but didn't get any answers. I just have a few if someone has the time. I can't get my MSI 7970 reference card to go past 1040mhz. I was going in 10mhz increments as suggested on this forum. Memory was still at stock clocks. Power slider on CCC is at +20%. So my questions are...

1. What is the stock voltage on a reference 7970?
2. What is the best program to use to volt mod this card?
3. By what increments should i move the voltage up?
4. What is the maximum safe voltage limit on this card?

Or could it be something else holding me back. This is a fresh build. Temps are great with tons of fans in a full size chassis. I don't get why i see so many people with the sliders cranked all the way up with no issues yet i can't get past 1040. ANY help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys/gals.


----------



## Theultimateeye

Or if anyone could at least point me in the right direction. Maybe there's a guide or something somewhere on how to volt mod these things but i haven't found anything but reviews. All of which had no problem maxing the card out.


----------



## Ganf

Your card is voltage locked? I'm not seeing anything on google that says the MSI reference cards are voltage locked.


----------



## Durvelle27

My new rig AMD FX-8150 3.6GHz & 3x HD 7970 3GB GHz Edition


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Theultimateeye*
> 
> Or if anyone could at least point me in the right direction. Maybe there's a guide or something somewhere on how to volt mod these things but i haven't found anything but reviews. All of which had no problem maxing the card out.


Msi afterburner or trixx should give you voltage control.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> My new rig AMD FX-8150 3.6GHz & 3x HD 7970 3GB GHz Edition


Gotta Love it.. I Run BF3 In Eyefinity 6048x1080 on a Single 7950 Overclocked to 1Ghz, on My Rig in my Sig.

This was recorded back before I tweaked my card, and before AMD Fixed the tearing, I think I was Running 12.3 at the time, not sure, it was right after I got my card back from RMA, so I didnt have a chance to tweak clocks and stuff, I think i dropped MSAA down and added custom CFG Lines to maintain 60FrPS on High.


----------



## Durvelle27

nice. do you get any lag in BF3 64mp


----------



## SkateZilla

i dont play on 64 man servers that much, too many people trying to do their own thing, and not enough actual team work.

I'm gonna update to 12.11 beta this weekend and see what boost i can get in Fr/PS.

last time i did play on 64 man servers, there was no Lag in Graphics, motion, movement, there was internet lag because of people playing on 128kb ADSL.. lol... 200MS Ping time on a 64 man server should be an Auto Boot.


----------



## Durvelle27

any benchmarks


----------



## SkateZilla

Im not a "benchmarker" i dont spend all day tweaking to get another 5-10 3d marks .. lol.

i have to use my PC to do 3d Graphics and Stuff... dont have time to run them.


----------



## jdip

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i dont play on 64 man servers that much, too many people trying to do their own thing, and not enough actual team work.
> I'm gonna update to 12.11 beta this weekend and see what boost i can get in Fr/PS.
> last time i did play on 64 man servers, there was no Lag in Graphics, motion, movement, there was internet lag because of people playing on 128kb ADSL.. lol... 200MS Ping time on a 64 man server should be an Auto Boot.


What quality settings do you play BF3 on?


----------



## Durvelle27

that's understandable


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdip*
> 
> What quality settings do you play BF3 on?


Mix of Med/High Settings, w/ other adjustments via user CFG (no not the UltraLow Adjustments),
Ultra Settings are worthless in action.. as it does nothing but make screenshots look better, unless you're a camper that hides in a building starring at a wall you wont notice the difference in visual, but you'll notice the Render Rate hit.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Theultimateeye*
> 
> So i posted up a question in the Volt Modding section on this forum but didn't get any answers. I just have a few if someone has the time. I can't get my MSI 7970 reference card to go past 1040mhz. I was going in 10mhz increments as suggested on this forum. Memory was still at stock clocks. Power slider on CCC is at +20%. So my questions are...
> 1. What is the stock voltage on a reference 7970?
> 2. What is the best program to use to volt mod this card?
> 3. By what increments should i move the voltage up?
> 4. What is the maximum safe voltage limit on this card?
> Or could it be something else holding me back. This is a fresh build. Temps are great with tons of fans in a full size chassis. I don't get why i see so many people with the sliders cranked all the way up with no issues yet i can't get past 1040. ANY help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys/gals.


There is no single stock voltage for even a reference 7970. The most usual seems to be 1.175V but there are cards with 1.112V and 1.05V VID voltages, too. I've got one 1.05V card and one 1.112V card, neither of which will do 1100MHz on stock voltage. The 1.05V card won't do anything above 1070MHz. So if you have a low VID (meaning a high ASIC quality), you shouldn't feel too bad about it.

There's no single safe voltage, it's all personal. It also depends on your card. Where 1.175V is the standard voltage for many cards, putting that much voltage on a 1.05V card will end up heating the VRM a lot more. It has been rumoured there is a 0.125V overvolting limit in these things. Though that may be just a rumour, it is a fine guide line to follow. That would mean 1.175V for a 1.05V chip, 1.237V for a 1.112V chip and 1.3V for a 1.175V chip.

As for volt modding, I like Trixx better than AB nowadays but haven't used either too much. Too messy for CF, for single card Trixx should work relatively fine.


----------



## BradleyW

In response to the idle clock issue, I had the problem with all driver versions except 12.9 Beta and the new 12.11 v4 Beta.


----------



## Ganf

Public Service Announcement

OCCT has seen quite a lot of improvement over the last couple updates, and I've been using it to find bad overclocks on my GPU in a matter of seconds, rather than minutes or hours with any other benchmarking utility. It also works just as well for 24 hour tests, without being annoying or spending time loading from your drive.

That is all.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdip*
> 
> I agree. I love blink's latest album but +44 had a really nice flavor to it. It had elements of blink but was a lot darker.
> Hmm I'm wondering if I should still go for the card. It really is a fantastic price though and I have always liked how TFIIIs looked. Would 650W be really pushing it for Crossfire 7950s? I guess it would be doable but I wouldn't have much OC headroom..
> I had been eyeing the GTX 670 for a while but at this price it seems like the 7950 is the clear winner. Plus the difference in performance between the GTX 670 and the 7950 is moot with overclocking right?


Yeah, I'm a big fan of AvA too though, I loved the darker side of both, and thought Blinks new album was a fantastic mix, everyone who expected Take off your pants and jacket/Enema style needs to realize all they've been through, and they've grown up. They started recording there next album, and they're really seeming to get back into the 2003 era mentality, Tom bringing back his hat, replacing his AvA leather with Blink leather, I'm pumped for the next album. There 2012 live shows are great.

I'd go for the card, you can get a 7950 cheap and now they come with 3 games, FarCry 2, sleeping dogs, and another amazing game I forget. I'm jealous because I totally want FarCry 2.

The GTX 670 is good and all, but with these new drivers the FPS in BF3 is insane, it's like a new card. I get a solid 60 FPS @ 1920x180 all Ultra, 4xmsaa with an overclock almost everywhere. I think it could handle your res with a few settings toned down just fine, and honestly the difference between High and Ultra is not a lot, I played on High when my 7950 was down and didn't notice much at all.

You could probably do Xfire on a 650, but I'd go for a 750-800 if you want OC headroom. Keep in mind, some 7950's OC amazing on stock, so it really comes down to what you get, you could get two card thats could hit 1k on stock volt, and not worry about extra power.


----------



## Hodgy1971

Hi Guys,

Long time no post.

Anyway i just got myself a new msi 7970 lightning to upgrade from my sli gtx 480's.

Is there anything you would recommend me do for this upgrade?

Should I just uninstall the nvidia drivers and and slap my card in and go?

Thanks for your help.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hodgy1971*
> 
> Hi Guys,
> Long time no post.
> Anyway i just got myself a new msi 7970 lightning to upgrade from my sli gtx 480's.
> Is there anything you would recommend me do for this upgrade?
> Should I just uninstall the nvidia drivers and and slap my card in and go?
> Thanks for your help.


uninstall the GTX 480 graphics cards from device manager. plug in your new card. install the latest 12.11 beta drivers.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hodgy1971*
> 
> Hi Guys,
> Long time no post.
> Anyway i just got myself a new msi 7970 lightning to upgrade from my sli gtx 480's.
> Is there anything you would recommend me do for this upgrade?
> Should I just uninstall the nvidia drivers and and slap my card in and go?
> Thanks for your help.


Keep one 480 for hybrid physx. Can't hurt.


----------



## Hodgy1971

Thanks guys.

Is it a pain to run physx with amd?

+rep


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Theultimateeye*
> 
> Or if anyone could at least point me in the right direction. Maybe there's a guide or something somewhere on how to volt mod these things but i haven't found anything but reviews. All of which had no problem maxing the card out.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40

Scroll to unofficial overclock method, then go down to the bottom of the 2nd post. Don't forget to grab the clock control files at the top.


----------



## adamlop

What you guys think about this small elements, it should be connected with vrm heatsink, or it doesn't matter with vrm temps?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked/260#post_18455773


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> What you guys think about this small elements, it should be connected with vrm heatsink, or it doesn't matter with vrm temps?
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked/260#post_18455773


The parts circled are not vrms or anything that needs direct cooling.


----------



## adamlop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The parts circled are not vrms or anything that needs direct cooling.


So nothing to fix ? Or i can do something with this heatsink, because on stock clocks it going to 85C on VRM1


----------



## King4x4

Acceptable. Just don't let it go over 100'C


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hodgy1971*
> 
> Thanks guys.
> Is it a pain to run physx with amd?
> +rep


From my experience, it is a massive waste of time and money. Any time the physx is utilised, the system will stutter due to latency between the communication of the hardware and the work from the software collectivly. (Based from my experience. Not actual fact.)


----------



## Paztak

I have hd 7970 ghz vapor - x card. So, if i don't have voltage control slider in the Trixx i can assume that voltage is bios locked?


----------



## adamlop

So you have only ?
Gpu clock
Memory clock
VDDC (it should be here, but missing)
Power Board Li


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paztak*
> 
> I have hd 7970 ghz vapor - x card. So, if i don't have voltage control slider in the Trixx i can assume that voltage is bios locked?


I guess, because with my card it is clearly visible. Flash your card with unlocked voltage vapor-x bios? If you can't find it anywhere I can upload mine.


----------



## Chobbit

Hi, a colleague of mine has got a 7950 and although I haven't been too see it or take a look, he has mentioned it keeps crashing at stock with the screen sometimes (freaking out before going off as he calls it).

Is there any common problems similar too this or any issues with drivers at the moment?

Obviously I'm running nVidia at the moment and aren't quite in the loop but I've been in AMD's corner a few times in the past with 8800, 3870 & 4870x2.

Thanks


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ukkooh*
> 
> I guess, because with my card it is clearly visible. Flash your card with unlocked voltage vapor-x bios? If you can't find it anywhere I can upload mine.


By quickly search i didn't find any unlocked bios for Vapor - X. I would be more than happy to have that bios, If it's not too much trouble for you to upload the bios.


----------



## dansi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paztak*
> 
> By quickly search i didn't find any unlocked bios for Vapor - X. I would be more than happy to have that bios, If it's not too much trouble for you to upload the bios.


volt slider is there, you have to scroll down in trixx.


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dansi*
> 
> volt slider is there, you have to scroll down in trixx.


hmm... I have to check it better when I'm at home. Not the first time when I don't see something


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chobbit*
> 
> Hi, a colleague of mine has got a 7950 and although I haven't been too see it or take a look, he has mentioned it keeps crashing at stock with the screen sometimes (freaking out before going off as he calls it).
> Is there any common problems similar too this or any issues with drivers at the moment?
> Obviously I'm running nVidia at the moment and aren't quite in the loop but I've been in AMD's corner a few times in the past with 8800, 3870 & 4870x2.
> Thanks


Does the screen go black, and then make an annoying buzzing noise until the computer is shut down?

If that's the error he was having, I fixed it by changing drivers. I found 12.8 to cause it very frequently, 12.9 to happen less often, and with 12.11, I've yet to have it happen.

I have tried 12.5, 12.7 beta, 12.8, 12.9 beta, and 12.11 beta, and found 12.11 beta to be the best drivers so far. The performance is superior, and they seem to be the most stable so far.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Getting 120FPS across the board with MOHWF at 1100/1500 everything Ultra with no MSAA.

What an experience


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Getting 120FPS across the board with MOHWF at 1100/1500 everything Ultra with no MSAA. What an experience


which card do you have ? also whats the perf with 4x MSAA.


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dansi*
> 
> volt slider is there, you have to scroll down in trixx.


Yep, the slider was there... Sadly it seems that voltage is clocked on the bios, because it doesn't give more voltage to the core even if I adjust voltage to the value 1.3V.
1.256 is the maximum and "stock" voltage when boost - mode is on. 1130Mhz/1500Mhz are the maximum clocks what i can get out of this card.


----------



## Kitarist

It seems that Sapphire is out with the new boost version of the 7950 card. I'm still kinda between the Gigabyte WF3 and the new Sapphire one









But there are still no reports how well the new Sapphire behaves.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paztak*
> 
> Yep, the slider was there... Sadly it seems that voltage is clocked on the bios, because it doesn't give more voltage to the core even if I adjust voltage to the value 1.3V.
> 1.256 is the maximum and "stock" voltage when boost - mode is on. 1130Mhz/1500Mhz are the maximum clocks what i can get out of this card.


Really 1.25ish seems to be optimal for most 7970's. I don't see many people getting more out of their cards by boosting voltage over that. So even though the voltage is locked I don't think it's holding you back much.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kitarist*
> 
> It seems that Sapphire is out with the new boost version of the 7950 card. I'm still kinda between the Gigabyte WF3 and the new Sapphire one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But there are still no reports how well the new Sapphire behaves.


gigabyte wf3 is the better choice. heard complaints of the sapphire hd 7950 vapor-x being voltage locked.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paztak*
> 
> Yep, the slider was there... Sadly it seems that voltage is clocked on the bios, because it doesn't give more voltage to the core even if I adjust voltage to the value 1.3V.
> 1.256 is the maximum and "stock" voltage when boost - mode is on. 1130Mhz/1500Mhz are the maximum clocks what i can get out of this card.


That happens alot it seems with the ghz bios you might try flashing a bios clocked at 925 and see if it gives you voltage control. The ghz bios for me gives no voltage control but a saphire 925/1375 i flashed does.


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Really 1.25ish seems to be optimal for most 7970's. I don't see many people getting more out of their cards by boosting voltage over that. So even though the voltage is locked I don't think it's holding you back much.


Alright, I was suspecting that more voltage wouldn't help me that much. I don't want to tweak anything anymore, I will stick on this and just play my ass off.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> gigabyte wf3 is the better choice. heard complaints of the sapphire hd 7950 vapor-x being voltage locked.


I can vouche for the WF3 7950 being an excellant card. I have had mine for 2 days now and I switched from my defective Sapphire 7950. I already have stable clocks at 1150/1500 with 1.18v. Doesn't seem to really want to go much more though as when I do push past that when I load up a game it puts itself back to stock core clocks. I had to switch afterburner to unofficial overclocking mode to get over 1100 core though. And temps don't go over 50c in BF3 with that overclock either so the cooler is top notch in my books.

Edit: however I have to use 12.8 drivers myself because 12.11 beta gives me horizontal lines with even a 25mhz overclock even though I uninstalled AB before changing drivers. Hopefully they can stabalize this driver a bit better for people in my situation. The performance increase I hear is awesome.


----------



## DarkHollow

The 7970 is amazing. My ref (non Ghz) card at whatever the stock vcore is I have it running at 1100/1600 no problem. The only thing is Afterburner and Cat 12.11 have issues when enabling Unofficial Overclocking. Disabling power play took care of the flickering crap that started with 12.11. I ended up setting up a "2D" profile, afterburner however doesn't want to used the selected 2D/3D profiles so I am just gonna do it manually with profile hotkeys.


----------



## 4514kaiser

12.10 stable? Still looking to find a stable CCC


----------



## robnitro

The boost bioses are horrid.

In UVD , video hw accel or flash player hw accel, the clocks are the same 500/1250, but instead of 0.95v it runs at the 3d voltage (1.2+v!)


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> 12.10 stable? Still looking to find a stable CCC


? Didn't know they were having problems since 12.7 at least?


----------



## rck1984

I ordered and received my 2nd Sapphire 7950 about two weeks ago, haven't really gotten the time to test them out because I went on vacation the day after I got it. Though after reading trough my mail once again I noticed they have send me a regular Sapphire 7950 dual-x (810mhz) instead of a Sapphire 7950 OC dual-x (900mhz).

I see they are not selling the 7950 OC one right now, now my question is... Regarding to overclock potential, should I go into the hassle to return this one and get a 2nd OC version elsewhere? Or is it fine to run these two combined? Because besides the different default clockspeed, both cards are identical as far as I know.

I am guessing the 810mhz card might need a little more effort/voltage to overclock equal to the OC version of it, that comes with a 900mhz clock on default? But besides that it's fine?

OC version: http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1450&leg=0

Regular one:

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1442&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


----------



## Andrazh

I don't think it matters if you have OC or not. But it matters how lucky you are with the chip. So try overclocking this one and see if its a good overclocker, keep it, if it isn't then go through the hassle and make them switch cards.


----------



## 4514kaiser

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> ? Didn't know they were having problems since 12.7 at least?


Sorry the were no issues before 12.7 they have been pretty terrible since RC11







however that's not the point I was just interested to know what the go was with 12.10..... Some drivers have been Terrible some have worked for many eg 12.4 ... I'm Running CF 7970's and was hoping to give AB it's 10th or so try not keen on TrixX since i can't change the volts..... I'm currently on 12.10 w/ Cap 12.10 and was going to try AB 2.2.4 and unlock naturally..... I'm just wondering if the new Beta is the go and if something more stable than AB with decent OC capacity has come out!!


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> I don't think it matters if you have OC or not. But it matters how lucky you are with the chip. So try overclocking this one and see if its a good overclocker, keep it, if it isn't then go through the hassle and make them switch cards.


Thanks for the answer.
Since I'm running crossfire, I won't be able to push the cards to their OC limits due to high temps anyway. Therefore I am aiming for an overclock of something like 1100/1500 on both (ran this on single GPU also). I think I'll be fine, most 7950s I have read/seen of we're able to run 1100mhz with some slight voltage tweaking.

Also, does anyone know what power usage an overclocked (~1.150) CFX7950 setup would pull? Aprox. 400w on 100% peak usage?


----------



## Ghost23

Guys... I've reached a point where I don't need to upgrade anything and I don't know how I feel.

With the new drivers, new cooler, and this new stable OC, I can handle pretty much every game at a solid 60 max'd out, even BF3.

I have no want for bigger rez atm, 1920x1080 is fine for me, CPU is fine, GPU is great.. keyboard/mouse are fine, new case, new gpu cooler. My temps are idles in the 20's so I'm very happy.

WHAT DO I DO. XD


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Guys... I've reached a point where I don't need to upgrade anything and I don't know how I feel.
> With the new drivers, new cooler, and this new stable OC, I can handle pretty much every game at a solid 60 max'd out, even BF3.
> I have no want for bigger rez atm, 1920x1080 is fine for me, CPU is fine, GPU is great.. keyboard/mouse are fine, new case, new gpu cooler. My temps are idles in the 20's so I'm very happy.
> WHAT DO I DO. XD


Build another!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Guys... I've reached a point where I don't need to upgrade anything and I don't know how I feel.
> With the new drivers, new cooler, and this new stable OC, I can handle pretty much every game at a solid 60 max'd out, even BF3.
> I have no want for bigger rez atm, 1920x1080 is fine for me, CPU is fine, GPU is great.. keyboard/mouse are fine, new case, new gpu cooler. My temps are idles in the 20's so I'm very happy.
> WHAT DO I DO. XD


enjoy playing the latest games maxed out on your card.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> enjoy playing the latest games maxed out on your card.


Wait you mean we actually play GAMES on these things?


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Wait you mean we actually play GAMES on these things?


Lol I hear that statement loud and clear. I test my OC's with BF3 but dont actually play it often haha. Im ALWAYS constantly trying to squeeze just a bit more out of my OC's


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> *Guys... I've reached a point where I don't need to upgrade anything* and I don't know how I feel.
> With the new drivers, new cooler, and this new stable OC, I can handle pretty much every game at a solid 60 max'd out, even BF3.
> I have no want for bigger rez atm, 1920x1080 is fine for me, CPU is fine, GPU is great.. keyboard/mouse are fine, new case, new gpu cooler. My temps are idles in the 20's so I'm very happy.
> WHAT DO I DO. XD


Don't worry my friend, it's only temporary. Soon you will find the desire to upgrade again and again. Sorry but its OCN here







.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Don't worry my friend, it's only temporary. Soon you will find the desire to upgrade again and again. Sorry but its OCN here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I hope it comes soon.

I feel dirty not wanting to upgrade.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Sorry the were no issues before 12.7 they have been pretty terrible since RC11
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> however that's not the point I was just interested to know what the go was with 12.10..... Some drivers have been Terrible some have worked for many eg 12.4 ... I'm Running CF 7970's and was hoping to give AB it's 10th or so try not keen on TrixX since i can't change the volts..... I'm currently on 12.10 w/ Cap 12.10 and was going to try AB 2.2.4 and unlock naturally..... I'm just wondering if the new Beta is the go and if something more stable than AB with decent OC capacity has come out!!


12.9 Beta is the new RC11 drivers







12.11 Beta is even better! But some are having down clocking issues. I am using a reference card and so far so good.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Guys... I've reached a point where I don't need to upgrade anything and I don't know how I feel.
> With the new drivers, new cooler, and this new stable OC, I can handle pretty much every game at a solid 60 max'd out, even BF3.
> I have no want for bigger rez atm, 1920x1080 is fine for me, CPU is fine, GPU is great.. keyboard/mouse are fine, new case, new gpu cooler. My temps are idles in the 20's so I'm very happy.
> WHAT DO I DO. XD


Get SSD! If haven't got one!


----------



## Ganf

Holy crap my video card is trying to sabotage my sanity...

First a few days ago somehow morphological filtering got turned on in CCC. I had no idea what it was, spent hours trying to figure out why all of my games using the unreal engine were horribly broken. Now this morning I turn on my computer and the screen keeps flickering randomly. I'm checking cords, ports, etc... Running benchmarks which were coming back with artifacts. I thought my card was dying just out of the blue, then it turns out that my overclock in Trixx randomly decided to turn it up a notch....

I was ready to table flip a Hyundai on my grandmother....


----------



## InsideJob

Your system has a mind of it's own. Thankfully for your grandmother you figured out the problem


----------



## heroxoot

Anyone know if ATIman works properly on windows 8, or is even needed. I been uninstalling, reboot, installing, and it just seems to change the driver without fail.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Guys... I've reached a point where I don't need to upgrade anything and I don't know how I feel.
> With the new drivers, new cooler, and this new stable OC, I can handle pretty much every game at a solid 60 max'd out, even BF3.
> I have no want for bigger rez atm, 1920x1080 is fine for me, CPU is fine, GPU is great.. keyboard/mouse are fine, new case, new gpu cooler. My temps are idles in the 20's so I'm very happy.
> WHAT DO I DO. XD


I reached that point... said *** lets go water!

Follow me to the watery side....


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Anyone know if ATIman works properly on windows 8, or is even needed. I been uninstalling, reboot, installing, and it just seems to change the driver without fail.


He's releasing a new version on November 2.

http://www.thelab.gr/1063360173-post564.html


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Does anyone know if the 7970 have a cold bug my cards not performing right on boinc its full load at 30c lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Does anyone know if the 7970 have a cold bug my cards not performing right on boinc its full load at 30c lol.


Vrms do not like being to cool. Core cold bug isn't till you get -20c or something iirc.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Vrms do not like being to cool. Core cold bug isn't till you get -20c or something iirc.


hmm i restored my pc with a backup i had to make sure it waset windows games seem to work fine but boinc is taking 2x the normal time. Core was high temp of 30c soemtimes 28c and vrms were in the low 40s i would think thats still warm enugh for them tho.


97-99% load even tho gpuz dont detect it bug in the new drivers.


----------



## spinejam

*Here's another new MSI 7950 TFIII:*

Runs a lil warmer than the first seen here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/120#post_18463005


----------



## BradleyW

If I play a youtube video, the memory jumps to 1375Mhz on my master 7970. Anyone else get this?
Here is my information. Check the graphs.
Thank you.


----------



## robnitro

What's the vcore?
With any of the boost bioses, I have noticed something crappy... the UVD (hw accel video) setting ends up taking the voltage and memory settings of 3d.

Try a non-boost bios, better overclocking anyway


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If I play a youtube video, the memory jumps to 1375Mhz on my master 7970. Anyone else get this?
> Here is my information. Check the graphs.
> Thank you.


Typical. I think it has something to do with keeping adobe flash stable. My card will either set itself at 501/1000 (heard this referred to as "funtime" clocks") or 1000/1450, which are stock settings for my card. Been doing this ever since I put it in.


----------



## afadzil21

Anyone on Win 8 Pro yet? Goddamn $40 offer is just so damn tempting. M$! Anyone got performance numbers yet with Win 8?


----------



## adamlop

7950 vapor-x users should know at we have v09 and v0A bios, VRM temps nicely went down.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Typical. I think it has something to do with keeping adobe flash stable. My card will either set itself at 501/1000 (heard this referred to as "funtime" clocks") or 1000/1450, which are stock settings for my card. Been doing this ever since I put it in.


How do we make flash "Stable" as you put it?
Thanks!


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How do we make flash "Stable" as you put it?
> Thanks!


Have you turned off hardware accel in adobe and your browser that seems to help.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Have you turned off hardware accel in adobe and your browser that seems to help.


I sure have, but it has not done anything.








I'm using CCC 12.11 and IE9, latest adobe flash.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I sure have, but it has not done anything.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm using CCC 12.11 and IE9, latest adobe flash.


weird thats always fixed any issue i had with flash i run waterfox and my flash works flawless with accel on or off i like it off tho.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> weird thats always fixed any issue i had with flash i run waterfox and my flash works flawless with accel on or off i like it off tho.


I just wonder why my GPU seems to think it needs 501/1375 for youtube. I set software render in IE9 and disable hardware accel in adobe options. Thank you for the help so far though mate!


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I just wonder why my GPU seems to think it needs 501/1375 for youtube. I set software render in IE9 and disable hardware accel in adobe options. Thank you for the help so far though mate!


if your running more then 1 lcd probly a muti monitor thing i tested in my waterfox and maxthon both kept the card at 300/150 watching flash and youtube.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> if your running more then 1 lcd probly a muti monitor thing i tested in my waterfox and maxthon both kept the card at 300/150 watching flash and youtube.


No, I'm only on 1 monitor. Do you think it is my browser?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> No, I'm only on 1 monitor. Do you think it is my browser?


you have 3 cards ? for 1 lcd could just be muti cards, you might try firefox or waterfox and see if it does it on that also.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> you have 3 cards ? for 1 lcd could just be muti cards, you might try firefox or waterfox and see if it does it on that also.


It seems to have stopped on IE9. I just downloaded Google Chrome. How do I fully remove Google Chrome, the installer and all associated files that it might have put onto my system, along with reg entries?


----------



## chizzms

Hi 7950s,

I am experiencing random blinks in the lower part of my screen. It is quite annoying actually. I don't know how to fix it. I have Radeon 7950 Sapphire and the rest of specs can be seen on my profile. I hope someone can help me with this.. Thanks.


----------



## Paztak

Can this be true that my core can only hit 1100Mhz with "stock" boost - mode voltage 1.25? That 1100Mhz seems to be the limit for the stable clocks.
Isn't that quite low result considering how high the voltage is? I'm also little bit confused, because at the first day when I got my card I believed that I found the stable overclock point at 1202Mhz. Card was stable in benchmarks, bf3 and crysis2. But very next day the card wasn't stable at those clock and now one week later after I installed windows again the point for stable clock is 1100Mhz. If I rise the clocks then I'm going to see flickering when running the Furmark. Flickering appears in middle of the circle and if i rise clocks even more then there's going to be driver crash. I have vapor - X card so cooling is good, temps never goes over 70c even at the automatic fan control. In 1202Mhz result I used Msi Afterburner where "unofficial overclocking" was enabled and drivers was 12.11 beta. Now i have fresh windows, drivers are 12.11 beta and i only use Trixx. Voltage is clocked in the bios (so msi afterburner "unofficial.." didn't do anything), so can there be so much difference in the results between two overclocking software? Is there any other tricks what i should try?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paztak*
> 
> Can this be true that my core can only hit 1100Mhz with "stock" boost - mode voltage 1.25? That 1100Mhz seems to be the limit for the stable clocks.? Is there any other tricks what i should try?


First try overclocking in AMD CCC at stock voltage. see what are your highest stable overclocks. normally 1125 - 1150 Mhz should be very easy. for testing use BF3, Heaven, 3D Mark 11, Crysis 2. Do not use power viruses like Furmark, MSI Kombustor . also monitor both GPU core and VRM temps using HWinfo32. you can also log temps while running the stability benches. Keep core below 70c and VRM temps below 90c for long term stability. Mostly its the VRMs which overheat. so if required set manual fan speed upto 60%. auto fan just might not be enough.

For voltage overclocking same precautions. tweak voltage. test with apps. keep temps under control. you can also create custom fan profile in trixx.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

So Win8 doesn't appear to like multiple instances of GPU-z while running MOHW. Might end up reinstalling AB to use for monitoring while gaming and still use Trixx for benching. Anybody done any of the standard benches with 8 yet?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> AB to use for monitoring while gaming and still use Trixx for benching


That's how I do it.


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> for testing use BF3, Heaven, 3D Mark 11, Crysis 2. Do not use power viruses like Furmark, MSI Kombustor .


Here was the problem. I didn't use Furmark at the first day, but for some reason after i installed the windows again I thought that Furmark is the fastest way to find out stable clocks.
Now i didn't run Furmark just couple of rounds Heaven and 3D Mark 11 and I can easily hit [email protected]/[email protected] Temps are really good, 61 for core 62 for VRM. I have no graphical errors or artifacts, of course I need to play some games to make sure it's stable, but I don't think that there's going to be any troubles there.

Have to say that this 7970 is bad ass card.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4800926

Score
P10193 3DMarks
Graphics Score
11453
Physics Score
7797
Combined Score
7473


----------



## Sasasd

I have MSI R7950 Twin Frozr. I tried 1100/1500 with 1.040v. It seemed stable in Crysis 2 but my temps were 70 celsius with 50% fan speed. I tried with 65% fan speed and temps went to 60s but noise was ridiculous. Are those temps normal with that voltage? Maybe i have bad case cooling.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paztak*
> 
> Here was the problem. I didn't use Furmark at the first day, but for some reason after i installed the windows again I thought that Furmark is the fastest way to find out stable clocks.
> Now i didn't run Furmark just couple of rounds Heaven and 3D Mark 11 and I can easily hit [email protected]/[email protected] Temps are really good, 61 for core 62 for VRM. I have no graphical errors or artifacts, of course I need to play some games to make sure it's stable, but I don't think that there's going to be any troubles there.
> Have to say that this 7970 is bad ass card.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4800926
> Score
> P10193 3DMarks
> Graphics Score
> 11453
> Physics Score
> 7797
> Combined Score
> 7473


OCCT will tell you if there are errors occuring that you don't notice also, give it a run before you call those your final clocks.


----------



## switchblade

The gpu downclocks to ""2d clocks"" when playing videos. Happens especially with flash videos. its normal


----------



## MNation

I had a reference 7970 which overclocked real well, Asus ended up replacing it after an RMA with a DCUII card which sucked. I sold that and bought a Visiontek 7970 900491 card, which as far as I'm aware is a reference card. I'm having a problem with voltage control though. I went into MSI afterburner 2.2.4 and it was grayed out and displayed no voltage. I tried the latest version of sapphire trixx which didn't show any voltages either. This is very frustrating as I have read on a few newegg reviews that this card is unlocked and clocks well, but I can't seem to do anything, I already did the unofficial overclocking in Msi, and ticked the enable voltage control box. I'm running the ghz bios upgrade now. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks.


----------



## heroxoot

If someone here can upload their 7970 lightning LN2 bios. I bricked mine and I forgot to copy it. I have a copy of the original bios though.


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> If someone here can upload their 7970 lightning LN2 bios. I bricked mine and I forgot to copy it. I have a copy of the original bios though.


7970 Lightning Bios:

7970Lghz.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## d3vour3r

hey guys,

Will a sapphire amd reference 7970 work in cross fire with a sapphire 7970 OC edition v1 (11197-01-40G)?


----------



## Sanilujin

I have some problems with my radeon 7970 sapphire dual-x
I dont know how , my fps is pretty low..I dont know if i doing some wrong , or my CPU is a **** ...
i using , fx 4170...
For real , my card is with same fps from my old card(gts 450)
something is blocking or limiting my card i think, but i dont know wat...
Can some1 help with this problem?


----------



## d3vour3r

reinstall drivers, Check that you have connected all power connectors to card. wats ur other system specs?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d3vour3r*
> 
> hey guys,
> 
> Will a sapphire amd reference 7970 work in cross fire with a sapphire 7970 OC edition v1 (11197-01-40G)?


they are both 7970's so i cant see why they would not work even if they are different versions of cards


----------



## Samurai707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d3vour3r*
> 
> hey guys,
> Will a sapphire amd reference 7970 work in cross fire with a sapphire 7970 OC edition v1 (11197-01-40G)?


Yes they will!
A 7970 can also CF with a 7950 (and I assume the 7990 that is out too







)


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> OCCT will tell you if there are errors occuring that you don't notice also, give it a run before you call those your final clocks.


Alright, I will run that also.
When I played crysis2 at last night I noticed that my memory oc is giving me the troubles. So I set the memory back to the stock clocks and I think I will leave it that way, because in gaming the memory oc wont help that much, so it just easier to leave it to the stock clocks than find the absolutely stable point. I will run OCCT to make sure my core clock is stable, thanks for the tip!


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> I tried the latest version of sapphire trixx which didn't show any voltages either.


Check the Trixx again, voltage slider should be there. You just need to scroll the slider down which is in the right.
I didn't see that first either.


----------



## d3vour3r

awsome. I found some sapphire v1 oc editions on evilbay. Going to try get them for a good price, if not ill just pick up a reference card and drown it and oc dafuq outa it


----------



## chizzms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chizzms*
> 
> Hi 7950s,
> I am experiencing random blinks in the lower part of my screen. It is quite annoying actually. I don't know how to fix it. I have Radeon 7950 Sapphire and the rest of specs can be seen on my profile. I hope someone can help me with this.. Thanks.


anyone?


----------



## King4x4

Check your DVI connections.


----------



## MNation

I re-installed the drivers twice, and completely removed and re installed both trixx and afterburner. All the connections are solid.

My other specs:

Rosewill lightning 1000w PSU
Asrock Fatal1ty Z68 Professional Gen3 motherboard
8Gb DDr3 (4 2gb modules)
i7 2600k
1Tb HDD
Windows 7 home premium x64


----------



## Macke93

My Powercolor HD 7950 PCS+ card died last week







It lasted a little more than 2 months!
Got a mail from the store today that my return is accepted and I will get a HIS IceQ HD7950 as a replacement








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *afadzil21*
> 
> Anyone on Win 8 Pro yet? Goddamn $40 offer is just so damn tempting. M$! Anyone got performance numbers yet with Win 8?


I upgraded to Windows 8 Pro 64-bit at monday this week, will get my replacement card this week hopefully and can try it out, right now using my old 4670 and the computer overall feels faster than Windows 7 Ultimate !


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> I had a reference 7970 which overclocked real well, Asus ended up replacing it after an RMA with a DCUII card which sucked. I sold that and bought a Visiontek 7970 900491 card, which as far as I'm aware is a reference card. I'm having a problem with voltage control though. I went into MSI afterburner 2.2.4 and it was grayed out and displayed no voltage. I tried the latest version of sapphire trixx which didn't show any voltages either. This is very frustrating as I have read on a few newegg reviews that this card is unlocked and clocks well, but I can't seem to do anything, I already did the unofficial overclocking in Msi, and ticked the enable voltage control box. *I'm running the ghz bios upgrade now*. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks.


What was the time frame in relation to when you flashed to ghz bios and losing voltage control? Some cards lose voltage control on ghz bios.


----------



## MNation

I actually never had voltage control. Otherwise I would have said screw the Ghz bios and just overclocked it myself. I got the graphics card, I uninstalled my intel HD3000 drivers, installed the video card, booted into safe mode, ran driver fusion (driver sweep) to remove the rest of intel drivers, restarted and booted into windows regularly, installed catalyst 12.10 drivers, tried MSI and trixx, uninstalled and manually deleted MSI and trixx, re installed them, did the voltage and unofficial overclocking tweak, installed 12.11 catalyst beta drivers and still no dice. Then I tried the GHZ bios.


----------



## psyside

What is the best way to run OCCT? and is it based on Furmark? because it has the same animation during running, i wonder.

Lastly how long should i run it, is 30 minutes enough, and also what shader complexity?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> I had a reference 7970 which overclocked real well, Asus ended up replacing it after an RMA with a DCUII card which sucked. I sold that and bought a Visiontek 7970 900491 card, which as far as I'm aware is a reference card. I'm having a problem with voltage control though. I went into MSI afterburner 2.2.4 and it was grayed out and displayed no voltage. I tried the latest version of sapphire trixx which didn't show any voltages either. This is very frustrating as I have read on a few newegg reviews that this card is unlocked and clocks well, but I can't seem to do anything, I already did the unofficial overclocking in Msi, and ticked the enable voltage control box. I'm running the ghz bios upgrade now. Anybody have any suggestions? Thanks.


Just to make sure, have you gone to MSI Afterburner settings and unlocked voltage control?


----------



## MNation

yeah I changed unofficial overclocking to 1, and ticked the box that says unlock voltage control. I also just flashed to a reference ATI bios to see if maybe visiontek locked them, however although it worked flawlessly (like I said reference card) I still have no voltage control. This leads me to believe it's a problem with software and definitely not the card itself. And thanks to all of those who are trying to help, much appreciated.

Here is a link to the card if it helps
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129204


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> yeah I changed unofficial overclocking to 1, and ticked the box that says unlock voltage control. I also just flashed to a reference ATI bios to see if maybe visiontek locked them, however although it worked flawlessly (like I said reference card) I still have no voltage control. This leads me to believe it's a problem with software and definitely not the card itself. And thanks to all of those who are trying to help, much appreciated.
> Here is a link to the card if it helps
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129204


Switch the BIOS to the default one. Hopefully you'll have voltage control.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> I actually never had voltage control. Otherwise I would have said screw the Ghz bios and just overclocked it myself. I got the graphics card, *I uninstalled my intel HD3000 drivers*, installed the video card, booted into safe mode, ran driver fusion (driver sweep) to remove the rest of intel drivers, restarted and booted into windows regularly, installed catalyst 12.10 drivers, tried MSI and trixx, uninstalled and manually deleted MSI and trixx, re installed them, did the voltage and unofficial overclocking tweak, installed 12.11 catalyst beta drivers and still no dice. Then I tried the GHZ bios.


Is the igpu disabled in bios?


----------



## MNation

Bios doesn't give me voltage control on default or with Ghz bios, or with reference AMD bios.

I just disabled the IGPU in the bios which didn't help. Also I notice that MSI doesn't want to give me the option of adjusting core/memory frequencies or voltages (I believe this is unrelated to bios changes).


----------



## tsm106

I've had three Visiontek 7970s early on and had no problems with volting them. Try following the double checking your steps with my sig thread regarding AB installs.


----------



## MNation

I uninstalled MSI afterburner and then followed your guide step by step. Everything went exactly as you said it would except that MSI afterburner did NOT do any analyses or ask me to restart. So I restarted manually on my own. I then started MSI afterburner and the options for my core/memory clock were able to be changed again. I went into options and ticked the voltage unlock option and restarted aterburner, but still no voltages. GPU-Z says my asic is 59%. Reviews on newegg say this card is unlocked. If it is not I'm going to be upset









Edit:
I also tried uninstalling AMD drivers, wiping them with driver fusion, and re-installing an older version (12.4) with no luck before re-updating to 12.11 beta


----------



## ElevenEleven

Does your card have a physical BIOS switch? If so, have you checked whether the voltage is locked with either BIOS setting?


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> I uninstalled MSI afterburner and then followed your guide step by step. Everything went exactly as you said it would except that MSI afterburner did NOT do any analyses or ask me to restart. So I restarted manually on my own. I then started MSI afterburner and the options for my core/memory clock were able to be changed again. I went into options and ticked the voltage unlock option and restarted aterburner, but still no voltages. GPU-Z says my asic is 59%. Reviews on newegg say this card is unlocked. If it is not I'm going to be upset
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit:
> I also tried uninstalling AMD drivers, wiping them with driver fusion, and re-installing an older version (12.4) with no luck before re-updating to 12.11 beta


You can try this AB patch:

AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file


----------



## adamlop

And remember to check all 3 voltage options in afterburner
unlock voltage controll
unlock voltage monitoring
*force constant voltage* - many of us loosing voltage controll without that option


----------



## MNation

Tried both bios switches, in fact went as far as uninstalling driver and AB and reinstalling on other switch to be sure. Tried the other patch, tried checking all boxes for voltages. Still nothing. Again thanks to everyone for the help. Any other Ideas? Send it back to amazon and buy a new card? lol. 
with all that on it I'd hate to have to start over..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> I uninstalled MSI afterburner and then followed your guide step by step. Everything went exactly as you said it would except that MSI afterburner did NOT do any analyses or ask me to restart. So I restarted manually on my own. I then started MSI afterburner and the options for my core/memory clock were able to be changed again. I went into options and ticked the voltage unlock option and restarted aterburner, but still no voltages. GPU-Z says my asic is 59%. Reviews on newegg say this card is unlocked. If it is not I'm going to be upset
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit:
> I also tried uninstalling AMD drivers, wiping them with driver fusion, and re-installing an older version (12.4) with no luck before re-updating to 12.11 beta
> 
> 
> 
> You can try this AB patch:
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file
Click to expand...

The instructions say to install the above patch, which is attached in the how to thread btw. Something else you can do is to extract the two dll files (inside the patch) to the AB folder and restart AB. If you still have no access to voltage, there's nothing left to do cuz the fat lady has just sung.


----------



## MNation

how do I extract the DLL files? or where do they install to?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MNation*
> 
> how do I extract the DLL files? or where do they install to?


That patch is just an executable zip file, so open it up with your compressor of choice and drag the two files to the afterburner directory.


----------



## MNation

well.. that didn't work either :'( I have gone through hell and back with ASUS Rma process and sold the card they gave me due to lack of voltage control, and bought this card being damn near positive I'd have no issues.. just my luck. Well, thanks for the help guys.. time for a return I guess.. Have any suggestions on a 7970 compatible with the accelero xtreme 7970 that IS votlage unlocked?


----------



## homestyle

Anyone know where the vrm 1and 2 temp sensor location is?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *homestyle*
> 
> Anyone know where the vrm 1and 2 temp sensor location is?


in GPU-z under the sensors tab you can read them but you have to scroll down to see them..









if you mean the physical location or sensors i am not sure


----------



## homestyle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> in GPU-z under the sensors tab you can read them but you have to scroll down to see them..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> if you mean the physical location or sensors i am not sure


Yeah I mean where on the board.


----------



## Squayle

I've been using pro for three weeks and haven't looked back more than once








And thats only because the task manager takes forever to load when you shift+crtl+esc


----------



## BradleyW

When I run the install package, the transcoder and drag and drop always fail upon install.
I tried a reformat, followed by redownloading the drivers.
I was also getting several blue screens before the reformat which happenned whenever I got into windows and the drivers would try and load.
Right now, everything seems to be fine, but the transcoder and drag and drop will not install at all and I'm worried this is signs of a bad card.


----------



## axipher

Anyone good at identifying 7970 PCB's on 7950's?

I recently received a Radeon Branded 7950 from AMD at the last OCN LAN. It has the multiple holes near the back of the card that would indicate a 7970 board. It only has 2 6-pin connections though. I don't want to take off the reference cooler but looking at the bottom of the card, it looks to be only 4+1 phases:


----------



## Rebelord

The fastest way to determine is by 8+6 pin power connections. AFAIK


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> The fastest way to determine is by 8+6 pin power connections. AFAIK


That's what I thought but seeing as I know the extra 2 pins don't really add anything, I wasn't relying solely on that. Looking around the internet, different things have tipped me off that it could be a 7970 board, like the extra screw holes at the back of the card. I guess I'll go scrounge the internet for some reference 7970 PCB's on the backside and compare.


----------



## ahriman

Hey All- Just bought a Dell 3007WFP-HC and hooked up to my 7970s. I cannot display 2560 x 1600. I tried updating drivers from 11.10 to 12.11 Beta, no change. The cable is a dual link DVI (I believe), see pic:


And you can see the behavior when I select the resolution here: 




Any ideas greatly appreciated.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> Hey All- Just bought a Dell 3007WFP-HC and hooked up to my 7970s. I cannot display 2560 x 1600. I tried updating drivers from 11.10 to 12.11 Beta, no change. The cable is a dual link DVI (I believe), see pic:
> 
> And you can see the behavior when I select the resolution here:
> 
> 
> 
> Any ideas greatly appreciated.


Do you have a different cable to try? Does it work with just one GPU installed? Can you test the monitor on a different computer? Does that input on the monitor work?


----------



## Derek1387

Well, switched back to Red today. My new 7970 lightning just showed up. Holy cow this thing is huge.

Now to remember how to OC this thing


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derek1387*
> 
> Well, switched back to Red today. My new 7970 lightning just showed up. Holy cow this thing is huge.
> Now to remember how to OC this thing


Pretty much the same only one differnce when you see artifacts checkerbox or flashes it mean the core needs more voltage usualy. And when overclocking memory watch for fps to drop that shows the ecc is kicking in.


----------



## mdatmo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> That's what I thought but seeing as I know the extra 2 pins don't really add anything, I wasn't relying solely on that. Looking around the internet, different things have tipped me off that it could be a 7970 board, like the extra screw holes at the back of the card. I guess I'll go scrounge the internet for some reference 7970 PCB's on the backside and compare.


Looks like a 7970 board. It is not a typical 7950 board as those only have three screw holes along the back edge of the card, not four.


----------



## BradleyW

I've tested each of my cards on their own now and the package keeps failing to install. (Media transcoders and drag and drop)


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've tested each of my cards on their own now and the package keeps failing to install. (Media transcoders and drag and drop)


Thats wierd anytime i get that crap i usualy clean up the drivers uninstall them thru amd app then i use driver sweeper and stuff usualy installs fine then i know people say not to use driver sweeper but it works for me.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Thats wierd anytime i get that crap i usualy clean up the drivers uninstall them thru amd app then i use driver sweeper and stuff usualy installs fine then i know people say not to use driver sweeper but it works for me.


Thanks for the reply. Yes it is strange because I reformatted and still had the same issue using both cards on their own. However, I just tested on windows 8 and the transcoders have installed fine. I really don't know if this is an RMA case for both cards or not. All I remember is the driver crashing and a blue screen, then the drivers became corrupt. I reformatted and noticed the transcoders would not install. So I installed an image that I made and it already contained 12.11 fully installed. After putting that image of win 7 on, I was in a blue screen loop with ati to blame. It seems if the transcoders are installed on Win 7, I have major issues, so It will refuse to install transcoders to prevent the blue screen issue. I've never had this issue before. The results are inconclusive as I've ruled both software and hardware!


----------



## UglyCheater

Hey guys! I need help and I think Ill find here the best one. Im before buying a 7950 and dont know which one. Im between sapphire oc and gigabyte wf 3. Could you tell me which card overlocks better and which manufacturer make less ,,lemons"?( So I can increase my chances getting a better overlocker). Ill run them leater in crossfire with watercool full blocks. I hope you can help me!

Idk if itsimportant but I plan to cross them on gigabyte ud5h. I would be thanksfull if you could help me.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Thats wierd anytime i get that crap i usualy clean up the drivers uninstall them thru amd app then i use driver sweeper and stuff usualy installs fine then i know people say not to use driver sweeper but it works for me.


So I tested the cards on Win 8 and the install went fine. Now I am back on 7 and everything is working as it should. Strange.....


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UglyCheater*
> 
> Hey guys! I need help and I think Ill find here the best one. Im before buying a 7950 and dont know which one. Im between sapphire oc and gigabyte wf 3. Could you tell me which card overlocks better and which manufacturer make less ,,lemons"?( So I can increase my chances getting a better overlocker). Ill run them leater in crossfire with watercool full blocks. I hope you can help me!
> Idk if itsimportant but I plan to cross them on gigabyte ud5h. I would be thanksfull if you could help me.


both cards are good. the sapphire HD 7950 has VRM heatsinks while gigabyte does not . gigabyte has a 3yr warranty while sapphire has 2 yr warranty. gigabyte has a slightly better cooler. my vote is for the sapphire hd 7950 boost.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


----------



## UglyCheater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> both cards are good. the sapphire HD 7950 has VRM heatsinks while gigabyte does not . gigabyte has a 3yr warranty while sapphire has 2 yr warranty. gigabyte has a slightly better cooler. my vote is for the sapphire hd 7950 boost.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


Sry for my noob questions but arent the vrm heatsinks unnecesary if I have watercooling? Also is it possible to tell which cards gets on the average higher?


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mdatmo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> That's what I thought but seeing as I know the extra 2 pins don't really add anything, I wasn't relying solely on that. Looking around the internet, different things have tipped me off that it could be a 7970 board, like the extra screw holes at the back of the card. I guess I'll go scrounge the internet for some reference 7970 PCB's on the backside and compare.
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like a 7970 board. It is not a typical 7950 board as those only have three screw holes along the back edge of the card, not four.
Click to expand...

Well I do have a BIOS switch, think it's worth trying a 7970 BIOS on it? I'm thinking the only issue would be the power side since it's only got 4+1 phase vs. 5+1. The power connector isn't an issue to me, if it really wants those two extra grounds, a quick solder would fix that.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UglyCheater*
> 
> Sry for my noob questions but arent the vrm heatsinks unnecesary if I have watercooling? Also is it possible to tell which cards gets on the average higher?


which country are you from ? whats your budget for the HD 7950. if you are watercooling getting a HD 7950 with HD 7970 PCB ( 6 pin + 8 pin) is worth it. the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition (11196-10-40G) and MSI HD 7950 Twin frozr use HD 7970 PCB.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-PCI-Express-version-Graphics-11196-10-40G/dp/B0082D58P4


----------



## SkateZilla

Hmmm..

Newegg Black November has that Artic Cooling All In One Closed Loop water Cooler for VGA at $99...

Debating.. Debating....


----------



## UglyCheater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> which country are you from ? whats your budget for the HD 7950. if you are watercooling getting a HD 7950 with HD 7970 PCB ( 6 pin + 8 pin) is worth it. the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz edition (11196-10-40G) and MSI HD 7950 Twin frozr use HD 7970 PCB.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-PCI-Express-version-Graphics-11196-10-40G/dp/B0082D58P4


I live in Germany and we dont have newegg here :/ Anyways thanks SkateZilla!
I could spend like 350€ for it.... Im thinking if its worth buying a full pcb, because as I know(Im new to water ooling) it won't fit any other cards when I update after 2 years, want it? Hows about the normal gpu blocks? Any disadvantages?(As they would fit oher cards and also the gigabyte version which I think would prefer as it overclock better than sapphire I think).

Ill give you rep when Im back on my pc...


----------



## JQuantum

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UglyCheater*
> 
> Im from Germany so we dont have newegg here :/ Anyways thanks SkateZilla!
> I could spend like 350€ for it.... Im thinking if its worth buying a full pcb, because as I know(Im new to water ooling) it won't fit any other cards when I update after 2 years, want it? Hows about the normal gpu blocks? Any disadvantages?(As they would fit oher cards and also the gigabyte version which I think would prefer as it overclock better than sapphire I think).
> Ill give you rep when Im back on my pc...


I think GPU core only cooling + heatsinks is good especially kuz u can mount it onto another gpu without much issue. The Full blocks I didn't see much benifit except... they look 100x better.

Then again my only "GPU" block was make-shifting a corsair H40/H60 portion and rewiring the rest and my only full block was for the 6970. Aesthetically I rather have a full block though, and if I watercool I'll aim for full blocks only as a personal preference. Core blocks are good performers and heatinks for the vram is more than enough iirc


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UglyCheater*
> 
> I live in Germany and we dont have newegg here :/ Anyways thanks SkateZilla!
> I could spend like 350€ for it.... Im thinking if its worth buying a full pcb, because as I know(Im new to water ooling) it won't fit any other cards when I update after 2 years, want it? Hows about the normal gpu blocks? Any disadvantages?(As they would fit oher cards and also the gigabyte version which I think would prefer as it overclock better than sapphire I think).
> Ill give you rep when Im back on my pc...


the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz with code 11196-10-40G is available for 311 euros at amazon.

http://www.amazon.de/Sapphire-Radeon-Grafikkarte-GDDR5-Speicher/dp/B007VHFVEA/

About the waterblock you can buy a GPU only block like Swiftech MWC82-7900. sonda5 bought this at first and used the stock VRM heatsinks and let a 120mm case fan blow cool air from the side of the cabinet. was able to keep very good VRM temps.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1695577&highlight=SAPPHIRE+7950+950+Mhz&page=3

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265136/swiftech-releases-mcw82-7900-waterblock-for-radeon-hd7900-series-hd7970-and-hd7950


----------



## phillyd

I'm selling my 7970 for $400+ shipping, it will come with a Dwood backplate, a DD water block, the reference cooler, and a broken DD water block (missing mounting hole, can be pressed against the chip to render it working), but the 7970 is missing a capacitor, ill provide the info for the cap. For details or if you are interested, please PM me


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I'm selling my 7970 for $400+ shipping, it will come with a Dwood backplate, a DD water block, the reference cooler, and a broken DD water block (missing mounting hole, can be pressed against the chip to render it working), but the 7970 is missing a capacitor, ill provide the info for the cap. For details or if you are interested, please PM me


Intriguing.... Intriguing enough to warrant a hypothesis.

The coil whine from the card (if there was no coil whine it must have been of such a high pitch that it was inaudible, obviously) must have resonated with the electrical frequency within the capacitor which, when stimulated by large thumps from explosions within FPS games caused small pockets of true vacuum to appear within the capacitor, allowing the quantum foam of raw space to fluctuate randomly, opening a small void from which random pulses of gravitational waves of varying strength would issue forth. One of these stripped the mounting hole in the water block by warping the screw, and the final one was strong enough to collapse the capacitor in upon itself, to the approximate size of a dessicated dust mite. Summatically, it fell to the bottom of the case and was brushed out with the rest of the dust.

It's much more interesting to believe this than it is to go through your posts via your profile and find out what really happened.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I'm selling my 7970 for $400+ shipping, it will come with a Dwood backplate, a DD water block, the reference cooler, and a broken DD water block (missing mounting hole, can be pressed against the chip to render it working), but the 7970 is missing a capacitor, ill provide the info for the cap. For details or if you are interested, please PM me
> 
> 
> 
> Intriguing.... Intriguing enough to warrant a hypothesis.
> 
> The coil whine from the card (if there was no coil whine it must have been of such a high pitch that it was inaudible, obviously) must have resonated with the electrical frequency within the capacitor which, when stimulated by large thumps from explosions within FPS games caused small pockets of true vacuum to appear within the capacitor, allowing the quantum foam of raw space to fluctuate randomly, opening a small void from which random pulses of gravitational waves of varying strength would issue forth. One of these stripped the mounting hole in the water block by warping the screw, and the final one was strong enough to collapse the capacitor in upon itself, to the approximate size of a dessicated dust mite. Summatically, it fell to the bottom of the case and was brushed out with the rest of the dust.
> 
> It's much more interesting to believe this than it is to go through your posts via your profile and find out what really happened.
Click to expand...

Okay that was awesome








No but it got knocked off removing a faulty waterblock


----------



## MNation

Anyone know of a good brand 7970 that a accelero xtreme 7970 will fit on, and that can overvolt? I've been through asus and now visiontek that will not allow me to overvolt and I don't want to waste more time and money. Thanks in adavnce


----------



## UglyCheater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I'm selling my 7970 for $400+ shipping, it will come with a Dwood backplate, a DD water block, the reference cooler, and a broken DD water block (missing mounting hole, can be pressed against the chip to render it working), but the 7970 is missing a capacitor, ill provide the info for the cap. For details or if you are interested, please PM me


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JQuantum*
> 
> I think GPU core only cooling + heatsinks is good especially kuz u can mount it onto another gpu without much issue. The Full blocks I didn't see much benifit except... they look 100x better.
> Then again my only "GPU" block was make-shifting a corsair H40/H60 portion and rewiring the rest and my only full block was for the 6970. Aesthetically I rather have a full block though, and if I watercool I'll aim for full blocks only as a personal preference. Core blocks are good performers and heatinks for the vram is more than enough iirc


Guys thank you very much. Ive finally understood this whole thing and see now that I have to replan my build because the watersystem is getting more and more expencive....
Ill add you rep when Im back to my pc.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz with code 11196-10-40G is available for 311 euros at amazon.
> http://www.amazon.de/Sapphire-Radeon-Grafikkarte-GDDR5-Speicher/dp/B007VHFVEA/
> About the waterblock you can buy a GPU only block like Swiftech MWC82-7900. sonda5 bought this at first and used the stock VRM heatsinks and let a 120mm case fan blow cool air from the side of the cabinet. was able to keep very good VRM temps.
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1695577&highlight=SAPPHIRE+7950+950+Mhz&page=3
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265136/swiftech-releases-mcw82-7900-waterblock-for-radeon-hd7900-series-hd7970-and-hd7950


Sorry but Im not sure if I will need it now.


----------



## InsideJob

Hey there fellow 79** owners! Just poppin in to say my rig is up for MOTM this month! Would love for you all to stop by and maybe even gimme a vote!















Thanks all








http://www.overclock.net/t/1314127/october-2012-mod-of-the-month-noms-closed-poll-up-come-vote/0_50


----------



## Dubplate

Sweet, guess my card is pretty good.


----------



## Naive

Hey guys i need a little help. I recently bought http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150589,

I am having multiple problems with it. I'm unsure whether they are driver issues or hardware issues. I'm not a computer noob but new to the hardware side. I have a i7 2600k Sandybridge Oc'd to 4.8 and 16GB of RAM also. Before this amd i used a GTX 460.

1. I have gotten one blue screen which happened when i opened mozilla.

2. Whenever i open certain games patterns like this happen and i have to hard reboot my computer. 

3. I get random crashes where it does recover.

So im wondering if it is a hardware issue or just drivers. I heard 12.6 was stable and fixed a few problems but im currently on 12.11. When i tried to install 12.6 it didn't do anything. help D:


----------



## locc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Naive*
> 
> Hey guys i need a little help. I recently bought http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150589,
> I am having multiple problems with it. I'm unsure whether they are driver issues or hardware issues. I'm not a computer noob but new to the hardware side. I have a i7 2600k Sandybridge Oc'd to 4.8 and 16GB of RAM also. Before this amd i used a GTX 460.
> 1. I have gotten one blue screen which happened when i opened mozilla.
> 2. Whenever i open certain games patterns like this happen and i have to hard reboot my computer.
> 3. I get random crashes where it does recover.
> So im wondering if it is a hardware issue or just drivers. I heard 12.6 was stable and fixed a few problems but im currently on 12.11. When i tried to install 12.6 it didn't do anything. help D:


Sounds like you could have faulty card but I'd try removing all the old nvidia and amd drivers with Driver Fusion (I've found this better than atiman etc.). Also make sure to uninstall all oc/tweak software's so those wont interfere. Then try out with 12.10 whql drivers. If that wont work lastly try fresh install of windows.


----------



## UglyCheater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire HD 7950 950 Mhz with code 11196-10-40G is available for 311 euros at amazon.
> http://www.amazon.de/Sapphire-Radeon-Grafikkarte-GDDR5-Speicher/dp/B007VHFVEA/
> About the waterblock you can buy a GPU only block like Swiftech MWC82-7900. sonda5 bought this at first and used the stock VRM heatsinks and let a 120mm case fan blow cool air from the side of the cabinet. was able to keep very good VRM temps.
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1695577&highlight=SAPPHIRE+7950+950+Mhz&page=3
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265136/swiftech-releases-mcw82-7900-waterblock-for-radeon-hd7900-series-hd7970-and-hd7950


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JQuantum*
> 
> I think GPU core only cooling + heatsinks is good especially kuz u can mount it onto another gpu without much issue. The Full blocks I didn't see much benifit except... they look 100x better.
> Then again my only "GPU" block was make-shifting a corsair H40/H60 portion and rewiring the rest and my only full block was for the 6970. Aesthetically I rather have a full block though, and if I watercool I'll aim for full blocks only as a personal preference. Core blocks are good performers and heatinks for the vram is more than enough iirc


Well I have one more question. Since I see that the full blocks are pretty expencive and fit only one model of cards I see my only chance in non-full ones(+heatsinks and fan). But I want to run my cards on crossfire leater and dont know whether they will fit with non-full blocks. Anyone could confrime something from my assumptions?


----------



## axipher

Anyone have a 7970 BIOS I can try on my AMD Unbranded 7950 tonight?

It has a BIOS switch so I should be okay. Also some good isntructions wouldn't be bad either on backing up the current BIOS and flashing the new one.


----------



## Vlodaf

Which is the quietest 7970 guys? Currently looking at the Asus DirectCUII cards, Sapphire Dual Flex and Gigabyte Windforce 3x


----------



## King4x4

Gigabytes is pretty silent when compared to my old reference 6970.


----------



## Vlodaf

Pretty silent as in inaudible inside a case or as in not too loud?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Anyone have a 7970 BIOS I can try on my AMD Unbranded 7950 tonight?
> 
> It has a BIOS switch so I should be okay. Also some good isntructions wouldn't be bad either on backing up the current BIOS and flashing the new one.


use gpuz to backup the bios and i will upload mine its a saphire 7970 ref bios gives me unlimited memory and core clocks tho no need to do any tweaks to get higher clocks. I dont know what happens when you flash a 7950 with a 7970 bios so try at your own risk dual bios should be safe tho but im not sure.

Tahiti.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Do you have a different cable to try?


My only other is a single link, so I just bought a new one to try. Will report back the results.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Does it work with just one GPU installed?


Did not try that. I only tried plugging in to one then the other card.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Can you test the monitor on a different computer?


Not at this point. But if worse comes to worse I can install a card with DVI input on another computer.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Does that input on the monitor work?


Assuming so since lower resolution displays properly.


----------



## rck1984

I finally got home and had some spare time to try my 7950 crossfire setup.
At slightly adjusted voltage, 1050/1450mhz with a 1:1 fan-profile I am getting pretty high temps.

After 30min of Metro 2033, maxed out. GPU1 reaches and stabilizes 82 degrees, GPU2 however stays lower at around 74 degrees.
Obviously, the reason for these temps is the placement of both cards. Since they are so close to each other, the airflow is not optimal. Besides that, my Corsair 600T case isn't known for its excellent airflow.

Should i be worried about these temps? Or am i fine as long as i stay under the 90 degrees?


----------



## Bookerdalooker

Very happy to join this thread as a soon to be Xfx R7950 Black Double dissipation owner. My little local pc shop has sold me one for £215 with sleeping dogs, Far cry 3 and hitman absolution bundled for free! I'm no expert but I'm pretty darn chuffed with a deal like that!

I'm pretty new to overclocking but will be doing some on this card, what sort of numbers are people overclocking clock, voltage and memory at? Also, what is max safe temp?


----------



## Gir

Any clues as to what prices these are going to hit for black friday?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I finally got home and had some spare time to try my 7950 crossfire setup.
> At slightly adjusted voltage, 1050/1450mhz with a 1:1 fan-profile I am getting pretty high temps.
> After 30min of Metro 2033, maxed out. GPU1 reaches and stabilizes 82 degrees, GPU2 however stays lower at around 74 degrees.
> Obviously, the reason for these temps is the placement of both cards. Since they are so close to each other, the airflow is not optimal. Besides that, my Corsair 600T case isn't known for its excellent airflow.
> Should i be worried about these temps? Or am i fine as long as i stay under the 90 degrees?


You set up a custom fan profile for them yet? I personally got the best cooling by setting my fans to max out at 75c. Loud, sure, but cool. Trixx makes it easy, play with it until you get the noise/heat ratio you find comfortable.

80c is my ceiling when running on air, but I don't use AC in the summer, so your case is definitely holding in some heat.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> You set up a custom fan profile for them yet? I personally got the best cooling by setting my fans to max out at 75c. Loud, sure, but cool. Trixx makes it easy, play with it until you get the noise/heat ratio you find comfortable.
> 80c is my ceiling when running on air, but I don't use AC in the summer, so your case is definitely holding in some heat.


Thanks for your reply,

I am running a 1:1 custom profile (50c = 50% fanspeed).
Right now i am running on stock voltage of my regular Sapphire 7950 (1.093) which is GPU1, therefore my Sapphire OC edition which is GPU2 runs on slightly higher voltage to match the other card. Current clocks are: 1000/1300. On the 1:1 fan-profile GPU1 hits around 76-78c, GPU 2 stays about 5 degrees lower.

I am thinking of how to change my airflow in the 600T. I got a 200mm front-fan as intake, two 120mm GT-15's on top/radiator as intake and a 120mm on the back as exhaust. I probably need better exhaust to get all the heat away, putting on the side-mesh instead of the side-window would be an option i guess, although i prefer my window...

Any suggestions? And should i be concerned with these temps? Indeed 75% fan speed is quite loud but doesn't really bother my while gaming with headset.

Also, are you running single card or crossfire? Since crossfire adds a lot of extra heat.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Anyone have a 7970 BIOS I can try on my AMD Unbranded 7950 tonight?
> 
> It has a BIOS switch so I should be okay. Also some good isntructions wouldn't be bad either on backing up the current BIOS and flashing the new one.
> 
> 
> 
> use gpuz to backup the bios and i will upload mine its a saphire 7970 ref bios gives me unlimited memory and core clocks tho no need to do any tweaks to get higher clocks. I dont know what happens when you flash a 7950 with a 7970 bios so try at your own risk dual bios should be safe tho but im not sure.
> 
> Tahiti.zip 41k .zip file
Click to expand...

Thank mate.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Thanks for your reply,
> I am running a 1:1 custom profile (50c = 50% fanspeed).
> Right now i am running on stock voltage of my regular Sapphire 7950 (1.093) which is GPU1, therefore my Sapphire OC edition which is GPU2 runs on slightly higher voltage to match the other card. Current clocks are: 1000/1300. On the 1:1 fan-profile GPU1 hits around 76-78c, GPU 2 stays about 5 degrees lower.
> I am thinking of how to change my airflow in the 600T. I got a 200mm front-fan as intake, two 120mm GT-15's on top/radiator as intake and a 120mm on the back as exhaust. I probably need better exhaust to get all the heat away, putting on the side-mesh instead of the side-window would be an option i guess, although i prefer my window...
> Any suggestions? And should i be concerned with these temps? Indeed 75% fan speed is quite loud but doesn't really bother my while gaming with headset.
> Also, are you running single card or crossfire? Since crossfire adds a lot of extra heat.


Single card. But I was running 80c in 38c room temperature with 80% humidity, pushing for maximum heat with furmark.

I typically set up a fan profile something like this:



However, I have my PC sitting on my left, with the window facing the left, and it's on the floor so I catch a lot less noise than anyone with their PC on their desk would. The noise from this is very tolerable for me, but probably not for you.


----------



## muhd86

guys i have some really strange issues

i have a sr2 and i just got 4 7970 gigabyte oc gpus --before i had quad 580 ..

the weird thing is i get like 11000 score in 3d mark 11 --***f is this same case in vantage low score

i am confused , i have the latest beta drivers and windows 64 bit is up to date .

how do i increase the score --and why is it so little compared to others -

i even oc the xeon e 5645 to 2.7ghz --but still the same
i have dual 1000watt psu connected to the rig -

this is a strange issue ---it looks like if 1 gpu is working .

and ues it says crossfire enabled 4 gpus in gpuz and in the driver ccc section

can any one ple help


----------



## dartuil

Hello here we are on the eyefinity club sooo :
I own 3 diferents monitors my question is can i use them in a strange eyefinity mode?
http://www.lg.com/fr/moniteurs/lg-W1943SB-PF/reviews
http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/G922HDL/specifications
http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/rl2240h/specifications
the 22" in HDMI , 19 benq in DVI-I and the LG i dont know what to do with it, how to plug it?
My card have DVI I and DVI D , two mini DP and HDMI smile.gif
THanks for help smile.gif
the 22 will be in the middle the others around
so the 22 in hdmi , the lg in dvi and the benq 19 in dvi->mini DP?


----------



## muhd86

would appreciate some help guys ...

also i have 3 30 inch displays

1 connected to dvi d jack with dual link dvi cable
1 hdmi cable connected to 2nd lcd

i have only a mini dp to single link dvi connector now can i use thaqt to power
can that be used ---

what i mean to say can i run 5760-1600 res on all 3 lcd

coz whee i live i cant find a dual link dvi d dongle with dp

pls help


----------



## dartuil

i just ask the same before man wait so they answer


----------



## muhd86

a friend has a apple mini dp to dual link dvi adaptor ---can i use that for my set up ..

and what if i dont get the dual link adaptor .

if i get a single adaptor then do i have to dial down the res of all lcd to 1920-1080 ---

and what about the combined 1 res which is made like in nviidia surround i used to get like
8760-1200 or 5760-1600 .

with the single lnk cable can i get such a res


----------



## Luca T

Hi guys I have a big problem, I Have always artifacts even from the system boot!

The really strange thing is that I had few Artifacts from the system boot for a full day even more than one month ago but then the card came back to normal by itself and it worked fine until yesterday!


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Thanks for your reply,
> I am running a 1:1 custom profile (50c = 50% fanspeed).
> Right now i am running on stock voltage of my regular Sapphire 7950 (1.093) which is GPU1, therefore my Sapphire OC edition which is GPU2 runs on slightly higher voltage to match the other card. Current clocks are: 1000/1300. On the 1:1 fan-profile GPU1 hits around 76-78c, GPU 2 stays about 5 degrees lower.
> I am thinking of how to change my airflow in the 600T. I got a 200mm front-fan as intake, two 120mm GT-15's on top/radiator as intake and a 120mm on the back as exhaust. I probably need better exhaust to get all the heat away, putting on the side-mesh instead of the side-window would be an option i guess, although i prefer my window...
> Any suggestions? And should i be concerned with these temps? Indeed 75% fan speed is quite loud but doesn't really bother my while gaming with headset.
> Also, are you running single card or crossfire? Since crossfire adds a lot of extra heat.


I would say that as long as it's stable you shouldn't worry about temps. These things can take 90c for ages but usually fail to run any OC at that temp.


----------



## Macke93

Got my new card today! (my Powercolor PCS+ broke last week







)
Showing my old HIS IceQ 4670 against my new HIS IceQ Boost Clock 7950


----------



## BradleyW

Hey that 7950 looks very good! I would not mind a cooler like that!


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *muhd86*
> 
> guys i have some really strange issues
> i have a sr2 and i just got 4 7970 gigabyte oc gpus --before i had quad 580 ..
> the weird thing is i get like 11000 score in 3d mark 11 --***f is this same case in vantage low score
> i am confused , i have the latest beta drivers and windows 64 bit is up to date .
> how do i increase the score --and why is it so little compared to others -
> i even oc the xeon e 5645 to 2.7ghz --but still the same
> i have dual 1000watt psu connected to the rig -
> this is a strange issue ---it looks like if 1 gpu is working .
> and ues it says crossfire enabled 4 gpus in gpuz and in the driver ccc section
> can any one ple help


Try some different benchmarks and see if you get the same results. Heaven, OCCT, etc... And I hate to ask this, but could you give us a picture of how your crossfire bridges are connected?

Have you installed all of the drivers and software for your SR2? And make sure that all of the power plugs on that board are solid, there's a crapload of them from the looks of it and I know at least one 8-pin supplies the PCI-E slots.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey that 7950 looks very good! I would not mind a cooler like that!


It looks even better in reality!







Thanks








My old 4670 with IceQ never dissapointed, so my hopes is high on this card









Will download Battlefield 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Dirt Showdown and some more and test it out!
A few days ago I installed Windows 8 Pro and going to run the card with 12.8 drivers


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Macke93*
> 
> It looks even better in reality!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My old 4670 with IceQ never dissapointed, so my hopes is high on this card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will download Battlefield 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Dirt Showdown and some more and test it out!
> A few days ago I installed Windows 8 Pro and going to run the card with 12.8 drivers


install the 12.11 beta drivers. BF3 performance has improved massively.


----------



## RKTGX95

could anyone tell me when (if at all) i should consider getting a second 7950?


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



an ASUS HD 7950 DCUII (non V2 and non T) with only 2 pci brackets instead of 3 for ~200$ used


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> could anyone tell me when (if at all) i should consider getting a second 7950?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> an ASUS HD 7950 DCUII (non V2 and non T) with only 2 pci brackets instead of 3 for ~200$ used


Not right now, in 2 month the 8XXX series should come out and you can either get brand new 79XXs on a big discount then or get the 8XXX cards. Instead of risking buying a used card.


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Not right now, in 2 month the 8XXX series should come out and you can either get brand new 79XXs on a big discount then or get the 8XXX cards. Instead of risking buying a used card.


AFAIK the 8000 series is just an improvement of the current cards and IMO there won't be a difference bigger than 15% (i'd love to be wrong too)
its the same like the GTX400 to 500, and the HD5000 to 6000 and based on that it isn't that great.

also, its an ebay sell that ends in 4 days and because in Israel 200$ is less than half the price for a 7950 (we suffer high prices in the PC hardware like most of Europe







) i'm really on the fence if to pull the trigger.

any other possible sale could either be the 23rd of November (Black Friday), holidays (unlikely something worth it) or the launch of the 8000, which by rumors would be around Q1 2013.

also, what is a better idea (for 2x 7950 and in general)? 1440p or 120hz?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

id get one why im not one for the wait for the next big thing then your always waitng when you could be enjoying yourself with a nice card. Tho are you planing to run mutiple monitors 2 7950 might be overkill for just one.


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> id get one why im not one for the wait for the next big thing then your always waitng when you could be enjoying yourself with a nice card. Tho are you planing to run mutiple monitors 2 7950 might be overkill for just one.


that's the (moral) problem i'm facing








(it would be worth it for anything above 1080p, like 1440p or 120hz)

i'll have to justify a second card only by buying a bigger monitor... (first world OCN problems)


----------



## Bal3Wolf

yea id love to get me another 7970 but really it would just be for bragging cause my 1 already kills everything at 1080P.


----------



## Bookerdalooker

hi all, got my 7950 today, I have fitted it to motherboard as per instructions, switched on as per instructions, POST beep was not the normal short beep, but slightly longer, new card fans are working, windows loads up (I know this because I can hear the intro trumpet!) but nothing on my monitor, its only a crappy little philips thing but it was working with my 5830.

Was so excited and now I'm gutted, any ideas out there?


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> yea id love to get me another 7970 but really it would just be for bragging cause my 1 already kills everything at 1080P.


yeah, i think that i could better find a great 7970 for a good price and sell my 7950 to a friend. (or you know, wait to the alleged 8970







)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bookerdalooker*
> 
> hi all, got my 7950 today, I have fitted it to motherboard as per instructions, switched on as per instructions, POST beep was not the normal short beep, but slightly longer, new card fans are working, windows loads up (I know this because I can hear the intro trumpet!) but nothing on my monitor, its only a crappy little philips thing but it was working with my 5830.
> Was so excited and now I'm gutted, any ideas out there?


it could be a pci-e connection problem or a dead card. (try to reseat the 7950)


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> yeah, i think that i could better find a great 7970 for a good price and sell my 7950 to a friend. (or you know, wait to the alleged 8970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


not really worth it. at the same clocks HD 7950 is 3- 5% slower than HD 7970. if your HD 7950 overclocks to 1.15 Ghz just stick with it.


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> not really worth it. at the same clocks HD 7950 is 3- 5% slower than HD 7970. if your HD 7950 overclocks to 1.15 Ghz just stick with it.


you people give me more and more reasons to go the "wet" way. (which i fear, its expensive and addictive)

though, still didn't get around to OC anything from my rig yet.







(school and laziness)


----------



## Bal3Wolf

water is addicting and costly lol iv dumped a grand just in my water stuff i bet. It is worth it for overclocking, lower temps and can run the pc almost silent when gaming heck my 7970 has yet to pass 40c even in furmark.


----------



## Bookerdalooker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> yeah, i think that i could better find a great 7970 for a good price and sell my 7950 to a friend. (or you know, wait to the alleged 8970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> it could be a pci-e connection problem or a dead card. (try to reseat the 7950)


tried reseating, no difference. Cant really be a dead card can it? The fans are working so it has power ok


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bookerdalooker*
> 
> tried reseating, no difference. Cant really be a dead card can it? The fans are working so it has power ok


Are the fans screaming or did they turn on then slow down, usualy you can tell a dead card if the fans run full speed and never slow down.


----------



## Macke93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> install the 12.11 beta drivers. BF3 performance has improved massively.


I've tried both 12.11 and 12.10 but they both had the memory frequenzy on max problem!







The card run very hot even when not gaming with those drivers for me








But they did perform noticeable better, if anybody knows how to get rid of that problem on 12.10/12.11, I would be happy to know


----------



## RKTGX95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bookerdalooker*
> 
> tried reseating, no difference. Cant really be a dead card can it? The fans are working so it has power ok
> 
> 
> 
> Are the fans screaming or did they turn on then slow down, usually you can tell a dead card if the fans run full speed and never slow down.
Click to expand...

well, 100% fan speed =/= 100% dead card.

i suggest you try different pci sots on your Motherboard, and if possible try to install the card in a different PC (with sufficient power) to check if he is really dead. it could be the PSU, or the MoBo. (though, if you ran your 5830 fine before it is possible your card could be dead)


----------



## Bookerdalooker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RKTGX95*
> 
> well, 100% fan speed =/= 100% dead card.
> i suggest you try different pci sots on your Motherboard, and if possible try to install the card in a different PC (with sufficient power) to check if he is really dead. it could be the PSU, or the MoBo. (though, if you ran your 5830 fine before it is possible your card could be dead)


fans didnt appear to be screaming but remained at a constant speed while on. I have just put my 5830 back in and now my screen is stuck at 640 x 480 resolution and i cant re-adjust it! it's like safe mode but it didn't start in safe mode!

What on earth is going on!


----------



## psyside

Are this normal clocks for 1080p movie? not youtube, real 1080p movie.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Are this normal clocks for 1080p movie? not youtube, real 1080p movie.


Yup. 501mhz is the proper clock for movies.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Yup. 501mhz is the proper clock for movies.


And memory? also what about Youtube videos and flash content? thanks dude.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> And memory? also what about Youtube videos and flash content? thanks dude.


This is a known bug for 12.11 Catalyst driver for some systems : memory stays at max value even when the system is not stressed.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> And memory? also what about Youtube videos and flash content? thanks dude.


501/1375 for movies and flash content.
But you can disable hardware acceleration for flash to keep the clocks at 150/300 during youtube playback, which I prefer as it keeps the cards cool and I can watch videos on youtube!


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> This is a known bug for 12.11 Catalyst driver for some systems : memory stays at max value even when the system is not stressed.


My clocks are at that values only during playback.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 501/1375 for movies and flash content.
> But you can disable hardware acceleration for flash to keep the clocks at 150/300 during youtube playback, which I prefer as it keeps the cards cool and I can watch videos on youtube!


Ye, its at 300/150 was just checking, thanks.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

If anyone is getting artifacts with 12.11 (beta 4 in my case), it's normal when BTC mining. I've only seen artifacts during mining and nowhere else, however I wouldn't doubt that it's possible when the card is significantly stressed such as via Furmark or OCCT, etc.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> If anyone is getting artifacts with 12.11 (beta 4 in my case), it's normal when BTC mining. I've only seen artifacts during mining and nowhere else, however I wouldn't doubt that it's possible when the card is significantly stressed such as via Furmark or OCCT, etc.


none here when gaming,mining or boincing usualy artifacts on 79xx means you need more volts.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> use gpuz to backup the bios and i will upload mine its a saphire 7970 ref bios gives me unlimited memory and core clocks tho no need to do any tweaks to get higher clocks. I dont know what happens when you flash a 7950 with a 7970 bios so try at your own risk dual bios should be safe tho but im not sure.
> 
> Tahiti.zip 41k .zip file


Have you personally modded this bios to give unlimited clocks or is this something you found on the net? A sapphire bios with higher than standard clock limits at ccc is something i would love to have for my sapphire cards, but i have difficulties to find somebody to do the decompile-recompile job of the bios reliably!


----------



## axipher

Anyone have a link to a flash tool I can use within Windows?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Have you personally modded this bios to give unlimited clocks or is this something you found on the net? A sapphire bios with higher than standard clock limits at ccc is something i would love to have for my sapphire cards, but i have difficulties to find somebody to do the decompile-recompile job of the bios reliably!


its one i got off techpowerup when i bought my card the dude had flashed a ghz bios with no voltage control so i tried alot of differt ones and i found this one for me on msi ab core goes up to 1665mhz and memory goes up to 2475mhz no ccc hacks or msi ab hacks.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Anyone have a link to a flash tool I can use within Windows?


your better off doing it in dos using atiflash make a bootable usb drive and get atiflash its pretty simple to use and remmber if you brick a bios switch to your locked one boot into dos then switch to the bricked one and flash it with a good bios.

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2166/ATIFlash_3.99.html
atiflash -p 0 flashname.rom
or
atiflash -f -p 0 flashname.rom
use -f if its not a bios made exacty for your card -f is force.

theirs the files to make a usb flashdrive bootable.
http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=197
http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=196


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Have you personally modded this bios to give unlimited clocks or is this something you found on the net? A sapphire bios with higher than standard clock limits at ccc is something i would love to have for my sapphire cards, but i have difficulties to find somebody to do the decompile-recompile job of the bios reliably!
> 
> 
> 
> its one i got off techpowerup when i bought my card the dude had flashed a ghz bios with no voltage control so i tried alot of differt ones and i found this one for me on msi ab core goes up to 1665mhz and memory goes up to 2475mhz no ccc hacks or msi ab hacks.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Anyone have a link to a flash tool I can use within Windows?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> your better off doing it in dos using atiflash make a bootable usb drive and get atiflash its pretty simple to use and remmber if you brick a bios switch to your locked one boot into dos then switch to the bricked one and flash it with a good bios.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2166/ATIFlash_3.99.html
> atiflash -p 0 flashname.rom
> or
> atiflash -f -p 0 flashname.rom
> use -f if its not a bios made exacty for your card -f is force.
> 
> theirs the files to make a usb flashdrive bootable.
> http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=197
> http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=196
Click to expand...

Thanks mate, I just need to find a flash drive now


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Thanks mate, I just need to find a flash drive now


Just use floppy diskette, you should be fine


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Thanks mate, I just need to find a flash drive now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just use floppy diskette, you should be fine
Click to expand...

I'll just plug my floppy reader in to my IDE port and print off the instruction using my parallel port printer


----------



## ebduncan

Hello everyone.

Just installed a new XFX 7950 DD

I haven't had much time with overclocking but with stock voltage i am at 960mhz core and 1400 mem. Stock Voltage is .993 mmv. Power Tune is 20% .ASIC quality is 78.4

sitting at 8500, in 3dmark 11 performance. (1000 core/1400mem)

I been using MSI Afterburner, however i have had some issues. First i noticed the stock voltage was not at the 1.093 So i figured I would start there and see what i could get. I got up to 1000mhz core and the same 1400mem. Didn't get to push any further because i keep getting artifacts in windows. (black dots) Only seems to happen when i use MSI afterburner. Reboot fixes the issue. I downloaded Saphire Trixx but it doesn't allow me to adjust the voltage.

Anyone care to help me out? I haven't spent a whole lot of time with it, just an hour or so. Tomorrow i will likely pull the card out and replace the stock thermal paste with Antec Formula 7 to improve the cooling somewhat. (its not a problem but every bit helps right?)

I know the upper limit on volts is 1.3 volts, but i don't know if i want to go that high, I would like to stay below 1.2 volts just for noise concerns. Even though the XFX fans at 100% are actually relatively quiet.

Any suggestions would be nice.

Coming from a 7870 Crossfire setup (will be going crossfire 7950's here soon) I couldn't pass up the good deals floating around right now.

Edit at 1100mhz core/1400mem I boosted the voltage to 1.2 Hmms I think i can keep trucking, just have to get rid of Limits. Pscore is over 9000 now. Using 12.11 beta 4 drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Thanks mate, I just need to find a flash drive now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just use floppy diskette, you should be fine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'll just plug my floppy reader in to my IDE port and print off the instruction using my parallel port printer
Click to expand...

Is it bad if I say I still have a usb floppy drive? I haven't used it in like 3 years though.


----------



## adamlop

Hirens boot cd -> nfts4dos -> atiflash+bios on c:\ - Best way for me ;D


----------



## Phenomanator53

Anyone have a reference 7950? i mean the one with the single central fan. i need to know the VRM temps and GPU temps before i buy one for crossfire.


----------



## Marioshi

I just picked up 2x 7970s! Loving it. P15000 with my 3570k!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> its one i got off techpowerup when i bought my card the dude had flashed a ghz bios with no voltage control so i tried alot of differt ones and i found this one for me on msi ab core goes up to 1665mhz and memory goes up to 2475mhz no ccc hacks or msi ab hacks.
> your better off doing it in dos using atiflash make a bootable usb drive and get atiflash its pretty simple to use and remmber if you brick a bios switch to your locked one boot into dos then switch to the bricked one and flash it with a good bios.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2166/ATIFlash_3.99.html
> atiflash -p 0 flashname.rom
> or
> atiflash -f -p 0 flashname.rom
> use -f if its not a bios made exacty for your card -f is force.
> theirs the files to make a usb flashdrive bootable.
> http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=197
> http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=196


You can do the same in Windows.. Use AtiWinFlash it worked fine for me. Just reset your memory clocks if your memory is OC'd and maybe CPU if you don't feel safe.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> Anyone have a reference 7950? i mean the one with the single central fan. i need to know the VRM temps and GPU temps before i buy one for crossfire.


I don't know, but from what I've heard quite bad.. The idea of the central fan was to increase temps and therefore stunt it's overclocking ability I beleive. I mean like who'd put it there when half the card can't be cooled as effectively and why would they keep it for the 7950 only if it was better? I hope that makes sense 'cause it's 2:15AM and I just got home from the pub lol


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> Anyone have a reference 7950? i mean the one with the single central fan. i need to know the VRM temps and GPU temps before i buy one for crossfire.


*Mine* is overclocked to 925 on the core and with the GPU temps at 64°C and the VRMs at 77°C.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

What do you guys use to Remove driver in Windows 8? The normal method via Add/Remove does not work for me. The entry is gone but the drivers are still up.


----------



## homestyle

I can't get Afterburner to change my memory voltage on my MSI 7950 twin frozr.

I can change the sliders from 1.5 and 1.7, hit apply, but the readings don't change. They stay at 1.6 even during gaming.

Anyone know what is up?

BTW, core voltage changes works and overclock changes works also.


----------



## neonthetank

Hey all. I was wondering if I could throw in my old GT9800 as a PhysX card, is that possible while running a HD7950 MSI TFiii?

Thanks


----------



## muhd86

well

sr2 @ 2.7ghz gpus at stock --games , run fine ..unigine runs fine

cursed vantage / 3d mark 11 giving **** scores ---like 1 gpu score --

dont have a reason for this .


----------



## muhd86

STILL GETING LIKE SCORES OF SINGLE GPU FROM VANTAGE /3D MARK 11 .................WHY


----------



## muhd86




----------



## LoneWolf3574

I'm looking at getting a pair of XFX 7950 Black Edition and upgrading them to watercooling. Can anybody tell what, if any, difference there is between the FX-795A-TDBC and FX-795A-TNBC other than the former having 2 fans (double dissipation, aka Double D Edition)?


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> I'm looking at getting a pair of XFX 7950 Black Edition and upgrading them to watercooling. Can anybody tell what, if any, difference there is between the FX-795A-TDBC and FX-795A-TNBC other than the former having 2 fans (double dissipation, aka Double D Edition)?


No difference other than the cooling solution. Keep in mind the Black Editions are "binned" better.

Having some issues with VDDC on my card. I think it might be power supply related. Currently have a 700watt Psu with 4x120mm fans, 1 220cm fan, 1 70mm fan. Amd [email protected] 4.9ghz (1.475 vcore) 8gb [email protected], 2 Western Digital black 1tb drives in raid-0,SSD 120gb, ,Wireless networking card, Blu-ray Drive, Sound card.

VDDC is going up and down like spikes, and vdrop. Ranges between 1.006- and 1.1. Though it says it is only pulling 145-150amps on VDDC Current, and 15amp VDDC Current In. So Total Amps of 160. Puts me around 176 watts. For the GPU. Which seems a little low honestly. Wonder how much power is pulling from the PCI express. Because 2 6pin connectors cannot provide 176 watts. Only 150watts+ 150watts from the PCi express slot.

Not sure whats going on there, I did have a larger Power supply a few days ago, but the fan decided to stop working, so i had to swap in a different one i had laying around. Maybe its all in my head, the card is stable in windows while bitcoin mining. Which is the largest stress you can put on a video card really.


----------



## dsmwookie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LoneWolf3574*
> 
> I'm looking at getting a pair of XFX 7950 Black Edition and upgrading them to watercooling. Can anybody tell what, if any, difference there is between the FX-795A-TDBC and FX-795A-TNBC other than the former having 2 fans (double dissipation, aka Double D Edition)?


Unless I m missing something that TNBC is not a reference board. I would be very careful if you're looking to use EK and using their coolingconfigurator. A lot of the boards on there are not up to date and haven't kept up with the silent changes that have been made. If you're planning to use a universal GPU block then disregard.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dsmwookie*
> 
> Unless I m missing something that TNBC is not a reference board. I would be very careful if you're looking to use EK and using their coolingconfigurator. A lot of the boards on there are not up to date and haven't kept up with the silent changes that have been made. If you're planning to use a universal GPU block then disregard.


I'd assume that the first is a reference.. and the second isn't a reference PCB or it may/may not have a 7950 block. I'd have a look at your PCB itself and disassemble the cooler to see if it's reference.. And don't just check online photos actually check yours.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dsmwookie*
> 
> Unless I m missing something that TNBC is not a reference board. I would be very careful if you're looking to use EK and using their coolingconfigurator. A lot of the boards on there are not up to date and haven't kept up with the silent changes that have been made. If you're planning to use a universal GPU block then disregard.
> 
> 
> 
> I'd assume that the first is a reference.. and the second isn't a reference PCB or it may/may not have a 7950 block. I'd have a look at your PCB itself and disassemble the cooler to see if it's reference.. And don't just check online photos actually check yours.
Click to expand...

XFX stopped selling true ref cards like back in May.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> XFX stopped selling true ref cards like back in May.


Well there you go.. Look at some photos of the "old" single fan card and compare the PCB to your actual card.


----------



## axipher

Spent the night doing some driver testing on my 7950 on Windows 8.

Default clocks at 925/1250

OC clocks at 1025/1450 +20% PowerTune


  *12.8 + SDK 2.7**12.10 + SDK 2.7**12.11 + SDK 2.7**12.11 + SDK 2.7 OC**3dMark11**Overall*7043704576028417*Graphics*7245726171419460 *Physics*6781676767876749 *Combined*6123607057775782 

Going from 12.8 to 12.10 yielded not much of a change, 12.10 to 12.11 on the other hand was a nice bump in performance.


----------



## Macke93

When I got my new HIS 7950, I got two different voltages options to change when testing to OC, but I don't know how I should think when I should change the MVDDC voltage ?









The VDDC was my only option at my other 7950 I sent back







, what is the difference and when should I rise those voltages, I want a stable OC and not harm the card, hope someone can sort this out for me !









Using GPU-Z to monitor the values and HIS iTurbo for setting the OC if someone is wondering!


----------



## adamlop

MVDDC - memory VDDC


----------



## apav

Hello everyone









I am considering getting a 7950 to replace my 2 unlocked 6950's. I'd like to play BF3 @ ultra with 4xmsaa @1440p. If not 4xMSAA then 2x or high Post-AA. I want to get a constant 50-60 fps (occasional dips are fine, just like it for the most part to stay in this range).

To any of the 7950 owners that game at 1440p, could you please tell me your fps and your clock speeds if OC'ed (which I think most of you did







) in BF3 or similar demanding games?

So far from doing research and asking questions around the forums I have come up with these estimations:

HD 7950 with 12.11 drivers, playing BF3, max with 4xmsaa @1440p on the big 64 player outdoor maps.
My specs:
i5 [email protected] 4.5ghz
8GB Ram

7950 stock: 35-50 fps (avg 40's)
7950 overclocked to 1.1 ghz- 40-60 fps (avg low 50's?)
7950 overclocked to 1.2 ghz- 45-low 60's fps (avg mid 50's?)

Is that a good estimation of what to expect? I want to OC to maybe 1.15GHz on air if possible.

With my unlocked 6950's CF I get 40-60 (avg low-mid 50's) fps on outdoor maps, so would the 7950 be a sidegrade or a slight upgrade for me?

I appreciate the help guys


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *apav*
> 
> Hello everyone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am considering getting a 7950 to replace my 2 unlocked 6950's. I'd like to play BF3 @ ultra with 4xmsaa @1440p. If not 4xMSAA then 2x or high Post-AA. I want to get a constant 50-60 fps (occasional dips are fine, just like it for the most part to stay in this range).
> To any of the 7950 owners that game at 1440p, could you please tell me your fps and your clock speeds if OC'ed (which I think most of you did
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) in BF3 or similar demanding games?
> So far from doing research and asking questions around the forums I have come up with these estimations:
> HD 7950 with 12.11 drivers, playing BF3, max with 4xmsaa @1440p on the big 64 player outdoor maps.
> My specs:
> i5 [email protected] 4.5ghz
> 8GB Ram
> 7950 stock: 35-50 fps (avg 40's)
> 7950 overclocked to 1.1 ghz- 40-60 fps (avg low 50's?)
> 7950 overclocked to 1.2 ghz- 45-low 60's fps (avg mid 50's?)
> Is that a good estimation of what to expect? I want to OC to maybe 1.15GHz on air if possible.
> With my unlocked 6950's CF I get 40-60 (avg low-mid 50's) fps on outdoor maps, so would the 7950 be a sidegrade or a slight upgrade for me?
> I appreciate the help guys


Im running 1080P with 1150/1500 currently with everything maxed out in game and get a decent 50-60fps, once in a blue moon it will drop below 50. You can easily get 1150 Core clock on a Gigabyte card. The cooler is second to none and even with my OC I run at under just under 55C


----------



## apav

I find that strange that you are getting that fps @ 1080p when overclocked. Before I got my 1440p monitor I played at 1080p, and I never dipped below 60 fps (or very little) with my 2 unlocked 6950's. And a stock 7950 is supposed to be a sidegrade/slight upgrade to this, right? You have a pretty good overclock to it too, and your cpu is great, so it just seems strange to me.

And yea I was debating which one of these I should get:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

Sapphire:
+Sapphire brand (I love their cards, nothing but great experience with them)
+7970 design (heard that it uses a 7970 pcb?)
-only 2 fans (but does that make a difference when overclocking?)
-2 year warranty

Gigabyte:
+ 3 fans ( I am assuming this makes a difference)
+I have heard that these cards generally overclock better.
+3 year warranty
- No vram heatsinks
-According to Newegg's reviews, these 7950's are louder and hotter than other's, and a lot of people are complaining about coil whine. Is that just your luck or is it a common problem with Gigabyte cards?

Could someone please help me out with this too?







Correct me please if any of these points are wrong. This is all based on my research


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *apav*
> 
> And yea I was debating which one of these I should get:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
> Sapphire:
> +Sapphire brand (I love their cards, nothing but great experience with them)
> +7970 design (heard that it uses a 7970 pcb?)
> -only 2 fans (but does that make a difference when overclocking?)
> -2 year warranty
> Gigabyte:
> + 3 fans ( I am assuming this makes a difference)
> +I have heard that these cards generally overclock better.
> +3 year warranty
> - No vram heatsinks
> -According to Newegg's reviews, these 7950's are louder and hotter than other's, and a lot of people are complaining about coil whine. Is that just your luck or is it a common problem with Gigabyte cards?
> Could someone please help me out with this too?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Correct me please if any of these points are wrong. This is all based on my research


That Sapphire card you linked is doesn't use a 7970 PCB. The one you're looking for is *here* but it's not in stock at the moment.

I would still get Sapphire over Gigabyte for the mere fact that some Gigabyte cards are voltage locked. Hate to take a chance with that one.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SimpleTech*
> 
> That Sapphire card you linked is doesn't use a 7970 PCB. The one you're looking for is *here* but it's not in stock at the moment.
> I would still get Sapphire over Gigabyte for the mere fact that some Gigabyte cards are voltage locked. Hate to take a chance with that one.


That is not out of stock, it is discontinued.


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> That is not out of stock, it is discontinued.


It was in stock last week.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:aid_sdHH1BkJ:www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16814202003+N82E16814202003&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> That is not out of stock, it is discontinued.


newegg always says that if its going to be out of stock for longer then a week.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *apav*
> 
> Hello everyone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am considering getting a 7950 to replace my 2 unlocked 6950's. I'd like to play BF3 @ ultra with 4xmsaa @1440p. If not 4xMSAA then 2x or high Post-AA. I want to get a constant 50-60 fps (occasional dips are fine, just like it for the most part to stay in this range).
> To any of the 7950 owners that game at 1440p, could you please tell me your fps and your clock speeds if OC'ed (which I think most of you did
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) in BF3 or similar demanding games?
> So far from doing research and asking questions around the forums I have come up with these estimations:
> HD 7950 with 12.11 drivers, playing BF3, max with 4xmsaa @1440p on the big 64 player outdoor maps.
> My specs:
> i5 [email protected] 4.5ghz
> 8GB Ram
> 7950 stock: 35-50 fps (avg 40's)
> 7950 overclocked to 1.1 ghz- 40-60 fps (avg low 50's?)
> 7950 overclocked to 1.2 ghz- 45-low 60's fps (avg mid 50's?)
> Is that a good estimation of what to expect? I want to OC to maybe 1.15GHz on air if possible.
> With my unlocked 6950's CF I get 40-60 (avg low-mid 50's) fps on outdoor maps, so would the 7950 be a sidegrade or a slight upgrade for me?
> I appreciate the help guys


That's a bingo....

Armored Shield 48 man server, Ultra 4x MSAA, no post.
I however play with 2x MSAA.
I never really notice MS before, been running dual GPUs for awhile and I guess I just tuned it out.
The 7970 is alot smoother than my previous CFX 6950 set up.


----------



## ahriman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> My only other is a single link, so I just bought a new one to try. Will report back the results.


In case anybody was actually following this ... turned out to be a bad cable. Replaced and voila.


----------



## adamlop

After upgrade form win7 to win8 i have worse fps in bf3 on my hd7950 CAT12.11b4.
Maybe upgrade is not good option instead of formatting and installing fresh win8.
Someone switched from 7 to 8 and have any issues with fps on 79xx ?


----------



## muhd86

i have an sr2 with gigabyte quad 7970 .i notice in gpuz that gpus are in pwoer saving mode pci expres 1.1 - i hit the ? button and it then goes to normal pci express 2.0

strange thing is that i posted earlier --i am geting like very low benchamrks in 3d mark 11 and vantage as if the system does not take in to account all 4 gpus or they are stuck at 1.1 pci express some thing

bf3 / metro 2033 seems to play fine in single lcd and eye finity .

can some one please tell me whats goign on 0

even with clean install of windwos its not helped ---3d mark 11 with all 4 gpus says 12000 in performance --kikkkk ,

can i turn of the power management **** --i have allready turned off ulps but its not helping .


----------



## NoNameNPC

Is it possible to disable Powerplay without using AB?


----------



## apav

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SimpleTech*
> 
> That Sapphire card you linked is doesn't use a 7970 PCB. The one you're looking for is *here* but it's not in stock at the moment.
> I would still get Sapphire over Gigabyte for the mere fact that some Gigabyte cards are voltage locked. Hate to take a chance with that one.


Thanks for your help! I did hear that the Gigabyte was a better overclocker though, maybe because of the 3 fans? Does that really make a difference (2 fans vs 3)?

I'm probably going with the Sapphire:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

I plan to OC my card to maybe 1.1ghz, so I hope the Sapphire cards are good overclockers!

Well, they just went out of stock. I was going to wait until Black Friday anyway for a discounted price before I buy.. but if they are in demand, should I buy as soon as it comes available again? Like what are the chances of this specific card still being out of stock around black friday? Can any Newegg'ers help?


----------



## Matt-Matt

So today I was cleaning down my SB-E's fans because I noticed they were rather dusty.
Anyway, one of the clips fell off and onto the 7950's back.. The screen went black and the fan started to run on max.

I was very scared... I booted and it was fine, I then decided to take the card out to re-place the fans back on (Happy I did it was a PITA) with it not there.

Just a warning, I've already stress tested at stock and ran it with MSI Kombustor for 15 minutes to get no artifacts or crashes so I will assume all is good.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahriman*
> 
> In case anybody was actually following this ... turned out to be a bad cable. Replaced and voila.


Glad to see you got that worked out.


----------



## Honk5891

Im normally capped put at 60fps but on bigger maps when Im viewing great distances it can dip to 45 at the lowest.


----------



## liod23

Just orderea Gigabyte Windforce 7950 and it should be here by Thursday or Friday







Can't wait to put it in and start overclocking!


----------



## MrSkim

Are 7970 in general hot cards?
Mine idles on 35C but whenever I play a youtube video it goes up 40-45C, getting annoying when I hear the fans rev up at 40% just to watch videos.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSkim*
> 
> Are 7970 in general hot cards?
> Mine idles on 35C but whenever I play a youtube video it goes up 40-45C, getting annoying when I hear the fans rev up at 40% just to watch videos.


Both of those seem about 10c too high, what brand is the card?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSkim*
> 
> Are 7970 in general hot cards?
> Mine idles on 35C but whenever I play a youtube video it goes up 40-45C, getting annoying when I hear the fans rev up at 40% just to watch videos.


Go to Internet options and enable software render rather than GPU render.
Then go to youtube and watch a video. Right click in the video whilst it is playing and click settings. Disable hardware acceleration.


----------



## ukic

Done today with 12.11B4... What do you guys think? I can push higher but not too comfortable with temps.


----------



## Ganf

Looks just about right for 1050mhz.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Looks just about right for 1050mhz.


Is this like a chart or something? Would like to see expected results on different clock settings


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Done today with 12.11B4... What do you guys think? I can push higher but not too comfortable with temps.


heres what i get at 1150/1980.


----------



## tsm106

^^Run Heaven at 1050 so yous can compare to the Heaven thread. The res difference doesn't matter.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Run Heaven at 1050 so yous can compare to the Heaven thread. The res difference doesn't matter.


does memory clock matter.


----------



## homestyle

What programs are you finding out shows instability in your over clocks?

How's heaven bench, metro2033, and 3dmark11?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Run Heaven at 1050 so yous can compare to the Heaven thread. The res difference doesn't matter.
> 
> 
> 
> does memory clock matter.
Click to expand...

Heaven is a memory bandwidth intensive bench.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Heaven is a memory bandwidth intensive bench.


i ran it at 1050/1505 stock clocks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Heaven is a memory bandwidth intensive bench.
> 
> 
> 
> i ran it at 1050/1505 stock clocks.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
Click to expand...

Run one at 1050p, see if you can catch this at your memory clock.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## psyside

Is 90-*94c max* as VRM temps 2 high? with fan on 75% @1.165v @1150.1450 after like 30 minutes of Crysis 2 gameplay (absolutely maxed)


----------



## Bal3Wolf

most say to stay under 90c on the vrms.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Run Heaven at 1050 so yous can compare to the Heaven thread. The res difference doesn't matter.


Hmmm I thought res difference always mattered...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Run Heaven at 1050 so yous can compare to the Heaven thread. The res difference doesn't matter.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmmm I thought res difference always mattered...
Click to expand...

1050 to 1080 is minimal, it's not a difference like 1050 to 1600.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1050 to 1080 is minimal, it's not a difference like 1050 to 1600.


Basing on his rig, I guess 5ghz makes a difference? Although my 4.3ghz shouldn't be bottle necking...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1050 to 1080 is minimal, it's not a difference like 1050 to 1600.
> 
> 
> 
> Basing on his rig, I guess 5ghz makes a difference? Although my 4.3ghz shouldn't be bottle necking...
Click to expand...

Not with one card. For ex. at 4.5ghz max clocked gpus, I can get 200fps in heaven in quadfire. My max run is 229.8 fps with cpu at 5.1ghz. It's a sizable difference but it's not like the 4.5ghz clock has fallen off a cliff ya know.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> most say to stay under 90c on the vrms.


So i guess i'm safe with this temps? well a bit over 90 but should be good or?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> most say to stay under 90c on the vrms.
> 
> 
> 
> So i guess i'm safe with this temps? well a bit over 90 but should be good or?
Click to expand...

It's warm but it's passable right now. However it is close to the area that would make me feel uneasy running it at those temps long term.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's warm but it's passable right now. However it is close to the area that would make me feel uneasy running it at those temps long term.


Thanks guys, i guess i will adding fan behind the HDD cage, in order to blow air directly to the card, like this



would it help? i hear it does wonder for VRM temps, thanks.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Is 90-*94c max* as VRM temps 2 high? with fan on 75% @1.165v @1150.1450 after like 30 minutes of Crysis 2 gameplay (absolutely maxed)


I've heard 120c is the max. I try and keep my VRM's at 80c and below. I usually keep on 75c when gaming with vsync and a few fans blowing cool air in the right places.









Edit: My VRM's were at 105c. With a fan near the hdd bay, the vrm's are 75c average. See my sig rig image.


----------



## ukic

Hmmm I wonder why other VRM's are shooting that high? I'm always around 55s-65s...


----------



## psyside

What kind of fan i would need for this? static pressure based or CFM? i cant get this 2 where i live,

NF-F12 PWM or NF-P14 FLX, price is almost the same for both.

@ Ukic, stock voltage?


----------



## BradleyW

NF F12 will be fine.
ukic, your vrms are cool because you probably have some form of cooling on them such as refernece cooler or a VRM heatsink.


----------



## psyside

Thanks dude, would if be best to use it as push or pull?


----------



## SimpleTech

I would do push and pull since you have to go through a HDD cage.


----------



## psyside

Thanks guys


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> @ Ukic, stock voltage?


Yes, I'm on stock voltage.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> NF F12 will be fine.
> ukic, your vrms are cool because you probably have some form of cooling on them such as refernece cooler or a VRM heatsink.


Yeah I have a reference card but without msi ab fan profile, my temps hit 80-82... that's why I'm staying 1050/1500 with stock voltage


----------



## Vlodaf

What do you guys think is the better card, the Asus 7950 DirectCUII or the Sapphire 7950 Dual-X?


----------



## MrSkim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Both of those seem about 10c too high, what brand is the card?


VisionTek, reference card.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Go to Internet options and enable software render rather than GPU render.
> Then go to youtube and watch a video. Right click in the video whilst it is playing and click settings. Disable hardware acceleration.


Thanks, it worked.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vlodaf*
> 
> What do you guys think is the better card, the Asus 7950 DirectCUII or the Sapphire 7950 Dual-X?


DCII *v2* (only)


----------



## Vlodaf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> DCII *v2* (only)


I know that if I pick the Asus I should get the v2. Only thing that has my worrying is the weight of the cooler? Will that be a problem (I don't move my case very often)?


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> I know that if I pick the Asus I should get the v2. Only thing that has my worrying is the weight of the cooler? Will that be a problem (I don't move my case very often)?


You will be fine. If you are really worried about it, You can always get a power jack.
http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_Accessories_features.asp?id=1


----------



## 12Cores

Is 1100ghz 7950 faster than my 2 6870's in real world scenarios not just benches looking to upgrade I game at 1080p.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Is 1100ghz 7950 faster than my 2 6870's in real world scenarios not just benches looking to upgrade I game at 1080p.


its hard to say. If the 6870's are at stock speeds then the single 7950 @ 1100mhz will beat the 6870's.

For reference my [email protected] 1100core scores P9054 in 3dmark11. The 3gb frame buffer vs the 1gb frame buffer is what really hurts the 6870's they have the gpu power but are limited by memory in most modern games. @ 1080p though 1gb frame buffer usually works out ok.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's warm but it's passable right now. However it is close to the area that would make me feel uneasy running it at those temps long term.


Ah ok


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Is 1100ghz 7950 faster than my 2 6870's in real world scenarios not just benches looking to upgrade I game at 1080p.


Yes, you will see the world of difference.. The benchmarks are about the same compared to a stock 7950.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> its hard to say. If the 6870's are at stock speeds then the single 7950 @ 1100mhz will beat the 6870's.
> For reference my [email protected] 1100core scores P9054 in 3dmark11. The 3gb frame buffer vs the 1gb frame buffer is what really hurts the 6870's they have the gpu power but are limited by memory in most modern games. @ 1080p though 1gb frame buffer usually works out ok.


I went from 2x 6850's clocked at 920MHz Core and 1100MHz on the Memory to a single 7950 which is now clocked at 1100MHz with 1250MHz on the Memory.
Best thing I've ever done, more fluent FPS in BF3 and such. Less power and less heat problems too, no driver issues also! The 6870 + 6850 had the worst driver issues I've seen in a while.

I'd do it, the 3GB framebuffer is worth it alone. I can play skyrim now! It was completely dead for my 6850's EVEN if I disabled crossfire.









Sell those 6870's for $120+ each and you'll have a nice upgrade for as little as $60. Yes it's an upgrade.. Trust me.

EDIT: I didn't really benchmark it so to speak but any game just feels so much smoother and more fluent with it's FPS. Even some games where I got more (BF3 at times) the lowest FPS count and average are a lot higher as I've got a single graphics card to render it all and there are no driver/CFX issues.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yes, you will see the world of difference.. The benchmarks are about the same compared to a stock 7950.
> I went from 2x 6850's clocked at 920MHz Core and 1100MHz on the Memory to a single 7950 which is now clocked at 1100MHz with 1250MHz on the Memory.
> Best thing I've ever done, more fluent FPS in BF3 and such. Less power and less heat problems too, no driver issues also! The 6870 + 6850 had the worst driver issues I've seen in a while.
> I'd do it, the 3GB framebuffer is worth it alone. I can play skyrim now! It was completely dead for my 6850's EVEN if I disabled crossfire.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sell those 6870's for $120+ each and you'll have a nice upgrade for as little as $60. Yes it's an upgrade.. Trust me.
> EDIT: I didn't really benchmark it so to speak but any game just feels so much smoother and more fluent with it's FPS. Even some games where I got more (BF3 at times) the lowest FPS count and average are a lot higher as I've got a single graphics card to render it all and there are no driver/CFX issues.


I went from a [email protected]/1200 and a [email protected]/1200 and my 7970 feels faster and smoother by far even get more fps in some stuff then i did with my old trifire not to mention runs so much cooler.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Is 1100ghz 7950 faster than my 2 6870's in real world scenarios not just benches looking to upgrade I game at 1080p.


clock for clock HD 7950 is 3 - 5% slower than HD 7970. HD 7950(1.1 Ghz) matches HD 7970 Ghz (1.05 Ghz) and is easily faster than HD 6870 CF.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Catalyst_12.11_Performance/23.html

1920 x 1200

HD 6870 - 56
HD 7970 Ghz (12.11 ) - 117

HD 6870 CF is in the best cases 1.8x HD 6870 perf. In DX11 games like BF3, Crysis 2 the HD 7950 (1.1 Ghz) is 2.25 - 2.5x times HD 6870 perf. Also the single HD 7950 will provide a much more smoother and consistent experience without multi GPU issues like micro stuttering. In games where CF does not work well the gap will be even more. Its a significant upgrade.


----------



## samoth777

Hey guys. This is a question for those who had both experience with 680s and 7970s. Is it true that the 12.11 drivers make the 7970s and 680s equal in BF3? I'd like to hear from actual experience, not from website reviews, etc. thanks!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> Hey guys. This is a question for those who had both experience with 680s and 7970s. Is it true that the 12.11 drivers make the 7970s and 680s equal in BF3? I'd like to hear from actual experience, not from website reviews, etc. thanks!


ask bruennis and psyside. psyside changed from GTX 680 to HD 7950 and bruennis moved from GTX 680 Lightning to ASUS HD 7970 Matrix Platinum . bruennis also has a golden Gigabyte HD 7950 which clocks 1280 Mhz.

http://www.overclock.net/u/73558/psyside
http://www.overclock.net/u/290334/bruennis


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> ask bruennis and psyside. psyside changed from GTX 680 to HD 7950 and bruennis moved from GTX 680 Lightning to ASUS HD 7970 Matrix Platinum . bruennis also has a golden Gigabyte HD 7950 which clocks 1280 Mhz.
> http://www.overclock.net/u/73558/psyside
> http://www.overclock.net/u/290334/bruennis


1280MHz isn't quite golden.. well it depends on the voltages required and cooling.. but I wouldn't say it's Golden.. If I can cool my VRM's better (I need to re-apply the sync to them) I'll get 1.25GHz easily because I've had that stable on a cold day till it throttled because of the VRM's.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> 1280MHz isn't quite golden.. well it depends on the voltages required and cooling.. but I wouldn't say it's Golden.. If I can cool my VRM's better (I need to re-apply the sync to them) I'll get 1.25GHz easily because I've had that stable on a cold day till it throttled because of the VRM's.


Any Tahiti chip which does 1250+ Mhz can be considered golden. The % of chips hitting 1250+ Mhz stable is very less. You can say 1150 Mhz is average. 1200 Mhz is above average.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Any Tahiti chip which does 1250+ Mhz can be considered golden. The % of chips hitting 1250+ Mhz stable is very less. You can say 1150 Mhz is average. 1200 Mhz is above average.


Fair enough.. Well then I have an above average and almost golden Tahiti








I'm running it at 1100/1250MHz for now with 1.149v


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Fair enough.. Well then I have an above average and almost golden Tahiti
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm running it at 1100/1250MHz for now with 1.149v


nice core speeds for your voltage. Though if possible you can push your memory to 1400 Mhz . at times the heat and noise beyond 1200 Mhz for core speeds is too much of a compromise for the performance you get.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> nice core speeds for your voltage. Though if possible you can push your memory to 1400 Mhz . at times the heat and noise beyond 1200 Mhz for core speeds is too much of a compromise for the performance you get.


Yeah, 1200MHz is doable if I can get the VRM's cooled as I've stated. 1100MHz is fine, I haven't tested it for hours on end but yeah.
Memory is a no go at anything above 1250MHz for some reason... Even volting up to 1.7v doesn't do much only along the lines of an extra 50MHz for memory.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> Hey guys. This is a question for those who had both experience with 680s and 7970s. Is it true that the 12.11 drivers make the 7970s and 680s equal in BF3? I'd like to hear from actual experience, not from website reviews, etc. thanks!


1. Yes minimal difference, very close....and with latest drivers i saw as much as 120 fps in Metro map, i know its not like Caspian Border, but hey! 4XMSAA + SMAA ultra and all optimizations in drivers turned off, amazing IQ and during medium fights/physyx like 110/120 fps....it's scarry.

2. Actually many people don't trust me, but when overclocked to 1150/1500 my *7950* destroy my [email protected]/6700...in Crysis Metro, and even Batman AC (SSAA + SMAA) i see as much as 12 fps difference, in Crysis and Metro 2033 huge difference. Truth to be told i had weak overclocker 680 and decent 7950 so its kinda unfair, but then again, i get the 7950 for 300 euros and 680 DCII for 530, so you get the idea, this cards are amazing for the money







for the difference in $ i will be getting Samsung 840 pro basically for free and yet having faster card.

3. 7950 cards have some 2D issues, powerplay and flash videos related mostly, but the second is generally flash issue, generally Nvidia still got more stable drivers (from my experience) but they lack performance improvements lately.

4. Another thing to consider, is when you push voltage more then 1.16v is really hard to get vrm temps under 90-100c, when your over 1150/1500....even with fan @80% but i heard and i will add fan behind the HDD cage, BradleyW told me he got as much as like 30c temp drops with it, so i guess vrm temps will not be an issue in near future, the Sapphire cards are also very quiet, even on 70% fan its very quiet


----------



## samoth777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> 1. Yes minimal difference, very close....and with latest drivers i saw as much as 120 fps in Metro map, i know its not like Caspian Border, but hey! 4XMSAA + SMAA ultra and all optimizations in drivers turned off, amazing IQ and during medium fights/physyx like 110/120 fps....it's scarry.
> 2. Actually many people don't trust me, but when overclocked to 1150/1500 my *7950* destroy my [email protected]/6700...in Crysis Metro, and even Batman AC (SSAA + SMAA) i see as much as 12 fps difference, in Crysis and Metro 2033 huge difference. Truth to be told i had weak overclocker 680 and decent 7950 so its kinda unfair, but then again, i get the 7950 for 300 euros and 680 DCII for 530, so you get the idea, this cards are amazing for the money
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> for the difference in $ i will be getting Samsung 840 pro basically for free and yet having faster card.
> 3. 7950 cards have some 2D issues, powerplay and flash videos related mostly, but the second is generally flash issue, generally Nvidia still got more stable drivers (from my experience) but they lack performance improvements lately.
> 4. Another thing to consider, is when you push voltage more then 1.16v is really hard to get vrm temps under 90-100c, when your over 1150/1500....even with fan @80% but i heard and i will add fan behind the HDD cage, BradleyW told me he got as much as like 30c temp drops with it, so i guess vrm temps will not be an issue in near future, the Sapphire cards are also very quiet, even on 70% fan its very quiet


This is exactly the data/info I was looking for! +rep to you!









How the tables have turned! I had a 7970 before but i sold it cause my main game was BF3. now i do regret doing so! why did the red team take so long to make these great drivers







hehehe

hmmm i just checked online which model you have. seems its the 2 fan version. 90-100c even with two fans? yeah must be a airflow problem.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Just got a "7950 Boost" BIOS working on my IceQ. Sweet!








Going to try for a 7970GHz edition in the hope I can achieve 1.1GHz with the stock voltage on that. Otherwise I'll come back to this.


----------



## y2kcamaross

Can anyone with 2 7970s and a killawatt tell me what their max load power consumption is from the wall, max overclocked preferred(1200+ if cards are able) I'm about ready to trade my 680s for some 7970s and need to know if I need a new powersupply, thanks!


----------



## sonnhy

Hi all, can someone suggest me a good HD 7970 model? Something not so expensive like Gigabyte SoC or MSi Lighting.. Thanks!


----------



## y2kcamaross

And also, is there anyway yet to run dual monitors off of seperate cards in crossfire? Or am I gonna have to buy an active display port to duallink dvi adapter to run my 1440p and 120hz displays?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> Can anyone with 2 7970s and a killawatt tell me what their max load power consumption is from the wall, max overclocked preferred(1200+ if cards are able) I'm about ready to trade my 680s for some 7970s and need to know if I need a new powersupply, thanks!


Expect 700-800 watts from the wall. Going to vary widely depending on people's processor overclocks and the quality of their PSU's though. With your overclock and that silly number of hard drives I'd say over 800 easy for you.









I don't think there are many people with dual 7970's and a killawatt though. Only seen a couple people provide numbers and they were in the range I mentioned.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

One of my old 7970 Lightnings ran at 1275mhz but every other 7970 I've had has been stuck at 1225mhz-1235mhz...


----------



## neonthetank

Hey folks,

I have had an MSI Twin Frozr HD7950 OC For a little over a month and it's pretty damn good for most everything I need it for. The only thing I run into any issues with is World of Warcraft. Sure I sike high into the 90-120 fps range however in all of regular playing I am steady around 45-50 fps witch I feel is really low for this card. I have 12.11beta the app extention pack, and I have tried every fix I can think of. Call me crazy but I want to play WoW on ultra and my card isn't cutting it.

My real question is, Will getting another HD7950 help this problem? OR is this an ATI Radeon problem? Some I talk to say Nvidia cards are better for Blizzard games. I

Any input would be sweet.

Mobo: Asrock 990 fx extreme 3
Cpu: fx8120 oc to 4.1
Gpu: msi twin Frozr HD7950 OC
16gb ram.

Thanks


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sonnhy*
> 
> Hi all, can someone suggest me a good HD 7970 model? Something not so expensive like Gigabyte SoC or MSi Lighting.. Thanks!


Sapphire HD 7970 OC or Gigabyte HD 7970 OC . both these cards have good coolers.


----------



## sonnhy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Sapphire HD 7970 OC or Gigabyte HD 7970 OC . both these cards have good coolers.


Thanks, the problem is i already own a Gigabyte HD 7970 OC, and it's voltage locked.. i'm looking for a substitute... so sapphire? Which model?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> This is exactly the data/info I was looking for! +rep to you!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How the tables have turned! I had a 7970 before but i sold it cause my main game was BF3. now i do regret doing so! why did the red team take so long to make these great drivers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hehehe
> hmmm i just checked online which model you have. seems its the 2 fan version. 90-100c even with two fans? yeah must be a airflow problem.


The model i got is Sapphire 7950 (950 core) 7970 PCB.

The temps i'm talking about is the vrm section, under heavy load massive AA, textures etc, then my vrm's go to like 90-94c max....some other users report up to 110. The core never goes over 71c with fans @ 75%

Some say the vrm's are fine till 120c even, some say stay near 85-90 max, depends what model of vrm the card is using, but i think you can get some decent fan put it on the HDD cage, and enjoy


----------



## adamlop

For example my 7950 vapor-x starts throttle over 108C on VRM


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> The model i got is Sapphire 7950 (950 core) 7970 PCB.
> The temps i'm talking about is the vrm section, under heavy load massive AA, textures etc, then my vrm's go to like 90-94c max....some other users report up to 110. The core never goes over 71c with fans @ 75%
> Some say the vrm's are fine till 120c even, some say stay near 85-90 max, depends what model of vrm the card is using, but i think you can get some decent fan put it on the HDD cage, and enjoy


Once the VRM's hit 125C, then the card will start throttling itself. I've found this out the hard way with furmark.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> My real question is, Will getting another HD7950 help this problem? OR is this an ATI Radeon problem? Some I talk to say Nvidia cards are better for Blizzard games. I
> Any input would be sweet.
> Mobo: Asrock 990 fx extreme 3
> Cpu: fx8120 oc to 4.1
> Gpu: msi twin Frozr HD7950 OC
> 16gb ram.
> Thanks


Drivers or cpu bottleneck.


----------



## batman900

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Hey folks,
> I have had an MSI Twin Frozr HD7950 OC For a little over a month and it's pretty damn good for most everything I need it for. The only thing I run into any issues with is World of Warcraft. Sure I sike high into the 90-120 fps range however in all of regular playing I am steady around 45-50 fps witch I feel is really low for this card. I have 12.11beta the app extention pack, and I have tried every fix I can think of. Call me crazy but I want to play WoW on ultra and my card isn't cutting it.
> My real question is, Will getting another HD7950 help this problem? OR is this an ATI Radeon problem? Some I talk to say Nvidia cards are better for Blizzard games. I
> Any input would be sweet.
> Mobo: Asrock 990 fx extreme 3
> Cpu: fx8120 oc to 4.1
> Gpu: msi twin Frozr HD7950 OC
> 16gb ram.
> Thanks


The problem is your processor. I used the 8120 @ 4ghz on my new build and I play WoW a lot, fps were about the same as yours when I had a 7870. I switched that out for a 680 & fps did not change. Swapped the 8120 for a 3570K and my fps more than doubled. Now with everything ultra including shadows, 8x AA 16x AF at 1080P I never drop below 70 usually around 120fps. WoW doesn't work well on 8 core and the 8120 blows on lower threaded apps. Good luck to ya, I bit the bullet to replace & learned from my mistake.


----------



## sullivan0531

what is your fps for gw2 out of curiousity


----------



## neonthetank

Thanks for the feed back. Ill get in GW2 right now and do a few benches and get back to you with that. My wife has an i5 3570k in her comp so i will switch that out and see if that makes a difference in my fps. Also i have the most up to date drivers so i am not convinced that is my problem.


----------



## neonthetank

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *batman900*
> 
> The problem is your processor. I used the 8120 @ 4ghz on my new build and I play WoW a lot, fps were about the same as yours when I had a 7870. I switched that out for a 680 & fps did not change. Swapped the 8120 for a 3570K and my fps more than doubled. Now with everything ultra including shadows, 8x AA 16x AF at 1080P I never drop below 70 usually around 120fps. WoW doesn't work well on 8 core and the 8120 blows on lower threaded apps. Good luck to ya, I bit the bullet to replace & learned from my mistake.


You have the gtx680 and a 3570k? have you tried it with your 7870? Are your fps issues completely contained in the CPU? or does the GTX card help as well? Sorry for the seemingly redundant questions but I am getting ready to dump cash on a new GPU OR 3570k and i just wanna make sure what i get into is going to be the fix.

Thanks


----------



## Derko1

Is there anything else that can overclock these cards beyond their limits, other than MSI AB?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Is there anything else that can overclock these cards beyond their limits, other than MSI AB?


Sapphire Trixx.


----------



## neonthetank

I am getting about 50 FPS in GW2 90 in MW3 70 in BF3 These are all at ultra/maxed out settings.

Haven results

http://s1307.beta.photobucket.com/user/KamikazeRainbowz/media/Dwm2012-11-0615-59-46-78.jpg.html

~Neon


----------



## BradleyW

I've heard a few 7970 users say that Trixx has given them a higher stable overclock compared to using MSI AB. I also tested this and found it to be true.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Yeah, Trixx is way better for 79XX cards except for the Lightning. AB gives extra voltage to Lightning (and maybe PE) cards...


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've heard a few 7970 users say that Trixx has given them a higher stable overclock compared to using MSI AB. I also tested this and found it to be true.


? I do not understand? How much difference did you see? You got better OC at same voltage setting? I wonder why? I have been using AB for months.


----------



## neonthetank

Hey all.

Quick update, I trying everything out on the wife's 3570k. Wow is running about 75-80 fps about all the time spikes up to 200 and down to 60. Haven ran about the same and MW3 also ran at 91fps however it stayed at 91fps did not move an ounce. I she doesn't have BF3 installed or GW2 so installing those. I will post updates as I get them.

Thanks

~Neon


----------



## stubass

i am also curious about Trixx and whether it is worth trying as my core is stable at 1160 with AB, i wonder if i can hit 1200 with Trixx.. i am fortunate to have an Asus card that is not voltage locked.. so would it be worth trying trixx?


----------



## grunion

Trixx did nothing for me.
Is there a newer version within the last couple of months?

Nope


----------



## Honk5891

Currently have my Gigabyte WF3 7950 OC'd in AB @ 1200/1600 on 1.26V with VRMS at 60C and temps of 54C under full load. Can push it further to 1250/1800 at 1.29V but I didnt wanna keep it there for 24/

Edit: Correction, I forgot I changed my fan profile. 49C under full load.


----------



## apav

Okay guys, I'm gonna get this card as a sidegrade for my 6950's CF:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

Quick question though, only some of the Gigabyte models are voltage locked right? So if I plan of overclocking this is the better choice than the Gigabyte?


----------



## meddle3

So since this is a 7950/7970 thread, I was wondering if someone could give some advice on choosing either of the cards, 7950 or 7970, for gaming on a 2560x1440 display. Would a 7950 suffice for that task or would a 7970 be necessary? I ask because there is about a $100 difference between the two and I am just trying to justify the extra cost if I were to select the 7970.


----------



## Ganf

Reasons I use Trixx:

No BS.

Annnd... That's it. It's simple and clean and doesn't get in the way of anything else. No quirks, no bugs, no editing text files to do what you want, just OC the crap out of your card. Afterburner just reminds me of a clumsy teenager fondling his prom date. I personally didn't have stability issues with it, because I was never satisfied with how it worked and would give up on it after 5 minutes and go back to using trixx.


----------



## clerick

Is going past the 1100 limit only possible by flashing to a new bios? Both CCC and msi afterburner show a max of 1100 mhz for me. I flipped the swtich on both cards that enables 2nd bios I think but it's still set to a max of 1100 (I am able to control the voltage though).


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clerick*
> 
> Is going past the 1100 limit only possible by flashing to a new bios? Both CCC and msi afterburner show a max of 1100 mhz for me. I flipped the swtich on both cards that enables 2nd bios I think but it's still set to a max of 1100 (I am able to control the voltage though).


You can either enable unofficial overclocking or add /xcl to the MSI Afterburner shortcut.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> So since this is a 7950/7970 thread, I was wondering if someone could give some advice on choosing either of the cards, 7950 or 7970, for gaming on a 2560x1440 display. Would a 7950 suffice for that task or would a 7970 be necessary? I ask because there is about a $100 difference between the two and I am just trying to justify the extra cost if I were to select the 7970.


You wouldn't really notice the difference if you're overclocking, if you're running stock the difference might be worth $100. You'd be better off putting $100 into a second card later or into something else like an SSD.

I'd suggest to get a nice 7950 and save the rest of the money.


----------



## Derko1

I just switched over to trixx... how do I raise the memory voltage? Also, am I able to still use MSI AB to monitor stuff?


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> You wouldn't really notice the difference if you're overclocking, if you're running stock the difference might be worth $100. You'd be better off putting $100 into a second card later or into something else like an SSD.
> I'd suggest to get a nice 7950 and save the rest of the money.


Unlike the 6950/6970 comparison, the 7950 is actually quite a bit slower than the 7970. I would say the 7970 is worth the price easily. I've been able to get my hands on 7970s for 299 within the past 2 weeks. I own 7 of them, and I'd say they're easily worth the price increase.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Unlike the 6950/6970 comparison, the 7950 is actually quite a bit slower than the 7970. I would say the 7970 is worth the price easily. I've been able to get my hands on 7970s for 299 within the past 2 weeks. I own 7 of them, and I'd say they're easily worth the price increase.


That's the price I paid for my 7950!!!!








From what I've seen/heard a 7970 is only 3-5% better clock for clock which isn't a lot and most people won't see the difference unless it's an actual benchmark.. It's better value for money.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Unlike the 6950/6970 comparison, the 7950 is actually quite a bit slower than the 7970. I would say the 7970 is worth the price easily. I've been able to get my hands on 7970s for 299 within the past 2 weeks. I own 7 of them, and I'd say they're easily worth the price increase.


clock for clock HD 7950 is 3 - 5% slower than HD 7970. the extra shaders don't make a huge difference . bruennis has showed that with his Gigabyte HD 7950 which is one of the best overclockers on ocn and kept up pretty well with HD 7970s at 1300 Mhz. If you are overclocking HD 7950 cards are the best value for your money.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Unlike the 6950/6970 comparison, the 7950 is actually quite a bit slower than the 7970. I would say the 7970 is worth the price easily. I've been able to get my hands on 7970s for 299 within the past 2 weeks. I own 7 of them, and I'd say they're easily worth the price increase.


MY OC'd Gigabyte WF3 7950 beats the snot out of a stock 7970. There is not much difference between the two. And I think Gigabyte by far is the best for cooling purposes. See my post on page 1767.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> clock for clock HD 7950 is 3 - 5% slower than HD 7970. the extra shaders don't make a huge difference . bruennis has showed that with his Gigabyte HD 7950 which is one of the best overclockers on ocn and kept up pretty well with HD 7970s at 1300 Mhz. If you are overclocking HD 7950 cards are the best value for your money.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> MY OC'd Gigabyte WF3 7950 beats the snot out of a stock 7970. There is not much difference between the two. And I think Gigabyte by far is the best for cooling purposes. See my post on page 1767.


http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/645?vs=618

There is a 15% difference in clock speed in those benches. There is NOT however a 15% difference in performance. 3 - 5% clock for clock is an understatement. In fact, 5% is the minimum. In some games, the performance is more like 15% clock for clock. It all depends on the game.

This is a direct quote from the Anandtech review of the Factory OC'd 7950 vs the 7970 stock.

"Even though the 7950 is well behind the 7970-to the tune of 24%-it's still 33% ahead of the GTX 580 and the lead only grows from there. Meanwhile the XFX and Sapphire cards can catch up to the 7970 somewhat, but as this is truly a shader-bound test, you can't make up for the lack of shaders units on the 7950."

This was in regards to the SmallLux Bench. It depends on which game you're running. Keep in mind that the 7950 was OC'd vs the 7970 and was STILL behind by 24% in the shader bench. The 7950 simply lacks shaders, and in some games it DOES matter. Some games are NOT shader limited and therefore you can note a 5% difference, but you cannot make a blanket statement that there is only a 5% difference. In NO way is the 7970 vs 7950 like the 6950 vs 6970 battle of yesteryear.


----------



## magicase

I'm choosing between the gigabyte 7970 overclocked and Ghz edition. Would both OC to around the same level?


----------



## budgetcreep2012

Got a sapphire dual x 7970 oc


----------



## gregoryH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/645?vs=618
> There is a 15% difference in clock speed in those benches. There is NOT however a 15% difference in performance. 3 - 5% clock for clock is an understatement. In fact, 5% is the minimum. In some games, the performance is more like 15% clock for clock. It all depends on the game.
> This is a direct quote from the Anandtech review of the Factory OC'd 7950 vs the 7970 stock.
> "Even though the 7950 is well behind the 7970-to the tune of 24%-it's still 33% ahead of the GTX 580 and the lead only grows from there. Meanwhile the XFX and Sapphire cards can catch up to the 7970 somewhat, but as this is truly a shader-bound test, you can't make up for the lack of shaders units on the 7950."
> This was in regards to the SmallLux Bench. It depends on which game you're running. Keep in mind that the 7950 was OC'd vs the 7970 and was STILL behind by 24% in the shader bench. The 7950 simply lacks shaders, and in some games it DOES matter. Some games are NOT shader limited and therefore you can note a 5% difference, but you cannot make a blanket statement that there is only a 5% difference. In NO way is the 7970 vs 7950 like the 6950 vs 6970 battle of yesteryear.


No, it's really ~4%.
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/

plus, 7950 with Boost is slower than [email protected] It's about the same performance as [email protected]
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7950_Boost_BIOS_Upgrade/25.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Flex/28.html


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/645?vs=618
> There is a 15% difference in clock speed in those benches. There is NOT however a 15% difference in performance. 3 - 5% clock for clock is an understatement. In fact, 5% is the minimum. In some games, the performance is more like 15% clock for clock. It all depends on the game.


The HD 7950 boost in stock settings does not run at 925 Mhz because of powertune throttling. max the power option to +20% and it will run constantly at 925 Mhz and then compare with a HD 7970 at 925 Mhz. The compute benches will definitely show a difference more than games because performance in those benchmarks scales directly with number of shaders. But real world games don't show more than 5% at the same clocks. there are benchmarks posted by bruennis which confirm its even lesser at times. if you want ask him and he will bench any game for you.


----------



## y2kcamaross

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gregoryH*
> 
> No, it's really ~4%.
> http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/
> plus, 7950 with Boost is slower than [email protected] It's about the same performance as [email protected]
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7950_Boost_BIOS_Upgrade/25.html
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Flex/28.html


its actually amazing looking at these benchmarks and looking at the benchmarks with the new drivers, quite a remarkable difference


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Clock for Clock and risking that 7950 dont overclock that well compare as a 7970..

It is a bargain most people are willing to take..

as me i wouldnt change my 1300/1950 7970 for @ 7950 XD


----------



## dsmwookie

Just picked up a Diamond 7970 from Newegg for $379. I received the 6 free games, which was a pretty big perk; hitman, Deus Ex, Dirt Showdown, Nexiuz, Sleeping Dogs, Farcry 3, and 20% off Medal of Honor . The construction seemed pretty nice and uses a typical reference design. Going to order some Heatkiller backplates this week and hopefully a CPU cooler as well. Wife is going to snag the waterblocks themselves for Christmas, so I should have the system underwater around the new year and overclocking nicely. Right now I m on two monitors @ 1680x1050 and the card just falls asleep with everything maxed. SC2 was cracking me up with 200+ fps. Within a few months I should be picking up a 2560x1440 monitor and if I can swing it 120hz as well.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Clock for Clock and risking that 7950 dont overclock that well compare as a 7970..
> It is a bargain most people are willing to take..
> as me i wouldnt change my 1300/1950 7970 for @ 7950 XD


at average a 7950 OC around 60mhz less than a 7970 at average, source HWbot.
so all equal the difference is likely less/more than 5%.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dsmwookie*
> 
> Just picked up a Diamond 7970 from Newegg for $379. I received the 6 free games, which was a pretty big perk; hitman, Deus Ex, Dirt Showdown, Nexiuz, Sleeping Dogs, Farcry 3, and 20% off Medal of Honor . The construction seemed pretty nice and uses a typical reference design. Going to order some Heatkiller backplates this week and hopefully a CPU cooler as well. Wife is going to snag the waterblocks themselves for Christmas, so I should have the system underwater around the new year and overclocking nicely. Right now I m on two monitors @ 1680x1050 and the card just falls asleep with everything maxed. SC2 was cracking me up with 200+ fps. Within a few months I should be picking up a 2560x1440 monitor and if I can swing it 120hz as well.


You'll need 2 7970s minimum to do 120fps @ 2560x1440 if you manage to swing a Catleap 2B


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> The HD 7950 boost in stock settings does not run at 925 Mhz because of powertune throttling. max the power option to +20% and it will run constantly at 925 Mhz and then compare with a HD 7970 at 925 Mhz. The compute benches will definitely show a difference more than games because performance in those benchmarks scales directly with number of shaders. But real world games don't show more than 5% at the same clocks. there are benchmarks posted by bruennis which confirm its even lesser at times. if you want ask him and he will bench any game for you.


Like I said it depends on the game. I highly doubt he has benched a stable of games to the extent of Anandtech or others. To form an opinion purely upon 1 user's benches, those benches need to be not only entirely on the same config and setup, but a bare minimum of 15 titles is required. Forming an opinion on 3, 4, or 5 games is fine, but it's not going to stand up as well as benches done by reputable reviewers with stables of games in the dozens.

As some have said above me, I've yet to see many 7950s OC as well as most 7970s do. I own 7 7970s, and I've owned more than that in the past total, and I've yet to have a 7970 NOT do 1200mhz when given enough volts, on AIR. With over half doing 1250mhz, and 3 doing 1300mhz. 2 of them will even push past 1.3ghz, up near 1330. I would happily take my 7970s over 7950s, especially since the prices aren't too far apart. I've obtained 7970s with warrantys under $300. You can't really argue against that


----------



## Pandemacia

Off-topic a bit

Hi guys, I need help with something I'm not familiar with my MSI TwinFrzr Radeon 7950. 2-3 months ago, I bought this card, and it worked perfectly, but as soon as I launch a game, WoW, D3, I can hear a noise coming from my GPU. It didn't bothered me at first, but I still ended up RMA the first card. Then, they sent me a new one, and I still have the same problem.

When idle, the card doesn't make a sound, but when I start a game, it's noisy as hell. It's like an electrical sound or something, I don't know how to describe it.

Yes, drivers are up to date.

Here are my specs:

Summary
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
CPU
Intel Core i5 2500K @ 3.30GHz
Sandy Bridge 32nm Technology
RAM
8.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 670MHz (9-9-9-24)
Motherboard
ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. P8Z77-V LK (LGA1155)
Graphics
DELL U2312HM ([email protected])
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
Hard Drives
112GB SanDisk SDSSDX120GG25 (SSD)
932GB Seagate ST1000DM003-9YN162 (SATA) 25 °C

Any help? Sorry if I'm not in the good forum.


----------



## Derko1

Quick question!

I got Trixx working PERFECTLY! As opposed to the mess that MSI AB is... so I was wondering if anyone has found an unsafe voltage to put on the cards? Since now I am able to go up in voltage with Trixx, I'm sure I can OC more.

I'm gonna try doing 1300/1900 with 1.387v and 1.8v...


----------



## muhd86

how did u get trixx to work perfectly , which gpus you got bro , i have 7970 quad gigabyte gpus and they are voltage locked - tried many things but still them seem to be locked --hence i cant over clock much ....

any help


----------



## Derko1

I believe that's mainly due to the files that were taken out of the drivers... they are the same files that you need for MSI AB to run.

I've always been able to change my voltage though. I didn't do anything special for Trixx... installed the latest version, then used replaced the main .exe with the one from here in this thread... towards the bottom of the first post. The latest version.

I've attached the dll files you need and already in the paths they need to go in. atidplxx.dll goes into the SysWOW64 folder and then atidpl64.dll goes into the System32 folder.

Then disable ULPS in Trixx.

ATIDLL.zip 347k .zip file


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *magicase*
> 
> I'm choosing between the gigabyte 7970 overclocked and Ghz edition. Would both OC to around the same level?


Generally yes, simply because it's just a stock speed increase to AMD can say "We have the fastest graphics card" they're the same card except one has a BIOS upgrade. Just get whatever is cheaper


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pandemacia*
> 
> Off-topic a bit
> Hi guys, I need help with something I'm not familiar with my MSI TwinFrzr Radeon 7950. 2-3 months ago, I bought this card, and it worked perfectly, but as soon as I launch a game, WoW, D3, I can hear a noise coming from my GPU. It didn't bothered me at first, but I still ended up RMA the first card. Then, they sent me a new one, and I still have the same problem.
> When idle, the card doesn't make a sound, but when I start a game, it's noisy as hell. It's like an electrical sound or something, I don't know how to describe it.
> Yes, drivers are up to date.
> Here are my specs:
> Summary
> Operating System
> Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit SP1
> CPU
> Intel Core i5 2500K @ 3.30GHz
> Sandy Bridge 32nm Technology
> RAM
> 8.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 670MHz (9-9-9-24)
> Motherboard
> ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. P8Z77-V LK (LGA1155)
> Graphics
> DELL U2312HM ([email protected])
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
> Hard Drives
> 112GB SanDisk SDSSDX120GG25 (SSD)
> 932GB Seagate ST1000DM003-9YN162 (SATA) 25 °C
> 
> Any help? Sorry if I'm not in the good forum.


Coil Whine. Some people have been able to get rid of it by leaving their computer running on a menu in a game or something that just blasts out 1000's of frames a second overnight for 4 or 5 nights. Otherwise, if you didn't buy a card with black diamond chokes, chances are better than even you'll have coil whine to some degree.

You want power? Gotta pay the piper somehow.







I just moved my computer to my left instead of my right. Between that and the 12 case fans, it's inaudible, and my card is a little louder than most.


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *magicase*
> 
> I'm choosing between the gigabyte 7970 overclocked and Ghz edition. Would both OC to around the same level?


Depends if the card is voltage locked or not. I have the Gigabyte 7970 OC and it was unlocked. Managed some decent clocks with the card being very quiet. The only loud thing is the coil whine when under 3d clocks. Hopefully that helps you out!


----------



## meddle3

Appreciate all the discussion regarding 50v70. At least to me, 5% seems to be fairly insignificant (unless I'm missing something?) whereby if the 7950 can fulfill all my needs - smooth gaming at 1440p - then I can't really justify purchasing the 7970 at a premium of almost $100. That is assuming the 7950 will be able to handle all the new releases at 1440p though, but if it's 5% lesser to the 7970 then surely it will be able.


----------



## LoneWolf3574

I'm hoping somebody might help me here as I'm a total newb with CrossFire. I just purchased a pair of Sapphire 7950 (http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1713&psn=&lid=1&leg=0) that I'm trying to crossfire to my dual Samsung SyncMaster SA300 monitors, but every time I "Enable" AMD CrossFireX in CCC it goes to a single monitor. It works fine when it's disabled, but that's not what I want. I've got the DVI cable from each monitor to each cards DVI out (only 1 on each card) so it should work, right?


----------



## axipher

So I just recorded fan speeds of the reference blower on the 7950 and wow. That thing gets loud. I'm glad it can keep the card pretty cool at 40%. It's a little quiet because I used my headset's mike and forgot to turn boost on, just need to turn the volume up. Just don't forget to turn it down after.

fan noise.zip 611k .zip file


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Quick question!
> I got Trixx working PERFECTLY! As opposed to the mess that MSI AB is... so I was wondering if anyone has found an unsafe voltage to put on the cards? Since now I am able to go up in voltage with Trixx, I'm sure I can OC more.
> I'm gonna try doing 1300/1900 with 1.387v and 1.8v...


Do not go over 1.25v for every day usage.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Do not go over 1.25v for every day usage.


lol really...?

I've been running 1.3 since exactly a day after getting these cards. It mainly depends on what your default clock is... maybe for a 1025mv card it would be too much and should be kept at 1250.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Currently have my Gigabyte WF3 7950 OC'd in AB @ 1200/1600 on 1.26V with VRMS at 60C and temps of 54C under full load. Can push it further to 1250/1800 at 1.29V but I didnt wanna keep it there for 24/
> Edit: Correction, I forgot I changed my fan profile. 49C under full load.


Sorry dude, but those temps are impossible to have. Your into WC cooling category.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> lol really...?
> I've been running 1.3 since exactly a day after getting these cards. It mainly depends on what your default clock is... maybe for a 1025mv card it would be too much and should be kept at 1250.


What card you got? exact model?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Sorry dude, but those temps are impossible to have. Your into WC cooling category.
> What card you got? exact model?


not true my friends msi 7970 lighting has temps in the mid 50s water cooling temps are usualy in 30- low 40s.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> not true my friends msi 7970 lighting has temps in the mid 50s water cooling temps are usualy in 30- low 40s.


Yea, but 49 is still very low for his clocks/voltage....(49c)


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> What card you got? exact model?


I've got 2 MSI 7970s.

With my WC set up I get 22-24C idle and 32-37 full load with 1.3v. So 50 on load isn't THAT crazy. Specially if his room is super cold and then throw in the fact that he can probably not even hear what he is playing... then yea.

I would get 50C load during the summer when it was 95F outside.


----------



## SkateZilla

my room has no heater, the pc is a heater,

My 8120 OCd to 4Ghz is sitting at 5.1 Degrees Delcius, Idle it gets a hair lower, peak was 11.2^C.

GPU is At 29^C, Peaking at 35. (Stock Sapphire Dual X Cooling).

in the summer time it's another story.


----------



## Wattser93

I've been kicking around the idea of doing "the mod" for my 7970 to cut down on noise and temps, especially in the summer.

It's a Sapphire 7970 Dual X model. Do I need to get heatsinks for my VRMs or will they be fine on their own? I've read about needing a copper spacer or something like that between the card and the block, how do I know if I need that?

I have no issue with tearing down my card to do "the mod", I just want to know what it's going to take before I take my card apart.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LoneWolf3574*
> 
> I'm hoping somebody might help me here as I'm a total newb with CrossFire. I just purchased a pair of Sapphire 7950 (http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1713&psn=&lid=1&leg=0) that I'm trying to crossfire to my dual Samsung SyncMaster SA300 monitors, but every time I "Enable" AMD CrossFireX in CCC it goes to a single monitor. It works fine when it's disabled, but that's not what I want. I've got the DVI cable from each monitor to each cards DVI out (only 1 on each card) so it should work, right?


Have you got one screen attached to each card? If so Attach them both to the same card/get adapters so you can do so.
If that's not the issue do you have another CFX bridge to try? Try that, also try cleaning the contacts on the CFX "teeth" on the cards (I had that problem once)
Uhhh, re-install AMD Drivers I guess would be your last bet.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wattser93*
> 
> I've been kicking around the idea of doing "the mod" for my 7970 to cut down on noise and temps, especially in the summer.
> It's a Sapphire 7970 Dual X model. Do I need to get heatsinks for my VRMs or will they be fine on their own? I've read about needing a copper spacer or something like that between the card and the block, how do I know if I need that?
> I have no issue with tearing down my card to do "the mod", I just want to know what it's going to take before I take my card apart.


You'll need:


The Antec Kuhler or w/e
Copper "Shimmy" aka copper block to make the core and watercooler touch as there is a bracket around the card or something and it won't touch without it.
You don't necessarily need VRM Syncs, but I'd push to get them and to attach them you'll need thermal tape. Doing so will allow you to overclock much much better and prolong the life of the VRM's on the card.
Get the bracket with the 120mm fan mount so you can mount a 120mm/92mm fan to cool the PCB + Synced VRM's + Memory (You might even want some syncs on the memory too.
Thermal paste + Thermal paste remover, seeing as you're going to have this mounted for a long time it's probably a good idea to not "just use metho" for removing the stock thermal paste.








Goodluck!


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> I've got 2 MSI 7970s.
> With my WC set up I get 22-24C idle and 32-37 full load with 1.3v. So 50 on load isn't THAT crazy. Specially if his room is super cold and then throw in the fact that he can probably not even hear what he is playing... then yea.
> I would get 50C load during the summer when it was 95F outside.


Ah WC, then i guess till 1.3v your fine, i think its the max i would go.

BTW i was talking about 7950 *(air)* @1200/1600 *1.26V* running @49c during full load being impossible AFAIK.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> my room has no heater, the pc is a heater,
> My 8120 OCd to 4Ghz is sitting at 5.1 Degrees Delcius, Idle it gets a hair lower, peak was 11.2^C.
> GPU is At 29^C, Peaking at 35. (Stock Sapphire Dual X Cooling).
> in the summer time it's another story.


Whats happening today lol, some insane stuff guys lol!

Ambient temps?


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> BTW i was talking about 7950 (air) @1200/1600 1.26V running @49c during full load being impossible AFAIK.


i would have to agree.

heck im at 60c idle @ 1.15 volts auto fan. XFX 7950 1100core/ 1500 mem. I push 80c fully loaded at this voltage.

Granted i Know the XFX DD cooler isn't the best cooler in the world, but its remarkable how people post such different results. I mean 30c lower temps? under load? with higher voltage? i don't think so no air cooler is that much better.


----------



## LoneWolf3574

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Have you got one screen attached to each card? If so Attach them both to the same card/get adapters so you can do so.
> If that's not the issue do you have another CFX bridge to try? Try that, also try cleaning the contacts on the CFX "teeth" on the cards (I had that problem once)
> Uhhh, re-install AMD Drivers I guess would be your last bet.


Yes, I have each display connected via DVI to each card. Each display is only capable of either vga or dvi, so with that being said, would it be better to get the adapter for the displayport or the hdmi? I've pushed my luck WAY to far with the wife buying this setup (cards plus wc blocks & accessories) for her to let me get ANOTHER pair of monitors after only a year and a half.


----------



## Ghost23

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Sorry dude, but those temps are impossible to have. Your into WC cooling category.
> What card you got? exact model?


Uh? Those temps aren't impossible? I mean I'm at 1.15 @ 1150core and 1600mem, idle's in the 20's and max reported during gaming is 47.. I'm not using WC.. just aftermarket cooler.. I was running at 1165 core and 1800 memory without issue.. his volt is a bit of a jump from mine, but I wouldn't put it down as impossible.

Even after a few Furmark runs I never hit 60c, not once. Always under 60.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ghost23*
> 
> Uh? Those temps aren't impossible? I mean I'm at 1.15 @ 1150core and 1600mem, idle's in the 20's and max reported during gaming is 47.. I'm not using WC.. just aftermarket cooler.. I was running at 1165 core and 1800 memory without issue.. his volt is a bit of a jump from mine, but I wouldn't put it down as impossible.
> Even after a few Furmark runs I never hit 60c, not once. Always under 60.


@1200/1600 1.26V 49c? would have to see it to believe it, anyway there is big difference from your setup.... + 50mhz on core and + 110mv...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Ah WC, then i guess till 1.3v your fine, i think its the max i would go.
> BTW i was talking about 7950 *(air)* @1200/1600 *1.26V* running @49c during full load being impossible AFAIK.
> Whats happening today lol, some insane stuff guys lol!
> Ambient temps?


I'll give you a live feed to my Ambient temps:

http://www.weather.com/weather/right-now/23452:4:US

When I finally decided to call it a night last night, it was at 1.1^C CPU, NO Core Parked, 22^C GPU (Fan at Lowest settings).

I have to keep the PC on now to keep the water runs from freezing.


----------



## Etizolam

Question for you guys - I've been running and OC'ing Radeon cards for years, nothing too fancy or anything but just a nice speed boost. I ordered a XFX DD 7950 this week and just received it. It works like a dream when running at stock; however, any time I try to over clock it, it crashes my video drivers and I have to restart the computer, or else games run at 10fps. This was happening on the 12.11 beta4 drivers, and when I changed it to beta6 it takes a little longer for the drivers to crash, but only seconds.

Am I just being incredibly stupid here and missing something that's my fault, or is something going on?

Thanks!


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Etizolam*
> 
> Question for you guys - I've been running and OC'ing Radeon cards for years, nothing too fancy or anything but just a nice speed boost. I ordered a XFX DD 7950 this week and just received it. It works like a dream when running at stock; however, any time I try to over clock it, it crashes my video drivers and I have to restart the computer, or else games run at 10fps. This was happening on the 12.11 beta4 drivers, and when I changed it to beta6 it takes a little longer for the drivers to crash, but only seconds.
> Am I just being incredibly stupid here and missing something that's my fault, or is something going on?
> Thanks!


Does it crash @ Stock?


----------



## Etizolam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Does it crash @ Stock?


No, at stock it works perfectly fine for any of the gaming I have done on it so far.


----------



## Sevada88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Etizolam*
> 
> No, at stock it works perfectly fine for any of the gaming I have done on it so far.


Maybe you have an unstable overclock?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I'll give you a live feed to my Ambient temps:
> http://www.weather.com/weather/right-now/23452:4:US
> When I finally decided to call it a night last night, it was at 1.1^C CPU, NO Core Parked, 22^C GPU (Fan at Lowest settings).
> I have to keep the PC on now to keep the water runs from freezing.


I'll be leaving my PC on 24/7 in a couple weeks for this very same reason, and still worrying about it getting slushy if I don't put it to work while I'm not watching it.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Question for you guys - I've been running and OC'ing Radeon cards for years, nothing too fancy or anything but just a nice speed boost. I ordered a XFX DD 7950 this week and just received it. It works like a dream when running at stock; however, any time I try to over clock it, it crashes my video drivers and I have to restart the computer, or else games run at 10fps. This was happening on the 12.11 beta4 drivers, and when I changed it to beta6 it takes a little longer for the drivers to crash, but only seconds.
> 
> Am I just being incredibly stupid here and missing something that's my fault, or is something going on?
> 
> Thanks!


I have the same card. What overclock are you trying to do? Stock voltage on these is .993 So it is unlikely you will reach 1000mhz on the core with out boosting the voltage. On stock voltage i was able to take it to 960mhz. At 1.130 volts i can run at 1100mhz core. I haven't tried any higher. Need to use the XCL command to increase the limits. Which for some reason i cannot get to work.

Edit got past those pesky limits. The /xcl command was not working with Msi Afterburner Kept telling me target file invalid. So i installed Asus Gpu Tweak and extended my overclocking limits and rebooted. Now i have extended limits in Afterburner, and uninstalled the Asus Gpu Tweak.

pain in the butt, but will now get to dabble past 1100.


----------



## Etizolam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I have the same card. What overclock are you trying to do? Stock voltage on these is .993 So it is unlikely you will reach 1000mhz on the core with out boosting the voltage. On stock voltage i was able to take it to 960mhz. At 1.130 volts i can run at 1100mhz core. I haven't tried any higher. Need to use the XCL command to increase the limits. Which for some reason i cannot get to work.
> Edit got past those pesky limits. The /xcl command was not working with Msi Afterburner Kept telling me target file invalid. So i installed Asus Gpu Tweak and extended my overclocking limits and rebooted. Now i have extended limits in Afterburner, and uninstalled the Asus Gpu Tweak.
> pain in the butt, but will now get to dabble past 1100.


You may have something there. For some reason I was assuming the stock voltage was the same as other cards, so I was trying to follow the guidelines I thought correct. I will check all of that and get back to you. Previously, I was able to lower the OC from 1100 to 1000, but was still getting random crashes. This may be exactly why. I thought for sure it would be able to reach 1000 at stock, but apparently I was wrong. Thanks!


----------



## Honk5891

Had to share this haha I got a bit excited when I finally got it.. Just hit my highest mark on my Gigabyte 7950 WF3. 1250/1600 @ 1.3V stable on air with temps of no more than 58C GPU and 62C Vrams.

GPU-Z : http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/dp8sf/


----------



## ebduncan

nice overclock.

I just hit 1200mhz on 1.2volts on the core. Temps are in the high 70's. With the fans blarring. Going back to 1100core/1500mem @ 1.130 volts Its silent, Until my water block comes at least :-D

Soon to have a new case, and radiator setup. 360, and a 240. Should be plenty to keep my cpu/mobo/and gpu nice and cool.

Been saving my pennies to go custom water loop for awhile now/


----------



## y2kcamaross

Guys I'm getting 2 7970s, I'm not going to be watercooling, should I get 2 reference cards or 2 non reference cards? Willl the reference cards run cooler since they exhaust the hot air out the back of the case? Or will the non reference cards(sapphire dual x) with their superior fans keep temperatures lower regardless?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> Guys I'm getting 2 7970s, I'm not going to be watercooling, should I get 2 reference cards or 2 non reference cards? Willl the reference cards run cooler since they exhaust the hot air out the back of the case? Or will the non reference cards(sapphire dual x) with their superior fans keep temperatures lower regardless?


For CF i though think reference is going to be better unless you have a lot of fans in the case.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> Guys I'm getting 2 7970s, I'm not going to be watercooling, should I get 2 reference cards or 2 non reference cards? Willl the reference cards run cooler since they exhaust the hot air out the back of the case? Or will the non reference cards(sapphire dual x) with their superior fans keep temperatures lower regardless?


If your going non reference the cooling of the Gigabyte WF3 is second to none. I just went through 2 sapphire dual x cards (which had issues) and then switched to Gigabyte on the third go and the temps were much cooler by about 6 degrees.


----------



## Etizolam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Etizolam*
> 
> You may have something there. For some reason I was assuming the stock voltage was the same as other cards, so I was trying to follow the guidelines I thought correct. I will check all of that and get back to you. Previously, I was able to lower the OC from 1100 to 1000, but was still getting random crashes. This may be exactly why. I thought for sure it would be able to reach 1000 at stock, but apparently I was wrong. Thanks!


Okay, so I brought the voltage up to 1.13, and it seems to have stopped the drivers from immediately crashing, but now I get a hard crash with vertical lines randomly when playing. Sometimes it's blue, or red, or black, but there's always vertical lines arranged in a neat pattern. Now researching problems with that (some say HDMI and DVI both being used can cause that.... oh, how I love computer problems.







)


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Etizolam*
> 
> Okay, so I brought the voltage up to 1.13, and it seems to have stopped the drivers from immediately crashing, but now I get a hard crash with vertical lines randomly when playing. Sometimes it's blue, or red, or black, but there's always vertical lines arranged in a neat pattern. Now researching problems with that (some say HDMI and DVI both being used can cause that.... oh, how I love computer problems.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Vertical line are usually vram related, is the memory overclocked?


----------



## y2kcamaross

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> For CF i though think reference is going to be better unless you have a lot of fans in the case.


Im just concerned that the non reference will heat up the rest of my case and what not


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Have ? for you guys my cards asic is 72% and ai always thought it was a bad clocker well i started to play with occt video tester and noticed it gave me a ton of errors so i started at stock volts and ran my 1150 clock no errors and it didnt artifact in games at all. Could it be my card hates juice and runs better on lower volts it made it thru the sniper v2 benchmark at 1200 on stock volts where it would normaly crash or artifact.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I'll give you a live feed to my Ambient temps:
> http://www.weather.com/weather/right-now/23452:4:US
> When I finally decided to call it a night last night, it was at 1.1^C CPU, NO Core Parked, 22^C GPU (Fan at Lowest settings).
> I have to keep the PC on now to keep the water runs from freezing.


Sorry bro, im a bit tired, don't really understand you. Do you keep your pc outside or what? also you use WC right?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Had to share this haha I got a bit excited when I finally got it.. Just hit my highest mark on my Gigabyte 7950 WF3. 1250/1600 @ 1.3V stable on air with temps of no more than 58C GPU and 62C Vrams.
> GPU-Z : http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/dp8sf/


*uck me, what are ambient temps and fan speed?


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> *uck me, what are ambient temps and fan speed?


Just regular house temps of around 20C. I got wicked airflow in my case with a side fan directly on the GPU. Check my pics of my rig if interested. Im contemplating pushing further but Im slightly scared because people say 1.3V max. But I am under the impression as long as my temps are in check I can go to whatever it can take. Is this a bad assumption? lol

Edit: and fan speed of the GPU doesnt pass 68% on a custom ramp up.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Have ? for you guys my cards asic is 72% and ai always thought it was a bad clocker well i started to play with occt video tester and noticed it gave me a ton of errors so i started at stock volts and ran my 1150 clock no errors and it didnt artifact in games at all. Could it be my card hates juice and runs better on lower volts it made it thru the sniper v2 benchmark at 1200 on stock volts where it would normaly crash or artifact.


Higher ASIC quality means higher overclock with less voltage.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Higher ASIC quality means higher overclock with less voltage.


mines a low asic lol only 72% wierd issue is sometimes it seems to work on low volts and other times it dont i cant figure this out yet But its def increasing fps and not artifacting.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

My 72% does 1.2Ghz with 1.225v and 1.25Ghz with 1.3v. 1175Mhz with stock volts 1.175v
77% does 1.3Ghz with 1.275v


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Have ? for you guys my cards asic is 72% and ai always thought it was a bad clocker well i started to play with occt video tester and noticed it gave me a ton of errors so i started at stock volts and ran my 1150 clock no errors and it didnt artifact in games at all. Could it be my card hates juice and runs better on lower volts it made it thru the sniper v2 benchmark at 1200 on stock volts where it would normaly crash or artifact.
> 
> 
> 
> Higher ASIC quality means higher overclock with less voltage.
Click to expand...

That's rubbish. ASIC has no bearing on overclock.


----------



## SimpleTech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's rubbish. ASIC has no bearing on overclock.


Of the 30+ cards I've binned this year the higher ASIC ones did, in fact, overclock better with less voltage. /shrug


----------



## Ghost23

Just testing out my OC's


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SimpleTech*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's rubbish. ASIC has no bearing on overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> Of the 30+ cards I've binned this year the higher ASIC ones did, in fact, overclock better with less voltage. /shrug
Click to expand...

If that were remotely true, then what... all the 80%+ cards would achieve what overclock and the 75% and less are incapable of... what overclock?

It's rubbish. I've been thru over a dozen and I only had one 80%+ card that went over 1300. The legend doesn't hold... it's random.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

based on my tests tonight my card tops out at 1160 game stable it runs [email protected] and [email protected] but nothing higher is stable no mattter the voltage lol least the memory clocks high that gives me a couple fps boost.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> based on my tests tonight my card tops out at 1160 game stable it runs [email protected] and [email protected] but nothing higher is stable no mattter the voltage lol least the memory clocks high that gives me a couple fps boost.


Luck of the draw my friend. This... is with four 72% to 76% cards.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 12.11 beta 3. It's pretty fast.
> 
> tsm106 --- i7 3930 / 5.1Ghz ---- HD 7970 Quadfire, 1330 / 1780 ---- 229.8 ---- 5789


----------



## jay2nice000

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SimpleTech*
> 
> Of the 30+ cards I've binned this year the higher ASIC ones did, in fact, overclock better with less voltage. /shrug


not true my asic is 68 and my card clocks at 1260/1815 at 1.27v on stock bios, i know if i do a flash bios i can reach higher clocks!


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Luck of the draw my friend. This... is with four 72% to 76% cards.


Lol very unlucky but i guess thats why the guy was selling the card lol cant really complain for 400 with a waterblock it destroys all games at 1150/1980 and after i sold my 5970 i only had to pay 150 every thing runs much better then with my old trifire witha 5870 and 5970. Just strange to me this card just does not like voltage lol feed it all i want and it tops out around 1150/1160.


----------



## tsm106

The silicon lottery is a tough game... your consolation is that you got some gold memory though.


----------



## axipher

So with 12.11 Beta4 I had some weird screen tear in 3D apps at the same spot on the screen every reboot. Installed 12.11 Beta6 and issue was solved.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The silicon lottery is a tough game... your consolation is that you got some gold memory though.


yea to my suprise that can bump fps up by about 4-8 depending on the game cant complain when a single card can max all games out and it hardly puts any heat out at all my rads put cold air out most the time even gaming and boincing.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> yea to my suprise that can bump fps up by about 4-8 depending on the game cant complain when a single card can max all games out and it hardly puts any heat out at all my rads put cold air out most the time even gaming and boincing.


i doubt its cold air ;-)

if it is you have somehow reversed physics.


----------



## yesitsmario

Hey guys, how would a 7950 fair with a Phenom II 955 @ 3.8ghz? I'm using a 1080p monitor @60hz. My 6850 does good in most of the games I play, but I need more juice for the latest games like BF3. These 7950 deals are just too good lately.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> i doubt its cold air ;-)
> if it is you have somehow reversed physics.


its cold air lol but i do have a rx240 and rx360 with push pull fans on full speed and each rad has a fan setup to pull it cool air in.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> its cold air lol but i do have a rx240 and rx360 with push pull fans on full speed and each rad has a fan setup to pull it cool air in.


lol it would still be warmer than ambient temp. It may feel cool to you, think of the wind chill factor. Anyways why two rx radiators? There are much better ones on the market, i can see one. If you bought the liquid cooling kit from xspc.

Anyways hows the cooling performance? I just ordered a new case and a 360 rad, and a 240 rad (swift-tech) Will be running push/pull with Yate loon fans. I know its enough for my system just wondering if its enough to keep things as cool as i want them to be. Will be cooling the Fx processor, 7950, and mobo.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> lol it would still be warmer than ambient temp. It may feel cool to you, think of the wind chill factor. Anyways why two rx radiators? There are much better ones on the market, i can see one. If you bought the liquid cooling kit from xspc.
> Anyways hows the cooling performance? I just ordered a new case and a 360 rad, and a 240 rad (swift-tech) Will be running push/pull with Yate loon fans. I know its enough for my system just wondering if its enough to keep things as cool as i want them to be. Will be cooling the Fx processor, 7950, and mobo.


rx rads are still some of the best and i bought it 3 years ago at the time they were the best out i know now xspc now has the ex rads that are pretty much top of the market. cools great my 7970 never hits 40c cpu stays under 70c befor i got my 7970 cooled a 5970 and 5870 talk about heat now load them down in games or boinc and it could turn my room into a sauna in a hr or 2 but they would stay around 40-45c in games and under 50c in boinc.


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Lol very unlucky but i guess thats why the guy was selling the card lol cant really complain for 400 with a waterblock it destroys all games at 1150/1980 and after i sold my 5970 i only had to pay 150 every thing runs much better then with my old trifire witha 5870 and 5970. Just strange to me this card just does not like voltage lol feed it all i want and it tops out around 1150/1160.


My Shappire card ASIC is also 72% and 1150Mhz seems to be all what i can get out of the card, just like you. I will get texture flickering at higher clocks no matter how high i will push the voltage.
So, we are in the same boat. I haven't try to push mem that high what you have, maybe I should try that. But hey, it's like you said, card kicks ass in every game even at 1150Mhz.


----------



## bluestang

My Gigabyte WF3 7950 has an ASIC of 58%









It has F2 BIOS and stock volts on load are 1.088v for up to 1 GHz.

I'll be flashing to F3 BIOS this weekend and see how that goes with temps and OCing.


----------



## jerrolds

Ya i personally believe ASIC quality has a big impact on the overclockability of a 7970, recently went through 4 cards - and with this small sample size these were my findings

1. XFX Core (Reference) 7970 - ASIC 87% - default voltage 1048mV, hit 1150mhz using reference at 1150mV 70C/65% fan speed, could do 1200mhz but needed 100% fan speed
2. Gigabyte Windforce OC - ASIC 76% - default voltage 1150mv, hit 1050mhz - temps stayed cool, but card was voltage locked. Insta-returned.
3. Asus Matrix Platinum - ASIC 67% - default voltage 1250mv, hit 1265mhz at 1300mV - temps 65C-70C, 60% fan speed on Fan 1 & 2. Could probably hit 1300mhz on 100% fan speed. I believe this core was carried by the awesome matrix pcb.
4. Asus Matrix Platinum - ASIC 60% - default voltage 1250mv, would artifact at 1230mhz instantly same settings as above...i returned it immediately..probably stable at 1200mhz core

Ended up keeping 3, currently balancing core/temp/fan speed - probably going to settle on [email protected] and 50% fan speed.


----------



## ebduncan

Nov 9, 2012 9:59 AM At local FedEx facility MADISON, AL
Nov 9, 2012 9:26 AM At local FedEx facility MADISON, AL Package not due for delivery
Nov 9, 2012 7:37 AM At local FedEx facility MADISON, AL

Darn you Fedex put the package on a truck and bring it to me! I need my water custom loop! Package is due for delivery lol.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If that were remotely true, then what... all the 80%+ cards would achieve what overclock and the 75% and less are incapable of... what overclock?
> It's rubbish. I've been thru over a dozen and I only had one 80%+ card that went over 1300. The legend doesn't hold... it's random.


I agree with TSM. I have two Sapphires right now that won't clock beyond 1235MHz and both have ASIC's above 80...


----------



## ebduncan

ASIC Quality means nothing in terms of overclocking. At least it alone doesn't. There are a number of factors that play a role into overclocking.

Its not just the die, its the pcb, the components on it. How stable the power supply is. Temperature also all play roles. All cards are different due to a combination of those factors.


----------



## Ganf

Meh. Only thing I've noticed about ASIC is clocking on air vs water. I've had two cards above 80%, including my current card, and they both overclocked just as well on air as water. One card I had that was 70% saw a big improvement on water.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Wish I had hung onto my 7970 Lightnings now. One of them clocked to 1275MHz on air. Would've loved to see it under water...


----------



## Wattser93

My ASIC is 75% an OCs decently on air. It seems to hit a wall at about 1200MHz, and requires huge voltage increases to get any higher.

Here is my most recent 3DMark11 run, I finally broke 12000 graphic score.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4889177

I'm running the 12.11 beta 4 drivers, 7970 at 1225/1750, 2500K at 4.6GHz, and RAM at 1600MHz in that run.

For 24/7, I run the same drivers, 7970 at 1100/1650, 2500K at 4.4GHz, and RAM at 1333MHz.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paztak*
> 
> My Shappire card ASIC is also 72% and 1150Mhz seems to be all what i can get out of the card, just like you. I will get texture flickering at higher clocks no matter how high i will push the voltage.
> So, we are in the same boat. I haven't try to push mem that high what you have, maybe I should try that. But hey, it's like you said, card kicks ass in every game even at 1150Mhz.


yep thats what mine does over 1150 texture flicking or poping its not to bad but annoys me and you play long enugh the gpu will freeze drivers crash. Kinda funny at 1100mhz it run under stock volts i got it downclocked to 1.14 and was still stable.


----------



## Etizolam

edit: double post


----------



## Etizolam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Vertical line are usually vram related, is the memory overclocked?


Yeah, I had the memory OC'd to 1500 and the core to 1000, just as a launching point, with the voltage at 1.13.

Is it possible my memory can't go that high?


----------



## Wattser93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Etizolam*
> 
> Yeah, I had the memory OC'd to 1500 and the core to 1000, just as a launching point, with the voltage at 1.13.
> Is it possible my memory can't go that high?


It's possible, but I doubt it. Do you have the latest MSI Afterburner installed? Try bumping the memory voltage just a hair and see if it makes a difference for you.

Here's my overclocking process:

I use 3DMark11 as a quick stability check after changing settings and run it between each bump in clock speed or voltage.

Set memory to stock speeds and leave them there: Set core to stock, check for stability. If pass, add 25MHz to core, if fail, add 25mV to voltage. I continue by process of adding 25MHz or 25mV until I reach my max stable OC or 80ºC, whichever comes first.

I then reset the core to stock speeds and leave them there: Set memory to stock, check for stability. I keep adding 25MHz until it artifacts in 3DMark11. I don't bother messing around with memory voltage much because I'm able to OC the memory plenty without having to touch the voltage.

I then set my core and memory to the max settings I found during testing, and then run 3DMark11 again to check stability. If it passes, I take my core and memory down 25MHz a piece, and there's my stable OC. I'll then load up something very demanding like Crysis, and play for an hour or two to confirm stability.

It may not be the best or most efficient process, but it works for me.


----------



## Stealth Pyros

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ken1649*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Do I still need to use the ATIman patch to get MSI Afterburner to work with the drivers?
> 
> on 12.4 Beta, and MSI AB still resets to 0 when I press apply, havent tried the patch yet as its stated on its name it is for driver 8.95
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, still need to unless updating from RC11.
> 
> Here;
> 
> AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch.zip 535k .zip file
Click to expand...

Hate to resurrect this really old concern, but is still still necessary with 12.11? I'm having issues crashing in BF3, and crashed once on desktop (screen went white, locked up and had to reboot). My stock memory voltage on my Sapphire OC with boost was at 1500mv, core voltage around 1125mv I believe, so mine was slightly undervolted compared to what I've seen around here. I think I'm at 1125/1700 at the moment, would like to get that core up to 1200.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> ASIC Quality means nothing in terms of overclocking. At least it alone doesn't. There are a number of factors that play a role into overclocking.
> 
> Its not just the die, its the pcb, the components on it. How stable the power supply is. Temperature also all play roles. All cards are different due to a combination of those factors.


I was pretty sure a higher ASIC didn't mean you could overclock higher, but you could reach the same clock with less voltage on higher ASIC quality.


----------



## homestyle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> I was pretty sure a higher ASIC didn't mean you could overclock higher, but you could reach the same clock with less voltage on higher ASIC quality.


True. I think 1 constant is that the higher asic score means a lower default voltage.

And taking a poll on how high over clocks are compared to asic scores would almost be worthless because of differences in cooling, sensitivity to artifacts, and epeen making people to lie.

I've got a 87.7% asic score and can hit 1160 on the core with 1.1 volts. I haven't tried more volts yet. Still testing.


----------



## ElGreco

*NEW 12.11 BETA 6 solved my High 2d clocks issue at CF SETUP









Latest Beta Driver with .NET 4.0 Support 224.3 MB 12.11 Beta 11/7/2012 Download

http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/AMD_Catalyst_12.11_Beta6_dotNET4.exe*


----------



## axipher

What exactly is the difference with the dotNET4 version?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> What exactly is the difference with the dotNET4 version?


In case you don't have dotnet4 installed, it comes with it.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> What exactly is the difference with the dotNET4 version?


nothing, you just need that version if you dont have dot net 4 installed on your rig as is needed for CCC to run on


----------



## axipher

Thanks for that. I really never thought of that for some reason. I should really start getting more sleep...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Can bealive even with 2 x HD 7970 Ghz speeds i hit 50s in BF3. Is it normal?

2560x1440 MAX 64 MAN B2K.


----------



## Stealth Pyros

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Can bealive even with 2 x HD 7970 Ghz speeds i hit 50s in BF3. Is it normal?
> 
> 2560x1440 MAX 64 MAN B2K.


Sounds extremely low as that's what I get on one 7970. Are you sure Crossfire is enabled?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth Pyros*
> 
> Sounds extremely low as that's what I get on one 7970. Are you sure Crossfire is enabled?


Have not really checked GPU or CPU usage. One card simply would get like 30 fps with 4x MSAA.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majin SSJ Eric*
> 
> I agree with TSM. I have two Sapphires right now that won't clock beyond 1235MHz and both have ASIC's above 80...


ASIC quality does not determine how high you can overclock it is still luck. ASIC basically makes a general rule that with higher ASIC you can achieve a higher overclock with less voltage than that of a lower ASIC card which is the exact opposite (more voltage for higher overclock). Your specific card itself will determine how high you can overclock period. So it is still luck of the draw when picking a card. The ASIC is pretty accurate in my opinion with my last 3 cards.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Hmmm, I'll have to check when I get home but I'm almost positive I get higher fps than that at 1440P with my 7970's...


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> That's a bingo....
> Armored Shield 48 man server, Ultra 4x MSAA, no post.
> I however play with 2x MSAA.
> I never really notice MS before, been running dual GPUs for awhile and I guess I just tuned it out.
> The 7970 is alot smoother than my previous CFX 6950 set up.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Can bealive even with 2 x HD 7970 Ghz speeds i hit 50s in BF3. Is it normal?
> 2560x1440 MAX 64 MAN B2K.


Seems CFX is not working...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I said fps hits 50s but its not 50s all the time. Its 70fps+ Sometimes 100fps.


----------



## Majin SSJ Eric

Ahhh, that makes better sense then!


----------



## ZealotKi11er

GPU usage is horrible. 40-60%. CPU is 100%. Really 3570K bottleneck @ 4.6Ghz.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I said fps hits 50s but its not 50s all the time. Its 70fps+ Sometimes 100fps.


You should not drop below 70fps with those GPU's on BF3. Have you installed latest CAPS?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Just checked CPU to make sure ~ 85-90% Usage.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Just checked CPU to make sure ~ 85-90% Usage.


Set the GPU speeds to stock and check your usage again. Maybe the GPU overclocks are pushing the CPU too far in this CPU intensive title.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I dont really care if it the CPU. It just means there is no point for me to upgrade GPUs for at least 1 year until i get a much faster CPU. Do you guys with HT get more fps in BF3 MB. I just want to make sure by being Core i5 i am getting held back.

Edit: Also depend entirely on the map. I just played the new map Alborz Mountains. 99% GPU usage 120-140 fps. CPU still same usage.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> I dont really care if it the CPU. It just means there is no point for me to upgrade GPUs for at least 1 year until i get a much faster CPU. Do you guys with HT get more fps in BF3 MB. I just want to make sure by being Core i5 i am getting held back.
> Edit: Also depend entirely on the map. I just played the new map Alborz Mountains. 99% GPU usage 120-140 fps. CPU still same usage.


I get an fps increase and lower usage with HT enabled. It evens things out and feeds the GPU's, but not by much. There is only so much 4 virtual threads can do.


----------



## psyside

If someone have some tips for me in order to stop Chrome crashing, it would be amazing, i tried every single tweak and yet i get frame skipping on youtube videos and plugin crashing.

I tried totally clean install of flashplayer.

I tired the built in chrome pepper flash, and the standalone flash.

I tired disabling ULPS

I tired reinstalling Chrome together with another clean install of flashplayer.

I tired disabling hardware acceleration.

NOTHING HELPS!


----------



## Macke93

Just installed 12.11 betas to my card again, the memory frequenze on max value bug in idle is gone from when I last tested! Noticed that day modified it and reuploaded it on the 7th november, great performance improvements compared to 12.8 !


----------



## ss1274

Hey, this is my first post in this thread!









So I finally upgraded my GTX 560Ti to XFX HD 7970 GHz Edition (this card). I am very happy with its out-of-the-box performance, I am able to max out all my games at 1200p. The cooling is also good while staying quiet till ~60% fan speed.







I will probably stick to its stock speeds for the time being, but I would like to explore the maximum potential of my card. ASIC quality is rather poor, just 68.2%.









I thought overclocking the HD 7970 would be like a play in the park, but I find it rather more difficult and confusing than on my old GTX 560Ti.
First thing of all, how can I know what is my real core voltage under load? GPU-Z, Hwinfo64 and Afterburner all give different readings. They agree on the idle voltage, though.









Take a look at those screenies. They are taken after looping Heaven 3.0 for 30 minutes.

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg572/ss1274/XFX%20HD%207970/Greenshot_2012-11-10_11-05-08.png
Right after running Heaven

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg572/ss1274/XFX%20HD%207970/Greenshot_2012-11-10_11-08-08.png
Idle

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg572/ss1274/XFX%20HD%207970/xfx7970.gif
GPU-Z

At stock voltage (which is 1.218V I guess), I am stable at 1175/1500 MHz in Heaven, 3DMark 11 and BF3. 1200MHz gave artifacts in Heaven and BF3, but passed 3dMark 11. I am focusing on core clock, so I have not fiddled with the memory yet (I tried 1175/1600MHz once and everything seemed okay in BF3







). Temps are not to worry about, 64 C on the core and 71 and 54 C on VRM1 and VRM2, respectively.

My question is: How can I get voltage control? Am I doing something wrong? I can move the slider in AB all the way to 1300mV, but it has no effect on my voltage which stays at 1.218V in AB and shows 1.175-1.200V in GPU-Z. I would like to reach 1200+, but it seems I would need some extra volts. I thought the GE cards had core voltage unlocked.

Any help or advice is much appreciated.









EDIT: Direct links to screenies.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> If someone have some tips for me in order to stop Chrome crashing, it would be amazing, i tried every single tweak and yet i get frame skipping on youtube videos and plugin crashing.
> I tried totally clean install of flashplayer.
> I tired the built in chrome pepper flash, and the standalone flash.
> I tired disabling ULPS
> I tired reinstalling Chrome together with another clean install of flashplayer.
> I tired disabling hardware acceleration.
> NOTHING HELPS!


Try checking your routers firmware. I just recently had youtube/flash issues and tried everything myself and the one thing and last thing I would have thought was the problem. As soon as I updated my firmware everything worked as it should.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Just checked CPU to make sure ~ 85-90% Usage.


i am guessing you can't bump your cpu higher, huh?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ss1274*
> 
> At stock voltage (which is 1.218V I guess), I am stable at 1175/1500 MHz in Heaven, 3DMark 11 and BF3. 1200MHz gave artifacts in Heaven and BF3, but passed 3dMark 11. I am focusing on core clock, so I have not fiddled with the memory yet (I tried 1175/1600MHz once and everything seemed okay in BF3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). Temps are not to worry about, 64 C on the core and 71 and 54 C on VRM1 and VRM2, respectively.
> My question is: How can I get voltage control? Am I doing something wrong? I can move the slider in AB all the way to 1300mV, but it has no effect on my voltage which stays at 1.218V in AB and shows 1.175-1.200V in GPU-Z. I would like to reach 1200+, but it seems I would need some extra volts. I thought the GE cards had core voltage unlocked.


Try the latest version of sapphire trixx. some recent batches of HD 7970 cards are voltage locked. Anyway 1175 Mhz at stock voltage is very good and enough to play any game at 1200p at max settings at 60+ fps. Your core and VRM temps are good. About MSI afterburner check out this article

http://www.overclock.net/t/641299/guide-to-enabling-unofficial-overclocking-in-msi-afterburner


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ss1274*
> 
> Hey, this is my first post in this thread!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I finally upgraded my GTX 560Ti to XFX HD 7970 GHz Edition (this card). I am very happy with its out-of-the-box performance, I am able to max out all my games at 1200p. The cooling is also good while staying quiet till ~60% fan speed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will probably stick to its stock speeds for the time being, but I would like to explore the maximum potential of my card. ASIC quality is rather poor, just 68.2%.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought overclocking the HD 7970 would be like a play in the park, but I find it rather more difficult and confusing than on my old GTX 560Ti.
> First thing of all, how can I know what is my real core voltage under load? GPU-Z, Hwinfo64 and Afterburner all give different readings. They agree on the idle voltage, though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At stock voltage (which is 1.218V I guess), I am stable at 1175/1500 MHz in Heaven, 3DMark 11 and BF3. 1200MHz gave artifacts in Heaven and BF3, but passed 3dMark 11. I am focusing on core clock, so I have not fiddled with the memory yet (I tried 1175/1600MHz once and everything seemed okay in BF3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). Temps are not to worry about, 64 C on the core and 71 and 54 C on VRM1 and VRM2, respectively.
> My question is: How can I get voltage control? Am I doing something wrong? I can move the slider in AB all the way to 1300mV, but it has no effect on my voltage which stays at 1.218V in AB and shows 1.175-1.200V in GPU-Z. I would like to reach 1200+, but it seems I would need some extra volts. I thought the GE cards had core voltage unlocked.
> Any help or advice is much appreciated.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Direct links to screenies.


GPU-Z and HWinfo report the actual voltage, AB tells you the nominal voltage. 1.218V after vdroop is exactly what you're seeing with those other programs.

The GE cards are a bit tricky when it comes to voltage control. AB seems to have control over the non-boost voltage, but not the boost voltage. I believe setting AB to use constant voltage will fix that but you'll lose the lower idle voltage. Sapphire's Trixx has been reported to be able to change the boost voltage directly, at least with Sapphire's own GE cards and the latest v4.4.0 beta version of the software.

And don't worry about the ASIC quality, your card seems to be a very decent clocker.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LoneWolf3574*
> 
> Yes, I have each display connected via DVI to each card. Each display is only capable of either vga or dvi, so with that being said, would it be better to get the adapter for the displayport or the hdmi? I've pushed my luck WAY to far with the wife buying this setup (cards plus wc blocks & accessories) for her to let me get ANOTHER pair of monitors after only a year and a half.


Yes, that's your problem.
When in crossfire you can only run monitors off the first card.


----------



## ss1274

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Try the latest version of sapphire trixx. some recent batches of HD 7970 cards are voltage locked. Anyway 1175 Mhz at stock voltage is very good and enough to play any game at 1200p at max settings at 60+ fps. Your core and VRM temps are good. About MSI afterburner check out this article
> http://www.overclock.net/t/641299/guide-to-enabling-unofficial-overclocking-in-msi-afterburner


I tried the modded version of TriXX 4.0.4b, and to my surprise it reads 1256mV as the default VDDC. This is the same VDDC value as Hwinfo64 shows under load. Unfortunately, upping the voltage to 1.3 does not seem to do anything at all. The memory voltage is fully functional though. Why does AB show 1162mV and TriXX 1256mv?

Also, do I need to enable unofficial overclocking mode in AB even though my CCC limits are already extended?


----------



## ss1274

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> GPU-Z and HWinfo report the actual voltage, AB tells you the nominal voltage. 1.218V after vdroop is exactly what you're seeing with those other programs.
> The GE cards are a bit tricky when it comes to voltage control. AB seems to have control over the non-boost voltage, but not the boost voltage. I believe setting AB to use constant voltage will fix that but you'll lose the lower idle voltage. Sapphire's Trixx has been reported to be able to change the boost voltage directly, at least with Sapphire's own GE cards and the latest v4.4.0 beta version of the software.
> And don't worry about the ASIC quality, your card seems to be a very decent clocker.


Ah, now I understand the voltage readings. Thanks for explaining. I never counted for vdroop, I did not even know graphics cards experience vdroop like CPUs.







Yes, using constant voltage eliminates the voltage problem. I can run 1250 mV or whatever constantly, but I do not want to run like that 24/7 lol.

I already tried Trixx without success. Thanks, I am very happy with the overclock on stock voltage but like every OCN dude I want to push it more.


----------



## apav

So guys according to the newest review on newegg the Sapphire 7950's are voltage locked now?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

If the 7950's are getting voltage locked now, I might go for the Sapphire 7970 or Gigabyte 7970 then (the $399 ones). Out of those can anyone help me decide on which one to get? Heard a lot of the Gigabytes are voltage locked and have a coil whine, so should I steer clear from them? Gonna grab one around Black Friday


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *apav*
> 
> So guys according to the newest review on newegg the Sapphire 7950's are voltage locked now?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> If the 7950's are getting voltage locked now, I might go for the Sapphire 7970 or Gigabyte 7970 then (the $399 ones). Out of those can anyone help me decide on which one to get? Heard a lot of the Gigabytes are voltage locked and have a coil whine, so should I steer clear from them? Gonna grab one around Black Friday


Gigabytes cooling is second to none. Not to sound like a fanboy but Ive said that in a few posts. Im very impressed with the Gigabyte cards.


----------



## apav

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Gigabytes cooling is second to none. Not to sound like a fanboy but Ive said that in a few posts. Im very impressed with the Gigabyte cards.


Yea I've heard that. I'm just worried about the coil whine with those cards, that would be very annoying to put up with!


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Try checking your routers firmware. I just recently had youtube/flash issues and tried everything myself and the one thing and last thing I would have thought was the problem. As soon as I updated my firmware everything worked as it should.


The same firmware was working without a single issue when i had my GTX680 like 3 months. Its flash/amd drivers 99% sure.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> The same firmware was working without a single issue when i had my GTX680 like 3 months. Its flash/amd drivers 99% sure.


Same for me man, everything was working peachy on my router and then randomly one day it just stopped working. Youtube wouldnt load any videos and when it did it took a few times of stabbing stop and play over and over. Seriously man just check at least. I did everything I could possibly think of before I finally checked that. This was just recently to, like last month.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *apav*
> 
> Yea I've heard that. I'm just worried about the coil whine with those cards, that would be very annoying to put up with!


I have a 7950 Gigabyte so I wouldnt really know about the 7970's but to my understanding they all have a bit of coil whine. I have 0 with my card even with its massive overclock. My fans dont even go over 60% and my temps are at 53 max under load.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Same for me man, everything was working peachy on my router and then randomly one day it just stopped working. Youtube wouldnt load any videos and when it did it took a few times of stabbing stop and play over and over. Seriously man just check at least. I did everything I could possibly think of before I finally checked that. This was just recently to, like last month.


Ok will try out! thanks!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Does anyone else get power limit problems while at idle? I'm actually thinking of contacting HIS and acting dumb to see if I can get a *new* card that doesn't do it. If I raise the power limit to 20% i get better FPS in literally everything.


----------



## Z Overlord

so what are good OC's for people with 7970's and GHz bios? I noticed MSI Afterburner lets you raise VRam voltage, does this mean high clocked VRam?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Z Overlord*
> 
> so what are good OC's for people with 7970's and GHz bios? I noticed MSI Afterburner lets you raise VRam voltage, does this mean high clocked VRam?


yea you can get some good ram clocks and it does help in games my card has some really good memory runs 1980 on 1.64 gives me 600 extra points in 3dmark and about 3-8 fps in games depending on how demanding.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> yea you can get some good ram clocks and it does help in games my card has some really good memory runs 1980 on 1.64 gives me 600 extra points in 3dmark and about 3-8 fps in games depending on how demanding.


I find that hard to believe.

From my experience anyways with my 7950. Went from stock mem speed 1250 to 1575 and gained maybe 200 3dmarks in 3dmark 11. The 7900's series is not limited by memory bandwidth. Its all about core speed. Seems like every 100mhz I gain on the core its another 1000+3dmarks.

Then again that's to be expected from a 384bit memory bus running at high speed.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I find that hard to believe.
> From my experience anyways with my 7950. Went from stock mem speed 1250 to 1575 and gained maybe 200 3dmarks in 3dmark 11. The 7900's series is not limited by memory bandwidth. Its all about core speed. Seems like every 100mhz I gain on the core its another 1000+3dmarks.
> Then again that's to be expected from a 384bit memory bus running at high speed.


lol well i proved it befor by benchmarking at differt speeds and posting the 3dmark it was a little over 500 point improvement from 1505 to 1980.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/16900_100#post_18410751


----------



## Phenomanator53

Anyone else with a ridiculously low ASIC quality? mines 55.4%


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> Anyone else with a ridiculously low ASIC quality? mines 55.4%


lol yours might still overclock better then mine its a 72% but maxes out at 1150 for 24/7 1225 for benchmarking.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> Anyone else with a ridiculously low ASIC quality? mines 55.4%


That is by far the worst I've seen! I thought mine was bad a 64.8% or something. Wow


----------



## Phenomanator53

is my card a defective or something?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> is my card a defective or something?


Nah, ASIC quality doesn't mean a lot really. Just overclock it and see how it goes.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Nah, ASIC quality doesn't mean a lot really. Just overclock it and see how it goes.


I agree no need to worry about asic get overclocking and see what it will do.


----------



## adamlop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I find that hard to believe.
> From my experience anyways with my 7950. Went from stock mem speed 1250 to 1575 and gained maybe 200 3dmarks in 3dmark 11. The 7900's series is not limited by memory bandwidth. Its all about core speed. Seems like every 100mhz I gain on the core its another 1000+3dmarks.
> Then again that's to be expected from a 384bit memory bus running at high speed.


Thats true. For example 3d mark 11 graphics score:
1125/1200 10156
1125/1400 10290
1125/1600 10426
1125/1800 10546

950/1250 8757
950/1550 8988
950/1850 9273

And last result give me 11067 on 1175/1850
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4905402

So can just forget about memory ocing on 7950 it gives about nothing in real gaming. For me in BF3 it is 83fps/1250 vs 86fps/1700 for example staying in one place and changing clocks.


----------



## specopsFI

I'm still pretty convinced that Tahiti ASIC quality goes the other way around to common believe. That is, lower % means lower leakage. My own cards seem to be like that and I know LN2 overclockers, who love high leakage chips, usually go for high ASIC % Tahitis.

Be that as it may, luck has a lot bigger effect on OC capability of a given chip than ASIC quality.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> Thats true. For example 3d mark 11 graphics score:
> 1125/1200 10156
> 1125/1400 10290
> 1125/1600 10426
> 1125/1800 10546
> 950/1250 8757
> 950/1550 8988
> 950/1850 9273
> So can just forget about memory ocing on 7950 it gives about nothing in real gaming. For me in BF3 it is 83fps/1250 vs 86fps/1700 for example staying in place and changing clocks.


Well it does give a boost like i had said about 3-8fps in games we dont really need that anyway when we are already running over 60 in every game. It helps the most it seems in benchmarking 500 points for just overclocking the memory is something when your trying to get points on hwbot.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> I'm still pretty convinced that Tahiti ASIC quality goes the other way around to common believe. That is, lower % means lower leakage. My own cards seem to be like that and I know LN2 overclockers, who love high leakage chips, usually go for high ASIC % Tahitis.
> Be that as it may, luck has a lot bigger effect on OC capability of a given chip than ASIC quality.


Hmmm, interesting idea you have there. I know that the cards in the 70% range are sought for due to having higher stock voltage and liking voltage unlike high 90's cards but not needing a lot like 60's and lower cards. The 80's range is generally good too, but I know overclockers like cards in the 70's range as they usually clock higher from what I've seen. Albeit only 100MHz at the most.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Hmmm, interesting idea you have there. I know that the cards in the 70% range are sought for due to having higher stock voltage and liking voltage unlike high 90's cards but not needing a lot like 60's and lower cards. The 80's range is generally good too, but I know overclockers like cards in the 70's range as they usually clock higher from what I've seen. Albeit only 100MHz at the most.


lol wished my 72% card liked voltage i can send 1.38 to it and it wont go over 1150 for gaming.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> lol wished my 72% card liked voltage i can send 1.38 to it and it wont go over 1150 for gaming.


Really? wow
From what the graph says that's what "overclockers' would want.. But yeah it doesn't mean much..


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Really? wow
> From what the graph says that's what "overclockers' would want.. But yeah it doesn't mean much..


only thing that might be holding me back is the guy put the block on my card didnt do the vrms right and they dont run as cool as they should normal stuff under 60c tho furmark pushes them up to 85-90c. But sence they dont pass 60c on games i cant see that holding the card back just a bum card dont like voltage lol.


----------



## th3illusiveman

i wish mine had a non ref cooler so i could test out it's Limits...

Its 87% ASIC so i think it should fare well if it had a better cooler. But at my current clocks an extra 100-150Mhz doesn't warrant a $90 cooler.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> i wish mine had a non ref cooler so i could test out it's Limits...
> Its 87% ASIC so i think it should fare well if it had a better cooler. But at my current clocks an extra 100-150Mhz doesn't warrant a $90 cooler.


Thats true i wouldnt buy the aftermarket coolers myself only waterblocks but thats cause i already have the loop setup with rads to cool a cpu and 2 gpus.


----------



## psyside

People test performance with 3D MARK? come on....fire up Crysis Warhead, put 8XAA and then try stock vs oc vram.


----------



## ss1274

After playing some more with my HD 7970 GE (ASIQ = 68.2%) by "forcing constant voltage" in AB, I found that the card can do 1165 MHz on default base voltage (that is, 1162 mV). 1175 mV is needed for 1175 Mhz (coincidence?







). I can even do stock speeds of 1050/1500 on 1125 mV (did not test any lower). I wonder why AMD overshot the voltage by such a big margin on GE cards.









3DMark 11 at stock speed (I gained ~100 points by just undervolting...hmm):


On the other side, to be completely game stable at 1200 MHz I need 1300 mV. I played BF3 for 2 hours without any problems.

I am not comfortable of running this high voltage through the chip 24/7 though, because I have no means of adjusting voltage with "force constant voltage" unticked. Anything over 1200 MHz gives artifacts, but I am able to bench up to 1250. 1175 MHz on stock voltage will be my 24/7 clock.

I will focus on memory from now on. I know the yields will be low as the 79x0 cards are not memory bandwidth limited. Anyways, I have some questions about overclocking the memory on these cards:

1. Do upping the core voltage increase VRAM stability?
2. Is there any significant effect of upping the VRAM voltage? What voltage is safe for 24/7 use?
3. What is the common sweet spot on air (1600, 1700, etc.)?


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> Anyone else with a ridiculously low ASIC quality? mines 55.4%


My ASIC is 57%... I have it overclocked at 1250/1700 currently @ 1.312V . ASIC does NOT determine how far your card can overclock. All it tells you is whether your are going to need more or less voltage to achieve your cards maximum OC. Your ability to OC is still based upon luck of the draw and whether or not you got a good card or not.


----------



## meddle3

Does anyone have experience with this card: SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 7970 OC with Boost (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008)? Is it a good 7970 choice? Any glaring problems I should be aware of? Appreciate the help.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I've had three Visiontek 7970s early on and had no problems with volting them. Try following the double checking your steps with my sig thread regarding AB installs.


Mind telling me what clocks/voltages were they running at?


----------



## neonthetank

Has anyone tried to hook up a H60 Corsair to their 7950? If so what results did you see and would you recommend this?

Thanks


----------



## ElGreco

Room Temp: 22
Flow Rate: 2213ml/min
D5 Rpm both Pumps: 3680

*Idle Temps*:
GPU 1 and 2: 24

GPU 1 vrm 1 and 2: 27
GPU 2 vrm 1 and 2: 27

*Load Temps:*
GPU 1 and 2: 33

GPU 1 vrm 1: 44 (dont know why is this difference btw gpu1 vrms)
GPU 1 vrm 2: 37

GPU 2 vrm 1 and 2: 39










*****

More photos here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/584302/ocn-water-cooling-club-and-picture-gallery/31830#post_18578582

*****


----------



## Z Overlord

so what are good programs to error check 7970's? Like how GPU Tool did


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Z Overlord*
> 
> so what are good programs to error check 7970's? Like how GPU Tool did


oct has error checker but your best choice is to just run a game and watch for artifacts.


----------



## Z Overlord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> oct has error checker but your best choice is to just run a game and watch for artifacts.


where is the error checker in OCCT?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Z Overlord*
> 
> where is the error checker in OCCT?


gpu 3d in has a counter starts at 0 and if it finds errors it counts up my gpus literaly gets 0 at up to 1100mhz then i start seeing errors raising volts error count gets lower till they stay at 0.


----------



## deathstar500

Hi guys, first post here.

Just asking, does ASIC quality really matter? Does higher %age = better card or something like that? (mines around 87)

And another question, how do you people go over 1100 core/1575 mem? Seems limited to me in afterburner.
Is running @ 1100 core/1575 mem at stock voltages and +10% powertune okay? Have been looping unigine for an hour and a half and seems stable.


----------



## Conc3ntrate

The way I understand it, ASIC doesn't determine your card's overclocking ability, but rather the voltage needed to achieve a stable overclock. So the lower your ASIC score, the more voltage you'll need to feed your card when overclocking, and vice versa.

As for your second question, I know there's a way around the 1100/1575 limit in Afterburner, but I'm not quite sure what it is - I've been using TriXX instead. Hopefully someone else can shed some light on that.

EDIT: Found the workaround for Afterburner (http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=338906). Only now when I hit apply, my numbers reset to zero...so, no dice, for me at least.

Also, so long as your temperatures are under control, you're good to go - I'm running that same overclock on stock voltage, +20% though.


----------



## deathstar500

Ah thanks dude


----------



## Bal3Wolf

you can add /xcl to end of the msi ab shortcut then run msi ab and it will tell you to reboot then the oc limits should be raised.


----------



## Azuredragon1

is 70c safe temp for a 7950 at 1000/1250 at stock volts?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> is 70c safe temp for a 7950 at 1000/1250 at stock volts?


Perfectly fine.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> is 70c safe temp for a 7950 at 1000/1250 at stock volts?


yes BUT..... what the heck card do you have to have those kind of temps.... Its rather high for stock voltage and a low overclock like that...... my Gigabyte WF3 is at 53C max at my OC.... see my sig rig.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> yes BUT..... what the heck card do you have to have those kind of temps.... Its rather high for stock voltage and a low overclock like that...... my Gigabyte WF3 is at 53C max at my OC.... see my sig rig.


That's crazy.. I get 78c tops with MSI Kombustor at 1149mV and 1100 Core/1400 Memory


----------



## Azuredragon1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> yes BUT..... what the heck card do you have to have those kind of temps.... Its rather high for stock voltage and a low overclock like that...... my Gigabyte WF3 is at 53C max at my OC.... see my sig rig.


I live in LA,CA where it's summer all year long


----------



## bluestang

@twitch_alucard,

Which BIOS do you have on your WF3 7950?


----------



## Z Overlord

so what does power control do?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Z Overlord*
> 
> so what does power control do?


Power limit*?

It increases the limit of the boards (GPU's power draw), usually for us 20% is fine.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluestang*
> 
> @twitch_alucard,
> Which BIOS do you have on your WF3 7950?


Stock bios. I dont mess with bios so Im not 100% sure.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Room Temp: 22
> Flow Rate: 2213ml/min
> D5 Rpm both Pumps: 3680
> *Idle Temps*:
> GPU 1 and 2: 24
> GPU 1 vrm 1 and 2: 27
> GPU 2 vrm 1 and 2: 27
> *Load Temps:*
> GPU 1 and 2: 33
> GPU 1 vrm 1: 44 (dont know why is this difference btw gpu1 vrms)
> GPU 1 vrm 2: 37
> GPU 2 vrm 1 and 2: 39
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *****
> More photos here:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/584302/ocn-water-cooling-club-and-picture-gallery/31830#post_18578582
> *****


could be a number of things like thermal pad application. but your load temps are really low (maybe because of your ambient). mine goes up to 40C for one gpu.

anyway, have you posted here because that lovely build certainly deserves it . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/584302/ocn-water-cooling-club-and-picture-gallery


----------



## bluestang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Stock bios. I dont mess with bios so Im not 100% sure.


Do you know what version that stock BIOS is?

I just went to F3 BIOS, but not sure I want to stay there with it giving 1.25v on load with that stock F3 BIOS.


----------



## BradleyW

How does Vsync work when you use crossfire? Does it work any differently compared to using a single card?
Thanks!


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> How does Vsync work when you use crossfire? Does it work any differently compared to using a single card?
> Thanks!


Vsync caps the frame rate to your monitors refresh rate. It works the same way as it does on single gpu's vs muti gpus. That being the Gpu usage will drop when the FPS are higher than the cap. Most folks its 60fps, some folks its 120FPs on the 120hz monitors.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluestang*
> 
> Do you know what version that stock BIOS is?
> I just went to F3 BIOS, but not sure I want to stay there with it giving 1.25v on load with that stock F3 BIOS.


I really have no idea man look up my card lol. Its the Gigabyte WF3 900Mhz 7950


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> could be a number of things like thermal pad application. but your load temps are really low (maybe because of your ambient). mine goes up to 40C for one gpu.
> anyway, have you posted here because that lovely build certainly deserves it . . .
> http://www.overclock.net/t/584302/ocn-water-cooling-club-and-picture-gallery


I am not sure if it has to do with thermal pad application since the average temp of the 2 vrms of one card equals to the identical vrm temps of the other card. Also, when at idle, all vrm temps are equal ~ 29C.

I just wish i knew where vrm1 and vrm2 are located.

Anyway, still temps are pretty low in general, so i dont worry









Thanks for your kind words... I have posted more pictures here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/584302/ocn-water-cooling-club-and-picture-gallery/31830#post_18578582


----------



## Bal3Wolf

lol your vrms are great compared to mine running furmark mine hit 84c and 69c with my waterblock even took it off and put it back on same result.


----------



## Shiromar

Hey everyone, new to the red team. Just upgraded from the Gigabyte 570 Super Overclock to a Gigabyte 7950 and I'm loving the results so far! Just a few questions. Does ASIC really matter? On my 570 my ASIC was 93%, and the card certainly overclocked well beyond any other 570 in our overclocking thread. On my 7950 the ASIC is 57%, which is kind of worrying if it's really a semi important factor. My card came out of the box at 900 core 1250 memory @ 1.093v, is this high voltage for this clock or about normal? I have the card currently running at 1125/1400 @ 1.2v while I'm toying around with the settings. Max temps I've seen at this voltage is 65c core and 73c VRM while stressing under MSI Kombustor for some quick temp readings. So just a few questions; what's a decent overclock for a 7950, as well as maximum tolerable temperatures for both core and VRM, and what's more important for overclock, higher core or a mix of core and memory?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Hey everyone, new to the red team. Just upgraded from the Gigabyte 570 Super Overclock to a Gigabyte 7950 and I'm loving the results so far! Just a few questions. Does ASIC really matter? On my 570 my ASIC was 93%, and the card certainly overclocked well beyond any other 570 in our overclocking thread. On my 7950 the ASIC is 57%, which is kind of worrying if it's really a semi important factor. My card came out of the box at 900 core 1250 memory @ 1.093v, is this high voltage for this clock or about normal? I have the card currently running at 1125/1400 @ 1.2v while I'm toying around with the settings. Max temps I've seen at this voltage is 65c core and 73c VRM while stressing under MSI Kombustor for some quick temp readings. So just a few questions; what's a decent overclock for a 7950, as well as maximum tolerable temperatures for both core and VRM, and what's more important for overclock, higher core or a mix of core and memory?


My card is exactly the same out of the box, I assume you've got the Windfore 3x also?
I'm stable at 1100/1400 with 1.149v and a max temp of 78c with MSI Kombustor, my ASIC is something like 64.8% also. I bet if I tweaked it more I could either get the voltage down a bit or the core up more I just can't be stuffed with afterburner and unofficial OC limits.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Hey everyone, new to the red team. Just upgraded from the Gigabyte 570 Super Overclock to a Gigabyte 7950 and I'm loving the results so far! Just a few questions. Does ASIC really matter? On my 570 my ASIC was 93%, and the card certainly overclocked well beyond any other 570 in our overclocking thread. On my 7950 the ASIC is 57%, which is kind of worrying if it's really a semi important factor. My card came out of the box at 900 core 1250 memory @ 1.093v, is this high voltage for this clock or about normal? I have the card currently running at 1125/1400 @ 1.2v while I'm toying around with the settings. Max temps I've seen at this voltage is 65c core and 73c VRM while stressing under MSI Kombustor for some quick temp readings. So just a few questions; what's a decent overclock for a 7950, as well as maximum tolerable temperatures for both core and VRM, and what's more important for overclock, higher core or a mix of core and memory?


1100 - 1150 Mhz is decent. 1200 Mhz is very good . 1250 - 1300 Mhz is golden. Also the core clocks are most important. Get the highest core possible and then tweak memory. also don't use furmark or kombustor for stability testing. BF3, Heaven 3.0, 3D Mark 11 are quite a good indication of stability in real world apps.


----------



## Shiromar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> My card is exactly the same out of the box, I assume you've got the Windfore 3x also?
> I'm stable at 1100/1400 with 1.149v and a max temp of 78c with MSI Kombustor, my ASIC is something like 64.8% also. I bet if I tweaked it more I could either get the voltage down a bit or the core up more I just can't be stuffed with afterburner and unofficial OC limits.


Yup, Windorce x3 too. I'm mainly wondering what "safe" voltages and temps are so that I don't end up pushing the card too hard. I guess it truly doesn't matter much, considering out of the box the card maxes BF3. There's the addiction of overclocking new hardware though that I just can't get past!


----------



## Deo Domuique

As Wizard from Techpowerup said, Gigabyte is screening the cards. All Windforce cards have low ASIC quality. My previous had 71% and now 62%. I don't know why they do that. That's the reason on their new 1Ghz BIOS they use insane amount of Voltage ( 1.2+ ), obviously to make sure it will work on all cards without problem.

Since Gigabyte officially applies 1.2+V, I would take that as limit. Although, I find it too much. Like you, both cards for 1.1Ghz needed 1.149V.

Personally I'd prefer 80+ ASIC quality. This card is like broken ( 62% ). 1.093V default voltage while the previous ( 71% ) had 1.031V. Imagine 80+... Below 1V.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Yup, Windorce x3 too. I'm mainly wondering what "safe" voltages and temps are so that I don't end up pushing the card too hard. I guess it truly doesn't matter much, considering out of the box the card maxes BF3. There's the addiction of overclocking new hardware though that I just can't get past!


Same!









1.3v is a bit high for 24/7 on air, my limit that I'd do personally is 1.25v in all reality.. Though 1.3v might be OK if you've got good cooling. Temps, well you really want to stay below 80c but the low-mid 80's should be OK as long as it's stable. As for the memory voltage from what I've seen 1.7v should be fine, MSI AB wants to give the memory 1.6v for some reason at stock but it runs fine at 1250MHz with 1.5v however. I've got it at 1400 at 1.6v (stock) if you didn't see in my rig.


----------



## Shiromar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Same!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1.3v is a bit high for 24/7 on air, my limit that I'd do personally is 1.25v in all reality.. Though 1.3v might be OK if you've got good cooling. Temps, well you really want to stay below 80c but the low-mid 80's should be OK as long as it's stable. As for the memory voltage from what I've seen 1.7v should be fine, MSI AB wants to give the memory 1.6v for some reason at stock but it runs fine at 1250MHz with 1.5v however. I've got it at 1400 at 1.6v (stock) if you didn't see in my rig.


Alright, I'm comfortable with my current overclock of 1125/1400 @ 1.2v and 1.5v memory which is netting 80-90 fps in BF3 @ultra, which is good enough for tonight. When I have time I'll sit down and find tune and tweak until I can find a comfortable max.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Alright, I'm comfortable with my current overclock of 1125/1400 @ 1.2v and 1.5v memory which is netting 80-90 fps in BF3 @ultra, which is good enough for tonight. When I have time I'll sit down and find tune and tweak until I can find a comfortable max.


Nice, same. I'm rather happy with mine at 1.149v for 1100MHz (maxing the slider in AB) and 1400MHz on the memory. I plan to play with it after exams and such, my card gets rather hot though. The VRM's are really terrible and there's no way to check the temps either.


----------



## ahimoth

Hey guys I was wondering which 7950 is the best one to buy? I'll be water cooling it so cooling isn't really an issue, just which once can I overclock the most or which one has the best performance.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahimoth*
> 
> Hey guys I was wondering which 7950 is the best one to buy? I'll be water cooling it so cooling isn't really an issue, just which once can I overclock the most or which one has the best performance.


If you want to watercool if you'll want a reference card so you can get a full cover waterblock..
If that is the case just get a cheap reference 7950 or a HIS IceQ 7950 like mine as that is reference too, whichever is cheaper I suppose.


----------



## Shiromar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Nice, same. I'm rather happy with mine at 1.149v for 1100MHz (maxing the slider in AB) and 1400MHz on the memory. I plan to play with it after exams and such, my card gets rather hot though. The VRM's are really terrible and there's no way to check the temps either.


Use GPU-Z to montior the VRM temps, that's what I'm using.


----------



## 2002dunx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> As Wizard from Techpowerup said, Gigabyte is screening the cards. All Windforce cards have low ASIC quality. My previous had 71% and now 62%. I don't know why they do that. That's the reason on their new 1Ghz BIOS they use insane amount of Voltage ( 1.2+ ), obviously to make sure it will work on all cards without problem.
> Since Gigabyte officially applies 1.2+V, I would take that as limit. Although, I find it too much. Like you, both cards for 1.1Ghz needed 1.149V.
> Personally I'd prefer 80+ ASIC quality. This card is like broken ( 62% ). 1.093V default voltage while the previous ( 71% ) had 1.031V. Imagine 80+... Below 1V.


My HD7950 has an ASIC of >88% but is still at 1.03V, but is currently @1100/1450 using MSI AB. No power settings altered.

dunx

P.S. Maximum now 1140/1550 at stock power and volts....


----------



## Deo Domuique

lol, with 1.031V you can achieve 1100Mhz? Now that's a card...

Is it reference AMD7950? You're lucky.

Incidentally, I thought I saw some dudes with such high ASIC reporting lower default voltage. I might be wrong.


----------



## Sasasd

MSI AB shows 0,993v stock voltage for my 7950. 1100/1500 is stable with 1,040v (MSI AB voltage). Gpu-z shows like 1,02-1,03v. So is that real voltage? Temps with 1,040v are 70s when playing and VRMs little bit higher. BTW, this is MSI twin frozr OC version card.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Hey everyone, new to the red team. Just upgraded from the Gigabyte 570 Super Overclock to a Gigabyte 7950 and I'm loving the results so far! Just a few questions. Does ASIC really matter? On my 570 my ASIC was 93%, and the card certainly overclocked well beyond any other 570 in our overclocking thread. On my 7950 the ASIC is 57%, which is kind of worrying if it's really a semi important factor. My card came out of the box at 900 core 1250 memory @ 1.093v, is this high voltage for this clock or about normal? I have the card currently running at 1125/1400 @ 1.2v while I'm toying around with the settings. Max temps I've seen at this voltage is 65c core and 73c VRM while stressing under MSI Kombustor for some quick temp readings. So just a few questions; what's a decent overclock for a 7950, as well as maximum tolerable temperatures for both core and VRM, and what's more important for overclock, higher core or a mix of core and memory?


ASIC doesnt mean anything except whether it will take you more or less voltage to achieve your max OC.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Alright, I'm comfortable with my current overclock of 1125/1400 @ 1.2v and 1.5v memory which is netting 80-90 fps in BF3 @ultra, which is good enough for tonight. When I have time I'll sit down and find tune and tweak until I can find a comfortable max.


what are your core and VRM temps. you could push higher to 1.25v and aim for 1200 Mhz provided you can keep core temps below 70c and VRM temps below 90c under load.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ahimoth*
> 
> Hey guys I was wondering which 7950 is the best one to buy? I'll be water cooling it so cooling isn't really an issue, just which once can I overclock the most or which one has the best performance.


EK 7950 fits my Gigabyte 7950 Windforce like a glove.

Had the cards in crossfire and was doing 1150mhz daily so hopefully I can up it up a bit with WCing.


----------



## Ganf

Who here would like for the OP to add a list of the cards that're voltage locked and the cards that aren't? There are so many questions in this thread and the rest of the sub-forum about this one subject that it deserves a guide in my opinion.


----------



## Shiromar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> 
> MSI AB shows 0,993v stock voltage for my 7950. 1100/1500 is stable with 1,040v (MSI AB voltage). Gpu-z shows like 1,02-1,03v. So is that real voltage? Temps with 1,040v are 70s when playing and VRMs little bit higher. BTW, this is MSI twin frozr OC version card.


Nice looking clocks for the voltage, it definitely pays off to have a better quality card when it comes to the clocks. Is that the current 6+6 TF or the one based on the 7970 board?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> ASIC doesnt mean anything except whether it will take you more or less voltage to achieve your max OC.


Yeah, but when you're pushing .16v more than someone else's card for the same overclock, isn't that a bit worrying?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> what are your core and VRM temps. you could push higher to 1.25v and aim for 1200 Mhz provided you can keep core temps below 70c and VRM temps below 90c under load.


While playing BF3 the highest temps I saw were 55c and 62c on VRM, definitely within safe limits. Running a stress test like Kombustor they spike a bit, but I'm only worried about real scenarios.


----------



## BradleyW

Beta version 7 of the 12.11's are now on the AMD website. (I'm still on version 4, will upgrade soon)


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Who here would like for the OP to add a list of the cards that're voltage locked and the cards that aren't? There are so many questions in this thread and the rest of the sub-forum about this one subject that it deserves a guide in my opinion.


That might be hard to do sence it seems people buy the same card and sometimes its unlocked and other times its locked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Beta version 7 of the 12.11's are now on the AMD website. (I'm still on version 4, will upgrade soon)


i got them to im on beta 6 anyone know what beta 7 fixes.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> That might be hard to do sence it seems people buy the same card and sometimes its unlocked and other times its locked.
> i got them to im on beta 6 anyone know what beta 7 fixes.


I THINK beta 7 might increase fps on cod illuminati ops 2, I mean black ops 2.
I was wondering if anyone has black borders in games on HDMI, even with the overscan feature on full?
Cheers.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I THINK beta 7 might increase fps on cod illuminati ops 2, I mean black ops 2.
> I was wondering if anyone has black borders in games on HDMI, even with the overscan feature on full?
> Cheers.


yea for crossfire it seems.
Quote:


> Additional update found in AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta7
> Call of Duty Black Ops 2: AMD CrossFire performance has been improved in the AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta7 release (especially at higher resolutions - such as 2560x1600)
> Please note that AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta 7 includes all of the fixes found in previous versions of AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Nice looking clocks for the voltage, it definitely pays off to have a better quality card when it comes to the clocks. Is that the current 6+6 TF or the one based on the 7970 board?


Card has 8+6 pin power connectors so it's based on the 7970 board?


----------



## rck1984

Got my crossfire 7950 setup stable @ 1100/1450 @ 1.128v right now.
Though my 600T isn't known for the best airflow.. Therefore i had to install a 120mm fan, blowing onto both cards.
Temps are lowered by about 6 degrees, highest temps while gaming are about 72c now.


Corsair Graphite 600T by Rck1984F, on Flickr

Sapphire 7950 OC Edition CFX by Rck1984F, on Flickr


----------



## Honk5891

[quote name="Shiromar" url="/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/17870#post_18593859" Yeah, but when you're pushing .16v more than someone else's card for the same overclock, isn't that a bit worrying? [/quote]

Not even a little bit..... As long as your temps are good who cares lol. And it also depends on what your card can overclock to in the first place.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> That might be hard to do sence it seems people buy the same card and sometimes its unlocked and other times its locked.
> i got them to im on beta 6 anyone know what beta 7 fixes.


Supplying revision and production #'s will help with this. I think.... Either way it's a hell of a lot better than shooting in the dark. At least people will know when they buy a certain card that it has the possibility of being voltage locked, and they won't have to sift through pages of threads to learn this.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Supplying revision and production #'s will help with this. I think.... Either way it's a hell of a lot better than shooting in the dark. At least people will know when they buy a certain card that it has the possibility of being voltage locked, and they won't have to sift through pages of threads to learn this.


that is true







wont you make a thread and collect the data for the op


----------



## ADHDadditiv

I am a soon to be owner, which 7970 should I get though, I really want one with unlocked voltage, but thats quite hard to find now...
Other then that I should have one on order on black friday!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Supplying revision and production #'s will help with this. I think.... Either way it's a hell of a lot better than shooting in the dark. At least people will know when they buy a certain card that it has the possibility of being voltage locked, and they won't have to sift through pages of threads to learn this.


It's possible to do this, but it might be a little tedious to keep up to date with all the board revisions.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> It's possible to do this, but it might be a little tedious to keep up to date with all the board revisions.


Would it be easier to just add a couple columns to the spreadsheet? I'm not sure if you can set it up so people can update their entries, but if anything people can just double up, and the spreadsheet can be cleaned out every month or two? I dunno, I don't play with google docs as much as I should, I'll leave it to you.

Edit: Scratch doubling up, I just saw that it's organized by timestamp. That would be hell to clean up.


----------



## nigelreloaded

i upgraded to a 1080p 24" monitor and i think my 7850 is coming up short should i buy 7950 now or wait for next gen card?


----------



## MykaAurora

Count me in the club.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Count me in the club.


quickest and easiest way to join would be to fill out the form in the first post


----------



## Matt-Matt

Does anyone have any information on reference 7950's and VRM temperature software? I can't seem to find ANYTHING that actually displays it as anything apart from 24c constantly.. Might even RMA as it's useless because I can't tell..


----------



## Bal3Wolf

gpuz should or look and see if HIS makes any software for your gpu.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> quickest and easiest way to join would be to fill out the form in the first post


Done it.. Thanks!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> gpuz should or look and see if HIS makes any software for your gpu.


GPU-Z doesn't state it from what I remember.. I'll try the latest version though! Thanks +rep
I'll also try HIS boost software which I can't remember the name of for the love of god.


----------



## darkspikex

Hey guys i just did something incredibly stupid on my his 7970 that i now need the bios







. Does anybody have a bios i could use ?.

If its any help here are the numbers on the white sticker on the back of the card.
SV2-31F-A
SV2G01301
3GB M12-115
1243A-14 DB 12040-039
H5GQ2H24AFR-R0C
H797F3G2M


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ADHDadditiv*
> 
> I am a soon to be owner, which 7970 should I get though, I really want one with unlocked voltage, but thats quite hard to find now...
> Other then that I should have one on order on black friday!


Gigabyte Windforce, MSI Twin Frozer.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkspikex*
> 
> Hey guys i just did something incredibly stupid on my his 7970 that i now need the bios
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Does anybody have a bios i could use ?.
> If its any help here are the numbers on the white sticker on the back of the card.
> SV2-31F-A
> SV2G01301
> 3GB M12-115
> 1243A-14 DB 12040-039
> H5GQ2H24AFR-R0C
> *H797F3G2M*


Last code is the model No.
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/116056/HIS.HD7970.3072.120105.html

You've been lucky, remember to backup next time!


----------



## darkspikex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Last code is the model No.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/116056/HIS.HD7970.3072.120105.html
> You've been lucky, remember to backup next time!


Yea realised i didnt make a backup when it was too late


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkspikex*
> 
> Yea realised i didnt make a backup when it was too late


Next time you could also flick to BIOS #2 on the card with the switch and then save that and flash it to slot #1.


----------



## darkspikex

Yea thats where i whent ****** and flashed the same thing on bios 2 knowing i messed bios 1 up.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkspikex*
> 
> Yea thats where i whent ****** and flashed the same thing on bios 2 knowing i messed bios 1 up.


How did you manage that? Surely BIOS 2 is locked?
Oh well did you get the card working again with the BIOS I posted?


----------



## darkspikex

Nope gpu-z still sees it as a standard vga grafics card and everything else displays the wrong values except the clocks.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkspikex*
> 
> Yea thats where i whent ****** and flashed the same thing on bios 2 knowing i messed bios 1 up.


Ouch, hopefully yuo can get it back to working using the DOS based ATIFlash tool. I know my 7950's BIOS #1 is actually locked to the 800 MHz BIOS and can't be changed. My BIOS #2 currently has the 925 MHz Boost BIOS though. I'm thinking I might play around with trying a 7970 BIOS on it. Is there a 7950 GHz BIOS at all?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

atiflash should flash it i bricked my bios on my card not both but i didnt thk mine had dual bios cause i coudnt find it. You might need to try a few differt bios vers till you find one works right for your card i linked a post where i show how to use atiflash and the files needed to make a usb bootdisk also where to get aitflash. And remmber worse case you can install another card in slot one and put the 79xx in slot 2 just make sure your flashing the right card.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/17500_100#post_18513892


----------



## darkspikex

yes already tryed that tool with most of the his bios at techpowerup.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

might try other brands based on what type card you have should flash it to the unlocked bios also iv heard people that bricked the locked couldnt get it to work again.


----------



## darkspikex

other brand also not working.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darkspikex*
> 
> other brand also not working.


Does it even post right ?


----------



## darkspikex

let me post a screenshot so you can see the problem

standaard vga grafische adapter = standard vga graphics adapter

also when i install the ati drivers they give me a bsod with bios errors


----------



## ADHDadditiv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Gigabyte Windforce, MSI Twin Frozer.


You sure? I've heard that the gigabyte and MSI are now locked with the latest batches


----------



## Bal3Wolf

have you tried uninstalling drivers then using driver sweeper/driver fusion to remove all traces. When i was flashing my card sometimes i would get a bsod unless i cleaned up my driivers real good.


----------



## darkspikex

alright using an asus bios i found in this thread i managed to get most of the fields to show data except the name and memory size those are still not showing anything usefull


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ADHDadditiv*
> 
> You sure? I've heard that the gigabyte and MSI are now locked with the latest batches


Just got this MSI 7950 TFIII last week from Newegg:


----------



## 12Cores

In the market for a 7970, can someone recommend a good voltage unlocked version for less than $450. The cheaper the better I am going to watercolor the card, so I just need to know the cheapest version with unlocked voltage. Thanks in advance!


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Do vrm temps affect clocks that much, my vrms have hit 91c in furmark even with a waterblock its been buggin me so i searched around and found the printout that tells you what vrms pads are used the guy installed the wrong pads on the vrms it called for .5mm and he used 1mm so i fixed that and now my card runs 1150 on stock volts time to see if she will overclock better and in furmark they dont pass 61c now with my waterloop just put back together so they could drop some still.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

yeah 91C is too hot with a waterblock (meaning poor contact). sounds like a plastigauge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastigauge) would show the flaw; for use "Wherever it is required to determine the separation between hidden surfaces."

Generally, hotter silicon is less stable/reliable, which means you're more likely to pop something and have a dead card. at mid to low 60ºs C, I'd not hesitate to push hard - 90ºC is "too hot" for OCing in my book. Depending on water temps, you can probably still do better (I've heard of lots of folks in the 40-50ºC full load range).


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> yeah 91C is too hot with a waterblock (meaning poor contact). sounds like a plastigauge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastigauge) would show the flaw; for use "Wherever it is required to determine the separation between hidden surfaces."
> Generally, hotter silicon is less stable/reliable, which means you're more likely to pop something and have a dead card. at mid to low 60ºs C, I'd not hesitate to push hard - 90ºC is "too hot" for OCing in my book. Depending on water temps, you can probably still do better (I've heard of lots of folks in the 40-50ºC full load range).


Yea i didnt put the block on the guy i bought it from did and it bugged me so i finaly fixed it i used left over pads so i could get better temps if i order some new ones maybe. Furmark tops out at 61c now and games seem to stay under 50c on vrms and it looks like 1200mhz is stable with 1.29 where befor it waset stable with any volts.


----------



## tsm106

The sellers bad install probably led to his decision to sell it.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The sellers bad install probably led to his decision to sell it.


Im thinking the same thing lol it is stable at 1200 needs alot of volts 1.29 and runs 1150 on 1.18 it should benchmark higher then 1225 now lol befor 1200 was not stable in games been basing the voltage off artifacts i see in sniper v2 will test in more games it might do 1200 on less volts. All new oc settings now lol sence vrms were holding it back befor. Cant complain at all for 400 shipped card with a waterblock that runs 1200 even if it needs juice and has unlocked voltage control.


----------



## Gir

Received my Gigabyte 7950 Windforce 3 in today. Here's my results so far. Going to try pushing a little more tomorrow. Hopefully 1.3Ghz / 7.6Ghz is possible. Highest the GPU temp went was 63 in my tech bench.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4940270


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gir*
> 
> Received my Gigabyte 7950 Windforce 3 in today. Here's my results so far. Going to try pushing a little more tomorrow. Hopefully 1.3Ghz / 7.6Ghz is possible. Highest the GPU temp went was 63 in my tech bench.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4940270


Nice score!









Here's my refresh -- I swapped out some 1600Mhz DDR3 for some 2133Mhz DDR3:


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gir*
> 
> Received my Gigabyte 7950 Windforce 3 in today. Here's my results so far. Going to try pushing a little more tomorrow. Hopefully 1.3Ghz / 7.6Ghz is possible. Highest the GPU temp went was 63 in my tech bench. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4940270


awesome score . is the 1250 Mhz stable in games. test in BF3, Crysis 2 to get an idea of stability. congrats on a golden HD 7950


----------



## SkateZilla

SMH, Hmmm..
My 7950 Gets 7830 ish on 950 Mhz...

Man Cat 12.7 must really suck.. lol.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> SMH, Hmmm..
> My 7950 Gets 7830 ish on 950 Mhz...
> Man Cat 12.7 must really suck.. lol.


lol cat 12.11beta 7 got a huge boost in alot of games and even heavin and 3dmark.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> lol cat 12.11beta 7 got a huge boost in alot of games and even heavin and 3dmark.


Any of the 12.11 beta drivers give a BIG INCREASE to performance in most things. So much of a performance increase we are talking a 7970 taking the crown from the GTX 680. and the 7970 ghz being on a whole different level. The 7950 WALKS all over the 660ti now as well. It also beats out the 670 when its overclocked.

from a driver i will take it.


----------



## SkateZilla

so I should go ahead and update then?

i was debating cuz 12.8 and 9 were a disaster.


----------



## meddle3

Trying to decide on which PSU purchase; my setup would be a i5-3570k and a 7970. Would there be any problems if I were to choose this 550W PSU? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151119

Will that PSU be sufficient for my system? More importantly, would it be able to handle it on a OC load? If not, what wattage should I be looking at, considering my setup?


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> Trying to decide on which PSU purchase; my setup would be a i5-3570k and a 7970. Would there be any problems if I were to choose this 550W PSU? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151119
> Will that PSU be sufficient for my system? More importantly, would it be able to handle it on a OC load? If not, what wattage should I be looking at, considering my setup?


You can use this tool for basic calculation of what watts are needed for your components

7970 needs a 750 Watt power supply unit as minimum.

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp


----------



## Andrazh

Thats ignorant. 7970 doesn't need 750W. With 750W you can run 2 of them. 550W is enough for 1 if you buy a quality PSU.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Thats ignorant. 7970 doesn't need 750W. With 750W you can run 2 of them. 550W is enough for 1 if you buy a quality PSU.


sure it could use only a 550watt @ stock settings,but he wants to OC it too, duh.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Thats ignorant. 7970 doesn't need 750W. With 750W you can run 2 of them. 550W is enough for 1 if you buy a quality PSU.


Agreed.

Amd recommends a 500 watt power supply min. If your overclocking the gpu and cpu, then might want to go with a 550-600 watt one.


----------



## bluestang

My rig setup below is OC'd and pulls ~320w max from the wall fully loaded when GPU crunching.

I'm running a 550w PSU, but it is rated a continuous 550w.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Thats ignorant. 7970 doesn't need 750W. With 750W you can run 2 of them. 550W is enough for 1 if you buy a quality PSU.


thought I put 500watts minimum on 7970, my bad.


----------



## ADHDadditiv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> sure it could use only a 550watt @ stock settings,but he wants to OC it too, duh.


Ha, thats funny. My friend owns 2 7970's, both oc to 1200mhz and he draws a total (including the rest of the system, including his OC'ed 3570k) of 735 watts


----------



## Stealth Pyros

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Thats ignorant. 7970 doesn't need 750W. With 750W you can run 2 of them. 550W is enough for 1 if you buy a quality PSU.
> 
> 
> 
> sure it could use only a 550watt @ stock settings,but he wants to OC it too, duh.
Click to expand...

750W will handle *2* 7970s, and overclocked... (I see this might have been a typo but I figured I'd chime in and confirm for those asking about it). I'm of course automatically referring to quality 750W PSUs, as going with some generic garbage is sure to kill itself and/or your hardware and/or you.


----------



## meddle3

Thanks for the responses. So from the sounds of it, a gold 550w PSU will be cutting it too close. Then I'll probably just get a bronze 650w.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth Pyros*
> 
> 750W will handle *2* 7970s, and overclocked... (I see this might have been a typo but I figured I'd chime in and confirm for those asking about it). I'm of course automatically referring to quality 750W PSUs, as going with some generic garbage is sure to kill itself and/or your hardware and/or you.


Hey do you know how much power your system draws? Mine seems to be somewhat similar to yours.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

has anyone ran over 1.30 for gaming my card will do 1150 on 1.17/1.18 but 1200 still shows some artifacts at 1.30 it seems like it would be stable with 1.31-1.32.


----------



## Stealth Pyros

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> Thanks for the responses. So from the sounds of it, a gold 550w PSU will be cutting it too close. Then I'll probably just get a bronze 650w.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stealth Pyros*
> 
> 750W will handle *2* 7970s, and overclocked... (I see this might have been a typo but I figured I'd chime in and confirm for those asking about it). I'm of course automatically referring to quality 750W PSUs, as going with some generic garbage is sure to kill itself and/or your hardware and/or you.
> 
> 
> 
> Hey do you know how much power your system draws? Mine seems to be somewhat similar to yours.
Click to expand...

No clue, but I have my CPU and 7970 overclocked with no power issues. I also had 2 570s before my 7970, so it has to be well below 750W.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

hmm turns out my card is stable at 1200 with 1.306 lol 1 notch more then msi ab lets me use anyway to force it to save that voltage i dont like trixx much msi ab is so much easyer to use and change profiles.


----------



## Cyph3r

Hey all, just been playing around with my R7950 TFIII... With a voltage of 1.050v I can get 1100mhz on the core. But more interestingly at 1.15v I can get *1250mhz* on the core, with the fan at 100% (loud) the max temp is 72c and here's my 3DMark11 score:









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4947097

Is that a good score? Blows my old GTX670 out of the water at any rate.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cyph3r*
> 
> Hey all, just been playing around with my R7950 TFIII... With a voltage of 1.050v I can get 1100mhz on the core. But more interestingly at 1.15v I can get *1250mhz* on the core, with the fan at 100% (loud) the max temp is 72c and here's my 3DMark11 score:
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4947097
> 
> Is that a good score? Blows my old GTX670 out of the water at any rate.


yep that is a decent score


----------



## sullivan0531

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> I am getting about 50 FPS in GW2 90 in MW3 70 in BF3 These are all at ultra/maxed out settings.
> Haven results
> http://s1307.beta.photobucket.com/user/KamikazeRainbowz/media/Dwm2012-11-0615-59-46-78.jpg.html
> ~Neon






 this is gw2 with mine sorry bout quality but screen recorder killes fps so i used phone


----------



## Bal3Wolf

a Heads up for you guys my modded drivers i made for boinc work for folding also i put the 12.4 opencl drivers in the 12.11 beta 7 drivers you get the boost in games and still fold and boinc at full speed. I posted this in the folding forums but figure i will drop it here if any of you boinc or fold and still like the 12.11 drivers.



http://darkryder.com/files/Drivers/AMD_Catalyst_12.11_Beta7_opencl_12.4_modded.rar

On another note looks like fixing my vrm temps and changing the setting in msi afterburner Graphics processor type to 1175 form 1025 has helped me get 1200mhz stable on 1.262 cards not a dud after all.


----------



## lootbag

I am thinking of buying two of these: http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=67605&vpn=R7970-2PMD3GD5&manufacture=MSI%2FMicroStar

Good deal?
Hopefully they are voltage unlocked as I would put waterblocks on them and OC!


----------



## bluestang

Gigabyte Windforce3 7950 here that came with F2 firmware and 1.09v stock @ 900/1250 core(low ASIC) I took it to 1000/1250 right away with no issues. Then flashed to F3 firmware and am running 1100/1250 at the default 1.25v that the F3 provides. Current max temps when loaded running 8 instances of Help Conquer Cancer GPU on World Community Grid are 56 core and 62/63 VRMs. I'm hoping for 1200 a the the same volts with minimal temp increase since I have a low ASIC.


----------



## TarballX

Is there a difference between VDDC and core voltage? I'm a little confused on what my 7950 is actually running at.. OpenHardwareMonitor and HWiNFO show a core voltage of 1.25v under load. GPU-z shows a max of 1.156v VDDC under load, and Afterburner shows about the same: 1.168v GPU voltage under load.


----------



## Overclocker.Monster

Which is Sapphire Trixx Mod site?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> has anyone ran over 1.30 for gaming my card will do 1150 on 1.17/1.18 but 1200 still shows some artifacts at 1.30 it seems like it would be stable with 1.31-1.32.


It will not be stable @ 1.3+. trust me. I have same card. Its all down to temps. If i keep under 45C i can hit 1250Mhz @ 1.3v Anything higher cant go over 1185Mhz


----------



## Bal3Wolf

well when i changed Graphics processor type to 1175 in msi i can run 1200 on 1.26 in nearly all games sniper v2 is only one that artifacts a little.


----------



## SkateZilla

7506 With Cat 12.7, Stock clocks (900Mhz/1250)
7837 With Cat 12.7 overclocked to 950Mhz/1250

8417 with Cat 12.11B7 Stock Clocks (900Mhz GPU, 1250 MEM), No Power Adjustment.

8508 With Cat 12.11B7 900Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +10% Power.

8939 With Cat 12.11B7 950Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +10% Power.

0000 With Cat 12.11B7 975Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM +10% Power. , Locks up 2 seconds into the first test.

9134 With Cat 12.11B7 975MHZ GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +10 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.1V from 1.087

9522 with Cat 12.11B7 1025Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +10 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.1v from, 1.087
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4949542

9701 With Cat 12.11By 1050Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +15 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.150 from 1.087.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4949637

9864 With Cat 12.11B7 1075Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +15 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.150 From 1.087
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4949667

10112 With Cat 12.11B7 1108Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +15 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.150 From 1.087
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4949710

Max temp in the last 3 runs ere 48^C

At this point I think my CPU is limiting the score in the last 2 tests, as i only get like 16.5/18.1 frames/sec MAX.
I think i still have all the power saving crap turned on to save heat from the summer, but I lost my notes with my 4Ghz Overlock settings.

I'll most likely return to stock 900/1250, as BF3 was smooth for me in 12.7 so should be smoother in 12.11B7 without O/C.

The last OC of 1108 Mhz/1500Mhz, actually beats a few 7970s Running at 1100Mhz from what i see.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TarballX*
> 
> Is there a difference between VDDC and core voltage? I'm a little confused on what my 7950 is actually running at.. OpenHardwareMonitor and HWiNFO show a core voltage of 1.25v under load. GPU-z shows a max of 1.156v VDDC under load, and Afterburner shows about the same: 1.168v GPU voltage under load.


I know that your core voltage probably isn't 1.25v, I have no idea what it'd be but I'm almost certain that your card would be at 1.156v if it's running a mediocre overclock or a really bad card. Albeit software is really bad, what have you got it set to in MSI AB or whatever program you're using?

Also, a 550W+ unit will be good. AMD suggest a 500W unit but I'd suggest a 600W to keep it closer to 90% efficiency.. Especially if you're running a few hard drives/fans etc and it's all overclocked. It also gives you some room down the line for a better CPU also.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

I'm a bit late, but getting my Sapphire 7950 next week wtih the mail!
*happyface*


----------



## SonDa5

Finally got my 5GHZ 3570k benching in order. Will be tweaking this score.










http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4951060


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Finally got my 5GHZ 3570k benching in order. Will be tweaking this score.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4951060


Nice CPU score. Makes me want to OC higher.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Finally got my 5GHZ 3570k benching in order. Will be tweaking this score.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4951060


nice, i was running stable loops at 1108Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM at 1150mv last night, i dunno how much higher i can get on 1150mv, i didnt want to go above that


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Nice CPU score. Makes me want to OC higher.


Make me want to upgrade to 3770k....


----------



## SkateZilla

my CPU Score is Abysmal, lol, i left power/temp saving BIOS options on and removed my Overclock in the summer and lost my notes with settings, so I just left it at default 3.2Ghz, Durring the Physics test CPO Spooled up to 3.4Ghz for a sec then went down to below 3.0Ghz at one point. Temps never exceeded 11^C.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Make me want to upgrade to 3770k....


HT is fake score. 5Ghz thing is true power.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> HT is fake score. 5Ghz thing is true power.


Tell me more.


----------



## y2kcamaross

*sigh*my 7970s that were supposed to be delivered yesterday had a UPS "exception"and now aren't scheduled to be here until Wednesday


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> *sigh*my 7970s that were supposed to be delivered yesterday had a UPS "
> exception"and now aren't scheduled to be here until Wednesday


Don't get me started on ups's exception status!!! I had a package pure on exception that ended up being delayed for a week. The whole week it was sitting at the depot in the town next over from me which i can literally walk to in 10 minutes. I called several times trying to see if i could just go pick it up myself. They wouldnt let me pick it up and wouldnt tell me gem it would be delivered. Not even an estimate on delivery. I hate UPS!!!


----------



## MooMoo

Does anybody know good cooling solution than water cooling (or other that costs 200$/€) to Gigabyte 7950 VRMs? I got these heatsinks that came with Arctic cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 and they just suck. Can't up voltage that much so I could overclock it


----------



## ElGreco

*AMD Catalyst™ 12.11 Beta 8 Driver*

Last Updated
11/16/2012 
Article Number
GPU-177

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst1211betadriver.aspx

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AMD CATALYST 12.11 BETA8 DRIVER

AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta8 is now available, and includes the following updates:
(Please note that AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta8 includes all of the fixes found in previous versions of AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta)

Improves performance up to 5% in Max Payne 3
Includes single GPU performance updates for Far Cry 3
Improves CrossFire scaling for Planetside 2 (Crossfire scaling is still limited to ~30% at 2560x1600)
Resolves the Skyrim lighting issue (missing a lighting pass) for the AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
Resolves the hang encountered playing Dishonored on the AMD Radeon HD 6000 and AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series
AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta 8 for Linux includes significant performance improvements for Left for Dead 2


----------



## InsideJob

Just a note to all those talking about required PSU wattage. I run my system [AMD Phenom II X4 960T, 8GB RAM, 2 ~500GB HDDs, MSI 970A-G46 and my reference 7970] off a 500W PC Power&Cooling Silencer MKIII with no problems


----------



## bluestang

Is it worth taking the my 7950 Windforce3 cooler off to apply some Arctic Ceramique or is the stock TIM sufficient?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluestang*
> 
> Is it worth taking the my 7950 Windforce3 cooler off to apply some Arctic Ceramique or is the stock TIM sufficient?


if temps are good don't mess with the cooler.


----------



## rubixcube101

I had 4 nvidia cards before i decided to get my 7970, and never had an issue with them. Now that i have it i constantly get bsod, game crashes, flickering you name it on every single driver! There's not one that has absolutely 100% performance! i dont understand









AMD should really concentrate on the foundations first before trying to get performance.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> I had 4 nvidia cards before i decided to get my 7970, and never had an issue with them. Now that i have it i constantly get bsod, game crashes, flickering you name it on every single driver! There's not one that has absolutely 100% performance! i dont understand
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD should really concentrate on the foundations first before trying to get performance.


Are you using Beta Driver? As far as i know having single HD 7970 i did not have much problems after 12.6 Driver. BSOD, Game Crasher are not caused by driver. Look at ur other system part or unstable OC.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Are you using Beta Driver? As far as i know having single HD 7970 i did not have much problems after 12.6 Driver. BSOD, Game Crasher are not caused by driver. Look at ur other system part or unstable OC.


This. Also I would recommend a reformat when moving from nvidia to AMD.


----------



## MykaAurora

A question, is 650W enough for OCed 3930k + OCed Matrix 7970 , with Liquid Cooling.?


----------



## antonis21

I wouldnt recommend 650w psu for these pc gear


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Does anybody know good cooling solution than water cooling (or other that costs 200$/€) to Gigabyte 7950 VRMs? I got these heatsinks that came with Arctic cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970 and they just suck. Can't up voltage that much so I could overclock it


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluestang*
> 
> Is it worth taking the my 7950 Windforce3 cooler off to apply some Arctic Ceramique or is the stock TIM sufficient?


If your temps are good I would leave it alone. But if you plan on oc'ing it or pushing it hard then yes. Changing out the stock tim for a good aftermarket tim is a very good idea. The stock stuff is ok but not that great. Personally the first thing I do whenever I get a new gpu is swap out the tim before even installing it in my rig. Well I'll test it to make sure it works first of course.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> I had 4 nvidia cards before i decided to get my 7970, and never had an issue with them. Now that i have it i constantly get bsod, game crashes, flickering you name it on every single driver! There's not one that has absolutely 100% performance! i dont understand
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD should really concentrate on the foundations first before trying to get performance.


That's very wierd having issues like that with a single card. You should always try wiping all your old nvidi drivers off your rig before installing the AMD drivers. Most likely your drivers issues are not due to bad drivers but a conflict somewhere in your registry or between something left behind from you old nvidia drivers and the new AMD drivers. If you could do it I would recommend actually doing a full clean install of everything. Like that you are 100% sure there is nothing nvidia related left behind that will conflict with your amd drivers. Let us know if you try wiping your drivers or reinstalling everything and how it worked out.I have gone from nividia to amd and vice cersa and never had a serious issue like what you are having. But I always did what I just recommended also. At the moment my rig is on it's 3rd 7970. I went from a reference clock 7970 to a XFX Black Edition 7970 clocked at 1000Mhz core and now a PowerColor 7970 at 110core which of course I oc'd alil more. But I haven't had any driver issues yet. And I'm using ccc 12.11 beta


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> A question, is 650W enough for OCed 3930k + OCed Matrix 7970 , with Liquid Cooling.?


I would say yes 650 watts is enough for a 3930K and a single 7970 with a full loop. You have to remember these newer gpu's are more efficient than the older gens and so are the newer cpu's. But if you could get something alil stronger for a psu I would do it. Iactually ran a 2500k oc'd to 4.8 24/7 and Crossfired 6870's on a cpu only water loop with a 550 watt psu for about 5 months with zero issues. I ended up changing rigs but if I still had it I'm sure it would've still been running fine. Right now I have a 2700k oc'd to 4.9 24/7 a single 7970 lightly oc'd and a full loop this time pluss all the fans and hue lighting running off of a 750 watt psu. I also have a second 7970 for crossfire that I decided to take out until I got a second monitor and the 750 ran both of them just fine.

Sorry for the double post. Didn't see this post until after I replied to the others. I guess I was speeding alil.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> I had 4 nvidia cards before i decided to get my 7970, and never had an issue with them. Now that i have it i constantly get bsod, game crashes, flickering you name it on every single driver! There's not one that has absolutely 100% performance! i dont understand
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD should really concentrate on the foundations first before trying to get performance.


Did you uninstall drivers properly? Have you tried to reinstall windows?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> If your temps are good I would leave it alone. But if you plan on oc'ing it or pushing it hard then yes. Changing out the stock tim for a good aftermarket tim is a very good idea. The stock stuff is ok but not that great. Personally the first thing I do whenever I get a new gpu is swap out the tim before even installing it in my rig. Well I'll test it to make sure it works first of course.


You forgot to answer my question, when quoted me?


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> I would say yes 650 watts is enough for a 3930K and a single 7970 with a full loop. You have to remember these newer gpu's are more efficient than the older gens and so are the newer cpu's. But if you could get something alil stronger for a psu I would do it. Iactually ran a 2500k oc'd to 4.8 24/7 and Crossfired 6870's on a cpu only water loop with a 550 watt psu for about 5 months with zero issues. I ended up changing rigs but if I still had it I'm sure it would've still been running fine. Right now I have a 2700k oc'd to 4.9 24/7 a single 7970 lightly oc'd and a full loop this time pluss all the fans and hue lighting running off of a 750 watt psu. I also have a second 7970 for crossfire that I decided to take out until I got a second monitor and the 750 ran both of them just fine.
> 
> Sorry for the double post. Didn't see this post until after I replied to the others. I guess I was speeding alil.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> I wouldnt recommend 650w psu for these pc gear


Just to be safe, runs with higher Watts? I've OCed my matrix, but kinda capped quite low. Artifacts after 1150MHz. But, I've tested with my CPU stock, managed to get 1200MHz. So?


----------



## UglyCheater

Hey guys I got a short question before I buy my new equipment. I want to buy 2x the sapphire 7970 oc dual x version and run them in crossfire on asrock extreme4. Can anyone confrim, that it will fit space wise or maby suggest me better motherboard?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UglyCheater*
> 
> Hey guys I got a short question before I buy my new equipment. I want to buy 2x the sapphire 7970 oc dual x version and run them in crossfire on asrock extreme4. Can anyone confrim, that it will fit space wise or maby suggest me better motherboard?


first of all why do you want CF . what is your monitor resolution. also whats your CPU and PSU. HD 7970 overclocked to 1.2 Ghz can run even games like BF3 at 1440p maxed out at 50+ fps.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

How much can i overclock the Sapphire version of 7950 without watercooling?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> How much can i overclock the Sapphire version of 7950 without watercooling?


Depends on your card, but you should be able to reach 1100mhz on the core quite easily if you got the dual fan version and if you have a good airflow in your case


----------



## Phoenix18

Hi guys, i know i have seen it somewhere in this thread but i just want to have some confirmation about this.

Is it possible to use a reference water block for a Sapphire 7970 OC? And any comments about the Sapphire 7970 OC? Good?

Thanks in advance!


----------



## MykaAurora

I'm still pissed off that i Can't get above 1200mhz. Still blaming PSU not giving enough juice.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I'm still pissed off that i Can't get above 1200mhz. Still blaming PSU not giving enough juice.


i cant get above 1200 either but i dont have a rog gpu just a ref 7970.


----------



## octiny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I'm still pissed off that i Can't get above 1200mhz. Still blaming PSU not giving enough juice.


It's not the PSU. Multiple people have posted saying they haven't been able to get above 1200mhz on the 7970 Matrix, I tested 2 samples and neither would go above that no matter the settings so I returned both.

Ending up getting a Devil 7990, and it's powered by a quality 750w psu with the entire system along with the 7990 overclocked.

So it's not your PSU, just another Matrix 7970 owner added to the list that couldn't overclock higher than any normal 7970 even though you paid a premium price.

Not that it matters, but my Matrix's had a 63% and 70% ASIC rating, and my 7990 has 84% and 81% ratings.


----------



## UglyCheater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> first of all why do you want CF . what is your monitor resolution. also whats your CPU and PSU. HD 7970 overclocked to 1.2 Ghz can run even games like BF3 at 1440p maxed out at 50+ fps.


Well I wrote that all pretty short...
My resolution would be just 1920x1080 with an i5 3750k overclocked cpu. For now I would be happy with one card but I want to add a second 7970 sapp oc dual x one after some time, when one wont be enought. It will be my first own build so I ask if they will fit and arent too close so they warm up faster.


----------



## KaRLiToS

We are about to take this to an online petition. (Maybe to court )

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?21534-AMD-Response-to-Trifire-Eyefinity-issue-on-the-Rampage-IV

(Around page 40) AMD admits they found an issue with Crossfire + Eyefinity + (x58 or x79 Chipsets)

Nothing is moving and we think that our issue is not fixable.
Quote:


> *BS146*. End Agent PCIe* Packet Errors May Result in a System Hang
> ProblemCIe agents are required by the PCIe Base Specification to identify and report packet errors. Due to this erratum, certain invalid completion types from the end agent are not correctly handled by the processor.
> Implication:If a PCIe end agent issues certain invalid completion types, the system may hang.
> 
> *Workaround:None identified*


Refer to this (BS146) in Erratum section

http://www.intel.com/content/dam/doc/specification-update/core-i7-lga-2011-specification-update.pdf

.


----------



## Shiromar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gir*
> 
> Received my Gigabyte 7950 Windforce 3 in today. Here's my results so far. Going to try pushing a little more tomorrow. Hopefully 1.3Ghz / 7.6Ghz is possible. Highest the GPU temp went was 63 in my tech bench.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4940270


Can you post what your ASIC quality is and what volts you're pushing those clocks at? My card is almost blocked at 1125/1400 @ 1.2v, and I'm not willing to push it much higher due to VRM temps getting out of hand. My ASIC is 57.2% which is quite horrible. I want my 93% back from my 570!


----------



## bogalog

I've had a quick look through this thread but not seen any answers, I wonder if anyone here has the same problem that I do:

I have an asus 7950 direct cu2, it runs cool, quiet and VRM temp is also good.

However, if I put the volts above ~1.1V I get a hang after a short time (1 minute ish) with repeating sound and the monitor turns off. This happens even at stock clocks with the higher voltage.

I have this problem with multiple drivers - 12.8,12.9,12.10,12.11 betas

From reading, I would guess the VRM temperatures are too high, but GPU-Z shows them as 60 degrees C, and the core shows as only 70 ish.

My ASIC quality is 83.5% and it's perfectly stable at 1100MHz/1100mv.

Though my CPU is overclocked, this problem happens even when it is at stock.

I'd appreciate any input - I'm at a loss

Edit: forgot to mention I have the power limit up 20%


----------



## SonDa5

Sappphire HD7950 950mhz edition.










http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4961314


----------



## UglyCheater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UglyCheater*
> 
> Hey guys I got a short question before I buy my new equipment. I want to buy 2x the sapphire 7970 oc dual x version and run them in crossfire on asrock extreme4. Can anyone confrim, that it will fit space wise or maby suggest me better motherboard?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UglyCheater*
> 
> Well I wrote that all pretty short...
> My resolution would be just 1920x1080 with an i5 3750k overclocked cpu. For now I would be happy with one card but I want to add a second 7970 sapp oc dual x one after some time, when one wont be enought. It will be my first own build so I ask if they will fit and arent too close so they warm up faster.


Anyone?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Depends on your card, but you should be able to reach 1100mhz on the core quite easily if you got the dual fan version and if you have a good airflow in your case


I have a Haf X big tower. It's a really good airflow and i will add some interior fans tomorrow, i can have up to 2 fans in my chassi. And i have one under my chassi, one 240 on the side and 2 140's on top and the standard on the back. I think that is enough right?


----------



## 316320

Does anyone know if the swiftech 7900 series water blocks are any good?


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *octiny*
> 
> It's not the PSU. Multiple people have posted saying they haven't been able to get above 1200mhz on the 7970 Matrix, I tested 2 samples and neither would go above that no matter the settings so I returned both.
> Ending up getting a Devil 7990, and it's powered by a quality 750w psu with the entire system along with the 7990 overclocked.
> So it's not your PSU, just another Matrix 7970 owner added to the list that couldn't overclock higher than any normal 7970 even though you paid a premium price.
> Not that it matters, but my Matrix's had a 63% and 70% ASIC rating, and my 7990 has 84% and 81% ratings.


This is what I've scared of. Thanks.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Can you post what your ASIC quality is and what volts you're pushing those clocks at? My card is almost blocked at 1125/1400 @ 1.2v, and I'm not willing to push it much higher due to VRM temps getting out of hand. My ASIC is 57.2% which is quite horrible. I want my 93% back from my 570!


ASIC doesnt mean squat when it comes to overclocking other than whether you will need more or less to achieve your cards maximum overclock. My WF3 7950 has ASIC of 57.7% and I can reach a stable overclock of 1250/1800 @ 1.31V with VRM temps no greater than 63C and GPU temps of 54C with custom fan profile.


----------



## rubixcube101

[/quote]
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Are you using Beta Driver? As far as i know having single HD 7970 i did not have much problems after 12.6 Driver. BSOD, Game Crasher are not caused by driver. Look at ur other system part or unstable OC.


For now i have switched back to the 12.7 beta driver and it's fine, so its definitely the drivers.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> That's very wierd having issues like that with a single card. You should always try wiping all your old nvidi drivers off your rig before installing the AMD drivers. Most likely your drivers issues are not due to bad drivers but a conflict somewhere in your registry or between something left behind from you old nvidia drivers and the new AMD drivers. If you could do it I would recommend actually doing a full clean install of everything. Like that you are 100% sure there is nothing nvidia related left behind that will conflict with your amd drivers. Let us know if you try wiping your drivers or reinstalling everything and how it worked out.I have gone from nividia to amd and vice cersa and never had a serious issue like what you are having. But I always did what I just recommended also. At the moment my rig is on it's 3rd 7970. I went from a reference clock 7970 to a XFX Black Edition 7970 clocked at 1000Mhz core and now a PowerColor 7970 at 110core which of course I oc'd alil more. But I haven't had any driver issues yet. And I'm using ccc 12.11 beta


Thanks, for the advice. I will have to try a clean install of windows when i get the chance because it was just constantly crashing on both the 12.11 beta and 12.10 WHQL. Hopefully it will fix it







Will keep you posted!


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> ASIC doesnt mean squat when it comes to overclocking other than whether you will need more or less to achieve your cards maximum overclock. My WF3 7950 has ASIC of 57.7% and I can reach a stable overclock of 1250/1800 @ 1.31V with VRM temps no greater than 63C and GPU temps of 54C with custom fan profile.


nice clocks lol i wish my 7970 would do over 1150 but that seems to be where it sits to be 100% stable.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gregg1494*
> 
> Does anyone know if the swiftech 7900 series water blocks are any good?


the komodo? i read they are the most restrictive block. check out the ek. keeps mine at around 40C at load.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

my koolance block keeps temps under 40c also vrms are 50-60s.


----------



## Scorpion49

Hey guys, just picked up an MSI 7970 OC tonight to run eyefinity with. At 5760x1200 in borderlands 2 the car is reaching 95*C even with the fan ramping up to 70%+. It also seems to idle around 65-70*C. I understand it will run a little hotter due to more screens, but this seems a little too much. It isn't hot in my house and my Switch 810 has plenty of airflow to keep it cool. It comes stock with core clocks of 1010mhz, should I try pulling the heatsink off and re-applying TIM to it? Its ridiculously loud when gaming, I can't even hear my headphones over it. I would hate to return it because I already returned an HD 7950 today.


----------



## stubass

at oc of 1165/1725 i get this error in 3Dmark11, anyone know the cuase?
Quote:


> Workload work failed with error message: window_focus_lost: Display resolution changed


1160/1725 passes but with some flickering
1150/725 passes without flickering

GPU temps never pass 60*C
VRM's temp max is at 66*C/65*C repectively


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> We are about to take this to an online petition. (Maybe to court )
> http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?21534-AMD-Response-to-Trifire-Eyefinity-issue-on-the-Rampage-IV
> (Around page 40) AMD admits they found an issue with Crossfire + Eyefinity + (x58 or x79 Chipsets)
> Nothing is moving and we think that our issue is not fixable.
> Refer to this (BS146) in Erratum section
> http://www.intel.com/content/dam/doc/specification-update/core-i7-lga-2011-specification-update.pdf
> .


Correct me if I am wrong, but if you have an x58 or x79 cpu and motherboard (doesn't matter which manufacturer) in order to do multi-gpu multi-monitor gaming you must either get nvidia or wait for the 8000 series or hope (which might not happen) that AMD fixes the 7000 series. I am trying to clarify because I was planning to purchase another couple of 7970s and eventually go multi-monitor (once I got more desk space).


----------



## fraternihil

Hi guys, I received my Gigabyte 7950 Windforcce edition yesterday and already tried some OC. My ASIC quality is 73,8% for those who are interested.

It appears to me that the stock voltages @900Mhz are really low (max 1.014/1.020 under [email protected]; idle: 0.805)

So my current OC is the following:

1100/1300 @ 1149mv (AB)
GPUZ shows the maximum VDDC @ 1.129V while playing BF3.
The VRM temperatures remain below 70degrees as well as the gpu temp which remains below 60 degrees.

Are these good settings? Also, does increasing the memory clock show any significant advantage in FPS? Thanks to the experts in advance!


----------



## XiDillon




----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fraternihil*
> 
> Hi guys, I received my Gigabyte 7950 Windforcce edition yesterday and already tried some OC. My ASIC quality is 73,8% for those who are interested.
> It appears to me that the stock voltages @900Mhz are really low (max 1.014/1.020 under [email protected]; idle: 0.805)
> So my current OC is the following:
> 1100/1300 @ 1149mv (AB)
> GPUZ shows the maximum VDDC @ 1.129V while playing BF3.
> The VRM temperatures remain below 70degrees as well as the gpu temp which remains below 60 degrees.
> Are these good settings? Also, does increasing the memory clock show any significant advantage in FPS? Thanks to the experts in advance!


Those are very nice temps and good clocks/voltage . the hd 7900 cards have a lot of bandwidth. so overclocking memory provides very less gain. also if you have 1080p resolution you don't need to push the HD 7950 much. even at 1 Ghz it will max out every game out there at 60 fps.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Hey guys, just picked up an MSI 7970 OC tonight to run eyefinity with. At 5760x1200 in borderlands 2 the car is reaching 95*C even with the fan ramping up to 70%+. It also seems to idle around 65-70*C. I understand it will run a little hotter due to more screens, but this seems a little too much. It isn't hot in my house and my Switch 810 has plenty of airflow to keep it cool. It comes stock with core clocks of 1010mhz, should I try pulling the heatsink off and re-applying TIM to it? Its ridiculously loud when gaming, I can't even hear my headphones over it. I would hate to return it because I already returned an HD 7950 today.


do you have a reference cooler. the temps are atleast 15c higher than what is normal. anything above 80c under load is not safe in the long term. if its a reference HD 7970 cooler i suggest you return it and get a custom cooler card like the Gigabyte HD 7970 OC. the windforce3x cooler is one of the best. easily keeps temps below 70c.


----------



## fraternihil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Those are very nice temps and good clocks/voltage . the hd 7900 cards have a lot of bandwidth. so overclocking memory provides very less gain. also if you have 1080p resolution you don't need to push the HD 7950 much. even at 1 Ghz it will max out every game out there at 60 fps.


Thanks for your reply, raghu78. Then I will just leave it at that. However, getting 60fps stable is not possible in BF3 multiplayer maps (especially those air maps like caspian). I'm playing at 1080p and I will get drops down to ~35fps sometimes. Metro, however runs at about 55-120fps at any time


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fraternihil*
> 
> Thanks for your reply, raghu78. Then I will just leave it at that. However, getting 60fps stable is not possible in BF3 multiplayer maps (especially those air maps like caspian). I'm playing at 1080p and I will get drops down to ~35fps sometimes. Metro, however runs at about 55-120fps at any time


what drivers are you using . the 12.11 beta does very well in BF3. yeah min fps might be 40 fps. but avg fps would be around 60+. here is a review of caspian border maxed out at 1080 with 12.11 on HD 7900 cards. HD 7970 Ghz has a min fps of 51 and avg fps of 73.3. your HD 7950 at 1.1 Ghz will match the HD 7970 Ghz (1.05 Ghz).

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/11/12/fall_2012_gpu_driver_comparison_roundup/4


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Hey guys, just picked up an MSI 7970 OC tonight to run eyefinity with. At 5760x1200 in borderlands 2 the car is reaching 95*C even with the fan ramping up to 70%+. It also seems to idle around 65-70*C. I understand it will run a little hotter due to more screens, but this seems a little too much. It isn't hot in my house and my Switch 810 has plenty of airflow to keep it cool. It comes stock with core clocks of 1010mhz, should I try pulling the heatsink off and re-applying TIM to it? Its ridiculously loud when gaming, I can't even hear my headphones over it. I would hate to return it because I already returned an HD 7950 today.


Anything under 90 is completely safe IMHO. The reference cards' fan profile is pretty much designed to run 80-85 degrees. But 95C is too hot and getting it while the fan is spinning at over 70% is indication that something isn't right. I get around 80 degrees with fan max at 48%, using the very same 1010MHz reference card from MSI. I only have one monitor, though, but I'd still say about 85C with fan at 50% would be more like it.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Is it a single card or do you have others in there?


----------



## fraternihil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> what drivers are you using . the 12.11 beta does very well in BF3. yeah min fps might be 40 fps. but avg fps would be around 60+. here is a review of caspian border maxed out at 1080 with 12.11 on HD 7900 cards. HD 7970 Ghz has a min fps of 51 and avg fps of 73.3. your HD 7950 at 1.1 Ghz will match the HD 7970 Ghz (1.05 Ghz).
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/11/12/fall_2012_gpu_driver_comparison_roundup/4


I'm using the 12.11 beta 8. However, I can't match an avg. of 73fps. Running on the open field it will get me only an average of 30-40fps on a fully loaded map. Can't even match the results of that 7950 boost edition which they tested as well (61fps avg). Especially when respawning i get huge fps drops. I'm playing on a X6 1055t with 8GB Ram. =/


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fraternihil*
> 
> I'm using the 12.11 beta 8. However, I can't match an avg. of 73fps. Running on the open field it will get me only an average of 30-40fps on a fully loaded map. Can't even match the results of that 7950 boost edition which they tested as well (61fps avg). Especially when respawning i get huge fps drops. I'm playing on a X6 1055t with 8GB Ram. =/


yeah your CPU seems to be affecting the fps badly. hardocp had a 2500k running at 4.8 Ghz. try and push your CPU as close to 4 Ghz as possible. generally min fps also is much better on core i5 than phenom.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Is it a single card or do you have others in there?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> do you have a reference cooler. the temps are atleast 15c higher than what is normal. anything above 80c under load is not safe in the long term. if its a reference HD 7970 cooler i suggest you return it and get a custom cooler card like the Gigabyte HD 7970 OC. the windforce3x cooler is one of the best. easily keeps temps below 70c.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> Anything under 90 is completely safe IMHO. The reference cards' fan profile is pretty much designed to run 80-85 degrees. But 95C is too hot and getting it while the fan is spinning at over 70% is indication that something isn't right. I get around 80 degrees with fan max at 48%, using the very same 1010MHz reference card from MSI. I only have one monitor, though, but I'd still say about 85C with fan at 50% would be more like it.


Thanks for the replies guys, its a single card in a huge Switch 810 with a zillion fans. I've had a lot of cards in it and never had a heat issue so I believe it to be the card. There is a GTS 450 in the case as well but it is 3 slots away and there are fans blowing cool air right at the back of them. I was able to keep it around 80-85*C by changing the clocks down to the stock 925mhz rather than the OC versions 1010mhz. I will be returning it as soon as I find another card to get.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fraternihil*
> 
> Thanks for your reply, raghu78. Then I will just leave it at that. However, getting 60fps stable is not possible in BF3 multiplayer maps (especially those air maps like caspian). I'm playing at 1080p and I will get drops down to ~35fps sometimes. Metro, however runs at about 55-120fps at any time


Incorrect. BF3 isat 55fps MINIMUM for me @ 1150/1550 @1.20V GPU OC and 4.5Ghz CPU OC. That is every setting at ultra including the msaa @ x4. When I up my 7950 clocks to 1200/1800 Im maxed at 60fps.


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> You and me both.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MSI reference design, here I come!
> 
> Side note...
> Still working on the OP.
> I'll be adding more info such as an overclocking guide and driver update posts soon.


So... Where is this overclocking guide?


----------



## Luca T

Hi guys, anyone use RadeonPro?

How do you usually set the AA effects (FXAA, SMAA, sweetfx)?


----------



## DarkHollow

Errrr..... unless I'm missing something, the voltage slider in AB seems to change the VRM voltage. Changing from stock on up to 1.2v makes the VRM voltage go up but the vCore is still at 1.17v. I mean is this how its supposed to work on the newer cards or what? If it really does just adjust the VRM Volts then no wonder why the temps go nuts on the VRMs.

Dropping it to the "Stock" settings for voltage, it reports 1.061v, moving it to 1.2v brings it up to 1.137v (now all this is on the VRMs) (It also makes the VRMs draw an additional 20A). The Core stays at 1.170v no matter where the slider is.


----------



## Nwanko

Installed the Xtreme-G drivers,not bad! Getting arround 65 - 70 avg in BF3.


----------



## adamlop

Better than on official drivers???


----------



## Derek1387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Installed the Xtreme-G drivers,not bad! Getting arround 65 - 70 avg in BF3.


At what res.... cuz i get 55-65 at 2560x1440


----------



## SkateZilla

AMD is Cuts CPU Line Completely, Moves to ARM.... wave bye bye to AMD.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

I think you're in the wrong thread, this isn't the "is AMD up for sale" thread.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DarkHollow*
> 
> Errrr..... unless I'm missing something, the voltage slider in AB seems to change the VRM voltage. Changing from stock on up to 1.2v makes the VRM voltage go up but the vCore is still at 1.17v. I mean is this how its supposed to work on the newer cards or what? If it really does just adjust the VRM Volts then no wonder why the temps go nuts on the VRMs.
> Dropping it to the "Stock" settings for voltage, it reports 1.061v, moving it to 1.2v brings it up to 1.137v (now all this is on the VRMs) (It also makes the VRMs draw an additional 20A). The Core stays at 1.170v no matter where the slider is.


VRM output = vcore input. if one is moving and the other isn't, then it's time to pull out the DVOM. VRM "voltage" is only what it is because of what vcore is set at - you can't arbitrarily "set" vrm voltage.

Also, sometimes voltage is reported based on what it's set at, not what it is. IDK about the 7.9k cards, but with the 6.9k cards it reports desired output voltage, not actual core voltage.


----------



## jvotka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DarkHollow*
> 
> Errrr..... unless I'm missing something, the voltage slider in AB seems to change the VRM voltage. Changing from stock on up to 1.2v makes the VRM voltage go up but the vCore is still at 1.17v. I mean is this how its supposed to work on the newer cards or what? If it really does just adjust the VRM Volts then no wonder why the temps go nuts on the VRMs.
> Dropping it to the "Stock" settings for voltage, it reports 1.061v, moving it to 1.2v brings it up to 1.137v (now all this is on the VRMs) (It also makes the VRMs draw an additional 20A). The Core stays at 1.170v no matter where the slider is.


From what i have found on my wf3 7950's is after making changes to the vcore in AB the only program that shows a change of voltage is the monitoring of GPU-Z. You also need to take into account voltage drop under load.


----------



## DarkHollow

Hmm, well I suppose AIDA64 could have them mixed up.... Let me see if there is a newer version and if it fixes it.

EDIT: Newer version did nothing, if however GPUz is correct (which this is the likely scenario) then AIDA has them swapped which is what I was thinking after checking GPUz. Looks like I will have to swap the names on them so they show up right on my G510.


----------



## ukic

I might replace my reference with something else, heat issue is holding me back







Double D or WF3? Hmmm


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I might replace my reference with something else, heat issue is holding me back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Double D or WF3? Hmmm


You know you want the WF3! Might be the best "stock" cooler out there. At least up there with Sapphire's dual fan solution.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Farmer Boe*
> 
> You know you want the WF3! Might be the best "stock" cooler out there. At least up there with Sapphire's dual fan solution.


The WF3 is better than Sapphires cooling by far. I went through 2 Sapphire Dual X's before switching to Gigabyte WF3 and I am quite literally 7-10C cooler on the WF3.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I might replace my reference with something else, heat issue is holding me back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Double D or WF3? Hmmm


Why not to get aftermarket cooler?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Why not to get aftermarket cooler?


Voids warranty and expensive, rather put it towards a new card.


----------



## chino1974

Guys I have a Powercolor PCS+ 7970 Vortex II clocked at 1200 core 1600 memory with 1218mV core voltage. I'm running it with a i7 2700k oc'ed to 5Ghz and 16gb Avexir 2000Mhz ram. I ran 3DMark11 on the performance preset and got 11145. Is that good? My temps alson never went past 51 on the gpu and 56 on cpu.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> Guys I have a Powercolor PCS+ 7970 Vortex II clocked at 1200 core 1600 memory with 1218mV core voltage. I'm running it with a i7 2700k oc'ed to 5Ghz and 16gb Avexir 2000Mhz ram. I ran 3DMark11 on the performance preset and got 11145. Is that good? My temps alson never went past 51 on the gpu and 56 on cpu.


that sounds about right too me for 3Dmark11 score and nice temps with that OC and PC setup.. is the the P score or the graphics score?


----------



## chino1974

Thank You the total score is 11145. The gpu score is 11597,Physics score 10474,Combined 9318. Hoping to work on a better oc on both the cpu and gpu. But seem to be hitting a wall with the gpu. Even if I try boosting up the core voltage over 1218mV it'll start artifacting on 3DMark11 with anything over 1200.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> Thank You the total score is 11145. The gpu score is 11597,Physics score 10474,Combined 9318. Hoping to work on a better oc on both the cpu and gpu. But seem to be hitting a wall with the gpu. Even if I try boosting up the core voltage over 1218mV it'll start artifacting on 3DMark11 with anything over 1200.


cool, all look like nice scores, yeah i have seen people hit the wall on 7970's at 1200 and even lower while some can go past 1200 easliy, i guess it is the silicon lottery. try overclocking your vRAM more if you like. my 7950 will easily do 1725 on the vRAM.. i have yet to try higher to see if i can.









this sofar the best stable result i can get with out brute forecing 3Dmark11 with higher CPU and RAM overclocking, but for a 7950 i am very happy
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> AMD is Cuts CPU Line Completely, Moves to ARM.... wave bye bye to AMD.











Quite possibly. Honestly, ARM is probably the best move from here. ARM provides much higher performance at lower power and heat. If they tried making an extremely high power ARM chip (Same specs as an x86/x64), it could probably be 5Ghz *stock*

The RISC architecture has always been higher performance for anything that's not 3D transformations. And those are handled by graphics cards in desktop PC's.

honestly, I hope AMD makes that move. they may finally showcase the full performance of the ARM architecture. It has been wasted since the beginning.


----------



## sidewu

I would like to be added to the official list please. MSI 7970 reference 925Mhz flashed with GE


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quite possibly. Honestly, ARM is probably the best move from here. ARM provides much higher performance at lower power and heat. If they tried making an extremely high power ARM chip (Same specs as an x86/x64), it could probably be 5Ghz *stock*
> T*he RISC architecture has always been higher performance for anything* that's not 3D transformations. And those are handled by graphics cards in desktop PC's.
> honestly, I hope AMD makes that move. they may finally showcase the full performance of the ARM architecture. It has been wasted since the beginning.


Reminded me of this:


----------



## Sasasd

Why Sapphire Trixx resets my vddc to 1,13v when in MSI AB stock setting for voltage is 0,993v? I think MSI AB shows right voltage because in GPU-Z my load voltage is 0,95v with stock settings. I dont wan't to use Trixx because if I accidentally reset settings, voltage will be way too high for my card because even with 1,03v temps are over 70.


----------



## Just a nickname

Count me in!


----------



## MooMoo

I need urgent help!










I tried to flash my BIOS to newer one with Gigabyte VGA @BIOS and got something error, rebooted computer: Screen didnt turn on.
Then remembered that this have 2 bios, turned the switch to number 1.

Now I need help to flash that messed one to original one (I took copy of that with gpu-z).

I tried to use Ati RBE (radeon bios editor) but it says "Invalid file specified. Not an ATI BIOS? - Debug information: 'CheckValid' reported error. Tried with Acquire BIOS in Ati RBE but still got same error.









What I should do?


----------



## Just a nickname

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> I need urgent help!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried to flash my BIOS to newer one with Gigabyte VGA @BIOS and got something error, rebooted computer: Screen didnt turn on.
> Then remembered that this have 2 bios, turned the switch to number 1.
> Now I need help to flash that messed one to original one (I took copy of that with gpu-z).
> I tried to use Ati RBE (radeon bios editor) but it says "Invalid file specified. Not an ATI BIOS? - Debug information: 'CheckValid' reported error. Tried with Acquire BIOS in Ati RBE but still got same error.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What I should do?


Do the steps to flash from a bootable usb stick. When the flashing debut, switch the bios and the bricked brios will be flashed.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Just a nickname*
> 
> Do the steps to flash from a bootable usb stick. When the flashing debut, switch the bios and the bricked brios will be flashed.











Thank god there is place like OCN







I found http://www.overclock.net/t/1313813/new-bios-update-for-gigabyte-hd7950/10#post_18325559 and flashed original back. Then wanted to try the new one... Now Im testing how high temps will go and stress testing if temps will allow









Edit: So far looks impressive, max VRM 77c with this new bios with 1.112mV, when I had it up to 86c when tried to OC with old bios and 1.034mV (furmark used)
Edit edit: I must be dreaming... 1.1ghz going on so far, earlier bios didnt even make 1020mhz


----------



## XiDillon

anyone know of someone that can edit a bios for a hard set OC? Im getting tired of downclocking and utilities not working correctly to run the card.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XiDillon*
> 
> anyone know of someone that can edit a bios for a hard set OC? Im getting tired of downclocking and utilities not working correctly to run the card.


Me?







Ati RBE is the way to go


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Me?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ati RBE is the way to go


rbe does not support 7xxx cards.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> rbe does not support 7xxx cards.


Oh man, thats why It wasnt working with me


----------



## DarkHollow

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XiDillon*
> 
> anyone know of someone that can edit a bios for a hard set OC? Im getting tired of downclocking and utilities not working correctly to run the card.


Unless I am missing something, when I had my 5750, I had it OCed using RBE. After a certain set of drivers it no longer used the set clocks, it used the default clocks so I got tired of dealing with it and just removed the OC.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> I need urgent help!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried to flash my BIOS to newer one with Gigabyte VGA @BIOS and got something error, rebooted computer: Screen didnt turn on.
> Then remembered that this have 2 bios, turned the switch to number 1.
> Now I need help to flash that messed one to original one (I took copy of that with gpu-z).
> I tried to use Ati RBE (radeon bios editor) but it says "Invalid file specified. Not an ATI BIOS? - Debug information: 'CheckValid' reported error. Tried with Acquire BIOS in Ati RBE but still got same error.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What I should do?


Nice to see you gained so much with this new BIOS !
Do you happen to know if there is also a new bios for my Sapphire HD7950 dual fan edition which will lead to the same OC increase?









Thanks!


----------



## chino1974

Guys can anyone steer me to a guide or help me get my gpu oc'd to it's best potential please? It's a PowerColor PCS+ 7970 Vortex II


----------



## axipher

I don't know where a good 7XXX series, but the general AMD/ATI overclocking method should work.

- MSI AfterBurner + Kombuster
- Unlock voltage control and unnofficial overclocking
- Bump up the clock by about 100 MHz to start
- Run Kombuster and look for artifacts
- increase by 5 MHz at a time and repeat above
- When you start getting artifacts, bump up voltage a bit
- Be sure to watch temperatures of the GPU and VRM's (VRM temps ion GPU-z)
- Once you fnid your max overclock on the core, drop to default and repeat the process for the memory
- Once you have your max overclocks, drop them by about 20 MHz and apply both then do some intensive testing
- Run some Unigine Heaven and 3DMark11 or Vantage tests and compare scores
- If your scores are quite a bit lower, it might just be a bad memory overclock and your GPU is doing more work to make up for the bad memory.


----------



## chino1974

Thanks for the info.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> Thanks for the info.


No problem. Happy overclocking


----------



## chino1974

I got it to 1200 core and 1600 memory and it ran 3dmark just fine and got a 11145. But when I started playing Black Ops 2 last night it started artifacting after about 30 minutes of gameplay. I ended up having to drop the core to 1180 and memory to 1500 to get it fine again. mI also had the voltage boosted up to 1228 mV. Still did it. What is the highest recommended voltage on a 7970? I have a full liquid loop so temp haven't been an issue yet.


----------



## axipher

1.3 V would be okay as long as you keep the temperatures in line. What kind of artifacting were you getting in BLOPS2? If I recall, certain types of artifacting can be related to either the clock or the VRAM.

I know on my older 6870, unstable memory led to: horizontal black bars, screen being fully offset horizontally by ~100 pixels and those pixels showing up on the opposite side of the screen, black screen carshes in unoptimized games like FFXIV, and very unstable frame rates. Unstable core overclock led to random coloured pixel artifacts, vertical coloured lines, 1-5 second screen freezes, temperature spikes under load.

This is from memory so anyone feel free to correct me.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> I got it to 1200 core and 1600 memory and it ran 3dmark just fine and got a 11145. But when I started playing Black Ops 2 last night it started artifacting after about 30 minutes of gameplay. I ended up having to drop the core to 1180 and memory to 1500 to get it fine again. mI also had the voltage boosted up to 1228 mV. Still did it. What is the highest recommended voltage on a 7970? I have a full liquid loop so temp haven't been an issue yet.


voltage safe is depending on to many variables.
I run 12.50v with 1200mhz currently using gpu tweak.
max voltage with the program.
That is with gaming with desktop use I use default settings.


----------



## ipv89

This question may have been asked before im not sure I have tried to search for it.

Will a HD 7950 play most if not all games at max setting's on a 22icnh led at 60hz
I also want to play skyrim with the texture mods and the upcoming crysis at decent settings?

cpu is a 3570k


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> This question may have been asked before im not sure I have tried to search for it.
> Will a HD 7950 play most if not all games at max setting's on a 22icnh led at 60hz
> I also want to play skyrim with the texture mods and the upcoming crysis at decent settings?
> cpu is a 3570k


at 1080p or lower it will most or all probly all with a little overclock.


----------



## ipv89

at 1080p sorry forgot to mention that


----------



## XiDillon

I need it 3d clock locked. Im having to wipe windows and reinstall. even atiman screwed up with a warning and failure


----------



## geoxile

Hey guys, hope you don't mind me asking but what's the best 7950 out on the market right now? I'm looking to get one to replace my 580 if I can get a good price during Black Friday or Cyber Monday


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Hey guys, hope you don't mind me asking but what's the best 7950 out on the market right now? I'm looking to get one to replace my 580 if I can get a good price during Black Friday or Cyber Monday


Hearing great things about the MSI Windforce ones, also i am very pleased with my Sapphire OC ones.


----------



## geoxile

Do either of those have the 7970 PCB or a non-reference PCB? I recall Sapphire had a card like that a while back.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Do either of those have the 7970 PCB or a non-reference PCB? I recall Sapphire had a card like that a while back.


http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1551&psn=&lid=1&leg=0

That one uses a 7970 pcb as far as I know.


----------



## Anomander Rake

Hey guys, im getting two 7970 Lightnings from MSI this saturday and i wanted to check with you for an average to high overclock on these babys im gone use them purely for benching, ambient temp no higher then 10-12'C in a well ventilated Caselabs TH10 ( im not afraid of high volts as long as they are not gone kill the card outright ]:->


----------



## roudabout6

Hey im looking to get the best stable drivers for my 7950. My computer keeps restarting in just bf3 and I have played assassins creed 3 for 2 hours straight yesterday and skyrim. So it is not my psu. Im thinking it is my graphics drivers so I need the most stable one thanks


----------



## BradleyW

How is assassins creed 3 treating you all? 24fps here, with 7970cf.


----------



## roudabout6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How is assassins creed 3 treating you all? 24fps here, with 7970cf.


Very well overall in eyefinity I get about 40 to 50 and in 1080p a constant 60. But I dont play in eyefinity because it doesnt really work for me.


----------



## 12Cores

Is this still a reference card?

http://www.diamondmm.com/7970PE53G.php


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *roudabout6*
> 
> Very well overall in eyefinity I get about 40 to 50 and in 1080p a constant 60. But I dont play in eyefinity because it doesnt really work for me.


Constant 60 max out at 1080p? I've been looking on the internet and people with 7970's overclocked are dropping to the low 30's at times. What is your trick/solution?


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> 1.3 V would be okay as long as you keep the temperatures in line. What kind of artifacting were you getting in BLOPS2? If I recall, certain types of artifacting can be related to either the clock or the VRAM.
> 
> I know on my older 6870, unstable memory led to: horizontal black bars, screen being fully offset horizontally by ~100 pixels and those pixels showing up on the opposite side of the screen, black screen carshes in unoptimized games like FFXIV, and very unstable frame rates. Unstable core overclock led to random coloured pixel artifacts, vertical coloured lines, 1-5 second screen freezes, temperature spikes under load.
> 
> This is from memory so anyone feel free to correct me.


I think you might be right about the memory clock being the issue. The artifacting did start going away when I reduced the memory clock. I just haven't had the chance to turn the core back up. It was giving me green squares in certain areas of the screen.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> voltage safe is depending on to many variables.
> I run 12.50v with 1200mhz currently using gpu tweak.
> max voltage with the program.
> That is with gaming with desktop use I use default settings.


Thanks for the info


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> 1.3 V would be okay as long as you keep the temperatures in line. What kind of artifacting were you getting in BLOPS2? If I recall, certain types of artifacting can be related to either the clock or the VRAM.
> 
> I know on my older 6870, unstable memory led to: horizontal black bars, screen being fully offset horizontally by ~100 pixels and those pixels showing up on the opposite side of the screen, black screen carshes in unoptimized games like FFXIV, and very unstable frame rates. Unstable core overclock led to random coloured pixel artifacts, vertical coloured lines, 1-5 second screen freezes, temperature spikes under load.
> 
> This is from memory so anyone feel free to correct me.
> 
> 
> 
> I think you might be right about the memory clock being the issue. The artifacting did start going away when I reduced the memory clock. I just haven't had the chance to turn the core back up. It was giving me green squares in certain areas of the screen.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> voltage safe is depending on to many variables.
> 
> I run 12.50v with 1200mhz currently using gpu tweak.
> 
> max voltage with the program.
> 
> That is with gaming with desktop use I use default settings.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Thanks for the info
Click to expand...

Let me know how it goes. coloured shapes might be a more towards core, I've never got them though so I'm not sure.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Let me know how it goes. coloured shapes might be a more towards core, I've never got them though so I'm not sure.


colored shapes that sorta look like checker boxes for me was core either white and black and red lowering core clock or raising volts fixed it.


----------



## axipher

I'm having lots of random crashes when gaming with 12.11 drivers.


----------



## roudabout6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Constant 60 max out at 1080p? I've been looking on the internet and people with 7970's overclocked are dropping to the low 30's at times. What is your trick/solution?


I literally did nothing but install the game the only thing that is wrong is I cant use AA in game I have to force in the CCC.


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Is this still a reference card?
> http://www.diamondmm.com/7970PE53G.php


Looks like a reference card to me.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Is this still a reference card?
> http://www.diamondmm.com/7970PE53G.php
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like a reference card to me.
Click to expand...

agreed.. also as you can see with pics on say newegg the card has the AMD logo on the PCB just above the PCIe fingers.. that is one way to tell if a card is a reference design.. as well as the cooler design looks reference to me


----------



## XiDillon

anyone have any idea why I enable xfire my secondary cards shuts off and when I disable xfire it turns back on?


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> agreed.. also as you can see with pics on say newegg the card has the AMD logo on the PCB just above the PCIe fingers.. that is one way to tell if a card is a reference design.. as well as the cooler design looks reference to me


Thanks guys, I have a waterblock that will only fit a reference 7970. I just have a hard time believing that one of these cards is faster than my crossfire 6870's, I guess I will find out soon enough.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> agreed.. also as you can see with pics on say newegg the card has the AMD logo on the PCB just above the PCIe fingers.. that is one way to tell if a card is a reference design.. as well as the cooler design looks reference to me
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks guys, I have a waterblock that will only fit a reference 7970. I just have a hard time believing that one of these cards is *faster than my crossfire 6870's*, I guess I will find out soon enough.
Click to expand...

i am sure you will be pleasantly surprised


----------



## banwell

I wonder if anyone has had the same problems with Youtube jitter on the 7970 with dual monitors?

Everything has been working flawlessly in single monitor mode and now a second display is hooked up I am noticing a jitter on closing a youtube video. Nothing untoward is happening in Afterburner and clocks look pretty constant for 2d mode (500Mhz).

The 7970 is running on latest beta drivers and overclocked to 1000/1400. Memory clock is constant at 1400.. Also one monitor is 1080p (120hz) and other is 1050p (60hz).

EDIT

I just ran stock clocks and this is not happening...


----------



## Scorpion49

So I just returned my overheating MSI 7970 OC version, and was happy to find that the store had stocked Gigabyte windforce cards this week. I got a 7970 OC windforce card, really happy with it. I maxed out afterburner at 1200mhz and running 1600mhz memory with only the +20% powertune, haven't had to touch voltage yet.

Any way to unlock afterburner to get it to go past 1200? I remember there was a command you could put in the launch line to get it to work but I don't remember what it was. Want to see how far this card will go.


----------



## superericla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So I just returned my overheating MSI 7970 OC version, and was happy to find that the store had stocked Gigabyte windforce cards this week. I got a 7970 OC windforce card, really happy with it. I maxed out afterburner at 1200mhz and running 1600mhz memory with only the +20% powertune, haven't had to touch voltage yet.
> Any way to unlock afterburner to get it to go past 1200? I remember there was a command you could put in the launch line to get it to work but I don't remember what it was. Want to see how far this card will go.


Look here.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *superericla*
> 
> Look here.


Thanks! +rep


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So I just returned my overheating MSI 7970 OC version, and was happy to find that the store had stocked Gigabyte windforce cards this week. I got a 7970 OC windforce card, really happy with it. I maxed out afterburner at 1200mhz and running 1600mhz memory with only the +20% powertune, haven't had to touch voltage yet.
> 
> Any way to unlock afterburner to get it to go past 1200? I remember there was a command you could put in the launch line to get it to work but I don't remember what it was. Want to see how far this card will go.


did you get it to work?

another way and could be what you was thinking is
1: close AB
2: on the shortcut right click and got to properties
3: in the target box edit so it is "C:/ blah blah" /xcl
4: click the link
5: you should get a message saying that your limits have been increased and need to reboot..
6: before you reboot remove /xcl and then reboot

you should now have increased the limits


----------



## PainKiller89

Latest beta 12.11 beta 8 cause my 7950 to crash saying display driver failed when playing battlefield 3, going back to beta 6.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> did you get it to work?
> another way and could be what you was thinking is
> 1: close AB
> 2: on the shortcut right click and got to properties
> 3: in the target box edit so it is "C:/ blah blah" /xcl
> 4: click the link
> 5: you should get a message saying that your limits have been increased and need to reboot..
> 6: before you reboot remove /xcl and then reboot
> you should now have increased the limits


Thats the one I was remembering, I will have to try one of them this weekend when I have time. Thanks.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> did you get it to work?
> another way and could be what you was thinking is
> 1: close AB
> 2: on the shortcut right click and got to properties
> 3: in the target box edit so it is "C:/ blah blah" /xcl
> 4: click the link
> 5: you should get a message saying that your limits have been increased and need to reboot..
> 6: before you reboot remove /xcl and then reboot
> you should now have increased the limits
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thats the one I was remembering, I will have to try one of them this weekend when I have time. Thanks.
Click to expand...

your welcome, that is the method i used and worked well, just remember the space between "...." and /xcl


----------



## octiny

Another option is just downloading GPU tweak and enable "Overclocking range enhancement", you can also uninstall it after that. It'll remove the overclocking limit for every program, including ccc.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XiDillon*
> 
> anyone have any idea why I enable xfire my secondary cards shuts off and when I disable xfire it turns back on?


When idling? That would be ZeroCore working. Why it isn't working when CF is disabled is a question that's been bothering me for a while. Anyone have an answer for that?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> I'm having lots of random crashes when gaming with 12.11 drivers.


Have you overclocked?
Does the screen get black and then you hear a looping sound?


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> I'm having lots of random crashes when gaming with 12.11 drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> Have you overclocked?
> Does the screen get black and then you hear a looping sound?
Click to expand...

At first I thought it was overclocking so I flipped the BIOS switch back to the 800 MHz BIOS, still does it. Tried 1100 MHz on the core, still does it randomly, normally when switching scenes in games. Tried settinga custom profile in Afterburner and the GPU core will stay at <60 C and two temperature leads stuck in between the small gap between the PCB and the reference cooler hover at around 70 C when held right near the memory chips.

It doesn't crash when BOINCing or Folding and since they use next to no VRAM, I'm guessing that has something to do with it or it's just some crazy coincidence.

As for the crashing, the screen just freezes, no artififacts or anything, and the sound loops. If I leave it for about a minute, the sound stops looping, but it's still frozen. reset button doesn't work and I need to hold the power button for 5 seconds then turn it back on. So not a full cold-reboot, but a hard-reboot nonetheless.


----------



## wholeeo

Think I'm going to make the jump over to the red tide. I don't know much about AMD vendors and was wondering which type of 7970 I should get if I plan on putting it under water? I know some are voltage locked and what not.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wholeeo*
> 
> Think I'm going to make the jump over to the red tide. I don't know much about AMD vendors and was wondering which type of 7970 I should get if I plan on putting it under water? I know some are voltage locked and what not.


Get a Diamond *asap*. It's one one of the last true reference cards left.

When it comes to AMD, the reference design by AMD is #1. After a few months once the AIB's figure it out, they start to cut costs and you get revised cards, that are not designed by AMD. You want none of this if you watercool.


----------



## wholeeo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Get a Diamond *asap*. It's one one of the last true reference cards left.
> When it comes to AMD, the reference design by AMD is #1. After a few months once the AIB's figure it out, they start to cut costs and you get revised cards, that are not designed by AMD. You want none of this if you watercool.


Went for 2 of these,

http://www.microcenter.com/product/396056/AMD_Radeon_HD_7970_White_Box_Version_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

What does white box mean...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wholeeo*
> 
> What does white box mean...


White box could mean anything from refurb, returns, to oem. You should ask your vendor to clarify.


----------



## stubass

about these BIOS switches, do all 79xx series cards have them.. it is just i dont think mine does and googling hasnt helped, anyone know?


----------



## rck1984

Ordered a Crossover 1440p screen today, finally going to get to see the real power of my 7950 crossfire setup


----------



## Layo

Is this allright for 1050/1300 7950? Had youtube in backround if it matters, I have weird feeling that my card isn't good.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5010054


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> about these BIOS switches, do all 79xx series cards have them.. it is just i dont think mine does and googling hasnt helped, anyone know?


Reference design dictates a dual bios, but AIBs are free to deviate.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Is this allright for 1050/1300 7950? Had youtube in backround if it matters, I have weird feeling that my card isn't good.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5010054


is your CPU overclocked? can you overclock your card any further? the score looks pretty low for me but then it might be becuase of your OC

also i wouldn't have anything like youtube running in the background...


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> about these BIOS switches, do all 79xx series cards have them.. it is just i dont think mine does and googling hasnt helped, anyone know?
> 
> 
> 
> Reference design dictates a dual bios, but AIBs are free to deviate.
Click to expand...

ahhh i see, thanks for your reply. and looking around the card i dont think i have. oh well was more curious anyway as i managed to score an unlocked voltage version which i am happy about


----------



## superericla

If it had the dual bios switch, it would be next to the crossfire bridge port. I didn't know mine had one until I looked more closely.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> about these BIOS switches, do all 79xx series cards have them.. it is just i dont think mine does and googling hasnt helped, anyone know?
> 
> 
> 
> Reference design dictates a dual bios, but AIBs are free to deviate.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> ahhh i see, thanks for your reply. and looking around the card i dont think i have. oh well was more curious anyway as i managed to score an unlocked voltage version which i am happy about
Click to expand...

Yea, I would take voltage control over a switch any day.


----------



## PainKiller89

I need some assistance i recently bought the 7950 Gigabyte WindForce Card, Currently i am at 900 clock and 1250 memory. When i try to do a boost through amd center the game and benchmarks crashed. What should i do? raise the voltage and then overclock? What should i use to change the voltage then clock? Any help would be great thanks


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> is your CPU overclocked? can you overclock your card any further? the score looks pretty low for me but then it might be becuase of your OC
> also i wouldn't have anything like youtube running in the background...


OC gets the score down? My cpu is at 38x multipler, nothing else yet, will do another test with everything closed in 10 mins


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> is your CPU overclocked? can you overclock your card any further? the score looks pretty low for me but then it might be becuase of your OC
> also i wouldn't have anything like youtube running in the background...
> 
> 
> 
> *OC gets the score down?* My cpu is at 38x multipler, nothing else yet, will do another test with everything closed in 10 mins
Click to expand...

no decent OC will increase your score and your gaming performance.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> no decent OC will increase your score and your gaming performance.


I know, just the way you said it....

What about this? Turned most stuff off.


Edit: Just freaked out, I somehow though I got around 2k score with 1050/1300 card while on google there are scores of 2550 with non OC so I guess 2800 might be fine?
Not sure about the cpu OC, I've set x38 in bios since it was max it let me (while messing with disks), don't really need that boost much atm.


----------



## Cyph3r

Well I returned my MSI R7950 TFIII which was somewhat of a golden card to be honest! It did 1250Mhz Core, 1600Mhz Memory (didn't try for more) @ *1.15v*! After I returned it I went abit mad and got a MSI R7970 Lightning Boost Edition @ 1150Mhz and if anyone wants confirmation on this whole 7950 clock speed vs 7970 clock speed....

A 7950 has to be clocked 100mhz faster to match a HD7970!

MSI R7950 TFIII @1250Mhz
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4947097

MSI R7970 Lightning Boost Edition @ 1150Mhz
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5002750

Ignore the discrepancy on the physics and combined score as for the R7950 my CPU was running at 5Ghz, with my R7970 it's running at 4.5Ghz









Hope you find this useful!


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> no decent OC will increase your score and your gaming performance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know, just the way you said it....
> 
> What about this? Turned most stuff off.
> 
> 
> Edit: Just freaked out, I somehow though I got around 2k score with 1050/1300 card while on google there are scores of 2550 with non OC so I guess 2800 might be fine?
> Not sure about the cpu OC, I've set x38 in bios since it was max it let me (while messing with disks), don't really need that boost much atm.
Click to expand...

from your edit X2800 looks fine in comparison to the other scores you googled but i must admit, IDK much about Xtreme scores









my P score at 1150/1725. physics scores are higher due to HT
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4994296


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Thanks guys, I have a waterblock that will only fit a reference 7970. I just have a hard time believing that one of these cards is faster than my crossfire 6870's, I guess I will find out soon enough.


I had a hard time believing a single 7970 would outperform my crossfired 6870's also. But when I swapped them out it was a big difference in performance. Plus the fact of getting better performance with just one gpu at the same time building up less heat and wasting less energy was a win all around for me. I loved my 6870's but now I would never go back.


----------



## Layo

Ran performance test, got this
P6432
GS 6300
PS 7032
CS 6631

This is way below yours, I'm also getting some artifacts and lag spikes in games. I think it might be because I'm using 12.11 drivers too.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Ran performance test, got this
> P6432
> GS 6300
> PS 7032
> CS 6631
> 
> This is way below yours, I'm also getting some artifacts and lag spikes in games. I think it might be because I'm using 12.11 drivers too.


that does seem low, i am using 12.11b8 and have no issues tho i think some games still do have issues with the new drivers but fixes are coming in with each new b release.. shouldnt affect 3Dmarks11 as the 12.11b drivers actually boosted performance of 7-series cards..

i am at a loss as to why your score is so low, CPU overclocking can increase it a reasonable amount which at say 4.4 you should see a nice improvment. or worst case your card might be a lemon sorry to say


----------



## Layo

Are there any things to check of bad gpu?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Are there any things to check of bad gpu?


artifacting in games at stock or boost settings is one way maybe heaven.. i am sure others may know better ways tho.. i think there might be something wrong with your card as i just did a test at 1050/1300 and i got this
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5011313


----------



## Layo

Gonna google for other results now.

Edit: Found one with 2000 score, same settings expcet 16x antistrophy, 4AA and he had normal tessellation.
Mine probably seems about right judging by this


----------



## psyside

2x 7970 highly overclocked + [email protected] what psu would be enough?


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> 2x 7970 highly overclocked + [email protected] what psu would be enough?


I would go with something around 1000-1200W, I remember that stock 7970's draw around 310W, give them 2x 350W + the 3930k takes another 300W? Good 1kW would probably do, but it's better to have some backup and the psu won't be under heavy load all.
Correct me if I'm wrong

I know there's guy here who pmed me few times, he runs eyefinity, quadfire 7970 and 3930k at around 5ghz, he was using 1600W.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XiDillon*
> 
> anyone have any idea why I enable xfire my secondary cards shuts off and when I disable xfire it turns back on?


This sounds like the ULPS funtion when in crossfire. Google it on how to disable this or use Atimans uninstaller Package that has a ULPS disable utility.

Still though, the 2nd card should come online as soon as you open a 3d application/game


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> 2x 7970 highly overclocked + [email protected] what psu would be enough?


850 watt-1000 watt. would be your ideal range.


----------



## snelan

I ran a 2600k + CFX 7970s OC'd with an HX 750. For that CPU I would suggest an 850 too though.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Are there any things to check of bad gpu?


has
http://folding.stanford.edu/English/DownloadUtils
memtestCL/memtestG80

been mentioned yet?


----------



## MykaAurora

Managed to get 1200MHz @ 1.25 Vcore.. Tried 1300MHz @ 1.31 Vcore.. Still artifacts here and there.

The good news is, after 12.11 beta 8 update I can achieve that clocks. I've used 12.11 beta 6 ( think so, just previous of this version ). I cant even go higher than 1150MHz even at high voltage. I was so scared that my Matrix is the one that belongs in the dump.

Now, its not.


----------



## Newbie2009

What so AIBs are voltage locking some 7950/7970 cards now??


----------



## evolutionxxx86

Just upgraded to windows 8, also got start8, Decor8 and worth the money








http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/buy

side note
http://www.windowsupgradeoffer.com/
Go here, click what language, put in a date of windows 7 purchase of the past 2 months







and choose any system type and you can upgrade to windows 8 for $15.00

FYI, It is worth the upgrade


----------



## XiDillon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> This sounds like the ULPS funtion when in crossfire. Google it on how to disable this or use Atimans uninstaller Package that has a ULPS disable utility.
> Still though, the 2nd card should come online as soon as you open a 3d application/game


Okay the thing is I wasnt ecpecting the card to just disable itself. It does boot up when AMD decides that I want to use it which is fine. I just have voltage drooping that I need to take care of now. It happens even when underclocked

whenever my gpu usage shows a value more than 0, GPUTweak will show that my vcore and gpu clock to be at 0 while under load


----------



## neonthetank

Hey all. I have a few questions about eyefinity.

I Have a MSI TF3 HD7950 oc, and i have 3 Dell 1905FP monitors hooked up. The problem I am having is that it just does not see the third monitor. I try to enable it in CCS it errors out and says "To extend the desktop, a desktop must be disabled." I have reinstalled my drivers, i have all the current ones, YES i have restarted my computer... I just cant figure it out.

The full ports I am using are the, DVI HDMI and MiniDP.

I have two working just fine however it will not accept the third with out that error.
I have read somewhere that I cannot use Eyefinity with using a HDMI however the article was old and I am not sure that is still relevant.

PLEASE HELP

System Specs

MOBO : MSI L77A-GD55
GUP: MSI TF3 HD 7950OC
RAM: 16gb 1600
OS: Win7

These are the Monitors I am using
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/monitors/r83546/EN/about.htm

Thanks again....


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> I would go with something around 1000-1200W, I remember that stock 7970's draw around 310W, give them 2x 350W + the 3930k takes another 300W? Good 1kW would probably do, but it's better to have some backup and the psu won't be under heavy load all.
> Correct me if I'm wrong
> I know there's guy here who pmed me few times, he runs eyefinity, quadfire 7970 and 3930k at around 5ghz, he was using 1600W.


I would say a very high quality 850w PSU or higher would be fine. 7970's don't use as much power as people say they do.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Hey all. I have a few questions about eyefinity.
> 
> I Have a MSI TF3 HD7950 oc, and i have 3 Dell 1905FP monitors hooked up. The problem I am having is that it just does not see the third monitor. I try to enable it in CCS it errors out and says "To extend the desktop, a desktop must be disabled." I have reinstalled my drivers, i have all the current ones, YES i have restarted my computer... I just cant figure it out.
> 
> The full ports I am using are the, DVI HDMI and MiniDP.
> 
> I have two working just fine however it will not accept the third with out that error.
> I have read somewhere that I cannot use Eyefinity with using a HDMI however the article was old and I am not sure that is still relevant.
> 
> PLEASE HELP
> 
> System Specs
> 
> MOBO : MSI L77A-GD55
> GUP: MSI TF3 HD 7950OC
> RAM: 16gb 1600
> OS: Win7
> 
> These are the Monitors I am using
> http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/monitors/r83546/EN/about.htm
> 
> Thanks again....


Did you setup a eye infinity display group in CCC?


----------



## neonthetank

Yes, It only allows me to use 2x1 or 1x2 doesn't allow me to use 1x3 or any combo of that. And when i try to extend my desktop in either windows or CCS it errors out.


----------



## dartuil

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/gpu_displays/club_3d_7950_royal_king_review/2

amazing card huh


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Yes, It only allows me to use 2x1 or 1x2 doesn't allow me to use 1x3 or any combo of that. And when i try to extend my desktop in either windows or CCS it errors out.


Are you using a certified active dp adapter?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Nice to see you gained so much with this new BIOS !
> Do you happen to know if there is also a new bios for my Sapphire HD7950 dual fan edition which will lead to the same OC increase?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!


Sadly I don't know about Sapphires 7950. I checked their site but didn't see anything about BIOSes to 7950. You could google around to check if they have new BIOS available. I think you can OC it on traditional way, mine had (,atleast I think so) something wrong on BIOS and didn't overclock well.


----------



## neonthetank

I am using a Rocketfish adapter that I bought from BestBuy because the Frys by my house was out of the sapphire ones.


----------



## neonthetank

Also i wanted to know if it would run any better if I used only Displayports and DVI instead of the HDMI in there... somewhere I read that HDMI ports messed it up.

(OBVIOUSLY My first Eyefinity attempt)

Thanks.


----------



## roudabout6

Can anyone explain this to me? At 1125/1575/1.243v I cant run any game without it locking up. But at 1150/1575/1.210v I can run furmark and it is fine. What is happening?


----------



## psyside

Can anyone make Ungine heaven 2.5 test with the same settings (clocks) please?



I think something is wrong....


----------



## grifers

Hi!.

Wich is the best bios for 7970 reference card?. Dont like Ghz bios, I have Artifacts and instability in one of my cards.

Thanks in advance and sorry my language.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Can anyone make Ungine heaven 2.5 test with the same settings (clocks) please?
> 
> I think something is wrong....


Anyone?


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

I think that most people have 3.0 installed.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Anyone?


Get 3.0 and I can compare mine with yours, don't have OCd cpu.


----------



## psyside

Ok here is 3.0 please use same setthings!


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Ok here is 3.0 please use same setthings!


mine at 1115/1725


----------



## psyside

Thanks man, but the settings are not same.

Please use 1920x 1200 resolution or 1920x1080 (fullscreen)









and same clocks if possible, downclock the memory to 1450.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> mine at 1115/1725


1280x884, seriously? Lol...

Here's mine from yesterday at 1050/1300, will try to OC it to yours and run again


----------



## psyside

Ok, please post on same settings and don't forget to use 20 % power.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Thanks man, but the settings are not same.
> 
> *Please use 1920x 1200 resolution or 1920x1080* (fullscreen)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and same clocks if possible, downclock the memory to 1450.


i cant seem to get this resolution to work as my old monitor supports max resolution of 1440 x 900 even tho i used the 1920x1080 (fullscreen) settings.

latest result but ansiotropy x4 but will try again with x8


----------



## Layo

Guess that's my card's top, had some flickering or how to call it.


Stub: Are you seriously using 900p monitor with 7950?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Stub: Are you seriously using 900p monitor with 7950?


yeah until Christmas when i can get a new one









@pyside i cant really do the yest properly until i upgrade my monitor sorry


----------



## Layo

Get 1440p!


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Get 1440p!


thats the plan


----------



## Layo

Which one you gonna get?


----------



## axipher

Installed a new Accelero Extreme on my 7950 last night. Turns out my card definitely is a 7970 board, with the taller capacitor board number, but only 4 power phase and dual 6-pin. I got the 7970 model though since it was on sale, not a huge deal though. I noticed while taking off the stock cooler that some of the thermal pads seemed to be barely touching if at all the VRAM... That could of also accounted for random crashing I was having, not 100%. I'm currently running at 1100 on the core with +20% and a max temperature after some OCCT and 3DMark11 of 46 C

*Accelero 7970 isntall*


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Guess that's my card's top, had some flickering or how to call it.
> 
> Stub: Are you seriously using 900p monitor with 7950?


Thanks, rep + what clocks are you using?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah until Christmas when i can get a new one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @pyside i cant really do the yest properly until i upgrade my monitor sorry


No problem buddy still rep+ for trying its all fine


----------



## Layo

Those you asked for.... I think it was 1150/1400 or something


----------



## HulkMode

Since there is no 7990 thread, do I sign up here?


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Those you asked for.... I think it was 1150/1400 or something


So you got whole 4 fps less then my score, and i tought my was bad


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Those you asked for.... I think it was 1150/1400 or something
> 
> 
> 
> So you got whole 4 fps less then my score, and i tought my was bad
Click to expand...

i am not sure what his OC was as would he have been around mine?? or becuase my crappy monitor affects the score?


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Since there is no 7990 thread, do I sign up here?


nice rig man


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> So you got whole 4 fps less then my score, and i tought my was bad


Did you have your cpu OCd while benchmarking?


----------



## chino1974

Guys I have a PowerColor PCS+ 7970 Vortex II editon card. It came out of the box at 1100 core 1425 memory 1193 volts. It also hs 2-8pin power connectors. Can anyone tell me what power phase does it have and if it's a good card or not ? I have a XFX 7970 Black Edition I want to throw in crossfire with this one once I get the other 2 monitor I need for X-Mas. But if the PowerColor is a better gpu I was thinking of selling the XFX and getting another Powercolor so I have 2 of the exact same type gpus. Also the XFX Black Edition comes with 6 pin and 8 pin power connectors as opposed to 2-8 pins.


----------



## 12Cores

I just picked up a reference 7970 and slapped a full cover water block on it. I am stunned by the performance so far, I have been running various crossfire configurations for the last 3 years and simply cannot believe that this thing is faster than my two 6870's. My goal was to OC the card to 1200mhz but 1125 is more that enough at 1080p, unreal







.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> Guys I have a PowerColor PCS+ 7970 Vortex II editon card. It came out of the box at 1100 core 1425 memory 1193 volts. It also hs 2-8pin power connectors. Can anyone tell me what power phase does it have and if it's a good card or not ? I have a XFX 7970 Black Edition I want to throw in crossfire with this one once I get the other 2 monitor I need for X-Mas. But if the PowerColor is a better gpu I was thinking of selling the XFX and getting another Powercolor so I have 2 of the exact same type gpus. Also the XFX Black Edition comes with 6 pin and 8 pin power connectors as opposed to 2-8 pins.


when running two HD 7970 cards in CF especially with air cooling its difficult to run at speeds above 1.1 Ghz. Heat is a major issue with 2 cards having open type cooler designs. it might not be really worth the hassle to sell the XFX HD 7970 and go for PCS+ HD 7970. you are going to be constrained by heat and cooling. so just stick to the cards. try and chieve 1.1 Ghz on both cards with temps below 75c on both cards. that would be an achievement.


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> when running two HD 7970 cards in CF especially with air cooling its difficult to run at speeds above 1.1 Ghz. Heat is a major issue with 2 cards having open type cooler designs. it might not be really worth the hassle to sell the XFX HD 7970 and go for PCS+ HD 7970. you are going to be constrained by heat and cooling. so just stick to the cards. try and chieve 1.1 Ghz on both cards with temps below 75c on both cards. that would be an achievement.


I'm not air cooling brother. Temps are the least of my concerns right now as I have a loop conprised of a 120,280 and 360 rads in a switch 810. Plus both the 280 and 360 rads are in push-pull. I've already gotten my Powercolor to 1200 core 1600 memory 24/7 and on load it peaks at about 51-53. What I was asking was is there much of a difference between those two gpus since the Powercolor has 2- 8pin power connectors and the XFX Black edition has a 6pin and a 8 pin. I was also trying to find out what the power phase was for the Powercolor gpu.


----------



## psyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Did you have your cpu OCd while benchmarking?


Yes, 4.6


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> I'm not air cooling brother. Temps are the least of my concerns right now as I have a loop conprised of a 120,280 and 360 rads in a switch 810. Plus both the 280 and 360 rads are in push-pull. I've already gotten my Powercolor to 1200 core 1600 memory 24/7 and on load it peaks at about 51-53. What I was asking was is there much of a difference between those two gpus since the Powercolor has 2- 8pin power connectors and the XFX Black edition has a 6pin and a 8 pin. I was also trying to find out what the power phase was for the Powercolor gpu.


Fudzilla has a picture of the PCS+ HD7970 Vortex II PCB. Seems rather nice by the looks of it.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> I'm not air cooling brother. Temps are the least of my concerns right now as I have a loop conprised of a 120,280 and 360 rads in a switch 810. Plus both the 280 and 360 rads are in push-pull. I've already gotten my Powercolor to 1200 core 1600 memory 24/7 and on load it peaks at about 51-53. What I was asking was is there much of a difference between those two gpus since the Powercolor has 2- 8pin power connectors and the XFX Black edition has a 6pin and a 8 pin. I was also trying to find out what the power phase was for the Powercolor gpu.


WOW.







that changes the equation drastically. yeah the PCS+ Vortex has a much better power circuitry with 10 phases or Voltage regulator modules (VRM). you can clearly see 9 arranged in a line (between the two rows of capacitors) and one lies separate to the left of the chip . yeah you could go for another PCS+

http://www.techpowerup.com/163144/PowerColor-Radeon-HD-7970-Vortex-II-Detailed-Some-More.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/158591/PowerColor-HD-7970-Vortex-Graphics-Card-Pictured.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/158667/PowerColor-HD-7970-Vortex-VRM-A-Closer-Look.html


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psyside*
> 
> Yes, 4.6


I guess that makes the 4 fps, mine's at 3.4 or 3.8ghz


----------



## catbuster

hi ppl, which 7950 whould u suggest of getting? I have read some have voltage locked







Thx for the input!


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> hi ppl, which 7950 whould u suggest of getting? I have read some have voltage locked
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thx for the input!


What do you have available to choose from where you are?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Hey all. I have a few questions about eyefinity.
> 
> I Have a MSI TF3 HD7950 oc, and i have 3 Dell 1905FP monitors hooked up. The problem I am having is that it just does not see the third monitor. I try to enable it in CCS it errors out and says "To extend the desktop, a desktop must be disabled." I have reinstalled my drivers, i have all the current ones, YES i have restarted my computer... I just cant figure it out.
> 
> The full ports I am using are the, DVI HDMI and MiniDP.
> 
> I have two working just fine however it will not accept the third with out that error.
> *I have read somewhere that I cannot use Eyefinity with using a HDMI however the article was old and I am not sure that is still relevant.*
> .


That's false just to confirm for you. You can use HDMI fine, though it's recommended to convert to DVI so you dont run into over/underscan issues. If the third panel is not showing, that is almost always an actual port problem, and most often a miniDP issue. Are you using an active miniDP to DVI adapter?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> I just picked up a reference 7970 and slapped a full cover water block on it. I am stunned by the performance so far, I have been running various crossfire configurations for the last 3 years and simply cannot believe that this thing is faster than my two 6870's. My goal was to OC the card to 1200mhz but 1125 is more that enough at 1080p, unreal
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


You should go play Hitman Absolution, thats not enough yet


----------



## neonthetank

I figured out that I had not been using an "active" port adapter. Ordered 2 on the egg to avoid using the hdmi.


----------



## catbuster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> What do you have available to choose from where you are?


gigabyte 7950 windforce

saphire 7950 vapor x

saphire 7950 boost

at this moment i am leaning at windforce









edit also asus 7950 but dat tri slot cooler...


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> gigabyte 7950 windforce
> saphire 7950 vapor x
> saphire 7950 boost
> at this moment i am leaning at windforce
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit also asus 7950 but dat tri slot cooler...


I would go with vapor or the boost (I got it). The asus one is always overprices and clocks are crap and the rest is almost the same. There almost isn't difference between cooling or noise, maybe few degrees and dB. WF3 looks like crap.

So to the boost one, I have it and I can't complain. Under 100% load after 20 mins it hit 69 degrees, but while playing bf3 or ac3 it stays at 63, fan is at 42% and I can't hear it. It also looks cool, no fugly blue pcb and fans.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> What do you have available to choose from where you are?
> 
> 
> 
> gigabyte 7950 windforce - rumored to be voltage locked
> 
> *saphire 7950 vapor x* gets my vote, a great card and i believe it has a 7970 PCB if it is the version with 2 + 8pin PCIe power connectors
> 
> saphire 7950 boost
> 
> at this moment i am leaning at windforce
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit also asus 7950 but dat tri slot cooler... i have one and yeah massive but overclocks well, my voltage is unlocked and a newer revision after they fixed all the issues early in the year but many are locked so i hear, its like 50/50
Click to expand...


----------



## catbuster

awww so hard to decide







thx for the input, maybe some1 else will tell me what to do


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> awww so hard to decide
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thx for the input, maybe some1 else will tell me what to do


Get the sapphire vapor x, best choice on that list.


----------



## MooMoo

My clocks seems stable @1090/1500 when gaming and other stuff, but when monitor goes sleep graphic card doesnt want to wake up and I have to shut down computer, even reset doesnt work. Is my memory too high or is it core clocks?

Edit: I maybe found the reason for idle crash, I had warning option on Aida64 on, that shuts down my pc if my gpu VRM exceeds 103c, so there might be some kind of bug when screen goes idle. Will see how this works now...


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> gigabyte 7950 windforce
> 
> saphire 7950 vapor x
> 
> saphire 7950 boost
> 
> at this moment i am leaning at windforce
> 
> edit also asus 7950 but dat tri slot cooler...


The gigabyte windforce, of the asus 7950 v2 (if its not v2 don't buy) Both have coolers which vastly outperform the saphire cards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> awww so hard to decide
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thx for the input, maybe some1 else will tell me what to do


Are you crazy? Get one of the 7970s for 330 right now.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> You should go play Hitman Absolution, thats not enough yet


my 7950 handles it just fine.

Average of 45 Fps with 1100core/1460mem with the in game benchmark. Ultra defaults 1080p I actually get higher Fps in the game, just one section of the benchmark my fps hits 30fps for a split of a second. Then shoots back up. I have not experienced any slow downs in the game at all. usually at around 50-55fps.

Using the 12.11 beta 8 drivers.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> awww so hard to decide
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thx for the input, maybe some1 else will tell me what to do


I can vouche for the Gigabyte 7950 WF3 being an excellant card. Voltage on mine is unlocked, stays extremely cool and overclocks like a champ.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> my 7950 handles it just fine.
> Average of 45 Fps with 1100core/1460mem with the in game benchmark. Ultra defaults 1080p I actually get higher Fps in the game, just one section of the benchmark my fps hits 30fps for a split of a second. Then shoots back up. I have not experienced any slow downs in the game at all. usually at around 50-55fps.
> Using the 12.11 beta 8 drivers.


I forgot to add that playing it on almoust constant 60fps and all maxed out, even AA







thats how you should play it


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> I can vouche for the Gigabyte 7950 WF3 being an excellant card. Voltage on mine is unlocked, stays extremely cool and overclocks like a champ.


WOOT! 1.3V???? What is your VRM temps? :O got anything on them?
I like going to burn my VRMs if I put furmark on for awhile. they go up to 100c... And I even have heatsinks on them.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> I forgot to add that playing it on almoust constant 60fps and all maxed out, even AA thats how you should play it


eh thats with FXAA.

Your talking about 7970 crossfire to run it completely maxed with highest AA at 1080p. Which to be honest isn't all that much better looking than just 1080 FXAA.

sometimes you shoot for realistic rather than the impossible.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> eh thats with FXAA.
> Your talking about 7970 crossfire to run it completely maxed with highest AA at 1080p. Which to be honest isn't all that much better looking than just 1080 FXAA.
> sometimes you shoot for realistic rather than the impossible.


Sometimes 7970CF for 1080p is well within reason. But rarely!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> Sometimes 7970CF for 1080p is well within reason. But rarely!


If you turn off MSAA in Hitman Absolution you can force super samiling and AA maxed with edge detect through CCC with barely any hit to performance. 1 card is enough.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> If you turn off MSAA in Hitman Absolution you can force super samiling and AA maxed with edge detect through CCC with barely any hit to performance. 1 card is enough.


Supersampling with barely any hit to performance = supersampling not working. Not that I've tried with Hitman, but that's common sense.

Edit: And what's with edge detect with SS? AFAIK, SS will not detect edges no matter what. Isn't the whole point of SS to apply AA to everything?


----------



## rageofthepeon

Ordered another 7970 (MSI) from Amazon so I guess I have 30 days to test how much I like crossfire and/or any microstutter issues







. Certain cards offering the 'never settle' bundle on Amazon, though not one of the retailers on AMD website, helped pushed me over the edge.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Ordered another 7970 (MSI) from Amazon so I guess I have 30 days to test how much I like crossfire and/or any microstutter issues . Certain cards offering the 'never settle' bundle on Amazon, though not one of the retailers on AMD website, helped pushed me over the edge.


if you use the Radeon Pro, it allows you to fix mircostutter. ;-)

I personally went from 7870 crossfire to my single 7950. Which will soon be 7950 crossfire. Radeon Pro is nice and fixed any smoothness issues i might have once had.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> *if you use the Radeon Pro, it allows you to fix mircostutter. ;-)*
> I personally went from 7870 crossfire to my single 7950. Which will soon be 7950 crossfire. Radeon Pro is nice and fixed any smoothness issues i might have once had.


How?








Cheers.


----------



## Nwanko

Everything was working well till today. Having trouble with the core voltage. Using the Extreme-G 12.11 driver and msi ab 2.2.2 for oc and vent settings. Till now the clocks and voltage was normal. My OC in AB:
Core V: 1.156V
Mem V: 1.606V
Core Clock: 1150
Mem Clock: 1550
Board Li: 20+

xcl extended clocks,unlocked core voltage,monitoring.

Here's the problem. Core clock and mem clock at idle normal at 300/150, but the core voltage stays at 1.156V,when i reset the settings the clocks go down and the core v goes to 0.981V. When it was working normally, i just set the OC in AB and the core V at idle stayed at 0.806V.

I tried uninstalling the drivers,installed 12.11 beta8 and the problem persists,also tride AB 2.3.0 and its still the same.

Is it possible that the atipdlxx.dll in the problem here,because before when i hit the /xcl method in ab shortcut the idle voltage was 0.806V after that it was 0.981V


----------



## axipher

After adding my Accelero Extreme 7970 on to my 7950, I'm quite happy with the new overclocking potential. Using the PowerTune +20% jumps up the voltage to 1.21 V and I can hit 1200/1500 MHz no sweat with only 56 C on the core and 70 C on the VRM's.

Managed to bump folding performance up to 10k PPd.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by ebduncan
> 
> if you use the Radeon Pro, it allows you to fix mircostutter. ;-)
> I personally went from 7870 crossfire to my single 7950. Which will soon be 7950 crossfire. Radeon Pro is nice and fixed any smoothness issues i might have once had.


Quote:


> How?
> Cheers


Simple download Radeon Pro

here is a link to what it does to frame times its not a full review just the usage of it on the 7990.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-11.html


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Everything was working well till today. Having trouble with the core voltage. Using the Extreme-G 12.11 driver and msi ab 2.2.2 for oc and vent settings. Till now the clocks and voltage was normal. My OC in AB:
> Core V: 1.156V
> Mem V: 1.606V
> Core Clock: 1150
> Mem Clock: 1550
> Board Li: 20+
> xcl extended clocks,unlocked core voltage,monitoring.
> Here's the problem. Core clock and mem clock at idle normal at 300/150, but the core voltage stays at 1.156V,when i reset the settings the clocks go down and the core v goes to 0.981V. When it was working normally, i just set the OC in AB and the core V at idle stayed at 0.806V.
> I tried uninstalling the drivers,installed 12.11 beta8 and the problem persists,also tride AB 2.3.0 and its still the same.
> Is it possible that the atipdlxx.dll in the problem here,because before when i hit the /xcl method in ab shortcut the idle voltage was 0.806V after that it was 0.981V


EDIT: Fixed it with the bios switch. Have 2 different bioses,the stock one and the 7970 dual-x bios,stock clocks at 1000/1450 1.12V, working normally now at 1150/1550 1.15V, 0.806V at idle.


----------



## Tonza

I suppose 1.275v is safe for 24/7 usage? Can get whopping 1270 core stable on this voltage (havent tried 1.3v, its like vortex in my apartment with this reference cooler







). Getting Accelero friday, gonna see final clocks then.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> I suppose 1.275v is safe for 24/7 usage? Can get whopping 1270 core stable on this voltage (havent tried 1.3v, its like vortex in my apartment with this reference cooler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). Getting Accelero friday, gonna see final clocks then.


The Accelero is going to make a huge difference, I run mine at only 20% and keeps my 7950 at only 56 C with a core voltage of 1.21 V @ 1200 Mhz. And 20% on the fan is pretty much inaudible.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

I have a problem with the ATIman uninstaller, it only gives me a bluescreen when i accept the start of the cleaning.. Why is that?


----------



## Tonza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> The Accelero is going to make a huge difference, I run mine at only 20% and keeps my 7950 at only 56 C with a core voltage of 1.21 V @ 1200 Mhz. And 20% on the fan is pretty much inaudible.


Yeah i know, had Accelero on my GTX 580 back in the days. Only thing they could try to improve is the VRM cooling (doesnt matter tho, VRM is rated anyway to run ridiculously high temperatures). Its pretty much silent + cools card like 30c better than reference


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> WOOT! 1.3V???? What is your VRM temps? :O got anything on them?
> I like going to burn my VRMs if I put furmark on for awhile. they go up to 100c... And I even have heatsinks on them.


GPU temps never go above 52C and my VRM temps hit 61C at their hottest. No extra cooling other than how it came. I have excellent case flow which really helps.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Everything was working well till today. Having trouble with the core voltage. Using the Extreme-G 12.11 driver and msi ab 2.2.2 for oc and vent settings. Till now the clocks and voltage was normal. My OC in AB:
> Core V: 1.156V
> Mem V: 1.606V
> Core Clock: 1150
> Mem Clock: 1550
> Board Li: 20+
> 
> xcl extended clocks,unlocked core voltage,monitoring.
> 
> Here's the problem. Core clock and mem clock at idle normal at 300/150, but the core voltage stays at 1.156V,when i reset the settings the clocks go down and the core v goes to 0.981V. When it was working normally, i just set the OC in AB and the core V at idle stayed at 0.806V.
> 
> I tried uninstalling the drivers,installed 12.11 beta8 and the problem persists,also tride AB 2.3.0 and its still the same.
> 
> Is it possible that the atipdlxx.dll in the problem here,because before when i hit the /xcl method in ab shortcut the idle voltage was 0.806V after that it was 0.981V


I'm confused why it stopped working. Did you update the drivers? If so how did you update?

XCL or no XCL, you still need the proper dll for voltage control. There's two files that need to be in the system32/wow folders and/or the AB folder.


----------



## Domininja

Does anyone know how to add a 3rd Party Video card to MSI AF?
Because I have a 7970 which is not supported by MSI Afterburner due to a different VRM (VT1165) therefore I am unable to adjust or change voltages.

Thank you.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Domininja*
> 
> Does anyone know how to add a 3rd Party Video card to MSI AF?
> Because I have a 7970 which is not supported by MSI Afterburner due to a different VRM (VT1165) therefore I am unable to adjust or change voltages.
> 
> Thank you.


I just posted how to do this for you in the how to thread. Try it out.


----------



## Crowe98

guys i hate spam but there is a club out there for people with XFX's Black edition or Double Dissapation cards. we are looking for members. thanks guys.
http://www.overclock.net/forum/newestpost/1331663


----------



## Tonza

Anyone else starting to get artifacts after certain temperature? Yes i know, reference cooler is crap (was trying to see highest OC on core). Getting accelero tomorrow so ill test it out more. Im getting artifacting after 82c, BF3 was stable as rock with 1.275v and 1285 core (after like 30 mins gameplay when it reached 82c artifacts came).


----------



## Nwanko

OMG I'm back, and the problem is back....was working normal till yesterday. Today i look at AB and the Voltage is at 3D state,the clocks at 2D. I really don't know what to do here.

EDIT: Can anyone post what version of AB and the 2 files they r using,how to install it correctly.
Soo i uninstalled the drivers using latest atiman uninstaller,installed 12.11 beta6,have msi ab 2.2.2 installed,both files in ab folder. And the issue persists,when i set an OC in ab the clocks and voltage stay at 3D,ALWAYS. Is the AB version the issue,or the drivers,or both,what?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> Anyone else starting to get artifacts after certain temperature? Yes i know, reference cooler is crap (was trying to see highest OC on core). Getting accelero tomorrow so ill test it out more. Im getting artifacting after 82c, BF3 was stable as rock with 1.275v and 1285 core (after like 30 mins gameplay when it reached 82c artifacts came).


I dont know does temperatures affect on artifacts (atleast I haven't noticed so), but too less voltage tends to make artifacts. And 82c isnt usually too high temp, so try to bump a notch your voltage to see if you get rid of your artifacts, or lower clocks?


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> Anyone else starting to get artifacts after certain temperature? Yes i know, reference cooler is crap (was trying to see highest OC on core). Getting accelero tomorrow so ill test it out more. Im getting artifacting after 82c, BF3 was stable as rock with 1.275v and 1285 core (after like 30 mins gameplay when it reached 82c artifacts came).


1285 stable until 82C is actually really good. Usually that high a clock requires temps below 70 from what I've seen. Not to mention that most chips don't get there no matter what temps and voltage...


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> Anyone else starting to get artifacts after certain temperature? Yes i know, reference cooler is crap (was trying to see highest OC on core). Getting accelero tomorrow so ill test it out more. Im getting artifacting after 82c, BF3 was stable as rock with 1.275v and 1285 core (after like 30 mins gameplay when it reached 82c artifacts came).


man back off the overclocks. 1285 mhz on a reference cooler is crazy stuff. in fact its very rare that you can hit 1250+ Mhz at 82 c. mostly you need to keep temps around 70c for hitting those 1250+ mhz overclocks. with the accelero you should be able to keep temps below 70c on max fan speed. the accelero fans are very quiet. so max them out and get your temps as low as possible. for stability at high overclock keeping temps as low as possible is essential.


----------



## Twistacles

Oh wow, I didn't know that about the temps! That would explain the problems I've been having recently.

I was running 1225mhz @ 1.37v stable on one screen, but as soon as I moved up to eyefinity it started ****ting bricks. Thats prob cause multiple monitors cause higher temps...

Is there a cheap-ish way to keep temps down on this card? I thought about the accelero, but even at 80$ thats pretty steep

edit: Im still on 12.6 catalyst, should i update


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Oh wow, I didn't know that about the temps! That would explain the problems I've been having recently.
> I was running 1225mhz @ 1.37v stable on one screen, but as soon as I moved up to eyefinity it started ****ting bricks. Thats prob cause multiple monitors cause higher temps...
> Is there a cheap-ish way to keep temps down on this card? I thought about the accelero, but even at 80$ thats pretty steep
> edit: Im still on 12.6 catalyst, should i update


Get 12.11, pretty big performance boost for several games. About the cooling, if the Accelero is too expensive, i doubt there is something cheaper to cool them. Make sure your case has good airflow, that sure helps.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Oh wow, I didn't know that about the temps! That would explain the problems I've been having recently.
> I was running 1225mhz @ 1.37v stable on one screen, but as soon as I moved up to eyefinity it started ****ting bricks. Thats prob cause multiple monitors cause higher temps...
> Is there a cheap-ish way to keep temps down on this card? I thought about the accelero, but even at 80$ thats pretty steep
> edit: Im still on 12.6 catalyst, should i update


I've been tempted to give this one a try myself:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426031

Seems to perform quite well:
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/1535/pg4/gelid-icy-vision-a-gpu-cooler-for-amd-review-performance-and-conclusion.html


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Twistacles*
> 
> Oh wow, I didn't know that about the temps! That would explain the problems I've been having recently. I was running 1225mhz @ 1.37v stable on one screen, but as soon as I moved up to eyefinity it started ****ting bricks. Thats prob cause multiple monitors cause higher temps...
> Is there a cheap-ish way to keep temps down on this card? I thought about the accelero, but even at 80$ thats pretty steep
> edit: Im still on 12.6 catalyst, should i update


yeah get the latest 12.11 beta 8 drivers and 12.10 CAP 1.

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx

as for cooling the accelero xtreme is the one to get. if you are serious about 1200 mhz clocks thats the minimum quality of cooling you will need to maintain stability especially with multi monitor.

www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/arctic-accelero-xtreme-7970_5.html#sect1

60c core temps, 68c VRM temps , 60c memory temps on HD 7970 Lightning at 1140 Mhz at max fan speed of 2100 rpm. but the card is quiet even at max fan speeds.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/arctic-accelero-xtreme-7970_6.html#sect0

with multi monitor the temps will be higher. but you should still be able to keep core temps around 70c or lesser.


----------



## tommiyacht

does gigabyte 7950 WFIII have temp sensor on VRM ?


----------



## PARTON

I've been sitting at 1240 @ 1.3v for months now. Any new tricks to getting moar voltage?


----------



## Rebelord

This is old news to most probably.

But I was just cleaning my computer and noticed, I have a Dual BIOS switch on my TF3 7950. Huh!. Never noticed it before.
Who can tell me which position is which BIOS or which one is flashable?


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> This is old news to most probably.
> 
> But I was just cleaning my computer and noticed, I have a Dual BIOS switch on my TF3 7950. Huh!. Never noticed it before.
> Who can tell me which position is which BIOS or which one is flashable?


Most likely position 2 is the flashable BIOS and position 1 is the default, either 800 MHz, or the Boost 925 MHz.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Most likely position 2 is the flashable BIOS and position 1 is the default, either 800 MHz, or the Boost 925 MHz.


It has been in position 2 since I have gotten it. Which was the 880Mhz 1250Mhz stock clocks of the TF3. Never have tried position 1.

Running @ 1100/1575 currently though. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/bg5sv/


----------



## zylonite

So I didn't read the 1800s pages on this thread. Can someone tell me the best 7970 card out there. Not planning a CF setup at any time. Just need a single card that can handle games for the next 3-4 years. Price budget $400


----------



## Rebelord

Best? Is kinda subjective. But there is a lot of rave about the Sapphire cards as for performance. Plus, a lot of people like the Gigabyte Windforce cards because the fans work very well keeping the card cool with low noise. (Compared to MSI Twin Forzer cards. Which have been noisy, including my own 7950.)


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> So I didn't read the 1800s pages on this thread. Can someone tell me the best 7970 card out there. Not planning a CF setup at any time. Just need a single card that can handle games for the next 3-4 years. Price budget $400


go back and start reading. It has been talked about many times.



:-D

Still waiting on the water block for the 7950. Currently at 1100core/1460mem 1.130 volts.


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zylonite*
> 
> So I didn't read the 1800s pages on this thread. Can someone tell me the best 7970 card out there. Not planning a CF setup at any time. Just need a single card that can handle games for the next 3-4 years. Price budget $400


Make sure you get a card with unlocked voltage the last thing want is to have a card that you cannot overclock. Do your research I am running a reference diamond 7970 and it still has a unlocked voltage. Go on newegg and read the reviews to find out if the card you want to buy still has unlocked voltage.

Good Luck!


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I have a problem with the ATIman uninstaller, it only gives me a bluescreen when i accept the start of the cleaning.. Why is that?


I get BSOD at the very beginning as well, when it starts removing the CAPs. I overcome this issue by using initially the normal amd uninstall procedure and then atimans unnstaller.


----------



## wseroyer

I just bought this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-127-652&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo

Hope it was not a dumb choice.


----------



## wseroyer

I just bought this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-127-652&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo

Hope it was not a dumb choice.


----------



## InsideJob

Check out this deal!
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=67605&vpn=R7970-2PMD3GD5&manufacture=MSI%2FMicroStar&promoid=1310


----------



## InsideJob

I have a n00b question about mem clocks on the 7970. Is there a multiplier applied to it from what is shown in GPU-Z? I noticed on all reference cards info on sales pages it says 5.5ghz for memory clock. Then in GPU-Z it says a stock clock of 1375mhz. Just curious, hope someone can help enlighten me


----------



## tsm106

Divide by 4.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Most likely position 2 is the flashable BIOS and position 1 is the default, either 800 MHz, or the Boost 925 MHz.
> 
> 
> 
> It has been in position 2 since I have gotten it. Which was the 880Mhz 1250Mhz stock clocks of the TF3. Never have tried position 1.
> 
> Running @ 1100/1575 currently though. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/bg5sv/
Click to expand...

1 has always been the unlocked bios and 2 has always been the failsafe backup.


----------



## InsideJob

I figured was just curious and wasn't completely sure.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1 has always been the unlocked bios and 2 has always been the failsafe backup.


Well, considering its been on two since I have gotten. Guess I should put on one?
I have been overlocking on two also. . . /shrug


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1 has always been the unlocked bios and 2 has always been the failsafe backup.
> 
> 
> 
> Well, considering its been on two since I have gotten. Guess I should put on one?
> I have been overlocking on two also. . . /shrug
Click to expand...

There wouldn't be any real changes other then the starting clocks. But it's better to be on #1 so we don't accidentally force a flash on #2. That would be bad.


----------



## wseroyer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InsideJob*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Check out this deal!
> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=67605&vpn=R7970-2PMD3GD5&manufacture=MSI%2FMicroStar&promoid=1310


Ya I saw that, it's Canada only I live in The U.S.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wseroyer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *InsideJob*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Check out this deal!
> http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=67605&vpn=R7970-2PMD3GD5&manufacture=MSI%2FMicroStar&promoid=1310
> 
> 
> 
> Ya I saw that, it's Canada only I live in The U.S.
Click to expand...

Wow, Canada actually has a good deal for once and I have no extra money...


----------



## wseroyer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Wow, Canada actually has a good deal for once and I have no extra money...


If it makes you feel better there sold out.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wseroyer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Wow, Canada actually has a good deal for once and I have no extra money...
> 
> 
> 
> If it makes you feel better there sold out.
Click to expand...

That does haha. Makes me feel okay about my current 7950 on an under-powered PSU.


----------



## wseroyer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> That does haha. Makes me feel okay about my current 7950 on an under-powered PSU.


dude, priorities new PSU first!!

This deal is amazing!!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817116019


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wseroyer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> That does haha. Makes me feel okay about my current 7950 on an under-powered PSU.
> 
> 
> 
> dude, priorities new PSU first!!
> 
> This deal is amazing!!
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817116019
Click to expand...

That is pretty nice, but Canada...

I'm looking to pick up one of these either tomorrow or Saturday:

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX37754


----------



## ProVisionOman

Hey guys! If I pair a 7950 with a Core2Duo 2.93GHZ, how bad is the bottleneck?


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Simple download Radeon Pro
> here is a link to what it does to frame times its not a full review just the usage of it on the 7990.
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-11.html


Good tip! I'll be testing it out later... Do you have a favorite framerate setting for it?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProVisionOman*
> 
> Hey guys! If I pair a 7950 with a Core2Duo 2.93GHZ, how bad is the bottleneck?


Bad, it holds back most of games, unless you only play older games, that cannot utilize 4cores. But I would say: get new CPU first.


----------



## InsideJob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> That is pretty nice, but Canada...
> I'm looking to pick up one of these either tomorrow or Saturday:
> http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX37754


Nice pick, I have the 500w (as I'm sure you had noticed) and it's been powering my sigrig no problem


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Good tip! I'll be testing it out later... Do you have a favorite framerate setting for it?


set it at your average frame rate for what ever game.


----------



## Rebelord

Axipher: I have spare Corsair TX650 psu's laying around. Could work something out if needed.


----------



## Tweetbix

Hello guys,

Don't have a 7970/7950 (I'm on the other side of the pond atm)
but I wanted to ask about your opinions on a choice of 7970.

I recently got store credit because of a semi-faulty card at PCCG (PC Case Gear) and am yet to select a replacement.

In the way of 7970s (could go with a 7950 but why would I, may as well use the credit to the full extent of it) I have a choice of whats available on their site:

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=193_1309

Total credit is roughly $530 but am able to put in an extra few bucks for something like the lightning, however the Matrix and Vapor-X 6GB are out of the question.


----------



## Rebelord

Need anything else for your computer?
Could go with a 7950 and have a extra ~200 in credit for something else. Like another SSD or whatever.


----------



## Tweetbix

Nope, dont need anything else.
Why does everyone keep saying to gets another SSD, Don't want to go too nuts with them, already got 1 HDD for Games and Media, 1 SSD for OS and Critical/Standard Programs.

Don't get me wrong, the 7950s are great for the price, but a 7950 wont have as much of a jump over a 670 (which is what I have at the moment.)
Then you'll say to crossfire the 7950's, but when if i sell my 670 it means I could also get another 7970.

I just wanted to know what peoples opinions are of the cards that I am able to get from PCCG, what works well concerning heat, noise, that sort of thing. Not to be told to look at something else when yes, it may cost less, but I'm not going to be able to tell the difference between what I have and what I'll get.

Or is it just worth waiting for next years cards, considering that 2013 is knocking on the door.
I would create my own thread about this question, but A: I have already made one asking between 7970's and 670's available at PCCG, and B: that thread would not get the same level of exposure to people with experience in certain types of cards that a thread dedicated to that card would.

Also to add to information regarding this, will be going tri screen in the next few months, am yet to decide on resolution (1440 or 1080)


----------



## SonDa5

My first run of 3dMark11 in X mode.

X3901
Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition 1325/1800



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5070771


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tweetbix*
> 
> Nope, dont need anything else.
> Why does everyone keep saying to gets another SSD, Don't want to go too nuts with them, already got 1 HDD for Games and Media, 1 SSD for OS and Critical/Standard Programs.
> Don't get me wrong, the 7950s are great for the price, but a 7950 wont have as much of a jump over a 670 (which is what I have at the moment.)
> Then you'll say to crossfire the 7950's, but when if i sell my 670 it means I could also get another 7970.
> I just wanted to know what peoples opinions are of the cards that I am able to get from PCCG, what works well concerning heat, noise, that sort of thing. Not to be told to look at something else when yes, it may cost less, but I'm not going to be able to tell the difference between what I have and what I'll get.
> Or is it just worth waiting for next years cards, considering that 2013 is knocking on the door.
> I would create my own thread about this question, but A: I have already made one asking between 7970's and 670's available at PCCG, and B: that thread would not get the same level of exposure to people with experience in certain types of cards that a thread dedicated to that card would.
> Also to add to information regarding this, will be going tri screen in the next few months, am yet to decide on resolution (1440 or 1080)


Then I would suggest the Gigabyte 7970 then. My TF3 7950 is fairly loud, and I have read a lot that the Windforces are much quiter than the Twin Forzers. However, the Lightning does look sexy..
Plus, with the option to dbl up on the 7970s if you sell your 670's? Go for it.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> My first run of 3dMark11 in X mode.
> 
> X3901
> Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition 1325/1800


impressive overclock. I assume your under full water?


----------



## wseroyer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProVisionOman*
> 
> Hey guys! If I pair a 7950 with a Core2Duo 2.93GHZ, how bad is the bottleneck?


Dear god.... that's a massive bottle neck, I had a gtx 560 ti with a core2duo and it was horrid, I can image what it would be like with two 7950's. In BF 3 I'd get like 15 FPS with that set up.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> impressive overclock. I assume your under full water?


Heatkiller block on the HD7950 and DT SNIPER on the 3770k. Alphacool UT60 420 radiator. Swiftech MCP655 pump.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tweetbix*
> 
> Don't get me wrong, the 7950s are great for the price, but a 7950 wont have as much of a jump over a 670 (which is what I have at the moment.)
> I just wanted to know what peoples opinions are of the cards that I am able to get from PCCG, what works well concerning heat, noise, that sort of thing. Not to be told to look at something else when yes, it may cost less, but I'm not going to be able to tell the difference between what I have and what I'll get.


the HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970 at the same clocks.

http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/

amazing value for your money. go for a HD 7950 boost which runs at 925 mhz boost clocks. these cards come with 1.25v stock voltage. max out power option to +20%. you can hit 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1311&products_id=21564

if you want to spend the entire store credit of 530 bucks i recommend the MSI HD 7970 Lightning boost edition running at 1150 Mhz. custom design PCB. very high quality components. the only thing is the 2 DVI ports are single link and can only support 1920 x 1080 and 1920 x 1200 . they cannot support 2560 x 1440 and 2560 x 1600. for that you have to use the miniDP port.









http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=21977


----------



## wseroyer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970 at the same clocks.
> http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/
> amazing value for your money. go for a HD 7950 boost which runs at 925 mhz boost clocks. these cards come with 1.25v stock voltage. max out power option to +20%. you can hit 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage.
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1311&products_id=21564
> if you want to spend the entire store credit of 530 bucks i recommend the MSI HD 7970 Lightning boost edition running at 1150 Mhz. custom design PCB. very high quality components. the only thing is the 2 DVI ports are single link and can only support 1920 x 1080 and 1920 x 1200 . they cannot support 2560 x 1440 and 2560 x 1600. for that you have to use the miniDP port.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=21977


Really? on the Lightning that seems like a really dumb thing for them to do.


----------



## bhardy1185

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970 at the same clocks.
> http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/
> amazing value for your money. go for a HD 7950 boost which runs at 925 mhz boost clocks. these cards come with 1.25v stock voltage. max out power option to +20%. you can hit 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage.
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1311&products_id=21564
> if you want to spend the entire store credit of 530 bucks i recommend the MSI HD 7970 Lightning boost edition running at 1150 Mhz. custom design PCB. very high quality components. the only thing is the 2 DVI ports are single link and can only support 1920 x 1080 and 1920 x 1200 . they cannot support 2560 x 1440 and 2560 x 1600. for that you have to use the miniDP port.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=21977


I have always been a fan of Sapphire cards. I bought mine when they first came out and haven't had a problem. Overclocked really well. Stock fan on mine is extremely loud though. I just purchased the accelero for it so, judging from the reviews, that should take care of my fan noise problem and give me some better temps. With that being said, I would have to second raghu's suggestion. Get the Lightning. Just my


----------



## BinZz

Guys ,
How do you deal with microstutter ?
I have a SAPPHIRE Toxic 7970 ghz edition 6GB wih two SAPPHIRE Vapor-x 7970 ghz edition 6GB.
running at default clocks of 1050 / 1500
And i do have a very annoying microstutter


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Axipher: I have spare Corsair TX650 psu's laying around. Could work something out if needed.


Thanks for the offer, but I need something this weekend. I can do anything full load on my current system. As soon as the GPU goes in to 3D clocks, my 12 V rail drops from 12.02 V to 11.64 V. That's far too much fluctuation for me.


----------



## ebduncan

hey guys.

I dunno if this has been asked before. Is there any one preferred Water block for the 7970/7950.

I have the XFX 7950.


----------



## Feyris

Screw the GHz editions. I love my coil whine

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/3vswa/


----------



## sinnedone

Hello all.

I was wondering if anyone with an XFX HD 7950 Black edition could measure there card for an exact measurement?

Newegg says 10.5 and I want to see if someone can physically verify before I start making plans to purchase one.

Thanks









Oh is there any advantage over getting the regular DD XFX HD 7950 over the Black Edition or vice versa?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sinnedone*
> 
> Hello all.
> I was wondering if anyone with an XFX HD 7950 Black edition could measure there card for an exact measurement?
> Newegg says 10.5 and I want to see if someone can physically verify before I start making plans to purchase one.
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh is there any advantage over getting the regular DD XFX HD 7950 over the Black Edition or vice versa?


The ratio is correct, it was abit shorter then my sapphire. Also from my experience... XFX seems to be severely binned.

I've only messed with the 7800 series 7850 models, 7850 Core couldnt OC over 10Mhz, (had a high asic though, 93%) then DD one could clock like all the other 7850 models but the BE version went above that. BE would be the "premium" silicone, DD would be the normal.


----------



## Layo

Far Cry 3 puts my card under heavy load as expected







Rolling on half high, half very high (still 1080p) and I get on average 70-90 fps while OCd card runs nonstop at 100% and temp goes up to 73C (tops 66C while bf3ing on ultra).
So far good game, just kind of annoyed by the childish Ubisoft way, go here, do this, press this, go there and HUD get's annoying sometimes. I'm in my first mission, but I hope weapons will wear out and eventually break like they did in FC2, I really loved that.


----------



## shremi

Well i jave $50 USD on amazon credit and i want to blow it on a 7970 ....

I want to go with the gigabyte but i heard new revisions are voltage locked and not reference ....

Can anyone suggest a good overclocker and watercooled compatible 7970 on amazon please ????

Budget is 350-400 not icluding the $50 gift card

Thanks

Shremi


----------



## sinnedone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> The ratio is correct, it was abit shorter then my sapphire. Also from my experience... XFX seems to be severely binned.
> I've only messed with the 7800 series 7850 models, 7850 Core couldnt OC over 10Mhz, (had a high asic though, 93%) then DD one could clock like all the other 7850 models but the BE version went above that. BE would be the "premium" silicone, DD would be the normal.


Thanks for the response.

Which XFX card do you have?

At that length it might be a little tight in my case.







might have to go for a 7870 then.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> My first run of 3dMark11 in X mode.
> X3901
> Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition 1325/1800
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5070771


7950 does pretty good, I haven't run the extreme test before so gave it a shot on the 7970 lightning. Living room was getting chilly last night at 18° ambient, card finally let me get higher than 1300 core.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5071567


----------



## fraternihil

I have a Gigabyte Windforce 7950 which I'm running at 1100/13000 with 1149mv. It works like a charm for BF3. Now, when I'm playing Far Cry 3, I get crashs/freezes after a while. At this point OSD Server shows me temperatures of about 65degrees on the card and about 70 on the VRMs. Is the card running too hot or is it maybe likely that it neeeds more voltage?


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fraternihil*
> 
> I have a Gigabyte Windforce 7950 which I'm running at 1100/13000 with 1149mv. It works like a charm for BF3. Now, when I'm playing Far Cry 3, I get crashs/freezes after a while. At this point OSD Server shows me temperatures of about 65degrees on the card and about 70 on the VRMs. Is the card running too hot or is it maybe likely that it neeeds more voltage?


Mine's at 1100/1400, run FC3 at 70-90 fps hitting 72C after 30 minutes (tops 68 in BF3). How's yours?
I'm using recommended settings, half high, half very high.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fraternihil*
> 
> I have a Gigabyte Windforce 7950 which I'm running at 1100/13000 with 1149mv. It works like a charm for BF3. Now, when I'm playing Far Cry 3, I get crashs/freezes after a while. At this point OSD Server shows me temperatures of about 65degrees on the card and about 70 on the VRMs. Is the card running too hot or is it maybe likely that it neeeds more voltage?


farcry 3 day one patch has released. install it and see if the issues are getting resolved .

http://far-cry.ubi.com/fc-portal/en-GB/downloads/index.aspx

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/11/29/ubisoft-release-critical-day-one-patch-for-far-cry-3/
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/380973/far-cry-3-critical-day-one-pc-patch-detailed/


----------



## fraternihil

@Layo: as I said, about 65C. Everything on Ultra, MSAA off. Between 50 and 100 fps. Avg. about 60-70.
@raghhu78: I have installed the latest patch. Also, I exchanged that crappy 1055t and I'm now on a 3570k @4.2 Ghz. I don't know whether it's the graphics card or the cpu that causes the freeze (or the game is still poorly optimized).


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fraternihil*
> 
> @Layo: as I said, about 65C. Everything on Ultra, MSAA off. Between 50 and 100 fps. Avg. about 60-70.
> @raghhu78: I have installed the latest patch. Also, I exchanged that crappy 1055t and I'm now on a 3570k @4.2 Ghz. I don't know whether it's the graphics card or the cpu that causes the freeze (or the game is still poorly optimized).


run everything at stock settings (both CPU and GPU) and see if these issues are occuring. then you can look to run overclocked.


----------



## ebduncan

anyone know what the max memory volts you would give a 7950?

reason i ask is i seem to be limited to around 1460 on the memory with the stock 1.6 volts. Just wondering if i can bump it up a little bit and squeeze out a some more out of the memory.


----------



## rageofthepeon

I'm afraid I may have to RMA my second 7970







.

After running 12.10 WHQL / 12.11b8 plus the latest CAP I get weird artifacts/shadows and hard locks in BF3 causing me to reboot my system. Initially I tried running crossfire at 1150/1575 but now I'm not so sure the new card can keep up. I'm thinking it's an issue related to the memory clock of the new GPU but I'll have to test more this weekend.


----------



## flybyme

Hello, I have a question on my HD7970 XFX...

I connected 2 monitors from DVI of the card to DVI of the monitors....
I would like to add 2 other monitors..

Can I use the other 2 Mini display port of the card together with 2 active adaptors (MDP to DVI) to get the other 2 monitors working????

Thanx


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flybyme*
> 
> Hello, I have a question on my HD7970 XFX...
> I connected 2 monitors from DVI of the card to DVI of the monitors....
> I would like to add 2 other monitors..
> Can I use the other 2 Mini display port of the card together with 2 active adaptors (MDP to DVI) to get the other 2 monitors working????
> Thanx


yeah with active mini DP to DVI you can connect the 2 monitors.


----------



## flybyme

thanx Raghu...
I'll buy 2 MDP active then.. ;o)

Do u know how do I get this up:
3 monitors as "virtual cockpit".... and the 4th monitor fisically above the center one of the 3....to have it as "overhead pane"...???


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flybyme*
> 
> thanx Raghu...
> I'll buy 2 MDP active then.. ;o)
> Do u know how do I get this up:
> 3 monitors as "virtual cockpit".... and the 4th monitor fisically above the center one of the 3....to have it as "overhead pane"...???


i am not knowledgeable with eyefinity configs. just ask other HD 7970 users in this thread and if required start a new thread asking for answers.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Mine's at 1100/1400, run FC3 at 70-90 fps hitting 72C after 30 minutes (tops 68 in BF3). How's yours?
> I'm using recommended settings, half high, half very high.


1.1Ghz GPU/6GHz Memory (1500x4)

70 Frames/sec in DCSW at 6048x1080, VSYNC'd to 60. Comination of MED/HIGH Settings.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 1.1Ghz GPU/6GHz Memory (1500x4)
> 70 Frames/sec in DCSW at 6048x1080, VSYNC'd to 60. Comination of MED/HIGH Settings.


Somehow I get only 5 fps less while setting everything to max, will be on 1440p within week. I still think my card is bad as I get super low benchmark scores.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sinnedone*
> 
> Thanks for the response.
> Which XFX card do you have?
> At that length it might be a little tight in my case.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> might have to go for a 7870 then.


I've tried the 7850 Core, DD and DD BE. The 7900 Series PCB Is around an inch larger. My 7970 is much bigger and it snaps into a tight fit with a HAF 912, the XFX 7950 doesn't have an odd cooler shape though...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Somehow I get only 5 fps less while setting everything to max, will be on 1440p within week. I still think my card is bad as I get super low benchmark scores.


mine got like low 7k, 6k until i updated from 12.4 ish to 12.11b7 and jumped to 9K, on stock 900Mhz/1250Mhz MEM Sapphire Clocks

then I overclocked it about 50Mhz at a time, i stopped at 1150MhzGPU/1500x4Mem. and got 11K, with 1175v

DCSW is tricky,

A-10C 1.1.1.x was fluid outside of cockpit.

DCSW 1.2.0.xxxx Beta was Fluid all around.

DCSW 1.2.1.xxxx introduced new GFX Improvements and kill Fr/PS, Few patches later fixed it.

DCSW 1.2.2.xxxx Started it all over again, started otu with GFX Issues, auto updates later to fix them.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> mine got like low 7k, 6k until i updated from 12.4 ish to 12.11b7 and jumped to 9K, on stock 900Mhz/1250Mhz MEM Sapphire Clocks
> then I overclocked it about 50Mhz at a time, i stopped at 1150MhzGPU/1500x4Mem. and got 11K, with 1175v
> DCSW is tricky,
> A-10C 1.1.1.x was fluid outside of cockpit.
> DCSW 1.2.0.xxxx Beta was Fluid all around.
> DCSW 1.2.1.xxxx introduced new GFX Improvements and kill Fr/PS, Few patches later fixed it.
> DCSW 1.2.2.xxxx Started it all over again, started otu with GFX Issues, auto updates later to fix them.


I'm on 6.5k (did 1080p 8AA, not sure if others do 1650x1050 or w/e) at 1100/1450 using 12.11b8. Will try to redo the test.
Should I bump the voltage if i can?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> anyone know what the max memory volts you would give a 7950?
> 
> reason i ask is i seem to be limited to around 1460 on the memory with the stock 1.6 volts. Just wondering if i can bump it up a little bit and squeeze out a some more out of the memory.


you can go as high as 1.7V, but personally i wouldnt others might, i have ran mine a 1.625V @1725MHz but found i can run that on 1.6V. that said you could sqeeze abit more out of your memory but i noticed maybe 1 -2 FPS if that between 1450 and 1725


----------



## SonDa5

I put high quality Fujipoly Xtreme thermal pad on my vram on my water cooled HD7950 and it over clocks better now. VRMS runn cooler with it as well.

With my HK water block I use .5mm on ram and 1mm on VRMS.


----------



## Layo

Both my VRMS are 26/27 and they never change, where's the problem?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Both my VRMS are 26/27 and they never change, where's the problem?


Blame your AIB for their chose of vrm controller?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I put high quality Fujipoly Xtreme thermal pad on my vram on my water cooled HD7950 and it over clocks better now. VRMS runn cooler with it as well.
> 
> With my HK water block I use .5mm on ram and 1mm on VRMS.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Are those the 7W/mk? I switched to Phobya white 7W TIM cuz the Fuji is so very delicate, especially the stamped pattern ones.


----------



## SonDa5

11.0 watt/mk

Got the fujipoly Xtreme thermal pad at frozencpu an shortly after I ordered it FrozenCPU started selling a much more epensive 17w/mk Fujipoly ultra xtreme Thermal pad. It is delicate and takes time to work with it. I put it on all of my heat sinks possible on motherboard and video card. I even put a layer of it around the bare die of my 3770k for direct water block to die mount.


----------



## tsm106

Yeap they are delicate more like single use. I tear my loops apart too often to use the soft gooey TIMs.


----------



## ebduncan

Hmms might have to try this.

I will have to pick up some 1mm and .5mm pads when i place my next order with Frozencpu. Along with my 280 radiator, and gpu block.

how much did you guys need? i see they come in different sized sheets.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I've tried the 7850 Core, DD and DD BE. The 7900 Series PCB Is around an inch larger. My 7970 is much bigger and it snaps into a tight fit with a HAF 912, the XFX 7950 doesn't have an odd cooler shape though...


Just move all your HDD's to the bottom rack and remove the top drive bays. Just 4 little screws in the back and you can have whatever length GPU you want to put in my 7950 is close I know the Sapphire 7950 card Im getting to crossfire comes closer so Ill probably remove the rack and put the SSD encloser ontop of the lower rack.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I've tried the 7850 Core, DD and DD BE. The 7900 Series PCB Is around an inch larger. My 7970 is much bigger and it snaps into a tight fit with a HAF 912, the XFX 7950 doesn't have an odd cooler shape though...
> 
> 
> 
> Just move all your HDD's to the bottom rack and remove the top drive bays. Just 4 little screws in the back and you can have whatever length GPU you want to put in my 7950 is close I know the Sapphire 7950 card Im getting to crossfire comes closer so Ill probably remove the rack and put the SSD encloser ontop of the lower rack.
Click to expand...

this is exactly what i did with my haf 912 and my 3 slot monster.


----------



## PainKiller89

Just Received my 7950 OC Vapor -x Today

Not bad?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/scoreg.jpg/


----------



## Rebelord

Tomorrow I am going to re-seat my 7950. Everyone else that has done it, seems to have improved temps by quite a bit.
Im at 70-73*c at 60-70% fan speed. Load is [email protected]


----------



## ipv89

can someone please check this card out for me http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=757/ID=17492/SID=85729731/productdetails.html


----------



## Andrazh

If you want to watercool then its ok but overall bad, loud cooler, no vrm, ram cooling and expensive. Even the price is very high, you could get 7970 cheaper for that.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> Just Received my 7950 OC Vapor -x Today
> Not bad?
> http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/scoreg.jpg/


normally 8XAA is used for comparison. it looks good. what is your asic?


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Tomorrow I am going to re-seat my 7950. Everyone else that has done it, seems to have improved temps by quite a bit.
> Im at 70-73*c at 60-70% fan speed. Load is [email protected]


Update: I reseated my 7950. All I had was some crappy Cooler Master TIM left over from a old 212.

First, the existing TIM was hard and crumbling off when I pulled the HS. Plus, there was enough on there to probably do 3 cards. If your temps are hitting 70*c+ on load, I definitely recommend to replace your TIM.

The results: 66-67*c on load. Fans stay below 55% now. Much better!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> can someone please check this card out for me http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=757/ID=17492/SID=85729731/productdetails.html


poor choice. do not go for a reference HD 7950 . the cooler is bad. this cooler is not even as good as the reference HD 7970 which is a true blower style cooler and has the fan at the end. Get the Gigabyte HD 7950 OC (900 Mhz) with the windforce3x cooler .

http://www.elive.co.nz/gigabyte-gv-r795wf3-3gd-AC02817.php


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> can someone please check this card out for me http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=757/ID=17492/SID=85729731/productdetails.html


poor choice. do not go for a reference HD 7950 . the cooler is bad. this cooler is not even as good as the reference HD 7970 which is a true blower style cooler and has the fan at the end. Get the Gigabyte HD 7950 OC (900 Mhz) with the windforce3x cooler .

http://www.elive.co.nz/gigabyte-gv-r795wf3-3gd-AC02817.php


----------



## Layo

Buy card with ref. cooler only if it's on sale making it steal and you don't mind turbine in your rig. But god, $500 for 7950? I can get 7970 for $500 in my country and everything is hell overpriced here...


----------



## specopsFI

That's New Zealand dollars, about 385USD. AFAIK, New Zealand isn't exactly known as a consumer paradise... Otherwise a nice place, though.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> That's New Zealand dollars, about 385USD. AFAIK, New Zealand isn't exactly known as a consumer paradise... Otherwise a nice place, though.


Ahh, okay. I would go with ref. if the card was around $250-270 or little higher but I would probably resell it.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> Just Received my 7950 OC Vapor -x Today


Cool. Where did you order it from? Did you get the one with red or blue capacitors? I have seen photos of two different versions of that card. The one with the red capacitors next to the VRM looks better.

Post photos of PCB if can please.


----------



## PainKiller89

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11196-09-40G/dp/B009MML1UA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354392904&sr=8-1&keywords=sapphire+vapor-x+7950


----------



## PainKiller89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Cool. Where did you order it from? Did you get the one with red or blue capacitors? I have seen photos of two different versions of that card. The one with the red capacitors next to the VRM looks better.
> Post photos of PCB if can please.


This one

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11196-09-40G/dp/B009MML1UA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354392904&sr=8-1&keywords=sapphire+vapor-x+7950

7970 reference card 8pin and 6pin connectors, currently at 1100 clock and memory at 1500


----------



## PainKiller89

Delete Please


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> 7970 reference card 8pin and 6pin connectors, currently at 1100 clock and memory at 1500


Are you sure about that? If true that would be the 4th version of this card that I seen or heard about. I have seen photos online of the other 2 versions.
Please take some photos of the PCB if you can. I have never seen any photos of the version. Pop the heat sink off if you can and take photos of PCB.

This 6+8 pin Vaporx HD7950 with reference HD7970 PCB may be the holy grail of HD7950s.








If you could post your photos of PCB over at this thread. http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club Discussion all about HD7950s built on reference HD7970 PCB. Also upload your card's BIOS there, I want to look at it and possibly try it out.

At anandtech forums somebody reported of a 8+8 power pin HD7950 sold at newegg.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=34265971&postcount=619

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202003&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3332167&SID=u00000687


----------



## ipv89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> poor choice. do not go for a reference HD 7950 . the cooler is bad. this cooler is not even as good as the reference HD 7970 which is a true blower style cooler and has the fan at the end. Get the Gigabyte HD 7950 OC (900 Mhz) with the windforce3x cooler .
> http://www.elive.co.nz/gigabyte-gv-r795wf3-3gd-AC02817.php


ok thanks for that just trying to get the best card i can afford i dont wana go to far pver $550 max

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> That's New Zealand dollars, about 385USD. AFAIK, New Zealand isn't exactly known as a consumer paradise... Otherwise a nice place, though.


100% correct lol im in the capital city and i can count on one hand how many walk in computer part stores we have


----------



## 12Cores

I am not going to push my core beyond 1200 @ 1.25v because it is owning everything at 1080P. But it appears that my ram can go higher, any benefit in running my ram above 1600, thanks in advance.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Probably not, 7970 isn't really memory bandwith limited especially with such a high overclock.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> I am not going to push my core beyond 1200 @ 1.25v because it is owning everything at 1080P. But it appears that my ram can go higher, any benefit in running my ram above 1600, thanks in advance.


no, not much difference at all. i found very little difference between 1500 and 1725 on my vRAM in 3Dmark11 for example..


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> I am not going to push my core beyond 1200 @ 1.25v because it is owning everything at 1080P. But it appears that my ram can go higher, any benefit in running my ram above 1600, thanks in advance.


The only game that I know of that would benefit from anything higher than 1600 Mhz VRAM is Metro 2033.


----------



## rageofthepeon

I'm pretty bummed, turns out my new 7970 (MSI) is a dud. By itself it artifacts at stock when playing something that actually stresses it like BF3 64 player games at ultra settings. My sapphire 7970 handles the same thing overclocked to 1150/1575 easy. Tested different drivers, PCIE slots, overclocks, stock everything, crossfire mode, and single gpu mode.

Now to decide whether to return it and get another or spend the money on some other gadget







.


----------



## tommiyacht

one question. Core voltage set to 1.2v in Afterburner or Trixx (mod version) and Gpu-z shows arround 1.15v. Which one is closer to real ?


----------



## rpch

Any Asus 7950 DC2T ver.1 users here? How's your temp?


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tommiyacht*
> 
> one question. Core voltage set to 1.2v in Afterburner or Trixx (mod version) and Gpu-z shows arround 1.15v. Which one is closer to real ?


Gpu-z. But AB and Trixx are in fact correct, too. They tell you the nominal voltage, Gpu-z the actual voltage. Nominal voltage is what is usually talked about on these forums, for example when considering so-called safe voltages etc. But yeah, closer to real would be Gpu-z.


----------



## BinZz

Guys , How do you deal with Microstutter ?


----------



## ced1903

Hi,

I need your help for a problem i search for hours.

I can have Sapphire 7950 DUAL X (BLUE PCB).

But i don't know if this waterbloc : http://www.docmicro.com/pieces/WaterBlock-VGA-EK-FC7950-CF-NICKEL-EN-ACETAL-AMD-HD7950_10360.html

will be OKAY for my card...

i search with http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/ but this card don't appear.

If someone have an anwser for me...

or a picture of PCB without rad of this card... will be nice.

Thanks you


----------



## ced1903

Hi,

I need your help for a problem i search for hours.

I can have Sapphire 7950 DUAL X (BLUE PCB).

But i don't know if this waterbloc : http://www.docmicro.com/pieces/WaterBlock-VGA-EK-FC7950-CF-NICKEL-EN-ACETAL-AMD-HD7950_10360.html

will be OKAY for my card...

i search with http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/ but this card don't appear.

If someone have an anwser for me...

or a picture of PCB without rad of this card... will be nice.

Thanks you


----------



## raghu78

you need to mention the exact model. if you bought the card online post the link so we can find out which model. Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC 3GB GDDR5 (900 mhz) with manufacturer code 11196-02-40G is compatible with EKWB full cover waterblocks.


----------



## ced1903

it's 11196-01-40G

i buy it to a physical person : http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/AchatsVentes/Hardware/kingston-ssdnow-series-sujet_482250_1.htm


----------



## dartuil

aah ced1903 is here
français :O
c'est pas un pcb de 7970?


----------



## ced1903

Heu je ne sais pas du tout c'est pour ca que je demande :/ mais c'est du 2 x 6 pin et me semblait que les 7970 c'était 6+8pin...
______________________________________________

I don't know if it's 7970 pcb... it's why i ask, but this card is 2*6pin and i think 7970 it's 6+8 pin ...


----------



## ced1903

sorry double post again


----------



## Hans2k

What do you guys consider a good oc on the 7950? Helped my brother overclock his twin frozr v2, and landed on 1100/1575 1.031v, weren't allowed to play with it further, since he had to play bf3 lol..


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hans2k*
> 
> What do you guys consider a good oc on the 7950? Helped my brother overclock his twin frozr v2, and landed on 1100/1575 1.031v, weren't allowed to play with it further, since he had to play bf3 lol..


Ive got mine at 1250/1800 on 1.3V with no aftermarket cooling whatsoever and temps of 52C max. Some reach 1300-1350 on the core but they are water cooling.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Ive got mine at 1250/1800 on 1.3V with no aftermarket cooling whatsoever and temps of 52C max. Some reach 1300-1350 on the core but they are water cooling.


You have your pc in a refrigerator? Or don't you game at all?
52c on 1.3v without water or aftermarket cooling, i find that highly doubtful.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Ive got mine at 1250/1800 on 1.3V with no aftermarket cooling whatsoever and temps of 52C max. Some reach 1300-1350 on the core but they are water cooling.


I call BS. Mine will not go over 72C OCd 1100/1400


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> You have your pc in a refrigerator? Or don't you game at all?
> 52c on 1.3v without water or aftermarket cooling, i find that highly doubtful.


His card has huge heatsink on it so for gaming temps sound possible with fans high but I doubt temps are 52C under furmark load.

VRM temps are important too. Hot VRM temps will prevent high over clocks. Have to keep VRM temps as low as possible. VRM temps on over clocked HD7950 easily reach over 100C if not effectively cooled.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> You have your pc in a refrigerator? Or don't you game at all?
> 52c on 1.3v without water or aftermarket cooling, i find that highly doubtful.


Dead serious haha I myself was shocked at the temps. I play BF3 and my load temps are incredibly low. I backed my clocks down to 1150/1550 because Im getting another 7950 tomorrow to crossfire and well, I dont need it cranked as high as I had it on a 60htz monitor with crossfired 7950's and my load temp on the single WF3 dont go over 49C in any map.

Hold up Ill go take a screeny of my 1150/1550 and post it at 49C lol. You will also see my VRM's at 55C/56C.

Edit: apparently I cant take a screenshot and have it show Rivatuner OSD....... anyone know how else I can do this?


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Dead serious haha I myself was shocked at the temps. I play BF3 and my load temps are incredibly low. I backed my clocks down to 1150/1550 because Im getting another 7950 tomorrow to crossfire and well, I dont need it cranked as high as I had it on a 60htz monitor with crossfired 7950's and my load temp on the single WF3 dont go over 49C in any map.
> Hold up Ill go take a screeny of my 1150/1550 and post it at 49C lol. You will also see my VRM's at 55C/56C.
> Edit: apparently I cant take a screenshot and have it show Rivatuner OSD....... anyone know how else I can do this?


I am not so much interested in clock speeds, i'm more referring to 1.3v and 52c under max load.
What speed are your GPU fans running on?


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I am not so much interested in clock speeds, i'm more referring to 1.3v and 52c under max load.
> What speed are your GPU fans running on?


65% is about the max it hits. this is a screeny I just took of 1150/1550 on 1.25V and its after about 10 mins of play. Top row on the left is temps, far right last 2 are the VRMS and the first % from the left is GPU usage then fan speed. The screenshot is crappy though I did the print screen paste to paint thing.... It was taken in fullscreen though



Edit: I dont take my temps from benching I take them from my daily use (BF3). I Believe in heaven bench I hit 60-62C at 1.3V


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Edit: I dont take my temps from benching I take them from my daily use (BF3). I Believe in heaven bench I hit 60-62C at 1.3V


That sounds realistic for good air cooling.

My temps for my water cooled HD7950 under Furmark. (Hot stuff, only try it if you feel confident about your cards cooling)
16.5C Ambient Temps

Furmark 15 minute Burn in Benchmark


----------



## Honk5891

Yea my vrms don't go much over 62c even in heaven. I have a side fan that blows directly onto the card and I have my hdd cage removed now (picture in my sig rig hasn't been updated yet) so the air from the front 2 120's blows directly on the card as well. And since I'm running an H80 I don't get the heat floating around the case from a massive heatsync so all the air is fresh and cool.


----------



## rck1984

And somehow i still doubt it, 52c on 1.3v... I have seen watercooled GPU's on those temps.
Not saying i don't believe you, but i just cant imagine.

When i ran single GPU, my Sapphire 7950 Dual-X (by far, not the worst cooling around) on far less voltage, it reached 70 degrees easily after a good gaming session. That was still in my HAF case.
What is your ambient temp?

Edit: what resolution you play on?


----------



## Honk5891

1920x1080 with 4xmsaa ultra in bf3. Ambient is around 18 or 20c (at least. That's what our crappy thermostat says). Sapphires cooling isn't as good as gigabyte wf3 is. Refunded a sapphire 7950 for stock artifacting before getting the gigabyte and saw a good 5 or 6c difference.


----------



## Honk5891

Ok so I ran a Heaven Bench at 1250/1600 on 1.31V and took a screeny of the desktop. Here ya go. Excuse the snip of HWinfo it tend to reset itself for whatever reason so I snipped it before it did so, note it says 1800 memory max, this is because I was monkeying around with it trying to get the 1250/1800 to run in Heaven but had no luck so I backed the memory down to 1600.



Note that I dont even hit 60C at 1.31V. Eat your heart out.


----------



## rck1984

Impressive temps. I guess Windforce is far superior to Dual or Vapor-X then.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Impressive temps. I guess Windforce is far superior to Dual or Vapor-X then.


And you thought I was just blowing smoke







. I was shocked when I first OC'd this card to.... I hit the lottery with this baby


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Dead serious haha I myself was shocked at the temps. I play BF3 and my load temps are incredibly low. I backed my clocks down to 1150/1550 because Im getting another 7950 tomorrow to crossfire and well, I dont need it cranked as high as I had it on a 60htz monitor with crossfired 7950's and my load temp on the single WF3 dont go over 49C in any map.
> Hold up Ill go take a screeny of my 1150/1550 and post it at 49C lol. You will also see my VRM's at 55C/56C.
> Edit: apparently I cant take a screenshot and have it show Rivatuner OSD....... anyone know how else I can do this?


a single 1200 Mhz HD 7950 easily maxes out every game at 1080p at 60 fps. why do you want another card.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> a single 1200 Mhz HD 7950 easily maxes out every game at 1080p at 60 fps. why do you want another card.


No it doesnt I dip down in the 40's in a full 64man in BF3. That and its a card a buddy of mine never used since he does graphics rendering and the drivers for AMD cards arent that great for that ATM so hes just had it lying around. Im getting it for 200$ and its a Sapphire Flex 7950 OC.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> And somehow i still doubt it, 52c on 1.3v... I have seen watercooled GPU's on those temps.
> Not saying i don't believe you, but i just cant imagine.
> When i ran single GPU, my Sapphire 7950 Dual-X (by far, not the worst cooling around) on far less voltage, it reached 70 degrees easily after a good gaming session. That was still in my HAF case.
> What is your ambient temp?
> Edit: what resolution you play on?


he is telling the truth. that 3 fan design is a beast.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> No it doesnt I dip down in the 40's in a full 64man in BF3. That and its a card a buddy of mine never used since he does graphics rendering and the drivers for AMD cards arent that great for that ATM so hes just had it lying around. Im getting it for 200$ and its a Sapphire Flex 7950 OC.


use radeon pro for getting the best results in crossfire. needs per game profiles and a bit of work. but essentially eliminates micro stuttering and provides a vastly better experience.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-11.html


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> use radeon pro for getting the best results in crossfire. needs per game profiles and a bit of work. but essentially eliminates micro stuttering and provides a vastly better experience.
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-11.html


Well I really only mostly play BF3 and Dota 2. Im picking up the card tomorrow at work so Ill give it a shot when I get home. Is it easy to set up?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Well I really only mostly play BF3 and Dota 2. Im picking up the card tomorrow at work so Ill give it a shot when I get home. Is it easy to set up?


http://www.radeonpro.info/en-US/Downloads/

easy to install. for setting up game profiles you can get help on the forums.

http://www.radeonpro.info/en-US/Manual/30/The-Tweaks-tab

read the help too.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> http://www.radeonpro.info/en-US/Downloads/
> easy to install. for setting up game profiles you can get help on the forums.
> http://www.radeonpro.info/en-US/Manual/30/The-Tweaks-tab
> read the help too.


Well I think I will really only need it for the micro stuttering and capping myself at 60 fps.


----------



## TarballX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> he is telling the truth. that 3 fan design is a beast.


Is it just the 3 fans that make it that much better? The heat sink itself doesn't look that much different..


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Well I think I will really only need it for the micro stuttering and capping myself at 60 fps.


in Crossfire heat and cooling is a bigger concern especially with the open type coolers. so try to run at 1 Ghz stock voltage on both cards. you will be able to keep temps reasonably within control.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> in Crossfire heat and cooling is a bigger concern especially with the open type coolers. so try to run at 1 Ghz stock voltage on both cards. you will be able to keep temps reasonably within control.


I wont have a heat issue Im pretty sure. Before I got my 7950 I was running a tri fire 4870 setup with a X2 and a 1GB card and they did just fine and that was in a much tighter less airflow efficient case. The X2 is a bloody heat monster so Im not worried about the heat. Like I said my only concern is the microstuttering and keeping myself capped at 60fps. What am I looking at doing with radeon to eliminate microstutter? Ive been floating through some pages trying to find what it is about radeon that eliminates it but am coming up empty handed.

And yes I plan on only having a slight overclock on both cards with no voltage tweaking since I wont need to anyway.


----------



## Honk5891

HAHA! Radeon pro rocks even with single gpu. I got it running on morphological and 8xmsaa in BF3 and it makes a beautiful difference in textures and smoothness. Haha I am at 100% gpu usage all the time and Im still dipping to 28 fps at times. Good thing that second 7950 goes in tomorrow ahah.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Impressive temps. I guess Windforce is far superior to Dual or Vapor-X then.


Not really. I'd rather have a water cooled Sapphire card. My water cooled HD7950 950mhz edition is a monster.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Not really. I'd rather have a water cooled Sapphire card. My water cooled HD7950 950mhz edition is a monster.


I believe he was referring to the WF3 stock cooler being superior which it quite obviously is based on my Heaven bench in post 18330


----------



## Invisible

So I'm on 12.10 right now. Is the only way to upgrade to 12.11 Beta 8 (that's the latest right) using ATIMan Uninstaller? There is no upgrade driver button in CCC?


----------



## Tweetbix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970 at the same clocks.
> http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/
> amazing value for your money. go for a HD 7950 boost which runs at 925 mhz boost clocks. these cards come with 1.25v stock voltage. max out power option to +20%. you can hit 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage.
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1311&products_id=21564
> if you want to spend the entire store credit of 530 bucks i recommend the MSI HD 7970 Lightning boost edition running at 1150 Mhz. custom design PCB. very high quality components. the only thing is the 2 DVI ports are single link and can only support 1920 x 1080 and 1920 x 1200 . they cannot support 2560 x 1440 and 2560 x 1600. for that you have to use the miniDP port.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=21977


I am hesitant on buying the sapphire because I can not find a review of that one or similar, so I am unsure of what temps and noise will be like. Has anyone had any troubles with either of these cards (7950 Sapphire or 7970 Lightning), I don't want to be buying myself into another GPU warranty process.

Sorry for filling up this thread with my questions.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tweetbix*
> 
> I am hesitant on buying the sapphire because I can not find a review of that one or similar, so I am unsure of what temps and noise will be like. Has anyone had any troubles with either of these cards (7950 Sapphire or 7970 Lightning), I don't want to be buying myself into another GPU warranty process.
> Sorry for filling up this thread with my questions.


the sapphire HD 7950 boost with 925 mhz clocks uses the same Dual X cooler as the sapphire HD 79050 OC (900 Mhz).

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/51112-sapphire-hd-7950-dual-fan-oc-review-12.html

load temps - 59c

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1862/13/

gaming temps - 53c. furmark - 63c. (open test bench)

the cooler is very good and can easily run the card at below 70c temps even when overclocked to 1.1 Ghz.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Ok so I ran a Heaven Bench at 1250/1600 on 1.31V and took a screeny of the desktop. Here ya go. Excuse the snip of HWinfo it tend to reset itself for whatever reason so I snipped it before it did so, note it says 1800 memory max, this is because I was monkeying around with it trying to get the 1250/1800 to run in Heaven but had no luck so I backed the memory down to 1600.
> 
> Note that I dont even hit 60C at 1.31V. Eat your heart out.


I'll take a bite at this.

HWinfo shows your max voltage at 1.09V. I don't care what your Trixx is saying, I take that HWinfo over it any day. And 4265 RPM fan max! Wow.

Also, you seem to be capping yourself at 60FPS? That will take care of the rest.

Now I can understand your temps. The only thing left to wonder is that golden chip of yours, stable at 1250MHz with a real voltage of 1.09V. Golden, I say to you! :


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> HAHA! Radeon pro rocks even with single gpu. I got it running on morphological and 8xmsaa in BF3 and it makes a beautiful difference in textures and smoothness. Haha I am at 100% gpu usage all the time and Im still dipping to 28 fps at times. Good thing that second 7950 goes in tomorrow ahah.


And what does Radeon Pro do that CCC can not do ??
You can easily set BF3 to morphological and 8xmsaa in CCC and get the same results. No radeon pro needed.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> And somehow i still doubt it, 52c on 1.3v... I have seen watercooled GPU's on those temps.
> Not saying i don't believe you, but i just cant imagine.
> When i ran single GPU, my Sapphire 7950 Dual-X (by far, not the worst cooling around) on far less voltage, it reached 70 degrees easily after a good gaming session. That was still in my HAF case.
> What is your ambient temp?
> Edit: what resolution you play on?


My 7950 dual-x at 1150/1550 1.156V MSI AB (1.080V gpu-z load) hits 70-72C (fans an 100%) after a good session of BF3. And the ambient temps of the room are arround 20-21.


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adamlop*
> 
> 7950 vapor-x users should know at we have v09 and v0A bios, VRM temps nicely went down.


How is your overclock with these bios'?

I flashed to this and temps went down but couldnt overclock the memory as well, only stable at 1250.
I noticed that MVDCC went down to 1.5 and couldnt raise this in AB


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> My 7950 dual-x at 1150/1550 1.156V MSI AB (1.080V gpu-z load) hits 70-72C (fans an 100%) after a good session of BF3. And the ambient temps of the room are arround 20-21.


A tad high for 100% fan speed, but around 70c on 1.156v sounds about right for a dual-x i think.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> HAHA! Radeon pro rocks even with single gpu. I got it running on morphological and 8xmsaa in BF3 and it makes a beautiful difference in textures and smoothness. Haha I am at 100% gpu usage all the time and Im still dipping to 28 fps at times. Good thing that second 7950 goes in tomorrow ahah.


Can you upload your profile or write how you setup your radeon pro,i can't seem to configure it correctly...


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> I'll take a bite at this.
> HWinfo shows your max voltage at 1.09V. I don't care what your Trixx is saying, I take that HWinfo over it any day. And 4265 RPM fan max! Wow.
> Also, you seem to be capping yourself at 60FPS? That will take care of the rest.
> Now I can understand your temps. The only thing left to wonder is that golden chip of yours, stable at 1250MHz with a real voltage of 1.09V. Golden, I say to you! :


Nono its not really 1.09. I also noticed this when I first installed HWinfo, it ALWAYS shows 1.09 and never changes. The Trixx voltage is the real voltage.


----------



## Tweetbix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire HD 7950 boost with 925 mhz clocks uses the same Dual X cooler as the sapphire HD 79050 OC (900 Mhz).
> http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/51112-sapphire-hd-7950-dual-fan-oc-review-12.html
> load temps - 59c
> http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1862/13/
> gaming temps - 53c. furmark - 63c. (open test bench)
> the cooler is very good and can easily run the card at below 70c temps even when overclocked to 1.1 Ghz.


Cheers for that, although I am still at a cross roads between this card and the 7970 Lightning.
Is there much benefit of going with the Lightning? I know about the lack of dual link DVI and its somewhat putting me off.
But to use 3 monitors I am going to have to use a Display Port compatible screen anyway.
I will be going with crossfire at some point with either of these cards, so I want to ask, is the performance on the lightning worth the trade-off with the price and lack of dual link DVI?
Also what is the performance difference between 7970 crossfire and 7950 crossfire?


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Can you upload your profile or write how you setup your radeon pro,i can't seem to configure it correctly...


Just mess with it man its super easy. Heres the manual. Its prettu simple to figure out if you read it.

http://www.radeonpro.info/en-US/Manual/30/The-Tweaks-tab


----------



## Powermonkey500

Bow chika wow wow


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Nono its not really 1.09. I also noticed this when I first installed HWinfo, it ALWAYS shows 1.09 and never changes. The Trixx voltage is the real voltage.


The Trixx voltage is and never will be "the real voltage". Trixx tells you the nominal voltage, the real voltage is *always* lower than that because of Vdroop. But Vdroop alone is not going to explain that much of a difference. Still, I'm absolutely sure there is no way you'll get VRM temps such as yours with anything even near 1.31V. Core temps, maybe with a really good contact to the heat sink and fan really high. But VRM, no way.

I believe in HWinfo, simple as that.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> The Trixx voltage is and never will be "the real voltage". Trixx tells you the nominal voltage, the real voltage is *always* lower than that because of Vdroop. But Vdroop alone is not going to explain that much of a difference. Still, I'm absolutely sure there is no way you'll get VRM temps such as yours with anything even near 1.31V. Core temps, maybe with a really good contact to the heat sink and fan really high. But VRM, no way.
> I believe in HWinfo, simple as that.


I dont think you understand what I was saying. The HWinfo voltage doesnt change, EVER. I can have my voltage set at 1.31V or 1.20V and it always shows 1.09V.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> I dont think you understand what I was saying. The HWinfo voltage doesnt change, EVER. I can have my voltage set at 1.31V or 1.20V and it always shows 1.09V.


I dont think Im able to but If I can I will run a Heaven Bench and youtube the video for you.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> I dont think Im able to but If I can I will run a Heaven Bench and youtube the video for you.


Edit: Im am able to but will wait until the baby is down for a nap haha. Last thing you guys want to hear is him playing in his jumper during the video haha.

Not sure what happened there my bad for the double post..


----------



## seanrichmond

hi guys i need ur help. im planning to buy the powercolor hd 7950 3gb. is that a bang for the buck. is there no more black screen issue or anything? thanks for the answer


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seanrichmond*
> 
> hi guys i need ur help. im planning to buy the powercolor hd 7950 3gb. is that a bang for the buck. is there no more black screen issue or anything? thanks for the answer


Gigabyte WF3 7950 is best bang for the buck in my opinion. Going for 299$ currently on Newegg.ca. Overclocks like a champ, great temps and unlocked voltage still if im not mistaken.


----------



## Honk5891

Alright the video is currently uploading to youtube. Sorry for the poor camera work, I have never made a video of stuff like this before. At the end you can see my VDDC is 1.09V in HWinfo and yet I set it to 1.31V in Trixx. Now if your telling me Im ACTUALLY running at 1.09V I guess that means I can shoot for 1300 core clock? Seeing as the max safe voltage is 1.3V?

Video says it will be live in about 90 minutes but I expect a bit earlier -


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> I dont think you understand what I was saying. The HWinfo voltage doesnt change, EVER. I can have my voltage set at 1.31V or 1.20V and it always shows 1.09V.


Or maybe you don't understand what I'm saying.

Trixx will not tell you what voltage you're actually running. It basically tells you what voltage your asking the card to run at. It is never the same as actual voltage because of Vdroop. Now why exactly is there such a huge gap between Trixx and HWinfo in your case, I'm not sure. Sure it could be that HWinfo isn't 100% compatible with your card, but I doubt it because it clearly can read your different power state voltages, i.e. the idle voltage is different than the load voltage. One possible reason for this could be the OVP/OCP, which doesn't allow your card to actually boost the voltage as high as your asking. If it is that, then you should see if setting your voltage in Trixx to something like 1.05V will result in HWinfo showing something lower than 1.09V.

You could also give Gpu-z a try. In the sensors tab there is a value for VDDC, which also reports the actual voltage.


----------



## Mhill2029

I'm a proud AMD owner now.....so i'd thought i'd post my recent purchase


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> Or maybe you don't understand what I'm saying.
> Trixx will not tell you what voltage you're actually running. It basically tells you what voltage your asking the card to run at. It is never the same as actual voltage because of Vdroop. Now why exactly is there such a huge gap between Trixx and HWinfo in your case, I'm not sure. Sure it could be that HWinfo isn't 100% compatible with your card, but I doubt it because it clearly can read your different power state voltages, i.e. the idle voltage is different than the load voltage. One possible reason for this could be the OVP/OCP, which doesn't allow your card to actually boost the voltage as high as your asking. If it is that, then you should see if setting your voltage in Trixx to something like 1.05V will result in HWinfo showing something lower than 1.09V.
> You could also give Gpu-z a try. In the sensors tab there is a value for VDDC, which also reports the actual voltage.


Gpu-Z shows me as 1.30 VDDC in the first 15 seconds of heaven. Like I said, HWinfo is wrong at least on the VDDC reading and it ALWAYS shows 1.09 on whatever settings I put my OC at.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Gpu-Z shows me as 1.30 VDDC in the first 15 seconds of heaven. Like I said, HWinfo is wrong at least on the VDDC reading and it ALWAYS shows 1.09 on whatever settings I put my OC at.


Now that you mentioned it... GPU VRM Voltage Out is the actual voltage in HWinfo, and that does say 1.305V as max. That's my bad. But the interesting thing to know would be where does it settle when you keep it at load? Could you get HWinfo to draw a graph of that value so we can see how much Vdroop you have after a few Heaven loops? If I remember correct, you can do this by right-clicking that line.


----------



## DUpgrade

Just ordered mine off the egg and should probably receive it by the end of the week. Need to sell my 6870 (100314-3L) to balance out the cost of this upgrade, not sure what I can get for a used GPU though.

SAPPHIRE 100352-2L Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Item #: N82E16814202006







:thumb:


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> Now that you mentioned it... GPU VRM Voltage Out is the actual voltage in HWinfo, and that does say 1.305V as max. That's my bad. But the interesting thing to know would be where does it settle when you keep it at load? Could you get HWinfo to draw a graph of that value so we can see how much Vdroop you have after a few Heaven loops? If I remember correct, you can do this by right-clicking that line.


Seems to get a max of 1.305V when I set it for 1.31V


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Seems to get a max of 1.305V when I set it for 1.31V


Yes, I can see that in the screen capture you posted earlier. It's just that max isn't what's interesting, it's what you actually put through the chip under extended load. The Vdroop gets bigger when temps get higher and it would be nice to know what kind of voltages you get when under a 99% load for a longer time. That's what the graph would tell, the max value isn't very useful.


----------



## ced1903

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ced1903*
> 
> Hi,
> I need your help for a problem i search for hours.
> I can have Sapphire 7950 DUAL X (BLUE PCB).
> But i don't know if this waterbloc : http://www.docmicro.com/pieces/WaterBlock-VGA-EK-FC7950-CF-NICKEL-EN-ACETAL-AMD-HD7950_10360.html
> will be OKAY for my card...
> i search with http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/ but this card don't appear.
> If someone have an anwser for me...
> or a picture of PCB without rad of this card... will be nice.
> Thanks you


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> you need to mention the exact model. if you bought the card online post the link so we can find out which model. Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 OC 3GB GDDR5 (900 mhz) with manufacturer code 11196-02-40G is compatible with EKWB full cover waterblocks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ced1903*
> 
> it's 11196-01-40G
> i buy it to a physical person : http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/AchatsVentes/Hardware/kingston-ssdnow-series-sujet_482250_1.htm


anyone?









thanks you


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Alright the video is currently uploading to youtube. Sorry for the poor camera work, I have never made a video of stuff like this before. At the end you can see my VDDC is 1.09V in HWinfo and yet I set it to 1.31V in Trixx. Now if your telling me Im ACTUALLY running at 1.09V I guess that means I can shoot for 1300 core clock? Seeing as the max safe voltage is 1.3V?
> Video says it will be live in about 90 minutes but I expect a bit earlier -


Nice video, thanks for sharing. That's a custom fan profile, right? It seems very aggressive, the fan is pumping up and down a lot and goes to really high RPM. Regardless, that's a very cool running card and you seem to have a very good one of those.

That Vdroop question is the one that remains, though.


----------



## Honk5891

I was messing around with the graph trying to figure out how to make it larger but it seems to be only one size. That being said if I run the graph and loop heaven a few times it won't show start to finish.... I'm actually at work now but if there's a way to show the entire run on it I'll do it when I get home. Yes it is a aggresive profile for the fans its minimum is 40c @ 40% and max 65c @ 100% I believe. Its not infront of me at the moment so I'm not 100% sure on the max. The vdroop question may remain a mystery as I will be getting my second 7950 today I'm hoping if my buddy remembered it so setting that up may just overpower the need to run that test haha.


----------



## InsideJob

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Powermonkey500*
> 
> Bow chika wow wow






Oou, I love it









Hope I can run eyefinity one day


----------



## tommiyacht

kombustor always shows 1.09v either. Hwinfo is not the only


----------



## Rebelord

I havent kept up to much with that latest conversation. But have noticed ppl asking about displayed voltage.
MSI Afterburner, if I monitor my voltage for vCore. Shows what I set it at using AB. (1.075 volts)
But loading up Kombuster, shows VDDC at 1.130 constantly not matter what.
GPU-Z shows my VDDC at 1.023

If this helps anyone.


----------



## Honk5891

Ok well it turns out my new 7950 is not the flex model. It is the sapphire 7950 dual-x OC version with the brown 7970 pcb! seeing as I will be crossfiring this with my current gigabyte 7950 wf3 should I be leaving it at the stock 7950 bios it came with ( my buddy said its the original bios he hadn't touched it)? Or can i / should I be flashing this to a 7970 bios since ill be crossfiring with my 7950 (which I've never flashed before and really don't want to brick my new 7950....)?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Ok well it turns out my new 7950 is not the flex model. It is the sapphire 7950 dual-x OC version with the brown 7970 pcb! seeing as I will be crossfiring this with my current gigabyte 7950 wf3 should I be leaving it at the stock 7950 bios it came with ( my buddy said its the original bios he hadn't touched it)? Or can i / should I be flashing this to a 7970 bios since ill be crossfiring with my 7950 (which I've never flashed before and really don't want to brick my new 7950....)?


Sounds like you got the 950mhz Edition. Same card I have.

This is a great BIOS that Sapphire emailed me back in June. The best BIOS I have tried for this card.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club#post_17724563


----------



## Honk5891

My question is more along the lines of since its being crossfired with my other 7950 can it be on a 7970 bios while crossfired with it? Or should I leave it? If I can then how do I do so without bricking my brand new card since I've never done it.


----------



## Anomander Rake

Hez guys, just got my 2x Msi 7970 Lightnings in today sadly my replacement psu hasnt arrived yet, hopefully 2m, since my emergency 600w can only do one card anyway here is my oc on the first card, doesnt look like the first card is a good bin







1210 on the core with 20% power tune and volts at 1262. this is just a gpu oc atm, gone go slowly up on the cpu as i dont know how high i can go before the psu fails



Guys i think its not a valid score, just got a closer look at my ccc settings and i had tesselletion off:-(


----------



## rck1984

New beta drivers are out, 12.11 beta 11. Also cap 2. Checkup amd's website.


----------



## Anomander Rake

11724 pt with cpu at [email protected], mem at [email protected], gpu at [email protected], gpu mem at [email protected]

Temps are silly, max 43c on the gpu, 31c on the mem and vrm at 28c

How high can i go with volts on the gpu?

Update: 11916pt cpu at 4.75, gpu 1240, mem 1600 since thats the limit in afb:-(

Update2: 12021pt cpu at 4875, gpu [email protected]


----------



## stubass

*Coincidence or Not*

lately my card has not waking up after it goes to sleep, this only started happening a couple of days after i installed waterfox. is it coincidence and my card is playing up? or waterfox?

i have disabled HW accelleration.
everything else such as drivers, stock and OC profiles in AB is the same as before i started using waterfox


----------



## Anomander Rake

it looks like on HWbot they dont really care so if thats the case, here is my score with tess off


----------



## eviltommyng

Hello! Don't know if i can ask question here or not but im so frustrated and don't know where to go. My thread got ignored and no one answer. Please help.

Im trying to connect my tri-fire HD7970 to 3 Dell monitors that only come with VGA and HDMI.

The cards come with 2 Mini Displayport to DVI active dongle.

My question is can i do this for my eyefinity.?

HDMI to HDMI monitor 1

MiniDP to DVI + DVI to HDMI cable to monitor 2

MiniDP to DVI + DVI to HDMI cable to monitor 3.

Please help me


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eviltommyng*
> 
> Hello! Don't know if i can ask question here or not but im so frustrated and don't know where to go. My thread got ignored and no one answer. Please help.
> 
> Im trying to connect my tri-fire HD7970 to 3 Dell monitors that only come with VGA and HDMI.
> 
> The cards come with 2 Mini Displayport to DVI active dongle.
> 
> My question is can i do this for my eyefinity.?
> 
> HDMI to HDMI monitor 1
> 
> MiniDP to DVI + DVI to HDMI cable to monitor 2
> 
> MiniDP to DVI + DVI to HDMI cable to monitor 3.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Please help me


Looks good to me.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Very excited here

*GOOD News*

AMD Catalyst™ 12.11 Beta Driver

Last Updated
12/3/2012

Article Number
GPU-177

AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta Release Notes

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AMD CATALYST 12.11 BETA11 DRIVER

AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta11 is now available, and includes the following updates:
(Please note that AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta11 includes all of the fixes found in previous versions of AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta)
•Improves performance in Far Cry 3 (up to 25% with 8xMSAA, SSAO enabled @ 1600p, and up to 15% with 8xMSAA, HDAO enabled @1600p) (AMD Catalyst 12.11 CAP2 must also be installed)
*•Resolves a sporadic system hang encountered with a single AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series GPU seen on X58 and X79 chipsets.
•Resolves an intermittent hang encountered with AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series GPUs in a CrossFire Eyefinity setup.*
•Resolves image corruption found in certain DirectX 9.0c titles
•Resolve missing fonts issue in XBMC
•Resolves no video issue found in Media Player Classic Home Cinema when using full or half floating point processing
•Resolves stability issues found in the previous AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta8 driver for Linux
•For users experiencing issues with HDMI Audio under Ubuntu 12.04, users should try installing the "dkms-hda - 0.201211291615~precise1" package from https://code.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-audio-dev/+archive/alsa-daily/+packages and reboot; this will resolve the HDMI Audio issue found in Ubuntu 12.04
•AMD Catalyst 12.11 CAP2 has just been released, and should be used in conjunction with AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta11
◦Improves Far Cry 3 performance for single GPU configurations with AA enabled


----------



## tsm106

Hmm. Go for it Karl!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Thanks Dinh....


----------



## raghu78

hoping your Quad CF finally works without any stability issues. if you can post some game benchmarks of Farcry 3 with Quad CF at 3 x 1440p. good luck karlitos.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I have received the information from someone who tested it with the same issue as mine and *NO CRASH* at all







.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> My question is more along the lines of since its being crossfired with my other 7950 can it be on a 7970 bios while crossfired with it? Or should I leave it? If I can then how do I do so without bricking my brand new card since I've never done it.


The BIOS that I posted is for Sapphire 950mhz Edition HD7950. It's a unique one that I haven't seen around. I have tried many times to flash to HD7970 without success. I don't know of a way to flash the Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition to HD7970 and as far as I know no one has done it yet.


----------



## tommiyacht

is 1100mhz enough to play top games on full details ? my card is rather far from decent (asic 58%) and when i set 1150 i must bump core voltage arround 1,22v-1,23v (1,18v reading in gpu-z) meanwhile on 1100mhz is running on 1,16v (1,11 reading in gpu-z). In both case temps are ok (below 70c vrm and below 65c gpu in heaven 3.0 couple loops) but dont want to decrease lifetime my card


----------



## Tonza

There is very minimal gain in fps after 1100 core. Usually not worth it depending of the volts needed.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tommiyacht*
> 
> is 1100mhz enough to play top games on full details ? my card is rather far from decent (asic 58%) and when i set 1150 i must bump core voltage arround 1,22v-1,23v (1,18v reading in gpu-z) meanwhile on 1100mhz is running on 1,16v (1,11 reading in gpu-z). In both case temps are ok (below 70c vrm and below 65c gpu in heaven 3.0 couple loops) but dont want to decrease lifetime my card


i suggest you leave the clocks at 1100Mhz. if you want more performance in games like Farcry 3 and can hit 1200 mhz at 1.23v then it might be worth it. but for 50 mhz definitely its not worth increasing voltage.


----------



## Anomander Rake

Guyd how high can i go on volts for both gpu and vrm and mem? My card doesnt go over 45c on the gpu while at 1250mhz/1.31mv, vrm and mem around 30-32C


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> There is very minimal gain in fps after 1100 core. Usually not worth it depending of the volts needed.


Not true for all cards. Some HD7950s scale well when increasing speeds. The key is having good cooling.


----------



## King4x4

Speak of the devil LOL

I just did a 1200mhz run on my 7950s...



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5120847

http://valid.canardpc.com/2603862


----------



## Nwanko

OK, soo everytime i update my graphics card driver,the voltages get screwed up. I uninstalled 12.11 beta6 with atiman uninstaller. Installed the new 12.11 beta11 and now when i apply the same overclock in MSI AB the voltage stays at 3d state no matter what the gpu load is.....when i reset the oc it drops down to .981V EVERYTIME i have to deal with this ****! Uninstalled everything completly,drivers,msi ab. Installed drivers,installed msi ab,started it,restart after the promp,installed patch,added xcl,unlock voltage control,monitoring....set overclock,apply,then the voltage immediatly jumped to 3d state. ****

What am i doing wrong here? What do you do after this,i always deselect ccc in startup programs,i never use it.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TarballX*
> 
> Is it just the 3 fans that make it that much better? The heat sink itself doesn't look that much different..


sorry for the late response. gigabyte calls it triangle cool. it has a huge RAM heatsink and three 8mm copper heat pipes that dissipate heat faster. mind you, it does dump that heat in the case.

the best cooling solution, though, is water. mine stays at around 40C at load.


----------



## MykaAurora

My thoughts on 12.11 Beta 11 .. It allows me to OC my matrix to 1200/1750 @ 1.28vCore with DCII cooler.

I wonder how well it OC if underwater. Someone please make full cover block for Matrix HD 7970.









Beta 8, still sometime unstable with 1200MHz.


----------



## criznit

-edit: I figured it out! I just uninstalled the application folder manually and then ran the atiman program.


----------



## tommiyacht

overall. what is worse for card and decreases lifetime - high temps or high voltage ? (gpu viltage). Now i have kind of high voltage (1,26v setted in AB but in fact it is arround 1,21v showing by gpu-z) but temps are ok (below 70c on vrms) . Even that my card might be damaged or not?. What do you think of this ?


----------



## rdr09

sorry if this is the wrong place to gripe. i bought this for $330 last april . . .

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

i was hoping to xfire.


----------



## Rebelord

rdr09: Just wait, it will go on sale soon enough. Also check NCIX and Amazon for pricing.


----------



## Anomander Rake

Looks like i got two totally different cards:-( one does 1200 at 1.25, the other barely does 1150 at 1.28.... these are ment to be lightnings.... the temps are very low, max 43-45c on gpu, max 32-33c on vrm and mem.


----------



## FtW 420

Didn't get lucky with the silicon for overclocking on air/water. Mine does well on air, just hoping it does well when cold...


----------



## Sasasd

I was cleaning my pc and noticed one thing. My MSI HD7950 has two fans. Another fan is 1-2 millimetres "higher" than another fan. It seems like that fan has moved out of it's original position. Is this possible? Temps are ok and noise from fans is normal. But this still bothers me.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> rdr09: Just wait, it will go on sale soon enough. Also check NCIX and Amazon for pricing.


thanks, man. expecting a gift card from egg. you're right, it should go back down. 8 series are coming soon.


----------



## ebduncan

hmms i have a spare antec 920 i am not using at the moment. I'm tempted to slap it on my 7950.

think it will be worth it?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> sorry if this is the wrong place to gripe. i bought this for $330 last april . . .
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
> 
> i was hoping to xfire.


LOL.

That's nothing. You know how much a 7970 listed at on release??????


----------



## Anomander Rake

FTW: Ay it looks that way although it looks like I managed to get some half decent scores anyway


----------



## wseroyer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> LOL.
> That's nothing. You know how much a 7970 listed at on release??????


They where like $549 weren't they? I just paid $389 + $30 mail in rebate.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> LOL.
> That's nothing. You know how much a 7970 listed at on release??????


i am a cheapskate. my current one cost as much as my chip and board. at that price, i won't afford a waterblock. and here is my favorite show . . .

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/special.html?paid=2.13700.56647.0.0


----------



## Anomander Rake

lol what are you all complaining about lads? its 600 usd here to get one


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> lol what are you all complaining about lads? its 600 usd here to get one


ouch. sorry.


----------



## Anomander Rake

and I didnt even get the never settle codes like most of you do but eh thats life for ya


----------



## jbmayes2000

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> and I didnt even get the never settle codes like most of you do but eh thats life for ya


I have contacted Amazon twice for those and have yet to get them. It's starting to make me mad.


----------



## bhardy1185

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> lol what are you all complaining about lads? its 600 usd here to get one


Meh that is about what I paid for mine. Bought mine the day it was release. Think it was something like $650, maybe even closer to $700 and I didn't get any type of code. Just the GPU, which I am extremely pleased with. Only thing I hate about it is the noise. That will be taken care of soon though. Bought the Accelero cooler and a little down the road, will be going water... Spoils of being an early adapter.


----------



## DUpgrade

Thank you for bringing the price of these down to reality. I'm not super trilled about spending $300 on a GPU (last time was a GeForce256 Pro) but I felt like this was the right thing to do instead of doing Crossfire on my 6870. The 3gb of VRAM will be nice too.


----------



## dartuil

Hello ,guys can you please tell me if i can revert screen on my projector with the 7950?
http://www.benq.com/product/projector/MS513P
or
http://www.acer.co.th/ac/th/TH/content/model-datasheet/EY.JBZ05.005


----------



## tommiyacht

is it normal that current core voltage during arround 50% gpu load is as equal as in full load ? (core clock same as)


----------



## geoxile

What's the best 7950 to get for ocing? I originally intended to get the Gigabyte model but right now It's hard to find or overpriced at retailers that carry it.


----------



## SonDa5

I finally broke X4000 on 3dMark11.









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5126103


----------



## b0z0




----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> What's the best 7950 to get for ocing? I originally intended to get the Gigabyte model but right now It's hard to find or overpriced at retailers that carry it.


I am very satisfied with my two Sapphire 7950 OC Editions.
Just make sure you take a dual/triple fan solution, no reference cooler. Also, be sure you don't buy a voltage locked card, if you want to do some serious overclocking.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I am very satisfied with my two Sapphire 7950 OC Editions.
> Just make sure you take a dual/triple fan solution, no reference cooler. Also, be sure you don't buy a voltage locked card, if you want to do some serious overclocking.


Well there was a topic claiming that Sapphire is volt locking their 7950s and cutting corners on memory


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Well there was a topic claiming that Sapphire is volt locking their 7950s and cutting corners on memory


No clue about the memory. About the voltage locks, i do know the latest cards with boost do all have voltage locks.
The ones i am using, the 7950 OC edition (900mhz coreclock) does not have this voltage lock.

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1450&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Could someone list all of the voltage locked cards?


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> No clue about the memory. About the voltage locks, i do know the latest cards with boost do all have voltage locks.
> The ones i am using, the 7950 OC edition (900mhz coreclock) does not have this voltage lock.
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1450&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


Do stores still carry this model?


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Do stores still carry this model?


Possibly, here in Netherlands/Germany it is still for sale.
Try contacting your local store and look around online.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Could someone list all of the voltage locked cards +rep going to who ever does


Try my Sapphire 950mhz HD7950 BIOS. Do a search to find it. Works great. Unlocked.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Try my Sapphire 950mhz HD7950 BIOS. Do a search to find it. Works great. Unlocked.


Does it actually unlock cards like the Sapphire Vapor-X? Also, does anyone know if the Twin Frozr is locked? I'd personally prefer a MSI or Gigabyte card since I've had good experiences with them. I assume the quality of their AMD cards should be the same as their nvidia cards.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Does it actually unlock cards like the Sapphire Vapor-X? Also, does anyone know if the Twin Frozr is locked? I'd personally prefer a MSI or Gigabyte card since I've had good experiences with them. I assume the quality of their AMD cards should be the same as their nvidia cards.


Yeah I would prefer MSI also.


----------



## disintegratorx

-.-


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> Hello ,guys can you please tell me if i can revert screen on my projector with the 7950?
> http://www.benq.com/product/projector/MS513P
> or
> http://www.acer.co.th/ac/th/TH/content/model-datasheet/EY.JBZ05.005


if you mean to connect it to project video - yes. it looks like both of those use d-sub, so you are going to need a d-sub to dvi adapter.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Does it actually unlock cards like the Sapphire Vapor-X? Also, does anyone know if the Twin Frozr is locked?


I don't know of any Sapphire VApor-X owners who have tried my BIOS but I know of 1 MSI TF HD7950 owner who tried the BIOS and stated it worked great for his card.

This is the BIOS.

SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file


How to use ATIFLASH to flash
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57750

Latest ATIFLASH 3.99 from Septermber 2012 which supports HD7XXX cards:

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2166/ATIFlash_3.99.html


----------



## geoxile

Eh, I'm still a little iffy about buying a 7950 unless your BIOS is confirmed to unlock voltage controls


----------



## Pandemacia

*Help!*

My GPU (MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB) is kinda noisy, it always make a ticking noise when I play games, and I was wondering if it was coil whine or something else. I recorded the sound, and I uploaded it to Mediafire, anyone would mind to help me with this?

Not really sure what to do here, since I've already RMA'ed my first Twin Frozr... Not really sure I want to stick with Radeon if I need to send it back again.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?yemeb1os727mjgy

Thank you all.


----------



## solsamurai

After searching around the thread it seems to me like my current 650W PSU could handle an i5-3750k and a single 7950. Am I correct in this assumption?


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *solsamurai*
> 
> After searching around the thread it seems to me like my current 650W PSU could handle an i5-3750k and a single 7950. Am I correct in this assumption?


More than enough.


----------



## solsamurai

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> More than enough.


Appreciate the feedback.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *solsamurai*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> More than enough.
> 
> 
> 
> Appreciate the feedback.
Click to expand...

No problem.


----------



## geoxile

So did anyone unlock voltage control on a Sapphire Vapor X 7950? I would really like to know as I'm looking to get a 7950 soon


----------



## InsideJob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *solsamurai*
> 
> After searching around the thread it seems to me like my current 650W PSU could handle an i5-3750k and a single 7950. Am I correct in this assumption?


I run a Phenom X4 and a single 7970 off a 500W, you got lots of headroom


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: 1.6GHz on 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Getting my 7970 Lightning prepped so I can try to beat my best with the reference card above, hopefully can bench it tonight. The current MOA qualifier is bringing out lots of great scores, I've been getting dropped in the rankings almost daily for the last couple weeks.


What voltage did you require for 1.6GHz core?


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> So did anyone unlock voltage control on a Sapphire Vapor X 7950? I would really like to know as I'm looking to get a 7950 soon


I have unlocked voltage on my MSI TF3 7950. FWIW.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pandemacia*
> 
> *Help!*
> My GPU (MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB) is kinda noisy, it always make a ticking noise when I play games, and I was wondering if it was coil whine or something else. I recorded the sound, and I uploaded it to Mediafire, anyone would mind to help me with this?
> Not really sure what to do here, since I've already RMA'ed my first Twin Frozr... Not really sure I want to stick with Radeon if I need to send it back again.
> http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?yemeb1os727mjgy
> Thank you all.


Sounds like your fans. I would check them visually, also can turn them off for a few seconds to see if the sound goes away. If it does, then its the fans. Just because your having issues with a particular manufacture doesnt mean all Radeons are bad. Stereotyping to much.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> I have unlocked voltage on my MSI TF3 7950. FWIW.
> Sounds like your fans. I would check them visually, also can turn them off for a few seconds to see if the sound goes away. If it does, then its the fans. Just because your having issues with a particular manufacture doesnt mean all Radeons are bad. Stereotyping to much.


What do you mean FWIW? Does it not OC well? Anyway I guess I'll go with the MSI Twin Frozr. You unlocked it using the modded BIOS correct?


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> So did anyone unlock voltage control on a Sapphire Vapor X 7950? I would really like to know as I'm looking to get a 7950 soon


Gigabyte WF3 7950 FTW! 5 degrees cooler than any sapphire card easily and unlocked still as far as i know.. bought mine 2 months ago unlocked.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> What do you mean FWIW? Does it not OC well? Anyway I guess I'll go with the MSI Twin Frozr. You unlocked it using the modded BIOS correct?


FWIW = For What its Worth
Overclock good. Yes, look in my sig. Link to my verified GPU-z. 1150 core, 1575 mem. With a slight bump in voltage is all it took.
No, I am stock bios; position 2. On my card. (Dual Bios)


----------



## wseroyer

Question about memory voltage, do I need to adjusted it? will it add a lot more heat?


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wseroyer*
> 
> Question about memory voltage, do I need to adjusted it? will it add a lot more heat?


I've haven't adjusted memory voltage before because
a) There isn't any sensors to tell you the temps of your VRAM
b) Usually I'll only run into a memory bottleneck when playing Crysis with texture mods

I'm not sure which card your using but Trixx only allows you to go up to 1.7v. But if your watercooling, give it try and be sure to let us know of results.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> I've haven't adjusted memory voltage before because
> a) There isn't any sensors to tell you the temps of your VRAM
> b) Usually I'll only run into a memory bottleneck when playing Crysis with texture mods
> I'm not sure which card your using but Trixx only allows you to go up to 1.7v. But if your watercooling, give it try and be sure to let us know of results.


With my Sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition I can take my memory voltage up to 1.8v with TRIX.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> So did anyone unlock voltage control on a Sapphire Vapor X 7950? I would really like to know as I'm looking to get a 7950 soon


I'd like to know as well. I posted my BIOS a page before in this thread with some clues on how to flash it to Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition which is unlocked.

Again... THEE BIOS.

SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## billgates8889

Sonda5, could you please post the BIOS version (something like 015.021.000.000.000000) of your SAPPER.rom bios for the 7950 950 edition card?


----------



## wseroyer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> I've haven't adjusted memory voltage before because
> a) There isn't any sensors to tell you the temps of your VRAM
> b) Usually I'll only run into a memory bottleneck when playing Crysis with texture mods
> I'm not sure which card your using but Trixx only allows you to go up to 1.7v. But if your watercooling, give it try and be sure to let us know of results.


I have a reference msi oc 7970, I've OC'ed to 1125 GPU, 1575 @ 1175 mv on AfterBurner. I don't think my card is a great OC'er but its plenty fast for me, I did the UnofficialOverclockingEULA, but I took it back to stock because it made my screen jump around and micro shutter on my desktop. I'm asking about memory voltage because I have gotten some artifacting in FC3 not a ton but a bit, it run's at 85c in that game so don't want to add any more vcore


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Sonda5, could you please post the BIOS version (something like 015.021.000.000.000000) of your SAPPER.rom bios for the 7950 950 edition card?


015.021.000.000.000000 (113-C38613-X04)

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/d65k4/


----------



## Anomander Rake

guys this is really weird.... as of yesterday im experiencing horrible screen tearing/artifacting if I overclock my 7970s even by 10mhz, but thats only in 2d mode when i windows.... it gets even to the point where i can barely see whats going on on the screen but the moment 3d kicks in, example when i run a game or run 3dmark11/heaven/vantage the problem is gone, the card works normal, no tearing or artifacting and the scores go up as I up the oc so scaling works normal.... ive also noticed that the tearing occurs when the blue line of leds on my Lightning is blinking, the moment they light up and stay still (be it 2 leds or all) the arts/tearing stops.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> guys this is really weird.... as of yesterday im experiencing horrible screen tearing/artifacting if I overclock my 7970s even by 10mhz, but thats only in 2d mode when i windows.... it gets even to the point where i can barely see whats going on on the screen but the moment 3d kicks in, example when i run a game or run 3dmark11/heaven/vantage the problem is gone, the card works normal, no tearing or artifacting and the scores go up as I up the oc so scaling works normal.... ive also noticed that the tearing occurs when the blue line of leds on my Lightning is blinking, the moment they light up and stay still (be it 2 leds or all) the arts/tearing stops.


I am facing the same issue.

Thought it might of have been my suicidal OC but when I drop the OC everything goes back to normal.


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I don't know of any Sapphire VApor-X owners who have tried my BIOS but I know of 1 MSI TF HD7950 owner who tried the BIOS and stated it worked great for his card.


I gave it a go but couldn't get a stable overclock with it.
Gone back to 7970 bios, stable overclock but high VRM temps.

Tried the latest vapor-x 7950 bios from sapphire but didn't like the low MVDDC voltage...


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> I gave it a go but couldn't get a stable overclock with it.
> Gone back to 7970 bios, stable overclock but high VRM temps.
> Tried the latest vapor-x 7950 bios from sapphire but didn't like the low MVDDC voltage...


Are you using MSI AFterburner of SApphire Trixx to over clock?

I only use Sapphire Trixx.

My card doesn't like MSI Afterburner.


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> So did anyone unlock voltage control on a Sapphire Vapor X 7950? I would really like to know as I'm looking to get a 7950 soon


Not had any trouble upping the voltage on mine with TRIXX
I did try the latest 7950 bios though and couldn't seem to change mem voltage through afterburner...


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> Not had any trouble upping the voltage on mine with TRIXX
> I did try the latest 7950 bios though and couldn't seem to change mem voltage through afterburner...


What card do you have?

You need a special version of Sapphire TRIX MOD version for best over clocking and control of core and Vram voltage.

Look here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread#post_17399313


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Are you using MSI AFterburner of SApphire Trixx to over clock?
> I only use Sapphire Trixx.
> My card doesn't like MSI Afterburner.


I use TRIXX, don't really get on with Afterburner either.

Read earlier in the thread you adjust memory voltage through Trix, what version is that or how do I do that? I only have VDDC available on mine, no MVDDC


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> I gave it a go but couldn't get a stable overclock with it.
> Gone back to 7970 bios, stable overclock but high VRM temps.
> Tried the latest vapor-x 7950 bios from sapphire but didn't like the low MVDDC voltage...


Did you give this BIOS a go?

SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What card do you have?
> You need a special version of Sapphire TRIX MOD version for best over clocking and control of core and Vram voltage.
> Look here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread#post_17399313


Haha you answered my question before I asked it.

Yeah I tried the SAPPER bios. My card didnt seem to like it though. Couldn't even get a stable run though Heaven.

The 7970 bios I'm using now is nice and stable but can't go too high on the memory or the VRM temps go soaring, think I've got it at 1450 now. At 1500 VRM temps were going over 100 degrees too regularly for my likeing


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> Haha you answered my question before I asked it.
> Yeah I tried the SAPPER bios. My card didnt seem to like it though. Couldn't even get a stable run though Heaven.
> The 7970 bios I'm using now is nice and stable but can't go too high on the memory or the VRM temps go soaring, think I've got it at 1450 now. At 1500 VRM temps were going over 100 degrees too regularly for my likeing


What card do you have? What over clocking utility did you use?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> guys this is really weird.... as of yesterday im experiencing horrible screen tearing/artifacting if I overclock my 7970s even by 10mhz, but thats only in 2d mode when i windows.... it gets even to the point where i can barely see whats going on on the screen but the moment 3d kicks in, example when i run a game or run 3dmark11/heaven/vantage the problem is gone, the card works normal, no tearing or artifacting and the scores go up as I up the oc so scaling works normal.... ive also noticed that the tearing occurs when the blue line of leds on my Lightning is blinking, the moment they light up and stay still (be it 2 leds or all) the arts/tearing stops.


Did you update driver?


----------



## Anomander Rake

SonDa5: yup tried various drivers same thing, and like King4x4 if i return the oc to stock all goes away.... Could it be a faulty dvi-hdmi cable ? because if the cards was faulty it would artifact even more under stress and 3d right?


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What card do you have? What over clocking utility did you use?


Sapphire Vapor-x 7950

I used Trixx.
Tried it with a fresh driver install too but had to lower the clocks to stop it from crashing in BF3.
Anything over 1250 and it would start to artifact.

Might try the new vapor-x 7950 bios that sapphire released again with the modded trixx.
Temps when I used it were great but MVDDC was set to 1.5 and couldn't get the memory stable over 1250.

Is memory voltage and clock the main influencing factor in VRM temp? sorry if thats a stupid question...


----------



## Ork7O

Hi guys, I got my hands on a sapphire 7950 dual-x last month. Its my first AMD card and I want to overclock it. I got some questions:

1. What are my limit on core and memory clock without touching the voltage on air?
2. I want to reach 1100 on core and 1400 on the memory clock, which tool should I use for OCing and for stability test?

Any help will be much appreciated . . .







. . . Thank you









*My rig:*
cpu - i5 3470
mobo - ga-b75-d3h
ram - 4x2gb twinmoss twister DDR3 @1600mhz
psu - CM gx550w


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> Is memory voltage and clock the main influencing factor in VRM temp? sorry if thats a stupid question...


Yes.

Upload your BIOS so I can try it.


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Yes.
> Upload your BIOS so I can try it.


7970 BIOS

That's the one I'm using at the moment.


----------



## cane316

doesn't unlock any shaders though so don't get your hopes up


----------



## Flameboy294

Hey guys my Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor X will be arriving in 2 weeks time







just wondering are all Vapor X cards ghz edition or? there is Vapor X and Vapor X ghz edtion. Also how far can this card OC on stock cooling? Thanks


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Hey guys my Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor X will be arriving in 2 weeks time
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just wondering are all Vapor X cards ghz edition or? there is Vapor X and Vapor X ghz edtion. Also how far can this card OC on stock cooling? Thanks


Did you get the 3gb or 6gb card?


----------



## HeadlessKnight

*Announcement : For anyone who is kind enough with an HD7950 , to challenge a GTX 670 max overclocked at this thread :-

For anyone interested and want more information please view this post ...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1334760/the-tech-report-radeon-hd-7950-vs-geforce-gtx-660-ti-revisited/150#post_18760986*


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> Did you get the 3gb or 6gb card?


3gb card, i see 6gb quite pointless in my case


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> I've haven't adjusted memory voltage before because
> a) There isn't any sensors to tell you the temps of your VRAM
> b) Usually I'll only run into a memory bottleneck when playing Crysis with texture mods
> I'm not sure which card your using but Trixx only allows you to go up to 1.7v. But if your watercooling, give it try and be sure to let us know of results.


HWinfo64 displays vrm temps..... when combined with JUST the MSI AB OSD it works quite nicely for monitoring in games and such.


----------



## BinZz

Guys , i have download RadeonPro , ATI Catalyst driver 12.11 beta 8 MSI Afterburner.
I have 3 HD 7970 GHZ edtion cards.

In some games in certain stress areas i get around 40 FPS in BF3
And in most wanted i get extremely low FPS ranges from capped 60FPS untill 20FPS some times.
And average around 26 FPS
The GPU usage according to MSI afterburner OSD is around 30% for each one of the 3 cards.
I want to utilize the cards to have more performance.
It's hard to race on low FPS


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BinZz*
> 
> Guys , i have download RadeonPro , ATI Catalyst driver 12.11 beta 8 MSI Afterburner.
> I have 3 HD 7970 GHZ edtion cards.
> In some games in certain stress areas i get around 40 FPS in BF3
> And in most wanted i get extremely low FPS ranges from capped 60FPS untill 20FPS some times.
> And average around 26 FPS
> The GPU usage according to MSI afterburner OSD is around 30% for each one of the 3 cards.
> I want to utilize the cards to have more performance.
> It's hard to race on low FPS


Doesn't sound right, I get higher fps in Battlefield 3 than that on a single 7950...


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> Doesn't sound right, I get higher fps in Battlefield 3 than that on a single 7950...


I said in certain stress areas.
Average in BF3 ranges from 100 to 66 depends on how much action is involved (multilayer)
Everything is maxed on a 120HZ 1080p


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> Doesn't sound right, I get higher fps in Battlefield 3 than that on a single 7950...


Any way , BF3 is no problem.
But Most wanted is..


----------



## cane316

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BinZz*
> 
> Any way , BF3 is no problem.
> But Most wanted is..


Sorry I don't really know anything about multiple card set ups but would of thought that 3 x 6GB cards would piss all over any game you threw at them.


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cane316*
> 
> Sorry I don't really know anything about multiple card set ups but would of thought that 3 x 6GB cards would piss all over any game you threw at them.


Well , theoretically they shall.
But for this to be done , i must have the ability to make the games actually use them , and that's why i am posting this issue in here


----------



## Anomander Rake

ok guys, starting to get fed up with this.... ive bought a new hdmi - dvi cable, didnt help, tried both dvi connections, tried with my monitor and my tv, same thing happens. Here is a video of whats happening:


----------



## Cgren

hi just wanna share mine


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cgren*
> 
> hi just wanna share mine


I like how clean it is


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> ok guys, starting to get fed up with this.... ive bought a new hdmi - dvi cable, didnt help, tried both dvi connections, tried with my monitor and my tv, same thing happens. Here is a video of whats happening:


Go back to stock as stock can be. Stock core, stock mem, voltage. 0% on PowerTune etc.
If you have dual BIOS. Try out the other one, never know.
Remove and reinstall drivers. Start with 12.8 and see if it happens, then can try 12.10. All 12.11 drivers are beta. So mileage may vary with beta drivers.
If it keeps happening even after that. If you can, try it in another computer. Just a simple boot and see if it flickers like that.
Then if still, your at the point of possible RMA.


----------



## Pandemacia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> I have unlocked voltage on my MSI TF3 7950. FWIW.
> Sounds like your fans. I would check them visually, also can turn them off for a few seconds to see if the sound goes away. If it does, then its the fans. Just because your having issues with a particular manufacture doesnt mean all Radeons are bad. Stereotyping to much.


Just checked, it's not the fans. I did turn them off, but the sound is still there. Should I RMA it again?


----------



## Cgren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pandemacia*
> 
> Just checked, it's not the fans. I did turn them off, but the sound is still there. Should I RMA it again?


RMA it asap. It sounds like a bad batch of 7970


----------



## Cgren

Much better if you bring a copy of that video and show it to them when asking for warranty. Thats enough proof.


----------



## Casey Ryback

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What card do you have?
> You need a special version of Sapphire TRIX MOD version for best over clocking and control of core and Vram voltage.
> Look here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread#post_17399313


Thanks for the link, and big props to the creator of the trixx mod.

I've had issues with afterburner so can't use it. So to get trixx to unlock memory voltage is amazing for me!

Now after some testing seem to have 1575 MHz game stable memory (1475 prior)

With only 1.637V (1.6V prior stock)

What do people deem safe voltage for memory?

Mine crashed at 1600 MHz memory 1.65V so I don't want to damage what seems like a very good card by pushing it too high.

Card model in sig sapphire OC 7950 (dark brown pcb)


----------



## EternalRest

Anyone have experience with HIS 7950 Boost? Thinking getting it soon. How are HIS cards in general? This will be my first AMD card I will have.


----------



## Anomander Rake

Rebelord: like ive mentioned on previous page, while at stock settings everything is as it should be, any oc results in the corruption from the video, but even if i oc it from 1070 to 1170 its still passes 3d11/vantage/heaven without artifacts, the score is scaling up as well so its not like its downclocking... so its only after oc and only in 2d mode


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> Rebelord: like ive mentioned on previous page, while at stock settings everything is as it should be, any oc results in the corruption from the video, but even if i oc it from 1070 to 1170 its still passes 3d11/vantage/heaven without artifacts, the score is scaling up as well so its not like its downclocking... so its only after oc and only in 2d mode


Sorry, dont remember every post. Even though I do follow the thread.
Ok, so its scaling under 3D load. Thats good. But, when its back to 2D, failing; giving artifacts, flickering etc.
What have you run to check for stability of the overclock over time? Have you run Kombustor for a few hours, or looped Heaven benchmark for a few hours?
What volts are you running for your overclock on vcore?
Does it happen if you OC the core only, but leave memory stock?
Core stock, memory OC'd?
When it downclocks to 2D, going to back down to 500Mhz, or staying at 3D clocks, or dropping lower?

That would be my approach to it. Check every variable that can cause it. I see you already checked the cables. Drivers, the 12.11 beta X drivers, seem to be hit and miss for some people. If you are running those.

I just had a horrid experience with drivers myself. To where I had to wipe and reinstall my OS to get them right.


----------



## rck1984

I have been trying to push my two Sapphire 7950s a little more again, but i seem to hit a wall at 1425Mhz on the memory.
Tried adding core voltage from stock, all the way to 1.187. As soon as i go over 1425Mhz on my memory, the computer locks. The coreclock does not seem to give much trouble, i am on 1125/1425 on 1.181mV rocksolid now.

Did anyone else experience such a "low" memory overclock limit? Would it matter if i add extra memory voltage, next to corevoltage. Or shouldn't i touch mem voltage at all?
Also, since i am gaming on 2560x1440. Would i benefit from overclocking my memory higher than 1425Mhz or should i just leave it as it is?



That's my 3dMark 11 score, performance preset @ 1125/1425.


----------



## Ganf

1.7 memory voltage is just fine. It doesn't really change much in heat either from my experience.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Freezing the PC at just above 1425Mhz? It doesn't sound good to me. What's your default mV? Some cards have 1.602mV while other 1.500mV.

My first card had 1.6mV but even at 1575Mhz the PC wouldn't freeze. Now the replacement has 1.5mV and even at 1575Mhz can play normally without voltage increase -but has terrible ASIC ( 62% ) with 1.093 default core voltage.

In short...

1st card: 1.031 core voltage - 1.602mV
2nd card: 1.093 core voltage - 1.500mV

I lost core and gained in memory voltage. Not that the first had much better ASIC -71%. These cards are leaking electricity in my room


----------



## Anomander Rake

guys any way to force 3d clocks constantly? just came back from work, did a bit of testing and the tearing/flickering etc only happens when the card goes down to 2d clocks


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Casey Ryback*
> 
> Thanks for the link, and big props to the creator of the trixx mod.
> I've had issues with afterburner so can't use it. So to get trixx to unlock memory voltage is amazing for me!
> Now after some testing seem to have 1575 MHz game stable memory (1475 prior)
> With only 1.637V (1.6V prior stock)
> What do people deem safe voltage for memory?
> Mine crashed at 1600 MHz memory 1.65V so I don't want to damage what seems like a very good card by pushing it too high.
> Card model in sig sapphire OC 7950 (dark brown pcb)


I have water cooled card with Fujipoly extreme thermal pad on ram chips and with 1.65v on ram my ram runs 1750mhz. The Ram chips get hot if not coole properly and that may be why it is shutting down. Try to run 1600mhz with 1.6v on vram. My ram maxes out at around 1900mhz with 1.7v.

My card.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Freezing the PC at just above 1425Mhz? It doesn't sound good to me. What's your default mV? Some cards have 1.602mV while other 1.500mV.
> My first card had 1.6mV but even at 1575Mhz the PC wouldn't freeze. Now the replacement has 1.5mV and even at 1575Mhz can play normally without voltage increase -but has terrible ASIC ( 62% ) with 1.093 default core voltage.
> In short...
> 1st card: 1.031 core voltage - 1.602mV
> 2nd card: 1.093 core voltage - 1.500mV
> I lost core and gained in memory voltage. Not that the first had much better ASIC -71%. These cards are leaking electricity in my room


Default core voltage is 1.093mV / Default memory voltage is 1.600mV.
Keep in mind i am running a crossfire setup though, so overclocking isn't as easy as it is with a single card. Card A might be a better overclocker than card B or visa versa.

Strange thing is that i can push both my cards to 1150mhz on the core without too much effort, but getting it above 1425mhz on the memory is another story. Then again, 1425mhz doesn't seem to be that high to me... Could adding memory voltage help, to get my memory overclock above 1425mhz?

Also, do i really need more then 1425mhz on the memory (2560x1440) or is it just the coreclock that really matters?


----------



## tommiyacht

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Casey Ryback*
> 
> What do people deem safe voltage for memory?


strongly recommend not to bump your mems and keep it stock.


----------



## KingT

My Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP does max 1850MHz rock solid stable with default memory voltage 1.60V..

I keep it @ 1750MHz for 24/7 usage..

Also my card does not have any passive heatsinks on memory chips and still my card's video memory overclock capabilities are awesome ...









It's all about memory IC's and quality of memory controller on GPU itself, memory voltage does not matter much//

CHEERS..


----------



## tommiyacht

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Did anyone else experience such a "low" memory overclock limit? Would it matter if i add extra memory voltage, next to corevoltage. Or shouldn't i touch mem voltage at all?
> .


I did. I have 1450mhz wall on mems. Of course stock voltage, do not touch it is my advise


----------



## Anomander Rake

Sonda you got a lovely card over there whats your highest oc on the card and what temps where you getting on gpu/vrm/mem?

I got p....d off and reinstalled windows 7.... problem went away, actually got the second card to finish 3d11 at 1190mhz on the gpu....


----------



## Luca T

Hi guys a I7-920 at 4,51ghz would be enough for a crossfire of 7970 at 1200Mhz?
(Of course I know I would gain fps with a newer Cpu)


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Hi guys a I7-920 at 4,51ghz would be enough for a crossfire of 7970 at 1200Mhz?
> (Of course I know I would gain fps with a newer Cpu)


My i7 3770k at 4.6Ghz can't even keep up with stock 7970's on my system in some CPU intensive games.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Hi guys a I7-920 at 4,51ghz would be enough for a crossfire of 7970 at 1200Mhz?
> (Of course I know I would gain fps with a newer Cpu)


You should be fine.


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> You should be fine.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My i7 3770k at 4.6Ghz can't even keep up with stock 7970's on my system in some CPU intensive games.












Should be fine or not?

At least I'm sure the tricross is bottlenecked for sure!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Should be fine or not?
> At least I'm sure the tricross is bottlenecked for sure!


Personally, with how games are becoming very CPU dependant, I don't thing you would see much a gain in crossfire in some newer games.


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Personally, with how games are becoming very CPU dependant, I don't thing you would see much a gain in crossfire in some newer games.


At present I'm interested in the witcher2, crysis2 (with maldo), Skyrim (heavily modded) and Sleeping Dogs, then later Farcry3, hitman etc.

(detail at ultra, AA, AF, V-sync and Mods) [maybe even ssao]


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> At present I'm interested in the witcher2, crysis2 (with maldo), Skyrim (heavily modded) and Sleeping Dogs, then later Farcry3, hitman etc.
> (detail at ultra, AA, AF, V-sync and Mods) [maybe even ssao]


Sleeping Dogs and hitman are extremely CPU dependant. Max out at 1080p, my CPU chokes so bad at certain points and the GPU usage drops due to massive bottleneck. That is at 4.5Ghz and 7970's on stock. Witcher 2, Crysis 2, Skyrim and FarCry 3 should just be alright.


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Sleeping Dogs and hitman are extremely CPU dependant. Max out at 1080p, my CPU chokes so bad at certain points and the GPU usage drops due to massive bottleneck. That is at 4.5Ghz and 7970's on stock. Witcher 2, Crysis 2, Skyrim and FarCry 3 should just be alright.


Did you try them with mods?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Did you try them with mods?


Only skyrim.


----------



## Luca T

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Only skyrim.


Thanks, then I will try to resist a little longer and in the meanwhile play Skyrim and other older games!


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> My i7 3770k at 4.6Ghz can't even keep up with stock 7970's on my system in some CPU intensive games.


That is because they are poorly coded games. Single Threaded games hurt everyone, heck even dual threaded games hurt people.


----------



## evolutionxxx86

I'm thinking of getting BF3, never played any of them before.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *evolutionxxx86*
> 
> I'm thinking of getting BF3, never played any of them before.


You should, with 2x 7970 and a cpu on 5.0ghz, i'm guessing your playing on at least 1440p?
Battlefield 3 is a great game and besides, it looks amazing on Ultra.


----------



## Casey Ryback

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tommiyacht*
> 
> strongly recommend not to bump your mems and keep it stock.


Thanks for posting but what's your theory behind keeping it stock?

I'm fairly sure it's the same memory modules just underclocked/undervolted?

Stock 7970 memory voltage is 1.75 or something so surely 1.7 on a 7950 will be fine?

A member of OCN who could actually be bothered filling in their rig says it's fine, and I'm more inclined to listen to an actual member with posts and rep, no offence.

Can anyone say they've been running higher memory voltage for an extended period with no issues?

Thanks again.

edit card asic rating 86


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Thanks for posting but what's your theory behind keeping it stock?
> 
> I'm fairly sure it's the same memory modules just underclocked/undervolted?
> 
> Stock 7970 memory voltage is 1.75 or something so surely 1.7 on a 7950 will be fine?
> 
> A member of OCN who could actually be bothered filling in their rig says it's fine, and I'm more inclined to listen to an actual member with posts and rep, no offence.
> 
> Can anyone say they've been running higher memory voltage for an extended period with no issues?
> 
> Thanks again.
> 
> edit card asic rating 86


umm noo the 7970's come with 1.6 volts stock mem voltage just like the 7950's. You can increase the memory voltage, and attempt to go further with your memory. However in most cases your doing it for no good reason, other than more heat and power draw. the 7950/7970 are not really memory limited. Only a handful of games will see any real benefit for your extra trouble.


----------



## rck1984

Running my 7950 CFX setup on 1125/1425 @1.188mV now. As said earlier, whatever I do.. As soon as I raise my memory clock from 1425mhz to 1450mhz or so, my BF3 will lockup within two minutes. Would I actually gain a decent amount of performance by increasing my memory clock higher than 1425mhz, or isn't it worth the hassle? I play at 2560x1440.

How much performance do I gain by raising my memory compared to raising the core clock? Is it worth it or should I just stick with 1425mhz and perhaps try to push my core a little more, or just stick with what I have now.


----------



## Anomander Rake

Gains from ocing your mem are so small that they are only worth it to the benchers/ extreme overclockers.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> Gains from ocing your mem are so small that they are only worth it to the benchers/ extreme overclockers.


A gain is a gain. Some of us will take every fraction of a frame we can get.


----------



## EternalRest

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Anyone have experience with HIS 7950 Boost? Thinking getting it soon. How are HIS cards in general? This will be my first AMD card I will have.


bump?


----------



## Ganf

HIS is a midrange brand, from my observations. They don't do anything to stand out, and their cards are louder than average, but I've seen very few people having problems with them also. I'd say they're pretty reliable, in all honesty, even though I personally have no desire to buy one.


----------



## Flameboy294

I'm curious because i didnt understand a few posts above me, when your overclocking a card, it means its going to take up more voltage? and that even if you have an excellent card you can be bottle necked at 4.5ghz cpu?


----------



## Doc_Gonzo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> bump?


I have that card and at stock clocks it is quiet - only marginally louder than my MSI 7850. I'm running it at 1100 core with an underclock on the memory from 1250 - 1200. I don't know why but it was the only way to get the 1100 core stable. I'm running Boinc and hitting 78c under load but it's been running like that for a week now with no problems. I had some lockups when gettign my overclock stable but it has been trouble free mostly and seems to be a solid card.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Default core voltage is 1.093mV / Default memory voltage is 1.600mV.
> Keep in mind i am running a crossfire setup though, so overclocking isn't as easy as it is with a single card. Card A might be a better overclocker than card B or visa versa.
> Strange thing is that i can push both my cards to 1150mhz on the core without too much effort, but getting it above 1425mhz on the memory is another story. Then again, 1425mhz doesn't seem to be that high to me... Could adding memory voltage help, to get my memory overclock above 1425mhz?
> Also, do i really need more then 1425mhz on the memory (2560x1440) or is it just the coreclock that really matters?


Well, if you ask me... If I had 2 cards, I wouldn't overclock anything. Especially the memory while I've never seen solid worthy results to keep doing so. I would be betting completely on stability. However, my 24/7 oc is 1000Mhz core and 1400Mhz memory without touching voltages. But mostly I play on default clocks. Now with latest beta drivers, I can play BF3 on High settings with 4x MSAA ( only textures on Ultra and blur off ) and FPS cap at 65. I don't have many, serious slowdowns ( <50fps ) anymore and I really love it.


----------



## Anomander Rake

yup exactly that, ive got 2 Lightnings and every mhz on the gpu scales way better after I hit at least 5ghz on the cpu


----------



## cane316

Found a winning combo for my Sapphire vapor-x 7950 I think.

Thanks to the links for the modded Trixx I can now use the latest 7950 drivers that sapphire released on Facebook and then up the MVDDC









No crazy high VRM 1 temps, core seems to run a bit cooler, and as a result fans not so noisy. Only had time to do a couple of Heaven runs and play a round of battlefield but all seemed to be running fine. 1100/1500 with VDCC 1118 and MVDDC at 1600. Think I could run the core higher with a bit more voltage but increased noise


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> Well, if you ask me... If I had 2 cards, I wouldn't overclock anything. Especially the memory while I've never seen solid worthy results to keep doing so. I would be betting completely on stability. However, my 24/7 oc is 1000Mhz core and 1400Mhz memory without touching voltages. But mostly I play on default clocks. Now with latest beta drivers, I can play BF3 on High settings with 4x MSAA ( only textures on Ultra and blur off ) and FPS cap at 65. I don't have many, serious slowdowns ( <50fps ) anymore and I really love it.


I understand. On 1920x1080 and everything maxed out, i was running perfectly fine in the majority of games such as BF3. However, since i am playing on 2650x1440 for a little while now, i notice i could use the extra performance gained from overclocking. Also, when it comes to graphics settings, i am kind of a freak and want things to be maxed out (with an exception of MSAA, which isn't that necessary on such high res).

But then again, if its minor gains for such effort.. I rather let the memory be on 1425mhz and see if i can push my clocks towards 1200.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> yup exactly that, ive got 2 Lightnings and every mhz on the gpu scales way better after I hit at least 5ghz on the cpu


Perhaps i should try to push my i5 2500k a little more, i'm on 1.400v already though..


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> Sonda you got a lovely card over there whats your highest oc on the card and what temps where you getting on gpu/vrm/mem?
> I got p....d off and reinstalled windows 7.... problem went away, actually got the second card to finish 3d11 at 1190mhz on the gpu....


Thanks. I will do some Furmark benchmarks when I get a chance at around 1325/1900. That is the highest I think I have done a Furmark run.... Later on.


----------



## Flameboy294

I've noticed not many people own a Vapor X 7970 here, but is the maximum overclock on stock 1195? I plan to oc mine as far as i can on stock..


----------



## meddle3

So a single 7950 with a modest OC is insufficient to run new games on high settings at 2560x1440?


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> So a single 7950 with a modest OC is insufficient to run new games on high settings at 2560x1440?


Totally depends on what kind of games, and if you want to turn all the eye-candy on or not.
I am running 2x 7950 @ 1125/1425 on 2560x1440, a couple rough examples (not 100% accurate):

- Battlefield 3 Single Player, Ultra / 2x MSAA: *Min: 65 | Max: 125 | Avg: ~85 fps.*
- Battlefield 3 Multiplayer (depending on map/amount of players), Ultra / 2x MSAA: *Min: 55 | Max: 115 | Avg: ~75 fps.*
- Hitman Absolution, Ultra / 2x MSAA: *Min: 45 | Max: 90 | Avg: ~65 fps.*
- Far Cry 3, Ultra / 2x MSAA / HDAO: *Min: 40 | Max: 100 | Avg: ~ 60 fps.*

As you can see, in some of the newer/heavier games, the fps can drop into the 40's.
Ofcourse this is on highest settings, you could get away with lowering settings obviously.

In short: You definitely need some serious horsepower if you want to run this kind of games on 2560x1440 and highest settings.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> So a single 7950 with a modest OC is insufficient to run new games on high settings at 2560x1440?


A single HD 7950 overclocked to 1.1 Ghz should do well. You just need to run at lower MSAA or without MSAA at 1440p depending on the game and your fps target.


----------



## King4x4

Had one [email protected] on a 2560x1440.

Just turn off the MSAA (You don't need it at that res) and you will be fine.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Had one [email protected] on a 2560x1440.
> Just turn off the MSAA (You don't need it at that res) and you will be fine.


Its not that easy, turning off MSAA on games such as BF3, Hitman and Far Cry 3 are not going to give you a steady 60 fps on a single 7950.
Ofcourse, if you tune down the settings and/or if you are fine gaming with ~40 fps then its fine. For me, i want my games to be at 60 fps.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Same here. I've observed when the FPS are going below 51-52 is when it becomes annoying. On all Single Player games, VSync is always enabled and I've to make the required compromises in graphics department.

I'm really wondering how some people prefer on Ultra while their FPS is barely touching the numbers 30-35! You know, those people that were claiming that on 7850 they play on Ultra BF3 from the beginning, easily... At least now, drivers have been considerably improved. But still, on 7950 overclocked, full Ultra is a no-go. As I said previously, High Settings with 4x MSAA and FXAA on low ( higher FXAA is blurry - Blur off - FPS Cap @65 ).


----------



## ebduncan

anything above 40fps is plenty for me personally.

my [email protected] 1100core/ 1460 mem

runs all the new games just fine at 1080p ultra settings.

at 1440p, you can do the same. Just turn off AA. Some games you might have to drop to high settings versus ultra.

Crossfire setups are nice, but take experience in tweaking with 3rd party applications such as radeon pro to get smooth stutter free play.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Its not that easy, turning off MSAA on games such as BF3, Hitman and Far Cry 3 are not going to give you a steady 60 fps on a single 7950.
> Ofcourse, if you tune down the settings and/or if you are fine gaming with ~40 fps then its fine. For me, i want my games to be at 60 fps.


I only run post AA on med or high, dont remember, and I get 60/Frps VSYNCed almost 98% of the time at 6048x1080


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I only run post AA on med or high, dont remember, and I get 60/Frps VSYNCed almost 98% of the time at 6048x1080


What game are you referring to?
I highly doubt your single 7950 runs any game, such as BF3/Metro2033/Hitman/Far Cry 3 maxed out with an exception of Post AA med/high on such high resolution.
Steady 60 fps, not a chance on those settings.


----------



## Nemesis158

Unigine Heaven run:
Cards at 1.187v, 1165MHz core, 1500MHz mem (stock reference air cooling)

12.11 beta 11 (fixed System hang issue with CFX on x79







) MSI Afterburner with RC11 Clock control dlls, Aero interface disabled, afterburner minimized (nothing else on desktop)


----------



## Flameboy294

Im getting rather upset at this thread http://www.overclock.net/t/1334760/the-tech-report-radeon-hd-7950-vs-geforce-gtx-660-ti-revisited/310 ..im putting in good money in my sapphire 7970 vapor x and im worried that i should have just gone nvidea..is stutter really that bad on these cards?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Im getting rather upset at this thread http://www.overclock.net/t/1334760/the-tech-report-radeon-hd-7950-vs-geforce-gtx-660-ti-revisited/310 ..im putting in good money in my sapphire 7970 vapor x and im worried that i should have just gone nvidea..is stutter really that bad on these cards?


What stutter?

Maybe it's just cause I've got a good clocker, or maybe I've just found a sweet spot after all of my tweaking, but I don't have stutter.


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> What stutter?
> Maybe it's just cause I've got a good clocker, or maybe I've just found a sweet spot after all of my tweaking, but I don't have stutter.


Bad frame latency issues and stuff


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Im getting rather upset at this thread http://www.overclock.net/t/1334760/the-tech-report-radeon-hd-7950-vs-geforce-gtx-660-ti-revisited/310 ..im putting in good money in my sapphire 7970 vapor x and im worried that i should have just gone nvidea..is stutter really that bad on these cards?


Zero issues here with stock MSI reference HD 7970 on Catalyst 12.10 WHQL.


----------



## flopper

seriously if it stutters it aint the card normally.
tis either some conflict or usererror.

no issue at 5040x1050 1200mhz 7970.
runs fine with the settings I use.


----------



## SkateZilla

12.11 Beta 7.

Running 1.2Ghz Core, 6Ghz (1500Mhz x4) MEM, 11k in 3dMark.

BF3 on All High with some User.cfg entries added (debug mode, resource monitor etc).

6048x1080, only High Post (no deferred, if it is on it's only at 2x, not sure if i turned it off or not.). Maintains VSYNC 60FrPS 98% of the time, the only time it drops isnt even GPU Related.

Difference from HIGH-Ultra = a 50-60% Frame Rate hit for nearly no advantage at all.

I play games to play, not to sit and stare at the extreme tessellation and bump mapping that make it look too pretty.

if turning on something offers no advantage, but instead hinders your ability to smoothly track and fire, dont see why people turn it on.

I've run into so many people that whine that they got killed because their frame rate dropped (excuses), then say they run it on high/ultra on a 7770.. hahaha.


----------



## Johnny Utah

This may surprise you, but not everyone plays competitively.

Some play for fun, some play because they love interactive benchmarks. All valid reasons to play.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> This may surprise you, but not everyone plays competitively.
> Some play for fun, some play because they love interactive benchmarks. All valid reasons to play.


Interactive benchmarking is where you start blowing frantically on your card during a 3dmark run because the fan failed.


----------



## SkateZilla

knowing the limits of your hardware and configuring the engine to run on what you have is part of that aspect.

if my card wasnt 300Mhz overclocked Core, and 250x4 Overclocked on the MEM, I doubt I'd be able to maintain VSYNC.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> I've run into so many people that whine that they got killed because their frame rate dropped (excuses), then say they run it on high/ultra on a 7770.. hahaha.


I've seen those excuses before. When ever someone says they died for XX reason, its an excuse. There are only two excuses I will validate. One your girl friend/wife is messing with you. The second reason you had to take a piss/ or grab a smoke. Anything other than those 2 its just an excuse in my eyes.

I max the settings out as long as i stay above 40fps. In bf3 i play at 5760x1080 on high. Sure ultra looks better, but doesn't look that much better. I also turn motion blur off. I don't know of anyone who actually plays with that on, at least in multiplayer.

Honestly 7950 is plenty for 1080p gaming, if you overclock it then its even better. If running 1440p or 1600p You are going to need at least a overclocked 7970 or 680 Preferably crossfire 7870's and higher. or Sli 670 and higher. If your running eyeinfinity resolutions GO AMD. Here is why. 7970 crossfire is faster than 680 sli, and by a good margin at these resolutions in pretty much all of the new demanding titles.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I've seen those excuses before. When ever someone says they died for XX reason, its an excuse. There are only two excuses I will validate. One your girl friend/wife is messing with you. The second reason you had to take a piss/ or grab a smoke. Anything other than those 2 its just an excuse in my eyes.


Oh that's just too narrow.

What about when the jewels itch? Maybe UPS is dropping off a piece of hardware in the rain? There's a strange gurgling coming from the bathroom and you think you see water creeping out from under the door?

Spiders, man.... Spiders.....


----------



## SkateZilla

My 7950 @ 1207MHz Matched 3d mark Scores of a 7970 running 1200Mhz.

So either I have a really good model, or they have a defective one, or the 7950 simply is more efficient at higher clocks.

Chipset, CPU and Ram are pretty much the same spec ([email protected], FX8 Core at 4Ghz, 990FX.)

Yeah I turn motion Blur OFF, and may drop bezel correction off too to save 288x1080px=311040 total pixels from having to be drawn, which arent even visible unless you take a screenshot, so it's wasting power.

plus, sometimes I lose track of things that go behind the bezel.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*
> 
> Oh that's just too narrow.
> What about when the jewels itch? Maybe UPS is dropping off a piece of hardware in the rain? There's a strange gurgling coming from the bathroom and you think you see water creeping out from under the door?
> Spiders, man.... Spiders.....


im not talking excuses when they are pretty much AFK or distracted, Im talking in a blatant close quarters fire fight, they get beat and blame it on the low FPS (my brother does it every now and then).

I killed all the "special effects" (mo-blur, MSAA,) dropped him to low, and made a custom CFG File to drop shader shadowing etc to lower resolutions, he maintains 60fps now and never complains. on a 6850.


----------



## Razor 116

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My 7950 @ 1207MHz Matched 3d mark Scores of a 7970 running 1200Mhz.
> So either I have a really good model, or they have a defective one, or the 7950 simply is more efficient at higher clocks.
> Chipset, CPU and Ram are pretty much the same spec ([email protected], FX8 Core at 4Ghz, 990FX.)
> Yeah I turn motion Blur OFF, and may drop bezel correction off too to save 288x1080px=311040 total pixels from having to be drawn, which arent even visible unless you take a screenshot, so it's wasting power.
> plus, sometimes I lose track of things that go behind the bezel.


Well seeing as that is technically impossible i'm gonna go withe the 7970 being defective


----------



## disintegratorx

I've found that disabling the ULPS in MSI Afterburner keeps my clocks to where they should be, in relation to playing a game or on the net.


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> *My 7950 @ 1207MHz Matched 3d mark Scores of a 7970 running 1200Mhz.*
> So either I have a really good model, or they have a defective one, or the 7950 simply is more efficient at higher clocks.
> Chipset, CPU and Ram are pretty much the same spec ([email protected], FX8 Core at 4Ghz, 990FX.)
> Yeah I turn motion Blur OFF, and may drop bezel correction off too to save 288x1080px=311040 total pixels from having to be drawn, which arent even visible unless you take a screenshot, so it's wasting power.
> plus, sometimes I lose track of things that go behind the bezel.


You show me yours and I'll show you mine.


----------



## billgates8889

Just got my 7950 back from RMA, had great fun overclocking it. Just one thing tho, my card couldn't go over 1250 no matter how much voltage I feed it. The temperatures are alright, 65 core and 85 VRM. I ended up using 1.156v for 1225 core. Is anyone else experiencing similar overclocking results or am I just hitting the wall extremely early?


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Just got my 7950 back from RMA, had great fun overclocking it. Just one thing tho, my card couldn't go over 1250 no matter how much voltage I feed it. The temperatures are alright, 65 core and 85 VRM. I ended up using 1.156v for 1225 core. Is anyone else experiencing similar overclocking results or am I just hitting the wall extremely early?


Nice overclock -- similar to my card:


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Just got my 7950 back from RMA, had great fun overclocking it. Just one thing tho, my card couldn't go over 1250 no matter how much voltage I feed it. The temperatures are alright, 65 core and 85 VRM. I ended up using 1.156v for 1225 core. Is anyone else experiencing similar overclocking results or am I just hitting the wall extremely early?


Good chance that if you water cool it it will go faster. My HD7950 is water cooled and I can run it 1300mhz with 1.225v.


----------



## Tman5293

Just got my 7970 GHz Edition yesterday! It's a fantastic upgrade from the crossfire 6850 setup I had before.


----------



## wseroyer

Almost forgot, put me in the club!


----------



## dmanstasiu




----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Just got my 7950 back from RMA, had great fun overclocking it. Just one thing tho, my card couldn't go over 1250 no matter how much voltage I feed it. The temperatures are alright, 65 core and 85 VRM. I ended up using 1.156v for 1225 core. Is anyone else experiencing similar overclocking results or am I just hitting the wall extremely early?


1225 Mhz at 1.156v is an amazing overclock at a very low voltage. most users need 1.2 - 1.25v to get to those speeds. but to confirm if its stable at that voltage run a variety of tests. Heaven 3.0, 3D Mark 11, BF3, Crysis 2. the sweet spot for Tahiti in terms of power, temps,noise and performance is 1200 Mhz. in fact you can bump the voltage to 1.175v to make sure your are completely stable at 1225 Mhz in all games.


----------



## chann3l

Registered with my msi twin frozr iii 7950







upgraded from a xfx 6870 big difference. Have it at 1100/1400 asic of 86.8


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tman5293*
> 
> Just got my 7970 GHz Edition yesterday! It's a fantastic upgrade from the crossfire 6850 setup I had before.


I agree, I upgraded from two 6870's and said goodbye to micro-stutter. The 7970 is ridiculously fast for a single card, really happy with my purchase.

.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> I agree, I upgraded from two 6870's and said goodbye to micro-stutter. The 7970 is ridiculously fast for a single card, really happy with my purchase.
> .


I upgraded from 6950s in xfire and I still thought the single 7970 was better.


----------



## Rebelord

My upgrade was from 4890s crossfire to single 7950. Solid upgrade. Less power draw, less heat, less noise. Very happy. Plus, now not getting VRam limited in some games; like Metro 2033.


----------



## Honk5891

How the hell are you guys hitting 10k+ in 3DMark11 with 7950's? Ive got mine at 1250/1600 and I max out at 8.5k.....


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> How the hell are you guys hitting 10k+ in 3DMark11 with 7950's? Ive got mine at 1250/1600 and I max out at 8.5k.....


Your CPU is holding you back.


----------



## Honk5891

No its not lol. Im at 4.6Ghz on a Fx-6100. Theres no way its holding me back. Ive ran 3DMark11 on 4.2Ghz and 4.6Ghz and gotten relatively the same score.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> No its not lol. Im at 4.6Ghz on a Fx-6100. Theres no way its holding me back. Ive ran 3DMark11 on 4.2Ghz and 4.6Ghz and gotten relatively the same score.


Yes, it's holding you back. Relatively ... yeah. Because 400Mhz won't make THAT big of a difference, compared to say ... a 6-core Ivybridge.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> No its not lol. Im at 4.6Ghz on a Fx-6100. Theres no way its holding me back. Ive ran 3DMark11 on 4.2Ghz and 4.6Ghz and gotten relatively the same score.


my thuban scored higher using old driver. you need to oc higher.

it's time for Vishera.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> my thuban scored higher using old driver. you need to oc higher.
> it's time for Vishera.


Im at my max temps with a H80 cooling with p/p setup. My voltage is also maxed out to at 1.53V in cpu during testing as well. Prime 95 has cores failing if I go below my voltage for this OC.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Im at my max temps with a H80 cooling with p/p setup. My voltage is also maxed out to at 1.53V in cpu during testing as well. Prime 95 has cores failing if I go below my voltage for this OC.


so, pretty much your chip has hit a wall. idk if a better cooler will help. but if your game play is not affected, then it does not really matter. you can prolly hold off till steamroller. vishera is a different animal, though. i wish i can afford one.


----------



## ebduncan

I don't think anyone asked if your running the 12.11 beta drivers or not?

That's how its done lol. I am past 10k with the 7950 at around 1150 core/1460 mem. The cpu shouldn't hold your scores back that much.


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> so, pretty much your chip has hit a wall. idk if a better cooler will help. but if your game play is not affected, then it does not really matter. you can prolly hold off till steamroller. vishera is a different animal, though. i wish i can afford one.


H80 is plenty good enough of a cooler. And yes I am running 12.11 beta 8 currently.


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> How the hell are you guys hitting 10k+ in 3DMark11 with 7950's? Ive got mine at 1250/1600 and I max out at 8.5k.....


Its your CPU, I went from 1055T ---> fx-8120---> fx-8320 and my scores went up with every upgrade. Your graphics score will see minor improvements with a better CPU but with 3dmark11 the physics scores will play a role in whether or not you will break 10K. If I was running a i7-3770K my score would be over 11K.

Good Luck and keep buying AMD products







.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Its your CPU, I went from 1055T ---> fx-8120---> fx-8320 and my scores went up with every upgrade. Your graphics score will see minor improvements with a better CPU but with 3dmark11 the physics scores will play a role in whether or not you will break 10K. If I was running a i7-3770K my score would be over 11K.
> Good Luck and keep buying AMD products
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


In the 3d11 physics test I did do better with an fx8150 than a 1090t. AMD aren't the best for benchmark scores when comparing to intel, but they get the job done.
I ran 3dmark 11 at 6.8Ghz on an fx8150, & the physics score was lower than my 3770k at 4.5Ghz.


----------



## ez12a

I was contemplating getting a 7950 to upgrade my aging 5850, but it looks like they havent fixed the 2d clock flickering problem with overdrive/OCing enabled. I'm surprised this is still a problem after 3 years.


----------



## Honk5891

For some reason I am getting 50% gpu usage even when im not capped at 60fps...... In game graph in bf3 shows my gpu is under cpu line. GPU is not bottlenecked by my cpu thats for sure


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> In the 3d11 physics test I did do better with an fx8150 than a 1090t. AMD aren't the best for benchmark scores when comparing to intel, but they get the job done.
> I ran 3dmark 11 at 6.8Ghz on an fx8150, & the physics score was lower than my 3770k at 4.5Ghz.


i find that really hard to believe a 6.8ghz fx did not beat a 3770k at 4.5ghz.


----------



## dmanstasiu

I don't. AMD vs Intel has always been that way


----------



## ebduncan

the 3770k stock performs 26% faster than the fx 8150 also stock. (3.5ghz vs 3.6ghz)



Now if you divide the physics score by the clock speed you will get points per clock.

6800mhz fx would score roughly 12011
While a 4500mhz ivy i7 would score 11048

For the 3770k to match that score it would have to run at 4892mhz and thats asuming the 3770k was not running at its 3.9ghz turbo speed during bench-marking, and the fx was running at its 3.6ghz clock.

From what i have seen the FX processors Do really well in 3dmark 11, they usually have a higher overall score in single card setups vs intel.



Of course this is just one benchmark, and its safe to say the 8150 looses to the 3770k in 98% benchmarks.


----------



## tigim101

can anyone here give me the exact measurements for the MSI TWIN FROZR 7950? Like what's the longest part of the card lengthwise? The site specs say 261mm/10.28 inches, but I want to try to fit this in an sg05 and that is like right at the limit. I would appreciate any help. Thanks.


----------



## FtW 420

4.5Ghz 3770k can score higher than 11048



I don't have the screen handy, but pretty sure the 6.8Ghz 8150 was about 12.6k. I didn't spend as much time tweaking the 8150, but enough that I wouldn't get it too much higher.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tigim101*
> 
> can anyone here give me the exact measurements for the MSI TWIN FROZR 7950? Like what's the longest part of the card lengthwise? The site specs say 261mm/10.28 inches, but I want to try to fit this in an sg05 and that is like right at the limit. I would appreciate any help. Thanks.


Its pretty close to 10.5 inches. The Antec 300 had 11" of space. Here is a pic I took for someone on how close it fits in a Antec 300. If you only have 9", then probably wont fit.


Pic is upside down, but shows how close it is.


----------



## tigim101

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Its pretty close to 10.5 inches. The Antec 300 had 11" of space. Here is a pic I took for someone on how close it fits in a Antec 300. If you only have 9", then probably wont fit.
> 
> Pic is upside down, but shows how close it is.


Thanks for the pics, so would say that its longer than the 10.3 inches the site claims? Because I managed to fit this card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150521

Which says its 10.3 inches, the sg05 says it fits 9 inches but its more like 10.2-10.3. Does the twin frozr card fan shroud extend over the PCB? If it doesnt could you measure the PCB? only if you can lol. Thanks again


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tigim101*
> 
> Thanks for the pics, so would say that its longer than the 10.3 inches the site claims? Because I managed to fit this card
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150521
> Which says its 10.3 inches, the sg05 says it fits 9 inches but its more like 10.2-10.3. Does the twin frozr card fan shroud extend over the PCB? If it doesnt could you measure the PCB? only if you can lol. Thanks again


Ill try tomorrow for ya.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> No its not lol. Im at 4.6Ghz on a Fx-6100. Theres no way its holding me back. Ive ran 3DMark11 on 4.2Ghz and 4.6Ghz and gotten relatively the same score.


You asked how people are getting close to 11k in 3dmark11 with 7950s and that's how. 3dmark11 weighs the CPU just as heavily as the GPU and thus a true hex core intel CPU such as mine @ 4.9ghz is going to score leaps and bounds higher than your AMD hex core. An 8150 is good competition for a 2500k, but that's all. Not to mention yours isn't even an 8150, much less Vishera. Don't take 3dmark11 scores too seriously though, as any properly threaded application or game will still allow you to perform pretty close to the latest intel quad core (non HT) chips, which is just fine for gaming. Just don't expect to be scoring as high as the big dogs here.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> H80 is plenty good enough of a cooler. And yes I am running 12.11 beta 8 currently.


Unfortunately, it's not. I've heard the AMD hex cores require just as much heat dissipation as the intel hex cores or more, and if that's the case, I KNOW an H80 isn't sufficient for an overclocked hex. Why? Because I run an H100 with my 3930k and it struggles to keep temps under 90C peak in Prime95 even as low as 1.39v @ 4.5-4.6ghz.

When I decided to switch back from Quad 680s to 7970 lightnings watercooled, I decided to only watercool the GPUs and leave the H100 loop on the CPU intact. That was a mistake. It's really not capable of cooling a hex core, so I know for a fact the H80 should be about 40% worse due to the reduction in surface area.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Does anyone know how to get these to work with afterburner unlocked without disabling ULPS? I can get mine stable at 1200MHz (it's a bit hot atm), but to do so requires me to unlock Afterburner which requires me to disable ULPS and the card sits at 1.225v constantly which I don't want. - I've got some liquid pro/ultra on the way to fix the graphics card problem too.







I just need something for the VRM's next.

CIA (Cheers In Advance)









EDIT: And now my 7950 is making funny noises with 2D clocks enabled.. Disabling removes it, it's almost an electrical noise.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Does anyone know how to get these to work with afterburner unlocked without disabling ULPS? I can get mine stable at 1200MHz (it's a bit hot atm), but to do so requires me to unlock Afterburner which requires me to disable ULPS and the card sits at 1.225v constantly which I don't want. - I've got some liquid pro/ultra on the way to fix the graphics card problem too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just need something for the VRM's next.
> CIA (Cheers In Advance)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: And now my 7950 is making funny noises with 2D clocks enabled.. Disabling removes it, it's almost an electrical noise.


Try my BIOS

SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file


Then use TriXX MOd to over clock. You will have to disable ULPS.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Try my BIOS
> 
> SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> Then use TriXX MOd to over clock. You will have to disable ULPS.


Is the BIOS off a reference card? I'll have a look at that in the next few days if your PCB is reference, if it's not I'm not touching it as my card has had problems even with HIS' own BIOS'.
Cheers too, +Rep

Also I'm not keen on the idea of disabling ULPS...


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> Sonda you got a lovely card over there whats your highest oc on the card and what temps where you getting on gpu/vrm/mem?


Had time to run a furmark benchmark for you.









1300/1900!







This benchmark is very stressful and heats up cards fast. I usually don't do it very often or for very long because it has been known to kill cards. My card is built like a tank and handled it well.


----------



## hollowxx

ok guys what is the best Bios i can use for my Reference sapphire 7970 for OC? overall too. ty in advance =)


----------



## DB006

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hollowxx*
> 
> ok guys what is the best Bios i can use for my Reference sapphire 7970 for OC? overall too. ty in advance =)


The GHZ bios


----------



## Jabra

I have new bios to my HD 7970 card, but I got Fail error when I try to flash new bios using ATI Winflash 2.0.1.18.

So what is the valid command to flash Matrix 7970 bios if I try to use atiflash on dos?


----------



## Flameboy294

http://www.overclock.net/t/1334760/the-tech-report-radeon-hd-7950-vs-geforce-gtx-660-ti-revisited/500#post_18787414

if some people want to go put their highest 7950 benchmarks


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1334760/the-tech-report-radeon-hd-7950-vs-geforce-gtx-660-ti-revisited/500#post_18787414
> if some people want to go put their highest 7950 benchmarks


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ganf*


whats your point?


----------



## Ganf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> whats your point?


Get straight to the point and you might draw more submissions.


----------



## grandpatzer

What do you guys consider safest MAXIMUM voltage?

I'm under water so temperature is not a problem.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> What do you guys consider safest MAXIMUM voltage?
> I'm under water so temperature is not a problem.


1.3v
depends on chip also.
I run 1200mhz when I game and 12.6v then and I am on air.
desktop use its way lower.


----------



## di inferi

I hope you mean 1.26 and not 12.6 lmao.

What is the stock voltage for the 7950 boost?

Running at 1200/1500 at 1.15 V /1.6 V respectively; wondering where I am standing in comparison to the boost.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> You asked how people are getting close to 11k in 3dmark11 with 7950s and that's how. 3dmark11 weighs the CPU just as heavily as the GPU and thus a true hex core intel CPU such as mine @ 4.9ghz is going to score leaps and bounds higher than your AMD hex core. An 8150 is good competition for a 2500k, but that's all. Not to mention yours isn't even an 8150, much less Vishera. Don't take 3dmark11 scores too seriously though, as any properly threaded application or game will still allow you to perform pretty close to the latest intel quad core (non HT) chips, which is just fine for gaming. Just don't expect to be scoring as high as the big dogs here.
> Unfortunately, it's not. I've heard the AMD hex cores require just as much heat dissipation as the intel hex cores or more, and if that's the case, I KNOW an H80 isn't sufficient for an overclocked hex. Why? Because I run an H100 with my 3930k and it struggles to keep temps under 90C peak in Prime95 even as low as 1.39v @ 4.5-4.6ghz.
> When I decided to switch back from Quad 680s to 7970 lightnings watercooled, I decided to only watercool the GPUs and leave the H100 loop on the CPU intact. That was a mistake. It's really not capable of cooling a hex core, so I know for a fact the H80 should be about 40% worse due to the reduction in surface area.


Thanks for the info, I have an H100 on the way to cool my 2600k so I'm interested to see how it will perform.

I guess that's the highest step I can take before having to go full watercooling









H100 on CPU, Kuhler 920 on GPU


----------



## DUpgrade

H100 or H100i? I've been looking at water cooling but thinking of doing a custom loop.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Depends on your budget.


----------



## SkateZilla

to join in on the "i Upgraded from game......"

I upgraded from a 8800GTS G80 640MB


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> H100 or H100i? I've been looking at water cooling but thinking of doing a custom loop.


H100i has better components, and PUMP Control out of the box, H100 Doesnt. Fo $10 more on NewEgg, it's worth it.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> H100i has better components, and PUMP Control out of the box, H100 Doesnt. Fo $10 more on NewEgg, it's worth it.


My only concern with H100i is the fan/pump noise people keep talking about. Corsair claims to have a frimware fix for it but I think I'll wait and see if things improve going forward.


----------



## Leethal

I feel as if my 7950 isnt performing as it should. Shouldn't i be able to play in 1080p in high settings with like 60+fps?


----------



## dmanstasiu

No.


----------



## Leethal

Care to explain please?


----------



## Leethal

Is it my cpu thats holding me back?


----------



## solsamurai

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Is it my cpu thats holding me back?


My first guess would be Windows 8, lol. CPU is second suspect. Looked it up and seems pretty weak trying to handle your 7950. I could be wrong though. Still learning.









Also, I'd replace that WD Blue HDD with something faster like a Caviar Black or SSD if the main purpose for your system is gaming.


----------



## disintegratorx

Ehh, depends on what game you're talking about. For me to be able to play BF3 at around 60+ frames per second, I had to overclock my 7970 to 1110 and memory to 1500 as well as apply a few other tweaks, so its really depending on the game that you're trying to get that much performance out of.


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Ehh, depends on what game you're talking about. For me to be able to play BF3 at around 60+ frames per second, I had to overclock my 7970 to 1110 and memory to 1500 as well as apply a few other tweaks, so its really depending on the game that you're trying to get that much performance out of.


I just built this system. Should swap out my cpu for a 8core FX or get a 7970?

I'm just trying to game at 1080p on a single monitor with high settings and playable fps


----------



## disintegratorx

-.-


----------



## wseroyer

I decided to try out the tridef 3d software today on my Samsung 65" 3d TV, I was very impressed even thought I find it very hard to play BF3 in 3d. when ever I tried to shoot at somebody I would have to close on of my eyes to focus on the sights so that I could hit them, I think this has to do with the fact that each eye is looking at a slightly different image.My performance was not bad I get about 40-50 fps on a OC'ed 7970. Sleeping dogs for me was were 3d really shined, the only problem is that even with a 7970 it struggles to do 30fps on max with MSAA off, that game is a real beast, on the extream settings with 3d on I got about 10 fps, thats why I turned AA off, even then I was not all that great so I turned shadows down and got about 30 fps. Just thought I'd tell you guys about my sunday, I think AMD's 3d solution is better then Nvidia's considering that you can use your 3d card on any 3d monitor or TV with any set of glasses. I'm gald to be on the red team now, and I don't miss Physx, Metro still looks awesome, and runs way better on my 7970 then it ever did on the 560ti.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *solsamurai*
> 
> My first guess would be Windows 8, lol. CPU is second suspect. Looked it up and seems pretty weak trying to handle your 7950. I could be wrong though. Still learning.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, I'd replace that WD Blue HDD with something faster like a Caviar Black or SSD if the main purpose for your system is gaming.


That makes no sense to be honest.. I can understand where you'd think that a "Caviar Black" is better for gaming. It's just not though, there isn't much noticeable difference between them apart from the fact that the black runs hotter (From what I've been told on here) and also costs more.

For budget purposes or even just a build that doesn't need an SSD a WD Blue is great, otherwise and SSD is worth it.








Though it won't help with games at all because most people that get SSD's don't even put their games on there and for multiplayer games you're still waiting for others to load up.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> I just built this system. Should swap out my cpu for a 8core FX or get a 7970?
> I'm just trying to game at 1080p on a single monitor with high settings and playable fps


You do fine with 7950, just overclock it a bit and you play BF3 metro64 with ultra settings, constant 60fps. Don't know about your CPU though, how does it affect to fps.


----------



## Nwanko

My friends FX6100 at 4.5Ghz could not handle a gtx680. BF3 64p map, at ultra,gpu usage at 50% max 50 fps,lots of fps drops....terrible cpu


----------



## Layo

Maybe some opteron would catch up to 3570k while gaming... Get 3570k and sell that 7950 along with that AMD thing and buy 7970 and you are set


----------



## hollowxx

if it for games dont go for the FX lol go with intel ivy i5 3570k should be a blast if it for work and multitreads well go with the FX but FX sucks for Gaming


----------



## Meulen92

Hey guys, quick question.

When I'm mining for bitcoins, one of my gpu's hits ~75C.
If I'm playing a game, max temps are much lower. About 63C.
Will mining 24/7 at those temps harm my system, or is this pretty safe?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Ehh, depends on what game you're talking about. For me to be able to play BF3 at around 60+ frames per second, I had to overclock my 7970 to 1110 and memory to 1500 as well as apply a few other tweaks, so its really depending on the game that you're trying to get that much performance out of.


shouldnt a 7970 already have had 6Ghz Memory??


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hollowxx*
> 
> if it for games dont go for the FX lol go with intel ivy i5 3570k should be a blast if it for work and multitreads well go with the FX but FX sucks for Gaming


the 4 cores do,

my FX is Fine.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> I feel as if my 7950 isnt performing as it should. Shouldn't i be able to play in 1080p in high settings with like 60+fps?


Whats your 3d Mark Score?, 7950 @ 900Mhz should get like 8K Minimum.


----------



## Leethal

It was above 8k


----------



## SkateZilla

i get 8500~ at 900Mhz, and around 10K~ at 1.1Ghz.

3d Score (not combined).


----------



## ebduncan

the 7950 is a good card.

However it alone will not max out games at 1080p, well at least some of them. Most games it not a problem, but then there is metro 2033, farycry 3, hitman absolution , sleeping dogs. All Tax video cards hard.

At stock speeds the 7950 isn't all that great, but when it overclock it past 1100 core and 1400 mem it really starts to show its power. I pretty much run a solid 60fps in most games on ultra specs, no aa. With the exceptions being those listed above, where i usually just turn down one setting, and i'm back at 60fps.

The FX processors do really well for their price point in gaming. Well at least the Vishera chips do. (piledriver) Bulldozer chips well they do ok, but only when overclocked like crazy. My [email protected] 4.9ghz does well in most things. Single thread i'm on par with a 4ghz thuban scoring 1.22 single core in cinebench. So if the game doesn't take advantage of more than one core, it simply sucks on the AMD platform or doesn't come close to intels performance.


----------



## grandpatzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> 1.3v
> depends on chip also.
> I run 1200mhz when I game and 12.6v then and I am on air.
> desktop use its way lower.


I think the stock voltage for 7950 is 993-1093mv, so it is slighly slightly lower compared to the 7970.
Maybe the 1.25v is maximum for 7950?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *di inferi*
> 
> I hope you mean 1.26 and not 12.6 lmao.
> What is the stock voltage for the 7950 boost?
> Running at 1200/1500 at 1.15 V /1.6 V respectively; wondering where I am standing in comparison to the boost.


My worst card needs 1.25v for 1100mhz core, not sure if I should try 1.3v, still as I said temperature is not a problem as it's under water.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> the 7950 is a good card.
> However it alone will not max out games at 1080p, well at least some of them. Most games it not a problem, but then there is metro 2033, farycry 3, hitman absolution , sleeping dogs. All Tax video cards hard.
> At stock speeds the 7950 isn't all that great, but when it overclock it past 1100 core and 1400 mem it really starts to show its power. I pretty much run a solid 60fps in most games on ultra specs, no aa. With the exceptions being those listed above, where i usually just turn down one setting, and i'm back at 60fps.
> The FX processors do really well for their price point in gaming. Well at least the Vishera chips do. (piledriver) Bulldozer chips well they do ok, but only when overclocked like crazy. My [email protected] 4.9ghz does well in most things. Single thread i'm on par with a 4ghz thuban scoring 1.22 single core in cinebench. So if the game doesn't take advantage of more than one core, it simply sucks on the AMD platform or doesn't come close to intels performance.


seeing how the industry has hit a 3 - 4Ghz Barrier for Stock clocking their chips, it makes sense to program and optimize for Multiple Threads.

Trying to cram so much data on a single 3-4Ghz Core vs spreading them out to 3 or 4 cores at 4 Ghz......

Intel Chips Shine on Apps and Games that are still running a Single Thread Compiler, while AMD catches up a lil in Multi Threaded ones.

AMD Really only shines w/ FX When you do about 8 or 9 CPU Taxing things at once (Several Max speed/priority virus/~ware scans, exporting/compressing video, and running multiple instances.

At one point I was running a Virus Scan, MS SE Scan, Malware Bytes Scan, Spybot Scan (all at max speed)[spread onto left screen], and still editing and compressing video on center screen. while applying realtime 1080p custom special effects to another video minimized, and rendering the updated 3d scene to a 1080p X264 from 3ds Max.

Pressing the start button or an Icon that's pinned on taskbar was still an immediate response and programs still loaded up quickly if not instantly. I was still able to watch YT Videos during the above too. bringing up the virtual machine for legacy XP Effects Applications is also equally responsive.

granted,
- The H.264 Compession could be prolly offloaded to the GPU to make room for other threads, but Vegas seems to crash when i used DirectCompute on my 7950, (waiting for Sony support to address the issue for the last 8 months.)

-The Rendering from Max uses GPU for most of the work but still uses alot of CPU

- Virus Scans at Full Speed/Max Priority take up most of the CPU, Rendering Special Effects from Adobe Take a Chunk too (again Direct Compute doesnt work for Aft.Effects).

Tried a Similar Scenerio on a i5, and the system locked up (well, you pressed the start menu button and it takes about 30 seconds to come up, then you have to wait for it to load. i7 was the same.
most i3's would crash.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grandpatzer*
> 
> I think the stock voltage for 7950 is 993-1093mv, so it is slighly slightly lower compared to the 7970.
> Maybe the 1.25v is maximum for 7950?
> My worst card needs 1.25v for 1100mhz core, not sure if I should try 1.3v, still as I said temperature is not a problem as it's under water.


Temperature is only 1 factor,

dumping so much overvolt into an I.C. will still kill it quicker, regardless of temperature.

I've seen people run their cards at 1.3v with decent temps, but after a lil under a year, GPU went bye bye.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> the 7950 is a good card.
> However it alone will not max out games at 1080p, well at least some of them. Most games it not a problem, but then there is metro 2033, farycry 3, hitman absolution , sleeping dogs. All Tax video cards hard.
> At stock speeds the 7950 isn't all that great, but when it overclock it past 1100 core and 1400 mem it really starts to show its power. I pretty much run a solid 60fps in most games on ultra specs, no aa. With the exceptions being those listed above, where i usually just turn down one setting, and i'm back at 60fps.
> The FX processors do really well for their price point in gaming. Well at least the Vishera chips do. (piledriver) Bulldozer chips well they do ok, but only when overclocked like crazy. My [email protected] 4.9ghz does well in most things. Single thread i'm on par with a 4ghz thuban scoring 1.22 single core in cinebench. So if the game doesn't take advantage of more than one core, it simply sucks on the AMD platform or doesn't come close to intels performance.


If I wasnt a Die hard AMD Fanboy from the K6's on up, I'd have an i7 Ivy Bridge..

But Im am an AMD Fanboy, so I back my FX8Core, like i said above, 8 integer cores has advantages over the IBs 4, No one ever benchmark's them like that.

in fact, If I ran Cinebench while doing all of what I did, it would complete and give me a score.

i bet if I was able to get Chinebench to run on a i5 or i7 while doing all that, it would be an Abysmal score.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Ehh, depends on what game you're talking about. For me to be able to play BF3 at around 60+ frames per second, I had to overclock my 7970 to 1110 and memory to 1500 as well as apply a few other tweaks, so its really depending on the game that you're trying to get that much performance out of.
> 
> 
> 
> shouldnt a 7970 already have had 6Ghz Memory??
Click to expand...

it comes down to the card which i have noticed that the 7970's i have looked at range between 1325 (5300) and 1425 (5700) for memory so close enough to 1500 (6000) so they should easily do 1500 in memory.


----------



## boletop

hey guys i need help.....
i have xfx r7950...great card..cool and quiet but i have one problem.when i connect my card via hdmi with my tv i have random black screens and i need to hard reset my pc.
when connected with dvi(monitor) everything is ok and 100% stable. cable is ok,temp ok....i tried all drivers

how can i fix this
thanks


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> If I wasnt a Die hard AMD Fanboy from the K6's on up, I'd have an i7 Ivy Bridge..
> But Im am an AMD Fanboy, so I back my FX8Core, like i said above, 8 integer cores has advantages over the IBs 4, No one ever benchmark's them like that.
> in fact, If I ran Cinebench while doing all of what I did, it would complete and give me a score.
> i bet if I was able to get Chinebench to run on a i5 or i7 while doing all that, it would be an Abysmal score.


I hate to say it, but a 2600k will beat the FX processors even under these conditions. In most tasks. If you want to talk pure integer performance then yes the Fx comes out on top. What hurts the FX processors the most is the shared front end which is only fast enough to feed 1 core, or two cores at 80%. This combined with weaker IPC compared to Intel processors is why it sits between a i5 and a i7 in multi thread. Its single thread performance is dismal. I hate to say it, but its true. I've owned Amd processors since their 386 days.

Yes more and more things are coded with muti-core cpus in mind these days. However not all of them are, quite yet. With the emergence of multi-core cell phones and other devices should provide the last push needed for programmers to always do this. However some code paths cannot always be split across multiple cores.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boletop*
> 
> hey guys i need help.....
> i have xfx r7950...great card..cool and quiet but i have one problem.when i connect my card via hdmi with my tv i have random black screens and i need to hard reset my pc.
> when connected with dvi(monitor) everything is ok and 100% stable. cable is ok,temp ok....i tried all drivers
> how can i fix this
> thanks


Does your Tv have a PC mode? The reason you loose picture and have to reset is possibly due to two things. Your computer goes into sleep mode, So the HDMI stop outputting video, when the computer comes out of sleep mode your monitor doesn't re-sync with the hdmi connection. Reason two, your monitor goes into power saving mode and cuts off, when you come back to the computer it doesn't re-sync with the HDMI automatically. Putting your TV into PC mode should fix this issue if it has one. If not, you should be able to turn your monitor off then back on, with out having to reboot the pc to get picture.


----------



## boletop

my tv is panasonic g30 and dont have pc mode :/....black screen happens when i play games or watching movie so i dont think that my pc go to sleep.also i tried just connect my pc with tv via hdmi and disconect monitor and no help....i also tried via mini dp and no help....


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> it comes down to the card which i have noticed that the 7970's i have looked at range between 1325 (5300) and 1425 (5700) for memory so close enough to 1500 (6000) so they should easily do 1500 in memory.


Well my 7950 Runs 6Ghz mem with no problems. small 3dMark increase, but a huge FPS Increase in some games that are memory intensive.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> it comes down to the card which i have noticed that the 7970's i have looked at range between 1325 (5300) and 1425 (5700) for memory so close enough to 1500 (6000) so they should easily do 1500 in memory.
> 
> 
> 
> Well my 7950 Runs 6Ghz mem with no problems. small 3dMark increase, but a huge FPS Increase in some games that are memory intensive.
Click to expand...

i highly dount you would have any problems, i am able to get my 7950 upto 1725 (6900) so you could even try and go higher if you like









BTW i was looking at stock clocks of 7970's that i have looked up


----------



## SkateZilla

i know mine was 900core/1250mem stock

if i need the power i load my 1.2Ghz/6Ghz Profile which works on pretty much everything.

outside of BF3 and a few other games, I drop it to default settings and let it sit at 500Mhz on the Desktop.

as for FX.

8 integ threads at 80% is better than 4 at 100% on a 4 Core Intel or 8 at 50% on a Hyperthreading 4core intel,. even with the IPC advantage. (statistically speaking).

Dont get me wrong, no normal user, normal gamer or hardcore gamer for that matter can thread lock up an i5, let alone an i7. just doing their normal every day gaming and Overclocking. (they can Lock it up with wrong OC settings, but thats not the same







)

But someone that forces threads apon threads into the work load can easily lock up chips forcing a complete power cycle to release the threads by wiping the ICs.

I've locked up i3's easily, and i5s/i7s with alot more effort. (when i say alot, i mean A LOT, like double an i3's workload.)

It took ALOT of stuff to crash my FX8120. I think it took several VMs (Windows XP w/ 1GB 1 Core each x 5) plus a bunch of Scans and X.264 Compressions running CPU only out of Vegas. Even then it wasnt a hard lockup crash. Windows 7 Killed 2 of the VM Processes and the CPU recovered.

I was finally able to Thread Lock an FX8 by Running every CPU Intensive thing I could think of, Plus Cinebench, Plus AMD Stability, plus a single VM running half the cores with even more scans on Virtual Drives.

I dont recommend trying it.

Cramming a ton of threads onto a CPU usually doesnt end well if done wrong.
the FX Scheduler maybe a slow bottle neck of a front end, but at least it's able to direct traffic when jammed up. which more than I can say for some other AMD CPUs, and some Intel Chips.

If AMD was able to remove the IPC Gap (which in theory they should), and correct the front end bottle neck (by dumping that cheap ass cache and stuff), FX 8550 or whatever they call it will be a nice CPU.


----------



## geoxile

Can people with the MSI twin frozr 7950 tell me their max OCs. And does the vrm get hot?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i know mine was 900core/1250mem stock
> 
> if i need the power i load my *1.2Ghz/6Ghz Profile* which works on pretty much everything.
> 
> outside of BF3 and a few other games, I drop it to default settings and let it sit at 500Mhz on the Desktop.


nice, i am sure that OC will handle pretty much everything you throw at it. i wish i could get my core stable at 1200 instead of 1155 not that i can complain


----------



## SkateZilla

it took alot of testing,

i had increased mv, alot, then decided to drop them a lil, which ended up working,

i think i was at 1160 at 1125Mhz, think it took 1220 to get it stable at 1200MHz, it was about 0050mv per 75Mhz, but the last jump I decreased mv to 1220 from 1235 to get it stable. i also pushed the Power all the way up to +20.

I can run everything i want at 1.1Ghz let alone 1.2Ghz, but I leave it at the 900Mhz clock for most games, as Excessive Voltage kills IC just as much as heat does.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i highly dount you would have any problems, i am able to get my 7950 upto 1725 (6900) so you could even try and go higher if you like
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW i was looking at stock clocks of 7970's that i have looked up


Well my *Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP* does *1850MHz* on the memory ROCK SOLID in games and benchmarks on stock 1.6V [Hynix memory IC's (*H5GQ2H24MFR-T2C*) ] ..

At 1900MHz starts to artifacts and eventually crashes with GSOD..









I use it at 1750MHz for 24/7 operation though..









CHEERS..


----------



## tsm106

As long as you have the Hynix ICs and not the Elpida, you are rocking.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i highly dount you would have any problems, i am able to get my 7950 upto 1725 (6900) so you could even try and go higher if you like
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW i was looking at stock clocks of 7970's that i have looked up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well my *Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP* does *1850MHz* on the memory ROCK SOLID in games and benchmarks on stock 1.6V [Hynix memory IC's (*H5GQ2H24MFR-T2C*) ] ..
> 
> At 1900MHz starts to artifacts and eventually crashes with GSOD..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I use it at 1750MHz for 24/7 operation though..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..
Click to expand...

nice









i wonder if the non top version has the same IC's


----------



## Sycksyde

My Gigabyte 7950 is either a dud or there's something wrong with the voltage regulation on the card. The vdroop on it is ridiculous....I can set it at at 1.3v in trixx or afterburner but the actual voltage (measured with GPUZ) is only about 1.180v and I can barely get it stable at 1050mhz. It isn't voltage locked because the voltage does change but I simply can't give it enough real voltage to get a decent OC out of it. I wish I could RMA but it's stable at it's rated 900mhz so that's not an option.


----------



## Tman5293

I've got my 7970 GHz Edition running solid at 1180MHz core and 1600MHz memory (6.4GHz effective) on stock voltage with the board power turned all the way up to 20. I tried to get it to go to 1200MHz core but no matter how much voltage I put into it, it will not run at 1200MHz. Kind of disappointing that I couldn't get those last 20MHz out of it. For some reason, voltage changes have absolutely no effect on this card. Even at 1.3V, I get game crashes and graphical anomalies. I guess 1180MHz is the most that this card will do.


----------



## tommiyacht

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sycksyde*
> 
> My Gigabyte 7950 is either a dud or there's something wrong with the voltage regulation on the card. The vdroop on it is ridiculous....I can set it at at 1.3v in trixx or afterburner but the actual voltage (measured with GPUZ) is only about 1.180v and I can barely get it stable at 1050mhz. It isn't voltage locked because the voltage does change but I simply can't give it enough real voltage to get a decent OC out of it. I wish I could RMA but it's stable at it's rated 900mhz so that's not an option.


I also have gigabyte 7950. i think there is a relation between asic and vdroop which is - LOWER ASIC = HIGHER VDROOP. Got arround 0.05v vdroop in Heaven 3 between value setted in AB and gpu-z reading. However, in BF3 vdroop is smaller (like 0,02 , even none).

i have asic 59% and got stable 1100mhz with 1,175v (set on AB) - DISASTER.


----------



## Luca T

Hy guys,

I have a crossfire of 7970 ( even a trifire but I probably sell the third), and I play at 1920*1080 with settings ultra, AA, AF and AO and where I Can mods:

would it be better an I7-920 at 4,51Ghz (memory at 1730 CL8)?

Or an I7-980X at 4,4 Ghz (memory at 2000 CL8)?

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tman5293*
> 
> I've got my 7970 GHz Edition running solid at 1180MHz core and 1600MHz memory (6.4GHz effective) on stock voltage with the board power turned all the way up to 20. I tried to get it to go to 1200MHz core but no matter how much voltage I put into it, it will not run at 1200MHz. Kind of disappointing that I couldn't get those last 20MHz out of it. For some reason, voltage changes have absolutely no effect on this card. Even at 1.3V, I get game crashes and graphical anomalies. I guess 1180MHz is the most that this card will do.


Odd. 20mhz from 1200 on stock volts and the card will not hit 1200. You sure your voltage setting is being applied?


----------



## Tman5293

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Odd. 20mhz from 1200 on stock volts and the card will not hit 1200. You sure your voltage setting is being applied?


Yes. Like I already said, the voltage change had no effect. I was monitoring the voltage with GPU-Z and the voltage changes were being applied. I actually found this review of the 7970 GHz Edition where they hit the same 1180MHz wall:

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/06/21/amd_radeon_hd_7970_ghz_edition_video_card_review/6
Quote:


> The video cards voltage is supposed to "vary to optimize performance." We never saw this happening in game or while idling. We had an on-screen display that constantly reported 1.162 Volts. We manually increased the voltage to 1.3 Volts, the highest amount that the video card can handle. Our on-screen display and MSI Afterburner both displayed 1.3 Volts, however we could not get 1MHz more performance on the core without experiencing crashes or visual anomalies.
> 
> The AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition did not benefit any from us manually increasing the voltages. Sometimes video cards just do not overclock as well as others. We have seen Radeon HD 7970's reaching 1250MHz and above up to 1300MHz on the core. By increasing PowerTune to 20% we found our highest stable overclock of 1180MHz. Even by manually forcing the GPU's voltage to 1.3 Volts, we were unable to increase the operating speeds anymore.
> 
> Often times when overclocking we find a video cards limitations not by driver crashing, but by visual anomalies that appear in game and ruin the image quality or fail to load textures. When we tried to overclock the AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition past 1180MHz these anomalies showed up everywhere in both Battlefield 3 and The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition. In Max Payne 3 we would just get driver and system crashes.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luca T*
> 
> Hy guys,
> I have a crossfire of 7970 ( even a trifire but I probably sell the third), and I play at 1920*1080 with settings ultra, AA, AF and AO and where I Can mods:
> would it be better an I7-920 at 4,51Ghz (memory at 1730 CL8)?
> Or an I7-980X at 4,4 Ghz (memory at 2000 CL8)?
> Thanks a lot!


Assuming you're just gaming? You will see no to little performance difference in most games from swapping to a 980x unless you can clock it higher then the i7 920. Most games use a single or dual cores so single core performance needs to be good in comparison to multi cores, of course if you're doing video editing/'rendering the 980x is a massive increase in performance.

The memory won't make any difference to most games again and negligible to any games that it does (Less then 1FPS), I assume the i7 920 can't do 2000MHz on the memory and you're assuming the 980x can?

I'd suggest getting a i7 3770k rig if you do need to upgrade the CPU, or a 3930k if you can afford that but again for games six slower cores isn't as good as 4 faster cores (Ever so slightly)


----------



## Flameboy294

I was wondering, how much psu power would be needed to OC a 7970? Im getting the sapphire hd 7970 vapor x and i want to overclock the most i can. Would CoolerMaster GX-Lite ATX V2.3 700W 86%-Efficiency be good enough to give the power it needs?


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> I was wondering, how much psu power would be needed to OC a 7970? Im getting the sapphire hd 7970 vapor x and i want to overclock the most i can. Would CoolerMaster GX-Lite ATX V2.3 700W 86%-Efficiency be good enough to give the power it needs?


Yes, even good 620W would to the job. I'm running OCd CPU and card on 520W


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Yes, even good 620W would to the job. I'm running OCd CPU and card on 520W


YEY


----------



## Anomander Rake

flameboy i was running a 7970 Lightning oced to 1250mhz on the core and a 3930k at 5000mhz on a 600w cooler master


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> I was wondering, how much psu power would be needed to OC a 7970? Im getting the sapphire hd 7970 vapor x and i want to overclock the most i can. Would CoolerMaster GX-Lite ATX V2.3 700W 86%-Efficiency be good enough to give the power it needs?


I'm using 3930k @ 4.5Ghz with Matrix HD 7970 1200MHz.

Before this I'm using AX650. And just for the fun of it, and having a problem ( can't stop till I feel like i want to stop ). I changed my PSU to AX1200i < Just for the (i) part. Want to know how much my system pulls from the wall.

And there it is, only 616 Watts @ inhumane load.


----------



## SkateZilla

Yeah, I run a 700W OCZ (specs below).

I think UPS reports max load at 450w~ in gaming 500w~ in benchmarks and a lil bit more in Burn-Ins. Last check I had an Idle below 120w

(The above wattages are without my 4Ghz Overclock applied) and some of the power features enabled.

compared to 190-200w idle of my brother's older phenomIIx2


----------



## Flameboy294

And my mind at rest







thanks


----------



## Tempey

Has anyone bought or laid eyes on a reference MSI 7970 lately? Are they using the same black pcb as they were when the 7970s were first released? The only reference cards available here are MSI and HIS, and googling has informed me that HIS have gone all cheapo, but I can't find anything on the MSI cards. TIA


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tempey*
> 
> Has anyone bought or laid eyes on a reference MSI 7970 lately? Are they using the same black pcb as they were when the 7970s were first released? The only reference cards available here are MSI and HIS, and googling has informed me that HIS have gone all cheapo, but I can't find anything on the MSI cards. TIA


Msi has one true reference card and one reference based card built on the alternate pcb. This alternate pcb card it's the oc version and it uses a boxy looking ref style cooler.


----------



## kj1060

I have the reference MSI. I haven't pushed mine yet so I can't say much for overclocking. I haven't had any problems with it yet. Looking to find 2 more in the future.


----------



## Tempey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Msi has one true reference card and one reference based card built on the alternate pcb. This alternate pcb card it's the oc version and it uses a boxy looking ref style cooler.


Thanks, going to grab the normal reference one then


----------



## Rian

Added myself to the club!









http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/4cva3/


----------



## SkateZilla

still debating if I want to water cool everything

CPU, GPU, HDD everything.

in which case I'd have to start building my own Loops... Oy.... I dont think there's room in my case for all that stuff.

Teh VGA Hybrid cooler is on sale for $99, but im not too fond of Gluing heatsinks to the Chips.

I'd Rather put a cull Cover heatplate on it if anything then mount their cooler over that.

But i might as well buy a water block and build a small loop.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> still debating if I want to water cool everything
> CPU, GPU, HDD everything.
> in which case I'd have to start building my own Loops... Oy.... I dont think there's room in my case for all that stuff.
> Teh VGA Hybrid cooler is on sale for $99, but im not too fond of Gluing heatsinks to the Chips.
> I'd Rather put a cull Cover heatplate on it if anything then mount their cooler over that.
> But i might as well buy a water block and build a small loop.


watercool HDD? why? they should do fine with air on that case.


----------



## solsamurai

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> That makes no sense to be honest.. I can understand where you'd think that a "Caviar Black" is better for gaming. It's just not though, there isn't much noticeable difference between them apart from the fact that the black runs hotter (From what I've been told on here) and also costs more.
> For budget purposes or even just a build that doesn't need an SSD a WD Blue is great, otherwise and SSD is worth it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though it won't help with games at all because most people that get SSD's don't even put their games on there and for multiplayer games you're still waiting for others to load up.


If it's one of the slower 5400 RPM drives then the Black is absolutely faster. I noticed WD makes Blue drives that spin up to 7200 RPM as well so if he has one of those then I stand corrected.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> still debating if I want to water cool everything
> CPU, GPU, HDD everything.
> in which case I'd have to start building my own Loops... Oy.... I dont think there's room in my case for all that stuff.
> Teh VGA Hybrid cooler is on sale for $99, but im not too fond of Gluing heatsinks to the Chips.
> I'd Rather put a cull Cover heatplate on it if anything then mount their cooler over that.
> But i might as well buy a water block and build a small loop.


forget about putting the hard-drives under water. IT is not needed.


----------



## ericlee30

I bought mine 3 weeks after they first came out


----------



## slake

I've ordered one, and it should be coming on Thursday.

It's a Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> shouldnt a 7970 already have had 6Ghz Memory??


No, my reference 7970 memory base is set at 1375 which would be 5.5ghz effective..


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *solsamurai*
> 
> If it's one of the slower 5400 RPM drives then the Black is absolutely faster. I noticed WD makes Blue drives that spin up to 7200 RPM as well so if he has one of those then I stand corrected.


Oh, I didn't know they made 5,400 RPM "Blue" drives, well at least in Australia they're all 7,200RPM and all the greens are 5,200-5,900 RPM.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> forget about putting the hard-drives under water. IT is not needed.


no AC in this house.

CPU, GPU and HDDs are the only thing that get above 30^c in the summer.

Ram Stays Cool, Aux Chipset Stays Cool etc.

CPU Under H100 Stays Under 30 in the Summer and under 15^c in the Winter (it was idling at .5^C (yes POINT 5).)
GPU is OK in the Winter, but in the Summer I have to Drop Overlocks.
HDDs Seem Fine now that I moved it to 5.25 Bay with Heatpiped Cooler on it.


----------



## disintegratorx

Here's a little read on AMD's next-gen processors for all of you who are interested: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6201/amd-details-its-3rd-gen-steamroller-architecture

From what I gathered, they will be much more formidable (or capable) because of a new technology they're going to use in them to enable higher overclocks.


----------



## solsamurai

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Oh, I didn't know they made 5,400 RPM "Blue" drives, well at least in Australia they're all 7,200RPM and all the greens are 5,200-5,900 RPM.


I learn new things all the time on OCN.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *solsamurai*
> 
> I learn new things all the time on OCN.


Same!








+Rep to you for helping that guy you were before and because you helped me learn


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> no AC in this house.
> CPU, GPU and HDDs are the only thing that get above 30^c in the summer.
> Ram Stays Cool, Aux Chipset Stays Cool etc.
> CPU Under H100 Stays Under 30 in the Summer and under 15^c in the Winter (it was idling at .5^C (yes POINT 5).)
> GPU is OK in the Winter, but in the Summer I have to Drop Overlocks.
> HDDs Seem Fine now that I moved it to 5.25 Bay with Heatpiped Cooler on it.


hard drives are fine below 50c


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tempey*
> 
> Has anyone bought or laid eyes on a reference MSI 7970 lately? Are they using the same black pcb as they were when the 7970s were first released? The only reference cards available here are MSI and HIS, and googling has informed me that HIS have gone all cheapo, but I can't find anything on the MSI cards. TIA


I have one on hand, and while the "PCB" is black, all the circuitry on it is a very dark chocolate brown


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Tempey*
> 
> Has anyone bought or laid eyes on a reference MSI 7970 lately? Are they using the same black pcb as they were when the 7970s were first released? The only reference cards available here are MSI and HIS, and googling has informed me that HIS have gone all cheapo, but I can't find anything on the MSI cards. TIA
> 
> 
> 
> I have one on hand, and while the "PCB" is black, all the circuitry on it is a very dark chocolate brown
Click to expand...

It's easy to spot via the green serial number sticker next to the core. You don't have to look at anything else. Only AMD reference cards will have this sticker.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's easy to spot via the green serial number sticker next to the core. You don't have to look at anything else. Only AMD reference cards will have this sticker.


I just checked my card, and checked the PCB on top ... no green serial number sticker









Is this not reference? MSI 7970

Note: mine does not have the red PCB like the one below, it is dark brown









Found a pic of mine, in roughly the same angle:









Excuse the terrible macro on my camera, but here is the colour of the PCB more clearly [for the guy who was asking the colour of the PCB]


----------



## geoxile

Anyone know how well the Gigabyte 7950 OCs? Or if it's volt locked? I noticed it's back up on newegg


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> I just checked my card, and checked the PCB on top ... no green serial number sticker
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is this not reference? MSI 7970
> Note: mine does not have the red PCB like the one below, it is dark brown
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Found a pic of mine, in roughly the same angle:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Excuse the terrible macro on my camera, but here is the colour of the PCB more clearly [for the guy who was asking the colour of the PCB]


your card is a reference HD 7970 design. don't worry. Its not manufactured by AMD, but by MSI . thats the only difference. you will have voltage control.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Anyone know how well the Gigabyte 7950 OCs? Or if it's volt locked? I noticed it's back up on newegg


depends on the PCB version. some users who bought recently complained of locked voltage. while others have enjoyed full voltage control. also there is a F3 bios with higher stock voltage. comes with 1 Ghz boost clocks. you should easily run at 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage with that BIOS. gigabyte recently removed that BIOS from their website. here it is.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1332004/gigabyte-7950-f3-bios-needed#post_18771526

if your card is voltage unlocked manually overclock with voltage tweaking. if its not you could first try out stock voltage overclock and see if you hit 1.1 Ghz. if you want higher overclocks then flash BIOS.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> no AC in this house.
> *CPU, GPU and HDDs are the only thing that get above 30^c in the summer.*
> Ram Stays Cool, Aux Chipset Stays Cool etc.
> *CPU Under H100 Stays Under 30 in the Summer and under 15^c in the Winter (it was idling at .5^C (yes POINT 5).)*
> GPU is OK in the Winter, but in the Summer I have to Drop Overlocks.
> HDDs Seem Fine now that I moved it to 5.25 Bay with Heatpiped Cooler on it.


Normal, normal, normal.

No components can be colder than ambient temperatures on air or water.


----------



## clerick

I had my 7950 crossfire running at 1150 for a good two weeks without any issue. Then all of a sudden my games lock up instantly if I use crossfire and that overclock. If I turn off overclock and use cards by themselves they work fine.

Crossfire stock 900 mhz - Fine
Crossfire 1000 mhz oc - fine
Crossfire 1000-1100 = ingame lock, can close by forcing task manager

I took the cards out, swapped psu cables, placed the top card in other slot but it still does it. Reinstalled drivers and tried older 12.11 beta 8 but it stills doing it. Is my PSU failing?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Normal, normal, normal.
> No components can be colder than ambient temperatures on air or water.




703842_4986754996469_1600283035_o (1).jpg 154k .jpg file


before water cooling I had overheating issues... so...


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> depends on the PCB version. some users who bought recently complained of locked voltage. while others have enjoyed full voltage control. also there is a F3 bios with higher stock voltage. comes with 1 Ghz boost clocks. you should easily run at 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage with that BIOS. gigabyte recently removed that BIOS from their website. here it is.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1332004/gigabyte-7950-f3-bios-needed#post_18771526
> if your card is voltage unlocked manually overclock with voltage tweaking. if its not you could first try out stock voltage overclock and see if you hit 1.1 Ghz. if you want higher overclocks then flash BIOS.


It seems like a lottery with these 7950s. How about the MSI 7950? Have there also been cases of volt locked cards?


----------



## Gr0ve

What software says the temperature is is irrelevant in this circumstance. It is physically IMPOSSIBLE to cool something below ambient temperature with air or water cooling.

Tell me you really think my CPU hits 174C or that my D14 cools my 2500k so well it hits a minimum of 6C.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> It seems like a lottery with these 7950s. How about the MSI 7950? Have there also been cases of volt locked cards?


I recommend the sapphire HD 7950 boost with 925 mhz boost clocks. comes with higher stock voltage (1.2v - 1.25v). easily overclocks to 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage. excellent cooler. the newegg user reviews are very positive.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> It seems like a lottery with these 7950s. How about the MSI 7950? Have there also been cases of volt locked cards?


there are people on these forums too who have the sapphire hd 7950 boost. they can give feedback on whether its voltage unlocked. this card is a AMD HD 7950 reference PCB design and should have voltage control


----------



## geoxile

Hmm. I'll be honest. I'm not a big fan of Sapphire. The last time I used a sapphire card I didn't use another ATI card for around 8 years; I haven't had a single ATI/AMD card since 2004. I would rather get a MSI or Gigabyte card since they've been good to me. But if Sapphire's boost is really volt unlocked I may get it. Is this the same one that may come with Elpida memory and has a very hot VRM?


----------



## SkateZilla

i have a Launch 7950 Preboost, I can Do 1Ghz on Stock Voltages with Cat 12.2, anything after that required like 0007-0015mv bump.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> What software says the temperature is is irrelevant in this circumstance. It is physically IMPOSSIBLE to cool something below ambient temperature with air or water cooling.
> Tell me you really think my CPU hits 174C or that my D14 cools my 2500k so well it hits a minimum of 6C.


True, as I have to constantly reset the software as it would say my GPU is using some insane voltage levels.

Im pretty sure that my temp was the temp that is recorded with parked cores. (the .1^C). and Very Cold Air.

Forgot to mention the room has no AC, but no heating either.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> I just checked my card, and checked the PCB on top ... no green serial number sticker
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is this not reference? MSI 7970
> Note: mine does not have the red PCB like the one below, it is dark brown
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Found a pic of mine, in roughly the same angle:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Excuse the terrible macro on my camera, but here is the colour of the PCB more clearly [for the guy who was asking the colour of the PCB]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *your card is a reference HD 7970 design.* don't worry. Its not manufactured by AMD, but by MSI . thats the only difference. you will have voltage control.
Click to expand...

It is NOT a reference card, it is based on the reference design but it is NOT a reference card. It would have to have the green sticker and use all the parts as dictated by AMD's reference design which the MSI OC DOES NOT HAVE! It uses the alternate pcb, ie. the alternate pcb is for AIBs that want to make the card themselves, then they can change parts as the wish!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103201

dmanstasiu, click on the newegg link, click on the picture and choose to view the pic of the back of the pcb. Look at the green sticker next to the core. That IS a true reference card there.

**Also, you have to ignore the red pcb cards, they are only for marketing puposes.

***Also, here is some real info on MSI and Powercolors change in the capacitor choice. The link deals with Powercolor but it also applies to MSI. MSI had this card selling on release in Jan. Hardly anyone bought one back then cuz they wanted a grip for it lol.

http://www.ekwb.com/news/133/19/


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Hmm. I'll be honest. I'm not a big fan of Sapphire. The last time I used a sapphire card I didn't use another ATI card for around 8 years; I haven't had a single ATI/AMD card since 2004. I would rather get a MSI or Gigabyte card since they've been good to me. But if Sapphire's boost is really volt unlocked I may get it. Is this the same one that may come with Elpida memory and has a very hot VRM?


Gigabyte HD 7950 OC is a very good option. the windforce3x cooler is excellent. one of the highest overclocked HD 7950s on air at OCN is bruennis Gigabyte HD 7950 at 1280 mhz, there are complaints of a few recent Gigabyte HD 7950s being voltage locked. there is a Gigabyte F3 boost BIOS with 1 Ghz boost clocks which can be used if your voltage is locked. this comes with higher stock voltage. you should easily hit 1.1 - 1.15 ghz at stock voltage with the F3 bios.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1332004/gigabyte-7950-f3-bios-needed#post_18771526


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Gigabyte HD 7950 OC is a very good option. the windforce3x cooler is excellent. one of the highest overclocked HD 7950s on air at OCN is bruennis Gigabyte HD 7950 at 1280 mhz, there are complaints of a few recent Gigabyte HD 7950s being voltage locked. there is a Gigabyte F3 boost BIOS with 1 Ghz boost clocks which can be used if your voltage is locked. this comes with higher stock voltage. you should easily hit 1.1 - 1.15 ghz at stock voltage with the F3 bios.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1332004/gigabyte-7950-f3-bios-needed#post_18771526


But it's uglyyyyyy


----------



## Rebelord

Do you stare at your GPU all the time? You have a 300R case, so wont be seeing it to much. For aesthetics wise. (Unless you did a side window mod.)

Edit: Not trying to naive, negative about it. Just saying that we do all like aesthetics, but for max functionality, even if its ugly. I say go for it. Errr...Overclockability.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Gigabyte HD 7950 OC is a very good option. the windforce3x cooler is excellent. one of the highest overclocked HD 7950s on air at OCN is bruennis Gigabyte HD 7950 at 1280 mhz, there are complaints of a few recent Gigabyte HD 7950s being voltage locked. there is a Gigabyte F3 boost BIOS with 1 Ghz boost clocks which can be used if your voltage is locked. this comes with higher stock voltage. you should easily hit 1.1 - 1.15 ghz at stock voltage with the F3 bios.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1332004/gigabyte-7950-f3-bios-needed#post_18771526


Do you know what voltage the F3 BIOS uses


----------



## bluestang

The GB WF3 F3 BIOS is 1.250v


----------



## geoxile

How does that compare to the max safe voltage for an unlocked 7950?


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Do you stare at your GPU all the time? You have a 300R case, so wont be seeing it to much. For aesthetics wise. (Unless you did a side window mod.)
> Edit: Not trying to naive, negative about it. Just saying that we do all like aesthetics, but for max functionality, even if its ugly. I say go for it. Errr...Overclockability.


Yes, I do. I spy it all the time trought the fan holes (I also have red lights in case), paid $10 more for this card because I didn't want gigabyte one, I like the look and everything, can't complain. I don't really like gigabyte stuff anyway (Yes, I know about my mobo, got talked into it and I kinda regret it, will probably sell).


----------



## Roadking

This may sound like a silly question, Does core speed need to be set identical in Crossfire?

I have a Sapphire 7950 OC at 1200 core and 1600 Mem @1.21v Jusreceived my second card today. I'm not sure if the new card will clock as well as the old one. Do the OC's have to match. Id hate to have to move the old card down a notch or two.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roadking*
> 
> This may sound like a silly question, Does core speed need to be set identical in Crossfire?
> 
> I have a Sapphire 7950 OC at 1200 core and 1600 Mem @1.21v Jusreceived my second card today. I'm not sure if the new card will clock as well as the old one. Do the OC's have to match. Id hate to have to move the old card down a notch or two.


They should be identical or you will invite latency issues into the mix due to the different speeds between your cards.


----------



## Roadking

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm at work and waiting to dig into that new card is driving me nuts


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It is NOT a reference card, it is based on the reference design but it is NOT a reference card. It would have to have the green sticker and use all the parts as dictated by AMD's reference design which the MSI OC DOES NOT HAVE! It uses the alternate pcb, ie. the alternate pcb is for AIBs that want to make the card themselves, then they can change parts as the wish!
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103201
> dmanstasiu, click on the newegg link, click on the picture and choose to view the pic of the back of the pcb. Look at the green sticker next to the core. That IS a true reference card there.
> **Also, you have to ignore the red pcb cards, they are only for marketing puposes.
> ***Also, here is some real info on MSI and Powercolors change in the capacitor choice. The link deals with Powercolor but it also applies to MSI. MSI had this card selling on release in Jan. Hardly anyone bought one back then cuz they wanted a grip for it lol.
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/133/19/


Ok, but what does that mean in terms of overclocking?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Ok, but what does that mean in terms of overclocking?


We don't really know yet as there are not many of them on the market. That said it's the same silicon and mosfets, just the caps are different, so it shouldn't affect overclocking but maybe longevity. Overclocking is all down to the core so your luck is as good as any.


----------



## dmanstasiu

So I'm a pioneer.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 
> 
> 703842_4986754996469_1600283035_o (1).jpg 154k .jpg file
> 
> before water cooling I had overheating issues... so...


So, umm... Where do you see overheating? Everything there is below 40C


----------



## BradleyW

Hey everyone!
I keep getting a blue screen when gaming and I go into a continues reboot with blue screen error code 1000007e. If I do manage to get into windows, It says please install AMD drivers for your AMD GPU.
Any idea's?


----------



## geoxile

So one last question. Does the VRM on the Sapphire 7950 boost, this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006, get hot? And is it really a reference design (voltage control). I'm about to buy


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey everyone!
> I keep getting a blue screen when gaming and I go into a continues reboot with blue screen error code 1000007e. If I do manage to get into windows, It says please install AMD drivers for your AMD GPU.
> Any idea's?


Any WHEA errors in event viewer?


----------



## Protokoll

I'm going to purchase 3 video cards on Friday to run in my new 'no compromise' build. I've been looking at all of the best overclocking cards, but I'm having an issue finding a full cover water block that will work with some of the cards. I'd like to stay with all EK blocks, but I have to use someone else it won't be a huge deal. What are the best binned/overclocking cards that I can grab that have full cover water blocks to go along with them. Thanks.

Currently running 2560x1600, but will go to either 5760x1200 or 7680x1600 in the near future. I've been looking at the Sapphire 6GB Vapor X edition, the Matrix Platinum, the Lightning Boost, etc.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey everyone!
> I keep getting a blue screen when gaming and I go into a continues reboot with blue screen error code 1000007e. If I do manage to get into windows, It says please install AMD drivers for your AMD GPU.
> Any idea's?


Hey BradleyW, maybe you could ask in this thread for more info:

*http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards/0_30*

*EDIT*: Oups my bad, it's your own guide








.


----------



## 2002dunx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hans2k*
> 
> What do you guys consider a good oc on the 7950? Helped my brother overclock his twin frozr v2, and landed on 1100/1575 1.031v, weren't allowed to play with it further, since he had to play bf3 lol..


I consider that as stock....









As mine is at 100% load 24/7 it's stable at 1150/1575 for use on BOINC projects.

Non-gamer...

dunx


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey BradleyW, maybe you could ask in this thread for more info:
> *http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards/0_30*
> *EDIT*: Oups my bad, it's your own guide
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


LOL! I never expected to see that! Hahahah!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Protokoll*
> 
> I'm going to purchase 3 video cards on Friday to run in my new 'no compromise' build. I've been looking at all of the best overclocking cards, but I'm having an issue finding a full cover water block that will work with some of the cards. I'd like to stay with all EK blocks, but I have to use someone else it won't be a huge deal. What are the best binned/overclocking cards that I can grab that have full cover water blocks to go along with them. Thanks.
> Currently running 2560x1600, but will go to either 5760x1200 or 7680x1600 in the near future. I've been looking at the Sapphire 6GB Vapor X edition, the Matrix Platinum, the Lightning Boost, etc.


I'd say either the 6GB vapor x's (Not too sure if they are a reference layout or?), but I reckon the 6GB of memory won't clock as fast because it is more dense. I'd suggest a Gigabyte 7970 Windforce as I know there are a lot of BIOS' out there and lots of people have them. Again the problem is I'm not too sure if that's reference, I do know that EK make blocks specifically for ASUS cards and MSI's Lightnings. Lightning and here, they have both Acetal and Nickel for the ASUS but only Nickel for the MSI. The Acetal ASUS block is OOS and the others are all low on stock so I'd grab em' fast if you're keen on those cards. I'm pretty sure the DCII cards are cherry picked too yes? Not certain on that,
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey everyone!
> I keep getting a blue screen when gaming and I go into a continues reboot with blue screen error code 1000007e. If I do manage to get into windows, It says please install AMD drivers for your AMD GPU.
> Any idea's?


Try booting off the iGPU and see what it says then, completely remove the AMD drivers and anything AMD related that's there (Normally, don't use a driver sweeper) and then install the latest WHQL release of AMD drivers to check if that works.


----------



## tsm106

That's comedy gold I tell you.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey everyone!
> I keep getting a blue screen when gaming and I go into a continues reboot with blue screen error code 1000007e. If I do manage to get into windows, It says please install AMD drivers for your AMD GPU.
> Any idea's?


I see that you even have a guide on hw to properly uninstall ATI drivers, but still, I would recommend to give ATIMANs latest uninstaller version 7.0.2 a try. If this gives you BSOD try to uninstall normally via control panel all amd drivers/especially the CAProfiles and then run the uninstaller!

Good Luck


----------



## disintegratorx

Right now, Steam has Streetfighter X Tekken on sale for $12.50 til tomorrow at 4 pm... I got it and I must say it is awesome. Especially when the graphics are set to the highest settings.


----------



## geoxile

Made an order for the Sapphire 7950 boost just now on newegg. Hopefully it will be here by the end of the week. Can't wait to finally have some proper colors in games.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> So, umm... Where do you see overheating? Everything there is below 40C


Now, Because the CPU is Water Cooled in a 40-50 Degree Room


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey everyone!
> I keep getting a blue screen when gaming and I go into a continues reboot with blue screen error code 1000007e. If I do manage to get into windows, It says please install AMD drivers for your AMD GPU.
> Any idea's?


If you can post a Zip with the last few Save Dump files ( /root/Windows/MiniDump/) I can load them in the Windows Debugger which will tell me which driver triggered the System HALT. (which i wont actually be able to do till I get home from work, around 6:30pm est. )

I know my brother had this issue with some USB Devices, couldnt get back into windows at all, something about corrupted registry.

I fixed it by copying the backup registry to override the current one via UBuntu Linix Live DVD.


----------



## SkateZilla

Metro2033 is free if you like their Facebook page


----------



## DUpgrade

Here's my Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 boost edition ordered off the egg about 2 weeks ago. Comes already boosted to 925/1250 but I was able to get mine to run 1150/1550, may go further than that but I haven't tried. I'm getting awesome FPS in BF3 now (1080p) and broke P10k in 3dmark 11.


----------



## Gr0ve

$300 well spent I must say. Sadly just a 59.5% ASIC quality though.


----------



## chad4050

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> $300 well spent I must say. Sadly just a 59.5% ASIC quality though.


I spent 489.99 for a hd 7970 lighting that can only overcolcok to 1120 mhz and ASIC of 76.9. I think it has something to do with a config file mine acts like voltage does nothing either way I was hoping 1150-1200. 1200 seems to be the sweet spot for the 7970 but I WILL NEVER SEE IT WITH THIS CARD:thumbsdow


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chad4050*
> 
> I spent 489.99 for a hd 7970 lighting that can only overcolcok to 1120 mhz and ASIC of 76.9. I think it has something to do with a config file mine acts like voltage does nothing either way I was hoping 1150-1200. 1200 seems to be the sweet spot for the 7970 but I WILL NEVER SEE IT WITH THIS CARD:thumbsdow


That's disappointing








I'm not sure if I'm gnarly enough to OC this thing yet. Gotta decide on how to cool the VRAM and VRMs first


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> $300 well spent I must say. Sadly just a 59.5% ASIC quality though.


That's the same exact card I have!! I actually love mine. I was able to get it to 1200 core 1600 memory and temps max at about 52 degrees. Under water with a Raystorm Universal block though. How do you like your card? Does that 59.5% ASIC quality go for all that model cards or is that a card by card score?


----------



## chino1974

Here are some pics of mine


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> Here are some pics of mine
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1106591/
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1173256/


I'm not a huge fan of the red going on around those fans but if it runs well that's all that matters. What is going on with your ram in that second pic though?!?


----------



## Stefy

The Vortex is such a sexy card!

Have anyone gotten any good clocks with the 7950 Vapor-X?


----------



## Rickles

I have a sapphire dual x, but the best clocks I have got (furmark stable for 30 minutes) are 1300 core and 1700 mem. What is funny is I can usually keep it stable for a day or two than it will start crashing, but now I am down to 1250 / 1650.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> That's the same exact card I have!! I actually love mine. I was able to get it to 1200 core 1600 memory and temps max at about 52 degrees. Under water with a Raystorm Universal block though. How do you like your card? Does that 59.5% ASIC quality go for all that model cards or is that a card by card score?


Don't know how I like it yet. Literally just got it ~2 hours ago








I REALLY wish PowerColor would've put some heatsinks on the VRMs and VRAM though. You'd think it would be standard to do it on a flagship card. It is an incredibly sexy card though.

The ASIC quality is on a per card basis AFAIK.

What are your VRM temps at under load and what do you use to cool them?

I think I'm going to grab a Swiftech passive heatsink along with a dremel and mod it to put onto my card. Then I'd like to either paint the red blue or throw some white vinyl over the red parts of the shroud so it'll look even sexier when I'm done with it.


----------



## di inferi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> Here are some pics of mine
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1173256/


Look at all the moto on that guy lol.

You should pick up that Corsair case that looks like an ammo can.


----------



## MooMoo

How can I unlock this 1575mhz memory limit on afterburner? I would like to test how far I can get with stock memory voltage









EDIT:
Also, if I wanted to change my older not boosted BIOS to this card (because now my card stops working after monitor goes sleep mode) and use same voltage as this boosted BIOS have. Do I just put Core Voltage (mV) in afterburner as 1250mV to be same voltage as boosted BIOS have?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> How can I unlock this 1575mhz memory limit on afterburner? I would like to test how far I can get with stock memory voltage


try Trixx. adjust it there, leave it open, then open AB. AB should show the same speed, then adjust voltages if necessary. that is how i do it if i need to oc my gpu.


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> I'm not a huge fan of the red going on around those fans but if it runs well that's all that matters. What is going on with your ram in that second pic though?!?


That ram is Avexir Core Series 2000 mhz blue led. It flashes under different load. I just happened to get the pic at a moment when only 3 sticks were lite up. They constanly flash at different rates. I love them and actually have another set of 2133 coming real soon.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Don't know how I like it yet. Literally just got it ~2 hours ago
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I REALLY wish PowerColor would've put some heatsinks on the VRMs and VRAM though. You'd think it would be standard to do it on a flagship card. It is an incredibly sexy card though.
> The ASIC quality is on a per card basis AFAIK.
> What are your VRM temps at under load and what do you use to cool them?
> I think I'm going to grab a Swiftech passive heatsink along with a dremel and mod it to put onto my card. Then I'd like to either paint the red blue or throw some white vinyl over the red parts of the shroud so it'll look even sexier when I'm done with it.


Your gonna love this card. My VRM temps according to GPU-Z are vrm1 36 degrees and vrm2 37 degrees. My card as a whole doesn't go past 52 degrees under any run. Be it 3dmark11,Heavenh 3.0 or gaming any game. And speaking of gaming this card will handle anything you throw at it. I max out the settings on every game I play manually and get great fps on all of them. I have a Raystorm universal gpu block on the gpu and I use heatsinks on the ram chips and vrm's throughout the card. I actually put heatsinks on everything I could under the card seeing that I wasn't sure which ones needed them and which didn't.Lol! Heatsinks and god airflow coming through a 280mm rad up front in push-pull with 4-140 mm NZXT fans keep it nice and cool.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *di inferi*
> 
> Look at all the moto on that guy lol.
> You should pick up that Corsair case that looks like an ammo can.


I was thinking of that but someone else I know is doing a corsair in the amo case theme. Plus I'm a huge fan of NZXT. This is actually my 3rd of 4 NZXT cases in a row!!!


----------



## Jokah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey BradleyW, maybe you could ask in this thread for more info:
> *http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards/0_30*
> *EDIT*: Oups my bad, it's your own guide
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


This has to be one of the funniest things I have read recently. Really cheered me up









(Not trying to wind you up or anything. It's just bloody hilarious)


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Metro2033 is free if you like their Facebook page


I actually have that game lol. It was gifted to me on Steam... Anyone from here can add me onto their friends list on either Steam or Origin if they want. I play BF3 all the time if there are any other people that do. I wouldn't mind joining in on a game, so.. Fell free to do so!







I go under the same nic on both - spelled, disintegratorx


----------



## Stige

Is there any viable method of unlocking the Voltage Control to get it above 1300mV except somehow getting my hands on the MSI Afterburner Extreme?


----------



## specopsFI

So did I just have my other 7970 fail on me or what the...?

I was playing SWTOR and all of a sudden my screen does a quick flash of black screen and then completely dies giving me "no signal" message. The GPU fans go down but CTRL-ALT-DEL does nothing to the screen. I reset the computer, by the sound of it the boot is normal but again, no signal. It seems to boot all the way to Windows since the GPU fans go down as they do when the driver is loaded on Windows start-up, but still no signal. I shut the computer down, take the HDMI cable out, then plug it back in and turn the computer on. Boots just as usual, except "no signal". I turn the computer off, go find my DVI-HDMI adapter and boot using the DVI out. Still no signal. I then decided to try just the other card: removed the faulty one and swapped the slave card to the upmost PCI-E slot. Boots up no problem with picture and all.

So both my HDMI out and DVI out decided to check out on the other card? Any idea what happened?


----------



## Aventadoor

Whats best for overclocking utility for multiple 7970s these days?
MSI? Ive never had great succes with MSI unfortunaly...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Aventadoor*
> 
> Whats best for overclocking utility for multiple 7970s these days?
> MSI? Ive never had great succes with MSI unfortunaly...


Sapphire Trixx


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> So did I just have my other 7970 fail on me or what the...?
> I was playing SWTOR and all of a sudden my screen does a quick flash of black screen and then completely dies giving me "no signal" message. The GPU fans go down but CTRL-ALT-DEL does nothing to the screen. I reset the computer, by the sound of it the boot is normal but again, no signal. It seems to boot all the way to Windows since the GPU fans go down as they do when the driver is loaded on Windows start-up, but still no signal. I shut the computer down, take the HDMI cable out, then plug it back in and turn the computer on. Boots just as usual, except "no signal". I turn the computer off, go find my DVI-HDMI adapter and boot using the DVI out. Still no signal. I then decided to try just the other card: removed the faulty one and swapped the slave card to the upmost PCI-E slot. Boots up no problem with picture and all.
> So both my HDMI out and DVI out decided to check out on the other card? Any idea what happened?


VPU and Scaler Chip process the output from the GPU, it's possible that failed.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> So did I just have my other 7970 fail on me or what the...?
> I was playing SWTOR and all of a sudden my screen does a quick flash of black screen and then completely dies giving me "no signal" message. The GPU fans go down but CTRL-ALT-DEL does nothing to the screen. I reset the computer, by the sound of it the boot is normal but again, no signal. It seems to boot all the way to Windows since the GPU fans go down as they do when the driver is loaded on Windows start-up, but still no signal. I shut the computer down, take the HDMI cable out, then plug it back in and turn the computer on. Boots just as usual, except "no signal". I turn the computer off, go find my DVI-HDMI adapter and boot using the DVI out. Still no signal. I then decided to try just the other card: removed the faulty one and swapped the slave card to the upmost PCI-E slot. Boots up no problem with picture and all.
> So both my HDMI out and DVI out decided to check out on the other card? Any idea what happened?


did you try using a different output?

and have to tried testing your monitor with another machine?

could be the monitor.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> VPU and Scaler Chip process the output from the GPU, it's possible that failed.


That would make sense. What I didn't try yet is to put the failed card as a slave in CF and see if works that way. Might give it a try.

Has anyone else had a failure like this, or am I just really lucky?









ebduncan: I did, both the HDMI and the DVI out are gone. Don't have a DP adapter so can't give that a try. The monitor works fine, I'm writing this with it using the other card.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> That would make sense. What I didn't try yet is to put the failed card as a slave in CF and see if works that way. Might give it a try.
> Has anyone else had a failure like this, or am I just really lucky?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ebduncan: I did, both the HDMI and the DVI out are gone. Don't have a DP adapter so can't give that a try. The monitor works fine, I'm writing this with it using the other card.


:-(

well good luck with the RMA. Rma's are pain in the rear.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *specopsFI*
> 
> That would make sense. What I didn't try yet is to put the failed card as a slave in CF and see if works that way. Might give it a try.
> Has anyone else had a failure like this, or am I just really lucky?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ebduncan: I did, both the HDMI and the DVI out are gone. Don't have a DP adapter so can't give that a try. The monitor works fine, I'm writing this with it using the other card.


Technically, if you had XFire,

Booting the system with the bad card, your system is detecting a GPU in the 2nd PCIe Slot, but your connecting the screen to the dead card in slot 1.

The entire card could be dead, the only reason the system boots and loads windows is because it detects a card in slot 2


----------



## geoxile

I just installed my new Sapphire 7950 Boost









So how do I go about OCing this? The stock voltage is 1.125 apparently

Also, it seems that the display got a little sharper. Do the Catalyst drivers affect that? It had underscaling on by default as well. And is the LCD overdrive safe to use? Never seen it controlled via software


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Is there any viable method of unlocking the Voltage Control to get it above 1300mV except somehow getting my hands on the MSI Afterburner Extreme?


someone told me that the asus 7970 BIOS allows you to go up to 1.35, but I never tried this personally. Even though my cards are under water, I wouldn't feel comfortable running them at that voltage. 1.3v already make me a little nervous.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I just installed my new Sapphire 7950 Boost
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So how do I go about OCing this? The stock voltage is 1.125 apparently
> Also, it seems that the display got a little sharper. Do the Catalyst drivers affect that? It had underscaling on by default as well. And is the LCD overdrive safe to use? Never seen it controlled via software


the sharper image is prolly because its using the correct resolution and frequency.

i use the Overdrive on my lcds, each one seems to liek different settings.

you'll know if they are off, you'll get white or black smearing/ghosting on text and moving stuff.


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> :-(
> well good luck with the RMA. Rma's are pain in the rear.


Even more so in this case, for several reasons. But such is life.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Technically, if you had XFire,
> Booting the system with the bad card, your system is detecting a GPU in the 2nd PCIe Slot, but your connecting the screen to the dead card in slot 1.
> The entire card could be dead, the only reason the system boots and loads windows is because it detects a card in slot 2


Good point. I took the fan cycle changing as evidence of the primary card working but not putting out a picture. Now I'm not so sure, it could have been just the other card doing it since I didn't have visual confirmation of both cards spinning their fans. Will have to do some more testing tomorrow. Thanks for your input!


----------



## BradleyW

Is a score of 43 average fps normal for stock 7970, max out heaven bench 3.0?
Thank you.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> the sharper image is prolly because its using the correct resolution and frequency.
> i use the Overdrive on my lcds, each one seems to liek different settings.
> you'll know if they are off, you'll get white or black smearing/ghosting on text and moving stuff.


The sharpness was because I used HDMI instead of DVI for one of my monitors, I had to turn down the sharpness on my monitor to improve the image.

Still looking for an OC guide or tips. I don't get this power limit thing.
Also, does anyone here use Entech Powerstrip?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is a score of 43 average fps normal for stock 7970, max out heaven bench 3.0?
> Thank you.


Thats about right.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Thats about right.


Thank you








Any chance you could run the bench with CF off to help confirm? I'm currently trying to diagnose a low fps issie in FC3. I am on average 20fps lower than other people on this forum on 7970 vs 7970 in the same areas/same settings so I am seeing if the low fps issue is happening in other applications.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Thats about right.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any chance you could run the bench with CF off to help confirm? I'm currently trying to diagnose a low fps issie in FC3. I am on average 20fps lower than other people on this forum on 7970 vs 7970 in the same areas/same settings so I am seeing if the low fps issue is happening in other applications.
Click to expand...

I actually just did that and it was 46.8 FPS (all settings maxed)


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I actually just did that and it was 46.8 FPS (all settings maxed)


Anything to worry about on being 3fps short?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I actually just did that and it was 46.8 FPS (all settings maxed)
> 
> 
> 
> Anything to worry about on being 3fps short?
Click to expand...

Not at all, mine are Ghz editions, I am running OC's CPU etc. it's within the margin of error. I see you are running CF 2 x 7970's are you scaling with these?

I'm #21...and #29



and this is at 1920 x 1080


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thank you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any chance you could run the bench with CF off to help confirm? I'm currently trying to diagnose a low fps issie in FC3. I am on average 20fps lower than other people on this forum on 7970 vs 7970 in the same areas/same settings so I am seeing if the low fps issue is happening in other applications.


BradleyW, go check in this thread for more comparaisons, it's the top 30 Benchmarks on OCN and many people posted their score, you can adjust to the thread settings to compare:

Render: Direct X 11
Mode: 1680x1050 fullscreen
Shaders: high
Textures: high
Filter: trilinear
Anisotropy: 16x
Occlusion: enabled
Refraction: enabled
Volumetric: enabled
Anti-Aliasing: 8x
Tessellation: extreme
*http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/0_30*

Also, check in this chart much below (you need to scroll down a lot) to see others benchmarks, a lot of score with single 7970.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AkabYLFWwMWQdHJIRDItUjZZM3RkUkZ1SGVVZU9ncVE&single=true&gid=0&output=html&widget=true


----------



## BradleyW

I use to hang around on that thread but the chart shows results from 1650x1050 and they are pushing for high overclocks. I just needed a simple 1080p max result based on stock values


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I use to hang around on that thread but the chart shows results from 1650x1050 and they are pushing for high overclocks. I just needed a simple 1080p max result based on stock values


so you're okay with a 43 FPS then









what driver set are you using?
12.11 had a cap 2 with a far cry 3 updated profile i believe.

if you have not installed it, it can be had here:

http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_application_profile_12_11_cap1_download.html


----------



## Newwt

Alright guys I got a question and, I tried searching and all i could get was some whatifs/ and people saying or you could get a 670...

I'm going to be getting *A* Crossover 1440p monitor and a new gfx card. I will be giving up my 7870 to my GFs rig. Now my question is should i get a 7950 or a 7970? Both of the ones i'm looking at have 3GBs of RAM but the 7970 is ~90$ more depending on company. Now when the prices or time comes I will be getting 2nd for Xfire. So will the 7950 be fine and play most things on high/max settings or is the extra $$ going to be worth it a 1440p to get a 7970?

Games I'm playing

Dota2
Skyrim
FC3
BF3-once in a while

Also I don't want to wait for HD8000, because I just don't.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> so you're okay with a 43 FPS then
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what driver set are you using?
> 12.11 had a cap 2 with a far cry 3 updated profile i believe


12.11 beta 11 and 12.11 CAPS 2. Still can't solve the fps issues even after reformatting, testing each card on it's own, trying various software configs, flashing MB bios to different versions, trying windows 8 and so on. Unless they are telling fibs because we can't admitt there supoer pc is struggling.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> so you're okay with a 43 FPS then
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what driver set are you using?
> 12.11 had a cap 2 with a far cry 3 updated profile i believe
> 
> 
> 
> 12.11 beta 11 and 12.11 CAPS 2. Still can't solve the fps issues even after reformatting, testing each card on it's own, trying various software configs, flashing MB bios to different versions, trying windows 8 and so on. Unless they are telling fibs because we can't admitt there supoer pc is struggling.
Click to expand...

Rofl, probably the later.
what is your GPU's usage during the game?

@ Newwt, well thats $90 for about 7% gain, even less if you are looking at a boost 7950


----------



## dmanstasiu

it doesn't matter, use the same settings as they did and compare your results


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newwt*
> 
> Alright guys I got a question and, I tried searching and all i could get was some whatifs/ and people saying or you could get a 670...
> I'm going to be getting *A* Crossover 1440p monitor and a new gfx card. I will be giving up my 7870 to my GFs rig. Now my question is should i get a 7950 or a 7970? Both of the ones i'm looking at have 3GBs of RAM but the 7970 is ~90$ more depending on company. Now when the prices or time comes I will be getting 2nd for Xfire. So will the 7950 be fine and play most things on high/max settings or is the extra $$ going to be worth it a 1440p to get a 7970?
> Games I'm playing
> Dota2
> Skyrim
> FC3
> BF3-once in a while
> Also I don't want to wait for HD8000, because I just don't.


I'd go w/ 7950 all the way. $90 cheaper and that savings gets you $90 closer to xFire!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newwt*
> 
> Alright guys I got a question and, I tried searching and all i could get was some whatifs/ and people saying or you could get a 670...
> I'm going to be getting *A* Crossover 1440p monitor and a new gfx card. I will be giving up my 7870 to my GFs rig. Now my question is should i get a 7950 or a 7970? Both of the ones i'm looking at have 3GBs of RAM but the 7970 is ~90$ more depending on company. Now when the prices or time comes I will be getting 2nd for Xfire. So will the 7950 be fine and play most things on high/max settings or is the extra $$ going to be worth it a 1440p to get a 7970?


Get a HD 7950 boost and overclock it. clock for clock the HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970. Go for the sapphire HD 7950 boost with 925 mhz boost clocks. very good user reviews. easily overclocks to 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage .

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


----------



## Newwt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> I'd go w/ 7950 all the way. $90 cheaper and that savings gets you $90 closer to xFire!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Get a HD 7950 boost and overclock it. clock for clock the HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970. Go for the sapphire HD 7950 boost with 925 mhz boost clocks. very good user reviews. easily overclocks to 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage .
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


Thanks guys, Yeah i was going between the gigabyte and sapphire, but the rebate on the sapphire might win me over.


----------



## dmanstasiu

No never look at the MIR's. They're lies. I've always gotten mine back, but they are a 100% pain in the arse, and you are not guaranteed to get it back


----------



## DUpgrade

Sapphire rebates on GPUs rarely ever works if you even follow the instructions. I've got responses back from them I didn't include requires documents and even emailing them scans I took prior to mailing they still wouldn't honor it. Rebate is only $20 too so not a huge loss in my book. Not saying don't try to send it in if you qualify but don't assume it works.


----------



## Rickles

back on air and I am at 1150 core 1550 mem on stock voltage(1.175)


----------



## geoxile

Can anyone tell me what they get in Skyrim, in the plains right outside Whiterun near the farm?

This is my result: http://i.imgur.com/IaJIc.png
http://i.imgur.com/uVqKC.png

And this is my result http://i.imgur.com/hYJ67.png after changing these settings
http://i.imgur.com/n0wtw.png
I turned up the texture filtering to "High quality" and unchecked Optimization

By the way. What do you all use for stress testing?


----------



## Hexadecagon

Alright, I've built a new computer and am running into an issue with a Sapphire 100352-2L Radeon HD 7950.
http://img.imgcake.com/downsized1207122110jpgyp.jpg
http://img.imgcake.com/downsized1207122057jpgdy.jpg
I'm seeing these bars every few minutes, and am required to turn my HDTV display on and off.
This started happening after I installed the catalyst drivers. I've reinstalled windows twice, and installed at least 3 different drivers (12.9-12.11), including the one provided with the card.

My setup
Running everything at stock.

If you have any suggestions, or require additional information, do say so. I've been scratching my head for nearly a week.


----------



## dmanstasiu

1. Check that the cables are properly plugged in ; alternatively try a different cable, or a different type of cable
2. Reseat your graphics card
3. Check temperatures while it's running
4. Do the bars occur at idle? During games? When browsing?
5. Test the GPU in another computer, and similarly use the computer with another monitor


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Get a HD 7950 boost and overclock it. *clock for clock the HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970*. Go for the sapphire HD 7950 boost with 925 mhz boost clocks. very good user reviews. easily overclocks to 1.1 - 1.15 Ghz at stock voltage .
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


People say this all the time without citing any sources whatsoever and it's really starting to grind my gears.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7950/27.html


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> People say this all the time without citing any sources whatsoever and it's really starting to grind my gears.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7950/27.html


its well known from reviews and ocn user benches.

http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> People say this all the time without citing any sources whatsoever and it's really starting to grind my gears.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7950/27.html


Yeah, I get your point. But when people say "3-6% slower" or whatever they're quoting they are accounting the clockspeed. Directly comparing cards at "Stock" is a good reference but people like to compare two cards at speeds that they'll both easily do. I.E 1100MHz, if they're both at 1100MHz the 7970 would probably only be a bit faster.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, I get your point. But when people say "3-6% slower" or whatever they're quoting they are accounting the clockspeed. Directly comparing cards at "Stock" is a good reference but people like to compare two cards at speeds that they'll both easily do. I.E 1100MHz, if they're both at 1100MHz the 7970 would probably only be a bit faster.


Ah, that would explain it.
Still wish people would cite their source more often though.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Ah, that would explain it.
> Still wish people would cite their source more often though.


Yeah, that and the 7970 is guaranteed to run at a higher stock clock and it generally clocks higher too. The 7950 is still the better buy for most people though,


----------



## Tman5293

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> its well known from reviews and ocn user benches.
> http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/34761-amd-hd-7950-vs-hd-7970-clocks/


I see no sense in this review at all. They're comparing an overclocked 7950 to a stock 7970. As soon as the 7970 is overclocked, the 7950 is put back in its place. This review is worthless.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tman5293*
> 
> I see no sense in this review at all. They're comparing an overclocked 7950 to a stock 7970. As soon as the 7970 is overclocked, the 7950 is put back in its place. This review is worthless.


its only meant as a clock for clock comparison. it has nothing to do with overclocking headroom. there are HD 7950 users hitting 1250+ Mhz and there are HD 7970 users struggling to cross 1100 Mhz. vice versa is also possible. thats the silicon lottery. everybody faces it. so if you want guaranteed top of the line out of the box performance get a HD 7970 Ghz. But if you are looking for bang for buck and are willing to try your luck with voltage overclocking the HD 7950 boost or HD 7950 OC is unbeatable.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tman5293*
> 
> I see no sense in this review at all. They're comparing an overclocked 7950 to a stock 7970. As soon as the 7970 is overclocked, the 7950 is put back in its place. This review is worthless.


I bet you are trolling.... 7950s can OC all the way up to 1200mhz and spare punchs with the 7970 at the same clocks!


----------



## specopsFI

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> I bet you are trolling.... 7950s can OC all the way up to 1200mhz and spare punchs with the 7970 at the same clocks!


Some can, some can't. On average, 7970 will clock higher.


----------



## gregl342

Hi all, I finally joined this forum yesterday. Here are a few snaps of my reference 7970:





I got that custom back plate from coldzero.eu. They have loads of backplates available and will take custom orders too. Good price; quick international shipping aswell (there based in portugal and it took 2 days to get to me in the uk)!

I have flashed the GHz edition bios to the card so core clock is 1050MHz and I have my VRAM at 1600MHz, havnt had a chance to really have a play around with overclocking this properly yet. I have owned it for 3 months now and its awesome!

Cheers all,


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gregl342*
> 
> Hi all, I finally joined this forum yesterday. Here are a few snaps of my reference 7970:
> 
> 
> I got that custom back plate from coldzero.eu. They have loads of backplates available and will take custom orders too. Good price; quick international shipping aswell (there based in portugal and it took 2 days to get to me in the uk)!
> I have flashed the GHz edition bios to the card so core clock is 1050MHz and I have my VRAM at 1600MHz, havnt had a chance to really have a play around with overclocking this properly yet. I have owned it for 3 months now and its awesome!
> Cheers all,


do u need to take the cooler off to put the backplate on? im asking because i have an accelero xtreme installed and dont wanna take it off again


----------



## Gr0ve

I noticed something curious a little while ago. I only know of 1 version of the Vortex II 7970 being sold and it's clocked at 1100 core/1425 memory. Mine is sitting at 925 core/1375 memory. What's going on?


----------



## gregl342

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> do u need to take the cooler off to put the backplate on? im asking because i have an accelero xtreme installed and dont wanna take it off again


No you don't, the 4 screws left behind the GPU stay in place. I would send them an email to check if the back plates will work with the accelero extreme as it states there for reference coolers only.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> I noticed something curious a little while ago. I only know of 1 version of the Vortex II 7970 being sold and it's clocked at 1100 core/1425 memory. Mine is sitting at 925 core/1375 memory. What's going on?


Perhaps 2 different bios, OC and stock?


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Perhaps 2 different bios, OC and stock?


That's what I was thinking but I don't have a clue how to change it and I found this:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fudzilla*
> 
> PCS+ HD 7970 Vortex II graphics card comes with dual BIOS and we've seen that both include the factory overclock.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> That's what I was thinking but I don't have a clue how to change it and I found this:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Fudzilla*
> 
> PCS+ HD 7970 Vortex II graphics card comes with dual BIOS and we've seen that both include the factory overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> its a little switch beside the xfire connector on the card.
Click to expand...


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> its a little switch beside the xfire connector on the card.


Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. That did it.
Hard to believe I never knew that before.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Well I'll be a monkey's uncle. That did it.
> Hard to believe I never knew that before.


Tbh dude, move the CCC limits to 1125/1575 and bench from there. Large chance you will max out the clocks on stock volts. The whole OC card thing is a mugs game.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Tbh dude, move the CCC limits to 1125/1575 and bench from there. Large chance you will max out the clocks on stock volts. The whole OC card thing is a mugs game.


Seems stable there so far. Gonna have to play with it some more when I get home. VRM temps are better than expected so far.
Pretty quiet cooler under 2,000 rpms too. I'm really liking this card.


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

I am looking at upgrading my 6970 to a 7970, just curious what everyone would suggest if I plan on watercooling. Also I'm wondering if people are seeing considerable increases in clocks (to justify the cost) on the MSI lightning under water vs ref designs. Thanks all!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Seems stable there so far. Gonna have to play with it some more when I get home. VRM temps are better than expected so far.
> Pretty quiet cooler under 2,000 rpms too. I'm really liking this card.


Nice one. Lovely looking card. And custom cooling on air is a must. My ref cards were real loud before I watercooled. If I was sticking with air id have got your card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> I am looking at upgrading my 6970 to a 7970, just curious what everyone would suggest if I plan on watercooling. Also I'm wondering if people are seeing considerable increases in clocks (to justify the cost) on the MSI lightning under water vs ref designs. Thanks all!


Get a reference card.
Not that I'm aware of. Get a lightning only if your going on air afaik.


----------



## geoxile

Hey, I need some help

http://imgur.com/RbmVK,rySXs

Artifacting or texture draw error? It only happens in the predator vision mode and only at seams. I noticed something like this on one of the Battlefield 3 campaign maps; for exactly one wall along the bottom seam there was a similar defect, just one wall. Like the predator vision it was only in the dark. I wrote it off a crappy quality control but I'm seeing it again


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Nice one. Lovely looking card. And custom cooling on air is a must. My ref cards were real loud before I watercooled. If I was sticking with air id have got your card.


Funny thing is, I advised people to avoid this card for 3 reasons:
1. No VRAM/VRM cooling.
2. Cooling them voids the warranty afaik.
3. "Cost effective" VRMs
I still stand behind my reasoning but it is a pretty nice card otherwise. And if they were all $300 then those would be pretty acceptable concessions I think.


----------



## geoxile

I have another problem... My 7950 won't hit OC speeds. It maxes at out at 850/1250 (stock) while I'm stress testing with furmark, OCCT, and Heaven 3.0. Sometimes it hits 925 in Heaven but it certainly doesn't hit my OC target of 1050/1300


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I have another problem... My 7950 won't hit OC speeds. It maxes at out at 850/1250 (stock) while I'm stress testing with furmark, OCCT, and Heaven 3.0. Sometimes it hits 925 in Heaven but it certainly doesn't hit my OC target of 1050/1300


Have you maxed out power control to +20%. that allows the max board power to be used. don't bother with furmark as its going to throttle due to TDP constraints. But heaven 3.0, 3D Mark 11 should work at the set clockspeed without any throttling. First test at 950 Mhz and then 1 Ghz. check if your GPU benchmark scores are as expected. If you get artifacts, crashes, freeze you might have to increase voltage.


----------



## geoxile

After uninstalling Sapphire TriXX my OC seems to be working fine. I just wish Unigine and BF3 had error checking. I was using MSI afterburner alongside TriXX because I needed AB for the built in OSD (Rivatuner). Now I'm just using MSI AB and it's working fine.

http://i.imgur.com/0hgN0.jpg

My Heaven 3.0 score
Tessellation and stuff like that was set to app controlled in CCC and Catalyst AI (aka Texture filtering) was set to quality with no optimization. I didn't notice any artifacting but I need to do some more testing.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, that and the 7970 is guaranteed to run at a higher stock clock and it generally clocks higher too. The 7950 is still the better buy for most people though,


This is exactly why I bought a 7950 boost because it can OC so well at a good price even though I haven't really found the upper limit on mine yet but it's currently at 1150/1550 and the temps are good. I just didn't see the point of spending anywhere from $40-100+ just to get a 7970, even though I'm sure those cards can OC just as well it's just not the right market for me.


----------



## geoxile

Ugh, it's acting up again. Is there anyway to disable the "Boost" function and just enforce a frequency?

Edit: Wait, does the Sapphire 7950 boost have a BIOS for OCing?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> After uninstalling Sapphire TriXX my OC seems to be working fine. I just wish Unigine and BF3 had error checking. I was using MSI afterburner alongside TriXX because I needed AB for the built in OSD (Rivatuner). Now I'm just using MSI AB and it's working fine.
> http://i.imgur.com/0hgN0.jpg
> My Heaven 3.0 score
> Tessellation and stuff like that was set to app controlled in CCC and Catalyst AI (aka Texture filtering) was set to quality with no optimization. I didn't notice any artifacting but I need to do some more testing.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Ugh, it's acting up again. Is there anyway to disable the "Boost" function and just enforce a frequency?
> Edit: Wait, does the Sapphire 7950 boost have a BIOS for OCing?


It is because you have multiple programs running alongside each other, I had this problem recently that my card was making a buzzing sound the second my windows would boot. I almost formatted when I decided to uninstall all overclocking programs and it went away, I did some testing and to my knowledge installing HIS' iTurbo + Afterburner and Trixx even though they weren't all running at once caused this to happen, I have no idea why but now I'm just sitting on Afterburner and it's happy the way it is. I did have to re-install that though,
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> This is exactly why I bought a 7950 boost because it can OC so well at a good price even though I haven't really found the upper limit on mine yet but it's currently at 1150/1550 and the temps are good. I just didn't see the point of spending anywhere from $40-100+ just to get a 7970, even though I'm sure those cards can OC just as well it's just not the right market for me.


Yeah, that's partially why I got my 7950. That and it was heaps cheap at the time (Still is for here)


----------



## geoxile

Well other than Afterburner I don't have any other overclocking programs running now since I uninstalled TriXX, unless CCC counts.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Well other than Afterburner I don't have any other overclocking programs running now since I uninstalled TriXX, unless CCC counts.


Nah, you can't really "Uninstall that". Have you ran something like Ccleaner? That can remove some otherwise useless rubbish,


----------



## jamaican voodoo

a quick question guys, i have 2 7970's in crossfire but i want to had a 7950 in the mix will it affect my performance negatively or it will work just as well as another 7970 thanks


----------



## King4x4

It can be done easily but I read in another thread that you can only do it if you install the 7950 as the middle card.

Personnaly I say don't do it cause Trifire is more of a headache to run and I got three cards to prove it.

Two cards = Plug And Play
Three Cards = More time optimizing then time playing.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> It can be done easily but I read in another thread that you can only do it if you install the 7950 as the middle card.
> 
> Personnaly I say don't do it cause Trifire is more of a headache to run and I got three cards to prove it.
> 
> Two cards = Plug And Play
> Three Cards = More time optimizing then time playing.


What kinds of problems are you having? I am running quadfire (4 x 7970's) and have built a quad fire machine every year since 2008 and have had great success with them.
I recently was running 3 x 7970 + GT 640 PhysX ( now that was unimpressive)

@ Voodoo, you can put the 7950 anywhere in the lineup you like. Try and amp up the 7950 setting to 7970 specs of your other cards as close you can. the Crossfire bridges are for load balancing.

give me a holler again if you run into problems Voodoo


----------



## King4x4

Its mainly related to Eyefinity.

Trifire and one screen = Works most of the time
Crossfire and eyefinity = Works most of the time
Trifire and eyefinity = May god have mercy on your soul!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Its mainly related to Eyefinity.
> Trifire and one screen = Works most of the time
> Crossfire and eyefinity = Works most of the time
> Trifire and eyefinity = May god have mercy on your soul!


I would have belived you a couple of weeks/months ago! But now since 4th December (with 12.11 beta 11 and 12.11 beta 2 CAP profiles) with Eyefinity and Quadfire, it runs like a charm in every single games I have played.

Eyefinity resolution = *7680 x 1440* (with bezel compensation: 8044x1440)

*Edit:* Last year I was running 3 x 6970s just fine with the same resolution.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> name="King4x4" url="/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-owners-thread/18810#post_18837632"]Its mainly related to Eyefinity.
> 
> Trifire and one screen = Works most of the time
> Crossfire and eyefinity = Works most of the time
> Trifire and eyefinity = May god have mercy on your soul!


LOL, I am running 3 x 1920 x 1080 +1 (5760 x 1080) Eyefinity with quadfire ( and trifire up until last week)
before that (last year) i was running 4 x 6970's @ 5760 x 1080.
if you want to describe what is happening and how , I will be happy to try and help







I have been running quadfire since the first driver set that recognized four GPU's ( CCC 8.3) and have run into just about every scenario possible, so let me know if I can help with your situation.

Here is a bit of my quad history
http://www.overclock.net/t/1318995/official-fx-8320-fx-8350-vishera-owners-club/4980#post_18755069

[

I use 4 x 1080p similar to Karlitos sometimes as well (7860 x 1080)


----------



## geoxile

I think my card is defective. I just did Heaven bench but after I came out of it and went to desktop both of my screens started flickering like crazy. I went into Heaven again and it stopped flickering, oddly enough, but when I exited out I started getting the flickers again. It only stopped when I went into CCC and unchecked "Enable Graphics Overdrive". I'm not sure why but the card is now clocked in at 300/150. I'm not even OCing right now either.


----------



## Tman5293

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I think my card is defective. I just did Heaven bench but after I came out of it and went to desktop both of my screens started flickering like crazy. I went into Heaven again and it stopped flickering, oddly enough, but when I exited out I started getting the flickers again. It only stopped when I went into CCC and unchecked "Enable Graphics Overdrive".


Then it sounds like your overclock was too high.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> LOL, I am running 3 x 1920 x 1080 +1 (5760 x 1080) Eyefinity with quadfire ( and trifire up until last week)
> before that (last year) i was running 4 x 6970's @ 5760 x 1080.
> if you want to describe what is happening and how , I will be happy to try and help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have been running quadfire since the first driver set that recognized four GPU's ( CCC 8.3) and have run into just about every scenario possible, so let me know if I can help with your situation.
> Here is a bit of my quad history
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1318995/official-fx-8320-fx-8350-vishera-owners-club/4980#post_18755069
> [
> I use 4 x 1080p similar to Karlitos sometimes as well (7860 x 1080)


It is just random crashes.

Even at stock numbers I get them in like 10 mins into the game.

Tried everything but couldn't even stop them.

Funny thing is that they started after 12.11 Beta11.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tman5293*
> 
> Then it sounds like your overclock was too high.


I wasn't OCing. It was doing it at what should have been normal boost speeds. And now it's stuck at 500/150 (previously 300/150) but not flickering at all


----------



## Tman5293

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I wasn't OCing. It was doing it at what should have been normal boost speeds. And now it's stuck at 500/150 (previously 300/150) but not flickering at all


Why did you have overdrive on if you weren't overclocking? That's what it's for.


----------



## geoxile

It was on by default and in fact is enabled when I hit the default button (after accepting the initial terms). I WAS overclocking yesterday night though. Reinstalling drivers seems to have fixed the issue for the moment. My card is back to idling at 500/1250


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> What kinds of problems are you having? I am running quadfire (4 x 7970's) and have built a quad fire machine every year since 2008 and have had great success with them.
> I recently was running 3 x 7970 + GT 640 PhysX ( now that was unimpressive)
> @ Voodoo, you can put the 7950 anywhere in the lineup you like. Try and amp up the 7950 setting to 7970 specs of your other cards as close you can. the Crossfire bridges are for load balancing.
> give me a holler again if you run into problems Voodoo


i sure will







thanks once again mate for the quick reply +rep


----------



## grymok

Hello there.

Just got me a Club 3d 7950 RoyalKing card







.
Love piece of hardware

I have been wondering about a few things now, and searched on the new alot to find some answers.
Those cards does Coild Whining, but any solution to minimize it?.
And is it fine to get the card to OC to 1200 CC, 1350 MC, 1.125 v. ?
If i try raise the MC it fails, even if i raise the ram volt to 1.630v


----------



## geoxile

Edit: I'm noticing flickering shadows in games and in Unigine. Any idea what it is? It looks like really bad ambient occlusion

Also, flickering is gone after reinstalling drivers but the card is still refusing to OC, same problem as last night.

Edit 2: You know what. I'm just going to return it. After 8 years Sapphire manages to piss me off once again. Maybe I'll try the MSI or Gigabyte 7950.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I wasn't OCing. It was doing it at what should have been normal boost speeds. And now it's stuck at 500/150 (previously 300/150) but not flickering at all


500 GPU = 3 Screens Desktop


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Edit: I'm noticing flickering shadows in games and in Unigine. Any idea what it is? It looks like really bad ambient occlusion
> 
> Also, flickering is gone after reinstalling drivers but the card is still refusing to OC, same problem as last night.
> 
> Edit 2: You know what. I'm just going to return it. After 8 years Sapphire manages to piss me off once again. Maybe I'll try the MSI or Gigabyte 7950.


What sort of flickering? Is it geometrical squares in a grid or color bursts? If it's like a grid pattern that's memory. Color bursts are core.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 500 GPU = 3 Screens Desktop


Hmm. Interesting. My searches have told me that 500/1250 (the normal idle for my card) is a driver bug.

I have 2 monitors though. *I don't suppose anyone can provide me with a non-boost BIOS that will work with the Sapphire Boost 7950? I tried on of Sonda5's bios for the Sapphire Vapor-X and needless to say it failed, so I reflashed the original BIOS.*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What sort of flickering? Is it geometrical squares in a grid or color bursts? If it's like a grid pattern that's memory. Color bursts are core.


Quote:


> I recently got a 7950 and I noticed some weird graphical errors.
> 
> http://imgur.com/RbmVK,rySXs
> http://i.imgur.com/KOh9Y.jpg
> 
> Any idea what it could be caused by? Looks like a texture and/or shader error. It also disappears if I alt tab and return to the game apparently.
> 
> Edit: More shading errors
> http://i.imgur.com/dhWbg.jpg


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 500 GPU = 3 Screens Desktop
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm. Interesting. My searches have told me that 500/1250 (the normal idle for my card) is a driver bug.
> 
> I have 2 monitors though. I don't suppose anyone can provide me with a non-boost BIOS that will work with the Sapphire Boost 7950? I tried on of Sonda5's bios for the Sapphire Vapor-X and needless to say it failed, so I reflashed the original BIOS.
Click to expand...

500mhz idle is multi monitor idle speed.


----------



## SkateZilla

The boost edition BIOS's Card were only a gimmick to counter nVidia's Boost cards, which were a gimmick to match AMD's performance.

If i had a choice, I'd buy another NON boost card, simply because they are less trouble.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> If i had a choice, I'd buy another NON boost card, simply because they are less trouble.


Amen to that.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Edit: I'm noticing flickering shadows in games and in Unigine. Any idea what it is? It looks like really bad ambient occlusion
> Also, flickering is gone after reinstalling drivers but the card is still refusing to OC, same problem as last night.
> Edit 2: You know what. I'm just going to return it. After 8 years Sapphire manages to piss me off once again. Maybe I'll try the MSI or Gigabyte 7950.


the Gigabyte HD 7950 has the better cooler than MSI. so go for it.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the Gigabyte HD 7950 has the better cooler than MSI. so go for it.


But it lacks VRM cooling apparently. And the MSI has a 7970 PCB


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> But it lacks VRM cooling apparently. And the MSI has a 7970 PCB


that does not affect its overclocking and stability. some of the highest overclockers on OCN are Gigabyte HD 7950s. eg: bruennis HD 7950 clocks at 1280 Mhz.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1330953/7950-cf-vs-680-single-card/10#post_18682076


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> But it lacks VRM cooling apparently. And the MSI has a 7970 PCB
> 
> 
> 
> that does not affect its overclocking and stability. some of the highest overclockers on OCN are Gigabyte HD 7950s. eg: bruennis HD 7950 clocks at 1280 Mhz.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1330953/7950-cf-vs-680-single-card/10#post_18682076
Click to expand...

Overclocking is all silicon lottery, PCB has nothing to do with it that is true. The PCB however does having something to do with quality of power regulation, delivery and longevity.


----------



## geoxile

Well, I'll wait until I get the refund back from Newegg to purchase a new 7950. In the mean time I'm back on my 580. No accurate colors for me


----------



## GunMetal

Can you guys give me a guide on how to use the ATIman Uninstaller, will it help my HD 7950?

TBH I'm not that comfortable to use uninstallers since I've had a bad experience with one in the past.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Hello there.
> Just got me a Club 3d 7950 RoyalKing card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Love piece of hardware
> I have been wondering about a few things now, and searched on the new alot to find some answers.
> Those cards does Coild Whining, but any solution to minimize it?.
> And is it fine to get the card to OC to 1200 CC, 1350 MC, 1.125 v. ?
> If i try raise the MC it fails, even if i raise the ram volt to 1.630v


No one knows?. Or people just won't answer?







.
I'm really struglig with this. :S


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> No one knows?. Or people just won't answer?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I'm really struglig with this. :S


This is kinda bad thread to get answer here :/ Try to use that search function, there must be some coil whine threads.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Hello there.
> Just got me a Club 3d 7950 RoyalKing card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Love piece of hardware
> I have been wondering about a few things now, and searched on the new alot to find some answers.
> Those cards does Coild Whining, but any solution to minimize it?.
> And is it fine to get the card to OC to 1200 CC, 1350 MC, 1.125 v. ?
> If i try raise the MC it fails, even if i raise the ram volt to 1.630v


No real solution, wear headphones, hopes it gets quieter over time.
YES. But use a custom fan profile. For best oc try to keep the card under 60c.
Might be just unlucky with the memory chip you got. Try small increases on the clock before you mess with memory voltage.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> No one knows?. Or people just won't answer?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I'm really struglig with this. :S


A large amount of cards have coil whine problems.
There's a possible fix here


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> No real solution, wear headphones, hopes it gets quieter over time.
> YES. But use a custom fan profile. For best oc try to keep the card under 60c.
> Might be just unlucky with the memory chip you got. Try small increases on the clock before you mess with memory voltage.


The coil whine, ain't that big of a problem, when most of time i hear music. But it's still annoying, in loading screens when it goes crazy.
My card gets to around 66c on max, with auto fan.
When i hit 1375 on memory with standard volts it gets unstable :s.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> The coil whine, ain't that big of a problem, when most of time i hear music. But it's still annoying, in loading screens when it goes crazy.
> My card gets to around 66c on max, with auto fan.
> When i hit 1375 on memory with standard volts it gets unstable :s.


Well I noticed on air above 60c I would get artifacts, under I would not, so clocked further with a more aggressive fan profile.

If you are stuck on 1375 bump to 1650 MV.

I know people run 1700 mv 24/7 but highest I am willing to go it 1650.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Well I noticed on air above 60c I would get artifacts, under I would not, so clocked further with a more aggressive fan profile.
> If you are stuck on 1375 bump to 1650 MV.
> I know people run 1700 mv 24/7 but highest I am willing to go it 1650.


Strange thing, in AB the volt is set to 1125 mv, but if i look in the hwinfo64 it says something else http://screencast.com/t/StNkU0tehc1H am i wrong, or?.


----------



## SacredChaos

All, I have to say after about 10 months with a 7970, this card has held up well. One of my best purchases even tho I did spend almost $600


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Can you guys give me a guide on how to use the ATIman Uninstaller, will it help my HD 7950?
> TBH I'm not that comfortable to use uninstallers since I've had a bad experience with one in the past.


Just make sure you have version 7.0.2 and simply run it in auto option... the rest is automatic...

I would also suggest to check if you have any ghost cards leftovers in your control panel>show hidden devices

ghost cards=gpu cards you used to have in the past, that ate not completely removed from the system!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Just thought of something.. The OP should make it a 7950/7970/7990 owners thread due to the 7990 being the same card as a 7970 technically. I'll flick him a message!


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Just make sure you have version 7.0.2 and simply run it in auto option... the rest is automatic...
> I would also suggest to check if you have any ghost cards leftovers in your control panel>show hidden devices
> ghost cards=gpu cards you used to have in the past, that ate not completely removed from the system!


So that's a ghost card. The ATIman shows me three graphics card; my onboard 4200, my previous 6800 series card, and now my current 7950. However it doesn't show my last 7770 card.
What can I do about these ghost cards?


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Just thought of something.. The OP should make it a 7950/7970/7990 owners thread due to the 7990 being the same card as a 7970 technically. I'll flick him a message!


This.


----------



## muhd86

Quad gigabyte 7970 oc edition .


----------



## TheBenson

Any people in here have xfire 7950 benchmarks on a 1440 or 1600 res with the 12.11 drivers?


----------



## LtMatt

I have some 7970 @1440p benchmarks i posted on another forum which i can share. Not quite what you were asking for, but close, kind of.













Details of settings used.

*Battlefield 3*



*FarCry 3*





*Hitman*







*Sleeping Dogs*


----------



## Flameboy294

impressive







nice work. Some noob questions on my part, does the memory really overclock that high? what 7970 do you have?


----------



## stubass

not all cards can clock memory so high, even the same models. infact with my 7950 i can clock my vRAM at 1725 but in benchmarks such as 3Dmarks there is little difference between 1500 and 1725 i have found.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> So that's a ghost card. The ATIman shows me three graphics card; my onboard 4200, my previous 6800 series card, and now my current 7950. However it doesn't show my last 7770 card.
> What can I do about these ghost cards?


Use ATI Man uninstaller. Careful to not remove your mobo drivers though.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> not all cards can clock memory so high, even the same models. infact with my 7950 i can clock my vRAM at 1725 but in benchmarks such as 3Dmarks there is little difference between 1500 and 1725 i have found.


True. Crysis 2 is the exception to the rule though.


----------



## Leethal

How do I get to remove the limit on my 7950? 1575 is the highest it goes too. I see people over 1600


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> How do I get to remove the limit on my 7950? 1575 is the highest it goes too. I see people over 1600


thoose crazy limits set by CCC







anyway look at the /xcl method for afterburner in tsm's guide








http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread


----------



## Evil Penguin

_*Okay, thanks to a suggestion by Matt-Matt I went ahead and added the 7990 to our club.
I've refrained from doing so since the card is pretty obscure and AMD doesn't have a reference design to it (released to us).
The 7990 is still marketed non-the-less and I'm allowing 7990 registrations now.*_


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> impressive
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nice work. Some noob questions on my part, does the memory really overclock that high? what 7970 do you have?


I think its all down to luck as usual.

The card i have is this one.

MSI 7970 OC



I know of several other people who have the same card and all of theirs were excellent clockers on the memory 1800+.

EDIT

I also corrected some of the images on the last page so they should display correctly now so you can see the settings i used for the benchmarks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> not all cards can clock memory so high, even the same models. infact with my 7950 i can clock my vRAM at 1725 but in benchmarks such as 3Dmarks there is little difference between 1500 and 1725 i have found.


Memory overclock is ok, but hitting 1300mhz core is where it's at. Tahiti is already blessed with sublime memory bandwidth.


----------



## SkateZilla

this week im upgrading from [email protected] to 8350 4Ghz stock, later on in Jan/Feb Im replacing my 7950 with a 7970, hopefully i can find one that doesnt give me a headache.

I'll prolly go for one with enough miniDP to put all screens outside of the DisplayClocks, that way they all run off DP timing and there's no sync issues.

Even with 12.11 beta 7, I get horrible tearing on the odd man out screen (in this case the right screen), because it's on miniDP,

Left and Mid are on DVI/HDMI and use the DisplayClocks of the VPU, since the center screen is the prioritized display, the VPU DisplayClocks get priority.

If i shift priority to the right screen, the left and middle get tearing.

Only in games and DirectX Overlay modes, desktop seems fine most of the time, Video on the right screen tears.

If i get a card with 3 or 4 mini DP, it will solve having the separating Timings, and HDMI out will just goto my TV when I want to watch movies or something.

So for the MSI Lightning is the Front Runner in that selection process,

But if Funds fall short, I'll have to get a cheaper card (prolly another Sapphire), in which case I might also have to buy new adapters, as Im using MiniDP now, and all the 7970 Sapphires use FullDP.

Where are those damn DisplayPORT 2.0 MST Hubs at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> this week im upgrading from [email protected] to 8350 4Ghz stock, later on in Jan/Feb...


I'm thinking about doing pretty much the same thing.
I'm not sure it's worth the investment (seems like a minor improvement under air).


----------



## SkateZilla

Well, Im building another rig, and figured I'd do an in-place upgrade of mine, and my hand me down parts will goto the new rig.

I was able to restore my 4Ghz Overclock on my 8120 after losing my notes with voltage and stuff. (dropped the OC in the summer and flashed my BIOS a few times, so I lost the profile).

Locking at 4Ghz also stopped the Chip from Randomly throttling itself during full load. (Turbo Core seems to go backwards, lol).

CineBench went from 5.04ish to 6.84. (might have been higher, i dont remember the number, but i know it was a HUGE improvement. In benches and games.)

With it Stock settings and stuff, I'd constantly get like 4.88-5.08 in Cinebench, and i would notice the speed dipping ALOT.

I personally just want the 4Ghz Stock and 15% IPC Gains..

New Parts (CPU, Mobo and Case for the new rig) get here tomorrow.

So I Have to Take mine down, remove 8120 CPU, put in new Mobo, put stock 8350 cooler on it, put into new case, add the Temp PSU and GPU,

Take half my ram and put it in the new mobo for the time being, boot USB stick to Linux and Torture Test the Mainboard,

I know the CPU can handle 4Ghz fine, and the Ram has gone up to 1800 no problem, So..

Once Xmas shopping is done and bills caught up I'll start buying the rest of the parts. (Watercooling, X-Fi Sound, Ram, HDD etc)

I just got the Case, Mobo and My 8350 because they were on Sale

I'm gonna upgrade to a 7970 and put the 7950 in the new rig, new rig will only run 1 screen so that's sufficient.

Meanwhile the FX8350 will go straight into my system.


----------



## KingT

This is absolute max OC on air for my rig..










CHEERS..


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> This is absolute max OC on air for my rig..
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


Couldn't quite get to 12k? Very nice score though for a 2500k and 7950 though, I was happy to break 10k with a 2600k and 7950 at 1150/1550 but seeing this makes me almost want to find the ceiling.


----------



## Stefy

Does anyone have Vapor-X cards in CF, if so, what are the temps like?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Does anyone have Vapor-X cards in CF, if so, what are the temps like?


Top card will get warmer from my experience.

Restricted Airflow and it's Sucking the heat off the back of the lower Card's PCB.

if AMD wants to earn some extra Swizzle.

They should make Inverted cards,

So you can Have AMD 7970, and AMD 7970 Inverted.

Bottom card is normal, Top Card has Display outputs on the normal side, but the GPU, VRMs, Circuitry and most importantly heatsink/Fans setup, is on the opposite side of the PCB.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> Couldn't quite get to 12k? Very nice score though for a 2500k and 7950 though, I was happy to break 10k with a 2600k and 7950 at 1150/1550 but seeing this makes me almost want to find the ceiling.


I was happy to get 10K on the 3d score alone, the rest of my score was brought down by my chip's power saver features.. haha


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Top card will get warmer from my experience.
> Restricted Airflow and it's Sucking the heat off the back of the lower Card's PCB.
> if AMD wants to earn some extra Swizzle.
> They should make Inverted cards,
> So you can Have AMD 7970, and AMD 7970 Inverted.
> Bottom card is normal, Top Card has Display outputs on the normal side, but the GPU, VRMs, Circuitry and most importantly heatsink/Fans setup, is on the opposite side of the PCB.


Thanks! Got two fans blowing directly at the GPUs. So should be fine?


----------



## Leethal

Im sure it will be fine


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> if AMD wants to earn some extra Swizzle.
> 
> They should make Inverted cards,
> 
> So you can Have AMD 7970, and AMD 7970 Inverted.
> 
> Bottom card is normal, Top Card has Display outputs on the normal side, but the GPU, VRMs, Circuitry and most importantly heatsink/Fans setup, is on the opposite side of the PCB.


Watercool them cuz inverted or not you are still screwed if you use more than two cards.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Does anyone have Vapor-X cards in CF, if so, what are the temps like?


yup, All 4 of my 7970's are Hydrocell and they are holding up well. pushing a 5760 x 1080 res. OC'ed they are topping out around 78c in an 22c ambient.


----------



## grymok

Why is it, whatever volt i set it to in the Sapphire Trixx, the volt will automatically boost to 1.25v?.
This makes ALOT of unnecessary heat and noise.
Seems like a Club 3d 7950 royalking, don't really have that much vram cooling, hitting of 72 celcius in bf3?.


----------



## Avant Garde

Can someone help me ?
All of a sudden my gpu started acting abnormal... In idle mode GPU running at 500MHz and Memory at 150MHz 41C temperature and no matter what game I TRY to play it becomes veeery laggy...When it was all normal it was 300MHz/150MHz in idle mode and temperature around 31-32C...

Graphics card : Radeon 7950 MSI TwinFrozr V2/OC 3GB
Driver : 12.11 Beta11
One 22'' monitor using


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Avant Garde*
> 
> Can someone help me ?
> All of a sudden my gpu started acting abnormal... In idle mode GPU running at 500MHz and Memory at 150MHz 41C temperature and no matter what game I TRY to play it becomes veeery laggy...When it was all normal it was 300MHz/150MHz in idle mode and temperature around 31-32C...
> Graphics card : Radeon 7950 MSI TwinFrozr V2/OC 3GB
> Driver : 12.11 Beta11
> One 22'' monitor using


I get this sometimes.

Are you on windows 8?


----------



## Avant Garde

No. Windows 7 64bit Service Pack 1


----------



## SkateZilla

what was the last thing you changed? apparently it's not coming out of 2d Clock mode.


----------



## 9hemi1

Hi, I bought XFX 7950 Double Dissipation, GPU clock is 900MHz and memory 1250MHz. Problem is that core voltage gets up to 1250mV when playing, and card gets hot, and noisy. I thought that DD edition card is 800/1250MHz. And i also think that this core voltage should not be that high, do i have a boost clock bios or something? When playing FC3, card gets aroung 80C and fans are spinning fast. I tried lowering core voltage with Afterburner, unlocking voltage control, but it still gets 1,25V. It seems like this card is voltage locked?

Should i get original 800/1250 bios, does it have lower core voltage? 1,25V seems to be too much for this cooler.


----------



## Avant Garde

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> what was the last thing you changed? apparently it's not coming out of 2d Clock mode.


Well I think it was the problem in UnofficialOverclockingMode value (been set from 0 to 1) in .xml file located in MSI Afterburner folder. After reverting to 0 and reboot all came to normal 300MHz/150MHz in idle. Very strange...


----------



## eviltommyng

is this mean my score is suck? i get horrible fps in Guild Wars 2 with Tri-fire 7970....







I ran this benchmarks in Extreme mode


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> So that's a ghost card. The ATIman shows me three graphics card; my onboard 4200, my previous 6800 series card, and now my current 7950. However it doesn't show my last 7770 card.
> What can I do about these ghost cards?


Ok... I just had a look at your mobos manual.
ftp://europe.asrock.com/manual/M3A785GM-LE.pdf

For me, the most logical way for you to follow would be the following:

a. Enter Bios Setup and check that the onboard 4200 gpu is disabled:
Chipset Settings >Onboard GPU Clock Override
(This allows you to enable or disable the Onboard GPU Clock Override feature.)

b. Boot into windows and run ATIman uninstaller 7.0.2 that is specially tuned to support also AMD platforms. Make sure that when asked, you will limit your choices to catalyst driver removal ONLY!
Let Atiman uninstaller do the job (restarts etc) and when finished check for any phantom/ghost cards as shown in the next step...

c. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.
At a command prompt, type the following command , and then press ENTER:
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
Type the following command a command prompt, and then press ENTER:
start devmgmt.msc
Click Show hidden devices on the View menu in Device Manager before you can see devices that are not connected to the computer.
Click on tab Vga Adapters and remove/uninstall any *dim* entry!
When you finish, close Device Manager.
Type exit at the command prompt.
Restart

d.Now you can either install the new drivers directly OR even better, run once more atiman uninstaller, in order to verify that all your old cards are fully removed from the system, BEFORE you install the new drivers and CAPs!

Make sure that you have te very latest 7.0.2 version of te uninstaller found here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?0jdko53gk5npzo0

Good Luck


----------



## Johnny Utah

Having issues with my crossfire 7970 setup.

Here's what I've got working:
1.) Install 12.11 beta 11 - reboot
2.) Install latest CAP - reboot
3.) Disable crossfire in CCC
4.) Fire-up AB. Make sure card sync is off and manually set each card to 1125/1575/+20% 1.2v
5.) Re-enable Crossfire in CCC

Works great

Now here's where I run into problems:
1.) Open the AB cfg and enable unofficial overclocking
2.) Disable crossfire
3.) Set each card to 1200/1600/+20% 1.3v - I know my old card is stable at those settings and my new card is stable too (tested it via 3dmark loop with CF disabled.)
4.) Re-enable crossfire

The problem is I get regular, annoying flickering on my screen just sitting at the desktop. Tried forcing vsync in the CCC and that didn't help. Also I made sure overdrive is disabled in CCC.

Anyone have some advice?


----------



## tsm106

Read my sig thread on installing AB and the flickering.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johnny Utah*
> 
> Having issues with my crossfire 7970 setup.
> 
> Here's what I've got working:
> 1.) Install 12.11 beta 11 - reboot
> 2.) Install latest CAP - reboot
> 3.) Disable crossfire in CCC
> 4.) Fire-up AB. Make sure card sync is off and manually set each card to 1125/1575/+20% 1.2v
> 5.) Re-enable Crossfire in CCC
> 
> Works great
> 
> Now here's where I run into problems:
> 1.) Open the AB cfg and enable unofficial overclocking
> 2.) Disable crossfire
> 3.) Set each card to 1200/1600/+20% 1.3v - I know my old card is stable at those settings and my new card is stable too (tested it via 3dmark loop with CF disabled.)
> 4.) Re-enable crossfire
> 
> The problem is I get regular, annoying flickering on my screen just sitting at the desktop. Tried forcing vsync in the CCC and that didn't help. Also I made sure overdrive is disabled in CCC.
> 
> Anyone have some advice?


often times you will not get the same OC in CF as you do testing/OC'ing each individual cards. you may have to knock em down 20MHz. (if I am understanding your post correctly)


----------



## sherlock

Just started OCing my Gigabyte 7950, 12.11 beta(6).

stock 900/1250


Current OC: 1150/1250 @ 1.2V(GPU-Z VDDC shows 1.188V)



Temps
GPU 66C (default fan, max 51%, ambient 21C)
VRM1 70C
VRM2 72C

So How am I doing so far? What is the redflag Temperature for GPU and VRM?


----------



## tsm106

^^Can you give it more clocks?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> often times you will not get the same OC in CF as you do testing/OC'ing each individual cards. you may have to knock em down 20MHz. (if I am understanding your post correctly)


That's unrelated to the flickering.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Just started OCing my Gigabyte 7950, 12.11 beta(6).
> 
> stock 900/1250
> 
> 
> Current OC: 1150/1250 @ 1.2V(GPU-Z VDDC shows 1.188V)
> 
> 
> 
> Temps
> GPU 66C (default fan, max 51%, ambient 21C)
> VRM1 70C
> VRM2 72C
> 
> So How am I doing so far? What is the redflag Temperature for GPU and VRM?


The Upper thermal limit for the GPU is 99c for the 7970. Not that I would let any of mine run that hot on a consistent basis. and your FPS is in the normal range.


----------



## Johnny Utah

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my sig thread on installing AB and the flickering.


I am forever grateful for your wisdom. Working perfectly at 1200/1600 now.


----------



## ebduncan

Well i finally gave up on the 12.11 Beta 11 drivers. Something is wrong with them. I get random reboots in farcry 3. Switched back to 12.11 beta 10 drivers issue resolved.

Hope they fix the final release of these drivers.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Well i finally gave up on the 12.11 Beta 11 drivers. Something is wrong with them. I get random reboots in farcry 3. Switched back to 12.11 beta 10 drivers issue resolved.
> Hope they fix the final release of these drivers.


Maybe your overclock is unstable. Dont' be so quick to blame drivers


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Just started OCing my Gigabyte 7950, 12.11 beta(6).
> stock 900/1250
> 
> Current OC: 1150/1250 @ 1.2V(GPU-Z VDDC shows 1.188V)
> 
> Temps
> GPU 66C (default fan, max 51%, ambient 21C)
> VRM1 70C
> VRM2 72C
> So How am I doing so far? What is the redflag Temperature for GPU and VRM?


Almost identical to mine.

I have my 7950 at 1100/1400 at stock voltages, Power Limit +20% Fans at Auto Max temps of 72c


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Maybe your overclock is unstable. Dont' be so quick to blame drivers


considering everything is fine on the 12.11 beta 10 drivers. vs the beta 11 drivers. My overclock is not the reason. In fact the same thing happened at stock settings. Its a driver issue.


----------



## TheBenson

Any bench results of the 7950 Boosts OC'd in crossfire? Or 7970 HD OC'd in crossfire?


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Can you give it more clocks?


I think you were talking about my 1150/1250 7950, too bad it was on the previous page.

I stopped at 1150 only because it was time to hit the hay. I will try 1175-1200-1225+(fingers crossed) today, once I find my max core I will set core back to stock then find the max mem then put them together to see what's my max stable combo.


----------



## y2kcamaross

I finally got around to taking about my 2 reference 7970s last night and replacing the tim with coollabratory liquid pro, both cards lowered an average of around 6 degrees when gaming, but at full load at my max overclock they each went down between 9 and 11 degrees, pretty impressive, mainly for the fact that my fans arent as loud or as annoying anymore


----------



## SkateZilla

wasnt beta 11 drivers optimized for Mobile 79xx?


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Ok... I just had a look at your mobos manual.
> ftp://europe.asrock.com/manual/M3A785GM-LE.pdf
> For me, the most logical way for you to follow would be the following:
> a. Enter Bios Setup and check that the onboard 4200 gpu is disabled:
> Chipset Settings >Onboard GPU Clock Override
> (This allows you to enable or disable the Onboard GPU Clock Override feature.)
> b. Boot into windows and run ATIman uninstaller 7.0.2 that is specially tuned to support also AMD platforms. Make sure that when asked, you will limit your choices to catalyst driver removal ONLY!
> Let Atiman uninstaller do the job (restarts etc) and when finished check for any phantom/ghost cards as shown in the next step...
> c. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Command Prompt.
> At a command prompt, type the following command , and then press ENTER:
> set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
> Type the following command a command prompt, and then press ENTER:
> start devmgmt.msc
> Click Show hidden devices on the View menu in Device Manager before you can see devices that are not connected to the computer.
> Click on tab Vga Adapters and remove/uninstall any *dim* entry!
> When you finish, close Device Manager.
> Type exit at the command prompt.
> Restart
> d.Now you can either install the new drivers directly OR even better, run once more atiman uninstaller, in order to verify that all your old cards are fully removed from the system, BEFORE you install the new drivers and CAPs!
> Make sure that you have te very latest 7.0.2 version of te uninstaller found here:
> http://www.mediafire.com/?0jdko53gk5npzo0
> Good Luck



I'm not really sure if I've done it properly in the ATIman part but I guess I'm good to go.

Thanks ElGreco


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Can you give it more clocks?
> 
> 
> 
> I think you were talking about my 1150/1250 7950, too bad it was on the previous page.
> 
> I stopped at 1150 only because it was time to hit the hay. I will try 1175-1200-1225+(fingers crossed) today, once I find my max core I will set core back to stock then find the max mem then put them together to see what's my max stable combo.
Click to expand...

Point a room fan at the gpu so you can give yourself some range before hitting the 70c window on core temp.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Question: I want to play the latest games (BF3, FC3, Crysis 3, etc) on a single monitor @ 1920 X 1080 and I want to know if a single 7950 will do it on max settings or do I need to go with a 7970?


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> Question: I want to play the latest games (BF3, FC3, Crysis 3, etc) on a single monitor @ 1920 X 1080 and I want to know if a single 7950 will do it on max settings or do I need to go with a 7970?


Having used a 7950 before BF3 will be just fine around 60fps, Crysis 3 will be fine unless you use the HD textures and then your fps will tank, I found mine was around 30-45 with everything maxed out at that resolution.

Not sure about FC3 but my 7870 gets about 30-40 fps with max settings if I play at your resolution.


----------



## SkateZilla

i run BF3 in 6048x1080 High settings at 60 Fr/sec Vsync'd at 1Ghz GPU/6Ghz memory on a 7950 OC (900Mhz Stock, No Turbo).


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Point a room fan at the gpu so you can give yourself some range before hitting the 70c window on core temp.


Actually I was doing that on default fan profile(30%-51%), I think setting a Y=X custom fan profile with my Gigabyte Windforce 3X cooler would get that temp down considerably(from 66C).


----------



## youpekkad

Hey, I just got a Msi twin frozr HD7950 and it´s been working very well but I have a one question about GPU-z and its readings: My temps have always been below 62c and everytime I´ve monitored VRM-temps, gpu-z says temp1 and temp2 are around 57-63c, now earlier today it showed that max vrm1 temp was 199c (??) and vrm2 temp 178c even tho card never went above 61c. Is this a bug or something? I´m running the card at stock @1031mv btw, and this was the only time it shows such temps.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Hey, I just got a Msi twin frozr HD7950 and it´s been working very well but I have a one question about GPU-z and its readings: My temps have always been below 62c and everytime I´ve monitored VRM-temps, gpu-z says temp1 and temp2 are around 57-63c, now earlier today it showed that max vrm1 temp was 199c (??) and vrm2 temp 178c even tho card never went above 61c. Is this a bug or something? I´m running the card at stock @1031mv btw, and this was the only time it shows such temps.


That's a bug for sure, I've seen it pop up from time to time on mine, even though it's never actually that hot. I've seen those go up to 200+c even when I'm just browsing the internet.


----------



## SkateZilla

it's a sensor bug, i get it in HWinfo64 too... my VRM Volts go up to like 133333v


----------



## youpekkad

Pheww, I´m reliefed, thx guys







Even though I was suspecting it might be a bug, I got a bit nervous if I´m honest


----------



## eviltommyng

wow seem like noone care to answer my question? Can i get some help plz? Someone release my stress from earlier post plz?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> 
> I'm not really sure if I've done it properly in the ATIman part but I guess I'm good to go.
> Thanks ElGreco


It seems ok to me... Just make sure after you install the latest 12.11 beta drivers to reboot and then install the CAPs and then reboot again...

Nice job


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eviltommyng*
> 
> wow seem like noone care to answer my question? Can i get some help plz? Someone release my stress from earlier post plz?


Quote it, i went back two pages and couldnt find it so i stopped lol


----------



## Leethal

Quick question guys, my 7950 idles at 38c and in most games sits around 55-65c

In Far cry 3 it usually sits around 70-72c

My question is, is 70-75c considered a safe temperature range? It's never gone past that.

Also my fan setting is set to auto. Should I set a custom fan curve? Is it okay to run the fans at 80-100% consistently while gaming?..


----------



## solsamurai

For those of you who own an MSI Twin Frozer variant how loud are the fans when the system is idling? I don't mind the noise while gaming but when I'm writing music (only CPU/RAM intensive) I'd like it to shut up, lol.


----------



## Nocturin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *solsamurai*
> 
> For those of you who own an MSI Twin Frozer variant how loud are the fans when the system is idling? I don't mind the noise while gaming but when I'm writing music (only CPU/RAM intensive) I'd like it to shut up, lol.


I don't even hear it while gaming. Around 55-60% fan speed it starts to get audible, but barely, and the thing almost never goes about 40% fan speed unless I tell it to do so otherwise.


----------



## solsamurai

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nocturin*
> 
> I don't even hear it while gaming. Around 55-60% fan speed it starts to get audible, but barely, and the thing almost never goes about 40% fan speed unless I tell it to do so otherwise.


Right on, thanks!


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Quick question guys, my 7950 idles at 38c and in most games sits around 55-65c
> In Far cry 3 it usually sits around 70-72c
> My question is, is 70-75c considered a safe temperature range? It's never gone past that.
> Also my fan setting is set to auto. Should I set a custom fan curve? Is it okay to run the fans at 80-100% consistently while gaming?..


Those temperatures are perfectly fine. Personally I don't let mine go above ~80C but their maximum temperature is somewhere over 90C IIRC.
I'm pretty sure it's fine to run your fans at those speeds so long as you don't mind going deaf


----------



## bhardy1185

Wanted to get some opinions on my temps. Hope I have enough monitors up and running to get the right information. Mainly want to see what you think about the gpu temps. This was after 30 minutes of playing Hitman:Absolution on Ultra. Average around 55 FPS. Very please with performance. I think that I could get slightly better temps if I took the GeForce 9800 GTX+ out just haven't had time to. It really isn't doing anything other than taking up space and producing heat/consuming power. This will be my setup until after Christmas. Will be switching to Ivy Bridge and putting on an Acceloro cooler on the 7970 so I am hoping for better temps then. Can you also give some suggestions on TIMS and such that I need to put on once I replace the stock cooler? Thanks for the help and here is the screen shot after I got done playing.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bhardy1185*
> 
> Wanted to get some opinions on my temps. Hope I have enough monitors up and running to get the right information. Mainly want to see what you think about the gpu temps. This was after 30 minutes of playing Hitman:Absolution on Ultra. Average around 55 FPS. Very please with performance. I think that I could get slightly better temps if I took the GeForce 9800 GTX+ out just haven't had time to. It really isn't doing anything other than taking up space and producing heat/consuming power. This will be my setup until after Christmas. Will be switching to Ivy Bridge and putting on an Acceloro cooler on the 7970 so I am hoping for better temps then. Can you also give some suggestions on TIMS and such that I need to put on once I replace the stock cooler? Thanks for the help and here is the screen shot after I got done playing.


go for the coollaboratory liquid pro. very positive feedback from users.

http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-pro/

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/18890#post_18860327


----------



## Red1776

would you register me as quad 7970's , I am currently a tri fire and don't want screw things up by re-registering
1210/1600-1210/1600-1210/1600-1210/1600

Thanks,


----------



## tsm106

Wow dude. +1 for you and running stock cooling with quads. It's borderline masochistic so I give ya props.


----------



## Tman5293

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> would you register me as quad 7970's , I am currently a tri fire and don't want screw things up by re-registering
> 1210/1600-1210/1600-1210/1600-1210/1600
> Thanks,


I don't know if you have enough graphics processing power man...........


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Wow dude. +1 for you and running stock cooling with quads. It's borderline masochistic so I give ya props.


ROFL, they are getting blocked. I might skip 8000 for the first time. GPU's dont stay around long enough and resale on blocks is horrid.
Thanks


----------



## Winterchill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Seems stable there so far. Gonna have to play with it some more when I get home. VRM temps are better than expected so far.
> Pretty quiet cooler under 2,000 rpms too. I'm really liking this card.


Hey I finally found someone with the same card as mine. How far have you been able to push that gorgeous card? The best stable OC i got was 1285 core, 1500 Mem @ 1.225v. Although I haven't played with the memory yet. This card is a beast I must say - my highest temps are 67c @ 48% fan speed


----------



## eviltommyng

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eviltommyng*
> 
> is this mean my score is suck? i get horrible fps in Guild Wars 2 with Tri-fire 7970....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ran this benchmarks in Extreme mode


Help please


----------



## Leethal

Something is definetly wrong. I get 10k with a single 7950 and I3570k. Sorry I'm not very knowledgeable but have you installed the latest drivers? Maybe do a full uninstall and then reinstall the beta drivers and cap. Also run maybe msi afterburner or some gpu monitoring program and see if your getting full gpu usage. I've heard of the gpus sometimes only doing 2d mode or something like that.

I'm sure some one else will chime in with better answers.


----------



## Leethal

Quick question, if I were to ever tri fire or quad fire. How do I power the other 2-3 gpus? I have no more PCI-e connectors.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Quick question, if I were to ever tri fire or quad fire. How do I power the other 2-3 gpus? I have no more PCI-e connectors.


a bigger PSU.you can use molex - 6+2 PCIE adapter , but you dont want to hook up another 7950 to a 600w PSU. Its sort of a rule, If you have to use a molex adapter...you probably shouldn't


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Quick question, if I were to ever tri fire or quad fire. How do I power the other 2-3 gpus? I have no more PCI-e connectors.


you would need a new PSU like maybe a 1KW or more such as a 1.2KW unit to be sure to have enough power for tri fire/ quad fire, plus a decent KW unit will have enough PCIe connectors i would think. a new mobo that supports tri or quad fire that would probably be EATX to allow for better spacing and more slots.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Quick question, if I were to ever tri fire or quad fire. How do I power the other 2-3 gpus? I have no more PCI-e connectors.
> 
> 
> 
> you would need a new PSU like maybe a 1KW or more such as a 1.2KW unit to be sure to have enough power for tri fire/ quad fire, plus a decent KW unit will have enough PCIe connectors i would think. a new mobo that supports tri or quad fire that would probably be EATX to allow for better spacing and more slots.
Click to expand...

Got this



while doing this.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/1000_40#post_18437280


----------



## SkateZilla

Seems my Desktop tearing in Eyefinity came back with Cat 12.11 Beta 7.. shame..


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Quick question, if I were to ever tri fire or quad fire. How do I power the other 2-3 gpus? I have no more PCI-e connectors.
> 
> 
> 
> you would need a new PSU like maybe a 1KW or more such as a 1.2KW unit to be sure to have enough power for tri fire/ quad fire, plus a decent KW unit will have enough PCIe connectors i would think. a new mobo that supports tri or quad fire that would probably be EATX to allow for better spacing and more slots.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Got this
> 
> 
> 
> while doing this.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/1000_40#post_18437280
Click to expand...

wow, stand corrected, so that might need something like a 1.5KW unit like in your sig they went quad fire?


----------



## tsm106

If I were to do it again I'd get the Lepa 1.6kw unit like Karlitos is using.


----------



## havocau

Hey all,

I just got a VTX3D 7950 the other day and any change to the memory speed (1250) seems to cause issues for me









I can get the core to 1100, but even trying to do 1300 on memory with 1650 volts in afterburner crashes heaven benchmark









From what I've read people are able to get crazy good OC on their memory without changing volts

Am I just unlucky??









Plz help


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *havocau*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just got a VTX3D 7950 the other day and any change to the memory speed (1250) seems to cause issues for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can get the core to 1100, but even trying to do 1300 on memory with 1650 volts in afterburner crashes heaven benchmark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From what I've read people are able to get crazy good OC on their memory without changing volts
> Am I just unlucky??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plz help


you don't have to bother with memory overclocking if its failing. the HD 7950 has more than sufficient bandwidth because of a 384 bit memory bus. HD 7950 benefits almost in a directly proportional manner from core overclocking. 1100 Mhz core speeds are decent. you are matching hd 7970 ghz performance at those clocks.


----------



## havocau

but but ....









Still kind of strange that I can't even get to 1300... I've found natural selection 2 to be a good tester for seeing if OC is stable... >__<

Is it possible my CPU overclock is interfering with my gpu memory overclock?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *havocau*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just got a VTX3D 7950 the other day and any change to the memory speed (1250) seems to cause issues for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can get the core to 1100, but even trying to do 1300 on memory with 1650 volts in afterburner crashes heaven benchmark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From what I've read people are able to get crazy good OC on their memory without changing volts
> Am I just unlucky??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plz help


1300 on memory doesn't require extra voltage. Extra voltage is only going to heat up the ram and cause it to be unstable if it doesn't have a decent heat sink on it. What kind of heat sink is on the memory? Do you know what memory IC brand is on on your card?

My card has fast HYNIX memory IC.



If you have Hynix IC memory your card should be able to go faster but you need to have good heat sink on it to keep it cool.


----------



## havocau

Not sure what the mem is but temps haven't gone over 65 for the memory I think at load


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *havocau*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just got a VTX3D 7950 the other day and any change to the memory speed (1250) seems to cause issues for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can get the core to 1100, but even trying to do 1300 on memory with 1650 volts in afterburner crashes heaven benchmark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From what I've read people are able to get crazy good OC on their memory without changing volts
> Am I just unlucky??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plz help


My card is also poor in my OC attempts. With core-1145/ memory-1340 settings it hangs in-game. It's HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 boost.
Perhaps mobo is a factor? Because I have a crappy one.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Winterchill*
> 
> Hey I finally found someone with the same card as mine. How far have you been able to push that gorgeous card? The best stable OC i got was 1285 core, 1500 Mem @ 1.225v. Although I haven't played with the memory yet. This card is a beast I must say - my highest temps are 67c @ 48% fan speed


So far I'm just sticking to stock volts. I'll probably fiddle around more with it soon but as of right now I'm sitting at 1150/1550. Pretty confident I can go higher but I wanted to beat Hitman without driver crashes and whatnot so I backed the clocks down.

My temps are definitely higher presumably thanks to the low ASIC quality. The core maxes out around the lower to mid 70s although I haven't got a clue what my fan speeds and ambient were at the time. As long as it's below 80C and I can't hear it, then I'm happy and this cooler does a pretty good job with that. The headphones help too though.

What's your ASIC quality?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> My card is also poor in my OC attempts. With core-1145/ memory-1340 settings it hangs in-game. It's HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 boost.
> Perhaps mobo is a factor? Because I have a crappy one.


Thus is the way of overclocking. Nothing is guaranteed.


----------



## youpekkad

So it looks like my HD7950 twin frozr is one of these newer models with 7970 PCB, it has 6+8 pin power connectors as well.

Tried little bit of overclocking and I got it heaven (maxed settings, also my final score increased every time I raised the clock speed), 3dmark 11 and crysis-bench stable at 1050mhz [email protected] (by stable I mean no artifacts,lags, stutters or weird behaviours).
At 1075mhz it didnt artifact or anything but min-fps in heaven was 0,01 lower, so I upped the volts a little. Finally I managed to run through all of these benches at 1,1ghz core @ 1,05v, so seems like my card isnt the worst of the bunch. Still cant be sure its stable in all the games, but I played little bit of Crysis and BF3 and it did run fine.

BTW I´m not sure about the memory overclocking, how much you get benefits from doing that? At 1100mhz core/1250mhz memory I got 10012 graphics-score in 3dmark11 P, any idea how much higher I could get this by OCing the memory?

And the final question, what are the good 24/7 temperatures? So far I´ve never seen above 62c, is 70c for instance bad?


----------



## Deo Domuique

youpekkad, if you can play BF3 at 1050Mhz only with default, 1.031V, then you've a truly good card with high ( 80%< ) ASIC quality.

What's your VRAM voltage? 1.5 or 1.6?


----------



## youpekkad

Yep Asic-quality is 88,9%, and like I said, I havent tested enough to say its stable, but my previous card, gtx560ti would crash after 2-3minutes in BF3 and show artifacts in heaven even if it was stable in other games/tests.

Where I can see the VRAM voltage?


----------



## King4x4

Quick heads up.

Had multiple problems with my trifire setup.

It was rock solid in 3dmark11 and unigine and running for hours on 7680x1440

BF3 and Far Cry 3 was a crash fest and was never stable.

If I run fraps or Radeonpro they will crash within a minute of running.

That was at 1050mhz on the cores and 1250mhz on the ram.

Downclocked the GPUs to 800 and 900mhz (Tested it on the 800 first) and both games were rock solid.

Meh... seems I got a lemon in one of the cards even though all three were running fine on 1250mhz before putting them under water.

Think it's time to sell them and go green for the stability ;/


----------



## bhardy1185

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> go for the coollaboratory liquid pro. very positive feedback from users.
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-pro/
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/18890#post_18860327


Would you suggest using this on the gpu chip only or would you put these on the ram chips instead of the material that is given? I watched a youtube video last night about installing the accelero on the 7970 and I didn't realize they give you 2 things to mix together. I would think that it would be best to use that stuff on the ram chips and wipe off the tim on the heat sink and put that stuff on it. Thoughts???


----------



## Uchiha1911

Hey there guys! I'm new on this forum.

I ordered my Club3D 7950 RoyalKing card a couple of days ago, and received it yesterday. I've been playing with it, and it seems stable at 1130/1575. Thing is, it runs quite hot when it's clocked like that plus it's coil whine is crazy. The ASIC quality of the card is 54.1% according to GPU-Z. Is this a problem? Also, it's a boost card, so it's running at 1.25V (VDDC) at the moment. Isn't that extremely high?

I'm torn, I don't know what to do! Should I keep this card, or go for the MSI Twin Frozr 7950 with 7970 PCB(6 + 6+2 pin)? It's cheaper than what I paid for the Club3D. Anyone have an idea?


----------



## Layo

62.1% ASIC quality on my 7950, absent Vram temperature meter, had it running at 1100/1400 for while, no problems. What should I think about this?


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Yep Asic-quality is 88,9%, and like I said, I havent tested enough to say its stable, but my previous card, gtx560ti would crash after 2-3minutes in BF3 and show artifacts in heaven even if it was stable in other games/tests.
> Where I can see the VRAM voltage?


You already mentioned the ASIC? I didn't see it, I just assumed since your OC/Voltage analogy seemed very good.

Open GPU-Z and you can see the VRAM's voltage. If you have 1.5, you got a very very good card. Gigabyte is screening the cards and usually the ASIC quality is extremely poor. Mine is 62%, but at least the VRAM's voltage is 1.5.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> 62.1% ASIC quality on my 7950, absent Vram temperature meter, had it running at 1100/1400 for while, no problems. What should I think about this?


But your default voltage is not 1.031, right? It probably is 1.093 which is quite higher.

1100Mhz on core, did you play BF3? I mean, is it 100% stable?


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Having used a 7950 before BF3 will be just fine around 60fps, Crysis 3 will be fine unless you use the HD textures and then your fps will tank, I found mine was around 30-45 with everything maxed out at that resolution.
> Not sure about FC3 but my 7870 gets about 30-40 fps with max settings if I play at your resolution.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i run BF3 in 6048x1080 High settings at 60 Fr/sec Vsync'd at 1Ghz GPU/6Ghz memory on a 7950 OC (900Mhz Stock, No Turbo).


Thanks


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Uchiha1911*
> 
> Hey there guys! I'm new on this forum.
> I ordered my Club3D 7950 RoyalKing card a couple of days ago, and received it yesterday. I've been playing with it, and it seems stable at 1130/1575. Thing is, it runs quite hot when it's clocked like that plus it's coil whine is crazy. The ASIC quality of the card is 54.1% according to GPU-Z. Is this a problem? Also, it's a boost card, so it's running at 1.25V (VDDC) at the moment. Isn't that extremely high?
> I'm torn, I don't know what to do! Should I keep this card, or go for the MSI Twin Frozr 7950 with 7970 PCB(6 + 6+2 pin)? It's cheaper than what I paid for the Club3D. Anyone have an idea?


It's never guaranteed that you get a good card. People that RMA because of bad overclocks are just abusing the system imo.

1,1GHz is a good OC. if 1.25V is stock, then it doesn't matter. Even if it isn't, it's OK.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> So it looks like my HD7950 twin frozr is one of these newer models with 7970 PCB, it has 6+8 pin power connectors as well. Tried little bit of overclocking and I got it heaven (maxed settings, also my final score increased every time I raised the clock speed), 3dmark 11 and crysis-bench stable at 1050mhz [email protected] (by stable I mean no artifacts,lags, stutters or weird behaviours).
> 
> At 1075mhz it didnt artifact or anything but min-fps in heaven was 0,01 lower, so I upped the volts a little. Finally I managed to run through all of these benches at 1,1ghz core @ 1,05v, so seems like my card isnt the worst of the bunch. Still cant be sure its stable in all the games, but I played little bit of Crysis and BF3 and it did run fine.
> 
> BTW I´m not sure about the memory overclocking, how much you get benefits from doing that? At 1100mhz core/1250mhz memory I got 10012 graphics-score in 3dmark11 P, any idea how much higher I could get this by OCing the memory? And the final question, what are the good 24/7 temperatures? So far I´ve never seen above 62c, is 70c for instance bad?


youpekkad 1100 Mhz at 1.05v is excellent. but you need to test games like BF3, Farcry 3 to confirm if the overclock is stable. memory overclocking is not as important as core overclocking for gaining performance. your chip looks to be a good overclocker. i would suggest 1.1v and 1150 - 1200 Mhz as a goal. after you reach max stable core overclocks you can try pushing memory to 1400 Mhz.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> But your default voltage is not 1.031, right? It probably is 1.093 which is quite higher.
> 1100Mhz on core, did you play BF3? I mean, is it 100% stable?


Not sure what you exactly mean by stable. I get normal fps on high, card stays in high 60s and except the normal amd problems it runs ok.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> Thanks


Yeah, The Upgrade from a 8120 to a 8350 made the game run smoother (less dips right after loading etc, and it maintains 60 Fr/PS 100% of the time now)

With Cat 12.11B7 My Eyefinity Tearing Issue Came back, and I'm not sure I want to revert all the way back to Cat 12.6


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> Not sure what you exactly mean by stable. I get normal fps on high, card stays in high 60s and except the normal amd problems it runs ok.


If you don't know what stable means, I don't think you should be overclocking.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Yeah, The Upgrade from a 8120 to a 8350 made the game run smoother


Now you lost me...8120 to 8350? I'm not sure what you're referring to, please elaborate if you would.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> Now you lost me...8120 to 8350? I'm not sure what you're referring to, please elaborate if you would.


Those are newer AMD processors.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> Now you lost me...8120 to 8350? I'm not sure what you're referring to, please elaborate if you would.


Bulldozer and Piledriver. I prefer the Swanton Bomb myself but the Piledriver ain't bad.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Those are newer AMD processors.


Duh! I thought he was talking about something GPU related


----------



## SkateZilla

yeah My FX 8120, which left at stock settings, liked to Downclock itself to 2.8Ghz when playing games or running burn in / benchmarks (TDP Limiter or something),

The FX 8350 Runs Flat out 4Ghz when in use, and only drops to 1.4Ghz when in Low Power Mode. I havent seen it kick up to 4.2GHz though.

Overall the switch from 8120 to 8350 was a bigger jump than I expected already and it's only been one day.

In CineBench (note these scores were not in a "benchmark mode" i simply started windows waited a sec for CPU to finish loading apps, and ran Cine bench.)

6.74 FX8350 @4.0 Ghz w/ Power Options off (APM OFF, Turbo OFF)
6.64 FX8350 @4.0 Ghz w/ Power Options Off (APM and Turbo On)

6.35 FX8350 @4.0 Ghz w/ Power Options On, Stayed at 4Ghz Rating most of the time, Occasional Dips to 399x~ Mhz

6.34 FX8120 @4.0 Ghz w/ Power Options Off (Turbo and APM OFF), Stayed 4009~MHz the entire time.

5.04 FX8120 @3.1 Ghz w/ Power Options Off (Still Dipped to 2.8 Ghz on Occasion on some cores).
4.98 FX8120 @3.1 Ghz w/ Power Options On (Periodic Dips to 2.8Ghz on Multiple cores, barely any "Turbo" Speed bumps.)

** Power Options OFF = No Suspend, C1E, C6, CoolNQuiet Etc.

In Tests I noticed even with Power Savers Off, The APM and Turbo Core would Still down clock the Chips.

Had a bit of a Scare, as the thing would hit max temp under water cooling during a benchmark or booting windows,

But I figured out that I had forgot to clean and replace the old thermal interface material,
Im up and running now, nice and cool (well a lil warmer than the FX8120, but that's expected).

Idling @ 4^C, Browsing Net @ 10-14^C, Load Windows @ 25^C, Cinebench @ 34^C, BF3 and Gaming @ 23-26^C

Difference in Power at Idle is 88w vs 103w, It's also a bit warmer today so the CPU will idle a bit higher, no to mention it's faster. By 900Mhz x 8
I bet if I dropped the MP to get the 3.1Ghz of the 8120 I'd get similar power consumption and temps that I had before.

I'm Using some older Zalman TIM that I had lying around (silly me didnt order any), When I order more parts for my brother I'll get some AS5 compound.

Anyway, Like I said, the 8350 @ 4Ghz is able to drive the 7950 overclocked A LOT better,

Even though I was at 60fr/sec 96% of the time with the 8120, the Throttling back the chip was doing and the lower IPC and stuff were causing the game to have occasional dips and stutters,

I noticed an Immediate difference in my first game last night, panning rapidly, and getting into situations that would normally start to dip a bit didn't dip one bit.

5 Rounds last night on 48 and 64 man servers, and it was pegged at 60 fr/ps the entire time of every match.

My 8120 ran nice for a single screen rig @ 3.5/4.0 GHz, so Im building a 2nd 990FX system for my brother to replace his 770DE Phenom II system.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Dosen't the lack of PCIe 3.0 bottle neck the 79xx ? Is it a noticeable difference between 2.x and 3.0?


----------



## SkateZilla

no Single card comes close to the limit of PCIe 2.0x 16.


----------



## VonDutch

hey peeps









my Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD arrived today,
can i use msi afterburner to oc it ?


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> no Single card comes close to the limit of PCIe 2.0x 16.


really? well then, if thats the case, I can stick to AMD and save some $







the only reason I was going intel for my next build was that AMD has not, and apparently has no intention of, releasing a chipset with PCIe 3.0. Something to definitely consider


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *havocau*
> 
> Hey all,
> I just got a VTX3D 7950 the other day and any change to the memory speed (1250) seems to cause issues for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can get the core to 1100, but even trying to do 1300 on memory with 1650 volts in afterburner crashes heaven benchmark
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From what I've read people are able to get crazy good OC on their memory without changing volts
> Am I just unlucky??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plz help


I have the exact same problem as you. Mine is 1400 mhz on the memory and 1600 mv, and it crashes.
My asic is 62,1%, and a club 3d 7950 royalking, 930 mhz boost defaullt.
Can the clock to around 1240 mhz on 1.25v.

Not sure if i shall throw some watercooling on this card or?.


----------



## VonDutch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> hey peeps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> my Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD arrived today,
> can i use msi afterburner to oc it ?


i used Catalyst Control Center at first, but had other drivers installed too,
windows started messing up the install of the new drivers,
12.11beta11 and 12.11CAP, but got it to work, when i ran cinebench, i didnt get much higher as my old 6850 oc,




decided to reinstall windows , then the new drivers etc,
used afterburner this time, im upto 107fps now in cinebench,
is that good, or am i still doing something wrong,
also, looks like afterburner doesnt remember my settings,
im using profile, then click apply.. but on next reboot settings are default again..

i just used combuster to test my first oc

what can i use "power limit" in afterburner for? if i run into trouble with oc's?
what i want is 1200mhz and 1600 on memory, if possible of course ..lol


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> no Single card comes close to the limit of PCIe 2.0x 16.


FC3 Test, PCI-E 3.0 x8 vs x16


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Settings:



7970 x16 Slot:


Tests:




7970 x8 Slot:


Tests:


----------



## SkateZilla

PCIe 3.0 x8 is not the same as PCIeX16, same bandwidth yes. But the lanes are cut in half, power , etc.

What's better for heavy traffic, 16 lanes @ 60 MPH or 8 lanes at 120mph.

A. Not all cars can go 120 MPH,
B. At twice the speed, mistakes are more serious
C. Half the active lanes means they are overloaded (twice the normal traffic running twice the speed), they are a bottle neck, 16 lanes, traffic is spread more evenly
D. when a mistake happens there are more lanes to route traffic.

So, in g33k terms.
A. Not all data is processed at twice the speed.
B. double the data rate means more possible errors.
C. more data is pushed through the lanes at twice the speed,
D. when an error occurs there are less lanes to use to recover or bypass the error.

I'd like to see the bandwidth usage readouts to confirm. It Could be simply that the Card performs better with 16 Lanes, than it does with 8 lanes.


----------



## youpekkad

@ raghu, yes of course, I´m still not sure if its 100% stable before I test in FC3 and BF3, but from what I can remember when testing my GTX560ti, passing heaven on max settings with no artifacts etc is a good start. I have no problem with adding more volts if it needs to, and btw I reached the limit in AB (1100mhz), I need to find a way to unlock that slider before I can clock it higher









And seems like my VRAM voltage is 1,6v, not sure what to think of this though...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> PCIe 3.0 x8 is not the same as PCIeX16, same bandwidth yes. But the lanes are cut in half, power , etc.
> 
> What's better for heavy traffic, 16 lanes @ 60 MPH or 8 lanes at 120mph.
> 
> A. Not all cars can go 120 MPH,
> B. At twice the speed, mistakes are more serious
> C. Half the active lanes means they are overloaded (twice the normal traffic running twice the speed), they are a bottle neck, 16 lanes, traffic is spread more evenly
> D. when a mistake happens there are more lanes to route traffic.
> 
> So, in g33k terms.
> A. Not all data is processed at twice the speed.
> B. double the data rate means more possible errors.
> C. more data is pushed through the lanes at twice the speed,
> D. when an error occurs there are less lanes to use to recover or bypass the error.
> 
> I'd like to see the bandwidth usage readouts to confirm. It Could be simply that the Card performs better with 16 Lanes, than it does with 8 lanes.


Nah, stick to your initial point. There's no difference between pcie 3 x8 vs x16. Anyone proposing otherwise is clueless.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1151946/official-asus-rog-rampage-iv-x79-owners-club/1430#post_17426434


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> PCIe 3.0 x8 is not the same as PCIeX16, same bandwidth yes. But the lanes are cut in half, power , etc.
> What's better for heavy traffic, 16 lanes @ 60 MPH or 8 lanes at 120mph.
> A. Not all cars can go 120 MPH,
> B. At twice the speed, mistakes are more serious
> C. Half the active lanes means they are overloaded (twice the normal traffic running twice the speed), they are a bottle neck, 16 lanes, traffic is spread more evenly
> D. when a mistake happens there are more lanes to route traffic.
> So, in g33k terms.
> A. Not all data is processed at twice the speed.
> B. double the data rate means more possible errors.
> C. more data is pushed through the lanes at twice the speed,
> D. when an error occurs there are less lanes to use to recover or bypass the error.
> I'd like to see the bandwidth usage readouts to confirm. It Could be simply that the Card performs better with 16 Lanes, than it does with 8 lanes.


If this were true why would anyone want to SLI or Crossfire if the performance were to drop?


----------



## SkateZilla

my last SLI was on Two 16x slots.


----------



## theDTP

I recently purchased a XFX 7950 DD.

Now I ordered the one with the single DVI port as the one with 2xDVI ports has locked voltage but you guessed it, I received the one with 2 ports.

It would be greatly appreciated if someone could give me a link to a bios with unlocked voltages


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> @ raghu, yes of course, I´m still not sure if its 100% stable before I test in FC3 and BF3, but from what I can remember when testing my GTX560ti, passing heaven on max settings with no artifacts etc is a good start. I have no problem with adding more volts if it needs to, and btw I reached the limit in AB (1100mhz), I need to find a way to unlock that slider before I can clock it higher
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And seems like my VRAM voltage is 1,6v, not sure what to think of this though...


1.6v is the normal stock VRAM voltage. do not change memory voltage. once you find out your stable GPU core overclocks then push memory in 50 mhz steps and test for stability. if any problems occur step back to the last stable memory clocks.

here is the method to overclock beyond 1100 Mhz in msi ab

http://www.overclock.net/t/641299/guide-to-enabling-unofficial-overclocking-in-msi-afterburner


----------



## havocau

apparently my VTX3D 7950 is 93.2% ASIC

Got core at 1100mhz with default clock which seems to be 1.188v (gpu-z shows 0.975v or something???)

Can't seem to touch memory speeds tho without problems


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *havocau*
> 
> apparently my VTX3D 7950 is 93.2% ASIC
> 
> Got core at 1100mhz with default clock which seems to be 1.188v (gpu-z shows 0.975v or something???)
> 
> Can't seem to touch memory speeds tho without problems


That's like my old 6870 reference. I could hit 1050 MHz on the core on stock voltage of 1.08 V but I couldn't even get an extra 100 MHz out of the memory without video corruption or driver crashes.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *havocau*
> 
> apparently my VTX3D 7950 is 93.2% ASIC
> Got core at 1100mhz with default clock which seems to be 1.188v (gpu-z shows 0.975v or something???)
> Can't seem to touch memory speeds tho without problems


Maybe your card has Elpida memory chips which are ver OC limited compared to Hynx or Samsung memory..

My card (Hynx ICs) does 1850MHz on the memory, stable in every game and benchmark on stock 1.6V..

Also check for XFX site for BIOS upgrade, maybe your memory OC improves ..

CHEERS..


----------



## havocau

What is weird is whenever I changed voltage for core or memory, GPU-Z and HWinfo don't change the values... gpu-z still shows weird value of 0.975 or around that and hwinfo shows 1.188
:/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> @ raghu, yes of course, I´m still not sure if its 100% stable before I test in FC3 and BF3, but from what I can remember when testing my GTX560ti, passing heaven on max settings with no artifacts etc is a good start. I have no problem with adding more volts if it needs to, and btw I reached the limit in AB (1100mhz), I need to find a way to unlock that slider before I can clock it higher
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And seems like my VRAM voltage is 1,6v, not sure what to think of this though...
> 
> 
> 
> 1.6v is the normal stock VRAM voltage. do not change memory voltage. once you find out your stable GPU core overclocks then push memory in 50 mhz steps and test for stability. if any problems occur step back to the last stable memory clocks.
> 
> here is the method to overclock beyond 1100 Mhz in msi ab
> 
> *http://www.overclock.net/t/641299/guide-to-enabling-unofficial-overclocking-in-msi-afterburner*
Click to expand...

That's a really old guide, out of date and will be more problematic as ppl update to 12.11 drivers and up.


----------



## VonDutch

how did you guys unlock afterburner voltage?

i used, Getting Started with Radeon HD 7970 Overclocking on this forum,
http://www.overclock.net/a/getting-started-with-radeon-hd-7970-overclocking,
but it doesnt work, can anyone help me with this ?








got bsod 0x116 when i oced to 1150mhz, 1500 memory..
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> i used Catalyst Control Center at first, but had other drivers installed too,
> windows started messing up the install of the new drivers,
> 12.11beta11 and 12.11CAP, but got it to work, when i ran cinebench, i didnt get much higher as my old 6850 oc,
> 
> 
> decided to reinstall windows , then the new drivers etc,
> used afterburner this time, im upto 107fps now in cinebench,
> is that good, or am i still doing something wrong,
> also, looks like afterburner doesnt remember my settings,
> im using profile, then click apply.. but on next reboot settings are default again..
> i just used combuster to test my first oc
> 
> what can i use "power limit" in afterburner for? if i run into trouble with oc's?
> what i want is 1200mhz and 1600 on memory, if possible of course ..lol


already posted this a few pages ago, but you guys are soooo fast ..lol
some of the things i already solved, but to unlock the voltage in AB is a hard one


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> how did you guys unlock afterburner voltage?
> 
> i used, Getting Started with Radeon HD 7970 Overclocking on this forum,
> http://www.overclock.net/a/getting-started-with-radeon-hd-7970-overclocking,
> but it doesnt work, can anyone help me with this ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> got bsod 0x116 when i oced to 1150mhz, 1500 memory..
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> i used Catalyst Control Center at first, but had other drivers installed too,
> windows started messing up the install of the new drivers,
> 12.11beta11 and 12.11CAP, but got it to work, when i ran cinebench, i didnt get much higher as my old 6850 oc,
> 
> 
> decided to reinstall windows , then the new drivers etc,
> used afterburner this time, im upto 107fps now in cinebench,
> is that good, or am i still doing something wrong,
> also, looks like afterburner doesnt remember my settings,
> im using profile, then click apply.. but on next reboot settings are default again..
> i just used combuster to test my first oc
> 
> what can i use "power limit" in afterburner for? if i run into trouble with oc's?
> what i want is 1200mhz and 1600 on memory, if possible of course ..lol
> 
> 
> 
> already posted this a few pages ago, but you guys are soooo fast ..lol
> some of the things i already solved, but to unlock the voltage in AB is a hard one
Click to expand...

try clicking on settings in AB, on the first TAB "Geraral" check "unlock Voltage Control"


----------



## theDTP

Which 7970 do you have ?


----------



## TheBenson

Got my 7970's in today and booted them up ran an at stock 3d mark 11 P test scored 14k, then threw the core to 1100 and memory to 1500 ran it again got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5291818

These scores seem low for a x-fire setup @ 1100 core and 4.5ghz 3770k? I thought crossfire rigs scored more like 16k

This is using the latest 12.11 drivers


----------



## TheBenson

Also just fired up Far Cry 3 and it is no using my 2nd card despite having x-fire enabled




This is my first time using AMD so I'm not sure if I am doing something wrong at the moment

*EDIT1*

Also just booted up Sleeping Dogs and it ran smoothly no problems at 2560x1440 with everything absolutely maxed at extreme or it's equivilent using both GPU's

Then opened up Witcher 2 and that game crashes to a black screen almost instantly. Tried removing the overclock and it actually just crashed even faster. Any sort of standard registry edits I should be making? Should I move to and older 12.11 driver?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Anyone got any useful links to removing *reference* 7970 heatsinks + plastic shrouds?

Also, I'm assuming it's required to remove the backplate right?


----------



## Blaze0303

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Got my 7970's in today and booted them up ran an at stock 3d mark 11 P test scored 14k, then threw the core to 1100 and memory to 1500 ran it again got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5291818
> These scores seem low for a x-fire setup @ 1100 core and 4.5ghz 3770k? I thought crossfire rigs scored more like 16k
> This is using the latest 12.11 drivers


Your graphics score seems normal for X-Fire 7970's


----------



## TheBenson

I'm not really sure what changed but all of a sudden my Far Cry 3 and Witcher 2 are now running great and tearing away at 60FPS on 2560x1440. Weird I restarted about 10 times trying different things and just went back to what I had things at when I started but now it all works great. Don't know what that is about but happy to be where I am at.


----------



## y2kcamaross

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Got my 7970's in today and booted them up ran an at stock 3d mark 11 P test scored 14k, then threw the core to 1100 and memory to 1500 ran it again got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5291818
> These scores seem low for a x-fire setup @ 1100 core and 4.5ghz 3770k? I thought crossfire rigs scored more like 16k
> This is using the latest 12.11 drivers


That's a low score, your physics score seems low, what speed is your ram?


----------



## stickg1

I get an older reference 7970 tomorrow. What are some average overclocks I should hope for? What is max voltage for daily use?


----------



## TheBenson

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> That's a low score, your physics score seems low, what speed is your ram?


1600mhz 16gb

_____

Also as a side note, how can I set up my displays so I have my main monitor in front of me an extended display monitor to the right and then another extended display to the right of that for my TV. I can't seem to get my Screen Resolution menu to allow me to set that up.


----------



## y2kcamaross

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I get an older reference 7970 tomorrow. What are some average overclocks I should hope for? What is max voltage for daily use?


1150/1600 should be doable, 1.25v is fine for daily use


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> 1150/1600 should be doable, 1.25v is fine for daily use


the reference cooler might restrict the ability to hit higher voltages. the higher the voltage the lower the temps need to be for complete stability.


----------



## y2kcamaross

I'm speaking from personal experience with multiple 7970s, might have to set a somewhat aggressive fan curve but will most likely be fine


----------



## Nocturin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nocturin*
> 
> I wanted the 960T. PII's are still kicking!
> Sig at 3.8 with gpu 1000/1260:
> OpenGL Tiger for giggles:]
> 
> Tiger:


http://www.overclock.net/t/1340025/guru3d-guru3d-releases-catzilla-benchmark/100_50#post_18872991


----------



## VonDutch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> try clicking on settings in AB, on the first TAB "Geraral" check "unlock Voltage Control"


i did that,i also downloaded 2 dll's, like they said elsewhere, atipdl64, atipdlxx dll's
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359671
copy/past them in the AB folder etc..


checked all of these, changed the kernel mode to user also, when it didnt work, unchecked it again,
reboot, no go still..
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theDTP*
> 
> Which 7970 do you have ?


its in my sig also, but its a Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD

my AB looks a bit different then the one i used above,


just did 3DMARK 11 (Performance) test, P10695
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5294244
is that a good score?

and i changed these 2 lines,
[ATIADLHAL]
UnofficialOverclockingMode=1
UnofficialOverclockingEULA=I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it

The cfg files are located at:
/MSI Afterburner/Profiles/MSIAfterburner.cfg
/MSI Afterburner/MSIAfterburner.cfg

at first only this one tho,
UnofficialOverclockingMode=1

then my screen got all messed up, black lines (desktop) all over the place, stuttering etc


----------



## Anomander Rake

guys getting a bit of an odd one here.... i can overclock my cards if i dont oc my cpu, if I oc my cpu any oc on the cards that requires raising voltage past normal + the 20 powertune gives you results in an instant freez when first test on 3d11 starts, i have to power down the pc each time..... im using a 1500w PSU so that shouldnt be an issue, im using 2x 7970 Lightnings on a Rampage IV Extreme board. I dont get a bsod code when login in to windows afterwords


----------



## weatherlight

Okay so I have a Sapphire 7950 3gb OC. Temps have been hovering around 68-70 degrees Celsius. What bothers me the most is not just the temp but the activity. It's frigging stuck at 85-87%. It does not matter if I'm playing Far Cry 3 or doing jack, its always at 85%-87%.

I have several questions:

Why in the world is activity stuck at 86%? It's like my card won't go idle.

What's the safe operating temp range for my card? I read somewhere that the real dangerous temps is around 90 above. While I'm not worried that its going to immediately crash or anything I am worried that it will affect my card's lifespan. What temperature levels will have a negligible effect on my card's lifespan?

Is there any tool I can use to detect if there's any issues with my card?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> 1150/1600 should be doable, 1.25v is fine for daily use


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the reference cooler might restrict the ability to hit higher voltages. the higher the voltage the lower the temps need to be for complete stability.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> I'm speaking from personal experience with multiple 7970s, might have to set a somewhat aggressive fan curve but will most likely be fine


I might mount a Kuhler 620 to it if the temps get too high, maybe get some aftermarket VRM heatsinks too. We'll see, I've never owned a reference card I usually get a better cooling solution from one of the board partners but I got such a good deal on it I figured I would give it a go. If its too loud or hot I could probably sell it to get my money back or maybe even some profit. Then I will go for a Sapphire dual fan version.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> PCIe 3.0 x8 is not the same as PCIeX16, same bandwidth yes. But the lanes are cut in half, power , etc.
> What's better for heavy traffic, 16 lanes @ 60 MPH or 8 lanes at 120mph.
> A. Not all cars can go 120 MPH,
> B. At twice the speed, mistakes are more serious
> C. Half the active lanes means they are overloaded (twice the normal traffic running twice the speed), they are a bottle neck, 16 lanes, traffic is spread more evenly
> D. when a mistake happens there are more lanes to route traffic.
> So, in g33k terms.
> A. Not all data is processed at twice the speed.
> B. double the data rate means more possible errors.
> C. more data is pushed through the lanes at twice the speed,
> D. when an error occurs there are less lanes to use to recover or bypass the error.
> I'd like to see the bandwidth usage readouts to confirm. It Could be simply that the Card performs better with 16 Lanes, than it does with 8 lanes.


I set the 16 lane slot to x8 mode and it gives the same results. Very strange is FC3! Very strange indeed!


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> PCIe 3.0 x8 is not the same as PCIeX16, same bandwidth yes. But the lanes are cut in half, power , etc.
> What's better for heavy traffic, 16 lanes @ 60 MPH or 8 lanes at 120mph.
> A. Not all cars can go 120 MPH,
> B. At twice the speed, mistakes are more serious
> C. Half the active lanes means they are overloaded (twice the normal traffic running twice the speed), they are a bottle neck, 16 lanes, traffic is spread more evenly
> D. when a mistake happens there are more lanes to route traffic.
> So, in g33k terms.
> A. Not all data is processed at twice the speed.
> B. double the data rate means more possible errors.
> C. more data is pushed through the lanes at twice the speed,
> D. when an error occurs there are less lanes to use to recover or bypass the error.
> I'd like to see the bandwidth usage readouts to confirm. It Could be simply that the Card performs better with 16 Lanes, than it does with 8 lanes.
> 
> 
> 
> I set the 16 lane slot to x8 mode and it gives the same results. Very strange is FC3! Very strange indeed!
Click to expand...

Run the GPU-Z render test and see what lane setting it is actually using:


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> try clicking on settings in AB, on the first TAB "Geraral" check "unlock Voltage Control"
> 
> 
> 
> i did that,i also downloaded 2 dll's, like they said elsewhere, atipdl64, atipdlxx dll's
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=359671
> copy/past them in the AB folder etc..
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> checked all of these, changed the kernel mode to user also, when it didnt work, unchecked it again,
> reboot, no go still..
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *theDTP*
> 
> Which 7970 do you have ?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> its in my sig also, but its a Gigabyte GV-R797OC-3GD
> 
> my AB looks a bit different then the one i used above,
> 
> 
> just did 3DMARK 11 (Performance) test, P10695
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5294244
> is that a good score?
> 
> and i changed these 2 lines,
> [ATIADLHAL]
> UnofficialOverclockingMode=1
> UnofficialOverclockingEULA=I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
> 
> The cfg files are located at:
> /MSI Afterburner/Profiles/MSIAfterburner.cfg
> /MSI Afterburner/MSIAfterburner.cfg
> 
> at first only this one tho,
> UnofficialOverclockingMode=1
> 
> 
> 
> then my screen got all messed up, black lines (desktop) all over the place, stuttering etc
Click to expand...

You shouldn't use AB in kernel mode. Kernel mode gives AB direct access to memory, giving it direct access to can lead to crashing.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Run the GPU-Z render test and see what lane setting it is actually using:


I did.
3.0 x16 and 3.0 x8 during their respective tests.
I was able to force slot 1 to x8 by adding the 2nd gpu to slot 2.


----------



## stickg1

I got my reference 7970 installed. I can get core clocks up to 1150, anything after that I get artifacts. I'm running 1150/1600 @ 1.25v right now. Still testing higher memory clocks.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I got my reference 7970 installed. I can get core clocks up to 1150, anything after that I get artifacts. I'm running 1150/1600 @ 1.25v right now. Still testing higher memory clocks.


what are your core and VRM temps. also at what fan speed are you running .you can push voltage higher provided core temps are below 70c and VRM temps below 90c. see if you can get core to 1200 Mhz.you gain maximum from core overclocking. stick with 1600 Mhz on memory. performance gains from memory overclocking are minimal.


----------



## VonDutch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You shouldn't use AB in kernel mode. Kernel mode gives AB direct access to memory, giving it direct access to can lead to crashing.


adjusted it, thank you








i was following that "guide", it said i could try,
but still no go on the unlock voltage tho ..


----------



## Flameboy294

Brace yourselves - super noob question, I keep seeing 'reference card' what is 'Reference? Is the Sapphire 7970 Vapor X a Reference card? I'm confused.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Brace yourselves - super noob question, I keep seeing 'reference card' what is 'Reference? Is the Sapphire 7970 Vapor X a Reference card? I'm confused.


Reference is the original design from AMD. Sapphire Vapour is non reference as the speed/cooler and pcb are different from the initial design.


----------



## stickg1

Can I put cool labs liquid pro on my 7970 die?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Brace yourselves - super noob question, I keep seeing 'reference card' what is 'Reference? Is the Sapphire 7970 Vapor X a Reference card? I'm confused.


no. the Sapphire HD 7970 Ghz vapor-x is a custom PCB design . a reference HD 7970 is a design by AMD. Cards at launch are always reference designs and then slowly you have custom designs from partners. the reference HD 7970 can be seen in the link below

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5261/amd-radeon-hd-7970-review


----------



## Nonehxc

Hey, new 7950 owner here. I have one of those rare or european Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X with Boost with 8+8 pins









How I enable the 2nd bios? When the pc is shutdown and off, right? How is overclocking going with the Sapphires Vapor-X?

Thank you for your help!!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Anyone experienced this with their 7970 GHZ Bios in MSI afterburner?


----------



## remz1337

I'm in with my flashed 7950








http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/bqrxr/


----------



## stickg1

Meh I can't get anything over 1125MHz core to run without artifacts, even with voltage maxed at 1.3v. My VRM and memory temps are under 65 and my core is around 75. I'm going to take it apart and apply some liquid pro.


----------



## Razor 116

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Anyone experienced this with their 7970 GHZ Bios in MSI afterburner?


Delete the .oem file in afterburners install directory and restart you pc open up afterburner and your card should be recognized and also voltages should be adjustable.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Can I put cool labs liquid pro on my 7970 die?


Yup, but that question was already answered







Some other guy did it on 3 GPUs and got 10C drops. *Edit:* Just saw your 12-15C drops lol, nice,.

To the thread ... have any of you experienced core clock fluctuations when under load?

Up to 1150, it doesn't fluctuate, but when I set the coreclock at 1200 for example, I get 0 artifacts, although it's throttling down ...


----------



## stickg1

Yeah my cool labs liquid pro application was successful. Shaved about 14C off my load temps after a few runs of Unigine Heaven 3.0. Went from 77C to 63C, reference cooler.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Sick life, what voltage/speeds are you running?


----------



## TheBenson

So I'm having issues again with getting both Witcher 2 and Far Cry 3 to use both GPU's/ Sleeping Dogs uses both my 7970's just fine, but those two game just won't use both or they will crash very quickly.

I am on the latest drivers and downloaded the latest crossfire application profiles.

Is it my PSU? I am running a gold rated 750w psu right now, but I also have a 3770k at 4.5ghz, a h100, and 16gb of ram(at stock). Is it possible that my system is shutting the preventing the second GPU from working in these game due to power contraints?

Like I said though Sleeping Dogs or other games like Starcraft work just fine with both even if I have them OC'd to 1100mhz.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Yeah my cool labs liquid pro application was successful. Shaved about 14C off my load temps after a few runs of Unigine Heaven 3.0. Went from 77C to 63C, reference cooler.


amazing







can you see if this helps you achieve higher overclocks. set a fan speed to keep temps around 65c. that might help you achieve 1150+ Mhz.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> So I'm having issues again with getting both Witcher 2 and Far Cry 3 to use both GPU's/ Sleeping Dogs uses both my 7970's just fine, but those two game just won't use both or they will crash very quickly.
> I am on the latest drivers and downloaded the latest crossfire application profiles.
> Is it my PSU? I am running a gold rated 750w psu right now, but I also have a 3770k at 4.5ghz, a h100, and 16gb of ram(at stock). Is it possible that my system is shutting the preventing the second GPU from working in these game due to power contraints?
> Like I said though Sleeping Dogs or other games like Starcraft work just fine with both even if I have them OC'd to 1100mhz.


you should start testing with everything at stock speeds, including your CPU. disable CF. make sure your cards are working fine individually and then test CF. use heaven 3.0, 3D Mark11, BF3, Farcry 3. see if both cards work fine as single GPUs.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Sick life, what voltage/speeds are you running?


1125/1600 @ 1.25v, I might be able to come down on voltage some. I just stuck it up there because someone mentioned earlier it was a safe voltage. I cranked the voltage up to 1.3 and nothing over 1125 core would run without artifacting
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> amazing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can you see if this helps you achieve higher overclocks. set a fan speed to keep temps around 65c. that might help you achieve 1150+ Mhz.


Naw I get artifacting no matter what.


----------



## TheBenson

Figured out it was defaulting to running borderless so put it to fullscreen and crossfire started working again. Weird that xfire can't work with a windowed game, not a big deal just weird.


----------



## anubis44

remz1337, that's an astonishing overclock you've got there with that bios! Which bios did you use? I'm currently using the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 bios, giving me a measly 1000MHz core and 1375MHz memory clock, and I thought that was pretty good! Have tried a few others, and it always ends in trouble - unstable/garbage video output. You're pretty lucky with that card you've got there.


----------



## remz1337

yep i think so ^^, at first i bought a 7950 hoping to oc it near a 7970 (as i've seen in reviews) but when i saw i had 7950 with a 7970 pcb i thought i had nothing to lose trying to flash a 7970 bios.

a tried a couple of non-ge because everyone on the interwebz where telling so, but they were all crashing while loading windows and the last one i tried well... it worked out so yeah, it's really awesome. I only tried to bump the core and mem but the card was crashing at 1200/1550 and i didn't want to play with voltage but since i have some time for christmas i might give it a go since my temps are pretty low.

Ah yeah, i don't know why but the bios really help with overclocking. on the stock bios i couldn't get 1050 core even with added voltage :/ so i took a guess with the gigabyte ge bios telling myself the card had back up bios in case something went wrong.

i think the bios is specified on the gpu-z page, else just pm me and i'll reply with the bios when i get home


----------



## KaRLiToS

Can someone tell me if they can *OverVOLT* their 7970 cards with the *Ghz BIOS* or is it voltage locked?

Thank you, this will help me save some time.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can someone tell me if they can *OverVOLT* their 7970 cards with the *Ghz BIOS* or is it voltage locked?
> 
> Thank you, this will help me save some time.


Wont TRIXX overvolt the GHz BIOS for you?


----------



## dmanstasiu

1- Coil whine. WOW. When running GRID [but not Kombustor] I get the most annoying shrill whine that is way more annoying than any fan / pump in my setup. That is definitely a problem, holy crap

2- Core is fluctuating. Any ideas why this is? There are no artifacts in Kombustor, it runs fine ... but it won't stay at 1150. The voltage is steady, temps are fine...


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> 1- Coil whine. WOW. When running GRID [but not Kombustor] I get the most annoying shrill whine that is way more annoying than any fan / pump in my setup. That is definitely a problem, holy crap
> 2- Core is fluctuating. Any ideas why this is? There are no artifacts in Kombustor, it runs fine ... but it won't stay at 1150. The voltage is steady, temps are fine...


max out power to +20%. but still furmark and kombustor will throttle.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> max out power to +20%. but still furmark and kombustor will throttle.


How come?


----------



## VonDutch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Razor 116*
> 
> Delete the .oem file in afterburners install directory and restart you pc open up afterburner and your card should be recognized and also voltages should be adjustable.


tried that, still no unlocked voltage tho,
now i read somewhere peeps using the ghz bios?
maybe it still doesnt unlock voltage, but the voltage is higher,
1.25V against my cards 1.170V ?


----------



## shremi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> tried that, still no unlocked voltage tho,
> now i read somewhere peeps using the ghz bios?
> maybe it still doesnt unlock voltage, but the voltage is higher,
> 1.25V against my cards 1.170V ?


Dutch i have to say that while i was looking at 7970s i was considering in going for the gigabyte also but read a thread here and people with cards with Rev 1.0 could unlock the voltage while the other Rev 2.1 I believe does not allow for the voltage to be controlled.

I guess you wont be able to control the voltage on your card unfortunately


----------



## VonDutch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shremi*
> 
> Dutch i have to say that while i was looking at 7970s i was considering in going for the gigabyte also but read a thread here and people with cards with Rev 1.0 could unlock the voltage while the other Rev 2.1 I believe does not allow for the voltage to be controlled.
> I guess you wont be able to control the voltage on your card unfortunately


i can oc to 1100/1500 with no voltage change, instead of the 1000/1375,
guess i have to live with that then, but really,
this card is a monster when it comes to gameplay for sure,
very high oced or not ..lol

thanks for your answer shremi


----------



## GunMetal

HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 boost stable at 1100 core/1250 default memory. Crashes at 1300mem (Elpida).


----------



## Razor 116

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> i can oc to 1100/1500 with no voltage change, instead of the 1000/1375,
> guess i have to live with that then, but really,
> this card is a monster when it comes to gameplay for sure,
> very high oced or not ..lol
> thanks for your answer shremi


Its a shame they've started to lock the voltages of the 7970, Sapphire and now MSI and Asus. This could be why sapphire is releasing cards with ridiculous stock voltages such as mine 1.256 although mine is unlocked. 1200/1500 at 1.268v is what I can achieve although my card has a bad ASIC 60%.


----------



## Razor 116

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *VonDutch*
> 
> tried that, still no unlocked voltage tho,
> now i read somewhere peeps using the ghz bios?
> maybe it still doesnt unlock voltage, but the voltage is higher,
> 1.25V against my cards 1.170V ?


I tried the GHz bios on my card even though it isn't reference and it worked but the automatic fan took ages to ramp up (I use a custom fan profile so not a big issue). The main problem I had with mine is the memory voltage, mine at stock is 1.5v (Lower than almost all other 7970's) and the GHz bios changed that to 1.602 and this caused stability issues (GSOD) my memory does not like any bump in voltage.

Why in your GPU-Z can you not see the MVDDC and VRM temps?


----------



## BinZz

I can't overclock my Toxic card.
I have a Toxic 7970 with two Vapor-x 7970 , whenever i try to overclock them (even individually) using MSI Afterburner the overclock only applies on the Vapor-X cards , but not on the Toxic one.
I do not know why!


----------



## VonDutch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Razor 116*
> 
> I tried the GHz bios on my card even though it isn't reference and it worked but the automatic fan took ages to ramp up (I use a custom fan profile so not a big issue). The main problem I had with mine is the memory voltage, mine at stock is 1.5v (Lower than almost all other 7970's) and the GHz bios changed that to 1.602 and this caused stability issues (GSOD) my memory does not like any bump in voltage.
> Why in your GPU-Z can you not see the MVDDC and VRM temps?


thanks, thats good to know, thought it would only up the voltage from the 1.170V to about 1.25V,
i was aiming for a 1200/1600 oc.. seems the only option i have is try that ghz bios..or leave it at the 1100/1500 oc i have now








i dont know the gpu-z proggie very well, im a noob ocer when it comes to oceing vid cards ..lol


----------



## KaRLiToS

I just tried several GHZ BIOSes and using *Unofficial Method with MSI afterburner* doesn't unlock the voltage control.

I then tried to use my stock BIOSes and was now able to control the voltage up tp 1300mv.

Retried the GHZ Bios and still voltage locked.

Flashed back to XFX Black Edition BIOS and the voltage is back to *UNLOCKED*.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I just tried several GHZ BIOSes and using *Unofficial Method with MSI afterburner* doesn't unlock the voltage control.
> 
> I then tried to use my stock BIOSes and was now able to control the voltage up tp 1300mv.
> 
> Retried the GHZ Bios and still voltage locked.
> 
> Flashed back to XFX Black Edition BIOS and the voltage is back to *UNLOCKED*.


Just out of curiosity KaRLitoS, I am running 4 x 7970's with the XFX BE edition BIOS and have them all over 1255 core. Just wondering what it is you are after with the GHz BIOS?
BTW, I had read that some were having success with TRIXX and the GHz cards....maybe they weren't

(I can try flashing one of mine and see if I get the same result, are your cards still the same as in your sig?)


----------



## tsm106

http://www.overclock.net/t/1281425/amd-release-hd-7970-ghz-bios-upgrade-for-reference-hd-7970/140#post_17765788

Posted a longgggg time ago.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I was bored so I tried it again. Flashed four, then tried both trixx and AB one after the other. Trixx says some gibberish like the start voltage is 1256 lol, it's not. AB reads default as 1093mv. Anyways, after doing the voltage unlock and ulps dance, both apps have max voltage at 1150mv roughly on the lowest card to 1175mv on the highest card. Subtracting my gpu vdroop, = 1178mv roughly which is about what my highest card got.
> 
> For a rough test, I tried running Heaven with clocks set to 1200/1700 and voltage maxed, result = crash. Culprit, cannot get enough voltage. With stock bios, max voltage is good for 1310/1760 in heaven. With this bios, I can't run hardly any amount of overclock.
> 
> I'm closing the chapter on this bios for me, thumbs down.


----------



## KaRLiToS

My cards with the GHz BIOS were at 1050Mhz/1500Mhz under load, the voltage was the same as stock BIOS (1175mv). The Ghz BIOS never overvolted to 1.250v. I wanted to keep the GHZ edition BIOS because I loved the stock frequencies on it and how it idles on 2d state.

I kept the GHZ Bios because of my numerous hang I had recently with Quadfire + Eyefinity so I was only using a single screen and 2 x 7970. I didnt need to overclock the cards. But now that my hang/freeze issues are fixed with the latest 12.11 Beta 11 drivers, I could run my eyefinity array again with Quadfire.

I recently tried Crysis 2 with MaLDoHDv4 Mod and this thing is drawing a lot of juice so I needed to overclock my cards. I then notice the GHZ Bios is voltage *locked under MSI Afterburner*. I don't use Trixx.

So I'm back on the stock XFX Black Edition BIOS at 1000Mhz/1425Mhz and I also loved that BIOS very much, especially for overclocking.

*But tsm106*

Using aida64, I never saw an increase in voltage, I always had the same ASIC voltage with the GHZ bios (1108mv - 1070mv (depends on which card)).

I never saw it reach over 1150mv. Now that I can overvolt my cards up to 1300mv, aida64 is clearly showing 1264mv under load with Vdrop)

.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> My cards with the GHz BIOS were at 1050Mhz/1500Mhz under load, the voltage was the same as stock BIOS (1175mv). The Ghz BIOS never overvolted to 1.250v. I wanted to keep the GHZ edition BIOS because I loved the stock frequencies on it and how it idles on 2d state.
> 
> I kept the GHZ Bios because of my numerous hang I had recently with Quadfire + Eyefinity so I was only using a single screen and 2 x 7970. I didnt need to overclock the cards. But now that my hang/freeze issues are fixed with the latest 12.11 Beta 11 drivers, I could run my eyefinity array again with Quadfire.
> 
> I recently tried Crysis 2 with MaLDoHDv4 Mod and this thing is drawing a lot of juice so I needed to overclock my cards. I then notice the GHZ Bios is voltage *locked under MSI Afterburner*. I don't use Trixx.
> 
> So I'm back on the stock XFX Black Edition BIOS at 1000Mhz/1425Mhz and I also loved that BIOS very much, especially for overclocking.
> 
> *But tsm106*
> 
> Using aida64, I never saw an increase in voltage, I always had the same ASIC voltage with the GHZ bios (1108mv - 1070mv (depends on which card)).
> 
> I never saw it reach over 1150mv. Now that I can overvolt my cards up to 1300mv, aida64 is clearly showing 1264mv under load with Vdrop)


Gotcha. I run a 3 x 1080 5760 and I know what you mean i think. Dirt 3 was a big offender. It took i don't know how many tries to load and get past the opening cut scene before 12.11b.


----------



## grunion

Anyone using a Kepler card for physx?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Anyone using a Kepler card for physx?


I was until about two weeks ago, was not impressed.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I was until about two weeks ago, was not impressed.


Howd you get it running, what driver combo got it working?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I was until about two weeks ago, was not impressed.
> 
> 
> 
> Howd you get it running, what driver combo got it working?
Click to expand...

Walk yourself through this thread. It has all of the downloads you need. I suggest going the 'Hybridz' route.

http://www.ngohq.com/graphic-cards/22136-how-to-fix-hybrid-physx-with-latest-physx-and-geforce-285-solved.html

http://www.ngohq.com/graphic-cards/17706-hybrid-physx-mod-v1-03-v1-05ff.html


----------



## grunion

Thanks for that, however I see it won't work with Vantage.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Thanks for that, however I see it won't work with Vantage.


It will if you go back and use driver set 285.xxx it's in the thread. (you need to use older drivers with the 1.05ff mod to be compatible with Vantage)
The other option is the 'Hybridz' that will work with current driver sets


----------



## grunion

Right, but that driver does not recognize kepler cards.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Right, but that driver does not recognize kepler cards.


Oh I see, you have , or are getting a Kepler. I thought you were still in the 'feeling things out stage' yes it's a one or the other proposition. If you are looking to have physX with Batman, BL, etc the Hybridz EXE is the way to go. In order to run Vantage it's a different story. just one of the things that made it more trouble than it was worth, for me anyway.

Here is another thread you might want to peruse
http://www.overclock.net/t/1309296/nvidia-physx-for-amd/50#post_18227268

Do me a favor and let me know how it works for you if you decide to try it


----------



## SkateZilla

the list of games isnt worth the hassle. for PhysX


----------



## sena

Guys i am looking to buy two HD 7950 in next month, but i have been reading some info that some cards are voltage locked.

Can anyone provide some info about this, are specific model are locked, or is it just lottery?


----------



## thrgk

Hey guys. I did a full restore on my computer and after installing 12.10 drivers and ocing my card. It is on water. The screen flikrs kinda but only in web browsers it doesn't happen in games. I tried putting it back to stock but no luck and even tried 12.11beta with cap for that driver. Any idea?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Hey guys. I did a full restore on my computer and after installing 12.10 drivers and ocing my card. It is on water. The screen flikrs kinda but only in web browsers it doesn't happen in games. I tried putting it back to stock but no luck and even tried 12.11beta with cap for that driver. Any idea?


That was happening to my card as well. I had nvidia drivers and a 560ti for folding also in my system. I removed the 560ti and then ultimately had to reformat and reinstall windows. It worked though.

How many monitors do you use?


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Oh I see, you have , or are getting a Kepler. I thought you were still in the 'feeling things out stage' yes it's a one or the other proposition. If you are looking to have physX with Batman, BL, etc the Hybridz EXE is the way to go. In order to run Vantage it's a different story. just one of the things that made it more trouble than it was worth, for me anyway.
> Here is another thread you might want to peruse
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1309296/nvidia-physx-for-amd/50#post_18227268
> Do me a favor and let me know how it works for you if you decide to try it


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> the list of games isnt worth the hassle. for PhysX


I don't care about the games.

Just trying to see if SLI physx still works when an ATI card is the primary.
Worked in the past when I ran HD5870+GTX295


----------



## thrgk

no way to fix without restore?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> no way to fix without restore?


Not that I found, granted I didn't try much other than uninstalling and reinstalling all the drivers.


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Hey guys. I did a full restore on my computer and after installing 12.10 drivers and ocing my card. It is on water. The screen flikrs kinda but only in web browsers it doesn't happen in games. I tried putting it back to stock but no luck and even tried 12.11beta with cap for that driver. Any idea?


I had this issue few days ago.
I changed the MSI Afterburner cfg , and before doing any overclocking i got screen flicker just for changing that file.
If you did the same try to set the file back to normal.
This file is equivalent to some other methods that i do not know of , so you may try to reset those options back to normal.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> My cards with the GHz BIOS were at 1050Mhz/1500Mhz under load, the voltage was the same as stock BIOS (1175mv). The Ghz BIOS never overvolted to 1.250v. I wanted to keep the GHZ edition BIOS because I loved the stock frequencies on it and how it idles on 2d state.
> I kept the GHZ Bios because of my numerous hang I had recently with Quadfire + Eyefinity so I was only using a single screen and 2 x 7970. I didnt need to overclock the cards. But now that my hang/freeze issues are fixed with the latest 12.11 Beta 11 drivers, I could run my eyefinity array again with Quadfire.
> I recently tried Crysis 2 with MaLDoHDv4 Mod and this thing is drawing a lot of juice so I needed to overclock my cards. I then notice the GHZ Bios is voltage *locked under MSI Afterburner*. I don't use Trixx.
> So I'm back on the stock XFX Black Edition BIOS at 1000Mhz/1425Mhz and I also loved that BIOS very much, especially for overclocking.
> *But tsm106*
> Using aida64, I never saw an increase in voltage, I always had the same ASIC voltage with the GHZ bios (1108mv - 1070mv (depends on which card)).
> I never saw it reach over 1150mv. Now that I can overvolt my cards up to 1300mv, aida64 is clearly showing 1264mv under load with Vdrop)
> .


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I just tried several GHZ BIOSes and using *Unofficial Method with MSI afterburner* doesn't unlock the voltage control.
> I then tried to use my stock BIOSes and was now able to control the voltage up tp 1300mv.
> Retried the GHZ Bios and still voltage locked.
> Flashed back to XFX Black Edition BIOS and the voltage is back to *UNLOCKED*.


Are you using the AB patch after you install the drivers ?


----------



## UNOE

I need some help. I have only experience flashing Nvidia cards. Right now I have three reference cards one of the three cards is this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652

It has a 1010mhz bios but the other two cards in my system have 925 bios. I want to flash only this one card to regular bios. Either that or flash all the cards to the same bios. What can I do here to get all my cards running at the same clocks what would be recommended ? What software do I use and what Bios should I use ? And where should I download it ?

I would be interested in flashing them all to 1010mhz if that's possible too. But the 925 bios is fine too.

My motherboard has a switch to disable cards. So this might be a plus so I can flash one card at a time. But if I can do them all at once ever better. What is your recommendations?


----------



## grunion

You can leave them all installed..

Just list your cards, atiflash -i, should be 0-2 with 3 cards.

Then atiflash -f -p 0 yourbios.rom and so on.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I need some help. I have only experience flashing Nvidia cards. Right now I have three reference cards one of the three cards is this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> It has a 1010mhz bios but the other two cards in my system have 925 bios. I want to flash only this one card to regular bios. Either that or flash all the cards to the same bios. What can I do here to get all my cards running at the same clocks what would be recommended ? *What software do I use and what Bios should I use ? And where should I download it ?*
> I would be interested in flashing them all to 1010mhz if that's possible too. But the 925 bios is fine too.
> My motherboard has a switch to disable cards. So this might be a plus so I can flash one card at a time. But if I can do them all at once ever better. What is your recommendations?


Also where can I download the bios ?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Also where can I download the bios ?


http://www.overclock.net/t/1281425/amd-release-hd-7970-ghz-bios-upgrade-for-reference-hd-7970

you could try the HD 7970 Ghz BIOS. this should increase the stock voltage and allow AMD CCC to overclock to 1200 Mhz.


----------



## UNOE

I don't want GHZ bios because I have water cooling I need unlocked voltage. I just don't know what tools to use.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I don't want GHZ bios because I have water cooling I need unlocked voltage. I just don't know what tools to use.


cards based on the reference AMD HD 7970 PCB design come with unlocked voltage. the AMD HD 7970 Ghz BIOS is not voltage locked. there are many users running the Ghz BIOS on reference HD 7970 cards with voltage control.


----------



## NicksOverclock

I got a gigabyte 7970 @ 1105 MHz, this thing is a beast!


----------



## SkateZilla

I wonder if getting a Sapphire "Flex" Edition would solve my Display Port Screen tearing issue... hrmmmmmmm


----------



## tonyjones

I would be scared trying to flash my high end card lol


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Are you using the AB patch after you install the drivers ?


Of course I am. I am doing everything correctly. I even tried the official and unofficial method.

I confirm that this Bios is voltage locked.

Anyway I love my XFX Black Edition Bios, 1000mhz core / 1425mhz memory. I can send it to you. I'm using it on all my 4 cards, even the power color are flashed with XFX Be Bios.


----------



## grunion

Have you tried 2.2.1?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Have you tried 2.2.1?


Sorry, I should have mentionned it. Only tried on MSI Afterburner 2.2.3. I remember using trixx with Ghz Bios but this software doesn't have memory voltage.

I'm pretty happy with the XFX Bios, I have no problem overclocking at all.


----------



## grunion

Give 2.2.1 a shot.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I'll try it when I get home in a day. Its a long process to do all this. Took me a day of testing this week end with several BIOSes.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Are you using the AB patch after you install the drivers ?
> 
> 
> 
> Of course I am. I am doing everything correctly. I even tried the official and unofficial method.
> 
> I confirm that this Bios is voltage locked.
> 
> Anyway I love my XFX Black Edition Bios, 1000mhz core / 1425mhz memory. I can send it to you. I'm using it on all my 4 cards, even the power color are flashed with XFX Be Bios.
Click to expand...

Same here. The XFX BE BIOS is on all four of mine as well. Getting some very high clocks to work in quad-harmony.

@ grunion: Are you going to give PhysX a shot?


----------



## grunion

Nah it won't work with Vantage.


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Of course I am. I am doing everything correctly. I even tried the official and unofficial method.
> I confirm that this Bios is voltage locked.
> Anyway I love my XFX Black Edition Bios, 1000mhz core / 1425mhz memory. I can send it to you. I'm using it on all my 4 cards, even the power color are flashed with XFX Be Bios.


Just to clarify I mean the AB Patch by ATIman from post #12364 AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch
I did not mean the unofficial method.
But I may try the XFX Black Edition Bios as well. Is it on techpowerup ? What is the difference from Black Edition and Double D ?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Of course I am. I am doing everything correctly. I even tried the official and unofficial method.
> I confirm that this Bios is voltage locked.
> Anyway I love my XFX Black Edition Bios, 1000mhz core / 1425mhz memory. I can send it to you. I'm using it on all my 4 cards, even the power color are flashed with XFX Be Bios.
> 
> 
> 
> Just to clarify I mean the AB Patch by ATIman from post #12364 AMD_Catalyst_MSIAB_patch
> I did not mean the unofficial method.
> But I may try the XFX Black Edition Bios as well. Is it on techpowerup ? What is the difference from Black Edition and Double D ?
Click to expand...

The 7970 DD has the XFX BE BIOS.
One of my 7970's is a DD Ghost and it is the same BIOS as my XFX R7970 BE 1000/1425's

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113129/XFX.HD7970.3072.111224.html


----------



## UNOE

Okay so any of these 1000/1425 should do ?
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=ATI&manufacturer=XFX&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0

Edit : seems only difference is Subsystem Id: 1682 3211 or Subsystem Id: 1682 3213 ....
and clock state 0.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Okay so any of these 1000/1425 should do ?
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=ATI&manufacturer=XFX&model=HD+7970&interface=&memSize=0
> 
> Edit : seems only difference is Subsystem Id: 1682 3211 or Subsystem Id: 1682 3213 ....
> and clock state 0.


The one I listed matches my XFX R7970 OC Black Edition

Disregard the stock and current settings. Thats a AB thing. They are as listed with that BIOS 1000/1425


----------



## King Who Dat

Just got my powercolor vortex II in the mail. It does 1200mhz @ 1.245v. Is that any good ? I was able to get 1255 with 1.3v. Stock clocks are 1100mhz @ 1.2v 1425 on the memory.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King Who Dat*
> 
> Just got my powercolor vortex II in the mail. It does 1200mhz @ 1.245v. Is that any good ? I was able to get 1255 with 1.3v. Stock clocks are 1100mhz @ 1.2v 1425 on the memory.


Yeah my reference Visiontek gets 1125 at 1.25v, anything over 1125 and I get artifacts. I got the memory all the way up to 1800 with no issues but the performance gain was negligible over 1600 so I just left it as 1125/1600


----------



## King Who Dat

I haven't touched the memory at all. I'm very impressed with the cooler though. This is my first powercolor card and I'm very happy with it. It bests my 580 lightning extreme sli setup in 3dmark11 by about 700 points. That's pretty dang impressive to me.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King Who Dat*
> 
> Just got my powercolor vortex II in the mail. It does 1200mhz @ 1.245v. Is that any good ? I was able to get 1255 with 1.3v. Stock clocks are 1100mhz @ 1.2v 1425 on the memory.


Those are almost exactly the numbers/voltages I'm getting with my XFX BE's
The vortex II has the adjustable fan height?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King Who Dat*
> 
> Just got my powercolor vortex II in the mail. It does 1200mhz @ 1.245v. Is that any good ? I was able to get 1255 with 1.3v. Stock clocks are 1100mhz @ 1.2v 1425 on the memory.


Those are almost exactly the numbers/voltages I'm getting with my XFX BE's
The vortex II has the adjustable fan height?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King Who Dat*
> 
> Just got my powercolor vortex II in the mail. It does 1200mhz @ 1.245v. Is that any good ? I was able to get 1255 with 1.3v. Stock clocks are 1100mhz @ 1.2v 1425 on the memory.


those are some very good overclocks. i would suggest keeping the 1200 Mhz @ 1.245v. would run much cooler and draw a lot less power. The extra 50 mhz gained is not going to make a major difference. But the lower voltage will help a lot in keeping your card cooler.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King Who Dat*
> 
> I haven't touched the memory at all. I'm very impressed with the cooler though. This is my first powercolor card and I'm very happy with it. It bests my 580 lightning extreme sli setup in 3dmark11 by about 700 points. That's pretty dang impressive to me.


try out a few more tests to confirm if your overclock is stable. BF3, Heaven 3.0 are good for testing stability. what are your core and VRM temps. keep the core below 75c and the VRM temps below 90c.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King Who Dat*
> 
> Just got my powercolor vortex II in the mail. It does 1200mhz @ 1.245v. Is that any good ? I was able to get 1255 with 1.3v. Stock clocks are 1100mhz @ 1.2v 1425 on the memory.


From what I've been reading that seems to be good. Mine is around 1200 or so, haven't really messed around with it yet


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> I need some help. I have only experience flashing Nvidia cards. Right now I have three reference cards one of the three cards is this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> It has a 1010mhz bios but the other two cards in my system have 925 bios. I want to flash only this one card to regular bios. Either that or flash all the cards to the same bios. What can I do here to get all my cards running at the same clocks what would be recommended ? *What software do I use and what Bios should I use ? And where should I download it ?*
> I would be interested in flashing them all to 1010mhz if that's possible too. But the 925 bios is fine too.
> My motherboard has a switch to disable cards. So this might be a plus so I can flash one card at a time. But if I can do them all at once ever better. What is your recommendations?
> 
> 
> 
> Also where can I download the bios ?
Click to expand...

Stop flashing. Just switch to the failsafe base bios switch dude. No need to flash! Ghz bios works like crap anyways. I'd been saying this for six months now.


----------



## MooMoo

How do I know is my Memory unstable or Core? Other games plays just fine but when playing WoT (World of Tanks), it sometimes crashes and I get message that AMD graphic card has stopped working.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> How do I know is my Memory unstable or Core? Other games plays just fine but when playing WoT (World of Tanks), it sometimes crashes and I get message that AMD graphic card has stopped working.


That is core, i had same problem in WoT when my old HD 7950 was unstable.


----------



## neo5555

I just purchased a HIS reference 7970 and i can't for the life of me use any other bios other than the one that came with the card.

I have tried several different ones but all result in BSOD when windows boots up.

WTH am i doing wrong ?

My current BIOS is 015.021.000.002.000000 (113-SV2G011-301).

My last attempt at using an Asus bios resulted in windows booting up ok, the drivers installed, windows re-booted and BAM ! BSOD...

Seems to me that my efforts are being hampered by the latest Cat drivers. I'm using 12.11 beta 11 .


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neo5555*
> 
> I just purchased a *HIS reference 7970* and i can't for the life of me use any other bios other than the one that came with the card.
> 
> I have tried several different ones but all result in BSOD when windows boots up.
> 
> WTH am i doing wrong ?
> 
> My current BIOS is 015.021.000.002.000000 (113-SV2G011-301).
> 
> My last attempt at using an Asus bios resulted in windows booting up ok, the drivers installed, windows re-booted and BAM ! BSOD...
> 
> Seems to me that my efforts are being hampered by the latest Cat drivers. I'm using 12.11 beta 11 .


Is that the blue pcb? If so, it's not reference and it uses a modified vrm controller. I hope you got it from amazon?


----------



## neo5555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is that the blue pcb? If so, it's not reference and it uses a modified vrm controller. I hope you got it from amazon?


This is the card i bought... http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml

Yes, the PCB is blue and i am using this to cool it http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_878_880&products_id=21958


----------



## dmanstasiu

Earlier on when I mentioned I had the 7970 *reference* (MSI 3GB), I was corrected with the information that it wasn't reference, but nearly identical ...

Do you guys know if reference 7970 waterblocks will fit the MSI 3GB 7970?


Spoiler: Specific GPU







Based on this it seems like it will work, but if anyone has seen any build logs with the same GPU that would be helpful









http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=576


----------



## tw33k

Ran my Sapphire 7950 @ 1000/1500 with stock voltage



Tried 1100/1500 and it almost completed Heaven with really good average frame rates but then the screen lost it's signal and I heard a weird "crackling" sound coming from it. Rebooted and everything's OK again. I have no luck ever OCing graphics cards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neo5555*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is that the blue pcb? If so, it's not reference and it uses a modified vrm controller. I hope you got it from amazon?
> 
> 
> 
> This is the card i bought... http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml
> 
> Yes, the PCB is blue and i am using this to cool it http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_160_878_880&products_id=21958
Click to expand...

Oh you're in Oz. I was still hungover so I didn't notice. The HIS is most likely voltage locked due to their choice of vrm controller. I would test it out to confirm. It makes sense that other bios' would not work if it was confirmed to be using a different vrm controller than reference.

Quote:


> Do you guys know if reference 7970 waterblocks will fit the MSI 3GB 7970?


There is a single tall cap which is not on the true reference card however all block makers should have adjusted to that issue a longggg time ago to this change. It was Mar 2012 when it made news.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There is a single tall cap which is not on the true reference card however all block makers should have adjusted to that issue a longggg time ago to this change. It was Mar 2012 when it made news.


Mmmmm I recall reading that on a separate waterblock roundup thread. Thanks for reminding me


----------



## neo5555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh you're in Oz. I was still hungover so I didn't notice. The HIS is most likely voltage locked due to their choice of vrm controller. I would test it out to confirm. It makes sense that other bios' would not work if it was confirmed to be using a different vrm controller than reference.


Well i did some research and i can confirm it uses the same CHiL voltage controller as the reference cards..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neo5555*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh you're in Oz. I was still hungover so I didn't notice. The HIS is most likely voltage locked due to their choice of vrm controller. I would test it out to confirm. It makes sense that other bios' would not work if it was confirmed to be using a different vrm controller than reference.
> 
> 
> 
> Well i did some research and i can confirm it uses the same CHiL voltage controller as the reference cards..
Click to expand...

I hope you're right...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/10#post_18596838


----------



## neo5555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I hope you're right...


100%  Looking at it right now...

I have voltage control in AB up to 1300mV, but i want to be able to increase max core clock from the default 1125Mhz..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neo5555*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I hope you're right...
> 
> 
> 
> 100%  Looking at it right now...
> 
> I have voltage control in AB up to 1300mV, but i want to be able to increase max core clock from the default 1125Mhz..
Click to expand...

Are you sure? Can you check it by using gpuz or hwinfo64 and see if it is really pushing that voltage? If you're using Afterburner, you're not looking at the real voltage. AB only displays the intended voltage, not the real voltage.


----------



## neo5555

Ok.

At default voltage value of 1112mV in AB, GPU-Z measured 1.070mV during gameplay.
At 1299mV voltage in AB, GPU-Z measured 1273mV during gameplay.

Cheers


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop flashing. Just switch to the failsafe base bios switch dude. No need to flash! Ghz bios works like crap anyways. I'd been saying this for six months now.


Yeah I know I have no reason or motivation to ghz bios. I have one reference card that has 1010hmz on stock bios its a MSI OC edition. The other two cards are 925mhz reference. My only reason for flashing is to have them three cards with stock clocks the same. But I'm thinking of using a 1000mhz bios like from the XFX black edition which is still a standard bios. But my goal is NOT to use the Ghz edition bios's. Unless your saying there is something wrong with 1000mhz standard xfx bios ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop flashing. Just switch to the failsafe base bios switch dude. No need to flash! Ghz bios works like crap anyways. I'd been saying this for six months now.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I know I have no reason or motivation to ghz bios. I have one reference card that has 1010hmz on stock bios its a MSI OC edition. The other two cards are 925mhz reference. My only reason for flashing is to have them three cards with stock clocks the same. But I'm thinking of using a 1000mhz bios like from the XFX black edition which is still a standard bios. But my goal is NOT to use the Ghz edition bios's. Unless your saying there is something wrong with 1000mhz standard xfx bios ?
Click to expand...

There absolutely no need to run like bios' on all the cards. The way AB works with its clock synching, whichever card you have first in your array will dictate the default clocks. For ex, your OC MSI runs at 1010mhz. If you put that in slot 1 and use AB properly configured with a default profile, it will set all your cards to 1010mhz default. Thus there's no real need to have same bios. It's only for you OCD ppl. You're just like Karlitos, must have all same bios' hehe. Btw, I cannot lie, I've had my quads flashed to xfx 1000/1450 bios before. I later flashed back to stock, just in case for emergencies.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neo5555*
> 
> Ok.
> 
> At default voltage value of 1112mV in AB, GPU-Z measured 1.070mV during gameplay.
> At 1299mV voltage in AB, GPU-Z measured 1273mV during gameplay.
> 
> Cheers


Oh grats to you and thx for checking. This makes me wonder though why that user in the link could not get their voltage control going... Was his card really locked or was it user error?


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There absolutely no need to run like bios' on all the cards. The way AB works with its clock synching, whichever card you have first in your array will dictate the default clocks. For ex, your OC MSI runs at 1010mhz. If you put that in slot 1 and use AB properly configured with a default profile, it will set all your cards to 1010mhz default. Thus there's no real need to have same bios. It's only for you OCD ppl. You're just like Karlitos, must have all same bios' hehe. Btw, I cannot lie, I've had my quads flashed to xfx 1000/1450 bios before. I later flashed back to stock, just in case for emergencies.
> Oh grats to you and thx for checking. This makes me wonder though why that user in the link could not get their voltage control going... Was his card really locked or was it user error?


I was just trying to figure out why I'm getting so many crashes in FC3. I was thinking it was AB. So wanted to test it at default. All the Bios's are at 925mhz for the last two days. And I still getting crashes with AB on or off with beta 11. So that theory is down the drain anyway. Its probably a waist of time to go to 1000/1425 and because I'll have to reinstall driver again.


----------



## TamaDrumz76

This is to you guys who have experience with the 7970 Ghz bios flash...

So I just got my new system up and running. My plan was to flash the MSI Reference 7970 (under-water) to the GHz bios. I first tried it with the AMD released exe... that would not go, in fact it forked up bios 1, upon reboot with bios 1, there would be no display... Luckily there is dual bios... Bios 1 would not re-flash to default while in windows, so I forced it in dos with atiflash... This worked to get it back to default, but I tried a few more times trying to get this to GHz with the actual AMD flasher and it just would not go, I had to re-flash the default bios back to position 1 multiple times... So determined, I downloaded a GHz bios rom and flashed it the same way as I've been applying the stock ones back... This worked, I was able to get into windows and such no problem, gpu-z reads GHz spec... The story changes however when I try to game or run a benchmark... Screen will go black and monitor will lose signal, pc freezes entirely. I reset/reboot and card is still dead - no signal to monitor under bios 1... so again, switch to bios 2, reload bios 1 manually, etc... Still determined, I try pioneerisloud's bios he uploaded, as many people have had good luck with his... Again, I did it the same way with atiflash in dos... Seemed to work again, got into windows, gpu-z all good... etc... System was on for a few hours just messing around Windows and watching videos online - no problem... So I boot up Borderlands 2 to give it a shot, not even 30 seconds of sitting at the main menu where the character stands, the same problem happens... Monitor loses signal/goes blank, pc is frozen... This time however, I didn't have to re-flash to get it back up and running which is a little better... but did have to completely kill power to the system by unplugging PSU.

The card is definitely not getting hot as it's water-cooled... Any reasons why this might be happening? I thought GHz speeds were no problem for 7970's... Would be a waste if I have a terrible clocking 7970 and have it under a water-loop...

Thanks for any input...


----------



## UNOE

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TamaDrumz76*
> 
> This is to you guys who have experience with the 7970 Ghz bios flash...
> So I just got my new system up and running. My plan was to flash the MSI Reference 7970 (under-water) to the GHz bios. I first tried it with the AMD released exe... that would not go, in fact it forked up bios 1, upon reboot with bios 1, there would be no display... Luckily there is dual bios... Bios 1 would not re-flash to default while in windows, so I forced it in dos with atiflash... This worked to get it back to default, but I tried a few more times trying to get this to GHz with the actual AMD flasher and it just would not go, I had to re-flash the default bios back to position 1 multiple times... So determined, I downloaded a GHz bios rom and flashed it the same way as I've been applying the stock ones back... This worked, I was able to get into windows and such no problem, gpu-z reads GHz spec... The story changes however when I try to game or run a benchmark... Screen will go black and monitor will lose signal, pc freezes entirely. I reset/reboot and card is still dead - no signal to monitor under bios 1... so again, switch to bios 2, reload bios 1 manually, etc... Still determined, I try pioneerisloud's bios he uploaded, as many people have had good luck with his... Again, I did it the same way with atiflash in dos... Seemed to work again, got into windows, gpu-z all good... etc... System was on for a few hours just messing around Windows and watching videos online - no problem... So I boot up Borderlands 2 to give it a shot, not even 30 seconds of sitting at the main menu where the character stands, the same problem happens... Monitor loses signal/goes blank, pc is frozen... This time however, I didn't have to re-flash to get it back up and running which is a little better... but did have to completely kill power to the system by unplugging PSU.
> The card is definitely not getting hot as it's water-cooled... Any reasons why this might be happening? I thought GHz speeds were no problem for 7970's... Would be a waste if I have a terrible clocking 7970 and have it under a water-loop...
> Thanks for any input...


Are you uninstalling and reinstalling drivers every time you flash the bios ? Because you need to. I had to.


----------



## karimy1

guys im using an hd 7970 sapphire dual x oc (black pcb) my overclock is 1222 on the core 1750 on the memory with voltage set to 1237mv and 1625mv with no crashes or no issues no artifactsin 3dmark11 and all games eccept bf3 just in operation thunder run while looking at the destroyed missle launchers ... i can see blue and red squares appears and dissapears from the flying smoke of the destroyed vehicules...everything else is very good... could anyone of u who can get 1200 on the core to test if this is only me who get this kind of artifact?? plzz btw max temps recorded by gpuz after playin the whole operation 64 on the core and 67 on the vrm1... so it should be no artifacts at all>>> also i tried 1180 and 1500 respectively and with this overclock i get no artifacts in this mission while i raised the volts to 1256 to get more temps to c if its temps related and my temps was 71 and the vrm1 74 and no artifacts... how come???? plz someone explain it to me


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UNOE*
> 
> Are you uninstalling and reinstalling drivers every time you flash the bios ? Because you need to. I had to.


Unfortunately, it makes no difference in my case. I just did it again for the heck of it... not even a minute of Kombustor and screen black with hard lock-up.


----------



## Flameboy294

had to move up my sapphire 7970 vapor x to the first slot because it covered the sata ports for my extra harddrives. / that cable management xD


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Is there any viable method of unlocking the Voltage Control to get it above 1300mV except somehow getting my hands on the MSI Afterburner Extreme?


To answer my own question here:

Sapphire Trixx allows voltage upto 1381mV compared to the AB 1300mV.

So those looking to push more should propably be using Trixx instead of AB, but then again Trixx is lacking memory voltage controls so...

Decisions, decisions...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> 
> had to move up my sapphire 7970 vapor x to the first slot because it covered the sata ports for my extra harddrives. / that cable management xD


what cable management, lol.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> To answer my own question here:
> Sapphire Trixx allows voltage upto 1381mV compared to the AB 1300mV.
> So those looking to push more should propably be using Trixx instead of AB, but then again Trixx is lacking memory voltage controls so...
> Decisions, decisions...


I wouldnt push volts that high, even with decent cooling, you'll be buying anther card in 6 months..


----------



## SkateZilla

Hmm..

Upgrade to a 7970 (Must have at least 3 Mini DP and HDMI), or Stick with my 7950 and Move the HDMI Screen to 2nd MiniDP Port.

Just trying to get rid of the tearing on the 3rd screen, desktop and gaming, left and center screen are fine. Since im building a 2nd system with parts from this one as I upgrade it. I was looking at Upgrading to a 7970 and putting the 7950 in the 2nd system.

I dunno if I wanna keep messing with my HAL though, Already had issues and Support Emails/Tickets for Games that had a DRM Fit from the CPU Upgrade.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I wouldnt push volts that high, even with decent cooling, you'll be buying anther card in 6 months..


Not really true, XFX cards run stock 1250mV so you can't really break your card with anything you can push out of it unless you run really bad cooling. And then it will propably just throttle it.


----------



## SkateZilla

1250mv is enough to burn up the ICs too... just takes around 6-8 months to do it.

It has nothing to do with cooling, the GPU's ICs will degrade on their own with increased Voltage overtime, regardless of cooling.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 1250mv is enough to burn up the ICs too... just takes around 6-8 months to do it.
> 
> It has nothing to do with cooling, the GPU's ICs will degrade on their own with increased Voltage overtime, regardless of cooling.


Are you making up your own degradation rules as you go along?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There absolutely no need to run like bios' on all the cards. The way AB works with its clock synching, whichever card you have first in your array will dictate the default clocks. For ex, your OC MSI runs at 1010mhz. If you put that in slot 1 and use AB properly configured with a default profile, it will set all your cards to 1010mhz default. Thus there's no real need to have same bios. It's only for you OCD ppl. You're just like Karlitos, must have all same bios' hehe. Btw, I cannot lie, I've had my quads flashed to xfx 1000/1450 bios before. I later flashed back to stock, just in case for emergencies.


I have to admit, I'm OCD sometime







. You're starting to know me well tsm106.

I'm actually in testing process, that can explain my obsession a bit.

Anyway, I have little issues right now, I have flashed my BIOSes and reinstall drivers so many times lately that I messed a couple of thing.


*First*, everytime I unistall the drivers completely. I always erased my regedit Folder in ControlSet1 and ControlSet2 (4D36E968....) and then uninstall the device in device manager. But since I flashed to XFX Bios, everytime I reinstall my drivers, I get a 5th element in the 4D36E968 folders . I have 0000 , 0001, 0002, 0003 and a 0004. I don't know where that 0004 comes from but it always come back when I reinstall. *Anyone experienced this*? Fresh format will probably fix this but is their an alternative way.

*Second issue*, my first card is not getting in idle state since I flashed so many time (500/1425, instead of 300/150). Again, I don't know the root of this issue. My only way to make it idle is open MSI afterburner and click the reset button and then its fine.

I have tried stock BIOS and it didnt correct, also tried GHZ Bios. So this mean that I did a mistake somewhere in all that process and wasnt able to localize it. If anyone has information on this.

Again, thanks all for your help.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> First, everytime I unistall the drivers completely. I always erased my regedit Folder in ControlSet1 and ControlSet2 (4D36E968....) and then uninstall the device in device manager. But since I flashed to XFX Bios, everytime I reinstall my drivers, I get a 5th element in the 4D36E968 folders . I have 0000 , 0001, 0002, 0003 and a 0004. I don't know where that 0004 comes from but it always come back when I reinstall. Anyone experienced this? Fresh format will probably fix this but is their an alternative way.


You only need to clean out CurrentControlSet, and not ControlSet1 and ControlSet2. ControlSet1 and ControlSet2 will automatically replicate the contents of CurrentControlSet.

Sometimes you get the 0004 during the install process. You can ignore it or delete it.
Quote:


> Second issue, my first card is not getting in idle state since I flashed so many time (500/1425, instead of 300/150). Again, I don't know the root of this issue. My only way to make it idle is open MSI afterburner and click the reset button and then its fine.


Beta 11 driver has issues going back to idle. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before. When I was using Beta 11 sometimes my quads would stay on 3D clocks after exiting a game. I guess you don't have the luxury of changing drivers...


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You only need to clean out CurrentControlSet, and not ControlSet1 and ControlSet2. ControlSet1 and ControlSet2 will automatically replicate the contents of CurrentControlSet.
> Sometimes you get the 0004 during the install process. You can ignore it or delete it.


Anyway, I always clean the three of them. ControlSet1, ControlSet2 and I always verify *CurrentControlSet*. Like you said, I tried deleting it two days ago and I notice no change or no error message. Everything was still fine.

I will ignore it until my next fresh format.
Quote:


> Beta 11 driver has issues going back to idle. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before. When I was using Beta 11 sometimes my quads would stay on 3D clocks after exiting a game.


Thanks for the feedback, I probably didnt notice your comment.







. My tests then conclude the same behavior.

Quote:


> I guess you don't have the luxury of changing drivers..


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> First, everytime I unistall the drivers completely. I always erased my regedit Folder in ControlSet1 and ControlSet2 (4D36E968....) and then uninstall the device in device manager. But since I flashed to XFX Bios, everytime I reinstall my drivers, I get a 5th element in the 4D36E968 folders . I have 0000 , 0001, 0002, 0003 and a 0004. I don't know where that 0004 comes from but it always come back when I reinstall. Anyone experienced this? Fresh format will probably fix this but is their an alternative way.
> 
> 
> 
> You only need to clean out CurrentControlSet, and not ControlSet1 and ControlSet2. ControlSet1 and ControlSet2 will automatically replicate the contents of CurrentControlSet.
> 
> Sometimes you get the 0004 during the install process. You can ignore it or delete it.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Second issue, my first card is not getting in idle state since I flashed so many time (500/1425, instead of 300/150). Again, I don't know the root of this issue. My only way to make it idle is open MSI afterburner and click the reset button and then its fine.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Beta 11 driver has issues going back to idle. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before. When I was using Beta 11 sometimes my quads would stay on 3D clocks after exiting a game. I guess you don't have the luxury of changing drivers...
Click to expand...

^^ this
I have narrowed this to a driver issue as well and it has gone back and forth depending on which driver set is installed. This is where it is sitting right now, If I restart it is @ 300/150. One of the fun bits with tri-quadfire and beta drivers.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> ^^ this
> I have narrowed this to a driver issue as well and it has gone back and forth depending on which driver set is installed. This is where it is sitting right now, If I restart it is @ 300/150. One of the fun bits with tri-quadfire and beta drivers.


I'm having the same amount of pleasure finding the bugs than playing games. Sometime its fun to troubleshoot.


----------



## thorian88

I've had a Diamond 7970 since July







Got it at 1200/1600 @ 1.145 vC


----------



## Mackem

How's the 7950 at 1080p and 1440p? Is it _that_ much worse than the 7970?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you making up your own degradation rules as you go along?


Maybe.... But I'm sure increased voltage around 1.3v will burn up 28nm IC's easily over 6-8 months of use,

in which case you'll start to get small crashes and glitches, and eventually the entire GPU just takes a dump.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> ^^ this
> I have narrowed this to a driver issue as well and it has gone back and forth depending on which driver set is installed. This is where it is sitting right now, If I restart it is @ 300/150. One of the fun bits with tri-quadfire and beta drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm having the same amount of pleasure finding the bugs than playing games. Sometime its fun to troubleshoot.
Click to expand...

Ha, funny you say that. I spend more time testing,benching, tweaking than gaming....by choice


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you making up your own degradation rules as you go along?
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe.... But I'm sure increased voltage around 1.3v will burn up 28nm IC's easily over 6-8 months of use,
> 
> in which case you'll start to get small crashes and glitches, and eventually the entire GPU just takes a dump.
Click to expand...

Bogus. You have no proof and are just throwing stuff around. My gpus are about a year old now and regularly see voltages beyond 1.3v. They get abused to hell and back. This silicon is no different than cpu silicon anyways...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Bogus. You have no proof and are just throwing stuff around. My gpus are about a year old now and regularly see voltages beyond 1.3v. They get abused to hell and back. This silicon is no different than cpu silicon anyways...


And Yet CPU's still fall under IC Degradation from Overvolting over periods of time....

GPUs May have a higher Ceiling, But they will degrade.

Then again, my eVGA 8800GTS SSC 640MB G80 is going on 7 or 8 years old, overclocked like 40%, running at 70-75^C when I was playing games, Idled at 55^C, and is now a PhysX Processor and still going strong.


----------



## geoxile

So I ended up ordering the MSI 7950, hopefully it'll be here tomorrow since it's basically shipping from my neighborhood


----------



## iARDAs

Hey folks.

I am thinking of purchasing a MSI 7970 Lightning to replace my Zotac 670 4GB for 1440p gaming.

Can I hear your thoughts?


----------



## King4x4

Kraltos and Tsm... you guys are lucky... I am getting an issue lately where INGAME I am playing on 500mhz on ALL cards >_<

Have to force the default clocks through AB.


----------



## Flameboy294

So..i have this in front of me. What is Board Power Li? Also this is a Sapphire 7970 Vapor X, and i want to see how far this can go.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> 
> So..i have this in front of me. What is Board Power Li? Also this is a Sapphire 7970 Vapor X, and i want to see how far this can go.


It's obviously PowerTune or Power Limit (%) in MSI afterburner.

Set at +20 to have fun.


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> It's obviously PowerTune or Power Limit (%) in MSI afterburner.
> Set at +20 to have fun.


what does +20 do? Its voltage or? Think i can do 1200 core? xD


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> It's obviously PowerTune or Power Limit (%) in MSI afterburner.
> Set at +20 to have fun.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what does +20 do? Its voltage or? Think i can do 1200 core? xD
Click to expand...

Raises the TDP of the board by 20% so you dont down clock if you hit the 250w stock TDP of the board under load

If it wont do 1200 with 20%, it wont get to 1200.


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Raises the TDP of the board by 20% so you dont down clock if you hit the 250w stock TDP of the board under load
> If it wont do 1200 with 20%, it wont get to 1200.


So if i put it to +20, the card will still be safe?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Raises the TDP of the board by 20% so you dont down clock if you hit the 250w stock TDP of the board under load
> If it wont do 1200 with 20%, it wont get to 1200.
> 
> 
> 
> So if i put it to +20, the card will still be safe?
Click to expand...

20% PT allows it to accept the extra voltage/wattge. you have to raise the Core voltage along with it.
'Safe' is a relative term. As a general guidline, keep an eye on temps, and the core voltage below 1.35, and...keep an eye on temps








personally, I will only use 1.3-1.35 on selected 'benchmark' runs. I would not keep the voltage there. I keep a 1.275 limit for any lenght of time on air. WC is a different story.
You will find what you are comfortable with when you get some temp/stability feedback


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Raises the TDP of the board by 20% so you dont down clock if you hit the 250w stock TDP of the board under load
> If it wont do 1200 with 20%, it wont get to 1200.
> 
> 
> 
> So if i put it to +20, the card will still be safe?
Click to expand...

yep, you will be fine. i run my card overclocked and need +20% to get it stable when overclocked as do probably everyone else here who has overclocked thier card. keep an eye on temps both core and VRM's


----------



## tsm106

Everyone should be pimping the +20 all the time!


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Everyone should be pimping the +20 all the time!


I think everyone is.







I think he was wondering if merely setting the PT was okay. I wanted to let him know that it on it's own merely raises the TDP, not the voltage.

Your VRM temps can be had here in the sensor tab of GPU-Z if your not used to keeping an eyeball on them .


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I think everyone is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think he was wondering if merely setting the PT was okay. I wanted to let him know that it on it's own merely raises the TDP, not the voltage.
> Your VRM temps can be had here in the sensor tab of GPU-Z if your not used to keeping an eyeball on them .


Downloading GPU Z to monitor, ill put the Board Power li +20 as most here are saying, and see if its stable at 1200 cores/1600mem


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I think everyone is.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think he was wondering if merely setting the PT was okay. I wanted to let him know that it on it's own merely raises the TDP, not the voltage.
> Your VRM temps can be had here in the sensor tab of GPU-Z if your not used to keeping an eyeball on them .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Downloading GPU Z to monitor, ill put the Board Power li +20 as most here are saying, and see if its stable at 1200 cores/1600mem
Click to expand...

I'm gonna guess 1210MHz @ 1.30


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yep, you will be fine. i run my card overclocked and need +20% to get it stable when overclocked as do probably everyone else here who has overclocked thier card. keep an eye on temps both core and VRM's


yup,I run with +20 in my 1200Mhz/1500Mhz Profile, when I drop the OC Profile it turns it back to 0.


----------



## Flameboy294

Ran Heaven benchmark everything maxed out, got 51 fps with gpu temp less then 60..


----------



## rck1984

Guys, I have this odd issue where both my 7950's all of a sudden go on 100% usage while idling in Windows. When I leave my computer on for some time, sometimes when I get back both cards are on about 75c and both fans are spinning like crazy also. When I move my mouse, it's slowly turns down again and temps will decrease...

What can this be? Did anyone had something similar like this also? I tried reinstalling amd drivers already but that didn't help. Thinking of reinstalling Windows because this is pretty annoying and no good for my cards..


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Guys, I have this odd issue where both my 7950's all of a sudden go on 100% usage while idling in Windows. When I leave my computer on for some time, sometimes when I get back both cards are on about 75c and both fans are spinning like crazy also. When I move my mouse, it's slowly turns down again and temps will decrease...
> 
> What can this be? Did anyone had something similar like this also? I tried reinstalling amd drivers already but that didn't help. Thinking of reinstalling Windows because this is pretty annoying and no good for my cards..


do ou have Aero on?


----------



## rck1984

I do at this moment, yes.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> I do at this moment, yes.


Turn it off and see if that doesn't stop.

I have a 5850 quadfire machine that did that and it was Aero trying to start/stop and it would get caught up in a loop and not be able to do either. I wont pretend I know why, but It loaded up the GPU's just like yours are doing. If i left Aero off or shut it off...it didn't do it.
I ended up reformatting/installing Windows
Hope that helps









******BTW***** when you shut Aero off, look in task manager processes and make sure it actually shut down.


----------



## Scorpion49

Got a question for you guys, I have a Gigabyte 7970 OC 3x Windforce (this is actually my second one now), unfortunately this one is locked down like alcatraz while the old one was able to voltage-adjust both core and memory. Anyways, I am seeing some problems with the fan RPM. It jumps up and down between 1500rpm and ~750,000,000 rpm. Obviously its a sensor problem, but my other card did not do this either. Should I just ignore it? Doesn't seem to effect anything besides being annoying enough for me to remove the fan RPM monitor on afterburner.


----------



## iARDAs

I just ordered a Powercolor 7970 Vortex II

http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=411



Let's see how the red side is.


----------



## stickg1

I ordered a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X anyone use one of these before? I'm hoping for decent overclock potential. I sold my reference 7970 that didn't overclock very well at all to get it. Hope it wasn't a huge mistake. If anything it should be much quieter.


----------



## Ninja Harbinger

Do you guys know if the Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD and GV-R797WF3-3GD are the same card? I'm looking at flashing the 7970 BIOS onto my 7950 to unlock those extra stream processors and texture units. I've found the BIOS' for the two different cards and the only thing that appears to be different is that the device ID and subsystem ID are slightly different.

7950: Device Id: 1002 679A Subsystem Id: 1458 254C

7970: Device Id: 1002 6798 Subsystem Id: 1458 254D


----------



## Scorpion49

So I'm now super sad with my Windforce card purchase. I apparently got "lucky" with the 2.1 revision with no voltage control at all, AND my fans are stuck at 50% if I don't use afterburner which causes my games to crash. No BIOS on the gigabyte page will work as they are all the wrong version apparently. I should never have sold the other card I had, it had unlocked voltage and OC'd to 1200mhz with only a 10mv bump in voltage. I don't understand this fascination GPU makers have with voltage locking these days.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So I'm now super sad with my Windforce card purchase. I apparently got "lucky" with the 2.1 revision with no voltage control at all, AND my fans are stuck at 50% if I don't use afterburner which causes my games to crash. No BIOS on the gigabyte page will work as they are all the wrong version apparently. I should never have sold the other card I had, it had unlocked voltage and OC'd to 1200mhz with only a 10mv bump in voltage. I don't understand this fascination GPU makers have with voltage locking these days.


They make you buy better cards

Get an MSI 7970 next time


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> They make you buy better cards
> Get an MSI 7970 next time


My choices were between this one, a windforce 7950 and a msi 7950 TFII card that had been returned, and I have a sneaking suspicion it was the one I bought there and brought back due to failed miniDP and they just chucked it back on the shelf. Or I could shell out $529 for a 2GB 680


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I ordered a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X anyone use one of these before? I'm hoping for decent overclock potential. I sold my reference 7970 that didn't overclock very well at all to get it. Hope it wasn't a huge mistake. If anything it should be much quieter.


my 7950 is a Sapphire 7950 OC (900Mhz out of the box), the Cooling was replaced with a Dual-X Branded one when I Sent it in to get repaired last spring, it over clocks to 1.2Ghz/6Ghz Mem with little mv bump.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> My choices were between this one, a windforce 7950 and a msi 7950 TFII card that had been returned, and I have a sneaking suspicion it was the one I bought there and brought back due to failed miniDP and they just chucked it back on the shelf. Or I could shell out $529 for a 2GB 680


There are $400 locally in Canada, where do you live?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ninja Harbinger*
> 
> Do you guys know if the Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD and GV-R797WF3-3GD are the same card? I'm looking at flashing the 7970 BIOS onto my 7950 to unlock those extra stream processors and texture units. I've found the BIOS' for the two different cards and the only thing that appears to be different is that the device ID and subsystem ID are slightly different.
> 7950: Device Id: 1002 679A Subsystem Id: 1458 254C
> 7970: Device Id: 1002 6798 Subsystem Id: 1458 254D


I think AMD doesnt do anymore same cards with locked components. Atleast I read about that somewhere.


----------



## Flameboy294

This is on Stock-1050/1500 fan speed 25% temps around 50 degrees C



This is OverClocked 1195/1605 was running at around 60 degrees C on 40% fan, so i upd the fan to 70% and it ran around 50 degrees C

Have to say the cooling is good but at 70 and upwards its like theres a harrier in the room

Edit-

is it safe to have VRM 71oC?



1215 and 1600


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I ordered a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X anyone use one of these before? I'm hoping for decent overclock potential. I sold my reference 7970 that didn't overclock very well at all to get it. Hope it wasn't a huge mistake. If anything it should be much quieter.


I think it is one of the better coolers you can get on the cards.
Got one myself and got nowhere near the temps some people report on the other cards.


----------



## Winterchill

My Powercolor 7970 pcs+ Vortex II overclocking results...


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Winterchill*
> 
> My Powercolor 7970 pcs+ Vortex II overclocking results...


I just ordered the exact same GPU.

I might need your help OCing it.

Did Ocing it make any noticeable difference in gaming besides benchmark? The GPU comes pretty good OCed out of the box.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Winterchill*
> 
> My Powercolor 7970 pcs+ Vortex II overclocking results...


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5224350 with HD7950








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> I just ordered the exact same GPU.
> 
> I might need your help OCing it.
> 
> Did Ocing it make any noticeable difference in gaming besides benchmark? The GPU comes pretty good OCed out of the box.


It makes a huge difference if you can get it up from Stock to 1100+ even.


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5224350 with HD7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It makes a huge difference if you can get it up from Stock to 1100+ even.


I believe the Powercolor 7970 already comes OCed at 1100mhz. I wonder If i should just settle or OC more.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> I believe the Powercolor 7970 already comes OCed at 1100mhz. I wonder If i should just settle or OC more.


Overall the overclocking gives huge benefits in terms of FPS gains when compared to overclocking NVidia cards.

So if you can, then you should push it to the limits really, the performance gains are seriously worth it.


----------



## Winterchill

from stock 7970 to this model - a lot of difference. 1100mhz - 1200+ a bit more and yes it's quite noticable








If you don't want to be so aggressive, settle for stock voltage and try to go as far as you can with it


----------



## Winterchill

By the way, stock voltage on my GPU(not sure if it's all the same with this model) is 1.193v. Asic quality is 65% (If that really does indicate something)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Winterchill*
> 
> By the way, stock voltage on my GPU(not sure if it's all the same with this model) is 1.193v. Asic quality is 65% (If that really does indicate something)


There is no real proof anywhere what ASIC Quality actually means so it really is just speculation right now.

The XFX 7950 cards run stock at 1.25V so going atleast upto 1.25V shouldn't bring any issues at all.

I personaly run my card at 1.3V because that is what it takes to get it stable at 1200MHz Core.


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Overall the overclocking gives huge benefits in terms of FPS gains when compared to overclocking NVidia cards.
> So if you can, then you should push it to the limits really, the performance gains are seriously worth it.


Thanks buddy. I will give OCin this GPU a shot for sure 

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Winterchill*
> 
> from stock 7970 to this model - a lot of difference. 1100mhz - 1200+ a bit more and yes it's quite noticable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you don't want to be so aggressive, settle for stock voltage and try to go as far as you can with it


I will probably settle with stock voltage due to warranty reasons.


----------



## raghu78

can somebody post their HD 7950 scores at 1125 mhz with a core i7 2600k at stock running Heaven 3.0 at the settings in the post mentioned below. 1080p, 4xAF, without AA, normal tesselation. a user says there is almost 1000 points difference in unigine heaven 3.0 between a 1350 mhz gtx 670 and HD 7950 at 1125 mhz. that kind of performance difference seems too high.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1342232/so-i-bought-a-hd7950-and-then-bought-a-gtx-670-here-are-my-findings-are-they-accurate/20#post_18911185


----------



## rpch

I'm getting artifacts when I'm stress testing my Asus 7950 DC2T, in just 2-4 minutes of running it, the screen is flickering.

I'm running it on stock (900mhz/1250mhz), and i'm using windows 8.

Should I rma it now?


----------



## dky93

Isit normal to have 49-112 fps in Ac3 with 7970? Just got it last week and havent used it until today:guiltysmi


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rpch*
> 
> I'm getting artifacts when I'm stress testing my Asus 7950 DC2T, in just 2-4 minutes of running it, the screen is flickering.
> I'm running it on stock (900mhz/1250mhz), and i'm using windows 8.
> Should I rma it now?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rpch*
> 
> I'm getting artifacts when I'm stress testing my Asus 7950 DC2T, in just 2-4 minutes of running it, the screen is flickering.
> I'm running it on stock (900mhz/1250mhz), and i'm using windows 8.
> Should I rma it now?


Yes


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rpch*
> 
> I'm getting artifacts when I'm stress testing my Asus 7950 DC2T, in just 2-4 minutes of running it, the screen is flickering.
> I'm running it on stock (900mhz/1250mhz), and i'm using windows 8.
> Should I rma it now?


Or just give it slightly more voltage?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rpch*
> 
> I'm getting artifacts when I'm stress testing my Asus 7950 DC2T, in just 2-4 minutes of running it, the screen is flickering.
> I'm running it on stock (900mhz/1250mhz), and i'm using windows 8.
> Should I rma it now?


I've noticed they pulled a lot of that model from the market, out probably has issues, return it for a fully functional card. But try new drivers and old drivers first.


----------



## byterhythm

How much amps does the 7950 use?

I noticed recently that when I play games like far cry 3 while gpu-z is running, the vddc current jumps from 20A-30A and gpu usage is only 10-30% usage and the game is really slow.

OC settings is 1000mhz core, 1575 mem, +20% power, voltage at stock.

I ran Kombustor without any problems and it showed ~110A vddc current. I'm not getting any artifacts

It was working fine before I unlocked my Phenom.
Could it be a psu issue?

I'm using a 510W (450W rated) AcBel psu


----------



## SkateZilla

^ Yeah that's an Issue.

and you're prolly pulling Power with the HDD Molex to PCIe Power Adapters too...

HDD Rails aren't designed to power 75+Watts (Let Alone 2), dunno why they ever designed those adapters./


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *byterhythm*
> 
> How much amps does the 7950 use? I noticed recently that when I play games like far cry 3 while gpu-z is running, the vddc current jumps from 20A-30A and gpu usage is only 10-30% usage and the game is really slow. OC settings is 1000mhz core, 1575 mem, +20% power, voltage at stock. I ran Kombustor without any problems and it showed ~110A vddc current. I'm not getting any artifacts . It was working fine before I unlocked my Phenom. Could it be a psu issue? I'm using a 510W (450W rated) AcBel psu


definitely it could be a psu issue . you need to find out how many amps does the psu supply on the +12v rail.

http://www.acbel.com/eng/Product.aspx?id=49&&sd=31

is your psu model E2 Power 510 . the product manual does not even mention combined amps across both +12v rails. each rail does 18A.
http://www.acbel.com/ProductFile/SingleE2-510%28PC7006%29.pdf

the safest thing for you is to stop using this psu as it could damage your card. it could have done the damage already too. buy a new 550W rosewill capstone which supplies 45A on +12v rail.


----------



## byterhythm

^ It is the iPower 510, but it has the same 2 rails with 18A each, and yes I am using a 6-pin adapter since the psu only has 1 6+8 pin pcie connector

I hope nothing bad happens on the card, but I'll be definitely be getting a new psu, either a seasonic m12II 750 or nzxt hale82 750

It's just weird since I'm not having this issue before and gpu-z says the 7950 is using 80A when I am playing games.

Thanks for the info. + rep


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *byterhythm*
> 
> How much amps does the 7950 use?
> I noticed recently that when I play games like far cry 3 while gpu-z is running, the vddc current jumps from 20A-30A and gpu usage is only 10-30% usage and the game is really slow.
> OC settings is 1000mhz core, 1575 mem, +20% power, voltage at stock.
> I ran Kombustor without any problems and it showed ~110A vddc current. I'm not getting any artifacts
> It was working fine before I unlocked my Phenom.
> Could it be a psu issue?
> I'm using a 510W (450W rated) AcBel psu


This may not fix the problem but get a quality, higher wattage PSU right away! You risk your whole system running on a sub-par power supply.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *byterhythm*
> 
> ^ It is the iPower 510, but it has the same 2 rails with 18A each, and yes I am using a 6-pin adapter since the psu only has 1 6+8 pin pcie connector
> I hope nothing bad happens on the card, but I'll be definitely be getting a new psu, either a seasonic m12II 750 or nzxt hale82 750
> It's just weird since I'm not having this issue before and gpu-z says the 7950 is using 80A when I am playing games.
> Thanks for the info. + rep


you don't need 750w unless you plan to go CF . get a quality 520w seasonic M12II 520 psu. if you want to run 300w single GPU graphics cards in future you could get the 620w seasonic .


----------



## iLLGT3

I figured posting this in here might be better than creating an entire new thread for my question.

I'm buying a 7970 next week. I just not sure which one yet. I don't plan on OC'ing, and I run a single 1080p monitor.

I'm liking this Sapphire GHz edition..

Is this card loud? Also, I like reference cards because all the heat gets shot out of the back, I prefer that over venting into my case.

This MSI 7970 would be my second choice right now.


----------



## iARDAs

Take a look at Powercolor 7970 Vortex II.

I just ordered one and will have it tomorrow.

1100mhz out of the box.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> Take a look at Powercolor 7970 Vortex II.
> 
> I just ordered one and will have it tomorrow.
> 
> 1100mhz out of the box.


i have two of them. Fantastic overclockers, and awesome cooling . i give them a thumbs up lol








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iLLGT3*
> 
> I figured posting this in here might be better than creating an entire new thread for my question.
> I'm buying a 7970 next week. I just not sure which one yet. I don't plan on OC'ing, and I run a single 1080p monitor.
> I'm liking this Sapphire GHz edition..
> Is this card loud? Also, I like reference cards because all the heat gets shot out of the back, I prefer that over venting into my case.
> This MSI 7970 would be my second choice right now.


they are no where near as loud as the reference cards. come to think of it , i have never heard mine over 60% .. but i can say that 60% is not loud whatsoever.


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> i have two of them. Fantastic overclockers, and awesome cooling . i give them a thumbs up lol


how does 2 of them scale?

Also how are your temps running 2 of them>


----------



## byterhythm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> you don't need 750w unless you plan to go CF . get a quality 520w seasonic M12II 520 psu. if you want to run 300w single GPU graphics cards in future you could get the 620w seasonic .


I did some more tests.I set the cpu and gpu overclocks at stock.

I ran Kombustor and gpu-z and monitored the sensors; it's says ~110A - no problems there but when I ran a 7-zip benchmark at the same time and the amps of the gpu dropped to 20-30A and the Kombustor ran very slow. My psu can't seem to cope up with the cpu and the gpu at load anymore, even at stock.

I am thinking of getting a higher wattage since I have an unlocked phenom 960t?
I'll head over to the psu section for recommendations, thanks


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> how does 2 of them scale?
> 
> Also how are your temps running 2 of them>


scaling with 12.11 is awesome . But i am running only one monitor at 120hz. so i got them to keep the fps up . with that being said in bf3 with good eye candy running my temps stay around 50-56c on bottom and the top tends to follow maybe +1-2 higher sometimes.

scaling depends on the game for me though. Borderlands 2 with the frames capped @ 120fps they are using according Afterburner is around 45-50 percent of both cards EQUALLY . i would have to go back and check for BF3 . but i have had 0 issues with these cards. but i tend to favor PowerColor, i have had nothing but good experiences with them.


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> scaling with 12.11 is awesome . But i am running only one monitor at 120hz. so i got them to keep the fps up . with that being said in bf3 with good eye candy running my temps stay around 50-56c on bottom and the top tends to follow maybe +1-2 higher sometimes.
> scaling depends on the game for me though. Borderlands 2 with the frames capped @ 120fps they are using according Afterburner is around 45-50 percent of both cards EQUALLY . i would have to go back and check for BF3 . but i have had 0 issues with these cards. but i tend to favor PowerColor, i have had nothing but good experiences with them.


perfect.

I might grab a 2nd one than.

These GPUs should be amazing with 1440p resolution. That's what I am gaming at.

Let's see if 7970 really excels in 1440p 

Enjoy your GPUs buddy.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> perfect.
> 
> I might grab a 2nd one than.
> 
> These GPUs should be amazing with 1440p resolution. That's what I am gaming at.
> 
> Let's see if 7970 really excels in 1440p
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Enjoy your GPUs buddy.


I would grab another man. they are great cards, and awesome overclockers.









I have them out currently as my 7990 came in yesterday and i am going to do some benching and gaming with it tonight. I may try depending on the room in the case and on the mobo cramming one of the vortexs back in and see what happens when paring the 7990 and the 7970 together. lol


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> I would grab another man. they are great cards, and awesome overclockers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have them out currently as my 7990 came in yesterday and i am going to do some benching and gaming with it tonight. I may try depending on the room in the case and on the mobo cramming one of the vortexs back in and see what happens when paring the 7990 and the 7970 together. lol


In theory, same thing will happen as if you put 2x 7970 together.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> In theory, same thing will happen as if you put 2x 7970 together.


wouldnt that be 3x 7970s? lol


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> wouldnt that be 3x 7970s? lol


Oh I had no idea it was one of those X2 GFX









Good question then, wonder if they will work together at all?

Getting a second HD7950 for myself on Monday aswell propably can't wait









But need a new display after that aswell, 1680x1050 is just insufficient for Crossfire :l


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Oh I had no idea it was one of those X2 GFX
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good question then, wonder if they will work together at all?
> Getting a second HD7950 for myself on Monday aswell propably can't wait
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But need a new display after that aswell, 1680x1050 is just insufficient for Crossfire :l


i should probably hit up google before trying the 7990+7970 lol somebody has had to try it.
well the display thing is true but more power is always good LOL .


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> I would grab another man. they are great cards, and awesome overclockers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have them out currently as my 7990 came in yesterday and i am going to do some benching and gaming with it tonight. I may try depending on the room in the case and on the mobo cramming one of the vortexs back in and see what happens when paring the 7990 and the 7970 together. lol


I don't think you'll get any gain doing CF 7990 with 7970. If you have CF 7970s and there's still room for the 7990 those "may" CF.


----------



## geoxile

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/aqmkv/

Got my new 7950, from MSI. Strangely it's clocked in at 960mhz instead of the 880mhz listed on Newegg


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Oh I had no idea it was one of those X2 GFX
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good question then, wonder if they will work together at all?
> Getting a second HD7950 for myself on Monday aswell propably can't wait
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But need a new display after that aswell, 1680x1050 is just insufficient for Crossfire :l
> 
> 
> 
> i should probably hit up google before trying the 7990+7970 lol somebody has had to try it.
> well the display thing is true but more power is always good LOL .
Click to expand...

Hi guys.
Quadfire is for two things.
1) benching
2) High resolution gaming
If you are planning on just running with a single monitor, it is not going to enhance your experience and use a lot more power. The 7990 will CF with the 7970 however.
...oh wait..there is a third...'enthusiast OCD'


----------



## geoxile

I'm getting a weird chittering sound from the card. Any idea what it is?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I'm getting a weird chittering sound from the card. Any idea what it is?


Coil Whine, nothing to worry about but I heard you can RMA it for that reason if it disturbs you too much.


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I'm getting a weird chittering sound from the card. Any idea what it is?


Probably coil-whine... If so, it's pretty common. Mostly noticeable when on screens with a real high frame rate (such as menus or static images like Kombustor's "Triangle of Death").

There _might_ be a possible remedy to it, as I read someone left a Crysis main menu running for like 3 days or something and it went away or came close to being inaudible...


----------



## geoxile

It doesn't sound like any coil whine I've ever heard. Also, this card seems to be throttling just like the Sapphire card I returned -_-
Apparently it's a boost card but they didn't list it on newegg as such. It boosts to 960, well, it's supposed to. But it won't even do that, it's stuck at 880mhz. AMD is starting to really piss me off, I want to give them a chance but this is stupid. OCs won't apply and the damn thing won't even boost up to 960 in Heaven benchmark. I have powertune set to +20

Edit: And changing the voltage HARDLOCKS MY SYSTEM. The damn thing boosts the voltage to 1.137 on its own when under load but it locks everything when I try to manually change it to 1.125 in MSI AB


----------



## rpch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Or just give it slightly more voltage?


I tried adding voltage but still I get artifacts when running furmark.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I've noticed they pulled a lot of that model from the market, out probably has issues, return it for a fully functional card. But try new drivers and old drivers first.


I thought that only 7850/70 has this issues, oh well. Already tried 12.8 to 12.11 beta 11, i'm using windows 8 though.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I'm getting a weird chittering sound from the card. Any idea what it is?


Coil whine... either let it fold for a coupld of days or farm bitcoins and the whine will go.

Had it on all three gigabytes and after a couple of days of folding.... vola gona!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Coil Whine, nothing to worry about but I heard you can RMA it for that reason if it disturbs you too much.


Not worth the hassle if you stress it enough for the whine to go.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Hi guys.
> Quadfire is for two things.
> 1) benching
> 2) High resolution gaming
> If you are planning on just running with a single monitor, it is not going to enhance your experience and use a lot more power. The 7990 will CF with the 7970 however.
> ...oh wait..there is a third...'enthusiast OCD'


Crossfire is for the OCD crowd indeed!

High OCD
Crazy OCD
Need to have the best OCD

yup...

Oh yah anybody going quadfire for anything less of 7680x1440 is a not an enthausiast OCD..... Bloody res makes my cards even when under water scream for pure mercy!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> It doesn't sound like any coil whine I've ever heard. Also, this card seems to be throttling just like the Sapphire card I returned -_-
> Apparently it's a boost card but they didn't list it on newegg as such. It boosts to 960, well, it's supposed to. But it won't even do that, it's stuck at 880mhz. AMD is starting to really piss me off, I want to give them a chance but this is stupid. OCs won't apply and the damn thing won't even boost up to 960 in Heaven benchmark. I have powertune set to +20
> Edit: And changing the voltage HARDLOCKS MY SYSTEM. The damn thing boosts the voltage to 1.137 on its own when under load but it locks everything when I try to manually change it to 1.125 in MSI AB


A bios reflash is in the order.

All of my problems went away after trying over 40 bios and finding the correct one for my crossfire setup.

Now... when I went for trifire and starting playing with bios... oh god.... had like over 120 bios reflashes to find the correct trio that will work togather.

Notepad+Pen = Best friends in that situation.


----------



## geoxile

Is there a database for 7950 BIOS? Or perhaps someone here would like to share theirs


----------



## 98uk

Anyone out there got the MSI 7950 TwinFrzr? Got one on order, interested in knowing what core clock it can do on stock volts


----------



## TheBenson

Question coming from some used to using Nvidia cards. Is it standard that you must restart your computer after a driver crash with AMD? In my experience with Nvidia a driver crash would recover itself at worst causing you to reboot the game/application it crashed in, however so far since switching to AMD I've needed to reboot my entire computer to get things back up an running again at normal efficiency. Is this normal, are there any tricks recovering from a driver crash?


----------



## rpch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> Question coming from some used to using Nvidia cards. Is it standard that you must restart your computer after a driver crash with AMD? In my experience with Nvidia a driver crash would recover itself at worst causing you to reboot the game/application it crashed in, however so far since switching to AMD I've needed to reboot my entire computer to get things back up an running again at normal efficiency. Is this normal, are there any tricks recovering from a driver crash?


Mine restarts itself when it crashes. But after that the gpu core is locked to 500mhz, well in my case.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Anyone out there got the MSI 7950 TwinFrzr? Got one on order, interested in knowing what core clock it can do on stock volts


I have one (ignore my sig, that Sapphire 7950 was returned). Mine won't OC at all (tried CCC and AB). It's stuck at 880mhz and it only hits 960mhz (the boost clocks) at random. Pretty sure it's volt locked too, so much as touching the voltage results in a hard lock for my system, though I haven't tried unlocking the "unofficial OC" in MSI afterburner.

Here
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/aqmkv/
It's the newest revision from MSI too, so chances are all the new 7950s are volt locked. I don't know what the deal with the OC/boost is thoughh.


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I have one (ignore my sig, that Sapphire 7950 was returned). Mine won't OC at all (tried CCC and AB). It's stuck at 880mhz and it only hits 960mhz (the boost clocks) at random. Pretty sure it's volt locked too, so much as touching the voltage results in a hard lock for my system, though I haven't tried unlocking the "unofficial OC" in MSI afterburner.
> Here
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/aqmkv/
> It's the newest revision from MSI too, so chances are all the new 7950s are volt locked. I don't know what the deal with the OC/boost is thoughh.


Interesting... I checked the first page and there are some Twin Frzr's listed there with cores over 1000mhz?

I wonder if they changed something...

EDIT: Have a gander at this: http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/msi_radeon_hd_7950_twin_frozer_iii_review,24.html

Apparently you need to disable Power Control settings in Overdrive. This controls the card TDP?


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Interesting... I checked the first page and there are some Twin Frzr's listed there with cores over 1000mhz?
> I wonder if they changed something...


I can't speak for the OC thing, it may just be me having this problem twice. But personally I'd really like it if I could get a non-boost card.
Voltage is probably locked on the new revisions though. That's seemingly been the trend for all newer 7950s. There are several 7950 revisions from MSI. Mine is the latest, suffix: -029


----------



## 98uk

I don't mind so much if voltage is locked... but does that also lock your speeds???


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Hi guys.
> Quadfire is for two things.
> 1) benching
> 2) High resolution gaming
> If you are planning on just running with a single monitor, it is not going to enhance your experience and use a lot more power. The 7990 will CF with the 7970 however.
> ...oh wait..there is a third...'enthusiast OCD'


I will be doing some benching. And will be adding two monitors down the road, probably around tax time lol. And thabks for the reply letting me know it will work.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> I don't mind so much if voltage is locked... but does that also lock your speeds???


I can't answer it definitively but that's been the case for me.


----------



## Winterchill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> I don't mind so much if voltage is locked... but does that also lock your speeds???


Clock speeds won't be locked but most probably you can't go any further with stock voltages.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Anyone out there got the MSI 7950 TwinFrzr? Got one on order, interested in knowing what core clock it can do on stock volts


I just came home with one 10 minutes ago, I'm about to get down with overclocking it right now. Super excited it has core/mem voltage control unlike the 7970 I returned. I was hoping to score a Gigabyte 7970 Windforce 3x NON Rev 2.1 that has voltage control (2.1 is the locked windforce 7970 in case anyone is wondering) but they didn't have any left. I got the TFII 7950 for $299 out the door on sale plus a $15 MIR so it was a pretty good deal.


----------



## ElGreco

*FAR CRY 3 Crash only when CCC Overdrive maxed out*

Hi all,

Whenever i run my xfire setup in 1125/1575 at stock voltage I get a crash (screen lock) in FAR CRY 3. When i run it at stock clocks, it runs with no crashes.

1125/1575 has been rock solid to me in both unigine and metro benchmarks! I had only one crash to desktop in BF3, but this could be due to loss of internet.

My temps are 32C in GPU and 42C in VRMs max

Any ideas?


----------



## Scorpion49

Did some overclocking, this card is a strange animal. It went all the way to 1100mhz on stock 970mv, but to get to 1125 it takes 1174







And it will go no higher no matter what I do.

Got the memory up to 1600 on stock voltage as well, it does pretty decently in 3Dmark11 despite the card not being recognized. Does anyone else have this with the 7950 TFIII Boost edition? I may submit it as a bug to the FM site.

Scored P9599 and I think it would break 10,000 if I cranked up my CPU a little more as my Physics score is lower. In comparison, the 7970 I had at 1100mhz scored P9745 so I think this is pretty good.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> *FAR CRY 3 Crash only when CCC Overdrive maxed out*
> Hi all,
> Whenever i run my xfire setup in 1125/1575 at stock voltage I get a crash (screen lock) in FAR CRY 3. When i run it at stock clocks, it runs with no crashes.
> 1125/1575 has been rock solid to me in both unigine and metro benchmarks! I had only one crash to desktop in BF3, but this could be due to loss of internet.
> My temps are 32C in GPU and 42C in VRMs max
> Any ideas?


More voltage or lower down GPU mhz.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Did some overclocking, this card is a strange animal. It went all the way to 1100mhz on stock 970mv, but to get to 1125 it takes 1174
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it will go no higher no matter what I do.
> Got the memory up to 1600 on stock voltage as well, it does pretty decently in 3Dmark11 despite the card not being recognized. Does anyone else have this with the 7950 TFIII Boost edition? I may submit it as a bug to the FM site.
> Scored P9599 and I think it would break 10,000 if I cranked up my CPU a little more as my Physics score is lower. In comparison, the 7970 I had at 1100mhz scored P9745 so I think this is pretty good.


you are better off running at 1100 Mhz at stock voltage. 3D Mark 11 is not enough. test heaven 3.0, BF3, Farcry 3. you might have to bump that voltage up slightly if you don't have stability in games like BF3, Farcry 3, Crysis 2 at 1100 mhz. but still decent card. HD 7970 Ghz performance for 300 bucks is not bad after all.


----------



## Winterchill

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Did some overclocking, this card is a strange animal. It went all the way to 1100mhz on stock 970mv, but to get to 1125 it takes 1174
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it will go no higher no matter what I do.
> Got the memory up to 1600 on stock voltage as well, it does pretty decently in 3Dmark11 despite the card not being recognized. Does anyone else have this with the 7950 TFIII Boost edition? I may submit it as a bug to the FM site.
> Scored P9599 and I think it would break 10,000 if I cranked up my CPU a little more as my Physics score is lower. In comparison, the 7970 I had at 1100mhz scored P9745 so I think this is pretty good.


Awesome core voltage you have there for running 1100mhz.. is it stable at games as well? I'm sticking to 1200mhz core at 1.200v since I find it unnecessary to add .56v just to get another 75 mhz.. My stock voltage is 1.193 btw.. I've successfully benched 1200mhz core but there was 1 time in 1 week that while gaming it crashed to desktop so I had to put a little extra to make it rock stable.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> More voltage or lower down GPU mhz.


At stock clocks runs ok with no crashes... My cards can do 1200 easily so i use a modest 1125 with no problems. If it was the low voltage the reason, shouldnt i get initially some artifacts...

Its the first time i get such crash from my cards AND with NO dump files to see what the error was!
Many have reported this issue with FC3 and was hoping to find the answer here...


----------



## geoxile

I found out the boost issue is a problem with my installation of Windows 7 ultimate apparently. I tried it on an installation of Win7 home premium that I dual boot for testing purposes and my 7950 boosts and OCs fine. Of course... It doesn't OC well. The voltage is locked and it starts crashing when I try to even hit 1075 on the stock boost voltage of 1137 (approx.) mv

The noise also comes and goes in waves.

Edit: I should note. I still haven't tried the "unofficial overclocking" mode for MSI afterburner. But when I do change the voltage manually in MSI afterburner it works fine for a moment but then suddenly locks up and crashes (at the display does)


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> you are better off running at 1100 Mhz at stock voltage. 3D Mark 11 is not enough. test heaven 3.0, BF3, Farcry 3. you might have to bump that voltage up slightly if you don't have stability in games like BF3, Farcry 3, Crysis 2 at 1100 mhz. but still decent card. HD 7970 Ghz performance for 300 bucks is not bad after all.


I ran 25 runs of heaven max settings, I don't have BF3 or FC3, don't care to either. I do have Crysis 2 and Metro for benching purposes but I just don't have time tonight. It plays Skyrim fine at 6040x1200 with a ton of mods so I think it will be OK. I did end up backing it down to 1100mhz and 1.000v just to keep temps down in my ITX case, the card will be going under water soon though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Winterchill*
> 
> Awesome core voltage you have there for running 1100mhz.. is it stable at games as well? I'm sticking to 1200mhz core at 1.200v since I find it unnecessary to add .56v just to get another 75 mhz.. My stock voltage is 1.193 btw.. I've successfully benched 1200mhz core but there was 1 time in 1 week that while gaming it crashed to desktop so I had to put a little extra to make it rock stable.


Yeah, the stock voltage on mine is 970mv. Seems very low but I'm not complaining. I think I got an efficient card rather than a monster overclocker. Its got a 90.5% ASIC so that supports the theory.


----------



## tsm106

Wow, that's one of the highest ASIC %'s I've ever seen.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Coil whine... either let it fold for a coupld of days or farm bitcoins and the whine will go.
> Had it on all three gigabytes and after a couple of days of folding.... vola gona!
> Not worth the hassle if you stress it enough for the whine to go.


Now that I think of it my coil whine is actually gone aswell.

It was there when I got the card but there is no coil whine at all anymore.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Wow, that's one of the highest ASIC %'s I've ever seen.


Don't be fooled by the number and the description GPU-Z gives for it, there is really no proof anywhere what ASIC Quality actually means.
Mine is 63% and the card is OKish at overclocking (1200/1475 @ 1.3V)

On another note: Getting the second 7950 today infact instead of Monday! Woohoo!

Now to waste money on a proper 120Hz screen so I can actually get the benefits of Crossfire :l


----------



## King4x4

Or go eyefinity (which is far better imo)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Or go eyefinity (which is far better imo)


A lot more expensive, requires a lot of space and I don't like gaming on multiple monitors really.

I think a 1080p 120Hz monitor is a perfect choice for Crossfire HD7950.


----------



## King4x4

Tried them both... Eyefinity = Awesome!

Especially on 7680x1440


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Tried them both... Eyefinity = Awesome!
> Especially on 7680x1440


Looking at your sig I have to ask: "7950 Crossfired +Bios Flashed to 7970"

Pretty sure that isn't possible? 7950 doesn't have the shaders of 7970 or something.


----------



## mfloyd9953

Please add me to the radon 7000 series club


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Looking at your sig I have to ask: "7950 Crossfired +Bios Flashed to 7970"
> Pretty sure that isn't possible? 7950 doesn't have the shaders of 7970 or something.


7950 bios flashed to 7970 makes for better OCing imo.

Tried the same clocks and voltage on non-bios flashed 7950s and they can't be stable (backup bios on the same cards).

However, that made loads of issues when I went trifire and the cards were only stable at default bios at default speeds.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Or go eyefinity (which is far better imo)


Already running 6040x1200.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Now that I think of it my coil whine is actually gone aswell.
> It was there when I got the card but there is no coil whine at all anymore.
> Don't be fooled by the number and the description GPU-Z gives for it, there is really no proof anywhere what ASIC Quality actually means.
> Mine is 63% and the card is OKish at overclocking (1200/1475 @ 1.3V)
> On another note: Getting the second 7950 today infact instead of Monday! Woohoo!
> Now to waste money on a proper 120Hz screen so I can actually get the benefits of Crossfire :l


The higher the ASIC, the worse the overclocking generally is. It just means its going to be more power efficient at the clocks it can achieve.


----------



## jdc122

I have a water cooled 7950, 62% ASIC 1250mhz stable 42c load, but I can bench at 1310mhz, can anyone help me with stability, like trying a new bios or something?







really wanna push this!


----------



## Coree

Just got my VTX3D HD 7950 X-edition V2 with a 7970 PCB and a ASIC quality of 87.9%. Stock voltages 1.031.Haven't done any overclocking yet, but soon yes.








Heres my validation: http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/22bfe/
While playing games I get this weird buzzing sound which is not that loud and annoying, but where can it come from? The fans are working flawlessly.


----------



## Stige

Working pretty good so far.

Stock: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5373370
Little overclocking goes far: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5373618


----------



## Coree

Did some overclocking 1050 mem 1400 core stable on stock voltages (1.031) power slider +20
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5375412
So far i'm happy








Btw, is 95°C a normal temp for VRM's? My VRM1 peaked at 95°C, VRM2 at 75°C.


----------



## GunMetal

Looks like my 7950 is stable at 1180mhz/1275v with memory left at stock. I saw Red1776's post about not going to 1.3 at regular gaming so I think I'll settle with this clock.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Did some overclocking 1050 mem 1400 core stable on stock voltages (1.031) power slider +20
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5375412
> So far i'm happy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, is 95°C a normal temp for VRM's? My VRM1 peaked at 95°C, VRM2 at 75°C.


What??? My VRM temps doesn't change even when gaming. They just sit at 24 and 25 repectively.
I've made a quick search and found out that another HIS model has the same problem issue. Now I'm wondering if my clock is safe or not


----------



## Stige

Crossfire doesn't work on windowed games? :l


----------



## iARDAs

My 7970 arrived.

I had ordered a Powercolor 7970 Vortex II but the Fing stupd company sent me a Powercolor 7970 that is not Factory OCed. I can only contact them on monday to see how to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile I OCed my GPU to the Vortex II level which is 1100mhz.

I did not do anything else.

I ran 3DMark11 and it was stable.

I dont need to up the voltage than right?

Also does ATI have the "Digital Vibrance" feature that Nvidia has?

Thanks guys.

I am kind a angry now and it keeps me calm to write here in the forum.


----------



## Farmer Boe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Just got my VTX3D HD 7950 X-edition V2 with a 7970 PCB and a ASIC quality of 87.9%. Stock voltages 1.031.Haven't done any overclocking yet, but soon yes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heres my validation: http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/22bfe/
> While playing games I get this weird buzzing sound which is not that loud and annoying, but where can it come from? The fans are working flawlessly.


The buzzing sound is most likely coil whine which many 79XX cards experience. There are ways to get rid of it with varying degree's of success...you just have to search around. I actually have 2 cards that have pretty bad coil whine but this is not worth RMAing them (since I'm going full water cooling soon).


----------



## stickg1

I just got my Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X today. I was worried it was going to be a lot slower than my Visiontek 7970 reference that I sold. Well its actually the other way around. The 7950 I got has better OC abilities and it beats my highest clocked 7970 by 2 frames in Unigine. 7950 got 55.2, 7970 got 53.2.

It runs cooler, about 5 times quieter, and performs better. Needless to say I'm a happy camper!


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> My 7970 arrived.
> 
> I had ordered a Powercolor 7970 Vortex II but the Fing stupd company sent me a Powercolor 7970 that is not Factory OCed. I can only contact them on monday to see how to resolve the issue.
> 
> Meanwhile I OCed my GPU to the Vortex II level which is 1100mhz.
> 
> I did not do anything else.
> 
> I ran 3DMark11 and it was stable.
> 
> I dont need to up the voltage than right?
> 
> Also does ATI have the "Digital Vibrance" feature that Nvidia has?
> 
> Thanks guys.
> 
> I am kind a angry now and it keeps me calm to write here in the forum.


I assume it was still a Vortex II card? In which case you just need to use the other BIOS.

I see no reason why you would touch the voltage as long as it's stable. No idea about the whole vibrance thing.


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> I assume it was still a Vortex II card? In which case you just need to use the other BIOS.
> I see no reason why you would touch the voltage as long as it's stable. No idea about the whole vibrance thing.


They sent me this GPU

http://www.powercolor.com/tr/products_features.asp?id=398

What I ordered was this

http://www.powercolor.com/tr/products_features.asp?id=411

I packed it and will ship it back on monday.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> They sent me this GPU
> 
> http://www.powercolor.com/tr/products_features.asp?id=398
> 
> What I ordered was this
> 
> http://www.powercolor.com/tr/products_features.asp?id=411
> 
> I packed it and will ship it back on monday.


Dang man, that sucks. Where did you order from?


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Dang man, that sucks. Where did you order from?


some lame ass site here in Turkey.

They are a well known site but I cant believe they can do that mistake.

I also checked their site and they are not even selling the version they sent me at all. They just sell the Powercolor Vortex 2 and Powercolor reference design.

How can this screw up happen its beyond me.


----------



## Scorpion49

So I'm working on this 7950 now that I have more time. It appears perfectly stable at 1100mhz at its default voltage of 949mv







I think this is the lowest core voltage GPU I have ever used. Going to crank up the memory as high as it will go now and leave the core clocks at 1100, going to even 1125 requires +200mv and quite frankly I'd rather have 60*C max temps at 1100 and auto fans than 1125mhz.

Here is a 3Dmark run at this voltage, I did a heaven run as well but it did not save the screenshot when I saved it for some reason, I'll post another when I get done with the memory.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So I'm working on this 7950 now that I have more time. It appears perfectly stable at 1100mhz at its default voltage of 949mv
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think this is the lowest core voltage GPU I have ever used. Going to crank up the memory as high as it will go now and leave the core clocks at 1100, going to even 1125 requires +200mv and quite frankly I'd rather have 60*C max temps at 1100 and auto fans than 1125mhz.
> Here is a 3Dmark run at this voltage, I did a heaven run as well but it did not save the screenshot when I saved it for some reason, I'll post another when I get done with the memory.


It's the MSI twin frozr right? Just so you know, the card's actual stock active voltage is 1.137V. At least that's the case for mine. Try activating the voltage sensor for MSI afterburner, you'll see it. The 0.949 is actually the idle voltaage as far as I can tell, but it changes when the card is on load.

Also, how did you manually change your voltage? Mine seems to lock up whenever I change it. Did you use MSI AB's unofficial overclocking mode?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> It's the MSI twin frozr right? Just so you know, the card's actual stock active voltage is 1.137V. At least that's the case for mine. Try activating the voltage sensor for MSI afterburner, you'll see it. The 0.949 is actually the idle voltaage as far as I can tell, but it changes when the card is on load.
> Also, how did you manually change your voltage? Mine seems to lock up whenever I change it. Did you use MSI AB's unofficial overclocking mode?


Wow, I did not know any card that would show idle volts on AB like that, but its actual load voltage is 1.050 so its not far off from where I thought it was. I guess mine is voltage locked as well, even though I have had the ability to move the slider the whole time even before using the -xcl method to unlock higher clocks. Interestingly my memory voltage is not locked. What the heck is up with all of the voltage locking these days? Sheesh.

Anyways, I got my memory up to 1700mhz so far with no problem. Heaven seemed to really benefit from it, picking up 8fps on the minimums and 12fps on the maximum compared to stock memory with 1100mhz core clock.

Anyone know how the heck to make thumbnails on this stupid huddler interface so I can stop cropping down my screenshots?

EDIT: These cards ARE NOT voltage locked. Uninstalling CCC allows me full voltage control through afterburner. Some funny business going on, I can't decide if I would rather have voltage control or eyefinity


----------



## Stige

Some cards can be voltage locked, my new Sapphire Vapor-X is voltage locked apparently when my first one isnt









So fun overclocking when I'm stuck at 1.1V for the second card lol.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Some cards can be voltage locked, my new Sapphire Vapor-X is voltage locked apparently when my first one isnt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So fun overclocking when I'm stuck at 1.1V for the second card lol.


Yeah this is a pain in the butt, I con only up the voltage if I remove CCC. I'm going to try flashing the BIOS to a 7970 version, since this newer 7950 used the 7970 PCB. We'll see what happens.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Wow, I did not know any card that would show idle volts on AB like that, but its actual load voltage is 1.050 so its not far off from where I thought it was. I guess mine is voltage locked as well, even though I have had the ability to move the slider the whole time even before using the -xcl method to unlock higher clocks. Interestingly my memory voltage is not locked. What the heck is up with all of the voltage locking these days? Sheesh.
> Anyways, I got my memory up to 1700mhz so far with no problem. Heaven seemed to really benefit from it, picking up 8fps on the minimums and 12fps on the maximum compared to stock memory with 1100mhz core clock.
> Anyone know how the heck to make thumbnails on this stupid huddler interface so I can stop cropping down my screenshots?
> EDIT: These cards ARE NOT voltage locked. Uninstalling CCC allows me full voltage control through afterburner. Some funny business going on, I can't decide if I would rather have voltage control or eyefinity


Have you tried the unofficial OC method?

If you find a working BIOS can you share it?


----------



## Stige

On slightly related note: Is there a program that actually works for both cards when it comes to Fan Control? Atleast Trixx fails to do that, one card is always going at Default speeds, oh god that amount of noise!!


----------



## dmanstasiu

MSI Afterburner does it well in my experience (Quad-SLI GTX 295s)


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Have you tried the unofficial OC method?
> If you find a working BIOS can you share it?


Yes, that doesn't help. With CCC active the voltage drops to stock as soon as 3D mode is engaged, the best I have been able to do is get the idle voltage to raise to 1.250v verified in GPU-Z and AB with CCC still installed. I'm digging for a good BIOS right now, results a little later on.


----------



## Mattbag

Well guys I made the switch from nvidia to AMD.

Since the begining I've had issues getting the card to fit in my case, and getting all my fans set up and running again, not AMDs fault just my poor cable managment but now believe it or not I'm having driver issues, not with AMD I've downloaded the catalyst 12.11 beta and installed trixx for a slight overclock up to 1ghz but for some reason I'm having issues with direct x.

My pc says direct x is up to date and I'm running version 11.1 however fraps wont run because it says that there is an error with direct x 9 and I cant get Heaven to run because it says direct x cannot run my resolution or something like that, Also my screen savers dont work because they say they dont support this version of direct 3d,

I've ran the dxdiag but that checked out okay. I have been really excited to check out my new card and my two monitors are up and running and my primary monitor looks great at 1440p just as it did before, I just can't run any 3d applications. I will continue to search the internet for answers but any advice would be great!!!


----------



## Mattbag

Also my sapphire card is idling at 42 degrees C and that seems a little to hot at only 1ghz is that normaly its the sapphire dual X card


----------



## geoxile

Anyone know if there's way to mod BIOS for voltage control? Or at least a higher stock voltage.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Anyone know if there's way to mod BIOS for voltage control? Or at least a higher stock voltage.


Working on it right now, as soon as my DOS disk is done I'm flashing the 7970 BIOS to #2, it seems to have worked on the 8+6 card for several people.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Working on it right now, as soon as my DOS disk is done I'm flashing the 7970 BIOS to #2, it seems to have worked on the 8+6 card for several people.


Isn't BIOS #1 the one that's flashable? Anyway, please let me know.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Isn't BIOS #1 the one that's flashable? Anyone, please let me know.


7970 BIOS did not take, going with option 2 of an unlocked sapphire BIOS.


----------



## geoxile

Mind sending that BIOS my way? I'll test it too.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Mind sending that BIOS my way? I'll test it too.


This BIOS worked for me, unlocked voltage. I'm currently testing 1250mhz at 1.150v. My memory won't go as high with it but thats a trade I'll be willing to make. 3Dmark11 pass at 1250/1600 and 1.125v:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5379394
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Here is the newest 950mhz Edition 7950 BIOS if somebody wants to try it out. I tried the new MSI TF3 HD7950 BIOS on my card and it was not as stable at 1300/1600.
> 
> SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file


----------



## Mattbag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mattbag*
> 
> Well guys I made the switch from nvidia to AMD.
> Since the begining I've had issues getting the card to fit in my case, and getting all my fans set up and running again, not AMDs fault just my poor cable managment but now believe it or not I'm having driver issues, not with AMD I've downloaded the catalyst 12.11 beta and installed trixx for a slight overclock up to 1ghz but for some reason I'm having issues with direct x.
> My pc says direct x is up to date and I'm running version 11.1 however fraps wont run because it says that there is an error with direct x 9 and I cant get Heaven to run because it says direct x cannot run my resolution or something like that, Also my screen savers dont work because they say they dont support this version of direct 3d,
> I've ran the dxdiag but that checked out okay. I have been really excited to check out my new card and my two monitors are up and running and my primary monitor looks great at 1440p just as it did before, I just can't run any 3d applications. I will continue to search the internet for answers but any advice would be great!!!


I uninstalled the 12.11 beta drivers and then rolled back to the 12.10 drivers and also installed them on my SSD rather then on my D: drive doing so allowed me to run heaven so I'm assuming all other directx applications should run, not to start overclocking!!!!


----------



## geoxile

7950s are safe up to 1.3V right?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> 7950s are safe up to 1.3V right?


I wouldn't give it that much, but the Ghz 7970 with the same PCB have 1.25v stock. I got mine up to 1300/1700 but it takes 75% fan speed to do so, so I'm keeping it at 1250/1700 with 1.145v and auto fans until I get it under water. MUCH improved from being stuck at 1100.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

My HD 7950 overclocks so poorly - I have mine at 1000/1350, but it takes 1.1 volts to keep it stable! Ah well, I guess I lost the chip lottery.


----------



## Scorpion49

Here is a Heaven 3.0 run at 1250/1650, which was throttling due to VRM temps. Need to get this thing under water stat. Now that I'm assured that the card isn't a dud I can relax and order my water parts.


----------



## geoxile

Throttling due to VRM temps at 1.145V? That's ridiculous


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Throttling due to VRM temps at 1.145V? That's ridiculous


VRM's on the TFIII are apparently poorly cooled when the fans are at low RPM. I'm after lowest noise possible so I'm not minding 75*C+ GPU temp, but VRM's got too hot. Runs much higher with more voltage if I want to turn the fans up, but I don't see the point right now.


----------



## geoxile

What temps do your VRMs hit ?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> What temps do your VRMs hit ?


VRM1 was around 110*C before it started throttling, VRM2 was around 70*C. Keep in mind this is also in a bitfenix prodigy with very little airflow so that may be affecting it as well.


----------



## rpch

Tsk. I have to wait for 3-4 weeks until my newly replaced 7950 comes back. I hope they would replace my v1 Asus DC2T with a version 2


----------



## grunion

Anyone wanna swap 2 7970s for a 690?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> At stock clocks runs ok with no crashes... My cards can do 1200 easily so i use a modest 1125 with no problems. If it was the low voltage the reason, shouldnt i get initially some artifacts...
> Its the first time i get such crash from my cards AND with NO dump files to see what the error was!
> Many have reported this issue with FC3 and was hoping to find the answer here...


Well, you dont always get artifacts if your OC is unstable. You should try many different games/softwares to test the stability. I was stable with BF3, heaven bench and so on, but then had problems with WoT (World of Tanks) crashing and it was solved with lowering GPU clocks.


----------



## Germanian

anyone feel like buying 1 more Sapphire 7950 from newegg?
Total: 300 - 20 (v.me) - 20 (MIR) = $260 + 3 FREE games + filler

http://slickdeals.net/f/5754420-Sapphire-Radeon-HD-7950-3-Free-Games-261-AR


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> VRM1 was around 110*C before it started throttling, VRM2 was around 70*C. Keep in mind this is also in a bitfenix prodigy with very little airflow so that may be affecting it as well.


Hopefully my Xigmatek Elysium will fair better...


----------



## Red1776

Hey gang,
I have seen a few people talking about lack of voltage contrrol for the memory with the 7970's
Are you making sure to scroll the clock/voltage menu? of the three models of 7970's I have had, all of them have had memory voltage control



(this public service message brought to you by Red1776 )


----------



## geoxile

I just installed Windows 8 Pro 64-bit and the 7950 still throttles. The only thing it doesn't seem to throttle in is Windows 7 home premium 32-bit.

I've been a fool. A horrible horrible fool. For some reason the HD7950 has a "high performance" mode. I'm not sure if this is something AMD has had for a while but it's news to me. And basically when something else, like say.... Flash, is being hard accelerated the 7950 DOES NOT ENTER HIGH PERFORMANCE MODE. So if I have firefox open in the background (with HW acceleration on) the card refuses to hit boost or OC speeds.

Right now I'm a little miffed since I actually bought Windows 8 thinking it would be a good way to solve my problem and upgrade, but I didn't really even need WIndows 8. And it's going to be a pain to move all of my work over from my partition of Win 7.


----------



## Anomander Rake

hey guys, thought ill post them up here to get your feed back on what i should work on now to improve these







how much further do you think i can push the cards with volts? atm im at 1.325v on the gpus and 1.65 on the mems, aux at stock, max temp i get on the hotter gpu is 61c, mem 48c, vrm 46C


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Hey gang,
> I have seen a few people talking about lack of voltage contrrol for the memory with the 7970's
> Are you making sure to scroll the clock/voltage menu? of the three models of 7970's I have had, all of them have had memory voltage control
> 
> (this public service message brought to you by Red1776 )


Hey OCN guys.









I'm a longtime Guru3D member but have been following the 7950 threads here at OCN with great interest, so figured I may as well sign up.









*@red1776* - yes there is a slider in AB for vram voltage control however it doesn't do anything. The ONLY way to adjust vram/GPU voltage on the locked cards is to select "constant voltage".

Unwinder confirmed this when I spoke to him.

Hope my info helps someone.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Hey gang,
> I have seen a few people talking about lack of voltage contrrol for the memory with the 7970's
> Are you making sure to scroll the clock/voltage menu? of the three models of 7970's I have had, all of them have had memory voltage control
> 
> (this public service message brought to you by Red1776 )
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey OCN guys.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm a longtime Guru3D member but have been following the 7950 threads here at OCN with great interest, so figured I may as well sign up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *@red1776* - yes there is a slider in AB for vram voltage control however it doesn't do anything. The ONLY way to adjust vram/GPU voltage on the locked cards is to select "constant voltage".
> 
> Unwinder confirmed this when I spoke to him.
> 
> Hope my info helps someone.
Click to expand...

Hi,
I wouldn't expect it to do anything on voltage locked cards, There have some people in this thread that have been puzzled over not having it available in AB. I was suggesting that they may have missed it in the menu as it is a secondary (hidden) item. I am merely pointing out to them where it is if they have it available .


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> My HD 7950 overclocks so poorly - I have mine at 1000/1350, but it takes 1.1 volts to keep it stable! Ah well, I guess I lost the chip lottery.


1.1V is low volts, my second card is Voltage Locked to 1.1V









Still goes upto 1100MHz on Core though, ANYTHING beyond that and it's nearly instant driver reset.


----------



## Coree

1100/1400 stable at 1.081 volts.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5383095
While i was playing BF3 with these clocks, VRM1 temp peaked at 101°C. Is this normal? :/ VRM2 was at 85°C
or should i just stay with my stock voltage OC's, 1050/1400 (1.031v) <- on these VRM1 is at around 85-90°C and VRM2 70-75°C.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> 1100/1400 stable at 1.081 volts.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5383095
> While i was playing BF3 with these clocks, VRM1 temp peaked at 101°C. Is this normal? :/ VRM2 was at 85°C
> or should i just stay with my stock voltage OC's, 1050/1400 (1.031v) <- on these VRM1 is at around 85-90°C and VRM2 70-75°C.


VRMs are specced to handle 120C-150C apparently, mine peaks around 105-110C when playing BF3.


----------



## Shauny

What kind of fps do people get on skyrim with an overclocked 7950?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shauny*
> 
> What kind of fps do people get on skyrim with an overclocked 7950?


On vanilla Skyrim everything maxed you should get 60FPS+. I got 60FPS+ on my overclocked 7870.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> 1100/1400 stable at 1.081 volts.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5383095
> While i was playing BF3 with these clocks, VRM1 temp peaked at 101°C. Is this normal? :/ VRM2 was at 85°C
> or should i just stay with my stock voltage OC's, 1050/1400 (1.031v) <- on these VRM1 is at around 85-90°C and VRM2 70-75°C.
> 
> 
> 
> VRMs are specced to handle *120C-150C apparently*, mine peaks around 105-110C when playing BF3.
Click to expand...

That's bad advice. They are rated to 125c, get close to that limit and it will cut the life of your card short.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> 1100/1400 stable at 1.081 volts.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5383095
> While i was playing BF3 with these clocks, VRM1 temp peaked at 101°C. Is this normal? :/ VRM2 was at 85°C
> or should i just stay with my stock voltage OC's, 1050/1400 (1.031v) <- on these VRM1 is at around 85-90°C and VRM2 70-75°C.


100c is hot, drop the voltage to about 1.0v -1.04v if you can, that should help with vrm temps.


----------



## Anomander Rake

and im worried about 48c..... so i gather i have a good bit of headroom left right? is there any point in raising aux voltage? and whats the reasonable mem volts while temp is kept under 60-65c?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Anyone wanna swap 2 7970s for a 690?


Why would any1 want to do that?


----------



## geoxile

VRMs should be safe up to around 110c ideally. Though I can't say if that's specific to AMD/7950s


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Why would any1 want to do that?


The chance to fondle the finest graphic card ever created, an engineering masterpiece.
Superior drivers, physx, FXAA, adaptive vsync, man the list just goes on and on.

And lets not forget the kickass illuminated GEFORCE GTX logo on the side of the card.

The question should, who wouldn't want to


----------



## mershadies

hi guys, got a little problem here with my 7970...

My 7970 worked now quite a while very stable at 1200/1450 @ 1.181V with driver 12.4 and afterburner (ab) 2.1.

Since I installed the latest drivers 12.10 and ab 2.3 I got unforseen crashes in oc mode. I recognized that it doesn't matter what ab version I installed, but indeed it matters which driver version. the last one working well and stable with ab is 12.3 now, anyone past causes instability. This is kind of weird because 12.4 was stable before.

I do have all options for oc, but none is stable. Instability can be reproduced while oc active with the mouse hovering over the ab hardware monitor window. This causes screen tearings, flickering and grafic bugs like vram problems. gaming causes bluescreens after minutes.

First I thought my card is broken, but it is fully stable with 12.3 driver up to 1265Mhz, ab version doesn't matter, now running 2.3.

Thanks for any ideas!


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mershadies*
> 
> hi guys, got a little problem here with my 7970...
> My 7970 worked now quite a while very stable at 1200/1450 @ 1.181V with driver 12.4 and afterburner (ab) 2.1.
> Since I installed the latest drivers 12.10 and ab 2.3 I got unforseen crashes in oc mode. I recognized that it doesn't matter what ab version I installed, but indeed it matters which driver version. the last one working well and stable with ab is 12.3 now, anyone past causes instability. This is kind of weird because 12.4 was stable before.
> I do have all options for oc, but none is stable. Instability can be reproduced while oc active with the mouse hovering over the ab hardware monitor window. This causes screen tearings, flickering and grafic bugs like vram problems. gaming causes bluescreens after minutes.
> First I thought my card is broken, but it is fully stable with 12.3 driver up to 1265Mhz, ab version doesn't matter, now running 2.3.
> Thanks for any ideas!


And you have uninstalled all the previusly drivers from 12.4?.
Have you tried the 12.11 beta and with cap 2?.


----------



## mershadies

no I didn't try the beta yet. Please explain what is cap 2?


----------



## grymok

Now ihave got 2 different Club 3d 7950 RoyalKing cards, both with the same amount of Coil Whine.
I will send this card to RMA, and then ask them to get my money back, because of 2 of the same cards with same amount of coil noise within a month, and bought the first 1 month ago.
If i get my money back, i will try another manufacturer. Have looked a little bit for the Gigabyte GV R797OC-3GD.
I will probably get water cooling on it at some point, and else i will bench abit.
Any suggestions?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mershadies*
> 
> no I didn't try the beta yet. Please explain what is cap 2?


http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst1211betadriver.aspx download link.
Cap 2 is a set of profiles for the Beta 12.11 driver. As i did understand, it has some premade profiles for games etc. and should that way boost performance in games a little bit to.
Give it a try and tell if it works.


----------



## mershadies

I tried more than 6 7970 before I found a good one. At that time, no GHz editions existed on the market. I think they are useless anyway, cause oc is easy on these cards. The best I found was the cheapest by the way, a powercolor at reference style, running up to 1260Mhz



and no coil whining either









http://geizhals.de/eu/723276

thanks for the info about cap 2, I will try.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Why would any1 want to do that?
> 
> 
> 
> The chance to fondle the finest graphic card ever created, an engineering masterpiece.
> Superior drivers, physx, FXAA, adaptive vsync, man the list just goes on and on.
> 
> And lets not forget the kickass illuminated GEFORCE GTX logo on the side of the card.
> 
> The question should, who wouldn't want to
Click to expand...

If it is so awesome why do you want to trade?


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Meh, I'm just going to have to live with the coil whine. I can't see RMA'ing my 7950 TF 3 that reaches stable 1300/1700 clocks.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> Meh, I'm just going to have to live with the coil whine. I can't see RMA'ing my 7950 TF 3 that reaches stable 1300/1700 clocks.


Lucky bastard!!! mine can reach like 1220/1350 on 1.20v, and abit unstable, 1.25 to get it stable. So yes i want to RMA







.


----------



## stickg1

My 7950 tops out at 1175/1475, it can run those clocks on 1.2v though. I can't get any higher clocks stable even if I take the voltage up to 1.3v. I guess I'll just live with it...


----------



## Skorpian

Hello guys, working on a build here.
Have in it :
Core i5 3570k
Z77-D3H gigabyte mobo
2x4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz
Cougar CMX 700 Watts PSU
2 TB HDD
Have my mind on a Sapphire HD Radeon 7950 OC locally. I'm buying locally and this is the one available, so you can save yourself the time of linking me to online websites. It's 40$ more expensive than a GTX 660 Ti OC EVGA. I almost decided that I'll get it until I read about micro stuttering on the card. Can anyone confirm that this happens? I'll be gaming on a 1080p 23'' Samsung LED monitor.


----------



## geoxile

What utility are you guys using to OC beyond 1100?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> What utility are you guys using to OC beyond 1100?


MSIU Afterburner or Sapphire Trixx

https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx
http://event.msi.com/vga/afterburner/app.htm


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Lucky bastard!!! mine can reach like 1220/1350 on 1.20v, and abit unstable, 1.25 to get it stable. So yes i want to RMA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Thanks, but not as lucky as one might think.







My 3570k is crap for oc'ing. 4.5 Ghz takes 1.37 Vcore to get stable, 4.6 @ 1.49, and it will not go any higher even w/ 1.55 V. :/ That's with beautiful temps (about 46° < TJ max), and running direct to die. :/

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> My 7950 tops out at 1175/1475, it can run those clocks on 1.2v though. I can't get any higher clocks stable even if I take the voltage up to 1.3v. I guess I'll just live with it...


Those aren't bad clocks at all.







I just ran on Catzilla, and managed a run @ 1312/1760. Slightly unstable there, but it completed the run w/o issue.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> The chance to fondle the finest graphic card ever created, an engineering masterpiece.
> Superior drivers, physx, FXAA, adaptive vsync, man the list just goes on and on.
> And lets not forget the kickass illuminated GEFORCE GTX logo on the side of the card.
> The question should, who wouldn't want to


My Sapphire HD7950 Vapor-X have illuminated Sapphire logo on them aswell.


----------



## grymok

But again, which should i take a look at of booth the 7950 and 7970, if i can get my money back on my 7950?


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> What utility are you guys using to OC beyond 1100?


I'm using Trixx 4.4.0B (mod version). You can find it here: http://www.overclock.net/attachments/8046 Hope that helps









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> But again, which should i take a look at of booth the 7950 and 7970, if i can get my money back on my 7950?


I'd save the extra $$$, and get a good 7950 based on a reference 7970 pcb. Like the TF 3 for instance.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> I'm using Trixx 4.4.0B (mod version). You can find it here: http://www.overclock.net/attachments/8046 Hope that helps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd save the extra $$$, and get a good 7950 based on a reference 7970 pcb. Like the TF 3 for instance.


Which cards is that, can you give a list of them?.
And btw i'm from europe, so not sure if they are possible to achieve here?


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> MSIU Afterburner or Sapphire Trixx
> https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx
> http://event.msi.com/vga/afterburner/app.htm


When I use MSI afterburner's unofficial OCing mode I get weird screen tearing while the 7950 is at 2D clocks (on the desktop)


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Which cards is that, can you give a list of them?.
> And btw i'm from europe, so not sure if they are possible to achieve here?


Certainly







These are all that I know of for certain:

1. Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz Edition.
2. MSi R7950 Twin Frozr 3
3. Fire Hurricane A795 (it can be flashed to HD7970)

Where in Europe are you located? I can check around at a few shops that I sometimes order from in the U.K. & Germany for you if you'd like?


----------



## Skorpian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Skorpian*
> 
> Hello guys, working on a build here.
> Have in it :
> Core i5 3570k
> Z77-D3H gigabyte mobo
> 2x4 GB DDR3 1600 MHz
> Cougar CMX 700 Watts PSU
> 2 TB HDD
> Have my mind on a Sapphire HD Radeon 7950 OC locally. I'm buying locally and this is the one available, so you can save yourself the time of linking me to online websites. It's 40$ more expensive than a GTX 660 Ti OC EVGA. I almost decided that I'll get it until I read about micro stuttering on the card. Can anyone confirm that this happens? I'll be gaming on a 1080p 23'' Samsung LED monitor.


Can anyone answer my above question?


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Skorpian*
> 
> Can anyone answer my above question?


you will be fine. Microstuttering seems a bit of an exxageration and even if there is, you would probably not notice it much.

Go for it.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> Certainly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These are all that I know of for certain:
> 1. Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz Edition.
> 2. MSi R7950 Twin Frozr 3
> 3. Fire Hurricane A795 (it can be flashed to HD7970)
> Where in Europe are you located? I can check around at a few shops that I sometimes order from in the U.K. & Germany for you if you'd like?


Sweet sweet. I'm from Denmark. I prefer to buy it in Denmark, because of easy RMA etc


----------



## Skorpian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> you will be fine. Microstuttering seems a bit of an exxageration and even if there is, you would probably not notice it much.
> 
> Go for it.


In a test video I could notice it but I could only notice it by fixing my eye on one spot of the screen, I tried doing it while moving around my eyes and couldn't notice it. I'm the kind of person who can notice most FPS drops tho, like a drop from 60 FPS to 55 FPS is something I can notice.
Will I be guaranteed less micro stuttering with a Nvidia card? No fanboyism really, but I want a PC which will serve at least 3-4 years without having to change anything, and I want virtually no errors.


----------



## mershadies

microstuttering on a single card is something I cannot notice.
So take the card with your prefered preferences. Is it on performance and oc? visual quality? driver support?
your choice!


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> My Sapphire HD7950 Vapor-X have illuminated Sapphire logo on them aswell.


Mine too! I thought that was really cool when I first booted up with this card. I wish they would have done a little more to prevent PCB sagging, it's not near as bad as my old Sapphire 7870's though, those things were like bananas...


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Skorpian*
> 
> Can anyone answer my above question?


I haven't had any discernible micro stuttering, and I watched very closely. I have done a bit of gaming, and a huge amount of bench tests in the past week I've had my card, and not once have I seen any type of stuttering in anything.

Well ok. Once. I ran a Heaven bench mark where I jacked up the tessellation scale, factor, and distance settings to maximum. There isn't a setup probably less than Quad SLI or Quad-Fire that wouldn't stutter under the same settings, and that isn't the famed "micro-stutter"









That reminds me, I wanted to run the test to check my frame latencies against the results those review sites showed.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Sweet sweet. I'm from Denmark. I prefer to buy it in Denmark, because of easy RMA etc


Ahh yes, very nice.







Quite understandable with the RMA issues. Hopefully, in a year or two, I'll be moving to the Netherlands. Only a short hop, skip, and a jump away from Denmark.


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If it is so awesome why do you want to trade?


Cough mhash/s cough


----------



## geoxile

The VRM cooling on the MSI 7950 truly is terrible. I hit 102C at 1.2V

Between the hot VRM and the coil whine I think I'll just return it.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> The VRM cooling on the MSI 7950 truly is terrible. I hit 102C at 1.2V
> Between the hot VRM and the coil whine I think I'll just return it.


My sapphire doesn't even have vrm temp. meter. It's probably better that way... 1075/1350 card hits 69-70C with 53% fans on 100% load after hour, should be pretty ok.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> My sapphire doesn't even have vrm temp. meter. It's probably better that way... 1075/1350 card hits 69-70C with 53% fans on 100% load after hour, should be pretty ok.


I don't know about the Flex but the reference Sapphire 7950 boost had VRM temp sensors. It stayed cool even at the stock voltage for boost (1.25V)


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> The VRM cooling on the MSI 7950 truly is terrible. I hit 102C at 1.2V
> Between the hot VRM and the coil whine I think I'll just return it.


My VRM gets to around 75c when playing shogun 2 at MAXED with 1920x1080. But my memory can't clock up to more than 1375 :S. Same with the first club 3d 7950 royalking. Probaly denmark gets some bad cards, or i'm unlucky :S. Hope i will get a better card next time.


----------



## Shauny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> On vanilla Skyrim everything maxed you should get 60FPS+. I got 60FPS+ on my overclocked 7870.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> On vanilla Skyrim everything maxed you should get 60FPS+. I got 60FPS+ on my overclocked 7870.


yea im running eyefinity and get about 50-60 fps on ultra settings With A few texture mods


----------



## geoxile

I have an issue. Whenever I'm playing a game on my main monitor and trying to watch something (flash video for example) on my second monitor the video lags. I have hardware acceleration off for firefox and such too so I'm not sure what the issue is. I think there should be enough processing power for Firefox and flash left even when I'm playing games like BF3 much less NS2.


----------



## JCnator987

Wow... Just got


----------



## JCnator987

My new MSI tf3 7950. It hit 1300/1550 on 1.200v solid! Can't wait to see how far I can take this card.


----------



## geoxile

Lucky, I feel like I got the bottom of the bin here


----------



## JCnator987

Well, silicon manufacturing is a tricky buisness, and I'm sure that the 28nm process will improve further over time. To tell true, I actually returned a card (I bought from amazon) because it ran a little too hot, and didn't clock well. Buying these cards is definitely a lottery buisness...


----------



## GunMetal

Is there any way to fix my VRM temps not showing properly? They just sit at 24c,25c all the time even when gaming.
Now I don't know if my 1180mhz at 1275v is safe or not, my card is a HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 boost.


----------



## geoxile

I set up the RMA for my 7950 for a refund. Think Newegg will do anything if I order a new 7950 before I send out the old one on Monday? I want to get it replaced ASAP.


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I set up the RMA for my 7950 for a refund. Think Newegg will do anything if I order a new 7950 before I send out the old one on Monday? I want to get it replaced ASAP.


I doubt so, only because UPS don't pick up/ship anything that's not UPS Holiday or UPS Express Critical on the 31st(Monday,New Year's Eve) and New Years Day(Tuesday), which means they weren't be picking up your package from Newegg on Monday.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Is there any way to fix my VRM temps not showing properly? They just sit at 24c,25c all the time even when gaming.
> Now I don't know if my 1180mhz at 1275v is safe or not, my card is a HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 boost.


Have you tried different softwares to check your VRM temps? If so and they dont change, I would returnt the card as the sensors are broke.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> I doubt so, only because UPS don't pick up/ship anything that's not UPS Holiday or UPS Express Critical on the 31st(Monday,New Year's Eve) and New Years Day(Tuesday), which means they weren't be picking up your package from Newegg on Monday.


Damn...

Edit: Is the AMD game promo working for anyone else? It seems like it's over on newegg, at least for me. After two dud cards and now this I might as well just skip the 7950. The entire affair is too bothersome


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Have you tried different softwares to check your VRM temps? If so and they dont change, I would returnt the card as the sensors are broke.


What other software can I use?


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> What other software can I use?


What software are you using? I use GPU-Z, but I believe HWinfo can also read it, Speccy might too.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Hi guys,
Thought I should paste a little update on here that i made on another topic as it may be of help to people with virtually no hair left, like myself after a year of frustration with AMD GPU's LOL

It has to be said that its almost a year since I bought my 3 cards and I have only just got to the point that anything works with no dramas.
Its my first, and maybe last visit to the AMD stable because of it, but then, I love eyefinity, so perhaps its worth it.

For reference, my final setup, and the one that I have now used on my final build is this, and it works properly out of the box.


Fresh Install of win7 64.
Fully update windows.
Install the driver disk that came with the card. (Sapphire 11.2 i think)
Install 12.11 beta 11.
Install 12.11 cap 2.

The part I found that caused me problems everytime was trying to install the beta *WITHOUT* first installing the OEM driver disk.
Why? I dont know, but getting Eyefinity to work without that disk installed first was pretty much always a no go. Bizzare.

I can only assume there is something included in the OEM disk that AMD doesnt install in the "Updates" and therefore there was always something missing.

*Now for the one part of my system that all people cant all copy due to different board designs.*
We are all here as we overclock yes. Now I have found nothing but conflicts and incompatibilities with all these damn overclocking programs. Trixx, AB etc so I decided to try something new. The Ghz Bios. Its solved all my problems, I overclock as far as I like with standard CCC installed and no extras. It sure makes life easier.

*My usual settings are as follows.*

http://www.stewartsanderson.com/p511390059/e4ca923b4

For reference, I play BF3, COD MW4, COD BO2 and Max Payne 3 at the moment.
My new monitors are the BenQ 120Hz and I run Eyefinity at 5760x1080 and never see any games drop below 150fps in this format with everything set to full.

Far Cry 3 is an arse, I dont think anyones got that game to work properly yet so I dont include that in my list.


----------



## rck1984

Been getting crazy by something that sounds like HDD noise for some weeks now, sometimes it occurred, sometimes i didn't hear it for days.
I removed all my HDD's one by one but the noise remained. After a good search, i discovered that my bottom Sapphire 7950 left fan makes a rattling noise that sounds like HDD sound. It isn't loud but with my fans turned down all the way, my pc is somewhat quiet. Then the rattle is very noticeable and pretty annoying.

Anyone else been having this rattling sound with their 7950/7970's? And what would be the best solution for this? RMA, even though the card itself works perfectly? or can i possibly fix it by removing the fan shroud and putting a drip of oil on or something, or do i void my warranty that way?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Damn...
> Edit: Is the AMD game promo working for anyone else? It seems like it's over on newegg, at least for me. After two dud cards and now this I might as well just skip the 7950. The entire affair is too bothersome


Go write to the manufacturer of your card, and they will probaly send you the game promo codes. I did that with my club 3d 7950







.


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Damn...
> Edit: Is the AMD game promo working for anyone else? It seems like it's over on newegg, at least for me. After two dud cards and now this I might as well just skip the 7950. The entire affair is too bothersome


Promo worked fine for me. SuperBiiz e-mailed the "never settle" promo code to redeem on AMD website before I even received the card... Once you register the code at the AMD game site, AMD sends you all of your voucher codes to e-mail.

It _should_ still be going on.

Make sure your particular purchase included the bundle... Some shops were including it only on certain cards (basically offering it both ways, with and without) and also charging more for the ones with the bundle...

Unrelated, but MSI or SuperBiiz was also including a voucher for Total War: Shogun 2 on top of the "Never Settle" bundle. Superbiiz didn't up-charge for a "never settle" promo card unlike some stores were, and MSI had a $30 MIR - pretty sweet deal, even without the $30 MIR.


----------



## Anomander Rake

ok guys, done for the time being, next step is phase on the cpu to get the scores higher, but for the gpu part it looks like thats it...

with one 7970 lightning (the better one) i can get 1280mhz on the gpu for 3d11 and 1240 for vantage and heaven and 1800mhz on the mems at 1.35mv+30mv aux, mem at 1.7mv, the temps are still a joke (i do mean a joke, 48C on the gpu, 37c on the Mem and 36C on the vrms) so id say thats it for this card, unless you guys think that i should go higher on volts since temps are still nice and low

with two 7970s i can go 1210mhz on the gpus and 1800mhz on mems for 3d11 and 1200 for everything else











the above plus some 3d05/06/03 scores gave me a total of 97.2 global points and 49 hardware points, so 156.2pt in one night


----------



## Razor 116

What is aux voltage? I've seen this in afterburner and never knew what it was or how it effected an OC.


----------



## Anomander Rake

like mentioned before by the lads, it helps to stabilize the core colts by upping them by another 30mV when needed, i managed to get 30mhz more with it for 3d11 and 10mhz more for vantage so always something


----------



## Coree

Just bought a second tube of MX-4. Should i try to replace the thermal compound on my 7950 which already was applied in the factory? Will it void the warranty if i do this? Also theres no "Warranty if void" stickers on the spring-based screws, unlike XFX-based 79XX's does.


----------



## stickg1

Anyone have trouble folding with their 7950/7970? On both the 7970 and 7950 I've had it folds fine for a couple of work units and then I get UNSTABLE_MACHINE errors in the log files. I tried on stock clocks and even on stock clocks with voltage maxed out to 1.3v and still get UNSTABLE_MACHINE. I use 12.11b drivers with APP SDK 2.8.


----------



## Honk5891

Booya! finally hit 10k in 3Dmark 11 with my FX 8350 @ 4.8Ghz and Giga 7950 @ 1225/1800



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5399990


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> What other software can I use?


Aida64, Gpu-z, MSI afterburner for example. There are many of them.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Booya! finally hit 10k in 3Dmark 11 with my FX 8350 @ 4.8Ghz and Giga 7950 @ 1225/1800
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5399990


Thats actually really impressive, I struggled to hit 9k with my 7970 and FX 8150 when I had that setup.


----------



## hollowxx

ok guys here the deal, i got the GHZ bios on my reference sapphire 7970, and now i want to go back to the stock bios, but i think i cant find it or something is wrong because when i use atiwinflash it says sistem ID mismatch, so i go to gpuz and look at my Device ID is 1002-6798

and i download this stock bios for the reference http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/112673/Sapphire.HD7970.3072.111207.html it says is the id 1002-6798 and keep saying sistem id mismatch.

someone help?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hollowxx*
> 
> ok guys here the deal, i got the GHZ bios on my reference sapphire 7970, and now i want to go back to the stock bios, but i think i cant find it or something is wrong because when i use atiwinflash it says sistem ID mismatch, so i go to gpuz and look at my Device ID is 1002-6798
> and i download this stock bios for the reference http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/112673/Sapphire.HD7970.3072.111207.html it says is the id 1002-6798 and keep saying sistem id mismatch.
> someone help?


Download the following:

ATIflash
HP USB tool
Win98 DOS bootables

And make a DOS bootable USB stick. Make a new folder in the root of the USB (warning: no files will appear in the USB stick after using the USB tool to make the bootable disk so it will look empty, this is normal) named something easy to remember for you.

Put the ATIflash tool in that folder AND a copy of the BIOS .rom you want to use

Reboot to the USB stick and you will be in command prompt, then:
Quote:


> cd "folder name"


Quote:


> atiflash -i


(finds the GPU adapter number)

Say it says your adapter is 0 and your BIOS .rom file name is tahiti.rom it will look like
Quote:


> atiflash -f -newbios -p 0 tahiti.rom


It will do stuff for a little but and then tell you its done and you need to reboot, you should be good to go. This forces it to bypass the checksum that is likely preventing you from flashing with atiwinflash.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Anyone have trouble folding with their 7950/7970? On both the 7970 and 7950 I've had it folds fine for a couple of work units and then I get UNSTABLE_MACHINE errors in the log files. I tried on stock clocks and even on stock clocks with voltage maxed out to 1.3v and still get UNSTABLE_MACHINE. I use 12.11b drivers with APP SDK 2.8.


There's a modded driver for gpucompute by bal3wolf that works iirc, but ya need to search for it cuz that's all I recall.


----------



## tw33k

I'm hoping someone can help me. The other day I OCd my Sapphire 7950 to 1100/1600 and ran Heaven. Right at the end a weird "crackling" sound came from my monitor and it lost the signal (ie: the screen went black) I powered down, rebooted and everything was fine. I just ran Heaven again at stock speeds but dropped the resolution to 1920x1080 (default is 2048x1152) At the same point in Heaven, the screen did the same thing (the noise it made was scary, like electricity kind of crackle)

After I rebooted I noticed my idle clocks were 500/150 (normally they're 300/150) I dropped the resolution to 1920x1080 and the clock speeds went back to normal. I changed the resolution back to default and now everything is as it should be.

Does anybody know what could be going on? I was thinking about changing from HDMI to DVI and see what happens.

UPDATE: I switched to DVI and ran Heaven @ 1920x1080 no problem. The weird thing is that with HDMI when I ran Heaven @ 1920x1080 it wouldn't take up the full screen but with DVI it does

UPDATE 2: Now it's idling @ 500/1250! If I change resolution to 1920x1080 it drops to 150/300 but changing back raises it again.

UPDATE 3: I thought it was CCC 12.10 causing the high idle clocks so I installed 12.11 BETA. Initially it fixed that problem but after rebooting idle clocks are still 500/150


----------



## demolitionman

Hey guys I'm dealing with the following situation i just bought a sapphire 7970 dual X OC edition on december 4 from newegg and I'm trying to raise the core clock on this thing and according to gpu-z it won't happen I've tried sapphire trixx 4.3 then 4.4 now i have 4.4.0b modded then i went with msi afterburner and still it won't budge and it does raise the memory voltage on the video card but the core voltage won't budge is this card voltage locked?? according to google it isn't... What else can I do?


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TamaDrumz76*
> 
> Promo worked fine for me. SuperBiiz e-mailed the "never settle" promo code to redeem on AMD website before I even received the card... Once you register the code at the AMD game site, AMD sends you all of your voucher codes to e-mail.
> It _should_ still be going on.
> Make sure your particular purchase included the bundle... Some shops were including it only on certain cards (basically offering it both ways, with and without) and also charging more for the ones with the bundle...
> Unrelated, but MSI or SuperBiiz was also including a voucher for Total War: Shogun 2 on top of the "Never Settle" bundle. Superbiiz didn't up-charge for a "never settle" promo card unlike some stores were, and MSI had a $30 MIR - pretty sweet deal, even without the $30 MIR.


It seems newegg ran out of the promo cards. It's listed as out of stock on their site.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I have an issue. Whenever I'm playing a game on my main monitor and trying to watch something (flash video for example) on my second monitor the video lags. I have hardware acceleration off for firefox and such too so I'm not sure what the issue is. I think there should be enough processing power for Firefox and flash left even when I'm playing games like BF3 much less NS2.


I'm still looking for a solution to this btw
Apparently this is a design issue with Windows 8.


----------



## GunMetal

Same VRM temps reading on AIDA64, I think I'll just live with it.
Currently gaming at 1180Mhz at 1237.


----------



## geoxile

Hey, for anyone else with the MSI 7950. What temps do you get at 1.2V? Is 100+ normal or is my card just weird

Also, has anyone tried replacing the thermal pad/tape on the VRMs?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Same VRM temps reading on AIDA64, I think I'll just live with it.
> Currently gaming at 1180Mhz at 1237.


You could burn your card if you change any voltages and dont see real temps.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> You could burn your card if you change any voltages and dont see real temps.


There is very little to worry about when it comes to VRM temps unless you are running FurMark with 1.3V.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> There is very little to worry about when it comes to VRM temps unless you are running FurMark with 1.3V.


VRMs are rated for around 100c, if they reach that point the card will probably throttle or crash.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

I got a Gigabyte HD 7950 for a cheap price (used for only about a week by its previous owner) Got it off $245 including shipping.
It performs on par with the 670 in some games and beat it significantly in others like Crysis (especially Warhead) & Metro 2033.
It is also smoother in Skyrim than my GTX 670.
At stock 900/5000 it performs on-par with my GTX 670 FTW @ 1215-1228 MHz. At 1100/1500 it is the faster card overall.
BTW how much a 7950 require to perform as fast as a stock 7970 GE?

It is a pretty good experience so far and good impression overall, this is my first high-end AMD card and it won't be my last







.
I don't notice any microstutter too







like the recent falling articles and I am using 12.11 Beta 8 drivers.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> I got a Gigabyte HD 7950 for a cheap price (used for only about a week by its previous owner) Got it off $245 including shipping.
> It performs on par with the 670 in some games and beat it significantly in others like Crysis (especially Warhead) & Metro 2033.
> It is also smoother in Skyrim than my GTX 670.
> At stock 900/5000 it performs as fast as my GTX 670 FTW @ 1228 MHz. At 1100/1500 it is the faster card overall.
> BTW how much a 7950 require to perform as fast as a stock 7970 GE?
> It is a pretty good experience so far and good impression overall, this is my first high-end AMD card and it won't be my last
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I don't notice any microstutter too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> like the recent falling articles and I am using 12.11 Beta 8 drivers.


A [email protected] mhz = [email protected]
A [email protected] mhz = [email protected]

Got my trifire 7950s setup on 1270mhz and I am beating trifire 7970s in unigine LuLz


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> A [email protected] mhz = [email protected]
> A [email protected] mhz = [email protected]
> Got my trifire 7950s setup on 1270mhz and I am beating trifire 7970s in unigine LuLz


hehe... Thanks.

BTW did the 7970 bios flash affect your cards overclockability?
I am using the latest Windforce x3 BIOS F43 and my benching clocks so far are 1215/1675 MHz.


----------



## King4x4

The F43 bios beats for both overclockability and stability. The 7970 bios couldn't work on either trifire and eyefinity (one of the DP would die out).

1215/1675 is mighty good on air. On water and three cards the highest I could get for benching was 1270 in unigine and it would crash in 3dmark and that was only stable on 1180mhz.

Have a lemon in one of the cards and thinking of getting rid of it.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> VRMs are rated for around 100c, if they reach that point the card will probably throttle or crash.


100C does nothing to them, pretty sure your information is wrong, they should work upto 120C or so.

Mine have topped at 110C without any issues or throttling when BitCoin mining.


----------



## Mazel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> I got a Gigabyte HD 7950 for a cheap price (used for only about a week by its previous owner) Got it off $245 including shipping.
> It performs on par with the 670 in some games and beat it significantly in others like Crysis (especially Warhead) & Metro 2033.
> It is also smoother in Skyrim than my GTX 670.
> At stock 900/5000 it performs on-par with my GTX 670 FTW @ 1215-1228 MHz. At 1100/1500 it is the faster card overall.
> BTW how much a 7950 require to perform as fast as a stock 7970 GE?
> It is a pretty good experience so far and good impression overall, this is my first high-end AMD card and it won't be my last
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I don't notice any microstutter too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> like the recent falling articles and I am using 12.11 Beta 8 drivers.


To match a stock 7970 GHz you need to have a core clock that's 2% faster. So 1070/1500 would be equal to a 7970 GHz. This is comparing my GHz to my 7950. The gap is extremely close believe it or not.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mazel*
> 
> To match a stock 7970 GHz you need to have a core clock that's 2% faster. So 1070/1500 would be equal to a 7970 GHz. This is comparing my GHz to my 7950. The gap is extremely close believe it or not.


Thats why the current best-best-per-buck is the 7950









Just get it to 1050 (95% of those in the market can do that with no voltage change) and you just netted yourself a free 7970ghz edition going at over $120 premium over the 7950.

Got two on my X58 system... now look at what those two did to me


----------



## Pill Monster

7950 Vapor-X V2.

P score isn't anything special but check out the graphics score.


----------



## Deo Domuique

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Thats why the current best-best-per-buck is the 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just get it to 1050 (95% of those in the market can do that with no voltage change)


95%? You're totally wrong. 1050Mhz on stock votlage? Some cards have stock voltage 1.031 ( the standard ) and cards with lower than 70% ASIC have even more... Mine with 62% ASIC has 1.093 default voltage, but still cannot do 1050Mhz. 1020-1030 is the max. My previous card was on the limits... It had 71% ASIC quality and came with 1.031Votage and could only do 950Mhz without voltage increase.

And by the way, how did you figure that number ( 95% )? My guess is, if you have over 80% ASIC quality, then you might be able to do 1050Mhz with the default, 1.031V.


----------



## King4x4

Lets just say I had over 11 7950s and only one of them was a lemon... barely hits 1080mhz.

One of my trifire setup cards is a lemon... can only go to 1290mhz on water


----------



## stubass

anyone know of a bios for my asus 7950 dcii card?

i see many people hitting 1200+ on the core. would love to see some bencheis like 3Dmark11 on such overclcok. please post some bench marks at 1200+ please.
here is my 3Dmark11.
i would like to compare for people who are stable
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> A [email protected] mhz = [email protected]
> A [email protected] mhz = [email protected]
> Got my trifire 7950s setup on 1270mhz and I am beating trifire 7970s in unigine LuLz


yeah it's amazing that 50 Mhz makes up the gap of 256 shaders and $200 bucks







Which is usually doable without any voltage increase.

My 7950 at 1200Mhz/6000Mhz flies, and I decided to not even bother with the upgrade, as it will only trigger DRM Fits with games that use Starforce (uck).


----------



## durasoft

Hi Guys,

Have introduced myself to this great site and was looking for some kind advice.
I'm an owner of an MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5 and was looking at keeping it on Air Cooling
But would like to know my next step with my new card.
Ive been down the route of flashing HD6970 bios into my old HD6950's so little know how on how to do that.

Was looking at a mild OC to my R7950
Do i need to Flash the second bios via the switch or shall i just use the MSI Afterburner to increase the clocks/volts

Kind Regards Tony

All the best for 2013


----------



## Honk5891

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> anyone know of a bios for my asus 7950 dcii card?
> i see many people hitting 1200+ on the core. would love to see some bencheis like 3Dmark11 on such overclcok. please post some bench marks at 1200+ please.
> here is my 3Dmark11.
> i would like to compare for people who are stable
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118


P score of 10K with my Gigabyte 7950 @ 1225/1800

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5399990


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> VRMs are rated for around 100c, if they reach that point the card will probably throttle or crash.
> 
> 
> 
> 100C does nothing to them, pretty sure your information is wrong, they should work upto 120C or so.
> 
> Mine have topped at 110C without any issues or throttling when BitCoin mining.
Click to expand...

They're rated to 125c. You can google the model numbers for the pdf and it was posted in the swiftech coooling thread iirc, its been a while. You shouldn't run them hot, but its your choice, your card.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 100C does nothing to them, pretty sure your information is wrong, they should work upto 120C or so.
> Mine have topped at 110C without any issues or throttling when BitCoin mining.


The CHiL 8228G throttles at 112c, so there is no way it will work at 120c.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> You could burn your card if you change any voltages and dont see real temps.


My card's default voltage is 1168v so I just hope it won't









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> There is very little to worry about when it comes to VRM temps unless you are running FurMark with 1.3V.


I really hope so


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *durasoft*
> 
> Hi Guys,
> Have introduced myself to this great site and was looking for some kind advice.
> I'm an owner of an MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5 and was looking at keeping it on Air Cooling
> But would like to know my next step with my new card.
> Ive been down the route of flashing HD6970 bios into my old HD6950's so little know how on how to do that.
> Was looking at a mild OC to my R7950
> Do i need to Flash the second bios via the switch or shall i just use the MSI Afterburner to increase the clocks/volts
> Kind Regards Tony
> All the best for 2013


Just use Afterburner. Add *-xcl* to the shortcut to increase GPU/VRAM clock limits.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They're rated to 125c. You can google the model numbers for the pdf and it was posted in the swiftech coooling thread iirc, its been a while. You shouldn't run them hot, but its your choice, your card.


My MSI 7950 started throttling when VRM temps hit approximately 102c, definitely not 125c

Also, still wondering if anyone tried replacing the thermal pad on their MSI 7950 with the stock heatsink/plate for the VRMs. I'm still mulling over the idea of getting another 7950 or just giving up.


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They're rated to 125c. You can google the model numbers for the pdf and it was posted in the swiftech coooling thread iirc, its been a while. You shouldn't run them hot, but its your choice, your card.


Thanks for the info. That's just the question I was coming here to post about.







Looks like I'm good @ 91° C (VRM temp), with 1300/1750 under a Heatkiller 79x0.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> *They're rated to 125c.* You can google the model numbers for the pdf and it was posted in the swiftech coooling thread iirc, its been a while. You shouldn't run them hot, but its your choice, your card.


The datasheet says nothing about 125c.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They're rated to 125c. You can google the model numbers for the pdf and it was posted in the swiftech coooling thread iirc, its been a while. You shouldn't run them hot, but its your choice, your card.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the info. That's just the question I was coming here to post about.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like I'm good @ 91° C (VRM temp), with 1300/1750 under a Heatkiller 79x0.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's high for active watercooling on the vrm. Here are mine at 1.3v.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

can you run eyefinity on a single 7970 on 3 1440 X 900's


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Wow, that's high for active watercooling on the vrm. Here are mine at 1.3v.


Actually, I think Aida 64 may have glitched and I saw the temps through Aquasuite 2012. I just pulled up Furmark & Heaven and it didn't eclipse 55° C on the VRM's. They'll probably see a bit higher temps when the cpu's being stressed simultaneously (on a single UT-60 240mm), but temps are looking good now according to GPU-z.

Also @ 1300 mV:


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Wow, that's high for active watercooling on the vrm. Here are mine at 1.3v.


What app are you using to test? Your GPU load never gets to 100%.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> can you run eyefinity on a single 7970 on 3 1440 X 900's


Easily


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> Thanks for the info. That's just the question I was coming here to post about.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like I'm good @ 91° C (VRM temp), with 1300/1750 under a Heatkiller 79x0.


I run my Card at 1.2Ghz/6.0Ghz, and My VRMs are under Dual-X Sapphire Cooler, and they dont get no where near 90 Degrees C, let alone 50.

If you're getting 90 Degrees C under a Water Block, then You have Contact/Flow/Dissipation Issues.


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I run my Card at 1.2Ghz/6.0Ghz, and My VRMs are under Dual-X Sapphire Cooler, and they dont get no where near 90 Degrees C, let alone 50.
> If you're getting 90 Degrees C under a Water Block, then You have Contact/Flow/Dissipation Issues.


See my post above yours, they weren't.







It looks like a minor one time Aida 64 glitch reporting through Aquasuite 2012. I'll send a report to Shoggy none the less.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> They're rated to 125c. You can google the model numbers for the pdf and it was posted in the swiftech coooling thread iirc, its been a while. You shouldn't run them hot, but its your choice, your card.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> The datasheet says nothing about 125c.


Which is it then? 85c or 125c?


----------



## SoloCamo

Hello all figured this is by far the best place to ask -

Don't mean to add more hypothetical questions to the forum here, but I'm curious as to my assumptions on these future cards vs my current card, a XFX 7970ghz Edition.

Now from the leaked spec sheets -

http://images.tweaktown.com/news/2/7/27139_03_leakedtt_amd_radeon_hd_8990_dual_gpu_specs_leak_out_full.png

it looks like the 8970 and 8950 are quite a considerable improvement. So my question remains, just how much of a performance jump would a 8950, let alone a 8970 give me?

-All will ship with 3gb's of vram so they are on equal footing there (plus I only game @ 1080p

-They will also share a 384bit bus, however they do bump the bandwidth up to 300gb/s and 322gb/s respectively vs a stock 7970GE @ 288gb/s

Now the stream processors are a different story, my 7970GE has 2048 vs 2304 for the 8950 & 2560 for the 8970. Just how much of a performance boost is expected with that?

Next on my list is the ROPS, where the newer 89** series sport 48 rops vs the 79** series's 32. Again, how much does this really play in the grand scheme of performance?

Currently, I can overclock my 7970GE to 1200mhz core and 1600mem on stock volts. Effectively this gives me 308gb/s bandwidth according to gpu-z and of course my clock speed is at 1.2ghz, which is 150mhz faster than a stock 7970GE as well as 150mhz faster then both 8950 and the 8970.

What I'm more or less wondering at this point is if my overclocked 7970GE would be able to atleast match a 8950 @ stock speeds?

Of course I also understand none of you nor I have a crystal ball to predict the future but just as general rough idea here. I'd rather sell my 7970ge while prices are good then wait until everyone is selling them to move to the 89** series.

Thanks for any and all feedback

ALSO - Are the stock volts 1.2v, as that's what my afterburner keeps defaulting to... I mean either way it's rock solid stable at 1200/1600 but i'd rather triple check if possible


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*


Hi would you mind sharing the BIOS version you're using?

Thx.


----------



## geoxile

The 8950 should be a decent step up from the 7970 from the looks of it. Clocked 50mhz higher than the 7970, has more texture units, ROPs, and shader units. I'm sure the real different will vary from game to game but I'd say around 20% better seems like a good estimate. You should remember, they're coming out in Q2 2013 so it's still a long ways off.

Also, someone said that manufacturers will provide the free game coupons. Does anyone know if Sapphire will provide it if I provide proof of purchase?


----------



## Noskcaj

I am going to get one of the two 7950's in the link below, will either work with the heatkiller waterblock in the same wishlist? also, when do you think the 8870 will drop? http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=wish_lists&wlcId=116533&action=wish_lists

Gammods http://www.gammods.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=7970 are my only other stockist


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Also, someone said that manufacturers will provide the free game coupons. Does anyone know if Sapphire will provide it if I provide proof of purchase?


The Never Settle bundle is provided by AMD and is only available through specific retailers.

Where did you purchase your card?


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> The Never Settle bundle is provided by AMD and is only available through specific retailers.
> Where did you purchase your card?


Here's the thing. I currently have a MSI 7950 with a very bad coil whine (sounds like a live cricket inside my PC whenever the 7950 is under load) and I set up a RMA for a refund with newegg. But the AMD gift bundle is out of stock on newegg so they're no longer running the promotion. Someone said that they got their AMD game bundle by emailing the manufacturer though.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> See my post above yours, they weren't.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It looks like a minor one time Aida 64 glitch reporting through Aquasuite 2012. I'll send a report to Shoggy none the less.


I had a few glitches in AIDA that reported my VRM 400 something degrees C and my voltage as like some insane level like, 14444444494v


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Hello all figured this is by far the best place to ask -
> Don't mean to add more hypothetical questions to the forum here, but I'm curious as to my assumptions on these future cards vs my current card, a XFX 7970ghz Edition.
> Now from the leaked spec sheets -
> http://images.tweaktown.com/news/2/7/27139_03_leakedtt_amd_radeon_hd_8990_dual_gpu_specs_leak_out_full.png
> it looks like the 8970 and 8950 are quite a considerable improvement. So my question remains, just how much of a performance jump would a 8950, let alone a 8970 give me?
> -All will ship with 3gb's of vram so they are on equal footing there (plus I only game @ 1080p
> -They will also share a 384bit bus, however they do bump the bandwidth up to 300gb/s and 322gb/s respectively vs a stock 7970GE @ 288gb/s
> Now the stream processors are a different story, my 7970GE has 2048 vs 2304 for the 8950 & 2560 for the 8970. Just how much of a performance boost is expected with that?
> Next on my list is the ROPS, where the newer 89** series sport 48 rops vs the 79** series's 32. Again, how much does this really play in the grand scheme of performance?
> Currently, I can overclock my 7970GE to 1200mhz core and 1600mem on stock volts. Effectively this gives me 308gb/s bandwidth according to gpu-z and of course my clock speed is at 1.2ghz, which is 150mhz faster than a stock 7970GE as well as 150mhz faster then both 8950 and the 8970.
> What I'm more or less wondering at this point is if my overclocked 7970GE would be able to atleast match a 8950 @ stock speeds?
> Of course I also understand none of you nor I have a crystal ball to predict the future but just as general rough idea here. I'd rather sell my 7970ge while prices are good then wait until everyone is selling them to move to the 89** series.
> Thanks for any and all feedback
> ALSO - Are the stock volts 1.2v, as that's what my afterburner keeps defaulting to... I mean either way it's rock solid stable at 1200/1600 but i'd rather triple check if possible


The specs sheets i have for beta testing look nothing like those, i cant say anything more as Im under NDA.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Here's the thing. I currently have a MSI 7950 with a very bad coil whine (sounds like a live cricket inside my PC whenever the 7950 is under load) and I set up a RMA for a refund with newegg. But the AMD gift bundle is out of stock on newegg so they're no longer running the promotion. Someone said that they got their AMD game bundle by emailing the manufacturer though.


all they are is a bunch of Steam/Origin Download Codes... Email AMD or Manufacturer.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Here's the thing. I currently have a MSI 7950 with a very bad coil whine (sounds like a live cricket inside my PC whenever the 7950 is under load) and I set up a RMA for a refund with newegg. But the AMD gift bundle is out of stock on newegg so they're no longer running the promotion. Someone said that they got their AMD game bundle by emailing the manufacturer though.


Possibly but you might have better results emailing AMD as they are the sponsoring the package...

http://blogs.amd.com/play/this-holiday-never-settle/


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Hi would you mind sharing the BIOS version you're using?
> Thx.


Sure







It's the OEM Bios for the MSi 7950 TF 3. I haven't bothered flashing it yet, and it really doesn't look like I need to.









Tahiti R7950 bios rom.zip 40k .zip file


----------



## Vlad7692

Count me in for a Vapor-X 7970 Ghz Editon


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twitch_alucard*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> anyone know of a bios for my asus 7950 dcii card?
> i see many people hitting 1200+ on the core. would love to see some bencheis like 3Dmark11 on such overclcok. please post some bench marks at 1200+ please.
> here is my 3Dmark11.
> i would like to compare for people who are stable
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118
> 
> 
> 
> P score of 10K with my Gigabyte 7950 @ 1225/1800
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5399990
Click to expand...

thanks for the comparison, your Graphics Score is awsome









be fore i try, anyone have any BIOS recomedations for my card? should i try the 7970 BIOS? sound like a noob for asking but with the prices of cards here in Thailand i would get shot if i brick it


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> Sure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's the OEM Bios for the MSi 7950 TF 3. I haven't bothered flashing it yet, and it really doesn't look like I need to.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tahiti R7950 bios rom.zip 40k .zip file


Is that the boost BIOS?
Can you post a screenshot of GPU-Z with the Graphics Card tab open?

Thx.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> anyone know of a bios for my asus 7950 dcii card?
> i see many people hitting 1200+ on the core. would love to see some bencheis like 3Dmark11 on such overclcok. please post some bench marks at 1200+ please.
> here is my 3Dmark11.
> i would like to compare for people who are stable
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> anyone know of a bios for my asus 7950 dcii card?
> i see many people hitting 1200+ on the core. would love to see some bencheis like 3Dmark11 on such overclcok. please post some bench marks at 1200+ please.
> here is my 3Dmark11.
> i would like to compare for people who are stable
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118


P10210 1250/1700

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5379447


----------



## geoxile

Can someone with a 7950 Vapor-X answer a few questions? Is the voltage locked? Does it have VRM cooling? And does the VRAM OC well? Does the card OC well? And what is the stock boost voltage?


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Is that the boost BIOS?
> Can you post a screenshot of GPU-Z with the Graphics Card tab open?
> Thx.


There isn't a boost variant of the TF 3 available, only the "OC" version, which I have. Default clocks at 880/5000 Mhz effective core/mem.


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Teh Rav3n*
> 
> There isn't a boost variant of the TF 3 available, only the "OC" version, which I have. Default clocks at 880/5000 Mhz effective core/mem.


Uh

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/7mw64/
I have a TF3 MSI HD7950. It boosts up to 960mhz


----------



## Teh Rav3n

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> anyone know of a bios for my asus 7950 dcii card?
> i see many people hitting 1200+ on the core. would love to see some bencheis like 3Dmark11 on such overclcok. please post some bench marks at 1200+ please.
> here is my 3Dmark11.
> i would like to compare for people who are stable
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118


Here's mine.









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5354035

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Uh
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/7mw64/
> I have a TF3 MSI HD7950. It boosts up to 960mhz


Huh, I hadn't seen that one. Thanks for the info.







Not that I've been paying much attention to hardware in the past couple of years, but I didn't leave it at stock past the driver install.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Uh
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/7mw64/
> I have a TF3 MSI HD7950. It boosts up to 960mhz


Thanks, your BIOS is a lot newer too.

Would you be able to upload a copy so I can try it on my Vapor-X?

TIA


----------



## SoloCamo

Looking at all these 7950's memory overclocks, is it safe to say my 1600mhz mem has a lot more headroom?

At 1600mhz from the stock 1500mhz on a XFX DD 7970ghz edition


----------



## BradleyW

New Beta should be out some time in january. I think January 7th. I was told by an AMD rep before xmas. It will be made purely for Far Cry 3 optimizations, so hopefullly we should see a 50% fps increase at the very most on a single 7970 for instance


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Thanks, your BIOS is a lot newer too.
> Would you be able to upload a copy so I can try it on my Vapor-X?
> TIA


http://www.mediafire.com/?lob9717pvueib1h
Should be it


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Hello everyone, I'm new in this forum and new to gaming and overclocking in general, so please be patient with me









This christmas I got mysef a Sapphire HD 7970 OC with Boost(This model: http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1481&psn=&lid=1&leg=0) and I was wondering what are its most stable overclocks, right now I OCed it at 1100 core and 1500 memory at stock voltages and it runs just fine. I have tried to twak the voltage up to 1.3V and 1250/1700 clocks and it works well with MSI Kombustor(Also, is that software good to test OCs?) but when I run a game I experience texture flickering(a checkered square comes and goes in some places), I have only tested Far Cry 3 and Skyrim with those clocks, and I don't know what or why is happening, can someone enlighten me? Besides with those clocks and voltage the card runs at 80C° which I don't know if is ok...

I also have another doubt, after the voltage tweaking, Trixx keeps resetting the VDDC at 1050, which is lower than the stock voltage of 1175, but keeps the 1100/1500 clocks, and I have to set the VDDC to 1175 manually every time I start up Windows...

So basically, I have 3 questions:
1. What are the stable clocks for my card? Both with and without voltage tweaking
2. Why does the texture flickering appear?
3. Why Trixx resets my VDDC, did I screw something? D:

I have an i5 650 with 3.2Ghz, and my motherboard is an Intel DH55HC, I know I have to change that mobo but I will later on the future, but I was wondering if overclocking had something to do with it...

Thanks in advance! Happy new year everyone!


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Can someone with a 7950 Vapor-X answer a few questions? Is the voltage locked? Does it have VRM cooling? And does the VRAM OC well? Does the card OC well? And what is the stock boost voltage?


Voltage is not locked, goes up to 1.3v. The VRMs are cooled, have never seen mine go much higher than 45C. My VRAM overclocks poorly, I get GSOD on anything over 1475, mine is an average overclocker as far as core goes, I get 1175 but I settled on 1150 on much lower voltage. Stock voltage is 1.117v and stock voltage on boost is 1.125v


----------



## geoxile

Oh, does the Gigabyte 7950 have any cooling for the VRMs? If not can it be fitted with heatsinks under the GPU heatsink?


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Can someone with a 7950 Vapor-X answer a few questions? Is the voltage locked? Does it have VRM cooling? And does the VRAM OC well? Does the card OC well? And what is the stock boost voltage?


Yes the voltage is locked, but there is a workaround by using the "constant voltage" option in AB.

Yes the card overclocks well (V2 does at least).

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Voltage is not locked, goes up to 1.3v. The VRMs are cooled, have never seen mine go much higher than 45C. My VRAM overclocks poorly, I get GSOD on anything over 1475, mine is an average overclocker as far as core goes, I get 1175 but I settled on 1150 on much lower voltage. Stock voltage is 1.117v and stock voltage on boost is 1.125v


Yes voltage IS locked. The voltage slider goes up to 1.3v but it doesn't do anything unless "constant voltage" is checked.

By default Afterburner shows only the target voltage unless a workaround is used. GPU-Z displays the true voltage.

Certain BIOS versions can be flashed onto the Vapor-X to allow vgpu control, namely the 950mhz OC BIOS.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> Hello everyone, I'm new in this forum and new to gaming and overclocking in general, so please be patient with me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This christmas I got mysef a Sapphire HD 7970 OC with Boost(This model: http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1481&psn=&lid=1&leg=0) and I was wondering what are its most stable overclocks, right now I OCed it at 1100 core and 1500 memory at stock voltages and it runs just fine. I have tried to twak the voltage up to 1.3V and 1250/1700 clocks and it works well with MSI Kombustor(Also, is that software good to test OCs?) but when I run a game I experience texture flickering(a checkered square comes and goes in some places), I have only tested Far Cry 3 and Skyrim with those clocks, and I don't know what or why is happening, can someone enlighten me? Besides with those clocks and voltage the card runs at 80C° which I don't know if is ok...
> I also have another doubt, after the voltage tweaking, Trixx keeps resetting the VDDC at 1050, which is lower than the stock voltage of 1175, but keeps the 1100/1500 clocks, and I have to set the VDDC to 1175 manually every time I start up Windows...
> So basically, I have 3 questions:
> 1. What are the stable clocks for my card? Both with and without voltage tweaking
> 2. Why does the texture flickering appear?
> 3. Why Trixx resets my VDDC, did I screw something? D:
> I have an i5 650 with 3.2Ghz, and my motherboard is an Intel DH55HC, I know I have to change that mobo but I will later on the future, but I was wondering if overclocking had something to do with it...
> Thanks in advance! Happy new year everyone!


1. Depends on the card, 1100-1150 is about average and 1525-1600mhz vram.
2. You don't have enough GPU voltage - what you see in AB is not actual volts.
3. dunno, but you should use either Afterburner or Trixx - not both.


----------



## geoxile

Is the Vapor-X "v2" common? As in do most stores stock this new revision? I'm about to get something from newegg. I'm also considering the Gigabyte 7950 but apparently it doesn't have ANY VRM cooling.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Yes the voltage is locked, but there is a workaround by using the "constant voltage" option in AB.
> Yes the card overclocks well (V2 does at least).
> Yes voltage IS locked. The voltage slider goes up to 1.3v but it doesn't do anything unless "constant voltage" is checked.
> By default Afterburner shows only the target voltage unless a workaround is used. GPU-Z displays the true voltage.
> Certain BIOS versions can be flashed onto the Vapor-X to allow vgpu control, namely the 950mhz OC BIOS.
> 1. Depends on the card, 1100-1150 is about average and 1525-1600mhz vram.
> 2. You don't have enough GPU voltage - what you see in AB is not actual volts.
> 3. dunno, but you should use either Afterburner or Trixx - not both.


IDK buddy, I'm using AB and I didn't have Force Constant Voltage checked and my GPU-Z is showing the same voltage I set in AB. I am using a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X.

EDIT: I see what you mean now. Can you elaborate more on fully unlocking the voltage for this card?


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> IDK buddy, I'm using AB and I didn't have Force Constant Voltage checked and my GPU-Z is showing the same voltage I set in AB. I am using a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X.


Me too.

Here is AB with real voltage reading enabled, note the slider is set to 1.3v:



Have a read here;

http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> 1. Depends on the card, 1100-1150 is about average and 1525-1600mhz vram.
> 2. You don't have enough GPU voltage - what you see in AB is not actual volts.
> 3. dunno, but you should use either Afterburner or Trixx - not both.


1. Thats stock voltages right? What about tweaked voltage?
2-3. I'm only using Trixx, I have Kombustor just to run tests of the OCs... Shoild I get another program to test that? And should I get AB or stick with Trixx? Pardon the ignorance, I'm a noob in this matter...


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Me too.
> Here is AB with real voltage reading enabled, note the slider is set to 1.3v:
> 
> Have a read here;
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked


Thats the current VDDC I'd say, while doing nothing mine stays at 0.900+ while after launching Skyrim for less than 30 seconds it increased significantly!



Edit: I forgot to say that the VDDC shown in GPU-Z increased and went far higher than the VDDC Trixx Shows... Is that because of the Board Power Li thing?


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> all they are is a bunch of Steam/Origin Download Codes... Email AMD or Manufacturer.


Where can we email AMD?


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Where can we email AMD?


Don't bother, AMD doesn't handle the bundle, I sent this when I wanted to get my new card:
"Hello, I am planning to buy a Sapphire OC 7970 card, as it is a 7900 series I suppose it includes the "Never Settle Bundle", but the most convenient store at my reach doesn't have any cards of the same model properly displaying whether or not it includes the bundle. I also can't ship anything to my current location. Assuming the card I bought does NOT include the bundle and I bought it during this month(December, 2012), is there a way for me to acquire the bundle without or with very low extra expenses? Thanks in advance."

This was their response:
"Dear 'Me, lol',

Your service request : SR #{ticketno:[You don't need to know this...]} has been reviewed and updated.

Response and Service Request History:

It is entirely handled by the reseller. Contact the reseller that you know is supporting/advertising the "Never Settle Bundle." See if they are able to work with you in the way you need.

Unfortunately, there is nothing that AMD is able to do in this regard.

In order to update this service request, please respond, leaving the service request reference intact.

Best regards,

Marc
AMD Global Customer Care"

Note: It was not a mail but instead an email, and yes I modified some things to keep my privacy...

Edit: If you still want to contact AMD, here: http://www.amd.com/us/aboutamd/contact-us/Pages/customer-inquiry.aspx
Be warned thou, I'm not sure thats the link I used to contact them, you might just want to navigate their page's "support" and "contact us" links. Best of lucks.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> Thats the current VDDC I'd say, while doing nothing mine stays at 0.900+ while after launching Skyrim for less than 30 seconds it increased significantly!


Yes it's the current vddc and if you look at the screenshots you'll see voltage slider is at 1.3v in AB and my GPU is 100% loaded yet the volts are only 1.03v or something....typical of a locked BIOS.

The really fked up thing about those cards is if you slide the power limiter to -20 the vgpu shoots up to 1.3v or whatever it's set at in AB, but as soon as you move the slider back towards 0% the voltage drops again.

IT DOES THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IT'S MEANT TO DO!
















Quote:


> Edit: I forgot to say that the VDDC shown in GPU-Z increased and went far higher than the VDDC Trixx Shows... Is that because of the Board Power Li thing?


1.44v can't be right, it's prob a glitch. What card and BIOS do you have?


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> 1.44v can't be right, it's prob a glitch. What card and BIOS do you have?


lol, I have no idea, new to all of this stuff, would it help if I posted a picture of Trixx showing the BIOS version? And also, the fact the the voltage changes(even rising surprisingly) means that my BIOS is not locked? Regarding to my card, I have a week old Sapphire HD 7970 OC with Boost(already posted a link to the model on a previous post on this same thread)


----------



## geoxile

So, once again. Does anyone know if the Gigabyte 7950 has VRM coolers?


----------



## Pill Monster

^Which one?

I just opened a ticket with Sapphire regarding the locked BIOS versions.....


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> lol, I have no idea, new to all of this stuff, would it help if I posted a picture of Trixx showing the BIOS version? And also, the fact the the voltage changes(even rising surprisingly) means that my BIOS is not locked? Regarding to my card, I have a week old Sapphire HD 7970 OC with Boost(already posted a link to the model on a previous post on this same thread)


Can you post a screenie of GPU-Z with the Graphics Tab open?


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> I just opened a ticket with Sapphire regarding the locked BIOS versions.....


So what exactly is the issue?


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> So, once again. Does anyone know if the Gigabyte 7950 has VRM coolers?


You don't have VRM coolers but the fans are so efficient that you don't need them.

When I was on air with three cards OCed to 1150mhz the highest I got on the VRMs was 85'C.

On one card OCed to 1200mhz the VRMs stay around 60'C

Smartest thing to do is not to OC your memory too much... that raises the temperature highest on the VRMs.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> You don't have VRM coolers but the fans are so efficient that you don't need them.
> When I was on air with three cards OCed to 1150mhz the highest I got on the VRMs was 85'C.
> On one card OCed to 1200mhz the VRMs stay around 60'C
> Smartest thing to do is not to OC your memory too much... that raises the temperature highest on the VRMs.


I find the memory vrm to be the coolest...even at 1700mhz it stays around 70c - but the whenever the vgpu is raised towards 1.2v (using an unlocked BIOS) the vrm climbs to over 100c....


----------



## geoxile

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> You don't have VRM coolers but the fans are so efficient that you don't need them.
> When I was on air with three cards OCed to 1150mhz the highest I got on the VRMs was 85'C.
> On one card OCed to 1200mhz the VRMs stay around 60'C
> Smartest thing to do is not to OC your memory too much... that raises the temperature highest on the VRMs.


Yea, I just saw a review and it seemed that the heatsink's contact block only covers the RAM and GPU. What voltage did you set your card to? Stock or did you overvolt?

And do you know if removing the heatsink would void the warranty? If there's space for a VRM heatsink it might be a good idea to put something on the VRMs


----------



## King4x4

Got it to 1.2v.


----------



## Stige

****en crash while I was writing a wall of text...

Short version then:
- Vapor-X cards can be voltage locked, my second card was while my first wasn't
- You can somehow unlock them by fooling around with the MSI AB "Use Constant Voltage" setting, atleast that somehow unlocked my second card
- Vapor-X cards propably don't have any VRM cooling as they get hot as **** on that department, if anyone was asking (But then again I don't exactly even know which bits are the VRM on the card)
- +50MHz on Core is worth same as +300MHz on Memory, so I wouldn't even bother with Memory that much really, atleast my first card wasn't a huge fan of being stable past 1450 or so

I propably forgot something I was about the write and I was quoting someone aswell but...

Crossfire related question: It seems since I got the second card, if I start monitoring programs like HWINFO, GPU-Z etc when system boots up, everything is OK. But if my PC has been running for a while and I start up a monitoring program it locks up the whole system and I need to restart, any idea what might be causing this? Didn't have this issue before Crossfire.


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Can you post a screenie of GPU-Z with the Graphics Tab open?


Of course, here ya go. PD:Trixx shows the same BIOS version...


----------



## Phoen1x

hi guys! newbie round here.

what is the best aftermarket cooler for the 7950?

Im using 7950 PCS+, are there any mini heat sinks for the ram modules and vrms that i can use?


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Of course, here ya go. PD:Trixx shows the same BIOS version...
> http://www.overclock.net/content/type/61/id/1205011/width/500/height/1000


Thanks, would you be able to upload it so I can try it out? Also I see you're still using 12.10 drivers, the 12.11's increase performance in many games by a huge margin, fwiw....

Quote:


> hi guys! newbie round here.
> what is the best aftermarket cooler for the 7950?
> Im using 7950 PCS+, are there any mini heat sinks for the ram modules and vrms that i can use?


Yeah sure, check out NewEgg...


----------



## Phoen1x

do u have a name for that?brand?model?


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> Thanks, would you be able to upload it so I can try it out? Also I see you're still using 12.10 drivers, the 12.11's increase performance in many games by a huge margin, fwiw....


I'll upload a .bin file which is the result of Trixx's "Save BIOS" option, hope it works, if not please tell me how to get it...

Tahiti.zip 41k .zip file


About the drivers, I am very well aware about the perfomance increase, but they're beta, and I have never been a great fan of beta drivers, I'd like to wait for the official release, I can stand what I play right now, playing Far Cry 3 at Ultra settings and 1080p and 4xMSAA(I think, lol, can't remember) and I keep above 30fps which is playable enough for me(God, I used to play Skyrim with a 9500GT, I am REALLY HAPPY with this new card, best xmas ever from me to me)


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> *There is very little to worry about when it comes to VRM temps* unless you are running FurMark with 1.3V.


I wouldn't say that. Theres been those news when some game/software (or what it was) have been patched incorrectly and people burned their cards. Theres also softwares that stresses VRM more than it would 'usually' do. Temps will raise easily to over 100c without 1.3V and FurMark, because everybody doesnt have good airflow and same stuff inside of their case. When it comes to overclocking (including overvolting), you should always watch your temps unless you dont care about your components.

I personally dont like any temps over 100C, even if they are rated to over 100c. My 7950 starts to throttling when VRM temps are over 100c. I just dont feel comfortable when its close to crash and there starts to smell burn components.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> I wouldn't say that. Theres been those news when some game/software (or what it was) have been patched incorrectly and people burned their cards. Theres also softwares that stresses VRM more than it would 'usually' do. Temps will raise easily to over 100c without 1.3V and FurMark, because everybody doesnt have good airflow and same stuff inside of their case. When it comes to overclocking (including overvolting), you should always watch your temps unless you dont care about your components.
> I personally dont like any temps over 100C, even if they are rated to over 100c. My 7950 starts to throttling when VRM temps are over 100c. I just dont feel comfortable when its close to crash and there starts to smell burn components.


If the temps don't go high under normal gaming (BF3 etc) then I wouldn't bother with how high they go on FurMark as that is clearly overkill, just like IBT is for CPUs, you will never reach those temps under normal use.

And I doubt your card is throttling because of VRM temps, has to be something else that is causing the throttling.

I can't get past 85C on VRM temps while gaming with 1.2V.

Even at 1.3V on single card it never hit above 95C or so and these cards got so useless VRM cooling aswell


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> If the temps don't go high under normal gaming (BF3 etc) then I wouldn't bother with how high they go on FurMark as that is clearly overkill, just like IBT is for CPUs, you will never reach those temps under normal use.
> And I doubt your card is throttling because of VRM temps, has to be something else that is causing the throttling.
> I can't get past 85C on VRM temps while gaming with 1.2V.
> Even at 1.3V on single card it never hit above 95C or so and these cards got so useless VRM cooling aswell


My vrm's also throttle at over 100c as I said earlier...and we are all using the same type - a CHil 8228.

They're supposed to throttle it stops them from burning up.

Also I doubt your true voltage is 1.3v, more likely around 1.16v.


----------



## zulk

Does the radeon pro actually help with the stuttering of these cards can anyone please confirm this and sorry for the derail :/


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> My vrm's also throttle at over 100c as I said earlier...and we are all using the same type - a CHil 8228.
> They're supposed to throttle it stops them from burning up.
> *Also I doubt your true voltage is 1.3v, more likely around 1.16v*.


I'll prove you wrong just for the heck of it once I get home.


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I'll prove you wrong just for the heck of it once I get home.


No you won't.


----------



## Ukkooh

Does anybody know the temp sweet spot for stability on air coolers on hd 7970? As my card is a ****ty overclocker I was thinking of undervolting it until I hit the temp sweet spot to see if I could actually manage a higher OC (58.4% ASIC). Currently running on default voltage which is 1.256V. Is this an insane idea or could it actaully work?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pill Monster*
> 
> No you won't.


I read that thread and tried a few of the methods and with a beta version of Trixx I was able to get the voltage to stay up under load but I'm still stuck at 1175MHz core. So I guess I'll continue the way I was before where I basically get 1175MHz on stock voltage. I appreciate the links.


----------



## SilkyJohnson

My card seems locked at full speeds all the time. 1250/1725 even in 2d. Anyone know why it wouldnt be swapping down to 2d clocks? I checked CCC and this is what I saw. Clocks like a boss







. Anywho can AMD overdrive be shut off once its on? I think that may be the issue but I cant figure out how to disable it like it was to begin with.


----------



## durasoft

Hi,
Yes you can without a problem.









T


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Hello, I succesfully managed to OC my Sapphire HD 7970 OC with Boost to 1150/1550(core/memory) and Far Cry 3 seems to work like a charm, nevertheless I believe I can pull something better, so I overvolted to 1.25V and set 1200/1600 clocks, and after running Far Cry 3 I noticed something weird going on... Gameplay-wise everything is smooth, but graphic-wise... I get texture flickering and weird stuff appearing D:

I'm uploading a video right now to show you what is happening, but before that I'd like to get some sort of opinion on this matter, is the OC ok for the card? And why exactly do these texture flickering and weird behaviour occurs?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> Hello, I succesfully managed to OC my Sapphire HD 7970 OC with Boost to 1150/1550(core/memory) and Far Cry 3 seems to work like a charm, nevertheless I believe I can pull something better, so I overvolted to 1.25V and set 1200/1600 clocks, and after running Far Cry 3 I noticed something weird going on... Gameplay-wise everything is smooth, but graphic-wise... I get texture flickering and weird stuff appearing D:
> I'm uploading a video right now to show you what is happening, but before that I'd like to get some sort of opinion on this matter, is the OC ok for the card? And why exactly do these texture flickering and weird behaviour occurs?
> Thanks in advance.


I think you are suffering artifacting from a bad OC.

Maybe it needs more voltage. I would just revert back to your previous OC.


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> I think you are suffering artifacting from a bad OC.
> 
> Maybe it needs more voltage. I would just revert back to your previous OC.


I incremented the voltage little by little up to 1.3V, and I still have graphical issues... So yeah, I reverted to a previous stable OC(I should be happy with 200Mhz more than stock? Right?).

I should not something thou, I just uninstalled Trixx and got Afterburner, and it can tweak something called memory voltage, would that have influence on how the OC runs? I never touched it, at stock it is 1.5V.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> I incremented the voltage little by little up to 1.3V, and I still have graphical issues... So yeah, I reverted to a previous stable OC(I should be happy with 200Mhz more than stock? Right?).
> I should not something thou, I just uninstalled Trixx and got Afterburner, and it can tweak something called memory voltage, would that have influence on how the OC runs? I never touched it, at stock it is 1.5V.


Well perhaps Memory Voltage has something to do with.. MEMORY CLOCKS?








Increasing it might help with overclocking memory?









/sherlock


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well perhaps Memory Voltage has something to do with.. MEMORY CLOCKS?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Increasing it might help with overclocking memory?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> /sherlock


Well of course, but I meant to ask if that would help the artifacting at all


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> Well of course, but I meant to ask if that would help the artifacting at all


Depends, typically green or red checker pattern indicates you have pushed the memory too far. You could try giving it a little more, but most of these cards are locked on the memory voltage even though the slider works.


----------



## H0CHM31573R

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Depends, typically green or red checker pattern indicates you have pushed the memory too far. You could try giving it a little more, but most of these cards are locked on the memory voltage even though the slider works.


What about white checker pattern? Does the same apply? In that case, is there a workaround to unlock the mem voltage, is it even safe?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Depends, typically green or red checker pattern indicates you have pushed the memory too far. You could try giving it a little more, but most of these cards are locked on the memory voltage even though the slider works.


Do you have any list of the specific artifacting patterns and their responsible components?


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Do you have any list of the specific artifacting patterns and their responsible components?


Playtool


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Playtool


Thanks! Imaginary rep for you +i


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Playtool


'Bout sums it up.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well perhaps Memory Voltage has something to do with.. MEMORY CLOCKS?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Increasing it might help with overclocking memory?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> /sherlock


LOL
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> Well of course, but I meant to ask if that would help the artifacting at all


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H0CHM31573R*
> 
> What about white checker pattern? Does the same apply? In that case, is there a workaround to unlock the mem voltage, is it even safe?


Your clocks are too high, try to bring the core down to 1175, that's where mine stopped flickering. Then try bringing the memory clock down if you still get the checkers and artifacts. It's trial and error. That's why I usually overclock the core, find the max, then start messing with the memory, and when I find the limits of each I try working with both at the same time and finding the best voltage per clock config. Like if I can do 1150MHz core on stock voltage, but I need 1.25v for 1175MHz, I'm just gonna stick with 1150MHz.


----------



## switchblade

Cannot get the atiman uninstaller to install. Says that I do not have the priviledges even though I am the only admin account on computer and I have changed the access control to provide me with full control and even ownership of the file


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Cannot get the atiman uninstaller to install. Says that I do not have the priviledges even though I am the only admin account on computer and I have changed the access control to provide me with full control and even ownership of the file


I don't recommend cleaners but if you must, install it by disabling uac first.


----------



## yesitsmario

Hey guys, which 7950 overclocks best on stock voltage? After some quick research I found 2 reviews of the HIS IceQ X2 and both were able to get to 1200mhz on the core.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_7950_X2_Boost/31.html
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5104/his_radeon_hd_7950_3gb_iceq_x2_overclocked_video_card_review/index2.html

I'm not too sure of tweaktown got to 1200mhz on stock voltage. Anyways, is there anybody here here with this specific card with similar oc results? Is there a list somewhere with overclocking averages with different 7950 models? I'm in the market for a new card, and the 7950 seems like the best price/performance card right now.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Cannot get the atiman uninstaller to install. Says that I do not have the priviledges even though I am the only admin account on computer and I have changed the access control to provide me with full control and even ownership of the file


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't recommend cleaners but if you must, install it by disabling uac first.


Windows 8 yeah?

Its a pain to get it to install, even disabling UAC via control panel doesn't work.

You need to edit a reg file to properly disable UAC, install atiman, then restore the reg file. Its actually fairly simple. Here's how you do it.

To disable UAC completely, you just need to change the value of the EnableLUA key from 1 to 0. Righ click on the lower left corner on the desktop (remember that we don't have the traditional Start Menu anymore) and click on Run. Type regedit to open the Windows Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Double click the EnableLUA key and change its value from 1 to 0.

You will be propmted to restart for the changes to take effect.

Reboot and you will have UAC completely disabled.


----------



## geoxile

Just uninstall it, use driver sweeper, CCleaner, and then Glary. ATIman is too much of a pain to install on Windows 8 so I just went with a more conventional method and everything is working fine.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Just uninstall it, use driver sweeper, CCleaner, and then Glary. ATIman is too much of a pain to install on Windows 8 so I just went with a more conventional method and everything is working fine.


Its a pain at first, but simple once someone (see my post above) tell you exactly what to do. Atiman is by far the best of the cleaners as well.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yesitsmario*
> 
> Hey guys, which 7950 overclocks best on stock voltage? After some quick research I found 2 reviews of the HIS IceQ X2 and both were able to get to 1200mhz on the core.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_7950_X2_Boost/31.html
> http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5104/his_radeon_hd_7950_3gb_iceq_x2_overclocked_video_card_review/index2.html
> I'm not too sure of tweaktown got to 1200mhz on stock voltage. Anyways, is there anybody here here with this specific card with similar oc results? Is there a list somewhere with overclocking averages with different 7950 models? I'm in the market for a new card, and the 7950 seems like the best price/performance card right now.


I have the HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2. Mine can be clocked at 1100 at stock voltage, memory left at stock clocks.
My max OC is 1180 at 1237v, haven't tried 1.3v and I don't plan to since the VRM temp sensors aren't working.

Here's what the Support has to say about the VRM issue:
"Thank you for support in HIS.
Since the card is cool enough, the VRM temp. monitoring function have been removed.
Thanks"

So I guess my max OC is fine.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> If the temps don't go high under normal gaming (BF3 etc) then I wouldn't bother with how high they go on FurMark as that is clearly overkill, just like IBT is for CPUs, you will never reach those temps under normal use.
> And I doubt your card is throttling because of VRM temps, has to be something else that is causing the throttling.
> I can't get past 85C on VRM temps while gaming with 1.2V.
> Even at 1.3V on single card it never hit above 95C or so and these cards got so useless VRM cooling aswell


Theres more than gaming that you can do with your computer. But thats your suggest to not worry about. I would myself RMA the card than having improperly working card.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> I have the HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2. Mine can be clocked at 1100 at stock voltage, memory left at stock clocks.
> My max OC is 1180 at 1237v, haven't tried 1.3v and I don't plan to since the VRM temp sensors aren't working.
> Here's what the Support has to say about the VRM issue:
> "Thank you for support in HIS.
> Since the card is cool enough, the VRM temp. monitoring function have been removed.
> Thanks"
> So I guess my max OC is fine.


that is without a doubt the dumbest smart answer from support I've seen in a while


----------



## Run N. Gun

I just purchased a Sapphire 7970 GHz Vapor-X card and have it overclocked at 1150/1600 using Trixx, using 12.11 drivers/CAP. I haven't touched voltages at all and have played 3-4 hours of FarCry3 and BF3 with zero issues.







The card stays about 62 degrees at load. This is a huge improvement over my crossfired 6970s. I'm impressed!


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> that is without a doubt the dumbest smart answer from support I've seen in a while


I agree.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Run N. Gun*
> 
> I just purchased a Sapphire 7970 GHz Vapor-X card and have it overclocked at 1150/1600 using Trixx, using 12.11 drivers/CAP. I haven't touched voltages at all and have played 3-4 hours of FarCry3 and BF3 with zero issues.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The card stays about 62 degrees at load. This is a huge improvement over my crossfired 6970s. I'm impressed!


congrats.







a HD 7970 at 1150 mhz will rip through any recent game at 1200p.







also what are your VRM temps under load ?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Theres more than gaming that you can do with your computer. But thats your suggest to not worry about. I would myself RMA the card than having improperly working card.


Yeah running epeen benchmarks and Furmarks to see how fast your card explodes lol?

Well you can ofcourse mine Bitcoins with your GPU but who does that anyway.


----------



## Nocturin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Yeah running epeen benchmarks and Furmarks to see how fast your card explodes lol?
> Well you can ofcourse mine Bitcoins with your GPU but who does that anyway.


What a small world that you live in.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nocturin*
> 
> What a small world that you live in.


Yeah, GFX are for gaming for me and that's it!


----------



## Ukkooh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Run N. Gun*
> 
> I just purchased a Sapphire 7970 GHz Vapor-X card and have it overclocked at 1150/1600 using Trixx, using 12.11 drivers/CAP. I haven't touched voltages at all and have played 3-4 hours of FarCry3 and BF3 with zero issues.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The card stays about 62 degrees at load. This is a huge improvement over my crossfired 6970s. I'm impressed!


What is your stock voltage on that card?


----------



## yesitsmario

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> I have the HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2. Mine can be clocked at 1100 at stock voltage, memory left at stock clocks.
> My max OC is 1180 at 1237v, haven't tried 1.3v and I don't plan to since the VRM temp sensors aren't working.
> Here's what the Support has to say about the VRM issue:
> "Thank you for support in HIS.
> Since the card is cool enough, the VRM temp. monitoring function have been removed.
> Thanks"
> So I guess my max OC is fine.


1100 on stock voltage is good, I'm debating on the IceQ x2 or Sapphire vapor-x. Also, is your card loud while gaming?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> congrats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> a HD 7970 at 1150 mhz will rip through any recent game at 1200p.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also what are your VRM temps under load ?


Except Far Cry 3! I'm mad at that game right now, and AMD for not fixing the drivers.


----------



## Run N. Gun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> congrats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> a HD 7970 at 1150 mhz will rip through any recent game at 1200p.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also what are your VRM temps under load ?


Good question. I haven't looked at voltages or VRM temps. I'll check them tonight and report back.









BTW - coming from a 6040 x 1200 setup, I'm thrilled with the overall performance and the much simplified setup. Eyefinity was fun early on, but became more of a chore as time went on. I'm looking a a larger single monitor with higher resolution at some point in the future.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Except Far Cry 3! I'm mad at that game right now, and AMD for not fixing the drivers.


I don't think its a problem on a single HD 7970 GPU. CF is broken in this game with terrible stuttering . My HD 6950 2GB (840 mhz) does very well on this game at Ultra , 2x MSAA, HDAO, Enhanced A2C. 35 - 45 fps


----------



## Run N. Gun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Except Far Cry 3! I'm mad at that game right now, and AMD for not fixing the drivers.


I'm not having one single issue with FC3. I'm using 12.11 Beta and CAP with no issues in any games so far. What issues are you having with FC3?


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> I don't think its a problem on a single HD 7970 GPU. CF is broken in this game with terrible stuttering . My HD 6950 2GB (840 mhz) does very well on this game at Ultra , 2x MSAA, HDAO, Enhanced A2C. 35 - 45 fps


Yea, the thing is that FC3 is completely unplayable at 35-45fps, I mean everytime framerate goes below 55, I just wanna hit "quit game" and go playing something else, Crysis 1 at 28fps feels 100times smoother than FC3 at 59fps









Although I can get that fairly stable 60fps when I play in DX9, disable post-FX and so on, but I really like post-FX on Ultra (motionblur etc) and its fairly annoying that I cant use it knowing that my hardware should be more than capable of running it :/

Dunno, maybe that magical driver-update is gonna fix some things, but feels like that lot of ppl with HD79xx-series gpus are having issues with FC3.

Also it feels like lottery that how FC3 is gonna run on your rig, pretty much like GTAIV...


----------



## BradleyW

I keep 50+ on a single 7970 stock speeds on high, DX9 but yeah, CF shows only a small fps increase and the odd frame drop.


----------



## ELCID777

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Yea, the thing is that FC3 is completely unplayable at 35-45fps


Lies.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ELCID777*
> 
> Lies.


Ehh, not really, I´m not the only one who says that the game feels extremely choppy when fps is below 60, if it isnt the case for you then thats fine, I wish I could play FC3 @40fps and that 50 fps would feel like 50 instead of 25...


----------



## Flameboy294

Im running Far Cry 3 maxed out just fine on my system. Sapphire 7970 Vapor X stock clock. The only thing im noticing is when rendering distance like while hand gliding is kinda terrible. like the closer you come a more detailed part of the mountain spawned, but im guessing because the drivers arnt optimized for FC3.


----------



## Mattbag

I personally like my games locked at 60 fraps but I also like to play my games with the settings maxed out as possible, with my 7970 at 1100mhz I can max the game with no AA on DX 11 and get 50ish fraps at 1440p, when I add AA it dips to about 35 to 45 and then becomes very unplayable and looks a lot worse. Even with a little more over clock though a single 7970 cannot max out far cry 3 which probably means that crysis 3 will probably have a very difficult time aswell, I may have to start down scaling to 1080p.


----------



## Mattbag

I have a question why is it that in trixx my VDDC keeps resetting back to 1025 because at that default voltage my OC is unstable and every game crashes when I open it? is there anyway to keep it from setting? my OC doesn't reset just the VDDC and I have to raise it before I can open any program its kind of annoying having to remember to raise it again. any opinions and my current OC is 1100/1600 with board power at plus 10% and usually I keep the VDDC at 1120 except for when it resets to 1025. any advice guys so far thats my only real issue with the 7970, that and at higher clocks without increasing the voltage to much it does crash.


----------



## youpekkad

Ok, bit of a offtopic, but I tried FC3, this time in DX11-mode without radeonpro etc running, MSAA x2, shadows @high everything else at max and it was playable, hovering around 50-60 and this time it didnt stutter etc, I have no idea why 50fps used to feel so sluggish :O

Weird.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Ok, bit of a offtopic, but I tried FC3, this time in DX11-mode without radeonpro etc running, MSAA x2, shadows @high everything else at max and it was playable, hovering around 50-60 and this time it didnt stutter etc, I have no idea why 50fps used to feel so sluggish :O
> Weird.


Frame Latency...

http://techreport.com/news/24136/driver-software-to-be-tweaked-to-reduce-radeon-frame-latencies-in-series-of-updates


----------



## geoxile

Does the Gigabyte 7950 have enough clearance under its huge heatsink for VRM coolers? And does gigabyte void the warranty if you remove the heatsink?

Edit: Just so you guys know, apparently Newegg ended the Never Settle promotion on Dec 31. Not sure why because they still have coupons in stock apparently and the AMD promotion details say the offer ends on March 31st,2013.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yesitsmario*
> 
> 1100 on stock voltage is good, I'm debating on the IceQ x2 or Sapphire vapor-x. Also, is your card loud while gaming?


Yes, it can be loud. Mine goes up to 49%(2350RPM) while gaming on The Witcher 2 (62 degrees) and it is audible. I can hear it with my case's fan speed to lowest.
I don't have a good ambient temp to begin with if that matters.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Yeah running epeen benchmarks and Furmarks to see how fast your card explodes lol?
> Well you can ofcourse mine Bitcoins with your GPU but who does that anyway.











I don't even want to answer to that anymore.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nocturin*
> 
> What a small world that you live in.


I agree.


----------



## Mordynl

Hi all just registrated my cards i have 2x Gigabyte 7950 in crossfire.
I was hoping someone can help me i have just put together my own game pc.

Coolermaster Cosmos 2 Case
Gigabyte Motherboard 990 FXA-UD7
Gigabyte Videokaart 7950 HD x2 in crossfire
FX 8150 8 core prossesor
Syntemugen 3 prossesor cooler
Corsair 16 gb Memory 1866mhz
Corsair 850 watt modulaire

Everything works fine but not crossfire i dont have good FPS and it laggs alot.
I have installed the latest beta drivers with CAP2 i have maked profiles for my games but its stil not working.
Hope that someone can help me cause this pc wasn't cheap and it should work let its meant to be.
If there isn't enough info please tell me.

Thanx and all the best wishes for 2013.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mattbag*
> 
> I have a question why is it that in trixx my VDDC keeps resetting back to 1025 because at that default voltage my OC is unstable and every game crashes when I open it? is there anyway to keep it from setting? my OC doesn't reset just the VDDC and I have to raise it before I can open any program its kind of annoying having to remember to raise it again. any opinions and my current OC is 1100/1600 with board power at plus 10% and usually I keep the VDDC at 1120 except for when it resets to 1025. any advice guys so far thats my only real issue with the 7970, that and at higher clocks without increasing the voltage to much it does crash.


Try using MSI Afterburner you might have better luck with it.

============

I have a question for AMD veterans & Windows 8 users







.
Why when my PC goes to sleep mode and after walking up Afterburner resets to default voltage. How to keep the voltage from resetting? My 1100/1500 OC is not stable at the stock voltage, and this causes the card to run @ 300/600 unless I restart the PC again.
I can run the card all day at 1100/1500 but once It goes to sleep mode it runs at stock voltage with the OC which will crush my apps instantly.


----------



## switchblade

Any1 else have had an issue where the gpu usage drops and fps as well? It used to be 92-98 but it has dropped and now is averaging in the 40% range for gpu usage. Wher I used to get a minimum of 49fps now I get averaging in the 30% range and evebn minimums of 10%. Any1 know what may have caused this? Tried driver version 12.10 and even the 12.11 beta
Tried reinstalling the os.

fx8120 stock settings
hd 7970 at stock settings
gigabyte 990fxa
700w psu
12GB of RAM

Any Ideas. I might try swapping out my cpu with another I have lying around and uninstalling the drivers and installing an hd 5870 that I have lying around as well.
This has happen 3 times before and I am not sure what has caused it.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mordynl*
> 
> Hi all just registrated my cards i have 2x Gigabyte 7950 in crossfire.
> I was hoping someone can help me i have just put together my own game pc.
> Coolermaster Cosmos 2 Case
> Gigabyte Motherboard 990 FXA-UD7
> Gigabyte Videokaart 7950 HD x2 in crossfire
> FX 8150 8 core prossesor
> Syntemugen 3 prossesor cooler
> Corsair 16 gb Memory 1866mhz
> Corsair 850 watt modulaire
> Everything works fine but not crossfire i dont have good FPS and it laggs alot.
> I have installed the latest beta drivers with CAP2 i have maked profiles for my games but its stil not working.
> Hope that someone can help me cause this pc wasn't cheap and it should work let its meant to be.
> If there isn't enough info please tell me.
> Thanx and all the best wishes for 2013.


Well one thing is for sure atleast, your CPU bottlenecks REALLY HARD, it propably can't even handle one HD7950 let alone Crossfire.
Lots of cores = Not a good thing when gaming, and AMD CPUs are not very good either.

If I overclock my GFXs a little bit my CPU starts TurboBoosting in BF3 immediatly (Upto 5240 or so is the highest I have seen, suprisingly no stability issues O_O).
So AMD CPU will bottleneck them really fast.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mordynl*
> 
> Hi all just registrated my cards i have 2x Gigabyte 7950 in crossfire.
> I was hoping someone can help me i have just put together my own game pc.
> Coolermaster Cosmos 2 Case
> Gigabyte Motherboard 990 FXA-UD7
> Gigabyte Videokaart 7950 HD x2 in crossfire
> FX 8150 8 core prossesor
> Syntemugen 3 prossesor cooler
> Corsair 16 gb Memory 1866mhz
> Corsair 850 watt modulaire
> Everything works fine but not crossfire i dont have good FPS and it laggs alot.
> I have installed the latest beta drivers with CAP2 i have maked profiles for my games but its stil not working.
> Hope that someone can help me cause this pc wasn't cheap and it should work let its meant to be.
> If there isn't enough info please tell me.
> Thanx and all the best wishes for 2013.


CPU usage?
You should have asked for advice before buying, people tend to pair i7's with GTX660/660ti thinking how super gaming computer they get, you are exactly the opposite (not really since you probably went by number of cores), lol.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well one thing is for sure atleast, your CPU bottlenecks REALLY HARD, it propably can't even handle one HD7950 let alone Crossfire.
> Lots of cores = Not a good thing when gaming, and AMD CPUs are not very good either.
> If I overclock my GFXs a little bit my CPU starts TurboBoosting in BF3 immediatly (Upto 5240 or so is the highest I have seen, suprisingly no stability issues O_O).
> So AMD CPU will bottleneck them really fast.


Nt sure about it bottle knecking a single gpu much but the bulldozers are not very good for multi gpu setups. They can easily manage a single high end gpu.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Alot of people are exaggerating here... While Bulldozer is not as fast as SB or IB in gaming.
It is still enough to provide playable fps. He has lag problems so that indicates another problem in his setup it is either a driver issue with his games or there is another undetermined problem with his system.
Should FX 8150 lag behind an i7 2600K? absolutely. but both should be at playable framerates.
Some people act here like he is owning a Pentium 4 along with 7950 Crossfire setup.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> it propably can't even handle one HD7950 .


Don't, just don't.


----------



## Mordynl

So what can i check? or do?








This Gear is just 1 month old or a little bit longer.
Thanks for replying i'm happy someone can help me.


----------



## switchblade

Any suggestions guys? I have just tested my hd 5870 and its the same thing. Gonna swap out my cpu.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Any1 else have had an issue where the gpu usage drops and fps as well? It used to be 92-98 but it has dropped and now is averaging in the 40% range for gpu usage. Wher I used to get a minimum of 49fps now I get averaging in the 30% range and evebn minimums of 10%. Any1 know what may have caused this? Tried driver version 12.10 and even the 12.11 beta
> Tried reinstalling the os.
> fx8120 stock settings
> hd 7970 at stock settings
> gigabyte 990fxa
> 700w psu
> 12GB of RAM
> Any Ideas. I might try swapping out my cpu with another I have lying around and uninstalling the drivers and installing an hd 5870 that I have lying around as well.
> This has happen 3 times before and I am not sure what has caused it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well one thing is for sure atleast, your CPU bottlenecks REALLY HARD, it propably can't even handle one HD7950 let alone Crossfire.
> Lots of cores = Not a good thing when gaming, and AMD CPUs are not very good either.
> If I overclock my GFXs a little bit my CPU starts TurboBoosting in BF3 immediatly (Upto 5240 or so is the highest I have seen, suprisingly no stability issues O_O).
> So AMD CPU will bottleneck them really fast.


I have no CPU Bottleneck..

I'd look at Chipset and PCIe Timings before I blame a Chip,

Especially if it was working before and isnt now.

Also Drivers... 12.1->12.6, 12.7, 12.8 were slow, so it took more GPU Usuage to maintain 60fr/Sec VSYNC.

When I went from 12.8 to 12.11 Beta 7, my GPU usuage dropped about 10% because it didnt have to work as hard to maintain the 60Fr/Sec cap.

Shoot, I jumped 1000 3dmarks going from 12.8 to 12.11 Beta7.

On Another Note, My Frame Rates stayed the same, but the "responsiveness" and smoothness got tons better when I upgraded my 8120 to an 8350. I immedately noticed teh 8350 was not down clocking under load like the 8120 I had was. So I went on a Mission to try ad Get the 8120 to stop down clocking.

I was able to get my 8120 to match my 8350 within 5% in benchmarks by:
Disable Cool And Quiet
Disable Power C States,
Disable Thermal Throttling
Disable CPU APM

I was able to Change Multiplier to Get 4GHz Stable with no Voltage Adjustments (or my Mainboard automatically adjusted it, i dunno, i just did CPU MP to Manual, then chose 20.00 4000MHz.)

Games automatically felt tons more responsive and fluid, if I went back to stock profile in BIOS, games started to have a lil bit of a stutter/jerkiness, even though I stayed at 60Fr/Sec according to FPS Overlay.

So, Running an FX 8120 STOCK on the Other hand was a problem.

The Chip's APM would CONSTANTLY downclock it to 2.8 GHz while Gaming or using all cores.
Then Decide to Dump half the Modules to like 1.6Ghz. I watched this closely in more than 1 mainboard.

Turning off Power Saving Features and APM will lock the Chip at 3.1Ghz (well for me it was 3099~MHz), no throttling down or up, no turbo, from there I just upped the MP a Tick or two at a Time till I got to 4Ghz.

Under water cooling, temps were only 3^C hotter under load, idle temps were a lil higher as the Cores weren't down clocking when idle or turning off.

So I'd look at the CPU frequencies before dumping more money into another chip.

I was able to run XFired 7870s Just fine on the 8120 when I got it to stop throttling back randomly.

switch, what's your Cinebench score for your CPU running in it's current configuration?


----------



## switchblade

I threw in my phenom II 955 and have the same issue. I tried 2 gpu's and 2 cpu's same thing occurs. I am wondering if its the mobo? I first had this issue when upgrading board and Cpu never had it before on my older platform. Will check that out tonight late for work. Will run benches and post it later skate.


----------



## grymok

I'm on my 2nd Club 3d 7950 RoyalKing card, and both of those got some high pitched Coil whine. The 1st one got replaced immediately, and i'm gonna send the 2nd one to RMA to get my money back next week.
Mean while i'm checking the market for another card of 7950. Bought the RoyalKing, based on a nice review on Overclock3d.com
Both my card wasn't able to get over 1400 mhz on memory, but not big of a deal









My ears is pretty vulneable for fan noise, and coil whine(As i have noticed).
As you can read above, i would like to overclock the card, to get some extra gain out of it







.
I'm sitting with a dream, of maybe get a waterblock on the card at some point







.

Both the Sapphire and MSI cards is populair, around here.
A gently user of OCN has proposed the MSI Twin Frozr card, because of the great overclock ability and build quality. But how is the noise on this compared to the Sapphire Flex HD/Vapor-X

I'm looking at these 4 cards atm:
Sapphire Dual-x: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-16-20G-HD7950-GDDR5-Graphics/dp/B0091MER16

Sapphire Vapor-x: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-09-40G-HD7950-Vapox-X-Graphics/dp/B0091MFBZC

Sapphire Flex hd: http://www.amazon.co.uk/TECHNOLOGY-11196-17-40G-Sapphire-Overclocked-Mini-DisplayPort/dp/B0091MIFXC

MSI Twin Frozr: http://www.amazon.co.uk/MSI-R7950-DDR5-PCI-E-Graphics/dp/B0089E69ZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357239108&sr=8-1

Can get these cards for around 242 £ so it's no big price difference








Hope a gentle person can give some hints


----------



## Mordynl

I disabled al the above here and games now have better and stable FPS then before.
Still i think 45 tot 70 is low for crossfire in Far Cry 3. Should i try to use 1 card and then look at the performance?
Is there anyway to check precise how it performs and what tweaks can i use to boost peformance of the crossfire?
Thanks for the support so far.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> I'm on my 2nd Club 3d 7950 RoyalKing card, and both of those got some high pitched Coil whine. The 1st one got replaced immediately, and i'm gonna send the 2nd one to RMA to get my money back next week.
> Mean while i'm checking the market for another card of 7950. Bought the RoyalKing, based on a nice review on Overclock3d.com
> Both my card wasn't able to get over 1400 mhz on memory, but not big of a deal
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My ears is pretty vulneable for fan noise, and coil whine(As i have noticed).
> As you can read above, i would like to overclock the card, to get some extra gain out of it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I'm sitting with a dream, of maybe get a waterblock on the card at some point
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Both the Sapphire and MSI cards is populair, around here.
> A gently user of OCN has proposed the MSI Twin Frozr card, because of the great overclock ability and build quality. But how is the noise on this compared to the Sapphire Flex HD/Vapor-X
> I'm looking at these 4 cards atm:
> Sapphire Dual-x: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-16-20G-HD7950-GDDR5-Graphics/dp/B0091MER16
> Sapphire Vapor-x: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-09-40G-HD7950-Vapox-X-Graphics/dp/B0091MFBZC
> Sapphire Flex hd: http://www.amazon.co.uk/TECHNOLOGY-11196-17-40G-Sapphire-Overclocked-Mini-DisplayPort/dp/B0091MIFXC
> MSI Twin Frozr: http://www.amazon.co.uk/MSI-R7950-DDR5-PCI-E-Graphics/dp/B0089E69ZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357239108&sr=8-1
> Can get these cards for around 242 £ so it's no big price difference
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope a gentle person can give some hints


You could have Googled or read the thread a little about Coil Whine and it would have saved you a lot of trouble.

If you stress your card for a day or two you can get rid of any Coil Whine basicly, my first card had pretty intense Coil Whine when it arrived aswell but there is zero Coil Whine on either of my cards now, and it didn't last more than a day or two from when the card arrived.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> You could have Googled or read the thread a little about Coil Whine and it would have saved you a lot of trouble.
> If you stress your card for a day or two you can get rid of any Coil Whine basicly, my first card had pretty intense Coil Whine when it arrived aswell but there is zero Coil Whine on either of my cards now, and it didn't last more than a day or two from when the card arrived.


Now i have got this card for 3 weeks, and have been running ALOT of uningine bench, 3dmark, bf3. It just get worse. It has begun to coil whine at the desktop sometimes now.
So i don't see how it helps me?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Now i have got this card for 3 weeks, and have been running ALOT of uningine bench, 3dmark, bf3. It just get worse. It has begun to coil whine at the desktop sometimes now.
> So i don't see how it helps me?


When i bought my cards (a year ago), i barely noticed coil whine under the huge fan noise of the cards. So, i worried what would happen if i watercool them. Actually, there was no noticable coil whine noise anymore by the time i put them under water... until today









Today, i ran the company of heroes demo and my cards were screaming bad







Well, i put FRAPS ON and checked the fps...
Guess what...
During game loading etc i had a couple of THOUSANDS of fps and THAT's why my cards were screaming that hard. So, my point is... put a frame rate limiter and most probably you will enjoy quite coil whine silent cards


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Frame Latency...
> http://techreport.com/news/24136/driver-software-to-be-tweaked-to-reduce-radeon-frame-latencies-in-series-of-updates


As i said in another forum... I appreciate the fact that the amd drivers team continues to optimize its drivers, but that what i dont really like is the fact, that after a year, still we as customers have not taken full advantage of the overpowered gpu and quite pricey hardware we have bought from amd!


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well one thing is for sure atleast, your CPU bottlenecks REALLY HARD, it propably can't even handle one HD7950 let alone Crossfire.
> Lots of cores = Not a good thing when gaming, and AMD CPUs are not very good either.
> If I overclock my GFXs a little bit my CPU starts TurboBoosting in BF3 immediatly (Upto 5240 or so is the highest I have seen, suprisingly no stability issues O_O).
> So AMD CPU will bottleneck them really fast.


ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?

NO. NO NO.

ONE THOUSAND TIMES NO.

HIS 7970 OR 7950(CF) ARE *NOT* BEING BOTTLENECKED.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> As i said in another forum... I appreciate the fact that the amd drivers team continues to optimize its drivers, but that what i dont really like is the fact, that after a year, still we as customers have not taken full advantage of the overpowered gpu and quite pricey hardware we have bought from amd!


Well, Im fine with performance now, but once AMD fixes teh Drivers to allow me to utilize the true performance of the hardware, I'll be estatic.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> When i bought my cards (a year ago), i barely noticed coil whine under the huge fan noise of the cards. So, i worried what would happen if i watercool them. Actually, there was no noticable coil whine noise anymore by the time i put them under water... until today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Today, i ran the company of heroes demo and my cards were screaming bad
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, i put FRAPS ON and checked the fps...
> Guess what...
> During game loading etc i had a couple of THOUSANDS of fps and THAT's why my cards were screaming that hard. So, my point is... put a frame rate limiter and most probably you will enjoy quite coil whine silent cards


hmm. when I play bf3, I only have like 70-100 fps. I would like to take advantage of my 120 Hz
but when I play, I hear the coil whine, over the explosions, shots and such. same with, far cry 3, and especially dishonored.
for the price of such hardware, I won't live with something that's noisy. there's a reason for making a silence pc
wrote to club 3d, and they agree with me, I should get it replaced


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Now i have got this card for 3 weeks, and have been running ALOT of uningine bench, 3dmark, bf3. It just get worse. It has begun to coil whine at the desktop sometimes now.
> So i don't see how it helps me?


That is weird then, running it for a while seems to remove the whine completely for others and myself.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?
> NO. NO NO.
> ONE THOUSAND TIMES NO.
> HIS 7970 OR 7950(CF) ARE *NOT* BEING BOTTLENECKED.


I'm not sure what you just said but if HD7950 CF can bottleneck my 5GHz 2500K, it will easily bottleneck a FX8350 which is a lot worse.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> That is weird then, running it for a while seems to remove the whine completely for others and myself.
> I'm not sure what you just said but if HD7950 CF can bottleneck my 5GHz 2500K, it will easily bottleneck a FX8350 which is a lot worse.


A 5ghz i5 is now a bottleneck?!? LOL.

Do tell what cpu was tested with a 7950 CF to prove your 5ghz i5 is a bottleneck.... Bottlenecking is way, way overblown.

Considering the fact that my *stock* 8350 get's 100% gpu usage on my overclocked 7970GE (1200mhz core / 1600mhz mem) I highly, highly doubt a 5ghz 2500k is bottlenecking two 7950's.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> A 5ghz i5 is now a bottleneck?!? LOL.
> Do tell what cpu was tested with a 7950 CF to prove your 5ghz i5 is a bottleneck.... Bottlenecking is way, way overblown.
> Considering the fact that my *stock* 8350 get's 100% gpu usage on my overclocked 7970GE (1200mhz core / 1600mhz mem) I highly, highly doubt a 5ghz 2500k is bottlenecking two 7950's.


Absolutely. People clearly don't understand the concept of bottlenecking .. and I'm pretty sure an 8-core AMD can match a 2500k ... (Edit: I guess not in gaming but w/e)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> A 5ghz i5 is now a bottleneck?!? LOL.
> Do tell what cpu was tested with a 7950 CF to prove your 5ghz i5 is a bottleneck.... Bottlenecking is way, way overblown.
> Considering the fact that my *stock* 8350 get's 100% gpu usage on my overclocked 7970GE (1200mhz core / 1600mhz mem) I highly, highly doubt a 5ghz 2500k is bottlenecking two 7950's.


I would consider it bottlenecking when the CPU starts Turbo Boosting while playing BF3 (Went upto 5240MHz).

If 5GHz was enough then it shouldn't even Turbo Boost? And it doesn't with my current clocks on the cards, if I up them a little bit I get instant Turbo Boosting on CPU lol

Never had that happen before until I installed the 2x HD7950.

Not that I'm complaining, still didn't see any BSOD even though it boosted itself up there somehow Oo


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I would consider it bottlenecking when the CPU starts Turbo Boosting while playing BF3 (Went upto 5240MHz).
> If 5GHz was enough then it shouldn't even Turbo Boost? And it doesn't with my current clocks on the cards, if I up them a little bit I get instant Turbo Boosting on CPU lol
> Never had that happen before until I installed the 2x HD7950.
> Not that I'm complaining, still didn't see any BSOD even though it boosted itself up there somehow Oo


Turn VSync on. Is it still 100% usage? (assuming you're maxing out 60fps with not a single dip)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Turn VSync on. Is it still 100% usage? (assuming you're maxing out 60fps with not a single dip)


Ofcourse it isn't with VSync on, but then you get insane tearing if you turn it on.

Never drops below ~75 FPS when running with it Off and not a single bit of screen tearing is there.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Absolutely. People clearly don't understand the concept of bottlenecking .. and I'm pretty sure an 8-core AMD can match a 2500k ... (Edit: I guess not in gaming but w/e)


The dude is out of line, there's people running quad 7970's and not getting a bottleneck with a 8350. An i5 at 5GHz will run 4 7970's like nothing also.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> The dude is out of line, there's people running quad 7970's and not getting a bottleneck with a 8350. An i5 at 5GHz will run 4 7970's like nothing also.


I give up, AMD CPUs are horrid (right now) and Crossfire HD7950 overclocked will make a 5GHz 2500K a bottleneck.

And I'm not the only one who has come to this conclusion it seems (Though it is a foreign site so not exactly worth linking).


----------



## Stefy

There is no way a 2500k is going to be a bottleneck.


----------



## billgates8889

To test if you have a bottleneck or not, there are usually two ways to do it. One, reduce your resolution to 800x600 and see if your FPS increases. if your FPS doesn't increase then you have a CPU bottleneck. If your FPS increase then you have a GPU bottleneck. Another method is to enter BF3 multiplayer (not singleplayer), and open console (press ~). Make sure the server is at 64 players. Type in the following, remember to press enter after each line.

Render.PerfOverlayEnable 1
Render.PerfOverlayVisible 1

You CPU line is yellow and your GPU line is green. If your CPU line is above your GPU line, then you have a bottleneck. If your GPU line is above your CPU line then you have a GPU bottleneck. Your system is balanced when both lines are close to each other.

Please post the results.


----------



## ELCID777

I've been running two overclocked HD 7970's with a 4.6GHz 2500k for almost a year now and never once had a problem with bottlenecks.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> To test if you have a bottleneck or not, there are usually two ways to do it. One, reduce your resolution to 800x600 and see if your FPS increases. if your FPS doesn't increase then you have a CPU bottleneck. If your FPS increase then you have a GPU bottleneck. Another method is to enter BF3 multiplayer (not singleplayer), and open console (press ~). Make sure the server is at 64 players. Type in the following, remember to press enter after each line.
> 
> Render.PerfOverlayEnable 1
> Render.PerfOverlayVisible 1
> You CPU line is yellow and your GPU line is green. If your CPU line is above your GPU line, then you have a bottleneck. If your GPU line is above your CPU line then you have a GPU bottleneck. Your system is balanced when both lines are close to each other.


+rep for the commands, will check them out on mild clocks and slightly higher clocks.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> hmm. when I play bf3, I only have like 70-100 fps. I would like to take advantage of my 120 Hz
> but when I play, I hear the coil whine, over the explosions, shots and such. same with, far cry 3, and especially dishonored.
> for the price of such hardware, I won't live with something that's noisy. there's a reason for making a silence pc
> wrote to club 3d, and they agree with me, I should get it replaced


Of course, do that









EDIT:

I just disabled VSync and stopped the Memory fans and noticed that above approx. 60fps I still have some coil whine -slightly- noticable ONLY with Speakers off and side panel off as well. (watercooled rig, by the way)
*As long as this very slight coil whine does NOT imply poor quality of my cards ,* I am more than happy


----------



## wirefox

Got a Black ops issue

rig below. running 1215 / 1725 .... runs fine in game during 3D..

but whenever it goes to intermission, my overclocking drops to 300/500 and my screen starts to tear and flicker. r

using AB and have force clocks on. and changed all enableulps'.... running 12.11 beta and caps from guru 3d (this happens on 12.10 and standard caps too)

any thoughts on how to make this stop?

I've got a piece of rep candy waiting for you.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> To test if you have a bottleneck or not, there are usually two ways to do it. One, reduce your resolution to 800x600 and see if your FPS increases. if your FPS doesn't increase then you have a CPU bottleneck. If your FPS increase then you have a GPU bottleneck. Another method is to enter BF3 multiplayer (not singleplayer), and open console (press ~). Make sure the server is at 64 players. Type in the following, remember to press enter after each line.
> 
> Render.PerfOverlayEnable 1
> Render.PerfOverlayVisible 1
> You CPU line is yellow and your GPU line is green. If your CPU line is above your GPU line, then you have a bottleneck. If your GPU line is above your CPU line then you have a GPU bottleneck. Your system is balanced when both lines are close to each other.
> Please post the results.


Interesting, didn't know that existed. Just got home from work but should be able to try and post the results shortly.

EDIT:

Well on a 64 player map they seem pretty much identical, at times the gpu above the cpu and vice versa.

However, when grabbing the screenshot it goes all sorts of wild and off from what I'm seeing... anyone else experience the same?

My rig is in the sig

EDIT again - seems the standard windows screenshot button screws it up, use Fraps for it.

Attached my screenshot showing an average (click for better view of course)

This is on ultra settings / maxed settings at 1080p on a 64 player map with a 8350 @ stock, 16gb ddr3 1600 8-9-9-26 and a 7970ghz edition at stock currently


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Looking at possibly upgrading my graphics card, have people on here been satisfied with the XFX DD Ghz edition card? Will water cool it in the future (think it should be ref but not sure) and EK's site says the block fits. Let me know your input, searching around now though the threads as well!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632

Thanks,
Thomas


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Looking at possibly upgrading my graphics card, have people on here been satisfied with the XFX DD Ghz edition card? Will water cool it in the future (think it should be ref but not sure) and EK's site says the block fits. Let me know your input, searching around now though the threads as well!
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632
> Thanks,
> Thomas


Using that exact card myself. Overclocks well, too. Have 1200mhz on the core and 1600mhz on the memory on stock volts. I'm sure I could get more out of it but I don't need to right now @ 1080p


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Looking at possibly upgrading my graphics card, have people on here been satisfied with the XFX DD Ghz edition card? Will water cool it in the future (think it should be ref but not sure) and EK's site says the block fits. Let me know your input, searching around now though the threads as well!
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632
> 
> Thanks,
> Thomas


You need to google more.

http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You need to google more.
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/


Thats not the same card, but thanks for the info, yes I did read that previous to posting

The cards affected have a dual DVI output and if the picture is correct on the egg it is still using the single DVI output PCB


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> 
> Interesting, didn't know that existed. Just got home from work but should be able to try and post the results shortly.
> EDIT:
> Well on a 64 player map they seem pretty much identical, at times the gpu above the cpu and vice versa.
> However, when grabbing the screenshot it goes all sorts of wild and off from what I'm seeing... anyone else experience the same?
> My rig is in the sig
> EDIT again - seems the standard windows screenshot button screws it up, use Fraps for it.
> Attached my screenshot showing an average (click for better view of course)
> This is on ultra settings / maxed settings at 1080p on a 64 player map with a 8350 @ stock, 16gb ddr3 1600 8-9-9-26 and a 7970ghz edition at stock currently


Your systems looks well balanced. You can also try running around the map and into some heavy explosions. That might expose which parts are bottlenecking by looking at the graph when your FPS drops.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You need to google more.
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/
> 
> 
> 
> Thats not the same card, but thanks for the info, yes I did read that previous to posting
> 
> The cards affected have a dual DVI output and if the picture is correct on the egg it is still using the single DVI output PCB
Click to expand...

Becareful because XFX has not sold a reference card in a longgg time. You can tell the one you are looking at is not ref because it doesn't have AMD's green serial number sticker on the back of the gpu. Diamond is one of the last AIBs selling a true reference card.


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Becareful because XFX has not sold a reference card in a longgg time. You can tell the one you are looking at is not ref because it doesn't have AMD's green serial number sticker on the back of the gpu. Diamond is one of the last AIBs selling a true reference card.


Thanks! That's kinda what I was wondering, everything I can find points to that it will work with the ref design block but I am skeptical because I know XFX has a little bit of a past with that kind of thing. The EK site doesn't mention this specific card but was hoping someone would be able to verify.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Becareful because XFX has not sold a reference card in a longgg time. You can tell the one you are looking at is not ref because it doesn't have AMD's green serial number sticker on the back of the gpu. Diamond is one of the last AIBs selling a true reference card.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks! That's kinda what I was wondering, everything I can find points to that it will work with the ref design block but I am skeptical because I know XFX has a little bit of a past with that kind of thing. The EK site doesn't mention this specific card but was hoping someone would be able to verify.
Click to expand...

I took a closer look at the pic newegg has linked and that particular card is running the alternate pcb, aka the matte black pcb. If the pics are accurate, then that card will fit a reference fullcover block. However, the pics newegg links are not always correct.


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I took a closer look at the pic newegg has linked and that particular card is running the alternate pcb, aka the matte black pcb. If the pics are accurate, then that card will fit a reference fullcover block. However, the pics newegg links are not always correct.


I wonder if I call newegg customer support if they would be able to verify, I would hate to get it here and have the old XFX switchero pulled on me







LOL

Thanks for the info +Rep


----------



## XiDillon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Thats not the same card, but thanks for the info, yes I did read that previous to posting
> The cards affected have a dual DVI output and if the picture is correct on the egg it is still using the single DVI output PCB


Im just adding that the single DVI + hdmi xfx 7950 (which should share the 7970 pcb) is not reference either. I bought a watercool backplate and half of the screws dont match up. I have to stick to core contacts if I watercool later on. Honestly I would prolly look away from xfx


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XiDillon*
> 
> Im just adding that the single DVI + hdmi xfx 7950 (which should share the 7970 pcb) is not reference either. I bought a watercool backplate and half of the screws dont match up. I have to stick to core contacts if I watercool later on. Honestly I would prolly look away from xfx


That's your fault. Should have done your research


----------



## XiDillon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> That's your fault. Should have done your research


well im not really complaining as I dont care to deal with it. is what it is.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XiDillon*
> 
> well im not really complaining as I dont care to deal with it. is what it is.


You suggested that the other user "Look away from XFX" because of your lack of research. I wanted to point out that XFX has done nothing wrong, and are a completely relevant option for watercooling. XFX isn't dumb ... for a user looking to watercooling, they typically wouldn't order a Black or Double D edition


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> You suggested that the other user "Look away from XFX" because of your lack of research. I wanted to point out that XFX has done nothing wrong, and are a completely relevant option for watercooling. XFX isn't dumb ... for a user looking to watercooling, they typically wouldn't order a Black or Double D edition


I didn't even think of it before when I bought both my Vapor-X cards but I'm really starting to think of it when running CF..

Plans can change you know? Atleast he is trying to cope with the horridness of XFX by improving on it


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I didn't even think of it before when I bought both my Vapor-X cards but I'm really starting to think of it when running CF..
> Plans can change you know? Atleast he is trying to cope with the horridness of XFX by improving on it


I didn't think of it either, but hey







I'm just saying you can't blame the company


----------



## Acefire

Xfx 7970 watercooled gpu's could represent the cheapest and most powerful system you could build.

XFX is overpriced. Lawl


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Acefire*
> 
> Xfx 7970 watercooled gpu's could represent the cheapest and most powerful system you could build.


why do you say that ?
(I haven't found the XFX to be particularly cheaper than any other brand in my own research)


----------



## Acefire

Alright statement retracted. *Typically* XFx is cheaper.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Acefire*
> 
> Alright statement retracted. *Typically* XFx is cheaper.


I've never found that to be the case, back to the 5xxx generation (No comment on previous generations)

So I was just wondering what you were talking about


----------



## Acefire

Xfx has always been the cheapest version of any card I've purchased in the past. That is why I jumped to that conclusion.

But still I don't want to have this debate. Too much technical stuff I would type that is tltt.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Your systems looks well balanced. You can also try running around the map and into some heavy explosions. That might expose which parts are bottlenecking by looking at the graph when your FPS drops.


Did so now after letting it run while gaming a bit. Seems pretty typical with it jumping around a bit in bigger firefights with multiple people the cpu is clearly stressed more and strays ever so slightly further (but hardly noticeable), same with explosions except they both jump a bit back and forth.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> I've never found that to be the case, back to the 5xxx generation (No comment on previous generations)
> So I was just wondering what you were talking about


So many XFX quality complaints everywhere, this is nothing new. Just look at their dual fan cards lol, the cooling is terrible and you could always question the components used.

You're really just being ignorant if you can't see why people don't recommend XFX.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> I've never found that to be the case, back to the 5xxx generation (No comment on previous generations)
> So I was just wondering what you were talking about
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So many XFX quality complaints everywhere, this is nothing new. Just look at their dual fan cards lol, the cooling is terrible and you could always question the components used.
> 
> You're really just being ignorant if you can't see why people don't recommend XFX.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about?
Duratec: solid caps,Ferrite core chokes,2 oz copper PCB
Dual loop CHil CHL8228G controller VRM
Hi-spec Hynix DDR5 modules
Hydrocell Vapor Cooling performs fantastic (and I run them stacked up in quadfire)

6+2 Power Phase
Top 1% of the binned GPU's

If what you say is true, the vast majority of reviewers including me, got it wrong.
call it anecdotal, but having them stacked up in quadfire is a pretty fair test for any graphics card. Not to mention very high clocks at relatively lower voltages
The coling is "terrible"/ is it now?

http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/xfx_hd7970_black_edition/14.htm
http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/xfx-r7970-double-dissipation-graphics-card-review/19/
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=858&Itemid=72&limit=1&limitstart=13


----------



## grymok

Just saw a deal on a MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB PhysX CUDA for 347 euro.
How does that compare to the MSI Radeon R7950 Twin Frozr III 3GD5/OC, that goes for 314 euro?.
Can't really find some compared reviews of the new drivers.
If both cards get overclocked, which wins the race?


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> What are you talking about?
> Duratec: solid caps,Ferrite core chokes,2 oz copper PCB
> CHil CHL8228G controller VRM
> Hydrocell Vapor Cooling performs fantastic (and I run them stacked up in quadfire)
> 5+1 Power Phase
> Top 1% of the binned GPU's
> If what you say is true, the vast majority of reviewers including me, got it wrong.
> call it anecdotal, but having them stacked up in quadfire is a pretty fair test for any graphics card. Not to mention very high clocks at relatively lower voltages


Agreed. Got to say my XFX Double D 7970 Ghz Edition has been nothing but rock solid, and has overclocked very well IMO on stock volts and stock cooling. 1200 core and 1600mem (can push higher but keep it here as i'm already over 300gb/s bandwidth at that point) and never see's 70*c even under 100% load when overclocked. Help's i've got a 120mm fan on the side panel blowing air on it but still.

I always thought XFX was the Evga for the AMD side. Then again last Ati/Amd based card I owned before this was a x1950pro agp card


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Just saw a deal on a MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB PhysX CUDA for 347 euro.
> How does that compare to the MSI Radeon R7950 Twin Frozr III 3GD5/OC, that goes for 314 euro?.
> Can't really find some compared reviews of the new drivers.
> If both cards get overclocked, which wins the race?


The 7950 is much better when overclocked. And you save a nice bunch of cash.

All the XFX complaints speak for themselves, really. They didn't come out of nowhere. It's not only the cards, it's the customer service etc. Common complaints is XFX not honoring their warranty, seen quite a few of those threads on OCN.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Just saw a deal on a MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB PhysX CUDA for 347 euro.
> How does that compare to the MSI Radeon R7950 Twin Frozr III 3GD5/OC, that goes for 314 euro?.
> Can't really find some compared reviews of the new drivers.
> If both cards get overclocked, which wins the race?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 7950 is much better when overclocked. And you save a nice bunch of cash.
> 
> All the XFX complaints speak for themselves, really. They didn't come out of nowhere. It's not only the cards, it's the customer service etc. Common complaints is XFX not honoring their warranty, seen quite a few of those threads on OCN.
Click to expand...

well you now have glossed over the XFX dual fan quality/cooling issues you were asserting and moved on to different issue.
The XFX complaints speak for themselves on OCN? thats rather anecdotal don't you think?
"I have seen" just as many complaints regarding Sapphire, Gigabyte, MSI etc threads and individual as anything else here on OCN.
Quote:


> You're really just being ignorant if you can't see why people don't recommend XFX.


I you are going to go around calling people ignorant, you might take care to make sure you are not.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> well you now have glossed over the XFX dual fan quality/cooling issues you were asserting and moved on to different issue.
> The XFX complaints speak for themselves on OCN? thats rather anecdotal don't you think?
> "I have seen" just as many complaints regarding Sapphire, Gigabyte, MSI etc threads and individual as anything else here on OCN.
> I you are going to go around calling people ignorant, you might take care to make sure you are not.


He is right though, no other manufacturer has as many complains as XFX does, this goes across every possible forum, they are all littered with XFX complaints, not just OCN.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> well you now have glossed over the XFX dual fan quality/cooling issues you were asserting and moved on to different issue.
> The XFX complaints speak for themselves on OCN? thats rather anecdotal don't you think?
> "I have seen" just as many complaints regarding Sapphire, Gigabyte, MSI etc threads and individual as anything else here on OCN.
> I you are going to go around calling people ignorant, you might take care to make sure you are not.
> 
> 
> 
> He is right though, no other manufacturer has as many complains as XFX does, this goes across every possible forum, they are all littered with XFX complaints, not just OCN.
Click to expand...

thts an empty statement unless you can demonstrate that there are more complaints at "every possible forum" The forums are also "littered" with complaints about Sapphire, Asus, powercolor, etc etc .

This has been a nice diversion though from the original unanswered assertion regarding the quality of components and cooling that still has not been answered.:
Quote:


> So many XFX quality complaints everywhere, this is nothing new. Just look at their dual fan cards lol, the cooling is terrible and you could always question the components used.


I listed in response that the quality of components is higher that the average, and that the cooling is as well by listing reviews and the specific upgraded and higher quality components used in the XFX DD line ( the one he specifically called out)
all he has stated is that "every possible forum" is littered with these disproportionate amount of complaints about XFX cards.

** The customer ratings for XFX graphic cards at Newegg are as highly rated as any top card they sell by verified owners**
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%2050001669&IsNodeId=1&name=XFX


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> He is right though, no other manufacturer has as many complains as XFX does, this goes across every possible forum, they are all littered with XFX complaints, not just OCN.


Where? In my time here (before being a member i've been lurking a year or so) I've yet to see any complaints that single xfx out. Let alone this 'littering' you speak of? Not even trying to be argumentive but as far as I've always read and known XFX is one of the better companies on the AMD side, so if there is proof otherwise, please provide it. And I'm not talking the one off thread dug up from months ago, I'm talking about known issues and multiple threads or complaints.

I'm a part of multiple tech sites and I see xfx recommended far more than complained about. Face it, each manufacturer at some point will have a product slip or not have the best quality control, and that's to be expected, but I've never seen anything ever single out XFX.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> I always thought XFX was the Evga for the AMD side. Then again last Ati/Amd based card I owned before this was a x1950pro agp card


Same Here....

But I move around manufacturers alot.

as for AMD/nVidia, the last nVidia Card I had was an 8800GTS SSC G80 640MB, simply because it was the bees knees at the time and it gave me 6 good years.

So

AMD HD7950 Dual-X OC 900Mhz Stock (Sapphire, Replacement for Below)
AMD HH7950 OC-900Mhz Stock (Sapphire, NON-Dual X Cooler, Died in 2 months Apr.'11)
AMD HD6850 775MHz Stock (XFX, Warranty Replacement for below)
AMD HD5830 (XFX, Issues out of the Box with the Heatsink and the card randomly turning off, Nov'10)

nVidia 8800GTS G80 640MB, (eVGA SSC, Bought it in 2006, Still going strong)

Now before that, (i have all thise still in a box in my Closet)
ATI Radeon All In Wonder 9600XT
ATI Radeon 8500
nVidia Geforce 4 MX (For my brother's system)
ATI Radeon All in Wonder 7500
3dFX Voodoo3
3dFX Voodoo2

Before that
Trident 9680 PCI 2MB EDO RAM (weeeeeeeeeeeee)
I had some ISA Crap before that, but i dont remember the name.

Now for CPU's

AMD FX8350 4GHz
AMD FX8120 3.1GHz
AMD "VISION" Laptop (dont remember exact names). x 2
AMD Phenom II 555 3.2GHz
AMD Athlon X2 6000+ 3.0GHz
AMD Sempron (i think it was 2.2GHz)
AMD Athlon 64 (also 2.2GHz)
AMD T-Bird 1.1GHz
AMD T-Bird 750MHz
AMD K6-II 400MHz
Intel Pentium MMX 200MHz
Packard Bell 486DX2
IBM 286 AT (8Mhz I think it was)


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> I always thought XFX was the Evga for the AMD side. Then again last Ati/Amd based card I owned before this was a x1950pro agp card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same Here....
> 
> But I move around manufacturers alot.
> 
> as for AMD/nVidia, the last nVidia Card I had was an 8800GTS SSC G80 640MB, simply because it was the bees knees at the time and it gave me 6 good years.
> 
> So
> 
> AMD HD7950 Dual-X OC 900Mhz Stock
> AMD HD6850 775MHz Stock
> AMD HD5830
> 
> nVidia 8800GTS G80 640MB, eVGA SSC
> 
> Now before that,
> ATI Radeon All In Wonder 9600XT
> ATI Radeon 8500
> ATI Radeon All in Wonder 7500
> 3dFX Voodoo3
> 3dFX Voodoo2
> 
> Before that
> Trident 9680 PCI 2MB EDO RAM (weeeeeeeeeeeee)
> *I had some ISA Crap before that, but i dont remember the name.*
Click to expand...

Did you have a Hercules, or Hercules InColor??


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Where? In my time here (before being a member i've been lurking a year or so) I've yet to see any complaints that single xfx out. Let alone this 'littering' you speak of? Not even trying to be argumentive but as far as I've always read and known XFX is one of the better companies on the AMD side, so if there is proof otherwise, please provide it. And I'm not talking the one off thread dug up from months ago, I'm talking about known issues and multiple threads or complaints.
> I'm a part of multiple tech sites and I see xfx recommended far more than complained about. Face it, each manufacturer at some point will have a product slip or not have the best quality control, and that's to be expected, but I've never seen anything ever single out XFX.


Well I didn't mean any of the older XFX cards, got no clue about them but there are a lot of complaints about the 79x0 series XFX cards.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Did you have a Hercules, or Hercules InColor??


I updated my post with everything I remember.

I still have it in a Box, I know it was 16-Bit Color w/ 1MB or 512K, and Compared to the Trident 9680 PCI, it was Crazy Slow.

Now that I think of it, I believe It was a Hercules, as I still have Driver Floppies for it. and I remember seeing the VGA BIOS Screen before the Mainboard booted..


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Did you have a Hercules, or Hercules InColor??
> 
> 
> 
> I updated my post with everything I remember.
> 
> I still have it in a Box, I know it was 16-Bit Color w/ 1MB or 512K, and Compared to the Trident 9680 PCI, it was Crazy Slow.
> 
> Now that I think of it, I believe It was a Hercules, as I still have Driver Floppies for it. and I remember seeing the VGA BIOS Screen before the Mainboard booted..
Click to expand...

Now that cool


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well I didn't mean any of the older XFX cards, got no clue about them but there are a lot of complaints about the 79x0 series XFX cards.


Again, I ask, where?









I own a XFX 7970GE (DD model) and have not heard of any known issues, complaints or general problems with XFX on this line, or any 79** line, so if there are issues I'd definitely like to know.


----------



## SkateZilla

one cannot conclude anything is garbage by NewEgg and TigerDirect Reviews... 90% of the people that say they are 5 Egg Tech Knowledge are prolly a 2 Max, and 90% of their "it's garbage" reviews are simple fixes that can be found with a simple google search.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> one cannot conclude anything is garbage by NewEgg and TigerDirect Reviews... 90% of the people that say they are 5 Egg Tech Knowledge are prolly a 2 Max, and 90% of their "it's garbage" reviews are simple fixes that can be found with a simple google search.


I wholeheartedly agree. That was not the point. Newegg is notorious for people complaining right or wrong about products. The complaint/problems reported on newegg by owners are the same as any other cards.


----------



## SkateZilla

every GPU on NewEgg has a Good Amount of "DOA", "COIL WHINE", "ARTIFACTS" complaints.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> every GPU on NewEgg has a Good Amount of "DOA", "COIL WHINE", "ARTIFACTS" complaints.


What's considered a good amount? There's some cards that maybe have 5 or less bad comments out of 100s of good comments.


----------



## SkateZilla

the only cards with less than 5 have less than 100 ratings...


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

... I like that I asked if anyone knew if people had experience with the particular card by XFX and if it could be watercooled and it just blew up into a argument that never answered the question... LOL

Does anyone have this card under a reference block?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> ... I like that I asked if anyone knew if people had experience with the particular card by XFX and if it could be watercooled and it just blew up into a argument that never answered the question... LOL
> 
> Does anyone have this card under a reference block?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632


I had an alternate pcb XFX BE that I used under water for a while. I ended up selling it a lil while ago. Check it out, you can see the pcb in the pics.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1317677/xfx-7970-black-edition-sold/0_40


----------



## NathG79

Sorry if i`ve misinterpreted these last few posts but i used to have two original launch day xfx 7970 be dd cards. clocked at 1000/1425 (stock). dont get me wrong they are great cards, but I did get a substantial amount of coil whine with both cards. then one packed up on me. I RMA`d the faulty card. and guess what I got sent back. yes. the ****ty version 3.1.--- locked voltage. i think it runs hotter also. my custom backplate doesnt fit corrrectly anymore because of the large chips on the top side of the pcb. and the deal breaker. the ASCII quality is 62%, compared to the launch version that was 78%. if i could do it again, I wouldnt go XFX, I used to have 2 sapphire 4890`s toxic edition, and they were flawless. I then upgraded to sapphire 5870 toxics. again-flawless but they had locked voltage too- they were the blue pcb version. but IMHO i wish that id gone sapphire again for the 7000 series.

just my two pence.

BTW, One of my 7970`s is still the launch version. holding up fine. cant believe how much price depreciation has occurred though, really hurts me that one


----------



## zGunBLADEz

The 7950 from msi are reference? I read somewhere they are using 7970 pcbs now...
This one
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NG3WR2

voltage locked?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NathG79*
> 
> Sorry if i`ve misinterpreted these last few posts but i used to have two original launch day xfx 7970 be dd cards. clocked at 1000/1425 (stock). dont get me wrong they are great cards, but I did get a substantial amount of coil whine with both cards. then one packed up on me. I RMA`d the faulty card. and guess what I got sent back. yes. the ****ty version 3.1.--- locked voltage. i think it runs hotter also. my custom backplate doesnt fit corrrectly anymore because of the large chips on the top side of the pcb. and the deal breaker. the ASCII quality is 62%, compared to the launch version that was 78%. if i could do it again, I wouldnt go XFX, I used to have 2 sapphire 4890`s toxic edition, and they were flawless. I then upgraded to sapphire 5870 toxics. again-flawless but they had locked voltage too- they were the blue pcb version. but IMHO i wish that id gone sapphire again for the 7000 series.
> 
> just my two pence.
> 
> BTW, One of my 7970`s is still the launch version. holding up fine. cant believe how much price depreciation has occurred though, really hurts me that one


Did you know that most of the reference cards at launch were made by Sapphire? They are the number 1 AIB for AMD and so they supply the bulk of the reference cards. It's not until the revised or alternate cards when the other AIBs start their own production.

My viewpoint is dislike for anything not reference. 98% of the custom/revised cards are a step backwards imo.


----------



## SkateZilla

see all the complaining about the new Ghz edition BIOSs and Voltage lockings, IM glad I was an Early adopter and got one before all that went down....


----------



## NathG79

Both my XFX 7970`s used to have a dual bios switch, but with this new V3.1, they scrapped the switch, and locked the voltage. why dont they just lock down CCC aswell.


----------



## 98uk

Got my MSI R7950 Twin Frozr from Amazon UK and it appears not to be voltage locked.

I install Catalyst, installed MSI Afterburner... enabled UnOfficialOverclocking and the EULA text into the config file... then enabled voltage editing and monitoring in options and voila:


----------



## switchblade

I have a xfx card infact i have 1 hd5870 and also a 7970 as well . 3 years with the hd 5870 and it still runs strong and I will never sell that card. My hd 7970 never had coil whine even since day 1 of use. The reference card box says it has what XFX calls "mosquito noise reduction". My card doesnt have coil whine even when I have removed basically all my case fans I dont here anything. All brands will have there issues. Keep in mind that if a thousand people by a particular card, the majority of them will have cards running fine and wont even come forward to comment but if they have a bad card they will definitely comment on it.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> I have a xfx card infact i have 1 hd5870 and also a 7970 as well . 3 years with the hd 5870 and it still runs strong and I will never sell that card. My hd 7970 never had coil whine even since day 1 of use. The reference card box says it has what XFX calls "mosquito noise reduction". My card doesnt have coil whine even when I have removed basically all my case fans I dont here anything. All brands will have there issues. Keep in mind that if a thousand people by a particular card, the majority of them will have cards running fine and wont even come forward to comment but if they have a bad card they will definitely comment on it.


Soon they'lll scrap the buttons on the PCB and Have it run to either a front 3.25 Bay, rear panel or just a wired control unit, so you dont have to open the case to hit the turbo button,

Me personally, the Turbo button on the one card I had with that feature, I was able to tap it with a pen through the case's side vent.


----------



## Foolsmasher

Hello all!

Just got my 7970 Lightning in today! What a beast of a card, I was surprised how big this sucker was. I'm still waiting on my waterblock from frozencpu so right now I'm on air inside my TJ-07....definitely NOT a match made in heaven as the TJ has very little airflow.

Anyway, I wanted to see what potential I had with an overclock on this baby. I'm waiting for my block before I do any voltage increases and lord knows I'm spoiled and can't listen to wretched fan noise anymore. I was able to hit 1185 on the core and 1600 on the memory very stable while running Furmark.

Here's a screenie:



So....is 1185/1600 on stock volts good? Bad? Average? I have no idea on these, just trying to figure out if I'm lucky in the silicon lottery.


----------



## Myyu

Proud new owner of a 7950 Vapor-X. Card absolutely destroys my old 6850. Loving it so far.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Foolsmasher*
> 
> Hello all!
> Just got my 7970 Lightning in today! What a beast of a card, I was surprised how big this sucker was. I'm still waiting on my waterblock from frozencpu so right now I'm on air inside my TJ-07....definitely NOT a match made in heaven as the TJ has very little airflow.
> Anyway, I wanted to see what potential I had with an overclock on this baby. I'm waiting for my block before I do any voltage increases and lord knows I'm spoiled and can't listen to wretched fan noise anymore. I was able to hit 1185 on the core and 1600 on the memory very stable while running Furmark. So....is 1185/1600 on stock volts good? Bad? Average? I have no idea on these, just trying to figure out if I'm lucky in the silicon lottery.


1185 mhz on stock voltage is very good. btw whats your stock voltage ? also furmark is designed to max power and heat. test with normal games like BF3, farcry 3, crysis 2. with water cooling you should do well. maybe you have landed a golden chip. now get that waterblock and crank up the voltage for some serious action


----------



## Foolsmasher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> 1185 mhz on stock voltage is very good. btw whats your stock voltage ? also furmark is designed to max power and heat. test with normal games like BF3, farcry 3, crysis 2. with water cooling you should do well. maybe you have landed a golden chip. now get that waterblock and crank up the voltage for some serious action


Stock volts is 1.17

Can't wait for the block, going to push to 1300 and be a very happy camper. The performance increase over my 6970 is significant and didn't cost too much once I sold it off. Cheaper than going X-Fire!


----------



## tsm106

Furmark is meaningless at a bench or stability test though.


----------



## King4x4

Need some decent bios for the gigabyte 7950.

Got two F2 and another F43 and I am getting lower scores on my whole system (think it's time for format just to double check).

BF3 isn't playable on anything over 900mhz (Sucks though... All cards can go up to 1300mhz single and 1250mhz trifire).


----------



## Foolsmasher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Furmark is meaningless at a bench or stability test though.


It was the quickest way to load the gpu and monitor temps.....

I just made it through a loop of 3dmark11 as well, so it looks like all is well for now. This air cooler is killing me though, even Twin Frozr sounds like a vacuum cleaner compared to the noiseblockers on my rad.


----------



## Tempey

Finally got around to replacing my 6990 for a 7970. Trying to get FC3 to work nice and smooth was getting on my nerves. Anyway the 7970 sorted out my problems mostly, am running it at 1080p on Very High with 2xMSAA being forced through RadeonPro and am holding 60fps mostly with dips down to 50, or 30 if I look out to sea. My 6990 had mostly better frames but the 7970 is so so so much smoother.

At stock the card is topping out at 79c in FC3 at 99% usage on autofan. I'd like to overclock it to help with those dips I get but I'm pretty happy with the card noise atm especially after the 6990. Makes me want to go water but I lack the motivation









edit: If anyone cares the ASIC % is 71.1, with stock volts of 1.17v. It's a reference model


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Foolsmasher*
> 
> It was the quickest way to load the gpu and monitor temps.....
> I just made it through a loop of 3dmark11 as well, so it looks like all is well for now. This air cooler is killing me though, even Twin Frozr sounds like a vacuum cleaner compared to the noiseblockers on my rad.


And then you start BF3/Metro2033/FC3 and boom instant driver reset








I thought Furmark would do it at start aswell but it really didn't :l


----------



## Achromatis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tempey*
> 
> Finally got around to replacing my 6990 for a 7970. Trying to get FC3 to work nice and smooth was getting on my nerves. Anyway the 7970 sorted out my problems mostly, am running it at 1080p on Very High with 2xMSAA being forced through RadeonPro and am holding 60fps mostly with dips down to 50, or 30 if I look out to sea. My 6990 had mostly better frames but the 7970 is so so so much smoother.
> 
> At stock the card is topping out at 79c in FC3 at 99% usage on autofan. I'd like to overclock it to help with those dips I get but I'm pretty happy with the card noise atm especially after the 6990. Makes me want to go water but I lack the motivation
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: If anyone cares the ASIC % is 71.1, with stock volts of 1.17v. It's a reference model


Similar to my experience. Just got my MSI reference 7970 and upgraded from a 6870, the immediate difference I noticed was the bandwidth. I mean the jump from Witcher 2 on med-high at ~30fps to max settings(less ubersampling) at a constant 60fps was nice too, but it just does everything so much more smoothly. On the downside, it just highlights how much of a bottleneck my internet is in Guildwars2









Went to 1125/1575 on stock volt no problem though. 26c idle, 82c at %60 fan speed(which is about as loud as I can stand) during an hour of Kombustor. Sounds like a turbine if the fan spins up any higher than that lol.

My one issue is that right when windows starts up the fan cranked up. Ill have to mess around and see if it drops down after a while on its own, or try reinstalling Afterburner or CCC.


----------



## Tr4il

Hey guys, im new here on ocn, and i was wondering if someone has experience with flashing the bios of their 7950 to the new "overclocked" bios?
Thanks in advance!


----------



## dartuil

anyone else lagging like hell in farcry3 menu?


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> anyone else lagging like hell in farcry3 menu?


nope, works just fine for me.


----------



## dartuil

what driver do you have?


----------



## BradleyW

Nvidia have just about fully fixed FC3 now as they've just released even more drivers. Come on AMD.


----------



## dartuil

FC3 is a ATI game friendly though








We need real driers!!! Come on AMD!!!


----------



## Scorpion49

Wow, I just noticed when my monitors turn off for power saving the fans on my 7950 stop completely. Never seen that before.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tr4il*
> 
> Hey guys, im new here on ocn, and i was wondering if someone has experience with flashing the bios of their 7950 to the new "overclocked" bios?
> Thanks in advance!


Its pretty easy but I would suggest using a DOS boot stick and ATIflash not ATIwinflash. If you need step by step instructions shoot me a PM and I can help you.


----------



## Mordynl

I'm also new to the OC scene what does it increase. can you pm me the ibfo how to please thanks


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mordynl*
> 
> I'm also new to the OC scene what does it increase. can you pm me the ibfo how to please thanks


If you're new to OC'ing I would suggest seeing what your card's limits are before you flash BIOS. What model do you have?


----------



## Mordynl

I have 2x gigabyte 7950 cards.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mordynl*
> 
> I have 2x gigabyte 7950 cards.


What CPU do you have?


----------



## Mordynl

amd 8150FX


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mordynl*
> 
> amd 8150FX


Then there should be no benefit from overclocking those cards as your CPU is a big bottleneck for them when it comes to gaming already.

Even my 5GHz 2500K has hard time keeping up with HD7950 Crossfire (And it really isn't keeping up in BF3 atleast).

You would get more benefits from actually overclocking your CPU so it can keep up with the Crossfire setup.


----------



## Mordynl

how much overclock are we talking about?
i already set on al 8 cores and standard oc is at 3.9ghz.


----------



## 12Cores

Finally broke 10,500 in 3dMark11 with my 7970(almost 12,000 on GPU score). The card has reached its max it will not take more than 1.3v @ 1230mhz on the core. Its going to live out the rest of its life @ 1200/1600 1.25v.


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mordynl*
> 
> amd 8150FX


Make sure you overclock your CPU past 4.6ghz if you want it to pull those cards. I just upgraded from a fx-8120(4.9ghz)/two 6870's and the cpu had no issues pulling those cards. If you are stuck on the AMD platform you may want to pick up a FX-8350 it will pull those cards without a issue when overclocked >4.6ghz. Bottom line get in there and get that cpu past 4.6 ghz.

Good Luck!


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Finally broke 10,500 in 3dMark11 with my 7970(almost 12,000 on GPU score). The card has reached its max it will not take more than 1.3v @ 1230mhz on the core. Its going to live out the rest of its life @ 1200/1600 1.25v.


that is what I OC my card to when gaming (1200/1600), but I am at 1.2V. Freakin love the card although I was hoping to get more out of it after putting it on water.

anyone use that new "ALLbenchmark" Catzilla GPU test?
I had quite the increase after OC'ing my card thats for sure. Overall I am not a huge fan of the program.


----------



## 12Cores

Qbical I did not win the gpu lottery with this chip but it still stays under 50c at 1.25v. I love this gpu going to get another one this year when 8XXX gpu's hit the market. These things are monsters.


----------



## qbical

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Qbical I did not win the gpu lottery with this chip but it still stays under 50c at 1.25v. I love this gpu going to get another one this year when 8XXX gpu's hit the market. These things are monsters.


lol you and me both
is yours on water? i was thinking about upping the V some more, but am pretty happy w the results I got thus far so i figure why bother.


----------



## GunMetal

Guys, what do you think about the PowerColor 7870 MYST? HardOCP says it can beat the 7950 boost..


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Guys, what do you think about the PowerColor 7870 MYST? HardOCP says it can beat the 7950 boost..


In where? Oo

Pretty much makes no sense at all that a 7870 would beat a 7950.


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mordynl*
> 
> I have 2x gigabyte 7950 cards.


Mordynl, you may be able hit 4.6 with the FX-8150 @1.38-1.42v with your cooler, it is really going to depend on the quality of the chip. Try hitting 4.6 with 1.38v and see if it holds, if that does not work keeping upping the volts until you are stable. Monitor your temp with core temp or HWMonitor. Under Air cooling I would not push CPU past 1.45v. Also remember that the FX-8150 will draw a massive amount of watts when overclocked.

Stable temps with my FX-8120 under a customer water loop.

4ghz - 1.35v
4.6ghz - 1.40v
4.75ghz - 1.50v! 600W from the wall with two 6870's
4.9ghz - 1.52v! More than 600W from the wall with the 6870's

Good Luck!


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> In where? Oo
> Pretty much makes no sense at all that a 7870 would beat a 7950.


HardOCP PowerColor 7870 MYST
It beats it, on the review's OCed result.


----------



## deNordic

Someone with 7950 (12.11 & overclocked to higher stable clocks) can post a *3DMark11 perfomance* test and a *Unigine Heaven DX11 (maxed out settings)*

Wanna compare with my 660Ti oc/ed at (1293/1802)

thanks


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Someone with 7950 (12.11 & overclocked to higher stable clocks) can post a *3DMark11 perfomance* test and a *Unigine Heaven DX11 (maxed out settings)*
> Wanna compare with my 660Ti oc/ed at (1293/1802)
> thanks


I'll run it with my 3570k at 4.6GHz and my RAM at 1866MHz, the 7950 OC'd is at 1100/1250MHz as MSI Kombustor plays up if I set it to allow higher OC's and the memory isn't stable much above 1250MHz.
I'll do a stock comparison with screenshots too. (CPU/RAM still OC'd)

I don't have ugine installed, but I'll do 3DMark 11 because I got that the other day.


----------



## deNordic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I'll run it with my 3570k at 4.6GHz and my RAM at 1866MHz, the 7950 OC'd is at 1100/1250MHz as MSI Kombustor plays up if I set it to allow higher OC's and the memory isn't stable much above 1250MHz.
> I'll do a stock comparison with screenshots too. (CPU/RAM still OC'd)
> I don't have ugine installed, but I'll do 3DMark 11 because I got that the other day.


Ok please dl and post a Unigine test also! (8AA, 16AF, extreme tess, 1080p etc)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> HardOCP PowerColor 7870 MYST
> It beats it, on the review's OCed result.


Not in any way from what you linked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Someone with 7950 (12.11 & overclocked to higher stable clocks) can post a *3DMark11 perfomance* test and a *Unigine Heaven DX11 (maxed out settings)*
> Wanna compare with my 660Ti oc/ed at (1293/1802)
> thanks


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5224350

Don't have Uniqine runs from a single card setup unfortunately.

660Ti should score higher in 3DMark and slightly higher FPS in BF3 apparently but everything else the HD7950 is faster pretty much.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Ok please dl and post a Unigine test also! (8AA, 16AF, extreme tess, 1080p etc)


I would.. But I'm about to go to sleep. It's 1:30AM here...

Stock - Overclocked

12.11's, not sure which exact version though. The scores say the other hardware but i'll mention it here again.
3570k @ 4.6GHz
16GB of RAM @ 1866 10-10-10-21 1t
7950 is 900MHz/1250MHz "Stock" and 1100/1250MHz overclocked.


----------



## RaiKa

Heaven(dx11 kills my fps, on dx 10 i have like 80-90+fps)


3DMARK11



gpuz


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Someone with 7950 (12.11 & overclocked to higher stable clocks) can post a *3DMark11 perfomance* test and a *Unigine Heaven DX11 (maxed out settings)*
> Wanna compare with my 660Ti oc/ed at (1293/1802)
> thanks


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5472249 , highest potential 24/7 stable OC (meaning OC I could use as 24/7 clocks) was 1200/1675, which would score few points less. After 1200 core my card hits a wall, as it hit [email protected],13v no problems, however, 1220 started artifacting in Graphics test 2 even @1,17v, didnt try max memoryclocks, however, everything up to 1700mhz worked fine.


----------



## Coree

My VTX3D 7950's (7970 pcb) VRM1 ran at 103°C and VRM2 at 81°C, GPU was 83°C while i did a 15 min run on FurMark at STOCK clocks and voltages. Is this normal?
I have coil whine too, should I RMA?..


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> My VTX3D 7950's (7970 pcb) VRM1 ran at 103°C and VRM2 at 81°C, GPU was 83°C while i did a 15 min run on FurMark at STOCK clocks and voltages. Is this normal?
> I have coil whine too, should I RMA?..


Yes and no.

FurMark is only to see how high your extreme temperatures are really and if your PSU is enough.

Your temps will never go anywhere near those while gaming.


----------



## 12Cores

Mordynl, please update your rig so that others can help you with the overclock. Once you post your stats head on over to the Bulldozer Owners Club for help at the link below. We will help you with the overclock once we have some more information on your rig.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1139726/amd-fx-bulldozer-piledriver-owners-club


----------



## Tr4il

@Scorpion49 Im on my quota for pm's for today. Will send you a message if i am able to


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tr4il*
> 
> @Scorpion49 Im on my quota for pm's for today. Will send you a message if i am able to


I'll shoot you a PM with en email address right now.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Someone with 7950 (12.11 & overclocked to higher stable clocks) can post a *3DMark11 perfomance* test and a *Unigine Heaven DX11 (maxed out settings)*
> Wanna compare with my 660Ti oc/ed at (1293/1802)
> thanks


3570k @ 4.4ghz, [email protected] 1250/1700:

3Dmark11: P10210


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Someone with 7950 (12.11 & overclocked to higher stable clocks) can post a *3DMark11 perfomance* test and a *Unigine Heaven DX11 (maxed out settings)*
> Wanna compare with my 660Ti oc/ed at (1293/1802)
> thanks


never played games with these oc's . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5063226


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> HardOCP PowerColor 7870 MYST
> It beats it, on the review's OCed result.


it almost did. my cpu at 4.5. this caspian 64 man server 1080 ultra 4 msaa . . .

ht off . .



ht on . . .



compared to



edit: my gpu comes with a 900 boost out the box. prolly why.


----------



## havocau

i have a gigabyte 7950 with its memory at default 1.5v, do i need to do 1.6v if i want 1500 on memory? when i tried it with default instant lockup


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *havocau*
> 
> i have a gigabyte 7950 with its memory at default 1.5v, do i need to do 1.6v if i want 1500 on memory? when i tried it with default instant lockup


my windforce's default voltage for the memory is 1.6v for 1250. never done 1500. i always do 1575 at 1.63v.

seems yours is undervolted.


----------



## Gr0ve

So other than BF3 and Metro 2033 what's a good game to stress test your GPU's OC?

Using GPUTool my max clocks on stock volts appear to be 1170/1570. Voltage of 1.174 according to MSI AB. GPU-Z says it usually hang around 1.105-1.110.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> So other than BF3 and Metro 2033 what's a good game to stress test your GPU's OC?
> Using GPUTool my max clocks on stock volts appear to be 1170/1570. Voltage of 1.174 according to MSI AB. GPU-Z says it usually hang around 1.105-1.110.


I use the above two (multiple online sessions on 64player maps for bf3 and about 6 or so back to back bench runs in metro on highest settings), then run multiple loops of 3dmark 11. Hasn't let me down so far.

Also, any reason you stopped at those volts? Might be able to squeeze a bit more if you bump it to 1.2, assuming your temps are ok


----------



## BradleyW

BF3 is good for overall testing for the RAM and CPU. For GPU core testing, Crysis 2 is good. For GPU VRAM testing, Metro 2033 is really good!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Can't wait for Catalyst 13.1


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can't wait for Catalyst 13.1


When is it due?


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> I use the above two (multiple online sessions on 64player maps for bf3 and about 6 or so back to back bench runs in metro on highest settings), then run multiple loops of 3dmark 11. Hasn't let me down so far.
> Also, any reason you stopped at those volts? Might be able to squeeze a bit more if you bump it to 1.2, assuming your temps are ok


Mainly just because upping the volts on naked mosfets sounds like an awful idea. I'll be doing some modding soon though and start upping the volts. Temps are fantastic actually. The highest VRM temp is maxing out around 70C with the GPU maxing out around the same temp.

Also forgot to mention I also ran 3dmark 11 to ensure the drivers wouldn't crash which is what got me to 1170/1570. Only using GPUTool I was at 1190/1570 without any errors.

I've just played Metro 2033 far too much. I absolutely love the game but if I play it anymore I may just go insane. I'm also avoiding BF3 because I hate DICE for splitting up the community and wanting me to pay $80 for the full game.

I wonder if Cryostasis would be any good







I know it eats computers for breakfast...


----------



## Mailman377

HD 7950 owner here. Factory OC to 950 mhz
Brand: Sapphire
Model: 100352OCSR


----------



## phillyd

does anyone know if the Windforce 7950's are reference boards? They look like it.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> does anyone know if the Windforce 7950's are reference boards? They look like it.


I don't think so. I know my windforce 7970's were definitely not.


----------



## phillyd

I'm looking at the PCB and it isn't made for the windforce cooler, it looks a lot like it. I know the 670 windforce is 680 reference, but 7950 windforce is two 6-pin power, so not reference 7970, but it looks like the reference 7950


----------



## deNordic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> So other than BF3 and Metro 2033 what's a good game to stress test your GPU's OC?
> Using GPUTool my max clocks on stock volts appear to be 1170/1570. Voltage of 1.174 according to MSI AB. GPU-Z says it usually hang around 1.105-1.110.


Try FarCry3 , it's a pain in the @ss for the card ^^


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Try FarCry3 , it's a pain in the @ss for the card ^^


I actually found BF3 to crash my single card overclocks more often than FC3 did, I thought I had them stable already from playing FC3 for few hours in a row but then I installed BF3 again and it wasn't stable at all lol


----------



## BinZz

Guys
On AIR 3 7970s running at 1200/1700
Max temp was 71-74-6x.
Max GPUs usage 95%
Is that good or not?


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I'm looking at the PCB and it isn't made for the windforce cooler, it looks a lot like it. I know the 670 windforce is 680 reference, but 7950 windforce is two 6-pin power, so not reference 7970, but it looks like the reference 7950


Windforce 7950 is a reference PCB for the 7950 line.


----------



## Atomfix

You can count me in this club, I did say I was getting a 7870 in the other 7800 series club thread, but due to it being out of stock! I had a good excuse to get a 7950!









.......

I hear good overclocking can be done on this card?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> You can count me in this club, I did say I was getting a 7870 in the other 7800 series club thread, but due to it being out of stock! I had a good excuse to get a 7950!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .......
> I hear good overclocking can be done on this card?


Verymuch!


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Verymuch!


Is 1200MHz possible?


----------



## cyberelite

Guys what are your fps' at Battlefield 3 Multiplayer? Because i think i'm having issues with my card (or cpu).

My specs are
AMD Phenom II X4 965 @stock 3.4ghz
Sapphire Dual-X 7950 with boost
4 gigs ram
FSP Aurum 700 w 80+ Gold
Windows 7 64 bit
Catalyst 12.11

What i'm getting at Caspian border is:

minimum: 33
maximum: 79
average: 51

Is this normal? Please help


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyberelite*
> 
> Guys what are your fps' at Battlefield 3 Multiplayer? Because i think i'm having issues with my card (or cpu).
> My specs are
> AMD Phenom II X4 965 @stock 3.4ghz
> Sapphire Dual-X 7950 with boost
> 4 gigs ram
> FSP Aurum 700 w 80+ Gold
> Windows 7 64 bit
> Catalyst 12.11
> What i'm getting at Caspian border is:
> minimum: 33
> maximum: 79
> average: 51
> Is this normal? Please help


You should get a higher average FPS at 1080p resolution and ultra settings.

Do you know what your GPU usage is?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyberelite*
> 
> Guys what are your fps' at Battlefield 3 Multiplayer? Because i think i'm having issues with my card (or cpu).
> My specs are
> AMD Phenom II X4 965 @stock 3.4ghz
> Sapphire Dual-X 7950 with boost
> 4 gigs ram
> FSP Aurum 700 w 80+ Gold
> Windows 7 64 bit
> Catalyst 12.11
> What i'm getting at Caspian border is:
> minimum: 33
> maximum: 79
> average: 51
> Is this normal? Please help


That's your CPU.. If you look at the CPU usage you'll see that it is bottlenecking.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Is 1200MHz possible?


I ran 1200MHz on single card, did 3DMark11 with 1250 but that wasn't anywhere near stable on games.

1200MHz worked fine for me at 1.3V in any game though.

Now I'm stuck at ~1100 on Crossfire :l


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iARDAs*
> 
> You should get a higher average FPS at 1080p resolution and ultra settings.
> 
> Do you know what your GPU usage is?


Nop, he shouldn't even be able to run the game at Ultra because his CPU is really bad.

High settings might be doable, propably needs some Medium aswell if he plays 64 player maps.


----------



## iARDAs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Nop, he shouldn't even be able to run the game at Ultra because his CPU is really bad.
> High settings might be doable, propably needs some Medium aswell if he plays 64 player maps.


Oh yeah CPU is the issue here for sure.

The 7950 is of course more than capable but its being bottlenecked here.


----------



## Fulvin

I hear Gigabyte 7970 is voltage locked these days, but how about gigabyte 7950? Can someone with a fresh gigabyte 7950 confirm this? Might pair one of these guys with GA-Z77X-U3D shortly.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyberelite*
> 
> Guys what are your fps' at Battlefield 3 Multiplayer? Because i think i'm having issues with my card (or cpu).
> My specs are
> AMD Phenom II X4 965 @stock 3.4ghz
> Sapphire Dual-X 7950 with boost
> 4 gigs ram
> FSP Aurum 700 w 80+ Gold
> Windows 7 64 bit
> Catalyst 12.11
> What i'm getting at Caspian border is:
> minimum: 33
> maximum: 79
> average: 51
> Is this normal? Please help


if you are using 1080 you check out my post at #19630 and compare.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Just got a Gigabyte WF 3x 7970 Ghz edition and its voltage locked with an ASIC quality of 64%









Highest core clock I got that was stable is 1150, and memory to 1530, but anyting above 1500 gave diminishing returns on Heaven, 3dMark 11 and Vantage.

Seriously considering exchanging it for the Sapphire Vapor-X or a 680.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> Just got a Gigabyte WF 3x 7970 Ghz
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edition and its voltage locked with an ASIC quality of 64%
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Highest core clock I got that was stable is 1150, and memory to 1530, but anyting above 1500 gave diminishing returns on Heaven, 3dMark 11 and Vantage.
> 
> Seriously considering exchanging it for the Sapphire Vapor-X or a 680.


Have you tried toying around with MSI ABs "Force Constant Voltage"? I managed to unlock my second HD7950 (Which is a Vapor-X btw) by toying around with that, it wouldn't go above 1.1V when I got the card but now it goes up mighty fine after I did something with the Force Constant Voltage.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Have you tried toying around with MSI ABs "Force Constant Voltage"? I managed to unlock my second HD7950 (Which is a Vapor-X btw) by toying around with that, it wouldn't go above 1.1V when I got the card but now it goes up mighty fine after I did something with the Force Constant Voltage.


I did, and the voltage bar was still greyed out.

The only positive items about this card is the temps; 28C on idle and 60C after 5 hours of gaming, along with the warranty.

Super Dissapointed


----------



## BradleyW

How do I check the temps of my Video RAM modules under gaming load?
Thank you.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> if you are using 1080 you check out my post at #19630 and compare.


This is with HD7950? I knew that HT helps in BF3, but that much , I found some thread around the internet, where one dude was comparing 4,5ghz 2500k and 2700k with HD7950CF-setup and told he couldnt tell the difference, some others say that 2600/2700k helps even with a single HD7970, whats the truth ?







What I´ve found, is that 4,3ghz 2500k starts having hard time in 64p servers (in larger maps) when I start seriously overclocking my GPU, still not "bottlenecking" though and I´m happy with the performance-gains etc.

Anyway, 2500k @ 4,3, [email protected] (880/1250) in full 64p Conquest large @ Strike at karkand (maxed @1080p w/FXAA injector, without the injector atleast 5fps more) I got this:

Min: 49
Avg: 61.5
Max: 76

So, to cyberelite: no, its not normal, your cpu is bottlenecking and you should overclock it (or upgrade).


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> This is with HD7950? I knew that HT helps in BF3, but that much , I found some thread around the internet, where one dude was comparing 4,5ghz 2500k and 2700k with HD7950CF-setup and told he couldnt tell the difference, some others say that 2600/2700k helps even with a single HD7970, whats the truth ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What I´ve found, is that 4,3ghz 2500k starts having hard time in 64p servers (in larger maps) when I start seriously overclocking my GPU, still not "bottlenecking" though and I´m happy with the performance-gains etc.
> Anyway, 2500k @ 4,3, [email protected] (880/1250) in full 64p Conquest large @ Strike at karkand (maxed @1080p w/FXAA injector, without the injector atleast 5fps more) I got this:
> Min: 49
> Avg: 61.5
> Max: 76
> So, to cyberelite: no, its not normal, your cpu is bottlenecking and you should overclock it (or upgrade).


yes, same thing happens to my cheap grade. locked gets about 5-6 fps less in multiplayer 64.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How do I check the temps of my Video RAM modules under gaming load?
> Thank you.


you can leave hw64 running in the background and check it after the game. i'm sure there is a program that shows it like fps in fraps or watercool them and not worry about it.









http://www.hwinfo.com/


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you can leave hw64 running in the background and check it after the game. i'm sure there is a program that shows it like fps in fraps or watercool them and not worry about it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.hwinfo.com/


Thank you for the information.
What is the max safe temp for VRAM that has no cooling on it?


----------



## cyberelite

Do you know what your GPU usage is?
[/quote]
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> That's your CPU.. If you look at the CPU usage you'll see that it is bottlenecking.


My GPU usage is fluctuating like crazy! I mean it goes from 70-90-65-85-64-90..... and so on. Is my CPU the problem?


----------



## InsideJob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How do I check the temps of my Video RAM modules under gaming load?
> Thank you.


Aida 64 is the only program I have found to display readings of different readings of GPU components temperatures. Best bet is to have the program open and tab over to it after a decent time of gaming. I recently downloaded Aida 64 extreme to check on my GPU temps while folding as I heard sometimes reference model coolers may not make perfect contact with the VRM's from the factory. However my GPU temps while folding max out at 50° on the chip and 40° on the VRM with the fan at 50% which I am more then satisfied with








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thank you for the information.
> What is the max safe temp for VRAM that has no cooling on it?


Somewhere around 100° is what I've read. I question why it has no cooling though?







Did you do an AIO cooler mod and not get those little VRM sinks?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InsideJob*
> 
> Aida 64 is the only program I have found to display readings of different readings of GPU components temperatures. Best bet is to have the program open and tab over to it after a decent time of gaming. I recently downloaded Aida 64 extreme to check on my GPU temps while folding as I heard sometimes reference model coolers may not make perfect contact with the VRM's from the factory. However my GPU temps while folding max out at 50° on the chip and 40° on the VRM with the fan at 50% which I am more then satisfied with
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Somewhere around 100° is what I've read. I question why it has no cooling though?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did you do an AIO cooler mod and not get those little VRM sinks?


I've looked at the sensor area for the GPU's on HWiNFO64 and the only temp reading I want is not there so I will try Aida 64. I've not modded my cards. My card is non reference and is built with no VRM/VRAM coolers.

Edit: No VRAM temps in AIDA64 either?


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> This is with HD7950? I knew that HT helps in BF3, but that much , I found some thread around the internet, where one dude was comparing 4,5ghz 2500k and 2700k with HD7950CF-setup and told he couldnt tell the difference, some others say that 2600/2700k helps even with a single HD7970, whats the truth ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What I´ve found, is that 4,3ghz 2500k starts having hard time in 64p servers (in larger maps) when I start seriously overclocking my GPU, still not "bottlenecking" though and I´m happy with the performance-gains etc.
> Anyway, 2500k @ 4,3, [email protected] (880/1250) in full 64p Conquest large @ Strike at karkand (maxed @1080p w/FXAA injector, without the injector atleast 5fps more) I got this:
> Min: 49
> Avg: 61.5
> Max: 76
> So, to cyberelite: no, its not normal, your cpu is bottlenecking and you should overclock it (or upgrade).


HT definitely helps.

I run a FX-8350 and it does quite well on multiplayer 64 player maps, definitely doesn't bottleneck my overclocked 7970Ghz Edition. However, for the sake of testing I disabled 4 of my 8 'cores' and hopped back into the same 64 palyer server (on caspian border) moments later and easily saw a 10fps drop on average, especially during firefights with more than 2-3 people at a time.

Before I had my 8350 I had a stock 8120 and performed the same test. With only 4 cores enabled on it I was probably about 10fps behind when I had all 8 enabled. Mind you, the 8120 w/ 8 cores enabled did beat out the 4 core version of the 8350 on 64 player maps as well..

A 3.1ghz Bulldozer core is quite a good bit slower than a 4ghz piledriver core so that puts it into perspective on just how much it helps to have the extra threads available. I'd imagine the i7's help quite a bit in this game online compared to the i5's.

@ cyberelite

Your Phenom II while still a good cpu would really, really ebenefit from a overclock if you plan to keep playing online. That or I would honestly try to pick up a 8320/8350 as that will give you a very nice jump over your current setup


----------



## BradleyW

I remember HT giving me a 10fps boost in BFBC2 when my i7 920 was choking my 6970's.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> yes, same thing happens to my cheap grade. locked gets about 5-6 fps less in multiplayer 64.


Force 59/60 Frames/Sec.

That way GPU isnt over working the easy parts of the Map. and when you start to get into the heavier parts, the GPU will have the extra Power.

Im Pegged Against the VSync CAP/60FramesPS, on my Rig, I lowered some stuff off of Ultra, because there's next to no visible difference, and TBH a 40-50% frame rate hit for next to no change isnt worth it, I also decreased some light map resolutions, as theres no need for 1024^2 Light Maps..... nothing has a polycount high enough to use that kind of lighting in MP. SP Maybe, but definately not MP.

I Also Cap my Frame Rate at 60 since Vsync sometimes doesnt work.

Watching the hardware line graph the only time i get spikes is right after it loads the maps and shows the scene for the first time, and the only reason it spikes is because i left Pwoer Saving crap on, so the CPU Spooled down to 1.6Ghz, once it spooled back up to 4Ghz everything was gravy smooth.


----------



## InsideJob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've looked at the sensor area for the GPU's on HWiNFO64 and the only temp reading I want is not there so I will try Aida 64. I've not modded my cards. My card is non reference and is built with no VRM/VRAM coolers.
> Edit: No VRAM temps in AIDA64 either?


Ahh I see, odd they wouldnt give it any cooling at all









As for temps, I'm not entirely sure of a program to display actual video ram temps. I've been told the easiest way to get temps for something like that is with one of those laser heat gun things.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InsideJob*
> 
> Ahh I see, odd they wouldnt give it any cooling at all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for temps, I'm not entirely sure of a program to display actual video ram temps. I've been told the easiest way to get temps for something like that is with one of those laser heat gun things.


inside/bradley, i read not long ago here in ocn that an amd rep recommends keeping load temp below 80C as ideal. if the core temp is showing, then the vram temps should be close enough to be estimated. keep one below 80, then i assume the other would be in the safe zone as well. here is a screenie of mine without load using hw64 . . .


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







EDIT: i take that back. my vrams are like 10C higher than the core at load . . .


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> inside/bradley, i read not long ago here in ocn that an amd rep recommends keeping load temp below 80C as ideal. if the core temp is showing, then the vram temps should be close enough to be estimated. keep one below 80, then i assume the other would be in the safe zone as well. here is a screenie of mine without load using hw64 . . .
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: i take that back. my vrams are like 10C higher than the core at load . . .


Thanks bud. My top GPU sits at 71c at 1125/1650 stock volts so I assume the VRAM should be ok. My VRM's don't go higher than 75c at heavy load too.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Force 59/60 Frames/Sec.
> That way GPU isnt over working the easy parts of the Map. and when you start to get into the heavier parts, the GPU will have the extra Power.
> Im Pegged Against the VSync CAP/60FramesPS, on my Rig, I lowered some stuff off of Ultra, because there's next to no visible difference, and TBH a 40-50% frame rate hit for next to no change isnt worth it, I also decreased some light map resolutions, as theres no need for 1024^2 Light Maps..... nothing has a polycount high enough to use that kind of lighting in MP. SP Maybe, but definately not MP.
> I Also Cap my Frame Rate at 60 since Vsync sometimes doesnt work.
> Watching the hardware line graph the only time i get spikes is right after it loads the maps and shows the scene for the first time, and the only reason it spikes is because i left Pwoer Saving crap on, so the CPU Spooled down to 1.6Ghz, once it spooled back up to 4Ghz everything was gravy smooth.


i only have a 6870 in my cheap grade, so i set things in medium . . .



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thanks bud. My top GPU sits at 71c at 1125/1650 stock volts so I assume the VRAM should be ok. My VRM's don't go higher than 75c at heavy load too.


looks good. i'm jelly.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i only have a 6870 in my cheap grade, so i set things in medium . . .
> 
> looks good. i'm jelly.


Well it's pretty good to say it's overclocked and in CF, plus there is no cooling on any parts of the card other than the GPU die lol.


----------



## Smithy92

Can I join. Here's my 7950 installed in my system


----------



## SilverWolf0328

So I'm new to this website and I thought I'd give it a try. My cousin recommended me to try it. I'm thinking about getting the Sapphire 7970 3GB graphics card. Is this card worth the money or is there something better that I could get for around the same price. Right now newegg has the card for $400. I would also like to know if this card has good OC capabilities.


----------



## SpykeZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilverWolf0328*
> 
> So I'm new to this website and I thought I'd give it a try. My cousin recommended me to try it. I'm thinking about getting the Sapphire 7970 3GB graphics card. Is this card worth the money or is there something better that I could get for around the same price. Right now newegg has the card for $400. I would also like to know if this card has good OC capabilities.


Cousin here. He's currently got a 7850 card running stock. He's currently using an AMD FX4100 that I managed to push to 4.7GHz stable so that should remove any bottleneck if there was one.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyberelite*
> 
> Do you know what your GPU usage is?


My GPU usage is fluctuating like crazy! I mean it goes from 70-90-65-85-64-90..... and so on. Is my CPU the problem?[/quote]

Sounds like it, if its getting upwards of 90% you're starting to bottleneck unfortunately.. Overclock it some with a cheap cooler (or get a decent one now?) and well clock it as high as it will go


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *cyberelite*
> 
> Do you know what your GPU usage is?
> 
> 
> 
> My GPU usage is fluctuating like crazy! I mean it goes from 70-90-65-85-64-90..... and so on. Is my CPU the problem?
Click to expand...

Sounds like it, if its getting upwards of 90% you're starting to bottleneck unfortunately.. Overclock it some with a cheap cooler (or get a decent one now?) and well clock it as high as it will go







[/quote]
try to go to 4GHz overclock on your CPU, it may alleviate the bottleneck, if not it's time to upgrade. an FX 6300 with a good overclock will give you the performance you need. actually a 4300 would do it.


----------



## Arnoud87

Just got my XFX DD black editions 7950 CFX running at 1050mhz. Seems it doesnt makes any sense to pass 1000mhz because of other bottlenecks in the card, thats why i didnt bought 7970 in crossfire, because it bottlenecks itself too much
Only spend 540 euro's on it . Can't get any better. 2 TOP end cards for only 540









BF3 7950 VS 7970 same clocks is 3% .. not worth another 30% invest









Also had GTX 680 @ 1,3ghz.... but doesnt matter which game i played , always Stuttering on nvidia and Windows 7. Especially games like UT2004 and so on.

Ye i stay AMD, much smoother FPS even in Crossfire real nice smooth feeling @ 120hz.

Im also amazed how fast 1 7950 allready was ^^ ..it stock totally ruined the GTX 680 1,3Ghz performance in FC3 ... just by 30-50% or something..
Nvidia thnx for your 256 bit crap 600 serie.. really a laugher imo


----------



## x7007

For some reason i can't almost overclock my Sapphire Dual-X 7970 Core from 925.

The VDDC always stay at 0.975 or something even if i am upping it on sapphire Trixx 4.4b mod.

Now if i sapphire Trixx mod after computer restart and clicking reset, it changes the vddc in trixx from 1025 to 1175 like it meant for other card the Ghz edition.

But still if i go to 970 or more it just TDR non stop after couple min.

Anyone knows why the Vddc doesn't go up ?

The memory voltage goes up and oc great, from 1350 - 1520 steady with default voltage 1.500


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can't wait for Catalyst 13.1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> When is it due?
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I was just saying that I want to see another catalyst version soon. I'm pretty confident that the next drivers will correct many issues and improve performance too.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I was just saying that I want to see another catalyst version soon. I'm pretty confident that the next drivers will correct many issues and improve performance too.


I'm hoping for FC3 fixes mainly.


----------



## karimy1

GUYS FOUND a new way to stress your cards and test for a stable gpu overclock... if u have BF3 go to mission "thunder run" and after you destroy the bdm " missle launchers" keep looking to the destroyed cars keep looking to the fire and smoke... u'll find ur temps raising up like crazy... and after a while ull begin seeing floating squares from the smoke if ur overclocking ur card hard


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *karimy1*
> 
> GUYS FOUND a new way to stress your cards and test for a stable gpu overclock... if u have BF3 go to mission "thunder run" and after you destroy the bdm " missle launchers" keep looking to the destroyed cars keep looking to the fire and smoke... u'll find ur temps raising up like crazy... and after a while ull begin seeing floating squares from the smoke if ur overclocking ur card hard


64 player multiplayer maps are propably heavier than that.


----------



## karimy1

try it first and ull see... i play 64 players at caspain boders for hours and my temps never got to 60 and vrm 62
with this way when i look to the smoke for only 4 mins my temps got to the 66 67 and vrm to 71... and guess what i got artifacts at 1200....


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 64 player multiplayer maps are propably heavier than that.


64 player is heavy on cpu not gpu a much.
so finding a gpu stable OC you want a variety of games to test agaisnt.

For my card 1200mhz is no issue any game out there.
but I also need to keep heat down to make that work which sounds a lot.
watercooling would be the next step but seems I wait for the 8970 before I go that route.


----------



## Imprezzion

I posted a seprrate topic but that's not getting very much attention so i'll ask here as well.

I need a Sapphire 7970 Dual X ''Boost'' BIOS. The one with the BLUE PCB and ''Boost'' in the cards name.
Preferrably the second BIOS.

I'd be VERY happy if someone could upload it for me.

And no, it's NOT in TPU's VGA BIOS collection. Those are all non-Boost BIOS's from regular Dual-X's.


----------



## Razor 116

The second bios does not utilize "Boost", it is 1000 core with no boost. The first bios utilizes "Boost" with a base clock of 950 and boost to 1000 core.

Here's the bios's for both switch positions. Make sure you backup your bios if you are going to flash.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sujsqtb8fb6mo1g/Sapphire%207970%20OC%20with%20Boost%20Bios%27s.7z


----------



## naso

I have a 7970

_/slowly blinks twice_

Now what!?


----------



## xjxason

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *naso*
> 
> I have a 7970
> _/slowly blinks twice_
> Now what!?


Overclock the **** out of it and furmark it to see if it isnt one of the many buggy ones.

Speaking of furmark, someone PLEASE tell me if this is a decent score PLEASE it's for two 7970's in cf. http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=104644


----------



## switchblade

Install most recent drivers> install games and go play


----------



## JCnator987

Does anyone here have this "problem" with their MSI TF3 7950? When i got my card, one of the first things I tried was to flash the bios to a 7970 status when I foound this card could overclock a beastly amount (1125 1550 @946 mv, which is stock voltage). The asic quality is 88%, and temps are fairly low. the strane thing is that the stock clocks are 960 and 1250 instead of 880 and 1250. At first i thought this was good, but soon found out that no 7970 bioses would "take." Any ideas, people?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arnoud87*
> 
> Just got my XFX DD black editions 7950 CFX running at 1050mhz. Seems it doesnt makes any sense to pass 1000mhz because of other bottlenecks in the card, thats why i didnt bought 7970 in crossfire, because it bottlenecks itself too much
> Only spend 540 euro's on it . Can't get any better. 2 TOP end cards for only 540
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BF3 7950 VS 7970 same clocks is 3% .. not worth another 30% invest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also had GTX 680 @ 1,3ghz.... but doesnt matter which game i played , always Stuttering on nvidia and Windows 7. Especially games like UT2004 and so on.
> Ye i stay AMD, much smoother FPS even in Crossfire real nice smooth feeling @ 120hz.
> Im also amazed how fast 1 7950 allready was ^^ ..it stock totally ruined the GTX 680 1,3Ghz performance in FC3 ... just by 30-50% or something..
> Nvidia thnx for your 256 bit crap 600 serie.. really a laugher imo


FrostBite 3 is still being "Cleaned" as it still has a Ton of Bugs in both GFX and Sound Department.


----------



## Atomfix

Core: 1100MHz / Memory: 1375MHz / CPU: 4.05GHz

3DMark11: P8681

What do you think?









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5501979


----------



## Arnoud87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SilverWolf0328*
> 
> So I'm new to this website and I thought I'd give it a try. My cousin recommended me to try it. I'm thinking about getting the Sapphire 7970 3GB graphics card. Is this card worth the money or is there something better that I could get for around the same price. Right now newegg has the card for $400. I would also like to know if this card has good OC capabilities.


id wouldt spend more than 330 on a 7970.. but this is europe, a 7950 costs here 250....
Would only spend 400 for it 8 months back or so.
7970 is basically a 7950, so why paid more for it? 3% faster in bf3 on same clocks, who cares, RLY?

ive read like 1000 forums but 7970 wont clock often more than 1150 or so.. so basically ur 7970 gets up to 1150

Rather buy 2x 7950..

performance is untamed
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5481246

GPU score 18760..doesnt makes sense ^^...


----------



## NotReadyYet

I'm actually considering going 2x 7950...I just wished the majority of my games support Crossfire...heres my score


----------



## SoloCamo

How's this?

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4905705

Decent for the setup, or?

That was with the gpu at the clocks I run, 1200/1600 and the fx-8350 @ 4.4
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> I'm actually considering going 2x 7950...I just wished the majority of my games support Crossfire...heres my score


Kind of confused why a i7 @ 4.7 is under 9k with your gpu only slightly lower clocked then mine, yet my 8350 @ 4.4 scored over 1k higher?


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> How's this?
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4905705
> Decent for the setup, or?
> That was with the gpu at the clocks I run, 1200/1600 and the fx-8350 @ 4.4
> Kind of confused why a i7 @ 4.7 is under 9k with your gpu only slightly lower clocked then mine, yet my 8350 @ 4.4 scored over 1k higher?


Not sure, it says your driver is not supported? I'm using latest AMD drivers.

Also, those results were before I OC'd my card. It's running at 1150 now and will post my results later tonight. Here's my OC'd extreme score


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> Not sure, it says your driver is not supported? I'm using latest AMD drivers.
> 
> Also, those results were before I OC'd my card. It's running at 1150 now.


Beta drivers are not WHQL passed by Microsoft so they are classed as not supported, until an official driver is released, or use an older version


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Hello OCners ...

I have a question to ask and hope I get replays, useful replay will get +1.
I am thinking of overvolting my HD7950 VRAM from the default 1.500mV to around 1.550mV-1.600mV to get 1.6 GHz.
Is that going to brick the memory on the long run or better leave it at stock voltage?
I also find it strange that my 7950 has only 1.5 mvddc while most others have 1.6 mvddc by default.

Thanks


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Hello OCners ...
> I have a question to ask and hope I get replays, useful replay will get +1.
> I am thinking of overvolting my HD7950 VRAM from the default 1.500mV to around 1.550mV-1.600mV to get 1.6 GHz.
> Is that going to brick the memory on the long run or better leave it at stock voltage?
> Thanks


I really would'nt touch the memory. Even at 1.6 GHz, there is no guarentee you'll see any noticable difference in performence unless your running a 3D Mark or Heaven benchmark. In games maybe 1-3FPS extra. As far as bricking your card, anything is possible. I would try to get the core clock as high as you can and leave it at that.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Hello OCners ...
> I have a question to ask and hope I get replays, useful replay will get +1.
> I am thinking of overvolting my HD7950 VRAM from the default 1.500mV to around 1.550mV-1.600mV to get 1.6 GHz.
> Is that going to brick the memory on the long run or better leave it at stock voltage?
> I also find it strange that my 7950 has only 1.5 mvddc while most others have 1.6 mvddc by default.
> Thanks


i have a windforce and its default vram voltage is 1.6v. i use 1.63v for 1600MHz just for benching.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> I really would'nt touch the memory. Even at 1.6 GHz, there is no guarentee you'll see any noticable difference in performence unless your running a 3D Mark or Heaven benchmark. In games maybe 1-3FPS extra. As far as bricking your card, anything is possible. I would try to get the core clock as high as you can and leave it at that.


i saw your graphics score and it seems kinda low (i guess because of your clocks, too), are you using 12.11? i got extra 1000 points using 12.11. your physics, though, is higher by 300 and mine is at 4.8GHz.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i have a windforce and its default vram voltage is 1.6v. i use 1.63v for 1600MHz just for benching.
> .


Mmm. That's interesting to know. Probably we have different revisions.
But I am sure a few days ago when I was looking at GPU-Z and seen the memory reading, it was @ 1.602mV. but after restart it reverted back to 1.500mV.
Everything was at stock at that time and I wasn't using Afterburner.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Mmm. That's interesting to know. Probably we have different revisions.
> But I am sure a few days ago when I was looking at GPU-Z and seen the memory reading, it was @ 1.602mV. but after restart it reverted back to 1.500mV.
> Everything was at stock at that time and I wasn't using Afterburner.


mine stays 1.6v. AB, GPUZ, and HW64 all show the same amount. my asic is kinda low - 56%.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i have a windforce and its default vram voltage is 1.6v. i use 1.63v for 1600MHz just for benching.
> i saw your graphics score and it seems kinda low (i guess because of your clocks, too), are you using 12.11? i got extra 1000 points using 12.11. your physics, though, is higher by 300 and mine is at 4.8GHz.


I'm using the latest approved drivers, not the beta drivers either.

I wonder what goes into these scores, I guess it could be any combination of things. But my stomach is turning since 2 or 3 people said my score is a "little low"


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> mine stays 1.6v. AB, GPUZ, and HW64 all show the same amount. my asic is kinda low - 56%.


Yup. mine has a very low ASIC as well 58.9%.
I am sure it is not me who set it to 1.602mV during that time. Hell I even discovered it by chance in AB yesterday , I didn't pay attention to the small arrow in AB before but clicked on it and bam Memory Voltage(mV) slider







.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> I'm using the latest approved drivers, not the beta drivers either.
> 
> I wonder what goes into these scores, I guess it could be any combination of things. But my stomach is turning since 2 or 3 people said my score is a "little low"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> no, no. mine was oc'ed much higher - like 1200MHz. got 11000 for it. i use to get 9700 for it. just want to make sure you are using 12.11.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Yup. mine has a very low ASIC as well 58.9%.
> I am sure it is not me who set it to 1.602mV during that time. Hell I even discovered it by chance in AB yesterday , I didn't pay attention to the small arrow in AB before but clicked on it and bam Memory Voltage(mV) slider
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


yup, the slider. easy on that one.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JCnator987*
> 
> Does anyone here have this "problem" with their MSI TF3 7950? When i got my card, one of the first things I tried was to flash the bios to a 7970 status when I foound this card could overclock a beastly amount (1125 1550 @946 mv, which is stock voltage). The asic quality is 88%, and temps are fairly low. the strane thing is that the stock clocks are 960 and 1250 instead of 880 and 1250. At first i thought this was good, but soon found out that no 7970 bioses would "take." Any ideas, people?


Stock clocks for 7970 reference cards are gpu 925Mhz and memory 1375Mhz. What bios did you use exactly since various manufacturers will have factory overclocked cards etc. Not sure what your saying about no hd7970 bioses will take.


----------



## Atomfix

I'm planning to overvolt my memory so I can pass 1500MHz, whats the safest voltage I could go? I'm planning for 1600-1700MHz

I know that the difference in games is virtually nil, but.... Would love to surpass the 9000 Score mark in 3DMark11









Also, Iv'e managed to overvolt my card using Trixx to 1.1V so I could achieve 1100MHz, the highest Trixx will let me go is 1.13V Any suggestions?


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> Not sure, it says your driver is not supported? I'm using latest AMD drivers.
> 
> Also, those results were before I OC'd my card. It's running at 1150 now and will post my results later tonight. Here's my OC'd extreme score


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> I'm using the latest approved drivers, not the beta drivers either.
> 
> I wonder what goes into these scores, I guess it could be any combination of things. But my stomach is turning since 2 or 3 people said my score is a "little low"


I reran the test with no overclock on my 8350 (4ghz vs 4.4 for my 10k run) and set my gpu to match your stock gpu clocks of 1100/1500 instead of the 1200/1600 I normally run. I scored only 200 points lower than you (9300 vs 9500 roughly), my gpu score was higher as well, and your physics score with that i7 @ 4.7 killed my stock 8350 in the 7k range.

That said, your scores do seem a bit low. Try out the 12.11 drivers, your rig should be quite a bit faster with that cpu.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Hello OCners ...
> 
> I have a question to ask and hope I get replays, useful replay will get +1.
> 
> I am thinking of overvolting my HD7950 VRAM from the default 1.500mV to around 1.550mV-1.600mV to get 1.6 GHz.
> 
> Is that going to brick the memory on the long run or better leave it at stock voltage?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> I really would'nt touch the memory. Even at 1.6 GHz, there is no guarentee you'll see any noticable difference in performence unless your running a 3D Mark or Heaven benchmark. In games maybe 1-3FPS extra. As far as bricking your card, anything is possible. I would try to get the core clock as high as you can and leave it at that.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna file this under nonsense.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm gonna file this under nonsense.


He is correct, you need 400-500MHz on Memory to get the benefits of 50MHz on the core.

My single card test: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5224350 (11458 GPU)

Another guy: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5351559 (11524 GPU)

I ran 1250/1500 and he ran 1235/1800 and got what, 70 points more?


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> He is correct, you need 400-500MHz on Memory to get the benefits of 50MHz on the core.
> My single card test: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5224350 (11458 GPU)
> Another guy: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5351559 (11524 GPU)
> I ran 1250/1500 and he ran 1235/1800 and got what, 70 points more?


Depends on the card. Luckily, us 79** series owners aren't exaclty bandwidth limited even in stock trim. My stock 7970GE is at 288gb/s, which at my res of 1080p is wayyy more than enough even with AA. A 670/680 let alone a 660ti would really, really benefit from the memory overclocking. But in the grand scheme of things, on average core clocks will always be more beneficial if you had to choose one over the other.


----------



## funfortehfun

I'm somewhat disappointed that AMD doesn't have their Never Settle for Less Bundle with their cards anymore (at least for US). I hope it comes back


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> *He is correct, you need 400-500MHz on Memory to get the benefits of 50MHz on the core.*
> My single card test: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5224350 (11458 GPU)
> Another guy: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5351559 (11524 GPU)
> I ran 1250/1500 and he ran 1235/1800 and got what, 70 points more?


Not true, my fps increased by 15 in Metro 2033 when I put the ram from stock to 1575.
Then I put it back and increased the core to 1170 and got a 3fps increase. I lowered down to 1100 and the fps increase was 1.
It all depending on the game you are running.


----------



## Blaze0303

Pushed my 7950 even further









1260/1950/1.3v

P10925 and 11791 graphics score
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5497144


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *funfortehfun*
> 
> I'm somewhat disappointed that AMD doesn't have their Never Settle for Less Bundle with their cards anymore (at least for US). I hope it comes back


superbiiz has the game bundle. though most of the HD 7950 and HD 7970 cards are out of stock. here are a few in stock

http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-7950BST
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=PC-7950_OC

http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-H7970CB
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=PC-7970_3G


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> superbiiz has the game bundle. though most of the HD 7950 and HD 7970 cards are out of stock. here are a few in stock
> http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-7950BST
> http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=PC-7950_OC
> http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-H7970CB
> http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=PC-7970_3G


That's where I got my 7970. SuperBiiz e-mails the code pretty quickly too. You don't have to wait for the card to arrive to get the games. At this point, the Medal Of Honor: Warfighter coupon is expired though; that ended December 31st 2012. The actual free game redemption expires on March 31st 2013 or when they run out of game keys.


----------



## teamrushpntball

Anyone mind helping me out with an issue I've been having with my 7970?

Sapphire 7970 OC under water running 12.10 drivers

Anytime I open a game within ~2 minutes of starting I get a driver fail crash. If I reboot my PC after this crash everything runs great so long as I don't close the game. Can tab out and do whatever, it just will not run when the PC has been on doing something prior.

Should I just roll back to prior drivers?


----------



## Arnoud87

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *karimy1*
> 
> GUYS FOUND a new way to stress your cards and test for a stable gpu overclock...


O RLY?
No, rather run merto 2033 first level, when you get the first tesselation Lights go stand there for 15 minutes, probably all overclocked cards will crash instantly







.
Im sure anyone needs to go back 10% of their overclock or something







.

Thats why i never trust any reviewers or even posters on forums like these







, real stable overclocks will only tell if you can run metro 2033 without any hitch.

people forget most games, or benchmark wont stress that much at all.
Metro even rapes furmark like its some dog shi t


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *teamrushpntball*
> 
> Anyone mind helping me out with an issue I've been having with my 7970?
> Sapphire 7970 OC under water running 12.10 drivers
> Anytime I open a game within ~2 minutes of starting I get a driver fail crash. If I reboot my PC after this crash everything runs great so long as I don't close the game. Can tab out and do whatever, it just will not run when the PC has been on doing something prior.
> Should I just roll back to prior drivers?


Is The card overclocked? If so you can go to default settings and see if it happens even voltage that's 2 low can cause this. I had an issue like this and every time my driver would crash and recover looked in AB and changed clock and memory back to normal and still had the same issue. What was happening was every time I would boot the computer AB would not save my voltage for my overclocked profile just mem and gpu clocks and would cause the instability.and If it still happens at default settings then ask yourself if this used to happen with the other drivers if not roll back and try a proper uninstall of the drivers first they may have bits left over and cause conflicts and issues.


----------



## JCnator987

It's not OC'ed. No BIOSes have been flashed. It came like that stock. It has dual noises, and both are like that.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Stock clocks for 7970 reference cards are gpu 925Mhz and memory 1375Mhz. What bios did you use exactly since various manufacturers will have factory overclocked cards etc. Not sure what your saying about no hd7970 bioses will take.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JCnator987*
> 
> It's not OC'ed. No noises have been flashed. It came like that stock. It has dual noises, and both are like that.


Dual noises or bioses? Uninstall the drivers using a clean uninstall, I use atiman uninstaller when I wish to do something like this. And use 12.8 if you can. I cannot suggest 12.10 just yet since I have just switched to it and have not really tested it yet but 12.8 were good drivers. Oh and if you had any nvidia drivers remove those as well.


----------



## AC_Smoothie

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5509166

Bad, good?

Thanks


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Not true, my fps increased by 15 in Metro 2033 when I put the ram from stock to 1575.
> Then I put it back and increased the core to 1170 and got a 3fps increase. I lowered down to 1100 and the fps increase was 1.
> It all depending on the game you are running.


I think Metro and a heavily modded Skyrim are the exceptions to what I stated in my previous post regarding VRAM. It's known that those games benefit from a higher Memory clock than a Core clock. Even though you got ~15 extra FPS in Metro, I doubt I would overvolt my VRAM to achieve that. Maybe I am playing my cards close to the chest, but I know first hand the fallouts of overvolting a video card with my old 6850.

Now, if I was playing an online deathmatch where I know that overvolting to achieve a higher memory clock got me 15FPS then you bet I would jump on it. Truthfully, for the amount of money I paid for the card, and considering how nightmarish RMA return times can be, I rather lose the 15FPS in single player Metro then keep my VRAM overvolted 24/7. Especially if you are running at 1080P which these card can do in their sleep.

But I digress...

On a side note, I ran 3DMark again last night and got some interesting scores. I am using 12.10 drivers. Card running @ 1160/1500

X3144

X3143

P9849

Compared to a few days ago running the same exact settings:

X3301

X3281 Card @ 1150/1500

What would cause such a steep drop in score? It boggles my mind that the same settings produced a 157 point drop. I think something is amiss but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Any thoughts on this?


----------



## BradleyW

Hang on just a moment, who said anything about overvolting? My cards can do 1650 on the VRAM without any voltage changes.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hang on just a moment, who said anything about overvolting? My cards can do 1650 on the VRAM without any voltage changes.


Well my response was in relation to that guys question who said he was going to overvolt to achieve 1600. That's why I made my original post about VRAM.


----------



## Atomfix

What are your 7950 memory clocks? My screen goes black when I go close go 1500MHZ


----------



## Atomfix

What are your 7950 memory clocks? My screen goes black when I go close go 1500MHZ


----------



## Atomfix

What are your 7950 memory clocks? My screen goes black when I go close go 1500MHZ


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> Well my response was in relation to that guys question who said he was going to overvolt to achieve 1600. That's why I made my original post about VRAM.


Oops sorry I misunderstood.


----------



## GunMetal

My 7950 is unstable with a 50Mhz increase in VRAM :*(


----------



## frankietown

i know this has been asked so many times,

but will a 7950 CF carry me over the 8000 series.. or will a 7970 CF do a better job at it for ~$200 more?

cause i know you can OC the 7950 to 7970 level of performance, but cant you OC the 7970 more as well? so an OC'd 7970 vs OC'd 7950.. is the performance difference at that point worth the $100? cause people always say "oh you can OC the 7950 to be like a 7970" but forgets that the 7970 can get higher as well. is the extra 200 stream processors that great of a difference?

also do prices of the previous series get lower when new ones arrive? or does it stay the same generally..

('im debating returning my 7950 CF, buying one 7970 and hope it comes down on price so i can buy a 2nd one.. or just take it like a man and pay the extra $200)


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frankietown*
> 
> i know this has been asked so many times,
> but will a 7950 CF carry me over the 8000 series.. or will a 7970 CF do a better job at it for ~$200 more?
> cause i know you can OC the 7950 to 7970 level of performance, but cant you OC the 7970 more as well? so an OC'd 7970 vs OC'd 7950.. is the performance difference at that point worth the $100? cause people always say "oh you can OC the 7950 to be like a 7970" but forgets that the 7970 can get higher as well. is the extra 200 stream processors that great of a difference?
> also do prices of the previous series get lower when new ones arrive? or does it stay the same generally..
> ('im debating returning my 7950 CF, buying one 7970 and hope it comes down on price so i can buy a 2nd one.. or just take it like a man and pay the extra $200)


If I was going CF I'd just stick with two 7950's, as that's not exactly a cheap setup as is. The 7970's 'generally' can overclock a hair higher from what I've seen but not enough to justify the cost of two in CF vs the 7950's. If it was a single card setup just get whatever you can afford.

As it is a single 7950 stock can pretty much max anything out there at 1080p so unless you are going higher or dual monitor a single setup would even be fine.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AC_Smoothie*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5509166
> Bad, good?
> Thanks


That's right around where you should be at those clocks


----------



## BradleyW

Sorry to but in, but has anyone noticed strange crossfire performance on Witcher 2? The min fps is lower but the max fps is a lot higher.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hang on just a moment, who said anything about overvolting? My cards can do 1650 on the VRAM without any voltage changes.
> 
> 
> 
> Well my response was in relation to that guys question who said he was going to overvolt to achieve 1600. That's why I made my original post about VRAM.
Click to expand...

Whatever your point is it may be an opinion I'll give you that but it certainly isn't a rule.


----------



## FlawleZ

My Sapphire 7950 should be here tomorrow. Really stoked I've been due for an upgrade for a while (coming from 4890). Will register once I have it installed.


----------



## stickg1

Can someone give me a quick rundown of non voltage locked 7950s and 7970s? I'm looking to buy but don't want locked voltage.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Whatever your point is it may be an opinion I'll give you that but it certainly isn't a rule.


Of course it is an opinion. I've made no rule? What are you talking about man?
All I said was overclocking the VRAM helps massivly on Metro 2033 and overclocking the core on that game has little increase. Other games benefit from core overclocking.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Of course it is an opinion. I've made no rule? What are you talking about man?
> All I said was overclocking the VRAM helps massivly on Metro 2033 and overclocking the core on that game has little increase. Other games benefit from core overclocking.


He was addressing me, I believe.

Indeed it was an opinion. Some people overvolt VRAM/Core with no issues, but then you have others who have ruined there cards doing so. It's the nature the OCing game.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> He was addressing me, I believe.
> 
> Indeed it was an opinion. Some people overvolt VRAM/Core with no issues, but then you have others who have ruined there cards doing so. It's the nature the OCing game.


I thought he was addressing me. Maybe he should quote a bit better so we can understand.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

I noticed increasing the core voltage gives me memory stability. But moving the Memory sliders doesn't do anything. Is that possible or I am missing something?
I can get at 1.175mV 1575 MHz MAX, To be stable @ 1600 MHz it requires 1.225mV which is not worth it for the increase in VRM temperatures. I guess I will leave it at 1500 MHz.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> I noticed increasing the core voltage gives me memory stability. But moving the Memory sliders doesn't do anything. Is that possible or I am missing something?
> I can get at 1.175mV 1575 MHz MAX, To be stable @ 1600 MHz it requires 1.225mV which is not worth it for the increase in VRM temperatures. I guess I will leave it at 1500 MHz.




1.3v core, 1.7v vram, 40c temps... at the above clocks. I don't have any problems with volts nor overclocking my memory. For your question, you have to experiment and find where your sweet spot is and its different for every card. It's sort of an organic endeavor, it's not merely just 1+1=2.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 1.3v core, 1.7v vram, 40c temps... at the above clocks. I don't have any problems with volts nor overclocking my memory. For your question, you have to experiment and find where your sweet spot is and its different for every card. It's sort of an organic endeavor, it's not merely just 1+1=2.


That is one awesome score !


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> I noticed increasing the core voltage gives me memory stability. But moving the Memory sliders doesn't do anything. Is that possible or I am missing something?
> I can get at 1.175mV 1575 MHz MAX, To be stable @ 1600 MHz it requires 1.225mV which is not worth it for the increase in VRM temperatures. I guess I will leave it at 1500 MHz.


i think you got the core and vram voltages mixed up.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> That is one awesome score !


Here's 3mark11, woot for 13k score. I need to switch to beta 11 for higher scores instead of beta 7, but I like beta 7's clock control better.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5513238


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Here's 3mark11, woot for 13k score. I need to switch to beta 11 for higher scores instead of beta 7, but I like beta 7's clock control better.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5513238


Impressive. I wonder If a 7970 at those clocks can break 60 fps in Heaven at 1920x1080.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 1.3v core, 1.7v vram, 40c temps... at the above clocks. I don't have any problems with volts nor overclocking my memory. For your question, you have to experiment and find where your sweet spot is and its different for every card. It's sort of an organic endeavor, it's not merely just 1+1=2.


I'm so far only able to do about 1210 core and 1675 @ 1.225v, on a stock cooled xfx double d 7970ghz edition. Think I've got a lot of head room left? Temps seem ok but I notice a bit of stability issues at 1225 core even at 1.225 volts

Also 1700 on the memory was not stable but 1675 was for me.. not sure what the average clocks are for these? As yours seem quite a bit higher than most I see


----------



## NotReadyYet

***Reposting this so it doesn't get lost. Would really appreciate thoughts on this because I am at a loss***

I ran 3DMark again last night and got some interesting scores. I am using 12.10 drivers. Card running @ 1160/1500 with ASIC of 64%

X3144 1160/1500

X3143 1160/1500

P9849 1160/1500

Compared to a few days ago running the same exact settings:

X3301 1160/1500

X3281 1150/1500

What would cause such a steep drop in score? It boggles my mind that the same settings produced a 157 point drop. I think something is amiss but I can't quite put my finger on it.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> I'm so far only able to do about 1210 core and 1675 @ 1.225v, on a stock cooled xfx double d 7970ghz edition. Think I've got a lot of head room left? Temps seem ok but I notice a bit of stability issues at 1225 core even at 1.225 volts
> Also 1700 on the memory was not stable but 1675 was for me.. not sure what the average clocks are for these? As yours seem quite a bit higher than most I see


It is different from chip to chip, also he is running it on water. My HD7950 maxes out at only 1215/1675 MHz but that require 1.3mV on core & 1.5mV on memory. It also have a very low ASIC.
I don't need the core at 1200+/1650+ MHz. doing 1100/1500 while running cool and quiet is enough for my 24/7 usage.
But I got it for cheap so I am pleases with the performance so far. As fast as my GTX 670 or faster in some games. but costed me significantly less.


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> ***Reposting this so it doesn't get lost. Would really appreciate thoughts on this because I am at a loss***
> 
> I ran 3DMark again last night and got some interesting scores. I am using 12.10 drivers. Card running @ 1160/1500 with ASIC of 64%
> 
> X3144
> X3143
> P9849
> 
> Compared to a few days ago running the same exact settings:
> X3301
> X3281 Card @ 1150/1500
> 
> What would cause such a steep drop in score? It boggles my mind that the same settings produced a 157 point drop. I think something is amiss but I can't quite put my finger on it.


Is it the exact same settings or is one running 10mhz faster then the other? Could the increase from 1150 to 1160 be causing a little instability, causing the lower score


----------



## BradleyW

Sorry to but in, but has anyone noticed strange crossfire performance on Witcher 2? The min fps is lower but the max fps is a lot higher.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Impressive. I wonder If a 7970 at those clocks can break 60 fps in Heaven at 1920x1080.


Hmm, break 60fps at 1080? I doubt it since the average difference between 1080 and 1050 is 10fps. I would have to hit 70fps which is crazy because every fraction of a fps has to be clawed for.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



*Edit: Cpu at 5.1ghz. I thought I bumped it to 5.2ghz but lol I forgot to change the multi so it was still 5.1.





Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> I'm so far only able to do about 1210 core and 1675 @ 1.225v, on a stock cooled xfx double d 7970ghz edition. Think I've got a lot of head room left? Temps seem ok but I notice a bit of stability issues at 1225 core even at 1.225 volts
> Also 1700 on the memory was not stable but 1675 was for me.. not sure what the average clocks are for these? As yours seem quite a bit higher than most I see


Your clocks are pretty good for the stock cooler. The thing with tahiti is that it is temp limited on overclocks so the fact that you can even hit those clocks on the stock cooler shows a lot of promise. The real test, it's like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is when you get the card under water, then you can really see what "she" can do. Btw, the card in the benches I just posted are from a XFX BE.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Is it the exact same settings or is one running 10mhz faster then the other? Could the increase from 1150 to 1160 be causing a little instability, causing the lower score


No, it's not that. I re-edited my post to reflect the clocks.


----------



## Flameboy294

These scores are everything on stock



I was wondering if anyone can help, But why is my memory at 667mhz, mine is supposed to be 1600mhz


----------



## Flameboy294

Workload work failed with error message: eva::d3d11::rendering::scene_renderer::render(): draw_depth_task for thread 0: File: device_context.cpp
Line: 515
Function: struct ID3D11CommandList *__cdecl eva::d3d11::deferred_device_context::do_finish_command_list(bool)

Expression: native()->FinishCommandList( restore_deferred_context_state, &result): DX11 call failed.

Device hung due to badly formed commands.
DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG: ID3D11DeviceContext::FinishCommandList:

Just got this error clocked at 1195/1600..is it a bad overclock?


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Workload work failed with error message: eva::d3d11::rendering::scene_renderer::render(): draw_depth_task for thread 0: File: device_context.cpp
> Line: 515
> Function: struct ID3D11CommandList *__cdecl eva::d3d11::deferred_device_context::do_finish_command_list(bool)
> 
> Expression: native()->FinishCommandList( restore_deferred_context_state, &result): DX11 call failed.
> 
> Device hung due to badly formed commands.
> DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG: ID3D11DeviceContext::FinishCommandList:
> 
> Just got this error clocked at 1195/1600..is it a bad overclock?


I hate to say it. but yes mate, that messege poped because of the unstable overclock







.


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> I hate to say it. but yes mate, that messege poped because of the unstable overclock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Funny i would have thought a sapphire 7970 vapor X would deal with it fine..temp was less then 65..i have a feeling i need to play with voltage abit but i have no idea how


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> I was wondering if anyone can help, But why is my memory at 667mhz, mine is supposed to be 1600mhz[/QUOTE]
> 
> What does cpu-z show for the memory? I know most BIOS default to 1333 regardless of the ram installed.
> Quote:
> [QUOTE]Originally Posted by [B]Flameboy294[/B] [URL=https://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/19760_20#post_19011771][IMG alt="View Post"]https://www.overclock.net/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/URL]
> 
> Funny i would have thought a sapphire 7970 vapor X would deal with it fine..temp was less then 65..i have a feeling i need to play with voltage abit but i have no idea how


What's the current voltage? I keep mine @ 1.225v for 1210mhz core


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> What does cpu-z show for the memory? I know most BIOS default to 1333 regardless of the ram installed.
> What's the current voltage? I keep mine @ 1.225v for 1210mhz core


CPU z says for Frequency its at 668.7mhz. for cpu voltage..i have no idea how to check yes i do have gpu z


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> What does cpu-z show for the memory? I know most BIOS default to 1333 regardless of the ram installed.
> What's the current voltage? I keep mine @ 1.225v for 1210mhz core
> 
> 
> 
> CPU z says for Frequency its at 668.7mhz. for cpu voltage..i have no idea how to check yes i do have gpu z
Click to expand...

as to your RAM, you might have to either manually set it to 1600 or set an XMP profile.


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> as to your RAM, you might have to either manually set it to 1600 or set an XMP profile.


thing is i dont think 2700k takes 1600, but i know it does take 1333. does ram have an idle moment maybe thats why its 668?


----------



## BradleyW

Set XMP in the BIOS then save, restart, open CPU-Z and it should be fixed.
I thought CPU-Z is ment to report half of the speed of the RAM you have anyway?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> as to your RAM, you might have to either manually set it to 1600 or set an XMP profile.
> 
> 
> 
> thing is i dont think 2700k takes 1600, but i know it does take 1333. does ram have an idle moment maybe thats why its 668?
Click to expand...

sandy bridge max default RAM is 1333, you can set it to 1600 which is tecnically an overclock. you can run RAM on sandy bridge upto 2133, sometimes higher. So in BIOS configure your RAM to its rated specs on the stick or if your RAM supports it use an XMP profile.









No RAM does not idle like CPU's or GPU's


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Yes the Ram will show at 1/2 speed, via dual channel. So when it is running at 800 in CPUz it is actually running at 1600 dual channel.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Yes the Ram will show at 1/2 speed, via dual channel. So when it is running at 800 in CPUz it is actually running at 1600 dual channel.


Thats not exactly correct. a single module of 1600MHz ram will still run at 2 x 800Mhz = 1600MHz. dual channel just increases the number of channels or access to the memory controller.
Ganged= a single 128 bit channel, unganged 2 x 64 bit channels and is typically slightly faster.


----------



## Arnoud87

Ive had 7870 and now 7950 crossfire.

1 thing I noticed, the 7870 has a cheap converter, colours looks grey and disturbed or something.
Something is not right about under the 7900 series.
It was like I was back in 2002 with those colour palet.

I think they saved money on those lower-end cards

Colours on 7950 are nice like 600 series, like GTX680 and stuff, also had GTX 680 myself.
But the 7870 and lower is just terrible colours!!

So 7870 may be well priced but.. I would NOT even buy it if it was only 100 euros or dollars

- heaven looked like complete crap on it
- BF3 looked real bad also
- UT 2004 looked rubbish like it was a 1999 3d card which rendered it

So im sure something is not right, and that was a sapphire 7870.
In the end you can call me idiot or stupid but I game since 1993 and even used cards before Voodoo 1 4mb.

And yeah card is not a RMA since i sold the damn thing and the owner has no complains at all!!
Im sure im High end all the way the next time I buy a GFX i wouldnt buy another mid range in my life again


----------



## cyberelite

Hi guys, i'm currently overclocking my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 boost edition, and whenever i'm running heaven 11, i get these flickering gray colored screen for just a millisecond. I don't get artifacts at all. Is it considered stable?

I'm running at stock voltage (1.125 but whenever boosting, goes up to 1.25)
Core: 1100
Memory: 1400

@furmark: Max temp was 83 degrees


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyberelite*
> 
> Hi guys, i'm currently overclocking my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 boost edition, and whenever i'm running heaven 11, i get these flickering gray colored screen for just a millisecond. I don't get artifacts at all. Is it considered stable?
> 
> I'm running at stock voltage (1.125 but whenever boosting, goes up to 1.25)
> Core: 1100
> Memory: 1400
> 
> @furmark: Max temp was 83 degrees


any flickering or stuff on the screen that is not meant to be there is a sign of instability.

Unless it's being caused by the monitor.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> any flickering or stuff on the screen that is not meant to be there is a sign of instability.
> 
> Unless it's being caused by the monitor.


That is very inaccurate. Flicker is due to fluctuating clock speeds, most likely memory. Most flickering is due to one's method of overclocking.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> I think Metro and a heavily modded Skyrim are the exceptions to what I stated in my previous post regarding VRAM. It's known that those games benefit from a higher Memory clock than a Core clock. Even though you got ~15 extra FPS in Metro, I doubt I would overvolt my VRAM to achieve that. Maybe I am playing my cards close to the chest, but I know first hand the fallouts of overvolting a video card with my old 6850.
> 
> Now, if I was playing an online deathmatch where I know that overvolting to achieve a higher memory clock got me 15FPS then you bet I would jump on it. Truthfully, for the amount of money I paid for the card, and considering how nightmarish RMA return times can be, I rather lose the 15FPS in single player Metro then keep my VRAM overvolted 24/7. Especially if you are running at 1080P which these card can do in their sleep.
> 
> But I digress...
> 
> On a side note, I ran 3DMark again last night and got some interesting scores. I am using 12.10 drivers. Card running @ 1160/1500
> 
> X3144
> X3143
> P9849
> 
> Compared to a few days ago running the same exact settings:
> X3301
> X3281 Card @ 1150/1500
> 
> What would cause such a steep drop in score? It boggles my mind that the same settings produced a 157 point drop. I think something is amiss but I can't quite put my finger on it.
> 
> Any thoughts on this?


I did some tests way back this thread about mem overclock and metro 2033 gains fps like a boss...

Quote:


> 1375
> AVG: 57
> 
> VS
> 
> 1900
> AVG: 62


Thats a 9% increase back then with old drivers XD

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/12280#post_17519914


----------



## BradleyW

New drivers are out within the next 7-10 days. I cannot find out if there will be a beta, but if there is, it will be released on the same day as the WHQL.

Does anyone have witcher 2 installed?


----------



## King4x4

I got it bradleyW and I will check it for you.


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Just got my new 7950 HIS IceQ X2 installed, from what I can tell its a beast of a card, only problem is that its almost always making this annoying sound, kinda like if you put the corner of a piece of paper into a fan. Not sure if it will go away over time or not? anyone else have this problem with their card?

Edit: I'm not sure if this is what people are referring to when they talk about coil whine or not... Sounds like a whine at higher loads, but when its idle and I just move the mouse around fast it sounds like the fan example.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> New drivers are out within the next 7-10 days. I cannot find out if there will be a beta, but if there is, it will be released on the same day as the WHQL.
> 
> Does anyone have witcher 2 installed?


yes i have witcher 2


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That is very inaccurate. Flicker is due to fluctuating clock speeds, most likely memory. Most flickering is due to one's method of overclocking.


When his GPU is under full load using Unigine Heaven why would his frequencies fluctuate? The grey flashes he is seeing is sign of instability.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> When his GPU is under full load using Unigine Heaven why would his frequencies fluctuate? The grey flashes he is seeing is sign of instability.


Throttling?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That is very inaccurate. Flicker is due to fluctuating clock speeds, most likely memory. Most flickering is due to one's method of overclocking.
> 
> 
> 
> When his GPU is under full load using Unigine Heaven why would his frequencies fluctuate? The grey flashes he is seeing is sign of instability.
Click to expand...

If his flickering is self induced, is it instability or is it because of user error?


----------



## stickg1

I have the exact same card and when the clocks are too high I experience the same problems. I call this an unstable overclock. You can call it whatever you want, I suppose.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I have the exact same card and when the clocks are too high I experience the same problems. I call this an unstable overclock. You can call it whatever you want, I suppose.


User error lol.

Now granted if it was stock, then you'd have a point that the card is not stable. But afaik that's not the case here.


----------



## stickg1

Yeah, user error, too high of clocks with not enough voltage. Or you've gone beyond the capabilities of the card.


----------



## grymok

Finally bought 1 more AMD 7950, the MSI twin frozr








Asic 85,9







.
Havn't tryed any OCing yet.

My other Club 3d 7950 RoyalKing, is going for some RMA, hopefully next week. Hope i can get money back on that one.


----------



## geoxile

I finally got my last 7950, it's a sapphire Dual-X again. No problems this time and it even OCs to around 1200 (stable AFAIK). Unfortunately it seems my card has that Elpida VRAM that's rated for 1250mhz. It can't even hit 1300mhz while OCed along side the core. I can OC it to 1300 alone but even then games come to a crawl and there is clearly something wrong. Oh well


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> I finally got my last 7950, it's a sapphire Dual-X again. No problems this time and it even OCs to around 1200 (stable AFAIK). Unfortunately it seems my card has that Elpida VRAM that's rated for 1250mhz. It can't even hit 1300mhz while OCed along side the core. I can OC it to 1300 alone but even then games come to a crawl and there is clearly something wrong. Oh well


doesn't sound that good. the same with 2 club 3d 7950 royalking cards.

seems like this msi card, actually can oc a bit.
1120 mhz, 1500 memory and 1.051 vddc from gpu-z.
unfortunately the card is loud as hell.
probably gonna return it:-(


----------



## geoxile

It seems it can hit 1225 but I'm not sure if it's entirely stable since it's not stable at 1250 (it runs for a short while but the 3D program will crash eventually).
I think 1200 is probably the best target. I'm setting voltage at the stock 1.25V for boost btw. I'm using MSI afterburner to enforce constant voltage at 1.25V but the VRM seems to stay under 70.

Does anyone know if 1.7V is safe for the memory?

Edit: I made a mistake. The profile I saved to MSI afterburner set the GPU voltage to 1125 instead of 1250 for some reason and the GPU was unstable. The memory OCs just fine. Up to 1450 max as far as I can tell.


----------



## Mattbag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> sandy bridge max default RAM is 1333, you can set it to 1600 which is tecnically an overclock. you can run RAM on sandy bridge upto 2133, sometimes higher. So in BIOS configure your RAM to its rated specs on the stick or if your RAM supports it use an XMP profile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No RAM does not idle like CPU's or GPU's


When I built my pc my ram was recognized as 1600 without changing it?


----------



## shremi

Can anyone give me a rundown of the non voltage locked 7950s ? I'm planing to watercool so I really don't care much for the cooler


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That is very inaccurate. Flicker is due to fluctuating clock speeds, most likely memory. Most flickering is due to one's method of overclocking.


When I used MSI AB to Overclock system was flicking like crazy not so with Trixx on a Sapphire Dual X 7950


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mattbag*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> sandy bridge max default RAM is 1333, you can set it to 1600 which is tecnically an overclock. you can run RAM on sandy bridge upto 2133, sometimes higher. So in BIOS configure your RAM to its rated specs on the stick or if your RAM supports it use an XMP profile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No RAM does not idle like CPU's or GPU's
> 
> 
> 
> When I built my pc my ram was recognized as 1600 without changing it?
Click to expand...

maybe yes maybe no, i know with my 1600 RAM i had to set it to set an XML profile in BIOS as it RAN at 1333 CL11. i just use XMP if your RAM has it or as i said configure it the the rated specs in BIOS. Check again what CPU-z says if it says around 800MHz in the memory tab and the timings are what your sticks are spec'd at then your fine.

Example about RAM using 1600 RAM:
Clock speed is 800MHz (Slightly varies with tiny fluctuations with BCLK)
1600 is known as MT/s or Mega Transfers / second


----------



## switchblade

If you leave the fans on auto it wont be all that loud.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> If you leave the fans on auto it wont be all that loud.


me or?.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> me or?.


I have a reference card and when my fans are on auto even when the gpu is under full load i dont hear it over the case fans. Technically it depends on how much of a quiet freak you are but its just something I cannot comprehend.


----------



## geoxile

Are there any good stress testing programs that have error checking/detection?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Are there any good stress testing programs that have error checking/detection?


If you see things on your screen that shouldn't be there, it's not stable.

If the drivers crash, it's not stable.

Questions?


----------



## iLLGT3

Bought a new card last week..


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> Are there any good stress testing programs that have error checking/detection?


GPUTool over at TPU seems fairly good. Still, just because you can run that for a little while without issues, you might not be stable enough to play a game just so you know.
http://www.overclock.net/t/633816/how-to-overclock-your-amd-ati-gpu


----------



## King4x4

Debating buying a fourth 7950 for my system.


----------



## NotReadyYet

@iLLGT3 Whats the ASIC quality on that?


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Debating buying a fourth 7950 for my system.


It only makes sense... Who runs 3 graphics cards these days, you defiantly need another one! Lol


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> It only makes sense... Who runs 3 graphics cards these days, you defiantly need another one! Lol


Think I will start looking for a fourth used one.

I want it mainly to rip out unigine benchmarks


----------



## blkdoutgsxr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Think I will start looking for a fourth used one.
> 
> I want it mainly to rip out unigine benchmarks


If I had the money I think I would be right there with ya LOL


----------



## Atomfix

2x 7950 would be enough for me, overkill for a 1920x1080p screen, but I'm all for the benchmarks! and to future proof myself!


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> 2x 7950 would be enough for me, overkill for a 1920x1080p screen, but I'm all for the benchmarks! and to future proof myself!


2x7950s OCed to 1100mhz are barely making games playable on 7680x1440... three makes BF3 hit the 60fps mark with a bit of tweaks... might go for four just to max everything out.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> 2x7950s OCed to 1100mhz are barely making games playable on 7680x1440... three makes BF3 hit the 60fps mark with a bit of tweaks... might go for four just to max everything out.


xD
You should turn MSAA off.. Other then that 3 is nice. Four has more problems then benefits really, i take it that all the cards are watercooled yes?


----------



## King4x4

Yup.

First time I water cool too... felt so gooooood!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Yup.
> 
> First time I water cool too... felt so gooooood!


Yeah, I need to jump on that bandwagon soon... I'll see how sorting out my University money goes and what I have leftover.. I'll probably grab a XSPC kit to start with then a 7950 block


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Those of you wanting to go 3 or 4 7950s or 7970s... it's not all peaches and cream or roses so to speak. I own 6 7970s and 4 680s (sold 2) and I only use 2 of the 7970s at any one time even though I have the waterblocks and cooling setup for a Quad setup. I game at 2560x1440 4x MSAA in BF3 and never drop below 60 fps with just 2 7970s. The only game I had issues with was running FC3 with 8x MSAA. The framerate was great, but there was some serious microstutter, which I ignored and finished the game, but regardless it was still there. I believe it's being patched soon, but quite honestly there aren't any games that 2 7970s or 7950s cant handle on a single monitor (regardless of the res)


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Those of you wanting to go 3 or 4 7950s or 7970s... it's not all peaches and cream or roses so to speak. I own 6 7970s and 4 680s (sold 2) and I only use 2 of the 7970s at any one time even though I have the waterblocks and cooling setup for a Quad setup. I game at 2560x1440 4x MSAA in BF3 and never drop below 60 fps with just 2 7970s. The only game I had issues with was running FC3 with 8x MSAA. The framerate was great, but there was some serious microstutter, which I ignored and finished the game, but regardless it was still there. I believe it's being patched soon, but quite honestly there aren't any games that 2 7970s or 7950s cant handle on a single monitor (regardless of the res)


I still have 2 of your 7970s. Still rocking under water







.

Which one do you prefer at this time of the year. Gtx 680 or 7970s?


----------



## thebaltar

how i flash my bios of hd7950 on win8? Dos boot disk doesnt works.


----------



## karimy1

guys try operation thunder run in bf3 for stabilty and atifacts... propably try consontrating at the smoke... if it artifacts for more stable overclock...
(when u hust finish destroying all the multi missle lanchers just stop there and keep looking to the smoke flying from the destroyed cars for 5 minutes this will stress ur cards to the maaaax believe me ... i tried and it worked flawlessly to test ur most stable overclock)


----------



## Silverspar867

Hey guys, is my card faulty?
I have a Sapphire HD 7950 non OC that's about two weeks old at stock clocks.

Some games like Super Street Fighter 4 AE and Far Cry 2 run fine but others have odd happenings.
Sleeping Dogs rarely has an artifact where the screen flashes red or white and has a progressive FPS drop (Starts at 60-50 FPS and drops to 40-30FPS.), Shogun 2 has black flickering shadows during fights and Far Cry 3 has random quarter second black flashes.

I don't think this is an issue of overheating, since i was running Far Cry 2 and Sleeping Dogs/Far Cry 3 at similar temperatures (70-73c)

I'd really appreciate help if possible, other than that the card is a huge upgrade over my GT 240 and i would really hate to RMA it.


----------



## karimy1

guys im using an hd 7970 sapphire dual x oc (black pcb) my overclock is 1222 on the core 1750 on the memory with voltage set to 1237mv and 1625mv with no crashes or no issues no artifactsin 3dmark11 and all games eccept bf3 just in operation thunder run while looking at the destroyed missle launchers ... i can see blue and red squares appears and dissapears from the flying smoke of the destroyed vehicules...everything else is very good... could anyone of u who can get 1200 on the core to test if this is only me who get this kind of artifact?? plzz btw max temps recorded by gpuz after playin the whole operation 64 on the core and 67 on the vrm1... so it should be no artifacts at all>>> also i tried 1180 and 1500 respectively and with this overclock i get no artifacts in this mission while i raised the volts to 1256 to get more temps to c if its temps related and my temps was 71 and the vrm1 74 and no artifacts... how come???? plz someone explain it to me


----------



## karimy1

ok r u running ur card at stock??


----------



## Silverspar867

Yes, it is running at stock clocks.

The worst i've seen it is in Shogun 2.
I think it's an issue with primarily DirectX 11 games since i do not get these in DX10 or 9 (Super Street Fighter 4, Far Cry 2, ArmA 2).


----------



## grymok

Unfortunately i have returned my MSI 7950 Twin frozr card :S. Did to much noise for my ears, and then the brown pcb, was pretty ugly :S.

I have searched abit on the net and found out this card: http://www.edbpriser.dk/grafikkort/sapphire-vapor-x-hd-7950-oc-with-boost-detailsalg-3-gb-id-6943321.aspx sapphire, should be a modified 7970 pcb, and with 2 x 8 pins power, and should be supplime for OC?







.
The price is 306 euro.
Maybe i have found a MSI 7970 lightning card, used 2 weeks and is about 1-2 month old. Can probaly get it for 360 euro. Any good deal?.
I would like a card with the Black pcb, just fits better into everything







. And then some silence fans. I have the idea of watercooling on the card, but not sure it will happen on this series :S.
Would prefor a card that OC like the MSI twin frozr, but just makes half the noise







. Anything of the above is worth, looking into?


----------



## beldecca

Curious if anyone knows from personal experience which water blocks fit the the 7950 twin frozr - I was particularly looking at the XSPC Razor HD 7970 Full Coverage Block or the swiftech GPU block + fin heatsink combo. Thanks for any help.


----------



## JCnator987

Anyone know any bioses that work for sure on the msi tf3 (tried and works)? If so, could you post links or a zip? Thanks.


----------



## 98uk

Anyone able to help me









http://www.overclock.net/t/1348678/changing-clocks-in-msi-afterburner-causes-massive-graphical-issues-but-ccc-doesnt/0_20


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Anyone able to help me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1348678/changing-clocks-in-msi-afterburner-causes-massive-graphical-issues-but-ccc-doesnt/0_20


Read my sig thread.


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my sig thread.


Muchos awesome.

Any idea why my BF3 is running at 25fps when the GTX 570 used to do 70fps?









I'm re-installing BF3 now and ran a driver cleaner to get rid of Nvidia drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my sig thread.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Muchos awesome.
> 
> Any idea why my BF3 is running at 25fps when the GTX 570 used to do 70fps?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm re-installing BF3 now and ran a driver cleaner to get rid of Nvidia drivers.
Click to expand...

You don't need to run driver cleaners and they can cause problems on their own. If you read the manual uninstall process in my sig thread, you'll learn that you can lock yourself out of your OS by simply deleting the gpu registry folder in the wrong order.

From here I don't know why your BF3 fps is low, I'd suspect it has something to the way you were overclocking. Most problems with Tahiti revolves around bad methods of overclocking.


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You don't need to run driver cleaners and they can cause problems on their own. If you read the manual uninstall process in my sig thread, you'll learn that you can lock yourself out of your OS by simply deleting the gpu registry folder in the wrong order.
> 
> From here I don't know why your BF3 fps is low, I'd suspect it has something to the way you were overclocking. Most problems with Tahiti revolves around bad methods of overclocking.


Aye, but it describes AMD removal not Nvidia! (maybe you could include it







)

Anyway, it happened at stock too. Actually, I had a similar issue back in the day with GRID when I went from a 8800gt to a 4870... it ran like crap until I reinstalled. Anyway, we'll find out once the astronomic amount of patch data is downloaded!


----------



## EagleOne

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anomander Rake*
> 
> flameboy i was running a 7970 Lightning oced to 1250mhz on the core and a 3930k at 5000mhz on a 600w cooler master


just wondering, i have a 6970 msi lightning thinking of going 7970 lightnng or asus matrix 7970
any thoughts from you on this, i like the look of the matrix 7979.....or does msi lightning 7970 have a better feel to it
any ideas from you
thanks


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EagleOne*
> 
> just wondering, i have a 6970 msi lightning thinking of going 7970 lightnng or asus matrix 7970
> any thoughts from you on this, i like the look of the matrix 7979.....or does msi lightning 7970 have a better feel to it
> any ideas from you
> thanks


Those 2 are both good, I think the lightning still leads for better overclocks.
The issue many have with the lightning is the single link DVI, with a 1440p monitor a separate active miniDP to dual link DVI adapter is needed. Mo money...
Great card otherwise.


----------



## grymok

Any one can give a hint and some advise on the thread 19819?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Any one can give a hint and some advise on the thread 19819?


I dont know if you can get this card where you are, but I have the 7970 version and have tested this version. It is quiet and OC's extremely well

http://xfxforce.com/en-us/Products/Graphics-Cards/AMD/AMD-Radeon-HD-7000/AMD-Radeon-HD-7950/FX-795A-TDBC.aspx


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EagleOne*
> 
> just wondering, i have a 6970 msi lightning thinking of going 7970 lightnng or asus matrix 7970
> any thoughts from you on this, i like the look of the matrix 7979.....or does msi lightning 7970 have a better feel to it
> any ideas from you
> thanks


The matrix is better imho. Has more features and a nice bundle of goodies from the box. http://www.legitreviews.com/article/2068/1/. Nice overclocking friendly card with a lot of headroom.


----------



## FtW 420

The matrix does have some cool features the lightning doesn't have, & even though it needs hardmodding for extended voltage control Asus makes it easy (easier for most than getting MSI software to run 1.4V +).
Can't really go wrong with either, although with a 1440p monitor even a lightning fanboy like me would have to recommend the matrix to save $ on the needed adapter.


----------



## tsm106

But Asus has been in the dumps with their full custom AMD pcbs, serious dumps. The Matrix is really the DC2 version 3.0 lol. That's how many times they needed to get it right.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

GPU voltage 1394v
for 1315??

seriously?
No thanks...

More expensive/ more voltage hungry cards...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Anyone able to help me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1348678/changing-clocks-in-msi-afterburner-causes-massive-graphical-issues-but-ccc-doesnt/0_20


disable unofficial overclocking...if you enable it...
Now i remember why i got rid of that POS of software to begin with back in the days...

Installed yesterday delete it today..

Prefer trixx over msi..

Need to monitor temps/vrms etc? Use aida.. or hwinfo..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Anyone able to help me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1348678/changing-clocks-in-msi-afterburner-causes-massive-graphical-issues-but-ccc-doesnt/0_20
> 
> 
> 
> disable unofficial overclocking...if you enable it...
> Now i remember why i got rid of that POS of software to begin with back in the days...
> 
> Installed yesterday delete it today..
> 
> Prefer trixx over msi..
> 
> Need to monitor temps/vrms etc? Use aida.. or hwinfo..
Click to expand...

Obviously you're using it wrong. I like Trixx too but I only use it for benching. You can cause Trixx to push the cards into OCP by throwing too much voltage so you have to be careful with it. Anyways, I've no issue with AB in mode 2.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Obviously you're using it wrong. I like Trixx too but I only use it for benching. You can cause Trixx to push the cards into OCP by throwing too much voltage so you have to be careful with it. Anyways, I've no issue with AB in mode 2.


Yeah thats true.. Thats why i use aida/gpu-z to read vcore.. aida stress test "stress" the card as much as furmark take readings from there and while in game..


----------



## tsm106

Just be careful with too many monitoring apps, they take up cpu/gpu time and can/will cause stuttering.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Just be careful with too many monitoring apps, they take up cpu/gpu time and can/will cause stuttering.


Oh i know that lol They will freeze your pc....

GPU-z tends to do that ALOT!!!

I open gpu-z first and make sure i dont close that crap. Because if i close after setting clocks and open it again is a computer freeze/crash guaranteed... lol


----------



## tsm106

The new kids here should be paying attention, these are morsels of info you don't find googling.


----------



## Madmaximus

Hey everyone I'm knew to crossfire just installed 2 XFX DD 7950s and the first thing I noticed was the second card shuts off when I'm not running a benchmark or game. Everything is working fine and I am getting good scores just don't like the fact that the second card is shutting down when not in use is there any way to stop this and make it run all the time.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Madmaximus*
> 
> Hey everyone I'm knew to crossfire just installed 2 XFX DD 7950s and the first thing I noticed was the second card shuts off when I'm not running a benchmark or game. Everything is working fine and I am getting good scores just don't like the fact that the second card is shutting down when not in use is there any way to stop this and make it run all the time.


Thats a energy saver feature... If you dont want it turn it off..
Turn off ULPS then..
With sapphire trixx is as easy as clicking a button.


----------



## Madmaximus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Thats a energy saver feature... If you dont want it turn it off..
> Turn off ULPS then..
> With sapphire trixx is as easy as clicking a button.


Um what's ULPS?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Madmaximus*
> 
> Um what's ULPS?


Download this
https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx

Install that

Go to settings theres a option that says
DISABLE ULPS.. click it reboot.

Now you card dont sleep no more XD


----------



## dmanstasiu

Could anyone confirm that the MSI 7970 is a reference model PCB layout? For watercooling purposes


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Could anyone confirm that the MSI 7970 is a reference model PCB layout? For watercooling purposes


Which one? They have the reference one which you can waterblock easy and they have the lightnings which uses their own pcb and cannot use 7970 waterblocks on it, they need a special one...


My 7950 uses a 7970pcb...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Could anyone confirm that the MSI 7970 is a reference model PCB layout? For watercooling purposes


http://www.overclock.net/t/1348827/xfx-double-d-hd7970-ghz-edition-watercooling/0_40


----------



## karimy1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Silverspar867*
> 
> Hey guys, is my card faulty?
> I have a Sapphire HD 7950 non OC that's about two weeks old at stock clocks.
> 
> Some games like Super Street Fighter 4 AE and Far Cry 2 run fine but others have odd happenings.
> Sleeping Dogs rarely has an artifact where the screen flashes red or white and has a progressive FPS drop (Starts at 60-50 FPS and drops to 40-30FPS.), Shogun 2 has black flickering shadows during fights and Far Cry 3 has random quarter second black flashes.
> 
> I don't think this is an issue of overheating, since i was running Far Cry 2 and Sleeping Dogs/Far Cry 3 at similar temperatures (70-73c)
> 
> I'd really appreciate help if possible, other than that the card is a huge upgrade over my GT 240 and i would really hate to RMA it.


"ok try increasing ur fan profile or manually make the fan at 100% from ccc my card artifacts at 1200 when its past 72 degrees so im thinking may be it overheating..., try also increasing ur volts from 6 to 12mvs and see whats happening


----------



## King4x4

Need new drivers... come on AMD







!


----------



## karimy1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *beldecca*
> 
> Curious if anyone knows from personal experience which water blocks fit the the 7950 twin frozr - I was particularly looking at the XSP
> C Razor HD 7970 Full Coverage Block or the swiftech GPU block + fin heatsink combo. Thanks for any help.


i would say the arectic water cooler is one of the best that fits all kinds fo 7970s and 7950


----------



## karimy1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *karimy1*
> 
> i would say the arectic water cooler is one of the best that fits all kinds fo 7970s and 7950


here is the link man
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCTIC-cooler-Accelero-Hybrid-7970/dp/B008I9BLXU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1358061698&sr=8-4
and here is a review
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/arctic_accelero_hybrid_7970_liquid_cooling_system_review,1.html
damn i wish it was here in egypt im dying to hit the 1300+ but im stuck at 1200 using 7 fans aroung the gpu to keep my temps down loool


----------



## karimy1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Muchos awesome.
> 
> Any idea why my BF3 is running at 25fps when the GTX 570 used to do 70fps?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm re-installing BF3 now and ran a driver cleaner to get rid of Nvidia drivers.


ok try to go to ccc and go to application settings and make sure u r using all defaults... could be because ur using antiallising mode to the max quality make sure u have it at multi sample!!!!! it has a great hit on the performance


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Which one? They have the reference one which you can waterblock easy and they have the lightnings which uses their own pcb and cannot use 7970 waterblocks on it, they need a special one...
> 
> 
> My 7950 uses a 7970pcb...


It is the non-OC, non-lightning version. Thanks!


----------



## Coree

1040 core, 1406 mem is my max oc with this VTX3D HD7950 V2 card. (1.056 v) Quite crappy but oh well. Memory OC's badly because of Elpida IC's? Just discovered that the V1 version is with Hynix IC's, which tend to have alot of OC headroom.. I'm just thinking that why VTX3D managed to cheap out on memory in the V2 version. Not overclocking farther because VRM temps will get over 100 degrees if i pump only a little bit more voltage.


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You don't need to run driver cleaners and they can cause problems on their own. If you read the manual uninstall process in my sig thread, you'll learn that you can lock yourself out of your OS by simply deleting the gpu registry folder in the wrong order.
> 
> From here I don't know why your BF3 fps is low, I'd suspect it has something to the way you were overclocking. Most problems with Tahiti revolves around bad methods of overclocking.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *karimy1*
> 
> ok try to go to ccc and go to application settings and make sure u r using all defaults... could be because ur using antiallising mode to the max quality make sure u have it at multi sample!!!!! it has a great hit on the performance


I re-installed BF3 and it worked fine, i'm now running 1920x1080 on Ultra, HBAO and 2x AA. Going to 4xAA makes is struggle a bit in extreme action! Next port of call is how to get that 1000mhz core. I tried it but there was some obvious visual tearing, so I guess the voltage has to go up...

MSI AB lists the current core voltage as 1.031v, what sort of ranges are safe?

Safe?


----------



## Imprezzion

@above.
With a twin frozr your fine all the way up to 1.25v+ but keep an eye on the VRM temps. Should get ~1200Mhz out of it that way.

My nice reference 7970 by Sapphire is running like a true champ!

I bought it with a Accelero Xtreme 7970 on it but VRM sinks and temps went over 100c at stock volts.

Replaced the crappy thermal glue with some 10 year old thermal tape I had left and even though it doesn't really stick that well anymore temps are 30+c better.

Also modded the bushings on the mount to allow for much greater mounting pressure on the core.

Stock fan module is removed and replaced with 2 140mm 1500rpm Aerocool Shark fans running on full throttle.

This worked SO well that i'm a tad afraid of damaging my core... Temps on a whopping 1.299v VDDC which comes out to 1.23-1.24v loaded with Heaven, Far Cry 3 or BF3 are only 45-49c for the core. VRM's get up to about 85c.

On these volts I run 1275Mhz core perfectly stable with 1625Mhz VRAM.

I can run 3d mark 11 performance on 1.38v VDDC on 1300+Mhz but it occasionally artifacts above 1300Mhz.

VRAM clocks do disappoint me for a reference card. My old one did 1800+Mhz with a tad of volts added but with this one anything over 1625Mhz, no matter what voltage, causes random driver crashes and game freezes.

Anyway, i'm really happy with the amazingly high core clock on 24/7 stability.


----------



## grymok

Will a backplate for a 7950 give any visible temp performance?








Have ordered the http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/Sapphire-VAPOR-X-HD-7950-OC-with-Boost-2380193.html to try it out. But i don't like hte blue pcb, so thinking to get a backplate, for the look and some lower temps. But will it be worth the money?







. And maybe a waterblock in the same order







.


----------



## Imprezzion

Keep in mind the ''boost'' version uses different BIOS and chip revisions making overvolting a lot harder.

For now, only TriXX 4.4.0b beta is capable of overvolting the ''boost'' cards.

Therefor a waterblock would be a waste cause the Dual X is already a great cooler.

Backplate won't makr any shocking differences in temps but it improves the looks dramatically.

When buying a waterblock or backplate make sure it fits these new blue PCB's.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Will a backplate for a 7950 give any visible temp performance?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have ordered the http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/Sapphire-VAPOR-X-HD-7950-OC-with-Boost-2380193.html to try it out. But i don't like hte blue pcb, so thinking to get a backplate, for the look and some lower temps. But will it be worth the money?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . And maybe a waterblock in the same order
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


its only for looks at this point. None of the memory chips are at the back of any 7970's i know about.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Keep in mind the ''boost'' version uses different BIOS and chip revisions making overvolting a lot harder.
> 
> For now, only TriXX 4.4.0b beta is capable of overvolting the ''boost'' cards.
> 
> Therefor a waterblock would be a waste cause the Dual X is already a great cooler.
> 
> Backplate won't makr any shocking differences in temps but it improves the looks dramatically.
> 
> When buying a waterblock or backplate make sure it fits these new blue PCB's.


Unfortunately i can't get the NON oc editions :s. Then i need to pick another card, any suggestions then?.
Traded in the MSI TF3, because of the noise :s. It's not sure i'm gonna OC this card. Maybe just gonna run with the standard cooler, and then if the next generation kicks ass, i will get one of those and watercool that one.
Want something silence.


----------



## Imprezzion

You want silence? DC2T or Windforce 3x or get a reference card and stick a Accelero 7970 to it which is what I did.
Very quiet even at 100%, unhearable over a stock card at 60%, and the temps are 30+c better.

Only disadvantages are the mount which IMO has way too thin screws and the bad thermal adhesive which has to dry for 24+ hours and is still low quality and weak.
And maybe the size / length in a small case.


----------



## youpekkad

Does anyone else get the weird bug, that your card sometimes gets the wrong amount of voltage? Like I have OC-profile saved and applied in Afterburner, which is 1100mhz core/1500mhz memory, voltage is at 1075mV, I´ve played hours and hours of BF3 etc using these clocks, no problems. The stock voltage of my card is 1031mV.

OK, so I played some BF3 one day, I was wondering why my temps were so much lower, and I got some weird artifacts, hmm must be unstable OC, and weirdly enough my card only got 1031mV, core and memory were both running at OC-speeds though. So I reapplied the profile and temps got higher and artifacts disappeared, now it got 1075mV like it should. I played for like 1hour or so of BF3 with core at 1100mhz @ stock voltage, got artifacts but it didnt crash, makes me wanna lower my voltage









Same thing happened today when I played Crysis, for some reason card only got 1031mV and I crashed to desktop in 5mins (temps were lower too), also I was wondering, why gameplay was so laggy, no wonder it was, voltage was way too low







So, reapplied the profile and it was all good, temps got bit higher, lags disappeared etc.

So, whats up with this? I´ve only got this 2 times, seems like I have to reapply my profile everytime I play (?), but is this common? Am I the only one getting this?


----------



## raghu78

after you have tested your OC clock and voltage settings save it in a profile in msi afterburner. have a profile saved with default stock settings too .every time before you start playing games run msi afterburner and load the OC profile. after you have finished playing the game set it back to the stock settings profile.


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Unfortunately i can't get the NON oc editions :s. Then i need to pick another card, any suggestions then?.
> Traded in the MSI TF3, because of the noise :s. It's not sure i'm gonna OC this card. Maybe just gonna run with the standard cooler, and then if the next generation kicks ass, i will get one of those and watercool that one.
> Want something silence.


My MSI TF3 is veeery quite at stock. When I turn the fan up to 85% manually, it's quite whiny, but given that I have headphones on, it's no issue.

But, at stock it's nigh on silent.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> after you have tested your OC clock and voltage settings save it in a profile in msi afterburner. have a profile saved with default stock settings too .every time before you start playing games run msi afterburner and load the OC profile. after you have finished playing the game set it back to the stock settings profile.


I´ve always used OC-profile, whether I´m playing or just idling, so it would be better to use stock-settings when idling?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> I´ve always used OC-profile, whether I´m playing or just idling, so it would be better to use stock-settings when idling?


yeah set back to stock settings when not playing games.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Ok guys i want to share something with you.. Im still playing with the MSI 7950 Twin 3 and i have find something odd...

The card i bought have a custom bios flashed to it.. Dont know which one didnt ask the guy yet.. I find so many problems overclocking high with that bios using msi/trixx/asus etc..
The only good thing about it that it let me change the volts on the card and read them on monitor programs.. Now i know the vdroop of the card at certain volts at certain SAFE spots all way up to 1.3v...

Put original bios start overclocking using trixx... This card will do 1250/1700 @ 1125v kind of awesome right.. My 7970 needs more than that because of the vdroop XD

OK as i said, i know my vdroops using trixx and msi they are both different vdroops in my case ((dont ask me why lol)) to achieve 1125v with trixx i need 1158 which vdroop to 1130v close enough as i change for example to 1155v it drops to the 1119v range...

Test clocks, monitor temps pass with high colors....
Now when i look at the voltage readings they all are the same they dont change too much ..

But are perfectly stable on benchmarks and games.. For some weird reason this cards are not reporting correct voltage readings on stock bios but are taking voltage changing thru software..
They are not just reporting the reading right...

BTW was using the modded trixx


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If his flickering is self induced, is it instability or is it because of user error?


Can you please define user error.
Cause I think that Overclocking itself can be considered as a user error, hence companies do not support it.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Will a backplate for a 7950 give any visible temp performance?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have ordered the http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/Sapphire-VAPOR-X-HD-7950-OC-with-Boost-2380193.html to try it out. But i don't like hte blue pcb, so thinking to get a backplate, for the look and some lower temps. But will it be worth the money?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . And maybe a waterblock in the same order
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Backplates only are useful for

1: when the gpu block is too heavy it will help not to bent the card too much

2: aesthetics

I would use one only if im using a block on the card and thats not mandatory..


----------



## youpekkad

Okay, this explains a lot, took me a little while to find it out







So thats why some demanding games (Far Cry 3 mostly) sometimes used to stutter and show some weirdness and sometimes play smooth as butter, I was trying to run it at 1100mhz core at stock-voltage and sometimes it was running at voltage it needs to maintain stability.


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Okay, this explains a lot, took me a little while to find it out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So thats why some demanding games (Far Cry 3 mostly) sometimes used to stutter and show some weirdness and sometimes play smooth as butter, I was trying to run it at 1100mhz core at stock-voltage and sometimes it was running at voltage it needs to maintain stability.


My TF3 couldn't do 1000mhz at stock volts! It handles 1100mhz on 1.149v (I haven't tested lower actually).

What speeds are people running the memory at, or does it not make a huge tangible difference?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Okay, this explains a lot, took me a little while to find it out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So thats why some demanding games (Far Cry 3 mostly) sometimes used to stutter and show some weirdness and sometimes play smooth as butter, I was trying to run it at 1100mhz core at stock-voltage and sometimes it was running at voltage it needs to maintain stability.


You have the same card>?

This card overclocks better than my 7970 to begin with..

But the cooling provided at those clocks on the VRMS runs crazy HIGH i hit 110c easy with the stock cooler with very cold ambient..

This cards are made for watercooling or a better cooling solution the vrms are the ones which are going to hold you down the road.. *The cooler do an ok job not fair for what the card is capable off.*


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> My TF3 couldn't do 1000mhz at stock volts! It handles 1100mhz on 1.149v (I haven't tested lower actually).
> 
> What speeds are people running the memory at, or does it not make a huge tangible difference?


I set them @ 1600 sweet spot... I know for sure this card cannot match my 1950/2000 off my 7970 so i drop them to 1600 which is the sweet spot of this cards...


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I set them @ 1600 sweet spot... I know for sure this card cannot match my 1950/2000 off my 7970 so i drop them to 1600 which is the sweet spot of this cards...


You had a 7970 that did 1950 to 2000Mhz on the memory?

I run my memory at 1575Mhz. This is my sweet spot.









In game its *1240Mhz Core - 1575 Mhz Memory* @ *1225mv Core - 1615mv memory* *(* On all four cards / under water *)*


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> You had a 7970 that did 1950 to 2000Mhz on the memory?


I still have it is my primary card and it did that In stock air lol havent try it yet on my new block....
But pretty sure thats his limit stable..

no mem volt increase needed at all..

Just did this one now

7970 @ 1300/2000
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5558356


----------



## tsm106

No 1300K? Oh is that beta 11?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> No 1300K? Oh is that beta 11?


yeah

My fav 2 drivers so far April 18 and this Beta 11

I think i can do the 13k be back...


----------



## tsm106

Beta 11 is the 3dm11 killer.









Btw, I did 13K+ on 1820 memory.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I wish I could reach Frequencies like tsm106 and you. Unfortunately, my 7970s are not hand picked


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Beta 11 is the 3dm11 killer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, I did 13K+ on 1820 memory.


and what else?


----------



## tsm106

1340 iirc on core.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1340 iirc on core.


ok thats why im @ 1300 havent try higher yet as a matter of fact you give me a reason now lol...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1340 iirc on core.
> 
> 
> 
> ok thats why im @ 1300 havent try higher yet as a matter of fact you give me a reason now lol...
Click to expand...

After a certain point the memory speed is not fully maximized ie. there's just too much bandwidth there anyways, which is why the core is more important.


----------



## y2kcamaross

I bought dead island during the steam sale and just got around to playing it, getting horrible flickering and random slowdowns, anyone else have this problem with 7970 crossfire and the 12.11 r11 betas? Happens at stock clocks and overclocked


----------



## zGunBLADEz

1350/2000
Graphics Score 13334
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5558784

see what you make me do lol


----------



## tsm106

See, there you go. lol.









Btw, look what that core bump did to your graphics score.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> I bought dead island during the steam sale and just got around to playing it, getting horrible flickering and random slowdowns, anyone else have this problem with 7970 crossfire and the 12.11 r11 betas? Happens at stock clocks and overclocked


Yes I do have it too, bought it during holiday sale too. No fix









Its sad because its a nice game, but not well optimized.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> See, there you go. lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, look what that core bump did to your graphics score.


Yep 371 points more in overall score too i think i can break up to 13k But im not playing with my memory over 2133..

Overclocking memory always been a pain in the butt to squeeze a lil bit out of it..


----------



## Imprezzion

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5522826

1275Mhz / 1575Mhz on the GPU, 14000+ GPU score.


----------



## youpekkad

@ 98uk: I´m currently running the memory @ 1500mhz, havent tried max memory clocks yet, but it had no problems in 3dmark11 @1700mhz (didnt touch the memory voltage) . I gain about 3fps in Crysis benchmark at 1500mhz vs 1250mhz, not a huge difference, but worth it considering its basically a free performance-boost.

zGunBLADEz: Yep, this card overclocks very well, passed 3dmark11 easily at 1200/1700mhz @1131mV, after that though it started artifacting in graphics test 2, and 1215mhz required a healthy bump in voltage (1,17v). VRM-temps werent the problem, core temps however start getting bit too high at those voltages, I´m already hitting 71c max @1075mV, which is a shame really as it seems like it easily has potential to hit 1200mhz+ on the core. So yeah, I agree with you about the cooling-thing. Also sick clocks on that 7970, what was the voltage?

BTW, to everyone, whats the recommended 24/7 core temperature for these cards? Under 80c?


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> @ 98uk: I´m currently running the memory @ 1500mhz, havent tried max memory clocks yet, but it had no problems in 3dmark11 @1700mhz (didnt touch the memory voltage) . I gain about 3fps in Crysis benchmark at 1500mhz vs 1250mhz, not a huge difference, but worth it considering its basically a free performance-boost.


I tried 1500mhz on memory without a MVDDC bump and it was stable for a while but hard reset after an hour or so... so I guess it's near stable. Anyway, I rolled back to 1300mhz where it's stable and noticed no difference in frames.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> zGunBLADEz: Yep, this card overclocks very well, passed 3dmark11 easily at 1200/1700mhz @1131mV, after that though it started artifacting in graphics test 2, and 1215mhz required a healthy bump in voltage (1,17v). VRM-temps werent the problem, core temps however start getting bit too high at those voltages, I´m already hitting 71c max @1075mV, which is a shame really as it seems like it easily has potential to hit 1200mhz+ on the core. So yeah, I agree with you about the cooling-thing.


This one is stable @ 1100 (stock) no voltage change @ 1250/1700 1125v decent temps depending of ambient XD...

3dmark11 benchiable @ 1300 with 1175v
vrms gets unconformable hot to my taste
I would love @ 90-100 as a max on air at those clocks tho.. but 115 to 120 no no
core temps are great on air..

This test Heaven 3 loops
Here


And here


7970 1200/1600 @ 1.200v watercooled
7950 1200/1600 @ 1175v is on air @ 100% fan speed
Great overclocking potential in a poor cooling package...

But i have the block for it already so just waiting for the bridge XD

oh sorry the card was running at those tests @ 1175v lol not 1125v
those tests would be for a 1300 oced XD
ill redo the test.. be back


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5522826
> 
> 1275Mhz / 1575Mhz on the GPU, 14000+ GPU score.


You disabled tessellation. Turn it on and run it again?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> My MSI TF3 is veeery quite at stock. When I turn the fan up to 85% manually, it's quite whiny, but given that I have headphones on, it's no issue.
> 
> But, at stock it's nigh on silent.


On stock clocks it was fine, becuse the FAN didn't went over 40-45%. But when OCed to 1100 mhz and 1550 memory, it went to around 55-60%, and was easy to hear(My pc stands next to me atm, but still).
Does your MSI card also increase in temp in idle, when adding more Core clock?.
Mine went from around 35c idle, to 45-47 idle, when increased core clock from 880 clock to 1200. My club 3d is not doing this.
I think my ears just didn't like that TF3 fan noise that much. If you take the Tomshardware noise comparison between 6 different aftermarket coolers 7950, then the noise from the TF3 is the same as my card i returned.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Ok now this are teh right ones lol

Forgot i was benching because of tsm ¬¬..




This are @ 1200/1600 on the 7950 with 1125v @ %100 fan speed

*wouldnt push higher on the stock cooling for 24/7*

BTW i think @ good 750 watts PSU is good enough for this cards, Have no weird problems with a OCZ ZT 750W
With IB @ 1.48v/7970/7950 HIGH Overclocks and have no experienced weird symptoms yet..

I have @ Seasonic X850 that i bought havent replace it yet will do when i change the loop when adding the 7950 into it....


----------



## youpekkad

So your VRMs are hitting 100c but core stays around low 70s? If I remember correctly, at those excact same clocks @1131mV my core hit 75c in benches and VRMs didnt go above 73-74c, fanspeed wasnt 100% either.

I just played ~45mins of Far Cry 3 using sig-rig settings, and max core temp was 69c and VRM 61c (fanspeed around 70%), so in my case it is really the core temperature, which is "bottlenecking" me.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> So your VRMs are hitting 100c but core stays around low 70s? If I remember correctly, at those excact same clocks @1131mV my core hit 75c in benches and VRMs didnt go above 73-74c, fanspeed wasnt 100% either.
> 
> I just played ~45mins of Far Cry 3 using sig-rig settings, and max core temp was 69c and VRM 61c (fanspeed around 70%), so in my case it is really the core temperature, which is "bottlenecking" me.


Im looping heaven @ 1080p everything to the extreme
this is are the settings that i use


Probably they do a higher load than far cry... ambients are different etc...


----------



## Imprezzion

FC3 has a higher load then Heaven will ever have.
A OC that's 2 hours stable in Heaven started giving artifacts within 2 minutes of playing FC3. Driver crash after 8 minutes.
15Mhz less solved it.

I forgot that one was without tess







Was to compare it to my mates 7950 who also ran without tess.

I'll go and run it some day with tess but i'm in the middle of a game of DayZ now


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> On stock clocks it was fine, becuse the FAN didn't went over 40-45%. But when OCed to 1100 mhz and 1550 memory, it went to around 55-60%, and was easy to hear(My pc stands next to me atm, but still).
> Does your MSI card also increase in temp in idle, when adding more Core clock?.
> Mine went from around 35c idle, to 45-47 idle, when increased core clock from 880 clock to 1200. My club 3d is not doing this.
> I think my ears just didn't like that TF3 fan noise that much. If you take the Tomshardware noise comparison between 6 different aftermarket coolers 7950, then the noise from the TF3 is the same as my card i returned.


I personally don't use any OC unless i'm gaming. So, I only turn it all up when I go to play a game (using profiles in AB). Therefore, at stock, it runs at 40c idle with 33% fan (about 22c ambient).

Under load with 100% fan, 1000/1300 @ 1.1v it peaks at 69c.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> *FC3 has a higher load then Heaven will ever have.*
> A OC that's 2 hours stable in Heaven started giving artifacts within 2 minutes of playing FC3. Driver crash after 8 minutes.
> 15Mhz less solved it.
> 
> I forgot that one was without tess
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Was to compare it to my mates 7950 who also ran without tess.
> 
> I'll go and run it some day with tess but i'm in the middle of a game of DayZ now


*
I dont know about that*



See the spikes High to Low and back to High
MSAA On/Off and back On still dont match my heaven temps..

Same clocks... FC3 every setting to the MAX..


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Hi, I just got a Powercolor HD7970 dual fan and it's incredible!

Got it to replace my aging GTX570 and boy does it.

Anyway, got to overclocking straight away and after days of tweaking and benching I got 1210/1720 using afterburner!









This runs fine for hours on Heaven 3.0, and eats through BF3 and Crysis 2 and Hitman Absolution which are my most demanding games, at 100% fan speed its stays under 65C at 100% load. So far, so good

Now the voltage required to run anything above 1050/1500 is ridiculously high. I currently set the slider to 1.299V and GPU-Z reports it as max 1.27V

If I move the Power Limit thing even 1% it causes instabilities, so I dont touch that at all when increasing voltage

Will this voltage damage or reduce the longevity of my card? The temperatures are very good and even at 55% fan speed (tolerable noise) the core and VRMS dont exceed 75C.

*Are these acceptable voltages for 1210/1720?*

Also, how do people adjust the VRAM voltage?

Also, I havent seen one game the GTX680 beats the HD7970 in. So many people claim the 680 is a more powerful card but I dont think so. At same clocks, the 7970 is at worst on par with the more expensive 680


----------



## lastguytom

hi amd radeon 7970 owners --i got mine in........yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! xfz 1 ghz


----------



## Bartouille

If you leave that slider at 0% you're not running a "real" 1210/1720 because the card will throttle. That's why you crash as soon as you move the slider.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Elaborate please?

This makes sense though, since GPU-Z shows the maximum load fluctuating a lot


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lastguytom*
> 
> hi amd radeon 7970 owners --i got mine in........yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! xfz 1 ghz


Good to see another XFX DD 7970ghz edition owner around these parts







Welcome!


----------



## Bartouille

Well, I don't really know how to explain this exactly. I figured this out back when I had a bad PSU and a HD7850. I was testing some overclocks using Furmark, and I noticed that when you increase the power limiter the power consumption goes up. So I ran Unigine Heaven to see if it had an impact on FPS, and it did. On stock speeds it doesn't matter because even with 0% you won't hit a wall. But when you overclock, the card consumes more power, so when you leave it at 0% it will prevent it to do so, meaning that your card isn't actually running at 100%.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Just played 15mins of intensive BF3 with the slider at +20% at 1.3V 1200/1700, it appears stable. Previous clocks 1210/1720 are unstable with the Power Limit slider at +20%

No increase in FPS, or any changes at all except lower Voltage 1.23-1.24 instead of 1.26-1.27.

The fluctuating GPU load can be attributed to BF3 and my 2500k being unable to keep up (cores run at 75-99% during big games, with the HD7970 65%-85%)

The card stays constant 99% usage for the most part in every other game or application

One thing though, I get little flickering checkered box artifacts when Im running *at stock* which is 925/1375 at 1.174 in MSI AFB (actually 1.162 max load voltage in GPU-Z). Its been like that since I got the card

This is fixed by upping voltage to 1.181, or moving the Power Limit slider +5%


----------



## binormalkilla

So are all reference 7970s voltage unlocked or is there a general consensus on that? I'm ordering one in a few days and I would like to get a waterblock for it, however if it's voltage locked that seems pointless. This HIS card is reference according to the EK compatibility tool. If it weren't for the voltage lock concern I would just get this non-reference, possibly voltage locked Sapphire because I really don't want a hairdryer in my case until I order my blocks.

Thoughts? I'm also open to any recommendations for other models if you have them.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> *
> I dont know about that*
> 
> 
> 
> See the spikes High to Low and back to High
> MSAA On/Off and back On still dont match my heaven temps..
> 
> Same clocks... FC3 every setting to the MAX..


That's really wierd cause mines flatlined on 99% usage and the temps surpass Heavens by at least 5c for the core and 10c for the VRM's.
1080p with everything maxed except AA which is on 2x AAA.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> If you leave that slider at 0% you're not running a "real" 1210/1720 because the card will throttle. That's why you crash as soon as you move the slider.


Slider at 0 is fine, it won't throttle a card up to at least 1300mhz core. I found the same thing where trying to up it too much, makes the card less stable. 5% on the slider was enough for me to bench a 7970 at 1560/1800.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *binormalkilla*
> 
> So are all reference 7970s voltage unlocked or is there a general consensus on that? I'm ordering one in a few days and I would like to get a waterblock for it, however if it's voltage locked that seems pointless. This HIS card is reference according to the EK compatibility tool. If it weren't for the voltage lock concern I would just get this non-reference, possibly voltage locked Sapphire because I really don't want a hairdryer in my case until I order my blocks.
> 
> Thoughts? I'm also open to any recommendations for other models if you have them.


Get the Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X. No problems so far, best card I've ever owned. Has a custom Sapphire PCB that is used in the Vapor-X 7950 3gb and the Vapor-X 7970 3gb. 8+8 power pins, plenty of cooling and fairly silent. No voltage locks whatsoever, mine is 1200 core/1700 memory just now, with only a slight increase in power options. VRM temps are nice and chilly.

In the game department, is a BEAST. Eats nails for breakfast. Metro 2033 all ultra, PhysX, RadeonPro SMAA and SweetFX at 1080p vsynced, 60-55 fps with small dips to high 40s when a lot occurs, like 10 bodies on the floor+5 attacking you just before first Hansa base. Recovers quickly form such dips.

PS: Overclocked using Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b Mod. Haven't used MSI Afterburner.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Slider at 0 is fine, it won't throttle a card up to at least 1300mhz core. I found the same thing where trying to up it too much, makes the card less stable. 5% on the slider was enough for me to bench a 7970 at 1560/1800.


That's a little bit surprising, but interesting to know.... Thank you.
I always put this slider to the max. not knowing that it can affect the stability of the card.


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Slider at 0 is fine, it won't throttle a card up to at least 1300mhz core. I found the same thing where trying to up it too much, makes the card less stable. 5% on the slider was enough for me to bench a 7970 at 1560/1800.


Well that's interesting. My 7850 didn't act the same way with power limiter. Thanks for the info I'll try leaving it at 0% and maybe I can get a little more core clock!!!


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Slider at 0 is fine, it won't throttle a card up to at least 1300mhz core. I found the same thing where trying to up it too much, makes the card less stable. 5% on the slider was enough for me to bench a 7970 at 1560/1800.


I would be a bit skeptical about what he said, I got throttling near instantly I went near the clock sliders.

Ofcourse 3DM11 was nowhere near enough to throttle so I didn't notice it before I actually started playing games and looked at some logs.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Get the Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X. No problems so far, best card I've ever owned. Has a custom Sapphire PCB that is used in the Vapor-X 7950 3gb and the Vapor-X 7970 3gb. 8+8 power pins, plenty of cooling and fairly silent. No voltage locks whatsoever, mine is 1200 core/1700 memory just now, with only a slight increase in power options. VRM temps are nice and chilly.
> 
> In the game department, is a BEAST. Eats nails for breakfast. Metro 2033 all ultra, PhysX, RadeonPro SMAA and SweetFX at 1080p vsynced, 60-55 fps with small dips to high 40s when a lot occurs, like 10 bodies on the floor+5 attacking you just before first Hansa base. Recovers quickly form such dips.
> 
> PS: Overclocked using Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b Mod. Haven't used MSI Afterburner.


Could you please post some photos of your PCB? Please upload your BIOS file so we can try it out.

I haven't been able to see any close up high res photos of it. I have been thinking about getting one of these but I am not sure what water blocks if any will fit and want to water cool it. Also looking at the PCB I can learn alot about it.


----------



## binormalkilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Get the Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X. No problems so far, best card I've ever owned. Has a custom Sapphire PCB that is used in the Vapor-X 7950 3gb and the Vapor-X 7970 3gb. 8+8 power pins, plenty of cooling and fairly silent. No voltage locks whatsoever, mine is 1200 core/1700 memory just now, with only a slight increase in power options. VRM temps are nice and chilly.
> 
> In the game department, is a BEAST. Eats nails for breakfast. Metro 2033 all ultra, PhysX, RadeonPro SMAA and SweetFX at 1080p vsynced, 60-55 fps with small dips to high 40s when a lot occurs, like 10 bodies on the floor+5 attacking you just before first Hansa base. Recovers quickly form such dips.
> 
> PS: Overclocked using Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b Mod. Haven't used MSI Afterburner.


I've looked at that one and to be honest I'm not sure it's worth the extra money considering I want to water cool it. Unless someone else knows otherwise, there are only full coverage blocks for reference PCBs.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Could you please post some photos of your PCB? Please upload your BIOS file so we can try it out.
> 
> I haven't been able to see any close up high res photos of it. I have been thinking about getting one of these but I am not sure what water blocks if any will fit and want to water cool it. Also looking at the PCB I can learn alot about it.


I got a few ones here from that card




Not the best pics but it is something, got some more on my HDD if you want them.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I got a few ones here from that card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not the best pics but it is something, got some more on my HDD if you want them.


Thanks.









Looks tight.

Any photos underneath the VRM heat sink?


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I would be a bit skeptical about what he said, I got throttling near instantly I went near the clock sliders.
> 
> Ofcourse 3DM11 was nowhere near enough to throttle so I didn't notice it before I actually started playing games and looked at some logs.


I lost like 1000 graphic score on 3DM11 with slider at 0%. It does indeed throttle. 20% all the way!


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks tight.
> 
> Any photos underneath the VRM heat sink?


Nop, sorry









It was a row of small chips, same amount as the blocks next to the heat sink basicly.
I only looked under it briefly to laugh at the thermal tape that looks like a 2-sided tape to me lol


----------



## HeadlessKnight

I noticed I can get 1220 MHz @ +5 instead of 1215 MHz @ +20. but didn't test for prolonged periods so I am still unsure.
Also guys I noticed I have the voltage unlocked in Sapphire Trixx and it can go to 1381mV.
Is that safe to use lol. @ 1300mV (as reported by AB) I was only able to bench at 1215 MHz without artifacting, now I tried 1322 and it is stable for benching at 1230 MHz.
But I don't have the gut to put it all the way to 1381mV







.
This is my first real AMD card I am indeed happy with it, everyday I discover something new with it







.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I would be a bit skeptical about what he said, I got throttling near instantly I went near the clock sliders.
> 
> Ofcourse 3DM11 was nowhere near enough to throttle so I didn't notice it before I actually started playing games and looked at some logs.


I'm more of a bencher than a gamer, should have mentioned that. I mean in benchmarks at least, I've never actually gamed with the 7970 yet so it may well behave differently with longer load times & stuff.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> I lost like 1000 graphic score on 3DM11 with slider at 0%. It does indeed throttle. 20% all the way!


I was just running 3dmark 11 the other night on the 7970 lightning (dunno if the lightning bios made a difference for throttling), slider at 0% was scoring 13k graphics at 1352/1800, with tess off 16k at 1364/1800. Didn't look like any throttling was going on.
When testing last year with older drivers at 1560/1800 +5% on the slider was good for 14.6k graphics score, 20% made it unstable enough to not pass.


----------



## Nonehxc

The distribution of my card is exactly the same as my fellow 7950 Vapor-Xer Stige.

Better than that, for confirmation: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_hd7970_vaporx_ghz/images/15.htm

The distribution is exactly the same! Just a disparity: at the top, near the CrossfireX connectors, the capacitors on the 7970 ghz PCB are pink, while in the 7950 are blue like the others. If I'm not mistaken, the blue ones are of a higher quality. Other than that, pretty much the same, even the PCB number near the PCIe lanes is the same. Judging from that, 8+8 pins, best overclockability over all Vapor-X I would say we`ve got a improved 7970 PCB or maybe...a Sapphire 7970 ghz edition just thrown into the 7950 package!!









Quick, throw me a 7970 Vapor-X Bios!!!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> I noticed I can get 1220 MHz @ +5 instead of 1215 MHz @ +20. but didn't test for prolonged periods so I am still unsure.
> Also guys I noticed I have the voltage unlocked in Sapphire Trixx and it can go to 1381mV.
> Is that safe to use lol. @ 1300mV (as reported by AB) I was only able to bench at 1215 MHz without artifacting, now I tried 1322 and it is stable for benching at 1230 MHz.
> But I don't have the gut to put it all the way to 1381mV
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> This is my first real AMD card I am indeed happy with it, everyday I discover something new with it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Unless you are water cooling with a well designed full cover block I would not push the voltage higher than 1.25v and keep a close eye on your gpu/VRM temps. The card can get hot fast and no need to hurt it with high temps because of high voltage.

My sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition runs stable 1300/1700 with around 1.225v. It has a heat killer full cover block and I have upgraded the thermal tape on the ram and VRMs with fujipoly extreme that is sold at frozen CPU. The card runs very cool.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> The distribution of my card is exactly the same as my fellow 7950 Vapor-Xer Stige.
> 
> Better than that, for confirmation: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_hd7970_vaporx_ghz/images/15.htm
> 
> The distribution is exactly the same! Just a disparity: at the top, near the CrossfireX connectors, the capacitors on the 7970 ghz PCB are pink, while in the 7950 are blue like the others. If I'm not mistaken, the blue ones are of a higher quality. Other than that, pretty much the same, even the PCB number near the PCIe lanes is the same. Judging from that, 8+8 pins, best overclockability over all Vapor-X I would say we`ve got a improved 7970 PCB or maybe...a Sapphire 7970 ghz edition just thrown into the 7950 package!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quick, throw me a 7970 Vapor-X Bios!!!


That pic you linked looks like to have 8+6 pin connectors? That is pretty weird as both my cards got 2x8pin








Although in every other way it seems identical.

EDIT: Oh it is indeed a 7970 and not 7950, could be why.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> The distribution of my card is exactly the same as my fellow 7950 Vapor-Xer Stige.
> 
> Better than that, for confirmation: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/sapphire_hd7970_vaporx_ghz/images/15.htm
> 
> The distribution is exactly the same! Just a disparity: at the top, near the CrossfireX connectors, the capacitors on the 7970 ghz PCB are pink, while in the 7950 are blue like the others. If I'm not mistaken, the blue ones are of a higher quality. Other than that, pretty much the same, even the PCB number near the PCIe lanes is the same. Judging from that, 8+8 pins, best overclockability over all Vapor-X I would say we`ve got a improved 7970 PCB or maybe...a Sapphire 7970 ghz edition just thrown into the 7950 package!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quick, throw me a 7970 Vapor-X Bios!!!


I think the pink capacitors are better. I'd like to see you flash your VporX HD7950 to Vapor X HD7970. Good luck with that. I like your card alot but it has no full cover water block support. You could cool only the GPU with universal water block like a Swiftech MCW82-7900 but the RAM and VRM will be neglected. I really wish the card had water block support and then I would probably get one.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> That pic you linked looks like to have 8+6 pin connectors? That is pretty weird as both my cards got 2x8pin
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although in every other way it seems identical.
> 
> EDIT: Oh it is indeed a 7970 and not 7950, could be why.


Sapphire made 2 different versions of the Vapor X HD7950 and HD7970. The newest one is the better one with 2x8 pin power connectors.


----------



## Nonehxc

MOAR POWAH!!









Look at the PCB s/n near the pcie conector. Wonder why our 7950 have the 8+8 power pins. I remember reading over at anandtech or tomshardware a user flashed his 7950 Vapor-X to a 7970 Ghz edition bios. Can't remember if it unlocked shaders or pandora's box









Sonda5, Sapphire has made a 7970Ghz with 8+8? Didn't know that. Maybe we are getting 7970's with 7950 bioses and are just sitting besides the best card in the market. Must-resist-urge-to-experiment!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I would be a bit skeptical about what he said, I got throttling near instantly I went near the clock sliders.
> 
> Ofcourse 3DM11 was nowhere near enough to throttle so I didn't notice it before I actually started playing games and looked at some logs.


If it is throttling it might be because with the slider higher the VRMs are getting hotter and the card throttles to keep temps low.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Really disappointed in my Gigabyte 7970. I thought I would be able to go a lot higher than 1150 core at stock voltages. This is my first high end card that I ever owned and I was really expecting so much more (voltage unlocked, higher ASIC, ect). Debating if I should just return it and get a Vapor X or Matrix maybe?

It does have one good quality though; 28C on desktop and 63C after 6 hours of gaming.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

"Unless you are water cooling with a well designed full cover block I would not push the voltage higher than 1.25v and keep a close eye on your gpu/VRM temps. The card can get hot fast and no need to hurt it with high temps because of high voltage."

What about cool VRMs and Core but high voltage??

Say 1.33V 75c VRMs

EDIT: How can I increase voltage limit past 1.3V?


----------



## binormalkilla

I'm still looking around for a block to fit that Sapphire Dual X card. It looks like the non-reference design they went with has two capacitors in the way:


Compared to the reference board:


If I can find a block that fits the Sapphire I'm going with that.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> "Unless you are water cooling with a well designed full cover block I would not push the voltage higher than 1.25v and keep a close eye on your gpu/VRM temps. The card can get hot fast and no need to hurt it with high temps because of high voltage."
> 
> What about cool VRMs and Core but high voltage??
> 
> Say 1.33V 75c VRMs
> 
> EDIT: How can I increase voltage limit past 1.3V?


For me it is possible with Sapphire Trixx.
MSI Afterburner only allow my card to 1300mV which can translate to around 1.245mV with Vdroop.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Unless you are water cooling with a well designed full cover block I would not push the voltage higher than 1.25v and keep a close eye on your gpu/VRM temps. The card can get hot fast and no need to hurt it with high temps because of high voltage.
> 
> My sapphire HD7950 950mhz edition runs stable 1300/1700 with around 1.225v. It has a heat killer full cover block and I have upgraded the thermal tape on the ram and VRMs with fujipoly extreme that is sold at frozen CPU. The card runs very cool.


Also the voltage reported during load when I put 1325mV in Trixx is 1270mV using GPU-Z, so I think this is still within the specs of the card? AFAIK the new Boost version come by default with 1.256mV.
I won't run that voltage @ 24/7 but only when needed for benchmarking. During my Heaven and 3DMark runs the VRM temps were around 61-65 C & the core was around 60 C at 100% fan (yeah loud I know).


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> "Unless you are water cooling with a well designed full cover block I would not push the voltage higher than 1.25v and keep a close eye on your gpu/VRM temps. The card can get hot fast and no need to hurt it with high temps because of high voltage."
> 
> What about cool VRMs and Core but high voltage??
> 
> Say 1.33V 75c VRMs
> 
> EDIT: How can I increase voltage limit past 1.3V?


You don't want to really... I think 1.3v is set for a reason too. Scaling is pretty bad at that stage and the heat is terrible along with the possibility to damage the core.

I think the 1.3v limit is a hard limit or at least not easy to pass. I'll see what I can dig up online for you though.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> You don't want to really... I think 1.3v is set for a reason too. Scaling is pretty bad at that stage and the heat is terrible along with the possibility to damage the core.
> 
> I think the 1.3v limit is a hard limit or at least not easy to pass. I'll see what I can dig up online for you though.


Trixx supports upto 1381mV or around there.

1.3V is still completely safe, atleast in my opinion if XFX uses 1.25V as default voltage on some of their cards.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Trixx supports upto 1381mV or around there.
> 
> 1.3V is still completely safe, atleast in my opinion if XFX uses 1.25V as default voltage on some of their cards.


Above 1.3v is pushing it for 24/7 in my opinion, maybe if you have a good lot of radiator free for 1-2 cards go for it but I'd be careful. That and you're pretty much maxing the card out at at 1.3v anyway.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Thanks ppl, Trixx works up to 1.381 which reaches 1.33V in actual load. Uninstalled MSI AFB









Tried 1.33V in Trixx for 1280/1720 at 1.29V, ran Kombustor burn-in test fine, crashed with BF3

Lowered core speed to see if mem would benefit from higher Vcore. Crashed with grey vertical lines (VRAM crash) anything above 1750 regardless of the core speed or voltage

I think im reaching my OC wall of around 1200/1700 no matter the voltage or temps

Is VRAM that important to overclock? Ive heard you need high VRAM speeds to keep up with the high bandwidth, but I've also heard baking a dead HD5850 in the oven for 30mins will bring it back to life

Ive yet to try purely core overclocking, so ill post results of that when I do


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> What about cool VRMs and Core but high voltage??
> 
> Say 1.33V 75c VRMs
> 
> EDIT: How can I increase voltage limit past 1.3V?


The thing is you really don't need that much voltage to push the gpu to its limits. If you have a powerful BIOS it will push the VRM/GPU/RAM to its limits for air or water (ambient temperature cooling) and your power out put will increase.

My BIOS

SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file


This BIOS on my card pushes my card very fast. It gets hot fast and that is why I need adequate cooling. My BIOS with the TRIXX software that supports ram over voltage control pushes my card to its limits with about 1.3v for water cooling.

I can hit 1300mhz with about 1.225v. You don't need that much voltage and if you are running a well coded BIOS to control the card your VRMS will get hot because they will increase power out put.

Not all HD79XX gpus will go fast but having the right CARD/BIOS/cooling/overclocking utility will help you get the most out of the card.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> The thing is you really don't need that much voltage to push the gpu to its limits. If you have a powerful BIOS it will push the VRM/GPU/RAM to its limits for air or water (ambient temperature cooling) and your power out put will increase.
> 
> My BIOS
> 
> SAPPER.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> 
> This BIOS on my card pushes my card very fast. It gets hot fast and that is why I need adequate cooling. My BIOS with the TRIXX software that supports ram over voltage control pushes my card to its limits with about 1.3v for water cooling.
> 
> I can hit 1300mhz with about 1.225v. You don't need that much voltage and if you are running a well coded BIOS to control the card your VRMS will get hot because they will increase power out put.
> 
> Not all HD79XX gpus will go fast but having the right CARD/BIOS/cooling/overclocking utility will help you get the most out of the card.


Your post is rampant speculation. So heres some of my own speculation









Having your card heat up quicker doesn't mean it has a better BIOS. And when does having a better BIOS affect performance of the card? You can switch BIOS as simple as flicking the BIOS swicth

Theres no predictability with overclocking, not through ASIC quality, nor BIOS nor power phases nor voltage control (VRAM or Core)

Youre right that voltage only helps to a certain degree and if your card wont overclock past a certain level, adding more voltage wont help

The card are guaranteed to run closely similar at stock, so a stock "good" BIOS card is certified run the same as a stock "bad" BIOS card.
*
Only when overclocking do the smallest things have a unique impact on the individual cards.*

Also scaling is awful at 1.2V+, very minimal gains with substantial voltage increments


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Your post is rampant speculation.
> 
> Having your card heat up quicker doesn't mean it has a better BIOS. And when does having a better BIOS affect performance of the card? You can switch BIOS as simple as flicking the BIOS swicth
> 
> Theres no predictability with overclocking, not through ASIC quality, nor BIOS nor power phases nor voltage control (VRAM or Core)
> 
> Youre right that voltage only helps to a certain degree and if your card wont overclock past a certain level, adding more voltage wont help
> 
> The card are guaranteed to run closely similar at stock, so a stock "good" BIOS card is certified run the same as a stock "bad" BIOS card.
> *
> Only when overclocking do the smallest things have a unique impact on the individual cards.*
> 
> Also scaling is awful at 1.2V+, very minimal gains with substantial voltage increments


Not speculation. Some BIOS work better than others. I know this from experimenting with different BIOS and monitoring temperature and power output using HWinfo64. Also others have done the same and noted different performance and operating characteristics based on the BIOS used.

Just trying to help. Read what I posted and try it out if you like and see for yourself.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> Really disappointed in my Gigabyte 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I thought I would be able to go a lot higher than 1150 core at stock voltages. This is my first high end card that I ever owned and I was really expecting so much more (voltage unlocked, higher ASIC, ect). Debating if I should just return it and get a Vapor X or Matrix maybe?
> 
> It does have one good quality though; 28C on desktop and 63C after 6 hours of gaming.


1150Mhz on the Ghz Edition 7970 is equivalent to ~1200 on a regular edition so you know


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> 1150Mhz on the Ghz Edition 7970 is equivalent to ~1200 on a regular edition so you know


No.

1150mhz is equivelent to 1150mhz on a normal 7970. There is ZERO difference in clock speeds between the two.

The truth is... 1150mhz on a 7970 is nearly identical as a [email protected]


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> No.
> 
> 1150mhz is equivelent to 1150mhz on a normal 7970. There is ZERO difference in clock speeds between the two.
> 
> The truth is... 1150mhz on a 7970 is nearly identical as a [email protected]


The Ghz Edition has a higher bandwidth and compute power;

*288gb/s memory bandwidth 4.3 TFLOPS Single Precision compute power, 1.01 GFLOPS Double Precision compute power*

vs 264gb/s, 3.79 TFLOPS, 947 GFLOPS on the 7970

vs 240gb/s, 2.87 TFLOPS, 717 GFLOPS on the 7950

Not a substantial difference, but a difference nonetheless.

Higher stock speeds on the Ghz Edition is a product of the higher bandwidth and compute power, and not the cards defining feature


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> The Ghz Edition has a higher bandwidth and compute power;
> 
> *288gb/s memory bandwidth 4.3 TFLOPS Single Precision compute power, 1.01 GFLOPS Double Precision compute power*
> 
> vs 264gb/s, 3.79 TFLOPS, 947 GFLOPS on the 7970
> 
> vs 240gb/s, 2.87 TFLOPS, 717 GFLOPS on the 7950
> 
> Not a substantial difference, but a difference nonetheless.
> 
> Higher stock speeds on the Ghz Edition is a product of the higher bandwidth and compute power, and not the cards defining feature


In that case I have Super AMD 7950s














7970 and 7970 ghz have the same core.. all of those numbers change when you OC them.

The memory bandwidth is connected to the memory speed.

All of these numbers can be OCed.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> The Ghz Edition has a higher bandwidth and compute power;
> 
> *288gb/s memory bandwidth 4.3 TFLOPS Single Precision compute power, 1.01 GFLOPS Double Precision compute power*
> 
> vs 264gb/s, 3.79 TFLOPS, 947 GFLOPS on the 7970
> 
> vs 240gb/s, 2.87 TFLOPS, 717 GFLOPS on the 7950
> 
> Not a substantial difference, but a difference nonetheless.
> 
> Higher stock speeds on the Ghz Edition is a product of the higher bandwidth and compute power, and not the cards defining feature


HD7970 GE is 100% the same as the 7970, same core, same compute power & same everything. A normal 7970 overclocked to 1050/6000 MHz will perform identically to the 7970GE.
It is a 7970 that is binned to operate at 1050/6000 instead of 925/5500, Thats all. it is safe to say 7970 GE is *ONLY* a normal 7970 came out overclocked out of the box.
same story with HD7950 and HD7950 Boost Edition.
Also if you wonder about the point of the 7970 GE, it was to take the performance crown, because with old drivers 12.6 and below the 7970 @ 925/5500 competed with the GTX 670.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

hmmm. There are many 7970 OC card out there some with higher stock clocks than the Ghz Edition.

I find it hard to believe that the Ghz Edition is another OC 7970

So the bandwidth and compute power and texture fill rate of a 7950 will be the same as a 7970 when its at the same clocks?


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> hmmm. There are many 7970 OC card out there some with higher stock clocks than the Ghz Edition.
> 
> I find it hard to believe that the Ghz Edition is another OC 7970
> 
> So the bandwidth and compute power of a 7950 will be the same as a 7970 when its at the same clocks?


The bandwidth yes. because they both have 384-bit bus width.
But compute power, no. the 7950 has less TMUs and Shaders than 7970/ GE.
1792 vs 2048 & 112 vs 128







.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> hmmm. There are many 7970 OC card out there some with higher stock clocks than the Ghz Edition.
> 
> I find it hard to believe that the Ghz Edition is another OC 7970
> 
> So the bandwidth and compute power of a 7950 will be the same as a 7970 when its at the same clocks?


The bandwidth would be the same, but the 7970 has additional shaders.

The Ghz edition is simply a higher clocked 7970... Trust me, I own one







:


----------



## King4x4

Don't fire off the 7950... Clock it 50mhz on the core more then an equivelent 7970 and you would have got the same performance as a 7970.

Factor in that the 7950 is at 300$ and a 7970 is at $400 and the ghz edition at 450-500$... thats damn good bang per buck!


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Don't fire off the 7950... Clock it 50mhz on the core more then an equivelent 7970 and you would have got the same performance as a 7970.
> 
> Factor in that the 7950 is at 300$ and a 7970 is at $400 and the ghz edition at 450-500$... thats damn good bang per buck!


Idk what you're talking about, I paid $300 for my 7970 new


----------



## King4x4




----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Nerf hardware hunters :<


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Don't fire off the 7950... Clock it 50mhz on the core more then an equivelent 7970 and you would have got the same performance as a 7970.
> 
> Factor in that the 7950 is at 300$ and a 7970 is at $400 and the ghz edition at 450-500$... thats damn good bang per buck!


A bit optimistic to assume +50mhz will replace ~300 shader units isnt it?

Plus my HD7970 cost me £267 last month, which is slightly cheaper than a GTX670, and was very cheap relatively speaking, seeing as thats how much a GTX570 cost me this time last year


----------



## Snuckie7

My 7950 apparently has an ASIC quality of 89.7%. What does this mean?


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> A bit optimistic to assume +50mhz will replace ~300 shader units isnt it?
> 
> Plus my HD7970 cost me £267 last month, which is slightly cheaper than a GTX670, and was very cheap relatively speaking, seeing as thats how much a GTX570 cost me this time last year


I did my research before forking out the case for a crossfire 7950s.









And if you go here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/0_50

You would see my rig competing with SLI 690 with 3930k... don't ever overlook the 7950s.


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Post your max overclock heaven 3.0 (all settings maxed except vsync, 1080p)

For a single 7950, so we can compare.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> I did my research before forking out the case for a crossfire 7950s.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And if you go here:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-3-0-scores/0_50
> 
> You would see my rig competing with SLI 690 with 3930k... don't ever overlook the 7950s.


7950s are awesome. I came from a GTX 670 and definitely I can say the HD7950 is my favorite card of this generation.
Although the GTX 670 was awesome too, it felt like just buy it and leave it at stock, the 7950 especially the unlocked ones are pretty fun to play around with.
7950s QuadFire can easily equal or even beat GTX 690s while costing about half.


----------



## King4x4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Post your max overclock heaven 3.0 (all settings maxed except vsync, 1080p)
> 
> For a single 7950, so we can compare.


After 8 hours when I get out of this shift


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blkdoutgsxr*
> 
> Just got my new 7950 HIS IceQ X2 installed, from what I can tell its a beast of a card, only problem is that its almost always making this annoying sound, kinda like if you put the corner of a piece of paper into a fan. Not sure if it will go away over time or not? anyone else have this problem with their card?
> 
> Edit: I'm not sure if this is what people are referring to when they talk about coil whine or not... Sounds like a whine at higher loads, but when its idle and I just move the mouse around fast it sounds like the fan example.


I think that's a coil whine, mine has one too but only during gaming.


----------



## m1ch43l8

**edited**

starting own thread


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> I think that's a coil whine, mine has one too but only during gaming.


Mine has that too.. Only in loading screens, and GTA IV. If games have it try a frame-limiter, it can help.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My 7950 apparently has an ASIC quality of 89.7%. What does this mean?


Not much really, there is no real proof anywhere of what it actually means.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> I think that's a coil whine, mine has one too but only during gaming.


It USUALLY disappears as time goes by, atleast my first card has no coil whine anymore and my second card never had any to begin with I think


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Not much really, there is no real proof anywhere of what it actually means.


It's really an assumption based off some stats like VID etc... doesn't mean much in real life.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> It's really an assumption based off some stats like VID etc... doesn't mean much in real life.


Means nothing in my case. ASIC 56.4% yet it rides like a pureblood.


----------



## BradleyW

I think lower ASIC requires more voltage when aiming for higher overclocks, but higher ASIC hit a mega overclocking wall and requires a bit boost of voltage to get past their virtual wall, but I don't care much for ASIC. I have 82 quality on each of my cards and they overclock about the same and require the same voltage at the same point.
When the high ASIC's hit their wall, the amount of voltage you need is very large and it helps if you are on WC'ing, so I guess a lower ASIC is better on air cooling for that matter. Just my personal opinion.


----------



## SonDa5

My highest gpu score for my HD7950 so far at 1370/1800.



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5566083


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I think lower ASIC requires more voltage when aiming for higher overclocks, but higher ASIC hit a mega overclocking wall and requires a bit boost of voltage to get past their virtual wall, but I don't care much for ASIC. I have 82 quality on each of my cards and they overclock about the same and require the same voltage at the same point.
> When the high ASIC's hit their wall, the amount of voltage you need is very large and it helps if you are on WC'ing, *so I guess a lower ASIC is better on air cooling for that matter*. Just my personal opinion.


I think you mean the opposite.

According to this:



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> My highest gpu score for my HD7950 so far at 1370/1800.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5566083












Nice score dude. And nice overclock with that 3770k. (delidding IS A MUST)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I think you mean the opposite.
> 
> According to this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice score dude. And nice overclock with that 3770k. (delidding IS A MUST)


I think it is a commonly accepted fact that the GPU-Z information regarding ASIC Quality is nowhere near accurate.
It really doesn't mean anything that anyone can prove atleast, so I wouldn't judge a card by what the ASIC Quality is.

My first card is 58.1% and overclocks a lot better than my second card which is 77%


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I think you mean the opposite.
> 
> According to this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice score dude. And nice overclock with that 3770k. (delidding IS A MUST)
> 
> 
> 
> I think it is a commonly accepted fact that the GPU-Z information regarding ASIC Quality is nowhere near accurate.
> It really doesn't mean anything that anyone can prove atleast, so I wouldn't judge a card by what the ASIC Quality is.
> 
> My first card is 58.1% and overclocks a lot better than my second card which is 77%
Click to expand...

Karl is right. Some of you seem to be applying the ASIC value to mean other things that it doesn't apply to. ASIC % deals with the amount of voltage required for X variable frequency and nothing else. What it means in simple terms is that a higher ASIC card requires less voltage to achieve X clock, which normally is the stock frequency.

ASIC% DOES NOT = OVERCLOCK. However the way the silicon reacts with voltage will have some bearing when overclocking.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> My highest gpu score for my HD7950 so far at 1370/1800.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5566083
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice score dude. And nice overclock with that 3770k. (delidding IS A MUST)
Click to expand...

He needs SBE.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5567337


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## JUZTIQ

You can read my experieces so far with my awesome 7950 Vapor-X Boost crossfire set up here:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked/470


----------



## NotReadyYet

My 7970 is voltage locked. Can I install new BIOS to unlock the voltage?


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Not speculation. Some BIOS work better than others. I know this from experimenting with different BIOS and monitoring temperature and power output using HWinfo64. Also others have done the same and noted different performance and operating characteristics based on the BIOS used.
> 
> Just trying to help. Read what I posted and try it out if you like and see for yourself.


Thanks for the help









I understand that BIOS can affect the GPU performance, I was speculating a lot more than you anyway









Also, I couldnt remember the name of HWInfo for the last month since I accidentally deleted it, thanks so much for reminding me! The best monitoring program out there


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Heaven 3.0 Maxed out results

PowerColor HD7970 (AX7970 3GBD5-2DHV3E)

1200/1700, 0% Power Limit, 1.3V (actually 1.27-1.285), 100% fan speed

heaven 2013-01-14 17-15-28-07.bmp 6075k .bmp file


Sometimes reaches 55FPS


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He needs SBE.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5567337
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


























You GUYS are lucky with your cards.


----------



## Coree

Re-applied the thermal compound on my 7950. The already applied thermal paste was very dry-looking and old heh







I used the MX-4, and the load temps dropped by 7°C. Now running stable at 1110 core and 1405 mem. Fan speed is at 60%, GPU temp peaking at 78°C, VRM1 88°C and VRM2 74°C.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5567581 Finally broke the 10k mark on the graphics score yay!


----------



## lastguytom

hi and ty to everyone who welcomed me

I got a question...how much difference is a 7970 over its 6970 previous model, give me any thoughts, game wise, fps, testing info, shoot me all the skinny on this question ALL INFO IS IMPORTANT TO me.
thank you all ....my card is currently a XFX 7970 1 GHZ , 3 gbs of ddr5 , order from newegg or what i refer to as THE EGG!!!!!!!

MY SYSTEM BUILD IS THIS COOLER MASTER HAF X CASE--MY DREAM CASE
COOLER MASTER V8 AIR COOLER---- GOING TO GO LIQUID SOON
CPU 8350 AMD PILEDRIVER-- FRIEND WHO OWNS INTEL WANTS ME TO CHUCK THIS CPU
16 GBS--1600 MHZ GSKILL RIPSHAW MEMORY 4 BARS
7970 XFX RADEON VIDEO CARD

(BEEN USING XFX CARDS FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS NOW)
SOUND BLASTER Z - SOUND CARD--(JUST GOT HER)
ROSWELL 800 WATT MODULAR PSU-(IT HAS PRETTY LIGHTS)
ASUS SABERTOOTH MB REV 1.0 CURRENT BIOS IS 1604
OCZ 128 gb SSD----up grading to a 256 or larger soon (boot,OS DRIVE)
WD 300 gb raptor 10,000 spin HD (game drive)


----------



## superj1977

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Eats nails for breakfast. Metro 2033 all ultra, *PhysX*


NOPE.


----------



## JonnyKovsH

Hello !
someone has MSI HD 7970 Lightning Boost Edition ?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He needs SBE.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5567337
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I love the delidded 3770k but if I had SBE I think I could beat that impressive 7970 score.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> The Ghz Edition has a higher bandwidth and compute power;
> 
> *288gb/s memory bandwidth 4.3 TFLOPS Single Precision compute power, 1.01 GFLOPS Double Precision compute power*
> 
> vs 264gb/s, 3.79 TFLOPS, 947 GFLOPS on the 7970
> 
> vs 240gb/s, 2.87 TFLOPS, 717 GFLOPS on the 7950
> 
> Not a substantial difference, but a difference nonetheless.
> 
> Higher stock speeds on the Ghz Edition is a product of the higher bandwidth and compute power, and not the cards defining feature


The hell???

No No NO.....

Official AMD 7970 GHZ cards boost 50mhz in top of the 1000 so that means 1050 when boosting STOCK..

There were already ghz cards even before amd officially released de ghz editions..

Mine came Out of the Box 1000/1450 Sapphire OC an overclocked 7970... There are ones who are overclocked even higher than that Out of The Box...

Couple of things for sure...

Every new release of 7970's *generally speaking and draw of the luck get worst and overclock less*... Except the 7950's for some reason this guys are overclocking crazy high...


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> The hell???
> 
> No No NO.....
> 
> Official AMD 7970 GHZ cards boost 50mhz in top of the 1000 so that means 1050 when boosting STOCK..
> 
> There were already ghz cards even before amd officially released de ghz editions..
> 
> Mine came Out of the Box 1000/1450 Sapphire OC an overclocked 7970... There are ones who are overclocked even higher than that Out of The Box...
> 
> Couple of things for sure...
> 
> Every new release of 7970's *generally speaking and draw of the luck get worst and overclock less*... Except the 7950's for some reason this guys are overclocking crazy high...


I dont get 1000Mhz boost. It stays at 925, so the Ghz Edition is 125Mhz faster than mine at stock

Im just quoting those numbers from here http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970ghz/Pages/radeon-7970GHz.aspx#3


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> I dont get 1000Mhz boost. It stays at 925, so the Ghz Edition is 125Mhz faster than mine at stock
> 
> Im just quoting those numbers from here http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970ghz/Pages/radeon-7970GHz.aspx#3


Official AMD GHZ ed are 1000 core and boost to 1050...
But with all this different brands and crap that can change...

One review of GHZ
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/AMD-Radeon-HD-7970-GHz-Edition-Video-Card-Review/1588
read the 2nd paragraph.

a normal 925 7970 with @ 1050 core which any 7970 can do is the same performance wise...


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lastguytom*
> 
> hi and ty to everyone who welcomed me
> 
> I got a question...how much difference is a 7970 over its 6970 previous model, give me any thoughts, game wise, fps, testing info, shoot me all the skinny on this question ALL INFO IS IMPORTANT TO me.
> thank you all ....my card is currently a XFX 7970 1 GHZ , 3 gbs of ddr5 , order from newegg or what i refer to as THE EGG!!!!!!!
> 
> MY SYSTEM BUILD IS THIS COOLER MASTER HAF X CASE--MY DREAM CASE
> COOLER MASTER V8 AIR COOLER---- GOING TO GO LIQUID SOON
> CPU 8350 AMD PILEDRIVER-- FRIEND WHO OWNS INTEL WANTS ME TO CHUCK THIS CPU
> 16 GBS--1600 MHZ GSKILL RIPSHAW MEMORY 4 BARS
> 7970 XFX RADEON VIDEO CARD
> 
> (BEEN USING XFX CARDS FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS NOW)
> SOUND BLASTER Z - SOUND CARD--(JUST GOT HER)
> ROSWELL 800 WATT MODULAR PSU-(IT HAS PRETTY LIGHTS)
> ASUS SABERTOOTH MB REV 1.0 CURRENT BIOS IS 1604
> OCZ 128 gb SSD----up grading to a 256 or larger soon (boot,OS DRIVE)
> WD 300 gb raptor 10,000 spin HD (game drive)


Well, an overclocked HD7970 is faster than HD6990, which is basically HD6970 crossfirex, so...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He needs SBE.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5567337
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love the delidded 3770k but if I had SBE I think I could beat that impressive 7970 score.
Click to expand...

I doubt that as Ivy already has more weighted graphics scores so your graphics score will actually go down switching to SBE.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *superj1977*
> 
> NOPE.


YEP.





Don't be sad, greenman.









All that fuss about 7950's eating 660ti right out of bed, destroying 670's and touching 680's is not baseless talk.

PD: At stock clocks vsynced. You don't want to know what a proper 7950 overclocked can achieve in Metro 2033


----------



## lastguytom

ty for the reply to my posting


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> 1150Mhz on the Ghz Edition 7970 is equivalent to ~1200 on a regular edition so you know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No.
> 
> 1150mhz is equivelent to 1150mhz on a normal 7970. There is ZERO difference in clock speeds between the two.
> 
> *The truth is... 1150mhz on a 7970 is nearly identical as a [email protected]*
Click to expand...

You making stuff up as you go along?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You making stuff up as you go along?


Theres a right way to prove the less shaders stuff..

But i dont want to go down yet to cat 12.8 to test this







as i know is going to be useless for this guys...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You making stuff up as you go along?
> 
> 
> 
> Theres a right way to prove the less shaders stuff..
> 
> But i dont want to go down yet to cat 12.8 to test this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> as i know is going to be useless for this guys...
Click to expand...

If it was true, there would be 7950s right next to my bench scores...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If it was true, there would be 7950s right next to my bench scores...


Im talking about a definite proof tho...

2-3frame gains 7950 vs 7970 at the same clocks dont go together @ price performance in my book tho...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If it was true, there would be 7950s right next to my bench scores...
> 
> 
> 
> Im talking about a definite proof tho...
> 
> 2-3frame gains 7950 vs 7970 at the same clocks dont go together @ price performance in my book tho...
Click to expand...

You should run do a top 30 heaven run with yer 7950. I forget the clocks I was running last with a single card, iirc somewhere around 1350/1870 or something = 67.3 fps.


----------



## Evil Penguin

So... Catalyst 13.1 this Wednesday.








If anyone is wondering if that would address the frame-latency issue, I think that's reserved for new betas.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> So... Catalyst 13.1 this Wednesday.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If anyone is wondering if that would address the frame-latency issue, I think that's reserved for new betas.


We won't see any latency fixes till another month from now knowing AMD.
Let's hope the drivers are this week. It should have been Monday!


----------



## axiumone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Idk what you're talking about, I paid $300 for my 7970 new


uhhh. Would you kindly point me in the direction of a deal like that? I'm looking to get a 7970 for $300.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> uhhh. Would you kindly point me in the direction of a deal like that? I'm looking to get a 7970 for $300.


A 7970 for under $350 is worth it to me, you've got guaranteed clocks as opposed to some of the 800MHz 7950's out there. The extra few ROP's or whatever is nice too along with the (generally faster) RAM onboard. I'd say you're looking to get reference cards, because those will be the cheapest. (I assume you want to water cool them).

On a side note, 6950's with 6870 waterblocks... Whaaaat?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> uhhh. Would you kindly point me in the direction of a deal like that? I'm looking to get a 7970 for $300.


Well I bought it new from NCIX, but there's quite a few $300 7970s on [H] if you're ok with used parts


----------



## TheRussian1

So, just got my Windforce 7950







.

Really impressed with the cooler - it is significantly better than even my previous Twin Frozrs (6950), super quiet, fan rarely goes about 30-34%, and it idles @ 24 on air!
My 6950 idled anywhere from 6-10 degrees hotter , and fan speed was always quite a bit higher.

Performance is great, very bug free compared to 6950 Crossfire; there are a very few cases where the full raw muscle of CF worked, but overall this feels like a much superior gaming experience.

So, who wants cheap 6950s


----------



## bxchef29

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> You and me both.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MSI reference design, here I come!
> 
> Side note...
> Still working on the OP.
> I'll be adding more info such as an overclocking guide and driver update posts soon.


sorry


----------



## bxchef29

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRussian1*
> 
> So, just got my Windforce 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Really impressed with the cooler - it is significantly better than even my previous Twin Frozrs (6950), super quiet, fan rarely goes about 30-34%, and it idles @ 24 on air!
> My 6950 idled anywhere from 6-10 degrees hotter when idle, and fan speed was always quite a bit higher.
> 
> Performance is great, very bug free compared to 6950 Crossfire; there are a very few cases where the full raw muscle of CF worked, but overall this feels like a much superior gaming experience.
> 
> So, who wants cheap 6950s


Glad you like just ordered one today and can't wait


----------



## axiumone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> A 7970 for under $350 is worth it to me, you've got guaranteed clocks as opposed to some of the 800MHz 7950's out there. The extra few ROP's or whatever is nice too along with the (generally faster) RAM onboard. I'd say you're looking to get reference cards, because those will be the cheapest. (I assume you want to water cool them).
> 
> On a side note, 6950's with 6870 waterblocks... Whaaaat?


Hehe, yeah, its weird. The MSI 6950 twin frozr actually used a 6870 pcb, so those blocks fit like a glove.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Well I bought it new from NCIX, but there's quite a few $300 7970s on [H] if you're ok with used parts


I'm perfectly fine with used parts. I don't have the required 100 posts on H forum in order to post in the classifieds section. I lurk more than I post.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> Hehe, yeah, its weird. The MSI 6950 twin frozr actually used a 6870 pcb, so those blocks fit like a glove.
> I'm perfectly fine with used parts. I don't have the required 100 posts on H forum in order to post in the classifieds section. I lurk more than I post.


1- it's 50

2- you don't need to post in the section, just PM sellers

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1739685&highlight=7970


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> uhhh. Would you kindly point me in the direction of a deal like that? I'm looking to get a 7970 for $300.
> 
> 
> 
> A 7970 for under $350 is worth it to me, you've got guaranteed clocks as opposed to some of the 800MHz 7950's out there. The extra few ROP's or whatever is nice too along with the (generally faster) RAM onboard. I'd say you're looking to get reference cards, because those will be the cheapest. (I assume you want to water cool them).
> 
> On a side note, 6950's with 6870 waterblocks... Whaaaat?
Click to expand...

Wut? There are 7950s that don't clock past 800?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> uhhh. Would you kindly point me in the direction of a deal like that? I'm looking to get a 7970 for $300.
> 
> 
> 
> A 7970 for under $350 is worth it to me, you've got guaranteed clocks as opposed to some of the 800MHz 7950's out there. The extra few ROP's or whatever is nice too along with the (generally faster) RAM onboard. I'd say you're looking to get reference cards, because those will be the cheapest. (I assume you want to water cool them).
> 
> On a side note, 6950's with 6870 waterblocks... Whaaaat?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wut? There are 7950s that don't clock past 800?
Click to expand...

i think they mean that stock clock is 800MHz, like my card is tho mine can do 1155/1725 which a 355MHz OC on the core is not too shabby.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> uhhh. Would you kindly point me in the direction of a deal like that? I'm looking to get a 7970 for $300.
> 
> 
> 
> A 7970 for under $350 is worth it to me, you've got guaranteed clocks as opposed to some of the 800MHz 7950's out there. The extra few ROP's or whatever is nice too along with the (generally faster) RAM onboard. I'd say you're looking to get reference cards, because those will be the cheapest. (I assume you want to water cool them).
> 
> On a side note, 6950's with 6870 waterblocks... Whaaaat?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wut? There are 7950s that don't clock past 800?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> i think they mean that stock clock is 800MHz, like my card is tho mine can do 1155/1725 which a 355MHz OC on the core is not too shabby.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's good. It's 05:30 here atm and I'm not sleeping, soo, but when I turn on my desktop laterI hope I can get at least 1100 on core. Think I will leave memory alone.


----------



## raghu78

FYI AMD Catalyst 13.1 WHQL should be out on jan 16th wednesday

https://twitter.com/CatalystCreator


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Hope they fix DX9 artifacts.


----------



## grymok

Interesting, As stupid as i am, i was just browsing around my local hardware dealer and found a powercolor 7970 cheap.
This model: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerColor-Radeon-7970-3GB-GDDR5/dp/B007JSSZIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238955&sr=8-1 But a price of 290£ instead.
Now i'm starting to wonder if it beats this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-09-40G-HD7950-Vapox-X-Graphics/dp/B0091MFBZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238932&sr=8-1 for a price of 239£
Stupid, stupid hardware







.
If it's somewhat the same, i stick to the Sapphire 7950


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> *Hehe, yeah, its weird. The MSI 6950 twin frozr actually used a 6870 pcb, so those blocks fit like a glove.*
> I'm perfectly fine with used parts. I don't have the required 100 posts on H forum in order to post in the classifieds section. I lurk more than I post.


You would have thought that they'd use a 6970 PCB? That is so weird..


----------



## muhd86

can any one help regarding the unlocking of the voltages on gigabyte windforce edition 7970 oc . i have them in quad crossfire but cant seem to unlock the voltages .

a tried n tested method is needed .

@ another question is that there is a new bios out for the gpu on gigabyte website - do i need to flash all the gpus with the latest bios / coz currently i am on a older bios .


----------



## OverClocker55

Are there people out there that would trade a 7970 for a 680? Just want to know


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OverClocker55*
> 
> Are there people out there that would trade a 7970 for a 680? Just want to know


Some people may if they have a bad clocking 680.. You'll most likely get a 670 though over a 680. Which is pretty much the same, someone may want a 7970 for the extra/faster RAM for multi display or a 1440p monitor.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Interesting, As stupid as i am, i was just browsing around my local hardware dealer and found a powercolor 7970 cheap.
> This model: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerColor-Radeon-7970-3GB-GDDR5/dp/B007JSSZIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238955&sr=8-1 But a price of 290£ instead.
> Now i'm starting to wonder if it beats this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-09-40G-HD7950-Vapox-X-Graphics/dp/B0091MFBZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238932&sr=8-1 for a price of 239£
> Stupid, stupid hardware
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> If it's somewhat the same, i stick to the Sapphire 7950


Assuming that the cooler is slightly worse than PCS++, I think the Sapphire got a much better cooler and is overall a better buy than 7970.

But that's not a cheap 7970 though: http://www.amazon.co.uk/XFX-BLACK-RADEON-7970-1000M/dp/B006W3ZU4U/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_6


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Assuming that the cooler is slightly worse than PCS++, I think the Sapphire got a much better cooler and is overall a better buy than 7970.
> 
> But that's not a cheap 7970 though: http://www.amazon.co.uk/XFX-BLACK-RADEON-7970-1000M/dp/B006W3ZU4U/ref=pd_sim_sbs_computers_6


The Powercolor is still 10 £ cheaper, here where i live









But then i just stick to a 7950


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Interesting, As stupid as i am, i was just browsing around my local hardware dealer and found a powercolor 7970 cheap.
> This model: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerColor-Radeon-7970-3GB-GDDR5/dp/B007JSSZIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238955&sr=8-1 But a price of 290£ instead.
> Now i'm starting to wonder if it beats this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-09-40G-HD7950-Vapox-X-Graphics/dp/B0091MFBZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238932&sr=8-1 for a price of 239£
> Stupid, stupid hardware
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> If it's somewhat the same, i stick to the Sapphire 7950


if you are overclocking at the same clocks HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970. for £240 the HD 7950 boost or HD 7950 OC is unbeatable on price perf.

http://www.pixmania.com/dk/dk/12781961/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-7950-vapor-x-3.html
http://www.pixmania.com/dk/dk/12844795/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-7950-boost-3-gb.html
http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/GIGABYTE-Radeon-HD-7950-%283-GB-DDR5%29-2322015.html

if you want a HD 7970 get a card with a good cooler like the Sapphire HD 7970 OC with dual x cooler or Gigabyte HD 7970 OC. costs around £310 - 320.

http://www.pixmania.com/dk/dk/12823204/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-7970-oc-boost-3.html
http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/GIGABYTE-Radeon-HD-7970-OC-%283GB-DDR5%29-2326727.html


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *muhd86*
> 
> can any one help regarding the unlocking of the voltages on gigabyte windforce edition 7970 oc . i have them in quad crossfire but cant seem to unlock the voltages .
> 
> a tried n tested method is needed .
> 
> @ another question is that there is a new bios out for the gpu on gigabyte website - do i need to flash all the gpus with the latest bios / coz currently i am on a older bios .


I don't think you can unlock voltage on these. Good luck running quadfire with 1.25v on all 4 cards.


----------



## JonnyKovsH

Hello !
someone has MSI HD 7970 Lightning Boost Edition ?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> I don't think you can unlock voltage on these. Good luck running quadfire with 1.25v on all 4 cards.


You realize it is indeed harder to ramp up the voltage on a crossfire setup? Even with watercooling it's hard to get them all to run at a decent clock/voltage at good temperatures..


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *muhd86*
> 
> can any one help regarding the unlocking of the voltages on gigabyte windforce edition 7970 oc . i have them in quad crossfire but cant seem to unlock the voltages .
> 
> a tried n tested method is needed .
> 
> @ another question is that there is a new bios out for the gpu on gigabyte website - do i need to flash all the gpus with the latest bios / coz currently i am on a older bios .


Holy ****, 7970 oc quadfire. Seems a bit(A LOT) overkill for gaming. What PSU do you have? It's stable your setup?Getting a quadfire to run properly must be a real PITA.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> if you are overclocking at the same clocks HD 7950 is 3 - 6% slower than HD 7970. for £240 the HD 7950 boost or HD 7950 OC is unbeatable on price perf.
> 
> http://www.pixmania.com/dk/dk/12781961/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-7950-vapor-x-3.html
> http://www.pixmania.com/dk/dk/12844795/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-7950-boost-3-gb.html
> http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/GIGABYTE-Radeon-HD-7950-%283-GB-DDR5%29-2322015.html
> 
> if you want a HD 7970 get a card with a good cooler like the Sapphire HD 7970 OC with dual x cooler or Gigabyte HD 7970 OC. costs around £310 - 320.
> 
> http://www.pixmania.com/dk/dk/12823204/art/sapphire-technology/radeon-hd-7970-oc-boost-3.html
> http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/GIGABYTE-Radeon-HD-7970-OC-%283GB-DDR5%29-2326727.html


Atm i have the http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/Sapphire-VAPOR-X-HD-7950-OC-with-Boost-2380193.html
on order, heard that specific model, is a 8+6 pin card, and should be real good to OC. And then the price is nice to


----------



## Stefy

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5576707

Is this score OK? Going to try OC now, also is it normal that RAM is on 667hz?
CPU is on stock atm.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Atm i have the http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/Sapphire-VAPOR-X-HD-7950-OC-with-Boost-2380193.html
> on order, heard that specific model, is a 8+6 pin card, and should be real good to OC. And then the price is nice to


actually there are 8 + 8 pin Sapphire HD 7950 vapor-x cards too.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked/470#post_19050638

those are having the best feedback from users. good luck.


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5576707
> 
> Is this score OK? Going to try OC now, also is it normal that RAM is on 667hz?
> CPU is on stock atm.


Well I get 9000 graphics score with my MSI HD7950 975/1250. Seems pretty low score if you have that Sapphire 7950.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5576707
> 
> Is this score OK? Going to try OC now, also is it normal that RAM is on 667hz?
> CPU is on stock atm.
> 
> 
> 
> Well I get 9000 graphics score with my MSI HD7950 975/1250. Seems pretty low score if you have that Sapphire 7950.
Click to expand...

Is your CPU overclocked?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> actually there are 8 + 8 pin Sapphire HD 7950 vapor-x cards too.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked/470#post_19050638
> 
> those are having the best feedback from users. good luck.


In the thread, they say it's the 11196-10-40G, which is the 8+8 pin, and costs like 85£ more, than the one i linked from Proshop. Then there is no difference on the 7950 and 7970







.
Pick the 11196-09-40G out of that thread, they, mentioned it has the 8+6 pin and OC well to








But not sure


----------



## Stefy

Ok, so I'm on 1.1 core and getting 9623. If I OC my CPU I'll probably get 10k.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5577026


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Interesting, As stupid as i am, i was just browsing around my local hardware dealer and found a powercolor 7970 cheap.
> This model: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerColor-Radeon-7970-3GB-GDDR5/dp/B007JSSZIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238955&sr=8-1 But a price of 290£ instead.
> Now i'm starting to wonder if it beats this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-09-40G-HD7950-Vapox-X-Graphics/dp/B0091MFBZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238932&sr=8-1 for a price of 239£
> Stupid, stupid hardware
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> If it's somewhat the same, i stick to the Sapphire 7950


Ive got that 7970!







They come voltage unlocked and can be overclocked easily (Ive had 2 of them)

Theyre cheaper even than most reference 7970s

The fans are very quiet up to around 50% load, and quieter than my ASUS DCUII fans on my old GTX570.

The VRMs and Core keep very cool and let you overclock up to around 1100/1600 without having to apply custom fan profiles

IMO the 7970 at £50 premium is worth it, but these 7950 owners seem to be having a blast with their cards too, you cant lose really


----------



## Stefy

Ok, so now I'm on 1100 core, 1350mhz memory. Fan on auto, getting temps around 62, and 88 on VRMs.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> I don't think you can unlock voltage on these. Good luck running quadfire with 1.25v on all 4 cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You realize it is indeed harder to ramp up the voltage on a crossfire setup? Even with watercooling it's hard to get them all to run at a decent clock/voltage at good temperatures..
Click to expand...

What is this about?


----------



## eviltommyng

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What is this about?


lol bro they obviously don't know about AMD or didn't see your AMD thread..... SHOW THEM TSM....


----------



## Mrip541

One of the fans on my XFX 7970 has started making an intermittent buzzing sound. Every time I decide I want to rma it the sound goes away. I'm kind of rooting for it to just explode so I can stop worrying about it.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mrip541*
> 
> One of the fans on my XFX 7970 has started making an intermittent buzzing sound. Every time I decide I want to rma it the sound goes away. I'm kind of rooting for it to just explode so I can stop worrying about it.


As long as you have warranty, don't worry about it.


----------



## King4x4

Maybe that buzzing is due to imbalance on the fan due to dirt. Clean it


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eviltommyng*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What is this about?
> 
> 
> 
> lol bro they obviously don't know about AMD or didn't see your AMD thread..... SHOW THEM TSM....
Click to expand...

I'm still scratching my head about that one. What does it mean, "harder to ramp up voltage" in cfx?


----------



## y2kcamaross

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm still scratching my head about that one. What does it mean, "harder to ramp up voltage" in cfx?


I'd imagine he meant to say if you have 2 cards both stable at a certain overclock and a certain voltage by themselves and then if you were to crossfire them they might not be stable at those same clocks/volts, at least that's what I took from it


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Hi have a question, how good is the Sapphire 7950 3Gb Ghz edition, does it max todays games? Is it awarage? Since i feel a BIG loss in performance, almost that i want to turn to Nvidia instead..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm still scratching my head about that one. What does it mean, "harder to ramp up voltage" in cfx?
> 
> 
> 
> I'd imagine he meant to say if you have 2 cards both stable at a certain overclock and a certain voltage by themselves and then if you were to crossfire them they might not be stable at those same clocks/volts, at least that's what I took from it
Click to expand...

Hmmm, yea ugh not true. If anything it's the opposite that's true cuz you can drag a weaker card along for the ride.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Hi have a question, how good is the Sapphire 7950 3Gb Ghz edition, does it max todays games? Is it awarage? Since i feel a BIG loss in performance, almost that i want to turn to Nvidia instead..


What card(s) did you have before?


----------



## FtW 420

It was a couple days back (too many posts ago to dig up, busy thread







) where there was some power limit discussion, I was testing the 7970 a bit last night so have a screen to show.
1400Mhz core with power limit at 5%, the graphics score shows there wasn't throttling going on. Same clocks with power limit at 20% did not pass.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> What card(s) did you have before?


Geeforce GT8800, so don't try to compare them. The other card is old as.. Idk if it can start CSS. >_>


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> It was a couple days back (too many posts ago to dig up, busy thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) where there was some power limit discussion, I was testing the 7970 a bit last night so have a screen to show.
> 1400Mhz core with power limit at 5%, the graphics score shows there wasn't throttling going on. Same clocks with power limit at 20% did not pass.


That is weird  my card crashesat anything above 1100 core stock volt, going to try this then. But how is this even possible?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> What card(s) did you have before?
> 
> 
> 
> Geeforce GT8800, so don't try to compare them. The other card is old as.. Idk if it can start CSS. >_>
Click to expand...

That is odd. Can you download 3dmark11 and post your score here?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

I'll do that, just a mom.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

And just to mention it: I have stutters and FPS drops in all games except Leauge Of Legends, i can't get over 30 FPS with Fallout New Vegas.


----------



## Stefy

Have you properly uinstalled the Nvidia drivers?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Have you properly uinstalled the Nvidia drivers?


It's the OLD pc that had that card, this is brandly new.





I have no idea if this is a good sign, but i saw that the CPU dependend stuff really had low FPS.. Could it be a bottleneck or a simular problem?


----------



## Stefy

Hmm, that's very low. You should be getting something like 7500 at least I think. The CPU can bottlenick slightly at stock, but no way it's causing you to get that score.

Either the card's defective or something else is wrong. What driver version do you have?

EDIT: actually, it could be the CPU. That's a very low CPU score.

Here is what I get on 950MHz, check the CPU. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5576707


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Hmm, that's very low. You should be getting something like 7500 at least I think. The CPU can bottlenick slightly at stock, but no way it's causing you to get that score.
> 
> Either the card's defective or something else is wrong. What driver version do you have?
> 
> EDIT: actually, it could be the CPU. That's a very low CPU score.
> 
> Here is what I get on 950MHz, check the CPU. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5576707


Hmm.. It's on stock settings.. So IT IS an actuall bottleneck?

I'm using 12.10!


----------



## Stefy

Yeah, definitely, but the card itself seems to be working fine though. Not sure if you do any OC, but if you do, try cranking that 8120 up to 4GHz.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

The card is Ghz edition, so it's OC'd from the start, right? And CCC uses a custome OC that us automaticly applied.

So i guess the answer is: Crank up to 4 ghz!

Idk how 2 do though, and idk what i need for it.


----------



## Stefy

Yeah, you're getting a bit low GPU score because of the CPU, and the CPU is putting out a pretty bad physics score. Overclocking the CPU shouldn't be a big problem, and will help. Are you on stock CPU cooling?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Yeah, the cooling is on stock, and it sounds like a vaccumecleaner..


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Hmm.. It's on stock settings.. So IT IS an actuall bottleneck?
> 
> I'm using 12.10!


Today AMD releases the 13.1 WHQL, so if I were you, I would uninstall and clean the 12.10 and try with the 13.1 WHQL. I would suggest you to use the 12.11 Beta 11, they improve framerates and scores for the 7xxx series quite a lot, but since it's only a few hours to the upgraded WHQL release, wait a bit more hehe









And for the next Beta, improved memory management wohooo


----------



## Stefy

Nevermind the overclocking then. Hmm! I need more details about which games you are playing, because even with a bottleneck there shouldn't be a huge issue with FPS drops and stuttering.

But could still be the CPU.


----------



## james888

Got watercooling. Overclocked my 7970 to 1300mhz. Got 10998 3dmark 11 score.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5581515


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *james888*
> 
> Got watercooling. Overclocked my 7970 to 1300mhz. Got 10998 3dmark 11 score.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5581515


Hnnnng can't wait


----------



## TheRussian1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> And just to mention it: I have stutters and FPS drops in all games except Leauge Of Legends, i can't get over 30 FPS with Fallout New Vegas.


Even with your CPU @ stock speeds, only 30 FPS with New Vegas is very strange.

Not a demanding game by any means.


----------



## Nonehxc

http://www.bioshockinfinite.com/news/pc-specifications-for-bioshock-infinite-announced

Good news for us ATI owners, Bioshock Infinite is an AMD game. Amongst all the usual customizations seen in games whose developers highly care for pc(anti-aliasing, texture detail, texture filtering, dynamic shadows, post-processing, light shafts, ambient occlusion, vsync, FOV and object level of detail), it sports AMD HDAO, difussion DOF, contact hardening dynamic shadows(guess that when a shadow contacts a surface, they becomes more solid), optimized antialiasing, etc. Also uncompressed HD textures. Recommended ATI 6950!

If I know Irrational, there will be some odd bugs at release(hope not in my game







), but if I know Irrational, this game is going to be just unbelievable. Fond memories of launching System Shock 1 on my Voodoo 3 3000 

PD: 13.1 WHQL out today.


----------



## Stefy

That's great! Can't wait for Bioshock


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Yeah, definitely, but the card itself seems to be working fine though. Not sure if you do any OC, but if you do, try cranking that 8120 up to 4GHz.


Nt a bottleneck. Cmon the FX 8120 can handle a single hd 7970/50. I have the processor and even without overclocks I get an average of 60+fps in most games. Whats the gpu usage when playing? Whats the memory usage? What resolutions? Give us something more than frame drop and stuttering.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Yeah, definitely, but the card itself seems to be working fine though. Not sure if you do any OC, but if you do, try cranking that 8120 up to 4GHz.
> 
> 
> 
> Nt a bottleneck. Cmon the FX 8120 can handle a single hd 7970/50. I have the processor and even without overclocks I get an average of 60+fps in most games. Whats the gpu usage when playing? Whats the memory usage? What resolutions? Give us something more than frame drop and stuttering.
Click to expand...

Check the 3Dmark lol, it is a bottleneck. He should be getting more points on the GPU.

It could be causing FPS drops, but I doubt it's causing the stuttering. Maybe drivers.


----------



## RickyFromVegas

Just got Gigabyte's Windforce 7950 edition.

Using afterburner, I OC'd the card to

core volt 1.225, +20 PL, Core Clock 1200(max) and memory clock 1575(max).

Idle Temperature is 26c on 1 monitor, and 50c on dual monitors.

stock, idle temp for 1 monitor is relatively same (1c-2c difference), but for dual monitor, idle temp jumps from 44c stock, to oc temperature is 50c.

At max load, they're both very similar at 70c-75c.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RickyFromVegas*
> 
> Just got Gigabyte's Windforce 7950 edition.
> 
> Using afterburner, I OC'd the card to
> core volt 1.225, +20 PL, Core Clock 1200(max) and memory clock 1575(max).
> Idle Temperature is 26c on 1 monitor, and 50c on dual monitors.
> stock, idle temp for 1 monitor is relatively same (1c-2c difference), but for dual monitor, idle temp jumps from 44c stock, to oc temperature is 50c.
> At max load, they're both very similar at 70c-75c.


monitor your VRM temps too using gpu-z or hwinfo32. keep vrm temps below 90c. if required setup a custom fan profile


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Check the 3Dmark lol, it is a bottleneck. He should be getting more points on the GPU.
> 
> It could be causing FPS drops, but I doubt it's causing the stuttering. Maybe drivers.


No it's not, I had a stock 8120 before I plopped in my 8350 and my 7970GE paired with it scored way higher in 3dmark 11 then his did.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Check the 3Dmark lol, it is a bottleneck. He should be getting more points on the GPU.
> 
> It could be causing FPS drops, but I doubt it's causing the stuttering. Maybe drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> No it's not, I had a stock 8120 before I plopped in my 8350 and my 7970GE paired with it scored way higher in 3dmark 11 then his did.
Click to expand...

5,5k in physics is around the average for a 8120, and it's clearly bottlenecking.


----------



## james888

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Hnnnng can't wait


Cant wait for what?


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> 5,5k in physics is around the average for a 8120, and it's clearly bottlenecking.


I remember my 8120 in the 6k range physics wise. Regarding his score I see he has a 7950 not a 7970GE which I somehow misread so I've got no clue on the average score they get stock anyways.

In otherwords I misread, my bad


----------



## muhd86

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Holy ****, 7970 oc quadfire. Seems a bit(A LOT) overkill for gaming. What PSU do you have? It's stable your setup?Getting a quadfire to run properly must be a real PITA.


well i have dual 1000watt ps u hence in total = 2000watt , yes setup is stable but i just need to try out the max over clock on these gpus which some ohow i cant do .

strange ........wonder why gigabyte locked the voltages .


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hmmm, yea ugh not true. If anything it's the opposite that's true cuz you can drag a weaker card along for the ride.


Agree.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> It was a couple days back (too many posts ago to dig up, busy thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) where there was some power limit discussion, I was testing the 7970 a bit last night so have a screen to show.
> 1400Mhz core with power limit at 5%, the graphics score shows there wasn't throttling going on. Same clocks with power limit at 20% did not pass.


? I'm confused. Anyone else experience this?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRussian1*
> 
> Even with your CPU @ stock speeds, only 30 FPS with New Vegas is very strange.
> 
> Not a demanding game by any means.


At the moment i play Fallout New Vegas Ultimate Edition modded after Gophys guide, i have NCM small textures + Poco bueno textures, some visual enchansments and so on, retexture of weps and Nevada Skies, looks much more like Skyrim in High settings now.

Skyrim.
Metro 2033.
Leauge Of Legends.
Dota 2.
Minecraft.
Assasin's Creed 3.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Today AMD releases the 13.1 WHQL, so if I were you, I would uninstall and clean the 12.10 and try with the 13.1 WHQL. I would suggest you to use the 12.11 Beta 11, they improve framerates and scores for the 7xxx series quite a lot, but since it's only a few hours to the upgraded WHQL release, wait a bit more hehe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And for the next Beta, improved memory management wohooo


Sounds nice, i will check that out!


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Agree.
> ? I'm confused. Anyone else experience this?


Someone else at the time of the discussion pointed out that a couple minutes of 3dmark isn't the same as gaming (although 3dmark can load the gpu pretty heavily).
I do wonder why many people seem to do better with higher powertune, while it seems to make benchies less stable for me.
I'm a bencher & not much of a gamer, most guys in here are more gamer than bencher. Hopefully someone who has done a fair amount of both can shed some light.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Agree.
> ? I'm confused. Anyone else experience this?
> 
> 
> 
> Someone else at the time of the discussion pointed out that a couple minutes of 3dmark isn't the same as gaming (although 3dmark can load the gpu pretty heavily).
> I do wonder why many people seem to do better with higher powertune, while it seems to make benchies less stable for me.
> I'm a bencher & not much of a gamer, most guys in here are more gamer than bencher. Hopefully someone who has done a fair amount of both can shed some light.
Click to expand...

I have weeded through a few card like that and have a thoery about it. (feel free to mock me if you must) LOL
I think some cards/PCB's components have a slight hesitation in building up the amps beyond the rated TDP of the card and it conflicts with the cards signal to throttle at the point it usually would. You might notice that it may give you problems (instability) with a benchmark like 3DMark11 and not others because Mark11 is a very sensitive benchmark to just about anything. Witness the problem they had for a while if anything even thought about 'drawing' to the system while the bench was running. the "workload failed to load" error was a result of that and the becnhmark instantly shutdown. I think if any or all of the cards VRM components (mosfets/inductors/caps) have a longer self check before exceeding the boards rated TDP, you get the instability.
...thats my theory.


----------



## MykaAurora

I wonder why 7970 + 12.11 Beta 11 + CAP 2 on ultra settings can do high FPS.

Why is that?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> 5,5k in physics is around the average for a 8120, and it's clearly bottlenecking.


for a stock 8120, yes. like in this case both card and gpu are stock (factory oc'ed). overclock just the gpu higher, his score will go up . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4228459

oc the cpu . . .

his score will be just like the rest of ours. btw, that run was using pre-12.11 driver.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Someone else at the time of the discussion pointed out that a couple minutes of 3dmark isn't the same as gaming (although 3dmark can load the gpu pretty heavily).
> I do wonder why many people seem to do better with higher powertune, while it seems to make benchies less stable for me.
> I'm a bencher & not much of a gamer, most guys in here are more gamer than bencher. Hopefully someone who has done a fair amount of both can shed some light.


Indeed, I will be looking into this myself.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

So you guys think the CPU is the problem? Well.. I'm going to the mall now on saturday, and i'm going to go 2 Inet also and check out a aftermarketcooler.


----------



## SortOfGrim

all!
coming from a XFX HD6870 this Matrix is








Now gotta install GTAIV with iCEnhancer


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SortOfGrim*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> all!
> coming from a XFX HD6870 this Matrix is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now gotta install GTAIV with iCEnhancer


OC that beauty a bit and then explode in a million bits of utter pleasure


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> So you guys think the CPU is the problem? Well.. I'm going to the mall now on saturday, and i'm going to go 2 Inet also and check out a aftermarketcooler.


Well, as an i5 2500k owner who uses my PC for gaming only, I dont

I had a Phenom 2 955 BE which was seriously lacking in some games, and the internet was head over heels in love with Sandy Bridge for gaming (probably because of its built in GPU nobody uses) , that it convinced me to sell my premium 990FX Sabretooth for a low-end Z68 board with a 2500k.

I regret this decision lately, maybe at stock the 2500k does well, but im sure at ~4.8Ghz, the 8120 can do as much as the 2500k and then some.

Battlefield 3 (45-64 player, full maps) really puts a strain on the 2500k and DEFINITELY bottlenecks a good Tahiti

However, this is the only game that does this, but its also my most played game, and the main reason i upgraded the 955 (even though people were saying its as good for gaming as the 8150 ha!) and I now fear I will never see mass shooting, bombing and Jihad Jeeping at 60FPS before its sequel is released

IMO I would keep your 8120, the Intel Core processors are more expensive than I anticipated and instead of a future upgrade to a £270 3770k, I may just go back to AMD, as I have with GPUs









EDIT: Thought you were intending on changing it lol. Overclock that thing to 4.5Ghz and youll have no problems pal!


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Battlefield 3 (45-64 player, full maps) really puts a strain on the 2500k and DEFINITELY bottlenecks a good Tahiti


Well I have a 2500K @ 4.5GHz and OC'd HD7950 @ 1070/1750MHz and in *BF3 Multiplayer @ 1280 x 1024* res (all ULTRA settings) I get *over 110 FPS on average* and DEFINETLY *NO* CPU BOTTLENECK.

My GPU is @ 99% usage all the time and I get smooth gameplay without any drops.

CHEERS..


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Well, as an i5 2500k owner who uses my PC for gaming only, I dont
> 
> I had a Phenom 2 955 BE which was seriously lacking in some games, and the internet was head over heels in love with Sandy Bridge for gaming (probably because of its built in GPU nobody uses) , that it convinced me to sell my premium 990FX Sabretooth for a low-end Z68 board with a 2500k.
> 
> I regret this decision lately, maybe at stock the 2500k does well, but im sure at ~4.8Ghz, the 8120 can do as much as the 2500k and then some.
> 
> Battlefield 3 (45-64 player, full maps) really puts a strain on the 2500k and DEFINITELY bottlenecks a good Tahiti
> 
> However, this is the only game that does this, but its also my most played game, and the main reason i upgraded the 955 (even though people were saying its as good for gaming as the 8150 ha!) and I now fear I will never see mass shooting, bombing and Jihad Jeeping at 60FPS before its sequel is released
> 
> IMO I would keep your 8120, the Intel Core processors are more expensive than I anticipated and instead of a future upgrade to a £270 3770k, I may just go back to AMD, as I have with GPUs


The 955be doesn't bottleneck many games at stock clock, and when overclocked, less. Only some cpu intensive games like BF3 where having a Intel cpu oc means more fps, usually you're maxing your gpu before your cpu due to ultra quality,afx16, msaax8, etc. I was looking to upgrade my mb/cpu to Sandy/Ivy some months ago but almost everyone reccommended me to OC the 955be because the only real upgrade for 965/955 were the high end 2500-2700-3570-3770k and wait for Haswell and the subsequent Ivy bridge price drop. Hear hear


----------



## y2kcamaross

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Well, as an i5 2500k owner who uses my PC for gaming only, I dont
> 
> I had a Phenom 2 955 BE which was seriously lacking in some games, and the internet was head over heels in love with Sandy Bridge for gaming (probably because of its built in GPU nobody uses) , that it convinced me to sell my premium 990FX Sabretooth for a low-end Z68 board with a 2500k.
> 
> I regret this decision lately, maybe at stock the 2500k does well, but im sure at ~4.8Ghz, the 8120 can do as much as the 2500k and then some.
> 
> Battlefield 3 (45-64 player, full maps) really puts a strain on the 2500k and DEFINITELY bottlenecks a good Tahiti
> 
> However, this is the only game that does this, but its also my most played game, and the main reason i upgraded the 955 (even though people were saying its as good for gaming as the 8150 ha!) and I now fear I will never see mass shooting, bombing and Jihad Jeeping at 60FPS before its sequel is released
> 
> IMO I would keep your 8120, the Intel Core processors are more expensive than I anticipated and instead of a future upgrade to a £270 3770k, I may just go back to AMD, as I have with GPUs


wah? If both are clocked at 4.8ghz, the 8120 won't touch the 2500k in gaming, battlefield 3 might be the only exception where it's a close race


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> The 955be doesn't bottleneck many games at stock clock, and when overclocked, less. Only some cpu intensive games like BF3 where having a Intel cpu oc means more fps, usually you're maxing your gpu before your cpu due to ultra quality,afx16, msaax8, etc. I was looking to upgrade my mb/cpu to Sandy/Ivy some months ago but almost everyone reccommended me to OC the 955be because the only real upgrade for 965/955 were the high end 2500-2700-3570-3770k and wait for Haswell and the subsequent Ivy bridge price drop. Hear hear


The 955 was giving me frame drops in full rooms in Bad Company 2, an overclock to a stable 3.9Ghz alleviated the problem though

I usually play at ultra settings (is there 8xmsaa in BF3?)

Whether at Low settings or Ultra, CPU usage remains 80~99% for me, rising depending on the amount players and **** going on

These are not major performance drops, maybe down to 45FPS for split second, but can really take the immersion away, the game NEED MOAR CORES!


----------



## Atomfix

How do you guys get crazy memory clock speeds? My previous 7950 woulden't go higher than 1500MHz, computer would crash, my new RMA replacement 7950 can't go over 1500MHz because it would crash, and when I look at your 3DMark11 scores, I see some memory speeds up to 1600-1750MHz

How do you do it?

Highest Iv'e clocked on my GPU core is 1100MHz with 1.1V, VDDC limit in Trixx is 1.13V, anything higher than 1100MHz the drivers would crash, I'm gueesing my PSU is not provideing enough amperage.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> The 955 was giving me frame drops in full rooms in Bad Company 2, an overclock to a stable 3.9Ghz alleviated the problem though
> 
> I usually play at ultra settings (is there 8xmsaa in BF3?)
> 
> Whether at Low settings or Ultra, CPU usage remains 80~99% for me, rising depending on the amount players and **** going on
> 
> These are not major performance drops, maybe down to 45FPS for split second, but can really take the immersion away, the game NEED MOAR CORES!


Lol, I mean that when gaming(as in with other games, not just DICE ones lol), usually the more you up the visual quality in a game, the less the cpu is needed because you don't need to calculate ultrafps, player paths, fighter jets dropping pineapples all around the map, etc etc. BF3 and other DICE games seem very well optimized regarding cpu: teh moar u hav, teh moar it eats.









Anyway, when upgrading(and don't misunderstand me, I want to upgrade in 6 months-1 year to Ivy bridge, I know my cpu is keeping well but Ivy will be futureproof, for BF3 as well as for other games) there isn't a reason more used for Sandy/Ivy than "it rapes überfps in BF3 pwnerz haxxor!" lol








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> How do you guys get crazy memory clock speeds? My previous 7950 woulden't go higher than 1500MHz, computer would crash, my new RMA replacement 7950 can't go over 1500MHz because it would crash, and when I look at your 3DMark11 scores, I see some memory speeds up to 1600-1750MHz
> 
> How do you do it?
> 
> Highest Iv'e clocked on my GPU core is 1100MHz with 1.1V, VDDC limit in Trixx is 1.13V, anything higher than 1100MHz the drivers would crash, I'm gueesing my PSU is not provideing enough amperage.


XFX 7950 DD is known to be a poor overclocker and to get hot like a pan. Your PSU has more than enough A for your card.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Lol, I mean that when gaming(as in with other games, not just DICE ones lol), usually the more you up the visual quality in a game, the less the cpu is needed because you don't need to calculate ultrafps, player paths, fighter jets dropping pineapples all around the map, etc etc. BF3 and other DICE games seem very well optimized regarding cpu: teh moar u hav, teh moar it eats.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway, when upgrading(and don't misunderstand me, I want to upgrade in 6 months-1 year to Ivy bridge, I know my cpu is keeping well but Ivy will be futureproof, for BF3 as well as for other games) there isn't a reason more used for Sandy/Ivy than "it rapes überfps in BF3 pwnerz haxxor!" lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *XFX 7950 DD is known to be a poor overclocker and to get hot like a pan*.


Proof?


----------



## glina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Proof?


Here you go:








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> Highest Iv'e clocked on my GPU core is 1100MHz with 1.1V, VDDC limit in Trixx is 1.13V, anything higher than 1100MHz the drivers would crash


But don't worry. 1100MHz is a good average. Some cards may do 1200MHz, but there are as many which will not go much above 1000MHz.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glina*
> 
> Here you go:


I'm only limited to 1.13V in Trixx, What do you expect?


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Proof?


http://forums.hexus.net/graphics-cards/266765-xfx-7950-dd-really-not-overclocking-too-well-faulty.html
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1671750

There are a lot of cards capable of pushing a 7950 to 1200 core/1600 memory at stock volts without a sweat, like the Gigabyte WF3, MSI TFIII, Sapphire Vapor-X/Dual-X/OC With Boost, but sadly the XFX 7950 DD is not among them. Don't worry, you're getting 300-250 mhz more from the stock 800mhz of the 7950.


----------



## glina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> I'm only limited to 1.13V in Trixx, What do you expect?











I expect nothing. You do, apparently.

Trixx should allow you to go higher, but if for some reason it doesn't, you may also try MSI Afterburner (make sure to enable the unofficial overclocking mode).


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> http://forums.hexus.net/graphics-cards/266765-xfx-7950-dd-really-not-overclocking-too-well-faulty.html
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1671750


Still doesn't prove anything.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glina*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I expect nothing. You do, apparently.
> 
> Trixx should allow you to go higher, but if for some reason it doesn't, you may also try MSI Afterburner (make sure to enable the unofficial overclocking mode).


Trixx won't go any higher than 1.13V and Slider is greyed out in MSI Afterburner, Even if Unofficial Overclocking mode is enabled,


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Hmm...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Someone else at the time of the discussion pointed out that a couple minutes of 3dmark isn't the same as gaming (although 3dmark can load the gpu pretty heavily).
> I do wonder why many people seem to do better with higher powertune, while it seems to make benchies less stable for me.
> I'm a bencher & not much of a gamer, most guys in here are more gamer than bencher. Hopefully someone who has done a fair amount of both can shed some light.
> 
> 
> 
> Indeed, I will be looking into this myself.
Click to expand...

You should try it w/o the cold cooling and see it if pans out cuz 5% power doesn't work when you're on water.


----------



## youpekkad

Yea, 1100mhz core and 1500mhz memory is a very good overclock, you should be happy about those numbers instead of being unhappy for not getting 1200+ core and 1700+ on the memory









I asked question similar to this before, but I´ll do it again : What is the good 24/7 max temperature for these cards? How hot does your overclocked 7950/7970 run?


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Still doesn't prove anything.
> Trixx won't go any higher than 1.13V and Slider is greyed out in MSI Afterburner, Even if Unofficial Overclocking mode is enabled,


You get to 1100 mhz core and you have problems. They get to 1050mhz core and they have problems. There are more reports over the net of people with XFX 7950 DD with an average overclocked core of 1000-1050mhz. And then... 

...you have people like me(7950 Vapor-X), others with Gigabyte 7950 WF3 and others with MSI 7950 TFIII who are clocking 1200 cores all day, every day without having to up voltages and whatnot. Draw your own conclussions.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> You get to 1100 mhz core and you have problems. They get to 1050mhz core and they have problems. There are more reports over the net of people with XFX 7950 DD with an average overclocked core of 1000-1050mhz. And then...
> 
> ...you have people like me(7950 Vapor-X), others with Gigabyte 7950 WF3 and others with MSI 7950 TFIII who are clocking 1200 cores all day, every day without having to up voltages and whatnot. Draw your own conclussions.


I can get 1100MHz just fine on the core, but I can't go past the 1.13V limit in trixx that's preventing me from going further


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Still doesn't prove anything.
> Trixx won't go any higher than 1.13V and Slider is greyed out in MSI Afterburner, Even if Unofficial Overclocking mode is enabled,
> 
> 
> 
> You get to 1100 mhz core and you have problems. They get to 1050mhz core and they have problems. There are more reports over the net of people with XFX 7950 DD with an average overclocked core of 1000-1050mhz. And then...
> 
> ...you have people like me(7950 Vapor-X), others with Gigabyte 7950 WF3 and others with MSI 7950 TFIII who are clocking 1200 cores all day, every day without having to up voltages and whatnot. Draw your own conclussions.
Click to expand...











Overclock has nothing to do with brand, nothing. It is all luck. I've got a got golden XFX BE here but do I go around championing the XFX everywhere? No. Cuz I know it's all luck.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overclock has nothing to do with brand, nothing. It is all luck. I've got a got golden XFX BE here but do I go around championing the XFX everywhere? No. Cuz I know it's all luck.












Maybe if you reread my post you'll see that I'm not praising a brand, just particular model(s) of that brand. Regarding 7950, XFX 7950 DD seems to be gathering less approval than other 7950 models when it comes to OC and temperatures. You have golden 7970 and maybe XFX's are the best models around, but doesn't seem so with the 7950 model. I'm not a brand man(SiS cantremember1234, Voodoo 3 3000, Nvidia FX 5200, XFX 6800 Ultra, Gigabyte 6850 Oc, Sapphire Vapor-X 7950), and I try to research quite a bit before taking out the wallet to get some fresh air. I went with the Sapphire the same I would go with the MSI or the Gigabyte one.

BTW, what's that of "going around championing"?


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *y2kcamaross*
> 
> wah? If both are clocked at 4.8ghz, the 8120 won't touch the 2500k in gaming, battlefield 3 might be the only exception where it's a close race


Proof?

Cant see many games going under 60FPS with an 8120 at 4.8Ghz and a 7970...


----------



## y2kcamaross

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Proof?
> 
> Cant see many games going under 60FPS with an 8120 at 4.8Ghz and a 7970...


Proof? Look at the hundreds of benchmarks comparing the 8150 and 2500k in gaming, I'm not gonna dig them up for you.

As for your second point, irrelevant to a lot of people. Not everyone plays on a 60hz monitor.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> How do you guys get crazy memory clock speeds? My previous 7950 woulden't go higher than 1500MHz, computer would crash, my new RMA replacement 7950 can't go over 1500MHz because it would crash, and when I look at your 3DMark11 scores, I see some memory speeds up to 1600-1750MHz
> 
> How do you do it?


It really depends on the card itself.

Also Hynx memory chips are better overclocks than Elpida or Samsung, and my Asus HD7950 is stable with *memory @ 1850MHz* (Hynx IC's) and stock mem voltage = 1.60V, in every game and benchmark.

But for 24/7 operation I keep it @ 1750MHz because there's no point in having my card's memory on the very limit of it's capabilities.

CHEERS..


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Well I have a 2500K @ 4.5GHz and OC'd HD7950 @ 1070/1750MHz and in *BF3 Multiplayer @ 1280 x 1024* res (all ULTRA settings) I get *over 110 FPS on average* and DEFINETLY *NO* CPU BOTTLENECK.
> 
> My GPU is @ 99% usage all the time and I get smooth gameplay without any drops.
> 
> CHEERS..


Strange.









This is similar to my problem http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf3/forum/threadview/2832654348062714255/

Ill post screenshots of what I mean.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Strange.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is similar to my problem http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf3/forum/threadview/2832654348062714255/
> 
> Ill post screenshots of what I mean.


I have also tried BF3 multiplayer with *only 3 cores enabled* in BIOS (@ 4.5GHz) and game ran smooth same as on all 4 cores enabled (also @ 4.5GHz), GPU was @ 99% LOAD all the time..

So a 2500K is in no way a bottleneck for HD7950/7970 cards.

P.S.: Also look at my 1280 x 1024 resolution, that makes things very CPU intensive as HD7950 push out over 110 FPS , but still CPU does it's job very well.

My CPU usage in BF3 MP is under 80% on average.

CHEERS...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Overclock has nothing to do with brand, nothing. It is all luck. I've got a got golden XFX BE here but do I go around championing the XFX everywhere? No. Cuz I know it's all luck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe if you reread my post you'll see that I'm not praising a brand, just particular model(s) of that brand. Regarding 7950, XFX 7950 DD seems to be gathering less approval than other 7950 models when it comes to OC and temperatures. You have golden 7970 and maybe XFX's are the best models around, but doesn't seem so with the 7950 model. I'm not a brand man(SiS cantremember1234, Voodoo 3 3000, Nvidia FX 5200, XFX 6800 Ultra, Gigabyte 6850 Oc, Sapphire Vapor-X 7950), and I try to research quite a bit before taking out the wallet to get some fresh air. I went with the Sapphire the same I would go with the MSI or the Gigabyte one.
> 
> *BTW, what's that of "going around championing"*?
Click to expand...

What yer implying is false though. It doesn't matter the brand nor model, the overclock is down to luck.

I see a lot of cheerleading going on here. You got ppl always recommending this brand or that brand even when they are crap cards but the brand image is so strong. I would never buy the brands ragu is selling and nor the ones you mention as being so awesome to overclock. I also see a rise in XFX DD sucks mantra too. This is how image is created and maintained. There's another cracker I forget whats his name that has been on a XFX hate campaign.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Oh well, so basicly my FX-8120 bottlenecks my Sapphire 7950 3GB Ghz edition? Hmm.


----------



## frankietown

hey guys i just got the MSI hd 7950.

it was factory clocked to 960 so i just pushed it to 1000.

i know i can bump up the power limit, then start bumping the core till its not stable.

my question is, when do i mess with the voltage? how would i know that i need to up the voltage at all? is there a certain clock that i can reach without needing t up the voltage? also which voltage reading to i read and use, VDDC or MVDDC?

oh and where do i find the VRM temps?

thanks.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Oh well, so basicly my FX-8120 bottlenecks my Sapphire 7950 3GB Ghz edition? Hmm.


not just your chip but pretty much any chip at stock. oc it to lessen the bn.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> How do you guys get crazy memory clock speeds? My previous 7950 woulden't go higher than 1500MHz, computer would crash, my new RMA replacement 7950 can't go over 1500MHz because it would crash, and when I look at your 3DMark11 scores, I see some memory speeds up to 1600-1750MHz
> 
> How do you do it?
> 
> Highest Iv'e clocked on my GPU core is 1100MHz with 1.1V, VDDC limit in Trixx is 1.13V, anything higher than 1100MHz the drivers would crash, I'm gueesing my PSU is not provideing enough amperage.


Cooling my friend.. My 7950 vrms are very sensitive to heat as a matter of fact i can overclock as high as 1800 havent try higher because of stock cooling.. Once i put the card in my loop with better cooling i will push it to her limits..

So far she manage to do 1300/1700 @ 1175v on stock cooling and nice ambient temps of 15c-20c mark..

So i know more or less what my 7970 can do so now i have to find what my 7950 can do XD...

The stock cooling is not ideal for overclocking this card even @ 100 fan


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What yer implying is false though. It doesn't matter the brand nor model, the overclock is down to luck.
> 
> I see a lot of cheerleading going on here. You got ppl always recommending this brand or that brand even when they are crap cards but the brand image is so strong. I would never buy the brands ragu is selling and nor the ones you mention as being so awesome to overclock. I also see a rise in XFX DD sucks mantra too. This is how image is created and maintained. There's another cracker I forget whats his name that has been on a XFX hate campaign.


First of all, hold your horses boyyo. You're nobody to point fingers, call names(cracker huh







) and dismiss others opinions based on yours. I'm not talking about absolutes here, you are. The opinions I write about something are based on information available and my experience, nothing more. If you are upset because you have a different opinion/experience about something, be my guest and give them a voice, but don't get so uppity only cause yours are different("You got ppl always recommending this brand or that brand even when they are crap cards"). You're mistaking me for a childish haxxor that has nothing better to do that start a brand Flame War.

That said, I don't care what you think. I came here looking for help, I found it and I'm happy to help other people to the best of my ability and my experience. Given your impressive post count, I'm sure you know a lot of things that I don't and I would be happy if we could get along. If not, that's life


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Cooling my friend.. My 7950 vrms are very sensitive to heat as a matter of fact i can overclock as high as 1800 havent try higher because of stock cooling.. Once i put the card in my loop with better cooling i will push it to her limits..
> 
> So far she manage to do 1300/1700 @ 1175v on stock cooling and nice ambient temps of 15c-20c mark..
> 
> So i know more or less what my 7970 can do so now i have to find what my 7950 can do XD...
> 
> The stock cooling is not ideal for overclocking this card even @ 100 fan


Your 7970 hit 1300 clock at 1175 stock cooling? gosh i'm jealous ...


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I have also tried BF3 multiplayer with *only 3 cores enabled* in BIOS (@ 4.5GHz) and game ran smooth same as on all 4 cores enabled (also @ 4.5GHz), GPU was @ 99% LOAD all the time..
> 
> So a 2500K is in no way a bottleneck for HD7950/7970 cards.
> 
> P.S.: Also look at my 1280 x 1024 resolution, that makes things very CPU intensive as HD7950 push out over 110 FPS , but still CPU does it's job very well.
> 
> My CPU usage in BF3 MP is under 80% on average.
> 
> CHEERS...


Ok heres Battlefield 3 Gulf of Oman 62/64 players, 1080p Ultra settings



GPU load is ~60% average

This is the same in most Conquest servers, the GPU usage stays steady 99% when indoors or flying, improving the FPS, but when in open battle its very inconsistent. This isnt even a fair representation of the problem, most times the CPU is at 90%+ in this situation

The same throttling on the GPU happens on Metro 2033 with Advanced Physx enabled (which I assume runs from the CPU), but in this game, FPS drops dont happen in the size or frequency of those in BF3 and the CPU never exceeds 60% usage)

Heres BF3 usages, with 24 player server 1080p Ultra (~same with Hitman Absolution and Metro 2033 without Physx and other non-CPU intensive games). Its consistently 60FPS, 99% usage (except if I turn on Advanced DOF in Metro or 8xmsaa in Hitman, then its <60FPS) in these situations



*"Also look at my 1280 x 1024 resolution"*
Why are you playing in 1280x1024 with a HD7950?

Can you upload a similar situation BF3 at 1080p showing your CPU and GPU usage?


----------



## NotReadyYet

God, I'm still seething that my card is voltage locked. Took all the fun away from getting a high end card. On a side note, I updated the BIOS on my Gigabyte card from F60 to F62. We'll see what that will do for my clocks.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frankietown*
> 
> hey guys i just got the MSI hd 7950.
> 
> it was factory clocked to 960 so i just pushed it to 1000.
> 
> i know i can bump up the power limit, then start bumping the core till its not stable.
> 
> my question is, when do i mess with the voltage? how would i know that i need to up the voltage at all? is there a certain clock that i can reach without needing t up the voltage? also which voltage reading to i read and use, VDDC or MVDDC?
> 
> oh and where do i find the VRM temps?
> 
> thanks.


MVDDC is for the memory, VDDC for the core.

When your overclock isn't stable, then obviously you need to up the voltage. If you don't want to increase voltage then you have to downclock. Just to go 1050MHz (25-50mhz at each time) , run 3dmark, if it passes, then increase it further, if it crashes then you have to downclock. It's that easy. If it passed 3dmark make sure to play a couple of GPU intensive games.

Use GPU-Z for VRM temps.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Ok heres Battlefield 3 Gulf of Oman 62/64 players, 1080p Ultra settings
> 
> GPU load is ~60% average
> 
> This is the same in most Conquest servers, the GPU usage stays steady 99% when indoors or flying, improving the FPS, but when in open battle its very inconsistent. This isnt even a fair representation of the problem, most times the CPU is at 90%+ in this situation
> 
> The same throttling on the GPU happens on Metro 2033 with Advanced Physx enabled (which I assume runs from the CPU), but in this game, FPS drops dont happen in the size or frequency of those in BF3 and the CPU never exceeds 60% usage)
> 
> Heres BF3 usages, with 24 player server 1080p Ultra (~same with Hitman Absolution and Metro 2033 without Physx and other non-CPU intensive games). Its consistently 60FPS, 99% usage (except if I turn on Advanced DOF in Metro or 8xmsaa in Hitman, then its <60FPS) in these situations
> 
> *"Also look at my 1280 x 1024 resolution"*
> Why are you playing in 1280x1024 with a HD7950?
> 
> Can you upload a similar situation BF3 at 1080p showing your CPU and GPU usage?


Here's my quick test and as you can see my GPU usage is always in 90% area even @ 1280 x 1024 res (I have a 19" monitor ATM) and with Overclocked HD7950 @ 1050/1750MHz. (CPU @ 4.5GHz)

GPU usage dipped to 77% because I was in windowed mode taking a screen shot.
It has dipped here and there because I was killed and respawning a couple of times,but you can see that it's @ 90% area.

My FPS are over 110 on average and gameplay is butter smooth.










I'd say that you're having some driver issues with your system and that's why your GPU is underperforming (or you're using Vsync which limits your FPS)

CHEERS..


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Ok heres Battlefield 3 Gulf of Oman 62/64 players, 1080p Ultra settings
> 
> 
> 
> GPU load is ~60% average
> 
> This is the same in most Conquest servers, the GPU usage stays steady 99% when indoors or flying, improving the FPS, but when in open battle its very inconsistent. This isnt even a fair representation of the problem, most times the CPU is at 90%+ in this situation
> 
> The same throttling on the GPU happens on Metro 2033 with Advanced Physx enabled (which I assume runs from the CPU), but in this game, FPS drops dont happen in the size or frequency of those in BF3 and the CPU never exceeds 60% usage)
> 
> Heres BF3 usages, with 24 player server 1080p Ultra (~same with Hitman Absolution and Metro 2033 without Physx and other non-CPU intensive games). Its consistently 60FPS, 99% usage (except if I turn on Advanced DOF in Metro or 8xmsaa in Hitman, then its <60FPS) in these situations
> 
> 
> 
> *"Also look at my 1280 x 1024 resolution"*
> Why are you playing in 1280x1024 with a HD7950?
> 
> Can you upload a similar situation BF3 at 1080p showing your CPU and GPU usage?


Gulf of oman is quite poorly coded map, even 2011-platform owners are having issues with it.

Aside from oman, I get good usage in 64p Caspian border for example, gpu is mostly at 99%, EVEN when there is ****loads of stuff happening, sometimes it dips tho and usage goes to 85-95% especially if you are approaching the center of the map from the US or RU-base but it still remains playable (fps above 55). Now I´m limiting my fps to 60, and it stays there pretty much all the time (maxed+FXAA [email protected] 1080p).

But I agree that if there is a game out there, that can make a 2500k a bottleneck, its a BF3 in 64p servers.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Cooling my friend.. My 7950 vrms are very sensitive to heat as a matter of fact i can overclock as high as 1800 havent try higher because of stock cooling.. Once i put the card in my loop with better cooling i will push it to her limits..
> 
> So far she manage to do 1300/1700 @ 1175v on stock cooling and nice ambient temps of 15c-20c mark..
> 
> So i know more or less what my 7970 can do so now i have to find what my 7950 can do XD...
> 
> The stock cooling is not ideal for overclocking this card even @ 100 fan


If I set the fan to 100%, Which I can tolerate ( The volume is loud enough not to hear the fans ) the load tempature in games is around 58-62C so I have plenty of headroom there, any way that I can bypass the 1.13V restriction that Sapphire Trixx has given me?

1 Other thing, HWMonitor or GPU-Z doesn't show me any VRM Tempatures (Using latest version


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Cooling my friend.. My 7950 vrms are very sensitive to heat as a matter of fact i can overclock as high as 1800 havent try higher because of stock cooling.. Once i put the card in my loop with better cooling i will push it to her limits..
> 
> So far she manage to do 1300/1700 @ 1175v on stock cooling and nice ambient temps of 15c-20c mark..
> 
> So i know more or less what my 7970 can do so now i have to find what my 7950 can do XD...
> 
> The stock cooling is not ideal for overclocking this card even @ 100 fan
> 
> 
> 
> *If I set the fan to 100%*, Which I can tolerate ( The volume is loud enough not to hear the fans ) the load tempature in games is around 58-62C so I have plenty of headroom there, any way that I can bypass the 1.13V restriction that Sapphire Trixx has given me?
> 
> 1 Other thing, HWMonitor or GPU-Z doesn't show me any VRM Tempatures (Using latest version
Click to expand...

from what i have been told running your fan at 100% for extended periods of time can damge the fan. sweet spot is about 80%. JFYI, so keep and eye on it


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Here's my quick test and as you can see my GPU usage is always in 90% area even @ 1280 x 1024 res (I have a 19" monitor ATM) and with Overclocked HD7950 @ 1050/1750MHz. (CPU @ 4.5GHz)
> 
> GPU usage dipped to 77% because I was in windowed mode taking a screen shot.
> It has dipped here and there because I was killed and respawning a couple of times,but you can see that it's @ 90% area.
> 
> My FPS are over 110 on average and gameplay is butter smooth.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd say that you're having some driver issues with your system and that's why your GPU is underperforming (or you're using Vsync which limits your FPS)
> 
> CHEERS..


Your CPU usage looks high?









This isnt affecting your GPU usage though...









Yes I have Vsync enabled, because I cant stand screen tearing, and 60FPS is plenty for me









My GPU usage is bottlenecked for sure

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Gulf of oman is quite poorly coded map, even 2011-platform owners are having issues with it.
> 
> Aside from oman, I get good usage in 64p Caspian border for example, gpu is mostly at 99%, EVEN when there is ****loads of stuff happening, sometimes it dips tho and usage goes to 85-95% especially if you are approaching the center of the map from the US or RU-base but it still remains playable (fps above 55). Now I´m limiting my fps to 60, and it stays there pretty much all the time (maxed+FXAA [email protected] 1080p).
> 
> But I agree that if there is a game out there, that can make a 2500k a bottleneck, its a BF3 in 64p servers.


Thank you!







I also get good usage in vanilla maps but there are some from Back to Karkand and Armored Kill that are the culprits.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> If I set the fan to 100%, Which I can tolerate ( The volume is loud enough not to hear the fans ) the load tempature in games is around 58-62C so I have plenty of headroom there, any way that I can bypass the 1.13V restriction that Sapphire Trixx has given me?
> 
> 1 Other thing, HWMonitor or GPU-Z doesn't show me any VRM Tempatures (Using latest version


i use Trixx to set the speed, then i open AB to play with the voltages. the speed you set using trixx should appear in AB as well. i don't leave my gpus oc'ed.

i monitored vrm temps using HWiNFO64 but not anymore. it is now watercooled.







GPUZ does not show mine either.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i use Trixx to set the speed, then i open AB to play with the voltages. the speed you set using trixx should appear in AB as well. i don't leave my gpus oc'ed.
> 
> i monitored vrm temps using HWiNFO64 but not anymore. it is now watercooled.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> GPUZ does not show mine either.


Voltages in AB is greyed out, even if Unofficial Overclocking is enabled. Trixx however lets me raise the voltage to 1.13V which doesn't help me at all.

HWinFO64 doesn't display any VRM tempatures, only the GPU Thermal Diode.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Voltages in AB is greyed out, even if Unofficial Overclocking is enabled. Trixx however lets me raise the voltage to 1.13V which doesn't help me at all.
> 
> HWinFO64 doesn't display any VRM tempatures, only the GPU Thermal Diode.


Are your GPU drivers properly updated? HWinFO64 displays LOTS of info for my 7970, and VRM temps are very important to know.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Are your GPU drivers properly updated? HWinFO64 displays LOTS of info for my 7970, and VRM temps are very important to know.


Yup, using latest BETA drivers, heres a screenshot below


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Yup, using latest BETA drivers, heres a screenshot below
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


i am not sure someone asked already but did you go under settings in AB and checked Unlock voltages?


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> If I set the fan to 100%, Which I can tolerate ( The volume is loud enough not to hear the fans ) the load tempature in games is around 58-62C so I have plenty of headroom there, any way that I can bypass the 1.13V restriction that Sapphire Trixx has given me?
> 
> 1 Other thing, HWMonitor or GPU-Z doesn't show me any VRM Tempatures (Using latest version


I'm not sure if someone has asked this before, so bear with me







What version of Trixx are you using?4.4.0b MOD? Try that if you're using the latest stable version of Trixx. Uninstall and clean Trixx and use the latest beta.

There's also reports of people downgrading MSI Afterburner to 2.2.3 or 2.2.0. While in 2.3.0 the didn't have voltage controls or voltage couldn't be raised, downgrading gave them full voltage control. Or you can give ASUS GPU Tweak a go.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I have weeded through a few card like that and have a thoery about it. (feel free to mock me if you must) LOL
> I think some cards/PCB's components have a slight hesitation in building up the amps beyond the rated TDP of the card and it conflicts with the cards signal to throttle at the point it usually would. You might notice that it may give you problems (instability) with a benchmark like 3DMark11 and not others because Mark11 is a very sensitive benchmark to just about anything. Witness the problem they had for a while if anything even thought about 'drawing' to the system while the bench was running. the "workload failed to load" error was a result of that and the becnhmark instantly shutdown. I think if any or all of the cards VRM components (mosfets/inductors/caps) have a longer self check before exceeding the boards rated TDP, you get the instability.
> ...thats my theory.


Could be something along these lines, I'll have to do more testing.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should try it w/o the cold cooling and see it if pans out cuz 5% power doesn't work when you're on water.


That was on water, although outside where the ambient was hovering just over 0°.
Indoor 20° ambient I was maxing at about 1350 core with 5% on water, indoor on air with the stock heatsink maxes around 1280 core with 0 -5% powerlimit.

I'll have to get a bunch more screens, & maybe install an actual game one of these days to see.


----------



## Roadking

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Are your GPU drivers properly updated? HWinFO64 displays LOTS of info for my 7970, and VRM temps are very important to know.


Agreed I get VRM Temps and voltages on both my Sapphire 7950s.


----------



## Snuckie7

New Catalyst 13.1 and 13.2 drivers releasing imminently! I'm looking forward to the frame latency improvements.


----------



## billgates8889

About this i5 2500k bottleneck, could someone please with Battlefield 3 do this;

To test if you have a bottleneck or not, there are usually two ways to do it. One, reduce your resolution to 800x600 and see if your FPS increases. if your FPS doesn't increase then you have a CPU bottleneck. If your FPS increase then you have a GPU bottleneck. Another method is to enter BF3 multiplayer (not singleplayer), and open console (press ~). Make sure the server is at 64 players. Type in the following, remember to press enter after each line.

Render.PerfOverlayEnable 1
Render.PerfOverlayVisible 1

You CPU line is yellow and your GPU line is green. If your CPU line is above your GPU line, then you have a bottleneck. If your GPU line is above your CPU line then you have a GPU bottleneck. Your system is balanced when both lines are close to each other.

Please post the results.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> About this i5 2500k bottleneck, could someone please with Battlefield 3 do this;
> 
> To test if you have a bottleneck or not, there are usually two ways to do it. One, reduce your resolution to 800x600 and see if your FPS increases. if your FPS doesn't increase then you have a CPU bottleneck. If your FPS increase then you have a GPU bottleneck. Another method is to enter BF3 multiplayer (not singleplayer), and open console (press ~). Make sure the server is at 64 players. Type in the following, remember to press enter after each line.
> 
> Render.PerfOverlayEnable 1
> Render.PerfOverlayVisible 1
> 
> You CPU line is yellow and your GPU line is green. If your CPU line is above your GPU line, then you have a bottleneck. If your GPU line is above your CPU line then you have a GPU bottleneck. Your system is balanced when both lines are close to each other.
> 
> Please post the results.


I don't quite have a 2500K, but I always run with the performance overlays on, and my i7 3820 @ 4GHz usually doesn't bottleneck. In heavy combat the CPU line spikes sometimes.


----------



## dmanstasiu

What do you guys use to cool the VRAMs + VRMs when using a Dwood bracket?

My temps are fine at 45C with a Kuhler 920 but the VRMs are bare and heating up way too quickly ...


----------



## Tonza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> What do you guys use to cool the VRAMs + VRMs when using a Dwood bracket?
> 
> My temps are fine at 45C with a Kuhler 920 but the VRMs are bare and heating up way too quickly ...


You need to use heatsinks on them, i suggest using heatsinks from Enzotech (pure copper). Should reduce temperatures drastically.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> You need to use heatsinks on them, i suggest using heatsinks from Enzotech (pure copper). Should reduce temperatures drastically.


Sucks that I didn't know this before. I'll use those then. Besides the 12 VRAM chips, what else do I need to stick them on?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Sucks that I didn't know this before. I'll use those then. Besides the 12 VRAM chips, what else do I need to stick them on?


The VRM's... ? lol
Uh, VRAM + VRM's I think that's it.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> The VRM's... ? lol
> Uh, VRAM + VRM's I think that's it.


I don't know what the VRM looks like, that's what I'm asking.

Could you point them out perhaps?


----------



## james888

Where that silver vrm sink is. Sorry, did not feel like downloading and editing your pic.


----------



## ledzepp3

Anyone have a problem with their 7970 "buzzing" when under load? I've got an MSI 2PMD3GD5/OC and it buzzes when I'm running benchmarks and gaming, even when on base clocks and still while over clocked.

It isn't overheating, it's water cooled (running 47C max), so it couldn't be that, but I have heard that it could be a bad choke which could cause that, but I haven't verified that anywhere else.

Does anyone know how to fix this, preferably without RMA'ing the card because it would be a b**** to tear my system apart and replace the card that way.


----------



## Tonza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Sucks that I didn't know this before. I'll use those then. Besides the 12 VRAM chips, what else do I need to stick them on?


They have thermal tape on them (not sure tho). If somehow they dont have, buy setsuki thermal tape (best you can get).


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *james888*
> 
> 
> Where that silver vrm sink is. Sorry, did not feel like downloading and editing your pic.


Thanks for the pic, that's fine at describing it







any idea where I can buy it?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ledzepp3*
> 
> Anyone have a problem with their 7970 "buzzing" when under load? I've got an MSI 2PMD3GD5/OC and it buzzes when I'm running benchmarks and gaming, even when on base clocks and still while over clocked.
> 
> It isn't overheating, it's water cooled (running 47C max), so it couldn't be that, but I have heard that it could be a bad choke which could cause that, but I haven't verified that anywhere else.
> 
> Does anyone know how to fix this, preferably without RMA'ing the card because it would be a b**** to tear my system apart and replace the card that way.


It happens to me too. From what I've heard, people left their card under 100% load for 2-3 days and it went away.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> They have thermal tape on them (not sure tho). If somehow they dont have, buy setsuki thermal tape (best you can get).


The thermal tape came off when the heatsink did. The micro-heatsinks come with thermal tape though (Shin-etsu)


----------



## james888

The buzzing goes away after awhile. You don't even need to leave it on for 3 days, but that will be faster. All you really need is some super high fps loading screen over night is what I have read. My whine just went away after a few weeks.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Thanks for the pic, that's fine at describing it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> any idea where I can buy it?
> It happens to me too. From what I've heard, people left their card under 100% load for 2-3 days and it went away.
> The thermal tape came off when the heatsink did. The micro-heatsinks come with thermal tape though (Shin-etsu)


For reference cards I took some swiftech copper memory heatsinks & cut them in half, fits the mosfets on the 680 & 7970 just right. I just have 3m thermal tape, it works but isn't the stickiest stuff, have to be careful not to knock the sinks off.

Wondering when these new drivers will get posted, I was kinda waiting on the benching till they appear so I can compare.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> i am not sure someone asked already but did you go under settings in AB and checked Unlock voltages?


Yup, they were checked, even unofficial overclocking was enabled through the config file, it caused me problems so I had to disable it, it never worked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> I'm not sure if someone has asked this before, so bear with me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What version of Trixx are you using?4.4.0b MOD? Try that if you're using the latest stable version of Trixx. Uninstall and clean Trixx and use the latest beta.
> 
> There's also reports of people downgrading MSI Afterburner to 2.2.3 or 2.2.0. While in 2.3.0 the didn't have voltage controls or voltage couldn't be raised, downgrading gave them full voltage control. Or you can give ASUS GPU Tweak a go.


Iv'e tried the modded versions, It doesn't give me memory volt control either, and it's still capped at 1.13V, I'll try reverting AB version and see if it does the trick.

Iv'e tried ASUS GPU Tweak also, it's just the same as Trixx, capped to 1.13V


----------



## Nonehxc

Hey guys, some relevant info about that much commented frame latency of Radeons in past drivers. Tech Report were provided a 13.2beta within a day or two after the frame latency article and they improved it.

http://techreport.com/review/24218/a-driver-update-to-reduce-radeon-frame-times

Edit: 13.2 Betas out next week and a complete rewrite of memory management in next-next Beta's. More supercharger for our H(D)EMI's








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Yup, they were checked, even unofficial overclocking was enabled through the config file, it caused me problems so I had to disable it, it never worked.
> Iv'e tried the modded versions, It doesn't give me memory volt control either, and it's still capped at 1.13V, I'll try reverting AB version and see if it does the trick.
> 
> Iv'e tried ASUS GPU Tweak also, it's just the same as Trixx, capped to 1.13V


Try MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 or 2.2.3, also uninstall and clean all files/folders from 2.3.0. There are more and more reports of people able to change voltages on 2.3.0 after cleaning all Afterburner files, also after downgrading.


----------



## BradleyW

Thursday and still no drivers. Thank you AMD, I owe you one.........


----------



## Tonza

Marked with blue the VRMs.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Hey guys, some relevant info about that much commented frame latency of Radeons in past drivers. Tech Report were provided a 13.2beta within a day or two after the frame latency article and they improved it.
> 
> http://techreport.com/review/24218/a-driver-update-to-reduce-radeon-frame-times
> 
> Edit: 13.2 Betas out next week and a complete rewrite of memory management in next-next Beta's. More supercharger for our H(D)EMI's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Try MSI Afterburner 2.2.0 or 2.2.3, also uninstall and clean all files/folders from 2.3.0. There are more and more reports of people able to change voltages on 2.3.0 after cleaning all Afterburner files, also after downgrading.


Iv'e tried every version so far, from 2.1.0 to 2.3.0 none of them gives me voltage control









Quick update from Twitter, this was posted 15 hours ago
Quote:


> Andrew D‏@CatalystCreator
> 
> Quick update, looks like the WHQL cert logs are coming back late today, so Catalyst 13.1 should be live tomorrow


Source


----------



## BradleyW

I wonder what the new neta drivers will include in a few weeks? DMC5 optimizations maybe?


----------



## Nonehxc

Have you deleted every file associated with Afterburner? Look for folders in User, Appdata, My Documents, etc, named MSI or Afterburner with Everything and delete them if you haven't done so. Maybe a config file hiding somewhere is preventing you form accesing your voltage.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thursday and still no drivers. Thank you AMD, I owe you one.........


Barely gonna be 10 AM over there.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I wonder what the new neta drivers will include in a few weeks? DMC5 optimizations maybe?


For now only one sure optimization: memory management. Maybe they'll tweak DMC5 and start releasing optimizations for Bioshock Infinite.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> For now only one sure optimization: memory management. Maybe they'll tweak DMC5 and start releasing optimizations for Bioshock Infinite.


I will believe those memory tweaks when I see it! I'm hoping the new cats will fix FC3 DX11 mode. If it does not, I'm leaving AMD.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Barely gonna be 10 AM over there.


AMD is in California, so it's only around 7am there right now.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> AMD is in California, so it's only around 7am there right now.


Where is their formally known as ATi building?


----------



## Coree

Is 1.25V the maximum safe voltage for a 7950/70?


----------



## KaRLiToS

1300mv it is

Temperature is more important to monitor though


----------



## BradleyW

Just be careful with voltage. those on water sometimes put stupid amounts of voltage into their hardware and think they are ok because the temps are low. Higher voltage will kill a chip a lot quicker than running at a very high temperature.


----------



## Atomfix

Can I use a different BIOS for my XFX 7950 DD? becuase I'm wondering that if I changed the BIOS, I could probably go higher than 1.13V

Last time I tried to flash my 7950 with this BIOS http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/119533/Asus.HD7950.3072.120116.html

But it killed my 7950


----------



## Nonehxc

Maaan, don't EVER use another manufacturer bioses with your hardware, it's invoking the Lords of the Bricks!! Flashing a Bios isn't like it used to be in the past, a russian roulette, but you must know that flashing today can still arise problems even when the bios comes from the same manufacturer/model.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Maaan, don't EVER use another manufacturer bioses with your hardware, it's invoking the Lords of the Bricks!! Flashing a Bios isn't like it used to be in the past, a russian roulette, but you must know that flashing today can still arise problems even when the bios comes from the same manufacturer/model.


Stop scaring ppl for no reason. That's what the darn dual bios switch is for.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop scaring ppl for no reason. That's what the darn dual bios switch is for.


Sadly, the XFX 7950 DD doesn't have a dual BIOS switch, my last 7950 got bricked by flashing a ASUS BIOS onto the card, I have a feeling that ASUS bios was from a card without the new 8+6 pin by looking at the date it was uploaded


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop scaring ppl for no reason. That's what the darn dual bios switch is for.
> 
> 
> 
> Sadly, the XFX 7950 DD doesn't have a dual BIOS switch, my last 7950 got bricked by flashing a ASUS BIOS onto the card, I have a feeling that ASUS bios was from a card without the new 8+6 pin by looking at the date it was uploaded
Click to expand...

That's your fault with no bios switch though, not to pour salt on your wound. W/o a switch you are choosing to take on the risk.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's your fault with no bios switch though, not to pour salt on your wound. W/o a switch you are choosing to take on the risk.


RMA is your best friend


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's your fault with no bios switch though, not to pour salt on your wound. W/o a switch you are choosing to take on the risk.
> 
> 
> 
> RMA is your best friend
Click to expand...

RMA is like a blind date... do you guys have those across the pond? You never know what shes gonna look like.


----------



## Coree

I have a heatsink on the VRM's, should i put some mx-4 to the top of the VRM's? Is it safe or should I use thermal pads? VRM1 peaking @ 106C while I was playing BF3 at 1100/1405 @ 1,093mV (1.031) stock... 54% fan speed


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Sadly, the XFX 7950 DD doesn't have a dual BIOS switch, my last 7950 got bricked by flashing a ASUS BIOS onto the card, I have a feeling that ASUS bios was from a card without the new 8+6 pin by looking at the date it was uploaded


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's your fault with no bios switch though, not to pour salt on your wound. W/o a switch you are choosing to take on the risk.


Stop trying to be smart and not qualifying. Also, I would thank if you stopped spilling that childish arrogance over your answers, particularly aimed at me but in general also. If you want to take an egotrip, let's do it by PM.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Sadly, the XFX 7950 DD doesn't have a dual BIOS switch, my last 7950 got bricked by flashing a ASUS BIOS onto the card, I have a feeling that ASUS bios was from a card without the new 8+6 pin by looking at the date it was uploaded
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's your fault with no bios switch though, not to pour salt on your wound. W/o a switch you are choosing to take on the risk.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Stop trying to be smart and not qualifying. Also, I would thank if you stopped spilling that childish arrogance over your answers, particularly aimed at me but in general also. If you want to take an egotrip, let's do it by PM.
Click to expand...

What are you going on about? There's a dual bios switch for a reason. If you're card doesn't have one, that's a pretty damn obvious tip that it's not a reference card so in Atomfix's case, he took the risk.

You on the other hand are talking gibberish, just scaring ppl in general. There's a dual bios for a reason lmao.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> I have a heatsink on the VRM's, should i put some mx-4 to the top of the VRM's? Is it safe or should I use thermal pads? VRM1 peaking @ 106C while I was playing BF3 at 1100/1405 @ 1,093mV (1.031) stock... 54% fan speed


106c ouch.
Pads is likely to be better to hold them there.


----------



## Coree

Even at stock clocks VRM1 is hitting 90C after a 1-2 hour BF3 session. :/ Changed the thermal grease MX-4 on the GPU die though. 7C lower core temps at its peak


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *muhd86*
> 
> well i have dual 1000watt ps u hence in total = 2000watt , yes setup is stable but i just need to try out the max over clock on these gpus which some ohow i cant do .
> 
> strange ........wonder why gigabyte locked the voltages .


I'm just curious, if you're going to spend the money on 4 7970's why not just get a 7990? I'm still new around here so I honestly just wanted to know. Also, what the hell are you doing that requires that much GPU power?


----------



## Metro.Is.King

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> About this i5 2500k bottleneck, could someone please with Battlefield 3 do this;
> 
> To test if you have a bottleneck or not, there are usually two ways to do it. One, reduce your resolution to 800x600 and see if your FPS increases. if your FPS doesn't increase then you have a CPU bottleneck. If your FPS increase then you have a GPU bottleneck. Another method is to enter BF3 multiplayer (not singleplayer), and open console (press ~). Make sure the server is at 64 players. Type in the following, remember to press enter after each line.
> 
> Render.PerfOverlayEnable 1
> Render.PerfOverlayVisible 1
> 
> You CPU line is yellow and your GPU line is green. If your CPU line is above your GPU line, then you have a bottleneck. If your GPU line is above your CPU line then you have a GPU bottleneck. Your system is balanced when both lines are close to each other.
> 
> Please post the results.


Thanks for the overlay tip









*This is BF3 64/64 server Gulf of Oman in 1080p Ultra settings*


The CPU is always slightly higher used than the GPU but they are around the same level, FPS dips when yellow line spikes, which it does often

*This is same situation, same position on the map, ~same time at Ultra settings 800x600*


Is my CPU indeed bottlenecking?

The FPS is much more consistent at 800x600 than it is in 1080p in this map, but in smaller maps the 1080p FPS is just as consistent

I wonder how people with 7900 and 6 or 8 core Intel Core or FX processor would fare..


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> I'm just curious, if you're going to spend the money on 4 7970's why not just get a 7990? I'm still new around here so I honestly just wanted to know. Also, what the hell are you doing that requires that much GPU power?


Some people bench weight, others benchmark. I'd like to see a quad 7990 setup.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> I'm just curious, if you're going to spend the money on 4 7970's why not just get a 7990? I'm still new around here so I honestly just wanted to know. Also, what the hell are you doing that requires that much GPU power?


7990 is more expensive. About a grand iirc, whereas 2x 7970s will cost $300 each. Also, double the VRAM


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> I'm just curious, if you're going to spend the money on 4 7970's why not just get a 7990? I'm still new around here so I honestly just wanted to know. *Also, what the hell are you doing that requires that much GPU power*?


4 x 7970s is less expensive and I bet it overclocks much better than the 7990 (7970x2), not speaking about the Ares II overclocking ability though, still kind of unknown. But the Ares II is much more expensive. Good stock clocks though

Quadfire 7970s are use to run *Very high resolution*, mostly multi-monitor. And I can assure you that 4 x 7970s is still not enough for really high resolution.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> 7990 is more expensive. About a grand iirc, whereas 2x 7970s will cost $300 each. *Also, double the VRAM*


The 7970s are not double the Vram?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> I'm just curious, if you're going to spend the money on 4 7970's why not just get a 7990? I'm still new around here so I honestly just wanted to know. Also, what the hell are you doing that requires that much GPU power?
> 
> 
> 
> 7990 is more expensive. About a grand iirc, whereas 2x 7970s will cost $300 each. *Also, double the VRAM*
Click to expand...

Also, guess what happens when you have a problem with one of your 7990s? You lose two gpu at a time. With single cards, the balls keeps on rolling thru the rma process.

BOld, incorrecto. Vram on dual gpu cards is halved.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Are there a lot of driver problems for 7970 GHz Editions in CFX? These GHz Editions are looking very tasty right along with two 680 4GB. The HIS Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition is on a reference PCB & that's what I'm looking for, so I can WC them. Any help would be appreciated... I will be running one 2560x1440. I've never been able to get into the whole 3+ monitor setup, so that's out.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> Are there a lot of driver problems for 7970 GHz Editions in CFX? These GHz Editions are looking very tasty right along with two 680 4GB. The HIS Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition is on a reference PCB & that's what I'm looking for, so I can WC them. Any help would be appreciated... I will be running one 2560x1440. I've never been able to get into the whole 3+ monitor setup, so that's out.


Ghz is not just reference, AIBs can make any card out there Ghz edition. It's just a label on the surface, but the real issue is the bios. It sucks. Get a real reference card, no ghz crap. Diamond is one of the last players in town.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> Are there a lot of driver problems for 7970 GHz Editions in CFX? These GHz Editions are looking very tasty right along with two 680 4GB. The HIS Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition is on a reference PCB & that's what I'm looking for, so I can WC them. Any help would be appreciated... I will be running one 2560x1440. I've never been able to get into the whole 3+ monitor setup, so that's out.


You better get the cheapest Reference cards and flash the BIOS to the GHZ edition yourself.

In my opinion, its better to keep stock BIOS and overclock your cards yourself.

The Ghz BIOS has voltage locked, so you will be limited in your overlcocking.

*AMD 7970 Full BIOS Collection*

*How to OC Cards*


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> 4 x 7970s is less expensive and I bet it overclocks much better than the 7990 (7970x2), not speaking about the Ares II overclocking ability though, still kind of unknown. But the Ares II is much more expensive. Good stock clocks though
> 
> Quadfire 7970s are use to run *Very high resolution*, mostly multi-monitor. And I can assure you that 4 x 7970s is still not enough for really high resolution.
> The 7970s are not double the Vram?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Also, guess what happens when you have a problem with one of your 7990s? You lose two gpu at a time. With single cards, the balls keeps on rolling thru the rma process.
> 
> BOld, incorrecto. Vram on dual gpu cards is halved.


That's what I meant, VRAM on 2x 7970s will be doubled over a 7990

I don't understand why you both misconstrued that :/


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Barely gonna be 10 AM over there.


Our friend told me this delay is due to delay of the cert logs by MS.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> That's what I meant, VRAM on 2x 7970s will be doubled over a 7990
> 
> I don't understand why you both misconstrued that :/


You are wrong

The Vram on 2 x 7970 *=* Vram on a 7990

Vram on 4 x 7970 *=* Vram on a 7990

Vram on 3 x 7970 *=* Vram on a 7990

Vram on 1 x 7970 *=* Vram on 2 x 7970

The only 7970s that have Double the Vram of *ANY* 7900series is the Sapphire Toxic 7970 6GB

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1483


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> That's what I meant, VRAM on 2x 7970s will be doubled over a 7990
> 
> I don't understand why you both misconstrued that :/
> 
> 
> 
> You are wrong
> 
> The Vram on 2 x 7970 *=* Vram on a 7990
> 
> Vram on 4 x 7970 *=* Vram on a 7990
> 
> Vram on 3 x 7970 *=* Vram on a 7990
> 
> Vram on 1 x 7970 *=* Vram on 2 x 7970
> 
> The only 7970s that have Double the Vram of *ANY* 7900series is the Sapphire Toxic 7970 6GB
> 
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1483
Click to expand...

Wait are we assuming Crossfire or not? based on the article this topic started with, they weren't running Crossfire, it was for a workstation. They had 4x 7990s. A user asked why someone would buy 2x 7970s, when they can simply get a 7990.

In a non-Crossfire environment, 2x 7970s would have double the usable VRAM that 1x 7990 would have.

If I'm still wrong, please ,correct me.

I thought the 7990 used two standard 7970 chips, giving it 3GB. Nevermind, lack of research on my part.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Our friend told me this delay is due to delay of the cert logs by MS.


Andrew said so too.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ghz is not just reference, AIBs can make any card out there Ghz edition. It's just a label on the surface, but the real issue is the bios. It sucks. Get a real reference card, no ghz crap. Diamond is one of the last players in town.


Oh I didn't know the Bios was jacked, thanks...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> You better get the cheapest Reference cards and flash the BIOS to the GHZ edition yourself.
> 
> In my opinion, its better to keep stock BIOS and overclock your cards yourself.
> 
> The Ghz BIOS has voltage locked, so you will be limited in your overlcocking.
> 
> *AMD 7970 Full BIOS Collection*
> 
> *How to OC Cards*


I just thought they were better cards. I've never had a ATI/AMD card in my life & with the 900D coming I'm itching to WC. I'm not really thinking about the new cards, I'll get those when I upgrade to IVY-E. I wanna get my feet wet & I am Fein'n too..









How about these below.

HIS Radeon HD 7970 $384.99

PowerColor Radeon HD 7970 $369.99

Diamon Radeon HD 7970 $414.99

MSI Radeon HD 7970 $419.99


----------



## DownshiftArtist

So my understanding is that using 4 X 7970's is like getting 2 X 7990's for the price of 1.5 7990's.....but doesn't using 4x crossfire get problematic? I mean I've read so many stories of problems with 2 cards so I can't see it getting any better with 4. Then there's a question of the bandwidth. If you're spending this kind of money I'm assuming you're using an X79 board therefore with 2 X 7990 you'd have16x/16. wouldn't that be more effective than 4x 7970 in 16x/8x/8x/8x?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Tsm is right tho... If you buy a piece of hardware thinking of modding it (delidding, changing bioses, cooling etc...) and fail at it and come here crying and whining about it well then my friends...

IT IS YOUR FAULT!!!!

Some of us would say (like tsm) you should do a better research before tinkering with stuff you dont know about *or a better option dont even bother with it to begin with......*


----------



## Stefy

Hmm guys, 10k graphics score on 1125 core, and 1400mem. Good or bad?


----------



## james888

I got 11k score 1300/1600 so that sounds pretty good. I do only have a 2500k at 4.5ghz though.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *james888*
> 
> I got 11k score 1300/1600 so that sounds pretty good. I do only have a 2500k at 4.5ghz though.


Alright, thx ^^


----------



## Stefy

DELETE.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Hmm guys, 10k graphics score on 1125 core, and 1400mem. Good or bad?


10k pretty good for a 7950 for a 7950 @1125/1400 with an ivy i7.








about what i get with a sandy i7 @ 4.4 and a hd7950 at 1155/1725
this is an old score tho, still have to do some runs on new parts and CPU OC
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Hmm guys, 10k graphics score on 1125 core, and 1400mem. Good or bad?
> 
> 
> 
> 10k pretty good for a 7950 for a 7950 @1125/1400 with an ivy i7.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> about what i get with a sandy i7 @ 4.4 and a hd7950 at 1155/1725
> this is an old score tho, still have to do some runs on new parts and CPU OC
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118
Click to expand...

Awesome!









Here's my score: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600233
Going to try higher clocks on mem and OC CPU a bit higher.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Hmm guys, 10k graphics score on 1125 core, and 1400mem. Good or bad?
> 
> 
> 
> 10k pretty good for a 7950 for a 7950 @1125/1400 with an ivy i7.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> about what i get with a sandy i7 @ 4.4 and a hd7950 at 1155/1725
> this is an old score tho, still have to do some runs on new parts and CPU OC
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Awesome!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's my score: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600233
> *Going to try higher clocks on mem and OC CPU a bit higher.*
Click to expand...

try that








intersting my score dropped since i changed to b11 drivers







the previous score was on b10
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600803


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Hmm guys, 10k graphics score on 1125 core, and 1400mem. Good or bad?
> 
> 
> 
> 10k pretty good for a 7950 for a 7950 @1125/1400 with an ivy i7.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> about what i get with a sandy i7 @ 4.4 and a hd7950 at 1155/1725
> this is an old score tho, still have to do some runs on new parts and CPU OC
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Awesome!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's my score: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600233
> *Going to try higher clocks on mem and OC CPU a bit higher.*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> try that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> intersting my score dropped since i changed to b11 drivers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the previous score was on b10
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600803
Click to expand...

Hmm, that is odd. I saw some guy who got 11k score with a Gigabyte 7950 at around 1075 core, but that was 2-3 months ago I think. So apparently something has happened.

Not sure how legit that score was though.


----------



## james888

Can't be legit. My [email protected] and 7970 at 1300/1600 got a best of p10998.


----------



## Atomfix

I scored P8735 @ 1120 Core and 1400 Memory "XFX 7950 DD"

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600992?loginkey=v3m8nSX3Fs8S2SrkIsJ3yw

I sent a support ticket to XFX asking them about voltage control, and they said it's locked on these cards :/


----------



## Atomfix

Direct Download Link for 13.1 Catalyst

What's new in 13.1 "Source"
Quote:


> AMD Catalyst Control Center: New 3D settings and profile management user interface:
> 
> AMD Catalyst 13.1 features a newly designed 3D application settings page, designed to allow users to more easily adjust and control their 3D settings on a per application basis.
> 
> Performance Highlights of AMD Catalyst 13.1 (vs. AMD Catalyst 12.10): Includes all of the performance improvements found in AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta 11
> •Performance gains seen on the entire AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series:
> •All game were tested at high / extreme / ultra levels
> ◦Enhanced performance in Far Cry 3 (up to 25% with 8xMSAA, SSAO enabled @ 1600p, and up to 15% with 8xMSAA, HDAO enabled @1600p) (AMD Catalyst 12.11 CAP2 must also be installed)
> ◦Enhanced AMD CrossFire™ scaling performance in Call of Duty Black Ops 2
> ◦Up to 10%-15% more performance in Battlefield 3 in most cases
> ■• More than 20% in certain missions and sequences (Comrades)
> ◦Up to 7% more performance in Metro 2033
> ◦Up to 10% more performance in DiRT Showdown
> ◦Up to 8% more performance in Sleeping Dogs
> ◦Up to 12% more performance in Civilization V
> ◦Up to 10% more performance in StarCraft II
> ◦Up to 8% more performance in Sniper Elite: V2
> ◦Up to 5% more performance in Max Payne 3
> •AMD Catalyst Mobility 7970M performance for AMD Enduro™ technology supported platforms has been improved for DirectX® 9, DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 applications:
> ◦3DMark® 06 - Up to 6%
> ◦3DMark Vantage - Up to 15%
> ◦3DMark 11 - Up to 12%
> ◦AvP - Up to 11%
> ◦Battlefield 3 - Up to 25%
> ◦Call of Duty: Black Ops - Up to 13%
> ◦Crysis 2: Up to 45%
> ◦DiRT Showdown - Up to 62%
> ◦ETQW - Up to 8%
> ◦Hard Reset - Up to 8%
> ◦Just Cause 2 - Up to 90%
> ◦Mafia 2 - Up to 40%
> ◦The Chronicles of Riddick - Up to 4%
> ◦Shogun 2 - Up to 56%
> ◦StarCraft 2 - Up to 25%
> ◦Skyrim - Up to 45%
> ◦Sniper Elite V2 - Up to 60%
> ◦Tom Clancy's HAWX - Up to 56%
> ◦Unigine Heaven - Up to 33%
> ◦Wolfenstein - Up to 9%
> 
> Resolved Issues for the Windows 8 / Windows 7 Operating Systems:
> 
> This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst 13.1 software suite.
> •A sporadic system hang encountered with a single AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series GPU seen on X58 and X79 chipsets.
> •An intermittent hang encountered with AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series GPUs in an AMD CrossFire + Eyefinity setup.
> •Missing fonts in XBMC
> •No video found in Media Player Classic Home Cinema when using full or half floating point processing
> •Skyrim lighting (missing a lighting pass) for the AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series
> •Skyrim cloud corruption experience in various in game locations
> •A hang playing Dishonored on the AMD Radeon HD 6000 and AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series
> •Engine and memory clocks running too high when the GPU is idle.
> •GPU activity runs at lower values than expected seen on the AMD Radeon HD 7870.
> •Corruption seen in Darkness 2 and Carrier Command when using AMD CrossFire configurations
> •Adobe Premier Pro CS6 may fail to launch
> •Hang experienced with AMD Crossfire and Eyefinity enabled on X58 and X78 chipsets
> •Corel PaintShop Pro X3 - Hangs at the "Initializing Command Manager" window
> •Company of Heroes 2 - display corruption experienced when AA is enabled in the AMD Catalyst Control Center
> •Cyberlink Powerdirector 10 crashes intermittently.
> •Company of Heroes : Tales of Valor - Flickering experienced when AA is disabled
> •Max Payne 3 - Flickering experienced in DirectX 9 mode with forced AA enabled
> •Cyberlink PoweDVD 10 - crashes intermittently
> •VLC - Green texture corruption seen in 720p MPEG2 video clips
> •Black screen encountered when "Alternate DVI mode" is enabled in the AMD Catalyst Control Center
> •Green display corruption seen in Skype webcam video
> 
> Known Issues
> 
> The following section provides a summary of open issues that may be experienced with the AMD Catalyst 13.1 software suite.
> 
> Known issues under the Windows 8 Operating System.
> •Sleeping Dogs - game may fail to launch in certain configurations
> 
> Known issues under the Windows 7 Operating System.
> •Shogun 2 - Total War : flickering experienced when game is run in medium quality mode


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> The Ghz BIOS has voltage locked, so you will be limited in your overlcocking.


A bit confused here, my XFX ghz edition 7970 isn't bios locked... unless you mean his particular brand?


----------



## ledzepp3

Awesome, thanks! Do you recommend any applications for this? I have 3D Mark 11 and Vantage, and MSI Kombustor right now


----------



## BradleyW

So CCC 13.1 is pretty much the same as 12.11 beta but with a WHQL on the side.
Screw you in every way possible AMD!


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Metro.Is.King*
> 
> Thanks for the overlay tip
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *This is BF3 64/64 server Gulf of Oman in 1080p Ultra settings*
> 
> 
> The CPU is always slightly higher used than the GPU but they are around the same level, FPS dips when yellow line spikes, which it does often
> 
> *This is same situation, same position on the map, ~same time at Ultra settings 800x600*
> 
> 
> Is my CPU indeed bottlenecking?
> 
> The FPS is much more consistent at 800x600 than it is in 1080p in this map, but in smaller maps the 1080p FPS is just as consistent
> 
> I wonder how people with 7900 and 6 or 8 core Intel Core or FX processor would fare..


Thanks for posting your results. In your case, your CPU looks like to be bottleneck, CPU line above GPU line. Maybe the i5's do bottleneck the 7950. Have you capped your FPS by any chance? Be great is someone else posted their results and we'll compare.


----------



## NotReadyYet

New drivers screwed me. After I installed them and rebooted my bios screen comes up and that's it. I get a black screen and my monitors power button blinks signifying its not getting a signal. What to do?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> New drivers screwed me. After I installed them and rebooted my bios screen comes up and that's it. I get a black screen and my monitors power button blinks signifying its not getting a signal. What to do?


And i installed it just a sec ago, darn.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> New drivers screwed me. After I installed them and rebooted my bios screen comes up and that's it. I get a black screen and my monitors power button blinks signifying its not getting a signal. What to do?


what? 13.1? i just installed it and played some games seems to work.

all i did was go to device manager and unistalled 12.11. Reboot and installed 13.1 without a hitch. HDMI works.



do not mind the girl on the side that is my gf.

*edit:*: you do have integrated graphics, right? use it to boot to windows if you can. go to device manager and uninstall the driver currently installed. you go back to 12.11 if you want.


----------



## NotReadyYet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> what? 13.1? i just installed it and played some games seems to work.
> 
> all i did was go to device manager and unistalled 12.11. Reboot and installed 13.1 without a hitch. HDMI works.
> 
> 
> 
> do not mind the girl on the side that is my gf.
> 
> *edit:*: you do have integrated graphics, right? use it to boot to windows if you can. go to device manager and uninstall the driver currently installed. you go back to 12.11 if you want.


I uninstalled and installed everything correctly. I was able to get into windows and am using the old driver now.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> I uninstalled and installed everything correctly. I was able to get into windows and am using the old driver now.


cool. i just played bf3 kharg 64 man server 4.5 GHz ht off, gpu at stock,1080 ultra 4msaa and it is smooth as ever . . .


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> I scored P8735 @ 1120 Core and 1400 Memory "XFX 7950 DD"
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600992?loginkey=v3m8nSX3Fs8S2SrkIsJ3yw
> 
> I sent a support ticket to XFX asking them about voltage control, and they said it's locked on these cards :/


Its not locked. At least mine is not locked, just open up afterburner and unlock voltage control.

i just installed the 13.1 drivers. No issues, hey my hdmi is detected again cool (audio) not that i used it. Coming from the 12.11 beta 11's

You guys actually uninstall the old drivers? I just download the new ones, install it automatically removes the old drivers.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> I scored P8735 @ 1120 Core and 1400 Memory "XFX 7950 DD"
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5600992?loginkey=v3m8nSX3Fs8S2SrkIsJ3yw
> 
> I sent a support ticket to XFX asking them about voltage control, and they said it's locked on these cards :/
> 
> 
> 
> Its not locked. At least mine is not locked, just open up afterburner and unlock voltage control.
> 
> i just installed the 13.1 drivers. No issues, hey my hdmi is detected again cool (audio) not that i used it. Coming from the 12.11 beta 11's
> 
> You guys actually uninstall the old drivers? I just download the new ones, install it automatically removes the old drivers.
Click to expand...

Yep, there is no need to uninstall the old drivers now.


----------



## switchblade

The new drivers are very nice. BF3 feels smooth indeed. Must congratulate the driver department


----------



## 12Cores

13.1 drivers provide a decent boost in performance.

1265/1800 run


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> 13.1 drivers provide a decent boost in performance.
> 
> 1265/1800 run


what was your score before?

seems a bit low. I score over 10k @ 7950 1125/1500 with a [email protected] 4.945ghz DDR3 2006 9-9-9-24, hyper transport 2795mhz , and north bridge 2365mhz

with your clocks you should be over 11k.


----------



## NotReadyYet

I know what the problem was. I have an OC'd 1440P monitor running at 125hz. I guess the pixel patcher was not optimized for the new drivers. Once the new patch comes out ill give it another shot.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> 13.1 drivers provide a decent boost in performance.
> 
> 1265/1800 run
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what was your score before?
> 
> seems a bit low. I score over 10k @ 7950 1125/1500 with a [email protected] 4.945ghz DDR3 2006 9-9-9-24, hyper transport 2795mhz , and north bridge 2365mhz
> 
> with your clocks you should be over 11k.
Click to expand...

His results seems pretty consistent with what others are getting. I'd say 12k GPU score is about right.


----------



## Awesome Stranger

I got a noticeable performance increase with 13.1! I haven't played any games yet but on 3dmark11 I got:

GFX

AFTER: 10608

BEFORE: 10557

i7 2600k @ 4.5 GHZ
8 GB 1600 MHZ RAM
Sapphire HD 7970 Dual-X "OC boost" (blue PCB) OC'ed to 1150/1550


----------



## Luke133

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Interesting, As stupid as i am, i was just browsing around my local hardware dealer and found a powercolor 7970 cheap.
> This model: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PowerColor-Radeon-7970-3GB-GDDR5/dp/B007JSSZIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238955&sr=8-1 But a price of 290£ instead.
> Now i'm starting to wonder if it beats this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-11196-09-40G-HD7950-Vapox-X-Graphics/dp/B0091MFBZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358238932&sr=8-1 for a price of 239£
> Stupid, stupid hardware
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> If it's somewhat the same, i stick to the Sapphire 7950


I just spent along time researching 7970's this is the one you should get i just brought it my self

http://www.waeplus.co.uk/product/1291361/SAPPHIRE-TECHNOLOGY-Radeon-HD-7970-OC-Bo £283:thumb:


----------



## james888

I have the non boost version of that card. It is a great card. The cooler is pretty quiet and does a good job also.

Why did your research tell you that exact card.

12.11 drivers with 3dmark 11 gave me 10998 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5581515
13.1 drivers gave me 11089 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5604872a

[email protected] and a 7970 at 1300/1600


----------



## burksdb

Hey guys.

tried searching a bunch of different places and i cannot find any information if the Diamond HD7970 Double Black Diamond Overclocked Edition is a reference design or not. Wanting to add a full cover waterblock, but not sure if they will fit.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814103210


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Yep, there is no need to uninstall the old drivers now.


I have always had better performance when I did a manual clean uninstall.

AMD now how a clean uninstall utility.

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx

My clean results:

Quote:


> AMD Clean Uninstall Utility
> Cleanup Report
> 01/18/13 00:41:39
> 
> System Information
> Manufacturer AMD Technologies
> OS Windows 7
> OSType Windows 64 bit OS
> 
> Uninstalled packagesCCC
> AVT
> AVT64
> HydraVision
> PRW
> PRW64
> OpenCL64
> OpenCL
> WirelessDisplay
> WirelessDisplay64
> CIM
> CIM64
> DnDTranscoding
> DnDTranscoding64
> SteadyVideo
> SteadyVideo64
> Branding
> ccc-core-static
> ccc-graphics-previews-common
> ccc-all
> ccc-mom-installproxy
> PowerXpressHybrid
> ccc-profiles-desktop
> ccc-profiles-mobile
> ccc-utility
> ccc-utility64
> Fuel
> Fuel64
> WMVDecoder
> WMVDecoder64
> Utility
> Utility64
> DisplayDriver
> DisplayDriver64
> HDMIAUDIO
> HDMIAUDIO64
> CIR
> CIR64
> amdkmafd
> amdkmafd64
> AMDKMPFD
> AMDKMPFD64
> 
> Packages for uninstall
> CCCFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0805.1935.33342
> Size: 150
> AVTFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2.00.0003
> Size: 3
> AVT64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2.00.0003
> Size: 3
> HydraVisionFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 4.2.248.0
> Size: 6
> PRWFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.0.904.0
> Size: 6
> PRW64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.0.904.0
> Size: 6
> OpenCL64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 10.0.1022.1
> Size: 90
> OpenCLFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 10.0.1022.1
> Size: 90
> WirelessDisplayFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 1.0.0.2
> Size: 1
> WirelessDisplay64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 1.0.0.2
> Size: 1
> CIMFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.0.896.0
> Size: 20
> CIM64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.0.896.0
> Size: 20
> DnDTranscodingFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2.00.0000
> Size: 1
> DnDTranscoding64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2.00.0000
> Size: 1
> SteadyVideoFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2.06.0000
> Size: 1
> SteadyVideo64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2.06.0000
> Size: 1
> BrandingFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 1.00.0000
> Size: 1
> ccc-core-staticFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 13
> ccc-graphics-previews-commonFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 2
> ccc-allFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 1
> ccc-mom-installproxyFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 1
> PowerXpressHybridFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 1.00.0000
> Size: 1
> ccc-profiles-desktopFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 1
> ccc-profiles-mobileFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 1
> ccc-utilityFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 1
> ccc-utility64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0930.1953.33868
> Size: 1
> FuelFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0805.1935.33342
> Size: 3
> Fuel64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0805.1935.33342
> Size: 3
> WMVDecoderFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 1.0.70805.2017
> Size: 1
> WMVDecoder64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 1.0.70805.2017
> Size: 1
> UtilityFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0805.1935.33342
> Size: 1
> Utility64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 2012.0805.1935.33342
> Size: 1
> DisplayDriverFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 9.010.0.0000
> Size: 90
> DisplayDriver64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 9.010.0.0000
> Size: 90
> HDMIAUDIOFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.0.0.8807
> Size: 1
> HDMIAUDIO64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.0.0.8807
> Size: 1
> CIRFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 3.2.4.0110
> Size: 1
> CIR64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 3.2.4.0110
> Size: 1
> amdkmafdFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 9.01.1.0000
> Size: 1
> amdkmafd64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 9.01.1.0000
> Size: 1
> AMDKMPFDFinal Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.97.0.0000
> Size: 1
> AMDKMPFD64Final Status: Success
> Version of Item: 8.97.0.0000
> Size: 1


----------



## GunMetal

Me, I uninstall old driver first before updating. Am I suppose to reinstall the CAP with this method? Do CAP removed on the uninstall process?


----------



## GunMetal

*poor bandwidth


----------



## GunMetal

*poor bandwidth


----------



## GunMetal

*poor bandwidth


----------



## SilkyJohnson

well just wanted to chime in with my 13.1 experience. I couldnt even install 12.11 because it would always lock up during the install or just fail completely so I was stuck on 12.10. 13.1 works fine for me and I saw a slight boost in FC3. So far so good.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Its not locked. At least mine is not locked, just open up afterburner and unlock voltage control.
> 
> i just installed the 13.1 drivers. No issues, hey my hdmi is detected again cool (audio) not that i used it. Coming from the 12.11 beta 11's
> 
> You guys actually uninstall the old drivers? I just download the new ones, install it automatically removes the old drivers.


It is, and it still doesn't work, only ASUS GPU Tweak and Sapphire Trixx lets me adjust the voltage, but only upto 1.13V

I wish someone would release a mod that would get rid of the capped voltage limit


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Yep, there is no need to uninstall the old drivers *now*.


Wait what? Where did you hear that?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> It is, and it still doesn't work, only ASUS GPU Tweak and Sapphire Trixx lets me adjust the voltage, but only upto 1.13V
> 
> I wish someone would release a mod that would get rid of the capped voltage limit


Do you have a Ghz Edition Bios / Card ???


----------



## kfxsti

Has anyone running a 7990 tried the 13.1 yet? 12.11 runs like a beast on mine. and was wondering if anyone ran into issues with it?


----------



## sena

Guys, i got MSI HD 7950 TF3, 6+6 pin, but boost edition, and i am wondering can i flash this bios :http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/114932/MSI.HD7950.3072.120202.html to remove boost thing.

Thanks all in advance.


----------



## Atomfix

Would this BIOS XFX 7970 DD Black Edition work on my XFX 7950 DD (Non Black Edition) in an attempt to unlock voltage control? and finally pass 1.13V








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Wait what? Where did you hear that?
> Do you have a Ghz Edition Bios / Card ???


Nope, Just a plain XFX 7950 DD (Not Black Edition) version

FX-795A-TDJC


----------



## ebduncan

has anyone tried the 13.1 drivers in Dota 2?

I installed the 13.1 drivers last night and the colors in the game were all wacked out. Figured i would reboot and reset my overclock, but that didn't fix it. Hmms


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> has anyone tried the 13.1 drivers in Dota 2?
> 
> I installed the 13.1 drivers last night and the colors in the game were all wacked out. Figured i would reboot and reset my overclock, but that didn't fix it. Hmms


could it be that you installed 13.1 without uninstalling 12.11 manually? just guessing.


----------



## NotReadyYet

*For those who don't know yet.* *AMD came out with their own GPU drivers uninstaller**, in order to fully insure all traces of a previous install are gone*


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> could it be that you installed 13.1 without uninstalling 12.11 manually? just guessing.


NO.
you no longer are required to uninstall your previous drivers before installing the new ones. It does it automatically for you now.

But i did run the driver cleaner from AMD. and Reinstalled the drivers, same issue.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> has anyone tried the 13.1 drivers in Dota 2?
> 
> I installed the 13.1 drivers last night and the colors in the game were all wacked out. Figured i would reboot and reset my overclock, but that didn't fix it. Hmms


Dota 2, one of my favorite game of all time. Your issue sure is about the driver no doubt, but I just updated to 13.1 without any problems on that game so I don't know what's causing it.

And I'm not really comfortable on *"automatically"* updating a driver without uninstalling the old one.


----------



## Nocturin

whelp.... i need to wipe my system anyways...


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Dota 2, one of my favorite game of all time. Your issue sure is about the driver no doubt, but I just updated to 13.1 without any problems on that game so I don't know what's causing it.
> 
> And I'm not really comfortable on *"automatically"* updating a driver without uninstalling the old one.


Think i figured it out. Went into steam and verified the game cache, and now downloading files. Perhaps some of the files got corrupted causing my issue. Will find out in a few mins.

I uninstalled the 13.1 drivers and went back to 12.11 beta 11 and still had the same issues, so hopefully this works.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Think i figured it out. Went into steam and verified the game cache, and now downloading files. Perhaps some of the files got corrupted causing my issue. Will find out in a few mins.
> 
> I uninstalled the 13.1 drivers and went back to 12.11 beta 11 and still had the same issues, so hopefully this works.


Hmm, yes that might help.


----------



## ebduncan

yup issue resolved.

No more trip colors. Thank goodness. Back on 13.1 all issues resolved that i know about so far. Guess all i had to do was verify the game cache


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NotReadyYet*
> 
> *For those who don't know yet.* *AMD came out with their own GPU drivers uninstaller**, in order to fully insure all traces of a previous install are gone*


Fully insure all traces of the previous installation are gone?
I doubt that.

AMD's new uninstall utility isn't as thorough as I'd like it to be.


----------



## KaRLiToS

It doesn't remove old card entries in the Registry CurrentControlSets. I still prefer manual uninstallation.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Fully insure all traces of the previous installation are gone?
> I doubt that.
> 
> AMD's new uninstall utility isn't as thorough as I'd like it to be.


I am afraid you are right... it definately does not clean as complete as atiman uninstaller 7.0.2


----------



## SortOfGrim

My Matrix is stock rated at 1100MHz while at the shop it's listed as 1050MHz (with 1100MHz as boost), does that mean mine will boost even higher or is it always on boost?


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SortOfGrim*
> 
> My Matrix is stock rated at 1100MHz while at the shop it's listed as 1050MHz (with 1100MHz as boost), does that mean mine will boost even higher or is it always on boost?


My card always run on boost clock when gaming, it run as if it's the default clock speed. I think we are in the same situation.


----------



## grymok

Just got my Sapphire 7950 Vapor-x 950 Mhz edition with the 2x 8 pins power.
It seems like the card is voltage locked, and tryed to boost the memory to around 1500 and crashed just right after :S.
Probaly because the memory only gets 1500 mv.
I will be pretty dissapointed, if this card can't get over 1200 mhz on core and 1600 on memory :S.

EDIT: Have benched a little now. max 1180 vcore, with 1244mv in gpu-z, 1400 mhz memory.
It doesn't OC as well, as my previously 7950 MSI Twin Frozr card :S. But is definitely is more quite.


----------



## gian84

Just got my HIS 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock. Max stable core is 1200mhz @ 1.25v and memory 1500mhz @ 1.6v


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> Just got my HIS 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock. Max stable core is 1200mhz @ 1.25v and memory 1500mhz @ 1.6v


Beautiful rig man, and the card you chose just complements the color scheme


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Beautiful rig man, and the card you chose just complements the color scheme


Thanks! Hopefully this will serve me well for a couple of years


----------



## KaRLiToS

Yeah, the rig and colors are definately awsome.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> Just got my HIS 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock. Max stable core is 1200mhz @ 1.25v and memory 1500mhz @ 1.6v


So I guess the 1.25v is safe even without knowing what your VRM temps are, yes?

I got the same card with 1800 on 1.25v


----------



## Rahulzz

How much power does ""Sapphire VAPOR-X HD 7950 OC with Boost 3"" needs? In 12v rail how much power does it need?


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rahulzz*
> 
> How much power does ""Sapphire VAPOR-X HD 7950 OC with Boost 3"" needs? In 12v rail how much power does it need?


From Techpowerup.com's review the max is 200W for furmark(gaming is less)
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Vapor-X/26.html
'
From Tom's review(GPGPU power consumption > Gaming power consumption):


A quality 500W+ Bronze 80 unit from Seasonic/Corsair etc should be more than enough.


----------



## Rahulzz

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> From Techpowerup.com's review the max is 200W for furmark(gaming is less)
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Vapor-X/26.html
> '
> From Tom's review(GPGPU power consumption > Gaming power consumption):
> 
> 
> A quality 500W+ Bronze 80 unit from Seasonic/Corsair etc should be more than enough.






Thnx man


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> Thanks! Hopefully this will serve me well for a couple of years


your case looks gorgeous with that card complementing it well. the HD 7950 is price perf king. at 1200 mhz your card should do as well as a HD 7970(1150 mhz).









also what are your core and VRM temps at 1200 mhz. thats quite important .


----------



## Spongeworthy

Is the core voltage read out in HWiNFO or GPU-Z correct? Messing around with the voltages in Afterburner, the VDDC in GPU-Z seems to be the same read out as "GPU VRM Voltage Out" in HWiNFO. The VDDC in HWiNFO seems to be just stuck at 1.170 no matter what voltage I set in AB.

My 7970 is this model XFX FX-797A-TNBC, if you want to google it. Anyone help?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spongeworthy*
> 
> Is the core voltage read out in HWiNFO or GPU-Z correct? Messing around with the voltages in Afterburner, the VDDC in GPU-Z seems to be the same read out as "GPU VRM Voltage Out" in HWiNFO. The VDDC in HWiNFO seems to be just stuck at 1.170 no matter what voltage I set in AB.
> 
> My 7970 is this model XFX FX-797A-TNBC, if you want to google it. Anyone help?


It's possible that your card is stuck at 1170mhz and afterburner is cooperating. My old 5850 did the same thing, the voltage only got applied once out of twice. Mess around with it


----------



## Spongeworthy

It's weird because in programs like AIDA64, HWiNFO64 and HWMonitor, they all say 1.170v no matter what voltage I set it to in AB. But changing the voltages in AB actually does something, I was only able to achieve 1200/1575 because I raised the Core voltage. Maybe I'm reading all of this wrong. Can anyone post their HWiNFO64 and GPU-Z just so I can compare?


----------



## Cykososhull

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spongeworthy*
> 
> It's weird because in programs like AIDA64, HWiNFO64 and HWMonitor, they all say 1.170v no matter what voltage I set it to in AB. But changing the voltages in AB actually does something, I was only able to achieve 1200/1575 because I raised the Core voltage. Maybe I'm reading all of this wrong. Can anyone post their HWiNFO64 and GPU-Z just so I can compare?


Mine used to be all over the place as well. But I followed this guide and it worked with showing correct voltages with MSI AB.


----------



## Spongeworthy

EDIT : Nvm I guess my question was answered already.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> VRM output = vcore input. if one is moving and the other isn't, then it's time to pull out the DVOM. VRM "voltage" is only what it is because of what vcore is set at - you can't arbitrarily "set" vrm voltage.
> 
> Also, sometimes voltage is reported based on what it's set at, not what it is. IDK about the 7.9k cards, but with the 6.9k cards it reports desired output voltage, not actual core voltage.


Also, the vdroop on my card is ridiculous. It drops more than 100mV at 1.3V on load. Forcing constant voltage in AB doesn't do anything, trixx doesn't really help either. Is there anything else I can do?


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> So I guess the 1.25v is safe even without knowing what your VRM temps are, yes?
> 
> I got the same card with 1800 on 1.25v


1800mhz? Wow. I've never heard a 7950, or any gpu reach that high. Even the reviewed his 7950 boost only reached 1250mhz. Regarding vrm temps, can you see that on afterburner? I only see the gpu temp. Mine max out to around 70 on furmark burn in test.


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> your case looks gorgeous with that card complementing it well. the HD 7950 is price perf king. at 1200 mhz your card should do as well as a HD 7970(1150 mhz).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also what are your core and VRM temps at 1200 mhz. thats quite important .


Thanks! My core temp max out at around 70C on furmark burn it test. About the vrm temp, where can you see it?


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> Just got my HIS 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock. Max stable core is 1200mhz @ 1.25v and memory 1500mhz @ 1.6v


I know it has been said several times, but thats a beatiful setup you have right there









My tight,small case with no cable management (pretty hard to excecute) looks pretty dull compared to that, you must have quite good airflow?

EDIT. he isnt getting 1800mhz out of the core, I bet my left leg he meant 1800mhz MEMORY, which is quite achievable.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> 1800mhz? Wow. I've never heard a 7950, or any gpu reach that high. Even the reviewed his 7950 boost only reached 1250mhz. Regarding vrm temps, can you see that on afterburner? I only see the gpu temp. Mine max out to around 70 on furmark burn in test.


Sorry typo, I mean 1180 at 1.25v ^^
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> Thanks! My core temp max out at around 70C on furmark burn it test. About the vrm temp, where can you see it?


HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 has a disabled VRM sensor, you can scroll down on the sensor tab on GPUZ but you will only see a lock 24-25 reading.


----------



## Layo

My Sapphire 7950 runs automaticaly at 1.25 (1075/1350) with asic +-60%.


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> I know it has been said several times, but thats a beatiful setup you have right there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My tight,small case with no cable management (pretty hard to excecute) looks pretty dull compared to that, you must have quite good airflow?
> 
> EDIT. he isnt getting 1800mhz out of the core, I bet my left leg he meant 1800mhz MEMORY, which is quite achievable.


Thanks! Yeah airflow is pretty good on this case despite not having a side panel fan. It's a good bang-for-the-buck case IMO.


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Sorry typo, I mean 1180 at 1.25v ^^
> HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2 has a disabled VRM sensor, you can scroll down on the sensor tab on GPUZ but you will only see a lock 24-25 reading.


Then I guess we won't know the vrm temp.. but i see a lot of people running 1.25v, some even 1.3v, so i think we're fine. We have warranty anyways.


----------



## Spongeworthy

When people post 1.25v or 1.3v, are they posting what they are setting the voltages to in a program like afterburner, or their actual voltages? I can't for the life of me get anywhere near 1.3v, the voltage drop always drags me down to under 1.2v.


----------



## Layo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spongeworthy*
> 
> When people post 1.25v or 1.3v, are they posting what they are setting the voltages to in a program like afterburner, or their actual voltages? I can't for the life of me get anywhere near 1.3v, the voltage drop always drags me down to under 1.2v.


I have 1.25V automaticaly. Didn't ever adjust voltage.


----------



## kfxsti

what do you guys think? i haven't really tried to overclock her much yet but will when i get a chance. (the 7990)

with 12.11
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5623974

with 13.1
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5624095


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Layo*
> 
> I have 1.25V automaticaly. Didn't ever adjust voltage.


Same, mine goes to 1.25 automatically. When i set it to 1.3v my actual voltage won't follow. Using afterburner by the way, i haven't tried it with the his software yet.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Soo... I had a hard time controlling a mate after "A few drinks" and he ended up saying lots of personal stuff about me and it was quite mean and made me upset personally..

The next morning I woke up and he said he feels so bad that he's gonna buy me a second 7950.. I said no but he insists...

My question is, what is the best 7950 to buy now? I'm on air and I have a Ice Q Turbo. I'd absolutely love to get a second one but I can't seem to acquire on in Australia at all. I might even end up getting a family friend to ship it from the states.









He seems keen on getting me a Gigabyte Tri-Cool... But I know that will screw with the airflow in my case AND they're voltage locked now which sucks a lot.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Soo... I had a hard time controlling a mate after "A few drinks" and he ended up saying lots of personal stuff about me and it was quite mean and made me upset personally..
> 
> The next morning I woke up and he said he feels so bad that he's gonna buy me a second 7950.. I said no but he insists...
> 
> My question is, what is the best 7950 to buy now? I'm on air and I have a Ice Q Turbo. I'd absolutely love to get a second one but I can't seem to acquire on in Australia at all. I might even end up getting a family friend to ship it from the states.


wow, oh what a night hey. hey get drunk and call me all the names under the sun, then feel bad and buy me a new card







that is very nice of your friend to make up to you like that










OK as to the card, i always hear good things about the saphire dualX or vaporX w/boost.









or get the same card you have and have a nice matching pair


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> wow, oh what a night hey. hey get drunk and call me all the names under the sun, then feel bad and buy me a new card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> that is very nice of your friend to make up to you like that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OK as to the card, i always hear good things about the saphire dualX or vaporX w/boost.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or get the same card you have and have a nice matching pair


Yeah.. Well I'd be banned on here with some of the stuff he abused me with.. haha, that and I do drive him around a lot.
I do feel bad though







It'll be a night to remember, yes I hope to get a matching pair but I can't seem to find one. I might even just end up selling the current card for ~$300 and get two new cards, the problem with that is I'll probably get one good card and one bad one and it'll cost me more.


----------



## billgates8889

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Soo... I had a hard time controlling a mate after "A few drinks" and he ended up saying lots of personal stuff about me and it was quite mean and made me upset personally..
> 
> The next morning I woke up and he said he feels so bad that he's gonna buy me a second 7950.. I said no but he insists...
> 
> My question is, what is the best 7950 to buy now? I'm on air and I have a Ice Q Turbo. I'd absolutely love to get a second one but I can't seem to acquire on in Australia at all. I might even end up getting a family friend to ship it from the states.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He seems keen on getting me a Gigabyte Tri-Cool... But I know that will screw with the airflow in my case AND they're voltage locked now which sucks a lot.


Get the Sapphire 7950 950mhz Ed, that way your garranteed to receive a 7950 with a 7970 pcb. I'm in Australia to, try checking www.staticice.com.au if you like to shop online. Or you can get it from MSY.
http://www.msy.com.au/product.jsp?productId=8938 Another great card to get is the Sapphire Vapor-x but I'm unsure if you can voltage unlock them.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> wow, oh what a night hey. hey get drunk and call me all the names under the sun, then feel bad and buy me a new card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> that is very nice of your friend to make up to you like that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OK as to the card, i always hear good things about the saphire dualX or vaporX w/boost.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or get the same card you have and have a nice matching pair
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah.. Well I'd be banned on here with some of the stuff he abused me with.. haha, that and I do drive him around a lot.
> I do feel bad though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It'll be a night to remember, yes I hope to get a matching pair but I can't seem to find one. I might even just end up selling the current card for ~$300 and get two new cards, the problem with that is I'll probably get one good card and one bad one and it'll cost me more.
Click to expand...

wow, must have been one hell of a night. thats an idea sell the card and get two but same as me i guess that i would prefer one card over xfire.







or even hold on to that chip for the 89xx series


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> Get the Sapphire 7950 950mhz Ed, that way your garranteed to receive a 7950 with a 7970 pcb. I'm in Australia to, try checking www.staticice.com.au if you like to shop online. Or you can get it from MSY.
> http://www.msy.com.au/product.jsp?productId=8938 Another great card to get is the Sapphire Vapor-x but I'm unsure if you can voltage unlock them.


They're overpriced here now... Max is really $330 but I can put more in if I need to. If I'm getting a different card I'll be getting a 7950 Windforce as he loves those coolers..
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> wow, must have been one hell of a night. thats an idea sell the card and get two but same as me i guess that i would prefer one card over xfire.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or even hold on to that chip for the 89xx series


No, he must get me a second card... So yeah, kinda stuck there. I'd prefer two again personally









One card will play any games that has problems with crossfire, most hard to run games run crossfire just fine.

EDIT: +reppppitty rep


----------



## stubass

sweet, i ust say i know what you mean about over-priced hardware. here it is the same especially when it comes to motherboards and graphics cards.
actually looking at the sapphire card link above it is actually approx $50 AUD cheaper back home than here.

the windforce isnt too shabby but i would get the sapphire just from what i have seen the cards clock well on stock. but hey which ever you get you will have a nice set up.







just dont get asus dcuii lol


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> sweet, i ust say i know what you mean about over-priced hardware. here it is the same especially when it comes to motherboards and graphics cards.
> actually looking at the sapphire card link above it is actually approx $50 AUD cheaper back home than here.
> 
> the windforce isnt too shabby but i would get the sapphire just from what i have seen the cards clock well on stock. but hey which ever you get you will have a nice set up.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just dont get asus dcuii lol


Yeah, I don't plan to! They make good cards but this generation aren't that great and are pricey..
I'll Probably end up getting a Gigabyte one as it's the cheaper one personally.. Not too sure still, I have a couple of weeks but he is keen to get it for me.. I asked him then and he now has a list of reasons why...


You're a good friend,
A going away to Uni present (Yes I'm starting a Bachelor in Computing this year)
You always drive me places
You give me hardware advice/girl advice
I abused you and said stuff about the girl you like...
Okay.. So I don't feel AS bad anymore, but I still do. haha.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, I don't plan to! They make good cards but this generation aren't that great and are pricey..
> I'll Probably end up getting a Gigabyte one as it's the cheaper one personally.. Not too sure still, I have a couple of weeks but he is keen to get it for me.. I asked him then and he now has a list of reasons why...
> 
> 
> You're a good friend,
> A going away to Uni present (Yes I'm starting a Bachelor in Computing this year)
> You always drive me places
> You give me hardware advice/girl advice
> I abused you and said stuff about the girl you like...
> Okay.. So I don't feel AS bad anymore, but I still do. haha.


Sounds very nice







. Ofc not so cool, that he insulted you, but very very nice he insist to make it good again!







.

After i have got this 7950 vapor x 2 x 8 pins, i have searched around to found a full cover waterblock, but doesn't seem they fit on this card. Anyone has got some lock to find a block for this card?.


----------



## Coree

Is my FX-6100 @ 4Ghz bottlenecking my 7950 @ 1035/1400 while playing BF3 multiplayer Caspian border? Getting Framerates as low as 31, and constant 45's... Gpu usage constant 75-85%, somethings wrong here? Usually it's constant 95-100%...


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Is my FX-6100 @ 4Ghz bottlenecking my 7950 @ 1035/1400 while playing BF3 multiplayer Caspian border? Getting Framerates as low as 31, and constant 45's... Gpu usage constant 75-85%, somethings wrong here? Usually it's constant 95-100%...


BF3 64 player maps love more cores @ the fastest you can clock them.

When I had my 8120 @ 4ghz, I dropped it down to a four core, then six core for testing. Even just disabling two cores (essentially making it your 4ghz 6100) it had quite a drop in FPS. Dropping down to a 4 core made an even bigger hit.

I wouldn't say it's bottlenecking it per se, but if you can overclock higher definitely try to do so. Even i5's struggle on those maps

I noticed quite a big jump in performance going from 8120 to my 8350 in BF3 64 matches though


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Is my FX-6100 @ 4Ghz bottlenecking my 7950 @ 1035/1400 while playing BF3 multiplayer Caspian border? Getting Framerates as low as 31, and constant 45's... Gpu usage constant 75-85%, somethings wrong here? Usually it's constant 95-100%...


Was it usually 95-100% on the same game mode and maps?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Soo... I had a hard time controlling a mate after "A few drinks" and he ended up saying lots of personal stuff about me and it was quite mean and made me upset personally..
> 
> The next morning I woke up and he said he feels so bad that he's gonna buy me a second 7950.. I said no but he insists...
> 
> My question is, what is the best 7950 to buy now? I'm on air and I have a Ice Q Turbo. I'd absolutely love to get a second one but I can't seem to acquire on in Australia at all. I might even end up getting a family friend to ship it from the states.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He seems keen on getting me a Gigabyte Tri-Cool... But I know that will screw with the airflow in my case AND they're voltage locked now which sucks a lot.


at first thought . . . oh, good deal but after further thinking avoid those kind of 'mates'. get the gpu and tell him to take a hike.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> at first thought . . . oh, good deal but after further thinking avoid those kind of 'mates'. get the gpu and tell him to take a hike.


Haha, no way. I'm not that way inclined at all.. No lol
Whats wrong with those kind of "mates"? I just feel that he gets lonely sometimes and I'm like his bestfriend after all..


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Haha, no way. I'm not that way inclined at all.. No lol
> Whats wrong with those kind of "mates"? I just feel that he gets lonely sometimes and I'm like his bestfriend after all..


that is really cool. my advice is to not go out and drink with the fellow anymore.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> that is really cool. my advice is to not go out and drink with the fellow anymore.


Haha, it doesn't bother me that much. I mean if I get a 7950 every time...








He said he doesn't want to drink with me or my friends anymore though lol

EDIT: Where can I get some "tape" from in Australia for my 7950 and it's VRM's?


----------



## Coree

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Was it usually 95-100% on the same game mode and maps?


On Operation firestorm (32man server) GPU usage was higher around 90-100%. But i tested one thing: Went on a empty Caspian border server, and the usage was 90-100%. Weird..


----------



## invincible20xx

guys are you getting flashing artifacts on far cry 3 ? cat 13.1


----------



## KaRLiToS

I do get artifacts in mostly all games. Borderlands 2 does it once in a while, it's the game i've been playing the most since the 13.1 release.

I had a lot of expectations in this driver. Instead a had a lot of disapointment. But I'm still confident in next release.


----------



## 98uk

13.1 working perfect for me on BF3 and FC3.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> guys are you getting flashing artifacts on far cry 3 ? cat 13.1


Yeap, even in Dota 2, which none with previous drivers.


----------



## antonis21

13.1 is a very good driver so far for me.I also had minor fps increase in BF3 and unigine benchmark


----------



## KaRLiToS

I can't play Far Cry 3.

It always crash, I really don't know what the problem is. It mostly crashes during First loading screen before first mission (video intro). If I get past that point, I can play until I exit the cage with my friend at the begginning then when sneaking out of it, crashes.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I can't play Far Cry 3.
> 
> It always crash, I really don't know what the problem is. It mostly crashes during First loading screen before first mission (video intro). If I get past that point, I can play until I exit the cage with my friend at the begginning then when sneaking out of it, crashes.


I will try FC3 tomorrow or in the next day or so..
I've had BF3 running fine, Black Ops 1, Black Ops 2, MSI Kombustor...
The only thing I notice now is that MSI kombustor throttles my card down to ~850MHz whereas it never did before.


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I do get artifacts in mostly all games. Borderlands 2 does it once in a while, it's the game i've been playing the most since the 13.1 release.
> 
> I had a lot of expectations in this driver. Instead a had a lot of disapointment. But I'm still confident in next release.


i will make a video , this is driving me crazy i'm afraid my gpu is toast....


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Yeap, even in Dota 2, which none with previous drivers.


how does your fc3 artifacts look like ? flashing frames ? black polygons ?


----------



## grymok

anyone know if there is a full cover waterblock for the sapphire 7950 vapor-x 2 x 8 pin model?.
can't find anything.


----------



## King4x4

Tried looking for ya... none fits I am afraid.

Only way to go is with a universal block.


----------



## grymok

damn!:-(
my local dealer is getting tired of me. changed 1 card already. thinking to change to the msi one


----------



## Flameboy294

Theres an update? im still 12.11


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I can't play Far Cry 3.
> 
> It always crash, I really don't know what the problem is. It mostly crashes during First loading screen before first mission (video intro). If I get past that point, I can play until I exit the cage with my friend at the begginning then when sneaking out of it, crashes.


You try runing dx11 exe from far cry 3 folder menu? Instead of the shortcut desktop/start menu?
Maybe you are having PSU issues...


----------



## grymok

Got my 7950 vapor-x stable on 1150 on core with 1200mv, 1450 on memory with 1600mv.
Unfortunately no full cover block is compatible with this card :S. Thinking to return, and get the MSI again :S


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> You try runing dx11 exe from far cry 3 folder menu? Instead of the shortcut desktop/start menu?
> Maybe you are having PSU issues...


Yes I have tried it, but when I try to open farcry3_d3dll.exe it open Uplay window.

Its not PSU issue, I have no problem in any other games and when I load Far Cry 3, the wattage at the wall doesn't exceed 700watts.

Since Far Cry 3 release that I'm having the same issue.


----------



## Stefy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Got my 7950 vapor-x stable on 1150 on core with 1200mv, 1450 on memory with 1600mv.
> Unfortunately no full cover block is compatible with this card :S. Thinking to return, and get the MSI again :S


Kinda why you do research before buying, nothing but obvious. I'd be mad at you too.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> damn!:-(
> my local dealer is getting tired of me. changed 1 card already. thinking to change to the msi one


You could always go universal block on GPU and heat sinks on VRMs and vram.

Or you could use double blocks.... like I did on my GTX 560 ti 448 that is in my signatrue.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> You could always go universal block on GPU and heat sinks on VRMs and vram.
> 
> Or you could use double blocks.... like I did on my GTX 560 ti 448 that is in my signatrue.


Try one of those all-in-one water cooling kits from Arctic or whoever they are called.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> Kinda why you do research before buying, nothing but obvious. I'd be mad at you too.


That is part of the reason that computer hardware is so expensive in Europe.


----------



## fwix

guys i have a question about memory frequency
i have a gig WF3 hd 7950 i manged to oc to 1307/1900 max oc bench - 1280/1800 stable gaming , but the thing is about that the memory if i oc from 1250 to 1800 or 1900 I gain only 1-2-3fps in games like metro crysis 2 bf3 - alan wake ultra preset on the average of 50-60 frame is this normal ? i mean we all know that overclocking the memory don't add allot of fps but seriously it's + 125 GB/S bandwidth it's make no sense in all to gain only 1-3 fps


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fwix*
> 
> guys i have a question about memory frequency
> i have a gig WF3 hd 7950 i manged to oc to 1307/1900 max oc bench - 1280/1800 stable gaming , but the thing is about that the memory if i oc from 1250 to 1800 or 1900 I gain only 1-2-3fps in games like metro crysis 2 bf3 - alan wake ultra preset on the average of 50-60 frame is this normal ? i mean we all know that overclocking the memory don't add allot of fps but seriously it's + 125 GB/S bandwidth it's make no sense in all to gain only 1-3 fps


Could be throttling due to heat.

Water cooling?


----------



## fwix

euuuh nope it's WF3 air cooling the temp never up higher than 50°gpu - 52°VRM1-2 at stock clock gpu + oc memory !


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fwix*
> 
> euuuh nope it's WF3 air cooling the temp never up higher than 50°gpu - 52°VRM1-2 at stock clock gpu + oc memory !


Temps seem very low for high over clock card with stock cooler. What are you running to stress it? Furmark?


----------



## grifers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I can't play Far Cry 3.
> 
> It always crash, I really don't know what the problem is. It mostly crashes during First loading screen before first mission (video intro). If I get past that point, I can play until I exit the cage with my friend at the begginning then when sneaking out of it, crashes.


Same issue here, exact.

Freezing in first mission when stay in cage, game freezing and after (5 seconds) crash. Only in this game.

P.D - When you find the solution, please tell me it







. Thanks.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I can't play Far Cry 3.
> 
> It always crash, I really don't know what the problem is. It mostly crashes during First loading screen before first mission (video intro). If I get past that point, I can play until I exit the cage with my friend at the begginning then when sneaking out of it, crashes.


ok... there are quite a few issues that arise when playing fc3.

Try to remove any overclock of your system, disable postfx and use max msaa 2x and SSAO

Karl, the problem is the game code in combination with the existing drivers. Your system is fine as long as you have issues only with fc3


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> ok... there are quite a few issues that arise when playing fc3.
> 
> Try to remove any overclock of your system, disable postfx and use max msaa 2x and SSAO
> 
> Karl, the problem is the game code in combination with the existing drivers. Your system is fine as long as you have issues only with fc3


I think AMD drivers are certainly more the blame compared to the coding.


----------



## ebduncan

I don't have any issues with far cry 3.

xfx [email protected] 1125 core/1500mem 1.120 volts with a FX [email protected] 4.945ghz

perhaps you guys are running into overclock problems.


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I don't have any issues with far cry 3.
> 
> xfx [email protected] 1125 core/1500mem 1.120 volts with a FX [email protected] 4.945ghz
> 
> perhaps you guys are running into overclock problems.


i have issues with flashing frames even on stock


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I think AMD drivers are certainly more the blame compared to the coding.


Its probably both. I've seen a lot of Nvidia users complaining about Far Cry 3 as well. AMD just has some issues that Nvidia doesn't and vice versa from what I hear.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> i have issues with flashing frames even on stock


Are these DX9 games?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I don't have any issues with far cry 3.
> 
> xfx [email protected] 1125 core/1500mem 1.120 volts with a FX [email protected] 4.945ghz
> 
> perhaps you guys are running into overclock problems.


It is crossfire issues we are talking about.


----------



## grifers

Hi guys, hope you help me, is important this questions for me.

Wich program is used to check Oc stability? and how many minutes?. Now I use "kombutor" 5 minutes and stability is correct (no artifacts, no freezing, etc...), but some games causes instability :/.

Hope yours understand me







, my language is not good, im use google translator.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grifers*
> 
> Hi guys, hope you help me, is important this questions for me.
> 
> Wich program is used to check Oc stability? and how many minutes?. Now I use "kombutor" 5 minutes and stability is correct (no artifacts, no freezing, etc...), but some games causes instability :/.
> 
> Hope yours understand me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , my language is not good, im use google translator.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


don't use furmark or kombustor. use Heaven 3.0, 3d mark 11. atleast a couple of runs of each. then test with a demanding game like bf3 or crysis 2.make sure you monitor core and VRM temps under load. keep core temps under 70c and vrm temps under 90c. setup a custom fan profile in msi afterburner or sapphire trixx (whichever you are using for oc).


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grifers*
> 
> Hi guys, hope you help me, is important this questions for me.
> 
> Wich program is used to check Oc stability? and how many minutes?. Now I use "kombutor" 5 minutes and stability is correct (no artifacts, no freezing, etc...), but some games causes instability :/.
> 
> Hope yours understand me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , my language is not good, im use google translator.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


3D Mark 11 for memory, crysis & crysis 2 benchmark tools for core.


----------



## grifers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> don't use furmark or kombustor. use Heaven 3.0, 3d mark 11. atleast a couple of runs of each. then test with a demanding game like bf3 or crysis 2.make sure you monitor core and VRM temps under load. keep core temps under 70c and vrm temps under 90c. setup a custom fan profile in msi afterburner or sapphire trixx (whichever you are using for oc).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> 3D Mark 11 for memory, crysis & crysis 2 benchmark tools for core.


Crysis 1?.

How many "loops" of these test?. How many loops in Unigine?. Unigine is better than 3Dmark11 to test stability?. 3Dmark11 is not installed in my PC







.

Thanks for help guys!.

P.D - Metro 2033 Benchamark is good test for stability too?. Another day passed 20 loops of this benchmark and no problems, runs fine.


----------



## Stefy

Just play games until it crashes (or not).


----------



## flopper

Normally I run 3D marks 11 in one loop, play some games and if no artefacts, stability issues I just go with it.
I can run my card at 1200mhz without issues, when running 3dmark I can get it to 1300mhz but then it artefacts.
I can run it higher than 1200mhz but never found it a good idea to stress a card out long term.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BababooeyHTJ*
> 
> Its probably both. I've seen a lot of Nvidia users complaining about Far Cry 3 as well. AMD just has some issues that Nvidia doesn't and vice versa from what I hear.
> Are these DX9 games?


Some are DX9 and some are not.


----------



## Awesome Stranger

Iv'e got this card, and I can't get it to go over 1125/1575 at all without artifacting in games...

Yesterday I spent many hours tweaking etc, and I figured out that Sapphire Trixx even though having a VDDC slider did not allow me to go over 1.175-1.2v so I did the Afterburner config unlock of voltages. So I was able to move the voltage how ever I liked then. Well at 1.25 volts or 1.275 (TERRIBLE vdroop on these cards) it would be stable aat 1200 core 1650-1700 on memory. The thing is I'd get artifacts in ANY game I played. It could be soon as I start playing, or 20 minutes in. 3dmark 11 extreme benchmark test passed no problem. Same with Heaven 3.0. However when my overclock did fail I had to reboot or I'd get artifacts still after lowering core/mem or going up in voltage. I'm using Catalyst 13.1 and a 700w PSU.


----------



## virus86

I need help with crossfiring my 7970. I have a X79 Sabertooth with a Sapphire 7970 OC Edition and ASUS Xonar occupying my PCI slots. Since I the GPU takes up 2.5 slots, I dont think I can crossfire another one in there without removing my Xonar. What would be a good alternate 2 slot 7970 that can crossfire with my current Sapphire?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *virus86*
> 
> I need help with crossfiring my 7970. I have a X79 Sabertooth with a Sapphire 7970 OC Edition and ASUS Xonar occupying my PCI slots. Since I the GPU takes up 2.5 slots, I dont think I can crossfire another one in there without removing my Xonar. What would be a good alternate 2 slot 7970 that can crossfire with my current Sapphire?


Solution : replace the cooling on it with an aftermarket AIO cooling unit, so that you have enough room.


----------



## virus86

Any recommendation on which aftermarket cooler?


----------



## Opmet

Hello i have a problem with my Asus 7970DCII (non TOP), i flashed my second bios (left side switch) to unlock voltage to max 1.4v, and i didn't make a backup of original BIOS in switch 2.
Now i need to enable Dual Link DVI port for my 120hz monitor so i switch to BIOS n°2 but i cant enable Dual Link DVI for use 120hz monitor at 1080p (i'm limited at 1024x768 for 120hz).
I can't find an original second BIOS for my 7970DCII (non TOP), can i receive some support?

Thanks a lot.


----------



## bxchef29

Hi just got my Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 WindForce 3g . This is my first real gpu and i am really impressed along with my fx-8150 i can play all my games far cry 3 crysis 2, hitman ect on ultra. Till now only used a xbox 360 , now i know what everyone is talking about. Still love my Xbox but pc is winning me over


----------



## RickyFromVegas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bxchef29*
> 
> ...Still love my Xbox but pc is winning me over


It won't be long until 7950 totally wins you over.

Even before I got the exact card as you, I was already won over.
It's been a long time since 360/ps3/wii has been collecting dust.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bxchef29*
> 
> Hi just got my Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 WindForce 3g . This is my first real gpu and i am really impressed along with my fx-8150 i can play all my games far cry 3 crysis 2, hitman ect on ultra. Till now only used a xbox 360 , now i know what everyone is talking about. Still love my Xbox but pc is winning me over


which version of the gigabyte HD 7950 card is it. does your card come with the boost clock at 1 ghz. or is it the normal OC card with 900 mhz. you won't know what everyone was talking about until you start overclocking that bugger


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Is my FX-6100 @ 4Ghz bottlenecking my 7950 @ 1035/1400 while playing BF3 multiplayer Caspian border? Getting Framerates as low as 31, and constant 45's... Gpu usage constant 75-85%, somethings wrong here? Usually it's constant 95-100%...


What resolution are you playing? FX-6100 is not really that fast but not that slow either. That being said even 3770K bottlenecks in BF3.


----------



## bxchef29

this one http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=GA-795WF3G


----------



## S333N

Just bought that card too myself. Haven't played around too much because it comes with the FZ1 bios that brings the voltage to 1.25. Max I could go was 1175 core without artifacts, and that throttles in fur mark. Memory is at a stable 1500 with mem volt @ 1550. ASIC is 66%. So for now 1100/1500 for some solid gaming.

Still doesn't tame 2560x1600 anymore than my previous Tahiti LE did. But it is a lot quieter, cooler. I am definitely glad I sent back my PowerColor 7870 Myst.

I'm new to changing the bios, but it appears downgrading to the non boost bios would just brick the current bios on the card. Is there a way to change to a different bios without bricking? I know there is a bios switch so worst case just fix it one boot later. I hear some people flash the sapphire bios (not sure which one).


----------



## DimQa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *S333N*
> 
> Just bought that card too myself. Haven't played around too much because it comes with the FZ1 bios that brings the voltage to 1.25. Max I could go was 1175 core without artifacts, and that throttles in fur mark. Memory is at a stable 1500 with mem volt @ 1550. ASIC is 66%. So for now 1100/1500 for some solid gaming.
> 
> Still doesn't tame 2560x1600 anymore than my previous Tahiti LE did. But it is a lot quieter, cooler. I am definitely glad I sent back my PowerColor 7870 Myst.
> 
> I'm new to changing the bios, but it appears downgrading to the non boost bios would just brick the current bios on the card. Is there a way to change to a different bios without bricking? I know there is a bios switch so worst case just fix it one boot later. I hear some people flash the sapphire bios (not sure which one).


I have that card too and flashed sapphire bios once and didint like it because wf3 has 3 fans and all other cards has two. So you have to make manual profiles for fans to cool properly


----------



## S333N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimQa*
> 
> I have that card too and flashed sapphire bios once and didint like it because wf3 has 3 fans and all other cards has two. So you have to make manual profiles for fans to cool properly


Oh.. Didn't think about that. So just two of the fans spin? Or is it just messed up auto speeds? Either way I want to under volt and it doesn't seem possible with FZ1, and the droop is like 1.25 to 1.15.


----------



## DimQa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *S333N*
> 
> Oh.. Didn't think about that. So just two of the fans spin? Or is it just messed up auto speeds? Either way I want to under volt and it doesn't seem possible with FZ1, and the droop is like 1.25 to 1.15.


Not sure how many fans are spinning, but i'm sure they spin around ~200 RPM less


----------



## Coree

60-100% gpu usage in bf3 with my 7950 @ 1025/1400 (Operation Firestorm 32man)and getting low frame rates? Low as 32 FPS.. Is that usage in GPU normal or what. No heat issues, GPU core peaking at 75C and VRM's 80 and 70C... Also my FX-6100 is at stock. What are your GPU usages in BF3 (no CF/sli?)


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> 60-100% gpu usage in bf3 with my 7950 @ 1025/1400 (Operation Firestorm 32man)and getting low frame rates? Low as 32 FPS.. Is that usage in GPU normal or what. No heat issues, GPU core peaking at 75C and VRM's 80 and 70C... Also my FX-6100 is at stock. What are your GPU usages in BF3 (no CF/sli?)


CPU is bottlenecking you,i have a i5-750 at 4.0ghz with 7950 at 1150 and i'm getting over 80fps on 64p map,gpu usage at 99% always


----------



## X4v3r

My Gigabyte 7950 (Windforce 3) came with a little blue cap on its Crossfire connector that seems to be made of silicone instead of regular plastic. Can I keep it on there during operation? It does look rather spiffy.


----------



## nitroblue

Just got the HIS IceQ X² Radeon HD 7970 at my local store for $339.99. What a deal








Tried overclocing it on stock voltage to 1125MHz for the core very easy. Will try to push a bit more but for what I do its way more than enough. I actually got a GIGABYTE Radeon HD 7950 but itdie after four hours of gaming without even overclocing it








Returned an got this HD 7970 very happy about it


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> 60-100% gpu usage in bf3 with my 7950 @ 1025/1400 (Operation Firestorm 32man)and getting low frame rates? Low as 32 FPS.. Is that usage in GPU normal or what. No heat issues, GPU core peaking at 75C and VRM's 80 and 70C... Also my FX-6100 is at stock. What are your GPU usages in BF3 (no CF/sli?)
> 
> 
> 
> CPU is bottlenecking you,i have a i5-750 at 4.0ghz with 7950 at 1150 and i'm getting over 80fps on 64p map,gpu usage at 99% always
Click to expand...

His CPU is NOT bottlenecking. There's something else.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X4v3r*
> 
> My Gigabyte 7950 (Windforce 3) came with a little blue cap on its Crossfire connector that seems to be made of silicone instead of regular plastic. Can I keep it on there during operation? It does look rather spiffy.


Yeah you can keep it on, no harm done.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nitroblue*
> 
> Just got the HIS IceQ X² Radeon HD 7970 at my local store for $339.99. What a deal
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tried overclocing it on stock voltage to 1125MHz for the core very easy. Will try to push a bit more but for what I do its way more than enough. I actually got a GIGABYTE Radeon HD 7950 but itdie after four hours of gaming without even overclocing it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Returned an got this HD 7970 very happy about it


I got mine for $300 .. although it wasn't IceQ. Push that mofo hard


----------



## neoroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X4v3r*
> 
> My Gigabyte 7950 (Windforce 3) came with a little blue cap on its Crossfire connector that seems to be made of silicone instead of regular plastic. Can I keep it on there during operation? It does look rather spiffy.


I think it's OK to leave it just like that. I also leave little blue cap on my GTX580 lightning's SLI connector and other un-use video output (second DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort). I only use first DVI for my monitor.


----------



## SortOfGrim

man, Asus could've at least add a manual. Can someone explain what 'Load Line' means and why it's set at 75% at default?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SortOfGrim*
> 
> man, Asus could've at least add a manual. Can someone explain what 'Load Line' means and why it's set at 75% at default?


Load-line calibration compensates for vdroop. didn't know GPUs had this function


----------



## SortOfGrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Load-line calibration compensates for vdroop. didn't know GPUs had this function


Yeah, apparently I'm a complete noob when it comes to gpu oc..
But there's more:


On a side note, I do love the Safe mode on my card


----------



## Opmet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Opmet*
> 
> Hello i have a problem with my Asus 7970DCII (non TOP), i flashed my second bios (left side switch) to unlock voltage to max 1.4v, and i didn't make a backup of original BIOS in switch 2.
> Now i need to enable Dual Link DVI port for my 120hz monitor so i switch to BIOS n°2 but i cant enable Dual Link DVI for use 120hz monitor at 1080p (i'm limited at 1024x768 for 120hz).
> I can't find an original second BIOS for my 7970DCII (non TOP), can i receive some support?
> 
> Thanks a lot.


Bump, ple men need help


----------



## EagleOne

does anyone know when the:
msi 7970 lightning black edition is comming out?

not the boost edition, the black edition

thanks!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Opmet*
> 
> Bump, ple men need help


i think this is the *unlocked* bios but you can use the search button in the link to look further . . .

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113309/Asus.HD7970.3072.120104.html


----------



## Matt-Matt

Getting the 7970 PCB Sapphire 7950 in 2 weeks!


----------



## SpykeZ

New one joining! Getting a beast of an OC on this thing even with my old CPU. Going to push more once I get the 8350 this week. I hit my bottleneck at about 1175/1550


----------



## GunMetal

Have you check this one out? It's a CPU comparison site.
http://cpuboss.com/


----------



## sena

Looks like my new MSI HD 7950 TF3 is good one, ASIC 89%, stock vcore in 3d load is 0.970mV-0.990mV.

Heaven 3.0 run on 1200/1750


----------



## Azuredragon1

Got a couple of questions:

1. what's does power limit do?

2. Is there any advantages in flashing the bios?

thanks you.


----------



## Callil

I'm looking at buying a Asus 7950 / 7970 DCU2 and someone mentioned that alot of people are having problems with this card? Anyone with one willing to comment?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Callil*
> 
> I'm looking at buying a Asus 7950 / 7970 DCU2 and someone mentioned that alot of people are having problems with this card? Anyone with one willing to comment?


I have one comment, stay away from this cards, altrough i had one, and one my friend bought it, and he fixed asus mistakes, now card temperature is 50C on stock and about 60C on 1070/1750.


----------



## Daffie82

I like the new 13.1 drivers








Went almost 1.000 points up in 3D Mark11 compared to 12.4 WHQL
Close to 10.000 points now with my gaming OC which you can see in the rig


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Callil*
> 
> I'm looking at buying a Asus 7950 / 7970 DCU2 and someone mentioned that alot of people are having problems with this card? Anyone with one willing to comment?


i have never had any issues with mine since its a newer revision. I think it is hit and miss with these cards. Mine hits around 60*c at 1155/1725 with heaven and 3dmark11 runs so i scored well as this is without remounting the cooler. Even tho mine performs well, i wouldnt recomend it as there are better cards out there that arent hit or miss


----------



## Callil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i have never had any issues with mine since its a newer revision. I think it is hit and miss with these cards. Mine hits around 60*c at 1155/1725 with heaven and 3dmark11 runs so i scored well as this is without remounting the cooler. Even tho mine performs well, i wouldnt recomend it as there are better cards out there that arent hit or miss


What other cards would recommend that are as quiet and cool?


----------



## RoyF

pulled the trigger on HIS 7950 iceq x2 . Lets see...
comments?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RoyF*
> 
> pulled the trigger on HIS 7950 iceq x2 . Lets see...
> comments?


Did you get the BOOST edition with the HD7970 reference PCB?


----------



## RoyF

i got this :: Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X2 Boost Clock


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Did you get the BOOST edition with the HD7970 reference PCB?


What is the model that has the 7970 PCB?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> What is the model that has the 7970 PCB?


This one.

HIS Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X² Boost 3 GB
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_7950_X2_Boost/3.html
Looks bad ass.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RoyF*
> 
> i got this :: Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X2 Boost Clock


Nice. Where did you buy it from?


----------



## RoyF

yes. that one..
i got it from pixmania because i was limited due to my country location...

I was gonna get the sapphire dual-x with the game bundle which was better money wise, but their system wouldnt accept orders for that card!

I got frustrated and went offff budget and got this one...hope i made a good choice because it aint cheap!

thanks to *raghu78* for his suggestions...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RoyF*
> 
> yes. that one..
> i got it from pixmania because i was limited due to my country location...
> 
> I was gonna get the sapphire dual-x with the game bundle which was better money wise, but their system wouldnt accept orders for that card!
> 
> I got frustrated and went offff budget and got this one...hope i made a good choice because it aint cheap!
> 
> thanks to *raghu78* for his suggestions...


Let me guess, Belgium?


----------



## RoyF

my country? close!! ..

but the card/order would originate from belgium! so i guess u nailed it!


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RoyF*
> 
> my country? close!! ..
> 
> but the card/order would originate from belgium! so i guess u nailed it!


NL 

Did you also try the shop ''CD-Rom Land'' ? I bought my card from there back in the day when it was just out


----------



## Blackout621

Hey there 7950 owners, want your advice on a few things. I am going to be running 7950s in crossfire on air. I have the Corsair Vengeance C70 case (great airflow) plus 5 (possibly I can add two more) 120 mm fans installed. I want to obtain clocks of 1150 core/1700 memory if possible because I saw a review of a guy who had 2 7950s (Twin Frozrs) running at the clocks and he got great frames on 5760 x 1080, which is the res I'll be playing at. Here are a few cards I'm considering. Any feedback/additional suggestions is appreciated. Keep in mind I'm trying for the highest possible stable overclock in crossfire on air cooling. Thanks in advance.

This Gigabyte

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

This Sapphire (FleX) I really like the feature this one has because I'm not getting a second 7950 immediately, and I'd love to use the FleX feature for eyefinity.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202007

I was told this card had a 7970 PCB, 6+8 power, and a very good cooler. The IceQ OC edition.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429


----------



## Rebelord

I dont have a windforce. but I have read that the Gigabyte ones are really quite for the coolers. My TF3 cools good. But when the fans ramp up they do get a whiney sound. But thats the nature of 90/80mm fans.


----------



## Blackout621

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> I dont have a windforce. but I have read that the Gigabyte ones are really quite for the coolers. My TF3 cools good. But when the fans ramp up they do get a whiney sound. But thats the nature of 90/80mm fans.


I've heard the TFIII has a loud cooler as well. Have you done any overclocking?


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> This one.
> 
> HIS Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X² Boost 3 GB
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_7950_X2_Boost/3.html
> Looks bad ass.


Hmm, that's the card I got.
Am I gonna need a 7970 GPU block should I decide to put it under water?


----------



## RoyF

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> NL
> 
> Did you also try the shop ''CD-Rom Land'' ? I bought my card from there back in the day when it was just out


no! but i will consider it next time!!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Hmm, that's the card I got. Am I gonna need a 7970 GPU block should I decide to put it under water?


yeah should you decide to water cool any reference HD 7970 full cover waterblock will work. you can check here.

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


----------



## 98uk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blackout621*
> 
> I've heard the TFIII has a loud cooler as well. Have you done any overclocking?


My TFIII is real quiet at idle, but when I stick it to 90% during gaming and OC'd, it's like a mosquito haha.

But, I wear headphones anyway... so I rather it cooled well.


----------



## roudabout6

I just downloaded the new 13.1 beta drivers and ran 3dmark11. I cant break 10,000 combined score. Any suggestions?
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5663701


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *roudabout6*
> 
> I just downloaded the new 13.1 beta drivers and ran 3dmark11. I cant break 10,000 combined score. Any suggestions?
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5663701


Even a 25mhz bump on the core should get you over 10k.. Or that and another 200mhz on the cpu atleast.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Hmm, that's the card I got.
> Am I gonna need a 7970 GPU block should I decide to put it under water?


You may. Just inspect the PCB to make certain it is HD7970 design. From what I have seen on the reviews and photos it is indeed built on a HD7970 PCB but double check to make sure.


----------



## roudabout6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Even a 25mhz bump on the core should get you over 10k.. Or that and another 200mhz on the cpu atleast.


I can not push my core any more without it crashing no matter the voltage. But my memory will not move at all either. I am thinking it is my memory voltage. How do I change that? And when I get my new fans I will push my cpu farther


----------



## Biorganic

Just pulled the trigger on a sapphire HD 7950 Boost. This card will be used for BOINCing mostly.

Is there any way to reduce the OC load voltage down from the boost voltage? Or will I need to flash the bios to a stock 7950 and manually OC?


----------



## 12Cores

I cannot get eyefinity to work with active mini displayport adapter that came with my Diamond 7970. Connections below:

Monitor 1 - DVI to DVI
Monitor 2 - DVI adapter to HDMI
Monitor 3 - Mini displayport to DVI

The monitor attached to the mini displayport keeps telling me that there is no signal, I tried running the displayport by itself still no signal, am doing something wrong or is the adapter just a dud? Running the 13.1 driver.


----------



## TheRussian1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> I dont have a windforce. but I have read that the Gigabyte ones are really quite for the coolers. My TF3 cools good. But when the fans ramp up they do get a whiney sound. But thats the nature of 90/80mm fans.


Wind force is noticeably quieter than TF3.

TF isn't bad (at idle the two are identical for practical purposes) but across the board the WF runs at lower temp RMPs, and well, the noise is lower as a result.

My TF3 6950 was pretty quiet though, untill one of the fans got slightly loose and made the card vibrate...worked fine for a year like that, but it made boot and intense applications louder.


----------



## Uksoldierboy

Hiya guys,
Well after 2 years of using my 6870s in crossfire, i finally bit the bullet and ordered myself a shiny new Sapphire 7970 OC, should be here friday and i can't wait!!
Not expecting a boast in performance really, but it'll be nice to go single card for a while, until i can buy another








Anyone else upgraded from a similar setup to mine and care to share their opinions etc?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Uksoldierboy*
> 
> Hiya guys,
> Well after 2 years of using my 6870s in crossfire, i finally bit the bullet and ordered myself a shiny new Sapphire 7970 OC, should be here friday and i can't wait!!
> Not expecting a boast in performance really, but it'll be nice to go single card for a while, until i can buy another
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else upgraded from a similar setup to mine and care to share their opinions etc?


Went from two 6850's to a 7950. Bigger performance increase then what you think, having the more vRAM really helps in most newer games where the 6850's were struggling, the heat output is a lot less and the card clocks a lot higher which creates bigger gains in performance, no crossfire issues (I used to have to run some games off just one card) so a bigger performance increase there.

The best thing my computer has ever had done for it to be honest


----------



## 8bitG33k

Just got mine a few days ago and installed. Very happy so far. My old 5850 hit 39 idle and 49 load with an Arctic Cooling S1 Plus and Turbo Module (dual Fans). My new Sapphire 7950 runs 30 idle and 59 load with stock cooler. Total War: Shogun 2 Benchmark (DX11, Graphics High, 1080p) avg 58fps with the clock up to 1050. I can probably get the clock a bit higher but I'm gonna wait until I have my new system put together this weekend.


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *roudabout6*
> 
> I can not push my core any more without it crashing no matter the voltage. But my memory will not move at all either. I am thinking it is my memory voltage. How do I change that? And when I get my new fans I will push my cpu farther


What software are you using to OC the card? I use MSI Afterburner. In Afterburner there is a tab to the right next to the "Core Voltage", hit that and you should see "Memory Voltage". I think the max safe is 1.7v from what I've read, so give it around 1.68v just to be safer. Most other gfx card OC software should have it too.


----------



## SortOfGrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> I cannot get eyefinity to work with active mini displayport adapter that came with my Diamond 7970. Connections below:
> 
> Monitor 1 - DVI to DVI
> Monitor 2 - DVI adapter to HDMI
> Monitor 3 - Mini displayport to DVI
> 
> The monitor attached to the mini displayport keeps telling me that there is no signal, I tried running the displayport by itself still no signal, am doing something wrong or is the adapter just a dud? Running the 13.1 driver.


Does that card has a little switch next to the Crossfire connectors? Try switching it and reboot.


----------



## Opmet

Is there someone with a Asus 7970DCII?
I need a little help with this card


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Opmet*
> 
> Is there someone with a Asus 7970DCII?
> I need a little help with this card


just replied to your PM, dont know how much help i can be since i have the 7950. what else is up?


----------



## axiumone

Just got a preowned reference 7970. Flashed it to ghz bios. GPUZ now shows the card as a 7970 lightning. Afterburner doesn't let me unlock voltage for some reason. It's just grayed out, no matter what. Any ideas?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> Just got a preowned reference 7970. Flashed it to ghz bios. GPUZ now shows the card as a 7970 lightning. Afterburner doesn't let me unlock voltage for some reason. It's just grayed out, no matter what. *Any ideas*?


Ghz edition sucks....

I flashed all 4 of my 7970s with the Ghz Bios, same issue as you. Flashed back to original and now my cards are now recognized as AMD 7970 and not MSI Lightning anymore. The voltage was locked with the GHZ edition. Maybe we didnt use the best Ghz Bios but I didnt like my experience.

Most Ghz Bios are from June (2012-06) and 1050mhz/1500mhz . Maybe you can try a couple of them here but I wouldn't bother.

*7970 Bios collection*


----------



## 8bitG33k

How important is ASIC? Mine's 56.2...


----------



## SortOfGrim

Finally I get over 30fps in BF3!!










I haven't even shown this beast!


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *8bitG33k*
> 
> How important is ASIC? Mine's 56.2...


It depends on what you're doing. GPU-z tells you what a lower/higher ASIC value indicates. It's not an exact science though.


----------



## MASSKILLA

I have two XFX 7970 3GB GHRZ Editions with Swiftech Komodo Water Blocks and after doing multiple tests have found that crossfire does not use the second card beyond 19%.
I hope they fix this issue with the new update.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MASSKILLA*
> 
> I have two XFX 7970 3GB GHRZ Editions with Swiftech Komodo Water Blocks and after doing multiple tests have found that crossfire does not use the second card beyond 19%.
> I hope they fix this issue with the new update.


What driver version are you using?


----------



## MASSKILLA

The latest version


----------



## SortOfGrim

Doesn't that mean that one 7970 is more than enough?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MASSKILLA*
> 
> I have two XFX 7970 3GB GHRZ Editions with Swiftech Komodo Water Blocks and after doing multiple tests have found that crossfire does not use the second card beyond 19%.
> I hope they fix this issue with the new update.


What tests are you using? I can get all 3 of mine to 100%.


----------



## Biorganic

Will I be able to Flash my Sapphire HD 7950 Boost back to a non boost Bios?

I will be running the card pretty much 24/7 for BOINC and would prefer not to run it at 1.25 V constantly

Thanks All


----------



## axiumone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Will I be able to Flash my Sapphire HD 7950 Boost back to a non boost Bios?
> 
> I will be running the card pretty much 24/7 for BOINC and would prefer not to run it at 1.25 V constantly
> 
> Thanks All


Yeah, I don't think you'll run into any trouble going back to stock bios.


----------



## Azuredragon1

Does overclocking the memory on the 7900s yield any real results?


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> Does overclocking the memory on the 7900s yield any real results?


Yes.


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axiumone*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Will I be able to Flash my Sapphire HD 7950 Boost back to a non boost Bios?
> 
> I will be running the card pretty much 24/7 for BOINC and would prefer not to run it at 1.25 V constantly
> 
> Thanks All
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I don't think you'll run into any trouble going back to stock bios.
Click to expand...

Any specific BIOS I should be looking for?

I have 0 experience Flashing GPU BIOS.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> Does overclocking the memory on the 7900s yield any real results?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Yes.


no not really. The gains are very small. Overall though you will gain a little by overclocking the memory, however overclocking the core is where 99.9% of the speed comes from.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> Does overclocking the memory on the 7900s yield any real results?
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Yes.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *no not really. The gains are very small.* Overall though you will gain a little by overclocking the memory, however overclocking the core is where 99.9% of the speed comes from.
Click to expand...

Eh, no. There are gains from memory and they can be sizable depending how golden your memory chips are. There is however a cliff of diminishing returns, though if you have sweet memory that can get you to that cliff it's a bonus anyways. I certainly wouldn't overclock the core w/o an equal overclock on the memory.


----------



## fwix

guys is there any solution to that vdrop on the hd 7950? i hate to up the voltage to 1356 to get in games 1275 -1260-1280.... can u give me a stable bios to My hd 7950 WF3 with a stable voltage cause it's really suck :/


----------



## SortOfGrim

Just played BF3 and saw that GPU usage was 98%, temp 64C but the fan was only at 29%


----------



## DimQa

What do you think guys, does Intel Q9550 3.7 Ghz bottlenecks 7950?


----------



## rpch

Soo.. I rma'd my Asus 7950 DC2T and the shop told me that the distributor doesn't have stocks of the said card. They are now letting me to choose another product to replace it.

Im eyeing the HIS 7950 IceQ X2, or should I go for an Asus 660Ti Top? any suggestions?


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Andrew D‏@CatalystCreator
> 
> Quick update - Catalyst 13.2 Beta driver will now be likely releasing next week


Good news







Hopefully this will have better bug fixes than the one Guru3D has


----------



## rafety58

I'm getting constant artifacts on my 7950 while mining on 13.1, while at stock settings, or while overclocked. The load temp is maxed out at around 70 to 73.

Should I be worried, it only does it while mining, it can get through furmark, and any other game or benchmark just fine with no problems.

Would you guys advise that I stop mining or do you think its just a driver bug, and that it should be fine to leave the card mining.


----------



## DimQa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fwix*
> 
> guys is there any solution to that vdrop on the hd 7950? i hate to up the voltage to 1356 to get in games 1275 -1260-1280.... can u give me a stable bios to My hd 7950 WF3 with a stable voltage cause it's really suck :/


Same card, same thing







But i don't think any bios will help, vdrop is hardware related
Can you tell me what clocks you are getting?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rpch*
> 
> Soo.. I rma'd my Asus 7950 DC2T and the shop told me that the distributor doesn't have stocks of the said card. They are now letting me to choose another product to replace it.
> 
> Im eyeing the HIS 7950 IceQ X2, or should I go for an Asus 660Ti Top? any suggestions?


Go for the hd 7950. Alot of resellers have game bundles with AAA titles that will be worth your while. The hd7950 also offers better performance as well


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rpch*
> 
> Soo.. I rma'd my Asus 7950 DC2T and the shop told me that the distributor doesn't have stocks of the said card. They are now letting me to choose another product to replace it.
> 
> Im eyeing the HIS 7950 IceQ X2, or should I go for an Asus 660Ti Top? any suggestions?


the HIS HD 7950 Iceq X2 boost is a good choice. uses a HD 7970 PCB with 8 pin + 6 pin power. more power phases and powerful VRM circuitry. matches GTX 670 at stock and is atleast 10% faster than the ASUS GTX 660 Ti TOP. once overclocked the HIS HD 7950 will pull ahead even further.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_7950_X2_Boost/31.html

BF3 1920 x 1200 4X AA

HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost - 67.5
HD 7970 Ghz - 78.9
HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost (1210 mhz) - 82.9

http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-731.shtml

the card measures 31.1 cm long . so make sure you can fit the card. excellent cooling . its a beast.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Any specific BIOS I should be looking for?
> 
> I have 0 experience Flashing GPU BIOS.


*I just did a tutorial on how to flash with ATIWinFlash*


Spoiler: Tutorial!



Since you have *Dual BIOS*, it is safe for you to try to flash it.

You have *two BIOS positions* on your card: (switch)


Spoiler: Switch!






*#1*: Unlock BIOS (You can flash this one)
*#2*: Lock BIOS (This is the default BIOS you can't flash)

*It is important to save the BIOS #1 even if you have two BIOSes* (BIOS can have different clock state)



Spoiler: How to save a Backup of your BIOS using GPU-Z!







Now *first step* is to download *ATIwinflash*

*Then extract it on your Computer* and insert the BIOS you want to use in that folder like this : (In this Case, the wanted BIOS is 7970XFX.rom )

It is also important to take note of the *LOCATION of ATIwinflash.exe* for further use


*Now go in start menu and write cmd.exe in search and open command prompt* (cmd.exe) with right-click and "Run as Administrator


Spoiler: How to open Command Prompt







*Once open, write the location of ATIwinflash with CD before the command* (Since ATIWinflash is on my D:, I need to write D: then enter first, as shown here)



*Then enter* will give you this window



*Now, write this command* : *atiwinflash -f -p 0 "NAME of the BIOS".rom* then enter. In my case its *atiwinflash -f -p 0 7970XFX.rom*



*Then enter and the Flash Will proceed*



*When complete* it will show a windows like this one and will ask you to reboot. (Do it unless you have more than one card to flash)



*Crossfire Cards*









So the "*0*" in "*Atiwinflash -f -p 0 7970XFX.rom* " meant the first Card

*0* : First PCIe Slot
*1*: Second PCIe Slot
*2*: Third PCIe Slot
*3*: Forth PCIe Slot

*So if you have 4 Cards you will have enter those commands* (No need to reboot between each flash, but very important to reboot at the end of the last flashed card)

atiwinflash -f -p 0 7970XFX.rom
atiwinflash -f -p 1 7970XFX.rom
atiwinflash -f -p 2 7970XFX.rom
atiwinflash -f -p 3 7970XFX.rom



*For GPU BIOS Collection*

ATI has 3,595 different BIOSes
Nvidia has 4,185 different BIOses


----------



## fwix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimQa*
> 
> Same card, same thing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But i don't think any bios will help, vdrop is hardware related
> Can you tell me what clocks you are getting?


hardware related emmm not sure , now I'm at 1307/1800 1356 mv ( 1288-1275 real voltage )


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fwix*
> 
> hardware related emmm not sure , now I'm at 1307/1800 1356 mv ( 1288-1275 real voltage )


Are you sing Trixx?

And by the way Vdrop is Hardware related.

I have tried different BIOSes on my cards and different driver version. And the cards always have the same vdrop. The Third card in my system is the one with the biggest drop. I think Vdrop has something to do with Asic quality and leakage.

.


----------



## Biorganic

Thank you Karlitos









Will post back with results once I get my card.

+1


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimQa*
> 
> What do you think guys, does Intel Q9550 3.7 Ghz bottlenecks 7950?


I am in the same boat. Yes, there will be some bottleneck, but the 7950 should still be faster than anything less. There is a review somewhere that shows CPU scaling with the 7950 (might have been the 670 or 680). There was not a q9550 tested, but they did test some comparable AMD quads. If you can find it, it will at least give a ballpark estimate of the performance gain.


----------



## RoyF

received my iceq x2 boost today!

the card is indeed a beast! well, a very cute beast!!

quality is suppppppeeeerrrbbbb!

lets see performance wise now


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RoyF*
> 
> received my iceq x2 boost today!
> 
> the card is indeed a beast! well, a very cute beast!!
> 
> quality is suppppppeeeerrrbbbb!
> 
> lets see performance wise now


nice choice


----------



## Opmet

Is there somebody with a Asus 7970DCII?
I need a second bios backup


----------



## rageofthepeon

Is 13.1 still bad for windows 8 users along with official uninstall utility?


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Is 13.1 still bad for windows 8 users along with official uninstall utility?


Im currently using the 13.1 drivers with cap 2 since im crossfired with sapphire 7950's with windows 8 and I'm not experiencing any problems yet.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DimQa*
> 
> What do you think guys, does Intel Q9550 3.7 Ghz bottlenecks 7950?


Hell yes! My Q9400 at 3.4GHz would severley bottleneck my 6850's in crossfire.. Which are worse then a single 7950. You should still get it though because it will be a massive improvement for all games really. Get an i5 sooner rather then later though


----------



## FrankoNL

Just traded in my 7870 for a 2nd hand reference 7970 by Sapphire. Just got him on 1125 / 1600 mhz now. I must say, i see an increase in performance around about 30 %. Do you think this is viable or am i just very optimistic?

Sounds like a military jetfighter when under load though


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FrankoNL*
> 
> Just traded in my 7870 for a 2nd hand reference 7970 by Sapphire. Just got him on 1125 / 1600 mhz now. I must say, i see an increase in performance around about 30 %. Do you think this is viable or am i just very optimistic?
> 
> Sounds like a military jetfighter when under load though


yeah the reference cooler gets loud especially with overclocking. clock for clock HD 7970 is 40% avg faster than HD 7870.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/VTX3D/Radeon_HD_7870_XT_Black/28.html

HD 7870 (1 Ghz) - 92
HD 7970 Ghz (1.05 Ghz) - 132

132 / 92 = 1.43 . so 43% faster on average. with a 1 ghz clock would be closer to 40% avg. but that performance gap could go upto 45 - 50% depending on the game.


----------



## FrankoNL

Ahhh that's nice. At least i have done a decent upgrade!


----------



## sena

Guys, i have one question, will boost HD 7950 work with non-boost HD 7950 in CFX?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, i have one question, will boost HD 7950 work with non-boost HD 7950 in CFX?


Yes.


----------



## dspacek

Hello, I get my HD7950 Gigabyte Wind force 3 to 1100 Mhz Core on 1218mV and 1700Mhz Memory on 1500mV.
But, if I want to get higher like 1150 Mhz core, the system shut down after few seconds in Fur mark or Unigine. PSU is Cooler master 550W 2 years old.
I found a little dependenc on the power target (-20 to + 20) on the GC performance. If I set it to full +20 benchmarks in Furmark is oscilating between 70-100% of load the GC. And is little bit warmer. But If I set it to +10% the load is all the time at 100%

BIOS FZ1
previous BIOS F43
ASIC 53,8 %









Please add me into the list on the first page. Thanks:thumb:


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yes.


Thx mate, +1 rep.


----------



## Rapid7

So much for Asus Direct CU-II cards not liking the 90 degree mounting.


----------



## Coree

Anyone RMA'd a VTX3D GPU before? How does the process go? My VTX3D's 7950 coil whine is getting annoying.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dspacek*
> 
> Hello, I get my HD7950 Gigabyte Wind force 3 to 1100 Mhz Core on 1218mV and 1700Mhz Memory on 1500mV.
> But, if I want to get higher like 1150 Mhz core, the system shut down after few seconds in Fur mark or Unigine. PSU is Cooler master 550W 2 years old.
> I found a little dependenc on the power target (-20 to + 20) on the GC performance. If I set it to full +20 benchmarks in Furmark is oscilating between 70-100% of load the GC. And is little bit warmer. But If I set it to +10% the load is all the time at 100%
> 
> BIOS FZ1
> previous BIOS F43
> ASIC 53,8 %
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Please add me into the list on the first page. Thanks:thumb:


Can you provide some info about temperatures of GPU and VRMs?


----------



## grymok

I have atleast settled with the msi tf3 7950 v2 oc.
or runs 1150/1750 smooth.
can reach 1280 on air.
wonder how much I can reach on water


----------



## JCnator987

A
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> I have atleast settled with the msi tf3 7950 v2 oc.
> or runs 1150/1750 smooth.
> can reach 1280 on air.
> wonder how much I can reach on water


ASIC quality, temps, and voltages on those clocks?


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Guys, i have one question, will boost HD 7950 work with non-boost HD 7950 in CFX?


Yep they will work just fine. You can even cfx a 7970 and a 7950, they will just default to the 7950 speeds.


----------



## Biorganic

New Sapphire 7950 Boost is up and running.

I must say I really like the cooler, but the boost voltage of 1.25 V seems excessive to me.

Just put it at 1100 core 1000 mem for the time being. GPU-z reads ~1.2 V actual. At 100% load running DiRT (BOINC computation units), fans on auto (47%), core is at 63 C and VRMs are at 60 and 61. Not too bad for 1.25 V.

ASIC is an abysmal 59, should I be worried? Or is this just relating the stock voltage to the stock clocks in some sort of quality ratio which does not work well with the augmented boost clocks/voltages?

I am contemplating flashing the bios to non-boost version and setting voltage manually. I would really prefer not to run her at 1.25 V for days on end. What do you guys think?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JCnator987*
> 
> A
> ASIC quality, temps, and voltages on those clocks?


Asic 85.9, Gpu core temp max 70, VRM 1 80, vrm 2 74 and standard volt on 1.051mv.
Hope this will kick ass on water


----------



## dspacek

temperatures in LOAD are 69°C almost, max 70°C dropping, I have a pasive cooler added on VRM, maybe about 80°C, cant keep hand on it much long. ;-) Dont know the exact temperature ;-)
I can reach 1150, but not for a long time, maybe it is the maximum of that chip... ?! For that bad ASIC


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

*I want to bought a XFX Radeon 7970 GHz Edition 3 GB.

2 questions: That card works fine with monitors who works with 120 Hz? The monitor in question is a BenQ XL2420T.

Actually, i've been using a GTX 580 and 120Hz works great, not even a problem.

And, the second question is about bitstreaming DTS-HD and Dolby True HD, receiver A/V and software.

The card works fine with this codes ? I can play a movie .iso with Media Player Classic ? Dolby D, DTS and Dolby Plus works great, with this player, at the moment.*

Thanks, all, and sorry about my English =(


----------



## hotrod717

Finally pulled the trigger. Replacing my GTX 590 with a Gigabyte 7970 and koolance waterblock!


----------



## Smithy92

Hi everyone. I got a 7950 boost over christmas of 2012. Ever since I installed it in my system I've noticed that I sometimes get this odd flicker that would maybe only last a second. Now I haven't done any overclocking and I don't want to go through the hassle of trying to return the item. Does anyone have any idea on what it might be?


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Smithy92*
> 
> Hi everyone. I got a 7950 boost over christmas of 2012. Ever since I installed it in my system I've noticed that I sometimes get this odd flicker that would maybe only last a second. Now I haven't done any overclocking and I don't want to go through the hassle of trying to return the item. Does anyone have any idea on what it might be?


During gaming? Normal browsing? How was the old video card drivers removed? Which drivers are you currently using?


----------



## Roadkill95

Hey guys, does anyone here an ASUS 7950 V2? I've heard so many complaints about their inital version of this card and I was wondering if ASUS fixed anything with the V2 revision?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roadkill95*
> 
> Hey guys, does anyone here an ASUS 7950 V2? I've heard so many complaints about their inital version of this card and I was wondering if ASUS fixed anything with the V2 revision?


Please post photos of PCB and heat sink.


----------



## billgates8889

The Asus 7950 v1 had cooling issues. In v2 it should be fixed.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> *The Asus 7950 v1 had cooling issues. In v2 it should be fixed.*


QFT
from experience









[edit] if my memory serves me well i think the V2 is voltage locked









Plus with V1, you can always reseat the cooler which i havernt tried but heard it is a possible fix


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dspacek*
> 
> temperatures in LOAD are 69°C almost, max 70°C dropping, I have a pasive cooler added on VRM, maybe about 80°C, cant keep hand on it much long. ;-) Dont know the exact temperature ;-)
> I can reach 1150, but not for a long time, maybe it is the maximum of that chip... ?! For that bad ASIC


Unfortunately 1150 looks like max for your gpu, looks like gpu shuts down because you trigger some sort of protection, most likely VRM.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vanSCHYNEYDER*
> 
> *I want to bought a XFX Radeon 7970 GHz Edition 3 GB.
> 
> 2 questions: That card works fine with monitors who works with 120 Hz? The monitor in question is a BenQ XL2420T.
> 
> Actually, i've been using a GTX 580 and 120Hz works great, not even a problem.
> 
> And, the second question is about bitstreaming DTS-HD and Dolby True HD, receiver A/V and software.
> 
> The card works fine with this codes ? I can play a movie .iso with Media Player Classic ? Dolby D, DTS and Dolby Plus works great, with this player, at the moment.*
> 
> Thanks, all, and sorry about my English =(


It works even better with a 120Hz monitor much more fluid.


----------



## dspacek

thats a pity. I wanted to reach 1200Mhz core, but ASIC **** :-(


----------



## grymok

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5717234
Hmm, is it my CPU, which holds the card back for not reaching 10k?.

Pushing it alittle, and barely reach 10k http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5717597

Pushing it to the max: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5717749
Reaching 80c on core and 106 vrm 1 and 77 vrm 2 temps.
All this is on air.


----------



## Smithy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> During gaming? Normal browsing? How was the old video card drivers removed? Which drivers are you currently using?


I had a fresh copy of windows installed and the only drivers which I had installed were the 7950 drivers. At the moment I am currently using the 13.1 Catalyst Drivers. I've only gotten the flicker when I might be doing a bit of programming or when I'm browsing the web.


----------



## Roadkill95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Please post photos of PCB and heat sink.


th

I haven't gotten the card yet, I was dead set on getting one before but then I saw thread on OCN so I didn't.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> The Asus 7950 v1 had cooling issues. In v2 it should be fixed.


Thanks for the answer
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> QFT
> from experience
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [edit] if my memory serves me well i think the V2 is voltage locked
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plus with V1, you can always reseat the cooler which i havernt tried but heard it is a possible fix


Hmm, I don't know if I want to go through the hassle of reseating it when I can buy a perfectly seated card for less money from other brands you know? It's a shame cause I really love the aesthetics of ASUS cards. Also voltage locking is an absolute no from me, kinda kills the deal. Thanks for the answer









BTW, has anyone here gotten a vapor-x from amazon or newegg? If someone can confirm to me if their amazon or newegg purchased vapor-x is the 8+8 pin version or the 8+6 pin version I'd really appreciate it.


----------



## Fyrwulf

Is there a list of 7970 cards that use reference designs? I'm looking at using Heatkiller blocks, but it's listed as reference only.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5717234
> Hmm, is it my CPU, which holds the card back for not reaching 10k?.
> 
> Pushing it alittle, and barely reach 10k http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5717597
> 
> Pushing it to the max: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5717749
> Reaching 80c on core and 106 vrm 1 and 77 vrm 2 temps.
> All this is on air.


Hmm, your scores seem quite low, what drivers are you using?

I got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5472249 with 12.11 betas, [email protected]/1700, [email protected],5, also your physics-score is higher than mine.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Hmm, your scores seem quite low, what drivers are you using?
> 
> I got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5472249 with 12.11 betas, [email protected]/1700, [email protected],5, also your physics-score is higher than mine.


I'm using the 13.2 beta drivers.
But havn't installed the CAP 2 for 12.11. Maybe that will rock the house


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Hmm, your scores seem quite low, what drivers are you using?
> 
> I got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5472249 with 12.11 betas, [email protected]/1700, [email protected],5, also your physics-score is higher than mine.


Indeed, I usually score around yours with a 7970GE @ 1200/1600 and my fx-8350... Not sure why his would be that low. A guy on another site gets about 10k with a 930 @ 3.0ghz and SLI 560ti's... soo something is holding him back here.


----------



## grymok

Just installed the CAP 2 for 12.11 and now i get this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5718344 1k more. Helped a little


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Just installed the CAP 2 for 12.11 and now i get this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5718344 1k more. Helped a little


So wait, I'm running the 12.11 drivers currently, maybe i'm dense or have been in the dark, but what is this CAP2? Does it increase performance over the standard 12.11 or is it built in?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> So wait, I'm running the 12.11 drivers currently, maybe i'm dense or have been in the dark, but what is this CAP2? Does it increase performance over the standard 12.11 or is it built in?


The CAP 2, is a piece of software with profiles, build for amd drivers. It's optimizing games etc. For me it gave 1k in 3d mark 11.


----------



## deathlikeeric

got my Gigabyte 7950 wf3 with ek waterblock stable at 1200/1700 @ 1.181v with a max temp around 45c


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> The CAP 2, is a piece of software with profiles, build for amd drivers. It's optimizing games etc. For me it gave 1k in 3d mark 11.


Thanks, just installed it - rebooting then will try 3dmark 11 myself to see


----------



## youpekkad

I also have 12.11 CAP 2 installed, now your score looks normal.


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deathlikeeric*
> 
> got my Gigabyte 7950 wf3 with ek waterblock stable at 1200/1700 @ 1.181v with a max temp around 45c
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Very low max temp. Congrats on the 1200, your ambient temp low?


----------



## marsey99

what are most people running as the max safe volts on a 7950 for 24/7 use?

only i have just got a sapphire 7950 oc and wanted to know how far i should push it for daily use












had that out of it so far but as always i would like to push it for more


----------



## mboner1

sorry if this question gets asked alot but i cant find any info for my card, i have a HIS 7970 and i cant unlock voltage control in any of the regular programs. It came with its own program called iturbo which allows for the same overclock as ccc, any ideas?


----------



## deathlikeeric

Quote:


> Very low max temp. Congrats on the 1200, your ambient temp low?


my idle temp are around 32c and my room temp is about 20-23c


----------



## sena

My HD 7950 flying through Heaven 3.0 at 1300/1750, voltage is set at 1.21V in MSI AB, real 3d voltage is about 1.1-1.12V in load.

Some minor artefacts at end of bench because after 1250 card is getting temp limited really fast, at 1300 MHz after 52C i see artefacts.


----------



## dartuil

hello i have a 40" TV what FOV should I take?
80 isnt not enough maybe 100 or 110?

thank you


----------



## dartuil

hello i have a 40" TV what FOV should I take?
80 isnt not enough maybe 100 or 110?

thank you


----------



## dartuil

Men I'm sorry multi post bug


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> hello i have a 40" TV what FOV should I take?
> 80 isnt not enough maybe 100 or 110?
> 
> thank you


That's a matter of preference. Adjust it until you find what suits you best


----------



## deathlikeeric

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> My HD 7950 flying through Heaven 3.0 at 1300/1750, voltage is set at 1.21V in MSI AB, real 3d voltage is about 1.1-1.12V in load.
> 
> Some minor artefacts at end of bench because after 1250 card is getting temp limited really fast, at 1300 MHz after 52C i see artefacts.






nice! i just got mine heaven 3.0 stable at 1300/1700 @ 1.218v and max temp of 45c... but i see no point of having that high of an overclock 24/7


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deathlikeeric*
> 
> 
> nice! i just got mine heaven 3.0 stable at 1300/1700 @ 1.218v and max temp of 45c... but i see no point of having that high of an overclock 24/7


Yea really there is no point, even to run it at 1200 MHz imho, i game at 1050/1500, stock volts, and 98% games run +60 fps without problem, and for that 2% i have one more hd 7950 incoming.


----------



## deathlikeeric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Yea really there is no point, even to run it at 1200 MHz imho, i game at 1050/1500, stock volts, and 98% games run +60 fps without problem, and for that 2% i have one more hd 7950 incoming.


nice! i might get another 7950 when i get my 2560x1440p monitor to keep hitting the 60 fps


----------



## TamaDrumz76

It seems my highest stable overclock is 1175 core / 1725 mem. Temps are good, and adding more voltage does not help at all. I'm running 1.2V on the core and going up to 1.3 does not aid in stability when trying to bring it over 1185. 1725 is the top the mem will go to also... I was hoping to get a solid 1200/1800, but it's not that big of a difference.

I should mention this is using ATiTool to scan for artifacts... I was able to get it higher than these numbers and it appeared OK to the naked eye in games/benchmarks, but ATiTool was finding tiny artifacts... so I brought it down to where I did not get any what-so-ever.


----------



## SortOfGrim

Pretty much every time I play Far Cray 3 either this happens after 45 minutes or the game crashes. GPU temp is stable at 61C so that can't be it and it isn't oc'ed.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roadkill95*
> 
> BTW, has anyone here gotten a vapor-x from amazon or newegg? If someone can confirm to me if their amazon or newegg purchased vapor-x is the 8+8 pin version or the 8+6 pin version I'd really appreciate it.


I've read a few posts here from members that have reported it has 2x8pin power connectors and I have seen 1 photo of the power connector posted from a member at Anandtech forums.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=34314954&postcount=671

I have yet to see the PCB lay out with the heat sink off. Would love to see what it looks like if somebody could post a photo.


----------



## mboner1

So there is no one program for voltage control for generic use?


----------



## Roadkill95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I've read a few posts here from members that have reported it has 2x8pin power connectors and I have seen 1 photo of the power connector posted from a member at Anandtech forums.
> 
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=34314954&postcount=671
> 
> I have yet to see the PCB lay out with the heat sink off. Would love to see what it looks like if somebody could post a photo.


Thanks for the link, that thread was a gold of information.

As it stands buying a vapor-x is sort of a gamble, the 8+6 pin version seems to have horrible VRM temps so I'm not gonna bother with it at all. I'm leaning towards the MSI 7950 TFIII as of right now, every single TFIII I've seen has been able to do at least 1150 on core which is decent.

Although I'd really, really, really like an ASUS 7950. There was one guy on the thread you showed me with a 7950 V2, I'm thinking of registering and asking him about it..

EDIT: Looking at pictures from ASUS the 7950 V2 seems IDENTICAL to the 7970, the cooler anyway, have yet to see PCB pics of it.


----------



## hallster

Hi guys. I'm a bit confused so I hope someone can help!

I've been gradually upgrading my machine over the last couple of months. I've already got my first water loop running nicely and the next step is to replace my 5850 with a 7950 and include that in my loop. I did quite a lot of research and decided to get an MSI R7950 TFIII OC BE as I want to fit a Heatkiller waterblock and it appears all recent MSI 7950s have been shipping with the reference 7970 PCB that the Heatkiller needs.

So, I ordered the MSI R7950 TFIII OC BE and it arrived last week but, to my horror, it's got a 7950 PCB with the 6+6 pin power connectors!

My questions are...

1. Did I order the wrong card, ie is the BE (Boost Edition) unique in still shipping with a 7950 PCB?
2. Have I been sent "old stock"?
3. How do I make sure that the next MSI 7950 I order has a 7970 PCB?

Thanks for your time.


----------



## SBoD

At this point how do you rank the 7950s?

Currently looking at the VaporX and Gigabyte W3


----------



## Orija

I got my new 7950 vapor-x today. It's got two 8pin sockets, that's the good version, right? I've been getting consistent 60s in The Witcher, Crysis2 and Sleeping Dogs (with v-sync on) with the temps staying below 40C without any extra coolers/fans in the cabinet so that's great.\

I've been getting flickering squares in Sleeping Dogs though, these are about 0.5cm wide, and there are usually two or three of them at a time. Anyone know what may be causing this?

Edit: Using 13.1


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> Im currently using the 13.1 drivers with cap 2 since im crossfired with sapphire 7950's with windows 8 and I'm not experiencing any problems yet.


I probably should have clarified I was more interested in people who were used the official uninstall utility AMD came out with recently







.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1350750/win-8-users-warning-about-amd-uninstallation-utility/30

I'm guessing if I just install the drivers like normal and install the new ones I wouldn't have an issue on Windows 8, correct?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hallster*
> 
> Hi guys. I'm a bit confused so I hope someone can help!
> 
> I've been gradually upgrading my machine over the last couple of months. I've already got my first water loop running nicely and the next step is to replace my 5850 with a 7950 and include that in my loop. I did quite a lot of research and decided to get an MSI R7950 TFIII OC BE as I want to fit a Heatkiller waterblock and it appears all recent MSI 7950s have been shipping with the reference 7970 PCB that the Heatkiller needs.
> 
> So, I ordered the MSI R7950 TFIII OC BE and it arrived last week but, to my horror, it's got a 7950 PCB with the 6+6 pin power connectors!
> 
> My questions are...
> 
> 1. Did I order the wrong card, ie is the BE (Boost Edition) unique in still shipping with a 7950 PCB?
> 2. Have I been sent "old stock"?
> 3. How do I make sure that the next MSI 7950 I order has a 7970 PCB?
> 
> Thanks for your time.


Sad to hear that. :S
I can only say you need the V2 of the card to get a 7970 pcb, like the http://www.amazon.co.uk/MSI-Radeon-7950-Twin-Frozr/dp/B009VG906Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359393723&sr=8-2
I just got that, and talked abit with EK, and they say it's the 7970 pcb. And all EK 7970 blocks should fit that one, so probably the heatkiller to.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Orija*
> 
> I got my new 7950 vapor-x today. It's got two 8pin sockets, that's the good version, right? I've been getting consistent 60s in The Witcher, Crysis2 and Sleeping Dogs (with v-sync on) with the temps staying below 40C without any extra coolers/fans in the cabinet so that's great.\
> 
> I've been getting flickering squares in Sleeping Dogs though, these are about 0.5cm wide, and there are usually two or three of them at a time. Anyone know what may be causing this?


which drivers and cap are you using ?


----------



## Orija

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> which drivers and cap are you using ?


Just the 13.1 drivers, no caps.


----------



## Coree

Really i'm so confused right now. After 1 hour of playing Crysis 2 my GPU temp was 90C , VRM1 112C and VRM2 92C. 53% fan speed ONLY with 1.056V (1.031V stock) I did change the TIM to MX-4 too. After when i saw these temps, Crysis 2 froze and i had to restart my pc.
Worthy to RMA?
Clocks 1045/1400


----------



## dmanstasiu

Simply put, yes.


----------



## Coree

Does changing TIM void warranty? I'm now testing the temps at STOCK clocks and voltages, let's see how hot it will get..


----------



## Xylene

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Does changing TIM void warranty? I'm now testing the temps at STOCK clocks and voltages, let's see how hot it will get..


I wonder about this with MSI. I just got a Twin Frozr 7950 and it has a warranty sticker on the screws.


----------



## Coree

Mine didn't have any stickers on them though.
Heres my stock clocks temps (30min run of Crysis 2)

VRM1 was peaking at 87C. Hot for stock?


----------



## SkateZilla

With 12.11 Beta 7 I was able to do 1.2Ghz and 1500Mhz with a few voltage bumps...

Now for some reason even with 12.11 Beta 7, I cant even do 950/1500 without BF3 Screwing up and forcing a Reset after about 30 minutes.,
The Display Driver crashes, and then BF3 doesnt let go of the GPU, so Desktop is unclickable, even C-A-D, Taskmanager, brings up the mgr but i cant click on anything..

Fabulous......

Return Card to Stock 900/1250 and everything is fine.

Im thinking my mv Settings were changed when i updated


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Xylene*
> 
> I wonder about this with MSI. I just got a Twin Frozr 7950 and it has a warranty sticker on the screws.


My doesnt have any sticker on screws, i changed tim, i applied Liquid Pro, and healty 5C temp drop, even more when i am benching with + 1250 MHz.


----------



## hallster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Sad to hear that. :S
> I can only say you need the V2 of the card to get a 7970 pcb, like the http://www.amazon.co.uk/MSI-Radeon-7950-Twin-Frozr/dp/B009VG906Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359393723&sr=8-2
> I just got that, and talked abit with EK, and they say it's the 7970 pcb. And all EK 7970 blocks should fit that one, so probably the heatkiller to.


Thanks, grymok! Lesson learned, I guess. Never assume and always check before buying...


----------



## Xylene

Lulz.. my 7950 Twin Frozr that is two days old is already buzzing from the fan closest to the PCI-E bracket. I hope Microcenter will just exchange it.


----------



## Nocturin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Xylene*
> 
> Lulz.. my 7950 Twin Frozr that is two days old is already buzzing from the fan closest to the PCI-E bracket. I hope Microcenter will just exchange it.


Good luck.

I gots mine from amazon and it's a few months old and completely silent







.

If I had the LNA for my noctua fans, I could have a completely silent system... bad thing about getting them second hand







.


----------



## Xylene

I went tonight, exchanged. I went from ~71 quality to 63 but I know it doesn't mean a whole lot in the scheme of things. I just tried my same overclock profile from the last one and played 20 minutes of BF3 without issues.


----------



## muhd86

any one here able to unlock the voltages on a gigabyte windforce edition 7970


----------



## Tonza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Does changing TIM void warranty? I'm now testing the temps at STOCK clocks and voltages, let's see how hot it will get..


Only manufacturer who allows changing cooler is EVGA (so basically same as changing TIM). Yes it will void your warranty, will retailer see it? No. So in other words, even if manufacturer states that you will lose warranty if removing cooler. They cannot see it if there aint any physical damage on screws (some models have stickers top of the screws, which is bad). I have sent one 470 (MSI) back to retailer because it broke, had accelero on it, and they swapped it to new one (removed the cooler very carefully tho







).


----------



## Sasasd

MSI allows too and you won't void your warranty.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> Only manufacturer who allows changing cooler is EVGA (so basically same as changing TIM). Yes it will void your warranty, will retailer see it? No. So in other words, even if manufacturer states that you will lose warranty if removing cooler. They cannot see it if there aint any physical damage on screws (some models have stickers top of the screws, which is bad). I have sent one 470 (MSI) back to retailer because it broke, had accelero on it, and they swapped it to new one (removed the cooler very carefully tho
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ).


Last I knew XFX also let you install an aftermarket heatsink on the card and retain your warranty so long as you were in North America.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> My doesnt have any sticker on screws, i changed tim, i applied Liquid Pro, and healty 5C temp drop, even more when i am benching with + 1250 MHz.


Don't lie that you have changed TIM, pics or didn't happen..


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Don't lie that you have changed TIM, pics or didn't happen..

























How to hell i have obtained 1320 MHz?

On stock tim, that is impossible.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I have two XFX 7970 Black Edition (reference) and they have unremovable stickers on the screws. I made myself some pleasure by voiding the warranty and putting some waterblocks on them.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How to hell i have obtained 1320 MHz?
> 
> On stock tim, that is impossible.


Still I highly doubt it.


----------



## Evil Penguin

*OP has been updated to reflect Catalyst 13.2 beta 3 release.*


----------



## SortOfGrim

bump


----------



## Invisible

Updated my drivers to 13.1 and had a problem with my GPU and improper clock speeds. So I rolled back to 12.11 Beta 11 and the problem was still there for some reason. Never should have upgraded :|

But I have my OC set to 1100/1575 on my 7950 in Afterburner, unofficial mode is not on. Whenever I turn on my PC, my clock speeds instantly go to 500/1575, and will randomly jump to 900/1575 and 1100/1575, while just browsing the internet. I never go to idle speeds like I did before at 300/150 (or the other way around, I forget).

My clock speeds also stay at 501/1250 whenever I have a video up, such as on YouTube, even with a game up as well, not allowing for me to have a video up on YouTube to listen to while I'm gaming cause my clock speeds are so low I get poor performance. I used to have this problem, but just upgrading to the recent driver fixed it, but now it's came back. Anybody have a cause for these problems, and how to fix them?


----------



## Revanchist8525

Hey guys, I was wondering if any of you has any experience with the Arctic Cooling Accelero extreme 7970 cooler. I have a sapphire 7950 950mhz edition card and am wondering if I can install the accelero on with the stock sapphire vrm and memory heatsinks that came with the card instead of using the heatsinks that Arctic provides. Is it possible? If so, how does the vrm and core cooling with the arctic accelero cooler match up to the stock Sapphire dual-x cooler? Any help/info would be greatly appreciated!


----------



## Snuckie7

Hey guys, how do my 3DMark scores look for an overclocked 7950?

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5744873


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Hey guys, how do my 3DMark scores look for an overclocked 7950?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5744873


It's about on par with mine, looks to be the only difference is yours is clocked higher hence the slightly higer scores.

For reference


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I have two XFX 7970 Black Edition (reference) and they have unremovable stickers on the screws. I made myself some pleasure by voiding the warranty and putting some waterblocks on them.


Here's an excerpt from a chat I had with an XFX rep early last year regarding said stickers. As far as I'm aware, they haven't changed their policy so this should still be applicable.
Quote:


> [ERIK_A 2/15/2012 12:08:44 AM] Hi John, Breaking those seals wont void you warranty in north america, you have no thermal pads at this point on the card? - Erik


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I have two XFX 7970 Black Edition (reference) and they have unremovable stickers on the screws. I made myself some pleasure by voiding the warranty and putting some waterblocks on them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's an excerpt from a chat I had with an XFX rep early last year regarding said stickers. As far as I'm aware, they haven't changed their policy so this should still be applicable.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> [ERIK_A 2/15/2012 12:08:44 AM] Hi John, Breaking those seals wont void you warranty in north america, you have no thermal pads at this point on the card? - Erik
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

It's been three years since they added the stickers and nothing has changed regarding the North American modders warranty. The stickers do not apply to NA.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Hey guys, how do my 3DMark scores look for an overclocked 7950?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5744873


Better than mine.... though, your using a Intel CPU which might explain why.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5585402


----------



## Coree

60-70% gpu usage in Crysis 2, is this normal?


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Just ran a 3dmark at my new clocks on my 7970 (1200/1700) on Catalyst WHQL 13.1.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5747452


----------



## Orija

What procedure should I follow to remove 13.1 and install 13.2?

Should an uninstall and removal of registry via CCleaner be enough?


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> 60-70% gpu usage in Crysis 2, is this normal?


If you have V-Sync enabled yeah, disable it and check out your usage then


----------



## Paztak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Orija*
> 
> What procedure should I follow to remove 13.1 and install 13.2?
> 
> Should an uninstall and removal of registry via CCleaner be enough?


Use this guide:

http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards

But I'm not sure why you want to do that? 13.2 are beta drivers and basically just performance boost for crysis 3 beta.
_if it aint broke dont fix it_ of course if you are playing crysis 3 beta or you are having some other problems you should try 13.2 drivers but if everything is working just fine, I suggest that you don't change the drivers.


----------



## Orija

Thanks for the link. Yes, I wanted them for the Crysis beta.


----------



## neoroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Hey guys, how do my 3DMark scores look for an overclocked 7950?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5744873


Nice OC *Snuckie7*







HD7950 at 1150/1425MHz is the sweetspot I guess







looking forward to upgrade to this awesome card.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Updated my drivers to 13.1 and had a problem with my GPU and improper clock speeds. So I rolled back to 12.11 Beta 11 and the problem was still there for some reason. Never should have upgraded :|
> 
> But I have my OC set to 1100/1575 on my 7950 in Afterburner, unofficial mode is not on. Whenever I turn on my PC, my clock speeds instantly go to 500/1575, and will randomly jump to 900/1575 and 1100/1575, while just browsing the internet. I never go to idle speeds like I did before at 300/150 (or the other way around, I forget).
> 
> My clock speeds also stay at 501/1250 whenever I have a video up, such as on YouTube, even with a game up as well, not allowing for me to have a video up on YouTube to listen to while I'm gaming cause my clock speeds are so low I get poor performance. I used to have this problem, but just upgrading to the recent driver fixed it, but now it's came back. Anybody have a cause for these problems, and how to fix them?


Anyone?


----------



## manchina

Hey all. First time posting in this thread.

I have an MSI 7950 TFIII 3G/OC (8pin+6pin 7970 board I believe) running at 1230/1555 @1.2V under stock cooling currently. It gets really, REALLY hot ~ 85C and really really loud, so I'm starting a new project to get the temps down.

I have a spare Corsair H50 from Frys I landed for $30 and I'm getting a TriptCC Fan Bracket + Copper Shim ($15 after shipping) to replace the TFIII and will be using Antec Diamond Formula 6 between the GPU-SHIM-Cooler. I'll include pictures and updates. Currently here's my 3dmark (P10289) at my max overclock listed above. Hopefully I can blow it out of the water with better cooling.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5624604


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Anyone?


Did you have afterburner running when you installed, or trixx? It can sometimes bork the install. Turn them both off and untick start on launch and restore clocks. Install drivers again and then launch which ever OC tool you use.


----------



## KronDestroyer13

does having after burner installed while updating your card **** **** up? i am running my 7970 lightning at 1225/1575 but i see people pushing on air even further. could this reason your stating be the cause? i mean my oc is good im not complaining but i want to push this sucker as far as he will go!


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *manchina*
> 
> Hey all. First time posting in this thread.
> 
> I have an MSI 7950 TFIII 3G/OC (8pin+6pin 7970 board I believe) running at 1230/1555 @1.2V under stock cooling currently. It gets really, REALLY hot ~ 85C and really really loud, so I'm starting a new project to get the temps down.
> 
> I have a spare Corsair H50 from Frys I landed for $30 and I'm getting a TriptCC Fan Bracket + Copper Shim ($15 after shipping) to replace the TFIII and will be using Antec Diamond Formula 6 between the GPU-SHIM-Cooler. I'll include pictures and updates. Currently here's my 3dmark (P10289) at my max overclock listed above. Hopefully I can blow it out of the water with better cooling.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5624604


I have the excact same card (8+6 pin etc.) and the same problem. I know my card can hit 1200MHz core @ ~1,14V or so but it gets bit too hot for my liking (after 5ish minutes of BF3 [email protected]% fan speed) and I dont want to run the fan at 100% (or anything above 70% for that matter) because of my ears !!

Very interested in hearing how this project ends up working


----------



## BigTall

Gentlemen...can I fit this block

http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx

on this card?

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1439&leg=0


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KronDestroyer13*
> 
> does having after burner installed while updating your card **** **** up? i am running my 7970 lightning at 1225/1575 but i see people pushing on air even further. could this reason your stating be the cause? i mean my oc is good im not complaining but i want to push this sucker as far as he will go!


lol, you are going to do some honour to your forum nickname if you continue with that attitude....


----------



## di inferi

Has anyone noticed increased temps with 13.1 and 13.2b3?

Not sure if its the sensors, code, or actual temps... but on 12.11 and prior I would see a max temp typically around 64ish.

Now... I just had *79 C* on Crysis 3. Any thoughts?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *di inferi*
> 
> Has anyone noticed increased temps with 13.1 and 13.2b3?
> 
> Not sure if its the sensors, code, or actual temps... but on 12.11 and prior I would see a max temp typically around 64ish.
> 
> Now... I just had *79 C* on Crysis 3. Any thoughts?


But did you test C3 on the 12.11's?


----------



## kahboom

So here is my most recent pc that i have been upgrading, since the photo i had to take out the chvz due to a code 99 right after a day of running, so i have benched with my original chv motherboard, i havetwo seperate loops one pump xspc dual bay version 4 pump for the cpu and two ddc swifttech mcp35x pumps just for the gpu's which are msi hd 7950 twin frozer iii cards with the 6x8pin flashed with msi hd 7970 bios using swifttech komodo 7970 waterblocks, first run i just did i just put the voltage up and ran them no artifacts and cards stayed under 53c, what voltage is safe for overclocking these cards on water and i have never really used this power control but i figured +10 was a good place too start for 1200core which ran fine.


----------



## di inferi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But did you test C3 on the 12.11's?


Not yet; I was just posting to see if it is a common occurrence before I start getting in deep with this.

Juts cleaned it and left my other monitors unplugged... Really won't be able to get to it until this weekend.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Did you have afterburner running when you installed, or trixx? It can sometimes bork the install. Turn them both off and untick start on launch and restore clocks. Install drivers again and then launch which ever OC tool you use.


I did. Just reset Afterburner to default clocks, and disabled on startup. Uninstalled 12.11 and upgraded to 13.1, and put my clocks back up to what they were. Problem still persists. Idle clock speeds while doing nothing are at 500/1575. Any thing else I can do?


----------



## KronDestroyer13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> lol, you are going to do some honour to your forum nickname if you continue with that attitude....


hah this card is litterally like the best card to oc with and the easiest ive come across. i just dont understand why i cant play far cry 1920x1200 at 8x anti aliasing and every thing maxed...i mean i should for the price of this card... thats why im asking for some advise. i get like 27-30 fps at those settings and its a little choppy so i just play it at 4x usually. more a pet peeve than anything.lol


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigTall*
> 
> Gentlemen...can I fit this block
> 
> http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx
> 
> on this card?
> 
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1439&leg=0


There is two difference versions of that block. I think you need the HD7950 version for this card. Contact Swiftech to make certain.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *manchina*
> 
> Hey all. First time posting in this thread.
> 
> I have an MSI 7950 TFIII 3G/OC (8pin+6pin 7970 board I believe) running at 1230/1555 @1.2V under stock cooling currently. It gets really, REALLY hot ~ 85C and really really loud, so I'm starting a new project to get the temps down.
> 
> I have a spare Corsair H50 from Frys I landed for $30 and I'm getting a TriptCC Fan Bracket + Copper Shim ($15 after shipping) to replace the TFIII and will be using Antec Diamond Formula 6 between the GPU-SHIM-Cooler. I'll include pictures and updates. Currently here's my 3dmark (P10289) at my max overclock listed above. Hopefully I can blow it out of the water with better cooling.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5624604


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> I have the excact same card (8+6 pin etc.) and the same problem. I know my card can hit 1200MHz core @ ~1,14V or so but it gets bit too hot for my liking (after 5ish minutes of BF3 [email protected]% fan speed) and I dont want to run the fan at 100% (or anything above 70% for that matter) because of my ears !!
> 
> Very interested in hearing how this project ends up working


Wow your guys' TFIII's run pretty hot. My card at 1150/1500 @ 1.087V never goes above 70C @ 55% fan speed in Battlefield 3 and the Heaven benchmark.


----------



## geoxile

What are you guys getting on your 7950s in Crysis 3? Maxed at 1080p with FXAA I get like 30-45, sometimes 40-50

And that's with an OC of 1100/1300


----------



## Invisible

Could having dual monitors be the culprit of my high idle clock speeds? Cause I surely remember my idle being 300 and 150, and not 500/1575. Cause if so, that would explain this. This started happening right when I hooked up a second monitor to my 7950.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Could having dual monitors be the culprit of my high idle clock speeds? Cause I surely remember my idle being 300 and 150, and not 500/1575. Cause if so, that would explain this. This started happening right when I hooked up a second monitor to my 7950.


Yup. GPU needs to work harder on idle


----------



## Snuckie7

When is ZeroCore supposed to kick in? I don't think I've even seen my GPU fans completely stop.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> When is ZeroCore supposed to kick in? I don't think I've even seen my GPU fans completely stop.


It depends on how you are overclocking if at all. Overclocking apps will bypass the zerocore in most configurations.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Could having dual monitors be the culprit of my high idle clock speeds? Cause I surely remember my idle being 300 and 150, and not 500/1575. Cause if so, that would explain this. This started happening right when I hooked up a second monitor to my 7950.


More than one monitor will mean the gpu runs with minimum of 500mhz core and technically full speed on memory. If you use AB and bypass Powerplay, you can have it run at 150mhz memory.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on how you are overclocking if at all. Overclocking apps will bypass the zerocore in most configurations.
> More than one monitor will mean the gpu runs with minimum of 500mhz core and technically full speed on memory. If you use AB and bypass Powerplay, you can have it run at 150mhz memory.


Oh damn I did overclock with MSI AB. Is there any way to get ZeroCore to kick back in when the card is idle for overclocked setups?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on how you are overclocking if at all. Overclocking apps will bypass the zerocore in most configurations.
> More than one monitor will mean the gpu runs with minimum of 500mhz core and technically full speed on memory. If you use AB and bypass Powerplay, you can have it run at 150mhz memory.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh damn I did overclock with MSI AB. Is there any way to get ZeroCore to kick back in when the card is idle for overclocked setups?
Click to expand...

Zerocore is essentially at odds with overclocking software. If the gpu goes to sleep, overclock tools can no longer monitor/access the card = crash. Thus you either go stock with zerocore or you overclock.


----------



## Snuckie7

Ah well f*** that then. There's a reason why I'm on this website.


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *geoxile*
> 
> What are you guys getting on your 7950s in Crysis 3? Maxed at 1080p with FXAA I get like 30-45, sometimes 40-50
> 
> And that's with an OC of 1100/1300


30-45 at Museum, 40-50 at Airport (Maxed out, Vsync off). Unplayable at SMAA T2x


----------



## galaxy366

Hello people







,

Soon I will buy a 7950 after I sold my 2 HD6870. Sadly I don't know which brand I should take. I have heard that Sapphire has the voltage locked and I do want to overclock







.

I was thinking first by taking the Sapphire HD7950 with Boost or Sapphire HD7950 Vapor-X. But if there is a voltage lock then I don't know.

Hopefully someone can help me







!

Best regards,

Robert Oortwijn


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Wow your guys' TFIII's run pretty hot. My card at 1150/1500 @ 1.087V never goes above 70C @ 55% fan speed in Battlefield 3 and the Heaven benchmark.


Yea, well 1150/1500 @1,100V I´m getting max temps of ~70-71C @69% fan speed in BF3, so it just seems that the cooler doesnt handle higher voltages very well (might have something to do with very high ASIC% as well). Also my case/airflow is not the best...


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *galaxy366*
> 
> Hello people
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ,
> 
> Soon I will buy a 7950 after I sold my 2 HD6870. Sadly I don't know which brand I should take. I have heard that Sapphire has the voltage locked and I do want to overclock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I was thinking first by taking the Sapphire HD7950 with Boost or Sapphire HD7950 Vapor-X. But if there is a voltage lock then I don't know.
> 
> Hopefully someone can help me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> !
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Robert Oortwijn


That boost-card has a stock-voltage of 1,25V so it doesnt really matter if its locked or not, you shouldnt be using much more than that in 24/7 use anyway







At that voltage you should get easy 1100-1150MHz core, even more if you get lucky.

Gigabyte windforce III, HIS IceQ are also very good choices, MSI TFIII is good too especially if you get one of those with HD7970PCB, these cards usually clock very well on low voltage but the cooler starts becoming a bottleneck as you give it more volts (I believe there are quite a few ppl in this thread with these cards, and seems like all of them do at least 1150MHz).


----------



## KronDestroyer13

im playing crysis at around 30-40 frames maxed and with msaa x2 i think its two down from maxed still wish i could play at max anti aliasing and settings... i honestly can tell the difference in the graphics appeal. but i dont think any one could play it maxed without sli...


----------



## galaxy366

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> That boost-card has a stock-voltage of 1,25V so it doesnt really matter if its locked or not, you shouldnt be using much more than that in 24/7 use anyway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At that voltage you should get easy 1100-1150MHz core, even more if you get lucky.
> 
> Gigabyte windforce III, HIS IceQ are also very good choices, MSI TFIII is good too especially if you get one of those with HD7970PCB, these cards usually clock very well on low voltage but the cooler starts becoming a bottleneck as you give it more volts (I believe there are quite a few ppl in this thread with these cards, and seems like all of them do at least 1150MHz).


I understand









Still I don't know which one I should take







Sapphire HD7950 with Boost of the Vapor-X version.
I did read that the Vapor-X has LED inside it? and better cooling, but are there more advantaged that is worth the +20 euros from the Boost version.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *manchina*
> 
> Hey all. First time posting in this thread.
> 
> I have an MSI 7950 TFIII 3G/OC (8pin+6pin 7970 board I believe) running at 1230/1555 @1.2V under stock cooling currently. It gets really, REALLY hot ~ 85C and really really loud, so I'm starting a new project to get the temps down.
> 
> I have a spare Corsair H50 from Frys I landed for $30 and I'm getting a TriptCC Fan Bracket + Copper Shim ($15 after shipping) to replace the TFIII and will be using Antec Diamond Formula 6 between the GPU-SHIM-Cooler. I'll include pictures and updates. Currently here's my 3dmark (P10289) at my max overclock listed above. Hopefully I can blow it out of the water with better cooling.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5624604


Great idea! For $30 that is a bargain!
I'd use some Coolabatory Pro/Ultra though between the shim since there'll be so many layers of paste used, that and you are going to all the effort of a modded cooler so why not spend the extra few $$$ for reasonable gains.


----------



## KingT

*Crysis 3 MP*

Settings: 1280 x 1024, Very High, FXAA

*ASUS HD7950 DC2 TOP* OC'd @ 1100/1750MHz , max GPU temp 61C, VRM 66/67C

Avg FPS ~ 70










CHEERS..


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> *Crysis 3 MP*
> 
> Settings: 1280 x 1024, Very High, FXAA
> 
> *ASUS HD7950 DC2 TOP* OC'd @ 1100/1750MHz , max GPU temp 61C, VRM 66/67C
> 
> Avg FPS ~ 70
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


You have a 2500k/7950 in a HAF 932 with a 19 Inch LCD? The case alone costs more then an el' cheapo 22-24 Inch LED LCD? I couldn't stand playing on a 19" anymore.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *galaxy366*
> 
> I understand
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still I don't know which one I should take
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sapphire HD7950 with Boost of the Vapor-X version.
> I did read that the Vapor-X has LED inside it? and better cooling, but are there more advantaged that is worth the +20 euros from the Boost version.


I've tried the vapor-x 2x 8 pin, 950 mhz. indeed nice card and no noise, clocked fine.
but ended up with the msi tf3 v2 with 7970 pcb because I want wc full cover, and the sapphire don't support that.
and the tf3 oced better, but more noisy!


----------



## SortOfGrim

Hi, I'm going to







my 7970 soon and I'll add a 120 30mm rad (push/pull) in the loop. I already have one 120 60mm (pull) and one 240 30mm rad (push/pull).

Do you think it will be enough?


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on how you are overclocking if at all. Overclocking apps will bypass the zerocore in most configurations.
> More than one monitor will mean the gpu runs with minimum of 500mhz core and technically full speed on memory. If you use AB and bypass Powerplay, you can have it run at 150mhz memory.


How do I do that? Just enable Unofficial mode? Would that also cause any damage to the GPU, since it's running at a lower clock speed than it should when idle?


----------



## manchina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Great idea! For $30 that is a bargain!
> I'd use some Coolabatory Pro/Ultra though between the shim since there'll be so many layers of paste used, that and you are going to all the effort of a modded cooler so why not spend the extra few $$$ for reasonable gains.


Thanks for the suggestion! I'm checking out this stuff now. I only mentioned the Antec stuff because it's what I have on hand already. Do you have any suggestion for cooling the VRM other than the 92MM I'm going to mount above it or should that be satisfactory do you think?


----------



## SortOfGrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> *Crysis 3 MP*
> 
> Settings: 1280 x 1024, Very High, FXAA
> 
> *ASUS HD7950 DC2 TOP* OC'd @ 1100/1750MHz , max GPU temp 61C, VRM 66/67C
> 
> Avg FPS ~ 70
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


Settings: 1920x1080, Very High, SMAA high (4x) Average fps: 30


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on how you are overclocking if at all. Overclocking apps will bypass the zerocore in most configurations.
> More than one monitor will mean the gpu runs with minimum of 500mhz core and technically full speed on memory. If you use AB and bypass Powerplay, you can have it run at 150mhz memory.
> 
> 
> 
> How do I do that? Just enable Unofficial mode? Would that also cause any damage to the GPU, since it's running at a lower clock speed than it should when idle?
Click to expand...

In my sig thread, bottom of second post dealing with bypassing powerplay and the flicker issue.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


----------



## Kurio

Hello guys..

I am thinked about buying 2X 7950s....

I've heard they can rape GTX 680s with overclock.

Which 7950 will perform best in 2X CF?

I have a normal ATX, but i think i can fit 2x 3 slots it that have something to do








Thanks for help mates


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kurio*
> 
> Hello guys..
> 
> I am thinked about buying 2X 7950s....
> 
> I've heard they can rape GTX 680s with overclock.
> 
> Which 7950 will perform best in 2X CF?
> 
> I have a normal ATX, but i think i can fit 2x 3 slots it that have something to do
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for help mates


I would recommend this card
http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-693.shtml
Because blower fans are better in sli/crossfire due to not recycling heat, but this is a non reference blower, so much better than stock! Look at the guru3d review here;
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/his_radeon_hd_7950_iceq_turbo_review,9.html

62c load at 38db, awesome for blower fan


----------



## StatikGP

I have a MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 and I pulled a P10640 3DMark11 score after my overclock which are stable and run through ungine heaven benchmark flawlessly.


----------



## SkateZilla

Thinkin about Going Cross Fire when 79xx Series get discounted for 8000 series release.

most likely Primary will be a 7970, with a 7950 for added Umph.

now.

I was playing with this before, but never got around to making it practical.

I want to mount the Primary Card in the normal slot 0.

the 2nd Card I want to use a Flexible PCIe Extension Cable from the second 16x slot, and mount it so it does not interfere with the main GPU's airflow, and Since the displays arent being used, I can mount it internally near an exhaust fan.

I may end up mounting it on my HAF922's auxillary, and mount it so the Exhaust Vent is uncovered, and the connection ports remain internal, the GPU will have the side fan blowing on it easily.

I may have to Externalize the 200mm Side fan.

I'll test to see if it's possible with my 8800GTS in my other HA922 case And Take Pictures.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StatikGP*
> 
> I have a MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 and I pulled a P10640 3DMark11 score after my overclock which are stable and run through ungine heaven benchmark flawlessly.


I got 10,500 GPU score, my Physics/Combined score was in the toilet at the time, as I had ALL of the power saving BS on.

that was at 1108/1500.


----------



## StatikGP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I got 10,500 GPU score, my Physics/Combined score was in the toilet at the time, as I had ALL of the power saving BS on.
> 
> that was at 1108/1500.


Thats awesome dude, yeah my clocks were 1150/1550. I dont use eyefinity so im trying to justify buying a 2nd card. I got my current card for $250. it was a refurb, but it runs like a champ with no issues OC'ing.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StatikGP*
> 
> Thats awesome dude, yeah my clocks were 1150/1550. I dont use eyefinity so im trying to justify buying a 2nd card. I got my current card for $250. it was a refurb, but it runs like a champ with no issues OC'ing.


My card was $479, died in a month, original Heatsink was not a "DualX" that card was $20 more at the time about a year ago.

Sent it in for RMA, they sent the same card back with the DualX Heatsink.

I was able to run 3dmark and other benches at 1108Mhz/1500MHz memory @ 1.150v and Power set to +20.

i think the score woulda been better if the card didnt start in 500Mhz Mode

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4949710
(like i said, CPU / Physics / combined scores sucked as I had FX power saving features all on, and it actually downclocked to well below 2Ghz at one point). My new CPU doesnt do that at all.

I'll have to re-apply my Overclocks, as I took them off as I didnt need them.

But I went to 950/1500Mhz after 13.2 came out, and tried to play BF3 and it crashed out for some reason. might have to adjust my voltages higher as the newer 13.2 drivers seem to work the GPU more.

I may go 1.175 and re-try 1100Mhz for stability.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StatikGP*
> 
> Thats awesome dude, yeah my clocks were 1150/1550. I dont use eyefinity so im trying to justify buying a 2nd card. I got my current card for $250. it was a refurb, but it runs like a champ with no issues OC'ing.


I just have a single 27" monitor @ 1920x1080 and I debated about it as well, but I finally pulled the trigger and bought my 2nd 7950. They both are the sapphire boost editions. Just shy of 19k graphics score on 3d Mark 11 with 1150 1535 clocks. I'm on Windows 8 so my physics suck @ 78xx. Any way yes it's way overkill on a single monitor but I love it, BF3 never drops below 100fps maxed out. The only game I have experienced stutter is FC3, other than that I don't have any issues with my games. 13.1 drivers with the latest cap.


----------



## KronDestroyer13

does anyone have an extra 7970 they want to sell? i really need to get a secondary for some of these upcoming games.


----------



## DB006

*13.2 Beta 4 now out http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst132BetaDriver.aspx

Highlights Improves performance in the Crysis 3 Multi-Player Beta by up to 50% when 4x and 8x MSAA are enabled.*


----------



## lucas.vulcan

hello all

I just bought a .Sapphire ( 11197-11-40G) AMD Radeon HD 7970 GDDR5 3 Go .. and I'd like to know if there is a patch in order to pass edition 1100MHz because mine has 925 mhz

Merci


----------



## switchblade

Hey what do you guys think about the Ares 2?

Its a very unique concept that I have not seen before in a non modded graphics card.

http://www.asus.com/tw/Graphics_Cards/ARES26GD5/






Um any1 tried the 13.2 beta drivers in crysis 2 and notice any real performance gains?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Um any1 tried the 13.2 beta drivers in crysis 2 and notice any real performance gains?


are you talking about crysis 3. here is some feedback on the 13.2 beta 4 drivers.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2295784&page=11

seems like they are having a very nice performance impact.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> are you talking about crysis 3. here is some feedback on the 13.2 beta 4 drivers.
> 
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2295784&page=11
> 
> seems like they are having a very nice performance impact.


Thanks for the link man. I don't like installing betas the last time i did I had a lot of issues and vowed never to be the guinea pig







. I like what the AMD driver team is doing they seem to be serious about getting every bit of performance out of the cards. Maybe tempted to try the beta driver but in all likelihood they will release a certified driver before crysis 3 launch or just after. Being that the 13.2 beta was released to increase performance in crysis 3 they seem to be working with crytek and might have the driver released before launch i hope.


----------



## Invisible

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> In my sig thread, bottom of second post dealing with bypassing powerplay and the flicker issue.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


So I put on Unofficial Mode 2, which is not what I want. Just 1100/1575 all the time. Put on Mode 1, and I got 300/150 sitting at the desktop, which is awesome and exactly what I want. But with CONSTANT flickering. Weird though, cause when I go back to stock clocks, it sits at 500/150 with no flickering. Anything else I can do?


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Hey what do you guys think about the Ares 2?
> 
> Its a very unique concept that I have not seen before in a non modded graphics card.
> 
> http://www.asus.com/tw/Graphics_Cards/ARES26GD5/
> 
> *snip*
> Um any1 tried the 13.2 beta drivers in crysis 2 and notice any real performance gains?


PNY GTX 580.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Thanks for the link man. I don't like installing betas the last time i did I had a lot of issues and vowed never to be the guinea pig
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I like what the AMD driver team is doing they seem to be serious about getting every bit of performance out of the cards. Maybe tempted to try the beta driver but in all likelihood they will release a certified driver before crysis 3 launch or just after. Being that the 13.2 beta was released to increase performance in crysis 3 they seem to be working with crytek and might have the driver released before launch i hope.


AMD's certified WHQL drivers might take longer. AMD has moved to the Nvidia model where the beta driver updates are steady and address the latest games. There might be another beta driver for crysis 3 launch. But I think the WHQL will be mostly a March release. Eg: 12.7 beta launched in late June and 12.8 WHQL came in mid aug. 12.11 beta launched in late Oct and 13.1 WHQL came in mid Jan. so you are looking at mid - late march or even early apr for a whql. AMD's new memory manager is also expected within the next 1 or 2 betas. waiting for WHQL is not a good idea. If the latest beta has performance updates in a game you play use it.


----------



## FluffyGoober

I have been getting flashing artifacts in some games since 13.1. I never experienced these issues in 12.11 beta 11. I am really hoping its not my card but if thats the case I need to find out soon. I will try reverting to 12.11 tomorrow and see if its the card or drivers.

Mostly experiencing this in League of Legends. I ran Uni Heaven and saw it a bit too. It happens rarely so doesn't affect my games much but I am worried somewhat.


----------



## bored32

I was having this same issue in Skyrim. Apparently it was affecting a lot of DX9 games, however, others can report what they see but since installing the 13.2 Beta i have had no more of these flickering texture artifacts.


----------



## kahboom

I get flickering in 3d mark 11 and unigine 3.0 using 13.2 beta 4 drivers but it might just be a problem for HDMI cause when using dvi port it does not have this problem. Plus the screen size was off using the HDMI on my TV and no matter what resolution setting it still had a black boarder around the image and would not fit the screen.


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I get flickering in 3d mark 11 and unigine 3.0 using 13.2 beta 4 drivers but it might just be a problem for HDMI cause when using dvi port it does not have this problem. Plus the screen size was off using the HDMI on my TV and no matter what resolution setting it still had a black boarder around the image and would not fit the screen.


If you have black borders through HDMI, check in Catalyst Control Center, if you go to "My Digital Flat-Panels" then to "Scaling Options", see where the slider is... try moving the slider all the way to the right (0%).


----------



## Snuckie7

Ugh, I'm getting s*** performance in AC3. Does anyone know which settings exacerbate this? Or does the game just run like crap in general?


----------



## lucas.vulcan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucas.vulcan*
> 
> hello all
> 
> I just bought a .Sapphire ( 11197-11-40G) AMD Radeon HD 7970 GDDR5 3 Go .. and I'd like to know if there is a patch in order to pass edition 1100MHz because mine has 925 mhz
> 
> Merci


----------



## Flameboy294

Anyone Disappointed with the 7970's performance in crysis 3? Im on 13.1, 1050/1500mhz and i can just just keep medium settings at 30fps. Res 1900x1080p


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Flameboy294*
> 
> Anyone Disappointed with the 7970's performance in crysis 3? Im on 13.1, 1050/1500mhz and i can just just keep medium settings at 30fps. Res 1900x1080p


install 13.2 beta 4. Crysis 3 at max settings with 4x MSAA at 1080p on a HD 7970 Ghz (1050 mhz) is close to 40 fps.









http://www.pcgameshardware.de/Crysis-3-PC-235317/Tests/Crysis-3-Beta-Test-Catalyst-132-Beta-4-1046819/

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst132BetaDriver.aspx


----------



## Razor 116

Deleted Raghu78 got there first


----------



## Flameboy294

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> install 13.2 beta 4. Crysis 3 at max settings with 4x MSAA at 1080p on a HD 7970 Ghz (1050 mhz) is close to 40 fps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.pcgameshardware.de/Crysis-3-PC-235317/Tests/Crysis-3-Beta-Test-Catalyst-132-Beta-4-1046819/
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst132BetaDriver.aspx


i actually did it exactly after i posted, had a great sigh of relief







works great


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> PNY GTX 580.


I see its been done before but seems awkward looking where would u put the rad and pump housing without making it look ******ed?


----------



## Orija

What kind of performance should I expect from the 7950 Vapor-X @950MHz in The Witcher 2?

This is what I'm getting in Flotsam, I occasionally get some stuttering when the framerate drops to the 30s when looking around. Resolution 1920x1080. Settings at ultra, no ubersampling. Specs: 2500k at stock settings, 4gb ddr3, drivers are 13.1.

Frames Time (ms) Min Max Avg
17122 300000 27 62 57.073

I'm well satisfied with the performance in other games like Sleeping Dogs and Crysis 2 where I get a solid 60fps throughout.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Hey what do you guys think about the Ares 2?
> 
> Its a very unique concept that I have not seen before in a non modded graphics card.
> 
> http://www.asus.com/tw/Graphics_Cards/ARES26GD5/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Um any1 tried the 13.2 beta drivers in crysis 2 and notice any real performance gains?


only 1000 made, and barely any coming to the US.... which is weird, cuz Power Cost more per kw in the UK


----------



## FrankoNL

I just got a 7970 second hand. It's a sapphire reference model with a ghz lightning bios flashed on to it. I am trying to OC it via afterburner but i can't unlock the voltage. I tried to change the settings in afterburner but i still can't change it.

Anyone got an idea?


----------



## GunMetal

The driver folder that is being left in C:AMD during uninstallation is safe to delete yes?


----------



## FrankoNL

Yes, it is for me. I am using Intel though ...


----------



## de4ler

Hey AMD family .

just a quick question . i wanna buy a HD 7970 lightning and i have a good air case ( Corsair 600T ) .

i wanna ask how mutch is the Lightning temps have ? i hate noise and i wanna set the Fan on Max 50% . so what temps im gona have ingame on full load ? and how mutch the MSI Z77 MPOWER gona help in GPU O.C. ?


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FrankoNL*
> 
> I just got a 7970 second hand. It's a sapphire reference model with a ghz lightning bios flashed on to it. I am trying to OC it via afterburner but i can't unlock the voltage. I tried to change the settings in afterburner but i still can't change it.
> 
> Anyone got an idea?


I'd advice you to flash a normal reference BIOS or a Ghz edition BIOS or maybe even a overclocked, but still reference, BIOS.

Techpowerup has a nice collection of BIOS's so try to find yours and flash it. With the normal 925-1375Mhz BIOS you should be able to unlock voltage in TriXX up to 1.381v and in MSI AB up to 1.300v.

1.300v is plenty of volts to go well beyond 1200Mhz and one word of caution, keep a eye on the VRM temperatures when pushing beyond 1.250v.

My card is still happy on 1260Mhz core and 1800Mhz mem with 1.281v core and 1.637v VRAM.
Core gets up to 51c in the most demanding games and the VRM's around 90-95c which is about 10-15c under what I consider the limit for VRM's as they are mostly rated for 125c but i'd like to stay under that.


----------



## Atomfix

Do any XFX 7950 users have any trouble overclocking there memory past 1400MHz? I get lines on my screen :/


----------



## Imprezzion

Have you tried adding more volts to the vram?

Use MSI AB, unlock voltages, press the arrow next to the core volts, up the vram volts to about 1640mV max. and try again. 1.64v should get 1700+Mhz.


----------



## SoloCamo

Can't get my 7970GE memory past 1625mhz on stock memory volts, for the added heat, is it really worth it? Is there really any gain from bumping the memory to 1700mhz-1800mhz? I'm currently at roughly 310gb/s as is @ only 1080p so I'd imagine my results would be neglible.

13.2 address the frame latencies in Skyrim, correct? If not, they did something because skyrim was about the only game I noticed the issue on and it seems a lot 'smoother' now overall, getting better framerates, too.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Have you tried adding more volts to the vram?
> 
> Use MSI AB, unlock voltages, press the arrow next to the core volts, up the vram volts to about 1640mV max. and try again. 1.64v should get 1700+Mhz.


Nope, It won't let me, Think I need a different BIOS on my card to adjust the voltages, can't get past 1.13V on the core and memory voltages are totally locked out.

Iv'e tried an ASUS BIOS, it bricked my 7950, tried a 7970 XFX black edition BIOS, and it bricked my 7950 again, Is there any BIOS's out there that won't brick my card?


----------



## Cykososhull

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> My card is still happy on 1260Mhz core and 1800Mhz mem with 1.281v core and 1.637v VRAM.
> Core gets up to *51c* in the most demanding games and the VRM's around 90-95c which is about 10-15c under what I consider the limit for VRM's as they are mostly rated for 125c but i'd like to stay under that.


Dang, those are really good temps. Mine idles @ 39-41c at room temp of about 61F or 16c. Gaming in C 3 or FC 3 my temps max out at 70-75c with 100% fan with 1130core/1610mem at stock volts. I'm considering reapplying newer TIM, reseating and seeing if that helps.


----------



## Imprezzion

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/122477/XFX.HD7950.3072.120116_1.html
Maybe try that one?

Or
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/127460/XFX.HD7950.3072.120518.html

And further, the XFX should be a reference card right?
Just try to flash a Sapphire / MSI reference BIOS on the thing. That should fix voltage issues if the above 2 don't.

Gotta love BIOS switches


----------



## GunMetal

The 13.2 beta 4 is a charm, 55fps average on Airport (1080p, maxed, SMAA 2X) in 7950 IceQ X2 at 1170mhz
41fps average on Museum


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/122477/XFX.HD7950.3072.120116_1.html
> Maybe try that one?
> 
> Or
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/127460/XFX.HD7950.3072.120518.html
> 
> And further, the XFX should be a reference card right?
> Just try to flash a Sapphire / MSI reference BIOS on the thing. That should fix voltage issues if the above 2 don't.
> 
> Gotta love BIOS switches


My XFX 7950 DD is the one with 8+6 pin 795A-TDJC

No BIOS Switch either, last time I had to use my backup VGA to flash my backup BIOS back onto the 7950


----------



## TamaDrumz76

Just reporting that the 13.2 beta 4's seems like solid drivers so far for me.


----------



## KaRLiToS

They are the basically same thing as 13.2 beta 3 but with some Improvement in Crysis 3 Beta MSAA.

(Improves performance in the Crysis 3 Multi-Player Beta by up to 50% when 4x and 8x MSAA are enabled. )


----------



## Coree

Hey just an quick question, does the A8-3850 APU support/work with the 7950? I know it will bottleneck on some games. Friend Will be upgrading cpu on some time.


----------



## de4ler

http://www.facebook.com/AMDGaming/posts/434662729939553?notif_t=notify_me ?
HD 8xxx ?


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *de4ler*
> 
> http://www.facebook.com/AMDGaming/posts/434662729939553?notif_t=notify_me ?
> HD 8xxx ?


http://www.falcon-nw.com/promo/amd-reloaded


----------



## de4ler

they are trolling us LoLz


----------



## SoloCamo

If I was in the market for a new card, those type of game deals would make me jump


----------



## FrankoNL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I'd advice you to flash a normal reference BIOS or a Ghz edition BIOS or maybe even a overclocked, but still reference, BIOS.
> 
> Techpowerup has a nice collection of BIOS's so try to find yours and flash it. With the normal 925-1375Mhz BIOS you should be able to unlock voltage in TriXX up to 1.381v and in MSI AB up to 1.300v.
> 
> 1.300v is plenty of volts to go well beyond 1200Mhz and one word of caution, keep a eye on the VRM temperatures when pushing beyond 1.250v.
> 
> My card is still happy on 1260Mhz core and 1800Mhz mem with 1.281v core and 1.637v VRAM.
> Core gets up to 51c in the most demanding games and the VRM's around 90-95c which is about 10-15c under what I consider the limit for VRM's as they are mostly rated for 125c but i'd like to stay under that.


I tried a stock sapphire 7970 bios. Still no luck on the unlocking in afterburner though


----------



## Imprezzion

That is very strange... Does the Sapphire BIOS allow voltage control up to 1.381v in TriXX?
TriXX does support VRAM voltage control with a modded TriXX.

I'll link it. I have my own upload of it so.. (No, no ads or whatever lol..)

http://www43.zippyshare.com/d/83298134/935369/Sapphire%20Trixx%204.4.0b-MOD.zip

It has full voltage control up to 1.381v core and 1.800v VRAM.
Only thing it misses over MSI AB is the video capturing, monitoring and it doesn't have as elaborate fan control.

For monitoring use GPU-Z on Monitoring tab. It's much more precise then MSI AB.


----------



## Cykososhull

So after not liking my Sapphire 7970 Dual X temps, I removed the stock TIM and replaced it with shin etsu g751. It dropped my temps from 71-75c during FC 3 to 63-65c. I'm super stoked. It was the first time I attempted to replace the TIM on my gpu. I was suprised on how much TIM they smother the gpu with. It was literally squished out of all four sides. I guess there is a first for everthing.


----------



## hotrod717

Wow! Tried the green now I'm back to home team. Just received and installed my Gigabyte 7970 w/ koolance WB. This replaced a EVGA GTX 590 Classified w/ koolance WB and I can't belive the difference! Simply amazing! Cinebench went from 60 fps to 84 fps Stock. Haven't even oc'd this baby yet. Hopefully in a couple days, after my system is fully purged of air, I'll be able to oc and reap the true rewards of this upgrade. Anybody point me to a good guide on oc'ing this beast. So far 25* at idle. 5* cooler than the 590.


----------



## HGooper

I've two Sapphire reference 7970s that I bought it about one year ago, I'm currently using MSI unlocked voltage bios(released quite long time ago). This bios can let me run my cards at 1300Mhz without any problem, while the default stock bios can't even let me run at this speed, not to mention the unlocked voltage is way better to deal with when using AB compare with stock.

I know there're some Ghz bios around, but can it use it on reference 7970? What's the best bios for reference 7970 right now?


----------



## Imprezzion

Best BIOS for reference would be the Ghz BIOS yes.

I have to admit, I find it pretty amazing so many people (claim?) to be able to run 1300Mhz with such ease on multiple cards.

I've overclocked 6 7970's so far none of which capable of running 1300Mhz stable. They ranged from reference models like the one i'm using now (tops out at 1275Mhz, but that's due to VRM's getting hot so with 1.38v and proper VRM cooling it MIGHT be able to do 1300+Mhz). All the way to ASUS' MATRIX 7970.

I really need to know the big secret here.. Why is everyone so capable to run 1300+Mhz while I in the real world have never seen a 7970, especially with reference cooling in Crossfire, run anywhere near 1300Mhz stable..

EDIT: There are 3 entry's in the OP that actually run 1300Mhz or above, on water even that is..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Best BIOS for reference would be the Ghz BIOS yes.
> 
> I have to admit, I find it pretty amazing so many people (claim?) to be able to run 1300Mhz with such ease on multiple cards.
> 
> I've overclocked 6 7970's so far none of which capable of running 1300Mhz stable. They ranged from reference models like the one i'm using now (tops out at 1275Mhz, but that's due to VRM's getting hot so with 1.38v and proper VRM cooling it MIGHT be able to do 1300+Mhz). All the way to ASUS' MATRIX 7970.
> 
> I really need to know the big secret here.. Why is everyone so capable to run 1300+Mhz while I in the real world have never seen a 7970, especially with reference cooling in Crossfire, run anywhere near 1300Mhz stable..


Only the freaks of nature cards are doing 1300 on air and never for long because those cards will get fried under that heat. These cards are heat limited so if you can remove that heat, like with watercooling, then you can hunt for 1300 safely.


----------



## rpch

My HIS 7950 IceQ X2 boost clock ed.



No issues so far, compared to my former Asus 7950 DC2T. No more flickering/garbaging during stress testing/playing games.

Actual pics to follow! I can't find the charger for my lumix


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Only the freaks of nature cards are doing 1300 on air and never for long because those cards will get fried under that heat. These cards are heat limited so if you can remove that heat, like with watercooling, then you can hunt for 1300 safely.


That's a bingo....

My attainable clocks have gone up ~75mhz with the cool north breeze blowing in my window.
Not only that the required voltage has decreased.


----------



## HGooper

Using custom loop here, need to hunt for better bios to get better o/c result.

Which Ghz bios should I get btw? Sapphire Ghz bios or other brand bios?


----------



## kahboom

Tomorrow I am going to be trying to get 1300mhz core and raise the memory as well as close too 1800mhz which is my goal both on water blocks on there own loop. What is a safe voltage for the memory and for the core to stay under. How would I unlock the memory voltage in Msi AB. Or is trix more stable for overclocking memory.


----------



## Azuredragon1

7950 at 1000/1350, is this score normal?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> 7950 at 1000/1350, is this score normal?


Seems right


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cykososhull*
> 
> So after not liking my Sapphire 7970 Dual X temps, I removed the stock TIM and replaced it with shin etsu g751. It dropped my temps from 71-75c during FC 3 to 63-65c. I'm super stoked. It was the first time I attempted to replace the TIM on my gpu. I was suprised on how much TIM they smother the gpu with. It was literally squished out of all four sides. I guess there is a first for everthing.


Vrms or core?


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> That is very strange... Does the Sapphire BIOS allow voltage control up to 1.381v in TriXX?
> TriXX does support VRAM voltage control with a modded TriXX.
> 
> I'll link it. I have my own upload of it so.. (No, no ads or whatever lol..)
> 
> http://www43.zippyshare.com/d/83298134/935369/Sapphire%20Trixx%204.4.0b-MOD.zip
> 
> It has full voltage control up to 1.381v core and 1.800v VRAM.
> Only thing it misses over MSI AB is the video capturing, monitoring and it doesn't have as elaborate fan control.
> 
> For monitoring use GPU-Z on Monitoring tab. It's much more precise then MSI AB.


Modded Trixx don't work either, no VRAM control on there, it's this poxy BIOS that XFX has on my card, I just need a BIOS that won't brick my card.

Right now, I can only do 1100MHz on core and 1400MHz on memory, any higher, and the drivers will restart or I get lines all down my screen


----------



## jdc122

can anyone tell the the best bios to flash my powercolor 7950 with? its currently running 1270mhz under water, but any higher and the screen fills up with lines instantly, not even any crashes, just completely drops out, i want more mhz


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> can anyone tell the the best bios to flash my powercolor 7950 with? its currently running 1270mhz under water, but any higher and the screen fills up with lines instantly, not even any crashes, just completely drops out, i want more mhz


come on. thats really asking for too much. you already have a golden HD 7950. in fact you could put it back to 1250 mhz and still be happy. don't push the chip to its absolute limits.


----------



## Atomfix

795A-TDJC Does the PCB configuration prevent different BIOS's from being used on the card? ASUS and a XFX 7970 black edition casused it to brick


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

How can i get 120hz with Radeon HD 7970 ?

I've been using a BenQ XL2420T, Catalyst 13.1 WHQL. I tried 3 different drivers and i never get with 120Hz, just 100 Hz.

What is wrong ? What can I do to reach the dreamed 120 Hz with HD7970 ? ;/

My HD7970 is a Sapphire Vapor-X Ghz 3GB.

Thanks


----------



## HGooper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vanSCHYNEYDER*
> 
> How can i get 120hz with Radeon HD 7970 ?
> 
> I've been using a BenQ XL2420T, Catalyst 13.1 WHQL. I tried 3 different drivers and i never get with 120Hz, just 100 Hz.
> 
> What is wrong ? What can I do to reach the dreamed 120 Hz with HD7970 ? ;/
> 
> My HD7970 is a Sapphire Vapor-X Ghz 3GB.
> 
> Thanks


Open CCC, Desktop Management --> Desktop Properties --> Desktop Area --> 1080p, set refresh rate to 120Hz..


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HGooper*
> 
> Open CCC, Desktop Management --> Desktop Properties --> Desktop Area --> 1080p, set refresh rate to 120Hz..


I tried this many times, via Windows and via CCC. But even clicking in apply, the refresh rate stay at 100 Hz.

This is a hardware problem ? I play some games, and performance is incredible with this VGA.


----------



## GunMetal

Any one has flashed their HIS HD 7950 IceQ X2? I didn't know anything about flashing, is there a big OC benefit?


----------



## DarkHollow

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Could having dual monitors be the culprit of my high idle clock speeds? Cause I surely remember my idle being 300 and 150, and not 500/1575. Cause if so, that would explain this. This started happening right when I hooked up a second monitor to my 7950.
> 
> 
> 
> Yup. GPU needs to work harder on idle
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> When is ZeroCore supposed to kick in? I don't think I've even seen my GPU fans completely stop.
> 
> 
> 
> It depends on how you are overclocking if at all. Overclocking apps will bypass the zerocore in most configurations.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Invisible*
> 
> Could having dual monitors be the culprit of my high idle clock speeds? Cause I surely remember my idle being 300 and 150, and not 500/1575. Cause if so, that would explain this. This started happening right when I hooked up a second monitor to my 7950.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> More than one monitor will mean the gpu runs with minimum of 500mhz core and technically full speed on memory. If you use AB and bypass Powerplay, you can have it run at 150mhz memory.
Click to expand...

I feel I should point out this is incorrect. I am running 2 monitors in eyefinity (would be 3 but need more deskspace.....). I am sitting here in firefox typing this, with both monitors running and my 7970 is OCed yet its idling at not 500/1600 but 300/150 just fine. It did not do it properly on the 12.11 drivers but does on the 13.2s,


----------



## mohit9206

can i get in ? pleaseeeeee ?


----------



## Fulvin

I'm getting mixed reports about the Sapphires range of 7950 cards, so i decided to ask here.

Is the 7950 Vapor-X really locked for good, or is there a workaround? I keep hearing complaints about the boost feature messing with AB / Trixx, but i have no clue. Could someone help shed light on this?

Can you overvolt the other Sapphire 7950 models?


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

Can I get in ?


----------



## Evil Penguin

As indicated in the OP, here's the registration link for you:








https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGhhU1NWMTdhS2h1aEczV0REc3Jkb2c6MQ


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> As indicated in the OP, here's the registration link for you:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGhhU1NWMTdhS2h1aEczV0REc3Jkb2c6MQ


Done !

Thanks for the link *-*


----------



## Snuckie7

Wha? I thought this was a *7950/7970/7990* Owners Thread.


----------



## Blackout621

Guys, would this 7970 be good for crossfire on air and overclocking? Also, what would be a realistic overclock to shoot for if this card was in CFX on air?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412

Thanks guys


----------



## WiL11o6

Just did a clean install of Win7 with 13.2 coming from 12.11.

I have experienced this before, but it somehow fixed itself somewhere in the earlier drivers and I don't know how, but my 2nd GPU is not idling down to 300/150 until I open a 3D app. It will be running at 925/1375 on desktop until I open a game and then close it, then it will idle down to 300/150. Is there a fix?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Thinkin about Going Cross Fire when 79xx Series get discounted for 8000 series release.
> 
> most likely Primary will be a 7970, with a 7950 for added Umph.
> 
> now.
> 
> I was playing with this before, but never got around to making it practical.
> 
> I want to mount the Primary Card in the normal slot 0.
> 
> the 2nd Card I want to use a Flexible PCIe Extension Cable from the second 16x slot, and mount it so it does not interfere with the main GPU's airflow, and Since the displays arent being used, I can mount it internally near an exhaust fan.
> 
> I may end up mounting it on my HAF922's auxillary, and mount it so the Exhaust Vent is uncovered, and the connection ports remain internal, the GPU will have the side fan blowing on it easily.
> 
> I may have to Externalize the 200mm Side fan.
> 
> I'll test to see if it's possible with my 8800GTS in my other HA922 case And Take Pictures.


Just an update for those interested:
Was looking at adding a 2nd card to my system when 7900s go on sale, but the slot by my 2nd x16 Slot is used by another device that I canot remove as it's part of my studio setup.

Im looking at replacing my 7950-OC with a 7970, as a Primary, then putting the 7950 as a XFire GPU.

Looking at availible PCI-E x16 Riser Cards/Ribbon Cables. I started testing the physical layout before I buy the cables, then I'll test w/ the 8800GTS just to see if Windows Recognizes it.

I I currently have a 2 slot card (1 slot I/O, 1 slot exhaust) in my system, Since the outputs arent used on the 2nd GPU, I'll have it setup to Vent Heat out the Vent.

Testing Feasibility with 880GTS and my Secondary system.:

Card Mounts Correctly and Snugly, no Arching or abnormal bending of the PCB When it's Vertical:


Heat from GPU is Blow out the back, cool air is taken in from HAF922 Side Mesh (which has a 200mm Fan on it),


Test Successful, part 2 is finding a long enough PCIe 16x ribbon cable/riser. which is about 15 cm away on the main board.
The XFire Tabs will be within 2 inches of each other when I mount a card in my Primary x16 Slot


----------



## Stige

Throwing my second HD7950 into trash, Crossfire is such a waste of money


----------



## SkateZilla

all my stuff makes use of XFire and Direct Compute nicely, I can play a game on my 7950 and use the other GPU to for DirectCompute stuff.

or use both in Xfire for gaming, or both in Xfire for DirectComputeX2


----------



## motherpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Throwing my second HD7950 into trash, Crossfire is such a waste of money


Why do you say that? I'm considering crossfire for my 7970 so I can get a 1440 monitor.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Throwing my second HD7950 into trash, Crossfire is such a waste of money


why?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Throwing my second HD7950 into trash, Crossfire is such a waste of money


If you wanna donate it to my system, i'll take it, lol.


----------



## lucas.vulcan

hello is it possible to make a crossfire with a 7970 and a 7990, I think so because the 7990 is 2 x 7970, but the question I pausse


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucas.vulcan*
> 
> hello is it possible to make a crossfire with a 7970 and a 7990, I think so because the 7990 is 2 x 7970, but the question I pausse


Yes sir 7990 will crossfire with a 7970.


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

What is that indicated by the arrow?

I noticed that my HD 7970 has it.
Looks like there's a small button to be pressed, in my Sapphire.


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

What is that indicated by the arrow?

I noticed that my HD 7970 has it.
Looks like there's a small button to be pressed, in my Sapphire.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vanSCHYNEYDER*
> 
> 
> 
> What is that indicated by the arrow?
> 
> I noticed that my HD 7970 has it.
> Looks like there's a small button to be pressed, in my Sapphire.


its a BIOS switch, in the Right position is the main BIOS, the Left is the Back up BIOS.


----------



## Rebelord

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> its a BIOS switch, in the Right position is the main BIOS, the Left is the Back up BIOS.


Mine has a "1" and a "2" position indicated. Which are printed on the backside of the pcb; opposite side that is pictured in that picture. MSI TF3 w/7970 pcb here.


----------



## lucas.vulcan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Yes sir 7990 will crossfire with a 7970.


merci red: Pouce:


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *vanSCHYNEYDER*
> 
> 
> 
> What is that indicated by the arrow?
> 
> I noticed that my HD 7970 has it.
> Looks like there's a small button to be pressed, in my Sapphire.
> 
> 
> 
> its a BIOS switch, in the Right position is the main BIOS, the Left is the Back up BIOS.
Click to expand...

My card has one of these as well (didn't even notice it before). I'm not sure what kind of BIOS I would even want to flash mine to since it's already overclocked quite well on the one that i'm using. If it an't broke, don't fix it I guess.


----------



## grunion

Not all the same, some are for display output selection, IE ROG P cards.


----------



## perkeleprkl

Friend of mine just bought sapphire 7950 950mhz edition with 7970 pcb. The thing overclocks like a beast, stock voltage of 1.105, core is stable up to 1200mhz. 3dmark11 passes 1230/1600. We tested it on my system as his waterblock arrives tomorrow. Hope it hits +1300/1600 under water with voltage bump. ASIC quality was 87.8.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *perkeleprkl*
> 
> Friend of mine just bought sapphire 7950 950mhz edition with 7970 pcb. The thing overclocks like a beast, stock voltage of 1.105, core is stable up to 1200mhz. 3dmark11 passes 1230/1600. We tested it on my system as his waterblock arrives tomorrow. Hope it hits +1300/1600 under water with voltage bump. ASIC quality was 87.8.


that card is a beast. with watercooling and voltage tweaking you can get upto 1.3 - 1.35 ghz. sonda5 has it at 1.35 Ghz with a heatkiller full cover block

http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/40#post_17980354


----------



## Cykososhull

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> Vrms or core?


This was core. The sapphire dual x has a nice block over the vrms instead of just pads.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> Why do you say that? I'm considering crossfire for my 7970 so I can get a 1440 monitor.


A single game supports Crossfire that I play and that is BF3, every other game actually runs worse with Crossfire than with single card. And even BF3 gets 60+ average FPS on 64 player maps with single card and VirtuMVP so I kinda find the whole Crossfire thing pointless.


----------



## Fulvin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> that card is a beast. with watercooling and voltage tweaking you can get upto 1.3 - 1.35 ghz. sonda5 has it at 1.35 Ghz with a heatkiller full cover block
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/40#post_17980354


Is this the card you're talking about? If so, then should i get one over Vapor-X? Thanks


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fulvin*
> 
> Is this the card you're talking about? If so, then should i get one over Vapor-X? Thanks


the sapphire HD 7950 950 mhz edition with HD 7970 PCB has model no 11196-10-40G. its difficult to find as it out of production. if you can find that card its worth getting. if you want to watercool thats the option to go. the sapphire hd 7950 vapor-x uses a custom PCB design and will not work with reference HD 7970 full cover water blocks.


----------



## Fulvin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire HD 7950 950 mhz edition with HD 7970 PCB has model no 11196-10-40G. its difficult to find as it out of production. if you can find that card its worth getting.


Thanks a bunch. Apparently Germany still has them!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fulvin*
> 
> Thanks a bunch. Apparently Germany still has them!


another HD 7950 with HD 7970 PCB is HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost. model H795QMC3G2M. uses 8 + 6 pin power. reference AMD HD 7970 PCB design. compatible with full cover waterblocks. you can check with ekwb

www.coolingconfigurator.com

http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/his_7970_iceq_xsup2_ghz_edition_7950_iceq_xsup2_boost_clock,3.html

http://www.pixmania.fi/fifi/naytonohjain/his-radeon-hd-7950-iceq-x2-boost-clock-3-gt-gddr5-pci-express-3-0-h795qmc3g2m/12942026--art.html


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> A single game supports Crossfire that I play and that is BF3, every other game actually runs worse with Crossfire than with single card. And even BF3 gets 60+ average FPS on 64 player maps with single card and VirtuMVP so I kinda find the whole Crossfire thing pointless.


thats not true at all... u have some kind of problem in your pc. most of the game actually take somekind of advatange on CF


----------



## hotrod717

In afterburner my max is 1125/1550. I see a lot of you getting better than this.. Is it my bios? I have it at 1100/1500 with 10% power limit and 1.112 core voltage. I've benched it and gamed on it for over an hour and seems stable. No issues slowing or artifacts. Voltage peaks at 1.17 and haven't seen it go over 36*. Are these good oc settings? How can I get more out it? This is the first gpu that I have oc'd and would appreciate the help.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> thats not true at all... u have some kind of problem in your pc. most of the game actually take somekind of
> advatange on CF


^Agreed, I play quite a few games with my xfired 7950's. Yes i did start with just one and got the 2nd one later so I seen all my games both ways, the only one i have problems with is Far Cry 3, along with everyone else. My setup maxes games out with all eye candy and just fly's through games. I love it!!!


----------



## Fulvin

Is the newer 7950 Vapor-X Boost unlocked? The 8+8 pin version, model 11196-09-40G? Apologies if this has been answered, but i didn't go through all 2000 pages.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> thats not true at all... u have some kind of problem in your pc. most of the game actually take somekind of advatange on CF


Do you even realize that only newer games receive Crossfire support and older games are not even bothered with? SLI actually works for most of the games (A lot more than Crossfire atleast) but you can't say that "Crossfire works for most games".

You don't even know what I play, I can say from experience that Crossfire is a pretty good waste of money right now.


----------



## BababooeyHTJ

I don't know, I've been pretty pleased with Crossfire. I can't really think of too many games where I had to disable it. The only one recently where I had to disable it was Fallout New Vegas but that doesn't work properly with sli either.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BababooeyHTJ*
> 
> I don't know, I've been pretty pleased with Crossfire. I can't really think of too many games where I had to disable it. The only one recently where I had to disable it was Fallout New Vegas but that doesn't work properly with sli either.


Well I guess it could be useful to some people or just to those who run benchmarks only.

But for myself, single card with VirtuMVP runs BF3 with Ultra and 4xMSAA on 64 player maps so I think the second card is pretty wasted then, for me anyway.
Ofcourse two cards is a bit more future proof I suppose than a single card when new games come out that are actually heavy.

But that is why I'm planning on trading the card I keep for a HD7970 and buying a water block for it so I can overclock for future needs, and ofcourse if future games support VirtuMVP then that will help a ton already in terms of getting playable FPS in new games even a year later.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well I guess it could be useful to some people or just to those who run benchmarks only.
> 
> But for myself, single card with VirtuMVP runs BF3 with Ultra and 4xMSAA on 64 player maps so I think the second card is pretty wasted then, for me anyway.
> Ofcourse two cards is a bit more future proof I suppose than a single card when new games come out that are actually heavy.
> 
> But that is why I'm planning on trading the card I keep for a HD7970 and buying a water block for it so I can overclock for future needs, and ofcourse if future games support VirtuMVP then that will help a ton already in terms of getting playable FPS in new games even a year later.


Well I will give your second card a nice home














.


----------



## motherpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> In afterburner my max is 1125/1550. I see a lot of you getting better than this.. Is it my bios? I have it at 1100/1500 with 10% power limit and 1.112 core voltage. I've benched it and gamed on it for over an hour and seems stable. No issues slowing or artifacts. Voltage peaks at 1.17 and haven't seen it go over 36*. Are these good oc settings? How can I get more out it? This is the first gpu that I have oc'd and would appreciate the help.


There is a way to unlock higher overclocking capabilities with afterburner, but when I did it it gave my card fits. Now I use EVGA Precision and it doesn't mess anything up to overclock with it but the voltage isn't unlocked with it so that sucks. The highest I got without upping the voltage was 1180/1600 and 1235/1700+ with upping the voltage.
To enable the unofficial overclocking in this version it is necessary to edit the MSIAfterburner.cfg file located in the installation directory of AfterBurner (typically Program Files (x86) MSI Afterburner):

You need to alter the following:

Seek UnofficialOverclockingEULA field and add following text:
I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
Set UnofficialOverclockingMode to 1 to keep PowerPlay active (may not work on old ASICs), 2 to traditionally disable PowerPlay or to 0 to temporary disable unofficial overclocking path

Using the unofficial overclock method opens up more freedom in terms of voltages and clock ranges, it however also can open a can of worms in terms of stability or weird issues.

At first I used 1 for powerplay and had issues then tried 2 and it worked better but anytime I would overclock and then want to go back to stock clocks it would mess up my screen ,even just playing a youtube video. I did some research on it and a lot of people were having issues with it on their 7970, and I haven't founf a fix yet, but when I do I'll post it. Hopefully it doesn't give you any issues.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> There is a way to unlock higher overclocking capabilities with afterburner, but when I did it it gave my card fits. Now I use EVGA Precision and it doesn't mess anything up to overclock with it but the voltage isn't unlocked with it so that sucks. The highest I got without upping the voltage was 1180/1600 and 1235/1700+ with upping the voltage.
> To enable the unofficial overclocking in this version it is necessary to edit the MSIAfterburner.cfg file located in the installation directory of AfterBurner (typically Program Files (x86) MSI Afterburner):
> 
> You need to alter the following:
> 
> Seek UnofficialOverclockingEULA field and add following text:
> I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
> Set UnofficialOverclockingMode to 1 to keep PowerPlay active (may not work on old ASICs), 2 to traditionally disable PowerPlay or to 0 to temporary disable unofficial overclocking path
> 
> Using the unofficial overclock method opens up more freedom in terms of voltages and clock ranges, it however also can open a can of worms in terms of stability or weird issues.
> 
> At first I used 1 for powerplay and had issues then tried 2 and it worked better but anytime I would overclock and then want to go back to stock clocks it would mess up my screen ,even just playing a youtube video. I did some research on it and a lot of people were having issues with it on their 7970, and I haven't founf a fix yet, but when I do I'll post it. Hopefully it doesn't give you any issues.


That is the wrong way to unlock the overclocking in Afterburner and that is exactly why you got issues with it, so did I when I first did it.

The correct way to unlock Afterburner overclocking is to put /xcl in the target field of the shortcut and launch it once using that, reboot your PC and then remove the /xcl.

Now you got everything unlocked the right way and it actually works without artifacting on desktop etc.


----------



## motherpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> That is the wrong way to unlock the overclocking in Afterburner and that is exactly why you got issues with it, so did I when I first did it.
> 
> The correct way to unlock Afterburner overclocking is to put /xcl in the target field of the shortcut and launch it once using that, reboot your PC and then remove the /xcl.
> 
> Now you got everything unlocked the right way and it actually works without artifacting on desktop etc.


Well looks like I'll be giving that a try, Thanks! So just add "/xcl" in the shortcut? and that's it?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> Well looks like I'll be giving that a try, Thanks! So just add "/xcl" in the shortcut? and that's it?


Then you start from it and it asks you to reboot and then you remove the /xcl from the shortcut and voila, the clocks are unlocked.


----------



## motherpuncher

Sorry for the dumb question, but do add that after .exe or before?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> Sorry for the dumb question, but do add that after .exe or before?


After.

Code:



Code:


"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl

Like that.


----------



## motherpuncher

Damn yeah it sure did unlock overclocking... I wonder why I didn't find that anywhere before, Thanks! now to see if the issues are gone! +REP my friend


----------



## SoloCamo

On that note, when I unlocked the stock volts for memory is set at 1500? Is that accurate? If so, what is the general 'safe' voltage without going into the red so to speak? Really not happy with the fact that at stock volts I'm only getting 1600-1625mhz stable, depending on application.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> On that note, when I unlocked the stock volts for memory is set at 1500? Is that accurate? If so, what is the general 'safe' voltage without going into the red so to speak? Really not happy with the fact that at stock volts I'm only getting 1600-1625mhz stable, depending on application.


Memory Voltage is locked on both my cards atleast, has no effect no matter how much I try to adjust it.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> There is a way to unlock higher overclocking capabilities with afterburner, but when I did it it gave my card fits. Now I use EVGA Precision and it doesn't mess anything up to overclock with it but the voltage isn't unlocked with it so that sucks. The highest I got without upping the voltage was 1180/1600 and 1235/1700+ with upping the voltage.
> To enable the unofficial overclocking in this version it is necessary to edit the MSIAfterburner.cfg file located in the installation directory of AfterBurner (typically Program Files (x86) MSI Afterburner):
> 
> You need to alter the following:
> 
> Seek UnofficialOverclockingEULA field and add following text:
> I confirm that I am aware of unofficial overclocking limitations and fully understand that MSI will not provide me any support on it
> Set UnofficialOverclockingMode to 1 to keep PowerPlay active (may not work on old ASICs), 2 to traditionally disable PowerPlay or to 0 to temporary disable unofficial overclocking path
> 
> Using the unofficial overclock method opens up more freedom in terms of voltages and clock ranges, it however also can open a can of worms in terms of stability or weird issues.
> 
> At first I used 1 for powerplay and had issues then tried 2 and it worked better but anytime I would overclock and then want to go back to stock clocks it would mess up my screen ,even just playing a youtube video. I did some research on it and a lot of people were having issues with it on their 7970, and I haven't founf a fix yet, but when I do I'll post it. Hopefully it doesn't give you any issues.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> That is the wrong way to unlock the overclocking in Afterburner and that is exactly why you got issues with it, so did I when I first did it.
> 
> The correct way to unlock Afterburner overclocking is to put /xcl in the target field of the shortcut and launch it once using that, reboot your PC and then remove the /xcl.
> 
> Now you got everything unlocked the right way and it actually works without artifacting on desktop etc.


Thanks for responses. I do have Evga Precision x as I swapped out my GTX590 for a Gigabyte R7970G5. It's running extremely cool at stock and only raised 2* when I bumped to 1100/1500. Will latest bios update help. Have no idea, complete noob with gpu's.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Do you even realize that only newer games receive Crossfire support and older games are not even bothered with? SLI actually works for most of the games (A lot more than Crossfire atleast) but you can't say that "Crossfire works for most games".
> 
> You don't even know what I play, I can say from experience that Crossfire is a pretty good waste of money right now.


what you are saying is that u want your old 2009 games to run on crossfire? who play those games anyway? im pretty sure u are upset at your CF since your expectation were way to high... maybe u were expecting 100% escalations in all scenarios (games) and thats not possible because its depend on a lot of things, drivers, game engine, GPU architecture, heck even your PC configuration








, i have been following this thread since like 1year ago and have to say u are the one and only with such problems in CF.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Memory Voltage is locked on both my cards atleast, has no effect no matter how much I try to adjust it.


I see, I'll have to give it a go, but doubt I'll get any different results.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> what you are saying is that u want your old 2009 games to run on crossfire? who play those games anyway? im pretty sure u are upset at your CF since your expectation were way to high... maybe u were expecting 100% escalations in all scenarios (games) and thats not possible because its depend on a lot of things, drivers, game engine, GPU architecture, heck even your PC configuration
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , i have been following this thread since like 1year ago and have to say u are the one and only with such problems in CF.


I'm not upset lol, where are you getting all this









I never even intended to purchase a second GPU to begin with, I just sort of bought it by accident so I decided to give it a shot and now I know that it really isn't worth it unless you are into benchmarking, VirtuMVP should support any future games just like Crossfire might and with VirtuMVP I would bet you won't have any FPS issues running with just a single card.
Even less so in the future with the Haswells if you are buying those (if they got a better integrated card then Ivy), even Sandy brings a decent performance boost with just the HD3000 series integrated.

So in my opinion, Crossfire is not needed to play todays games at maximum on a single 1080p display.

Multiple displays is a whole different story ofcourse but I don't plan on swapping up from 120Hz 1080p, 120Hz is just way too good to pass.


----------



## Sasasd

Hmm, I think i'm stable 1100/1250 @ 1,06v with my MSI 7950. Max temps in FC3 71c, with stock volts (0,993v) max temp was 69c. Only raising 70 mV i could oc 880-->1100. With TIM change I think i could easily clock to 1200?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> Hmm, I think i'm stable 1100/1250 @ 1,06v with my MSI 7950. Max temps in FC3 71c, with stock volts (0,993v) max temp was 69c. Only raising 70 mV i could oc 880-->1100. With TIM change I think i could easily clock to 1200?


You sure you aren't throttling? 1100/1250 sounds way too good to be true for 1.06V.


----------



## motherpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I'm not upset lol, where are you getting all this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I never even intended to purchase a second GPU to begin with, I just sort of bought it by accident so I decided to give it a shot and now I know that it really isn't worth it unless you are into benchmarking, VirtuMVP should support any future games just like Crossfire might and with VirtuMVP I would bet you won't have any FPS issues running with just a single card.
> Even less so in the future with the Haswells if you are buying those (if they got a better integrated card then Ivy), even Sandy brings a decent performance boost with just the HD3000 series integrated.
> 
> So in my opinion, Crossfire is not needed to play todays games at maximum on a single 1080p display.
> 
> Multiple displays is a whole different story ofcourse but I don't plan on swapping up from 120Hz 1080p, 120Hz is just way too good to pass.


Have you ever gamed on a 1440 monitor? I'm trying to decide if it would be better to get a higher res or to stick with 1080 and get a 120hz monitor...


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> Have you ever gamed on a 1440 monitor? I'm trying to decide if it would be better to get a higher res or to stick with 1080 and get a 120hz monitor...


Only got this monitor (XL2420T) recently, like a month ago or something.

Used to play at 1680x1050 until that day.

I wouldn't trade 120Hz for a higher res and 60Hz in a million years :l


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> You sure you aren't throttling? 1100/1250 sounds way too good to be true for 1.06V.


I dunno, mine is 100% stable at 1100/[email protected],07V (actual voltage according to GPU-z is little bit lower), actually once I forgot to reapply my overclocked-settings when I went playing BF3, so I was running core at 1100MHz on stock-volts (1,03V), but after 1 hour of gameplay I was wondering why I started getting artifacts, so I reapplied the AB-profile, voltage went up to 1,07V, temps got higher and artifacts disappeared









Seems like his card is very much similar to mine, OCs great on low voltage, but it starts getting too hot after you start raising the voltage to 1,15V area. I´ve also started getting interested in changing the TIM, has anyone here changed the TIM on MSI TFIII?


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> You sure you aren't throttling? 1100/1250 sounds way too good to be true for 1.06V.


Throttling? I have set 1100/1250 in AB so no? GPU-z shows 1,037v when i set 1,06v in AB. I also thought I have golden card but as above poster states temps will probably get too high with more voltage.

Here is very good video of changing paste: 




And you won't void your warranty doing that.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Do you even realize that only newer games receive Crossfire support and older games are not even bothered with? SLI actually works for most of the games (A lot more than Crossfire atleast) but you can't say that "Crossfire works for most games".
> 
> You don't even know what I play, I can say from experience that Crossfire is a pretty good waste of money right now.


sry but can't agree with your claims 99% of the games i play use crossfire very well....you must of been really disappointed to be bashing crossfire like that.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quick question... where does gpu-z report voltages for the gpu not memory?

I'm glad to report that my memory volts are indeed unlocked as I saw the changes update in gpu-z when made in Afterburner, hoever I've got my core @ 1.2v yet I don't see it reported anywhere, and when I drop it down I'm not seeing anything listed change (to ensure it's not being read as another sensor)

Anyone know what it's called in gpu-z?

I would think it's VDDC, but my gpu only lists 1.0v... and uhh, there is no way unless somehow I got a mircale gpu that it runs 1200mhz core on that low of volts

Edit, nvm, apparently while in game it's reporting 1.244v yet AB is only set to 1.2... is this normal?

*Yet another Edit:*

Alright, the 1.244 was a max spike, seems with slight vdroop i'm sitting around 1.18v under maxed settings in Crysis 3 @ 1080p, 100% usage, however I can safely report that my XFX DD 7970ghz is fully voltage unlocked... guess I lucked out


----------



## Fulvin

About to pull the trigger on 7950 Vapor-X. After asking around, the core voltage seems to be unlocked on this newer version, but what about memory voltage?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> You sure you aren't throttling? 1100/1250 sounds way too good to be true for 1.06V.


My card is similar to his (MSI TFIII w/ 89.7% ASIC) and I have a similar overclock. I'm at 1150/1500 @ 1.089V and it's completely stable under load.


----------



## tsm106

You high asic guys will have awesome results upto around 1200mhz, low volts and low temps. It's great stuff on air. However the high asic will hurt you when you start adding lots of volts. I've been thru a lot of cards and I haven't had much success with 85% plus asic cards doing over 1300mhz. Hopefully you get different results in your findings.


----------



## Awsan

In please Gigabyte windforce x3 7950
3D Mark 11 : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5793592

9300 1200/1600 20% power @ 1250 VDDC Stock i7 3770k hope to break the 10k mark with overclocking the i7 and tweaking the 7950


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You high asic guys will have awesome results upto around 1200mhz, low volts and low temps. It's great stuff on air. However the high asic will hurt you when you start adding lots of volts. I've been thru a lot of cards and I haven't had much success with 85% plus asic cards doing over 1300mhz. Hopefully you get different results in your findings.


EXACTLY. Mine can do 1150MHz core @1,1V, and 1200MHz @1,14V, however after that it starts getting difficult, had to pump 1,17V to pass 3dmark11 with no artifacts @1215MHz and so on, and high asic means (probably) that it starts heating more on lower voltage so...It feels like me and couple other posters here have identical MSI TFIII-cards (I have ASIC % of 88,9%)


----------



## GarTheConquer

3 monitors running 120Hz is epic. Do it


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *awsan*
> 
> In please Gigabyte windforce x3 7950
> 3D Mark 11 : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5793592
> 
> 9300 1200/1600 20% power @ 1250 VDDC Stock i7 3770k hope to break the 10k mark with overclocking the i7 and tweaking the 7950


you should be getting 11000 graphics score at that oc. what driver version are you using?

edit: oh, win 8.


----------



## GarTheConquer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I'm not upset lol, where are you getting all this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I never even intended to purchase a second GPU to begin with, I just sort of bought it by accident so I decided to give it a shot and now I know that it really isn't worth it unless you are into benchmarking, VirtuMVP should support any future games just like Crossfire might and with VirtuMVP I would bet you won't have any FPS issues running with just a single card.
> Even less so in the future with the Haswells if you are buying those (if they got a better integrated card then Ivy), even Sandy brings a decent performance boost with just the HD3000 series integrated.
> 
> So in my opinion, Crossfire is not needed to play todays games at maximum on a single 1080p display.
> 
> Multiple displays is a whole different story ofcourse but I don't plan on swapping up from 120Hz 1080p, 120Hz is just way too good to pass.


----------



## motherpuncher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you should be getting 11000 graphics score at that oc. what driver version are you using?
> 
> edit: oh, win 8.


Should it really? This is what my 7970 does at similar clocks, should I be getting higher then if a 7950 should be getting 11000?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> Should it really? This is what my 7970 does at similar clocks, should I be getting higher then if a 7950 should be getting 11000?


not that much but pretty close. we all know the 7970 is better binned.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5648573

i think the physics affects the graphics. also, it has been verified here that win8 gets lower scores in benches such as this. i got that using 12.11.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You high asic guys will have awesome results upto around 1200mhz, low volts and low temps. It's great stuff on air. However the high asic will hurt you when you start adding lots of volts. I've been thru a lot of cards and I haven't had much success with 85% plus asic cards doing over 1300mhz. Hopefully you get different results in your findings.


From your results, Does a high core clock have any relation to memory speeds? My 7950 does 1300 core, but I cannot get my mem stable above 1550







yet I see people around 1200 core with memory 1700 plus..


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Oh my how i love this 7950..

for what it matters..Asic %

7970 = 80.5%
7950 = 90.5%

Kids seriously dont try this at home


http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/bdwqv/

3770k @ 4.8GHz
7970 @ 1375/2000
7950 @ 1375/1700

Graphics Score 22928
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5768591

@ ram overclock would net me around 500points more

did this tests @933mhz


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Oh my how i love this 7950..
> 
> for what it matters..Asic %
> 
> 7970 = 80.5%
> 7950 = 90.5%
> 
> Kids seriously dont try this at home
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/bdwqv/
> 
> 3770k @ 4.8GHz
> 7970 @ 1375/2000
> 7950 @ 1375/1700
> 
> Graphics Score 22928
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5768591
> 
> @ ram overclock would net me around 500points more
> 
> did this tests @933mhz


Hot damn. What kind of volts are you pumping through those things?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> thats not true at all... u have some kind of problem in your pc. most of the game actually take somekind of advatange on CF


Most games that are AAA Titles support XFire fine.

Games that arent it's Hit-n-Miss, and most of the time i spend a weekend going through profiles to see which has better scaling before i decide to disable to that title.


----------



## SeckSual PanduH!

I don't even know if I can ask questions in here, but here it goes. I've scoured the internet for over 3 hours now and haven't found squat for an answer so I hope you guys can help me. First off, computer specs that I feel are relevant to what could be causing a problem:

PSU is a Rosewill 1000W
2x Sapphire HD7950's in Crossfire running at 925/1250 (Or they are supposed to be, that's where the problem occurs)
Both cards are watercooled and idle 30-33C
CPU is an Intel-i7 950 OC'd to 4GHz, also watercooled by a separate loop, idles at 36-40C
Triple Monitor Eyefinity on 5760x1080p resolution

All right, with that out of the way, here is the issue. I cannot run any graphically intensive programs while Crossfire is enabled. When I attempt to do so, my computer crashes and shuts off without warning, typically within a few minutes. I have been looking, through various programs to include GPU-Z and AMD System Monitor, at my stats while on idle and I noticed something. My GPU0 will not go over 300/150MHz, no matter what I do. It just sits there and takes on no load whatsoever. GPU1 takes the full brunt of the load and it is set at 925/1250MHz. Any thoughts as to what is going on and why my Crossfire just appears to not be working?

Things I've already done:
1. Disabled ULPS
2. Completely wiped all ATI drivers through regedit and reinstalled fresh CCC 13.1 and new CAP
3. Tried two separate Crossfire bridges, rotated them both, and tried on both mating plugs on each card
4. Ran each card separately to ensure that each one works by itself. They both operate fine when alone and I get no crashes
5. Left everything as is and disabled Crossfire. No crashes

In short, I'm at a complete loss. The "second" GPU seems to be doing nothing when I run programs like Furmark or BF3 and I just don't know what to do. HELP!

P.S. Thank you in advance!


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SeckSual PanduH!*
> 
> I don't even know if I can ask questions in here, but here it goes. I've scoured the internet for over 3 hours now and haven't found squat for an answer so I hope you guys can help me. First off, computer specs that I feel are relevant to what could be causing a problem:
> 
> PSU is a Rosewill 1000W
> 2x Sapphire HD7950's in Crossfire running at 925/1250 (Or they are supposed to be, that's where the problem occurs)
> Both cards are watercooled and idle 30-33C
> CPU is an Intel-i7 950 OC'd to 4GHz, also watercooled by a separate loop, idles at 36-40C
> Triple Monitor Eyefinity on 5760x1080p resolution
> 
> All right, with that out of the way, here is the issue. I cannot run any graphically intensive programs while Crossfire is enabled. When I attempt to do so, my computer crashes and shuts off without warning, typically within a few minutes. I have been looking, through various programs to include GPU-Z and AMD System Monitor, at my stats while on idle and I noticed something. My GPU0 will not go over 300/150MHz, no matter what I do. It just sits there and takes on no load whatsoever. GPU1 takes the full brunt of the load and it is set at 925/1250MHz. Any thoughts as to what is going on and why my Crossfire just appears to not be working?
> 
> Things I've already done:
> 1. Disabled ULPS
> 2. Completely wiped all ATI drivers through regedit and reinstalled fresh CCC 13.1 and new CAP
> 3. Tried two separate Crossfire bridges, rotated them both, and tried on both mating plugs on each card
> 4. Ran each card separately to ensure that each one works by itself. They both operate fine when alone and I get no crashes
> 5. Left everything as is and disabled Crossfire. No crashes
> 
> In short, I'm at a complete loss. The "second" GPU seems to be doing nothing when I run programs like Furmark or BF3 and I just don't know what to do. HELP!
> 
> P.S. Thank you in advance!


It sounds like a power supply issue, but since the second GPU will not even load, try this
Use the render test in GPU-z and see what your PCIe slota are running at.
I can manually configure my PCIe slots with my UD7 and am wondering if that is the problem with yours.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You high asic guys will have awesome results upto around 1200mhz, low volts and low temps. It's great stuff on air. However the high asic will hurt you when you start adding lots of volts. I've been thru a lot of cards and I haven't had much success with 85% plus asic cards doing over 1300mhz. Hopefully you get different results in your findings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From your results, Does a high core clock have any relation to memory speeds? My 7950 does 1300 core, but I cannot get my mem stable above 1550
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yet I see people around 1200 core with memory 1700 plus..
Click to expand...

Core overclock and memory overclock are not tied together. It comes down to luck on both fronts. The core overclock is more important most of the time. Also, some 7950 are now shipping with slower rated memory chips, 1250mhz vs 1500mhz. Thus their max overclock will be much lower.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Kids seriously dont try this at home


Nice.

I ended up getting another HD7950 instead of the new 7800 TAhiti. I really wanted to try out the Tahiti but due to all the hot deals on HD7950s seemed like a better idea to spend $30 more and get a HD7950 with the new gaming bundle.

I ordered a Sapphire Vapor X HD7950!!









Take care of your cards because in a few weeks I should be able to compete with your xfire set up!!!









I hope I don't get a dud HD7950.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Oh my how i love this 7950..
> 
> for what it matters..Asic %
> 
> 7970 = 80.5%
> 7950 = 90.5%
> 
> Kids seriously dont try this at home
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/bdwqv/
> 
> 3770k @ 4.8GHz
> 7970 @ 1375/2000
> 7950 @ 1375/1700
> 
> Graphics Score 22928
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5768591
> 
> @ ram overclock would net me around 500points more
> 
> did this tests @933mhz


You are either running super high voltage or throttling badly.
And 3DMark11 doesn't make it throttle yet, it didn't for me anyway atleast when I just pumped the core and memory as high as CCC allowed and ran it when I got the card without doing anything else.


----------



## King4x4

Well lads just finished plating and blocking my fourth 7950... By tonight (If the wife is willing and kind) or by tomarrow I will have the whole computer up and running.

@Sonda5 Trust me.... when you buy one and you go VROOOOOOOOOOM on it.. you start thinking... whats happens if I add another... a few months later... how about another one? ooooh waaateeerrrr! then you blow off half the block with a crazy OC!

Fast question though for the trifires.... best OCing card in the first slot and worst OCing card in the last spot?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Well lads just finished plating and blocking my fourth 7950... By tonight (If the wife is willing and kind) or by tomarrow I will have the whole computer up and running.
> 
> *Fast question though for the trifires.... best OCing card in the first slot and worst OCing card in the last spot?*


That's how I do it. That way you can have highest overclocks on 1 card, then 2, then 3, etc. This way you can still have fun benching other categories. There's no sense in running your slowest card in slot 1, gimping yourself.


----------



## King4x4

Seems correct then.

Btw... my Bitspower D-Plugs 1in matte came in... I am looking at your rig now tsm106 for connections and piping


----------



## tsm106

I'm running a semi-parallel setup. I wouldn't recommend full parallel for quads btw, too much loss of gpu cooling power for the sake of flow.


----------



## King4x4

MCP35x2 is ready.


----------



## WiL11o6

Anyone here playing the Crysis 3 beta on these drivers? I've been digging around these forums and everyone seems to be getting better performance than me at same, or better graphic settings. I am on a clean Win7 with clean 13.2 drivers.

I am getting terrible, 45-55fps on average on both maps, 4.5ghz 2600k, 1080p, 2xMSAA, very high settings, and high textures. I even tried a single card, and was only hitting 30fps max. Some people are getting 55fps avg with a single OC'd 7970 or 680.


----------



## King4x4

Always turn off V-sync.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I love how people come here with conclusions and such..My 7950 only takes 1.2v to achieve that speed. Guess what? It max out at 40c.on furmark. No throttling no nothing ok thx bai....

Also you guys need to realize what is 24/7 clocks vs benchiable clocks.

7950 for that clock only need 1.2v. Perfectly fine.

24/7 clocks when temp is under control.

7970 1300 @ 1.275 v vdrop around 1.225v perfectly fine uunder spec.

7950 1300 @ 1175v way below spec 7970 pcb/vrm design.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Bah I fix the quote when I get home


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm running a semi-parallel setup. I wouldn't recommend full parallel for quads btw, too much loss of gpu cooling power for the sake of flow.


You get more out of *semi-parallel* but with my *Quad Parallel setup*, I don't go over 40 - 45 'C on my cards while they are overclock at 1240mhz Core / 1575Mhz Memory, water temp stays below 32'C. At this point, I don't even monitor my GPU temperatures, I just look at the load.


----------



## King4x4

My Only concern is VRM temps... My core is at 40-45'C and VRMs are hitting 75'C









Hope that the backplates help in that respect.


----------



## w-moffatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> My Only concern is VRM temps... My core is at 40-45'C and VRMs are hitting 75'C
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope that the backplates help in that respect.


hey guys and girls got myself a 7970 oem edition card (freebie..woot woot!) I also wanted to find out what temps are safe. I ran heaven 3.0 on max settings and walked away with a max temp of 78 degrees. after having a 6970 with dual fans to a oem card with a small single fan i would expect it to be high but sounds a little on the edge or so to speak.

Also got the coil whine issue where it makes a buzzing sound under load. It's not life threatening is it? as its relatively intermittent.

Cheers









btw...only on a single 7970 and LOVING it...cant wait for my 2nd....and 3rd....and 4th...LoL Carlitos im looking at you man!


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> hey guys and girls got myself a 7970 oem edition card (freebie..woot woot!) I also wanted to find out what temps are safe. I ran heaven 3.0 on max settings and walked away with a max temp of 78 degrees. after having a 6970 with dual fans to a oem card with a small single fan i would expect it to be high but sounds a little on the edge or so to speak.
> 
> Also got the coil whine issue where it makes a buzzing sound under load. It's not life threatening is it? as its relatively intermittent.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> btw...only on a single 7970 and LOVING it...cant wait for my 2nd....and 3rd....and 4th...LoL Carlitos im looking at you man!


Welcome to the club! Nice score on the free card







. 78 isnt bad do you have it on stock fan settings? The coil whine may disappear or lessen over time. Some people leave the card under load by using some sort of benchmarking utility and it goes away.


----------



## Awsan

So if i use windows 7 and 13.1 drivers not the beta 13.2 i should get 11k 3Dmark scores with stock cpu?? @ 1200/1600???


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> You sure you aren't throttling? 1100/1250 sounds way too good to be true for 1.06V.


I think my card is doing 1100 MHz with 1.06V in load, maybe even lower.

EDIT: Its lower, 0.992mV in load, 1043mV set in MSI AB, stock is 1031mV in MSI AB, and about 0.980V in load.

89% ASIC, if that matters.

1320 MHz for 3dmark11 run requires something about 1.218V in MSI AB and about 1.12-1.13V in load.


----------



## Awsan

And is it safe to Game @ 1200mhz/1600mhz @ 20% power @ 1250 VDDC


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I love how people come here with conclusions and such..My 7950 only takes 1.2v to achieve that speed. Guess what? It max out at 40c.on furmark. No throttling no nothing ok thx bai....
> 
> Also you guys need to realize what is 24/7 clocks vs benchiable clocks.
> 
> 7950 for that clock only need 1.2v. Perfectly fine.
> 
> 24/7 clocks when temp is under control.
> 
> 7970 1300 @ 1.275 v vdrop around 1.225v perfectly fine uunder spec.
> 
> 7950 1300 @ 1175v way below spec 7970 pcb/vrm design.


Superb samples, you are very lucky, congrats.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *awsan*
> 
> So if i use windows 7 and 13.1 drivers not the beta 13.2 i should get 11k 3Dmark scores with stock cpu?? @ 1200/1600???


the physics score, i believe, affects the graphics score and of course the combined. oc your chip a bit like 4 or 4.3GHz. set your gpu to 1200/1600 under win7 and see your score soar. provided your gpu won't throttle. use 13.2 beta 4 and play c3.









in games, it is our cpu that needs to be oc'ed to get those high fps. metro and possibly c3 are just some where both cpu and gpu need oc'ing from my experience.

edit: just saw your last post. yes, with that voltage it is very safe. highest oc for metro i needed for smooth game play is 1100/1575 only using trixx. i prolly don't need to oc the memory but it was simple and mine is watercooled, so wth. c3 gets my gpu core to 43 and vrams to 53. it seems like running prime playing that game because i saw one of my cores hit 60.


----------



## Awsan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the physics score, i believe, affects the graphics score and of course the combined. oc your chip a bit like 4 or 4.3GHz. set your gpu to 1200/1600 under win7 and see your score soar. provided your gpu won't throttle. use 13.2 beta 4 and play c3.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> in games, it is our cpu that needs to be oc'ed to get those high fps. metro and possibly c3 are just some where both cpu and gpu need oc'ing from my experience.


And is it safe to Game @ 1200mhz/1600mhz @ 20% power @ 1250 VDDC?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *awsan*
> 
> And is it safe to Game @ 1200mhz/1600mhz @ 20% power @ 1250 VDDC?


yes.


----------



## Sasasd

My GPU clock locks to 880mhz from 1100mhz if playing youtube video while in game. Is it because I don't have powerplay disabled?


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Well finaly got my 7950 Card working ... if you can call it working 13.1 drivers , scored 7780 combind score in 3Dmark11 , but for some reason its stuck on x16 1.1 and if i enable the 16x 3rd gen in the bios pc will fail to post and give a graphics error 1 long 2 short beebs
















http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ce87p/


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SeckSual PanduH!*
> 
> I don't even know if I can ask questions in here, but here it goes. I've scoured the internet for over 3 hours now and haven't found squat for an answer so I hope you guys can help me. First off, computer specs that I feel are relevant to what could be causing a problem:
> 
> PSU is a Rosewill 1000W
> 2x Sapphire HD7950's in Crossfire running at 925/1250 (Or they are supposed to be, that's where the problem occurs)
> Both cards are watercooled and idle 30-33C
> CPU is an Intel-i7 950 OC'd to 4GHz, also watercooled by a separate loop, idles at 36-40C
> Triple Monitor Eyefinity on 5760x1080p resolution
> 
> All right, with that out of the way, here is the issue. I cannot run any graphically intensive programs while Crossfire is enabled. When I attempt to do so, my computer crashes and shuts off without warning, typically within a few minutes. I have been looking, through various programs to include GPU-Z and AMD System Monitor, at my stats while on idle and I noticed something. My GPU0 will not go over 300/150MHz, no matter what I do. It just sits there and takes on no load whatsoever. GPU1 takes the full brunt of the load and it is set at 925/1250MHz. Any thoughts as to what is going on and why my Crossfire just appears to not be working?
> 
> Things I've already done:
> 1. Disabled ULPS
> 2. Completely wiped all ATI drivers through regedit and reinstalled fresh CCC 13.1 and new CAP
> 3. Tried two separate Crossfire bridges, rotated them both, and tried on both mating plugs on each card
> 4. Ran each card separately to ensure that each one works by itself. They both operate fine when alone and I get no crashes
> 5. Left everything as is and disabled Crossfire. No crashes
> 
> In short, I'm at a complete loss. The "second" GPU seems to be doing nothing when I run programs like Furmark or BF3 and I just don't know what to do. HELP!
> 
> P.S. Thank you in advance!


Power Supply or Chipset drivers.


----------



## SeckSual PanduH!

When I run the render test, it shows both cards operating at PCI-E 3.0 x 16. However, the portion that says "@ x16 2.0" reads as "@ x16 1.1" for a few seconds then bumps up to "@ x16 2.0". Any thoughts as to what that means? Also, seeing as they both eventually read "@ x16 2.0", what does that mean exactly? Thanks in advance.


----------



## SeckSual PanduH!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> It sounds like a power supply issue, but since the second GPU will not even load, try this
> Use the render test in GPU-z and see what your PCIe slota are running at.
> I can manually configure my PCIe slots with my UD7 and am wondering if that is the problem with yours.


When I run the render test, it shows both cards operating at PCI-E 3.0 x 16. However, the portion that says "@ x16 2.0" reads as "@ x16 1.1" for a few seconds then bumps up to "@ x16 2.0". Any thoughts as to what that means? Also, seeing as they both eventually read "@ x16 2.0", what does that mean exactly? Thanks in advance.


----------



## deathmake317

look i had the same problem with my 6950 like 2 days ago for me to fix it was flipping the dual bios switch


----------



## tenten7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SeckSual PanduH!*
> 
> When I run the render test, it shows both cards operating at PCI-E 3.0 x 16. However, the portion that says "@ x16 2.0" reads as "@ x16 1.1" for a few seconds then bumps up to "@ x16 2.0". Any thoughts as to what that means? Also, seeing as they both eventually read "@ x16 2.0", what does that mean exactly? Thanks in advance.


I believe when there is no load, or low load, the motherboard or card, not sure which, automatically lowers the lane to @1.1 or @2.0 to save power. Just check when there is a load and it should stay at a constant @3.0


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *awsan*
> 
> So if i use windows 7 and 13.1 drivers not the beta 13.2 i should get 11k 3Dmark scores with stock cpu?? @ 1200/1600???
> 
> 
> 
> the physics score, i believe, affects the graphics score and of course the combined. oc your chip a bit like 4 or 4.3GHz. set your gpu to 1200/1600 under win7 and see your score soar. provided your gpu won't throttle. use 13.2 beta 4 and play c3.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> in games, it is our cpu that needs to be oc'ed to get those high fps. metro and possibly c3 are just some where both cpu and gpu need oc'ing from my experience.
> 
> edit: just saw your last post. yes, with that voltage it is very safe. highest oc for metro i needed for smooth game play is 1100/1575 only using trixx. i prolly don't need to oc the memory but it was simple and mine is watercooled, so wth. c3 gets my gpu core to 43 and vrams to 53. it seems like running prime playing that game because i saw one of my cores hit 60.
Click to expand...

The physics score affects the gpu very little. Ivy actually gets higher weighting in gpu scores even though it is thousands of points lower physics than SBE. In other words Ivy chips score higher gpu score with its lower physics.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm running a semi-parallel setup. I wouldn't recommend full parallel for quads btw, too much loss of gpu cooling power for the sake of flow.
> 
> 
> 
> You get more out of *semi-parallel* but with my *Quad Parallel setup*, I don't go over 40 - 45 'C on my cards while they are overclock at 1240mhz Core / 1575Mhz Memory, water temp stays below 32'C. At this point, I don't even monitor my GPU temperatures, I just look at the load.
Click to expand...

Those are somewhat mild clocks though relatively.


----------



## SeckSual PanduH!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tenten7*
> 
> I believe when there is no load, or low load, the motherboard or card, not sure which, automatically lowers the lane to @1.1 or @2.0 to save power. Just check when there is a load and it should stay at a constant @3.0


Personally I'm only aware of the render test on GPU-Z, which I just found out about, lol. How would I go to see what it's doing when under load?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SeckSual PanduH!*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tenten7*
> 
> I believe when there is no load, or low load, the motherboard or card, not sure which, automatically lowers the lane to @1.1 or @2.0 to save power. Just check when there is a load and it should stay at a constant @3.0
> 
> 
> 
> Personally I'm only aware of the render test on GPU-Z, which I just found out about, lol. How would I go to see what it's doing when under load?
Click to expand...

That is a load test. You have to actually load the gpus for them to switch to full bandwidth.


----------



## tenten7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SeckSual PanduH!*
> 
> Personally I'm only aware of the render test on GPU-Z, which I just found out about, lol. How would I go to see what it's doing when under load?


Just run a game Far Cry 3, BF3, etc, even lesser intense games should work as well.
Or run a benchmarking program such as Heaven.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Those are somewhat mild clocks though relatively.


That is according to you and your 1380 / 1800 mhz OC .







Lucky you.

But anyway, I never bench and never was into benching, I'm a hardcore gamer.









Do you have any semi-parallel VERSUS full-parrallel comparaison. I would like to see if there is a noticeable difference between both pathern. You probably tested both?


----------



## ebduncan

there is a new 3dmark available for those who are interested.

I am downloading it now, scores to come later.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Those are somewhat mild clocks though relatively.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is according to you and your 1380 / 1800 mhz OC .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lucky you.
> 
> But anyway, I never bench and never was into benching, I'm a hardcore gamer.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have any semi-parallel VERSUS full-parrallel comparaison. I would like to see if there is a noticeable difference between both pathern. You probably tested both?
Click to expand...

It's fluid dynamics. If you reduce the flow going to the gpus and in turn raise the flow to the rest of the loop... then the cpu temps go down but due the reduced flow to the gpu, the gpu temps go up. Parallel on quadfire equals very high flow rate thru the loop but only 1/4 of that flow gets to each gpu. Basically you are not putting out much heat from your gpus so it doesn't affect you much. There are some formulas for this btw. The other thing is after 2gpm there's no point to having higher flow so it's a bit of a waste.


----------



## Kurio

Hello guys.

No OC

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5813371

OC

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5813279

Clocked that MSI


----------



## tenten7

Does anyone know where I can get the latest and greatest BIOS that will work for my card? It is the:

Sapphire HD 7950 Boost Version (925/1250 stock).

This one exactly http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

Thank you!


----------



## Rebelord

So, pulled my 7950 out the other night. Replaced the TIM with some Antec Formula 7 Nano Diamond I had here. Only been in a few days. From what I have read it takes it about 200hrs for complete cure time with heat cycles. So, I have been doing some gaming to load it, plus running Furmark for 10min sessions to try to cycle it as best I can. We'll see how it goes.
As for heat, my stock voltage was reported by AB as 1.031, but actual under GPU-z was .975. (under load)
Quite a bit vdroop. But I am used to that as my UD7 has it for my CPU. Bumped it up to 1.1v under AB for a .988 under load in GPU-z.
A lot more stable OC's as indicated in sig.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Get some pk1 and forget about curing time.


----------



## Rebelord

I would, but unfortunately cant budget in goodies for my computer right now. Working with what I have. But I must say, that the Formula 7 did work very will with a 212+ on a 965 OC'd to 4Ghz. Kept it well under 50*C at my place under prime95. Where that computer is now, up in the NE where the owner keeps that particular room at 60*F or below. It has barely gone over 30*C under gaming load there. Which gives me some hope for it in my 7950.
I do agree though that PK1 would be worth it, when I can.

Edit: Looking at it. I think I will just end up doing a Antec 620 on the my 7950. Then I dont think I will have to worry much about temps anymore.


----------



## ebduncan

The New 3dmark is interesting.

Scored 4371
with AMD Radeon HD 7950(1x) and AMD FX-8120

1100core/1450mem, [email protected] 4.945ghz


----------



## BradleyW

There is something that is puzzling me here. When people use vsync and an fps limiter together, they put the fps 1 below the refresh rate to remove lag. Do they then just ignore the constant frame skipping that happenes once per second because they are 1 below the refresh rate which messes up the smoothness of vsync?
What's going on here?
I've tested on lots of games and 3 different screens and let me tell you, If you are any number below the refresh rate when vsync is active, it will skip once per second!
Am I missing something here?


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> My GPU clock locks to 880mhz from 1100mhz if playing youtube video while in game. Is it because I don't have powerplay disabled?


Not sure if you fixed this yet, but right click on a youtube video, click settings, and uncheck hardware acceleration.


----------



## w-moffatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Welcome to the club! Nice score on the free card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . 78 isnt bad do you have it on stock fan settings? The coil whine may disappear or lessen over time. Some people leave the card under load by using some sort of benchmarking utility and it goes away.


Yeah stock fan settings the card is overclocked. I got it that way so I'm assuming it was a factory done. The whine is annoying but since I game with headphones ill deal with it.. Cheers.


----------



## GunMetal

I just tried my 7950 at 1200mhz on Crysis 3 and haven't crashed yet. Does every game have different OC tolerance?


----------



## dmanstasiu

No. It's either stable or it isn't. But yes, different games may or may not reveal instabilities in your overclock


----------



## SkateZilla

do they sell that on new egg?


----------



## dmanstasiu

That?


----------



## dartuil

Hello, can you explain me the history on the PCB marked LF R19F and the ones marked LF R19FD?

thank you


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> I just tried my 7950 at 1200mhz on Crysis 3 and haven't crashed yet. Does every game have different OC tolerance?


The biggest taxing game on a single GPU that I have found so far is actually World of Tanks lol, it takes the GPU heating up all to new different levels compared to any other game, it's the only game that doesn't work with my 1200/1400 clocks without causing driver resets









Talk about a poorly optimized game.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> The biggest taxing game on a single GPU that I have found so far is actually World of Tanks lol, it takes the GPU heating up all to new different levels compared to any other game, it's the only game that doesn't work with my 1200/1400 clocks without causing driver resets
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Talk about a poorly optimized game.


Well i believe yes. Its like this the reason you stress test a cpu/gpu overclockis to put it under as much load as possible and see if it will handle the tasks/calculations. Its like giving your secretary a whole *****load of work to do overnight expecting the tasks to be done. The assistant/secretary will be under a lot of stress and can crack or complete the task. Games that require a lot of gpu/spu power will obviously stress the component/s more and will be more likely to show up bad overclocks by crashing. Crysis, Crysis2/3, BF3, Far Cry3 are good for testing this. far Cry 3 will not go past the loading screen most of the time even if you have passed 2hrs in a utility like amd overdrive, Crysis 2 may not go pass the intros or may do so and you will notice the movement looks like some1 hit Fast Forward on a tape. Yes different games have different tolerances to bad overclocks.


----------



## BradleyW

I seem to have a problem with crossfire and mouse lag. When I use vsync and crossfire together, the input lag amount seems to change whilst gaming. One minute the mouse feels normal with minimal input lag. Then, the lag increases and it is very noticable. This process repeats. Is this normal or something?
I tried replacing CPU, RAM and Motherboard along with new drivers and I tried windows 8 to no resolve.

Thanks for the help.


----------



## disgaea psp

Is there still any driver issues with 7950 with games such as League and Starcraft? or any issues in general


----------



## Atomfix

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/50577?

What do you think of my score for 1.1GHz GPU and 1400 GPU Memory


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/50577?
> 
> What do you think of my score for 1.1GHz GPU and 1400 GPU Memory


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/10734

Fine but why I got 308k graphics score in first test and you only 197k?


----------



## Kurio

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5823280

Runned the piece of **** out of that R7950 on air.

Impressive. No tweaks.


----------



## tenten7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disgaea psp*
> 
> Is there still any driver issues with 7950 with games such as League and Starcraft? or any issues in general


League is arguably the most popular game in the world right now, and at the same time it is arguably one of the least graphically intense games.
I have a 7950, it is total overkill for league. Max settings get around 400-500FPS.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disgaea psp*
> 
> Is there still any driver issues with 7950 with games such as League and Starcraft? or any issues in general


My friend played league on my 7970 a few months ago and it was absolutely stellar. 60fps maxed (Vsyncn) with such little stress on the GPU


----------



## de4ler

hey guys so i buy a MSI 7970 Lightning and i have some wierd problem

when i start MSI Kombustor the Gpu Temp jump from 39C´ to 80C´ and the PC shot down/restart .
i try new/old driver reinstal MSI afterburner and sett the Bios to default .

pls help


----------



## dmanstasiu

That means it's overheating lol

Either RMA or fix it yourself


----------



## SkateZilla

^ betcha you left the fans on AUTO....


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *de4ler*
> 
> hey guys so i buy a MSI 7970 Lightning and i have some wierd problem
> 
> when i start MSI Kombustor the Gpu Temp jump from 39C´ to 80C´ and the PC shot down/restart .
> i try new/old driver reinstal MSI afterburner and sett the Bios to default .
> 
> pls help


try setting an agressive fan profile might help. reseat the cooler and if the problem exsists possible RMA. have you OCed the card?


----------



## de4ler

Everythibg is on default setting i try start msi kombustor on 100 % fans but same crash . I underclock the card to get better temps . It works but im runing on 50 % .
What is a rma ?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *de4ler*
> 
> Everythibg is on default setting i try start msi kombustor on 100 % fans but same crash . I underclock the card to get better temps . It works but im runing on 50 % .
> *What is a rma ?*


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_merchandise_authorization

basically it is returning your card within the waranty period and get a new one. in your case you might have to


----------



## de4ler

Well thx i try and what if they dont repair or give me back the card ? And what els i can do ? Reinstal gpu bios ? Change thermal paste ? And how often is this happen ? Or is this just only lightning version problem ?
BTW :
core V 1112
Core clock 1070
Memory clock 1400
memory voltage 1600
aux voltage +0


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> The biggest taxing game on a single GPU that I have found so far is actually World of Tanks lol, it takes the GPU heating up all to new different levels compared to any other game, it's the only game that doesn't work with my 1200/1400 clocks without causing driver resets
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Talk about a poorly optimized game.


Yup, you are right, when i had my first hd 7950, i could game metro 2033 for hour, and crash in WoT in 10-20 minutes.


----------



## tenten7

Anyone know where you can get the latest bios for the Sapphire HD 7950 Boost (925 stock clock) with Dual-X?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tenten7*
> 
> Anyone know where you can get the latest bios for the Sapphire HD 7950 Boost (925 stock clock) with Dual-X?


techpowerup ?

What do you need it for?


----------



## tenten7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> techpowerup ?
> 
> What do you need it for?


I posted some specs of my OC, someone said my card was being throttled and if I flashed with the latest vBios it should fix it.
There are 2 bios on the card so I figured it was worth a shot, could always revert to the other one if things went south.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> techpowerup ?
> 
> What do you need it for?


Any news on your Vapor-X and Waterblock endeavour?


----------



## EliteReplay

Hi i have the XFX 7950 black edition with default CORE900Mhz / MEM1375Mhz is there a bios for this one, that i can make it run like a 7970? thanks


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Hi i have the XFX 7950 black edition with default CORE900Mhz / MEM1375Mhz is there a bios for this one, that i can make it run like a 7970? thanks


Yeah start CCC and enter the same clock speeds as HD7970. Voila.
Althought it will never be quite the same at same speeds but it's close now.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Yeah start CCC and enter the same clock speeds as HD7970. Voila.
> Althought it will never be quite the same at same speeds but it's close now.


i know that, i wants it to be like stock no OC tho... and im talking a bios from lastest 7970 i think they run at Core 1000mhz and mem at1500mhz right?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> i know that, i wants it to be like stock no OC tho... and im talking a bios from lastest 7970 i think they run at Core 1000mhz and mem at1500mhz right?


It would still be overclocked for a HD7950 even if you do it by BIOS and not software.

Software OC is just a lot easier to revert/change.


----------



## TheBenson

Some 3dmark 11 benches for my Sapphire Dual X 7970's


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> Some 3dmark 11 benches for my Sapphire Dual X 7970's


Pretty low single card score







I got 10620 on my setup with single card


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> Some 3dmark 11 benches for my Sapphire Dual X 7970's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pretty low single card score
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got 10620 on my setup with single card
Click to expand...

actually so do he on 1150/1600


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> actually so do he on 1150/1600


Yes I can read that but he also has 3770K and HD7970 :l
I only have 2500K and HD7950 which is a world of difference in benchmarks, he should easily be 11k+ with that setup and single card.


----------



## TheBenson

Dunno what it would be, my 3770k is at 4.5ghz. What is your graphics score and physics score individually?


----------



## Stige

11458 / 8880

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5224350

I need to get another run with more uptodate drivers, apparently the scores have gone up a bit from those drivers back then.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Any news on your Vapor-X and Waterblock endeavour?


Should be getting it later on today.

Not sure what I am going to do for water cooling. Have some ideas floating around my head abut will need to look at the card carefully when I get it to make up my mind.


----------



## Atomfix

Beta 5 is up
Quote:


> FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AMD CATALYST 13.2 BETA 5 DRIVER
> •Crysis 3 multi-player Beta: Improves CrossFire scaling by up to 40%
> •Far Cry 3: Improves performance up to 10% at 2560x1600 with 8xAA
> •New 3D Mark release: Adds CrossFire profile support for the new 3D Mark release under Windows 8


http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst132BetaDriver.aspx


----------



## de4ler

just one more thing guys i have a 700W PSU is the enough for a lightning ?
http://www.hardocp.com/images/articles/13320945132usx2rjzoM_9_1.gif

here is my problem in VID


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *de4ler*
> 
> just one more thing guys i have a 700W PSU is the enough for a lightning ?
> http://www.hardocp.com/images/articles/13320945132usx2rjzoM_9_1.gif
> 
> here is my problem in VID


That is measured from the wall outlet, not directly what the PSU outputs, so realisticly the system power consumption is only like ~450W or so.

700W is more than enough for any single GPU.


----------



## de4ler

yea but this dude fix his problem whit a PSU change 



i dont have problem in the windows only when try some game where the GPU is on 100% load GW 2 / BF 3


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *de4ler*
> 
> yea but this dude fix his problem whit a PSU change
> 
> 
> 
> i dont have problem in the windows only when try some game where the GPU is on 100% load GW 2 / BF 3


If your power supply is rated at 700w but cannot deliver enough power for your system that could cause the issue. What power supply do you have and is it 80+. Cheap power supplies tend to lack efficiency and they dont deliver the power they claim to especially under heavy load.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> If your power supply is rated at 700w but cannot deliver enough power for your system that could cause the issue. What power supply do you have and is it 80+. Cheap power supplies tend to lack efficiency and they dont deliver the power they claim to especially under heavy load.


80+ only means efficiency, it doesn't actually have anything to do with how good the PSU itself is.

It simply means a 700W PSU needs to pull 840W from the wall to be able to supply the PC with 700W.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Its worthwhile monitoring the voltage rails somehow while this is happening. It can indeed be the PSU, it may just be dropping the 5V or 3V rails down under heavy load, IE: 5V rail drops to 4v at peak load or maybe you have overloaded one of the rails with 2 cards instead of splitting them between rails for example?
(Been there done that)

Also - adding extra graphics means populating more ram and switch offs like that can also be caused by unstable ram - try backing the timings off 1 point each for tests.

IE: Change 9-10-10-28-1 to 10-11-11-29-2
and perhaps add 0.1v to the dram too, in case its slightly undervolted. especially if its an Overclocked (XMP) profile.


----------



## de4ler

I have a fortron 700 w gold


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 80+ only means efficiency, it doesn't actually have anything to do with how good the PSU itself is.
> 
> It simply means a 700W PSU needs to pull 840W from the wall to be able to supply the PC with 700W.


Maybe I have it all wrong but i thought that a psu has a continuous and a peak wattage that its rated at and it depends on what figure they used to rate the psu some can use the continuous value and some manufacturer may use the peak value. The 80+ does indicate efficiency in converting ac-dc current and during the conversion energy is lost and basically results in the heat generated by the unit. Now the less efficient psu will not be able to provide the same wattage under load due to the inefficiency. Maybe i am wrong idk
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *de4ler*
> 
> I have a fortron 700 w gold


that should be more than enough. I have a 700w ocz thats 80+bronze.


----------



## Stocking

EDIT: made my own thread for the question I was asking here XD (http://www.overclock.net/t/1357838/7970-crossfire-suggestions)


----------



## de4ler

Maybe i just need change the termal paste on lightning . is that gna help ?


----------



## martinhal

Loving the new drivers http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5835545 my 24/7 settings


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Hi i have the XFX 7950 black edition with default CORE900Mhz / MEM1375Mhz is there a bios for this one, that i can make it run like a 7970? thanks


at the same clocks you would be 5% behind which in real case scenario (gaming) its not noticeable..


----------



## Stige

Just sold my other HD7950 \o/

260€, paid 325€ (-45€ from that if you count the games I sold) for the card, now off to buy a real single GPU, HD7970 or something, and get that stuff under water too!

And maybe add a 240 rad or something too to the mix!


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Just sold my other HD7950 \o/
> 
> 260€, paid 325€ (-45€ from that if you count the games I sold) for the card, now off to buy a real single GPU, HD7970 or something, and get that stuff under water too!
> 
> And maybe add a 240 rad or something too to the mix!


Welcome to the 7970 side!


----------



## de4ler

i hope im gona join to but now this 7970 Lightning is juts a pain in my ass


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Hi i have the XFX 7950 black edition with default CORE900Mhz / MEM1375Mhz is there a bios for this one, that i can make it run like a 7970? thanks


Changing the BIOS on a XFX 7950 DD and DD BE is a no go, Iv'e tried nearly every BIOS on TPU and it bricks my card altogether, The only way to do it is to manually overclock the clocks.

I use Gigabyte GPU Tweak, It allows me to overvolt the card to 1.13V @ 1100MHz and memory @ 1400MHz


----------



## Sasasd

Any suggestions why my AB does not apply overclocked voltage when reboot or resuming from sleep? Apply OC at boot is ticked. Then i did config changes and that messed up my drivers. Clocks were stuck 1100/1250. Had to reinstall Beta 5. Is Trixx any better ( more stable)?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Welcome to the 7970 side!


Not yet, still need to find someone to trade with ^^ And a card that is reference PCB aswell so I can actually fit a waterblock on it.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> actually so do he on 1150/1600
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I can read that but he also has 3770K and HD7970 :l
> I only have 2500K and HD7950 which is a world of difference in benchmarks, he should easily be 11k+ with that setup and single card.
Click to expand...

sorry, i didn'y mean to doubt you and was i that mis read.









your right though i would expect the 11k+ mark with that OC on a 7970 with a 3777k
this is an older one i did with with 12.11b and different hardware than my current sig rig with an 7950 @ 1155/1725 CPU i7-2600k @ 4.4GHz
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118

so yeah i agree with you


----------



## dmanstasiu

I have a 2600k + 7970 ... I think I'm gona start benching o.o

RAM is at 2133 9-10-9-27 1T
CPU is only 4.8GHz atm, limited by TIM + H100
7970 can push 1250, maybe 1300. Limited by VRM temps atm, gpu waterblock coming in


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> Any suggestions why my AB does not apply overclocked voltage when reboot or resuming from sleep? Apply OC at boot is ticked. Then i did config changes and that messed up my drivers. Clocks were stuck 1100/1250. Had to reinstall Beta 5. Is Trixx any better ( more stable)?


And sometimes it does when idling too (driver crashes, voltage resetted to default).


----------



## TurboMach1

just got my new windforce 7950 today. came stock at 1000mhz/1.12v. im thoroughly impressed with this card so far, it idles at 30c and maxes at 55c and doesnt make a peep while doing so. gonna do some overclocking later on to see what it can do.


----------



## deathmake317

PLEASE HELP

iv looked absolutely everywhere and I seem to be the only one with this problem I just got my 7970 yesterday and I have been playing all types of games nonstop with no problem except 1 game...

just cause 2

the temps are below 60c

it is not overclocked at all

my card is the his iceq x2 ghz edition 7970


----------



## rhole

Hi all..

I recently got a very cheap Sapphire 7970 OC Edition as a 'B-Grade' stock item. To upgrade my Geforce GTX 280 from many moons a go.

Never had a Radeon Card before so on the overclocking/driver front I am pretty much a newbie. I have the Catalyst 13.2 Beta 5 driver installed and everything runs great. Not seeing any of this doom and gloom driver stuff that nvidia guys whiz on about all day. Although maybe that was fixed in this driver beta. As the promise of a rewrite to the drivers memory manager finally pushed me in to getting one after thinking about it for months...... anyway.....

The card has buzzing noises from the chokes and what not... Only as loud as the fans in my case and since I game with headphones its not a problem. It does screem when something appears on screen at 1000FPS+ lol.

Since I decided to keep the card I took it apart and applied Cool Labs Liquid Ultra to the DIE.

I'm using the modded Trixx applicatoin v4.40b and decided to set about overclocking. Just wanted some advice on Memory really.... Im trying to find the max possible clock where the card is stable to use. I usually game with the card underclocked and undervolted too. But for Crysis 3 MP Beta etc its a dif story...

Im 100% stable with no artifacting @ 1340 core and 1670 Memory. Core Voltage it maxed out at 1.381v and after Vdroop GPU-Z says it averages around 1.305 in Heaven 3.0.
Temps are around 50 degrees C +or - 2 degrees depending on the scene with 100% Fan. VRM 1 temp is around 60 degrees C and VRM 2 about 10 degrees C lower.

If i move the core up any more then I begin to get minor artifacting, although no crashing. So I pretty much thing the core limit has been reached without some kind of hardware volt-mod.
...

The memory puzzles me though. Anything over 1700 gives me horizontal flickering on the screen. It is random but progressively gets worse the longer I use it. It can take up to an hour to appear.
Now, 1670 is 100% stable with no flickers (at stock volts - 1.6v). Which I am happy with. But it seems odd that I cannot push higher even with more voltage. I have tried 1.7v on the Memory with the same result.

Trixx allows up to 1.8v. Since I have not applied any additional cooling to the memory becides the stock and I believe it uses thermal pads. I was wondering is 1.8v going to cause a problem with Temps in the long run? As I have no way of telling the memory chip temperatures right now without buying anything for that task.


----------



## SonDa5

I wouldn't push the memory voltage past 1.7v for 1800mhz on the ram with good ambient temp cooling.

You card clocks well. I would water cool it.


----------



## Divey

Hey guys, is the below card a referrence model and if so will the below wb fit on it.

WB-http://www.frozencpu.com/products/17069/ex-blc-1226/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Nickel_CSQ_EK-FC7970_-_Nickel_CSQ.html?id=WGhwuBgg&mv_pc=2804

GPU-http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

And lastly how would I know if a card is a referrence design if the card does not state it.

Thanks

Terry


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Divey*
> 
> Hey guys, is the below card a referrence model and if so will the below wb fit on it.
> 
> WB-http://www.frozencpu.com/products/17069/ex-blc-1226/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Nickel_CSQ_EK-FC7970_-_Nickel_CSQ.html?id=WGhwuBgg&mv_pc=2804
> 
> GPU-http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008
> 
> And lastly how would I know if a card is a referrence design if the card does not state it.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Terry


that sapphire card is not reference AMD design. the model no is 11197-03-40G. you can check coolingconfigurator which clearly lists that there are no full cover waterblocks because its not compatible with reference PCB layout.

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/

use this to find out which cards are compatible with full cover waterblocks. here are a few

MSI HD 7970 (Model No MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652

MSI HD 7970 Lightning has a custom built full cover waterblock.

HIS

HIS HD 7970 (Model No H797F3G2M )
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161399

HIS HD 7970 Iceq X2 (Model No H797QM3G2M)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412

HIS HD 7970 Iceq X2 Ghz (Model No H797QMC3G2M)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161431


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Divey*
> 
> Hey guys, is the below card a referrence model and if so will the below wb fit on it.
> 
> WB-http://www.frozencpu.com/products/17069/ex-blc-1226/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Nickel_CSQ_EK-FC7970_-_Nickel_CSQ.html?id=WGhwuBgg&mv_pc=2804
> 
> GPU-http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008
> 
> And lastly how would I know if a card is a referrence design if the card does not state it.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Terry


Reference PCB usually has the AMD logo down by the PCI-E connector at the bottom of the card:

With that said, I don't think the card you're looking at is reference design.


----------



## dsmwookie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Divey*
> 
> Hey guys, is the below card a referrence model and if so will the below wb fit on it.
> 
> WB-http://www.frozencpu.com/products/17069/ex-blc-1226/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Nickel_CSQ_EK-FC7970_-_Nickel_CSQ.html?id=WGhwuBgg&mv_pc=2804
> 
> GPU-http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008
> 
> And lastly how would I know if a card is a referrence design if the card does not state it.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Terry


Nope.


----------



## cooler2442

Not sure which thread the new 7870 Tahiti puts me in so posting mine in both:


----------



## kahboom

Can you trifire a 7970 with two 7950's?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Can you trifire a 7970 with two 7950's?


i cant see why not. i would probably put the 7970 as the first card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Can you trifire a 7970 with two 7950's?


Yes, but I would think about it some more for two reasons. One, it's generally not a good idea to mix cards of varying speeds because it directly causes differences in latency. However you can minimize it by setting clocks to match the cards in terms of speed. Two, the jury is still out on whether the 8350 can feed trifire or higher. From the benches I've seen of the one 8350 rig on here pushing quads, its scores are a ways behind Intel powered setups. It can be done and has so don't let me stop you.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i cant see why not. i would probably put the 7970 as the first card.


that's what I was thinking that way games that don't support xfire or are limited would just use the 7970. Thx.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yes, but I would think about it some more for two reasons. One, it's generally not a good idea to mix cards of varying speeds because it directly causes differences in latency. However you can minimize it by setting clocks to match the cards in terms of speed. Two, the jury is still out on whether the 8350 can feed trifire or higher. From the benches I've seen of the one 8350 rig on here pushing quads, its scores are a ways behind Intel powered setups. It can be done and has so don't let me stop you.


I flashed my two 7950s which have reference 7970 PCB with 7970 BIOS and there both on water as far as it not being the fastest CPU it should be more than enough for my needs Thx for the info.


----------



## Fuell

I'm looking for a 7950 now. Really excited about stepping up from a 6850. Any1 know any good places to buy from that ships to Canada? Cheapest I've found is $279 and I'm blowing my budget of $200 out of the water just cause _I want it._ Dang it, I deserve it! So yea... can't wait for the eye candy.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fuell*
> 
> I'm looking for a 7950 now. Really excited about stepping up from a 6850. Any1 know any good places to buy from that ships to Canada? Cheapest I've found is $279 and I'm blowing my budget of $200 out of the water just cause _I want it._ Dang it, I deserve it! So yea... can't wait for the eye candy.


get the HD 7950 with the game bundle . ncix, newegg , canadacomputers have the bundle

http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=67546&vpn=GV-R795WF3-3GD&manufacture=Gigabyte&promoid=1312

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=558&item_id=055475

the gigabyte HD 7950 with the excellent windforce cooler is a good option. 28.5 cm long. newer batches of the card come with FZ1 BIOS and 1 ghz boost clocks. locked voltage too. 3 year warranty. the his hd 7950 iceq boost has a good cooler. 925 mhz boost . unlocked voltage. card is 29.5 cm long. 2 year warranty. the sapphire HD 7950 boost has the excellent dual x cooler. 29 cm long. unlocked voltage. 925 mhz boost. 2 year warranty


----------



## Fuell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> get the HD 7950 with the game bundle . ncix, newegg , amazon have the bundle
> 
> http://ncix.ca/products/?sku=67546&vpn=GV-R795WF3-3GD&manufacture=Gigabyte&promoid=1312
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420
> 
> the gigabyte HD 7950 with the excellent windforce cooler is a good option. 28.5 cm long. newer batches of the card come with FZ1 BIOS and 1 ghz boost clocks. locked voltage too. 3 year warranty. the his hd 7950 iceq boost has a good cooler. 925 mhz boost . unlocked voltage. card is 29.5 cm long. 2 year warranty.


Yea, I was eying that one earlier tonight. Pretty good price and I can get MemXpress to Uber match it down to $272 which is even better. Very very tempting. I always hear people talk about the TFII or DCUII versions, not often the windforce. I have a 6850 windforce and love it. How does the 7950 flavour fair against the comp? I'm mainly looking for low heat and quiet, not highest expected OC or anything. Warranty is always nice.

Thanks!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fuell*
> 
> Yea, I was eying that one earlier tonight. Pretty good price and I can get MemXpress to Uber match it down to $272 which is even better. Very very tempting. I always hear people talk about the TFII or DCUII versions, not often the windforce. I have a 6850 windforce and love it. How does the 7950 flavour fair against the comp? I'm mainly looking for low heat and quiet, not highest expected OC or anything. Warranty is always nice.
> 
> Thanks!


yeah the gigabyte windforce3x cooler will maintain low temps and noise. gigabyte hd 6850 used windforce2x . the gigabyte hd 7950 uses windforce3x which is more sturdy and is a better cooler. the extra 1 year warranty over his and sapphire is always welcome.


----------



## kgtuning

Just got my powercolor 7950 yesterday. First video card ever, just need to figure out how to get bios to recognize it.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> Just got my powercolor 7950 yesterday. First video card ever, just need to figure out how to get bios to recognize it.


In PCI section, try to set PCI Interface(or Graphics, or whatever is called) to PCI Express/PCI-E. Also disable Integrated Graphics Intel HD 4000.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> In PCI section, try to set PCI Interface(or Graphics, or whatever is called) to PCI Express/PCI-E. Also disable Integrated Graphics Intel HD 4000.


I'll start off with I am a super noob with this stuff so please forgive me. I set pci-e to primary and I didn't get anywhere but I guess I need to figure out how to turn off the igpu. When I get home from work I'll try to disable the igpu. Thanks for helping, I'll post here later with results.


----------



## Fuell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> I'll start off with I am a super noob with this stuff so please forgive me. I set pci-e to primary and I didn't get anywhere but I guess I need to figure out how to turn off the igpu. When I get home from work I'll try to disable the igpu. Thanks for helping, I'll post here later with results.


If your a noob you should have a noob computer. Trade with me







I`m sure it`ll end up being something simple. Hope you get it worked out and enjoy the card. Can`t wait to get mine in a few weeks. Excited


----------



## Nonehxc

Put your card in your first PCI-e slot(should be the first red slot). Make sure it's properly seated and secured. Also make sure the power connectors from the power supply to the card are properly aligned and seated. Uninstall in OS and disable in BIOS Intel HD drivers and uninstall in OS and disable in BIOS Lucid Virtu MVP and everything Lucid.

Edit: Seems there is an issue with your MB and discrete graphics not recognized. If doing the above does not help, updating your BIOS to version 1.30 or above is recommended and should correct the issue.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Fatal1ty%20Z77%20Professional/?cat=Download&os=BIOS <--- If that is your motherboard(plain Fatal1ty Proffesional, not Professional-M or Performance), under vBIOS 1.30 says "Improve discrete VGA card VBIOS compatibility".

I'll also let here this thread, is for the Asrock z77 family of MB. Ask there, there will be more helpful than me since I don't own that board and your problem seems to be with your motherboard http://www.overclock.net/t/1254599/official-asrock-z77-discussion-owners-club

Good luck!


----------



## JUZTIQ

Here is how I lowered my temps of my 7950 Vapor-X Crossfire setup with:

Gpu1: 7 C lower - Vrm1: 12 C lower - Vrm2: 12 C lower
Gpu2: 6 C lower - Vrm1: 9 C lower - Vrm2: 11 C lower

Read post 685

http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked/680#post_19235337


----------



## ElementR

I switched from the green team and bought a 7970 Lightning. I didn't know there was a Lightning GHz Ed until I saw the box.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> And sometimes it does when idling too (driver crashes, voltage resetted to default).


The reason as to the crashes is probably linked to the previous post. I had an issue like that. AB wouldn't save my voltage but saved my OC core and memory speeds. When i entered a game I would have crashes due to the voltage not being sufficient enough. I checked AB and notice the voltage was back to stock


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> The reason as to the crashes is probably linked to the previous post. I had an issue like that. AB wouldn't save my voltage but saved my OC core and memory speeds. When i entered a game I would have crashes due to the voltage not being sufficient enough. I checked AB and notice the voltage was back to stock


Well, how did you solve it?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> Well, how did you solve it?


It seems that Afterburner 2.3.0 works fine.

or go to
C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\Profiles\"VEN_1002&DEV_6798&SUBSYS_32101682&REV_00&BUS_1&DEV_0&FN_0"

There is a cfg file called "VEN_1002&DEV_6798&SUBSYS_32101682&REV_00&BUS_1&DEV_0&FN_0" not sure if it will have the same name for you but more than likely.

That contains the saved profile settings.

[Defaults]
Format=2
PowerLimit=0
CoreClk=925000
MemClk=1375000
FanMode=1
FanSpeed=25
[Settings]
CaptureDefaults=0
[Startup]
Format=2
PowerLimit=0
CoreClk=1125000
MemClk=1575000
FanMode=1
FanSpeed=25
CoreVoltage=1118
MemoryVoltage=1600
[Profile2]
Format=2
CoreVoltage=1118
MemoryVoltage=1600
PowerLimit=0
CoreClk=1125000
MemClk=1575000
FanMode=1
FanSpeed=25

Just open the file in notepad make sure the CoreVoltage value is the voltage that you want and save it


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> It seems that Afterburner 2.3.0 works fine.
> 
> or go to
> C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\Profiles\"VEN_1002&DEV_6798&SUBSYS_32101682&REV_00&BUS_1&DEV_0&FN_0"
> 
> There is a cfg file called "VEN_1002&DEV_6798&SUBSYS_32101682&REV_00&BUS_1&DEV_0&FN_0" not sure if it will have the same name for you but more than likely.
> 
> That contains the saved profile settings.
> 
> [Defaults]
> Format=2
> PowerLimit=0
> CoreClk=925000
> MemClk=1375000
> FanMode=1
> FanSpeed=25
> [Settings]
> CaptureDefaults=0
> [Startup]
> Format=2
> PowerLimit=0
> CoreClk=1125000
> MemClk=1575000
> FanMode=1
> FanSpeed=25
> CoreVoltage=1118
> MemoryVoltage=1600
> [Profile2]
> Format=2
> CoreVoltage=1118
> MemoryVoltage=1600
> PowerLimit=0
> CoreClk=1125000
> MemClk=1575000
> FanMode=1
> FanSpeed=25
> 
> Just open the file in notepad make sure the CoreVoltage value is the voltage that you want and save it


Thanks, I just reinstalled 2.3.1 so tried that config edit. Gonna try 2.3.0 if problems appear again.

Edit: Just tried reboot and voltage resetted to default and didnt go up when stressing gpu. Switched on kernel mode and it seems to work. What does it do and is it safe setting to keep on?


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fuell*
> 
> If your a noob you should have a noob computer. Trade with me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I`m sure it`ll end up being something simple. Hope you get it worked out and enjoy the card. Can`t wait to get mine in a few weeks. Excited


Lol. Thanks!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Put your card in your first PCI-e slot(should be the first red slot). Make sure it's properly seated and secured. Also make sure the power connectors from the power supply to the card are properly aligned and seated. Uninstall in OS and disable in BIOS Intel HD drivers and uninstall in OS and disable in BIOS Lucid Virtu MVP and everything Lucid.
> 
> Edit: Seems there is an issue with your MB and discrete graphics not recognized. If doing the above does not help, updating your BIOS to version 1.30 or above is recommended and should correct the issue.
> 
> http://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Fatal1ty%20Z77%20Professional/?cat=Download&os=BIOS <--- If that is your motherboard(plain Fatal1ty Proffesional, not Professional-M or Performance), under vBIOS 1.30 says "Improve discrete VGA card VBIOS compatibility".
> 
> I'll also let here this thread, is for the Asrock z77 family of MB. Ask there, there will be more helpful than me since I don't own that board and your problem seems to be with your motherboard http://www.overclock.net/t/1254599/official-asrock-z77-discussion-owners-club
> 
> Good luck!


Thank you very much! As soon as I'm home from work I'll give it a try. Currently on bios 1.50. Yes I am using the Fatality board... wish I had gone with my first choice instead but oh well. OK at least its probably a mb issue then. Thanks, I will post back with what the outcome is.


----------



## Fulvin

If a card manufacturer, such as Sapphire features the AMD game bundle, does the manufacturer ship the codes with the cards, or is it the retailers who receive & bundle the actual codes with the product? Asking, because i ordered mine from a retailer and they don't officially feature the bundle.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fulvin*
> 
> If a card manufacturer, such as Sapphire features the AMD game bundle, does the manufacturer ship the codes with the cards, or is it the retailers who receive & bundle the actual codes with the product? Asking, because i ordered mine from a retailer and they don't officially feature the bundle.


Email AMD, they're the ones you actually get the codes from anyways via email. When I bought my card it came with a "Never settle" bundle, now they're offering Crysis 3 and Bioshock Inf (2 unreleased games). I bought through Newegg and they shipped a card that had a invitation code and instructions. The codes themselves come through email after you register it with AMD.


----------



## Fulvin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> Email AMD, they're the ones you actually get the codes from anyways via email. When I bought my card it came with a "Never settle" bundle, now they're offering Crysis 3 and Bioshock Inf (2 unreleased games). I bought through Newegg and they shipped a card that had a invitation code and instructions. The codes themselves come through email after you register it with AMD.


Well then, does the invitation code and whatnot come straight from the factory or does that depend on the retailer? If it's the latter, then would AMD give me the games if i was to contact them with my receipt, info etc, even while the retailer i bought the card from didn't feature the bundle?


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fulvin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> Email AMD, they're the ones you actually get the codes from anyways via email. When I bought my card it came with a "Never settle" bundle, now they're offering Crysis 3 and Bioshock Inf (2 unreleased games). I bought through Newegg and they shipped a card that had a invitation code and instructions. The codes themselves come through email after you register it with AMD.
> 
> 
> 
> Well then, does the invitation code and whatnot come straight from the factory or does that depend on the retailer? If it's the latter, then would AMD give me the games if i was to contact them with my receipt, info etc, even while the retailer i bought the card from didn't feature the bundle?
Click to expand...

Normally they'll just come from a participating retailer, however if you bought a qualifying GPU from AMD during a time period they're offering a particular deal and the retailer didn't send you the invitation card/code you can ask AMD as they are the one that will email you the codes to redeem them (usually via Steam).

Here's the address for the Never Settle: Reloaded offer participating retailers, note the purchase date range too:
http://sites.amd.com/us/promo/never-settle/Pages/nsreloaded.aspx
"participating retailer between February 4th, 2013 and either December 31, 2013 or when supply of Key Codes is exhausted, whichever occurs first."


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElementR*
> 
> I switched from the green team and bought a 7970 Lightning. I didn't know there was a Lightning GHz Ed until I saw the box.


there's the GHz Edition and the 925 now. ~$40 difference for 145Mhz/75 Mhz Memory.


----------



## ElementR

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> there's the GHz Edition and the 925 now. ~$40 difference for 145Mhz/75 Mhz Memory.


I paid for the cheaper of the two.


----------



## Fulvin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> Normally they'll just come from a participating retailer, however if you bought a qualifying GPU from AMD during a time period they're offering a particular deal and the retailer didn't send you the invitation card/code you can ask AMD as they are the one that will email you the codes to redeem them (usually via Steam).
> 
> Here's the address for the Never Settle: Reloaded offer participating retailers, note the purchase date range too:
> http://sites.amd.com/us/promo/never-settle/Pages/nsreloaded.aspx
> "participating retailer between February 4th, 2013 and either December 31, 2013 or when supply of Key Codes is exhausted, whichever occurs first."


Placed order on 3rd of this month. LOL. Although, i haven't received the card nor have paid for it yet as i'll be picking it up from the store, so i suppose i'll make it. Thanks +1.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElementR*
> 
> I paid for the cheaper of the two.


I'll prolly just get the 1070Mhz and OC it to 1100/1500 or OC my 7950 to match it. and then XFire them.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> Lol. Thanks!
> Thank you very much! As soon as I'm home from work I'll give it a try. Currently on bios 1.50. Yes I am using the Fatality board... wish I had gone with my first choice instead but oh well. OK at least its probably a mb issue then. Thanks, I will post back with what the outcome is.


Up and running... I feel like an idiot. but I uninstalled the HD4000 graphic and Lucid stuff. it didn't help until I cleared cmos.


----------



## SoloCamo

So assuming I can get my hands on a good deal for a 7950 (or preferably, another 7970GE) how bad of an idea would that be to try it on a AMD 970 chipset? Aka, PCI 2.0 16x/4x ? I'm assuming I'd take a big performance hit?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> So assuming I can get my hands on a good deal for a 7950 (or preferably, another 7970GE) how bad of an idea would that be to try it on a AMD 970 chipset? Aka, PCI 2.0 16x/4x ? I'm assuming I'd take a big performance hit?


4x would be a bottleneck


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> Up and running... I feel like an idiot. but I uninstalled the HD4000 graphic and Lucid stuff. it didn't help until I cleared cmos.


Nice









Off you go to give that baby some gaming love


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 4x would be a bottleneck


Figured, but are we talking like 1-2% loss, or are we talking 5+fps? If the latter, guess I'll just opt for a new single flagship when mine can't handle games on decent settings @ 1080p


----------



## Azuredragon1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Figured, but are we talking like 1-2% loss, or are we talking 5+fps? If the latter, guess I'll just opt for a new single flagship when mine can't handle games on decent settings @ 1080p


I had my 16x slot was running at 4x and i was seeing 50fps in bf3, but after I fixed the issue,my 7950 gained 20 fps so yeah 4x does limit quite a bit.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> I had my 16x slot was running at 4x and i was seeing 50fps in bf3, but after I fixed the issue,my 7950 gained 20 fps so yeah 4x does limit quite a bit.


Thanks. Unfortunate, but I feared that was the news I'd heard anyways. Oh well, my 7970GE is still plenty right now anyways, so I can't complain I suppose. Besides, by the time I save up the cash for another, I'm sure there'd be a better single card to simply swap to anyways.


----------



## GunMetal

AMD HD 8000 series delayed.


----------



## glina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> AMD HD 8000 series delayed.


Can't say I'm disappointed. There's still a lot to do with the drivers and performance of the 79xx. I wouldn't want AMD to shift focus to a new generation, as normally happens.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Off you go to give that baby some gaming love


Thanks man! All I can say is wow.


----------



## NathG79

Hi guys.Not sure if this is the right thread to mention this issue, but I Have two xfx 7970's DD BE (1000/1425) in crossfire. Basicaly Far cry 3 has developed artifacts since I updated to cat 13.2 beta 4/5...I am currently running on a 2560 x 1440 samsung iPS..this does not happen on any other game or on furmark which I have left run on burn-in mode for 15-30mins..the gpu temps never get above 78c..the artifacts only appear when im travelling at speed in a jeep in the middle of the dirt tracks/road..I would post some pics but im at work at the moment.has anyone else found this issue..like I say, only on fc3...I have ran hitman/bf3/sniper elite 2/..any suggestions as to what it could be.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## rpch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> AMD HD 8000 series delayed.


Good news to me, as I'll be getting the value/worth of my card. I just would like them to focus on the drivers

My HIS 7950 IceQ X2 Boost Clock oc'ed to 1200/1450MHz @stock voltage (didn't adjust the voltage, I just added 5% to the board power limit)

Max temp as i've seen is at 81C, fan speed @ 75% (seems to be locked at 75%)



Is this okay?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rpch*
> 
> My HIS 7950 IceQ X2 Boost Clock oc'ed to 1200/1450MHz @stock voltage (didn't adjust the voltage, I just added 5% to the board power limit)
> 
> Max temp as i've seen is at 81C, fan speed @ 75% (seems to be locked at 75%)
> 
> Is this okay?


furmark is a worst case which will never occur in normal workloads like benchmarks and games. try heaven 3.0, 3d Mark 11 or the latest 2013 version and games like bf3, farcry 3, crysis . those will give you an idea of whether your overclock is really stable. max out board power to +20% to avoid clock throttling. your temps should be around 65c - 70c in games.


----------



## Stige

People need to seriously stop using FurMark and use something like Metro benchmark for actual stability testing, Heaven/3DMark are not as heavy as some games are.

And my best suggestion still is: If you play World of Tanks, use that lol, just put it to Maximum and 8x AA and you will have a horribly optimized game tearing away at your GPU like no other.


----------



## rpch

Yeah, I know. Already tried it with Metro 2033 (ultra high preset) and played for 1+hour. I think its stable enough.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> AMD HD 8000 series delayed.


that explains why 7900 series went back up $20


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> AMD HD 8000 series delayed.


I see this as great news. According to that, they're targeting Q4 2013, so I have got a good year with my "new" card before the next gen makes it feel old. With the Never Settle Reloaded promo going on right now I'm almost tempted to get a second 7950 (or 7970?) and get 2 games I would have bought anyway.


----------



## Evil Penguin

I'm just glad that AMD is putting more resources towards their drivers/development kits.


----------



## disintegratorx

They've done a wonderful job on these newest beta drivers. Also, the Crysis 3 mp beta has me wanting to go crossfire. lol


----------



## Cykososhull

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> People need to seriously stop using FurMark and use something like Metro benchmark for actual stability testing, Heaven/3DMark are not as heavy as some games are.
> 
> And my best suggestion still is: If you play World of Tanks, use that lol, just put it to Maximum and 8x AA and you will have a horribly optimized game tearing away at your GPU like no other.


So my question about Metro 2033 benchmark is, if I make 15 passes w/o any artifacts, do I look at min or max FPS for stability? For example: I ran the bench for 15 runs at highest settings @ 1080p, no DoF. GPU core/mem was 1140/[email protected] stock volts. My min framerate was 7.29, max 164.39. I ran exact bench @ 1130/1610 stock volts. Min/max fps were 5.27/173.55. I'm not sure what to make of this. The min fps are lower, but the max are higher. Should they both be higher for confirming stability?


----------



## motherpuncher

I don't know an exact answer to that, but I will say as a general rule of thumb for me I always prefer higher mins than a higher max. you will get an overall better experience from it.


----------



## Stige

You shouldn't be looking at min/max numbers at all, they can come out of anywhere.

Heaven is a good example: Scene swapping = insane max fps
Start of benchmark = random how low min. fps you get.

Average FPS is where it's at really but FPS isn't exactly a good way to check for stability, if you get no driver resets then you are on a good way to stabile overclock, just watch it so there are no artifacts either.


----------



## geoxile

My CCC settings for Natural Selection 2 aren't working. Any ideas? I'm trying to up the AA but it does nothing in game as far as I can tell.


----------



## Cykososhull

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *motherpuncher*
> 
> I don't know an exact answer to that, but I will say as a general rule of thumb for me I always prefer higher mins than a higher max. you will get an overall better experience from it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> You shouldn't be looking at min/max numbers at all, they can come out of anywhere.
> 
> Heaven is a good example: Scene swapping = insane max fps
> Start of benchmark = random how low min. fps you get.
> 
> Average FPS is where it's at really but FPS isn't exactly a good way to check for stability, if you get no driver resets then you are on a good way to stabile overclock, just watch it so there are no artifacts either.


Thanks for the quick replies. I'll keep them in mind and just keep cranking up the clocks until something happens. I started doing in game benches with FC 3 and I had to start high 1200 core @ stock volts because I wasn't seeing artifacts. I'd rather a driver failure most of the time because sometimes it just hard to spot a flicker here or there.


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NathG79*
> 
> Hi guys.Not sure if this is the right thread to mention this issue, but I Have two xfx 7970's DD BE (1000/1425) in crossfire. Basicaly Far cry 3 has developed artifacts since I updated to cat 13.2 beta 4/5...I am currently running on a 2560 x 1440 samsung iPS..this does not happen on any other game or on furmark which I have left run on burn-in mode for 15-30mins..the gpu temps never get above 78c..the artifacts only appear when im travelling at speed in a jeep in the middle of the dirt tracks/road..I would post some pics but im at work at the moment.has anyone else found this issue..like I say, only on fc3...I have ran hitman/bf3/sniper elite 2/..any suggestions as to what it could be.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


I have the exact same problem with my 7950, I think it is something to do with fc3 being badly designed from a technical point (great gameplay). It may have some thing to do with AA as apparently it is badly implemented in fc3.
I don't think it is your gpu as I am running my 7950 vapor-x at 100/1300 and see it


----------



## SkateZilla

I wonder how a 7870 XT compares to a 7950. a 7870XT is actually 7900 Tahiti Chip.

For that Secondary PC Build, I was gonna get a 7950 for $299, but AMD's Announcement of Delaying the HD8000 Spiked the prices $20 on the 7900s.
The AMD 7950 ($320), or the AMD 7870 XT (Tahiti LE)($259),

The 7870 XT is technically a 7950 Minus 256 Shaders and 1GB of RAM, But Easily Compensated for by Overclocking.

System will never use more than 1 Screen at 1600x900, 1680x1050 or 1080p.

Notes:
7870XT can Only XFire with another 7870 XT, or 7950/7970.
7870XT Comes with BioShock and Tomb Raider (the 7800 Series Gamer Bundle).
7870XT will run cooler.
7870XT is a lil smaller


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Btw guys some info.... i was doing some tests because i loled with the tesla performance in password cracking...
So the best tool to test the missed shaders @ 100% vs the 7970 the 7950 has, *its computing power tools*..

The 7950 needs 160mhz extra on the core running at the same mem speed to be as efficient as a 7970 ..

This was with my 7970 @ stock clocks 1000/1450.. So 7950 1160/1450 to match my stock 7970.

Upping the mem on the 7950 to 1700 only manage to net me @ -10mhz drop on the core. So 1150/1700 To be as efficient as a 7970 @ 1000/1450..

Quote:


> Both cards @ 1300/1700
> Speed.GPU.#1...: 179.0k/s
> Speed.GPU.#2...: 153.5k/s


Keep bumping 7950 clocks till they were equal....

Of course take into consideration that no game use all the hardware available resources as well as this tools...


----------



## verbatim

There is a 2nd hand XFX Radeon HD7970 Double Dissipation 3GB Edition for sale near me and Im thinking about grabbing it so I can X fire it with my saphire one.

Is the x fire and eyefinity bugs fixed? the point of two is to play BF3 in 3 screens.
The XFX one is the manual overclock version right? Same as the saphire.
Can I use trixx to overclock them both together?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *verbatim*
> 
> There is a 2nd hand XFX Radeon HD7970 Double Dissipation 3GB Edition for sale near me and Im thinking about grabbing it so I can X fire it with my saphire one.
> 
> Is the x fire and eyefinity bugs fixed? the point of two is to play BF3 in 3 screens.
> The XFX one is the manual overclock version right? Same as the saphire.
> Can I use trixx to overclock them both together?


Yep...

Make sure you test both individual so you know what they can give you.. Of course best ocer 7970 goes on the top...


----------



## verbatim

Thansk for that. Just checkin is the xfire and eyefinity bug fixed? all works well?


----------



## Stefy

My 7950 started making some ridiculous noises after I took it out today and cleaned it. No idea why. I'm not eve sure if it started today, as I usually wear a headset. The card used to be dead quiet, now it's making noises under load, it doesn't sound like coil whine either, but something going on with the fan.


----------



## wermad

first 7970 came in and I'm having some issues with Eyefinity:

http://www.overclock.net/t/591413/official-ati-amd-eyefinity-club/2590#post_19248567

Any help please


----------



## SkateZilla

funny, the 7970 Ghz Edition MSI Lightning shot up from $479, to $509 in a Day, then got removed from listings, on new egg.

now the 7970 925Mhz Lightning is $480


----------



## verbatim

I installed my 2nd 7970 and have a issue.
running haven gives me a Gpu usage near 100%. Running any game gives me a GPU usage of 30%

Whats going on here?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *verbatim*
> 
> I installed my 2nd 7970 and have a issue.
> running haven gives me a Gpu usage near 100%. Running any game gives me a GPU usage of 30%
> 
> Whats going on here?


First of all, I strongly suggest uninstalling all GPU divers using the AMD install utility.
Secondly, uninstall CAPS manually from add remove programs as it doesnt seem to always unnstall using the AMD utility.

Finally, install a clean version of CCC 13.2 Beta 4.
(Not 5 unless you really want to run Crysis 3)

Then as long as your using a game that supports Xfire - all should be well.
(V-sync will drop GPU usage as it drops framerate to the monitors refresh rate)


----------



## mohit9206

*peeks*


----------



## arrow0309

Wanna join








Recently purchased a nice Gigabyte 7950 WF3 Ghz ed.
Satisfied of almost everything except for the vrm temps when overclocked at 1150/1500 @ 1.20v (up to 86 C)
Did any of you try to stick some heatsinks upon those triple mosfets, cause that's what I'm going to do


----------



## lizardfly

I want oc my 7950 to 1Ghz, But its is very unstable when i oc and I've adjusted the voltage quite a bit and its still not stable. Can someone tell me voltage and memory clock i need to get it stable. Also i don't wanna go any higher than 1Ghz


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lizardfly*
> 
> I want oc my 7950 to 1Ghz, But its is very unstable when i oc and I've adjusted the voltage quite a bit and its still not stable. Can someone tell me voltage and memory clock i need to get it stable. Also i don't wanna go any higher than 1Ghz


Are you using MSI Afterburner? Put powerlimit % to +20, what voltage are you running? Dont adjust memory clock until you know that your core clock is stable, are you getting arftifacts or something else? 1GHz SHOULD be piece of cake and most 7950s can hit it without touching the voltage.


----------



## arrow0309

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> Wanna join
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Recently purchased a nice Gigabyte 7950 WF3 Ghz ed.
> Satisfied of almost everything except for the vrm temps when overclocked at 1150/1500 @ 1.20v (up to 86 C)
> Did any of you try to stick some heatsinks upon those triple mosfets, cause that's what I'm going to do


Improved the fan curve with the afterburner and now I'm getting a max vrm temp of 79 after a couple of hours of FC3 maxed, v-sync off
What do you think?


----------



## verbatim

So the 2nd 7970 is in and all nice now. Thanks for the help on reinstalling drivers again.

Now to the results. These things have mad power! Crysis on ultra 4x AA 6048x1080 and the frames are very playable. 30-60 fps
BF3 campaign eyefinity on ultra at 60fps. The bf3 MP at high level seems the sweet spot. Was in metro there 64p eyefinity 60-100fps


----------



## Fulvin

How do these cards tolerate higher volts on the long run? Running 1200/1400 on 7950 with set 1.3V, but vdroop brings it down to about 1.26V max.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fulvin*
> 
> How do these cards tolerate higher volts on the long run? Running 1200/1400 on 7950 with set 1.3V, but vdroop brings it down to about 1.26V max.


What are the temps? Surprised you need 1.3v to hit that, my 7970 can do 1200 under 1.2v... Then again, each gpu is different I guess.


----------



## Fulvin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> What are the temps? Surprised you need 1.3v to hit that, my 7970 can do 1200 under 1.2v... Then again, each gpu is different I guess.


In BF3 core never hit 70c. Stayed at mid 60c's. VRM's were 70-80c max. And the reason i need to set it to 1.3v is because this card has awful vdroop, and fluctuates between 1.26v - 1.27v while at it.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> Improved the fan curve with the afterburner and now I'm getting a max vrm temp of 79 after a couple of hours of FC3 maxed, v-sync off
> What do you think?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


keep the vrms under 80 - you'll be good. i achieved my highest oc on air (1200/1750) with the fan at 75% and can't stand the noise. well i recently hit 1210/1610 for vantage run. i got mine watercooled now but i am such a wuss to really find the limit of this windforce. i mostly play my games with it at stock.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> What are the temps? Surprised you need 1.3v to hit that, my 7970 can do 1200 under 1.2v... Then again, each gpu is different I guess.


7970s are binned higher, and they overclock better on average. It is much more common to see a 7970 clocked at 1250 MHz or above, than a 7950. 7950s rarely go above 1200 MHz.
And even at 1200 MHz probably most of them are only stable for benching, as either the clocks are not stable enough for constant high loads or the voltage is very unhealthy for 24/7 usage.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

double post


----------



## wermad

Question about the DC2, can you run three monitors off the dp ports for Eyefinity? I bought a reference 7970 and the monitor hooked up the dvi connector tears. Wondering if all three monitors hook up to DP (to dvi) will fix this issue using a DC2?


----------



## KaRLiToS

It will greatly help. If you have monitors over 1200p (such as 1440p or 1600p), you will need special adapters.

*AMD Eyefinity Technology - Recommended Adapters*


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> It will greatly help.


Great! I could go with DC2s instead of Kepler (4-way scaling sucks) or reference 7970s. Does it resolve it at all?

How does the DC2 compare to the vanilla 7970?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> It will greatly help. If you have monitors over 1200p (such as 1440p or 1600p), you will need special adapters.
> 
> *AMD Eyefinity Technology - Recommended Adapters*


I'm going to stick to the 1080s for now. So, by using all dp on the DC2, it will solve the tearing? Here's a thread I found and someone suggested a 7970 with three (or more) dp to solve this (one possible solution).

http://www.overclock.net/t/1244062/7970s-still-suffer-the-3rd-screen-tear-in-eyefinity


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Great! I could go with DC2s instead of Kepler (4-way scaling sucks) or reference 7970s. Does it resolve it at all?
> 
> How does the DC2 compare to the vanilla 7970?


Some of the DC2's had overheating issues and were revised so be careful. In terms of how they compare against the vanilla versions its the same GPU core. I believe that the DC2's are voltage locked but some1 can correct be if I am wrong. The reference cards are louder in terms of the fans. Reference cards can basically overclock just as well as the factory overclocked cards they just have issues with the loud fans and some aftermarket cards have better cooling solutions. If your looking for cards that are compatible with water cooling blacks reference is the way to go to ensure maximum compatibility.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Some of the DC2's had overheating issues and were revised so be careful. In terms of how they compare against the vanilla versions its the same GPU core. I believe that the DC2's are voltage locked but some1 can correct be if I am wrong. The reference cards are louder in terms of the fans. Reference cards can basically overclock just as well as the factory overclocked cards they just have issues with the loud fans and some aftermarket cards have better cooling solutions.


Thanks! I'll be water cooling them since I have a large loop (currently only cooling my cpu). I did read some ppl were able to resolve the heating issue by adding thermal pad to the heatsink. Since I'll water cool them, I won't worry about the stock (and huge) cooler.

As far as voltage lock, I've read something like that but with four, I wouldn't really be oc'ing. Maybe asus locked it due to the vrm issues? Well, I'll buy one and hopefully it works


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *verbatim*
> 
> So the 2nd 7970 is in and all nice now. Thanks for the help on reinstalling drivers again.


Your very welcome mate, glad it went smoothly.


----------



## zulk

I am having vdroop using the latest trixx







. I have force constant voltages but the the voltages would fall to 1.18 ish when I run unigine heaven.


----------



## grymok

13.2 beta driver with total standard clocks on my TF3 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/171812
GPU temp: 65 with 1.063 v, vrm temp 69 and 63 with 1.600 v.
Gonna run some OC here soon


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zulk*
> 
> I am having vdroop using the latest trixx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I have force constant voltages but the the voltages would fall to 1.18 ish when I run unigine heaven.


Nothing to do with the program you use, all cards have insane Vdroop.


----------



## saber101

yeah just got my a week ago(sapphire dual x) and was able to get it stable at 1100/1450.I did went up to 1150/1550 but crashes after 4 hours or so, now just waiting for my active dp to DVI adapter to arrive.


----------



## arrow0309

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> Improved the fan curve with the afterburner and now I'm getting a max vrm temp of 79 after a couple of hours of FC3 maxed, v-sync off
> What do you think?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> keep the vrms under 80 - you'll be good. i achieved my highest oc on air (1200/1750) with the fan at 75% and can't stand the noise. well i recently hit 1210/1610 for vantage run. i got mine watercooled now but i am such a wuss to really find the limit of this windforce. i mostly play my games with it at stock.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the infos








So, you've watercooled a Gigabyte 7950, how about the 6 phase vrm's mosfets, did you add heatsinks too or you've just find a custom full cover?
I can live with the 7950 wf3 oc, everybody knows a 7950 clock less than a 7970


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> Thanks for the infos
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So, you've watercooled a Gigabyte 7950, how about the 6 phase vrm's mosfets, did you add heatsinks too or you've just find a custom full cover?
> I can live with the 7950 wf3 oc, everybody knows a 7950 clock less than a 7970


it is a full waterblock. vrms never goes past 50 in C3.


----------



## martinhal

Don't know if furmark is a fair comparison but my 3 gpu's beat 2 690's - 4 gpu's. Well if anything my temps are golden.

2 x 690 http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=111105
3 x 7970 http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=111111 ... result number 111111









Even at stock http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=111113


----------



## grymok

Here we go, 3dmark newest test, standard settings.
Max oc on GPU http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/175658
Gpu temp: 78c 1.200v, vrm temp 98c and 76c.
On air


----------



## revro

anyone running [email protected] with single 7970 @ 2560x1440 lcd? do you see bottleneck or are the 3.7MPixel enough to make your 7970 sweat?









thank you
revro


----------



## youpekkad

OK, I´ve started getting interested in reapplying TIM on my MSI TFIII 7950, temps arent THAT big of a problem anymore after doing some modifications for my case but it is probably because it clocks well on low voltage (1150/1500 stable @1,1V, 1,05V actual).

So, has anyone here done it? I remember someone posted a youtube video-link, and it said that you need 100% alcohol, toilet paper, new thermal paste and a screwdriver, is alcohol necessary? I´ve reapplied TIM on my CPU several times and have never used anything else except toilet paper to remover the old paste. And last, does it void warranty?


----------



## glina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> OK, I´ve started getting interested in reapplying TIM on my MSI TFIII 7950, temps arent THAT big of a problem anymore after doing some modifications for my case but it is probably because it clocks well on low voltage (1150/1500 stable @1,1V, 1,05V actual).
> 
> So, has anyone here done it? I remember someone posted a youtube video-link, and it said that you need 100% alcohol, toilet paper, new thermal paste and a screwdriver, is alcohol necessary? I´ve reapplied TIM on my CPU several times and have never used anything else except toilet paper to remover the old paste. And last, does it void warranty?


I've applied Coollaboratory Liquid Pro on my 7950 and got 7C less core temp with the same fan speed. I can highly recommend this mod.
I used acetone to clean the cooler and the GPU of the old paste.


----------



## sena

Guys i intalled crysis 2 to check my cfx performance, and performances ok are, some little micro stuttering here and there, but its ok, but i am getting some black horizontal lines, anyone have idea?


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> OK, I´ve started getting interested in reapplying TIM on my MSI TFIII 7950, temps arent THAT big of a problem anymore after doing some modifications for my case but it is probably because it clocks well on low voltage (1150/1500 stable @1,1V, 1,05V actual).
> 
> So, has anyone here done it? I remember someone posted a youtube video-link, and it said that you need 100% alcohol, toilet paper, new thermal paste and a screwdriver, is alcohol necessary? I´ve reapplied TIM on my CPU several times and have never used anything else except toilet paper to remover the old paste. And last, does it void warranty?


I also applied LP on my HD 7950 TF3, about 5-6C lower temps.


----------



## jdm317

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/rbks/



Still haven't maxed the memory out, but the core seems to max out at 1320, 1325 fails even with voltage maxed out it trixx.



Max GPU 1320/1680 1.324v GPU-Z read
load Core: 39c
load VRM1: 49c
load VRM2:48c


----------



## sena

Mine MSI HD 7950 is doing 1340 MHz on core with 1.23mV in MSI AB, vdroop is large, so its about 1.13-1.114V in load, but sadly its temp limited, at 1340 MHz after 43C artefacts are starting, so with watercooling my card would probably do 1350 MHz, my second hd 7950 is avarage, about 1180 MHz on core.

Imho evenything over 1300 MHz on air even for bench is golden.


----------



## Snuckie7

Hot damn…1340 core with 1.23V is godly.


----------



## jdm317

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Mine MSI HD 7950 is doing 1340 MHz on core with 1.23mV in MSI AB, vdroop is large, so its about 1.13-1.114V in load, but sadly its temp limited, at 1340 MHz after 43C artefacts are starting, so with watercooling my card would probably do 1350 MHz, my second hd 7950 is avarage, about 1180 MHz on core.
> 
> Imho evenything over 1300 MHz on air even for bench is golden.


Definitely a golden chip in your hands. My Sapphire Dual-X 7970 gets a fair overclock, but can only achieve 1080mhz at 1.175v. Has horrible vdroop, doesnt scale well at all. My Diamond HD7970, which gets 1175mhz at 1.175v. scales decent until 1280 then starts requiring LOTS of voltage even in 5mhz increments


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Hot damn&#8230;1340 core with 1.23V is godly.


LoL what about 1.2v for 1375 sounds then...

I know this 7950 can do 1400+


----------



## Stige

Yeah while throttling propably lol, those volts/core MHz just sound too good to be true.


----------



## youpekkad

So about that thermal paste, can liquid pro be used with CPU as well?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Yeah while throttling propably lol, those volts/core MHz just sound too good to be true.


I dont know about that lol



It crash @ 1425


----------



## jdm317

I may be pulling this out of my ass, but I think a lot of the extra overclocking potential found in the 7950 is due to lacking the extra shaders found in the 7970. Not downplaying your overclock at all. Just an observation. I've seen a few 1400mhz core 7950's on this forum and others. So saying its to good to be true definitely isnt the case.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdm317*
> 
> I may be pulling this out of my ass, but I think a lot of the extra overclocking potential found in the 7950 is due to lacking the extra shaders found in the 7970. Not downplaying your overclock at all. Just an overservation. I've seen a few 1400mhz core 7950's on this forum and others. So saying its to good to be true definitely isnt the case.


read here..
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/20870#post_19248014
Thats the best way to test the difference in less shaders.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdm317*
> 
> I may be pulling this out of my ass, but I think a lot of the extra overclocking potential found in the 7950 is due to lacking the extra shaders found in the 7970. Not downplaying your overclock at all. Just an overservation. I've seen a few 1400mhz core 7950's on this forum and others. So saying its to good to be true definitely isnt the case.


Might be the case especially considering that there are few 7950 models that are built on 7970 PCB, so they are basically the 7970s with the 200 or so shaders disabled.

@Gunbladez, what was the voltage in software, does it have a huge vdroop? I´ve noticed that the actual voltage reading in GPU-z is always 0,05-0,08V less than what is in afterburner, sena also said his card has a massive vdroop.


----------



## sena

No throotling in my case, mine hd 7950 TF3 is build on hd 7970 pcb, i replaced paste, i applied LP.

here is heaven run with 1300 MHz with 1.2V, 1.1V in load.

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/3876/heaven301300mhz.png

On 1300 MHz, artefacts are starting at about 55C,, on 1320 MHz, artefacts at 50-48C, at 1330 MHz at about 45-44C; and at 1340 MHz, at 43-42C, this card would fly with strong water cooling that could keep her below 40C.

mem wont go above 1750 MHz, altrough i didnt tried to increase vram voltage.

My second hd 7950 is build on 7950 pcb, and its avarage(looks like 1180 MHz is max, and even that is luck to pass bench), there is something in these hd 7970 pcb-s.

Also i can do 1050 MHz on stock volts.

asic is 89% if that matters.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Might be the case especially considering that there are few 7950 models that are built on 7970 PCB, so they are basically the 7970s with the 200 or so shaders disabled.
> 
> @Gunbladez, what was the voltage in software, does it have a huge vdroop? I´ve noticed that the actual voltage reading in GPU-z is always 0,05-0,08V less than what is in afterburner, sena also said his card has a massive vdroop.


I dont use afterburner sorry not to my standards.. Dont do nothing right..

mine have a 0.025v drop so 1.225v (trixx) for 1400mhz

Ok tweaked a lil bit more my hashcat app as is not reading right the temps of my 7950 and is giving me reading errors all over the place, turn off watchdog monitor dont need it anyway temps are under control here XD...

Here is the new benchie XD


So like i said before 160mhz extra XD

not even furmark takes my vrms that high @)@


----------



## arrow0309

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glina*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> OK, I´ve started getting interested in reapplying TIM on my MSI TFIII 7950, temps arent THAT big of a problem anymore after doing some modifications for my case but it is probably because it clocks well on low voltage (1150/1500 stable @1,1V, 1,05V actual).
> 
> So, has anyone here done it? I remember someone posted a youtube video-link, and it said that you need 100% alcohol, toilet paper, new thermal paste and a screwdriver, is alcohol necessary? I´ve reapplied TIM on my CPU several times and have never used anything else except toilet paper to remover the old paste. And last, does it void warranty?
> 
> 
> 
> I've applied Coollaboratory Liquid Pro on my 7950 and got 7C less core temp with the same fan speed. I can highly recommend this mod.
> I used acetone to clean the cooler and the GPU of the old paste.
Click to expand...

How much Liquid Pro did you apply, on the gpu ony or on the cooler and on the gpu both?
Is it safe to use it, I mean does any possible leakage do any damage to the video card?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdm317*
> 
> I may be pulling this out of my ass, but I think a lot of the extra overclocking potential found in the 7950 is due to lacking the extra shaders found in the 7970. Not downplaying your overclock at all. Just an observation. I've seen a few 1400mhz core 7950's on this forum and others. So saying its to good to be true definitely isnt the case.


Where are all these 1400 mhz core capable 7950s?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where are all these 1400 mhz core capable 7950s?


I only see sondas hitting close to 1370 something like that?.

and mine XD


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> How much Liquid Pro did you apply, on the gpu ony or on the cooler and on the gpu both?
> Is it safe to use it, I mean does any possible leakage do any damage to the video card?


Apply small drop on gpu die, then use cotton swab to spread a very thin layer.

What remains on cotton swab use on diamond part of gpu cooler base, be very, very careful to not leak it on nearby transistors, its 100% metal, and it will instantly kill gpu.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> No throotling in my case, mine hd 7950 TF3 is build on hd 7970 pcb, i replaced paste, i applied LP.
> 
> here is heaven run with 1300 MHz with 1.2V, 1.1V in load.
> 
> http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/3876/heaven301300mhz.png
> 
> On 1300 MHz, artefacts are starting at about 55C,, on 1320 MHz, artefacts at 50-48C, at 1330 MHz at about 45-44C; and at 1340 MHz, at 43-42C, this card would fly with strong water cooling that could keep her below 40C.
> 
> mem wont go above 1750 MHz, altrough i didnt tried to increase vram voltage.
> 
> My second hd 7950 is build on 7950 pcb, and its avarage(looks like 1180 MHz is max, and even that is luck to pass bench), there is something in these hd 7970 pcb-s.
> 
> Also i can do 1050 MHz on stock volts.
> 
> asic is 89% if that matters.


Yeah this cards do very good on watercooling....


----------



## arrow0309

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sena*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> How much Liquid Pro did you apply, on the gpu ony or on the cooler and on the gpu both?
> Is it safe to use it, I mean does any possible leakage do any damage to the video card?
> 
> 
> 
> Apply small drop on gpu die, then use cotton swab to spread a very thin layer.
> 
> What remains on cotton swab use on diamond part of gpu cooler base, be very, very careful to not leak it on nearby transistors, its 100% metal, and it will instantly kill gpu.
Click to expand...

Thank's, I'll better use my favorite MX4 instead
Gpu temps are ok, even with the stock tim








Or maybe buy the Liquid Ultra, I don't know


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where are all these 1400 mhz core capable 7950s?
> 
> 
> 
> I only see sondas hitting close to 1370 something like that?.
> 
> and mine XD
Click to expand...

Check out the hall of fame leader now.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Check out the hall of fame leader now.


i did they took out ftw 1st spot with less clocks too lol


----------



## kgtuning

New to ocing GPU's but I have my polorcolor 7950 at core clock 1150 / memory clock 1500. running at 1200mv. vrm temp gets to 70c and core temp gets to about the same. is this normal? I was just using Heaven to test... I can run the same speed at stock voltage but it seems to lose fps as I increase clock speed.


----------



## verbatim

As I said before, I put my 2nd 7970 in.
It is a xfx DD 7970 so the fans are on the top. I have to put it in the last slot on my motherboard as thats the only place a PCI slot works and gives the lower card space. The space between the top and fans is only ~5mm. Its very tight so there is no airflow and heat gets trapped there. At the start I had the cards at 1000/1550 at stock volts. (a number I just chucked in) and the top card temp was getting around 96deg and throttling down. Way too high.

The point of this is that I undervolted my cards to 1.56v and left them at 950/1450 in order to keep the temps really low. And it works well. I lowered my speeds to that 950/1450 and I was in low to mid 80's at max and now that under clock saved me about ten degrees I think as i sit at 75deg max.
I need a new case or to cut some holes.


----------



## jdm317

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where are all these 1400 mhz core capable 7950s?


My bad. Better to of said 1340+ considering i was referring to someone saying senas clocks were too good to be true. Cant find anyone other than gunbladez with 1400.


----------



## LongShot79

got 2 MSI 7970`s

found this under one of the heatsinks:


----------



## deathlikeeric

got my gigabyte 7950 wf3 stable @ 1300/1700 1.256v, heaven stable,furmark and crysis benchmark... with the max temp of 50c (water cooled).
vrm max temp 53c. could try pushing it a bit more lol


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *revro*
> 
> anyone running [email protected] with single 7970 @ 2560x1440 lcd? do you see bottleneck or are the 3.7MPixel enough to make your 7970 sweat?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thank you
> revro


Q9550 at 3.7Ghz with a 7950. I do not have a good point of comparison, but it is probably safe to assume there is some bottlenecking. However, I don't see the point in downgrading GPU because of it, that card will still perform faster than a card that is less bottlenecked.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LongShot79*
> 
> got 2 MSI 7970`s
> 
> found this under one of the heatsinks:


Don't see that too often, used to seeing way too much TIM but they usually remember to remove the cover film!


----------



## Snuckie7

I think I want to switch out the TIM on my 7950. What are some good video tutorials on how to do this?

And should I get Coollaboratory Liquid Pro or Ultra? I understand the Ultra is newer, but is it actually better?


----------



## LongShot79

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Don't see that too often, used to seeing way too much TIM but they usually remember to remove the cover film!


I hear ya!! just glad I swapped the coolers out!


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I think I want to switch out the TIM on my 7950. What are some good video tutorials on how to do this?
> 
> And should I get Coollaboratory Liquid Pro or Ultra? I understand the Ultra is newer, but is it actually better?


Pro, look at the ivy delidding club, people are reporting much better temps with pro


----------



## phillyd

Finally! Purchased a 7950. MSI Twin Frozr, and it came with Bioshock Infinite and Crysis 3!







I'll post pics in my build log tuesday.


----------



## SkateZilla

I ordered a 7870XT (essentially a 7930).


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LongShot79*
> 
> got 2 MSI 7970`s
> 
> found this under one of the heatsinks:


One thing i will tell you playing with my 7970s and water blocks they seem to need more tim then older gpus i got poor temps till i sorta piled the tim on lol then the temps were great.


----------



## SkateZilla

that's a bit excessive with the TIM.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> that's a bit excessive with the TIM.


Iv seen worse from the factory on some gpus the new 7xxx seem to do better with more tim then less both my cards needed more and a friends did also when he took it apart cant speak for anyone else tho.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> Pro, look at the ivy delidding club, people are reporting much better temps with pro


Pro is great stuff, I have it on my 3770K between the die and IHS...24C drop at load.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Iv seen worse from the factory on some gpus the new 7xxx seem to do better with more tim then less both my cards needed more and a friends did also when he took it apart cant speak for anyone else tho.


I can confirm this as well. After reading your post I put new TIM on my 7970 Lightning (about 150-170% of my usual) and the temps dropped 12C. Thanks man.


----------



## JNielson

just got my rig up and running after it being dead for 3 months. replaced the trash 660ti i had with an MSI 7970 OC edition. still messing with the card so ill have speeds soon

EDIT: thermals for me arent bad at all. 27C idle and 65C load


----------



## bluezone

I've been lurking around the owners thread for a couple months now. I finnally broke down and bought a second Sapphire HD 7950 to try out X-fire.
I'm still playing catch-up on the thread. There is an awful lot of pages here to read through. I was just wondering how my score in 3dmark11 compared to everyone elses.
Kind of new at this overclocking thing. I got a 13125 in 3dmark at 1100 Mgh.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5882977

Thanks
brian

new numbers at 1168/1250

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5883767


----------



## Cancerous

Just built a new rig and having an issue with my Gigabyte 7970 GHZ edition.

Seems that whenever the computer turns off the display (not sleep/hibernate), it fails to regain connection when I go back to it.
Tested with DVI and HDMI, only way for it to regain its connection is by doing a restart, which is terrible.

Any ideas?

/e: This is from the AMD Catalyst patch notes:
Quote:


> A sporadic system hang encountered with a single AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series GPU seen on X58 and X79 chipsets.


Not sure if it needs an update, but I'll check when I get home.


----------



## psikeiro

1 7950 windforce @ 1225/1575 1.219mV 

2 7950 windforce @ 1220/1550 1.219mV 

on air


----------



## Strileckifunk

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/mc7br/

*submitted*


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluezone*
> 
> I've been lurking around the owners thread for a couple months now. I finnally broke down and bought a second Sapphire HD 7950 to try out X-fire.
> I'm still playing catch-up on the thread. There is an awful lot of pages here to read through. I was just wondering how my score in 3dmark11 compared to everyone elses.
> Kind of new at this overclocking thing. I got a 13125 in 3dmark at 1100 Mgh.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5882977
> 
> Thanks
> brian
> 
> new numbers at 1168/1250
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5883767


seems low to me, i'm almost at 10.000 points with a single 7950 OC'ed (13.1 whql drivers)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> seems low to me, i'm almost at 10.000 points with a single 7950 OC'ed (13.1 whql drivers)


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5383911

That is highest I got on Crossfire, my Physics score is lower than it should be for some reason but still, he isn't that far off considering his CPU has very mild overclock judging from his score.

Single card score is 10799 for me.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5832409


----------



## youpekkad

So can you use toiletpaper (for example) to spread the liquid pro or do you have to use some specific tool? I´m about to order it and am going to use it for both my GPU and CPU.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> So can you use toiletpaper (for example) to spread the liquid pro or do you have to use some specific tool? I´m about to order it and am going to use it for both my GPU and CPU.


Use a cotton bud. It comes with one.


----------



## zulk

Are the sapphire 7970 dual x, the ones that have the non reference blue pcb with the 2x 8 pin connectors voltage locked ?

When I set the voltage to 1.3 on after burner gpu-z reads this as 1.244 and when at load it drops to about 1.18. Power limit is set at +20 %

This is quite frustrating, I had the reference card my card would not go beyond 1175 even at 1.3v, my ASIC quality was 75% but when I did take a look at the voltage sensors they seemed to drop to 1.175 upon load in unigine heaven benchmark, this one however is pretty stable at 1200 but anything beyond that causes artifacts, anyway I can get rid of those? The temps are tad high too









I was thinking of flashing this bios, doesn't seem too shabby







http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/129500/HIS.HD7970.3072.120722.html


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Picked up two Diamond 7970's....


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> Picked up two Diamond 7970's....


what is up with all the hardware? can you do a comparison for ocn? thanks.


----------



## Hanoverfist

Fresh out of the Box







MSI 7950's


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Iv seen worse from the factory on some gpus the new 7xxx seem to do better with more tim then less both my cards needed more and a friends did also when he took it apart cant speak for anyone else tho.


my eVGA 8800 GTS 640 was buried under the stuff, I had to use a razor to cut off chunks, then the cleaner to get the rest off.

Temps went from 55^C idle to 38^C


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluezone*
> 
> I've been lurking around the owners thread for a couple months now. I finnally broke down and bought a second Sapphire HD 7950 to try out X-fire.
> I'm still playing catch-up on the thread. There is an awful lot of pages here to read through. I was just wondering how my score in 3dmark11 compared to everyone elses.
> Kind of new at this overclocking thing. I got a 13125 in 3dmark at 1100 Mgh.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5882977
> 
> Thanks
> brian
> 
> new numbers at 1168/1250
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5883767


Looks to be on par to me. I have sapphire 7950's as well (boost editions) with an FX8350 and my score is 13k range, graphics is right around 17.9k just lile yours. I would post links but im on my phone at work.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> what is up with all the hardware? can you do a comparison for ocn? thanks.


What do you mean?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> What do you mean?


i mean compare assassin to assassination. if your sigs are up to date and if you don't mind.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> What do you mean?
> 
> 
> 
> i mean compare assassin to assassination. if your sigs are up to date and if you don't mind.
Click to expand...

Why? The 670s will be a bit behind in scores, goes w/o saying. Old news...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why? The 670s will be a bit behind in scores, goes w/o saying. Old news...


i understand. i should have been more specific. i meant compared based on gaming performance. it is always nice to have data coming from ocn members that own the hardware than sites like tom's.


----------



## SkateZilla

So Far, from charts, the 7870 XT 2GB, Looks to be a AWESOME Deal at $250.

My neighbor overlocked his to 1.15 Ghz GPU, without adjusting Voltage.

Seeing as it's a Tahiti Chip, is 7870XT gonna be added to the 7900 Club?

I might get one for $200 for Cheap XFire later on, But for now, I ordered one for a secondary build.


----------



## Coree

I'm having a crazy coil whine in games, especially on Crysis 2 menu screen because of the very high framerates 3000+ fps (VSYNC off). I've heard that overvolting/overclocking the GPU may work? I did a 8hr run at 1,15V and OC 1100/1400 on my 7950 but it didn't help at all. Should i try higher voltages? Never gone higher than 1,2V though... Isn't 1,25V the safe limit?


----------



## psikeiro

Here's my 3DMARK11 Peformance run: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5860111

Here's my 3DMARK11 Extreme run: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5860195


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> So Far, from charts, the 7870 XT 2GB, Looks to be a AWESOME Deal at $250.
> 
> My neighbor overlocked his to 1.15 Ghz GPU, without adjusting Voltage.
> 
> *Seeing as it's a Tahiti Chip, is 7870XT gonna be added to the 7900 Club?*
> 
> I might get one for $200 for Cheap XFire later on, But for now, I ordered one for a secondary build.


No, this club is based on 79x0 branded cards only and shall remain that way.


----------



## Sasasd

Found good sweetspot for my MSI 7950. 1100 @ 1,06v. But anything over that requires too much voltage and noise is too loud. Example 1200 was stable 1,12v but core temps were 75-77c and vrms 80s







. Seems like I have to change TIM in future.


----------



## Sasasd

oops


----------



## dartuil

Hello, can you explain me the history on the PCB marked LF R19F and the ones marked LF R19FD?

thank you


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> No, this club is based on 79x0 branded cards only and shall remain that way.


Can't argue with Sauron.


----------



## lucas.vulcan

My sapphire by antec 920

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/dsci1028.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/dsci1029w.jpg/

HD7970 925/1375 @ 1150/1575 1.175V

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5876032[/quote]


----------



## Strileckifunk

Btw, I think we need a fancy sig


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> Can't argue with Sauron.


Good to see you in here Philly... I finally got a 7950 for my Phantom build.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> Can't argue with Sauron.


...or Saruman for that matter.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> Can't argue with Sauron.
> 
> 
> 
> ...or Saruman for that matter.
Click to expand...

I feel ashamed, but unlike merry and pippin I don't have a way of remembering which name belongs to who.

@KGTuning, it's good to see you here, you should redo your sig rig with complete details!


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I feel ashamed, but unlike merry and pippin I don't have a way of remembering which name belongs to who.
> 
> @KGTuning, it's good to see you here, you should redo your sig rig with complete details!


Oh man I forgot to even do that.. thanks.


----------



## Snuckie7

Alright. I just ordered some CL Ultra. What would be the best way to apply it? Spread it with the brush? Or grain of rice method?


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, I think we need a fancy sig


That card looks very cool.


----------



## dartuil

someone have this pcb under water?
http://www.overclockers.ru/images/lab/2012/10/08/1/11_PC_PCB_big.jpg


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> someone have this pcb under water?
> http://www.overclockers.ru/images/lab/2012/10/08/1/11_PC_PCB_big.jpg


That pcb uses the reference 7950 pcb but it has a few problems. There is one extra choke and a whole row of fets where the reference does not have any. The problem is the extra choke. Most blocks are designed to fill the gap of the missing choke, so it will not fit.



On the left side you can see the two half circles milled out for the two closest caps. To the right of that is the squarish protrusion. This milled out area is for the chokes and caps. The pcb you posted won't work with any block that has that protrusion into the choke/cap area.


----------



## dartuil

its my club 3d 7950 royal queen PCB I drop the WC idea








http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/radeon-hd-7950-royalqueen.1311.html


----------



## dartuil

multi post bug








sorry
thank u club 3d u made a 7950 that cant get waterblock and heatsink if i try i universal WB
my last card from them -_-


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> multi post bug
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sorry
> thank u club 3d u made a 7950 that cant get waterblock and heatsink if i try i universal WB
> my last card from them -_-


Hmm, all is not lost. Check the inside and outside of the block, I'm pretty sure you can just mill that protrusion out if you are serious about it.


----------



## bluezone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> Looks to be on par to me. I have sapphire 7950's as well (boost editions) with an FX8350 and my score is 13k range, graphics is right around 17.9k just lile yours. I would post links but im on my phone at work.


thanks for the replys everyone.

Ya I'm a little limited on the cpu side. I had no plans on OC when i built the rig I've got. Wrong mother board and cpu (I7 2600 non K model) maybe I'll correct that problem later in the year.

Yes the 7950's are the blue PCB type.

Oh anyone notice the CCC version on the second card in crossfire 12.1 unless you use the second card buy itself? I got different (better) numbers after doing this and a 3DMark11 gave me a different comparision group of similar system scores.


----------



## eliongater

What is the best 7950 to get to xfire with a 7950 vapor-x?
it has to be 2 slots or less, i have a matx board and my vapor-x just fits in the 3 slot (2nd pcie slot), the thinner the better


----------



## LifeDisturbens

I've got an FX-8120 OC'd 4 Ghz and Sapphire 7950 3 GB edition OC 1050/1500.

I get massive bottleneck, i can't play "more demanding games".

My modded Fallout NV lags like.. Well, it's unplayable. I can't play Skyrim OR BF3 on lowest settings. (But i play Leauge Of Legends and Team Fortress 2 at 300 FPS for some reason, guess they arent demanding).

Wouldn't say that the FX series (more than the 8350) stands up against Intel, sadly enough. >:

And i guess i wont go xFire as i planned from the start, my CPU is to weak..

(Posting it here to, i posted it on the FX-8120 owners club, but i don't know if the GPU or the CPU is the issue..)


----------



## verbatim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've got an FX-8120 OC'd 4 Ghz and Sapphire 7950 3 GB edition OC 1050/1500.
> 
> I get massive bottleneck, i can't play "more demanding games".
> 
> My modded Fallout NV lags like.. Well, it's unplayable. I can't play Skyrim OR BF3 on lowest settings. (But i play Leauge Of Legends and Team Fortress 2 at 300 FPS for some reason, guess they arent demanding).
> 
> Wouldn't say that the FX series (more than the 8350) stands up against Intel, sadly enough. >:
> 
> And i guess i wont go xFire as i planned from the start, my CPU is to weak..
> 
> (Posting it here to, i posted it on the FX-8120 owners club, but i don't know if the GPU or the CPU is the issue..)


I dont think a 4ghz cpu is making BF3 unplayable. I have 2 7970's and a older i7 930 @ 3.9ghz and I am not noticeably bottle necked. I know its a i7 but still. There are threads around of people complaining with your setup of only 40-80fps on ultra! (which is good)
Reading around I think bottle necking is a much over hyped phenomenon, try looking elsewhere for the main issue although a overclock might help your cpu

Edit look here http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/fx-8350-vishera-review,3328-13.html
CPU makes no diff to the game almost. Im sure that would change in multi tho.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Hah, i think BF3 at 30 FPS in low settings is not esp normal.


----------



## verbatim

It does not sound normal at all. Something seems very wrong. I do not think it is CPU bottle necking tho.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

I've done a fresh install of windows like, last week.

Having 13.1 drivers..

Hmm.. Somone said that i should check the GPU cables. "Check that both cables are connected" is the GPU able to run with just one?


----------



## sooyong94

Hi guys, I'm going to pick a HD7950. Which HD7950 is the best in terms of cooling and overclocking?








Is the Vapor-X HD7950 a good choice?


----------



## GunMetal

My 7950 (1200/1300) on FarCry3 climb up to 70C where I only get 61C on Crysis3 and TW2. Also the game freezes after about an hour or so but the system is running fine killing the program on task manager. Is this throttling?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've done a fresh install of windows like, last week.
> 
> Having 13.1 drivers..
> 
> Hmm.. Somone said that i should check the GPU cables. "Check that both cables are connected" is the GPU able to run with just one?


Check if all is good in GPU-Z, you should also be running PCI-E 2.0 ofcourse - do the little benchmark within GPU-Z just to be sure !

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> My 7950 (1200/1300) on FarCry3 climb up to 70C where I only get 61C on Crysis3 and TW2. Also the game freezes after about an hour or so but the system is running fine killing the program on task manager. Is this throttling?


Sounds like unstable overclock...
Some games are just pushing the card harder than others... I would lower the clocks a little and see if the problem goes away.


----------



## verbatim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've done a fresh install of windows like, last week.
> 
> Having 13.1 drivers..
> 
> Hmm.. Somone said that i should check the GPU cables. "Check that both cables are connected" is the GPU able to run with just one?


You mean the power cables? the two connectors? I think it can run with 1 but needs two for the higher speeds but I am not sure. As the guy above said, run a benchmark like 3dmark 11 and post results


----------



## verbatim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> My 7950 (1200/1300) on FarCry3 climb up to 70C where I only get 61C on Crysis3 and TW2. Also the game freezes after about an hour or so but the system is running fine killing the program on task manager. Is this throttling?


Dif games or benchmarks can stress a card differently, giving dif max temps. Nothing to worry about there.
As to the freezing Id say thats a unstable overclock. Reduce it a bit or up volts. Standard stuff.
Im not sure what part you though was throttling.


----------



## Catscratch

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've done a fresh install of windows like, last week.
> 
> Having 13.1 drivers..
> 
> Hmm.. Somone said that i should check the GPU cables. "Check that both cables are connected" is the GPU able to run with just one?


No, it's not for shows, connect both.

You may not know this but even some motherboards have MOLEX (4-pin old IDE power) inputs on them (yes on the motherboard) for PCI-E lanes (gfx cards mostly) to work properly. MSI K9A2 Platinum (this has 4 pci-e slots that supports 4 or 8gpu) which I own, is one of those boards.

So if something has a power connection, you better connect them.


----------



## sena

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've got an FX-8120 OC'd 4 Ghz and Sapphire 7950 3 GB edition OC 1050/1500.
> 
> I get massive bottleneck, i can't play "more demanding games".
> 
> My modded Fallout NV lags like.. Well, it's unplayable. I can't play Skyrim OR BF3 on lowest settings. (But i play Leauge Of Legends and Team Fortress 2 at 300 FPS for some reason, guess they arent demanding).
> 
> Wouldn't say that the FX series (more than the 8350) stands up against Intel, sadly enough. >:
> 
> And i guess i wont go xFire as i planned from the start, my CPU is to weak..
> 
> (Posting it here to, i posted it on the FX-8120 owners club, but i don't know if the GPU or the CPU is the issue..)


What about BF3 MP?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Catscratch*
> 
> No, it's not for shows, connect both.
> 
> You may not know this but even some motherboards have MOLEX (4-pin old IDE power) inputs on them (yes on the motherboard) for PCI-E lanes (gfx cards mostly) to work properly. MSI K9A2 Platinum (this has 4 pci-e slots that supports 4 or 8gpu) which I own, is one of those boards.
> 
> So if something has a power connection, you better connect them.


I didn't even notice the Molex connector on my old motherboard (P67 Extreme 6) before it broke down lol.

Never had issues with it not being connected.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
















All the test's and stuff i've done.

I have like.. 30-40 FPS in BF3 Medium settings.. Maybe something around that. I can play with the stutters and FPS drops, so i use to ignore them. But now it's getting pretty annoying.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> My 7950 (1200/1300) on FarCry3 climb up to 70C where I only get 61C on Crysis3 and TW2. Also the game freezes after about an hour or so but the system is running fine killing the program on task manager. Is this throttling?


FC3 is a very demanding game with all the eye candy turned up. I would say lower your overclocks a little your running that card pretty hard and see what happens. Sounds like your taxing it a little too much.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All the test's and stuff i've done.
> 
> I have like.. 30-40 FPS in BF3 Medium settings.. Maybe something around that. I can play with the stutters and FPS drops, so i use to ignore them. But now it's getting pretty annoying.


Something doesn't sound right to me, I had a phenom II 960t with a 6870 and could get better frames then that before I upgraded.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've got an FX-8120 OC'd 4 Ghz and Sapphire 7950 3 GB edition OC 1050/1500.
> 
> I get massive bottleneck, i can't play "more demanding games".
> 
> My modded Fallout NV lags like.. Well, it's unplayable. I can't play Skyrim OR BF3 on lowest settings. (But i play Leauge Of Legends and Team Fortress 2 at 300 FPS for some reason, guess they arent demanding).
> 
> Wouldn't say that the FX series (more than the 8350) stands up against Intel, sadly enough. >:
> 
> And i guess i wont go xFire as i planned from the start, my CPU is to weak..
> 
> (Posting it here to, i posted it on the FX-8120 owners club, but i don't know if the GPU or the CPU is the issue..)


Get a better cooler and take her up to 4.8GHz. You'll be fine for one 7970, maybe better.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> Get a better cooler and take her up to 4.8GHz. You'll be fine for one 7970, maybe better.


I'm looking for an H100i from Coirsair when the prices drop a bit..


----------



## phillyd

I'd go for a kraken x60


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All the test's and stuff i've done.
> 
> I have like.. 30-40 FPS in BF3 Medium settings.. Maybe something around that. I can play with the stutters and FPS drops, so i use to ignore them. But now it's getting pretty annoying.


There is something wrong here.
Make sure all cables and connections are running at full speed.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've got an FX-8120 OC'd 4 Ghz and Sapphire 7950 3 GB edition OC 1050/1500.
> 
> I get massive bottleneck, i can't play "more demanding games".
> 
> My modded Fallout NV lags like.. Well, it's unplayable. I can't play Skyrim OR BF3 on lowest settings. (But i play Leauge Of Legends and Team Fortress 2 at 300 FPS for some reason, guess they arent demanding).
> 
> Wouldn't say that the FX series (more than the 8350) stands up against Intel, sadly enough. >:
> 
> And i guess i wont go xFire as i planned from the start, my CPU is to weak..
> 
> (Posting it here to, i posted it on the FX-8120 owners club, but i don't know if the GPU or the CPU is the issue..)


I Had no Issues running Demanding Games in Eyefinity with a 8120 at 3.4 Ghz (Turbo/APM/CnC off), at 4.2 Ghz it matched my 8350 @ 4Ghz.

I Run BF3 on a mix of Med/High at 6048x1080 on one 7950 OC (1st Gen, No Boost) at 900/1250, I have no need to maintain my 1200/1600 overclock other than benching.

Most likely you have the Power Saver features on and Your being throttled for Power or Heat.


----------



## KaRLiToS

kraken = aluminium


----------



## wermad

any one running 7970x2? (=/= xfire 7970)


----------



## LifeDisturbens

How do i turn those powersaving features off? Are there any standards in my bios or CCC?


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> How do i turn those powersaving features off? Are there any standards in my bios or CCC?


I do it through sapphire trixx, my favorite over clocking software


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> How do i turn those powersaving features off? Are there any standards in my bios or CCC?


If you use trixx make sure to disable ulps


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I've got an FX-8120 OC'd 4 Ghz and Sapphire 7950 3 GB edition OC 1050/1500.
> 
> I get massive bottleneck, i can't play "more demanding games".
> 
> My modded Fallout NV lags like.. Well, it's unplayable. I can't play Skyrim OR BF3 on lowest settings. (But i play Leauge Of Legends and Team Fortress 2 at 300 FPS for some reason, guess they arent demanding).
> 
> Wouldn't say that the FX series (more than the 8350) stands up against Intel, sadly enough. >:
> 
> And i guess i wont go xFire as i planned from the start, my CPU is to weak..
> 
> (Posting it here to, i posted it on the FX-8120 owners club, but i don't know if the GPU or the CPU is the issue..)


Having paired my 7970GE with an 8120 at one point (before swapping to a 8350), the 8120 isn't holding you back to that extent, let alone on lowest settings, as even when I oc'ed my gpu, my stock 8120 (with 900mhz less than yours is at) still ran the games just fine maxed.

Something seems amiss, have you reinstalled drivers?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> If you use trixx make sure to disable ulps


I thought Trixx was Disabling ULPS by Default.



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> kraken = aluminium


Still beats the H100i in most benches by a good margin.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> If you use trixx make sure to disable ulps


If he has a single card, why should he disable ulps ?
Thats bullocks !


----------



## LifeDisturbens

http://piclair.com/z5chj

Installed it! Now what?


----------



## SkateZilla

ULPS is not your problem nor what I was talking about when I said Power Saving Features.

in the BIOS. for the CPU.

C1E, C6 States should be DISABLED
APM should be DISABLED
Turbo Should be DISABLED
COOL N QUIET should be DISABLED
Thermal Throttling should be DISABLED.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I don't see the point of Disabling C1E.

As for single GPU, disabling ULPS serves no purpose.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Cool n' Quiet is ON.. That is the only thing left as it seems, does it change anything important? Does the heat go up?


----------



## verbatim

Cool n' Quiet throttles your CPU. Its the first thing to turn off.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

IF this fixes all the issues.. I will call komplett. (The leverant of the things, i've called the support a hundret times. I also sended in the whole PC).

IF.. This is the only thing that's wrong, i will NEVER buy PC parts from them again. >:


----------



## neonthetank

Quick question. I have access to an i5 3570k and a fx8120 and comparable mobos. Will the 8150 play better with a HD7950 than the i5 will? I have both stable at 4.3ghz.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Quick question. I have access to an i5 3570k and a fx8120 and comparable mobos. Will the 8150 play better with a HD7950 than the i5 will? I have both stable at 4.3ghz.


The i5, easy. The higher IPC will pay dividends with poorly coded games, which is like most games.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Now i remember, that my CHIPSET DRIVERS arent installed.

How do i check what chipset i have, and what drivers it needs?

It's displayed in my profile. I have AM3+.. Is that the chipset? (I'm really new to this thing).


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Now i remember, that my CHIPSET DRIVERS arent installed.
> 
> How do i check what chipset i have, and what drivers it needs?
> 
> It's displayed in my profile. I have AM3+.. Is that the chipset? (I'm really new to this thing).


Here you go:
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/raid_windows.aspx#2


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Here you go:
> http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/raid_windows.aspx#2


Thanks! I'll do that then disable the powersaving features. (If they are active) Then let's see if the problems still remain.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The i5, easy. The higher IPC will pay dividends with poorly coded games, which is like most games.


Agreed, especially when it's a bulldozer vs i5, instead of a piledriver vs i5.


----------



## neonthetank

Thx for the input!

Where would I go about finding the new bios for the HD7950?


----------



## youpekkad

Which HD7950 you have?


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Thx for the input!
> 
> Where would I go about finding the new bios for the HD7950?


techpowerup.com


----------



## martinhal

I know this is GPU abuse but I wanted to top 19000 in furmark

•SCORE: 19092 points (318 FPS)

•Submitted (anonymous mode) on February 12 2013, 9:22 pm

•Bench duration: 60 seconds
•Resolution: 1280 x 720
•MSAA samples: 0
•Window mode: fullscreen

•Primary renderer: AMD Radeon HD 7970
•Device ID: 0x1002 - 0x6798
•GPU clock: 1285 MHz
•Memory clock: 1785 MHz
•Graphics drivers: Catalyst 13.2 - 12.10.17-130202a-152920E-ATI 2-2-2013
•GPU temperatures (start/end): 41°C / 49°C

•Number of GPUs: 3
◦GPU0 - Vendor: 0x1002 - Device: 0x6798 - Max GPU temp: 49 °C - Max GPU load: 98 %
◦GPU1 - Vendor: 0x1002 - Device: 0x6798 - Max GPU temp: 50 °C - Max GPU load: 97 %
◦GPU2 - Vendor: 0x1002 - Device: 0x6798 - Max GPU temp: 50 °C - Max GPU load: 98 %

•CPU: IntelR CoreTM i7-3770K CPU @ 3.50GHz
•CPU speed: 3501 MHz
•Operating system: Windows 7 64-bit build 7600 No Service Pack

http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/furmark_192_score.php?id=111560


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Okay.. I still got the problems,


----------



## neonthetank

Twin Frozr III OC HD 7950


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> Twin Frozr III OC HD 7950


from techpowerup, this all i could find for your actual card BIOS
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?page=1&architecture=ATI&manufacturer=MSI&model=HD+7950&interface=&memSize=0


----------



## HardheadedMurphy

Registered ... HIS 7950

Liking the card


----------



## Andrazh

Whould you guys take Gigabyte 7950 WF3 over point of view GTX 670 dual fan(670 is even 20€ cheaper)?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Whould you guys take Gigabyte 7950 WF3 over point of view GTX 670 dual fan(670 is even 20€ cheaper)?


Both cards are great for single GPU. I honestly don't know what I would do. Just get the cheapest one maybe.


----------



## Belkov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Whould you guys take Gigabyte 7950 WF3 over point of view GTX 670 dual fan(670 is even 20€ cheaper)?


Well i'm very pleased with my GB 7950 WF3, but i'm not sure which one i would prefer if 670 was cheaper. Wich brand is the 670 one?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Andrazh*
> 
> Whould you guys take Gigabyte 7950 WF3 over point of view GTX 670 dual fan(670 is even 20€ cheaper)?


20 more for an additional ram.


----------



## Andrazh

GTX 670 is Point of View dual fan version. It irritates me because normal prices for 670 are about 330€ and higher. This one is only 250€. So its a lot below normal price. Which also means it would be easier to sell.

This baby:
https://shop.tgt-team.com/en/current-products/geforce-gtx-670-series/pov-_-tgt-geforce-gtx-670-charged-dualfan.html


----------



## jdm317

Finally my first 11k single gpu score. 1313/1910. Still room on the memory clocks, a hair more room on the core.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5898710?

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5899605?


----------



## SkateZilla

Seems I cant get any of my OC's Stable in BF3, they randomly crash the Driver now, and I have to hit the Phsyical Reboot button, as the Windows GUI never is able to recover.

I used to run 1108/1500, +20 Power, VDDC1150 Stable, now, 4 minutes, Crash.

Will try dropping to 1Ghz/1500.

Temps are fine.


----------



## SkateZilla

So Far stable at 1000/1500, +20 1.125v


----------



## saber101

i got mine stable at 1100/1450 +20 1.2v, and i have the same card as yours


----------



## Snuckie7

Mine's at 1150/1500 +20 @ 1.089V


----------



## SkateZilla

i wasnt sure if i wanted to goto 1.2v,

I might have to take off the heatsink and change TIM.

My PC is overdue for a cleaning anyway.

BF3 Frame Rate LOCKED at 60 (never DIPPED), 3 rounds, @ 6048x1080, 1000/1400,+20, 1125mv.

I'll save that profile, and work on more later.

Temps Got to 61 GPU. 55/57 VRM, with fan on 100%.

Just weird that Cat 12.11Beta4 I was able to run 1108 on 1150mv, now I cant, I dont know how much I can squeeze out of 1125mv.

HWiNFO Said VDDC Never Moved from 1090mv


----------



## StatikGP

I'm currently using a MSI 7950 Twin Frozr 3 @ 1175/1550 1.175v the card is stable. but even web browsing my temps are @ 55C and fan is 67%. gaming I'll get around 72C and fan goes higher obviously. this seem too high for non gaming temps? doesn't seem to cause any issues but seemed kinda high and I would appreciate if i could run my fan lower so i don't need to hear it when im not gaming. I know i can change my fan speed but didnt want to risk the card going even hotter idle.

Edit: Currently testing automatic fan settings. temp is at 70C and 52% fan speed and holding steady.


----------



## Snuckie7

Those are some really high idle temps. Did you disable PowerPlay? I have the same card and I idle around ~28C


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StatikGP*
> 
> I'm currently using a MSI 7950 Twin Frozr 3 @ 1175/1550 1.175v the card is stable. but even web browsing my temps are @ 55C and fan is 67%. gaming I'll get around 72C and fan goes higher obviously. this seem too high for non gaming temps? doesn't seem to cause any issues but seemed kinda high and I would appreciate if i could run my fan lower so i don't need to hear it when im not gaming. I know i can change my fan speed but didnt want to risk the card going even hotter idle.
> 
> Edit: Currently testing automatic fan settings. temp is at 70C and 52% fan speed and holding steady.


Remove cooler, clean, add good thermal paste.


----------



## StatikGP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Those are some really high idle temps. Did you disable PowerPlay? I have the same card and I idle around ~28C


I disabled overdrive in CCC. i'm using only Trixx. where do i turn off powerplay?


----------



## saber101

are you sure your running anything in the background


----------



## zGunBLADEz

i dont think you need +20 at such low clocks... Lower it or leave it @ 0 and test...


----------



## u3b3rg33k

What's the reported "idle" load?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *StatikGP*
> 
> I'm currently using a MSI 7950 Twin Frozr 3 @ 1175/1550 1.175v the card is stable. but even web browsing my temps are @ 55C and fan is 67%. gaming I'll get around 72C and fan goes higher obviously. this seem too high for non gaming temps? doesn't seem to cause any issues but seemed kinda high and I would appreciate if i could run my fan lower so i don't need to hear it when im not gaming. I know i can change my fan speed but didnt want to risk the card going even hotter idle.
> 
> Edit: Currently testing automatic fan settings. temp is at 70C and 52% fan speed and holding steady.
> 
> 
> 
> Remove cooler, clean, add good thermal paste.
Click to expand...

How many monitors are you sporting?


----------



## SkateZilla

3 Screens is 500/1250 for me... So ....

I idle in the 30's when its about 70ish Ambient

I've been idling a bit warm since 13.2 update , but i also think i need to clean my system again.


----------



## tsm106

^^More than 1 monitor = 500mhz/max memory speed. On aircooling it can really affect idle temps.


----------



## SkateZilla

i think i need to program my hotkeys back for Eyefinity/Extended, so I can disable screens and allow the puppy to idle lower.

I just forgot how.. roflmao.

would be beneficial, since there is not Tearing in Extended mode on the 3rd screen.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i think i need to program my hotkeys back for Eyefinity/Extended, so I can disable screens and allow the puppy to idle lower.


Depending on how you overclock, it's pretty easy to bypass the memory clock setting.


----------



## SkateZilla

i wasnt having the problem, that was the other guy.

I was just having issues with 13.2 basically being unstable on all of my OC profiles. SO i have to start making new ones.

I may end up water cooling this puppy this summer.


----------



## StatikGP

Currently I have my 52" LCD tv setup as a 2nd extended display. if i recall my temps are the same even with 1 monitor. and as far as what i have running its literally just chrome with 3 tabs, spotify and thats about it. my video card memory usage is below 250MB. Even at stock clock speeds and automatic fan profile it stays at 43c. my room is around 73F-75F degrees.

This was a refurbished card i bought. it hasn't given me any issues and overclocked like a champ. i'm running 13.2 beta 4.

the high temps are my only concern. I might clean the cooler and apply new thermal paste as suggested. if anyone else has any ideas i'm all ears.


----------



## tsm106

^^Your temps are higher with 2 panels because 2 panels forces the cards to run higher core idle clock and max memory clock at idle. It's impossible to have same temps with 1 panel only.


----------



## StatikGP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Your temps are higher with 2 panels because 2 panels forces the cards to run higher core idle clock and max memory clock at idle. It's impossible to have same temps with 1 panel only.


hmm ok. thanks for the tips! I'll keep that in mind. and i'll try cleaning the thermal paste on the card as well. I'm in the middle of building a new system anyways. so perfect time for that.


----------



## dave12

In Afterburner the voltage control shows up to 1300mV, but HWmon only shows it at 1090 even at 1200. Is that normal? Would I need to screw with cfg to get more?


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> kraken = aluminium


Wow and the fact that they actually tell you about it...


----------



## phillyd

I'm disappointed in you guys. These are the H100i review specs from Skrachwiz PC


----------



## SkateZilla

what does those radiators have to do with 7900 series? roflamo.

I might get a H80 and use it w/ a Dwood bracket... just contemplating how im gonna cool VRM/MEM... I wanna get a full cover block, but I dont have room for a Tank, Radiator, and pump.

I think my 7950 OC (preboost), which was upgraded to DUALX Cooling when It died 3 months into Duty. Has a VRM/MEMORY Plate.

So I can prolly just take the Fans/Cover Off, and use Water cooler bracket and copper shim to mount water block, and fan to it.

i'll know for sure tonite when I take it apart to clean and change TIM.


----------



## Stige

H80 sucks, just like the rest of the closed loops.

Get something real if you wan't to do it


----------



## phillyd

@skatezilla, someone wanted a higher OC to prevent bottlenecks, he said he would go higher after getting an H100i, I suggested the Kraken X60, someone criticized it for the aluminum radiator, I pointed out that the H100i has aluminum fins too.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I'm disappointed in you guys. These are the H100i review specs from Skrachwiz PC


*The Swiftech H220*: Not a fail, IMO, *it's the close loop to buy*.

Screw Corsair, I would pay 20$ more for quality and best performance.

Swiftech H220 = 139$
Corsair H100i = 119$


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> @skatezilla, someone wanted a higher OC to prevent bottlenecks, he said he would go higher after getting an H100i, I suggested the Kraken X60, someone criticized it for the aluminum radiator, I pointed out that the H100i has aluminum fins too.


i was under the impression they were all Alu radiators.. as they all came from teh same manufacturer with different labels (Corsair, Asetek, intel/amd, Water 2.0, NZXT etc).

Swiftech made their own.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> *The Swiftech H220*: Not a fail, IMO, *it's the close loop to buy*.
> 
> Screw Corsair, I would pay 20$ more for quality and best performance.
> 
> Swiftech H220 = 139$
> Corsair H100i = 119$


the Swiftech is also EXPANDABLE to GPU + CPU


----------



## phillyd

It's really expensive


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> It's really expensive


So is every water cooler that is actually good unlike the closed loop ones which are just.. awful :l


----------



## phillyd

They just fill the gap between air cooling and water cooling, they aren't meant to be replacements for custom water.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> They just fill the gap between air cooling and water cooling, they aren't meant to be replacements for custom water.


Not really considering the high-end air coolers are better, I really don't understand how people are fooled to buy that closed loop stuff really.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> So is every water cooler that is actually good unlike the closed loop ones which are just.. awful :l


Awful is relative to what you want out of it for the price you paid. My 212+ Evo is awful for overclocking my 8 core, but at 30 bucks it's to be expected. Same with closed loop vs custom, you get what you pay for. Though I must admit, closed loop has come a long way.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Awful is relative to what you want out of it for the price you paid. My 212+ Evo is awful for overclocking my 8 core, but at 30 bucks it's to be expected. Same with closed loop vs custom, you get what you pay for. Though I must admit, closed loop has come a long way.


Well I think it is agreed that the Evo is bloody awful, but Thermalright TrueSpirit on the otherhand isn't and costs 20-25.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> *The Swiftech H220*: Not a fail, IMO, *it's the close loop to buy*.
> 
> Screw Corsair, I would pay 20$ more for quality and best performance.
> 
> Swiftech H220 = 139$
> Corsair H100i = 119$


Brass contains copper and zinc, does it not?

All metals have a property called nobility. It is a measure of a metal's resistance to corrosion when in contact with another metal. A greater relative difference in nobility between the two metals in contact indicates a greater corrosion potential. Table 1.1.4 ranks the most common metals used in construction in increasing nobility, called the galvanic number.

Table 1.1.4 - The Nobility of Common Metals

It is not necessary to isolate copper from lead, tin or stainless steel under most circumstances. The principal metals of concern in terms of direct contact are aluminum and zinc.

Source
http://fourseasonsroofingandsiding.com/mixmetals.htm

1. Aluminum
2. Zinc
3. Steel
4. Iron
5. Stainless Steel - Active
6. Tin
7. Lead
8. Copper
9. Stainless Steel - Passive

Brass isn't that much different from the aluminum alternative


----------



## tsm106

We don't need a discussion on the Anodic index do we?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> Awful is relative to what you want out of it for the price you paid. My 212+ Evo is awful for overclocking my 8 core, but at 30 bucks it's to be expected. Same with closed loop vs custom, you get what you pay for. Though I must admit, closed loop has come a long way.


Well yep, you get what you paid for.. I dont think an H100 can keep an ivy bridge with a voltage of 1.5v under control even less under 70C in the highest core on prime small FFTS... Had one returned the next day it just sucks... Skip all together and went full custom.. Never gonna go back..


----------



## zyxxxxer

Hello there!

Just want to ask if there is any FULL Block available for Powercolor HD7950 V2. Thanks!

Here is the PCB of the said gpu.



Thanks!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zyxxxxer*
> 
> Hello there!
> 
> Just want to ask if there is any FULL Block available for Powercolor HD7950 V2. Thanks!
> 
> Here is the PCB of the said gpu.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!


http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/20960_40#post_19270429


----------



## SkateZilla

wow!, just got the 7870 XT delivered, and the thing is big, it's longer than my 7950 OC!


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Got two Diamond 7970's....... I got a lot to read up on I see...


----------



## Coree

Is a 500w PSU 12V1 16A + 12V2 16A (32A) enough to power a 7950 and FX-4300 based system?
And a slight offtopic question: Does Fuhjyyu make good quality caps nowadays? They were crap few yrs ago.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Is a 500w PSU 12V1 16A + 12V2 16A (32A) enough to power a 7950 and FX-4300 based system?
> And a slight offtopic question: Does Fuhjyyu make good quality caps nowadays? They were crap few yrs ago.


Nop, it's not.

500W double rail PSU is pretty fail, I had similiar one when I got my HD7950 and ran into a lot of shutdowns because of dual rail system when I tried to overclock the GPU.

The AMD CPU is propably a lot more power hungry so I can only imagine the problems :l
500W Single rail PSU is more than enough though.


----------



## phillyd

Got mine








MSI R7950 Twin Frozr III


----------



## SkateZilla

Roflmao,

I was gonna XFire this 7870XT with my 7950 and see if it does anything good, but my current PSU wont do it.

then I'll put it in my other build like I had planned.

(Pics when I get home).

Newegg sent a huge box, with LOTs of Peanuts.


----------



## phillyd

I think you should put the 7870XT in the other rig, the 7950 will be more powerful.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

The 7950 is more powerfull than any 7870. (As far as i know).


----------



## SkateZilla

7870 XT is a 7930


----------



## phillyd

7950>7930

I'm running Far Cry 3 @1080p, 2x AA, Medium preset, DX11 on my 7950 @ 1200/1575 and the temps are fine, but I'm only getting 25-28fps, that right??


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> 7950>7930
> 
> I'm running Far Cry 3 @1080p, 2x AA, Medium preset, DX11 on my 7950 @ 1200/1575 and the temps are fine, but I'm only getting 25-28fps, that right??


I'm running 7950 1100/1250 maxed out but no MSAA, 50-55fps.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Why.. Does it say my grapfic's card is to weak? Games like Fallout set my settings to medium and say the same thing..


----------



## Belkov

I have a question. I think my GB 7950 WF3 is not a very good clocker because it runs on 1100/1575MHz with 1.194V. to be stable. What do you think about it because i'm sort of noob in overclocking? Is this result low or may be - medium, cause it's sure it's not high?







And do you think it's safety to pass 1.2V.? I read different posts about this so i'm not so sure how to proceed with my overclocking experiments.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> 
> 
> Why.. Does it say my grapfic's card is to weak? Games like Fallout set my settings to medium and say the same thing..


Old game, new GPU. Isn't recognized. Dw about it


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> 7950>7930
> 
> I'm running Far Cry 3 @1080p, 2x AA, Medium preset, DX11 on my 7950 @ 1200/1575 and the temps are fine, but I'm only getting 25-28fps, that right??


Just sayin, 3328 Shaders is better than 1792 shaders. A Cheap $250 boost, with less Power and lower temps than a 7950 OC/Boost.

of course by time I get around to doing another overhaul of my Rig, we'll have 7970s at the $350 price range.

the only down side to XFiring with the 7870XT is the Ram will drop to 2GB to match, and you can only Cross Fire 2, 7950 will do 2, 3,4 way.
Other than that.. it's a cheap alternative as 7950s have gone back up to the $300+ side.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> 
> 
> Why.. Does it say my grapfic's card is to weak? Games like Fallout set my settings to medium and say the same thing..


No 7900 Series Card is 1024 MB of Ram.... so .... somethings wrong.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> I have a question. I think my GB 7950 WF3 is not a very good clocker because it runs on 1100/1575MHz with 1.194V. to be stable. What do you think about it because i'm sort of noob in overclocking? Is this result low or may be - medium, cause it's sure it's not high?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And do you think it's safety to pass 1.2V.? I read differenт posts about this so i'm not so sure how to proceed with my overclocking experiments.


That's Fine,

I personally wouldnt go past 1.2v without water cooling, or Extreme A.M. Cooling.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Hah, if it wasnt like that if i start Skyrim? It detects my system and sets it on "low".


----------



## Belkov

Ok, thank you. For now i even don't need more than my stock speeds, cause everything is running more than fine but i'm just trying to find how much power is hidden in this card. And it is very cool and quiet too. Ok for now i'll stop with the experiments because i reach 1.2. Thank you again mate.


----------



## phillyd

Ugh this card isn't starting off well. There is a whine when the cooler spins up, there is a low buzz sound under load, Far cry 3 is getting low FPS but even when I down the game settings it gets half second frames left and right. In Far Cry 3 and MW2 I've been getting complete freezes (screen pauses, blacks out, recovers) at stock clocks.

Any ideas? Running Catalyst 13.2

My 3770k is running stock ATM and my RAM is only 1333MHz too.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> Ugh this card isn't starting off well. There is a whine when the cooler spins up, there is a low buzz sound under load, Far cry 3 is getting low FPS but even when I down the game settings it gets half second frames left and right. In Far Cry 3 and MW2 I've been getting complete freezes (screen pauses, blacks out, recovers) at stock clocks.
> 
> Any ideas? Running Catalyst 13.2
> 
> My 3770k is running stock ATM and my RAM is only 1333MHz too.


these cards can whine a bit so thats normal and wouldnt worry about it. not sure why your getting such low FPS. freezing is probably due to an unstable OC. try a few loops or heaven and 3Dmark11 and see how you go. even with heaven do the benchmark and post the score same with 3dmark11.

check your temps as well.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> 
> 
> Why.. Does it say my grapfic's card is to weak? Games like Fallout set my settings to medium and say the same thing..


Nope, you are fine here. Older games such as this always report the wrong VRAM. I always have this issue with the stalker games and fallout 3 also.


----------



## Strileckifunk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> Ugh this card isn't starting off well. There is a whine when the cooler spins up, there is a low buzz sound under load, Far cry 3 is getting low FPS but even when I down the game settings it gets half second frames left and right. In Far Cry 3 and MW2 I've been getting complete freezes (screen pauses, blacks out, recovers) at stock clocks.
> 
> Any ideas? Running Catalyst 13.2
> 
> My 3770k is running stock ATM and my RAM is only 1333MHz too.


Also make sure you've entirely cleaned out any drivers from a previous installation, especially if you had a GTX prior to this.


----------



## phillyd

I had a 6950 and dumped catalyst completely before I installed it. My intel video drivers are still installed though.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Single or CFX won't run 3DMark 11 or Vantage @ stock clocks in P mode. I do have a 1440P screen. It will get to Physics screen in Vantage & get stuck, have to reset computer. In Mark11, it will do the first few tests & freeze...... I did a clean install on raid 0, so no Nvidia Drivers...

Driver version 12.100.17.0

Any help will be great appreciated.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How many monitors are you sporting?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 3 Screens is 500/1250 for me... So ....
> 
> I idle in the 30's when its about 70ish Ambient
> 
> I've been idling a bit warm since 13.2 update , but i also think i need to clean my system again.


55C @ 67% fan speed doesn't fit into "warmer idle" - so I'm gonna go with your case has craptastical internal temps, OR, you seriously need to clean your card - my dirt 3 6950 (terrible match for my case) runs dual displays and runs at full load in a very warm case around 75C and 72% fan speed. it idles at about 50C @ 35% fan speed. fan is "quiet" until about 60% speed.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> Wow and the fact that they actually tell you about it...


If you have corrosion inhibiting coolant, it's a non-issue. it has worked for automobiles for decades, why not a closed loop that is operated in a clean, easy environment that stays between 15-50C?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Nope, you are fine here. Older games such as this always report the wrong VRAM. I always have this issue with the stalker games and fallout 3 also.


And why is the grapfics detector on skyrim dumping down my settings to low?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Oh well, it's off-topic.

The thing is that i cant play games without stutters or FPS drops.


----------



## Kuivamaa

May I ask what OS are you using? Could it be 32bit?


----------



## ehpexs

Anyone running two or more crossfires, if so what would you say about microstutter. Are 2 cards fine, or is going 3 cards essential to minimize this?


----------



## saber101

lol who the hell is using 32 bit now days


----------



## Kuivamaa

Nah, I checked his cpu-z, he has win7 64bit.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Cards flickering on stock settings.....


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> Cards flickering on stock settings.....


Gonna need more details. Does it happen with every game, the driver version you are using, did you have previous graphics cards, did you uninstall the old drivers correctly or entirely, Was it always like that, Temps, state the clocks and voltages.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Gonna need more details. Does it happen with every game, the driver version you are using, did you have previous graphics cards, did you uninstall the old drivers correctly or entirely, Was it always like that, Temps, state the clocks and voltages.


Driver is 13.1 WQHL, I did a clean install of windows & before I install any new drivers, I uninstall the old one 1st by using the installer. It happens in two that I've played. Far Cry & Hitman... I don't have that many games installed, as I just did a fresh install of Windows 7. Temps seem fine, Idle around low 30's. Everything is stock.... Starting to think I shouldn't left the green team...

Cards won't OC over 960 on core & 1400 on memory


----------



## switchblade

Some people have noticed flickering issues with far cry 3 especially when driving in the vehicles this happens on nvidia cards as well. Try using 13.2. Make sure u install the CAPs since I see that you are crossfiring. Turn on VSYNC. You can also try a single card to see if its evident. The stands a possibility that 1 of the two may have issues. Your gonna have to do some trouble shooting to eliminate possibilities and find whats going on. Having said that Far Cry3 is a mess it has many bugs things flickering, things disappearing, changing colors and is poorly coded somewhat. I have no clue about hitman was never a fan of that series rubbish game usually buggy as well but try other games and see just to make sure. IF IT HAPPENS IN BASICALLY ALL GAMES YOU TRY IT MEANS ITS NOT THE GAME AND THEN YOU AY TAKE FURTHER STEPS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Some people have noticed flickering issues with far cry 3 especially when driving in the vehicles this happens on nvidia cards as well. Try using 13.2. Make sure u install the CAPs since I see that you are crossfiring. Turn on VSYNC. You can also try a single card to see if its evident. The stands a possibility that 1 of the two may have issues. Your gonna have to do some trouble shooting to eliminate possibilities and find whats going on. Having said that Far Cry3 is a mess it has many bugs things flickering, things disappearing, changing colors and is poorly coded somewhat. I have no clue about hitman was never a fan of that series rubbish game usually buggy as well but try other games and see just to make sure. IF IT HAPPENS IN BASICALLY ALL GAMES YOU TRY IT MEANS ITS NOT THE GAME AND THEN YOU AY TAKE FURTHER STEPS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES.


I have no idea what caps are, can you explain or point me in direction where they are? I am new to AMD, I'm lost & frustrated.... I will download 13.2.

Thank you... +REP


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> I have no idea what caps are, can you explain or point me in direction where they are? I am new to AMD, I'm lost & frustrated.... I will download 13.2.
> 
> Thank you... +REP


You don't need any CAPs unless you are using old drivers for some reason, just install the latest beta and you have everything you need.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> you know there's a free version of arma...


Lol there is?


----------



## SkateZilla

ARMA II FREE, least that's what it says on my Steam.

Whether or not it works with DayZ i dunno.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> ARMA II FREE, least that's what it says on my Steam.
> 
> Whether or not it works with DayZ i dunno.


Every now and then Steam will give a game away for free, that's how I got Portal. Check the Free to Play list from time to time for other games. http://store.steampowered.com/genre/Free%20to%20Play/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Seems I got in trouble for posting about ArmA II's DRM and stuff, just to clarify, I was NOT promoting piracy, i was simply saying, the Side effects some people experience is because of it. Dont be cheapo, be legit.
> 
> Stating that ArmA II's DRM is Called "Degrade" and that it Degrades your Aim and movements is against ToS? < It's Common Knowledge!


You're not legit till you have a few warnings and infractions man.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> Every now and then Steam will give a game away for free, that's how I got Portal. Check the Free to Play list from time to time for other games. http://store.steampowered.com/genre/Free%20to%20Play/


I searched on Steam's site and couldnt find it, But i know for a Fact there is a "ArmA II Free" that was downloaded Via Steam as it's on my Desktop, thats that the Icon says, and that's what it says when you boot to the main menu. (prolly what it says if you download the Demo, not sure)


----------



## Strileckifunk

I noticed that while playing Far Cry 3 on my 7970 GHz my GPU usage is only around 50%. Is this normal? It doesn't seem to use so little in any other game...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> I noticed that while playing Far Cry 3 on my 7970 GHz my GPU usage is only around 50%. Is this normal? It doesn't seem to use so little in any other game...


because you GPU is just so strong,.. it laughs at FC3


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> or 13
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IIRC the graphic settings are locked to a lower level


I got Combined Arms for $10 at walmart so..

i got like 9 or 10 ArmAII installed Complete Mods, and I've played Arma ONCE. (DayZ, AceII, etc etc). I just dont have time for it.


----------



## alancsalt

Thread cleaned.

You are reminded that discussion of piracy is not permitted on OCN.

Under the Terms of Service
Quote:


> You may NOT:
> 
> Discuss any form of Piracy or DMCA violations (for additional information click here)
> 
> Post questions/remarks pertaining to infractions, warnings or deleted posts. Please contact overclock.net staff directly.


----------



## SkateZilla

oops, sorry.....

Guess i gotta go back and edit my posts...


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> because you GPU is just so strong,.. it laughs at FC3


No, Far Cry 3 is one the most demanding games out there, depends on what settings he´s using and what framerate he´s getting.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> No, Far Cry 3 is one the most demanding games out there, depends on what settings he´s using and what framerate he´s getting.


It was a joke, lol.


----------



## youpekkad

Ahh, you got me on that, but seriously, he didnt mention his in game settings or framerate, need to know those before you can really have an answer...


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PatrickCrowely*
> 
> Driver is 13.1 WQHL, I did a clean install of windows & before I install any new drivers, I uninstall the old one 1st by using the installer. It happens in two that I've played. Far Cry & Hitman... I don't have that many games installed, as I just did a fresh install of Windows 7. Temps seem fine, Idle around low 30's. Everything is stock.... Starting to think I shouldn't left the green team...
> 
> Cards won't OC over 960 on core & 1400 on memory


Far Cry 3 gives me issues as well with crossfire (its well known) there isn't a thing I have found to help it out fortunatly I had it beat already when I just had my single 7950. Hitman although I don't care for the game all that much doesn't give me a stuttering issue or flickering that I have noticed but I have noticed that it does not load my cards and run them very hard even with max settings. So I wouldn't get frustrated with your cards based on those 2 games alone. My 7950's really start to shine in games like metro 2033, and BF3 both run like butter and scream in those games. I am on the latest drivers non beta and CAP 2, I dont know if cap really helps or not. You can find the cap 2 driver pack on the AMD website and its the file just under the latest driver link and it will say AMD Catalyst Application Profiles 12.11 CAP 2. Linky


----------



## Strileckifunk

What are the ideal settings? I noticed after about 20 minutes of gameplay it jumped in GPU load up to the normal 98-99% range. I still feel like the game is a little choppy though. Even with V-sync there's minor tearing, but really the video almost looks shaky, it's not very smooth.


----------



## youpekkad

I´m playing on [email protected], rest on ultra, 2xMSAA,HDAO @1080p, also I cap my framerate to 59 with the Afterburner (for some weird reason, 59 cap feels better than 60...) and it works and runs fine. I never got the ingame Vsync working properly and dont use it...


----------



## Bennny

I have just setup my first AMD card - a Sapphire 7970 Dual X. I have been playing around with it to see what it can do.

I disabled CCC and I'm controlling it through MSI Afterburner - the stock voltage is kind of high, well it seems to me, 1.256... Is this okay?

So on stock, I can reach to 1150 on the core. When I enable Voltage control, the voltage sits by default at 1.2v. The max on the slider is 1.3v. But if my card was already at 1.256 then I dont have much adjustment left... And, after increasing the core by +5mhz, I get artifacts - even if I stick voltage at the max of 1.3v.

Does that mean my card does not overclock any further with voltage increases? I don't get it, I thought overclocking a 7970 was all about voltage...


----------



## Bennny

Ok, so I noticed in the AB monitor, that even when I change my voltage, it is showing the same stock voltage during 3dmark11.

Does anyone know why the Afterburner isn't changing the voltage like it shows?

Is this voltage locked? I can freely move the voltage slider in afterburner , but it doesnt actually apply the changes.


----------



## SkateZilla

Yup, Disabling Eyefinity to Extended Kills the Tearing Problem, and dropping to 1 screen drops the clocks and allows my GPU to idle in the teens with fan on 60%.

So I guess when Im not using all 3 screens I turn 2 off.


----------



## jdm317

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> Ok, so I noticed in the AB monitor, that even when I change my voltage, it is showing the same stock voltage during 3dmark11.
> 
> Does anyone know why the Afterburner isn't changing the voltage like it shows?
> 
> Is this voltage locked? I can freely move the voltage slider in afterburner , but it doesnt actually apply the changes.


I have used the same card. The only successful way I found to change voltage is with Trixx 4.4b. Nothing else effects voltage. Pretty sure others on these forums will suggest the same thing. I was very frustrated, but trixx 4.4b came through for me.

edit: No other version of trixx has worked, and 4.6 seems to give problems.If its the blue pcb, AB doesn't work, even using the unofficial unlock method is useless.


----------



## Bennny

The card is piece of crap. I swapped it for an Asus 670 because of getting 2 Free Games with it. I thought I was getting a Better card. It has a default voltage of 1.256v and yet struggles at 1100. To achieve this, it sounds like a hair dryer. I mean with 1100mhz, I am getting under 10k 3dmark11 score. My 670 got over 10k. I thought a 7970 is the faster card. I just want my Asus back.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> The card is piece of crap. I swapped it for an Asus 670 because of getting 2 Free Games with it. I thought I was getting a Better card. It has a default voltage of 1.256v and yet struggles at 1100. To achieve this, it sounds like a hair dryer. I mean with 1100mhz, I am getting under 10k 3dmark11 score. My 670 got over 10k. I thought a 7970 is the faster card. I just want my Asus back.


I think you just got a dud as far as overclocking goes. Most 7900 cards can easily hit 1150 on the core.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I think you just got a dud as far as overclocking goes. Most 7900 cards can easily hit 1150 on the core.


Sounds like a total dud.

What is the ASIC score?

My HD7950 tops out around 1375mhz on the core for 3dmark11 benchmarks on water with ASIC score of 89%


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> The card is piece of crap. I swapped it for an Asus 670 because of getting 2 Free Games with it. I thought I was getting a Better card. It has a default voltage of 1.256v and yet struggles at 1100. To achieve this, it sounds like a hair dryer. I mean with 1100mhz, I am getting under 10k 3dmark11 score. My 670 got over 10k. I thought a 7970 is the faster card. I just want my Asus back.


Which card did you get as there's a lot of 7970s and brands. If it's ASUS that would probably explain the problem. As far as I know most use MSI, HIS, Gigabyte, and Sapphire (there may be more but these are key players). Most 7950 and 7970 do at least 1150 without an issue.


----------



## saber101

you got dud, as tiny tom logan always says picking a card is like a silicon lottery.
even my sapphire can get past 1150
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> I disabled CCC and I'm controlling it through MSI Afterburner - the stock voltage is kind of high, well it seems to me, 1.256... Is this okay?


anyway i thought the sapphire 7970 has a high stock voltage due to the fact it has its voltage locked


----------



## nikoli707

So i just got my msi twin frozr 3 7950 the other day, 6+6pin so no 7970 pcd im guessing. So where do i go from here?

Through msi afterburner i did a quick boost up to 1100mhz from 960mhz and changed the memory to 1350mhz from 1250mhz, and im running the 13.2 beta 5.

Ive read and heard about changing bios, but i dont know which and what and even why.

Thanks yall.


----------



## psikeiro

New benchy

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5917019


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> So i just got my msi twin frozr 3 7950 the other day, 6+6pin so no 7970 pcd im guessing. So where do i go from here?
> 
> Through msi afterburner i did a quick boost up to 1100mhz from 960mhz and changed the memory to 1350mhz from 1250mhz, and im running the 13.2 beta 5.
> 
> Ive read and heard about changing bios, but i dont know which and what and even why.
> 
> Thanks yall.


stick to manual voltage tweaking. don't change BIOS. 1100 mhz is a decent overclock. monitor your core and vrm temps under load using gpu-z or hwinfo32 . core temps below 70c and vrm temps below 90c should be your goal. see if you can get it upto 1200 mhz at stock voltage and if required tweak voltage. keep temps in the safe range with a custom fan profile in msi ab or sapphire trixx (whichever you are using for OC).


----------



## Snuckie7

My 7950 has ridiculous vDroop in demanding games -- nearly 90mV in Far Cry 3. I'm shocked that my GPU manages to stay stable at 1150/1500 with vActual around 1.010V, but is such a large drop normal?


----------



## psikeiro

New Unigine benchmark ran:



[email protected] 4.625v

Samsung 30nm 16gb (4x4gb) @ 2000mhz 9-9-9-24 1T @ 1.6v

2x Gigabyte Windforce 7950 @ 1220/1630 @ 1218mV


----------



## nikoli707

Im noticing that running using afterburner i have the unlock voltage checked in the settings but something isn't right. i tried a simple just guessing bump from 1125 to 1150mv and throwing the clock up to 1200mhz, hitting apply and it says it is changed, open gpuz and it says the correct 1200mhz clock, but i tried to run a benchie (new 3dmark) but everytime the bench ends the card has returned to the default 1125mv and back down to 1100mhz.

Am i missing something?

Im gonna run the new heaven 4.0 right now and keep bumping my clock up from 1100mhz until it crashes or i see artifacts, see where my max stock voltage clock is.


----------



## nikoli707

afterburner is only letting me go to 1100mhz, anytime i dial it higher it accepts it then reverts back to 1100 when i load a game or a bench. i cant change same with voltage, always reverts back to 1125mv no matter how small a bump i try to give it.

btw, hwmonitor says my voltage is .950 to 1.250, afterburner says is .806 to 1.250, and gpuz says is .808 to 1.211, i dont know which one to believe.

my temps aren't getting any higher than 63c(68f room temp)


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My 7950 *has ridiculous vDroop in demanding games -- nearly 900mV* in Far Cry 3. I'm shocked that my GPU manages to stay stable at 1150/1500 with vActual around 1.010V, but is such a large drop normal?


Do you realize 900mV is 0.9V? It can't have that much VDroop lol
Or you are running your GPU at 1.9V by some miracle


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Do you realize 900mV is 0.9V? It can't have that much VDroop lol
> Or you are running your GPU at 1.9V by some miracle


Sorry typo, meant 90mV


----------



## Deo Domuique

You must have extremely high ASIC quality then... Right? You're one of the few lucky dudes. 1150Mhz with only 1.010...

Do you play Battlefield 3 without problem?

But if your default voltage is 1.093, then you must have below 75% ASIC which probably means 1150Mhz with only 1.010 is not possible to be 100% stable.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deo Domuique*
> 
> You must have extremely high ASIC quality then... Right? You're one of the few lucky dudes. 1150Mhz with only 1.010...
> 
> Do you play Battlefield 3 without problem?
> 
> But if your default voltage is 1.093, then you must have below 75% ASIC which probably means 1150Mhz with only 1.010 is not possible.


My ASIC quality is indeed pretty high -- it's 89.7%

The default voltage the card shipped at was actually .949V, so it's running overvolted right now actually.

Battlefield 3 runs flawlessly too.


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdm317*
> 
> I have used the same card. The only successful way I found to change voltage is with Trixx 4.4b. Nothing else effects voltage. Pretty sure others on these forums will suggest the same thing. I was very frustrated, but trixx 4.4b came through for me.
> 
> edit: No other version of trixx has worked, and 4.6 seems to give problems.If its the blue pcb, AB doesn't work, even using the unofficial unlock method is useless.


I cannot find Trixx 4.4B anywhere. Do you know where I can find it? It's not available on the website. It would at least be nice to lower the voltage, 1.256v is a bit high for me.


----------



## saber101

lol i cant run at 1150mhz without putting the core to 1.28


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I think you just got a dud as far as overclocking goes. Most 7900 cards can easily hit 1150 on the core.


It can actually successfully pass a 3DMark11 run @ 1150, but it crashed once in BF3 - the temps were quite high though, around 70c. Even then, it was ridiculously loud.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Sounds like a total dud.
> 
> What is the ASIC score?
> 
> My HD7950 tops out around 1375mhz on the core for 3dmark11 benchmarks on water with ASIC score of 89%


It has an ASIC score of 65.1%. It this below average?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> Which card did you get as there's a lot of 7970s and brands. If it's ASUS that would probably explain the problem. As far as I know most use MSI, HIS, Gigabyte, and Sapphire (there may be more but these are key players). Most 7950 and 7970 do at least 1150 without an issue.


It's a Sapphire Dual X 7970.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saber101*
> 
> you got dud, as tiny tom logan always says picking a card is like a silicon lottery.
> even my sapphire can get past 1150
> anyway i thought the sapphire 7970 has a high stock voltage due to the fact it has its voltage locked


It would at least be nice to drop the voltage - it gets hot quick and therefore very loud.

I don't know what to do now. Would you guys return it? It has passed 3Dmark11 with 1130,1140, and 1150 clocks - if I can get this 100% stable would you consider it a decent enough compromise? Or return it and try my luck with a Vapor-X version, which is hopefully better binned?

I don't want to go without a GPU if the performance gained from the extra overclock is negligible, but then again, I have seen people hitting the mid 1200's and that is potentially an extra mhz I could get. My biggest problem is the high stock voltage, therefore this card is always going to be loud. I wish I could reduce it and get the heat down. Should I stop dreaming, and just game, or return it and try my luck again?

I have been particularly unlucky with my new build, as the 7970 has coil whine, and my new Seasonic x650 has the most ear piercing high-pitch coil whine


----------



## Stige

You people seem to rely on the ASIC Quality too much, it is still just a number and has no real proof of what it actually does/means.

My second card that I sold had 77% Asic while the one I left for myself only has 58% and the 58% one overclocks a LOT better than the 77% one did.


----------



## Snuckie7

If your card crashes in any kind of reasonable stress test, then it's not stable. An ASIC value of 65% is well below average, but I've heard that low ASIC cards have potential under water. So if you want a high overclock but don't want to watercool, it looks like you're going to have to return the card.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> If your card crashes in any kind of reasonable stress test, then it's not stable. An ASIC value of 65% is well below average, but I've heard that low ASIC cards have potential under water. So if you want a high overclock but don't want to watercool, it looks like you're going to have to return the card.


58.1% = Running stable at 1200/1450 for games with 1.275V
77% = Never got it stable for games past 1050/1300

So you are wrong there.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 58.1% = Running stable at 1200/1450 for games with 1.275V
> 77% = Never got it stable for games past 1050/1300
> 
> So you are wrong there.


I never made any direct correlation between overclocking potential and ASIC quality with air cooling.

I was talking specifically about Bennny's card, which we already know doesn't overclock well on air. The ASIC quality is quite irrelevant for his current situation because we already know the overclocking potential of his card. Under water however, that may be a different story


----------



## saber101

what is ASIC since i'm kinda new to this. mines 69.2% is that good


----------



## Maco88

Hi All,

I have a HIS HD 7970 reference card that I would like to have a go at overclocking, using a Third Party utility and since HIS doesn't have one, I am looking at either Afterburner, Trixx or GPU Tweak.

Could I have recommendation as to which one would best suit my card [if any??] or if they do just about the same thing.

Cheers


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I have a HIS HD 7970 reference card that I would like to have a go at overclocking, using a Third Party utility and since HIS doesn't have one, I am looking at either Afterburner, Trixx or GPU Tweak.
> 
> Could I have recommendation as to which one would best suit my card [if any??] or if they do just about the same thing.
> 
> Cheers


Afterburner or trixx i am fan of, either 3 would work with your card as well


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jonathan*
> 
> ASIC quality is meaningless by itself and there shouldn't be anything worry about unless it were really low, like sub-60%. The chances are even
> with an ASIC score of 100%, ASIC would be held back by less-than-100% quality PCB, VRM, etc.


This would explain why people with the same ASIC quality achieve different overclocks.

Your guys' thoughts?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> This would explain why people with the same ASIC quality achieve different overclocks.
> 
> Your guys' thoughts?


I like to think that ASIC quality implies a trend, not a rule, not directly related to overclocking potential either, but rather to the amount of voltage required to remain stable. That is why there is variance among cards of similar ASIC, but more than often, similar ASIC cards will require similar voltages to achieve the same clocks.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> It can actually successfully pass a 3DMark11 run @ 1150, but it crashed once in BF3 - the temps were quite high though, around 70c. Even then, it was ridiculously loud.
> It has an ASIC score of 65.1%. It this below average?
> It's a Sapphire Dual X 7970.
> It would at least be nice to drop the voltage - it gets hot quick and therefore very loud.
> 
> I don't know what to do now. Would you guys return it? It has passed 3Dmark11 with 1130,1140, and 1150 clocks - if I can get this 100% stable would you consider it a decent enough compromise? Or return it and try my luck with a Vapor-X version, which is hopefully better binned?
> 
> I don't want to go without a GPU if the performance gained from the extra overclock is negligible, but then again, I have seen people hitting the mid 1200's and that is potentially an extra mhz I could get. My biggest problem is the high stock voltage, therefore this card is always going to be loud. I wish I could reduce it and get the heat down. Should I stop dreaming, and just game, or return it and try my luck again?
> 
> I have been particularly unlucky with my new build, as the 7970 has coil whine, and my new Seasonic x650 has the most ear piercing high-pitch coil whine


are you just looking for your highest stable oc? i play bf3 MP with my 7950 at stock (900/1250), my i7 SB at 4.5 and my minimum fps never goes down 60fps. what i am trying to say is, you really do not need to oc your gpu with your chip using 1080 playing games.

my asic is 56%


----------



## Snuckie7

What settings are you playing at?

My 7950 at 1150/1500 can't maintain a consistent 60fps on Ultra.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My 7950 has ridiculous vDroop in demanding games -- nearly 90mV in Far Cry 3. I'm shocked that my GPU manages to stay stable at 1150/1500 with vActual around 1.010V, but is such a large drop normal?


I got the same card, and tested what sorta vdroop I have, 1150/[email protected],1V in AB, according to GPU-z 1,015-1,021V in Far Cry 3 on ultra, so yea I think it is normal...

But even at that voltage and at 69% fan speed, I hit 68C after 5ish minutes of FC3, got new thermal paste waiting on the table and I´m going to repaste it some day and see how much lower the temps can get...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> What settings are you playing at?
> 
> My 7950 at 1150/1500 can't maintain a consistent 60fps on Ultra.


1080 Ultra with 4msaa. Caspian Full 64 man server. how much oc you have on your sb-e?

when my chip is at stock my minimum fps go down to the low 50s.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> I got the same card, and tested what sorta vdroop I have, 1150/[email protected],1V in AB, according to GPU-z 1,015-1,021V in Far Cry 3 on ultra, so yea I think it is normal...
> 
> But even at that voltage and at 69% fan speed, I hit 68C after 5ish minutes of FC3, got new thermal paste waiting on the table and I´m going to repaste it some day and see how much lower the temps can get...


Heh same. My tube of Coollabs Liquid Ultra just arrived today, so I'll see how big of a drop I can get by swapping the TIM for that. Currently my GPU hits 70C at 55% fan speed and that's a little too hot for my tastes.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> 1080 Ultra with 4msaa. Caspian Full 64 man server. how much oc you have on your sb-e?
> 
> when my chip is at stock my minimum fps go down to the low 50s.


My 3820 is at 4.3GHz. Most of the time I can maintain 60, but any big explosions or heavy smoke will drop the framerate down into the low 50s.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> It can actually successfully pass a 3DMark11 run @ 1150, but it crashed once in BF3 - the temps were quite high though, around 70c. Even then, it was ridiculously loud.
> It has an ASIC score of 65.1%. It this below average?
> It's a Sapphire Dual X 7970.
> It would at least be nice to drop the voltage - it gets hot quick and therefore very loud.
> 
> I don't know what to do now. Would you guys return it? It has passed 3Dmark11 with 1130,1140, and 1150 clocks - if I can get this 100% stable would you consider it a decent enough compromise? Or return it and try my luck with a Vapor-X version, which is hopefully better binned?
> 
> I don't want to go without a GPU if the performance gained from the extra overclock is negligible, but then again, I have seen people hitting the mid 1200's and that is potentially an extra mhz I could get. My biggest problem is the high stock voltage, therefore this card is always going to be loud. I wish I could reduce it and get the heat down. Should I stop dreaming, and just game, or return it and try my luck again?
> 
> I have been particularly unlucky with my new build, as the 7970 has coil whine, and my new Seasonic x650 has the most ear piercing high-pitch coil whine


I dont use trixx but there are newer versions that you can use

https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/TriXX.aspx

A lot of people have had coil whine with the cards me not being one of them my card is quiet as it regards to that. They have reported that the sound disappears over time especially when you stress the card for prolonged periods of time. If your not willing to place the card under full load for hours on end i suggest you simply enjoy the card and play games. I assume you don't play games with the sound muted so that shouldn't be much trouble there it should disappear over time doing that as well. Hitting the mid 1250's is not guaranteed once again its hit or miss and that's how chips are. Afterburner has bugs and a built in limit for voltage control but that can be unlocked by using the unofficial mode you may want to search back a few for instructions or ask some1. Trixxx should suffice for you though and there's also asus gpu tweak as well. The fans on 100% will be loud that's a given with most cards not sure how good the sapphire cooler is.


----------



## kahboom

ASIC Quality is not entirely to be trusted, on my old system my 570's one is 98.9 and the other is 87% and the 87% overclocks better on air and on water with less voltage, so who ever came up with this formula was on a good one IMO.


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> are you just looking for your highest stable oc? i play bf3 MP with my 7950 at stock (900/1250), my i7 SB at 4.5 and my minimum fps never goes down 60fps. what i am trying to say is, you really do not need to oc your gpu with your chip using 1080 playing games.
> 
> my asic is 56%


Well, I want to play BF3 in single player with 4x MSAA enabled, and keep above 60fps. The card passes 3dmark11 @1150, but it just gave artifacts after about half hour BF3 at that speed. It was getting max 70fps and min 45fps on the desert tank level.

I am assuming my maximum playable overclock to be somewhere in between 1100 - 1140 range. The voltage is locked. I can't change it at all. The sliders are unlocked, but when I adjust it, it makes no difference. Is this an average or bad overclock for this card? It's the ref. Sapphire Dual X 7970.

I haven't gained anything from switching from a GTX 670 to the 7970 - well, part from the 2 free games, which is why I did it, but I just swear I read numerous times that the 7970 is definitely faster than the 670. Should've done a bit more research.


----------



## saber101

yeah you just got a bad card my 7950 oc can match a 670


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> Well, I want to play BF3 in single player with 4x MSAA enabled, and keep above 60fps. The card passes 3dmark11 @1150, but it just gave artifacts after about half hour BF3 at that speed. It was getting max 70fps and min 45fps on the desert tank level.
> 
> I am assuming my maximum playable overclock to be somewhere in between 1100 - 1140 range. The voltage is locked. I can't change it at all. The sliders are unlocked, but when I adjust it, it makes no difference. Is this an average or bad overclock for this card? It's the ref. Sapphire Dual X 7970.
> 
> I haven't gained anything from switching from a GTX 670 to the 7970 - well, part from the 2 free games, which is why I did it, but I just swear I read numerous times that the 7970 is definitely faster than the 670. Should've done a bit more research.


i never monitored my fps in bf3 sp because i trust that they be higher. here is what i get in mp, which to me is more demanding . . .



again, my 7950 at stock and my chip at 4.5GHz. smooth as hell. that was using 12.11 driver.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 58.1% = Running stable at 1200/1450 for games with 1.275V
> 77% = Never got it stable for games past 1050/1300
> 
> So you are wrong there.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> You people seem to rely on the ASIC Quality too much, it is still just a number and has no real proof of what it actually does/means.
> 
> My second card that I sold had 77% Asic while the one I left for myself only has 58% and the 58% one overclocks a LOT better than the 77% one did.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I never made any direct correlation between overclocking potential and ASIC quality with air cooling.
> 
> I was talking specifically about Bennny's card, which we already know doesn't overclock well on air. The ASIC quality is quite irrelevant for his current situation because we already know the overclocking potential of his card. Under water however, that may be a different story


ASIC is the quality of the internal circuits,

it does have an effect.

higher ASIC chips have lower voltage requirements, there fore easier to over clock on stock volts and overclock w/ air or (shudder) reference cooler.

lower ASIC Chips have higher voltage requirements because the quality of the circuits is lower and power droops/leaks out.

The reason LOW ASIC chips do better under water cooling is because you have to bump the voltage higher.

You can have a 85% ASIC, that doesnt mean the chip will overclock, it just means that the chip will run on a lower voltage because its internal circuits do not leak power.

ASIC has nothing to do with the Headroom for Overclocking. it just determines the base voltage. The Chip itself may or may not overclock.

High ASIC just means you wont have to feed the chip upwards 1250mv to get decent overclocks if it overclocks.


----------



## SkateZilla

As for BF3, since Catalyst 13.2, I've had to re-do all my OC Profiles.

So Far Im Stable at 1000/1400 at 1150mv in BF3.

I can bench 1150/1500 in 3dMark and stuff, but 5-10 minutes into BF3 and it crashes the driver. i think i have to feed more mv to it.

I used to run BF3 Stable at 1100/1500 1125mv stable. 13.2 changed the work load.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> As for BF3, since Catalyst 13.2, I've had to re-do all my OC Profiles.
> 
> So Far Im Stable at 1000/1400 at 1150mv in BF3.
> 
> I can bench 1150/1500 in 3dMark and stuff, but 5-10 minutes into BF3 and it crashes the driver. i think i have to feed more mv to it.
> 
> I used to run BF3 Stable at 1100/1500 1125mv stable. 13.2 changed the work load.


Skate, i never had a crash in bf3 (sp or mp). zero. but then again, i never oc my gpu. this is even using the latest driver. try to raise your cpu oc by 200MHz and see if you can maintain 60 minimum with your gpu at stock.


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i never monitored my fps in bf3 sp because i trust that they be higher. here is what i get in mp, which to me is more demanding . . .
> 
> 
> 
> again, my 7950 at stock and my chip at 4.5GHz. smooth as hell. that was using 12.11 driver.


Is this on Ultra settings with 4x MSAA enabled?

I have the above settings with motion blur and post processing off, and a 85 field of view.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> Is this on Ultra settings with 4x MSAA enabled?
> 
> I have the above settings with motion blur and post processing off, and a 85 field of view.


ok, i lied. aa post is set at high. i don't even know what that is for, so i left it alone . . .



wait, you do play with your chip oc'ed at 4.7GHz, right?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Skate, i never had a crash in bf3 (sp or mp). zero. but then again, i never oc my gpu. this is even using the latest driver. try to raise your cpu oc by 200MHz and see if you can maintain 60 minimum with your gpu at stock.


I Maintain 60 FPS with a Combo of Med/High Settings, at 6048x1080 at Stock 900/1250 Clocks. I can care less about ULTRA, it offers no advantage in competitive play, and cuts FPS in half. for little visual gain unless im starring at a wall.

Im just sayin', for the other guy that cant get a decent OC stable in BF3,
I was Benching Stable at 1150/1500 @ 1125mv before Cat 13.2, but BF3 would still crash, i ended up being stable at 1100/1500, 1125mv.
Cat 13.2 Put more workload on the gpus, as my once stable 1100/1500 OC at 1125mv is no longer stable,
After about 10 minutes, BF3.exe minimizes and Screens turn off, then come back when I CTRL-ALT-DEL, and hit Task Manager,
It gives me a "Driver recovered" pop up, But BF3.exe has since gone into a locked state, and will not restore or terminate the process,
so it requires a hard reset or wait for the kernel to Time out the thread and throw a blue screen up.

Like I said, Im Stable now at 1000/1400 1150mv in BF3, that's 0025mv more to get 100Mhz less on both GPU and RAM clocks,

I might be able to squeeze 1050mhz/1400 or 1000/1500 out of 1150mv, then I'll have to jump to 1175 and test more, Approaching 1200mv for me is uncomfortable without water cooling.

My results are different because I run across 3 screens, so it's 3x the work load, TBH I should be using a 7970 in Xfire with another 79xx card. But I was able to tweak my way around it.

A 7870XT Can maintain 1080p 2xMSAA, Post AA HIGH, and a Mix of High/Med in 64p servers fine too, I tested that last night.

Post AA uses Shaders to clean up edges instead of normal MSAA.

Edited: Fixed Google Auto Type/Correct mistakes and stuff.


----------



## Bennny

Ok that's better!

I am playing BF3 single player, with everything set to Ultra plus 4x MSAA and the framerate is consistently above 60fps. I would say 70 - 80 fps average. This is with 1050 core and 1550 mem.
It also actually seems smoother than on the Asus 670 I had - although that could well be a placebo. One thing is certain though, it is definitely faster.

I don't know what changed, but I think something must have been conflicting.

The mistake I made is, buying the regular Sapphire Dual X 7970 925mhz ref clock and not the Sapphire Dual X OC version. They were priced pretty much the same and I accidentally chose the wrong one. My mistake, but I wish they would differentiate the packaging a little more.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I should bother returning it. The current clocks are more than enough, and it will go to around the 1100 mark stable. Even if I swap it, and gain an extra 100mhz or whatever from a better binned chip, then I am only going to be left wanting more trying to chase extra mhz.

I think I should think a little more about the software!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I Maintain 60 FPS with a Combo of Med/High Settings, at 6048x1080 at Stock 900/1250 Clocks. I can care less about ULTRA, it offers no advantage in competitive play, and cuts FPS in half. for little visual gain unless im starring at a wall.
> 
> Im just sayin', for the other guy that cant get a decent OC stable in BF3,
> I was Benching Stable at 1150/1500 @ 1125mv before Cat 13.2, but BF3 would still crash, i ended up being stable at 1100/1500, 1125mv.
> Cat 13.2 Put more workload on the gpus, as my once stable 1100/1500 OC at 1125mv is no longer stable,
> After about 10 minutes, BF3.exe minimizes and Screens turn off, then come back when I CTRL-ALT-DEL, and hit Task Manager,
> It gives me a "Driver recovered" pop up, But BF3.exe has since gone into a locked state, and will not restore or terminate the process,
> so it requires a hard reset or wait for the kernel to Time out the thread and throw a blue screen up.
> 
> Like I said, Im Stable now at 1000/1400 1150mv in BF3, that's 0025mv more to get 100Mhz less on both GPU and RAM clocks,
> 
> I might be able to squeeze 1050mhz/1400 or 1000/1500 out of 1150mv, then I'll have to jump to 1175 and test more, Approaching 1200mv for me is uncomfortable without water cooling.
> 
> My results are different because I run across 3 screens, so it's 3x the work load, TBH I should be using a 7970 in Xfire with another 79xx card. But I was able to tweak my way around it.
> 
> A 7870XT Can maintain 1080p 2xMSAA, Post AA HIGH, and a Mix of High/Med in 64p servers fine too, I tested that last night.
> 
> Post AA uses Shaders to clean up edges instead of normal MSAA.
> 
> Edited: Fixed Google Auto Type/Correct mistakes and stuff.


i could care less about ultra either it just that i can play it at that setting with one monitor, so why not. i think it was kydack who said that you can't really see the difference sometimes between some of these settings and i believe him. i really believe, though, that if you can get away from oc'ing the gpu in games and oc'ing the cpu instead - that would be the best route. metro and prolly c3 are the only games i will be oc'ing the gpu to 1100/1575.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i could care less about ultra either it just that i can play it at that setting with one monitor, so why not. i think it was kydack who said that you can't really see the difference sometimes between some of these settings and i believe him. i really believe, though, that if you can get away from oc'ing the gpu in games and oc'ing the cpu instead - that would be the best route. metro and prolly c3 are the only games i will be oc'ing the gpu to 1100/1575.


I can run ULTRA Across 3 screens, but it will be @ 30FPS VSYNC, which just doesnt cut it in Sponsored gaming events.

I can Run Ultra on 1 Screen, but it would dip periodically below 60, so, Ultra w/ Dips, or HIGH with 60FPS Locked. and no advantage, well, TBH, the FPS Dips is a Disadvantage. I'll take the 60FPS Stable.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> Ok that's better!
> 
> I am playing BF3 single player, with everything set to Ultra plus 4x MSAA and the framerate is consistently above 60fps. I would say 70 - 80 fps average. This is with 1050 core and 1550 mem.
> It also actually seems smoother than on the Asus 670 I had - although that could well be a placebo. One thing is certain though, it is definitely faster.
> 
> I don't know what changed, but I think something must have been conflicting.
> 
> The mistake I made is, buying the regular Sapphire Dual X 7970 925mhz ref clock and not the Sapphire Dual X OC version. They were priced pretty much the same and I accidentally chose the wrong one. My mistake, but I wish they would differentiate the packaging a little more.
> 
> Anyway, I'm not sure if I should bother returning it. The current clocks are more than enough, and it will go to around the 1100 mark stable. Even if I swap it, and gain an extra 100mhz or whatever from a better binned chip, then I am only going to be left wanting more trying to chase extra mhz.
> 
> I think I should think a little more about the software!


Single Player is easier on the GPU than MP. I can run a Combo of HIGH/Ultra on a 6870 OC'd in SP and Maintain 50-60FPS, as soon as I went to MP with those settings, I was never above 35 and sat below 25 most of the time.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i could care less about ultra either it just that i can play it at that setting with one monitor, so why not. i think it was kydack who said that you can't really see the difference sometimes between some of these settings and i believe him. i really believe, though, that if you can get away from oc'ing the gpu in games and oc'ing the cpu instead - that would be the best route. metro and prolly c3 are the only games i will be oc'ing the gpu to 1100/1575.
> 
> 
> 
> I can run ULTRA Across 3 screens, but it will be @ 30FPS VSYNC, which just doesnt cut it in Sponsored gaming events.
> 
> I can Run Ultra on 1 Screen, but it would dip periodically below 60, so, Ultra w/ Dips, or HIGH with 60FPS Locked. and no advantage, well, TBH, the FPS Dips is a Disadvantage. I'll take the 60FPS Stable.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> Ok that's better!
> 
> I am playing BF3 single player, with everything set to Ultra plus 4x MSAA and the framerate is consistently above 60fps. I would say 70 - 80 fps average. This is with 1050 core and 1550 mem.
> It also actually seems smoother than on the Asus 670 I had - although that could well be a placebo. One thing is certain though, it is definitely faster.
> 
> I don't know what changed, but I think something must have been conflicting.
> 
> The mistake I made is, buying the regular Sapphire Dual X 7970 925mhz ref clock and not the Sapphire Dual X OC version. They were priced pretty much the same and I accidentally chose the wrong one. My mistake, but I wish they would differentiate the packaging a little more.
> 
> Anyway, I'm not sure if I should bother returning it. The current clocks are more than enough, and it will go to around the 1100 mark stable. Even if I swap it, and gain an extra 100mhz or whatever from a better binned chip, then I am only going to be left wanting more trying to chase extra mhz.
> 
> I think I should think a little more about the software!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Single Player is easier on the GPU than MP. I can run a Combo of HIGH/Ultra on a 6870 OC'd in SP and Maintain 50-60FPS, as soon as I went to MP with those settings, I was never above 35 and sat below 25 most of the time.
Click to expand...

I was doing the same thing with my 6870 but the MP wasn't much fun with 30-40s for FPS especially in very open space maps. Since getting the 7950 even just using the stock OC to "try it out" I noticed immediate improvement in the MP FPS. I'm not sure if I can notice any diference between High and Ultra, however it just feels smoother on Ultra so I'll just keep using that.


----------



## Stige

2013-02-08 16:36:52 - bf3
Frames: 22564 - Time: 300000ms - Avg: 75.213 - Min: 49 - Max: 117

2013-02-08 16:43:19 - bf3
Frames: 23808 - Time: 300000ms - Avg: 79.360 - Min: 45 - Max: 120

Those are from full 64 player Gulf of Oman server.
Ultra+4xMSAA, Motion Blur Off (Why does anyone play with it??)


----------



## nikoli707

afterburner is only letting me go to 1100mhz, anytime i dial it higher it accepts it then reverts back to 1100 when i load a game or a bench. i cant change same with voltage, always reverts back to 1125mv no matter how small a bump i try to give it.

btw, hwmonitor says my voltage is .950 to 1.250, afterburner says is .806 to 1.250, and gpuz says is .808 to 1.211, i dont know which one to believe.

my temps aren't getting any higher than 63c(68f room temp)


----------



## SoloCamo

What software do you guys use to record your frame rates in charts or find your min / avg / max while in game? I use the free fraps to see what it's currently at - but don't have a way to find out exact info and charts like that?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> What software do you guys use to record your frame rates in charts or find your min / avg / max while in game? I use the free fraps to see what it's currently at - but don't have a way to find out exact info and charts like that?


Set the benchmark timer at 5 or 10min in Fraps and hit F11 while ingame, simple as that.

FRAPSLOG.txt will have the text I pasted and you can find more detailed files in the Benchmarks folder inside Fraps folder then.


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Set the benchmark timer at 5 or 10min in Fraps and hit F11 while ingame, simple as that.
> 
> FRAPSLOG.txt will have the text I pasted and you can find more detailed files in the Benchmarks folder inside Fraps folder then.


Excellent, thank you. Didn't think it was available on the free version. At work now but will give it a go when I get home. Also want to make records of BF3 64 players with 4 cores / 6 cores / 8 cores with my 8350 and see how much of a minimum frame rate difference there is on caspian as hard evidence instead of my word against the masses that beliee the SP results are the same as the MP when it comes to cpu's.

Also want to see how well it does as 4 'true' cores in Skyrim vs having all 8 enabled. I recally back on my stock 8120 I gained 2-3 fps just by disabling 4 and keeping the same stock speed. Want to see what kind of results it shows on a vishera based cpu.

Plus this will help me determine if I need to bother overclocking my card for some games, especially online ones. Hard to judge at times with fps running.


----------



## kgtuning

Before I do it, does anyone know how thick the thermal pads are for a Powercolor 7950 reference design? I'd like to change the pads and change the TIM to hopefully bring temps down a little bit. Thanks.


----------



## SkateZilla

im still contemplating if i wanna rip my sapphire apart and clean replace the TIM, i still have some AS5 sitting around, wondering if that will work better than their stuff


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> im still contemplating if i wanna rip my sapphire apart and clean replace the TIM, i still have some AS5 sitting around, wondering if that will work better than their stuff


yeah I have some cool laboratories liquid pro sitting around from when I did my cpu. would love to see how many degrees it comes down.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> im still contemplating if i wanna rip my sapphire apart and clean replace the TIM, i still have some AS5 sitting around, wondering if that will work better than their stuff


A lot better


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> im still contemplating if i wanna rip my sapphire apart and clean replace the TIM, i still have some AS5 sitting around, wondering if that will work better than their stuff


i know you are not a noob but just be careful. as5 is capacitive. mx-4 is better.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> im still contemplating if i wanna rip my sapphire apart and clean replace the TIM, i still have some AS5 sitting around, wondering if that will work better than their stuff


your temps seem to be very good. why would you want to mess with removing the cooler.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1345122/sapphire-hd-7870-xt-based-on-amd-tahiti-le-chip/80#post_19296905


----------



## VinDoe

Hey guys. Having some trouble with my XFX 7970 if you would check out this thread.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1360642/xfx-7970be

Thanks


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i know you are not a noob but just be careful. as5 is capacitive. mx-4 is better.


I dont use that much, lol...

AS5 is also listed as Non Conducting... hmmm...

My issue is taking everything apart without losing screws, as I always seem to do, then when i vacuum or scuff my foot across the rug a day later it either damages the vac or the bottom of my foot.

Might be a Good weekend Project this weekend. As I need to look at these fans and find out why they my a bit of a grinding noise at 75%+ Rpm (it's annoying, I have to turn them down to stop the noise). It's a physical noise coming from the fans, not audible electronic interference or anything like that.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dont use that much, lol...
> 
> AS5 is also listed as Non Conducting... hmmm...


capacitive=/=conductive


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dont use that much, lol...
> 
> AS5 is also listed as Non Conducting... hmmm...
> 
> My issue is taking everything apart without losing screws, as I always seem to do, then when i vacuum or scuff my foot across the rug a day later it either damages the vac or the bottom of my foot.
> 
> Might be a Good weekend Project this weekend. As I need to look at these fans and find out why they my a bit of a grinding noise at 75%+ Rpm (it's annoying, I have to turn them down to stop the noise). It's a physical noise coming from the fans, not audible electronic interference or anything like that.


AS5 doesn't conduct electricity, it stores it. Thus having capacitive characteristics.

Have you thought about getting a magnetic bowl for your screws?


----------



## SkateZilla

well either way, lil dab, spread a lil, place cooler, check for excess around edges of gpu, cleanup, secure cooler and fans, tada!

$12 a tube, im not gonna use that stuff sparingly.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dont use that much, lol...
> 
> AS5 is also listed as Non Conducting... hmmm...
> 
> My issue is taking everything apart without losing screws, as I always seem to do, then when i vacuum or scuff my foot across the rug a day later it either damages the vac or the bottom of my foot.
> 
> Might be a Good weekend Project this weekend. As I need to look at these fans and find out why they my a bit of a grinding noise at 75%+ Rpm (it's annoying, I have to turn them down to stop the noise). It's a physical noise coming from the fans, not audible electronic interference or anything like that.


I would avoid AS5, get something that for sure won't damage your card. From my experience you have to put more thermal paste than normal on the 79xxs too, at least that's how my Lightning is, I had to put almost double what I normally would and saw a 12C temp drop from just covering the chip like usual. Not sure about you card but mine only takes 4 screws to get the heatsink off.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Have you thought about getting a magnetic bowl for your screws?


I second this, I always have a couple of hard drive magnets laying around for screws.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I would avoid AS5, get something that for sure won't damage your card. From my experience you have to put more thermal paste than normal on the 79xxs too, at least that's how my Lightning is, I had to put almost double what I normally would and saw a 12C temp drop from just covering the chip like usual. Not sure about you card but mine only takes 4 screws to get the heatsink off.
> I second this, I always have a couple of hard drive magnets laying around for screws.


I dont see anything wrong with AS5 when used properly (other than the Burn in time).

Im pretty sure it's only 4 screws.

But i need to take the fan off and look at where this buzz/grinding noise at 75%+ RPM is coming from. So that's more screws.

Last couple days I've been Idling in the 30s w/ 3 screens, and loading in the upper 50s,

I used to idle in the 20s and load in the 40s.. so i dunno why its a 10^C jump all of a sudden ( Alot of people are saying 13.2 increased temps on their 7900s too)

now when it gets warm outside, thats gonna start going up....


----------



## Stige

I'm actually gonna buy some Arctic Silver 5 simply because it is 100 times easier to apply then Gelid Extreme and there is like 1C difference max.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I would avoid AS5, get something that for sure won't damage your card. From my experience you have to put more thermal paste than normal on the 79xxs too, at least that's how my Lightning is, I had to put almost double what I normally would and saw a 12C temp drop from just covering the chip like usual. Not sure about you card but mine only takes 4 screws to get the heatsink off.
> I second this, I always have a couple of hard drive magnets laying around for screws.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I dont see anything wrong with AS5 when used properly (other than the Burn in time).
> 
> Im pretty sure it's only 4 screws.
> 
> But i need to take the fan off and look at where this buzz/grinding noise at 75%+ RPM is coming from. So that's more screws.
Click to expand...

You can get by on as5 but something newer like pk1 or shinetsu is better or even whatever is the current hot TIM. I'll share a lil secret. I use a very small needle syringe filled with a thick viscosity lube and inject my fans with it whenever they get loud. My fans typically get loud/annoying when they dry up. Even double ball bearing fans can make noise cuz of the motor assembly and not cuz of the bearings themselves.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I use PK1 and i have wonderful results with it.. Even on my blocks..


----------



## youpekkad

So I re-pasted my TFIII HD7950 with coollabs liquid pro, installation went fine (almost, I accidently applied too much paste, but it seems to be fine) and some of my results so far....

Before:

5 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V (~1,025V actual), fan speed @ 69%, max GPU-temp 68C, would go above 70C after 10-15 mins, in Far Cry 3 same settings GPU would hit 70C rather quickly, couldnt even dream about higher clocks.

After:

10-15 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V, max temp 61C, fan speed never above ~60%, 10 minutes of Far Cry 3, [email protected]/[email protected],144V (1,055V actual) ultra-settings, max GPU-temp 64C, fan speed between 60-69%, before re-pasting GPU would hit 75C after 3mins of BF3 using these settings...

So, as you can see, pretty massive difference, that stock TIM was grainy and cheap looking, no wonder it couldnt keep it cool enough lol.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> So I re-pasted my TFIII HD7950 with coollabs liquid pro, installation went fine (almost, I accidently applied too much paste, but it seems to be fine) and some of my results so far....
> 
> Before:
> 
> 5 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V (~1,025V actual), fan speed @ 69%, max GPU-temp 68C, would go above 70C after 10-15 mins, in Far Cry 3 same settings GPU would hit 70C rather quickly, couldnt even dream about higher clocks.
> 
> After:
> 
> 10-15 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V, max temp 61C, fan speed never above ~60%, 10 minutes of Far Cry 3, [email protected]/[email protected],144V (1,055V actual) ultra-settings, max GPU-temp 64C, fan speed between 60-69%, before re-pasting GPU would hit 75C after 3mins of BF3 using these settings...
> 
> So, as you can see, pretty massive difference, that stock TIM was grainy and cheap looking, no wonder it couldnt keep it cool enough lol.


I'm using pk1 but where do I get me some of that?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can get by on as5 but something newer like pk1 or shinetsu is better or even whatever is the current hot TIM. I'll share a lil secret. I use a very small needle syringe filled with a thick viscosity lube and inject my fans with it whenever they get loud. My fans typically get loud/annoying when they dry up. Even double ball bearing fans can make noise cuz of the motor assembly and not cuz of the bearings themselves.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I use PK1 and i have wonderful results with it.. Even on my blocks..


I also use PK1 for pretty much anything I need repasted and it works great.


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I also use PK1 for pretty much anything I need repasted and it works great.


Same here.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> So I re-pasted my TFIII HD7950 with coollabs liquid pro, installation went fine (almost, I accidently applied too much paste, but it seems to be fine) and some of my results so far....
> 
> Before:
> 
> 5 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V (~1,025V actual), fan speed @ 69%, max GPU-temp 68C, would go above 70C after 10-15 mins, in Far Cry 3 same settings GPU would hit 70C rather quickly, couldnt even dream about higher clocks.
> 
> After:
> 
> 10-15 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V, max temp 61C, fan speed never above ~60%, 10 minutes of Far Cry 3, [email protected]/[email protected],144V (1,055V actual) ultra-settings, max GPU-temp 64C, fan speed between 60-69%, before re-pasting GPU would hit 75C after 3mins of BF3 using these settings...
> 
> So, as you can see, pretty massive difference, that stock TIM was grainy and cheap looking, no wonder it couldnt keep it cool enough lol.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm using pk1 but where do I get me some of that?
Click to expand...

I'd be wary of using a liquid metal TIM on a gpu cuz the TIM is most definitely conductive and if you got it on the numerous ic around the die that could be disastrous. Cpus are different because the heatspreader is far from anything that could cause problems.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd be wary of using a liquid metal TIM on a gpu cuz the TIM is most definitely conductive and if you got it on the numerous ic around the die that could be disastrous. Cpus are different because the heatspreader is far from anything that could cause problems.


stick to the pk1, then?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> stick to the pk1, then?


Yeah, it seems like pretty much all the high end pastes are within a few degrees of each other anyways.


----------



## youpekkad

Yeah I found out after ordering that you have to be VERY careful when applying it because it can very easily kill the GPU if it gets in touch with the components near the GPU-die, I kinda wish I wouldve bought some non-metallic TIM instead, if you´re going to use it I say this 2nd time, you need to be very VERY careful.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can get by on as5 but something newer like pk1 or shinetsu is better or even whatever is the current hot TIM. I'll share a lil secret. I use a very small needle syringe filled with a thick viscosity lube and inject my fans with it whenever they get loud. My fans typically get loud/annoying when they dry up. Even double ball bearing fans can make noise cuz of the motor assembly and not cuz of the bearings themselves.


You should really be using 3-IN-ONE or sweing machine oil for fan motors, WD-40 if in a pinch but it's not really meant for this kind of thing. There's usually a little plug/portlet under the sticker that you can do this through. I have no idea what injecting TIM into a fan motor will do to it over time.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd be wary of using a liquid metal TIM on a gpu cuz the TIM is most definitely conductive and if you got it on the numerous ic around the die that could be disastrous. Cpus are different because the heatspreader is far from anything that could cause problems.


yeah, that convinced me not to use AS5, will have to get some MX4 or PK1.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I also use PK1 for pretty much anything I need repasted and it works great.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> I'm using pk1 but where do I get me some of that?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CattleCorn*
> 
> Same here.


This what you guys are using?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835242019


----------



## Cheese Cake

I replaced the TIM that was on the Devil13 7990 with MX-4 and decreased temps by about 5C. When I was taking apart the card, holy molly there was A LOT of TIM, I mean enough to do about 3-5 times.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> You should really be using 3-IN-ONE or sweing machine oil for fan motors, WD-40 if in a pinch but it's not really meant for this kind of thing. There's usually a little plug/portlet under the sticker that you can do this through. I have no idea what injecting TIM into a fan motor will do to it over time.


I'm pretty sure he wasn't saying that he injected TIM into his fans...
Quote:


> You can get by on as5 but something newer like pk1 or shinetsu is better or even whatever is the current hot TIM. I'll share a lil secret. I use a very small needle syringe *filled with a thick viscosity lube* and inject my fans with it whenever they get loud. My fans typically get loud/annoying when they dry up. Even double ball bearing fans can make noise cuz of the motor assembly and not cuz of the bearings themselves.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> So I re-pasted my TFIII HD7950 with coollabs liquid pro, installation went fine (almost, I accidently applied too much paste, but it seems to be fine) and some of my results so far....
> 
> Before:
> 
> 5 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V (~1,025V actual), fan speed @ 69%, max GPU-temp 68C, would go above 70C after 10-15 mins, in Far Cry 3 same settings GPU would hit 70C rather quickly, couldnt even dream about higher clocks.
> 
> After:
> 
> 10-15 minutes of BF3, [email protected]/[email protected],1V, max temp 61C, fan speed never above ~60%, 10 minutes of Far Cry 3, [email protected]/[email protected],144V (1,055V actual) ultra-settings, max GPU-temp 64C, fan speed between 60-69%, before re-pasting GPU would hit 75C after 3mins of BF3 using these settings...
> 
> So, as you can see, pretty massive difference, that stock TIM was grainy and cheap looking, no wonder it couldnt keep it cool enough lol.


I was thinking of doing the exact same thing and applying some Coolabs Liquid Ultra. Any tips to make sure the stuff stays away from the sensitive components?

And Should I put a little more than usual, or a little less? I've heard that the 7900 cards do better with more, but I don't want any excess paste squeezing out from under the cooler and shorting something either.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

ABNORMAL heat on the GPU when i play Dead Space 1.. I mean, comon. The game is from 2007, why is my GPU giving so much heat? The PC sounds like a jetplane and still.. The GPU doesn't get much colder than this..


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> 
> 
> ABNORMAL heat on the GPU when i play Dead Space 1.. I mean, comon. The game is from 2007, why is my GPU giving so much heat? The PC sounds like a jetplane and still.. The GPU doesn't get much colder than this..


Older games also do this to me compared to new titles. Just better optimized for the later technology I believe.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Older games also do this to me compared to new titles. Just better optimized for the later technology I believe.


I'm just afraid that i'll burn something..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> You should really be using 3-IN-ONE or sweing machine oil for fan motors, WD-40 if in a pinch but it's not really meant for this kind of thing. There's usually a little plug/portlet under the sticker that you can do this through. I have no idea what injecting TIM into a fan motor will do to it over time.
> 
> 
> 
> *I'm pretty sure he wasn't saying that he injected TIM into his fans...*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> You can get by on as5 but something newer like pk1 or shinetsu is better or even whatever is the current hot TIM. I'll share a lil secret. I use a very small needle syringe *filled with a thick viscosity lube* and inject my fans with it whenever they get loud. My fans typically get loud/annoying when they dry up. Even double ball bearing fans can make noise cuz of the motor assembly and not cuz of the bearings themselves.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Yep. Dude probably didn't read the post lol.


----------



## winniethepwn

I'm confused about what's happening with my 7950's voltage. It jumps from .950 to 1.250 under load. Stock. Is it supposed to do that? My last card stayed the same at all times.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> Is it normal for a stock 7950 to jump from .95v to 1.25v under load? Not familiar with this new technology. My last card stayed the same voltage under load.


You must have a ghz card. These cards operate within different powerstates which have different clocks and voltages for each state.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> Is it normal for a stock 7950 to jump from .95v to 1.25v under load? It's letting me push the clocks pretty far, despite afterburner not letting me alter the voltage. Not familiar with this new technology. My last card stayed the same voltage at all times.


yeah its normal. the idle voltage seems to be 0.95v in your case. also your voltage of 1.25v suggests you have the boost edition card.


----------



## winniethepwn

1.25 just sounds high, especially since people are hitting much higher clocks on less voltage. Is it possible to prevent it from jumping that high?

It's an MSI twin frozr on the old PCB, btw.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> 1.25 just sounds high, especially since people are hitting much higher clocks on less voltage. Is it possible to prevent it from jumping that high?
> 
> It's an MSI twin frozr on the old PCB, btw.


1.25v is the stock ghz voltage. It is lame yea! You have a ghz card right?


----------



## winniethepwn

This one.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667


----------



## tsm106

Was it refurbed or ah openbox?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> This one.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667


That's the card I have and the volts do the same thing. Idles at .803V, and jumps up to 1.089V (this was all at stock)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> This one.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
> 
> 
> 
> That's the card I have and the volts do the same thing. Idles at .803V, and jumps up to 1.089V (this was all at stock)
Click to expand...

But his card is loading at 1.25v so there's a ghz bios on it. Someone put it on there...


----------



## winniethepwn

So I got an open box card as new? Lovely.

The stock clock is also 960, as opposed to the advertised 880.

Now what.


----------



## tsm106

I dunno man. Your card is not a boost card so it should NOT be loading at 1.25v. It should be loading at whatever voltage that corresponds to your asic %, which should be from 1.1v and under.









ANyways, putting that aside you can just flash a normal bios on it and overclock like normal.


----------



## psikeiro

ran 3dmark11 extreme, still debating whether or not to put these cards under water when the h220 releases

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5924392


----------



## tsm106

You hit 1230 on air? That's potential gold right there.


----------



## winniethepwn

Meh. Point is, I paid full price for a used card. One that was apparently ran at a high voltage.

Tempted to fry it and return it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> Meh. Point is, I paid full price for a used card. One that was apparently ran at a high voltage.
> 
> Tempted to fry it and return it.


Just return it, no need to get nefarious. They made a mistake... hmm between us it's not the first time crap like this has happened with newegg.


----------



## winniethepwn

It wasn't newegg, it was from MC.

I realize I'm being dramatic, but now I have to cancel my plans to haul my ass down there tomorrow and explain to them that it's not nice to commit fraud, [hopefully] get my refund after 3-4 hours of arguing, buy something else off amazon, be without a card for a week, etc.

It also whines like crazy. Kinda like me.


----------



## tsm106

Ah MC. The return/exchange should be easy. They won't deny as long as you are within their terms.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> It wasn't newegg, it was from MC.
> 
> I realize I'm being dramatic, but now I have to cancel my plans to haul my ass down there tomorrow and explain to them that it's not nice to commit fraud, [hopefully] get my refund after 3-4 hours of arguing, buy something else off amazon, be without a card for a week, etc.
> 
> It also whines like crazy. Kinda like me.


MSI has updated the HD 7950 twin frozr with a boost edition. boost BIOS with 960 mhz boost clocks. the boost edition has higher stock voltage of 1.25v. here is a user who has this newer version

http://www.overclock.net/t/1354696/just-recieved-msi-twin-frozr-iii-7950-boost-edition

there must be a boost edition sticker on the box. if your card whines badly then you have all the right to get a new replacement.


----------



## winniethepwn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> MSI has updated the HD 7950 twin frozr with a boost edition. boost BIOS with 960 mhz boost clocks. the boost edition has higher stock voltage of 1.25v. here is a user who has this newer version
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1354696/just-recieved-msi-twin-frozr-iii-7950-boost-edition
> 
> there must be a boost edition sticker on the box. if your card whines badly then you have all the right to get a new replacement.


Word... the sticker is there.

I guess this is the new "phase" of the card, after the 7970 pcb.

Still, I have to wonder, wth is MSI doing shipping these with 1.25v at stock?! You can hit 960 at, like, under 1.00 can't you?

So now I need to figure out how to OC this thing. No matter what I set the voltage to, it jumps to 1.25 under load.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> ran 3dmark11 extreme, still debating whether or not to put these cards under water when the h220 releases
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5924392


yeah, 1230 and I'm only using 1228mV for those clocks.


----------



## lucas.vulcan

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/fphxe/

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5926575

SAPPHIRE HD 7970 DUAL X 925/1375 1.12V
OC : 1150/1600 1.20V
water-cooled by ANTEC 920, température max 48 C

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/dsci1028.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/dsci1029w.jpg/

Overcloking H24:thumb:


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> Word... the sticker is there.
> 
> I guess this is the new "phase" of the card, after the 7970 pcb.
> 
> Still, I have to wonder, wth is MSI doing shipping these with 1.25v at stock?! You can hit 960 at, like, under 1.00 can't you?
> 
> So now I need to figure out how to OC this thing. No matter what I set the voltage to, it jumps to 1.25 under load.


your card should easily run at 1100 - 1150 mhz at stock voltage. what you need to see if what are your core and vrm temps ? if core temps are below 70c and vrm temps below 90c you are safe. also coil whine sometimes gets solved by running a heavy workload like heaven through a long session , say a 12 hr period. also coil whine happens in some cases at high fps. so restricting fps with vsync also reduces coil whine in few cases..


----------



## tsm106

Welp, that explains it.


----------



## Snyderman34

Ok, so I'm moving back to the red team (thinking the extra VRAM and such will help when I get all 3 1440p monitors). As such, I'm looking for a good 7950 or 7970, preferably the latter. Any suggestions?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Hey Guys, no matter what setup you have, post your score here, we need some HD 7xxx

http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0/270_30#post_19302948


----------



## Gr0ve

So what's the general consensus on VRAM voltage? 1.7V safe?
My VRAM is maxing out around 1600MHz bench stable.


----------



## DOM.

mine stock 1.6v 1800 XD


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Single Player is easier on the GPU than MP. I can run a Combo of HIGH/Ultra on a 6870 OC'd in SP and Maintain 50-60FPS, as soon as I went to MP with those settings, I was never above 35 and sat below 25 most of the time.


Of course I realise this is the case. I get around 80fps single player, and I played on the full size Capsian Border map with 30 players last night. FPS stayed above 60fps 90% of the game. This is with 4x AA, so with a very livable 2x AA I would get a very comfortable frame rate.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> Word... the sticker is there.
> 
> I guess this is the new "phase" of the card, after the 7970 pcb.
> 
> Still, I have to wonder, wth is MSI doing shipping these with 1.25v at stock?! You can hit 960 at, like, under 1.00 can't you?
> 
> So now I need to figure out how to OC this thing. No matter what I set the voltage to, it jumps to 1.25 under load.


my gigabyte card was the same, 1.25 stock and volt locked. you need to flash the bios, theres no other way to do it, luckily gigabyte offers its own flashing software and multiple bios' on its website. the only thing you can do it flash it to a non boost bios.

try this one http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/124252/MSI.HD7950.3072.120524.html

good luck









jdc122


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Ok, so I'm moving back to the red team (thinking the extra VRAM and such will help when I get all 3 1440p monitors). As such, I'm looking for a good 7950 or 7970, preferably the latter. Any suggestions?


Asus HD7970 Matrix Platinum


----------



## Bennny

So no matter what I do, Afterburner monitors a constant 1.256V on my Sapphire Dual X 7970. GPU-Z however reports around 1.2V.

If my card is voltage locked at that stupidly high voltage, what can I do to bring it down? It's producing too much heat and noise.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> So no matter what I do, Afterburner monitors a constant 1.256V on my Sapphire Dual X 7970. GPU-Z however reports around 1.2V.
> 
> If my card is voltage locked at that stupidly high voltage, what can I do to bring it down? It's producing too much heat and noise.


Afaik, bios flashing to a previously released non voltage locked bios is the only thing you can do


----------



## jdm317

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> So no matter what I do, Afterburner monitors a constant 1.256V on my Sapphire Dual X 7970. GPU-Z however reports around 1.2V.
> 
> If my card is voltage locked at that stupidly high voltage, what can I do to bring it down? It's producing too much heat and noise.


Benny, is your card 1197-03-40g? If so, trixx 4.4 is the only way to adjust voltage. No idea why AB is showing more on the voltage monitor, I quit using it because my old sapphire 7970 would only respond to voltage adjustments from trixx. Owned for 2 months, it was an average overclocker. Couldnt mount a waterblock on it without milling blocks so I replaced it with my Diamond 7970. The version of trixx that worked best for me runs from the exe without installing into windows directory. Dont know if this makes a difference, but the other versions of trixx just would not work with that card. But the below file always did.

Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b-MOD.zip is the filename. I could upload it for you if you want.


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdm317*
> 
> Benny, is your card 1197-03-40g? If so, trixx 4.4 is the only way to adjust voltage. No idea why AB is showing more on the voltage monitor, I quit using it because my old sapphire 7970 would only respond to voltage adjustments from trixx. Owned for 2 months, it was an average overclocker. Couldnt mount a waterblock on it without milling blocks so I replaced it with my Diamond 7970. The version of trixx that worked best for me runs from the exe without installing into windows directory. Dont know if this makes a difference, but the other versions of trixx just would not work with that card. But the below file always did.
> 
> Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b-MOD.zip is the filename. I could upload it for you if you want.


It actually says on the packaging of mine - SKU:11197-11-40G... Is that the same thing?

I have Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0B but not the one you mention. This card is annoying me, it's getting so hot with the high voltage. I found the MOD file online, but thankyou for your kind offer. I'll give this a go. Simply install Trixx and adjust voltage, then run Heaven or a game and check GPU-Z right?


----------



## jdm317

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> It actually says on the packaging of mine - SKU:11197-11-40G... Is that the same thing?
> 
> I have Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0B but not the one you mention. This card is annoying me, it's getting so hot with the high voltage. I found the MOD file online, but thankyou for your kind offer. I'll give this a go. Simply install Trixx and adjust voltage, then run Heaven or a game and check GPU-Z right?


Correct. as for the SKU, I dont think its the same thing. Is your PCB blue? If so, it could be based off the same Non-ref design, but probably uses a different bios. If you can see an AMD logo anywhere on the PCB then its AMD Reference, and its not the same.


----------



## rhole

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932136

Sapphire Radeon 7970 3GB OC Dual-X ...

1.337v Core, 1.612v Memory
1320MHz Core, 6925MHz Memory

CoolLabratorys Liquid Ultra on the GPU. Crysis 3 MP beta temps average around 75 degrees at 70% fan last week. VRM 1 around 80 degrees C. VRM 2 always around 10 degrees lower.

Probably going to watercool at some point.

--

GPU-Z --> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/6hbdg/


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I was thinking of doing the exact same thing and applying some Coolabs Liquid Ultra. Any tips to make sure the stuff stays away from the sensitive components?
> 
> And Should I put a little more than usual, or a little less? I've heard that the 7900 cards do better with more, but I don't want any excess paste squeezing out from under the cooler and shorting something either.


Concentrate 100%, be extremely careful when applying the new paste, especially when you´re pulling off the syringe after pasting, also it is very easy to put too much paste and if you apply too much of it, it very easily slips off of GPU-die and can get in contact with those components, so pay attention.

Dont know exactly whats the correct amount, I think I put little too much of it, yet the temps are fine, it spreads very easily so you dont need to apply too much.


----------



## PatrickCrowely

Got one of the blocks on the cards, backplate as well, & single slot I/O...


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932136
> 
> Sapphire Radeon 7970 3GB OC Dual-X ...
> 
> 1.337v Core, 1.612v Memory
> 1320MHz Core, 6925MHz Memory
> 
> CoolLabratorys Liquid Ultra on the GPU. Crysis 3 MP beta temps average around 75 degrees at 70% fan last week. VRM 1 around 80 degrees C. VRM 2 always around 10 degrees lower.
> 
> Probably going to watercool at some point.


thats a brilliant overclock, especially on air. this coollaboratory liquid pro / ultra really works wonders.


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdm317*
> 
> Correct. as for the SKU, I dont think its the same thing. Is your PCB blue? If so, it could be based off the same Non-ref design, but probably uses a different bios. If you can see an AMD logo anywhere on the PCB then its AMD Reference, and its not the same.


It didn't work. I changed the voltage in Trixx with GPU-Z open and Heaven in the background. No change.

I guess I am going to have to be happy with it is as it is. I mainly wanted to undervolt it to bring temps down. I haven't had so much time to test it, but I did play some BF3 on it @ 1130 core. Unfortuantely, in the Bitfenix case, it get's pretty hot. The core is okay but the VRM's reach the 90's, and I don't want to have to run the fan so high. I guess I'll run it @ 1000 and try to keep it as quiet as possible. The performance at 1080p is more than enough anyway and I will no doubt be upgrading to an 8xxx series when they arrive.


----------



## thrgk

hey guys, Just wanted to see what the max vram and core temp is on a 7970 that would be ok to have. I have the 7970 wc with a swiftech block, and at 1.295V, 1250Core Mhz, 1700mhz, and 1.64V Memory Voltage, I get around 70C vram and 60C core, is that ok? Or is it too high for 24/7 usage?

Thanks


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> hey guys, Just wanted to see what the max vram and core temp is on a 7970 that would be ok to have. I have the 7970 wc with a swiftech block, and at 1.295V, 1250Core Mhz, 1700mhz, and 1.64V Memory Voltage, I get around 70C vram and 60C core, is that ok? Or is it too high for 24/7 usage?
> 
> Thanks


under 80 on both is ok. so, you may have to crank the fan speed up for higher oc's. OR include it in your loop, then just forget about it.


----------



## nikoli707

So after my previous comment went along without answer, and im back again reading all these posts.

My 6+6pin msi tf3 7950 runs 960mhz at the .950 to 1.250v that others are seeing, although the box it came in has no boost edition on it anywhere. Ive used ccc, afterburner, trix 4.4b and that trix 4.4b mod file, none of the software will let me clock to a higher speed than 1100mhz, and none will allow me to change the voltage up or down.

My card came shipped with the bios switch in position 2, i tried position 1 and it is the exact same .950-1.25v 960mhz.

So now i guess its time to flash one of those to a different bios? im so confused.


----------



## punceh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> So after my previous comment went along without answer, and im back again reading all these posts.
> 
> My 6+6pin msi tf3 7950 runs 960mhz at the .950 to 1.250v that others are seeing, although the box it came in has no boost edition on it anywhere. Ive used ccc, afterburner, trix 4.4b and that trix 4.4b mod file, none of the software will let me clock to a higher speed than 1100mhz, and none will allow me to change the voltage up or down.
> 
> My card came shipped with the bios switch in position 2, i tried position 1 and it is the exact same .950-1.25v 960mhz.
> 
> So now i guess its time to flash one of those to a different bios? im so confused.


i guess your best bet is to flash one of the 2 switches to a different bios indeed, the .95-1.25V and the voltage lock is related to bios as far as i know


----------



## nikoli707

What bios should i be looking for? Should i skip 7950 bios and look for 7970 bios?

What are the bios that other tf3 owners have had luck with?


----------



## Phlo

Hi guys,

I have a question that may seem stupid for you, but anyway here it is :

I bought a second-hand Sapphire 7970 Dual-X (non OC, blue PCB). The guy before me flashed it with a GHz bios (the Vapor-X one i think).

At stock the readings were 1050/1500 for 1156 mV. I was able with Sapphire Trixx to push the card to 1250/1600 for 1175 mV quite easily, and to play Far Cry 3 for hours without any crash. (Some crashes happened from time to time, but i just didn't take the time to optimize my overclock).

My problem is the following : i re-flashed the original bios (because with the GHz one, the HDMI connector doesn't work), and now i can't even launch any game when i try to overclock with Trixx...

Same card, same overclocking tool, same overclock preset, same game... different bios... Why and how does the bios acts on the overclock ?

I thought i'd be able to hit the same clocks with both bioses









Thanks in advance for your help


----------



## lucas.vulcan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932136
> 
> Sapphire Radeon 7970 3GB OC Dual-X ...
> 
> 1.337v Core, 1.612v Memory
> 1320MHz Core, 6925MHz Memory
> 
> CoolLabratorys Liquid Ultra on the GPU. Crysis 3 MP beta temps average around 75 degrees at 70% fan last week. VRM 1 around 80 degrees C. VRM 2 always around 10 degrees lower.
> 
> Probably going to watercool at some point.
> 
> --
> 
> GPU-Z --> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/6hbdg/


RHOLE for the bench is ok, by cons for the 24/24h you're burned your card, the limit of 24 hours is 77 C and 1.25V


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Afterburner or trixx i am fan of, either 3 would work with your card as well


Thanks for the reply stubass...

btw, where in Thailand are you.. my Rig is in BKK.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Afterburner or trixx i am fan of, either 3 would work with your card as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the reply stubass...
> 
> btw, where in Thailand are you.. my Rig is in BKK.
Click to expand...

hi, your welcome.

I am just outside bkk down in samut sakhon. So are you thai or an xpat like me?


----------



## Nwanko

Could a 8320 at 4.2-4.4Ghz be bottlenecking a 7970? BF3 MP64 map,ultra preset 1080p gpu usage at 60%, FC3 also at that %


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Could a 8320 at 4.2-4.4Ghz be bottlenecking a 7970? BF3 MP64 map,ultra preset 1080p gpu usage at 60%, FC3 also at that %


Highly doubt it. Even when I run my 7970GE @ 1225 core / 1625 memory with my 8350 @ 4ghz I'm usually at 99-100% usage even on 64 player matches. This is of course using all ultra settings @ 1080p. What drivers are you using? Both 12.11's and 13.2's worked fine for BF3 for me.


----------



## youpekkad

Seems like Metro2033 is THE most gpu-heavy game out there, or there is something else I´m missing, I played Far Cry 3 for ~10minutes (yea I know, not enough to tell if youre stable, but it gives you some idea, if it is 10mins FC3-stable, then it probably isnt too far away for being "stable", meaning it might need notch or two more volts) @1200/[email protected],144V on ultra and it showed no artifacts or anomalies, well in Metro, 1200MHz core artifacted even @1,225V , had to drop down to [email protected],144V for it to stop it, I dont know if it is just that single game, because for example 3dmark 11 passed no probelms @1,131V, feels just weird that it would need that much extra juice, temps were fine, didnt exceed 70C even @1,225V, is it just simply that the game doesnt like high overclocks or what? Anyone else noticed something similar? BTW Metro ran fine @1150/[email protected],106V.


----------



## Stige

World of Tanks with Maximum settings will stress your GPU more than any other game lol, it is so horribly optimized.


----------



## Kitarist

So is Gigabyte 7950 still a great choice?

Thanks!!!


----------



## Bal3Wolf

sniper v2 is another very demanding game it will artifact if you dont have the right volts like my top 7970 needs 1.26 for 1200 and 1.219 for 1150 the bottom one wont run faster then 1150 but needs 1.212.


----------



## SoloCamo

So... anyone else been having issues with CCC / vision control center refusing to launch? Doesn't even throw a code

-multiple reboots
-noticed after 13.2 install
multiple reinstalls of driver
-ran driver cleaners / ccleaner each time
-more reboots

Any ideas?


----------



## nikoli707

Skyrim with STEP mods is by far the most gpu heavy game ever made, and it will stay that way for a while, can bring dual 7970/680's and a 3960k to its knees and use well in excess of 3gb vram


----------



## DOM.

im going back to 13.1, 13.2beta5 been crashing alot when bf3 loading driver crashing with card at stock clocks


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> So... anyone else been having issues with CCC / vision control center refusing to launch? Doesn't even throw a code
> 
> -multiple reboots
> -noticed after 13.2 install
> multiple reinstalls of driver
> -ran driver cleaners / ccleaner each time
> -more reboots
> 
> Any ideas?


Checked the box of programs that start with windows?


----------



## SoloCamo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Checked the box of programs that start with windows?


It was actually set to start with windows - but never does...hrmm. Going to disable, reboot then give it a shot. Thanks, will report back if it works as I'm pulling my hair out at this point


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Wondering if the people who got the ((Never Settle)) bundle received their keys for crysis 3 on the email yet?
Game is close to release date and my wife have not received her key on the email yet..


----------



## Bossman4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Wondering if the people who got the ((Never Settle)) bundle received their keys for crysis 3 on the email yet?
> Game is close to release date and my wife have not received her key on the email yet..


I haven't received a key yet either, i sent AMD support an email hoping to get it resolved.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Wondering if the people who got the ((Never Settle)) bundle received their keys for crysis 3 on the email yet?
> Game is close to release date and my wife have not received her key on the email yet..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bossman4*
> 
> I haven't received a key yet either, i sent AMD support an email hoping to get it resolved.


Doubtful you will receive until the day of release.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Doubtful you will receive until the day of release.


I received my amazon dlc for dead space 3 almost a week before release date and was able to redeem that on origin just fine


----------



## thrgk

Hey guys, on trixx, how do i make it so it applies the settings I set when I boot up windows, it keeps going back to default voltage.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Hey guys, on trixx, how do i make it so it applies the settings I set when I boot up windows, it keeps going back to default voltage.


restore clocks on settings menu..
I would recommend you just create a profile and load that everytime you want to use it.
Just in case something happen with a bad overclock or something


----------



## thrgk

so 70c on clocks and memory is highest you guys go 24/7?


----------



## Bossman4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Doubtful you will receive until the day of release.


i mean that i never received a code to use to get the Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite codes







its been almost 2 weeks.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> so 70c on clocks and memory is highest you guys go 24/7?


on air i would do 80c core and 90c on vrms with a modest overclock just fine...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bossman4*
> 
> i mean that i never received a code to use to get the Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite codes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> its been almost 2 weeks.


They sent a email with a ref id number i guess for future problems with keys.. Telling us that they will send the keys when available.. *The problem is crysis 3 is 2 days of getting released and no key yet...*
Quote:


> Congratulations on the purchase of your AMD product.
> Follow the steps below to redeem your game offers:
> 
> BioShock Infinite
> 
> BioShock Infinite - Steam Download
> 
> We will be sending you a download code for BioShock Infinite as soon as the code is available. You will receive a follow up email that contains a game key that will grant you access to this amazing PC game.
> 
> BioShock Infinite release date is on or before March 26, 2013*
> (actual release date will vary by country)
> 
> Crysis 3
> 
> Crysis 3 - EA Origin download
> 
> We will be sending you a download code for Crysis 3 as soon as the code is available. You will receive a follow up email that contains a game key that will grant you access to this amazing PC game.
> 
> Crysis 3 release date is on or before February 19, 2013*
> (actual release date will vary by country)


Not that they will sent the keys 3 months after game release lol


----------



## thrgk

how about im water? I got a full cover swiftech block, keeping it cool as ice hehe, 2 360 rads


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> how about im water? I got a full cover swiftech block, keeping it cool as ice hehe, 2 360 rads


Mine dont go over 40c with 1300/2000 @ 1.27

on stock they run almost on ambient lol...


----------



## thrgk

what memory voltage is that, and are you on water?


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Mine dont go over 40c with 1300/2000 @ 1.27
> 
> on stock they run almost on ambient lol...


I thought my 1100/1500 was good with stock cooler lol.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> what memory voltage is that, and are you on water?


Yes im on water

My card have very good ram chips they overclock that high on stock voltage time to time they get stuck/freeze on stock voltage depending the enemy ((ambient temp..)) So a lil bump to 1.7v put the memory @ 1.65v aroundish on gpu-z that fixes my issues on freezing... That would be my highest setting for 24/7 overclocks on this 7970..

My first 7970 cannot even do 1600 on stock voltage...

Now if i use furmark it would top out aroundish 46c-50c depending on ambients..
Gaming is a walk in the park at those clocks..


----------



## Belkov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I thought my 1100/1500 was good with stock cooler lol.


You have 7950 and they were talking about 7970s...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> You have 7950 and they were talking about 7970s...


Well my 7950 which i have crossfired with my 7970 is 5c behind ... Required less voltage to achieve 1300 ...


----------



## Belkov

Well i can reach 1200 MHz core clock max but with almost 1.3 V and temps go too high. My 7950 isn't the best clocker i've seen on the net...







My 24/7 stable clock is 1100/1500 with 1.194 V. I can reach very high clocks with my memory but it doesnt matter so much.


----------



## rafety58

Is it normal that my idle temps are at 30C-32C with one monitor, but if I duplicate or run a second monitor, it will idle at 42-45C ?
With every one of my Nvidia cards idle temps would only go up 1-3C when running a secondary.


----------



## Bossman4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> They sent a email with a ref id number i guess for future problems with keys.. Telling us that they will send the keys when available.. *The problem is crysis 3 is 2 days of getting released and no key yet...*
> Not that they will sent the keys 3 months after game release lol


But i never got this email:
Quote:


> Purchase any qualifying Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, 7970 Series, or 7950 Series GPU and after the product ships you will receive an email within 7-10 business days with a download code for a free download of "Crysis 3" and "Bioshock Infinite".


i purchased a card from Amazon on the 5th and 12 days later they haven't sent anything. I hit up the AMD support email for the bundles to hopefully get some help since amazon support said they couldn't do anything


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bossman4*
> 
> But i never got this email:
> i purchased a card from Amazon on the 5th and 12 days later they haven't sent anything. I hit up the AMD support email for the bundles to hopefully get some help since amazon support said they couldn't do anything


In your package inside the videocard box there was a lil card that you scratch and it shows you a code?

If not return the card.. If you really wants the 2 free games..

The code you redeem in here
http://www.amd4u.com/neversettlereloaded/index.html


----------



## Bossman4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> In your package inside the videocard box there was a lil card that you scratch and it shows you a code?
> 
> If not return the card.. If you really wants the 2 free games..
> 
> The code you redeem in here
> http://www.amd4u.com/neversettlereloaded/index.html


i debated that but the card has been used ever since i got it. Wasn't anything in the box, figured i would get it in the email. I'm hoping by contacting AMD and showing them my receipt and everything that they can help me out









Edit: On amazon they don't send anything in the box, it gets sent as a separate email instead.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bossman4*
> 
> i debated that but the card has been used ever since i got it. Wasn't anything in the box, figured i would get it in the email. I'm hoping by contacting AMD and showing them my receipt and everything that they can help me out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: On amazon they don't send anything in the box, it gets sent as a separate email instead.


If you bought the card when this promo were active
Quote:


> Purchase any qualifying Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, 7970 Series, or 7950 Series GPU and after the product ships you will receive an email within 7-10 business days with a download code for a free download of "Crysis 3" and "Bioshock Infinite".


and they never send you the code to redeem the 2 games you can return the card solely for that reason ALONE....

IF you are still on the 30 days and even after those 30 days you can claim a refund... If they dont do it you call your CC company and make them do a charge back as easy as that... They loose twice.. they get charge too.. Not only they take the money away and return that to you they get charge like $100 bucks too.. Talk with amazon again call them.. Before doing the charge back.. Because they can deny future purchases from you after the charge back..


----------



## lucas.vulcan

hello
my sapphire 7970 is a sizzling when I play, you have also met this problem?

french :

bonjour
ma 7970 sapphire fait un grésillement lorsque que je joue, avez vous rencontré aussi ce probleme ?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucas.vulcan*
> 
> hello
> my sapphire 7970 is a sizzling when I play, you have also met this problem?
> 
> french :
> 
> bonjour
> ma 7970 sapphire fait un grésillement lorsque que je joue, avez vous rencontré aussi ce probleme ?


Thats normal, thats cap whine.. Use vsync to minimize it or i read some people leaving games like crysis on main menu (no vsync of course) running overnight for a couple of days and it goes away or step down in intensity.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Thats normal, thats cap whine.. Use vsync to minimize it or i read some people leaving games like crysis on main menu (no vsync of course) running overnight for a couple of days and it goes away or step down in intensity.


Leaving the card alone also works


----------



## Luke133

Hey guys Ive got a new Saphire 7970 GHZ edition got a good deal on it £283 (i actually ordered the saphire 7970 OC and got sent the GHZ ). Its the new version with the double 8 pin power connecter and it seems to have locked voltage at 1.256. Does anyone know if its possible to flash a new bios on it to gain voltage control ?

Cheers


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DOM.*
> 
> im going back to 13.1, 13.2beta5 been crashing alot when bf3 loading driver crashing with card at stock clocks


just installed beta 5 for valley benchmark, then played a deathmatch at kharg after reading your post. did not have any such issue. don't know what else to tell you.

oh, yes. i just used Device Manager to uninstall the older driver, reboot, and installed the beta 5. that's it.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rafety58*
> 
> Is it normal that my idle temps are at 30C-32C with one monitor, but if I duplicate or run a second monitor, it will idle at 42-45C ?
> With every one of my Nvidia cards idle temps would only go up 1-3C when running a secondary.


If the monitors are different resolutions yes, if they're the same res it should be idling lower I think.


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> hi, your welcome.
> 
> I am just outside bkk down in samut sakhon. So are you thai or an xpat like me?


Well i am there for 3 months at a time, so I'm not a full fledged xpat, though i spend about 2/3 of the year there, and the rest down under [Oz]. I have a friend who moved out that way about 6 months ago, though i have no idea where that is as I am near Asok.

How do find your temps, especially oc'ing a GPU?? Thailand isn't exactly a cool environment for a PC, temps tend to run a alittle higher.

I have a 7970, at stock playing Skyrim with everything Ultra setting, i am clocking between 60 - 70 c at with fan set at 55%.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> hi, your welcome.
> 
> I am just outside bkk down in samut sakhon. So are you thai or an xpat like me?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well i am there for 3 months at a time, so I'm not a full fledged xpat, though i spend about 2/3 of the year there, and the rest down under [Oz]. I have a friend who moved out that way about 6 months ago, though i have no idea where that is as I am near Asok.
> 
> How do find your temps, especially oc'ing a GPU?? Thailand isn't exactly a cool environment for a PC, temps tend to run a alittle higher.
> 
> I have a 7970, at stock playing Skyrim with everything Ultra setting, i am clocking between 60 - 70 c at with fan set at 55%.
Click to expand...

ahhhh, i certinaly know where you are







2/3's of the year, you are practically and expat








where i am is a province that borders the SE side of BKK along rama II road and is a few degress cooler down this way than in BKK as we get a lovely sea breeze and being more so surrounded by farming areas i dont get the heat one does in a city enviroment. still gets hot tho but i have found it hotter in Aust as i am from central queensland.

anyway, my temps on my crappy cooler card are around 60*C on both the vrm's and core on my current OC, thats running heaven or 3dmark11. i am not much of a gamer so cant speculate on game temps. m8ind you i need a pretty aggresive fan curve upto 90% to run my clocks. i need to reseat my cooler which will work wonders i hope with my card.

come around april when things get a bit hot probably will have an affect tho. we will see then. never had any issues with CPU overclocking tho.

talk more via PM if you like


----------



## saber101

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Mine dont go over 40c with 1300/2000 @ 1.27
> 
> on stock they run almost on ambient lol...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I thought my 1100/1500 was good with stock cooler lol.


lol cant be worse than my my idles at 48c and under load its around 68C at stock 76c when oc'ed , but dont mine as the fan is extremely quite


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Wondering if the people who got the ((Never Settle)) bundle received their keys for crysis 3 on the email yet?
> Game is close to release date and my wife have not received her key on the email yet..


Never settle or never settle reloaded? Did you buy it before crysis was added?


----------



## Bennny

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SoloCamo*
> 
> So... anyone else been having issues with CCC / vision control center refusing to launch? Doesn't even throw a code
> 
> -multiple reboots
> -noticed after 13.2 install
> multiple reinstalls of driver
> -ran driver cleaners / ccleaner each time
> -more reboots
> 
> Any ideas?


When I launch CCC it opens for a second, then I'm shown a Windiws crash box and it closes. I can't remember what it says, but it is persistent. Tbh, can't be bothered to find a solution at the moment as I am directly controlling the card through MSI AB.


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saber101*
> 
> lol cant be worse than my my idles at 48c and under load its around 68C at stock 76c when oc'ed , but dont mine as the fan is extremely quite


That is about where I am at on my 7950 running on 3 monitors.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Running DS3 on stock settings with my 7950, maxing the game out without problem. BUT it's constant 65 degrees, wich i think is pretty much. (The FX-8120 is running 45).


----------



## KaRLiToS

Hey guys with ATI 7xxx series, I need your help in the *Top 30 ----Unigine Valley Benchmark*

This is how it looks like right now. Much more Nvidia then ATI, never thought it would be like that.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Av6qtxIdHmWgdDFIdi1tcmZMSVlPRkozcDQ4ckJvQnc&output=html&widget=true


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Hey guys with ATI 7xxx series, I need your help in the *Top 30 ----Unigine Valley Benchmark*
> 
> This is how it looks like right now. Much more Nvidia then ATI, never thought it would be like that.
> 
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Av6qtxIdHmWgdDFIdi1tcmZMSVlPRkozcDQ4ckJvQnc&output=html&widget=true






It's because Nvidia is more user friendly to people who have no idea what they are doing. That's also one of the main things why it's used all over the world, and because rigs that are build from companys have Nvidia 90% of the time.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *winniethepwn*
> 
> Meh. Point is, I paid full price for a used card. One that was apparently ran at a high voltage.
> 
> Tempted to fry it and return it.


So.. You're gonna send a Card that hits 1230/1600+ on air back because it was repacked? and risk getting something worse back?


----------



## CattleCorn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> This what you guys are using?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835242019


Yup


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> Never settle or never settle reloaded? Did you buy it before crysis was added?


Never Settle Reloaded which is Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite i have the code/card in my hands


----------



## Belkov

Is it worth to flash my GB 7950 WF3 with gigahertz BIOS , which however lock my voltage to 1.25 watts?


----------



## DUpgrade

I just happeend to be on AMD looking for the SDK APP 2.8 and checked to see if there were any newer drivers and sure enough just before Crysis 3 launch they have release 13.2 beta 6 on 2/18/2013

http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/AMD_Catalyst_13.2_Beta6.exe


----------



## phillyd

More *here*


----------



## KaRLiToS

@*phillyd*, Nice rig and nice card bud









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> Is it worth to flash my GB 7950 WF3 with gigahertz BIOS , which however lock my voltage to 1.25 watts?


No it's not worth it.

And voltage will be lock at 1.25v (volts), not watts.

*tsm106* has a nice guide on how to Overclock your card using a single GPU

*The AMD How To Thread*

then go check in "*Afterburner install - unofficial overclock method*"

Follow the method step-by-step. Don't skip anything, and you'll have a better card then if you'd have flash it with Ghz Bios.


----------



## phillyd

Thanks Karlitos


----------



## SoloCamo

Go go go... download the new betas released today (b6)

I just topped my top score on beta 13.2 b4 of 1862 (was running fx-8350 @ 4.5, and gpu @ 1265/1750) with a score of 1887!!









Wanna know the difference? My higher score was on my stock 8350 @ 4.0ghz and my gpu @ 1200/1600... These betas should put the single 7970's back in the game now


----------



## ehpexs

Got a second 7950, excited to get it. I think my MSI 7950 may have problems driving this resolution though. Every now and then it will stop driving the monitor correctly. I'll attach the new card by itself and see whether or not it has problems to confirm.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> @*phillyd*, Nice rig and nice card bud
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No it's not worth it.
> 
> And voltage will be lock at 1.25v (volts), not watts.
> 
> *tsm106* has a nice guide on how to Overclock your card using a single GPU
> 
> *The AMD How To Thread*
> 
> then go check in "*Afterburner install - unofficial overclock method*"
> 
> Follow the method step-by-step. Don't skip anything, and you'll have a better card then if you'd have flash it with Ghz Bios.


The method he describes is totaly wrong and can cause desktop flickering, a LOT of it.

Correct method to unlock Afterburner is to put /xcl in the target field of the shortcut, start it ONCE from that shortcut, then reboot and remove the /xcl from the shortcut.

Voila, you are unlocked and no desktop flickering unlike with that "hack" method.


----------



## shremi

I finally had time over the weekend and finished my prodigy build with a 7970 all I can say is woooooow this card is a beast ....

Please give me your thoughts on this ...
1.250 volts which with vdroop equals 1.210 I can run heaven for a couple of rounds @1300 I still haven't played with the memory because I can't seem to find a program that lets me regulate the memory voltage ...

1.- can I still push the card higher ????? I am watercooled and I have read here that most of you guys recommend 1.25 volts for a 24/7 overclock I still don't know if it accounts for the vdroop or not .

2. What program can I use to regulate the memory voltage ???? I tried afterburner but the thing doesn't even allow me to push anything so I am using trixx atm

Thanks

Shremi


----------



## rhole

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shremi*
> 
> 2. What program can I use to regulate the memory voltage ???? I tried afterburner but the thing doesn't even allow me to push anything so I am using trixx atm


Afterburner should allow this.. There should be a little 'down carrot' to the right of the Core Voltage slider. clicking on this should show Memory Voltage and a greyed out Aux Voltage Slider.

Make sure you enable the correct Overclocking Mode in AB. Don't use the unofficial mode. Instead use this..
Quote:


> Create a shortcut to the AB .exe file, and add "-xcl" to the end of the target... For example... "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" -xcl
> 
> Close AB if it was running and remove the unofficial overclocking stuff from the .cfg file if it is there. Run this shortcut. AB will not lauch but instead a Dialog box will pop up and show that clock limits have been removed. Dismiss this and reboot! Don't skip the reboot. You can now overclock in AB without the flickering.
> 
> This has to be repeated after every new driver install though. As when the driver is updated clock limits will be re enabled. Just follow the same procedure and AB will still have saved your overclock settings.


Modded TriXX v4.40b allows Voltage Adjustment as well. But isn't as full featured as AfterBurner.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> @*phillyd*, Nice rig and nice card bud
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No it's not worth it.
> 
> And voltage will be lock at 1.25v (volts), not watts.
> 
> *tsm106* has a nice guide on how to Overclock your card using a single GPU
> 
> *The AMD How To Thread*
> 
> then go check in "*Afterburner install - unofficial overclock method*"
> 
> Follow the method step-by-step. Don't skip anything, and you'll have a better card then if you'd have flash it with Ghz Bios.
> 
> 
> 
> The method he describes is totaly wrong and can cause desktop flickering, a LOT of it.
> 
> Correct method to unlock Afterburner is to put /xcl in the target field of the shortcut, start it ONCE from that shortcut, then reboot and remove the /xcl from the shortcut.
> 
> Voila, you are unlocked and no desktop flickering unlike with that "hack" method.
Click to expand...

There are both methods in there doofus. Yea, totally wrong, I don't what the five I'm doing. Right...


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There are both methods in there doofus. Yea, totally wrong, I don't what the five I'm doing. Right...


I would recommend removing the "unofficial method" as all it does is cause troubles and issues for people.


----------



## SkateZilla

I really want to get a 7970 to be my primary and XFire my 7950 for the extra Umph, but i need to replace this Power Supply with a Single Ram 1100w, and I also need to finish with the PCI Ribbon Cable experiment.

And they'd need to be water cooled, so I'd have to build a Loop for both cards. or use H60's and mount one to my case floor and the other to the back, 1 for each GPU.


----------



## shremi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> Afterburner should allow this.. There should be a little 'down carrot' to the right of the Core Voltage slider. clicking on this should show Memory Voltage and a greyed out Aux Voltage Slider.
> 
> Make sure you enable the correct Overclocking Mode in AB. Don't use the unofficial mode. Instead use this..
> Modded TriXX v4.40b allows Voltage Adjustment as well. But isn't as full featured as AfterBurner.


Ill try that later on thanks + REP


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *shremi*
> 
> 2. What program can I use to regulate the memory voltage ???? I tried afterburner but the thing doesn't even allow me to push anything so I am using trixx atm
> 
> 
> 
> Afterburner should allow this.. There should be a little 'down carrot' to the right of the Core Voltage slider. clicking on this should show Memory Voltage and a greyed out Aux Voltage Slider.
> 
> Make sure you enable the correct Overclocking Mode in AB. Don't use the unofficial mode. Instead use this..
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Create a shortcut to the AB .exe file, and add "-xcl" to the end of the target... For example... "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" -xcl
> 
> Close AB if it was running and remove the unofficial overclocking stuff from the .cfg file if it is there. Run this shortcut. AB will not lauch but instead a Dialog box will pop up and show that clock limits have been removed. Dismiss this and reboot! Don't skip the reboot. You can now overclock in AB without the flickering.
> 
> This has to be repeated after every new driver install though. As when the driver is updated clock limits will be re enabled. Just follow the same procedure and AB will still have saved your overclock settings.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *Modded TriXX v4.40b allows Voltage Adjustment as well. But isn't as full featured as AfterBurner.*
Click to expand...











Trixx uses unofficial mode.


----------



## SkateZilla

i wonder if I can use the Artic Accelero Hybrid Cooler w/ the SwiftTech Full cover block?

ie, Mount the SwifTech Full cover block, then use the Water Loop for the GPU,

That's the only thing I dont like about the Artic Accelero is the shroud and RAM/VRM heatsinks

That and its $50 more for the 7900 version


----------



## nikoli707

Amd never settle reloaded

I got my crysis 3 game code emailed to me last night feb 18 at 8:01pm pacific time

just finished downloading the game.... 14,551.81mbs


----------



## KaRLiToS




----------



## Strileckifunk

Just wondering what kind of settings you guys are playing Crysis 3 with.

Anyone out there using a 7970 GHz? I know this game is a beast to run maxed out, but at 1080p I either get really low framerate dips w/ v sync, or pretty bad tearing without, but the frame rate never dips as low. Would enabling vsync in CCC instead of the game effect anything?

Edit: Also running the new Beta 6 drivers, but have never done a "clean install" with an AMD GPU. Anyone have a link to a guide handy?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*


Is that data set from the Valley bench?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> Just wondering what kind of settings you guys are playing Crysis 3 with.
> 
> Anyone out there using a 7970 GHz? I know this game is a beast to run maxed out, but at 1080p I either get really low framerate dips w/ v sync, or pretty bad tearing without, but the frame rate never dips as low. *Would enabling vsync in CCC instead of the game effect anything?*
> 
> Edit: Also running the new Beta 6 drivers, but *have never done a "clean install" with an AMD GPU.* Anyone have a link to a guide handy?


You want to use afterburner to limit frames or radeonpro with its dynamic vsync/limiter. There's a guide for radeon pro, gotta search for it cuz I don't use it but it works.

Install wise, not much to do. Just run the driver.exe, choose install to install and choose uninstall to uninstall. Beyond that there's a few guides, and I've written one myself but honestly ya don't need them. Just run the driver.exe, pick your poison and off you go.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Yes. I will update the thread tomorrow, I think I tuned the OP for like 10 hours today, for minimal details, but I think its almost perfect now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yes. I will update the thread tomorrow, I think I tuned the OP for like 10 hours today, for minimal details, but I think its almost perfect now.


Whoa, yer making all the other bench thread owners look bad.


----------



## psikeiro

Did some Crysis 3 benchmarking on its first level, for only 60 seconds, all images pertaining to are here:



Settings at 1920x1080 

Settings at 5760x1080 

Settings used for both resolutions 

Crysis 3 Campaign FPS 

Crysis 3 Campaign FPS Min/Max/Avg 

Crysis 3 Campaign Frame TImes 

PC Settings 

CPU validation http://valid.canardpc.com/2700675

Video Cards Validation http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/m6843/

Video


----------



## phillyd

I'll take more and run some benchmarks tomorrow. This is with a single 7950 @ stock clocks. I am getting minimums around 40 and maxes (inside) of over 80, gonna get radeon pro to limit FPS, but tearing is barely noticeable. AA is off but Aliasing is barely existent.


----------



## tsm106

How is the gameplay? Is it jittery at all?


----------



## phillyd

Exceptionally smooth. Usually stays around 60, and no frames are hanging.


----------



## disintegratorx

Thank you tsm. Worked like a charm with these new beta drivers.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How is the gameplay? Is it jittery at all?


feels unbelievably smooth at 1920x1080 maxxed out entirely, not at 5760x1080, as you can see =S


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> feels unbelievably smooth at 1920x1080 maxxed out entirely, not at 5760x1080, as you can see =S


Not surprising for a console port ...


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Not surprising for a concole port ...


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*


Not?








I read about that some months ago.
Dont care really, besides the graphics not much great about the game anyway according to most reviews...


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Not?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I read about that some months ago.
> Dont care really, besides the graphics not much great about the game anyway according to most reviews...


PC reviews? The PC reviews I've seen are praising Crysis 3 graphics...it's not a huge jump like it was when The Chronicles of Riddick>Far Cry>Crysis released, but undoubtedly it's one of the best looking game out there. Don't know about playability, I expect it to be amazing but less fun than Crysis/Far Cry 3 open world do-what-you-want


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> feels unbelievably smooth at 1920x1080 maxxed out entirely, not at 5760x1080, as you can see =S


Post like this pleases me from a crossfire user.


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> PC reviews? The PC reviews I've seen are praising Crysis 3 graphics...it's not a huge jump like it was when The Chronicles of Riddick>Far Cry>Crysis released, but undoubtedly it's one of the best looking game out there. Don't know about playability, I expect it to be amazing but less fun than Crysis/Far Cry 3 open world do-what-you-want


Thats what I said, no?
only thing really great are the graphics, rest is not that great, specially the AI and campaign is too easy according to reviews I've read.


----------



## disintegratorx

The graphics seem to be better in this newest Catalyst beta driver, but I'm actually getting some lower frame rates in certain areas, when I play BF3, so I hope its something that'll get worked out or I may go back to an older driver, Either way, but I just thought that I'd mention it here.









Oh hell yeah, Crysis! I'll be picking that up as soon as I can.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thats what I said, no?
> only thing really great are the graphics, rest is not that great, specially the AI and campaign is too easy according to reviews I've read.


Ah, my mistake. I thought you we're talking about graphics, not gameplay. In this case, we're in the same boat


----------



## BradleyW

How is crysis 3 performing in DX11 mode for Crossfire anyone?


----------



## sooyong94

Hi guys, what's the difference between these two?
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1841&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1713&psn=&lid=1&leg=0#
Is there any difference in terms of cooling and performance? Other than the looks and the bundled accessories.


----------



## Stige

Color and capslock in name? lol


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Whoa, yer making all the other bench thread owners look bad.


Thats not my intention.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> PC reviews? The PC reviews I've seen are praising Crysis 3 graphics...it's not a huge jump like it was when The Chronicles of Riddick>Far Cry>Crysis released, but undoubtedly it's one of the best looking game out there. Don't know about playability, I expect it to be amazing but less fun than Crysis/Far Cry 3 open world do-what-you-want
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thats what I said, no?
> only thing really great are the graphics, rest is not that great, specially the AI and campaign is too easy according to reviews I've read.
Click to expand...

I already love this game to death, regardless of graphics.


----------



## saber101

huh you dont say this is the first GPU i ever had that turns off its fan 100% when idle, and my pc is clearly on while monitor is on hybrid mode. liking this card already despite getting pretty low frames on far cry 3(26min to 35-ish avg. 60 max)


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Saying crysis 3 is not impressive is just talking crap... Thinking what game out there look this good now and even in a couple of years...

Technology wise "IMPACT" well not that much more polish yeah...

Still thinking about crysis 1 and this people calling it OPEN WORLD do what you want....
Dont make no sense to me at all...

Open areas yes, fewer enemies in that open area yes..
Open world??????????? Mission tasks in THAT OPEN WORLD>>>>??????
Waste of space.....


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> No it's not worth it.
> 
> And voltage will be lock at 1.25v (volts), not watts.
> 
> *tsm106* has a nice guide on how to Overclock your card using a single GPU
> 
> *The AMD How To Thread*
> 
> then go check in "*Afterburner install - unofficial overclock method*"
> 
> Follow the method step-by-step. Don't skip anything, and you'll have a better card then if you'd have flash it with Ghz Bios.


What I should do when using only AB didn't overclock so good as 1Ghz BIOS. With 'normal' BIOS I put 1.25v on AB and it barrelly overclocked 20-50Mhz, but with this 1Ghz BIOS Im on 1050Mhz/1575Mhz and I would say its stable but computer crashes if I put automatic screen turn off from Windows power options.


----------



## BinZz

After installing the new 13.2beta 5 drivers , i am having an issue where MSI AB and HWINFO64 both don't show the information regarding two cards of three.
It only shows the information (temp , usage , .... etc) for the first one.
Any one else is having this issue?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BinZz*
> 
> After installing the new 13.2beta 5 drivers , i am having an issue where MSI AB and HWINFO64 both don't show the information regarding two cards of three.
> It only shows the information (temp , usage , .... etc) for the first one.
> Any one else is having this issue?


Beta 6 is the newest driver.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sooyong94*
> 
> Hi guys, what's the difference between these two?
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1841&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1713&psn=&lid=1&leg=0#
> Is there any difference in terms of cooling and performance? Other than the looks and the bundled accessories.


That's pretty much it.


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BinZz*
> 
> After installing the new 13.2beta 5 drivers , i am having an issue where MSI AB and HWINFO64 both don't show the information regarding two cards of three.
> It only shows the information (temp , usage , .... etc) for the first one.
> Any one else is having this issue?


oh!
ok , I am going to try this one.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BinZz*
> 
> After installing the new 13.2beta 5 drivers , i am having an issue where MSI AB and HWINFO64 both don't show the information regarding two cards of three.
> It only shows the information (temp , usage , .... etc) for the first one.
> Any one else is having this issue?


I forgot to meantion, that is simply because the cards are in powered down state when you launch HWInfo.

Disable ULPS or run something so the cards start up and HWInfo will show them all then.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I forgot to meantion, that is simply because the cards are in powered down state when you launch HWInfo.
> 
> Disable ULPS or run something so the cards start up and HWInfo will show them all then.


I always disable ulps after i install new drivers i can say i have 0 issues with my crossfire aslong as i keep it disabled.


----------



## disintegratorx

Scratch my last comment about the lowering frame rates with the newest beta driver. Turns out it was the game that I was playing and not the driver. Actually the new beta driver is running pretty well with my rig. I do like the increased amount of detail with the graphics.


----------



## Zan30

Hi Guys just wanted to say hello to everyone in the club & introduce my self hope to chat to you soon


----------



## coolfat

Hi guys! Im new also. Hope everything is cool


----------



## BinZz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I forgot to meantion, that is simply because the cards are in powered down state when you launch HWInfo.
> 
> Disable ULPS or run something so the cards start up and HWInfo will show them all then.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> I always disable ulps after i install new drivers i can say i have 0 issues with my crossfire aslong as i keep it disabled.


I did not have this issue before.
It only occurred after i changed the drivers.
And i always have ulps enabled (Electricity bill!)









Is there is a way to be able to toggle ulps on and off ?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BinZz*
> 
> I did not have this issue before.
> It only occurred after i changed the drivers.
> And i always have ulps enabled (Electricity bill!)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is there is a way to be able to toggle ulps on and off ?


Yea this guy made a a bat file you can run then reboot to turn it on and off easy. And even with ulps disabled my cards still thottle down to idle volts and clocks.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1088266/ulps-gui-config-utility-enable-disable/0_100


----------



## lucas.vulcan

how to not hear the noise ?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucas.vulcan*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> how to not hear the noise ?


I have this noise as well. In fact I have had this hissing noise on my 580's as well. It is normal.


----------



## phillyd

My 7950 is weirdly loud sometimes coil whine gets REALLY loud.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> My 7950 is weirdly loud sometimes coil whine gets REALLY loud.


My Fans Get loud above 75%,

Also Desktop Accelerated apps (Google Chrome Etc), put buzzing in my headphones when open,

Sitting on the desktop is fine, but as soon as I open a browser window i get this faint buzzing that changes pitch as i click links or scroll the page..

I also get it in games, but I cant hear it in BF3 over the TeamSpeak chatter and gun fire.. lol.

Not sure if it's the infamous coil whine, or some kind of interference being sent to my headphones somehow (the XFi Plat. Fatal1ty Champion is well shielded). dont hav ethe problem when I was running the 8800 GTS in place of the 7950 when I sent it to RMA.


----------



## phillyd

Mine is not through the speakers, comes straight from. The GPU


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> My 7950 is weirdly loud sometimes coil whine gets REALLY loud.


would change the card for another.
it might be the card or a combination with the PSU.

Might be able to tweak using some program like afterburner for 3d set up.
personally would never accept coil whine.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My Fans Get loud above 75%,
> 
> Also Desktop Accelerated apps (Google Chrome Etc), put buzzing in my headphones when open,
> 
> Sitting on the desktop is fine, but as soon as I open a browser window i get this faint buzzing that changes pitch as i click links or scroll the page..
> 
> I also get it in games, but I cant hear it in BF3 over the TeamSpeak chatter and gun fire.. lol.
> 
> Not sure if it's the infamous coil whine, or some kind of interference being sent to my headphones somehow (the XFi Plat. Fatal1ty Champion is well shielded). dont hav ethe problem when I was running the 8800 GTS in place of the 7950 when I sent it to RMA.


tunred off hardware acceleration for the browser?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> I always disable ulps after i install new drivers i can say i have 0 issues with my crossfire aslong as i keep it disabled.


No truer words ever spoken, my crossfire works great too, because I always have it disabled.


----------



## King4x4

Well guys sorry to say but I just went green with a couple of 680s 4GB been fun while I was on the red team but I went green for different taste.

ALWAYS DISABLE ULPS!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Well guys sorry to say but I just went green with a couple of 680s 4GB been fun while I was on the red team but I went green for different taste.
> 
> ALWAYS DISABLE ULPS!


You are now the enemy. Watch your back pal!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King4x4*
> 
> Well guys sorry to say but I just went green with a couple of 680s 4GB been fun while I was on the red team but I went green for different taste.
> 
> ALWAYS DISABLE ULPS!


I'll remove you TOP 30 entry then


----------



## King4x4

What?! and lose an AMD position?


----------



## Lizard22

hi all I have a temperature problem with my gpu in crossfire, temperatures are well 29c idle to 34c degrees, the problem is in the fray with a little more voltage, my second gpu reaches 90c degrees, however the first 70c reaches a difference of +20 degrees.
msi 7950 gpu1 = 2PMD
msi 7950 twingfroze GPU2 = V2

thank you for your help, and will be a matter of thermal paste


----------



## KaRLiToS

You going with the Green team, look at this. Green is more popular but receive an average rank of 18 outta 30 in Unigine Valley.

Red, much less popular but much better Average rank.

*Conclusion*: you can do it yourself.





Spoiler: Don't forget this graph too, TriFire VS Tri-SLI !


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> 
> hi all I have a temperature problem with my gpu in crossfire, temperatures are well 29c idle to 34c degrees, the problem is in the fray with a little more voltage, my second gpu reaches 90c degrees, however the first 70c reaches a difference of +20 degrees.
> msi 7950 gpu1 = 2PMD
> msi 7950 twingfroze GPU2 = V2
> 
> thank you for your help, and will be a matter of thermal paste


Make sure you have a very high standard side fan blowing air onto the GPU's. Add a second fan, such as a NF F12 fan between the cards so air is blown down the gap from the right end to the I/O area. This in combination should reduce the 20c gap to around 15c or lower. (Of course, many other factors determine the temps).

In fact, test both cards on their own and see if one runs hotter than the other in general!
If yes, put the hotter card at the bottom


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Make sure you have a very high standard side fan blowing air onto the GPU's. Add a second fan, such as a NF F12 fan between the cards so air is blown down the gap from the right end to the I/O area. This in combination should reduce the 20c gap to around 15c or lower. (Of course, many other factors determine the temps).
> 
> In fact, test both cards on their own and see if one runs hotter than the other in general!
> If yes, put the hotter card at the bottom


Every XFire Setup I've had, the Top Card was always at 100% Fan, the Automatic Profile lets it go too long before spooling up.


----------



## zoidbergslo

Hello

I didn't want to open another thread for this so her it goes. I decided to not wait for next gen since its so far away and 4870x2 is not really cooperating with me even after I baked it.

I was looking for new card and 7950 seemed to be good candidate and I almost decided on Sapphire Vapor-x but then I read there are lots of problems with VRM temperatures. What do you guys recommend.

Pricelist of what I can get here
Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB WindForce 3X - 278.40 €
MSI Radeon HD 7950 3GB Twin Frozr OC BE - 294.00 €
Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Boost - 284.40 €
Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB FleX OC Boost - 292.80 €
Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Vapor-X OC Boost - 289.20 €

So prices are so close that it does not matter









MSI was looking nice on reviews but fan was loudest of them all, also they started shipping card on different PCB but that probably does not matter. Don't know about Gigabyte it had good reviews (no vrm heatsink but still good temps there).


----------



## Belkov

GB 7950 WF3 is with the best cooler. I have one and even with 1.3V. VRM temps stay a little higher than core temp(around 2-3 degrees more). But asics quality of GB cards is known as one of the lowest- for example mine is 58.4%. I can clock it right up to 1200MHz of the core but with too much power - 1.3V. For 1100MHz i need 1.194V. But it's very cool and silent card and may be you'll take a good clocker. MSI TF3 is with the second best cooler(for me) and i would buy it or GB WF3. Vapor-X would be my third choice. I don't have observations on the other two cards.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> Hello
> 
> I didn't want to open another thread for this so her it goes. I decided to not wait for next gen since its so far away and 4870x2 is not really cooperating with me even after I baked it.
> 
> I was looking for new card and 7950 seemed to be good candidate and I almost decided on Sapphire Vapor-x but then I read there are lots of problems with VRM temperatures. What do you guys recommend.
> 
> Pricelist of what I can get here
> Gigabyte Radeon HD 7950 3GB WindForce 3X - 278.40 €
> MSI Radeon HD 7950 3GB Twin Frozr OC BE - 294.00 €
> Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Boost - 284.40 €
> Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB FleX OC Boost - 292.80 €
> Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 3GB Vapor-X OC Boost - 289.20 €
> 
> So prices are so close that it does not matter
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> MSI was looking nice on reviews but fan was loudest of them all, also they started shipping card on different PCB but that probably does not matter. Don't know about Gigabyte it had good reviews (no vrm heatsink but still good temps there).


Sapphire boost IMO, or HIS IceQ boost, if you can find one.

None of them are bad tho so cant go wrong with either one.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *flopper*
> 
> would change the card for another.
> it might be the card or a combination with the PSU.
> 
> Might be able to tweak using some program like afterburner for 3d set up.
> personally would never accept coil whine.


Why? I swear people seem to love RMAing.
You end up paying the price of shipping just to receive a refurbed card that may or may not have the same issues your old card has and is worth less when you sell it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My Fans Get loud above 75%,
> 
> Also Desktop Accelerated apps (Google Chrome Etc), put buzzing in my headphones when open,
> 
> Sitting on the desktop is fine, but as soon as I open a browser window i get this faint buzzing that changes pitch as i click links or scroll the page..
> 
> I also get it in games, but I cant hear it in BF3 over the TeamSpeak chatter and gun fire.. lol.
> 
> Not sure if it's the infamous coil whine, or some kind of interference being sent to my headphones somehow (the XFi Plat. Fatal1ty Champion is well shielded). dont hav ethe problem when I was running the 8800 GTS in place of the 7950 when I sent it to RMA.


Sounds like electrical interference. Have you tried another pair of headphones or speakers?


----------



## Mackem

Which of these is best cooling/performance?

Gigabyte Windforce 3X Radeon HD 7950 AMD Graphics Card - 3GB - *£239.75*
MSI HD7950 TwinFrozr OC BE AMD/ATI Graphics Card - 3GB - *£238.55*
Sapphire HD7950 Vapox-X AMD/ATI Graphics Card - 3GB - *£251.75*


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Every XFire Setup I've had, the Top Card was always at 100% Fan, the Automatic Profile lets it go too long before spooling up.


I seem to be on 50% fan on both cards here with auto fan. I can't hear the fans usually.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I seem to be on 50% fan on both cards here with auto fan. I can't hear the fans usually.


I meant I forced 100%


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Which of these is best cooling/performance?
> 
> Gigabyte Windforce 3X Radeon HD 7950 AMD Graphics Card - 3GB - *£239.75*
> MSI HD7950 TwinFrozr OC BE AMD/ATI Graphics Card - 3GB - *£238.55*
> Sapphire HD7950 Vapox-X AMD/ATI Graphics Card - 3GB - *£251.75*


All three are good cards. The Vapor-X cooler works great, the TF3 works fine too, but it does have to work harder than the Vapor-X. I can't vouch for the WF3, but it is also well liked. My preference would be in this order: 1-Gigabyte or MSI, then Sapphire Vapor-X.


----------



## coolfat

Here are my 2 twin komodo 7970


----------



## zoidbergslo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> GB 7950 WF3 is with the best cooler. I have one and even with 1.3V. VRM temps stay a little higher than core temp(around 2-3 degrees more). But asics quality of GB cards is known as one of the lowest- for example mine is 58.4%. I can clock it right up to 1200MHz of the core but with too much power - 1.3V. For 1100MHz i need 1.194V. But it's very cool and silent card and may be you'll take a good clocker. MSI TF3 is with the second best cooler(for me) and i would buy it or GB WF3. Vapor-X would be my third choice. I don't have observations on the other two cards.


Yeah Gigabyte looks like it might be the best card of them all since I don't plan on ocing too much.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Sapphire boost IMO, or HIS IceQ boost, if you can find one.
> 
> None of them are bad tho so cant go wrong with either one.


Cant find HIS cards here.

Thank you for replies.


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigsnyder*
> 
> All three are good cards. The Vapor-X cooler works great, the TF3 works fine too, but it does have to work harder than the Vapor-X. I can't vouch for the WF3, but it is also well liked. My preference would be in this order: 1-Gigabyte or MSI, then Sapphire Vapor-X.


Yeah, I'm really not quite sure but they all seem pretty decent.


----------



## SulumorDNA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> Yeah Gigabyte looks like it might be the best card of them all since I don't plan on ocing too much.
> Cant find HIS cards here.
> 
> Thank you for replies.


The HIS IceQs are nice, i have one hd 7950 and it stays under 65c full load, around 31c idle. newegg is always sold out, got lucky they had them when i ordered mine


----------



## szeged

hey guys, gonna join the 7970 club later this week after payday, was curious out of these 2 cards which should i get?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161431&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Video+Cards-_-Hightech+Information+System+Ltd.-_-14161431

i plan on watercooling it in a few weeks so it would be on air for a bit. I checked EKs website and it says both are reference pcb and their full vga blocks will fit them but i wanted to make sure it wasnt an old revision or whatever, if anyone personally has one and can tell me that would be great









also, out of these two cards which do you think i could push to a higher overclock on air or water?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *szeged*
> 
> hey guys, gonna join the 7970 club later this week after payday, was curious out of these 2 cards which should i get?
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> 
> or
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> 
> i plan on watercooling it in a few weeks so it would be on air for a bit. I checked EKs website and it says both are reference pcb and their full vga blocks will fit them but i wanted to make sure it wasnt an old revision or whatever, if anyone personally has one and can tell me that would be great
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also, out of these two cards which do you think i could push to a higher overclock on air or water?


you linked the same card both times lol but i do have the card you linked and was able to get 1200 stable with 1.25.


----------



## szeged

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> you linked the same card both times lol but i do have the card you linked and was able to get 1200 stable with 1.25.


woooooooooooooooooooooooooooow im stupid rofl









http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Video+Cards-_-MSI-_-14127652

and

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161431&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Video+Cards-_-Hightech+Information+System+Ltd.-_-14161431

are the ones im comparing lol, ill go fix the other post so others can see it.


----------



## bluezone

anyone else have problems with the beta 6 drivers. crashing, lost audio, BSoD. I ended up uninstalling and going back to the beta 3 drivers. all though they worked great in crisis 3.


----------



## Lizard22

Hi I took your advice and put some fans.
idle temperatures are good.
the problem is with my second gpu its core reaches over 90c load
temps
idle: 1) 32c 2) 29c
load: 1) 72c 2) 92c

1) MSI 7950 OC twingfroze 1100/1375 1056v
2) OC 2PMD3G msi 7950 1100/1375 1162v


----------



## ehpexs

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluezone*
> 
> anyone else have problems with the beta 6 drivers. crashing, lost audio, BSoD. I ended up uninstalling and going back to the beta 3 drivers. all though they worked great in crisis 3.


My eyefinity isn't working


----------



## Lizard22

gracias por tu consejo BradleyW pero no sirvio de mucho.


----------



## Mackem

Is the GIGABYTE 7950 WF3 voltage locked?


----------



## gian84

Does any of you use Sony Vegas Pro? How do you enable the GPU to encode the video? I have a 7950 and set the option in Vegas to enable use of OpenCL for encoding if available and have checked that my card supports OpenCL. But when I encode, it is still my CPU that is used and my GPU is running on idle.


----------



## SkateZilla

TBH i have patents on this design.... time to call my peoples..

I have patents and Designs w/ diagrams, of the PCIe Card, the Goes into a PCIex16 Slot, and converts PCIx16 Pins to a Cable, Cable connects to the card, then to the GPU Casing, GPU Casing is 3 slots width, w/ extra room, and has 2 fans on the top (to bring in air into the GFX Cards Fans.) Power is Converted from AC input to 2 6/8Pin connectors. There was also a ExpressCard diagram too.

But Im Glad to see someone mass producing it, as I took my diagram and design to an not to be named aftermarket modifcations company, and they shot it down.

http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=ViDock


----------



## Lizard22

before 

after 
the problem is with my second gpu its core reaches over 90c load
temps
idle: 1) 32c 2) 29c
load: 1) 72c 2) 92c

1) MSI 7950 OC twingfroze 1100/1375 1056v
2) OC 2PMD3G msi 7950 1100/1375 1162v


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> before
> 
> after
> the problem is with my second gpu its core reaches over 90c load
> temps
> idle: 1) 32c 2) 29c
> load: 1) 72c 2) 92c
> 
> 1) MSI 7950 OC twingfroze 1100/1375 1056v
> 2) OC 2PMD3G msi 7950 1100/1375 1162v


The Top or the Bottom?


----------



## psikeiro

mine before the swiftech h220 releases:



http://imgur.com/Lg49p


----------



## Snyderman34

Whats the opinion on 1 7970 vs 2 7950s? Bout to spring for one or the other, and it'll more than likely be the only upgrade for the year. Tempted to grab the 7950s and give them a slight OC


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Whats the opinion on 1 7970 vs 2 7950s? Bout to spring for one or the other, and it'll more than likely be the only upgrade for the year. Tempted to grab the 7950s and give them a slight OC


not serious, right? 2 7950s of course.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Whats the opinion on 1 7970 vs 2 7950s? Bout to spring for one or the other, and it'll more than likely be the only upgrade for the year. Tempted to grab the 7950s and give them a slight OC
> 
> 
> 
> not serious, right? *2 7950s of course.*
Click to expand...

QFT


----------



## Snuckie7

Just hit 1200/1500 on 1.1V. Time to see how far I can push this thing.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> mine before the swiftech h220 releases:
> 
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/Lg49p


I might get the H220 and 2 water blocks, some hoses and coolant and just use the H220 for my XFire'd GPUs and CPU when I do a system overhaul, prolly add a small radiator in there somewhere.


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> not serious, right? 2 7950s of course.


Not really. Lol. Im getting the 2 7950s


----------



## NLight95

*Sapphire 100351SR 7970 OC w/Boost* (Dual-X cooler) --> Add me to the 7970 owners club.














(should arrive in 3-5 days)

Do you guys think that there'd be much to gain by replacing the stock paste with something like Prolimatech PK-1? [Feel free to chime in Evil Penguin] On previous GPUs this was a relatively easy decision but it's a lot more complicate now. Would removing the cooler void Sapphire's warranty? I've read posts on various forums (including this one) debating both the paste and/or warranty. Some recommend using thermal pads instead of paste because of the apparent gap between GPU and cooler, but that may only apply to reference cards. What I plan on doing is first tweaking & testing the card with no mods and if I can't get a decent overclock and see relatively high temps, then I may replace the stock TIM but only after weighing all the info I read here and elsewhere. (I'll be testing on an open bench)

http://icrontic.com/discussion/95001/radeon-hd-7970-qa

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1669599

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=61974.0

http://www.vortez.net/articles_pages/his_radeon_hd_7970_3gb_review,7.html

Also, does anyone have any recommendations on a BIOS flash? Should I use Afterburner or TriXX--which would work better for tweaking voltage on this card?


----------



## rhole

^ Thats a great card.

Cooling is great even at stock.

Afterburner and Trixx are as as good as each other really, with AB being more advanced.

That card has decent VRM and Memory cooling at stock.

The Heatsink definately touches the TIM as i replaced with Liquid Ultra with an ultra thin layer and it left it all over the Heatsink when i took it off to check. Replaceing the TIM with PK-1 PK-3 or Liquid Pro/Ultra gives a good reduction... and its easy to do!







Probably will void the warranty, but It does seem that if the cooler is put back without mess then you can probably still use the Warranty still as there are no seals that need breaking.

Bios flash isnt required as it is fully unlocked anyway at stock.


----------



## psikeiro

My 2 latest scores, 2 Gigabyte Windforce 7950s, non-watercooled, rig in signature: Heaven 3.0 and Heaven 4.0

1235/1620 @ 1.243v


----------



## Belkov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Which of these is best cooling/performance?
> 
> Gigabyte Windforce 3X Radeon HD 7950 AMD Graphics Card - 3GB - *£239.75*
> MSI HD7950 TwinFrozr OC BE AMD/ATI Graphics Card - 3GB - *£238.55*
> Sapphire HD7950 Vapox-X AMD/ATI Graphics Card - 3GB - *£251.75*


And the right answer is... Wait i know it... GB 7950 WF3...








When we are talking about the best air cooling performance i think that everyone would be agreed WF3 is the ultimate cooler.


----------



## NLight95

It's an upgrade that is very long overdue as my 4890 workhorse is showing its age, though it can still run most games on high settings. Problems come in where I load high-res texture mods/patches for games like Skyrim, DA2, TW2 and others. Those mods EAT memory so the 4890's 1GB frame buffer ends up being oversaturated and ending in a very s-t-u-t-t-e-r-i-n-g game experience. I also want to run DX11 games where I'm currently limited to 10.1, not that there's a ton of perceptible diff between the two other than perhaps some advanced tessellation.

I understand the Sapphires can be notorious for coil whine but I've heard there are "fixes" like enalbling vsync in game or "breaking-in" the coils by leaving the card run at a game menu overnight (or longer). I'll just have to see how loud the whine is or if it even comes into play. My old Sapphire 1900XTX whined pretty nasty but usually only when I was really stressing the card. I game at 1920x1200 60Hz so it shouldn't be all that taxing on the 7970, other than perhaps running Metro 2033 or Crysis 3 with all the eye candy turned on; that is until I upgrade to a 120Hz display.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> And the right answer is... Wait i know it... GB 7950 WF3...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When we are talking about the best air cooling performance i think that everyone would be agreed WF3 is the ultimate cooler.


The 7970 WF3 was my first choice until GB locked the voltage on their 7970s. I can't think of a better cooler other than maybe than MSI's Lightning which is actually a bit noisier and a whole lot more expensive.


----------



## Belkov

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> The 7970 WF3 was my first choice until GB locked the voltage on their 7970s. I can't think of a better cooler other than maybe than MSI's Lightning which is actually a bit noisier and a whole lot more expensive.


May be Gb 7970s are voltage locked but Gb 7950s are not...







And i was answering to a questin about which 7950 to be choosed.







But you're right - i would prefer to have a card with no so good cooler but with unlocked voltage than locked voltage vga with ultimate cooler. I can't understand why GB locked the voltage of their new revision 7970?!


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Just hit 1200/1500 on 1.1V. Time to see how far I can push this thing.


N1, my card stops scaling after 1180-1210MHz mark, 1200MHz runs fine @1,17V in every other game except in Metro2033 where my max is [email protected],15V. Also the Vdroop is massive on higher voltages, tried 3dmark 11 @1,3V and in some situations it was around 1,15V, throttling maybe (temps were fine though) ?


----------



## Belkov

You are both lucky guys - my GB 7950 WF3 can make 1100MHz with 1.194V. and for 1200MHz i must push it almost to 1.3V. Although my temps are pretty low - with fan on 70%, max temps i've ever seen with 1.3V. was 65 degrees for the core and 66 degrees - VRM.


----------



## Imprezzion

Sad news guys.

My 7970 is dead. Beyond repair I fear...

I replaced the crappy Arctic glue with Zalman Thermal Adhesive and somehow when I powered my rig up again the single VRM in the back of the PCB near the I/O ports that's also cooled with the stock cooler and was always cooled by a sink with Arctic glue blew out.

No idea why but the PC wouldn't power up at first so I switched PCI-E slot and then it did power up but in a plume of electrical smoke and the card has never lived again since. I can't see any physical damage and I know a reasonable amount of electronics.

- No physical damage.
- Smoke came off of it so SOMETHING broke.
- No VGA detected now after remounting the sinks. Doesn't smoke or short anymore.
- Fans spin up through the card so it has SOME life left in it.
- Probably a part of the card that isn't getting powered now so it's not starting.
- Can't find anything that would've caused this. No metal contacting anything it shouldn't.
- Only thing I can think of is that the glue is NOT non-conductive and somehow bridged something it shouldn't have.
- I can try to get a RMA going but knowing Sapphire and the fact it's a non-ref cooler attached to it they will deny it anyway if they even bother to respond...

- I am now €300 lighter and in the posession of a #1 HWBot GTX670. WF3 GTX670 which does 1411Mhz benches on 1.21v BIOS and game stable on 1375Mhz core.

If ANY of you can shed a light on what might have happened.. PLEASE. I'm not giving up on my poor 7970 that quickly.. If Sapphire denies my RMA, which they 99% sure will, i'll just try to solder / patch it back up myself. I've soldered up busted cards before so when it's broken, you can sure as hell try to fix it again









FYI: I mean the following chip.



Once again, there is NO physical damage to the ''chip'' to be seen but the smoke definitely came from there and it's the only ''chip'' heatsinked in that area.


----------



## SkateZilla

clean it up and say it just failed... cuz... it just failed

i take a blow dryer on low to the stickers and peel them off the heatsink screws with a razor, then put them back on when im done.

XFX TBH doesnt care, as long as you put the stock parts back on before you ship it back to them.

Sapphire, not sure, My Original 7950 with the Blue Sapphire Stickers on it, died after 3 months, woke up to corrupted screensavers.

Got an RMA, sent it in, came back with a Dual-X Cooler on it.

SSC Members tend to get some slack. As I have at least 10 Sapphire Cards registered.


----------



## Stefy

What results are you guys getting in Crysis?


----------



## Strileckifunk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stefy*
> 
> What results are you guys getting in Crysis?


Textures on ultra, FXAA, w/ everything else on max around 30-40 FPS


----------



## Smo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> Textures on ultra, FXAA, w/ everything else on max around 30-40 FPS


My performance in Crysis 3 is terrible. I'm getting 20-30fps with the same settings as you, however I'm still on the old drivers so I'll try 13.2 beta and see what happens.


----------



## SkateZilla

just get 13.6 man.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> just get 13.6 man.


Do you mean 13.2 B6?


----------



## thrgk

When is the 8970 coming out? Soon?


----------



## jdc122

Not till 2014


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> When is the 8970 coming out? Soon?


AMD delayed the rlease of the 8xxx series to gocus on getting thier drivers for the 7xxx series up to par. i think this is the reason why but anyway they have delayed release until 2014 probably first quater.


----------



## SkateZilla

yeah


----------



## youpekkad

I think I´ve hit my maximum on air, http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5993574, 1220/[email protected],2V, after that it doesnt matter what voltage I give, it gives artifacts, not sure if its temperature or silicon related, but according to GPU-z, the real load voltage is not much higher at 1,3V than it is at 1,2V, not sure if it throttles or what but after Vdroop the load voltage stays in the 1,15-1,19V area even at 1,3V so yeah.

Maybe I need to exploit my geographical location and drag my PC outside on the balcony and let that cold winter air do its trick


----------



## aznpersuazn

Just bought a XFX 7950 on a reference 7970 design, but it melted itself overnight (still don't know what happened...).

Here are some pics









In the process of being RMA'd with XFX...


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> I think I´ve hit my maximum on air, http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5993574, 1220/[email protected],2V, after that it doesnt matter what voltage I give, it gives artifacts, not sure if its temperature or silicon related, but according to GPU-z, the real load voltage is not much higher at 1,3V than it is at 1,2V, not sure if it throttles or what but after Vdroop the load voltage stays in the 1,15-1,19V area even at 1,3V so yeah.
> 
> Maybe I need to exploit my geographical location and drag my PC outside on the balcony and let that cold winter air do its trick


my 2nd 7970 is like that after 1150 i cant get anything faster stable with any amount of volts.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aznpersuazn*
> 
> Just bought a XFX 7950 on a reference 7970 design, but it melted itself overnight (still don't know what happened...).
> 
> Here are some pics
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the process of being RMA'd with XFX...


The Vapor Chamber Bloated?


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> quote name="Imprezzion" url="/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/21400_100#post_19355522"]Sad news guys.
> 
> My 7970 is dead. Beyond repair I fear...
> 
> I replaced the crappy Arctic glue with Zalman Thermal Adhesive and somehow when I powered my rig up again the single VRM in the back of the PCB near the I/O ports that's also cooled with the stock cooler and was always cooled by a sink with Arctic glue blew out.
> 
> No idea why but the PC wouldn't power up at first so I switched PCI-E slot and then it did power up but in a plume of electrical smoke and the card has never lived again since. I can't see any physical damage and I know a reasonable amount of electronics.


How does the cooler look--any evidence of burns? I fried a 4870 years ago by accidentally severing one the traces on its pcb.

Just to be thorough, have you tried another graphics card (preferably an el cheapo one) in the PCIe slots you used? Perhaps there's an issue with your mb. I've seen where shorted traces around the PCIe slots can cause some very strange problems with expansion cards. Unlikely cause but certainly not impossible.

Perhaps the pics from these may help. I wish I could locate a schematic for you, but much of those are under protection from various patents (my brother's a patent lawyer).

http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/0_100
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/deepcool-dracula-radeon-hd-7970-cooling,review-32492-3.html

If you plan on getting into some soldering you may want to look at something like this:

http://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/Surface_Mount_Soldering/Tools/

Hope this helps!


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> AMD delayed the rlease of the 8xxx series to gocus on getting thier drivers for the 7xxx series up to par. i think this is the reason why but anyway they have delayed release until 2014 probably first quater.


Nice! Extends the life of our cards. Might try crossfire if this is true.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> AMD delayed the rlease of the 8xxx series to gocus on getting thier drivers for the 7xxx series up to par. i think this is the reason why but anyway they have delayed release until 2014 probably first quater.


But AMD also stated that is was a false rumor and they do in fact plan to release new cards this year.


----------



## gian84

So its just rumor? But the new 89xx card won't be released on the previously schedule Q1 2013?


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> So its just rumor? But the new 89xx card won't be released on the previously schedule Q1 2013?


I would assume september/october before holiday season.
before that its not likely any new high end card is out.
it might change but since we heard little as far its seems likely.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aznpersuazn*
> 
> Just bought a XFX 7950 on a reference 7970 design, but it melted itself overnight (still don't know what happened...).
> 
> Here are some pics
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In the process of being RMA'd with XFX...
> 
> /snip


Thats insane! Did you have it running overnight? Or was it not even plugged in yet?

If you had it running something, hopefully nothing else was damaged? Thats just crazy..


----------



## d1nky

WOW that is crazy im glad I didn't buy the xfx or id be crying lol!


----------



## thrgk

is $350 for 5week old 7970 Dual fan x OC good price? I cant find a waterblock for it anywhere used tho, dont want to pay new price


----------



## Derpinheimer

"Ok" price. Nothing really stellar about it.

Maybe its a bad overclocker? Have you asked why they are selling it?


----------



## aznpersuazn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Thats insane! Did you have it running overnight? Or was it not even plugged in yet?
> 
> If you had it running something, hopefully nothing else was damaged? Thats just crazy..


I had it running for less than 2 hours. I plugged it in, it posted, logged into Windows. I didn't even run any benchmarks or anything, since I had class immediately after. When I came back, that's when I noticed my PC was off and discovered the card!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> WOW that is crazy im glad I didn't buy the xfx or id be crying lol!


I really don't trust vapor chambors as much now. If this card was using a different cooler, I think it would have not done so much damage and not warped the PCB. Oh well, I didn't even have the card in my ownership for more than a day! ***** just happens I guess


----------



## Derpinheimer

This has to be extraordinarily rare... try baking it in the oven, that'll fix it









Very weird though, it looks like whatever happened had a TON of power, the whole heatsink, shroud, and support plates appear to be bent? That shroud is aluminum right? :O


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> So its just rumor? But the new 89xx card won't be released on the previously schedule Q1 2013?


Yes it was a romur. AMD confirmed. New cards will be out this year, possibly end of Q3, unless something changes!


----------



## di inferi

Did 13.6 give anyone a memory leak?

I am on Windows 8 and experienced this on 13.6.


----------



## thrgk

man cant find 7970s for $310-325 anywhere lol, or anyone to buy a evga 680, guess patience is needed


----------



## muhd86

i have quad 7970 gigabyte gpus on my sr2 -- i intalled beta 6 drivers --- i just want to know that how come my scores in uniengine valley 1.0 are more or less the same as a single card .

like on extreme hd i get like 2900 points ---but i see on fhte forums ppl with 3930k geting like 6000 score in same benchmark with similar gpus -

do i have to over clock my cpus to get even with the gpus or what


----------



## d1nky

Ive seen that some applications are unable to scale with more than two gpu's based on drivers and application itself, unigine valley is quite new and probably wont have driver updates for such.


----------



## muhd86

yeah i guess ----


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gian84*
> 
> So its just rumor? But the new 89xx card won't be released on the previously schedule Q1 2013?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes it was a romur. AMD confirmed. New cards will be out this year, possibly end of Q3, unless something changes!
Click to expand...

ahhhh, ok thanks for the correction


----------



## d1nky

apparently 3 is better than 4 so im more than willing to take the un-needed card lol


----------



## Lizard22

Hi I have a problem with my second gpu the black color, the temperatures are very high load, the strange thing is that normal idle 26c to 31c.
I took your advice and completely change fan settings but did not work, thanks Bradleyw
CROSSFIRE

GPU1 = msi 7950 twingfroze V2 1100/1375 62c VRM 54c 1056v. 100% load
GPU 2 = msi 7950 2PMD3GD5 1100/1375 93c VRM 85c 1156v. 100% load


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi I have a problem with my second gpu the black color, the temperatures are very high load, the strange thing is that normal idle 26c to 31c.
> I took your advice and completely change fan settings but did not work, thanks Bradleyw
> CROSSFIRE
> 
> GPU1 = msi 7950 twingfroze V2 1100/1375 62c VRM 54c 1056v. 100% load
> GPU 2 = msi 7950 2PMD3GD5 1100/1375 93c VRM 85c 1156v. 100% load


Have you reapplied the thermal paste?


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thats what I said, no?
> only thing really great are the graphics, rest is not that great, specially the AI and campaign is too easy according to reviews I've read.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Ah, my mistake. I thought you we're talking about graphics, not gameplay. In this case, we're in the same boat


Have either of you actually played the game, more directed at Nonehxc, as Daffie quoted he is going off the review.???

I agree with Daffies comment about the review [without the s] as I only went through the one from gamespot, however I will reserve judgment until I play the game myself, as for one person it the campaign may too be short and/or easy, but for another it could be just right.

The graphics do look quite stunning and I am sure us high end graphic card owners will crank it up to max to enjoy the eye candy.


----------



## Lizard22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Have you reapplied the thermal paste?


 This is the gpu heatsink, I think that is the limit of my gpu.
I have not changed the thermal paste.


----------



## Snuckie7

Damn my overclock is only unstable in one game. . . Civ V where the driver fails.

Is Civ V even a demanding game? My card is stable in Valley, BF3, and Furmark.


----------



## di inferi

Was there a 13.2 beta 5 release? If so, does anyone have a link?

13.2 beta 6 gives me a memory leak; disappointing since the performance increase in Crysis 3 MP is pretty significant.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the gpu heatsink, I think that is the limit of my gpu.
> I have not changed the thermal paste.


I'd think you could drop the temp at least a little by changing the paste, if not a lot. Another option would be to sell that one and upgrade to a matching one that has the better cooler or you could upgrade that card with a better one.


----------



## Revanchist8525

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *billgates8889*
> 
> I personally have a Sapphire 950mhz ed so I might be able to take some pictures for you.
> 
> 1. Using a 7970 bios would only provide you with higher clocks and a higher stock voltage. You shouldn't need to use the 7970 bios as those speeds could easily be achieved by some overclocking. You have to be really unlucky to not get 925 on core clock.
> 2. That early version of the 7950 is a reference design non AIB 7950 board.
> 3. The Vapor X is only voltage locked when you select the second boost clock. It's completely voltage adjustable when you select the normal 850mhz bios. Check out this review for the cooler and temps - http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Sapphire/HD_7950_Vapor-X/
> 4. VRM vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but its best off to keep the temperatures below 90. The 950 mhz ed. uses a reference 7970 design, the difference being an added VRM.
> 5. Yes, however you would void your manufacturer warranty. Just remember to use a thin layer of thermal paste, rather than the slop that Sapphire slapped on. I STRONGLY recommend you improve your VRM cooling if you are going to overclock your card. The VRM temperatures was what stopped me from going to a higher stable core clock.
> 6. Yes, yes and yes. But as long as your very careful and don't damage your card in the process you should be fine.
> 7. Yes, but I never knew sapphire would publish a new revision of a BIOS. Mind linking me?
> 8. I cannot say your temperatures, but I'll give you mine as a reference. Mine is currently overclocked at 1235 core clock, memory 1250, voltage 1.162, custom fan profile. The temperature is 32 idle and 68 load. However in mine the VRM cooling is bad and adding any more voltage would cause my VRMs to heat up to 110.


Point #5 is VERY true. I have the Sapphire 950mhz edition and I can only go up to 1150mhz on 1131v for the core while ive seen MSI TF3 users reach 1200mhz easily because of good VRM temperatures. Its weird since the VRM heatsinks on the Sapphire 950mhz edition are very beefy, I dont know why my VRM 1 temps go to 90 even 100 sometimes in a lot of games.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> This is the gpu heatsink, I think that is the limit of my gpu.
> I have not changed the thermal paste.


Yes, that is easily the worst cooler I've seen on a 7950... even 7870s and 7850s have better coolers than that. Thats considerably worse than reference FFS. MSI sure wanted to save $0.50 on the production of that GPU. Just get an aftermarker cooler, or sell it... or live with it :/


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Have either of you actually played the game, more directed at Nonehxc, as Daffie quoted he is going off the review.???
> 
> I agree with Daffies comment about the review [without the s] as I only went through the one from gamespot, however I will reserve judgment until I play the game myself, as for one person it the campaign may too be short and/or easy, but for another it could be just right.
> 
> The graphics do look quite stunning and I am sure us high end graphic card owners will crank it up to max to enjoy the eye candy.


Actually I was joking about Daffie's comment of a console port, regarding graphics and performance, cause I think Crysis 3 it's beautiful to look at.









I'm playing it, and enjoying it. Pretty graphics, good gameplay, good controls, nothing more. In my opinion, won't leave a mark in videogame history aside for some overhyped people who think anything beside their opinion is "crap" and will become obsolete by the time Crytek releases Crysis 4, or anyone releases the new shiny blingy big bang engine game. It's a shame Crytek engines aren't used by developers with good designing/creative/writing teams, cause Cryengine3 graphics+Irrational Games team would be a trip.


----------



## thrgk

hey guys are the sapphire vapor x 7970s voltage locked?


----------



## Strileckifunk

I just noticed that GPU-Z is not showing my VRM temps, it's just locked at 25c even when playing games. Halp.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> I just noticed that GPU-Z is not showing my VRM temps, it's just locked at 25c even when playing games. Halp.


Try another monitoring program.

-Aida64 Extreme
-MSI Afterburner
-Hwinfo64
....


----------



## Maco88

Does everyone still cleanly uninstall the AMD drivers [ie/ manual method or ATIMAN] or do you just upgrade over the top??

I read someone within these pages where it was mentioned you didn't need to uninstall them anymore.

Just wondering what the best method is, as I know when I start CCC and there is a new driver available it gives me the option to install it from with CCC. I take it, CCC does everything for you and all will work 100% well, yes??


----------



## Strileckifunk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Try another monitoring program.
> 
> -Aida64 Extreme
> -MSI Afterburner
> -Hwinfo64
> ....


Don't see any kind of option for displaying VRM temps in Afterburner. I'm a minimalist when it comes to software hate downloading more programs. Any idea why it would be locked like that in GPU-Z?


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Actually I was joking about Daffie's comment of a console port, regarding graphics and performance, cause I think Crysis 3 it's beautiful to look at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm playing it, and enjoying it. Pretty graphics, good gameplay, good controls, nothing more. In my opinion, won't leave a mark in videogame history aside for some overhyped people who think anything beside their opinion is "crap" and will become obsolete by the time Crytek releases Crysis 4, or anyone releases the new shiny blingy big bang engine game. It's a shame Crytek engines aren't used by developers with good designing/creative/writing teams, cause Cryengine3 graphics+Irrational Games team would be a trip.


Cheers.

Looking forward to getting into it in a couple of weeks time when I get back to my rig.

Do player of Crysis 1 and 2 recommend playing through them first before going onto 3, or it doesn't matter what order they are played through.?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Does everyone still cleanly uninstall the AMD drivers [ie/ manual method or ATIMAN] or do you just upgrade over the top??
> 
> I read someone within these pages where it was mentioned you didn't need to uninstall them anymore.
> 
> Just wondering what the best method is, as I know when I start CCC and there is a new driver available it gives me the option to install it from with CCC. I take it, CCC does everything for you and all will work 100% well, yes??


My method, maybe some won't like it but its the most effective one I've did.


Uninstall any CAP (Catalyst Application Profiles)
Uninstall MSI afterburner and delete the installation folder
Run ATI Cleanup Utility 1.2.1.0 (Beware AMD CPU and Windows 8 users)
Reboot when the process is done
Remove the Registry entries of your cards
Uninstall AMD drivers in Device manager
(without rebooting)Then I proceed to a full DriverCleaner.net cleaning
Reboot
Upon reboot, it will detect cards and ask for another reboot
Reboot again
Install new drivers

For a guide on how to remove the registry entries: *AMD how to Thread* (Located in Manual driver uninstall section)


----------



## Lizard22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I'd think you could drop the temp at least a little by changing the paste, if not a lot. Another option would be to sell that one and upgrade to a matching one that has the better cooler or you could upgrade that card with a better one.


High temps crossfire 7950 gpu 2 29c idle , 90c load help?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> High temps crossfire 7950 gpu 2 29c idle , 90c load help?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Duplicate Pic


What temps do you see running stock clocks and voltage?


----------



## Lizard22

Temps
O.C
gpu 1= 1100/1375 1056v 72c
gpu 2= 1100/1375 1156v 90c

Stock
gpu 1= 880/1250 993v 58c
gpu 2= 880/1250 993v 61c


----------



## gian84

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> I just noticed that GPU-Z is not showing my VRM temps, it's just locked at 25c even when playing games. Halp.


Yup, that's how it is with mine too. I guess its a HIS thing..


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> My method, maybe some won't like it but its the most effective one I've did.
> 
> 
> Uninstall any CAP (Catalyst Application Profiles)
> Uninstall MSI afterburner and delete the installation folder
> Run ATI Cleanup Utility 1.2.1.0 (Beware AMD CPU and Windows 8 users)
> Reboot when the process is done
> Remove the Registry entries of your cards
> Uninstall AMD drivers in Device manager
> (without rebooting)Then I proceed to a full DriverCleaner.net cleaning
> Reboot
> Upon reboot, it will detect cards and ask for another reboot
> Reboot again
> Install new drivers
> 
> For a guide on how to remove the registry entries: *AMD how to Thread* (Located in Manual driver uninstall section)


Thanks mate.

In regards to "Remove the Registry Entries"!!!!

What exactly do we remove. Search for anything AMD and ATI ???


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> Temps
> O.C
> gpu 1= 1100/1375 1056v 72c
> gpu 2= 1100/1375 1156v 90c
> 
> Stock
> gpu 1= 880/1250 993v 58c
> gpu 2= 880/1250 993v 61c
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


It looks like that cooler just can't keep up with that overclock. Repasting will probably drop the temps a bit but I'd say your only real option is to decrease the overclock.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Well, that, and hes giving it an extra .1v versus the other cooler. Maybe you could swap the coolers? The card that overclocks better at lower voltage can have the junky cooler, the weaker chip can have the better cooler?


----------



## Cheese Cake

I have some problems if anyone cares to help, much appreciated. When I try to run my 7990's in CFX with 13.1 drivers, my screen freezes when I get into windows and BSOD. I'm using 2x PowerColor 7990 Devil13's running on a EVGA 1500w.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> Temps
> O.C
> gpu 1= 1100/1375 1056v 72c
> gpu 2= 1100/1375 1156v 90c
> 
> Stock
> gpu 1= 880/1250 993v 58c
> gpu 2= 880/1250 993v 61c


That stock Cooler is the problem, it cant dissipate the heat fast enough.


----------



## homestyle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Does everyone still cleanly uninstall the AMD drivers [ie/ manual method or ATIMAN] or do you just upgrade over the top??
> 
> I read someone within these pages where it was mentioned you didn't need to uninstall them anymore.
> 
> Just wondering what the best method is, as I know when I start CCC and there is a new driver available it gives me the option to install it from with CCC. I take it, CCC does everything for you and all will work 100% well, yes??


I just use the included uninstall manager to uninstall everthing.

reboot.

install new drivers and applications

reboot.

I haven't used a driver cleaner in years. Last time was probably in 2008.


----------



## Stige

Changed the stock thermal paste to Liquid Pro and temps dropped over 10C on the Core


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Changed the stock thermal paste to Liquid Pro and temps dropped over 10C on the Core


10C? awesome. I plan on using liquid pro on my 7950.
What are your VRM temps?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Got my second 7950 up and running today! I got real lucky in the fact that the PCB's are indeed identical from what I can tell!








One has better quality soldering though, I just haven't decided which one yet...










They actually look identical... Wow, I thought the Sapphire 1196-10-40G or whatever was meant to be a 7970 PCB?

What I thought would be a good photo..

Side on comparison of the coolers.

In the rig, I can't really do much better for cable management but since then I threw in a few cable ties on the mess of cables.. It's so annoying in the fact that the PSU cables JUST like JUST can't reach the top card.
Between the cards the IceQ keeps it slightly cooler (it is on the bottom too) but the VRM's get rather toasty, whereas the Sapphire gets a bit warmer but cools the VRM's quite a bit better. I do prefer blower cards because they're quieter until they get really hot and are generally better constructed along with being better for CFX/SLi. Another thing to add here is you'd assume with the HIS you could fit a small (very tiny) PCI-E card such as a Wi-Fi card below it, well apparently not, it just doesn't want to fit which means I have to put my Wi-Fi card inbetween the cards and the RAID card doesn't even fit below the IceQ because it protrudes a few mm too far and the top slot is partially blocked by the SB-E which is a nuisance..

Anyway the other weird thing is now the HIS seems to think it's stock at 925MHz which it's stock at 900? GPU-Z reports it as being "Stock" at 925MHz now..
Oh and they're clocked in at 950/1250MHz for now, till this heat passes and I do some long term testing.


----------



## Am3Y

Guys Have 700$(Rs38000) in hand...
Plzz suggest a graphic card...
Nvidia or ATI ????


----------



## MooMoo

Are you planing to use all of those 700$ to graphic card? Hows your other computer parts?

Build your rig here, so you and we others can see below your posts http://www.overclock.net/lists/component/manage/type/RIG


----------



## Snyderman34

Comin back to the red team. Got a Sapphire HD 7970 OC on the way :thumbup:


----------



## Am3Y

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Are you planing to use all of those 700$ to graphic card? Hows your other computer parts?
> 
> Build your rig here, so you and we others can see below your posts http://www.overclock.net/lists/component/manage/type/RIG


3770k
Asus maxi v formula
8gb ddr3 1600mhz
60gb ssd corsair
1tb wd CG
H100 cooler
Cm silent pro M 700W
Cosmos 2 cabby...


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Am3Y*
> 
> Guys Have 700$(Rs38000) in hand...
> Plzz suggest a graphic card...
> Nvidia or ATI ????


Judging by where you posted, I would have to suspect that you are already inclined toward an ATI/AMD card .......


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Cheers.
> 
> Looking forward to getting into it in a couple of weeks time when I get back to my rig.
> 
> Do player of Crysis 1 and 2 recommend playing through them first before going onto 3, or it doesn't matter what order they are played through.?


Play Crysis/Crysis Warhead & Crysis 2 first. Crysis 1 is more of an introduction to the story, good graphics, many good mods(HD graphic ones still give your card a run even in 2013), open environment. Crysis Warhead is an expansion to Crysis, nothing important story wise but it gives you another point of view of the events in Lingshan. Crysis 2 has more meat in story(nothing spectacular) but less open environments, has MaldoHD mod that pretty much improves all graphics...don't forget to download Crysis 2 1.9 Patch+DX11 Patch+Hi-Res Textures Patch, install them and then install MaldoHD for the best Crysis 2 experience.

Don't forget to update the games to the latest patches, cause they bring many performance improvements. BTW, in Crysis 3, don't use in-game Vsync, use CCC vsync or Radeonpro Vsync, cause Crysis 3 vsync lock framerate to either 30 or 60 frames, so if you use vsync ingame you'll only get 30 fps.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

ok guys so i came to a decision to go trifire with my 2 7970's by adding powercolor 7950 and i got to say i i'm loving it much!!! .. i even when out and got myself a 1440p monitor to compliment the rig


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> ok guys so i came to a decision to go trifire with my 2 7970's by adding powercolor 7950 and i got to say i i'm loving it much!!! .. i even when out and got myself a 1440p monitor to compliment the rig


Thats a lot of cards for a single 1440p monitor. More is always better.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Thats a lot of cards for a single 1440p monitor. More is always better.


lol yes it is certainly overkill but i like it


----------



## KaRLiToS

We all love Overkill







!!!


----------



## Am3Y

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> Judging by where you posted, I would have to suspect that you are already inclined toward an ATI/AMD card .......


Suggest one dude...


----------



## Ryude

A brand new Sapphire 7950 is on it's way, this will be my 10th consecutive Radeon card


----------



## DimQa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> ok guys so i came to a decision to go trifire with my 2 7970's by adding powercolor 7950 and i got to say i i'm loving it much!!! .. i even when out and got myself a 1440p monitor to compliment the rig


Nice rig mate







One question though, is that *MILK*?









P.S. Sorry, couldn't resist


----------



## jamaican voodoo

lol no it's not milk just my own coolant i've contraption up lol


----------



## thrgk

I was wondering my bro wanted to know if my reference 7970 stock cooler will fit a reference 7950? So can I swap coolers? Aren't the size and layout of the cards the sane?


----------



## Snuckie7

Nope, 7950's and 7970's have different PCBs.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I was wondering my bro wanted to know if my reference 7970 stock cooler will fit a reference 7950? So can I swap coolers? Aren't the size and layout of the cards the sane?


You probably can but why in the world would you want to?
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7950/images/front_full.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7970/images/front_full.jpg


----------



## ErrorMessages

I have a sapphire HD 7970 that does overclock well, however i experience very heavy stuttering in games although my CPU meets the minimum requirement for games. Previously i used a GTX 580 and it would play games quite smoothly. I've been using it as an eGPU on my laptop so far, games like serious sam 3 give an average of 60 fps but it still stutters, however on crysis 1 i only get around 30 fps on 1080p with everything maxed out (AA makes no difference in performance). I do know that using 1 lane of PCIe doesnt help but with my GTX 580 it was much smoother.

So far i managed to get 1275Mhz core, 1600mhz VRAM on 1.3mV on a reference HD7970 using sapphire trixx and runs heaven benchmark overnight.

Strangely far cry 3 only utilises 60-70% of the GPU on average which gives a lot of stuttering.


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I was wondering my bro wanted to know if my reference 7970 stock cooler will fit a reference 7950? So can I swap coolers? Aren't the size and layout of the cards the sane?


Depends on the brand, you may get away with some models but you have to check the right ones, this is the MSI & Powercolor "AMD" based reference which is a different from the original AMD reference lol..


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> Depends on the brand, you may get away with some models but you have to check the right ones, this is the MSI & Powercolor "AMD" based reference which is a different from the original AMD reference lol..


Yes but those are the same, just different VRM's and Memory IC's? Oh and different insulation on the outputs.


----------



## Vaesauce

Just wanted to post that I've got my Sapphire 7970ghz 3GB OC edition on the way! It'll be here Tuesday. I am waayyy too excited. My 5870 Toxic can finally rest in peace lol.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> Thanks mate.
> In regards to "Remove the Registry Entries"!!!!
> *What exactly do we remove. Search for anything AMD and ATI ???*


I mention in my post that if you need help to remove the registries. To check the *AMD How to thread*

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> *For a guide on how to remove the registry entries*: *AMD how to Thread* (Located in Manual driver uninstall section)





Spoiler: MORE!


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yes but those are the same, just different VRM's and Memory IC's? Oh and different insulation on the outputs.


Yeah the pic are the same 7950 design, what im trying to say is compared to an amd referenced 7970 some of the placements may be off but again i dont know because i dont have a clue of what card he has or model etc... unless he got a 7950 recently that has a 7970 pcb.

This is another example:


While the main mounting placement around the gpu is similar, the mounting around it may be incompatible so doesnt hurt to double check.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> Yeah the pic are the same 7950 design, what im trying to say is compared to an amd referenced 7970 some of the placements may be off but again i dont know because i dont have a clue of what card he has or model etc... unless he got a 7950 recently that has a 7970 pcb.
> 
> This is another example:
> 
> 
> While the main mounting placement around the gpu is similar, the mounting around it may be incompatible so doesnt hurt to double check.


Yes I understand that, and well now that I've had a better look I can see very minute differences between the first two 7950 "Reference" PCB's...


----------



## oblivious

I was just wanting to see if you guys can tell me if my overclock seems right... Heres what i got using Afterburner, Kombustor and Heaven...

1175/1575
1.21v
55c max


----------



## Derpinheimer

Sure, nothing abnormal there. Good temps, but if its a good air cooler with high fan speed or a water cooler, then its also normal. If its just, say, a Sapphire Dual-X on a default fan profile, then its probably throttling.


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Play Crysis/Crysis Warhead & Crysis 2 first. Crysis 1 is more of an introduction to the story, good graphics, many good mods(HD graphic ones still give your card a run even in 2013), open environment. Crysis Warhead is an expansion to Crysis, nothing important story wise but it gives you another point of view of the events in Lingshan. Crysis 2 has more meat in story(nothing spectacular) but less open environments, has MaldoHD mod that pretty much improves all graphics...don't forget to download Crysis 2 1.9 Patch+DX11 Patch+Hi-Res Textures Patch, install them and then install MaldoHD for the best Crysis 2 experience.
> 
> Don't forget to update the games to the latest patches, cause they bring many performance improvements. BTW, in Crysis 3, don't use in-game Vsync, use CCC vsync or Radeonpro Vsync, cause Crysis 3 vsync lock framerate to either 30 or 60 frames, so if you use vsync ingame you'll only get 30 fps.


cheers Nonehxc,

Have taken all that on board and will give Crysis 1 a run first. Tried it a while ago on my laptop but I didn't have the required juice to fully appreciate the game, so I waited for better day [hardware]. Now i basically got a rig I can run any game currently out on the highest settings.


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I mention in my post that if you need help to remove the registries. To check the *AMD How to thread*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: MORE!


Ok, great, thanks for that Karlitos.


----------



## ukic

Hmmm my C3 is laggy... for those single card users out there, are you using 4xMSAA or FXAA only?


----------



## di inferi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Hmmm my C3 is laggy... for those single card users out there, are you using 4xMSAA or FXAA only?


SMAA; better looking without as big of a performance hit.


----------



## zoidbergslo

Can someone tell me how high does temperature get on opposite side of PCB on 7950.

Problem is since I am using MG5 and Noctua NH-D14 I need to to protect fan clips from shorting out. I was thinking of using heatshrink.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> Can someone tell me how high does temperature get on opposite side of PCB on 7950.
> 
> Problem is since I am using MG5 and Noctua NH-D14 I need to to protect fan clips from shorting out. I was thinking of using heatshrink.


can also use a small strip of electrical tape.


----------



## glina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Hmmm my C3 is laggy... for those single card users out there, are you using 4xMSAA or FXAA only?


Disable ingame VSYNC - this causes the lag.

I run all highest settings + SMAA 4x on 7950 @ 1150/1650.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *di inferi*
> 
> SMAA; better looking without as big of a performance hit.


Ty for info.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glina*
> 
> Disable ingame VSYNC - this causes the lag.
> 
> I run all highest settings + SMAA 4x on 7950 @ 1150/1650.


Is it possible to enable vsync outside the game? Screen tearing is pretty bad without Vsync enabled


----------



## glina

Perhaps you can try forcing it in Catalyst or using RadeonPro to limit the framerate. Could be better than the ingame setting.


----------



## zoidbergslo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> can also use a small strip of electrical tape.


So electrical tape would be better than heatshrink?


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> So electrical tape would be better than heatshrink?


wouldn't say better but it would work just the same


----------



## Fast93bird

Joining this club! The deal on TD for the XFX Double D 7970 (the 925mhz card) for $350 was enough to make me pull the trigger. It'll be delivered and installed today.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Ty for info.
> Is it possible to enable vsync outside the game? Screen tearing is pretty bad without Vsync enabled


Don't use CCC for vsync. Use Radeonpro.


----------



## phillyd

Yeah I'm using SMAA 2X


----------



## ChronoBodi

first AMD card EVER. It's been Nvidia for me for like 4 years, but im like, screw it and get a Gigabyte Windforce 7970 Ghz and see for myself the Red side.


----------



## d1nky

welcome to the red side! and the grass Is a lot lot greener on this side ahahah


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> welcome to the red side! and the grass Is a lot lot greener on this side ahahah


hmm hmm... couldn't stand the 660 Ti's crap memory bandwidth at all for 2560x1440 resolution, so im selling that on ebay and got this card instead. Why Nvidia cut the bandwidth so much, i don't know.


----------



## I Am The Stig

If anyone owns either the Windforce 7970 or the XFX 7970, can anyone comment on the fan noise and idle temps on them? Those are the two that I'm looking at...unless anyone else has other suggestions?


----------



## phillyd

The windforce is considered the best cooler, but many people avoid it bc of the blue PCB


----------



## mush332

Sapphire 7950 boost inc. should b here tommarow or wednesday


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> If anyone owns either the Windforce 7970 or the XFX 7970, can anyone comment on the fan noise and idle temps on them? Those are the two that I'm looking at...unless anyone else has other suggestions?


What's your budget?


----------



## ChronoBodi

can anyone recommend a EVGA Precision-like program for my 7970? I always had the GPU clocks and memory usage in the upper left corner, and well, since EVGA is Nvidia only, what OC program provides this painlessly?


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> If anyone owns either the Windforce 7970 or the XFX 7970, can anyone comment on the fan noise and idle temps on them? Those are the two that I'm looking at...unless anyone else has other suggestions?


I barely hear anything from the Windforce 7970, and temps in idle at 75% speed is like 33c. Yea, it is that cold. imagine 100% speed


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> can anyone recommend a EVGA Precision-like program for my 7970? I always had the GPU clocks and memory usage in the upper left corner, and well, since EVGA is Nvidia only, what OC program provides this painlessly?


Precision is Afterburner so it will work too. Thus there's AB, Trixx, and gputweak. You will probably want to read up on how to overclock because that is where 98% of the issues comes from, incorrectly going thru this process. You can save some time by reading my sig thread, where you can learn the two main methods.


----------



## I Am The Stig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> What's your budget?


Depends on how much I get for the card I'm selling now but I'd guess I'm willing to shell out around $450. Would consider something a little bit more.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> I barely hear anything from the Windforce 7970, and temps in idle at 75% speed is like 33c. Yea, it is that cold. imagine 100% speed


Haha yeah I was originally looking at the Windforce 670 and how amazing that cooler was but since now I switched over to the 7970 (that free games deal is hard to pass up) I wonder if that same cooler performance transfers over


----------



## Sir Amik Vase

Just ordered a sapphire 7970ghz vapor-x (3gb)
Anybody know how high they can go with a modest overclock? (I'm not intending to push it to the max, maybe just an extra 100mhz on top of the 1050mhz boost for core)


Also, what do you think of the deal?


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir Amik Vase*
> 
> Just ordered a sapphire 7970ghz vapor-x (3gb)
> Anybody know how high they can go with a modest overclock? (I'm not intending to push it to the max, maybe just an extra 100mhz on top of the 1050mhz boost for core)
> 
> 
> Also, what do you think of the deal?


Amazing deal, lots of good games in there.


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> Depends on how much I get for the card I'm selling now but I'd guess I'm willing to shell out around $450. Would consider something a little bit more.
> Haha yeah I was originally looking at the Windforce 670 and how amazing that cooler was but since now I switched over to the 7970 (that free games deal is hard to pass up) I wonder if that same cooler performance transfers over


i HAD to switch over from a 660 Ti, what was wrong with your 670?


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Precision is Afterburner so it will work too. Thus there's AB, Trixx, and gputweak. You will probably want to read up on how to overclock because that is where 98% of the issues comes from, incorrectly going thru this process. You can save some time by reading my sig thread, where you can learn the two main methods.


I can't get it to show up in my Afterburner, it's grayed out for the option to have stats in upper right corner during a game.


----------



## I Am The Stig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> i HAD to switch over from a 660 Ti, what was wrong with your 670?


I don't own a 670 haha









I currently own an EVGA 560 ti 448 core classified and was looking to replace it with a 670 at one point but then I read up on the 7970 and it looked like a better all around card (plus the 2 free games was the kicker).


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> Depends on how much I get for the card I'm selling now but I'd guess I'm willing to shell out around $450. Would consider something a little bit more.
> Haha yeah I was originally looking at the Windforce 670 and how amazing that cooler was but since now I switched over to the 7970 (that free games deal is hard to pass up) I wonder if that same cooler performance transfers over


Have you looked into the Vortex II card from PowerColor?

I'll do a mini-review for you if you haven't.

*Pros:*
IR3553M Power Stages.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Overclockers.com*
> 
> Above we have a special treat on the GIGABYTE X79 boards, the award winning IR Power Stages, these are the IR3553M and are capable of 40A per phase with up to 1MHz switching frequency. They have excellent characteristics, and run pretty cool, thus no heatsink. They are basically a driver and two MOSFETs in one, thus called a powerstage.


Under 50% fan speed, I genuinely can't hear it over my GT's and TY-147 which, if I'm not gaming, are sitting at 40% for the GTs and 50-60% for the TY-147.
Aesthetics are big to me and this card really delivers there. This is subjective though obviously.
Unlocked voltage.

*Cons:*
No VRAM/VRM cooling. I suspect the lack of VRAM cooling is holding me back but the VRMs are fine on stock volts. I'm going to do some fiddling at 1.381V though so I'll report back later.
It takes up slightly more than 2 slots.
That's actually about all I can think of.


----------



## I Am The Stig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Have you looked into the Vortex II card from PowerColor?
> 
> I'll do a mini-review for you if you haven't.
> 
> *Pros:*
> IR3553M Power Stages.
> Under 50% fan speed, I genuinely can't hear it over my GT's and TY-147 which, if I'm not gaming, are sitting at 40% for the GTs and 50-60% for the TY-147.
> Aesthetics are big to me and this card really delivers there. This is subjective though obviously.
> Unlocked voltage.
> 
> *Cons:*
> No VRAM/VRM cooling. I suspect the lack of VRAM cooling is holding me back but the VRMs are fine on stock volts. I'm going to do some fiddling at 1.381V though so I'll report back later.
> It takes up slightly more than 2 slots.
> That's actually about all I can think of.


Are there ramifications for no VRAM/VRM cooling? I'm actually reading reviews on it from Newegg and people are complaining of artifacts and lock-ups on the card...but since judging by your specs in your sig I'll assume you have one and aren't getting any of these issues?


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> Are there ramifications for no VRAM/VRM cooling? I'm actually reading reviews on it from Newegg and people are complaining of artifacts and lock-ups on the card...but since judging by your specs in your sig I'll assume you have one and aren't getting any of these issues?


Well they run hotter, as you'd imagine, compared to them having heatsinks on them. That can limit OCing but I can bench at 1290/1600 @1.3V. If I turn the fan speeds up, I can run 1.381V as well although it makes almost no difference to my card as far as OCing. The memory refuses to go higher which is why I'm thinking the lack of any heatsinks on them is holding me back. One of these days, I'll finish my mod and figure out if that's the case or not.

I only get artifacts/lockups if I'm pushing the clocks too high. Both BIOS have done just fine at stock for me.

Edit: Forgot to mention, the other day I was running Kombustor and the screen went entirely black. Ended up having to restart but I haven't figured out what caused it.

Another edit: So as I've found out, if you pump the volts, you *need* to cool those VRMs. Ran Kombustor for a short time and hit 86C on 'em fairly quickly. Also tried running Unigine Valley at the same clocks I did the other day but ended up freezing my rig. I'm thinking that was also temperature related since I've ran those clocks/volts a few times now but those were when my ambient temperature was pretty low.


----------



## ChronoBodi

wooot, that windforce looks tight yo!


----------



## Luke133

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir Amik Vase*
> 
> Just ordered a sapphire 7970ghz vapor-x (3gb)
> Anybody know how high they can go with a modest overclock? (I'm not intending to push it to the max, maybe just an extra 100mhz on top of the 1050mhz boost for core)
> 
> 
> Also, what do you think of the deal?


100mhz is very easy overclock for that card. you can squeeze a fair bit more out on default voltage (1.25) if you want


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> So electrical tape would be better than heatshrink?


Heatshrink is always better than electrical tape, electrical tape is.. just bad :l

Having done a lot of electricity work on cars, I would never use anything but heatshrink on any wiring I would have to do anywhere.
Tape just doesn't last, heatshrink does.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> *Heatshrink is always better than electrical tape, electrical tape is.. just bad* :l
> 
> *Having done a lot of electricity work on cars*, I would never use anything but heatshrink on any wiring I would have to do anywhere.
> Tape just doesn't last, heatshrink does.


Yeah, electric on cars is *12v*









Where I work, they used to make 25 000v joints and even 375kv joints in tape. (under 1980s)

We still use electric tape on *120/240v* and *347/600v*. We use 3 rows of *3M 130c* and 3 rows of normal electric tape (3M revelation)and



One row of electrical tape is suppose to insulate up to 1000v.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> Can someone tell me how high does temperature get on opposite side of PCB on 7950.
> 
> Problem is since I am using MG5 and Noctua NH-D14 I need to to protect fan clips from shorting out*. I was thinking of using heatshrink*.


Heatshrinks are made to insulate cables, if you want stable solution, *use some strips of electrical tape*.


----------



## tsm106

Interesting....

1 35210 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) Country Flag tw K|NGP|N

9 28973 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor AMD Radeon HD 7970 (4x CrossFireX) Country Flag us tsm106

There's a lil over 20% difference in score, and more than 200% price premium to get it. And this Titan run is with hard mods and extreme cooling versus my 24/7 daily watercooled rig.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Heatshrink is always better than electrical tape, electrical tape is.. just bad :l
> 
> Having done a lot of electricity work on cars, I would never use anything but heatshrink on any wiring I would have to do anywhere.
> Tape just doesn't last, heatshrink does.


tape will be good for his uses


----------



## ChronoBodi

I can run CCC from the Start menu, but for some reason i still have a Nvidia Control Panel in my Control Panel. It's useless now, how do i get rid of it?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Interesting....
> 
> 1 35210 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) Country Flag tw K|NGP|N
> 
> 9 28973 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor AMD Radeon HD 7970 (4x CrossFireX) Country Flag us tsm106
> 
> There's a lil over 20% difference in score, and more than 200% price premium to get it. And this Titan run is with hard mods and extreme cooling versus my 24/7 daily watercooled rig.


I try not to think about this card anymore, its overrated, overpriced and overhyped like Nvidia tends to do for each of their releases . Nvidia is so good for marketing that even *I* feel a profound influence to get it. But the good voice inside me still yell that it's not worth it and to wait for next Gen. Thats what I'll do.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Interesting....
> 
> 1 35210 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) Country Flag tw K|NGP|N
> 
> 9 28973 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor AMD Radeon HD 7970 (4x CrossFireX) Country Flag us tsm106
> 
> There's a lil over 20% difference in score, and more than 200% price premium to get it. And this Titan run is with hard mods and extreme cooling versus my 24/7 daily watercooled rig.


if it was $700 i will be all over it.. Now knowing my 2 cards can run crysis 3 which remind me once again that is not worth the investment lol.. Im ok now and in the waiting line.. This was the game i was waiting for to REALLY push my cards and my 7970... XD So i decided to pair my 7970 with another 7970 and give my 7950 to my wife.. It will hold me well for at least 1-2 years depending how metro runs lol... I really game on my pc XD..

She dont even know what a good piece of hardware shes getting tho... That 7950 is a freaking beast...

I feel sorry for majin tho in a good way..


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> if it was $700 i will be all over it.. Now knowing my 2 cards can run crysis 3 which remind me once again that is not worth the investment lol.. Im ok now and in the waiting line.. This was the game i was waiting for to REALLY push my cards and my 7970... XD
> 
> I feel sorry for majin tho in a good way..


Yeah I'm pretty chuffed my year old cards run crysis very sweetly. Also Kudos to AMD for getting xfire working so well, it's like butter.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah I'm pretty chuffed my year old cards run crysis very sweetly. Also Kudos to AMD for getting xfire working so well, it's like butter.


And it will be EVEN better if amd jump on to those frame latency issues like they are doing the past couple of drivers...
Or do you think the amazing crysis 3 scaling is because of magic?

Even my 7970/7950 on crossfire are scaling to 95% or up


----------



## youpekkad

Is it possible that higher the clock speed=lower the temperature before artifacts start appearing?

I was just doing little testing, before in Metro2033 I could not get 1200MHz core to run without artifacts, even @1,3V which I found odd because it runs [email protected],1V no problems, basically my core got up to 65C+ instantly and VRMs to 80C (using my own fan profile) and it was artifacting quite a bit, couldnt play longer than 20 seconds before they started appearing.

Now, I put fanspeed to 90% and tested Metro using [email protected],18V, weirdly enough I played like 10minutes and not a single artifact (or any sign of instability) showed up as long as core was below 61C, then it got to 62-63C and I was able to spot few artifacts, VRMs stayed below 70C too, fan was obviously very loud









Gotta do some more testing, but is this just coincidence or might it actually be that if it gets past certain temperature it starts becoming unstable?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Is it possible that higher the clock speed=lower the temperature before artifacts start appearing?
> 
> I was just doing little testing, before in Metro2033 I could not get 1200MHz core to run without artifacts, even @1,3V which I found odd because it runs [email protected],1V no problems, basically my core got up to 65C+ instantly and VRMs to 80C (using my own fan profile) and it was artifacting quite a bit, couldnt play longer than 20 seconds before they started appearing.
> 
> Now, I put fanspeed to 90% and tested Metro using [email protected],18V, weirdly enough I played like 10minutes and not a single artifact (or any sign of instability) showed up as long as core was below 61C, then it got to 62-63C and I was able to spot few artifacts, VRMs stayed below 70C too, fan was obviously very loud
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gotta do some more testing, but is this just coincidence or might it actually be that if it gets past certain temperature it starts becoming unstable?


Try using 1.2v at 1200 let me know what you get..

Overvolting dont help either.. Temp walls are no good...


----------



## Derpinheimer

Yes, its temp limited [or a temp wall, maybe thats more proper?]

I run into a temp wall going for 1250, so its pretty common. Just about the same temps too.

If the noise doesnt bother you then its fine, but if it does, then you'll be stuck at a lower speed like me








Currently running 1200 with its artifacting temp being 70c


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Is it possible that higher the clock speed=lower the temperature before artifacts start appearing?
> 
> I was just doing little testing, before in Metro2033 I could not get 1200MHz core to run without artifacts, even @1,3V which I found odd because it runs [email protected],1V no problems, basically my core got up to 65C+ instantly and VRMs to 80C (using my own fan profile) and it was artifacting quite a bit, couldnt play longer than 20 seconds before they started appearing.
> 
> Now, I put fanspeed to 90% and tested Metro using [email protected],18V, weirdly enough I played like 10minutes and not a single artifact (or any sign of instability) showed up as long as core was below 61C, then it got to 62-63C and I was able to spot few artifacts, VRMs stayed below 70C too, fan was obviously very loud
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gotta do some more testing, but is this just coincidence or might it actually be that if it gets past certain temperature it starts becoming unstable?


Tahiti is temp limited. Overclocks are harder to achieve the higher the temp is. Tahiti 101.


----------



## Vaesauce

My 7970Ghz came in today









8+8Pin. Loving it sooo hard right now.


----------



## Derpinheimer

@tsm106: I much prefer being temp limited than just hard limit in many other cases. Makes it less sad to hit a wall, knowing you could go higher if you wanted to..

@Vaesauce: PUSH 'ER HARDER!


----------



## Snuckie7

For all you guys limited by temps, you can try switching out the TIM.

Applying Coolabs Liquid Ultra to my 7950 dropped the load temps about 5-7 degrees Celsius.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> @tsm106: I much prefer being temp limited than just hard limit in many other cases. Makes it less sad to hit a wall, knowing you could go higher if you wanted to..
> 
> @Vaesauce: PUSH 'ER HARDER!


I can drink to that and to that!


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I try not to think about this card anymore, its overrated, overpriced and overhyped like Nvidia tends to do for each of their releases . Nvidia is so good for marketing that even *I* feel a profound influence to get it. But the good voice inside me still yell that it's not worth it and to wait for next Gen. Thats what I'll do.


I was strongly considering the GTX 670 back last spring but was glad I held out for the 7970 because of the substantial boost that came from the Cat 12.11 beta drivers, not to mention the 3GB frame buffer+higher memory bandwidth. I've owned 3D cards since the Voodoo 3Dfx. I've had a Matrox Millenium, a RIVA TNT and 8800 GTS. The rest were ATi/AMD cards from Sapphire, HIS, PowerColor, and Diamond. For some reason I continue to gravitate towards AMD because I believe they offer better value and more advanced hardware for the money (7870 vs GTX 660Ti is but one example of many over the years). Nvidia tends to cripple their card a but more for the mainstream enthusiast gamer. Traditionally they've had better game bundles but that's been really changing. I like AMD more as a company as I think Nvidia tends to be more monopolistic and deceptive in nature (though both are certainly guilty of this). Still, I look for best bang for the buck and a card that will last for at least two years whether that be from the red or green team. Actually AMD is "green" so perhaps they're both just morphing into one entity.


----------



## SacredChaos

How well do 7970s scale? And is it worth it to get another? Also, If I did get another would I need another 120mm Radiator to support it?


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> For all you guys limited by temps, you can try switching out the TIM.
> 
> Applying Coolabs Liquid Ultra to my 7950 dropped the load temps about 5-7 degrees Celsius.


Too bad Indigo Xtreme doesn't offer a package for GPUs.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> For all you guys limited by temps, you can try switching out the TIM.
> 
> Applying Coolabs Liquid Ultra to my 7950 dropped the load temps about 5-7 degrees Celsius.
> 
> 
> 
> Too bad Indigo Xtreme doesn't offer a package for GPUs.
Click to expand...

Thats why you use what snuckie is using.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> *How well do 7970s scale?* And is it worth it to get another? Also, If I did get another would I need another 120mm Radiator to support it?


Is that a trick question? Is this a trick quiz?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> 
> 
> My 7970Ghz came in today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 8+8Pin. Loving it sooo hard right now.


Hmmm mine is only 6+8 Pin... Am I missing something?


----------



## Derpinheimer

Sapphire has changed the Vapor-X models around [8+8 would be the third Vapor-X model]

Original: 
Then: 
Now: ??? [No internal images of this card yet]


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Now: ??? [No internal images of this card yet]


A new Vapor X HD7950 design? Haven't heard about this. Post some photos ASAP.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> A new Vapor X HD7950 design? Haven't heard about this. Post some photos ASAP.


Best thing that could happen for it would be that Sapphire is now using a beefed up reference HD7970 PCB design.


----------



## youpekkad

Gunbladezz: @1,2V temps only get higher, doesnt help with artifacting in Metro, 3dmark11 hits the wall after [email protected],2V.

Snuckie: Already applied liquid pro, with stock TIM I would´ve hit 80C with 1,18V









But this is interesting, didnt know about these temp-limits before tested by myself.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Gunbladezz: @1,2V temps only get higher, doesnt help with artifacting in Metro, 3dmark11 hits the wall after [email protected],2V.
> 
> Snuckie: Already applied liquid pro, with stock TIM I would´ve hit 80C with 1,18V
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But this is interesting, didnt know about these temp-limits before tested by myself.


Temp limited is definitely true, I bench a lot and my instability is caused the second my card hits 49c (water cooled) which is great because I'm essentially 1300mhz stable at all times at about 41-44c, Im just not looking forward to summer


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yeah, electric on cars is *12v*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Where I work, they used to make 25 000v joints and even 375kv joints in tape. (under 1980s)
> 
> We still use electric tape on *120/240v* and *347/600v*. We use 3 rows of *3M 130c* and 3 rows of normal electric tape (3M revelation)and
> 
> 
> 
> One row of electrical tape is suppose to insulate up to 1000v.
> Heatshrinks are made to insulate cables, if you want stable solution, *use some strips of electrical tape*.


I wasn't aware of PCs being run on 25000V, I must live in the stoneage or something


----------



## th3illusiveman

Anyone know where i can get some VRM heatsinks for the 7970? You water cooling guys should know?

I'm looking for something like the last black heatsink to the right of the card, not those small copper memory heatsinks. Anyone know a place/site that sells heatsinks like this?


----------



## stickg1

Anyway use the new model of Sapphire 7950 yet?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026

Want to know if its voltage locked. Going to order on Friday, can't decide between the Vapor-X, 2L, or 3L. I've had the Vapor-X 8+8pin before. It was a decent card but wasn't worth the extra $30 over the 2L.


----------



## mush332

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Anyway use the new model of Sapphire 7950 yet?
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026
> 
> Want to know if its voltage locked. Going to order on Friday, can't decide between the Vapor-X, 2L, or 3L. I've had the Vapor-X 8+8pin before. It was a decent card but wasn't worth the extra $30 over the 2L.


i just bought one and i believe its unlocked. Thats what ppl told me before i ordered it. I will let u know when it arrives


----------



## Vaesauce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Hmmm mine is only 6+8 Pin... Am I missing something?


Not too sure. I did hear that the newer versions of the VaporX 7970 come with 8+8 Pins. I was actually expecting a 6+8 but i'm happy either way.

5870 Toxic and my VaporX 7970


8+8 Pin


----------



## SacredChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Thats why you use what snuckie is using.
> Is that a trick question? Is this a trick quiz?


No, but it would be nice if I got a real response.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> Not too sure. I did hear that the newer versions of the VaporX 7970 come with 8+8 Pins. I was actually expecting a 6+8 but i'm happy either way.


Very nice


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SacredChaos*
> 
> No, but it would be nice if I got a real response.


they scale better than any other GPUs, better than any Nvidias cards.

Only issue with AMD is their latencies which cause a stuttering effect with CFX or so reviews claim.


----------



## Sir Amik Vase

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> Not too sure. I did hear that the newer versions of the VaporX 7970 come with 8+8 Pins. I was actually expecting a 6+8 but i'm happy either way.
> 
> 5870 Toxic and my VaporX 7970
> -snip-[/IMG]
> 
> 8+8 Pin
> -snip-


My one came with 2x 8pins as well.
I was impressed, I don't know why, I just was haha.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I wasn't aware of PCs being run on 25000V, I must live in the stoneage or something


What a sarcastic response. You know what I meant, Don't act like a 12 years old.


----------



## dartuil

Hello ,

I bought a HD7950 royalqueen :
http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/radeon-hd-7950-royalqueen.1311.html

I own three differents monitors :
http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/G922HDL/
With DVI and VGA
http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/rl2240h
With DVI , HDMI and VGA
http://www.lg.com/hk_en/monitors/lg-W1943SS-PF-office
With VGA

I would like to do eyefinity it can be weird I know.

So the biggest one the BenQ RL2240h will be in HDMI

The LG-W1943SS-PF 19" will be in VGA===>DVI with an adapter
http://www.lg.com/hk_en/monitors/lg-W1943SS-PF-office

And the last one the benQ G922HDL :
http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/G922HDL/
I would like to connect it with :
Mini DisplayPort to Active DVI Single Link cable
http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/41.html
and
http://www.davediscovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/dvi-cable.jpg
DVI to DVI cable

Do you think it will work?
If u have any other idea im open.

Thank you
Regards

eyefinty threads are empty


----------



## zGunBLADEz

received my reference 7970 and this is looking VERY VERY good XD My temp wall @ 1200 with just 1.2 is 70c... So i have a winner XD

1hr of valley with stock volts 1.05v (asic 77%) @ 1100/1600 with reference cooler @ 100% fan blast jujujuju
hopefully can get 1300 out of this baby taking the temp wall out of the question XD it runs very cool compared to my sapphire 7970 OC edition with his non-ref custom cooler taking out the infernal noise out of the equation of ourse XD


Now i can confirm why this people cannot overclock crap on reference coolers... I had 3 7970 thru my hands and i be able to overclock on all 3 to more than 1250+


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> What a sarcastic response. You know what I meant, Don't act like a 12 years old.


I actually don't, unless your point was that tape is being used on something pretty much unrelated to these forums, I was mainly talking about computer system and stuff as I'm pretty they run on 12V juice aswell.


----------



## zoidbergslo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Heatshrink is always better than electrical tape, electrical tape is.. just bad :l
> 
> Having done a lot of electricity work on cars, I would never use anything but heatshrink on any wiring I would have to do anywhere.
> Tape just doesn't last, heatshrink does.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yeah, electric on cars is *12v*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Where I work, they used to make 25 000v joints and even 375kv joints in tape. (under 1980s)
> 
> We still use electric tape on *120/240v* and *347/600v*. We use 3 rows of *3M 130c* and 3 rows of normal electric tape (3M revelation)and
> 
> 
> 
> One row of electrical tape is suppose to insulate up to 1000v.
> Heatshrinks are made to insulate cables, if you want stable solution, *use some strips of electrical tape*.


Thank you all for your answers

I wanted to go with heatshrink because dust sticks to electrical tape and it gets dirty. Also fan clips are made out of wire so heatshrink could't fall off anyway.

But if you think electrical tape is better I'll use that.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> Thank you all for your answers
> 
> I wanted to go with heatshrink because dust sticks to electrical tape and it gets dirty. Also fan clips are made out of wire so heatshrink could't fall off anyway.
> 
> But if you think electrical tape is better I'll use that.


A discreet strip of tape will do the job. Heatshrinks are for cables. You can still use a cut heatshrink if you want, or even a small piece of cardboard. My point was, electrical tape is GOOD, unlike what the other guy said.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I actually don't, unless your point was that tape is *being used on something pretty much unrelated to these forums*, I was mainly talking about computer system and stuff as I'm pretty they run on 12V juice aswell.


So cars electricity is more related to the forum







(Trollololo)


----------



## Sir Amik Vase

I can't believe people are arguing over electrical tape.
Now I've really seen everything


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> A discreet strip of tape will do the job. Heatshrinks are for cables. You can still use a cut heatshrink if you want, or even a small piece of cardboard. My point was, electrical tape is GOOD, unlike what the other guy said.
> So cars electricity is more related to the forum
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Trollololo)


Well cars = 12V
PCs = 12V (or less)

Better comparison than taping 25000V lol


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Well cars = 12V
> PCs = 12V (or less)
> 
> Better comparison than taping 25000V lol


Proves my point that tapes is good for high voltage, you said tape is bad for 12v., Stige you are trolling always around the forum. I didnt say anything rude when I replied to your post. I don't know what your trying to prove dude.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> Can someone tell me how high does temperature get on opposite side of PCB on 7950.
> 
> Problem is since I am using MG5 and Noctua NH-D14 *I need to to protect fan clips* from shorting out. I was thinking of using heatshrink.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Heatshrink is always better than electrical tape, electrical tape is.. just bad :l
> 
> Having done a lot of electricity work on cars, I would never use anything but heatshrink *on any wiring* I would have to do anywhere.
> .


Where does he mention he want to use it on wiring?

Quote:


> Tape just doesn't last, heatshrink does


I've seen tape last for 70 years on underground high voltage joints.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Proves my point that tapes is good for high voltage, you said tape is bad for 12v., Stige you are trolling always around the forum. I didnt say anything rude when I replied to your post. I don't know what your trying to prove dude.


anything rubber is good for electricity period... Now the question would be how tolerant is that rubber at high temperatures.. when current runs thru that wire.. You will need something of more quality the higher the voltage is..


----------



## psikeiro

Replaced PSU so new pics are here :



http://imgur.com/MDg1l


taking suggestions on what color to sleeve my PSU next, has to include gray because I want to incorporate that, blue and black up for discussion.


----------



## dartuil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> Hello ,
> 
> I bought a HD7950 royalqueen :
> http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/radeon-hd-7950-royalqueen.1311.html
> 
> I own three differents monitors :
> http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/G922HDL/
> With DVI and VGA
> http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/rl2240h
> With DVI , HDMI and VGA
> http://www.lg.com/hk_en/monitors/lg-W1943SS-PF-office
> With VGA
> 
> I would like to do eyefinity it can be weird I know.
> 
> So the biggest one the BenQ RL2240h will be in HDMI
> 
> The LG-W1943SS-PF 19" will be in VGA===>DVI with an adapter
> http://www.lg.com/hk_en/monitors/lg-W1943SS-PF-office
> 
> And the last one the benQ G922HDL :
> http://www.benq.com/product/monitor/G922HDL/
> I would like to connect it with :
> Mini DisplayPort to Active DVI Single Link cable
> http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/41.html
> and
> http://www.davediscovers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/dvi-cable.jpg
> DVI to DVI cable
> 
> Do you think it will work?
> If u have any other idea im open.
> 
> Thank you
> Regards
> 
> eyefinty threads are empty


woow im a ghost







((


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> woow im a ghost
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ((


It will work with that Active DP to DVI adapter you posted. Using that you should be able to use all three monitors. Eyefinity is going to be weird though because:

1) They aren't the same model of monitors
2) They have different native resolutions

You will have to set them all in 1366x768 if you want to run Eyefinity. Once you have them all manually set to that resolution then enable your Eyefinity array.


----------



## thrgk

So my sapphire dual fan x 7970 came in and apparently they are not reference? What card is reference and has voltage unlocked?


----------



## KaRLiToS

*Download*

*FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AMD CATALYST 13.2 BETA 7 DRIVER
(Please note that AMD Catalyst 13.2 Beta 7 includes all of the fixes found in previous versions of AMD Catalyst 13.2 Beta)*
Resolves an intermittent hang seen in Crossfire configurations with the new Crysis 3 patch.

*Build Info:*
DriverVer=02/26/2013, 12.100.17.0000
12.10.17-130226a-153761E-ATI

Catalyst: 13.2
CCC:
3D:
OGL:
OCL:

*Supported Cards:*


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



AMD6742.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6500 Series"
AMD68B8.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6700 Series"
AMD689B.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series"
AMD6898.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series"
AMD6798.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"
AMD6818.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 8800 Series (OEM)"
AMD679A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 8900 Series (OEM)"
AMD68F9.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6350"
AMD683D.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 8760"
AMD68F9.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 5450"
AMD68F9.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 6350"
AMD683D.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 8760"
AMD689C.1 = "ASUS ARES"
AMD68E1.1 = "ASUS EAH5450 Series"
AMD689C.2 = "ASUS EAH5870 Series"
AMD68E1.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.3 = "ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5000 Series"
AMD68E1.4 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.5 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.6 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.7 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.8 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD677B.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7450"
AMD6778.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 8470"
AMD679A.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 8950"
AMD68E1.9 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.10 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD675F.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6510 Series"
AMD675F.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6530 Series"
AMD68BF.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6750"
AMD6779.1 = "AMD RADEON HD 7450"
AMD675F.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 7510 Series"
AMD6759.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7570 Series"
AMD68E1.11 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E5.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68F9.4 = "ATI Radeon HD 6230"
AMD68E1.12 = "ATI Radeon HD 6230"
AMD68F9.5 = "ATI Radeon HD 6250"
AMD68E1.13 = "ATI Radeon HD 6250"
AMD68F9.6 = "ATI Radeon HD 6290"
AMD68F9.7 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350"
AMD68E1.14 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350"
AMD68E5.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350"
AMD68DA.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 6390"
AMD68DA.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 6490"
AMD68D9.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 6510"
AMD68D9.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 6610"
AMD68BE.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 6750"
AMD68F9.8 = "ATI Radeon HD 7350"
AMD68E1.15 = "ATI Radeon HD 7350"
AMD68E5.3 = "ATI Radeon HD 7350"
AMD68E1.16 = "VisionTek Radeon HD 5450"
AMD68F9.9 = "AMD Radeon HD 6350A Graphics"
AMD6759.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6570 Graphics"
AMD68BE.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6750 Graphics"
AMD68F9.10 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350 Graphics"
AMD68E1.17 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.18 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E0.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 5450"
AMD6779.2 = "AMD RADEON HD 6450"
AMD675F.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 6510 Series"
AMD68BE.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 6750"
AMD68BF.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6750"
AMD6899.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6850"
AMD6898.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6870"
AMD68E1.19 = "AMD Radeon HD 7350"
AMD6779.3 = "AMD RADEON HD 7450"
AMD675F.5 = "AMD Radeon HD 7510"
AMD6759.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 7570"
AMD6758.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7670"
AMD68C1.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 5000 Series"
AMD68E0.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.20 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350"
AMD68E1.21 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68E1.22 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68F9.11 = "ATI Radeon HD 5470"
AMD68E1.23 = "ATI Radeon HD 5470"
AMD68F9.12 = "ATI Radeon HD 5490"
AMD68F9.13 = "ATI Radeon HD 5530"
AMD68DA.3 = "ATI Radeon HD 5630"
AMD68D8.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 5690"
AMD68D8.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 5730"
AMD6899.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 5850X2"
AMD68E1.24 = "ATI Radeon HD 6230"
AMD68F9.14 = "ATI Radeon HD 6230"
AMD68F9.15 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350"
AMD68F9.16 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350 Graphics"
AMD68DA.4 = "ATI Radeon HD 6390"
AMD68DA.5 = "ATI Radeon HD 6490"
AMD68D9.3 = "ATI Radeon HD 6510"
AMD68D9.4 = "ATI Radeon HD 6510"
AMD68D9.5 = "ATI Radeon HD 6610"
AMD68F9.17 = "ATI Radeon HD 7350"
AMD6761.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6450"
AMD68BF.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 6700 Green Edition"
AMD6738.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series"
AMD6739.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2"
AMD68E1.25 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68F9.18 = "ATI Radeon HD 5470"
AMD68F9.19 = "ATI Radeon HD 5490"
AMD68F9.20 = "ATI Radeon HD 5530"
AMD68DA.6 = "ATI Radeon HD 5630"
AMD68D8.3 = "ATI Radeon HD 5730"
AMD68D9.6 = "ATI Radeon HD 6510"
AMD68E1.26 = "AMD Radeon HD 6230"
AMD6738.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6870 X2"
AMD6738.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 6870 X2"
AMD68FA.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7350"
AMD68E1.27 = "AMD Radeon HD 7350"
AMD677B.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 7450"
AMD675D.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7570"
AMD675B.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7670"
AMD68E1.28 = "AMD Radeon HD 8350"
AMD6779.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 8450"
AMD68E1.29 = "ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series"
AMD68F9.21 = "ATI Radeon HD 5470"
AMD68F9.22 = "ATI Radeon HD 5470"
AMD68F9.23 = "ATI Radeon HD 5490"
AMD68DA.7 = "ATI Radeon HD 5630"
AMD68D9.7 = "ATI Radeon HD 5630"
AMD68D8.4 = "ATI Radeon HD 5690"
AMD68D8.5 = "ATI Radeon HD 5730"
AMD68F9.24 = "ATI Radeon HD 6230"
AMD68F9.25 = "ATI Radeon HD 6250"
AMD68F9.26 = "ATI Radeon HD 6290"
AMD68F9.27 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350"
AMD68E1.30 = "ATI Radeon HD 6350"
AMD68DA.8 = "ATI Radeon HD 6390"
AMD68D9.8 = "ATI Radeon HD 6510"
AMD68BE.4 = "ATI Radeon HD 6750"
AMD6779.5 = "AMD Radeon(TM) HD 7450A Graphics"
AMD68F9.28 = "ATI Radeon HD 6230"
AMD68F9.29 = "ATI Radeon HD 6250"
AMD68F9.30 = "ATI Radeon HD 6290"
AMD6741.1 = "AMD Radeon 6600M and 6700M Series"
AMD6763.1 = "AMD Radeon E6460"
AMD6743.1 = "AMD Radeon E6760"
AMD675F.6 = "AMD Radeon HD 5500 Series"
AMD9804.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6250 Graphics"
AMD9805.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6250 Graphics"
AMD9807.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6290 Graphics"
AMD68E4.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6300M Series"
AMD68E5.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 6300M Series"
AMD9802.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6310 Graphics"
AMD9803.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6310 Graphics"
AMD9806.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6320 Graphics"
AMD9642.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6370D"
AMD9643.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6380G"
AMD6770.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6400 Series"
AMD9644.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6410D"
AMD9645.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6410D"
AMD6779.6 = "AMD Radeon HD 6450"
AMD9648.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6480G"
AMD9647.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6520G"
AMD964A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6530D"
AMD9640.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6550D"
AMD6759.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 6570"
AMD9641.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6620G"
AMD6758.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6670"
AMD68BA.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6700 Series"
AMD68BF.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 6700 Series"
AMD673E.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6700 Series"
AMD6740.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6700M Series"
AMD6738.4 = "AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series"
AMD6739.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series"
AMD689B.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series"
AMD68A8.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6800M Series"
AMD6718.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6900 Series"
AMD6719.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6900 Series"
AMD671D.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6900 Series"
AMD671F.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6900 Series"
AMD6720.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6900M Series"
AMD6778.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 7000 series"
AMD6842.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7000M Series"
AMD9809.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics"
AMD9808.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7340 Graphics"
AMD9994.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7400G"
AMD99A4.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7400G"
AMD6760.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7400M Series"
AMD9992.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7420G"
AMD9993.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7480D"
AMD6742.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 7500/7600 Series"
AMD990A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7500G"
AMD9919.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7500G"
AMD6841.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7500M/7600M Series"
AMD9990.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7520G"
AMD99A0.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7520G"
AMD9991.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7540D"
AMD9904.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7560D"
AMD9908.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7600G"
AMD9918.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7600G"
AMD6840.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7600M Series"
AMD9907.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7620G"
AMD9917.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7620G"
AMD9903.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7640G"
AMD9913.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7640G"
AMD9901.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7660D"
AMD9900.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7660G"
AMD9910.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7660G"
AMD6843.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7670M"
AMD683D.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series"
AMD683F.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7700 Series"
AMD682D.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7700M Series"
AMD682F.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7700M Series"
AMD6819.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series"
AMD6818.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series"
AMD679E.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series"
AMD6825.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7800M Series"
AMD6827.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7800M Series"
AMD679A.3 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"
AMD6798.2 = "AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series"
AMD6800.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7970M"
AMD9649.1 = "AMD Radeon(TM) HD 6480G"
AMD68C0.1 = "ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5000"
AMD68C1.2 = "ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5000 Series"
AMD68C7.1 = "ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5570"
AMD68A0.1 = "ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5800 Series"
AMD68A1.1 = "ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5800 Series"
AMD68F9.31 = "ATI Radeon HD 5450"
AMD68DA.9 = "ATI Radeon HD 5500 Series"
AMD68D9.9 = "ATI Radeon HD 5570"
AMD68B9.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 5600/5700"
AMD68D8.6 = "ATI Radeon HD 5670"
AMD68B8.2 = "ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series"
AMD68BE.5 = "ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series"
AMD6898.3 = "ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series"
AMD6899.3 = "ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series"
AMD689E.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series"
AMD689C.3 = "ATI Radeon HD 5900 Series"


----------



## thrgk

OK is this a reference card?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
???


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> OK is this a reference card?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> ???


Yes it is, even on PCB you can see AMD logo.

CHEERS..


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> OK is this a reference card?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> ???


yes it is. apart from the cooler, the AMD logo near the PCIe fingers is usally an indication of a refernce PCB


----------



## thrgk

so the sapphire 7970 oc with boost is not reference correct?

EDIT:
also is this reference? I need to buy from amazon and many are OOS http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-PCI-Express-Crossfire-Graphics-GV-R797TO-3GD/dp/B008WAMV3Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1361997888&sr=1-2&keywords=gigabyte+7970

trying to find a good branded reference on amazon is hard lol


----------



## thrgk

omg can someone plz help me find a reference 7970 on amazon sold by amazon? please cant find one, getting scared i will have to buy a xfx brand and really dont want to


----------



## SkateZilla

I think it's messed up how NewEgg is screwing people on 7900 Series returns.

If you're not exhanging it, and just returning it (to buy antoehr brand 7900 at the same price for example).

They will Deduct $169 from your Credit for the price of the "Promo Codes"

the promo games should not be deducted, they are promo codes from AMD, not newegg.

if you pay $409 for the card, you should get $409 worth of credit, They should not be taking away the value of each game.

the coupons arent in the GPU Box this time around either (least mine werent, they were stapled to the invoice).

So when they ship you a different brand, the warehouse guy should have a note to NOT include a Promo Card with the invoice.

*but yeah, the AMD Promo Games, are a GIFT for buying an AMD Card, AMD foots the Bill for those, not NewEgg.*

So they Cannot Take off the $169 for the promo. you paid $409 for the CARD. the Promo was deducted from the invoice and given to you as a GIFT.

They arent in the Box, they are stapled to the Invoice when they are packed... They should be able to look up your original invoice, issue a return credit for $409.
Scan out the other brand model for $399, and then delete the Promo Code line from the invoice before they send it to be packed.

I've been seeing too many friends trying to return DEFECTIVE 7900 cards to exchange brands (at the same price point), but New Egg insists on taking the $169 off their credit for the used code card. So a $399 Card gets you $240 worth of credit when returned? and if you buy another one, you're gonna get the same damn Promo Code Cards again anyway.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I think it's messed up how NewEgg is screwing people on 7900 Series returns.
> 
> If you're not exhanging it, and just returning it (to buy antoehr brand 7900 at the same price for example).
> 
> They will Deduct $169 from your Credit for the price of the "Promo Codes"
> 
> the promo games should not be deducted, they are promo codes from AMD, not newegg.
> 
> if you pay $409 for the card, you should get $409 worth of credit, They should not be taking away the value of each game.
> 
> the coupons arent in the GPU Box this time around either (least mine werent, they were stapled to the invoice).
> 
> So when they ship you a different brand, the warehouse guy should have a note to NOT include a Promo Card with the invoice.
> 
> *but yeah, the AMD Promo Games, are a GIFT for buying an AMD Card, AMD foots the Bill for those, not NewEgg.*
> 
> So they Cannot Take off the $169 for the promo. you paid $409 for the CARD. the Promo was deducted from the invoice and given to you as a GIFT.
> 
> They arent in the Box, they are stapled to the Invoice when they are packed... They should be able to look up your original invoice, issue a return credit for $409.
> Scan out the other brand model for $399, and then delete the Promo Code line from the invoice before they send it to be packed.
> 
> I've been seeing too many friends trying to return DEFECTIVE 7900 cards to exchange brands (at the same price point), but New Egg insists on taking the $169 off their credit for the used code card. So a $399 Card gets you $240 worth of credit when returned? and if you buy another one, you're gonna get the same damn Promo Code Cards again anyway.


so do a charge back through PayPal or credit card company then.


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I think it's messed up how NewEgg is screwing people on 7900 Series returns.
> 
> If you're not exhanging it, and just returning it (to buy antoehr brand 7900 at the same price for example).
> 
> They will Deduct $169 from your Credit for the price of the "Promo Codes"
> 
> the promo games should not be deducted, they are promo codes from AMD, not newegg.
> 
> if you pay $409 for the card, you should get $409 worth of credit, They should not be taking away the value of each game.
> 
> the coupons arent in the GPU Box this time around either (least mine werent, they were stapled to the invoice).
> 
> So when they ship you a different brand, the warehouse guy should have a note to NOT include a Promo Card with the invoice.
> 
> *but yeah, the AMD Promo Games, are a GIFT for buying an AMD Card, AMD foots the Bill for those, not NewEgg.*
> 
> So they Cannot Take off the $169 for the promo. you paid $409 for the CARD. the Promo was deducted from the invoice and given to you as a GIFT.
> 
> They arent in the Box, they are stapled to the Invoice when they are packed... They should be able to look up your original invoice, issue a return credit for $409.
> Scan out the other brand model for $399, and then delete the Promo Code line from the invoice before they send it to be packed.
> 
> I've been seeing too many friends trying to return DEFECTIVE 7900 cards to exchange brands (at the same price point), but New Egg insists on taking the $169 off their credit for the used code card. So a $399 Card gets you $240 worth of credit when returned? and if you buy another one, you're gonna get the same damn Promo Code Cards again anyway.


It's even worse if you already have / pre-ordered some of the games, lol. That's the reason I shop with Amazon, they just don't care or they'd rather eat the code and have your continued business in the future







.


----------



## szeged

Yeah newegg tried to screw me also I accidentally ordered the wrong card, tried to rma it and they tried to take the 169 off. So I said screw that and then ordered the original card I wanted and crossfired them. Sure it cost more money but I don't like when companies try to screw someone like that.


----------



## thrgk

Is sapphire not making more 7970 oc reference cards? Everyone is OOS


----------



## I Am The Stig

Okay so I've decided that I'm going to pull the trigger on the Gigabyte Windforce 7970, however the only thing I'm questioning is the power draw. My PSU right now is a Corsair GS600 (600w) and on newegg the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 requires 550w and the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 ghz edition requires a minimum of 600. Am I alright in getting the ghz edition?


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> Okay so I've decided that I'm going to pull the trigger on the Gigabyte Windforce 7970, however the only thing I'm questioning is the power draw. My PSU right now is a Corsair GS600 (600w) and on newegg the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 requires 550w and the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 ghz edition requires a minimum of 600. Am I alright in getting the ghz edition?


it's fine, i ran a GTX 580 off a 550w. Mind you, a QUALITY 550w. Fatal1ty OCZ 550w to be exact.

Im running mine off a Antec 620w HCG, you're fine. They tend to overinflate PSU requirements so people with crap PSUs (aka, the 750w that's really a 600w) won't sue AMD or Nvidia cause their "GPU" did it but it's their crap PSU that did it.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> Okay so I've decided that I'm going to pull the trigger on the Gigabyte Windforce 7970, however the only thing I'm questioning is the power draw. My PSU right now is a Corsair GS600 (600w) and on newegg the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 requires 550w and the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 ghz edition requires a minimum of 600. Am I alright in getting the ghz edition?


You're fine mate, your PSU is enough as HD7970 GHZ pulls ~ 210W , not more.

Non GHz HD7970 pulls ~ 165W..

CHEERS..


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> Okay so I've decided that I'm going to pull the trigger on the Gigabyte Windforce 7970, however the only thing I'm questioning is the power draw. My PSU right now is a Corsair GS600 (600w) and on newegg the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 requires 550w and the Gigabyte Windforce 7970 ghz edition requires a minimum of 600. Am I alright in getting the ghz edition?
> 
> 
> 
> it's fine, i ran a GTX 580 off a 550w. Mind you, a QUALITY 550w. Fatal1ty OCZ 550w to be exact.
> 
> Im running mine off a Antec 620w HCG, you're fine. They tend to overinflate PSU requirements so people with crap PSUs (aka, the 750w that's really a 600w) won't sue AMD or Nvidia cause their "GPU" did it but it's their crap PSU that did it.
Click to expand...

Fatal1ty's are crap dude ...


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Fatal1ty's are crap dude ...


it was Average but it did run GTX 580 fine, provided you don't overvolt it.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Thats why you use what snuckie is using


Coolaboratory LU is conductive so I'd rather use something like PK-1 or some Shin-Etsu, but kudos to snuckie for proper application and great results.


----------



## NLight95

UPS just delivered my Sapphire 7970 OC. Woot!

I thought about doing an unboxing but eh, there's enough of those on YT, plus I'd rather tweak and play some games.


----------



## thrgk

Dude where did u get a 7970 oc sapphire? Got a link?


----------



## LostKauz

Im in - ASUS 7950 here its a shame though its voltage locked currently sitting at 1000/1375 furmark 1080 preset bench hit 71c with fans at 61%

going to be adding a second one hopefully soon, unfortunately im thinking im gonna have to order this damn coach purse before i get anything else.


----------



## vSpooKy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> UPS just delivered my Sapphire 7970 OC. Woot!
> 
> I thought about doing an unboxing but eh, there's enough of those on YT, plus I'd rather tweak and play some games.


Thank god I ordered my Sapphire 7970 OC yesterday they are out of stock now, I want you to tell me how good it is.


----------



## thrgk

Where did u guys order them from? How long they usually take to come back in stock


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LostKauz*
> 
> Im in - ASUS 7950 here its a shame though its voltage locked currently sitting at 1000/1375 furmark 1080 preset bench hit 71c with fans at 61%
> 
> going to be adding a second one hopefully soon, unfortunately im thinking im gonna have to order this damn coach purse before i get anything else.


LMAO, im in the same boat!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Gunbladezz: @1,2V temps only get higher, doesnt help with artifacting in Metro, 3dmark11 hits the wall after [email protected],2V.
> 
> Snuckie: Already applied liquid pro, with stock TIM I would´ve hit 80C with 1,18V
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But this is interesting, didnt know about these temp-limits before tested by myself.


Then you have to work in your cooling now my friend..


----------



## bigsnyder

Returned a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X to Amazon last week for terrible coil whine. No problems with refund. Bought a used MSI R7950 with reference 7970 instead. Screw the games.


----------



## vSpooKy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Where did u guys order them from? How long they usually take to come back in stock


I have seen them get new ones in as quick as a day, to four days all depends also ordered from newegg.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LostKauz*
> 
> Im in - ASUS 7950 here its a shame though its voltage locked currently sitting at 1000/1375 furmark 1080 preset bench hit 71c with fans at 61%
> 
> going to be adding a second one hopefully soon, unfortunately im thinking im gonna have to order this damn coach purse before i get anything else.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> LMAO, im in the same boat!


Knock off purse + 7970.

Or wife 2.0, this option can be troublesome though, & discovery of knock off coach purse may lead to it.


----------



## Zan30

Hi guys need some I have trying to see if I can update the bios on my card which is this one here http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-049-HS&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1673
but with no luck cant seem to match my device id and subvendor with any of the bios rom out there just needing some help or advice if any one can help.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir Amik Vase*
> 
> My one came with 2x 8pins as well.
> I was impressed, I don't know why, I just was haha.


I think the ghz edition ones comes with 8+8pins...


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vSpooKy*
> 
> I have seen them get new ones in as quick as a day, to four days all depends also ordered from newegg.


Ah so new egg will get them in stock again? I ordered a vision trek but can always cancel it. Sapphire beats vision tek


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I think the ghz edition ones comes with 8+8pins...


My Ghz edition Windforce is still 6+8 pins.


----------



## Vaesauce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I think the ghz edition ones comes with 8+8pins...


Nah, a lot of 7970GHZ came with 6+8. That was the original PCB.

Then the later revisions came out and made them 8+8. That applies to Sapphire at least... i think.. lol. I know that the HIS 7970ghz come with 8+8.

None the less, I think i'm pretty good with my 7970ghz at 1200/1600. Messing around with my voltage, undervolting and got it to drop to 1.22v stable







If i hit 1.21 or 1.20, i start to crash in games lol. No artifacts tho!


----------



## dartuil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> It will work with that Active DP to DVI adapter you posted. Using that you should be able to use all three monitors. Eyefinity is going to be weird though because:
> 
> 1) They aren't the same model of monitors
> 2) They have different native resolutions
> 
> You will have to set them all in 1366x768 if you want to run Eyefinity. Once you have them all manually set to that resolution then enable your Eyefinity array.


thank you


----------



## NGEternaL

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigsnyder*
> 
> Returned a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X to Amazon last week for terrible coil whine. No problems with refund. Bought a used MSI R7950 with reference 7970 instead. Screw the games.


I think i might get the msi r7950 too, how can you be sure it comes with a 7970 pcb? Whered you buy it from?


----------



## vSpooKy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Ah so new egg will get them in stock again? I ordered a vision trek but can always cancel it. Sapphire beats vision tek


Ya it is just a waiting game.


----------



## LostKauz

soooooooo.... just ordered this 

Hopefully ill be ordering a second 7950 or maybe ill max out the fans in my case..


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LostKauz*
> 
> soooooooo.... just ordered this
> 
> Hopefully ill be ordering a second 7950 or maybe ill max out the fans in my case..


LOL, good trade off


----------



## LostKauz

im really not sure what to do about this situation because when i originally put this pc together it wouldnt post due to the video card sagging. propped it up and it booted. now everynow and then it wont post until i pull the side off and push the card in/ reseat my dowel prop. btw i have the asus 7950. just really nervous about popping another tri slot card in their.

edit: im really hoping another 7950 will let me turn aa up quite a bit in crysis 3... currently im at max with 1xaa and motion blur off. averaging 45 fps


----------



## Stay Puft

Just picked up 4 white box diamond 7970's from MC this evening. Im definitely going to need a new PSU and should have them all installed by tomorrow night. Saved me 2400 dollars over my planned quad titan rig. Cant wait to get them on water and maxed out


----------



## LostKauz

i swear im about to order *this*


----------



## Luke133

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> Not too sure. I did hear that the newer versions of the VaporX 7970 come with 8+8 Pins. I was actually expecting a 6+8 but i'm happy either way.
> 
> 5870 Toxic and my VaporX 7970
> 
> 
> 8+8 Pin


Ive got the same card mate have you got voltage control on yours ?


----------



## Vaesauce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luke133*
> 
> Ive got the same card mate have you got voltage control on yours ?


Hmm Voltage control as in... Voltage is capped at 1.3 in TRIXX? lol. If so then yes. Can't go any higher... unless there is some special way haha.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> Nah, a lot of 7970GHZ came with 6+8. That was the original PCB.
> 
> Then the later revisions came out and made them 8+8. That applies to Sapphire at least... i think.. lol. I know that the HIS 7970ghz come with 8+8.
> 
> None the less, I think i'm pretty good with my 7970ghz at 1200/1600. Messing around with my voltage, undervolting and got it to drop to 1.22v stable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If i hit 1.21 or 1.20, i start to crash in games lol. No artifacts tho!


Ah ok, just wondering what's the advantage having 2 more extra pins


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stay Puft*
> 
> Just picked up *4 white box diamond 7970's* from MC this evening. Im definitely going to need a new PSU and should have them all installed by tomorrow night. Saved me 2400 dollars over my planned quad titan rig. Cant wait to get them on water and maxed out


*Aww HELL NO!*























Are you kidding me! After the insane lengths you went through to defend that card you buy 7970s?!!!! Wow....

You have to buy Titans man! this isn't right


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NGEternaL*
> 
> I think i might get the msi r7950 too, how can you be sure it comes with a 7970 pcb? Whered you buy it from?


You can't really be sure.

There have been reports of the TFIII 7950 shipping on regular old 7950 PCB's.


----------



## Vaesauce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Ah ok, just wondering what's the advantage having 2 more extra pins


Hmmmm. I'm not too savy with 6pin and 8pin efficiency but i suppose 8+8 possibly might have more stability since the GPU can obtain more power?

Haha i'm not too sure. Feel free to correct or add more benefits fellow Overclockers haha.


----------



## Stay Puft

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> *Aww HELL NO!*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Are you kidding me! After the insane lengths you went through to defend that card you buy 7970s?!!!! Wow....
> 
> You have to buy Titans man! this isn't right












The hype has worn off and after seeing TSM's 3 way 7970's rip overclocked titan's sli a new ahole i said the hell with them.


----------



## LostKauz

i did it. does anyone know about new eggs next business day shipping?

PROOF!


----------



## Luke133

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> Hmm Voltage control as in... Voltage is capped at 1.3 in TRIXX? lol. If so then yes. Can't go any higher... unless there is some special way haha.


Yeah i brought the same card a few weeks back, had a quick overclock mess in trixx. I could change the voltage but it wasn't being affected as when i monitored it in gpuz its was stuck at 1.256. Maybe your using a new version of trixx or a moded version ? I installed it all a little over 3 weeks back tried AB as well but with no luck. Im away offshore working now so i cant test anything. I just want to make sure its not voltage locked !


----------



## Vaesauce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luke133*
> 
> Yeah i brought the same card a few weeks back, had a quick overclock mess in trixx. I could change the voltage but it wasn't being affected as when i monitored it in gpuz its was stuck at 1.256. Maybe your using a new version of trixx or a moded version ? I installed it all a little over 3 weeks back tried AB as well but with no luck. Im away offshore working now so i cant test anything. I just want to make sure its not voltage locked !


Hmm not too sure about yours. I just changed mine to 1.3V with "Force Constant Voltage" OFF. Ran Heaven and my voltage fluctuated from 1.23-1.29.

With "Force Constant Voltage" ON. It sits at a constant 1.291v. I suppose its not a flat 1.3v because of droop. My ASIC is only 66.9% haha but that doesn't matter too much for me since I don't plan on doing any hardcore overclock. But definitely unlocked


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stay Puft*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The hype has worn off and after seeing TSM's 3 way 7970's rip overclocked titan's sli a new ahole i said the hell with them.


well, welcome to the club









Diamond 7970s are said to be very very good overclockers, and with 3 of them you should have a ton of power for a great price!


----------



## thrgk

How do visiontek oc?


----------



## Stay Puft

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> well, welcome to the club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Diamond 7970s are said to be very very good overclockers, and with *4* of them you should have a ton of power for a great price!


I'm already excited to toy with the titan owners









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> How do visiontek oc?


Depends on the card. Is it reference?


----------



## thrgk

Yea its reference. Is diamond better reference? I'd swap it out


----------



## disintegratorx

New Beta drivers are out just to mention it: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx

I've also noticed that these drivers perform MUCH better on a clean install.









Wow I accidentally blew up the page. Hahahaha


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> New Beta drivers are out just to mention it: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
> 
> I've also noticed that these drivers perform MUCH better on a clean install.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow I accidentally blew up the page. Hahahaha


i'm used to Nvidia's included clean install option. Is there one in AMD?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> New Beta drivers are out just to mention it: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
> 
> I've also noticed that these drivers perform MUCH better on a clean install.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow I accidentally blew up the page. Hahahaha
> 
> 
> 
> i'm used to Nvidia's included clean install option. Is there one in AMD?
Click to expand...

There's no such thing as a clean install option, cuz that check box is to reset settings to default.

For AMD, simply run the driver executable, choose whether you want to install or uninstall.


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's no such thing as a clean install option, cuz that check box is to reset settings to default.
> 
> For AMD, simply run the driver executable, choose whether you want to install or uninstall.


0_o... ok.... Just used to the way of the Green Side, i tried uninstalling, it rolled back to 13.1?

Then i installed beta 7 and now it's 13.2, supposed to be beta 7 or something.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There's no such thing as a clean install option, cuz that check box is to reset settings to default.
> 
> For AMD, simply run the driver executable, choose whether you want to install or uninstall.
> 
> 
> 
> *0_o... ok....* Just used to the way of the Green Side, i tried uninstalling, it rolled back to 13.1?
> 
> Then i installed beta 7 and now it's 13.2, supposed to be beta 7 or something.
Click to expand...

Nice, how is the new driver?

Btw, you'd be surprised how many ppl think that check box on nvidia driver install does something that it actually does not lol.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> How do visiontek oc?


For me, at stock voltage, this is as far as I get. I'm sure if I raise voltage I can push more but heat is my issue


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nice, how is the new driver?
> 
> Btw, you'd be surprised how many ppl think that check box on nvidia driver install does something that it actually does not lol.


dunno.... that "clean install' check box was SUPPOSED to do something on nvidia driver installing... what do i know.

And driver works, Crysis 3 going at like 40-45 FPSish on OCed 7970, which cannot be said of my prior 660 ti at all.

well, BALLs, it goes up to feeling like 60 fps in the underground tunnel section. 0_0


----------



## tsm106

Fyi, if you read the fine print during install it says right there, reset settings to default.


----------



## Stay Puft

Any news on a new CAP?


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Dude where did u get a 7970 oc sapphire? Got a link?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008&Tpk=sapphire%207970%20oc


----------



## kpo6969

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I think it's messed up how NewEgg is screwing people on 7900 Series returns.
> 
> If you're not exhanging it, and just returning it (to buy antoehr brand 7900 at the same price for example).
> 
> They will Deduct $169 from your Credit for the price of the "Promo Codes"
> 
> the promo games should not be deducted, they are promo codes from AMD, not newegg.
> 
> if you pay $409 for the card, you should get $409 worth of credit, They should not be taking away the value of each game.
> 
> the coupons arent in the GPU Box this time around either (least mine werent, they were stapled to the invoice).
> 
> So when they ship you a different brand, the warehouse guy should have a note to NOT include a Promo Card with the invoice.
> 
> *but yeah, the AMD Promo Games, are a GIFT for buying an AMD Card, AMD foots the Bill for those, not NewEgg.*
> 
> So they Cannot Take off the $169 for the promo. you paid $409 for the CARD. the Promo was deducted from the invoice and given to you as a GIFT.
> 
> They arent in the Box, they are stapled to the Invoice when they are packed... They should be able to look up your original invoice, issue a return credit for $409.
> Scan out the other brand model for $399, and then delete the Promo Code line from the invoice before they send it to be packed.
> 
> I've been seeing too many friends trying to return DEFECTIVE 7900 cards to exchange brands (at the same price point), but New Egg insists on taking the $169 off their credit for the used code card. So a $399 Card gets you $240 worth of credit when returned? and if you buy another one, you're gonna get the same damn Promo Code Cards again anyway.


http://www.techpowerup.com/180750/Newegg.com-Botches-Up-AMD-Radeon-HD-7900-Returns-Big-Time.html

*Newegg.com Botches Up AMD Radeon HD 7900 Returns Big Time*
Quote:


> AMD may be singing Klingon songs about how glorious its "Never Settle Reloaded" campaign is, and how it could help the company sail through the better part of the year without any significant product stack changes; but there's a dark side to it - retailers who haven't the slightest clue about how to handle returns.
> 
> Take Newegg.com for example. An Overclock.net community member bearing handle *"SkateZilla"* filed an RMA for his broken Radeon HD 7900 series product which he purchased for $409. The card happened to include a "Never Settle" bundle. Instead of merely returning the faulty graphics card with one that works, Newegg.com initiated a money-back (refund). Instead of refuning his $409, Newegg.com deducted $169 from the amount towards "Promo Codes." How does that work?
> Let's go over that again: •"SkateZilla" didn't apply for a refund to begin with. He merely wanted his broken card replaced.
> 
> •The Never Settle bundle is marketed as a promotional item (that which is free and carries no market value).
> 
> •Newegg.com sticks a $169 price tag to a promotional item, cuts the amount from the refund, and hands back $240 to the buyer, instead of replacing the broken card.
> 
> •The buyer had no option to buy the card without the promotion, and/or he was lured to buy an AMD Radeon by that promotion.
> 
> Graphics cards are prone to manufacturing defects that cannot be corrected by end-users (because they are high-tech components), requiring users to simply return the card for a replacement. Newegg.com could have simply replaced the card without including a fresh set of "Never Settle" codes (which are stuck by the retailer on the invoice). Instead, the retailer chose rip the buyer off $169 for something that isn't supposed to be valued, to being with. Although Newegg.com policy governing returns and refunds states that even the free/promotional items need to be returned, how does one really return game keys which are already redeemed on Steam or Origin?
> 
> AMD needs to work with Newegg.com to ensure its self-proclaimed glorious PR victory over NVIDIA doesn't have such a potentially dangerous catch for buyers, (who are not only refused a return, but also refunded less than what they pay for). Newegg originally intended the "return free items" policy to apply in cases where the free item is something physical (for example: Intel bunny people doll, lava lamp, etc.). It is hopelessly out of sync with a time when free items could even be non-physical (keys, non-transferable licenses to use software, etc.).
> 
> Unless AMD does something quick, it has a PR fiasco on "cards."


----------



## punceh

That'll give it some exposure! +1 to TPU


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Hmmm mine is only 6+8 Pin... Am I missing something?


Yes, you're missing two pins!


----------



## dervladimir

Hi all, question is&#8230; solved there some way to overclock ASUS Matrix HD7970 Platinum above 1170MHz on the core or nothing to do and top is not always top? :/

PS: similar situation as SkateZilla and szeged everywhere in Russia


----------



## Janac

http://shrani.si/f/23/Ue/3VeAh7Bs/capture.png

Help please. My Core clock is falling from 1090 to 925mhz. I also enabled PowerPlay!

I have Tahiti LE, wich is technically a 7900 series


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Then you have to work in your cooling now my friend..


Yea I know, annoying that I cant see what my card is fully capable of, now I know why everyone kept recommending water cooling these TFIII 7950 w/7970 PCB-cards, this is the best I can do on air...

I´m not sure if its a good idea, but weather should get colder by the weekend (around -20C or so...) so I might try dragging my PC in front of the balcony door hole, open the door+remove the side panel and see what kind of temps I can get, thats the last trick I got in my sleeve







(obviously for benches only, not gonna run 24/7 like that, and btw is it even healthy for computer to cool it with ice cold air like that?)


----------



## zoidbergslo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Janac*
> 
> http://shrani.si/f/23/Ue/3VeAh7Bs/capture.png
> 
> Help please. My Core clock is falling from 1090 to 925mhz. I also enabled PowerPlay!
> 
> I have Tahiti LE, wich is technically a 7900 series


This is how boost cards from AMD usually deal with boost clock.

eidt: forgot to quote


----------



## d1nky

isn't that throttling, due to heat or lack of vcore?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stay Puft*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The hype has worn off and after seeing TSM's 3 way 7970's rip overclocked titan's sli a new ahole i said the hell with them.


lmao


----------



## thrgk

Do cards that are pre over clocked when u buy them over clock better in water cooling and stuff compared to non oc? But compare reference to reference since most wb only fit reference


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Do cards that are pre over clocked when u buy them over clock better in water cooling and stuff compared to non oc? But compare reference to reference since most wb only fit reference


How many chimpanzees can dance on the head of a pin


----------



## thrgk

Lol waaaa?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Lol waaaa?


Nobody can answer your question. It is totally random how well a GPU will overclock.


----------



## Stay Puft

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Do cards that are pre over clocked when u buy them over clock better in water cooling and stuff compared to non oc? But compare reference to reference since most wb only fit reference


No. All a silicone lottery


----------



## thrgk

K. Now none of these sapphire 7970 with boost are reference right? They isedbtibhave a dual fan x one that was reference butnguessnitsndiscontinued?


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> K. Now none of these sapphire 7970 with boost are reference right? They isedbtibhave a dual fan x one that was reference butnguessnitsndiscontinued?


Epic cell phone fat fingered post? Lol


----------



## thrgk

Lol yes. They used to have a dual fan x that was reference but is that discontinued now? Only see boost ones anywhere. It was like 01-40g was end of the model #


----------



## NLight95

Got my 7970 installed with the latest Win8 Cat 13.1 drivers but now I'm getting some nasty "artifacts" in Firefox. No overclock--stock settings. Turning off hardware acceleration in FF eliminates the artifacts but that has its own problems. Never had this issue with my 4890.

Is there a previous Cat driver I could install where this isn't an issue? I use FF quite a bit.


----------



## GOTFrog

Just wondering I just got a Gigabyte 7970 OC. Seems like I cant connect my secondary monitor and have it work. I got my lcd connected to the HDMI port and I'm trying to get my old Viewsonic Crt on the DVI with d-sub adapter. is it normal that it's not working? What am I doing wrong. Wife wont let me buy a nice secondary monitor so Im stuck with that one till it dies


----------



## Janac

Power is +20, i cant get higher voltage.

As for heat, no worries.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LostKauz*
> 
> im really not sure what to do about this situation because when i originally put this pc together it wouldnt post due to the video card sagging. propped it up and it booted. now everynow and then it wont post until i pull the side off and push the card in/ reseat my dowel prop. btw i have the asus 7950. just really nervous about popping another tri slot card in their.
> 
> edit: im really hoping another 7950 will let me turn aa up quite a bit in crysis 3... currently im at max with 1xaa and motion blur off. averaging 45 fps


I had that problem with a 5830, Turned out to be a Loose Heatsink, as I can get it to post by applying pressure on the heatsink shroud/cover near the XFire Tab.

I ended up wrapping Zipties around the Heat Shroud and the card around the XFire Tabs. eventually it stopped working though.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Do cards that are pre over clocked when u buy them over clock better in water cooling and stuff compared to non oc? But compare reference to reference since most wb only fit reference


right now with all this flavors of 7970 and cheaper components and different revisions and you are planning to water them the best choice/bet would be reference 7970 with the blower cooler.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kpo6969*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/180750/Newegg.com-Botches-Up-AMD-Radeon-HD-7900-Returns-Big-Time.html
> 
> *Newegg.com Botches Up AMD Radeon HD 7900 Returns Big Time*


Article is 404.

But...
*I would like to point out that I wasnt returning or exchanging anything from NewEgg,*
But was merely posting because I know about 10 or so people that encountered this situation in the last few weeks.

Also note,
_That if you get a defective card, and want to replace it with the *SAME SKU*, New Egg will happily do so._

But if you get a Defective Unit and try to return it, and go with Different SKU, at the same price point or not, or if the SKU is no longer in stock and you wish to substitute it for another SKU at the same price point or not.
*That's when you'll run into this issue.*

_(i.e. You Buy a Sapphire 7970 Ghz Edition, it fails, and you decide to go with a XFX Ghz edition at the same price Point, because the SKU you purchased is out of stock, or you just dont want to have that brand again.)._

*I believe the Article might have been pulled because I was not clear on that part.
*

I personally have no issues with NewEgg, And have nothing bad to say about my past purchases, and there's alot of them.

Mainly because when My GPU was bad out of the box, I simply registered it with the Manufacturer and sent it to them.

To Further Explain,

the Promo Codes are a AUTO ADD Item,
QTY: 1
AMD Gift coupon: Bioshock Inf. + Tomb Raider
Item #: N82E16800995146
Standard Return Policy
$149.99

QTY: 1
DISCOUNT FOR AUTOADD #75406
-$149.99 (or $169 for 7900 Series Promo)

So when you add the 7900/7800 Series card to your cart, that Item is automatically added,
then you get a Discount on the bottom of the invoice that removes the AUTOADD Items Price.

No Where on their "Return Policy" does it state the Price of the Promo Codes will be taken from the value of the Graphics Card.

Standard Return Policy for VGA (the Same Return Policy is attached to the AMD Gift Coupon on the invoice.
Quote:


> Return Policies
> --Manufacturer Warranty
> Summary
> Return for refund within: non-refundable
> Return for replacement within: non-replaceable
> Detail
> Newegg.com does not offer any express warranties. However, many of the products available through Newegg.com are covered by Manufacturers' Warranties. If a product is covered by a manufacturer's warranty, it will be stated on that product's web page. Manufacturers' warranty details are typically available at the manufacturer's website; click Contact Manufacturers to see a list of the manufacturers whose items we carry. Detailed manufacturer warranty information can also be obtained for free by contacting our Customer Service department. Please note that products in this category are non-refundable unless otherwise indicated.
> 
> Products that state "This item can be returned to the product manufacturer only" must be returned directly to the product manufacturer for repair or replacement, unless otherwise required by law. For these items, the warranty policy provided by the product manufacturer explicitly requires that any returns, repairs etc. be requested and processed directly by the consumer (or "end-user") of the item.
> 
> --Mail In Rebate Policy
> Summary
> Products missing UPC codes or serial numbers from the box are NOT returnable.
> 
> Detail
> Products offering mail-in rebates are not returnable to Newegg.com once the rebates have been filed. Be sure that the product is functional and that you intend to keep the product before sending in for your rebate. Products missing UPC codes or serial numbers from the box are NOT returnable. Only the product manufacturer can replace any defective item missing the UPC code.
> 
> Standard Return Policy
> Summary
> Return for refund within: 30 days
> Return for replacement within: 30 days
> Restocking Fee: Yes
> Detail
> This is our Standard Return Policy. Items covered by this policy (those products for which Newegg states "This item may be returned for a replacement or refund within 30 days only") must be returned to Newegg within 30 days of the invoice date for this policy to apply. "Return" constitutes receipt of the product by Newegg, and not the mere issuance of an RMA.
> 
> VGA Standard Return Policy
> Summary
> Return for refund within: 30 days
> Return for replacement within: 30 days
> Detail
> This is our Standard 30-Day Return Policy. Items covered by this policy (those products for which Newegg states "This item may be returned for a replacement or refund within 30 days only") must be returned to Newegg within 30 days of the invoice date for this policy to apply. "Return" constitutes receipt of the product by Newegg, and not the mere issuance of an RMA.
> 
> The following conditions are not acceptable for return, and will result in the merchandise you have returned to Newegg being returned to you:
> Cards exhibiting physical damage
> Cards that are missing the manufacturer label containing model number, part number or serial number
> Cards that are missing the manufacturer warranty label
> Cards returned without all included accessories, bonus games, and documentation


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kpo6969*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/180750/Newegg.com-Botches-Up-AMD-Radeon-HD-7900-Returns-Big-Time.html
> 
> *Newegg.com Botches Up AMD Radeon HD 7900 Returns Big Time*
> 
> 
> 
> Article is 404.
> 
> But... i would like to point out that I wasnt returning or exchanging anything from NewEgg, but was merely posting because i know about 10 or so people that encountered this .
Click to expand...

Just want to point out Newegg has always done this. Newegg as a company and their philosophy is not customer centric, they will SCREW YOU every chance they get. Just compare their policies to their polar opposite in Amazon. Also, you would have to contact/confirm with the Attorney General, but I'm pretty sure what they are doing is illegal.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

How come the bundle is valued @ $169.99. Last time i checked games where $59.99 each.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> How come the bundle is valued @ $169.99. Last time i checked games where $59.99 each.


Easy. Newegg's arbitrary valuation that has nothing to do with reality except for them getting subsidized profit from your misfortune.


----------



## SkateZilla

well, whoever got TPU to post the article, can have them edit in the facts i left out







...

I posted a "to the Editor" post in their comments... but... I kinda think the main article needs edited.


----------



## kpo6969

http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Somewhat-Disastrous-AMD-Never-Settle-Graphics-Card-Return-Policy-333085.shtml


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kpo6969*
> 
> http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Somewhat-Disastrous-AMD-Never-Settle-Graphics-Card-Return-Policy-333085.shtml


IM gonna need them to edit their article too,.

I like how this article says the NE Return policy states bundled items need to be returned together.

that's not the case, this is an AUTOADD GIFT.

I did not have to return my OCZ USB memory Stick when I sent back my OCZ Power Supply.


----------



## SkateZilla

i like how much hate on TPU im getting, it's almost hilarious, but anyway, it is an Issue.


----------



## kpo6969

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> IM gonna need them to edit their article too,.
> 
> I like how this article says the NE Return policy states bundled items need to be returned together.
> 
> that's not the case, this is an AUTOADD GIFT.
> 
> I did not have to return my OCZ USB memory Stick when I sent back my OCZ Power Supply.


Just thought you should know.


----------



## squall325

what's a safe VRM temp for the 7970? I have a Sapphire Dual-X OC Reference


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kpo6969*
> 
> Just thought you should know.


I know how newegg works, which is why when I was in a situation with my GPU i sent it straight to the Manufacturer.
As My GPU was listed as Discontinued 2 days after I bought it









Anyway, TPU finally just deleted the article. (Thank god), I got tired of trying to explain the **** to people.

it's like, !" Erm No where in my original post did it say i was the purchaser or person in this situation."

It was also stupid how everyone on TPU assumed i was buying an AMD GPU, redeeming the codes and sending the GPU back for no reason.

I'm gonna need them to read my Original Post slowly.

Next time they buy a AMD GPU and it's fails within a week and would like to send it back for a different brand AMD gpu and get the speech regarding the $159.99 being taken off for something that was already paid for by AMD.

I mean, I'd understand "MAYBE" if a person bought AMD card, used the Codes, and decided, Meh I want an nVidia GPU.

But it's sending a AMD 7970 Ghz edition back for a AMD 7970 Ghz Edition of a different brand.

The Gift is not Vender Specific, it is automatic for every 7800/7900 GPU, wether it be from NE, TD, BestBuy, or Santa Clause. and whether it be a XFX, Sapphire, Power Color, or MSI

My only advise to my friends at this point was to send it to the Manufacturer.

it's a good thing i personally just throw these game cards in a desk drawer.


----------



## Newegg_Support

Hello Skatezilla,

We are sorry to hear about this issue. It is our priority to ensure our customers have a wonderful experience and it disappoints us to hear this was not the case. Our RMA system will deduct the amount of the promotion if it is not returned with the video card. However, please send us an email to [email protected] and we will gladly assist you. We do appreciate you letting us know and we will gladly assist you in obtaining a resolution. Have a wonderful day.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newegg_Support*
> 
> Hello Skatezilla,
> 
> We are sorry to hear about this issue. It is our priority to ensure our customers have a wonderful experience and it disappoints us to hear this was not the case. Our RMA system will deduct the amount of the promotion if it is not returned with the video card. However, please send us an email to [email protected] and we will gladly assist you. We do appreciate you letting us know and we will gladly assist you in obtaining a resolution. Have a wonderful day.


The problem is not deducting the amount if the promotion codes are not returned with the cards, the problem is that you guys deduct that amount as soon as the RMA system approves an RMA and before the buyer has a chance of returning the product.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> what's a safe VRM temp for the 7970? I have a Sapphire Dual-X OC Reference


some say you should try and keep then under 90*C.


----------



## squall325

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> some say you should try and keep then under 90*C.


okay thanks. waiting for my Crysis 3 to arrive before I start OCing my card.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> some say you should try and keep then under 90*C.
> 
> 
> 
> okay thanks. waiting for my Crysis 3 to arrive before I start OCing my card.
Click to expand...

you will have alot fun







nice card BTW and dont forget to post your overclocking results speaking of which why not start OCing now


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> what's a safe VRM temp for the 7970? I have a Sapphire Dual-X OC Reference


I'd recommend as one poster did in this thread: no more than 85C.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1316977/7970-gpu-vrms-temp-92c-is-it-still-safe/0_100


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newegg_Support*
> 
> Hello Skatezilla,
> 
> We are sorry to hear about this issue. It is our priority to ensure our customers have a wonderful experience and it disappoints us to hear this was not the case. Our RMA system will deduct the amount of the promotion if it is not returned with the video card. However, please send us an email to [email protected] and we will gladly assist you. We do appreciate you letting us know and we will gladly assist you in obtaining a resolution. Have a wonderful day.


again, I have no problems with new egg, i love you guys, pretty much everything i put into my builds is from newegg..

My post was regarding a few fellow system builders that encountered the same situational circumstances.

Most of which are either gonna wait it out (for the SKU they have to be instock) or deal directly with the manufacturer (XFX, MSI, Sapphire etc).

But like i said here and on the countless "news articles", *I* am not returning anything, I am Fine.

The problem was when the product failed, and friends tried to return their Specific Brand 7970 for a 7970 of a Different Brand, they were told that the $159.99 for the promo codes would be taken off their return credit if they wanted to exchange sku's.

1 friend ate the $159 and did the exhange, and just sold off the 2nd Promo Code Card he received to offset the loss.
A few others decided to just get the SKU replaced with the same sku
a few others decided to deal directly with the manufacturer (MSI, Sapphire, XFX etc)

The Issue was, when exchanging ONE 7970 SKU for Another 7970 SKU, they had to cover the $159.99.

When it should be a simple, Take the Whatever Brand 7970 Back, and Ship the Whatever Brand 7970 without the Promo Codes in the the box, as they dont need 2 copies of the same game anyway.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> I'd recommend as one poster did in this thread: no more than 85C.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1316977/7970-gpu-vrms-temp-92c-is-it-still-safe/0_100


those guys were exaggerating, keep it 90 and below and you will be fine. Of course like everything in your computer, the cooler the better but these things were designed to run at some pretty high temps. I've seen some people unknowingly take their cards to a max of 140c (*not sustainable of course!*) and still have the card work.


----------



## Vaesauce

Checking my VDDC...

Is it normal for my GPU to spike up to 1.436V? It doesn't stay there constantly i don't think. It just happens to spike up to it and then back down to 1.25v during gaming


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> those guys were exaggerating, keep it 90 and below and you will be fine. Of course like everything in your computer, the cooler the better but these things were designed to run at some pretty high temps. I've seen some people unknowingly take their cards to a max of 140c (*not sustainable of course!*) and still have the card work.


The max operating temps for my IR3553M's are 150C. Not that I'd ever let them get that hot but I'm just saying.

I also can't believe that someone in that thread said there's no need to OC a 7970 to 1200 core. I can't imagine what he'd think if someone told him about the clocks guys are hitting over in the Valley thread.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> Checking my VDDC...
> 
> Is it normal for my GPU to spike up to 1.436V? It doesn't stay there constantly i don't think. It just happens to spike up to it and then back down to 1.25v during gaming


If its just one spike then it might be an inaccurate reading. But if it polls that same results twice in a row, or more, then... thats probably a real reading, and a problem. Watch power out and amperage as well. If they dont change with the spikes, then its also unlikely to be anything more than an inaccurate reading.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Price/performance, higher is better


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Price/performance, higher is better


way to go titan to put new highs on graphs lol.....that 7850 graph is just abysmal lol
8 out of 10 amd is ahead price for performance


----------



## Vrait

Thinking about going crossfire. Should I do it if I can afford it? (7950)


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> Thinking about going crossfire. Should I do it if I can afford it? (7950)


YES


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Price/performance, higher is better


i think the 7870 XT tops that list now


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> i think the 7870 XT tops that list now


Probably. Unfortunately, I combined both 7870s together.


----------



## Vrait

My 7950 is an non-boost His IceQ from before the upgraded 7950s came out. Will crossfiring it with any newer 7950 card cause problems? Boost or not?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> My 7950 is an non-boost His IceQ from before the upgraded 7950s came out. Will crossfiring it with any newer 7950 card cause problems? Boost or not?


it will work. put the faster card as the first IMO. not sure on xfire scaling tho.


----------



## Strileckifunk

I don't know what's going on today, but suddenly Sleeping Dogs started crashing. Was on a 1180/1600 OC @ about 1.27v, stable enough to play through Crysis 3 in one sitting, and enough to even play Sleeping Dogs for a couple hours last night. Today I can't play for more than 20-30 minutes without a crash. No changes except a shut-down have been made. Even tried restoring it to factory settings and reinstalling drivers. No luck. I guess I'll revert my CPU overclock back to default just to be sure. Hopefully isn't the card!


----------



## raghu78

run the card at a slightly lower overclock of 1170 mhz. run memory at 1500 mhz. lower your cpu overclock to 4 ghz. check if it improves stability. generally run a bit slower than your max stable oc.


----------



## Strileckifunk

Dropped CPU to 4.4 w/ stock settings on the GPU and played for a couple hours, actually couldn't stop because I was toward the end of the game. I'll have to work the OC on the GPU back up to see what it's stable at. I just think it's kind of strange that it ran fine for so long, then decided it would consecutively crash like that


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> I don't know what's going on today, but suddenly Sleeping Dogs started crashing. Was on a 1180/1600 OC @ about 1.27v, stable enough to play through Crysis 3 in one sitting, and enough to even play Sleeping Dogs for a couple hours last night. Today I can't play for more than 20-30 minutes without a crash. No changes except a shut-down have been made. Even tried restoring it to factory settings and reinstalling drivers. No luck. I guess I'll revert my CPU overclock back to default just to be sure. Hopefully isn't the card!


Try to reload your Afterburner profile manually again. Chances are the voltage reverted back to stock again after the shutdown. This is a very annoying problem with AMD cards, after every sleep, restart & shutdown the voltage always revert back to stock by itself and load only the Core & Memory OC which is the main cause of those crashes, I've never dealt with the same trouble with Nvidia cards, the profiles always load up correctly unlike AMD which is a total headache.


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Do cards that are pre over clocked when u buy them over clock better in water cooling and stuff compared to non oc? But compare reference to reference since most wb only fit reference
> 
> 
> 
> How many chimpanzees can dance on the head of a pin
Click to expand...

Gold medal answer (serious)


----------



## Strileckifunk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Try to reload your Afterburner profile manually again. Chances are the voltage reverted back to stock again after the shutdown. This is a very annoying problem with AMD cards, after every sleep, restart & shutdown the voltage always revert back to stock by itself and load only the Core & Memory OC which is the main cause of those crashes, I've never dealt with the same trouble with Nvidia cards, the profiles always load correctly unlike AMD which is a total headache.


I'll have to watch my GPU-Z next time, but that shouldn't matter if it's running on stock settings with factory voltage. I actually did uninstall and reinstall Afterburner while I was reinstalling the drivers...just forgot to mention it.


----------



## squall325

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> you will have alot fun
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nice card BTW and dont forget to post your overclocking results speaking of which why not start OCing now


good idea. maybe I will. any suggestions on the stability tests I should use? Planning to use furmark for stability and heaven 4.0 for benchmark as well as stability. Crysis 3 will be the final judge though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> I'd recommend as one poster did in this thread: no more than 85C.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1316977/7970-gpu-vrms-temp-92c-is-it-still-safe/0_100


thanks! probably wont clock the memory that much so hopefully it doesnt go as hot as 85-90c.


----------



## Derpinheimer

memory doesnt use that much power so it probably wont effect temps too much


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> you will have alot fun
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nice card BTW and dont forget to post your overclocking results speaking of which why not start OCing now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> good idea. maybe I will. any suggestions on the stability tests I should use? Planning to use furmark for stability and heaven 4.0 for benchmark as well as stability. Crysis 3 will be the final judge though.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> I'd recommend as one poster did in this thread: no more than 85C.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1316977/7970-gpu-vrms-temp-92c-is-it-still-safe/0_100
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> thanks! probably wont clock the memory that much so hopefully it doesnt go as hot as 85-90c.
Click to expand...

loop heaven 4.0, 3Dmark11 are pretty good testers of stability. Crysis 3 will probably be the best test of your cards stability. furmark well to me its like the IBT of GPU's as in it runs hot IIRC.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> loop heaven 4.0, 3Dmark11 are pretty good testers of stability. Crysis 3 will probably be the best test of your cards stability. furmark well to me its like the IBT of GPU's as in it runs hot IIRC.


I find that FurMark isn't that good for stability--for temps, maybe but that's about it. For example, I had FurMark run stable for 30 mins on my 7970 1200 core oc, but then Deus Ex:HR crashed when I skipped a cutscene (which doesn't happen at stock speeds). So I concur that Heaven and Crysis 3 would be much better, or even some Metro 2033 runs.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> loop heaven 4.0, 3Dmark11 are pretty good testers of stability. Crysis 3 will probably be the best test of your cards stability. furmark well to me its like the IBT of GPU's as in it runs hot IIRC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *I find that FurMark isn't that good for stability--for temps, maybe but that's about it*. For example, I had FurMark run stable for 30 mins on my 7970 1200 core oc, but then Deus Ex:HR crashed when I skipped a cutscene (which doesn't happen at stock speeds). So I concur that Heaven and Crysis 3 would be much better, or even some Metro 2033 runs.
Click to expand...

thats what i actually meant, FurMark is good for finding max temps for GPU's such as IBT does the same for CPU's but both arent good for stability testing.


----------



## squall325

oh okay thanks for that. Heaven it is. I assume its a 30 minute loop? that would take a really long while if I have to test it every 25mhz increase. Can I just go to the max I believe can my card go and go down 25mhz every time it craps out?

oh and them max safe 24/7 voltage is 1.25 right? or is it 1.3?


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> oh okay thanks for that. Heaven it is. I assume its a 30 minute loop? that would take a really long while if I have to test it every 25mhz increase. Can I just go to the max I believe can my card go and go down 25mhz every time it craps out?
> 
> oh and them max safe 24/7 voltage is 1.25 right? or is it 1.3?


Max safe voltage for 24/7 usage is 1300mV as long as your VRMs don't overheat (Try to keep them at 80 C or lower).
For stability try Heaven Benchmark, Battlefield 3, Crysis games & 3DMark.
For Heaven Benchmark I suggest you test the card both way, first is high framerate test and second low framerate test.
I use 1920x1080 Normal Tessellation 4xAA/ 4xAF for high fps test, and of course maxed out for the low fps test.
I know some may say this is a weird way of testing, but during the time I tested my max stable OC, my card always pass low fps runs and whenever I try anything with high framerates it doesn't take too long to crash.
When Heaven was at max my card easily passed the test for 6 hours straight, but once I put the settings to 1920x1080 Normal Tessellation 4xAA/ 4xAF It crashed within two hours period.


----------



## dervladimir

What about my Q http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/21680_20#post_19402536 any ideas?

Is there are any decision to overclock ASUS Matrix HD7970 Platinum above 1170MHz on the core?

PS: sorry for my english, I mean decision


----------



## bigsnyder

You say solved in your post. Probably why no one has responsed.


----------



## switchblade

Unrelated thread but the guys who ordered hunter version and got crysis 1 free does it work? When i launch it its just a black screen, the game doesn't respond. Repaired it, uninstalled and reinstalled same thing.


----------



## squall325

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeadlessKnight*
> 
> Max safe voltage for 24/7 usage is 1300mV as long as your VRMs don't overheat (Try to keep them at 80 C or lower).
> For stability try Heaven Benchmark, Battlefield 3, Crysis games & 3DMark.
> For Heaven Benchmark I suggest you test the card both way, first is high framerate test and second low framerate test.
> I use 1920x1080 Normal Tessellation 4xAA/ 4xAF for high fps test, and of course maxed out for the low fps test.
> I know some may say this is a weird way of testing, but during the time I tested my max stable OC, my card always pass low fps runs and whenever I try anything with high framerates it doesn't take too long to crash.
> When Heaven was at max my card easily passed the test for 6 hours straight, but once I put the settings to 1920x1080 Normal Tessellation 4xAA/ 4xAF It crashed within two hours period.


Alright, will do that thanks. +REP to you and stubass


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigsnyder*
> 
> You say solved in your post. Probably why no one has responsed.


Language barrier? I think he wanted to know if that issue had been solved...

that is... is there some way to overclock ASUS Matrix HD7970 Platinum above 1170MHz on the core


----------



## squall325

Forgot to ask. How do i loop heaven benchmark?

Edit:
Tried ocing already. 1100/1500 @ stock volts had no artifact while running the benchmark but when i bumped to 1200/1500 which i got artifacts and ran back to 1100/1500 it already had artifacts. Even at stock clocks.


----------



## KingT

Today I have decided to clean my PC, I've taken out GPU, cleaned it really good, also cleaned my CPU cooler and fans.

Now max GPU temp in Battlefield 3 MP was 53C, OC @ 1050/1750MHz, max fan was 33%..









CHEERS..


----------



## squall325

so I got mine up to 1250/1500 @ 1.25 stable. just 30 minutes on heaven. Beyond that I get artifacts. Too bad my VRM temps reached as high as 86C on VRM1 while VRM2 was just around 74C. I guess I need to clock down?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> so I got mine up to 1250/1500 @ 1.25 stable. just 30 minutes on heaven. Beyond that I get artifacts. Too bad my VRM temps reached as high as 86C on VRM1 while VRM2 was just around 74C. I guess I need to clock down?


Or make a more aggressive fan profile.


----------



## squall325

its already running at 80% as soon as core temp reach 70C. Although I havent seen the VRM temps reach 70 while playing NBA 2k13. Crysis on the other hand is a different beast so I'll just wait for it to arrive.


----------



## 8bitG33k

Anyone know how to unlock voltage on my Sapphire Dual-X 7950? It's not the 6pin + 8pin but the 'regular' 2 x 6pin one.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Force constant voltage


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> so I got mine up to 1250/1500 @ 1.25 stable. just 30 minutes on heaven. Beyond that I get artifacts. Too bad my VRM temps reached as high as 86C on VRM1 while VRM2 was just around 74C. I guess I need to clock down?


Those are good temps!


----------



## RandomPixel

Running my Sapphire HD7970 OC /w Boost on the second bios (1000/1450).
Overclocked it to 1125/1600, ran fine in Heaven, started playing games at those clocks, didn't work out.
Now I'm stuck with subtle artifact and texture flickering at stock clocks in some games(SS3:BFE, Crysis, BF3, Crysis3) 3dmark and heaven don't give me artifacts though.

Should I RMA it or is there something I can do about it?
Thought it could have been the driver, tried several older ones and the new beta ones, that didn't seem to help.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> Thinking about going crossfire. Should I do it if I can afford it? (7950)


Not really, get a single HD7970 instead.

Crossfire is just full of flaws and issues :l


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomPixel*
> 
> Running my Sapphire HD7970 OC /w Boost on the second bios (1000/1450).
> Overclocked it to 1125/1600, ran fine in Heaven, started playing games at those clocks, didn't work out.
> Now I'm stuck with subtle artifact and texture flickering at stock clocks in some games(SS3:BFE, Crysis, BF3, Crysis3) 3dmark and heaven don't give me artifacts though.
> 
> Should I RMA it or is there something I can do about it?
> Thought it could have been the driver, tried several older ones and the new beta ones, that didn't seem to help.


Voltages are you running? 1600 on memory might be a little much. Anyway, RMA for an undesirable overclock is not a good reason.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Not really, get a single HD7970 instead.
> 
> Crossfire is just full of flaws and issues :l


just because you had problems with it doesn't mean it's full of issues


----------



## CaptainChaos

not to mention that a single 7970 isn't going to be close to the performance of crossfire 7950's


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> not to mention that a single 7970 isn't going to be close to the performance of crossfire 7950's


The problem is right now the 7950 cost around 300-330 when you can find a 7970 between 350-400 if you know where to look at.. We are no talking about 700 bucks difference here XD


----------



## Lizard22

7950 crossfire is a good option, recommended price and performance


----------



## RandomPixel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigsnyder*
> 
> Voltages are you running? 1600 on memory might be a little much. Anyway, RMA for an undesirable overclock is not a good reason.


Ran it at the stock voltage, 1200.
The artifacting happened at stock clocks though, I understand you shouldn't RMA just because of a failed OC.
Might wait it out for a little bit longer now, installed the newest beta drivers and tried a couple of games again, not sure if the artifacting is still there, aside from in Serious Sam3.


----------



## CaptainChaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> The problem is right now the 7950 cost around 300-330 when you can find a 7970 between 350-400 if you know where to look at.. We are no talking about 700 bucks difference here XD


I'm not following what you mean. My point is that a single 7970 isn't really a legitimate alternative for someone that wants to crossfire 7950's.


----------



## vinton13

Hey guys, how much FPS should I be expecting a single 7950 Boost to output in Far Cry 3 with the ultra high preset, HDAO enabled, and no MSAA? (1080p)
I'm getting around 30-40.


----------



## thrgk

Should I use bios 1 or change it to 2 to oc? 2 right?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> I'm not following what you mean. My point is that a single 7970 isn't really a legitimate alternative for someone that wants to crossfire 7950's.


my point is with 40 bucks more you get 7970 crossfire instead with a lil bit of digging..


----------



## CaptainChaos

oh yeah of course my response was for the guy who suggested a single 7970 over 7950's


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> oh yeah of course my response was for the guy who suggested a single 7970 over 7950's


2x7950 is a good option vs a single 7970...


----------



## squall325

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomPixel*
> 
> Running my Sapphire HD7970 OC /w Boost on the second bios (1000/1450).
> Overclocked it to 1125/1600, ran fine in Heaven, started playing games at those clocks, didn't work out.
> Now I'm stuck with subtle artifact and texture flickering at stock clocks in some games(SS3:BFE, Crysis, BF3, Crysis3) 3dmark and heaven don't give me artifacts though.
> 
> Should I RMA it or is there something I can do about it?
> Thought it could have been the driver, tried several older ones and the new beta ones, that didn't seem to help.


Did you try restarting? It fixed mine when It had artifacts at 1275/1500 and still had artifacts when I went down even at stock. Its an issue on tessellation once you go over what your card is capable. Just restart and go back to the last stable overclock.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Should I use bios 1 or change it to 2 to oc? 2 right?


i have always just used the first BIOS. then set the 2D profile for stock and the 3D profile for OC in afterburner. intersting to see what others think about using both BIOS's.


----------



## Vrait

Well I ordered my second 7950. Hopefully its here Monday or Tuesday.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Wow! I just tested Sleeping Dogs everything maxed out except AA which was on High and got these crazy temps....



1225/1600 Core/Memory Overclock at 1.181mv

Heated my VRMs 25c higher than anything else i've played! and my core which never went above 54c went up to 60!

This game is crazy! This is no Vsync or FPS limit on.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Hey guys, how much FPS should I be expecting a single 7950 Boost to output in Far Cry 3 with the ultra high preset, HDAO enabled, and no MSAA? (1080p)
> I'm getting around 30-40.


With my Vapor-X 7950 I was running Very High with 2x MSAA with 60FPS constant, sometimes dipping down to 45FPS.


----------



## KEN-

Hello ever one do you guys think 750w Power Supply can handle 7970CFX or 7950s http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703027
fx 8350
1 hard drive
1 SSD
h100
sabertooth 990fx


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KEN-*
> 
> Hello ever one do you guys think 750w Power Supply can handle 7970CFX or 7950s http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703027
> fx 8350
> 1 hard drive
> 1 SSD
> h100
> sabertooth 990fx


Yes. Limit but yes if you don't give too much Overclock.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

That depends of the quality of the psu. My 7970/7950 crossfire and 3770k @ 4.8GHz @ 1.48v was working fine on my 750w OCZ but i bet you this psu was almost running at his very limits with insane overclocks on the gpus and the 1.48v on the cpu...

Now i have a 850 seasonic gold which is rated to do 1000 watts without a hitch.

I would say a good 750 with mild overclocks is just fine..

Also 8350 sucks waaaaay more power once overclocked so be careful on that regard...


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KEN-*
> 
> Hello ever one do you guys think 750w Power Supply can handle 7970CFX or 7950s http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703027
> fx 8350
> 1 hard drive
> 1 SSD
> h100
> sabertooth 990fx


Depends on how much you have that 8350 OC'd. With my 3570K at 4.8GHz my 750w TX750 was plenty for my 7950/7970 CF-X. But if your 8350 is pushing 4.8GHz then its sucking over 250w and you're gonna be pushing that PSU pretty hard so I hope its of high quality.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> That depends of the quality of the psu. My 7970/7950 crossfire and 3770k @ 4.8GHz @ 1.48v was working fine on my 750w OCZ but i bet you this psu was almost running at his very limits with insane overclocks on the gpus and the 1.48v on the cpu...
> 
> Now i have a 850 seasonic gold which is rated to do 1000 watts without a hitch.
> 
> I would say a good 750 with mild overclocks is just fine..
> 
> Also 8350 sucks waaaaay more power once overclocked so be careful on that regard...


it is not rated to 1kw, just showed that it can be pulled from it when overloading but it is not rated as such.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> it is not rated to 1kw, just showed that it can be pulled from it when overloading but it is not rated as such.


Seasonic almost always do this, so i dont worry too much on overloading this psu too much at all to be frank...

It not only showed it maintains it XD did you saw the ripples/graphs?

Hell if im doing what i did on a ocz zt 750w i wouldnt worry too much on this one..


----------



## KEN-

thanks for the advice I'll upgrade my power supply after the 8350 is at suck speeds if i do overclock 4.5ghz will do


----------



## EternalRest

Anyone have experience with the MSI 7970 Power Edition? I'm thinking about getting it.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Seasonic almost always do this, so i dont worry too much on overloading this psu too much at all to be frank...
> 
> It not only showed it maintains it XD did you saw the ripples/graphs?
> 
> Hell if im doing what i did on a ocz zt 750w i wouldnt worry too much on this one..


I understand the full capabilities of it, I have the same 850w, but it becomes a touchy subject whenever you say it like that, someone believes it and bases their buying decision for a PSU off of that.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KEN-*
> 
> Hello ever one do you guys think 750w Power Supply can handle 7970CFX or 7950s http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703027
> fx 8350
> 1 hard drive
> 1 SSD
> h100
> sabertooth 990fx


I have two 7950's at stock on a 750W, they work fine at stock (with the CPU at 4.4)
I have no idea if it's the drivers, power, heat or this that is playing up with my system though.
Sig rig for details on the rest of it!









EDIT: For now i'm using a molex to 6 pin because a friend had to borrow the 6 pin cable a while back and I'm yet to get it back. (I'll be getting it this weekend I hope)
Maybe that is the cause, I have no idea really. I don't think it is power though, because my PSU can do 900W very unefficently (according to the label)


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RandomPixel*
> 
> Running my Sapphire HD7970 OC /w Boost on the second bios (1000/1450).
> Overclocked it to 1125/1600, ran fine in Heaven, started playing games at those clocks, didn't work out.
> Now I'm stuck with subtle artifact and texture flickering at stock clocks in some games(SS3:BFE, Crysis, BF3, Crysis3) 3dmark and heaven don't give me artifacts though.
> 
> Should I RMA it or is there something I can do about it?
> Thought it could have been the driver, tried several older ones and the new beta ones, that didn't seem to help.


I have the exact same card. Are you at stock GPU vCore? Most 7970s don't hit much above 1100 on stock voltage. I'd leave the mem @ 1450 until you find your max stable GPU oc (you can always do it later). Mem overclocking really doesn't yield all that much in terms of performance. Also, leave the fan around 80% until you are done tweaking. You can always set up a fan profile later once you're done.

What Catalyst driver are you running? I was getting artifacts in Firefox until I removed 13.1 and installed 12.10. As aforementioned in this thread, benchmark programs don't test stability too well.


----------



## thrgk

anyone got the link fo the modded sapphire trix? also when i OC in MSI aftreburner, i get screen flirking anyway to stop it?


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> anyone got the link fo the modded sapphire trix? also when i OC in MSI aftreburner, i get screen flirking anyway to stop it?


Try here:

http://www43.zippyshare.com/v/83298134/file.html

I believe the modded Trixx version is supposed to eliminate screen flicking.


----------



## frankietown

hey guys, i switched sides. (from green to RED!!)

thanks for all the valuable information here. It really helped me out


----------



## squall325

so I'm officially stable at 1250/1500 @ 1.25. Played Crysis 3 for around 3 hrs today and no artifacts nor hangs.







Was very much playable at everything at very high and with MSAA x8 @ 1080p. I don't know my fps but it was very playable. Not stuttering. My VRM tempts got pretty hot. VRM1 was at 91C while VRM2 was at 79C, core was at 79C also. I know 91C is pushing it too far in terms of temp but I think I'll stick to this til I finish C3 then I'll get back to stock clocks.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> just because you had problems with it doesn't mean it's full of issues


Crossfire doesn't work in Windowed games which is a pretty big flaw in my opinion already, SLI does work on Windowed games though.
And SLI supports a lot more games than Crossfire does, I had Crossfire and I think it is a waste of money right now, single HD7950 with VirtuMVP runs new games pretty much flawlessly anyway.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> not to mention that a single 7970 isn't going to be close to the performance of crossfire 7950's


Ofcourse not, but it is a lot cheaper option and like I said above, HD7970 will run any new game easily.


----------



## Stige

GPU 67C
VRM1/2 66/66C in one Valley run.

Max fan speed 47% / 2124RPM.

1275mV from Afterburner.

I reckon I could push some higher clocks for daily use









EDIT: Put fan at 50% fixed for testing and ran Valley at 1235/1600 and 1312mV/1600mV
GPU 72C
VRM1/2 71C

I think temps do play a big part when it comes to artifacts once the temps hit 80C+, for me atleast anyway.

I could never run Valley at core past 1225 no matter how much voltage I fed it and 1250 was absolute max for 3DMark11.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> so I'm officially stable at 1250/1500 @ 1.25. Played Crysis 3 for around 3 hrs today and no artifacts nor hangs.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Was very much playable at everything at very high and with MSAA x8 @ 1080p. I don't know my fps but it was very playable. Not stuttering. My VRM tempts got pretty hot. VRM1 was at 91C while VRM2 was at 79C, core was at 79C also. I know 91C is pushing it too far in terms of temp but I think I'll stick to this til I finish C3 then I'll get back to stock clocks.


you give me hope. i was only planning high settings. 8 msaa!? wow.


----------



## bluezone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Unrelated thread but the guys who ordered hunter version and got crysis 1 free does it work? When i launch it its just a black screen, the game doesn't respond. Repaired it, uninstalled and reinstalled same thing.


try dropping the screen down to 800 X 600 on 1st start. there is sometimes a conflict in resolution on 1st start. adjust the in-game resolution option to what you need then exit and set screen back up to what you need. hope this solves the problem.


----------



## Awsan

P11231

1250/1750 @1.3v

Oh Crysis 3 made me cry T_T!


----------



## squall325

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you give me hope. i was only planning high settings. 8 msaa!? wow.


Maybe it depends on the person playing? I dont check my fps but for me it is very playable. No delays or stuttering. I think having an fps count can have a placebo effect while you play. Makes you feel its stuttering when you see sudden dips in fps. But yea, its as smooth as running CoDBO2 right now.

It's just weird that FarCry3 with max settings with MSAA x8 bothers me. Had to drop it down to x2 but Crysis isn't bothering me. Really weird.


----------



## thrgk

I bought my 7970 from amazon and got crysis 3. Can I use the code? I don't plan on returning my 7970 but if I have already used the code will I still be able to return it?


----------



## thrgk

I bought my 7970 from amazon and got crysis 3. Can I use the code? I don't plan on returning my 7970 but if I have already used the code will I still be able to return it?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I bought my 7970 from amazon and got crysis 3. Can I use the code? I don't plan on returning my 7970 but if I have already used the code will I still be able to return it?


no. you have to return the game code too if you return the card . you can get a RMA replacement if you have a faulty card. but for a return and full refund you need to send the game coupons back.

test your card thoroughly at stock and overclocked. once you are satisifed its working fine then use the game code.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Sleeping dogs heats your card up higher than any other game out here. Once you turn on the Extreme AA or even High AA it roasts your card.

Not even Crysis 3 fully maxed out is as taxing on GPU thermals. I have no idea why, but that game is insane. I had to downclock 100Mhz and 81mv to get decent thermals in that game from what i finished Crysis 3 on.


----------



## raghu78

anybody who is looking for a good deal on a HD 7950 check this out. powercolor hd 7950 boost for USD 270 (250 after mail in rebate). ends march 3.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131478

reference AMD HD 7950 PCB design. model no AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4 . compatible with full cover waterblocks.

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/

so for people who want to watercool or use a custom aircooler this is a very good deal. the stock cooler is ok for stock speeds but not well suited for overclocking.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> no. you have to return the game code too if you return the card . you can get a RMA replacement if you have a faulty card. but for a return and full refund you need to send the game coupons back.
> 
> test your card thoroughly at stock and overclocked. once you are satisifed its working fine then use the game code.


The code didnt come in the box, i got an email 3 days later saying that I have a promo code since i bought the 7970. So amazon didnt do anything? How would i return the code?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> The code didnt come in the box, i got an email 3 days later saying that I have a promo code since i bought the 7970. So amazon didnt do anything? How would i return the code?


who sent you the email. amazon or AMD ?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Sleeping dogs heats your card up higher than any other game out here. Once you turn on the Extreme AA or even High AA it roasts your card.
> 
> Not even Crysis 3 fully maxed out is as taxing on GPU thermals. I have no idea why, but that game is insane. I had to downclock 100Mhz and 81mv to get decent thermals in that game from what i finished Crysis 3 on.


I play Sleeping Dogs on my reference 7970 with everything maxed. My card is overclocked to 1200/1600 @ 1.225v. I have never seen the temps go over 70C on core or VRMs. I keep my fan spinning pretty low too because it's loud. So in my opinion, it's not the game, its your card.


----------



## Strileckifunk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Sleeping dogs heats your card up higher than any other game out here. Once you turn on the Extreme AA or even High AA it roasts your card.
> 
> Not even Crysis 3 fully maxed out is as taxing on GPU thermals. I have no idea why, but that game is insane. I had to downclock 100Mhz and 81mv to get decent thermals in that game from what i finished Crysis 3 on.


I've noticed this on my card as well. Sleeping Dogs runs about 10c higher than any other game I've tried, included Crysis 3.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I play Sleeping Dogs on my reference 7970 with everything maxed. My card is overclocked to 1200/1600 @ 1.225v. I have never seen the temps go over 70C on core or VRMs. I keep my fan spinning pretty low too because it's loud. So in my opinion, it's not the game, its your card.


so your single experience overrides the claims of many other people with 7XXX series GPUs? Or do you have more proof?

I don't want to sound rude or anything, also note that the reference cooler does cool the Vrms better then most custom coolers do, the tradeoff being more noise and a hotter core temp.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> so your single experience overrides the claims of many other people with 7XXX series GPUs? Or do you have more proof?
> 
> I don't want to sound rude or anything, also note that the reference cooler does cool the Vrms better then most custom coolers do, the tradeoff being more noise and a hotter core temp.


Well you were the only one with the issue until the other guy voiced his experience, here is a snapshot of GPU-Z sensors after 10 minutes. I'd play longer but I have the kids today and dont like playing games like these in front of them.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> who sent you the email. amazon or AMD ?


AMD, so im safe?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> AMD, so im safe?


check with amazon. they might have communciated your purchase to AMD and so you got the email with game coupons from AMD. find out the return policy for HD 7900 cards. my guess is you can get RMA replacement but for a full refund you will have to send the game coupons back. i would advise you to not use the game coupons until you are very sure the card is working perfectly.


----------



## thrgk

ok thanks!


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I bought my 7970 from amazon and got crysis 3. Can I use the code? I don't plan on returning my 7970 but if I have already used the code will I still be able to return it?


I returned a Vapor-X 7950 (from Amazon) due to coil whine just a few days ago for a refund. RMA done completely online. I never redeemed my codes. I just deleted the email with the game codes after my credit card was refunded. Other than the time spent to send it back, painless.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> Well you were the only one with the issue until the other guy voiced his experience, here is a snapshot of GPU-Z sensors after 10 minutes. I'd play longer but I have the kids today and dont like playing games like these in front of them.


I didn't have it on Extreme settings so I re-did it. Also my clocks are only at 1125/1575 because I didn't modify MSI AB since reformat. I'll get Trixx and run it at higher clocks later this afternoon. What clocks and voltages were you having this issue at?


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> anyone got the link fo the modded sapphire trix? also when i OC in MSI aftreburner, i get screen flirking anyway to stop it?


See this post if you want to use Afterburner.

After following those instructions, don't forget to remove the tag or just create a new shortcut.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

You can add me guys: Asus 7970 DC II Top - My limit 1070mhz

I can play Crysis 3 with high settings (not highest) @2566 x 1440 / 45-65 fps without OC


----------



## Snyderman34

I got my Sapphire 7970 OC to 1100/1450 (+100 GPU clock, +0 Mem clock) on stock voltage. Turning the memory clock up makes Heaven act all kinds of funky though. It runs, but I get terrible FPS and score. Not sure what's causing it. Pushing to 1125 causes Heaven to crash. Gonna play with voltage later and see what I can get (it appears to be voltage unlocked, anyway)


----------



## thrgk

hey guys, i got my crysis 3 code in a email, but how do i get the bioshock code? says i will be sent one when avalible but people already have them?


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> hey guys, i got my crysis 3 code in a email, but how do i get the bioshock code? says i will be sent one when avalible but people already have them?


Bioshock Infinite has not been released yet.


----------



## Onkawow

I got my 7950 Sapphire Vapor-X with boost the 8+8 pin power edition a few months ago and until ysterday i just ran with boost bios and 1100 mhz core since i did not need anymore power. Decided to try Sapphire trixx 4.6.0 today and see what this can. Alse been readig alot about some people having bad VRM temps, but my card have been running with very fine temps all along.

Today i tested the first speed with 1.165 mhz core and 1.400 mhz ram (not interested in max ram speed atm, finding core first). VDDC was set to 1,25 in trixx and under load it drops to 1,176.
My maks temps when playing BF3 with all on ultra settings and max Antialising was following.

Fan auto control: max speed it hitted was 46%
gpu temp maks: 59.
VRM 1: 65
VRM 2: 62

I use a Lian Li PC-71 cabi that have 2 fans on aech side of the hd which also gives some ait to my gfx.
I took a screenshot at maks temps today under 100% load in bf3. Link here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24980537/BF3%20maks%20setting%201165-1400.jpg

So far i am very pleased with this card. Very silent and should be able to hit 1.200 on core hopefully without probz.


----------



## glina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onkawow*
> 
> I use a Lian Li PC-71 cabi that have 2 fans on aech side of the hd which also gives some ait to my gfx.
> I took a screenshot at maks temps today under 100% load in bf3. Link here: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/24980537/BF3%20maks%20setting%201165-1400.jpg.


These are awesome temps.
Can you please check your Asic quality? (click on the icon in top left corner of GPU-Z and it's there)


----------



## LostKauz

Not sure if i should post this here but is anyone else using 7950s in xfire with 13.2 beta also playing crysis 3 i am getting the worst frame rates around 40 fps and itll dip to the 20's. worse than my single 7950 with 13.1

i just got the beta drivers earlier today, maybe i installed them wrong?

what should i do to install them properly?


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> anybody who is looking for a good deal on a HD 7950 check this out. powercolor hd 7950 boost for USD 270 (250 after mail in rebate). ends march 3.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131478
> 
> reference AMD HD 7950 PCB design. model no AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4 . compatible with full cover waterblocks.
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/
> 
> so for people who want to watercool or use a custom aircooler this is a very good deal. the stock cooler is ok for stock speeds but not well suited for overclocking.


Yeah i pulled the trigger on the second one today... such a good deal. atleast I think so.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> Yeah i pulled the trigger on the second one today... such a good deal. atleast I think so.


What has me scratching my head "bought same card"

Is the water blocks that say 7970 / 7950....

does this mean only 7950s with 7970 pcbs or will they work on 7950s with ref 7950 pcbs?

Example..

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16692/ex-blc-1183/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_CSQ_EK-FC7970_-_Acetal_CSQ.html?tl=g30c309s1626


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What has me scratching my head "bought same card"
> 
> Is the water blocks that say 7970 / 7950....
> 
> does this mean only 7950s with 7970 pcbs or will they work on 7950s with ref 7950 pcbs?
> 
> Example..
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16692/ex-blc-1183/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_CSQ_EK-FC7970_-_Acetal_CSQ.html?tl=g30c309s1626


Wanting to know the same...


----------



## CaptainChaos

nope, those are for 7950's that have 7970 PCB's

use the EK cooling configurator to check compatibility
http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


----------



## thrgk

hey guys when I OC, im totally stable in games and benchmarks, but then when i leave the computer alone for 15mins, it goes black and freaky stalls and i have to restart. any idea? 13.1 drivers, Afterburner/


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What has me scratching my head "bought same card"
> 
> Is the water blocks that say 7970 / 7950....
> 
> does this mean only 7950s with 7970 pcbs or will they work on 7950s with ref 7950 pcbs?
> 
> Example..
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16692/ex-blc-1183/EK_Radeon_HD_7970_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_CSQ_EK-FC7970_-_Acetal_CSQ.html?tl=g30c309s1626


Whats happening Hokies, been awhile since we talked over at the delid group.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> nope, those are for 7950's that have 7970 PCB's
> 
> use the EK cooling configurator to check compatibility
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


thanks for posting that, I had no clue either.


----------



## Awsan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> hey guys when I OC, im totally stable in games and benchmarks, but then when i leave the computer alone for 15mins, it goes black and freaky stalls and i have to restart. any idea? 13.1 drivers, Afterburner/


That sounds more like an HDD problem (but you own an SSD) so i guess its the CPU?


----------



## neonthetank

So I got on to some of the forums here and found out that some guys had taken an H60(or any closed loop watercooler) and attached it to their gpu(HD7950 in my case).

I decided to try it for myself.


Here is the stock HD7950 and the bracket from http://triptcc.com/


With the stock cooler off


Remember to take the stock Intel brackets off of the waterblock.


Install the bracket onto the waterblock.


DONT FORGET TO PUT THE MOUNTING SCREWS ONTO THE BRACKET BEFORE YOU ATTACH TO THE WATERBLOCK!!!!!


And there you have it. A bit difficult to install however not impossible and for this waterblock the best it really couldn't be much easier.


This is how the back of the GPU will look.


This is how I thought it would work best, HOWEVER that kinked my hoses and the gpu got real hot real fast.


How I found it to work the best so far.

I dont have any charts of better or worse cooling yet.

What i do know at this points is my Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.

Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)

Again Thanks goes to

Trip T Computer Customs
http://triptcc.com/

~Neon


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Really those temps dont seem that good the twin frozen air cooler probly would do better could be a contact issue also.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Okay so I've been having problems with my cards crashing.. (PC Just black screens.. and reboots)
It happens instantly in Kombustor 2.4 and it happened after a while in Mafia II.

My theories are:
Heat/VRM cooling
One card is malfunctioning - Tested both cards individually (Turned off CFX and changed the cable over)
The Crossfire cable is dodgy/broken Tested a new one..
One is clocked higher so they both clock at 925MHz in CFX by default - Tested them in Crossfire at 900MHz
Drivers
MSI Afterburner - Closed it and also tried This
Stress Testing program playing up - Happened once in Mafia II
Power supply not big enough.. From speculation and actual figures (Plus PSU calculation) my PSU should be capable of it.
Using a Molex to 6 pin.. A single molex to 6 pin too.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Really those temps dont seem that good the twin frozen air cooler probly would do better could be a contact issue also.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> So I got on to some of the forums here and found out that some guys had taken an H60(or any closed loop watercooler) and attached it to their gpu(HD7950 in my case).
> 
> I decided to try it for myself.
> 
> I dont have any charts of better or worse cooling yet.
> 
> What i do know at this points is my Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


Yes, it looks like you're missing the copper shim for the 79xx cards to go inbetween the core and the cooler.. Hence why your temps are quite bad.


----------



## Awsan

But that will cool only the core??? and LOL idle temps are a little high  my gigabyte idles @ 32-34 and max @69 in bench or 59-61 in gaming! 1.25V 1250/1650


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> What i do know at this points is my *Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C*. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


So, temps are not even worth the hassle, thanks.


----------



## neonthetank

No the temps were not worth the hassle. However with the twin frozer I never sat under 45C Idle EVER and full load was usually around 75C. I had reapplied therm paste a few different times to see if that was my cooling problem. My case doesn't lack airflow. The other thing i was trying to avoid is noise. This is a very quite solution for a LOUD gup cooler.

~Neon


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> No the temps were not worth the hassle. However with the twin frozer I never sat under 45C Idle EVER and full load was usually around 75C. I had reapplied therm paste a few different times to see if that was my cooling problem. My case doesn't lack airflow. The other thing i was trying to avoid is noise. This is a very quite solution for a LOUD gup cooler.
> 
> ~Neon


Seems like TF cooling should be avoided.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> So I got on to some of the forums here and found out that some guys had taken an H60(or any closed loop watercooler) and attached it to their gpu(HD7950 in my case).
> 
> I dont have any charts of better or worse cooling yet.
> 
> What i do know at this points is my Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


Something seems horribly wrong with your H60 mounted to your HD7950.

Did you use a copper shim between the surface of the gpu die and surface of the H60? Did you use TIM on both sides between DIE/SHIM/BLOCK?
You have a very nice reference HD7950 that is compatible with reference HD7970 blocks that IMO are a much better route to go for better cooling.


----------



## neonthetank

This is just a step, ill switch to a full system when I save up enough to get a second GPU, waterblocks, and the rest of the cooling system. Ill try this out for a while and see how it treats me. I need to also get heat syncs for my VRAM because this cooling setup is doing nothing for them (then again neither did the Twin Frozer cooling solution)

~Neon

Edit: Yes I did use my therm paste on both sides of the copper shim. Perhaps i did something else wrong?


----------



## SonDa5

neonthetank it may be that the block is bowing. Not sure how tight the mount is but I don't think it needs to be extremely tight. What TIM are you using?

How did you spread the TIM?

If the block is bowing you will not get good contact. Try a small baby pea drop on the center of the GPU then put another baby pea drop on the other side of the shim and apply a little pressure to flatten it out. This will improve contact if the block is bowing. Also don't tighten down super tight. Just nice and snug with finger pressure.

Your problem may also be that a bracket arm is slightly bent on your mount for the H60.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> This is just a step, ill switch to a full system when I save up enough to get a second GPU, waterblocks, and the rest of the cooling system. Ill try this out for a while and see how it treats me. I need to also get heat syncs for my VRAM because this cooling setup is doing nothing for them (then again neither did the Twin Frozer cooling solution)
> 
> ~Neon
> 
> Edit: Yes I did use my therm paste on both sides of the copper shim. Perhaps i did something else wrong?


don't forget about your VRMs, without air blowing over them they will get toasty.


----------



## neonthetank

@sonda5 I use just a small rice grain size of Term paste on each side of the shim

@th3illusiveman I have 2 140s blowing right at the gpu from my case side vents.

~Neon


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> @sonda5 I use just a small rice grain size of Term paste on each side of the shim
> 
> @th3illusiveman I have 2 140s blowing right at the gpu from my case side vents.
> 
> ~Neon


Bracket arms on H60 mount possibly bent?


----------



## 8bitG33k

Can someone point me to a guide how to unlock the voltage on my Sapphire 7950 (11196-16-20G)?


----------



## neonthetank

Pulled off the H60 looks like a little lite on the therm paste. Nothing is bent at all. Putting back on the stock cooler to see what the differences are.


----------



## Hokies83

So what is max Volts on these 24/7 1.3v? Ref 7950 with full cover block.


----------



## neonthetank

So hey! With the TFiii cooler it stays way cooler. Go figure. I have been in fur mark stress test for 15min haven't gotten over 50°c. It was an exciting experience.

~Neon


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *8bitG33k*
> 
> Can someone point me to a guide how to unlock the voltage on my Sapphire 7950 (11196-16-20G)?


with sapphire trixx there is a slider called VDDC which controls core voltage. with msi afterburner use this method. if the voltage control does not work use force constant voltage option is msi afterburner.

http://www.overclock.net/t/641299/guide-to-enabling-unofficial-overclocking-in-msi-afterburner


----------



## 8bitG33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> with sapphire trixx there is a slider called VDDC which controls core voltage. with msi afterburner use this method. if the voltage control does not work use force constant voltage option is msi afterburner.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/641299/guide-to-enabling-unofficial-overclocking-in-msi-afterburner


HWiNFO always reports the card at 1.25v no matter how I set MSI Afterburner, so I assumed the voltage is locked?


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys please give me an idea; if you use Display Port connection, do you have like this problem? When I turn off monitor and turn on again



With DVI no problem.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Guys please give me an idea; if you use Display Port connection, do you have like this problem? When I turn off monitor and turn on again
> 
> 
> 
> With DVI no problem.


Frequently. The same exact message. If I restart I will have this message and one of my monitor will be flickering. I have to unplug it and replug and the eyefinity array gets back to normal. I have to completely shut down the PC and turning it back again if ever I need to restart.


----------



## thrgk

Anyone try beta 13.2? Worth it or nah?


----------



## Onkawow

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glina*
> 
> These are awesome temps.
> Can you please check your Asic quality? (click on the icon in top left corner of GPU-Z and it's there)


I did that right after i got the card and i remember correct it was pretty low. Around last 5x or start 6x. Will tjek again when home and post it. The system i use is a [email protected],7 ghz aircooled with a ultra extreme 120 with push/pull fans, 2 ssd vertex 3 and 4. The mobo is a asrock p67 extreme 4, gen. 3, and a Zalman ZM-850 watt psu.

To the people who asked for a Sapphire guide for volt i did following:

- changed to the non boost bios with the button on the card
- Installed trixx 4.6.0 and enabled force constant voltage (helped on the drop in volt under load for me)
- Now just change volt and i use gpu-z to check drop under load and see vrm temps and so.

Again really love this. Had a trifire setup with flashed 5970+5870 i loved alot, but the strengh in antialising, image quality and so i just love this.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> So I got on to some of the forums here and found out that some guys had taken an H60(or any closed loop watercooler) and attached it to their gpu(HD7950 in my case).
> 
> I decided to try it for myself.
> 
> 
> Here is the stock HD7950 and the bracket from http://triptcc.com/
> 
> 
> With the stock cooler off
> 
> 
> Remember to take the stock Intel brackets off of the waterblock.
> 
> 
> Install the bracket onto the waterblock.
> 
> 
> DONT FORGET TO PUT THE MOUNTING SCREWS ONTO THE BRACKET BEFORE YOU ATTACH TO THE WATERBLOCK!!!!!
> 
> 
> And there you have it. A bit difficult to install however not impossible and for this waterblock the best it really couldn't be much easier.
> 
> 
> This is how the back of the GPU will look.
> 
> 
> This is how I thought it would work best, HOWEVER that kinked my hoses and the gpu got real hot real fast.
> 
> 
> How I found it to work the best so far.
> 
> I dont have any charts of better or worse cooling yet.
> 
> What i do know at this points is my Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


No VRM cooling? And I doubt you will get any better temps with something as crappy as H60.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

So the problem is cable, monitor or card it self? Or Dipslay Port works like this or AMD driver? Nvidia users has the same problem?

Before I was using 6950, has mini display port. Flickering happens with it too.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys please help me: I did upload a video to show you what happens. I'm not sure this about graphic card.

I did test with Aida64 (monitor test)






I bought 7970 and PBQ278 in the same day. I was thinking something about wrong with monitor. So I decided to connect my old one (24" Samsung 2ms) And turn on both and checked again. I did notice has the same shapes saw on Samsung. Than I removed 7970 and plugged old 6950, and tested again. Something happens but not like this. As you see on video like this shapes when color changes. This not happens in games. But sometimes see when surfing on the web (changing pages)



I'm trying to understand. Cable doesn't matter (DVI or Display port) Both monitors makes this. So just left card it self. But I'm nt sure this happens just with my card, or everybody see this?

If you have Aida 64, can you test? Just use space bar quickly.

Thanks.


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So what is max Volts on these 24/7 1.3v? Ref 7950 with full cover block.


I'd probably keep it a hair under 1.3v, it really depends on how much vDroop you get under load.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> So hey! With the TFiii cooler it stays way cooler. Go figure. I have been in fur mark stress test for 15min haven't gotten over 50°c. It was an exciting experience.
> 
> ~Neon


Yeah I don't think you did it right. I've seen much lower temps from the CLC mod.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stickg1*
> 
> I'd probably keep it a hair under 1.3v, it really depends on how much vDroop you get under load.


This is just my own feeling when looking at the realtime information on my card but I think the higher the temps are the bigger the vdroop is, but this is just my observation on the matter.

So basicly, more voltage = not always more voltage under longer load if the temp increases the amount of vdroop.

Once again, this is just from my personal observation on my own card.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> So I got on to some of the forums here and found out that some guys had taken an H60(or any closed loop watercooler) and attached it to their gpu(HD7950 in my case).
> 
> I decided to try it for myself.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the stock HD7950 and the bracket from http://triptcc.com/
> 
> 
> With the stock cooler off
> 
> 
> Remember to take the stock Intel brackets off of the waterblock.
> 
> 
> Install the bracket onto the waterblock.
> 
> 
> DONT FORGET TO PUT THE MOUNTING SCREWS ONTO THE BRACKET BEFORE YOU ATTACH TO THE WATERBLOCK!!!!!
> 
> 
> And there you have it. A bit difficult to install however not impossible and for this waterblock the best it really couldn't be much easier.
> 
> 
> This is how the back of the GPU will look.
> 
> 
> This is how I thought it would work best, HOWEVER that kinked my hoses and the gpu got real hot real fast.
> 
> 
> How I found it to work the best so far.
> 
> 
> I dont have any charts of better or worse cooling yet.
> 
> What i do know at this points is my Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


First question did you use a copper shim between die and block?
Second question did you apply tim in both sides of the copper shim?

*If yes you have to dismantle and do it again till you see like 35-50c (depending of ambient) range in full load on temps..*
It is tricky to get a good sit in a first try, trial and error..

I have this at the beginning with an antec 620 and it was wonderful for kepping the core temp under control...


----------



## stickg1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> This is just my own feeling when looking at the realtime information on my card but I think the higher the temps are the bigger the vdroop is, but this is just my observation on the matter.
> 
> So basicly, more voltage = not always more voltage under longer load if the temp increases the amount of vdroop.
> 
> Once again, this is just from my personal observation on my own card.


I know what you mean, I think you could be on to something with that. I also notice that the vDroop I get while running a benchmark like Unigine Valley is less than if I'm using the same clocks and voltage in a game like Sleeping Dogs. The vDroop on these 7900's is considerable and I recommend keeping GPU-Z open on the sensors tab when you are fine tuning for 24/7 clocks to get an idea of what voltage you need to get a stable voltage after vDroop.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So what is max Volts on these 24/7 1.3v? Ref 7950 with full cover block.


1.3v?> I dont even need that much for benching this card @ 1400 on the core

She would do 1250 @1.175v (to be on the safe side, she will do those clocks @ 1.15v vdrooping to 1.125v) with vdroop it is 1.15v on gpu-z. this is on air cooling too XD
*fixed the BIG typo on the voltages XD*

Im reading a weird pattern around this forums that more volts equals more core increase and thats not it on this cards...
Keep them cool and they will work great with overclocks and less volts...

Temp walls XD


----------



## zGunBLADEz

2ble post


----------



## zGunBLADEz

2ble post


----------



## Vaesauce

So I installed Afterburner just to see what it allows me to change and etc.

Voltage and Memory Voltage is locked.

I saw the Aux Voltage and it's default is set to 1400mV O____O

The max is 30...

I have a VaporX 7970ghz


----------



## thrgk

So I'm for sure keeping my 7970 but I only got crysis 3 code and not BioShock? How do I get my BioShock code? It said it would come when avalible but many already have a code


----------



## Stay Puft

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> 1.3v?> I dont even need that much for benching this card @ 1400 on the core
> 
> She would do 1250 @1.75v (to be on the safe side, she will do those clocks @ 1.5 vdrooping to 1.25v) with vdroop it is 1.5v on gpu-z. this is on air cooling too XD
> 
> Im reading a weird pattern around this forums that more volts equals more core increase and thats not it on this cards...
> Keep them cool and they will work great with overclocks and less volts...
> 
> Temp walls XD


Same here. Lastnight i needed 1.28v for 1400 core with chilled 7970's but it's ofcourse a silicone lottery


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stay Puft*
> 
> Same here. Lastnight i needed 1.28v for 1400 core with chilled 7970's but it's *ofcourse a silicone lottery*


Yep that too...

I always recommend for at least *1200 core on air 1.2v* or lower....Temps should be below 70c, ideal would be 65c the perfect spot below 60c which always have work for me in 4 different 7970's and brands and my investigations around the web XD with only 1.2V.. To try your card out..
The silicon lottery in this cards are your temp walls XD. You can also run into issues of hardware like my first 7970 which dont budge over 1550 on the memory XD

Even my 7950 works the same way... She runs cooler than my 7970 and requires less volts than her as well shes using the 7970 pcb .. and i will push her as hard as my 7970 because they share the same vrm design layout... But i dont need to because she dont need it lol..

So in another words the higher the overclock the lower your temps should be.. So if you having issues @ 1200 @ 1.2v dont even think on 1250 or 1300 because is not going to happen...

So lets say your max temp wall for example @ 1200 is 60-65c you would need to be around 50-55c for 1250-1300 XD

No ghz cards for me oky thak u lol


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> *1.3v?> I dont even need that much for benching this card @ 1400 on the core*
> 
> She would do 1250 @1.75v (to be on the safe side, she will do those clocks @ 1.5 vdrooping to 1.25v) with vdroop it is 1.5v on gpu-z. this is on air cooling too XD
> 
> Im reading a weird pattern around this forums that more volts equals more core increase and thats not it on this cards...
> Keep them cool and they will work great with overclocks and less volts...
> 
> Temp walls XD


I call crap on this one and you are most likely throttling or something to be able to run on that high core with so low volts, that is simply impossible no matter how lucky you got.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Yep that too...
> 
> I always recommend for at least *1200 core on air 1.2v* or lower....*Temps should be below 70c, ideal would be 65c the perfect spot below 60c* which always have work for me in 4 different 7970's and brands and my investigations around the web XD with only 1.2V.. To try your card out..
> The silicon lottery in this cards are your temp walls XD. You can also run into issues of hardware like my first 7970 which dont budge over 1550 on the memory XD
> 
> Even my 7950 works the same way... She runs cooler than my 7970 and requires less volts than her as well shes using the 7970 pcb .. and i will push her as hard as my 7970 because they share the same vrm design layout... But i dont need to because she dont need it lol..
> 
> So in another words the higher the overclock the lower your temps should be.. So if you having issues @ 1200 @ 1.2v dont even think on 1250 or 1300 because is not going to happen...
> 
> So lets say your max temp wall for example @ 1200 is 60-65c you would need to be around 50-55c for 1250-1300 XD
> 
> No ghz cards for me oky thak u lol


The cards can easily take more temps than lowsy 60C.
I hit 71C GPU and 72/72C on VRM when running Valley with 1325mV.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I call crap on this one and you are most likely throttling or something to be able to run on that high core with so low volts, that is simply impossible no matter how lucky you got.
> The cards can easily take more temps than lowsy 60C.
> I hit 71C GPU and 72/72C on VRM when running Valley with 1325mV.


I dont know how to start this but here, btw the one that im talking about that do 1400 with such low voltage is the 7950 well they do 1400 both under ideal conditions XD

My newest reference 7970
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/21610#post_19396009

Heres my cards
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/20930

my 7950
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/20920#post_19259735

You are reading this topic at all?

Now my recommendations would be for stable clocks not benching ones XD

This is my run with a ghz default volt set...


Go try that on a ghz bios card without keeping those temps on check XD

The throttling!!!!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> So I got on to some of the forums here and found out that some guys had taken an H60(or any closed loop watercooler) and attached it to their gpu(HD7950 in my case).
> 
> I decided to try it for myself.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here is the stock HD7950 and the bracket from http://triptcc.com/
> 
> 
> With the stock cooler off
> 
> 
> Remember to take the stock Intel brackets off of the waterblock.
> 
> 
> Install the bracket onto the waterblock.
> 
> 
> DONT FORGET TO PUT THE MOUNTING SCREWS ONTO THE BRACKET BEFORE YOU ATTACH TO THE WATERBLOCK!!!!!
> 
> 
> And there you have it. A bit difficult to install however not impossible and for this waterblock the best it really couldn't be much easier.
> 
> 
> This is how the back of the GPU will look.
> 
> 
> This is how I thought it would work best, HOWEVER that kinked my hoses and the gpu got real hot real fast.
> 
> 
> How I found it to work the best so far.
> 
> 
> 
> I dont have any charts of better or worse cooling yet.
> 
> What i do know at this points is my Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


I highly recommend you slap some heatsinks on the ram/vrm plate. Also, did you use the cpu spacer? It's detrimental to performance.


----------



## Snyderman34

Quick question. Does Sapphire make a back plate for the 7970 Dual X OC? All I can find are the EK ones that go with the water block


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Quick question. Does Sapphire make a back plate for the 7970 Dual X OC? All I can find are the EK ones that go with the water block


no.. all are 3rd party's if it dont come with a backplate when you buy it of course..


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I highly recommend you slap some heatsinks on the ram/vrm plate. Also, did you use the cpu spacer? It's detrimental to performance.


The Bracket is also made to mount a *Fan* on it to cool your VRM plate. You have two remaining holes on the bracket...


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> no.. all are 3rd party's if it dont come with a backplate when you buy it of course..


That's what I was thinking. It looks like the EK back plate should fit it though, or am I mistaken?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> That's what I was thinking. It looks like the EK back plate should fit it though, or am I mistaken?


It will fit but i think you will need to buy screws a lil bit longer and the perfect size than the ones that are holding the vrm heatsinks..
pain in the ass to get...


----------



## tsm106

Ya have to mod the end of the plate, which is made to screw to the pcb from the cooler side. The cooler is made to screw in from the backside, hence the modding...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

This to put the temp wall topic to rest..
I Opened my window and that just net me -10c and 1.22v XD

I have seen this card idling @ 10c XD


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> It will fit but i think you will need to buy screws a lil bit longer and the perfect size than the ones that are holding the vrm heatsinks..
> pain in the ass to get...


Gotcha. Guess I'll wait a bit then. Thanks for your help!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Gotcha. Guess I'll wait a bit then. Thanks for your help!


You can also buy one and use double sided tape if you wanted for looks .... Put double side tape in top of the holes and there you go.. It will also give you protection...


----------



## Hokies83

Damn after rebates promo codes and selling crysis 3 / bio shock ima end up getting these 3x 7950 boost Ed for like 180$ each lol.

Then All have 300$ is water blocks and 40$ in fittings.

sooo...

3 Water cooled 7950s for.... $880 Absolute Destruction of 1.149$ Titan... Priceless...


----------



## Snyderman34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> You can also buy one and use double sided tape if you wanted for looks .... Put double side tape in top of the holes and there you go.. It will also give you protection...


Was hoping to use it for support as well. Maybe this will finally be my segway to watercooling


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Damn after rebates promo codes and selling crysis 3 / bio shock ima end up getting these 3x 7950 boost Ed for like 180$ each lol.
> 
> Then All have 300$ is water blocks and 40$ in fittings.
> 
> sooo...
> 
> 3 Water cooled 7950s for.... $880 Absolute Destruction of 1.149$ Titan... Priceless...


2 7950s are already enough to surpass a titan, easily.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Another run drop it another notch

Beginning to end XD


----------



## tsm106

This is just another reason for gunblade to post screens of his precious.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snyderman34*
> 
> Was hoping to use it for support as well. Maybe this will finally be my segway to watercooling


I use the backplate for ease of installation of the waterblocks it even everything out just perfect specially if you have a pcb that is sagging already...


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> 2 7950s are already enough to surpass a titan, easily.


Yeah but not Destroy it


----------



## KaRLiToS

I don't think I did a graph with 7950 VS Titan??


----------



## tsm106

You'll only piss off the titan guys even more lol.


----------



## blixt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vaesauce*
> 
> So I installed Afterburner just to see what it allows me to change and etc.
> 
> Voltage and Memory Voltage is locked.
> 
> I saw the Aux Voltage and it's default is set to 1400mV O____O
> 
> The max is 30...
> 
> I have a VaporX 7970ghz


To change voltage and get it recognized in afterburner 2.3.0 as 7970 Vapor-X GHz Edition you gotta delete the "MSIAfterburner.oem" file in afterburner directory, and for the volts to actually stick enable "force constant voltage"



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



http://www.overclock.net/t/1348736/sapphire-7970-oc-or-vapor-x-ghz-edition/10#post_19102696


----------



## KaRLiToS

Yes I did. Forgot that I added the 7950 and GTX 670. TriFire 7950 is almost as good as 2 x Titans, and this is *with extraordinary score of 136Fps of CallSignVega*

I would get 3 x 7950 before buying 2 x Titans.


----------



## CaptainChaos

out of curiosity, what sort of PSU would be required for Tri-fire 7950's?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yeah but not Destroy it


It will destroy their pocket tho... lol

Hopefully 8xxx/7xxx are around $550 at the beginning then drop to around mids 400 top it off with overclocks oh my god... XD
amd at least have a couple of months to work on this XD


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> out of curiosity, what sort of PSU would be required for Tri-fire 7950's?


850W-1kW depending on how much you overclock the cards and your CPU.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> out of curiosity, what sort of PSU would be required for Tri-fire 7950's?


1100w to be safe (est with big cpu), especially if you have three good overclockers.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> out of curiosity, what sort of PSU would be required for Tri-fire 7950's?


I ran Crossfire HD7950 with 620W so I reckon any good 800W should be plenty for it, 850W if you want to be safe.


----------



## Hokies83

ILl be running 2 Mcp 35X pumps 3 FrozenQhelix lights 250ML 400ML and bay 2 Led strips.... 30 or so quiet fans tri fire 7950s.. with the highest safe OC they will do a 3770k with 1.55v pumping into it..

I think the psu thing brought me up to like Reccomended 1100 watts and a min of 1050 watts. I have an AX 1200 which should handle it fine.

Do not have the tri fire atm but looks like this.


----------



## CaptainChaos

hmm, Tri-fire may be an option down the road. Still have to get my crossfire up and running first. lol


----------



## KaRLiToS

I have a cheap Enermax Platimax 1350w spare that I have no use for it anymore. All cables have never been used, it was bought just for testing purpose. I can run 4 x 7970 on it with 1600w sucking from the wall


----------



## zGunBLADEz

a good 7950 requires less volts for high overclocks.. i will try 1kw psu and see how it goes.

Because i was doing fine on a 750 OCZ ZT then i upgraded to a seasonic gold 850 just to be in the safe side my cpu is running @ 1.48v so is pumping power as well...

I wouldnt try to do this on a system with a 8350 heavyly overclocked..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I wouldnt try to do this on a system with 8350 heavyly overclocked any amd cpu..


Fixed. Check post 1324 of heaven bench thread for the difference and reason why.


----------



## Hokies83

Here is 100% TDP and 100% system load.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yeah but not Destroy it


of course it destroys it, even more after taking price into consideration


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Fixed. Check post 1324 of heaven bench thread for the difference and reason why.


Thats @ +36% @[email protected] freaking wow

I still say 8350 is a good buy if you are in a budget tho and dont care too much for overclocks.. I mean i did a sidegrade from 2500K to 3770K because i have a friend that needed a pc so i gave him the 2500k for cheap.

I have seen 8350 as low as $160 when on sale...

For all around cpu that would be a nice choice at that price...


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> I'd say my 97fps destroy every single titan


I consider Destruction 25% - 40% faster.

Annihilation 45% faster and more.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I consider Destruction 25% - 40% faster.
> 
> Annihilation 45% faster and more.


so yes, destruction


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I consider Destruction 25% - 40% faster.
> 
> Annihilation 45% faster and more.


Quote:


> Thats @ +36% @[email protected] freaking wow
> 
> I still say 8350 is a good buy if you are in a budget tho and dont care too much for overclocks.. I mean i did a sidegrade from 2500K to 3770K because i have a friend that needed a pc so i gave him the 2500k for cheap.
> 
> Seen them as low as $160 when on sale...
> 
> For all around cpu that would be a nice choice at that price...


8350 is nice for anything that takes advantage of the extra threads "just like the 3770k"

But if something does not take advantage of atleast 6 of them "on the 8350 " please.. "Insert puke emote here"


----------



## KaRLiToS

FX 8350 is enough for single card.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> 8350 is nice for anything that takes advantage of the extra threads "just like the 3770k"
> 
> But if something does not take advantage of atleast 6 of them "on the 8350 " please.. "Insert puke emote here"


Very true, But you know microcenter intel deals are hard to pass on specially if you have one right besides your work i mean i can walk to it in my break and buy something and have enough spare time to smoke a cigarrette before brakes over......
$250 total including taxes was a very good deal XD


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Very true, But you know microcenter intel deals are hard to pass on specially if you have one right besides your work i mean i can walk to it in my break and buy something and have enough spare time to smoke a cigarrette before brakes over......
> $250 total including taxes was a very good deal XD


Oh the 8350 is diff not worth saving 90$ imo... It is not like a gpu where you can add another to make up for it.. your stuck with what you get.
.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Oh the 8350 is diff not worth saving 90$ imo... It is not like a gpu where you can add another to make up for it.. your stuck with what you get.
> .


I bought a 8150 for the wify and i dont see nothing wrong with it.. It run pretty good at stock clocks if you ask me.

I only paid $120 for it. As a matter of fact i find more fun overclocking amds cpus than intel ones..
Overclocking intel is so easy and not challenging at all no more...

Now if I want one for main pc nope...

Since X2 4400 which was my last amd cpu havent touch another amd other than the wifes 8150...
Still have that cpu using it on my nas/server.. With my $450 OCZ DDR500..


----------



## Hokies83

I still have my last amd cpu 1055T


----------



## youpekkad

About that temp-wall, it might have something to do with ASIC %, my card ([email protected], asic 88,9%) artifacts @1200MHz after 62C, in 3dmark I hit the wall after [email protected],21V and I got 10MHz extra after I opened the window and removed the side panel, so I´m clearly temperature limited, maybe lower ASIC-cards can tolerate higher temps before artifacting at these speeds?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> About that temp-wall, it might have something to do with ASIC %, my card ([email protected], asic 88,9%) artifacts @1200MHz after 62C, in 3dmark I hit the wall after [email protected],21V and I got 10MHz extra after I opened the window and removed the side panel, so I´m clearly temperature limited, maybe lower ASIC-cards can tolerate higher temps before artifacting at these speeds?


My 7950 have %90.5 and shes a beast on air or liquid.. It just dont matter to her lol
she starts acting up when vrms get high tho on air..

1250/1700 with a mere 1.15v vdrooping to 1.12v is just no words for it @[email protected] thats on air..

one run of valley 1300/1700 @ 1.15v


another one @ 1375 put intenionally more volts @ 1.225v to try heat the card but no luck there lol only went up 1c extra the vrms got the message tho XD


but she is so lovely that i do the same but 1.2v


LN2 on this card would be like holy crap lol... it have the whole 1.2-1.381v range of trixx just for her alone

I just only wish i can predict vdroop as well as i do on my 7950 but in my 7970 XD


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Ok guys went to service and told my story about display port etc... anyway they changed my card









This one is 5C cooler than other one







28-29C

And more OC capability. Other one crashes @1070Mhz, now I'm at limit of GPU tweak



I want to go more, what is your suggestion; Saphire Trixx?

I need unlocked version, any link?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Ok guys went to service and told my story about display port etc... anyway they changed my card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one is 5C cooler than other one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 28-29C And more OC capability. Other one crashes @1070Mhz, now I'm at limit of GPU tweak
> 
> I want to go more, what is your suggestion; Saphire Trixx? I need unlocked version, any link?


use Sapphire trixx or MSI afterburner. here is the guide for msi unofficial overclocking

http://www.overclock.net/t/641299/guide-to-enabling-unofficial-overclocking-in-msi-afterburner


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

I did the same in guide, but doesn't show any info?



Which version I must use?


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> I did the same in guide, but doesn't show any info?
> 
> 
> 
> Which version I must use?


See this post. This method worked a lot better for me. Using the method in the other post caused screen flicker on my rig.

After following the instructions, don't forget to remove the tag or just create a new shortcut.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I think gpu tweak have a setting on options for unofficial overclocking it expands the clock range.. I would do trixx for overclocking tho...


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Those of you havet checked the msi ab 3.0 beta 7 has more options can disable ulps and use unoffical overclocking without needing to mess with the cfg file now.


----------



## jdm317

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Those of you havet checked the msi ab 3.0 beta 7 has more options can disable ulps and use unoffical overclocking without needing to mess with the cfg file now.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> My 7950 have %90.5 and shes a beast on air or liquid.. It just dont matter to her lol
> she starts acting up when vrms get high tho on air..
> 
> 1250/1700 with a mere 1.15v vdrooping to 1.12v is just no words for it @[email protected] thats on air..
> 
> one run of valley 1300/1700 @ 1.15v
> 
> 
> another one @ 1375 put intenionally more volts @ 1.225v to try heat the card but no luck there lol only went up 1c extra the vrms got the message tho XD
> 
> 
> but she is so lovely that i do the same but 1.2v
> 
> 
> LN2 on this card would be like holy crap lol... it have the whole 1.2-1.381v range of trixx just for her alone
> 
> I just only wish i can predict vdroop as well as i do on my 7950 but in my 7970 XD


Such a beast xD, is that max temp of 26C a glitch :O? What you use to cool that bad boy lol, I opened the window (-14C outside) ,removed the side panel, put fan to 100% but the max I could do before hitting the temperature wall (54C @1250MHz and beyond) was 1250/[email protected],212V...

BTW what temps you got on air? You said you could do [email protected],15V, voltage that low isnt probably enough to overheat the card, like in my case I need to give >1,2V and if I were to hit 1300MHz it would probably require 1,25-1,3V and still remain below 50C, that is impossible to do on air lol.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

heres the link to msi ab 3.0 beta5 and beta 6 on my site should be faster then getting it from the msi site and the changelog.

http://bal3wolf.centelia.net/MSIAfterburnerSetup300Beta5.zip
http://bal3wolf.centelia.net/MSIAfterburnerSetup300Beta6.zip
Quote:


> • Ported to new VC++ compiler, new core and skin engine libraries with better extendibility
> • Added NVIDIA GPU Boost 2.0 technology support for NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan graphics cards:
> o Added slider for temperature limit adjustment
> o Added option for linked power limit and temperature limit adjustment
> o Added option for temperature limit prioritizing
> o Added maximum voltage adjustment
> • Improved skin engine, now skinned slider controls support curved paths defined by alpha channel. Skin format reference guide has been updated to v1.6 to document new slider types support
> • Fixed single tray icon mode functionality under Windows 8
> • Improved single tray icon mode handling. It is no longer necessary to restart application when toggling single tray icon mode
> • Now unofficial overclocking mode and official clock limits extension command line switch (XCL) for AMD graphics cards are accessible via GUI in "General" tab in "AMD compatibility properties" section
> • Now MSI Afterburner displays voltage regulator model and location information in "i" window
> • MSI On-Screen Display server has been upgraded to version 5.0.0. New version gives you the following improvements:
> o Ported to new VC++ compiler, new core and skin engine libraries with better extendibility


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Such a beast xD, is that max temp of 26C a glitch :O? What you use to cool that bad boy lol, I opened the window (-14C outside) ,removed the side panel, put fan to 100% but the max I could do before hitting the temperature wall (54C @1250MHz and beyond) was 1250/[email protected],212V...
> 
> BTW what temps you got on air? You said you could do [email protected],15V, voltage that low isnt probably enough to overheat the card, like in my case I need to give >1,2V and if I were to hit 1300MHz it would probably require 1,25-1,3V and still remain below 50C, that is impossible to do on air lol.


Shes on water with 3 rads enjoying my open window which is bringing a beautiful breeze of chicago weather right now lol... Usually she runs -5c lower behind the 7970 which is the primary card in my setup... Those are the real temps right now XD...

She can do 1250/1700 @ 1.15v with a good fan profile on air... Benchiable @ 1300 @ 1.17v..
Her temp wall a 1250 with that voltage is around 70c.

The higher the voltage the lower the temp wall will be...

I mean you reach 1250 on air you should be glad, i would be glad....


----------



## Snuckie7

What does disabling ULPS do again?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> What does disabling ULPS do again?


Helps overcloking on crossfire


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Tried beta 6 . I could extend GPU and Memory settings, but still voltage locked. Will try beta 5


----------



## youpekkad

On air+ice cold air from outside







But yea dont get me wrong. I AM glad that I can hit 1250MHz on air, my previous card (560ti) wouldnt do 50MHz above stock speeds, so I´m very pleased it just seems that it needs to be water cooled to really find out what its limits are.

BTW 70C @1,15V sounds about right and makes sense too, wasnt aware of any of this before, definitely very interesting and well explained, might deserve a rep+


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> My 7950 have %90.5 and shes a beast on air or liquid.. It just dont matter to her lol
> she starts acting up when vrms get high tho on air..
> 
> 1250/1700 with a mere 1.15v vdrooping to 1.12v is just no words for it @[email protected] thats on air..
> 
> one run of valley 1300/1700 @ 1.15v
> 
> 
> another one @ 1375 put intenionally more volts @ 1.225v to try heat the card but no luck there lol only went up 1c extra the vrms got the message tho XD
> 
> 
> but she is so lovely that i do the same but 1.2v
> 
> 
> LN2 on this card would be like holy crap lol... it have the whole 1.2-1.381v range of trixx just for her alone
> 
> I just only wish i can predict vdroop as well as i do on my 7950 but in my 7970 XD


what are you using to cool your VRMs?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> what are you using to cool your VRMs?


waterblocks looks like my vrms are about the same up to about 55c in furmark games under 50c folding 40c or lower boinc about the same.

folding temps


----------



## Vaesauce

3hours of Heaven 4.0

I'm at 1200/1700.
Even with Force Constant Voltage at 1.25v, as soon as i go into load the voltage goes back down to 1.17-1.20, So instead of a 1.258v which is default on TRIXX as it shows... I'm using 1.2v with MSI AB and the voltage hangs in the same area lol.

None the less, I am still happy lol.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> waterblocks looks like my vrms are about the same up to about 55c in furmark games under 50c folding 40c or lower boinc about the same.
> 
> folding temps


:/

... i don't want to start using water lol, i heard it's expensive and risky... but those temps are tempting.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> :/
> 
> ... i don't want to start using water lol, i heard it's expensive and risky... but those temps are tempting.


expensive for sure not that risky really using distilled water iv i had a few leaks being careless on my gpus and motherboard let it dry and all is well.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

I don't know how did I this before











Driver can effect it? I'm using 13.2 beta 7 now.


----------



## Vaesauce

Did you delete the MSI Afterburner.OEM?

Once you delete that, you should be able to change your voltages again in MSI AB.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Yes many versions I did install to unlock. I'm using your uninstaller than AVG PC Tune up to clear registry.

And switch position can effect (on the card) ?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Hey guys. I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to get a second 7970 Lightning. I think it would be awesome to have a second one gaming at 1600P. Do you think it would be worth it for a single monitor setup? More than likely I won't be going multimonitor any time soon.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Hey guys. I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to get a second 7970 Lightning. I think it would be awesome to have a second one gaming at 1600P. Do you think it would be worth it for a single monitor setup? More than likely I won't be going multimonitor any time soon.


Depends on the games crsyis 3 needs 2 cards to run 1600p maxed out heck it needs 2 to run 1080p maxed out if you want to avg over 50fps.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Depends on the games crsyis 3 needs 2 cards to run 1600p maxed out heck it needs 2 to run 1080p maxed out if you want to avg over 50fps.


I'd rather not get a second card just play one game. I'm thinking that over the next year games should get more demanding so maybe I would be able to use all the power.

Side question: If I plug a second monitor into the second card (1920x1200) will it keep the temperatures down? I know that with my one card when both are plugged in it idles higher. I don't want to run eyefinity, just a second monitor.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> what are you using to cool your VRMs?


Watercool Heatkiller 79x0 very well worth the money...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> :/
> 
> ... i don't want to start using water lol, i heard it's expensive and risky... but those temps are tempting.


It is expensive at the beginning (just starting) and adding parts and guessing and extra buying stuff you dont need later on etc...
Once you establish your setup upgrades are easy you can keep the same stuff for a couple of rigs if you maintain them...

I have a cosmos 2 case that i bought from an user here and just the thought of taking my corsair 300r apart it gives me headaches lol.. Still love that case to no end.... Simple and elegant but i have kids and she is a devil and 2 of my rads are outside :/
But i will have to in the end, my new reference 7970 is asking for my 7950 waterblock so bad lol.. So now i have 2 reasons for that..

But now i need a couple of extra fittings and mod the cosmos 2 a lil bit so i can accommodate one BI GTX 360 rad in the top.

This is how far i will go for that performance...


I have a freaking pump right after my 2 videocards attached to it. That extension that is holding the pump was at the beginning for my 2 gpus but it was too long so i bought the bridge and lord behold i end using it later on on my 2nd pump lol...

Is not about looks for me i never care about that...

I started with barbs because they were cheaper but compression fittings are god send period lol so easy to use XD


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> It is expensive at the beginning (just starting) and adding parts and guessing and extra buying stuff you dont need later on etc...
> Once you establish your setup upgrades are easy you can keep the same stuff for a couple of rigs if you maintain them...
> 
> I have a cosmos 2 case that i bought from an user here and just the thought of taking my corsair 300r apart it gives me headaches lol.. Still love that case to no end.... Simple and elegant but i have kids and she is a devil and 2 of my rads are outside :/
> But i will have to in the end, my new reference 7970 is asking for my 7950 waterblock so bad lol.. So now i have 2 reasons for that..
> 
> But now i need a couple of extra fittings and mod the cosmos 2 a lil bit so i can accommodate one BI GTX 360 rad in the top.
> 
> This is how far i will go for that performance...
> 
> 
> I have a freaking pump right after my 2 videocards attached to it. That extension that is holding the pump was at the beginning for my 2 gpus but it was too long so i bought the bridge and lord behold i end using it later on on my 2nd pump lol...
> 
> Is not about looks for me i never care about that...
> 
> I started with barbs because they were cheaper but compression fittings are god send period lol so easy to use XD


i should have gone with water last year, now with school and stuff... i can't.









Oh well, the only thing i need, the single thing i need, the thing i want more then anything else is a good VRM heatsink and i can't seem to find one


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> It is expensive at the beginning (just starting) and adding parts and guessing and extra buying stuff you dont need later on etc...
> Once you establish your setup upgrades are easy you can keep the same stuff for a couple of rigs if you maintain them...
> 
> I have a cosmos 2 case that i bought from an user here and just the thought of taking my corsair 300r apart it gives me headaches lol.. Still love that case to no end.... Simple and elegant but i have kids and she is a devil and 2 of my rads are outside :/
> But i will have to in the end, my new reference 7970 is asking for my 7950 waterblock so bad lol.. So now i have 2 reasons for that..
> 
> But now i need a couple of extra fittings and mod the cosmos 2 a lil bit so i can accommodate one BI GTX 360 rad in the top.
> 
> This is how far i will go for that performance...
> 
> 
> I have a freaking pump right after my 2 videocards attached to it. That extension that is holding the pump was at the beginning for my 2 gpus but it was too long so i bought the bridge and lord behold i end using it later on on my 2nd pump lol...
> 
> Is not about looks for me i never care about that...
> 
> I started with barbs because they were cheaper but compression fittings are god send period lol so easy to use XD


That water block fit on a 7950 with a 7950 pcb?


----------



## CaptainChaos

No, sadly Watercool only make a heatkiller for 7970 PCB's.


----------



## Hokies83

Hmm looks like i may be getting 3 of these then.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> My 7950 have %90.5 and shes a beast on air or liquid.. It just dont matter to her lol
> she starts acting up when vrms get high tho on air..
> 
> 1250/1700 with a mere 1.15v vdrooping to 1.12v is just no words for it @[email protected] thats on air..
> 
> one run of valley 1300/1700 @ 1.15v
> 
> 
> another one @ 1375 put intenionally more volts @ 1.225v to try heat the card but no luck there lol only went up 1c extra the vrms got the message tho XD
> 
> 
> but she is so lovely that i do the same but 1.2v
> 
> 
> LN2 on this card would be like holy crap lol... it have the whole 1.2-1.381v range of trixx just for her alone
> 
> I just only wish i can predict vdroop as well as i do on my 7950 but in my 7970 XD


What an incredible piece of silicone you got









What card is this [Brand/Model] and what is your VRM Current out?

If I run 1.2v I get a whole .1v of vDroop on a 86.8% ASIC. So if I do 1.2v for 1275 core I will get 1.1v, pretty crazy.


----------



## Pararrhexis

So, I just ordered this SAPPHIRE 100352-3L Radeon HD 7950
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026

I realized after that It was a slightly different length than the standard 7950, like its older brother 100352-2L
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

What sort of difference is this going to make if I wanted to watercool? Are the waterblocks like say the heatkiller at the top of this page going to fit on my card?

Thanks for the help guys.


----------



## CaptainChaos

As far as I know, that Sapphire model does not have any compatible full cover waterblocks. You'll need to grab a universal gpu only waterblock.


----------



## Pararrhexis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> As far as I know, that Sapphire model does not have any compatible full cover waterblocks. You'll need to grab a universal gpu only waterblock.


As in it won't cover the VRM or the Memory or anything? Sorry I'm a complete noob at WC and OC with graphics cards.

Also making me feel like I may have chosen a better card for my needs.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Full cover means yes, the whole card.

Otherwise you can use watercoolers that only cover the GPU core.


----------



## tsm106

I would never knowingly buy card that did not fit a fullcover card. I suppose that's my one universal requirement. And if I did have to do aircooling, I'd get a board that has a fancy cooler on a ref pcb.


----------



## Pararrhexis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I would never knowingly buy card that did not fit a fullcover card. I suppose that's my one universal requirement. And if I did have to do aircooling, I'd get a board that has a fancy cooler on a ref pcb.


As in if it were you who had purchased the Sapphire 3L, you'd be exchanging it? Because right now that's where I am leaning.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pararrhexis*
> 
> As in if it were you who had purchased the Sapphire 3L, you'd be exchanging it? Because right now that's where I am leaning.


Yah if ur looking to WC send it back and get the 3 for sale in the market place with water blocks already on them for 350$ each sure he would cut a great deal on multi order on them.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1365598/3x-msi-7950-tf3-with-waterblock/0_20


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pararrhexis*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I would never knowingly buy card that did not fit a fullcover card. I suppose that's my one universal requirement. And if I did have to do aircooling, I'd get a board that has a fancy cooler on a ref pcb.
> 
> 
> 
> As in if it were you who had purchased the Sapphire 3L, you'd be exchanging it? Because right now that's where I am leaning.
Click to expand...

If it were me, the purchase would have never been made.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pararrhexis*
> 
> So, I just ordered this SAPPHIRE 100352-3L Radeon HD 7950
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026
> 
> I realized after that It was a slightly different length than the standard 7950, like its older brother 100352-2L
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> What sort of difference is this going to make if I wanted to watercool? Are the waterblocks like say the heatkiller at the top of this page going to fit on my card?
> 
> Thanks for the help guys.


the 100352-2L uses a reference AMD PCB design so you can get full cover waterblocks from ekwb. it has a AMD marking above the PCI-E connector. its model no is 11196-16-20G.

the 100352-3L uses a custom PCB design so is incompatible with full cover waterblocks. model no is 11196-19-20G. you can only use universal GPU blocks which cool the chip alone.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1367119/sapphire-100352-3l-hd7950-stripped-for-your-viewing-pleasure

check www.coolingconfigurator.com . it will give you the same information.


----------



## Pararrhexis

@ TSM

If it wasn't for the never settle games I probably would. WC is a future upgrade when I get some more cash. Right now getting the water blocks etc would cost me my games!

Thanks for the advice though, I'm going to have to seriously consider just shipping this back unopened. If anything, I would be worried that not being a reference design would make it more difficult to sell in the future.


----------



## nikoli707

Are My numbers right for an msi tf3 7950... 13.2 beta 6... 1150mhz clock 1550mhz mem... 4.4ghz 2500k

Unigine Valley benchmark 1.0


Unigine Heaven Benchmark 4.0


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> Are My numbers right for an msi tf3 7950... 13.2 beta 6... 1150mhz clock 1550mhz mem... 4.4ghz 2500k
> 
> Unigine Valley benchmark 1.0
> 
> 
> Unigine Heaven Benchmark 4.0


Here's mine at 1260/1670

7950 Gigabyte Windforce on air


----------



## tsm106

^^That's a nice core clock. Is there more room with your memory clock?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pararrhexis*
> 
> @ TSM
> 
> If it wasn't for the never settle games I probably would. WC is a future upgrade when I get some more cash. Right now getting the water blocks etc would cost me my games!
> 
> Thanks for the advice though, I'm going to have to seriously consider just shipping this back unopened. If anything, I would be worried that not being a reference design would make it more difficult to sell in the future.


Why wouldn't you just get the 250 buck Powercolor on sale at newegg instead?


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^That's a nice core clock. Is there more room with your memory clock?
> Why wouldn't you just get the 250 buck Powercolor on sale at newegg instead?


Mine? yeah, just been playing around with them, here's 3.0 on 1:



on both 7950s:



Valley on both:



paid $515 for both and they can go to 1280/1750 @ 1276mV on air, highest temps I've seen are 82c while benching.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> Are My numbers right for an msi tf3 7950... 13.2 beta 6... 1150mhz clock 1550mhz mem... 4.4ghz 2500k
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Unigine Valley benchmark 1.0
> 
> 
> Unigine Heaven Benchmark 4.0


Huh that's odd. With a slightly higher core clock, and a slightly lower memory clock I break 2k points in the valley bench.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> Huh that's odd. With a slightly higher core clock, and a slightly lower memory clock I break 2k points in the valley bench.


what clocks?


----------



## Snuckie7

1200/1500

I shouldn't be beating him by that much.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> Mine? yeah, just been playing around with them, here's 3.0 on 1:
> 
> 
> 
> on both 7950s:
> 
> 
> 
> Valley on both:
> 
> 
> 
> paid $515 for both and they can go to 1280/1750 @ 1276mV on air, highest temps I've seen are 82c while benching.


Nice score! I thought my 7950 CF was good!


----------



## Awsan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> This to put the temp wall topic to rest..
> I Opened my window and that just net me -10c and 1.22v XD
> 
> I have seen this card idling @ 10c XD


Custom loop?


----------



## Pararrhexis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^That's a nice core clock. Is there more room with your memory clock?
> Why wouldn't you just get the 250 buck Powercolor on sale at newegg instead?


The one that just went out of stock?


----------



## EternalRest

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Anyone have experience with the MSI 7970 Power Edition? I'm thinking about getting it.


Bump.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pararrhexis*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^That's a nice core clock. Is there more room with your memory clock?
> Why wouldn't you just get the 250 buck Powercolor on sale at newegg instead?
> 
> 
> 
> The one that just went out of stock?
Click to expand...

This one is ref, the 2L and its cheaper too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?SID=0LTNCoSPEeKLerokrvv5MA00D3_kK0T3_86M_0_0&AID=10440897&PID=1225267&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-cables-_-na-_-na&Item=14-202-006&cm_sp=

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Anyone have experience with the MSI 7970 Power Edition? I'm thinking about getting it.
> 
> 
> 
> Bump.
Click to expand...

It's a lightning w/o the overclock.


----------



## Hokies83

mmmmm Goodies!


----------



## vuldrine

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> 1) Install Latest Drivers and make sure everything is working correctly.
> 2) Install latest MSI Afterburner.
> 3)
> 
> MSI AB Patch.zip 535k .zip file
> 
> 4) Restart the Computer.
> 5) Create a Shortcut of MSI Afterburner in the desktop.
> 6) Close MSI Afterburner, @ the Shortcut got to Target: and add /xcl like this ("C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl)
> 7) Open the Modified Shortcut. (It shut say CCC Limits have been Increased.
> 8) Delete the Shortcut and Restart PC.
> 9) Not you are all set to OC without Limits.


Hello,

I did exactly what you explain and I have still 1300mv max core Voltage, it is like without MSI AB Patch,
you did "/xcl" to real MSI AB shortcut the first time

thanks


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> mmmmm Goodies!


Nice









Be sure to show us your temps.


----------



## samoth777

hi, how is crossfire these days? prices for 7970s are good over here and the 7990 is finally in stock. is crossfire a migraine like before or is it fine these days? thanks


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> hi, how is crossfire these days? prices for 7970s are good over here and the 7990 is finally in stock. is crossfire a migraine like before or is it fine these days? thanks


Its fine since the 12.11 really mate, only tri and quad fire arent as good as you might like but even then, they aren't troublesome at all, they just aren't generally optimised by the game creators.
I did some BF3 scaling tests this weekend for some chaps on another forum actually that may be of interest, will go and dig them out.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Copy and paste as follows...

Ok,
Bear in mind these figures are in Eyefinity 5760x1080 with 120hz refresh rate.

Graphics settings - Everything maxed out.
V-sync: - Off

The images below are from my G19 display and all figures are ported in via Aida 64. You can see FRAPS bottom right. The update speed is 1hz.

The readings were taken at the reload position of my last campaign save which is in the car park on operation Swordbreaker, where the cars are being blown up. Plenty going on.

*1x 7970*
http://www.stewartsanderson.com/p1026570185/e56f40784

*2x 7970*
http://www.stewartsanderson.com/p1026570185/e56f40934

*3x 7970*
http://www.stewartsanderson.com/p1026570185/e56f4207a

As you can see, it scales very well indeed and is not CPU limited at all.

Its one of the few games that doesn't run as fast as I would like as 120fps is my ideal average but hey, its an awesome game and much more taxing that COD-BO2 for example which on the same rig I can run at 200FPS _(The games limit)_

Then there's Crysis 3 which runs at 50fps. LOL


----------



## samoth777

+rep to you for being so helpful!

how about microstuttering etc?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> hi, how is crossfire these days? prices for 7970s are good over here and the 7990 is finally in stock. is crossfire a migraine like before or is it fine these days? thanks


The badness in xfire is gone for the most part. I believe eyefinity has bugs etc which need to be fixed.

Only games which have issues in my experience is RAGE and Far Cry 3. Rage might be fixed by now but FC3 is not.

I personally would just get the one card and add a 2nd at a later date if you are not happy with the performance. But the 7970/50 overclock so well they really are beastly with just the one card.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> hi, how is crossfire these days? prices for 7970s are good over here and the 7990 is finally in stock. is crossfire a migraine like before or is it fine these days? thanks


Waste of money and time unless you only happen to only play brand new games, but still you can get enough performance for a single display out of a single card.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *samoth777*
> 
> +rep to you for being so helpful!
> 
> how about microstuttering etc?


I don't experience any in the games I play. all FPS though, COD MW4, COD BO2, BF3, Max Payne 3, Crysis 3.
For sure they are all feeling a little smoother since the 13.2 onwards drivers so I think they are onto something, but I personally just don't suffer from it on my setup really.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Waste of money and time unless you only happen to only play brand new games, but still you can get enough performance for a single display out of a single card.


Depends on your opinion of "enough" mate.
All PC gaming is a "waste of money" compared to a PS3 surely, so why are we even on here?

Perosnally I like to push the envelope... to me... "enough" is 120FPS+ over 3 monitors at 5760x1080.
Crysis 3 wont even achieve half that at the moment.... Nor will BF3 manage to exceed 100.

**edit**
Just remembered... I lied. Far Cry 3 bloody stutters.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> I don't experience any in the games I play. all FPS though, COD MW4, COD BO2, BF3, Max Payne 3, Crysis 3.
> For sure they are all feeling a little smoother since the 13.2 onwards drivers so I think they are onto something, but I personally just don't suffer from it on my setup really.
> Depends on your opinion of "enough" mate.
> All PC gaming is a "waste of money" compared to a PS3 surely, so why are we even on here?
> 
> Perosnally I like to push the envelope... to me... "enough" is 120FPS+ over 3 monitors at 5760x1080.
> Crysis 3 wont even achieve half that at the moment.... Nor will BF3 manage to exceed 100.
> 
> **edit**
> Just remembered... I lied. Far Cry 3 bloody stutters.


If you had read my post I clearly said "for single display".

All consoles are a waste of money if you ask me.


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> If you had read my post I clearly said "for single display".


I did read it. Just before I replied to it highlighting my differing opinion of "Enough".

So, to elaborate... On a *single monitor*, to me "enough" would be 120+FPS with all settings maxed out.
Is the 7970 playing games like Skyrim and Crysis 3 at 120+FPS with everything maxed out at 2560x1440 120HZ?
I haven't tried, but I really cant see it.

Quote:


> All consoles are a waste of money if you ask me.


Why? They play all your games on a single monitor just fine don't they?


----------



## rhole

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vuldrine*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I did exactly what you explain and I have still 1300mv max core Voltage, it is like without MSI AB Patch,
> you did "/xcl" to real MSI AB shortcut the first time
> 
> thanks


1300mv IS the max core voltage you can set in MSI Afterburner. Only MSI Afterburner Xtreme (has to be specially requested from MSI direct) or something like Sapphire TriXX 4.40b Modded will allow a higher Vcore adjustment. Even then it would only be to 1381mv.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *vuldrine*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I did exactly what you explain and I have still 1300mv max core Voltage, it is like without MSI AB Patch,
> you did "/xcl" to real MSI AB shortcut the first time
> 
> thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 1300mv IS the max core voltage you can set in MSI Afterburner. Only MSI Afterburner Xtreme (has to be specially requested from MSI direct) or something like Sapphire TriXX 4.40b Modded will allow a higher Vcore adjustment. Even then it would only be to 1381mv.
Click to expand...

Just adding to the above, the /xcl switch is to unlock clock limits in Overdrive, ie. creating new powerplay clock tables that's all.


----------



## KronDestroyer13

hey guys havent posted in a while but have been having some trouble with my duel 7970 lightning cards, dont know if its the driver im using or what. i was on beta 13.2 but everything started acting up so i put it back on 13.1 and i lost a good amount of frames on crysis 3. thinking about trying to OC again on 13.1 but was wondering what you guys were using on your 7970s. any help would be much appreciated.
at the momement i have no OC, but when i OC i am able to get it up to 1100/1600


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

I have tried all 13.7s right up to Beta 7 mate which I am still running.
The Betas seem harder to stabilise at higher clocks, but should be doing 1100 on the core no problem as I just completed Crysis 3 with my 24/7 overclock as seen in the images above.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> If you had read my post I clearly said "for single display".
> 
> All consoles are a waste of money if you ask me.


Oh no you didnt.. Was playing naruto 3 and god of war demo and thats one of the reasons i love consoles.. You cant find this games on pc..


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *awsan*
> 
> Custom loop?


yep


----------



## Nonehxc

Seems that AMD is so comfortable in trolling Nvidia at everything(except profits lol) that another more is just for the lulz. Friend has Tomb Raider, and uses a 680. With TressFX enabled, huge fps dips. For the sake of comparison, I use my 7950...TressFX enabled, no fps dip. Seems something to do with Directcompute and the huge slash it received from 5xx series to 6xx series. BTW, the effect is good, nothing breathtaking but beautiful, makes Lara more alive without a one chunk ponytail









Physx?



TressFX!!

PS: If you have crashes, disable tessellation. Seems bugged and in need of a good patch.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> received my reference 7970 and this is looking VERY VERY good XD My temp wall @ 1200 with just 1.2 is 70c... So i have a winner XD
> 
> 1hr of valley with stock volts 1.05v (asic 77%) @ 1100/1600 with reference cooler @ 100% fan blast jujujuju
> hopefully can get 1300 out of this baby taking the temp wall out of the question XD it runs very cool compared to my sapphire 7970 OC edition with his non-ref custom cooler taking out the infernal noise out of the equation of ourse XD
> 
> 
> Now i can confirm why this people cannot overclock crap on reference coolers... I had 3 7970 thru my hands and i be able to overclock on all 3 to more than 1250+


Oh look at this with a voltage bump on the memory, 30 min looping on valley


----------



## Derpinheimer

looks like youre throttling - look at the GPU load..


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Seems that AMD is so comfortable in trolling Nvidia at everything(except profits lol) that another more is just for the lulz. Friend has Tomb Raider, and uses a 680. With TressFX enabled, huge fps dips. For the sake of comparison, I use my 7950...TressFX enabled, no fps dip. Seems something to do with Directcompute and the huge slash it received from 5xx series to 6xx series. BTW, the effect is good, nothing breathtaking but beautiful, makes Lara more alive without a one chunk ponytail
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Physx?
> 
> 
> 
> TressFX!!
> 
> PS: If you have crashes, disable tessellation. Seems bugged and in need of a good patch.


Keplers, save the GK110, seems so gimped for future games if they use more of DirectCompute....... seems like a fools' card TBH. Nvidia is like its for GAMING! but... what happens if said game draws upon compute? then, yea, it falls apart.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> looks like youre throttling - look at the GPU load..


Thats windowed XD

This is throttling
http://www.overclock.net/t/1330757/gigabyte-7970-ghz-ed-throttling-at-stock-settings-and-no-vrm-temp-sensor#post_18673964

see the core?


----------



## Nonehxc

Actually, the forte and main selling point of the GK110 is directcompute for an afordable price. Supercomputer'ed laboratories and institutions write or hire to write under directcompute/OpenCL, pretty basic programs that can use as much computational power as efficiently as it can get without nonsense. Titan, as it stands, is a somewhat capable DirectCompute card(not surprising being a gimped GK110), but nothing in the land of remarkable. A single 7970 can beat a Titan in directcompute in many scenarios, let aside if you CF you're looking at Titan from your rearview mirror. All under the humble price of 1000$, you get GTX580 DC performance with a bit of Directx9/10/11 performance improvement. Meanwhile, for that price, you can get a whole new PC









http://www.anandtech.com/show/6774/nvidias-geforce-gtx-titan-part-2-titans-performance-unveiled

Reading reviews like this and it's Conclussion, after reading OCN good fellow reviews(Nvidia biased or not) one doesn't need to wonder where the 3 Titans are kept: all in Anal Lol Schrimpi rig. That's why I like OCN and dislike technology sites, too much PR stuff


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Actually, the forte and main selling point of the GK110 is directcompute for an afordable price. Supercomputer'ed laboratories and institutions write or hire to write under directcompute/OpenCL, pretty basic programs that can use as much computational power as efficiently as it can get without nonsense. Titan, as it stands, is a somewhat capable DirectCompute card(not surprising being a gimped GK110), but nothing in the land of remarkable. A single 7970 can beat a Titan in directcompute in many scenarios, let aside if you CF you're looking at Titan from your rearview mirror. All under the humble price of 1000$, you get GTX580 DC performance with a bit of Directx9/10/11 performance improvement. Meanwhile, for that price, you can get a whole new PC
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/6774/nvidias-geforce-gtx-titan-part-2-titans-performance-unveiled
> 
> Reading reviews like this and it's Conclusion, after reading OCN good fellow reviews(Nvidia biased or not) one doesn't need to wonder where the 3 Titans are kept: all in Anal Lol Schrimpi rig. That's why I like OCN and dislike technology sites, too much PR stuff


But how does it mine!!!???

Every 26 days I make enough to buy another 7970


----------



## UZ7

no more stock!


----------



## Nonehxc

How many 7970's do you have?In which pool are you?


----------



## grunion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> How many 7970's do you have?In which pool are you?


Slipped my mind, open discussion not allowed.
I'll pm you..


----------



## Nonehxc

Haha, another "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named" forum?Didn't know.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Anyone here with Sapphire Dual-X 7970s (or 7950s) swap the stock heatsink for an Accelero Xtreme or Gelid Icy Vision, by chance? I'm starting to get tired of the loud Dual-X fans at load and 50%+ fan RPM on my family member's computer. Accelero Xtreme will most likely not fit the case the card is in at the moment, so I'm considering Gelid Icy Vision the most (plus it's cheaper) or perhaps Accelero Twin Turbo would fit a 7970? Another option would be an Antec Kuhler 620, although that would be more expensive at the moment.

I'm mostly wondering if Gelid Icy Vision fans are about as quiet as Sapphire Dual-X at medium RPM or if it's significantly quieter. Swapping to a similar thing would make no sense =/


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Thats windowed XD
> 
> This is throttling
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1330757/gigabyte-7970-ghz-ed-throttling-at-stock-settings-and-no-vrm-temp-sensor#post_18673964
> 
> see the core?


Throttling shows both ways - GPU usage OR clockspeeds.


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Anyone here with Sapphire Dual-X 7970s (or 7950s) swap the stock heatsink for an Accelero Xtreme or Gelid Icy Vision, by chance? I'm starting to get tired of the loud Dual-X fans at load and 50%+ fan RPM on my family member's computer. Accelero Xtreme will most likely not fit the case the card is in at the moment, so I'm considering Gelid Icy Vision the most (plus it's cheaper) or perhaps Accelero Twin Turbo would fit a 7970? Another option would be an Antec Kuhler 620, although that would be more expensive at the moment.
> 
> I'm mostly wondering if Gelid Icy Vision fans are about as quiet as Sapphire Dual-X at medium RPM or if it's significantly quieter. Swapping to a similar thing would make no sense =/


the accelero is indeed awesome, had it for my 6970 and now my 7950 but i too had to choose between that and the icy vision, ive read the some reviews and said they were good but one thing that stopped me from getting it.. well two things was someone said in a review the pcb wasnt taking the fan power so they had to manually plug it in and another thing is the fans cool the card good but gets louder at higher rpm so that being said i went back to the accelero, installed mine today and even running furmark it never broke 55C (83C w/ stock msi poop fan).


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> the accelero is indeed awesome, had it for my 6970 and now my 7950 but i too had to choose between that and the icy vision, ive read the some reviews and said they were good but one thing that stopped me from getting it.. well two things was someone said in a review the pcb wasnt taking the fan power so they had to manually plug it in and another thing is the fans cool the card good but gets louder at higher rpm so that being said i went back to the accelero, installed mine today and even running furmark it never broke 55C (83C w/ stock msi poop fan).


I'm just not sure I can fit the Xtreme in







Would you mind telling me the exact dimensions of your card with the Xtreme on from the PCI-E bracket to the very edge of the heatsink? Also the height / clearance between the PCB and the heatsink (the main rectangular slab of it with fins). Thank you!

P.S.: Would Twin Turbo simply be incompatible with a 7970? The card is not listed among compatible cards with that heatsink, but I'm wondering if it's simply because ARctic Cooling made a separate 7970 version and wants to see that sold instead.


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> I'm just not sure I can fit the Xtreme in
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would you mind telling me the exact dimensions of your card with the Xtreme on from the PCI-E bracket to the very edge of the heatsink? Also the height / clearance between the PCB and the heatsink (the main rectangular slab of it with fins). Thank you!
> 
> P.S.: Would Twin Turbo simply be incompatible with a 7970? The card is not listed among compatible cards with that heatsink, but I'm wondering if it's simply because ARctic Cooling made a separate 7970 version and wants to see that sold instead.


Well for one the dimensions based on the website is Product Dimensions (L x W x H) 288 (L) x 104 (W) x 54 (H) mm





One of the biggest difference between the old and new acceleros is the 7970/50s has a shim around and its angled differently, some people may opped for the Cu adapter but reviews say its about 10C less efficient


----------



## TheBenson

Got my Sapphire Vapor-X to make a clean run through 3dmark 11 at 1200MHz, do I have to put a 7970 bios on the card to be able to push the core further? Trixx and AB both max at 1200 right now. Also is 1.3 volts too much for common use, the temps on the card were great despite the voltage, below 70C without hitting 100% fans.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> Well for one the dimensions based on the website is Product Dimensions (L x W x H) 288 (L) x 104 (W) x 54 (H) mm
> 
> 
> 
> One of the biggest difference between the old and new acceleros is the 7970/50s has a shim around and its angled differently, some people may opped for the Cu adapter but reviews say its about 10C less efficient


The website dimensions are for the heatsink only. It's offset on the PCB when installed, and as you can see, the actual length is greater (288mm is 11.3", and total length as shown on your photo is just under 13"). Do you have the height of the heatsink over the PCB? (distance between the bottom of the fin stack and the PCB)? Thank you again.

Using someone else's photo to show what I'm looking for:


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> Got my Sapphire Vapor-X to make a clean run through 3dmark 11 at 1200MHz, do I have to put a 7970 bios on the card to be able to push the core further? Trixx and AB both max at 1200 right now. Also is 1.3 volts too much for common use, the temps on the card were great despite the voltage, below 70C without hitting 100% fans.


You can do those manually.

Overclocking a different bios will only enable you to have those presets at stock as well as their voltage presets. For example if a bios was stock 1GHz and 1.2V or something vs. you setting it manually via MSI Afterburner or another gpu overclocking utility.


----------



## Fyrwulf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> A single 7970 can beat a Titan in directcompute in many scenarios, let aside if you CF you're looking at Titan from your rearview mirror.


Makes you wonder what a pair of crossfired FirePro S10000 cards would do. I don't imagine it would be anything remotely in the neighborhood of pretty for the Titan.


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> The website dimensions are for the heatsink only. It's offset on the PCB when installed, and as you can see, the actual length is greater (288mm is 11.3", and total length as shown on your photo is just under 13"). Do you have the height of the heatsink over the PCB? (distance between the bottom of the fin stack and the PCB)? Thank you again.
> 
> Using someone else's photo to show what I'm looking for:




That good?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Yes, very helpful! Thanks for taking your time to do the photos.


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Yes, very helpful! Thanks for taking your time to do the photos.


np man, yeah it is a big cooler and might have to check case clearance before purchase..

i sold a friend of mine my 6970 w/ an accelero and it went inside his hd/cdrom bay haha


----------



## ElevenEleven

Can't fit Accelero Xtreme--just checked. It's in a modded case, and I have things switched up there quite a bit. If I make the 7970 13" long, I'll have to move some things around, which would be bad. So I'm back to looking at Gelid Icy Vision =/


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Can't fit Accelero Xtreme--just checked. It's in a modded case, and I have things switched up there quite a bit. If I make the 7970 13" long, I'll have to move some things around, which would be bad. So I'm back to looking at Gelid Icy Vision =/


It won't fit in your case unless you remove the top HDD tray. you will need about 315mm of clearance for a tight fit.

My Acceleo is just about 12.2 inches long. The specs on the website are for the cooler only when it's mounted on the PCB it become a space eating beast.

Another thing to note is that GPU temp is not the only thing that matters, VRM temperatures are just as important and the Accelero does poorly in cooling them even at 100% fan. The good news is that it's the best air cooler available for the 7970 when it comes to cooling the core and does it quieter than any other air cooler out there. Playing crysis 3 maxed out with 2x SMAA core never breaks 55c and this is overclocked to 1225Mhz! This thing is seriously night and day compared to the reference cooler, or any cooler i've ever used even at 100% fan it's almost as quiet as the blower at idle!

If it had decent VRM heatsinks it would be a perfect GPU cooler and a viable alternative to water cooling.


----------



## ElevenEleven

I have "creatively" attached an exhaust fan over opened PCI-E covers (Noctua NF-S12B ULN at full RPM) on the outside of the case (with very heavy duty transparent velcro), and card fans are now at acceptable noise levels. It's a modded case which I turned into reverse ATX. There's no hard drive cage in the way, but I'm resting some drives on top of a 5.25" cage (which is now at the bottom), and I like them there.
---
As for VRM temperatures, some reviews show them as being fairly poor with Accelero and Gelid coolers, and yet I see some user reviews state good VRM temperatures. It'd definitely be something I'd monitor and swap to copper heatsinks if needed. But I guess I'm holding off for now anyway.


----------



## LostKauz

Question: i have 2 7950s in crossfire my first card has hit around 75 degrees ([email protected]/1500) while benching. im wondering if i put some as5 on both gpus if it will be worth it. i would like to know before i tear my system apart tomorrow.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Throttling shows both ways - GPU usage OR clockspeeds.


Well if you said so. XP. lol

In my case it is not.


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LostKauz*
> 
> Question: i have 2 7950s in crossfire my first card has hit around 75 degrees ([email protected]/1500) while benching. im wondering if i put some as5 on both gpus if it will be worth it. i would like to know before i tear my system apart tomorrow.


I would use something like MX-4 or something non-conductive. AS5 takes a bit to cure but its also conductive so if you get just a little bit on the transistors and you close it up and you start playing you might get some artifacting and wondering wth is causing it. On the other hand if you're super careful and keep everything clean then you should be good. But personally I prefer something else.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> I would use something like MX-4 or something non-conductive. AS5 takes a bit to cure but its also conductive so if you get just a little bit on the transistors and you close it up and you start playing you might get some artifacting and wondering wth is causing it. On the other hand if you're super careful and keep everything clean then you should be good. But personally I prefer something else.


AS5 is also a lot better.

I personaly stick with Liquid Pro, dropped my GPU temps around 10C.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> AS5 is also a lot better.
> 
> I personaly stick with Liquid Pro, dropped my GPU temps around 10C.


I disagree from someone thats put tim on gpus alot i got worse temps with as5 compared to mx4 now for cpus i like as5 better but not for gpus. Both my 7970s performed poorly with as5 even with 3-4 remounts each with the water blocks then 1 mount of the mx4 gave me the best temps.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> I would use something like MX-4 or something non-conductive. AS5 takes a bit to cure but its also conductive so if you get just a little bit on the transistors and you close it up and you start playing you might get some artifacting and wondering wth is causing it. On the other hand if you're super careful and keep everything clean then you should be good. But personally I prefer something else.


as5 is not conductive, it is capacitive


----------



## Stige

But Liquid Pro/Ultra bestest!

And super easy to apply aswell compared to Gelid GC Extreme atleast.


----------



## HeadlessKnight

I recently just purchased Crysis 3. Is it possible to get better performance with drivers in this game? Because currently Nvidia cards are stomping in this game.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> *Throttling shows both ways - GPU usage OR clockspeeds.*
> 
> 
> 
> Well if you said so. XP. lol
> 
> In my case it is not.
Click to expand...











His variation in load is from running a benchmark not because he was throttled. Throttling is initiated thru clock control at the Powerplay level.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Not sure what you guys are talking about, but when I reduce my power limit my GPU usage goes down, clockspeed remains constant. Maybe do a little bit of testing yourself before you say things? Its quite possible its only the software's interpretation of whats happening.

If you arent getting 100%[99%] usage then your being bottlenecked [not happening in a GPU benchmark...] or throttled. Its that simple.


----------



## LostKauz

looks like i stick with the tim thats on the gpus stock lol seems like no one likes as5 on gpus. i guess i could always turn the fans up to drop temps. i dont mind noise after all the lid is off my HAF XB and filled with sp120s


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LostKauz*
> 
> looks like i stick with the tim thats on the gpus stock lol seems like no one likes as5 on gpus. i guess i could always turn the fans up to drop temps. i dont mind noise after all the lid is off my HAF XB and filled with sp120s


Liquid Pro/Ultra is super good, can easily recommend that.

Ultra is pretty much same, just easier to clean off than Pro.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> His variation in load is from running a benchmark not because he was throttled. Throttling is initiated thru clock control at the Powerplay level.


This, plus he still don't get the I'm running windowed as well. I guess he thinks it is going to be 100% all the time on heaven.

Im even at stock core clocks on the card with the bios the card got flashed with. Testing mem overclocks.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Liquid Pro/Ultra is super good, can easily recommend that.
> 
> Ultra is pretty much same, just easier to clean off than Pro.


Does liquid Ultra scratch the surface of the GPU chip with application, pressure on use, and very careful removal later? Considering trying this over Arctic Cooling MX-4 I've been using for everything. AC MX-4 lowered GPU temperature by up to 3C, I wonder if Liquid Pro or Ultra would do even better at load (1100MHz/1575MHz overclock).


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Does liquid Ultra scratch the surface of the GPU chip with application, pressure on use, and very careful removal later? Considering trying this over Arctic Cooling MX-4 I've been using for everything. AC MX-4 lowered GPU temperature by up to 3C, I wonder if Liquid Pro or Ultra would do even better at load (1100MHz/1575MHz overclock).


I got nearly 10C drop in the GPU temp when I swapped to Liquid Pro.
Ultra is just newer version and easier to get off I think, Liquid Pro can be a ***** to get off properly but inside the GPU it doesn't really matter as it isn't covering up text and stuff like it would on your CPU for example, but the Ultra should be easy to get off compared to Pro if you need to.

Not sure how it would scratch the surface?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Not sure what you mean by "no text"--GPU dies are also covered with names and designations. An older card (can't find photos of cleaned up 7970--maybe I forgot to take them)



Anyway, after some searching, looks like Liquid Ultra will also visibly change the surface of the GPU die lid, making potential warranty claims difficult (Sapphire doesn't allow TIM replacement). I wouldn't have cared too much, except I had my 670 go bad for no apparent reason--I had done nothing at all to it--and RMA replacement was certainly nice to get!


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Not sure what you mean by "no text"--GPU dies are also covered with names and designations. An older card (can't find photos of cleaned up 7970--maybe I forgot to take them)
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway, after some searching, looks like Liquid Ultra will also visibly change the surface of the GPU die lid, making potential warranty claims difficult (Sapphire doesn't allow TIM replacement). I wouldn't have cared too much, except I had my 670 go bad for no apparent reason--I had done nothing at all to it--and RMA replacement was certainly nice to get!


My HD7950 has a mirror finish on the core and no text, I would think that is the case for all HD7900 series cards.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> This, plus he still don't get the I'm running windowed as well. I guess he thinks it is going to be 100% all the time on heaven.
> 
> Im even at stock core clocks on the card with the bios the card got flashed with. Testing mem overclocks.


My GPU usage is 100% windowed or not. Being windowed does not effect GPU usage, unless you're using a frame limiter..


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> My GPU usage is 100% windowed or not. Being windowed does not effect GPU usage, unless you're using a frame limiter..


Dude seriously.. Im testing my overclocks on valley benchmark the gpu load will fluctuate on the test period just stop it there..


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Oh look at this with a voltage bump on the memory, 30 min looping on valley


Stock


----------



## Derpinheimer

Yeah something is wrong with your card... there is no reason for such low GPU usage.

Here is mine under heaven, windowed: 

And with lower clockspeeds:


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Yeah something is wrong with your card... there is no reason for such low GPU usage.
> 
> Here is mine under heaven, windowed:
> 
> And with lower clockspeeds:


here

heaven 4 - 3 loops



Yeah theres something wrong with the card.... Now seriously shhh no more ok?>


----------



## dervladimir

Is this normal?



Matrix 7970 G-mode (stock boost)&#8230; in Default or S-mode everything is good.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dervladimir*
> 
> Is this normal?
> 
> 
> 
> Matrix 7970 G-mode (stock boost)


Thats throttling to my friend derphin XD. bro stop using furmark like right now. lol

99c seriously? You want to burn your card dont you??

No, thats not normal


----------



## dervladimir

as U can see&#8230; tomorrow will try return to the store
about temps... no I don't want







))


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dervladimir*
> 
> as U can see&#8230; tomorrow will try returne to the store


why may i ask?

About temps??? *You are overclocking may i say on stock cooling and using furmark and your complaining about temps??*
SERIOUSLY????
What temps you get while you game not the ones on furmark...


----------



## dervladimir

well, because it is a mode of factory overclocking, but as you can see, something is wrong with it

when the card was purchased, all the tests without problems, even overclocked 1170/7300 ... eventually dropped all in default and played so ... but the last time when the G-mode is ON WoT depart several times an hour ... decided to test G-mode and this is what comes out, in addition to the start of metro banch gives the following



sorry for my english


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> here
> 
> heaven 4 - 3 loops
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah theres something wrong with the card.... Now seriously shhh no more ok?>


Its still not a flat 100%


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dervladimir*
> 
> well, because it is a mode of factory overclocking, but as you can see, something is wrong with it


NO NO NO AND NO

Dont use furmark on stock cooling.... Specially when you see the card reaching 99c
I dont even use furmark and i have watercooling.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Its still not a flat 100%


neither yours so now shhh let the pros do the talk..


----------



## FtW 420

I wouldn't want it after getting tortured like that either. Roast a card with a useless app like furmark & then blaming the card & returning... I dunno.

quote didn't want to work right...


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> neither yours so now shhh let the pros do the talk..


99-100% on run 2, flat 100% on run 1? Seems pretty flat to me. You've got dips into the 80s,


----------



## tsm106

I'm pretty sure FTW knows a thing or two about throttling but maybe the noob can teach him something?


----------



## dervladimir

look up... add some text


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> 99-100% on run 2, flat 100% on run 1? Seems pretty flat to me. You've got dips into the 80s,


Seriously dude stop it *you are just making it worst for the rest of the community with your miss information..*

Not only i did prove that you were wrong.. My temps were higher on the heaven 4 lthat i ooped 3 times than the first tests, you dont see my voltage fluctuating crazy like the 99c furmark guy or the speed of cores...

Heaven and valley are 2 different things to begin with..


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Seriously dude stop it *you are just making it worst for the rest of the community with miss information..*


Its not misinformation.. with some BIOSes for my card, throttling shows up under GPU usage. On others, it shows on clock speeds.

Why you would argue that window mode -> low gpu usage makes no sense. Maybe its not really throttling, but that is no reason for the usage to be low, when I show a 100% flat 100% usage on mine, under windowed. All that will do is either reduce the resolution or nothing at all, graphically, and result in a different framerate.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> .
> 
> quote didn't want to work right...


I think OCN is having issues right now. I have been reinstalling Chrome twice now, nice to see I'm not the only one


----------



## ElevenEleven

Update on Sapphire Dual-X 7970 temperatures/fan noise. I have lapped the heatsink where it touches the GPU die lightly with 1000 and then 2000-grit sandpaper (wet-sanded)--not to complete mirror-like finish, but enough to be significantly smoother. Reapplied a MX-4 from a fresh tube I just received from NewEgg very evenly in a thin layer, and wow! Temperatures are staying within 61C so far, where before they went up to 67C with the same fan curve. Worth trying before spending money on other heatsinks (such as Accelero Xtreme). VRM temperatures have always been great with the stock Dual-X cooler (under 65C).


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm pretty sure FTW knows a thing or two about throttling but maybe the noob can teach him something?


What did I miss? I need more sleep or something...


----------



## dervladimir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> NO NO NO AND NO
> 
> *Dont use furmark on stock cooling*.... Specially when you see the card reaching 99c
> I dont even use furmark and i have watercooling.


Are you sure? Furmark just designed to identify problems with the cooling system of both air and water


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dervladimir*
> 
> Are you sure? Furmark just designed to identify problems with the cooling system of both air and water


No furmark... Dont complaint about temps when using furmark...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dervladimir*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> NO NO NO AND NO
> 
> *Dont use furmark on stock cooling*.... Specially when you see the card reaching 99c
> I dont even use furmark and i have watercooling.
> 
> 
> 
> Are you sure? Furmark just designed to identify problems with the cooling system of both air and water
Click to expand...

Furmark is useless. And in the past it used to destroy gpus creating many a rmas till Nvidia and AMD took care of that problem.


----------



## KaRLiToS

I don't even remember using Furmark or MSI Kombustor.


----------



## dervladimir

I repeat that earlier overclocking till 1170/7300 and temperature monitoring tests (furmark, 3dmark, crysis, metro, unigine) were conducted and the temperature was no more than 82!.. then overclocking was droped to default! Why now, when stock-boosts is going on?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Its not misinformation.. with some BIOSes for my card, throttling shows up under GPU usage. On others, it shows on clock speeds.
> 
> Why you would argue that window mode -> low gpu usage makes no sense. Maybe its not really throttling, but that is no reason for the usage to be low, when I show a 100% flat 100% usage on mine, under windowed. All that will do is either reduce the resolution or nothing at all, graphically, and result in a different framerate.


Theres no 100% flat specially when you cut one test at 10 seconds i mean seriously...?

Make sense to you that my 7950 it is always a 99% when my 7970 fluctuates between the 90's on loads on crossfire? My 7970 is the primary card and my 7950 is the slowest card...

Plus my 7950 have a more stable voltage than my 7970 but that dont mean it is the fastest card...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I don't even remember using Furmark or MSI Kombustor.


It got to the point where there would be a thread every month it seemed about how some poor sap fried his card looping furmark lol. It's astonishing ppl used to loop furmark overnight ouch.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It got to the point where there would be a thread every month it seemed about how some poor sap fried his card looping furmark lol. It's astonishing ppl used to loop furmark overnight ouch.


I don't even stress test my GPUs, I play games (kind of stressing)

@zGunbladez

Never saw aida64 reporting my cards at 100%

Always 99%


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Aida *is like* furmark so be careful there lol

I like heaven or valley myself while looping...
Crysis games for real stability tho...


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Theres no 100% flat specially when you cut one test at 10 seconds i mean seriously...?
> 
> Make sense to you that my 7950 it is always a 99% when my 7970 fluctuates between the 90's on loads on crossfire? My 7970 is the primary card and my 7950 is the slowest card...
> 
> Plus my 7950 have a more stable voltage than my 7970 but that dont mean it is the fastest card...




I never said it was faster or slower. I just cant understand your hostility..

Anyway, there is a pic of a long run. I didnt want to waste the time but there you go.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> 
> 
> I never said it was faster or slower. I just cant understand your hostility..
> 
> Anyway, there is a pic of a long run. I didnt want to waste the time but there you go.


First you come and say im throttling when im not, second you are comparing apples with oranges using 2 different apps and 2 different cards..

I show you twice that the card is not throttling but you persist on that.. Im not hostil i just dont like miss information XD

This screenie of my friend with the 99c gpu explains by itself whats throttling
Look at the core and voltages XD


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Aida *is like* furmark so be careful there lol
> 
> I like heaven or valley myself while looping...
> Crysis games for real stability tho...


No, I don't use aida to stress test, I never used any test from aida64

*I only use aida64 as a monitoring program.*

I use aida64 everywhere





*This page is about the GPUs temps and voltage under load* (with the load 97-99%)


----------



## zGunBLADEz

aida is a pretty good app tho... I love it...


----------



## youpekkad

I´m not really sure why anyone wants to use FurMark...?

Only time I ever used it, was ~2 years ago with GTX460, I overclocked, tested stability with FurMark (because thats what everyone kept suggesting), run it about 30minutes and got INSANE temps, like >90C then I was "sweet, its stable" so I launched Crysis and after 10 minutes I got a driver-reset with my "stable overclock", backed down my overclock for 20MHz and never got any problems after that.

That was the first and the last time FurMark for me







, I mean it just tortures your card and whats the outcome? Where´s the stability?


----------



## UZ7

I usually use furmark not as a benchmark but to test my cooling and how fast it ramps back down to idle. Testing it on my stock cooler I got 80C~ and testing it on my accelero I got about 50C~ so I can gauge that there is a significant improvement in cooling. So personally I just use it for that purpose and not testing overclocks and benchmarking.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6107417
Theres still room for improvement but this thing never gets past 60C


----------



## Hokies83

LoL i lost a Cheapo 700watt Psu to a Gtx 260 while using furmark.... Sparks were shooting out the back like somebody was using a grinder on a piece of steel lol.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

To follow up the throttling topic as i love to be as informative as i can XD

Heres a couple of test runs.. With Power Li settings









8150 @ Stock / 7970 1100/1600

-20 / 0 / +20 <== in this order







Taking the margin of error in consideration between 0 and +20 they are identical, but look what happen when i use -20 XD

Did it show up different load % or downclocks? nope..


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> To follow up the throttling topic as i love to be as informative as i can XD
> 
> Heres a couple of test runs.. With Power Li settings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 8150 @ Stock / 7970 1100/1600
> 
> -20 / 0 / +20 <== in this order
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taking the margin of error in consideration between 0 and +20 they are identical, but look what happen when i use -20 XD


How are the temps?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> How are the temps?


max the picture they are in top right corner


----------



## tsm106

Holy crap, my games directory is over 700GB now. I guess my trusty F3 1TB drive is too small now.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Holy crap, my games directory is over 700GB now. I guess my trusty F3 1TB drive is too small now.


You need more hdd lol
I find 1.5tb not enough for games lol
swapable hdd caddy hot swap for pc games... One of the main reasons i got the cosmos 2 for run out off 5.25 bays of my 300R..
Then instead of having dvds/cds you would have a wall full of hdds XD

I havent burn a dvd in ages man.. HDD's are cheaper and more reliable too..

My digital collection grow up like 5 times in just a year it is just too cheap to let the deals pass by...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Holy crap, my games directory is over 700GB now. I guess my trusty F3 1TB drive is too small now.
> 
> 
> 
> You need more hdd lol
> I find 1.5tb not enough for games lol
Click to expand...

It's all these darn steam games.

I'm just waiting on the deals for the Seagate 3TB drives. Gonna get one for my games folder and a couple for spares for the server. I'm about to upgrade my RAID 6 array to 18TB. Booyah.


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> max the picture they are in top right corner


haha thanks i was just staring at the results


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> haha thanks i was just staring at the results


Oh lol im just making sure what this card is capable off on air and in that way i know more or less what i would expect her to do on water..

I dont want to brake my loop to add this 7970 on there and get nasty surprises you know..


----------



## tsm106

I got a refurb card back from Sapphire. They sent me a 7970 OC w/o boost, thank gawd! It does 1340/1820 or something. I didn't get a chance to test thoroughly cuz the damn vrm thermal pad fell off when I put it together. Was in a hurry. Hehe lol, hand to forehead moment.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Its just a pain in the ass, i dont even do a long leak testing no more If F-UP it F-UP for real..

Results are worth it tho... More money i throw on cigarettes and console games..


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> To follow up the throttling topic as i love to be as informative as i can XD
> 
> Heres a couple of test runs.. With Power Li settings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 8150 @ Stock / 7970 1100/1600
> 
> -20 / 0 / +20 <== in this order
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Taking the margin of error in consideration between 0 and +20 they are identical, but look what happen when i use -20 XD
> 
> Did it show up different load % or downclocks? nope..


I've already said, under different BIOSs, it sometimes shows up as GPU usage, and other BIOS show it under clocks. Also, we arent running different programs. Cards? They're 7950s. Of course there is variation between the PCBs, but if that makes your card have the inability to be used at 100%, thats a big problem -- and I'm sure thats not what you're saying, so... your point is?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> I've already said, under different BIOSs, it sometimes shows up as GPU usage, and other BIOS show it under clocks. Also, we arent running different programs. Cards? They're 7950s. Of course there is variation between the PCBs, but if that makes your card have the inability to be used at 100%, thats a big problem -- and I'm sure thats not what you're saying, so... your point is?


this card is not a 7950 ..... You dont even want to see my 7950 in action lol
This is my wifes pc where im testing one of my 7970's XD


----------



## Derpinheimer

Oh, well, 7970. Okay, but its still not going to make a difference in GPU usage.. If it were a 6870 I'd understand, maybe there are differences at the driver level...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Oh, well, 7970. Okay, but its still not going to make a difference in GPU usage.. If it were a 6870 I'd understand, maybe there are differences at the driver level...


This is what you want to see? One of my 7970


My wifes pc dont cost a fraction of this one...

Lets start with the $65 bucks mother board XD

I know what gpu throttling is thats for sure and thats not it, the whole system is bottlenecked 2 different things, too much card for that system lol...XD Hard Crash and Locks ups is what im looking for on the card...


----------



## Menthol

I am coming to this party late as I have been benching 680 Lightnings since they came out. I just purchased 2 7970 Lightnings off ebay and am hoping you guys could clue me in on, best bios, best driver, best overvolting-overclocking software. I ordered ek blocks and use a chiller for benching. I have a copy of ABX but I have no idea yet if it will work on an AMD card as i received it for my 680's. Of course I will try it as soon s my cards arrive. Any information would be greatly appreciated. I am sure it's all in this thread some where but jesus this thread is longer the the bible.


----------



## FtW 420

ABX that works with the 680 will also work with the 7970 Lightning. There are some bios' around for looser OCP & OVP thresholds, haven't really looked at where to find them, the MSI rep should be able to get you one though.


----------



## roudabout6

I am getting another 7950 in the next coming weeks and would appreciate it if someone with crossfire dual X 7950s could post temps, max overclock, voltage, etc.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *roudabout6*
> 
> I am getting another 7950 in the next coming weeks and would appreciate it if someone with crossfire dual X 7950s could post temps, max overclock, voltage, etc.


This is what i get stable on water, 1400 on ideal conditions like 10c when idling lol

I would say 1350/1700 for 24/7 @ 1.2V on water, I dont push clocks to the limit and call it 24/7.. Benchiable clocks are 2 different things XD


But 1200/1600 on air would be a nice target for 24/7 with 1125v or 1150v if you have a good card.. Would try first 1175v and go down from there. Watch your vrms thats the problem on the 7950's and newer 7970's XD


----------



## Menthol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> ABX that works with the 680 will also work with the 7970 Lightning. There are some bios' around for looser OCP & OVP thresholds, haven't really looked at where to find them, the MSI rep should be able to get you one though.


Thanks last AMD I had was 5870's so I have a little to learn


----------



## nikoli707

I noticed amd 13.2 beta 7 is out, im downloading now to see if this fixes my probs...........

I am so confused, something is seriously wrong with my system
2500k @ 4.4..... msi tf3 7950 boost running at 1100core/1400mem..... 13.2 beta 6
tried trix4.4b, CCC, and msi afb with the amd catalyst patch and /xcl mod, checked unoffical oc in the settings, ulps disabled, still cant change voltages past 1125v or get past above clocks.

What is going wrong with my card/system.... should do a complete uninstall of drivers and reinstall??? Please help!!!!

My benchmarks suck and im having issues with smoothness in games

Really low heaven valley 1.0 benchmark


----------



## Hokies83

Well thats not good i got 3x Power colors boost states and 3 water blocks with dreams of once again over clocking and as far as i know from reading a tech power up review voltage is un locked on them... it better be...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> I noticed amd 13.2 beta 7 is out, im downloading now to see if this fixes my probs...........
> 
> I am so confused, something is seriously wrong with my system
> 2500k @ 4.4..... msi tf3 7950 boost running at 1100core/1400mem..... 13.2 beta 6
> tried trix4.4b, CCC, and msi afb with the amd catalyst patch and /xcl mod, checked unoffical oc in the settings, ulps disabled, still cant change voltages past 1125v or get past above clocks.
> 
> What is going wrong with my card/system.... should do a complete uninstall of drivers and reinstall??? Please help!!!!
> 
> My benchmarks suck and im having issues with smoothness in games
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really low heaven valley 1.0 benchmark
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


well, at stock you should be getting around 37 in valley. what psu are you using?


----------



## nikoli707

ocz modxstream pro 600w

13.2 beta 7 gives me this......


----------



## muhd86

where i can download trixx 4.40 modded version which unlocks the voltages for 7970 gpus ..

any help


----------



## EternalRest

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's a lightning w/o the overclock.


Little bit of overclocking can fix that. Thank you. This will be my first AMD card.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> ocz modxstream pro 600w
> 
> 13.2 beta 7 gives me this......
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


at 1100/1400, right? if it is, looks like you have resolved your issue. that looks normal. psu should be adequate. see if your games are smooth.

edit: you did go under settings in ab and checked unlock voltage, right?



i use trixx to set the oc and ab to set the voltages when oc'ing.


----------



## nikoli707

yes i have all those settings set, i did all this with my 570 way over a year ago, problem im seeing is my 570 running 960clock/1475mem would get 825 on unigene heaven and now with my [email protected]/14000 im only getting high 800s on unigene heaven.

maybe i missed a manuel uninstall of nvidia stuff on my current computer?

did an uninstall, plus app/data etc. folders delete, and regedit delete.....

installed 13.2 beta 7

did this from a guide dated august 2012....

if im missing something or someone has a better guide let me know


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> yes i have all those settings set, i did all this with my 570 way over a year ago, problem im seeing is my 570 running 960clock/1475mem would get 825 on unigene heaven and now with my [email protected]/14000 im only getting high 800s on unigene heaven.
> 
> maybe i missed a manuel uninstall of nvidia stuff on my current computer?
> 
> did an uninstall, plus app/data etc. folders delete, and regedit delete.....
> 
> installed 13.2 beta 7
> 
> did this from a guide dated august 2012....
> 
> if im missing something or someone has a better guide let me know


nik, i normally just use Device Manager (checking the small box - to delete all software related to the device) when uninstalling old driver for amd. in your case, coming from nvidia, you may have to do something more drastic. have you read this thread?

http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards

it might help, since you've installed amd driver already. i am still using beta 6.


----------



## zoidbergslo

I just received my new graphic card Gigabyte 7950 and this new version has 8+6pin connector on it. They actually put on vrm heatsinks. GPU-Z reports gpu clock of 1ghz which means it has boost bios on.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zoidbergslo*
> 
> I just received my new graphic card Gigabyte 7950 and this new version has 8+6pin connector on it. They actually put on vrm heatsinks. GPU-Z reports gpu clock of 1ghz which means it has boost bios on.


is it voltage locked? where did you buy yours? thanks.

oo, europe.


----------



## zoidbergslo

I have not tried to OC just yet. I will report back about this after my exam in two weeks








I got it from caseking in Germany since local stores don't have never settle reloaded promo going


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *muhd86*
> 
> where i can download trixx 4.40 modded version which unlocks the voltages for 7970 gpus ..
> 
> any help


 Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


somebody knows if they release a mod for the new one? The new options and stability sounds tempting XD


----------



## Nonehxc

Gotta pester W1zZarD at TechPowerUP a bit for that to happen mate


----------



## mush332

I have the sapphire 7950 boost only had it for about 3 days n while playing league my screen will ocasionaly flash blaxk n have lines run across it like an old tube tv when u change the channel. Does anyone else have this issue?


----------



## tsm106




----------



## KaRLiToS

Scaling is not so bad.







For a new game.


----------



## tonus

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1841&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
Does anyone have this version of the Sapphire 7950 to share their impressions. I like the length only 27 cm.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Scaling is not so bad.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For a new game.


I didn't touch a thing, hit *ultimate preset and run. The tressfx is a lil overboard with the hair and all. This is how a game should be released!!

Oh btw 4.8ghz, mild cpu and mild gpu overclock.


----------



## bustacap22

Whats up OCN...Recently took the plunge in Crossfire. (2) MSI 7970 ref. Been fiddling around w/ Afterburner and having some complications. Hoping I can get some insight here. My 2nd gpu's temp along with some other graphs not showing??? Also, when I try to adjust setting for gpu2, I have no voltage slider at all and when I adjust the fan setting it defaults to 20%. What I am missing here. Thanks.


----------



## bustacap22

well I finally was able to figure out why MSI AF graph was not showing gpu temp2 and other graphs. Apparently, I had to have GPU-z and HWinfo64 opened to get the graphs on MSI to populate. Now I was tinkering with "Active Hardware Monitoring Graphs in MSI AF. Just wondering how I am able to get GPU 2 Memory Usage to populate. Thanks.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tonus*
> 
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1841&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
> Does anyone have this version of the Sapphire 7950 to share their impressions. I like the length only 27 cm.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1367119/sapphire-100352-3l-hd7950-stripped-for-your-viewing-pleasure

check this thread and if you have any doubts PM the user


----------



## thrgk

My 30days on my visiontek to return it is up in three weeks I can do 1250/1750 @1.3v stable 100% in bf3 should I maybe buy a diamond brand and see if it can oc better before my 30days up? I'd like 1300 @1.3v and apparently diamond cards oc better ?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I didn't touch a thing, hit *ultimate preset and run. The tressfx is a lil overboard with the hair and all. This is how a game should be released!!
> 
> Oh btw 4.8ghz, mild cpu and mild gpu overclock.


Man i wish every game is this crossfire friendly from day 1...

The hair thingy looks good in some scenes then it looks very very odd in others...
Dont get it..


----------



## Vrait

Got my second 7950, and all I have is issues now.

My games stutter and I get less FPS. GPU load droped from 100% with a single card, to 50% for first card and 30% for second..

HELP


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> Got my second 7950, and all I have is issues now.
> 
> My games stutter and I get less FPS. GPU load droped from 100% with a single card, to 50% for first card and 30% for second..
> 
> HELP


Stuff like this is what scares me going back to Amd from Nvidia...

I dropped 2 680 4 GBs that worked flawless for 3 7950s with full cover blocks in hopes for more performance and silent operation... And hoping by now the drivers were better..


----------



## kgtuning

what the hell am I missing? I got my second 7950 today. running it cf with another 7950 and the slave card is only running at 300mhz core and 150 on memory? first time doing CF. Does anyone know? thanks in advance.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Activate the crossfire option on CCC make sure you are using full screen as crossfire dont work windowed


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> what the hell am I missing? I got my second 7950 today. running it cf with another 7950 and the slave card is only running at 300mhz core and 150 on memory? first time doing CF. Does anyone know? thanks in advance.


In the same boat....CF 7970....What OC utility are you using??


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> In the same boat....CF 7970....What OC utility are you using??


I figured it out. I'm using MSI AB.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> I figured it out. I'm using MSI AB.


Curious what you did to get it to work


----------



## Vrait

Im getting pretty bad stuttering, what can cause this?

edit; New GPU works fine by it selft by the way.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Curious what you did to get it to work


The only thing I did was go into settings and selected gpu 2 and it worked.


----------



## tsm106

If only someone wrote a guide on the various methods of overclocking afterburner and linked it in their signatures...

Read the link in my sig for all things afterburner and holy about overclocking.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> The only thing I did was go into settings and selected gpu 2 and it worked.


Ya, I did the same thing. However, I had to open up GPU-Z to get all of my 2nd GPU graphs to show up on AF. If I only had AF opened, the graph would not show any of my 2nd GPU graphs. Also, it was not allowing me to adjust voltages. But once I opened GPU-Z, I was good to go.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If only someone wrote a guide on the various methods of overclocking afterburner and linked it in their signatures...
> 
> Read the link in my sig for all things afterburner and holy about overclocking.


I will use ur guide to help me along the way.

I have 2 of my 7950s here ordered another from ncix on Sunday and they have not even shipped it yet.... I will not be buying from ncix ever again..


----------



## Vrait

Seems my issues are driver/game related. Other games work great for me. In shogun 2's 1080p benchmark I average 115 fps. And Hard Reset plays flawlessly at 120fps.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Stuff like this is what scares me going back to Amd from Nvidia...
> 
> I dropped 2 680 4 GBs that worked flawless for 3 7950s with full cover blocks in hopes for more performance and silent operation... And hoping by now the drivers were better..


that doesnt matter, i have a friend who has 2xGTX670 and he gets stutters on everysingle game... but is worse on BF3... he have done EVERYTHING to fix it... he even send the card back to the manufacture. so what are u talking about?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> that doesnt matter, i have a friend who has 2xGTX670 and he gets stutters on everysingle game... but is worse on BF3... he have done EVERYTHING to fix it... he even send the card back to the manufacture. so what are u talking about?


????

First report of stuttering ive heard of from Nvidia? Does he have an Amd cpu?...

Ive had about 15 different 600 series gpu's this past year noone had any issues in anything..

Ive had 5 HD7000 Series cards and 2 of the 5 have had issues.. the other 3 have been un tested.


----------



## squall325

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's all these darn steam games.
> 
> I'm just waiting on the deals for the Seagate 3TB drives. Gonna get one for my games folder and a couple for spares for the server. I'm about to upgrade my RAID 6 array to 18TB. Booyah.


Don't you guys delete your games after you finish SP and for those games with no MP?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> Don't you guys delete your games after you finish SP and for those games with no MP?


Lol indeed... I just have 120 GB SSD for my whole OS, programs and games and still have space left...
I only use hard disks for backups and movies


----------



## Spongeworthy

Does anyone else get a flickering black bar on their screen for less than a fraction of a second at random times?


----------



## theoneofgod

Hi. I received my Gigabyte 7950 today, it has BIOS fx0 and 6 + 8 pin. What BIOS could I flash to have the unlocked voltage control?


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> ????
> 
> First report of stuttering ive heard of from Nvidia? Does he have an Amd cpu?...
> 
> Ive had about 15 different 600 series gpu's this past year noone had any issues in anything..
> 
> Ive had 5 HD7000 Series cards and 2 of the 5 have had issues.. the other 3 have been un tested.


lol and u stil saying is amd fault by saying AMD cpu?







he has the 3770k


----------



## Vrait

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> Don't you guys delete your games after you finish SP and for those games with no MP?


I don't know about you, but I sometimes don't finish games for months or even a year.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> lol and u stil saying is amd fault by saying AMD cpu?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> he has the 3770k


Yeah Amd cpu are horrid.. But there Gpus are good ..


----------



## Sozin

Scooped up this XFX 7950 Double D on a whim last week (this one), and it appears to have locked voltage. Low GPU usage has the voltage being 0.95, and during high usage it jumps to 1.250.

My question is, does it even matter? I can hit 1100/1375 and it'll loop Heaven all day, with temps around 65C with the fan at 45%. Would I gain anything more by having a card with unlocked voltage?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sozin*
> 
> Scooped up this XFX 7950 Double D on a whim last week (this one), and it appears to have locked voltage. Low GPU usage has the voltage being 0.95, and during high usage it jumps to 1.250.
> 
> My question is, does it even matter? I can hit 1100/1375 and it'll loop Heaven all day, with temps around 65C with the fan at 45%. Would I gain anything more by having a card with unlocked voltage?


1100 mhz at 1.25v is ok. your core temps are quite good. what are your vrm temps ? use gpu-z or hwinfo32 to monitor that. also heaven is not enoug for stability testing. try 3d mark 2013 firestrike extreme. also try out games like bf3, farcry 3 , crysis 3. they are the most important ones. a benchmark stable overclock might not be game stable.


----------



## Hokies83

Hmm my cards boost to 1.25v stock i hope that is not far as they go tho.. im hopeing for atleast 1250mhz/1600mem


----------



## Sozin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> 1100 mhz at 1.25v is ok. your core temps are quite good. what are your vrm temps ? use gpu-z or hwinfo32 to monitor that. also heaven is not enoug for stability testing. try 3d mark 2013 firestrike extreme. also try out games like bf3, farcry 3 , crysis 3. they are the most important ones. a benchmark stable overclock might not be game stable.


I'll have to check temps when I'm home.

I can't hit higher than 1100/1375, or else it'll crash on me when benchmarking. I wasn't sure if the limit was the card itself, or the voltage being low. I haven't tried one of the modified Trixx programs yet, so I'm not sure if I can even have access to adjusting that.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *squall325*
> 
> Don't you guys delete your games after you finish SP and for those games with no MP?
> 
> 
> 
> Lol indeed... I just have 120 GB SSD for my whole OS, programs and games and still have space left...
> I only use hard disks for backups and movies
Click to expand...

Big ass mechanicals are cheap so why wouldn't you just keep your whole steam library on your drive? You keep backups of your steam folder right, unless you like re-downloading stuff? Gotta store that somewhere too. I'll just image this drive to a bigger drive when the chance arises.


----------



## KingT

My Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP as almost all DC2 models suffered from poor contact between DC2 cooler and GPU itself.

This was caused by faulty designed screws which couldn't be tightened enough to create proper pressure of cooler on the GPU.

I have fixed my by adding 2mm thick plastic washers under the screws to increase the pressure and it has worked quite well.

Today I got that *X shaped backplate* that was used on reference models of HD7950/HD7970 to solve this issue as it should have been done by Asus in the first place.

Can't believe that Asus skimped on this peace of metal bracket on their top models,and that they have allowed themselves to get in such bad position with a lot of faulty peaces of these DC2 cards.

Now GPU OC'd @ 1050/1750MHz reaches 54C in BF3, in Heaven Valley and Crysis 3 reaches max 57C , with fan hitting max 37%..

Also this metal X plate adds to overall PCB strength and reduces PCB bending.

Here's how this fix looks:



CHEERS..


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neonthetank*
> 
> So I got on to some of the forums here and found out that some guys had taken an H60(or any closed loop watercooler) and attached it to their gpu(HD7950 in my case).
> 
> I decided to try it for myself.
> 
> 
> Here is the stock HD7950 and the bracket from http://triptcc.com/
> 
> 
> With the stock cooler off
> 
> 
> Remember to take the stock Intel brackets off of the waterblock.
> 
> 
> Install the bracket onto the waterblock.
> 
> 
> DONT FORGET TO PUT THE MOUNTING SCREWS ONTO THE BRACKET BEFORE YOU ATTACH TO THE WATERBLOCK!!!!!
> 
> 
> And there you have it. A bit difficult to install however not impossible and for this waterblock the best it really couldn't be much easier.
> 
> 
> This is how the back of the GPU will look.
> 
> 
> This is how I thought it would work best, HOWEVER that kinked my hoses and the gpu got real hot real fast.
> 
> 
> How I found it to work the best so far.
> 
> I dont have any charts of better or worse cooling yet.
> 
> What i do know at this points is my Idle temps are right at 39C and Full load in Valley Benchmark is 65C in Haven is 67C. In Kombuster GPU burn-in Im looking right at 69C after 20 min of 99% load.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think and if you have any questions. (I am not an expert!!)
> 
> Again Thanks goes to
> 
> Trip T Computer Customs
> http://triptcc.com/
> 
> ~Neon


When I did testing a while back,

The best setup for me was to have the 120mm Radiator on the Floor of the case,

or if you dont have a floor fan spot or PSU blocks it, mount the radiator on the front of the case (in 5.25 bay slots.)
or if you mount it to the back, put the hoses on top so they gently curve down to the GPU and not have to abruptly turn.

Also for the few that wanna XFire 7950s, teh Sapphire 7950 with DualX Cooling is now $289. (I paid $479 for mine on launch day!).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

This summer, once my other projects are finished, Im gonna water cool my 7950, upgrade PSU and get A 7970 to Xfire with it
(i need more MiniDPs for my screens, and no 7950 has more than 2).(plus 7970 will be more power for Games that dont have Xfire support).

I figure I'll get the MSI Lightning when they drop/


----------



## nikoli707

Skryim at max settings with full STEP + Texture pack combiner mods is by far the best system stability testing bed. Not only will it eat up cpu power, but it is vastly more gpu intensive than any game ever made, nothing comes even close.


----------



## Hokies83

Good news for 7950 PCB ppl there is another choice other then EK!







So to those ref 7950 PCB users this confirms that there is another choice other then the EK blocks for you.

Performance Pc's has these in stock! Fit like a glove.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> Skryim at max settings with full STEP + Texture pack combiner mods is by far the best system stability testing bed. Not only will it eat up cpu power, but it is vastly more gpu intensive than any game ever made, nothing comes even close.


crysis 3 does its a hog for cpus and gpus even vram gets maxed out.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

My test results;

Driver 13.1
Coreclock 1100
MemoryClock 1500 (6000)
Default voltage


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

And want to ask about Afterburner; what is power limit? Didn't touch it "0" what must be?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> And want to ask about Afterburner; what is power limit? Didn't touch it "0" what must be?


Just put it at +20, someone else can propably explain why because I'm too lazy lol.
I guess simply put it increases the amount of power the GPU is allowed to pull, just keep it at maximum at all times.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Ok let me test


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If only someone wrote a guide on the various methods of overclocking afterburner and linked it in their signatures...
> 
> Read the link in my sig for all things afterburner and holy about overclocking.


I followed the thread in his sig and I still died a lot of times in BF3...


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

and tested BF3 (single player) 2560 x 1400 Ultra - 65 fps









Anyone tested Evga's software to unlock?


----------



## theoneofgod

Any idea how to unlock the voltage for a Gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0?


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Just one time I did unlocked and I really don't know how this happened







Showed 1.3 V



And didn't know this card's voltage locked and I will never do this again







Now, I did install the same AB several times, but couldn't...


----------



## thrgk

i thought all reference cards had unlocked voltage, like the 7970 diamond reference?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> i thought all reference cards had unlocked voltage, like the 7970 diamond reference?


My diamond reference has unlocked voltage but I run at stock volts with the ghz edition bios.


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> My diamond reference has unlocked voltage but I run at stock volts with the ghz edition bios.


ghz bios ups the voltage to 1.25 compared to 1.175 on the stock ref bios.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> ghz bios ups the voltage to 1.25 compared to 1.175 on the stock ref bios.


this


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> this


that's why i never like when people say stock voltage, it varies by bios. Also dislike gtx6x0 series owners when they say their OCs are +100/+123, tells me/us nothing.


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> ghz bios ups the voltage to 1.25 compared to 1.175 on the stock ref bios.


Well for reference mine is at 1.17


----------



## Vrait

My card is stuck at 500mhz(7950). How can I fix this?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> that's why i never like when people say stock voltage, it varies by bios. Also dislike gtx6x0 series owners when they say their OCs are +100/+123, tells me/us nothing.


I can get stable 1275 core with that amount of voltage without the need to use force constant voltage... When ghz bios voltage only get 50 extra when boosting!!!!!
*Plus mostly all the cards have vdroop ones more severe than others..*

So in another words from 925 all way to 1275 with the ghz voltage thats a whooping +350 mhz XD
My Sapphire OC is 1000 stock tho..


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vrait*
> 
> My card is stuck at 500mhz(7950). How can I fix this?


Sounds like your drivers crashed.

Give them a reboot by going into device manager, display adapters, and your video card.

Then go into the properties, and disable and enable your card.

Or you could just reboot your computer.


----------



## Starbomba

I've come back to the Red team in a big way after quite some time (Since my ol' Radeon 9200 back in the P4 days). Here are my new babies, a reference HD 7970 (non-GHz) and a Sapphire HD 7950 950 MHz OC edition, cooled by Alphacool waterblocks.

 
 


I got the measurements wrong on the watercooling bridge (i bought 2-slot and 3-slot bridges, but what i really needed was a 4-slot bridge







) so for now they will be running at 8x on my motherboard. For now they will be fed off a W3530 @ 4.5 GHz. I had planned to use my 2600k as main rig, but the extra RAM (16 GB vs 24 GB) + nicer motherboard features made me go x58. I might swap the CPU for a 980x/990x sometime in the next quarter though


----------



## Vrait

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Sounds like your drivers crashed.
> 
> Give them a reboot by going into device manager, display adapters, and your video card.
> 
> Then go into the properties, and disable and enable your card.
> 
> Or you could just reboot your computer.


I've re-installed drivers multiple times. nothing works.


----------



## Snuckie7

Try disabling powerplay and using the unofficial overclock method.


----------



## Vrait

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Try disabling powerplay and using the unofficial overclock method.


How?

And in game my core clock moves around from 600-730 mhz even though I have it set at 1000mhz.

EDIT: Fixed it by setting power limit to +20%. Now time to see if it fixed crossfire...

EDIT 2: Crossfire still crashes, and it dips to 500mhz every so often. Is there any way to disable the throttling completely?

EDIT 3: Got everything working now, as long as I don't go past 950 core clock when overclocking...


----------



## EpiDx

*** no audio comes through headset after installing this card, like any system audio in speaker jack. help!


----------



## nikoli707

can i flash an msi tf3 7950 boost(6+6 7950 pcb) with the sapphire vaporx 7970 6gb bios???


----------



## muhd86

has any one here had any luck to unlock the voltages on gigabyte 7970 oc edition --them seem to be factory locked -- i heard that modded version of sapphire trixx 4.4.0 lets u adjust the voltages etc

can some one shed some light on this


----------



## Derpinheimer

@EpiDx: What card? Just got to device manager and make sure there are no abnormal devices showing up as audio.. otherwise I have no idea









@nikoli707: No - why?

@muhd86: AFAIK They are only software/BIOS locked.. so flashing unlocks them? I am not certain on this though.


----------



## Red1776

I don't think I have registered as of yet
Form is completed.


----------



## ukic

For the past week, This happened twice (only when gaming)... BSOD 0x0000007f - UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP - atikmdag.sys

Is this a driver Issue?


----------



## I Am The Stig

Decided to save the $100 and go for the 7950 instead of the 7970, so now I'm a proud owner of the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr 3 card!

Unfortunately I didn't get the one with the 7970 PCB and wound up with the boost edition so I'm wondering if I can still flash the BIOS on this card to enable me to unlock the voltage?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> For the past week, This happened twice (only when gaming)... BSOD 0x0000007f - UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP - atikmdag.sys
> 
> Is this a driver Issue?


Have you flashed your BIOS on your cards? I got a similar BSOD from windows corruption. Have you uninstalled or re-installed your drivers recently?


----------



## nikoli707

DAMN.... THATS EPIC


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Have you flashed your BIOS on your cards? I got a similar BSOD from windows corruption. Have you uninstalled or re-installed your drivers recently?


Nope, I haven't touch bios but I was using 13.2 B5 then upgraded to 13.2 B6. Was experiencing it with both said drivers. Went back to official 13.1 for now.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Nope, I haven't touch bios but I was using 13.2 B5 then upgraded to 13.2 B6. Was experiencing it with both said drivers. Went back to official 13.1 for now.


oh so you dont experience it with 13.1?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> oh so you dont experience it with 13.1?


Not that I remember... I haven't played for weeks that why I didn't notice the issue right away...


----------



## LongRod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I don't think I have registered as of yet
> Form is completed.












That.... is a sexy rig, especially since it's rocking all AMD (CPU+GPU).


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Hey guys.
I am running 2 HD7950 (ref) in crossfire at 1230/1875 at 1.3v. My temps are max 59C in BF3 and VRM hit around 60C. I am really trying to get the card past 1250 or even 1300 on air.
Is there any way to get the coltage pas1 1.3 in Trixx or MSI AB?

I am new AMD guys, before this i had a GTX680 :0


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I don't think I have registered as of yet
> Form is completed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


wow.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> For the past week, This happened twice (only when gaming)... BSOD 0x0000007f - UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP - atikmdag.sys
> 
> Is this a driver Issue?


what anti-virus are you using?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> what anti-virus are you using?


MS Security Essentials


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> MS Security Essentials


that is not it, then. zonealarm did that to mine. maybe restore windows at some point.


----------



## bigsnyder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> Decided to save the $100 and go for the 7950 instead of the 7970, so now I'm a proud owner of the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr 3 card!
> 
> Unfortunately I didn't get the one with the 7970 PCB and wound up with the boost edition so I'm wondering if I can still flash the BIOS on this card to enable me to unlock the voltage?


AFAIK, the tf3 is not voltage locked, but if it is not letting you adjust, flip the bios switch and reboot. Also afterburner will allow voltage adjustment, may need to use the -tcl tag though.


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Can someone tell me how to get voltage past 1.3 in trixx or AB.
BTW i have ref hd7950's


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I don't think I have registered as of yet
> Form is completed.


Looks very good


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> *** no audio comes through headset after installing this card, like any system audio in speaker jack. help!


Uninstall AMD Audio Driver through AMD Catalyst Install Manager choosing Change+Uninstall+Custom. Choose only HDMI Audio Driver. Your OS should fall back to the previous audio driver you installed.


----------



## tsm106

^^Why? Just disable the hdmi and enable the sound card.

Anyways. This is rather surprising. HOF 3dmark11 Pscore v104. Lotta Titans sandwiching me.

1 31381 Intel Core i7-3960X NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) CN TeamChina-DFORDOG No Description
2 30050 Intel Core i7-3970X NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) FR Pinto No Description
3 29029 Intel Core i7-3930K AMD Radeon HD 7970 (4x CrossFireX) US tsm106 No Description
4 28434 Intel Core i7-3930K NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) AT Godmode No Description
5 28366 Intel Core i7-3960X NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) GB Ben-7758 No Description


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> *** no audio comes through headset after installing this card, like any system audio in speaker jack. help!


make sure sound card is primary sound device and not HDMI Audio from GPU


----------



## EpiDx

I have completely uninsalled the drivers and put old gfx card in and even dled new sound drivers from asrock to no avail. I have no Idea. Speakers are set to default and when i play something with audio the green line goes up and down. tried a cppl diff pair off headphones to make sure that wasn't it. Guess i will have to buy a new soundcard now.


----------



## mltms

is it safe to raise the memory volt up to 1.65


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> is it safe to raise the memory volt up to 1.65


if you need to yes it is


----------



## mltms

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> if you need to yes it is


thanks for replay
nice OC what volt do you use for it


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> if you need to yes it is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for replay
> nice OC what volt do you use for it
Click to expand...

1.180V for the core and 1.600V for the memory. i could probably go higher if i reseat my cooler since Asus messed up with my card and poorly seated coolers on the DCII


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> 1.180V for the core and 1.600V for the memory. i could probably go higher if i reseat my cooler since Asus messed up with my card and poorly seated coolers on the DCII


Here's how I fixed my DC2 TOP, I used *X backplate* , you need one with 54mm hole spacing to be able to use it.

You could probably use one from HD6900 series which is 53,5mm, 0.5mm can be tolerated..

Now my temps are top notch, 57C in Crysis 3, Crysis 2, Heaven etc, 54C in BF3, OC @ 1050/1750MHz, fan up to 37%max..



CHEERS..


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> 1.180V for the core and 1.600V for the memory. i could probably go higher if i reseat my cooler since Asus messed up with my card and poorly seated coolers on the DCII
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's how I fixed my DC2 TOP, I used *X backplate* , you need one with 54mm hole spacing to be able to use it.
> 
> You could probably use one from HD6900 series which is 53,5mm, 0.5mm can be tolerated..
> 
> Now my temps are top notch, 57C in Crysis 3, Crysis 2, Heaven etc, 54C in BF3, OC @ 1050/1750MHz, fan up to 37%
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning:
> CHEERS..[/QUOTE
> 
> 
> 
> awsome, and cheers for that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> +rep
Click to expand...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> I have completely uninsalled the drivers and put old gfx card in and even dled new sound drivers from asrock to no avail. I have no Idea. Speakers are set to default and when i play something with audio the green line goes up and down. tried a cppl diff pair off headphones to make sure that wasn't it. Guess i will have to buy a new soundcard now.


Access to the audio devices is in the control panel/sound.


----------



## EpiDx

Yes I know. There is a realtek and a amd hdmi, i solo uninsalled the amd driver, i uninstall all amd drivers compleely, switched back to old gfx card, still same issue, dl latest realtek, no go. Like I said. if you go back o playback devices and play somehing with sound, there is a green bar you can watch like a equalizer that goes up and down, bu no sound comes out of my headset ino my ears, only static when the computer is completely off and cpll pops and hisses every blue moon


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Why? Just disable the hdmi and enable the sound card.
> 
> Anyways. This is rather surprising. HOF 3dmark11 Pscore v104. Lotta Titans sandwiching me.
> 
> 1 31381 Intel Core i7-3960X NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) CN TeamChina-DFORDOG No Description
> 2 30050 Intel Core i7-3970X NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) FR Pinto No Description
> 3 29029 Intel Core i7-3930K AMD Radeon HD 7970 (4x CrossFireX) US tsm106 No Description
> 4 28434 Intel Core i7-3930K NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) AT Godmode No Description
> 5 28366 Intel Core i7-3960X NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) GB Ben-7758 No Description


That is very nice if you ask me that you still between those titans on 4x7970... That puts everything to perspective...

Titan is just a bad investment honestly specially that you need that much money for ^^^^^that XD
Lets see that the new memory table cat team is writing would net you some gains on performance on crossfire..


----------



## Nonehxc

4000$-3000$ in graphics hardware vs 1600$. Profit?


----------



## tsm106

That's what it's like vs non-pros, so more in line with real world comparisons.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's what it's like vs non-pros, so more in line with real world comparisons.


Well i believe in a 24/7 setup... Turn it, tweak it and run it..
The pros do to much hassle to accomplish something...
I just need to open the window on winter thats all XD


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Yes I know. There is a realtek and a amd hdmi, i solo uninsalled the amd driver, i uninstall all amd drivers compleely, switched back to old gfx card, still same issue, dl latest realtek, no go. Like I said. if you go back o playback devices and play somehing with sound, there is a green bar you can watch like a equalizer that goes up and down, bu no sound comes out of my headset ino my ears, only static when the computer is completely off and cpll pops and hisses every blue moon


Make sure you're not in a MIC or Digital/Optijack


----------



## Evil Penguin

Our club hit *1 million* views!


----------



## johnvosh

New to the club! Just bought an MSI HD 7970 OC as my HD 7870 was having problems. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/5w35x/


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> Our club hit *1 million* views!


Booze & hookers for everyone! tsm buys!


----------



## tsm106

Lmao, the Heaven 4 thread... serious facepalmage.


----------



## bustacap22

Seeking counsel from OCN....New to crossfire world and currently not enjoying...Crossfire 2 MSI ref. cards. Crossfire was working several days ago when testing out BF3. 2 days ago, installed Far Cry 3 to test out with crossfire. Now everytime the game loads, my screen goes black and reports "NO Signal" I can hear audio in the background but no video. I tried BF3 thinking it was just Far Cry, to no avail...BF3 is now doing the same thing. "NO Signal" but i can hear audio in the background. Please help so I can enjoy new rig....This is just heartbreakin.....Thanks


----------



## ice445

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Seeking counsel from OCN....New to crossfire world and currently not enjoying...Crossfire 2 MSI ref. cards. Crossfire was working several days ago when testing out BF3. 2 days ago, installed Far Cry 3 to test out with crossfire. Now everytime the game loads, my screen goes black and reports "NO Signal" I can hear audio in the background but no video. I tried BF3 thinking it was just Far Cry, to no avail...BF3 is now doing the same thing. "NO Signal" but i can hear audio in the background. Please help so I can enjoy new rig....This is just heartbreakin.....Thanks


I think one of your cards has failed. Pull one at a time and test.

And welcome me to the club, I got my Gigabyte 7970 in today.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Seeking counsel from OCN....New to crossfire world and currently not enjoying...Crossfire 2 MSI ref. cards. Crossfire was working several days ago when testing out BF3. 2 days ago, installed Far Cry 3 to test out with crossfire. Now everytime the game loads, my screen goes black and reports "NO Signal" I can hear audio in the background but no video. I tried BF3 thinking it was just Far Cry, to no avail...BF3 is now doing the same thing. "NO Signal" but i can hear audio in the background. Please help so I can enjoy new rig....This is just heartbreakin.....Thanks


What driver are you on? Are ya overclocked? If so, what method, guide did you use or follow? More info would help.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What driver are you on? Are ya overclocked? If so, what method, guide did you use or follow? More info would help.


New 13.2 beta 7. NO overclocked. All is stock. once I installed drivers several days ago I installed BF3 to test and was working in crossfire. Then installed Far Cry 3 and that was working in crossfire. Only thing that is different is I installed xbox 360 controller 3 days ago and that has given some sort of audio conflict.

I already disabled crossfire and tested BF3 and Far Cry 3. Yes, both works and was able to play. Then enabled crossfire and no go. Specs of rig in sig.


----------



## tsm106

What are your mb voltages, specifically vccsa, vtt? What llc are you using on vccsa?


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are your mb voltages, specifically vccsa, vtt? What llc are you using on vccsa?


vccsa at .900v manual mode
vtt at 1.106v auto
dont know what llc is and cant locate in bios....i have not touch any of the settings in extreme tweaker on my RIVE. Just the boot settings upon initial install.

Update: I did test which I beleive is the 2nd card on my RIVE by turning of pcie slot #1 on the board. everything booted up fine. So isnt fair to assume that # 2 GPU is working?????


----------



## tsm106

You're vccsa is too low, you should raise it to 1.05 at least. Vccsa is the for pcie bus, ie. what's connecting your crossfired cards to the cpu.

Vccsa vrm llc is under the Digi+ Power Control. If you get flaky crossfire performance you can either raise the vccsa voltage and/or raise the llc level to high. I use high 24/7 and extreme for benching.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1186959/rampage-iv-extreme-uefi-guide-for-overclocking/0_40

**You should also read the guide above by Raja too!


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're vccsa is too low, you should raise it to 1.05 at least. Vccsa is the for pcie bus, ie. what's connecting your crossfired cards to the cpu.
> 
> Vccsa vrm llc is under the Digi+ Power Control. If you get flaky crossfire performance you can either raise the vccsa voltage and/or raise the llc level to high. I use high 24/7 and extreme for benching.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1186959/rampage-iv-extreme-uefi-guide-for-overclocking/0_40
> 
> **You should also read the guide above by Raja too!


Ok...so just to be thorough and rule out hardware....I tested the first card by disabling the 2nd Gpu by turning off pcie #3 on the RIVE. Gpu 1 booted up and also did 1 benchmarking of heaven. All seems fine from my end. Whats confusing to me is that the crossfire was working several days ago. Yes....appreciate the link to RAJA and will definitely read up on that. Also, are you saying that my crossfire can work without touching any of the voltages is AI tweaker and now I have to adjust voltages for it to work. I guess I just need some confirmation on this to ease my confusion.

Yes, will be adjusting vccsa to 1.05 as suggessted and will post results.


----------



## tsm106

You used AI Tweaker? The auto overclockers don't adjust voltages for above average load on the pcie bus, like with sli/crossfire. I always overclock manually, no auto for me, so I'm no help with the ai tweaker.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You used AI Tweaker? The auto overclockers don't adjust voltages for above average load on the pcie bus, like with sli/crossfire. I always overclock manually, no auto for me, so I'm no help with the ai tweaker.


No i have not touched any settings at all in the RIVE bios except for the boot settings.

I am in Digi Power Control and a little confused in how I am able to adjust vccsa to 1.05


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You used AI Tweaker? The auto overclockers don't adjust voltages for above average load on the pcie bus, like with sli/crossfire. I always overclock manually, no auto for me, so I'm no help with the ai tweaker.
> 
> 
> 
> No i have not touched any settings at all in the RIVE bios except for the boot settings.
> 
> I am in Digi Power Control and a little confused in how I am able to adjust vccsa to 1.05
Click to expand...

The digi power panel is only for adjusting llc and a variety of other voltage regulator settings. It's not where you set your voltages. To do that you simply go back to the main tweak screen and scroll down.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> Hey guys.
> I am running 2 HD7950 (ref) in crossfire at 1230/1875 at 1.3v. My temps are max 59C in BF3 and VRM hit around 60C. I am really trying to get the card past 1250 or even 1300 on air.
> Is there any way to get the coltage pas1 1.3 in Trixx or MSI AB?
> 
> I am new AMD guys, before this i had a GTX680 :0


Download the modded TRIXX utility. Be warned that going over 1.3 on air is really stressing the GPU and while it may be ok for a few benchmarks, I certainly wouldn't run it 24/7. Good luck!

http://www43.zippyshare.com/v/83298134/file.html


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The digi power panel is only for adjusting llc and a variety of other voltage regulator settings. It's not where you set your voltages. To do that you simply go back to the main tweak screen and scroll down.


Got it...was able to change vccsa to 1.05v. Tried crossfire in BF3 and NO GO....this sucks


----------



## Penryn

I need to go run that new heaven now that I am finally on Crossfire with my 7970s. I need waterblocks.... playing Tomb Raider was loud as hell.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> I need to go run that new heaven now that I am finally on Crossfire with my 7970s. I need waterblocks.... playing Tomb Raider was loud as hell.


7950 or 7970 pcb? 7950 u have 2 choices Ek and Alphacool.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The digi power panel is only for adjusting llc and a variety of other voltage regulator settings. It's not where you set your voltages. To do that you simply go back to the main tweak screen and scroll down.
> 
> 
> 
> Got it...was able to change vccsa to 1.05v. Tried crossfire in BF3 and NO GO....this sucks
Click to expand...

Can you run gpuz, make sure it says crossfire enabled, then click the "?" and run a render test. See if both gpus are active and getting similar usage scaling.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> I need to go run that new heaven now that I am finally on Crossfire with my 7970s. I need waterblocks.... playing Tomb Raider was loud as hell.
> 
> 
> 
> 7950 or 7970 pcb? 7950 u have 2 choices Ek and Alphacool.
Click to expand...

Go ek acetal/copper. The Alphacools for 7970s have no active cooling on the vrms. IIRC, the ver2 block that fits the 7950 has active vrm cooling. However the Alphacools have not really been validated and you'll be taking a chance on an essentially little known commodity.


----------



## Hokies83

My Alpha cool V2 was the most easy gpu block install ive ever done and they look better then the EK blocks!

Depends on his PCB if it is a 7950 pcb Alphacool or EK depends on which u like the looks of.. however there out of stock everywhere.

If u have a 7970 PCB then u have lots of choices.


----------



## tsm106

The Alphacools do look sweet with that mirror finish. However like most other blocks, they suffer from tiny ass vrm section. Compare its channels with the ek, the differences are large.


----------



## Starbomba

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Go ek acetal/copper. The Alphacools for 7970s have no active cooling on the vrms. IIRC, the ver2 block that fits the 7950 has active vrm cooling. However the Alphacools have not really been validated and you'll be taking a chance on an essentially little known commodity.


While i can validate the 7970 Alphacool v1 blocks do not have active VRM cooling, it works fine. Did a quick ghetto run with BOINC on my 7970 @ stock speeds (925/2750) and VRM temps were hovering on 40-45c.

Will post a screenshot once i assemble fully the loop of my main rig


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The Alphacools do look sweet with that mirror finish. However like most other blocks, they suffer from tiny ass vrm section. Compare its channels with the ek, the differences are large.


I found the Vram section pretty think however i have not seen the channels cause u can not see them would like to be able to see what is inside tho.







But i will not have any cooling results till i get them installed... I would have them installed but Ncix likes to sell gpus that are " Out of stock " and make u wait 2 and a half weeks to get them.....


----------



## tsm106

You can see the channels by looking at them at ppc or fcpu.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Can you run gpuz, make sure it says crossfire enabled, then click the "?" and run a render test. See if both gpus are active and getting similar usage scaling.


Just completed fresh install of 13.2 beta 7 drivers. yes gpu-z reports crossfire enabled. tried the render test and i recieved black screen again. similar to what was happening with games.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can see the channels by looking at them at ppc or fcpu.


Fcpu does not carry this card only place state side is ppc and it just has a plain jane picture.

However i got this from there web site.

*Channel structure:* Despite the low weight, all relevant heat zones on the graphics card are covered and cooled by the water block. In the chip area, the cooling plate features a channel structure with a remaining thickness of less than 1mm and channels only 0.8mm in width. This allows extreme cooling performance for even the most extreme overclocking.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Can you run gpuz, make sure it says crossfire enabled, then click the "?" and run a render test. See if both gpus are active and getting similar usage scaling.
> 
> 
> 
> Just completed fresh install of 13.2 beta 7 drivers. yes gpu-z reports crossfire enabled. *tried the render test and i recieved black screen again*. similar to what was happening with games.
Click to expand...

Ok, that is not good. Try a different crossfire bridge. How is your psu? At some point, open overdrive and set both cards to the lowest clock settings and try the render test again.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You can see the channels by looking at them at ppc or fcpu.
> 
> 
> 
> Fcpu does not carry this card only place state side is ppc and it just has a plain jane picture.
> 
> However i got this from there web site.
> 
> *Channel structure:* Despite the low weight, all relevant heat zones on the graphics card are covered and cooled by the water block. In the chip area, the cooling plate features a channel structure with a remaining thickness of less than 1mm and channels only 0.8mm in width. This allows extreme cooling performance for even the most extreme overclocking.
Click to expand...

At PPCS, ya click on the pic and a window opens man.



vs


----------



## Hokies83

Yeah just gonna have to see how they perform.

Anybody done a review yet?

But on an Important note..

*IS there Any where to get a Hard Tri Fire bridge?
*

Also look at the joke of a stock cooler that was on my 7950s worst cooling ive seen since the GTX 9000 series lol.





I feel sorry for anybody running that thing XD it is feather light feels like Pot metal are something lol.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ok, that is not good. Try a different crossfire bridge. How is your psu? At some point, open overdrive and set both cards to the lowest clock settings and try the render test again.


PSU is corsair ax1200i. should be plenty for these 2 gpu's. Anyhow, changed the crossfire bridge. Went to CCC Overdrive and set both cards to the lowest clock settings. did render test and same issue...black screen.....


----------



## Starbomba

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yeah just gonna have to see how they perform.
> 
> Anybody done a review yet?
> 
> But on an Important note..
> 
> *IS there Any where to get a Hard Tri Fire bridge?
> *
> 
> Also look at the joke of a stock cooler that was on my 7950s worst cooling ive seen since the GTX 9000 series lol.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I feel sorry for anybody running that thing XD it is feather light feels like Pot metal are something lol.


Wow, that's a small as heck HSF. And i thought stock coolers directly from the maker (in this case AMD) were meant to be the cheapo ones.

I'm also wondering if there is such a thing as a hard Xfire/Trifire/Quadfire bridge. I mean, Nvidia has them, why not AMD?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Go ek acetal/copper. The Alphacools for 7970s have no active cooling on the vrms. IIRC, the ver2 block that fits the 7950 has active vrm cooling. However the Alphacools have not really been validated and you'll be taking a chance on an essentially little known commodity.


Yea I was looking at those EK blocks and will probably grab them when I redo my whole systems water cooling setup. Now that I have the majority of the parts I wanted it can finally get a better loop setup.


----------



## ukic

Guess it is the drivers... I too started having issues. My OC was stable since the first day I got the card about 6 months ago? or more. Running @ 1050/1500/stock voltage. With drivers 13.2 B5 and B6 I would get BSOD with 13.2 B7 game freezes and I get "Game Stopped Working" error.... what to do?


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ok, that is not good. Try a different crossfire bridge. How is your psu? At some point, open overdrive and set both cards to the lowest clock settings and try the render test again.


Another day of trying....I figured I tried to setup eyefinity and run crossfire....viola. Its working. Played BF3 in crossfire. Both Gpu usage running close to 100%. I haven't tried other games but just wondering what gives. AM I to assume that my crossfire setup cant run in single monitor 1080p but can run BF3 at 5760x1080. Weird. Am I missing something here. Also, really concern about your comment in not being able to run test in Gpuz. I have about 10 days left to return if needed and just wondering what other suggestion I can do to ensure that both of my Gpus are fully operational. Thanks.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're vccsa is too low, you should raise it to 1.05 at least. Vccsa is the for pcie bus, ie. what's connecting your crossfired cards to the cpu.
> 
> Vccsa vrm llc is under the Digi+ Power Control. If you get flaky crossfire performance you can either raise the vccsa voltage and/or raise the llc level to high. I use high 24/7 and extreme for benching.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1186959/rampage-iv-extreme-uefi-guide-for-overclocking/0_40
> 
> **You should also read the guide above by Raja too!


This is not mentioned enough. For anyone using lga2011, vccsa and vtt voltage are HUGE for cfx stability. I myself fixed hardlocks in bf3 and 9c bsod (@ desktop) by increasing both of these variables is small increments.

For [email protected] 1.368v , 16gb 1600 8-8-8-24-1t, I need 1.125 vccsa and 1.110 vtt.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Reference coolers do their job all right. Vrm wise reference do a better job than a custom one.

They are just to loud.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Reference coolers do their job all right. Vrm wise reference do a better job than a custom one.
> 
> They are just to loud.


There were no Thermal Pads to transfer heat from the Vrms to the wimpy cooler =/


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Reference coolers do their job all right. Vrm wise reference do a better job than a custom one.
> 
> They are just to loud.
> 
> 
> 
> There were no Thermal Pads to transfer heat from the Vrms to the wimpy cooler =/
Click to expand...

Alot of the 79XX coolers have gone from direct thermal pad contact to cool the VRM components to the downward force of the fans to cool them. Some of them do a better job using this method.
That cooler you pictured, that was a HydroCell vapor chamber or no?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There were no Thermal Pads to transfer heat from the Vrms to the wimpy cooler =/


Im talking about the 7970 ref coolers.. That heatsink is heavy as well.. I get better vrm temps than my sapphire dual-x cooler.


Its like my twin frozer 7950 cooler it have literally naked chips with no passive cooling no nothing..

The cooler do a great job on the core but vrm wise it just sucks..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ok, that is not good. Try a different crossfire bridge. How is your psu? At some point, open overdrive and set both cards to the lowest clock settings and try the render test again.
> 
> 
> 
> Another day of trying....I figured I tried to setup eyefinity and run crossfire....viola. Its working. Played BF3 in crossfire. Both Gpu usage running close to 100%. I haven't tried other games but just wondering what gives. AM I to assume that my crossfire setup cant run in single monitor 1080p but can run BF3 at 5760x1080. Weird. Am I missing something here. Also, really concern about your comment in not being able to run test in Gpuz. I have about 10 days left to return if needed and just wondering what other suggestion I can do to ensure that both of my Gpus are fully operational. Thanks.
Click to expand...

It could just be a random bug. I would test in single panel mode again at some point just to be sure.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Guess it is the drivers... I too started having issues. My OC was stable since the first day I got the card about 6 months ago? or more. Running @ 1050/1500/stock voltage. With drivers 13.2 B5 and B6 I would get BSOD with 13.2 B7 game freezes and I get "Game Stopped Working" error.... what to do?


I was getting screen crashes since after I started playing Crysis 3, and I finally was able to get my GPU stable by raising my voltages in MSI Afterburner to 1.169 on the Core Voltage and 1.650 on the Memory. Hope that helps.









Make that 1.175 on the Core. Had one crash after several hours of heavy gameplay. And by the way my clocks are set to 1110 on the Core and 1500 on the memory.


----------



## CrAYoN_EaTeR

Just got this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008 Sapphire Radeon 7970 got it over clocked to 1175 core / 1575 mem @ 1.25v is that good? im still tweaking it a bit to see if theres anything else i can squeeze out of it


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It could just be a random bug. I would test in single panel mode again at some point just to be sure.


Update: Finally got my crossfire to work on single monitor. I had to adjust my desktop setting in CCC. Adjust preferred display setting to be exact. When I was trying to use my monitor...I was using the center while left and right was turn off. Yes, it was that minor. Was able to finally to that render test in Gpu-z. All went well. Just wanted to say thanks for your help. +REP all the way.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CrAYoN_EaTeR*
> 
> Just got this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008 Sapphire Radeon 7970 got it over clocked to 1175 core / 1575 mem @ 1.25v is that good? im still tweaking it a bit to see if theres anything else i can squeeze out of it


A little too much voltage for that OC


----------



## Penryn

Anyone have crossfire 7970s with reference coolers? I need to know what to expect for a temperature from top card. When gaming it's sitting around 90-92C and I feel that's just a tad too high. I'd feel better around 80 but just want to see what someone else is getting.

For reference I'm at 1100/1500 both cards.


----------



## Stealth3si

I want to buy a single 7950, overclock it on air, no CF.

Currently, which is the better card out of these three cards in terms of cooler, PCB, temps, noise and price?

1.) Sapphire 100352-*3*L Dual-X 7950 with boost

2.) Vapor-X 7950

3.) MSI Twin Frozr R7950?


----------



## Stealth3si

I have a question to those members who use a single HD 7950 OC'd on air: what are your settings in Crysis 3? i.e. MEDIUM, HIGH, VERY HIGH, AA, VSync, etc

What FPS are you getting?

What's your card brand? i.e., Sapphire, MSI, Gigabyte, HIS, XFX, etc?

What's your model? i.e., Vapor-X, Dual-X 100352-3L, Twin Frozr, Double D, etc


----------



## Deo Domuique

Textures Very High - All other Medium - VSync On.

or

Textures Very High - All other High - Dynamic VSync On ( Radeon Pro ).

Anti-Aliasing in both cases: SMAA 2x.

I could play with settings on High, but without the annoying built-in Vsync. Too many "lockings" at 30FPS while I could have 40-50FPS on average on those demanding spots. I used RadeonPro and Dynamic VSync which worked fine without many slowdowns.

My card is factory overclocked at 900Mhz.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Anyone have crossfire 7970s with reference coolers? I need to know what to expect for a temperature from top card. When gaming it's sitting around 90-92C and I feel that's just a tad too high. I'd feel better around 80 but just want to see what someone else is getting.
> 
> For reference I'm at 1100/1500 both cards.


That's insanely high. I had aggressive fan profiles on mine : 1200 core was hitting 60-65


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> That's insanely high. I had aggressive fan profiles on mine : 1200 core was hitting 60-65


Thanks for the input, I think I am going to repaste it.

Edit:
OK, repasted with AS5. Let's see how this goes. Diamond globbed a TON of that stuff at the factory, jeez louise.

Edit 2:
Repasted... still hitting 90. Donno what else to do. At a loss XD. Time to order some water blocks... too bad I am broke for a while. My birthday is on the 20th so maybe if I am lucky one of my friends will grab me one lol.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Anyone have crossfire 7970s with reference coolers? I need to know what to expect for a temperature from top card. When gaming it's sitting around 90-92C and I feel that's just a tad too high. I'd feel better around 80 but just want to see what someone else is getting.
> 
> For reference I'm at 1100/1500 both cards.


I have 2 MSI 7970 ref. using RIVE mobo. I have 2 pcie slots in between cards. Stock settings at 1010/1375. Temps I am having 69-71 C with fan setting at 50%. Case is Switch 810. All on air.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It could just be a random bug. I would test in single panel mode again at some point just to be sure.
> 
> 
> 
> Update: Finally got my crossfire to work on single monitor. I had to adjust my desktop setting in CCC. Adjust preferred display setting to be exact. When I was trying to use my monitor...I was using the center while left and right was turn off. Yes, it was that minor. Was able to finally to that render test in Gpu-z. All went well. Just wanted to say thanks for your help. +REP all the way.
Click to expand...

That's good to know, its a relief to know it was something simple.


----------



## EpiDx

So I am working on overclocking my 7950 using the Trixx software. I can only get like 35fps on the Valley benchmark @1175/1400. My temps are only 55. So I feel I have alot of room I can go still? I haven't touched the VDDC setting. The guy with the best single gpu 7950 has the same processor as me and hes getting 52 fps on the benchmark. Any way I can get mine closer to his?


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> So I am working on overclocking my 7950 using the Trixx software. I can only get like 35fps on the Valley benchmark @1175/1400. My temps are only 55. So I feel I have alot of room I can go still? I haven't touched the VDDC setting. The guy with the best single gpu 7950 has the same processor as me and hes getting 52 fps on the benchmark. Any way I can get mine closer to his?


I've always been told here on OCN, that the same components doesn't necessarily mean the same results. It's always a lottery. If you haven't try using different software such as MSI Afterburner etc......Good Luck.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> So I am working on overclocking my 7950 using the Trixx software. I can only get like 35fps on the Valley benchmark @1175/1400. My temps are only 55. So I feel I have alot of room I can go still? I haven't touched the VDDC setting. The guy with the best single gpu 7950 has the same processor as me and hes getting 52 fps on the benchmark. Any way I can get mine closer to his?


Yeah no 2 chips are the same..

And does not depend on brand.

2 things matter when overclocking a chip 1 Cooling 2 how lucky you are on the chip lottery.

In other words the cheapest 7950 can very easy OC higher then the most expensive.

My goals with 3 7950s with water blocks are this... a min of 1200mhz/1600 memory and a want of 1300mhz/1600mem.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys anyone know this? This guy's motherboard isn't from ROG series, how can he used hotwire?

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2248394


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Guys anyone know this? This guy's motherboard isn't from ROG series, how can he used hotwire?
> 
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2248394


He's not using hotwire how it was intended ie, using an ROG board to control the gpu. Instead he's using the gpu's Hotwire, ie. pre-prepped hard mods with which to hard mod his card. He's using his own vario resistors, which if he were using a ROG board he wouldn't have to cuz it's already built into the MB.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Thanks for the input, I think I am going to repaste it.
> 
> Edit:
> OK, repasted with AS5. Let's see how this goes. Diamond globbed a TON of that stuff at the factory, jeez louise.
> 
> Edit 2:
> Repasted... still hitting 90. Donno what else to do. At a loss XD. Time to order some water blocks... too bad I am broke for a while. My birthday is on the 20th so maybe if I am lucky one of my friends will grab me one lol.


Doesn't AS5 take a while to cure?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> So I am working on overclocking my 7950 using the Trixx software. I can only get like 35fps on the Valley benchmark @1175/1400. My temps are only 55. So I feel I have alot of room I can go still? I haven't touched the VDDC setting. The guy with the best single gpu 7950 has the same processor as me and hes getting 52 fps on the benchmark. Any way I can get mine closer to his?


That seems a bit low.

At 1200 core/1500 mem, my 7950 cranks out 48fps in the Valley Bench.


----------



## NoGuru

Just picked up a 7970 lightning, and works fine with the W7 drivers but as soon as I install the CCC screen turns dark and I see nothing.

Any ideas?


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoGuru*
> 
> Just picked up a 7970 lightning, and works fine with the W7 drivers but as soon as I install the CCC screen turns dark and I see nothing.
> 
> Any ideas?


Is your monitor stating "no signal"??? is this what you mean by "dark screen" If you haven't already. Check the display setting in CCC. You might need to adjust. Also, ensure that your monitor is adjusted to the proper cable setting you are using. And always...Re-installation of drivers is an option you probably already know. Or install different version of drivers. Good Luck.


----------



## NoGuru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Is your monitor stating "no signal"??? is this what you mean by "dark screen" If you haven't already. Check the display setting in CCC. You might need to adjust. Also, ensure that your monitor is adjusted to the proper cable setting you are using. And always...Re-installation of drivers is an option you probably already know. Or install different version of drivers. Good Luck.


I have a signal, watch the Windows loading screen but after that I see nothing. Can't make any adjustments, because I can't see anything.
This happens in two rigs I have tested it in
I am downloading 12.10 drivers to try. Thanks for the suggestions.









Edit: LN2 BIOS was flipped on, lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoGuru*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Is your monitor stating "no signal"??? is this what you mean by "dark screen" If you haven't already. Check the display setting in CCC. You might need to adjust. Also, ensure that your monitor is adjusted to the proper cable setting you are using. And always...Re-installation of drivers is an option you probably already know. Or install different version of drivers. Good Luck.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a signal, watch the Windows loading screen but after that I see nothing. Can't make any adjustments, because I can't see anything.
> This happens in two rigs I have tested it in
> I am downloading 12.10 drivers to try. Thanks for the suggestions.
Click to expand...

There's two ways to get that black screen that I know of, a bios mismatch with the driver hash or an error in driver install where the registry is cleaned incorrectly leaving behind the actual devices.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Try pressing f8 during boot and choose to boot on safe res vga. Maybe is trying to use an unsupported resolution... You are able to see windows logo and then after that you see blackness maybe thats why...
Also you just switch the vga? Did you uninstall the old one? nvidia one?

I use to have something similar with older drivers but it was on main windows the screen turned to black out of nowhere lol.. April 18 beta drivers fixed this issue for me..

The latest betas are running fine on here as well..


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Doesn't AS5 take a while to cure?


Yea, gonna check it again now and then take another measurement tomorrow.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Yea, gonna check it again now and then take another measurement tomorrow.


Yeah I thought AS5 takes about 200 hrs? That's why I started using IC Diamond...


----------



## Hokies83

IC Diamond PK-1 pretty good general use Tim of today.

AS5 is quite dated.


----------



## jomama22

Timtronics gray ice 4200 FTW!!!!! Best paste I have ever used.


----------



## Snuckie7

CoolLaboratory Liquid Ultra reporting in


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> IC Diamond PK-1 pretty good general use Tim of today.
> 
> *AS5 is quite dated*.


It's still one of the best thermal pastes out there.








People only rip on it for having a long cure time and being a bit capacitive (not to be confused with electrically conductive).


----------



## Hokies83

Long cure time and not as good as the 2 stated above it. which are all priced around the same price point.

LM Pro = 32.6 w/mk (Right from the CEO of Coollaboratory)
LM Ultra = 38.2w/mK (Right from the CEO of Coollaboratory)
IX = 20w/mK (IX literature)
PK-3 = (11.2W/mk)
PK-2 = (10.2W/mk)
PK-1 = 10.2w/m (frozencpu)
artic silver 5 = 8.7 w/m.k
Gelid extreme = (8.5W/mk)

Your not gonna see more then 1-3 C difference from the best tim to the lower end ones when applied to the IHS.

Making Cure time an important factor here.

On another note tho..
Direct Die however W/MK is king.


----------



## I Am The Stig

If anyone can help me out, I had to return my MSI 7950 yesterday cause I was having some issues and I decided that maybe instead of getting another one that I can go for the Sapphire as I've heard very good things about them. Can anyone tell me the differences between the Vapor-X and the Dual-X cards? Is it worth the extra money to splurge on the Vapor-X model?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> If anyone can help me out, I had to return my MSI 7950 yesterday cause I was having some issues and I decided that maybe instead of getting another one that I can go for the Sapphire as I've heard very good things about them. Can anyone tell me the differences between the Vapor-X and the Dual-X cards? Is it worth the extra money to splurge on the Vapor-X model?


The main difference I'm aware of is that the Vapor-X cooler is more than a dual slot, it's like 2.5 slots so if you have to put 2 cards right next to each other it will not work. I believe, but I'm not positive, that the Dual-X is a dual slot, so the cooler does not stick out extra.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> The main difference I'm aware of is that the Vapor-X cooler is more than a dual slot, it's like 2.5 slots so if you have to put 2 cards right next to each other it will not work. I believe, but I'm not positive, that the Dual-X is a dual slot, so the cooler does not stick out extra.


Dual x is a dual slot i have them crossfired and works fine. I thought i read that the vapor x is not a reference pcb so finding a gpu wc block is hard.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> The main difference I'm aware of is that the Vapor-X cooler is more than a dual slot, it's like 2.5 slots so if you have to put 2 cards right next to each other it will not work. I believe, but I'm not positive, that the Dual-X is a dual slot, so the cooler does not stick out extra.
> 
> 
> 
> Dual x is a dual slot i have them crossfired and works fine. I thought i read that the vapor x is not a reference pcb so finding a gpu wc block is hard.
Click to expand...

Dual X cooler is the same, it's a 2.5 slot cooler. It will not fit next to another card, you'd need another slot in between.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dual X cooler is the same, it's a 2.5 slot cooler. It will not fit next to another card, you'd need another slot in between.


Maybe its because my sabertooth is already spaced correctly then?


----------



## I Am The Stig

Well I wouldn't be WC'ing the card which is why I'm wondering about the Dual-X cooler and the Vapor-X cooler since I'll be going on air. Space isn't an issue for me as I am only going with one card and don't plan on CF'ing anytime soon (maybe who knows). But in terms of cooling solution, is the Vapor-X that much better to spend an extra $20?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dual X cooler is the same, it's a 2.5 slot cooler. It will not fit next to another card, you'd need another slot in between.


Am I looking at the wrong cards?

7950 Dual-X

7950 Vapor-X

From the pictures it looks like the Dual-X is only a dual slot. I had a 7970 Vapor-X and can confirm that they are more than 2 slots.


----------



## tsm106

Yea it looks like it is dual slot but that angular shroud sticks out a bit. I was freaking pissed that I could not use a card front to back on the 7970 OC dual x card I have.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dual X cooler is the same, it's a 2.5 slot cooler. It will not fit next to another card, you'd need another slot in between.
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe its because my sabertooth is already spaced correctly then?
Click to expand...

I'd have to look it up, but a lot of the Asus top end boards come with a 2.5 slot configuration with a pcie slot in between 2 and 3.

* Just took a look and you do have 2.5/triple slot spacing, with the brown/black slots right next to each other.


----------



## xxhaloownerxx

I've got a MSI R7970 on the way!

I'm so excited, the most powerful GPU I've ever owned was a 9600 GT (Which I'm still using) so this should be a HUGE upgrade, and this is the first time I've ever gone AMD on the GPU.

I'll be dressing it up in these pretty clothes http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15407/ex-blc-1073/Heatkiller_GPU-X_79X0_Radeon_HD_7950_7970_Reference_Design_Backplate_16002.html?id=D7UpvSNg&mv_pc=153

and http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15068/ex-blc-1064/Heatkiller_GPU-X_79X0_Radeon_HD_7950_7970_Reference_Design_Full_Coverage_Water_Block_15020.html?id=D7UpvSNg&mv_pc=152


----------



## TeeBlack

I love my Sapphire 7950 boost


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> IC Diamond PK-1 pretty good general use Tim of today.
> 
> AS5 is quite dated.


AS5 is all I had on hand, and some ceramic stuff. I went with the AS5 lol.


----------



## psikeiro

anybody got a link on the steps to take to unlock voltage in msi afterburner without doing it unofficially?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> anybody got a link on the steps to take to unlock voltage in msi afterburner without doing it unofficially?


try the /xcl method in this guide by tsm
http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread


----------



## LostKauz

So I have 2 7950s I know about amd zerocore for the "slave card" but im laying here pc still on downloading starcraft 2 and my main gpu fans are off but they keep throttling on for a second... then stay off for about 20 seconds etc.

Im not sure if its usually done this and ihavnt noticed but it kinda worries me I guess. Keep in mind power savings mode is disabled etc no hibernation on thing I have set is to turn of the display after 10 minutes.

Sent from my SCH-R950 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## UltimateNubs

Good morning everyone. Ive got a question about the overclock on my XFX dd 7950.

I am wondering why wont my GPU maintain the slight voltage bump after the pc goes to sleep?
Sometimes during a game it will reset the voltage back to stock too.

When i restart the pc, sometimes it will apply the voltage overclock.

Im running the OC at 1000Mhz/1400Mhz with V1.069.
Stock voltage is V1.034

Every time it reverts, games will get very unstable and continuously crash

I am running the Afterburner overlay to confirm voltage in game.
When i return to the desktop Afterburner will show the voltage being set at my OC levels but i have to change something (anything) and change it back for it to allow me to hit apply.

After that it seems okay until it drops the OC voltage again or the PC goes to sleep.

Ive had the card since a little bit after its release and its only just started doing this. I updated to the latest beta drivers thinking it would remedy the issue but to no success.

Thanks to anyone who can provide me any help.


----------



## VinDoe

Finally got my 7970 back. Had to RMA the last one and it tested faulty. What tests should I run on a single 7970 with my 144hz monitor?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> anybody got a link on the steps to take to unlock voltage in msi afterburner without doing it unofficially?
> 
> 
> 
> try the /xcl method in this guide by tsm
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread
Click to expand...

I've updated the thread to include the new beta. Unwinder has really outdone himself this time and packaged most of the steps right into AB. You still need the dlls however, since those are trademarked or protected IP of AMD. That said, one should still read the steps so you know the how and why things are done the way they are done. Soon noobs will never need to know why the check boxes are checked etc... But if they encounter problems, oh yea. I'm afraid that expertise will be in limited supply as we get spoiled by advancement. So it's good to know the old school methods, right?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> anybody got a link on the steps to take to unlock voltage in msi afterburner without doing it unofficially?
> 
> 
> 
> try the /xcl method in this guide by tsm
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've updated the thread to include the new beta. Unwinder has really outdone himself this time and packaged most of the steps right into AB. You still need the dlls however, since those are trademarked or protected IP of AMD. That said, one should still read the steps so you know the how and why things are done the way they are done. Soon noobs will never need to know why the check boxes are checked etc... But if they encounter problems, oh yea. I'm afraid that expertise will be in limited supply as we get spoiled by advancement. *So it's good to know the old school methods, right?*
Click to expand...

yep i noticed you updated the thread, been awhile since i last looked at it. intersting









agreed


----------



## psikeiro

Yep,
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I've updated the thread to include the new beta. Unwinder has really outdone himself this time and packaged most of the steps right into AB. You still need the dlls however, since those are trademarked or protected IP of AMD. That said, one should still read the steps so you know the how and why things are done the way they are done. Soon noobs will never need to know why the check boxes are checked etc... But if they encounter problems, oh yea. I'm afraid that expertise will be in limited supply as we get spoiled by advancement. So it's good to know the old school methods, right?


thanks, had already done this myself but wanted to save it for future use


----------



## EpiDx

Man, did I get a dud of a card or something? 1200/1600 with 1.25v and I got 35.4 on Valley benchmark. Sapphire 7950 Dual -X card. Help?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Man, did I get a dud of a card or something? 1200/1600 with 1.25v and I got 35.4 on Valley benchmark. Sapphire 7950 Dual -X card. Help?


Raise that memory clock! Unigine is a memory bandwidth intensive bench, you're score will be gimped if you leave the memory low.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Raise that memory clock! Unigine is a memory bandwidth intensive bench, you're score will be gimped if you leave the memory low.


Yea but his score is way lower than what it should be at those clocks. I get 48fps at lower clocks. . .1200/1500

It sounds like his card is throttling. Make sure your power limit is set to +20%


----------



## Cind3r

Hi

I have hooked up 3x Gigabyte OC 7970's rev 2.1 non ref cards with water coolers







Temps are great at the moment (still testing)




The Gigabyte OC edition cards stock air cooler are great if you are running 1 card or if you live somewhere that the room temp never goes over 18c

I had 3 set up with stock air and after 30 mins of gamming or 10mins of mining/folding the temp warning went off at 95c on the 1st and middle card









After water cooling running the same games and mining/folding the cards have the same temp and will not go over 55c (room tem 32c)

If anyone has a non ref 7970 and is looking at water cooling i would recommend these heatkillers


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cind3r*
> 
> Hi
> 
> I have hooked up 3x Gigabyte OC 7970's rev 2.1 non ref cards with water coolers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Temps are great at the moment (still testing)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Gigabyte OC edition cards stock air cooler are great if you are running 1 card or if you live somewhere that the room temp never goes over 18c
> 
> I had 3 set up with stock air and after 30 mins of gamming or 10mins of mining/folding the temp warning went off at 95c on the 1st and middle card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After water cooling running the same games and mining/folding the cards have the same temp and will not go over 55c (room tem 32c)
> 
> If anyone has a non ref 7970 and is looking at water cooling i would recommend these heatkillers










damn son...

i do have a Gigabyte 7970 Ghz myself, but that's ridiculous... Overkill, but that's the point of this site after all.

BTW, what exactly is upgraded on the non-ref PCB versus the stock reference PCB? Also, you have rev 2.1... then what's the Ghz Edition's rev number?


----------



## EpiDx

Another thing I notice in GPU-Z is this, when I hover over pci-e 3.0, it says its running 1.1, my mobo support page says i have 3.0 slots. checked the bios didnt see anywhere to change it. How to make it run in 3.0?










http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=Z68%20Extreme3%20Gen3










this is my AB settings. What can I change


----------



## EpiDx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Yea but his score is way lower than what it should be at those clocks. I get 48fps at lower clocks. . .1200/1500
> 
> It sounds like his card is throttling. Make sure your power limit is set to +20%


How can I set the power limit to +20%, I am a noob at OC'ing


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Another thing I notice in GPU-Z is this, when I hover over pci-e 3.0, it says its running 1.1, my mobo support page says i have 3.0 slots. checked the bios didnt see anywhere to change it. How to make it run in 3.0?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=Z68%20Extreme3%20Gen3
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this is my AB settings. What can I change


click the *?* and start rendering. check your temp closely. i recommend hwinfo64 (use the slider to see the vrm temps as well if you have the sensors). download hwinfo64 first before rendering. the 1.1 should change. keep them temps under 80C (my standard).

http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html

for the power limit (20%) use the slider in Trixx.

https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/


----------



## EpiDx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Yea but his score is way lower than what it should be at those clocks. I get 48fps at lower clocks. . .1200/1500
> 
> It sounds like his card is throttling. Make sure your power limit is set to +20%


I love you, set to 20% in CCC

this is what i got with 1150/1500


----------



## EpiDx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> click the *?* and start rendering. check your temp closely. i recommend hwinfo64 (use the slider to see the vrm temps as well if you have the sensors). download hwinfo64 first before rendering. the 1.1 should change. keep them temps under 80C (my standard).
> 
> http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html
> 
> for the power limit (20%) use the slider in Trixx.
> 
> https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/


How long do I have to run the render test to get it to go to 3.0? Its sitting at 2.0 for awhile


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> click the *?* and start rendering. check your temp closely. i recommend hwinfo64 (use the slider to see the vrm temps as well if you have the sensors). download hwinfo64 first before rendering. the 1.1 should change. keep them temps under 80C (my standard).
> 
> http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html
> 
> for the power limit (20%) use the slider in Trixx.
> 
> https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/
> 
> 
> 
> How long do I have to run the render test to get it to go to 3.0? Its sitting at 2.0 for awhile
Click to expand...

it wont change to PCIe 3.0 becuase you have a 2500k. you need an Ivy bridge CPU to make use of PCIe 3.0.


----------



## Cind3r

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> damn son...
> 
> i do have a Gigabyte 7970 Ghz myself, but that's ridiculous... Overkill, but that's the point of this site after all.
> 
> BTW, what exactly is upgraded on the non-ref PCB versus the stock reference PCB? Also, you have rev 2.1... then what's the Ghz Edition's rev number?


The only changes on the OC edition 7970 rev2.1 is the location of 2 capacitors! This causes the full cover to not touch the VRMs

Re: the GHz edition i found this post http://www.overclock.net/t/1331761/any-gigabyte-7970-ghz-ed-gv-r797to-3gd-owners/10 and it looks like 2.1 also.


----------



## EpiDx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> it wont change to PCIe 3.0 becuase you have a 2500k. you need an Ivy bridge CPU to make use of PCIe 3.0.


Thanks for the info, how to make it stay in 2.0? after i close the render test it goes back to 1.1


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> it wont change to PCIe 3.0 becuase you have a 2500k. you need an Ivy bridge CPU to make use of PCIe 3.0.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the info, how to make it stay in 2.0? after i close the render test it goes back to 1.1
Click to expand...

its a power saving featire of PCIe for when your card is just idling. as soon as you put any load on the card like gaming it will go to 2.0. as said being a power saving feature there probably is a way to disable it but i am not sure how or can sorry


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> I love you, set to 20% in CCC
> 
> this is what i got with 1150/1500
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


No problem


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Raise that memory clock! Unigine is a memory bandwidth intensive bench, you're score will be gimped if you leave the memory low.
> 
> 
> 
> Yea but his score is way lower than what it should be at those clocks. I get 48fps at lower clocks. . .1200/1500
> 
> It sounds like his card is throttling. Make sure your power limit is set to +20%
Click to expand...

Doh, that should be automatically done. Always max the power yall.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Thanks for the info, how to make it stay in 2.0? after i close the render test it goes back to 1.1


it won't affect the performance of your gpu if it goes back to 1.1. so long as it goes to 2.0 when loaded. even if it is possible to turn the power saving feature - why? your card is behaving normal. and the difference in 2.0 vs 3.0 is not significant in single or even dual gpu setup. enjoy your card!

edit: what were your vrm temps?


----------



## TheBenson

Is this not weird? AMD is not expected to release the 8000 series until Q1 of 2014 and MSI has choosen to EOL the Lightnings that far in advance of the new cards. Really disappointing, I was hoping to be able to buy a pair without having to pay some rarity markup.


----------



## tsm106

AMD is busy working the console contract so we all have to be patient. I'd assume it a safe bet that they do not have the resources to concurrently pursue both directions at the same time.

Btw, the 7970 PE is available, its the exact same card w/o the stock overclock.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> AMD is busy working the console contract so we all have to be patient. I'd assume it a safe bet that they do not have the resources to concurrently pursue both directions at the same time.
> 
> Btw, the 7970 PE is available, its the exact same card w/o the stock overclock.


So you have a full overclocking guide etc?

I read ur guide has alot of infos thx for that.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> AMD is busy working the console contract so we all have to be patient. I'd assume it a safe bet that they do not have the resources to concurrently pursue both directions at the same time.
> 
> Btw, the 7970 PE is available, its the exact same card w/o the stock overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> So you have a full overclocking guide etc?
> 
> I read ur guide has alot of infos thx for that.
Click to expand...

The guide is for how to setup the system for overclocking. I didn't really write anything on the process of the actual overclocking. I figure most peeps already know how to overclock. Tahiti is almost bulletproof, so you have to try real hard to fry one. If there's something ya need, just ask in there. Hmm, there are some small nuances to squeezing out the very max out of the cards, but it's nothing earth shattering.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The guide is for how to setup the system for overclocking. I didn't really write anything on the process of the actual overclocking. I figure most peeps already know how to overclock. Tahiti is almost bulletproof, so you have to try real hard to fry one. If there's something ya need, just ask in there. Hmm, there are some small nuances to squeezing out the very max out of the cards, but it's nothing earth shattering.


Yah i had 2 7970s back at release i think both did about 1250mhz/1600mem

Had massive driver issues and a defective card so i switch back to the green team.

From following this thread i hear of a few new things that was not around at the time.

Throttling ulc r something?

Cards with locked voltages etc..

I do not know if my card has locked voltage all i know is from a review of the Power color booste state from hardware canuks is the stock boost voltage is 1.25v

I have a massive loop and full cover blocks and my hopes are to push maximum voltages to get maximum results.

For example i would start with the Max voltage these cards can take then find my max overclock there and that would be it.

Not lets say do 1.2v and be happy there.. i hear 1.3v is the max safe voltage so i would start there and move the Mhz up till i started crashing weather it be 1200mhz are 1500mhz...

My last question would be what is max safe 24/7 memory voltage as i would start there to...


----------



## tsm106

On water you don't have to worry about voltage. Water is great like that, keep your cards well under 50c and feed them whatever volts you want. I've been bum rushing the bench leaderboards for over a year now feeding my cards well in excess of 1.35v while benching, and they're still alive and kicking. Hell my cpu has degraded while my gpus show no signs of aging.

For 24/7 gaming, I run around 1.25v give or take. I don't really worry about it tbh.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> On water you don't have to worry about voltage. Water is great like that, keep your cards well under 50c and feed them whatever volts you want. I've been bum rushing the bench leaderboards for over a year now feeding my cards well in excess of 1.35v while benching, and they're still alive and kicking. Hell my cpu has degraded while my gpus show no signs of aging.
> 
> For 24/7 gaming, I run around 1.25v give or take. I don't really worry about it tbh.


Yeah there is a reason cards come with warranty's









What is max on the vram?


----------



## tsm106

Max temp range is 125c-150c, but for benching ya want them around 50-70c. Too cold and they don't work well and too warm and your cards won't clock so high.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Max temp range is 125c-150c, but for benching ya want them around 50-70c. Too cold and they don't work well and too warm and your cards won't clock so high.


Ah so card memory has no voltage control?

Everything is done via core voltages?

Sorry been awhile since the 7970s and my build is down waiting on NCIX to get me my last 7950 " been waiting almost 2 weeks now"


----------



## tsm106

Oh you mean vram not vrm. Vram doesn't typically get that hot, and is not a problem with water. I always just max the memory voltage to 1.7v.

You should inspect your boards since some 7950s come with slower chips.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh you mean vram not vrm. Vram doesn't typically get that hot, and is not a problem with water. I always just max the memory voltage to 1.7v.
> 
> You should inspect your boards since some 7950s come with slower chips.


Vram brand? what should i look for?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Vram brand? what should i look for?


This be me.



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131478


----------



## circeseye

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> This be me.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131478


what waterblock you going to put on that???


----------



## brfield

Just added my registration, got a Sapphire in today!


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *circeseye*
> 
> what waterblock you going to put on that???


This one.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Vram brand? what should i look for?
> 
> 
> 
> This be me.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131478
Click to expand...

The Hynix are higher rated and Elpida are lower rated. Btw, are you following the instructions with the thermal pads in all the right places or is that pic just for show?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The Hynix are higher rated and Elpida are lower rated. Btw, are you following the instructions with the thermal pads in all the right places or is that pic just for show?


Pic was not done i added pads to the Mosfets afterwards.

Damn think i seen Elpida...

I should not have an issue with heat tho even Alphacools back plate is a passive heat sink thick alum with a ton of thermal pads..


----------



## EpiDx

55-65fps in crysis 3 on very high, love you guys, that is all <3


----------



## muhd86

where can i download the trixx 4.40 version which is modded ---i want to use the voltage functions on my gigabye 7970 ---i heard that trixx some how unlocks the voltages


----------



## Zyvera

I recently upgraded my Sapphire Radeon 6950 2GB to the Sapphire Radeon 7950 3GB hyper-x boost. I was able to run LoL at 200 FPS without vsync on max settings, and without vsync it would never drop below 60 FPS.

Now that i have the new Radeon 7950 I'm getting weird lag drops to 30-40 fps (really stuttery) randomly. It doens't make any sense, also because I have never used any other drivers than the AMD catalyst. As far as I know I don't experience these lags in other games like Tombraider or Crysis 3, just on League of Legends.

Anything on this issue? I'm sorry if this has already been answered, I didn't bother to read 2000 comment pages. :$

System specs:
Intel i5 2500K 3,3 ghz
Asrock P67 Pro3 mobo
750W *don't remember brand name* power supply
Radeon 7950 3gb hyper-x graphics
120 GB samsung 840 SSD
2 TB HD


----------



## th3illusiveman

Can running a cards memory at a very high OC mess it up in the long run? This is without changing the voltage? i know GPUs are safe in this respect but what about memory, can running say 1850Mhz cause corruption in afew months?

I'm looking to run my 7970 at 1800Mhz 24/7 and i think it's capable of it but i'm not sure about what impact that would have in the long run.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Can running a cards memory at a very high OC mess it up in the long run? This is without changing the voltage? i know GPUs are safe in this respect but what about memory, can running say 1850Mhz cause corruption in afew months?
> 
> I'm looking to run my 7970 at 1800Mhz 24/7 and i think it's capable of it but i'm not sure about what impact that would have in the long run.


I would speculate that running the memory deep into error correction over long periods could cause damage. That said, if you can run that speed w/o adding voltage and w/o loss of performance, it's probably as safe as its gonna get.


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cind3r*
> 
> The only changes on the OC edition 7970 rev2.1 is the location of 2 capacitors! This causes the full cover to not touch the VRMs
> 
> Re: the GHz edition i found this post http://www.overclock.net/t/1331761/any-gigabyte-7970-ghz-ed-gv-r797to-3gd-owners/10 and it looks like 2.1 also.


Hmm, i see. I noticed that there's WAY more circuitry on the backend of the PCB where the VRMs are compared to reference 7970 PCBs... What's all the extra circuitry for?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> 
> 
> Is this not weird? AMD is not expected to release the 8000 series until Q1 of 2014 and MSI has choosen to EOL the Lightnings that far in advance of the new cards. Really disappointing, I was hoping to be able to buy a pair without having to pay some rarity markup.


NO! I _just_ bought a matching Mpower motherboard and need another one for Crossfire.









This better mean they are releasing something like the "Lightning 2" or something.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yeah just gonna have to see how they perform.
> 
> Anybody done a review yet?
> 
> But on an Important note..
> 
> *IS there Any where to get a Hard Tri Fire bridge?
> *
> 
> Also look at the joke of a stock cooler that was on my 7950s worst cooling ive seen since the GTX 9000 series lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I feel sorry for anybody running that thing XD it is feather light feels like Pot metal are something lol.


that cooler is smaller than my old XFX 6850's


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> NO! I _just_ bought a matching Mpower motherboard and need another one for Crossfire.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This better mean they are releasing something like the "Lightning 2" or something.


Lightnings are not EOL. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127677


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Lightnings are not EOL. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127677


Power edition, not quite Lightning, although not sure of what differences there are between the 2.


----------



## Snuckie7

The Lightnings are just binned higher.


----------



## Cind3r

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> Hmm, i see. I noticed that there's WAY more circuitry on the backend of the PCB where the VRMs are compared to reference 7970 PCBs... What's all the extra circuitry for?


No idea, Seems to be able to take alot more heat than normal cards. When I was running them air cooled i stuck a temp sensor on the back place of the VRMs cause behind the heat sink was too hot to touch and i registered 96c while the core was only 55c. I contacted gigabyte right away and they advised that this was normal for this card "The voltage regulators are doing their job. If you are concerned with the temperature you should try putting a fan on top of the card" Its a bit scary. Since water cooling the VRMs the back plate still hits 80c which is better i think but i guess the board can handle it?!?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Lightnings are not EOL. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127677


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Power edition, not quite Lightning, although not sure of what differences there are between the 2.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The Lightnings are just binned higher.


I've been trying to figure out the actual difference between them. There seems to be the thought that they are just Lightnings without the factory overclock, possibly because they couldn't hit the correct clocks. AFAIK they aren't binned higher, you're just as likely to get a golden OCer from any card.

PE
Quote:


> Power Edition
> - Triple Overvoltage: adjust the voltage of GPU, memory and VDDCI to unleash the potential of graphics card.
> - Enhanced PWM Design: provide 17 PWM phase to get higher overclocking capability and better stability.


Lightning
Quote:


> Unlocked Digital Power
> - Unlocked BIOS: One click to unlock all protections for extreme overclocking
> - Digital PWM Controller: More stable and precise voltage by digital signal
> - Enhanced Power Design: 2X Power output for maximum OC potential


http://event.msi.com/vga/2012/series-comparison/

That is also something to keep in mind.

I wonder if they were having trouble with the Lightnings? Mine had to get RMAd cause it died, haven't heard much from others though, seems like most are very happy with them.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The Lightnings are just binned higher.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I've been trying to figure out the actual difference between them. There seems to be the thought that they are just Lightnings without the factory overclock, possibly because they couldn't hit the correct clocks. AFAIK they aren't binned higher, you're just as likely to get a golden OCer from any card.
> 
> PE
> Lightning
> http://event.msi.com/vga/2012/series-comparison/
> 
> That is also something to keep in mind.
> 
> I wonder if they were having trouble with the Lightnings? Mine had to get RMAd cause it died, haven't heard much from others though, seems like most are very happy with them.


I just recently found with the 680s, lightning & power edition have different voltage controllers, so even flashing a lightning bios to the PE will not give the same voltage control the lightning has. I don't know the actual differences for the 7970 models, although they would have different bios & no idea if a bios flash can make one work like the other.
I would also agree the chip binning is likely the same.


----------



## NLight95

I can get 1150/1600 stable out of my Sapphire 7970 OC. VDDC=1.27, MVDDC=1.6 (stock).

I created a custom fan profile where it peaks at 100% at 90C instead of 100C. Played hours and hours of Alan Wake so I know she's stable. The GPU will go to 1200 but heat becomes a problem where I get just a few artifacts. If I bump the core to 1.3v and set the fan to about 80% the artifacts disappear, but the noise is too much for 24/7 use. The mem will go to 1800 @1.625v but heat again becomes an issue.

So overall I'm happy with the numbers. ASIC is 69.2%, so I think if I go water it will yield some good results but that's out of my budget atm.


----------



## disintegratorx

It turns out my whole problem was an extra stick of RAM I had put in that was messing with everything. It wasn't the card or the drivers.


----------



## Starbomba

Well, so far so good, my rig is fully set up and running. Will post rig photos once i'm done OCing my CPU. What i don't know is why CPU-Z won't pick both GPU's, it just picks my 7950.












http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=2728188
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/bpm2e/
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/dka5/


----------



## EpiDx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> I can get 1150/1600 stable out of my Sapphire 7970 OC. VDDC=1.27, MVDDC=1.6 (stock).
> 
> I created a custom fan profile where it peaks at 100% at 90C instead of 100C. Played hours and hours of Alan Wake so I know she's stable. The GPU will go to 1200 but heat becomes a problem where I get just a few artifacts. If I bump the core to 1.3v and set the fan to about 80% the artifacts disappear, but the noise is too much for 24/7 use. The mem will go to 1800 @1.625v but heat again becomes an issue.
> 
> So overall I'm happy with the numbers. ASIC is 69.2%, so I think if I go water it will yield some good results but that's out of my budget atm.


How are you getting such high clocks? If i go over 1.20v or 1550 mem my computer locks up and my card is only at 59c. Do I need a better PSU? I am in a hotel for work right now, not even sure what my W is on my psu.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> How are you getting such high clocks? If i go over 1.20v or 1550 mem my computer locks up and my card is only at 59c. Do I need a better PSU? I am in a hotel for work right now, not even sure what my W is on my psu.


AMD recommends 500W but most in the forums here would recommend 600W or more, esp if you're overclocking your CPU and have a lot of drives like I do (see my rig info). If you're looking into a new psu then check out johnnyguru.com for some good recommendations.

Actually many have been able to reach 1200+ on air, so my 1150 is perhaps average or even less than average. One thing I've discovered is that if you set TRIXX or AB to 1.3v for VDDC it only _scales_ that high, meaning that if you monitor voltages via GPU-Z you will see that rarely does vCore reach the peak, even if you're running something like FurMark. I believe you could set VDDC to 1.315 and still stay within safe margins, granted that temps stay within check. Just make sure that when you go over 1.2v you don't set the software to force constant voltage as that will surely degrade or kill your GPU over time.

While I wasn't too lucky on the core, I must say that the VRAM on my card is superb. If I could dissipate the heat I think it'd reach 1850 or perhaps 1900. But overclocking VRAM doesn't yield nearly the performance as the GPU so I clocked it down to control heat and leave more "room" for cooling the core (it makes a difference).

Several posts back I mentioned about lapping the cooler (or was that another thread?). It's a rather awkward process as the screw retainers (four of them, one in each corner) are molded as part of the heatsink, so you can't lap it using a block to maintain uniformity. Nonetheless, it can still be done and it shaved a few degrees C off my temp and allowed me to reach 1200 whereas before it took too much vCore and heat quickly set in. To lap the heatsink I cleaned the old TIM off with an old handkerchief and some rubbing alc, using an old toothbrush to clean around the die. Then I used ArtiClean to clean things up and applied about a BB-sized amount of PK-1 paste to the core and put it all back together, alternating screw positions to seat the cooler correctly to the PCB.


----------



## EpiDx

Well what I dont get is why my card locks up when I am only hitting 59c


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> One thing I've discovered is that if you set TRIXX or AB to 1.3v for VDDC it only _scales_ that high, meaning that if you monitor voltages via GPU-Z you will see that rarely does vCore reach the peak, even if you're running something like FurMark.


The only time you will see the voltage you input running on your cards is when your are at the desktop. Gpus are unlike cpus and mb because they cannot combat natural voltage droop. Droop happens due to load, that load is converting some of the voltage into waste heat. Each chip is different, some will dump more heat while others hold the voltage in, you know this phenomenon as the ASIC %.


----------



## SOCOM_HERO

Getting my 7950 in tomorrow. I plan on running comparison benches for the lolz with my sig rig. It is an older 1156 build from a few years back that still rocks most applications solidly. I have a 5750 ( you heard that right) and will be running 3DMark Vantage, 11, 3DMark ('13) and Metro 2033's benchmark. Any other benches of interest?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> AMD recommends 500W but most in the forums here would recommend 600W or more, esp if you're overclocking your CPU and have a lot of drives like I do (see my rig info). If you're looking into a new psu then check out johnnyguru.com for some good recommendations.
> 
> Actually many have been able to reach 1200+ on air, so my 1150 is perhaps average or even less than average. One thing I've discovered is that if you set TRIXX or AB to 1.3v for VDDC it only _scales_ that high, meaning that if you monitor voltages via GPU-Z you will see that rarely does vCore reach the peak, even if you're running something like FurMark. I believe you could set VDDC to 1.315 and still stay within safe margins, granted that temps stay within check. Just make sure that when you go over 1.2v you don't set the software to force constant voltage as that will surely degrade or kill your GPU over time.
> 
> While I wasn't too lucky on the core, I must say that the VRAM on my card is superb. If I could dissipate the heat I think it'd reach 1850 or perhaps 1900. But overclocking VRAM doesn't yield nearly the performance as the GPU so I clocked it down to control heat and leave more "room" for cooling the core (it makes a difference).
> 
> Several posts back I mentioned about lapping the cooler (or was that another thread?). It's a rather awkward process as the screw retainers (four of them, one in each corner) are molded as part of the heatsink, so you can't lap it using a block to maintain uniformity. Nonetheless, it can still be done and it shaved a few degrees C off my temp and allowed me to reach 1200 whereas before it took too much vCore and heat quickly set in. To lap the heatsink I cleaned the old TIM off with an old handkerchief and some rubbing alc, using an old toothbrush to clean around the die. Then I used ArtiClean to clean things up and applied about a BB-sized amount of PK-1 paste to the core and put it all back together, alternating screw positions to seat the cooler correctly to the PCB.


My card can hit 1200/1500 with ease (1.112V). It's just a matter of luck of the draw.

1150 is the average on HWBot though.


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My card can hit 1200/1500 with ease (1.112V). It's just a matter of luck of the draw.
> 
> 1150 is the average on HWBot though.


1200/1500 @ 1.112v? magik!


----------



## HeadlessKnight

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Can running a cards memory at a very high OC mess it up in the long run? This is without changing the voltage? i know GPUs are safe in this respect but what about memory, can running say 1850Mhz cause corruption in afew months?
> 
> I'm looking to run my 7970 at 1800Mhz 24/7 and i think it's capable of it but i'm not sure about what impact that would have in the long run.


Probably. But if you run 1700 MHz already, then 1850 MHz might not give you a noticeable difference. That's only an 8% increase in freq. which might translate to around 1-3% increase in performance. So IMHO unless you are a bencher and need the last ounce of fps to beat someones score I see no point in putting your investment in danger because of that, as it is not worth it.
I've never seen people running their memory that high for 24/7 only for benching.


----------



## arrow0309

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My card can hit 1200/1500 with ease (1.112V). It's just a matter of luck of the draw.
> 
> 1150 is the average on HWBot though.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> 1200/1500 @ 1.112v? magik!


Yep









My card is 100% stable at this clocks (FC3) with 1.256v (afterburner, 1.248v real) for the gpu and 1.520v for the memory









Gpu temp wouldn't go anything above 64C but I'm concerned about the vrm1 temp witch is gettin' up to 86-90
Should I be safe with a below 90' for my vrm1?


----------



## psikeiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> Yep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My card is 100% stable at this clocks (FC3) with 1.256v (afterburner, 1.248v real) for the gpu and 1.520v for the memory
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gpu temp wouldn't go anything above 64C but I'm concerned about the vrm1 temp witch is gettin' up to 86-90
> Should I be safe with a below 90' for my vrm1?


wait, what? which one is it? 1.112v or 1.256v?


----------



## Panatrix

Hello I have a somewhat major issue and I would like to see if anyone could help me?

Here is my whole problem to the smallest detail.

I was playing Borderlands 2 and suddenly my screen just went black. I tried alt+tab and ctrl+atl+del to try and fix as I was assuming it was the game that crashed. Then my whole screen when checkered. Black square, desktop, black square, desktop etc. I then rebooted my PC as I thought this would be a fix but then I get the BlueScreen of Death error message.

After countless of "fixes" tries, I came to the conclusion it was definitely the 9750's problem. I have tried to remove every trace of amd and ati from my computer (uninstalling catalyst etc.) and then when I reboot, I boot up normally but under device -> display adapters, all I can see is standard VGA graphics Adapter. So i assumed that I have removed the driver completely.

This is also resulted in my finding out that it must be to do with the drivers of the VGA as my monitor is directly plugged into the VGA and i can see my desktop clearly PLUS the fans are operating fine.

I then installed the newest driver from the AMD website and rebooted. After rebooting, I get the blue screen of death again. The BSOD occurs after the windows animation and before the welcome. It then infinite loops.

I can only enter safe mode or I can remove the driver completely.

After using all options, I reformat my PC, hoping that this would fix such a driver problem. But to no avail, It does the same thing, as soon as I install the driver for the 9750, instead of BSOD and infinite looping, the screen just goes black after the windows animation and then infinite reboots from there.

Thank you for reading my issue and MANY THANKS if any solutions can be obtained.


----------



## Panatrix

Oh and I have...

Asrock z77 Pro 3
AMD Radeon HD sapphire 7950 OC
Antec 620 PSU

If that helps at all.


----------



## arrow0309

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> Yep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My card is 100% stable at this clocks (FC3) with 1.256v (afterburner, 1.248v real) for the gpu and 1.520v for the memory
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gpu temp wouldn't go anything above 64C but I'm concerned about the vrm1 temp witch is gettin' up to 86-90
> Should I be safe with a below 90' for my vrm1?
> 
> 
> 
> wait, what? which one is it? 1.112v or 1.256v?
Click to expand...

1.256v


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> 1.256v


Uh... i'm lost?? Isn't that just below average?

Edit: Oh you're not Snuckie7







, i want to see his 7970 run 1200/1500 with only 1.112v









As for your VRM question you're safe between the 80-90c range. Don't let it go above 100c and try to get it lower


----------



## arrow0309

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *arrow0309*
> 
> 1.256v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Uh... i'm lost?? Isn't that just below average?
> 
> Edit: Oh you're not Snuckie7
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , i want to see his 7970 run 1200/1500 with only 1.112v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for your VRM question you're safe between the 80-90c range. Don't let it go above 100c and try to get it lower
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks


----------



## Daste

Hey guys need some widsom here, just slapped on a Ek waterblock on my ref 7970, and started overclocking it
Im running 1200/1500 @ 1.2v
from fun mark burn in test , im getting 47 as GPU temp, but my vrm temps are hitting 95s,
Did i mess up something while placing the block ?

At idle GPU temps are 32, VRM at 34

got a RX360 Push/pull config cpu>gpu.

Any help would be awesome !


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daste*
> 
> Hey guys need some widsom here, just slapped on a Ek waterblock on my ref 7970, and started overclocking it
> Im running 1200/1500 @ 1.2v
> from fun mark burn in test , im getting 47 as GPU temp, but my vrm temps are hitting 95s,
> Did i mess up something while placing the block ?
> 
> At idle GPU temps are 32, VRM at 34
> 
> got a RX360 Push/pull config cpu>gpu.
> 
> Any help would be awesome !


i think you did. your vrms should not see 60. i would not use furmark, though. heard that it can bork a card. use 3DMark, heaven, or some heavy games. GPUZ has a rendering program to load the gpu and check temps.

you may have to disassemble and check if you have the pads on correctly or make sure they have good contact with the block.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Daste*
> 
> Hey guys need some widsom here, just slapped on a Ek waterblock on my ref 7970, and started overclocking it
> Im running 1200/1500 @ 1.2v
> from fun mark burn in test , im getting 47 as GPU temp, but my vrm temps are hitting 95s,
> Did i mess up something while placing the block ?
> 
> At idle GPU temps are 32, VRM at 34
> 
> got a RX360 Push/pull config cpu>gpu.
> 
> Any help would be awesome !
> 
> 
> 
> i think you did. your vrms should not see 60. i would not use furmark, though. heard that it can bork a card. use 3DMark, heaven, or some heavy games. GPUZ has a rendering program to load the gpu and check temps.
> 
> you may have to disassemble and check if you have the pads on correctly or make sure they have good contact with the block.
Click to expand...

That render test in GPU-Z you speak of is not a load test. It is merely to show what PCIe mode it is running at when in use because zero core will kick it down to say PCIe 1.0 x8 at idle. It is not intended to be a load/stress test
( it actually says that if you open up the test box)


----------



## DimQa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Panatrix*
> 
> Hello I have a somewhat major issue and I would like to see if anyone could help me?
> 
> Here is my whole problem to the smallest detail.
> 
> I was playing Borderlands 2 and suddenly my screen just went black. I tried alt+tab and ctrl+atl+del to try and fix as I was assuming it was the game that crashed. Then my whole screen when checkered. Black square, desktop, black square, desktop etc. I then rebooted my PC as I thought this would be a fix but then I get the BlueScreen of Death error message.
> 
> After countless of "fixes" tries, I came to the conclusion it was definitely the 9750's problem. I have tried to remove every trace of amd and ati from my computer (uninstalling catalyst etc.) and then when I reboot, I boot up normally but under device -> display adapters, all I can see is standard VGA graphics Adapter. So i assumed that I have removed the driver completely.
> 
> This is also resulted in my finding out that it must be to do with the drivers of the VGA as my monitor is directly plugged into the VGA and i can see my desktop clearly PLUS the fans are operating fine.
> 
> I then installed the newest driver from the AMD website and rebooted. After rebooting, I get the blue screen of death again. The BSOD occurs after the windows animation and before the welcome. It then infinite loops.
> 
> I can only enter safe mode or I can remove the driver completely.
> 
> After using all options, I reformat my PC, hoping that this would fix such a driver problem. But to no avail, It does the same thing, as soon as I install the driver for the 9750, instead of BSOD and infinite looping, the screen just goes black after the windows animation and then infinite reboots from there.
> 
> Thank you for reading my issue and MANY THANKS if any solutions can be obtained.


Try to restore your motherboard settings to default







It may help


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> That render test in GPU-Z you speak of is not a load test. It is merely to show what PCIe mode it is running at when in use because zero core will kick it down to say PCIe 1.0 x8 at idle. It is not intended to be a load/stress test
> ( it actually says that if you open up the test box)


it will raise the temps, though, for a quick safe test. not like furmark. i do use vantage, which i find the best of the 3DMarks in putting a load on both gpu and cpu.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Power edition, not quite Lightning, although not sure of what differences there are between the 2.


Clock Speeds, that's It.

Both run the same hardware,

Even the "Power Edition" says "Lightning" all over it.


----------



## MichaelRB

I'm going to buy a Club 3d Radeon HD 7950 and going to overclock the **** out of this card and join tha club


----------



## Deaks2

I've installed my two GA 7950 Windforce cards (stock 1000/1250) and have played with OC'ing them a bit. I understand that they are hardware voltage locked, however, with a 1.25v vCore (unkown vMem) this thing should clock up well with the good stock cooler.

What numbers are others getting with these cards?


----------



## majin662

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11197-03-40G/dp/B009B6Y01Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363195255&sr=8-1&keywords=sapphire+7970

Just convinced wifey to let me order #1 of my crossfire 7970 setup. Super excited. Will replace the 680 in my signature rig. Have been reading non stop the last few days to make sure this is a smart choice. Haven't owned an amd card since it was ati and then it was an x850 to play far cry. So far I'm really impressed with everything I've read. I know that RadeonPro is a must and I'll do some scouring of my own in the upcoming days, but is there anything ....tips tricks..advice I should be pointed toward??

Thanks


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majin662*
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11197-03-40G/dp/B009B6Y01Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363195255&sr=8-1&keywords=sapphire+7970
> 
> Just convinced wifey to let me order #1 of my crossfire 7970 setup. Super excited. Will replace the 680 in my signature rig. Have been reading non stop the last few days to make sure this is a smart choice. Haven't owned an amd card since it was ati and then it was an x850 to play far cry. So far I'm really impressed with everything I've read. I know that RadeonPro is a must and I'll do some scouring of my own in the upcoming days, but is there anything ....tips tricks..advice I should be pointed toward??
> 
> Thanks


I personally would not go through the hassle of changing from 680s to 7970s, and vice versa.


----------



## majin662

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I personally would not go through the hassle of changing from 680s to 7970s, and vice versa.


What it came down to was me prepping for the upcoming games / future. My options were adding another 680 and doing SLI or saving for a 690 or titan OR making the big change and come over to AMD.

680 SLI is a beast that is true, but that 2GB framebuffer shows its face really quickly (i.e. MaldoHD for crysis 2 or Skyrim) when you start adding texture packs or high amounts of AA or more screens. The 690 seemed like the way to go except for the 4GB is in # only. Titan just baffles my brain. I seriously began questioning Nvidia when they released a 1k grphx card that performs 30-40% better than a 680 but doesn't touch a 690 or rather doesn't touch a 690 enough to justify also costing 1k dollars.

So then I began looking at AMD. What I found was more VRAM to play with (knowing vram is a debateable subject), similar, and in a lot of cases better performance, and better pricing.

The whole "next-gen" console thing is largely unknown right now as far as if everything will run better on AMD or not (not always the case right now even for "evolved" titles) so that wasn't so much an issue, BUT it was a little something in the back of my mind.

OHHHHH...and the Never Settle bundle. I mean...I friggin LOVE crysis, and Bioshock...so that was just the sweetest icing on the cake.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majin662*
> 
> What it came down to was me prepping for the upcoming games / future. My options were adding another 680 and doing SLI or saving for a 690 or titan OR making the big change and come over to AMD.
> 
> 680 SLI is a beast that is true, but that 2GB framebuffer shows its face really quickly (i.e. MaldoHD for crysis 2 or Skyrim) when you start adding texture packs or high amounts of AA or more screens. The 690 seemed like the way to go except for the 4GB is in # only. Titan just baffles my brain. I seriously began questioning Nvidia when they released a 1k grphx card that performs 30-40% better than a 680 but doesn't touch a 690 or rather doesn't touch a 690 enough to justify also costing 1k dollars.
> 
> So then I began looking at AMD. What I found was more VRAM to play with (knowing vram is a debateable subject), similar, and in a lot of cases better performance, and better pricing.
> 
> The whole "next-gen" console thing is largely unknown right now as far as if everything will run better on AMD or not (not always the case right now even for "evolved" titles) so that wasn't so much an issue, BUT it was a little something in the back of my mind.
> 
> OHHHHH...and the Never Settle bundle. I mean...I friggin LOVE crysis, and Bioshock...so that was just the sweetest icing on the cake.


Yeah the games bundle is a pretty sweet deal. And I don't disagree with any of your points. But I would guess in 90% of games you will not notice a difference. If you want to go High end AMD this year i would hold out for the HD8000 series. Just my 2c.


----------



## Hokies83

I went from Sli 4GB 680s to Tri fire 7950s.


----------



## Stealth3si

I want to know if an AMD 960T OC'd to 4Ghz unlocked to 6 cores can keep up with Crysis 3 on "High" settings.

According to Tomshardware, AMD CPUs are unable to have 31+ FPS. No AMD CPU tested was above the 20's in min FPS and Nvidia seems to be favored in Crysis 3.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-6.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-8.html

This sucks big time. I should've done my research first.







I was looking forward to a new 7950 and it looks like I need at least a 7970 or better paired with an Intel i5 or better for a min of 31 FPS or higher.

But I have an AMD CPU question to 7950 owners, even though relatively every one here has an i5 or better.

*Do any of you have or had an AMD CPU and use(d) a single HD 7950 OC'd on air?*

What min and avg framerate are/were you getting in Crysis 3?

What are/were your following settings?

Detail Preset Level:
Texture Level:
Motion Blur:
Lens Flare:
SMAA:
AF:

I'd appreciate it because Thanks!


----------



## majin662

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah the games bundle is a pretty sweet deal. And I don't disagree with any of your points. But I would guess in 90% of games you will not notice a difference. If you want to go High end AMD this year i would hold out for the HD8000 series. Just my 2c.


I think you're definitely right about not noticing a difference in a 1v1 situation except for a few games like maybe Hitman and Sleeping Dogs. But it was a heck of a lot cheaper to do a crossfire setup than sli set up and that's where the other points really spoke up and sealed the deal. I thought about the hd8k series, but when it first launches I'm sure 7970 xfire will beat it and if need be a 3rd 7970 isn't out of the question.









But yeah, I see what you're saying.


----------



## Kynes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth3si*
> 
> I want to know if an AMD 960T OC'd to 4Ghz unlocked to 6 cores can keep up with Crysis 3 on "High" settings.
> 
> According to Tomshardware, AMD CPUs are unable to have 31+ FPS. No AMD CPU tested was above the 20's in min FPS and Nvidia seems to be favored in Crysis 3.
> 
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-6.html
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-8.html
> 
> This sucks big time. I should've done my research first.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was looking forward to a new 7950 and it looks like I need at least a 7970 or better paired with an Intel i5 or better for a min of 31 FPS or higher.
> 
> But I have an AMD CPU question to 7950 owners, even though relatively every one here has an i5 or better.
> 
> *Do any of you have or had an AMD CPU and use(d) a single HD 7950 OC'd on air?*
> 
> What min and avg framerate are/were you getting in Crysis 3?
> 
> What are/were your following settings?
> 
> Detail Preset Level:
> Texture Level:
> Motion Blur:
> Lens Flare:
> SMAA:
> AF:
> 
> I'd appreciate it because Thanks!


Have no problem running Crysis 3 at 60 fps here only time I saw dips(lowest i saw was 40+) was actually the end boss fight(only when he did a certain attack) and certain scenes like the start of the game but other then that pretty solid.

1080p High Setttings with Textures on Very High no AA.....tested Very High everything no AA and it still ran decent.

1090t @ 4ghz 3120 NB
7950 1100core 1500Memory


----------



## Stealth3si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kynes*
> 
> 1080p High Setttings with Textures on Very High no AA.....tested Very High everything no AA and it still ran decent.


Why don't you try enabling AA and reducing AF or another setting?


----------



## Kynes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth3si*
> 
> Why don't you try enabling AA and reducing AF or another setting?


Oh forgot to add i Use 16AF. Seems even with 2x AA the performance gets slammed. Dunno why, I'm being real here to with the 2x AA and no AA there was barely a difference for me and I hardly noticed jaggies on People or Scenes.

I'll try reducing AF and at least enable 2x AA see how it goes.

I dunno just tried it and was getting terrible fps. Don't know if I need to overclock more. Maybe something in the engine? Even with 2x AA and 16AF I was barely going over 2GB Vram sometimes not even going over. Also tried with reduced and no AF really didn't change much.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Uh... i'm lost?? Isn't that just below average?
> 
> Edit: Oh you're not Snuckie7
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , *i want to see his 7970 run 1200/1500 with only 1.112v*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for your VRM question you're safe between the 80-90c range. Don't let it go above 100c and try to get it lower


*with vdroop included?* Because i can do that for you. lol


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The only time you will see the voltage you input running on your cards is when your are at the desktop. Gpus are unlike cpus and mb because they cannot combat natural voltage droop. Droop happens due to load, that load is converting some of the voltage into waste heat. Each chip is different, some will dump more heat while others hold the voltage in, you know this phenomenon as the ASIC %.


Yes, there's some substantial vDroop because my GPU is not terribly efficient (low ASIC). The only way to combat it is to force constant voltage but GPUs heat up dramatically under such conditions so I avoid that. Ivy Bridge is similar on air where after a certain point (1.35-1.40v) adding more voltage only adds more heat, not more oc'ing headroom.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Uh... i'm lost?? Isn't that just below average?
> 
> Edit: Oh you're not Snuckie7
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , i want to see his 7970 run 1200/1500 with only 1.112v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for your VRM question you're safe between the 80-90c range. Don't let it go above 100c and try to get it lower


I have a 7950, but what kind of proof are we talking about? A screenshot with the voltage in Furmark or something?

And btw 1.112V is WITHOUT vDroop factored in. My voltage drops quite a bit more under load (still stable though).


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah the games bundle is a pretty sweet deal. And I don't disagree with any of your points. But I would guess in 90% of games you will not notice a difference. If you want to go High end AMD this year i would hold out for the HD8000 series. Just my 2c.


In Alan Wake, with it's MAX-FX engine, I really notice a difference with the 7970, even at 1920x1200. If you max out all the settings you will bury most GPUs. It's one game where I see substantial fps increases when overclocking the core. You may be waiting some time for the HD8000 series as AMD readies its contracts & supply chain for the console market. It looks like the 7900 series will have a presence in the market for a long time to come, and that means AMD's should be putting a lot of effort into driver development for the 7000 series.

http://bleedingedgegaming.wordpress.com/2013/03/02/amd-takes-the-console-gaming-market/
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20130123225745_AMD_Expects_Game_Consoles_to_Account_for_20_of_Revenue_This_Year.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/161172/AMD-Designing-Next-Gen-Playstation-s-GPU.html


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I have a 7950, but what kind of proof are we talking about? A screenshot with the voltage in Furmark or something?
> 
> And btw 1.112V is WITHOUT vDroop factored in. My voltage drops quite a bit more under load (still stable though).


Oh a 7950 yeah thats believable.. My 7970 with vdroop @ 1175v on trixx is exactly 1.12v XD works fine there.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> *with vdroop included?* Because i can do that for you. lol


What make/model 7970 are you running to achieve these great results? I couldn't get near those results, even on water!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> What make/model 7970 are you running to achieve these great results? I couldn't get near those results, even on water!


XD

7970


7950 this is the 2nd card on my crossfire so need to run fullscreen and get out from there and upload to gpu-z host quick


Trying furmark the closest i can get gpu usage wise 99%/90% with 1x1 crossfire profile..


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> It's one game where I see substantial fps increases when overclocking the core.


What do you mean? Overclocking CPU core or the core of the HD79xx ?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth3si*
> 
> I want to know if an AMD 960T OC'd to 4Ghz unlocked to 6 cores can keep up with Crysis 3 on "High" settings.
> 
> According to Tomshardware, AMD CPUs are unable to have 31+ FPS. No AMD CPU tested was above the 20's in min FPS and Nvidia seems to be favored in Crysis 3.
> 
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-6.html
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/crysis-3-performance-benchmark-gaming,3451-8.html
> 
> This sucks big time. I should've done my research first.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was looking forward to a new 7950 and it looks like I need at least a 7970 or better paired with an Intel i5 or better for a min of 31 FPS or higher.
> 
> But I have an AMD CPU question to 7950 owners, even though relatively every one here has an i5 or better.
> 
> *Do any of you have or had an AMD CPU and use(d) a single HD 7950 OC'd on air?*
> 
> What min and avg framerate are/were you getting in Crysis 3?
> 
> What are/were your following settings?
> 
> Detail Preset Level:
> Texture Level:
> Motion Blur:
> Lens Flare:
> SMAA:
> AF:
> 
> I'd appreciate it because Thanks!


have you seen this thread . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1364211/pclab-more-crysis-3-cpu-benchmarks

i am confused with your line of thought, though. first it was the cpu, then you shifted to the gpu. no single card can max out c3. i don't think even a titan can.


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> have you seen this thread . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1364211/pclab-more-crysis-3-cpu-benchmarks
> 
> i am confused with your line of thought, though. first it was the cpu, then you shifted to the gpu. no single card can max out c3. i don't think even a titan can.


Maxing out C3 is different for everybody... To you or someone else it may be OVERKILL 8xMSAA + 16xAF + Very High at 2560x1600 @ 60 FPS.

Well, mine doesn't include 8xMSAA, for the difference between 2xMSAA and 8xMSAA takes a magnifying glass to even tell the difference on a 27 inch 2560x1440 screen. So why kill performance so much for a VERY SLIGHT improvement in edges?

It's different if we're talking about lower resolutions, but the higher we go in resolutions like 1440p and above, the more AA becomes redundant because there's so many pixels to begin with. We should be doing higher resolutions instead of more AA in the first place.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> Maxing out C3 is different for everybody... To you or someone else it may be OVERKILL 8xMSAA + 16xAF + Very High at 2560x1600 @ 60 FPS.
> 
> Well, mine doesn't include 8xMSAA, for the difference between 2xMSAA and 8xMSAA takes a magnifying glass to even tell the difference on a 27 inch 2560x1440 screen. So why kill performance so much for a VERY SLIGHT improvement in edges?
> 
> It's different if we're talking about lower resolutions, but the higher we go in resolutions like 1440p and above, the more AA becomes redundant because there's so many pixels to begin with. We should be doing higher resolutions instead of more AA in the first place.


Honestly i dont see the point running other than fxaa for res like 1440P and up...
Thats why im anxious for 4k tvs to be more accessible to the general public without the premium price..
Im having a blast downscaling from 1440/1530P to 1080P It looks just awesome no aa needed at all.


----------



## Daffie82

What is the general idea here about hardware acceleration in firefox in combination with HD7950/7970 ?
Using latest FF 19.02 by the way.
Should I disable or enable hardware acceleration ? (running card at stock when browsing)

Reason I ask is that some pages are behaving quite odd...
Look at this screenshot for example... Look at the bar below


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> Maxing out C3 is different for everybody... To you or someone else it may be OVERKILL 8xMSAA + 16xAF + Very High at 2560x1600 @ 60 FPS.
> 
> Well, mine doesn't include 8xMSAA, for the difference between 2xMSAA and 8xMSAA takes a magnifying glass to even tell the difference on a 27 inch 2560x1440 screen. So why kill performance so much for a VERY SLIGHT improvement in edges?
> 
> It's different if we're talking about lower resolutions, but the higher we go in resolutions like 1440p and above, the more AA becomes redundant because there's so many pixels to begin with. We should be doing higher resolutions instead of more AA in the first place.


i was basing it on Stealth sig. i have not played c3 but i did the beta. even with my i7 at 4.5GHz and the 7950 (at stock though) i had to set things to High and 4MSAA to maintain minimum fps above 40. i am not going the fxaa route.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What is the general idea here about hardware acceleration in firefox in combination with HD7950/7970 ?
> Using latest FF 19.02 by the way.
> Should I disable or enable hardware acceleration ? (running card at stock when browsing)
> 
> Reason I ask is that some pages are behaving quite odd...
> Look at this screenshot for example... Look at the bar below


I always disable HWA. The forums quirks are cuz they be doing some tweaking to it, not because of HWA.


----------



## Stealth3si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> have you seen this thread . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1364211/pclab-more-crysis-3-cpu-benchmarks


nope?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i am confused with your line of thought, though. first it was the cpu, then you shifted to the gpu. no single card can max out c3. i don't think even a titan can.


i know.

Correct me if I'm wrong, "HIGH" settings isn't maximum settings where all details and features and resolutions are maxed out. I hope that changes your understanding of my original question if the CPU/GPU can play C3 @ HIGH settings.

BTW, what would you consider HIGH settings as opposed to VERY HIGH?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Honestly i dont see the point running other than fxaa for res like 1440P and up...
> Thats why im anxious for 4k tvs to be more accessible to the general public without the premium price..
> Im having a blast downscaling from 1440/1530P to 1080P It looks just awesome no aa needed at all.


are you being sarcastic?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I always disable HWA. The forums quirks are cuz they be doing some tweaking to it, not because of HWA.


Thanks for the response.
Who is doing some tweaking to it by the way?
FYI : not having this forum quirk when browsing with IE9


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth3si*
> 
> nope?
> i know.
> 
> "HIGH" settings isn't maximum settings.
> are you being sarcastic?


i have a 7970 on the way and i will pair it to my 960. after i get my c3 i'll pm you my results. my 960 can do 4.4GHz hex and game, though. i'll try 4GH hex with the 7970 at stock.

edit: sorry, idk why the words maxing out crossed my mind.and, yes, High setting is not maxed. maxed for 1080 is Ultra and 8MSAA, which is not going to happen with a single card.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth3si*
> 
> are you being sarcastic?


why im sarcastic? im talking about AA...

You guys really freaking play video games at all?

Why i would turn AA on those resolutions give me a good reason...


----------



## Stealth3si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i have a 7970 on the way and i will pair it to my 960. after i get my c3 i'll pm you my results. my 960 can do 4.4GHz hex and game, though. i'll try 4GH hex with the 7970 at stock.
> 
> edit: sorry, idk why the words maxing out crossed my mind.and, yes, High setting is not maxed.


Cool! thanks can't wait to get your results via PM!

are you OC on air??
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> why im sarcastic? im talking about AA...
> 
> You guys really freaking play video games at all?
> 
> Why i would turn AA on those resolutions give me a good reason...


Which AA are you refering to?

Don't 1080p need AA to compensate for lack of pixels?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth3si*
> 
> Cool! thanks can't wait to get your results via PM!
> 
> are you OC on air??
> Which AA are you refering to?
> 
> Don't 1080p need AA to compensate for lack of pixels?


HuH?
You are downscaling the game from a higher resolution to 1080P...
Its like enabling AA on regular 1080P but the perf hit its not that huge...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stealth3si*
> 
> Cool! thanks can't wait to get your results via PM!
> 
> are you OC on air??
> Which AA are you refering to?
> 
> Don't 1080p need AA to compensate for lack of pixels?


my zosma is under water. i checked the shipping status and my card won't be here not till late
Friday.


----------



## Hokies83

I have 2 Monitors one is 2560x1440 IPS which i play my non FPS games on rpg / etc.

Other is a 120hz panel that i demand games run at 120fps on why i needs the GPU powwa 2 680s could not run everything at 120fps.


----------



## lucas.vulcan

CASE : CM HAF XB
MOTHERBOARD : ASUS SABERTOTH 990FX R2.0
CPU : AMD FX-8350 8cores @ 4600GHz WC
RAM : Patriot Viper Extreme 16GB DDR3-1866
GPU : SAPPHIRE Crossfire HD 7970 @ 1125/1575 WC
SSD : ADATA SX 900 128GB
HDD : Seagate Barracuda 1TO (jeux), Seagate Barracuda 1TO (etc.)
KEYBOARD : G510
MICE : G500
HEADSET : G35

bon retour sur un autre mod, avec comme boitier un HAF XB et 6 fans typhoon et un crossfire 7970 et un petit 8cores le FX-8350






gpu CROSSFIRE HD 7970 mod SAPPHIRE DUAL X water cooled to a ANTEC 920 and Corsair H55


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucas.vulcan*
> 
> CASE : CM HAF XB
> MOTHERBOARD : ASUS SABERTOTH 990FX R2.0
> CPU : AMD FX-8350 8cores @ 4600GHz WC
> RAM : Patriot Viper Extreme 16GB DDR3-1866
> GPU : SAPPHIRE Crossfire HD 7970 @ 1125/1575 WC
> SSD : ADATA SX 900 128GB
> HDD : Seagate Barracuda 1TO (jeux), Seagate Barracuda 1TO (etc.)
> KEYBOARD : G510
> MICE : G500
> HEADSET : G35
> 
> bon retour sur un autre mod, avec comme boitier un HAF XB et 6 fans typhoon et un crossfire 7970 et un petit 8cores le FX-8350
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> gpu CROSSFIRE HD 7970 mod SAPPHIRE DUAL X water cooled to a ANTEC 920 and Corsair H55


I have never seen so many AIO systems in one case.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Been overclocking my MSI 7950. Whatcha guys think?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Been overclocking my MSI 7950. Whatcha guys think?


Awesome clock on the core. Have you tried upping the memory? Is it bench tested yet cuz the render test is a very light load?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Awesome clock on the core. Have you tried upping the memory? Is it bench tested yet cuz the render test is a very light load?


How high do I want the memory to go before it's not worth it? I'm trying to figure out what to use to test it, don't really have any games installed.

edit: Downloading Heaven now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Awesome clock on the core. Have you tried upping the memory? Is it bench tested yet cuz the render test is a very light load?
> 
> 
> 
> How high do I want the memory to go before it's not worth it? I'm trying to figure out what to use to test it, don't really have any games installed.
> 
> edit: Downloading Heaven now.
Click to expand...

Heaven is a good start, then Valley. Between those two, Heaven is hard on your cpu and Valley is hard on the gpus. Then I'd download the 3dmark freebies, Just Cause 2 has a downloadable demo with bench, hmm oh AVP too.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I have a 7950, but what kind of proof are we talking about? A screenshot with the voltage in Furmark or something?
> 
> And btw 1.112V is WITHOUT vDroop factored in. My voltage drops quite a bit more under load (still stable though).


are you saying that in your overclocking software your voltage is 1.112v? That is what you locked it at? And that you`re running 1200/1600 on that, probably lower with vdroop?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> are you saying that in your overclocking software your voltage is 1.112v? That is what you locked it at? And that you`re running 1200/1600 on that, probably lower with vdroop?


Precisely. (except 1200/1500)

VCore is set to 1.112V in Afterburner. Depending on the game I see a vDroop of about 70-80mV.


----------



## Hokies83

So are all these new Boost state 7950 voltage locked at 1.25v?

If so how do you go about unlocking that?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Precisely. (except 1200/1500)
> 
> VCore is set to 1.112V in Afterburner. Depending on the game I see a vDroop of about 70-80mV.


wow. Nice







what's your ASIC quality?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So are all these new Boost state 7950 voltage locked at 1.25v?
> 
> If so how do you go about unlocking that?


I had to check "Force constant voltage" in Afterburner to get my voltage to adjust.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> wow. Nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what's your ASIC quality?


It's decently high. 89.7%


----------



## Panatrix

Hi.

Thanks for replying to my issue. I've tried pulling the battery out of the motherboard and left it out for 5 mins before putting it back in to hard reset it. This still has not done anything :/ I still just get the black screen infinite restart loop when I have installed the Radeon HD driver.

Do you think it's my motherboard, VGA hardware or just my VGA in general?

Thanks again.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> It's decently high. 89.7%


Hey snuckie, can you report VRM power out?

I've compared my power usage with another forum member [glina] and even though I run [email protected] and they run [email protected]*8*7v, my power usage is higher. ASICs are basically the same, too. [He has 87.0%, I have 86.8%].

Wondering if this is just an exception or if you have the same sort of thing going on.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Hey snuckie, can you report VRM power out?
> 
> I've compared my power usage with another forum member [glina] and even though I run [email protected] and they run [email protected]*8*7v, my power usage is higher. ASICs are basically the same, too. [He has 87.0%, I have 86.8%].
> 
> Wondering if this is just an exception or if you have the same sort of thing going on.


Think that may trickle down to how good/Strong the PSU is?


----------



## Stealth3si

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> my zosma is under water. i checked the shipping status and my card won't be here not till late
> Friday.


My 7950 won't be here until late Friday too.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Been overclocking my MSI 7950. Whatcha guys think?


Very nice, but why pw limit left at zero?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Very nice, but why pw limit left at zero?


He doesn't seem to know much about what he is doing when looking at his screenshot.

Power limit at 0
Using GPU-Z render test lol

I wanna see him run anything without trottling lol


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *psikeiro*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by Hokies83
> 
> Damn after rebates promo codes and selling crysis 3 / bio shock ima end up getting these 3x 7950 boost Ed for like 180$ each lol.
> 
> Then All have 300$ is water blocks and 40$ in fittings.
> 
> sooo...
> 
> 3 Water cooled 7950s for.... $880 Absolute Destruction of 1.149$ Titan... Priceless...
> 
> 
> 
> 2 7950s are already enough to surpass a titan, easily.
Click to expand...

Enough I say! I just bought a 7950, but you guys are really tempting me to go out and buy another one!







But then I will need another water block, and after that another radiator, but then I will probably want to put it on a separate loop so I will get me another D5 pump but then I will probably have some extra cooling capacity, so I will want to add another 7950. Eventually I might end up with a monster rig like Hokies83! Arrrgh! Does it ever stop?









Just teasing you Hokie83







These 7950's seem to be really good overclockers. I just scored 52.7 FPS on the Unigine Valley benchmark, and am still fairly new at this:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> He doesn't seem to know much about what he is doing when looking at his screenshot.
> 
> Power limit at 0
> Using GPU-Z render test lol
> 
> I wanna see him run anything without trottling lol


The latest OCCT PT beta with PowerPlay disabled (using Afterburner) is something I dare other overclockers with "stable" clocks to try.


----------



## Hokies83

Got my Last 7950 in the mail today after waiting almost 3 weeks for it to get here...

Putting on the thermal pads now..


----------



## SortOfGrim

The Narrow Line ATI HD 7970 B Matrix FWB arrived!


----------



## Coree

I'm about to buy these for my VTX3D HD7950, because the lack of VRM1 and VRAM cooling:
http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/accessories/118/vr005.html
Yeah no support for HD79XX series, but the RAM modules are the same size nearly on all nowaday GPU's, so the heatsinks will fit. Secondly, this set includes small VRM heatsinks, and they fit too. Should i then apply MX-4, or the substance which comes with the set?


----------



## Newbie2009

How is afterburner these days with the 7970? Improved at all?


----------



## MikeG

Pics of my new MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Boost Edition with the heat sink removed:


----------



## SkateZilla

Still debating on What im gonna do with my Personal System (Chevron11), I need to Upgrade the PSU first, but debating on whether or not I want to XFire the 7950 with 7970/7950 or Just get a 7970 and hold the 7950 as a backup card.

Heat is an issue in the summer.


----------



## Hokies83

Getting closer...

Now to hook them up and wait 3 days to get the air out of my loop lol


----------



## SkateZilla

I wonder if I Can Take the Water Block, and AIO Loop from the Artic Cooler, Throw the Fan and heatsinks back in the Box, and Mount the Waterblock in Combination with the Switchtech Full Cover heatsink


----------



## mush332

Anyone else have problems with the sapphire 7950 boost? My screen flashes every so often n stuff gets distorted


----------



## scubadiver59

Don't give me any ideas...I just purchased two of those cards (new) for folding yesterday. I don't need to spend any more money!!!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Pics of my new MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Boost Edition with the heat sink removed:


----------



## ElectroGeek007

I am looking to buy another 7950 to run in Crossfire with my current one, and I have a few questions:

The current version of the Gigabyte 7950 is reported by some as being voltage locked. Is this a hardware lock, or can I flash a different BIOS to the card and unlock it? My current card runs at 1000 Mhz on 1.019v in Afterburner.

My current card has a high-number ASIC (I believe it is 87% or 88%). Would a card with a vastly lower ASIC percentage, as I have heard that the newer Gigabyte cards have, present issues in overclocking dual cards?

And lastly, will my current power supply (this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153136) be sufficient for decently overclocking dual 7950s?

Thanks for your help.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElectroGeek007*
> 
> I am looking to buy another 7950 to run in Crossfire with my current one, and I have a few questions:
> 
> The current version of the Gigabyte 7950 is reported by some as being voltage locked. Is this a hardware lock, or can I flash a different BIOS to the card and unlock it? My current card runs at 1000 Mhz on 1.019v in Afterburner.
> 
> My current card has a high-number ASIC (I believe it is 87% or 88%). Would a card with a vastly lower ASIC percentage, as I have heard that the newer Gigabyte cards have, present issues in overclocking dual cards?
> 
> And lastly, will my current power supply (this one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153136) be sufficient for decently overclocking dual 7950s?
> 
> Thanks for your help.


As long as they are both 7950s, to reduce stutter and stuff run them at the same clocks (GPU and MEM), dont matter what the ASIC and Voltages are.

as for PSU, 56A on 12v Rail, I'd be skeptical.


----------



## Hokies83

filling loop atm.


----------



## Nonehxc

...With tasty cold beer


----------



## Kynes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Pics of my new MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Boost Edition with the heat sink removed:


Yeah just got one of those myself.
Whats your ASIC on that?

Mine is 65.6% but it still seems to clock well was just curios.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> What do you mean? Overclocking CPU core or the core of the HD79xx ?


The 7970 GPU core


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I always disable HWA. The forums quirks are cuz they be doing some tweaking to it, not because of HWA.


Same quirks here, whether HWA is enabled or not.

As a side note, the latest 13.2 Cat driver displays artifacts when scrolling through the Bookmark Sidebar in FF. Of course, it is a beta driver.


----------



## tsm106

I'm thinking of selling some golden sapphire 7970 oc cards, two to be exact. They clock to 1330/1900 on water and 1250/1900 on air. Anyone interested?


----------



## TeeBlack

Just curious what are good gpu blocks for the 7950. i was looking EK, Heatkiller, and Swiftech Komodo. Any suggestions as im a noob to this. i would like to stay away from universal kits if possible.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kynes*
> 
> Yeah just got one of those myself.
> Whats your ASIC on that?
> 
> Mine is 65.6% but it still seems to clock well was just curios.


How is the ASIC score calculated? Does it have any real merit? My card seems to do really well, I got 52.7 on Unigine Valley, but my ASIC score is only 60.6%.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on the bios. If you have a boost card, asic is pretty much meaningless. How asic is normally determined is by the natural voltage a wafer will run at. This voltage isn't determined by the bios but by the actual leakage of the chip, or vice versa. That's how gpuz reads it. The voltage a reference card runs at = some calculation = asic %.
> 
> However, all that was thrown out the window with the boost/ghz bios. These boost bios are manually set to 1.25v so gpuz will read all the boost cards as low.


Thanks for the explanaition (+ rep). I feel much better now because I do have a boost card, but with a low ASIC score. I was beginning to have a bad case of ASIC envy.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> How is the ASIC score calculated? Does it have any real merit? My card seems to do really well, I got 52.7 on Unigine Valley, but my ASIC score is only 60.6%.


It has no real meaning or relation to overclockability of a card.


----------



## Kynes

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on the bios. If you have a boost card, asic is pretty much meaningless. How asic is normally determined is by the natural voltage a wafer will run at. This voltage isn't determined by the bios but by the actual leakage of the chip, or vice versa. That's how gpuz reads it. The voltage a reference card runs at = some calculation = asic %.
> 
> However, all that was thrown out the window with the boost/ghz bios. These boost bios are manually set to 1.25v so gpuz will read all the boost cards as low.


Okay that's what I thought I was just curios. Thanks for the info.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Think that may trickle down to how good/Strong the PSU is?


Eh, I dont see why it would - although Im not an expert. The card would draw how much power is needed no matter the strength of the PSU, would it not? If it cant draw enough [overload protection], then it shuts down.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on the bios. If you have a boost card, asic is pretty much meaningless. How asic is normally determined is by the natural voltage a wafer will run at. This voltage isn't determined by the bios but by the actual leakage of the chip, or vice versa. That's how gpuz reads it. The voltage a reference card runs at = some calculation = asic %.
> 
> However, all that was thrown out the window with the boost/ghz bios. These boost bios are manually set to 1.25v so gpuz will read all the boost cards as low.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the explanaition (+ rep). I feel much better now because I do have a boost card, but with a low ASIC score. I was beginning to have a bad case of ASIC envy.
Click to expand...

I actually prefer lower cards, around 75% is my sweet spot because I feed the max voltage that I can under water. High asic cards have a hard time leaking out the excess voltage, which is a safety measure actually. Since we have a finite amount of voltage at our disposal, I find that 75% give or take gives me the most useable balance. Since a very high leak chip will want an awful lot more voltage and because we are limited in voltage, very low asic is not ideal as are very high asic. Somewhere in the middle is perfecto. Also, something beyond asic % lies golden cards, which are gold regardless of the asic. They're just natural badasses and cannot be contained with an asic %. Lemme wrap this up with by mentioning that this is my opinion. Your findings may be different.


----------



## Stige

58.1%, runs a lot better than the 93% one I had that couldn't break 1100 on core no matter what.

Atleast this does 1200/1475 (Don't use Trixx because of awful custom fan control so no memory voltage controls) with 1275mV on Core and temps never break low 70s.


----------



## majin662

card 1 is out for delivery ...wooooot wooot. Sapphire 7970 OC with Boost. gtx 680 is sold...and shipped....wait a few days for buyer satisfaction....then card 2 is on it's way. But now I'm kind of torn. Stick with 2 of the exact same card for stability....or crossbreed a dual fan with a rear exhaust type card. Thoughts?????


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I actually prefer lower cards, around 75% is my sweet spot because I feed the max voltage that I can under water. High asic cards have a hard time leaking out the excess voltage, which is a safety measure actually. Since we have a finite amount of voltage at our disposal, I find that 75% give or take gives me the most useable balance. Since a very high leak chip will want an awful lot more voltage and because we are limited in voltage, very low asic is not ideal as are very high asic. Somewhere in the middle is perfecto. Also, something beyond asic % lies golden cards, which are gold regardless of the asic. They're just natural badasses and cannot be contained with an asic %. Lemme wrap this up with by mentioning that this is my opinion. Your findings may be different.


do not forget the skill and knowledge of the person overclocking the card. other resources come to the picture such as available funds.


----------



## Stige

Weird ****en issue... And annoying as hell..

Basicly a while back when I changed something around I noticed that my VGA Led was on when I booted and no display, riiiight...
After some swapping around on different PCI-E slots etc on the GPU, I finaly got it to boot and it works absolutely fine when it gets started up and running.

So I got my new PSU today swapped it in and same issue again...

First I got it to boot at the third PCI-E slot but that only showed x4 2.0.
After some trying, I got it to boot on the second PCI-E slot that I'm now posting from, x8 3.0 currently.

I think it might be some excess thermal paste I got around the chips around the GPU core that I'm having trouble fully getting off, any tips on how I should try and clean the chips around the GPU core from all the thermal paste?

Will try to hassle again and boot on the top slot for that x16...


----------



## Stige

To add to myself: I think it might have been something to do with my BCLK being at 104.1MHz because if I used to BIOS reset switch on the MOBO it booted straight up, tried this a few times.

Dropped down to 102x50 now for 5.1GHz instead of 104.1x49.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

New 13.3 Beta 2 drivers
Interesting...


----------



## Nonehxc

That's a pretty stable frame delivery in CF. Guess we should visit Nvidia forums to laugh a bit, soon the only thing they'll have to throw around will be "...but...but it cost 1000$!!It's more expensive, therefore better!!".


----------



## SkateZilla

GTX Titan cant beat any 7900 Series Card in Xfire (or 7870XT),

A Sapphire 6GB Vapor X at 1200 and1700 can easily trade blows with the titan.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> That's a pretty stable frame delivery in CF. Guess we should visit Nvidia forums to laugh a bit, soon the only thing they'll have to throw around will be "...but...but it cost 1000$!!It's more expensive, therefore better!!".


Thats on SP,it would be a wilder graph on mp as the frames are not constant specially on 64player maps..
Thats when you see wild graphs..

This is a 2x3min recordings


Also was trying crysis 3 and it feels alot smoother at least to me...

According to pcper this is what you should getting on single player


----------



## Nonehxc

As for frame latency, I've never suffered any perceptible form of that or of that pesky stuttering/microstuttering, so I can't say anything about that. I´m replaying Crysis 3 and Tomb Raider it sure feels smoother on my humble 7950









Hope this butter smooth drivers are top notch when Bioshock Infinite arrives, cause that's a game


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> As for frame latency, I've never suffered any perceptible form of that or of that pesky stuttering/microstuttering, so I can't say anything about that. I´m replaying Crysis 3 and Tomb Raider it sure feels smoother on my humble 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hope this butter smooth drivers are top notch when Bioshock Infinite arrives, cause that's a game


Looking at pcper screencaps i try to mimic the benchmark path.. Its hard to test without a definitive tool that loads the same thing over and over again and nothing changes like a benchmark for example..

So looking at this picture


I did my own "same path"

So i load the level this way and did the same test 3 times...

start benchmark in this order
Soldiers on The Truck/ They get down/They walk the streets/First word of the sergeant on the alley
end benchmark/ end capturing frametimes

This is what i got here
same setup no AA, same res as pcper and everything to the max on the game..


Looking at the graph and my avg, lows and highs as well... Well i bet you pcper was using adaptive vsync which makes all their tests invalid...

Do amd suffer from stuttering and frame times? Yes. Do pcper needs to make graphs up?
I dont know whats under the table..


----------



## Nonehxc

That's quite a bit of improvement from Pcper bench. Seems those latency issues are getting hammered real hard, from pcper bench that isn't capable of getting to 5ms , to yours sitting comfortably in it









This driver still hasn't got anything about that memory management rewrite and just plain driver rework, right? Promising seems low for what future driver releases hold for us


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Another continuos run after they talk to the sergeant till the part of one of the soldiers that get shot by the sniper same stage..

Frames, Time (ms), Min, Max, Avg
34745, 196358, 104, 201, 176.947


Last run, but this time with 4xAA to the part they blow up the sniper on the building with the rocket launcher..


----------



## Hokies83

Hmm at what MS are you able to start to notice stuttering?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

same settings ultra with 4xaa
Single

CrossX


i see quite and improvement compared to this test.. with no Anti Aliasing at all...


shame i cant manage to run dynamic vsync on radeonpro as im having problems this time trying to run both fraps/radeonpro at the same time..
That would do the nvidia vsync trick and ends of story...

Frametimes is everything about running at a constant frame rate most of all..


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> same settings ultra with 4xaa
> Single
> 
> CrossX
> 
> 
> i see quite and improvement compared to this test.. with no Anti Aliasing at all...
> 
> 
> shame i cant manage to run dynamic vsync on radeonpro as im having problems this time trying to run both fraps/radeonpro at the same time..
> That would do the nvidia vsync trick and ends of story...
> 
> Frametimes is everything about running at a constant frame rate most of all..


The biggest issue I see are all of the 0ms frames. Trust me, there are specific instances in game where the 0ms is very noticeable and that is at 120fps+. It is one thing to get max ms frames under control and another to prevent stacked frames.

For fraps, try disabling api compatibility in rp and see if that helps. I have trouble running ab osd with rp and have to turn off api compatibility in ab(but then I get no osd







, thank goodness for my g13's screen)


----------



## roudabout6

i got my motherboard back from a RMA and now I dont get any input signal from my Sapphire 7950 Flex to my three monitors. I really confused and cant figure it out


----------



## rdr09

Got my 7970 today and played BF3 right after installing it with beta 6. Noshahr Canals TDM 64-man server, PIIX6 4GHz and 7970 stock. Setting: 1080 Ultra, 4MSAA



I'll try 4.3 or 4.4GHz and see if my minimum will go higher but it is so smooth as it is. BTW, the gpu comes with unlocked voltage.

edit: here are more benchmarks . . .







just want to share.


----------



## Stealth3si

@rdr09

glad to see you got your 7970 up and running!

however I'm too busy to test my 7950 this week.

can u test C3 when you get a chance?

remember
Quote:


> I want to know if an AMD 960T OC'd to 4Ghz unlocked to 6 cores can keep up with Crysis 3 on "High" settings.
> 
> What min and avg framerate are you getting?
> 
> What are/were your following settings?
> 
> Detail Preset Level:
> Texture Level:
> Motion Blur:
> Lens Flare:
> SMAA:
> AF:


TIA!


----------



## Gangsterjoe

can you crossfire any 7970 card .I have a xfx 7970 core edition and was thinking of getting a xfx 7970 black edition for crossfire


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gangsterjoe*
> 
> can you crossfire any 7970 card .I have a xfx 7970 core edition and was thinking of getting a xfx 7970 black edition for crossfire


Yes you can mix and match Crossfire any two 7970's . You can also CF a 7970 with a 7990 or a 7950.


----------



## Gangsterjoe

cool . Thanks


----------



## th3illusiveman

zGunBLADEz those are pretty bad charts.... nothing to be impressed about. See your singe card chart? *THAT* is what you want something as close to a line as possible not the awful CFX cloud you have in your other charts. That is what reviewers complain about. Denying the problem exists only hurts our gaming experience.

The only reason you're seeing smooth performance is because your monitor is 60hz (16.7ms), and your CFX is pumping enough raw FPS to stay under that, so even when you get that awful cloud you don't notice it because of the CFx speed. That's great and all, *for you* but if some other dude was running 2 7870s at the same resolution and he had the same cloud but at a higher latency (say 25-30ms) it would be an unenjoyable stuttery experience for him where as someone with 2 GTX660Ti's would be getting slightly lower FPS but a smoother gameplay experience because their charts would resemble a line more than it would a cloud.

AMD has faster cards and they pump out faster FPS, when they get their drivers in check you should see them get better frametimes then Nvidia because it all points to the drivers no matter how you look at it.


----------



## Menthol

I just purchased 2 7970 Lightning GHZ cards off ebay and Installed EK blocks on them, how can I unlock the voltage from the max in AB? I haven't been able to get a hold of myy msi rep that suppllied ABX in the past
I have been running 680's and haven't had an AMD card since 5870's and am a little confused.
I would greatly appreciate any help
Thanks


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> zGunBLADEz those are pretty bad charts.... nothing to be impressed about. See your singe card chart? *THAT* is what you want something as close to a line as possible not the awful CFX cloud you have in your other charts. That is what reviewers complain about. Denying the problem exists only hurts our gaming experience.
> 
> The only reason you're seeing smooth performance is because your monitor is 60hz (16.7ms), and your CFX is pumping enough raw FPS to stay under that, so even when you get that awful cloud you don't notice it because of the CFx speed. That's great and all, *for you* but if some other dude was running 2 7870s at the same resolution and he had the same cloud but at a higher latency (say 25-30ms) it would be an unenjoyable stuttery experience for him where as someone with 2 GTX660Ti's would be getting slightly lower FPS but a smoother gameplay experience because their charts would resemble a line more than it would a cloud.
> 
> AMD has faster cards and they pump out faster FPS, when they get their drivers in check you should see them get better frametimes then Nvidia because it all points to the drivers no matter how you look at it.


who's denying frame rate issues here? I'm just pointing out something. Food for tought.

Ill bet you if I manage to run dynamic vsync the frame times would be even better like the ones I posted on the pcper topic. An straight beautiful constant line.

If you guys want everything chew on the plate by amd good luck on the waiting list.

Myself I took actions as soon I manage to cap my frames.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> who's denying frame rate issues here? I'm just pointing out something. Food for tought.
> 
> Ill bet you if I manage to run dynamic vsync the frame times would be even better like the ones I posted on the pcper topic. An straight beautiful constant line.
> 
> If you guys want everything chew on the plate by amd good luck on the waiting list.
> 
> Myself I took actions as soon I manage to cap my frames.


so what you're saying is we should go out of our way to download a third party product just so our cards can hopefully run the same as the competitors? Why is expecting a billion dollar company to fix their product waiting for "everything chewed on the plate by amd" . It's broken, they should fix it. Nothing unreasonable about that.

Oh and radeon pro is an unstable software which crashes alot of games.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> so what you're saying is we should go out of our way to download a third party product just so our cards can hopefully run the same as the competitors? Why is expecting a billion dollar company to fix their product waiting for "everything chewed on the plate by amd" . It's broken, they should fix it. Nothing unreasonable about that.
> 
> Oh and radeon pro is an unstable software which crashes alot of games.


I dont have too many problems with radeon pro itself been using it for awhile...

*I also want amd to fix the issue* until then theres a solution to those frametimes and the people complaining about it..
You people talk about frame times like it is a new thing and only is the amd cards i mean look around lol...

People who play games on pc specially on amd gpus find their problems solved long time ago in games like skyrim/fall out 3/new vegas to name a few...

This is not a new thing and go figures it is the most popular now...

Heres one of those old reads from 2003
http://www.mvps.org/directx/articles/fps_versus_frame_time.htm


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Menthol*
> 
> I just purchased 2 7970 Lightning GHZ cards off ebay and Installed EK blocks on them, how can I unlock the voltage from the max in AB? I haven't been able to get a hold of myy msi rep that suppllied ABX in the past
> I have been running 680's and haven't had an AMD card since 5870's and am a little confused.
> I would greatly appreciate any help
> Thanks


Without abx, max is 1.35v in ab using uom.

Hey, can you please let me know if you get a hold of abx, I have tied to get a copy but no luck


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> so what you're saying is we should go out of our way to download a third party product just so our cards can hopefully run the same as the competitors? Why is expecting a billion dollar company to fix their product waiting for "everything chewed on the plate by amd" . It's broken, they should fix it. Nothing unreasonable about that.
> 
> Oh and radeon pro is an unstable software which crashes alot of games.


if its any consolation, amd provides the creator of rp with code and hardware to produce the program. He actually just got 2 monitors for eyefinity testing. So amd is most definitely looking over his shoulder and working to fix these issues.

Rp is a great tool for more than just fixing frame times. If you use sweetfx injectors or want to use smaa and other AA products, nothing can beat rp.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Menthol*
> 
> I just purchased 2 7970 Lightning GHZ cards off ebay and Installed EK blocks on them, how can I unlock the voltage from the max in AB? I haven't been able to get a hold of myy msi rep that suppllied ABX in the past
> I have been running 680's and haven't had an AMD card since 5870's and am a little confused.
> I would greatly appreciate any help
> Thanks


You had 2.2.3 ABX that worked with the 680 Lightnings right? The same one should work fine for the 7970 Lightning, it's the one I've been using for both cards.


----------



## Menthol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> You had 2.2.3 ABX that worked with the 680 Lightnings right? The same one should work fine for the 7970 Lightning, it's the one I've been using for both cards.


Yes I do, I notice the latest AB has the unofficial overclock, and disable ULPS, available, I guess I just accomplish those manually, disabling ULPS in reg is easy enough, I guess I am just confused coming from Nvidia.
Thnnks FTW


----------



## Menthol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Without abx, max is 1.35v in ab using uom.
> 
> Hey, can you please let me know if you get a hold of abx, I have tied to get a copy but no luck


Even if you get a copy you cannot share it. I have a copy already, mostly want to learn any other tweaks that mmay be available.


----------



## toolio20

Need some advice...I just got a 7950 (Sapphire 11196-16-20G) and I'm trying to get the most out of it.

The card is really pretty fantastic except for one glaring problem, the voltage. Now, I know Vdroop was discussed earlier in this thread and that some voltage shaving is to be expected, but I'm getting some pretty heinous results. For example, if I set the voltage to 1.3v GPU-Z registers about 1.293v at idle. However, once I fire up a benchmark or game GPU-Z shows an immediate drop to 1.250 with a steady decrease to about 1.235 as the final long-term voltage value.

Is this "normal" or am I right in thinking I need to RMA this sucker ASAP? I mean, 1.23v on a 7950 just seems like a slap in the face, we're talking a measly 0.01v increase over a 7850! Despite the ASIC quality being quite low (61%) the card hits 1150/1600 effortlessly at 1.23v - could ASIC have anything to do with the extreme vdroop issue? Legit feedback is greatly appreciated.

Oh, i5 2500K, MSI Z77A-G45, CM SilentPro 700W, Trixx 4.6 for OC, temps never above 65C.


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Need some advice...I just got a 7950 (Sapphire 11196-16-20G) and I'm trying to get the most out of it.
> 
> The card is really pretty fantastic except for one glaring problem, the voltage. Now, I know Vdroop was discussed earlier in this thread and that some voltage shaving is to be expected, but I'm getting some pretty heinous results. For example, if I set the voltage to 1.3v GPU-Z registers about 1.293v at idle. However, once I fire up a benchmark or game GPU-Z shows an immediate drop to 1.250 with a steady decrease to about 1.235 as the final long-term voltage value.
> 
> Is this "normal" or am I right in thinking I need to RMA this sucker ASAP? I mean, 1.23v on a 7950 just seems like a slap in the face, we're talking a measly 0.01v increase over a 7850! Despite the ASIC quality being quite low (61%) the card hits 1150/1600 effortlessly at 1.23v - could ASIC have anything to do with the extreme vdroop issue? Legit feedback is greatly appreciated.
> 
> Oh, i5 2500K, MSI Z77A-G45, CM SilentPro 700W, Trixx 4.6 for OC, temps never above 65C.


I'm at same boat. Just got Msi r7950 boost edition voltage is locked at 1.25v all boost edition are locked to 1.25v I think................... and i can push 1200/1600 more the that it not stable maybe need other bios.............................









Or try sapphire Trixx


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Need some advice...I just got a 7950 (Sapphire 11196-16-20G) and I'm trying to get the most out of it.
> 
> The card is really pretty fantastic except for one glaring problem, the voltage. Now, I know Vdroop was discussed earlier in this thread and that some voltage shaving is to be expected, but I'm getting some pretty heinous results. For example, if I set the voltage to 1.3v GPU-Z registers about 1.293v at idle. However, once I fire up a benchmark or game GPU-Z shows an immediate drop to 1.250 with a steady decrease to about 1.235 as the final long-term voltage value.
> 
> Is this "normal" or am I right in thinking I need to RMA this sucker ASAP? I mean, 1.23v on a 7950 just seems like a slap in the face, we're talking a measly 0.01v increase over a 7850! Despite the ASIC quality being quite low (61%) the card hits 1150/1600 effortlessly at 1.23v - could ASIC have anything to do with the extreme vdroop issue? Legit feedback is greatly appreciated.
> 
> Oh, i5 2500K, MSI Z77A-G45, CM SilentPro 700W, Trixx 4.6 for OC, temps never above 65C.


Dont RMA...No need to, Vdroop is to be excepted especially at voltage that high. if I set voltage to 1,3V it barely breaks 1,2V after the vdroop...At 1,106V (24/7 settings) it drops down to 1,025-1,05V area, not sure if ASIC has anything to do with it as mine has 88,9% .

BTW nice temps for that voltage, I need to open the window (below -15C outside), remove the sidepanel and run the fans @100% if I want to keep it cool at voltage above 1,2V


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Dont RMA...No need to, Vdroop is to be excepted especially at voltage that high. if I set voltage to 1,3V it barely breaks 1,2V after the vdroop...At 1,106V (24/7 settings) it drops down to 1,025-1,05V area, not sure if ASIC has anything to do with it as mine has 88,9% .
> 
> BTW nice temps for that voltage, I need to open the window (below -15C outside), remove the sidepanel and run the fans @100% if I want to keep it cool at voltage above 1,2V


My card has 89.7% ASIC and I get almost the exact same VDroop.

Voltage is manually set to 1.113V, but actual voltage under load is closer to 1.01-1.03V


----------



## SpykeZ

Got my 7950 stable @ 1230/1600 no crashes or artifacting and doesn't go above 40C under full load











Swiftech Komodo FTW!!


----------



## toolio20

Jesus Christ, not that I'm not appreciative of the feedback (I am - tremendously) but discovering the dirty secret about the 7900 series is an unexpected kick in the crotch! I mean, an almost 0.10v variance? That's abysmally sorry. With my 7850 1.225v MEANS 1.225v so I wasn't prepared for such disappointment. End rant.

I suppose it might do no good to RMA - purchased through Amazon so no restocking fee but the downside is you're locked into receiving the exact same model, which I imagine would just have the exact same issues. Still, I really want 1200 core, which this card could EASILY do if it had the juice.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> At 1,106V (24/7 settings) it drops down to 1,025-1,05V area, not sure if ASIC has anything to do with it as mine has 88,9%


I surmise that as a result of you guys' higher ASIC values you're able to hit 1200 with less voltage; my crummy chip on the other hand needs more power in order to hang. Hmmm, stick with what I've got or play the lotto one more time?

Again, I truly appreciate the feedback even though it's not particularly good news. This seems to be an endemic issue with Sapphire Dual-X cards - they run cool, stay pretty quiet, and could be monstrous cards if not for crummy voltage limitations which can't be circumvented as they're IMPOSSIBLE to BIOS flash.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Jesus Christ, not that I'm not appreciative of the feedback (I am - tremendously) but discovering the dirty secret about the 7900 series is an unexpected kick in the crotch! I mean, an almost 0.10v variance? That's abysmally sorry. With my 7850 1.225v MEANS 1.225v so I wasn't prepared for such disappointment. End rant.
> 
> I suppose it might do no good to RMA - purchased through Amazon so no restocking fee but the downside is you're locked into receiving the exact same model, which I imagine would just have the exact same issues. Still, I really want 1200 core, which this card could EASILY do if it had the juice.
> I surmise that as a result of you guys' higher ASIC values you're able to hit 1200 with less voltage; my crummy chip on the other hand needs more power in order to hang. Hmmm, stick with what I've got or play the lotto one more time?
> 
> Again, I truly appreciate the feedback even though it's not particularly good news. This seems to be an endemic issue with Sapphire Dual-X cards - they run cool, stay pretty quiet, and could be monstrous cards if not for crummy voltage limitations which can't be circumvented as they're IMPOSSIBLE to BIOS flash.


Just the silicon lottery. You win some and you lose some


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Jesus Christ, not that I'm not appreciative of the feedback (I am - tremendously) but discovering the dirty secret about the 7900 series is an unexpected kick in the crotch! I mean, an almost 0.10v variance? That's abysmally sorry. With my 7850 1.225v MEANS 1.225v so I wasn't prepared for such disappointment. End rant.
> 
> I suppose it might do no good to RMA - purchased through Amazon so no restocking fee but the downside is you're locked into receiving the exact same model, which I imagine would just have the exact same issues. Still, I really want 1200 core, which this card could EASILY do if it had the juice.
> I surmise that as a result of you guys' higher ASIC values you're able to hit 1200 with less voltage; my crummy chip on the other hand needs more power in order to hang. Hmmm, stick with what I've got or play the lotto one more time?
> 
> Again, I truly appreciate the feedback even though it's not particularly good news. This seems to be an endemic issue with Sapphire Dual-X cards - they run cool, stay pretty quiet, and could be monstrous cards if not for crummy voltage limitations which can't be circumvented as they're IMPOSSIBLE to BIOS flash.


Also the temps play a big part in the amount of VDroop, going from 35C to 70C increases the VDroop by quite a lot already.

So in theory, you might be able to lower your voltage a bit to actually get higher voltage under high temps if temps are a issue.


----------



## youpekkad

Yea sometimes less is more, by this I mean less voltage=more stability.

I was playing with my card one day and tried to get it stable in Metro2033 at 1200MHz core, tried 1,16V, unstable, 1,2V, unstable, 1,25V, unstable and 1,3V, unstable. OK so it wont do 1200MHz you might think? Well I put voltage back to 1,16V and raise the fan speed from 60% to 85% and guess what, its stable. Just something to think about, temperatures were the problem not the voltage being too low.


----------



## th3illusiveman

when you get over 70c your Core becomes harder to stabilize at higher frequencies.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Plus the higher you go the more cool your card needs to be..


----------



## d1nky

what software you guys using to monitor vcore on these 7900's? because msi afterburner is telling me I get a vroop of = mines set at 1195 and I get 1194 full load. Is AB even right?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what software you guys using to monitor vcore on these 7900's? because msi afterburner is telling me I get a vroop of = mines set at 1195 and I get 1194 full load. is AB even right?


I use gpu-z to monitor vdroops and throttlings.....


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what software you guys using to monitor vcore on these 7900's? because msi afterburner is telling me I get a vroop of = mines set at 1195 and I get 1194 full load. is AB even right?


Use GPU-Z. Afterburner seems to only report the software voltage on mine (the specific voltage I have set in software) not the actual hardware voltage. If that makes sense.


----------



## Snuckie7

There's a line in the config file for AB to show the actual voltage.


----------



## Sir Amik Vase

I'm going to crossfire my 7970 ghz in a few months, anybody here got any actual experience with crossfiring 7970's and what the micro-stutter is like?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Use GPU-Z. Afterburner seems to only report the software voltage on mine (the specific voltage I have set in software) not the actual hardware voltage. If that makes sense.


yea that's what its showing me, whatever I set on AB shows up as vcore! (+/1). well I just got 1150/1550 stable and had to increase voltage to 1220 for 3dmark otherwise it would crash. I got gpuz installed and I take it, its the vddc value?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> There's a line in the config file for AB to show the actual voltage.


is this it ?

UnlockVoltageMonitoring = 0

I take it change 0 to 1


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what software you guys using to monitor vcore on these 7900's? because msi afterburner is telling me I get a vroop of = mines set at 1195 and I get 1194 full load. is AB full of ****?
> 
> 
> 
> Use GPU-Z. Afterburner seems to only report the software voltage on mine (the specific voltage I have set in software) not the actual hardware voltage. If that makes sense.
Click to expand...

AB displays target voltage by default. You have to mod it to show real voltage. AB 101.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> AB displays target voltage by default. You have to mod it to show real voltage. AB 101.


thanks and ive never really used AB till now. so config file and what do I do?


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> yea that's what its showing me, whatever I set on AB shows up as vcore! (+/1). well I just got 1150/1550 stable and had to increase voltage to 1220 for 3dmark otherwise it would crash. I got gpuz installed and I take it, its the vddc value?


From what many state here on OCN, you should also play games that are high GPU intense such as BF3, Far Cry 3, Crysis 3 to ensure stability. Heaven, Valley, and 3dMark are great tools to utilize but not always ensure stability. Play these games at least for 30 minutes to be sure.

Yes, I too use Gpu-Z for voltages. You can also try to use Hwinfo32 or Hwinfo 64. Good Luck.


----------



## Hokies83

I just want unlocked voltage on my Power Color 7950 boost state if i use 1.3v and it vdropped to 1.2v then id use 1.35v...

I know the card goes to 1.25v stock but im un aware if it will allow me to go past that.. system still not up and running my FrozenQ 250ML helix was leaking had to drain 50% of the loop and try and fix it..

It hangs over the MB psu and gpu's so it leaking is not an option lol.


----------



## rattlerskin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir Amik Vase*
> 
> I'm going to crossfire my 7970 ghz in a few months, anybody here got any actual experience with crossfiring 7970's and what the micro-stutter is like?


After some initial issues with my XFX 7970 Black Edition cards, I RMAd them for MSI 7970 OC edition cards. Still had issues with one of them for sure, then I got another RMA completed and tested the new card, verifying no problems. I continued to have odd issues and knew something was up since I just built the system and everything was less than 10 days old. Bottom line, my Gigabyte Z77X-UP5-TH was bad and after a replacement, I have had no issues. I detect zero micro stutter, but I am also running 1440p on Ultra in BF3 and maxed out almost everything but AA in Crysis 3. I love these cards, glad I CFX'd them.


----------



## welly321

Whats the best aftermarket cooler for a 7950. I have a sapphire 7950 but it has the crappy single fan cooler. I get high 70s and even 80s when playing certain games that push 99% gpu usage. I really want to overclock it and I'm thinking I need a better cooler in order to do so.

Also how hard is it to install an aftermarket cooler? I built my own rig and have installed CPU heatsinks no problem. Is this more difficult ?


----------



## CtKiDd78

Dude I had the same board and all sorts of problems, replaced it with an Asus P8Z77 v Pro and all problems are gone. Gigabytes seem to always fail on me.


----------



## end00

Which 7970 would you guys recommend? I've been looking at them the past couple days and I'm ready to pull the trigger. The question is; which one exactly? I would prefer it be voltage unlocked. Also another question is, can you flash the bios to run Ghz bios? Thanks!


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> Which 7970 would you guys recommend? I've been looking at them the past couple days and I'm ready to pull the trigger. The question is; which one exactly? I would prefer it be voltage unlocked. Also another question is, can you flash the bios to run Ghz bios? Thanks!


stay away from Gigabyte cards, those are volt locked. Not that i care myself, just letting you know.

msi lightings would be one that's unlocked in voltage, but TBH a LOT of 7970s nowadays are volt locked. It's getting hard to get an unlocked volt one.


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> stay away from Gigabyte cards, those are volt locked. Not that i care myself, just letting you know.
> 
> msi lightings would be one that's unlocked in voltage, but TBH a LOT of 7970s nowadays are volt locked. It's getting hard to get an unlocked volt one.


Well the reason I want voltage unlocked is for OC'ing ability. I had my eye on either a Sapphire or Powercolor one. I don't plan on cooling with water so I think a nonref. would be better? And is it possible to flash to Ghx bios?


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> Well the reason I want voltage unlocked is for OC'ing ability. I had my eye on either a Sapphire or Powercolor one. I don't plan on cooling with water so I think a nonref. would be better? And is it possible to flash to Ghx bios?


From what i've seen, most water blocks fit the reference 7970 PCBs, and could fit the non-refs provided the capactiors or VRMS are not moved.

Edit: nevermind about water cooling advice







, you can go with non ref cards, but figuring out which is not volt-locked is the tricky part.


----------



## MikeG

Furmark and Kombuster no longer run when I try the 13.3_beta2 driver. Does anybody else have this problem? It works fine with the 13.2_beta7 driver and with the whql but not 13.3_beta2


----------



## thehammer007

Is there any way of increasing voltage past 1.3v without hardware mods? I just bought an Antec 620 and installed it on my GPU with TripT's bracket and I really wanna make the most of it.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thehammer007*
> 
> Is there any way of increasing voltage past 1.3v without hardware mods? I just bought an Antec 620 and installed it on my GPU with TripT's bracket and I really wanna make the most of it.


What about the Vrm?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Furmark and Kombuster no longer run when I try the 13.3_beta2 driver. Does anybody else have this problem? It works fine with the 13.2_beta7 driver and with the whql but not 13.3_beta2


Don't use those programs, they do nothing but fry your card. Loop heaven on max or crysis or some other demanding game.


----------



## thehammer007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What about the Vrm?


What do you mean? The VRMs are cooled by a 92mm fan with the stock VRM heatsinks.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thehammer007*
> 
> What do you mean? The VRMs are cooled by a 92mm fan with the stock VRM heatsinks.


Id check on there temps.


----------



## stubass

IDK why but for some reason i have been getting a lot of desktop flicker over the last 2 days. never happend at all before until lately








on 13.1 whql drivers since release. (havernt tried the new beta drivers)
temps are great.
havernt changed any settings in months.

anyone have an idea why this would have just started in a couple of days??


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thehammer007*
> 
> Is there any way of increasing voltage past 1.3v without hardware mods? I just bought an Antec 620 and installed it on my GPU with TripT's bracket and I really wanna make the most of it.


Trixx allows 1.381mV for my card atleast.

The 620 is pretty **** so I wouldn't count on it bringing any major improvement, you will propably be limited by VRM temps, I'm hitting ~72C Max on Core and ~73C max on both VRM in Valley on the stock cooler of Vapor-X.
Would want to run them lower if I wanted more overclocks, this card is temp limited so badly :l


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Furmark and Kombuster no longer run when I try the 13.3_beta2 driver. Does anybody else have this problem? It works fine with the 13.2_beta7 driver and with the whql but not 13.3_beta2


Im using the beta 13.3 driver and samething here. Kombuster crashes as soon as try to run a test on it. Or the other hand Heaven and Valley work with no problem.


----------



## markovian

maby us 7870 xt (7930) should get a spot in hear it is the same chip after all makeing our own thread seem redundant we all sport a tahiti chip


----------



## Stay Puft

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *markovian*
> 
> maby us 7870 xt (7930) should get a spot in hear it is the same chip after all makeing our own thread seem redundant we all sport a tahiti chip


It's not a 7930 tho. It only has 2gb of VRAM and a 256 bit bus. If its anything it's a 7890


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thehammer007*
> 
> Is there any way of increasing voltage past 1.3v without hardware mods? I just bought an Antec 620 and installed it on my GPU with TripT's bracket and I really wanna make the most of it.


I had that and is a pretty nice mod. Keep core temps under control.

Just watch vrms, don't overclock mem too high. I could get Stable 1300/1800 not a sweat.


----------



## sergio93

Hi, I have some troubles with my Sapphire HD7970, when I'm on Windows desktop playing a video or something else, sometimes I noticed that the display image jumps, It don't happens when I'm playing. I searched on forums and seems that is because the memory clock on 2D mode is very low (150MHz) and I can see on MSI Afterburner that when it happens, the GPU usage increase. There is any way to increase the memory clock on 2D mode? Flashing BIOS?


----------



## welly321

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> IDK why but for some reason i have been getting a lot of desktop flicker over the last 2 days. never happend at all before until lately
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> on 13.1 whql drivers since release. (havernt tried the new beta drivers)
> temps are great.
> havernt changed any settings in months.
> 
> anyone have an idea why this would have just started in a couple of days??


Hey man i had the same issue. It was MSI afterburner unofficial overclocking mode causing it. I found that when I made any clock changes, my idle clocks would go from 500 core to 300 core. This change would cause the desktop flicker. If your using afterburner, maybe try a different program? I turned off unofficial overclocking mode and it stopped my desktop flickering


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> Hey man i had the same issue. It was MSI afterburner unofficial overclocking mode causing it. I found that when I made any clock changes, my idle clocks would go from 500 core to 300 core. This change would cause the desktop flicker. If your using afterburner, maybe try a different program? I turned off unofficial overclocking mode and it stopped my desktop flickering


You have to use the -xcl method in the shortcut to avoid flickering if you unlock MSI Afterburner, the unofficial method sucks.


----------



## thehammer007

How do I check my VRM temps?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thehammer007*
> 
> How do I check my VRM temps?


GPU-Z or HWInfo.


----------



## thehammer007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> GPU-Z or HWInfo.


Haha, just found that out a few minutes after I posted that xD

Anyways I still have not managed to find anything that can help me increase my voltage higher than 1.3v


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thehammer007*
> 
> Haha, just found that out a few minutes after I posted that xD
> 
> Anyways I still have not managed to find anything that can help me increase my voltage higher than 1.3v


Sapphire Trixx will allow you to overvolt up to 1.384v


----------



## kahboom

When overclocking the memory what voltage should you stay under?


----------



## EpiDx

Can I use my old 470 for anything? Like PhysX etc?


----------



## Sir Amik Vase

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Can I use my old 470 for anything? Like PhysX etc?


There is a driver hack you can do to allow physX to work on the nVidia card with an AMD card in the system.
See here.

Question to you guys,
If I also get two more monitors when I go CF7970ghz, will I get a net decrease in performance from the move?, the reason I'm thinking this is because I'll be getting ~1.8x the performance of my current setup but with a 3x increase on the resolution.


----------



## DarkrReign2049

I have my 7970 under water and when I check my VRM temps in GPU-Z they never change. It's always 24C and 25C. Is there something I'm missing or need to change?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> IDK why but for some reason i have been getting a lot of desktop flicker over the last 2 days. never happend at all before until lately
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> on 13.1 whql drivers since release. (havernt tried the new beta drivers)
> temps are great.
> havernt changed any settings in months.
> 
> anyone have an idea why this would have just started in a couple of days??
> 
> 
> 
> Hey man i had the same issue. It was MSI afterburner unofficial overclocking mode causing it. I found that when I made any clock changes, my idle clocks would go from 500 core to 300 core. This change would cause the desktop flicker. If your using afterburner, maybe try a different program? I turned off unofficial overclocking mode and it stopped my desktop flickering
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> *You have to use the -xcl method in the shortcut to avoid flickering if you unlock MSI Afterburner* Afterburner, the unofficial method sucks.


this is the method i am using, still i get flickering


----------



## EpiDx

Will I notice any performance improvements setting it all up?


----------



## Zyvera

Hello! I need help on something.
I own the Sapphire Radeon 7950 vapor-x. I'm kinda new to overclocking, but have tried several programs like Afterburner, Sapphire trixx and the catalyst combined with furmark to push the limit on this card. Everywhere I see clocks easily reach 1200mhz with some tweaking. My temps are not going over 60 degrees on most settings over 1100mhz core, but for some reason anything beyond 1100mhz (with whatever voltage I try) will result in a complete freeze after a few seconds of furmark. (With the message that the AMD program has stopped working and is restored)
Anything above 1050 or even 1000 mhz will eventually result in a crash when I'm using these settings to play Crysis 3 or Tombraider.

Now, am I missing something here? I've tried pretty much everything, but I can't believe that I've really hit the wall on 1100mhz. I started at 1050mhz with 1.125v, and steadily increased the clock with 5 mhz until my system would freeze. Then I would up the voltage with 5mv to make it steady.

Have I really hit the wall? Or am I doing something wrong?

Specs:

Asrock p67 pro3 mobo
Intel i5 2500K @ 4,4ghz
16 GB DDR3 ram
Radeon 7950 vapor-x
MS-tech 750Watts PSU


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zyvera*
> 
> Hello! I need help on something.
> I own the Sapphire Radeon 7950 vapor-x. I'm kinda new to overclocking, but have tried several programs like Afterburner, Sapphire trixx and the catalyst combined with furmark to push the limit on this card. Everywhere I see clocks easily reach 1200mhz with some tweaking. My temps are not going over 60 degrees on most settings over 1100mhz core, but for some reason anything beyond 1100mhz (with whatever voltage I try) will result in a complete freeze after a few seconds of furmark. (With the message that the AMD program has stopped working and is restored)
> Anything above 1050 or even 1000 mhz will eventually result in a crash when I'm using these settings to play Crysis 3 or Tombraider.
> 
> Now, am I missing something here? I've tried pretty much everything, but I can't believe that I've really hit the wall on 1100mhz. I started at 1050mhz with 1.125v, and steadily increased the clock with 5 mhz until my system would freeze. Then I would up the voltage with 5mv to make it steady.
> 
> Have I really hit the wall? Or am I doing something wrong?
> 
> Specs:
> 
> Asrock p67 pro3 mobo
> Intel i5 2500K @ 4,4ghz
> 16 GB DDR3 ram
> Radeon 7950 vapor-x
> MS-tech 750Watts PSU


You've hit the wall, simple as that.

My HD7950 also tops out at 1100MHz for 24/7 overclock, have managed to get it higher for quick benchmarks but that's it.

Difference in performance between 1100 and for example 1200MHz is under 10% anyway , so not really worth it if it's not capable of.

CHEERS..


----------



## Zyvera

Ok








It's a bummer though. I've managed to get a nice benchmark at 1110mhz though. (P9550 on 3D11)

Thanks for the quick reply.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zyvera*
> 
> Ok
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's a bummer though. I've managed to get a nice benchmark at 1110mhz though.
> 
> Thanks for the quick reply.


Don't feel bad, I have the boost cards and I cap at 1150/1540 on mine. But I haven't pushed the voltages yet, only done the +20% thing


----------



## EpiDx

try setting your fan to 100% and +20 power, i could not get mine to ever go over 1200, i put fan to 100% and now i can do 1250 on mine. Just got a 47.4 valley


----------



## Zyvera

I already had the fan on 100%, and the power on +20







Even after fiddling with the voltages I couldn't do much. 1150mhz is the absolute maximum. Haven't pushed the memclock further than 1450 yet.

Also, heat is not the issue. I have a corsair 500R case with a lot of fans. It freezes with the core and vrm at around 50-60 degrees. Those are not temperatures it should freeze on.


----------



## EpiDx

Have you tried the modded trixx version to get 1.381v?


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zyvera*
> 
> I already had the fan on 100%, and the power on +20
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even after fiddling with the voltages I couldn't do much. 1150mhz is the absolute maximum. Haven't pushed the memclock further than 1450 yet.
> 
> Also, heat is not the issue. I have a corsair 500R case with a lot of fans. It freezes with the core and vrm at around 50-60 degrees. Those are not temperatures it should freeze on.


Yea if you got the voltage @1,3V and fan @ 100% it does look like you´ve hit your limit especially with your temps being so low.

But 1100MHz core is already 300MHz (or 40%) higher than what AMDs reference card was designed to run at so yeah things could be better BUT on the other hand they could be a lot worse







Depends on how you look at it (is it half full or half empty.)


----------



## Zyvera

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Have you tried the modded trixx version to get 1.381v?


No I haven't. Is it wise to do that?








Quote:


> Yea if you got the voltage @1,3V and fan @ 100% it does look like you´ve hit your limit especially with your temps being so low.
> 
> But 1100MHz core is already 300MHz (or 40%) higher than what AMDs reference card was designed to run at so yeah things could be better BUT on the other hand they could be a lot worse smile.gif Depends on how you look at it (is it half full or half empty.)


Well that's one way to look at it. I wonder if a higher voltage is gonna do anything anyway.


----------



## welly321

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> this is the method i am using, still i get flickering


The newest afterburner beta has an option that fixes the flickering. In the tooltip they even acknowledge that its a bug and this option will fix it. Try downloading the newest beta.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> this is the method i am using, still i get flickering
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The newest afterburner beta has an option that fixes the flickering. In the tooltip they even acknowledge that its a bug and this option will fix it. Try downloading the newest beta.
Click to expand...

cool, will try that now


----------



## stubass

Nvm


----------



## lalalala

Reposting from last page (won't do it again):

Hi guys - Can anyone help me out? My Gigabyte 7950 keeps crashing and restarting during games at its idle speeds of 500 mhz core clock, 150 mhz gpu clock and giving me half the framerate, does this sound familiar to anyone? Much appreciated, not sure what to do.


----------



## sergio93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sergio93*
> 
> Hi, I have some troubles with my Sapphire HD7970, when I'm on Windows desktop playing a video or something else, sometimes I noticed that the display image jumps, It don't happens when I'm playing. I searched on forums and seems that is because the memory clock on 2D mode is very low (150MHz) and I can see on MSI Afterburner that when it happens, the GPU usage increase. There is any way to increase the memory clock on 2D mode? Flashing BIOS?


ANYONE? I tried to modify the idle clocks with MSI Afterburner but it didn't worked, ATi Tray Tools don't supports 7000 series, the BIOS is encrypted or something else and I can't edit it with Radeon Bios Editor, there is any way to increase the clock speeds on idle?


----------



## raptorxrx

If you guys wouldn't mind helping me figure out which 7970 to buy, it would be really appreciated


----------



## Zyvera

http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/304186/sapphire-hd-7970-oc-dual-x-3gb-gddr5/specificaties/

This one looks amazing to me.









(Oh, Ik now it's in dutch, but anyway - THAT card.







)


----------



## Am3Y

Any software which can b used to check if graphics card is working properly ?? I mean any software which can put my card in load condition. .full load ... etc...


----------



## thehammer007

Sapphire Trixx only allows me to over volt up to 1.3 volts x.x


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Am3Y*
> 
> Any software which can b used to check if graphics card is working properly ?? I mean any software which can put my card in load condition. .full load ... etc...


Gpu-z or Msi ab


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thehammer007*
> 
> Sapphire Trixx only allows me to over volt up to 1.3 volts x.x


You have boost edition ??????


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sergio93*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sergio93*
> 
> Hi, I have some troubles with my Sapphire HD7970, when I'm on Windows desktop playing a video or something else, sometimes I noticed that the display image jumps, It don't happens when I'm playing. I searched on forums and seems that is because the memory clock on 2D mode is very low (150MHz) and I can see on MSI Afterburner that when it happens, the GPU usage increase. There is any way to increase the memory clock on 2D mode? Flashing BIOS?
> 
> 
> 
> ANYONE? I tried to modify the idle clocks with MSI Afterburner but it didn't worked, ATi Tray Tools don't supports 7000 series, the BIOS is encrypted or something else and I can't edit it with Radeon Bios Editor, there is any way to increase the clock speeds on idle?
Click to expand...

Here ya go.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117633


----------



## rhole

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sergio93*
> 
> ANYONE? I tried to modify the idle clocks with MSI Afterburner but it didn't worked, ATi Tray Tools don't supports 7000 series, the BIOS is encrypted or something else and I can't edit it with Radeon Bios Editor, there is any way to increase the clock speeds on idle?


It is because you are using the Unofficial Overclocking Mode for MSI Afterburner with certain versions of Windows (not everyone gets it). Not because of some 'low clock'. The 150MHz for desktop windows is fine.

Disable it. And Enable the Official extended clocks mode by this method... http://www.overclock.net/t/1360853/what-overclocking-software-just-works-without-the-annoying-screen-flicker-bug/10#post_19314248

Flashing is NOT needed it is just a bug.


----------



## Sir Amik Vase

Quote:


> Question to you guys,
> If I also get two more monitors when I go CF7970ghz, will I get a net decrease in performance from the move?, the reason I'm thinking this is because I'll be getting ~1.8x the performance of my current setup but with a 3x increase on the resolution.


Anybody?


----------



## sergio93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> It is because you are using the Unofficial Overclocking Mode for MSI Afterburner with certain versions of Windows (not everyone gets it). Not because of some 'low clock'. The 150MHz for desktop windows is fine.
> 
> Disable it. And Enable the Official extended clocks mode by this method... http://www.overclock.net/t/1360853/what-overclocking-software-just-works-without-the-annoying-screen-flicker-bug/10#post_19314248
> 
> Flashing is NOT needed it is just a bug.


I'm not using any unofficial version of MSI Afterburner, It happen with or without that application, on Windows 7 and even on Ubuntu. Only on IDLE mode, never playing, I tried to pass Furmark too and works perfectly.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sergio93*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> It is because you are using the Unofficial Overclocking Mode for MSI Afterburner with certain versions of Windows (not everyone gets it). Not because of some 'low clock'. The 150MHz for desktop windows is fine.
> 
> Disable it. And Enable the Official extended clocks mode by this method... http://www.overclock.net/t/1360853/what-overclocking-software-just-works-without-the-annoying-screen-flicker-bug/10#post_19314248
> 
> Flashing is NOT needed it is just a bug.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not using any unofficial version of MSI Afterburner, It happen with or without that application, on Windows 7 and even on Ubuntu. Only on IDLE mode, never playing, I tried to pass Furmark too and works perfectly.
Click to expand...

Ignore the quoted and read my link to edit your powerplay tables.


----------



## sergio93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sergio93*
> 
> I'm not using any unofficial version of MSI Afterburner, It happen with or without that application, on Windows 7 and even on Ubuntu. Only on IDLE mode, never playing, I tried to pass Furmark too and works perfectly.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ignore the quoted and read my link to edit your powerplay tables.


Thanks, I have done it, I have changed the memory clock from 150MHz to 300MHz, I will see if that is the problem or I do the RMA.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir Amik Vase*
> 
> Anybody?


I'd assume you will get a performance drop because of the reasons you stated, 3x the pixels with 1.8x the GPU power. It might be more dependent on the games you play though, some might scale better than others. I don't have any experience with this, just guessing so I might be wrong. If you OC your cards more you might be able to make the difference less.


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sir Amik Vase*
> 
> Anybody?


I went from eyefinity on a single greatest card to eyefinity with crossfire and love the difference. Adding the second card made a huge difference in a lot if not all the games I play. I wouldn't say to try for 120hz at this resolution but it definitely keeps 60fps or more easily when before I used to hover at 40-45.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> Don't feel bad, I have the boost cards and I cap at 1150/1540 on mine. But I haven't pushed the voltages yet, only done the +20% thing


1150 is where I keep my 7970 OC w/Boost for steady use. If I set the fan at 80% I could do 1200 with a little more voltage but the noise is just too much for my taste. So I ended up with basically a 15% overclock (20% over the stock 925MHz) which is better than any previous card I've owned.


----------



## roudabout6

Will Sapphire reject my RMA because my 7950 has a very small nick in it? I am really worried about it.


----------



## raptorxrx

I need some help choosing a 7970. It needs to be unlocked voltage wise, and it needs to be relatively quiet. Any recommendations?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *roudabout6*
> 
> Will Sapphire reject my RMA because my 7950 has a very small nick in it? I am really worried about it.


Where is the nick? Placement is everything?


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> Have you tried the modded trixx version to get 1.381v?


Please elaborate - I'd be very interested in something like this as a means to try and compensate for Vdroop. I'm going to RMA my card - for legitimate reasons separate from the poor OC performance - but if I get another dog I'd like to try and see what's possible with voltage that's actually at spec (1.25v) consistently.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> Whats the best aftermarket cooler for a 7950. I have a sapphire 7950 but it has the crappy single fan cooler. I get high 70s and even 80s when playing certain games that push 99% gpu usage. I really want to overclock it and I'm thinking I need a better cooler in order to do so.
> 
> Also how hard is it to install an aftermarket cooler? I built my own rig and have installed CPU heatsinks no problem. Is this more difficult ?


A solid option


----------



## roudabout6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptorxrx*
> 
> I need some help choosing a 7970. It needs to be unlocked voltage wise, and it needs to be relatively quiet. Any recommendations?
> Where is the nick? Placement is everything?


It is on the pcb. Im really worried about it now.


----------



## wingclip

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Please elaborate - I'd be very interested in something like this as a means to try and compensate for Vdroop. I'm going to RMA my card - for legitimate reasons separate from the poor OC performance - but if I get another dog I'd like to try and see what's possible with voltage that's actually at spec (1.25v) consistently.
> A solid option


I can say that you're probably better off going with a scratch built liquid cool system because you would be able to 'focus' the cooling power better than with a closed loop system.

However, Swiftech has recently come out with a really good 'half & half' cooling system called the H220 for about $140.00, (I can't buy one because they're all sold out with every delivery!).

The H220 can be used as a closed loop easy-install system for a CPU or it can be easily changed over to a DYI with the ability to cool a CPU, mobo, and two, (yes two), 7990's in a SLI config, (at least that's what they were running in the demo at one point). I can't find that Youtube video that I saw a few weeks back but here's a link to Xoxide:

http://www.xoxide.com/swiftech-h220-liquid-cooling-system.html

It's got a serious pum that's something like 10 times more powerful than my H100's and their system was incredibly quiet too!
Rich


----------



## Derko1

So I recently put a new system together with the same 2 7970s that I had before... I totally forgot to write down what my OC settings for the cards were. But I know I was doing 1270/1800 on both with 1.3v. I do not remember what voltage I was using for the memory. Am I even supposed to change the voltage on the memory? I totally forget. I put up to max at 1.8v and it doesn't seem stable. The higher I go the less stables it seems. Same with core voltage. If I go to 1.38v, it's more unstable than having it at 1.3v....







stupid me for not writing it down and not remembering!


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> So I recently put a new system together with the same 2 7970s that I had before... I totally forgot to write down what my OC settings for the cards were. But I know I was doing 1270/1800 on both with 1.3v. I do not remember what voltage I was using for the memory. Am I even supposed to change the voltage on the memory? I totally forget. I put up to max at 1.8v and it doesn't seem stable. The higher I go the less stables it seems. Same with core voltage. If I go to 1.38v, it's more unstable than having it at 1.3v....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> stupid me for not writing it down and not remembering!


Don't go over 1.7 on the mem. 1.7 nets me 1900 over three cards so that is what I would set very voltage.

Is it water or air cooled? It will be thought eliminating heat from 1.3v and above on air and will make it more unstable because if it. Try turning up the fan speed.


----------



## Derko1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Don't go over 1.7 on the mem. 1.7 nets me 1900 over three cards so that is what I would set very voltage.
> 
> Is it water or air cooled? It will be thought eliminating heat from 1.3v and above on air and will make it more unstable because if it. Try turning up the fan speed.


On water.












Thanks. 1.7v is indeed more stable. I knew something was wrong when BF3 crashed on me.


----------



## jomama22

Nice. Yea 1.68 seemed the sweet spot for me @1800.


----------



## DimQa

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Nice. Yea 1.68 seemed the sweet spot for me @1800.


Hmmm







Is it safe on air?


----------



## rdr09

First time to try crossfire and have yet to put the other under water, played bf3 mp this morning - ZERO issues so far running both at stock.

Hybrid Crossfire



it was pretty painless. i just installed the second card and booted, then went straight to ccc and enabled crossfire. that was it.


----------



## SkateZilla

with anything after Cat 12.11Beta 7, my 1.2Ghz GPU/6.0GHz MEM overclock is broken (actually i think it's Cat 13.1 and up.)

I was able to get 1Ghz/5.5Ghz Stable (may be able to push to 1/6Ghz).

Before that I was able to run:
Cat 12.11B7 1100 / 1110Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +15 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.150 From 1.087 Stock

Cat 12.11B7 1200Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +20 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.175 From 1.087 Stock.
* at 1110/6000 I was able to beat GHz edition 7970 Scores.

When i installed Cat 13.1 and went into BF3 it played for about 10 minutes then the driver crashed everytime.

So i saved my OC stuff as a DOC and wiped them all and started over.

I dont remember my voltages for my 1Ghz GPU/5500 MEM Profile, But it was a bit higher than it was before.

Temps were the same with 1Ghz/5500 Profile as the Factory OC Profile, adjusted fan curve a lil.

When Im Gaming, I bump my Fans to 100% as soon as I hit 38^C, and it keeps them from going past 45^C 99% of the time (cept in the summer on those 100^F Days and no AC, it may get to 50s or 60s (i suspect bad TIM on the heatsink too.)

I also use noise cancelling Headphones.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> with anything after Cat 12.11Beta 7, my 1.2Ghz GPU/6.0GHz MEM overclock is broken (actually i think it's Cat 13.1 and up.)
> 
> I was able to get 1Ghz/5.5Ghz Stable (may be able to push to 1/6Ghz).
> 
> Before that I was able to run:
> Cat 12.11B7 1100 / 1110Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +15 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.150 From 1.087 Stock
> 
> Cat 12.11B7 1200Mhz GPU, 1500Mhz MEM, +20 Power, Voltage Bump to 1.175 From 1.087 Stock.
> * at 1110/6000 I was able to beat GHz edition 7970 Scores.
> 
> When i installed Cat 13.1 and went into BF3 it played for about 10 minutes then the driver crashed everytime.
> 
> So i saved my OC stuff as a DOC and wiped them all and started over.
> 
> I dont remember my voltages for my 1Ghz GPU/5500 MEM Profile, But it was a bit higher than it was before.
> 
> Temps were the same with 1Ghz/5500 Profile as the Factory OC Profile, adjusted fan curve a lil.
> 
> When Im Gaming, I bump my Fans to 100% as soon as I hit 38^C, and it keeps them from going past 45^C 99% of the time (cept in the summer on those 100^F Days and no AC, it may get to 50s or 60s (i suspect bad TIM on the heatsink too.)
> 
> I also use noise cancelling Headphones.


Hmm doesn't add up. Have you tried tsm's driver uninstall/install procedure? That always does the trick for me. Can't imagine you would lose that much of overclock merely from drivers.


----------



## jomama22

Arg! Damn mobile website!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Hmm doesn't add up. Have you tried tsm's driver uninstall/install procedure? That always does the trick for me. Can't imagine you would lose that much of overclock merely from drivers.


I wasnt the only one that observed it.

Might have something to do with the "Frame Latency" fixes they started integrating.

I can roll back to 12.11B7 and restore the profiles fine.

I think it's more along the lines of I lost about 50Mhz on the same Voltage, I just havent gotten around to seeing the MAX Bump i can get on the stock voltage.

With 12.11B7 i was able to get 950-960 on stock voltage, 975 required a lil nudge.

Im pretty sure I can still get 950 on stock volts, just a matter of starting over and going through the hours of testing and adjustments.


----------



## EpiDx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Please elaborate


This will let you increase the voltage to 1.381v(compliments of tsm's amd howto thread)

http://www.overclock.net/attachments/8046


----------



## rageofthepeon

Anyone received their BioShock Infinite codes yet (email form) or are we still waiting on AMD?


----------



## Hokies83

What do u use to Monitor temps logitech lcd or OSD when using Trixx?


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Anyone received their BioShock Infinite codes yet (email form) or are we still waiting on AMD?


I havent gotten mine...still waiting.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Anyone received their BioShock Infinite codes yet (email form) or are we still waiting on AMD?


i receive it 2 days ago the 18th, they even send the crysis 3 included on the email as a remainder i guess...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What do u use to Monitor temps logitech lcd or OSD when using Trixx?


I use open hardware as it creates a very nice chart...
You can use aida as well or gpu-z..

But for temps i do prefer OpenHardware, folding the last 3hrs or so

The only problem is that it dont read the voltage right on the gpus other than that love it

for example i use this on my tablet
which use OHM. 



Very nice app for android .. but shh nobody knows about it is a secret lol..


----------



## zGunBLADEz

We need a new modded trixx of the new version..


----------



## hammadj

Hey guys, Im getting some weird things going on with my GPU usage. This is just in desktop, not gaming or anything like that. Whats the deal?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

some app or browser that is using the gpu?

Sometimes i get spikes on my 7970 as well, not like that tho..


----------



## hammadj

so apparantly its happening every time my mouse moves around. It stays at 0% when my mouse is still


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammadj*
> 
> so apparantly its happening every time my mouse moves around. It stays at 0% when my mouse is still


weird, do you have some app that the mouse needs?


----------



## hammadj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> weird, do you have some app that the mouse needs?


No I dont. There seems to be a pattern though. Every time my mouse passes over a link or a button or something "clickable" It starts doing that.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammadj*
> 
> No I dont. There seems to be a pattern though. Every time my mouse passes over a link or a button or something "clickable" It starts doing that.


What browser?
Try turning gpu hardware acceleration and check if that happens..


----------



## hammadj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> What browser?
> Try turning gpu hardware acceleration and check if that happens..


Chrome. Will try. Its not only in the browser. Any part of windows including other apps like after burner itself


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammadj*
> 
> Chrome. Will try. Its not only in the browser. Any part of windows including other apps like after burner itself


Try turning off AERO...


----------



## hammadj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Try turning off AERO...


Im on windows 8. This didnt happen when I got my cards, it just started happening yesterday


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammadj*
> 
> Im on windows 8. This didnt happen when I got my cards, it just started happening yesterday


Did you machine did some type of update from windows?
Specially flash software?


----------



## hammadj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Did you machine did some type of update from windows?
> Specially flash software?


All I did was OC my card a bit, install Crysis 3, BF3, and got latest drivers. I installed windows updates but didnt pay attention to what they were


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammadj*
> 
> All I did was OC my card a bit, install Crysis 3, BF3, and got latest drivers. I installed windows updates but didnt pay attention to what they were


You got my attention tho.. I was getting some random spikes on idle literally idle that i havent notice before... Specially on gpu-z reporting gpu usage like 130% which is impossible... I can see the spikes on my OpenHardwareMonitor as well..

Dont know if the new trixx is causing this or what..


----------



## hammadj

Another weird thing. In idle, my Top GPU is hotter by 11 degrees (50 vs 39) but on full load my bottom GPU is (on average) 10 degrees hotter (65 vs 75). Whats up with that.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammadj*
> 
> Another weird thing. In idle, my Top GPU is hotter by 11 degrees (50 vs 39) but on full load my bottom GPU is (on average) 10 degrees hotter (65 vs 75). Whats up with that.


Usually the top gpu is the hottest ones unless you have different cooling in them...

The 2nd card use a feature which will get parked if not in use...
That means either your 1st card have a better cooler or better thermal paste applied when both cards are in use or better airflow..


----------



## Hokies83

Err donno in Heaven 4.0 it keeps bounceing back between 850mhz and 1225mhz...

But on a high note my max temps are 36C LOL!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Err donno in Heaven 4.0 it keeps bounceing back between 850mhz and 1225mhz...
> 
> But on a high note my max temps are 36C LOL!


Power limit=+20%?


----------



## hammadj

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Usually the top gpu is the hottest ones unless you have different cooling in them...
> 
> The 2nd card use a feature which will get parked if not in use...
> That means either your 1st card have a better cooler or better thermal paste applied when both cards are in use or better airflow..


They are both identical cards. I disabled ULPS so my second card wont get parked. isnt 50 degrees idle still quite high? I have a HAF X so I don't think airflow is the problem.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Err donno in Heaven 4.0 it keeps bounceing back between 850mhz and 1225mhz...
> 
> But on a high note my max temps are 36C LOL!


7950 runs pretty cool on a waterblock. My 7950 is 5c behind my 7970 as they require less voltage as well..

This is todays section on my end


I dont even have the cooling rad space you have... Or have my backup cooling solution which is 25F/-4C chicagos weather XD...
80F/27C ambient right now is pretty warm in here because off my folding section lol..


----------



## Hokies83

There is no power limit slider in Trixx?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There is no power limit slider in Trixx?


Board li power something like that


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There is no power limit slider in Trixx?


¬¬!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need to scroll down.. It dont look like but look at the slider on the right and scroll down


----------



## Hokies83

Onlythings i got is..

Core clock

Mem clock

and VDDC


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Onlythings i got is..
> 
> Core clock
> 
> Mem clock
> 
> and VDDC


is there trust me lol
You cant overclock that high and dont use 20+ unless you have a very VERY good card...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Err donno in Heaven 4.0 it keeps bounceing back between 850mhz and 1225mhz...
> 
> But on a high note my max temps are 36C LOL!


Thats throttling.. Thats what i watch when im pushing my card and looking for throttling specially if she do it on the volts as well at the same time she downclocks..
Need gpu-z for that on top of the application to see whats up..

Now avg load that will change it not be always @ 99% would back an forth for example 90% back to 98% or drop down to 60% depending what the app is telling your gpu to do...

Only way would be furmark the crap out of it which i dont recommend myself lol


----------



## Hokies83

LoL 36c with 1.325v with Tri fire is pretty good imo lol my room temp is 27c so im only 9c over room temp.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL 36c with 1.325v with Tri fire is pretty good imo lol my room temp is 27c so im only 9c over room temp.


Your cards are throttling you have to check again..

Try folding now is good to fold on amd thats what im using to test my cooling which load my pc almost to 100%.
Thats 6 hrs of almost 100% on cpu as gpu as well..

Would put gaming up to -5c lower of what im getting right now on folding


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL 36c with 1.325v with Tri fire is pretty good imo lol my room temp is 27c so im only 9c over room temp.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL 36c with 1.325v with Tri fire is pretty good imo lol my room temp is 27c so im only 9c over room temp.


You are getting throttled, that i the reason for the lower temps. You need to turn power level up to 120%.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Look at the pic (circle it) and thats what you should look for throttling on a 7xxx card


----------



## sergio93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Anyone received their BioShock Infinite codes yet (email form) or are we still waiting on AMD?


I received my key yesterday.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sergio93*
> 
> I received my key yesterday.


I am wondering if I need to send email yet to AMD....Your the 3rd person I have heard that recieved their Bioshock Code......I got mine bundled with Tomb Raider and recieved that immediately....


----------



## Mega Man

W00T i am in !~ just submitted now to read 22,600+ posts @[email protected]


----------



## Hokies83

Anywho Heaven 4.0 is only using Gpu 1? with PL set to +20% it got up to 38C

Do i need to full screen it so it will pull on the other 2?

Also @ Bustacap i have not got any of my 3 codes yet.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Anywho Heaven 4.0 is only using Gpu 1? with PL set to +20% it got up to 38C
> 
> Do i need to full screen it so it will pull on the other 2?
> 
> Also @ Bustacap i have not got any of my 3 codes yet.


You need to be full screen to activate all cards
Thats why i do folding/hash cracking or anything similar that i can monitor while doing something else..

I guess i cant replicate a real throttling while using -20% i dont think my cards are that golden XD


----------



## Hokies83

So what is max on MVDCC on water?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> I am wondering if I need to send email yet to AMD....Your the 3rd person I have heard that recieved their Bioshock Code......I got mine bundled with Tomb Raider and recieved that immediately....


I haven't got mine yet either. I figure I'll email them a couple days before it comes out if I haven't heard from them.

Question for those of you that already got your code. Did it unlock all the extras like XCOM as well?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So what is max on MVDCC on water?


Dont worry i dont even think you reach 100c on that block ... 1.8 is safe that dont mean it would be stable...
Would try lower and check..

Usually this is how it goes..

Bad core clocks it will crash to desktop or driver/artifacts sometimes it will freeze like pushing 1400 on a bad voltage in my 7970 lol but thats very weird..

Bad mem clocks will freeze automatic no matter what... Close to the bad clocks it would do their thing and try to recover which looks like downclocking which will be throttling itself auto memory correction..

I get more freezes when trying to overclock mem than core. I mean is not like 2000 is shy of an overclock on the memory with no volt increases but i have tried higher lol


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Question for those of you that already got your code. Did it unlock all the extras like XCOM as well?


no


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

so was just running some loops of 3dmark 11 testing my overclock and after 5 loops i noticed that gpu z was showing 92C on the vrm. Im running the modded trix to overclock with voltage at 1.38 currently sitting at 1250/1750 wondering if this is ok to run 24/7?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *40.oz to freedom*
> 
> so was just running some loops of 3dmark 11 testing my overclock and after 5 loops i noticed that gpu z was showing 92C on the vrm. Im running the modded trix to overclock with voltage at 1.38 currently sitting at 1250/1750 wondering if this is ok to run 24/7?


Thats ok, on air just watch it dont go over 100c..

Those little things take more heat than what most people give them credits for..

I call 90c comfort zone vrm side.


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Thats ok, on air just watch it dont go over 100c..
> 
> Those little things take more heat than what most people give them credits for..
> 
> I call 90c comfort zone vrm side.


Its not on air though, vrm temp 1 showed 92 as the highest while vrm 2 showed highest as 63C, im wondering if i messed up the thermal pad a bit putting the block on and its not touching lal of the vrm's.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *40.oz to freedom*
> 
> Its not on air though, vrm temp 1 showed 92 as the highest while vrm 2 showed highest as 63C, im wondering if i messed up the thermal pad a bit putting the block on and its not touching lal of the vrm's.


On water? What block u use? Thats high dude


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

The orginal xspc block i know it doesn't actually get any water to the vrms but i just dont understand why there would be a 30 C difference between the too.

Edit. It seem that during crysis 3 and over 30 runs of metro the hottest the vrm's got was 78 C.


----------



## Hokies83

Man these cards OC like monkey poop lol

I crash with 1.3v @ 1050mhz/1350 mem and there all 3 below 38C LOL~~!!

Thats only 100mhz over stock core clock and 100mhz over sock mem clock.


----------



## KaGB

Hopefully someone is capable of answering my question,

Is it worth getting the 7970 over the 7950, due to the ~$100 increment?

I'm planning to grab an MSI, PowerColor, or XFX as the manufacture of the card, due to the fact that each of these companies ( I know of ) still allows to RMA their devices after the installation of a water block.

Are there any other companies allow this in their warranty as well?

Powercolor ($299), MSI ($320), XFX ($320) all reference base cards ( I think MSI is reference).

Can someone confirm with me that most references based card are manufactured by AMD and companies just apply their stickers to the card and sell them. Which means everything is exactly the same in each board.

Thanks


----------



## KaRLiToS

*Source*



*Be careful* because some cards looks like Reference design but the PCB is different, different colors. (Make good research)









XFX has sealed screws. (Void if removed) Enlarge the Picture


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaGB*
> 
> Hopefully someone is capable of answering my question,
> 
> Is it worth getting the 7970 over the 7950, due to the ~$100 increment?
> 
> I'm planning to grab an MSI, PowerColor, or XFX as the manufacture of the card, due to the fact that each of these companies ( I know of ) still allows to RMA their devices after the installation of a water block.
> 
> Are there any other companies allow this in their warranty as well?
> 
> Powercolor ($299), MSI ($320), XFX ($320) all reference base cards ( I think MSI is reference).
> 
> Can someone confirm with me that most references based card are manufactured by AMD and companies just apply their stickers to the card and sell them. Which means everything is exactly the same in each board.
> 
> Thanks


you need to call the companies to find out, they can change board layout at any time... also really hard to find reference cards atm
(imo) from companies i trust, also funny story one person at msi said that is no prob as long as you return it returned to factory, yet another person said no it will void your warranty. however there are hundreds of stories of it being just fine on forums..

also you can buy this one
http://www.microcenter.com/product/403016/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC_AMD_Radeon_HD_7970_Overclocked_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card#

i just did. mine may have a problem getting some wired things happening but i may need to change power saving state. long story short when i got home one of my monitors would come on then off then on then off until i unplugged it . i have 2 monitors.

however microcenter sells a warranty ( as long as you buy it with in 30 days. ) and it extends the warranty for an additional 1-3 years and covers ocing and water cooling , ect best thing is all you do is bring it in and they hand you a new card... no questions asked. or refund your full price paid i don tknow about the 1 or 2 years but 3 is 140 and well worth it imo just to avoid having to send it back in

also here is a list of reference designs

http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx#tab3 under the support tab

however again companies can change designs at any time

what do you guys think !!!~??




next to buy my komodo and more rads....


----------



## sugarhell

Only diamond and vtx3d have pure reference 7970's right now i believe. The msi one use the alternate pcb


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> *Source*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Be careful* because some cards looks like Reference design but the PCB is different, different colors. (Make good research)


I've had ppl, er one guy argue that his blue HIS card is reference lol. Like hello, it's blue!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Only diamond and vtx3d have pure reference 7970's right now i believe. The msi one use the alternate pcb


from what i can see this one is still reference i have matched all screws. only real way to tell is to pop it open which i dont have time for atm ... but looks just like reference to me and i have read several people buying them now for water cooling and doing full cover blocks with no problems


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Only diamond and vtx3d have pure reference 7970's right now i believe. The msi one use the alternate pcb
> 
> 
> 
> from what i can see this one is still reference i have matched all screws. only real way to tell is to pop it open which i dont have time for atm ... but looks just like reference to me and i have read several people buying them now for water cooling and doing full cover blocks with no problems
Click to expand...

The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.


My powercolors has matte, they still OC pretty well and I consider them as reference even if they are not









Hey tsm106, glad to see you, can you run a Valley Bench at 5760x1080 , I openned a new spread sheet with Multi-Monitors, want to see if AMD needs to release a profile, I only get 65 fps in eyefinity.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.
> 
> 
> 
> My powercolors has matte, they still OC pretty well and I consider them as reference even if they are not
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey tsm106, glad to see you, can you run a Valley Bench at 5760x1080 , I openned a new spread sheet with Multi-Monitors, want to see if AMD needs to release a profile, *I only get 65 fps in eyefinity*.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about it for now. It's just the lack of a proper profile that's reducing the scaling. For reference, in heaven 3.0 I would get around 114fps maxed out, tess extreme, 8x, etc in eyefinity. This was just under 50% of my highest single screen run of 230fps or so I forget the exact number.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.


well according to swiftech you are wrong, and ppl on the net. and i hope you are... in a few months ( spent about 2k on my self this month gonna take it easy on buying stuffs) ill buy my komodo and tell ya lol
source


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.
> 
> 
> 
> well according to swiftech you are wrong, and ppl on the net. and i hope you are... in a few months ( spent about 2k on my self this month gonna take it easy on buying stuffs) ill buy my komodo and tell ya lol
> source
Click to expand...











Why you people argue for?

http://www.ekwb.com/news/133/19/

^^Those are not reference cards. Reference cards have *109-C38637-00* printed on the pcb. And they have green serial number stickers right next to the core. The MSI OC does not meet either of those criteria.

Btw, this is sooo old news that I don't remember where the thread is anymore but there are threads of users here getting screwed by the alternate pcb cards when they went to slap on their waterblocks. I'll try and dig one up.

**Here.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1220283/reference-powercolor-7970-isnt-reference-need-advice/0_40

Oh lookie here MSI OC/Powercolor/XFX v2 pcb:


----------



## Hokies83

So i try to OC my cards with MSI AB and trxx... No matter where i set the voltages i crash almost instantly...

I Overclock using Evga's Precesion X " Nvidia " software and i can up everything by 200mhz on all 3 cards with out a hitch??

"But i cannot adjust voltage"


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So i try to OC my cards with MSI AB and trxx... No matter where i set the voltages i crash almost instantly...
> 
> I Overclock using Evga's Precesion X " Nvidia " software and i can up everything by 200mhz on all 3 cards with out a hitch??
> 
> "But i cannot adjust voltage"


Boost card huh?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Boost card huh?


Yah.. but ur Trixx mod allows me to adjust voltage to 1.38v not sure what the issue is here lol.

Msi AB allows me to adjust to 1.3v and 1.7 on the mem.

Evga's does not allow me to adjust voltage cause it is not an Nvidia card.


----------



## KaRLiToS

tsm106, my Matte powercolor fits reference waterblocks, do you think they might be reference, they look very alike the XFX reference? Maybe I was wrong about them not being reference? Anyway, I'm happy with what I have









@Hokies, i'm pretty sure your ULPS is not disabled correctly, don't ask for Trixx to do this, do it manually in the regedit

All info *here* (tsm106 guide, I always, ALWAYS refer to this guide when I don't remember something, but I know everything by heart now







)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Boost card huh?
> 
> 
> 
> Yah.. but ur Trixx mod allows me to adjust voltage to 1.38v not sure what the issue is here lol.
Click to expand...

4.40 B cannot read boost states, sorry. The modder that made it is afk so no 4.6 modded Trixx is available as far as I know.


----------



## sugarhell

Just flash a non-boost bios


----------



## Hokies83

I donno what is up

Both trixx and AB my cards insta crash / lock up if i Overclock with them...

But ive tested 1150/1550mhz on Evga Percesion X with no crash.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> *tsm106, my Matte powercolor fits reference waterblocks, do you think they might be reference, they look very alike the XFX reference? Maybe I was wrong about them not being reference? Anyway, I'm happy with what I have*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @Hokies, i'm pretty sure your ULPS is not disabled correctly, don't ask for Trixx to do this, do it manually in the regedit
> 
> All info *here* (tsm106 guide, I always, ALWAYS refer to this guide when I don't remember something, but I know everything by heart now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Well as long as they fit your blocks and they do so all is good. There's nothing inherently wrong with the alternate pcb, it was an option for AIB's for their own production (cost) since the reference cards are produced (contracted) by AMD.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Just flash a non-boost bios


Yea, this.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Check correctly in the Guide Hokies

Quote:


> Disabling ULPS
> 
> Open regedit and go to:
> 
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
> 
> This key 4D36E968, under CurrentControlSet is the only folder you need to access. You can ignore the others, so don't search for it just traverse directly to said folder. It's time to disable ULPS, or ultra low power savings. Inside the folder you will find more folders, 0000/0001/0002/etc so on and on.
> 
> Open each folder and double click on *EnableULPS and change to 0*. You do not need to change any other key, or any keys that look similar, *just change EnableULPS*. Close regedit.


Do this for all cards.

I don't recommend flashing the BIOS if voltage is unlocked in MSI and Trixx.


----------



## sugarhell

Actually hokies do you have enable unofficial overclocking without power play on AB?

WIth the new betas you can just disable ulps through the settings of AB


----------



## Hokies83

ULPS was already set to 0 in the 3 folders i found it in.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Actually hokies do you have enable unofficial overclocking without power play on AB?
> 
> WIth the new betas you can just disable ulps through the settings of AB


----------



## tsm106

He's got it setup right. The problem is the boost bios. It will only show the voltage "you want" at idle, but under load it will drop into voltage locked range. It's like a sexy tease, you think you got to third base, but nooo...!


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He's got it setup right. The problem is the boost bios. It will only show the voltage "you want" at idle, but under load it will drop into voltage locked range. It's like a sexy tease, you think you got to third base, but nooo...!


Even if Gpu-z is reporting it?

I have it set to 1.3v gpu-z is showing 1.289


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Only diamond and vtx3d have pure reference 7970's right now i believe. The msi one use the alternate pcb
> 
> 
> 
> from what i can see this one is still reference i have matched all screws. only real way to tell is to pop it open which i dont have time for atm ... but looks just like reference to me and i have read several people buying them now for water cooling and doing full cover blocks with no problems
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.
Click to expand...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652

This one is reference physically: ( and they were still shipping as reference as late as last week) watch out for the XFX DD GHOST. they were reference (physically) and have changed the PCB
Highlighted board is MSI OC ref in link.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He's got it setup right. The problem is the boost bios. *It will only show the voltage "you want" at idle*, but under load it will drop into voltage locked range. It's like a sexy tease, you think you got to third base, but nooo...!
> 
> 
> 
> Even if Gpu-z is reporting it?
> 
> I have it set to 1.3v gpu-z is showing 1.289
Click to expand...

Read my post again carefully.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my post again carefully.


Ah i see.. guess i need to look for a 7950 PCS+ Bios then.

Im still confused as to why i can not OC at all with AB and Trixx but i can with Percesion X

Any overclocking with AB / Trixx soon as i stress the Gpu's i lock up.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Only diamond and vtx3d have pure reference 7970's right now i believe. The msi one use the alternate pcb
> 
> 
> 
> from what i can see this one is still reference i have matched all screws. only real way to tell is to pop it open which i dont have time for atm ... but looks just like reference to me and i have read several people buying them now for water cooling and doing full cover blocks with no problems
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> 
> This one is reference physically: ( and they were still shipping as reference as late as last week) watch out for the XFX DD GHOST. they were reference (physically) and have changed the PCB
> Highlighted board is MSI OC ref in link.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
Click to expand...

Look at the diamond 7970 at the egg. Click on the pic and go to the back of the pcb. See the green serial number sticker? That sticker is on reference cards only. Now check the MSI OC. Guess what no sticker (hell the box for the serial # isn't even printed on the pcb) and no reference number on the pcb, 109-C38637-00.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Look at the diamond 7970 at the egg. Click on the pic and go to the back of the pcb. See the green serial number sticker? That sticker is on reference cards only. Now check the MSI OC. Guess what no sticker (hell the box for the serial # isn't even printed on the pcb) and no reference number on the pcb, 109-C38637-00.


I just caught this thread...please tell me that I can put EK FC 7970 CSQ on MSI OC

I have 2 of these cards...

http://www.microcenter.com/product/403016/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC_AMD_Radeon_HD_7970_Overclocked_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bustacap22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Look at the diamond 7970 at the egg. Click on the pic and go to the back of the pcb. See the green serial number sticker? That sticker is on reference cards only. Now check the MSI OC. Guess what no sticker (hell the box for the serial # isn't even printed on the pcb) and no reference number on the pcb, 109-C38637-00.
> 
> 
> 
> I just caught this thread...please tell me that I can put EK FC 7970 CSQ on MSI OC
> 
> I have 2 of these cards...
> 
> http://www.microcenter.com/product/403016/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC_AMD_Radeon_HD_7970_Overclocked_3072MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card
Click to expand...

Your cards follow reference format so you will have no problem with a reference fullcover waterblock.









I'm only pointing this out for the billionth time because the term reference gets thrown around too often.


----------



## bustacap22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Your cards follow reference format so you will have no problem with a reference fullcover waterblock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm only pointing this out for the billionth time because the term reference gets thrown around too often.


Ya just took a quick look at my EK blocks to make sure that they had the "gap" to clear that higher capacitor. Started to freak out there for a sec....Thanks


----------



## Hokies83

Is there a place to get a Bios at?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Only diamond and vtx3d have pure reference 7970's right now i believe. The msi one use the alternate pcb
> 
> 
> 
> from what i can see this one is still reference i have matched all screws. only real way to tell is to pop it open which i dont have time for atm ... but looks just like reference to me and i have read several people buying them now for water cooling and doing full cover blocks with no problems
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The msi oc? It uses the alternate pcb. AMD released two pcb's at launch the reference pcb and an alternate which has a matte finish and comes with different caps.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> 
> This one is reference physically: ( and they were still shipping as reference as late as last week) watch out for the XFX DD GHOST. they were reference (physically) and have changed the PCB
> Highlighted board is MSI OC ref in link.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Look at the diamond 7970 at the egg. Click on the pic and go to the back of the pcb. See the green serial number sticker? That sticker is on reference cards only. Now check the MSI OC. Guess what no sticker (hell the box for the serial # isn't even printed on the pcb) and no reference number on the pcb, 109-C38637-00.
Click to expand...

Yeah, thats why I wrote "This one is reference physically:". I actually wrote it twice. The op is interested in if a ref block will work, and that is once again why I wrote "This one is reference physically:"


----------



## Hokies83

Bump @ the Bios location!

Also there a trick to running Heaven 4.0 my gpus were at like 55% = 65% use thru the benchmark got a crappy 1800 score lol.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Bump @ the Bios location!
> 
> Also there a trick to running Heaven 4.0 my gpus were at like 55% = 65% use thru the benchmark got a crappy 1800 score lol.


Did you check out TechPowerup VGA BIOS collection?
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/116138/Powercolor.HD7950.3072.120116_1.html

Until a profile shows up, the best solution thus far seems to be running 1 x 1 optimized crossfire mode from ECC


----------



## Hokies83

Thx! now what program to use to flash the rom.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Yeah, thats why I wrote "This one is reference physically:". I actually wrote it twice. The op is interested in if a ref block will work, and that is once again why I wrote "This one is reference physically:"


i thought you all ment it would not fit a full water block >.> my bad ._.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Yeah, thats why I wrote "This one is reference physically:". I actually wrote it twice. The op is interested in if a ref block will work, and that is once again why I wrote "This one is reference physically:"
> 
> 
> 
> i thought you all ment it would not fit a full water block >.> my bad ._.
Click to expand...

That was for TSM106, not you mega.
A full cover water-block fits the same on the MSI I linked to (and own 2 of) It is laid out the same as a 'genuine AMD reference' PCB Metaled holes, memory, cap layout and height, VRM/MOSFET placement etc,etc, so physically it's the same. Thats the reason for the "physically" qualifier.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> That was for TSM106, not you mega.
> A full cover water-block fits the same on the MSI I linked to (and own 2 of) It is laid out the same as a 'genuine AMD reference' PCB Metaled holes, memory, cap layout and height, VRM/MOSFET placement etc,etc, so physically it's the same. Thats the reason for the "physically" qualifier.


oooo sorry miss heard that ._. and thanks for helping meh ~


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Hookies use sapphire 950 BIOS from techpowerup or wait that i get Homs amd back mine up.

Second you are feeding way too much voltage to those 7950.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He's got it setup right. The problem is the boost bios. It will only show the voltage "you want" at idle, but under load it will drop into voltage locked range. It's like a sexy tease, you think you got to third base, but nooo...!


Does the HD 7970 Ghz bios do the same thing? Lock in the voltage or no?


----------



## w-moffatt

hey guys and girls just a quick question, i wanna get this

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_314&products_id=19608

for this card i own - 7970 sapphire

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961

I seem to have the coil whine issue thats apparently common in these high end cards (no big deal for me) but was wondering if using the after market cooler to drop temps would help that whine?? it hovers around 75-79 degrees full load which i know it can run that high, but i personally freak at those temps (my old 6970 never went over 65)

Im to broke for WC'ing LOL, any feedback on these coolers and if there easy to install??


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> hey guys and girls just a quick question, i wanna get this
> 
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=207_314&products_id=19608
> 
> for this card i own - 7970 sapphire
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961
> 
> I seem to have the coil whine issue thats apparently common in these high end cards (no big deal for me) but was wondering if using the after market cooler to drop temps would help that whine?? it hovers around 75-79 degrees full load which i know it can run that high, but i personally freak at those temps (my old 6970 never went over 65)
> 
> Im to broke for WC'ing LOL, any feedback on these coolers and if there easy to install??


Its the best air cooler atm. If you follow the guide you will be fine. The coil whine issue you can try to fix it. If you have crysis 1 just stay on the menus.Left it overnight.Care about the temps your card will get hot


----------



## wingclip

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> First time to try crossfire and have yet to put the other under water, played bf3 mp this morning - ZERO issues so far running both at stock.
> 
> Hybrid Crossfire
> 
> 
> 
> it was pretty painless. i just installed the second card and booted, then went straight to ccc and enabled crossfire. that was it.


Say rdr09, what model is your case and cooling system? I see "430" and "120" but could you expand on those two please?
Thanks, Rich


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I haven't got mine yet either. I figure I'll email them a couple days before it comes out if I haven't heard from them.
> 
> Question for those of you that already got your code. Did it unlock all the extras like XCOM as well?


Havent gotten mine for my 7870XT either.

I think they'll email them when it goes Live on Launchday for Steam.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Does the HD 7970 Ghz bios do the same thing? Lock in the voltage or no?


Some GHZ Bios allow voltage control. But the one that are locked...are locked from the begginning, you just can't play with the voltage at all


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wingclip*
> 
> Say rdr09, what model is your case and cooling system? I see "430" and "120" but could you expand on those two please?
> Thanks, Rich


that there in the pic is a cooler master 912. 120 stands for 120 radiator. my second intel rig uses 2. one for each block.

edit: i am using a cheap xspc rs360 system. sold the 360 rad and replaced it with 2 120 rads.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys, I did sen my Asus 7970 TOP to service and I said I don't want it (locked voltage)

So which 7970 cards unlocked?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Ah i see.. guess i need to look for a 7950 PCS+ Bios then.
> 
> Im still confused as to why i can not OC at all with AB and Trixx but i can with Percesion X
> 
> Any overclocking with AB / Trixx soon as i stress the Gpu's i lock up.


 Tahiti.zip 41k .zip file

Heres the bios my 7950 have.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys please tell me, which cards are unlocked? I konw gigabyte and Asus has locked voltage.

MSI, Sapphire, Powercolor are locked too?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Guys please tell me, which cards are unlocked? I konw gigabyte and Asus has locked voltage.
> 
> MSI, Sapphire, Powercolor are locked too?


I think they all are coming voltage locked... as GHz bioses..

You can try and getting a reference cooling 7970 from ebay which will almost guaranteed a unlocked voltage card..


----------



## Tonza

So what about 7950s, which are voltage unlocked? Going to sell my 7970 at weekend, and im getting monday 2x of some 7950s for CF setup.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Guys please tell me, which cards are unlocked? I konw gigabyte and Asus has locked voltage.
> 
> MSI, Sapphire, Powercolor are locked too?


Unlocked

*439,99$*

*Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC with Boost 3GB DDR5 DL-DVI-I/SL-DVI-D/HDMI/DP PCI-Express Graphics Card 11197-03-40G*



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> So what about 7950s, which are voltage unlocked? Going to sell my 7970 at weekend, and im getting monday 2x of some 7950s for CF setup.


*300$* Comes with free Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite

*SAPPHIRE 100352-2L Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card*



*The Sapphire 3L is also voltage unlocked*

*Not sure about this one* (ask raghu78 maybe)

*309$* (Comes with Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite too)

*MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card*



MSI has often poor Thermal Paste applied on their chip so you might want to change it yourself, you can check for temperature before taking it apart.


----------



## Hokies83

Flashed my Power color boost states with Sapphire Bios now my Pc hangs at boot no video are nothing i get error code 62.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

WTH it is me or 7970 are going up in price again?


We should thank nvidia for that...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Flashed my Power cooler boost states with Sapphire Bios now my Pc hangs at boot no video are nothing i get error code 62.


huh?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> huh?


Yah i do not think these cards like your Bios lol...

I had to switch to Bios 2 to get the pc to boot.


----------



## Strileckifunk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> WTH it is me or 7970 are going up in price again?
> 
> 
> We should thank nvidia for that...


I've noticed this too. I was looking to possibly add another HIS 7970 GHz, but I only paid $400 for mine AND got the Reloaded bundle with it (I wasn't supposed to get the sale price and the bundle, but Newegg slipped up). Guess I'll hold off for a little and wait until they drop back down.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yah i do not think these cards like your Bios lol...
> 
> I had to switch to Bios 2 to get the pc to boot.


Thats weird my card is a msi twin forzr and she love that bios..


----------



## sugarhell

Try to reflash them maybe something went wrong


----------



## Hokies83

Sure ill try it again


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Sure ill try it again


do one at a time not all 3 just in case..


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Sure ill try it again


Change your DVI port. Some BIOS are configured for card with more or less ports, so if your card lacks this port it won't function


----------



## Hokies83

This card only has 1 dvi port =/

Anywho what i did...


----------



## Nonehxc

Hmmm, maybe your original BIOS had SL DVI and the other BIOS was configured for DL DVI. Try another connector (HDMI, Displayport)to see if the issues is in the port. BTW, better to use a USB stick with atiflash inside and your original bios besides the bios you want to flash, that way if something goes wrong you can always reflash without hassle.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57750


----------



## Hokies83

Im using a Catleap it is a single DL-DVI port.


----------



## Hokies83

LoL opps i flashed that sapphire bios onto bios 2 so now bios 1 and 2 have it on there PC wont boot code 62...

To many distractions in my house and i forgot to switch back over 2 1 before i flashed heh...

Anyway to recover?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL opps i flashed that sapphire bios onto bios 2 so now bios 1 and 2 have it on there PC wont boot code 62...
> 
> To many distractions in my house and i forgot to switch back over 2 1 before i flashed heh...
> 
> Anyway to recover?


You cannot flash BIOS #2







(Its locked)

If you read my tutorial thouroughly, you also have a tutorial for multi cards flashing (up to 4).

This is why two BIOSes is so awsome, check below
Quote:


> *Lets say* your borked your BIOS flashing and the BIOS #1 is now corrupted and you can't boot into windows using that BIOS
> 
> -Turn Off PC
> -Put the swtich back to BIOS #2
> -You restart PC running "Locked" BIOS (#2)
> -*Under Windows*: You flip the GPU Bios switch back to #1
> -Proceed to a normal flashing of the BIOS
> -BIOS#1 is now repaired


I hope you saved your original BIOs before flashing


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> You cannot flash BIOS #2
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Its locked)
> 
> If you read my tutorial thouroughly, you also have a tutorial for multi cards flashing (up to 4).
> 
> This is why two BIOSes is so awsome, check below


It let me flash bios #2 same error as bios 1 now..

I flashes the other 2 cards Bios #1s but there #2s are clean.


----------



## Hokies83

Ok i got the pc to boot by....

Removing crossfire bridge from card 1 removeing pci-e power from card 1 and plugging dvi-d cable into card 2.

How do i go about fixing card 1 now lol?

When i try to reflash the card i get this msg.



Onlything i can think of is when i break the loop back down remove that card from top slot and move it to 2nd slot.. then it might work.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Ok i got the pc to boot by....
> 
> Removing crossfire bridge from card 1 removeing pci-e power from card 1 and plugging dvi-d cable into card 2.
> 
> How do i go about fixing card 1 now lol?
> 
> When i try to reflash the card i get this msg.
> 
> 
> 
> Onlything i can think of is when i break the loop back down remove that card from top slot and move it to 2nd slot.. then it might work.


Use your igp from your cpu and flash the card.. If that doesnt work you have to do it from dos..


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Use your igp from your cpu and flash the card.. If that doesnt work you have to do it from dos..


If the card has power to it my system will not boot at all.

if i unplug the card via Pci-e power it boots fine.

So the fix is me breaking my Loop back down and switching card 1 and card 2?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

My question is how you flahed a protected bios to begin with?

You try switching the bios to the correct position? It dont boot in any 1 or 2?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> My question is how you flahed a protected bios to begin with?
> 
> You try switching the bios to the correct position? It dont boot in any 1 or 2?


I have no idea how it let me flash Bios 2 lol but it did.

When first flashed it would not boot in Bios 1 but would boot with bios 2.
Then i forgot to switch it back to bios 1 and flashed the sapphire bios onto bios 2.. and now it does the samething it was doing with bios 1.

My kid was screaming and i was not paying att to what i was doing.

So Bios 1 and 2 are both down on card 1.

No matter where i plug my video into if card 1 has power the system will not boot error code 62.

I have cards 2 and 3 all back to the stock Bios.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

You either blind flash the card or use your cpu igp to do the flash...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

You have to boot from dos then and flash from there *as i was telling you to begin with..*

Try resetting your cmos.. Just for troubleshooting


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Anyone received their BioShock Infinite codes yet (email form) or are we still waiting on AMD?


I wrote AMD support and they sent me a response that my code will be sent tomorrow (22 MAR) - since other folks have already rec'd their codes I guess it's just whenever AMD feels like getting around to it?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpiDx*
> 
> This will let you increase the voltage to 1.381v(compliments of tsm's amd howto thread)
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/attachments/8046


Thanks, pimp - you done changed the game, that's what you did...


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

What kind of temps do people get with 7950 and 7950 CF ? I rarely go over 60 and 45C with 42% fan @ those temps


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its the best air cooler atm. If you follow the guide you will be fine. The coil whine issue you can try to fix it. If you have crysis 1 just stay on the menus.Left it overnight.Care about the temps your card will get hot


Pardon my ignorance, but is this cooler (Arctic Xtreme 7970) compatible with non-reference boards like my Sapphire 100351SR? I thought maybe of picking one up myself at one point.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> What kind of temps do people get with 7950 and 7950 CF ? I rarely go over 60 and 45C with 42% fan @ those temps


My single 7950 almost hits 70C under load. Fan speed stays around 55% at that temp.


----------



## cyph3rz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My single 7950 almost hits 70C under load. Fan speed stays around 55% at that temp.


Hey mine is about the same as yours. My XFX 7950 runs cooler and quieter than the XFX 6870 I used to have under load. I got a new XFX Double D 7950 recently by the way.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> Pardon my ignorance, but is this cooler (Arctic Xtreme 7970) compatible with non-reference boards like my Sapphire 100351SR? I thought maybe of picking one up myself at one point.


From their site :
Quote:


> The compatibility list is based on AMD Radeon and NVIDIA's reference board layout only. ARCTIC holds no responsibility for incompatibility on non reference boards. Please check the height restriction drawing before purchase.


Source


----------



## thrgk

Is the 01-40g model of sapphire dual fan x oc discontinued? Haven't been in stock now only the stupid BOOST one is around and its not reference


----------



## fruitflavor

oc'ing my 7950. wonder how much more it can go if i can be bother to put it under water


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fruitflavor*
> 
> oc'ing my 7950. wonder how much more it can go if i can be bother to put it under water


man, that is nice. watered, you should not see 50 on the core and 60 on the vrms at load like in games or benchmarks like valley at room temp.. i don't use furmark. check all temps using hwinfo64. crank the memory to 1600 maybe. got mine to 1255/1750 but with a lot of volts for benching. it stays at stock in games.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Is the 01-40g model of sapphire dual fan x oc discontinued? Haven't been in stock now only the stupid BOOST one is around and its not reference


Say adios, cuz it's gone. Thanks Sapphire, you rock. Hmm, one way to get the original pcb is to do an rma. They have been sending those out. Though that's obviously not an ideal situation lol.


----------



## MAL22

My 7950 is BS. I get better FPS on my i7 + gtx660m than my phenom 9750 + HD 7950 on bioshock 2. And when I say better, I mean 30-60fps vs 50-60fps steady. This is insane... Garbage.


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> My 7950 is BS. I get better FPS on my i7 + gtx660m than my phenom 9750 + HD 7950 on bioshock 2. And when I say better, I mean 30-60fps vs 50-60fps steady. This is insane... Garbage.


it's your CPU... a slow Phenom 1 is a HUGE bottleneck. In some games, it will drag down the FPS quite a bit if the CPU isn't fast enough to feed that FAST card.

i'm hoping your comment isn't trolling.


----------



## Sturdius

I recently purchased a pair of 7970's. I'm having some trouble overclocking them, and I feel like they should be scoring higher in benchmarks. Am I crazy, or is this a pretty low Valley score for a pair of 7970's?


----------



## Snuckie7

I'm not sure how well 7970's scale in Valley, but your 2 7970's are only getting 1.5x the performance of my single 7950.

Check out the valley bench thread to see if your score seems in line with other 7970CF setups.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0-fill-the-form-single-and-multi-monitors


----------



## RaleighStClair

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> My 7950 is BS. I get better FPS on my i7 + gtx660m than my phenom 9750 + HD 7950 on bioshock 2. And when I say better, I mean 30-60fps vs 50-60fps steady. This is insane... Garbage.


My old Phenom bottlenecked my 670 PE a lot. An overclock 7950 is faster than a 670, so......


----------



## w-moffatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sturdius*
> 
> I recently purchased a pair of 7970's. I'm having some trouble overclocking them, and I feel like they should be scoring higher in benchmarks. Am I crazy, or is this a pretty low Valley score for a pair of 7970's?


benchmarked a pair of asus 7970's a while back, score was about 79 fps on heaven. So id say your score isnt far off at all. My single OC'd 7970 gets around 43-44 fps..


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sturdius*
> 
> I recently purchased a pair of 7970's. I'm having some trouble overclocking them, and I feel like they should be scoring higher in benchmarks. Am I crazy, or is this a pretty low Valley score for a pair of 7970's?


Looks about right depending on what overclocks you're getting on your GPUs.


----------



## Sturdius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I'm not sure how well 7970's scale in Valley, but your 2 7970's are only getting 1.5x the performance of my single 7950.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> benchmarked a pair of asus 7970's a while back, score was about 79 fps on heaven. So id say your score isnt far off at all. My single OC'd 7970 gets around 43-44 fps..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Looks about right depending on what overclocks you're getting on your GPUs.


The cards are overclocked to 1024 core and 1551 memory. Maybe I was being a little unrealistic, but I was expecting scores in the mid 3000's at the very least. Could my motherboard be a limiting factor? In dual card mode, the PCIe lanes are only 8x (The first one is 16x when there is only a single card, but it drops down to 8x with two). Would there be a significant difference if they were full speed 16x lanes?


----------



## RaleighStClair

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sturdius*
> 
> The cards are overclocked to 1024 core and 1551 memory. Maybe I was being a little unrealistic, but I was expecting scores in the mid 3000's at the very least. Could my motherboard be a limiting factor? In dual card mode, the PCIe lanes are only 8x (The first one is 16x when there is only a single card, but it drops down to 8x with two). Would there be a significant difference if they were full speed 16x lanes?


Pop those 7970's to 1200/1600+ @ 1.25 volts, if your PSU can push it.


----------



## Sturdius

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RaleighStClair*
> 
> Pop those 7970's to 1200/1600+ @ 1.25 volts, if your PSU can push it.


They are voltage locked XFX DD 7970's (925/1375 stock clocks). If you can point me in the right direction to overvolt them, I'd be more than happy to give it a shot. MSI Afterburner won't push them any higher than 1.175 V.


----------



## w-moffatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sturdius*
> 
> The cards are overclocked to 1024 core and 1551 memory. Maybe I was being a little unrealistic, but I was expecting scores in the mid 3000's at the very least. Could my motherboard be a limiting factor? In dual card mode, the PCIe lanes are only 8x (The first one is 16x when there is only a single card, but it drops down to 8x with two). Would there be a significant difference if they were full speed 16x lanes?


it will make a difference but barely...read some reviews (please any correct me if im wrong) but the performance loss from a 16x to an 8x is like 2-3%. So wont account for much.

my settings are 1050/1500..


----------



## Nonehxc

Wow, my trusty retailer has started sending Bioshock Infinite in advance(as always does







). My Premium Edition should be here this afternoon or tomorrow morning









Does anyone know if there were profiles for Bioshock Infinite already in 13.2 Betas? I seem to recall so.


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ChronoBodi*
> 
> it's your CPU... a slow Phenom 1 is a HUGE bottleneck. In some games, it will drag down the FPS quite a bit if the CPU isn't fast enough to feed that FAST card.
> 
> i'm hoping your comment isn't trolling.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RaleighStClair*
> 
> My old Phenom bottlenecked my 670 PE a lot. An overclock 7950 is faster than a 670, so......


No, my comment wasn't about trolling. It's just pissing me of that my desktop has trouble beating my laptop on a 2010 game running on a 2007 engine. Even in Skyrim I get similar fps and my CPU isn't even fully loaded to 100%. So if I get a 3570k my FPS should sky rocket and blow my 660m?

EDIT: I benched metro 2033 since this game isn't really CPU bound and it literally crushed my laptop. But any other games seem to perform poorly even though my cpu never reaches 100% load. Stays around 60-70% most of the time.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> No, my comment wasn't about trolling. It's just pissing me of that my desktop has trouble beating my laptop on a 2010 game running on a 2007 engine. Even in Skyrim I get similar fps and my CPU isn't even fully loaded to 100%. So if I get a 3570k my FPS should sky rocket and blow my 660m?


mal, run a benchmark or two. i recommend heaven 3.0 or 4.0 and 3D Mark 11 and we'll see what's going on.


----------



## MAL22

I'm downloading heaven right now.

EDIT: Do I set every settings to the max?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> I'm downloading heaven right now.
> 
> EDIT: Do I set every settings to the max?


not sure which one you got. follow the settings in this thread. it has both . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-4-0-scores

what driver version are you using?


----------



## MAL22

I'm using 13.3 beta right now. Just ran heaven 4.0


----------



## RaleighStClair

I had that exact processor and I had a 670, the processor bottlenecked my card by 30-40% most of the time. You need a new processor for high end cards. Trust me I had the exact same issue. I got a 3570k put it to 4+ghz and my 670 went from 65-70% GPU usage to 95% + constant. I traded my 670 PE for a 7970 and I am more than happy now -- but that is another story.


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RaleighStClair*
> 
> I had that exact processor and I had a 670, the processor bottlenecked my card by 30-40% most of the time. You need a new processor for high end cards. Trust me I had the exact same issue. I got a 3570k put it to 4+ghz and my 670 went from 65-70% GPU usage to 95% + constant. I traded my 670 PE for a 7970 and I am more than happy now -- but that is another story.


I just played Tomb Raider fully maxed out. In some areas, I get constant 60fps and GPU is at 99% but then I get an awful lag spike in open areas, my FPS crumble to 20 and my GPU usage goes down to 50-70%. That's an indicator of a bottleneck?

What I just don't get is how can my phenom bottleneck in bioshock 2 ???


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> I just played Tomb Raider fully maxed out. In some areas, I get constant 60fps and GPU is at 99% but then I get an awful lag spike in open areas, my FPS crumble to 20 and my GPU usage goes down to 50-70%. That's an indicator of a bottleneck?
> 
> What I just don't get is how can my phenom bottleneck in bioshock 2 ???


TR uses the CPU to calculate distant objects. Sounds like the CPU is not powerful enough or they have only assigned a small portion of the CPU to do the job. Either way, your CPU is taking charge here in the open environments.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> I just played Tomb Raider fully maxed out. In some areas, I get constant 60fps and GPU is at 99% but then I get an awful lag spike in open areas, my FPS crumble to 20 and my GPU usage goes down to 50-70%. That's an indicator of a bottleneck?
> 
> What I just don't get is how can my phenom bottleneck in bioshock 2 ???


mal, i think it is not just the cpu but your entire am2+ platform, especially the ddr2 ram it has is affecting the overall performance in some games. if you can hold off a little while longer 'cause haswell and steamroller are coming.


----------



## gingerbreadman

Just registered, proud owner of a 7950


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> mal, i think it is not just the cpu but your entire am2+ platform, especially the ddr2 ram it has is affecting the overall performance in some games. if you can hold off a little while longer 'cause haswell and steamroller are coming.


I'll ask my friend about testing my 7950 in his phenom ii x6 rig or my bro's athlon ii x2 + 7850.

But what you're trying to say here is that my whole platform is unable to give sufficient bandwidth for the GPU?

EDIT: I just understood why I didn't see any improvements in many games with my 1200/1575 OC. :S


----------



## Nonehxc

1st generation Phenoms aren't sufficient anymore for games, specially yours if it's clocked so low at 2.4Ghz. I have a Phenom IIx4 955BE clocked to 4.0Ghz and it surely behaves good since it doesn't bottleneck my GPU, but I suffer some huge fps drops from time to time in some games. It recovers quickly(I mean, sporadic fps drop some seconds long and then up he goes), but I know it's barely capable of holding the fort nowadays when CPU matters. So you have to upgrade yes or yes my friend(as I must do lol).


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> mal, i think it is not just the cpu but your entire am2+ platform, especially the ddr2 ram it has is affecting the overall performance in some games. if you can hold off a little while longer 'cause haswell and steamroller are coming.


Haswell is supposed to come out in June and steamroller has been reported, so no steamroller this year. ):


----------



## scubadiver59

The stork just delivered a pair of 7950s. Mostly for folding. Want to build a pure AMD system and these are the beginning!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *scubadiver59*
> 
> The stork just delivered a pair of 7950s. Mostly for folding. Want to build a pure AMD system and these are the beginning!


Nice cards, can you confirm they are voltage unlocked?


----------



## MAL22

I should introduce myself properly. So here's my Sapphire 7950 FleX! Sadly bottlenecked by my outdated AM2+ system.


----------



## scubadiver59

I'll give them a look this weekend when I throw together another computer--I have another ATX-based folder to build.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Nice cards, can you confirm they are voltage unlocked?


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys anyone tried Matrix bios for 7970 Top? I think could be







They both have the same outputs (Display Port, DVI etc.) Anyone has Matrix bios?


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Ok here it's

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/130255/Asus.HD7970.3072.120813_5.html


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gingerbreadman*
> 
> Just registered, proud owner of a 7950


welcome and congrats man !~


----------



## Mackem

Guys, help me pick the best 7950 for overclocking/temperatures from a UK site please. Voltage unlocked is a huge plus.


----------



## d1nky

I got the asus top and its voltage unlocked, temps when ocd stay about the same when stock. I have it at 1200/1550 @1250v, no watercooling and little noise.


----------



## grunion

Look what I got to play with today









These things do 1200 @ 1.2v

3DM11


----------



## Mackem

It's a little pricier than the other models, not sure if it's worth it.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> It's a little pricier than the other models, not sure if it's worth it.


It probably isn't, because you can get a 7970 for a little bit more.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Guys, help me pick the best 7950 for overclocking/temperatures from a UK site please. Voltage unlocked is a huge plus.


The Club 3D 7950 got good reviews.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Ok guys, Asus 7970 TOP Voltage unlocked by me







Check link

http://www.overclock.net/t/1374108/asus-7970-top-edition-voltage-unlocked-by-dj-oxygene-8


----------



## NoGuru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grunion*
> 
> Look what I got to play with today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These things do 1200 @ 1.2v
> 
> 3DM11
> ]


Now that is a setup! You have come a long way from the EP45-UD3P and what E8400?
Clock them things and lets see what they can do!


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoGuru*
> 
> Now that is a setup! You have come a long way from the EP45-UD3P and what E8400?
> Clock them things and lets see what they can do!


That's where I began my real enthousiast life... in the EP45-UD3P thread. First time overclocking was the Q6600, then Q9650. Since then, it never stop growing on me







. I have been buidling rigs since 1998 (at 14 years old) but seems like it all began in November 2009.


----------



## Snuckie7

Just curious, but which 7970 overclocks better, an ASUS Matrix Plat, or an MSI Lightning?


----------



## Biorganic

Hey Everybody!









For the record, I got my second 7950. The sapphire hd 7950 dual x with boost. Love the card, satble at 1200/1500 @ 1.25 V (boost voltage) and temps are very good given the Voltage and clocks. Anyone considering the card should go for it.

Side note:

Anyone willing to do some crunching on their computers should check out the BGB 28 event. We are celebrating multiple members attaining the *Billion* credit milestone in BOINC.

Just click the link in my sig if you are interested. Then follow the directions to sign up in the BGB 28 thread. Thanks


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> It probably isn't, because you can get a 7970 for a little bit more.


But 4 x Display Ports and DVI.

For extreme eyefinity users


----------



## NoGuru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> That's where I began my real enthousiast life... in the EP45-UD3P thread. First time overclocking was the Q6600, then Q9650. Since then, it never stop growing on me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I have been buidling rigs since 1998 (at 14 years old) but seems like it all began in November 2009.


Yeah, I remember when you first started. You have come a long way my friend.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Man, i just fought the strongest urge to go CFX today









Great price too $380 for the Windforce HD7970 with Bioshock (which i'm going to buy) and crysis 3 (which i own). I was about to click the order button when those latency issues reared their ugly head.









C'mon AMD... if i had a GTX680 i would have had a second one months ago... just can't justify buying another 7970 until they get this sorted out/ *if* they get it sorted out. Very sad, i was having sweet dreams of BF3 in beautiful 120Hz at 120 fps









Guess i'll wait 2 more weeks and see what they do by then.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *scubadiver59*
> 
> The stork just delivered a pair of 7950s. Mostly for folding. Want to build a pure AMD system and these are the beginning!


MSI with their awesome build quality, i'm jelly man jelly as hell


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys is there a bios editor for 7000 series?


----------



## msgclb

Within the past couple of months I finally retired my 24/7 rig, an EP45(T)-UD3P running the Q6600.










I really want a HD7970 but I'm going to have to settle for a HD7950.

The only way I'm going to afford this card is with my IRS refund that will be enough for this *MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950*.

I've also been considering the PowerColor AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4, the SAPPHIRE 100352-2L and the HIS IceQ Boost Clock H795QC3G2M.

I've also considered trying to find another $100 for the PowerColor AX7970 3GBD5-2DHV3.

Anyway I won't have to make a decision until the IRS finally returns my money.


----------



## Hokies83

The Power Color HD 7950 is 249$ + Bio Shock And Crysis 3 It is a Ref 7950 PCB.

Ill let ya know in afew days what bios works with it ... however stock bios is 1.25v


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *msgclb*
> 
> Within the past couple of months I finally retired my 24/7 rig, an EP45(T)-UD3P running the Q6600.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really want a HD7970 but I'm going to have to settle for a HD7950.
> 
> The only way I'm going to afford this card is with my IRS refund that will be enough for this *MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950*.
> 
> I've also been considering the PowerColor AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4, the SAPPHIRE 100352-2L and the HIS IceQ Boost Clock H795QC3G2M.
> I've also considered trying to find another $100 for the PowerColor AX7970 3GBD5-2DHV3.
> 
> Anyway I won't have to make a decision until the IRS finally returns my money.


i researched and found out that the reason ek took that particular 7970 out of the compatibiltiy list was because. for some reason, a change in the manufacturing process made one capacitor higher than the rest making the block not fit properly. well, i took a chance and bought one anyway because i got it for $365 total.

took it apart and found the issue does not exists with the use of a straight edge. all capacitors all evenly placed. the best part is - this 7970 comes with unlock voltages. if you are contemplating on watercooling the gpu, then i recommend the powercolor 7970. bought mine at Super Biiz.

if not watercooling - go look at another card.


----------



## msgclb

I'd like to keep my watercooling option open. I've bought a couple of times from SuperBizz so I'm going to check them out.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Hey Everybody!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For the record, I got my second 7950. The sapphire hd 7950 dual x with boost. Love the card, satble at 1200/1500 @ 1.25 V (boost voltage) and temps are very good given the Voltage and clocks. Anyone considering the card should go for it.


I have a Sapphire 7970 OC w/Boost and I'm about right where you're at except 1550 on the mem. The mem will easily do more but the latest Trixx (4.60) doesn't allow adjustments to MVDDC, so I can't get above 1550 stable. Applying 1.625 MVDDC via the modded version will get the mem to 1700+ but I can't get past 1150 on the core due to the massive vDroop (alas, the modded Trixx doesn't support Boost because it was developed beforehand). With the forced voltage option at 1.25 (1.24 in GPU-Z) I get 1200 on the core via 4.60. May try to flash a non-boost BIOS when/if I get the time and experiment a bit more.


----------



## hotrod717

Not to poop on anyones parade, but I found this (http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2012-vga-gpgpu/02-Unigine-Heaven-DirectX-11-C-Extreme,2935.html ) while doing some research on a brand new 6990 I had bought. While the 590 is +.30 points, I don't think it could keep up with a oc'd 6990, though. Don't understand how the newer cards aren't doing better. Perhaps drivers?


----------



## porkovich

Hi all i am new to the 7xxx series but i am a proud owner of one Sapphire 7950 Boost edition. It perform great with my i7 system. I surly am overclocking the card and the results are great. In that direction i want to ask something i cannot understand. This particular model comes with boost speed of 925 mhz. The default voltage reported in Trixx is 1.25v, so with this in mind i have managed 1150 core and 1550 memory.
Now when i check gpu-z, normally, when the card is stressed there is a vdrop. With this model its massive, it goes down to 1.197v but normally it is around 1.205/1.21v.
When i read trough the forums i see that many are stable with 1200 core @ 1.25 ...... but are those actual voltages or after vdrop ... ? There is a huge difference in what you set and what you have after the voltage drops. I am curious because for me to have real 1.25 volts i will need to push the core to 1.30v to have it stable at 1.25v. Anyone ?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Hi all i am new to the 7xxx series but i am a proud owner of one Sapphire 7950 Boost edition. It perform great with my i7 system. I surly am overclocking the card and the results are great. In that direction i want to ask something i cannot understand. This particular model comes with boost speed of 925 mhz. The default voltage reported in Trixx is 1.25v, so with this in mind i have managed 1150 core and 1550 memory.
> Now when i check gpu-z, normally, when the card is stressed there is a vdrop. With this model its massive, it goes down to 1.197v but normally it is around 1.205/1.21v.
> When i read trough the forums i see that many are stable with 1200 core @ 1.25 ...... but are those actual voltages or after vdrop ... ? There is a huge difference in what you set and what you have after the voltage drops. I am curious because for me to have real 1.25 volts i will need to push the core to 1.30v to have it stable at 1.25v. Anyone ?


it depends if the person knows or states what theyre talking about. I usually say im at 1.25v and that's target set, my actual vcore would be 1.200ish
and vcore usually vrdoops at full loads, and when less stressed it will reach 1.25 and stay there. so my opinion would be most are talking about their 'target' voltage because everyones vdroop is different and not many know their actual voltage, at a certain time


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> it depends if the person knows or states what theyre talking about. I usually say im at 1.25v and that's target set, my actual vcore would be 2.000ish
> and vcore usually vrdoops at full loads, and when less stressed it will reach 1.25 and stay there. so my opinion would be most are talking about their 'target' voltage because everyones vdroop is different and not many know their actual voltage, at a certain time


wut's 2.000ish?


----------



## bustacap22

AMD sents email for my Bioshock Infinite Code this morning...looking forward in this game.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> wut's 2.000ish?


typo lol 1.200ish, thanks for spotting that!


----------



## Mackem

What card should I get from overclockers.co.uk? Looking for the best in terms of cooling and overclocking. If I get a 7950 I can't go over say £275. Just not quite sure if the 7970 will be worth paying the extra £50-£75 for?


----------



## d1nky

why overclockers? i found that they have higher prices than most online retailers.

try this http://uk.hardware.info/


----------



## Mackem

They seem to have better choice than most places. I just want something that is good bang for buck, voltage unlocked and cools really well.


----------



## phinexswarm71

i got gigabyte radeon 7970 its very much a milestone better in games then my previous 5850 and im happy with it for now
i realised only after i bought it that the card is voltaged locked which sucks its by default 1000/1375,i planned to upgrade my powersupply even for overclocking and i added funs,now with that dumbed down card i dont know if its worth to increase the mhz 1100/1650 that the cards lets me to wiitout allowing me to controll the MV


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

I did solve mine (asus) Finally not locked.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1374108/asus-7970-top-edition-voltage-unlocked-by-dj-oxygene-8


----------



## KalashNK

I think I have the only bad OC 7970 ever existed. I can't even reach 1100/1500 at 1.256V (it's a Sapphire not OC, stock voltage 1.112V), BF3 crashes.








Anyway it's a great card for the price.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Not to poop on anyones parade, but I found this (http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2012-vga-gpgpu/02-Unigine-Heaven-DirectX-11-C-Extreme,2935.html ) while doing some research on a brand new 6990 I had bought. While the 590 is +.30 points, I don't think it could keep up with a oc'd 6990, though. Don't understand how the newer cards aren't doing better. Perhaps drivers?


they were tested at stock. most of us know ati shines when oc'ed. check out the 3D Mark 11 performance benchmark on the same site . . . my oc'ed 7950 beats the 680 by about 800 points.

btw, tom's = WEI.


----------



## meddle3

Just installed my new 7950 and the ASIC value is showing 56.9%....does that mean this thing is basically junk?


----------



## Snuckie7

Not necessarily.

The new boost feature on the 7950's also make the ASIC calculation completely irrelevant because the default voltage is way higher.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> Just installed my new 7950 and the ASIC value is showing 56.9%....does that mean this thing is basically junk?


I personally think that the ASIC is BS, but that is just IMO. I'm guessing your card is a boost card so the ASIC is going to be lower. My MSI TFIII 7950 has 59% ASIC and overclocks to 1200/1575 without touching the voltage. Don't look at that and just have fun overclocking!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> I personally think that the ASIC is BS, but that is just IMO. I'm guessing your card is a boost card so the ASIC is going to be lower. My MSI TFIII 7950 has 59% ASIC and overclocks to 1200/1575 without touching the voltage. Don't look at that and just have fun overclocking!


I've seen higher max over clocks on Higher ASIC scores. I used to think the ASIC score didn't matter but from what I have seen it does seem to have an effect on max over clock of card.

My 89% HD7950 can over clock to around 1370/1800 for benchmarks with water cooling.


----------



## Snuckie7

High ASIC also allows you to achieve overclocks with sometimes significantly lower voltage.

My 7950 hit 1200MHz on the core with a mere 1.113V


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> I personally think that the ASIC is BS, but that is just IMO. I'm guessing your card is a boost card so the ASIC is going to be lower. My MSI TFIII 7950 has 59% ASIC and overclocks to 1200/1575 without touching the voltage. Don't look at that and just have fun overclocking!
> 
> 
> 
> I've seen higher max over clocks on Higher ASIC scores. I used to think the ASIC score didn't matter but from what I have seen it does seem to have an effect on max over clock of card.
> 
> My 89% HD7950 can over clock to around 1370/1800 for benchmarks with water cooling.
Click to expand...

I've got a 75% card that can clock higher than that, so what's that make of your theory?


----------



## Snuckie7

The exception not the rule maybe?


----------



## Hokies83

LoL i just hope to get the bad Bio flash 7950 working Monday / Tuesday " was waiting for a back plate to come in the mail "

Hope i find a Bios that unlocks the voltage on these things.... I mean Jeez... 38c max load and 50c Vrams kind of a waste for water block only able to go 1.25v.....

So i hope the Power Color PCS+ Bios works on the Power Color Boost state cards..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The exception not the rule maybe?


Who you referring too? I've got a gold quad array here that all do over 1330 at least, and all are 69% to 77%.

I've written this over and over, for every person who thinks their high asic is special, there's someone with a high asic that clocks like crap and conversely someone with a loer asic that clocks just as high or higher.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Who you referring too? I've got a gold quad array here that all do over 1330 at least, and all are 69% to 77%.


Mine does 1300Mhz


----------



## tsm106

We should start a club, the Official 1300 Club lol.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> We should start a club, the Official 1300 Club lol.


That would be awesome! I'd try to join for sure.

I've never tried 1300MHz on my card yet though lol


----------



## sugarhell

ASIC is not about oc potential but about the volts that your card needs.Dont get confused. i have several 85-90% ASIC cards that can overclock like a boss even under water. With lower asic cards you can throw a lot of volts to them, thats why you prefer lower asic cards for watercooling.


----------



## Sasasd

My vddc during load, as low as 1,004v. I have 1100/1500 and 1,081v set in AB. It is stable, I don't know how. Is that throttling or normal?


----------



## Snuckie7

If your core clock remains constant, you're good.

My 7950 was similar in Far Cry 3. The vcore would drop as low as 1.010V and it still was stable at 1200MHz.


----------



## novemberzzz

So I've recently had a problem where anything over 1000Mhz core crashes drivers 24/7, any idea how to fix that? :s


----------



## NoGuru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *novemberzzz*
> 
> So I've recently had a problem where anything over 1000Mhz core crashes drivers 24/7, any idea how to fix that? :s


Move volts or lower clocks.


----------



## Nonehxc

I've just returned from getting my Bioshock Premium Edition, and while looking through the box...I see a "PhysX by Nvidia" logo on the back







That was ninja, Irrational. I didn't know this game was going to use PhysX









I hope it's CPU PhysX AND it's multithreaded from bunion to dandruff, cause if not and it's that malignant tumor of GPU PhysX...I'm going to be pretty pissed









BTW, this game seems AWESOME. Diving through the manual I see traders, an inventory, different clothes/armor(with the possibility of being compared in the inventory to see which has better stats/buffs). FFS, get unlocked already!!!


----------



## Tonza

This game will not use any form of PhysX, if so its just for normal ragdolls, since UE3 has integrated support for it. Its AMD gaming evolved title.


----------



## GOTFrog

I having a weird issue, when my comp shuts down the monitors on idle my monitors turn black but dont turn off backlight stays on and the led stays on like if active and not in standby.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Pics of my new MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Boost Edition with the heat sink removed:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I added a water-block and backplate to my card. These fit the new MSI R7950 TF 3GD5/OC Boost Edition cards perfect and they work great. The only issue I had was that I did not notice a big improvement in my VRM cooling. I replaced the thermal pads they gave me for the VRMs with some Fujipoly Extreme thermal pads, and that lowered my VRM temps by 10 to 15 degrees C. Now I'm very happy.

Alphacool NexXxoS ATXP ATI 7970/50 Serie V2 waterblock


Alphacool NexXxoS ATXP back plate - ATI 7970/50 and V2 series


Furmark Testing


----------



## Mackem

Is it true that GIGABYTE have voltage locked the 7950 WF3? I wanted to buy either a GIGABYTE or MSI card for warranty purposes (Closer for warranties with RMA centers in the UK and Netherlands respectively) but there's reports that the GIGABYTE cards are voltage locked and that the TFIII cooler isn't that good (Cooling, noise and overclocking are my three priorities in no specific order)


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I've got a 75% card that can clock higher than that, so what's that make of your theory?


75% ASIC isn't too bad and different gpus have different max over clock potential but key is keeping temps down for stability and durability and to do this best lowest possible voltage for stability for speed is best.

What is default voltage of your 75% ASIC score card under full load?

I have a new Sapphire VApor X HD7950 Part Number 299-2E210-204SA

GPU-Z report info about my card's current BIOS
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ke552/

My Vapor X HD7950 has low ASIC score of 57%. 57% ASIC score to me is terrible. In school acceptable passing for average is 70%, 60% and below is definite fail.



VApor X HD7950 with poor ASIC score.
Default voltage under load is very high at 1.25v. For over clocking it the BIOS will only give me .05v extra voltage to go any faster and it doesn't get very fast. Definitely not a 1300mhz card... Maybe a different BIOS would allow for more voltage to go faster to be stable at 1300mhz or higher but from what I am seeing this card is not a high end performing card like it is marketed to be. VRMS don't get hot on this card and I think the BIOS is limiting the VRM power out put.

On the other hand my Sapphire 950mhz Ediiton with ASIC score of 89% will do 1300mhz with 1.22v stable and and the VRMs do get hotter but the BIOS on this card is geared for over clocking.

From what I am seeing a GPU with a high ASIC score doesn't require as much voltage to push a certain speed. Higher ASIC score mean higher quality GPU because it conducts electricity better and doesn't require as much voltage to push the gpu faster.


----------



## MikeG

My MSI HD7950 has an ASIC score of 60.6%, but seems to clock very well (although it needs a lot of volts). Here is a screenshot of 10 minutes of Furmark at 1300MHz Core and 1890MHz Memory clocks. I have my Core voltage set to 1.3V in Afterburner, but as you can see, there is a big voltage drop.



It is interesting though, my card doesn't seem to have a problem with 1300MHz running Furmark, but it tops out at around 1270MHz with Valley benchmark and about 1180 with 3DMark11.

Does anyone know of a way to set my voltage above 1.3V? I tried the modded Trixx, but it did not work. I heard it doesn't work with the Boost bios.


----------



## vr028

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Is it true that GIGABYTE have voltage locked the 7950 WF3? I wanted to buy either a GIGABYTE or MSI card for warranty purposes (Closer for warranties with RMA centers in the UK and
> Netherlands respectively) but there's reports that the GIGABYTE cards are voltage locked and that the TFIII cooler isn't that good (Cooling, noise and overclocking are my three priorities in no specific order)


This is something that I see mentioned quite often, can anyone confirm?
I've got a non boost gigabyte 7950 at 1100/1500mhz at 1.125v so maybe it's only newer bios that's voltage locked


----------



## Mackem

Is the MSI TF3 7950 as good at cooling as the Windforce 3? I might go for the MSI card, although someone offered me a 8 month old GIGABYTE 7970 OC for £220 GBP (Cost around £340 brand new) but I'm not sure what PCB version it is to see if it's voltage locked and whatnot.


----------



## Zarich

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> This game will not use any form of PhysX, if so its just for normal ragdolls, since UE3 has integrated support for it. Its AMD gaming evolved title.


It uses a basic non GPU accelerated form of Nvidia Physx.


----------



## melodystyle2003

I am going to return my sapphire 7950 vapor-x cause i deal some issues and dont get any responce from sapphire technical support.
It run with good clocks and low voltage, 1100/1450 with 1.12 gpu-z voltage (below 75°C with fan at 50% auto) BF3 multi stable but it can not clock over 1150 core without artifacts, no matter the voltage. Artifacts are present when core temp reaches 58°C. Also it has elpida rams and over 1500Mhz it crashes.

I tend to choose the msi 7950, but if it is known, id like to tell me which version is capable of high overclocks with low temps on VRMs and core.
To generalise it a bit, which one of the 7950 out there is, as sure as possible, the best o/cer? Sapphire is not an option and doubt if it ll be again.

I live in Europe, so european amazon's stores will be chosen for purchasing.


----------



## novemberzzz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoGuru*
> 
> Move volts or lower clocks.


YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. Another .05 fixed it, thanks I guess. o.o


----------



## Huizar9791

hello. I just bought the SAPPHIRE HD 7970 (11197 03 40 g) and I have a problem, I hope you can help me. the problem is with the sound, to put a video on youtube, or use the media player. audio is breaking up, but the video is fine. when opening any video game, the sound is perfect. I connected with an HDMI cable. I hope you can help me.
My spec.. windos7 64bits. i5 2300. 16g merory ram. Corsair Hx1050 power supply


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> I am going to return my sapphire 7950 vapor-x cause i deal some issues and dont get any responce from sapphire technical support.
> It run with good clocks and low voltage, 1100/1450 with 1.12 gpu-z voltage (below 75°C with fan at 50% auto) BF3 multi stable but it can not clock over 1150 core without artifacts, no matter the voltage. Artifacts are present when core temp reaches 58°C. Also it has elpida rams and over 1500Mhz it crashes.
> 
> I tend to choose the msi 7950, but if it is known, id like to tell me which version is capable of high overclocks with low temps on VRMs and core.
> To generalise it a bit, which one of the 7950 out there is, as sure as possible, the best o/cer? Sapphire is not an option and doubt if it ll be again.
> 
> I live in Europe, so european amazon's stores will be chosen for purchasing.


Sapphire support is a joke - I pray I never have to deal with them in any significant way.

I JUST RMA'd a Sapphire 7950; was cross-shipped another unit with an abysmal ASIC (63%) but at least this one runs 1200/1600 completely artifact free at 67C (on 1.22v, unfortunately) so while it's far from golden I'll just stick with this one for now. I guess you can call me biased but I totally agree with your plan to RMA - the newer Sapphire cards seem to be sporting realllllly low quality chips (out of three cards I had ASIC values of 61%, 59% and 63%) and the Elpida ram is just icing on the crap cake.

If the price difference isn't too extreme I'd go with the ASUS DCII 7950 as it should be voltage unlocked and is reputed to run quietly...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Huizar9791*
> 
> hello. I just bought the SAPPHIRE HD 7970 (11197 03 40 g) and I have a problem, I hope you can help me. the problem is with the sound, to put a video on youtube, or use the media player. audio is breaking up, but the video is fine. when opening any video game, the sound is perfect. I connected with an HDMI cable. I hope you can help me.
> My spec.. windos7 64bits. i5 2300. 16g merory ram. Corsair Hx1050 power supply


Just throwing out some things that might help you get a response:
1.) Describe the "breaking up" in some detail - skips, pops, crackles? Does it ever improve?
2.) With AMD related issues you absolutely should include which driver revision you're using (e.g. 13.3 beta)
3.) Do you have Catalyst Control Center installed or just the bare driver?
4.) What apps are problematic (e.g. Flash, VLC, Silverlight/Netflix, etc.)


----------



## Hokies83

Man id say 1200/1600 with 1.22v is pretty dam good.

I have 3 7950s with full cover blocks and none of the 3 will do 1200/1600 with 1.25v.. and one has a 81% Asic.


----------



## Snuckie7

Guess it all depends on the chip.

My 89.7% 7950 does 1200/1500 at 1.113V


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Guess it all depends on the chip.
> 
> My 89.7% 7950 does 1200/1500 at 1.113V


Yah that is why i was doing the Bios flashing .. i mean 38c max temps 50c vrams... and only able to do 1150mhz/1500 mem...

I needs moar volts.

Id like all 3 sitting at 1200/1600 24/7.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Guess it all depends on the chip.
> 
> My 89.7% 7950 does 1200/1500 at 1.113V


You have alot of voltage over head for over clocking and with some good cooling your card has a better chance of going faster than low ASIC HD79XX cards that are locked at default voltage of 1.25v at stock speeds with crappy ASIC scores below 60%.

You have a good card. Your VRMs are never going to work as hard as a crappy low ASIC card sweating its ass off with 1.25v required to get to stock speeds with little room to breath and no room for moar voltage even with good cooling.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Guess it all depends on the chip.
> 
> My 89.7% 7950 does 1200/1500 at 1.113V
> 
> 
> 
> You have alot of voltage over head for over clocking and with some good cooling your card has a better chance of going faster than low ASIC HD79XX cards that are locked at default voltage of 1.25v at stock speeds with crappy ASIC scores below 60%.
> 
> You have a good card. Your VRMs are never going to work as hard as a crappy low ASIC card sweating its ass off with 1.25v required to get to stock speeds with little room to breath and no room for moar voltage even with good cooling.
Click to expand...

Eh, you know... boost cards have this floppy fixed voltage right? So gpuz calculation for asic is not accurate. And crappy crappy crappy asic is only defined within the environment its used for. High asic cards would pop first in extreme cooling ya know so they could be considered crappy too. Yea, the flip side.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> I am going to return my sapphire 7950 vapor-x cause i deal some issues and dont get any responce from sapphire technical support.
> It run with good clocks and low voltage, 1100/1450 with 1.12 gpu-z voltage (below 75°C with fan at 50% auto) BF3 multi stable but it can not clock over 1150 core without artifacts, no matter the voltage. Artifacts are present when core temp reaches 58°C. Also it has elpida rams and over 1500Mhz it crashes.
> 
> I tend to choose the msi 7950, but if it is known, id like to tell me which version is capable of high overclocks with low temps on VRMs and core.
> To generalise it a bit, which one of the 7950 out there is, as sure as possible, the best o/cer? Sapphire is not an option and doubt if it ll be again.
> 
> I live in Europe, so european amazon's stores will be chosen for purchasing.


Good choice if you have that option. I was watching Sapphire from a distance with how they are handling the Vapor X performance and I trusted they would react with a fix but I also jumped on the Vapor X HD7950 because the PCB looks so well made. Sadly to date I haven't seen them able to release a BIOS fix for it. I too am thinking about returning Vapor X HD7950 for refund unless Sapphire can fix BIOS quick (1 week).

My honest opinion on *current GPU quality* in HD79XX cards is that builders are working with low quality gpus and some of them are so bad that they are being used for inferior and cheaper HD7870 LE cards.

Right now I think you will have a hard time finding a high quality HD79XX card due to cheap memory being used and low quality Tahiti gpus being used.

have seen great memory over clocking on the MSI cards and MSI does seem consistent with over all build quality of all their hardware. I like MSI alot right now.

I have an early released SApphier 950mhz Ediiton HD7950 which is built on reference HD7970 PCB and it is a great performer. Puts my new Vapor X HD7950 to shame in performance.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Eh, you know... boost cards have this floppy fixed voltage right? So gpuz calculation for asic is not accurate. And crappy crappy crappy asic is only defined within the environment its used for. High asic cards would pop first in extreme cooling ya know so they could be considered crappy too. Yea, the flip side.


My Vapor X has 2 BIOS. One BIOS is boost and the other isn't.

Both BIOS show same ASIC 57%.

Card still requires same voltage in either BIOS setting to maintain stability.


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> My honest opinion on *current GPU quality* in HD79XX cards is that builders are working with low quality gpus and some of them are so bad that they are being used for inferior and cheaper HD7870 LE cards.
> 
> Right now I think you will have a hard time finding a high quality HD79XX card due to cheap memory being used and low quality Tahiti gpus being used.


Totally agree with this.

It seems like the odds of getting a badass clocker have kind of dried up. Then again, these cards were significantly more expensive a year ago so I guess it's a trade off.

Parting thoughts on ASIC quality: it's a bit of a crap shoot. The 61% card couldn't hit 1150 artifact free to save it's life although 1600 mem was effortless. The 59% card was surprisingly a better clocker - sadly, it was laid low by Elpida chips and maxed out at 1180/1530. The 63% card clocks highest, runs more stable and uses less power than the other two, fully supporting the higher ASIC theory but this could just be a fluke...


----------



## I Am The Stig

For the people that have the 7950 Vapor-X, what are your temps under gaming? As good as the cooler is on this card, I feel like I shouldn't be getting high 60's (68-70) on gaming stress. I'm running my clocks at 1100/1400, 16% power limit at stock voltages.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Warning:

I purchased two of these, I have two reference-based 7950's from HIS/Sapphire. The PCB's are reference but the coolers aren't.

Turns out the coolers don't fit "Reference 7950's" afterall, going to hope to get my money back because that's just stupid. A row of caps block is pretty much.

EDIT: I also managed to somehow get some of the distilled water on the Sapphire card..


----------



## CaptainChaos

That's a 7970 waterblock for reference 7970 PCB's. You need one compatible with reference 7950 pcbs.

you need this
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15577/ex-blc-1081/EK_Radeon_HD_7950_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_Electroless_Nickel_Plated_EK-FC7950_-_AcetalEN_Nickel.html?tl=g30c309s1626&id=ZrGx6Fpv


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> That's a 7970 waterblock for reference 7970 PCB's. You need one compatible with reference 7950 pcbs.


Read the "specs", it says that it will work on both.


----------



## CaptainChaos

Yeah that's confusing. I bet it's because there are 7950's that use 7970 PCB's like mine.


----------



## Huizar9791

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> Just throwing out some things that might help you get a response:
> 1.) Describe the "breaking up" in some detail - skips, pops, crackles? Does it ever improve?
> 2.) With AMD related issues you absolutely should include which driver revision you're using (e.g. 13.3 beta)
> 3.) Do you have Catalyst Control Center installed or just the bare driver?
> 4.) What apps are problematic (e.g. Flash, VLC, Silverlight/Netflix, etc.


choppy sound.
i installed catalyst 13.1,
my app problems: movies, youtube, media player
video games sound is good


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CaptainChaos*
> 
> Yeah that's confusing. I bet it's because there are 7950's that use 7970 PCB's like mine.


Sigh, there goes quite a substantial amount of money.. Unless I get a file and file the part down. (Not the copper part)


----------



## Mega Man

got bioshock. it is awesome !~ great game and plays amazingly well @ ultra 1080p averaging 100 +fps sometimes dips into the 70s single card no oc beyond stock yet


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Good choice if you have that option. I was watching Sapphire from a distance with how they are handling the Vapor X performance and I trusted they would react with a fix but I also jumped on the Vapor X HD7950 because the PCB looks so well made. Sadly to date I haven't seen them able to release a BIOS fix for it. I too am thinking about returning Vapor X HD7950 for refund unless Sapphire can fix BIOS quick (1 week).
> 
> My honest opinion on *current GPU quality* in HD79XX cards is that builders are working with low quality gpus and some of them are so bad that they are being used for inferior and cheaper HD7870 LE cards.
> 
> Right now I think you will have a hard time finding a high quality HD79XX card due to cheap memory being used and low quality Tahiti gpus being used.
> 
> have seen great memory over clocking on the MSI cards and MSI does seem consistent with over all build quality of all their hardware. I like MSI alot right now.
> 
> I have an early released SApphier 950mhz Ediiton HD7950 which is built on reference HD7970 PCB and it is a great performer. Puts my new Vapor X HD7950 to shame in performance.


I totally agree with the underlined section of your post.
I think that vapor-x p/n's ending with 204 are way too power efficient concentrated. And since bios editing is not available this can not be changed.
Check your 'good' sapphire 7950 what Ampers consumes on high clocks (VDDC Current, over 150A) and see the 204 one that wont go over 120A.
Vapor-x (mine at least) pcb think is reference design since it writes on it 109-C38138-00.
If i ve understood well the myth of dual 8 pin and reference design == good overclocker is busted.

On the subject now, MSI offers two P/Ns right now:
R7950-TF-3GD5/OC-BE with ASIN: B00B06M0O2 and
R7950-TWINFROZR-3GD5-V2OC with ASIN: B0089E69ZE.
Any opinions for these?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *I Am The Stig*
> 
> For the people that have the 7950 Vapor-X, what are your temps under gaming? As good as the cooler is on this card, I feel like I shouldn't be getting high 60's (68-70) on gaming stress. I'm running my clocks at 1100/1400, 16% power limit at stock voltages.


Stock clocks hard to see over 65°C on core and VRMs with fan on auto (furmark, 100% gpu load)
With 1100/1450 i saw around 75°C while playing means around 80-85°C with furmark. VRM2 sensor tends to go bit higher so tackle this like Core 80°C, VRM1 76°C, VRM2 80-81°C (fan auto, over 70% on that temps,noisy)


----------



## gingerbreadman

My MSI 7950 TF does 1200/1500

Will flashing the bios help me to get a better OC?


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> On the subject now, MSI offers two P/Ns right now:
> R7950-TF-3GD5/OC-BE with ASIN: B00B06M0O2 and
> R7950-TWINFROZR-3GD5-V2OC with ASIN: B0089E69ZE.
> 
> Any opinions for these?


I think the newer cards shipping from MSI are the Boost Edition cards, but it is hard to tell what you are going to get when you order online. I have not seen anywhere yet where they advertise a Boost Edition card. The card I got from Amazon was a Boost Edition card, and here is the link that I used to order it:
http://www.amazon.com/MSI-R7950-TWIN-FROZR-3GD5/dp/B007NG3WR2

I ordered mine Mid February, but they were out of stock, and I had to wait a couple weeks before they got new stock. The front of the box has a Windows 8 sticker and a Boost Edition sticker. The label on the side says:

912-V276-038
R7950 TWIN FROZR 3GD5/OC
B007NG3WR2

Here is what the box and card look like:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!








The PWM controller is a CHL8228G and the memory is SK Hynix H5GQ2H24AFR-T2C


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







The cooling is pretty good, but the fans are a little loud over 40%, and very loud at 100%. I am using the Alphacool NexXxoS ATXP ATI 7970/50 Series V2 waterblock and the Alphacool NexXxoS ATXP back plate - ATI 7970/50 and V2 series for my cooling solution:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!








Despite an ASIC score of only 60.6%, my card seems to overclock very well. Although it may require more volts and better cooling than perhaps others, it is at the top of a few of the charts:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!









This is my first AMD graphics card, and I've only had it a few weeks, but so far I'm pleased. I also have an MSI Z77 MPower motherboard and a GT60 laptop, both of which I am very happy with. MSI has very good customer service. I contacted them twice regarding some questions about the BIOS settings on my motherboard, and both times they got back to me within 1-hour.


----------



## Nonehxc

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6857/amd-stuttering-issues-driver-roadmap-fraps

AMD comments on issues both heavenly & mundane.

May be a good read for those that are not currently hanged to Columbia(bad joke mwahahahahaha).


----------



## Mackem

So do I get the GIGABYTE WF3, MSI Twin Frozr III BE or something else? I wanted to stick with GIGABYTE or MSI due to the fact that their RMA centers are pretty close to me but perhaps these two aren't the best for overclocking/cooling


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Eh, you know... boost cards have this floppy fixed voltage right? So gpuz calculation for asic is not accurate. And crappy crappy crappy asic is only defined within the environment its used for. High asic cards would pop first in extreme cooling ya know so they could be considered crappy too. Yea, the flip side.


Like my 90% 7950 1400 core with less than 1.3v


----------



## melodystyle2003

@MikeG
This one on the link you gave looks to be a decent gpu, with many good comments of good overclock and low temps.
Unfortunately in Europe this ASIN does not exists, so i guess ii will be just luck..
Your gpu has 2 * 6pins, non reference pcb and it clocks/performs per clock, smooth









Don't know about Asus 7950, all i remember is that first batch of these had many temp problems.

Don't wanna push my budget, but i was thinking to get a evga gtx670 (after many service exception atimkmag.sys, irq_not_less_or_equal errors i have faced).


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Like my 90% 7950 1400 core with less than 1.3v


What ASIN is your msi 7950?


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> My MSI HD7950 has an ASIC score of 60.6%, but seems to clock very well (although it needs a lot of volts). Here is a screenshot of 10 minutes of Furmark at 1300MHz Core and 1890MHz Memory clocks. I have my Core voltage set to 1.3V in Afterburner, but as you can see, there is a big voltage drop.
> 
> 
> 
> It is interesting though, my card doesn't seem to have a problem with 1300MHz running Furmark, but it tops out at around 1270MHz with Valley benchmark and about 1180 with 3DMark11.
> 
> Does anyone know of a way to set my voltage above 1.3V? I tried the modded Trixx, but it did not work. I heard it doesn't work with the Boost bios.


The modded version doesn't read voltage correctly from cards with a Boost BIOS. You will notice that no matter how much you adjust VDDC, voltages don't change or correspond in GPU-Z. I use Trixx 4.60 (the latest version) and enable the Force constant voltage option to get my GPU up to 1200, otherwise it maxes around 1075. Trixx 4.60 doesn't prevent vDroop, rather it raises the reference point at where the drop will occur so in effect your minimum voltage point will also raised.

Like you, I've also noticed that even though you can run FurMark without artifacts or locking up, using the same clock setting in a game (Witcher 2 in my case) requires a notch down in speed. FurMark is no indicator of stability, only the heat that your GPU or VRAM outputs at a certain voltage point.

EDIT: Just FYI, you have to reboot for the Force constant voltage option to work. Something that can easily be overlooked.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> What ASIN is your msi 7950?


----------



## Mackem

So the guy that offered me the 7 month old GIGABYTE 7970 OC sent me some screenshots of benchmarks he did tonight and the card is clocked at 1125/1575, not sure about the voltage though. Here are some of the screenshots he sent me:

http://i.imgur.com/PCjkSmy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qpYetL1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gfpaPzz.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DaAWjDG.jpg

He did another benchmark and he says that he doesn't think it's voltage locked, he OC'd it to 1200/1650. Not 100% sure though. What do you guys think? He's basically offering me a used 7970 for like £30 cheaper than a new 7950.


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*


Not ASIC sir, ASIN and P/N if possible


----------



## mushroomboy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> So the guy that offered me the 7 month old GIGABYTE 7970 OC sent me some screenshots of benchmarks he did tonight and the card is clocked at 1125/1575, not sure about the voltage though. Here are some of the screenshots he sent me:
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/PCjkSmy.jpg
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/qpYetL1.jpg
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/gfpaPzz.jpg
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/DaAWjDG.jpg
> 
> He did another benchmark and he says that he doesn't think it's voltage locked, he OC'd it to 1200/1650. Not 100% sure though. What do you guys think? He's basically offering me a used 7970 for like £30 cheaper than a new 7950.


If the NSB is still going on, is the extra money you saved worth it? If the promotion is over, I'd probably take that even if it only mildly OCs. I'm guessing it's a boost card and he can get the OC due to it pushing high boost volts. Mine does 1.25 on boost if I don't manually set it, so even if this was "locked" I'd probably get an average OC anyways. Just tryin to see if that helps, anyways think it over wisely. =)


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> Not ASIC sir, ASIN and P/N if possible


It is cover by the waterblocks and backplate... ASIC to ASIN theres only one letter mistake XD


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> It is cover by the waterblocks and backplate... ASIC to ASIN theres only one letter mistake XD


If you have the box of the card check it pls.
Yes one letter can destroy the word ehhh world i mean.


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mushroomboy*
> 
> If the NSB is still going on, is the extra money you saved worth it? If the promotion is over, I'd probably take that even if it only mildly OCs. I'm guessing it's a boost card and he can get the OC due to it pushing high boost volts. Mine does 1.25 on boost if I don't manually set it, so even if this was "locked" I'd probably get an average OC anyways. Just tryin to see if that helps, anyways think it over wisely. =)


I'm not quite sure what to do. I wanted either a Gigabyte or MSI 7950 originally because Gigabyte has a UK RMA center and MSI has one based in the Netherlands, whereas companies like HIS have theirs in Hong Kong. Only trouble is the GB cards are now voltage locked and the MSI Twin Frozr III card, from what I've heard, is pretty loud. A unlocked Gigabyte 7950 would've been my ideal card but alas, Gigabyte changed that.


----------



## Feesher

I'm looking to buy either the HIS Radeon HD 7950 HIS IceQ X2 or the Sapphire Vapor x 7950 OC

Does anyone have any advice over which to pick?

Also, my PSU has 1 x 6 pin and 1 x 6+2 pin connectors - will this be ok?


----------



## mwl5apv

Hello all!

sometime within the next week or two I am planning on upgrading my GPU. I got a little bonus at work and have about $300 to spend on a card(before taxes). After research and reading all the information out there,I have decided on an HD7950. As the GTX670 was out of my budget, and its closest contender in price(the GTX660ti) didn't seem to give as much bang for my buck.

I do however have a few questions before I actually purchase the card though...

1: I am planning on getting the MSI Twin Frozr III version of the card. I know that the voltage on the card is locked but that is alright for me, as I am not comfortable enough playing with gpu voltages yet(limited GPU overclocking experience)...Anyway, my question was, I see the term Boost edition thrown around a lot with this card. Are all the MSI 7950's out there boost edition cards now? How will I know whether a card is a boost or not? How can I make sure I get one? And is there a disadvantage to possibly getting a non-boost card?

2: I am indeed planning on doing some overclocking on this card. Through all that I have read that is where this card really shines. With this, I see the terms ASIN and ASIC thrown out there a lot as well. what do these terms mean? And is there a good overclocking guide to AMD cards? What can I honestly expect to get out of the card at stock voltage?(1.25v I assume?) This is the first "real" gpu I will be purchasing on the red team.

3: Any final suggestions or tip/tricks?

I thought about waiting for the next gen cards to come around, but with all the rumors and things I read about the next gen cards(both AMD and nVidia) not coming out until Q3-Q4 2013 or possibly even sometime in 2014 I don't want to wait forever(and with technology progressing the way it does, If I wait for the nest best things that's exactly what will end up happening)


----------



## GOTFrog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GOTFrog*
> 
> I having a weird issue, when my comp shuts down the monitors on idle my monitors turn black but dont turn off backlight stays on and the led stays on like if active and not in standby.


Anyone knows how to fix this? Not OCed 1 mnonitor on DVI and the other on HDMI


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> So the guy that offered me the 7 month old GIGABYTE 7970 OC sent me some screenshots of benchmarks he did tonight and the card is clocked at 1125/1575, not sure about the voltage though. Here are some of the screenshots he sent me:
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/PCjkSmy.jpg
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/qpYetL1.jpg
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/gfpaPzz.jpg
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/DaAWjDG.jpg
> 
> He did another benchmark and he says that he doesn't think it's voltage locked, he OC'd it to 1200/1650. Not 100% sure though. What do you guys think? He's basically offering me a used 7970 for like £30 cheaper than a new 7950.


no proof on the 1200 core oc? 43 is easy on the valley bench with an unlock voltage 7950. ask here, too . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1294856/cant-increase-voltage-gigabyte-7970-windforce-3x-gv-r797oc-3gd


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> no proof on the 1200 core oc? 43 is easy on the valley bench with an unlock voltage 7950. ask here, too . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1294856/cant-increase-voltage-gigabyte-7970-windforce-3x-gv-r797oc-3gd


http://i.imgur.com/rIyEVi7.jpg

1200 OC mean it's voltage locked or..?


----------



## Snuckie7

43fps is pretty poop for an OC'd 7970.

My 7950 @ 1200/1500 gets 48fps. . .


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 43fps is pretty poop for an OC'd 7970.
> 
> My 7950 @ 1200/1500 gets 48fps. . .


This is the main reason I think buying a well made HD7950 and over clocking it is a good gamble at getting similar or better performance than a more pricier HD7970.


----------



## Mackem

Hows your Twin Frozr III in terms of acoustics and thermal performance?

I'm open to most brands but with me being in the UK there are reasons why I'd prefer GB/MSI..

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9316/1graphicscardwarrantyso.png


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/rIyEVi7.jpg
> 
> 1200 OC mean it's voltage locked or..?


there are 7900s that do not need any volt adjustment for a 1200 oc. what i know is the 7970 gigabytes are voltage locked. the newer gigabyte 7950 are voltage locked as well and are best be avoided unless you don't care about benching. i game with my gpus at stock. got a 51 in valley, though.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 43fps is pretty poop for an OC'd 7970.
> 
> My 7950 @ 1200/1500 gets 48fps. . .


Unigine is not very threaded so high IPC is king. Your cpu>his therefor your score will be a bit higher just based on cpu.


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> there are 7900s that do not need any volt adjustment for a 1200 oc. what i know is the 7970 gigabytes are voltage locked. the newer gigabyte 7950 are voltage locked as well and are best be avoided unless you don't care about benching. i game with my gpus at stock. got a 51 in valley, though.


I admit I'm not a bencher but I OC my components to get the best out of them like most I suppose.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Hows your Twin Frozr III in terms of acoustics and thermal performance?
> 
> I'm open to most brands but with me being in the UK there are reasons why I'd prefer GB/MSI..
> 
> http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/9316/1graphicscardwarrantyso.png


Thermals and acoustics are two of the worst reasons to go for MSI TF cards imo.

Compared to the better coolers like the GB Windforce and the ASUS DCUII, the TFIII cooler quite frankly sucks.

The reason why I went with mine is because 7950 TFIII's with 7970 PCBs were known to be excellent overclockers.


----------



## Mackem

Ah, I want a balance of cooling, noise and overclocking, hence why an unlocked Windforce would've been ideal.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Ah, I want a balance of cooling, noise and overclocking, hence why an unlocked Windforce would've been ideal.


The good winforce are gone. What were they? They were reference cards with winforce coolers on them lol, reference! Another great choice are the extinct sapphire oc cards, which were a reference based pcb with a dual x cooler. Shakes head... reference pcb are going the way of the dodo.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Ah, I want a balance of cooling, noise and overclocking, hence why an unlocked Windforce would've been ideal.


The ASUS DCUII as well as the HIS IceQ x2 both balance all three, but they cost a bit more too.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Ah, I want a balance of cooling, noise and overclocking, hence why an unlocked Windforce would've been ideal.
> 
> 
> 
> The ASUS DCUII as well as the HIS IceQ x2 both balance all three, but they cost a bit more too.
Click to expand...

You should be assigned detention for recommending a DC2 lol.


----------



## Snuckie7

Well. . .they're nice cards. . .physically


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Well. . .they're nice cards. . .physically


On paper. In reality they suck donkey you know whats.


----------



## Snuckie7

Well no, I think the DCUII cooler actually works well (3 slot cooler > 2 slot cooler)

It's just the software side of things that are kind of &#8230;eh

But software can be fixed right?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Well no, I think the DCUII cooler actually works well (3 slot cooler > 2 slot cooler)
> 
> It's just the software side of things that are kind of &#8230;eh
> 
> But software can be fixed right?


Nope nope nope. DC2 is crappy. Google it man. Most of the time the DL DVI doesn't work, which is why you'd choose it over the Lightning, doh but it don't work! The vrm sensors were bugged on v1, so they fixed it in v2, but then they volt locked it booyah lol. Then the cooler is not designed well or that is attached properly so it gets little clamping pressure... ugh. How does that happen? Some ppl afaik have gotten proper working DC2's... I think but that's very few.


----------



## Mackem

Only problem with HIS is that their RMA place is in China/HK


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feesher*
> 
> I'm looking to buy either the HIS Radeon HD 7950 HIS IceQ X2 or the Sapphire Vapor x 7950 OC
> 
> Does anyone have any advice over which to pick?
> 
> Also, my PSU has 1 x 6 pin and 1 x 6+2 pin connectors - will this be ok?


Feesher, i came across this thread and the last post confirms that the vapor x you are talking about does come with a 8 + 8 pin. it won't create an issue 'cause the gpu will come with adapters. and it looks like it is a 7950 with unlocked voltage.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1303929/7950-vapor-x-voltage-locked/930#post_19602554

this, too. ask the exact model.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1375572/overclocking-my-new-7950-radeon-vapor-x-boost-edition#post_19609688


----------



## mwl5apv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mwl5apv*
> 
> Hello all!
> 
> sometime within the next week or two I am planning on upgrading my GPU. I got a little bonus at work and have about $300 to spend on a card(before taxes). After research and reading all the information out there,I have decided on an HD7950. As the GTX670 was out of my budget, and its closest contender in price(the GTX660ti) didn't seem to give as much bang for my buck.
> 
> I do however have a few questions before I actually purchase the card though...
> 
> 1: I am planning on getting the MSI Twin Frozr III version of the card. I know that the voltage on the card is locked but that is alright for me, as I am not comfortable enough playing with gpu voltages yet(limited GPU overclocking experience)...Anyway, my question was, I see the term Boost edition thrown around a lot with this card. Are all the MSI 7950's out there boost edition cards now? How will I know whether a card is a boost or not? How can I make sure I get one? And is there a disadvantage to possibly getting a non-boost card?
> 
> 2: I am indeed planning on doing some overclocking on this card. Through all that I have read that is where this card really shines. With this, I see the terms ASIN and ASIC thrown out there a lot as well. what do these terms mean? And is there a good overclocking guide to AMD cards? What can I honestly expect to get out of the card at stock voltage?(1.25v I assume?) This is the first "real" gpu I will be purchasing on the red team.
> 
> 3: Any final suggestions or tip/tricks?
> 
> I thought about waiting for the next gen cards to come around, but with all the rumors and things I read about the next gen cards(both AMD and nVidia) not coming out until Q3-Q4 2013 or possibly even sometime in 2014 I don't want to wait forever(and with technology progressing the way it does, If I wait for the nest best things that's exactly what will end up happening)


Anyone?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nope nope nope. DC2 is crappy. Google it man. Most of the time the DL DVI doesn't work, which is why you'd choose it over the Lightning, doh but it don't work! The vrm sensors were bugged on v1, so they fixed it in v2, but then they volt locked it booyah lol. Then the cooler is not designed well or that is attached properly so it gets little clamping pressure... ugh. How does that happen? Some ppl afaik have gotten proper working DC2's... I think but that's very few.


I have heard of the contact issues, but that's an easy fix most of the time.


----------



## altsanity

Quote:


> 1: I am planning on getting the MSI Twin Frozr III version of the card. I know that the voltage on the card is locked but that is alright for me, as I am not comfortable enough playing with gpu voltages yet(limited GPU overclocking experience)...Anyway, my question was, I see the term Boost edition thrown around a lot with this card. Are all the MSI 7950's out there boost edition cards now? How will I know whether a card is a boost or not? How can I make sure I get one? And is there a disadvantage to possibly getting a non-boost card?


The Boost edition cards just come included with a higher boost clockrate than the stock clocks, so its basically a factory overclock. I have a non-boost MSI 7950 TF3 OC edition(7970 reference PCB) that is at 880MHz stock. I just overclock it to 1000/1500 manually.

My opinion is that the Boost versions aren't worth the extra cash if you plan on overclocking anyway. Unless the Boost version card comes with a better cooling solution, but that usually only wins you a few degrees at most


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *altsanity*
> 
> The Boost edition cards just come included with a higher boost clockrate than the stock clocks, so its basically a factory overclock. I have a non-boost MSI 7950 TF3 OC edition(7970 reference PCB) that is at 880MHz stock. I just overclock it to 1000/1500 manually.
> 
> My opinion is that the Boost versions aren't worth the extra cash if you plan on overclocking anyway. Unless the Boost version card comes with a better cooling solution, but that usually only wins you a few degrees at most


From what I've seen the 7970 PCB and the Boost edition are the same. My buddy's got a 7970 PCB one and I've got a Boost one, they run at pretty much the same temp after being repasted. OC potential is luck of the draw, as always, although both OC nicely.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mwl5apv*
> 
> Anyone?


sorry i cant help you... dont know a bunch about this gen of cards either !~


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mwl5apv*
> 
> Hello all!
> 
> sometime within the next week or two I am planning on upgrading my GPU. I got a little bonus at work and have about $300 to spend on a card(before taxes). After research and reading all the information out there,I have decided on an HD7950. As the GTX670 was out of my budget, and its closest contender in price(the GTX660ti) didn't seem to give as much bang for my buck.
> 
> I do however have a few questions before I actually purchase the card though...
> 
> 1: I am planning on getting the MSI Twin Frozr III version of the card. I know that the voltage on the card is locked but that is alright for me, as I am not comfortable enough playing with gpu voltages yet(limited GPU overclocking experience)...Anyway, my question was, I see the term Boost edition thrown around a lot with this card. Are all the MSI 7950's out there boost edition cards now? How will I know whether a card is a boost or not? How can I make sure I get one? And is there a disadvantage to possibly getting a non-boost card?
> 
> 2: I am indeed planning on doing some overclocking on this card. Through all that I have read that is where this card really shines. With this, I see the terms ASIN and ASIC thrown out there a lot as well. what do these terms mean? And is there a good overclocking guide to AMD cards? What can I honestly expect to get out of the card at stock voltage?(1.25v I assume?) This is the first "real" gpu I will be purchasing on the red team.
> 
> 3: Any final suggestions or tip/tricks?
> 
> I thought about waiting for the next gen cards to come around, but with all the rumors and things I read about the next gen cards(both AMD and nVidia) not coming out until Q3-Q4 2013 or possibly even sometime in 2014 I don't want to wait forever(and with technology progressing the way it does, If I wait for the nest best things that's exactly what will end up happening)


Hello.

Well most of these were answered in this topic.
MSI TF3 wth P/N: R7950 TWIN FROZR 3GD5/OC and ASIN: B007NG3WR2 it is proven that is a good piece of 7950 boost version and MSI overall has kept build quality. Also these cards needs thermal paste change, as most of the owners have acknowledged and over 40% fan are bit noisy.
1150/1500Mhz should be easily expected with voltage below 1.25V.
Stock voltage limit is in most cases 1.3V but under load it Vdrops to 1.18-1.22 depending of the gpu board.
Good would be 1200+/1600+ on air with <1.2V for low temps and noise.
Don't get me wrong here, i, 90% of the cases, run the 7950 @ stock speeds, but why not to get a nice performance window if needed in the future.

My opinion is that the MSI you are planning to buy is a good option.

If a GTX670 is not way off budget get this instead. Performance is more less equal with 7950 @ 1080p, but it comes with better drivers and it is cooler.


----------



## Nightz2k

Figured to post here instead of making a new thread. I searched, so I didn't see this asked before _(I did not find anything anyway)_.

Thinking of getting 2x 7950's for Crossfire. I'm asking opinions on what brand in this price range is the best with overclocking or are they both about the same ?

These 2 are in my sights so far: _(Trying to stick to this $300-$310 price range if possible)_

SAPPHIRE 100352-3L Radeon HD 7950 3GB
Or
HIS IceQ Boost Clock H795QC3G2M Radeon HD 7950 3GB

Right now I'm at 1920x1080 res, but I also plan on going triple monitors maybe this summer, if that matters.

EDIT: I will be upgrading the PSU to a Seasonic 750w Gold, so power should not be an issue.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Of all the 7970's have seen i think the sapphire 2 fan cooling option is the best option even at full speed dont sound as high pitched like the msi frozer one..


----------



## Mackem

These are the cards I have to choose from:

http://www.scan.co.uk/shop/computer-hardware/all/gpu-amd/radeon-hd7950-pci-e

GIGABYTE card is voltage locked and MSI card is apparently loud. Which one should I get for best overclocking, cooling and noise? GIGABYTE and MSI are my two preferred brands for RMA/customer service reasons.


----------



## melodystyle2003

@Mackem:
Get the MSI.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mwl5apv*
> 
> Hello all!
> 
> sometime within the next week or two I am planning on upgrading my GPU. I got a little bonus at work and have about $300 to spend on a card(before taxes). After research and reading all the information out there,I have decided on an HD7950. As the GTX670 was out of my budget, and its closest contender in price(the GTX660ti) didn't seem to give as much bang for my buck.
> 
> I do however have a few questions before I actually purchase the card though...
> 
> 1: I am planning on getting the MSI Twin Frozr III version of the card. I know that the voltage on the card is locked but that is alright for me, as I am not comfortable enough playing with gpu voltages yet(limited GPU overclocking experience)...Anyway, my question was, I see the term Boost edition thrown around a lot with this card. Are all the MSI 7950's out there boost edition cards now? How will I know whether a card is a boost or not? How can I make sure I get one? And is there a disadvantage to possibly getting a non-boost card?
> 
> 2: I am indeed planning on doing some overclocking on this card. Through all that I have read that is where this card really shines. With this, I see the terms ASIN and ASIC thrown out there a lot as well. what do these terms mean? And is there a good overclocking guide to AMD cards? What can I honestly expect to get out of the card at stock voltage?(1.25v I assume?) This is the first "real" gpu I will be purchasing on the red team.
> 
> 3: Any final suggestions or tip/tricks?
> 
> I thought about waiting for the next gen cards to come around, but with all the rumors and things I read about the next gen cards(both AMD and nVidia) not coming out until Q3-Q4 2013 or possibly even sometime in 2014 I don't want to wait forever(and with technology progressing the way it does, If I wait for the nest best things that's exactly what will end up happening)


Hi mwl5apv,

I was holding back on answering because I'm not an expert when it comes to graphics cards. I don't know very much about the other cards, but I'd be happy to share what I know about my card which is an MSI R7950 TF 3GD5/OC BE (Boost Edition).
http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-TF-3GD5-OC-BE.html

Apparently, there have been three versions of the MSI R7950 TF 3GD5. The first versions were using the 7950 PCB, then (6 months ago?) they switched to the 7970 PCB, and most recently (as of February 2013) they started producing the "Boost Edition" cards which are built on the 7950 PCB. Amazon and Newegg are still showing the non-boost edition cards on their web sites, so it is hard to tell what you are going to get. I ordered my card from Amazon the 2nd week in Feburary but they ran out of stock. I had to wait a few weeks for my card, and when I got it, it was not the one pictured on Amazon's site, but was the Boost Edition card. The box was identical except that they had pasted a sticker on the front saying "Boost Edition" and another one saying "Windows 8 Compatible". If you order directly from Amazon in the USA, odds are that you will get one of the new Boost Edition Cards.

I can not tell you which card is better, the 3GD5/OC Boost edition with the 7950 PCB or the 3GD5/OC with the 7970 PCB. Both seem to be good performers and overclockers and my card is right up there next to next to some of the top performing 7950's. I know a guy with an MSI 7950 built on the 7970 PCB. He can get slightly higher core clocks than me (only 30MHz more), but I'm not sure if it is because of the PCB, or just the luck of the silicon lottery.

1: Niether cards are voltage locked, you just have to enable the "Unofficial Overclocking Mode" in CCC or MSI Afterburner. If you refer to my previous post, you can see some pictures of my card and the packaging and how to identify a Boost Edition card: http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/22830#post_19602954

2. Google is your friend:
*ASIN* -Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) is a 10-character alphanumeric unique identifier assigned by Amazon.com and its partners for product identification within the Amazon.com organization.
*ASIC* - An application-specific integrated circuit, or ASIC /ˈeɪsɪk/, is an integrated circuit (IC) customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use.
My card will do 1200 Core and 1600 Memory on stock voltage of 1.25V and 1.55V (memory).

3. My card is water cooled, but the stock cooling was pretty good. I might have been misleading in my previous post, I could not really hear the fans at speeds of 40% and below. I could start hearing the fans above 40%, and at 100% they were really loud, but the only time you will probably need them at 100% is when trying for that top benchmark score. I don't think you can go wrong with MSI. They make good hardware and they have good customer service. I can not say that about most of the other vendors whose products I use. I think MSI is a company that is really trying for that number 1 spot.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Figured to post here instead of making a new thread. I searched, so I didn't see this asked before _(I did not find anything anyway)_.
> 
> Thinking of getting 2x 7950's for Crossfire. I'm asking opinions on what brand in this price range is the best with overclocking or are they both about the same ?
> 
> These 2 are in my sights so far: _(Trying to stick to this $300-$310 price range if possible)_
> 
> SAPPHIRE 100352-3L Radeon HD 7950 3GB
> Or
> HIS IceQ Boost Clock H795QC3G2M Radeon HD 7950 3GB
> 
> Right now I'm at 1920x1080 res, but I also plan on going triple monitors maybe this summer, if that matters.
> 
> EDIT: I will be upgrading the PSU to a Seasonic 750w Gold, so power should not be an issue.


get the sapphire hd 7950 boost (2L version). reference PCB design. the 3L is a custom PCB and does not have VRM temp sensors.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


----------



## mushroomboy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> get the sapphire hd 7950 boost (2L version). reference PCB design. the 3L is a custom PCB and does not have VRM temp sensors.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


Plus it doesn't have MSI Afterburner support (3L). If you get the 2L you get vram/vddc voltage control in Afterburner and will not have to use TriXX. I can't say the 3L is a bad card though, they did well on VRM cooling and it's rated boost is 1.25 so it isn't too bad. I have it, not that awful but the extra couple bucks you'd spend on a 2L is probably worth it now that I've had time to play with this card. Cooling for the cards is superb however, extremely satisfied on that aspect.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I have no idea how it let me flash Bios 2 lol but it did.
> 
> When first flashed it would not boot in Bios 1 but would boot with bios 2.
> Then i forgot to switch it back to bios 1 and flashed the sapphire bios onto bios 2.. and now it does the samething it was doing with bios 1.
> 
> My kid was screaming and i was not paying att to what i was doing.
> 
> So Bios 1 and 2 are both down on card 1.
> 
> No matter where i plug my video into if card 1 has power the system will not boot error code 62.
> 
> I have cards 2 and 3 all back to the stock Bios.


I think his problem is Slots, and the fact to swap slots, he'd have to drain the water loop, and take it all apart.

Move Card 1 to a secondary Slot,

Most Mainboards Automatically boot the Top Slot as Primary GFX if not using IGP. (Maybe you're lucky enough to have UEFI bios with the option to select which slot, but i dont think it does.

So it's trying to detect the GPU with corrupt BIOS.

Move it to a secondary slot, and Power the system on with a different card in the primary slot,

It's a pain with e Water loop, cuz you're gonna have to drain it.

If you "Unplug" the power Leads, the GPU will not show up, and not have enough power to do anything.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I think his problem is Slots, and the fact to swap slots, he'd have to drain the water loop, and take it all apart.
> 
> Move Card 1 to a secondary Slot,
> 
> Most Mainboards Automatically boot the Top Slot as Primary GFX if not using IGP. (Maybe you're lucky enough to have UEFI bios with the option to select which slot, but i dont think it does.
> 
> So it's trying to detect the GPU with corrupt BIOS.
> 
> Move it to a secondary slot, and Power the system on with a different card in the primary slot,
> 
> It's a pain with e Water loop, cuz you're gonna have to drain it.
> 
> If you "Unplug" the power Leads, the GPU will not show up, and not have enough power to do anything.


I tried helping him on the matter but i think is going to be more hard than what i thought. He is not too familiar doing this kind of stuff plus also hardware variances as well..

I would take the problematic card and try blind-flashing it in a different mobo before doing a rma..


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> get the sapphire hd 7950 boost (2L version). reference PCB design. the 3L is a custom PCB and does not have VRM temp sensors.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mushroomboy*
> 
> Plus it doesn't have MSI Afterburner support (3L). If you get the 2L you get vram/vddc voltage control in Afterburner and will not have to use TriXX. I can't say the 3L is a bad card though, they did well on VRM cooling and it's rated boost is 1.25 so it isn't too bad. I have it, not that awful but the extra couple bucks you'd spend on a 2L is probably worth it now that I've had time to play with this card. Cooling for the cards is superb however, extremely satisfied on that aspect.


I see. $40 difference in buying 2 of them, but it seems worth it from what you guys are saying. I don't usually count mail-in rebates, you're still paying more yet and they are usually forever _*if*_ you even get them.

But anyway, the 2L are probably what I'll go with then, thanks for the advice.


----------



## Mackem

Are the fans on the Twin Frozr III 7950 honestly as loud as people make them out to be? My current 560Ti has the fan spinning at 40% at a speed of 1860RPM and I'd say it's a reasonable sound, not too loud but not silent either.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

They are not that loud below lets say 70%..
The whine alone tho.... @[email protected]


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I tried helping him on the matter but i think is going to be more hard than what i thought. He is not too familiar doing this kind of stuff plus also hardware variances as well..
> 
> I would take the problematic card and try blind-flashing it in a different mobo before doing a rma..


Putting it in the Secondary/Third slot will allow the BIOS to boot the Machine.

In windows the ATIWinFlash Should be able to see the Hardware ID of the Card, and still be able to flash it.

if not, then Blind Flashing or RMA is the only option.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I tried helping him on the matter but i think is going to be more hard than what i thought. He is not too familiar doing this kind of stuff plus also hardware variances as well..
> 
> I would take the problematic card and try blind-flashing it in a different mobo before doing a rma..
> 
> 
> 
> Putting it in the Secondary/Third slot will allow the BIOS to boot the Machine.
> 
> In windows the ATIWinFlash Should be able to see the Hardware ID of the Card, and still be able to flash it.
> 
> if not, then Blind Flashing or RMA is the only option.
Click to expand...

He screwed up from the get go by not prepping his cards with the stock coolers on before jumping right into the water. Best thing to do now is to slap the aircoolers back on, get the flashing sorted out, confirm everything works right before moving onto water.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He screwed up from the get go by not prepping his cards with the stock coolers on before jumping right into the water. Best thing to do now is to slap the aircoolers back on, get the flashing sorted out, confirm everything works right before moving onto water.


I agreed, thats what you usally do before modding the card.

Test the card on air first and see what she can do then if you are happy with the performance on air you jump ahead and start doing this kind of mods.

I still have my 2nd 7970 on my wifes pc lol... Im getting some parts to move my stuff to my cosmos 2 case..


----------



## martinhal

Im folding 24/7 on one of my 7970's , what are the same max core and VRM temps for 24/7 ?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Well most of these were answered in this topic.
> MSI TF3 wth P/N: R7950 TWIN FROZR 3GD5/OC and ASIN: B007NG3WR2 it is proven that is a good piece of 7950 boost version and MSI overall has kept build quality. Also these cards needs thermal paste change, as most of the owners have acknowledged and over 40% fan are bit noisy.
> 1150/1500Mhz should be easily expected with voltage below 1.25V.
> Stock voltage limit is in most cases 1.3V but under load it Vdrops to 1.18-1.22 depending of the gpu board.
> Good would be 1200+/1600+ on air with <1.2V for low temps and noise.
> Don't get me wrong here, i, 90% of the cases, run the 7950 @ stock speeds, but why not to get a nice performance window if needed in the future.
> 
> My opinion is that the MSI you are planning to buy is a good option.
> 
> If a GTX670 is not way off budget get this instead. Performance is more less equal with 7950 @ 1080p, but it comes with better drivers and it is cooler.


Good GTX 670 models are anywhere from $60-$100 more expensive than 7950's, so they're not really comparable. At that price point, you should be looking at 7970's which are quite a bit faster than 670's.


----------



## Hokies83

Ive got the pooed card moved to slot 2.

will be booting it up later tonight and trying to flash back to stock bios.

Then ill just flash the top card which reads as card # 2 with the PCS+ bios and see how that goes.

But with the cards at 1100mhz / 1500 mem i was getting about 50% more performance then my 2 4GB Gtx 680s at 1220mhz / + 350 mem.

In Max Payne 3 and Sleeping dogs atleast


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> They are not that loud below lets say 70%..
> The whine alone tho.... @[email protected]


How bad is the whine?


----------



## Snuckie7

It's different for every card. Mine doesn't start squealing until I hit 700+fps in some application.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Ive got the pooed card moved to slot 2.
> 
> will be booting it up later tonight and trying to flash back to stock bios.
> 
> Then ill just flash the top card which reads as card # 2 with the PCS+ bios and see how that goes.
> 
> But with the cards at 1100mhz / 1500 mem i was getting about 50% more performance then my 2 4GB Gtx 680s at 1220mhz / + 350 mem.
> 
> In Max Payne 3 and Sleeping dogs atleast


now is the time to buy qdcs !~ then it wouldnt be such a hassel to swap slots. at least you could isolate your gpu loops and only have to drain the 2 gpus


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> I see. $40 difference in buying 2 of them, but it seems worth it from what you guys are saying. I don't usually count mail-in rebates, you're still paying more yet and they are usually forever _*if*_ you even get them.
> 
> But anyway, the 2L are probably what I'll go with then, thanks for the advice.


the same card at superbiiz is USD 310 (290 with mail in rebate). sapphire model no 11196-16-20G

http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-7950BST


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> But anyway, the 2L are probably what I'll go with then, thanks for the advice.


I have the 2L, it's a good card but be aware of something - although I don't get any coil whine I do get fan whine after about the 55% mark. It's not from case or card vibration but the fan motors themselves, kind of like...a tuning fork, for lack of better description. It's not necessarily a deal breaker although I am considering slapping a couple of Deltas on there to get rid of the high-frequency resonance.

I believe it's a problem with the FirstD fans they're using - ALL THREE cards I've had exhibited the same behavior.


----------



## mwl5apv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *altsanity*
> 
> The Boost edition cards just come included with a higher boost clockrate than the stock clocks, so its basically a factory overclock. I have a non-boost MSI 7950 TF3 OC edition(7970 reference PCB) that is at 880MHz stock. I just overclock it to 1000/1500 manually.
> 
> My opinion is that the Boost versions aren't worth the extra cash if you plan on overclocking anyway. Unless the Boost version card comes with a better cooling solution, but that usually only wins you a few degrees at most


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> Hello.
> 
> Well most of these were answered in this topic.
> MSI TF3 wth P/N: R7950 TWIN FROZR 3GD5/OC and ASIN: B007NG3WR2 it is proven that is a good piece of 7950 boost version and MSI overall has kept build quality. Also these cards needs thermal paste change, as most of the owners have acknowledged and over 40% fan are bit noisy.
> 1150/1500Mhz should be easily expected with voltage below 1.25V.
> Stock voltage limit is in most cases 1.3V but under load it Vdrops to 1.18-1.22 depending of the gpu board.
> Good would be 1200+/1600+ on air with <1.2V for low temps and noise.
> Don't get me wrong here, i, 90% of the cases, run the 7950 @ stock speeds, but why not to get a nice performance window if needed in the future.
> 
> My opinion is that the MSI you are planning to buy is a good option.
> 
> If a GTX670 is not way off budget get this instead. Performance is more less equal with 7950 @ 1080p, but it comes with better drivers and it is cooler.


The GTX670 was the first card I looked at since I am using nVidia right now and have never had any issues. However, the steep $370-$400 price point is indeed to far out of my budget.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Hi mwl5apv,
> 
> I was holding back on answering because I'm not an expert when it comes to graphics cards. I don't know very much about the other cards, but I'd be happy to share what I know about my card which is an MSI R7950 TF 3GD5/OC BE (Boost Edition).
> http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-TF-3GD5-OC-BE.html
> 
> Apparently, there have been three versions of the MSI R7950 TF 3GD5. The first versions were using the 7950 PCB, then (6 months ago?) they switched to the 7970 PCB, and most recently (as of February 2013) they started producing the "Boost Edition" cards which are built on the 7950 PCB. Amazon and Newegg are still showing the non-boost edition cards on their web sites, so it is hard to tell what you are going to get. I ordered my card from Amazon the 2nd week in Feburary but they ran out of stock. I had to wait a few weeks for my card, and when I got it, it was not the one pictured on Amazon's site, but was the Boost Edition card. The box was identical except that they had pasted a sticker on the front saying "Boost Edition" and another one saying "Windows 8 Compatible". If you order directly from Amazon in the USA, odds are that you will get one of the new Boost Edition Cards.
> 
> I can not tell you which card is better, the 3GD5/OC Boost edition with the 7950 PCB or the 3GD5/OC with the 7970 PCB. Both seem to be good performers and overclockers and my card is right up there next to next to some of the top performing 7950's. I know a guy with an MSI 7950 built on the 7970 PCB. He can get slightly higher core clocks than me (only 30MHz more), but I'm not sure if it is because of the PCB, or just the luck of the silicon lottery.
> 
> 1: Niether cards are voltage locked, you just have to enable the "Unofficial Overclocking Mode" in CCC or MSI Afterburner. If you refer to my previous post, you can see some pictures of my card and the packaging and how to identify a Boost Edition card: http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/22830#post_19602954
> 
> 2. Google is your friend:
> *ASIN* -Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN) is a 10-character alphanumeric unique identifier assigned by Amazon.com and its partners for product identification within the Amazon.com organization.
> *ASIC* - An application-specific integrated circuit, or ASIC /ˈeɪsɪk/, is an integrated circuit (IC) customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use.
> My card will do 1200 Core and 1600 Memory on stock voltage of 1.25V and 1.55V (memory).
> 
> 3. My card is water cooled, but the stock cooling was pretty good. I might have been misleading in my previous post, I could not really hear the fans at speeds of 40% and below. I could start hearing the fans above 40%, and at 100% they were really loud, but the only time you will probably need them at 100% is when trying for that top benchmark score. I don't think you can go wrong with MSI. They make good hardware and they have good customer service. I can not say that about most of the other vendors whose products I use. I think MSI is a company that is really trying for that number 1 spot.


Thank you guys for the responses. They help a lot.

So in the end both MSI cards are the same except that the boot edition card has higher boost clocks than the regular OC. I guess I can't go wrong with either of them then.


----------



## Hokies83

And the card is recovered


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> I have the 2L, it's a good card but be aware of something - although I don't get any coil whine I do get fan whine after about the 55% mark. It's not from case or card vibration but the fan motors themselves, kind of like...a tuning fork, for lack of better description. It's not necessarily a deal breaker although I am considering slapping a couple of Deltas on there to get rid of the high-frequency resonance.
> 
> I believe it's a problem with the FirstD fans they're using - ALL THREE cards I've had exhibited the same behavior.


Yeah, my Sapphire 7950 has one fan that squeals..
It's out of my case for now as it got covered in water :/


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the same card at superbiiz is USD 310 (290 with mail in rebate). sapphire model no 11196-16-20G
> 
> http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-7950BST


Good deal.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> I have the 2L, it's a good card but be aware of something - although I don't get any coil whine I do get fan whine after about the 55% mark. It's not from case or card vibration but the fan motors themselves, kind of like...a tuning fork, for lack of better description. It's not necessarily a deal breaker although I am considering slapping a couple of Deltas on there to get rid of the high-frequency resonance.
> 
> I believe it's a problem with the FirstD fans they're using - ALL THREE cards I've had exhibited the same behavior.


Doubt I'll hear it over the *H100i* fans anyway. Getting it along with the GPU's.


----------



## Hokies83

Anywho trying to get my 120hz monitor to display 120hz via HDMI cable.. because i only have one DL Dvi port.. and my Cat leap is using it,

I have this HDMI cable http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024004&p_id=3661&seq=1&format=2 Only have the option in CCC for 60hz aswell as windows


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Doubt I'll hear it over the *H100i* fans anyway. Getting it along with the GPU's.


But here's the kicker - you just might, unless you have reduced sensitivity to high frequency noise (totally possible). Again, it isn't blatant until after about the 55% mark but really becomes rather intense at the higher speeds, so even though the fans are making a bit of noise the resonant tone is what actually stands out.

Hopefully it won't be an issue







BTW I'm not poo-pooing the card, just giving you a heads up so you're not caught off guard if it does happen...


----------



## Anoxy

Soooo which 7970 should I get for 1440p gaming? Looking at the Sapphire Vapor-X 3GB version. Not sure though.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> And the card is recovered


woot!!!! congrats i am happy for you !!!!!!!


----------



## Mega Man

delete


----------



## Hokies83

LoL well what sucks is my 500$ 120hz monitor is now a 200$ 60HZ monitor cause i only have one DL - DVI port and my Catleap is plugged into that as it only has DL dvi cable =/

Damn all 120hz monitors should have dl DVI and DP.. if HDMI cannot display 120hz why even bother with it on a 120hz panel..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL well what sucks is my 500$ 120hz monitor is now a 200$ 60HZ monitor cause i only have one DL - DVI port and my Catleap is plugged into that as it only has DL dvi cable =/
> 
> Damn all 120hz monitors should have dl DVI and DP.. if HDMI cannot display 120hz why even bother with it on a 120hz panel..


dp to daul link adapter !~( make sure it is active @!~~


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> dp to daul link adapter !~( make sure it is active @!~~


My Catleap is in the only DL DVI port on the card.

My 120hz monitor has 2 options DL DVI or HDMI,,,

My card has 1x DL - DVI ( in use by catleap) Hdmi and 2x DP.. So im SOL

Ima have to sell my 120hz monitor " which i liked better of the two because of my bad eye sight i cannot web surf on the Catleap cannot read the text lol even when i make it bigger lol...

So im have to sell the 120HZ panel and get a 120HZ panel with a DP and the options of 120hz 27inch panels with DP is very limited ... only one i found was the crazy priced Samsung at NCIX for 700$ @[email protected]


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> My Catleap is in the only DL DVI port on the card.
> 
> My 120hz monitor has 2 options DL DVI or HDMI,,,
> 
> My card has 1x DL - DVI ( in use by catleap) Hdmi and 2x DP.. So im SOL.


Just get an active display port adapter->dl dvi


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Just get an active display port adapter->dl dvi


Ah so i can go DP from the gpu to DL-DVI from the monitor?

Sweet lol links?

Bah 100$ for those things what a price gouge that is robbery for that thing lol.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Ah so i can go DP from the gpu to DL-DVI from the monitor?
> 
> Sweet lol links?
> 
> Bah 100$ for those things what a price gouge that is robbery for that thing lol.


that is what i said DP ( displayport ) to daul link adapter that is active. ( passive ones are bad long story short )

144hz monitor 24" 1080p with DP

reccomended DP adapters.... you will need dual link


----------



## KaRLiToS

You need active *USB Powered* miniDP to DVI.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> But here's the kicker - you just might, unless you have reduced sensitivity to high frequency noise (totally possible). Again, it isn't blatant until after about the 55% mark but really becomes rather intense at the higher speeds, so even though the fans are making a bit of noise the resonant tone is what actually stands out.
> 
> Hopefully it won't be an issue
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW I'm not poo-pooing the card, just giving you a heads up so you're not caught off guard if it does happen...


That _could_ get annoying. They just went down to $289 each, so I think I will anyway.







_(Assuming they don't sell out before purchasing)_


----------



## Mega Man

Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD
what do you guys think. gonna get it for my wifes rig. she mainly would use it for solid works and maybe wow once in a blue moon ( mainly worried about solid works ) no Ocing on her machine.

figured she does not need a 7970...

o did i mention i will be getting it for 200 ( assuming it is still in stock when they open tomorrow) brand new !~


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD
> what do you guys think. gonna get it for my wifes rig. she mainly would use it for solid works and maybe wow once in a blue moon ( mainly worried about solid works ) no Ocing on her machine.
> 
> figured she does not need a 7970...
> 
> o did i mention i will be getting it for 200 ( assuming it is still in stock when they open tomorrow) brand new !~


wow at $200 brand new i would jump on it


----------



## zoidbergslo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD
> what do you guys think. gonna get it for my wifes rig. she mainly would use it for solid works and maybe wow once in a blue moon ( mainly worried about solid works ) no Ocing on her machine.
> 
> figured she does not need a 7970...
> 
> o did i mention i will be getting it for 200 ( assuming it is still in stock when they open tomorrow) brand new !~


Well it works well with solid works. I didn't have any problems. But I didn't try renders and that stuff only normal design.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD
> what do you guys think. gonna get it for my wifes rig. she mainly would use it for solid works and maybe wow once in a blue moon ( mainly worried about solid works ) no Ocing on her machine. figured she does not need a 7970... o did i mention i will be getting it for 200 ( assuming it is still in stock when they open tomorrow) brand new !~


wow where are you getting it for USD 200


----------



## SkateZilla

Seems the Sapphire DualX 7950s are Sub $290 now..

Might have to bight the bullet and grab another, then slowly order parts needed for XFire (PCIx16 Ribbon Cable and Bigger PSU)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


----------



## SkateZilla

it'd be nice to have a Eyefinity 6 7970 though ... helllo... amd...... need a 6 miniDP Card... cuz im tired of the mixed DVI/MiniDP crap./


----------



## MAL22

My new i5 just came in yesterday! I can't wait to get home and build that monster. The step from a phenom 9750 is going to be HUUUGE!!! Now I'll be able to taste the true power of my FleX 7950!


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> My new i5 just came in yesterday! I can't wait to get home and build that monster. The step from a phenom 9750 is going to be HUUUGE!!! Now I'll be able to taste the true power of my FleX 7950!


Which i5?


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Which i5?


The 3570k of course, paired with the ASrock z77 Extreme6 mobo.


----------



## Vrait

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> The 3570k of course, paired with the ASrock z77 Extreme6 mobo.


Nice, that is a huge upgrade.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> The 3570k of course, paired with the ASrock z77 Extreme6 mobo.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1313179/official-delidded-ivy-bridge-club/0_20

Will getcha 5ghz easy


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1313179/official-delidded-ivy-bridge-club/0_20
> 
> Will getcha 5ghz easy


I'm not going to delid or overclock to 5Ghz until a looong time. And the idea of voiding my warranty isn't appealing to me.


----------



## MAL22

Kinda reminds me of the day I bought this little phenom + HD4650 to replace my ancient Northwood P4 + 9600 Pro. It was amazing but it was even better when I switched the 4650 for the 5770.


----------



## bigmac11

How do you guys think 2-7950's would compare to 3-470's? I've searched all over trying to find a answer.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> How do you guys think 2-7950's would compare to 3-470's? I've searched all over trying to find a answer.


25% = 50% faster maybe?

I know my 3x 7950s are about 50% faster then my 2 680s...

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/519?vs=645


----------



## Hokies83

Well i can confirm the Power Color 7950 Boost state does not like the Power color 7950 PCS+ Bios.. even tho they are both ref pcbs heh...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> How do you guys think 2-7950's would compare to 3-470's? I've searched all over trying to find a answer.


not sure if the valley benchmark is a good gauge but i ran my hybrid 7950/7970 at stock and got a 73. compare it. my sb was set at 4.5GHz like normal.


----------



## Hokies83

Can also confirm the Regular Ref 7950 Bios also does not work on the boost state...

Looks like i may be SOL...

AnyBody know anybody does any ATI driver Bios editing?


----------



## SkateZilla

so if i wanted to XFire my Current Launch 7950, I'd have to find a Non Boost 7950?


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

I think there is no 7000 series bios editor.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> wow where are you getting it for USD 200


looks like they sold it before i got there. microcenter hadd a open box.


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> so if i wanted to XFire my Current Launch 7950, I'd have to find a Non Boost 7950?


I don't think so.

Fellow 7000 series owners, Join the OCN BOINC Team in BGB 28. We are celebrating multiple members attaining the *Billion* credit milestone. Put your GCN cards computational might to scientific use and help the OCN BOINC team. If that's not enough reason, there are cool prizes too.

Follow the BOINC link in sig to the Boincers Gone Bonkers 28 thread and join the Cause! Thank you


----------



## prescotter

Guys

Does anybody of you know if the *SAPPHIRE HD 7970 3GB GDDR5 OC with Boost* is stil *unlocked*?

http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1481&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


----------



## SkateZilla

i dont think sapphire locks their Voltages


----------



## Hokies83

There is always somebody who likes to edit Bios =/

Or there has to be a Bios that works with this Power Color 7950 Boost state out there somewhere.


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Guys
> 
> Does anybody of you know if the *SAPPHIRE HD 7970 3GB GDDR5 OC with Boost* is stil *unlocked*?
> 
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1481&psn=&lid=1&leg=0


My 7950 with Boost is voltage unlocked, if that helps. I don't see why they would limit the nicer card. You would really only need Voltage control if you wanted to go over 1.25 V, for my 7950. It is stable at 1200/1500 with 1.25 V so I see little point personally.

Fellow 7000 series owners, Join the OCN BOINC Team in BGB 28. We are celebrating multiple members attaining the Billion credit milestone. Put your GCN cards computational might to scientific use and help the OCN BOINC team. If that's not enough reason, there are cool prizes too.

Follow the BOINC link in sig to the Boincers Gone Bonkers 28 thread and join the Cause! Thank you


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> My 7950 with Boost is voltage unlocked, if that helps. I don't see why they would limit the nicer card. You would really only need Voltage control if you wanted to go over 1.25 V, for my 7950. It is stable at 1200/1500 with 1.25 V so I see little point personally.
> 
> Fellow 7000 series owners, Join the OCN BOINC Team in BGB 28. We are celebrating multiple members attaining the Billion credit milestone. Put your GCN cards computational might to scientific use and help the OCN BOINC team. If that's not enough reason, there are cool prizes too.
> 
> Follow the BOINC link in sig to the Boincers Gone Bonkers 28 thread and join the Cause! Thank you


Send me a copy of that Bios if it is unlocked


----------



## Biorganic

Unlocked in the sense that you can go over 1.25 V, under 1.25 V at load is a different story. You have a Sapphire 7950 boost or what?

Fellow 7000 series owners, Join the OCN BOINC Team in BGB 28. We are celebrating multiple members attaining the Billion credit milestone. Put your GCN cards computational might to scientific use and help the OCN BOINC team. If that's not enough reason, there are cool prizes too.

Follow the BOINC link in sig to the Boincers Gone Bonkers 28 thread and join the Cause! Thank you


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Unlocked in the sense that you can go over 1.25 V, under 1.25 V at load is a different story. You have a Sapphire 7950 boost or what?
> 
> Fellow 7000 series owners, Join the OCN BOINC Team in BGB 28. We are celebrating multiple members attaining the Billion credit milestone. Put your GCN cards computational might to scientific use and help the OCN BOINC team. If that's not enough reason, there are cool prizes too.
> 
> Follow the BOINC link in sig to the Boincers Gone Bonkers 28 thread and join the Cause! Thank you


I have a power color 7950 boost but ur bios may work i can set 1.3v but it does not stick underload.


----------



## Mega Man

dumb question but curious. can you crossfire a 7990 with a 7970? all the 7990 is is 2x 7970 right ? would that in theory be tri fire ?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> dumb question but curious. can you crossfire a 7990 with a 7970? all the 7990 is is 2x 7970 right ? would that in theory be tri fire ?


Yes you can.


----------



## Biorganic

Sapphire 7950 Boost.zip 41k .zip file


Hope it works, let me know









*Edit* Apparently I was wrong, Just tried to OV to 1.3 using trixx and the Voltage at load in GPU-z didnt change at all. Lame

I know my HIS iceq 7950 is unlocked, it is non boost however. Pretty sure the max allowed V is lower also. I have mine manually OCd to 1100 at less than 1.2 V. Anyway if you want to try that bios let me know. Sorry









Fellow 7000 series owners, Join the OCN BOINC Team in BGB 28. We are celebrating multiple members attaining the Billion credit milestone. Put your GCN cards computational might to scientific use and help the OCN BOINC team. If that's not enough reason, there are cool prizes too.

Follow the BOINC link in sig to the Boincers Gone Bonkers 28 thread and join the Cause! Thank you


----------



## Hokies83

Anybody tried this one yet?

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=6904&seq=1&format=2#description


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys I bought another 7970 Top, but I've only one couple 8pin cable. What must I do to connect other one!? It cmoes with this cable, so I'll have 2 of them



what must I do?


----------



## Hokies83

I have 2 UV Red braided 8pin extensions if ur looking for those?


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

A new couple 8pin would be better than these I think... But I'm not sure, these PSU's output ports are in standart?

I'm using 775W Thermaltake Toughpower XT


----------



## Gigatel

I've seen this question asked before and I've looked around a little but I've never seen a definitive answer. With dual Crossfire, should you use two bridges or just one? If just one, does it matter which slot you use?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gigatel*
> 
> I've seen this question asked before and I've looked around a little but I've never seen a definitive answer. With dual Crossfire, should you use two bridges or just one? If just one, does it matter which slot you use?


use one bridge, and the first one for crossfire.. the second one is used for if you add another card.









BTW by "slot" do you mean the bridge fingers?


----------



## Gigatel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> use one bridge, and the first one for crossfire.. the second one is used for if you add another card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW by "slot" do you mean the bridge fingers?


Yea I meant bridge finger..lol, never heard that term before. By first I assume you mean closest to the back of the case?

I've read the second bridge can have a very mild improvement in performance. Also read it can have a negative affect.

Edit - According to AMD's own site:
Quote:


> ◾For an AMD CrossFire™ system, a second AMD Radeon™ HD 7950 GPU, an AMD CrossFire™ Ready motherboard and *one* AMD CrossFire™ Bridge Interconnect cable is required


Simple enough, though I think two would look better


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gigatel*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> use one bridge, and the first one for crossfire.. the second one is used for if you add another card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW by "slot" do you mean the bridge fingers?
> 
> 
> 
> Yea I meant bridge finger..lol, never heard that term before. By first I assume you mean closest to the back of the case?
> 
> I've read the second bridge can have a very mild improvement in performance. Also read it can have a negative affect.
Click to expand...

tes i mean the fingers xD cloest to trhe back of the case which is how i have always seen it done. i am not sure tho about if you use the 2nd one instead sorry


----------



## TeeBlack

Ive been looking looking at water blocks for my Sapphire 7950 boost and was wondering what you guys think of the Swiftech Komoto full cover block?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Ive been looking looking at water blocks for my Sapphire 7950 boost and was wondering what you guys think of the Swiftech Komoto full cover block?


i dont own one, however i am working on getting one and upgrading my loop. all reviews i have seen are 100% positive.
pretty sure ninjasushi2 has one. you can try pming him

there have been stray "this item sucks" reviews but with 98% positive reviews i always take them with a grain of salt


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> dumb question but curious. can you crossfire a 7990 with a 7970? all the 7990 is is 2x 7970 right ? would that in theory be tri fire ?


Yes, 3-Way 7970 SLI


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Anybody tried this one yet?
> 
> http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=6904&seq=1&format=2#description


It's for a Mac,

Not all Thunderbolt Products work on MiniDP.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> It's for a Mac,
> 
> Not all Thunderbolt Products work on MiniDP.


according to the siteit is for dp or thunderbolt and in the reviews it works on DP just fine, however there are alot of " my unit has issues" posts but the seller seems to respond with new units. and eventually fixes the problems


----------



## kzone75

Decent card for €320. But my main rig was only supposed to be black and red...


----------



## Kosai

Anyone have an idea why ebay is flooded with brand new VisionTek's? I don't get it did something go wrong or something? Strange to see that many listings of VisionTek 7970's.

I have no experience or knowledge when it comes to VisionTek cards, can anyone chime in on their reliability/overclocking ability?


----------



## raptor5150

I have 2 VT ref cards and they run great...not a problem yet. I run them at 1125/1575 gaming. Temps stay below 60c and idle below 30c. I found them on sale one day at 360$ each and gave it a go and havent been dissapointed yet.


----------



## Kosai

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raptor5150*
> 
> I have 2 VT ref cards and they run great...not a problem yet. I run them at 1125/1575 gaming. Temps stay below 60c and idle below 30c. I found them on sale one day at 360$ each and gave it a go and havent been dissapointed yet.


Damn where did you find them at that price? Everyone on eBay is price gouging them to hell.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kosai*
> 
> Damn where did you find them at that price? Everyone on eBay is price gouging them to hell.


well it is no longer ebay ( must not of got the notice ) it is eslay where everything is over priced.... because we can !~


----------



## Kosai

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> well it is no longer ebay ( must not of got the notice ) it is eslay where everything is over priced.... because we can !~


Mind enlightening me on what exactly is eslay? Or are just mocking eBay?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Sapphire 7950 Boost.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> 
> Apparently I was wrong, Just tried to OV to 1.3 using trixx and the Voltage at load in GPU-z didnt change at all. Lame


If it doesn't work in your card I doubt it will be unlocked in a different card.

My SApphire Vapor X HD7950 is voltage locked as well at 1.25v under full load.







|


----------



## kzone75

GPU flashed. Can't seem to get any higher memory clock. I get grey/white or black screen with stripes during the physics test. Don't really understand that.. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6288990

No problems at 1100 MHz so far. Gonna keep going.. I worry about stability later.


----------



## Huizar9791

Hi guys. can recommend a water block for Sapphire hd 7970 ( 11197-03-40G)


----------



## Hokies83

Might need to start a 7950 / 7970 Boost ed Bios flash thread so we can track down which unlocked voltage bios work on these cards.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> The 3570k of course, paired with the ASrock z77 Extreme6 mobo.


Be aware of the huge Vcore reporting issue on the AsRock Z77 boards though, could be off by as much as 0.1V :S


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kosai*
> 
> Damn where did you find them at that price? Everyone on eBay is price gouging them to hell.


You mean you havent seen the price of the 6 GB Sapphire 7970s?

$1000-$3500


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Hi guys found cable from a techinical service, I can use my 6pins cable, no problem; works great. He said this comes with Quadro cards













And also bought another Asus 7970 DCU II Top - I'll also flash it with matrix bios and make crossfire. And all tests will be here; I'm waiting card.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1374108/asus-7970-top-edition-voltage-unlocked-by-dj-oxygene-8


----------



## Hokies83

Made a 7950/7970 Boost ED Unlock voltage data base thread .


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi there everyone

First time i post on this thread and i need your expert advice and opinions..
I wanted to upgrade my graphics card, (had a Msi GTX 560ti).. after a lot of search and research, i didn't know which one i would choose, a GTX 660 ti or a HD 7950. (My budget was around 250 to 300€).
So i made up my mind and went to the red team (after reading the 7950 was a great card and more future proof)







, i went to the store to grab a vapor x hd 7950, but the store was out of stock... (and i'm not sure when they would have stock again)
I went to another store and they only had the MSI HD 7950 (http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-2PMD3GD5-OC.html#?div=Specification) or R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC (http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-Twin-Frozr-3GD5-OC.html#?div=Specification, well that one wasn't available right away)... after talking to the vendor, he convinced me the MSI HD 7950 is a good card also, it's only difference was "some" Mhz (50Mhz less and the cooler... After thinking for a couple of minutes, i bought it... (An impulsive buy, i know...)..

I don't do overclock.. at least for now... and also it's my first time dealing with AMD after some years on the "green" team (my last card was a sapphire hd4870)..

So my big question is... did i bought the right card or it would be better to buy the R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC ? (there's these two models only and they don't do refund as far as i know)...
BTW the vendor made me a discount... The card was 275€...(was this a good deal?)

Any opinion will be very much appreciated


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Sapphire 7950 Boost.zip 41k .zip file
> 
> 
> Apparently I was wrong, Just tried to OV to 1.3 using trixx and the Voltage at load in GPU-z didnt change at all. Lame
> 
> 
> 
> If it doesn't work in your card I doubt it will be unlocked in a different card.
> 
> My SApphire Vapor X HD7950 is voltage locked as well at 1.25v under full load.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> |
Click to expand...

I am aware of that, I added the apparently part of the quote after I said good luck.


----------



## Nightz2k

Went with the SAPPHIRE 7950 100352-2L version. Nice to get Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite with it too.









Bought one GPU for now. Depending on funds, may add a second one whenever. _(Including a PSU upgrade)_


----------



## Biorganic

Really nice card Nightz. Mine runs cool at load and OCs pretty well. Enjoy sir!


----------



## dopey

Just registered my 7950 (TFIII).. Lol @ 53.3 ASIC, but it doesn't seem to matter, especially with these high stock voltages on boost cards (IMO). Can't beat the price at any rate (309), and I got like $290 for my broken 5970 (90), AC cooler (150), and the game bundle (50) - so this card was almost free.

I did try baking my 5970, but it went from artifacts to bricked. Laugh it up.


----------



## Stige

ASIC doesn't mean crap really.


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dopey*
> 
> Just registered my 7950 (TFIII).. Lol @ 53.3 ASIC, but it doesn't seem to matter, especially with these high stock voltages on boost cards (IMO). Can't beat the price at any rate (309), and I got like $290 for my broken 5970 (90), AC cooler (150), and the game bundle (50) - so this card was almost free.
> 
> I did try baking my 5970, but it went from artifacts to bricked. Laugh it up.


P/N number?
Have you o/c it to see how it goes?

Have fun with your newly arrived GPU xD


----------



## Evil Penguin

New version of RadeonPro:
http://www.radeonpro.info/2013/03/download-radeonpro-preview-1-1-1-0-29mar2013/
Quote:


> Along with already known improvements like SMAA custom tuning and better compatibility with Crysis 3 and ArmA 2, see below what changed in this build:
> 
> - New: Improved compatibility with Uplay and Origin overlay modules
> - Fixed: Incorrect FPS meter when AMD Eyefinity is in use
> - Fixed: DVC/DFC now works with AMD Eyefinity


----------



## MikeG

Thanks for the link (+rep). I just joined the red team and didn't know there was such a utility. At first glance, it looks like this tool has way more options than Nvidia. It can even apply different afterburner overclock profiles to each game? Wow, if it works as advertised, it means that I can operate my card in power saving mode, and automatically switch to an overclocked profile upon game loading.


----------



## Evil Penguin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Thanks for the link (+rep). I just joined the red team and didn't know there was such a utility. At first glance, it looks like this tool has way more options than Nvidia. It can even apply different afterburner overclock profiles to each game? Wow, if it works as advertised, it means that I can operate my card in power saving mode, and automatically switch to an overclocked profile upon game loading.


Ohhh yeah...
It's a very useful tool.
I use it for dynamic vsync and SMAA but there's plenty of other things it can do.


----------



## stl drifter

hello, total noob here. Just got my first ATI card. Sapphire 7950 Dual X. I installed the latest Catalyst download and now my screen is not full across the screen. It has black boarders all around. Any advice and tips would be greatly aprreciated.


----------



## Mackem

So is the Twin Frozr III the next best card for cooling/OC'ing now that the Windforce 7950 is voltage locked?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> hello, total noob here. Just got my first ATI card. Sapphire 7950 Dual X. I installed the latest Catalyst download and now my screen is not full across the screen. It has black boarders all around. Any advice and tips would be greatly aprreciated.


There is an Option in the CCC in lcd displays that makes it fully expand.


----------



## stl drifter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There is an Option in the CCC in lcd displays that makes it fully expand.


Is there a reason why it doesnt automatically do this?


----------



## Jetlitheone

Got my 7950 last week.

Been messing with it.

MSI Twin Frozr on 7950 PCB at 1175mhz/1500 and 1.25 volts stable. any less volts and battlefield crashes

also made sure it ran by using kombuster for about 6 minutes with two windows open. gets at 78celcius most but just hovers at that


----------



## dookiebot

My MSI Twin 7950 would be in the mid-80s at that clock. Congrats on it. Though I am seriously considering reaaplying the TIM on my card so I could achieve that clock and feel comfortable with the temps.


----------



## Zarich

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> Is there a reason why it doesnt automatically do this?


This is a windows issue not a card issue. However, once you fix it in the CCC windows should remember that and you not have this issue in the future.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There is an Option in the CCC in lcd displays that makes it fully expand.
> 
> 
> 
> Is there a reason why it doesnt automatically do this?
Click to expand...

Don't use hdmi, or if you must use it convert it to dvi.


----------



## stl drifter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Don't use hdmi, or if you must use it convert it to dvi.


Is a DVI connection better?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Don't use hdmi, or if you must use it convert it to dvi.
> 
> 
> 
> Is a DVI connection better?
Click to expand...

In short, yes.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/hd-101-overscan-and-why-all-tvs-do-it/


----------



## KaRLiToS

tsm106, while you there, for temporary setup, what do you recommend for light gaming on single 1440 monitor and for triple monitor desktop.


GTX 650ti boost
HD 7850
GTX 670
HD 7950

Resale value is Important


----------



## tsm106

All those cards are memory bandwidth limited except for... the 384bit wide 7950. The 3gb vram will also help out with 1440p. But finding a proper 7950 w/o boost crap or ghz crap will be hard.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> All those cards are memory bandwidth limited except for... the 384bit wide 7950. The 3gb vram will also help out with 1440p. But finding a proper 7950 w/o boost crap or ghz crap will be hard.


I know which one: Sapphire HD 7950 Dual-X (The 2L one)

This one is not voltage locked. (I will get it then)

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

+rep.


----------



## tsm106

At your resolution all the choices will be a compromise, but the 7950 will be the least compromise of the choices available.


----------



## sugarhell

Dont go for cf you will have runt frames


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I know which one: Sapphire HD 7950 Dual-X (The 2L one)
> 
> This one is not voltage locked. (I will get it then)
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> +rep.


When u get it let me try your Bios









Ive gone half way down the TPU bios list with no Success.... None will allow the system to boot...

We may need a newer 7950 "then the boost bios" that is not voltage locked.

Atleast thats what i took from talking to W1zzard.


----------



## Anoxy

How do I tell if my card is voltage locked? I have a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X.


----------



## NoGuru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> How do I tell if my card is voltage locked? I have a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X.


When you try and overclock it, can you change the volts?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NoGuru*
> 
> When you try and overclock it, can you change the volts?


I can change my volts to 1.38v But soon as the cards go under load all 3 Avg 1.25v


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I know which one: Sapphire HD 7950 Dual-X (The 2L one)
> 
> This one is not voltage locked. (I will get it then)
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> +rep.


I have 2 of the 2L versions and I must say that I am happy with both! Nice choice, should hold you by until you get your next gen cards


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Don't use hdmi, or if you must use it convert it to dvi.


So I should put my DVI cable back on instead of my HDMI?


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Went with the SAPPHIRE 7950 100352-2L version. Nice to get Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite with it too.










PLEASE tell me you didn't buy from Newegg - Amazon is pretty aggressive in price matching them and their exchange policy is AWESOME. I sincerely hope you have zero issues with your new card, fingers crossed.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> Is there a reason why it doesnt automatically do this?


Pretty annoying, eh? AMD has major issues with making competent driver software. They've gotten better but Nvidia is still miles ahead on the user-friendly front.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> Is a DVI connection better?


No - it's the SAME VIDEO SIGNAL, minus the audio stream.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> So I should put my DVI cable back on instead of my HDMI?


No, unless you hate sound.
Instead, open up the registry (Win key+R, "regedit") and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control, and expand the "Video" folder.

You'll see many weird folders; expand each one until you find the one with the most subfolders by a large margin - this is the main AMD entry. Click on the 0000 subfolder and the right window pane should populate with a bunch of entries.

Right-click anywhere in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32 bit), name it "DigitalHDTVDefaultUnderscan" (no quotes, though), exit the registry and restart the computer. Problem solved.

It's much easier to do this through CCC, but it used to never "stick" on previous revisions so this is a better fix if you still have problems.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Thanks *The Storm*

Is there a waterblock for this one?

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Is there a waterblock for this one?
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


Damn son that is a boost card with unlocked voltage?

I WANTS THE BIOS!


----------



## Anoxy

Woo baby this Vapor-x 7970 is LOUD!

My first 7970, the regular Sapphire version with Boost was whisper quiet, but it couldn't handle the most modest of overclocks. This Vapor-X performs much better and overclocks like a beast. Guess I'll just have to wear my headphones and ignore the jet engine lol


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Thanks *The Storm*
> 
> Is there a waterblock for this one?
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


I cannot find any PCB pictures of the card to say yes or no XD

It has 2 x 6 pin and the same dp hdmi and dvi lay out as mine so that is a good sign.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Thanks *The Storm*
> 
> Is there a waterblock for this one?
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


I believe this is what your looking for









http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_580&products_id=36088


----------



## Hokies83

I do not see it in the Compatibility List is it a newer card?


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I do not see it in the Compatibility List is it a newer card?


http://www.alphacool.com/download/compatibility%20list%20ATI.pdf

It would be the boost 11196-16 card

which both of mine are the 11196-16-20G which are the 2L cards


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> http://www.alphacool.com/download/compatibility%20list%20ATI.pdf


Could u post me a sticky of your Bios please


----------



## MAL22

Question for you guys! Can a seasonic x750 handle two 7950s OC'ed 1200/1575 + i5-3570k OC'ed between 4.5 and 5Ghz? 62 amps on the PSU's 12v rail.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Could u post me a sticky of your Bios please


They each have a different bios


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Thanks *The Storm*
> 
> Is there a waterblock for this one?
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


Reference format pcb so any 7950 block will do.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> They each have a different bios
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Im willing to try both


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> Question for you guys! Can a seasonic x750 handle two 7950s OC'ed 1200/1575 + i5-3570k OC'ed between 4.5 and 5Ghz? 62 amps on the PSU's 12v rail.


I would think you would be fine, my HX1000 is 2 40a rails, which I have the power hungry FX8350 and 1 7950 on 1 rail (40a) and the other 7950 on the other rail. I cant see 1 7950 pulling more than 22 amps maxing out your 62a. Mind you my fx8350 is probably using more power than your 3570k


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> I would think you would be fine, my HX1000 is 2 40a rails, which I have the power hungry FX8350 and 1 7950 on 1 rail (40a) and the other 7950 on the other rail. I cant see 1 7950 pulling more than 22 amps maxing out your 62a. Mind you my fx8350 is probably using more power than your 3570k


I got a thread trying to figure out how to unlock voltage on the locked boost cards. the Answer i was given was to try a "newer" unlocked bios.

here is my thread if they work ill add them to the data base


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I got a thread trying to figure out how to unlock voltage on the locked boost cards. the Answer i was given was to try a "newer" unlocked bios.
> 
> here is my thread if they work ill add them to the data base


I hope they work for ya.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> I hope they work for ya.


Could you save the files and upload them for me?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Thanks *The Storm*
> 
> Is there a waterblock for this one?
> 
> http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006


if you get the same version as the pics on that newegg page then yes you can use full water block. if you look at the one looking directly at the fans you can see part of the amd logo and the board number

no promises though as it could of changed and you could get a newer revision

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PLEASE tell me you didn't buy from Newegg - Amazon is pretty aggressive in price matching them and their exchange policy is AWESOME. I sincerely hope you have zero issues with your new card, fingers crossed.
> Pretty annoying, eh? AMD has major issues with making competent driver software. They've gotten better but Nvidia is still miles ahead on the user-friendly front.
> No - it's the SAME VIDEO SIGNAL, minus the audio stream.
> No, unless you hate sound.
> Instead, open up the registry (Win key+R, "regedit") and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control, and expand the "Video" folder.
> 
> You'll see many weird folders; expand each one until you find the one with the most subfolders by a large margin - this is the main AMD entry. Click on the 0000 subfolder and the right window pane should populate with a bunch of entries.
> 
> Right-click anywhere in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32 bit), name it "DigitalHDTVDefaultUnderscan" (no quotes, though), exit the registry and restart the computer. Problem solved.
> 
> It's much easier to do this through CCC, but it used to never "stick" on previous revisions so this is a better fix if you still have problems.


from my understanding with dvi there is no extra lag, with ANY hdmi signal there is always an extra 5ms lag i would reccomend going back to dvi. it is due to how hdmi decodes the signal ( most laymen of terms, as i dont fully understand it yet but that is what i remember reading ( at least they way i understood it


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> PLEASE tell me you didn't buy from Newegg - Amazon is pretty aggressive in price matching them and their exchange policy is AWESOME. I sincerely hope you have zero issues with your new card, fingers crossed.
> .


I've been lucky with Newegg I guess ? Plus, other than the weekend, I usually get items shipped in 1-2 days, even on the free shipping _(4-7 day thing)_. Being right next to Cali helps. So I stick with them and I've yet to have issues over 10+ years. I use Amazon as well, like the H100i I ordered was around $25 cheaper than Newegg. Thanks for the concern though.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Could you save the files and upload them for me?


If I knew how


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> I would think you would be fine, my HX1000 is 2 40a rails, which I have the power hungry FX8350 and 1 7950 on 1 rail (40a) and the other 7950 on the other rail. I cant see 1 7950 pulling more than 22 amps maxing out your 62a. Mind you my fx8350 is probably using more power than your 3570k


My HX850's fan is noisy and rattles under load. GOing to RMA it and get the seasonic x750 for the same price.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> My HX850's fan is noisy and rattles under load. GOing to RMA it and get the seasonic x750 for the same price.


i swear by seasonics!~ you wont be disapointed be sure to join our club ! /welcome ( link in my sig )


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> Question for you guys! Can a seasonic x750 handle two 7950s OC'ed 1200/1575 + i5-3570k OC'ed between 4.5 and 5Ghz? 62 amps on the PSU's 12v rail.


More than enough.

I ran my 2500K at 5.1GHz and both my previous cards at 1100/1400 with Antec HCG-620W without any issues.


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Could you save the files and upload them for me?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I knew how
Click to expand...

This is to save bios?
Solution
1. You need to Download GPU-Z.
2. Running GPU-Z.

3. Click on the icon ringed in red and choose "Save to file", a "Save As" pops up, Browse the location and specify the directory you want to save the video card BIOS file and give a name to the output BIOS file.
Click "Save", and your video card BIOS is saved.


----------



## Gigatel

Being a new owner of 7950's and all...What is the benefit of updating the BIOS for these cards? Just better/stable OC's?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gigatel*
> 
> Being a new owner of 7950's and all...What is the benefit of updating the BIOS for these cards? Just better/stable OC's?


If voltage is locked by the Bios on the card And you flash a new bios that is unlocked you can have free control over voltage and get higher overclocks.


----------



## Snakesoul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi there everyone
> 
> First time i post on this thread and i need your expert advice and opinions..
> I wanted to upgrade my graphics card, (had a Msi GTX 560ti).. after a lot of search and research, i didn't know which one i would choose, a GTX 660 ti or a HD 7950. (My budget was around 250 to 300€).
> So i made up my mind and went to the red team (after reading the 7950 was a great card and more future proof)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , i went to the store to grab a vapor x hd 7950, but the store was out of stock... (and i'm not sure when they would have stock again)
> I went to another store and they only had the MSI HD 7950 (http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-2PMD3GD5-OC.html#?div=Specification) or R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC (http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-Twin-Frozr-3GD5-OC.html#?div=Specification, well that one wasn't available right away)... after talking to the vendor, he convinced me the MSI HD 7950 is a good card also, it's only difference was "some" Mhz (50Mhz less and the cooler... After thinking for a couple of minutes, i bought it... (An impulsive buy, i know...)..
> 
> I don't do overclock.. at least for now... and also it's my first time dealing with AMD after some years on the "green" team (my last card was a sapphire hd4870)..
> 
> So my big question is... did i bought the right card or it would be better to buy the R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC ? (there's these two models only and they don't do refund as far as i know)...
> BTW the vendor made me a discount... The card was 275€...(was this a good deal?)
> 
> Any opinion will be very much appreciated


Hi there,

Someone could give me their advice? (sorry for insisting but i'm a noob and i have a 15 day return...)

Was this a good buy?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## stl drifter

How do you display the fps you are running in game while gaming. Like in Cysis 3


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> How do you display the fps you are running in game while gaming. Like in Cysis 3


fraps is easiest way imo
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> Someone could give me their advice? (sorry for insisting but i'm a noob and i have a 15 day return...)
> 
> Was this a good buy?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


may be a bit louder ( 1 fan vs 2 ) i would have ot look inot that and i have been up for ~ 20 hours z_Z ... so instead of using my failed logic ill leave it to others who have a more sound mind lol
sorry i cant be more helpful. i am sure it is a fine card.


----------



## Gigatel

Do these 3dMark scores look satisfactory?

With Crossfire on:



Without:


----------



## bigsnyder

@stl drifter

Stick with DVI. Not sure if it is the newer hardware or drivers, but trying to use a non-native resolution via HDMI always results in some kind of scaling that I could not ever completely get rid of. Probably a fix, but I didn't have the patience. DVI, no issues period.


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gigatel*
> 
> Do these 3dMark scores look satisfactory?
> 
> With Crossfire on:
> 
> 
> 
> Without:


Nope.
Unistall catalyst drivers restart and re-install latest 13.3beta3.


----------



## Gigatel

Those are with beta3's.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> How do you display the fps you are running in game while gaming. Like in Cysis 3


fraps works, I also like MSI Afterburner . I like afterburner because I can monitor by FPS, GPU usage, and GPU temps while gaming.


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gigatel*
> 
> Those are with beta3's.


Your gpus runs with stock boost clocks (950/1250)?
Told you to re-install the driver, since, to my eyes, looks that driver doesn't perform as should.


----------



## TheBenson

Rig complete!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheBenson*
> 
> 
> 
> Rig complete!


looks sexay in cfx !~like the wires too !


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> I've been lucky with Newegg I guess ? Plus, other than the weekend, I usually get items shipped in 1-2 days, even on the free shipping _(4-7 day thing)_. Being right next to Cali helps. So I stick with them and I've yet to have issues over 10+ years. I use Amazon as well, like the H100i I ordered was around $25 cheaper than Newegg. Thanks for the concern though.


Just looking out for a fellow 2L owner - I had to RMA to get a good card and I really doubt it would've been so painless with the egg. And I don't eschew them entirely, I just don't think it's worth it to ever order another GPU or motherboard from them again with all their shady practices and crummy exchange policy. Fine for RAM, PSUs, TIM, fans and whatnot though...


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Just looking out for a fellow 2L owner - I had to RMA to get a good card and I really doubt it would've been so painless with the egg. And I don't eschew them entirely, I just don't think it's worth it to ever order another GPU or motherboard from them again with all their shady practices and crummy exchange policy. Fine for RAM, PSUs, TIM, fans and whatnot though...


Don't blame ya then, like I said, I guess I've been lucky with them.

Just got my GPU today, installed, did all the uninstalling, fresh installs, new drivers, etc. Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite downloading. Ran a Valley Benchmark, stock _(925/1250)_ and OC'd _(1200/1500)_, working flawless, so far anyway. CPU is just a small OC @3.6GHz until I get the h100i. Amazon is definitely a lot slower on shipping, but I expected that. lol


----------



## Hokies83

Yah u gotta watch Newegg with Gpus they will sell u a open box / refurb as new.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yah u gotta watch Newegg with Gpus they will sell u a open box / refurb as new.


That would suck, not sure what's up with that and why they'd want to mess up their reputation. I always check the seals first thing when something is new, nothing was tampered with. Packaging, all new, tape, plastic still on the GPU, etc. Looked pretty fresh and new to me anyway.

EDIT: One thing I'm having issues is getting 3DMark to work, the latest one. I get some kind of GUI error. I Uninstalled, deleted files I found in folders and then rebooted, reinstalled, etc, still the same error.


----------



## Biorganic

Hopefully I am not too late. The 2L Sapphire HD 7950 Dual X is not voltage unlocked. It is the card I have and It will not maintain over 1.25 V at load. Sorry


----------



## Nightz2k

Yeah, kinda sucks it's locked, at least for Benchmarking. In games, I'm OK with it as long as they play well.

My scores in Valley Benchmark 1.0

*925/1250* _(Stock)_



*1200/1575* _(My max)_



Slight improvement, not a lot. Still a LOT better than the ol'GTX460 1GB I had. (_21.5FPS Avg, 38.2FPS Max, score of 900 and it was OC'd!)_


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Yeah, kinda sucks it's locked, at least for Benchmarking. In games, I'm OK with it as long as they play well.
> 
> My scores in Valley Benchmark 1.0
> 
> *925/1250* _(Stock)_
> 
> 
> 
> *1200/1575* _(My max)_
> 
> 
> 
> Slight improvement, not a lot.


You should do around 2000 points with this overclock... Something is wrong


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You should do around 2000 points with this overclock... Something is wrong


If that's true, I'd like know if there's any way to know why. Maybe the Software ? I'm using MSI Aterburner, is there any other overclocking program I should be using instead ? I haven't used ATI/AMD GPU since I had HD4870's years ago.


----------



## stl drifter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> fraps works, I also like MSI Afterburner . I like afterburner because I can monitor by FPS, GPU usage, and GPU temps while gaming.


this is what i was looking for. Rep for you sir!!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> If that's true, I'd like know if there's any way to know why. Maybe the Software ? I'm using MSI Aterburner, is there any other overclocking program I should be using instead ? I haven't used ATI/AMD GPU since I had HD4870's years ago.


Yeah use msi ab. Check if you get throttling. Increase the power limit to 25% on msi ab


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> If that's true, I'd like know if there's any way to know why. Maybe the Software ? I'm using MSI Aterburner, is there any other overclocking program I should be using instead ? I haven't used ATI/AMD GPU since I had HD4870's years ago.


actually, you should not oc. at stock you should be getting 37. what driver version are you using? your core was at 67C, am i right? monitor your vrm temps as well using hwinfo64 . . .

http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html

scroll down after you open it the app to see the rest of the temps. keep all temps below 80C (my standard).


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah use msi ab. Check if you get throttling. Increase the power limit to 25% on msi ab


Will try that.

Update: Slight improvement, up to 1467 Score, 35.1 Avg, 67.1 Max. Drivers crashed after closing though.

Maybe I just have to tinker around a bit until I find a smooth setting.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> actually, you should not oc. at stock you should be getting 37. what driver version are you using? your core was at 67C, am i right? monitor your vrm temps as well using hwinfo64 . . .
> 
> http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html
> 
> scroll down after you open it the app to see the rest of the temps. keep all temps below 80C (my standard).


It didn't go past 65c overclocked, at least according to AB. I'm using the latest, non-beta drivers from AMD. 13.1. Should I be using Beta ? Beta drivers are sometimes hit or miss.


----------



## bluezone

I had an interesting result on 3d mark11 with my just finished new build. checkout the cpu frequency.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6303154

what comes after GHz. LOL.


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluezone*
> 
> I had an interesting result on 3d mark11 with my just finished new build. checkout the cpu frequency.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6303154
> 
> what comes after GHz. LOL.


THz?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Will try that.
> 
> Update: Slight improvement, up to 1467 Score, 35.1 Avg, 67.1 Max. Drivers crashed after closing though.
> 
> Maybe I just have to tinker around a bit until I find a smooth setting.
> It didn't go past 65c overclocked, at least according to AB. I'm using the latest, non-beta drivers from AMD. 13.1. Should I be using Beta ? Beta drivers are sometimes hit or miss.


yeah run the 13.3 beta drivers. max out power control to +20%. also overclock in steps of 50 mhz starting from 950 mhz. every run make sure your card is stable and the performance improves for each clock increment. if the card is unstable and crashes or artifacts then you need to apply more voltage or lower clocks. if your performance does not improve then too it means the overclock is unstable.


----------



## Anoxy

Why does it say Microsoft Basic Render Driver?


----------



## Jared2608

Did you allow Windows 8 to get the driver for your graphics card, or did you install the Radeon drivers yourself? It could be that Windows 8 installed the driver itself and so that's why it's saying Microsoft Driver. If that's the case, just uninstall that driver, and install the latest Catalyst Drivers from AMD.


----------



## Nightz2k

This is probably the best I can do. Until I get the H100i to OC the CPU more, I won't know if that will make much a difference or not.

Aside from that, this HD7950 still crushes my GTX460 I had before it, so it's a worthwhile upgrade.


----------



## Stige

CPU doesn't make much of a difference for Heaven benchmarks.

And should get a real cooler instead of closed loop stuff


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> CPU doesn't make much of a difference for Heaven benchmarks.
> 
> And should get a real cooler instead of closed loop stuff


Figured as much about the CPU.

As for a real cooler, if you mean a WC _(full loop)_ setup, maybe sometime. For now, this works fine for me until I want something different.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Figured as much about the CPU.
> 
> As for a real cooler, if you mean a WC _(full loop)_ setup, maybe sometime. For now, this works fine for me until I want something different.


Then you should just get a TS TrueSpirit or something for now, if you do P/P on both coolers then the TS is nearly on par with the H100 and only costs like ~25€.
Cooled my old 2500K at 5GHz / 1.5V without issues









H100 is a waste of money :l


----------



## prescotter

Hello guys,

What do you think are Acceptable Memory Voltage for HD7970 in the long run?

Just got my first hd7970 and default memory voltage is 1.6v, what do you guys run on the memory voltage?

thx


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Guys I'm wondering, what is VDDCI voltage. Have to touch it?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Hello guys,
> 
> What do you think are Acceptable Memory Voltage for HD7970 in the long run?
> 
> Just got my first hd7970 and default memory voltage is 1.6v, what do you guys run on the memory voltage?
> 
> thx


all i have needed was 1.6V but i beleive upto 1.7V should be the max you can go but i am not sure i would unless i have good cooling, but thats just me lol


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Then you should just get a TS TrueSpirit or something for now, if you do P/P on both coolers then the TS is nearly on par with the H100 and only costs like ~25€.
> Cooled my old 2500K at 5GHz / 1.5V without issues
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> H100 is a waste of money :l


I know you mean well, but it's personal preference. It does the job and I don't want clunky CPU air coolers anymore.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Guys I'm wondering, what is VDDCI voltage. Have to touch it?


An excerpt from an old R6850 MSI document I found:

"VDDCI controls the voltage of PCI-E on VGA card. When increasing the PCI-E clock on the mainboard, users can increase the VDDCI voltage of VGA card to get better stability."


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

So there is a VDDCI setting on mainboard? Let me check


----------



## MikeG

I don't think so on the main board, although motherboards vary.

What I think this is for is if you were to overclock your BCLK on your motherboard, raising VDDCI on your graphics card would give you better stability since the PCI bus frequency is derived from BLCK. Increasing BCLK not only raises CPU frequency, but also PCI bus and memory. Most people just leave BCLK at the recommended setting of 100MHZ, but a lot of the LN2 people like to overclock the BCLK, so the VDDCI setting is mostly for them.


----------



## Snakesoul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> fraps is easiest way imo
> may be a bit louder ( 1 fan vs 2 ) i would have ot look inot that and i have been up for ~ 20 hours z_Z ... so instead of using my failed logic ill leave it to others who have a more sound mind lol
> sorry i cant be more helpful. i am sure it is a fine card.


Hi Mega Man,

Thanks for your reply







That's fine at least you tried







now go get some rest








I know i should have waited for the vapor x, but i wasn't sure when the shop had stock again... Until now i saw a great improvement from my old graphics card... but any other opinions would be nice


----------



## nikoli707

Happy Easter!!!

Now someone please find an easter egg and give us(me) an unlocked bios for my voltage locked boost 7950


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> I don't think so on the main board, although motherboards vary.
> 
> What I think this is for is if you were to overclock your BCLK on your motherboard, raising VDDCI on your graphics card would give you better stability since the PCI bus frequency is derived from BLCK. Increasing BCLK not only raises CPU frequency, but also PCI bus and memory. Most people just leave BCLK at the recommended setting of 100MHZ, but a lot of the LN2 people like to overclock the BCLK, so the VDDCI setting is mostly for them.


Thanks for this post!

I recently bumped up my BCLK and was wondering why my graphics card suddenly became unstable.

Do you know where to find the VDDCI setting?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Thanks for this post!
> 
> I recently bumped up my BCLK and was wondering why my graphics card suddenly became unstable.
> 
> Do you know where to find the VDDCI setting?


i dont know how it is on the intel side of things. but with amd you can also lock in pcie freq. so that this does not become an issue


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi everyone,

So i have installed gpu-z and i got a question (a noob one i think).
On desktop (just web browsing), i see the temperature is about 49/50º celsius... is this a normal temperature? I have my card at stock speeds...
Also wanted to check with you if my purchase was a good one (i bought a msi hd7950 oc edition).
Thanks in advance


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
> So i have installed gpu-z and i got a question (a noob one i think).
> On desktop (just web browsing), i see the temperature is about 49/50º celsius... is this a normal temperature? I have my card at stock speeds...
> Also wanted to check with you if my purchase was a good one (i bought a msi hd7950 oc edition).
> Thanks in advance


really depends on how it is programed. my card wont ramp up fan ( at stock till ) ~ 60-70

mine is at 35 just web browsing

basically you dont want it to be above 90 .. below that is fine


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi Mega Man,

Once again thanks for you reply (and quick







+ rep)
so you think it was a good buy or should i change for a MSI twin Frozr? i know it has 50Mhz more, it has 2 fans, i'm worried about the temperatures on this one.. (only one cooler) (i noticed now it's at 30\32º celsius).
Thanks in advance


----------



## NLight95

Off topic but then not really...









Happy Easter everyone! Hope things are well with all of you here in our little community.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi Mega Man,
> 
> Once again thanks for you reply (and quick
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> + rep)
> so you think it was a good buy or should i change for a MSI twin Frozr? i know it has 50Mhz more, it has 2 fans, i'm worried about the temperatures on this one.. (only one cooler) (i noticed now it's at 30\32º celsius).
> Thanks in advance


i am sure it is fine. you can make up the 50mhz. it really doesnt mean much. think about your cpu 4.05ghz or 4ghz ?

one thing you can think about is replacing tim. but watch your warranty. because it is msi you shouldnt have a problem ( just dont strip the screws )

you should add your rig to rigbuilder ( upper right hand corner ) you can always water cool it. i think yours isnt able to support a full block but there are other cool ways even if you dont have a custom loop

Dwood makes cool brackets for AIO for dirt cheep here is is web shop great guy !~ but he does this on the side and does not charge NEAR what he should it can take time. so dont expect it right away he does custom work as well ( pm him ) if you are interested.

if not you can always go custom universal block and use a fan to cool vrms


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Thanks for this post!
> 
> I recently bumped up my BCLK and was wondering why my graphics card suddenly became unstable.
> 
> Do you know where to find the VDDCI setting?


The "Aux Voltage" slider in MSI Afterburner controls the VDDCI voltage if your card supports it.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> The "Aux Voltage" slider in MSI Afterburner controls the VDDCI voltage if your card supports it.


Oh balls the slider is grayed out on AB. I'm guess my TFIII 7950 doesn't support it, unless the option is disabled by default?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Oh balls the slider is grayed out on AB. I'm guess my TFIII 7950 doesn't support it, unless the option is disabled by default?


Yes it is not supported on the TFIII.


----------



## Snakesoul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i am sure it is fine. you can make up the 50mhz. it really doesnt mean much. think about your cpu 4.05ghz or 4ghz ?
> 
> one thing you can think about is replacing tim. but watch your warranty. because it is msi you shouldnt have a problem ( just dont strip the screws )
> 
> you should add your rig to rigbuilder ( upper right hand corner ) you can always water cool it. i think yours isnt able to support a full block but there are other cool ways even if you dont have a custom loop
> 
> Dwood makes cool brackets for AIO for dirt cheep here is is web shop great guy !~ but he does this on the side and does not charge NEAR what he should it can take time. so dont expect it right away he does custom work as well ( pm him ) if you are interested.
> 
> if not you can always go custom universal block and use a fan to cool vrms


Hi Mega Man,

Thanks for your opinion. So i will stay with this graphics card. (i was a little bit worried since i have 15 days to return it and change it for another one..).
I already updated my gaming rig, but for some reason, it doesn't show up....
I will replace tim when i have the chance







(is it necessary to do it? since i'm not very handy with those things...)
Right now i'm at work and i can't see the link,.. but soon i get home i'll look at it. (I think it's going to be difficult since i live in portugal....

Once again thank you for your reply and help


----------



## melodystyle2003

So guys which of these are voltage unlocked?
To be able to push them with voltage over 1.3V stable (1.37V on msi ab)?


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> So guys which one are voltage unlocked?
> To be able to push them with voltage over 1.3V stable (1.37V on msi ab)?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

Voltage unlocked, as I have 2 of them


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi Mega Man,
> 
> Thanks for your opinion. So i will stay with this graphics card. (i was a little bit worried since i have 15 days to return it and change it for another one..).
> *I already updated my gaming rig, but for some reason, it doesn't show up....*
> I will replace tim when i have the chance
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (is it necessary to do it? since i'm not very handy with those things...)
> Right now i'm at work and i can't see the link,.. but soon i get home i'll look at it. (I think it's going to be difficult since i live in portugal....
> 
> Once again thank you for your reply and help


http://www.overclock.net/t/1258253/how-to-put-your-rig-in-your-sig


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> Voltage unlocked, as I have 2 of them


Both Bios failed









But thx for sending them to me


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Both Bios failed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But thx for sending them to me


No problem, sorry it didn't work out for you


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> Voltage unlocked, as I have 2 of them


I have that exact GPU, but I'm capped to 1.3v max in Afterburner. Unless there's some other setting(s) I missed, I cannot get any higher voltage.


----------



## Biorganic

You can "set" higher voltage than 1.25 with that card (i own one). But at load it stays at 1.25 V regardless of what is set in Trixx.









Use gpu-z to monitor voltage at Load.


----------



## stl drifter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> You can "set" higher voltage than 1.25 with that card (i own one). But at load it stays at 1.25 V regardless of what is set in Trixx.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Use gpu-z to monitor voltage at Load.


are you using VDDC to adjust volts in TRIXX


----------



## Biorganic

Yes. Don't see any other options for V


----------



## stl drifter

Ok Thanks


----------



## stl drifter

I have this model
- Sapphire Radeon HD7950 3G DDR5 w/Boost PCIE - (Model:11196-16-20G)

What does the Boost PCIE refer to in this model


----------



## Biorganic

PCIE is the interface used by the GPU on the Motherboard. Not related to boost. Boost just dynamically OCs your core clock based on power settings and heat.

If you are OCing your card you will probably OC higher than the boost clock and it won't matter. Boost voltage is 1.25 V, which will be the voltage at load, -Vdroop, regardless of what clocks you apply. Mind as well get the most out of that 1.25 V and OC your card.


----------



## MAL22

Wow, the i5-3570k is a huge difference from my phenom 9750. I could feel the difference when opening menus on windows O_O
And now tomb raider is smooth as butter! COnstant 60 FPS with v-sync!


----------



## stl drifter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> PCIE is the interface used by the GPU on the Motherboard. Not related to boost. Boost just dynamically OCs your core clock based on power settings and heat.
> 
> If you are OCing your card you will probably OC higher than the boost clock and it won't matter. Boost voltage is 1.25 V, which will be the voltage at load, -Vdroop, regardless of what clocks you apply. Mind as well get the most out of that 1.25 V and OC your card.


Thanks , youhave been alot of help. I Am pretty new to graphics cards and overclocking. Pretty much just been dealing with HTPC's for the last 3 years


----------



## Biorganic

glad to assist


----------



## Hokies83

Im searching for a way to unlock boost cards voltage.

It seems you can flash a boost bios onto a non boost card.

It also seems u cannot flash a non boost bios onto a card that is a boost card..

I got a thread started and i am searching for a way around this.

None have been found yet.. But all it takes is that one person.


----------



## Biorganic

Solution = Hammer + Soldering Iron


----------



## Snakesoul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1258253/how-to-put-your-rig-in-your-sig


Done.
Thanks Mod







(And sorry for my noobish...)


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> Voltage unlocked, as I have 2 of them


May i ask you to upload a gpu-z screenshot which shows it?
Not a disbeliever but need to clarify it.
Thanks.


----------



## prescotter

Is there a bios to increase max voltage on reference card?

My current max is core voltage 1.3v and memory 1.7v.

Is it possible to achieve higher max voltage with a different bios?


----------



## Snakesoul

Well tried heaven benchmark just for fun and got a score of 706 (1920X1080 8AA - http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-4-0-scores/1540#post_19654504), and the temperature didn't reached 70 (almost but it kept on 69º).
Just remembered, it's winter now (well it's spring but the temperature is little cool).. in summer my room get's hot, almost 30º...is this going to be a problem in the future?...)
I think this is ok... So should i stick with this card or trade for a MSI TFIII?
(Sorry for keep asking this but i really need to know your opinions before the 15 days passes and i'm not planning on changing it for some time soon)...
BTW do you think this card is going to handle games for a year at least? (well if it can handles for two years would be better, since i'm not considering upgrading so soon







, i know you can't guess, but since you're much more experienced than me could give your opinions?







)


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Well tried heaven benchmark just for fun and got a score of 706 (1920X1080 8AA - http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-4-0-scores/1540#post_19654504), and the temperature didn't reached 70 (almost but it kept on 69º).
> Just remembered, it's winter now (well it's spring but the temperature is little cool).. in summer my room get's hot, almost 30º...is this going to be a problem in the future?...)
> I think this is ok... So should i stick with this card or trade for a MSI TFIII?
> (Sorry for keep asking this but i really need to know your opinions before the 15 days passes and i'm not planning on changing it for some time soon)...
> BTW do you think this card is going to handle games for a year at least? (well if it can handles for two years would be better, since i'm not considering upgrading so soon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , i know you can't guess, but since you're much more experienced than me could give your opinions?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


yea it will cards 2-3 gen back are still holding their own maybe not at 100% settingss but still

side note. i cant figure this out i cant get my physx score up is there a reason ?
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6314086

i am not having luck looking for an answer figured i would ask
have tryed disabling all cnq apm ect.....


----------



## Snakesoul

Thanks for your reply Mega Man.. i'll stick with this model (HD7950) since i think it's the best for my budget....
About the temperatures, do you think i should stick with this card or give it a shot at the other MSI? I tested a few times with heaven benchmark and it never went over 69º, so should i keep it or return it to the shop?
Sorry, i can't help you with your problem...
Once again thank you for you reply







more opinions would be nice and welcome


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Is there a bios to increase max voltage on reference card?
> 
> My current max is core voltage 1.3v and memory 1.7v.
> 
> Is it possible to achieve higher max voltage with a different bios?


You need modded trix...
1.381v

Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


----------



## Anoxy

Hm, so you can't adjust Core Voltage or Memory Voltage in MSI Afterburner? Even when I enable voltage control in the settings, those two are still grayed out. I can only adjust "Aux Voltage"


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Hm, so you can't adjust Core Voltage or Memory Voltage in MSI Afterburner? Even when I enable voltage control in the settings, those two are still grayed out. I can only adjust "Aux Voltage"


Yes you can but you have to enable unofficial overclocking or the /xcl method.


----------



## Hokies83

Hmm overclocking my Cards 1 by 1...

So far i have gpu 1 and gpu 2 running at 1200/1500

Before if i tried that with all 3 id lock up soo.. Gpu3 must be a real POS clocker =/


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Thanks for your reply Mega Man.. i'll stick with this model (HD7950) since i think it's the best for my budget....
> About the temperatures, do you think i should stick with this card or give it a shot at the other MSI? I tested a few times with heaven benchmark and it never went over 69º, so should i keep it or return it to the shop?
> Sorry, i can't help you with your problem...
> Once again thank you for you reply
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> more opinions would be nice and welcome


i am sure that one will be fine. you can adjust how the fan works if you want using msi afterburner.

i have never seen a video card that wont perform to its stock settings with no problem. ( OCing is different and i am assuming your product was 100% working and not one with a defect ) they go through a lot of testing in factory and only major brand names are sold. ( just to emphasize i am talking about in general, i am sure we can nit pick all we want and show exceptions. but hey that is what the warranty is for....)


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Hmm overclocking my Cards 1 by 1...
> 
> So far i have gpu 1 and gpu 2 running at 1200/1500
> 
> Before if i tried that with all 3 id lock up soo.. Gpu3 must be a real POS clocker =/


Damn, post OC results for GPU 3, just curious to know if you got some kind of double whammy - a card that maxes out at 1100 core combined with bottom-tier elpida chips...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> You can "set" higher voltage than 1.25 with that card (i own one). But at load it stays at 1.25 V regardless of what is set in Trixx.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Use gpu-z to monitor voltage at Load.


Yeah, it's really weird - at idle on the desktop gpu-z will show the maxed voltage (1.29v) but as soon as you put it under load it drops dramatically. Any way to circumvent this or is it just nature of the beast?


----------



## Azuredragon1

would to be worth while to change my bios into a boost one?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> would to be worth while to change my bios into a boost one?


I wouldn't. Boost can be annoying at times, and you can likely overclock higher anyways.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Damn, post OC results for GPU 3, just curious to know if you got some kind of double whammy - a card that maxes out at 1100 core combined with bottom-tier elpida chips...
> Yeah, it's really weird - at idle on the desktop gpu-z will show the maxed voltage (1.29v) but as soon as you put it under load it drops dramatically. Any way to circumvent this or is it just nature of the beast?


Donno i stoped at 2 of them at 1200mhz / 1500 mem and the 3rd at 1200,mhz / 1400 mem...

Now before i could not get past 1100mhz kinda scratching my head...

Using Sleeping dogs and max payne 3 to test.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> would to be worth while to change my bios into a boost one?
> 
> 
> 
> I wouldn't. Boost can be annoying at times, and you can likely overclock higher anyways.
Click to expand...

i would have to agree with this, i wouldnt go from bother with flashing to a boost BIOS and dont see that it will net you any performance increase especially if you overclock your card.


----------



## Tonza

Tested yesterday 7950 DCII TOP card... All i can say that 7970 is not worth over 7950 if you can get hands on for good overclocker. 7970 @ 1250/1600 vs 7950 @ 1250/1600, difference was about 2 fps in Unigine benchmarks and around 400 points in 3Dmark (gaming at 1440p, no difference)







. So basically if your 7950 overclocks to around 1100 core and 1500-1600mem, its as good as 7970 GHZ edition. Sold my 7970 because im going for 7950 CFX.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> Tested yesterday 7950 DCII TOP card... All i can say that 7970 is not worth over 7950 if you can get hands on for good overclocker. 7970 @ 1250/1600 vs 7950 @ 1250/1600, difference was about 2 fps in Unigine benchmarks and around 400 points in 3Dmark (gaming at 1440p, no difference)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . So basically if your 7950 overclocks to around 1100 core and 1500-1600mem, its as good as 7970 GHZ edition. Sold my 7970 because im going for 7950 CFX.


Nice, makes me feel better about my purchase.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tonza*
> 
> Tested yesterday 7950 DCII TOP card... All i can say that 7970 is not worth over 7950 if you can get hands on for good overclocker. 7970 @ 1250/1600 vs 7950 @ 1250/1600, difference was about 2 fps in Unigine benchmarks and around 400 points in 3Dmark (gaming at 1440p, no difference)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . So basically if your 7950 overclocks to around 1100 core and 1500-1600mem, its as good as 7970 GHZ edition. Sold my 7970 because im going for 7950 CFX.


pretty sure you can cfx your 7970 and 7950 >.>


----------



## c20h25n3o

Hi all,

Yesterday I opened the following topic: http://www.overclock.net/t/1377554/best-7950-at-the-moment-for-oc-ing-so-voltage-unlocked-w-limited-choice because I'm completely lost in the new PCB/BIOS/memory issues that riddle the 7950..

The thing is, someone in the topic claims that the Gigabyte 7950 WF3 (Rev.2) can still be voltage unlocked with the right bios..
Is that correct, I thought the WF3 voltage was hardware locked on the new revision. Could someone please confirm/deny this.
If it can be unlocked, I'll buy it today







.
If not, which of the cards mentioned in the OP would be the best for overclocking (preferably voltage unlocked)

I'm stuck between the following cards:
*Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X* (but i read that the new versions are pretty crap)
*Sapphire 7950 11196-16-20G* (which is the 2L I guess, and still unlocked?)
*Sapphire 7950 11196-01-40G/Sapphire 7950 11196-01-20G* (what's the difference between these 2 anyway?)
*Gigabyte 7950 WindForce 3* (this will be rev2, but I'm still leaning towards that one now)
*MSI 7950 3GB GDDR5 R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC* (this one is unlocked, right? How's the OC on this card?)

Thanks!


----------



## gingerbreadman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Yesterday I opened the following topic: http://www.overclock.net/t/1377554/best-7950-at-the-moment-for-oc-ing-so-voltage-unlocked-w-limited-choice because I'm completely lost in the new PCB/BIOS/memory issues that riddle the 7950..
> 
> The thing is, someone in the topic claims that the Gigabyte 7950 WF3 (Rev.2) can still be voltage unlocked with the right bios..
> Is that correct, I thought the WF3 voltage was hardware locked on the new revision. Could someone please confirm/deny this.
> If it can be unlocked, I'll buy it today
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> If not, which of the cards mentioned in the OP would be the best for overclocking (preferably voltage unlocked)
> 
> I'm stuck between the following cards:
> *Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X* (but i read that the new versions are pretty crap)
> *Sapphire 7950 11196-16-20G* (which is the 2L I guess, and still unlocked?)
> *Sapphire 7950 11196-01-40G/Sapphire 7950 11196-01-20G* (what's the difference between these 2 anyway?)
> *Gigabyte 7950 WindForce 3* (this will be rev2, but I'm still leaning towards that one now)
> *MSI 7950 3GB GDDR5 R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC* (this one is unlocked, right? How's the OC on this card?)
> 
> Thanks!


Just go with the MSI..definitely unlocked

Good OC (mine's at 1200/1500), good temps (~65C at full load)

what's more to ask for?


----------



## Tonza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> pretty sure you can cfx your 7970 and 7950 >.>


Yeah but Accelero Xtreme is not up for the task, VRM is so hot even without Crossfire, so i just sold the card with the cooler. Also im not gonna mix up 2 different looking cards, im too perfectionist (everything needs to be black&red scheme







).


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gingerbreadman*
> 
> Just go with the MSI..definitely unlocked
> 
> Good OC (mine's at 1200/1500), good temps (~65C at full load)
> 
> what's more to ask for?


That's nice to hear it OC's so well, but how old is your TF3?
Didn't MSI do the same as Sapphire and Gigabyte and release inferior cards? And how's the cooling on the new models?


----------



## melodystyle2003

Guys you say that msi 7950 is voltage unlocked, that means that if you use the modded trixx version you can set its voltage to 1.38V (real under load ~1.3V) or it will stay under load ~1.19V?


----------



## Nightz2k

Ordered another Sapphire 2L 7950. Wanted to get it before they sell out again, I don't like to mismatch.









Did a bit of upgrading the past week. New PSU, GPU's and CPU cooler.









Do I have to do a fresh install on drivers or will I just be able to enable Crossfire right away ?


----------



## gingerbreadman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> That's nice to hear it OC's so well, but how old is your TF3?
> Didn't MSI do the same as Sapphire and Gigabyte and release inferior cards? And how's the cooling on the new models?


~1 month old?


----------



## gingerbreadman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> Guys you say that msi 7950 is voltage unlocked, that means that if you use the modded trixx version you can set its voltage to 1.38V (real under load ~1.3V) or it will stay under load ~1.19V?


I'm not sure about trixx..I use MSI AB


----------



## Newbie2009

How many watts would 2 7970s at full tilt draw say @ 1300mhz, 1.3v vs 2 7970s folding at same clock but with 1.25v?


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gingerbreadman*
> 
> I'm not sure about trixx..I use MSI AB


With the msi ab you set let say 1.35V and you can get stable ~1.28V?
As example the above statement.


----------



## c20h25n3o

This is so frustrating.. I've been reading so much my head is about to explode.







.
Buy the Vapor-X, don't buy it....
Buy the Sapphire 2L (that's the 11196-16-20G right?), it's unlocked.. But I can't find any hard confirmation that the 11196-16-20G is actually really the 2L (and not the 3L)
Buy the GB WF3, despite the locked voltage it's still great for OC
And now the MSI TF3 entered the spotlight.. Despite the sound issues...

I'm completely effin stuck.. I'm leaning the most towards 11196-16-20G if that is really the 2L.
Can someone confirm this so I can just order it and get it over with? The Dual-X is a pretty decent cooler, right? Better than the TF3 and the WF3?


----------



## gingerbreadman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> With the msi ab you set let say 1.35V and you can get stable ~1.28V?
> As example the above statement.


My voltage is not stable, but I'm getting 1200/1500 on stock voltage (or 1.25v when boosted)

However, the boost is not constant and it's only for a very short time


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> How many watts would 2 7970s at full tilt draw say @ 1300mhz, 1.3v vs 2 7970s folding at same clock but with 1.25v?


From the wall for every 0.1 v its around 100 watt on full load. I am mining so i have the memory at 750. I dont know about folding but for 1.3 volt its a bit too much.

My trifire 7970(1.3v) pull over 1400 watt from the wall and with a 4 card i need a second psu


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> This is so frustrating.. I've been reading so much my head is about to explode.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Buy the Vapor-X, don't buy it....
> Buy the Sapphire 2L (that's the 11196-16-20G right?), it's unlocked.. But I can't find any hard confirmation that the 11196-16-20G is actually really the 2L (and not the 3L)
> Buy the GB WF3, despite the locked voltage it's still great for OC
> And now the MSI TF3 entered the spotlight.. Despite the sound issues...
> 
> I'm completely effin stuck.. I'm leaning the most towards 11196-16-20G if that is really the 2L.
> Can someone confirm this so I can just order it and get it over with? The Dual-X is a pretty decent cooler, right? Better than the TF3 and the WF3?


the sapphire hd 7950 boost (newegg 2L) is the card with sapphire model 11196-16-20G. its a reference PCB design. see the newegg image gallery. zoom the 3rd pic and you will see amd name and logo with pcb number 109-C38137-00 above the PCI-E connector.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

http://www.ekwb.com/news/131/19/

"We have completed internal testing of our newest EK-FC7950 water block, built specificaly for the AMD Radeon HD 7950 graphics cards based of AMD *109-C38137-00* PCB. Once again we have managed to manufacture the highest performance (both hydraulic and thermal wise) water cooling product"

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-11196-16-20G/dp/B0098HW1HG/

amazon has the sapphire model no 11196-16-20G listed. it also allows to zoom and see the AMD name , logo and PCB no 109-C38137-00.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire hd 7950 boost (newegg 2L) is the card with sapphire model 11196-16-20G. its a reference PCB design. see the newegg image gallery. zoom the 3rd pic and you will see amd name and logo with pcb number 109-C38137-00 above the PCI-E connector.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/131/19/
> 
> "We have completed internal testing of our newest EK-FC7950 water block, built specificaly for the AMD Radeon HD 7950 graphics cards based of AMD *109-C38137-00* PCB. Once again we have managed to manufacture the highest performance (both hydraulic and thermal wise) water cooling product"
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-11196-16-20G/dp/B0098HW1HG/
> 
> amazon has the sapphire model no 11196-16-20G listed. it also allows to zoom and see the AMD name , logo and PCB no 109-C38137-00.


And that one is voltage unlocked, right? With the great Dual-X cooler I read great things about.
If yes, then I'm going for that one.







.

Thank you btw







.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> And that one is voltage unlocked, right? With the great Dual-X cooler I read great things about.
> If yes, then I'm going for that one.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Thank you btw
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


yeah its voltage unlocked and compatible with full cover waterblocks as its ref PCB design. good luck.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> yeah its voltage unlocked and compatible with full cover waterblocks as its ref PCB design. good luck.


You're my hero of the day.
Will the rest of my system be a bottleneck btw? I do have a fairly old hexacore (it does run at 4ghz) and 16gb of RAM.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> yeah its voltage unlocked and compatible with full cover waterblocks as its ref PCB design. good luck.


You're my hero of the day.
Will the rest of my system be a bottleneck btw? I do have a fairly old hexacore (it does run at 4ghz) and 16gb of RAM.


----------



## devilhead

hello, i have 2 x 7950, the first one xfx dd black edition, it has potencial, but bad cooling, the second one is powercolor radeon hd 7950 pcs+ boost state, performance is bad, but the cooling is nice







with my xfx dd i can hit 43fps 1000mhz 1575mhz in valley, but the powercolor 7950 is....maxumum memory clock what you can reach is 1420mhz, and the valey benchmark is 36.2fps with 1000/1400, 36.3fps - 1100/1420, 36.3 - 925/1250! and i think is realy downgrading my xfx when runs in crossfire.... CF Valey 71fps 925/1375 and if i will overclock til 1000/1420 it will be like 71.2FPS - no diference







so what can be wrong with the powercolor 7950(ax7950 3gbd5-2dhppv3)?


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the sapphire hd 7950 boost (newegg 2L) is the card with sapphire model 11196-16-20G. its a reference PCB design. see the newegg image gallery. zoom the 3rd pic and you will see amd name and logo with pcb number 109-C38137-00 above the PCI-E connector.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/131/19/
> 
> "We have completed internal testing of our newest EK-FC7950 water block, built specificaly for the AMD Radeon HD 7950 graphics cards based of AMD *109-C38137-00* PCB. Once again we have managed to manufacture the highest performance (both hydraulic and thermal wise) water cooling product"
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-11196-16-20G/dp/B0098HW1HG/
> 
> amazon has the sapphire model no 11196-16-20G listed. it also allows to zoom and see the AMD name , logo and PCB no 109-C38137-00.


Well the sapphire vapor-x also has above the pcie connector the 109-C38137-00 number (But is does not writes AMD), but it is voltage locked.
I understand the locked term as on loads wont go over 1.18V despite the trixx / msi ab voltage slider position (1.25 until 1.38V).


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> You're my hero of the day.
> Will the rest of my system be a bottleneck btw? I do have a fairly old hexacore (it does run at 4ghz) and 16gb of RAM.


a phenom ii x6 at 4 ghz is more than enough to drive a HD 7950. 16GB of RAM is overkill


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> a phenom ii x6 at 4 ghz is more than enough to drive a HD 7950. 16GB of RAM is overkill


I know.. But the price difference (coming from 8) was so small that I decided to add 8gb instead of 4.

Despite the fact that I just read that there are 11196-16-20G's out there that are not unlocked and do not come with the reference PCB, I'll still give it a try.. Is that even true (i read it once, i think somewhere on this forum).

If I'm not happy, I'll go for the Gigabyte 7950 WF3. Since I won't cool with water I doubt I'll need more than 1.25v anyways.


----------



## porkovich

Hi all i have a question , something i found very little info about.
I have one Sapphire 7950 Boost card, it comes with stock 1.25v (around 1.2 after v-drop) , so with +20 Power i can go up to 1150 / 1525 (Core / Memory). Now as we all know with the Power Control set to 0 when the card is stressed more than normal , it trottles down to Stock Speed. Boosting up the total power it can stay at boost / overclocked speeds.

I found somethign that i cannot understand. If i use Kombustor or Furmark, and stress the card with the Burn In test, despite the Power Control set at +20, the card cannot keep boost / overclocked speeds. It jumps up and down from 850 to 1150 (or 925 if not overclocked) and the total GPU use is around 60% when it goes up to 100% the core and memory speeds go to stock values and again.

Is that a normal behaviour i found some posts in the web, but they were regarding a Nvidia 680 card , and someone said it's normal, when using the burn in test the card to revert back to stock and not keep boost speeds. ??

Can someone give me more info and if that is normal. I know that even the most stressfull games cannot stress the card as much as this burn in thing , but anyway , someone ?


----------



## gingerbreadman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Hi all i have a question , something i found very little info about.
> I have one Sapphire 7950 Boost card, it comes with stock 1.25v (around 1.2 after v-drop) , so with +20 Power i can go up to 1150 / 1525 (Core / Memory). Now as we all know with the Power Control set to 0 when the card is stressed more than normal , it trottles down to Stock Speed. Boosting up the total power it can stay at boost / overclocked speeds.
> 
> I found somethign that i cannot understand. If i use Kombustor or Furmark, and stress the card with the Burn In test, despite the Power Control set at +20, the card cannot keep boost / overclocked speeds. It jumps up and down from 850 to 1150 (or 925 if not overclocked) and the total GPU use is around 60% when it goes up to 100% the core and memory speeds go to stock values and again.
> 
> Is that a normal behaviour i found some posts in the web, but they were regarding a Nvidia 680 card , and someone said it's normal, when using the burn in test the card to revert back to stock and not keep boost speeds. ??
> 
> Can someone give me more info and if that is normal. I know that even the most stressfull games cannot stress the card as much as this burn in thing , but anyway , someone ?


Yeap..that's perfectly normal..You can check out the link below

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6152/amd-announces-new-radeon-hd-7950-with-boost/3

You can see that when they ran Metro, the clock speed keeps fluctuating


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> And that one is voltage unlocked, right? With the great Dual-X cooler I read great things about.
> If yes, then I'm going for that one.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Thank you btw
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> yeah its voltage unlocked and compatible with full cover waterblocks as its ref PCB design. good luck.
Click to expand...

I will repeat again, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006 , THIS CARD IS NOT VOLTAGE UNLOCKED. If you increase the voltage above 1.25 V in TRixx it will have the same load voltage as before, using GPU-z.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Argh.. So I'm back to where I started again, not having a clue what to get....

Which cards are 100% voltage unlocked and have a decent enough cooler to get some good core OC's?
The only one I can think of now is the MSI TF3. But isn't the cooler an issue on that card?
Please note that my options are limited.. A few sapphires, the Gigabyte wf3 and the MSI TF3.


----------



## th3illusiveman

dat avatar









Twin Frozers have always been great coolers for me, what issues are you talking about?


----------



## Biorganic

Whats funny is that the load Voltage on the Sapphire, 1.25 V, (more like 1.2 V actual in GPU-z), is more than sufficient for a pretty good OC. I have mine at 1200/1500. I could probably push the core more, but have not messed with it. Just as a point of reference, my His Iceq 7950 non-boost, which is completely Voltage unlocked, can hit 1100 core at ~1.18 V. At that voltage, it runs the same temp as the Sapphire at 1.25 V.

Unless you are going for the golden goose OC, 1.25 V is pretty sufficient (for most users).

Edit* Twin Frozrs are loud by many accounts, and from what I can tell, based on peoples temps compared to mine, Do not cool as well as some of the other coolers.


----------



## porkovich

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gingerbreadman*
> 
> Yeap..that's perfectly normal..You can check out the link below
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/6152/amd-announces-new-radeon-hd-7950-with-boost/3
> 
> You can see that when they ran Metro, the clock speed keeps fluctuating


Ok, does that means that the boost cards are worse compered to the normal 7950 stock once? I am very confused, because when i overclock i am boosting the "boost" speed, and when there is way too much stress even with Power Tune set to 20+ the card cannot keep up and downclocks to 850mhz. That is something strange for me ..... until today, any GPU that can be stable at certain speeds keeps them no matter what .... but now i can supply the card with 1.3 v and even then it won't keep the boost speeds .... hm.


----------



## Hokies83

I donno but Maybe Amds newer drivers are more suited to the boost Bios? I see people reporting issues with 13.3 beta and im running smooth as silk with Tri fire in any game i play.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Whats funny is that the load Voltage on the Sapphire, 1.25 V, (more like 1.2 V actual in GPU-z), is more than sufficient for a pretty good OC. I have mine at 1200/1500. I could probably push the core more, but have not messed with it. Just as a point of reference, my His Iceq 7950 non-boost, which is completely Voltage unlocked, can hit 1100 core at ~1.18 V. At that voltage, it runs the same temp as the Sapphire at 1.25 V.
> 
> Unless you are going for the golden goose OC, 1.25 V is pretty sufficient (for most users).
> 
> Edit* Twin Frozrs are loud by many accounts, and from what I can tell, based on peoples temps compared to mine, Do not cool as well as some of the other coolers.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1377554/best-7950-at-the-moment-for-oc-ing-so-voltage-unlocked-w-limited-choice
Based on your knowledge and experience, which of the cards in the OP would you recommend?
Based on the current revisions of the cards mentioned.
Thanks in advance.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1377554/best-7950-at-the-moment-for-oc-ing-so-voltage-unlocked-w-limited-choice
> Based on your knowledge and experience, which of the cards in the OP would you recommend?
> Based on the current revisions of the cards mentioned.
> Thanks in advance.


Well lol..

I have 3 of the cheapest 7950s and all are running 1200 / 1500


----------



## Biorganic

Honestly, I only have personal experience with the Sapphire 7950 Boost (2L, 20G), and the non-boost HIS Iceq 7950. I really like both cards, but the Sapphire is easier to OC out of the box, maintains better temps at higher Voltage, and will actually give you VRM temps in GPUz.

I am a bit crazy on temps though, I run both cards 24/7 so I want them below 70C all the time. I am sure I could get the HIS above 1100 at 1.18 V but I want the temps lower.

To answer your question: If you feel that you need complete voltage control, get the MSI Twinfrozr. If you think you will be happy with 1150 to 1200 on the core, just get the sapphire. It is a nice card


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Honestly, I only have personal experience with the Sapphire 7950 Boost (2L, 20G), and the non-boost HIS Iceq 7950. I really like both cards, but the Sapphire is easier to OC out of the box, maintains better temps at higher Voltage, and will actually give you VRM temps in GPUz.
> 
> I am a bit crazy on temps though, I run both cards 24/7 so I want them below 70C all the time. I am sure I could get the HIS above 1100 at 1.18 V but I want the temps lower.
> 
> To answer your question: If you feel that you need complete voltage control, get the MSI Twinfrozr. If you think you will be happy with 1150 to 1200 on the core, just get the sapphire. It is a nice card


Sapphire it is then, because my goal is to have it between 1100 and 1200. And from what I read, the 2L is more than capable of reaching that.
I'm not a fan of MSI (some nightmares in the past with motherboards...) and the cooler is too noisy for my taste.
And I don't plan to get water cooling, so I kinda expected 1200 to be the max anyway..

But reading about the latest revision of the WF3 (Gigabyte) I got a bit scared and confused, apparently the latest revisions can barely reach 1050 without artifacts.
If I can have a stable OC between 1100 and 1200 I'm happy.


----------



## Hokies83

Well if your never going to water cool a Non ref cooler is the better bet..

You have to be ready to adjust case airflow for it tho.

It dumps tons of heat in your case but with a fan infront of them pushing and a fan above them pulling out it can be took care of.

How i did it when i was air cooling non ref cards.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Ok, does that means that the boost cards are worse compered to the normal 7950 stock once? I am very confused, because when i overclock i am boosting the "boost" speed, and when there is way too much stress even with Power Tune set to 20+ the card cannot keep up and downclocks to 850mhz. That is something strange for me ..... until today, any GPU that can be stable at certain speeds keeps them no matter what .... but now i can supply the card with 1.3 v and even then it won't keep the boost speeds .... hm.


You have to look at the PCI-E connectors. Does your card have 2 8 pin connectors? 2 6 pin connectors, 1 8pin and 1 6pin? Each type of card will have a wattage limit.

8pin connector -150 watts
6 pin connector- 75 watts
Pci-express slot power- 75 watts.

So cards with 2 6pin connectors- 225watts
2 8 pin connectors- 375 watts
1 8pin and 1 6 pin- 300 watts

Look at the power consumption tables for the 7950 and the 7970 overclocked. Its pretty clear the ideal setup would be 2 8 pin connectors. Granted 6 pin connectors can supply more than 75 watts. The spec for them is 2.08 amps per 12volt line. 6 pin connectors have 3 12 volt supplies. However the actual wire can support up to 4.16 amps per 12 volt line, giving you a theoretical max of 150 watts per 6 pin connector. The 8 pin connector only adds two extra ground wires, to handle the increased current.

The problem regarding throttling can be due to many things, VRM temp, core temp, and hitting max power tune target. Hitting the power tune target is the most common. Most cards are limited to +20% board power, which depending on your PCB is going to be 225 watts, 375 watts, or 300 watts. This is based on your PCI-E connectors. So in your case you are likely getting power tune target limits and your card throttles back because of it. I think there is a hack/ bios somewhere that allows you to increase your power-tune limit, just be careful because the PCI-E connectors and the motherboard can only supply so much voltage to the card.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well if your never going to water cool a Non ref cooler is the better bet..
> 
> You have to be ready to adjust case airflow for it tho.
> 
> It dumps tons of heat in your case but with a fan infront of them pushing and a fan above them pulling out it can be took care of.
> 
> How i did it when i was air cooling non ref cards.


Nice!!
But I'm not that fancy. I just open the side and have a big ass fan blow towards my GPU. Worked miracles on my 5850







.


----------



## Hokies83

That works to lol.


----------



## MAL22

Haven't had any issues with my Sapphire 7950 FleX. I can modify the voltage if I set it constant in TriXX and rarely goes over 70c, OC'ed to 1200/1575 @ 1.25v. Pretty quiet too. I noticed this card doesn't release as much heat as my old reference HD5770 did.









EDIT: I am not talking about temperatures, just the heat I felt when touching both GPUs idle and while gaming in an awfully smallish case.


----------



## abhi4168

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> Sapphire it is then, because my goal is to have it between 1100 and 1200. And from what I read, the 2L is more than capable of reaching that.
> I'm not a fan of MSI (some nightmares in the past with motherboards...) and the cooler is too noisy for my taste.
> And I don't plan to get water cooling, so I kinda expected 1200 to be the max anyway..
> 
> But reading about the latest revision of the WF3 (Gigabyte) I got a bit scared and confused, *apparently the latest revisions can barely reach 1050 without artifacts*.
> If I can have a stable OC between 1100 and 1200 I'm happy.


any posts/example where you read ??


----------



## stl drifter

What is vddc in Trixx


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> What is vddc in Trixx


It's the voltage of the GPU core.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *abhi4168*
> 
> any posts/example where you read ??


I'm sorry but over the last few days I must have visited dozens of forums and read hundreds of posts. It was probably on [H].
All I remember is that, just like with the Vapor-X, you want to avoid the latest versions of that card.

Don't get me wrong, I was 1 click away from ordering a WF3. But after a few posts here and there on the new rev I decided to look for other options.


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> I'm sorry but over the last few days I must have visited dozens of forums and read hundreds of posts. It was probably on [H].
> All I remember is that, just like with the Vapor-X, you want to avoid the latest versions of that card.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I was 1 click away from ordering a WF3. But after a few posts here and there on the new rev I decided to look for other options.


AFAIK, my sapphire FleX is voltage unlocked, but the voltage only applies if the boost mode is not activated, which never happens. I can force the voltage in TriXX so it applies to the boost mode but then, the same voltage stays even if the GPU is idle.


----------



## porkovich

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Granted 6 pin connectors can supply more than 75 watts. The spec for them is 2.08 amps per 12volt line. 6 pin connectors have 3 12 volt supplies. However the actual wire can support up to 4.16 amps per 12 volt line, giving you a theoretical max of 150 watts per 6 pin connector. The 8 pin connector only adds two extra ground wires, to handle the increased current.


So under Granted you mean the extra Power connectors you recieve with the card. I have the sapphite 7950 Boost, and it has 2x 6 pin connectors , so i use the one that came with my PSU. Is there any reason to switch them and use the granted that came with the card. Regarding to what you said if the card is limited to 225 W it won't make a difference, but i can try .....


----------



## Biorganic

As far as I am concerned, if voltage at load is locked to Boost voltage, 1.25 V, then the card is not unlocked.


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> As far as I am concerned, if voltage at load is locked to Boost voltage, 1.25 V, then the card is not unlocked.


Wish I could modify my BIOS like I did for my 5770 to change the voltage. :/


----------



## stl drifter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> It's the voltage of the GPU core.


so if move that up to 1300 , Im bumping the volts to 1.3v ?


----------



## porkovich

Now i was looking at the Voltage readings in GPU-Z and during stress test with Burn In the card is making strange things. The voltage will drop to 1.207 form the Targeted 1.25 (default) and after some time it will drop once more to 1.087 !? which i way below the real target ? can it be that the PSU cannot supply enough power ? Hitting the power tune limit , does it concerns reverting to the very low voltages ?

Ok i found something. When i pass 1450 on memory the card hit its limits , i can play and see where exactly this start to happen but 1525 is too much for the card under the Burn in test.


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Now i was looking at the Voltage readings in GPU-Z and during stress test with Burn In the card is making strange things. The voltage will drop to 1.207 form the Targeted 1.25 (default) and after some time it will drop once more to 1.087 !? which i way below the real target ? can it be that the PSU cannot supply enough power ? Hitting the power tune limit , does it concerns reverting to the very low voltages ?
> 
> If i leave the card at stock boost clock - 925 mhz , and put power tune to +20 , running the kombustor stress test don't lower the voltage below 1.987 or around that value.


No it is labeled as energy optimization power scheme.....


----------



## Biorganic

For my card set at 1.25 V, it reads 1.189-1.195 in GPU-z. Vdroop is normal.

The drop from 1.207 to 1.087 is a bit much. are you sure the card is not throttling? Make sure powertune is set to +20.

Also check using unigine heaven or 3d mark. Furmark and kombustor give strange results due to being effectively power viruses.


----------



## porkovich

Ok i found something. When i pass 1450 on memory the card hit its limits , i can play and see where exactly this start to happen but 1525 is too much for the card under the Burn in test.
With 1525 the card throttles and the voltage begins to jump from 1.087 to 1.207. This is with power tune set to +20.


----------



## Biorganic

leave meory stock 1250, and then test to see what core max OC is. Then dial in Memory OC. This way you eliminate memory concerns while determining max core oc.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> So under Granted you mean the extra Power connectors you recieve with the card. I have the sapphite 7950 Boost, and it has 2x 6 pin connectors , so i use the one that came with my PSU. Is there any reason to switch them and use the granted that came with the card. Regarding to what you said if the card is limited to 225 W it won't make a difference, but i can try .....


225 watts with 0% power tune, with 20% power tune your limited to 270 watts. I am not quite sure what you mean by using the different cables. The connectors would be the same, so you would still have the same limitations.

I suppose if your PCB supports the use of 8 pin connectors but has 6 pin connectors you could solder on 8 pin ones. My XFX 7950 is this way, since it uses the 7970 pcb. I am limited to 1100 core/ 1450 mem, and my card is under water. Voltage is 1.13, stock memory voltage. Any more voltage/clock my card throttles pretty hard. I have two 6 pin connectors. Maybe one day when i get a new video card I will go into the bios and mod it to support a higher power tune, and solder on some 8 pin connectors then see what it will do. I just have no reason to push the card that far right now.


----------



## porkovich

I see, i am not very familiar to that new graphic cards and overclocking methods / limitations. So just to give some information, when i use the 2x 6 Pin power connector from my PSU (Corsair TX650) GPU-z gives me following readings for the 12V Rail - 12.13 , with 100% load it goes to 12.06. If i switch to the 6 Pin power connectors that came with the card ( standard 4 pin to 6 pin video card adapter) my readings of the 12V Rail are 12.something and goes down to 11.96.
I cannot be sure if GPU-Z reads those values right but using connectors directly form the PSU is better in my case.

As much as the overclock is concerned, i will follow the advice and see what is the max Core Clock (despite that i am sure i have found it around 1150) and than go for the memory. The funny thing is that Heaven Benchmark shows artifacts with core speeds more than 1150 on stock voltages (stock 1.25) and there are no problems with the memory. Kombustor is telling me that memory clocks higher than 1450 throttles the card. I am not sure what to trust here, but i presume stress testing is more reliable (despite the fact that it is not the same as running even a heavy game).


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> I see, i am not very familiar to that new graphic cards and overclocking methods / limitations. So just to give some information, when i use the 2x 6 Pin power connector from my PSU (Corsair TX650) GPU-z gives me following readings for the 12V Rail - 12.13 , with 100% load it goes to 12.06. If i switch to the 6 Pin power connectors that came with the card ( standard 4 pin to 6 pin video card adapter) my readings of the 12V Rail are 12.something and goes down to 11.96.
> I cannot be sure if GPU-Z reads those values right but using connectors directly form the PSU is better in my case.
> 
> As much as the overclock is concerned, i will follow the advice and see what is the max Core Clock (despite that i am sure i have found it around 1150) and than go for the memory. The funny thing is that Heaven Benchmark shows artifacts with core speeds more than 1150 on stock voltages (stock 1.25) and there are no problems with the memory. Kombustor is telling me that memory clocks higher than 1450 throttles the card. I am not sure what to trust here, but i presume stress testing is more reliable (despite the fact that it is not the same as running even a heavy game).


The cables included with your GPU are to be used only if your power supply lacks 6/8/6+2 pins connectors. If your power supply has those connectors, use them since they're more reliable than the molex connectors for that task.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> The cables included with your GPU are to be used only if your power supply lacks 6/8/6+2 pins connectors. If your power supply has those connectors, use them since they're more reliable than the molex connectors for that task.


what He said. The 4 pin to 6 pin adapters usually are not great because most power supplies are muti rail, the rail the 4 pin connectors are on, is usually the lowest wattage. With modern power supplies the bulk of their wattage is for PCI-E power lanes, and motherboard. Of course if your power supply has a single rail then there are no issues using the 4 pin to 6 pin adapters. Single rail designs are more common on the higher quality units. In either case, what ever method you use in your case is just fine, you are not dropping below ATX spec.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well lol..
> 
> I have 3 of the cheapest 7950s and all are running 1200 / 1500


Then wth man... Call it a day.... thats the sweet spot specially for a 7950


----------



## gingerbreadman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Then wth man... Call it a day.... thats the sweet spot specially for a 7950


Damn right it is


----------



## rmp459

Any recommendations on a 7970 that has voltage control, "decent" air cooling and a reference or similar PCB that I could get a waterblock for in 2-3 months ?


----------



## Infinitegrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rmp459*
> 
> Any recommendations on a 7970 that has voltage control, "decent" air cooling and a reference or similar PCB that I could get a waterblock for in 2-3 months ?


I dont know enough to answer the waterblock question but I just bought THIS

Immediately I cranked it up to 1100/1500 without any problems (you can change the voltage). You seriously cannot hear the fan until its hits 50%, and at around 40-60% depending on the game it stays at 58F !! Even cranked up to 100% fan, its not that loud. At 100% it is quieter then my 8800gt, GTX570, and 6970 all where at 50-60%

I honestly dont think that this card even needs water cooling.

Here is a quick screenshot. FYI I just upped the voltage and typed in 1100/1500. So I'm sure I can lower the volts or upper the frequency a lot more.


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi there,

A quick question...

Do any of you noticed some kind of "flickering" for example on web browsing? i already uninstalled the beta version (13.3 Beta) and installed the 13.1. It only happens randomly but it caught my attention.
BTW it happened with both versions installed.. is this "normal"? Any config i missed on CCC?
Thanks


----------



## rmp459

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Infinitegrim*
> 
> *snip*
> 
> Looks like a solid card - any idea how this is compares to the fan/heatsink on the gigabyte cards ?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I donno but Maybe Amds newer drivers are more suited to the boost Bios? I see people reporting issues with 13.3 beta and im running smooth as silk with Tri fire in any game i play.


i have minor artifacting. started after up got 13.3 and only happen after i wake the monitor up from their sleep mode ( pc doesnt sleep ever )


----------



## Falcy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Infinitegrim*
> 
> Immediately I cranked it up to 1100/1500 without any problems (you can change the voltage). You seriously cannot hear the fan until its hits 50%, and at around 40-60% depending on the game it stays at 58F !! Even cranked up to 100% fan, its not that loud. At 100% it is quieter then my 8800gt, GTX570, and 6970 all where at 50-60%
> 
> I honestly dont think that this card even needs water cooling.
> 
> Here is a quick screenshot. FYI I just upped the voltage and typed in 1100/1500. So I'm sure I can lower the volts or upper the frequency a lot more.


I have the 7950 VP-X with boost. It goes 1200 / 1600.
And i agree with you regarding the soundlevel, it is really quite all the way up to 45%,

One thing tho, you say you can change voltages. But your MSI AB sceenshot just shows a blank voltage meter...
What memory modules you got on that card? Check in GPU-Z.









edit: Now i noticed the GPU-Z.







You have some nice Hynix so good O/C should be expected.


----------



## Infinitegrim

Sorry guys, I forgot to show that the voltage is unlocked.... new screenshot. I can up it to 1300, but I can get to 1100 no problem at the stock 1174 setting...

Just got this from Amazon.com last week too, so you can still get unlocked sapphire cards!


----------



## Infinitegrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rmp459*


Honestly I'm not sure. But all I can say that is I am cheap, and I was iffy spending $400 on a card. But I am still overly excited about this card, no buyer's remorse. This thing is a beast, runs quiet, and very cool.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rmp459*
> 
> Any recommendations on a 7970 that has voltage control, "decent" air cooling and a reference or similar PCB that I could get a waterblock for in 2-3 months ?


i have R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC and i love it it seems it is voltage unlocked but idk tbh

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18435884

it is reference-ish ( has higher cap but 99% of block have accounted for this. gabe from swiftech told me his blocks has and so has the ek ones. pretty sure all major manufactures have as it is an easy fix.)

has decect stock clock and msi warranty ( wont void it if you use water block & keep original heat sink. make sure to to strip the screws... )


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Then wth man... Call it a day.... thats the sweet spot specially for a 7950


LoL with Moar volts 1300mhz / 1600 mem would be nice XD

But sniffle it is locked till i find a work around.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> A quick question...
> 
> Do any of you noticed some kind of "flickering" for example on web browsing? i already uninstalled the beta version (13.3 Beta) and installed the 13.1. It only happens randomly but it caught my attention.
> BTW it happened with both versions installed.. is this "normal"? Any config i missed on CCC?
> Thanks


I occasionally notice flickering with 13.3b when playing flash video in Firefox when CCC's AMD Overdrive is not at the default values. IIRC 12.10 didn't exhibit this behavior for me.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I used to experience flickering on desktop (specially on sisoft sandra) with 12.11 betas but now they are gone for good..


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi NLight95 and zGunBLADEz,

Thanks for your answers







i was already thinking it was a defective card








I have my card at default (no overclocking yet). Interesting you mention you firefox, since that happened when i was browsing on Firefox (looking OCN threads).
It's like a line a little below half the monitor (like flickering?).. BTW defective card or some software bug? (sorry if this is a dumb question..)


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> so if move that up to 1300 , Im bumping the volts to 1.3v ?


Yes


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi NLight95 and zGunBLADEz,
> 
> Thanks for your answers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i was already thinking it was a defective card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have my card at default (no overclocking yet). Interesting you mention you firefox, since that happened when i was browsing on Firefox (looking OCN threads).
> It's like a line a little below half the monitor (like flickering?).. BTW defective card or some software bug? (sorry if this is a dumb question..)


It is probably software related, facebook on firefox is covered by black squares and I used to have flickering on my desktop. A solution I found while googling is to create a custom profile in CCC and modify it to increase the 2D clocks, which eliminates this flickering etc.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> A quick question...
> 
> Do any of you noticed some kind of "flickering" for example on web browsing? i already uninstalled the beta version (13.3 Beta) and installed the 13.1. It only happens randomly but it caught my attention.
> BTW it happened with both versions installed.. is this "normal"? Any config i missed on CCC?
> Thanks


I did, as I said in this thread http://www.overclock.net/t/1377190/windows-7-desktop-flickering-with-ati-drivers#post_19656206
Anyway I didn't notice any other flickering after uninstalled Afterburner and power cycled the pc a second time.


----------



## Hokies83

My Catleap flickers when i start and stop a youtube video only does it for a split second.

Maybe the dp to DL dvi adapter tho.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> My Catleap flickers when i start and stop a youtube video only does it for a split second.
> 
> Maybe the dp to DL dvi adapter tho.


It's the powerplay vs afterburner battle. Don't run AB till you need it or run AB w/ powerplay bypassed.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's the powerplay vs afterburner battle. Don't run AB till you need it or run AB w/ powerplay bypassed.


What i got.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's the powerplay vs afterburner battle. Don't run AB till you need it or run AB w/ powerplay bypassed.
> 
> 
> 
> What i got.
Click to expand...

Dude you have both official and unofficial modes enabled. That's bad. Uncheck the extend clocks limit or disable unofficial mode.


----------



## Hokies83

Ok here is what i got now.

Not sure which is better.


----------



## tsm106

^^Configured to unofficial overclock mode.

Better? As compared to how it was before or better vs official mode?

Official mode is a pita with a full deck crossfired. You also have to disable ulps ironically with official mode cuz AB and all 3rd party overclock apps cannot deal with sleeping cards.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi NLight95 and zGunBLADEz,
> 
> Thanks for your answers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i was already thinking it was a defective card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have my card at default (no overclocking yet). Interesting you mention you firefox, since that happened when i was browsing on Firefox (looking OCN threads).
> It's like a line a little below half the monitor (like flickering?).. BTW defective card or some software bug? (sorry if this is a dumb question..)


I use chrome i dont experience those issues..


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I use chrome i dont experience those issues..


I use both and it only happens on FF. Might be related to Hardware acceleration?


----------



## Matt-Matt

I've left my 7950 out (that got distilled water on it) it's been 8 days now It's been left upside down with the cooler off in my room. Should I be right to put the cooler back on and put it back in my PC?
The distilled water went all over the core and no doubt it got onto the memory, I cleaned the paste off straight away and removed the tape too (I think I did).

I don't want to turn it on to ruin it when I could have just bought a $5 bag of rice or something and put the card in that.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> I use both and it only happens on FF. Might be related to Hardware acceleration?


probably.. i even have hardware accel on..


----------



## Ebefren

Ehi guys, i own a Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz edition and im a little worried about temperature i get (..im not talking about noisy coiling wine came from this card, im used to it now). I get 35 C on idle and near 70 c on load. No further overclock (the tamp are pretty the same). Those temps are normal ?? (i only get lower temps like 60 C on load only if i put the speed of the fans ip to 80%) ... please help.


----------



## Infinitegrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I've left my 7950 out (that got distilled water on it) it's been 8 days now It's been left upside down with the cooler off in my room. Should I be right to put the cooler back on and put it back in my PC?
> The distilled water went all over the core and no doubt it got onto the memory, I cleaned the paste off straight away and removed the tape too (I think I did).
> 
> I don't want to turn it on to ruin it when I could have just bought a $5 bag of rice or something and put the card in that.


DO NOT DO THIS.....Until someone else goes over my idea...

Why not take off all plastic parts, and put it in the oven at the lowest setting to make sure it is completely dry, or take a hair dryer to it. People fix broken cards by "baking" them so I dont thing the lowest setting should hurt anything.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I've left my 7950 out (that got distilled water on it) it's been 8 days now It's been left upside down with the cooler off in my room. Should I be right to put the cooler back on and put it back in my PC?
> The distilled water went all over the core and no doubt it got onto the memory, I cleaned the paste off straight away and removed the tape too (I think I did).
> 
> I don't want to turn it on to ruin it when I could have just bought a $5 bag of rice or something and put the card in that.


Get a Data vac.. i spilled some on mine used data vac off and on for a day plugged it in the next day.



One of the best things u can ever buy for ur pc... and the pc's to come..


----------



## ebduncan

just take it apart, and make sure its dry. It doesn't take long for distilled water to evaporate. Two days would likely be fine, well unless your card went swimming...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> just take it apart, and make sure its dry. It doesn't take long for distilled water to evaporate. Two days would likely be fine, well unless your card went swimming...


Nah, only got say 20ml on it or less. I'll probably just leave it in the sun tomorrow for certainty







Cheers
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Infinitegrim*
> 
> DO NOT DO THIS.....Until someone else goes over my idea...
> 
> Why not take off all plastic parts, and put it in the oven at the lowest setting to make sure it is completely dry, or take a hair dryer to it. People fix broken cards by "baking" them so I dont thing the lowest setting should hurt anything.


Wow, I would with say a 5850 or something. But not a new card that still has warranty (as far as the company is concerned).








Great idea though, I've done it with a 9800GT








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Get a Data vac.. i spilled some on mine used data vac off and on for a day plugged it in the next day.
> 
> 
> 
> One of the best things u can ever buy for ur pc... and the pc's to come..


Yeah looks pretty good, it wasn't that wet and that looks expensive








Plus I probably can't get anything like that here.. (Cheap at least)

Thanks guys, I'll wait for more responses but +Reppin'


----------



## Hokies83

There 55USD and u would be shocked alot of places are carrying them now.


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Get a Data vac.. i spilled some on mine used data vac off and on for a day plugged it in the next day.
> 
> 
> 
> One of the best things u can ever buy for ur pc... and the pc's to come..


i have one of those and it works very well! no more canned air for me!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There 55USD and u would be shocked alot of places are carrying them now.


I'll see if I can find something here in Aus, otherwise i'll have to give it a hit and a miss.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I'll see if I can find something here in Aus, otherwise i'll have to give it a hit and a miss.


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=metro+datavac+electric+duster+ed500&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ta

They ship to you.

Make sure u tell them where ur at and need 220.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=metro+datavac+electric+duster+ed500&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ta
> 
> They ship to you.
> 
> Make sure u tell them where ur at and need 220.


Hmm, I'll think about it. Looks great for cleaning future PC's.








I don't really want to have to wait two weeks+. Thankyou though, +rep

EDIT: That works out as like $120 with shipping...


----------



## Am3Y

Guys got my new Asus hd7970 matrix ....








Uploading pics soon


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Hmm, I'll think about it. Looks great for cleaning future PC's.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't really want to have to wait two weeks+. Thankyou though, +rep
> 
> EDIT: That works out as like $120 with shipping...


Always here

http://www.myshopping.com.au/PT--297_Vacuum_Cleaners_Data_Vac__fs_16645_e__


----------



## neojin29

Hello everyone I would like a few questions about my MSI 7950 BE. 1.Will a bios flash with another bios work on these cards 2. When when i disable ULPS with atiman then use trixx i get stable at overclocking pass 1100 with 20% in crossfire but when not using atiman i cant get stable.


----------



## ConradTP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I've left my 7950 out (that got distilled water on it) it's been 8 days now It's been left upside down with the cooler off in my room. Should I be right to put the cooler back on and put it back in my PC?
> The distilled water went all over the core and no doubt it got onto the memory, I cleaned the paste off straight away and removed the tape too (I think I did).
> 
> I don't want to turn it on to ruin it when I could have just bought a $5 bag of rice or something and put the card in that.


You can probably warm it up a little with a hair dryer, I doubt it will heat it up that much to cause some smd's to move. Just enough heat to evaporate any water left in the card.

I'm about to buy a 7950 and I can only get either a sapphire dual-x boost(most likely non-ref 7950 PCB) or a HIS IceQ. Which card do you think I should get?


----------



## Lifeshield

Yay, officially joined the club! Got myself a MSI R7950 Twin Frozr III Boost Edition delivered yesterday after weeks of going through RMA's on two XFX R7950's. Was only advertised at 880 Mhz so was even more happy to see it pushing 960 Mhz at just 62c at full load!

Running stable so far and can pretty much max out most games I play with relative ease. I thought it wasn't working when I first powered on my PC it's that quiet! I had to physically check the fans were rotating, lol!


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lifeshield*
> 
> Yay, officially joined the club! Got myself a MSI R7950 Twin Frozr III Boost Edition delivered yesterday after weeks of going through RMA's on two XFX R7950's. Was only advertised at 880 Mhz so was even more happy to see it pushing 960 Mhz at just 62c at full load!
> 
> Running stable so far and can pretty much max out most games I play with relative ease. I thought it wasn't working when I first powered on my PC it's that quiet! I had to physically check the fans were rotating, lol!


Have fun with it!

Have you oveerclock it to see how its going?
Have you check ASIC score?
Was bought from amazon?

Give us info


----------



## Lifeshield

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> Have fun with it!
> 
> Have you oveerclock it to see how its going?
> Have you check ASIC score?
> Was bought from amazon?
> 
> Give us info


With those clocks? Nah. No need to currently. Plus I want to run it for a week at stock to bed it in and make sure it's all working properly, especially after having two RMA's in the space of two weeks from the same GPU series. Will probably have a play in a week or two to see how far I can push it but I'm actually happy with it as is if I'm quite honest. Not sure I'll see much difference anyway.

ASIC score was 64.5%. I entered my information along with a GPU-Z Validation into the form in the first post of the thread.

I bought it from scan.co.uk, here's the link... *MSI R7950 Twin Frozr III BE*


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lifeshield*
> 
> With those clocks? Nah. No need to currently. Plus I want to run it for a week at stock to bed it in and make sure it's all working properly, especially after having two RMA's in the space of two weeks from the same GPU series. Will probably have a play in a week or two to see how far I can push it but I'm actually happy with it as is if I'm quite honest. Not sure I'll see much difference anyway.
> 
> ASIC score was 64.5%. I entered my information along with a GPU-Z Validation into the form in the first post of the thread.
> 
> I bought it from scan.co.uk, here's the link... *MSI R7950 Twin Frozr III BE*


Thanks i ll buy one of this next week and was looking for some info of the latest delivered msi models.
VRMs temps? Card is throttling from 960 to 880 with gpu load @ 100% (p.e. while running unigine valley)?
Coil whine or any weird sound?


----------



## Lifeshield

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> VRMs temps?


Don't know how to measure. They're supposed to be quite good with MSI Twin Frozr III's though.

Quote:


> Card is throttling from 960 to 880 with gpu load @ 100% (p.e. while running unigine valley)?


Tested in Furmark for 20-30 minutes, it sits at 960 Mhz, 62c, at 100% load. No sign of throttling.

Quote:


> Coil whine or any weird sound?


The card is that quiet when I first turned my PC on I thought it wasn't working and had to physically check the fans were rotating. Not a peep out of it.


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lifeshield*
> 
> Don't know how to measure. They're supposed to be quite good with MSI Twin Frozr III's though.


In gpu-z sensors under VDDC current In should show VRM temps 1 & 2.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lifeshield*
> 
> Tested in Furmark for 20-30 minutes, it sits at 960 Mhz, 62c, at 100% load. No sign of throttling.
> The card is that quiet when I first turned my PC on I thought it wasn't working and had to physically check the fans were rotating. Not a peep out of it.


That's very nice!


----------



## Lifeshield

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *melodystyle2003*
> 
> In gpu-z sensors under VDDC current In should show VRM temps 1 & 2.


Temperatures after 10 mins under 100% load in Furmark are 63-64c


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neojin29*
> 
> Hello everyone I would like a few questions about my MSI 7950 BE. 1.Will a bios flash with another bios work on these cards 2. When when i disable ULPS with atiman then use trixx i get stable at overclocking pass 1100 with 20% in crossfire but when not using atiman i cant get stable.


1. I dunno
2. That's because no OC software are able to overclock a sleeping card, which is what happens to your second gpu when you're running in crossfire. Disabling ULPS prevents this.


----------



## melodystyle2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lifeshield*
> 
> Temperatures after 10 mins under 100% load in Furmark are 63-64c


What is the gpu P/N?
Rep added.


----------



## Krusher33

I'm entering the market for 7970's. It will go under water. Any that I should avoid?


----------



## edgeofblade

I had some questions about wattage requirements for my 7970. I'm plugging away on a fairly standard kit: i5-3750k, AsRock Extreme4, and of course Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 (fac. OC'ed to 1GHz). Call it by it's native name, if you must: GV-R797OC-3GD.

I went a bit higher on the PSU, a Corsair TX850.

Should a 850 watt PSU be sufficient to handle a second 7970? I've researched this several times and different sources give me conflicting recommendations, ranging from ~750w to ~1050w. So, let me have it... who's right?


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *edgeofblade*
> 
> I had some questions about wattage requirements for my 7970. I'm plugging away on a fairly standard kit: i5-3750k, AsRock Extreme4, and of course Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 (fac. OC'ed to 1GHz). Call it by it's native name, if you must: GV-R797OC-3GD.
> 
> I went a bit higher on the PSU, a Corsair TX850.
> 
> Should a 850 watt PSU be sufficient to handle a second 7970? I've researched this several times and different sources give me conflicting recommendations, ranging from ~750w to ~1050w. So, let me have it... who's right?


Unless both your CPU and two 7970 are highly overclocked, I'd say this power supply is sufficient.


----------



## Mega Man

why dont we have a sig ?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Guys try first the card at stock when you buy a new one. Dont go running and try to flash it because mostly you will fail at it... All new cards are voltage locked and changing bios dont gonna help you out..

If you want a good card is either you go ebay and try to buy a reference cooler card USED or one of the few cards that are confirmed voltage unlocked... Karlitos put a link to a few of them a few pages back..

If you manage 1200 on the core on the stock bios call it a day...


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ConradTP*
> 
> You can probably warm it up a little with a hair dryer, I doubt it will heat it up that much to cause some smd's to move. Just enough heat to evaporate any water left in the card.
> 
> I'm about to buy a 7950 and I can only get *either a sapphire dual-x boost(most likely non-ref 7950 PCB) or a HIS IceQ*. Which card do you think I should get?


I own a Sapphire 7950 Dual X Boost edition, and a HIS Iceq 7950 non-Boost. I really like both cards, but I think the Sapphire cools better. Also, on my HIS I cannot get a VRM temperature reading (known issue). If you have decent case airflow to handle the sapphire dissipating heat into your case, go for that card. My card is the 2L sapphire at Newegg, which iirc is a ref pcb.

Good luck!


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *edgeofblade*
> 
> I had some questions about wattage requirements for my 7970. I'm plugging away on a fairly standard kit: i5-3750k, AsRock Extreme4, and of course Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 (fac. OC'ed to 1GHz). Call it by it's native name, if you must: GV-R797OC-3GD.
> 
> I went a bit higher on the PSU, a Corsair TX850.
> 
> Should a 850 watt PSU be sufficient to handle a second 7970? I've researched this several times and different sources give me conflicting recommendations, ranging from ~750w to ~1050w. So, let me have it... who's right?


You should be more than fine. It's a quality 850w PSU and can usually handle more than it's rated in power. I'm no PSU guru, but I will stand by that.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *edgeofblade*
> 
> I had some questions about wattage requirements for my 7970. I'm plugging away on a fairly standard kit: i5-3750k, AsRock Extreme4, and of course Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 (fac. OC'ed to 1GHz). Call it by it's native name, if you must: GV-R797OC-3GD.
> 
> I went a bit higher on the PSU, a Corsair TX850.
> 
> Should a 850 watt PSU be sufficient to handle a second 7970? I've researched this several times and different sources give me conflicting recommendations, ranging from ~750w to ~1050w. So, let me have it... who's right?


I have a OCZ ZT 750W and it handle my 2 cards just fine with obscene overclocks no problems..
Do i recommend it? No...

Now i have a Seasonic 850W and that one do the job just fine...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *edgeofblade*
> 
> I had some questions about wattage requirements for my 7970. I'm plugging away on a fairly standard kit: i5-3750k, AsRock Extreme4, and of course Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 (fac. OC'ed to 1GHz). Call it by it's native name, if you must: GV-R797OC-3GD.
> 
> I went a bit higher on the PSU, a Corsair TX850.
> 
> Should a 850 watt PSU be sufficient to handle a second 7970? I've researched this several times and different sources give me conflicting recommendations, ranging from ~750w to ~1050w. So, let me have it... who's right?


ill be able to tell you soon. just ordered a second R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC for cfx and not ordered the x1250 i have my eye on . gonna try it with my x750 XD

on the happy side i now have 2- figured i would pick up another one due to the fact they are getting harder and harder to find :/


----------



## edgeofblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MAL22*
> 
> Unless both your CPU and two 7970 are highly overclocked, I'd say this power supply is sufficient.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> You should be more than fine. It's a quality 850w PSU and can usually handle more than it's rated in power. I'm no PSU guru, but I will stand by that.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I have a OCZ ZT 750W and it handle my 2 cards just fine with obscene overclocks no problems..
> Do i recommend it? No...
> 
> Now i have a Seasonic 850W and that one do the job just fine...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ill be able to tell you soon. just ordered a second R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC for cfx and not ordered the x1250 i have my eye on . gonna try it with my x750 XD
> 
> on the happy side i now have 2- figured i would pick up another one due to the fact they are getting harder and harder to find :/


Thanks all around for the replies. I feel more confident in this now


----------



## bond32

Fairly noob question, but on stock voltage with adequate cooling (air not water), one should be able to get 1200 core with stock bios correct? Or does it really depend on the manufacturer?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Fairly noob question, but on stock voltage with adequate cooling (air not water), one should be able to get 1200 core with stock bios correct? Or does it really depend on the manufacturer?


depends on how good your chip is.

manufacturer has nothing to do with it... they do not make the chips.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> side note. i cant figure this out i cant get my physx score up is there a reason ?
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6314086
> 
> i am not having luck looking for an answer figured i would ask
> have tryed disabling all cnq apm ect.....


anyone know what i can do ?


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Guys try first the card at stock when you buy a new one. Dont go running and try to flash it because mostly you will fail at it... All new cards are voltage locked and changing bios dont gonna help you out..
> 
> If you want a good card is either you go ebay and try to buy a reference cooler card USED or one of the few cards that are confirmed voltage unlocked... Karlitos put a link to a few of them a few pages back..
> 
> If you manage 1200 on the core on the stock bios call it a day...


Is this what you're referring to? Is that all? http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/22650_50#post_19570104


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Is this what you're referring to? Is that all? http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/22650_50#post_19570104


Yes.


----------



## KaRLiToS

The freaking News Threads are driving me nuts. People are so stubborn and biased.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> The freaking News Threads are driving me nuts. People are so stubborn and biased.


LoL what happend to the 7950?

Also are u gonna go Ivy-B?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> The freaking News Threads are driving me nuts. People are so stubborn and biased.


Welcome to hell


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> The freaking News Threads are driving me nuts. People are so stubborn and biased.


Biased? Thats nothing..

The fact is amd have some issues cfx side that needs to be resolved... The problem is this lil kids think is a big deal...

So before was the runt frames and yada yada YADA... The same Pcper proves my point all along and so many other people that use vsync and frame caps and radeonpro.. But now is input lag/ no vsync and blah blah..

The aim for image quality and performance is not there no more is just about bashing amd every time they can..
Ohh but pcper said this but all the other sites say that.. They also prove that capping frames or using vsync alleviates/fix that.

Now seriously, i cannot comprehend how you play a game without vsync and suffer from screen tearing is out of my mind...
When you dont get no benefits at all other than a lil bit more responsive input.. But suffer from screen tearing and performance issues which affects the game experience overall...


----------



## Biorganic

Lol, I LOVE Tearing. Why don't you???

Silly kids


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Lol, I LOVE Tearing. Why don't you???
> 
> Silly kids


¬¬...

Seriously i do play console games there some game with no vsync that drive me nuts...
I do notice input lag on consoles and differences between 20-30 frames specially drops to 20 frames assasins creed games comes to mind quick...

If ill be getting 20 frames on crysis 3 like pcper is saying i will be the first one selling my cards on ebay...


----------



## marsey99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ebefren*
> 
> Ehi guys, i own a Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz edition and im a little worried about temperature i get (..im not talking about noisy coiling wine came from this card, im used to it now). I get 35 C on idle and near 70 c on load. No further overclock (the tamp are pretty the same). Those temps are normal ?? (i only get lower temps like 60 C on load only if i put the speed of the fans ip to 80%) ... please help.


i have that same issue, mine is the 900 core version but even at 1200 core its not going over 75c and its making my feet cold.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5664957


----------



## Biorganic

70 or 75 C is perfectly fine for these cards. What are your VRM temps?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Biased? Thats nothing..
> 
> The fact is amd have some issues cfx side that needs to be resolved... The problem is this lil kids think is a big deal...
> 
> So before was the runt frames and yada yada YADA... The same Pcper proves my point all along and so many other people that use vsync and frame caps and radeonpro.. But now is input lag/ no vsync and blah blah..
> 
> The aim for image quality and performance is not there no more is just about bashing amd every time they can..
> Ohh but pcper said this but all the other sites say that.. They also prove that capping frames or using vsync alleviates/fix that.
> 
> Now seriously, i cannot comprehend how you play a game without vsync and suffer from screen tearing is out of my mind...
> When you dont get no benefits at all other than a lil bit more responsive input.. But suffer from screen tearing and performance issues which affects the game experience overall...


Why do they care anyway, they don't even own a AMD card so what is so important for them to bash AMD?


----------



## Biorganic

Because its Kool-aid-tastic to bash AMD

Funny how nobody brings up compute performance anymore. Man that was all the rage during GTX 580 heyday. Wonder why that argument disappeared.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Because its Kool-aid-tastic to bash AMD
> 
> Funny how nobody brings up compute performance anymore. Man that was all the rage during GTX 580 heyday. Wonder why that argument disappeared.


But titan sucks at compute ..... lol
For what it costs lol...

It sucks at bitcoin, it sucks at hashes and now theres no excuse to fold in amd with core17...


----------



## Mega Man

another random question. sorry i tryed google but to no luck what is this logo/sign ?


----------



## Biorganic

So they fixed folding on AMD GPUs?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> So they fixed folding on AMD GPUs?




what you think?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> So they fixed folding on AMD GPUs?


Yeah i am like 50 k ppd on a 7970


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> So they fixed folding on AMD GPUs?


Yeah i am like 50 k ppd on a 7970


----------



## Biorganic

Noice!

What is the ppd like on a 580, 680, titan, just for reference?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Why do they care anyway, they don't even own a AMD card so what is so important for them to bash AMD?


The funny thing is the few users that know how cfx works in this forum i mean i think i am one of the fews trying to explain the situation on this forum.

You only see a bunch of nvidia users posting crap with no fundament riding 1x gpus they dont even have a clue wth they are talking about,,

So because i dont have a site like pcper/anantech/hard etc.. My findings are crap and not valid..
I mean if you really want to believe this one is true

Everybody that did play crysis 3 knows as a fact that graph is not true...

The main reason i dont listen and take with a grain of salt all this reviews for a long time was the same thing on my pasts tests on all my rigs and different setups...

All my experience ====> review sites...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Noice!
> 
> What is the ppd like on a 580, 680, titan, just for reference?




more here
http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=1881311

You know throwing into the equation what titan compute power monster "should be" im not seeing it


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Now seriously, i cannot comprehend how you play a game without vsync and suffer from screen tearing is out of my mind...
> When you dont get no benefits at all other than a lil bit more responsive input.. But suffer from screen tearing and performance issues which affects the game experience overall...


I really have some problem with this input lag stuff. Maybe I'm slow, or brain damaged, but I've never noticed any lag with vsync, never. Might be because without vsync I'm focused on how the game sucks.
By the way, speaking of voltage, are all the new 7970 are voltage locked? Because I bought mine like two weeks ago and it seems I can't raise it, although I had heard that Sapphire's 7970 were voltage unlocked.


----------



## Biorganic

Have you tried force constant voltage through Afterburner?


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> 
> 
> what you think?


My GPU just sits @ 0% and does nothing, running FAH v 7.3.6 and 13.3 Beta 3 drivers, Win 7 64.

Can someone help me get this card folding, I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP overclocked @ 1050/1750MHz.

CPU client works OK but GPU does not.

CHEERS..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Lol, I LOVE Tearing. Why don't you???
> 
> Silly kids
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ¬¬...
> 
> Seriously i do play console games there some game with no vsync that drive me nuts...
> I do notice input lag on consoles and differences between 20-30 frames specially drops to 20 frames assasins creed games comes to mind quick...
> 
> If ill be getting 20 frames on crysis 3 like pcper is saying i will be the first one selling my cards on ebay...
Click to expand...

Pcper was not a player in the review game, at least not a top player but apparently they are the bomb now with their Nvidia supported articles lol.

Seriously... their whole testing is based upon Nvidia's fcat, and no one thinks there is a conflict of interest?

Quote:


> Obviously, NVIDIA has a lot to gain from this particular testing methodology: its SLI technology looks much better than AMD's CrossFire when viewed in this light, highlighting the advantages that SLI's hardware frame metering bring to the table.


and...
Quote:


> When we originally talked with NVIDIA about this project the mindset from the beginning was merely to get the ball rolling and let the open source community and enthusiast gamers look at every aspect of the performance measurement. That is still the goal - with only one minor exception: NVIDIA doesn't want the source code of the overlay to leak out simply because of some potential patent/liability concerns.


Hmm, so Nvidia is not so into philanthropy eh? They just want to get the mud slinging going er ball rolling, but then ya can't use their code nor have it dissected/vetted by the community. Right... Nvidia have no ball in this game.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Have you tried force constant voltage through Afterburner?


Nope. Actually I uninstalled AB because of some flickering in Windows 7 desktop, but I'll try thanks.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> My GPU just sits @ 0% and does nothing, running FAH v 7.3.6 and 13.3 Beta 3 drivers, Win 7 64.
> 
> Can someone help me get this card folding, I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP overclocked @ 1050/1750MHz.
> 
> CPU client works OK but GPU does not.
> 
> CHEERS..


you need 2 things, enable the core 17 and put the card to work with the slider.. or right click the tray icon and select full


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> I really have some problem with this input lag stuff. Maybe I'm slow, or brain damaged, but I've never noticed any lag with vsync, never. Might be because without vsync I'm focused on how the game sucks.
> By the way, speaking of voltage, are all the new 7970 are voltage locked? Because I bought mine like two weeks ago and it seems I can't raise it, although I had heard that Sapphire's 7970 were voltage unlocked.


Its like me. I get a way better experience using the 360pad than the mouse and keyboard... But i always use radeonpro because of all the features this one have..
Specially combined with sweetfx and the ease of use XD

Try this and check if there is a volt slider

Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


----------



## sugarhell

Tsm your opinion about the whole 'disaster' with the runt frames?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Pcper was not a player in the review game, at least not a top player but apparently they are the bomb now with their Nvidia supported articles lol.
> 
> Seriously... their whole testing is based upon Nvidia's fcat, and no one thinks there is a conflict of interest?
> and...
> Hmm, so Nvidia is not so into philanthropy eh? They just want to get the mud slinging going er ball rolling, but then ya can't use their code nor have it dissected/vetted by the community. Right... Nvidia have no ball in this game.


Not only that...
They also keep testing games with no vsync or framecap...

If they confirmed that vsyncing or frame capping do indeed fixed the issues an extra tab on their review with the feature is not going to kill them... Not like all their game tested are running @ 200 frame avg anyway...

Of all 4 tests only one have this enable and because they were getting bashed so hard..
They did 2 followups and that feature is missing..

Im still saying there is something really weird..
They said fraps is useless but you vsync the radeon card and fraps give you the same graph as fcat..
So there is something really weird going on...


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> you need 2 things, enable the core 17 and put the card to work with the slider.. or right click the tray icon and select full


How do I enable core 17? Sorry but I'm a noob for ATI folding.

CHEERS..


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> How do I enable core 17? Sorry but I'm a noob for ATI folding.
> 
> CHEERS..


Im a noob myself on folding as well.. another user help me out there...

But here..

You have to go to preferences/slots go to your gpu and create a string
name: client-type
value: beta


----------



## Biorganic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Pcper was not a player in the review game, at least not a top player but apparently they are the bomb now with their Nvidia supported articles lol.
> 
> Seriously... their whole testing is based upon Nvidia's fcat, and *no one thinks there is a conflict of interest?*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Obviously, NVIDIA has a lot to gain from this particular testing methodology: its SLI technology looks much better than AMD's CrossFire when viewed in this light, highlighting the advantages that SLI's hardware frame metering bring to the table.
> 
> 
> 
> and...
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> When we originally talked with NVIDIA about this project the mindset from the beginning was merely to get the ball rolling and let the open source community and enthusiast gamers look at every aspect of the performance measurement. That is still the goal - with only one minor exception: NVIDIA doesn't want the source code of the overlay to leak out simply because of some potential patent/liability concerns.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Hmm, so Nvidia is not so into philanthropy eh? They just want to get the mud slinging going er ball rolling, but then ya can't use their code nor have it dissected/vetted by the community. Right... Nvidia have no ball in this game.
Click to expand...

*Exactly* my point in the other thread,
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> @ loonian: And yet you are completely ignoring the concern stemming from parts of the community that a utility designed by Nvidia _MIGHT_ have some hardware bias. It behooves them to make themselves look better than the competition. I am not getting all Foil Hatty, just voicing concerns of others. You do see the conflict of interest, right?


----------



## kj1060

Okay this may be a stupid question, but where did all the 7970 reference cards go? I can barely find any.


----------



## KingT

Thanx man, it works









+rep

CHEERS..


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> you need 2 things, enable the core 17 and put the card to work with the slider.. or right click the tray icon and select full
> 
> 
> 
> How do I enable core 17? Sorry but I'm a noob for ATI folding.
> 
> CHEERS..
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> How do I enable core 17? Sorry but I'm a noob for ATI folding.
> 
> CHEERS..
> 
> 
> 
> Im a noob myself on folding as well.. another user help me out there...
> 
> But here..
> 
> You have to go to preferences/slots go to your gpu and create a string
> name: client-type
> value: beta
Click to expand...

Here you go: http://www.overclock.net/t/1367557/core-17-beta-wu/0_50


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Okay this may be a stupid question, but where did all the 7970 reference cards go? I can barely find any.


Ebay or the forum marketplace would be your best bet..


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Try this and check if there is a volt slider
> 
> Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


Yes I have the volt slider in Trixx but it doesn't work, I can change it but I'm not really raising anything as I can see in GPU-Z. Anyway I installed the latest beta version of AB and it seems it works with it. I only hope that the beta doesn't have the same flickering problem than the previous I used.
What is PowerPlay?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Yes I have the volt slider in Trixx but it doesn't work, I can change it but I'm not really raising anything as I can see in GPU-Z. Anyway I installed the latest beta version of AB and it seems it works with it. I only hope that the beta doesn't have the same flickering problem than the previous I used.
> What is PowerPlay?


You tried running gpu-z render to see if the voltage change>?


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> You tried running gpu-z render to see if the voltage change>?


I check the GPU-Z sensors while I'm running BF3 windowed.


----------



## majin662

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Not only that...
> They also keep testing games with no vsync or framecap...
> 
> If they confirmed that vsyncing or frame capping do indeed fixed the issues an extra tab on their review with the feature is not going to kill them... Not like all their game tested are running @ 200 frame avg anyway...
> 
> Of all 4 tests only one have this enable and because they were getting bashed so hard..
> They did 2 followups and that feature is missing..
> 
> Im still saying there is something really weird..
> They said fraps is useless but you vsync the radeon card and fraps give you the same graph as fcat..
> So there is something really weird going on...


I think the whole thing about frame times and lag and microstutter is just the new uber nerd meme. It is a legitamate concern and AMD have already acknowledged they are indeed looking into the issue. I think people just love being part of a mob or a "me too" . It's a thin line to tread between ignoring legitamate concerns and drawing the conclusion that a major part of the tech community just have deep pockets and not deep knowledge, so the first intelligent thing a site says becomes gospel like so many "tweaks" that float around for everything. I think a lot of these sites have been very forthcoming with the statement that they do not have all the answers and even the new measuring tools are still in their infancy. But sensationalism sells and it spreads like wildfire...nobody wants to read "AMD issues being investigated" when "ZOMG NVIDIA pwns AMD nub cardz chartz included"

I hate that there are sides in all of this, it should be a unified community vested in the common interest of us all, whether thats OC'ing or Benching or gaming, etc.

I just made the switch in this last month from a GTX 680 to CFX 7970 and I have NOT noticed any sizeable increase in stutter, microstutter, or any number of apparitions that seem to make every game an "unenjoyable stutterfest" Then again I also research a great deal and make sure I'm doing everything I can to have a smooth experience. Not saying that I do not see the occasional hiccup or a loading issue, but I saw that on my 680 as well. For the most part I have had a consistent , smooth experience with BOTH brands, in SLI , non SLI and now single card and Crossfire. I really believe this is mutating from something that is a legit thing that is being investigated into an excuse for no more user end troubleshooting followed up by lots of "me too" hyperbole.

I think this topic is more laughable now to me than the whole "optimization" garbage that gets tossed around everytime someone with a dual core celeron can't max a game. (again a legit concern but the whole "optimization" thing is soooooooooooooo blown way out of proportion)


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> I check the GPU-Z sensors while I'm running BF3 windowed.


Try the new sapphire then
https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Try the new sapphire then
> https://www.sapphireselectclub.com/ssc/TriXX/


Already did. I prefer AB anyway, but as I said I had an issue with it, maybe I'll be lucky with the beta version.


----------



## MAL22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Fairly noob question, but on stock voltage with adequate cooling (air not water), one should be able to get 1200 core with stock bios correct? Or does it really depend on the manufacturer?


mY 7950 FleX is stable at 1200/1575 with stock bios. Never went higher than 70c on heaven 4.0


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Okay this may be a stupid question, but where did all the 7970 reference cards go? I can barely find any.


unfortunately they are getting harder to find and people are buying them up quick due to this.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> unfortunately they are getting harder to find and people are buying them up quick due to this.


at this point of time. The only certain way to get a reference pcb is with a reference cooler... Which also is non voltage locked... and if the guy did a ghz bios flash you can revert it back..


----------



## Hokies83

LoL i donno i just ran Bf3 Maxxed out with everything on and i was pegged at 200 FPS with 70% Gpu use...


----------



## Biorganic

Ahhhh but how many of those 200 FPS were runt frames?


----------



## Hokies83

None that i could tell was Smooth... No different from my Gtx 680 SLI. Which got between 150 and 170 FPS same settings with 99% use on both...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> LoL i donno i just ran Bf3 Maxxed out with everything on and i was pegged at 200 FPS with 70% Gpu use...


BF3 have a 201 fps cap. You cant pass that mark.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Fairly noob question, but on stock voltage with adequate cooling (air not water), one should be able to get 1200 core with stock bios correct? Or does it really depend on the manufacturer?


It's mostly depends on luck of the draw. In my case (Sapphire 7970 w/Boost) it also depends on whether I have the VGA BIOS in position 1 or 2, the latter being Boost mode where the base voltage is higher. I do 1200 for benchies but dial back down to 1150 for games because of heat.


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> anyone know what i can do ?


Mega, when I get my system fired back up I can give my settings...currently building my loop. With win 8 I can get mid 8's on my physics with win 8. If I remember correctly I hit 8800 on win 8. You should be near that. Something is throttling you. Your fps should be 25.5/26 on physics test. Try dialing back your ram speed to 2133 9 11 10 28. And make sure cnq, c1e, svm, core 6 state disabled. Hpc mode enabled.


----------



## Snuckie7

Gah looks like I won't be able to hit 1300MHz core on air. The temps always gets out of control and I get artifacts at 72C.


----------



## Biorganic

Artifacts at 72 C. That doesn't sound right. 72 C should be well within your cards operating specs. What are your VRM temps?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> Artifacts at 72 C. That doesn't sound right. 72 C should be well within your cards operating specs. What are your VRM temps?


It doesnt matter. Tahiti is temp sensitive so a high oc is unstable on high temps.


----------



## Snuckie7

Yeah. 1200 MHz is stable at 72C, but not 1300 MHz.

It's extremely precise. I watch the temperature slowly increase, and as soon as it hits 72C, I start getting artifacts.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> Mega, when I get my system fired back up I can give my settings...currently building my loop. With win 8 I can get mid 8's on my physics with win 8. If I remember correctly I hit 8800 on win 8. You should be near that. Something is throttling you. Your fps should be 25.5/26 on physics test. Try dialing back your ram speed to 2133 9 11 10 28. And make sure cnq, c1e, svm, core 6 state disabled. Hpc mode enabled.


i would appreciate it
@ the ram specs you said i am not stable. but still my score goes down..... i checked with both 2400 and 2600 cpu/nb also tried a different set of ram i have 1600-9-9-9-24 and it is even worse.


----------



## Ebefren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Biorganic*
> 
> 70 or 75 C is perfectly fine for these cards. What are your VRM temps?


really ?? im just a cool maniac, bcause all in my system dont get over 42 on load, only the gpu make me worried. About VRM temp.. how can i get them ??
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> 
> 
> what you think?


mine doesnt work. not EVER work for gpu. damn.


----------



## Ebefren

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> The funny thing is the few users that know how cfx works in this forum i mean i think i am one of the fews trying to explain the situation on this forum.
> 
> You only see a bunch of nvidia users posting crap with no fundament riding 1x gpus they dont even have a clue wth they are talking about,,
> 
> So because i dont have a site like pcper/anantech/hard etc.. My findings are crap and not valid..
> I mean if you really want to believe this one is true
> 
> Everybody that did play crysis 3 knows as a fact that graph is not true...
> 
> The main reason i dont listen and take with a grain of salt all this reviews for a long time was the same thing on my pasts tests on all my rigs and different setups...
> 
> All my experience ====> review sites...


DAAAMN RIGHT. I get over 65 fps, gaming at 1600x900 all at max, msaa x8,motion blur ON. Last beta drivers (13.3). Dont test it on 1080hd, but i presume cant be less than 50 fps. And i have an hd7950. So nVidia can kiss my..... pretty face.


----------



## -Nub-

Are the Xfx Black Edition 7970 with reference cooler voltage locked?


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ebefren*
> 
> DAAAMN RIGHT. I get over 65 fps, gaming at *1600x900* all at max, msaa x8,motion blur ON. Last beta drivers (13.3). Dont test it on 1080hd, but i presume cant be less than 50 fps. And i have an hd7950. So nVidia can kiss my..... pretty face.


god why


----------



## Nightz2k

Now I can officially join in.











Got the 2nd 7950 earlier today, took a quick pic. I gotta get a few new fans for my case as these do run pretty hot under load. (_Stock case fans are weak)_ The 2nd GPU isn't as good an overclocker as the first.







Works fine in Crossfire so far though. _(Intel stock cooler being replaced soon)_


----------



## Shiranui12

hey guys, any comments about the sapphire hd7950 dual x fan oc ed?


----------



## Anoxy

What sort of comments are you looking for?


----------



## Shiranui12

Is there any problems for them? (cooler, voltage locked?) planning on getting one








...


----------



## Hokies83

I have been testing my max core clocks using that program that is like folding but is not folding *Cough*

I am able to get 1275mhz core on 2 cards and 1215mhz on the other.


----------



## inubr0

Just got my Gigabyte HD 7970 OC. First time ATi/AMD since the 4xxx series. Pretty happy so far, allthough I still have to find out if it is voltage locked, which does not really bother me. How do I know my card is voltage locked?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Actually 1x7970 at those Crysis 3 settings is barely playable and that's without 8xAA lol


----------



## HOkayson

Hi all, I just put together a custom water Bitfenix Prodigy system using a Powercolor 7970 LCS which I got from someone on Ebay. Everything works except the GPU, I know this because the integrated graphics has me up and running. The guy I bought it from does seem trustworthy and the card was very well packaged in the original box so it seems unlikely that there was some damage during postage, but I can't see what I could have done as I've treated it like a king!
It *could* be the PCI-e slot is bad on the motherboard (Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe) but that's probably unlikely, but I can't test another GPU without removing the whole water loop which I'd rather do after trying everything else! I've tried setting the motherboard to using the discrete GPU primarily but it just comes up on the integrated still.
I've had a really good look over the parts of the card I can see and the only thing I've found that could even potentially be damage is a voltage regulator near the output end of the card. It's manufactured by "ON" and is a 78M05G, the middle pin (described as Common (case) in the datasheets I found) isn't connected. It's probably not supposed to be connected but if there is anyone out there with a Powercolor 7970 LCS I would be extremely grateful if they could take a peek at theirs!!

Other than that, any advice for troubleshooting this card whilst it's connected up? I'd have to remove and drain the water loop if I take it out so anything I can try whilst it's in there...

Thanks for any help!

20130404_114704.jpg 3402k .jpg file


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inubr0*
> 
> Just got my Gigabyte HD 7970 OC. First time ATi/AMD since the 4xxx series. Pretty happy so far, allthough I still have to find out if it is voltage locked, which does not really bother me. How do I know my card is voltage locked?


GV-R797OC-3GD this one ? they need a model number to be able to tell you
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inubr0*
> 
> Just got my Gigabyte HD 7970 OC. First time ATi/AMD since the 4xxx series. Pretty happy so far, allthough I still have to find out if it is voltage locked, which does not really bother me. How do I know my card is voltage locked?


GV-R797OC-3GD this one ? they need a model number to be able to tell you

sorry to hear that bust way is to put it in another system imo maybe use a friends?

also use image not attach it is much easier


----------



## inubr0

Well turns out mine is voltage locked since it is Rev 2.1. Still fine with it, great card for 300$


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inubr0*
> 
> Well turns out mine is voltage locked since it is Rev 2.1. Still fine with it, great card for 300$


yea looks like it is sorry :/ i am sure you will be happy with it


----------



## Lifeshield

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Actually 1x7970 at those Crysis 3 settings is barely playable and that's without 8xAA lol


Heh, I can only just max out Crysis 3 with my 7950 with SMAA enabled. Playable but never getting 60FPS.


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HOkayson*
> 
> Hi all, I just put together a custom water Bitfenix Prodigy system using a Powercolor 7970 LCS which I got from someone on Ebay. Everything works except the GPU, I know this because the integrated graphics has me up and running. The guy I bought it from does seem trustworthy and the card was very well packaged in the original box so it seems unlikely that there was some damage during postage, but I can't see what I could have done as I've treated it like a king!
> It *could* be the PCI-e slot is bad on the motherboard (Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe) but that's probably unlikely, but I can't test another GPU without removing the whole water loop which I'd rather do after trying everything else! I've tried setting the motherboard to using the discrete GPU primarily but it just comes up on the integrated still.
> I've had a really good look over the parts of the card I can see and the only thing I've found that could even potentially be damage is a voltage regulator near the output end of the card. It's manufactured by "ON" and is a 78M05G, the middle pin (described as Common (case) in the datasheets I found) isn't connected. It's probably not supposed to be connected but if there is anyone out there with a Powercolor 7970 LCS I would be extremely grateful if they could take a peek at theirs!!
> 
> Other than that, any advice for troubleshooting this card whilst it's connected up? I'd have to remove and drain the water loop if I take it out so anything I can try whilst it's in there...
> 
> Thanks for any help!
> 
> 20130404_114704.jpg 3402k .jpg file


Unfortunately this is what's known as a "learning event." You bought a second-hand card and didn't test to see if it even worked before tricking it out with liquid cooling. Bet you won't make that mistake again.

You already tried setting the BIOS to PCIe and not IGP...and you've got each power connector on the card running to it's own individual channel from the PSU, right? If so you probably need to bite the bullet and disconnect the loop so you can do some troubleshooting. Hate it for you, but you F'd yourself in the A on Saturday by not testing that card right off the bat. You now have absolutely no idea if the card is functional or if there's a problem with the slot, or some configuration voodoo afoot. I don't have a 7970 presently but based off of this image it seems like it's ON. Or, rather, that the chip you're worried about is connected as it should be. You really need to test a known good GPU with that board.

Good luck...


----------



## HOkayson

It's a liquid card from the start so I couldn't test it without water going through it in case it overheated! Though tbh that would probably be fine...I'm currently taking the motherboard out, planning on testing another GPU in it outside of the case, should be able to leave the waterloop intact with any lucky.


----------



## HOkayson

Errm, sorry all, it posted that 4 times for some reason...


----------



## Shiranui12

oh my quoted an answered question







haha...


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HOkayson*
> 
> Hi all, I just put together a custom water Bitfenix Prodigy system using a Powercolor 7970 LCS which I got from someone on Ebay. Everything works except the GPU, I know this because the integrated graphics has me up and running. The guy I bought it from does seem trustworthy and the card was very well packaged in the original box so it seems unlikely that there was some damage during postage, but I can't see what I could have done as I've treated it like a king!
> It *could* be the PCI-e slot is bad on the motherboard (Asus P8Z77-I Deluxe) but that's probably unlikely, but I can't test another GPU without removing the whole water loop which I'd rather do after trying everything else! I've tried setting the motherboard to using the discrete GPU primarily but it just comes up on the integrated still.
> I've had a really good look over the parts of the card I can see and the only thing I've found that could even potentially be damage is a voltage regulator near the output end of the card. It's manufactured by "ON" and is a 78M05G, the middle pin (described as Common (case) in the datasheets I found) isn't connected. It's probably not supposed to be connected but if there is anyone out there with a Powercolor 7970 LCS I would be extremely grateful if they could take a peek at theirs!!
> 
> Other than that, any advice for troubleshooting this card whilst it's connected up? I'd have to remove and drain the water loop if I take it out so anything I can try whilst it's in there...
> 
> Thanks for any help!
> 
> 20130404_114704.jpg 3402k .jpg file
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unfortunately this is what's known as a "learning event." You bought a second-hand card and didn't test to see if it even worked before tricking it out with liquid cooling. Bet you won't make that mistake again.
> 
> You already tried setting the BIOS to PCIe and not IGP...and you've got each power connector on the card running to it's own individual channel from the PSU, right? If so you probably need to bite the bullet and disconnect the loop so you can do some troubleshooting. Hate it for you, but you F'd yourself in the A on Saturday by not testing that card right off the bat. You now have absolutely no idea if the card is functional or if there's a problem with the slot, or some configuration voodoo afoot. I don't have a 7970 presently but based off of this image it seems like it's ON. Or, rather, that the chip you're worried about is connected as it should be. You really need to test a known good GPU with that board.
> 
> Good luck...
Click to expand...

Geez... are you rude enough?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HOkayson*
> 
> It's a liquid card from the start so I couldn't test it without water going through it in case it overheated! Though tbh that would probably be fine...I'm currently taking the motherboard out, planning on testing another GPU in it outside of the case, should be able to leave the waterloop intact with any lucky.


Did you try a different slot? (if you have one) Has another card worked in that same slot before? You sure power plug was in all the way? Simple things...


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HOkayson*
> 
> It's a liquid card from the start so I couldn't test it without water going through it in case it overheated! Though tbh that would probably be fine...I'm currently taking the motherboard out, planning on testing another GPU in it outside of the case, should be able to leave the waterloop intact with any lucky.


When you get into windows, check device manager and see if windows even sees the gpu. If it does, I would force install of drivers on it through device manager.

Have you had any previous GPUs in the specific windows you are using? Both amd and nvidia leave a lot of residual **** behind lol.


----------



## HOkayson

Ok so I just took the whole loop apart and took out the mobo. It's now sitting on the table on some cardboard happily booting with the intel stock hsf on it and a GTX 470 in the PCI-e slot. There's only one slot on this motherboard as it's a tiny Mini ITX board







The only possible thing left that it could be is the PSU as I'm using a different PSU since the one in the case is tucked away. I guess I should try that PSU to be 100% sure it's the card. This sucks!

Thanks for the advice though, helps me confirm I've not done something stupid!

Edit: It wasn't showing up at all in Windows by the way, only thing showing in Device Manager -> Display Adapters was the integrated graphics.


----------



## Anoxy

I think my Vapor-X 7970 is voltage locked, but I don't really know how to check for sure. MSI AB doesn't give me the option to change voltage.


----------



## Anoxy

Also, does Catalyst Control Center always need to be open in my system tray? It's currently set as a start-up item.


----------



## inubr0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I think my Vapor-X 7970 is voltage locked, but I don't really know how to check for sure. MSI AB doesn't give me the option to change voltage.


Check to see if you can change the voltage in Trixx. If the slider is already maxed out, it is locked.


----------



## Anoxy

I'm assuming VDDC is the voltage slider you're referring to? I can push it to 1300 max.


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> It doesnt matter. Tahiti is temp sensitive so a high oc is unstable on high temps.


I find that VRM temps have to be watched as much as the core. When voltage gets to 1.18-1.2v heat increases substantially. I can control it (the heat) by bumping the fan up to +80% but the noise is too much for my ears. Artifacts set in around 1250 even with the fan @max. Considering the reference Tahiti 7970 core runs runs at 925, a 1200 oc _on air_ is quite amazing. I'm more than happy with 1150 when gaming.


----------



## Snuckie7

I was able to hit 1250 core on air for a few passes of Valley without getting artifacts. My card doesn't need much voltage at all, and 1250 was stable at 1.150V.

Any higher clocks or voltages however, sent the core temps past the point of instability.


----------



## Infinitegrim

Anyone recommend a good testing program? I want to try to clock my card as high as possible


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Infinitegrim*
> 
> Anyone recommend a good testing program? I want to try to clock my card as high as possible


3DMark11 and Heaven


----------



## KalashNK

My problem with the occasionally flickering desktop is returned with the installation of AB 3.0 beta 9. This is really driving me crazy. I can't change the voltage and check the sensors in game with trixxx but if I use AB I got this flickering while I'm webbing. The odd thing is that I don't have to use AB, it's enough if I install it.
At least it's what it seems to be the problem.
Has anyone encountered this glitch? Because I'm still not sure if it is not an hardware problem.
(basically every now and then, while I'm on desktop surfing, the screen shakes for a moment).


----------



## Krusher33

I was seeing that when I attempted to OC my RAM. When I returned it back to stock it went away.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I was seeing that when I attempted to OC my RAM. When I returned it back to stock it went away.


Never OCed my RAM.


----------



## SkateZilla

Wasnt there a MS Windows Update that modifies the Direct2d, DirectWrite and Desktop Stuff?

It was found to cause problems,

I had to uninstall it because it Killed WMP 12 and AVI Files completely, As well as programs that used Embedded WMP. Amongst several other issues.

Dont Remember teh KB Number I think it ended with 838, I'll check when I get home.


----------



## Krusher33

Have you tried a stable version of AB instead? Or a previous beta version?

Who here has a Sapphire 7970 OC? It's on my wishlist.


----------



## SkateZilla

I think it was this one:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2670838


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Have you tried a stable version of AB instead? Or a previous beta version


Yes, I used the latest stable version before the beta.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I think it was this one:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2670838


Thanks. I'll try to uninstall that and reinstall AB if I still have the issue without it (for now it seems everybody ok without AB on PC).


----------



## nikoli707

Wow, my 7950 at 1150/1575 doesn't do that great on crysis 3. I have very high textures, smaa 2x, and a mix of high and medium on the other settings running 250x1440. maybe i need to reinstall drivers again or reinstall the game.


----------



## Falcy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Infinitegrim*
> 
> Anyone recommend a good testing program? I want to try to clock my card as high as possible


I would say, that depends? What do you want to test? Highest possible OC for nice scores, go for 3DMark and Heaven. If you want to test the stability of the card, go with OCCT and error checking.









I can almost guarantee you that the highest OC-clock you can run in 3DMark wont pass OCCT at all.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> Wow, my 7950 at 1150/1575 doesn't do that great on crysis 3. I have very high textures, smaa 2x, and a mix of high and medium on the other settings running 250x1440. maybe i need to reinstall drivers again or reinstall the game.


drop the res to 1080P and use fxaa and use high/medium shadows thats to much res for single card


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> *drop the res to 1080P* and use fxaa and use high/medium shadows thats to much res for single card


NEVAR!!!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> NEVAR!!!


Just saying is not going to happen unless you drop everything to lower settings..


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Just saying is not going to happen unless you drop everything to lower settings..


It'll happen...just with terrible and choppy fps







.


----------



## Anoxy

If he's playing at 1440p there is no reason for AA so he could turn that off. Maybe motion blur off as well.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> My problem with the occasionally flickering desktop is returned with the installation of AB 3.0 beta 9. This is really driving me crazy. I can't change the voltage and check the sensors in game with trixxx but if I use AB I got this flickering while I'm webbing. The odd thing is that I don't have to use AB, it's enough if I install it.
> At least it's what it seems to be the problem.
> Has anyone encountered this glitch? Because I'm still not sure if it is not an hardware problem.
> (basically every now and then, while I'm on desktop surfing, the screen shakes for a moment).


Have you tried setting the "Reset display mode on applying unofficial overclocking" in AB?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Have you tries setting the "Reset display mode on applying unofficial overclocking" in AB?


i think this is what was recommended in the thread a few pages ago for the same problem. idr exactly though


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Have you tried setting the "Reset display mode on applying unofficial overclocking" in AB?


Nope. I think my problem is different, because it happens also without opening AB and at stock values, and it's matters of instants (annoying anyway), but I'll try thanks!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Would lowering VRM temperatures from already reasonable result in better overclock stability? Or would it be simply better for the VRM longevity? I've been able to monitor my 7970 VRM temperatures just fine with GPU-Z, but I can't do it for my nVidia card, so I can only guess... I figured I'd ask here, since it's highly likely that a lot of 7970/7950 users monitor their VRM temperatures regularly when overclocking and could hopefully comment on the degree of importance of improving VRM cooling. I'm thinking of swapping to an 11W/mK thermal pad between a large aluminum VRM heatsink and the VRMs and trying to decide if it's worth a ~$13 investment (small, I know, but having lots of small and large investments really added up lately).

In other words: is it sufficient to cool the GPU core as best as possible and leave the VRMs with "just okay" cooling, or would it improve overclocks to also have "great" VRM cooling in addition to the core cooling?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Would lowering VRM temperatures from already reasonable result in better overclock stability? Or would it be simply better for the VRM longevity? I've been able to monitor my 7970 VRM temperatures just fine with GPU-Z, but I can't do it for my nVidia card, so I can only guess... I figured I'd ask here, since it's highly likely that a lot of 7970/7950 users monitor their VRM temperatures regularly when overclocking and could hopefully comment on the degree of importance of improving VRM cooling. I'm thinking of swapping to an 11W/mK thermal pad between a large aluminum VRM heatsink and the VRMs and trying to decide if it's worth a ~$13 investment (small, I know, but having lots of small and large investments really added up lately).
> 
> In other words: is it sufficient to cool the GPU core as best as possible and leave the VRMs with "just okay" cooling, or would it improve overclocks to also have "great" VRM cooling in addition to the core cooling?


the better temps the better voltage ( cleaner ) you get and the more you can push ( this is my understanding )

they are rated to at least 90deg but still cooler is better for many reasons

( i still could be wrong )


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ill be able to tell you soon. just ordered a second R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC for cfx and not ordered the x1250 i have my eye on . gonna try it with my x750 XD
> 
> on the happy side i now have 2- figured i would pick up another one due to the fact they are getting harder and harder to find :/


>







it comes on monday !~ also looks like NCIX will be getting 5-7 more in stock if you guys want a reference 7970 with unlocked voltage >:O

http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=68758&vpn=R7970-2PMD3GD5%2FOC&manufacture=MSI%2FMicroStar&promoid=1393

so according to this thread http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18435884 i am not supposed to go over +.125mv vcore .... but what about memory volts ?? ( IN MSI After burner ) also i have an aux volts slider that is greyed out and no number shows what is that ?

goal is ~ 1200/1700 core mem


----------



## abhi4168

hello guys i HAVE A FEW QUESTION ABOUT GIGABYTE 7950

1. What is the idle fane speed in rpm and percentage.

2. what is the idle temp.

3. if I have Fx0 is is advisable to update to FX1?

4. gpu-z 0.6.9 does not show vrm temps of gigabyte 7950 ver 2.0







can anyone confirm?


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> also i have an aux volts slider that is greyed out and no number shows what is that ?


It is used to control the voltage (VDDCI) of the PCIe on the VGA card. Only available if your card supports that feature such as the MSI R7970 Power Edition 3GD5 with triple overvoltage support [GPU/Memory/VDDCI(PLL)].


----------



## kcuestag

Quick question to those 7970 owners, what's the max safe voltage for these cards for 24/7 gaming use?

I just sold my GTX680 SLI, got a pair of HD7970's, I got one already, which does 1125/1500 at 1219mV in Afterburner (1186mV under load according to GPU-Z) and 1200/1500 at 1288mV in Afterburner (1248mV according to GPU-Z).

Would those overclocks be safe? Under air, temperatures don't exceed over 75ºC, plus I'll be watercooling them on Monday next week, so expect them to stay below 50ºC at all times with those overclocks.

As for the VRM's, GPU-Z showed they never exceeded 60ºC at 1125/1500 and about 65 at 1200/1500, this is all on air stock cooler.

Also, which voltage should I really trust, MSI Afterburner or GPU-Z?


----------



## KalashNK

Ok the flickering problem I talked about some message ago it's not caused by AB, I've just had the flickering without AB installed. So I'm gonna try uninstalling the windows upgrade. Anyway, could it be a faulty card? A flickering every now and then only on desktop? This is becoming really annoying.


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Would lowering VRM temperatures from already reasonable result in better overclock stability? Or would it be simply better for the VRM longevity? I've been able to monitor my 7970 VRM temperatures just fine with GPU-Z, but I can't do it for my nVidia card, so I can only guess... I figured I'd ask here, since it's highly likely that a lot of 7970/7950 users monitor their VRM temperatures regularly when overclocking and could hopefully comment on the degree of importance of improving VRM cooling. I'm thinking of swapping to an 11W/mK thermal pad between a large aluminum VRM heatsink and the VRMs and trying to decide if it's worth a ~$13 investment (small, I know, but having lots of small and large investments really added up lately).
> 
> In other words: is it sufficient to cool the GPU core as best as possible and leave the VRMs with "just okay" cooling, or would it improve overclocks to also have "great" VRM cooling in addition to the core cooling?


With my 6850 and 6970 cards I found that I was able to reach higher OC and more stable folding by keeping the VRM's 50c or below. It can tolerate much higher temps but the AMD cards do get tempermental when they're warm (core or VRM or both).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Ok the flickering problem I talked about some message ago it's not caused by AB, I've just had the flickering without AB installed. So I'm gonna try uninstalling the windows upgrade. Anyway, could it be a faulty card? A flickering every now and then only on desktop? This is becoming really annoying.


I know that annoying feeling. Like I said I was seeing flickering when I was gaming on GW2 and opening a browser. Turned out to be my RAM OC. But for you... have you tried a different cable? You sure the card is seated all the way? I don't think it's dying...


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I know that annoying feeling. Like I said I was seeing flickering when I was gaming on GW2 and opening a browser. Turned out to be my RAM OC. But for you... have you tried a different cable? You sure the card is seated all the way? I don't think it's dying...


The card is well seated, I've already checked. I could try with the cable.
Anyway it happened two times while I was watching a movie full screen moments ago, and it seems related to the spikes of the GPU Memory Clock. The memory change often from 150Mhz to 1375Mhz (along with the core clock) when I'm not playing games, and I noticed that the last flickering was during one of these spikes. So might be the too low memory downclock. I'd like to try that but I don't know how to raise it. Can you help me?


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Ok the flickering problem I talked about some message ago it's not caused by AB, I've just had the flickering without AB installed. So I'm gonna try uninstalling the windows upgrade. Anyway, could it be a faulty card? A flickering every now and then only on desktop? This is becoming really annoying.


Yes, I know the problem is not caused by AB, but AB has a solution to circumvent the problem which is to force display mode change. The real issue is problem in AMD driver (according to the developer of AB) and happens only on desktop. Try changing your display mode to something else, and then change it back (forcing a display mode change) and see if the problem goes away.


----------



## Hokies83

What do u think of 4 7950s on a 1200 watt psu running 24hrs a day 7 days a week?


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What do u think of 4 7950s on a 1200 watt psu running 24hrs a day 7 days a week?


Try this wattage calculator:
http://www.thermaltake.outervision.com/index.jsp

It also depends on your power supply and how many amps are available on your +12V rails. I think you should be OK with your Corsair Gold AX1200.


----------



## Hokies83

Well the thing that grabs me is the AX 1200 has a 100.4 amp 12 volt rail Amd suggests 30Amps on the 12 volt rail for a 7950.

And all 4 cards will be at 99% use 24/7 7 days a week.. while the rest of the system is idle.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well the thing that grabs me is the AX 1200 has a 100.4 amp 12 volt rail Amd suggests 30Amps on the 12 volt rail for a 7950.
> 
> And all 4 cards will be at 99% use 24/7 7 days a week.. while the rest of the system is idle.


Single rail, in a worst case scenario could make your whole rig go poof and that's a lot to loose with a large crossfire array.


----------



## msgclb

I now have $450 available to purchase my HD 7970. The problem is I'm not sure which card to buy.

My original choice was

*PowerColor AX7970 3GBD5-2DHV3*

Now that I've got a few more $ for 7970 I've been thinking of going with one of these two.

*PowerColor PCS+ AX7970 3GBD5-2DHPPV*

or

*Sapphire Radeon Vapor-X HD 7970 GHz OC (11197-12-40G )*

There's also this on Newegg:

*SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100351VXSR Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition*

Currently the second PowerColor above is my first choice.

Is there an AMD card maker that stands behind their warranty better than the others.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well the thing that grabs me is the AX 1200 has a 100.4 amp 12 volt rail Amd suggests 30Amps on the 12 volt rail for a 7950.
> 
> And all 4 cards will be at 99% use 24/7 7 days a week.. while the rest of the system is idle.


I'm not sure exactly where they come up with that 30Amp figure--possibly the max rated values of the power connections to the card which would be 75W for the PCIe slot and 150W for each 8-pin connector (75+150+150 = 375Watts, divide that by 12V and you get 31.25A). In actuality, you probably aren't going to draw more than 20A (250W) from each card, but...

*tsm106* is absolutely correct, if there is an accidental short circuit...poof. I just came across this enlightening article and they specifically mention the AX1200--it certainly opened my eyes:

http://www.overclock.net/t/761202/single-rail-vs-multi-rail-explained


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *msgclb*
> 
> I now have $450 available to purchase my HD 7970. The problem is I'm not sure which card to buy.
> 
> My original choice was
> *PowerColor AX7970 3GBD5-2DHV3*
> 
> Now that I've got a few more $ for 7970 I've been thinking of going with one of these two.
> *PowerColor PCS+ AX7970 3GBD5-2DHPPV*
> 
> or
> *Sapphire Radeon Vapor-X HD 7970 GHz OC (11197-12-40G )*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's also this on Newegg:
> *SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100351VXSR Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition*
> 
> Currently the second PowerColor above is my first choice.
> Is there an AMD card maker that stands behind their warranty better than the others.


IMO i have heard horror stories about safire

msi is great no comment about power color. if you want to water cool and want unlocked volts the card i have is at ncix. just hit 1200/1700 no problems last night.


----------



## Krusher33

Which one do you have? Your sig says 7770.


----------



## jomama22

I personally like 2 12v rails, one for CPU/eps/molex and the over for pcie. But if you go this route, make sure the 12v2 is rated high enough for all of the cards.


----------



## IBYCFOTA

I imagine with the promotion AMD is running that a lot of people gotten their hands on Bioshock (not literally, of course). Looking to hear some thoughts from others on their experience so far. Mine's been buttery smooth on my 7970 for 99% of the game but when the action has gotten particularly intense I've definitely noticed some lag here and there. I've tried running Crossfire as well and been a bit disappointed on how it's performed in this game. Lots of frame drops in fights where one 7970 would have handled it just fine. The only good thing is that I'm able to keep a pretty consistent 120 FPS on Crossfire, but with the frame drops it's not worth it. My GPU utilization for both cards has been pretty low and I know there's no CPU or PSU bottleneck going on here, so perhaps AMD just needs to update the drivers specifically for Bioshock like Nvidia did.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Which one do you have? Your sig says 7770.


that rig has been retired hence the "retired"
http://www.overclock.net/lists/display/view/id/4795782

tuf stryker
=
R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC

edit took that (nine hundred tuf ) rig out of my sig as that seems to be the only one people looks at

also have a second 7970 (same as above ) coming from ncix should be here on monday


----------



## SkullTrail

Anyone interested in buying my 7970? Works great at stock (can't say the same when OC'ed







)


----------



## KalashNK

Ehi, I'm not an Nvidia fanboy and I don't want you all to hate me BUT I have a awful question. Have the ones of you that passed from an Nvidia to an Ati card (one of the 7000 series of course) noticed a considerable increase in stuttering?
Because now I have this annoying microstuttering in left4dead2, a game that use the 20% of my card, and in BF3. I tried switching the cards (I still have the gtx570), and it seems I have no stuttering with nvidia. The 7970 is fast, I can max out everything, but this stuttering is terrible.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Ehi, I'm not an Nvidia fanboy and I don't want you all to hate me BUT I have a awful question. Have the ones of you that passed from an Nvidia to an Ati card (one of the 7000 series of course) noticed a considerable increase in stuttering?
> Because now I have this annoying microstuttering in left4dead2, a game that use the 20% of my card, and in BF3. I tried switching the cards (I still have the gtx570), and it seems I have no stuttering with nvidia. The 7970 is fast, I can max out everything, but this stuttering is terrible.


it is a fair question. but we have to ask what driver are you using? are you using the latest bios for your 7970 ?


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it is a fair question. but we have to ask what driver are you using? are you using the latest bios for your 7970 ?


Drivers are 13.1, I think they are the latest.
I don't know about the BIOS. According to GPU-Z is 113-2104XTHY-OS1


----------



## TeeBlack

oops nevermind


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkullTrail*
> 
> Anyone interested in buying my 7970? Works great at stock (can't say the same when OC'ed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


I've got the same card as you. What problems are you having with OCing specifically? I'm having a bit of trouble getting stable over 1125/1550 myself without going nuts on the voltage, which is a bit disappointing given others are getting into the 1200's with ease.


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Drivers are 13.1, I think they are the latest.
> I don't know about the BIOS. According to GPU-Z is 113-2104XTHY-OS1


13.3 is actually the latest, although it is technically a beta driver. Same for 13.2.


----------



## Snuckie7

You shouldn't be getting stuttering in BF3. That's one of the titles where AMD has the most solid performance in.


----------



## MikeG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Drivers are 13.1, I think they are the latest.
> I don't know about the BIOS. According to GPU-Z is 113-2104XTHY-OS1


You should really be using the latest 13.3 beta driver. A lot of improvements have been made since 13.1.

Beta 13.2 Release notes:
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst132BetaDriver.aspx

Beta 13.3 Release notes:
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-3WINBetaDriver.aspx


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> You should really be using the latest 13.3 beta driver. A lot of improvements have been made since 13.1.
> 
> Beta 13.2 Release notes:
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst132BetaDriver.aspx
> 
> Beta 13.3 Release notes:
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-3WINBetaDriver.aspx


Yes, I just installed it. Anyway it seems that microstuttering is a common problem with ati cards, I hope they work on it, considering all that talking about fraps, fcat and new benchmarking standards. Smoothness should be the first thing.

Speaking of another problem I have: after a lot of tests I've found out that the occasional flickering when in 2d (browsing, watching divx) is not related to overclocking program or corrupted drivers, and afterburner amd compatibility properties don't help. Monitoring my card I noticed that the flickering happens when the core and memory clocks change (not always, every now and then) and might be the fall from 1375Mhz to 150Mhz of the memory clock. The question is: is there a way to raise the minimum clock of core/memory?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Yes, I just installed it. Anyway it seems that microstuttering is a common problem with ati cards, I hope they work on it, considering all that talking about fraps, fcat and new benchmarking standards. Smoothness should be the first thing.
> 
> Speaking of another problem I have: after a lot of tests I've found out that the occasional flickering when in 2d (browsing, watching divx) is not related to overclocking program or corrupted drivers, and afterburner amd compatibility properties don't help. Monitoring my card I noticed that the flickering happens when the core and memory clocks change (not always, every now and then) and might be the fall from 1375Mhz to 150Mhz of the memory clock. The question is: is there a way to raise the minimum clock of core/memory?


You have single gpu. You shouldnt have stuttering


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You have single gpu. You shouldnt have stuttering


If you have spikes in frame times you have microstuttering with a single gpu too.


----------



## MikeG

Sounds like you might have the boost edition card and that your card is throttling and cycling between the boost and stock clocks? Just a guess. Try increasing your powerlimit % slider in CCC or AB to +20%. "Force Constant Voltage" in AB can also help.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> If you have spikes in frame times you have microstuttering with a single gpu too.


If you look all the latest reviews with single gpu amd maaybe have better latency in single gpu. Maybe on skyrim on 12.11 you experience stutter on single gpu. Otherwise user error is common issue. For example far cry i need to reinstall it 3 times tfrom a butter smooth experience


----------



## MikeG

There was a recent article where AMD acknowledged that they did have a micro-stuttering problem and were working hard to correct it. I think a lot of the single GPU problems were resolved but the CrossFire issues still need fixing.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MikeG*
> 
> Sounds like you might have the boost edition card and that your card is throttling and cycling between the boost and stock clocks? Just a guess. Try increasing your powerlimit % slider in CCC or AB to +20%. "Force Constant Voltage" in AB can also help.


No it's the normal edition.
I have no throttling problems when I'm playing videogames, but when I'm not stressing the card the core/memory is 300/150Mhz with very brief spikes of 500(or rarely the stock value 925)/1325Mhz. Sometimes I got this flickering and checking the AB monitor I can see they are connected to the spikes (or likely the drop after the spike).


----------



## MikeG

Set "Force Constant Voltage" in AB and your clocks and volts will remain steady.


----------



## Infinitegrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> No it's the normal edition.
> I have no throttling problems when I'm playing videogames, but when I'm not stressing the card the core/memory is 300/150Mhz with very brief spikes of 500(or rarely the stock value 925)/1325Mhz. Sometimes I got this flickering and checking the AB monitor I can see they are connected to the spikes (or likely the drop after the spike).


All my recent cards do this. They downclock when you are on the desktop and they are not being used.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Infinitegrim*
> 
> All my recent cards do this. They downclock when you are on the desktop and they are not being used.


Yes but in my case now and then the screen flickers because of those downclocks, so I want to try if raising the minimum clock fix the problem, but I don't know why.
Forcing voltage through AB seems not to work (I mean that it does not actually force a stable voltage).


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *msgclb*
> 
> I now have $450 available to purchase my HD 7970. The problem is I'm not sure which card to buy.
> 
> My original choice was
> *PowerColor AX7970 3GBD5-2DHV3*
> 
> Now that I've got a few more $ for 7970 I've been thinking of going with one of these two.
> *PowerColor PCS+ AX7970 3GBD5-2DHPPV*
> 
> or
> *Sapphire Radeon Vapor-X HD 7970 GHz OC (11197-12-40G )*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's also this on Newegg:
> *SAPPHIRE Vapor-X 100351VXSR Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition*
> 
> Currently the second PowerColor above is my first choice.
> Is there an AMD card maker that stands behind their warranty better than the others.


I have the Vapor-X card and I'm happy with its performance. Overclocks nicely (only tried 1150/1600)


----------



## d1nky

6539: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/345004

any tips on getting higher scores?


----------



## jomama22

You need to completely clean your drivers out and reinstall them. Tsm106 has a guide in his sig. Works like a charm every time.


----------



## d1nky

ive noticed my combined scores are lower than most peoples even when independent scores are higher. this 7950 is pushed as far oc will go, same for cpu lol. I just want an extra 100 points and ill be beating 7970/fx4100


----------



## Anoxy

lol this is bad, but if you want two games for free, order your GPU from amazon and return it/exchange it. You get to keep the promo code they e-mail you. I accidentally got two copies of Bioshock and Crysis 3 doing that


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> lol this is bad, but if you want two games for free, order your GPU from amazon and return it/exchange it. You get to keep the promo code they e-mail you. I accidentally got two copies of Bioshock and Crysis 3 doing that


HAHAHAHAHAHA "accidentally"
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> You need to completely clean your drivers out and reinstall them. Tsm106 has a guide in his sig. Works like a charm every time.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_100

good stuffs.


----------



## Anoxy

shhhhhhhhhhh


----------



## stl drifter

does this card have a 7950 reference pcb or a 7970 reference pcb? And is it a good card?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202031


----------



## ElevenEleven

This is a reference card, and I believe it has a reference 7950 PCB.


----------



## stl drifter

Thats what I thought. Thanks for the reply.


----------



## WiL11o6

Thinking about picking up Bioshock Infinite but I'm worried about poor crossfire support. Does this run smoothly in crossfire as say, BF3? Or are there issues with stuttering like in FC3 or other driver ridden games.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thinking about picking up Bioshock Infinite but I'm worried about poor crossfire support. Does this run smoothly in crossfire as say, BF3? Or are there issues with stuttering like in FC3 or other driver ridden games.


For cf only far cry 3 have problems. Too many ctd issues. Otherwise i dont have find any game that have problems in cf


----------



## WiL11o6

Thanks, but I think a couple games had problems, like Batman AC had a bit stuttering where it would drop down to 50s for no reason. Also had some problem with The Witcher 2 in some areas where it would tank to 30-40s as well.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Thanks, but I think a couple games had problems, like Batman AC had a bit stuttering where it would drop down to 50s for no reason. Also had some problem with The Witcher 2 in some areas where it would tank to 30-40s as well.


Thats framedrops not stuttering. The minimus frames get affected by many things. Cpu,hdd,drivers etc etc. One way is to oc more your cpu.


----------



## WiL11o6

That's true, could be just minimums dropping, but it happens quite frequent in those games in areas where it shouldn't at all. It doesn't stay in the 30-40s for long, maybe for a second or less and jumps back up to 60. When it happens frequent like this, it makes the game pretty annoying. And I already have my CPU OC'd to 4.5ghz with 2 SSDs.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> That's true, could be just minimums dropping, but it happens quite frequent in those games in areas where it shouldn't at all. It doesn't stay in the 30-40s for long, maybe for a second or less and jumps back up to 60. When it happens frequent like this, it makes the game pretty annoying. And I already have my CPU OC'd to 4.5ghz with 2 SSDs.


A currepted windows or driver can cause this. Background processes can affect too. You cant prevent framedrops entirely. Your cpu oc is not that big you should push it a bit more. Also the ram speed and timings help with minimums a lot


----------



## WiL11o6

I understand what you're saying, however, in the games I mentioned, I have done a lot of research and many people have the same issues. Not to mention fresh install of Windows and drivers. The problem with the sudden drop of frames is fine if it doesn't occur often, but some of these games are pretty frequent. It doesn't even need to drop down that much, a sudden 1-2 fps drop from 60 for a split second and I can feel the stutter, especially when it happens every time when I turn a corner in the game.

Whereas in a CPU and GPU intensive game like multiplayer BF3, my frames rarely ever drop below 60 even if I have 5 explosions all around me.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> I understand what you're saying, however, in the games I mentioned, I have done a lot of research and many people have the same issues. Not to mention fresh install of Windows and drivers. The problem with the sudden drop of frames is fine if it doesn't occur often, but some of these games are pretty frequent. It doesn't even need to drop down that much, a sudden 1-2 fps drop from 60 for a split second and I can feel the stutter, especially when it happens every time when I turn a corner in the game.
> 
> Whereas in a CPU and GPU intensive game like multiplayer BF3, my frames rarely ever drop below 60 even if I have 5 explosions all around me.


Dunno my witcher 2 is butter smooth and always 60 fps no matter the area


----------



## WiL11o6

TW2 is smooth and locked in at 60 in MOST areas, but some areas it drops to 40-50s and stays there. No stuttering, just terrible performance in those areas for some reason.


----------



## c20h25n3o

I found the following card 40e cheaper than the Sapphire 7950 (2L): VTX3D HD7970 3GB X-EDITION
Does anyone have experience with that card, or with VTX3D in general? Is it any good?

edit:
Just read that it's a budget brand of PowerColor. So, the price difference aside which would you choose?
The VTX3D 7970 X-Edition (1050mhz out of the box) or the Sapphire 7950 (2L version). I know the VTX3D barely has any overhead for overclocking, but I'm sure I.it'll reach 1150ish.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> I found the following card 40e cheaper than the Sapphire 7950 (2L): VTX3D HD7970 3GB X-EDITION
> Does anyone have experience with that card, or with VTX3D in general? Is it any good?
> 
> edit:
> Just read that it's a budget brand of PowerColor. So, the price difference aside which would you choose?
> The VTX3D 7970 X-Edition (1050mhz out of the box) or the Sapphire 7950 (2L version). I know the VTX3D barely has any overhead for overclocking, but I'm sure I.it'll reach 1150ish.


i have heard horror stories with saphire rma and i dont like powercolor. their CS was not very good when i called about putting a water block on ( they said it does void warranty) however the answer is not the reason for my opinion. i just didnt like the whole experience.

if it were me i would spend a bit more and go with either xfx or msi both have extremely good track records on CS and RMAs


----------



## c20h25n3o

I'm not gonna put it under water, so warranty won't be voided. And this 7970 I can get for a mere 260 euro. A whopping 110e cheaper than the next 7970.
So it's either going to be the VTX3D 7970 or a 7950 (which is ordered, but can be canceled)


----------



## Coree

If you can live with the coil whine, what the VTX3D 7970 will do. Oc3d did a review on a Club3D HD 7970 RoyalAce (same as the VTX3D HD7970 X-edition, only with different stickers). The reviewer said that he recieved 4 samples, all having coil whine. And i'm an owner of the VTX3D HD 7950 V2 and had that issue. Rma'd my card though, I shall see in around 10-15 days what will happen..


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> If you can live with the coil whine, what the VTX3D 7970 will do. Oc3d did a review on a Club3D HD 7970 RoyalAce (same as the VTX3D HD7970 X-edition, only with different stickers). The reviewer said that he recieved 4 samples, all having coil whine. And i'm an owner of the VTX3D HD 7950 V2 and had that issue. Rma'd my card though, I shall see in around 10-15 days what will happen..


I have 3 vtx3d and none of them have coil whine. You can get coil whine on every card. You cant say that mark have coil whine the other have.A lot of times the psu create coil whine.


----------



## TMallory

Anyone here have the Gigabyte 7970 GHz Edition? Thinking about getting it for my incoming 1440p monitor.


----------



## KalashNK

Hey, I found the way to raise the minimum clock:
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117633
It works perfectly, if anyone is interested. I'll let you know if it fixes my issue.


----------



## Hokies83

So my HTPC has a 500 Watt Psu and id like to put a 7950 in it.

Thing is case has no air flow but has vents on the top and sides to vent heat.

What i want to know is what 7950 has the Best Air cooling performance? Thx!


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Hey, I found the way to raise the minimum clock:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117633
> It works perfectly, if anyone is interested. I'll let you know if it fixes my issue.


Hey awesome. I hope that fixes it for you cause I've no idea what else it could be.


----------



## msgclb

This is my final choice. (I hope!)

*XFX Double D HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB DDR5 1050MHz 2xmDP HDMI DVI PCI-E Graphics Cards FX797GTDFC*

Every time I made a possible selection I looked at their warranty and decided to continue looking. But when I looked at XFX I found that at least they *understand* my concerns.

Quote:


> ** *XFX has carefully selected the optimal thermal or fansink component for your graphics card model. We do not encourage the removal of components due to damage that may result in the process. XFX understands that some enthusiasts may choose to replace the original component with their own cooling solution. To support the gaming community, we recommend that you contact XFX prior to any modifications so that we can update your profile and product registration to avoid potential issues with warranty support. In addition, XFX support will be able to walk through the installation with you or provide feedback and pointers on available options for your specific product. You may even consider shipping your components to XFX and allow the technicians at XFX to perform the modification for you (shipping charges to XFX apply).*


It looks like this card has a lifetime warranty if registered within 30 days and that EK makes a fullcover block for this card.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> I found the following card 40e cheaper than the Sapphire 7950 (2L): VTX3D HD7970 3GB X-EDITION
> Does anyone have experience with that card, or with VTX3D in general? Is it any good?
> 
> edit:
> Just read that it's a budget brand of PowerColor. So, the price difference aside which would you choose?
> The VTX3D 7970 X-Edition (1050mhz out of the box) or the Sapphire 7950 (2L version). I know the VTX3D barely has any overhead for overclocking, but I'm sure I.it'll reach 1150ish.


A clan mate has two of those, and they're great, reference design PCB plus an extra power phase, they overclock nicely, he easily got both to 1200MHz Core so far.









I should be recieving one of those as well on Monday.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *msgclb*
> 
> This is my final choice. (I hope!)
> 
> *XFX Double D HD 7970 GHz Edition 3GB DDR5 1050MHz 2xmDP HDMI DVI PCI-E Graphics Cards FX797GTDFC*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Every time I made a possible selection I looked at their warranty and decided to continue looking. But when I looked at XFX I found that at least they *understand* my concerns.
> 
> It looks like this card has a lifetime warranty if registered within 30 days and that EK makes a fullcover block for this card.


xfx is great on customer service !~ DO NOT STRIP THE SCREWS ( use the right screw driver, someone else mentioned this and i just think it is a good point.) and keep original heatsink dont sell it or you will not be able to warranty it.

they will also install your water block for you if you want however i would ignore the part they tell you to tell them you installed a water block so they can update their files.... that is just a personal belief, no reason to tell them to look for something else to void your warranty

just a caution. i dont think it is reference. pretty sure i saw a post on a forum that mentions it, think they changed the pcb i could be wrong

http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/

2dvi=not reference 1dvi=reference.

if you are looking for reference i can recommend this one R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC getting harder to find. ncix says it is in stock in my cart but wont open a page :/


----------



## msgclb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> xfx is great on customer service !~ DO NOT STRIP THE SCREWS ( use the right screw driver, someone else mentioned this and i just think it is a good point.) and keep original heatsink dont sell it or you will not be able to warranty it.
> 
> they will also install your water block for you if you want however i would ignore the part they tell you to tell them you installed a water block so they can update their files.... that is just a personal belief, no reason to tell them to look for something else to void your warranty
> 
> just a caution. i dont think it is reference. pretty sure i saw a post on a forum that mentions it, think they changed the pcb i could be wrong
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/
> 
> 2dvi=not reference 1dvi=reference.
> 
> if you are looking for reference i can recommend this one R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC getting harder to find. ncix says it is in stock in my cart but wont open a page :/


I looked for the msi card but it seems they're all gone so I went with xfx.

I first looked at the TDBC but noticed that ek didn't support a newer revision so I ordered the FX797GTDFC and now that might also be affected.

Now only time will tell!


----------



## KSIMP88

Joined. I'm an Arctic Accelero 7970 owner too. EXCELLENT cooler. Load temps can't even reach 50*C. Idle is about 29*C in 20*C Ambient.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> A clan mate has two of those, and they're great, reference design PCB plus an extra power phase, they overclock nicely, he easily got both to 1200MHz Core so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I should be recieving one of those as well on Monday.


Great. I had already cancelled my order for the 7950 and ordered this one. I hope I'll have it before my birthday.







.
I can't wait, should be a decent upgrade coming from a 5850.


----------



## EternalRest

I just bought my first AMD GPU, PowerColor Vortex 7970.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> I just bought my first AMD GPU, PowerColor Vortex 7970.


Congrats!~ and welcome !~


----------



## majin662

Have to share my horror / success story.

Last night got to reading about the Gigabyte 7970 OC windforce and it's voltage locks...Well decided I'd take a stab at flashing it to get it to at least be on par with my Sapphire 7970 OC which I had running at 1100/1500 on stock volts until the Gigabyte arrived. Well needless to say, the Gigabyte wasn't having it and Valley would crash as would crysis 3 and Bioshock. Thus in my infinite "never happy" mind I figured I'd flash the bios and get me some volts.









Read the couple of threads spread between here and guru3d and techpowerup and followed it to a T. Flash said it was successful ...and then I rebooted. Ruh-roh...Computer won't boot. Tried everything...remove 1 card..remove both cards..move slots..I was freaking out over ruining my brand new , perfectly working, already maxing every game 800$ investment. Then I took a few breaths and began turning things around. Got back into windows via onboard. Windows not only didn't recognize EITHER card, but from the looks of it, a bunch of stuff in windows had gotten corrupted...I'm still scratching my head about that one, unless the constant reboots etc caused some data loss. No idea why my Sapphire was no longer recognized but alas I found it's bios (nub man here didn't back it up /facepalm) Got that one working. Then found one that would allow the Gigabyte to boot. It was rated at 1100/1500 but the screen would flicker and I'd get crashes benching and driver stops. So took a crack at the stock GHZ edition floating around and flashed it using AtiWinFlash. Bios took, reboot went fine..no more flickers...driver stops, and although I STILL do not have voltage control via slider or anything...It would appear that both cards are now stable and able to run butter smooth at 1100/1500 . Have run close to a dozen valley benchmarks to check for artifacts or crashes and thus far good to go. Fired up a couple games and good to go so far there as well.

Odd thing is, the gigabyte seems to be running a couple degrees cooler now.

Moral of the story: Be happy with what you have??? But then again it wouldn't be OCN if you didn't try to push for more.

Protip: even if you follow instructions make sure you backup everything...save yourself soooo much time and a few less holes in walls











edit: that's just 1 run with radeonpro and vsync enabled. Also..while those OC's are small from the default 1k/1450 and 1k/1375 They're all I need for gaming while maintaining great temps. May do some runs with them maxed as high as I can go but definitely want to keep temps down


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majin662*
> 
> Have to share my horror / success story.
> 
> Last night got to reading about the Gigabyte 7970 OC windforce and it's voltage locks...Well decided I'd take a stab at flashing it to get it to at least be on par with my Sapphire 7970 OC which I had running at 1100/1500 on stock volts until the Gigabyte arrived. Well needless to say, the Gigabyte wasn't having it and Valley would crash as would crysis 3 and Bioshock. Thus in my infinite "never happy" mind I figured I'd flash the bios and get me some volts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Read the couple of threads spread between here and guru3d and techpowerup and followed it to a T. Flash said it was successful ...and then I rebooted. Ruh-roh...Computer won't boot. Tried everything...remove 1 card..remove both cards..move slots..I was freaking out over ruining my brand new , perfectly working, already maxing every game 800$ investment. Then I took a few breaths and began turning things around. Got back into windows via onboard. Windows not only didn't recognize EITHER card, but from the looks of it, a bunch of stuff in windows had gotten corrupted...I'm still scratching my head about that one, unless the constant reboots etc caused some data loss. No idea why my Sapphire was no longer recognized but alas I found it's bios (nub man here didn't back it up /facepalm) Got that one working. Then found one that would allow the Gigabyte to boot. It was rated at 1100/1500 but the screen would flicker and I'd get crashes benching and driver stops. So took a crack at the stock GHZ edition floating around and flashed it using AtiWinFlash. Bios took, reboot went fine..no more flickers...driver stops, and although I STILL do not have voltage control via slider or anything...It would appear that both cards are now stable and able to run butter smooth at 1100/1500 . Have run close to a dozen valley benchmarks to check for artifacts or crashes and thus far good to go. Fired up a couple games and good to go so far there as well.
> 
> Odd thing is, the gigabyte seems to be running a couple degrees cooler now.
> 
> Moral of the story: Be happy with what you have??? But then again it wouldn't be OCN if you didn't try to push for more.
> 
> Protip: even if you follow instructions make sure you backup everything...save yourself soooo much time and a few less holes in walls
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: that's just 1 run with radeonpro and vsync enabled. Also..while those OC's are small from the default 1k/1450 and 1k/1375 They're all I need for gaming while maintaining great temps. May do some runs with them maxed as high as I can go but definitely want to keep temps down


glad to hear it went well !~ ( at least in the end )


----------



## H3avyM3tal

How high can the volts be and still be considered safe for 24/7 oc? I just oc'ed my Sapphire 7970 oc boost to 1150/1550 on 1.25 in ab. Am I safe, or is it too high?


----------



## Snuckie7

1.25V is pretty safe, considering a lot of 7970's ship at stock 1.25V.


----------



## H3avyM3tal

Really? So 1.3v is not something to be shy about I wonder? So far my card is stable in valley and 3dmark11 (was crushing with 1.2v).


----------



## Luke133

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majin662*
> 
> Have to share my horror / success story.
> 
> Last night got to reading about the Gigabyte 7970 OC windforce and it's voltage locks...Well decided I'd take a stab at flashing it to get it to at least be on par with my Sapphire 7970 OC which I had running at 1100/1500 on stock volts until the Gigabyte arrived. Well needless to say, the Gigabyte wasn't having it and Valley would crash as would crysis 3 and Bioshock. Thus in my infinite "never happy" mind I figured I'd flash the bios and get me some volts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Read the couple of threads spread between here and guru3d and techpowerup and followed it to a T. Flash said it was successful ...and then I rebooted. Ruh-roh...Computer won't boot. Tried everything...remove 1 card..remove both cards..move slots..I was freaking out over ruining my brand new , perfectly working, already maxing every game 800$ investment. Then I took a few breaths and began turning things around. Got back into windows via onboard. Windows not only didn't recognize EITHER card, but from the looks of it, a bunch of stuff in windows had gotten corrupted...I'm still scratching my head about that one, unless the constant reboots etc caused some data loss. No idea why my Sapphire was no longer recognized but alas I found it's bios (nub man here didn't back it up /facepalm) Got that one working. Then found one that would allow the Gigabyte to boot. It was rated at 1100/1500 but the screen would flicker and I'd get crashes benching and driver stops. So took a crack at the stock GHZ edition floating around and flashed it using AtiWinFlash. Bios took, reboot went fine..no more flickers...driver stops, and although I STILL do not have voltage control via slider or anything...It would appear that both cards are now stable and able to run butter smooth at 1100/1500 . Have run close to a dozen valley benchmarks to check for artifacts or crashes and thus far good to go. Fired up a couple games and good to go so far there as well.
> 
> Odd thing is, the gigabyte seems to be running a couple degrees cooler now.
> 
> Moral of the story: Be happy with what you have??? But then again it wouldn't be OCN if you didn't try to push for more.
> 
> Protip: even if you follow instructions make sure you backup everything...save yourself soooo much time and a few less holes in walls
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: that's just 1 run with radeonpro and vsync enabled. Also..while those OC's are small from the default 1k/1450 and 1k/1375 They're all I need for gaming while maintaining great temps. May do some runs with them maxed as high as I can go but definitely want to keep temps down


Have you tried deleting the OME file in afterburner then running forced volts. that worked for me for me and i have the same card as you,


----------



## majin662

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Luke133*
> 
> Have you tried deleting the OME file in afterburner then running forced volts. that worked for me for me and i have the same card as you,


no i have not ..but i certainly will try, thanks for the heads up


----------



## TMallory

Are there any up to date benchmarks for these cards in 1440p/1600p?


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Hey, I found the way to raise the minimum clock:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117633
> It works perfectly, if anyone is interested. I'll let you know if it fixes my issue.


It did. So if anyone gets flickering problems in 2d enviroment should try this.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H3avyM3tal*
> 
> Really? So 1.3v is not something to be shy about I wonder? So far my card is stable in valley and 3dmark11 (was crushing with 1.2v).


The voltage should be safe, but more volts is not necessarily always better. Tahiti is very temperature sensitive, so it's possible that you may hit a higher overclock with lower voltage if too much voltage raises the temperature too much,


----------



## Mega Man

Figured i would show you guys what my rig can do with just one card >:O i am happy only took 1 ocing attempt prolly can push it higher or lower volts ( not kidding i only tried 1 time )

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6357220

i am happy with my 58.2 asic card

what do you guys think ? anything i can improve? would love some input. i cant do it on win8 for what eevr reason best physic score i can do is 7k, but on win 7 it shines~

new to gpu ocing i am attempting to get 1300/1800 and lets just say no go
screen goes blank does that mean not a chance or is there a setting in msi AB i can change to allow more volts (amps really ) or am i just never gonna reach that?


----------



## majin662

1300/1800 is quite a bit..what volts and what are your stock speeds?


----------



## Snuckie7

I hit 1300/1800 on a run of Valley, but my card became unstable as soon as it hit 72C.

Ah if only I had watercooling.

I used 1.275V on the core and 1.65V on the memory IIRC.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majin662*
> 
> 1300/1800 is quite a bit..what volts and what are your stock speeds?


1.175/1.6 stock speeds stressed 1010/1375 ( have not tryed stock setting {bios switch pos1}) ( factory oc )


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The voltage should be safe, but more volts is not necessarily always better. Tahiti is very temperature sensitive, so it's possible that you may hit a higher overclock with lower voltage if too much voltage raises the temperature too much,


Yes, Tahiti starts having issues around 70-75C with instability, which is why @ 1.3v or 1.35v and above, waterblocks are necessary to max out your OC.

On air, I would stick with 1.25v as the limit, unless you want it to sound like a hair dryer during gaming (which is all in your personal tastes of course, perhaps you have the Pc in another room


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> Yes, Tahiti starts having issues around 70-75C with instability, which is why @ 1.3v or 1.35v and above, waterblocks are necessary to max out your OC.
> 
> On air, I would stick with 1.25v as the limit, unless you want it to sound like a hair dryer during gaming (which is all in your personal tastes of course, perhaps you have the Pc in another room


waiting till komodo 79770 are in stock however may have to wait for funds as well ( a monthish )


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> waiting till komodo 79770 are in stock however may have to wait for funds as well ( a monthish )


i want to get a komoto for my 7950 but funds is low right now.


----------



## TeeBlack

i run my 7950 at 1125/1450 @1.13v. It can clock higher but this is fine for me


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> i want to get a komoto for my 7950 but funds is low right now.


at least they are in stock


----------



## H3avyM3tal

Can the vram volts be changed in ab as well?


----------



## Matt-Matt

So, after getting water all over my 7950 and leaving it to dry for a week! It still works!








Really happy right now, haha


----------



## TomashT

Quick question guys, which drivers should I use for best 3DMark11 performance?
Latest score, BTW:
12.5K with a single 7970.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6357364
Slowly but surely I'm getting my clocks speeds up. Right now I'm up to 1296/1800.


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> at least they are in stock


and by the time i get my money together ill probably be sold out lol


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H3avyM3tal*
> 
> Can the vram volts be changed in ab as well?


yes you have to use the arrow ont he left of the power options.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> So, after getting water all over my 7950 and leaving it to dry for a week! It still works!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really happy right now, haha


sooo happy for you








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TomashT*
> 
> Quick question guys, which drivers should I use for best 3DMark11 performance?
> Latest score, BTW:
> 12.5K with a single 7970.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6357364
> Slowly but surely I'm getting my clocks speeds up. Right now I'm up to 1296/1800.


nice idk but keep up up to date !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> and by the time i get my money together ill probably be sold out lol


lol i know how you feel


----------



## H3avyM3tal

And what is considered safe for vram volts? Just got back to amd, and loving it


----------



## compalalaska

Aloha Guys!

The Sapphire Dual X's are in the box awaiting a new mobo since the MSI I ordered came DOA. But I can happily upload a GPU-Z when that happens some time this week. Can't wait to have all 5 of them running!!!

In the mean time... The 3 main 7970's


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H3avyM3tal*
> 
> And what is considered safe for vram volts? Just got back to amd, and loving it


well you can go upto 1.7v but i like to keep mine at 1.6v as my vram has reached its limits which is the point you reach where higher vram clocks hurt performance due to ECC kickin in. So chance is You prob will reach your vram clock limit before you reach the max volts aswell


----------



## glina

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> well you can go upto 1.7v but i like to keep mine at 1.6v as my vram has reached its limits which is the point you reach where higher vram clocks hurt performance due to ECC kickin in.


HD 7950/7950 do not have any memory ECC. This is a feature unique to FireGL cards.


----------



## kj1060

What are people's thoughts on Diamond Multimedia Graphics cards? I would rather get a reference 7970 from MSI, but they seem to have disappeared.


----------



## Krusher33

Yeah... how are Diamond, VisionTek, and HIS? Anyone here own one?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> What are people's thoughts on Diamond Multimedia Graphics cards? I would rather get a reference 7970 from MSI, but they seem to have disappeared.


tiger has msi in stock. a bit expensive though

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=msi+7970


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Yeah... how are Diamond, VisionTek, and HIS? Anyone here own one?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> What are people's thoughts on Diamond Multimedia Graphics cards? I would rather get a reference 7970 from MSI, but they seem to have disappeared.


All 3 are decent, just lesser known companies. Especially if you get a reference card then it doesn't matter who you buy it from since they are all the same.


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> tiger has msi in stock. a bit expensive though
> 
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/search.asp?keywords=msi+7970


I am kicking myself a little bit since they did have the reference with Crysis and Bioshock "bundle" for $430 earlier last week, but that is gone.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> All 3 are decent, just lesser known companies. Especially if you get a reference card then it doesn't matter who you buy it from since they are all the same.


I figured the product would be much the same from all three brands, but I am concerned about their customer service and RMA process. I assume it would be similar to most other brands as long as you don't abuse your cards.


----------



## KalashNK

What do you think are safe temp for VRM?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> What do you think are safe temp for VRM?


Cooler the better. On my Sapphire 950mhz Edition HD7950 at 115C on VRM 1 my card will drop 100% load to %63 then the temp drops and then the load goes up and so does heat and then it drop load and cools off. It goes back and forth.

With water cooling in gaming my VRMS are in the low 40C range and the card is super stable. I have passed 3dMArk11 on it at 1370/1800.


----------



## Mega Man

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6361491

bam 11k baby ! what do you guys think


----------



## Mega Man

ups guy needs to get here already i want my new card and i have stuff to do already


----------



## KaRLiToS

Can someone please tell me the thickness of the VRM thermal pads on the stock heatsink of a reference HD 7970?

I also need the info for the Memory too.

Thanks guys, +rep to anyone who finds it.


----------



## KalashNK

Is it a problem if I increase the core above 1100 and do not touch the memory frequencies? At the moment I'm using my 7970 at 1100/1375 @ 1175mV and I'd like to see what stable OC I can reach raising the voltage. For what I've seen tweaking the memories the first days I got the card, they are very unstable and I don't think I can increase them more than 1400/1450, and maybe it could make unstable also the previously stable core OCs.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can someone please tell me the thickness of the VRM thermal pads on the stock heatsink of a reference HD 7970?
> 
> I also need the info for the Memory too.
> 
> Thanks guys, +rep to anyone who finds it.


would use 1mm for vrms and .5mm for the mem like explained here..
http://www.xs-pc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/razor7970.pdf


----------



## AnAngryKoala

Got my MSI 7950 TF3 to 1235 on the core and 1835 on the memory. Temps only 66C on air.


----------



## KaRLiToS

There is no thermal pads for the chokes on the stock heatsink

I need the thickness for the stock heatsink.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AnAngryKoala*
> 
> Got my MSI 7950 TF3 to 1235 on the core and 1835 on the memory. Temps only 66C on air.


Thats very good XD


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> There is no thermal pads for the chokes on the stock heatsink
> 
> I need the thickness for the stock heatsink.


are you sure?
The straight line that goes upwards


It would be the same size i think. think about as a flat surface...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Can someone please tell me the thickness of the VRM thermal pads on the stock heatsink of a reference HD 7970?
> 
> I also need the info for the Memory too.
> 
> Thanks guys, +rep to anyone who finds it.
> 
> 
> 
> would use 1mm for vrms and .5mm for the chokes like explained here..
> http://www.xs-pc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/razor7970.pdf
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> There is no thermal pads for the chokes on the stock heatsink
> 
> I need the thickness for the stock heatsink.


^^This. Chokes are aircooled directly w/o any compression. Otherwise as he mentioned it's 1mm for both vrm locations and .5mm for memory. You want to use soft pads cuz the stock stuff is real thin and squishy.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^This. Chokes are aircooled directly w/o any compression. Otherwise as he mentioned it's 1mm for both vrm locations and .5mm for memory. You want to use soft pads cuz the stock stuff is real thin and squishy.


That was a miss on my end XD.. The chips/vrms that run with the chokes in a straight line..

Now...
Dont forget the loner on the top left side lol..

My heatkiller thermal pads are thinner than the stock ones....


----------



## TeeBlack

i would go for a heatkiller for my sapphire 7950 but saw a youtube video where the dude said it didnt fit his 7950 but fit his 7970. i know for a fact that the swiftech komoto will fit because my pacific card is listed in their compatibility chart. so ill just go with that to be on the safe side.


----------



## TeeBlack

i would go for a heatkiller for my sapphire 7950 but saw a youtube video where the dude said it didnt fit his 7950 but fit his 7970. i know for a fact that the swiftech komoto will fit because my pacific card is listed in their compatibility chart. so ill just go with that to be on the safe side.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> i would go for a heatkiller for my sapphire 7950 but saw a youtube video where the dude said it didnt fit his 7950 but fit his 7970. i know for a fact that the swiftech komoto will fit because my pacific card is listed in their compatibility chart. so ill just go with that to be on the safe side.


I have the heatkiller on my 7950 which is a 7970 pcb...
But reading the bunch of users with different revisions i dont know...


----------



## KaRLiToS

Don't worry I won't forget anything, not my first watercooled card , lol

I repped you guys.

I knew that the memory was 0.5mm but I wasn't sure about the VRM

(I put 1.5mm because I had no answer but don't tell anyone, it will do the job)


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Don't worry I won't forget anything, not my first watercooled card , lol
> 
> I repped you guys.
> 
> I knew that the memory was 0.5mm but I wasn't sure about the VRM
> 
> (I put 1.5mm because I had no answer but don't tell anyone, it will do the job)


May i ask whats the deal with you and the change of multiple videocards?? lol


----------



## neurotix

Joining this club, added my info to the spreadsheet.


----------



## majin662

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> Is it a problem if I increase the core above 1100 and do not touch the memory frequencies? At the moment I'm using my 7970 at 1100/1375 @ 1175mV and I'd like to see what stable OC I can reach raising the voltage. For what I've seen tweaking the memories the first days I got the card, they are very unstable and I don't think I can increase them more than 1400/1450, and maybe it could make unstable also the previously stable core OCs.


It all depends on what you want to do really. For crysis 3 I have both cards at only 1k/1.4k and still pull consistently 70-80+ real smooth everything on very high. I am happy with that..you just need to ask yourself what you plan on doing and then test accordingly.

I will say as with most cards across both camps memory over clocks are good to a point and then begin to diminish rapidly especially when the memory starts getting hot. At least on air


----------



## Mega Man

update

( i can push this gpu a little higher) my 1st gpu ( single ) 11001 ( this one clocks to 1235/1875 )
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6361491
second GPU ( single ) 11118 ( this one clocks to 1255/1835 )
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6363400
( the site deleted my single gpu best physics but if you want tomorrow i can rerun it, mine was higher though )
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6363402 11118 physics of ~9224
Double GPU high score 14125 physics of 9179 ( these clock to 1235/1835 )
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6362939
double gpu highest physics 14116 physics of 9225
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6363569

what do you think of my scores i am pretty happy with my gpus i think they oc pretty darn well !~


----------



## Snuckie7

Are those clocks just stable enough for the bench, or have you stress tested them?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Are those clocks just stable enough for the bench, or have you stress tested them?


o no that is just for benching. i can prolly get this stable after i finish adding my rads ( spend way too much monies recently gonna recoup before i do anything else. ) and also waiting on a pedestal to be custom built

Talking about CPU

gpus i d k yet have only had time to test them in 3dmark. they are stable there. however these are also going into komodo blocks although i will verify this is 100% stable i will still prolly only run them @~ 1200/1700

in 3d mark never saw them go above 53 ( vrms or vcore ) however i will say i just ramped the fan to 100% sounded like awesomesauce

in heaven i am definitely throttling but seems stable . only time will tell after i get then under water


----------



## sugarhell

So for all the eyefinity users

Finally mst hub









http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/club3d_mst_hub_display_port_review,1.html


----------



## kcuestag

Got 2x reference HD7970 cards, one is Sapphire, the other is VTX3D, both have the same BIOS which allows up to 1.3v, how safe is putting 1.3v through this cards? It's what I need for 1240MHz Core, and I'm wondering if this is safe.

Max Core temperature is around 75ºC and VRM's about 65-70ºC too (All on stock cooler), but I will put full cover waterblocks on both (Heatkiller waterblocks) tomorrow!


----------



## Nemessss

http://wccftech.com/amd-radeon-hd-7990-malta-gpus-spotted-2way-crossfirex-action/
http://videocardz.com/40838/amd-radeon-hd-7990-crossfire-setup-pictured


----------



## Krusher33

I just now noticed that the mounting holes on 7900's are different than previous versions. I had planned on using my MCW82 waterblock that was on my 6970. I noticed that there are special 7900 versions. I'm wondering if this is only true on reference versions or are the non-reference different?


----------



## msgclb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I just now noticed that the mounting holes on 7900's are different than previous versions. I had planned on using my MCW82 waterblock that was on my 6970. I noticed that there are special 7900 versions. I'm wondering if this is only true on reference versions or are the non-reference different?


In my research for an alternative to a full cover block if one won't fit my soon to arrive 7970 I found these links.

*MCW82 Universal GPU waterblock*

*Mounting Kit for MCW60/80/82 to Radeon HD7900 series (HD7970, HD7950)*

After you look the first link select 7900 for your model and then you can read why you hopefully only need the mounting kit in the second link.

Your next problem will be to find one!


----------



## Krusher33

Let me rephrase my question: Do all reference and non-reference boards have the same mounting dimensions or are there some non-reference boards that still have the old 53.2mm mounting holes?

If I have to pay $40 to get an adapter kit, I may as well sell my block and upgrade it or something. I'd buy the kit at $20 but not $40. That seems a bit steep. Makes my block's cost at $100 ($60 for block, $40 for kit). That's pretty much the cost of the cheapest full cover block.


----------



## KuuFA

Quick question guys!

Is this a reference PCB? As far as i can tell it looks like it is.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

no..

7950 reference 7970 pcb example look to the right where vrms and chokes are straight line..


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KuuFA*
> 
> Quick question guys!
> 
> Is this a reference PCB? As far as i can tell it looks like it is.


Yes Ref 7950 PCB


----------



## zGunBLADEz

7950 ref yes, cannot use 7970 ref blocks on it


----------



## Hokies83

You got 3 choices

Alphacool V2

Ek

And Swiftech komodo.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *majin662*
> 
> It all depends on what you want to do really. For crysis 3 I have both cards at only 1k/1.4k and still pull consistently 70-80+ real smooth everything on very high. I am happy with that..you just need to ask yourself what you plan on doing and then test accordingly.
> 
> I will say as with most cards across both camps memory over clocks are good to a point and then begin to diminish rapidly especially when the memory starts getting hot. At least on air


I just don't want to bottleneck anything. I'm not really interested in super high overclock, I would like to know if increasing the core and not the memory could be a problem or useless (bottleneck).


----------



## KuuFA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> no..
> 
> 
> Spoiler: snip!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 7950 reference 7970 pcb example look to the right where vrms and chokes are straight line..


Thanks! forgot to say 7950!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yes Ref 7950 PCB
> 
> 
> Spoiler: snip!


Thanks Hokies shouldve just asked this in the Delidded club lol.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> 7950 ref yes, cannot use 7970 ref blocks on it


Thanks for the Clarification!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> You got 3 choices
> 
> Alphacool V2
> 
> Ek
> 
> And Swiftech komodo.


Which one out of the three? I am guessing the alphacool?

+rep to the both of you thanks guys


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> I just don't want to bottleneck anything. I'm not really interested in super high overclock, I would like to know if increasing the core and not the memory could be a problem or useless (bottleneck).


Overclocking the mem too much is not always beneficial there is always a sweet spot.. I would say 1600..
mem auto error correction can kick in and even if it shows it is stable you are actually loosing performance

You can try and see when you stop getting gains....

Core on tahiti is the most beneficial of both.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KuuFA*
> 
> Thanks! forgot to say 7950!
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> Thanks Hokies shouldve just asked this in the Delidded club lol.
> Thanks for the Clarification!
> Which one out of the three? I am guessing the alphacool?
> 
> +rep to the both of you thanks guys


Go with the one u like the looks of.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KuuFA*
> 
> Thanks! forgot to say 7950!
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> Thanks Hokies shouldve just asked this in the Delidded club lol.
> Thanks for the Clarification!
> Which one out of the three? I am guessing the alphacool?
> 
> +rep to the both of you thanks guys


IF it was me alphacool it is...


----------



## TeeBlack

I say komoto.


----------



## Hokies83

Hmm that would be my last choice of the 3.. Over priced and does not perform as well as the other 2...

However it does offer an SLI bridge Option for the 7950.


----------



## FrozenWaltDisny

Just posting in,

I got dual ASUS 7970s 3GBS DCUII s


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KuuFA*
> 
> Thanks! forgot to say 7950!
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> Thanks Hokies shouldve just asked this in the Delidded club lol.
> Thanks for the Clarification!
> Which one out of the three? I am guessing the alphacool?
> 
> +rep to the both of you thanks guys


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Go with the one u like the looks of.


+1 but only if you like the komodo( +1 to komodo too )









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> I say komoto.


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Got 2x reference HD7970 cards, one is Sapphire, the other is VTX3D, both have the same BIOS which allows up to 1.3v, how safe is putting 1.3v through this cards? It's what I need for 1240MHz Core, and I'm wondering if this is safe.
> 
> Max Core temperature is around 75ºC and VRM's about 65-70ºC too (All on stock cooler), but I will put full cover waterblocks on both (Heatkiller waterblocks) tomorrow!


Seems like if you can do it through TriXX, it should be safe? Or is that bad logic..


----------



## kj1060

All the 7970/50 blocks perform within a few degrees of each other. So unless you are planning on running crossfire the differences in performance will be negligible. Really it all comes down to preference of the looks of the block. The extra cost of the Komodo is the back plate that is included. If you want plexi then EK is probably the way to go. Why is Heatkiller not being considered?


----------



## KaRLiToS

They all affect the flow differently though.

*[Bundymania User Review] 6 Fullcover Waterblocks for AMD HD7970 - Roundup*


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> All the 7970/50 blocks perform within a few degrees of each other. So unless you are planning on running crossfire the differences in performance will be negligible. Really it all comes down to preference of the looks of the block. The extra cost of the Komodo is the back plate that is included. If you want plexi then EK is probably the way to go. Why is Heatkiller not being considered?


because heatkiller dont work. It needs to be 7970 pcb reference design..

Heatkiller is the best block out there tho..


----------



## igrease

Okay guys, I am contemplating on whether or not I want to buy another 7950. Last year around March I had bought a Sapphire 7950 for $470 and was extremely disappointed with the results. In the end I ended up sending it back. Battlefield 3 on ultra chugged along between 35-50 fps and BfBc2 at max settings topped at 53 fps. My 560 ti actually out performed the 7950 in BfBc2 and in BF3 my 560 ti matched the the 7950. At the time the 7950 was OC'd around 1100/1400, I can't remember exactly. All of this was played at 1080p and with a 4.0Ghz i5 2500k. Now that the 7950 is around $280~$320 is it worth it to buy one again? Have the drivers really improved since last year? If so, I would appreciate it if you could give me some examples.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *igrease*
> 
> Okay guys, I am contemplating on whether or not I want to buy another 7950. Last year around March I had bought a Sapphire 7950 for $470 and was extremely disappointed with the results. In the end I ended up sending it back. Battlefield 3 on ultra chugged along between 35-50 fps and BfBc2 at max settings topped at 53 fps. My 560 ti actually out performed the 7950 in BfBc2 and in BF3 my 560 ti matched the the 7950. At the time the 7950 was OC'd around 1100/1400, I can't remember exactly. All of this was played at 1080p and with a 4.0Ghz i5 2500k. Now that the 7950 is around $280~$320 is it worth it to buy one again? Have the drivers really improved since last year? If so, I would appreciate it if you could give me some examples.


my minimum in bf3 mp never goes down 50 with the 7950 at stock. my chip is oc'ed to 4.5 GHz, though, HT off. 1080 Ultra and 4MSAA. i am using 13.2 beta 6.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Seems like if you can do it through TriXX, it should be safe? Or is that bad logic..


1.3 is fine as long as you dont throttle as for mem 1.7v is fine
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> All the 7970/50 blocks perform within a few degrees of each other. So unless you are planning on running crossfire the differences in performance will be negligible. Really it all comes down to preference of the looks of the block. The extra cost of the Komodo is the back plate that is included. If you want plexi then EK is probably the way to go. Why is Heatkiller not being considered?


also disagree you get alot more here imo @ komodo you also get a single slot bracket which is nice.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> They all affect the flow differently though.
> 
> *[Bundymania User Review] 6 Fullcover Waterblocks for AMD HD7970 - Roundup*


great point !~ only thing is i dont trust most reviews as it is all subjective ( another personal opinion of mine.){how many times did they re apply to make sure they use the correct amount of tim, what kinds of tim. did they do the same thing on all blocks. how many tests did they run, what equipment was used in tests. is there any proof ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> because heatkiller dont work. It needs to be 7970 pcb reference design..
> 
> Heatkiller is the best block out there tho..


i will kindly disagree. (Heat killer being the best } this is opinions. i prefer the swiftech for many reasons. 1 Customer service from swiftech is best in class. 2 all the accessories i want are there Single slot bracket and backplate, and the looks look so much better then just about any other block (AC titans new block looks great as well) 3 from other people that i know have told me you cant do better temp wise with most blocks. again temps are more subjective then anything.
all three of these are my opinions you should choose a block that you like the look of, the brand and that makes you feel comfortable.

side note. at least your 7950 block is easily attained ( speaking about the komodo) still waiting for 7970s to get back in stock.


----------



## TeeBlack

yeah seems to be an issue with heatkiller on the reference 7950 pcb. there is a youtube video of a guy who had a 7970 and 7950 using the 79X0 and only fit his 7970 and not the 7950. i was also considering heatkiller but the komoto has my exact model in their compatibility chart so im gonna go with that. Just my 2cents others may think differently though.


----------



## TMallory

Where can I find a quiet 7970 with good cooling? Seems like the only in stock option is the Gigabyte models. The IceQ is sold out and the Lightning is long gone


----------



## p2mob

I just purchased my XFX 7950 Double D edition, and this thing is the loudest most annoying thing ever.
With fan speed set above 40% it sounds as the 2nd fan over the PCB is rubbing off the heatsink...
.and it gets louder and more noticeable the higher we go with the fan speed.

Although the performance is pretty good. I currently have it OC'ed to 1100mhz/1350mhz on stock cooling and I get 29c idle @ 25% fan speed. and 60c max full load @ 65% fan speed.
My ASIC is 60.7%.

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/hpqyu/

Has anyone here who owns this card experienced anything like I described above with the weird noise coming from the fan? I wonder whether I should RMA it or just replace the cooling with an aftermarket one. Possible water block/cooling.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> I just purchased my XFX 7950 Double D edition, and this thing is the loudest most annoying thing ever.
> With fan speed set above 40% it sounds as the 2nd fan over the PCB is rubbing off the heatsink...
> .and it gets louder and more noticeable the higher we go with the fan speed.
> 
> Although the performance is pretty good. I currently have it OC'ed to 1100mhz/1350mhz on stock cooling and I get 29c idle @ 25% fan speed. and 60c max full load @ 65% fan speed.
> My ASIC is 60.7%.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/hpqyu/
> 
> Has anyone here who owns this card experienced anything like I described above with the weird noise coming from the fan? I wonder whether I should RMA it or just replace the cooling with an aftermarket one. Possible water block/cooling.


Honestly I'd skip worrying about RMA'ing it as the card still works so technically it's to spec and as far as they're concerned they don't need to replace it.

I'd go with an aftermarket solution that will most likely cool better too, you need to make sure it's a reference card though. Be aware the actual 7950 reference cards will not work with some of the "Fits with AMD 7970, 7950" because most things are made with the 7970 in mind and the 7950 design was changed at the last minute. (PITA)


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Honestly I'd skip worrying about RMA'ing it as the card still works so technically it's to spec and as far as they're concerned they don't need to replace it.
> 
> I'd go with an aftermarket solution that will most likely cool better too, you need to make sure it's a reference card though. Be aware the actual 7950 reference cards will not work with some of the "Fits with AMD 7970, 7950" because most things are made with the 7970 in mind and the 7950 design was changed at the last minute. (PITA)


you can either order one of these http://www.overclock.net/t/1237219/tript-cc-620-920-h50-h70-gpu-brackets-fan-grills-custom-case-badges/3600_100#post_19718128 or you can just do what they do and add a HS and fan to keep the vrms cool


----------



## porkovich

I have found my max stabble overclock on my Sapphire 7950 Boost card. On stock (1.25v taget - 1.205v load) it's 1150 Core , 1450 Memory. Now i am not sure, but Trixx can let me max the voltage up to 1.3v , which considering the vdrop will likelly result in 1.25v load volatage. How safe is that ? I am new to the 79xx series of cards and am not sure if that 1.3v is a safe maximum ( if i can keep the card cool , for sure ) ?

I am not sure if the card will get to 1200 core even with 1.3v (target) but i am willing to try, but first need some advice if that much voltage is fine for the 7950 ? What can you say ?


----------



## c20h25n3o

I'm waiting for my VTX3D 7970 X-Edition (FINALLY!!!!!!) and I'm reading up on everything now.

Which BIOS is the best for this card?


----------



## Falcy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> I am not sure if the card will get to 1200 core even with 1.3v (target) but i am willing to try, but first need some advice if that much voltage is fine for the 7950 ? What can you say ?


If the temperatures are within a safe range, i see no problem setting it to 1.3v.

I had my 7950 Vapor-X set at 1.3v and could reach 1250 on the core.

But i will not recommend you running it at 1.3v, 24/7. To do that i think watercooling is something you want.
What temperatures do you have at the moment?


----------



## porkovich

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Falcy*
> 
> What temperatures do you have at the moment?


Idel the card is @ 25-28 C , overclocked to 1150 , max temps i saw with Fan on Auto , were around 68-71 , that means the card runs the fans at around 55 - 60 % . I have tested with 1.275v , and the temps were still around there , max 71 C.

I tested those temps with several games, Heaven Bench, and Kombustor.


----------



## Falcy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Idel the card is @ 25-28 C , overclocked to 1150 , max temps i saw with Fan on Auto , were around 68-71 , that means the card runs the fans at around 55 - 60 % . I have tested with 1.275v , and the temps were still around there , max 71 C.
> 
> I tested those temps with several games, Heaven Bench, and Kombustor.


Sounds ok. Just go, like you said yourself, setting it to 1.3v wont actually give the card 1.3v. And with max temp 71° i see no problem trying to max it. For a couple of benchmark runs and "score hunting" it should be all safe.


----------



## Phenomanator53

hey guys, im going to be buying a 7950 sometime soon, but don't know which one to buy; Dual-X,Vapor-X, Windforce, TF3. etc.. can someone help me decide?


----------



## devilhead

Hi, anyone have powercolor 7950 boost state? like i see it is crapy card







) ASIC is 56.8







max overclock is 1200/1425 ,max memory clock is realy bad...
I have CF XFX DD black + PCS boost state, the XFX ASIC is 68.5, and i can overclock 1200/1600 and more... i think is time to find another 7950 for my xfx to crossfire :/


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> I have found my max stabble overclock on my Sapphire 7950 Boost card. On stock (1.25v taget - 1.205v load) it's 1150 Core , 1450 Memory. Now i am not sure, but Trixx can let me max the voltage up to 1.3v , which considering the vdrop will likelly result in 1.25v load volatage. How safe is that ? I am new to the 79xx series of cards and am not sure if that 1.3v is a safe maximum ( if i can keep the card cool , for sure ) ?
> 
> I am not sure if the card will get to 1200 core even with 1.3v (target) but i am willing to try, but first need some advice if that much voltage is fine for the 7950 ? What can you say ?


1.3/1.7 are safe volts for core/mem keeping them cool is the hard part.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> I'm waiting for my VTX3D 7970 X-Edition (FINALLY!!!!!!) and I'm reading up on everything now.
> 
> Which BIOS is the best for this card?


sorry i dont know about bios, but congrats on the card i know ou will love it!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Idel the card is @ 25-28 C , overclocked to 1150 , max temps i saw with Fan on Auto , were around 68-71 , that means the card runs the fans at around 55 - 60 % . I have tested with 1.275v , and the temps were still around there , max 71 C.
> 
> I tested those temps with several games, Heaven Bench, and Kombustor.


dont forget to check the vrms
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phenomanator53*
> 
> hey guys, im going to be buying a 7950 sometime soon, but don't know which one to buy; Dual-X,Vapor-X, Windforce, TF3. etc.. can someone help me decide?


dont forget to look in to warranty based on the choices you have posted i assume your not going with any form of water cooling. they are all good make sure you like it and like the price, i have heard negative things about double ds saying they are very loud
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Hi, anyone have powercolor 7950 boost state? like i see it is crapy card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) ASIC is 56.8
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> max overclock is 1200/1425 ,max memory clock is realy bad...
> I have CF XFX DD black + PCS boost state, the XFX ASIC is 68.5, and i can overclock 1200/1600 and more... i think is time to find another 7950 for my xfx to crossfire :/


i have an asic of 58.2% and it will oc to 1235/1875 no problem asic really does not mean much in real world. although i am sorry you got a lemon ( for ocing but at least it runs at stock ) GL with your next card !~


----------



## EliteReplay

i have XFX 7959 black edition card and i can barely hear the card... they are loud when gaming buts that normal... most of the time u have a headset.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> i have XFX 7959 black edition card and i can barely hear the card... they are loud when gaming buts that normal... most of the time u have a headset.


the hair dryers on the reference cards i understand ( but who really ocs these on air ) but @ stock i just barely hear them, personally i expect my pc to make noise. my vrm fan is much louder but that is just a loud fan (3000rpm but moves a ton of air at a fairly good pressure) i never hear my gpus unless i have them oced. which i currently only use them on stock for gaming, oced is just for benchies.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Is there a waterblock I can use for the Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 Ghz ?


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Better question; is there any 6GB Ghz ed. that use a reference PCB?


----------



## Hokies83

Well i can Confirm the Alphacool back plates that use thermal pads work...

Backplates are so hot gotta remove my hand after about 10sec.





But then again my Gpus have all 3 been running at 99% for 10 days LoL.


----------



## d1nky

any good with an FX4100??


----------



## porkovich

OK i put two 12 cm fans to blow under the card , for more cool air and put the max voltage of 1.3v , resulting in something around 1.25 real. Now the card cannot go further than 1200 on core. I found that the max i can get is 1200 @ 1.28v . Temps were around 59/60 core and 63 VRMs , according toe GPU-Z. Strange thing is that 3D mark 2011 gives me 10200 graphic score with 1150 on core and 10400 with 1200, where i am a little confused, refering to other post here in the forum where with 1220 you get around 11200 ( like in the post above mine) ........ ?! have no idea why is that .... but as far as the card will go, this is it.

Sapphire 7950 Boost (dual X Cooler)


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well i can Confirm the Alphacool back plates that use thermal pads work...
> 
> Backplates are so hot gotta remove my hand after about 10sec.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But then again my Gpus have all 3 been running at 99% for 10 days LoL.


These work on Vapor Xs? Awesome! Thanks







I'm assuming you have to put the thermal pads in place, correct?


----------



## Hokies83

Of course i did.

Anywho seems i did not have enough flow for Tri fire parallel so i switched back to series... 2 MCP 35X at 100% one card was 10 c hotter then the other 2 and Vrms were 100c...







" as if Vrm area was getting almost no flow "


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Thanks again. Also I was able to find these pics once I had the time to really look and it seems theres not much difference between the vapor X and Ref PCB.


Spoiler: Reference Card









Spoiler: Vapor X


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> Thanks again. Also I was able to find these pics once I had the time to really look and it seems theres not much difference between the vapor X and Ref PCB.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Reference Card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Vapor X


LoL oh i was talking about my Cards.

The Vapor X does not look like a Water block will fit with the heatsinks on those Vrms. a Uni Block would tho.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

oh







lol. i was wondering about the VRM clearance ...and those two caps toward the I/O panel oh well. The uniblock ones only cover the core right? I guess that little heatsink the the VRM will just have to make do


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> 
> 
> any good with an FX4100??


You could compare with this list:

http://pcpartpicker.com/benchmarks/3dmark11/overall-performance/overall-list/


----------



## Hokies83

What is the Max on the Vrm?

I got a Hot card this is the last in the loop... But temps are still alot hotter then they should be.... I switch from parallel to serial hoping flow was the issue.. seems it was not...

Guess it needs a re seat.

For ref the other 2 cards are running at 38c and 44c ... and 75c on Vrm


----------



## Jetlitheone

Love this card. Such great performance


----------



## azrael36

I have been trying to read through this thread and figure some things out, but at 2354 pages it is quite an undertaking. I am wondering if it is at all possible to use different BIOS from other manufacturers on one's card. For instance, I have an MSI TF III 7950 Boost edition, could I use say a Sapphire or ASUS BIOS to try and get better performance out of my card? I am really new to messing with video cards like this. I seem to have a low ASIC on my card. GPU-Z say's it is 59.4% I don't think that is very good is it? Won't it effect my cards performance adversely?


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azrael36*
> 
> I have been trying to read through this thread and figure some things out, but at 2354 pages it is quite an undertaking. I am wondering if it is at all possible to use different BIOS from other manufacturers on one's card. For instance, I have an MSI TF III 7950 Boost edition, could I use say a Sapphire or ASUS BIOS to try and get better performance out of my card? I am really new to messing with video cards like this. I seem to have a low ASIC on my card. GPU-Z say's it is 59.4% I don't think that is very good is it? Won't it effect my cards performance adversely?


No it won't affect it I have a 54% and I run 1150mhz and 1450ram stable at 1.25

Changing the bios won't change performance whatsoever


----------



## TeeBlack

My ASIC is 70.4% but im only running 1125/1450 @ 1.13v right now.


----------



## azrael36

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jetlitheone*
> 
> No it won't affect it I have a 54% and I run 1150mhz and 1450ram stable at 1.25
> 
> Changing the bios won't change performance whatsoever


OK thanks







I can run it at 1200 core and 1400 memory during all games and benchmarks and suffer no artifacts or degradation. was just wondering if I could get a little more out of it performance wise.


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azrael36*
> 
> OK thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can run it at 1200 core and 1400 memory during all games and benchmarks and suffer no artifacts or degradation. was just wondering if I could get a little more out of it performance wise.


I can as well, but you have to realize after about an hour or so of gaming especially in like Crysis 3 of in a big BF3 game the card will start to get hotter and will crash, so make sure you can run that at 100% or you'll be annoyed after long sessions and the game crashing haha.







Keep an eye on what happens, temps arent the only thing that causes issues.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azrael36*
> 
> I have been trying to read through this thread and figure some things out, but at 2354 pages it is quite an undertaking. I am wondering if it is at all possible to use different BIOS from other manufacturers on one's card. For instance, I have an MSI TF III 7950 Boost edition, could I use say a Sapphire or ASUS BIOS to try and get better performance out of my card? I am really new to messing with video cards like this. I seem to have a low ASIC on my card. GPU-Z say's it is 59.4% I don't think that is very good is it? Won't it effect my cards performance adversely?


a ways back someone here said that Boost State cards do not show the correct ASIC. They show lower then they really are. I wish I could remember more but I can't.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> My ASIC is 70.4% but im only running 1125/1450 @ 1.13v right now.


It's good. I can't go past 1050 @ 1.13V if I want to play BF3 without problems. To have a stable OC at 1125 I need to raise the voltage to 1.2V (1.189 in GPU-Z), or something above 1.175V (I've stepped from 1.175 to 1.2 directly) . Asic is 70.5%.


----------



## Hokies83

My best asic card is 77% and it is the Hottest / worst clocker... Other 2 are 55% and 63% and they pwn it.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> Better question; is there any 6GB Ghz ed. that use a reference PCB?


there is no 6gb edition that can do a full block, however there is only the 1 card that has 6gb that i know of. no one else makes it that i know
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well i can Confirm the Alphacool back plates that use thermal pads work...
> 
> Backplates are so hot gotta remove my hand after about 10sec.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But then again my Gpus have all 3 been running at 99% for 10 days LoL.


the new A.C. cards for the titan now have an active cooled backplate. i like this idea and hope it moves through all the venders.( mainly swiftech )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *azrael36*
> 
> I have been trying to read through this thread and figure some things out, but at 2354 pages it is quite an undertaking. I am wondering if it is at all possible to use different BIOS from other manufacturers on one's card. For instance, I have an MSI TF III 7950 Boost edition, could I use say a Sapphire or ASUS BIOS to try and get better performance out of my card? I am really new to messing with video cards like this. I seem to have a low ASIC on my card. GPU-Z say's it is 59.4% I don't think that is very good is it? Won't it effect my cards performance adversely?


yea you can but you have to test which one works. if you have unlocked volts i personally would leave it alone. i dont believe in asic numbers personally i have a card that is 58.2% and i can get 1235/1875 no problem. ( dont run 24/7 until i get my water block and more rads for gpus )


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What is the Max on the Vrm?
> 
> I got a Hot card this is the last in the loop... But temps are still alot hotter then they should be.... I switch from parallel to serial hoping flow was the issue.. seems it was not...
> 
> Guess it needs a re seat.
> 
> For ref the other 2 cards are running at 38c and 44c ... and 75c on Vrm


i am not sure of thge max VRM temp but i hear people recomened to try and keep the VRM temps under 90*C


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> It's good. I can't go past 1050 @ 1.13V if I want to play BF3 without problems. To have a stable OC at 1125 I need to raise the voltage to 1.2V (1.189 in GPU-Z), or something above 1.175V (I've stepped from 1.175 to 1.2 directly) . Asic is 70.5%.


Do you have a boost card? Mine came set at at 1.25v stock. i just lowered the voltage in afterburner.


----------



## sugarhell

Hokies your memory voltage is a bit high. And 100C for watercool cards. Maybe you need a reseat

On my 7970's is around 50-60 with ek blocks


----------



## Hokies83

Even the other 2 cards which have great core temps do not have very good Vrm temps.. 1 the gpu block cooling in that area sucks or 2 the thermal pads that came with the blocks suck.. I ordered a back plate + some 7w/mk thermal pads see what happens.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Even the other 2 cards which have great core temps do not have very good Vrm temps.. 1 the gpu block cooling in that area sucks or 2 the thermal pads that came with the blocks suck.. I ordered a back plate + some 7w/mk thermal pads see what happens.


Wait you use alphacool? They have active vrm cooling?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Wait you use alphacool? They have active vrm cooling?


Yes the V2 does.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yes the V2 does.


Hmm change the thermal pads. Maybe they just sucks









Still 1.7 volt is way too much for the memory.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Even the other 2 cards which have great core temps do not have very good Vrm temps.. 1 the gpu block cooling in that area sucks or 2 the thermal pads that came with the blocks suck.. I ordered a back plate + some 7w/mk thermal pads see what happens.


also i have seen the pads not make contact with the vrms ( not thick enough ) or

you may have the non reference style-reference board and idk if your block takes into account the added height of the capacitor that is slightly taller


----------



## Nightz2k

No hate on Nvidia as I've had plenty of both brands, but so glad I didn't opt for 660 Ti's in SLI, just didn't seem worth it for the price/performance. The 7950's I purchased were actually cheaper than them _(got'em on Newegg sale)_ for the 3GB offerings.

Oddly enough, I've had little to no issues with Crossfire. _(That or I don't notice)_ Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite run great!


----------



## mltms

i have take frametime bench for bf3 7950 cat 13.3
who do we read it ? is it good performance


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mltms*
> 
> i have take frametime bench for bf3 7950 cat 13.3
> who do we read it ? is it good performance


Well, way less spikes than mine.


----------



## Sasasd

7950 with 13.3 beta 2.


----------



## KalashNK

I think I'll RMA my card. The problem with the occasional screen flickering when in 2d and changing frequency is not actually solved with the increase of core/memory frequency and I don't know if it's a driver problem or it's common because I don't find a lot of info. :\


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> 
> 
> 7950 with 13.3 beta 2.


Wow beta 2 seems much better.or is it me?


----------



## Sasasd

It might be vsync why I have more stable frametimes?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KalashNK*
> 
> I think I'll RMA my card. The problem with the occasional screen flickering when in 2d and changing frequency is not actually solved with the increase of core/memory frequency and I don't know if it's a driver problem or it's common because I don't find a lot of info. :\


. Maybe I misunderstood the statement but for 2d your clocks should be low. 2D core clock should be stable at 300MHz and the memory is usually about 150Mb. Try default settings and see if the card down clocks itself to 2d clocks and make a note of the voltages as well.


----------



## kzone75

It's a beauty.


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> . Maybe I misunderstood the statement but for 2d your clocks should be low. 2D core clock should be stable at 300MHz and the memory is usually about 150Mb. Try default settings and see if the card down clocks itself to 2d clocks and make a note of the voltages as well.


Yes I know. I increased them because of that flickering problem, but it didn't work so I resetted them.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> It's a beauty.


nice !~


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What is the Max on the Vrm?


Nothing right now lol, My desktop died a couple month back and I'm trying to plan out my next build. I really want to water-cool everything but I'm trying to find a good card that I can get a full block for and throw anything at it at max settings and run smoothly. I was thinking CF 7970 Ghz (maybe 6GB versions) but there may be an issue finding waterblocks. But from what I've read I can buy any 7970, flash it with a Ghz ed. BIOS and go from there. And although having 2 X 6GB would be nice, it's not _really_ a necessity. I'm only planning to run 4 screens @ 1920X1080 so I should be ok......right?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> Nothing right now lol, My desktop died a couple month back and I'm trying to plan out my next build. I really want to water-cool everything but I'm trying to find a good card that I can get a full block for and throw anything at it at max settings and run smoothly. I was thinking CF 7970 Ghz (maybe 6GB versions) but there may be an issue finding waterblocks. But from what I've read I can buy any 7970, flash it with a Ghz ed. BIOS and go from there. And although having 2 X 6GB would be nice, it's not _really_ a necessity. I'm only plan to run 4 screens @ 1920X1080 so I should be ok......right?


ghz editions are better binned to my understanding

so flashing bios may or may not work depends if your chip can handle i the oc, you could just OC them unless i am wrong in which case people will tell me lol


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Swiftech Komodo Radeon 7970 Full cover block+ backplate $120 Sold to MegaMan


Damn you... I was trying to save up for that!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Damn you... I was trying to save up for that!


damn you his internet lagged and i didnt get the card too i was going for tri fire after he sent me the notice there was another user i sent it imeadiately just talked to swiftech on the phone thye will have another shipement in 3-4 weeks i found a site that has them in stock but $5 over priced and shipping is 20 !%$


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ghz editions are better binned to my understanding
> 
> so flashing bios may or may not work depends if your chip can handle i the oc, you could just OC them unless i am wrong in which case people will tell me lol


You cant bin chips. Oc is just luck of the silicon nothing else.

Its not worth it to flash with the ghz edition. Maybe you have high asic card with low stock voltage so your card cant handle the ghz edition clocks. Its always better to oc by yourself.


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Damn you... I was trying to save up for that!
> 
> 
> 
> damn you his internet lagged and i didnt get the card too i was going for tri fire after he sent me the notice there was another user i sent it imeadiately just talked to swiftech on the phone thye will have another shipement in 3-4 weeks i found a site that has them in stock but $5 over priced and shipping is 20 !%$
Click to expand...











Heck of a deal though. I'm just a bit short of it in fundings.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heck of a deal though. I'm just a bit short of it in fundings.


yea soam i ...


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i am not sure of thge max VRM temp but i hear people recomened to try and keep the VRM temps under 90*C


His 7950's surely are hot specially knowing how much rad he have...


----------



## mwl5apv

Hey guys , I am planning on getting an msi 7950 as soon as my bonus at work gets direct deposited. I have a question.

Right now I and running a single 1080p monitor, i know I won't have any issues with this. But in the future i do plan on getting a second monitor four multi tasking(web browsing, monitoring, etc) will having that second monitor and using it to multi task while gaming impact performance? I've tried searching and found mixed results. I will want the second monitor to also be 1080p but it might also be a different resolution than my main. How will that impact things?

All responses are appreciated.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mwl5apv*
> 
> Hey guys , I am planning on getting an msi 7950 as soon as my bonus at work gets direct deposited. I have a question.
> 
> Right now I and running a single 1080p monitor, i know I won't have any issues with this. But in the future i do plan on getting a second monitor four multi tasking(web browsing, monitoring, etc) will having that second monitor and using it to multi task while gaming impact performance? I've tried searching and found mixed results. I will want the second monitor to also be 1080p but it might also be a different resolution than my main. How will that impact things?
> 
> All responses are appreciated.


not at all any basic card can do this . as long are you are not talking eyefinity ( one monitor will downgrade to lowest setting. )
and then using eyefinity for gaming
i have not noticed any while i use my other monitors


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You cant bin chips. Oc is just luck of the silicon nothing else.


^ Seriously people need to realize that its luck of the draw with chips, nothing more. Been quite a few post on the forums latley with people claiming certain companies bin their chips.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *40.oz to freedom*
> 
> ^ Seriously people need to realize that its luck of the draw with chips, nothing more. Been quite a few post on the forums latley with people claiming certain companies bin their chips.


ok then i have questions.

what is the difference between the AVERAGE 8320 and 8350? why were some phenoms marked down to x4 instead of x6, x3 instead of x4, ect. unless you can tell me they dont with a reasonable explanation i simply can not believe it how does some ram chips make it to ddr2 2666 and others only to 1333, do you really think it is just a process of making it or is there a sorting going on ? i am not talking about Ocing i am talking about stock.

maybe binning is not the correct term but i would be willing to bet they can test chips and sort them via different methods heat, power usage, capable speeds depending on what kind of chip we are talking about.

please take every instance of "bin" out of that post and put "sorting" if that makes you happy you dont make a product and just because it wont perform at the best level of performance ( assuming you cant just scrap it and start over with little or no loss like you can with metals {remelt and repour} ) there is no profit in going "gee this 8350 only has 3 functioning modules *tosses into trash*" no they will take that 8350 and turn it into a 6300 because look i just still made some profit...


----------



## sugarhell

Do you actually compare cpu with gpu?

We speak about the same gou chip and you speak about different cpus.I dont get your point.

8350 and 8320 is the same cpu. Just the 8320 cant pass the tdp test for the stock clocks and volts for amd.I have seen several 8320 to oc more than 8350.

Still you cant bin gpu chips. Let me explain you. So sapphire for example put the chip on the pcb then oc the card and if the card pass the 1200 is good?

Each card must pass tdp and stability tests. Nothing else.

Now if you talk about asic quality yeah.For example lightnings have low asic chips thats why they use almost lightnings on extreme cooling. The combination of low asic chip and a good pcb that can handle situation like +30-40% of the original tdp is a win.


----------



## Jetlitheone

What's your overclock guys?

I got a twin frozr msi 7950 boost edition. And running 1170 and 1450 mem with 1.27volts

Doesn't surpass 75 celcius in either the gpu or vram so it's all good.


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ok then i have questions.
> 
> what is the difference between the AVERAGE 8320 and 8350? why were some phenoms marked down to x4 instead of x6, x3 instead of x4, ect. unless you can tell me they dont with a reasonable explanation i simply can not believe it how does some ram chips make it to ddr2 2666 and others only to 1333, do you really think it is just a process of making it or is there a sorting going on ? i am not talking about Ocing i am talking about stock.
> 
> maybe binning is not the correct term but i would be willing to bet they can test chips and sort them via different methods heat, power usage, capable speeds depending on what kind of chip we are talking about.
> 
> please take every instance of "bin" out of that post and put "sorting" if that makes you happy you dont make a product and just because it wont perform at the best level of performance ( assuming you cant just scrap it and start over with little or no loss like you can with metals {remelt and repour} ) there is no profit in going "gee this 8350 only has 3 functioning modules *tosses into trash*" no they will take that 8350 and turn it into a 6300 because look i just still made some profit...


Your talking about companies testing their chips for the own limits they have set not overclocking all i was saying was no company is going to "Bin" their chips to make sure they are good overclockers which i what some people here believe. Which is what i gathered from your previous post, when you said ghz cards are usually binned higher, anyway not trying to start some rando internet drama here so please don't take what i am saying the wrong way.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *40.oz to freedom*
> 
> Your talking about companies testing their chips for the own limits they have set not overclocking all i was saying was no company is going to "Bin" their chips to make sure they are good overclockers which i what some people here believe. Which is what i gathered from your previous post, when you said ghz cards are usually binned higher, anyway not trying to start some rando internet drama here so please don't take what i am saying the wrong way.


oh no please dont take what i said as i was

i just want a better understanding and i learn from this i thank you for all the input as it really does help me learn. i have learned a ton from ocn but unfortunately sometimes we all type stuff that does not come across the way it was intended ( both in terms of giving/asking info and being angered/agitated ), it is the downside of text.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Do you actually compare cpu with gpu?
> 
> We speak about the same gou chip and you speak about different cpus.I dont get your point.
> 
> 8350 and 8320 is the same cpu. Just the 8320 cant pass the tdp test for the stock clocks and volts for amd.I have seen several 8320 to oc more than 8350.
> 
> Still you cant bin gpu chips. Let me explain you. So sapphire for example put the chip on the pcb then oc the card and if the card pass the 1200 is good?
> 
> Each card must pass tdp and stability tests. Nothing else.
> 
> Now if you talk about asic quality yeah.For example lightnings have low asic chips thats why they use almost lightnings on extreme cooling. The combination of low asic chip and a good pcb that can handle situation like +30-40% of the original tdp is a win.


it was just an example that i could easily compare it to

and what he said as well i guess i was talking about "testing the chip" i believe they are just tested to be stable at a higher frequency and the ones that fail are turned into non ghz editions assuming they can pass at that test.

edit i dont believe companies ever test for overclocking unless you are buying a overclocked edition of a card. but still that is to the manufatures specs not after market overclocking


----------



## th3illusiveman

Well the good news is powercolor didn't reject my RMA request and i will have a working 7970 soon.

The bad news is they replaced it, instead of repairing it. I had an awesome chip that did 1225Mhz/1700Mhz with 1.169v







i will probably get some low Asic card in return... sigh.

Still, should be a welcome upgrade over this 570 though.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Well the good news is powercolor didn't reject my RMA request and i will have a working 7970 soon.
> 
> The bad news is they replaced it, instead of repairing it. I had an awesome chip that did 1225Mhz/1700Mhz with 1.169v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i will probably get some low Asic card in return... sigh.
> 
> Still, should be a welcome upgrade over this 570 though.


thats wonderful !~ congrats


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jetlitheone*
> 
> What's your overclock guys?
> 
> I got a twin frozr msi 7950 boost edition. And running 1170 and 1450 mem with 1.27volts
> 
> Doesn't surpass 75 celcius in either the gpu or vram so it's all good.


i have a Sapphire 7950 boost at 1125/1450 at 1.13v.


----------



## TeeBlack

Just curious what you guys use to test stabilty of your overclocks.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Just curious what you guys use to test stabilty of your overclocks.


most ppl use either prime, ibt, ibt-avx or occt


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> most ppl use either prime, ibt, ibt-avx or occt


Or crysis 3 single player. Lol works every time. Seriously


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Just curious what you guys use to test stabilty of your overclocks.


Unigine Valley, 3DMark 11, BF3 (this is the most reliable test actually).


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jetlitheone*
> 
> What's your overclock guys?
> 
> I got a twin frozr msi 7950 boost edition. And running 1170 and 1450 mem with 1.27volts
> 
> Doesn't surpass 75 celcius in either the gpu or vram so it's all good.


I have the same card.

Gaming overclock is 1200/1600 @ 1.113V

Max overclock is 1320/1825 @ 1.215V


----------



## Snakesoul

So as i posted a couple of days ago, my card is getting too hot and also the fans are loud as hell (all in stock speeds)..
I'm returning it because i'm afraid when summer comes and my room gets too hot the temperatures will be hotter, and if i want to do a little overclock, it will raise too much the temperature.... (my room temperature can get at + 30º celsius).
Should i go to gigabyte windforce or should i get an msi TF3? or something else?
(sorry mega man you said it would be ok, but i don't want to take the chance of getting wild temperatures and then i can't trade it at shop...)
I heard some cards could do some coil whine.. is there a way to know which models i can get to avoid that? (BTW i didn't notice any kind of coil whine noise with this card)... i really liked it except for the 1 fan only.
I really need your help since i'm going to the shop tomorrow...

Edit: BTW i read somewhere that with gigabyte card you have to be lucky?


----------



## Anoxy

Solution: spend your hours outside during summer instead of sitting inside playing video games

i kid i kid


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I have the same card.
> 
> Gaming overclock is 1200/1600 @ 1.113V
> 
> Max overclock is 1320/1825 @ 1.215V


man that's very good card you got there.


----------



## TMallory

All of the good 7970 GHz editions are "discontinued" or sold out







the Gigabyte one looks good but is still voltage locked. Might be able to get a 50MHz bump from the 1100MHz factory OC


----------



## Hokies83

Well i do not think my 7950 Power color Boost ed is voltage locked at 1.25v now...

Watching gpu-z the Vdropp volts and Amps and Heat goes up[ when i increase from 1.25v to 1.3v


----------



## kzone75

Good news is that everything is unlocked on the Club3D, the bad news is that the ASIC is lower (57.7%) than my previous card (62.8%). But the Gigabyte turned out to be a dud even at stock.. And GPUZ does not show the correct clocks on the Club3D..


----------



## TeeBlack

i heard the Club 3D Royal Kings overclock very well.


----------



## kzone75

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> i heard the Club 3D Royal Kings overclock very well.


Yeah, I couldn't get that one or the Royal Ace. I'll see what I can get out of the Queen this weekend. I should start reading this thread to see what voltages are safe on air and other useful stuff.


----------



## Azuredragon1

god how i love battlefield, nothing else finds a bad OC as fast as BF3


----------



## KalashNK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> god how i love battlefield, nothing else finds a bad OC as fast as BF3


I agree.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> god how i love battlefield, nothing else finds a bad OC as fast as BF3


BL2 spits a 2 run pass IBT cpu out in under 10 sec.


----------



## Azuredragon1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> BL2 spits a 2 run pass IBT cpu out in under 10 sec.


Was talking about GPU.


----------



## DownshiftArtist

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> All of the good 7970 GHz editions are "discontinued" or sold out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the Gigabyte one looks good but is still voltage locked. Might be able to get a 50MHz bump from the 1100MHz factory OC


So what you're saying is that if I want a good GHz ed that isn't voltage locked I should find a used one?







Do nVidia cards have locked voltage?


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DownshiftArtist*
> 
> So what you're saying is that if I want a good GHz ed that isn't voltage locked I should find a used one?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do nVidia cards have locked voltage?


I believe the Nvidia Kepler (600 series) are voltage locked.


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> god how i love battlefield, nothing else finds a bad OC as fast as BF3


I dont know, Crysis 3 is almost instant in Single Player.


----------



## d1nky

can someone please tell me the stock voltage/core/mem and frequencies of a 7970 and a matrix (or platinum)?

im aiming at getting my 24/7 clock speeds up and running, and night of testing. but having trouble finding their base voltages etc. on the net.

this'll just give me something to aim at









found this
matrix plat. 7970ref

1257v 1100 1175v 925
1600v 1650 1600v 1375

is that right?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> can someone please tell me the stock voltage/core/mem and frequencies of a 7970 and a matrix (or platinum)?
> 
> im aiming at getting my 24/7 clock speeds up and running, and night of testing. but having trouble finding their base voltages etc. on the net.
> 
> this'll just give me something to aim at
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> found this
> matrix plat. 7970ref
> 
> 1257v 1100 1175v 925
> 1600v 1650 1600v 1375
> 
> is that right?


Start @ 1.256v and 1250 core and check there... If it fails go down on the core keep the same voltage keep trying.....


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Start @ 1.256v and 1250 core and check there... If it fails go down on the core keep the same voltage keep trying.....


i can get stable on about 1200/1700 but dont want that 24/7. i would just like to base it on another card and test for hours.

ive even had higher for benching but hardware paranoia sets in, especially if i was to run that 24/7.

and thanks


----------



## zGunBLADEz

I would run 1200/1600 24/7 on mine on air easy...

ghz cards are using 1.256v so keep that in mind..


----------



## d1nky

thanks. is that target voltage or voltage after vdroop?

btw this is only a lil 7950


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> thanks. is that target voltage or voltage after vdroop?
> 
> btw this is only a lil 7950


no vdroop i try not to talk about vdroop voltages because every card is different..


----------



## Hokies83

Had to disable my Killer Lan to make Bio shock Inf not crash after 5 mins.. but ti was smooth for those 5 mins LoL now it does not crash but is is a stutter fest XD


----------



## kzone75

A quicky before beddie byes. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ua6y3/


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> A quicky before beddie byes. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ua6y3/


could i get a copy of the bios? thx


----------



## TMallory

Any quality 7970 GHz editions in stock anywhere? The Gigabyte one is available on Newegg but a couple reviews mention coil whine. There's an XFX one on there too but I don't trust their customer service.


----------



## porkovich

So after i tried to go max on core and reached the limit with 1.3v and 1200 Mhz , i decide to go the other way







Let's undervolt. The sapphire cards with boost are with a little bit to much voltage at default (1.25v) so i went down to 1.20 / 1.87v for my 1150 / 1450 24/7 overclock. The card is a soft overclocker but at least it runs cold. Now with lower voltage the card is around 63 C max , and the VRM-s are even lower.

Just for info


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> Any quality 7970 GHz editions in stock anywhere? The Gigabyte one is available on Newegg but a couple reviews mention coil whine. There's an XFX one on there too but I don't trust their customer service.


really ? XFX is one of the better CS in my research


----------



## TMallory

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> really ? XFX is one of the better CS in my research


I remember reading some negative things about them over the past couple years, perhaps I'm wrong


----------



## Anoxy

Why not Vapor-X? I have one and it's a great card...


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> I remember reading some negative things about them over the past couple years, perhaps I'm wrong


You're gonna read negative things about any card/product. Those are usually the people who actually take the time to write reviews or voice impressions.


----------



## TMallory

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Why not Vapor-X? I have one and it's a great card...


Newegg only has the 6GB version at the moment. Only other two in stock are the XFX and Gigabyte.


----------



## Anoxy

Grab it off Amazon for 439.99 and free shipping. $20 rebate too if you're into that.


----------



## kzone75

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> A quicky before beddie byes. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ua6y3/
> 
> 
> 
> could i get a copy of the bios? thx
Click to expand...

Sure

Tahiti.zip 42k .zip file


----------



## Strileckifunk

Just started playing the beta for FFXIV's relaunch on my 7970 GHz and the game runs flawlessly; even in extremely populated starting areas.


----------



## TMallory

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Grab it off Amazon for 439.99 and free shipping. $20 rebate too if you're into that.


"ships within 3-5 weeks"

I can barely wait 3-5 _days_


----------



## w-moffatt

hey guys so a quick one on gpu related stuff. Pulled apart my 7970 sapphire edition as i thought the temps i was getting (hovering around 79 degrees C under load) was to high...and when i opened the card up i was shocked...

This big fat blob of thermal paste that was somewhat rock solid was covering everything....very dissapointed (i know it happens alot) , so i wiped it clean and put on a MUCH smaller amount of thermal paste and believe it or not temps have dropped by almost 4 degrees! .



Just a question though im using HWinfo for temps and am unsure as to which temp i should be paying attn to as the GPU thermal diode is 75 but it says the vram is 55C?? photo below to show you what i mean...



Im assuming the highest temp is what i should pay attention to?

--Cheers , Will


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> "ships within 3-5 weeks"
> 
> I can barely wait 3-5 _days_


Oh yikes, didn't see that. However, last time something said that on Amazon, it shipped the next day for me. So idk, could be because I have Amazon Prime.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> hey guys so a quick one on gpu related stuff. Pulled apart my 7970 sapphire edition as i thought the temps i was getting (hovering around 79 degrees C under load) was to high...and when i opened the card up i was shocked...
> 
> This big fat blob of thermal paste that was somewhat rock solid was covering everything....very dissapointed (i know it happens alot) , so i wiped it clean and put on a MUCH smaller amount of thermal paste and believe it or not temps have dropped by almost 4 degrees! .
> 
> 
> 
> Just a question though im using HWinfo for temps and am unsure as to which temp i should be paying attn to as the GPU thermal diode is 75 but it says the vram is 55C?? photo below to show you what i mean...
> 
> 
> 
> Im assuming the highest temp is what i should pay attention to?
> 
> --Cheers , Will


pay attention to both and vrms if you can.

vram = memory
gpu diode = core
vrm = power

maybe have a fan underneath if youre concerned


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> Just a question though im using HWinfo for temps and am unsure as to which temp i should be paying attn to as the GPU thermal diode is 75 but it says the vram is 55C?? photo below to show you what i mean...
> 
> Im assuming the highest temp is what i should pay attention to?
> 
> --Cheers , Will


the core and VRM temps are both important. keep core temps below 75c. VRM temps below 90c. your VRM temps are safe. for the GPU core which TIM (thermal interface material) did you apply. coollaboratory liquid ultra seems to be the best TIM and reduces temps by 10c.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> hey guys so a quick one on gpu related stuff. Pulled apart my 7970 sapphire edition as i thought the temps i was getting (hovering around 79 degrees C under load) was to high...and when i opened the card up i was shocked...
> 
> This big fat blob of thermal paste that was somewhat rock solid was covering everything....very dissapointed (i know it happens alot) , so i wiped it clean and put on a MUCH smaller amount of thermal paste and believe it or not temps have dropped by almost 4 degrees! .
> 
> 
> 
> Just a question though im using HWinfo for temps and am unsure as to which temp i should be paying attn to as the GPU thermal diode is 75 but it says the vram is 55C?? photo below to show you what i mean...
> 
> 
> 
> Im assuming the highest temp is what i should pay attention to?
> 
> --Cheers , Will


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> pay attention to both and vrms if you can.
> 
> vram = memory
> gpu diode = core
> vrm = power
> 
> maybe have a fan underneath if youre concerned


absolutely +1 both are important


----------



## w-moffatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> the core and VRM temps are both important. keep core temps below 75c. VRM temps below 90c. your VRM temps are safe. for the GPU core which TIM (thermal interface material) did you apply. coollaboratory liquid ultra seems to be the best TIM and reduces temps by 10c.


nothing special i dont think. same stuff im using for cpu just a thermal compound that came with my cpu cooler...im looking at wc'ing soon so not overly concerned. I know these cards are designed so they can operate up to around 80-82 degrees C im just used to my old 6970's 65 max temp LOL .But yeah just shocked with all that thermal paste under there!


----------



## Valgaur

Hey guys... Tryin to find a 7970 here.... I want a good bencher card, WITH unlocked voltage... it'll eb runnign on air for a while then I'll LN2 it this summer and then to water for a monster rig with 3 more 7970's

Any suggestions / help?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> nothing special i dont think. same stuff im using for cpu just a thermal compound that came with my cpu cooler...im looking at wc'ing soon so not overly concerned. I know these cards are designed so they can operate up to around 80-82 degrees C im just used to my old 6970's 65 max temp LOL .But yeah just shocked with all that thermal paste under there!


i am totally stealing this line from another thread but i just cant find it to post it

didnt know you the guy that puts tim on your video card has a second job as a cake deorator.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler here is a pic of him using the same bag and tip he used on your card, the pic was just taken later that day!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> nothing special i dont think. same stuff im using for cpu just a thermal compound that came with my cpu cooler...im looking at wc'ing soon so not overly concerned. I know these cards are designed so they can operate up to around 80-82 degrees C im just used to my old 6970's 65 max temp LOL .But yeah just shocked with all that thermal paste under there!


when you watercool use the Coollaboratory liquid ultra. also use fujipoly extreme thermal pads (11w/mk) on RAM and VRMs. here is user sonda5 who has one of the fastest HD 7950 on ocn at 1.3 ghz. good luck.









http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/110#post_18447662
http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/220#post_18816430

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10740/thr-77/Coollaboratory_Liquid_Ultra_100_Metal_Thermal_Interface_Material.html?tl=g8c127s451
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16880/thr-165/Fujipoly_Extreme_System_Builder_Thermal_Pad_-_14_Sheet_-_150_x_100_x_10_-_Thermal_Conductivity_110_WmK.html?tl=g8c487s1290


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> when you watercool use the Coollaboratory liquid ultra. also use fujipoly extreme thermal pads (11w/mk) on RAM and VRMs. here is user sonda5 who has one of the fastest HD 7950 on ocn at 1.3 ghz. good luck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/110#post_18447662
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1281711/hd7950-revised-with-reference-hd7970-pcb-club/220#post_18816430
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/10740/thr-77/Coollaboratory_Liquid_Ultra_100_Metal_Thermal_Interface_Material.html?tl=g8c127s451
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/16880/thr-165/Fujipoly_Extreme_System_Builder_Thermal_Pad_-_14_Sheet_-_150_x_100_x_10_-_Thermal_Conductivity_110_WmK.html?tl=g8c487s1290


why not this? ( just ordered a used komodo 7970 and need to replace them )


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> why not this? ( just ordered a used komodo 7970 and need to replace them )


thats even better. 17w / mk. nice.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *w-moffatt*
> 
> hey guys so a quick one on gpu related stuff. Pulled apart my 7970 sapphire edition as i thought the temps i was getting (hovering around 79 degrees C under load) was to high...and when i opened the card up i was shocked...


What's there to be shocked about?? It's standard best practices to over paste.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What's there to be shocked about?? It's standard best practices to over paste.


Valgaur wants to buy one of ur golden 7970s he has deep pockets


----------



## Valgaur

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What's there to be shocked about?? It's standard best practices to over paste.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Valgaur wants to buy one of ur golden 7970s he has deep pockets


Agreed was just gonna PM you


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Valgaur*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What's there to be shocked about?? It's standard best practices to over paste.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Valgaur wants to buy one of ur golden 7970s he has deep pockets
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Agreed was just gonna PM you
Click to expand...

I was asked to put the array back in for a bench or two, but after that I'll be pulling them back out. I sold my spare card (1350/1800) already though. That said, I'll make a thread and keep ya in mind for dibs.


----------



## Valgaur

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I was asked to put the array back in for a bench or two, but after that I'll be pulling them back out. I sold my spare card (1350/1800) already though. That said, I'll make a thread and keep ya in mind for dibs.


any idea as to when I can expect to try and get one? and what price area? they clock like that golden one right?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Valgaur*
> 
> any idea as to when I can expect to try and get one? and what price area? they clock like that golden one right?


LoL 1350/1800 was his * Spare Card *


----------



## kzone75

I beg your pardon?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> I beg your pardon?


Launch it with this on the end

-norestrictions


----------



## antonis21

-norestrictions doesnt work for me


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> -norestrictions doesnt work for me


Check this

http://www.overclock.net/t/1269176/anybody-get-a-7970-to-work-property-with-gtaiv/10#post_17495929


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *antonis21*
> 
> -norestrictions doesnt work for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Check this
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1269176/anybody-get-a-7970-to-work-property-with-gtaiv/10#post_17495929
Click to expand...

What I did was just stop playing gtaiv. There no more headaches lol.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What I did was just stop playing gtaiv. There no more headaches lol.


So true. Even dark soul is better port than gta


----------



## kzone75

Just thought I'd entertain myself with some awesome car handling..


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> Just thought I'd entertain myself with some awesome car handling..


I see what you did there


----------



## OneGun

Sent my app..Did i do it right?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Sent my app..Did i do it right?


welcome !~ see the first post for how to apply


----------



## Anoxy

Man, this Vapor-X card is a beast. Running Crysis 3 maxed out (except FXAA), 1440p, stock clocks. Buttery smooth.


----------



## TMallory

There's a few Vapor-X 7970 GHz editions on eBay...is Sapphire's customer service any good? Gigabyte and XFX are my only other options

Sapphire = 1000mhz

XFX = 1050mhz

Gigabyte = 1100mhz


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> There's a few Vapor-X 7970 GHz editions on eBay...is Sapphire's customer service any good? Gigabyte and XFX are my only other options
> 
> Sapphire = 1000mhz
> 
> XFX = 1050mhz
> 
> Gigabyte = 1100mhz


Who cares about stock clocks. Just buy the best 7970 and oc it.

Look the new msi 7970 or a HIS.I dont like the custom pcb at all

Dont buy xfx they have crappy coolers

Gigabyte have voltage locked


----------



## ConradTP

And I got my 7950 IceQ X2 and almost didn't fit in a Cm690 II Advanced!
It is cooler than my 5770 on load








Sadly it isn't a reference board so no backplate for me, unless I order a custom cnc'd one. (Is it?)

Pardon my phone-quality images


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ConradTP*
> 
> And I got my 7950 IceQ X2 and almost didn't fit in a Cm690 II Advanced!
> It is cooler than my 5770 on load
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sadly it isn't a reference board so no backplate for me, unless I order a custom cnc'd one. (Is it?)


The HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost is probably the best HD 7950 card in terms of PCB quality. but as you mentioned the cooler makes it the longest card too at 311mm. also it uses a reference HD 7970 PCB. so you have full cover waterblock support. unlocked voltage . enjoy


----------



## ConradTP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> The HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost is probably the best HD 7950 card in terms of PCB quality. but as you mentioned the cooler makes it the longest card too at 311mm. also it uses a reference HD 7970 PCB. so you have full cover waterblock support. unlocked voltage . enjoy


I compared the board to a 7950 maybe that's why it doesn't look alike.. Thank you for that valuable info









edit: typo


----------



## ShooterFX

Got my new baby a week ago:


----------



## Bazinga11

I have a gigabyte 7950 and I was wondering if I need to register it? I can't find anything on their website about registering graphics cards.

Also how do I check the bios? I know its voltage locked but I don't know if it is hardware locked or software locked.


----------



## kzone75

"Official" memory slider maxed out 1600MHz (@1.55V (stock 1.5V) http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/fpd5r/ Good or bad, voltage wise? Stock core voltage seems to be 1.225V (using 1.244V at 1110MHz. Isn't that a bit high?

What are the max temps for these cards on air? (I haven't read the whole thread yet)

I'll work with the core clocks later tonight or tomorrow.. Haven't overclocked a gpu since the 6850 or maybe it was the 5770..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> "Official" memory slider maxed out 1600MHz (@1.55V (stock 1.5V) http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/fpd5r/ Good or bad, voltage wise? Stock core voltage seems to be 1.225V (using 1.244V at 1110MHz. Isn't that a bit high?
> 
> What are the max temps for these cards on air? (I haven't read the whole thread yet)
> 
> I'll work with the core clocks later tonight or tomorrow.. Haven't overclocked a gpu since the 6850 or maybe it was the 5770..


~72/90 cpu/vrm


----------



## Anoxy

This probably isn't the thread to ask, but I figure most of you use multiple monitors:

Is it possible/fairly easy to have a game running full screen on one monitor and then my desktop/browser/other application fullscreen in another monitor? Windows 8


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> This probably isn't the thread to ask, but I figure most of you use multiple monitors:
> 
> Is it possible/fairly easy to have a game running full screen on one monitor and then my desktop/browser/other application fullscreen in another monitor? Windows 8


Yes. Just choose which monitor is main and then extend the other.


----------



## TMallory

http://www.amazon.com/HIS-GDDR5-PCI-E-Graphics-H797QMC3G2M/dp/B0093RJ08E/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1365881395&sr=1-7&keywords=7970+ghz

HIS IceQ 7970 GHz edition back in stock on Amazon...might go for it even though its $499


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/HIS-GDDR5-PCI-E-Graphics-H797QMC3G2M/dp/B0093RJ08E/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1365881395&sr=1-7&keywords=7970+ghz
> 
> HIS IceQ 7970 GHz edition back in stock on Amazon...might go for it even though its $499


thats the ref HD 7970 at 925 mhz. not the Ghz edition at 1050 mhz. wait for newegg to restock . put yourself on autonotify. good luck.









http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161431
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> thats the ref HD 7970 at 925 mhz. not the Ghz edition at 1050 mhz. wait for newegg to restock . put yourself on autonotify. good luck.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161431
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412


No the reference 7970 is way better than the ghz crap. He can always oc to match a ghz edition with 5 clicks without having to deal with the boost bios and the fixed voltage.


----------



## Gr0ve

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ~72/90 cpu/vrm


Source?


----------



## TMallory

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No the reference 7970 is way better than the ghz crap. He can always oc to match a ghz edition with 5 clicks without having to deal with the boost bios and the fixed voltage.


Are there any in-stock 7970's that can be easily OC'd to 1100-1200MHz?


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

I bought 2nd card - Asus 7970 Top and this time I'm lucky







It worked at 1145 - 5800Mhz with default voltage.



I'll try CF and also try Matrix bios like first one


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> Are there any in-stock 7970's that can be easily OC'd to 1100-1200MHz?


The one that you linked is perfect


----------



## WiL11o6

Does anyone remember how to get MSI AB to show the correct voltage in the OSD? I found it somewhere in these forums but I don't remember where. I just remember I need to go into the AB config and add a string of something to enable it.


----------



## Jetlitheone

Is overclockingg memory voltage slightly okay as long as temps are okay?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jetlitheone*
> 
> Is *overclockingg* memory voltage slightly okay as long as temps are okay?


Yes you can *overvolt* it. 1700mv is safe *IF* temps are fine.

_*PS*_: Overclocking is the process of making a computer or component operate faster than the *clock frequency* specified
_*PS*_: Overvolting is the process of raising the voltage to increase overclocking potential by altering signal strength.


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Yes you can *overvolt* it. 1700mv is safe *IF* temps are fine.
> 
> _*PS*_: Overclocking is the process of making a computer or component operate faster than the *clock frequency* specified
> _*PS*_: Overvolting is the process of raising the voltage to increase overclocking potential by altering signal strength.


LOL I knew that. Sorry :\ long day at work huge typo haha.

Thanks for the answer!


----------



## xamon0288

hey guys just got my new Sapphire 7970 Dual X card. It is an awesome card


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WiL11o6*
> 
> Does anyone remember how to get MSI AB to show the correct voltage in the OSD? I found it somewhere in these forums but I don't remember where. I just remember I need to go into the AB config and add a string of something to enable it.


http://forums.anandtech.com/archive/index.php/t-2263110.html

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335

youre after the VEN mod, but i use the first for better clocks.


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Valgaur*
> 
> Hey guys... Tryin to find a 7970 here.... I want a good bencher card, WITH unlocked voltage... it'll eb runnign on air for a while then I'll LN2 it this summer and then to water for a monster rig with 3 more 7970's
> 
> Any suggestions / help?


Matrix I reckon


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

[/quote]
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xamon0288*
> 
> hey guys just got my new Sapphire 7970 Dual X card. It is an awesome card


Card looks great in your rig, congrats!


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yes. Just choose which monitor is main and then extend the other.


Hmm, is there any way to free my mouse while the game is open so I can mouse over to the other monitor and browse?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Hmm, is there any way to free my mouse while the game is open so I can mouse over to the other monitor and browse?


Hook up a second mouse and keep it on the second monitor when you start the game.


----------



## cards525

Posted, heres my baby http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/w5med/
Factory clock @ time of posting. I'll re-upload with higher clock if needed.


----------



## kzone75

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6396133 Still going..


----------



## xamon0288

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



[
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *40.oz to freedom*





Card looks great in your rig, congrats!







[/quote]

Thanks. I am just waiting to change the CPU cooler. Don't know which heatsink to go for right now, its a 3570k and i just want to do some light OC with it (up to 4.0 ghz). Except from that the whole thing came out nicely








This card takes about 3 slots just fyi for anyone wondering.


----------



## H3avyM3tal

Is it possible for the card to get voltage locked all of a sudden? I could change the volts before, but now it seems that ab won't let the volts be changed, even if I change them?

I'm confused.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H3avyM3tal*
> 
> Is it possible for the card to get voltage locked all of a sudden? I could change the volts before, but now it seems that ab won't let the volts be changed, even if I change them?
> 
> I'm confused.


you may have to goto settings in AB and click the check for unlock voltage control and monitoring
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gr0ve*
> 
> Source?


read through this thread yet? cards tend to become unstable/crash @ 72+core and you asked for max safe temps vrm is 90


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H3avyM3tal*
> 
> Is it possible for the card to get voltage locked all of a sudden? I could change the volts before, but now it seems that ab won't let the volts be changed, even if I change them?
> 
> I'm confused.


also depends on how you overclock, afterburner is a pain for switching settings, and requires a reboot to fully initialise settings.

i said it before and will say many times again. follow first link to the letter for improved stability in overclocking.

http://forums.anandtech.com/archive/index.php/t-2263110.html

and use the VEN mod for REAL TIME voltages. http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335

however, i did try many different bioses for my 7950 and all the new bios' lock my voltages. even tried the 7970 matrix which didnt!

and i keep hearing that these new cards are physically locked MEH!!


----------



## H3avyM3tal

I think (still need to check, because I'm at work) that it's because I switched the bios switch to 2 (oc mode). I'll report back later.


----------



## c20h25n3o

what's the best way to check for artifacts?
I just got my 7950 and after a round of BF3 and a full cycle of Heaven I did not run into any issues on 1200/1450. After 1100/1300 this was the next setting I tried.
Gaming goes fine, benchmarking goes fine. But I highly doubt it's that simple to overclock with 50%.

Also, which settings do you guys use in Heaven?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *c20h25n3o*
> 
> what's the best way to check for artifacts?
> I just got my 7950 and after a round of BF3 and a full cycle of Heaven I did not run into any issues on 1200/1450. After 1100/1300 this was the next setting I tried.
> Gaming goes fine, benchmarking goes fine. But I highly doubt it's that simple to overclock with 50%.
> 
> Also, which settings do you guys use in Heaven?


my 7950 never ever showed any artifacts (knocks on wood). i've oc'ed it as high as 1255/1700 in Valley and any higher it just went - Driver Not Responding. even in 3DMark benchmarks prolly 'cause it is underwater.

i read to use this . . .

http://www.geeks3d.com/20090522/occt-31-available-with-an-improved-gpu-stress-test/

i never did.


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi there,

So i returned my graphic card (MSI R7950, not the TF3), and at the shop the guy told me they were expecting two cards to be available next week (i wanted the MSI TF3 but they aren't sure they can order one...).
So the models are:

Gigabyte (http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4121#ov) or
Asus (https://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/HD7950DC2T3GD5/)

Which one is the best or which one should i choose?
I think Gigabyte is better for future overclock... but i would like to know your opinions...
Thanks in advance (sorry if i'm posting in the wrong thread...)


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> So i returned my graphic card (MSI R7950, not the TF3), and at the shop the guy told me they were expecting two cards to be available next week (i wanted the MSI TF3 but they aren't sure they can order one...).
> So the models are:
> 
> Gigabyte (http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4121#ov) or
> Asus (https://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/HD7950DC2T3GD5/)
> 
> Which one is the best or which one should i choose?
> I think Gigabyte is better for future overclock... but i would like to know your opinions...
> Thanks in advance (sorry if i'm posting in the wrong thread...)


Gigabyte is a no go.. it is 100% voltage locked


----------



## abhi4168

If I am not wrong ASUS DC v1 7950 had major issues with the cooler, donno if they corrected it in v2.
Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD rev 2.0 is voltage locked and clocked @ 1000Mhz @ 1.25v


----------



## d1nky

Asus 7950 version 2 is a beast, but they stopped making version 1 for a reason ha! and i have no issues, even clocked it up to 1200/1770 for benches etc

i got the top spots on 3dmark for my config....due to the card!

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181957


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi there,

So Gigabyte is a no go.. (and i thought i was a nice card....)
So if the shop can order an Asus should i get it? BTW isn't that card huge? (d1nky, could you please answer?







)
Or should i wait to see if the shop can get an MSI TF3? (Boost edition or the OC one? which is better?)


----------



## d1nky

the card is huge! it only just fits in my case and weighs a ton. and i want another one!!

Pros: cooling, noise, overclocking, style, size, phase design, dual bios
cons: price, customer service, size and competition

some people say that asus has poor customer service, ive never had an issue or a faulty product. (ive got boxes of asus everywhere haha)

tbh since having this card i havent read many reviews on msi, but people on the forums are always changing bios' etc and everyone seems to have msi! so which one, could be answered by someone else!

if its the asus V1 not V2, then dont bother! but its a choice between the extra cash for asus or cheaper and just as good msi. im afraid all are as good, some have flaws and some have their good points!


----------



## Bazinga11

I have the Gigabyte Windforce 7950 rev 2.0 ;/ Too late to return it now lol. Can it still be overclocked a little bit though? What would be the maximum safe overclock?


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bazinga11*
> 
> I have the Gigabyte Windforce 7950 rev 2.0 ;/ Too late to return it now lol. Can it still be overclocked a little bit though? What would be the maximum safe overclock?


what's your ASIC%
mine is 71 and i can't go past 1050 1400


----------



## ConradTP

I don't think ASICs mean that much with regards to overclocking. Mine reads 62.5% but is stable at 1200 core at 1.25v, which is the max core clock CCC permits. Haven't yet touched the memory clock though.


----------



## inubr0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bazinga11*
> 
> I have the Gigabyte Windforce 7950 rev 2.0 ;/ Too late to return it now lol. Can it still be overclocked a little bit though? What would be the maximum safe overclock?


It does not get far so every OC you can get out of it is safe. I personally have a Rev 2.1 and run 1040 MHz on the Core and 1600 MHz on the Memory, Voltage is locked at 1.17.

EDIT: Sorry, mine is a 7970, did not see that yours is a 7950


----------



## H3avyM3tal

Turns out I was right. Bios switch on 2 (oc mode) gives locked voltage, and normal mode (switch on 1) lets me change my volts.


----------



## TMallory

Were the 7970's always this hard to find? I happened to be in Long Island this weekend and stopped by Microcenter and they only had a PowerCooler 7970 and a Gigabyte 7970 (regular versions, prices jacked up $30+). I suppose I'll wait!


----------



## 40.oz to freedom

Everyone Posting pictures of their 7970's figured i would post a pic of mine, just a reference 7970 and block that i bought from a member here, but i love the look of it.


----------



## Snakesoul

So how can i tell the difference between rev 1 or 2 from asus? Yes size does matter lol and it's one of my biggest concerns... but my biggest one is temperatures.. because i can get easily on my room near 30º celsius on summer...
Oh i thought gigabyte was a nice card.. i don't pretend to overclock that much.. (especially have to tweak voltages... i don't know how to do it...)


----------



## d1nky

HD7950-DC2-3GD5-V2 = rev2

HD7950-DC2T-3GD5 =rev1

the version 2 looks different (better) and has V2 on the end. and when you see the T its for TOP meaning overclocked version.

version1 had cooling problems from the weight of the cooler and contact on the sinks. if i remember correctly.


----------



## Anoxy

asic is a joke


----------



## Snakesoul

So from what i read, Asus is the one to go? (sorry for asking but since i read last page, i figure Gigabyte cards can be overclocked even with voltage locked..am i right?)
If the shop has the MSI available (well not this week i think), should i wait or should i grab one of those?(Asus vs Gigabyte).
Sorry for all this questions, but i want to get a good card and not to be worried for the next year(s)....


----------



## Bazinga11

My ASIC % is 64.7, thats what it shows on GPU-Z. Not sure what that is







This is my first build and my first proper graphics card so I don't know if I should overclock it. I don't want to risk blowing it up or anything lol


----------



## williamHL

What do you think is better?

The HD7950 Windforce or Sapphire 7950 Dual X?
I'll buy new vga tomorrow








Thanks!


----------



## d1nky

whats all this hhoooo haaa about asic? my 7950 is 59% and can oc to about 1200/1750 on air, game all day and make me coffee!!


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> whats all this hhoooo haaa about asic? my 7950 is 59% and can oc to about 1200/1750 on air, game all day and make me coffee!!


Here you go, AFAIK asic has no affect on overclocking,

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/18dz3c/radeon_hd7900_series_asic_quality_poll/
 agrees, it's random.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> i believe this is true. i'll try and find it somewhere, i have the page bookmarked on my phone (ill come back and edit it later) but i saw somewhere that an AMD rep on another forum stated that the lower asic chips were less leaky, and the reason they have a higher stock voltage is too keep the TDP the same across the entire range of both high and low leakage chips, because they arent the same as cpu's where the lower or higher quality chips of the same architecture can be relabelled as a different chip eg 950 is a higher clockspeed 920 etc. so a lower leakage 7970 will have a higer stock voltage to keep at at the same power draw as a higher leakage part.
> 
> please dont kill me if this is wrong
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Here we go; http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1344008&postcount=29
> 
> "Actually, it does the opposite! We scale the voltage based on leakage, so the higher leakage parts use lower voltage and the lower leakage parts use a higher voltage - what this is does narrow the entire TDP range of the product.
> 
> Everything is qualified at worst case anyway; all the TDP calcs and the fan settings are completed on the wors case for the product range."
> 
> That Quote is from Dave Baumann, AMD product manager


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *williamHL*
> 
> What do you think is better?
> 
> The HD7950 Windforce or Sapphire 7950 Dual X?
> 
> Thanks!


Id say Dual X


----------



## Snuckie7

The HIS IceQ X2 7950 is back in stock if anyone is interested.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *H3avyM3tal*
> 
> Turns out I was right. Bios switch on 2 (oc mode) gives locked voltage, and normal mode (switch on 1) lets me change my volts.


glad it was something easy


----------



## TMallory

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The HIS IceQ X2 7950 is back in stock if anyone is interested.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429


I just bought the 7970 GHz edition of the IceQ


----------



## eliongater

Any one know how to keep the vrms cool on the sapphire 7950 vapor-x? They are the only thing stopping my oc... They hit around 90* just above stock clocks. I think a new bios may be the answer, but the bios I am using lets me change the voltage, I think


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> Any one know how to keep the vrms cool on the sapphire 7950 vapor-x? They are the only thing stopping my oc... They hit around 90* just above stock clocks. I think a new bios may be the answer, but the bios I am using lets me change the voltage, I think


How a bios will help you cool the vrms better?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> How a bios will help you cool the vrms better?


It can tell the VRM's how to behave more efficiently. This is the same with desktop motherboards. The BIOS/Firmware is highly important.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> It can tell the VRM's how to behave more efficiently. This is the same with desktop motherboards. The BIOS/Firmware is highly important.


Yeah but for tahiti we have only clocks bios nothing else. You dont really 'update' anything when you put the ghz bios or you try some bios for voltage unlock.


----------



## d1nky

stick a fan underneath bringing cold air into the vrms, look at my pics.

my vrms stay on about 50*c and never exceed 63*c 100% usage for hours!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> stick a fan underneath bringing cold air into the vrms, look at my pics.
> 
> my vrms stay on about 50*c and never exceed 63*c 100% usage for hours!


This reduced my VRM's from 105c to 75c.


----------



## d1nky

those vrms are too hot, something else is up. maybe the contact with the heatsinks. whats it like with one card active?

and try the fan underneath the vrm fan. you may just be blowing hot air in and around the gpu


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> those vrms are too hot, something else is up. maybe the contact with the heatsinks. whats it like with one card active?
> 
> and try the fan underneath the vrm fan. you may just be blowing hot air in and around the gpu


100c is fine for the GPU VRM's, so 75c is almost perfect. My VRM's do not have heat sinks on them. GPU VRM's are designed to operate at 140c.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 100c is fine for the GPU VRM's, so 75c is almost perfect. My VRM's do not have heat sinks on them. GPU VRM's are designed to operate at 140c.


designed and recommended are 2 separate things


----------



## d1nky

50-60*c vrm must equal better perfection then haha

and anything hot enough to boil water pfft not in my case!!

plastic and melting points.....

The melting point of HDPE (High Density Polyethelyne) is about 130 ºC
The melting point of LDPE (Low Density Polyethelyne) is about 110 ºC
The melting point of PET (Polyethylene terphthalate) is about 250-260 ºC
The melting point of PP (Polypropylene) is about 160-170 ºC
The melting point of PS (Polystyrene) is about 70-115 ºC
The melting point of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) is about 75-90 ºC


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> designed and recommended are 2 separate things


Don't you think I know that? 75c is fine on my VRM's so I really don't care. Powercolor use a special design on the version I have which consists on very high end components on the PCB and the VRM's don't need any active cooling for the card to live a long time, but they, it only costs me £15 for a fan which reduced VRM's from a 100c to 75c, so I'm more than happy.


----------



## snowfree52

I guess the question has been answered many times here but I have 2 7970 and would like to buy the EK waterblocks for them.

EK says they modified the design because some PCB had a taller capacitor.

What if my card doesn't have this capacitor ? There will be a small hole beetween the capacitor and the waterblock.

Is it going to cool it well ?

thanks


----------



## Hokies83

Reset all my water blocks used cool labs Liquid ultra..

New temps....



Tri Fire parallel flow.


----------



## sugarhell

Under load Hokies?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Under load Hokies?


All 3 under 100% load..

And with 1.3v and a hefty OC



Cough cough u can guess what im using to put them under 100% load if u look at the memory clocks cough.. It is the thing that makes amd cards money but maynot be talked about on OCN.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> All 3 under 100% load..
> 
> And with 1.3v and a hefty OC
> 
> 
> 
> Cough cough u can guess what im using to put them under 100% load if u look at the memory clocks cough.. It is the thing that makes amd cards money but maynot be talked about on OCN.


Yeah yeah i know. (look 3th rig







)


----------



## Jabba1977

Hi... I need some help.

I´m with a Devil 13 7990.

Anyone knows is gpu-z / msi-afterburner has problems shown the temperature on teh 2GPU.

My second Gpu is about 20º hotter than GPU1.

GPU1 --> Never exceed 70º
GPU2 --> Shown about 20º or more than GPU1

Since today I had no knowledge of this....

I replace the TIM with PK-1 , and strong screwed....

After this... nothing. Gpu2 is much hotter than Gpu1.

I put my finger (with stress) in the backplate (GPU1 and GPU2) and both are about "the same finger temperature"....

Please, anyone with this Graphic Card than can confirm this.... I am with the latest 13.3 Beta 3....

THANKS!!!! (sorry for my english).


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Reset all my water blocks used cool labs Liquid ultra..
> 
> New temps....
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tri Fire parallel flow.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Why not liquid pro? just out of curiosity

awesome temps!


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> Why not liquid pro? just out of curiosity
> 
> awesome temps!


What i had on hand...

That pk-1 mx-2 and IC diamond.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What i had on hand...
> 
> That pk-1 mx-2 and IC diamond.


Oh okay.


----------



## Cheese Cake

Liquid pro is good but most people avoid it because once it hardens it's really hard to take off and you'l have to sand it to get a smooth surface. I would only use liquid pro if it was on a CPU die or on a GPU with waterblock that I will never take off.


----------



## Snuckie7

When I had the choice between Pro and Ultra, I went with Ultra.

Overall easier application and cleanup with about the same performance. No reason not to go Ultra really, except the dispenser is better for Pro.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cheese Cake*
> 
> Liquid pro is good but most people avoid it because once it hardens it's really hard to take off and you'l have to sand it to get a smooth surface. I would only use liquid pro if it was on a CPU die or on a GPU with waterblock that I will never take off.


Yeah I have pro on my cpu die (3770K). It is very stuck on there.. lol I'll probably use Ultra on both of my 7950's.


----------



## EternalRest

My first AMD GPU.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> I guess the question has been answered many times here but I have 2 7970 and would like to buy the EK waterblocks for them.
> 
> EK says they modified the design because some PCB had a taller capacitor.
> 
> What if my card doesn't have this capacitor ? There will be a small hole beetween the capacitor and the waterblock.
> 
> Is it going to cool it well ?
> 
> thanks


caps dont need cooling before there is a 1mm gap above them now in that one spot there is a little more

posted on phone and edited spelling after i got home


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> I guess the question has been answered many times here but I have 2 7970 and would like to buy the EK waterblocks for them.
> 
> EK says they modified the design because some PCB had a taller capacitor.
> 
> What if my card doesn't have this capacitor ? There will be a small hole beetween the capacitor and the waterblock.
> 
> Is it going to cool it well ?
> 
> thanks


the only way to find out for sure if this capacitor is not present is to visually inspect the pcb and each component. in short, take the cooler off. maybe show us some pics.

if you have done this - do you mind showing us?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Don't you think I know that? 75c is fine on my VRM's so I really don't care. Powercolor use a special design on the version I have which consists on very high end components on the PCB and the VRM's don't need any active cooling for the card to live a long time, but they, it only costs me £15 for a fan which reduced VRM's from a 100c to 75c, so I'm more than happy.


i think we have the same gpu (V3) and unfortunately no waterblock fits it. i used these things . . .

http://www.svc.com/ec-rhs-02.html

to help cool the VRAM and VRMS. Have to ground some a bit with a file but now my temps don't go over 70. The best part about these Powercolor GPUs' voltages are not locked and they use quality components like Hynix. Not that they need oc'ing.

i got mine for $364 with the 2 free games.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> caps dont need cooling before there is a 1mm gap above them now in that one spot there is a little more
> 
> posted on phone and edited spelling after i got home


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the only way to find out for sure if this capacitor is not present is to visually inspect the pcb and each component. in short, take the cooler off. maybe show us some pics.
> 
> if you have done this - do you mind showing us?


that is important it may not be a reference card.

http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx#tab3 is one of the easier sites to find out if your card is reference and there is always the basics like coolingconfigurator.com or w.e. eks is


----------



## KuuFA

Hey guys ill this cable work?

Just want to connect a 1080p monitor off my 7950. HDMI is tied to receiver.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KuuFA*
> 
> Hey guys ill this cable work?
> 
> Just want to connect a 1080p monitor off my 7950. HDMI is tied to receiver.


I cant tell if it is active or not


----------



## KuuFA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> I cant tell if it is active or not


not active just a converter cable that goes from minidp > dvi


----------



## Hokies83

I do not think u need anything Fancy for Plain ol 1080i @ 60hz


----------



## stubass

yo guys and gals
i am going to reseat my cooler soon, the two pastes i have are PK1 and coming this week a container of GELID extreme which i bought for subzero benching of CPU's. anyway with out getting off track, which would you recomend for my GPU??
1) PK1
2) GELID extreme
3) other (if i can get it) but would prefer to use what i have


----------



## snowfree52

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> caps dont need cooling before there is a 1mm gap above them now in that one spot there is a little more
> 
> posted on phone and edited spelling after i got home


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the only way to find out for sure if this capacitor is not present is to visually inspect the pcb and each component. in short, take the cooler off. maybe show us some pics.
> 
> if you have done this - do you mind showing us?


the point is the waterblock will have the hole for the taller capacitor, whether or not my card has it.
therefore, if my card has a taller capacitor it's good, but what if it doesn't ? there will be a hole and will this capacitor be well cooled ?

EDIT : EK answered my Email about the issue and said there's not problem if the capacitor is the small one.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yo guys and gals
> i am going to reseat my cooler soon, the two pastes i have are PK1 and coming this week a container of GELID extreme which i bought for subzero benching of CPU's. anyway with out getting off track, which would you recomend for my GPU??
> 1) PK1
> 2) GELID extreme
> 3) other (if i can get it) but would prefer to use what i have


i recommend the pk-1. i have heard very good feedback about this TIM.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yo guys and gals
> i am going to reseat my cooler soon, the two pastes i have are PK1 and coming this week a container of GELID extreme which i bought for subzero benching of CPU's. anyway with out getting off track, which would you recomend for my GPU??
> 1) PK1
> 2) GELID extreme
> 3) other (if i can get it) but would prefer to use what i have
> 
> 
> 
> i recommend the pk-1. i have heard very good feedback about this TIM.
Click to expand...

same here, i guess i will go that way as i think the benifets of GELID is really good for not cracking at subzero temps which atm i wont be benching my card with sub zero so for just a reseat of my cooler and hopefully lower temps i shall try the PK-1.... cheers









Just thought i would check first to be sure


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KuuFA*
> 
> not active just a converter cable that goes from minidp > dvi


if you use 2 other outputs without an active adapter on either one, you need an active adapter for this one, if your not then you are fine.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I do not think u need anything Fancy for Plain ol 1080i @ 60hz


see above
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> the point is the waterblock will have the hole for the taller capacitor, whether or not my card has it.
> therefore, if my card has a taller capacitor it's good, but what if it doesn't ? there will be a hole and will this capacitor be well cooled ?
> 
> EDIT : EK answered my Email about the issue and said there's not problem if the capacitor is the small one.


correct as long as it is a reference design you are fine caps dont get active cooling. nor do they need it in this case
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> caps dont need cooling before there is a 1mm gap above them now in that one spot there is a little more
> 
> posted on phone and edited spelling after i got home


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> that is important it may not be a reference card.
> 
> http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx#tab3 is one of the easier sites to find out if your card is reference and there is always the basics like coolingconfigurator.com or w.e. eks is


are you sure your card is a reference design ??? that is what you need to check


----------



## KuuFA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if you use 2 other outputs without an active adapter on either one, you need an active adapter for this one, if your not then you are fine.


Well I am just using the DVI-D port to use my Catleap, And the HDMI port to my receiver for sound.

sooo Yea just wanted to see if i could just use this to push a 1080p signal.


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Do I have unrealistic expectations that my 7970 should be able to play nearly every game smoothly without any kind of stutter or slowdown? Not talking about maxed out settings here, just in general. I've got a fairly new rig and only a handful of games for it but I'm getting pretty serious stutter in Arkham City, GTA, Metro despite excellent framerates. I don't know if this is a GPU issue because the highly demanding benchmarks like Unigine Heaven, Valley, Tropics, 3dmark etc. all run perfectly smooth at high framerates and with my 3570k OCed to 4.5 GHz I don't see any way the CPU is an issue


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KuuFA*
> 
> Well I am just using the DVI-D port to use my Catleap, And the HDMI port to my receiver for sound.
> 
> sooo Yea just wanted to see if i could just use this to push a 1080p signal.


I think you will need an active adapter.just a fyi but yes an active adapter will be able to do this with no problem
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *IBYCFOTA*
> 
> Do I have unrealistic expectations that my 7970 should be able to play nearly every game smoothly without any kind of stutter or slowdown? Not talking about maxed out settings here, just in general. I've got a fairly new rig and only a handful of games for it but I'm getting pretty serious stutter in Arkham City, GTA, Metro despite excellent framerates. I don't know if this is a GPU issue because the highly demanding benchmarks like Unigine Heaven, Valley, Tropics, 3dmark etc. all run perfectly smooth at high framerates and with my 3570k OCed to 4.5 GHz I don't see any way the CPU is an issue


absolutely not! in all the games I have run I have no problems at stock. what drivers are you using. I am using 13.3 beta


----------



## Krusher33

I went to OCN's ln2 event this past weekend. As far as 7970's goes... there were only Lightnings. I think around 5 or 6 of them there.


----------



## lilchronic

sup guys you like my sig


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lilchronic*
> 
> sup guys you like my sig


Childish Fanboy-ism at its best.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lilchronic*
> 
> sup guys you like my sig


Well your 670's did cost about $100 more probably. They should be at least _slightly_ better.

Edit: Looking at the results on valley, looks like your 670's don't even beat all 7950 CF. That's too bad isn't it


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lilchronic*
> 
> sup guys you like my sig


Overclocked 7950s vs overclocked 670s....

Beat them pretty hard and cost 100$ = 150$ less and pay for themselves.. so ur comment is quite wrong to the point of being funny.

If you were smart about it you should be mad at Nvidia for gimping your cards performance so much and charging u so much for it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Well your 670's did cost about $100 more probably. They should be at least _slightly_ better.
> 
> Edit: Looking at the results on valley, looks like your 670's don't even beat all 7950 CF. That's too bad isn't it


Only at stock because they compare a 1000mhz + 670 to a 850mhz 7950.. and it barely beats it...

When overclocking comes to play.. the 7950 not only walks away from the 670 it is jumping up and down on the 680.


----------



## lilchronic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ramzinho*
> 
> Childish Fanboy-ism at its best.


lol
lol i love it, i only really added it to my sig to mess with one person but why not post in the 7000 series club and take it further


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Only at stock because they compare a 1000mhz + 670 to a 850mhz 7950.. and it barely beats it...
> 
> When overclocking comes to play.. the 7950 not only walks away from the 670 it is jumping up and down on the 680.


To be fair, his sig does say "*My* 670" so yes that would be a mostly true statement.

Although there is a 7950 CF setup that beats his in Valley, so that bragging is still moot, if comparing single setups.


----------



## lilchronic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Overclocked 7950s vs overclocked 670s....
> 
> Beat them pretty hard and cost 100$ = 150$ less and pay for themselves.. so ur comment is quite wrong to the point of being funny.
> 
> If you were smart about it you should be mad at Nvidia for gimping your cards performance so much and charging u so much for it.
> Only at stock because they compare a 1000mhz + 670 to a 850mhz 7950.. and it barely beats it...
> 
> When overclocking comes to play.. the 7950 not only walks away from the 670 it is jumping up and down on the 680.


oh look here he is lol
i know i started a battle i cant win


----------



## lilchronic

honestly if i new more about computers when i started my first build i would of bought a 7970's instead of 670's .

maybe im posting in here because im jealous of you guy's paying less and better performance.


----------



## kzone75

Holy Mother of massive amount of thermalpaste..


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> Holy Mother of massive amount of thermalpaste..
> 
> TIM overload pic ..


Yeah, that's why I'm thinking of changing mine on both GPU's. Hopefully PK-1 will work well on them.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Ill think im going to put my 7950 by itself and show this 660/670 whos the boss here lol...


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *IBYCFOTA*
> 
> Do I have unrealistic expectations that my 7970 should be able to play nearly every game smoothly without any kind of stutter or slowdown? Not talking about maxed out settings here, just in general. I've got a fairly new rig and only a handful of games for it but I'm getting pretty serious stutter in Arkham City, GTA, Metro despite excellent framerates. I don't know if this is a GPU issue because the highly demanding benchmarks like Unigine Heaven, Valley, Tropics, 3dmark etc. all run perfectly smooth at high framerates and with my 3570k OCed to 4.5 GHz I don't see any way the CPU is an issue


I have the same problem in gta iv. I'm using cat 13.1 (or whatever the newest non beta is)


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi there OCNers









So after some shop testings and some arguing with the shop where i bought the msi hd 7950 (no the TF3), they don't want to change it for me for those models i posted before (gigabyte\Asus) and also don't want to return my money...(trying to see if i can fix it legally and they change it or give me back my money)... But... if i have to stay with that card, can you guys give me your opinions for a cooling solution (air cooling would be appreciated).
Also does any one know how this card overclock? Does it have locked voltage?
Thanks in advance


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi there OCNers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So after some shop testings and some arguing with the shop where i bought the msi hd 7950 (no the TF3), they don't want to change it for me for those models i posted before (gigabyte\Asus) and also don't want to return my money...(trying to see if i can fix it legally and they change it or give me back my money)... But... if i have to stay with that card, can you guys give me your opinions for a cooling solution (air cooling would be appreciated).
> Also does any one know how this card overclock? Does it have locked voltage?
> Thanks in advance


Have you looked at the HIS ICEQ X2?I love mine just saying..


----------



## TMallory

New 7970 GHz edition isn't pushing video to my displays


----------



## Snakesoul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Have you looked at the HIS ICEQ X2?I love mine just saying..


Well not going into deep details,
I got stuck to that graphic card (MSI R7950-2PMD3GD5) and the shop didn't want to trade for other models (they tested my card and said the didn't saw any temperature problems...)...
The only options i had if the shop wanted to trade the card were, asus, gigabyte and maybe msi TF3....
Also in my country is too difficult to buy that model







(and this kind of hardware material i like to buy on a shop...


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> I have the same problem in gta iv. I'm using cat 13.1 (or whatever the newest non beta is)


Use the beta.


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> absolutely not! in all the games I have run I have no problems at stock. what drivers are you using. I am using 13.3 beta


I'm using 13.3 as well. Which games have you run? I might need to purchase a few more to test everything out. Going to purchase New Vegas now and see how that runs.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *IBYCFOTA*
> 
> I'm using 13.3 as well. Which games have you run? I might need to purchase a few more to test everything out. Going to purchase New Vegas now and see how that runs.


just the basics crysis bioshock tomb raider ( yes all programed for amd ) dark souls dishonored kinda new to pc gaming and to be honest still playing through GoW and Gears ( newest ) before i really play on pc hard core.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I went to OCN's ln2 event this past weekend. As far as 7970's goes... there were only Lightnings. I think around 5 or 6 of them there.


That's the way it's supposed to be. Would you rather do this yourself:



^^And that is just to bypass OCP, you still have to do like four other mods lol.

Or simply buy a Lightning?


----------



## Krusher33

There were several mods done to other cards. But I guess no one would want to do it to a $400 card.


----------



## SkateZilla

I dunno...

if the rumored specs are true... I want the new AMD HD7990 coming out, goes with my Black and Red Color Scheme, 3 Fans, 2 GPUs, only 2 8 Pin Power Connectors, Faster than Ares and other Dual GPUs


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dunno...
> 
> if the rumored specs are true... I want the new AMD HD7990 coming out, goes with my Black and Red Color Scheme, 3 Fans, 2 GPUs, only 2 8 Pin Power Connectors, Faster than Ares and other Dual GPUs


The real deal with the Matla is the 5 miniDP + DL DVI just like with the 6990. That's what makes it special, get all your panels on the same clock gen.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The real deal with the Matla is the 5 miniDP + DL DVI just like with the 6990. That's what makes it special, get all your panels on the same clock gen.


+ I can put 6 of them on my system


----------



## Newbie2009

asder00 comes to the rescue again.

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=377386


----------



## Snuckie7

MSI Twin Frozr III 7970's are now on Newegg for $409 if anyone is interested

Should be one of the last good non GHz 7970's.


----------



## ChronoBodi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dunno...
> 
> if the rumored specs are true... I want the new AMD HD7990 coming out, goes with my Black and Red Color Scheme, 3 Fans, 2 GPUs, only 2 8 Pin Power Connectors, Faster than Ares and other Dual GPUs


how is it faster than Ares if it's basically dual 7970s, just like the Devil 13 and Ares are?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The real deal with the Matla is the 5 miniDP + DL DVI just like with the 6990. That's what makes it special, get all your panels on the same clock gen.


Ditto, All display's on the same interface, no mo 3rd screen flickering.


----------



## Exxlir

I love this graphics card well the new one the overclocked version that sits with 6gb, personally what do you guys think is it worth the money ?


----------



## Hokies83

Anybody else getting Screen tearing in crysis 3 with V sync on?


----------



## TMallory

Sent my bum HIS 7970 GHz back to Amazon today. Ordered an MSI Twin Frozr III 7970 boost (same clocks as the HIS) for $90 less to replace it. Will be here tomorrow, I hope it works


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Anybody else getting Screen tearing in crysis 3 with V sync on?


i only get it with v-sync off


----------



## Hokies83

Yah getting Horizontal lines


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Yah getting Horizontal lines


if you are using radeonpro dfc make sure you enable always on vsync on there as well..


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> if you are using radeonpro dfc make sure you enable always on vsync on there as well..


Im not using it..

Maybe i should try it?

Have a linky









Got it downloaded ran crysis and it was only using one gpu?

How do i turn on all 3 in there?


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exxlir*
> 
> I love this graphics card well the new one the overclocked version that sits with 6gb, personally what do you guys think is it worth the money ?


i would say only if you running multiple monitors.


----------



## UkGouki

got to download gpuz and then register my form but im in









ok all regged up and recorded









http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/h9znf/


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Well not going into deep details,
> I got stuck to that graphic card (MSI R7950-2PMD3GD5) and the shop didn't want to trade for other models (they tested my card and said the didn't saw any temperature problems...)...
> The only options i had if the shop wanted to trade the card were, asus, gigabyte and maybe msi TF3....
> Also in my country is too difficult to buy that model
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (and this kind of hardware material i like to buy on a shop...


Idk if you can trade it for the Gigabyte 7950 Windforce, I've been quite happy with mine, which is crossfired with a VisionTek 7950.
The Gigabyte card has superior cooling, the best stock air cooler I've seen on a card yet. I will be running it on water eventually, but on air it performs excellent.


----------



## SkateZilla

$96,000 for an Engineering Sample 7990.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-Malta-Engineering-Sample-/121096253149


----------



## alancsalt

http://www.overclock.net/t/1382853/tweaktown-amd-radeon-hd-7990-malta-engineering-sample-shows-up-on-ebay-current-bid-at-510


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> $96,000 for an Engineering Sample 7990.....
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-Malta-Engineering-Sample-/121096253149


Well, they are quite rare
I wonder what the actual winning bid price was.


----------



## OneGun

Does anybody know where i can get different color Crossfire bridges?


----------



## billgates8889

Wow, is crossfire really that bad?

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/Frame-Rating-Dissected-Full-Details-Capture-based-Graphics-Performance-Test-4


----------



## Mega Man

Gl i been lookign as well with no luck let me know if you find any. my cards come with black ones but they have the trash can logo ( dont throw away ) and they are too long, i just want white or back. you can put colored film on them to change the color though.

i want a pcb cfx bridge

they made them but long story short the vid card company that did is no longer in buissness..;

http://www.ninjalane.com/images/lanparty-790fx-m2r/crossfire_bridge.jpg

found this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATI-Crossfire-Bridge-PRO-/330682589072?pt=US_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item4cfe37df90

http://us.estore.asus.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4812


----------



## EternalRest

My asic quality is at 56.4%. I'm guessing that is bad?


----------



## Anoxy

Asic shmasic. Bunch of rubbish.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Gl i been lookign as well with no luck let me know if you find any. my cards come with black ones but they have the trash can logo ( dont throw away ) and they are too long, i just want white or back. you can put colored film on them to change the color though.
> 
> i want a pcb cfx bridge
> 
> they made them but long story short the vid card company that did is no longer in buissness..;
> 
> http://www.ninjalane.com/images/lanparty-790fx-m2r/crossfire_bridge.jpg
> 
> found this
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATI-Crossfire-Bridge-PRO-/330682589072?pt=US_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item4cfe37df90
> 
> http://us.estore.asus.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=4812


Thanks for posting the links and info. on these hard to find crossfire bridges.
They're a lot better than the ugly brown one I have now.
Rep+


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Thanks for posting the links and info. on these hard to find crossfire bridges.
> They're a lot better than the ugly brown one I have now.
> Rep+


Thanks ~


----------



## ElevenEleven

Just thought I'd share my frustration with Sapphire Trixx after using it for many months. I preferred it to Afterburner originally due to apparent better overclock stability on my 7970, but it's turned out to be quite buggy. The main annoyance is loading profiles properly at Windows 7 start-up. It's been failing to load proper profiles every once in a while--I'd turn on the computer, enter a game, and it'd be super choppy. Sure enough, check Trixx, and my core clock would be at 700. I'd click on profile #1 and load it--and the clocks would go back to normal. It started happening more and more with time. I even uninstalled and reinstalled Trixx (the latest available version). Ended up going to Afterburner, since I'd never experienced that bug with it on multiple computers and multiple cards--always loads profiles at startup reliably without occasionally "forgetting" to do it and setting some weird 2D clock instead.

P.S.: my Sapphire Dual-X 7970 from last spring is still going strong! Great card.


----------



## Anoxy

Not trying to insult your intelligence, but are you remembering to hit "Apply" after you click on the profile you want?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Not trying to insult your intelligence, but are you remembering to hit "Apply" after you click on the profile you want?


Of course--I've used it for many months as I said--remember? It only happens every few restarts if so, but it's annoying enough. I shouldn't have to check after every reboot if Trixx has bugged out or not.


----------



## disintegratorx

I just got my Powercolor 7970 back from an RMA because something must have fatally went wrong with it, but I got another one back and this one is working great, so I'm very happy that Powercolor sent me a new one. Now I'm not giving it any more voltage and I have the powerlimit% set to 18% and it seems to be running perfectly which brings a question that I am wondering now, if any of you would know the answer. How does the powerlimit work and is there an equation relevant to the base clock of the core? I figured that it might be allowing it to overclock to a certain limit from the base clock but then it might be like a turbo type feature but I was wondering if any of you guys knew exactly what it does.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> I just got my Powercolor 7970 back from an RMA because something must have fatally went wrong with it, but I got another one back and this one is working great, so I'm very happy that Powercolor sent me a new one. Now I'm not giving it any more voltage and I have the powerlimit% set to 18% and it seems to be running perfectly which brings a question that I am wondering now, if any of you would know the answer. How does the powerlimit work and is there an equation relevant to the base clock of the core? I figured that it might be allowing it to overclock to a certain limit from the base clock but then it might be like a turbo type feature but I was wondering if any of you guys knew exactly what it does.


A power limit is something AMD / nVidia set in the card specifications for TDP--as in thermal design power to tell how many watts a card is going to draw at maximum load, such that manufacturers can design proper heatsinks for it. It's like when you look at a processor on a NewEgg description and it will say "95 Watts" or something like that--that's TDP. If a card at load exceeds the TDP (the "power limit"), its _core clock_ / voltage will throttle to reduce power consumption back to a certain percent of TDP (say, 100%). So you increase power limit to avoid the throttling / increase stability of your desired core clock from increased power consumption (unless you have a very weak power supply or want to have reduced power consumption). nVidia card BIOSes (for the 600 series) are even modded to allow for up to 150% TDP so they don't throttle due to increased power consumption where applicable.


----------



## OneGun

Ok guys i get my second 7950 boost on friday.Today i started reading all the horror stories on micro stutter and i am kinda worried.Will Radeon pro get rid of these issues?


----------



## Snuckie7

Don't worry about it. It's really not as big of a deal as some people make it out to be.


----------



## Hokies83

Only ones that make a huge deal out of it are those from the other camp... Because it sucks to have a 250$ 7950 out perform a 500$ gtx 680.


----------



## ElevenEleven

I would just play and see for yourself. My rig with GTX 660Ti is generally more stuttery to me than my rig with a 7970, showing that many variables are at play. My old GTX 670 was super smooth. It's all configuration / individual card - dependent.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Only ones that make a huge deal out of it are those from the other camp... Because it sucks to have a 250$ 7950 out perform a 500$ gtx 680.


Do you use radeon pro at all?


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Thanks for posting the links and info. on these hard to find crossfire bridges.
> They're a lot better than the ugly brown one I have now.
> Rep+


Have you guys seen these?Just was looking for colored crossfire bridges and found these..
http://www.swiftech.com/crossfirexbridges.aspx


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Have you guys seen these?Just was looking for colored crossfire bridges and found these..
> http://www.swiftech.com/crossfirexbridges.aspx


I'm not sure if that's the same type of xfire bridge they were talking about


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> I'm not sure if that's the same type of xfire bridge they were talking about


I know cause i was the one asking about them.I just saw these and thought they were different so thought i would share..


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I know cause i was the one asking about them.I just saw these and thought they were different so thought i would share..


Ah, my bad


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> Ah, my bad


Lol.Have a good day sir


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Radeonpro is a must on any setup using amd cards.
Yes it helps a lot with performance on multi gpu configurations.


----------



## Imprezzion

Allrighty lads, I just ordered myself the new MSI Twin Frozr OC BE R7970!
It was available here in Holland for just €376 which makes it one of the cheapest 7970's available.. With a TF cooler!









Hopefully it's voltage unlocked, or can be flashed to be unlocked. But MSI being MSI and them having MSI AB it's probably already unlocked, or it will be in the future.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Have you guys seen these?Just was looking for colored crossfire bridges and found these..
> http://www.swiftech.com/crossfirexbridges.aspx


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Allrighty lads, I just ordered myself the new MSI Twin Frozr OC BE R7970!
> It was available here in Holland for just €376 which makes it one of the cheapest 7970's available.. With a TF cooler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hopefully it's voltage unlocked, or can be flashed to be unlocked. But MSI being MSI and them having MSI AB it's probably already unlocked, or it will be in the future.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> I just got my Powercolor 7970 back from an RMA because something must have fatally went wrong with it, but I got another one back and this one is working great, so I'm very happy that Powercolor sent me a new one. Now I'm not giving it any more voltage and I have the powerlimit% set to 18% and it seems to be running perfectly which brings a question that I am wondering now, if any of you would know the answer. How does the powerlimit work and is there an equation relevant to the base clock of the core? I figured that it might be allowing it to overclock to a certain limit from the base clock but then it might be like a turbo type feature but I was wondering if any of you guys knew exactly what it does.


also congrats ~ yea i would not worry i dont see much stutter ( non really ) in my 7970 cfx
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Have you guys seen these?Just was looking for colored crossfire bridges and found these..
> http://www.swiftech.com/crossfirexbridges.aspx


that is the bridge for the water blocks it puts them in parallel config, he was looking for the wire that connects the two units together

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Allrighty lads, I just ordered myself the new MSI Twin Frozr OC BE R7970!
> It was available here in Holland for just €376 which makes it one of the cheapest 7970's available.. With a TF cooler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hopefully it's voltage unlocked, or can be flashed to be unlocked. But MSI being MSI and them having MSI AB it's probably already unlocked, or it will be in the future.


nice grats and welcome !~


----------



## Jetlitheone

I think im getting another 7950 next month. I have no clue why though I just want a future proof rig I suppose.


----------



## Mega Man

great news guys swiftech.comhas komodo 7970 in stock


----------



## besweeet

Just received my SAPPHIRE 7950 (http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AT-7950BST). Working on some overclocking now. Its stock settings were 925 (core), 1250 (memory), and 1250 (VDDC). Currently testing 1050/1400/1250. BPL is set to 20 in TRIXX.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jetlitheone*
> 
> I think im getting another 7950 next month. I have no clue why though I just want a future proof rig I suppose.


prolly 'cause you read the pcper review. just kidding.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Here my test results - Asus 7970 Top Crossfire, more tests will be added. And also will be here









http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?32017-7970-Top-Crossfire-Tests-amp-Benchmark-scores-Also-Matrix-Bios&p=253179#post253179

How are the results?

You can check full tests from here (matrix bios Crossfire tests 1180Mhz)

http://forum.donanimhaber.com/m_73980610/tm.htm


----------



## Microtom

I built my pc 2 days ago and got a huge amount of noise(coil whine or something like that) coming from my hd 7950. I tried recording it and even tho it's quite loud, the mic didn't pick any of it.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Here my test results - Asus 7970 Top Crossfire, more tests will be added. And also will be here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?32017-7970-Top-Crossfire-Tests-amp-Benchmark-scores-Also-Matrix-Bios&p=253179#post253179
> 
> How are the results?
> 
> You can check full tests from here (matrix bios Crossfire tests 1180Mhz)
> 
> http://forum.donanimhaber.com/m_73980610/tm.htm


how about a 3dmark link


----------



## Krusher33

Mega Man and I are debating about waterblocks via pm.

What is everyone else's opinions?

And please leave the bundymania review out of it. I'm actually asking those who have any blocks and what their experience is.


----------



## Hokies83

Which ever one u like the looks of there all close in performance.


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> A power limit is something AMD / nVidia set in the card specifications for TDP--as in thermal design power to tell how many watts a card is going to draw at maximum load, such that manufacturers can design proper heatsinks for it. It's like when you look at a processor on a NewEgg description and it will say "95 Watts" or something like that--that's TDP. If a card at load exceeds the TDP (the "power limit"), its _core clock_ / voltage will throttle to reduce power consumption back to a certain percent of TDP (say, 100%). So you increase power limit to avoid the throttling / increase stability of your desired core clock from increased power consumption (unless you have a very weak power supply or want to have reduced power consumption). nVidia card BIOSes (for the 600 series) are even modded to allow for up to 150% TDP so they don't throttle due to increased power consumption where applicable.


Very good.









So that works exactly like I had hoped. I set the Power Limit% as 18% past the base Core Clock and figured it to run as close to my overclock as I could, therefore hitting my overclock speed (base clock x percentage). I know that could end up working out differently, but as you explained it, it does line up with my overclock setting. Thanks and +1


----------



## TMallory

Got my MSI 7970 today, and actually works unlike the HIS one


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> Got my MSI 7970 today, and actually works unlike the HIS one










+1 to the msi owners !~


----------



## Krusher33

LOL... I just now looked at your rig details Mega.


----------



## Snuckie7

Yeshh MSI


----------



## TMallory

I had an MSI TF3 6950 (as well as an IceQ 6950). The HIS 7970 was DOA but the Twin Frozr was running lovely when I tested out BF3 and Dark Souls. $90 less for the same clocks too.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *disintegratorx*
> 
> Very good.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So that works exactly like I had hoped. I set the Power Limit% as 18% past the base Core Clock and figured it to run as close to my overclock as I could, therefore hitting my overclock speed (base clock x percentage). I know that could end up working out differently, but as you explained it, it does line up with my overclock setting. Thanks and +1


I believe in the case of the 7000 cards, the voltage may dip when a card goes over power limit, thus the high clock you set may become unstable. In case of nVidia 600-series, the clock will actually throttle (the max. Kepler boost). So it's not that you'll see core variation on your card, but to make sure the voltage you set is stable at load, you increase your power limit to the max. That's how I understand it. You can monitor your card's power consumption in GPU-Z to see how close to the power limit your games take your card and watch other parameters if it hits that limit.


----------



## Anoxy

Shoot man, I love my mini-itx, but I do wish I had the ability to get another 7970. Maybe I'll jump to a 7990 when those come out.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> LOL... I just now looked at your rig details Mega.


lol like it? wait till i update my pics you will understand why !~ FQ res is awesome in it... now to get it filled ( need to buy fittings and hoses.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Shoot man, I love my mini-itx, but I do wish I had the ability to get another 7970. Maybe I'll jump to a 7990 when those come out.


one of the many reasons i dont run with matx /comfort


----------



## Anoxy

Yeah it was my first ever build so I didn't know any better. I didn't even know what Crossfire or SLI was when I started ordering my parts









nevertheless, my single 7970 ghz has been more than enough for maxing out most modern games.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Just RMA'd my poor golden 7970.







I guess its about time since it's been dead for 6 months now. I'll update you guys on how Sapphire's RMA process went, and how the new card clocks though. I'll obviously be held back by the C2D, but we'll see what I can pull off.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Just RMA'd my poor golden 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess its about time since it's been dead for 6 months now. I'll update you guys on how Sapphire's RMA process went, and how the new card clocks though. I'll obviously be held back by the C2D, but we'll see what I can pull off.


Wow, I remember reading your post when it died! Can't believe you waited that long


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Just RMA'd my poor golden 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess its about time since it's been dead for 6 months now. I'll update you guys on how Sapphire's RMA process went, and how the new card clocks though. I'll obviously be held back by the C2D, but we'll see what I can pull off.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, I remember reading your post when it died! Can't believe you waited that long
Click to expand...

Dude, I've been living in my car for the past 6 months. I haven't even had a computer at ALL, let alone something to throw my 7970 into, lol. So yeah, now that I finally CAN RMA it, I did.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Dude, I've been living in my car for the past 6 months. I haven't even had a computer at ALL, let alone something to throw my 7970 into, lol. So yeah, now that I finally CAN RMA it, I did.


hey, good to see you back Dude


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Dude, I've been living in my car for the past 6 months. I haven't even had a computer at ALL, let alone something to throw my 7970 into, lol. So yeah, now that I finally CAN RMA it, I did.


Hopefully doing something fun like... exploring (and not out of necessity)! Good luck with the RMA!


----------



## Krusher33

PIO, you son of a gun. Keeping up your reputation of destroying hardwares?


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Lol.Have a good day sir


I did.
Have a good day aswel


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TMallory*
> 
> Got my MSI 7970 today, and actually works unlike the HIS one


Does it have voltage control? I'm expecting mine to arrive tomorrow or monday so..


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> I believe in the case of the 7000 cards, the voltage may dip when a card goes over power limit, thus the high clock you set may become unstable. In case of nVidia 600-series, the clock will actually throttle (the max. Kepler boost). So it's not that you'll see core variation on your card, but to make sure the voltage you set is stable at load, you increase your power limit to the max. That's how I understand it. You can monitor your card's power consumption in GPU-Z to see how close to the power limit your games take your card and watch other parameters if it hits that limit.


Oh, cool, ok. I had no idea that GPU-Z did all of those things, but now I'll have to get it to look and see that. Thanks again, Eleven!


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

latest scores with Asus 7970 Top CrossFire - 1130 Mhz - 6000Mhz


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> latest scores with Asus 7970 Top CrossFire - 1130 Mhz - 6000Mhz


Nice! Great scores.


----------



## Jetlitheone

My 7950

at 1.26


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

With Matrix bios - 1200Mhz


----------



## Bazinga11

I tried to overclock my voltage locked gigabyte 7950 with msi afterburner. I maxed out core clock and memory clock, the slider won't go any further. Using msi afterburner and running one of the tests I went from these fps' : min: 89, max:91, avg:89 at 44 C to min: 102, max: 105, avg: 103 at 48 C core clock: 1200mhz, memory clock: 1575mhz

Did I do anything wrong? It appears to be stable, am I supposed to mess with the power limit? This is my first time


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bazinga11*
> 
> I tried to overclock my voltage locked gigabyte 7950 with msi afterburner. I maxed out core clock and memory clock, the slider won't go any further. Using msi afterburner and running one of the tests I went from these fps' : min: 89, max:91, avg:89 at 44 C to min: 102, max: 105, avg: 103 at 48 C core clock: 1200mhz, memory clock: 1575mhz
> 
> Did I do anything wrong? It appears to be stable, am I supposed to mess with the power limit? This is my first time


You can unlock MSI Afterburner to raise clocks higher. Use at your own risk obviously cause you'll be going past recommended limits.









I've clocked up to 1250 core and 1775 memory with +20 Power Limit, just a reference. I've only pushed my limits for benchmarks, not playing games.

This link tells you how --> How To Overclock The Official Way Using MSI Afterburner on AMD


----------



## Bazinga11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> You can unlock MSI Afterburner to raise clocks higher. Use at your own risk obviously cause you'll be going past recommended limits.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've clocked up to 1250 core and 1775 memory with +20 Power Limit, just a reference. I've only pushed my limits for benchmarks, not playing games.
> 
> This link tells you how --> How To Overclock The Official Way Using MSI Afterburner on AMD


What does the power limit do?


----------



## zerokool_3211

about to order this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202005

upgrading from a 6970....runnin 5760x1080 right now with a 4th monitor and planning on getting 3 1440p ips screens

anyone have any of these?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Hey guys, i got a 7970 from the RMA office and tried to install it today but was met with the "No signal detected" screen









Things i've tried

-> Reset CMOS
-->_(my board didn't have a jumper so i used a butter knife to bridge the gap between the two CMOS pins for 30 seconds while the PC was off with the battery still in)_
-> Switch PCIE slots
-> Switch PCIE power cables
-> Switch Bios settings on the card
->. Manually reset Bios for my PC using a different VGA
-> Use an HDMI cable

I that's about it, i called Powercolur and they said they extensively test parts out before shipping them back to the user and they recommended that i reset the bios and try the card in a different PC. I've done the bios part but don't have another PC to test my card on. I did reset the CMOS correctly right?

Anyways anyone know what else to do? I will probably send it back on monday if i can't find a way to get it working again. I should note that my trusty GTX570 was working well through all this.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Hey guys, i got a 7970 from the RMA office and tried to install it today but was met with the "No signal detected" screen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Things i've tried
> 
> -> Reset CMOS
> -->_(my board didn't have a jumper so i used a butter knife to bridge the gap between the two CMOS pins for 30 seconds while the PC was off with the battery still in)_
> -> Switch PCIE slots
> -> Switch PCIE power cables
> -> Switch Bios settings on the card
> ->. Manually reset Bios for my PC using a different VGA
> -> Use an HDMI cable
> 
> I that's about it, i called Powercolur and they said they extensively test parts out before shipping them back to the user and they recommended that i reset the bios and try the card in a different PC. I've done the bios part but don't have another PC to test my card on. I did reset the CMOS correctly right?
> 
> Anyways anyone know what else to do? I will probably send it back on monday if i can't find a way to get it working again. I should note that my trusty GTX570 was working well through all this.


You could also try removing the cmos battery for a while to clear the cmos. But it does seem odd that your 570 was fine, and this 7970 doesn't work in your system, maybe it will need an rma.
You mentioned that you got the card from the rma office?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You could also try removing the cmos battery for a while to clear the cmos. But it does seem odd that your 570 was fine, and this 7970 doesn't work in your system, maybe it will need an rma.
> You mentioned that you got the card from the rma office?


sent from the RMA office









Yea, i will remove the battery. How long should i keep it out?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You could also try removing the cmos battery for a while to clear the cmos. But it does seem odd that your 570 was fine, and this 7970 doesn't work in your system, maybe it will need an rma.
> You mentioned that you got the card from the rma office?
> 
> 
> 
> sent from the RMA office
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yea, i will remove the battery. How long should i keep it out?
Click to expand...

about 10 minutes will be plenty. also disconnect your power supply as well when clearing CMOS is recomended..


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Hey guys, i got a 7970 from the RMA office and tried to install it today but was met with the "No signal detected" screen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Things i've tried
> 
> -> Reset CMOS
> -->_(my board didn't have a jumper so i used a butter knife to bridge the gap between the two CMOS pins for 30 seconds while the PC was off with the battery still in)_
> -> Switch PCIE slots
> -> Switch PCIE power cables
> -> Switch Bios settings on the card
> ->. Manually reset Bios for my PC using a different VGA
> -> Use an HDMI cable
> 
> I that's about it, i called Powercolur and they said they extensively test parts out before shipping them back to the user and they recommended that i reset the bios and try the card in a different PC. I've done the bios part but don't have another PC to test my card on. I did reset the CMOS correctly right?
> 
> Anyways anyone know what else to do? I will probably send it back on monday if i can't find a way to get it working again. I should note that my trusty GTX570 was working well through all this.


when you are clearing CMOS. do this
1- Remove your PSU wall plug
2- PRESS The power button couple of times to discharge the components
3- CLEAR CMOS
4- Plug in power
5- Turn on PC


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> sent from the RMA office
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yea, i will remove the battery. How long should i keep it out?


All good steps, but I don't think you should be having that much trouble with a working card. Could be a corrupted BIOS or just a faulty card in other areas. I had an open box ASUS 7970 from NewEgg do that, and someone recommended re-flashing a BIOS, but I ended up returning it, since I didn't want to mess it up further and take away my chance for a refund.


----------



## th3illusiveman

If this still doesn't work can i run the 7970 on some generic office computer? Just to see if it boots? I know the offic PC power supply is crap and won't sustain the 7970 at load but i would think it would okay just to turn on right?


----------



## ElevenEleven

If you are able to use a different graphics card on your computer (as in right now, if you plug one in and it works) and it's just the 7970 that's not working--it's not your computer. It's the card.

You could check for an up-to-date Powercolor 7970 BIOS and flash it in DOS or something.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bazinga11*
> 
> What does the power limit do?


I don't know the details offhand, just know it helps me stabilize on higher overclocks.

This explains it in detail if you really want to know, scroll down to *brettjv's* comment.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1353203/what-does-power-limit-do-in-msi-afterburner


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> about to order this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202005
> 
> upgrading from a 6970....runnin 5760x1080 right now with a 4th monitor and planning on getting 3 1440p ips screens
> 
> anyone have any of these?


any opinion?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> If you are able to use a different graphics card on your computer (as in right now, if you plug one in and it works) and it's just the 7970 that's not working--it's not your computer. It's the card.
> 
> You could check for an up-to-date Powercolor 7970 BIOS and flash it in DOS or something.


thing is the Bios doesn't show up.

I should note this happened before with the card i had before the RMA. The problem with that was one of 3 things. The power connector was not pushed in deep enough (did that now), The card was not seated correctly in the PCIE slot (did that now) and the VRM heatsink i had bought for it was screwed on too tightly (this is completely stock from PwC so it shouldn't be an issue)
When i fixed those things the PC booted up. When the card shorted out and the PC would always reboot whereas before the short when it was giving me the "no signal detected screen" the PC would run infinitely while displaying nothing without rebooting.
This time with this new card the PC is running infinitely without rebooting so i think the card is working but for some reason it isn't showing me any image. I'd hate to send PwC the card back, they test it and it runs on their system - i pay the $40 shipping cost and end up in this same situation 2 weeks later







but i also don't know why on earth it won't run on my PC.


----------



## devilhead

hello, i have question, i'm runnig 7950 CF, first one is powercolor , second xfx black, when i'm play batlefield 3 i see in my logitech g19 that powercolor card downclock, like i have overckoked both cards 950mhz and 1400mhz, and the powecolor jumps from 850/1250 - 837/1250 - 950/1250 ! so what is wrong? the powercolor card is piece of shiiit, overclocks just til 1400 memory...huge downgrade for xfx


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Hey guys, i got a 7970 from the RMA office and tried to install it today but was met with the "No signal detected" screen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Things i've tried
> 
> -> Reset CMOS
> -->_(my board didn't have a jumper so i used a butter knife to bridge the gap between the two CMOS pins for 30 seconds while the PC was off with the battery still in)_
> -> Switch PCIE slots
> -> Switch PCIE power cables
> -> Switch Bios settings on the card
> ->. Manually reset Bios for my PC using a different VGA
> -> Use an HDMI cable
> 
> I that's about it, i called Powercolur and they said they extensively test parts out before shipping them back to the user and they recommended that i reset the bios and try the card in a different PC. I've done the bios part but don't have another PC to test my card on. I did reset the CMOS correctly right?
> 
> Anyways anyone know what else to do? I will probably send it back on monday if i can't find a way to get it working again. I should note that my trusty GTX570 was working well through all this.


did you try putting your screen in VGA Mode?

I had a few screens, that started out in either VGA or DVI Mode, when powering up a System it would constantly display "No Signal" when I used HDMI, because the screen would still be in DVI Mode.

Shrug, had to power ion the screen, and Manually switch it to HDMI in the menu,.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> thing is the Bios doesn't show up.
> 
> I should note this happened before with the card i had before the RMA. The problem with that was one of 3 things. The power connector was not pushed in deep enough (did that now), The card was not seated correctly in the PCIE slot (did that now) and the VRM heatsink i had bought for it was screwed on too tightly (this is completely stock from PwC so it shouldn't be an issue)
> When i fixed those things the PC booted up. When the card shorted out and the PC would always reboot whereas before the short when it was giving me the "no signal detected screen" the PC would run infinitely while displaying nothing without rebooting.
> This time with this new card the PC is running infinitely without rebooting so i think the card is working but for some reason it isn't showing me any image. I'd hate to send PwC the card back, they test it and it runs on their system - i pay the $40 shipping cost and end up in this same situation 2 weeks later
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but i also don't know why on earth it won't run on my PC.


Yeah, I should have added that perhaps you could insert another card and plug your monitor into that. Or use integrated graphics if you have that. My "dead" ASUS 7970 did the same thing--I just sent it back without flashing a good BIOS. Does your card have a BIOS switch, by the way? If so, try booting with the switch flipped?


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> any opinion?


fwiw, I absolutely love mine. It had coil whine out of the box but disappeared after a day or two. It stays really cool, never goes above 75 C. I haven't tried pushing it too hard in the overclocking department, but I usually run it about 1100/1600 and it handles everything I throw at it with ease on 1440p. It's an awesome looking card, has some sweet LEDs, and Sapphire is generally held in high regard when it comes to GPUs. I say get it.

EDIT: whoops, didn't realize you linked the 6GB version. I only have the 3GB one.


----------



## toolio20

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> any opinion?


That's an EXPENSIVE card...unless you're limited to a single PCIe slot I would seriously consider running these in xfire instead - I know it isn't perfect but I cant help but think 2 7950s clocked at 1100/1500 might give you more horsepower for running such high resolutions. Cost ends up at $230 each after a rebate and selling the Never Settle games; if I had the money for higher res monitors I'd pick up another one in a heartbeat, it's a sweet card (1200/1600 24/7 on mine)...


----------



## OneGun

So i got my second 7950 and i need help using Radeon pro.For AA do i turn it off in game and run it through RP?Which is best AA to use?


----------



## Hokies83

Only issues im having with all my games is horizontal screen tearing.

There a Rad pro how to thread XD?


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Only issues im having with all my games is horizontal screen tearing.
> 
> There a Rad pro how to thread XD?


Make a profile and in Tweaks tab, select what you want. Since you have 3 cards in crossfire, I would use Vsync "Always on", check triple buffering, and don't forget to put your monitor refresh rate where it says "Hz".


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> So i got my second 7950 and i need help using Radeon pro.For AA do i turn it off in game and run it through RP?Which is best AA to use?


If you can afford the fps hit(you can, since you have 2 7950 in CF) use ingame AA modes, unless they're broken or it's FXAA. In that case, just select what AA mode you want. I prefer SMAA in newer-hardware eater games since AA can give a huge fps hit with all that has to be antialiased(Crysis 3, Far Cry 3, f ex.). You can use MSAA in every game out there and SSAA in almost every game, but SSAA is overkill IMHO.

Don't forget to integrate SweetFX 1.4 with RadeonPro for a lot more eye-candy with almost no performance hit.


----------



## Bazinga11

I just downloaded Gigabyte OC Guru II, and it says my bios version for my 7950 is FV0. I can't find any info on that bios, does anyone have the same one?


----------



## Hokies83

Hmm how do u do the sweet Fx


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Hmm how do u do the sweet Fx


Ya how do you do that?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> You can unlock MSI Afterburner to raise clocks higher. Use at your own risk obviously cause you'll be going past recommended limits.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've clocked up to 1250 core and 1775 memory with +20 Power Limit, just a reference. I've only pushed my limits for benchmarks, not playing games.
> 
> This link tells you how --> How To Overclock The Official Way Using MSI Afterburner on AMD


i can get mine to 1235/1875 and my other to 1255/1835
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Hey guys, i got a 7970 from the RMA office and tried to install it today but was met with the "No signal detected" screen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Things i've tried
> 
> -> Reset CMOS
> -->_(my board didn't have a jumper so i used a butter knife to bridge the gap between the two CMOS pins for 30 seconds while the PC was off with the battery still in)_
> -> Switch PCIE slots
> -> Switch PCIE power cables
> -> Switch Bios settings on the card
> ->. Manually reset Bios for my PC using a different VGA
> -> Use an HDMI cable
> 
> I that's about it, i called Powercolur and they said they extensively test parts out before shipping them back to the user and they recommended that i reset the bios and try the card in a different PC. I've done the bios part but don't have another PC to test my card on. I did reset the CMOS correctly right?
> 
> Anyways anyone know what else to do? I will probably send it back on monday if i can't find a way to get it working again. I should note that my trusty GTX570 was working well through all this.


fyi only need to short the jumper for ~ 3 sec, pulling the battery is almost instant. so even 5 sec should be plenty, you are supposed to unplug it but i have never had to tbh

does the card do anything?? fan spin ect?

i have heard plenty of companies say they test it and it is a line of crap. they all say that but then why is there products that are doa? plenty of things could happened in transit too
they are just trying to cover their bum. there is no reason you should have to pay shipping on a card the second time around they need to pay for it imo
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You could also try removing the cmos battery for a while to clear the cmos. But it does seem odd that your 570 was fine, and this 7970 doesn't work in your system, maybe it will need an rma.
> You mentioned that you got the card from the rma office?


agreed about 1 card working and not another card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> sent from the RMA office
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yea, i will remove the battery. How long should i keep it out?


again does not take long. battery memory does not save for but milliseconds without power
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> thing is the Bios doesn't show up.
> 
> I should note this happened before with the card i had before the RMA. The problem with that was one of 3 things. The power connector was not pushed in deep enough (did that now), The card was not seated correctly in the PCIE slot (did that now) and the VRM heatsink i had bought for it was screwed on too tightly (this is completely stock from PwC so it shouldn't be an issue)
> When i fixed those things the PC booted up. When the card shorted out and the PC would always reboot whereas before the short when it was giving me the "no signal detected screen" the PC would run infinitely while displaying nothing without rebooting.
> This time with this new card the PC is running infinitely without rebooting so i think the card is working but for some reason it isn't showing me any image. I'd hate to send PwC the card back, they test it and it runs on their system - i pay the $40 shipping cost and end up in this same situation 2 weeks later
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but i also don't know why on earth it won't run on my PC.


again sounds doa to me you could always try a friends pc too if you really think you are doing something wrong.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> fwiw, I absolutely love mine. It had coil whine out of the box but disappeared after a day or two. It stays really cool, never goes above 75 C. I haven't tried pushing it too hard in the overclocking department, but I usually run it about 1100/1600 and it handles everything I throw at it with ease on 1440p. It's an awesome looking card, has some sweet LEDs, and Sapphire is generally held in high regard when it comes to GPUs. I say get it.
> 
> EDIT: whoops, didn't realize you linked the 6GB version. I only have the 3GB one.


meh they perform the same just one has more mem to my understanding for higher res systems esp nice in eyefinity
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *toolio20*
> 
> That's an EXPENSIVE card...unless you're limited to a single PCIe slot I would seriously consider running these in xfire instead - I know it isn't perfect but I cant help but think 2 7950s clocked at 1100/1500 might give you more horsepower for running such high resolutions. Cost ends up at $230 each after a rebate and selling the Never Settle games; if I had the money for higher res monitors I'd pick up another one in a heartbeat, it's a sweet card (1200/1600 24/7 on mine)...


nah at the higher res the extra mem is nice. the way i understand cfx is you dont double your mem. idk why they dont. but they dont. sli you do

fyi i have heard several nightmare stories about sapphires rmas/ customer service.

just be aware of that possibility before you buy. some do have good experiences with them best customer service comps i have seen with video cards are xfx and msi.


----------



## OneGun

Actually i believe in sli it dont double your mem either..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Actually i believe in sli it dont double your mem either..


shows what i know about nvidia only heard about it from one review and tbh i dont trust him but meh. its nvidia and i wont buy them ( just to clarify, that is just my opinion, as has been stated they are fine cards just amd is better !~ LOL )


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Hmm how do u do the sweet Fx


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Ya how do you do that?


Check out this thread:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1296721/how-to-anti-aliasing-injection-fxaa-smaa-and-sweetfx

Also look into RadeonPro, which allows some of those at least--have not looked too deeply into it yet.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i can get mine to 1235/1875 and my other to 1255/1835
> fyi only need to short the jumper for ~ 3 sec, pulling the battery is almost instant. so even 5 sec should be plenty, you are supposed to unplug it but i have never had to tbh
> 
> does the card do anything?? fan spin ect?
> 
> i have heard plenty of companies say they test it and it is a line of crap. they all say that but then why is there products that are doa? plenty of things could happened in transit too
> they are just trying to cover their bum. there is no reason you should have to pay shipping on a card the second time around they need to pay for it imo
> agreed about 1 card working and not another card.
> again does not take long. battery memory does not save for but milliseconds without power
> again sounds doa to me you could always try a friends pc too if you really think you are doing something wrong.
> meh they perform the same just one has more mem to my understanding for higher res systems esp nice in eyefinity
> nah at the higher res the extra mem is nice. the way i understand cfx is you dont double your mem. idk why they dont. but they dont. sli you do
> 
> fyi i have heard several nightmare stories about sapphires rmas/ customer service.
> 
> just be aware of that possibility before you buy. some do have good experiences with them best customer service comps i have seen with video cards are xfx and msi.


yea, i've pretty much exhasuted all my options here. Taking the battery out didn't help at all. I will try it on one of the office PCs and if it still fails to show anything then i will return it. It it miraculously works on the office PC i will be even more pissed because then i will have a card than cannot work on my PC but works on others.


----------



## th3illusiveman

-dupe-


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> yea, i've pretty much exhasuted all my options here. Taking the battery out didn't help at all. I will try it on one of the office PCs and if it still fails to show anything then i will return it. It it miraculously works on the office PC i will be even more pissed because then i will have a card than cannot work on my PC but works on others.


still doa imo
i cant tell you how many times they ask me to do that kind of junk

and i just sya " i all ready have" if they insist again. i spend 5~10 min surfing the web and then say ya same thing does not work. and amazingly the next one they send works or it happens till i get one that works ( really though i never have been that unlucky ) also no reason to have to clear your bios because of a video card. makes no since to me. i just think they be full of it personally

you need to ask for return shipping as this item did not work and you already paid for shipping once. most companies will cave if you keep pushing for it. be nice but get nasty goto the supervisor.
my favorite line is " i want to make sure you know. i am not mad at you but i am sick of this situation. this is not the first time this has happened and i feel i have a right to be upset" you have to adapt it. finish it with something like. " you know i have built several pcs and i am very tech savy. and i am sick of the insults to my intelligence. i already tryed everything you asked 3 times before i called. and then to be told " we inspect these things very thoroughly". obviously you dont or when i plug it into my pc it would of worked. i have bought and installed over 20 video cards in my life without problems." the only thing they can say to something like that is your right, or i understand. if they say much else they are insinuating your doing it wrong and they are insulting you and then you just escalate it more.


----------



## ElevenEleven

You can test it on your work PC if you want, but I'm fairly certain that if the card doesn't work on your home computer when other cards do--this card is bad.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> You can test it on your work PC if you want, but I'm fairly certain that if the card doesn't work on your home computer when other cards do--this card is bad.


+99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999


----------



## th3illusiveman

Okay thanks guys. I think i will skip the work PC thing because there is a risk the 7970 could overwhelm the crappy PSU that is stuffed into it and blow it up lol and send the card in when i can.

another 3 weeks without my 7970


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> You can unlock MSI Afterburner to raise clocks higher. Use at your own risk obviously cause you'll be going past recommended limits.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've clocked up to 1250 core and 1775 memory with +20 Power Limit, just a reference. I've only pushed my limits for benchmarks, not playing games.
> 
> This link tells you how --> How To Overclock The Official Way Using MSI Afterburner on AMD


Man... This ltmatt guy keeps plagiarizing my guide. What the hell is wrong with ppl? Btw Nightz2k, do you realize where all that info came from?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Just RMA'd my poor golden 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess its about time since it's been dead for 6 months now. I'll update you guys on how Sapphire's RMA process went, and how the new card clocks though. I'll obviously be held back by the C2D, but we'll see what I can pull off.


Longtime no see man. I bet they will send you an original 7970 OC.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Okay thanks guys. I think i will skip the work PC thing because there is a risk the 7970 could overwhelm the crappy PSU that is stuffed into it and blow it up lol and send the card in when i can.
> 
> another 3 weeks without my 7970


You can use your GTX 570 to boot into the motherboard BIOS and enable the integrated graphics for your CPU. Plug your video cord to your motherboard. Swap in the 7970 and boot into the BIOS still via integrated graphics to see if the card is recognized at all.

In case it is, load into windows with integrated graphics and see if you can save the current 7970 BIOS with GPU-Z as backup.

You can try flashing a fresh BIOS--TPU has a collection. Here's one for A Powercolor 7970--you should check if the model is correct, but it looks like this version works for many cards.

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113401/Powercolor.HD7970.3072.111207.html

Use ATIFlash to load a BIOS from a flash drive at boot or can try ATIWinflash if you are able to load into windows via integrated with the 7970 plugged in and the card is recognized.

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Utilities/BIOS_Flashing/ATI/

There are good directions on how to do either.

That would be the final test if you want to avoid RMAing again.


----------



## xtreemeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Hey guys, i got a 7970 from the RMA office and tried to install it today but was met with the "No signal detected" screen
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Things i've tried
> 
> -> Reset CMOS
> -->_(my board didn't have a jumper so i used a butter knife to bridge the gap between the two CMOS pins for 30 seconds while the PC was off with the battery still in)_
> -> Switch PCIE slots
> -> Switch PCIE power cables
> -> Switch Bios settings on the card
> ->. Manually reset Bios for my PC using a different VGA
> -> Use an HDMI cable
> 
> I that's about it, i called Powercolur and they said they extensively test parts out before shipping them back to the user and they recommended that i reset the bios and try the card in a different PC. I've done the bios part but don't have another PC to test my card on. I did reset the CMOS correctly right?
> 
> Anyways anyone know what else to do? I will probably send it back on monday if i can't find a way to get it working again. I should note that my trusty GTX570 was working well through all this.


Power colour ships with UEFI i guess that's the problem.
Boot with your internal graphics into bios, look for "PCI ROM PRIORITY" check if it's set to EFI/legacy try to change vice versa and then try to boot from that power colour.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xtreemeNoob*
> 
> Power colour ships with UEFI i guess that's the problem.
> Boot with your internal graphics into bios, look for "PCI ROM PRIORITY" check if it's set to EFI/legacy try to change vice versa and then try to boot from that power colour.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> You can use your GTX 570 to boot into the motherboard BIOS and enable the integrated graphics for your CPU. Plug your video cord to your motherboard. Swap in the 7970 and boot into the BIOS still via integrated graphics to see if the card is recognized at all.
> 
> In case it is, load into windows with integrated graphics and see if you can save the current 7970 BIOS with GPU-Z as backup.
> 
> You can try flashing a fresh BIOS--TPU has a collection. Here's one for A Powercolor 7970--you should check if the model is correct, but it looks like this version works for many cards.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/113401/Powercolor.HD7970.3072.111207.html
> 
> Use ATIFlash to load a BIOS from a flash drive at boot or can try ATIWinflash if you are able to load into windows via integrated with the 7970 plugged in and the card is recognized.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Utilities/BIOS_Flashing/ATI/
> 
> There are good directions on how to do either.
> 
> That would be the final test if you want to avoid RMAing again.


will do


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i can get mine to 1235/1875 and my other to 1255/1835


Pretty sure you should be able to clock higher than mine. I'm using 7950's, you're using 7970's right ? _(From what I read in your rig builder anyway)_

I'm getting near my limits on air and it starts artifacting on benchmarks. I'm pretty happy getting near 4000 Points _(3879 so far)_ in Valley for what I have. _(Power of a Titan at ½ the cost)_


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Man... This ltmatt guy keeps plagiarizing my guide. What the hell is wrong with ppl? Btw Nightz2k, do you realize where all that info came from?


I apologize, I did not know.









That was the link I followed from another post somewhere in this thread or possibly another one.


----------



## Imprezzion

I just got my MSI R7970 TF3 OC/BE!

It's a very nice card, uses a black PCB which might be reference by the looks of it though.

MSI AB 3.0.0 Beta 9 fully support voltage control for the core and mem and i've bene playing with it.
It aint as good as my dead Sapphire, this one only does 1210Mhz on 1.300v so far.. Not even sure that it's fully stable. Only ran a Valley lop foor 30 minutes.. 1225Mhz gives light artifcting and 1240Mhz gives severe artifacting.

Temp wise the MSI is not all that good tbh.. On 1.300v and using a custom fan profile it still hits 70C @ ~65% fanspeed.. I might repaste it some day just to make it run a bit more quiet but not right now..

Memory does 1575Mhz on stock vmem, 1675Mhz seems to run fine but gives random striped/colored screen of deaths. I might push vmem a bit higher sicne the memory and VRM's are cooled by a baseplate and VRM's barely touch 70c at 1.300v.

Overall, especially for the price it's at in holland, being one of the cheapest non-ref cooled 7970's here (except for those XFX pieces of dung), it's a VERY good card with a proper cooler, slick look and full voltage control.

EDIT: It's going to take at least 1.556v to stabilize 1775Mhz VRAM clocks. Running 1675Mhz now and passed Valley Extreme HD at 1.538v. How far can I safely push the 1.500v VRAM of these cards?
I've seen people pushing as high as 1.612v but that's IMO rather steep...


----------



## H3avyM3tal

What does the VDDC Current reding mean? If my card max at around 191A, is that considered safe? Should I lower volts or oc (I'm on 1150 core atm)?


----------



## Imprezzion

VDDC Current is the amperage your card is pulling at it's core voltage at that moment. It's handy for calculating power consumption but for the rest.. All it affects is VRM temperatures and you can't bring it down. It's just what it draws. Only way to limit it is to bring power limit % down but 191A at say, 1.200v is only 229,2W power consumption while the cards specified TDP is max 250w so your waaaay in the safe zone.


----------



## Noviets

It makes me sad that so many people were able to push their 7970's so far







I got screwed


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> It makes me sad that so many people were able to push their 7970's so far
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got screwed


what clocks can you get with that asus 7970?

im buying one in the near future to put with my 7950 which I can get stable at 1200/1750

they look so god damn beasty, favourite of all time!


----------



## Noviets

I have it running stable at 1015/1800
I cant get the core above 1020 without driver crashes.

Could likely get more out of the memory clock, but I haven't felt the need.
I'm currently trying a bunch of different drivers/bios to see if I can get it stable.

Pretty unimpressed tbh


----------



## d1nky

wow! im very impressed with mine!

ive beaten all 3dmark top spots when I had it with the fx4100, it smashed benches!

do you know if your voltage is unlocked, when I tried different bioses it said through msi ab that I changed voltages but it didn't actually do it. worth checking, because when I get a driver crash its lack of voltage. and memory can oc up to 1800 on stock voltage. im thinking the voltage change aint actually happening for you, or like you say youre unlucky!

now its with the 8350 its a whole new card in gaming! I want another or 7970 I like it that much. and asus seems to be knocking down prices, on dabs they had one for 100 quid less!!

ive spent too much in the last month tho so will wait.


----------



## Imprezzion

Man oh man 7970's are SO temperature dependant...

My TF3 OC wouldn't go anywhere near 1250Mhz without massive artifacting with the MSI TF3 cooler. It hit ~75c in Valley Extreme HD on the core and ~80c VRMs after 30 minutes with 100% fanspeed.

Now, I went all ''YOLO'' on the poor thing, pulled it apart, grabbed one of my 2 Accelero 7970's, bent the tips of a string of 5cm of fins to make it fit besides the baseplate, tore the mount of the thing to pieces to make it fit besides the VRAM/VRM cooling baseplate of the TF3, made a custom ''spacer'' for the backplate of the AAX out of a chunk of armaflex, bolted it to the card and went for it.

To my suprize the card actually booted and ran a nice 22c idle. So, mount success!

Then, I fired up Valley XHD again and rammed the AAX to 100% fanspeed as well.
Coretemps maxed out at 48C and VRM's at 73c.

This suddenly made my card stable at speeds up to 1260Mhz! So, If you have artifacts? Bring the temps down and they dissappear like snow before the sun..

I'm happy to say I can run 1250Mhz stable now lol!


----------



## th3illusiveman

Valley isn't a good tool for stability testing. I could run 1300Mhz/1700Mhz on my Accelero cooler with 1.212v but it would crash in games.


----------



## Imprezzion

I just noticed it...

BF3 crashed within minutes but still







Arti's are gone, It was a DirectX crash this time.


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> do you know if your voltage is unlocked, when I tried different bioses it said through msi ab that I changed voltages but it didn't actually do it. worth checking, because when I get a driver crash its lack of voltage. and memory can oc up to 1800 on stock voltage. im thinking the voltage change aint actually happening for you, or like you say youre unlucky!.




MSI AB doesnt even detect the Vcore volts for me. Using the new 3.0.0 Beta 9.

Should I try a different Bios? Suggestions?


----------



## TwiggLe

My MSI 7950 TF3 is a lot happier now that I have my EK-FC7950 waterblock on it. Before my temps would get to 80c+ while gaming. The fan was insanely loud at anything more then 57%. Now after a few hours of gaming in eyefinity at max settings my temp gets to about 49c. I'm currently only using my RS240 XSPC rad for both my GPU and CPU. I'll most likely grab a 120 Rad to toss in my case in the next month or so.


----------



## Imprezzion

Meh, even though my accelero mod made my 7970 TF3 a lot happier as well it's still unstable as hell at anything over 1200Mhz. Artifacting is gone, but constant driver crashes / DirectX crashes meet me now when playing BF3 at anything over 1200Mhz.. Sadface.

I'm seriously considering switching it for a Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 which I can get at a very good price as well..


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> I have it running stable at 1015/1800
> I cant get the core above 1020 without driver crashes.
> 
> Could likely get more out of the memory clock, but I haven't felt the need.
> I'm currently trying a bunch of different drivers/bios to see if I can get it stable.
> 
> Pretty unimpressed tbh


Use the latest drivers. 13.3 beta, or you can wait some days since it seems next betas/WHQL will be out next week(24th april as per ZealotKi11er insider sources







). With newer drivers you'll see a drop in your OC for sure(more if you're on air) cause the cards are stressed more/better utilized/optimized, but the benefits hugely surpass the cons. Use the latest beta drivers available, 13.2/13.3 beta are the best drivers right now. Don't look into OC and benches, look into games/application performance.

Have you maxed Power Limit+20?Are you giving enough juice(.mV) to core and memory?Try a complete uninstall, cleaning and new install of MSI ABand all its associated files(do a search for all files/folders) and try AB again.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> 
> 
> MSI AB doesnt even detect the Vcore volts for me. Using the new 3.0.0 Beta 9.
> 
> Should I try a different Bios? Suggestions?


youre in need of the mod in msi AB.... ive done this a million times and found the perfect solution for afterburner!!

ok so follow this first link to the letter.... uninstall msi and drivers reboot then do all this:

http://forums.anandtech.com/archive/index.php/t-2263110.html

once you have done that follow the VEN mod in this link only:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335

it improved my stability and unlocked mem voltage which for some people they don't actually do, bless em!

you'll see the REAL voltage not ''target'' and it wont give that stupid glitche when changing speeds etc

@ the other people different games task the gpu in different ways so one game may be more stressing than another. BF3 is found to be the best stability test going. several hours is perfect lol! and furmark is the best way to test max heat.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Man... This ltmatt guy keeps plagiarizing my guide. What the hell is wrong with ppl? Btw Nightz2k, do you realize where all that info came from?
> 
> 
> 
> I apologize, I did not know.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That was the link I followed from another post somewhere in this thread or possibly another one.
Click to expand...

It's nothing on you. You should know that the info comes from OCN and is being plagiarized elsewhere so stop linking to the outside. If you follow the linkage to overclockers uk or whatever, you'll read pages and pages of the loser not knowing what the hell he's writing and ppl not able to do the tasks. Yea, it takes the loser a while to figure it out lol.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> 
> 
> MSI AB doesnt even detect the Vcore volts for me. Using the new 3.0.0 Beta 9.
> 
> Should I try a different Bios? Suggestions?
> 
> 
> 
> youre in need of the mod in msi AB.... ive done this a million times and found the perfect solution for afterburner!!
> 
> ok so follow this first link to the letter.... uninstall msi and drivers reboot then do all this:
> 
> http://forums.anandtech.com/archive/index.php/t-2263110.html
> 
> once you have done that follow the VEN mod in this link only:
> 
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335
> 
> it improved my stability and unlocked mem voltage which for some people they don't actually do, bless em!
> 
> you'll see the REAL voltage not ''target'' and it wont give that stupid glitche when changing speeds etc
> 
> @ the other people different games task the gpu in different ways so one game may be more stressing than another. BF3 is found to be the best stability test going. several hours is perfect lol! and furmark is the best way to test max heat.
Click to expand...

All your links, refer to the above, thx.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Pretty sure you should be able to clock higher than mine. I'm using 7950's, you're using 7970's right ? _(From what I read in your rig builder anyway)_
> 
> I'm getting near my limits on air and it starts artifacting on benchmarks. I'm pretty happy getting near 4000 Points _(3879 so far)_ in Valley for what I have. _(Power of a Titan at ½ the cost)_


yea that is true. sorry i thought you had a 7970 i mess read me thinks
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I just got my MSI R7970 TF3 OC/BE!
> 
> It's a very nice card, uses a black PCB which might be reference by the looks of it though.
> 
> MSI AB 3.0.0 Beta 9 fully support voltage control for the core and mem and i've bene playing with it.
> It aint as good as my dead Sapphire, this one only does 1210Mhz on 1.300v so far.. Not even sure that it's fully stable. Only ran a Valley lop foor 30 minutes.. 1225Mhz gives light artifcting and 1240Mhz gives severe artifacting.
> 
> Temp wise the MSI is not all that good tbh.. On 1.300v and using a custom fan profile it still hits 70C @ ~65% fanspeed.. I might repaste it some day just to make it run a bit more quiet but not right now..
> 
> Memory does 1575Mhz on stock vmem, 1675Mhz seems to run fine but gives random striped/colored screen of deaths. I might push vmem a bit higher sicne the memory and VRM's are cooled by a baseplate and VRM's barely touch 70c at 1.300v.
> 
> Overall, especially for the price it's at in holland, being one of the cheapest non-ref cooled 7970's here (except for those XFX pieces of dung), it's a VERY good card with a proper cooler, slick look and full voltage control.
> 
> EDIT: It's going to take at least 1.556v to stabilize 1775Mhz VRAM clocks. Running 1675Mhz now and passed Valley Extreme HD at 1.538v. How far can I safely push the 1.500v VRAM of these cards?
> I've seen people pushing as high as 1.612v but that's IMO rather steep...


fyi not ref. card.

you should be safe volts up to 1.7 temp wise probably not on air ( memory ) glad you like it though ~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's nothing on you. You should know that the info comes from OCN and is being plagiarized elsewhere so stop linking to the outside. If you follow the linkage to overclockers uk or whatever, you'll read pages and pages of the loser not knowing what the hell he's writing and ppl not able to do the tasks. Yea, it takes the loser a while to figure it out lol.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40
> All your links, refer to the above, thx.


well i appreciate your guide and knowledge. so thanks !~


----------



## sugarhell

Lol tsm they are jealous


----------



## Mega Man

i needs some helps from people with a swiftech komodo

will a 6cmx5cm thermal pad be enough for the block or should i get 2 per block? i am getting a used komodo and i am wondering how much i need?

should i replace the stock pads on my new blcok with this ultra stuff too ?

also have a new on on the way

edit i know they use .5mm pads from swiftech
source
Quote:


> High conductivity 0.5mm thick thermal pads are applied to the memory and VRM areas; there is no need to waste time cutting thermal pads as is often the case with other blocks; Tim-Mate™ thermal grease is included with the water-block for application to the GPU area.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's nothing on you. You should know that the info comes from OCN and is being plagiarized elsewhere so stop linking to the outside. If you follow the linkage to overclockers uk or whatever, you'll read pages and pages of the loser not knowing what the hell he's writing and ppl not able to do the tasks. Yea, it takes the loser a while to figure it out lol.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40
> All your links, refer to the above, thx.


I would report the copiers to each site's admins and point out the plagiarization. I'd also add a "please don't plagiarize my work" at the end of your thread, as some people may not realize that they are plagiarizing when summarizing without including references. It's especially prevalent on open anonymous forums without peer reviews.


----------



## snowfree52

without touching voltage I can go up to 1150/1600 with my 7970 crossfire

after that and I have freezes in valley.

How far can I go to push the Vcore and Vmem ?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> without touching voltage I can go up to 1150/1600 with my 7970 crossfire
> 
> after that and I have freezes in valley.
> 
> How far can I go to push the Vcore and Vmem ?


you can safely max them in ab, but keeping temps down is the problem


----------



## Imprezzion

Meh, i'm still disappointed by mine only being able to run 1200Mhz max stable on 1.300v. But then again, stock speed for a Ghz edition Boost card is 1050Mhz on 1.256v so with only 0.05v more it can do 150Mhz more Not bad at all, but i'd love some higher voltages for this card.. Temp wise i'm fine to push a bit higher to something like 1.35-1.38v orso like the old Sapphires could do in TriXX..

TriXX however also caps at 1.300v for this one


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Meh, i'm still disappointed by mine only being able to run 1200Mhz max stable on 1.300v. But then again, stock speed for a Ghz edition Boost card is 1050Mhz on 1.256v so with only 0.05v more it can do 150Mhz more Not bad at all, but i'd love some higher voltages for this card.. Temp wise i'm fine to push a bit higher to something like 1.35-1.38v orso like the old Sapphires could do in TriXX..
> 
> TriXX however also caps at 1.300v for this one


that is why i went for a 7970 oc card that was reference XD

and it looks sexay 

working on my water loop and a few mods so my case is stripped

side note i love my camera. the fan was spinning and it looks like it is stopped lol.

waiting to update my rig pics till it is done. with my next set of updates


----------



## snowfree52

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you can safely max them in ab, but keeping temps down is the problem


Thanks !

I should be ok with temps !


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> Thanks !
> 
> I should be ok with temps !


yep no prob !~

side note you heard about the new swiftech qdcs :O


----------



## Snuckie7

For MSI TFIII 7970 owners, does anyone know if your card uses Hynix or Elpida memory chips?


----------



## snowfree52

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yep no prob !~
> 
> side note you heard about the new swiftech qdcs :O


I answered in your topic ! it looks nice ! Those quick disconnects may not be the best in terms of aesthetics but they are so good when you have to get your hands dirty !


----------



## ElevenEleven

Well, if it bothers you that people plagiarize, those are the steps to take. Many forums have rules against plagiarizing content. If your posts were created before those that copied it--you can point it out.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> For MSI TFIII 7970 owners, does anyone know if your card uses Hynix or Elpida memory chips?


Hynix.

http://i.imgur.com/pqUkRBj.jpg

Check the 2 chips left above the heatsink and zoom in. They're hynix's.


----------



## KaRLiToS

These members and some other from ocuk tried to cheat in the Valley thread.


----------



## Imprezzion

I cheated in the valley thread as well







nVidia drivers everything disabled / set to performance.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah. Its ironic too that noone look your 7970 vs 680 thread. SOme people still believe that a 680 match a 7970 Lmao


where is said guide


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LtMatt*
> 
> I've edited the OP to add new download links and refine the guide slightly when Unwinder changed the way the expand clock limits works, that's it. Believe what you like, my conscience is clear.


If it is clear why you try to prove something to me if i am wrong and lying?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I cheated in the valley thread as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nVidia drivers everything disabled / set to performance.


Thanks for letting me know. Your entry is now deleted.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LtMatt*
> 
> I was just trying to help people who were having issues at ocuk and i did that with info i gathered from Guru3d forums and chatting to Unwinder. None of the info in my opening post came from tsm's guide. Stuff i didn't know about like crossfire overclocking that people asked about halfway through the thread i used some of the info posted here and elsewhere to try and help. That's all. I never said it was my info and my posts back that up. I never took any credit for knowing how crossfire overclocking worked.


When I try to help someone, I link them to a guide in question. I don't copy it to receive all the credits.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> If it is clear why you try to prove something to me if i am wrong and lying?


I'm just correcting some misinformation. My opening post is not even in the slightest bit similar to this other guide.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> When I try to help someone, I link them to a guide in question. I don't copy it to receive all the credits.


I would have linked to the tsm's crossfire overclocking but the rules on ocuk are quite strict regarding linking competitor sites. If you read my post, you will see i say this is coming from someone elses guide and at no point did i attempt to take any credit for that.

I was just trying to help someone else on ocuk with information found around the internet. I never tried to take credit for that. I made that blatantly clear in my posts.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Thanks for letting me know. Your entry is now deleted (coward)
> When I try to help someone, I link them to a guide in question. I don't copy it to receive all the credits.


Like 50% of the entries there haven't used disabled tesselation (AMD) or modified drivers (nVidia)...

If you want to be so strict about it, actually demand a screenshot of the driver settings..

Plus, the OP doesn NOT state that we aren't allowed to modify driver settings to the highest performance.
If you want to demand something like that, actually bother to post it in the OP next time... Coward.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Like 50% of the entries there haven't used disabled tesselation (AMD) or modified drivers (nVidia)...
> 
> If you want to be so strict about it, actually demand a screenshot of the driver settings..
> 
> Plus, the OP doesn NOT state that we aren't allowed to modify driver settings to the highest performance.
> If you want to demand something like that, actually bother to post it in the OP next time... Coward.


You cant disable tesselation on valley through drivers


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Like 50% of the entries there haven't used disabled tesselation (AMD) or modified drivers (nVidia)...
> 
> If you want to be so strict about it, actually demand a screenshot of the driver settings..


Yes we noticed this over at ocuk when one or two users from oc.net forum started posting odd results over at ocuk in our benchmark threads. We knew immediately that they were cheating by altering settings in the control panel. That was when Karlitos got involved i believe as a user from ocuk for a joke said he would come over here and post a cheating result to get high on the scoreboard.


----------



## Imprezzion

Maybe not, i don't know.. All I did was set nVidia drivers to max performance (enabling texture optimization, those kind of small things).

And it's NOT mentioned in the OP ANYWHERE that we can't adjust driver settings.
What if I always play my games and such with drivers set to max performance. i'd be a cheating coward then as well?

What bullcrap...

Then again, I never posted on ocuk myself, plus my score was totally possible as I was running a golden GTX670 clocked at 1362Mhz core and 3600Mhz VRAM. I only reached 53.3FPS...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Maybe not, i don't know.. All I did was set nVidia drivers to max performance (enabling texture optimization, those kind of small things).
> 
> And it's NOT mentioned in the OP ANYWHERE that we can't adjust driver settings.
> What if I always play my games and such with drivers set to max performance. i'd be a cheating coward then as well?
> 
> What bullcrap...
> 
> Then again, I never posted on ocuk myself, plus my score was totally possible as I was running a golden GTX670 clocked at 1362Mhz core and 3600Mhz VRAM. I only reached 53.3FPS...


Tweaks for maximum performance is okay. Disabling tesselation is just cowardly when the majority of users use tesselation


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Maybe not, i don't know.. All I did was set nVidia drivers to max performance (enabling texture optimization, those kind of small things).
> 
> And it's NOT mentioned in the OP ANYWHERE that we can't adjust driver settings.
> What if I always play my games and such with drivers set to max performance. i'd be a cheating coward then as well?
> 
> What a bullcrap...
> 
> Then again, I never posted on ocuk myself, plus my score was totally possible as I was running a golden GTX670 clocked at 1362Mhz core and 3600Mhz VRAM. I only reached 53.3FPS...


Hmm, cheating is a sticky subject obviously. However, if you admit to cheating, the bench OP has no choice but to remove your entry.


----------



## LtMatt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Then again, I never posted on ocuk myself, plus my score was totally possible as I was running a golden GTX670 clocked at 1362Mhz core and 3600Mhz VRAM. I only reached 53.3FPS...


No it wasn't you that posted. Sorry wasn't accusing you. Think it was someone called Cypher or something like that. Anyway at the end of the day its only a benchmark result, who cares.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Tweaks for maximum performance is okay. Disabling tesselation is just cowardly when the majority of users use tesselation


Karlitos just removed my submission and called me a coward for ''tweaking max performance'' with my GTX670 which you can't even modify tesselation on anyway..

And TSM, how is it considered cheating when there are no rules mentioned in the OP on it..
Just make their own rules whenever they feel like it?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Karlitos just removed my submission and called me a coward for ''tweaking max performance'' with my GTX670 which you can't even modify tesselation on anyway..


When you tell bench op that i cheat without more information i think that is the right.To remove your entry until you provide more informations


----------



## Imprezzion

I don't care







I'm just trying to defend my score as I no longer have the card and would like to keep my entry as I can't re-do it.

All I adjusted in the drivers was setting everything to max performance in stead of balanced..


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Meh, i'm still disappointed by mine only being able to run 1200Mhz max stable on 1.300v. But then again, stock speed for a Ghz edition Boost card is 1050Mhz on 1.256v so with only 0.05v more it can do 150Mhz more Not bad at all, but i'd love some higher voltages for this card.. Temp wise i'm fine to push a bit higher to something like 1.35-1.38v orso like the old Sapphires could do in TriXX..
> 
> TriXX however also caps at 1.300v for this one


i hope you're checking your VRM temps. make sure those don't go over 100c keep them under 90c if you can.


----------



## snowfree52

I think I have a problem ?

3770K @ 4.6 7970 crossfire @ 1150/1600 : 93,9FPS

3770K @ 4.7 7970 crossfire @ 1200/1600 : 77,6 FPS

How comes ?


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> I think I have a problem ?
> 
> 3770K @ 4.6 7970 crossfire @ 1150/1600 : 93,9FPS
> 
> 3770K @ 4.7 7970 crossfire @ 1200/1600 : 77,6 FPS
> 
> How comes ?


I'm finding the same result. If I increase voltage even at the same clocks I get a lower score. If I increase the core or memory it really takes a nose dive.


----------



## d1nky

wooo what happened earlier?! I use those guides from oc.uk and anandtech and pass that info on to others because it works great! solves every issue I had from the unofficial way and other mods! when I search google for info like that I don't have a clue where the info comes from.

so if I stepped on anyones toes....... im justifying myself


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> wooo what happened earlier?! I use those guides from oc.uk and anandtech and pass that info on to others because it works great! solves every issue I had from the unofficial way and other mods! when I search google for info like that I don't have a clue where the info comes from.
> 
> so if I stepped on anyones toes....... im justifying myself


There's absolutely nothing wrong with that! To make it fair, _always include a link to original source that you copy / paraphrase from_--that's all. If everyone did that--eventually, the links would lead to the very original source, and no one would be plagiarizing.


----------



## OneGun

Does it matter which slot i put my Xfire bridge on?I have the His 7950 boost and i used the one closest to heat pipes.Am i suppose to use the one on the left or right or does it even matter?


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> i hope you're checking your VRM temps. make sure those don't go over 100c keep them under 90c if you can.


Yeah I learned the hard way that 105-110c VRM isn't ''oke just for a bench''.

I'm monitoring them, after about 2 hours of BF3 on random maps @ 1080p Ultra they hit a max of 71c but mostly stabilizing at 67c.

Card does have some horrible coil whine under full load btw... It's just cryyyying it out lol.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Does it matter which slot i put my Xfire bridge on?I have the His 7950 boost and i used the one closest to heat pipes.Am i suppose to use the one on the left or right or does it even matter?


Doesn't matter at all. Which ever one looks better. I usually do the side closest to the edge of the case.


----------



## Jetlitheone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> I'm finding the same result. If I increase voltage even at the same clocks I get a lower score. If I increase the core or memory it really takes a nose dive.


That is probably because the graphics card is not stable thus its not giving 100% I run better with a lower clock although I can run higher clocks.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Doesn't matter at all. Which ever one looks better. I usually do the side closest to the edge of the case.


What do the little switches next to the xfire bridge do?They are both set at 1 i can choose 1 or 2.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> What do the little switches next to the xfire bridge do?They are both set at 1 i can choose 1 or 2.


That's your BIOS switch probably. BIOS 1 and 2. On some cards, the switch activates DL DVI from SL.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> What do the little switches next to the xfire bridge do?They are both set at 1 i can choose 1 or 2.


Those are for if you want to flash the BIOS on the card. I believe the BIOS on 1 is locked so you can flash on BIOS 2 and if anything goes wrong (happens a lot) and you "brick" you card, you can just flick the switch back to the original BIOS as a recovery. I wouldn't attempt flashing unless you have a problem with something. Also, make sure you do extensive research on flashing before attempting it. FYI it is the same exact BIOS on switch 1 and 2 so there is no difference between the two. Hope that cleared things up a little


----------



## ElevenEleven

It's not always the same exact BIOS on both. For Sapphire 7970 OC, one bios has the stock 7970 BIOS and the other has the factory-overclocked BIOS.


----------



## OneGun

Thank you guys.


----------



## snowfree52

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Check your vrm temps as the card/s will throttle when they get too hot.


Card is watercooled, they never go past 50°C


----------



## Imprezzion

Guys, i'm going to be a bit of a prick now but k.

My TF3 OC/BE does 1210Mhz max on 1.300v. It has some pretty severe coil whine and IMO the clocks are quite bad..

Should I just keep it and don't whine or should I return it under DSR (digital sales rights, 10 day period where you can return a online bought product without reason) and get another one / another brand?

As a hobby benchmarker i am kinda disappointed by this card as max bench stable is 1250 with artifacts and all..


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Guys, i'm going to be a bit of a prick now but k.
> 
> My TF3 OC/BE does 1210Mhz max on 1.300v. It has some pretty severe coil whine and IMO the clocks are quite bad..
> 
> Should I just keep it and don't whine or should I return it under DSR (digital sales rights, 10 day period where you can return a online bought product without reason) and get another one / another brand?
> 
> As a hobby benchmarker i am kinda disappointed by this card as max bench stable is 1250 with artifacts and all..


1200 bad clocks?

If you are a bencher you should get a 7970

Or put the card under water


----------



## zerokool_3211

Anyone else have any thoughts on the vapor x 6gb model before I order it...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Anyone else have any thoughts on the vapor x 6gb model before I order it...


You get 4 of these or 1? If you get 1 then your payed premium price for something that you will never use


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Anyone else have any thoughts on the vapor x 6gb model before I order it...


Waste of vRAM? 6GB isn't really needed, all in all it's a good card though!


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Guys, i'm going to be a bit of a prick now but k.
> 
> My TF3 OC/BE does 1210Mhz max on 1.300v. It has some pretty severe coil whine and IMO the clocks are quite bad..
> 
> Should I just keep it and don't whine or should I return it under DSR (digital sales rights, 10 day period where you can return a online bought product without reason) and get another one / another brand?
> 
> As a hobby benchmarker i am kinda disappointed by this card as max bench stable is 1250 with artifacts and all..


1200 mhz is very good. you are playing the silicon lottery. so there is no guarantee that the next one will be a better overclocker. as for coil whine thats a valid reason to return the card. have you tried to leave it in a demanding benchmark running for a long period of time where the coil whine is high. sometime the coil whine goes away. also in games restricting fps to 60 with vsync can reduce coil whine. TF3 OC/BE is a good card. you got unlucky with the coil whine.

you can return the current card and try another of the same MSI HD 7970 TF3 OC BE or you can go for another card like the sapphire HD 7970 OC. uses a custom PCB. so no full cover waterblocks if you want to watercool.

http://www.alternate.nl/html/product/SAPPHIRE/HD_7970_3GB_OC_with_Boost_(11197-03-40G)/1025924/?event=search


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Anyone else have any thoughts on the vapor x 6gb model before I order it...


6GB is waste for a single monitor. also why don't you consider getting a MSI HD 7970 TF3 OC BE. 1050 mhz core clocks. reference HD 7970 PCB. unlocked voltage and good cooler. USD 410. amazing price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> 1200 mhz is very good. you are playing the silicon lottery. so there is no guarantee that the next one will be a better overclocker. as for coil whine thats a valid reason to return the card. have you tried to leave it in a demanding benchmark running for a long period of time where the coil whine is high. sometime the coil whine goes away. also in games restricting fps to 60 with vsync can reduce coil whine. TF3 OC/BE is a good card. you got unlucky with the coil whine.
> 
> you can return the current card and try another of the same MSI HD 7970 TF3 OC BE or you can go for another card like the sapphire HD 7970 OC. uses a custom PCB. so no full cover waterblocks if you want to watercool.
> 
> http://www.alternate.nl/html/product/SAPPHIRE/HD_7970_3GB_OC_with_Boost_(11197-03-40G)/1025924/?event=search


Well, I was thinking of returning it as I can get the Vapor-X 3GB for €401 while this TF3 was €378...

The Vapor-X looks like quite a nice card to me tbh and the TF3's cooler kind of disappoints me as well as it easily hits 70c in-game. Fanspeeds around 50-56% but it still isn't quiet.. My old Sapphire 6950s with the dual-x cooler we're MUCH quiter so if thats anything to go by on the Vapor-X i'll go get that card..

Watercooling for now is off limits, no room for more rads so i'll be using stock air, or i'll mod one of my accelero 7970s to fit it.


----------



## Onkawow

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Well, I was thinking of returning it as I can get the Vapor-X 3GB for €401 while this TF3 was €378...
> 
> The Vapor-X looks like quite a nice card to me tbh and the TF3's cooler kind of disappoints me as well as it easily hits 70c in-game. Fanspeeds around 50-56% but it still isn't quiet.. My old Sapphire 6950s with the dual-x cooler we're MUCH quiter so if thats anything to go by on the Vapor-X i'll go get that card..
> 
> Watercooling for now is off limits, no room for more rads so i'll be using stock air, or i'll mod one of my accelero 7970s to fit it.


I got a Vapor-X 7950 with the 8+8 pin power connector. I am very pleased with the card. Running 1200 core clock /1500 mem clock for daily use. I do not give much for all the asic talk, but if anyone is interested mine is 72,9%. The cooling is very nice and i got no problems with vrm temps at this speed 24/7. Current voltage under load i 1,2 volt after the v-drop. When i got more time i will tjek if i can lower this.


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Man oh man 7970's are SO temperature dependant...
> 
> My TF3 OC wouldn't go anywhere near 1250Mhz without massive artifacting with the MSI TF3 cooler. It hit ~75c in Valley Extreme HD on the core and ~80c VRMs after 30 minutes with 100% fanspeed.
> 
> Now, I went all ''YOLO'' on the poor thing, pulled it apart, grabbed one of my 2 Accelero 7970's, bent the tips of a string of 5cm of fins to make it fit besides the baseplate, tore the mount of the thing to pieces to make it fit besides the VRAM/VRM cooling baseplate of the TF3, made a custom ''spacer'' for the backplate of the AAX out of a chunk of armaflex, bolted it to the card and went for it.
> 
> To my suprize the card actually booted and ran a nice 22c idle. So, mount success!
> 
> Then, I fired up Valley XHD again and rammed the AAX to 100% fanspeed as well.
> Coretemps maxed out at 48C and VRM's at 73c.
> 
> This suddenly made my card stable at speeds up to 1260Mhz! So, If you have artifacts? Bring the temps down and they dissappear like snow before the sun..
> 
> I'm happy to say I can run 1250Mhz stable now lol!


Pics?


----------



## Imprezzion

First of all, I placed the stock cooler back on as i'm probably going to either sell it or return it (warranty sticker on the screw isn't damaged







) and second of all, while the artifacts are gone, the driver still crashed at anything over 1210Mhz in BF3...

All you have to do is bend a few fins. I found out that the baseplate would've fit without filing







It was purely the fins that were blocking it.


----------



## HowHardCanItBe

No fighting in here guys. Let's not pick on each other,okay?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> First of all, I placed the stock cooler back on as i'm probably going to either sell it or return it (warranty sticker on the screw isn't damaged
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) and second of all, while the artifacts are gone, the driver still crashed at anything over 1210Mhz in BF3...
> 
> All you have to do is bend a few fins. I found out that the baseplate would've fit without filing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was purely the fins that were blocking it.


you need 1200 on BF3? Why?


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you need 1200 on BF3? Why?


Running 1080p @ 100fps @ Ultra







Which it won't do, not even on 1200Mhz..


----------



## snowfree52

I see you guys talking about screen flickers while overclocked, I have that with afterburner.

Will it compromise my system or the cards ?

Is there a quick way to up the limit in CCC ?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Running 1080p @ 100fps @ Ultra
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which it won't do, not even on 1200Mhz..


not trying to question your intelligence but unless your sig is not up-to-date - don't you have a 60Hz monitor?

if it is, then all you need is to maintain 60 minimum. at 5GHz on the chip and your gpu at stock it is very doable.

why return a good working product? maybe watercool it.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> First of all, I placed the stock cooler back on as i'm probably going to either sell it or return it (warranty sticker on the screw isn't damaged
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) and second of all, while the artifacts are gone, the driver still crashed at anything over 1210Mhz in BF3...
> 
> All you have to do is bend a few fins. I found out that the baseplate would've fit without filing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It was purely the fins that were blocking it.


the Vapor-x can sag due to the massive weight of the cooler. the dual x cooler model is good.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1381159/which-hd7970#post_19729144


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> not trying to question your intelligence but unless your sig is not up-to-date - don't you have a 60Hz monitor?
> 
> if it is, then all you need is to maintain 60 minimum. at 5GHz on the chip and your gpu at stock it is very doable.
> 
> why return a good working product? maybe watercool it.


It's correct, the monitor is 60Hz. But, i've gotten some knowledge about the game engine. All the hitreg / char movement is calculated at 100 calsc a second according to this dude I know, so having 100FPS will make sure your hitreg and such is at it's best.

And it might be just a mental effect, but I do notice a difference running 100FPS at gametime.maxvariablefps 100.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> It's correct, the monitor is 60Hz. But, i've gotten some knowledge about the game engine. All the hitreg / char movement is calculated at 100 calsc a second according to this dude I know, so having 100FPS will make sure your hitreg and such is at it's best.
> 
> And it might be just a mental effect, but I do notice a difference running 100FPS at gametime.maxvariablefps 100.


100 minimum on a single card? you prolly need a titan or lower your settings to High and get rid of some msaa.

this is i7 at 4.5 and the 7950 stock playing on a 64-man server 1080 ULTRA (all) and 4MSAA . . .


----------



## Imprezzion

I know right... My 670 @ 1362Mhz got close without AA, but still couldn't quite manage it..

Meh, it aint such a big deal anyway but I'm just overall disappointed by the MSI card. Coolers loud and not ''cool'', OC is below average on this one, bad coil whine.. meh. Not what I expected after my previous GTX560 Ti TF2 was great in terms of heat and sound//


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I know right... My 670 @ 1362Mhz got close without AA, but still couldn't quite manage it..
> 
> Meh, it aint such a big deal anyway but I'm just overall disappointed by the MSI card. Coolers loud and not ''cool'', OC is below average on this one, bad coil whine.. meh. Not what I expected after my previous GTX560 Ti TF2 was great in terms of heat and sound//


When you push a 7950 close to 1200 on air cooling what do you expect dude?If you want to oc that high you must accept the heat and the sound. Any card can have coil whine. No just msi have coil whine.Even your psu can create the coil whine.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> When you push a 7950 close to 1200 on air cooling what do you expect dude?If you want to oc that high you must accept the heat and the sound. Any card can have coil whine. No just msi have coil whine.Even your psu can create the coil whine.


Point 1, it's a 79*70*.

Point 2, as for the PSU, this is the first and only card i've ever had coil whine with, even counting my previous 3 7970's.
Heat and sound, the TF3 is louder then the Dual-X / Vapor-X, DC2 and even the powercolor PCS+ are quiter then this... Only card I had that was louder was a XFX DD BE but those things are horrible to begin with anyway.

Not what I expected nor hoped for, which is exactly why that DSR law exists. So you can return products that don't meet your expectations.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Point 1, it's a 79*70*.
> 
> Point 2, as for the PSU, this is the first and only card i've ever had coil whine with, even counting my previous 3 7970's.
> Heat and sound, the TF3 is louder then the Dual-X / Vapor-X, DC2 and even the powercolor PCS+ are quiter then this... Only card I had that was louder was a XFX DD BE but those things are horrible to begin with anyway.
> 
> Not what I expected nor hoped for, which is exactly why that DSR law exists. So you can return products that don't meet your expectations.


DC2 is just a bad card. Dual-x and vapor-x nowdays use the custom pcb. If i can remember 7970 TF3 use a reference pcb. I would take the tf3 every single time even if it was cost more

If you want to push 1200-1250 you must deal with the sound.It doesnt mean that if you change to a vapor-x thats it its super quiet. Your only choice is to put the card under water if you care so much about the noise


----------



## Imprezzion

I have a accelero 7970 laying around here, 2 actually, which can render the sound factor absolutely none. It fits on the TF3 with some modding, and makes it super quiet and just 50c loaded, problem is, it still only does 1210Mhz while even my 2 year old, and dead, reference Sapphire caard which was like, €240 secondhand, did 1260Mhz..

But then again, you probably think i'm a whining person right now and should accept it. Then we differ in opinion


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Anyone else have any thoughts on the vapor x 6gb model before I order it...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> 6GB is waste for a single monitor. also why don't you consider getting a MSI HD 7970 TF3 OC BE. 1050 mhz core clocks. reference HD 7970 PCB. unlocked voltage and good cooler. USD 410. amazing price.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732


+1 unless you run som crazy resolution monitor, or a eyefinity then it will come in handy otherwise 3gb is enough and your throwing extra monies on something you dont need to
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> When you push a 7950 close to 1200 on air cooling what do you expect dude?If you want to oc that high you must accept the heat and the sound. Any card can have coil whine. No just msi have coil whine.Even your psu can create the coil whine.


i agree with the underlined. coil whine can be anything, and due to the high pitch freq it can even sound like it is coming from something it is not
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> DC2 is just a bad card. Dual-x and vapor-x nowdays use the custom pcb. If i can remember 7970 TF3 use a reference pcb. I would take the tf3 every single time even if it was cost more
> 
> If you want to push 1200-1250 you must deal with the sound.It doesnt mean that if you change to a vapor-x thats it its super quiet. Your only choice is to put the card under water if you care so much about the noise


yea i think water is the only way to make these quiet under OC conditions. esp the levels of oc you want


----------



## tsm106

6 gb is a general waste because one gpu, even the Titan all things considered, will never be able to power a resolution large enough to make use of that vram buffer. Thus with one gpu half of that 6 gb will not be used unless one goes and I mean our of their way to overload skyrim with an obscene about of mods.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 6 gb is a general waste because one gpu, even the Titan all things considered, will never be able to power a resolution large enough to make use of that vram buffer. Thus with one gpu half of that 6 gb will not be used unless one goes and I mean our of their way to overload skyrim with an obscene about of mods.


he knows what he is talking about so listen to him. sounds like they put it out for the "my video card has 1gb of mem" ppl


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 6 gb is a general waste because one gpu, even the Titan all things considered, will never be able to power a resolution large enough to make use of that vram buffer. Thus with one gpu half of that 6 gb will not be used unless one goes and I mean our of their way to overload skyrim with an obscene about of mods.


Its funny that some engines use dynamic load of textures. Even if AB says that the game use 2 gb vram most of the times is the game taxing the buffer. Or a leaky engine. I have several times pass the 3gb on my 7970 and i didint have any problem


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You get 4 of these or 1? If you get 1 then your payed premium price for something that you will never use


this and 6gb is kind of overkill on this card..

The premium price they asking for 6gb is not worth it.. 3GB would be the sweet spot at least on the 7970.

When we really need that much vram 7970 would not be enough to drive it XD


----------



## Hokies83

Well quick question then on Tomb raider....

Maxxed out at 2560x1440 4x smaa

Vram used is read at 5.4gb is that a bug or what? cause if the game really needs that then 6gb would not be a waste lol.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well quick question then on Tomb raider....
> 
> Maxxed out at 2560x1440 4x smaa
> 
> Vram used is read at 5.4gb is that a bug or what? cause if the game really needs that then 6gb would not be a waste lol.


Its a bug. I have the same bug


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 6 gb is a general waste because one gpu, even the Titan all things considered, will never be able to power a resolution large enough to make use of that vram buffer. Thus with one gpu half of that 6 gb will not be used unless one goes and I mean our of their way to overload skyrim with an obscene about of mods.


well right now i am running 5760x1080 with a 4th monitor....and will soon be getting 3 1440 p monitors...thought that this card would help without me having to get 2 cards...i dont like crossfire and play most of my games in windowed mode so it wouldnt work anyway....so do you still think it would not be worth it to get?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> well right now i am running 5760x1080 with a 4th monitor....and will soon be getting 3 1440 p monitors...thought that this card would help without me having to get 2 cards...i dont like crossfire and play most of my games in windowed mode so it wouldnt work anyway....so do you still think it would not be worth it to get?


Are you crazy man? Only minecraft you can play with 1 gpu on eyefinity. More vram dont increase your performance. You should look for 2 gpus or 3 for 3x1440p setup


----------



## zerokool_3211

i am running triple 1080 right now on a single 6970 with no issues....will even play crysis 3 ok really...but if everyone here thinks that buying this card will be a waste of money i guess there is no reason...i really like the backplate and whatnot as well

if no this one then which one would be the best to get after this one


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> i am running triple 1080 right now on a single 6970 with no issues....will even play crysis 3 ok really...but if everyone here thinks that buying this card will be a waste of money i guess there is no reason...i really like the backplate and whatnot as well
> 
> if no this one then which one would be the best to get after this one


What you're doing is counter to the point of getting high vram gpu. With the 6970 at 3x1080P you have to reduce settings a lot to play C3. Hell, I have a 7970 here with 3 screens on a build for my sister and it has to run at high settings to get 45fps avg. It's a big compromise but obviously what can you do right? That said, adding more vram to the mix does absolutely nothing for the power of any gpu in question so you would have to lower IQ settings anyways to play at a decent framerate, which would then defeat the point of having 6gb vram in the first place. Do you see the quandry now?


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What you're doing is counter to the point of getting high vram gpu. With the 6970 at 3x1080P you have to reduce settings a lot to play C3. Hell, I have a 7970 here with 3 screens on a build for my sister and it has to run at high settings to get 45fps avg. It's a big compromise but obviously what can you do right? That said, adding more vram to the mix does absolutely nothing for the power of any gpu in question so you would have to lower IQ settings anyways to play at a decent framerate, which would then defeat the point of having 6gb vram in the first place. Do you see the quandry now?


so so what would you suggest....looks like i can still find some lightnings...those were supposed to be good....or maybe just the 3gb vapor x?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> so so what would you suggest....looks like i can still find some lightnings...those were supposed to be good....or maybe just the 3gb vapor x?


Get the new msi 7970 TF3


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> so so what would you suggest....looks like i can still find some lightnings...those were supposed to be good....or maybe just the 3gb vapor x?
> 
> 
> 
> Get the new msi 7970 TF3
Click to expand...

I think the new TF3 is the best custom fan solution built on a reference based pcb available at the moment.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I think the new TF3 is the best custom fan solution built on a reference based pcb available at the moment.


Thats why its the best


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I think the new TF3 is the best custom fan solution built on a reference based pcb available at the moment.
> 
> 
> 
> Thats why its the best
Click to expand...

Concur. Though zerokool_3211, they sell that card in two flavors, a boost and a regular non-boost. Buy the non-boost plain card!


----------



## zerokool_3211

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732

so not that one


----------



## zerokool_3211

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8001460&CatId=7387

this looks to be the same one

can someone find a link to one for me to purchase....rofl

then there is this one that i always here good things about


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732
> 
> so not that one


Correct. Btw, there was a bit of info in the TF3 news thread.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8001460&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=CLbuxZvU3LYCFS9eQgodDkkArg


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Correct. Btw, there was a bit of info in the TF3 news thread.
> 
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8001460&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=CLbuxZvU3LYCFS9eQgodDkkArg


that one says it is an OC....but is it the boost edition?


----------



## zerokool_3211

is that news thread on OCN?


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Correct. Btw, there was a bit of info in the TF3 news thread.
> 
> http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8001460&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=CLbuxZvU3LYCFS9eQgodDkkArg


so is that the one to get?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> that one says it is an OC....but is it the boost edition?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> is that news thread on OCN?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> so is that the one to get?


You can use the "Edit this post" pencil button to add to your previous posts. Moreover, posts #1 and 3 are basically the same.


----------



## hotrod717

So what are the top unlocked cards to get? Had a 7970 with coil whine and sold it. I'm looking to find a good unlocked card to put under water.


----------



## Imprezzion

For under water probably any reference card like a reference AMD cooled Sapphire or VTX3D. Only 2 reference cards still available in my country







so I can't advise any more brands.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> You can use the "Edit this post" pencil button to add to your previous posts. Moreover, posts #1 and 3 are basically the same.


sorry about the multi posts....


----------



## zerokool_3211

ok if you linked this one http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8001460&SRCCODE=WEBGOOPA&cm_mmc_o=mH4CjC7BBTkwCjCV1-CjCE&gclid=CLbuxZvU3LYCFS9eQgodDkkArg saying that it was the non boost...i am going to purchase it...but i wondered if it had the 3 games(crysis3, fc3, and bioshock) that the BE one has on newegg...seeing as i would like those games i may get the BE just for the games....i cant really tell if the one on tiger linked comes with them


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> It's correct, the monitor is 60Hz. But, i've gotten some knowledge about the game engine. All the hitreg / char movement is calculated at 100 calsc a second according to this dude I know, so having 100FPS will make sure your hitreg and such is at it's best.
> 
> And it might be just a mental effect, but I do notice a difference running 100FPS at gametime.maxvariablefps 100.


I run my Xfire His 7950 boost on BF3 on my 60hz monitor and i can tell the difference between 100 and 60 big time although it may be mental lol.And the screen tearing isnt that bad i really don't notice it..


----------



## Imprezzion

I have / ''soon te be had'' the boost version and i am / was happy with it except for the fact I personally find the cooler inadequate and loud when overclocking past stock voltage.
Coolers loud to begin with anyway even on stock, but hey, noise isn't everything..


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I have / ''soon te be had'' the boost version and i am / was happy with it except for the fact I personally find the cooler inadequate and loud when overclocking past stock voltage.
> Coolers loud to begin with anyway even on stock, but hey, noise isn't everything..


so you had a 7970 TF3 OC/BE


----------



## end00

Ladies and gents! So I finally got my 7970 I've been waiting for forever. Now I got the Asus DirectCUII model. Now stock it runs 950/1400 (unsure on mem. speeds). Anyway I tried GPU tweak but I don't like the layout and how it works. So anyway I went back to trusty MSI afterburner that I used for my 6950 and I can overclock it to 1125/1575 and it wont let me mess with voltages.

So my question is what can I do to unlock the voltage for MSI afterburner? Do I have to flash the bios, and if so which bios is recommended? I know techpower up has alot of different 7970 bios's but which one is the one I want? Another thing is, what's the high clocks people are getting on stock voltage?

Note: This card runs very very cool for me anyway. At the speeds I have it at now (1125/1575) under load it only hits 58*c @ about 45% fan speed.

Thanks!


----------



## ElevenEleven

I believe it may be voltage-locked. More recent DCII 7970s are.


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> I believe it may be voltage-locked. More recent DCII 7970s are.


That's what I was afraid of, but I thought you could flash the bios and it would unlock it? Also if I switch the bios switch over what is that do?


----------



## ElevenEleven

The switch changes one DVI port's configuration from single link to dual link by disabling or enabling the 4th display port.
_
ETA: and activates another BIOS_

https://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/HD7970DC23GD5/

I'm not sure if you can flash an older unlocked BIOS successfully or if it's down to the hardware level--I can't recall now. I know that early batches were unlocked, and then most were locked, where ASUS expected you to use their ROG motherboards and unlock the voltage control by "hotwiring" the card to the motherboard.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> so you had a 7970 TF3 OC/BE


Still have it but i'm probably buying a different one today.


----------



## Noviets

Does anyone with an Asus 7970 DC2 TOP Edition, that is unlocked?

If so I'm looking for bios for one I'm currently using: 015.023.000.002.000000 (113-AD45600-204). Which is locked.

Not letting me pass 15mhz above stock without driver/dx crashing, or lines.

I keep hearing that the TOP editions can be unlocked with a bios update. I read these can be overclocked quite well with the DC2 Fan heat sink. Is this true?

I generally overclock CPU's. So I figured its about time I try my hand on a GPU!

I'm just going to stick with the DC2 heat-sink, so if there's a safe volt/temp recommendation I would greatly welcome it. Along with anyone that's willing to mentor me through the process if I run into any problems









I found a list of bios over at Techpowerup Here

There's just no way of knowing which bios is/isn't voltage locked.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Does anyone with an Asus 7970 DC2 TOP Edition, that is unlocked?
> 
> If so I'm looking for bios for one I'm currently using: 015.023.000.002.000000 (113-AD45600-204). Which is locked.
> 
> Not letting me pass 15mhz above stock without driver/dx crashing, or lines.
> 
> I keep hearing that the TOP editions can be unlocked with a bios update. I read these can be overclocked quite well with the DC2 Fan heat sink. Is this true?
> 
> I generally overclock CPU's. So I figured its about time I try my hand on a GPU!
> 
> I'm just going to stick with the DC2 heat-sink, so if there's a safe volt/temp recommendation I would greatly welcome it. Along with anyone that's willing to mentor me through the process if I run into any problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I found a list of bios over at Techpowerup Here
> 
> There's just no way of knowing which bios is/isn't voltage locked.


you can flash a matrix bios to the asus 7970 top, but voltage change will only be through asus gpu tweak.

google it if unsure


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Check here, it's a Turkish website but tests are by me : Also tested 7970 TOP CF with matrix bios - You can understand test results









http://forum.donanimhaber.com/m_73980610/tm.htm

My case is not enough space to cold 1st card. So I did back to original bios. 1100Mhz - 6000Mhz is stable for me for Crossfire

and check this thread

http://www.overclock.net/t/1374108/asus-7970-top-edition-voltage-unlocked-by-dj-oxygene-8

I don't know any bios can unlocked TOP - tried all bioses, just Matrix worked.


----------



## end00

Now will that work with with the regular direct CuII version? I don't think mine is the top edition. Well I'm looking at the box and it doesnt say anything about it.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> Now will that work with with the regular direct CuII version? I don't think mine is the top edition. Well I'm looking at the box and it doesnt say anything about it.


It would have "DC2T" in the model name if you had a TOP card, and it would have higher stock clocks.


----------



## end00

Yeah saw a little ad on side for a th TOP mine is just a regular cuII. But my question still stand on if you can flash the Matrix bio's.


----------



## d1nky

id thinkso, I only know people that have flashed with the top version. and the top version is just flashed with higher clocks!

btw the TOP has it written all over the box! lol

just find a bios that has matching numbers with yours, flip switch to two and try. if it fails reboot on other switch.

ive had all sorts of bioses on my 7950, including the matrix. and funnily enough its the new bioses from asus that lock my voltages!

in gpuz itll says your bios number, theres a few numbers that match with other bioses, those are the ones that work.

someone found me a 7970 ghz bios that flashes and works for me.


----------



## ElevenEleven

You can always have a look at ATIFlash and ATIWinFlash (hosted by TechPowerUP, along with loads of different GPU BIOSes). Save your current BIOS with GPU-Z. Flash a new BIOS (a Matrix 7970 BIOS) with ATIWinFlash or ATIFlash, and see if it works. If it doesn't, prepare a flash drive with ATIFlash + your original BIOS and reflash it back.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> just find a bios that has matching numbers with yours, flip switch to two and try. if it fails reboot on other switch.
> 
> ive had all sorts of bioses on my 7950, including the matrix. and funnily enough its the new bioses from asus that lock my voltages!


His card does not have two BIOSes--the switch changes SL DVI into Dual Link, by turning off a display port.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

I did flash DCU II non top Version to my card, didn't work... 7970 DC Top works with Matrix bios

I'm not sure DC II non top will work with Matrix bios. Probably not.


----------



## d1nky

come again?! no bios switch, and no two bioses?!

only display switch?

ive seen loads of people flash tops to matrix, but never a non top, and all I know is the non top is basically a lower clocked card


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> come again?! no bios switch, and no two bioses?!
> 
> only display switch?


Yes, as I already explained on the previous page:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/24010#post_19808756

It's directly in the card description, and I had to research it back when I got an open box DCII 7970 that seemed to have arrived with a corrupted BIOS.


----------



## d1nky

just done some research and it is dual bios switch, just that when on a certain bios it switches single to dual link dvi vice versa to allow up to 6 displays. and when flashing depending on the bios youd lose this, and you have to make sure you have the correct display adapter in.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/24020
http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=374097
http://www.overclock.net/t/1276472/flashing-the-7970-vbios-7970-owners-may-want-to-read-this/20

ive been reading reviews and forums for ten minutes and it has two bioses

LOL


----------



## ElevenEleven

My bad then--I kept reading that it was a display port / DL DVI switch.


----------



## end00

Yeah, I'll give it a try on my "secondary" bios. Now I just need to figure out which bio's I need. Any suggestion? This is my current one.


----------



## d1nky

from what ive read it basically is, and somewhat of a complicated bios setup in order for them to achieve 6 displays.

I had to question this because on both 7950s its a bios switch, the 7970TOP bios switch and matrixes bios switch.

so I wondered why they would leave a single 7970 non top with out dual bios?! but its actually for the 6 screen.

im planning on buying one of those cards soon, because I like this one sooooo much!

[email protected] end00 see the bios version, youll have to look at the ones you want to flash, some of the numbers should correlate, about three numbers in the brackets bit. I cant remember if its the first three (113) or the last (100)

or im just remembering and its the device ID that matches. I been folding all week and forgotten hahaha

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/130255/Asus.HD7970.3072.120813_5.html

this device ID matches, and its a matrix platinum

now I take no responsibility for you bricking your card, up to you to research this properly

im editing as I remember stuff, well device ID and first part of brackets number matches


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Non Top and Top are totally different. Because when I flashed to my card, windows couldn't recognize the card. Driver didn't worked. Not only downclock version Top. Totally different.

But Matrix and Top looks similar.


----------



## d1nky

really?! well the 7950 and 7950TOP are exactly the same, just with different flashed bioses.

same power phase design, vrm, pcb etc

so id thought theyd do the same with the 7970s? maybe you had an incompatible bios or something. or I could be wrong!

all id suggest is try it, and sometimes when flashing a bios and it reboots itll bsod, drain power and clear cmos, boot and its fine again.


----------



## end00

Ok so going over the bios's on techpowerup alot of them have both the (113-ADxxxxx-100) the AD numbers are what's different.


----------



## d1nky

it must be the device ID that has to match then

in my previous post had a matching matrix bios, and remember to save both of your card bioses before flashing!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## end00

Haha all the Matrix bios id match mine too :x


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> id thinkso, I only know people that have flashed with the top version. and the top version is just flashed with higher clocks!
> 
> btw the TOP has it written all over the box! lol
> 
> just find a bios that has matching numbers with yours, flip switch to two and try. if it fails reboot on other switch.
> 
> ive had all sorts of bioses on my 7950, including the matrix. and funnily enough its the new bioses from asus that lock my voltages!
> 
> in gpuz itll says your bios number, theres a few numbers that match with other bioses, those are the ones that work.
> 
> someone found me a 7970 ghz bios that flashes and works for me.


random question i keep hearing people say flip the switch. can you change the switch while the pc is on without damaging the card ? or shut off only ?


----------



## Snuckie7

It's getting toasty over where I live. Idle temps jumped from 25C to 37C!

VRM temps max out at 89C and 70C.

Two questions: Why is there such a big difference between VRM 1 and 2?

And are both fine for extended gaming sessions?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> It's getting toasty over where I live. Idle temps jumped from 25C to 37C!
> 
> VRM temps max out at 89C and 70C.
> 
> Two questions: Why is there such a big difference between VRM 1 and 2?
> 
> And are both fine for extended gaming sessions?


snowing at my house right now lol


----------



## Krusher33

Nice sunny 70f here.


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> random question i keep hearing people say flip the switch. can you change the switch while the pc is on without damaging the card ? or shut off only ?


I haven't tried it myself personally, but I'm pretty sure you can only do it when the machine is off. I also don't think it will damage it by doing it when it's on.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> It's getting toasty over where I live. Idle temps jumped from 25C to 37C!
> 
> VRM temps max out at 89C and 70C.
> 
> Two questions: Why is there such a big difference between VRM 1 and 2?
> 
> And are both fine for extended gaming sessions?


Now that's technically still with in operating temperatures, but that is to high for my taste. Try re doing the thermal paste to see if that helps. My old 6950 would idle at 40*c and during gaming would be around 85*c, and XFX told me that it was fine. Although I ended up changing out the thermal paste and it significantly lowered the temps.


----------



## Snuckie7

I applied Coollaboratory Ultra on my GPU core a few months ago. I would really hope the performance hasn't already degraded because that paste is some expensive stuff.


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I applied Coollaboratory Ultra on my GPU core a few months ago. I would really hope the performance hasn't already degraded because that paste is some expensive stuff.


Well one way to find out would be to pull it apart and check. I do hate taking apart my GPU just because it's time consuming.

Also on a side note to my not being able to controll the voltage on my Direct cuII. I found a version of GPU tweak that lets me have control of my voltage all the way up to 1.3xx. Now I get to start the real OC'ing.


----------



## Snuckie7

Pulling it apart would mean I have to repaste it :/


----------



## ElevenEleven

Your VRM temperatures are not dangerously high or anything. I'd make sure your case did not accumulate lots of dust, check your case airflow, and maybe turn on the AC if you have high humidity. It may just be that your system's not venting out heat efficiently now in hot / humid weather.

Are you monitoring your idle core frequencies, btw? Does the core clock drop down properly? Are you running multiple monitors?


----------



## Snuckie7

Idle core frequencies and voltages are normal.

I'm just going to attribute this to the ~10C rise in ambient temps over the past few weeks.

I have met defeat at the hands of nature.


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Pulling it apart would mean I have to repaste it :/


Gotta pay to play







. But repasteing isn't that hard and definitely wont hurt it.


----------



## Snuckie7

It is a little tricky with Liquid Ultra because that stuff is conductive.

Anyways I think a rise of 10C in ambients would transfer over to idle temps, so that's probably it.


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> It is a little tricky with Liquid Ultra because that stuff is conductive.
> 
> Anyways I think a rise of 10C in ambients would transfer over to idle temps, so that's probably it.


Ah I never heard of that thermal paste, I had to look it up. And by the sounds of it, if you put in on a month or so ago it should still be good. If it were me I'd probably open it up and check. But it's not a life or death situation since your temps are terribly high.


----------



## Pheozero

Hey. I'm switching from a 660 ti to a 7950 and was just wondering what steps I need to do to make sure everything goes smoothly. Just remove my old card, wipe the drivers and install my new card?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Hey. I'm switching from a 660 ti to a 7950 and was just wondering what steps I need to do to make sure everything goes smoothly. Just remove my old card, wipe the drivers and install my new card?


Install DriverSweeper and download the latest AMD driver executable. Uninstall all of the nVidia drivers in the windows Programs and Features snd shut down. Plug in your AMD card and boot into safe mode. Run DriverSweeper and scan for nVidia drivers, clean, reboot normally. Install the latest AMD driver and you should be good to go. I also recommend looking into RadeonPro in addition, or at least install the latest Catalyst Application Profiles after the driver.


----------



## Pheozero

Thanks for the help. I'll look into RadeonPro too.


----------



## ElevenEleven

I should add: disable auto-launch of programs like MSI Afterburner before this, just in case. Re-enable when you're finished with the install.
(Fellow Bostonian








)


----------



## Pheozero

Hmm... I read somewhere that AB will still run even with authoring turned off.

(Always great to meet another person from Boston!)


----------



## ElevenEleven

It's not been my experience. When unselecting auto run at Windows boot in the options, Afterburner does not show up in the system tray, and my cards run at stock clocks. There might be some background process that remains, but is not relevant. You can always test it out of curiosity.


----------



## snowfree52

someone knows how to get CCC to permit higher overclocks than 1125/1575 ?

I hate using CCC and AB at the same time, they clash and sometimes you change something in CCC and it doesn't change because there is something else in AB and vice versa

thanks


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> someone knows how to get CCC to permit higher overclocks than 1125/1575 ?
> 
> I hate using CCC and AB at the same time, they clash and sometimes you change something in CCC and it doesn't change because there is something else in AB and vice versa
> 
> thanks


I've read a post somewhere on how to do that, but personally I just don't even instal CCC. Or just disable the overdrive and use AB for OC'ing.


----------



## snowfree52

thank you


----------



## d1nky

I always switch the bios switch when my pc is on, otherwise you couldn't boot on a corrupted bios, you would need to boot on the good bios and then switch to corrupted one to flash!

my god!!!!


----------



## Imprezzion

Little question guys, i'll be getting me a CLub 3D 1st gen 7970 Reference card that overclocks like a total baws, but i'll be putting my Accelero on it.

One little problem, I've build my own VRM cooling from the stock cooler of my dead 7970 which is part of the original baseplate, screws on so doesn't need tape. The non-adhesive stuff is enough.

My VRAM heatsink however is soldered to the base cooler of the 7970 heatsink so can't remove that







Now, I got plenty of VRAM blocks left from my Accelero's but I don't have any thermal adhesive anymore and it's rather expensive to get here tbh.

Now, I know a lot of non-ref cooled 7970's don't even HAVE VRAM cooling so I wanna ask you guys, do i HAVE to cool the VRAM or is it overrated and can I just leave it cooled by airflow only...


----------



## Imprezzion

Little question guys, i'll be getting me a CLub 3D 1st gen 7970 Reference card that overclocks like a total baws, but i'll be putting my Accelero on it.

One little problem, I've build my own VRM cooling from the stock cooler of my dead 7970 which is part of the original baseplate, screws on so doesn't need tape. The non-adhesive stuff is enough.

My VRAM heatsink however is soldered to the base cooler of the 7970 heatsink so can't remove that







.
Now, I got plenty of VRAM blocks left from my Accelero's but I don't have any thermal adhesive anymore and it's rather expensive to get here tbh.

Now, I know a lot of non-ref cooled 7970's don't even HAVE VRAM cooling so I wanna ask you guys, do i HAVE to cool the VRAM or is it overrated and can I just leave it cooled by airflow only...


----------



## d1nky

if I remember correctly vram doesn't get too hot and a lot of cards don't have vram cooling, its the vrms that need LN2 lol


----------



## Imprezzion

I know, I sawed the vrm cooling plate part off of a reference HD7970 cooler. It's quite a large hunk of aluminium now and I can use the reference screwholes to screw it on









Should perform equal or better then reference at cooling VRM due to the much higher airflow of the Accelero passing over it.

I'll just see what I can frankenstein up in terms of VRAM cooling. .


----------



## snowfree52

someone care to explain differences beetween Vram and VRM ? and where they are on the card ?









Thanks !

EDIT : nevermind ! I found it : http://www.overclock.net/t/974013/explanation-so-what-is-vrm-and-vram


----------



## Krusher33

Supposedly (with fingers crossed) my reference 7970 is on its way this morning. The one I stole from Mega Man.









I just need to find a waterblock for it. I'm too cheap and I'm trying to find a used one.


----------



## snowfree52

Where are VRM 1 and 2 located on the card ?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> Where are VRM 1 and 2 located on the card ?


Here


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> I always switch the bios switch when my pc is on, otherwise you couldn't boot on a corrupted bios, you would need to boot on the good bios and then switch to corrupted one to flash!
> 
> my god!!!!


that's what I was thinking. so that means it won't boot the bios until a reboot then. I get it. Thanks .
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Supposedly (with fingers crossed) my reference 7970 is on its way this morning. The one I stole from Mega Man.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just need to find a waterblock for it. I'm too cheap and I'm trying to find a used one.


congrats man you are going to love it. I still have not been given a pm I need a total and a paypal to pay him


----------



## Krusher33

That dude was irritating me so much I'll be glad I get the products and the sale is done. So freaking slow.


----------



## d1nky

''that's what I was thinking. so that means it won't boot the bios until a reboot then. I get it. Thanks''

@mega man

if you try booting on a bad bios (switch2) you wont get any display, so you boot on switch1 while in operating system, 'flick the switch' to switch2 and reflash.

you don't have to reboot, because if you did it wouldn't work on the corrupt bios.

and btw switch1 is locked, and you cant flash on to it.


----------



## snowfree52

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Here


I thought VRM 1 was the one next to the crossfire ?

here :


----------



## Imprezzion

The VRM you circled there is the one that blew up on my old Sapphire. Where is it even for...


----------



## KaRLiToS

*@Imprezzion*, I'm waiting for your post in the Valley thread


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> I thought VRM 1 was the one next to the crossfire ?
> 
> here :


Think those are mosfets?


----------



## disintegratorx

Found these this morning...









AMD Catalyst Un-install Utility v1.2.1.0 : http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_un_install_utility_download.html

AMD Catalyst 13.4 (12.104.0.0 March 28) : http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=377547

They work for my single card conifig. nicely. Although I had to do a complete uninstall and reinstall of MSI Afterburner afterward.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> *@Imprezzion*, I'm waiting for your post in the Valley thread


I'll repost my 670 score, but this 7970 won't get a spot at all. She's going back to the store tomorrow. All I can get outta her is 51.9 FPS which is LESS then my 670 did..


----------



## PedroC1999

Hello guys, just added myself to the list.

Im using MSI Afterburner to overclock, how long should I run kombuster for until I raise MHz, and how long for the final one to test stability?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Hello guys, just added myself to the list.
> 
> Im using MSI Afterburner to overclock, how long should I run kombuster for until I raise MHz, and how long for the final one to test stability?


dont use kombuster. instead do a 3Dmark11 or Heaven run and if it passes up it a nit more like in 50Mhz increments. once you have found your max OC you might have to knock it back about 50 to be stable. then do a few loops of heaven, a good gaming session and or fold with your card.. goodluck and happy overclocking


----------



## PedroC1999

Im on 1090stable, i have a thread in the General Graphics Card discussions, could you take a look?


----------



## disintegratorx

Wow, this new driver looks and plays games so smoothly. Wow, just wow.









I've also installed some newer Visual C+ Redistributables, 2012.. Don't know if it added to the performance, but I imagine that it did. Crysis 3 is playing better than it ever has before. (Sooo smooth!)


----------



## Hokies83

There a new driver out?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There a new driver out?


might be referring to this . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1384994/amd-catalyst-13-4-12-104-0-0-march-28


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There a new driver out?


Page back, Hokies, I posted a link to it.









Many thanks to the provider though, I don't know if that person reads through these threads or not.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Here


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snowfree52*
> 
> I thought VRM 1 was the one next to the crossfire ?
> 
> here :


The VRM is made up of the mosfet, inductor & capacitor, the mosfets are the parts that need cooling. In the pic hokies posted the mosfets for core VRMs are circled, in your pic the mosfets for memory VRMs are circled.


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> might be referring to this . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1384994/amd-catalyst-13-4-12-104-0-0-march-28


Im using this right now and works good. no issues or anything.


----------



## OneGun

Ok so i just tried to OC my his 7950 boost cards in xfire.I tried 1050 and 1350 since stock was 950 1250 i figured no problem.I did not adjust any voltages and tried to run Valley benchmark.Well almost to the end and the benchmark locked up and i had to quit through task manager.The temps were 56c and i noticed before it frooze the fps was about 20 lower then stock.So i bumped up the voltage a tiny bit and got a good run through but my score was worse then my cards run stock so i figured something was wrong.So i set everything back to stock and everything was still lower.Now when i first tried to OC iturbo told me i had to disable ULPS so i did and i restart.So even at my stock speeds with ulps off i got bad scores.So i turned ULPS back on and restart and i am back up to were i was in the first place.Can anyone please give me advice on using ITurbo?Or should i use another program.And did i do anything wrong that you guys can read?Sorry about the newb questions but i am a NOOB when it comes to this.Please give me some advice.
Thank you guys.


----------



## Lifeshield

Need to update as I had to RMA the MSI 7950 as it started artifacting. Did get a bonus out of it though, now instead of running at 62-63c at 100% load, it runs at 56-57c at 100% load instead, while at a 1ghz overclock.


----------



## zerokool_3211

getting my 7970 TF3 OC in about 10 hours...already in my city....on truck for delivery.....yeah....


----------



## porkovich

Well i know that every site tries to come up with a review of the new 7990 card, but i am a little conserned how much of that review tests are real .... let me illustrate something strange.

i picked up two hardware sites.

1. www.guru3d.com
2. www.anandtech.com

now let's see the results ...... and take in mind that the guru3d test Hardware is with a higher clocled i7 3960 Extreme Processor. now ....

1 -> 

2 -> 

So , let's talk a little. Now the difference is quite strange , where on the Guru3D side the HD 7990 is 15 FPS faster than the GTX 690 maxing Battlefiled 3 with 4xMSAAAA and a highest framerate of 71. On the other side, we see the Anandtech results , same game but with FXAA , where the HD 7990 come at 4th place , beaten by the GTX 690 with 4/5 Frames more. This means that the slower system results in a higher framerate for the AMD card and a much higher framerate for the GTX 690. We look at a difference of more thant 20 FPS for the GTX 690.
Using a slightlly different AA mode you can very well manipulate the final results .... to favor a particular manufacturer ??

If i were to choose between the two cards i would be very confused, because one of the reviewing sites is making something wrong or is manipulating the comunity ..... this is not a good thing ....

What do you think about that colossal performance difference ?


----------



## d1nky

TBH every review ive seen comes with different readings, and some reviewers even used different drivers.


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Well i know that every site tries to come up with a review of the new 7990 card, but i am a little conserned how much of that review tests are real .... let me illustrate something strange.
> 
> i picked up two hardware sites.
> 
> 1. www.guru3d.com
> 2. www.anandtech.com
> 
> now let's see the results ...... and take in minde that the guru3d test Hardware is with a higher clocled i7 3960 Extreme Processor. now ....
> 
> 1 ->
> 
> 2 ->
> 
> So , let's talk a little. Now the difference is quite strange , where on the Guru3D side the HD 7990 is 15 FPS faster than the GTX 690 maxing Battlefiled 3 with 4xMSAAAA and a highest framerate of 71. On the other side, we see the Anandtech results , same game but with FXAA , where the HD 7990 come at 4th place , beaten by the GTX 690 with 4/5 Frames more. This means that the slower system results in a higher framerate for the AMD card and a much higher framerate for the GTX 690. We look at a difference of more thant 20 FPS for the GTX 690.
> Using a slightlly different AA mode you can very well manipulate the final results .... to favor a particular manufacturer ??
> 
> If i were to choose between the two cards i would be very confused, because one of the reviewing sites is making something wrong or is manipulating the comunity ..... this is no a good thing ....
> 
> What do you think about that colosaal performance difference ?


One is a slightly higher res

Edit: still doesn't really make sense


----------



## xtreemeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Well i know that every site tries to come up with a review of the new 7990 card, but i am a little conserned how much of that review tests are real .... let me illustrate something strange.
> 
> i picked up two hardware sites.
> 
> 1. www.guru3d.com
> 2. www.anandtech.com
> 
> now let's see the results ...... and take in minde that the guru3d test Hardware is with a higher clocled i7 3960 Extreme Processor. now ....
> 
> 1 ->
> 
> 2 ->
> 
> So , let's talk a little. Now the difference is quite strange , where on the Guru3D side the HD 7990 is 15 FPS faster than the GTX 690 maxing Battlefiled 3 with 4xMSAAAA and a highest framerate of 71. On the other side, we see the Anandtech results , same game but with FXAA , where the HD 7990 come at 4th place , beaten by the GTX 690 with 4/5 Frames more. This means that the slower system results in a higher framerate for the AMD card and a much higher framerate for the GTX 690. We look at a difference of more thant 20 FPS for the GTX 690.
> Using a slightlly different AA mode you can very well manipulate the final results .... to favor a particular manufacturer ??
> 
> If i were to choose between the two cards i would be very confused, because one of the reviewing sites is making something wrong or is manipulating the comunity ..... this is no a good thing ....
> 
> What do you think about that colosaal performance difference ?


different drivers, guru3d used 314.22 and anand used 320.00, that can be the reason.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Well i know that every site tries to come up with a review of the new 7990 card, but i am a little conserned how much of that review tests are real .... let me illustrate something strange.
> 
> i picked up two hardware sites.
> 
> 1. www.guru3d.com
> 2. www.anandtech.com
> 
> now let's see the results ...... and take in minde that the guru3d test Hardware is with a higher clocled i7 3960 Extreme Processor. now ....
> 
> 1 ->
> 
> 2 ->
> 
> So , let's talk a little. Now the difference is quite strange , where on the Guru3D side the HD 7990 is 15 FPS faster than the GTX 690 maxing Battlefiled 3 with 4xMSAAAA and a highest framerate of 71. On the other side, we see the Anandtech results , same game but with FXAA , where the HD 7990 come at 4th place , beaten by the GTX 690 with 4/5 Frames more. This means that the slower system results in a higher framerate for the AMD card and a much higher framerate for the GTX 690. We look at a difference of more thant 20 FPS for the GTX 690.
> Using a slightlly different AA mode you can very well manipulate the final results .... to favor a particular manufacturer ??
> 
> If i were to choose between the two cards i would be very confused, because one of the reviewing sites is making something wrong or is manipulating the comunity ..... this is no a good thing ....
> 
> What do you think about that colosaal performance difference ?


fxaa on a $1000 card?


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xtreemeNoob*
> 
> different drivers, guru3d used 314.22 and anand used 320.00, that can be the reason.


Huh? Those are nvidia driver numbers.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> Well i know that every site tries to come up with a review of the new 7990 card, but i am a little conserned how much of that review tests are real .... let me illustrate something strange.
> 
> i picked up two hardware sites.
> 
> 1. www.guru3d.com
> 2. www.anandtech.com
> 
> now let's see the results ...... and take in mind that the guru3d test Hardware is with a higher clocled i7 3960 Extreme Processor. now ....
> 
> 1 ->
> 
> 2 ->
> 
> So , let's talk a little. Now the difference is quite strange , where on the Guru3D side the HD 7990 is 15 FPS faster than the GTX 690 maxing Battlefiled 3 with 4xMSAAAA and a highest framerate of 71. On the other side, we see the Anandtech results , same game but with FXAA , where the HD 7990 come at 4th place , beaten by the GTX 690 with 4/5 Frames more. This means that the slower system results in a higher framerate for the AMD card and a much higher framerate for the GTX 690. We look at a difference of more thant 20 FPS for the GTX 690.
> Using a slightlly different AA mode you can very well manipulate the final results .... to favor a particular manufacturer ??
> 
> If i were to choose between the two cards i would be very confused, because one of the reviewing sites is making something wrong or is manipulating the comunity ..... this is not a good thing ....
> 
> What do you think about that colossal performance difference ?


Anandtech had to have screwed something up or something. The 7990 are basically a pair of 7970's in crossfire so it should have gotten similar numbers as the 7970 CF numbers.


----------



## xtreemeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> *Huh? Those are nvidia driver numbers.*
> .


exactly the reason 690 scored more than 7990 in anand, I meant.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xtreemeNoob*
> 
> exactly the reason 690 scored more than 7990 in anand, I meant.


Your name is perfect for your comment


----------



## xtreemeNoob

^^insulting newcomers now became a practice in OCN, thought at least OCN wouldn't be the case, go on moar power.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xtreemeNoob*
> 
> ^^insulting newcomers now became a practice in OCN, thought at least OCN wouldn't be the case, go on moar power.


When you dont have knowledge about a subject you should spread misinformations. Its not about who wins its about that the 7990 vs 7970 cf shouldnt have more than 3-5% difference but they have more than 10%

Its not a bad thing that you are a newbie or you dont know the subject


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *porkovich*
> 
> 2 ->


Y'all made me look at the nvidias and the Titan is lower than 680's in SLI? WTH?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Y'all made me look at the nvidias and the Titan is lower than 680's in SLI? WTH?


where have you been? if the 660ti in sli is included it will, too.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Already asked in the leaked beta driver thread, but no replies still. If anyone's trying out the unofficial beta driver, could you comment on your card(s)"s temperature? Whether it's higher with the new beta. Someone reported their card runs hotter with it.


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Y'all made me look at the nvidias and the Titan is lower than 680's in SLI? WTH?
> 
> 
> 
> where have you been? if the 660ti in sli is included it will, too.
Click to expand...

I've been hiding from the Titan reviews ever since I heard the price tag.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Already asked in the leaked beta driver thread, but no replies still. If anyone's trying out the unofficial beta driver, could you comment on your card(s)"s temperature? Whether it's higher with the new beta. Someone reported their card runs hotter with it.


I noticed no change but I'm watercooled. Maybe with air it makes a difference.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I've been hiding from the Titan reviews ever since I heard the price tag.


review sites are garbage. look . . . bf3 does not have an in-game bechmark and they can come up with numbers to compare. we do have this . . .

http://www.overclock.net/f/21/benchmarking-software-and-discussion

edit: look at this fron anand . . .



my 7950 at stock same setting . . .


----------



## Krusher33

Yeah. I tend to just read their conclusions and then listen to the real life crowd before making a purchase.


----------



## Eljoka

Hi guys,

I bought some Gigabyte Radeon 7950 (comes with 7970 pcb, so Rev 2.0) and I know they are voltage locked. Thing is, i'm mining and they do get pretty loud because the fans need to be at around 90% to keep things cool enough. I saw some people flash their BIOS, some with succes, others not, but all these guys were trying to unlock the voltage. My question is, is it possible to lower to voltage, even if it stays locked at that new value, with a BIOS flash?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Eljoka*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I bought some Gigabyte Radeon 7950 (comes with 7970 pcb, so Rev 2.0) and I know they are voltage locked. Thing is, i'm mining and they do get pretty loud because the fans need to be at around 90% to keep things cool enough. I saw some people flash their BIOS, some with succes, others not, but all these guys were trying to unlock the voltage. My question is, is it possible to lower to voltage, even if it stays locked at that new value, with a BIOS flash?


Have you tried just lowering the power limit and core clock? That should give you lower temperatures. Allow voltage control in MSI afterburner try lowering voltage there.


----------



## Mackem

So which 7950 should I go for in the UK that has a good cooler and ISN'T voltage locked?


----------



## Mega Man

btw guya 7950 in newegg is 250after mir I am on my phone so no links but this mourning I posted in the deals section of the marketplace


----------



## Eljoka

The way I understands it, Power limit isn't tied to the actual voltage of the card and I haven't seen real improvements on temps by lowering it.

I wasn't able to allow voltage control in MSI afterburner.

I did lower the clocks (core and memory) and that did lower my temps, but lowering voltage would be a lot more efficient in terms of performance for mining Litecoin.

Right now, I have my gaming rig (same 7950) mining at stock clocks gets me 600 khash/s on around 80% fan and it hover around 69C. In comparison, the 3 x 7950 in my mining rig (I do use risers so they aren't squeezed together) run with 550 core and 850 memory, they each provide 300 khash/s on 85% fan and hover around 70C. Now, I know I could bump the fans a little and get more khash/s, but the rig is in my office and the noise is quite loud if a do this.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Hrm, not sure. There exists a BIOS-editing tool (RBE), which I've used successfully in the past to lower minimum fan speed and such, but I'm not sure if it works on the 7000 series. Not according to the latest description, which seems out of date. You could try it out as a test:

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1962/TechPowerUp_Radeon_Bios_Editor_v1.28.html

Have you considered getting an Accelero cooler or a Gelid Icy Vision? Both have versions for 7970 PCBs. And on that note, have you tried replacing the TIM on your GPU with something like a thin layer of MX-4?


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Hrm, not sure. There exists a BIOS-editing tool (RBE), which I've used successfully in the past to lower minimum fan speed and such, but I'm not sure if it works on the 7000 series. Not according to the latest description, which seems out of date. You could try it out as a test:
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1962/TechPowerUp_Radeon_Bios_Editor_v1.28.html
> 
> Have you considered getting an Accelero cooler or a Gelid Icy Vision? Both have versions for 7970 PCBs. And on that note, have you tried replacing the TIM on your GPU with something like a thin layer of MX-4?


RBE doesn't work with 7xxx series. RBE developer stopped development due to difficulties. Not that he wasn't able to crack 7xxx BIOS encryption, just that it was really a slow and painful process, I seem to recall.


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Hrm, not sure. There exists a BIOS-editing tool (RBE), which I've used successfully in the past to lower minimum fan speed and such, but I'm not sure if it works on the 7000 series. Not according to the latest description, which seems out of date. You could try it out as a test:
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/1962/TechPowerUp_Radeon_Bios_Editor_v1.28.html
> 
> Have you considered getting an Accelero cooler or a Gelid Icy Vision? Both have versions for 7970 PCBs. And on that note, have you tried replacing the TIM on your GPU with something like a thin layer of MX-4?
> 
> 
> 
> RBE doesn't work with 7xxx series. RBE developer stopped development due to difficulties. Not that he wasn't able to crack 7xxx BIOS encryption, just that it was really a slow and painful process, I seem to recall.
Click to expand...

That's sad to hear... I was hoping to go above 1.3v on my card in the future.


----------



## SkateZilla

http://blogs.amd.com/play/2013/04/24/hd-7990-worlds-fastest/


----------



## Lifeshield

13.5 Beta driver is available.

*Link*


----------



## Eljoka

I tried Gigabyte Guru II to see if it would change the voltage settings (and seems like it did undervolt). Thing is, when I tried to run it at stock clocks, I thought it would adjust the voltage automatically like it did when underclocking, but it didn't...

So now my computer is locked up and I can't reset it... Why?

Because I'm at work, I was using Teamviewer. Is it dangerous/harmful for the GPU if the computer stays locked up like this until I get back from work, in 4 hours?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Well, Sapphire approved my RMA and they're sending my replacement card back. Total downtime was only 1.5 weeks total, shipping time included. Not too bad.

Now, I'm wondering what card they're shipping back.







Also....wonder how well this C2D will handle it lol.


----------



## Krusher33

Good news Pio!


----------



## ElevenEleven

Hope you get a good card back!! Good to hear that about Sapphire (my 7970 is by Sapphire).


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Good news Pio!


Yeah, like I said....depends on how well this Core 2 Duo will handle it, lol.







I might sell it so I can put together an entire rig or something, I dunno. Or I suppose I could save up for a cheap Q6600 or something too. That wouldn't be too bad.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Hope you get a good card back!! Good to hear that about Sapphire (my 7970 is by Sapphire).


Yeah, so long as you have your receipt.....it was a SUPER easy RMA, and very quick. I was very pleased.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> So which 7950 should I go for in the UK that has a good cooler and ISN'T voltage locked?


Sapphire HD 7950 boost (925 mhz)
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&pid=1841&psn=&lid=1&leg=0
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-313-SP&groupid=701&catid=56&subcat=1673
http://www.ebuyer.com/454252-sapphire-hd-7950-boost-3gb-gddr5-dual-dvi-hdmi-displayport-pci-e-graphics-11196-19-20g

MSI HD 7950 TF3 OC BE (960 mhz)
http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-TF-3GD5-OC-BE.html
http://www.ebuyer.com/489485-msi-hd-7950-3gb-gddr5-5200mhz-dvi-hdmi-displayport-pci-e-graphics-card-r7950-tf-3gd5-oc-be

PCS+ HD 7950 boost (950 mhz)
http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=425
http://www.ebuyer.com/341494-powercolor-hd-7950-pcs-edition-3gb-dvi-hdmi-dual-mini-displayport-pci-e-ax7950-3gbd5-2dhpp

all these cards have unlocked voltage and good coolers. HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost is one of the best HD 7950 cards with unlocked voltage and good cooler . but won't fit in your case as its 311mm long.


----------



## lilchronic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Maybe not, i don't know.. All I did was set nVidia drivers to max performance (enabling texture optimization, those kind of small things).
> 
> And it's NOT mentioned in the OP ANYWHERE that we can't adjust driver settings.
> What if I always play my games and such with drivers set to max performance. i'd be a cheating coward then as well?
> 
> What bullcrap...
> 
> Then again, I never posted on ocuk myself, plus my score was totally possible as I was running a golden GTX670 clocked at 1362Mhz core and 3600Mhz VRAM. I only reached 53.3FPS...


hmmmm my 670 FTW @ 1398mhz /3650mhz only got 51.4 fps ??????


----------



## d1nky

has anyone looked at all new drivers on amd site or is this old news now lol


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lilchronic*
> 
> hmmmm my 670 FTW @ 1398mhz /3650mhz only got 51.4 fps ??????


Set everything in your drivers to max performance. Texture filtering, AA, everything







Will yield 3-4FPS more.

With every driver settings set to max quality I only made about 49FPS and with stock settings I did 51ish FPS as well.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> has anyone looked at all new drivers on amd site or is this old news now lol


With 13.5 B2 i have been able to Overclock each card another 50Mhz lol... Now running 1325mhz 1300mhz / 1300mhz


----------



## TeeBlack

Quick question. what is the advantage of oc'ing the core clock vs memory clock? and does memory clock oc make that much of a difference on these cards?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Quick question. what is the advantage of oc'ing the core clock vs memory clock? and does memory clock oc make that much of a difference on these cards?


Depends on the game. Core generally has more performance gains if you overclock, however some games love a memory overclock, Crysis 2 for example.


----------



## sugarhell

Basically you just need a 1600 memory oc nothing else. Already tahiti have enough bandwidth so the core oc is more beneficial


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Depends on the game. Core generally has more performance gains if you overclock, however some games love a memory overclock, Crysis 2 for example.


Games that burn high on VRAM love memory OC's, that's for sure. Crysis, Crysis 2 with MaldoHD, Metro2033.


----------



## d1nky

i noticed benches like a good memory oc, i gained a hundred points in 3dmark 2013 by ocing memory to about 1750+


----------



## Exxlir

will a cooler master GX 750w Psu power a 7970 6gb sapphire card without any problems ?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exxlir*
> 
> will a cooler master GX 750w Psu power a 7970 6gb sapphire card without any problems ?


Probably enough for 2.


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exxlir*
> 
> will a cooler master GX 750w Psu power a 7970 6gb sapphire card without any problems ?


stay away from that psu... go grab a seasonic. 15% off at newegg


----------



## Exxlir

already had it for a while ramzinho have no money to get another just asking if it will power that gpu because soon as i get my new job im purchasing that card, already been told from shilka that my psu isnt the best but its the best version of the gx 750w so cant really grumble thanks for the heads up though guys


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Exxlir*
> 
> already had it for a while ramzinho have no money to get another just asking if it will power that gpu because soon as i get my new job im purchasing that card, already been told from shilka that my psu isnt the best but its the best version of the gx 750w so cant really grumble thanks for the heads up though guys


it will power up. but operating temps and durability is questionable. always build your psu around a decent PSU.. that way you can move it all along 2/3 future builds









Have a good day my friend


----------



## Hokies83

Seems my Screen tearing was because my 2560x1440 Monitor is using a DP port Adapter ... on my 120hz monitor connected via DL Dvi i get 0 tearing and very smooth game play.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Seems my Screen tearing was because my 2560x1440 Monitor is using a DP port Adapter ... on my 120hz monitor connected via DL Dvi i get 0 tearing and very smooth game play.


In general 'cheap' dp cables can cause tearing or signal loss


----------



## Hokies83

Well i would not cal it a cheapo lol...

It is a Mono Price active DP adapter.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well i would not cal it a cheapo lol...
> 
> It is a Mono Price active DP adapter.


Ah you are using active adapter. In genera,l i tell about dp cables not the adapter tho.

You have dual monitors?


----------



## Hokies83

Yeah i got a Catleap and a 120hz 1080 i panel


----------



## ElevenEleven

Defective adapter perhaps?


----------



## chu816

Hi all,

I just installed my brand new amd 7950 to replace my gtx 470. However, I am experiencing some problems when I play league of legends. Every once in a while I feel like my fps shoots up. Does anybody know about this issue?

I have Catalyst version 13.1. I also followed the guide here to remove my nvidia drivers: http://www.overclock.net/t/1150443/how-to-remove-your-nvidia-gpu-drivers

Thanks for any help









Specs in sig.


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chu816*
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I just installed my brand new amd 7950 to replace my gtx 470. However, I am experiencing some problems when I play league of legends. Every once in a while I feel like my fps shoots up. Does anybody know about this issue?
> 
> I have Catalyst version 13.1. I also followed the guide here to remove my nvidia drivers: http://www.overclock.net/t/1150443/how-to-remove-your-nvidia-gpu-drivers
> 
> Thanks for any help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Specs in sig.


update to the new version 13.4


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chu816*
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I just installed my brand new amd 7950 to replace my gtx 470. However, I am experiencing some problems when I play league of legends. Every once in a while I feel like my fps shoots up. Does anybody know about this issue?
> 
> I have Catalyst version 13.1. I also followed the guide here to remove my nvidia drivers: http://www.overclock.net/t/1150443/how-to-remove-your-nvidia-gpu-drivers
> 
> Thanks for any help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Specs in sig.


New 13.5 beta came out i would get that driver and see if it fixes it.


----------



## pilla99

I'm curious about the new official AMD 7990, why did they wait so long to release it? Seems like it's late in this gen to be throwing down 1k on GPU's.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pilla99*
> 
> I'm curious about the new official AMD 7990, why did they wait so long to release it? Seems like it's late in this gen to be throwing down 1k on GPU's.


These dual GPUs take time to produce, especially a "reference" one. My favorite looking one is the Asus ROG Ares II Radeon HD 7990 6GB is water cooled and runs 1100/1650 out the case (yes it comes in a metal suitcase!). Since there's only 1000 of these being made I'm sure the price will be well over $1k.


----------



## PedroC1999

Last time i checked they were 1300usd ish


----------



## pilla99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Last time i checked they were 1300usd ish


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121717

God I actually really want one of these now.


----------



## Exxlir

hopefully it works dude i will keep you posted when i manage to afford the gpu and we will see if it works good enough if not then i will have to upgrade the psu


----------



## DUpgrade

Why not just get a couple 7970s and CF them all together? I know single GPU is usually better but for the cost you could get 3 vs a dual GPU in one package. I'm wondering how those cards OC if it sees it as a single GPU with multiple cores or multiple GPUs. I wouldn't drop $1k on that though, would rather do a custom loop if I'm going to spend the money.


----------



## disintegratorx

I've had a few days to test my card out with the Power Limit and it seems like I have to have it on at least 12% not to get any framerate drops, so its definitely doing something. I read about it and it says that it does increase the TDP. My card still goes up to around the same temps on load and it reads at the same core voltage amounts when running GPU-Z, but I'm quite sure its doing something for the power envelope. Along with the newest WHQL drivers, that along with everything is performing better than ever before though so, no complaints.


----------



## Imprezzion

Well, I got it. My secondhand Club3D 7970 is a winner









Cooled by a Accelero 7970 and the baseplate / VRAM / VRM cooling of my MSI TF3 7970 OC/BE (Which is now using the Club3D reference cooler







) it does 1280/1700 in games stable (1.300v core, 1.625v vram) and can bench up to 1360Mhz core and 1825Mhz VRAM (1.381v core 1.650v VRAM).

VRM temps are finally kept in check thanks to harvesting the baseplate from my MSI TF3 OC. VRMs at game cloks now hit ~70c and on benchclocks ~80c.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Well, I got it. My secondhand Club3D 7970 is a winner
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cooled by a Accelero 7970 and the baseplate / VRAM / VRM cooling of my MSI TF3 7970 OC/BE (Which is now using the Club3D reference cooler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) it does 1280/1700 in games stable (1.300v core, 1.625v vram) and can bench up to 1360Mhz core and 1825Mhz VRAM (1.381v core 1.650v VRAM).
> 
> VRM temps are finally kept in check thanks to harvesting the baseplate from my MSI TF3 OC. VRMs at game cloks now hit ~70c and on benchclocks ~80c.


wow! i must say . . you're making an Imprezzion here. i am jelly. it should do better watered if any block fits it.


----------



## Imprezzion

It's full reference. Any block will fit it









Only, my case isn't going to fit another 240 rad and cooling a 7970 with a 120 rad? nope...


----------



## spizzlo

Hi everybody. I just got my 7950 Boost today. Yay! I installed it but whenever I open my browser or anything the color profile changes from "standard" to "multimedia". It does this back and forth. I have the latest drivers. Anybody have any ideas here? Thanks


----------



## Hokies83

Yeah but it is a euro card =/


----------



## Snuckie7

Does anyone else get heavy stuttering (hitching, to the point of freezing) in Crysis 3?

I just got the game and tuned all the settings to max except for AA (left that at SMAA med)


----------



## Zummy

Hi guys im a owner of a XFX HD7950 Double D card but im having some issues whit it







, i havent overclocked it, in fact the card is brand new i have it for 3 days now, i hope u guys can help on this, so here i go. Almost solved.

My Spec's are

CPU - i5 3570k (Stock)
MB - Asus P8Z77-V LX2
RAM - G.SKILL PC3-12800 1600Mhz 8GB RipjawsX CL9 (2x4GB)
HD - Seagate Barracuda 250GB 7200RPM 16MB 3.5 SATA III
PSU - XFX PRO650W Core Edition
GPU - XFX HD7950 Doubld D (Stock)

Thanks in advance.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> It's full reference. Any block will fit it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Only, my case isn't going to fit another 240 rad and cooling a 7970 with a 120 rad? nope...


i only have a 120 on my gpu . . . 7950, though. never sees 50 on the core and 60 on the vram in BF3 and C3. not sure if summer is gonna matter 'cause of the ac.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Does anyone else get heavy stuttering (hitching, to the point of freezing) in Crysis 3?
> 
> I just got the game and tuned all the settings to max except for AA (left that at SMAA med)


no stuttering here using 1080 High and 4MSAA. on both my rigs. Cheap Grade is using latest driver my intel rig is still using 13.2 beta 6. you may have to reinstall the game.


----------



## Lifeshield

Could it be the adaptor?


----------



## SkullTrail

Any 7970 owners having spiking GPU usage like shown here?:










I'm looking to see if this is unique to my card or if common among all 7970s.


----------



## Ramzinho

me


used 13.4 13.52 and still problem exist.
also it's only in FPS DX11 games only

just noticed it's GPU Usage for you.. i showed frame timing.. i need to go to bed.


----------



## Pheozero

Hi, quick qustion again. My GPU usage chart keeps jumping from 0% to 80% repeatedly. Is this normal or is something wrong? I have a Sapphire 950 Edition.


----------



## iNdoCSO

Yea, I had a similar thing going on with my Gigabyte 7970's recently.. its odd they don't always do it and when it was happening I was just using windows 8 desktop mode + browser. I made this post but it didn't get a lot of traction.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1384310/7970s-in-xfire-going-to-full-load-and-back-down-over-and-over-again-while-on-desktop-or-browsing-the-web#post_19808409

I did read in some earlier driver notes from AMD that it was supposed to be fixed but it seems as though it can still happen. I wouldn't worry about it too much. And if it's really bugging you, a quick restart would probably fix it.


----------



## SLK

Is it just me or is the atikmdag issue rearing it's head again? I got a BSOD today that said "System Service Exception" in Windows 8 with atikmdag. This has happened to me before with my 7970 one time too. I was on youtube with IE10. Using the 13.4 catalysts.


----------



## TeeBlack

Well i switched to the new 13.5 beta driver and gave my 7950 a little extra oc to 1130/1550 at 1.125v. did a few runs of 3D Mark and Valley and played some Black Ops 2 and some BF3 and things are running very smooth.


----------



## TwiggLe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SLK*
> 
> Is it just me or is the atikmdag issue rearing it's head again? I got a BSOD today that said "System Service Exception" in Windows 8 with atikmdag. This has happened to me before with my 7970 one time too. I was on youtube with IE10. Using the 13.4 catalysts.


Yes I've had 2 BSOD since I updated to the 13.5 beta's. I'm about to roll back.


----------



## SkullTrail

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Hi, quick qustion again. My GPU usage chart keeps jumping from 0% to 80% repeatedly. Is this normal or is something wrong? I have a Sapphire 950 Edition.


Look at what processes are running via Task Manager. If you see Pando Media Booster, end the process and uninstall that trash. It was the cause for my crazy GPU usage spikes. If you don't see PMB, try closing processes you installed yourself that aren't important (Dropbox, RadeonPro, etc) until your GPU usage drops to zero.


----------



## SLK

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwiggLe*
> 
> Yes I've had 2 BSOD since I updated to the 13.5 beta's. I'm about to roll back.


Was it the same 0x3b bug check I was getting? I rolled back to 13.1 and all seems ok.


----------



## OneGun

Ok i tried Far Cry3 for the first time since i got my 7950 crossfire setup and it was horrible.I mean i had AA disabled and i was getting close to 40fps with bad stuttering and each card only had about 30percent load on it.I am using 13.5 beta.So i got the App profiles from AMD for ccc and ran it that way with RadeonPro disabled and it kicked my frames up to 70-80ish on 1080p with everything ultra but AA turned off.So i turned on 4xAA in game and i was around 60fps but still stutters.So i tried RP and set vsync force on and dynamic set to 50fps and tried again but with RP on i am down to 35fps.What can i do to fix this?Are there any RP App profiles i can install?My system runs everyother game i play great like BF3 and Crysis 3 with RP on.Now i know the stuttering i have heard about with crossfire cause it was horrible.Almost like a strobe light lol.
Please help thank you


----------



## amorello

Hello, I am new to the red team and if anyone could help me out it will be appreciated: http://www.overclock.net/t/1376904/hd7950-upgrade-need-tips-and-tricks

Thank you


----------



## Imprezzion

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6472604

Max benchclocks on air. I'm happy with this card so far


----------



## sugarhell

LoL enable the tesselation


----------



## Imprezzion

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6469910

I ran it with and without. Only difference it that result 1 has no tesselation not AA or filtering.

The result here has everything maxed in the drivers. Max tesselation, max quality texture filtering, 2x EQAA..


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SLK*
> 
> Is it just me or is the atikmdag issue rearing it's head again? I got a BSOD today that said "System Service Exception" in Windows 8 with atikmdag. This has happened to me before with my 7970 one time too. I was on youtube with IE10. Using the 13.4 catalysts.


maybe Hardware Acceleration was enabled.


----------



## SLK

I will try that. Thanks!


----------



## chropose

I have problem with my 7970. The GPU shuts down like 3 minutes after running Valley Benchmark but running fine on 3DMark11 and Fire Strike. It was ran at 1305 core (1.3v) and 1800 mem and 77C temp. My gpu runs fine at 1285 (1.25v) though.

Using 13.3 Beta 3 driver.

Is this dangerous? How to fix this?

Thank you.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> I have problem with my 7970. The GPU shuts down like 3 minutes after running Valley Benchmark but running fine on 3DMark11 and Fire Strike. It was ran at 1305 core (1.3v) and 1800 mem and 77C temp. My gpu runs fine at 1285 (1.25v) though.
> 
> Using 13.3 Beta 3 driver.
> 
> Is this dangerous? How to fix this?
> 
> Thank you.


Dont oc that high if you cant handle your temps.


----------



## chropose

So 77C is too high for that OC? What temps should I go for that OC?

Thanks for quick reply.


----------



## KaRLiToS

....


----------



## Imprezzion

I can tell ya right now it shut down due to overheating VRMs. XFX has crappy VRM cooling, if any...


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I can tell ya right now it shut down due to overheating VRMs. XFX has crappy VRM cooling, if any...


He has the Black Edition 7970. Is it a reference cooler. Unless it's the Double Dissipation version. If its the DD version, its a bad cooler.

His overclock is pretty aggressive though.


----------



## sugarhell

His oc and his temp is too high to be stable. Tahiti is temp sensitive so lower temps better oc.


----------



## Hokies83

LoL my gpus are crazy.... Boost cards..

One does 1355mhz on the core.... One does 1255mhz core and one does only 1190 on the core.... Thinking of selling the one that does only 1190 core XD and trying my luck again XD

They have Elpida Crap Vram.. so yah with 1.65v best they do is 1525mhz on Vram... Which hurts benching but does not affecting gaming as much since games like the core.


----------



## chropose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> He has the Black Edition 7970. Is it a reference cooler. Unless it's the Double Dissipation version. If its the DD version, its a bad cooler.
> 
> His overclock is pretty aggressive though.


Yes, mine is reference cooler.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> His oc and his temp is too high to be stable. Tahiti is temp sensitive so lower temps better oc.


What I'm afraid of is that this has something to do with my PSU. What do you think?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> Yes, mine is reference cooler.
> What I'm afraid of is that this has something to do with my PSU. What do you think?


Your psu is fine. You have the referene cooler, you are so lucky that you can pass the 1200 oc.

I have some reference 7970 too. I can bench at 1300 but when i hit 75C on vram they instant lock up my system


----------



## chropose

I see. Thanks for your input.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> Yes, mine is reference cooler.
> What I'm afraid of is that this has something to do with my PSU. What do you think?


Tahiti seems temp limited. Many of us find that temp wall something inbetween 70-80ºC core. You can bench, stress test and play 100% stable, if your card lets you give enough juice(mV), and you're in stable clocks(your card capability of OCing while being stable), if you're below your card temp wall. Once you hit your card temp wall, stability goes through the window and is a hit or miss. You could bench comfortably at 1250 a week before on air on a good custom cooler, but here comes Spring and good temperatures, you hit 75ºC and there it goes stability. You put underwater your card, go to 20 something 30ºC and you can ramp your OC again for the rest of the year.


----------



## kj1060

So I recently bought two Visiontek HD 7970. They apparently have blue/green pcbs and don't have the X cross bracket on the back. Are these really reference design?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> So I recently bought two Visiontek HD 7970. They apparently have blue/green pcbs and don't have the X cross bracket on the back. Are these really reference design?


What color is the PCB? Do you have a pic of the back of the PCB.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> So I recently bought two Visiontek HD 7970. They apparently have blue/green pcbs and don't have the X cross bracket on the back. Are these really reference design?


Look at the pcb.


----------



## sugarhell

Karlitos i moved 2 7970 to my ivy system and on single monitor is butter smooth but when i change to multimonitor i get stutter. On my sb-e it was fine now its unplayable. Wth x8x8 is not enough for multimonitor?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> I have problem with my 7970. The GPU shuts down like 3 minutes after running Valley Benchmark but running fine on 3DMark11 and Fire Strike. It was ran at 1305 core (1.3v) and 1800 mem and 77C temp. My gpu runs fine at 1285 (1.25v) though.
> 
> Using 13.3 Beta 3 driver.
> 
> *Is this dangerous? How to fix this?*
> 
> Thank you.


Is that a trick question? You will fry your card by running it so far above and beyond what a squirrel cage cooler can handle.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Karlitos i moved 2 7970 to my ivy system and on single monitor is butter smooth but when i change to multimonitor i get stutter. On my sb-e it was fine now its unplayable. Wth x8x8 is not enough for multimonitor?


Maybe driver issue and also depends on the settings you are using in-game.

Past 13.1 WHQL, I had stutter in some games like Borderlands 2.

I don't think x8/x8 will limit you, maybe someone else can shime in on this. But on my setup with 8044x1440, I was running 16x/8x/8x/8x.


Spoiler: I don't know honestly!


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> What color is the PCB? Do you have a pic of the back of the PCB.


I do not have a picture of the pcb, I will get some tonight. It is a green/blue color, unlike my MSI (R7970-2PMD3GD5). Also I don't recall seeing the AMD above the PCI-E fingers.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Look at the pcb.


Well I would prefer not to pull off the cooler until I am certain I am keeping them.


----------



## Hokies83

I pull the coolers on every Gpu I get to at least change the Tim.


----------



## chropose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is that a trick question? You will fry your card by running it so far above and beyond what a squirrel cage cooler can handle.


No, it's not a trick question.

So it could fry my card? Darn. I'm having so much fun benchmarking, much more than playing games lol. I guess I have to pull back a little then.

BTW, it's reference cooler. Does it suck that much?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> No, it's not a trick question.
> 
> So it could fry my card? Darn. I'm having so much fun benchmarking, much more than playing games lol. I guess I have to pull back a little then.
> 
> BTW, it's reference cooler. Does it suck that much?


Its fine for stock or a mild oc. But you go from 950 to 1300. Its huge even for a custom cooler


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Is that a trick question? You will fry your card by running it so far above and beyond what a squirrel cage cooler can handle.
> 
> 
> 
> No, it's not a trick question.
> 
> So it could fry my card? Darn. I'm having so much fun benchmarking, much more than playing games lol. I guess I have to pull back a little then.
> 
> BTW, it's reference cooler. Does it suck that much?
Click to expand...

The reference cooler is inadequate for over 1.3v overclocking**. I can just imagine the life of your card falling away like sands thru an hour glass reading about it. You have a gold card obviously. It might even be a monster but it needs to be watercooled if you really want to see its limits.

**Actually not many custom aircoolers can handle that either.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The reference cooler is inadequate for over 1.3v overclocking**. I can just imagine the life of your card falling away like sands thru an hour glass reading about it. You have a gold card obviously. It might even be a monster but it needs to be watercooled if you really want to see its limits.
> 
> **Actually not many custom aircoolers can handle that either.


It's not even debatable, my cards always need to be under water.


----------



## chropose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The reference cooler is inadequate for over 1.3v overclocking**. I can just imagine the life of your card falling away like sands thru an hour glass reading about it. You have a gold card obviously. It might even be a monster but it needs to be watercooled if you really want to see its limits.
> 
> **Actually not many custom aircoolers can handle that either.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> It's not even debatable, my cards always need to be under water.


Wow, I feel bad for what I've done to my card


----------



## PedroC1999

Will installing a Boost BIOS allow my card to reach higher clocks?


----------



## Krusher33

If I don't find a used block this weekend, I'm just going to probably buy a new one on Monday. Probably 1 of these three:

Aquacomputer AquagrATIx
EK FC7970 copper
Heatkiller 79x0
I looked at Swiftech's Komodo but someone I know in retail said the latest they heard from Swiftech is that they don't have an ETA of when they'll be shipped again. Swiftech had them in stock momentarily but they ran out quickly.

And the Koolance one has been near impossible for me to find. One member posted in the marketplace but it was sold before I could finalize on it.

I'm avoiding XSPC, Alphacool, and Danger Den for the lack of water over VRM's.

Let me know your thoughts.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Will installing a Boost BIOS allow my card to reach higher clocks?


Nope. Your card OC potential is there, regardless if the BIOS is a Boost one or not. Boost BIOS just OC's your card automatically to whatever clocks your brand set, and locks the voltage, lower OC. So you're better OCing your card on your stock non-Boost BIOS.


----------



## Imprezzion

Grab a Accelero Extreme 7970, buy better VRM heatsinks then the stock ones, enjoy the overclocks.

Actually, reference cooling is capable enough to reach very low temps, even on the VRM's, however it takes a lot of fanspeed and noise...

1.300v is perfectly runnable on reference cooling, but it takes ~70-80% fanspeed to cool it sufficiently..

Grab GPU-Z 0.7.0, go to Sensors tab, scroll all the way down to see VRM temps, set the overclock you had again, make a custom fanprofile that makes the fans run ~75-80% at 70c core, and run Heaven or whatever again.

Alt-Tab after a couple of minutes and check the VRM temps. <100c is fine for benching, <90c is fine for 24/7.

Oh, and whoever posted the part of the temperature wall, that is SO obviously noticable with the 79xx chips...

Example: My own Club3D reference 7970. Reference cooler: 1.300v. Max stable clocks 1240Mhz @ 78c loaded.
Accelero cooler with MSI TF3 baseplate / VRM cooling 1.300v: Max stable clocks all the way up to 1300Mhz @ 48c loaded. Benchstable (3dm11/valley) as high as 1325Mhz as long as she stays cool. Everything over 60c is instant crash @ 1300Mhz.


----------



## PedroC1999

Im at 1175 and 1790, are these good clocks?


----------



## chropose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Grab a *Accelero Extreme 7970, buy better VRM heatsinks* then the stock ones, enjoy the overclocks.
> 
> Actually, reference cooling is capable enough to reach very low temps, even on the VRM's, however it takes a lot of fanspeed and noise...
> 
> 1.300v is perfectly runnable on reference cooling, but it takes ~70-80% fanspeed to cool it sufficiently..
> 
> Grab GPU-Z 0.7.0, go to Sensors tab, scroll all the way down to see VRM temps, set the overclock you had again, make a custom fanprofile that makes the fans run ~75-80% at 70c core, and run Heaven or whatever again.
> 
> Alt-Tab after a couple of minutes and check the VRM temps. <100c is fine for benching, <90c is fine for 24/7.
> 
> Oh, and whoever posted the part of the temperature wall, that is SO obviously noticable with the 79xx chips...
> 
> Example: My own Club3D reference 7970. Reference cooler: 1.300v. Max stable clocks 1240Mhz @ 78c loaded.
> Accelero cooler with MSI TF3 baseplate / VRM cooling 1.300v: Max stable clocks all the way up to 1300Mhz @ 48c loaded. Benchstable (3dm11/valley) as high as 1325Mhz as long as she stays cool. Everything over 60c is instant crash @ 1300Mhz.


So Accelero Extreme 7970 doesn't include VRM heatsinks?


----------



## Hokies83

duel fans = not ref cooler...

Ref cooler = single blower style fan....

Like this POS.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Im at 1175 and 1790, are these good clocks?


Core could be better. Memory already has a good OC. Have you tested for stability? Power Limit+20?What voltages/temps?


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> So Accelero Extreme 7970 doesn't include VRM heatsinks?


Yes it does, but they are quite bad compared to the coolers performance and will not extend OC room as they can't handle nearly enough heat to reach 1.3v core even though the cooler himself is very capable of that.


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chropose*
> 
> I have problem with my 7970. The GPU shuts down like 3 minutes after running Valley Benchmark but running fine on 3DMark11 and Fire Strike. It was ran at 1305 core (1.3v) and 1800 mem and 77C temp. My gpu runs fine at 1285 (1.25v) though.
> 
> Using 13.3 Beta 3 driver.
> 
> Is this dangerous? How to fix this?
> 
> Thank you.


Check your VRM temps


----------



## spizzlo

Is there no sig badge for this club?


----------



## x Jakk x

Thinking of getting this Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 GHz Ed., about £60 cheaper than a DCUII GTX 680, should I get this or GTX 680? Obviously I have Googled this but people keep saying Nvidia are better whilst some believe the Vapor-X 7970 GHz Ed. is better than the 680.


----------



## neurotix

I just recently got that card Jakk and I love it.

Using the modded Sapphire Trixx that allows you to change memory voltage, I'm running most games stable at 1200mhz/1600mhz 1.275v/1.6v. I can run it higher on benchmarks but it will tend to crash the display driver eventually when gaming. During most gaming it is fast, fluid and stable and doesn't go much over 60c even with high voltage. I think at 1200mhz/1600mhz it outperforms a GTX 680.

Look in my sig link for a link to my hwbot benchmarks and you can see a lot of 3d benches I've run on my 7970 Vapor-X. Over 6k in 3dmark Fire Strike and 10500 in 3dmark11.

I love my card. 1200/1600 up from a stock 1050/1500 gives like 2k points in 3dmark11.


----------



## xtreemeNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> I just recently got that card Jakk and I love it.
> 
> Using the modded Sapphire Trixx that allows you to change memory voltage, I'm running most games stable at 1200mhz/1600mhz 1.275v/1.6v. I can run it higher on benchmarks but it will tend to crash the display driver eventually when gaming. During most gaming it is fast, fluid and stable and doesn't go much over 60c even with high voltage. I think at 1200mhz/1600mhz it outperforms a GTX 680.
> 
> Look in my sig link for a link to my hwbot benchmarks and you can see a lot of 3d benches I've run on my 7970 Vapor-X. Over 6k in 3dmark Fire Strike and 10500 in 3dmark11.
> 
> I love my card. 1200/1600 up from a stock 1050/1500 gives like 2k points in 3dmark11.


can i have a link of that modded trixx?


----------



## Transmaniacon

Hi guys,

New to the whole crossfire scene, but I have been considering it for a while and gave myself the option when I built my PC earlier this year.

I went with the MSI TF3 HD7950, and got one with the HD7970 PCB and 8+6 pin connectors. I have seen that they are no longer shipping them this way, and that people either get one with a HD7950 PCB or one of the new "Boost" editions.

My question is this, if I pick up a second HD7950, will there be an issue crossfiring it with one of these other MSI versions? Do I need the same PCB to crossfire, or the same clock speeds to crossfire?

Thanks


----------



## spizzlo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *x Jakk x*
> 
> Thinking of getting this Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 GHz Ed., about £60 cheaper than a DCUII GTX 680, should I get this or GTX 680? Obviously I have Googled this but people keep saying Nvidia are better whilst some believe the Vapor-X 7970 GHz Ed. is better than the 680.


Tom's Hardware says skip the GHz 7970's unless you can get one for around $400. If not grab a non GHz 7970 for $400. This is a good choice.

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11197-03-40G/dp/B009B6Y01Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1367014122&sr=1-2&keywords=7970

Or even a 670 is a good buy for $400 since it performs almost as good as a 680 fir a good chunk less.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spizzlo*
> 
> Tom's Hardware says skip the GHz 7970's unless you can get one for around $400. If not grab a non GHz 7970 for $400. This is a good choice.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11197-03-40G/dp/B009B6Y01Y/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1367014122&sr=1-2&keywords=7970
> 
> Or even a 670 is a good buy for $400 since it performs almost as good as a 680 fir a good chunk less.


Tom's = WEI

but i agree. no need for the ghz edition.


----------



## Anoxy

I had that Sapphire OC 7970 first, then traded it in for the GHz version. GHz is a much better performer.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I had that Sapphire OC 7970 first, then traded it in for the GHz version. GHz is a much better performer.


Wat? You know right, that the ghz edition is just an overclocked 7970?


----------



## PedroC1999

The only diffrence is core,mem speeds and their generallt binned higher.


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I had that Sapphire OC 7970 first, then traded it in for the GHz version. GHz is a much better performer.


Better how exactly?


----------



## Anoxy

The OC version locked up at much lower clocks.


----------



## Ramzinho

can you guys help me with diagnosing the issue? here are my Benchmarks. everything is at stock. and Vsync on


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> The only diffrence is core,mem speeds and their generally binned *lower*.


FTFY









They use lower asic chip than the regular 7970s. That can handle more volts thats why they dont get so hot with this fixed 1.25 stock volt.

You cant actually bin a chip

@ramzi except darksider which we know that his engine is leaky thats why you get so stuttering the others is fine. At some points you have some 100+ms latency which is possible to be an alt tab or a pause/cinematic or you just enter a new area so your hdd load the new textures

For far cry all we know that the game need a patch from the devs. You cant achieve 100% smooth experience


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> The OC version locked up at much lower clocks.


Luck of the silicon draw. Nothing to do with GHz edition.


----------



## Anoxy

Figured. But why do they even exist then? Marketing gimmick to steal your money?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Figured. But why do they even exist then? Marketing gimmick to steal your money?


Because some users dont want to oc or they dont know. So you get a higher clock card. Nothing else.

Why you think tsm have 4 7970s reference under water? All the 7970s use the same chip. You cant bin chip to achieve higher oc.

You can only see the oc potential of a chip if you put it on the pcb. And after that you cant remove the chip. So yeah you cant bin a chip they only pass the test for stock clocks nothing else


----------



## Anoxy

I see. Just seems silly if Sapphire themselves provide TriXX which allows you to push the clocks to stock GHz levels. Are people really that dumb?


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Your psu is fine. You have the referene cooler, you are so lucky that you can pass the 1200 oc.
> 
> I have some reference 7970 too. I can bench at 1300 but when i hit 75C on vram they instant lock up my system


I've hit over 100*c on my vrm and my system didn't lock up, I stopped benching and lowerd the oc though


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Transmaniacon*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> New to the whole crossfire scene, but I have been considering it for a while and gave myself the option when I built my PC earlier this year.
> 
> I went with the MSI TF3 HD7950, and got one with the HD7970 PCB and 8+6 pin connectors. I have seen that they are no longer shipping them this way, and that people either get one with a HD7950 PCB or one of the new "Boost" editions.
> 
> My question is this, if I pick up a second HD7950, will there be an issue crossfiring it with one of these other MSI versions? Do I need the same PCB to crossfire, or the same clock speeds to crossfire?
> 
> Thanks


you can cfx with either a 7970 or 7950 np however they will downclock to the lowest clock.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I see. Just seems silly if Sapphire themselves provide TriXX which allows you to push the clocks to stock GHz levels. Are people really that dumb?


short answer yes.
when ppl say bin i think they mean just sort. i am sure they try most if not all chips @ ghz edition/lightning ( what ever the highest one is at currant time of sale ) stock ( chip, chip on pcb w.e. ) if they pass great ! they sell em if not they downclock to oc or stock levels and move on .

i have been having a prob with cfx ever since i installed my second card maybe you know why ?

anytime i let my monitors shut off and coem back one or 2 of the 3 wont turn on untill i unplug them and plug them back in. i cant detect them, force enable them ect. any ideas

i checked the the pcie power setting is off, the upls ( spelling ) is off anything else i should check ( tested on 13.3 and 13.5


----------



## zerokool_3211

just added my 7970 TF3 BE/OC

this thing is pretty good....coming from a 6970 i am pretty impressed...i still think i need another to eyefinity WoW and some other things...but still a great card for the price



http://imgur.com/SFIpS


----------



## Hokies83

Asic is such bull poo my 77% asic card only does 1190mhz.... my 55% asic card does 1345mhz..... my 63% asic card does 1255mhz lol.


----------



## zerokool_3211

asic where are you getting that number


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> asic where are you getting that number


Start GPU-Z
Right Click the Title Bar("TechPowerUp GPU-Z 0.7.0")
Select "Read ASIC quality".


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Figured. But why do they even exist then? Marketing gimmick to steal your money?


It was all about the stock performance. 7970 was out first & the new fastest single gpu.
Gtx 680 came later, not sure if it was beating the 7970 at stock clocks before launch (only nvidia knows), so nvidia added the 'boost' clock, so the 680 could take over as the new fastest single at stock.
AMD added their own boost clocks, so 7970Ghz could be the new fastest single card at stock again.

So yes, all a marketing gimmick.

I like nvidia less for it, they started all the whole gpu boost garbage & doesn't look like they are dropping it anytime soon.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Figured. But why do they even exist then? Marketing gimmick to steal your money?
> 
> 
> 
> Because some users dont want to oc or they dont know. So you get a higher clock card. Nothing else.
> 
> Why you think tsm have 4 7970s reference under water? All the 7970s use the same chip. You cant bin chip to achieve higher oc.
> 
> You can only see the oc potential of a chip if you put it on the pcb. And after that you cant remove the chip. So yeah you cant bin a chip they only pass the test for stock clocks nothing else
Click to expand...

Look at these clocks times four!


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sherlock*
> 
> Start GPU-Z
> Right Click the Title Bar("TechPowerUp GPU-Z 0.7.0")
> Select "Read ASIC quality".


I never knew that.So one of my his 7950s is 64.8 and my other is 76.8.So what does this mean?


----------



## Raf Leung

So i just flashed my 7970 dual x bios to the vapor x bios
everything works fine on gaming.... but a problem is when i run 3D mark i got a lower mark than just ocing my card to 1050/1500 anyone know why
?
before
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/368615
after flasing the bios
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/573369


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raf Leung*
> 
> So i just flashed my 7970 dual x bios to the vapor x bios
> everything works fine on gaming.... but a problem is when i run 3D mark i got a lower mark than just ocing my card to 1050/1500 anyone know why
> ?
> before
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/368615
> after flasing the bios
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/573369


Why does the second one say graphics driver not approved?


----------



## Pheozero

Does anyone in here use Trixx to overclock and then use Afterburner with its OSD? Is it possible?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Does anyone in here use Trixx to overclock and then use Afterburner with its OSD? Is it possible?


Yea, it's possible.


----------



## Pheozero

Is there anything special I need to do? Or just run AB when I launch a game?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Is there anything special I need to do? Or just run AB when I launch a game?


Nothing special, just remember to do no overclocking/voltage and make no presets in AB and it will work fine.


----------



## Pheozero

Many thanks!


----------



## zerokool_3211

i got a 66.8% ASIC score...so how is that?


----------



## ACM

Can anyone recommend a 7950 or 7970 with guaranteed voltage unlock that clocks okay?
I'm looking to upgrade from my 6870.

Not really looking to spend $500 on a 7970.

Thanks for any help!


----------



## Ramzinho

MSI TF or Sapphire GHZ


----------



## ACM

Thanks for the fast response.
This should do fine http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732 ?
Only TF I see.


----------



## Imprezzion

Fine card, but beware, it sure aint quiet. Especially not when overclocked with 1.300v. VRM cooling is excellent, never saw VRM temps past 60c even on max volts, but it doesn't overclock all that super due to stock volts being 1.256v and max being 1.300v. You'd be lucky to see 1250Mhz.

Your probably better off getting a Sapphire card with a non-Ghz edition chip (Stock clocks of under 1050Mhz that is) like a early Vapor-X or Dual-X.

By the way guys, have any of you any idea why all of my 7970's fanspeed RPM counter goes ballistic when using a Accelero 7970? I've had the Accelero on 3 different 7970's now.
A Sapphire reference, a MSI TF3 OC/BE and a Club3D rerference which is the current one and the one from the screenshot.

When using a fanspeed under aprox. 80% the RPM meter goes ballistic. When using 100% it reads fine and reads the correct ~2100rpm speed.



I mean, at 748000 RPM I think it would've blown the card from the PCI-E slot by now and straight through my H100i's rad


----------



## ACM

Thanks for the input Imprezzion.
If anyone has more info please let me know







.

Once again thank you to everyone that has helped me.


----------



## Mega Man

there is no guarantee about a card clocking well. it is a lotto on silicone just a fair warning .


----------



## ACM

I understand that, I was just wondering what model has been seen with the best overclockability compared to others.
I have a feeling it's going to be hard to get a early Vapor-X or Dual-X from a respectable forum for a respectable price. (Ebay is out of my options)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ACM*
> 
> I understand that, I was just wondering what model has been seen with the best overclockability compared to others.
> I have a feeling it's going to be hard to get a early Vapor-X or Dual-X from a respectable forum for a respectable price. (Ebay is out of my options)


Luck is still a factor, ive had 2 reference GPUs that are supposed to have supperior overclocking abilities. But it turns out many REF cards outperform my 7970 Matrix, my 7950 is a VaporX and it clocks quite decently but not because of the extra gimmicks it has. Just get a reference PCB card with a good cooler and hope for the best.


----------



## kj1060

Here are the pictures of the VisionTek HD 7970. My guess is they are like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC where they use an alternate pcb.


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi,

So i'm back with my pc and my graphic card.. (my motherboard died and had to replace it).
So i have a 7950 from msi, not the TF3, and from what i can see it will get hot (played for some 30m of BF3 and this card went over 60ºc in stock speeds and auto fan).
The guy from the shop tested it and said it had no problem.. The only thing i should do is to create a profile in msi afterburner... so what do you guys think of his explanation?
Also and excuse me my noob question, how do you guys create a profile? (well i know i have to enable it on settings, but the one that comes on default is enough?)
Thanks in advance


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Here are the pictures of the VisionTek HD 7970. My guess is they are like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC where they use an alternate pcb.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx#tab3
one of my fav sites for finidng ref video cards. i hate the cooling config takes to long this shows real quick one stop. you can find your m/m in the chart.

you can make fan profiles to adj the fan speed according to temp.

after installing AB
select > settings >fan
click the enable user defined fan profiles
make a graph or use the one that pops up.
you do have to click the little ayto button or make sure it is clicked. in ABs main page


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi Mega Man,

Thanks for your fast reply








I'll do as explained, once i enable it, the fans start to raise up speed, and the sound become loud lol
Is there any chance to put other after market cooler? or even a water cool?
Thanks in advance


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi Mega Man,
> 
> Thanks for your fast reply
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll do as explained, once i enable it, the fans start to raise up speed, and the sound become loud lol
> Is there any chance to put other after market cooler? or even a water cool?
> Thanks in advance


you have several options. if you want to go with an all in one ( aio ) kit i like dwoods brackets. he is not doing custom jobs atm fyi just basic brackets.

the key is not to expect it right away, he has a full time job family and life. he does this on the side and if you look at the prices he does it for next to nothing. ppl have been forgetting that and rage posting on the forums, 99.99 % of ppl love his work

just found this guy this mourning i dont know anything about him

there are several aio kits that will attach to a gpu from the factory.

you can buy a universal gpu block like this

or if you have a reference card you can buy a full block for it

some non reference boards have full bocks as well.

if you get any thing besides an aio cooler/bracket you need to have a water loop for it to run on .


----------



## Ramzinho

you can use a water cooler but as this is a special plate as the chips in amd cards are placed diagonally. search the forum.. there is a guy who makes brackets for watercoolers..
also there is the aerocooler but i dont know it will fit. depends if you gpu is reference or not.


----------



## vinton13

Hey 7950 owners...is this 3DMark 11 graphics score normal for stock clocks?
Single 7950 at stock:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6480947


----------



## Imprezzion

Perfectly normal. Even a tad on the high side.


----------



## Snakesoul

Hi Mega Man,

As i understood you give me a advice to put a full system water cooling system.. but i'm not to comfortable to do it.. and as far as i know it becomes too expensive








@ Ramzinho,
I think my card is a referenced one as far as i know (it's this one: http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-2PMD3GD5-OC.html )
is there any air cooling option?

Thanks in advance


----------



## revro

is there somewhere written how much amperage does 7970 cards need on both 12V rails? I could find it on nvidia cards but couldnt for 7970

thank you
revro


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi Mega Man,
> 
> As i understood you give me a advice to put a full system water cooling system.. but i'm not to comfortable to do it.. and as far as i know it becomes too expensive
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @ Ramzinho,
> I think my card is a referenced one as far as i know (it's this one: http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-2PMD3GD5-OC.html )
> is there any air cooling option?
> 
> Thanks in advance


In my opinion, the AC Accelero is a very good air cooler for these cards:
www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182
I have used them on several Nvidia and AMD cards, and they are excellent coolers. They are also much quieter than the stock cooler, even at full fan speed.

Edit:
If you click on the "Compatibility" tab, they are also compatible with the 7950, etc. and as yours looks to be reference, it should be a good fit.


----------



## vinton13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Perfectly normal. Even a tad on the high side.


Thank you. I'm sort 3DMark.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> In my opinion, the AC Accelero is a very good air cooler for these cards:
> www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182
> I have used them on several Nvidia and AMD cards, and they are excellent coolers. They are also much quieter than the stock cooler, even at full fan speed.
> 
> Edit:
> If you click on the "Compatibility" tab, they are also compatible with the 7950, etc. and as yours looks to be reference, it should be a good fit.


Correct, they even fit 90% of the non reference models just fine.
However, the supplied VRM cooling is of very low quality and even though sufficient at stock, a 1.256v Ghz edition card or overvolted card overheats the VRM's rather quickly.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Here are the pictures of the VisionTek HD 7970. *My guess is they are like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC where they use an alternate pcb*.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ]


Incorrect. That is most definitely not the alternate pcb. The problem with cards like these, the HIS blue, etc is that you never know what they've done. And that's the problem with them, unknown quantity.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi Mega Man,
> 
> As i understood you give me a advice to put a full system water cooling system.. but i'm not to comfortable to do it.. and as far as i know it becomes too expensive
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @ Ramzinho,
> I think my card is a referenced one as far as i know (it's this one: http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-2PMD3GD5-OC.html )
> is there any air cooling option?
> 
> Thanks in advance


no you asked for options i gave them to you. there is a good one below if you dont want a full custom loop as i said dwood ( first link ) has an adapter for an aio cooler
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> In my opinion, the AC Accelero is a very good air cooler for these cards:
> www.arctic.ac/en/p/detail/index/sArticle/502/sCategory/2182
> I have used them on several Nvidia and AMD cards, and they are excellent coolers. They are also much quieter than the stock cooler, even at full fan speed.
> 
> Edit:
> If you click on the "Compatibility" tab, they are also compatible with the 7950, etc. and as yours looks to be reference, it should be a good fit.


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Correct, they even fit 90% of the non reference models just fine.
> However, the supplied VRM cooling is of very low quality and even though sufficient at stock, a 1.256v Ghz edition card or overvolted card overheats the VRM's rather quickly.


+1 the mounting holes are still all the same it is the other parts of the card ( locations ) that are different


----------



## zerokool_3211

i had a AXP2 on my 6970 and it was great.....very quiet....but i put a gelid icey v2 kit on the vrm so....


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you can buy a universal gpu block like this


I just wanted to add that if anyone is deciding to go this route, get the MCW82-7900 one. Or you'll end up paying another $40 for an adapter kit.

I got my 7970 up and running now. Just bought a Koolance block today too.







It's being shipped Monday. I can't freaking wait!


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> It was all about the stock performance. 7970 was out first & the new fastest single gpu.
> Gtx 680 came later, not sure if it was beating the 7970 at stock clocks before launch (only nvidia knows), so nvidia added the 'boost' clock, so the 680 could take over as the new fastest single at stock.
> AMD added their own boost clocks, so 7970Ghz could be the new fastest single card at stock again.
> 
> So yes, all a marketing gimmick.
> 
> I like nvidia less for it, they started all the whole gpu boost garbage & doesn't look like they are dropping it anytime soon.


So it looks like I did myself a favor by getting the OC version of the Sapphire 7970 as opposed to the more expensive GHz edition. Awesome.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *IBYCFOTA*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> It was all about the stock performance. 7970 was out first & the new fastest single gpu.
> Gtx 680 came later, not sure if it was beating the 7970 at stock clocks before launch (only nvidia knows), so nvidia added the 'boost' clock, so the 680 could take over as the new fastest single at stock.
> AMD added their own boost clocks, so 7970Ghz could be the new fastest single card at stock again.
> 
> So yes, all a marketing gimmick.
> 
> I like nvidia less for it, they started all the whole gpu boost garbage & doesn't look like they are dropping it anytime soon.
> 
> 
> 
> So it looks like I did myself a favor by getting the OC version of the Sapphire 7970 as opposed to the more expensive GHz edition. Awesome.
Click to expand...

Yeap, the ghz premium is all marketing hype and playing keep up with the Joneses. Gonna use FTW's post in another thread lol so I don't have to retype it in my own words, thanks FTW! Another way to look at it is if you have overclocked above boost, you just negated the reason you bought a ghz card cuz by overclocking you disabled the boost, doh!


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I just wanted to add that if anyone is deciding to go this route, get the MCW82-7900 one. Or you'll end up paying another $40 for an adapter kit.
> 
> I got my 7970 up and running now. Just bought a Koolance block today too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's being shipped Monday. I can't freaking wait!


How many slots does that swiftech block take up? 1 or 2?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eliongater*
> 
> How many slots does that swiftech block take up? 1 or 2?


i am assuming you are talking about the komodo?

1
http://www.overclock.net/t/1343190/installing-my-swiftech-komodo-r7970-water-block-pics/0_100


----------



## Imprezzion

Kaboooom. I completed a Valley benchmark run @ 1340Mhz core hahaha.
Entered it into the valley thread haha. This thing is a true monster... This was done on only 1.300v VDDC. Could push it to 1.381v but the wierd thing is, it won't stabilize any higher clocks, even with 1.381v


----------



## Krusher33

He's talking about the universal one. It's just big enough for a fitting. But the thing is that you'll need to have sinks on memory and vrm's with airflow over them.


----------



## Imprezzion

When using a universal block on a HD79xx use the Swiftech HD7950/70-HS heatsink.

http://www.swiftech.com/hd7900-hsf.aspx



It even works with a Accelero but you have to chop the height of the fins down since they are too high around the heatpipes.


----------



## Krusher33

For only a only a little more get a full cover block. I wanted to stick with a universal myself but it just doesn't seem worth it. Especially when not knowing what the plans are in the future.


----------



## $ilent

Hi guys

I was going to pickup a 7970 ghz card, but I have been told that the older Tahiti XT 7970s overclock better than the XT2 which is used in the ghz cards. Is this the case?

If so what's the best Tahiti xt 7970 I should buy for water cooling ?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *$ilent*
> 
> Hi guys
> 
> I was going to pickup a 7970 ghz card, but I have been told that the older Tahiti XT 7970s overclock better than the XT2 which is used in the ghz cards. Is this the case?
> 
> If so what's the best Tahiti xt 7970 I should buy for water cooling ?


Diamond 7970 is the best reference for watercooling. Otherwise for europe you should get the vtx3d or the msi 7970 TF3 without the boost.


----------



## Snakesoul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no you asked for options i gave them to you. there is a good one below if you dont want a full custom loop as i said dwood ( first link ) has an adapter for an aio cooler


Sorry Mega Man, my apologies, i thought you were telling me some full system water cooling solution (i don't know much about this subject)....
I'm trying to do some research on this subject, and boy, it's difficult to understand what do i have to buy to make it work....
I think the air solution (in this case a accelero xtreme) will match my needs and will be cheaper...
Thanks for your help Mega Man and apologies for my mistake.









Edit: About the fan profile on MSI AB, do you guys have it enable? I'm asking this because when i'm playing and leave it on at user define), when the card gets hot, the fan starts to make much more noise, i think it's 1 on 1, so when it gets about 65º it's on 60% fan speed and it's very audible... so i don't know if i'll leave it on auto or enable the fan profile, because it seems that this card can handle for ex. 50º and 35% fan speed... sorry for this kind of questions but it's the first time i'm using this kind of software since my previous card didn't need it...


----------



## $ilent

Is there anything concrete that says xt2 overclocked worse than xt?


----------



## Imprezzion

No, and it probably can't be proven, but it just appears that way.

Plus, the only thing that does sort of proof this theory, is that the stock HD7970 has 1.175v VDDC for 925Mhz and can 100% certainly do 1050Mhz on that voltage. EVERY 7970 chip can do 1050Mhz on the core at 1.175v.

The XT2 Ghz editions however have a stock voltage of a whopping 1.256v and then still, on that voltage, hardly reach the overclocks the older XT's do on 1.175v.

So, if the older cards do 1150Mhz average on stock, so do the Ghz editions. But, the Ghz editions have a stock VDDC of 1.256v, and the older ones a way lower 1.175v meaning the older ones have way more room in their voltages cause both max out at 1.300v.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *$ilent*
> 
> Is there anything concrete that says xt2 overclocked worse than xt?


Floppy voltage control on xt2, do not want.


----------



## Noviets

Im flashing my Asus 7970 DC2 Top to he matrix drivers so I can acquire voltage control, does it matter which matrix bios version I use?


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> No, and it probably can't be proven, but it just appears that way.
> 
> Plus, the only thing that does sort of proof this theory, is that the stock HD7970 has 1.175v VDDC for 925Mhz and can 100% certainly do 1050Mhz on that voltage. EVERY 7970 chip can do 1050Mhz on the core at 1.175v..


I for one can completely disprove this, as my 7970 at stock 1.17v cannot pass 1020mhz core and maintain stability.


----------



## Imprezzion

Then that has to be the worst 7970 ever in the history of 7970's lool


----------



## dmanstasiu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> No, and it probably can't be proven, but it just appears that way.
> 
> Plus, the only thing that does sort of proof this theory, is that the stock HD7970 has 1.175v VDDC for 925Mhz and can 100% certainly do 1050Mhz on that voltage. EVERY 7970 chip can do 1050Mhz on the core at 1.175v..
> 
> 
> 
> I for one can completely disprove this, as my 7970 at stock 1.17v cannot pass 1020mhz core and maintain stability.
Click to expand...

Are you sure it's receiving the proper voltage? Use GPU-z. Sometimes afterburner lies


----------



## spizzlo

So when I'm gaming, my clocks are all over the place. I have a 7950 boost so that's 850/925 clock at stock. When I'm gaming though it jumps from 500-850 and back. I know it's supposed to be optimizing and everything but it's not. I'm getting stutter in FIFA for Christ's sake. Can I set the clock so it doesn't jump around? Thanks for the help.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> 
> 
> Kaboooom. I completed a Valley benchmark run @ 1340Mhz core hahaha.
> Entered it into the valley thread haha. This thing is a true monster... This was done on only 1.300v VDDC. Could push it to 1.381v but the wierd thing is, it won't stabilize any higher clocks, even with 1.381v


Hot damn that's a beastly score.

I only got 52.7fps with 1320MHz core on my 7950.

What clock was your memory at?

Edit: I see it in the picture now. Does your card have Hynix chips?

I think the error correction on mine hurt my score a lot.


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i am assuming you are talking about the komodo?
> 
> 1
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1343190/installing-my-swiftech-komodo-r7970-water-block-pics/0_100


the universal block from them, i have a vapor-x so no full cover


----------



## firstchoicett

when is the 7990 coming out?


----------



## OneGun

Can you guys give me a decent voltage to try my His 7950 boost to get to 1150 please?


----------



## GunMetal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Can you guys give me a decent voltage to try my His 7950 boost to get to 1150 please?


I set mine to 1237v to hit 1170mhz. My max OC on stock voltage is 1100mhz.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> I set mine to 1237v to hit 1170mhz. My max OC on stock voltage is 1100mhz.


Gunmetal thank you i will give it a shot and let you know how it works..


----------



## Kriant

My xfx 7970 ghz edition arrived ( the one that has one dvi, so it's a ref. design pcb phew) + the koolance 7970 wb. Going to "dress" that sexy thing into it's new cooling block, and introduce it to her three "sisters". Waiting on Lepa G1600 to arrive. Amazon sure taking it's time


----------



## EliteReplay

hi where do i change my VDDC on my card?


----------



## PedroC1999

That card might be locked, not sure but generally, in MSI AfterBurner you go into settings and unlock voltage stuff, then adjust the slider


----------



## Rangerjr1

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6490099


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmanstasiu*
> 
> Are you sure it's receiving the proper voltage? Use GPU-z. Sometimes afterburner lies


I used HWMonitor to displays volts and it's also handy at core temps etc.

GPU-Z shows some very perculier results.
On idle the VDDC is 1.094v, during Benchmarking, it went as low as 1.047. The vddc during benching was always lower than the idle vddc.

However, the amps on idle are 9.3, During benchmarking, it peeked at 91.5 amps.

This is the main reason I was seeking advice earlier on which matrix drivers to use, I've been reading its the only way to get voltage control on the DC2 Tops.


----------



## zerokool_3211

watching my card while playing league a bit a goe(7970 TF3) i noticed my clocks were hanging at 500 and 501 back and forth...and dont know why....the game would fps lag a bit too...just wondering if my card is ok...thanks for any help


----------



## ACM

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> watching my card while playing league a bit a goe(7970 TF3) i noticed my clocks were hanging at 500 and 501 back and forth...and dont know why....the game would fps lag a bit too...just wondering if my card is ok...thanks for any help


Have Youtube playing in the background or any 2D source?
Maybe it's stuck in a 2D profile.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> hi where do i change my VDDC on my card?


hello?


----------



## PedroC1999

Hello. Ive been overclocking my card, and when I set 1269vddc, i get 1230ish in GPU z, I assume that gpu z is right? And that i can go further if temps wre in the 60s?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> That card might be locked, not sure but generally, in MSI AfterBurner you go into settings and unlock voltage stuff, then adjust the slider


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> hi where do i change my VDDC on my card?


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ACM*
> 
> Have Youtube playing in the background or any 2D source?
> Maybe it's stuck in a 2D profile.


i could of had a browser open but not in focus...could have been it though

what are safe voltages...looks like mine will pretty easily do 1200 @ 1.250 and 1600 on 1.575 from my testing......never getting over 76C


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> That card might be locked, not sure but generally, in MSI AfterBurner you go into settings and unlock voltage stuff, then adjust the slider


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*


oh that what u call VDDC? i thought it was something different ok, i knew it


----------



## PedroC1999

VDDC is GPU core voltage
MVDDC is GPU memory voltage


----------



## FragZero

Hmm i just agreed to the purchase of a VTX3D 7950 3GB X-edtion with the following PCB



Was this stupid of me? Seems it's not compatible with the accelero 7970. Seems the powercolor (same manufacturer) and XFX versions of the same PCB have unlocked voltage, i should have this right?

Can anyone recommend me a heatsink?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Hmm i just agreed to the purchase of a VTX3D 7950 3GB X-edtion with the following PCB
> 
> 
> 
> Was this stupid of me? Seems it's not compatible with the accelero 7970. Seems the powercolor (same manufacturer) and XFX versions of the same PCB have unlocked voltage, i should have this right?
> 
> Can anyone recommend me a heatsink?


Why wouldnt it be compatible with an Accelero?


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> VDDC is GPU core voltage
> MVDDC is GPU memory voltage


do u guy ever bother with memory voltage?


----------



## PedroC1999

I do, RAM isnt stable after 1775, with 1650 I can almost hit 1800


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I do, RAM isnt stable after 1775, with 1650 I can almost hit 1800


where do i unlock that in MSI AB? it only give u access to CORE voltages


----------



## PedroC1999

In the right side of Cire voltage, theres a little tab that expands the voltage options


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> In the right side of Cire voltage, theres a little tab that expands the voltage options


lol







i didnt know it was there OMG









Mycard is Factory OC... Voltages are Core 1094 and Memory 1600 is that ok?


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> I used HWMonitor to displays volts and it's also handy at core temps etc.
> 
> GPU-Z shows some very perculier results.
> On idle the VDDC is 1.094v, during Benchmarking, it went as low as 1.047. The vddc during benching was always lower than the idle vddc.
> 
> However, the amps on idle are 9.3, During benchmarking, it peeked at 91.5 amps.
> 
> This is the main reason I was seeking advice earlier on which matrix drivers to use, I've been reading its the only way to get voltage control on the DC2 Tops.


Then it is indeed running a much too low stock VDDC. Since stock VDDC is 1.175v which under full load corresponds with vdroop to 1.112-1.120v in GPU-Z.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Hmm i just agreed to the purchase of a VTX3D 7950 3GB X-edtion with the following PCB
> 
> 
> 
> Was this stupid of me? Seems it's not compatible with the accelero 7970. Seems the powercolor (same manufacturer) and XFX versions of the same PCB have unlocked voltage, i should have this right?
> 
> Can anyone recommend me a heatsink?


Accelero will work just fine on it. It will work with 90-95% of all non-reference PCB's since mounting holes are all the same. Heatsinks are seperate so no baseplates or whatever that can go wrong.
I do suggest somehow getting better VRM cooling then the Accelero has stock if you intent to heavily overvolt the card. Don't know if the X-Editions stock heatsinks has VRM cooling or not, but if it does, try to re-use that somehow (bit of modding may be required). It probably outperforms the Accelero's VRM cooling. Accelero's VRAM blocks are fine however.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> do u guy ever bother with memory voltage?


Yeah I do quite a lot. GDDR5 has ECC you know, so when you clock it too high it'll recalculate errors in stead of just crashing (clocking it WAY too high still results in crashes







).
Mostly observable in lower benchmark scores while the clocks are higher. When I run Valley / 3dm 11 @ 1800Mhz VRAM it either gives a nice solid colored screen, or stutters badly due to ECC kicking in. Using 1.638v MVDDC fixes this and makes benches runnable.
To run 1750Mhz reliable 24/7 in-game I use 1.625v MVDDC. My old card, which is broken now due to a blown VRM, I had run 1900+Mhz VRAM at a MVDDC as high as 1.680v for suicide runs...

Oh and to answer your post above mine, those voltages are stock and perfectly fine. Core is safe up to 1.300v if temps on core and VRM allow it, memory I would personally go to a max of 1.642-1.650v for 24/7 but honestly, I have no idea whatsoever what the VRAM can take safely...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i didnt know it was there OMG
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mycard is Factory OC... Voltages are Core 1094 and Memory 1600 is that ok?


sounds like it could be a good overclocker


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Then it is indeed running a much too low stock VDDC. Since stock VDDC is 1.175v which under full load corresponds with vdroop to 1.112-1.120v in GPU-Z.
> Accelero will work just fine on it. It will work with 90-95% of all non-reference PCB's since mounting holes are all the same. Heatsinks are seperate so no baseplates or whatever that can go wrong.
> I do suggest somehow getting better VRM cooling then the Accelero has stock if you intent to heavily overvolt the card. Don't know if the X-Editions stock heatsinks has VRM cooling or not, but if it does, try to re-use that somehow (bit of modding may be required). It probably outperforms the Accelero's VRM cooling. Accelero's VRAM blocks are fine however.
> Yeah I do quite a lot. GDDR5 has ECC you know, so when you clock it too high it'll recalculate errors in stead of just crashing (clocking it WAY too high still results in crashes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ).
> Mostly observable in lower benchmark scores while the clocks are higher. When I run Valley / 3dm 11 @ 1800Mhz VRAM it either gives a nice solid colored screen, or stutters badly due to ECC kicking in. Using 1.638v MVDDC fixes this and makes benches runnable.
> To run 1750Mhz reliable 24/7 in-game I use 1.625v MVDDC. My old card, which is broken now due to a blown VRM, I had run 1900+Mhz VRAM at a MVDDC as high as 1.680v for suicide runs...
> 
> Oh and to answer your post above mine, those voltages are stock and perfectly fine. Core is safe up to 1.300v if temps on core and VRM allow it, memory I would personally go to a max of 1.642-1.650v for 24/7 but honestly, I have no idea whatsoever what the VRAM can take safely...


well what are the safe temp while ocing a videocard? when i first got my VCard it was doing 72 Celsius, but after 8month of use... when the card is 90-99% used, i can get really hot 80 most of the time but it can go up to 85 Celsius degree

so it safe to say i cant oc my card beyond the factory oc right?


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Accelero will work just fine on it. It will work with 90-95% of all non-reference PCB's since mounting holes are all the same. Heatsinks are seperate so no baseplates or whatever that can go wrong.
> I do suggest somehow getting better VRM cooling then the Accelero has stock if you intent to heavily overvolt the card. Don't know if the X-Editions stock heatsinks has VRM cooling or not, but if it does, try to re-use that somehow (bit of modding may be required). It probably outperforms the Accelero's VRM cooling. Accelero's VRAM blocks are fine however.


It's the original 7950 reference design so in a way it's reference (although a lot of 7950's are 7970 reference or custom).

There is a youtube movie about a card with the same PCB + the accelero (



) and the maker does not like the combination

How is the Alpenföhn Peter compared to the accelero? Swapping 2 7850's for a single 7950 so good cooling for additional overclocking would be nice + i have slots free for cooling.


----------



## Seid Dark

I sold my GTX 670 and just installed Sapphire 7950 Dual-X Boost. First AMD card since 9800 Pro







. Stock clock is 925MHz. Cooler is efficient but not that silent, there's noise when benchmarking.

I made some Unigine Valley tests. It seems that unless I set power limit to 20% card throttles in some scenes from 925Mhz to AMD stock clocks of 850MHz. I guess this is normal for Boost cards? Max temps were 68C.

Power limit 0% = 35.8 fps, power limit 20% = 37.4 fps.

I will start overclocking next, don't know which is better and more stable, Trixx or Afterburner.


----------



## d1nky

depends on the method you 'mod' afterburner with.

the official way is much more stable, no funny OS glitches and zero bugs.

these links started an argument before, but i have repeated this procedure many times and stick by it 100%

follow this one to the letter

http://forums.anandtech.com/archive/index.php/t-2263110.html

use the VEN mod to see realtime voltages

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18431335


----------



## Coree

Hey guys, I got my cash back from my VTX3D HD 7950. Now i have two choices: The sapphire 2L or XFX 7950 (non-BE)
http://www.pixmania.fi/fifi/naytonohjain/sapphire-technology-radeon-hd-7950-boost-3-gt-gddr5-pci-express-3-0-11196-19-20g/13359558--art.html
http://www.jimms.fi/tuote/FX-795A-TDFC
The XFX includes the Never Settle Bundle, and the Sapphire one doesn't. Both cards are priced samely. (The shipping costs of the Sapphire card is 12euroes)


----------



## Seid Dark

Looks like my card is POS for overclocking









I got 1150MHz core that seems to be okay but memory overclocking doesn't improve performance at all. I thought it would do at least 7970 stock memory clocks of 1375MHz but no go. I'm really disappointed, my oc'd 7950 isn't any faster than my previous GTX 670 which was also poor overclocker. This is on benchmarks, haven't tested games yet.


----------



## Imprezzion

In most cases a GTX670 is actually the faster card to begin with... Can't really understand why you would sidegrade like that to a HD7950. If you came from a GTX670, you should've gotten at least a HD7970..


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> In most cases a GTX670 is actually the faster card to begin with... Can't really understand why you would sidegrade like that to a HD7950. If you came from a GTX670, you should've gotten at least a HD7970..


I wanted to try AMD side for a change. Sold GTX 670 for 300€, and got brand new 7950 with Never Settle bundle for 280€. 7970 was too expensive for little performance difference between it and 7950 at same clocks (5%).

To my surprise card seems to be a lot more stable when overclocked with Catalyst, I uninstalled Afterburner and Trixx. This is odd, I'm using 13.5 betas. At 1180/1500 got 46,1fps in Valley Extreme HD preset.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> Looks like my card is POS for overclocking
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got 1150MHz core that seems to be okay but memory overclocking doesn't improve performance at all. I thought it would do at least 7970 stock memory clocks of 1375MHz but no go. I'm really disappointed, my oc'd 7950 isn't any faster than my previous GTX 670 which was also poor overclocker. This is on benchmarks, haven't tested games yet.


1150 mhz is very good for HD 7950. also core clocks are most important for performance gains. memory oc provides very small performance gains. so don't bother. what did your gtx 670 clock to ? the HD 7950(1150 mhz) should be quite impressive in games.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> To my surprise card seems to be a lot more stable when overclocked with Catalyst, I uninstalled Afterburner and Trixx. This is odd, I'm using 13.5 betas. At 1180/1500 got 46,1fps in Valley Extreme HD preset.


stick with CCC if it provides the best stable overclocks.


----------



## Seid Dark

My GTX 670 was 1189/1700 so on the lower side of clock spectrum. I was so disappointed with that card. I know 1150Mhz 7950 beats my old card at least in some games, I just wanted more.


----------



## Noviets

Would THESE Matrix bios work for a HD 7970 DC2 TOP edition card?

I was told to use THESE but my card wouldn't initialize.

I'm not sure if only certain bios work, so I asked and was told to use those. Now I'm wondering if I should go ahead and try the latest matrix ones I found on techpowerup.

Also wondering, as my bios failed, and I used the backup switch to use my card, how do I restore the other bios? If I fail to flash again, am I screwed?

Never had a switch before just trying to figure out how the dual bios works.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Would THESE Matrix bios work for a HD 7970 DC2 TOP edition card?
> 
> I was told to use THESE but my card wouldn't initialize.
> 
> I'm not sure if only certain bios work, so I asked and was told to use those. Now I'm wondering if I should go ahead and try the latest matrix ones I found on techpowerup.
> 
> Also wondering, as my bios failed, and I used the backup switch to use my card, how do I restore the other bios? If I fail to flash again, am I screwed?
> 
> Never had a switch before just trying to figure out how the dual bios works.


You boot with the bios that works, once you're in windows you flick the bios switch and flash the broken one.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> My GTX 670 was 1189/1700 so on the lower side of clock spectrum. I was so disappointed with that card. I know 1150Mhz 7950 beats my old card at least in some games, I just wanted more.


Which version of Sapphire do you have ? If it's the same version as mine, that seems like a bad overclocker. It's not terrible, but it should OC better than that. I've gotten up to around 1225 Core and 1775 Memory, but that's pretty much my max using MSI AB. This is on both of my GPU's. Maybe I got lucky, but if yours is the same, it should do better.

This is the version I have: SAPPHIRE 100352-2L HD7950


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Which version of Sapphire do you have ? If it's the same version as mine, that seems like a bad overclocker. It's not terrible, but it should OC better than that. I've gotten up to around 1225 Core and 1775 Memory, but that's pretty much my max using MSI AB. This is on both of my GPU's. Maybe I got lucky, but if yours is the same, it should do better.
> 
> This is the version I have: SAPPHIRE 100352-2L HD7950


My model number is 11196-19-20G. I seem to have bad luck with components, my 2500K is a dud also, only does 4,4GHz completely stable.

There seems to be no way to increase memory voltage, maybe that could've help my awful memory oc. I tried modded Trixx but that didn't help.


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You boot with the bios that works, once you're in windows you flick the bios switch and flash the broken one.


Thanks









Just a question I flashed to the Matrix bios, where its supposed to have 1.247 Vcore, instead of 1.175 (with default bios). But the vddc in GPU-Z 0.7.0 hasnt changed. Is it an accurate reading and the volts are hard locked?

I'm wondering if my card is faulty; or if anyone knows why this is happening.
My vddc on my card is supposed to be 1.175 (With default). It idles at 1.094. (Even with the Matrix Bios)
When I benchmark the card the vddc goes down. (Its never above the idle vddc) and it drops as low as 1.047. (same with matrix)

Which is 200mV less than what it should be.. Using the Matrix Bios as suggested the card doesnt even run at stock clocks of 1100/1650. As it seems the VDDC isn't what it's supposed to be.

Is the card screwed? What should I do? Is there a way to fix it? Different Bios?


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> My model number is 11196-19-20G. I seem to have bad luck with components, my 2500K is a dud also, only does 4,4GHz completely stable.
> 
> There seems to be no way to increase memory voltage, maybe that could've help my awful memory oc. I tried modded Trixx but that didn't help.


Ah, sorry to hear that.







My 2500k is stable at 5GHz, but I don't really need it that high, so I knock it down to 4.5GHz for less voltage. It's sufficient, maybe I have been lucky on all my hardware.

Anyway, hopefully you find something to resolve your issues. I'm no help with the Bios changing as I've never attempted to switch mine, I have no need to. Good luck to you!


----------



## TeeBlack

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> My model number is 11196-19-20G. I seem to have bad luck with components, my 2500K is a dud also, only does 4,4GHz completely stable.
> 
> There seems to be no way to increase memory voltage, maybe that could've help my awful memory oc. I tried modded Trixx but that didn't help.


i have the same card and you can adjust the memory voltage in AB


----------



## TeeBlack

the 11196-19-20G and 100352-2L is the same card. some card oc better than others mine dont go too high either but i didnt raise the voltage that much. i run mine at 1125/1450. i was running it at 1150/1550 @ 1.125v (no votage change on the memory) but that was just for benchmarks. 1125/1450 run all my games just fine. i


----------



## hotrod717

6990 sold, back in the saddle again. This time with a 7970 Matrix. Have read some conflicting opinions and views regarding overclock ability, but it has to have less coil whine than my previous Gigabyte reference card! Anybody have one of these under water?


----------



## Ninja Harbinger

Hey, I've asked Gigabyte this same question but they sent me a link with the answer and it was 404'd so I'm going to ask it here:

I have a Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD with the F43 BIOS. Am I able to use the new FX1/FY1 BIOS with my card?

The website states:

Code:



Code:


You can only update to a VBIOS version of the same series.
If your VBIOS version is:
F1, it can only be updated with VBIOS versions F2-F9.
F10, it can only be updated with VBIOS versions F11-F19.
F20, it can only be updated with VBIOS versions F21-F29.
etc.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just a question I flashed to the Matrix bios, where its supposed to have 1.247 Vcore, instead of 1.175 (with default bios). But the vddc in GPU-Z 0.7.0 hasnt changed. Is it an accurate reading and the volts are hard locked?
> 
> I'm wondering if my card is faulty; or if anyone knows why this is happening.
> My vddc on my card is supposed to be 1.175 (With default). It idles at 1.094. (Even with the Matrix Bios)
> When I benchmark the card the vddc goes down. (Its never above the idle vddc) and it drops as low as 1.047. (same with matrix)
> 
> Which is 200mV less than what it should be.. Using the Matrix Bios as suggested the card doesnt even run at stock clocks of 1100/1650. As it seems the VDDC isn't what it's supposed to be.
> 
> Is the card screwed? What should I do? Is there a way to fix it? Different Bios?


umm just because you flash the bios does not mean your card can run that speed. the higher speed cards are sorted ( NOT BINNED ) they test them to see if they can do the oc/ghz/lightning/ect speed stably and if not they downgrade them yours may/may not be able to do the "stock" speeds of the bios you flashed. you can ask the other poster to send you his bios that are voltage adj. another possibility is your card could be hardware voltage locked. i dont know if this is the case however as i dont know what card you have


----------



## zerokool_3211

what should i be looking for in GPU-Z as far as voltage @ load after vdoop and all that...


----------



## Ninja Harbinger

Go to the sensors tab and it should be VDDC. MVDDC is memory voltage also so if you're changing that in your OC program, keep an eye on that too


----------



## Seid Dark

Trixx seems to be the only program able to increase voltage for my 7950 card but it has a pretty horrible bug. When I set the voltage to 1.3v for example it never goes down to 2D voltage. Voltage is constant 1.3v with 2D clocks. Even when I reset overclocking and go back to stock settings voltage won't go back to normal. I uninstalled Trixx, tried to reset CCC settings etc. but nothing helps. I guess I have to reinstall drivers.


----------



## TeeBlack

afterburner didnt work for you? did you go in the settings and unlock voltage tweaking? AB works fine for me. i can change core and memory voltage with no issues.


----------



## Anoxy

voltage controls are grayed out for me in AB


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> voltage controls are grayed out for me in AB


did you unlock them in settings?


----------



## Anoxy

Yep, only voltage slider not grayed out is "Aux Voltage"


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Yep, only voltage slider *not* grayed out is "Aux Voltage"


miss read your post, not sure why this is hapening


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yeah that is usually the case that its greyed out so i wouldnt worry about it.. just set the power limit to 20% and start overclocking adjusting core voltage and maybe memory voltage as needed.
> 
> i am not sure what the aux voltage is or what cards support it


one person told be that was pcieddc


----------



## stubass

hmmmm, i wonder what the use is.. i gues i can google that.. lol still at a lost why Anoxy's issue is







BIOS, card is voltage locked??


----------



## ElevenEleven

Any RadeonPro users here play Diablo3? I can't get RadeonPo to load my D3 custom profile when the game runs and can't figure out why. I can see by Googling that people use RadeonPro for that game successfully, but don't bring up how they got it to run together.

I have the D3 client executable linked as a trigger and even added the launcher executable link to no avail. Then I added a Blizzard updater luncher link, which made the game startup slower, but still didnt activate the profile. What could I be missing?


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> umm just because you flash the bios does not mean your card can run that speed. the higher speed cards are sorted ( NOT BINNED ) they test them to see if they can do the oc/ghz/lightning/ect speed stably and if not they downgrade them yours may/may not be able to do the "stock" speeds of the bios you flashed. you can ask the other poster to send you his bios that are voltage adj. another possibility is your card could be hardware voltage locked. i dont know if this is the case however as i dont know what card you have


I've been told time and time again that people with voltage locked cards have gained access too it using the Matrix bios.

However due to the extra 110mV that the matrix bios runs stock, you can get much higher clocks without having to adjust it.

With Default Asus 7970 DC2T Bios, or Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum bios. My vcores are still the same. Idle at 1.094 and benching at 1.047.
Instead of Stock 1.175, and 1.248 on Matrix. I cannot seem to get the voltage to move at all.
I'm 99.9% sure that this lack in voltage is causing me to have massive performance issues.

At stock clocks on stock bios I get artifacts on my screen, Games like Battlefield 3 are one of the worse games for me for artifacts. I made a video recording of it if you would like me to upload it somewhere.

My card is the Asus HD 7970 DirectCu2 Top edition. And so far I wasted every dollar on it.


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> afterburner didnt work for you? did you go in the settings and unlock voltage tweaking? AB works fine for me. i can change core and memory voltage with no issues.


I guess we have different versions of the card, you have reference 7950 PCB and I've Sapphires new custom PCB. Voltage control isn't working in Afterburner for me. Trixx is the only program that works and it's so buggy. Also my card doesn't seem to have memory voltage control at all unfortunately









I tested 1.3v in games for a while and seems that my low ASIC card likes the voltage a lot (1200MHz stable for about one hour of BF3 multiplayer). I'm just not comfortable running that voltage 24/7, I mostly use this rig for internet.


----------



## Imprezzion

1.300v is perfectly safe 24/7 IF the temps allow it. So, with summer / higher ambients taken into consideration, <80c core and <90c VRMs.

My card is now a complete ghetto thing... I'll make and upload some pics later today but it looks like hell.. Functions very well though..

1.300v VDDC, 1315Mhz core, 1.638v MVDDC, 1775Mhz VRAM is what i'm running 24/7.

Ghetto modded Accelero 7970 with a MSI TF3 OC/BE baseplate for VRM cooling with VRAM heatsinks pasted all over it. Also ripped off the original fan unit and tie-ripped 2 Scythe Slipstream 1600RPM 120mm's to it on full RPM through my motherboard.

Temps: Core after 2 hours straight of BF3 (Tournament lol): Core 48c. VRM1 79c. VRM2. 63c.
These are max peak temps.
Avg's according to GPU-Z: Core 47c. VRM1 71c. VRM2 59c.

It aint as quiet as the stock Accelero fans but the Slipstreams are sure as heck quieter and much cooler then any stock heatsink.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> I've been told time and time again that people with voltage locked cards have gained access too it using the Matrix bios.
> 
> However due to the extra 110mV that the matrix bios runs stock, you can get much higher clocks without having to adjust it.
> 
> With Default Asus 7970 DC2T Bios, or Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum bios. My vcores are still the same. Idle at 1.094 and benching at 1.047.
> Instead of Stock 1.175, and 1.248 on Matrix. I cannot seem to get the voltage to move at all.
> I'm 99.9% sure that this lack in voltage is causing me to have massive performance issues.
> 
> At stock clocks on stock bios I get artifacts on my screen, Games like Battlefield 3 are one of the worse games for me for artifacts. I made a video recording of it if you would like me to upload it somewhere.
> 
> My card is the Asus HD 7970 DirectCu2 Top edition. And so far I wasted every dollar on it.


sound like you got a bumb card and need to rma it


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Made a thread on this but probably will get more responses in here. Thoughts?
Quote:


> So whenever I mess with the voltage using AB or Trixx my actual voltage reported by GPU-Z is about .06 volts lower than what I set. A little bit of research shows this to be a design choice by Sapphire. I'm curious however if other cards have the same thing, and if people are aware of it. I ask because when people say they have the voltage at say 1.3, they might be reffering to the target voltage rather than the actual voltage under load. But I don't know how common vdroop is under different cards, so they may very well be reaching their targeted voltage. In my case though, should I be aiming higher to compensate for vdroop? In other words, if I want my voltage to be 1.2 volts, shouldn't I be setting it to 1.26-1.27 in Trixx / AB?[/QUOTE


----------



## Imprezzion

We all refer to target voltage when we speak of a voltage in here








Most cards have roughly the same vdroop. Custom designs like the ASUS Matrix might have less due to more VRM's but k.

When I refer to 1.300v for my card to do 1315Mhz core it's actual voltage is between 1.212-1.224v in-game.

So, if you want 1.200v actual, get a setpoint of around 1.280v.
Sapphire TriXX however, allows some cards (with a TriXX of 4.4.0 Beta or OLDER) to be overvolted to 1.381v setpoint which does correspond to roughly 1.300v loaded.
This voltage is not quite safe to run 24/7 though. The 1.300v setpoint is pretty much max you'd wanna run under air IF the temps of the VRM's hold up to it.

Oh, and here's some photo's of my ghetto Accelero











http://imgur.com/a


----------



## disintegratorx

The 13.5b2s are actually working good. Glad I decided to give them another try.


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

What Would anyone recommend the absolute max core temperature be for a 7950 be under 24/7 use ?

I have a His 7950 and have just recently got a XFX DD 7950 , as they are both used in boinc most times , loading is 100% on both . Unfortunately I cannot put the XFX card in the second slot to give it the air flow it needs ( pin headers are in the way ) . So I have the XFX card in slot one and His card in slot 2 on a Micro ATX .

My problem is even running 2 , 230V 120mm fans to push air into the case and out past the GPU's and the fan speed on the XFX at 100% I hit over 101 C core tempreture , while the HIS is at 45 % fan speed and 68 C core . Both are clocked at 925/1350 with power set to + 20% , as without it the XFX card throttles a lot .

So Would it be best to rethink the setup or change heatsink setup on the XFX card , as im not sure I want to run it at 100 C 24/7 :S


----------



## stubass

the XFX DD 7950 is renound for having a bad cooler. 101*C even with fans at 100% i would find a way to cool that puppy down. for me 75*C would be my recomened absolute max on the core but i like to keep under 70*C.


----------



## mush332

Hey guys. I recently have been having a huge fps drop. Like 50% in all my games. Im not sure whats causing it. I defraged reinstalled drivers. Cleared space on my hd. My drivers also crash everytime i start playing but after about 10 sec everything is back up n running. This has been happening since before the recent fps drops. Could the fps drops b caused by a virus? I have nothing else to think other than the card is bad because ive had a few other problems with it since day 1. Should i rma the card? The only reason i havent in the past is cuz i dont wanna wait so long to play on my pc again but if i have to im going too. Thanks in advance for the input.


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> the XFX DD 7950 is renound for having a bad cooler. 101*C even with fans at 100% i would find a way to cool that puppy down. for me 75*C would be my recomened absolute max on the core but i like to keep under 70*C.










wish id known that , Thanks for the help/answer though







. Looks like im going Heatsink hunting , Would be nice if I could find a cooler like the one my HIS has on it ; Square and so simple and it works well


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mush332*
> 
> Hey guys. I recently have been having a huge fps drop. Like 50% in all my games. Im not sure whats causing it. I defraged reinstalled drivers. Cleared space on my hd. My drivers also crash everytime i start playing but after about 10 sec everything is back up n running. This has been happening since before the recent fps drops. Could the fps drops b caused by a virus? I have nothing else to think other than the card is bad because ive had a few other problems with it since day 1. Should i rma the card? The only reason i havent in the past is cuz i dont wanna wait so long to play on my pc again but if i have to im going too. Thanks in advance for the input.


You arent giving us ANY info...

Have you ATLEAST checked the load temps?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> wish id known that , Thanks for the help/answer though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Looks like im going Heatsink hunting , Would be nice if I could find a cooler like the one my HIS has on it ; Square and so simple and it works well


Do what i did to my 7970 Matrix.

Rip off the fans from the heatsink and glue some 120mm fans onto it. It work great lol.


----------



## mush332

Sorry. Im at work when i get home ill upload the info. But all i can say right now is that i was running fine n then went to bed n woke up 9 hrs later it was doing this.


----------



## Bennny

Normally when the temps begin to worry you, there is still some good headroom left. (Unless of course the fans are set very low with a large overclock) I think the VRM's can definitely take over 100C although I wouldn't want that long term. I do think they are hardier than people feel comfortable with.


----------



## Imprezzion

He's talking about core temps.

And even for the VRM's it's a 90c max limit for 24/7.


----------



## Bennny

For core I aim for under 80c. Also, have you ever run VRM's over 90c 24/7 to find out?


----------



## Imprezzion

Yep. And that's why my sig says RIP Sapphire 7970.

95-105c 24/7 and 115-120c in benches cost me the card in under 3 months.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Yep. And that's why my sig says RIP Sapphire 7970.
> 
> 95-105c 24/7 and 115-120c in benches cost me the card in under 3 months.


HOW JUST HOW Do you get it that hot?!?!

I have a Sapphire 7950 VaporX and a ASUS 7970 Matrix and none of them get that hot.


----------



## Bennny

I don't think over 90c as an absolute max is too bad. Obviously 120c is hot though, that's like a 20/25c difference! That's massive. Poor card. Did you not want to step the card down a bit? Kind of asking for trouble.


----------



## sugarhell

LoL then i am a maniac that i dont let my card to go over 65 C


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> HOW JUST HOW Do you get it that hot?!?!
> 
> I have a Sapphire 7950 VaporX and a ASUS 7970 Matrix and none of them get that hot.


Buy an accelero and you know why the VRM's get that hot








Reminder again, we are NOT talking about core temps.

And no, cause I was under the same impression, thanks to a lot of people here, that they are ''rated for 120c''. Which is obviously nonsense.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> LoL then i am a maniac that i dont let my card to go over 65 C


People, our cards can operate up to +90º core/110º VRM...but then again, why would you let your card achieve those temps? +90º core means either two things:your cooling has gone to the cooling heaven/your cooling is crappy as hell OR you've cranked up core/memory mhz and voltage so much that your cooling can't keep with all the heat...also, your VRM are about to explode









*Which is a brainless achievement if you ask me. Between 70º-80ºC core it's were you hit GCN temp wall, and OCing headroom goes out of the window, as stability does.*


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> We all refer to target voltage when we speak of a voltage in here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Most cards have roughly the same vdroop. Custom designs like the ASUS Matrix might have less due to more VRM's but k.
> 
> When I refer to 1.300v for my card to do 1315Mhz core it's actual voltage is between 1.212-1.224v in-game.
> 
> So, if you want 1.200v actual, get a setpoint of around 1.280v.
> Sapphire TriXX however, allows some cards (with a TriXX of 4.4.0 Beta or OLDER) to be overvolted to 1.381v setpoint which does correspond to roughly 1.300v loaded.
> This voltage is not quite safe to run 24/7 though. The 1.300v setpoint is pretty much max you'd wanna run under air IF the temps of the VRM's hold up to it.
> 
> Oh, and here's some photo's of my ghetto Accelero
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/a


Thanks. I'm just trying to operate within safe voltages. If 1.3 volts for most people is actually effectively 1.22 or so then I feel like I should tread carefully as far as aiming for a true 1.3 volts. The last thing I want to do is ruin my card trying to squeeze an extra 25 mhz on the core. When determining what voltages I can safely run at, shoud I be looking at anything else other than core / VRM temps? I assume nothing would be wrong with maxing out the voltage on my card as long as my temps are safe and my OC is stable.


----------



## Noviets

Could my MB cause my card to not receive the proper vcore?
Just trying to eliminate causes before I return the card


----------



## CravinR1

Put me down for a MSI 7950 Twin Frozr
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You arent giving us ANY info...
> 
> Have you ATLEAST checked the load temps?


i have to agree that we need more info
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> Put me down for a MSI 7950 Twin Frozr
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667


welcome you will love it !~


----------



## EliteReplay

my XFX most of the time is in between 80 and 85 C... when i first got it, was 75max... but somehow it look like the thermal paste just desaapered lol


----------



## Pheozero

What voltages should I shoot for on air? Around 1.2? I have a Sapphire 7950.


----------



## Imprezzion

As I explained before, 1.300v VDDC max on air, IF your temps can keep up. Otherwise it's just a matter of finding the max within the temp limits. 80c Core, 90c VRM.

VRM temps can be monitored with GPU-Z's Sensor tab by scrolling down to the bottom.


----------



## Belial

I was interested in the xfx double d 7950, but I hear it is voltage locked and that it's a junk card? I can't find any consistent input on this

And can you remove the ugly red plate on the DD cooler? I have a blue theme going on....

I want to get a 7950, I just am not sure which one. I don't need any crap like voltage locked -_-


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I was interested in the xfx double d 7950, but I hear it is voltage locked and that it's a junk card? I can't find any consistent input on this
> 
> And can you remove the ugly red plate on the DD cooler? I have a blue theme going on....
> 
> I want to get a 7950, I just am not sure which one. I don't need any crap like voltage locked -_-


I have a blue and white theme and i like the look of my His ICEQ X2..


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I was interested in the xfx double d 7950, but I hear it is voltage locked and that it's a junk card? I can't find any consistent input on this
> 
> And can you remove the ugly red plate on the DD cooler? I have a blue theme going on....
> 
> I want to get a 7950, I just am not sure which one. I don't need any crap like voltage locked -_-


i have a XFX 7950 Blackedition and i can adjust voltages just fine wiht MSI AB


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> i have a XFX 7950 Blackedition and i can adjust voltages just fine wiht MSI AB


How is the cooling on the XFX? I heard it was horrible.


----------



## zerokool_3211

while playing league of legends i notice my 7970 will down clock to 500 and 501 then up to 1000 and sometimes hit the 1050 clock i am running.....is this normal?


----------



## Belial

Darn, price just went up.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150588

is the card in particular, the double-d 7950, not the black edition.

I just don't know which 7950 to get.... i don't want one that is locked in voltage in any way, or has any particular issues.

And what's up with 7950s, can you unlock them to 7970s or do anything 'special' with them in any way?


----------



## Imprezzion

The XFX cooling is indeed horrible...

Your best bet at a card that is unlocked is any Sapphire card. The newest 4.6.0 version of TriXX added voltage support for pretty much every single Sapphire HD7870XT/79xx card.

Plus, it matches your colors.


----------



## Imprezzion

The XFX cooling is indeed horrible...

Your best bet at a card that is unlocked is any Sapphire card. The newest 4.6.0 version of TriXX added voltage support for pretty much every single Sapphire HD7870XT/79xx card.

Plus, it matches your colors.


----------



## Belial

wait so... like 'voltage locked', is this just a software issue? Could I not use trixx on any brand 7950, or could i not edit the bios of any locked 7950?

I don't mind a worse cooler, I just want to be able to reach the voltage limits and stay below max temp on a high oc. I mean im not sure how 7950s overclock - for example the gtx460 is a very 'sweet spot' chip, at 1.087v (the max limit in software) lets me hit 929mhz, but editing the bios and going to 1.225v, which is like twice the increase of stock volts to 1.087v, doesnt even get me 10mhz (and I've had similar results with other 460s and fermi's).

Now ivy bridge, on the other hand, scales pretty linearly with voltage, the better the cooler the further you can overclock, my high end air is good enough for [email protected] but a high end closed loop would let me do [email protected] and a custom loop would let me do something like [email protected] (but the price increase wouldn't be worth it, not to mention pushing rather insane voltages).

So... i dont really know how it all works with 7950s. I know with the Fermi series, there's a software voltage limit that's quite low, so setting the max voltage in software is actually extremely conservative, which is why, for example, MSI and most GPU companies fully support not just overclocking, but overvoltage on their GPUs - because overvolting via software isn't really pushing it.

Anyways, I hear very mixed things on if the xfx 7950 is voltage locked or not (im wella ware the xfx double d 7970 is though, stupid google results). Now personally I'm all game for chopping things up, editing the BIOS, overclocking, etc, so it doesn't bother me if I can edit the BIOS to fix this issue, but I can't tell if just a bunch of people are complaining and they aren't willing/knowledgeable enough to really fix the issue, or what.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Darn, price just went up.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150588
> 
> is the card in particular, the double-d 7950, not the black edition.
> 
> I just don't know which 7950 to get.... i don't want one that is locked in voltage in any way, or has any particular issues.
> 
> And what's up with 7950s, can you unlock them to 7970s or do anything 'special' with them in any way?


Not really. But they are only 2-10% slower per HZ. Get a Sapphire or MSI card.

I know because i have a 7970 AND a 7950


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> wait so... like 'voltage locked', is this just a software issue? Could I not use trixx on any brand 7950, or could i not edit the bios of any locked 7950?
> 
> I don't mind a worse cooler, I just want to be able to reach the voltage limits and stay below max temp on a high oc. I mean im not sure how 7950s overclock - for example the gtx460 is a very 'sweet spot' chip, at 1.087v (the max limit in software) lets me hit 929mhz, but editing the bios and going to 1.225v, which is like twice the increase of stock volts to 1.087v, doesnt even get me 10mhz (and I've had similar results with other 460s and fermi's).
> 
> Now ivy bridge, on the other hand, scales pretty linearly with voltage, the better the cooler the further you can overclock, my high end air is good enough for [email protected] but a high end closed loop would let me do [email protected] and a custom loop would let me do something like [email protected] (but the price increase wouldn't be worth it, not to mention pushing rather insane voltages).
> 
> So... i dont really know how it all works with 7950s. I know with the Fermi series, there's a software voltage limit that's quite low, so setting the max voltage in software is actually extremely conservative, which is why, for example, MSI and most GPU companies fully support not just overclocking, but overvoltage on their GPUs - because overvolting via software isn't really pushing it.


7000 Series cards are very thermal limited. My 7970 can do 1250/1800 if i keep it under 60C. But it cant even do 1200/1750 if it goes above that. So your best bet would be to get a GPU with a good cooler. Like Sapphire or MSI.

Voltage locks are usually bios bound, on some cards you can change bios and unlock the voltage.


----------



## Belial

Hmm a site called oakale.com has the sapphire 7950 for $230... never heard of them...


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guys,

I was thinking of crossfiring my MSI 7950 Twin Frozr, has anyone encontered any problems with them?
Any help would be helpful thanks

+ Also i made a custom backplate for mine and wondering if it could cause any problems? I checked the tempratures etc, but nothing has changed.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I was thinking of crossfiring my MSI 7950 Twin Frozr, has anyone encontered any problems with them?
> Any help would be helpful thanks
> 
> + Also i made a custom backplate for mine and wondering if it could cause any problems? I checked the tempratures etc, but nothing has changed.


I doubt it will cause any problem. Man your rig looks beast


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I doubt it will cause any problem. Man your rig looks beast


Thanks man, crossfire it is then!


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I was thinking of crossfiring my MSI 7950 Twin Frozr, has anyone encontered any problems with them?
> Any help would be helpful thanks
> 
> + Also i made a custom backplate for mine and wondering if it could cause any problems? I checked the tempratures etc, but nothing has changed.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: pic


What is your backplate made from? I thought about making my own from a thick sheet of aluminum I have.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> What is your backplate made from? I thought about making my own from a thick sheet of aluminum I have.


i would suggest insulating the side that will face the pcb. aluminum is still conductive.


----------



## FragZero

Got my 7950!VTX3D non-boost, original 7950 reference.

Overclocking is insane on these 7950's

Bioshock infinite benchmark

800/1250 (stock) - 42 fps
1175/1500 - 67 fps

That's an increase of 59%!

3Dmark 11 gpu score

stock 7500
1175/1500 1100

Very tempted to grab an EK waterblock for my card and add it to my loop! Currently running in to black screens - OVP/OCP? Will i get more mhz if i cool this card more? Or will the ocp/ovp limit me?

I swapped 2 7850's for this 7950 and i'm very happy about it, frames are a little lower but it feels smoother!


----------



## Krusher33

Yeah i was planning that plus spacers.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> What is your backplate made from? I thought about making my own from a thick sheet of aluminum I have.


thin acrylic


----------



## Bazinga11

Did anyone else get Fry Cry 3 Blood Dragon?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bazinga11*
> 
> Did anyone else get Fry Cry 3 Blood Dragon?


Sure did. It took an hour or so for uplay to add it to my account though.


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Do what i did to my 7970 Matrix.
> 
> Rip off the fans from the heatsink and glue some 120mm fans onto it. It work great lol.


Just Put 2 40mm fans on it that are crazy fast as its all I have spare for now , should I worrie about vibration , as in does it cause any problems to the cards ? as these fans are pretty fast and as they are zip tied on wasn't sure if the vibrations would case the card issues ?

Now running 1025/1400 Mhz Clocks on both cards ,

XFX is at 55 C in second slot with 40mm fans , and HIS is at 75 C in first slot , Both at 100% GPU loading


----------



## Krusher33

My waterblock won't be here till next Tuesday and the hairblower is driving me insane. I might end up rigging something up as well.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> while playing league of legends i notice my 7970 will down clock to 500 and 501 then up to 1000 and sometimes hit the 1050 clock i am running.....is this normal?


anyone have any thoughts on this ?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> anyone have any thoughts on this ?


Its normal. Why would the 7970 run at full speed on a game that is not demanding at all? Its not like you're lagging anyways.


----------



## d1nky

or the card could be throttling, if gpu usage is high and frequencies drop then its throttling, but if gpu usage low then yea its normal

ranger1 probably right, ive never played that game so wouldn't know usage stats


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> or the card could be throttling, if gpu usage is high and frequencies drop then its throttling, but if gpu usage low then yea its normal
> 
> ranger1 probably right, ive never played that game so wouldn't know usage stats


Well it IS throttling. But its probably not due to overheating.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Any RadeonPro users here play Diablo3? I can't get RadeonPo to load my D3 custom profile when the game runs and can't figure out why. I can see by Googling that people use RadeonPro for that game successfully, but don't bring up how they got it to run together.
> 
> I have the D3 client executable linked as a trigger and even added the launcher executable link to no avail. Then I added a Blizzard updater luncher link, which made the game startup slower, but still didnt activate the profile. What could I be missing?


Still trying to resolve this, if anyone could advise, please <3


----------



## Noviets

This is what my games are like with the 7970 DC2T at stock clocks.






Im taking it back to the shop today, no idea how its going to go, its been 3 weeks since I bought it.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> This is what my games are like with the 7970 DC2T at stock clocks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Im taking it back to the shop today, no idea how its going to go, its been 3 weeks since I bought it.


Its dying. Dont buy asus 7970 next time


----------



## d1nky

you've killed the memory from overclocking, also is the sound like that constantly? maybe something else is to blame!

and why say don't buy asus?! its not the manufacturer who built a 20 power phase design card with best vrms out theres fault, its user fault. my asus 7950 has beaten 7970s when I went for it on benching, and put other 7950 brands to shame!

could also be a different issue!! if more detail was given we could make a correct answer not an assumption.

@noviets didn't you flash it and try some big clocks?

I remember giving you advice but told you to research before flashing


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> you've killed the memory from overclocking, also is the sound like that constantly? maybe something else is to blame!
> 
> and why say don't buy asus?! its not the manufacturer who built a 20 power phase design card with best vrms out theres fault, its user fault. my asus 7950 has beaten 7970s when I went for it on benching, and put other 7950 brands to shame!


Because asus this gen is crap. Better pcb doesnt mean a damn thing for normal user. Its just a marketing gimmick.


----------



## d1nky

funny that, well im happy with my card and i get some good benches and clocks.

i still think its down to the user to be able to keep their card from dying, ive nearly killed mine a few times while trying to bench pass 1220/1800

and when i done the benches etc i got pretty good, this card got me all the top spots.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181957

i havent had time to try it out with the 8350, planning on beating a few very soon tho. oh and these new drivers apparently let people clock higher, so may actually get my 1250/1800 stable lol

i would posted 3dmark links but steam wont let me log in! but search all different 3dmarks for 4100/7950 and youll see me there


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its dying. Dont buy asus 7970 next time


Amen


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> What is your backplate made from? I thought about making my own from a thick sheet of aluminum I have.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i would suggest insulating the side that will face the pcb. aluminum is still conductive.


major +1 or just use a good sized spacer(s). ( thread moves too fast noticed you already said that)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Got my 7950!VTX3D non-boost, original 7950 reference.
> 
> Overclocking is insane on these 7950's
> 
> Bioshock infinite benchmark
> 
> 800/1250 (stock) - 42 fps
> 1175/1500 - 67 fps
> 
> That's an increase of 59%!
> 
> 3Dmark 11 gpu score
> 
> stock 7500
> 1175/1500 1100
> 
> Very tempted to grab an EK waterblock for my card and add it to my loop! Currently running in to black screens - OVP/OCP? Will i get more mhz if i cool this card more? Or will the ocp/ovp limit me?
> 
> I swapped 2 7850's for this 7950 and i'm very happy about it, frames are a little lower but it feels smoother!


welcome glad you like it !~

should get a swiftech komodo 7950 though they just look awesome and turn your card into a single slot card !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bazinga11*
> 
> Did anyone else get Fry Cry 3 Blood Dragon?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sure did. It took an hour or so for uplay to add it to my account though.


+1 for me so surprised and thankful to them, i have an unused code for the now 3 games i need to sell still.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Just Put 2 40mm fans on it that are crazy fast as its all I have spare for now , should I worrie about vibration , as in does it cause any problems to the cards ? as these fans are pretty fast and as they are zip tied on wasn't sure if the vibrations would case the card issues ?
> 
> Now running 1025/1400 Mhz Clocks on both cards ,
> 
> XFX is at 55 C in second slot with 40mm fans , and HIS is at 75 C in first slot , Both at 100% GPU loading


in theory shouldnt as fans should be somewhat balanced.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> This is what my games are like with the 7970 DC2T at stock clocks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Im taking it back to the shop today, no idea how its going to go, its been 3 weeks since I bought it.


should have 30 days to return unless you are in the u.s.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its dying. Dont buy asus 7970 next time


+1 except i love asus


----------



## Snuckie7

For Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, when was the latest you could have bought your card to still get the game?


----------



## Bazinga11

My first Gigabyte 7950 did that, the replacement was fine though lol


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> For Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, when was the latest you could have bought your card to still get the game?


from my email from amd
Quote:


> Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon is now available in the Never Settle Reloaded promotion!
> There's even more good news for those of you that have already redeemed a code: we're giving you a FREE COPY of Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon in the email below to say thank you for supporting AMD Radeon™ Graphics!
> 
> Codes for Far Cry® 3 Blood Dragon will be sent out starting the first week of May after the game is released. See www.amd.com/neversettlereloadedoffer for full terms and conditions.


cant show source sorry. as it is from my email. lol
but it sounded like to me everyone will ( maybe only the 7970s idk) but dont forget they have an extremely long list and it can take days/weeks to send everyones email


----------



## OneGun

You should be good to go as long as you got the never settle reloaded bundle. Don't worry they will be giving out the codes all week.. I didn't get mine yet either.


----------



## Anoxy

Got mine this morning. Pleasant surprise as I didn't even know they'd be sending me one.


----------



## Snuckie7

I think I may have got the original Never Settle instead of the Reloaded one. I got Far Cry 3, Sleeping Dogs, and Hitman Absolution with my card.


----------



## Mega Man

yea i was flat out amazed. didnt even know they were thinking of doing this. +another 1 for amd. one of the many reasons i will continue to support them and ONLY buy their products.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I think I may have got the original Never Settle instead of the Reloaded one. I got Far Cry 3, Sleeping Dogs, and Hitman Absolution with my card.


That's what I got too. Only wanted FC3 if you buy the same today you get BioShock Inf, Crysis 3 and now the new FC3. I don't even play Hitman or Sleeping Dogs.


----------



## Snuckie7

I haven't played any of the games either except for Far Cry 3, which I stopped playing because AMD cards stutter pretty badly in that game.


----------



## Anoxy

wat. mine doesn't stutter in far cry 3


----------



## Mega Man

maybe he needs to update drivers?


----------



## Snuckie7

Erm. . .Far Cry 3 has issues as many people will tell you. I'm running 13.3 beta 3, and this has persisted since 12.11 beta 11.


----------



## tsm106

13.5 B2 is supposed to have addressed FC3 to great effect.


----------



## sugarhell

Its funny that fc3 blood dragon is absolute butter smooth. The devs from far cry 3 probably needs to take a break from creating the patch for the game


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 13.5 B2 is supposed to have addressed FC3 to great effect.


Alright I'll give those a try. I have them downloaded but I'm hesitant to install them because there have been reports of BF3 crashing.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Alright I'll give those a try. I have them downloaded but I'm hesitant to install them because there have been reports of BF3 crashing.


if so uninstall and redownload / instal 1.32 or w.e


----------



## OneGun

I had 13.5 but my issue was it would disable my crossfire in CCC. I would try to re enable and it would not let me so I went back to 13.4.How did you guys get ur Blood Dragon code to work? I just got mine and when I enter code it does nothing and it still wants my credit card info..


----------



## Mega Man

follow the link in the email. and then input the code in the browser. then you have to wait for them to add it to your account


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> follow the link in the email. and then input the code in the browser. then you have to wait for them to add it to your account


Either i am really stupid or the code does not work..Or both lol.I guess this is a big issue.I just went on AMD forums and there are alot of people with this same problem.Oh well


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Either i am really stupid or the code does not work..Or both lol.I guess this is a big issue.I just went on AMD forums and there are alot of people with this same problem.Oh well


Yup, got the same problem. I'm one of the unlucky one's too. It's a free game, not complaining. Just hoping they'll fix it soon.


----------



## c20h25n3o

I hope someone can help me..
I own 7950 with unlocked voltage. It was working fine (was using Trixx 4.4.0 mod) and I had the voltage bumped to 1.3v. If the card was idle, it would throttle down.

Today I decided to install Trixx 4.6.0, and once in the settings I accidentally clicked "force voltage". I unchecked the box and it told me I need to reboot, which I did.
Now I'm stuck with a VDDC stuck @ 1.244v from the top of my head. When it's idle. When I'm gaming it fluctuates. (GPU-Z).
No matter where I put the slider on in Trixx, it will stay at that voltage..

I've uninstalled the app. Removed any registry key with "Trixx" in it and I even restored to an earlier point. Nothing helps.. With the boost button on and off it's stuck at 1.244v. Before when idle it would be around 0.8v.

Afterburner won't late me change anything, voltage wise.

Any solutions?

[edit]
Reinstalled 4.6.0 and when I check "force voltage" the slider let's me put the voltage wherever I want.
The second I uncheck the force voltage box and reboot, it's stuck on 1.244v in idle mode. No matter what.

The boost button on the Sapphire, can you click that whilst in Windows? Because now I shut down the PC first, but that's becoming a bit of a drag..







.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Either i am really stupid or the code does not work..Or both lol.I guess this is a big issue.I just went on AMD forums and there are alot of people with this same problem.Oh well


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Yup, got the same problem. I'm one of the unlucky one's too. It's a free game, not complaining. Just hoping they'll fix it soon.


from my pm with onegun
Quote:


> thats what i thought but it just wants your billing info does not actually asks for a CC , it is confusing though


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> from my pm with onegun


I got it figured out. The redeem part, I had to click on the "Click Here to Redeem" not just put in the code first. Then the "Click Here to Redeem" dissapears and then shows the amount of $0.00 after you put the code in. It was weird, but it worked that way for me, no CC info asked.









In short -- Be sure the "Click Here to Redeem" isn't there anymore after your click it, then put in the code.


----------



## kcuestag

Can someone tell me if this card has Voltage Control?

http://www.amazon.es/MSI-V277-003R-Tarjeta-de-Video/dp/B0076XGLAC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1367500836&sr=8-10&keywords=7970

I know it has reference PCB according to CoolingConfigurator.com, but I want to be 100% sure it has voltage control, the reference is V277-003R


----------



## kcuestag

Anyone?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Can someone tell me if this card has Voltage Control?
> 
> http://www.amazon.es/MSI-V277-003R-Tarjeta-de-Video/dp/B0076XGLAC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1367500836&sr=8-10&keywords=7970
> 
> I know it has reference PCB according to CoolingConfigurator.com, but I want to be 100% sure it has voltage control, the reference is V277-003R


Judging by the clock speed spec and cooler shape, it _looks_ like the "OC" version of the standard card meaning the card you linked has voltage control.


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Can someone tell me if this card has Voltage Control?
> 
> http://www.amazon.es/MSI-V277-003R-Tarjeta-de-Video/dp/B0076XGLAC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1367500836&sr=8-10&keywords=7970
> 
> I know it has reference PCB according to CoolingConfigurator.com, but I want to be 100% sure it has voltage control, the reference is V277-003R


I don't know if its voltage lock but it is not reference PCB. It will work with the reference blocks but its not reference PCB.

Red PCB = not reference

But on EK web site, it says it is reference PCB and its showing an actual reference PCB.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> I don't know if its voltage lock but it is not reference PCB. It will work with the reference blocks but its not reference PCB.
> 
> Red PCB = not reference


According to CoolingConfigurator: http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=634

It does have a reference PCB design, so it is 100% compatible with my waterblock.

My only doubt is voltage control, but I guess it should have it since MSI didn't make any capped revisions of this model.


----------



## kcuestag

I guess I'll buy this model and risk it, Amazon has a pretty good return policy, I can wait as much as 30 days to return it, so if I find it doesn't have voltage control I'll just return it, but it looks like it will most likely have it.

Edit:

Having a look at this thread:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18497281

I can see the OP of that thread has the same reference number as the one I linked (V277-003R) and it has a black reference design PCB, and at page 2 he posted a picture with both of his cards and the same waterblocks I have.









So they should have voltage control, right?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> I guess I'll buy this model and risk it, Amazon has a pretty good return policy, I can wait as much as 30 days to return it, so if I find it doesn't have voltage control I'll just return it, but it looks like it will most likely have it.
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Having a look at this thread:
> 
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18497281
> 
> I can see the OP of that thread has the same reference number as the one I linked (V277-003R) and it has a black reference design PCB, and at page 2 he posted a picture with both of his cards and the same waterblocks I have.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So they should have voltage control, right?


yeah they do have voltage control. the box cover even advertises it.









http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC.html
http://www.msi.com/pic/product/five_pictures1_2516_20120131144054.jpg


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its dying. Dont buy asus 7970 next time


So what should I get? The TOP edition was $549, this is the shop I go to: http://www.computeralliance.com.au/video-cards

to NVidia cards work well with AMD systems, or are ATI still better optimised?
It seems the shop is quite limited with the ATI tech so I just got the best one they had.

Should I go somewhere else? Get a replacement? Go NVidia?

Is the non-top edition more likely not to be voltage locked? Assuming they may simple replace the product, are all 7970 DC2T's voltage locked? Just trying to get some advice on what I should do..

Edit: Those saying I killed the card are wrong, the card came like this and locks up my machine whenever I increase the clocks above 50mhz, anything above 16mhz gives me driver crashes.
After an hour or two the game starts having very bad flickers in games. Seems to get worse over time (The entire game is like that youtube video I posted), however the temps are mid 50's which is fine. Just not sure how the shop handles returns. So I'm crossing my fingers that the same card replacement isn't going to prove to me I wasted my money.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> yeah they do have voltage control. the box cover even advertises it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC.html
> http://www.msi.com/pic/product/five_pictures1_2516_20120131144054.jpg


I just ordered, and it shows that Amazon.es no longer sells it, so it looks like I got the last one.


----------



## c20h25n3o

Is there any way to lower the idle voltage?

I don't know why, but after some fiddling around with TRIXX and the boost bios, GPU-Z says the GPU is running @ 1.288v when idle.
HWinfo64 says it's 0.950v. So does the TRIXX widget.

GPU-Z was working fine.. Why all of the sudden would the readings be off?? I also re-installed windows, no change


----------



## ElevenEleven

Are you forcing constant voltage somewhere? Never had that happen when I used Trixx (for many months). If you load GPU-Z, it will _temporarily_ boost card clocks and display higher voltage. Unless you mean it's displaying high voltage after a while of being open at idle still. GPU-Z's the program to use to monitor your card.


----------



## Belial

I just bought a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X for [email protected], I was wondering if there's anything I should know - do people ever edit the bios, can you edit the bios for a higher voltage limit (as i understand, max temp/voltage is ~80-90*C and as much voltage as temps allow basically, which will likely be around 1.3v)? And just use afterburner to overclock the card.

I got the card for a certain lite computational workload program for investing, my gtx460 is already total overkill for my gaming needs. What I'll probably do is plug my 2x monitors (yea, 768p monitor, i know, disgusting, i'll fix that soon enough) into my igpu and run the computational program 24/7, and then when I game I'll just plug into my gpu and stop the workload on it obviously. But maybe what I could do is just keep my gtx 460, plug into that, game on that, and just have the 7950 on 100% 24/7. Is that possible?


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I just bought a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X for [email protected], I was wondering if there's anything I should know - do people ever edit the bios, can you edit the bios for a higher voltage limit (as i understand, max temp/voltage is ~80-90*C and as much voltage as temps allow basically, which will likely be around 1.3v)?


There's no BIOS editor for the 7000 series cards, so what you get is as good as it gets (unless you physically mod something). If you overclock, for stability and longevity, you want your core temperature to stay under mid 70s and VRMs under mid 80s (Celsius).


----------



## Tonza

7950 TOP atleast is not voltage locked, some have reported they are, but i bought 2 of these and both can be adjusted up to 1.3V in afterburner. Maximum they overclock in Crossfire is 1200/1600 @ 1.25V, but im running them now 1000/1500 @ 1.0V (still they run everything i throw them at 2560x1440)







.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I just bought a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X for [email protected], I was wondering if there's anything I should know - do people ever edit the bios, can you edit the bios for a higher voltage limit (as i understand, max temp/voltage is ~80-90*C and as much voltage as temps allow basically, which will likely be around 1.3v)?
> 
> 
> 
> There's no BIOS editor for the 7000 series cards, so what you get is as good as it gets (unless you physically mod something). If you overclock, for stability and longevity, you want your core temperature to stay under mid 70s and VRMs under mid 80s (Celsius).
Click to expand...

Rep, thanks. Wow that sucks you can't edit the BIOS. I asked around a ton about 7950s, I wish I knew that...

Why longevity? I have a warranty, overclocking/volting is covered in warranty, and since you can't edit the bios there's no way you can overvolt the card past warranty. As I understand, instability arises around 80+ so if that occurs I'll know temps are the issue. I have a temp sensors so I'll keep an eye on my VRM (I have a custom sleeved thermal diode for GPU VRM).


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I just bought a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X for [email protected], I was wondering if there's anything I should know - do people ever edit the bios, can you edit the bios for a higher voltage limit (as i understand, max temp/voltage is ~80-90*C and as much voltage as temps allow basically, which will likely be around 1.3v)? And just use afterburner to overclock the card.
> 
> I got the card for a certain lite computational workload program for investing, my gtx460 is already total overkill for my gaming needs. What I'll probably do is plug my 2x monitors (yea, 768p monitor, i know, disgusting, i'll fix that soon enough) into my igpu and run the computational program 24/7, and then when I game I'll just plug into my gpu and stop the workload on it obviously. But maybe what I could do is just keep my gtx 460, plug into that, game on that, and just have the 7950 on 100% 24/7. Is that possible?


The temperature limit/max recommended temp is depending on the card, my 7950 is "stable" @1200MHz core @1.16V but it artifacts when temps get above ~61C, @[email protected],21V it needs to stay below ~55C and so on. cant just say "1,3V and 80-90C"


----------



## Krusher33

To avoid having RMA in the first place.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I just bought a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X for [email protected], I was wondering if there's anything I should know - do people ever edit the bios, can you edit the bios for a higher voltage limit (as i understand, max temp/voltage is ~80-90*C and as much voltage as temps allow basically, which will likely be around 1.3v)? And just use afterburner to overclock the card.
> 
> I got the card for a certain lite computational workload program for investing, my gtx460 is already total overkill for my gaming needs. What I'll probably do is plug my 2x monitors (yea, 768p monitor, i know, disgusting, i'll fix that soon enough) into my igpu and run the computational program 24/7, and then when I game I'll just plug into my gpu and stop the workload on it obviously. But maybe what I could do is just keep my gtx 460, plug into that, game on that, and just have the 7950 on 100% 24/7. Is that possible?
> 
> 
> 
> The temperature limit/max recommended temp is depending on the card, my 7950 is "stable" @1200MHz core @1.16V but it artifacts when temps get above ~61C, @[email protected],21V it needs to stay below ~55C and so on. cant just say "1,3V and 80-90C"
Click to expand...

Okay, I see. So instability can occur at 60*C+. Just wondering about the sake of the card, ie for example phenom ii is generally said to be unstable above 55*C but mine was stable even at 65*C (although max temp was 62*C on that chip).

As I understand it for the health of the 7950, stay below 80-90*C and you can use any voltage. Like my GTX460, max temp is like 100*C or something, but my card stays below 60*C even on the max voltage in afterburner with a heavy overclock ([email protected]). Even when I edited the BIOS to 1.25v, it stayed very cool, but reports exist of GTX460s dying and degrading at 1.2v+ (i didnt get 10 extra mhz for all that voltage anyways, a very sweet-spot chip). I guess since the BIOS is locked on the 7950, there's no way you can really use too much voltage though anyways.


----------



## ElevenEleven

It's basically what card users have compiled over time: overclock stability decreases over 70C or so--varies from card to card. The cooler your card runs, the better. Some people have fried their VRMs running at high voltages / high temperatures. If you don't care and want to rely on RMA service, that's your choice, of course.

As for your earlier question: you have 2 monitors and have some socket compatibility issues? If you can't plug both monitors into your video card, you can always keep your iGPU enabled in the BIOS and plug one of the monitors into your motherboard. You don't need to re-plug anything--the multi-monitor function works perfectly fine like that. In fact, I've been doing this for 2 of my computers. My 7970 only has one DL-DVI socket, and I have to plug in my projector into the motherboard. It stays plugged in there--no need to shift cables once it's set-up.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> I got it figured out. The redeem part, I had to click on the "Click Here to Redeem" not just put in the code first. Then the "Click Here to Redeem" dissapears and then shows the amount of $0.00 after you put the code in. It was weird, but it worked that way for me, no CC info asked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In short -- Be sure the "Click Here to Redeem" isn't there anymore after your click it, then put in the code.


I guess i am just the dumbest person on these forums cause it does not work.You have to click on the redeem code or there is no where to even put in code.I do that put in code and the click to redeem is gone.I then hit apply and the code disappears and nothing happens..The price stays the same.And it wants my CC info..This is the most frustrating thing i have ever done.Well i guess i am not the only dumbass who can't get this to work..








http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=443&threadid=165292&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear


----------



## Nightz2k

What are some preferred waterblocks for the 7950 version I have ? Sapphire 100352-2L

I was looking at this from Swiftech so far: KOMODO-HD7900 series _(7950 version obviously)_

Looking for recommendations, I don't want the small the universal one's though.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I guess i am just the dumbest person on these forums cause it does not work.You have to click on the redeem code or there is no where to even put in code.I do that put in code and the click to redeem is gone.I then hit apply and the code disappears and nothing happens..The price stays the same.And it wants my CC info..This is the most frustrating thing i have ever done.Well i guess i am not the only dumbass who can't get this to work..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=443&threadid=165292&STARTPAGE=1&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear


Sorry to hear that, you're not dumb for it not working, just "dumb-luck" I guess.

There's another way yo can try if you haven't yet. Just open the *UPlay* client and add the game to buy, put the code in and it should be fixed now. Just from what I heard it's been working for some anyway.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

what is "Unique Id*" guys?

http://www.amd4u.com/neversettlereloaded/index.html


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> what is "Unique Id*" guys?
> 
> http://www.amd4u.com/neversettlereloaded/index.html


Your coupon code that came with the bundle. _(The scratch off part on the Never Settle coupon)_


----------



## -Nub-

Will the Komodo water block fit a early xfx black edition with reference cooler 7970?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *-Nub-*
> 
> Will the Komodo water block fit a early xfx black edition with reference cooler 7970?


Yes, of course.

*If they are those one you are talking about*
Quote:


> XFX FX-797A-TNBC Radeon HD 7970 Black Edition 3GB
> XFX FX-797A-TNFC Radeon HD 7970 Core Edition 3GB


Both look like this



http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx#tab3


----------



## -Nub-

Cool that's the one. Could i get away with a 240 rad to cool two of them? I don't have much room left in my case.


----------



## xamon0288

@OneGun AMD announced on their facebook page that some codes are not working and that they are aware of the situation and will fix it as soon as they can.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> What are some preferred waterblocks for the 7950 version I have ? Sapphire 100352-2L
> 
> I was looking at this from Swiftech so far: KOMODO-HD7900 series _(7950 version obviously)_
> 
> Looking for recommendations, I don't want the small the universal one's though.


I have the same card and have been considering a waterblock for it when I get a new case. The one I'm looking at is the EK-FC7950 Acetal and Nickel version http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/ati-radeon-full-cover-blocks/radeon-hd-7xx0-series/ek-fc7950-acetal-en-nickel.html I don't care much for those universal style and like the full VGA covered.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xamon0288*
> 
> @OneGun AMD announced on their facebook page that some codes are not working and that they are aware of the situation and will fix it as soon as they can.


Thank you sir..


----------



## Gorki

Anyone draw first blood with 7970+7990?


----------



## Seid Dark

Damn, my Sapphire 7950 is looking more and more like a bad purchase. This card seems to have crap Elpida ram (pathetic memory oc), doesn't show VRM temps, doesn't have memory overvoltage support. I got black screen when testing 1.3v at low 1100 core oc, maybe VRM's overheat, maybe there's some other problem. Core temps didn't go over 65C. Stock 1.25v is more stable so having unlocked voltage is worthless for this card. I guess there's reason why Gigabyte and Asus are more expensive.

I hate when companies use custom PCB's that are worse than reference ones.









I cannot return this card anymore so maybe I will sell this for a loss or just wait until Nvidia 7xx and Radeon 8xxx series is released. I know my next card won't be Sapphire.


----------



## ElevenEleven

Did you scroll down in GPU-Z to see VRM temperatures? Why did you need to raise voltage to 1.3V for 1100MHz? Have you tried overclocking higher at 1.25V? Some individual cards have a low OC ceiling--that's independent of brand. Sapphire cards have good reputation.


----------



## tsm106

Crap man. So I drop to three 7970s cuz four is um... well its a long story. Anyways, I'm down to three and I fire up Crysis 3 with a mild clock of 1150/1800 and the 1500w UPS starts screaming at me. What the hell?









Time to disable the pansy alarm, cuz it only hit 1200w lol.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Crap man. So I drop to three 7970s cuz four is um... well its a long story. Anyways, I'm down to three and I fire up Crysis 3 with a mild clock of 1150/1800 and the 1500w UPS starts screaming at me. What the hell?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time to disable the pansy alarm, cuz it only hit 1200w lol.


Yeah close that alarm. Sorry for your 4th card


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> Did you scroll down in GPU-Z to see VRM temperatures? Why did you need to raise voltage to 1.3V for 1100MHz? Have you tried overclocking higher at 1.25V? Some individual cards have a low OC ceiling--that's independent of brand. Sapphire cards have good reputation.


Yes I did, seems that Sapphire didn't include VRM temp sensors with this card in order to save in costs. I tried many monitoring apps but none can see VRM temps.

1150MHz seems to be max at 1.25v. 1200MHz at 1.3v was seemingly stable at BF3 but today I made some Heaven 4.0 testing that resulted in random black screens. That was why I was testing 1.3v at lower clocks also. Unless there's stability problems in Heaven itself? I guess 1150 would be okay but that coupled with bad memory oc has resulted in disappointment. I need every MHz than I can get because I'm using 120Hz screen, every fps counts.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> It's basically what card users have compiled over time: overclock stability decreases over 70C or so--varies from card to card. The cooler your card runs, the better. Some people have fried their VRMs running at high voltages / high temperatures. If you don't care and want to rely on RMA service, that's your choice, of course.
> 
> As for your earlier question: you have 2 monitors and have some socket compatibility issues? If you can't plug both monitors into your video card, you can always keep your iGPU enabled in the BIOS and plug one of the monitors into your motherboard. You don't need to re-plug anything--the multi-monitor function works perfectly fine like that. In fact, I've been doing this for 2 of my computers. My 7970 only has one DL-DVI socket, and I have to plug in my projector into the motherboard. It stays plugged in there--no need to shift cables once it's set-up.


I mean if instability occurs, I'll see it.

I didn't have any compatibility issues. What I'm currently doing, and going to do with my 7950, is plug both my monitors into my motherboard and then run a certain lite computational program on my GPU. When I want to game, I turn said program off and just plug my main monitor into my gpu. Having no issues doing it now. My 2nd monitor will always be plugged into my mobo.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> I have the same card and have been considering a waterblock for it when I get a new case. The one I'm looking at is the EK-FC7950 Acetal and Nickel version http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/ati-radeon-full-cover-blocks/radeon-hd-7xx0-series/ek-fc7950-acetal-en-nickel.html I don't care much for those universal style and like the full VGA covered.


Always liked the look of EK Blocks better, but it doesn't matter to me much on appearance, as long as they have no issues.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Crap man. So I drop to three 7970s cuz four is um... well its a long story. Anyways, I'm down to three and I fire up Crysis 3 with a mild clock of 1150/1800 and the 1500w UPS starts screaming at me. What the hell?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Time to disable the pansy alarm, cuz it only hit 1200w lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah close that alarm. Sorry for your 4th card
Click to expand...

Thanks but there's not a problem with it. I just downsized to trifire because quad is really just a huge amount of power consumption. That and I don't really need to push more than 150fps in BF3.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Can someone tell me if this card has Voltage Control?
> 
> http://www.amazon.es/MSI-V277-003R-Tarjeta-de-Video/dp/B0076XGLAC/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1367500836&sr=8-10&keywords=7970
> 
> I know it has reference PCB according to CoolingConfigurator.com, but I want to be 100% sure it has voltage control, the reference is V277-003R


i have 2 of these they ARE reference and they are NOT voltage locked.
one of mine goes to 1235/1875 and other 1255/1835
with no prob.

not highest on core but meh it is great still.

just so you know you wont find amds logo on it because it is a "modified reference" they made 1 cap higher then ref. design. however ek and swiftech blocks all are now compatable ( assuming you buy new ) here is a thread about putting on a komodo on that specific card


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i have 2 of these they ARE reference and they are NOT voltage locked.
> one of mine goes to 1235/1875 and other 1255/1835
> with no prob.
> 
> not highest on core but meh it is great still.
> 
> just so you know you wont find amds logo on it because it is a "modified reference" they made 1 cap higher then ref. design. however ek and swiftech blocks all are now compatable ( assuming you buy new ) here is a thread about putting on a komodo on that specific card


I'll be using Heatkiller waterblocks I already purchase, I hope they fit fine?

EK's website lists it as Reference PCB design so means it should fit any waterblock for reference PCB 7970.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> There's no BIOS editor for the 7000 series cards, so what you get is as good as it gets (unless you physically mod something). If you overclock, for stability and longevity, you want your core temperature to stay under mid 70s and VRMs under mid 80s (Celsius).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> I'll be using Heatkiller waterblocks I already purchase, I hope they fit fine?
> 
> EK's website lists it as Reference PCB design so means it should fit any waterblock for reference PCB 7970.


as long as they have the added cap height fix ( drill a hole ~ 1 mm )
i am not sure but pretty sure they do you can ask them there is a bulletin on ek that i cant seem to find someone can link to about the added cap. height

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElevenEleven*
> 
> There's no BIOS editor for the 7000 series cards, so what you get is as good as it gets (unless you physically mod something). If you overclock, for stability and longevity, you want your core temperature to stay under mid 70s and VRMs under mid 80s (Celsius).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Rep, thanks. Wow that sucks you can't edit the BIOS. I asked around a ton about 7950s, I wish I knew that...
> 
> Why longevity? I have a warranty, overclocking/volting is covered in warranty, and since you can't edit the bios there's no way you can overvolt the card past warranty. As I understand, instability arises around 80+ so if that occurs I'll know temps are the issue. I have a temp sensors so I'll keep an eye on my VRM (I have a custom sleeved thermal diode for GPU VRM).


ppl do edit bios fyi i dont know how but yet they do !~


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Thanks but there's not a problem with it. I just downsized to trifire because quad is really just a huge amount of power consumption. That and I don't really need to push more than 150fps in BF3.


Yeah it is. Especially when 2 7970 can push over 100 fps at bf3 on eyefinity









Do you wanna hear power consumption with 6 7970?


----------



## Mega Man

found it http://www.ekwb.com/news/133/19/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Thanks but there's not a problem with it. I just downsized to trifire because quad is really just a huge amount of power consumption. That and I don't really need to push more than 150fps in BF3.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah it is. Especially when 2 7970 can push over 100 fps at bf3 on eyefinity
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you wanna hear power consumption with 6 7970?
Click to expand...

Hehe, I'm sure your consumption is crazzzzy. I was getting tired of benching on two psu too.


----------



## OneGun

Can someone please help me with OCing my 7950s.I need a good voltage and spped to test to be staple for 24/7 use..I appreciate anyone that is willing to help.Thank you


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hehe, I'm sure your consumption is crazzzzy. I was getting tired of benching on two psu too.


The new 900D have space for 2 psus


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Can someone please help me with OCing my 7950s.I need a good voltage and spped to test to be staple for 24/7 use..I appreciate anyone that is willing to help.Thank you


i cant go into detail now onegun but short sweet version.

try 1200 @ 1.28v

and run your heaven/3dmark. watch your temps vrm and core keep core >80 and vrms >90. then up your mem. a good spot would be 1200/1700 or 1200 1800 on mem. same thing with mem if core is stable bump mem to 1700 @ 1.6 ( i dont knwo to be honest just try out to see if you can get it stable. if you set with temps and stability try lowering volts as well to keep heat down )

getting ready to add the blocks to my loop to leak test.

if you dont get it by later tonight i can help more


----------



## OneGun

I will try it when it cools down tonight as it is 90f right now lol. Prouty not good for trying to keep temps down. Thanx


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DUpgrade*
> 
> I have the same card and have been considering a waterblock for it when I get a new case. The one I'm looking at is the EK-FC7950 Acetal and Nickel version http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/ati-radeon-full-cover-blocks/radeon-hd-7xx0-series/ek-fc7950-acetal-en-nickel.html I don't care much for those universal style and like the full VGA covered.


They're nice blocks, I've got two of the copper versions, with the clear top.
But you may be taking some risk getting the nickel-plated block, as EK still doesn't have a very good track record with their nickel plating issues.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I will try it when it cools down tonight as it is 90f right now lol. Prouty not good for trying to keep temps down. Thanx


It was rather hot huh? It added a good 5-8c to my idle temp. Overclocking on air in high ambient is like punishment though. Times like this I'm glad for watercooling.


----------



## OneGun

Even my liquid cooled cpu runs hotter just from the air going through the rad.Crazy how big a difference the ambient air makes..


----------



## Mega Man

well both air and water cooling rely on ambient temps, does not matter if they go up so does your temps. only way around it is phase change

soooi got a new problem and i verified it is not hardware

windows 7 is acting like i only have 1 gpu, 3d mark..... ect
in windows 8 everything is peachy.

tryed uninstalling CCC and it freezes every time in mid uninstall..................................................
so i am at a loss..... gonna have to reinstall i think... gonna try to mess with it a little more then i am done...

gosh i am so over new windows installs lol


----------



## ElevenEleven

Have you tried uninstalling in safe mode? How about running Microsoft FixIt:

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/program_install_and_uninstall/

And if those don't help, you could try loading DriverSweeper in safe mode and cleaning AMD dispay drivers. Prior to that, uninstall the driver from Device Manager. After Sweeping, load into W7 normally and reinstall.


----------



## OneGun

Are you using 13.5 cause I had a issue with ccc not letting me turn on my second card. I installed 13.4 and it fixed everything.


----------



## end00

What's it take to get one of those promotions? Also my 7970 is at 1270/1730 @ 1.2, that decent? What do you get more horsepower from the core or memory?


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> What's it take to get one of those promotions? Also my 7970 is at 1270/1730 @ 1.2, that decent? What do you get more horsepower from the core or memory?


From the core..


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> What's it take to get one of those promotions? Also my 7970 is at 1270/1730 @ 1.2, that decent? What do you get more horsepower from the core or memory?


1270 core on 1.2v?? That 1.2v setpoint / VDDC or actual volts... If it's VDDC the cards easily a golden batch.. Imagine what that thing'll do on 1.3v with low enough temps to avoid instability....


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> @noviets didn't you flash it and try some big clocks?
> 
> I remember giving you advice but told you to research before flashing


I flashed to the Matrix bios to try and gain voltage control as the card is running at 1.047 volts under load causing it to artifact on default clocks, just wanted to increase it to the stock it's supposed to have. But I was still unable to adjust the volts, so flashed it back to defaults pretty much as soon as I couldnt adjust it.. anyways..
The card didn't even run on the stock clocks of the Matrix card, which was 1100mhz core (Which every other 7970 card has been able to run easily) It's unstable with anything above 16mhz anyway.

I took the card back today, going back tomorrow after they've tested the card, so I'll see how the new card goes.


----------



## zerokool_3211

well i guess i did not get a "good chip" ..wont do 1200 on 1.250, and i havent got the mem past 1600... dont really know safe voltage for mem though.

it will do 1200 @ 1.3 in AB...but i wouldnt want to run it there...only been able to get 625Khs litecoin mining as well do to non overclockable mem..

one more thing would i be able to use http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx on this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732

here is a bench i run last night for ****s......my HD6970 with the same everything else was 6548 points...rofl

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6511884


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> well both air and water cooling rely on ambient temps, does not matter if they go up so does your temps. only way around it is phase change
> 
> soooi got a new problem and i verified it is not hardware
> 
> windows 7 is acting like i only have 1 gpu, 3d mark..... ect
> in windows 8 everything is peachy.
> 
> tryed uninstalling CCC and it freezes every time in mid uninstall..................................................
> so i am at a loss..... gonna have to reinstall i think... gonna try to mess with it a little more then i am done...
> 
> gosh i am so over new windows installs lol


Have you tried atiman uninstaller? Just choose A for automatic uninstallation and enjoy...


----------



## Zummy

Hello everyone, today my card arrived from RMA but i think that i im having some issues, on GPU-Z i don't get all the sensors, i don't know if is realy an issue but i remember that on my fault card i was able to read more sensors, another issue is on MSI AB, on Monitoring i can't check Framerate and Frametime for OSD and i was able to do it on the fault card too..
Do you guys think this is a fault card, or is normal, and only is a miss configuration
My card is an XFX 7950 Doube D, im gonna upload the prints from GPU-Z and MSI AB, i hope you guys can help me out on this.


----------



## OneGun

You have to disable ulps...


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zummy*
> 
> Hello everyone, today my card arrived from RMA but i think that i im having some issues, on GPU-Z i don't get all the sensors, i don't know if is realy an issue but i remember that on my fault card i was able to read more sensors, another issue is on MSI AB, on Monitoring i can't check Framerate and Frametime for OSD and i was able to do it on the fault card too..
> Do you guys think this is a fault card, or is normal, and only is a miss configuration
> My card is an XFX 7950 Doube D, im gonna upload the prints from GPU-Z and MSI AB, i hope you guys can help me out on this.


Are you using a single card or crossfire? Because you don't need to disable ULPS for single cards:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> You have to disable ulps...


If single card, that information should show up. It's as if you don't have the driver installed properly, which is what I'd check for next.


----------



## OneGun

300mhz and 150mhz is usually the second card speeds..I had the same problem on my 7950 xfire setup until I disabled ULPS.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> 300mhz and 150mhz is usually the second card speeds..


With ulps there is no info of the second card. Without ulps yeah its 300/150. But even with a single card if you dont do anythin your first card idle at 300/150


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> With ulps there is no info of the second card. Without ulps yeah its 300/150. But even with a single card if you dont do anythin your first card idle at 300/150


Not true as the 7950 runs at 500mhz core with no load and 501mhz core watching vids and youtube..At least my card does.The second card is the one that runs 300/150..


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> With ulps there is no info of the second card. Without ulps yeah its 300/150. But even with a single card *if you dont do anythin* your first card idle at 300/150


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Not true as the 7950 runs at 500mhz core with no load and 501mhz core watching vids and youtube..


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*


You are right and i am wrong.I unplugged my second monitor and it does run at those speeds lol.Then what would make him get those issues on a single card setup?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> You are right and i am wrong.I unplugged my second monitor and it does run at those speeds lol.Then what would make him get those issues on a single card setup?


Some cards dont have sensor on vrms


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Then what would make him get those issues on a single card setup?


No driver installed could do that too.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> You are right and i am wrong.I unplugged my second monitor and it does run at those speeds lol.Then what would make him get those issues on a single card setup?


You get 500 idle cause you drive 2 monitors from that card. One monitor should [email protected]/150.


----------



## OneGun

Ya when I unplugged my second monitor I figured that out.. Lol


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> well i guess i did not get a "good chip" ..wont do 1200 on 1.250, and i havent got the mem past 1600... dont really know safe voltage for mem though.
> 
> it will do 1200 @ 1.3 in AB...but i wouldnt want to run it there...only been able to get 625Khs litecoin mining as well do to non overclockable mem..
> 
> one more thing would i be able to use http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx on this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732
> 
> here is a bench i run last night for ****s......my HD6970 with the same everything else was 6548 points...rofl
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6511884


komodo should fit assuming neweggs pic is correct. i see the amd logo.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Have you tried atiman uninstaller? Just choose A for automatic uninstallation and enjoy...


gave up an reinstalled windows.... loads of fun !~


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> komodo should fit assuming neweggs pic is correct. i see the amd logo.
> gave up an reinstalled windows.... loads of fun !~


thanks for the quick response...that makes me really happy cause i like those


----------



## Mega Man

glad to help

fair warning though the reason i said IF the pic is accurate is because some manufactures are changing to non ref. boards although i have not heard of msi doing it .


----------



## zerokool_3211

i will ckeck before i order just didnt want to pull out....rofl


----------



## ElevenEleven

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> glad to help
> 
> fair warning though the reason i said IF the pic is accurate is because some manufactures are changing to non ref. boards although i have not heard of msi doing it .


NewEgg also uses incorrect product photos as placeholders time to time. For example, when my GTX 660 Ti was listed, they had a different set of product photos for it vs the card I received. Different PCB color and other details, corresponding to another model number. The photos were eventually updated to proper ones.


----------



## Noviets

I have a question about voltage on a 7970 dc2t.

At idle it runs at 1.094 VDDC
On load it's always lower (Highest under load is 1.092), dropping as low as 1.047. I thought it was supposed to increase with gpu load? Peeking voltage at 100% load?

As far as I've researched the default VDDC is supposed to be 1.175, which is able to peek higher somehow under load. Is there something wrong with my power supply?

Stock clocks are 1000/1400 but its unstable at 1030, I took the card back to the store and he said it had very bad oxidization causing it to cause problems, then got back it.

I really don't know what to do now, as they don't test overclocks or capabilities, just testing stability on default clocks, which doesn't help me...

I don't know what to do, I have an 875 ToughPower XT power supply, should I buy a 1200 watt or something?

Please advise me


----------



## Snuckie7

You're experiencing the phenomenon known as vDroop, and that's perfectly normal. The higher the load, the greater the voltage droops.


----------



## Zummy

Hi guys, thanks a lot for the fast replys, im using a single card, some of you guys talk about disable ULPS, well i dont know what ULPS is and where i can disable it, can you guys tell me the steps i have to follow to disable it if necessary? Someone said something about the Driver and if is properly installed, well i have only installed the Driver that comes whit the Card CD, how can i check if the driver is properly installed, there is some program to test if the drive is properly installed?


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> You're experiencing the phenomenon known as vDroop, and that's perfectly normal. The higher the load, the greater the voltage droops.


Could you help me to understand why this card is unable to be overclocked at all? The guy that tested it, did so on default clocks and said everything was fine, running it on FurMark and MSI Kombuster for 3 hours, saying it sat at 68C with no problems.



This is the specs of my PSU, is it enough for the 7970 DC2T?

Just trying to figure out why I'm unable to overclock the card at all when people are running them at +200mhz, when anything over 16mhz causing me driver crashes.

Other than simply buying a new PSU, is there a way to find out what could be causing the problem?


----------



## saber101

gay! my sapphire 7950 died after 2 months, the power circuit got fried or something. anyway i returned it to were i bought and told me it will take about 3 to 5 weeks long to get a replacement, how long does it normal take, just want to know if anyone RMA their card before.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Could you help me to understand why this card is unable to be overclocked at all? The guy that tested it, did so on default clocks and said everything was fine, running it on FurMark and MSI Kombuster for 3 hours, saying it sat at 68C with no problems.
> 
> 
> 
> This is the specs of my PSU, is it enough for the 7970 DC2T?
> 
> Just trying to figure out why I'm unable to overclock the card at all when people are running them at +200mhz, when anything over 16mhz causing me driver crashes.
> 
> Other than simply buying a new PSU, is there a way to find out what could be causing the problem?


A high quality 400W unit is enough for an overclocked HD7970...1200W PSU can drive 3 overclocked 7970s and you got a single card, would be kinda madness to buy a 1,2kW unit for a single card, wouldnt it?

Something else is wrong, AND vdroop youre experiencing is 110% normal, my voltage drops under the full load from 1,106V to as low as 1,025V, its still 100% stable though.
Maybe you got a bad chip that simply doesnt overclock well, every card is different you know...If its still stable @ stock settings then thats too bad, it seems it just needs more voltage...


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, can someone tell me if my card is a good/average/bad overclocker?

I need ~1280 VDDC for 1170 fully stable, and I can hit 1790
memory with some MVDDC, so, what do you think?


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, can someone tell me if my card is a good/average/bad overclocker?
> 
> I need ~1280 VDDC for 1170 fully stable, and I can hit 1790
> memory with some MVDDC, so, what do you think?


I would say, somewhere between good and average, 1170MHz on the core and 1790MHz on the memory if temps are in check is a good result. Think about it, AMD bone stock HD7950 is running @800/1250MHz, youre +370MHz/540MHz above stock speeds


----------



## PedroC1999

Thanks, any others? Also, if I ever WC it, is there a way to overcome the 1.3v limit?


----------



## Zummy

Hi guys, i have done a proper driver uninstall whit the AMD Catalyst Un-install Utility, but my issue about the GPU-Z sensors persists.
What do you guys think about my issue, can it be an Bios/OS fault configuration, or can really be a fault card ?


----------



## kzone75

Don't know if already posted, but I find this funny.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Thanks, any others? Also, if I ever WC it, is there a way to overcome the 1.3v limit?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> I would say, somewhere between good and average, 1170MHz on the core and 1790MHz on the memory if temps are in check is a good result. Think about it, AMD bone stock HD7950 is running @800/1250MHz, youre +370MHz/540MHz above stock speeds


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, can someone tell me if my card is a good/average/bad overclocker?
> 
> I need ~1280 VDDC for 1170 fully stable, and I can hit 1790
> memory with some MVDDC, so, what do you think?


Anyone else?


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zummy*
> 
> Hi guys, i have done a proper driver uninstall whit the AMD Catalyst Un-install Utility, but my issue about the GPU-Z sensors persists.
> What do you guys think about my issue, can it be an Bios/OS fault configuration, or can really be a fault card ?


I have the XFX 7950 DD card to and get the exact same thing , The PCB is a non reference I believe as its shorter than my HIS card that is reference so im gona guess the card doesn't have all the monitoring sensors some of the others do ,

But that's just a guess .


----------



## Zummy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> I have the XFX 7950 DD card to and get the exact same thing , The PCB is a non reference I believe as its shorter than my HIS card that is reference so im gona guess the card doesn't have all the monitoring sensors some of the others do ,
> 
> But that's just a guess .


Hi for how long do you have your XFX card, do you regularly/extremely use it , you never have problems whit it?


----------



## Snakesoul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> I have the XFX 7950 DD card to and get the exact same thing , The PCB is a non reference I believe as its shorter than my HIS card that is reference so im gona guess the card doesn't have all the monitoring sensors some of the others do ,
> 
> But that's just a guess .


Hi TwirlyWhirly555,

Do you have the His with one fan? Can you tell me what temperatures do you have, at stock speeds..








Yesterday i was playing some assassins creed and tried to put all graphics on high and it was the first time i got up to 70º (it's on stock speeds)... this card can get hot!! when i'll have some spare time i'll start overclocking my card to see what i can get from it









BTW, which programs are you people using to benchmark and see temperatures? (i'm using msi after burner, gpu-z for temp. monitoring), and i have Heaven, Kombustor and downloaded the "demo" from 3dmark... Is furmark a program to avoid?
Thanks in advance


----------



## PedroC1999

With 1.3v I get 77*C, this is max after 20mins of Heaven, should I bqck it down?


----------



## Imprezzion

Nah, if that wasn't @ 80+% fanspeed you're fine.


----------



## PedroC1999

IIRC it was about 65-70%


----------



## PedroC1999

Also, what is the max safe MVDDC for 24/7?


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zummy*
> 
> Hi for how long do you have your XFX card, do you regularly/extremely use it , you never have problems whit it?


I've had it for 6 or so days , Its used for folding so spends most of its time 100 % loaded for around 15 hours or so a day , Have had no problems so far , I run it at 1025/1400 Mhz
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snakesoul*
> 
> Hi TwirlyWhirly555,
> 
> Do you have the His with one fan? Can you tell me what temperatures do you have, at stock speeds..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yesterday i was playing some assassins creed and tried to put all graphics on high and it was the first time i got up to 70º (it's on stock speeds)... this card can get hot!! when i'll have some spare time i'll start overclocking my card to see what i can get from it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW, which programs are you people using to benchmark and see temperatures? (i'm using msi after burner, gpu-z for temp. monitoring), and i have Heaven, Kombustor and downloaded the "demo" from 3dmark... Is furmark a program to avoid?
> Thanks in advance


Yeah its the one with the single red fan in the centre , Er .... I think it was around 65 - 70 C or so at 100% under folding but that was with non stock clocks ( 1025/1400 Mhz ) and I had 2 large 120mm AC fans pushing air into case past the GPU's , and the HIS fan was set to 100%

So honestly I have no idea what my stock temps are , it never stayed at stock speeds for long







, before I used the 2 AC fans , at stocks I think I was hitting 80 C , and that was with low air flow into case


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Also, what is the max safe MVDDC for 24/7?


Your card got the 1.500v or 1.600v VRAM? For 1.600v VRAM i'd go 1.64v 24/7 max and for the 1.500v's I would honestly not know... I've seen people push those to 1.6v+ as well but...


----------



## PedroC1999

Il stick to 1.64 thanks


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zummy*
> 
> Hi guys, thanks a lot for the fast replys, im using a single card, some of you guys talk about disable ULPS, well i dont know what ULPS is and where i can disable it, can you guys tell me the steps i have to follow to disable it if necessary? Someone said something about the Driver and if is properly installed, well i have only installed the Driver that comes whit the Card CD, how can i check if the driver is properly installed, there is some program to test if the drive is properly installed?


You may want to go to the AMD site to get the latest driver:
www.support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
I always use BradleyW's excellent guide for uninstalling previous drivers:
www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards
You can disable ULPS with this Utility, although with a single card you should not need to;
www.ulps.achromaticcomputing.com


----------



## Noviets

So I got my card back today I ran MSI Kombuster for about 3-4 mins prior to opening 3DMark Vantage as it's worse after an hour or so of gaming. Using Kombuster to warm the card up. Then I ran Vantage to show you guys what it's doing.

12v Rail Idle: 12.19-12.22v
12v Rail Load: 12.19v (95% of the time), with rare drops to 12.16v
VDDC Current peeked at 127.0 Amps
VDDC Current In peeked at 15.8 Amps
VDDC Idle: 1.094
VDDC Load: 1.043
MVDDC didnt move from 0.006 Volts (Don't understand this one, faulty volt detection?)


Spoiler: Youtube Video of Vantage











What should I do now? Take it back again with the video? I uninstalled every utility I have, used AMD Clean utility, and reinstalled the latest drivers again, Using just GPU-Z to view temps, changed DVI port to the one of the right (On the right looking at the back of the tower) and changed monitors, same results.


----------



## sugarhell

Its dying. You can always try to underclock a bit but RMA the card


----------



## Pheozero

When do you guys start applying more volts when overclocking? And by how much?


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its dying. You can always try to underclock a bit but RMA the card


I'll be heading back to the store as soon as they open in the morning.

Thanks for the support here, sadly, it's a great deal more than from the store I've shopped at for almost 10 years..

If they still don't believe me I'll download Vantage and Kombuster myself and prove the fault on their testing rig.

The tech should have known that a simple GPU Load isn't going to effect a memory fault, the card will sit there all day if the faulty part isn't being used... He just threw the card on Kombuster and said it was fine, instead of running a game benchmark after using Kombuster to warm the thing up...

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be the owner of a new 7970 DC2T, preferably, one with over 60% ASIC lol


----------



## PedroC1999

I sorry to say but my GPU core doesnt like OCing, 1175 needs 1.3v, but my memory is great at 1800using 1.69v


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Thanks, any others? Also, if I ever WC it, is there a way to overcome the 1.3v limit?


Sapphire Modded Trixx will alow you to set the core voltage up to 1.381V.


----------



## PedroC1999

Ok thanks


----------



## Noviets

Sorry I know I've posted in here quite a bit recently, but I'm just wondering.. If they test the card again on default clocks and it's fine, do you have the right to RMA a card simply because it cannot be overclocked? Even though they do all the things so support it, dual bios, hot wiring etc.

Is it still a legitimate reason to RMA a card?


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Sorry I know I've posted in here quite a bit recently, but I'm just wondering.. If they test the card again on default clocks and it's fine, do you have the right to RMA a card simply because it cannot be overclocked? Even though they do all the things so support it, dual bios, hot wiring etc.
> 
> Is it still a legitimate reason to RMA a card?


Yes, you should demand them to test other stress programs like the benchmark you ran on your computer.

If they refuse to, you can always put a claim to the store manager, I'm pretty sure they'll put their crap together and replace your card.


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Yes, you should demand them to test other stress programs like the benchmark you ran on your computer.
> 
> If they refuse to, you can always put a claim to the store manager, I'm pretty sure they'll put their crap together and replace your card.


The reason I ask is because I called them after I got the card home and said It still cant be overclocked at anything about 30mhz no matter what program you run, and he said to me "Overclocking isn't a supported feature of the manufacture, we test default settings to see if the card performs as it should and determine if it's faulty", "If the card was supposed to run at those speeds, the manufacturer would have set them at those speeds".

To which I replied "Then how comes some cards are able to set comfortably at 1200 mhz on eyefinity while I'm unable to achieve a 10th of that performance increase?" He said "As I said, we test the default, or stock speeds of the card, obviously some cards can be pushed further than they are designed to, but for those that don't, its unfortunate, but the card is still performing to the manufactures specifications".

I'm really at a loss for words, I don't know what to do... The store opens in about 4 hours.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> The reason I ask is because I called them after I got the card home and said It still cant be overclocked at anything about 30mhz no matter what program you run, and he said to me "Overclocking isn't a supported feature of the manufacture, we test default settings to see if the card performs as it should and determine if it's faulty", "If the card was supposed to run at those speeds, the manufacturer would have set them at those speeds".
> 
> To which I replied "Then how comes some cards are able to set comfortably at 1200 mhz on eyefinity while I'm unable to achieve a 10th of that performance increase?" He said "As I said, we test the default, or stock speeds of the card, obviously some cards can be pushed further than they are designed to, but for those that don't, its unfortunate, but the card is still performing to the manufactures specifications".
> 
> I'm really at a loss for words, I don't know what to do... The store opens in about 4 hours.


Well, they are kinda right, you have no right to RMA the card just because it won't overclock, if the card works fine at stock, then the card is good and they wont honor the RMA, that's how it goes.

The card must fail on stock if you want to RMA it.


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Well, they are kinda right, you have no right to RMA the card just because it won't overclock, if the card works fine at stock, then the card is good and they wont honor the RMA, that's how it goes.
> 
> The card must fail on stock if you want to RMA it.


This is a horrible card, I don't recommend anyone getting one, stay away from the asus 7970's. Unstable as hell, Hard voltage locked (Bios flashing wont help you) and cant overclock at all..

Rather spend $550 on a new board and chip, or get a couple 840 pro's and raid em up. I upgrade so rarely due to living alone, this really sucks


----------



## Zummy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You may want to go to the AMD site to get the latest driver:
> www.support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
> I always use BradleyW's excellent guide for uninstalling previous drivers:
> www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards
> You can disable ULPS with this Utility, although with a single card you should not need to;
> www.ulps.achromaticcomputing.com


Hi. i have allready done a proper uninstall of the GPU drive whit the AMD Catalyst Un-install Utility, i have installed the 13.4 driver but whit out luck, the GPU-Z is showing the same Sensores that was showing whit the old drives, 12.6 ones.
About the ULPS, i have only one card, should i disable it anyway, ?





Can i have a fault card ?


----------



## OneGun

Is my AX850 big enough to OC my two 7950s?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Is my AX850 big enough to OC my two 7950s?


Yes its plenty enough


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yes its plenty enough


thank you sir.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Is my AX850 big enough to OC my two 7950s?


i had 2 nasty overclockers on a ocz 750 no problems lol


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> This is a horrible card, I don't recommend anyone getting one, stay away from the asus 7970's. Unstable as hell, Hard voltage locked (Bios flashing wont help you) and cant overclock at all..
> 
> Rather spend $550 on a new board and chip, or get a couple 840 pro's and raid em up. I upgrade so rarely due to living alone, this really sucks


Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with your card and got so unlucky but it just a one card, not all ASUS 7970s are faulty or dont overclock...

It is called "silicon lottery" for a reason, one piece of silicon (core/chip of the GPU) is capable of overclocking 350MHz above the stock speeds while the other, an identical chip cant do 10MHz above the stock without signs of instability. And like said, it isnt really a reason to RMA it, it is only guaranteed to operate at stock/out of the box speeds, which it does, so it isnt faulty...


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> i had 2 nasty overclockers on a ocz 750 no problems lol


I just wanted to make sure..Thank you


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> This is a horrible card, I don't recommend anyone getting one, stay away from the asus 7970's. Unstable as hell, Hard voltage locked (Bios flashing wont help you) and cant overclock at all..
> 
> Rather spend $550 on a new board and chip, or get a couple 840 pro's and raid em up. I upgrade so rarely due to living alone, this really sucks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with your card and got so unlucky but it just a one card, *not all ASUS 7970s are faulty or dont overclock..*.
> 
> It is called "silicon lottery" for a reason, one piece of silicon (core/chip of the GPU) is capable of overclocking 350MHz above the stock speeds while the other, an identical chip cant do 10MHz above the stock without signs of instability. And like said, it isnt really a reason to RMA it, it is only guaranteed to operate at stock/out of the box speeds, which it does, so it isnt faulty...
Click to expand...

No, you're wrong. Most 7970 DC2 are crap. There are numerous threads by members here with countless problems. It is a known fact at this point that all should avoid DC2s. I've written this before, and I'll do it again, the Asus 7970 DC2 is the worst tahiti card sold.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zummy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You may want to go to the AMD site to get the latest driver:
> www.support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx
> I always use BradleyW's excellent guide for uninstalling previous drivers:
> www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards
> You can disable ULPS with this Utility, although with a single card you should not need to;
> www.ulps.achromaticcomputing.com
> 
> 
> 
> Hi. i have allready done a proper uninstall of the GPU drive whit the AMD Catalyst Un-install Utility, i have installed the 13.4 driver but whit out luck, the GPU-Z is showing the same Sensores that was showing whit the old drives, 12.6 ones.
> About the ULPS, i have only one card, should i disable it anyway, ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can i have a fault card ?
Click to expand...

ULPS is defined as "Ultra Low Power State", but there should be no reason for you to disable it for only one card.
Looking at your screen shots, CCC is showing that driver v.13.4 is installed.
Your GPU-Z screenshot looks perfectly normal, I have the same desktop clock speeds showing on mine.
I don't see anything wrong with your sensors, your clock speeds will be higher when you put a load on the card, as when gaming.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> The reason I ask is because I called them after I got the card home and said It still cant be overclocked at anything about 30mhz no matter what program you run, and he said to me "Overclocking isn't a supported feature of the manufacture, we test default settings to see if the card performs as it should and determine if it's faulty", "If the card was supposed to run at those speeds, the manufacturer would have set them at those speeds".
> 
> To which I replied "Then how comes some cards are able to set comfortably at 1200 mhz on eyefinity while I'm unable to achieve a 10th of that performance increase?" He said "As I said, we test the default, or stock speeds of the card, obviously some cards can be pushed further than they are designed to, but for those that don't, its unfortunate, but the card is still performing to the manufactures specifications".
> 
> I'm really at a loss for words, I don't know what to do... The store opens in about 4 hours.


simply put the card is only guaranteed to run at stock speeds. if it is artifacting @ said stock speeds then you have a claim
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Is my AX850 big enough to OC my two 7950s?


nah you will be fine. FINNALLY i hit my wall when i was benching tonight. i was pushing 1.578v @ ultra llc on my 8350 and 2 cards @ 1235/1835 @ max volts and my pc said screw you OFF. i would also like to note i also had alot of other volts cranked up. ( i have a x750) and imo that is some pretty extreme ocing. honestly i shouldnt of been doing it but i have a add on warranty that covers ocing so... meh

i have to say on a side note i love my saber kitty and my 8350 thing takes nothing short of hell from me and keeps going with no problems.


----------



## zerokool_3211

is it normal for a card to artifact after a driver crash until a reboot to hard reset it


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> is it normal for a card to artifact after a driver crash until a reboot to hard reset it


Maybe, but there's a easier way to reset it.

You can go into device manager, and disable and reenable your graphics card driver. That resets it just like a reboot.


----------



## starships

What is considered a good voltage for 1100 mhz for a 7950? Mine is stable at 1169, saw a chart of Overclockers users seems like most of them needed 1200+ for 1100 core. Just want to know if I have bragging rights, despite the latter I suspect I don't lol.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *starships*
> 
> What is considered a good voltage for 1100 mhz? Mine is stable at 1169, saw a chart of Overclockers users seems like most of them needed 1200+ for 1100 core. Just want to know if I have bragging rights, despite the latter I suspect I don't lol.


That for a 7950?

Mine did 1100 at stock voltage of 0.950V


----------



## Noviets

Good news guys, I took the card back and the lead technician tested the card not sure what he did but he was only gone for 5 minutes or so. Gave me a new 7970 DC2T on the spot.

I told the tech about the idle/bench voltages and he said "The card should idle at 0.950, Vdroop doesn't effect idles, and it shouldn't go anywhere close to 1.030 under load under any circumstances, which is why the card cant be overclocked at all, the card isn't receiving the correct voltage to maintain stability".

Previous card idled at 1.094 and Benched at 1.032.
New card Idles at 0.950 and Benches at 1.170.

Exactly as it's supposed to, so far have it at 1100/1400, as I dont have voltage control, (will likely try Matrix drivers later to see if I can get it) once I see how far I can push it!

ASIC of the returned card was 60.2, the new one is 52.1. Does ASIC really make much difference? Or is "Silicone Lottery" also apply to cards regardless of ASIC? Was kinda upset when it was quite a bit lower, but does it really matter?

No complaints, new card that works









Thanks for all your support guys, sorry if I posted a few more times than a normal person should lol.

<3 you all


----------



## starships

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> That for a 7950?
> 
> Mine did 1100 at stock voltage of 0.950V


Whoops, yeah 7950, edited. Oh... 0.950 eh? ...That's lower than my own stock voltage.

*I hate you.*


----------



## stubass

Dont worry about ASIC as people have shown that higher ASIC rated cards havernt OC'ed as well as lower ASIC rated cards. it is probably more the silcone lottery as to how good your card overclocks.

Good to hear they swapped it for you


----------



## AddictedGamer93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *starships*
> 
> Whoops, yeah 7950, edited. Oh... 0.950 eh? ...That's lower than my own stock voltage.
> 
> *I hate you.*


Here I am, with my 7950, that cant do 1100, even at 1.3v...This sucker is going back to Newegg ASAP.


----------



## Snuckie7

Dang that card sounds like a complete dud for overclocking. What model was it?


----------



## AddictedGamer93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Dang that card sounds like a complete dud for overclocking. What model was it?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202030

Stable at 1050/1500 @ 1.25v/1.6v, but 1100 isn't going to happen. ASIC score of 62.2%.


----------



## sugarhell

ASIC quality is about how well your card can handle the volts.

Also
Higher asic quality=lower stock voltage
Lower asic quality=higher stock voltage


----------



## Snuckie7

That's odd. That 7950 is on a reference 7970 PCB and should be one of the better overclockers. Maybe all the good chips are drying up.


----------



## AddictedGamer93

Just gonna give Newegg the "coil whine" runaround and get a new card lol. Maybe I can talk them into overnight shipping me a replacement if they have a credit card on file....


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> is it normal for a card to artifact after a driver crash until a reboot to hard reset it


has anyone else seen this?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> has anyone else seen this?


You shouldnt have a driver crash. I only had one when i hit my case with my foot accidentally. If you have driver crash you should reboot immediately and start to find why you have a driver crash


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> That's odd. That 7950 is on a reference 7970 PCB and should be one of the better overclockers. Maybe all the good chips are drying up.


That is not a HD7970 PCB, this Sapphire card comes with a reference HD7950 PCB and 2x 6Pin PCIE power connectors.

A HD7970 PCB comes with 8Pin + 6Pin power connectors.

CHEERS..


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You shouldnt have a driver crash. I only had one when i hit my case with my foot accidentally. If you have driver crash you should reboot immediately and start to find why you have a driver crash


it was a driver crash from too much oc...i am sure other people have seen this....once the card crashes from OC it will be gimped until reset...just wondering if artifacting in a game be fore the reset is normal

really i want to know if i should return the card while it is only a week old


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> it was a driver crash from too much oc...i am sure other people have seen this....once the card crashes from OC it will be gimped until reset...just wondering if artifacting in a game be fore the reset is normal
> 
> really i want to know if i should return the card while it is only a week old


You dont oc too much most of the times i get a lock up. But whatever your artifacts is because of the driver crash. Reboot and you will be fine


----------



## superericla

I'm liking my 7950 TF3 with a 7970 PCB. I get 1200/1800 at ~1.1V VDDC (no changes to memory voltage needed).


----------



## zerokool_3211

thanks for the input sugarhell


----------



## PedroC1999

Well, i just noticed today that my new 7950 whines when leaving Heaven, and sometimes during a game. Is this a reason to RMA?.also my card is a bad core clocker ([email protected])

I bought the card from eBuyer,.do you think its worth it for maybe a better clocking card?


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *superericla*
> 
> I'm liking my 7950 TF3 with a 7970 PCB. I get 1200/1800 at ~1.1V VDDC (no changes to memory voltage needed).


sweet CARD


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Well, i just noticed today that my new 7950 whines when leaving Heaven, and sometimes during a game. Is this a reason to RMA?.also my card is a bad core clocker ([email protected])
> 
> I bought the card from eBuyer,.do you think its worth it for maybe a better clocking card?


My card can't even get to 1100mhz







stopped by vrm temps


----------



## Zummy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> ULPS is defined as "Ultra Low Power State", but there should be no reason for you to disable it for only one card.
> Looking at your screen shots, CCC is showing that driver v.13.4 is installed.
> Your GPU-Z screenshot looks perfectly normal, I have the same desktop clock speeds showing on mine.
> I don't see anything wrong with your sensors, your clock speeds will be higher when you put a load on the card, as when gaming.


Thanks a lot for the reply and all the help.
Im gonna contact my reseller to expose my situation and if theres some possibility of trade the card for a referenced one.
Im start to feeling a lit bit uncomfortable about this card cause i cant find any type of info about it.
This card was an rma, my original purchase was a referenced card so i think i have the right to trade it.


----------



## kahboom

im still playing around with this while i can edit the clocks for bios on the 7950 and flash them i still cannot edit the voltage having a hard time finding which is the right hex to edit, while i have had sucess editing a regular non-ghz 7970 bios and editing its bios i am limited to changing the value since i don't really know hex i just use a value from another bios in its place. The purpose of editing the non-ghz bios was too lower temps under load since regular referance bios load is 1.175 vs a ghz bios which is 1.25v


----------



## daguardian

Does anyone know if there is a full cover waterblock that will fit this card

Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC Boost 3GB GDDR5 (11197-03)


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Sapphire Modded Trixx will alow you to set the core voltage up to 1.381V.


The official release of 4.3.0 and the 4.4.0 Beta's both allow 1.381v. The official 4.6.0's don't anymore. They lock at 1.300v.
The 4.3.0's do NOT allow MVDDC adjustment, modded 4.4.0B does.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with your card and got so unlucky but it just a one card, not all ASUS 7970s are faulty or dont overclock...
> 
> It is called "silicon lottery" for a reason, one piece of silicon (core/chip of the GPU) is capable of overclocking 350MHz above the stock speeds while the other, an identical chip cant do 10MHz above the stock without signs of instability. And like said, it isnt really a reason to RMA it, it is only guaranteed to operate at stock/out of the box speeds, which it does, so it isnt faulty...


ASUS HD7970's have a history indeed of being crappy and hard-locked tbh. Also, they are VERY overpriced.. MSI Lightnings are cheaper and for a locked card the Gigabyte WF3 is a MUCH better choice and almost €80 cheaper.. but some are golden as well.. I got a mate with a Matrix that does 1340Mhz core benches with ease but that's a older one with unlocked volts...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> simply put the card is only guaranteed to run at stock speeds. if it is artifacting @ said stock speeds then you have a claim
> nah you will be fine. FINNALLY i hit my wall when i was benching tonight. i was pushing 1.578v @ ultra llc on my 8350 and 2 cards @ 1235/1835 @ max volts and my pc said screw you OFF. i would also like to note i also had alot of other volts cranked up. ( i have a x750) and imo that is some pretty extreme ocing. honestly i shouldnt of been doing it but i have a add on warranty that covers ocing so... meh
> 
> i have to say on a side note i love my saber kitty and my 8350 thing takes nothing short of hell from me and keeps going with no problems.


Haha that's indeed pushing it







The cards on their own should pull about 220w peak at those clocks / volts, CPU should do around 300-320w, so 440+320 = 760w power draw worst-case. That would be enough to trip OCP on the PSU indeed







Not that the PSU can't handle it, oh it can with ease, just the OCP that's set pretty early on those x750's so you can't go all that far over 750W on the 12v...

I once tried benching 2 GTX680s in SLI with 1.212v BIOS's at 1250Mhz and a 5.1Ghz 2600K @ 1.53v on my XFX XXX 650W. It ran for a amazing 2 minutes before hard-hitting the OCP... Backing down the 2600K to 4.8Ghz @ 1.42v did the trick and it completed a couple of benches lol.. But the PSU squeeled / coil whined like a hamster and got H O T lol.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> is it normal for a card to artifact after a driver crash until a reboot to hard reset it


Yeah, nothing uncommon really. It's usually because when overvolting and the driver crashes, the voltage doesn't recover and stays on stock 1.175v until a reboot / GPU reset / re-apply of the clocks and voltages
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *superericla*
> 
> I'm liking my 7950 TF3 with a 7970 PCB. I get 1200/1800 at ~1.1V VDDC (no changes to memory voltage needed).


Check with benchmarks @ 1600-1700 and 1800Mhz VRAM if the score keeps increasing and doesn't drop suddenly.
GDDR5 has pretty good ECC so you MIGHT be hitting ECC already at 1800Mhz.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *daguardian*
> 
> Does anyone know if there is a full cover waterblock that will fit this card
> 
> Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC Boost 3GB GDDR5 (11197-03)


http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1 just follow the steps and it will list blocks that will fit


----------



## daguardian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1 just follow the steps and it will list blocks that will fit


Thankyou kahboom -I had already tried that link, yet for a full cover block it says - We are sorry but currently we have no supported FullCover water block for your video card. For additional info please contact our support at [email protected]

I was actually hoping to use the KILLER HEAT ® GPU-X ³ 79X0 Ni-Bl , and was just checking the EK site for this particular card.

This is looking disappointing


----------



## PedroC1999

You will need the Switftcech FullCover HEATSINK and their pump for it to maybe work, have a look at that


----------



## daguardian

PedroC1999 - Thankyou for that link, hope they fit, I have 4 of these cards to cool and don't fancy having to return them now.

EDIT. My cards have the #109-C38637 on the PCB - which Swiftech say - The Komodo HD7970 is compatible with AMD reference board design #109-C38637, except as noted hereafter.

And in that list I cannot find my number -11197-03-40G

but there are these..

SAPPHIRE 11197-01-40G Radeon HD 7970 3GB
SAPPHIRE 21197-00-40G Radeon HD 7970 3GB
SAPPHIRE 11197-06-40G Radeon HD 7970 3GB

And they are all compatible - i'm guessing this means I'm good to go...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Good news guys, I took the card back and the lead technician tested the card not sure what he did but he was only gone for 5 minutes or so. Gave me a new 7970 DC2T on the spot.
> 
> I told the tech about the idle/bench voltages and he said "The card should idle at 0.950, Vdroop doesn't effect idles, and it shouldn't go anywhere close to 1.030 under load under any circumstances, which is why the card cant be overclocked at all, the card isn't receiving the correct voltage to maintain stability".
> 
> Previous card idled at 1.094 and Benched at 1.032.
> New card Idles at 0.950 and Benches at 1.170.
> 
> Exactly as it's supposed to, so far have it at 1100/1400, as I dont have voltage control, (will likely try Matrix drivers later to see if I can get it) once I see how far I can push it!
> 
> ASIC of the returned card was 60.2, the new one is 52.1. Does ASIC really make much difference? Or is "Silicone Lottery" also apply to cards regardless of ASIC? Was kinda upset when it was quite a bit lower, but does it really matter?
> 
> No complaints, new card that works
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for all your support guys, sorry if I posted a few more times than a normal person should lol.
> 
> <3 you all


congrats, in the u.s. the ppl at the shops are lazy min. wage paid ppl they go " why are you returning it" you go "it is artifacting" they type that into pc and get you a new one cant belive he tasts it so thoroughly
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *daguardian*
> 
> Thankyou kahboom -I had already tried that link, yet for a full cover block it says - We are sorry but currently we have no supported FullCover water block for your video card. For additional info please contact our support at [email protected]
> 
> I was actually hoping to use the KILLER HEAT ® GPU-X ³ 79X0 Ni-Bl , and was just checking the EK site for this particular card.
> 
> This is looking disappointing


see below
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> You will need the Switftcech FullCover HEATSINK and their pump for it to maybe work, have a look at that


he may be right
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *daguardian*
> 
> PedroC1999 - Thankyou for that link, hope they fit, I have 4 of these cards to cool and don't fancy having to return them now.
> 
> EDIT. My cards have the #109-C38637 on the PCB - which Swiftech say - The Komodo HD7970 is compatible with AMD reference board design #109-C38637, except as noted hereafter.
> 
> And in that list I cannot find my number -11197-03-40G
> 
> but there are these..
> 
> SAPPHIRE 11197-01-40G Radeon HD 7970 3GB
> SAPPHIRE 21197-00-40G Radeon HD 7970 3GB
> SAPPHIRE 11197-06-40G Radeon HD 7970 3GB
> 
> And they are all compatible - i'm guessing this means I'm good to go...


i hope you are right that number on the board does indicate a ref board. but i cant see the amd logo on it. may take off stock HS and test if you can see the amd logo. besides that what is the color of the actual pcb pics of your card help as well


----------



## daguardian

I just found my answers, thanks to Ganf http://www.overclock.net/t/1319489/sapphire-7970-dualx-oc-blue-pcb-bios-and-voltage-questions#post_18440405

The Heatkiller full cover block will work with the 7970 with the blue PCB, all is good









All is not good, not reference, will not work.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *daguardian*
> 
> I just found my answers, thanks to Ganf http://www.overclock.net/t/1319489/sapphire-7970-dualx-oc-blue-pcb-bios-and-voltage-questions#post_18440405
> 
> The Heatkiller full cover block will work with the 7970 with the blue PCB, all is good


I would be careful, according to EK's website (coolingconfigurator.com) the DualX from Sapphire does not have reference design PCB thus it won't fit the reference waterblocks like the heatkiller.


----------



## mush332

so my 7950 just died after only 2 months of owning it and never O.C or anyhting. RMAing it thru sapphire. was wondering if i should just sell the new card and make a jump to a 7970 or possibly 7990 or just try n get the same card (newegg says its discontinued) or a card with the same clock and crossfire it.

heres my current card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

please recc. cards for either senario thanks guys!


----------



## PedroC1999

If you read the thread, someone did it successfuly with a Komodo block with no mods


----------



## mush332

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mush332*
> 
> so my 7950 just died after only 2 months of owning it and never O.C or anyhting. RMAing it thru sapphire. was wondering if i should just sell the new card and make a jump to a 7970 or possibly 7990 or just try n get the same card (newegg says its discontinued) or a card with the same clock and crossfire it.
> 
> heres my current card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> please recc. cards for either senario thanks guys!


scratch the 7990 idea lol


----------



## Ramzinho

i see you have two monitors at 1080.. a single 7970 will be enough to game on one and run apps on the other.


----------



## mush332

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ramzinho*
> 
> i see you have two monitors at 1080.. a single 7970 will be enough to game on one and run apps on the other.


what would perform better tho?


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mush332*
> 
> what would perform better tho?


a 7990 is a dual card gpu. so no need if you are stuck in your resolution and no upgrading. and even if you did upgrade the 7970 can be Crossfired for cheaper price


----------



## Seid Dark

Is Gigabyte 7950 Windforce voltage locked? I'm seeing conflicting information on the matter. Friend wants to buy that card but it has to be voltage unlocked or at least 1.25v stock voltage. Currently he has locked Gigabyte 7970 that's unable to overclock at all, so I suggested him to get unlocked 7950 with Never Settle bundle.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mush332*
> 
> so my 7950 just died after only 2 months of owning it and never O.C or anyhting. RMAing it thru sapphire. was wondering if i should just sell the new card and make a jump to a 7970 or possibly 7990 or just try n get the same card (newegg says its discontinued) or a card with the same clock and crossfire it.
> 
> heres my current card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> please recc. cards for either senario thanks guys!


I have this card as many others on here too. It is an excellent card for OC (boost already puts it at 900 or 950 can't remember). What exactly happened with it? Did you try the BIOS switch by chance to see if something got corrupted? Newegg probably can't RMA at 2 months and I don't know how well Sapphire handles them. If going up to a 7970 or 7990 is what you want to do though go for it, just seems costly.


----------



## Ramzinho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> Is Gigabyte 7950 Windforce voltage locked? I'm seeing conflicting information on the matter. Friend wants to buy that card but it has to be voltage unlocked or at least 1.25v stock voltage. Currently he has locked Gigabyte 7970 that's unable to overclock at all, so I suggested him to get unlocked 7950 with Never Settle bundle.


Yes all gigabyte new cards are voltage locked.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> If you read the thread, someone did it successfuly with a Komodo block with no mods


also depends if saphire ( spelling ) changed the pcb which has been known to happen altough i cant confirm ( rather too lazy to) if this has ever happened with saphire specifically

what i would recommend if you are not worried about warranty pull the heatsink off and take a pic from what i have read about stock tim should help you anyway.

then post the pic


----------



## mush332

I just read on another site that the 7950 boosts fluctuate n that will cause my fps to drop. But it never happened until recently and my fps droped 50%. Thats alot couldnt even play league like garbage. But my old 4890 i pulled out my closet can do it no problem on max getting 60 frames. Ill try flipping the switch but i had problems with the card since day 1 but over looked them. Kinda wish i didnt n just rmaed it at the time. Woulda saves me from dealing with sapphire


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Maybe, but there's a easier way to reset it.
> 
> You can go into device manager, and disable and reenable your graphics card driver. That resets it just like a reboot.


or if you have crossfire you can disable and enable cfx and walla...


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> That is not a HD7970 PCB, this Sapphire card comes with a reference HD7950 PCB and 2x 6Pin PCIE power connectors.
> 
> A HD7970 PCB comes with 8Pin + 6Pin power connectors.
> 
> CHEERS..


No it's still used the reference 7970 PCB layout. Give this thread a read.


----------



## AddictedGamer93

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> That is not a HD7970 PCB, this Sapphire card comes with a reference HD7950 PCB and 2x 6Pin PCIE power connectors.
> 
> A HD7970 PCB comes with 8Pin + 6Pin power connectors.
> 
> CHEERS..


Yes it is. Every reference full cover 7970 water block out there will fit this card. Kind of pointless since mine is such a overclocking turd though.


----------



## superericla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> The official release of 4.3.0 and the 4.4.0 Beta's both allow 1.381v. The official 4.6.0's don't anymore. They lock at 1.300v.
> The 4.3.0's do NOT allow MVDDC adjustment, modded 4.4.0B does.
> ASUS HD7970's have a history indeed of being crappy and hard-locked tbh. Also, they are VERY overpriced.. MSI Lightnings are cheaper and for a locked card the Gigabyte WF3 is a MUCH better choice and almost €80 cheaper.. but some are golden as well.. I got a mate with a Matrix that does 1340Mhz core benches with ease but that's a older one with unlocked volts...
> Haha that's indeed pushing it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The cards on their own should pull about 220w peak at those clocks / volts, CPU should do around 300-320w, so 440+320 = 760w power draw worst-case. That would be enough to trip OCP on the PSU indeed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not that the PSU can't handle it, oh it can with ease, just the OCP that's set pretty early on those x750's so you can't go all that far over 750W on the 12v...
> 
> I once tried benching 2 GTX680s in SLI with 1.212v BIOS's at 1250Mhz and a 5.1Ghz 2600K @ 1.53v on my XFX XXX 650W. It ran for a amazing 2 minutes before hard-hitting the OCP... Backing down the 2600K to 4.8Ghz @ 1.42v did the trick and it completed a couple of benches lol.. But the PSU squeeled / coil whined like a hamster and got H O T lol.
> Yeah, nothing uncommon really. It's usually because when overvolting and the driver crashes, the voltage doesn't recover and stays on stock 1.175v until a reboot / GPU reset / re-apply of the clocks and voltages
> Check with benchmarks @ 1600-1700 and 1800Mhz VRAM if the score keeps increasing and doesn't drop suddenly.
> GDDR5 has pretty good ECC so you MIGHT be hitting ECC already at 1800Mhz.


I've checked it and the benchmarks do continue to increase until I hit 1900MHz, so 1800 is safe for my card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> That's odd. That 7950 is on a reference 7970 PCB and should be one of the better overclockers. Maybe all the good chips are drying up.


It's not the pcb. Being built on a 7970 based pcb means nothing. It's about the silicon and with 7950s you get lower binned/lower rated everything. And then with boost cards, they can further make use of the lowest binned parts by forcing a 1.25v standard.


----------



## Snuckie7

There is the point that 7970 PCB's offer better power delivery, but yeah there's nothin you can do if you get a bad chip.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> There is the point that 7970 PCB's offer better power delivery, but yeah there's nothin you can do if you get a bad chip.


Yep. You could have a bazillion phase like the DC2 and that won't get you anywhere fast with... er nevermind the DC2 just suck period lol.


----------



## m3t4lh34d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *superericla*
> 
> I've checked it and the benchmarks do continue to increase until I hit 1900MHz, so 1800 is safe for my card.


It's not a matter of being 'safe'. Mhz doesn't inherently hurt a card whatsoever. Voltage is what does damage, but AMD doesn't allow you to overvolt the memory by any extreme amount via software, so you can OC your heart out and not worry about anything. Even throw some more volts at it via MSI AB and enjoy


----------



## CravinR1

MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667

Its stable 1100 mhz core 1500 mhz memory at stock (1.188) voltage. Without the +20 power option.

I've not tried to up the voltage yet. Is that a good oc?

And i've heard oc'd to 1100 a 7950 is faster than a GTX 670 but my friend and I have very similar builds and his GTX 670 is faster in 3dmark 11 than mine.

ME:
3570K 4.5 ghz @ 1.32 volts
Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo
Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H
2x4 gig g.skill sniper 1866 mhz ram
MSI 7950 Twin Frozr 3
OCZ ModXStream 600

Him:
3570K Stock
Hyper 212 (plus or evo not sure)
Gigabyte Z77X-D3H
2x4 gig (1600 mhz I think)
???? GTX 670
??? PSU

His gpu score is 300 higher than mine with his stock settings:
http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/6521500/3dm11/6518353

Stock 670 Graphics Score 9979.0
OC 7950 Graphics Score 9655.0


----------



## Pheozero

Is anyone else having a problem where their card won't wake up from standby mode but their PC is still working? Is it a driver problem?


----------



## Marcos Viegas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> No, you're wrong. Most 7970 DC2 are crap. There are numerous threads by members here with countless problems. It is a known fact at this point that all should avoid DC2s. I've written this before, and I'll do it again, the Asus 7970 DC2 is the worst tahiti card sold.


I have trouble with the crossfire between the "ASUS 7970 DCII" and a Sapphire "HD7970 reference model", only when I enable crossfire in Catalyst, the VGA is down just does not work, and does not read the data from VGA low she turns off, any one, or DCII or reference model.








So my 7970 DCII is already living on borrowed time, because I will exchange it for another model reference that DCII already tired of giving opportunity and she leaves to be desired, having blocked the voltage and limit the overclock and now this problem with crossfire.
Goodbye ASUS DCII...








Long live "reference model"...


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127667
> 
> Its stable 1100 mhz core 1500 mhz memory at stock (1.188) voltage. Without the +20 power option.
> 
> I've not tried to up the voltage yet. Is that a good oc?
> 
> And i've heard oc'd to 1100 a 7950 is faster than a GTX 670 but my friend and I have very similar builds and his GTX 670 is faster in 3dmark 11 than mine.
> 
> ME:
> 3570K 4.5 ghz @ 1.32 volts
> Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo
> Gigabyte Z77X-UD4H
> 2x4 gig g.skill sniper 1866 mhz ram
> MSI 7950 Twin Frozr 3
> OCZ ModXStream 600
> 
> Him:
> 3570K Stock
> Hyper 212 (plus or evo not sure)
> Gigabyte Z77X-D3H
> 2x4 gig (1600 mhz I think)
> ???? GTX 670
> ??? PSU
> 
> His gpu score is 300 higher than mine with his stock settings:
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/6521500/3dm11/6518353
> 
> Stock 670 Graphics Score 9979.0
> OC 7950 Graphics Score 9655.0


Is his GTX 670 overclocked? Well even if it isn't it still may be boosting to GTX 680 levels.

1150MHz core on the 7950 should match a stock GTX 680.

Mine at 1150MHz gets 10565 graphics score in 3DMark11.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5744873


----------



## zerokool_3211

so would i be better off flashing a non boost TF3 bios to my boost edition to get the lower stock volts...from what i have seen so far my card will do 1200/1600, with 1.240 on core and 1.600 on mem

you guys think this is a "decent card".....btw asic score is like 62.8%


----------



## CravinR1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Is his GTX 670 overclocked? Well even if it isn't it still may be boosting to GTX 680 levels.
> 
> 1150MHz core on the 7950 should match a stock GTX 680.
> 
> Mine at 1150MHz gets 10565 graphics score in 3DMark11.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5744873


He doesn't even know which 670 he has. Why would the boost put it to 680 levels ? He has never overclocked but is wanting to try it. Granted my tower only costed $800 (not including hd/psu) and his tower + monitor was $1800 (only a 23" monitor so has $1500 in the tower)

I think I can run 1200+ at stock vcore since i'm not even using the +20 power option yet ? Does my gpu seem to clock ok ??


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> He doesn't even know which 670 he has. Why would the boost put it to 680 levels ? He has never overclocked but is wanting to try it. Granted my tower only costed $800 (not including hd/psu) and his tower + monitor was $1800 (only a 23" monitor so has $1500 in the tower)
> 
> I think I can run 1200+ at stock vcore since i'm not even using the +20 power option yet ? Does my gpu seem to clock ok ??


Your score seems kinda low, what drivers your using?

BTW you should get around 10200-10300 graphics score @ those clocks.


----------



## CravinR1

I'm using default AMD Catalyst (not home now so not sure).

13.4 I t hink


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> so would i be better off flashing a non boost TF3 bios to my boost edition to get the lower stock volts...from what i have seen so far my card will do 1200/1600, with 1.240 on core and 1.600 on mem
> 
> you guys think this is a "decent card".....btw asic score is like 62.8%


Yeh with those clocks and volts it's a pretty decent one. Wonder what it'll do with 1.300v core and 1.638v VRAM.... If the core stays cold enough that is, as HD79xx's still hate temps over 65c in terms of stability..

My Ghetto mod on my 7970 did wonders.. We had a pretty hot day here today, in which ambient room temps ran up to about 24c during the afternoon, and with my Accelero + 2x Slipstream 120mm 1600RPM fans mounted and the MSI TF3 baseplate (VRM/VRAM cooling) my core hit 51c max during BF3 and my VRM's hit 80c for VRM1 and 69c for VRM2 max. Very proud of my core temps of barely 50c using air cooling @ 1.300v 1310Mhz


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> He doesn't even know which 670 he has. Why would the boost put it to 680 levels ? He has never overclocked but is wanting to try it. Granted my tower only costed $800 (not including hd/psu) and his tower + monitor was $1800 (only a 23" monitor so has $1500 in the tower)
> 
> I think I can run 1200+ at stock vcore since i'm not even using the +20 power option yet ? Does my gpu seem to clock ok ??


Boost is automatic and good 670's have a lot of thermal headroom.

1200MHz stock is very good, but there's no reason not to max out the power limit. Your card will throttle if this isn't maxed.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> I'm using default AMD Catalyst (not home now so not sure).
> 
> 13.4 I t hink


Still your score is lower than it should be, like I said, @1100/1500 stable clocks you should break 10200 graphics score mark.

Maybe try maxing the power-limit?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Is anyone else having a problem where their card won't wake up from standby mode but their PC is still working? Is it a driver problem?


not saying it is related but my problem was due to a bad mini dp adapter i found. had to reset it to make the monitors come on and it was affecting other monitors as well. might giv eit a try
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> He doesn't even know which 670 he has. Why would the boost put it to 680 levels ? He has never overclocked but is wanting to try it. Granted my tower only costed $800 (not including hd/psu) and his tower + monitor was $1800 (only a 23" monitor so has $1500 in the tower)
> 
> I think I can run 1200+ at stock vcore since i'm not even using the +20 power option yet ? Does my gpu seem to clock ok ??


your ram is holding you back your physics score is low low low *OR* you are on win 8 and he win 7 on win8 i get 1500+ points less in physics. but if you look your graphics score is above his. the overall score is not.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Your score seems kinda low, what drivers your using?
> 
> BTW you should get around 10200-10300 graphics score @ those clocks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Boost is automatic and good 670's have a lot of thermal headroom.
> 
> 1200MHz stock is very good, but there's no reason not to max out the power limit. Your card will throttle if this isn't maxed.


+1


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Sapphire Modded Trixx will alow you to set the core voltage up to 1.381V.
> 
> 
> 
> The official release of 4.3.0 and the 4.4.0 Beta's both allow 1.381v. The official 4.6.0's don't anymore. They lock at 1.300v.
> The 4.3.0's do NOT allow MVDDC adjustment, modded 4.4.0B does.
> .
Click to expand...

thanks for that info on trixx.. +rep


----------



## Strileckifunk

Hey guys, recently bought a 1440p monitor and I'm thinking about snagging up another GPU when prices dip a little bit lower again. My question is. since my 7970 isn't a great OCer (1150-1180), would I be better off going with a 7950?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> Hey guys, recently bought a 1440p monitor and I'm thinking about snagging up another GPU when prices dip a little bit lower again. My question is. since my 7970 isn't a great OCer (1150-1180), would I be better off going with a 7950?


Your is not a bad overocker so i would stick with getting another 7970 over a 7950.


----------



## Mega Man

need some help guys getting my gpu under water i can get the stock HS off. what is the best way to get it off ( all screws are out it is just stuck to the board )

first time going water for vid cards

got it.... hair dryer !~


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> need some help guys getting my gpu under water i can get the stock HS off. what is the best way to get it off ( all screws are out it is just stuck to the board )
> 
> first time going water for vid cards


Just keep wiggling the cooler until it pops off. Don't know what to tell you.


----------



## lastguytom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> How is the cooling on the XFX? I heard it was horrible.


i used xfx for years and the cooling is just fine. try to get two fan version or higher, the 7950 is a good card, if you have a case with good air cooling that helps,catalyst control program lets you speed up your fan manually,


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lastguytom*
> 
> i used xfx for years and the cooling is just fine. try to get two fan version or higher, the 7950 is a good card, if you have a case with good air cooling that helps,catalyst control program lets you speed up your fan manually,


No the 7k series xfx is crap as a cooling solution. On previous generations was fine but now you should avoid to buy xfx


----------



## Mega Man

phew ! 1 down 1 togo..... talk about nerve racking .........


----------



## -Nub-

I have 2 xfx 7970 black editions. They have the reference cooler so I can't speak for the DD, but my cards over clock nicely while maintaining good temps.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> phew ! 1 down 1 togo..... talk about nerve racking .........


imagine if those are Titans.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> phew ! 1 down 1 togo..... talk about nerve racking .........
> 
> 
> 
> imagine if those are Titans.
Click to expand...

Doesn't matter if its a Titan. It's just a block install, you do it enough times and it becomes old hat. I watch tv while doing my setup in an assembly line method since its times 4 cards.


----------



## sugarhell

The first time you just follow the instructions. After so many times you grab a beer you watch your favorite show and you put your waterblock


----------



## Mega Man

second was really easy +10 points if you can tell me the used block. ( i have added caps in both from my rads so they dont leak when i am installing them as i had them hooked to my loop for leak testing

also what do you guys think



edit


Spoiler: Warning: PC PRON !


----------



## superericla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m3t4lh34d*
> 
> It's not a matter of being 'safe'. Mhz doesn't inherently hurt a card whatsoever. Voltage is what does damage, but AMD doesn't allow you to overvolt the memory by any extreme amount via software, so you can OC your heart out and not worry about anything. Even throw some more volts at it via MSI AB and enjoy


By "safe" I meant that the memory didn't create enough errors to lower framerates, not talking about voltages or how long my card will last.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> second was really easy +10 points if you can tell me the used block. ( i have added caps in both from my rads so they dont leak when i am installing them as i had them hooked to my loop for leak testing
> 
> also what do you guys think
> 
> 
> 
> edit
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: PC PRON !


lol pretty sure top one is the used one....


----------



## Imprezzion

Ho Yeah! That's some sexy lookin' stuff there!
I wish I had room for a 240 rad without having to buy a new PSU...

Oh and gentlemen, I did some research on the issue Memory Voltage and overclocking it.

The following ONLY applies 100% to Reference cards with AMD logo @ PCI-E slot! Others may use the same chips, or they may not!

The memory chips used on these reference cards are the following Hynix chips. Hynix GDDR5 H5GQ2H24MFR-R0C.

http://www.skhynix.com/products/graphics/view.jsp?info.ramKind=26&info.serialNo=H5GQ2H24MFR

When reading up on their specs on the above page I noticed they are rated at 1500Mhz at 1.600v.

Now, as far as voltage goes, it's 1.600v +/- 3% tolerance of this voltage. For 1.600v this means the VRAM is guaranteed to operate safely at AT LEAST 1.648v. And then your not even ''overvolting'' yet..

So, for those that want to know, I personally, after reading this, would'nt be scared to push 1.66-1.68v through them at all.. Heck i'd even do 1.70v for benches...


----------



## OneGun

Can you post that 1 more time i didn't see it lol..


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> @OneGun, no it aint lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . My phone doesn't reload the page after I post something half the time, and I just hit refresh, which also reposts...


----------



## GreenGoblinGHz

Humm...lets be active. Theres the pic's in my rig and in albums. 2 x R7970 xfx ghz edition + Ares 2 (nro 737)


----------



## OneGun

How come all my VRM temps stay at 25c?Does my card not have sensors?


----------



## Imprezzion

Hmm.. Try reading them with AIDA64 or whatever software came from that. HWInfo I believe.. Those two can also read them besides GPU-Z.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Doesn't matter if its a Titan. It's just a block install, you do it enough times and it becomes old hat. I watch tv while doing my setup in an assembly line method since its times 4 cards.


i only did one 7950 and had to read the instructions three times.

it prolly took you 10 minuntes on the first one and about 3 mins on the last.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> second was really easy +10 points if you can tell me the used block. ( i have added caps in both from my rads so they dont leak when i am installing them as i had them hooked to my loop for leak testing
> 
> also what do you guys think
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: PC PRON !


those are awesome looking.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> How come all my VRM temps stay at 25c?Does my card not have sensors?


Here was my response to that issue in a previous thread:
www.overclock.net/t/1388460/gpu-z-not-showing-vrm-temps-on-7850#post_19900479
No software, be it GPU-Z, Aida 64, etc. will be able to read your vrm temps., if they are "stuck" at 25C.
We can thank various AMD partners for this little flaw on some of their cards.


----------



## momsbasement656

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Ho Yeah! That's some sexy lookin' stuff there!
> I wish I had room for a 240 rad without having to buy a new PSU...
> 
> Oh and gentlemen, I did some research on the issue Memory Voltage and overclocking it.
> 
> The following ONLY applies 100% to Reference cards with AMD logo @ PCI-E slot! Others may use the same chips, or they may not!
> 
> The memory chips used on these reference cards are the following Hynix chips. Hynix GDDR5 H5GQ2H24MFR-R0C.
> 
> http://www.skhynix.com/products/graphics/view.jsp?info.ramKind=26&info.serialNo=H5GQ2H24MFR
> 
> When reading up on their specs on the above page I noticed they are rated at 1500Mhz at 1.600v.
> 
> Now, as far as voltage goes, it's 1.600v +/- 3% tolerance of this voltage. For 1.600v this means the VRAM is guaranteed to operate safely at AT LEAST 1.648v. And then your not even ''overvolting'' yet..
> 
> So, for those that want to know, I personally, after reading this, would'nt be scared to push 1.66-1.68v through them at all.. Heck i'd even do 1.70v for benches...


REP'ed. Just got one of the new Sapphire reference 7950's with Hynix ram. I noticed that overclocking the memory from stock has given me a nice boost in my benches. I was a bit hesitant to use the memory overvoltage slider in Afterburner.... but you have given me some confidence to try it now. Thank you!


----------



## Imprezzion

I ran at 1750Mhz 1.638v for ages now, and I did try it with the full 1.700v applied to it. It wouldn't go as high as 1875Mhz with 1.700v but it does now run ''stable'' (still testing) at 1800Mhz 1.656v. I can bench it at 1850Mhz with 1.68v but it gave me only a .1 FPS increase in Valley over 1340Mhz core.

It's a shame MSI AB won't let us adjust AUX (VDDQ) cause we'd probably be able to go a lot higher still then.


----------



## rdr09

about to sell my 7950 and moved my 7970 to my intel rig.

overclocked 7950 (1100/1575) using just Afterburner maxed settings . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5601273

stock 7970 . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6528670

overclocked 7970 (1100/1575). again just using AB for settings . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6528790


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not the pcb. Being built on a 7970 based pcb means nothing. It's about the silicon and with 7950s you get lower binned/lower rated everything. And then with boost cards, they can further make use of the lowest binned parts by forcing a 1.25v standard.


Thats right. But i got lucky with my msi 7950 on 7970 pcb tho.


----------



## homestyle

Huh?

Having a 7950 built on a 7970 is huge in terms of overclocking. Ultimately its true that the chip has final say but if there are 2 equal 7950 chips, the chip built on the 7970 ref will clock higher.

You dont really have a say in what chip you get, but you do have a say in the pcb layout.

And lets not forget mem clocks. Gddr5 clock limitations is not the actual chips, but the pcb layout/traces. All thibgs equal you get higher 7950 core and mem clocks if it comes on 7970 pcb.


----------



## black7hought

Is it worth it to upgrade from my 6950 Dirt 3 Edition to a 7950 or should I wait for the 700/8000 series?


----------



## IndicaNights

I say upgrade the 7950 ref is a nice card . heres a link to the egg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202030


----------



## Rangerjr1

I HATE my 7970 Matrix. Ive only had problems with it. I couldnt get it RMAd either... This is what i did to it.

EVERYONE DONT EVER BUY A "SPECIAL EDITION" CARD.


----------



## richie_2010

You didnt do that did you


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> You didnt do that did you


I did. Ill even put a timestamp if you want.


----------



## richie_2010

How come you couldnt rma
Im just in shock as to why


----------



## Rangerjr1

Red1776 and Karlitos would be proud of me.

Because i had no "reason to". It did work. But when it overclocks so badly and i have to underclock it just so it doesnt artifact is stupid. My 7950 outperforms it. I was able to do 3dmark11 P benchmarks because it was at a low 720p res. But 1080p? NO WAY.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 
> 
> I HATE my 7970 Matrix. Ive only had problems with it. I couldnt get it RMAd either... This is what i did to it.
> 
> EVERYONE DONT EVER BUY A "SPECIAL EDITION" CARD.


You got balls man. This is my new avy!!!!


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Red1776 and Karlitos would be proud of me.
> 
> Because i had no "reason to". It did work. But when it overclocks so badly and i have to underclock it just so it doesnt artifact is stupid. My 7950 outperforms it. I was able to do 3dmark11 P benchmarks because it was at a low 720p res. But 1080p? NO WAY.


huh??


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You got balls man. This is my new avy!!!!


And i aint even mad! Ill buy a second 7950 or even a reference 7970 later on. Maybe you wanna help me with that?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You got balls man. This is my new avy!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> And i aint even mad! Ill buy a second 7950 or even a reference 7970 later on. Maybe you wanna help me with that?
Click to expand...

Ok.


----------



## Rangerjr1

The best thing about my 7970 Matrix was the unboxing. The beautiful box... And the beautiful card. Turns out its a gold-plated steaming pile of poop.


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Red1776 and Karlitos would be proud of me.
> 
> Because i had no "reason to". It did work. But when it overclocks so badly and i have to underclock it just so it doesnt artifact is stupid. My 7950 outperforms it. I was able to do 3dmark11 P benchmarks because it was at a low 720p res. But 1080p? NO WAY.


Didn't you buy the card here in Norway?? Artifacts while running benchmarks should get you RMA, never had any problems with that in several domestic shops.

Where did you buy that card??


----------



## Krusher33

Couldn't sell it?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Didn't you buy the card here in Norway?? Artifacts while running benchmarks should get you RMA, never had any problems with that in several domestic shops.
> 
> Where did you buy that card??


Netshop from Sweden. The woman on the phone said as long as it works i cant RMA it. Then i thought F___ it and i just broke it. I didnt want another card with the same problems.


----------



## hotrod717

I feel sorry for your trouble, however, I couldn't be happier with mine. 1300/6800 on stock voltage. In fact my WB should be here in the next couple days and I'll really get a chance to see how it will perform. Duds happen. Was it an older or newer model?The older models had the fan boost as a square button facing out the back and the new have it as a round button beside voltage +/-, I believe.


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Netshop from Sweden. The woman on the phone said as long as it works i cant RMA it. Then i thought F___ it and i just broke it. I didnt want another card with the same problems.


Well then I believe you did a stupid thing cause the card was NOT working as it should and you should have opened a ticket with them explaining that the card does not work the way it should. When you have to down clock a card from it's factory settings to get it to work you get RAM.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Well then I believe you did a stupid thing cause the card was NOT working as it should and you should have opened a ticket with them explaining that the card does not work the way it should. When you have to down clock a card from it's factory settings to get it to work you get RAM.


Its fine man. The cooler was crap. The voltage buttons didnt work as they should. I could only use GPU Tweak but i dont want to get into that because my head hurts just thinking about it. Couldnt change volts in any other OC program than GPU Tweak.

This GPU was bought with my hard earned money and i regret nothing!

I did not want another one.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

what kind of artifacts? The ones you get on a failed overclock ?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I feel sorry for your trouble, however, I couldn't be happier with mine. 1300/6800 on stock voltage. In fact my WB should be here in the next couple days and I'll really get a chance to see how it will perform. Duds happen. Was it an older or newer model?The older models had the fan boost as a square button facing out the back and the new have it as a round button beside voltage +/-, I believe.


Square toggle button.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Netshop from Sweden. The woman on the phone said as long as it works i cant RMA it. Then i thought F___ it and i just broke it. I didnt want another card with the same problems.
> 
> 
> 
> Well then I believe you did a stupid thing cause the card was NOT working as it should and you should have opened a ticket with them explaining that the card does not work the way it should. When you have to down clock a card from it's factory settings to get it to work you get RAM.
Click to expand...

They will not rma a card that is a dud overclocker regardless of how much they advertise it's overclocking prowess. It's a bit of false advertising don't cha think? I'd be pissed with oh, say like buying a RX8 which advertised with 242 HP but it was really only rated to 232 HP lol. Rangers Matrix was a POS card. And even so they will not RMA for your troubles or being mislead by its capabilities, so I can understand his anger and frustration. That's why I wrote that he had big cohones.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> what kind of artifacts? The ones you get on a failed overclock ?


Yes. Artifacting at 1050/6800.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Its fine man. The cooler was crap. The voltage buttons didnt work as they should. I could only use GPU Tweak but i dont want to get into that because my head hurts just thinking about it. Couldnt change volts in any other OC program than GPU Tweak.
> 
> This GPU was bought with my hard earned money and i regret nothing!
> 
> I did not want another one.


I agree the stock cooler is disappointing. Hence the WB.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yes. Artifacting at 1050/6800.


hmmmm did you try to undervolt?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> hmmmm did you try to undervolt?


I tried everything. Its not worth it.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*


I'm sending this to friends just to mess with them. Too bad it didn't work out.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> ...
> This GPU was bought with my hard earned money and i regret nothing!
> ...


Well, i find this phrase quite contradictive! Your card artifacting at stock settings certainly justifies an immediate RMA without questions from the shop you bought it from.

IMHO the hard earned money you spent on this card definately deserve a replacement with a brand new card.

Sorry for the off-topic!


----------



## Belial

I have a few questions, I just bought a Sapphire Dual-X 7950

- has anyone had a 7950 die or degrade on them, if so, how?

- What program should I use to overclock my card? Sapphire trixx (which version?), afterburner, etc? I'm assuming that whatever program I use, the max allowable core voltage and memory voltage is still well under the real limit of the card and as long as you keep temps within limits, you are fine.

- can you edit the BIOS on 7950s? I've heard conflicting reports on this. Can you edit the BIOS on a sapphire 7950 dual-x, so you can raise the voltage limit? If this is the case, what is the true max voltage of the core and memory?

- What is the max VRM temp for the 7950 sapphire? I'm not familiar with what mosfets are on it, and I don't know if the card has VRM temps but I do have a thermal diode (nzxt sentry 2) that I always place on the GPU.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Red1776 and Karlitos would be proud of me.
> 
> Because i had no "reason to". It did work. But when it overclocks so badly and i have to underclock it just so it doesnt artifact is stupid. My 7950 outperforms it. I was able to do 3dmark11 P benchmarks because it was at a low 720p res. But 1080p? NO WAY.


wow that sounds incredibly stupid. Why didn't you just sell the card on ebay for basically 100% of the brand new price?

I also have a hard time that the company wouldn't RMA or refund your money after you send at least 5 emails and post a bunch of negative reviews like on newegg.


----------



## momsbasement656

Wow. That power limit hack for Afterburner really works well for me.

*I just went from 35.5 to 43.6 fps and 1485 to 1823 points in Valley just by bumping my power limit from 20 to 25!*

I was trying to run my 7950 at 1200 core, and the core clock was all over the place during benching. After I increased the power limit just that 5 percent extra, it was flat as a board 1200 the whole time.

Here is the original article: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18509458
It's been reposted here somewhere.....

I've now gone from a stock 27fps/1136points in Valley to 44fps/1823 with overclocking on this Sapphire 4L 7950 (reference board/cooler) That's over 50% more performance. Mindblowing.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *momsbasement656*
> 
> Wow. That power limit hack for Afterburner really works well for me.
> 
> *I just went from 35.5 to 43.6 fps and 1485 to 1823 points in Valley just by bumping my power limit from 20 to 25!*
> 
> I was trying to run my 7950 at 1200 core, and the core clock was all over the place during benching. After I increased the power limit just that 5 percent extra, it was flat as a board 1200 the whole time.
> 
> Here is the original article: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18509458
> It's been reposted here somewhere.....
> 
> I've now gone from a stock 27fps/1136points in Valley to 44fps/1823 with overclocking on this Sapphire 4L 7950 (reference board/cooler) That's over 50% more performance. Mindblowing.


did you change the voltage?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *momsbasement656*
> 
> Wow. That power limit hack for Afterburner really works well for me.
> 
> *I just went from 35.5 to 43.6 fps and 1485 to 1823 points in Valley just by bumping my power limit from 20 to 25!*
> 
> I was trying to run my 7950 at 1200 core, and the core clock was all over the place during benching. After I increased the power limit just that 5 percent extra, it was flat as a board 1200 the whole time.
> 
> *Here is the original article:*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18509458
> 
> 
> It's been reposted here somewhere.....
> 
> I've now gone from a stock 27fps/1136points in Valley to 44fps/1823 with overclocking on this Sapphire 4L 7950 (reference board/cooler) That's over 50% more performance. Mindblowing.












Ah that's been posted here for a longtime ya know? The original source is from 2010 too. Lmao.

Oh btw, forgot to ask. Were you able to do multiple runs to test the difference on and off?


----------



## OneGun

Is this good?Sorry i couldn't get the pic to work for some damn reason..

Unigine Valley Benchmark 1.0

FPS:
78.7

Score:
3294

Min FPS:
33.8

Max FPS:
148.1

System

Platform:
Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit

CPU model:
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3570K CPU @ 3.40GHz (3400MHz) x4

GPU model:
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 12.104.0.0 (3072MB) x2

Settings

Render:
Direct3D11

Mode:
1920x1080 8xAA fullscreen

Preset
Extreme HD

Powered by UNIGINE Engine

Unigine Corp. © 2005-2013


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ah that's been posted here for a longtime ya know? The original source is from 2010 too. Lmao.
> 
> Oh btw, forgot to ask. Were you able to do multiple runs to test the difference on and off?


is this worth chaanging for me?


----------



## Mega Man

ranger i am gone for 2 days and you break your 7970...... shoulda sent it to me i would of tri fired it !~


----------



## d1nky

@ranger WOW! you know those cards are discontinued and gone up in price?

and they wouldn't send another they'd probably do a deal on something better.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> @ranger WOW! you know those cards are discontinued and gone up in price?
> 
> and they wouldn't send another they'd probably do a deal on something better.


Ill just buy a cheap reference 7970 from ebay or something.


----------



## Belial

Why would you buy a high end current gen gpu on ebay when they are almost always cheaper brand new due to rebates/sales? This is coming from someone who advocates buying most things used... (older gen mid-high end GPUs with more performance/dollar ratio than current GPUs, ie 470 vs 7850, 460 vs 650/7770, ssd's, PSC/BBSE ram, heatsinks)

You seriously sound like you should never be around money ever.

I can't believe you just broke a perfectly working 7970 just because you were unhappy with the overclock results instead of just listing it on ebay. Gee, hopefully your next 7970 meets standards. Took me 4 ivies before I got one that could do more than [email protected]


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Why would you buy a high end current gen gpu on ebay when they are almost always cheaper brand new due to rebates/sales? This is coming from someone who advocates buying most things used... (older gen mid-high end GPUs with more performance/dollar ratio than current GPUs, ie 470 vs 7850, 460 vs 650/7770, ssd's, PSC/BBSE ram, heatsinks)
> 
> You seriously sound like you should never be around money ever.
> 
> I can't believe you just broke a perfectly working 7970 just because you were unhappy with the overclock results instead of just listing it on ebay. Gee, hopefully your next 7970 meets standards. Took me 4 ivies before I got one that could do more than [email protected]


I knew some people would get butthurt over this Matrix. It did NOT work perfectly. It started artifacting at stock. In addition to that i paid for extra ROG OC feautures that are only cheap ass marketing gimmicks. 4 ivys? Well thats more than my only 7970.


----------



## d1nky

Im a bit 'butthurt'







im a friggin fanboy haha

I would still put in for a rma just for a laugh, and say something to them. maybe it will open eyes to your complaints.

and we all have broke something in temper, so you cant be ridiculed for it. damn I smashed up my first car because I got fed up with it!

nice paperweight btw lol


----------



## prescotter

Hello

can anybody tell me where to find the *MSI Afterburner modded for 25% power limit?*


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Why would you buy a high end current gen gpu on ebay when they are almost always cheaper brand new due to rebates/sales? This is coming from someone who advocates buying most things used... (older gen mid-high end GPUs with more performance/dollar ratio than current GPUs, ie 470 vs 7850, 460 vs 650/7770, ssd's, PSC/BBSE ram, heatsinks)
> 
> You seriously sound like you should never be around money ever.
> 
> I can't believe you just broke a perfectly working 7970 just because you were unhappy with the overclock results instead of just listing it on ebay. Gee, hopefully your next 7970 meets standards. Took me 4 ivies before I got one that could do more than [email protected]
> 
> 
> 
> I knew some people would get butthurt over this Matrix. It did NOT work perfectly. It started artifacting at stock. In addition to that i paid for extra ROG OC feautures that are only cheap ass marketing gimmicks. 4 ivys? Well thats more than my only 7970.
Click to expand...

I didn't buy 4 ivies and then break them like you did, I actually made a profit off all the ivies. I didn't buy them with the express purpose of finding the best overclocker either, I bought them to make money and simply binned them and kept the best one for myself. I also returned the worst overclocker of them, I didn't bend it and take pictures... it let me buy an i7-3770k for just $40.

If it artifact'd at stock, sounds like you were just lazy and didn't send enough angry emails to the company asking for an RMA. You still could have just sold it on ebay. And you paying addition for the rog oc features just sounds like you are a sucker.

I'm not butthurt here, you are the one who should be butthurt lol. You are guaranteed a free replacement but it sounds like you didn't send more than a single email for your RMA, and then instead of selling it on ebay for 100% of the cost since it's a current gen GPU in high demand... you break it? lol.

Then you say you want to buy a 7970 off ebay. yea, good luck with that.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Hello
> 
> can anybody tell me where to find the *MSI Afterburner modded for 25% power limit?*


http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18509458

Someone just linked it a few posts above. I wonder if anything else like that has to be done to overclock a 7950, it was the first I'd heard of it... there's certainly nothing about it in the OP or in any guide.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I didn't buy 4 ivies and then break them like you did, I actually made a profit off all the ivies. I didn't buy them with the express purpose of finding the best overclocker either, I bought them to make money and simply binned them and kept the best one for myself. I also returned the worst overclocker of them, I didn't bend it and take pictures... it let me buy an i7-3770k for just $40.
> 
> If it artifact'd at stock, sounds like you were just lazy and didn't send enough angry emails to the company asking for an RMA. You still could have just sold it on ebay. And you paying addition for the rog oc features just sounds like you are a sucker.
> 
> I'm not butthurt here, you are the one who should be butthurt lol. You are guaranteed a free replacement but it sounds like you didn't send more than a single email for your RMA, and then instead of selling it on ebay for 100% of the cost since it's a current gen GPU in high demand... you break it? lol.
> 
> Then you say you want to buy a 7970 off ebay. yea, good luck with that.
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18509458
> 
> Someone just linked it a few posts above. I wonder if anything else like that has to be done to overclock a 7950, it was the first I'd heard of it... there's certainly nothing about it in the OP or in any guide.


Why do you even care? Lol. Ill elaborate more later. Im on my phone atm.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 
> 
> I HATE my 7970 Matrix. Ive only had problems with it. I couldnt get it RMAd either... This is what i did to it.
> 
> EVERYONE DONT EVER BUY A "SPECIAL EDITION" CARD.


ROFL I love it







Did ya leave the VRM's intact? Might wanna ''zombie'' those for some extreme benching! They are huuuuuuuugely powerful so!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I have a few questions, I just bought a Sapphire Dual-X 7950
> 
> - has anyone had a 7950 die or degrade on them, if so, how?
> 
> - What program should I use to overclock my card? Sapphire trixx (which version?), afterburner, etc? I'm assuming that whatever program I use, the max allowable core voltage and memory voltage is still well under the real limit of the card and as long as you keep temps within limits, you are fine.
> 
> - can you edit the BIOS on 7950s? I've heard conflicting reports on this. Can you edit the BIOS on a sapphire 7950 dual-x, so you can raise the voltage limit? If this is the case, what is the true max voltage of the core and memory?
> 
> - What is the max VRM temp for the 7950 sapphire? I'm not familiar with what mosfets are on it, and I don't know if the card has VRM temps but I do have a thermal diode (nzxt sentry 2) that I always place on the GPU.


- Degrade, i'm sure it's possible but then you'd have to run 1.381v VDDC @ 90+c core temps for long periods of time.. Doubt it'll ever happen.

- Program? Either TriXX or MSI Afterburner. Afterburners UI is better IMO, but TriXX is much more compact and light and the modded versions supprot MVDDC as well so you're not missing out on anything.

- BIOS editting is possible, just useless as anything you can do in the BIOS can be done by software. You cannot edit the max volts in the BIOS. Max volts are, with some versions of TriXX, 1.381v VDDC and 1.800V MVDDC. MSI Afterburner and the safe limits on air IF the temps hold up are 1.300v VDDC and 1.700v mVDDC with Hynix chips or 1.600V MVDDC if it's the crappy Elpida RAM.

- Max VRM temps 24/7 I would say anything under 90c loaded. They are ''rated for 125c'' but I've had mine blow up in under a month running 105-110c.
Also, when testing for max temps, keep a 10c reserve in case of hot summer temperatures.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ehm, a little question from myself, just wanna know you guys opinions.

It's been hot here the past few days, hot for Hollands weather pattern that is, with ambients of 27c in my room.
Now, My ghetto cooling on my 7970 was JUST enough to hold up under 20c ambients but it appears to have taken quite a hit with these higher ambients.
Core is still only hitting 53c max in BF3 so that's no problem, however the VRM's hit 88c max. and when the REAL summer comes, in which my room can easily hit 35c, it would end up around 95c loaded. Now, I've blown up VRM's from temperatures / too high volts before on a HD7970 which was the same reference design as this one so, do you guys think I should back down to 1225Mhz on stock 1.175v? This lowers VRM temps to barely 60c with 27c ambients and core to about 45c so quite the difference...

Also, my 2500K with the nice low RPM 140mm push pull setup I have runs a tad hot with these ambients.. Usually it hit about 78c in LinX / IBT and 74c in Prime95 with 20c ambient. This evens out at roughly 55-60c in BF3. Only I was shocked to see yesterday my core temps were 66-70-70-70 max in Coretemp. Seems that my 750RPM 140MM ENermaxes don't have enough power to cool under hot ambients. But, is 70c in-game anything serious for a 2500K?


----------



## momsbasement656

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> did you change the voltage?


Yes, I had to add about 300mV to reach 1200 core stable. The TDP on this board is low enough that I had to allow 25% more to stop throttling.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh btw, forgot to ask. Were you able to do multiple runs to test the difference on and off?


Yes, the gain was very consistent. I was surprised increasing the TDP would uncork it that much. Haven't overclocked a gfx card in years.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> is this worth chaanging for me?


Simply watch the Core Clock graph in MSI Afterburner while running a benchmark like Valley. It should be *Perfectly* flat at
whatever core clock you have set. I had set mine to 1200, and it was *not* staying there. I increased the allowed power to 25%, and good.
(Note: Use AB to monitor this. GPU-Z doesn't update quickly enough. It showed a flat 1200mhz... which wasn't true, as evidenced by my benchmark results!)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Hello
> 
> can anybody tell me where to find the *MSI Afterburner modded for 25% power limit?*


See the last page, I posted a link. It's a registry mod. Pretty simple.


----------



## Roedi




----------



## Imprezzion

Well what do you know!? That power limit mod actually works!

Even my reference HD7970 on 1.300v had some minor throttling from time to time, usually only in benchmarks.
Upped the limit to 30%, and my FPS in Valley benchmark @ same speeds as before went up by like, 1.3FPS. That is over 2% difference just by upping the limit and it changed zero to my temps..


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I knew some people would get butthurt over this Matrix. It did NOT work perfectly. It started artifacting at stock. In addition to that i paid for extra ROG OC feautures that are only cheap ass marketing gimmicks. 4 ivys? Well thats more than my only 7970.


You should have took a bat too it like the movie Office Space


----------



## Belial

Why do you care, i care? Why not talk instead of be a jerk? I can make mean comments too, oh bro your a total nerd. Where does that get us?

Sure, if there's more to the story, I'd love to hear... how.. one could be compelled to bend a brand new current gen gpu lol
Quote:


> - Degrade, i'm sure it's possible but then you'd have to run 1.381v VDDC @ 90+c core temps for long periods of time.. Doubt it'll ever happen.
> 
> - Program? Either TriXX or MSI Afterburner. Afterburners UI is better IMO, but TriXX is much more compact and light and the modded versions supprot MVDDC as well so you're not missing out on anything.
> 
> - BIOS editting is possible, just useless as anything you can do in the BIOS can be done by software. You cannot edit the max volts in the BIOS. Max volts are, with some versions of TriXX, 1.381v VDDC and 1.800V MVDDC. MSI Afterburner and the safe limits on air IF the temps hold up are 1.300v VDDC and 1.700v mVDDC with Hynix chips or 1.600V MVDDC if it's the crappy Elpida RAM.
> 
> - Max VRM temps 24/7 I would say anything under 90c loaded. They are ''rated for 125c'' but I've had mine blow up in under a month running 105-110c.
> Also, when testing for max temps, keep a 10c reserve in case of hot summer temperatures.


Wow, awesome post!

Screw UI, I'll go with Trixx. I use OCCT error test for stress testing anyways, not kombostor.

Where does those RAM voltages come? Elpida, hynix chips, they are good for like 1.9v+ on RAM right? I mean at least 1.75v+ (http://www.overclockers.com/memory-overclocking-guide-ivy-bridge_). I know you might not know _exactly_ where these voltages come from, i imagine these are just like the 'official' max figures given, but what I say makes sense right? I mean most people just run their ram at 1.75v and do the highest overclock they can on it, no? Of course, as temps allow.

I'm surprised that the software voltage of 1.381 is reachable if it's really dangerous, but that must be why they lowered it to 1.3v... hmm. I'd love to run higher voltage if temps allowed and it was safe though, but I'm not too familiar with how often 7950s die. For example ivy bridge never dies or degrades, literally zero reports of death or degradation, so as long as temps are okay you just crank up voltage. Maybe temps will be an issue before i can think of 1.3v+ anyways.

Yea I hear most chokes whine at 80*C+, most pcb is rated for only 90*C. That sounds right, I'll keep it under 90 since I plan to run 24/7/365 computational work on this GPU actually. I won't even be plugging my monitors into my gpu, i'll be plugging both my monitors into my iGPU, and then plugging into my gpu only during gaming sessions.


----------



## momsbasement656

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Well what do you know!? That power limit mod actually works!
> 
> Even my reference HD7970 on 1.300v had some minor throttling from time to time, usually only in benchmarks.
> Upped the limit to 30%, and my FPS in Valley benchmark @ same speeds as before went up by like, 1.3FPS. That is over 2% difference just by upping the limit and it changed zero to my temps..


Sweet. It of course totally depends how much your card is being throttled, if at all. I would assume your 7970 has better power regulation components than my 7950, and a higher stock allowed power draw from the factory. My "reference" pcb Sapphire 7950 (which has one less VRM and input capacitor than an actual 7970 reference board) was actually throttling at STOCK clocks! I had to bump up the allowed board power (TDP) just to get it nice and flat.

Once again, I needed to use the graphs in Afterburner to see this throttling, GPU-Z did not show it... I assume GPU-Z doesn't sample quickly enough.... perhaps someone knows a way to increase sampling rate on GPU-Z?


----------



## KingT

I have tried that registry mod for rising Power Limit to max 50% and my experience is positive as my card is more stable in high overclock .

I tried 30% PL and that made 1100MHz overclock very stable in 20 minutes stress testing with Unigine Heaven 4.0.

My max GPU temp was 62 - 63C and VRM temps 71/72C.

Has anyone else tried this Power Limit hack, what was your experience?

CHEERS..


----------



## Imprezzion

Hmm, increasing the sampling rate would be a great idea.. Or just a wider, pull-out graph like MSI AB has?

Well, basically I was bouncing off the TDP limit in benches like Fire Strike and some points of Valley. In games like BF3 I haven't seen any drops yet to be honest. It was pretty visible in Valley as well but thought it was part of the bench's coding or whatever.

That i'm watching a scene with the FPS monitor on and it's like, a steady 65, then drops for 1-2 seconds to 48, and back to 65 again...

And about the VRM / power regulation components, well, my cards a 1st gen (non-boost / Ghz edition 925Mhz stock) HD7970 from Club3D (aka VTX3D / PowerColor which are all from the same master company) which is a bone stock AMD Reference card so unless there's a big difference between them...


----------



## momsbasement656

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Hmm, increasing the sampling rate would be a great idea.. Or just a wider, pull-out graph like MSI AB has?


Since AB works for this, I don't really care, I guess I was just surprised GPU-Z doesn't show this, as I've always held it as the gold standard of GPU monitoring.
Quote:


> Well, basically I was bouncing off the TDP limit in benches like Fire Strike and some points of Valley. In games like BF3 I haven't seen any drops yet to be honest. It was pretty visible in Valley as well but thought it was part of the bench's coding or whatever.
> 
> That i'm watching a scene with the FPS monitor on and it's like, a steady 65, then drops for 1-2 seconds to 48, and back to 65 again...


Mine was bad enough that there were some serious slowdowns in Tomb Raider that are now smooth as butter. Valley definitely stresses the GPU more than Tomb Raider, (almost 10 deg hotter) and the massive frame rate bump I got in Valley shows I was really being limited by my cards stock TDP limits.
Quote:


> And about the VRM / power regulation components, well, my cards a 1st gen (non-boost / Ghz edition 925Mhz stock) HD7970 from Club3D (aka VTX3D / PowerColor which are all from the same master company) which is a bone stock AMD Reference card so unless there's a big difference between them...


The difference is 1 less VRM and 1 less input capacitor on the 7950 version of the reference board vs. yours. Obviously from the results you got, the allowed TDP in the BIOS was severely scaled back on my board vs. yours. I'm not seeing anything over 65 degrees C on my VRMs or GPU even overclocked, and the TDP increased.....


----------



## Rangerjr1

Is there any bios that would give me a benefit over my stock 7950 vapor x bios?


----------



## Red1776

some quadfire 7970's under water for ya






The 2.2 kW Holodeck VII

[email protected]
Gigabyte GA-990-FXA-UD7 (rev 1.1)
16GB Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133 MHz
4 X HD 7970 Quadfire
1x Corsiar AX1200W
2x FSP Group X5 500W =1000W
1XNexXxos XT45mm x 360mm Rads
2 x NexXxos XT45mm x 240mm Rads
1x NexXxos XT45mm x 120mm Rads
3X VPP-655 Pumps
1X Phobya DC-12-400 Pump
Koolance 370 CPU Block
4 x Heatkiller GPU X-3 Waterblocks (full parallel cooling)
Rad Fans: Coolermaster Excalibur
Bitspower & Monsoon Fittings
Primochill Advanced LRT Tubing
Case CoolerMaster Cosmos 2
Heatkiller X-3 Multilink Quad Bridge
BitsPower Z-Multi 250mML Reservoir
Eyefinity 3+1 Extended 5760 x 1080-25" Monitors[/quote]


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> some quadfire 7970's under water for ya


Is that a light BEHIND the reservoir?


----------



## Imprezzion

I seriously LOVE that second pic!


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> some quadfire 7970's under water for ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 2.2 kW Holodeck VII
> 
> [email protected]
> Gigabyte GA-990-FXA-UD7 (rev 1.1)
> 16GB Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133 MHz
> 4 X HD 7970 Quadfire
> 1x Corsiar AX1200W
> 2x FSP Group X5 500W =1000W
> 1XNexXxos XT45mm x 360mm Rads
> 2 x NexXxos XT45mm x 240mm Rads
> 1x NexXxos XT45mm x 120mm Rads
> 3X VPP-655 Pumps
> 1X Phobya DC-12-400 Pump
> Koolance 370 CPU Block
> 4 x Heatkiller GPU X-3 Waterblocks (full parallel cooling)
> Rad Fans: Coolermaster Excalibur
> Bitspower & Monsoon Fittings
> Primochill Advanced LRT Tubing
> Case CoolerMaster Cosmos 2
> Heatkiller X-3 Multilink Quad Bridge
> BitsPower Z-Multi 250mML Reservoir
> Eyefinity 3+1 Extended 5760 x 1080-25" Monitors


[/quote]

Could you post a validation for your 24/7 OC?


----------



## Krusher33

What is the typical voltage ranges for 1150 core clock and voltage for 1200 core clock?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> What is the typical voltage ranges for 1150 core clock and voltage for 1200 core clock?


for 1150mhz I set about 1200v vdroop to about 1150v, and just a tiny bit more for 1200mhz


----------



## Belial

Just got my sapphire dual-x 7950 in. What's up with that button, i see it's a boost oc button? What do I do with that? seems a bit useless but i pushed the button a few times and i dont remember which was default. Is it safe to press that with the computer on?

I'm also planning to remove the thermal paste and apply coollaboratory liquid ultra, but that was a waste with my 460 (with the twin frozr ii it never went above 70*C on 80% fan load, after clu it never went above 63*C in stress tests, and that was with max software voltage, as additional bios voltage from 1.08 to 1.2 yielded less than 20mhz).


----------



## Noviets

So my RMA'd card now ditting at 1150/1600 confortably. During BF3 with everything on ultra it sits at 60C, is that too hot? I could lower the mem clock a bit for an extra few degrees I hear these can run 80C but didnt want to get close to that.

I had two VRM temps on my last 7970 dc2t but I dont have any on this one (Using GPU-Z) how would I fix that?

With MSI Kombuster, using dx11 msaa x8, it peeks at 72C, not sure on vrm temp but they are generally 5c or so more than the gpu so 77-78 vrm?

I would really like to check it because the vrms on my last dc2t they were horrible to cool. and there's no space to put anything on them without going liquid









What other program would give reliable vrm temps?


----------



## ElGreco

*CCC CLOCK LIMIT UNLOCK UTILITY*








By ATIMAN

A small and hopefully useful utility by ATIMAN

CCC_extn (http://www.mediafire.com/?bi1r0dkf5q44qdo)

In this first version of the utility, it has been designed to unlock the frequencies of the CCC up to 1600/2400. It works with all Amd drivers as long as these are ALREADY installed. It works ONLY for the 7xxx series cards. It unlocks directly the upper ccc clck limit of all the 7xxx series cards you have installed in your system. It can also revert the clcks back to default.

If after having used this utility, you decide to uninstall your amd driver without the usage of ATIMAN Uninstaller, then CCC Clock limits remain unlocked unless you have previously reset back to default clcks the CCC using the same utility.

Important notice:
I have not personally tested this utility, but it is something i already use through the latest amd drivers atiman has provided to me and the CCC has finally unlocked upper clocks without the need to use other 3rd party software!


----------



## kersoz2003

I have this card:



It has 800 core and 1250 memory default.

I set it to 1150 core and 1650 memory and it works really nice. I give 1.68 voltage. Is this safe ? I mean what voltage should I give to a 1150core -1650 memory overclock ? And what would you suggest anything else?


----------



## Mydog

1,68V must be vmem not vcore, your 7970 would die on air with that vcore


----------



## CravinR1

I thought 1.25 was max volts for a 7950


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Why do you care, i care? Why not talk instead of be a jerk? I can make mean comments too, oh bro your a total nerd. Where does that get us?
> 
> Sure, if there's more to the story, I'd love to hear... how.. one could be compelled to bend a brand new current gen gpu lol
> Wow, awesome post!
> 
> Screw UI, I'll go with Trixx. I use OCCT error test for stress testing anyways, not kombostor.
> 
> Where does those RAM voltages come? Elpida, hynix chips, they are good for like 1.9v+ on RAM right? I mean at least 1.75v+ (http://www.overclockers.com/memory-overclocking-guide-ivy-bridge_). I know you might not know _exactly_ where these voltages come from, i imagine these are just like the 'official' max figures given, but what I say makes sense right? I mean most people just run their ram at 1.75v and do the highest overclock they can on it, no? Of course, as temps allow.
> 
> I'm surprised that the software voltage of 1.381 is reachable if it's really dangerous, but that must be why they lowered it to 1.3v... hmm. I'd love to run higher voltage if temps allowed and it was safe though, but I'm not too familiar with how often 7950s die. For example ivy bridge never dies or degrades, literally zero reports of death or degradation, so as long as temps are okay you just crank up voltage. Maybe temps will be an issue before i can think of 1.3v+ anyways.
> 
> Yea I hear most chokes whine at 80*C+, most pcb is rated for only 90*C. That sounds right, I'll keep it under 90 since I plan to run 24/7/365 computational work on this GPU actually. I won't even be plugging my monitors into my gpu, i'll be plugging both my monitors into my iGPU, and then plugging into my gpu only during gaming sessions.


I was not being rude. And i find you incredibly childish and/or overly sensitive. Ive been warned by 2-3 people already that i shouldnt talk to you. I dont know why you started insulting and talking crap all of the sudden. Blocked.

I wont take it. I dont deal with people like you. I just block them.


----------



## kersoz2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> 1,68V must be vmem not vcore, your 7970 would die on air with that vcore


sorry







It is 1,168 ( 1168) actually







) Which means lower than 1.2 I guess


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kersoz2003*
> 
> sorry
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is 1,168 ( 1168) actually
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) Which means lower than 1.2 I guess


Sounds more correct









And your 1150/1650 sounds good to me, same as I have on both my 7970's ATM, just watch your vrm temps.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Sounds more correct
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And your 1150/1650 sounds good to me, same as I have on both my 7970's ATM, just watch your vrm temps.


Most coolers that are not reference should be able to cool a GPU up to 1.3V. And yea, watch your VRM temps.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kersoz2003*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> 1,68V must be vmem not vcore, your 7970 would die on air with that vcore
> 
> 
> 
> sorry
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is 1,168 ( 1168) actually
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) Which means lower than 1.2 I guess
Click to expand...

give it abit more volts and try for 1200 on the core and run heaven


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Most coolers that are not reference should be able to cool a GPU up to 1.3V. And yea, watch your VRM temps.


No. The cooler is just for the stock voltage and they give you some space to play with the fan speed. After that is just case airflow.


----------



## kersoz2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Sounds more correct
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And your 1150/1650 sounds good to me, same as I have on both my 7970's ATM, just watch your vrm temps.


this 1,168 voltage good for 1150/1650 ? And also vrm heat supposed to be what for safe ? I was only checking gpu heat which is ranging from 70-80 degress at most with automatic fan . And anther question should I work may fan auto or custom ?


----------



## kersoz2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> give it abit more volts and try for 1200 on the core and run heaven


I see artifacts in game with 1200-1650 overclock even with 1.3 voltages. So I just use 1150-1650 in 1,17 ( 1,168) voltages.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No. The cooler is just for the stock voltage and they give you some space to play with the fan speed. After that is just case airflow.


Why are you stating the obvious? Ofcourse i know you have to increase the damn fan speed -.- ... Dont reply only to argue with me.


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kersoz2003*
> 
> this 1,168 voltage good for 1150/1650 ? And also vrm heat supposed to be what for safe ? I was only checking gpu heat which is ranging from 70-80 degress at most with automatic fan . And anther question should I work may fan auto or custom ?


1,168v is in the ballpark for that OC, each card is different so it's hard to say exactly. VRM should be below 80-90C although they are rated up to 125C. I would make my own fan profile to keep the temps in check, auto setting is not good.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kersoz2003*
> 
> I see artifacts in game with 1200-1650 overclock even with 1.3 voltages. So I just use 1150-1650 in 1,17 ( 1,168) voltages.


You may have hit your thermal wall and need to get better cooling in order to achieve 1200MHz, I get artifacts @1200 if temps get above 61C.

1150/1650 at that voltage sounds good.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kersoz2003*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> give it abit more volts and try for 1200 on the core and run heaven
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I see artifacts in game with 1200-1650 overclock even with 1.3 voltages. So I just use 1150-1650 in 1,17 ( 1,168) voltages.
Click to expand...

ahh well i would just keep it as is then. VRM temps should try to keep them under 90*C.. also try setting a custom fan profile instead of auto i find best.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Why are you stating the obvious? Ofcourse i know you have to increase the damn fan speed -.- ... Dont reply only to argue with me.


Your statement was wrong. They dont make the damn cooler to be able to handle 1.3volt. They care about noise and cooling at stock volts.Also you should measure the asic quality too. If you have a high asic quality card the 1.3 volt on air is not viable at all.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Your statement was wrong. They dont make the damn cooler to be able to handle 1.3volt. They care about noise and cooling at stock volts.Also you should measure the asic quality too. If you have a high asic quality card the 1.3 volt on air is not viable at all.


Im running my 7950 VaporX at 1.3Volts. What are you trying to say? Well my asic is 71%


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> ahh well i would just keep it as is then. VRM temps should try to keep them under 90*C.. also try setting a custom fan profile instead of auto i find best.


The vrms are rated up to 120c right? That may even be a conservative estimate... So anything under that should be ok right?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Im running my 7950 VaporX at 1.3Volts. What are you trying to say? Well my asic is 71%


I would think 1.3v is fine if your cooler can handle it.. Most cards with 85% + ASIC will never need such a high voltage, the core would hit it's limit before you needed it.


----------



## OneGun

Ranger Good for you as i would have drop kicked that GPU Chuck Norris style!!


----------



## CravinR1

is 64.1% asic ok ??


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Ranger Good for you as i would have drop kicked that GPU Chuck Norris style!!


What?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> ahh well i would just keep it as is then. VRM temps should try to keep them under 90*C.. also try setting a custom fan profile instead of auto i find best.
> 
> 
> 
> *The vrms are rated up to 120c right? That may even be a conservative estimate... So anything under that should be ok right?*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Im running my 7950 VaporX at 1.3Volts. What are you trying to say? Well my asic is 71%
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Im running my 7950 VaporX at 1.3Volts. What are you trying to say? Well my asic is 71%
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I would think 1.3v is fine if your cooler can handle it.. Most cards with 85% + ASIC will never need such a high voltage, the core would hit it's limit before you needed it.
Click to expand...

well under 90*C is considered safe temps by many even tho they are rated up to 125 or something around there. IIRC if your VRM's are say 100 or so and you run it for long periods you risk damaging your card or even


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> well under 90*C is considered safe temps by many even tho they are rated up to 125 or something around there. IIRC if your VRM's are say 100 or so and you run it for long periods you risk damaging your card or even


LOL









I try to keep mine under 100c - and that makes me happy... I am a simple man.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> some quadfire 7970's under water for ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 2.2 kW Holodeck VII
> 
> [email protected]
> Gigabyte GA-990-FXA-UD7 (rev 1.1)
> 16GB Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133 MHz
> 4 X HD 7970 Quadfire
> 1x Corsiar AX1200W
> 2x FSP Group X5 500W =1000W
> 1XNexXxos XT45mm x 360mm Rads
> 2 x NexXxos XT45mm x 240mm Rads
> 1x NexXxos XT45mm x 120mm Rads
> 3X VPP-655 Pumps
> 1X Phobya DC-12-400 Pump
> Koolance 370 CPU Block
> 4 x Heatkiller GPU X-3 Waterblocks (full parallel cooling)
> Rad Fans: Coolermaster Excalibur
> Bitspower & Monsoon Fittings
> Primochill Advanced LRT Tubing
> Case CoolerMaster Cosmos 2
> Heatkiller X-3 Multilink Quad Bridge
> BitsPower Z-Multi 250mML Reservoir
> Eyefinity 3+1 Extended 5760 x 1080-25" Monitors
Click to expand...

Could you post a validation for your 24/7 OC?[/quote]

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=2555833


----------



## kersoz2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> ahh well i would just keep it as is then. VRM temps should try to keep them under 90*C.. also try setting a custom fan profile instead of auto i find best.


what custom fan settings should I make ? can you give a good example for my 1150/1650 @ 1,1168 overclock ?


----------



## Imprezzion

We can't give that example. You are the one that has to make a balanced fan profile for temps and noise.

So, keep the core under the point of artifacting or 90c, and keep the VRM's under 90c as well, with as low as possible noise.

For my extreme OC that means a Accelero 7970 cooling block with 2 120mm Scythe Slipstream 1600RPM's ziptied to it..
Yes, it makes one helluva noise but it also makes one helluva e-peen and one helluva FPS counter


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> We can't give that example. You are the one that has to make a balanced fan profile for temps and noise.
> 
> So, keep the core under the point of artifacting or 90c, and keep the VRM's under 90c as well, with as low as possible noise.
> 
> For my extreme OC that means a Accelero 7970 cooling block with 2 120mm Scythe Slipstream 1600RPM's ziptied to it..
> Yes, it makes one helluva noise but it also makes one helluva e-peen and one helluva FPS counter


Extreme overclocking 7970 on an accelero?


----------



## Face2Face

Whats considered extreme?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Whats considered extreme?


Ln2 (liquid nitrogen) for extreme overclocking for benching. Not for daily use


----------



## kersoz2003

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> We can't give that example. You are the one that has to make a balanced fan profile for temps and noise.
> 
> So, keep the core under the point of artifacting or 90c, and keep the VRM's under 90c as well, with as low as possible noise.
> 
> For my extreme OC that means a Accelero 7970 cooling block with 2 120mm Scythe Slipstream 1600RPM's ziptied to it..
> Yes, it makes one helluva noise but it also makes one helluva e-peen and one helluva FPS counter


Ok thanks all. I made a custom fan profile which lowered my temperatures from 80 to 68 degress









here is my profile:



is it allright ?


----------



## Anoxy

So do people only get 'reference' cards when they plan to watercool them?


----------



## Valgaur

hey guys and gals!

got a question what 7950 blocks are there for watercooling? I'm doing a major build with quadfire of them and it's tough trying to figure what ones they fit on... at frozencpu is the only 7950 block i can find.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> So do people only get 'reference' cards when they plan to watercool them?


some yes some just like the look ( i know i love the look of reference cards... they be sexay. but i watercooled them anywho )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Valgaur*
> 
> hey guys and gals!
> 
> got a question what 7950 blocks are there for watercooling? I'm doing a major build with quadfire of them and it's tough trying to figure what ones they fit on... at frozencpu is the only 7950 block i can find.


tons out there swiftech komodo 7950, ek , aquacomputer jsut to name a few


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> some yes some just like the look ( i know i love the look of reference cards... they be sexay. but i watercooled them anywho )
> tons out there swiftech komodo 7950, ek , aquacomputer jsut to name a few


I like the look of most of them as well, but it seems like their fan design wouldn't be as great as some of the dual and triple fan covers.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Why do you care, i care? Why not talk instead of be a jerk? I can make mean comments too, oh bro your a total nerd. Where does that get us?
> 
> Sure, if there's more to the story, I'd love to hear... how.. one could be compelled to bend a brand new current gen gpu lol
> Wow, awesome post!
> 
> Screw UI, I'll go with Trixx. I use OCCT error test for stress testing anyways, not kombostor.
> 
> Where does those RAM voltages come? Elpida, hynix chips, they are good for like 1.9v+ on RAM right? I mean at least 1.75v+ (http://www.overclockers.com/memory-overclocking-guide-ivy-bridge_). I know you might not know _exactly_ where these voltages come from, i imagine these are just like the 'official' max figures given, but what I say makes sense right? I mean most people just run their ram at 1.75v and do the highest overclock they can on it, no? Of course, as temps allow.
> 
> I'm surprised that the software voltage of 1.381 is reachable if it's really dangerous, but that must be why they lowered it to 1.3v... hmm. I'd love to run higher voltage if temps allowed and it was safe though, but I'm not too familiar with how often 7950s die. For example ivy bridge never dies or degrades, literally zero reports of death or degradation, so as long as temps are okay you just crank up voltage. Maybe temps will be an issue before i can think of 1.3v+ anyways.
> 
> Yea I hear most chokes whine at 80*C+, most pcb is rated for only 90*C. That sounds right, I'll keep it under 90 since I plan to run 24/7/365 computational work on this GPU actually. I won't even be plugging my monitors into my gpu, i'll be plugging both my monitors into my iGPU, and then plugging into my gpu only during gaming sessions.
> 
> 
> 
> I was not being rude. And i find you incredibly childish and/or overly sensitive. Ive been warned by 2-3 people already that i shouldnt talk to you. I dont know why you started insulting and talking crap all of the sudden. Blocked.
> 
> I wont take it. I dont deal with people like you. I just block them.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry you felt that way, I never meant to insult you or talk crap. I felt like you were just making excuses instead of answering the question - it's okay if you are silly rich and made a mistake or something, we all make mistakes, but I'm genuinely curious why you would break a $500 graphics card instead of just RMAing it when you had a clear case for it, or not at least sell it on ebay. There's a big difference in "ah maybe I shouldn't have broken my $500 graphics card, I was just really angry it wasn't working" to "I snapped my $500 gpu, your childish and overly sensitive for caring why I would do that". If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, I know sometimes people don't want to talk about how their parents bought them their graphics card or something when there's no shame in that, but you don't say that, you just keep basically blowing me off instead of answering why in the world someone would snap a $500 graphics card. It's all the more confusing when you say you are thinking of buying a 7970 off ebay, which shows you know there exists a website that you can sell faulty and used graphics cards.

Please, I only want to keep things civil. I was a bit insulted when you asked 'why do you care', I felt that was just a mean thing to say. I dont care about anything on this website, or whatever, I'm on the website, so I engage other members. What kind of question is that to ask 'why do you care'. Seriously, if your boss asked you how your weekend was and you said 'why do you care', how do you think he'd feel? Or your girlfriend?

If I've insulted you at all, I apologize, that is not my intent, but you must understand my total shock that you would just snap a $500 graphics card without a word on why you did it. I've done stupid things too, and I'll admit that. But the manner in which you speak of the incident sounds like you don't regret doing it at all.


----------



## Mega Man

his monies let him do what he wants.

edited as that was not the xbox i wanted


----------



## Belial

Hey what is all this amd bloatware with the driver:

- AMD Accelerated transcoding
- AMD Drag and Drop transcoding
- AMD Media foundation transcoding
- Catalyst control center

then the hdmi audio thing i disabled (i dont use my monitor's speakers...). I was curious which of this stuff I actually needed to use. I don't use itunes or anything, i do lots of streaming (dont think its the same thing though...), gaming, overclocking obv.

And then there's catalyst control center profiles (i only play sc2, and only ever will). I do know that I need to do the power limit fix and use the latest version of trixx for overclocking but otherwise im having difficulty finding straight answers on this stuff.

Thanks.

edit: I still don't know whether the sapphire 7950 dual-x (boost? i think i have the 'boost edition'... or all they all boosts? it has a button and can go up to 925mhz apparently... so many confusing models) has hynix or elpida but i'll be replacing the TIM later so if no one knows i'll be posting some totally newly discovered information shortly. I see no reason not to take ram voltage to 1.75v+, temps withstanding, seeing as it's the same ICs as ram, is it not?


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> his monies let him do what he wants.
> 
> edited as that was not the xbox i wanted


Where's his video


----------



## Pheozero

Does disabling ULPS on a single card do anything?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Does disabling UPLS on a single card do anything?


from what i understand no


----------



## wrigleyvillain

You are correct; only crossfire. Straight from Wizzard at TPU who wrote it for Sapphire.


----------



## lazostat

Hello my friends. 1st post here!

I want to buy a new desktop and i dont know what version of 7970 should i buy.

processor : AMD FX 8350 4.0 GHz Eight Core Socket AM3+ 125W Box
motherboard : Gigabyte Socket AM3+ GA-990FXA-UD3 Rev 3.0 GLan Audio Raid
power supply : CORSAIR Professional Platinum Series 760W Modular

I want the best version, according the silence and temperature, not the perfomance. All are good in this sector.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## zerokool_3211

ran some valley testing the power limit %'s after enabling....looks like very little help from it...also looks like i cant do 1250 for long periods....



0%



20%



30%



50%

edited photos cause eyefinity desktop pics too big sorry for that...rofl


----------



## tsm106

^^Nice, thanks for taking the time to run the tests.

The TDP limit is hard locked, so the idea of raising a hard locked limit with a registry key... seems rather far fetched.

That hasn't stopped ppl from reposting an idea that was forgotten 3 years ago because it didn't work then.


----------



## lazostat

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lazostat*
> 
> Hello my friends. 1st post here!
> 
> I want to buy a new desktop and i dont know what version of 7970 should i buy.
> 
> processor : AMD FX 8350 4.0 GHz Eight Core Socket AM3+ 125W Box
> motherboard : Gigabyte Socket AM3+ GA-990FXA-UD3 Rev 3.0 GLan Audio Raid
> power supply : CORSAIR Professional Platinum Series 760W Modular
> 
> I want the best version, according the silence and temperature, not the perfomance. All are good in this sector.
> 
> Thanks in advance.


I read this article : http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7970-overclock-review,3186.html

So i think i will buy the sapphire vapor-x version! What do you think?


----------



## tsm106

^^That article was written when teh Sapphire OC was built on a reference pcb. It's not the same card anymore, it's not as good of a card now. The original card was great, this one is ok.


----------



## Belial

Just for the record, ranger's first post towards my inquiry was 'butthurt'.

Got my sapphire 7950 dual-x today. it hits 75*C on full load at stock [email protected] and the plastic sheath seems to rattle when the fans ramp up based on the orientation of the gpu. like it has to be perfectly upright.


----------



## lazostat

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^That article was written when teh Sapphire OC was built on a reference pcb. It's not the same card anymore, it's not as good of a card now. The original card was great, this one is ok.


Why its not the same card anymore? Isnt better than gigabyte Ghz ?

Here in greece i dont have many version of this card. Only the gigabyte,sapphire,asus,xfx.

Not the iced2 and msi lightning.

So, what do you suggest?


----------



## Rangerjr1

My sapphires stock voltage is 1067mV


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Extreme overclocking 7970 on an accelero?


What I basically meant was the fact I can now keep the core under 50c at 20c ambient no matter what load I put on it while running 1.300v and 1310Mhz 24/7.

With 1.381v the core rises to about 58-60c. So, if I wanted to, and the VRMs would keep up in temps, which they don't, I could probably get away with benching at a volt-mod of like, 1.45v orso without core temps being too high.

It's just a shame that even with my extensive modding and the VRM cooling off of a MSI TF3 7970 the VRMs still hit 75c on 20c ambient running 1.300v core, 1.656v VRAM and 1310Mhz core, 1775Mhz VRAM.


----------



## Maco88

hi Guys,

Need some advice/help.

Strange thing happened on my HIS HD7970 [reference card] card today.

Was playing around with BF3, and quit the game and returned the fan speed to 35% [was at 60% when playing BF3]. After a few minutes I noticed the idle temps were at 80c. ***??? At full load playing BF3 it didn't get past 70c with 60% fan. So I did a reboot just incase something was stuck in the system and needed a reboot.

Low and behold when I rebooted, with nothing running except CCC and GPU-Z, the temps begin creeping up. I noticed on CCC there was activity, but from where and what. Nothing was running and the system has not been changed at all. at idle it always sits at about 38 - 40c.

I checked Task Manager and I was 99% CPU idle, so there was virtually no activity there.

From time to time, CCC would should 0% activity and the temps would begin to drop again. Then all of a sudden there would be activity of 55%, 65% up to 96%, all at the same time nothing started after initial startup of Windows 7.

This just started happening out of the blue, and I have no idea what could be causing this activity while the system is idle. Funny thing is when i cranks the fans up to 60% and run a game [eg. Tomb Raider] I ran it for about 15 minutes and everything seemed normal. Temps did not reach over 69c whilst playing. Its as if playing a game keeps it cooler than when it just sitting there idle.... thats why i said this is really strange.

What on earth could this be? Has anyone ever experienced this before. Any help, suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers


----------



## d1nky

run a virus and malware scan.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Maco88*
> 
> I checked Task Manager and I was 99% CPU idle, so there was virtually no activity there.


what does that mean? 99% idle? 0-10% = idle


----------



## Maco88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> run a virus and malware scan.
> what does that mean? 99% idle? 0-10% = idle


In Task Manager under the "Process" tab, in the "CPU" column. System Idle Process showing 99%, basically means the system was totally idle, nothing running, nothing using CPU that I could establish why CCC was showing activity [up to 96%] when nothing was running in the system at the time.


----------



## Maco88

btw.. have run scans, and system appears clean.


----------



## Traphix

7990 priced at $1100, with the cheapest being a single powercolor model for $1050.

http://goo.gl/1cZi1


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> What I basically meant was the fact I can now keep the core under 50c at 20c ambient no matter what load I put on it while running 1.300v and 1310Mhz 24/7.
> 
> With 1.381v the core rises to about 58-60c. So, if I wanted to, and the VRMs would keep up in temps, which they don't, I could probably get away with benching at a volt-mod of like, 1.45v orso without core temps being too high.
> 
> It's just a shame that even with my extensive modding and the VRM cooling off of a MSI TF3 7970 the VRMs still hit 75c on 20c ambient running 1.300v core, 1.656v VRAM and 1310Mhz core, 1775Mhz VRAM.


Do you have a picture of your card? How did you modify your vrm cooling? Just using the plate from a TF3?


----------



## lazostat

So, what's version of 7970 should i buy? i want low noise and temperature.. DirectCU II, GHz OC, or Vapor-x?

I AM SO CONFUSED!


----------



## momsbasement656

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> ran some valley testing the power limit %'s after enabling....looks like very little help from it...also looks like i cant do 1250 for long periods....


If you were not getting throttled in the first place, it's not going to help.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Nice, thanks for taking the time to run the tests.
> 
> The TDP limit is hard locked, so the idea of raising a hard locked limit with a registry key... seems rather far fetched.
> 
> That hasn't stopped ppl from reposting an idea that was forgotten 3 years ago because it didn't work then.


Then how do you explain it helping on mine and many other peoples cards?
How do you explain my increased frame rates when I went from 20 to 25% power limit?
How do you explain Afterburner showing GPU throttling at 20% and none after 25% was set?
What do cards and registry edits from 3 years ago have ANY relevance to what we are using today in this case?

We are talking about a proven thing here. Not a theory.

Or do you think that me and everyone who has tried this and had it help is lying?


----------



## Krusher33

Then do the same as zerokool did and show us.


----------



## Striker444

Yeah my GPU throttles at 20% had to up it to get it at a constant clock.

I can never get the card to throttle in Heaven, its not demanding enough. However Sleeping Dogs and Crysis 3 can do it right away.

Here is 20%


Here is 25%


Here is 50%


As you can see even at 25% powertune my card still throttles just a little bit, I generally just keep it at 50%. You can also see my max temps are slightly higher after each bump, 53c, 55c, 56c


----------



## Face2Face

Since when can you increase the power limit past 20% ????


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Since when can you increase the power limit past 20% ????


It's a reg hack. It's the only way I can get my 7950 to OC correctly. I included more info in this thread:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1387612/fundamental-flaw-in-7950-gcn/30#post_19882671


----------



## Mydog

The update on 3DMark is really good even on CFX.

increased my score in Firestrike by 1300 points









Here's a comparison of the old(1.0) vs the new(1.1)

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/439713/fs/329304


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> The update on 3DMark is really good even on CFX.
> 
> increased my score in Firestrike by 1300 points
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a comparison of the old(1.0) vs the new(1.1)
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/439713/fs/329304


Nice..For some reason 3DMARK will not work on my computer.Once i try and open it just shuts down.I have tried everything but just can't get it to work..


----------



## zerokool_3211

i still feel like the reg hack doesn't do anything.... wouldn't that be controlled by the bios of the card which could not be changed by the reg or the driver?

lol didnt mean to start problems....only reason i asked is cause i member it being like that on my 6970 but i never did the hack you guys are talking about so i dont know how it was like that already.


----------



## Belial

[email protected] is not stable for me (i get errors in occt error test after 3 minutes, no perceivable artifacts, just imperceivable ones) and is 81*C.

I just replaced the stock paste with coolaboratory liquid ultra and I went from 81*C to 80*c... So kudos to Sapphire to using extremely high end paste (i really feel I did something wrong instead...) but it sucks I can't really overclock this card far, there's no way to change memory voltage (to my knowledge, downloaded modded 4.4, no mddc), and that the heatsink rattles.


----------



## sugarhell

Dont use occt


----------



## Belial

occt error check is the strongest stress test, it will bring furmark-stable overclocks down a good 50-80mhz.

I'm using my GPU for compute workload, so it's very important it's 100% stable. if it's not, it won't be that I won't make money, I will literally lose money. This card isn't for gaming at all, my 460 is overkill for the games I play (but my CPU isn't).


----------



## Rangerjr1

Wow. I asked corsair to give me a new sidepanel for my 800d because it was scratched. Got a new one. This one is scratched too. GOOD JOB CORSAIR!.

Stupid customer support...


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Wow. I asked corsair to give me a new sidepanel for my 800d because it was scratched. Got a new one. This one is scratched too. GOOD JOB CORSAIR!.
> 
> Stupid customer support...


That's Corsair support at its finest







They really drop the ball when it comes to taking care of the customer







Don't even get me started


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> That's Corsair support at its finest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They really drop the ball when it comes to taking care of the customer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't even get me started


The 800d isnt even that great, i could've gotten a case that is much better for air cooling aswel as water. It is in NO WAY worth the price i paid for it...


----------



## bigmac11

Honestly that's the way with all their products. They look great and perform like crap. I recently moved and threw away close to $1000 of their faulty products that they refused to RMA


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Honestly that's the way with all their products. They look great and perform like crap. I recently moved and threw away close to $1000 of their faulty products that they refused to RMA


I suggest you throw away that 800d if you can. Maybe get a cheap cooler master case. Or even Lian Li. (which is quality btw COMPARED TO CORSAIR!)


----------



## bigmac11

On another note I finally got all 3 of my 7950 plumbed and rocking







Man these cards pull some power oced


----------



## tsm106

I'm good with the 700D/800D.



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> On another note I finally got all 3 of my 7950 plumbed and rocking
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Man these cards pull some power oced


Really? I only have 1 though







. But i might buy a 7970 that has been proven to overclock quite a bit! Got an amazing deal! Lets hope you can cool those 7950s in that 800d. If you arent water cooling them you are lucky if they dont overheat


----------



## momsbasement656

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> i still feel like the reg hack doesn't do anything.... wouldn't that be controlled by the bios of the card which could not be changed by the reg or the driver?
> 
> lol didnt mean to start problems....only reason i asked is cause i member it being like that on my 6970 but i never did the hack you guys are talking about so i dont know how it was like that already.


Well, think about it this way.... Catalyst Control Center, which is the official AMD driver, actually allows you to increase the power draw by 20%.... if it was locked in the BIOS, they wouldn't make that an option. And you can "feel" all you want, but the actual proven fact is, that if your card is drawing more power than the set limit, increasing that limit improves performance. AMD wouldn't have allowed a 20% increase in their official drivers if they didn't feel it was safe.

And can I just say..... this 7950 is the most amazing Overclocking part I've ever had the pleasure of working with! Without any overclocking, I couldn't play Tomb Raider smoothly with everything turned up, never mind TressFX (the tech that renders every strand of her hair). With the overclocking and increased TDP limit discussed above, I can run it with everything, including TressFX, perfectly smoothly.

Amazing. What a value for overclockers.


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> That's Corsair support at its finest
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> They really drop the ball when it comes to taking care of the customer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't even get me started
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The 800d isnt even that great, i could've gotten a case that is much better for air cooling aswel as water. It is in NO WAY worth the price i paid for it...
Click to expand...

I'm planning to get a 900D for this very reason, I want the space to transition from air to water cooling. Almost ordered an 800D but that's about 3 years old and then I saw what the 900D was and I can't wait to get one. I've got a lot of Corsair stuff too, RAM, SSD, mouse/pad, CPU cooler and fans... 900D though


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm good with the 700D/800D.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Thanks for the help with the crossfire issue. Took me a little bit but I got it


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *momsbasement656*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> i still feel like the reg hack doesn't do anything.... wouldn't that be controlled by the bios of the card which could not be changed by the reg or the driver?
> 
> lol didnt mean to start problems....only reason i asked is cause i member it being like that on my 6970 but i never did the hack you guys are talking about so i dont know how it was like that already.
> 
> 
> 
> Well, think about it this way.... Catalyst Control Center, which is the official AMD driver, actually allows you to increase the power draw by 20%.... if it was locked in the BIOS, they wouldn't make that an option. And you can "feel" all you want, but the actual proven fact is, that if your card is drawing more power than the set limit, increasing that limit improves performance. AMD wouldn't have allowed a 20% increase in their official drivers if they didn't feel it was safe.
> 
> And can I just say..... this 7950 is the most amazing Overclocking part I've ever had the pleasure of working with! Without any overclocking, I couldn't play Tomb Raider smoothly with everything turned up, never mind TressFX (the tech that renders every strand of her hair). With the overclocking and increased TDP limit discussed above, I can run it with everything, including TressFX, perfectly smoothly.
> 
> Amazing. What a value for overclockers.
Click to expand...

Have you done the math? 7970 TDP is 250w. Raise that 20% and you get 300w (which is the max of the wiring specs). Now if we add the hack which raises the TDP 50% instead which would make it 375w which is obviously way over the electrical spec.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Have you done the math? 7970 TDP is 250w. Raise that 20% and you get 300w (which is the max of the wiring specs). Now if we add the hack which raises the TDP 50% instead which would make it 375w which is obviously way over the electrical spec.


What do you figure 3 7950's @ 1150/1600 pull for wattage?


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm good with the 700D/800D.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


That is a nice reservoir you have there


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> What do you figure 3 7950's @ 1150/1600 pull for wattage?


Tell us the voltage, power limit etc.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Have you done the math? 7970 TDP is 250w. Raise that 20% and you get 300w (which is the max of the wiring specs). Now if we add the hack which raises the TDP 50% instead which would make it 375w which is obviously way over the electrical spec.
> 
> 
> 
> What do you figure 3 7950's @ 1150/1600 pull for wattage?
Click to expand...

Hmm, in trifire I draw over 1400w peak just running Valley in 1080P at 98% of max clocks. My cpu draws a lot of juice too, but yours would not be very far off. Back when I was running a [email protected] with same cards/loop I recorded draw over 1300w. With 7950s I suppose it would be 50w less per card rough guestimate.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm good with the 700D/800D.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That is a nice reservoir you have there
Click to expand...

Oh yea! I moved to the smaller res. I'd been meaning to let ya know I finally put your res to use. Thanks man.


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Traphix*
> 
> 7990 priced at $1100, with the cheapest being a single powercolor model for $1050.
> 
> http://goo.gl/1cZi1


Sheeeit son, should I kop to replace my single 7970?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Traphix*
> 
> 7990 priced at $1100, with the cheapest being a single powercolor model for $1050.
> 
> http://goo.gl/1cZi1
> 
> 
> 
> Sheeeit son, should I kop to replace my single 7970?
Click to expand...

The main reason to get a real AMD 7970 reference is for the display outputs. Unless you have 3 or more DP capable panels, there isn't much reason to get crossfire on a stick. That said, the display output design of the 7990 is really expensive and only AMD seems to be capable of it.


----------



## Anoxy

wait what


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by tsm106
> 
> Have you done the math? 7970 TDP is 250w. Raise that 20% and you get 300w (which is the max of the wiring specs). Now if we add the hack which raises the TDP 50% instead which would make it 375w which is obviously way over the electrical spec.


I have not been able to figure how people running quads and hard benching are getting away with a 1200w PSU. I am up around 1800W when I put the screws to it.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *momsbasement656*
> 
> Well, think about it this way.... Catalyst Control Center, which is the official AMD driver, actually allows you to increase the power draw by 20%.... if it was locked in the BIOS, they wouldn't make that an option. And you can "feel" all you want, but the actual proven fact is, that if your card is drawing more power than the set limit, increasing that limit improves performance. AMD wouldn't have allowed a 20% increase in their official drivers if they didn't feel it was safe.
> 
> And can I just say..... this 7950 is the most amazing Overclocking part I've ever had the pleasure of working with! Without any overclocking, I couldn't play Tomb Raider smoothly with everything turned up, never mind TressFX (the tech that renders every strand of her hair). With the overclocking and increased TDP limit discussed above, I can run it with everything, including TressFX, perfectly smoothly.
> 
> Amazing. What a value for overclockers.


not saying it doesnt work up to 20%....cause i saw a clear increase in fps from 0% to 20%....but just because the AB says 50% now doesnt make it so....


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I have not been able to figure how people running quads and hard benching are getting away with a 1200w PSU. I am up around 1800W when I put the screws to it.


theyre probably significantly under powered, and not forgetting ya need at least 100w spare headroom on any wattage requirement. I went for several hundred


----------



## robnitro

250w tdp yes, but run occt 380x380 dx11 shaders 5 error check on with 0 and+20 at 1100/1.18v

Check gpu-z vrm current in..thats 12v load actual.

0 will keep load around 15a max. 15x12=180w
20 gives me up to 20a max.. 20ax12v=240w
Some losses yes, but vrm current in is the best way to check.


----------



## Seid Dark

I'm having a problem with occassional flickering when using Firefox. There's randomly horizontal screen wide flicker on middle of the screen. Hardware acceleration is turned off. I'm not using any overclocking software. Driver is 13.5 beta 2.

I didn't have this kind of problem with my old GTX 670, what would be the solution?


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guys,
Im thinking of buying my second card,
Im looking at the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr III BOOST EDITION
What power connections does it take?
I have the Twin Frozr III V2 and that takes one 6 pin PCIE and one 8 pin PCIE
thanks


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guys,
> Im thinking of buying my second card,
> Im looking at the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr III BOOST EDITION
> What power connections does it take?
> I have the Twin Frozr III V2 and that takes one 6 pin PCIE and one 8 pin PCIE
> thanks


Boost Edition has 6+6 pin power connectors.


----------



## IBYCFOTA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I'm having a problem with occassional flickering when using Firefox. There's randomly horizontal screen wide flicker on middle of the screen. Hardware acceleration is turned off. I'm not using any overclocking software. Driver is 13.5 beta 2.
> 
> I didn't have this kind of problem with my old GTX 670, what would be the solution?


I have the same exact issue. It all started when I switched to a 120hz BenQ monitor, though it still happens when I use HDMI. Not sure how to fix it. Do you also get ripples / faint lines in the middle of your screen in some games, particularly FPS's? Trying to see if it might be related.

On a separate note, why'd you side grade from the 670 to the 7950 and which do you prefer overall?


----------



## momsbasement656

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Have you done the math? 7970 TDP is 250w. Raise that 20% and you get 300w (which is the max of the wiring specs). Now if we add the hack which raises the TDP 50% instead which would make it 375w which is obviously way over the electrical spec.


Do you understand that I just raised mine from 20 to 25%? And it really doesn't matter what it's set to... you could hack it to go up to %200, but it's only going to draw what it needs. I'm not understanding what you are arguing here. That people are going to start melting their boards? I agree if people start pushing 50% more power.... but that would be kind of hard to do, I would think, as you'd get crashing long before you reached the overvolting and GPU speed increase that would be needed to draw that much power!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> not saying it doesnt work up to 20%....cause i saw a clear increase in fps from 0% to 20%....but just because the AB says 50% now doesnt make it so....


Well, I and many other have seen a clear increase going over 20%. Our cards were throttling at 20%. In my case, hacking AB to push it up to 25% gave me a nice bump.... this has worked for a lot of people. 50% might not be real, but who cares? As pointed out above, that would be an insane amount of current. I can confirm that 25% is real.

I'm just not understanding the doubt, in the face of all the graphs and tests all over this forum proving this..... whatever. Go bury your head in the sand.


----------



## PedroC1999

Could you tell me how to let my card go past 20%? maybe even just 25% like yours


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Could you tell me how to let my card go past 20%? maybe even just 25% like yours


http://www.overclock.net/t/1387430/amd-how-to-change-the-power-control-limit-from-20-to-50/0_30


----------



## sugarhell

You cant pass the 20% tdp limit. Its a pcb limitation not a registry hack. Even if you change the registry is quite impossible to pass the 20% limit ( 300 watt). Its pretty insane for a normal user to reach 300 watt from a 7970.

Your problem is somewhere else with the boost cards( i believe the 'force constant voltage')


----------



## PedroC1999

Thanks, Il try it when my second card arrives in a few weeks hopefully


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *IBYCFOTA*
> 
> I have the same exact issue. It all started when I switched to a 120hz BenQ monitor, though it still happens when I use HDMI. Not sure how to fix it. Do you also get ripples / faint lines in the middle of your screen in some games, particularly FPS's? Trying to see if it might be related.
> 
> On a separate note, why'd you side grade from the 670 to the 7950 and which do you prefer overall?


I also have 120Hz screen. And yes, there has been problem you described in benchmarks and games. It's very random.

My 670 was mediocre overclocker so I switched to AMD side in hopes of greater performance, Never Settle game bundle was also a factor. To be honest, my 7950 isn't that impressive. I guess I was hyped too much by other AMD users. After 12.11 drivers there were people saying that 670 and 680 are irrelevant because 7xxx cards have so awesome performance, 7950 was supposed to be equal to 680 when both are overclocked to the max. I guess I would be less disappointed if my 7950 wouldn't be so bad when it come's to overclocking (1150/1300MHz).

In the end I prefer Nvidia more but this card isn't by any means horrible. Catalyst drivers could use some work, many people seem to have some kind of flickering problems for example.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I also have 120Hz screen. And yes, there has been problem you described in benchmarks and games. It's very random.
> 
> My 670 was mediocre overclocker so I switched to AMD side in hopes of greater performance, Never Settle game bundle was also a factor. To be honest, my 7950 isn't that impressive. I guess I was hyped too much by other AMD users. After 12.11 drivers there were people saying that 670 and 680 are irrelevant because 7xxx cards have so awesome performance, 7950 was supposed to be equal to 680 when both are overclocked to the max. I guess I would be less disappointed if my 7950 wouldn't be so bad when it come's to overclocking (1150/1300MHz).
> 
> In the end I prefer Nvidia more but this card isn't by any means horrible. Catalyst drivers could use some work, many people seem to have some kind of flickering problems for example.


1150/1300 max oc?

must of been a bad egg, mine gets up near 1200/1800 on a cold day.


----------



## PedroC1999

I go 1175/1820

Core is at 1.3v


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I go 1175/1820
> 
> Core is at 1.3v


watercooled?


----------



## PedroC1999

Soon to be. Air cooled for now


----------



## d1nky

that's a beasty overclock, I haven't tried with these new drivers.

I find anymore on the ram itll freeze and shutdown, for some reason I didn't push the core. most I went up to was 1220 and thought that's enough.

still I did have a near 12k on graphics score. shame I deleted it and kept highest overall lol


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

*Asus 7970 Top voltage tottally unlocked* by me







Check this thread, I'll tell how to do it soon









http://www.overclock.net/t/1389860/asus-dcu-ii-7970-top-voltage-totally-unlocked-by-dj-oxygene-8


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I also have 120Hz screen. And yes, there has been problem you described in benchmarks and games. It's very random.
> 
> My 670 was mediocre overclocker so I switched to AMD side in hopes of greater performance, Never Settle game bundle was also a factor. To be honest, my 7950 isn't that impressive. I guess I was hyped too much by other AMD users. After 12.11 drivers there were people saying that 670 and 680 are irrelevant because 7xxx cards have so awesome performance, 7950 was supposed to be equal to 680 when both are overclocked to the max. I guess I would be less disappointed if my 7950 wouldn't be so bad when it come's to overclocking (1150/1300MHz).
> 
> In the end I prefer Nvidia more but this card isn't by any means horrible. Catalyst drivers could use some work, many people seem to have some kind of flickering problems for example.


670/680 are by no means irrelevant, the hype comes mainly from price, 670 costs like ~50d more than 7950, while offering similar performance. Quite same thing goes to 680 vs 7970. Also it depends how well each card overclocks, absolute max overclocked 7950 IS faster/as fast than reasonably overclocked 680, but these huge overclocks ppl are talking about (like lets say core >1250MHz) arent possible in 99% of cases on stock air cooling, and also many chips simply dont clock that high, you need a very good card+very good cooling for that...

Yours (1150MHz core) is like an average overclock you can except from the 7950 using stock cooler so yeah.


----------



## Snuckie7

Hey guys, does Crysis 3 crash for anyone else with a DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED error?

I thought this was due to my overclock at first, but reverting to bone stock clocks and even upping the voltage at stock clocks did nothing. Any ideas? Running 13.5 beta 2


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Hey guys, does Crysis 3 crash for anyone else with a DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED error?
> 
> I thought this was due to my overclock at first, but reverting to bone stock clocks and even upping the voltage at stock clocks did nothing. Any ideas? Running 13.5 beta 2


Have you edited your registry in order to increase Power Limit?

Try to restart your system.

CHEERS..


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> What I basically meant was the fact I can now keep the core under 50c at 20c ambient no matter what load I put on it while running 1.300v and 1310Mhz 24/7.
> 
> With 1.381v the core rises to about 58-60c. So, if I wanted to, and the VRMs would keep up in temps, which they don't, I could probably get away with benching at a volt-mod of like, 1.45v orso without core temps being too high.
> 
> It's just a shame that even with my extensive modding and the VRM cooling off of a MSI TF3 7970 the VRMs still hit 75c on 20c ambient running 1.300v core, 1.656v VRAM and 1310Mhz core, 1775Mhz VRAM.


Been a while since I looked at aftermarket air coolers, didn't realize they had a new one for the 7970. I tried an older model accellero on a reference 7970 & it was teh suck (even at stock clocks & volts).
I should get one of the proper ones, those are nice core temps!


----------



## Imprezzion

Problem with the older Accelero's was the coolers contact surface. It wasn't rotated the 45 degrees the core on the HD7xxx are and also, with the addition of the metal shim around the core, the older Accelero's won't contact very well.

These Accelero's have amazing coretemps (Especially with 2 high CFM 120mm's strapped to them like I got hehe) but the VRM cooling is dismal..

Those tiny little aluminium heatsinks are barely enough for the stock 1.256v for a Ghz Edition and then still it would probably be 80+c loaded...

By the way, anyone here interested in a dead Sapphire Reference HD7970? It's the first model and it's a very old card, one of the first few months of production.

Clocked average on air, but I went a little too high on the VDDC and MVDDC...

I ran the thing 24/7 on 1.300v with VRM temps hitting 110c in some situations and now, after some more research, I found out that it WASN'T what I always thought...

I always assumed one of my CORE VRM's died due to the heat, but I found the REAL problem... It's not one of the core VRM's.. But probably either the VRAM or PLL VRM that went up in smoke... I ran 1.700v on the VRM 24/7 so maybe it was too much for it to handle @ 110c?



So, the card right now, powers up, fans spin, fan regulator works as the fans drop in speed after ~5 seconds of POST, but the POST hangs on No VGA Detected! POST code and the card shows no further signs of life.

So, do you think i can either be saved, or that it is useful for someone? Zombie maybe?

I got plenty of soldering experience, also with SMD and GPU's* (Something involving 9800GX2 Quad-SLI Voltmodded and load temps of 108c..







), so no problem if someone has ANY idea how to fix this poor thing. All I need to do is buy a new soldering iron as my old Weller has a cable fracture in the plug and I can't fix it without, guess what..


----------



## SortOfGrim

What would be a good oc for my Matrix? Stock it's: clock 1050 MHz & mem: 1500 MHz


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SortOfGrim*
> 
> What would be a good oc for my Matrix? Stock it's: clock 1050 MHz & mem: 1500 MHz


1200/6800 is good and stable on mine at stock voltage. Just got my WB today and that should be going up soon. Check GPU tweak there should be some preconfigured settings in save for gaming. 1120/6680 I believe, if your not comfortable tweaking yourself. Also bios switch should enable 1100/6600. Just watch temps, stock heatsink/ fan is not all it's cracked up to be, hence the WB.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Have you done the math? 7970 TDP is 250w. Raise that 20% and you get 300w (which is the max of the wiring specs). Now if we add the hack which raises the TDP 50% instead which would make it 375w which is obviously way over the electrical spec.


i have to ask how do you know this?

do you know the length of the wire in question ?
do you know if it is copper or al.?
it may be over the "official" spec but that does not mean he is over amping his wires.

you can throw a amp rating on anything but the real amp rating is type ( usually al. or copper ) size and length. at the distances i run

assuming it is copper it is capable of more then [email protected]
*edit I ment watts not amps*
http://www.offroaders.com/tech/12-volt-wire-gauge-amps.htm
this is an example of a very very common chart. and i will assume you are running less then 2' 16g copper wire as i am
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> 1200/6800 is good and stable on mine at stock voltage. Just got my WB today and that should be going up soon. Check GPU tweak there should be some preconfigured settings in save for gaming. 1120/6680 I believe, if your not comfortable tweaking yourself. Also bios switch should enable 1100/6600. Just watch temps, stock heatsink/ fan is not all it's cracked up to be, hence the WB.


very sexay looking water block


----------



## hotrod717

@Mega Man - Thank you sir! Looking forward to installing it over the weekend and pushing this thing.


----------



## Nightz2k

Think it's worth changing the TIM on my 7950's ? I have Promlimatech PK-1, if anyone has used that and showed a noticeable difference ?

I want to overclock higher if I can or even just for better temps. My max OC's were up to 1225/1775.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Think it's worth changing the TIM on my 7950's ? I have Promlimatech PK-1, if anyone has used that and showed a noticeable difference ?
> 
> I want to overclock higher if I can or even just for better temps. My max OC's were up to 1225/1775.


I always swap my TIM for PK1 and see nice temp drops. I always test the card to make sure it works and then change the paste. If your temps don't change a ton try reapplying with ~1.5 times more than normal, it seems like the 79xx need more paste, at least in my experience.


----------



## Snuckie7

How's this for a 3DMark run?

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/631487


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I always swap my TIM for PK1 and see nice temp drops. I always test the card to make sure it works and then change the paste. If your temps don't change a ton try reapplying with ~1.5 times more than normal, it seems like the 79xx need more paste, at least in my experience.


Yeah, I was thinking of asking about the application too, about how much is good to use ? Like on my CPU, I use a line method, but GPU's are different obviously. I'm thinking either spread evenly or make an X and let it spread as I push down ?

I haven't changed TIM on GPU's since I had HD4870's, it been a good while.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Yeah, I was thinking of asking about the application too, about how much is good to use ? Like on my CPU, I use a line method, but GPU's are different obviously. I'm thinking either spread evenly or make an X and let it spread as I push down ?
> 
> I haven't changed TIM on GPU's since I had HD4870's, it been a good while.


I just put a single drop in the middle of the GPU and let the cooler spread it.


----------



## bigmac11

I used the X method when mounting my waterblocks. I tried the dot and when I checked the dispersion of the TIM it wasn't very good. The X was much better. I don't know if this will apply to the stock cooler.


----------



## SortOfGrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> 1200/6800 is good and stable on mine at stock voltage. Just got my WB today and that should be going up soon. Check GPU tweak there should be some preconfigured settings in save for gaming. 1120/6680 I believe, if your not comfortable tweaking yourself. Also bios switch should enable 1100/6600. Just watch temps, stock heatsink/ fan is not all it's cracked up to be, hence the WB.


thx, soon I'll







my card too..
Still waiting for an additional part


----------



## Lizard22

hello I have a question I have a 7950 crossfire with 2 accelero this hybrid refigerado 7970.
temperatures are very good idle min 24c. gpu.1 22c. gpu. 2 charge is delivered 45c for both cards. I tested both separately and arrive a1200 a very good temperatures less than 60c. and at least 80c.vrm core.
The problem is that I can not go mode crossfiire more of these clocks OC 1000/1375 is not to do that each gpu can do 1200/1600 easily separate.
I would like to get to 1200mz. 24/7.
Thank you for your response to optimize the overclock.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Yeah, I was thinking of asking about the application too, about how much is good to use ? Like on my CPU, I use a line method, but GPU's are different obviously. I'm thinking either spread evenly or make an X and let it spread as I push down ?
> 
> I haven't changed TIM on GPU's since I had HD4870's, it been a good while.


for GPU use the line method and spread evenly with a credit card like thing or a brush. as for TIM the best is coollaboratory liquid ultra . but its conductive. so be careful. for non conductive pk-1 is one of the very best.









http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/


----------



## Z_109

Hey quick question (hoping to become a 7950 member!)

Looking at 7950's is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

a good idea to pick up? Gonna pair it up with $30 dollars off w/ neweggs deal and finally get it. Not planning to OC it as nothing I play will need the xtra juice.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Z_109*
> 
> Hey quick question (hoping to become a 7950 member!)
> 
> Looking at 7950's is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414
> 
> a good idea to pick up? Gonna pair it up with $30 dollars off w/ neweggs deal and finally get it. Not planning to OC it as nothing I play will need the xtra juice.


yep that is a decent card with a decent cooler. I would go for it


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> for GPU use the line method and spread evenly with a credit card like thing or a brush. as for TIM the best is coollaboratory liquid ultra . but its conductive. so be careful. for non conductive pk-1 is one of the very best.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/


Thanks, I'll stick to what I have for now, it's sufficient. I've known about Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra though.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *momsbasement656*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Have you done the math? 7970 TDP is 250w. Raise that 20% and you get 300w (which is the max of the wiring specs). Now if we add the hack which raises the TDP 50% instead which would make it 375w which is obviously way over the electrical spec.
> 
> 
> 
> Do you understand that I just raised mine from 20 to 25%? And it really doesn't matter what it's set to... you could hack it to go up to %200, but it's only going to draw what it needs. I'm not understanding what you are arguing here. That people are going to start melting their boards? I agree if people start pushing 50% more power.... but that would be kind of hard to do, I would think, as you'd get crashing long before you reached the overvolting and GPU speed increase that would be needed to draw that much power!
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> not saying it doesnt work up to 20%....cause i saw a clear increase in fps from 0% to 20%....but just because the AB says 50% now doesnt make it so....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Well, I and many other have seen a clear increase going over 20%. Our cards were throttling at 20%. In my case, hacking AB to push it up to 25% gave me a nice bump.... this has worked for a lot of people. 50% might not be real, but who cares? As pointed out above, that would be an insane amount of current. I can confirm that 25% is real.
> 
> I'm just not understanding the doubt, in the face of all the graphs and tests all over this forum proving this..... whatever. Go bury your head in the sand.
Click to expand...

You are not getting it. You are not drawing any more power than the TDP limit because it is locked in hardware!

You ppl with boost cards are having issues with powerplay/pcie power mgmt wreak havoc on your rigs. Are you overclocking using -xcl method too? Read the forums, everyone and their dog has a boost card and they are also having issues with clocks dropping. The reg hack is 3 years old. It didn't do anything previously cuz there was nothing it could do. But nowadays ppl are looking for anything they can to get by this clock/throttling issue. Although I don't think its throttling but more of a powerstate issue.


----------



## Belial

^ yea just on stock clocks my card was throttling hard on just +25% power limit. It's a joke that these cards are advertisied for TDP 200w, these cards are insanely power hungry.

Also, PK-1 is not really the 'best' non-conductive paste, it's quite outdated nowadays. it's on okay paste, but any modern paste will beat it. PK-1 is kind of like... i dont know, nehalem. Great in it's day... but that was along time ago. PK-3 is significnatly better, you can check my sig, I actually did a review of PK-1 paste. CLU is the best though. GPUs normally have very good paste on it though, even PK-3 isn't likely to get you any better results.

I'm going to RMA my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 boost 3L. it turns out this card is junk - terrible overclocker, no VRM temp sensor, sapphire removed one of the phases (they get hot), at reduced voltage stock clock [email protected] it hits 75*C (at stock voltage 1.25 its even hotter!, this is more a 7950 issue than cooler though, as i replaced tim with CLU with only 1*C temp drop), it uses Elpida RAM, there's no memory voltage, and lots of funny reporting issues, like voltage changes are only shown if you use mod 4.4 (not unofficial AB or 4.6 trixx).

but the main reason I'm returning it, is because the heatsink rattles, there's no way to fix it. Just like this guys: 




My question, is what should I replace it with? I'm thinking the MSi Twin Frozr III 7950 is the best card, as the HIS card has just a single fan on a weak cooler. I'm worried it's 80mm fans intead of the 90mm on the sapphire's, this sapphire card already gets insanely hot on stock clocks. I hear the twin frozr iii has voltage control, mem voltage, uses hynix ram?


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> ^ yea just on stock clocks my card was throttling hard on just +25% power limit. It's a joke that these cards are advertisied for TDP 200w, these cards are insanely power hungry.
> 
> Also, PK-1 is not really the 'best' non-conductive paste, it's quite outdated nowadays. it's on okay paste, but any modern paste will beat it. PK-1 is kind of like... i dont know, nehalem. Great in it's day... but that was along time ago. PK-3 is significnatly better, you can check my sig, I actually did a review of PK-1 paste. CLU is the best though. GPUs normally have very good paste on it though, even PK-3 isn't likely to get you any better results.
> 
> I'm going to RMA my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 boost 3L. it turns out this card is junk - terrible overclocker, no VRM temp sensor, sapphire removed one of the phases (they get hot), at reduced voltage stock clock [email protected] it hits 75*C (at stock voltage 1.25 its even hotter!, this is more a 7950 issue than cooler though, as i replaced tim with CLU with only 1*C temp drop), it uses Elpida RAM, there's no memory voltage, and lots of funny reporting issues, like voltage changes are only shown if you use mod 4.4 (not unofficial AB or 4.6 trixx).
> 
> but the main reason I'm returning it, is because the heatsink rattles, there's no way to fix it. Just like this guys:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My question, is what should I replace it with? I'm thinking the MSi Twin Frozr III 7950 is the best card, as the HIS card has just a single fan on a weak cooler. I'm worried it's 80mm fans intead of the 90mm on the sapphire's, this sapphire card already gets insanely hot on stock clocks. I hear the twin frozr iii has voltage control, mem voltage, uses hynix ram?


i have a 7970 TF3 boost, and it actually does the same thing, but not nearly as loud....most of the time i cant hear it...every once and a while @ 100% fan


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You cant pass the 20% tdp limit. Its a pcb limitation not a registry hack. Even if you change the registry is quite impossible to pass the 20% limit ( 300 watt). Its pretty insane for a normal user to reach 300 watt from a 7970.
> 
> Your problem is somewhere else with the boost cards( i believe the 'force constant voltage')


thank you...this is what i meant.....how can you change something that is a hardware tdp?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> ^ yea just on stock clocks my card was throttling hard on just +25% power limit. It's a joke that these cards are advertisied for TDP 200w, these cards are insanely power hungry.
> 
> Also, PK-1 is not really the 'best' non-conductive paste, it's quite outdated nowadays. it's on okay paste, but any modern paste will beat it. PK-1 is kind of like... i dont know, nehalem. Great in it's day... but that was along time ago. PK-3 is significnatly better, you can check my sig, I actually did a review of PK-1 paste. CLU is the best though. GPUs normally have very good paste on it though, even PK-3 isn't likely to get you any better results.
> 
> I'm going to RMA my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 boost 3L. it turns out this card is junk - terrible overclocker, no VRM temp sensor, sapphire removed one of the phases (they get hot), at reduced voltage stock clock [email protected] it hits 75*C (at stock voltage 1.25 its even hotter!, this is more a 7950 issue than cooler though, as i replaced tim with CLU with only 1*C temp drop), it uses Elpida RAM, there's no memory voltage, and lots of funny reporting issues, like voltage changes are only shown if you use mod 4.4 (not unofficial AB or 4.6 trixx).
> 
> but the main reason I'm returning it, is because the heatsink rattles, there's no way to fix it. Just like this guys:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My question, is what should I replace it with? I'm thinking the MSi Twin Frozr III 7950 is the best card, as the HIS card has just a single fan on a weak cooler. I'm worried it's 80mm fans intead of the 90mm on the sapphire's, this sapphire card already gets insanely hot on stock clocks. I hear the twin frozr iii has voltage control, mem voltage, uses hynix ram?


Is an HIS IceQ X2 out of the question? I would get that model over the TFIII.

My TFIII uses garbage Elpida chips that can't OC for s*** so I imagine the current TFIII's use the same. The IceQ X2 also still ships on a 7970 PCB, which the TFIII doesn't anymore.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> ...
> 
> Also, PK-1 is not really the 'best' non-conductive paste, it's quite outdated nowadays. it's on okay paste, but any modern paste will beat it. PK-1 is kind of like... i dont know, nehalem. Great in it's day... but that was along time ago. PK-3 is significnatly better, you can check my sig, I actually did a review of PK-1 paste. CLU is the best though. GPUs normally have very good paste on it though, even PK-3 isn't likely to get you any better results.
> 
> ...


You're right on the PK-1, for some reason I thought it was one of the best and didn't even notice the PK-3 when I purchased it. I think I'll grab some off Newegg and replace the PK-1. I already changed my TIM before I seen your post and I noticed my temps got worse by like 5 degrees from the stock. I think I also put a bit too much on, so I'll redo it when I get the PK-3. Was worth a try anyway, my 2nd GPU still has stock TIM on it cause I wanted to see the difference.

At least now I know, thanks for the info.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Is an HIS IceQ X2 out of the question? I would get that model over the TFIII.
> 
> My TFIII uses garbage Elpida chips that can't OC for s*** so I imagine the current TFIII's use the same. The IceQ X2 also still ships on a 7970 PCB, which the TFIII doesn't anymore.


i just got my TF3 7970 3 weeks ago and it is a 7970 reference pcb indeed....but my ram will only do about 1600 as well


----------



## superericla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> i just got my TF3 7970 3 weeks ago and it is a 7970 reference pcb indeed....but my ram will only do about 1600 as well


Interesting. My TF3 7950 (with 7970 pcb) can get 1800MHz memory with the default voltage. I can probably go higher, I haven't really tried pushing it much more.


----------



## zerokool_3211

really i cant say that....i have really only tried while mining....it may be game stable at those speeds...


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> ^ yea just on stock clocks my card was throttling hard on just +25% power limit. It's a joke that these cards are advertisied for TDP 200w, these cards are insanely power hungry.
> 
> Also, PK-1 is not really the 'best' non-conductive paste, it's quite outdated nowadays. it's on okay paste, but any modern paste will beat it. PK-1 is kind of like... i dont know, nehalem. Great in it's day... but that was along time ago. PK-3 is significnatly better, you can check my sig, I actually did a review of PK-1 paste. CLU is the best though. GPUs normally have very good paste on it though, even PK-3 isn't likely to get you any better results.
> 
> I'm going to RMA my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 boost 3L. it turns out this card is junk - terrible overclocker, no VRM temp sensor, sapphire removed one of the phases (they get hot), at reduced voltage stock clock [email protected] it hits 75*C (at stock voltage 1.25 its even hotter!, this is more a 7950 issue than cooler though, as i replaced tim with CLU with only 1*C temp drop), it uses Elpida RAM, there's no memory voltage, and lots of funny reporting issues, like voltage changes are only shown if you use mod 4.4 (not unofficial AB or 4.6 trixx).
> 
> but the main reason I'm returning it, is because the heatsink rattles, there's no way to fix it. Just like this guys:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My question, is what should I replace it with? I'm thinking the MSi Twin Frozr III 7950 is the best card, as the HIS card has just a single fan on a weak cooler. I'm worried it's 80mm fans intead of the 90mm on the sapphire's, this sapphire card already gets insanely hot on stock clocks. I hear the twin frozr iii has voltage control, mem voltage, uses hynix ram?
> 
> 
> 
> Is an HIS IceQ X2 out of the question? I would get that model over the TFIII.
> 
> My TFIII uses garbage Elpida chips that can't OC for s*** so I imagine the current TFIII's use the same. The IceQ X2 also still ships on a 7970 PCB, which the TFIII doesn't anymore.
Click to expand...

eh... it's really, really expensive though :/

I didn't realize the recent rf3 uses elpida, i read it used hynix. Looks like the tf3, like the dual-x, got a little 'downdate' where they use worse RAM, got rid of the 7970 pcb, and did that dumb boost thing and raised stock voltage to 1.25v lol.

Make sure you aren't missing a phase by the way, mine is. Man that sucks. I'll look into just getting my 7950 dual-x replaced, hopefully the next one won't rattle a bunch and will be a decent clocker.
Quote:


> You're right on the PK-1, for some reason I thought it was one of the best and didn't even notice the PK-3 when I purchased it. I think I'll grab some off Newegg and replace the PK-1. I already changed my TIM before I seen your post and I noticed my temps got worse by like 5 degrees from the stock. I think I also put a bit too much on, so I'll redo it when I get the PK-3. Was worth a try anyway, my 2nd GPU still has stock TIM on it cause I wanted to see the difference.
> 
> At least now I know, thanks for the info.


PK-3 is actually worth it to buy over PK-1, you'll get about a 5-10*c temp drop. I would recommend you buy it off ebay, however - you can buy a 1.5g kit for $3 shipped on ebay. Or if you can find 1.5g pk-3 sold anywhere, im sure it'll be $3 (masscool is also a high end paste sold for $3 1.5g). I've done over 20 mounts with just a single tube of PK-3 1.5g, if you use the right amount 1.5g should last a life-time. I wouldn't pay $9 for 3.5g, that's just a bit too expensive, it's still a good value in the scheme of things but that much paste is way too much, 1.5g all the way.

However I'd really recomend Coolaboratory liquid ultra, unless this is just for a cheap application or a lower end item, due to it's 'high' price. Thermal paste is generally a better value than getting a higher end heatsink, and that holds really true for liquid ultra. I got an 8*C temp drop over pk-3 using CLU on both my gtx460 and i7-3770k.

It's generally not worth replacing TIM on GPUs. I got a 6*C drop on my 460 but that is an old card and that was CLU, i got only a 1*C drop on my dual-x going to CLU. They usually use very good paste on GPUs. So using PK-1 on a modern GPU, yea that's likely to result in a temp drop.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> How's this for a 3DMark run?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/631487


how the friggin hell you get a graphics score like that?!

is your card still alive? 1.3k core and 1.7k mem! think you win the ultimate 7950 clocks I know of.

I was proud of mine, till I seen this!!!

heres my best run on firestrike. haven't had the chance with the 8350 yet tho, which may get my higher on graphics but who knows

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/345004

for sht and gigs heres a comparison http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/443361/fs/345004


----------



## superericla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> really i cant say that....i have really only tried while mining....it may be game stable at those speeds...


I've been mining for the past month straight with my memory set at 1800MHz. I often game while mining as well. Of course, my card is watercooled so that may help.


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> how the friggin hell you get a graphics score like that?!
> 
> is your card still alive? 1.3k core and 1.7k mem! think you win the ultimate 7950 clocks I know of.
> 
> I was proud of mine, till I seen this!!!
> 
> heres my best run on firestrike. haven't had the chance with the 8350 yet tho, which may get my higher on graphics but who knows
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/345004
> 
> for sht and gigs heres a comparison http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/443361/fs/345004


I was thinking the same thing, like the holy grail of 7950's, that's one hell of an overclock!









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> PK-3 is actually worth it to buy over PK-1, you'll get about a 5-10*c temp drop. I would recommend you buy it off ebay, however - you can buy a 1.5g kit for $3 shipped on ebay. Or if you can find 1.5g pk-3 sold anywhere, im sure it'll be $3 (masscool is also a high end paste sold for $3 1.5g). I've done over 20 mounts with just a single tube of PK-3 1.5g, if you use the right amount 1.5g should last a life-time. I wouldn't pay $9 for 3.5g, that's just a bit too expensive, it's still a good value in the scheme of things but that much paste is way too much, 1.5g all the way.
> 
> However I'd really recomend Coolaboratory liquid ultra, unless this is just for a cheap application or a lower end item, due to it's 'high' price. Thermal paste is generally a better value than getting a higher end heatsink, and that holds really true for liquid ultra. I got an 8*C temp drop over pk-3 using CLU on both my gtx460 and i7-3770k.
> 
> It's generally not worth replacing TIM on GPUs. I got a 6*C drop on my 460 but that is an old card and that was CLU, i got only a 1*C drop on my dual-x going to CLU. They usually use very good paste on GPUs. So using PK-1 on a modern GPU, yea that's likely to result in a temp drop.


Well I already changed the TIM on one GPU, so the PK-3 I just purchased will go on that when I get it. CLU is a bit expensive and I know it's worth it, but maybe another time. I'm hoping the PK-3 will do the job until then. There's no going back anyway, so it's all good.


----------



## d1nky

what sort of temp differences you guys see from aftermarket thermal paste?

I got mx2 and chillfactor3 lying around. and tbh if its not worth the difference I don't want to ruin my baby. or may practice on the gts450 lol


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *superericla*
> 
> I've been mining for the past month straight with my memory set at 1800MHz. I often game while mining as well. Of course, my card is watercooled so that may help.


i cant really get my card very high....kinda disappointing....just tried fire strike @ 1200 and 1700 pretty much max voltage...and artifacting off the bat....if whats with this card....i never seem to get good clockers


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what sort of temp differences you guys see from aftermarket thermal paste?
> 
> I got mx2 and chillfactor3 lying around. and tbh if its not worth the difference I don't want to ruin my baby. or may practice on the gts450 lol


My temps are about 5-6c higher on my one GPU that I used PK-1 on. But I feel I did use a little too much. I'll know next week sometime when I get the PK-3 if temps are improved or not. I'm leaving the 2nd GPU alone unless I know for sure it'll be an improvement.

If anything, use the latest TIM that's known to do better and yes, an unused or hardly used GPU would be best to test on. If you have enough TIM to spare, maybe try applying differently to see if results are better. I should have started on my old GTX460 first, that would have been a good test since it's known to run hot.


----------



## zerokool_3211

i just did a fire strike @ 1220 and 1700...looked pretty stable....had to max voltage sliders to get it though....and temp is not my issue so idt watercooling will solve it....never broke 60C in firestrike....guess its just a bad clocker


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> i just did a fire strike @ 1220 and 1700...looked pretty stable....had to max voltage sliders to get it though....and temp is not my issue so idt watercooling will solve it....never broke 60C in firestrike....guess its just a bad clocker


what the hell, im about 100 points (gfx) behind ya with a 7950! and yours has some big clocks.

I know people diss asus, but where credit is due they make some good hardware.

also that massive 3dmark score on the 7950 (snuckie7) isn't approved....... I only compare to approved results, apparently scores can be modded nowadays which sucks!

and with the TIM I don't want to rip my asus apart unless it has a decent change in temps costs/benefits analysis lol


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> i just did a fire strike @ 1220 and 1700...looked pretty stable....had to max voltage sliders to get it though....and temp is not my issue so idt watercooling will solve it....never broke 60C in firestrike....guess its just a bad clocker


And still it's better then my old MSI TF3 ;( That, with maxed voltages, would do only 1210 / 1640...

It's what i've been thinking all along, those new Ghz Boost 1.256v chips with their 60 ish ASIC just clock like crap compared to the original 7970 chips...


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> i just did a fire strike @ 1220 and 1700...looked pretty stable....had to max voltage sliders to get it though....and temp is not my issue so idt watercooling will solve it....never broke 60C in firestrike....guess its just a bad clocker


And still it's better then my old MSI TF3 ;( That, with maxed voltages, would do only 1210 / 1640...

It's what i've been thinking all along, those new Ghz Boost 1.256v chips with their 60 ish ASIC just clock like crap compared to the original 7970 chips...


----------



## daguardian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> I would be careful, according to EK's website (coolingconfigurator.com) the DualX from Sapphire does not have reference design PCB thus it won't fit the reference waterblocks like the heatkiller.


Thanks mate you saved me a major headache


----------



## Snuckie7

My score isn't approved because I used 13.5, which are beta drivers. Maybe they'll get approved one day lol, but I'm not rolling back just to rerun the bench.

Run was done at 1320/1700 @ 1.213V core and 1.650V MVDDC
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> eh... it's really, really expensive though :/
> 
> I didn't realize the recent rf3 uses elpida, i read it used hynix. Looks like the tf3, like the dual-x, got a little 'downdate' where they use worse RAM, got rid of the 7970 pcb, and did that dumb boost thing and raised stock voltage to 1.25v lol.
> 
> Make sure you aren't missing a phase by the way, mine is. Man that sucks. I'll look into just getting my 7950 dual-x replaced, hopefully the next one won't rattle a bunch and will be a decent clocker.


I have a 7950 on a full 7970 PCB with the full row of power phases, so it looks the like the change to Elpida was made a while ago.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My score isn't approved because I used 13.5, which are beta drivers. Maybe they'll get approved one day lol, but I'm not rolling back just to rerun the bench.
> 
> Run was done at 1320/1700 @ 1.213V core and 1.650V MVDDC
> I have a 7950 on a full 7970 PCB with the full row of power phases, so it looks the like the change to Elpida was made a while ago.


that's a nice oc. and nice voltages









its that the drivers aren't signed, I thought they would of been by now. a lot of invalid results will be on 3dmark then lol


----------



## Krusher33

I keep seeing everyone making a point to mention which RAM maker their card has. Why?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I keep seeing everyone making a point to mention which RAM maker their card has. Why?


The RAM from different manufacturers ship at different stock speeds and tend to overclock differently. Hynix RAM is better than Elpida RAM in both those regards.


----------



## Imprezzion

Hynix RAM is specified for 1500Mhz @ 1.600v operation with a 3% +/- tolerance, meaning 1.648v when overclocking.

The Elpida chips have a lower stock speed, not sure what it is tbh, and uses 1.500v with the same 3% tolerance (1.545v).

The Elpida chips run a lot worse and generally overclock much worse topping out at ~1600mhz while the Hynix's generally top out at 1800Mhz.


----------



## Krusher33

I had a hard time reading mine but I *think* it's a Hynix? I had to use a magnifying glass to see it and I think I can see the "nix" part. It really looked like nnix or something. I looked at them all and they all were hard to read.

My default memory in AB is 1375mhz with 1600mV.


----------



## Imprezzion

Yep, those are Hynix's. They are specced to run at 1500Mhz, however it is logical AMD tightened the timings, which we can't change AFAIK, for 1375Mhz. So, even though 1500Mhz is pretty much 100% guaranteed, there will always be those that don't run it









But in all seriousness, toss up that memory voltage to 1.650v in MSI AB and give it a go at like, 1800Mhz orso.


----------



## Striker444

I must have a one off then, my Powercolor 7950 has Elpida and the stock BIOS runs it at 1.603v. Its stock speed is 1250MHz and I am able to clock it at 1665MHz


----------



## PedroC1999

What has my card got? As I run 1820stable


----------



## Snuckie7

You can generally tell what kind of RAM you have from the stock speeds. 1250MHz is Elpida. Not sure what Hynix ships at nowadays.


----------



## tsm106

3Dmark Firestrike HOF
Quote:


> 29587 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) TW K|NGP|N EVGA GTX TITAN QUAD SLI | EVGA X79 DARK
> NEW
> 2 25520 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) GB Kaapstad No Description
> NEW
> 3 24802 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) JP ura03 No Description
> NEW
> 4 24274 Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) GB [email protected] No Description
> NEW
> 5 23829 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (4x SLI) US primordialcomputers No Description
> NEW
> 6 22859 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) DE Saly No Description
> NEW
> *7 21124 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> AMD Radeon HD 7970 (3x CrossFireX) US tsm106 No Description*


And I just pulled my 4th card out a few days ago. Doh. Ya think I should put the 4th back in and make a run? 21K/3=7K. I wonder what the gain would be for the 4th card? Safe bet would be half of 7K which would leap frog a lot of titans lol. Hmm...


----------



## sugarhell

Yeah i just read that they fixed the 3dmark multigpu. If you are not bored to pull out your loop ;p


----------



## tsm106

lol, it looks like everybody returned their Titans.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> What has my card got? As I run 1820stable


your card has the effing pixey dust of the overclocking pixies, bred with god of oc!


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Yep, those are Hynix's. They are specced to run at 1500Mhz, however it is logical AMD tightened the timings, which we can't change AFAIK, for 1375Mhz. So, even though 1500Mhz is pretty much 100% guaranteed, there will always be those that don't run it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But in all seriousness, toss up that memory voltage to 1.650v in MSI AB and give it a go at like, 1800Mhz orso.


I wish I could work on that remotely. Work is so slow today. I just now tried and 3dmark11 gave me an error about not being able to get exclusive use to keyboard or something. Then I tried Valley and I guess the remote has problems displaying because all I'd get is a black screen.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I wish I could work on that remotely. Work is so slow today. I just now tried and 3dmark11 gave me an error about not being able to get exclusive use to keyboard or something. Then I tried Valley and I guess the remote has problems displaying because all I'd get is a black screen.


that's instability in something, I had it a few times and thought wth!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I wish I could work on that remotely. Work is so slow today. I just now tried and 3dmark11 gave me an error about not being able to get exclusive use to keyboard or something. Then I tried Valley and I guess the remote has problems displaying because all I'd get is a black screen.


You can't run a 3D bench that requires interaction to run it in 3D remotely cuz most remote apps don't have a 3D driver. Ultravnc works great with 3dmark though.

What are you using for remote?

Hey sugarhell...
Quote:


> 1 22859 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) DE Saly No Description
> NEW
> *2 21124 Intel Core i7-3930K Processor
> AMD Radeon HD 7970 (3x CrossFireX) US tsm106 No Description*
> NEW
> 3 21080 Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) US Apollon420 No Description
> NEW
> 4 20017 Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) US ReyDelMundo No Description
> NEW
> 5 19613 Intel Core i7-3770K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) JP ryokichi.izumo No Description
> NEW
> 6 19402 Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) JP winsbird No Description
> NEW
> 7 18778 Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) JP ikemas No Description
> NEW
> 8 18461 Intel Core i7-3820 Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) US user#2015300 No Description
> NEW
> 9 18377 Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) NO VonRun No Description
> NEW
> 10 17405 Intel Core i7-3770K Processor
> NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan (3x SLI) US user#7901310 No Description


----------



## Lizard22

Hi I have this problem. my cards are good when they arrive separately overclock to 1200/1575.
But no way crossfire mode more than 1000/1375, the temperatures are very good idle. GPU1. 23c. GPU2. 25c load. GPU1. 45c. GPU2. 51c.
That I can do to overclock in crossfire mode?.

msi 7950 x 2, and accelero memory Hybrid + Enzotech sinks.
MSI Z77A-GD80, i7 2600K 4.7GHz, Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133mz, corsair H100
xfx 850W, UPS APC1500BG
Corsair Vengeance C70


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I wish I could work on that remotely. Work is so slow today. I just now tried and 3dmark11 gave me an error about not being able to get exclusive use to keyboard or something. Then I tried Valley and I guess the remote has problems displaying because all I'd get is a black screen.
> 
> 
> 
> You can't run a 3D bench that requires interaction to run it in 3D remotely cuz most remote apps don't have a 3D driver. Ultravnc works great with 3dmark though.
> 
> What are you using for remote?
Click to expand...

Oooh, ok.

I'm using LogMeIn.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I wish I could work on that remotely. Work is so slow today. I just now tried and 3dmark11 gave me an error about not being able to get exclusive use to keyboard or something. Then I tried Valley and I guess the remote has problems displaying because all I'd get is a black screen.
> 
> 
> 
> You can't run a 3D bench that requires interaction to run it in 3D remotely cuz most remote apps don't have a 3D driver. Ultravnc works great with 3dmark though.
> 
> What are you using for remote?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oooh, ok.
> 
> I'm using LogMeIn.
Click to expand...

Using ultravnc, it by default does not disable aero. You need aero on in ultravnc to see the menus and boxes and what not so don't disable aero support.

Also, remember to disconnect after starting 3dmark. Reconnect after bench is over, etc. Ya might want to get an idea of how long each bench takes.


----------



## sugarhell

Lol tsm how much the 7970s cost?


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Using ultravnc, it by default does not disable aero. You need aero on in ultravnc to see the menus and boxes and what not so don't disable aero support.
> 
> Also, remember to disconnect after starting 3dmark. Reconnect after bench is over, etc. Ya might want to get an idea of how long each bench takes.


Using TeamViewer to run benches from my lappy and it works perfect as long as I disconnects when the bench starts.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Using ultravnc, it by default does not disable aero. You need aero on in ultravnc to see the menus and boxes and what not so don't disable aero support.
> 
> Also, remember to disconnect after starting 3dmark. Reconnect after bench is over, etc. Ya might want to get an idea of how long each bench takes.
> 
> 
> 
> Using TeamViewer to run benches from my lappy and it works perfect as long as I disconnects when the bench starts.
Click to expand...

I use teamviewer too but just not for benching. I prefer the smaller footprint of vnc for that.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lol tsm how much the 7970s cost?


Apparently they don't cost enough given where they fall in these charts, doh.


----------



## sugarhell

Haha prob you will gonna add your 4th 7970 again?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Haha prob you will gonna add your 4th 7970 again?


Yea I probably will. I'm just a lil lazy atm sipping my morning coffee.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Lol tsm106 beating tripple titans with tripple 7970s







. Didnt expect any less man!


----------



## Rangerjr1

dp


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Lol tsm106 beating tripple titans with tripple 7970s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Didnt expect any less man!












I should be fair and say that with one or two cards Titan is still king. But as you add more cards, Titan scaling is losing more and more compared to Tahiti. In three and four card mode, Tahiti is able to catch the Titans.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I should be fair and say that with one or two cards Titan is still king. But as you add more cards, Titan scaling is losing more and more compared to Tahiti. In three and four card mode, Tahiti is able to catch the Titans.


The lose performance because they have smoother experience


----------



## d1nky

hey this kind of goes against the whole NVidia is better because AMD cant scale and have poor drivers!


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> Hi I have this problem. my cards are good when they arrive separately overclock to 1200/1575.
> But no way crossfire mode more than 1000/1375, the temperatures are very good idle. GPU1. 23c. GPU2. 25c load. GPU1. 45c. GPU2. 51c.
> That I can do to overclock in crossfire mode?.
> 
> msi 7950 x 2, and accelero memory Hybrid + Enzotech sinks.
> MSI Z77A-GD80, i7 2600K 4.7GHz, Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133mz, corsair H100
> xfx 850W, UPS APC1500BG
> Corsair Vengeance C70


did you turn off ULPS?


----------



## Lizard22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> did you turn off ULPS?


Thanks for answering
ULSP turn off.

the 
vrm temperatures are also good for 1100/1375.
GPU1. VRM1. 55c. VRM2. 54c.
GPU.2 VRM1. 58c. VRM2. 61c.
The problem is that in crossfire mode, do not scale well to overclock more than 1000/1375.
separately 1200/1600.


----------



## Belial

It seems like all the 7950's being sold today are Boost cards, that are [email protected] basically with crappy elpida ram. Can anyone who's bought a 7950 recently, particularly newegg, confirm otherwise?

Any TF3-Boost owners, can you edit the memory voltage still? Can you check to see if you are missing a power phase on the pci-e lane of the card?

I'm considering trading my shaking 7950 dual-x boost for a tf3, but i might not if it's got the same issues.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> eh... it's really, really expensive though :/
> 
> I didn't realize the recent rf3 uses elpida, i read it used hynix. Looks like the tf3, like the dual-x, got a little 'downdate' where they use worse RAM, got rid of the 7970 pcb, and did that dumb boost thing and raised stock voltage to 1.25v lol.
> 
> Make sure you aren't missing a phase by the way, mine is. Man that sucks. I'll look into just getting my 7950 dual-x replaced, hopefully the next one won't rattle a bunch and will be a decent clocker.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a 7950 on a full 7970 PCB with the full row of power phases, so it looks the like the change to Elpida was made a while ago.
Click to expand...

I don't understand what you are trying to say. I dont know when you bought your 7950, i'm assuming you are talking about your sig's tf3... are you saying your 7950 is on a 7970 pcb and has elpida or hynx ram?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what sort of temp differences you guys see from aftermarket thermal paste?
> 
> I got mx2 and chillfactor3 lying around. and tbh if its not worth the difference I don't want to ruin my baby. or may practice on the gts450 lol


mx2 and cf3 are terrible, outdated pastes, you will see a temp drop with a paste like those. In general GPUs use very good paste on them, so it's generally not worth it. At best if you use a premium, extremely good paste, you might get a degree or two on a modern GPU. Now if it's an older GPU, the paste is going to be older too so you might have more benefit there.

In 5 years though, there will be pastes that will be much better than the pastes used on your 7950, and then it is when you would replace the pastes for a good gain. So your 450 would likely see a gain of maybe 1-2*c using pk-3, but it'd probably lose temps using mx-2 (more because mx-2 is just so terrible and old nowadays, it's like asking if you should replace your 7950 with a 8800).

I mean there isn't really a 'cost' to replacing the TIM, it's very simple to open it up and replace paste, you shouldn't need to use much paste just like a CPU, it's just that GPUs tend to have great paste, so even with CLU you are looking at a 1-2*C temp drop at most, and CLU is a good 5-10*C+ better than the best ceramiques.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> It seems like all the 7950's being sold today are Boost cards, that are [email protected] basically with crappy elpida ram. Can anyone who's bought a 7950 recently, particularly newegg, confirm otherwise?
> 
> I mean there isn't really a 'cost' to replacing the TIM, it's very simple to open it up and replace paste, you shouldn't need to use much paste just like a CPU, it's just that GPUs tend to have great paste, so even with CLU you are looking at a 1-2*C temp drop at most, and CLU is a good 5-10*C+ better than the best ceramiques.


so basically it isn't worth it, even with the best pastes. I did have some indigo extreme on order but they were sold out. and that paste is just spare, however the chillfactor3 seems decent enough.

I bought my 7950 a couple months ago and hasn't got boost, don't think asus direct cuiis do?!

and snuckie7 7950 I believe has Hynix ram on a 7970 pcb, rare find.


----------



## Belial

No... chillfactor 3 is not a good paste, stop repeating that. You'll lose temps vs a modern paste like those used on 7950s. I said with the best pastes, not bad paste like cf3, you only get a degree or two at paste, it won't be dramatic because they already use extremely good paste on GPUs.

the asus 7950 lacks voltage control so not going for it ;/

seems like all the 7950 models being sold now are junk, except the $50 more expensive his icex


----------



## -Nub-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> Hi I have this problem. my cards are good when they arrive separately overclock to 1200/1575.
> But no way crossfire mode more than 1000/1375, the temperatures are very good idle. GPU1. 23c. GPU2. 25c load. GPU1. 45c. GPU2. 51c.
> That I can do to overclock in crossfire mode?.
> 
> msi 7950 x 2, and accelero memory Hybrid + Enzotech sinks.
> MSI Z77A-GD80, i7 2600K 4.7GHz, Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133mz, corsair H100
> xfx 850W, UPS APC1500BG
> Corsair Vengeance C70


What utility are you overclocking with?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> No... chillfactor 3 is not a good paste, stop repeating that. You'll lose temps vs a modern paste like those used on 7950s. I said with the best pastes, not bad paste like cf3, you only get a degree or two at paste, it won't be dramatic because they already use extremely good paste on GPUs.
> 
> the asus 7950 lacks voltage control so not going for it ;/
> 
> seems like all the 7950 models being sold now are junk, except the $50 more expensive his icex


apologies if I seem repetitive. I fully understand what youre saying. and I didn't mean I was going to put these pastes on, I would and intend to buy something else. jeez

and my 7950 has full voltage control.


----------



## PedroC1999

Is Artic MX-2 good for GPUs? I have quite a bit lying around see.


----------



## meloj17

I've got a 7950 on stock clocks right. I recently upgraded to an ASUS 144hz monitior about a month ago. Around 2 weeks ago, i've been noticing frame drops below 100 fps in maps on BF3. Where I used to play 100 fps constant with little drops to 98-99. Now even on low settings all and on 1280-720 resolution I get the same drops. *** is going on? Is it game side or hardware side? Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## OneGun

I love my His iceq x2 7950s.I haven't pushed them yet but I got 1150/1350 so far. But mainly I just run them stock right now.


----------



## dir_d

I like the dual 8pin vapor-x, memory speeds are low but 1150 on stock voltage is good. Funny thing is though to get to 1200 i gotta do 1.3v+


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Is Artic MX-2 good for GPUs? I have quite a bit lying around see.


lol didn't you read its terrible.....


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> lol didn't you read its terrible.....


Is it really _THAT_ bad?


----------



## d1nky

well to me all thermal pastes are within a few degrees of each other. and all that matters is ambients.

mx2 is just some cheap stuff I picked up and it has no cure time.

I cant find any up to date reviews on thermal pastes and only came to the conclusion that much hasn't changed in a while.

but I don't know, all the research I do is from the internet.


----------



## PedroC1999

I have low ambients (16-20) Do TIMs matter much in my environment?


----------



## d1nky

yea... and id say youre more knowledgeable than me so probably could answer your own question.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

So sondas 7950 and mine are the only 7950's so far to reach clocks over 1350+..


----------



## Lizard22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *-Nub-*
> 
> What utility are you overclocking with?


MSI afterburner utility.


----------



## -Nub-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> MSI afterburner utility.


I seem to have the best results using sapphire trixx. It has a option in settings to Synchronize cards in multi gpu config, and disable ULPS.
I actually get higher overclocks in crossfire than i do individually.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what the hell, im about 100 points (gfx) behind ya with a 7950! and yours has some big clocks.
> 
> I know people diss asus, but where credit is due they make some good hardware.
> 
> also that massive 3dmark score on the 7950 (snuckie7) isn't approved....... I only compare to approved results, apparently scores can be modded nowadays which sucks!
> 
> and with the TIM I don't want to rip my asus apart unless it has a decent change in temps costs/benefits analysis lol


why is a 7950 scoring the same as me or even higher....that doesnt make sense....rofl


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> why is a 7950 scoring the same as me or even higher....that doesnt make sense....rofl


lol youll be even more pissed with this.. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4346495


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> why is a 7950 scoring the same as me or even higher....that doesnt make sense....rofl


Whats your score?

Here's mine with a 7970 reference (with the reference cooler







)

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5471110


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> why is a 7950 scoring the same as me or even higher....that doesnt make sense....rofl
> 
> 
> 
> lol youll be even more pissed with this.. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4346495
Click to expand...

Hax and fake runs man...

Look at this. Ok, now see the graph how there's 1 in the 9600-10000 range? Guess who that one belongs to.









http://www.3dmark.com/fs/445173


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hax and fake runs man...
> 
> Look at this. Ok, now see the graph how there's 1 in the 9600-10000 range? Guess who that one belongs to.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/445173


First i see 9k graphic card.And i was like







Then i see firestike
















Probably i need to jump on the new one and leave the 3dmark11 after then new patch


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hax and fake runs man...
> 
> Look at this. Ok, now see the graph how there's 1 in the 9600-10000 range? Guess who that one belongs to.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/445173


I know.... it was a joke.

I like how some of these 7950s are competing against 7970s

tsm106? looks familiar









I cant find my biggest graphics score, I had that box unticked for loading/saving on the web interface.

heres one I got 11.2k http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6270341

yea guys, we mixing firestrike with 3dmark11 hahaha


----------



## tsm106

I was looking at my 1.1 run. The graph shows there's one other joker with a higher score. I'm like who is that? Upon look up, doh its me lmao.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I was looking at my 1.1 run. The graph shows there's one other joker with a higher score. I'm like who is that? Upon look up, doh its me lmao.


38 points between you and No.1 (tochi)

you must beat him!


----------



## zerokool_3211

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/635511

there is a new one @ 1200 / 1800

1800 mem seems really stable...i guess i have hynix

anyway thats a better score


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/635511
> 
> there is a new one @ 1200 / 1800
> 
> 1800 mem seems really stable...i guess i have hynix
> 
> anyway thats a better score


now its pulling away!

heres my best firestrike http://www.3dmark.com/fs/345004

forget the cpu, I haven't tested with the 8350 yet..... so maybe one or two points could be added









whats the new drivers like for points?


----------



## tsm106

Guys, fyi graphics score is weighted differently for different cpus. It's not really representative of in all cases.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Guys, fyi graphics score is weighted differently for different cpus. It's not really representative of in all cases.


really? I thought the graphics score would be independent of the cpu to allow a better comparsion between gpus.

also on the detailed section you can see FPS and compare between cards. How does 3dmark score then, they must have a complicated formula to include cpu performance.

heres an example of comparison http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/345004/fs/446186

look at fps and the graphics score.

(sorry zerocool to use yours but I was looking at it to see If I could gain fps anywhere)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Guys, fyi graphics score is weighted differently for different cpus. It's not really representative of in all cases.
> 
> 
> 
> really? I thought the graphics score would be independent of the cpu to allow a better comparsion between gpus.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately not. It's only relatable within the same family of cpus.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Unfortunately not. It's only relatable within the same family of cpus.


and what about fps difference?

this sucks because I liked comparing my scores with others as everyone has a different set up!

''The 3DMark measurement unit is intended to give a normalized mean for comparing different PC hardware configurations (mostly graphics processing units and central processing units), which proponents such as gamers and overclocking enthusiasts assert is indicative of end-user performance capabilities''

to me that says we are able to compare as they data is shifted to be comparable.

its late and I am probably wrong, but I just want to make sure these results have some validity.


----------



## tsm106

Hmm, it's always been this way. For ex. Ivy has always been weighted higher than SBE and practically everything else. Ask any proclocker, or wait for FTW420 to chime in. Actually he's posted on this topic before but the search function here sucks lol.


----------



## d1nky

what time is it over the 'pond' lol its half twelve here and I been at work all day, im getting to the stage where I read something ten times and it means two different things.

I don't know much but that statement says, the end result is a basis for comparison. would be naïve of futuremark to create a bench platform that doesn't allow for different hardware comparisons.

I noticed theres a lot of knowledgeable guys here.... where are they


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> really? I thought the graphics score would be independent of the cpu to allow a better comparsion between gpus.
> 
> also on the detailed section you can see FPS and compare between cards. How does 3dmark score then, they must have a complicated formula to include cpu performance.
> 
> heres an example of comparison http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/345004/fs/446186
> 
> look at fps and the graphics score.
> 
> (sorry zerocool to use yours but I was looking at it to see If I could gain fps anywhere)


d1, your only using one stick of ram? you are running single channel. bad.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> So sondas 7950 and mine are the only 7950's so far to reach clocks over 1350+..


Yep unfortunately mine maxes out around 1320MHz. I tried 1350 and it started artifacting like crazy immediately. Wasn't stable even at 1.3V so I had to back down to 1320.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> d1, your only using one stick of ram? you are running single channel. bad.


for some strange reason I get better scores, plus I haven't much space with this heatsink.

RAM is on my to-buy list. maybe tri channel ripjaws or tridents. I haven't decided on a watercooler either.


----------



## zerokool_3211

pretty sure this is the best my 7970 can do....i really dont even think wcing it will help that much cause i am not seeing over 60C as it is.....and this is both voltages maxxed out....as soon as i apply 1900 to the mem it locks up as well

this is a run @ 1200 and 1800 with the 3820 @ 4.875 and system memory @ 2333 9-11-10-28


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> pretty sure this is the best my 7970 can do....i really dont even think wcing it will help that much cause i am not seeing over 60C as it is.....and this is both voltages maxxed out....as soon as i apply 1900 to the mem it locks up as well
> 
> this is a run @ 1200 and 1800 with the 3820 @ 4.875 and system memory @ 2333 9-11-10-28


maybe try different drivers.

ive been comparing your scores with others and found a near match, seems your clocks aren't as high as others (silicon maybe) but the fps is about there, and sometimes your cpu isn't as high as others.

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/446186/fs/231709


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> pretty sure this is the best my 7970 can do....i really dont even think wcing it will help that much cause i am not seeing over 60C as it is.....and this is both voltages maxxed out....as soon as i apply 1900 to the mem it locks up as well
> 
> this is a run @ 1200 and 1800 with the 3820 @ 4.875 and system memory @ 2333 9-11-10-28


some people have been able to get higher ocs with lower temps ( sub 60c ) would be the only reason i could see. besides they just look sexay {water blocks}


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> some people have been able to get higher ocs with lower temps ( sub 60c ) would be the only reason i could see. besides they just look sexay {water blocks}


they do indeed look sexay....i am doing it none the less...rofl....komodoo block coming soon with a custom loop with a koolance 380i so we will see

here is my best run so far



pushed the core and the mem a bit more in this one...and it was flawless


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> for some strange reason I get better scores, plus I haven't much space with this heatsink.
> 
> RAM is on my to-buy list. maybe tri channel ripjaws or tridents. I haven't decided on a watercooler either.


just dual channel. tri is for X58 platforms.


----------



## Anoxy

So am I correct in assuming it's not a good thing that my 7970 is at 99% GPU Load while playing Far Cry 3?


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> So am I correct in assuming it's not a good thing that my 7970 is at 99% GPU Load while playing Far Cry 3?


i am pretty sure that is normal...that is a very demanding game


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> No... chillfactor 3 is not a good paste, stop repeating that. You'll lose temps vs a modern paste like those used on 7950s. I said with the best pastes, not bad paste like cf3, you only get a degree or two at paste, it won't be dramatic because they already use extremely good paste on GPUs.
> 
> the asus 7950 lacks voltage control so not going for it ;/
> 
> seems like all the 7950 models being sold now are junk, except the $50 more expensive his icex
> 
> 
> 
> apologies if I seem repetitive. I fully understand what youre saying. and I didn't mean I was going to put these pastes on, I would and intend to buy something else. jeez
> 
> and my 7950 has full voltage control.
Click to expand...

I wasn't upset or anything lol. But really, the asus has voltage control? Wasn't someone on this thread just talking about how terrible it was?
Quote:


> Is Artic MX-2 good for GPUs? I have quite a bit lying around see.


It's not, it came out over 6 years ago. Do you think a Geforce 7600 is a good graphics card? Because it came out around the same time. Actually the 7600 is more premium than mx-2, really. You will literally drop temps if you use mx-2, not to mention GPU companies use high end pastes on their cards. If you don't have Coollaboratory liquid uiltra, it's not worth replacing any modern GPU's paste. For MX-2 to do anything you'd have to use it on a GPU older than a 7600... maybe an FX5200 will appreciate it.
Quote:


> well to me all thermal pastes are within a few degrees of each other. and all that matters is ambients.
> 
> mx2 is just some cheap stuff I picked up and it has no cure time.
> 
> I cant find any up to date reviews on thermal pastes and only came to the conclusion that much hasn't changed in a while.
> 
> but I don't know, all the research I do is from the internet.


Yes, all *modern* thermal *ceramiques* are withina few degrees of eachother. But MX-2 is as old as a Geforce 7600. Just like GPUs, thermal pastes have evolved too. There's already an MX-4 (which is not a great paste, by the way). And Coolaboratory liquid ultra is not a ceramique, it's an extreme TIM.

So your PK-3, your Masscool, your Shin Etsu, your NH-T1, yes, they are only within a few degrees of each other. But your MX-2, PK-1, AS-5s, these are all horribly outdated pastes that have long since seen their days. You don't recomend a Pentium4 or FX5200, likewise, you don't recommend paste like AS5 that's older than DDR2 RAM or MX-2 that's older than DDR3.

The only really good review I've seen on thermal pastes is skinneelabs, most reviews sites have terrible paste reviews. But he hasn't been around for 2 years. If you can find other reviews consistent with Skinnee's results, then you can probably go by it.

Also, 'just a few degrees' by changing thermal paste is a HUGE deal. You can buy high end thermal paste in 1.5g for $3 on ebay, and the difference in mid-range and high-end paste, of maybe 2-5*C, is the same difference you'd see in going from a low end cooler like a hyper 212+ to a mid-range cooler like Megahalems or an H60. The best cooling value you can get is something like Coolaboratory liquid Ultra, I mean you are talking about 10-20*C difference using CLU over an outdated, mid-range paste like MX-2.

To put it in perspective, my H50 with CLU performed the same as my NH-D14 on stock paste on my Phenom X4. On Intel systems it's a little different because the temp sensor goes in much higher temp ranges, so differences are much more exaggerated there, but I got about an 8*C temp drop going from PK-3 to CLU on my i7-3770k.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> But really, the asus has voltage control? Wasn't someone on this thread just talking about how terrible it was?


my asus 7950 has voltage control but the cooler mounting sucks. there is a fix i have heard of for my card with a mounting bracket butr havernt really investigated that yet. also now the hot summer of thailand has hit my card is actually now at 1050/1725 not what is in my sig.. better upfate that now


----------



## Belial

^ So what temps are you getting on what clocks and voltage (dont say stock, every card has differet stock settigns and voltages).


----------



## OneGun

Stock!! lol i just wanted to say that..


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hmm, it's always been this way. For ex. Ivy has always been weighted higher than SBE and practically everything else. Ask any proclocker, or wait for FTW420 to chime in. Actually he's posted on this topic before but the search function here sucks lol.


I haven't done too much comparison between the 3930k & 3770k in the new 3dmark. One of the bigger differences was cpu speed though, sb-e is more limited than ivy bridge, so the physics scores with the 3770k were smaller but the graphics score could make up the difference running an extreme clocked ivy.
I'll be firing up the 7970k again pretty quick for firestrike benching & will save some screens with similar clocked cpu & gpu to compare graphics scores.


----------



## Krusher33

How do you guys test memory overclock? Right now I'm on 1800mhz with stock voltage (core is stock as well) running Heaven and don't see any issues. Is there certain settings in the benchmark to set?


----------



## Belial

^ That's a great question, since most GPU stress tests don't really use much VRAM.

I personally use OCCT Error check, it'll make overclocks 50-100mhz higher in furmark crash instantly. Heaven isn't really useful as a stress test, unless maybe you are just lookin for gaming stable or something. Personally I need rock stable or I lose money.


----------



## Krusher33

Ok. How much voltage can memory take?

(I don't remember this much variables overclocking memory on my 6970...)


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Ok. How much voltage can memory take?
> 
> (I don't remember this much variables overclocking memory on my 6970...)


I would stay under 1.7V.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Ok. How much voltage can memory take?
> 
> (I don't remember this much variables overclocking memory on my 6970...)


You can only feed a max of 1.7v. If you have decent cooling its nothing to be afraid of. I use heaven to tax the vram. It seems to be the one bench that can definitely push my vram into error correct algorithm. You can tell when you are deep into the red zone because bench starts to rubber band.

Then there are the heavy games, BF3, Crysis, Metro. Another thing, you probably don't need to run 1800+ on the memory 24/7 and its also good to leave some padding on the table.


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Ok. How much voltage can memory take?
> 
> (I don't remember this much variables overclocking memory on my 6970...)
> 
> 
> 
> You can only feed a max of 1.7v. If you have decent cooling its nothing to be afraid of. I use heaven to tax the vram. It seems to be the one bench that can definitely push my vram into error correct algorithm. You can tell when you are deep into the red zone because bench starts to rubber band.
> 
> Then there are the heavy games, BF3, Crysis, Metro. Another thing, you probably don't need to run 1800+ on the memory 24/7 and its also good to leave some padding on the table.
Click to expand...

What settings do you use? I put tesselation on extreme and antialiasing on x4. Am I on the right track? (edit: I must not be... it only used 1gb vram)

I am trying to find max clocks in preparation of finding folding stable. And will be gaming on it. Though I the only game I have that you mentioned is BF3.

I did finally get Heaven to crash at 1900 memory. Bumped to 1650mV and then it did fine. Then bumped to 1950mhz memory and that crashed.

I did try OCCT but I don't think I need to go that extreme.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> ^ So what temps are you getting on what clocks and voltage (dont say stock, every card has differet stock settigns and voltages).


spent the last 20 minutes trying heaven runs to get some snapshots and crashes my entire system even at 900 on the core, it seems my card is having some bad cooling issues or something is wrong.
BTW i dont game

Ambient room temp is 37*C atm

tried 1050 @ 1.16V 1025 @ 1.15V, 1.145V 1000 @ the same as 1025, 900 @1.1V

untill i sort this out i only have some old data back from last year when things cooled down and was still using a 2600k

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4986118

this is actually 1152/1725



1104/1725 but at the end of heaven



kinda not happy chappy atm


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> What settings do you use? I put tesselation on extreme and antialiasing on x4. Am I on the right track? (edit: I must not be... it only used 1gb vram)
> 
> I am trying to find max clocks in preparation of finding folding stable. And will be gaming on it. Though I the only game I have that you mentioned is BF3.
> 
> I did finally get Heaven to crash at 1900 memory. Bumped to 1650mV and then it did fine. Then bumped to 1950mhz memory and that crashed.
> 
> I did try OCCT but I don't think I need to go that extreme.


When I use valley I follow the Valley bench thread specs, same for Heaven. This way I have a database with which I can use to compare with.

Valley uses the Extreme HD preset.

1900mhz is pretty fast. I would leave it there, nothing good will come from pushing it higher with more volts on air. If yer gonna be folding I would run it lower anyways, to reduce degradation. High frequency + heat + long periods = degradation. Try and find a happy median. If you can run 1900 at 1.65v, then drop the volts and see how low you can run 1800?

Sugarhell does a bit of mining on his cards and he's got them dialed out to be undervolted and overclocked at the sametime.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> How do you guys test memory overclock? Right now I'm on 1800mhz with stock voltage (core is stock as well) running Heaven and don't see any issues. Is there certain settings in the benchmark to set?


what is your stock mem voltage....cause that is badass...


----------



## Pheozero

My card doesn't seem to want to wake up sometimes although all of my peripherals are plugged in and working. Is this a unique problem or does this happen to other people?


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When I use valley I follow the Valley bench thread specs, same for Heaven. This way I have a database with which I can use to compare with.
> 
> Valley uses the Extreme HD preset.
> 
> 1900mhz is pretty fast. I would leave it there, nothing good will come from pushing it higher with more volts on air. If yer gonna be folding I would run it lower anyways, to reduce degradation. High frequency + heat + long periods = degradation. Try and find a happy median. If you can run 1900 at 1.65v, then drop the volts and see how low you can run 1800?
> 
> Sugarhell does a bit of mining on his cards and he's got them dialed out to be undervolted and overclocked at the sametime.


i mine as well....you think 1700 mem is ok for 24/7 if i can keep it cool?


----------



## Belial

^ Do you have it plugged into a monitor? If you don't, you need to use a dummy plug.

http://blog.zorinaq.com/?e=11

I'm currently using the 30 second plug. you also need to enable a monitor for it.


----------



## Pheozero

No, it's plugged into a monitor.


----------



## d1nky

@belial read your latest posts









I had the friggin noctua NT-H1 on order but was out of stock as well..... damn!

and im not exactly extreme overclocking, all mine is on air so if I get ambients down I get temps very low.

@ zerocool the benches are getting better!

@stubass whats happened? damn


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> @stubass whats happened? damn


i really dont know







i am going to find out more about the mounting bracket idea you mentioned.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i really dont know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i am going to find out more about the mounting bracket idea you mentioned.


that shouldn't be affecting your overclocks?! unless something has happened.

youll have to do the old process of elimination and see whats changed since. (maybe drivers or it could be unrelated possibly)


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> i really dont know
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i am going to find out more about the mounting bracket idea you mentioned.
> 
> 
> 
> that shouldn't be affecting your overclocks?! unless something has happened.
> 
> youll have to do the old process of elimination and see whats changed since. (maybe drivers or it could be unrelated possibly)
Click to expand...

maybe, i will start from scratch and update CCC and see. currently i am still on 13.1 WHQL or maybe the zip tie ghetto with the PCB to overcome the card drooping may have slightly affected the cooler CPU contact


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> @belial read your latest posts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had the friggin noctua NT-H1 on order but was out of stock as well..... damn!
> 
> and im not exactly extreme overclocking, all mine is on air so if I get ambients down I get temps very low.
> 
> @ zerocool the benches are getting better!
> 
> @stubass whats happened? damn


nh-t1 isn't great, it's just modern and not bad. Your best bet is buying a 1.5g bit of Masscool or PK-3 from ebay for $3 shipped (omg ripped for $3, who cares, although ebay is literally safer to buy than newegg nowadays with the buyer protection being ridiculous). A 1.5g tube of thermal paste should easily last at least 30+ applications if you use it correctly (a small rice grain borders on too much paste).

That, or CLU from [email protected] for ~$17 shipped. I don't know what you are talking about in regards to extreme overclocking, 'extreme' is such an arbitrary term. If you get a well binned chip, it can be much less 'extreme' and much easier to do 5ghz on an i5/i7 ivy or 1300mhz on a 7950, ie [email protected] on ivy or [email protected] 7950, whereas if it's poorly binned you can struggle to do a very basic overclock, ie an ivy that does [email protected] or 7950 [email protected]

Lower temps helps not just for 'extreme' overclocks, but also for power consumption, as heat has an exponential impact on power consumption. A practical application of this is if you are worried about power consumption with card usage, you are better off running your fans at 100% as 80mm fans use about 1-2w at most (not even imo) while the difference in 60-70*C on a 7950 is easily over 20-30w.

But it's not really worth replacing the paste on a modern card since GPUs use such high end paste. As for ambients, well, you can't really control ambient temps that much... or it'd be a bit silly to.

So what's up with the Asus DC2-V2 7950 on newegg? Is that a good 7950? I'm seriously considering exchanging my sapphire dual-x 7950 boost for that card - from what I understnad, it's on 7970 pcb, it has memory voltage, it has bigger fans, it uses hynix ram, it has voltage control, and it has a VRM temp sensor. I believe HIS IceQx2 also is a golden card too, but uses 90mm fans (like the dual-x) and is more expensive.

The asus is a huge card though, but I could still fit 2 of them on my ud5h and nzxt source 210 case so not a big deal, im sure it helps a lot with temps too.


----------



## d1nky

are pk3 or clu electrically conductive? and what sort of cure times are on them? I may got some for my cpu when I get a watercooler.

I tend to bench at night when its cooler, open windows up and let the place get cold. temps plummet!

the asus card also has the better phase design, mine has 12 phases, most have about 7 I believe.
the cooling on these are quite incredible. and they feel absolutely solid, others feel flimsy and weak.


----------



## FragZero

What's the recommended powersupply for trifire 7950's?

Having some spare parts and possible setup might be

AMD FX8350
Crosshair IV
3x7950

Would my HX850 be sufficient to power this setup?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> What's the recommended powersupply for trifire 7950's?
> 
> Having some spare parts and possible setup might be
> 
> AMD FX8350
> Crosshair IV
> 3x7950
> 
> Would my HX850 be sufficient to power this setup?


1000 watt minimum. Your cpu is power hog ;p


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> What's the recommended powersupply for trifire 7950's?
> 
> Having some spare parts and possible setup might be
> 
> AMD FX8350
> Crosshair IV
> 3x7950
> 
> Would my HX850 be sufficient to power this setup?


yea I bought the 1k for when I get around to xfire. and was told the same! especially if youre adding watercooler/HDDs etc


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> What's the recommended powersupply for trifire 7950's?
> 
> Having some spare parts and possible setup might be
> 
> AMD FX8350
> Crosshair IV
> 3x7950
> 
> Would my HX850 be sufficient to power this setup?


Absolutely not if your planning on ocing at all. I'm running a Seasonic X1050 and I've already shut the ps down a few times when ocing.


----------



## FragZero

Bah 1155 boards are way too expensive and i scored a cheap crosshair IV last month (30 euro with box and manual) but if my powersupply can't handle it i will have to pass!

Probably going 2x 7950, although 1 is very fast i do feel a little underpowered at 2560x1440 (96hz)


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> are pk3 or clu electrically conductive? and what sort of cure times are on them? I may got some for my cpu when I get a watercooler.
> 
> I tend to bench at night when its cooler, open windows up and let the place get cold. temps plummet!
> 
> the asus card also has the better phase design, mine has 12 phases, most have about 7 I believe.
> the cooling on these are quite incredible. and they feel absolutely solid, others feel flimsy and weak.


CLU is highly conductive and corrosive on aluminium. PK-3 however is neither of those two.


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> What settings do you use? I put tesselation on extreme and antialiasing on x4. Am I on the right track? (edit: I must not be... it only used 1gb vram)
> 
> I am trying to find max clocks in preparation of finding folding stable. And will be gaming on it. Though I the only game I have that you mentioned is BF3.
> 
> I did finally get Heaven to crash at 1900 memory. Bumped to 1650mV and then it did fine. Then bumped to 1950mhz memory and that crashed.
> 
> I did try OCCT but I don't think I need to go that extreme.
> 
> 
> 
> When I use valley I follow the Valley bench thread specs, same for Heaven. This way I have a database with which I can use to compare with.
> 
> Valley uses the Extreme HD preset.
> 
> 1900mhz is pretty fast. I would leave it there, nothing good will come from pushing it higher with more volts on air. If yer gonna be folding I would run it lower anyways, to reduce degradation. High frequency + heat + long periods = degradation. Try and find a happy median. If you can run 1900 at 1.65v, then drop the volts and see how low you can run 1800?
> 
> Sugarhell does a bit of mining on his cards and he's got them dialed out to be undervolted and overclocked at the sametime.
Click to expand...

This is on water so I'm not worried about temps much.

Thing is though, I cranked everything up in Heaven and it still only used 1GB memory. I'll try Valley tonight.

Ok, thanks. I'm just in pursuit of performance really, lol.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> How do you guys test memory overclock? Right now I'm on 1800mhz with stock voltage (core is stock as well) running Heaven and don't see any issues. Is there certain settings in the benchmark to set?
> 
> 
> 
> what is your stock mem voltage....cause that is badass...
Click to expand...

Defaults are 1375mhz and 1600mV for the memory.

This is testing with core being at stock which is 1010mhz and 1175mV. I just wanted to find the best spot for memory and then work on core. I'll probably go with 1850mhz and 1625mV and see how that goes.

Looks like valley used 1150mb for a few seconds so I"ll probably use that more often.

I guess I need to see how much memory folding uses anyways.

I did try mining when I first got the card. Made $10 worth of bitcoins in 5 days.


----------



## Imprezzion

1600mv is indeed Hynix memory so your lucky









My Hynix's won't go nearly as high as that tbh for 24/7. I got 1775Mhz on 1.656v now. Going to see how high 1.700v will take me..


----------



## jomama22

1800-1850mhz on the memory seems to be the sweet spot before EEC kicks in and you start to lose fps. I noticed with my lightnigs that 1950 was the max I could set but 1800 yielded the best fps for me.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> My card doesn't seem to want to wake up sometimes although all of my peripherals are plugged in and working. Is this a unique problem or does this happen to other people?


it has happened to me finally found one of my mini dp adapters were causing it. there are few things that can cause it if you run multi cards for example upls
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> are pk3 or clu electrically conductive? and what sort of cure times are on them? I may got some for my cpu when I get a watercooler.
> 
> I tend to bench at night when its cooler, open windows up and let the place get cold. temps plummet!
> 
> the asus card also has the better phase design, mine has 12 phases, most have about 7 I believe.
> the cooling on these are quite incredible. and they feel absolutely solid, others feel flimsy and weak.


CLU is very conductive.
i stayed quiet long enough. several reasons to change gpu paste. the factory gobs it on like it is cake icing, too much paste CAN hurt temps.

these are pics of my video cards.
and several people have used things like mx4 on NEW cards and have seen a decent reduction in temps.

as5 and the rest are good pastes they are not the absolute bests out but neither is CLU there are more much more expensive tims out that perform better then CLU. as for me i would not put a conductive paste on my gpu anyway that is my personal opinion and i am not saying it is wrong by any means to use CLU on a gpu. personally i like my mx4 works great!~ also my temps across my block have never been above 38c so far so i would say my mx4 works just fine.
fair warning with clu as it gets warm like any metal in liquid form it tends to travel
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> What's the recommended powersupply for trifire 7950's?
> 
> Having some spare parts and possible setup might be
> 
> AMD FX8350
> Crosshair IV
> 3x7950
> 
> Would my HX850 be sufficient to power this setup?


i would not think that is enough as i have tripped ocp on my x750 in dual cfx and with and 8350 granted i was on a suicide run but yea... i would say that is just too close for comfort .
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> CLU is highly conductive and corrosive on aluminium. PK-3 however is neither of those two.


+1 mk 4 is not as well.


----------



## d1nky

@megaman thanks for an alternate input. and yea I always stay away from anything corrosive or electrically conductive. but the pk3 sounds like its a winner.

I may one day change the paste on it, maybe before I go xfire. itll be my first time taking a screwdriver to my lil baby, so im weighing up the options lol

thanks


----------



## Mega Man

i know the scared you are feeling.

make sure to use the correct screw driver one user on OCN pointed that out and it has always made sense to me. ( in terms of the company you bought your card from being able to void your warranty if the screws are stripped. )

let me know if you need any helps.

fyi it was a pain in the bum to get the stock tim off with normal alcohol next time when i change to 17mk/w thermal pads i will acctually buy some of the tim removal kits and try that.


----------



## Lizard22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *-Nub-*
> 
> I seem to have the best results using sapphire trixx. It has a option in settings to Synchronize cards in multi gpu config, and disable ULPS.
> I actually get higher overclocks in crossfire than i do individually.


hi thanks for replying, I think I found the problem was that one of the memory heatsinks had taken off, and not toward limiting contact to overclock memory. the most you've tried is 1150/1575.
temperatures. GPU1.48c.VRM1.62c. VRM2. 61c.
GPU2. 58c.VRM1.68c.VRM2.61c.

They think I can easily get to 1200/1600 24/7?


----------



## Pheozero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> My card doesn't seem to want to wake up sometimes although all of my peripherals are plugged in and working. Is this a unique problem or does this happen to other people?


Anyone? It happened again this morning.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Anyone? It happened again this morning.


sorry bud I have never had that problem so I can't help you. But I have heard it happening with certain drivers and there was one guy I read about having that issue using Radeon Pro.


----------



## zerokool_3211

my stock mem voltage is 1.500 but i am able to run it @ 1800 which makes me think hynix


----------



## Snuckie7

For everyone wary of CLU because it's conductive, just take the application nice and slow and it'll be hard to mess anything up. CLU dropped my load temps by a good 5C.


----------



## -Nub-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> hi thanks for replying, I think I found the problem was that one of the memory heatsinks had taken off, and not toward limiting contact to overclock memory. the most you've tried is 1150/1575.
> temperatures. GPU1.48c.VRM1.62c. VRM2. 61c.
> GPU2. 58c.VRM1.68c.VRM2.61c.
> 
> They think I can easily get to 1200/1600 24/7?


Well I'm actually on 1250/1680 on a reference cooler. Glad you figured it out.


----------



## Bennny

I might like to crossfire my 7970 with a second, or perhaps a 7950. I don't really want to buy a new PSU, do you guys think my Seasonic X650 Gold could cope?


----------



## -Nub-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> I might like to crossfire my 7970 with a second, or perhaps a 7950. I don't really want to buy a new PSU, do you guys think my Seasonic X650 Gold could cope?


Probably not if you plan on overclocking. I had a hx 1050 burn up from pushing it with 2 7970 overclocked.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what sort of temp differences you guys see from aftermarket thermal paste?
> 
> I got mx2 and chillfactor3 lying around. and tbh if its not worth the difference I don't want to ruin my baby. or may practice on the gts450 lol


I use IC Diamond, don't know if msi screwed up or what but it dropped my temps 10-12c


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> CLU is very conductive.
> i stayed quiet long enough. several reasons to change gpu paste. the factory gobs it on like it is cake icing, too much paste CAN hurt temps.


That's actually a great point, the factories often do just gob it on. My sapphire wasn't gobbed on though. And yea, too much paste is very easy to hurt temps, it's nearly impossible to use too little paste but it's very easy to use too much.
Quote:


> these are pics of my video cards.
> and several people have used things like mx4 on NEW cards and have seen a decent reduction in temps.
> 
> as5 and the rest are good pastes they are not the absolute bests out but neither is CLU there are more much more expensive tims out that perform better then CLU. as for me i would not put a conductive paste on my gpu anyway that is my personal opinion and i am not saying it is wrong by any means to use CLU on a gpu. personally i like my mx4 works great!~ also my temps across my block have never been above 38c so far so i would say my mx4 works just fine.
> fair warning with clu as it gets warm like any metal in liquid form it tends to travel


As5 came out in 2003, mx-4 came out in 2011. MX-4 isn't as bad, but it's not really great either. As-5 is absolute garbage though, it's a good couple degrees worse than pk-1, which is a good 5+ degrees worse than pk-3, which is just insane when it comes to TIM. It's terrible to recommend AS-5 these days, and mx-4 isn't exactly recommendable.

For reference, I've used mx-4, mx-2, as5, pk1, pk2, pk3, clu, nh-t1, nzxt's paste, and a lot more.

There is nothin wrong with using a conductive paste in and of itself either, you simply clean it if you get it anywhere else. It's a bit misleading to say 'i recommend mx-4 because I use it!" when you dont have a frame of reference to compare it. Compared to any modern, high range paste, MX-4 is severely lacking. As tests have shown, peanut butter 'works just fine' too but it's trash compared to any decent, modern paste.

And CLU, when it gets warm, does NOT tend to travel, please do not spread misinformation if you havent' used it. It actually turns more into a powder.


----------



## fishhawk

Yes do not spred misinformation. I have MANNY different tims laying around because I not only build systems as a hobby and for extra cash. (15 years now)

But AS5 is not trash and is still a great tim, not saying the best. But I have tested so many and so many different ways.I have used and tested every one you have mentioned.
Plus twice more than that. And every one you mentioned, except NZXT I would say is ok. What many don't get is it realy also depends on what you use it on.
Is it a liquid cooled system or a standard heat sink with fans, did you lap the cpu and heat plate or just one or the other, is it a vid card same go,s there.

There are certain ones that are easyer to apply than others, There is much more to applying tim than slapping it on and saying I have the best and the reviews say so.
And as far as AS5 I would say you don't know how to use it with what you said, because I can prove it still works dam good.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> I might like to crossfire my 7970 with a second, or perhaps a 7950. I don't really want to buy a new PSU, do you guys think my Seasonic X650 Gold could cope?


yes it could cope it depends on your settings for your cpu and your gpus i just found the max on my x750 on some suicide runs


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it has happened to me finally found one of my mini dp adapters were causing it. there are few things that can cause it if you run multi cards for example upls
> CLU is very conductive.
> i stayed quiet long enough. several reasons to change gpu paste. the factory gobs it on like it is cake icing, too much paste CAN hurt temps.
> 
> these are pics of my video cards.
> and several people have used things like mx4 on NEW cards and have seen a decent reduction in temps.
> 
> as5 and the rest are good pastes they are not the absolute bests out but neither is CLU there are more much more expensive tims out that perform better then CLU. as for me i would not put a conductive paste on my gpu anyway that is my personal opinion and i am not saying it is wrong by any means to use CLU on a gpu. personally *i like* my mx4 works great!~ also my temps across my block have never been above 38c so far *so i would say my mx4 works just fine*.
> fair warning with clu as it gets warm like any metal in liquid form it tends to travel
> i would not think that is enough as i have tripped ocp on my x750 in dual cfx and with and 8350 granted i was on a suicide run but yea... i would say that is just too close for comfort .
> +1 mk 4 is not as well.






Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> That's actually a great point, the factories often do just gob it on. My sapphire wasn't gobbed on though. And yea, too much paste is very easy to hurt temps, it's nearly impossible to use too little paste but it's very easy to use too much.
> As5 came out in 2003, mx-4 came out in 2011. MX-4 isn't as bad, but it's not really great either. As-5 is absolute garbage though, it's a good couple degrees worse than pk-1, which is a good 5+ degrees worse than pk-3, which is just insane when it comes to TIM. It's terrible to recommend AS-5 these days, and mx-4 isn't exactly recommendable.
> 
> For reference, I've used mx-4, mx-2, as5, pk1, pk2, pk3, clu, nh-t1, nzxt's paste, and a lot more.
> 
> There is nothin wrong with using a conductive paste in and of itself either, you simply clean it if you get it anywhere else. *It's a bit misleading to say 'i recommend mx-4 because I use it!"* when you dont have a frame of reference to compare it. Compared to any modern, high range paste, MX-4 is severely lacking. As tests have shown, peanut butter 'works just fine' too but it's trash compared to any decent, modern paste.
> 
> And CLU, when it gets warm, does NOT tend to travel, please do not spread misinformation if you havent' used it. It actually turns more into a powder.


in the spoiler i have my quote. can you please point out where i said
Quote:


> 'i recommend mx-4 because I use it!"


i never said that. what i did say is
Quote:


> personally *i like my mx4 works great!*~ also my temps across my block have never been above 38c so far *so i would say my mx4 works just fine*.


you are the one who is trashing every tim i can think of ( and then some ) with no real proof to back this up.just stating " it is junk because it is old" hate to tell you but just because it was made a long time ago does not make it obsolete.

on a side note this
Quote:


> 'i recommend mx-4 because I use it!"


i take offense to. i never said that nor do i sound as stuck up as that.


----------



## tsm106

^^650w is too low for 7970 cfx. 850w is pushing it with overclocks.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^650w is too low for 7970 cfx. 850w is pushing it with overclocks.


yea again it *could* coupe with it. does not mean it will.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it has happened to me finally found one of my mini dp adapters were causing it. there are few things that can cause it if you run multi cards for example upls
> CLU is very conductive.
> i stayed quiet long enough. several reasons to change gpu paste. the factory gobs it on like it is cake icing, too much paste CAN hurt temps.
> 
> these are pics of my video cards.
> and several people have used things like mx4 on NEW cards and have seen a decent reduction in temps.
> 
> as5 and the rest are good pastes they are not the absolute bests out but neither is CLU there are more much more expensive tims out that perform better then CLU. as for me i would not put a conductive paste on my gpu anyway that is my personal opinion and i am not saying it is wrong by any means to use CLU on a gpu. personally i like my mx4 works great!~ also my temps across my block have never been above 38c so far so i would say my mx4 works just fine.
> fair warning with clu as it gets warm like any metal in liquid form it tends to travel
> i would not think that is enough as i have tripped ocp on my x750 in dual cfx and with and 8350 granted i was on a suicide run but yea... i would say that is just too close for comfort .
> +1 mk 4 is not as well.


I agree the tim application from factory is horrible on most cards.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> That's actually a great point, the factories often do just gob it on. My sapphire wasn't gobbed on though. And yea, too much paste is very easy to hurt temps, it's nearly impossible to use too little paste but it's very easy to use too much.
> As5 came out in 2003, mx-4 came out in 2011. MX-4 isn't as bad, but it's not really great either. As-5 is absolute garbage though, it's a good couple degrees worse than pk-1, which is a good 5+ degrees worse than pk-3, which is just insane when it comes to TIM. It's terrible to recommend AS-5 these days, and mx-4 isn't exactly recommendable.
> 
> For reference, I've used mx-4, mx-2, as5, pk1, pk2, pk3, clu, nh-t1, nzxt's paste, and a lot more.
> 
> There is nothin wrong with using a conductive paste in and of itself either, you simply clean it if you get it anywhere else. It's a bit misleading to say 'i recommend mx-4 because I use it!" when you dont have a frame of reference to compare it. Compared to any modern, high range paste, MX-4 is severely lacking. As tests have shown, peanut butter 'works just fine' too but it's trash compared to any decent, modern paste.
> 
> And CLU, when it gets warm, does NOT tend to travel, please do not spread misinformation if you havent' used it. It actually turns more into a powder.


As others have pointed out AS5 is not garbage. I use it for testing because clean up is pretty easy and it STILL rates highly on recent reviews as a decent tim. Formulas 7 and Gelid extreme are my personal preference. They are quite viscous and tricky to apply, but a soak in some warm water takes care of most of it. I don't care how old something is if it works, it works. AS5 is still a good compound, especially for novices and spreads evenly. As far as performance, the application and mounting have more to do with it than the tim. If you don't apply it and mount your block or heatsink correctly any tim can be seen as bad.


----------



## ericeod

Here is a great read on 7970 Crossfire power consumption:
Guru3D.com, ASUS Radeon HD 7970 Crossfire review
by: *Hilbert Hagedoorn on* *01/08/2012*
Quote:


> Measured power consumption for two cards in Crossfire
> 1.System in IDLE = 166W
> 2.System Wattage with GPU in FULL Stress = 567W
> 3.Difference (GPU load) = 401W
> 4.Add average IDLE wattage ~6W
> 5.Subjective obtained GPU power consumption = ~ 407 Watts
> 
> Mind you that the system wattage is measured at the wall socket.


----------



## p2mob

Does it make difference what motherboard you have as far as overclocking the GPU? It seems for me that I can get an extra 100mhz on the clock on my XFX 7950 without the computer hanging while gaming.
Also my temps dropped by 10-15c degrees since I am using the Asus crosshair V Forumla-z. Previously I was using the Asus M5A97 R2.0

editt://

Asus M5A97 R2.0 max stable 1000mhz core clock 1350mhz mem 1.250v temps around 65 highest.

Asus crosshair V forumla-z 1100mhz core clock 1400 mem 1.250v temps around 45 highest.

lol?


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> Here is a great read on 7970 Crossfire power consumption:
> Guru3D.com, ASUS Radeon HD 7970 Crossfire review
> by: *Hilbert Hagedoorn on* *01/08/2012*


Keep in mind that is at stock, once raising voltages & clocks, those numbers can go up quite a bit.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> Does it make difference what motherboard you have as far as overclocking the GPU? It seems for me that I can get an extra 100mhz on the clock on my XFX 7950 without the computer hanging while gaming.
> Also my temps dropped by 10-15c degrees since I am using the Asus crosshair V Forumla-z. Previously I was using the Asus M5A97 R2.0
> 
> editt://
> 
> Asus M5A97 R2.0 max stable 1000mhz core clock 1350mhz mem 1.250v temps around 65 highest.
> 
> Asus crosshair V forumla-z 1100mhz core clock 1400 mem 1.250v temps around 45 highest.
> 
> lol?


from my experience yes!

went from an asus m5a78l to the fatality and my gpu doesnt crash as much when trying higher clocks, and I always used to get driver crashes with massive overclocks but that rarely happens now.

overall loads more solid!


----------



## Mega Man

anything can make a difference from CPU to mobo to ram to gpu anthing the gpu "connects" with


----------



## fishhawk

The crosshair formula v-z has much better and smoother power flowing throught it do to is design. And that makes a difference on every mobo, for all hardware.


----------



## Belial

Hey check this out, I had something really weird happen...

So I use a certain computational program on my 7950, and I had to get a dummy plug for it to run with an overclock and be able to be monitored.

Well, I removed my drivers and AMD APP SDK and then reinstalled them when I had the card overclocked, and I think the result was that it messed with the defaults of the card, so now it defaults to the overclock.

So now, I don't need a dummy plug anymore, the card runs at a 'default' 1068mhz//1658mhz! Weird huh? Although I still cannot monitor the GPU, the only thing I'm missing is GPU load and I know it's at 100%, it still monitors temps, fan speed, and memory.


----------



## d1nky

ive had similar happen to me before. I crashed on a certain clock, rebooted and reset clocks but it would keep my overclock as default.

reinstalled drivers etc and it kept the overclock. cant remember what cleared it, may be registry or cleared cmos.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> Here is a great read on 7970 Crossfire power consumption:
> Guru3D.com, ASUS Radeon HD 7970 Crossfire review
> by: *Hilbert Hagedoorn on* *01/08/2012*
> 
> 
> 
> Keep in mind that is at stock, once raising voltages & clocks, those numbers can go up quite a bit.
Click to expand...

^^Concur. On another note it's amazing that it is so easy to get more accurate consumption numbers than most reviewers can handle yet these guys fail everytime with the exception of TPU who measure at the plugs. Even I can figure out a simple way of getting closer to the true consumption.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1389971/how-much-wattage-from-seasonic-do-i-need-to-run-3-x-7970s-in-one-rig-and-2-x-7970s-in-another-rig/0_40#post_19944794


----------



## Belial

Hm I cleared the registry a few times and such, i have no idea what it is. It's not really a bad thing since i'm running a 24/7 computational workload, but it's a bit disconcerting, especially since the voltage no longer scales down on idle (that might be due to multi-monitor and 3d application settings?).

It's just really weird. I've had nothing but issues trying to apply overclocks to this card. GPu-Z still recognizes that 925mhz is it's stock speed.

Oh well, RMAing the card soon anyways and if it's still and issue then then I'm sure a total driver sweep and registry clean out of drivers would fix the issue.


----------



## Spin Cykle

Just picked these bad boys up! Excited to test them out and see what they are capable of @ 1440p. I've been part of the green team for a long time now, 6400GT days 8-9 years.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> Just picked these bad boys up! Excited to test them out and see what they are capable of @ 1440p. I've been part of the green team for a long time now, 6400GT days 8-9 years. I was very apprehensive at first but I think I got a great deal on the two cards used, < $450. What do you guys think?


Nice







I recently moved from Nvidia and am quite happy.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> Just picked these bad boys up! Excited to test them out and see what they are capable of @ 1440p. I've been part of the green team for a long time now, 6400GT days 8-9 years. I was very apprehensive at first but I think I got a great deal on the two cards used, < $450. What do you guys think?


welcome to the club.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> Just picked these bad boys up! Excited to test them out and see what they are capable of @ 1440p. I've been part of the green team for a long time now, 6400GT days 8-9 years. I was very apprehensive at first but I think I got a great deal on the two cards used, < $450. What do you guys think?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


amazing buy and welcome to the red side !~ you wont be disappointed !~


----------



## akaNaga

Hey guys.. Quick question. Can my poor CPU affect the way my 7970 Vapor-x acts? I recently benchmarked in Heaven and this is the result.



I am kinda sad about how the card perfom.. I am going to build a whole new rig in like 1-2 week, which will compose of a i5 3750k @ 4.2 maybe 4.5GHz. Will she perform better? Thanks!


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> Just picked these bad boys up! Excited to test them out and see what they are capable of @ 1440p. I've been part of the green team for a long time now, 6400GT days 8-9 years. I was very apprehensive at first but I think I got a great deal on the two cards used, < $450. What do you guys think?


welcome to the club indeed....hope there is some water blocks coming for those things

also since everyone was talking about pastes....i just put some new MX-4 on my H100 block and i got 8C difference from AS5 but i used a plus sign this time cause i hear that H100 is a poort mounting surface, so that may have to do with it....here are some pics of the spread on my AS5 (been on a while now i think)





i also installed a 5.25 to 2 2.5 and 1 3.5 adapter to get everything cleaned up...here are some pics of everything as of now....i also installed all new fans (Aerocool Red Devil 120's)














SORRY FOR THE GIANT POST


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> welcome to the club indeed....hope there is some water blocks coming for those things
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> also since everyone was talking about pastes....i just put some new MX-4 on my H100 block and i got 8C difference from AS5 but i used a plus sign this time cause i hear that H100 is a poort mounting surface, so that may have to do with it....here are some pics of the spread on my AS5 (been on a while now i think)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i also installed a 5.25 to 2 2.5 and 1 3.5 adapter to get everything cleaned up...here are some pics of everything as of now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SORRY FOR THE GIANT POST


dont apologize looks great !~


----------



## Spin Cykle

Thanks for the welcome guys.

@zerokool... It's my intentions to get EK blocks on them IF they OC well under air. ASIC on them is fairly high. One card is 80% and the other is 76%. Wont be able to put them through the ringer until tues/wed though. Work commitments are brutal right now.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> Thanks for the welcome guys.
> 
> @zerokool... It's my intentions to get EK blocks on them IF they OC well under air. ASIC on them is fairly high. One card is 80% and the other is 76%. Wont be able to put them through the ringer until tues/wed though. Work commitments are brutal right now.


should go for the komodos instead !~ ( really it is just my personal preference. ) i love them and imo they look alot better!~ to top it off i have yet to see my gpus above 38c ( accross the gpu, vrms ect ) even at 1200/1800


----------



## Spin Cykle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> should go for the komodos instead !~ ( really it is just my personal preference. ) i love them and imo they look alot better!~ to top it off i have yet to see my gpus above 38c ( accross the gpu, vrms ect ) even at 1200/1800


For me it comes down to the bottom end, price. EK blocks are $200 while the Komodo blocks are $300, are they really worth 100$ more? We'll see how far I can push the cards first under air. I'm still learning alot about AMD/ATI, especially over clocking.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> For me it comes down to the bottom end, price. EK blocks are $200 while the Komodo blocks are $300, are they really worth 100$ more? We'll see how far I can push the cards first under air. I'm still learning alot about AMD/ATI, especially over clocking.


If your on a budget try buying used as it will save you major $$.They are always popping up here and on hardforum. I have a mixed bag of blocks one old style EK, one new style EK and Koolance. The Koolance out perfoms both of the EK's.


----------



## DawnBladeDN

Hi I had a quick question about 7990.
If someone had a Z77 build, would two 7990's performance (due to the fact that technically it's quad-sli) be drastically lowered because of the z77's scaling of pci-e lanes?


----------



## Spin Cykle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> If your on a budget try buying used as it will save you major $$.They are always popping up here and on hardforum. I have a mixed bag of blocks one old style EK, one new style EK and Koolance. The Koolance out perfoms both of the EK's.


I was trying to keep the overall cost down. More price vrs. performance vrs. longevity. Still feel like i overpaid a bit for the two cards. And then add $300 for blocks, my apprehension starts to kick in.


----------



## fishhawk

To the person who posted about the poor performance with his Vapor-x, can you give more info, on your system/vid speeds and such, because no that card should do way better I love mine now that I have fine tweeked it. But depending on your clock settings, with the way you have options set on that bench mark, that isn't terribly bad.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ive had similar happen to me before. I crashed on a certain clock, rebooted and reset clocks but it would keep my overclock as default.
> 
> reinstalled drivers etc and it kept the overclock. cant remember what cleared it, may be registry or cleared cmos.


Beautiful thing with Asus Tweak, has a bios burn in feature, that sets your overclock as default. Keep finding wonderful things about my Matrix everyday!

That poor performance for vapor-X seems like a driver issue. I've had similarly poor performance and had to do uninstall and reinstall of drivers.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> I was trying to keep the overall cost down. More price vrs. performance vrs. longevity. Still feel like i overpaid a bit for the two cards. And then add $300 for blocks, my apprehension starts to kick in.


i dont see how considering it seems like your costs are much higher then mine ( in the US ) and you paid 450 for 2 cards when you could not buy 1 card in the us NEW for 450. heck on the market place here on ocn i saw my card sold for 320 which is the lowest i have seen a card go for


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> I was trying to keep the overall cost down. More price vrs. performance vrs. longevity. Still feel like i overpaid a bit for the two cards. And then add $300 for blocks, my apprehension starts to kick in.
> 
> 
> 
> i dont see how considering it seems like your costs are much higher then mine ( in the US ) and you paid 450 for 2 cards when you could not buy 1 card in the us NEW for 450. heck on the market place here on ocn i saw my card sold for 320 which is the lowest i have seen a card go for
Click to expand...

For reference models or other unlocked voltage versions anyways. I've seen some of the other ones go for $300.

But yeah I agree. That's $225 per card. You'd be making a HUGE profit if you sold them right now. The waterblocks can be gotten for cheap when used too. They're hard to get though... took me a month of active searching. I was picky though. I was only searching Koolance, Komodo, Heatkillers, and EK coppers for under $100. Finally got my Koolance for $70.


----------



## zerokool_3211

pretty soon i will be doing these parts as an upgrade from an h100....i cant wait for this ****....lol....ordering the rad and the pump next week prolly

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/bitspower_water_tank_z-multi_150_-_60mm_tube_reservoir_-_red/ $47.99

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/1_2_id_tubing_-_barb_-_matt_black $3.29 x 5

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/1_2_id_tubing_90_degree_barb_-_matt_black $8.99

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/dazmode_storm_d5_vario_8-24v_pump $74.99

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/performance_dual_120mm_radiator_xspc_rx240 $73.99

http://koolance.com/cpu-380i-processor-water-block $74.99

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/aluminum-reusable-34-od-liquid-tubing-clamp-red $3.99 x 8

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/thermochill_flex_1_2_od_-3_4_id_tube_-white $2.50 x 10


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> I was trying to keep the overall cost down. More price vrs. performance vrs. longevity. Still feel like i overpaid a bit for the two cards. And then add $300 for blocks, my apprehension starts to kick in.
> 
> 
> 
> i dont see how considering it seems like your costs are much higher then mine ( in the US ) and you paid 450 for 2 cards when you could not buy 1 card in the us NEW for 450. heck on the market place here on ocn i saw my card sold for 320 which is the lowest i have seen a card go for
Click to expand...

Seriously? You bought a Porsche for the price of a Beetle and you're not happy?

For blocks, I prefer the original ek non-csq, but between the choices available I would still go ek for the flow and vrm cooling capabilities. High flow is very important in multi-block loops. Best in class vrm cooling will pay dividends when overclocking.


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akaNaga*
> 
> Hey guys.. Quick question. Can my poor CPU affect the way my 7970 Vapor-x acts? I recently benchmarked in Heaven and this is the result.
> 
> 
> 
> I am kinda sad about how the card perfom.. I am going to build a whole new rig in like 1-2 week, which will compose of a i5 3750k @ 4.2 maybe 4.5GHz. Will she perform better? Thanks!


You won't notice any difference IF this system is set up right. At least, not in benches like Heaven / Valley.
My Xeon W3520 (i7 920) @ 4.1 gave the exact same FPS as my 2500K @ 5.1 does in benches like Heaven..


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Seriously? You bought a Porsche for the price of a Beetle and you're not happy?
> 
> For blocks, I prefer the original ek non-csq, but between the choices available I would still go ek for the flow and vrm cooling capabilities. High flow is very important in multi-block loops. Best in class vrm cooling will pay dividends when overclocking.


I'm with you on the EK non-csq. I love the clear acrylic and copper, have had a few on different cards.

Speaking of VRM cooling, the matrix block I have is quite a bit different than other blocks I've used and seen. The cooling block is separated and makes me wonder about flow. Here's some pic.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Seriously? You bought a Porsche for the price of a Beetle and you're not happy?
> 
> For blocks, I prefer the original ek non-csq, but between the choices available I would still go ek for the flow and vrm cooling capabilities. High flow is very important in multi-block loops. Best in class vrm cooling will pay dividends when overclocking.


with 1 mcp35x going through my cpu block and both my komodos in serial ( will be setting up serial-parallel at some point in life ) i have a ton of flow. and do it with no problem waiting to place my next order to put my cards in parallel as the sli fittings were just a hair too short lol but i have to say this little 35x really amazed me at what it can do .
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I'm with you on the EK non-csq. I love the clear acrylic and copper, have had a few on different cards.
> 
> Speaking of VRM cooling, the matrix block I have is quite a bit different than other blocks I've used and seen. The cooling block is separated and makes me wonder about flow. Here's some pic.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


meh with the layout of newer cards this has become very typical.
nothing to worry about.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> with 1 mcp35x going through my cpu block and both my komodos in serial ( will be setting up serial-parallel at some point in life ) i have a ton of flow. and do it with no problem waiting to place my next order to put my cards in parallel as the sli fittings were just a hair too short lol but i have to say this little 35x really amazed me at what it can do .


I was worried about my pump as well and i ask tsm about it as well..

Found out im not having no issues on my loop with only one 350 pump..

Runs great, i need to take 1st card out of loop to reapply tim as my 2nd card is running 5c cooler...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I was worried about my pump as well and i ask tsm about it as well..
> 
> Found out im not having no issues on my loop with only one 350 pump..
> 
> Runs great, i need to take 1st card out of loop to reapply tim as my 2nd card is running 5c cooler...


best part when i was covering the hole when i was filling my loop dang thing almost gave me a hickey !~


----------



## d1nky

urmmm....... dont laugh...... ive seen all this hoo harr about changing tims on graphics cards, and discussed pastes etc.

well i had a lil practice on the gts450 a couple of times, went well card was about the same temp and the paste takes about a day to cure. (ive ordered pk3 btw so dont mock about the paste i iused (CF3 this was only a trial run)

tried it on the 7950, which is a friggin nightmare to take apart. the sink is connected to the brace connected to the pcb which is all screwed in plus the four spring screws, and the fans are seperate from everything else!

well before i used to idle about 28*c and max about 63*c @stock

urmm now idle is 34*c and max about 75*c @stock

yes the paste may be sht as a few said but other than that i noticed the springs are severely weak, the paste put on there before was like 'icing' and all the screws were loose.

i think the card isnt secure enough as the spring screws are crap. and ill try again when my new super duper paste arrives.
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=TH-008-PL&adword=google/pla/PUP_Components/Thermal_Materials/TH-008-PL/&pup_ptid=41169814115&pup_kw=&pup_c=pla&gclid=CPeIleb1kLcCFUXJtAod4iYAoQ


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> urmmm....... dont laugh...... ive seen all this hoo harr about changing tims on graphics cards, and discussed pastes etc.
> 
> well i had a lil practice on the gts450 a couple of times, went well card was about the same temp and the paste takes about a day to cure. (ive ordered pk3 btw so dont mock about the paste i iused (CF3 this was only a trial run)
> 
> tried it on the 7950, which is a friggin nightmare to take apart. the sink is connected to the brace connected to the pcb which is all screwed in plus the four spring screws, and the fans are seperate from everything else!
> 
> well before i used to idle about 28*c and max about 63*c @stock
> 
> urmm now idle is 34*c and max about 75*c @stock
> 
> yes the paste may be sht as a few said but other than that i noticed the springs are severely weak, the paste put on there before was like 'icing' and all the screws were loose.
> 
> i think the card isnt secure enough as the spring screws are crap. and ill try again when my new super duper paste arrives.
> http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=TH-008-PL&adword=google/pla/PUP_Components/Thermal_Materials/TH-008-PL/&pup_ptid=41169814115&pup_kw=&pup_c=pla&gclid=CPeIleb1kLcCFUXJtAod4iYAoQ


in all honesty i think i over tightened my spring.


----------



## d1nky

i know too much pressure can cause higher temps, but these temps seem to max out real quick.

but bearing in mind when i used this paste on my cpu for the first time they rocketed in prime, i had to stop the test. it was a day later before temps started to drop.

im only doing this as i want to learn, and ideally keep temps same as before or better.

i may use the gts450 springs they seem decent, or may take it all apart and try again.


----------



## natsu2014

Hi guys. I think I will change sides from green to red and need advice which 7970 should I choose. I want a card with unlocked voltage and I want to put it under water and OC as much as I can








Which card should I choose? And what are decent clocks on 7970? Nvidia's cards are worthless under water (not even 1mhz more compared to air cooling)


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i know too much pressure can cause higher temps, but these temps seem to max out real quick.
> 
> but bearing in mind when i used this paste on my cpu for the first time they rocketed in prime, i had to stop the test. it was a day later before temps started to drop.
> 
> im only doing this as i want to learn, and ideally keep temps same as before or better.
> 
> i may use the gts450 springs they seem decent, or may take it all apart and try again.


ill just loosen them. my temps never go above 38c XD


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ill just loosen them. my temps never go above 38c XD


every time someone mentions there water cooled temps, i want to start buying online!!!!


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i know too much pressure can cause higher temps, but these temps seem to max out real quick.
> 
> but bearing in mind when i used this paste on my cpu for the first time they rocketed in prime, i had to stop the test. it was a day later before temps started to drop.
> 
> im only doing this as i want to learn, and ideally keep temps same as before or better.
> 
> i may use the gts450 springs they seem decent, or may take it all apart and try again.


The trick is to practice and test, once you do it a bunch of times and figure out what works best, its pretty easy. For example: I prefer the dot method for cpu's, but spread method for gpu's. In my experience that works best for me. Also depends what type of tim you're using. A real viscous tim almost always has to be spread for even coverage, whereas a silicone based tim will spread easily by itself, using the dot method.


----------



## d1nky

well they say practice makes perfect and all i want to do is learn and gain experience.

and its actually not that scary once youve taken it apart. well im watching a film at the mo and seeing what happens with temps, so will experiment some more in a bit.

thanks guys


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> every time someone mentions there water cooled temps, i want to start buying online!!!!


DOOOOOOOO ETTTTTTT !~~!!~~


----------



## Imprezzion

Hahaha this is exactly the kind of stuff that costs me my warranty on most of my computer products.. If I don't like the temps, or think the springs are too loose or whatever, I just keep modding and ghettoíng along till either I DO like what i'm seeing, or it's broken.









In this case, if mounting pressure seems to be low, put a chunk of ArmaFlex or something alike underneath the center of the mounting cross thingy. Tightening the screws now will bend the cross thingy more meaning more pressure


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *natsu2014*
> 
> Hi guys. I think I will change sides from green to red and need advice which 7970 should I choose. I want a card with unlocked voltage and I want to put it under water and OC as much as I can
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which card should I choose? And what are decent clocks on 7970? Nvidia's cards are worthless under water (not even 1mhz more compared to air cooling)


obojetnie byle nie XFX bo to dziadoska firma


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *natsu2014*
> 
> Hi guys. I think I will change sides from green to red and need advice which 7970 should I choose. I want a card with unlocked voltage and I want to put it under water and OC as much as I can
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Which card should I choose? And what are decent clocks on 7970? Nvidia's cards are worthless under water (not even 1mhz more compared to air cooling)


I';m a little bias, but Asus Matrix is a great card.


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I';m a little bias, but Asus Matrix is a great card.


+1


----------



## d1nky

yea ive definitely messed up, found an old screenie from when i hit my highest bench with the fx4100 and highest temp was 59*c and that was overclocked to hell and my usual bench fan curve.

now same fan curve on stock hits 76*c



#attempt 2


----------



## p2mob

Is it safe to stand a small fan on a video card so that it blows at my north bridge?


----------



## d1nky

yea ive done it loads of times for benching


----------



## akaNaga

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> You won't notice any difference IF this system is set up right. At least, not in benches like Heaven / Valley.
> My Xeon W3520 (i7 920) @ 4.1 gave the exact same FPS as my 2500K @ 5.1 does in benches like Heaven..


Would this mean I got a bad card or is my setup not "powerfull" enough for the card;

i7 [email protected] 2.66GHz
8Gb of sh** ram
A default gateway mobo : TBGM01


----------



## th3illusiveman

Man i got a dud of a 7970...thing can't even run 3DMark at 1125 with 1200mv LOL. right now it only does 1100Mhz with 1175mv... what a POS.









All this after spending a month dealing with the RMA department and them sending me a DOA card first then this vile thing second...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Man i got a dud of a 7970...thing can't even run 3DMark at 1125 with 1200mv LOL. right now it only does 1100Mhz with 1175mv... what a POS.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> All this after spending a month dealing with the RMA department and them sending me a DOA card first then this vile thing second...


Push more volts. Probably is low asic card.

Also check your gpu temp


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Push more volts. Probably is low asic card.
> 
> Also check your gpu temp


well it's a medium ASIC card, a 74% and it isn't even a GHz edition. Maybe their VRM layout screws with the ASIC calculation? This is what the card look like 

Push more volts? Dude i pushed 1200mv through this thing to try and get 1125Mhz that's a ton of voltage for such a low OC and Powercolor don't put heatsinks on their PCB lol so my VRMS are naked. Until i can get some sinks on those VRMs next week i don't feel good pushing 1250mv through it lol, it's weird that it leaks this badly almost warrants an RMA imo lol.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> well it's a medium ASIC card, a 74% and it isn't even a GHz edition. Maybe their VRM layout screws with the ASIC calculation? This is what the card look like
> 
> Push more volts? Dude i pushed 1200mv through this thing to try and get 1125Mhz that's a ton of voltage for such a low OC and Powercolor don't put heatsinks on their PCB lol so my VRMS are naked. Until i can get some sinks on those VRMs next week i don't feel good pushing 1250mv through it lol, it's weird that it leaks this badly almost warrants an RMA imo lol.


If your vrms are too hot then you will lose oc potential. Get some sinks first ;p


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> If your vrms are too hot then you will lose oc potential. Get some sinks first ;p


well it's making it very easy to buy a 780 if they aren't priced ******ly and actually perform well


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

I just looked up ASIC quality and got latest version of GPU-z to test it, my gigabyte 7950 only gets a 64.7% so thats depressing, but I have no plans to OC my crossfire unless 1 fails, and both are early into their warranty anyways

Wonder what my powercolor would get, I'll check tomorrow when I put them in a new HAF912


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> well it's making it very easy to buy a 780 if they aren't priced ******ly and actually perform well


I wouldnt even bother anymore with 28nm. If you cant play something with your 7970, titan or gtx780 will not make it playable.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> I just looked up ASIC quality and got latest version of GPU-z to test it, my gigabyte 7950 only gets a 64.7% so thats depressing, but I have no plans to OC my crossfire unless 1 fails, and both are early into their warranty anyways
> 
> Wonder what my powercolor would get, I'll check tomorrow when I put them in a new HAF912


asic score doesnt mean crap, i have about 53% and can oc like mad!

1220/1775 is the limits.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> asic score doesnt mean crap, i have about 53% and can oc like mad!
> 
> 1220/1775 is the limits.


If you dont know what asic quality means yeah.


----------



## d1nky

its the leakage of voltage from the components on the card, mind you ive forgotten if higher means better or vice versa lol

there was a debate a while back about this and someone created a poll, and compared asic scores with overclocks and came to the conclusion it had little impact on overclocks.

hence my statement above.

there are many threads about it on here

but i found this which seems interesting
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2312245


----------



## sugarhell

High asic you need less volts.

Lower asic you need more volts.

There is no connection between oc and asic quality.

For water you prefer average asic like 70-75 so you can push more than 1.3 volt.

For example on my 87% sapphire my max is 1.2 volt anything over it crash


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> High asic you need less volts.
> 
> Lower asic you need more volts.
> 
> There is no connection between oc and asic quality.
> 
> For water you prefer average asic like 70-75 so you can push more than 1.3 volt.
> 
> For example on my 87% sapphire my max is 1.2 volt anything over it crash


So to get good overclock on my XFX 7950 double D with 60.7% asic I need to push 1.3v instead the default 1.250v? As long as my temps are fine?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> So to get good overclock on my XFX 7950 double D with 60.7% asic I need to push 1.3v instead the default 1.250v? As long as my temps are fine?


Probably you have a boost card to have 1.25 volt. With a low asic card you can push more volts.They can handle it better than the high asic cards.


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Probably you have a boost card to have 1.25 volt. With a low asic card you can push more volts.They can handle it better than the high asic cards.


it idles at 0.950v but even at stock clocks under load turns into 1.250. Also I cannot unlock the voltage controller in msi after burner.


----------



## Nightz2k

My 7950's asic scores are very close to one another. _(58.7% and 56.9%)_ I use 1.3v, at least in AB, it may or may not use that much, I've never checked while benching.

The highest clocks I've reached was around 1250/1775, but my overclocks vary depending what benchmark I use since some put a bit more stress on them.

Examples from my benchmarks:

3DMark Fire Strike with 2x7950's - Score of *12242* - LINK
3DMark Fire Strike with single 7950 - Score of *7701* - LINK
Valley 1.0 _(Extreme HD preset)_ with 2x 7950's - Score of *3893* - LINK
Heaven 4.0 with 2x 7950's - Score of *2005* - LINK

I'm overall happy with them.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> its the leakage of voltage from the components on the card, mind you ive forgotten if higher means better or vice versa lol
> 
> there was a debate a while back about this and someone created a poll, and compared asic scores with overclocks and came to the conclusion it had little impact on overclocks.
> 
> hence my statement above.
> 
> there are many threads about it on here
> 
> but i found this which seems interesting
> http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2312245


see my post below
also, this post agrees, asic quality has no affect on overclocking.

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/18dz3c/radeon_hd7900_series_asic_quality_poll/%5B/URL

In my experience thus far low ASIC quality = lower leakage current = less current draw at a given clock speed = lower clocks at a given voltage = higher voltage needed.

All of my cards OC pretty close on air, but my highest ASIC (77%) card does do a bit better than the rest (54.9% to 74%).[/QUOTE]
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> i believe this is true. i'll try and find it somewhere, i have the page bookmarked on my phone (ill come back and edit it later) but i saw somewhere that an AMD rep on another forum stated that the lower asic chips were less leaky, and the reason they have a higher stock voltage is too keep the TDP the same across the entire range of both high and low leakage chips, because they arent the same as cpu's where the lower or higher quality chips of the same architecture can be relabelled as a different chip eg 950 is a higher clockspeed 920 etc. so a lower leakage 7970 will have a higer stock voltage to keep at at the same power draw as a higher leakage part.
> 
> please dont kill me if this is wrong
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: Here we go; http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1344008&postcount=29
> 
> "Actually, it does the opposite! We scale the voltage based on leakage, so the higher leakage parts use lower voltage and the lower leakage parts use a higher voltage - what this is does narrow the entire TDP range of the product.
> 
> Everything is qualified at worst case anyway; all the TDP calcs and the fan settings are completed on the wors case for the product range."
> 
> That Quote is from Dave Baumann, AMD product manager


----------



## Krusher33

So... from that I gather that the higher leakage one will have a shorter lifespan then?


----------



## Nightz2k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> So... from that I gather that the higher leakage one will have a shorter lifespan then?


I doubt that. You'll probably be upgrading long before, if, your GPU(s) start to die out. Unless you're pushing your limits on overclocks constantly 24/7, you shouldn't have much to worry about. There's always one bad apple in the bunch that may not last as long, but that goes with any hardware you purchase.


----------



## Belial

Hey I'm considering exchanging my Sapphire Dual-X 3L Boost 7950 for an Asus DC2 V2... From what I read, it's a sweet card along with the iceqx2:

* voltage/memory unlocked
* hynix
* vrm temp sensors

And the cooler on it should be much better. Any DC2 v2 owners can give any input on this card? At $40 more expensive, it's quite a bite, but the extra overclock I could put on this card should actually make me that $40 difference in about 4-8 months, plus it'll just not be a piece of crap like the sapphire card.

Thanks!


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Hey I'm considering exchanging my Sapphire Dual-X 3L Boost 7950 for an Asus DC2 V2... From what I read, it's a sweet card along with the iceqx2:
> 
> * voltage/memory unlocked
> * hynix
> * vrm temp sensors
> 
> And the cooler on it should be much better. Any DC2 v2 owners can give any input on this card? At $40 more expensive, it's quite a bite, but the extra overclock I could put on this card should actually make me that $40 difference in about 4-8 months, plus it'll just not be a piece of crap like the sapphire card.
> 
> Thanks!


from what i hear most asus cards are crap...get a msi tf3 from newegg....still AMD pcb's and mines a decent clocker


----------



## Noviets

Hey guys, I have the non-ref DC2 model 7970. Gave up trying to find a place that sells a dc2 waterblock, so I'm going to stick with air, as the DC2's are pretty decent air coolers anyway.

I have flashed the DC2T with the matrix bios, so its running at 1.256 instead of the 1.170 stock, Just wondering if I could get some advise on the differences between overheating artifacts and needing more vaults for core.

I assume that if the drive crashes it needs more vaults. If I get graphical stretching or flicking, I think its overheating.

But I've had my card overclocked a 1180/1750 for a while, and after a few hours of gaming (I dont get to sit down and play for long durations often) I noticed that in BF3 I was getting flickering, this is a memory clock problem right? I need more mvddc?

I would really like to get 1250/1800 from this card, I'm not too worried about getting high memory clock, the core is my primary concern. How high can I push the vaults?

Right now with MSI-AB I have a custom fan profile that maxes 100% fan at 75C, but rarely goes past 60C during gaming, I actually only get around 51-53C in BF3 as it only uses about 60% GPU.

Do I worry about temps as much as I am? I try to keep them below 60C as I'm not sure if it would cause any stability issues. My previous cards were 2x 8800GTX's in crossfire, which ran comfortable up to 90C (Top card was a few degrees more).

What voltage can I put into it? Do I just go straight for 1.3v and up the core mhz till I get driver crashes? Should I worry about memory clock at all? (From my testing 100 mhz memory is about 0.5 fps) is it even worth it? Would raising the memory clock make the core clock more likely to be unstable, or do they act and overclock independently?

I can't seem to detect my VRM temps on this card, is there another program I could try other than GPU-Z?

What's the best way to get a good idea on stability? I've been using Valley bench on Extreme preset, but with my screen resolution and full-screen turned on. I know its not quite the same as a few hours of game-play, and other programs like MSI Kombuster just check for temps by load maxing the card, which really isn't going to test the card for gaming situations.. Is that the best bench for testing?

I tend not to like using MSI Kombuster as I get much higher temps on it then what I've ever gotten from gaming. So it's not an accurate test on what temps i'd be looking at for certain volts/clocks..

I guess I'm just looking for a mentor, and some advice. I appreciate those that spent the time to read my post.

Sorry for the million questions and massive post, hugs (nohomo)


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, I know that Trixx can go upto 1.381v, after vDroop, would those volts be reasonable for 24/7 use?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Hey guys, I have the non-ref DC2 model 7970. Gave up trying to find a place that sells a dc2 waterblock, so I'm going to stick with air, as the DC2's are pretty decent air coolers anyway.
> 
> I have flashed the DC2T with the matrix bios, so its running at 1.256 instead of the 1.170 stock, Just wondering if I could get some advise on the differences between overheating artifacts and needing more vaults for core.
> 
> SNIP
> 
> I guess I'm just looking for a mentor, and some advice. I appreciate those that spent the time to read my post.
> 
> Sorry for the million questions and massive post, hugs (nohomo)


noviets im here to help, been overclocking asus cards for some time. from the gts 450/ 6850 / 7770 to my 7950.

first of, when i had the 4core on my 7950 my cpu was maxed and gpu always about 60-80% swapped for 8350 and its constant 99% in big games.

100mhz is nothing you should be ok with 200mhz+ for 24/7!

1.3v+ is fine for short term gaming benches etc but for 24/7 its best to have it lower (im not accounting vdroop) with vdroop youll be at 1.250ish

im quite surprised your card gets that hot, when i put my fan curve for a bench profile using AB max was 59*c

any types of artifcats (small pixels = core, chunks pixels = mem) use AB and use the OSD to watch temps etc
i use hwinfo also and you can configure pc/cpu OSD. heat will cause problems so best to keep em as low as you can. hwinfo you can see vrm temps also

best way to test stability 30min gaming 4 different heavy games, furmark for heat testing and a few benches looped.

and your goal of 1250/1800 seems attainable, you just have to overclock nice and slowly the oldschool way until you get there.


----------



## Imprezzion

******ed phone wants to doublepost again...


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, I know that Trixx can go upto 1.381v, after vDroop, would those volts be reasonable for 24/7 use?


After vdroop this is a actual 1.3-1.32 volts under load.
I'd say the following about that: IF VRM temps and core temps are nice and low, it'll run fine on it, BUT, expect rapid degradation. Plus, it is a lot of stress on the VRMs so they could give out early as well.

Benching on 1.381v is fine, but 24/7 is just too much to be ''safe''.


----------



## killer8297

I recently got a hd 7970 for dirt cheap with the price tag of $220.
This is the first AMD card that I've owned for a long time.
I want to do the GPU watercooler mod but I'm held back by some restrictions.

I want to know if anyone has ever removed the GPU heatsink from the vram plate for the referance card, If so how can I take it appart?


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> So... from that I gather that the higher leakage one will have a shorter lifespan then?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I doubt that. You'll probably be upgrading long before, if, your GPU(s) start to die out. Unless you're pushing your limits on overclocks constantly 24/7, you shouldn't have much to worry about. There's always one bad apple in the bunch that may not last as long, but that goes with any hardware you purchase.
Click to expand...

Actually I will be folding 24/7 on my card.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *killer8297*
> 
> I recently got a hd 7970 for dirt cheap with the price tag of $220.
> This is the first AMD card that I've owned for a long time.
> I want to do the GPU watercooler mod but I'm held back by some restrictions.
> 
> I want to know if anyone has ever removed the GPU heatsink from the vram plate for the referance card, If so how can I take it appart?


I recently took the cooler off my reference card. It's all 1big copper.


----------



## d1nky

what card is it youre taking apart.... the asus needs the entire heat sink removed.... i tried the other way round and ended up dismantling everything lol


----------



## killer8297

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> what card is it youre taking apart.... the asus needs the entire heat sink removed.... i tried the other way round and ended up dismantling everything lol


I got the OEM AMD card, so it's reference design.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Actually I will be folding 24/7 on my card.
> I recently took the cooler off my reference card. It's all 1big copper.


Yep! it's that giant heatsink that I'm trying to remove from the vram plate.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, I know that Trixx can go upto 1.381v, after vDroop, would those volts be reasonable for 24/7 use?
> 
> 
> 
> After vdroop this is a actual 1.3-1.32 volts under load.
> I'd say the following about that: IF VRM temps and core temps are nice and low, it'll run fine on it, BUT, expect rapid degradation. Plus, it is a lot of stress on the VRMs so they could give out early as well.
> 
> Benching on 1.381v is fine, but 24/7 is just too much to be ''safe''.
Click to expand...

Why would you say that? There is zero evidence out there to support such an outlandish claim...

However, practically, you are never going to have VRM and Core temps below ~80*C with 1.381v on air. But like with a custom loop with dedicated radiator, I haven't heard anything to suggest 1.381v would be dangerous for a 7950. There are plenty of reports of VRM blow-outs (never heard of core blow outs) from people running too hot on the 7950 on air though, they get hot.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Hey I'm considering exchanging my Sapphire Dual-X 3L Boost 7950 for an Asus DC2 V2... From what I read, it's a sweet card along with the iceqx2:
> 
> * voltage/memory unlocked
> * hynix
> * vrm temp sensors
> 
> And the cooler on it should be much better. Any DC2 v2 owners can give any input on this card? At $40 more expensive, it's quite a bite, but the extra overclock I could put on this card should actually make me that $40 difference in about 4-8 months, plus it'll just not be a piece of crap like the sapphire card.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> from what i hear most asus cards are crap...get a msi tf3 from newegg....still AMD pcb's and mines a decent clocker
Click to expand...

I am aware that the V1 had issues, but I would be buying the V2. And the MSI TF3 was crappified just like many other 7950s, where it uses Elpida ram. It does have memory voltage and VRM sensors, but it also uses the worst cooler out of the non-reference 7950s. I'd rather give up memory voltage and go with another crappy 7950 dual-x with better fans at least, and save money too.


----------



## d1nky

i love how people that probably had never had a asus graphics card or this gen asus, can criticize asus.

ive had a bunch of asus stuff, seen a bunch of other brands and played/tweaked with other brands. and from my experience asus products are rock solid. theres a thread on this site called directcuii club and people all say the same.

yes asus messed up with the version1 but quickly brought out a redesigned brace. compared to others the cooling on these are nearly the best.

and i had an email from asus saying any complaints is best through their facebook page as going through any other channels takes time and may not get anywhere.

nuff said!

oh and about the vrm temps on aircooled, ive never ever gone above 80*c on the vrms. no matter the overclock!
usually peaks at 65*c

and my core when i hit the 11.2k graphics with 1.3v core maxed 59*c benching 3dmark11

i got old screenies to prove it. but however the room was cool.


----------



## p2mob

thinking about selling my xfx 7950 and gettign asus 7970....


----------



## d1nky

i want a 7970 one lol


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Why would you say that? There is zero evidence out there to support such an outlandish claim...
> 
> However, practically, you are never going to have VRM and Core temps below ~80*C with 1.381v on air. But like with a custom loop with dedicated radiator, I haven't heard anything to suggest 1.381v would be dangerous for a 7950. There are plenty of reports of VRM blow-outs (never heard of core blow outs) from people running too hot on the 7950 on air though, they get hot.
> I am aware that the V1 had issues, but I would be buying the V2. And the MSI TF3 was crappified just like many other 7950s, where it uses Elpida ram. It does have memory voltage and VRM sensors, but it also uses the worst cooler out of the non-reference 7950s. I'd rather give up memory voltage and go with another crappy 7950 dual-x with better fans at least, and save money too.


pretty sure the TF3 has the best 3rd party cooling as far as air goes....not really sure....but thats what i have read....i am an asus person but to me it seems like they are slipping as of late with a lot of there products....i mine LTC 24/7 when not games @ 1053 core / 1750 mem, and stay below 70C core and 65C mem....you may be right about the ram though...i think my 7970 may have them as well


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Why would you say that? There is zero evidence out there to support such an outlandish claim...
> 
> However, practically, you are never going to have VRM and Core temps below ~80*C with 1.381v on air. But like with a custom loop with dedicated radiator, I haven't heard anything to suggest 1.381v would be dangerous for a 7950. There are plenty of reports of VRM blow-outs (never heard of core blow outs) from people running too hot on the 7950 on air though, they get hot.
> I am aware that the V1 had issues, but I would be buying the V2. And the MSI TF3 was crappified just like many other 7950s, where it uses Elpida ram. It does have memory voltage and VRM sensors, but it also uses the worst cooler out of the non-reference 7950s. I'd rather give up memory voltage and go with another crappy 7950 dual-x with better fans at least, and save money too.


I would use full cover block on a more than capable loop, would it be Ok for 24/7?


----------



## Imprezzion

I never said the core was going to blow. Long term 1.381v VDDC running WILL degrade the core to the point it will decrease in overclock frequency.

Oh and no air cooling will cool that sub 80c? Challenge accepted.


----------



## d1nky

vrm/core temps after couple hours stress testing stock voltage @1025/1375 and stock fan settings


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> vrm/core temps after couple hours stress testing stock voltage @1025/1375 and stock fan settings


My ambient temps are that hott!!


----------



## Rangerjr1

I had the 7970 Matrix. And i can say that NO ONE should EVER get an asus 7000 card.


----------



## d1nky

I live in the uk, we never see the sun ha!

my idle is usually lower so it couldnt been cold in here.

@rangerjr1............... GRRRRRRRRRRR!! i friggin love my 7950 its a beast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oh from asus:

Dear D1nky,

I suggest you refer to our UK Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/asus.uk

If for example a customer is unhappy about the service they received they can post on the site so we are aware of this. We have a group of people active on the Facebook page to ensure every request or complaint will be processed. The same goes for any other request like for example product availability. Customers can of course highlight their complaint on forums but my experience is that in such cases it was never reported with Asus or at least not through the proper channels so we never could deal with it. If they report it on our Facebook page we are aware of this and can contact the customer to provide support.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Kind regards,
Patrick Wesseling
Asus Service Team


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> I live in the uk, we never see the sun ha!
> 
> my idle is usually lower so it couldnt been cold in here.
> 
> @rangerjr1............... GRRRRRRRRRRR!!
> 
> oh from asus:
> 
> Dear D1nky,
> 
> I suggest you refer to our UK Facebook page:
> 
> http://www.facebook.com/asus.uk
> 
> If for example a customer is unhappy about the service they received they can post on the site so we are aware of this. We have a group of people active on the Facebook page to ensure every request or complaint will be processed. The same goes for any other request like for example product availability. Customers can of course highlight their complaint on forums but my experience is that in such cases it was never reported with Asus or at least not through the proper channels so we never could deal with it. If they report it on our Facebook page we are aware of this and can contact the customer to provide support.
> 
> Please let me know if you have any further questions.
> 
> Kind regards,
> Patrick Wesseling
> Asus Service Team


Meh


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Meh


lol you make me laugh









just seen some guy on tpu with 2x 7990s..... if it were ranger theyd be in the bin lol


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I never said the core was going to blow. Long term 1.381v VDDC running WILL degrade the core to the point it will decrease in overclock frequency.
> 
> Oh and no air cooling will cool that sub 80c? Challenge accepted.


Update: No screenshots yet, still workin' on Fire Strike and 3dm11, But I can tell ya, I did it.

Full Valley 1080p Extreme HD preset benchmark run on 1350Mhz core, 1.381v (~1.295v loaded), 1775Mhz memory, 1.656v.
Max Temps of the core: 52c.
Max Temps of the VRM1: 79c.
Max Temps of the VRM2: 61c.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Update: No screenshots yet, still workin' on Fire Strike and 3dm11, But I can tell ya, I did it.
> 
> Full Valley 1080p Extreme HD preset benchmark run on 1350Mhz core, 1.381v (~1.295v loaded), 1775Mhz memory, 1.656v.
> Max Temps of the core: 52c.
> Max Temps of the VRM1: 79c.
> Max Temps of the VRM2: 61c.


my 7950 will give that a good go, but the thing is....... its in the box lol!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> lol you make me laugh
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just seen some guy on tpu with 2x 7990s..... if it were ranger theyd be in the bin lol


Probably not. Because all 7990s except for the ares 2 and devil 13 are reference. And if those where reference i would keep 1 and sell the other.

Reference = bliss
Custom PCB = Source of all problems. Well... When they're from ASUS.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i love how people that probably had never had a asus graphics card or this gen asus, can criticize asus.
> 
> ive had a bunch of asus stuff, seen a bunch of other brands and played/tweaked with other brands. and from my experience asus products are rock solid. theres a thread on this site called directcuii club and people all say the same.
> 
> yes asus messed up with the version1 but quickly brought out a redesigned brace. compared to others the cooling on these are nearly the best.
> 
> and i had an email from asus saying any complaints is best through their facebook page as going through any other channels takes time and may not get anywhere.
> 
> nuff said!
> 
> oh and about the vrm temps on aircooled, ive never ever gone above 80*c on the vrms. no matter the overclock!
> usually peaks at 65*c
> 
> and my core when i hit the 11.2k graphics with 1.3v core maxed 59*c benching 3dmark11
> 
> i got old screenies to prove it. but however the room was cool.


People always want to say that whatever product they bought, is the best, because it works for them when all they do is something light like browsing or gaming. most people don't push their products hard enough to know if it's really a good product or not, and don't know what competitive products are like, ie 8350 will of course destroy a game like sc2 but an i5-3570k will be twice as fast in that game.

From my experience and my research, Asus makes the best _high end_ products, but generally their mid-range and budget products are weak for their price points.
Quote:


> pretty sure the TF3 has the best 3rd party cooling as far as air goes....not really sure....but thats what i have read....i am an asus person but to me it seems like they are slipping as of late with a lot of there products....i mine LTC 24/7 when not games @ 1053 core / 1750 mem, and stay below 70C core and 65C mem....you may be right about the ram though...i think my 7970 may have them as well


There's no way it does. It uses 80mm fans, so it's louder and hotter (although im' sure it's not by much, but I have talked to other tf3 owners about this). All the dual-slot non-refs are pretty similar, there's only so much metal you can stuff in there. it's why, for example, no matter how brand new some 120x25mm closed loop is, it'll still perform roughly the same as an old H50. Innovation and design only take you so far, ultimately what matters is the fans and the surface area and heatpipes, so in reality I'm sure all 7950s non-ref are similar in performance.

I also do what you do, but be careful talking about it here. Lots of haters. What voltage are you at? Because I hit 77*C overnight in a normal room (not cool but not hot) with 24/7, been running for a few days non-stop now, at 1068mhz/1648/stock 1.169v. My thermal diode says the back of the cards' VRM is hitting 85*c. I'm running in a case, but my case has 8 fans.
Quote:


> I would use full cover block on a more than capable loop, would it be Ok for 24/7?


If you are running a computational work program 24/7, that's a lot more harsh than just gaming (even if you game all day every day), but as long as core temps stay below 80*C and VRM stays below 90*C you should be fine with 1.381v as a max voltage. If you are running a computational program I'd really give a little more room, like below 75*C if you are pushing a high voltage.
Quote:


> I never said the core was going to blow. Long term 1.381v VDDC running WILL degrade the core to the point it will decrease in overclock frequency.
> 
> Oh and no air cooling will cool that sub 80c? Challenge accepted.


Do you have any evidence to support this claim...? Has anyone ever reported a 7950 that degraded? If there have been reports of 7950 degradation I'd love to hear about it, but i've asked around and found no reports of it myself. I would hate to be wrong on this (not for pride reasons, but as a 7950 owner).

But yea I don't see air keeping 1.381v on below 80*C so whatever.

Heaven doesn't heat up GPUs that much ;/


----------



## Snuckie7

I think Imprezzion is just referring to the way electronics work. Voltage running through silicon creates defects in the silicon, which degrades the chip and causes it to require more voltage to function. The more voltage that runs through, the greater the frequency of defects that occur, and the faster the chip degrades. Lots of voltage definitely has a negative affect on the lifespan of the chip, but how much, nobody can say for sure.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Actually I will be folding 24/7 on my card.
> I recently took the cooler off my reference card. It's all 1big copper.


actually the gpu core is copper the rest is aluminum
( just so you know ) even the fins are aluminum
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> lol you make me laugh
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just seen some guy on tpu with 2x 7990s..... if it were ranger theyd be in the bin lol


no they would be snapped in half LOL
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I think Imprezzion is just referring to the way electronics work. Voltage running through silicon creates defects in the silicon, which degrades the chip and causes it to require more voltage to function. The more voltage that runs through, the greater the frequency of defects that occur, and the faster the chip degrades. Lots of voltage definitely has a negative affect on the lifespan of the chip, but how much, nobody can say for sure.


i hate to tell people this but all chips have a lifespan.
using them degrades them


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> actually the gpu core is copper the rest is aluminum
> ( just so you know ) even the fins are aluminum
> no they would be snapped in half LOL
> i hate to tell people this but all chips have a lifespan.
> using them degrades them


Sure, but excessive voltage could mean the difference between 10 years of flawless operation versus 3.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Sure, but excessive voltage could mean the difference between 10 years of flawless operation versus 3.


of course !~


----------



## fishhawk

Ifr anyone plans on keeping a vid card for 10 years now a days good luck with that, besides if your a gamer no way will you even come close to that.

And I see ranger doesn't like ASUS, well I,m here to say been using Asus for many years now, and as far as there vid cards, there always my first choice,
Out of all the card makers I have built systems with, Asus has given me less probs and fantastic oc,s. I only have a Vapor-x in my sig rig because Sapphire is always my second choice.
And I like different modles any way, but Asus will be back in my sig rig soon enough.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> Ifr anyone plans on keeping a vid card for 10 years now a days good luck with that, besides if your a gamer no way will you even come close to that.
> 
> And I see ranger doesn't like ASUS, well I,m here to say been using Asus for many years now, and as far as there vid cards, there always my first choice,
> Out of all the card makers I have built systems with, Asus has given me less probs and fantastic oc,s. I only have a Vapor-x in my sig rig because Sapphire is always my second choice.
> And I like different modles any way, but Asus will be back in my sig rig soon enough.


I only dislike the 7000 series from ASUS.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> Ifr anyone plans on keeping a vid card for 10 years now a days good luck with that, besides if your a gamer no way will you even come close to that.
> 
> And I see ranger doesn't like ASUS, well I,m here to say been using Asus for many years now, and as far as there vid cards, there always my first choice,
> Out of all the card makers I have built systems with, Asus has given me less probs and fantastic oc,s. I only have a Vapor-x in my sig rig because Sapphire is always my second choice.
> And I like different modles any way, but Asus will be back in my sig rig soon enough.


ill have to +1 that !~ although i may for a few gen use these in my htpc... which is more like a reg pc atm ~ will be putting my 8350 in it as soon as the steamroller comes out !~


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Actually I will be folding 24/7 on my card.
> I recently took the cooler off my reference card. It's all 1big copper.
> 
> 
> 
> actually the gpu core is copper the rest is aluminum
> ( just so you know ) even the fins are aluminum
Click to expand...

I meant everything that sits on all the chips. Like with my 6850, the heatsink sitting on the GPU was separate from the heatsink sitting on the vrms. But with the 7970's, there's no separating VRM's from GPU heatsinks which is what I thought he was asking.

And this card is a piece of doodoo for folding. I'm now at 1300mV to fold on 1200mhz. If this does pass, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I meant everything that sits on all the chips. Like with my 6850, the heatsink sitting on the GPU was separate from the heatsink sitting on the vrms. But with the 7970's, there's no separating VRM's from GPU heatsinks which is what I thought he was asking.
> 
> And this card is a piece of doodoo for folding. I'm now at 1300mV to fold on 1200mhz. If this does pass, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.


; ; sorry man !~


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> Ifr anyone plans on keeping a vid card for 10 years now a days good luck with that, besides if your a gamer no way will you even come close to that.
> 
> And I see ranger doesn't like ASUS, well I,m here to say been using Asus for many years now, and as far as there vid cards, there always my first choice,
> Out of all the card makers I have built systems with, Asus has given me less probs and fantastic oc,s. I only have a Vapor-x in my sig rig because Sapphire is always my second choice.
> And I like different modles any way, but Asus will be back in my sig rig soon enough.
> 
> 
> 
> I only dislike the 7000 series from ASUS.
Click to expand...

Not sure what is hard to understand about Asus dropping the ball momentously on their custom Tahiti cards. In short they suck.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> Ifr anyone plans on keeping a vid card for 10 years now a days good luck with that, besides if your a gamer no way will you even come close to that.
> 
> And I see ranger doesn't like ASUS, well I,m here to say been using Asus for many years now, and as far as there vid cards, there always my first choice,
> Out of all the card makers I have built systems with, Asus has given me less probs and fantastic oc,s. I only have a Vapor-x in my sig rig because Sapphire is always my second choice.
> And I like different modles any way, but Asus will be back in my sig rig soon enough.
> 
> 
> 
> I only dislike the 7000 series from ASUS.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure what is hard to understand about Asus dropping the ball momentously on their custom Tahiti cards. In short they suck.
Click to expand...

yep i found out the hardway lol


----------



## fishhawk

Sorry but my Asus 7950 runs great, got the 0c,ed 900, so don't know whats hard too see I think its great, mine runs stable 1175/1550.
max temps 67c, idle 28c, what the hell is wrong with that-lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> Sorry but my Asus 7950 runs great, got the 0c,ed 900, so don't know whats hard too see I think its great, mine runs stable 1175/150.
> max temps 67c, idle 28c, what the hell is wrong with that-lol.


You should realize that you got lucky and the vast majority of them suck. This is why there are so many complaints and revisions of them. Then you telling everyone they are great just because you are one of 5 guys who got a working DC2 out of who knows how many sold... its not really helping the community. I've got a XFX BE that will walk over your DC2 to the tune of 1370/1900 mhz, but you don't see me out there telling everyone XFX is the bomb because I know its not indicative of the crap XFX is now making.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> Sorry but my Asus 7950 runs great, got the 0c,ed 900, so don't know whats hard too see I think its great, mine runs stable 1175/1550.
> max temps 67c, idle 28c, what the hell is wrong with that-lol.


You should try a Matrix card. Also the cooler is actually REALLY bad compared to others.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should realize that you got lucky and the vast majority of them suck. This is why there are so many complaints and revisions of them. Then you telling everyone they are great just because you are one of 5 guys who got a working DC2 out of who knows how many sold... its not really helping the community. I've got a XFX BE that will walk over your DC2 to the tune of 1370/1900 mhz, but you don't see me out there telling everyone XFX is the bomb because I know its not indicative of the crap XFX is now making.


Well if the cooler is the part you dont liek about it it doesnt matter because you block it anyways


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should realize that you got lucky and the vast majority of them suck. This is why there are so many complaints and revisions of them. Then you telling everyone they are great just because you are one of 5 guys who got a working DC2 out of who knows how many sold... its not really helping the community. I've got a XFX BE that will walk over your DC2 to the tune of 1370/1900 mhz, but you don't see me out there telling everyone XFX is the bomb because I know its not indicative of the crap XFX is now making.
> 
> 
> 
> Well if the cooler is the part you dont liek about it it doesnt matter because you block it anyways
Click to expand...











You know XFX removed the bios switch last May on most of their cards right? See where I'm going with the crap XFX is selling here?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You know XFX removed the bios switch last May on most of their cards right? See where I'm going with the crap XFX is selling here?


Why would they remove the bios switch -.-? Yea i get it, I havent owned an XFX product since the 5000 days. So i honestly dont know anything else but that the cooler is bad (DCUII TIER)


----------



## Rangerjr1

@tsm106.

I heard somewhere that newer 7950s have way worse memory chips that clocks like my 7970 Matrix. Is this true? Did they put in new memory chips that clocks like crap?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You know XFX removed the bios switch last May on most of their cards right? See where I'm going with the crap XFX is selling here?
> 
> 
> 
> Why would they remove the bios switch -.-? Yea i get it, I havent owned an XFX product since the 5000 days. So i honestly dont know anything else but that the cooler is bad (DCUII TIER)
Click to expand...

The DC2 is a special kind of bad, which is not like the XFX. I don't get how Asus spends the resources to make a super 20 phase pcb then fubar it up at the end? That's a special kind of fail.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The DC2 is a special kind of bad, which is not like the XFX. I don't get how Asus spends the resources to make a super 20 phase pcb then fubar it up at the end? That's a special kind of fail.


20 Phase PCB is in great need of cherry picked GPUs... I am so disappointed i cant even express it. I wish i knew more about it before i got it.

Bad overclocking isnt close to the end of my problems with my 7970 from ASUS. Ive got countless problems with overclocking programs aswel...


----------



## fishhawk

I could care less about another card getting higher oc,s than that, that's the prob with ocn now a days, nothing is ever good enough, OMG I cant get 1200 only 1175
I better RMA it-lol, its a joke now a days, and you say that helping new computer builders and new peeps to ocing? Yes I know Asus has a rough patch, but sorry,
just sick and tiered of people who wine over so little, the ones who have majore probs or the ones who cant even get crap running at stock are the ones that need help and good advise!

Why is it so hard for people to just state I got a bad part, it doesn't do as good as others, and maybe even, the company has had some probs with this part this gen.
But most of the time most right away state its crap don't buy it they suck, that's what I,m getting at. No that type of info and help is not doing ANYONE any good. Besides all I can say is well is it rated to go higher, did they promise you a fantastic over clock, don't think so and to be honest that is the bottom line, its all chance what your going to get out of a part.


----------



## sugarhell

Its not about little things. Crap dvi,cooler and voltage locked.

And the worst of all them:

*GPU TWEAK*


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> I could care less about another card getting higher oc,s than that, that's the prob with ocn now a days, nothing is ever good enough, OMG I cant get 1200 only 1175
> I better RMA it-lol, its a joke now a days, and you say that helping new computer builders and new peeps to ocing? Yes I know Asus has a rough patch, but sorry,
> just sick and tiered of people who wine over so little, the ones who have majore probs or the ones who cant even get crap running at stock are the ones that need help and good advise!
> 
> Why is it so hard for people to just state I got a bad part, it doesn't do as good as others, and maybe even, the company has had some probs with this part this gen.
> But most of the time most right away state its crap don't buy it they suck, that's what I,m getting at. No that type of info and help is not doing ANYONE any good. Besides all I can say is well is it rated to go higher, did they promise you a fantastic over clock, don't think so and to be honest that is the bottom line, its all chance what your going to get out of a part.


I wont accept getting a bad part when i pay for premium 20 Phase PCB with ROG overclocking features when i could have gottena reference PCB card that overclocks just as well.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> I could care less about another card getting higher oc,s than that, that's the prob with ocn now a days, nothing is ever good enough, OMG I cant get 1200 only 1175
> I better RMA it-lol, its a joke now a days, and you say that helping new computer builders and new peeps to ocing? Yes I know Asus has a rough patch, but sorry,
> just sick and tiered of people who wine over so little, the ones who have majore probs or the ones who cant even get crap running at stock are the ones that need help and good advise!
> 
> Why is it so hard for people to just state I got a bad part, it doesn't do as good as others, and maybe even, the company has had some probs with this part this gen.
> But most of the time most right away state its crap don't buy it they suck, that's what I,m getting at. No that type of info and help is not doing ANYONE any good. Besides all I can say is well is it rated to go higher, did they promise you a fantastic over clock, don't think so and to be honest that is the bottom line, its all chance what your going to get out of a part.


You're not paying attention. The first DC2s actually had a defect in the controller which gave incorrect temps on the vrms, and do I need to go over the design flaw in the cooler? They then fixed this, but... they locked the voltage, doh. Then there's issue with the controller only being supported thru GPUTweak. Hello, way to piss ppl off. There's also the myriad of other issues, overheating, stability, artifacting, endless.

They promise? LOL WUT? No one can promise you a high overclock, its down to luck.


----------



## fishhawk

If it is a bad part yes-that's what I was saying, but just because you expect more than the advertisement is not at all any companys fault.
That can happen with anything any were. But if its bad for gods sake yes you deserve more.And so be it don't except it-send it back-get a refund-get an rma, don't buy another, but this isn't just about the Asus cards, I see it all over OCN and like I said, that kind of B.S. helps no new ocer or system builder, because than when they cant achieve something-they think there stuff sucks or that they suck at computers.

I know all about the first versions I had one, this isn't just about the ASUS vid cards. And sorry my card doesn't give me thoughs probs-DUH, so how can I agree, plus there are lots others here and other places, that for some reason got lucky too,
And if the cooler sucks why dio I and others keep it so cool. And wow I think your the one should read better, that's what I said down to luck on parts you buy-infact said it twice.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're not paying attention. The first DC2s actually had a defect in the controller which gave incorrect temps on the vrms, and do I need to go over the design flaw in the cooler? They then fixed this, but... they locked the voltage, doh. Then there's issue with the controller only being supported thru GPUTweak. Hello, way to piss ppl off. There's also the myriad of other issues, overheating, stability, artifacting, endless.
> 
> They promise? LOL WUT? No one can promise you a high overclock, its down to luck.


Artifacting: Check
Stability: Check
GPUTWAEK: CHECK. WHY would they NOT let me use AB or Trixx?!?!?!


----------



## alancsalt

Ten years.. that's like still using an FX 5800 today...


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You should realize that you got lucky and the vast majority of them suck. This is why there are so many complaints and revisions of them. Then you telling everyone they are great just because you are one of 5 guys who got a working DC2 out of who knows how many sold... its not really helping the community. I've got a XFX BE that will walk over your DC2 to the tune of 1370/1900 mhz, but you don't see me out there telling everyone XFX is the bomb because I know its not indicative of the crap XFX is now making.


yeah, this is pretty much the issue with the ASUS 7970 DC2/T series (the 7950 seem to be doing OK). I spent the better part of a week trying to figure out how to get the most out of my 7970 DC2T after months of just accepting it was locked. And it seems there are many different ways to go about it with these cards, but only one will work for an individual's card, so its anyone's guess. In the end, it turned out I only needed to run GPU Tweak 2.1.4. to fully unlock my card's settings. But others have only been able to flash to a Matrix bios (my card wont work with the Matrix bios), or down flash to a DC2 bios from a DC2T, then run the 2.1.4 version of their program. It is anyone's guess what PCB revisions they are selling as a DC2/T series. And good luck getting any info from ASUS support. All you ever get as a reply is, "We've reported your issue to our development team. Thanks for contacting us."


----------



## Tonza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> 
> 
> i want a 7970 one lol


I wonder would it be possible to attach 2x 120mm fans on that, would make the card pretty much silent, also temps would drop nicely







. Definately will check it out after work, would be great mod.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Powercolor isn't getting any points in my book....

So far my favorite GPU maker is MSI. I had 2 Gtx460s that overclocked to 950Mhz from them and their RMA is based on the cards serial number no receipt needed and it's pretty quick.

1.) Msi
2.) Asus
3.) Sapphire/ EVGA

imo.


----------



## d1nky

what i can tell from the last few pages is that some hate Asus and some like em!

a lot of cards present any number of problems, some people buy a card expecting something or dont know how to use it the way its been designed. all i can say is that from my experience using 4 asus cards, that everyone was rock solid.

i know a 6850 thats been constantly gamed to this day and hasnt missed a beat! my gts450 has been overclocked to death all its life and still hasnt had one issue! the 7950/gts450 went through a weeks folding overclocked, still good as new!

yes there lower end products are garbage but they are LOW end products. the 7770 was average!

and there customer service is poor but apparently you have to use their facebook, as that where they pay attention.

with any product you get lucky or you dont. enough brand bashing.


----------



## Imprezzion

Don't want to be a spoiler, but I think I kinda got one of the fastest HD7970's here. Ever. (On air at least)







.

I went tweaking around with the voltages a bit, and with the CPU as well, and I found out that running MSI AB for the clocks and memory voltage, and TriX 4.3.0 side by side, allowed me to use TriXX to set 1.381v but keep the rest of MSI AB's settings.

So, I went benching on 1.381v (and yes, I could keep everything under 80c at all times) and this came out:



Link for full 1080p res image:
http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/79a6e22b_Q62iUgJ.jpeg

That's my 2500K @ 5.3Ghz (52x102) 1.504v.
RAM at 1900Mhz 7-8-7-24-1T 1.66v.
HD7970 @ *1380Mhz core* and *1875Mhz VRAM* with 1.381v core (~1.295v loaded) and 1.700v VRAM (~1.688v loaded).

Bloody hell, that's almost 1400Mhz... 1390Mhz to my shame crashed in GT2 so this is the highest the card will ever run without a voltmod / subzero cooling.

And yes, I repeated the benchmark 3 times just to see if the core would hold up, and it did. All three times identical scores (9982, 9982, 9981)

EDIT: Scratch that, bit more CPU volts (a LOT more, as in 1.600v) with 5.4Ghz and disabling Aero got me well over 10K.


----------



## d1nky

nice overclocks...... careful up with those volts on the mem tho


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Don't want to be a spoiler, but I think I kinda got one of the fastest HD7970's here. Ever. (On air at least)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I went tweaking around with the voltages a bit, and with the CPU as well, and I found out that running MSI AB for the clocks and memory voltage, and TriX 4.3.0 side by side, allowed me to use TriXX to set 1.381v but keep the rest of MSI AB's settings.
> 
> So, I went benching on 1.381v (and yes, I could keep everything under 80c at all times) and this came out:
> 
> 
> 
> Link for full 1080p res image:
> http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/79a6e22b_Q62iUgJ.jpeg
> 
> That's my 2500K @ 5.3Ghz (52x102) 1.504v.
> RAM at 1900Mhz 7-8-7-24-1T 1.66v.
> HD7970 @ *1380Mhz core* and *1875Mhz VRAM* with 1.381v core (~1.295v loaded) and 1.700v VRAM (~1.688v loaded).
> 
> Bloody hell, that's almost 1400Mhz... 1390Mhz to my shame crashed in GT2 so this is the highest the card will ever run without a voltmod / subzero cooling.
> 
> And yes, I repeated the benchmark 3 times just to see if the core would hold up, and it did. All three times identical scores (9982, 9982, 9981)
> 
> EDIT: Scratch that, bit more CPU volts (a LOT more, as in 1.600v) with 5.4Ghz and disabling Aero got me well over 10K.


So jealous about your temperature-limits being so high...I get instant artifacts if my core temps get above [email protected]







@1250MHz it needs to stay below 55C and thats the highest I can go for on air (fans @100%, sidepanel off, window open, -14C outside, voltage @1,21V, LESS after vdroop.)

If I were to run my GPU at >1300MHz, I would probably need to put my rig inside the freezer in order to keep the core temps below 40C or something like that









Weird how much of a difference there is between 2 chips







(I know you have a 7970 and I only got a 7950, but atleast mine has a 7970 PCB







)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Don't want to be a spoiler, but I think I kinda got one of the fastest HD7970's here. Ever. (On air at least)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> I went tweaking around with the voltages a bit, and with the CPU as well, and I found out that running MSI AB for the clocks and memory voltage, and TriX 4.3.0 side by side, allowed me to use TriXX to set 1.381v but keep the rest of MSI AB's settings.
> 
> So, I went benching on 1.381v (and yes, I could keep everything under 80c at all times) and this came out:
> 
> 
> 
> Link for full 1080p res image:
> http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/79a6e22b_Q62iUgJ.jpeg
> 
> That's my 2500K @ 5.3Ghz (52x102) 1.504v.
> RAM at 1900Mhz 7-8-7-24-1T 1.66v.
> HD7970 @ *1380Mhz core* and *1875Mhz VRAM* with 1.381v core (~1.295v loaded) and 1.700v VRAM (~1.688v loaded).
> 
> Bloody hell, that's almost 1400Mhz... 1390Mhz to my shame crashed in GT2 so this is the highest the card will ever run without a voltmod / subzero cooling.
> 
> And yes, I repeated the benchmark 3 times just to see if the core would hold up, and it did. All three times identical scores (9982, 9982, 9981)
> 
> EDIT: Scratch that, bit more CPU volts (a LOT more, as in 1.600v) with 5.4Ghz and disabling Aero got me well over 10K.


Very nice clocks you got there. Btw, Pio's card was just as fast if not faster on air. The problem is it got fried running that high on air so I highly recommend you exercise caution too.

Why are your scores not validated? The runs are meaningless w/o the driver check you know?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Very nice clocks you got there. Btw, Pio's card was just as fast if not faster on air. The problem is it got fried running that high on air so I highly recommend you exercise caution too.
> 
> Why are your scores not validated? The runs are meaningless w/o the driver check you know?


apparently the new betas arent recognised by futuremark yet.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Very nice clocks you got there. Btw, Pio's card was just as fast if not faster on air. The problem is it got fried running that high on air so I highly recommend you exercise caution too.
> 
> Why are your scores not validated? The runs are meaningless w/o the driver check you know?
> 
> 
> 
> apparently the new betas arent recognised by futuremark yet.
Click to expand...

You should actually read the printscreen. See what it says? Not been validated. If it was validated, it would say driver is not approved. If the run is not validated there is no driver enforcement check.


----------



## d1nky

what a effing bbbbbb.......ssss! upload the scores online or else its a CHEAT!

oh and apparently thats equal with the fastest single titan graphics score......................

fastest VALID titan http://www.3dmark.com/hall-of-fame-2/fire+strike+3dmark+score+performance+preset/version+1.1/1+gpu


----------



## th3illusiveman

did my post get deleted? If so, what for?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> did my post get deleted? If so what for?


Someone is ...

Oh wait, you cant talk pirating here.


----------



## p2mob

any XFX 7950s owners here? If so were you able to unlock voltage controll?


----------



## Krusher33

Yeah I just tried the free version a couple days ago. That took a REALLY long time. Nice to know my overclocks survived all that though.


----------



## Imprezzion

Yeah well, I never meant to get into trouble or whatever. I will buy it soon if I find a cheaper place then Steam... I just hope 3dmark accepts my drivers being set to max performance. 3dm11 does validate with everything set to Performance / Override Application and then set to lowest setting possible.. (Except tesselation ofcourse).

Then again, For me it wasn't about the score. It was more about the card being able to run a full fire strike benchmark at those insane clocks.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Don't want to be a spoiler, but I think I kinda got one of the fastest HD7970's here. Ever. (On air at least)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I went tweaking around with the voltages a bit, and with the CPU as well, and I found out that running MSI AB for the clocks and memory voltage, and TriX 4.3.0 side by side, allowed me to use TriXX to set 1.381v but keep the rest of MSI AB's settings.
> 
> So, I went benching on 1.381v (and yes, I could keep everything under 80c at all times) and this came out:
> 
> Link for full 1080p res image:
> 
> That's my 2500K @ 5.3Ghz (52x102) 1.504v.
> RAM at 1900Mhz 7-8-7-24-1T 1.66v.
> HD7970 @ *1380Mhz core* and *1875Mhz VRAM* with 1.381v core (~1.295v loaded) and 1.700v VRAM (~1.688v loaded).
> 
> Bloody hell, that's almost 1400Mhz... 1390Mhz to my shame crashed in GT2 so this is the highest the card will ever run without a voltmod / subzero cooling.
> 
> And yes, I repeated the benchmark 3 times just to see if the core would hold up, and it did. All three times identical scores (9982, 9982, 9981)
> 
> EDIT: Scratch that, bit more CPU volts (a LOT more, as in 1.600v) with 5.4Ghz and disabling Aero got me well over 10K.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Very nice clocks you got there. Btw, Pio's card was just as fast if not faster on air. The problem is it got fried running that high on air so I highly recommend you exercise caution too.
> 
> Why are your scores not validated? The runs are meaningless w/o the driver check you know?


Tessellation disabled. I have nothing against it since I do it all the time for bot submission, but in the forums here you kinda have to say if it's tess disabled. Needs a lot more than 1380 core to crack 12k graphics for a valid.
Nice clocks for air though!


----------



## tsm106

^^Yea, I know. I was just giving him some rope. The graphics score was a giveaway and the no validation speaks for itself.


----------



## Imprezzion

I'd have to check my driver settings then. IF my tesselation is disabled, that simply means I forgot to enable it again after a previous bench. Nothing more, Nothing less.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I'd have to check my driver settings then. IF my tesselation is disabled, that simply means I forgot to enable it again after a previous bench. Nothing more, Nothing less.


This is why I end up with tess enabled screens to show, I usually want to run with it disabled & forget after playing with drivers.


----------



## Imprezzion

Aaaaaand you guys are right.. I did have it disabled.. It was on Override Application Settings set to 0x...

I will re-run with tess on tomorrow. Maybe even with more CPU speed


----------



## alancsalt

Providing links to or otherwise encouraging piracy is not allowed under the Terms of Service

*You may NOT: Discuss any form of Piracy or DMCA violations*

Posts will be deleted, and warnings given.
If repeated, official warning.
Subsequent repeats can result in infractions and loss of points.
If enough points are lost a ban can result.

Please do not discuss piracy.


----------



## Pheozero

So what version of the Accelero should I go for? My card has the 7970 PCB so this one?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064


----------



## th3illusiveman

Imprezzion what is your ASIC and how are you keeping your VRMS cool? Accelero heatsinks are really crappy and i couldn't even use 1.2v in heaven/ valley because they would get up to 90c-100c yet here you are using 1.38v...


----------



## Imprezzion

I'll check ASIC later, i'm on my phone now ha.

VRM's are cooled by the baseplate VRM/VRAM cooler from a brand new MSI TF3 7970 OC/BE.

Bought that at first, but it failed to overclock. Could've known as it's a Ghz Boost chip but k.

So, I ripped it apart, took the baseplate, bought this Club3D secondhand and bolted it to it. Accelero fits with it fine if you bend a couple of the Accelero's fins. Just the tips of the fins as they hit the mount for the baseplate.

Then bolted the reference cooler from the club3d on the MSI and tossed the TF3 cooler in with the packaging and sold it again. It was all in all 4 days old.. hahaha.

EDIT: ASIC is 68.9%. Completely average tbh.


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Imprezzion what is your ASIC and how are you keeping your VRMS cool? Accelero heatsinks are really crappy and i couldn't even use 1.2v in heaven/ valley because they would get up to 90c-100c yet here you are using 1.38v...


If you don't have a video card to gut out you can do what I did.

I purchased 20 of Copper Enzotech MOS-C1 MOSFET Heatsinks attached with SEKISUI #5760 Thermal Tape, current VRM temps don't reach past 69c and I am pushing 1.3v with my Accelero



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> So what version of the Accelero should I go for? My card has the 7970 PCB so this one?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064


That will work even if you had a reference 7950, mounting holes are the same. But make sure to shop around for the best price, I was able to snag mine for $61 after shipping


----------



## Hokies83

Well i killed my top 7950....

Cannot get into windows with it plugged in... When windows trys to post it insta bsod 116.... after install the amd driver...

Now i can get into safe mode fine...

I can also boot into windows fine on gpu # 2 and # 3 if i unplug gpu # 1

over the last week the stable clocks on the card have dropped from 1225mhz to as of day of death 1060mhz heh..


----------



## kj1060

For those looking for a true reference card (assuming MSI hasn't done anything to it since I bought mine last year) Newegg lowered the price on the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5 from $450 to $400.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Striker444*
> 
> If you don't have a video card to gut out you can do what I did.
> 
> I purchased 20 of Copper Enzotech MOS-C1 MOSFET Heatsinks attached with SEKISUI #5760 Thermal Tape, current VRM temps don't reach past 69c and I am pushing 1.3v with my Accelero
> 
> 
> That will work even if you had a reference 7950, mounting holes are the same. But make sure to shop around for the best price, I was able to snag mine for $61 after shipping


That card has the same layout as my powercolor PCB. What's your max clocks with 1.3v and whats your ASIC? I can't even seem to get 1125 stable on my Powercolor card but i'm hoping it's like those cards that are good on water and really start to fly when you pump alot of voltage into it and cool it well. But i can't test that until i get my thermal adhesive in 1 week.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I'll check ASIC later, i'm on my phone now ha.
> 
> VRM's are cooled by the baseplate VRM/VRAM cooler from a brand new MSI TF3 7970 OC/BE.
> 
> Bought that at first, but it failed to overclock. Could've known as it's a Ghz Boost chip but k.
> 
> So, I ripped it apart, took the baseplate, bought this Club3D secondhand and bolted it to it. Accelero fits with it fine if you bend a couple of the Accelero's fins. Just the tips of the fins as they hit the mount for the baseplate.
> 
> Then bolted the reference cooler from the club3d on the MSI and tossed the TF3 cooler in with the packaging and sold it again. It was all in all 4 days old.. hahaha.
> 
> EDIT: ASIC is 68.9%. Completely average tbh.


thanks for the reply dude. Nice thinking lol, Accelero is a beast of a cooler but their vrm sinks suck, sad to when a 7970 can get up to 1380Mhz with a good vrm cooler while using it.


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> That card has the same layout as my powercolor PCB. What's your max clocks with 1.3v and whats your ASIC? I can't even seem to get 1125 stable on my Powercolor card but i'm hoping it's like those cards that are good on water and really start to fly when you pump alot of voltage into it and cool it well. But i can't test that until i get my thermal adhesive in 1 week.


Looks like we are both in the Powercolor club!

Model:
Powercolor AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4 (7950 Version 2 Reference Board)

Mods:
Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970
Enzotech MOS-C1 Copper Heatsinks on VRM's
SEKISUI #5760 Thermal Tape
Arctic MX-4

GPU Voltage: 1.3v (1.252v after vdroop)
Max GPU Temp: 55c (21c Ambient temp)
Max VRM Temp: 69c

GPU Clock: 1230 mhz
RAM Clock: 1664 mhz (Elpida , stock 1.6v)

ASIC 63.2%


----------



## Hokies83

I just had one of those power color boost states die on me it was in a custom loop full cover has never seen above 40 c


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I just had one of those power color boost states die on me it was in a custom loop full cover has never seen above 40 c


This is pretty unsettling to hear, do you have the full model #? it looks like they made several revisions to these cards. The RMA process isn't too bad, after they received my card it took them about 3 business days to ship me another one (I fried it with the crappy stock accelero VRM heatsinks). My only complaint is they shipped it back ground.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Striker444*
> 
> Looks like we are both in the Powercolor club!
> 
> Model:
> Powercolor AX7950 3GBD5-2DHV4 (7950 Version 2 Reference Board)
> 
> Mods:
> Arctic Cooling Accelero Xtreme 7970
> Enzotech MOS-C1 Copper Heatsinks on VRM's
> SEKISUI #5760 Thermal Tape
> Arctic MX-4
> 
> GPU Voltage: 1.3v (1.252v after vdroop)
> Max GPU Temp: 55c (21c Ambient temp)
> Max VRM Temp: 69c
> 
> GPU Clock: 1230 mhz
> RAM Clock: 1664 mhz (Elpida , stock 1.6v)
> 
> ASIC 63.2%


I just need this thing to pass 1200mhz to make me happy. Looks like i will need alot of juice to get there.

Edit: i got brave and set the voltage to 1.260v in AB just to see if that would compensate for the Vdroop and allow me to bench 3DM11 and it did http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6574920 so it looks like 1200mhz isn't a dream lol.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Striker444*
> 
> This is pretty unsettling to hear, do you have the full model #? it looks like they made several revisions to these cards. The RMA process isn't too bad, after they received my card it took them about 3 business days to ship me another one (I fried it with the crappy stock accelero VRM heatsinks). My only complaint is they shipped it back ground.


how did you fry it with the stock sinks? Did you short it out? or did they burn out?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Striker444*
> 
> This is pretty unsettling to hear, do you have the full model #? it looks like they made several revisions to these cards. The RMA process isn't too bad, after they received my card it took them about 3 business days to ship me another one (I fried it with the crappy stock accelero VRM heatsinks). My only complaint is they shipped it back ground.


Same model number as yours.

I kept it at 100% load for 2 months and that killed it.

which should be 100% safe if temps are kept in check... which they were.

it had been dying on me for afew weeks... it's stable oc used to be 1225mhz at time of death it was only 1060mhz.

i have 2 more of the same card,


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Don't want to be a spoiler, but *I think I kinda got one of the fastest HD7970's here. Ever.* (On air at least)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> I went tweaking around with the voltages a bit, and with the CPU as well, and I found out that running MSI AB for the clocks and memory voltage, and TriX 4.3.0 side by side, allowed me to use TriXX to set 1.381v but keep the rest of MSI AB's settings.
> 
> So, I went benching on 1.381v (and yes, I could keep everything under 80c at all times) and this came out:
> 
> 
> 
> Link for full 1080p res image:
> http://cdn.overclock.net/7/79/79a6e22b_Q62iUgJ.jpeg
> 
> That's my 2500K @ 5.3Ghz (52x102) 1.504v.
> RAM at 1900Mhz 7-8-7-24-1T 1.66v.
> HD7970 @ *1380Mhz core* and *1875Mhz VRAM* with 1.381v core (~1.295v loaded) and 1.700v VRAM (~1.688v loaded).
> 
> Bloody hell, that's almost 1400Mhz... 1390Mhz to my shame crashed in GT2 so this is the highest the card will ever run without a voltmod / subzero cooling.
> 
> And yes, I repeated the benchmark 3 times just to see if the core would hold up, and it did. All three times identical scores (9982, 9982, 9981)
> 
> EDIT: Scratch that, bit more CPU volts (a LOT more, as in 1.600v) with 5.4Ghz and disabling Aero got me well over 10K.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Very nice clocks you got there. Btw, Pio's card was just as fast if not faster on air. The problem is it got fried running that high on air so I highly recommend you exercise caution too.
> 
> Why are your scores not validated? The runs are meaningless w/o the driver check you know?
Click to expand...

Lets look at the bolded part. To get to that determination, you'd have to search the Hall of Fame to see what the other scores are, to know which is the fastest. You'd have to have a target to hit.

How does one figure this out and NOT realize they are cheating when we all knew you were cheating from one look?

What are the excuses used for not allowing validation, oh you were pirating.









That doesn't explain why you cheated on the drivers by overriding all application settings, which you admitted to in a post that was deleted due to you admitting to being a pirate.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> I'd have to check my driver settings then. IF my tesselation is disabled, that simply means I forgot to enable it again after a previous bench. Nothing more, Nothing less.


Lmao, CHEATER, PIRATE, what else? Hopelessly clueless?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Aaaaaand you guys are right.. I did have it disabled.. It was on Override Application Settings set to 0x...
> 
> I will re-run with tess on tomorrow. Maybe even with more CPU speed


Right...


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> I just need this thing to pass 1200mhz to make me happy. Looks like i will need alot of juice to get there.
> 
> Edit: i got brave and set the voltage to 1.260v in AB just to see if that would compensate for the Vdroop and allow me to bench 3DM11 and it did http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6574920 so it looks like 1200mhz isn't a dream lol.
> how did you fry it with the stock sinks? Did you short it out? or did they burn out?


Congrats!! Yup I had a VERY slight touch on that top coil since the VRM's were so close and the heatsinks were so bulky, it created a short. Those copper ones I used were amazing, the perfect size for the chips.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well i killed my top 7950....
> 
> over the last week the *stable clocks on the card have dropped from 1225mhz to as of day of death 1060mhz* heh..


Putting the death if it really is dead aside, reduced overclocks are also common with dieing psu.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Putting the death if it really is dead aside, reduced overclocks are also common with dieing psu.


Hmm this ax 1200 is less then a year old.

The other 2 cards still work fine I'm putting another 7950 from another system in top slot to see if it is the card or the pci.e slot.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Striker444*
> 
> Congrats!! Yup I had a VERY slight touch on that top coil since the VRM's were so close and the heatsinks were so bulky, it created a short. Those copper ones I used were amazing, the perfect size for the chips.


Top coil? Could you circle it out in paint using the pic you posted? or a close up of the part if you can.


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Top coil? Could you circle it out in paint using the pic you posted? or a close up of the part if you can.


No problem



2nd time around I made 100% sure that it was protected


----------



## ebduncan

I'm pissed

Today I was eager to get my replacement video card from my XFX 7950 I had to RMA. A month later I finally get my replacement card. Wait a second, its a different revision than the one I previously had, and to top that off, its voltage locked (my other was not). It happens to also be a used card, its full of dust (***?)

So here I am with this replacement video card, I cannot install my water block on it, and It cannot overclock. Putting it up for sale on ebay as we speak. Guess I will have to rock the Hd 5450 a bit longer, until i can get a card which will suit my needs. ARGH I just hope I can sell it and buy a new 7950/7970 with out dipping into my non existent pockets

***

Sorry to rant, but i had to.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Striker444*
> 
> No problem
> 
> 
> 
> 2nd time around I made 100% sure that FU**ER was protected


Ah, i see. Ty


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I'm pissed
> 
> Today I was eager to get my replacement video card from my XFX 7950 I had to RMA. A month later I finally get my replacement card. Wait a second, its a different revision than the one I previously had, and to top that off, its voltage locked (my other was not). It happens to also be a used card, its full of dust (***?)
> 
> So here I am with this replacement video card, I cannot install my water block on it, and It cannot overclock. Putting it up for sale on ebay as we speak. Guess I will have to rock the Hd 5450 a bit longer, until i can get a card which will suit my needs. ARGH
> 
> ***
> 
> Sorry to rant, but i had to.


Understandable rant. Unfortunately the majority of manufactures will send you a refurbished product, something to keep in mind for all of us in the future. This happened to someone with an ASUS also.


----------



## Hokies83

And game fans we have One dead 7950..

Put a 7950 in from another system booted fine..

Put bad 7950 in another system same bsod.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Putting the death if it really is dead aside, reduced overclocks are also common with dieing psu.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm this ax 1200 is less then a year old.
> 
> The other 2 cards still work fine I'm putting another 7950 from another system in top slot to see if it is the card or the pci.e slot.
Click to expand...

Are you sure its dead? I've clocked my cards to the gills and put forth my best efforts and they still won't die, underwater that is. Tahiti is very durable when watercooled (with ek block for me). Good luck with the card swap game.


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I'm pissed
> 
> Today I was eager to get my replacement video card from my XFX 7950 I had to RMA. A month later I finally get my replacement card. Wait a second, its a different revision than the one I previously had, and to top that off, its voltage locked (my other was not). It happens to also be a used card, its full of dust (***?)
> 
> So here I am with this replacement video card, I cannot install my water block on it, and It cannot overclock. Putting it up for sale on ebay as we speak. Guess I will have to rock the Hd 5450 a bit longer, until i can get a card which will suit my needs. ARGH I just hope I can sell it and buy a new 7950/7970 with out dipping into my non existent pockets
> 
> ***
> 
> Sorry to rant, but i had to.


yup, I here will never buy xfx again. happens that my 7950 is voltage locked too and 1050core 1350 mem is the max OC i can get out of it hahahahaha.......I'm as well putting this POS on ebay for sale and will be getting a 7970 just NOT XFX ever ever again.

With all this bad rep xfx cards have I probably will price it at 230$ just to get it sold quickly.....for a 2month old card should sell fairly quick


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> yup, I here will never buy xfx again. happens that my 7950 is voltage locked too and 1050core 1350 mem is the max OC i can get out of it hahahahaha.......I'm as well putting this POS on ebay for sale and will be getting a 7970 just NOT XFX ever ever again.
> 
> With all this bad rep xfx cards have I probably will price it at 230$ just to get it sold quickly.....for a 2month old card should sell fairly quick


This is why i will never buy a card from them. XFX hardly ever churns out positive attention.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you sure its dead? I've clocked my cards to the gills and put forth my best efforts and they still won't die, underwater that is. Tahiti is very durable when watercooled (with ek block for me). Good luck with the card swap game.


yah see post above..

I was folding with mine overclocked 24 hrs a day 7 days a week for 2 months.

when i went into safe mode gpu 2 and 3 were fine. but gpu 1 had this.



Mine were under water =p



I wonder what about it died because it will still boot with out installing a driver for it..


----------



## d1nky

have you inspected it closely?

ive heard of cards being left for some time and tried again and they return to life lol


----------



## Hokies83

I'd rather just rma lol.


----------



## d1nky

nuff said!!

sweet rig tho!


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> yup, I here will never buy xfx again. happens that my 7950 is voltage locked too and 1050core 1350 mem is the max OC i can get out of it hahahahaha.......I'm as well putting this POS on ebay for sale and will be getting a 7970 just NOT XFX ever ever again.
> 
> With all this bad rep xfx cards have I probably will price it at 230$ just to get it sold quickly.....for a 2month old card should sell fairly quick


Well I got my orginal one on sale with the rev 1.0 never settle. I was quite happy with it. XFX 7950 DD ,78% asic. voltage unlocked, hit 1200 core/1575 mem under water. On air it did 1100 core/ 1450 mem. I was happy with it, then stopped putting out video for some reason, so I RMAED it. The replacement is junk, i mean garbage, like the juice at the bottom.

The new card with the dual dvi outputs, and voltage locked does 960 core /1400 mem. Stock clocks are 900/1250. My orginal stock clocks were 800/1250 at the same voltage .993. Funny thing about your price of 230$, that's all i figured I would be able to get out of mine. I am going to sell it and buy reference card, so i can use my water block.


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, my card vDroops to [email protected]

What is my maximum vDroop voltage for 24/7?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I wonder what about it died because it will still boot with out installing a driver for it..


That typically sounds like a bios/driver issue. Since it works w/o the driver installed, it is not dead. Dead is dead and yours is still alive.


----------



## Krusher33

I think he meant dying.

I would do the swap before starting the RMA process though. It could be the slot too so just to eliminate that before you start that (what I'd call) headache.


----------



## Hokies83

Ive already done a swap

What ever system this card is in it will not boot..

I put another 7950 in where the card was and booted fine..

Something is wrong with the card.

And it is past a bios problem... or a driver problem or it would not repeat its self on another system...

And when i put another 7950 into the system this card started off in it booted fine...

Something is bad with the card and it gets triggered when the drivers are installed bios 1 or bios 2 does not matter.


----------



## Krusher33

Yeah i miss that post about it been tested in another rig already. Sorry. Bummer though.


----------



## Coree

Any Powercolor HD7950 PCS+ owners here? What does the temps look like at stock, (GPU and VRMS?)


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Lets look at the bolded part. To get to that determination, you'd have to search the Hall of Fame to see what the other scores are, to know which is the fastest. You'd have to have a target to hit.
> 
> How does one figure this out and NOT realize they are cheating when we all knew you were cheating from one look?
> 
> What are the excuses used for not allowing validation, oh you were pirating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That doesn't explain why you cheated on the drivers by overriding all application settings, which you admitted to in a post that was deleted due to you admitting to being a pirate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lmao, CHEATER, PIRATE, what else? Hopelessly clueless?
> Right...


Nice nerdrage. What are you trying to achieve with this?

I don't give a single f-bomb what you think or say tbh. Just shows your general attitude..

You can shove it bro.

But, don't worry everyone, you won't see me on this forum again. Since this seems to be the general attitude here anyway. Hate hate hate.


----------



## d1nky

make love not warrrr! pahaha

validate dont hate!


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Any Powercolor HD7950 PCS+ owners here? What does the temps look like at stock, (GPU and VRMS?)


60 Tops for both GPU and VRM


----------



## th3illusiveman

well.. damn... if he wasn't leaving already he is gonna get ban hammered now....

I don't know why TSM was so pissed but there is no need to take it personally it's the internet lol. Edit your post before someone quotes it and forget about it.


----------



## Vitaminx

I'm having some problems with my Sapphire 7970. I get random screen flickers. Like a bar across my screen just randomly distorts and flickers for a short amount of time (maybe a tenth of a second). I get this issue after teh computer is fully bootted up, and upon loading Windows as well.

I'm trying to figure out what would be the cause to this issue. Was going to first start with drivers. What would be considered the most stable AMD driver release at this point in time? I've tried both the latest stable release and beta and I still get this annoying flicker.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vitaminx*
> 
> I'm having some problems with my Sapphire 7970. I get random screen flickers. Like a bar across my screen just randomly distorts and flickers for a short amount of time (maybe a tenth of a second). I get this issue after teh computer is fully bootted up, and upon loading Windows as well.
> 
> I'm trying to figure out what would be the cause to this issue. Was going to first start with drivers. What would be considered the most stable AMD driver release at this point in time? I've tried both the latest stable release and beta and I still get this annoying flicker.


the unofficial afterburner mod causes this on my system. actually some other oc software used to cause this with any clocks.

uninstall and see if problem persists.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vitaminx*
> 
> I'm having some problems with my Sapphire 7970. I get random screen flickers. Like a bar across my screen just randomly distorts and flickers for a short amount of time (maybe a tenth of a second). I get this issue after teh computer is fully bootted up, and upon loading Windows as well.
> 
> I'm trying to figure out what would be the cause to this issue. Was going to first start with drivers. What would be considered the most stable AMD driver release at this point in time? I've tried both the latest stable release and beta and I still get this annoying flicker.


Disable power play. You open a 3d program and your gpu kicks on the 3d clocks and voltage thats why you notice flickering

Facepalm on the last pages.

I have the faster 7970 ever


----------



## d1nky

^^ or that


----------



## Vitaminx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Disable power play. You open a 3d program and your gpu kicks on the 3d clocks and voltage thats why you notice flickering
> 
> Facepalm on the last pages.
> 
> I have the faster 7970 ever


How do you disable Power play?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vitaminx*
> 
> How do you disable Power play?


enter run cmd.

type 'i have the fastest 7970 ever'

hit enter............. lol


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> enter run cmd.
> 
> type 'i have the fastest 7970 ever'
> 
> hit enter............. lol


It worked with my 7950. Its now the fastest 7970.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> enter run cmd.
> 
> type 'i have the fastest 7970 ever'
> 
> hit enter............. lol


I suddenly reliesed I actually expected something to come up...


----------



## Strileckifunk

I just ran a Windows (8) update and it looks like it got rid of my drivers... Can someone spot a quick link to the latest drivers?


----------



## almighty15

Guys anyone know how to modify the BIOS voltage and clocks?

Want to flash my card to 1.3v with a clock 1.25Ghz and can't find a way how to do it..

My card is a MSI Twin Frozr 7950 Boost Edition


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Guys anyone know how to modify the BIOS voltage and clocks?
> 
> Want to flash my card to 1.3v with a clock 1.25Ghz and can't find a way how to do it..
> 
> My card is a MSI Twin Frozr 7950 Boost Edition


Get a bios that has unlocked voltage.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vitaminx*
> 
> How do you disable Power play?


You download the latest beta of msi AB. Then you go to settings and you enable unofficial oc without powerplay


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, my card vDroops to [email protected]
> 
> What is my maximum vDroop voltage for 24/7?


BUMP?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Guys anyone know how to modify the BIOS voltage and clocks?
> 
> Want to flash my card to 1.3v with a clock 1.25Ghz and can't find a way how to do it..
> 
> My card is a MSI Twin Frozr 7950 Boost Edition


Sorry but its not possible with 7k series. :/


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> It worked with my 7950. Its now the fastest 7970.


i just wee'd a lil haha


----------



## almighty15

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Sorry but its not possible with 7k series. :/


You're joking









Is there at least a way to edit the clocks?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> You're joking
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is there at least a way to edit the clocks?


No sir.


----------



## Pheozero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> So what version of the Accelero should I go for? My card has the 7970 PCB so this one?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064


Anyone?


----------



## d1nky

almighty you can still overclock, but just a small bit. whatever you can get stable with those locked voltages.

and you can even flash a diff bios that has higher voltages. or even some 7970 bios may work.

i tried a few bioses on mine, luckily my stock one is unlocked. but the 'updated' bios locked my voltages lol

7970 gave me more voltage and higher speeds. and some were just fails!


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> So what version of the Accelero should I go for? My card has the 7970 PCB so this one?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone?
Click to expand...

That would be the proper one for your card according to AC's compatibility chart. Your other option from AC would be their Hybrid 7970 cooler, both are compatible.
www.arctic.ac/en/p/assistant/vga/chip/243


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> So what version of the Accelero should I go for? My card has the 7970 PCB so this one?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186064
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone?
Click to expand...

7950 or 7970 they're the same when it comes to the recessed die which you have linked the right cooler. That's the specific aircooler that fits your card. You can also use the standard accelero with a copper shim and achieve the same fitment saving a few bucks in the process.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> 
> 
> I just ran a Windows (8) update and it looks like it got rid of my drivers... Can someone spot a quick link to the latest drivers?


http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_vista64.aspx


----------



## Nwanko

My 7950 died yesterday,RMA it today. Now on my back up gts250 512


----------



## almighty15

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> almighty you can still overclock, but just a small bit. whatever you can get stable with those locked voltages.
> 
> and you can even flash a diff bios that has higher voltages. or even some 7970 bios may work.
> 
> i tried a few bioses on mine, luckily my stock one is unlocked. but the 'updated' bios locked my voltages lol
> 
> 7970 gave me more voltage and higher speeds. and some were just fails!


There is nothing wrong with my BIOS, I have full control over everything I just want to edit the BIOS and re-flash the card to have the clocks so I don't have to use any over clocking software.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> My 7950 died yesterday,RMA it today. Now on my back up gts250 512


Mine to but i have 8 7950s lol.

But the one that died was one in my maim rig so my main rig is down =/


----------



## bigmac11

Anybody care to back me up http://www.overclock.net/t/1391603/psu-for-an-ocd-2600k-and-2x-crossfire-ocd-7950s/0_30#post_19977258 ?


----------



## muhd86

I had. to install a new os hence installed a fresh copy of win 7 and the latest beta 4 driver from and along with profiles .. I noticed that my benchmark scores have fallen quite a lot from 23000 p in 3dmark 11 to 18000p

before th change in was on 13.3 drivers .

are the latest drivers not good ...and how do I completely remove these drivers and install the old more stabble ones


----------



## dixson01974

I have a Sapphire HD7950 coming if you want to add me.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dixson01974*
> 
> I have a Sapphire HD7950 coming if you want to add me.


Be sure to overclock it


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Well i killed my top 7950....
> 
> Cannot get into windows with it plugged in... When windows trys to post it insta bsod 116.... after install the amd driver...
> 
> Now i can get into safe mode fine...
> 
> I can also boot into windows fine on gpu # 2 and # 3 if i unplug gpu # 1
> 
> over the last week the stable clocks on the card have dropped from 1225mhz to as of day of death 1060mhz heh..


sucks man sorry !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> For those looking for a true reference card (assuming MSI hasn't done anything to it since I bought mine last year) Newegg lowered the price on the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5 from $450 to $400.


nice find may pick up a few ( need ot get my wife at least one....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Striker444*
> 
> Congrats!! Yup I had a VERY slight touch on that top coil since the VRM's were so close and the heatsinks were so bulky, it created a short. Those copper ones I used were amazing, the perfect size for the chips.


they even make little water cooled ones that take 1/4" tubing perf. pcs has them.. i would if i didnt have a full block on them
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I'm pissed
> 
> Today I was eager to get my replacement video card from my XFX 7950 I had to RMA. A month later I finally get my replacement card. Wait a second, its a different revision than the one I previously had, and to top that off, its voltage locked (my other was not). It happens to also be a used card, its full of dust (***?)
> 
> So here I am with this replacement video card, I cannot install my water block on it, and It cannot overclock. Putting it up for sale on ebay as we speak. Guess I will have to rock the Hd 5450 a bit longer, until i can get a card which will suit my needs. ARGH I just hope I can sell it and buy a new 7950/7970 with out dipping into my non existent pockets
> 
> ***
> 
> Sorry to rant, but i had to.


sorry man that sucks !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dixson01974*
> 
> I have a Sapphire HD7950 coming if you want to add me.


welcome !~


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Sorry but its not possible with 7k series. :/


Actually that is not correct. I'm sure I'll get a ration of Asus hate, but GPU Tweak for my Matrix has Burn feature that does exactly that. Just because someone got a bum card doesn't make them all bad.


----------



## Mega Man

so i been pondering this.... you think it would help stability at all if i soldered on the extra +2 from the 6 pin the solder points are on the board and the traces are there.....


----------



## fishhawk

EXACTLY!!!







Hotrod717


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> so i been pondering this.... you think it would help stability at all if i soldered on the extra +2 from the 6 pin the solder points are on the board and the traces are there.....


You mean the 2 pins next to your power connectors?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You mean the 2 pins next to your power connectors?


yes


----------



## almighty15

I have screen flicker in Chrome.... my 7950 only started doing it yesterday when I was testing for artifacts with ATItool..

Reckon I've killed the card?


----------



## muhd86

can any one please suggest which of the new amd drivers is better then the rest , as i have quad 7970 set up and i noticed that my benchmark scores are less with latest 13.5 beta drivers , i tried 13.4 even same with that .

should i revert back to 13.3 as for me it was the most stable and better scores in benchmarks . but will it play tomrbraider etc .

..

any suggestions please

whats the best way to remove the old drivers and install new ones


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *muhd86*
> 
> can any one please suggest which of the new amd drivers is better then the rest , as i have quad 7970 set up and i noticed that my benchmark scores are less with latest 13.5 beta drivers , i tried 13.4 even same with that .
> 
> should i revert back to 13.3 as for me it was the most stable and better scores in benchmarks . but will it play tomrbraider etc .
> 
> ..
> 
> any suggestions please
> 
> whats the best way to remove the old drivers and install new ones


I'm running the 13.4 Drivers for my 7950, seems to be working perfectly. Haven't tried the Beta drivers though, i'm sure someone can chime in on which one you should run.

As for deleting the old drivers, here:

http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards/0_50


----------



## d1nky

pk3 arrived today, so my gfx and maybe a few other things will have the pleasure of getting pasted again ha!

can someone recommend some thermal pads for vrms, approx 3mm and hopefully better than stock stuff. thanks.


----------



## Transmaniacon

So right now I have a MSI HD7950 TFIII w/ 7970 PCB, I game at 1080P, do you think it's worth cross-firing another, or will the issues with multi-GPU setups outweigh the added FPS? The upgrade bug is itching...


----------



## Hokies83

So far in the HD7000 this is what ive haqd and which went wrong / defective rma's etc.

1 Power color PCS+ 7970 worked but had issues

1 Sapphire duel x 7970 Worst coil whine ive ever heard

4 Power color boost state all work fine 1 died on me the other day though.

4 Gigabyte WF3 7950 all work find have hynix vrams but runs pretty hot imo.

1 xfx 7970 works fine

1 xfx 7850 works fine

1 sapphire 7850 works fine.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So far in the HD7000 this is what ive haqd and which went wrong / defective rma's etc.
> 
> 1 Power color PCS+ 7970 worked but had issues
> 
> 1 Sapphire duel x 7970 Worst coil whine ive ever heard
> 
> 4 Power color boost state all work fine 1 died on me the other day though.
> 
> 4 Gigabyte WF3 7950 all work find have hynix vrams but runs pretty hot imo.
> 
> 1 xfx 7970 works fine
> 
> 1 xfx 7850 works fine
> 
> 1 sapphire 7850 works fine.


thats a lot of cards! No asus cards i see


----------



## kgtuning

I must not be looking hard enough but does anyone know where I can find a shorter crossfire cable? My Powercolor one is like .75" too long. well its not too long, I just want one that is 2.75 inches long (70mm) so there is no or the least amount of curve to it.


----------



## d1nky

my baby 7950 is on a 50 something inch screen, with a phenom. im lending her out until my rig/mod is finished.....









but i got a 6850 to play with...... any ideas?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes


It will not gonna help you. The 2 additional pins is there if you want to add a second 8-pin power connector. Probably for phase users and hard mods dont really know


----------



## Imprezzion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So far in the HD7000 this is what ive haqd and which went wrong / defective rma's etc.
> 
> 1 Power color PCS+ 7970 worked but had issues
> 
> 1 Sapphire duel x 7970 Worst coil whine ive ever heard
> 
> 4 Power color boost state all work fine 1 died on me the other day though.
> 
> 4 Gigabyte WF3 7950 all work find have hynix vrams but runs pretty hot imo.
> 
> 1 xfx 7970 works fine
> 
> 1 xfx 7850 works fine
> 
> 1 sapphire 7850 works fine.


Srsly how can you make a WF3 run hot







I always found those WF3's one of the best coolers available. At least, that is my personal experience with the WF3 (GTX670 and GTX580)


----------



## Leethal

Yup, the Sapphire cards whine like mad!


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Srsly how can you make a WF3 run hot I always found those WF3's one of the best coolers available. At least, that is my personal experience with the WF3 (GTX670 and GTX580)


It lacks any passive cooling on the VRM. VRMs always run hotter than the core itself, it's really the bigger limiting factor moreso than the chip. WF3 not having VRM cooling is inexcusable. And it's 3x80mm fans on the worst designed heatsink (3 small heatpipes with very little surface area). The 3rd fan makes it so wf3 is basically on par with other dual-fan coolers.
Quote:


> Yup, the Sapphire cards whine like mad!


There's like 10 different sapphires... for as bad as mine was, there was no coil whine. Do you mean the reference design? Coil whine on the 7950 on any model is common...

Okay since the Asus DC2 V2 is discontinued (tt), I'm thinking of buying the Powercolor PCS+ 7950. Anyone have any input on this card? From what I understand, it still has:

* Core Voltage
* Memory Voltage
* Hynix RAM (not elpida)
* VRM Temp sensors

The HIS has a 7970 pcb with 6/8, the pcs+ is 6/6. I don't think that makes a difference though. Unless anyone else thinks it actually matters...


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Srsly how can you make a WF3 run hot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I always found those WF3's one of the best coolers available. At least, that is my personal experience with the WF3 (GTX670 and GTX580)


Just a bad design u can not give the card any real voltage or the vrms willover heat.

It is hard to feed the card Air as well.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Okay since the Asus DC2 V2 is discontinued (tt), I'm thinking of buying the Powercolor PCS+ 7950. Anyone have any input on this card? From what I understand, it still has:
> 
> * Core Voltage - *yes*
> * Memory Voltage - *yes*
> * Hynix RAM (not elpida) - *not sure what RAM IC's it uses*
> * VRM Temp sensors - *yes*
> ....


from my understanding the Powercolor PCS+ 7950 has what your looking for but i cant say about what RAM it has.


----------



## PedroC1999

It has good RAM, 1.6v stock and does 1820MHz


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> It has good RAM, 1.6v stock and does 1820MHz


Tried pushing to 1.65V?


----------



## PedroC1999

Sorry, it is at 1.65v at that speed


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Sorry, it is at 1.65v at that speed










In that case, why not go for 1.66V


----------



## PedroC1999

Just when and tried and itys actually on 1.68 actually


----------



## Striker444

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Just when and tried and itys actually on 1.68 actually


Right on the highest end of the 5% tolerance they rated them for, good choice on sticking there, I always get worried for others seeing them go to 1.7v and higher. It's like a powerkeg, even with low temps too many volts can do you in.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Transmaniacon*
> 
> So right now I have a MSI HD7950 TFIII w/ 7970 PCB, I game at 1080P, do you think it's worth cross-firing another, or will the issues with multi-GPU setups outweigh the added FPS? The upgrade bug is itching...


I am in the same boat as you. The problem is I am not sure If I am going to find a 7950 as good as mine to cross-fire it with?


----------



## PedroC1999

Yup, My core is a [email protected], memory at 1800 as I havnt had enough time/noise tolernce to finish a proper long stress test on the 1820MHz config. When my second card arrives I will


----------



## Face2Face

I am seeing some pretty good gains in 3DMark Firestrike with my card maxed out.






Very Happy


----------



## th3illusiveman

God this new 3DMark is annoying. Why do i have to sit through a 30 minute "DEMO" of these tests. The old free versions allowed you to bench the performance settings nice and quick. Got a Firestrike Graphics score of 8315? How is that?


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> God this new 3DMark is annoying. Why do i have to sit through a 30 minute "DEMO" of these tests. The old free versions allowed you to bench the performance settings nice and quick.


Agreed


----------



## Belial

Many thanks on the input, I'll tell egg to go for the pcs+ then. It's going to cost $37 more, but if it's got everything then that sounds worth it.

I'm curious how the cooler compares to the dual-x though, apples to apples (same clock/voltage, 100% fan).

EDIT: Ah, nevermind. Look what I found out:
Quote:


> My original did have the hynix chips but my replacement (which they kindly put uefi gop on for me) has the elpida chips
> 
> vrm stay really cool on these there's actually no heatsinks or anything on the


Looks like the PCS+ is victim to the multiple-variations syndrome with some having elpidas, and no heatsinks on the VRM is unacceptable. I'm not getting a gigabyte with coil whine, nothx.

I think I'll just get my sapphire replaced and be happy with a low, low, cheap $279 7950 ;/


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 7950 or 7970 they're the same when it comes to the recessed die which you have linked the right cooler. That's the specific aircooler that fits your card. You can also use the standard accelero with a copper shim and achieve the same fitment saving a few bucks in the process.


I tried this with the shim & standard accelero, the results were not too good. The reference cooler did better. A lot better.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> so i been pondering this.... you think it would help stability at all if i soldered on the extra +2 from the 6 pin the solder points are on the board and the traces are there.....


I don't think it would help much. Even volt modded the VRMs will be the weak point when increasing clocks & voltage.


----------



## th3illusiveman

http://www.powercolor.com/us/products_features.asp?id=465#Specification this card has to be voltage locked


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 7950 or 7970 they're the same when it comes to the recessed die which you have linked the right cooler. That's the specific aircooler that fits your card. You can also use the standard accelero with a copper shim and achieve the same fitment saving a few bucks in the process.
> 
> 
> 
> I tried this with the shim & standard accelero, the results were not too good. The reference cooler did better. A lot better.
Click to expand...

I've no doubt the specific cooler would work better, however I suspect the regular accelero with the shim would work pretty good if you used a metal tim, CLU or something. Then you could fuse the shim to the cooler, and then remove the shim later if/when you went to a different card.


----------



## Vitaminx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You download the latest beta of msi AB. Then you go to settings and you enable unofficial oc without powerplay


I just re-did the entire process.I downloaded the latest official AMD drivers 13.4 and installed it. I then downloaded the latest beta of MSI AB and changed the setting from disabled to OC without powerplay. And yet I'm still getting the flickering. I'm on stock settings because of this issue. Are there any other suggestions about what could be causing this? I know it has to be a driver issue because when I uninstalled the drivers and rebooted I got no flickering upon start up. Yet the instant I reboot with drivers installed I get the flickering issue. I tried several different drivers so far and they all seem to do this. Scratching my head here as to what to try next.


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Many thanks on the input, I'll tell egg to go for the pcs+ then. It's going to cost $37 more, but if it's got everything then that sounds worth it.
> 
> I'm curious how the cooler compares to the dual-x though, apples to apples (same clock/voltage, 100% fan).
> 
> EDIT: Ah, nevermind. Look what I found out:
> Looks like the PCS+ is victim to the multiple-variations syndrome with some having elpidas, and no heatsinks on the VRM is unacceptable. I'm not getting a gigabyte with coil whine, nothx.
> 
> I think I'll just get my sapphire replaced and be happy with a low, low, cheap $279 7950 ;/


Actually no heatsink on the vrm is the best because you have the fan directly blowing air on it. Proof, my 7950 has none and top 70C when it's hot at 1.3v


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> I must not be looking hard enough but does anyone know where I can find a shorter crossfire cable? My Powercolor one is like .75" too long. well its not too long, I just want one that is 2.75 inches long (70mm) so there is no or the least amount of curve to it.


http://products.xfxforce.com/en-us/Accessories/Crossfire_Bridge/MA-AP01-CF1K
http://www.microcenter.com/product/365839/CrossFire_Bridge
you can check the specs in the first link 73mm works perfect for my saber kitty ( 3 pcie slot spacing ) newegg sells them too and i think another is made by powercolor or something... same size 8.99-9.99 depending on which you get.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I tried this with the shim & standard accelero, the results were not too good. The reference cooler did better. A lot better.
> I don't think it would help much. Even volt modded the VRMs will be the weak point when increasing clocks & voltage.


thanks so much for everyones response....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Actually no heatsink on the vrm is the best because you have the fan directly blowing air on it. Proof, my 7950 has none and top 70C when it's hot at 1.3v


i have to disagree with you. mine have a heatsink and never go above 36 @!~


----------



## pioneerisloud

Oh tsm, i got my card back. Same exact card they just repaired it.







I'm limited to 1100 / 1850 due to the reference cooler though. I can still bench at 1275 core at 1.3v though, same as before. With the accelero i could do 1350. I was voltage limited at 1.3v though. I'm sure i could do 1375-1400 with that trixx voltage tweak and cooler temps.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Oh tsm, i got my card back. Same exact card they just repaired it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm limited to 1100 / 1850 due to the reference cooler though. I can still bench at 1275 core at 1.3v though, same as before. With the accelero i could do 1350. I was voltage limited at 1.3v though. I'm sure i could do 1375-1400 with that trixx voltage tweak and cooler temps.


NICE !~


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> God this new 3DMark is annoying. Why do i have to sit through a 30 minute "DEMO" of these tests. The old free versions allowed you to bench the performance settings nice and quick. Got a Firestrike Graphics score of 8315? How is that?


i bought it so i wouldnt have to do that....rofl


----------



## 316320

=)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Oh tsm, i got my card back. Same exact card they just repaired it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm limited to 1100 / 1850 due to the reference cooler though. I can still bench at 1275 core at 1.3v though, same as before. With the accelero i could do 1350. I was voltage limited at 1.3v though. I'm sure i could do 1375-1400 with that trixx voltage tweak and cooler temps.


It's like manifest destiny.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Pretty much.







Planning on adding a 7990 and water when i get a 4770k build. Assuming funds mature. Lost my job last week so we'll see.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Pretty much.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Planning on adding a 7990 and water when i get a 4770k build. Assuming funds mature. Lost my job last week so we'll see.


sorry man ; ;


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Pretty much.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Planning on adding a 7990 and water when i get a 4770k build. Assuming funds mature. Lost my job last week so we'll see.
> 
> 
> 
> sorry man ; ;
Click to expand...

It's okay. That's why my 7970 is just sitting lol. This c2d rig would just waste it.


----------



## ihatelolcats

has anyone gone from 7870 to 7950? if so would you recommend it at this point?


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://products.xfxforce.com/en-us/Accessories/Crossfire_Bridge/MA-AP01-CF1K
> http://www.microcenter.com/product/365839/CrossFire_Bridge
> you can check the specs in the first link 73mm works perfect for my saber kitty ( 3 pcie slot spacing ) newegg sells them too and i think another is made by powercolor or something... same size 8.99-9.99 depending on which you get.
> thanks so much for everyones response....
> i have to disagree with you. mine have a heatsink and never go above 36 @!~


Thanks man! I was looking at that first one earlier today on newegg but wasn't sure of the length. 73 mm would work.


----------



## Hokies83

I have 3 gigabyte WF3 7950s..

The best of the 3 i can only get to do 1065mhz with 1.16v it seems to not like anymore v core heh.

But it is voltage unlocked....

But the vram will do 1850mhz....

My cheapo power color boost states the core overclocks like a monster but VRAM only does 1500mhz...

For what I do core overclocks are much more important then VRAM lol VRAM really only helps for benchers..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> has anyone gone from 7870 to 7950? if so would you recommend it at this point?


I have. And its definitely worth it. If you get a good 7950 you can easily surpass a 7970GHz card


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> has anyone gone from 7870 to 7950? if so would you recommend it at this point?


I went from a 7850 to a 7950 then to two 7950s.And it was worth it from my 7850.


----------



## fishhawk

Yes your 7870 is most likely a great card like mine is.And if you cross fire them it is even much better. But jumping to a 7950 will show you a great performance increase. But I was and am perfectly happy with my Asus 7870 in my second rig. So if your in real need of the extra boost, yes get a 7950, or you could get a second 7870 and I bet you would enjoy that also, I plan on x-fireing both my 7870 and 7950 systems.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Many thanks on the input, I'll tell egg to go for the pcs+ then. It's going to cost $37 more, but if it's got everything then that sounds worth it.
> 
> I'm curious how the cooler compares to the dual-x though, apples to apples (same clock/voltage, 100% fan).
> 
> EDIT: Ah, nevermind. Look what I found out:
> Looks like the PCS+ is victim to the multiple-variations syndrome with some having elpidas, and no heatsinks on the VRM is unacceptable. I'm not getting a gigabyte with coil whine, nothx.
> 
> I think I'll just get my sapphire replaced and be happy with a low, low, cheap $279 7950 ;/
> 
> 
> 
> Actually no heatsink on the vrm is the best because you have the fan directly blowing air on it. Proof, my 7950 has none and top 70C when it's hot at 1.3v
Click to expand...

There's no way that no heatsink on the VRM is best... technically the outside of the chip itself is acting like a heatsink for the circuits within just like a heatsink, a fan cooling straight onto a heatsink is going to be better than a fan on naked chips. It's basic thermodynamics, there's larger surface area for the heat to dissipate.

It's nice to know it isn't an issue for you though. Gigabyte tend to use high quality mosfets and phases so where other non-heatsinked phases would have coil whine even sinked ,maybe gigabytes doesn't. Then again, there are widespread reports of coil whine with the gigabyte, much more than other 7950s...
Quote:


> I have 3 gigabyte WF3 7950s..
> 
> The best of the 3 i can only get to do 1065mhz with 1.16v it seems to not like anymore v core heh.
> 
> But it is voltage unlocked....
> 
> But the vram will do 1850mhz....
> 
> My cheapo power color boost states the core overclocks like a monster but VRAM only does 1500mhz...
> 
> For what I do core overclocks are much more important then VRAM lol VRAM really only helps for benchers..


Well an unlucky binning is just an unlucky binning, that really isn't the gigabyte itself, unless you are making a claim that it is... The new GAs are voltage locked though so whatever. Yea, they have hynix though, the gigabytes are nice but voltage lock is such a huge restriction.

If I know what you are talking about, VRAM is really important for what we do as diggers, actually. Can net you a good 30+ hash. It's not huge but it's enough to definitely pay for an extra $50+ over 6 months.

What do you mean 'cheapo powercolor boost', you mean the reference?

Why not swap the gigabyte heatsink on your 'cheapo powercolor'









why would you go from 7870 to 7950









Not going to notice that sort of performance gap. Go for a titan/690/680/titan maybe if you really need more than a 7870.


----------



## Belial

It appears that the Power color pcs+ and his iceqx2 is susceptible to the elpida versions. too.

So basically, all new 7950s suck -_-

And the asus dc2 v2 is discontinued.

So the best 7950s are like fossils that you have to dig for. I might swap my dual-x for a 7950 pcs+ though, even if it's elpida, there's at least a chance it's hynix whereas with dual-x 3L, all of them are elpidas, and you get memory voltage control and VRM temp sensors. Is that worth paying $20 for...


----------



## Hokies83

For what i do Vram does not help i under clock it.

I like to run 1100mhz core 1600mhz mem..

My power colors are all water cooled.


----------



## ihatelolcats

thanks for the responses. i actually had 7870s crossfired and it was very powerful. i downgraded for the summer and to offset the cost of some other upgrades. but i was thinking a 7950 would hold value better and they're not that much more money right now.
one thing i really like is the high double digit compute power on the 7950. i know a couple of boinc apps would love that. i dont really game much anymore honestly


----------



## fishhawk

If that's what your thoughts are and what you want, yes get a 7950 you wont regret going from a single 7870 to a single 7950.


----------



## fishhawk

Belial-if you want a Asus 7950, amazon and NCIX have them


----------



## Hokies83

What is everybodys thoughts of the Twin Frozer cooler III cooler?

just picked up Msi 7950 Twin Frozer III for 250$ shipped to add to my Fleet lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What is everybodys thoughts of the Twin Frozer cooler III cooler?
> 
> Bought to pick a Msi 7950 Twin Frozer III for 250$ shipped to add to my Fleet lol.


The vrm cooling is pathetic?

http://www.overclock.net/t/1372912/the-msi-tf3-vrm-project-with-accelero-xtreme-7970/0_40#post_19932448


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The vrm cooling is pathetic?
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1372912/the-msi-tf3-vrm-project-with-accelero-xtreme-7970/0_40#post_19932448


Hmm wonder how it will do if i put some thermal pads between that stock pcb plate and the vrms.

It is the same card has a 7970 pcb.

I have some 11.5 w/mk thermal pads just sitting here.


----------



## newmindsets

Anybody know to how to fix a GPU-Z problem. I have a 7970 with 13.5 b2 drivers, everytime I run GPU-Z it crashes, saying something about OpenCL.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *newmindsets*
> 
> Anybody know to how to fix a GPU-Z problem. I have a 7970 with 13.5 b2 drivers, everytime I run GPU-Z it crashes, saying something about OpenCL.


Reinstall the drivers. That means the OpenCL didn't install when you installed the drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The vrm cooling is pathetic?
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1372912/the-msi-tf3-vrm-project-with-accelero-xtreme-7970/0_40#post_19932448
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm wonder how it will do if i put some thermal pads between that stock pcb plate and the vrms.
> 
> It is the same card has a 7970 pcb.
> 
> I have some 11.5 w/mk thermal pads just sitting here.
Click to expand...

The heat transfer isn't the issue, it's the lack of heatsink material/surface area for the vrms which produces gobs of heat.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The vrm cooling is pathetic?
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1372912/the-msi-tf3-vrm-project-with-accelero-xtreme-7970/0_40#post_19932448
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm wonder how it will do if i put some thermal pads between that stock pcb plate and the vrms.
> 
> It is the same card has a 7970 pcb.
> 
> I have some 11.5 w/mk thermal pads just sitting here.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> The heat transfer isn't the issue, it's the lack of heatsink material/surface area for the vrms which produces gobs of heat.
Click to expand...

I had that same problem with my Accelero, which I believe is what killed my card to begin with. Hence the reason its still on the reference cooler....not to mention not being used, lol.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The heat transfer isn't the issue, it's the lack of heatsink material/surface area for the vrms which produces gobs of heat.


Ah thought Vrm --> thermal Pad --> that metal plate --> fans would be enough to keep them under 100c


----------



## tsm106

^^
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The heat transfer isn't the issue, it's the lack of heatsink material/surface area for the vrms which produces gobs of heat.
> 
> 
> 
> Ah thought Vrm --> thermal Pad --> that metal plate --> fans would be enough to keep them under 100c
Click to expand...

Quote:


> I had that same problem with my Accelero, which I believe is what killed my card to begin with. Hence the reason its still on the reference cooler....not to mention not being used, lol.


----------



## newmindsets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Reinstall the drivers. That means the OpenCL didn't install when you installed the drivers.


The thing is I just installed a fresh install of Windows 7 and drivers, the problem persists. I'll try again, do you recommend 13.4 or 13.5 b2


----------



## newmindsets

Completely removed all amd/ati related files, restarted, reinstalled 13.4, restarted, still not fixed.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> Thanks man! I was looking at that first one earlier today on newegg but wasn't sure of the length. 73 mm would work.


np i have a 990fx saberkitty r2.0 but it is 3 pci pacing.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *newmindsets*
> 
> Completely removed all amd/ati related files, restarted, reinstalled 13.4, restarted, still not fixed.


Are your .net 4 libraries up to date?


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *newmindsets*
> 
> Completely removed all amd/ati related files, restarted, reinstalled 13.4, restarted, still not fixed.


How did you remove the files? Be sure to use this: http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx

Are you just downloading/installing just the driver or are you doing the Catalyst Suite? You should be doing the Catalyst. You can deselect CCC if you don't want that.


----------



## newmindsets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are your .net 4 libraries up to date?


I believe so, I went through atleast 3 restarts for windows updates and I remember seeing NET 4.
Quote:


> How did you remove the files? Be sure to use this: http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx
> 
> Are you just downloading/installing just the driver or are you doing the Catalyst Suite? You should be doing the Catalyst. You can deselect CCC if you don't want that.


I followed this Guide, which includes using the uninstaller utility: http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *newmindsets*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are your .net 4 libraries up to date?
> 
> 
> 
> I believe so, I went through atleast 3 restarts for windows updates and I remember seeing NET 4.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> How did you remove the files? Be sure to use this: http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx
> 
> Are you just downloading/installing just the driver or are you doing the Catalyst Suite? You should be doing the Catalyst. You can deselect CCC if you don't want that.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I followed this Guide, which includes using the uninstaller utility: http://www.overclock.net/t/988215/how-to-properly-uninstall-ati-amd-software-drivers-for-graphics-cards
Click to expand...

You're drivers are fubar'd.

Doh, you should go ask for help in that thread.

But if you did a fresh install why'd you need to follow that guide?


----------



## newmindsets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're drivers are fubar'd.
> 
> Doh, you should go ask for help in that thread.
> 
> But if you did a fresh install why'd you need to follow that guide?


Fresh install>install 13.5 b2>problem persists>uninstall drivers> install 13.4>problem persists> annoyed


----------



## ericeod

I have some newfound faith in the ASUS 7970 DC2/T series cards. After months of running my card maxed out at 1125/1,575 using ASUS' gimped software and locked bios, I finally decided to put some theories to the test (research showed others were able to unlock voltage and clocks). As it turns out, they can be unlocked one way or another. Depending on your default bios, you can either unlock it using GPU Tweak 2.2.1.4, or flash to another bios (DC2, Matrix Platinum or Matrix non Platinum). Only one way will work though; either GPU Tweak will work, or you will have to bios flash. What I've found is that with older cards running 15.012.004 bios, you can just run GPU Tweak 2.2.1.4. With cards shipping with the newer bios, you can flash to Matrix bios for 1.256v max, or flash to DC2 bios to use GPU Tweak 2.2.1.4.

I've got the older default bios, so I am able to use 2.2.1.4 GPU Tweak, but not flash to Matrix bios. here are my results folding 24/7 with the card:

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ericeod/media/1180OCstable_zps66f2dbb3.jpg.html

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ericeod/media/heaven_zps31b07af8.jpg.html

A couple of us ASUS owners have a WIP thread.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> I have some newfound faith in the ASUS 7970 DC2/T series cards. After months of running my card maxed out at 1125/1,575 using ASUS' gimped software and locked bios, I finally decided to put some theories to the test (research showed others were able to unlock voltage and clocks). As it turns out, they can be unlocked one way or another. Depending on your default bios, you can either unlock it using GPU Tweak 2.1.4, or flash to another bios (DC2, Matrix Platinum or Matrix non Platinum). Only one way will work though; either GPU Tweak will work, or you will have to bios flash. What I've found is that with older cards running 15.012.004 bios, you can just run GPU Tweak 2.1.4. With cards shipping with the newer bios, you can flash to Matrix bios for 1.256v max, or flash to DC2 bios to use GPU Tweak 2.1.4.
> 
> I've got the older default bios, so I am able to use 2.1.4 GPU Tweak, but not flash to Matrix bios. here are my results folding 24/7 with the card:
> 
> http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ericeod/media/1180OCstable_zps66f2dbb3.jpg.html
> 
> http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ericeod/media/heaven_zps31b07af8.jpg.html
> 
> A couple of us ASUS owners have a WIP thread.


You are forgetting that GPU Tweak sucks. And you are forced to use it, because ASUS thinks nothing else is good enough.


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You are forgetting that GPU Tweak sucks. And you are forced to use it, because ASUS thinks nothing else is good enough.


Hmm, why so negative? The program works for me just fine. I am happy with my results. I have no idea what ASUS thinks to be honest.

I have seen some bad experiences with the first iteration of these cards though, so I know they are not perfect. But unlocking the voltage for me was huge.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

For me Afterburner sucks. Flickering, no Voltage cotrol etc...

GPU Tweak (2.2.1.4) is best for Asus 7970 DCU II / TOP / Matrix users.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> For me Afterburner suckc. Flickering, no Voltage cotrol etc...
> 
> GPU Tweak (2.2.1.4) is best for Asus 7970 DCU II / TOP / Matrix users.


Because asus cards works only with gpu tweak. Thats why ab sucks for you


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> For me Afterburner sucks. Flickering, no Voltage cotrol etc...
> 
> GPU Tweak (2.2.1.4) is best for Asus 7970 DCU II / TOP / Matrix users.


It's because you are forced to use Asus' crap application which is why you can't see clearly that it is crap.


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

But best card is ASUS for Temperature and fan noise...

It works for me: if it works, it's fine


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> *But best card is ASUS for Temperature and fan noise...
> *
> It works for me: if it works, it's fine


Not sure how you can write that with smiley emoticon, ie. straight face. You know they had to revise the cooler because some idiot designed it w/o enough clamping force right?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> Hmm, why so negative? The program works for me just fine. I am happy with my results. I have no idea what ASUS thinks to be honest.
> 
> I have seen some bad experiences with the first iteration of these cards though, so I know they are not perfect. But unlocking the voltage for me was huge.


I really dont want to mention every little problem i had with asus tweak and my now snapped in half 7970 Matrix.


----------



## ConradTP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *newmindsets*
> 
> Fresh install>install 13.5 b2>problem persists>uninstall drivers> install 13.4>problem persists> annoyed


I had that problem when I made a mistake of auto running on windows startup 2 instances of GPU-Z (startup folder i think and the default auto-startup of GPU-Z via the task scheduler)


----------



## DJ_OXyGeNe_8

Check this:

after playing CrYsis 3 for 35 min. with highest settings - I did run Furmark for 12 min.

1200Mhz - 7000Mhz - 1.3V - 1.625V



http://r1305.hizliresim.com/19/b/mxu1b.jpg

74C, isn't that good...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Check this:
> 
> after playing CrYsis 3 for 35 min. with highest settings - I did run Furmark for 12 min.
> 
> 1200Mhz - 7000Mhz - 1.3V - 1.625V
> 
> 
> 
> http://r1305.hizliresim.com/19/b/mxu1b.jpg
> 
> 74C, isn't that good...


Oh really? Well who told you the DC2 cooler was any good?


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Ah thought Vrm --> thermal Pad --> that metal plate --> fans would be enough to keep them under 100c


I have a thread on it - Thermal pads and added heatsinks help very much.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1372912/the-msi-tf3-vrm-project-with-accelero-xtreme-7970/0_20#post_19983777


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *newmindsets*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're drivers are fubar'd.
> 
> Doh, you should go ask for help in that thread.
> 
> But if you did a fresh install why'd you need to follow that guide?
> 
> 
> 
> Fresh install>install 13.5 b2>problem persists>uninstall drivers> install 13.4>problem persists> annoyed
Click to expand...

I forget why you think it's a driver issue? Maybe there's an issue with the GPUz?

Do your other programs work? Like AB or Tweak or Trixx, ect?


----------



## khaosstrife

OK guys I have to ask the question:

I have a XFX 7970 right now but I am really eye-balling the 7990 XFX came out with recently and I want to know are the 7990s worth a crap and if so who should I go with for my 7990s if they are worth it? I need 3 of them so I want to make sure if I am dropping 3k on cards that I am NOT going to have issues with them. Or should I just stick with my 7970 and look at getting two more of them?

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> OK guys I have to ask the question:
> 
> I have a XFX 7970 right now but I am really eye-balling the 7990 XFX came out with recently and I want to know are the 7990s worth a crap and if so who should I go with for my 7990s if they are worth it? I need 3 of them so I want to make sure if I am dropping 3k on cards that I am NOT going to have issues with them. Or should I just stick with my 7970 and look at getting two more of them?
> 
> Thanks in advance!


You should look into getting off bulldozer.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> OK guys I have to ask the question:
> 
> I have a XFX 7970 right now but I am really eye-balling the 7990 XFX came out with recently and I want to know are the 7990s worth a crap and if so who should I go with for my 7990s if they are worth it? I need 3 of them so I want to make sure if I am dropping 3k on cards that I am NOT going to have issues with them. Or should I just stick with my 7970 and look at getting two more of them?
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You should look into *going intel if you go with three or more cards*.
Click to expand...











Why do you need three btw? You can only use two 7990s together for gaming. Are you folding/mining?


----------



## khaosstrife

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You should look into getting off bulldozer.


Sound like a bias remark. Care to share why you think I should get off of bulldozer?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> Sound like a bias remark. Care to share why you think I should get off of bulldozer?


Piledriver is better. Even a 6300 is better than bulldozer for gaming.


----------



## khaosstrife

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why do you need three btw? You can only use two 7990s together for gaming. Are you folding/mining?


I do some folding but no, this was to be for gaming. Why not 3, is there not alot of support? And if I wanted to go with 3 cards for gaming what should I go with in your opinon?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> Sound like a bias remark. Care to share why you think I should get off of bulldozer?


The bulldozer cpus dont handle multi gpu setups that well. And you want a quad gpu setup. The cpu will bottleneck your setup. You can try getting a pile driver cpu that will help you. The maximum you can have in crossfire is 4 gpus. 3 7990 will be 6 gpus. Look up scaling as well after the 2nd gpu the third will add performance but it will be significantly less and the more you add the performance diminishes per card that is added.


----------



## khaosstrife

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> The bulldozer cpus dont handle multi gpu setups that well. And you want a quad gpu setup. The cpu will bottleneck your setup. You can try getting a pile driver cpu that will help you.


Very good info buddy. I had planned on going with the FX-8350 when I did this anyways but that would explane some of the odd issues with my dual 6870s when I had them.


----------



## khaosstrife

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Piledriver is better. Even a 6300 is better than bulldozer for gaming.


Yeah based on what switchblade said and what you are saying I might be upgrading my CPU a lot sooner than I had planned. Hey, anyone need a FX-8150 Black Edition?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> Sound like a bias remark. Care to share why you think I should get off of bulldozer?


Ofcourse im biased. The 8350 smokes an 8150 (ive had both). The 8350 is about 10-20% faster per HZ.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> The bulldozer cpus dont handle multi gpu setups that well. And you want a quad gpu setup. The cpu will bottleneck your setup. You can try getting a pile driver cpu that will help you.
> 
> 
> 
> Very good info buddy. I had planned on going with the FX-8350 when I did this anyways but that would explane some of the odd issues with my dual 6870s when I had them.
Click to expand...

I would not use any amd cpu in a setup with three or more gpus.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I would not use any amd cpu in a setup with three or more gpus.


PCIe Bandwidth bottleneck


----------



## Krusher33

Did anyone test the new Sabertooth Gen3 mobo yet? I'm doubtful that it's any better because of how they're still using the same chipset but I am curious of any ACTUAL testing of it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Did anyone test the new Sabertooth Gen3 mobo yet? I'm doubtful that it's any better because of how they're still using the same chipset but I am curious of any ACTUAL testing of it.


It will still be slower because it's using PLX chip which then has to go thru... guess what?

Gen2 switches.


----------



## Krusher33

Right. But I want to see comparison tests just for the lolz.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Right. But I want to see comparison tests just for the lolz.


Sure but you realize that on that board pcie3 will only be after the PLX chip, but everything before that will be pcie2. This points to it all being a gimmick, but one that actually adds a degree of latency to an already burdened pcie system. Ideally you want native pcie3 all the way to the cpu, which isn't possible on AMD.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sure but you realize that on that board pcie3 will only be after the PLX chip, but everything before that will be pcie2. This points to it all being a gimmick, but one that actually adds a degree of latency to an already burdened pcie system. Ideally you want native pcie3 all the way to the cpu, which isn't possible on AMD.


We'll see when/if AM4 becomes a reality!


----------



## Hokies83

Please no Amd cpu talk in here ...

This is the only place ive been able to get along with FX owners...because cpu's are left out in this thread.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sure but you realize that on that board pcie3 will only be after the PLX chip, but everything before that will be pcie2. This points to it all being a gimmick, but one that actually adds a degree of latency to an already burdened pcie system. Ideally you want native pcie3 all the way to the cpu, which isn't possible on AMD.
> 
> 
> 
> We'll see when/if AM4 becomes a reality!
Click to expand...

They really need to follow the path Intel took with putting the pcie bus on die. I would bet that when that happens this gap in gpu usage between intel and amd would evaporate. And then it would just come down to ipc discussions.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Please no Amd cpu talk in here ...
> 
> This is the only place ive been able to get along with FX owners...because cpu's are left out in this thread.


You know. If you can control yourself from bashing on AMD (if thats what you do) then there will be no problems.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You know. If you can control yourself from bashing on AMD (if thats what you do) then there will be no problems.


I do not think of it as bashing..i see it as truthful.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I do not think of it as bashing..i see it as truthful.


Well im not sure what you are refering to because you havent said anything yet about AMD cpus. So far its only tsm106, me and the other guy.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You know. If you can control yourself from bashing on AMD (if thats what you do) then there will be no problems.
> 
> 
> 
> I do not think of it as bashing..i see it as truthful.
Click to expand...

You don't have to exert your truth when no one is asking for it.


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> I do some folding but no, this was to be for gaming. Why not 3, is there not alot of support? And if I wanted to go with 3 cards for gaming what should I go with in your opinon?


CF only supports 4 GPU's max so its either 2 7990 Cards or 4 7970 cards , so you wouldn't be able to use 3 7990 for gaming as CF will only run on 2 of them . Im not expert on graphics but id say if its for gaming , then go with single 7970 cards ,

2 XFX 7990 in uk from scan are 899.75 GBP each , so 2 = 1799 GBP
4 MSI HD 7970 from scan are 322.55 GBP each , so 4 = 1290.20 GBP

So same number of GPU's , but saving around 500 GBP But for gaming 4 7970 will be the max for CF , as 3 7990 would be 6 GPU's

For folding then 3 7990 would be better









That's how i see it







( I could be wrong ) ,


----------



## Krusher33

Y'all hush up about CPU's. I was talking about Sabertooth's gimicky PCIe 3 bus and multiple 7970's or 7990's. There was no mention about CPU's till you guys brought it up.

I just wanna see a comparison test so that we can have a "see I told you so" moment or a "huh... who woulda thunk it?" moment.


----------



## khaosstrife

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> CF only supports 4 GPU's max so its either 2 7990 Cards or 4 7970 cards , so you wouldn't be able to use 3 7990 for gaming as CF will only run on 2 of them . Im not expert on graphics but id say if its for gaming , then go with single 7970 cards ,
> 
> 2 XFX 7990 in uk from scan are 899.75 GBP each , so 2 = 1799 GBP
> 4 MSI HD 7970 from scan are 322.55 GBP each , so 4 = 1290.20 GBP
> 
> So same number of GPU's , but saving around 500 GBP But for gaming 4 7970 will be the max for CF , as 3 7990 would be 6 GPU's
> 
> For folding then 3 7990 would be better
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's how i see it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ( I could be wrong ) ,


Good to know. Push comes to shove then I would go with dual 7990s for two reasons.

The quad-fire limitation you mention and that my board once I team up more than 2 16x cards the other two or three get bumped to 8x. (was re-reading my board limitations and I mis-read it as it NOT doing that but it does) so I will mostly likely go with the two 7990s then with a Piledriver CPU.

So now for the next question, who should I get them from? I will be wanting to use liquid cooling on these as for these are for a new setup using some of my current parts.


----------



## sugarhell

I dont have any problem with amd cpus(actually i like them more i work with them in work everyday under linux) but i think we ask too much from a 160 euro cpu to handle 3 high end gpus. Either way i miss the athlon era


----------



## Seid Dark

So it seems I cannot oc the memory in my 7950 at all







I though 1350MHz was stable but GTA IV quickly crashed the computer with gray stripes all over screen. I'm extremely disappointed in this card, I guess mine is one the worst 7950's. I know Elpida memory sucks but I had no idea how bad it could be. Definitely won't buy Sapphire again.

GTA IV performance is still horrible after all these years despite AMD rep saying that it's a driver problem that could've been fixed. I guess they "forgot". I'm starting to feel like getting a Nvidia card.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> So it seems I cannot oc the memory in my 7950 at all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I though 1350MHz was stable but GTA IV quickly crashed the computer with gray stripes all over screen. I'm extremely disappointed in this card, I guess mine is one the worst 7950's. I know Elpida memory sucks but I had no idea how bad it could be. Definitely won't buy Sapphire again.
> 
> GTA IV performance is still horrible after all these years despite AMD rep saying that it's a driver problem that could've been fixed. I guess they "forgot". I'm starting to feel like getting a Nvidia card.


Come on man dont be one of those guys... Most manufacturers use Elpida memory now. Mine wont go over 1500 no matter what and i can only run that in 720p benching. max 1450 in 1080p games. You got what you paid for. How good is your core?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> So it seems I cannot oc the memory in my 7950 at all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I though 1350MHz was stable but GTA IV quickly crashed the computer with gray stripes all over screen. I'm extremely disappointed in this card, I guess mine is one the worst 7950's. I know Elpida memory sucks but I had no idea how bad it could be. Definitely won't buy Sapphire again.
> 
> GTA IV performance is still horrible after all these years despite AMD rep saying that it's a driver problem that could've been fixed. I guess they "forgot". I'm starting to feel like getting a Nvidia card.
> 
> 
> 
> Come on man dont be one of those guys... Most manufacturers use Elpida memory now. Mine wont go over 1500 no matter what and i can only run that in 720p benching. max 1450 in 1080p games. You got what you paid for. How good is your core?
Click to expand...

I agree. You could've gotten just as bad of an overclocker from any other company too. If it runs at stock you got what you paid for.

Based on my 4 day turn around including shipping time on my rma with sapphire, I'd recommend them again in a heartbeat.


----------



## Hokies83

I have 4 7950s with Elpida Vram best of all of them only does 1525mhz.

The rest have hynix and the avg on them is 1700mhz on vram.

" not that i care about Vram " the core is more important in almost everything beside a token game here and there and benching.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I have 4 7950s with Elpida Vram best of all of them only does 1525mhz.
> 
> The rest have hynix and the avg on them is 1700mhz on vram.
> 
> " not that i care about Vram " the core is more important in almost everything beside a token game here and there and benching.


Not entirely true. It depends on your resolution. At 1080p yes you're right. At 2560x1600 or eyefinity, vram speed does make a difference. Stock vram speeds should suffice though.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Not entirely true. It depends on your resolution. At 1080p yes you're right. At 2560x1600 or eyefinity, vram speed does make a difference. Stock vram speeds should suffice though.


So basically. on 1080p screens i should get as far as i can on core and then try some on memory?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Not entirely true. It depends on your resolution. At 1080p yes you're right. At 2560x1600 or eyefinity, vram speed does make a difference. Stock vram speeds should suffice though.
> 
> 
> 
> So basically. on 1080p screens i should get as far as i can on core and then try some on memory?
Click to expand...

Yes. Even at higher resolution i only gained a little going from 1375 to 1850 on my memory.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Yes. Even at higher resolution i only gained a little going from 1375 to 1850 on my memory.


Hmmm


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *khaosstrife*
> 
> Yeah based on what switchblade said and what you are saying I might be upgrading my CPU a lot sooner than I had planned. Hey, anyone need a FX-8150 Black Edition?


how much?


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I agree. You could've gotten just as bad of an overclocker from any other company too. If it runs at stock you got what you paid for.
> 
> Based on my 4 day turn around including shipping time on my rma with sapphire, I'd recommend them again in a heartbeat.


My card doesn't have VRM temp sensors and no memory overvoltage. Only way to overvolt the core is using buggy Trixx which forces 3D voltage even when PC is idle. I'm not the only one with this problem. I hate companies that use sub-par PCB's that are worse than reference. Former Sapphire 7950 cards that had 7970 PCB may have been good but this card is disappointment, plain and simple.

My core overclocks to 1175MHz, that's pretty good I guess.


----------



## tsm106

^^Don't take this the wrong way but that's a user choice error, as in you chose to buy that.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> My card doesn't have VRM temp sensors and no memory overvoltage. Only way to overvolt the core is using buggy Trixx which forces 3D voltage even when PC is idle. I'm not the only one with this problem. I hate companies that use sub-par PCB's that are worse than reference. Former Sapphire 7950 cards that had 7970 PCB may have been good but this card is disappointment, plain and simple.
> 
> My core overclocks to 1175MHz, that's pretty good I guess.


I did the same mistake. but its kind of our fault for not looking it up. Trust me its pissing me off. First i had a 7970 matrix with problems i dont want to talk about. Then i got this 7950 vapor x with same issues as you. Now i ordered a completely reference 7970 in hopes of some happiness.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Guys this isn't the market place. Keep that in mind.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Don't take this the wrong way but that's a user choice error, as in you chose to buy that.


For my uses the cheaper the better lol.

Least ive paid for 7950 IS 175$ most is 250$ Which is the one im getting now.... which is a semi golden clocker i guess.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Guys this isn't the market place. Keep that in mind.


I guess that means your card isn't fs? I kid lol.


----------



## khaosstrife

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> how much?


Send me a pm buddy


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Guys this isn't the market place. Keep that in mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess that means your card isn't fs? I kid lol.
Click to expand...

Not yet lol. I'll pm you if I do.


----------



## th3illusiveman

I should have just invested in water cooling lol. How much does it cost to build an average water cooling system? Because so far i've spent $200 trying to cool my 7970. Could have just spent $150 more for Sli 670 lol.. stupid impulses. How much maintenance does it take to keep the system running well? I hate opening up my PC and want something i can stuff in and forget about.


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I did the same mistake. but its kind of our fault for not looking it up. Trust me its pissing me off. First i had a 7970 matrix with problems i dont want to talk about. Then i got this 7950 vapor x with same issues as you. Now i ordered a completely reference 7970 in hopes of some happiness.


Dont like your Vapor x?


----------



## ebduncan

Ordered a new 7950 today.

went with the Sapphire reference model. To replace my XFX DD 7950. ( XFX sent me new revision which is not compatible with my water block when i RMA)

So sold the XFX card, for 270$ on ebay, grabbed the new card for 309.99$. So for 39.99 I get 4 games, and a new video card which is reference so is voltage unlocked and will support my waterblock. Wasn't expecting the ebay bidding war to go on, but glad it did :-D


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Don't take this the wrong way but that's a user choice error, as in you chose to buy that.


There wasn't much info about this card unfortunately. All the 7950 Dual-X reviews I did read had been made using superior reference PCB cards and my card looks the same on the outside. Naturally I thought that this card also would be a good buy. The fact that it's is inferior and cheaply made isn't ever mentioned on the store page ;D


----------



## Hokies83

LoL i donno out of all my 7950s the Power color boost states feel and look the most cheaply made... Even the gigabyte WF3 make them look sad lol.

At the end of the day all that matters is how it performs tho.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Dont like your Vapor x?


Well its decent. Its way better than my 7970 Matrix in terms of being GOOD....


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> There wasn't much info about this card unfortunately. All the 7950 Dual-X reviews I did read had been made using superior reference PCB cards and my card looks the same on the outside. Naturally I thought that this card also would be a good buy. The fact that it's is inferior and cheaply made isn't ever mentioned on the store page ;D


I think the His icex2 is the last card with hynix. I havent seen them in stock for a lil it though. to get a good memory overclock you are gonna have to look for an older 7950. I know some older vapor x where beasts and the icex2 as well.


----------



## meloj17

I've got the Asus 7950 DC2. Getting 40-41 for idle temps. Is that normal? I could have sworn I was getting like low 30's before. Playing BF3, I get huge frame drops from 170-90 almost instantly? Any suggestions? I've reformatted twice and have used 13.1,13.2,13.3,13.4 and same outcome really.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> I've got the Asus 7950 DC2. Getting 40-41 for idle temps. Is that normal? I could have sworn I was getting like low 30's before. Playing BF3, I get huge frame drops from 170-90 almost instantly? Any suggestions? I've reformatted twice and have used 13.1,13.2,13.3,13.4 and same outcome really.


Its normal for DC2 coolers. Dont buy 7000 cards from ASUS.


----------



## meloj17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Its normal for DC2 coolers. Dont buy 7000 cards from ASUS.


Yeah. Too late now. lol


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> I've got the Asus 7950 DC2. Getting 40-41 for idle temps. Is that normal? I could have sworn I was getting like low 30's before. Playing BF3, I get huge frame drops from 170-90 almost instantly? Any suggestions? I've reformatted twice and have used 13.1,13.2,13.3,13.4 and same outcome really.


Well it seems like you're cooler has a bad contact with a GPU.

It's a common issue with Asus HD7950 DC2 V1 cards, later V2 version has fixed that issue.

There's a design flaw with a mounting screws of the cooler as theu are too long and cannot be tightened enough, and springs on the screws are too weak to create sufficient pressure of the cooler on GPU (*cooler is to heavy and can easily lose contact with GPU*).

I have V1 card like you, and I have fixed that with installing X shape backplate that usually comes on reference AMD cards (also you need screws that come with X plate as original screws won't work with X plate).

Also you can fix it by changing TIM (thermal paste) and by inserting 2mm thick plastic washers under the screws to increase pressure of cooler on GPU.

Here's my fix:










Now my card idles @ 30C and max load temp @ 1050/1750MHz is 56C with my fan profile (fan hits 36% max).

At stock 900/1250MHz and stock fan max GPU temp is 55C in games/benches (fan hits 17%).

CHEERS..


----------



## meloj17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Well it seems like you're cooler has a bad contact with a GPU.
> 
> It's a common issue with Asus HD7950 DC2 V1 cards, later V2 version has fixed that issue.
> 
> There's a design flaw with a mounting screws of the cooler as theu are too long and cannot be tightened enough, and springs on the screws are too weak to create sufficient pressure of the cooler on GPU (*cooler is to heavy and can easily lose contact with GPU*).
> 
> I have V1 card like you, and I have fixed that with installing X shape backplate that usually comes on reference AMD cards (also you need screws that come with X plate as original screws won't work with X plate).
> 
> Also you can fix it by changing TIM (thermal paste) and by inserting 2mm thick plastic washers under the screws to increase pressure of cooler on GPU.
> 
> Here's my fix:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now my card idles @ 30C and max load temp @ 1050/1750MHz is 56C with my fan profile (fan hits 36% max).
> 
> At stock 900/1250MHz and stock fan max GPU temp is 55C in games/benches (fan hits 17%).
> 
> CHEERS..


I believe my 7950 isn't the TOP version. Stock is 800*1250.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> I believe my 7950 isn't the TOP version. Stock is 800*1250.


that dont matter the fix can be applied on non-TOP cards. i am also planning to try this once i can find a bracket.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> I believe my 7950 isn't the TOP version. Stock is 800*1250.


It doesn't matter if it's not TOP, it's still identical card phisically, the difference is just clocks written in BIOS.

You can flash TOP bios and have same clocks, but still that card suffers from same issue with design flaw in mounting screws.

CHEERS..


----------



## meloj17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> It doesn't matter if it's not TOP, it's still identical card phisically, the difference is just clocks written in BIOS.
> 
> You can flash TOP bios and have same clocks, but still that card suffers from same issue with design flaw in mounting screws.
> 
> CHEERS..


Also, I notice that this massive GPU leans downward a bit. Is that something to pay attention to? Does it affect performance?


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> Also, I notice that this massive GPU leans downward a bit. Is that something to pay attention to? Does it affect performance?


No, that doesn't affect card's performance or temperature, it's just that card is very heavy (due massive cooler) so it leans/ bends when installed in case.

It's same as mine card.

CHEERS..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> No, that doesn't affect card's performance or temperature, it's just that card is very heavy (due massive cooler) so it leans/ bends when installed in case.
> 
> It's same as mine card.
> 
> CHEERS..


This might be true. If it leans on an axis that rotates the socket so it opens it on one side it could cause temp issues.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> This might be true. If it leans on an axis that rotates the socket so it opens it on one side it could cause temp issues.


agreed....if the sag is too bad then it will cause issues....i have had this problem before


----------



## Hokies83

ah Sag.. to fix get one or 2 black 6 inch zip tires.

Run there one of the holes in the pcb " you can use a thermal pad between tip tie and pcb if ur scared pcb will melt zip tie..

now find any ol place to run zip tie to tighten to where pcb is level across then enjoy.

If ur a real pimp u can use lego's but my pimpen is just not that hard core.


----------



## tsm106

Saggy gpu and saggy butts are no bueno!


----------



## kj1060

So today I got the 2 MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5's that I ordered from Newegg. MSI has definitely changed it up since I purchased my first one. This one has the cooler like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC and there is a sticker on one of the screws for the X bracket that says "Warranty void if removed" (anyone know if they have changed their warrenty, I thought they didn't have problems with people putting water blocks on their cards). Also the PCB seems more brownish than I recall, but there is the AMD logo by the PCI-E fingers.

Here are some pictures of one of them:


----------



## newmindsets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> I forget why you think it's a driver issue? Maybe there's an issue with the GPUz?
> 
> Do your other programs work? Like AB or Tweak or Trixx, ect?


I use AB and it works fine.


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> So today I got the 2 MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5's that I ordered from Newegg. MSI has definitely changed it up since I purchased my first one. This one has the cooler like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC and there is a sticker on one of the screws for the X bracket that says "Warranty void if removed" (anyone know if they have changed their warrenty, I thought they didn't have problems with people putting water blocks on their cards). Also the PCB seems more brownish than I recall, but there is the AMD logo by the PCI-E fingers.
> 
> Here are some pictures of one of them:


If I remember right, they just expect you to call them so they can make a note of it or something.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I have 4 7950s with Elpida Vram best of all of them only does 1525mhz.
> 
> The rest have hynix and the avg on them is 1700mhz on vram.
> 
> " not that i care about Vram " the core is more important in almost everything beside a token game here and there and benching.


Thats what i got from my 7950, 1700 on memory.. Have benched that bastard @ 1400 on the core on the right conditions..
Have it in a corner taking dust as i add a 2nd 7970..
That 7950 is the best clocker i have the honor of working with specially with the low voltages required to do such clocks...

Think about this, 1250/1700 1.15v... for a example on how she clocks XD


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishhawk*
> 
> Belial-if you want a Asus 7950, amazon and NCIX have them


yea but for super expensive. Ugh, i'll just stick with my crap 7950 dual-x and be happy i paid $279AR for it. It looks like the days of good 7950 models are long over. I should have bought it used instead, only companies who need an original receipt for warranty are xfx and evga anyways. just wish i knew what i was buying before, i would've bought the dc2 before it went out of stock instead.


----------



## blade4246

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> So today I got the 2 MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5's that I ordered from Newegg. MSI has definitely changed it up since I purchased my first one. This one has the cooler like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC and there is a sticker on one of the screws for the X bracket that says "Warranty void if removed" (anyone know if they have changed their warrenty, I thought they didn't have problems with people putting water blocks on their cards). Also the PCB seems more brownish than I recall, but there is the AMD logo by the PCI-E fingers.
> 
> Here are some pictures of one of them:


From the pictures, it just like MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC. You sure newegg sent you the correct card?








R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC has very brownish PCB, I returned mine to MC because TSM said they are not true 7970 PCB.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> I should have just invested in water cooling lol. How much does it cost to build an average water cooling system? Because so far i've spent $200 trying to cool my 7970. Could have just spent $150 more for Sli 670 lol.. stupid impulses. How much maintenance does it take to keep the system running well? I hate opening up my PC and want something i can stuff in and forget about.


really depends on a lot.

it is pretty expensive to start pump(s) brands ect. ( i LOVE THIS KIT

upkeep depends on the metals you used and the coolant.

with distilled water ( store brand ) and biocide ( pt nuke OR d&h dead water ) drain loop every 6months to 1 yea depending on mood. but to be honest i could go longer i just like having fun with my kit.
swiftech h220 you can go 3+ years before needing ot open it ! ( so says swiftech... )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> that dont matter the fix can be applied on non-TOP cards. i am also planning to try this once i can find a bracket.


may try contacting swiftech.. they use them in their komodos...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> ah Sag.. to fix get one or 2 black 6 inch zip tires.
> 
> Run there one of the holes in the pcb " you can use a thermal pad between tip tie and pcb if ur scared pcb will melt zip tie..
> 
> now find any ol place to run zip tie to tighten to where pcb is level across then enjoy.
> 
> If ur a real pimp u can use lego's but my pimpen is just not that hard core.


if your pcb gets hot enough to melt zip ties it hink you would have a dead card to be honest....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> So today I got the 2 MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5's that I ordered from Newegg. MSI has definitely changed it up since I purchased my first one. This one has the cooler like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC and there is a sticker on one of the screws for the X bracket that says "Warranty void if removed" (anyone know if they have changed their warrenty, I thought they didn't have problems with people putting water blocks on their cards). Also the PCB seems more brownish than I recall, but there is the AMD logo by the PCI-E fingers.
> 
> Here are some pictures of one of them:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


probably the modified reference design ( one cap slightly higher then rest )

looks great wish you the best with the ocing !~ i love my ocs ( ones you mentioned )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> If I remember right, they just expect you to call them so they can make a note of it or something.


nah that is xfx but i would never do that... just gives them a reason to look to fail you on warranty.

msi is just fine with adding a waterblock. i asked them 2 times via email and 2 times on phone to be sure. JUST MAKE SURE to KEEP all OEM parts ( heatsink screws ect.... and DONT STRIP THE SCREWS i have not heard of this as an issue but someone in this thread brought it up and it really makes sense to me
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blade4246*
> 
> From the pictures, it just like MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC. You sure newegg sent you the correct card?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC has very brownish PCB, I returned mine to MC because TSM said they are not true 7970 PCB.


they are reference design but they are the modified ones with the added cap height....


----------



## th3illusiveman

That tiny thing is the water cooler? You mean people cool their CPUs and GPUs with that and get those amazing temps? On a scale of 1-10 how good is that thing?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> That tiny thing is the water cooler? You mean people cool their CPUs and GPUs with that and get those amazing temps? On a scale of 1-10 how good is that thing?


Thats a kit. You can just buy used parts here from ocn marketplace and you will have a good loop with low budget.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Thats a kit. You can just buy used parts here from ocn marketplace and you will have a good loop with low budget.


but it looks like an H100. I thought water cooling had those long cylinders that showed what color liquid you have in your loop.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> but it looks like an H100. I thought water cooling had those long cylinders that showed what color liquid you have in your loop.


Thats a kit. You talk about a custom loop.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Thats a kit. You talk about a custom loop.


how bad is a kit in comparison?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> how bad is a kit in comparison?


h-100 Vs ...






H100 Lose so bad..


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> If I remember right, they just expect you to call them so they can make a note of it or something.


I guess I will try that on Monday when they are open. I have sent them an email, but I do not expect to get anything back until Monday.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blade4246*
> 
> From the pictures, it just like MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC. You sure newegg sent you the correct card?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC has very brownish PCB, I returned mine to MC because TSM said they are not true 7970 PCB.


That is a bit of my fear about this, but the stickers on the box and graphics cards clearly say "R7970-2PMD3GD5". So I am guessing that they no longer manufacture an AMD reference graphics card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> probably the modified reference design ( one cap slightly higher then rest )
> 
> looks great wish you the best with the ocing !~ i love my ocs ( ones you mentioned )
> 
> nah that is xfx but i would never do that... just gives them a reason to look to fail you on warranty.
> 
> msi is just fine with adding a waterblock. i asked them 2 times via email and 2 times on phone to be sure. JUST MAKE SURE to KEEP all OEM parts ( heatsink screws ect.... and DONT STRIP THE SCREWS i have not heard of this as an issue but someone in this thread brought it up and it really makes sense to me
> 
> they are reference design but they are the modified ones with the added cap height....


Normally I would have agreed with you about the water blocks, but the fact that they now added the "Void if removed" sticker has me thinking otherwise. Also I emailed their pre-sales department back when the TF3 BE came out and in addition to a few other questions just wanted to confirm about their warranty policy and this is what they said:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



MSI Tech. 04/22/2013 Basically if they can tell you modified it when it comes in then your warranty may become voided. not sure what you mean by the R7970TF3GD5/OC BE working with a reference card? As for voltages you should be able to adjust them with the afterburner utility.

End User 04/18/2013 Just so that I am clear, as long as there is no physical damage to the card then my warranty is fine if I install a water block? Also I was wondering how the R7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE would work with a Reference 7970 (R7970-2PMD3GD5)? And finally is the R7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE voltage locked?

MSI Tech. 04/18/2013 These so far as I can tell should be reference design from AMD. We have not tested any water blocks tho so I cannot tell you which will work, and please keep in mind that this would be a modification of the card and would affect your warranty.

End User 04/18/2013 Hello, I was wondering if the R7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE used a reference board design since I would like to put water blocks on them. Thank you for your help.


----------



## Spin Cykle

Morning to all... Thought I'd share my excitment today. I ordered EK blocks for my Diamond 7970's. Can't wait to get them under water and see what potential they have. So far under air, 1.15v 1150/1600... fan at 60%, keeping the temps about 70C. 1.18v gets me to 1200/1600 with fan at 70% ,which is hideous. Fingers crossed I can get farther under water with regulating the temps!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> Morning to all... Thought I'd share my excitment today. I ordered EK blocks for my Diamond 7970's. Can't wait to get them under water and see what potential they have. So far under air, 1.15v 1150/1600... fan at 60%, keeping the temps about 70C. 1.18v gets me to 1200/1600 with fan at 70% ,which is hideous. Fingers crossed I can get farther under water with regulating the temps!


Grats fellow diamond owner.









Oh how many did you get? I would run them in serial for better temps if you have enough flow.

Checkout this guide, keep it for reference.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> but it looks like an H100. I thought water cooling had those long cylinders that showed what color liquid you have in your loop.


that is an old pic i have added 3 more rads. basic idea a 30mm thick 120mm rad is just above a high end air cooler ( not talking about 212, talking ~ noctura, phanttecs (spelling sorry just woke up after a 14hour shift ) ) so anything above that is great the rad is also a pump housing but it is still a lang pump ( of of the best in the business ) pumps can be attached to cpu blocks like the closed loops ( but are better the ones i am talking about are made by swiftech ) the closed loop systems like the h100 are much cheaper and much cheaper made. the rad that comes with the swiftech kit i told you about wored great on my 8350 can cool ~ 4.7~4.8ghz with my new set up ( rad/ pump that comes with that kit 1x alphacool xt45 280mm , 1x ut60 120mm alphacool, and 1x xt45 120mm alphacool i can cool that cpu +2 gpus NP ( using komodo 7970s ) highest temp i have yet to see is ~ 36~38deg. across the card ( vrms, core ect. ) but i will admit i have not had time to do some serious gaming since i got water blocks for my gpus. ( work busy season )

( have other work to do my SLI fittings were the wrong size .... of course.....so have to redo my loop, just reused old tubing to this fact.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!









the long cylinders you speak of are reservoirs and you dont have to have them. ( up to you ) i have one but atm it is at frozen q getting some mods done to it 

you also dont have to use colored liquid but you can. it tends to cause gunking in your blocks and discoloration of anythign you can see through,

if you are interested in a good place to learn about water cooling then check out this site.
http://martinsliquidlab.org/
i recommend you read pretty much everything under the misc drop tab and a few under the fans.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Thats a kit. You talk about a custom loop.


more well knows as a Closed loop system ( h60, h100, h100i any loop that can not be taken apart with out mods)
custom loops are also known as open loops ( as you can add stuff to them )
the only hybridish kit is the h220 which is one of the many reasons it is so sought after. it is a custom loop with a closed loop feel.

( just to be clear not correcting you , just clarifying for th3illusiveman)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> I guess I will try that on Monday when they are open. I have sent them an email, but I do not expect to get anything back until Monday.
> That is a bit of my fear about this, but the stickers on the box and graphics cards clearly say "R7970-2PMD3GD5". So I am guessing that they no longer manufacture an AMD reference graphics card.
> Normally I would have agreed with you about the water blocks, but the fact that they now added the "Void if removed" sticker has me thinking otherwise. Also I emailed their pre-sales department back when the TF3 BE came out and in addition to a few other questions just wanted to confirm about their warranty policy and this is what they said:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> MSI Tech. 04/22/2013 Basically if they can tell you modified it when it comes in then your warranty may become voided. not sure what you mean by the R7970TF3GD5/OC BE working with a reference card? As for voltages you should be able to adjust them with the afterburner utility.
> 
> End User 04/18/2013 Just so that I am clear, as long as there is no physical damage to the card then my warranty is fine if I install a water block? Also I was wondering how the R7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE would work with a Reference 7970 (R7970-2PMD3GD5)? And finally is the R7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE voltage locked?
> 
> MSI Tech. 04/18/2013 These so far as I can tell should be reference design from AMD. We have not tested any water blocks tho so I cannot tell you which will work, and please keep in mind that this would be a modification of the card and would affect your warranty.
> 
> End User 04/18/2013 Hello, I was wondering if the R7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE used a reference board design since I would like to put water blocks on them. Thank you for your help.


yea i totally understand hard to void the warranty on a $400 card fyi if you get one @ microcenter next time their add on warranty covers ocing!~ and water cooling.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blade4246*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> So today I got the 2 MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5's that I ordered from Newegg. MSI has definitely changed it up since I purchased my first one. This one has the cooler like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC and there is a sticker on one of the screws for the X bracket that says "Warranty void if removed" (anyone know if they have changed their warrenty, I thought they didn't have problems with people putting water blocks on their cards). Also the PCB seems more brownish than I recall, but there is the AMD logo by the PCI-E fingers.
> 
> Here are some pictures of one of them:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From the pictures, it just like MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC. You sure newegg sent you the correct card?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC has very brownish PCB, I returned mine to MC because TSM said they are not true 7970 PCB.
Click to expand...

I remember that now. There was some uncertainty over whether msi was actually still selling the original reference card. Considering now that they have moved all the rest of their cards to their alternate pcb, it wouldn't surprise me that they've done so with their original reference card sku as well.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *blade4246*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> So today I got the 2 MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5's that I ordered from Newegg. MSI has definitely changed it up since I purchased my first one. This one has the cooler like the MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC and there is a sticker on one of the screws for the X bracket that says "Warranty void if removed" (anyone know if they have changed their warrenty, I thought they didn't have problems with people putting water blocks on their cards). Also the PCB seems more brownish than I recall, but there is the AMD logo by the PCI-E fingers.
> 
> Here are some pictures of one of them:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From the pictures, it just like MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC. You sure newegg sent you the correct card?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC has very brownish PCB, I returned mine to MC because TSM said they are not true 7970 PCB.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I remember that now. There was some uncertainty over whether msi was actually still selling the original reference card. Considering now that they have moved all the rest of their cards to their alternate pcb, it wouldn't surprise me that they've done so with their original reference card sku as well.
Click to expand...

I have two of those with blocks on them and they are reference design. not actual green sticker reference, but physically reference matching. So if you are looking to block them, they will fit.


(the boxed one is a MSI MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5)


----------



## tsm106

The shade of brown reminds me of an old mb brown hehe. Couldn't they have added some dye, make it less retro looking? Sheesh.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The shade of brown reminds me of an old mb brown hehe. Couldn't they have added some dye, make it less retro looking? Sheesh.


Yeah, they are not pretty. I ordered some backplates now that they are back in stock to cover up the 1999 Abit motherboard look


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Yeah, they are not pretty. I ordered some backplates now that they are back in stock to cover up the 1999 Abit motherboard look


now if you would of got a komodo it would of come with a backplate !~


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Yeah, they are not pretty. I ordered some backplates now that they are back in stock to cover up the 1999 Abit motherboard look
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> now if oyu would of got a komodo it would of come with a backplate !~
Click to expand...

tru dat, tru dat


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Yeah, they are not pretty. I ordered some backplates now that they are back in stock to cover up the 1999 Abit motherboard look
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> now if oyu would of got a komodo it would of come with a backplate !~
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> tru dat, tru dat
Click to expand...

Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running.


very true... but i sir am a swiftech fanboi!~ ( just go ape over the level of customer service... they bend backwards for you ... )


----------



## Spin Cykle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Grats fellow diamond owner.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh how many did you get? I would run them in serial for better temps if you have enough flow.
> 
> Checkout this guide, keep it for reference.


Thanks TSM!







I ended up getting two cards. Debated the third for tri-fire but decided against it even though I game at 1440p. I did do some research on parallel vrs. serial and everything I read stated the temp. difference was so negligible that it really didn't matter. In any event, I ended up ordering a parallel EK bridge. For now both cards and 3770k will be under a 480 rad until I case upgrade. Sad thing is, I have 2 360 rads just sitting around but I refuse mount a rad externally, looks terrible IMO. A caseblabs SM8-X or 900d will be my next purchase.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running.
> 
> 
> 
> very true... but i sir am a swiftech fanboi!~ ( just go ape over the level of customer service... they bend backwards for you ... )
Click to expand...

No argument there. Swiftech is actually 20 minutes from me. When I use ek stuff it leaves a bad taste on my conscious. lol


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running.
> 
> 
> 
> very true... but i sir am a swiftech fanboi!~ ( just go ape over the level of customer service... they bend backwards for you ... )
Click to expand...

I have been extraordinarily pleased with these.
parallel cooled they Idle @ 28c and max at 37c Heaven 4.0 looped @ 23 ambient.


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I remember that now. There was some uncertainty over whether msi was actually still selling the original reference card. Considering now that they have moved all the rest of their cards to their alternate pcb, it wouldn't surprise me that they've done so with their original reference card sku as well.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I have two of those with blocks on them and they are reference design. not actual green sticker reference, but physically reference matching. So if you are looking to block them, they will fit.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (the boxed one is a MSI MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5)


Out of curiosity how much do the alternate and AMD reference differ? I get they are physically the same, but does one use cheaper components than they other?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> very true... but i sir am a swiftech fanboi!~ ( just go ape over the level of customer service... they bend backwards for you ... )


Everytime i called i got some guy who could barely speak english.

There gpu blocks are quite a bit over priced for there performance numbers there rads are just ok.

But there cpu blocks / pumps are some of the very best. Im using an Apongee drive II pump / block and another 35X pump they work well but the 35X pump does get hot.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I remember that now. There was some uncertainty over whether msi was actually still selling the original reference card. Considering now that they have moved all the rest of their cards to their alternate pcb, it wouldn't surprise me that they've done so with their original reference card sku as well.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I have two of those with blocks on them and they are reference design. not actual green sticker reference, but physically reference matching. So if you are looking to block them, they will fit.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (the boxed one is a MSI MSI R7970-2PMD3GD5)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Out of curiosity how much do the alternate and AMD reference differ? I get they are physically the same, but does one use cheaper components than they other?
Click to expand...

From what I can ferret out (and *TSM 106* may know the particulars) the only difference is the PCB itself and maybe the choice of outputs. The Caps,Voltage reg, inductors (at least on mine ) are all the same. This was the case for the XFX GHOST R7970 and the aforementioned MSI.


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guys,
I jus got my 7950 TFIII Boost Edition, and it won't boot PAST BIOS. It posts and I hear the beep but I can't get into windows.

I have a 7950 TFIII (V2) and that works fine, any suggestions?

Fx 8350
990fxa-ud5
16gb 1600mhz Corsair vengeance.
Xfx 850 pro


----------



## bigmac11

Did you try both bios? If your connected with HDMI try DVI.


----------



## [email protected]

Hi Guys,

Picked up a Gigabyte 7990 to validate our new Komodo HD 7990..



The temps are in the low 40's at full load.

Trying to MAX out the OC using MSI Afterburner. We unlocked the GPU & Memory fine, but we need more voltage, and it remains locked.

Anyone has any idea how to unlock the voltage ?

Thanks in advance 

Note:
Also I read this Post by tsm106, which made me cringe..
_Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running._

It's exactly the opposite. We do have higher pressure drop _by design_ in order to improve thermal efficiency (thin pin matrix over GPU). Now, if we eliminate the idea of a serial configuration which I demonstrated to be a less than ideal setup here it ensues that in a parallel configuration which reduce the overall PD in the loop and result in low flow rates in the VGA blocks, our blocks will yield better performance due to higher thermal efficiency..

Just wanted to shed some light on urban legends..


----------



## Spin Cykle

I dont think most people realize you receive a backplate and a single slot pci connector with the Komodo blocks. If you buy the EK equivalent block with backplate and single slot connector the price comparison is almost equal. That being said, what if Switfech only sold the nickle Komodo block? Pricing it inline with EK an others. Then it would be a performance based selection only. When you look at 100$ EK vrs 150$ Switftech block and a performance difference of <5c probably under load, why would you spend 50% more money for such little gain?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[email protected]*
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> Picked up a Gigabyte 7990 to validate our new Komodo HD 7990..
> 
> 
> 
> The temps are in the low 40's at full load.
> 
> Trying to MAX out the OC using MSI Afterburner. We unlocked the GPU & Memory fine, but we need more voltage, and it remains locked.
> 
> Anyone has any idea how to unlock the voltage ?
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Note:
> Also I read this Post by tsm106, which made me cringe..
> _Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running._
> 
> It's exactly the opposite. We do have higher pressure drop _by design_ in order to improve thermal efficiency (thin pin matrix over GPU). Now, if we eliminate the idea of a serial configuration which I demonstrated to be a less than ideal setup here it ensues that in a parallel configuration which reduce the overall PD in the loop and result in low flow rates in the VGA blocks, our blocks will yield better performance due to higher thermal efficiency..
> 
> Just wanted to shed some light on urban legends..


Parallel
Is where it is at my 3 gpus avg between 35 and 37c with big overclocks after running 24 hrs a day for 2 weeks.

Still you need to lower your prices and compete a little better with other brands if you want my Business.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Note:
> Also I read this Post by tsm106, which made me cringe..
> _Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running._
> 
> It's exactly the opposite. We do have higher pressure drop _by design_ in order to improve thermal efficiency (thin pin matrix over GPU). Now, if we eliminate the idea of a serial configuration which I demonstrated to be a less than ideal setup here it ensues that in a parallel configuration which reduce the overall PD in the loop and result in low flow rates in the VGA blocks, our blocks will yield better performance due to higher thermal efficiency..
> 
> Just wanted to shed some light on urban legends..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *[email protected]*
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> Picked up a Gigabyte 7990 to validate our new Komodo HD 7990..
> 
> 
> 
> The temps are in the low 40's at full load.
> 
> Trying to MAX out the OC using MSI Afterburner. We unlocked the GPU & Memory fine, but we need more voltage, and it remains locked.
> 
> Anyone has any idea how to unlock the voltage ?
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Note:
> Also I read this Post by tsm106, which made me cringe..
> _Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running._
> 
> It's exactly the opposite. We do have higher pressure drop _by design_ in order to improve thermal efficiency (thin pin matrix over GPU). Now, if we eliminate the idea of a serial configuration which I demonstrated to be a less than ideal setup here it ensues that in a parallel configuration which reduce the overall PD in the loop and result in low flow rates in the VGA blocks, our blocks will yield better performance due to higher thermal efficiency..
> 
> Just wanted to shed some light on urban legends..
> 
> 
> 
> Parallel
> Is where it is at my 3 gpus avg between 35 and 37c with big overclocks after running 24 hrs a day for 2 weeks.
> 
> Still you need to lower your prices and compete a little better with other brands if you want my Business.
Click to expand...

A lot of fluid dynamics and thermal dynamics involved to generalize but I have been digging deep into the Parrallel vs serial isue myself and for the pump(s)/blocks/rads/and number of cards I have put together, Parallel is superior to serial. I get 28c idle and 37c loaded @ 23 -+24c ambient on all four GPU's. It does take a tremendous amount of flow to do it without developing dead spots in the GPU blocks.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Did you try both bios? If your connected with HDMI try DVI.


.
Yeah I have still no luck


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Out of curiosity how much do the alternate and AMD reference differ? I get they are physically the same, but does one use cheaper components than they other?


1 cap is 1mm higher on the alternate mine even still has the amd logo on it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Everytime i called i got some guy who could barely speak english.
> 
> There gpu blocks are quite a bit over priced for there performance numbers there rads are just ok.
> 
> But there cpu blocks / pumps are some of the very best. Im using an Apongee drive II pump / block and another 35X pump they work well but the 35X pump does get hot.


every time i call i get michell ( spelling ) maybe your calling the wrong number? they are based in the u.s.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> From what I can ferret out (and *TSM 106* may know the particulars) the only difference is the PCB itself and maybe the choice of outputs. The Caps,Voltage reg, inductors (at least on mine ) are all the same. This was the case for the XFX GHOST R7970 and the aforementioned MSI.


xfx adds a dvi port to where the hdmi is supposed to go is the reason yours differs the stock is the same except that cap i assume it was to fix a problem amd was having with the original pcb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I jus got my 7950 TFIII Boost Edition, and it won't boot PAST BIOS. It posts and I hear the beep but I can't get into windows.
> 
> I have a 7950 TFIII (V2) and that works fine, any suggestions?
> 
> Fx 8350
> 990fxa-ud5
> 16gb 1600mhz Corsair vengeance.
> Xfx 850 pro


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Did you try both bios? If your connected with HDMI try DVI.


this +1 GL rec. keep up informed
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[email protected]*
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> Picked up a Gigabyte 7990 to validate our new Komodo HD 7990..
> 
> 
> 
> The temps are in the low 40's at full load.
> 
> Trying to MAX out the OC using MSI Afterburner. We unlocked the GPU & Memory fine, but we need more voltage, and it remains locked.
> 
> Anyone has any idea how to unlock the voltage ?
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Note:
> Also I read this Post by tsm106, which made me cringe..
> _Ek is better, much better for the amount of cards he's running._
> 
> It's exactly the opposite. We do have higher pressure drop _by design_ in order to improve thermal efficiency (thin pin matrix over GPU). Now, if we eliminate the idea of a serial configuration which I demonstrated to be a less than ideal setup here it ensues that in a parallel configuration which reduce the overall PD in the loop and result in low flow rates in the VGA blocks, our blocks will yield better performance due to higher thermal efficiency..
> 
> Just wanted to shed some light on urban legends..


OMG GABE IS ON OCN !~~~ should get you validated as a hardware rep!~ the voltage lock sucks i dont know man sorry !~
but that backplate is sexay. my only complaint is the open xbracket i am going to have frozenq tmake me a cover for it... now that i see that 7990 backplate may have to extend the cover to most of the backplate so i can have swiftech on my card !~

i do have a few questions for you if you dont mind. ( redoing my loop as your middle sized sli fittings were just too short and long size is too long . gonna pick up a 15mm ext. maybe today and .... never mind.. just know my loop will not be like this for long ) i did pick up a komodo used as i could not find any in stock that were not WAY over priced. and i found this
 both LEDS are on but the used one is really dim, did you change LEDs to a bighter led later in production or could it just be hidden? ( have not taken it off to see how the led is held in place.)
also when are we gonna be able to get those qdcs i see in your pic... eta was 4/20 and have heard nothing since !~~
lastly any idea when the new tubing will be available... waiting for that to make a big purchase from your store.

i like how the design is on the komodo and to be honest it really is not a bad design my mcp350x still has GREAT flow even in serial .... ( putting in parallel as soon as i can get the extenders. and new o ring as one was damaged. on that note i have not heard from michell in a week or so gonna call back on monday to get the size of the orings)

side note. originally i wanted to go with black fittings but they are hard to find in stock ( esp the 45 and 90s ) but after having to buy some chrome ones i think i am going to go all chrome i really have to admit the look grew on me and i really really like it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> I dont think most people realize you receive a backplate and a single slot pci connector with the Komodo blocks. If you buy the EK equivalent block with backplate and single slot connector the price comparison is almost equal. That being said, what if Switfech only sold the nickle Komodo block? Pricing it inline with EK an others. Then it would be a performance based selection only. When you look at 100$ EK vrs 150$ Switftech block and a performance difference of <5c probably under load, why would you spend 50% more money for such little gain?


one slight correction they dont nickle plate. it is real chrome !~

but i tend to agree with you . however most of the consumers wanted the all in one package ( xstreme systems ) gabe did ask and got feed back. but if people dont know it comes with it. i say it is there fault for not doing the research .

also i think all the other blocks look horrible.
i love how the komodos cover the FULL GPU not jsut the core mem and vrms .

only thing i prefer over swiftech on ANY product swiftech makes is aphacool rads. to my knowledge swiftech uses brass chambers and does not have 45, 60 and 80mm rads hopefully gabe will change this. ( on top of the 3ports in 3 ports out and 1 port up top for 60 and 80mm rads..
cant wait for their qdcs as i hate koolance ( personal thing ) and wouldnt but them but to include all the extras the swiftech has....

small issues with the komodos ( they did it for warranty i get it but i like to change my o rings )is the sticker that covers the screw holes. and other bad thing ( as is TRUE with ANY substantial block ) is the weight currently designing a custom GPU stand ( would like to use frozenq for it, but i dont think acrylic can take the weight/bumps and bruises. so will be using 80/20 1010 aluminum tslot extrusion, he will be making the sign to hide it though !~ )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> A lot of fluid dynamics and thermal dynamics involved to generalize but I have been digging deep into the Parrallel vs serial isue myself and for the pump(s)/blocks/rads/and number of cards I have put together, Parallel is superior to serial. I get 28c idle and 37c loaded @ 23 -+24c ambient on all four GPU's. It does take a tremendous amount of flow to do it without developing dead spots in the GPU blocks.


should throw in a apogeehd and really see the difference.

also waiting for the h220 pump to be sold as stand alone ( to my knowledge there is plans for this ) until then i will be buying the double pump from swiftech. ( 2x mcp35x ) i love the fact that it is a completely designed by swiftech pump and not a rebrand ( other pumps are good but i just like innovation )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Parallel
> Is where it is at my 3 gpus avg between 35 and 37c with big overclocks after running 24 hrs a day for 2 weeks.
> 
> Still you need to lower your prices and compete a little better with other brands if you want my Business.


i honestly think they compete just fine as i said he asked on xstreme systems what the users would want best. and they picked. not like he made the choice himself. he did give the people a choice aio backplate block and pci bracket. and honestly i MUCH prefer it this way. and i will buy more !~ .


----------



## dorian101

Ok so here's my problem:

got two 7970's in xfire
one is a sapphire oc boost (on top) and the bottom one is an older reference sapphire.
current catalyst is 13.5 beta 2 but the problem persists with 13.4 whql.
cooler's are 2 accelero xtreme 7970
os is 8 64

Problem is that x fire wont start working until gpuz is on.
without it running in the background the fans on bottom card wont spin and games run like they are on single card,
turning gpuz on solves it but something is off right?
btw bottom card is on bios 2 due to a bad flash i did on 1, could that be the reason?
any of you guys had this before and or know how to solve this?

tnx in advance!


----------



## Hokies83

There Gpu blocks are way over priced... And they only perform in the middle of the pack.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There Gpu blocks are way over priced... And they only perform in the middle of the pack.


my gpus have yet to break 38c... if you call that middle of the road feel free. you add in their service and the fact they not only stand STRONGLY by their products and will work with you to find a problem... i say that puts them about 10 miles far ahead.

add in the fact that the thermal pads are pre cut and preapplied.... well... you can not even see the other companies in the rear view mirror


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> my gpus have yet to break 38c... if you call that middle of the road feel free. you add in their service and the fact they not only stand STRONGLY by their products and will work with you to find a problem... i say that puts them about 10 miles far ahead.
> 
> add in the fact that the thermal pads are pre cut and preapplied.... well... you can not even see the other companies in the rear view mirror


There customer service was Meh when i called..

And to save 60$ per card i think ill put my own thermal pads on...

Not bashing them bro.. i do own a swiftech cpu block and 2 of there pumps which are all in my main rig.


----------



## Spin Cykle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dorian101*
> 
> Ok so here's my problem:
> 
> got two 7970's in xfire
> one is a sapphire oc boost (on top) and the bottom one is an older reference sapphire.
> current catalyst is 13.5 beta 2 but the problem persists with 13.4 whql.
> cooler's are 2 accelero xtreme 7970
> os is 8 64
> 
> Problem is that x fire wont start working until gpuz is on.
> without it running in the background the fans on bottom card wont spin and games run like they are on single card,
> turning gpuz on solves it but something is off right?
> btw bottom card is on bios 2 due to a bad flash i did on 1, could that be the reason?
> any of you guys had this before and or know how to solve this?
> 
> tnx in advance!


Sounds like a ULPS issues? Have you disabled it? I'd also reccomend you reflash bios 1 on the bottom card via command prompt and make sure they bios .rom file name is not longer than 8 characters


----------



## [email protected]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> I dont think most people realize you receive a backplate and a single slot pci connector with the Komodo blocks. If you buy the EK equivalent block with backplate and single slot connector the price comparison is almost equal. That being said, what if Switfech only sold the nickle Komodo block? Pricing it inline with EK an others. Then it would be a performance based selection only. When you look at 100$ EK vrs 150$ Switftech block and a performance difference of <5c probably under load, why would you spend 50% more money for such little gain?


Yes this is right, but I will also add this: EK and all others have been mostly catering to DIY market, whereas we have been working with Corporate giant EVGA for close to 4 years. The design philosophy and the requirements are quite different. I started designing true full cover blocks (covering the entire card) ever since we started with EVGA, because they represent a safer solution, and since I liked it, I expanded the design to our AMD offerings. Obviously there is a cost premium to it (more material, machining, etc..).
Now (why am I surprised really..) I see that EK is starting to also offer true full cover.. and guess what, all of sudden we find ourselves at equal pricing (with equal offering, such as back-plate etc..).. hmm what a concept!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Parallel Is where it is at my 3 gpus avg between 35 and 37c with big overclocks after running 24 hrs a day for 2 weeks. Still you need to lower your prices and compete a little better with other brands if you want my Business.


See above design philosophy. I am not interested in competing on price alone on this product line. I guess I have different priorities, safety being at the top of the list. I do what I do because I believe in it and it makes me feel good. Not willing to compromise on that subject. When I retire, others will do whatever they want.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> A lot of fluid dynamics and thermal dynamics involved to generalize but I have been digging deep into the Parrallel vs serial isue myself and for the pump(s)/blocks/rads/and number of cards I have put together, Parallel is superior to serial. I get 28c idle and 37c loaded @ 23 -+24c ambient on all four GPU's. It does take a tremendous amount of flow to do it without developing dead spots in the GPU blocks.


thanks for confirming my findings then ;-)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> both LEDS are on but the used one is really dim, did you change LEDs to a bighter led later in production or could it just be hidden? ( have not taken it off to see how the led is held in place.)
> also when are we gonna be able to get those qdcs i see in your pic... eta was 4/20 and have heard nothing since !~~
> lastly any idea when the new tubing will be available... waiting for that to make a big purchase from your store.
> 
> i like how the design is on the komodo and to be honest it really is not a bad design my mcp350x still has GREAT flow even in serial .... ( putting in parallel as soon as i can get the extenders. and new o ring as one was damaged. on that note i have not heard from michell in a week or so gonna call back on monday to get the size of the orings)
> 
> side note. originally i wanted to go with black fittings but they are hard to find in stock ( esp the 45 and 90s ) but after having to buy some chrome ones i think i am going to go all chrome i really have to admit the look grew on me and i really really like it.
> one slight correction they dont nickle plate. it is real chrome !~
> 
> but i tend to agree with you . however most of the consumers wanted the all in one package ( xstreme systems ) gabe did ask and got feed back. but if people dont know it comes with it. i say it is there fault for not doing the research .
> 
> also i think all the other blocks look horrible.
> i love how the komodos cover the FULL GPU not jsut the core mem and vrms .
> 
> only thing i prefer over swiftech on ANY product swiftech makes is aphacool rads. to my knowledge swiftech uses brass chambers and does not have 45, 60 and 80mm rads hopefully gabe will change this. ( on top of the 3ports in 3 ports out and 1 port up top for 60 and 80mm rads..
> cant wait for their qdcs as i hate koolance ( personal thing ) and wouldnt but them but to include all the extras the swiftech has....
> 
> small issues with the komodos ( they did it for warranty i get it but i like to change my o rings )is the sticker that covers the screw holes. and other bad thing ( as is TRUE with ANY substantial block ) is the weight currently designing a custom GPU stand ( would like to use frozenq for it, but i dont think acrylic can take the weight/bumps and bruises. so will be using 80/20 1010 aluminum tslot extrusion, he will be making the sign to hide it though !~ )
> should throw in a apogeehd and really see the difference.
> 
> also waiting for the h220 pump to be sold as stand alone ( to my knowledge there is plans for this ) until then i will be buying the double pump from swiftech. ( 2x mcp35x ) i love the fact that it is a completely designed by swiftech pump and not a rebrand ( other pumps are good but i just like innovation )
> i honestly think they compete just fine as i said he asked on xstreme systems what the users would want best. and they picked. not like he made the choice himself. he did give the people a choice aio backplate block and pci bracket. and honestly i MUCH prefer it this way. and i will buy more !~ .


I' ll respond quickly because I'd like to go home.. but first thanks for your support 
Komodo LED's: we haven't changed anything.
QDC's : they are in stock and for sale 
New tubing: we have 5/8" in black and white, in stock.
Komodo sticker: you can get replacement


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[email protected]*
> 
> 1)Now (why am I surprised really..) I see that EK is starting to also offer true full cover.. and guess what, all of sudden we find ourselves at equal pricing (with equal offering, such as back-plate etc..).. hmm what a concept!
> 
> 2)See above design philosophy. *I am not interested in competing on price alone on this product line. I guess I have different priorities, safety being at the top of the list*. I do what I do because I believe in it and it makes me feel good. Not willing to compromise on that subject. When I retire, others will do whatever they want.
> 
> 3)I' ll respond quickly because I'd like to go home.. but first thanks for your support
> Komodo LED's: we haven't changed anything.
> QDC's : they are in stock and for sale
> New tubing: we have 5/8" in black and white, in stock.
> Komodo sticker: you can get replacement


1 besides the fact they look better and well..... i always prefer buying kits to piecing it out

2 1&2 are some of a few reasons i will exclusively buy swiftech where i can
on side note. also thanks for coming to the red family one of the reasons i wont buy evga ( they do make great products please dont get me wrong ) is they are intel/nvidia onry !~

3 thanks for the responses

Edit also should of mentioned i want the 3/4x1/2 tubing in white


----------



## dorian101

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spin Cykle*
> 
> Sounds like a ULPS issues? Have you disabled it? I'd also reccomend you reflash bios 1 on the bottom card via command prompt and make sure they bios .rom file name is not longer than 8 characters


5 points for you dear sir, it was a ulps issue, Thnak you.
flashing bios 1 might still be worth doing you say?


----------



## Hokies83

They look alright not a fan of the lights.. i also like the bling factor my blocks have..

Also the look of the Heat killer copper..

Flat black with red lights looks good tho.. but not 160$ good. my blocks were 103$ each.

With that money saved would have been almost enough to buy another 7950..

Or Go 3770k..


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by Red1776
> 
> A lot of fluid dynamics and thermal dynamics involved to generalize but I have been digging deep into the Parrallel vs serial isue myself and for the pump(s)/blocks/rads/and number of cards I have put together, Parallel is superior to serial. I get 28c idle and 37c loaded @ 23 -+24c ambient on all four GPU's. It does take a tremendous amount of flow to do it without developing dead spots in the GPU blocks.


Quote:


> thanks for confirming my findings then ;-)


Thanks for posting yours. I get told I'm nuts for parallel cooling on a regular basis.









Quote:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by Red1776
> 
> A lot of fluid dynamics and thermal dynamics involved to generalize but I have been digging deep into the Parrallel vs serial isue myself and for the pump(s)/blocks/rads/and number of cards I have put together, Parallel is superior to serial. I get 28c idle and 37c loaded @ 23 -+24c ambient on all four GPU's. It does take a tremendous amount of flow to do it without developing dead spots in the GPU blocks.


Quote:


> should throw in a apogeehd and really see the difference.
> 
> also waiting for the h220 pump to be sold as stand alone ( to my knowledge there is plans for this ) until then i will be buying the double pump from swiftech. ( 2x mcp35x ) i love the fact that it is a completely designed by swiftech pump and not a rebrand ( other pumps are good but i just like innovation )


I will assume you are kidding about the Apogee








I have 3X VPP-655 Pumps, 1X Phobya DC-12-400 Pump, and four rads in this thing. I have not seen anybody with Apogee have any cooler temps. Any comparison I have seen has the Koolance 370 and the Apogee within less than half a degree and usually on the 370's favor.


----------



## Hokies83

The Apongee Drive II is one of the very best blocks on the market and it has one of the very best pumps in it the 35X

Id take those over a 655 any day most of all in a big loop like mine.

Only thing i do not like about it is trying to hide the wires coming from it.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> The Apongee is one of the very best blocks on the market and it has one of the very best pumps in it the 35X
> 
> Id take those over a 655 any day most of all in a big loop like mine.


I tried the X35, and gave it back. I tried a lot of components and kept the ones that produced the best results.


----------



## Hokies83

You do not have enough loop for the 35x it is 655 sized. i use 2 35X in it and that is all that is needed for me... and i have great results.

For short 1-2 hr runs my stuff runs like 35 = 36c

I said 37c = 38 c running 24 hrs a day for weeks at a time like my gpus do.. in that time frame heat really gets to set in and it comes down to keeping the room temp down.

My pc room is like 9 foot by 10 foot with one AC duct..

With 6 7950s in this room running 24/7 7 days a week so it tends to hover around 27c in my room lol.

My other 2 systems are in my basement which is a HUGE room that stays 18 c at all times.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> You do not have enough loop for the 35x it is 655 sized. i use 2 35X in it and that is all that is needed for me... and i have great results.
> 
> For short 1-2 hr runs my stuff runs like 35 = 36c
> 
> I said 37c = 38 c running 24 hrs a day for weeks at a time like my gpus do.. in that time frame heat really gets to set in and it comes down to keeping the room temp down.
> 
> My pc room is like 9 foot by 10 foot with one AC duct..
> 
> With 6 7950s in this room running 24/7 7 days a week so it tends to hover around 27c in my room lol.
> 
> My other 2 systems are in my basement which is a HUGE room that stays 18 c at all times.


I'm not sure what pumps you think I have, or what my loop consists of but they are these:



and as you pointed out, this is yours:


The specs for both:


I would ask what you are talking about...but you might try to explain.









Good luck with everything.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I'm not sure what pumps you think I have, or what my loop consists of but they are these:
> 
> 
> 
> and as you pointed out, this is yours:
> 
> 
> The specs for both:
> 
> 
> I would ask what you are talking about...but you might try to explain.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good luck with everything.


I have 3 Giant res 4 Giant rads 4 wbs and 12 feet of tubing.

655 Pumps are not ideal for this..

The D5 Strong and the MCP 35X are.


----------



## jomama22

Or you guys could forget about parallel and serial and do what I did and go res>dual35x>360 rad>CPU>360 rad>GPU>360 rad>GPU>360 rad>GPU split into 2 separate loops both with the dual pump (CPU and GPU 1, GPU 2 and 3)

Check the SIG for pics

Lol yes this is a bit more complicated.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Thanks for posting yours. I get told I'm nuts for parallel cooling on a regular basis.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will assume you are kidding about the Apogee
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have 3X VPP-655 Pumps, 1X Phobya DC-12-400 Pump, and four rads in this thing. I have not seen anybody with Apogee have any cooler temps. Any comparison I have seen has the Koolance 370 and the Apogee within less than half a degree and usually on the 370's favor.


totally was not kidding serial/parallel hybrid.... freaking awesome sauce. in the end i will have main outlet going to gpusone of the 2ndary outlets to front and rear mobo blocks and other 2ndary outlet to ram ( yes not needed. but i like it )


----------



## zerokool_3211

http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/razor-7970-full-cover-block-new-style/

what does everyone think about this?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Thanks for posting yours. I get told I'm nuts for parallel cooling on a regular basis.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will assume you are kidding about the Apogee
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have 3X VPP-655 Pumps, 1X Phobya DC-12-400 Pump, and four rads in this thing. I have not seen anybody with Apogee have any cooler temps. Any comparison I have seen has the Koolance 370 and the Apogee within less than half a degree and usually on the 370's favor.
> 
> 
> 
> totally was not kidding serial/parallel hybrid.... freaking awesome sauce. in the end i will have main outlet going to gpusone of the 2ndary outlets to front and rear mobo blocks and other 2ndary outlet to ram ( yes not needed. but i like it )
Click to expand...

I thought you meant for me to get one


----------



## superericla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> I have 3 Giant res 4 Giant rads 4 wbs and 12 feet of tubing.
> 
> 655 Pumps are not ideal for this..
> 
> The *D5 Strong* and the MCP 35X are.


I've enjoyed my D5 strong running at 24v. It's almost dead silent in my case, and pushes through my loop with no issues.


----------



## MrSharkington

Hi, i recently built my first gaming pc with the msi 7950 twin frozr ii edition. I've noticed a bit of dust is starting to accumulate on the card and was just curious if whether or not compressed air would be fine to clean it with? thanks


----------



## MrSharkington

Hi, i recently built my first gaming pc with the msi 7950 twin frozr ii edition. I've noticed a bit of dust is starting to accumulate on the card and was just curious if whether or not compressed air would be fine to clean it with? thanks


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSharkington*
> 
> Hi, i recently built my first gaming pc with the msi 7950 twin frozr ii edition. I've noticed a bit of dust is starting to accumulate on the card and was just curious if whether or not compressed air would be fine to clean it with? thanks


A can of compressed air is fine to clean the card.Just don't go crazy with it lol..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> h-100 Vs ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> H100 Lose so bad..


Hey man ur rig suxxorz oke:thumb:


----------



## MrSharkington

is this the right stuff? lol http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/ad-400-duster-400ml-p-57758.html?sort=2a or would it better to go to a hardware store.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSharkington*
> 
> is this the right stuff? lol http://www.centrecom.com.au/catalog/ad-400-duster-400ml-p-57758.html?sort=2a or would it better to go to a hardware store.


That looks like a paint can..You want something that looks more like this.And make sure it comes with the red tube to put on the end..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16848043429

Also you should think about dust filters for your fan intakes that way there will be less dust.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Hey man ur rig suxxorz oke:thumb:


lol ok..


----------



## MrSharkington

alright, i'll have to look around for one, thanks


----------



## meddle3

So I am completely new to overclocking and was wondering if I'm doing it correctly since the results I'm getting are pretty abysmal.

I have the Sapphire 7950 dual-x edition. It's stock settings, with the CPU OC'd, gave me these results in 3DMark11:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6594714

Using Trixx, I increased the GPU Clock to 1000 and Memory Clock to 1550, which resulted in this score:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6594892

Shouldn't that be a lot higher? Am I missing something here? All I did, related to the GPU OC, was increase those sliders.

Also, my ASIC score on the card is something terrible like 50%, so did I just get complete dud?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> So I am completely new to overclocking and was wondering if I'm doing it correctly since the results I'm getting are pretty abysmal.
> 
> I have the Sapphire 7950 dual-x edition. It's stock settings, with the CPU OC'd, gave me these results in 3DMark11:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6594714
> 
> Using Trixx, I increased the GPU Clock to 1000 and Memory Clock to 1550, which resulted in this score:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6594892
> 
> Shouldn't that be a lot higher? Am I missing something here? All I did, related to the GPU OC, was increase those sliders.
> 
> Also, my ASIC score on the card is something terrible like 50%, so did I just get complete dud?


asic means next to nothing in terms of ocing.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> So I am completely new to overclocking and was wondering if I'm doing it correctly since the results I'm getting are pretty abysmal.
> 
> I have the Sapphire 7950 dual-x edition. It's stock settings, with the CPU OC'd, gave me these results in 3DMark11:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6594714
> 
> Using Trixx, I increased the GPU Clock to 1000 and Memory Clock to 1550, which resulted in this score:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6594892
> 
> Shouldn't that be a lot higher? Am I missing something here? All I did, related to the GPU OC, was increase those sliders.
> 
> Also, my ASIC score on the card is something terrible like 50%, so did I just get complete dud?


the graphics scores are kinda low. i got 8400 at stock with the 7950 900/1250. my 3D M11 version is 1.0.3, though. what driver are you using?


----------



## meddle3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the graphics scores are kinda low. i got 8400 at stock with the 7950 900/1250. my 3D M11 version is 1.0.3, though. what driver are you using?


Catalyst Version 13.1


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> asic means next to nothing in terms of ocing.


It does to some degree because of temperatures.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> It does to some degree because of temperatures.


At low/stock voltage, yes. But asic's biggest difference is vdroop at higher voltages.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> At low/stock voltage, yes. But asic's biggest difference is vdroop at higher voltages.


Well when it comes to overclocking on air temps are pretty important. So yes i guess stock/low voltage.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> At low/stock voltage, yes. But asic's biggest difference is vdroop at higher voltages.


So low ASIC cards drop more voltage at load right. I put my voltage at 1.23x in AB yet it drops to 1.15x during load sometimes boosting to 1.17x. That's some terribad Vdroop man. 74% ASIC. i wonder what higher cards get - forgot to measure this when i had an 87% ASIC card.


----------



## meddle3

In Trixx I increased that Board Power Limit to 20 and my score at stock (925/1250) was a lot better:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6595357

Not sure what happened there.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> Catalyst Version 13.1


try the latest. found here . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1385356/amd-catalyst-13-5-beta-2-12-102-3-0-april-16

also, check your temps (CORE and VRMs) using HwInfo64.

http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html

make sure none of them are going over 80C (my preference). when you oc set the power limit to 20%.

edit: just read what you did with the PL.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> In Trixx I increased that Board Power Limit to 20 and my score at stock (925/1250) was a lot better:
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6595357
> 
> Not sure what happened there.


Comeon. You can do better than that.


----------



## meddle3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> try the latest. found here . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1385356/amd-catalyst-13-5-beta-2-12-102-3-0-april-16
> 
> also, check your temps (CORE and VRMs) using HwInfo64.
> 
> http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html
> 
> make sure none of them are going over 80C (my preference). when you oc set the power limit to 20%.
> 
> edit: just read what you did with the PL.


Yeah that seems to have been my problem. What about VDDC - do I touch that?

Also, the Power Limit is not the same as voltage, correct? That's something you change in the BIOS and only when you're current clocks are causing performance problems? When do I need to worry about adjusting the voltages?

Thanks for the driver link, I'm going to install that now.

Edit: Increased to 975/1325 and got this: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6595405
So a lot better than before.

Is there some type of chart that has benchmark scores for comparability sake?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> Yeah that seems to have been my problem. What about VDDC - do I touch that?
> 
> Also, the Power Limit is not the same as voltage, correct? That's something you change in the BIOS and only when you're current clocks are causing performance problems? When do I need to worry about adjusting the voltages?
> 
> Thanks for the driver link, I'm going to install that now.


not sure. i don't sweat those things. i just use them when benching. games they stay stock. the vddc i leave alone. oc your cpu to 4.5 and leave your gpu stock - you should be able to max most games. lovely cards they are.

edit: there are a bunch of benchmarks here where you can compare your results. i recommend the Valley.

http://www.overclock.net/f/21/benchmarking-software-and-discussion


----------



## meddle3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> not sure. i don't sweat those things. i just use them when benching. games they stay stock. the vddc i leave alone. oc your cpu to 4.5 and leave your gpu stock - you should be able to max most games. lovely cards they are.
> 
> edit: there are a bunch of benchmarks here where you can compare your results. i recommend the Valley.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/f/21/benchmarking-software-and-discussion


Thanks for your help!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meddle3*
> 
> Thanks for your help!


no, problem. keep your core voltage under 1.3v and the vram under 1.7v when on air. like i said, 80C.

edit: 1.7 is max for the vram. keep away from that.


----------



## Recr3ational

hey guys,

I was wondering why i could overclock my first gpu more than my second gpu on MSI AFTERBURNER?
I have 2 MSI 7950 TFIII in crossfirex

I put extend official overclocking limits, and it only effects the first card
Thanks


----------



## hotrod717

Fianlly got around to putting my waterblock on and have to say there were some good suprises and bad.
The good was that this thing was built like a tank and has hynix chips and the board was really cleanly done.
The bad is the horrible excess of tim from factory and the hour it took to completely clean around my gpu.
All in all, extremely happy with the look after I finished. Tip - Toothbrush really helped clean all those tight spaces


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Fianlly got around to putting my waterblock on and have to say there were some good suprises and bad.
> The good was that this thing was built like a tank and has hynix chips and the board was really cleanly done.
> The bad is the horrible excess of tim from factory and the hour it took to completely clean around my gpu.
> All in all, extremely happy with the look after I finished. Tip - Toothbrush really helped clean all those tight spaces


beautiful looking pcb









post some benches once its all up and together.

are you going to do the hotwire if possible?


----------



## hotrod717

Not sure if I can, I didn't get the Maximus Extreme. I'm waiting another day or 2 to make sure all the air is out of my loop to really give it a go, but my temps are idling in the mid 20's. If my results on air are any indicator, I'm in for a ride!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Fianlly got around to putting my waterblock on and have to say there were some good suprises and bad.
> The good was that this thing was built like a tank and has hynix chips and the board was really cleanly done.
> The bad is the horrible excess of tim from factory and the hour it took to completely clean around my gpu.
> All in all, extremely happy with the look after I finished. Tip - Toothbrush really helped clean all those tight spaces
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


nice! thanks for the tip!~ ill use it when i redo the thermal pads on mine
i could not get all mine off. it was like glue....
your chip was super clean though !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> hey guys,
> 
> I was wondering why i could overclock my first gpu more than my second gpu on MSI AFTERBURNER?
> I have 2 MSI 7950 TFIII in crossfirex
> 
> hmm i dont know sorry ..
> I put extend official overclocking limits, and it only effects the first card
> Thanks


do you have the synchronize settings for similar graphics processors ? ( settings first tab top of it )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Not sure if I can, I didn't get the Maximus Extreme. I'm waiting another day or 2 to make sure all the air is out of my loop to really give it a go, but my temps are idling in the mid 20's. If my results on air are any indicator, I'm in for a ride!


GL man !~


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> http://www.dazmode.com/store/product/razor-7970-full-cover-block-new-style/
> 
> what does everyone think about this?


no one ever commented on this block...any owners or people that know about it?


----------



## Mega Man

sorry not i... on a side note i can say the swiftech block is amazing


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> no one ever commented on this block...any owners or people that know about it?


It is one of the lower performing blocks.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> It is one of the lower performing blocks.


ok thanks good to know...i am now leaning more towards this

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/EK-FC7970---CA-1_800.jpg

or maybe

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/upload/pictures/EK-FC7970---NA-2_800.jpg

i was originally gonna do your block as well mega man


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sorry not i... on a side note i can say the swiftech block is amazing


Damn that block! It's always sold out!!!!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Damn that block! It's always sold out!!!!


if you call swiftech they can tell you when it is in stock

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=33923

has them in stock atm

or just ask gabe
http://www.overclock.net/u/70667/gabe-swiftech


----------



## Bennny

I have the Sapphire 7970 Dual X (Non-OC). It would seem it is voltage locked at 1.256V. The voltage sliders do unlock in software however.

Edit: It would seem I have a voltage unlocked card! It never worked in the past. I am folding at the moment, and changing the voltage in real time with after burner, and the changes are displaying in gpu-z.









What program would you guys suggest running while I overclock? Heaven, furmark or something better?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bennny*
> 
> I have the Sapphire 7970 Dual X (Non-OC). It would seem it is voltage locked at 1.256V. The voltage sliders do unlock in software however.
> 
> Edit: It would seem I have a voltage unlocked card! It never worked in the past. I am folding at the moment, and changing the voltage in real time with after burner, and the changes are displaying in gpu-z.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What program would you guys suggest running while I overclock? Heaven, furmark or something better?


Wait what? For stressing?


----------



## kj1060

Well I got a response from MSI:

MSI Tech. 05/20/2013 They appear to be different variations of the same model. As for the warranty the policy has always been that modification of the card will void the warranty. Changing the cooling solution would fall under modification of the card. The inforcement has so far been if they can tell you modified it then they will not accept the warranty claim which is likely what the sticker is there for to make it easier to tell when the card has been tampered with.

End User 05/17/2013 Hello I recently purchased 2 of the R7970-2PMD3GD5 (912-V277-039) and I had a few questions. First I noticed that the cooler shroud has changed to the R7970-2PMD3GD5/OC, the DVI connection is now blue, and there is a sticker that claims the warranty is voided if removed on the X bracket when compared to my original R7970-2PMD3GD5 which has a white DVI and no sticker on the X bracket. Are these the exact same cards? I also am confused by the warranty information on the website. Are we allowed to install water blocks on the cards and maintain the warranty? It was always my understanding as long as there was no physical damage to the card while installing the water block the warranty would be intact. Thank you for your help.


----------



## Hokies83

I just called Msi and they said as long as u do not damage it..

The sticker is there to keep noobs from messing with the card.

Here is a Msi Twin frozer III 7950 with 7970 pcb to add to my...

4x Power color 7950s
3 Gigabyte WF 7950s
and 2 7850s..

Still plan to add 4 more 7950s to the mix..

I paid the most for this card then any of the others 250$...

But from inspection seems to be the best built of the bunch..


----------



## d1nky

^^^have you got the original heatsinks? hairdryer will get the warranty stickers off. I didn't see any on my asus









and that warranty thing seems to be geographic.....


----------



## raghu78

MSI HD 7970 Lightning boost edition is finally available in the US. 1150 mhz boost clock. but the price sucks at USD 490 - 510. hopefully GTX 770 / 780 launch will bring it below USD 450.









http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Graphics-R7970-Lightning-BE/dp/B00CRY47M4/
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=MSI-7970LB


----------



## TeeBlack

for a 7970 i would go with Heatkiller, EK, or Swiftech Komodo


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> MSI HD 7970 Lightning boost edition is finally available in the US. 1150 mhz boost clock. but the price sucks at USD 490 - 510. hopefully GTX 770 / 780 launch will bring it below USD 450.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/MSI-Graphics-R7970-Lightning-BE/dp/B00CRY47M4/
> http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=MSI-7970LB


Good luck getting a water block for it.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Good luck getting a water block for it.


Ek makes a block for the lightning and frozen cpu or performance had it in stock last time I checked. However , boost edition cards don't seem to do well. Finding any good card that is wb compatible seems difficult at this time. I'm thankful for finding my early Matrix Platinum. My first 7970, Gigabyte reference, clocked well, but had horrible coil whine. Was eyeing the lightning , but am super happy with my choice!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Ek makes a block for the lightning and frozen cpu or performance had it in stock last time I checked. However , boost edition cards don't seem to do well. Finding any good card that is wb compatible seems difficult at this time. I'm thankful for finding my early Matrix Platinum. My first 7970, Gigabyte reference, clocked well, but had horrible coil whine. Was eyeing the lightning , but am super happy with my choice!


You're happy with a 7970 Matrix? lol.


----------



## Hokies83

my new Msi TF3 is weird...

Does 1200mhz on stock volts... but cannot get it to go any higher no matter the volts i give it...


----------



## Snuckie7

Sounds like you got a bad chip. Temps and ASIC?


----------



## tsm106

Lol look at those 38mm fans, it must be deaf valley in there!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Sounds like you got a bad chip. Temps and ASIC?


Asic doesn't matter nor much of anything when you hit the wall. The only thing left to do is slap a block on it and confirm whether its really at the wall or not.


----------



## Hokies83

75c 80% asic


----------



## th3illusiveman

Noone will tell me what their Vdroop is









What voltage do you have in AB and what does it drop to when it's loaded?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Noone will tell me what their Vdroop is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What voltage do you have in AB and what does it drop to when it's loaded?


As far as i know Vdroop is when you put load on CPU or GPU (usually) and the voltage drops a bit. This can cause instability. There is a feature on certain motherboards and graphics cards called LLC (load line calibration) That will compensate for this voltage drop. Those who dont have this will increase the voltage a bit more so that when it drops a bit its not too low for the GPU or CPU to stay stable.

Edit: Oh sorry. i thought you said "No one will tell me what vdroop is".

Well mine is about 20mV on my 7950 using constant voltage. From 1300mV to 1280mV in sapphire trixx.


----------



## superericla

I get as high as 112mV vdroop while mining bitcoins, but only ~10mV vdroop while gaming. I'm using sapphire trixx, without constant voltage selected.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *superericla*
> 
> I get as high as 112mV vdroop while mining bitcoins, but only ~10mV vdroop while gaming. I'm using sapphire trixx, without constant voltage selected.


Yea. The vdroop seems to be a lot more dramatic when not using constant voltage for me.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yea. The vdroop seems to be a lot more dramatic when not using constant voltage for me.


Will this Trixx software work better then Afterburner in keeping a constant voltage? My vdroop is more than 100mv... doesn't forcing constant voltage do weird things to the card? like cause flickering and mess up the powerstates?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Will this Trixx software work better then Afterburner in keeping a constant voltage? My vdroop is more than 100mv... doesn't forcing constant voltage do weird things to the card? like cause flickering and mess up the powerstates?


Not for me. No flickering. Well constant voltage just locks the card to 3d state. Like max core clock and voltage at all times. But it seems the voltage doesnt drop as much when you do this. I earned about 30-35MHz extra for benching on core with constant voltage.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You're happy with a 7970 Matrix? lol.


Sorry, you got a bad card, but that doesn't make them all bad. Yes, i'm extremely happy with it. Does 1300/1800 no problem. Love, not hate brother.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Sorry, you got a bad card, but that doesn't make them all bad. Yes, i'm extremely happy with it. Does 1300/1800 no problem. Love, not hate brother.


Mine clocked well. Decently. But thats not what i didnt like about it.

Also. Got a 3dmark score at 1300/1800?


----------



## CravinR1

I was doing some stability runs and it seems I can't get my card to really OC. My stock volts on the core is 1188 and 1550 on the memory. I can undervolt to 1160 and get the same oc as on 1188. Seems my memory maxes out at 1510 (tried up to 1.65 volts and still the same). Going from 1160 to 1.3 I only have a variation of +35 on the core (doesn't seem worth an extra .14 volts for that small a gain ?

So I think my 24/7 OC will be 1160 (undervolt) at 1130/1510.

Below is my Afterburner with +20 power limit. Are there any other settings I should be checking ?

STOCK
volts 1188
core 960
memory 1250

Volts 1160
core 1130
Memory 1510

volts 1250
core 1160
memory 1510

volts 1300
core 1165
memory 1510



3570k @ 4.5 + 7950 at 1165/1510
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6603468


----------



## th3illusiveman

i also hit a clock wall lol. It sucks, i can push 1.3v and it makes no difference yet core temp never exceeds 50c VRMS stay under 70c.... maybe you are also experiencing excessive throttling. Try using that constant voltage thing and look at how much voltage your card is using underload. Also whats your ASIC. I think high ASIC cards have less Vdroop.


----------



## CravinR1

I posted my asic earlier, its not great. Like 64% I think


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> I was doing some stability runs and it seems I can't get my card to really OC. My stock volts on the core is 1188 and 1550 on the memory. I can undervolt to 1160 and get the same oc as on 1188. Seems my memory maxes out at 1510 (tried up to 1.65 volts and still the same). Going from 1160 to 1.3 I only have a variation of +35 on the core (doesn't seem worth an extra .14 volts for that small a gain ?
> 
> So I think my 24/7 OC will be 1160 (undervolt) at 1130/1510.
> 
> Below is my Afterburner with +20 power limit. Are there any other settings I should be checking ?
> 
> STOCK
> volts 1188
> core 960
> memory 1250
> 
> Volts 1160
> core 1130
> Memory 1510
> 
> volts 1250
> core 1160
> memory 1510
> 
> volts 1300
> core 1165
> memory 1510
> 
> 
> 
> 3570k @ 4.5 + 7950 at 1165/1510
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6603468


Loop Crysis 2 benchmark for stability testing.


----------



## CravinR1

Why does furmark and gputool and 3dmark 11 and 3dmark the newest one all show stable but just regular starcraft 2 shows screen issues with oc'd 7950


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You're happy with a 7970 Matrix? lol.


O that's a good one!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> Why does furmark and gputool and 3dmark 11 and 3dmark the newest one all show stable but just regular starcraft 2 shows screen issues with oc'd 7950


They stress different parts of the card.

Furmark- burn test. Cards designed to throttle so I don't rate it.
3D Mark 11 is good for finding a memory overclock, not really core.

I found Crysis & Crysis 2 on a bench loop the best, if you can get it to pass those (especially crysis 2) it will pass anything.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> O that's a good one!


I had one. Its now broken in half.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> They stress different parts of the card.
> 
> Furmark- burn test. Cards designed to throttle so I don't rate it.
> 3D Mark 11 is good for finding a memory overclock, not really core.
> 
> I found Crysis & Crysis 2 on a bench loop the best, if you can get it to pass those (especially crysis 2) it will pass anything.


have you played sleeping dogs? That game will kill unstable Overclocks in no time and heat your card up more then even Crysis 3 on it's highest settings will.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> have you played sleeping dogs? That game will kill unstable Overclocks in no time and heat your card up more then even Crysis 3 on it's highest settings will.


Yeah I finished it. Never used it as a bench though.


----------



## Hokies83

There an unlocked voltage Bios for the MSi Twin Frozer III 7950 with the 7970 pcb?

Does a lightings bios work on this card?


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, how do i unlock voltage and higher clocks on Trixx?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> There an unlocked voltage Bios for the MSi Twin Frozer III 7950 with the 7970 pcb?
> 
> Does a lightings bios work on this card?


Both of my MSI 7950s (one with 7970 PCB, one with 7950 PCB) allow voltage changes in Afterburner with stock BIOS. Lightning BIOS will not work AFAIK.


----------



## Hokies83

It allows adjustment but HW info still reports stock voltage of 1.18v to me and clocks do not increase so leads me to think voltage is locked there...


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> It allows adjustment but HW info still reports stock voltage of 1.18v to me and clocks do not increase so leads me to think voltage is locked there...


Have you checked what GPU-Z reports for the voltage?


----------



## Hokies83

Same as HW info.


----------



## PedroC1999

What's the max safe voltage AFTER vDroop?


----------



## phillyd

For those of you running Crossfire and eyefinity, how's performance, stability, and reliability with new drivers?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> For those of you running Crossfire and eyefinity, how's performance, stability, and reliability with new drivers?


After 12.7 i have zero problems with stability and reliability with cf and eyefinity. Performance if you mean scale is great.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Same as HW info.


Hmm... you sure you've got Afterburner setup right?


Spoiler: This is my afterburner setup


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Mine clocked well. Decently. But thats not what i didnt like about it.
> 
> Also. Got a 3dmark score at 1300/1800?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Red1776 and Karlitos would be proud of me.
> 
> Because i had no "reason to". It did work. But when it overclocks so badly and i have to underclock it just so it doesnt artifact is stupid. My 7950 outperforms it. I was able to do 3dmark11 P benchmarks because it was at a low 720p res. But 1080p? NO WAY.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yes. Artifacting at 1050/6800.


I call BS. You ranted about how it didn't clock well and artifacted a couple weeks ago. You complained that you could only use GPU Tweak and wouldn't work with anything else. I see absolutely no reason to use anything but GPU Tweak.

I'm wondering what you did to the card. Operator error perhaps? Did you try to take it well past it's ability on air?

Here is my first Valley run with the waterblock. 1300/1800 - 38* I merely punched in the clock I wanted and bam, smooth sailing, no artifacts. I didn't even touch voltage, in fact, it did that for me! Even had apps runnig in the background.


----------



## Mackem

http://www.dabs.com/products/gigabyte-ati-radeon-7950-hd-900mhz-3gb-pci-e-hdmi-windforce-3x-oc-7XN5.html?src=2

£199.99 for a WF3 7950. Do I go for it? Can these be overclocked?


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guys,
I was enjoying the new metro for a good 3 hours, and my temps went to 75c on myTF3 7950, was wondering if its safe?


----------



## Snuckie7

Yeah that's fine as long as everything is still stable. I've hit 78C playing Far Cry 3 on a hot day before.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Yeah that's fine as long as everything is still stable. I've hit 78C playing Far Cry 3 on a hot day before.


Okay yeah everythings seems fine, was a bit worried thanks man


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Yeah that's fine as long as everything is still stable. I've hit 78C playing Far Cry 3 on a hot day before.


I hit 65 and I start freaking out. The highest my card ever got was 69 in crysis and that was cause my fans were on automatic and it was 90f as ambient.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I hit 65 and I start freaking out. The highest my card ever got was 69 in crysis and that was cause my fans were on automatic and it was 90f as ambient.


Here on greece with 37 ambient i hit 80C with any demanding game. Dont be worry about temps gpus dont die easily


----------



## Hokies83

My non water cooled cards have been at a almost steady 70 = 78c for 3 weeks 24 hrs a day 7 days a week.


----------



## phillyd

Yeah you can run these guys at 85 with no problem. Not recommended though.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> check it out guys ( graphics score ) http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6606588
> using my sammies @ stock ( not my 2400 will do runs later tonight)
> found out my psu is definitely holding me back in ocing. come freiday i will order a new x1250w
> 
> not even at max oc yet


>:O


----------



## kj1060

Finally installed the new 7970s everything seems to be working, but boy does the middle one get hot. Can't wait to get them underwater.



Got lots of coil whine from running 3DMark11, hopefully it will diminish over time.


----------



## Spin Cykle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Finally installed the new 7970s everything seems to be working, but boy does the middle one get hot. Can't wait to get them underwater.
> 
> 
> 
> Got lots of coil whine from running 3DMark11, hopefully it will diminish over time.


Looks great, congrats on Tri-Fire!


----------



## Mega Man

looks great !~


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> http://www.dabs.com/products/gigabyte-ati-radeon-7950-hd-900mhz-3gb-pci-e-hdmi-windforce-3x-oc-7XN5.html?src=2
> 
> £199.99 for a WF3 7950. Do I go for it? Can these be overclocked?


I'd say to go for it.

I've been pleased with mine since I bought it last year, 1200/1500 was no problem on air when I first got it, although it needed 1.225v. for that. 200 pounds is still about $25 less than I paid, and it was on sale then.


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I'd say to go for it.
> 
> I've been pleased with mine since I bought it last year, 1200/1500 was no problem on air when I first got it, although it needed 1.225v. for that. 200 pounds is still about $25 less than I paid, and it was on sale then.


I mean I recently upgraded to 2 x 1080p screens and my GTX 560Ti 1GB struggles a bit in some games.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I'd say to go for it.
> 
> I've been pleased with mine since I bought it last year, 1200/1500 was no problem on air when I first got it, although it needed 1.225v. for that. 200 pounds is still about $25 less than I paid, and it was on sale then.
> 
> 
> 
> I mean I recently upgraded to 2 x 1080p screens and my GTX 560Ti 1GB struggles a bit in some games.
Click to expand...

I've only one monitor, but you'll get a good benefit from a 7950 over the 560, running both screens.

Edit:
As far as waiting for the next best thing, that's up to you. There will always be something better that comes along, regardless of what you buy now.
I would think that the 8xxx series cards will be an upgrade in performance, of course. But you'll not likely find one better than the 7950 for 200 pounds, for a while.


----------



## Mackem

It's just that ever present question; do i get a 7950 or wait for the 8xxx series?


----------



## OneGun

Well then you might as well wait for the 9000 series cause they will be even better..


----------



## Mackem

Realistically, how much of an upgrade will this be over my 560Ti (The original model) playing games on 1 monitor at 1080p? How long am I going to be able to play games on Ultra @ 60FPS before I have to upgrade (Not bothered about AA etc.)?

EDIT: Stuff it, ordered! Got 4% cashback on the £199.99 as well as the free games (Crysis 3, Bioshock Infinite, Far Cry: Blood Dragon and Sim City).


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> What's the max safe voltage AFTER vDroop?


I would say about 1300mV if you can keep it cool. Core and VRMs.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Here on greece with 37 ambient i hit 80C with any demanding game. Dont be worry about temps gpus dont die easily


Come bench in my 19-21 ambient


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I call BS. You ranted about how it didn't clock well and artifacted a couple weeks ago. You complained that you could only use GPU Tweak and wouldn't work with anything else. I see absolutely no reason to use anything but GPU Tweak.
> 
> I'm wondering what you did to the card. Operator error perhaps? Did you try to take it well past it's ability on air?
> 
> Here is my first Valley run with the waterblock. 1300/1800 - 38* I merely punched in the clock I wanted and bam, smooth sailing, no artifacts. I didn't even touch voltage, in fact, it did that for me! Even had apps runnig in the background.


Meh







... You got a good chip it seems. But remember, it was not the chip i didnt like about it. It was all the rog and "extra oc features" that didnt help at all. You got a good chip purely out of luck. Many ref cards can do that exact same thing. voltage buttons on the side doesnt actually change anything. Custom fan profiles only affects 1 fan. Safe mode button doesnt do ANYTHING. Not even after restarting. GPU Tweak is just... Bad....


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Realistically, *how much of an upgrade will this be over my 560Ti (The original model) playing games on 1 monitor at 1080p?* How long am I going to be able to play games on Ultra @ 60FPS before I have to upgrade (Not bothered about AA etc.)?
> 
> EDIT: Stuff it, ordered! Got 4% cashback on the £199.99 as well as the free games (Crysis 3, Bioshock Infinite, Far Cry: Blood Dragon and Sim City).


it's like having them in sli.


----------



## Daffie82

Thinking about getting another HD7950 to put in crossfire on air. Cause the prices are really good now.
Would you guys say : go for it with the current prices or just wait untill something better comes out like the 8xxx series or something.

Bit concerned what my temps will be on air with 2x HD7950... Also bit concerned about microstutter and other problems. Never had crossfire before.
Thanks for the advice !


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thinking about getting another HD7950 to put in crossfire on air. Cause the prices are really good now.
> Would you guys say : go for it with the current prices or just wait untill something better comes out like the 8xxx series or something.
> 
> Bit concerned what my temps will be on air with 2x HD7950... Also bit concerned about microstutter and other problems. Never had crossfire before.
> Thanks for the advice !


Well. I dont think any 8000 single GPU card will beat 2 overclocked 7950s. also if microstuttering was a big problem i dont think there would be that many people who run multi gpu setups. I say go for it.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> it's like having them in sli.


A single HD7950>560ti SLI IMO, with SLI 560ti:s you wont be able to max out your games because of 1GB of vram (assuming they are not 2GB models). In BF3 you wont be able to use MSAA etc, whereas with the 7950 you can just crank up everything knowing that your card runs out of horsepower before the frame buffer is filled, with 560ti:s it is the exact opposite


----------



## Mackem

So is there much headroom to OC the WF3 7950s even though they are voltage locked?


----------



## Rangerjr1

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/475978

First run with my new 7970 Sapphire ref card.

1290/1850. I CANT BELIEVE IT!


----------



## PedroC1999

^^^ Nice...

My card just crashed a while into Heaven [email protected]

I acme back and the screen was a light shade of brown and I had to reset it, does that mean that I need to back it down abit on the core?


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/475978
> 
> First run with my new 7970 Sapphire ref card.
> 
> 1290/1850. I CANT BELIEVE IT!


Nice OC on the memory









None of my two ref. 7970's does more than 1720 MHz on memory.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Nice OC on the memory
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> None of my two ref. 7970's does more than 1720 MHz on memory.


Would get 1300 on core if i could keep it under 50c







. Once i hit 50C it starts artifacting. Also the memory can go a bit higher. Not sure how much though.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> ^^^ Nice...
> 
> My card just crashed a while into Heaven [email protected]
> 
> I acme back and the screen was a light shade of brown and I had to reset it, does that mean that I need to back it down abit on the core?


Anyone?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Nice OC on the memory
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> None of my two ref. 7970's does more than 1720 MHz on memory.


My reference card does 1820MHz on the card, is this rare on reference?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Anyone?
> My reference card does 1820MHz on the card, is this rare on reference?


I wouldnt say its very rare or normal on any card. Mine does 1850. Maybe more


----------



## BradleyW

I have 2 7970's and one of them has an issue with one or both of the fans. (Each card is a dual fan design).

OK, Here is the issue. The card in question will present an electrical sound from one or both fans when the speed is between 55 to 67 %.

I have taken a look at removing the fans and shroud but you need to remove the whole cooler, then use specialist tools to open the shroud.

I have had this card for 10 days short of a year.

If I RMA, I will have to buy this card as powercolor and the retailer will not supply a replacement of the same card version because it's discontinued. The only card I wold be able to afford is this:
http://www.ebuyer.com/480139-radeon-hd-7970-3gb-gddr5-pci-e-2xdvi-hdmi-dp-oc-w-11197-03-40g

The question is, will this card work with my current 7970?
The sapphire card runs at 950MHz (1000MHz Boost) and my current card/s runs at 925MHz, on the core.

Also, how long is my warranty and how do UK customers RMA via powercolor? I've heard from people that UK get no warranty cover by powercolor.

Here are my current cards:
http://www.powercolor.com/Global/products_features.asp?id=398

Thanks for the help!


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> ^^^ Nice...
> 
> My card just crashed a while into Heaven [email protected]
> 
> I acme back and the screen was a light shade of brown and I had to reset it, does that mean that I need to back it down abit on the core?


When core clock is too high usually you see artifacts and then maybe a crash but memory is always a hard lockup or crash. Just run it again watch and see if artifacting appears, if it does tone done the core, if not and it hard locks tone down the memory a little.


----------



## PedroC1999

My memory is at 1800, but ive run 1820 stable, so im not sure. Il give it a try later with memory at stock, im downloading AB beta 10 as we speak.

BTW, whats constant voltage? and what is ULPS?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> My memory is at 1800, but ive run 1820 stable, so im not sure. Il give it a try later with memory at stock, im downloading AB beta 10 as we speak.
> 
> BTW, whats constant voltage? and what is ULPS?


Why you run your memory so high when you have your core only at 1175?


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Would get 1300 on core if i could keep it under 50c
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Once i hit 50C it starts artifacting. Also the memory can go a bit higher. Not sure how much though.


I can do 1310 on core before artifacting even with the cards watercooled and temps is below 40 C load. Had a weird issue with them being to cold when I used the water chiller in the loop, couldn't get them to run at all before I raised water temps from 8 C to 15 C.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Why you run your memory so high when you have your core only at 1175?


My core isnt very good honestly, as you can see, but my memory overclocks well, and tbh, its free performance right?


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Hello all I am new to overclock.net signed up was searching the front page and saw this thread - ironically I bought at Sapphire 7950 last week so I figured it was destiny!

Anywho this is my 'submission' into the owners club.

Cheers


----------



## Rangerjr1

If i got a waterloop for my gpu i would expect 1290-1320/1850. I dont know about the accelero though.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Razzle Dazzle*
> 
> Hello all I am new to overclock.net signed up was searching the front page and saw this thread - ironically I bought at Sapphire 7950 last week so I figured it was destiny!
> 
> Anywho this is my 'submission' into the owners club.
> 
> Cheers


Put your rig into your signature.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> I have 2 7970's and one of them has an issue with one or both of the fans. (Each card is a dual fan design).
> 
> OK, Here is the issue. The card in question will present an electrical sound from one or both fans when the speed is between 55 to 67 %.
> 
> I have taken a look at removing the fans and shroud but you need to remove the whole cooler, then use specialist tools to open the shroud.
> 
> I have had this card for 10 days short of a year.
> 
> If I RMA, I will have to buy this card as powercolor and the retailer will not supply a replacement of the same card version because it's discontinued. The only card I wold be able to afford is this:
> http://www.ebuyer.com/480139-radeon-hd-7970-3gb-gddr5-pci-e-2xdvi-hdmi-dp-oc-w-11197-03-40g
> 
> The question is, will this card work with my current 7970?
> The sapphire card runs at 950MHz (1000MHz Boost) and my current card/s runs at 925MHz, on the core.
> 
> Also, how long is my warranty and how do UK customers RMA via powercolor? I've heard from people that UK get no warranty cover by powercolor.
> 
> Here are my current cards:
> http://www.powercolor.com/Global/products_features.asp?id=398
> 
> Thanks for the help!


Bump.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So, a card with a higher clock speed works fine without fps hitches and added latency?


You run cf with different clocks? Your cards must match each other clocks


----------



## d1nky

^^^ I was told clocks don't have to match. hence a 7970/7950 etc can work together. also I used to believe that they levelled clocks but was told and shown its not true.

else AMD would tell you and include it in some documentation.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ^^^ I was told clocks don't have to match. hence a 7970/7950 etc can work together. also I used to believe that they levelled clocks but was told and shown its not true.
> 
> else AMD would tell you and include it in some documentation.


They don't have to match, but the farther apart the power/speed of your cards is the greater the latency you introduce into your crossfire array.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ^^^ I was told clocks don't have to match. hence a 7970/7950 etc can work together. also I used to believe that they levelled clocks but was told and shown its not true.
> 
> else AMD would tell you and include it in some documentation.


You can do it. But you increase the latency. The faster card will have to wait for the other


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You run cf with different clocks? Your cards must match each other clocks


i ran mine both at stock clocks but i only played three games. bf3, c3, and c2 and i did not experienced any problems.


----------



## Hokies83

When i was gaming i ran 1200mhz x3 and 1500 mhz ram x3

But then my top card started dying on me and went from being stable at 1225mhz to 1060mhz then death lol.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i ran mine both at stock clocks but i only played three games. bf3, c3, and c2 and i did not experienced any problems.


Here is the best ive been able to get ur old 7950 to do.

Shes a turd Capt! lol


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i ran mine both at stock clocks but i only played three games. bf3, c3, and c2 and i did not experienced any problems.


My understanding is regardless of what you set, it will run at the lower clocked card.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> When i was gaming i ran 1200mhz x3 and 1500 mhz ram x3
> 
> But then my top card started dying on me and went from being stable at 1225mhz to 1060mhz then death lol.
> Here is the best ive been able to get ur old 7950 to do.
> 
> Shes a turd Capt! lol
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


i actually miss it after i saw what the 780 can do. lol. put it underwater and moar volts. it did 1250/1700 . . . like i said in Valley. kept it stock in games.


----------



## Krusher33

PPC's now carry Heatkiller blocks for these:

XFX Radeon HD 7970 Double Dissipation 925MHz (FX-797A-TDFC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
XFX Radeon HD 7970 Black Edition Double Dissipation 1000Mhz (FX-797A-TDBC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
XFX Radeon HD 7950 Double Dissipation 800Mhz (FX-795A-TDJC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
XFX Radeon HD 7950 Black Edition Double Dissipation 900Mhz (FX-795A-TDBC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
XFX Radeon HD 7970 Double Dissipation Edition 1050MHz GHz (FX-797G-TDFC) - only VPEAC3814PS10

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=37996&zenid=de8268a873255cc377c814d81f5bb364


----------



## Spin Cykle

MSI 7970 Lighthing BE (in stock) ... Not sure how this overclocks compared to the lighting ghz edition, but thought someone might be looking for one!

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8078202&CatId=7387


----------



## BradleyW

Do you have added latency when mixing 7970's that have different VRAM timings?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> My understanding is regardless of what you set, it will run at the lower clocked card.


according to HwInfo64 they both ran on their own stock clocks.

You can see the 7970 here but not the 7950. After playing C3 . . .


----------



## Hokies83

I want to find a nice cheap Raystorm kit.. Id just sell the cpu block cause my folding systems cpus run stock... but get some Uni gpu blocks / heatsinks for gpus.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So, a card with a higher clock speed works fine without fps hitches and added latency?


You could flash both cards with the same bios of your choice, when you replace the faulty one. I did this with my 7950's, one is a VisionTek, the other is a Gigabyte. Both are flashed with a Sapphire overclocked bios and run very well together, and of course the clock speeds are identical with both cards.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You could flash both cards with the same bios of your choice, when you replace the faulty one. I did this with my 7950's, one is a VisionTek, the other is a Gigabyte. Both are flashed with a Sapphire overclocked bios and run very well together, and of course the clock speeds are identical with both cards.


What about mixing VRAM timings?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You could flash both cards with the same bios of your choice, when you replace the faulty one. I did this with my 7950's, one is a VisionTek, the other is a Gigabyte. Both are flashed with a Sapphire overclocked bios and run very well together, and of course the clock speeds are identical with both cards.
> 
> 
> 
> What about mixing VRAM timings?
Click to expand...

I don't think that's an issue, with mine anyway.

This screenshot shows my mixed brands of cards flashed to the same Sapphire bios:

As far as the different vram timings though, idk, but they run well together.


----------



## zerokool_3211

could i flash my TF3 OC BE to a msi reference bios....so as to not deal with the BE ....what i mean is that something that is pretty safe to do?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/475978
> 
> First run with my new 7970 Sapphire ref card.
> 
> 1290/1850. I CANT BELIEVE IT!
> 
> 
> 
> Nice OC on the memory
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> None of my two ref. 7970's does more than 1720 MHz on memory.
Click to expand...

Nice OC on the core. That's on air baby!


----------



## Mega Man

yeps !~ GJ


----------



## tsm106

I guess I can switch back to my old avatar now since the Matrix is history now.


----------



## Mega Man

nah he prolly has it sitting as a trophy on his shelf !~


----------



## MrSharkington

Hi, i recently built my first pc, and i'm using an MSI 7950 TF3 Boost card, lately i've been working out an effect core clock speed, and so far I've got it to 1150MHz without changing the voltage. I'm just wondering whether or not i should bother with the memory clock? it's currently at its default 1250mhz speed, so i was wondering if should push it any further.


----------



## PedroC1999

Just to make you know, Im Heaven 4.0 Stable for 30mins at [email protected], [email protected]

Know all I need is my second card to match it, Im buying the same model, from the same shop, just a month after. I might even get the same batch!


----------



## Nightz2k

I guess my 2nd 7950 died or whatever. Was playing a game for about an hour and then it just locked up, then I rebooted, no display. Well the fans work and seems functional, but there's no display at all. I've tried switching the GPU's around, changed PCI-E slots, tried it as a single card, still no display. I uninstalled drivers, rebooted, reinstalled, tried other versions, rebooted, etc, still same result, no display.

My other GPU works fine yet and tested in both PCI-E slots. Crossfire doesn't work anymore either obviously. GPU-Z, MSI AB, nothing even detects the defective GPU at all.

Anyone had this issue and is there any way to fix it some other way ? Think it's RMA time otherwise. I hope Sapphire is easy to work with.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nightz2k*
> 
> I guess my 2nd 7950 died or whatever. Was playing a game for about an hour and then it just locked up, then I rebooted, no display. Well the fans work and seems functional, but there's no display at all. I've tried switching the GPU's around, changed PCI-E slots, tried it as a single card, still no display. I uninstalled drivers, rebooted, reinstalled, tried other versions, rebooted, etc, still same result, no display.
> 
> My other GPU works fine yet and tested in both PCI-E slots. Crossfire doesn't work anymore either obviously. GPU-Z, MSI AB, nothing even detects the defective GPU at all.
> 
> Anyone had this issue and is there any way to fix it some other way ? Think it's RMA time otherwise. I hope Sapphire is easy to work with.


Sounds like it has gone to GPU heaven unfortunately.


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> PPC's now carry Heatkiller blocks for these:
> 
> XFX Radeon HD 7970 Double Dissipation 925MHz (FX-797A-TDFC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
> XFX Radeon HD 7970 Black Edition Double Dissipation 1000Mhz (FX-797A-TDBC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
> XFX Radeon HD 7950 Double Dissipation 800Mhz (FX-795A-TDJC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
> XFX Radeon HD 7950 Black Edition Double Dissipation 900Mhz (FX-795A-TDBC) - only VPEAC3861PS8
> XFX Radeon HD 7970 Double Dissipation Edition 1050MHz GHz (FX-797G-TDFC) - only VPEAC3814PS10
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=37996&zenid=de8268a873255cc377c814d81f5bb364


+1


----------



## PedroC1999

Ate there any reference 7950 blocks that cover the whole PCB, or what are the ones that cover the most?


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Ate there any reference 7950 blocks that cover the whole PCB, or what are the ones that cover the most?


The Swiftech Komodo waterblocks cover the entire PCB.

http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx


----------



## PedroC1999

Any others, those are way over my budget for 2 of them!


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Any others, those are way over my budget for 2 of them!


EK :

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/blocks/vga-blocks/ati-radeon-full-cover-blocks/radeon-hd-7xx0-series.html?p=2

Alphacool:

http://www.alphacool.com/index.php/cat/c38_ATI-Fullsize.html

If you choose an Alphacool waterblock, make sure you choose the ones with the bulky attachment on the right. Make sure your card has a compatible PCB(any reference based card should be, there's plenty of info [email protected]) Also, make sure which PCB your card has: a 7950 PCB OR a 7970 PCB, despite being those two 7950 you won, maybe Powercolor is using a 7970 PCB and so you should select a 7970 waterblock


----------



## PedroC1999

Thanks, will those blocks work with crustal links like these?

http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/14-Thread-Variable-Triple-Slot-SLI--CrossFire-VID-Fitting--Silver-pid-5192.html

? and how many will I need?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Thanks, will those blocks work with crustal links like these?
> 
> http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/14-Thread-Variable-Triple-Slot-SLI--CrossFire-VID-Fitting--Silver-pid-5192.html
> 
> ? and how many will I need?


Gotten your cash yet mang?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Gotten your cash yet mang?


Yup, thats why Im asking, and are these good blocks?

http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/Alphacool-NexXxos-ATXP-Full-Cover-Waterblock-for-Reference-Design-AMD-ATI-7970--7950-Graphics-Card--Black-Nickel-pid-16190.html ?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Yup, thats why Im asking, and are these good blocks?
> 
> http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/Alphacool-NexXxos-ATXP-Full-Cover-Waterblock-for-Reference-Design-AMD-ATI-7970--7950-Graphics-Card--Black-Nickel-pid-16190.html ?


Im not the right person to ask about water. If you want air cooling tips ask me!


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Thanks, will those blocks work with crustal links like these?
> 
> http://www.specialtech.co.uk/spshop/customer/14-Thread-Variable-Triple-Slot-SLI--CrossFire-VID-Fitting--Silver-pid-5192.html
> 
> ? and how many will I need?


http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=59_971_240_999

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_580&products_id=36088

LInk 2 wut im using on my red 7950s


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=59_971_240_999
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_580&products_id=36088
> 
> LInk 2 wut im using on my red 7950s


Are they good though?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Are they good though?


No his rig suxxorz oke


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Are they good though?


? There Alphacool everything Alphacool is top quality.

Even the back plate is a passive heatsink.. " and it does get quite warm"



All Water blocks are close tho there is only like 1-2c difference between the best and the worst,

Really comes down to looks and how much you want to pay..

But the Bling Bling factor on these his high..

Just try not to touch it finger prints a nitemare to get off lol.


----------



## PedroC1999

Thanks, and Im ordering their backplate too


----------



## Anoxy

Will the 6GB 7970 provide a noticeable increase in performance at 1440p, over the 3GB card?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Will the 6GB 7970 provide a noticeable increase in performance at 1440p, over the 3GB card?


Only if you use downsamapling and very high SSAA on games that use mass amounts of VRAM, but even still....not likely.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Will the 6GB 7970 provide a noticeable increase in performance at 1440p, over the 3GB card?


Just check all the reviews. Almost no game pass 3gb on single gpu. There is no such gpu power to load 6gb textures. You need quad fire for this and probably over 3 monitors.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Will the 6GB 7970 provide a noticeable increase in performance at 1440p, over the 3GB card?


when i was about to switch from my 6970 to the 7970 i asked the same thing....since i run 3x1080p right now and later will prolly go 3x1440p but really only like running one video card(i play a lot in windowed full screen mode, so the other card is not engaged) but i went with the MSI TF3 over the 6GB Vapor-X and so far on 3x1080p i have yet to see it maxed out...i have come close, but like they said really no one 7970 will play many games well @ 3x1440p


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Will the 6GB 7970 provide a noticeable increase in performance at 1440p, over the 3GB card?
> 
> 
> 
> when i was about to switch from my 6970 to the 7970 i asked the same thing....since i run 3x1080p right now and later will prolly go 3x1440p but really only like running one video card(i play a lot in windowed full screen mode, so the other card is not engaged) but i went with the MSI TF3 over the 6GB Vapor-X and so far on 3x1080p i have yet to see it maxed out...i have come close, but like they said really no one 7970 will play many games well @ 3x1440p
Click to expand...

Pushing almost 12m pixels on one gpu... there are easier and cheaper ways to have a frustrating experience.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Will the 6GB 7970 provide a noticeable increase in performance at 1440p, over the 3GB card?
> 
> 
> 
> when i was about to switch from my 6970 to the 7970 i asked the same thing....since i run 3x1080p right now and later will prolly go 3x1440p but really only like running one video card(i play a lot in windowed full screen mode, so the other card is not engaged) but i went with the MSI TF3 over the 6GB Vapor-X and so far on 3x1080p i have yet to see it maxed out...i have come close, but like they said really no one 7970 will play many games well @ 3x1440p
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Pushing almost 12m pixels on one gpu... there are easier and cheaper ways to have a frustrating experience.
Click to expand...

ROFL


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Pushing almost 12m pixels on one gpu... there are easier and cheaper ways to have a frustrating experience.


i really dont play too demanding of games...i play leauge of legends which doesnt even get my card out of power play most of the time.....and really i have never seen it struggle with anything else so far...


----------



## Anoxy

I play the most demanding games on purpose. I'm a sucker for pretty graphics.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I play the most demanding games on purpose. I'm a sucker for pretty graphics.


I second that..


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I second that..












Fork the FPS. Let all those graphics violate us


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Ate there any reference 7950 blocks that cover the whole PCB, or what are the ones that cover the most?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> The Swiftech Komodo waterblocks cover the entire PCB.
> 
> http://www.swiftech.com/komodo-hd7900.aspx


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Any others, those are way over my budget for 2 of them!


think about what you are getting ... you just paid what $20 for a backplate..... 


forgive the mess have not had time to fix and i am going to have to get my orings from swiftech as no one in town had them ( for my fittings )
FULL cover block unlike alphacool, backplate, which you have to pay for from alphacool, and single slot bracket, which i dont know if alphacool makes...

when i say full cover... i mean 100% of the pcb
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I second that..


i third that... but they have to had at least a decent story


----------



## tsm106

Lol, I think you use more hosiery than I do.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Lol, I think you use more hosiery than I do.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


will be going away as soon as i decide weather to do acrylic or copper tubing, and get the funds for the fittings...., on the back burner atm .... and i just need to get time during the day to call swiftech and get an oring for my sli fittings so i can use them
considering when i was jobless i purchased like 2k worth of pc stuffs. i think i am doing ok though... i just like having some monies in the bank for rainy days....


----------



## tsm106

Get QDCs since you have cfx.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Get QDCs since you have cfx.


o it is on the list... swiftech just released theirs... in a few months will be ordering something like 1k worth of stuff from swiftech directly....


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> +1
> think about what you are getting ... you just paid what $20 for a backplate.....
> 
> 
> forgive the mess have not had time to fix and i am going to have to get my orings from swiftech as no one in town had them ( for my fittings )
> FULL cover block unlike alphacool, backplate, which you have to pay for from alphacool, and single slot bracket, which i dont know if alphacool makes...
> 
> when i say full cover... i mean 100% of the pcb
> i third that... but they have to had at least a decent story


So your point is? Your blocks still perform middle to the lower end of the pack..

When it comes to cooling Alphacool

> all day long twice on Sunday.

Some people do not like that full cover look and diff do not like the 160$ price tag + Swift tech charges Crazy shipping prices..

The alphacool is 103$ + 20$ = 123$ and will out perform your block.

The Ek is similar price and out performs your block.

The Aquacomputer similar price out performs your block


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So your point is? Your blocks still perform middle to the lower end of the pack..
> 
> When it comes to cooling Alphacool
> 
> > all day long twice on Sunday.
> 
> Some people do not like that full cover look and diff do not like the 160$ price tag + Swift tech charges Crazy shipping prices..
> 
> The alphacool is 103$ + 20$ = 123$ and will out perform your block.
> 
> The Ek is similar price and out performs your block.
> 
> The Aquacomputer similar price out performs your block


pretty sure this is wrong.....pretty sure the EK and the Swiftech are on par with each other


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> So your point is? Your blocks still perform middle to the lower end of the pack..
> 
> When it comes to cooling Alphacool
> 
> > all day long twice on Sunday.
> 
> Some people do not like that full cover look and diff do not like the 160$ price tag + Swift tech charges Crazy shipping prices..
> 
> The alphacool is 103$ + 20$ = 123$ and will out perform your block.
> 
> The Ek is similar price and out performs your block.
> 
> The Aquacomputer similar price out performs your block


well your fine with that great... my gpus have yet to break 40c. they dont perform middle of the pack when used properly.
and swiftech has some of the best shipping i have seen... most orders ~ 10-15 i dont know where you buy yours from.
and 160? i see 155......
and i have yet to see a SINGLE review in which they are done properly. ( they are made for cfx not single gpu OR parallel )
i have said many times i MUCH perfer anything swiftech makes over any other brand for many reason ( excluding rads, in which i prefer alphacool )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> pretty sure this is wrong.....pretty sure the EK and the Swiftech are on par with each other


+1 in all the reviews i have seen


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> well your fine with that great... my gpus have yet to break 40c. they dont perform middle of the pack when used properly.
> and swiftech has some of the best shipping i have seen... most orders ~ 10-15 i dont know where you buy yours from.
> and 160? i see 155......
> and i have yet to see a SINGLE review in which they are done properly. ( they are made for cfx not single gpu )
> i have said many times i MUCH perfer anything swiftech makes over any other brand for many reason ( excluding rads, in which i prefer alphacool )


I have 3 and there 34C lol And run cooler then your 2 after running 24 hrs a day 7 days a week for a month in an 82 degree room.






Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> pretty sure this is wrong.....pretty sure the EK and the Swiftech are on par with each other


Gpu block round up i seen had them performing in the middle / bottom of the pack.. to the point people were making fun of them.


----------



## tsm106

Dude, your temps are a function of radiator space and ambient temp, not necessarily the blocks. To prove ownage you would have to run the same exact amount of rads.


----------



## sugarhell

I thought that komodo is on par with ek. Just ek flow>any


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dude, your temps are a function of radiator space and ambient temp, not necessarily the blocks. To prove ownage you would have to run the same exact amount of rads.


The ownage was the Swift tech being 155$ + 33$ shipping

The Alphacool Block + back plate being 131$ shipped after you use OCN55 code on performance pcs.



http://s792.photobucket.com/user/hokies83/media/alphacool_zps6c9280b0.jpg.html


----------



## Mega Man

dont know where you live... shipping on one is just over $13, shipping on 2 is just over $14
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> The ownage was the Swift tech being 155$ + 33$ shipping
> 
> The Alphacool Block + back plate being 131$ shipped after you use OCN55 code on performance pcs.


using said code you can also buy komodo @ Performance....


----------



## Hokies83

The Alphacool + backplate is Still Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy cheaper.

The only block id pay more money for is a Heat Killer and there was no ref 7950 pcb option at the time..

It is the performance king and still cheaper then the swiftech.


----------



## phillyd

The 6GB 7970's are for 2+cards running 3 monitors at higher than 1080p. like a solid setup would be three 1440p monitors with 3 or 4 6GB cards


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> The Alphacool + backplate is Still Wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy cheaper.


and if all you want is price. that is fine. just make sure you dont ever buy noctura, typhoons, intel i5/i7, nvidia ..... because... well they all are WAY more expensive then their counterparts...

if you purchase biased on stuff like quality, customer service, and personal experience. then you generally wont care about 20ish because 20 dollars in all honesty, means nothing in life.

please note i am not saying ek or any other brand for that matter including intel nvidia ect. are not quality just using them for price point


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> and if all you want is price. that is fine. just make sure you dont every buy noctura, typhoons, intel i5/i7, nvidia ..... because... well they all are WAY more expensive then their counterparts...
> 
> if you purchase biased on stuff like quality, customer service, and personal experience. then you generally wont care about 20ish because 20 dollars in all honesty, means nothing in life.
> 
> please note i am not saying ek or any other brand for that matter including intel nvidia ect. are not quality just using them for price point


My blocks cost less and out perform yours. The heat killer cost less and out performs yours the Aqua computer cost less and out performs yours..

That is the point.. Swiftech over charging for that Block... Like Nvidia does for Gpus while its amd counter parts out perform it and cost less.
Ive called Swiftech customer service 3-4 times guy barely spoke english... he know the answer to my question tho..

Amd does not have a counter part for a 3770k? only the 3570k ?

The selling points for that block are full cover and a sleek look.. " the only things on a gpu that really need lots of cooling are the core and the Vrms... So going past the Vrms with a block has no fuction other then looks.

Also if u want the red lights / Sli bridge.


----------



## OneGun

Why is there always so much disrespect in the club?


----------



## Mega Man

all i can do is LOL at your "outperforms" all reviews i have seen they are all in the margin of error, ( what like 2c difference? )
with that this conversation will be at a close as i can see it is like beating my head against a brick wall.

i like swiftech because they dont care what others are doing. gabe does things because they are safer, better, and in his experience the best way, if you ever need anything you just have to call them. they are going to send me orings with no questions asked, just because i asked for them. for free. i have said many times. swiftech customer service is BEST in class. they are what every other company wishes they had but wont spend the monies on. imo their blocks look better, perform better, and are better. well worth the small amount extra. on the side note. all the other companies who have started to offer real full cover blocks. well their price point is similar to swiftech.... i wonder why ?

if you like ek good go with them they make fine products. same with all the other manufactures. as for me ill stick with swiftech.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Why is there always so much disrespect in the club?


Why? Only little things not something major. Majority of the post here is helpful


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> all i can do is LOL at your "outperforms" all reviews i have seen they are all in the margin of error, ( what like 2c difference? )
> with that this conversation will be at a close as i can see it is like beating my head against a brick wall.
> 
> i like swiftech because they dont care what others are doing. gabe does things because they are safer, better, and in his experience the best way, if you ever need anything you just have to call them. they are going to send me orings with no questions asked, just because i asked for them. for free. i have said many times. swiftech customer service is BEST in class. they are what every other company wishes they had but wont spend the monies on. imo their blocks look better, perform better, and are better. well worth the small amount extra. on the side note. all the other companies who have started to offer real full cover blocks. well their price point is similar to swiftech.... i wonder why ?
> 
> if you like ek good go with them they make fine products. same with all the other manufactures. as for me ill stick with swiftech.


They do not perform better.... And looks depends on the person looking at them.. some people love it some hate it.

and are not worth 30$ over the next most expensive block.... " only if ur a Swiftech fan" or want that look... But not from a performance stand point.

I own 3 swiftech products so i do not hate swiftech... but when u throw up a big price and the performance numbers do not back up the price.. im not standing behind it..

Logitech has the best customer service ive dealt with.. they have sent me 3 free mice and 2 free kbs free shipping and all after they were out of warranty.

Now ima get my 12 7950s back to folding... while i watch the TV.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Why? Only little things not something major. Majority of the post here is helpful


only complaint i have is everyone bashing things. just because you dont like them does not mean you have to attempt ( and usually fail when proof is provided ) to bash them. as i said ek, heatkiller, alphacool, AC, ect make good products... but i dont prefer them. i dont hide it. but i dont tell you " yours sucks" the thing that makes this world great is its diversity. people need to realize that.

if you feel it is better say that!~ "i think" "i prefer" i think so much is lost because people dont fully communicate, so much is lost in the translation to text. you dont see the body language, facial expressions. all the other parts of communication you have to compensate for.

then there is EPEEN.....
so many people feel they have to have the best, intel vs amd, nvidia vs amd....( ati ) sure we all have the preferences. but meh we are all here to enjoy not destroy.


----------



## sugarhell

They actually perform better


----------



## tsm106

^^Top chart is delta
Bottom chart is flow


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Top chart is delta
> Bottom chart is flow


It isnt obvious? xd


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> They do not perform better.... And looks depends on the person looking at them.. some people love it some hate it.
> 
> and are not worth 30$ over the next most expensive block.... " only if ur a Swiftech fan" or want that look... But not from a performance stand point.
> 
> I own 3 swiftech products so i do not hate swiftech... but when u throw up a big price and the performance numbers do not back up the price.. im not standing behind it..
> 
> Logitech has the best customer service ive dealt with.. they have sent me 3 free mice and 2 free kbs free shipping and all after they were out of warranty.
> 
> Now ima get my 12 7950s back to folding... while i watch the TV.


i lied... this is the last.

i never said swiftech blocks looked beter? please show me wheere i said they look better. i did say i think they look better. there is no wrong answer to that. i never said you have to feel the exact way i do.

and lastly the real reason i decided to respond one more time. all i keep hearing from you is "they perform worse"

can i please see some







?

and please if it is 2c then i will lol. 2c is well within margin of error. i am asking for reputable proof. not some guy in his basement. i want to see ambient. multiple mounts. and all data, preferred would be proper application but i already know that NO ONE has done a review in this way ( again swiftechs are DESIGNED to be in parallel, not just the GPUS but parallel after the CPU block as well. ) i dont expect to see that.

when you use something as it is designed to be done.... well... it works much better., gabe has already posted as to his design. flow was SUPPOSED to be reduced. they are not designed to be in a ALL serial loop. there are methods to his madness.

edit
so your telling me the .9c difference between top performer and swiftech is horrid? i again still call margin of error .

( i know he didnt post that proof. but from what i have seen that is the only semi reputable review. only reason i say semi is unlike when martin does his reviews you dont see all his data. )


----------



## tsm106

Dude, who cares what block you have as long as its not Danger Den or XSPC.


----------



## sugarhell

Find a room guys.







Or at least send pm


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Find a room guys.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Or at least send pm


ooo OCN offers rooms now !~~~~

where !~


----------



## Nonehxc

Lol, just drop your pants and compare which waterblock is bigger


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Lol, just drop your pants and compare which waterblock is bigger


Hahahaha. That was nice-rep


----------



## Mega Man

so wrong .... so wrong


----------



## Xozat

I'm getting some screen tearing in League of Legends which I'm currently trying to fix, I've tried Graphics Drivers and different settings e.g Vsync etc. But having no luck so far.

Monitor is running 60Hz and tried 2 DVI cables.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Xozat*
> 
> I'm getting some screen tearing in League of Legends which I'm currently trying to fix, I've tried Graphics Drivers and different setteings e.g Vsync etc. But having no luck so far.


You are playing moba with vsync? I just cap it at 120 fps almost no tearing


----------



## Mega Man

if you throw your rig in rig builder it would help ~

also which drivers have you used? gpu overclock? cpu overclock.....


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Xozat*
> 
> I'm getting some screen tearing in League of Legends which I'm currently trying to fix, I've tried Graphics Drivers and different settings e.g Vsync etc. But having no luck so far.
> 
> Monitor is running 60Hz and tried 2 DVI cables.


Buy a waterblock for your DVI cables









Just kidding. Vsync should get rid of screen tearing yes or yes...if it's applied, you shouldn't get any screen tearing. Are you using vsync ingame or through CCC?

EDIT: As Sugarhell said, capping the frame rate at a value which your card can easily hold eliminates tearing and has the added value of no *input lag*, which depending on the vsync solution you use(many ingame vsync methods are power hogs, halve your fps when under 60 or just don't work)may be negligible or a PITHOTA.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dude, who cares what block you have as long as its not Danger Den or XSPC.


The Danger Den ones are heavy and ugly but perform quite well lol


----------



## tsm106

They make my eyes bleed!~


----------



## phillyd

I managed to let mine look decent.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I managed to let mine look decent.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


rip DD. hope rumors of them coming back are true...


----------



## phillyd

That would be awesome! My best sponsor revived


----------



## kj1060

So I got my first BSOD in a while. Was closing BF3, completely stock graphics cards, and running 13.5 Beta. I am guessing I need to re-install AMD drivers after installing 2 more cards.

Edit: Also I noticed while installing the cards that the BIOS switch was in the "2" position and so I switched them to "1", any reason why that might have been?


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i lied... this is the last.
> 
> i never said swiftech blocks looked beter? please show me wheere i said they look better. i did say i think they look better. there is no wrong answer to that. i never said you have to feel the exact way i do.
> 
> and lastly the real reason i decided to respond one more time. all i keep hearing from you is "they perform worse"
> 
> can i please see some
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ?
> 
> and please if it is 2c then i will lol. 2c is well within margin of error. i am asking for reputable proof. not some guy in his basement. i want to see ambient. multiple mounts. and all data, preferred would be proper application but i already know that NO ONE has done a review in this way ( again swiftechs are DESIGNED to be in parallel, not just the GPUS but parallel after the CPU block as well. ) i dont expect to see that.
> 
> when you use something as it is designed to be done.... well... it works much better., gabe has already posted as to his design. flow was SUPPOSED to be reduced. they are not designed to be in a ALL serial loop. there are methods to his madness.
> 
> edit
> so your telling me the .9c difference between top performer and swiftech is horrid? i again still call margin of error .
> 
> ( i know he didnt post that proof. but from what i have seen that is the only semi reputable review. only reason i say semi is unlike when martin does his reviews you dont see all his data. )


For the price tag it should out perform every block but it does not. <-- this is what ur not understanding and my point...

And im not digging thru OCN to find the gpu block rd up.

The guy who has like 1k rads 2k fittings did the compare.. he is over in the wc club.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You are playing moba with vsync? I just cap it at 120 fps almost no tearing


dont ati card play better with vsync for everything?


----------



## Gregar Forte

Hi,I have a question to ask.Can a not too good power supply cause stuttering in game?For example,when under no load,the gpu 12V hovering between 11.94V-11.97V.But when under load for example playing Crysis 3,the gpu 12V dips to 11.63v and hovering between 11.63v and 11.75v despite 98%-99% gpu usage,the game stuttered.At lowest setting,it also stuttering.thanks for any answer.
psu 44A quad-rail.
driver catalalyst 13.5 beta 2


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I managed to let mine look decent.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


that is just lovely.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Hi,I have a question to ask.Can a not too good power supply cause stuttering in game?For example,when under no load,the gpu 12V hovering between 11.94V-11.97V.But when under load for example playing Crysis 3,the gpu 12V dips to 11.63v and hovering between 11.63v and 11.75v despite 98%-99% gpu usage,the game stuttered.At lowest setting,it also stuttering.thanks for any answer.
> psu 44A quad-rail.
> driver catalalyst 13.5 beta 2


it could. what's your cpu usage? temps/throttling can cause them, too. played about three hours of C3 yesterday using same driver and it was smooth.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Hi,I have a question to ask.Can a not too good power supply cause stuttering in game?For example,when under no load,the gpu 12V hovering between 11.94V-11.97V.But when under load for example playing Crysis 3,the gpu 12V dips to 11.63v and hovering between 11.63v and 11.75v despite 98%-99% gpu usage,the game stuttered.At lowest setting,it also stuttering.thanks for any answer.
> psu 44A quad-rail.
> driver catalalyst 13.5 beta 2


Those 12V readings are within ATX specs, so it should not be an issue, also if you're talking about 12V readings via software (GPU-Z, etc) those are not accurate readings.

Only a good digital multimeter can give you a accurate voltage reading.

If your GPU usage is at 99% then your PSU is good, card does not throttle/crash due insufficient 12V voltage.

CHEERS..


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Hi,I have a question to ask.Can a not too good power supply cause stuttering in game?For example,when under no load,the gpu 12V hovering between 11.94V-11.97V.But when under load for example playing Crysis 3,the gpu 12V dips to 11.63v and hovering between 11.63v and 11.75v despite 98%-99% gpu usage,the game stuttered.At lowest setting,it also stuttering.thanks for any answer.
> psu 44A quad-rail.
> driver catalalyst 13.5 beta 2


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Those 12V readings are within ATX specs, so it should not be an issue, also if you're talking about 12V readings via software (GPU-Z, etc) those are not accurate readings.
> 
> Only a good digital multimeter can give you a accurate voltage reading.
> 
> If your GPU usage is at 99% then your PSU is good, card does not throttle/crash due insufficient 12V voltage.
> 
> CHEERS..


sounds like RAM issues, I got similar when I had 4gig in crisis3, and your voltages would have to be far lower to cause problems.

my other board/psu run at 10.80v or something. and doesn't glitch.

maybe try stock clocks or a driver sweep if problem persists.


----------



## marsey99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Hi,I have a question to ask.Can a not too good power supply cause stuttering in game?For example,when under no load,the gpu 12V hovering between 11.94V-11.97V.But when under load for example playing Crysis 3,the gpu 12V dips to 11.63v and hovering between 11.63v and 11.75v despite 98%-99% gpu usage,the game stuttered.At lowest setting,it also stuttering.thanks for any answer.
> psu 44A quad-rail.
> driver catalalyst 13.5 beta 2
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Those 12V readings are within ATX specs, so it should not be an issue, also if you're talking about 12V readings via software (GPU-Z, etc) those are not accurate readings.
> 
> Only a good digital multimeter can give you a accurate voltage reading.
> 
> If your GPU usage is at 99% then your PSU is good, card does not throttle/crash due insufficient 12V voltage.
> 
> CHEERS..
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> sounds like RAM issues, I got similar when I had 4gig in crisis3, and your voltages would have to be far lower to cause problems.
> 
> my other board/psu run at 10.80v or something. and doesn't glitch.
> 
> maybe try stock clocks or a driver sweep if problem persists.
Click to expand...

fps stuttering in c3...online it will be some high ping selfish little scroat as the netcode for that game is bad. single player i would look at the hdd, make sure its not on its way out and the files are as defragged and in order as can be.

it could be the error checking on the vram if you have overclocked that any?


----------



## Gregar Forte

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> that is just lovely.
> it could. what's your cpu usage? temps/throttling can cause them, too. played about three hours of C3 yesterday using same driver and it was smooth.


Cpu usage 69-84%.When it is smooth,the gpu 12v is at 11.88v but when it is stuttering,it is at 11.63-11.75v.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Cpu usage 69-84%.When it is smooth,the gpu 12v is at 11.88v but when it is stuttering,it is at 11.63-11.75v.


how long you've owned it? it could just be the age.


----------



## Gregar Forte

About one year I think.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> About one year I think.


that's fairly new. i powered a 7970 with a 550W just fine but can't oc it. psu started whining when i did. anyway, your gpu is at stock right? if not bring it back to stock and see if it helps.


----------



## Gregar Forte

Its at Ghz speed.Its the same with stock but in Tomb Raider,it is buttery smooth.all the time in the game the gpu 12v always stay at 11.88v.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Its at Ghz speed.Its the same with stock but in Tomb Raider,it is buttery smooth.all the time in the game the gpu 12v always stay at 11.88v.


GHz, so it boosts itself to about 1000 or more.

here compare it to mine. just played C3 MP Hydro Dam with the chip at 4.5GHz HT off and 7970 stock . . .


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Well Finally got my 7950 GPUs under 85 C while folding







, All it took was Tape , paper , Big fans . Temps seem good for 100 % GPU loading non stop .

XFX in second slot - 73 C , HIS in first slot 83C , Both at 1100 Mhz , 1400 Mhz , + 20 Power .

I have 2 120mm x 38mm 230v AC fans at front of the case , air is pushed in , then all forced out the back past both GPU cards , All other exits are paper and tape to make sure there is no air leaks .

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8802874411/
flopzz by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Well Finally got my 7950 GPUs under 85 C while folding
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , All it took was *Tape , paper , Big fans* . Temps seem good for 100 % GPU loading non stop .
> 
> XFX in second slot - 73 C , HIS in first slot 83C , Both at 1100 Mhz , 1400 Mhz , + 20 Power .
> 
> I have 2 120mm x 38mm 230v AC fans at front of the case , air is pushed in , then all forced out the back past both GPU cards , All other exits are paper and tape to make sure there is no air leaks .
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8802874411/
> flopzz by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr


I've seen your Flickr and you seem to be some sort of mad Nikola Tesla. PHOTOS NAO!!!!


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Well Finally got my 7950 GPUs under 85 C while folding
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , All it took was Tape , paper , Big fans . Temps seem good for 100 % GPU loading non stop .
> 
> XFX in second slot - 73 C , HIS in first slot 83C , Both at 1100 Mhz , 1400 Mhz , + 20 Power .
> 
> I have 2 120mm x 38mm 230v AC fans at front of the case , air is pushed in , then all forced out the back past both GPU cards , All other exits are paper and tape to make sure there is no air leaks .
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8802874411/
> flopzz by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr


I want to see some pics of this mod.


----------



## Mackem

Got my WF3 7950 today but when I try to boot into Windows the screen just comes on, flashes black then goes off and keeps doing that. Display works in BIOS though.

Sometimes I see a pink line that flashes as well.


----------



## Krusher33

If it works fine in BIOS but not in Windows then it's a driver issue more than likely.


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> If it works fine in BIOS but not in Windows then it's a driver issue more than likely.


It works fine in BIOS, but sometimes there a small pink line at the bottom of the BIOS screen, but that goes away. I go to boot into Windows, I see the Windows logo and the spinning loading icon, then the screen flashes black then goes off, rinse and repeat.


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> I've seen your Flickr and you seem to be some sort of mad Nikola Tesla. PHOTOS NAO!!!!


I do love High voltage / making tesla coils n' stuff , Not completely mad .... but Close








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> I want to see some pics of this mod.


Is nothing to fancy , the fans at the front are 120mm 21 Watt each 230v AC fans . Then its green tape and paper on all the holes on the case so air can only go out the GPU's slots , Thus giving then high air flow









Not the best looking but it does the job

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8805359059/
IMG_0419 by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8805356829/
IMG_0422 by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr


----------



## ericeod

Thanks to twisted1 for finding and testing this. There is now a vbios editing tool able to edit the 7000 series:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twisted1*
> 
> That's correct, there WAS no way..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


Here is my modded bios with voltage now selectable to 1.256v in the latest version of GPU Tweak. DJ_OXyGeNe_8 has been able to increase the voltage much higher:

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ericeod/media/WIPvoltagetweak_zps89e7ed13.jpg.html
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Nice, this is the final solution for all bioses I think
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Default voltage is higher than stock bios, and highest voltage is higher than matrix bios
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can edit for 1.3V, 1.4V but not necessary I think. Becuase it's hard to go over 1220Mhz...
> 
> It's safe and enough for everyone. It also works with every GPU Tweak versions
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks to *twisted1*


I'll next need to test if Trixx will work now that the bios allows for higher settings.


----------



## Nonehxc

Lololol, there you go, pesky voltage lock!!

Go home, voltage lock! Go home, you're...EDITED.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> I do love High voltage / making tesla coils n' stuff , Not completely mad .... but Close
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is nothing to fancy , the fans at the front are 120mm 21 Watt each 230v AC fans . Then its green tape and paper on all the holes on the case so air can only go out the GPU's slots , Thus giving then high air flow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not the best looking but it does the job
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8805359059/
> IMG_0419 by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr
> 
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8805356829/
> IMG_0422 by TwirlyWhirly555, on Flickr


#

I think its good people modding to supplement their systems, ive done all sorts of things like this.



ive done the paper trick for my old rig, cardboard to escape hot air and fans blowing on to heatsinks etc.

I find having the case open and fans blowing on to components works best


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Thinking about getting another HD7950 to put in crossfire on air. Cause the prices are really good now.
> Would you guys say : go for it with the current prices or just wait untill something better comes out like the 8xxx series or something.
> 
> Bit concerned what my temps will be on air with 2x HD7950... Also bit concerned about microstutter and other problems. Never had crossfire before.
> Thanks for the advice !


I just bought my second 7950 Twin Frozr, I was the same as you, concerning about the temps, my temps are fine, also the performance is great!


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> #
> 
> I think its good people modding to supplement their systems, ive done all sorts of things like this.
> 
> 
> 
> ive done the paper trick for my old rig, cardboard to escape hot air and fans blowing on to heatsinks etc.
> 
> I find having the case open and fans blowing on to components works best


yeah me too..i dont think i posted this here but i did over in 3820 club...i have updated it since then so i will give both pics..

here is the old one


and here is the new one


----------



## d1nky

its a magic lil mod, my vrm temps stay low and it helps oc well.

im actually testing now and my vrms are warm. hopefully this will catch on with case manufacturers, I even drilled holes in the case side.

on topic I may be getting a asus 7970 soon. well if I can afford it, emailed a retailer and stock should come in at 6/6 at about £320


----------



## candy_van

Hi guys,

So I've had my 7950 for a little over a month now, and have noticed a pretty annoying issue:

If I leave my computer on a for a while idling, the video signal always seems to drop out after about 30min-1hr.
I'm not sure if this is the "black screen" issue people always complained about, because when I look that up it seems to be with cards under load (no problem there for me).

My cards done this when left completely stock, not just at current settings (again perfectly stable in games).
From what I can gather this is more of a driver issue, but I've seen no difference b/t using 13.1 and 13.4, do any of the beta drivers address this maybe?


----------



## sugarhell

Do you use display port?


----------



## candy_van

Nope DVI

My 7870 had no issues like this, and neither did my backup (4670), so I doubt it's the display.
I though about RMA, but I really feel like this is more driver related or maybe BIOS idk.

EDIT:

Found this over on [H] (thoughts?)
Seems like it might work; my display is set to standby after 30 mins, so I just turned that off completely...we'll see if that changes things.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *candy_van*
> 
> Nope DVI
> 
> My 7870 had no issues like this, and neither did my backup (4670), so I doubt it's the display.
> I though about RMA, but I really feel like this is more driver related or maybe BIOS idk.
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Found this over on [H]
> Seems like it might work, but the thing is I disabled monitor sleep in Windows after this happened the first few times...thoughts?


I always use unofficial overclocking. You can check my link on my rig.


----------



## candy_van

Haven't used AB or anything like that since the 58xx really (lazy I know).

So the old 0 to 1 trick will address power saving issues now?
From what I can gather here the display driver / card BIOS freak when the display is in sleep - something I'd have hoped they could have fixed with a driver update....


----------



## Hokies83

All 4 of my systems get BSOD code 116 after 3-4 days of 100% load 24/7 which in time killed one of my Gpu's..

Do not know if it is a Driver issue Amd gpu issue .. or a Z77 chipset issue.. cause there are no clues as to way it happens.


----------



## Spin Cykle

Finally had a chance to install EK blocks on my 7970's today! What a difference in temperatures (core and vrm)! Idle temps in the mid 20'S and full load temps in the low 40's @ 1.235 volts.

So far I've managed to get the cards up to 1250/1700 @1.235 volts with both core and VRM temps under 43F. I think there is still headroom, as the core clock still seems to scale with voltage, although its needing more and more volts every 25mhz. The memory I just set to 1700 @ 1.6 volts and have not messed with more than that.

Overall I'm extremly pleased with my purchase and look forward to pushing the cards further! Oh...... And I got a 3dMark 2011 Extreme Top 100 Hall of Fame Score!!!!!


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> Thanks to twisted1 for finding and testing this. There is now a vbios editing tool able to edit the 7000 series:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *twisted1*
> 
> That's correct, there WAS no way..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423
> 
> 
> 
> Here is my modded bios with voltage now selectable to 1.256v in the latest version of GPU Tweak. DJ_OXyGeNe_8 has been able to increase the voltage much higher:
> 
> http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ericeod/media/WIPvoltagetweak_zps89e7ed13.jpg.html
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DJ_OXyGeNe_8*
> 
> Nice, this is the final solution for all bioses I think
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Default voltage is higher than stock bios, and highest voltage is higher than matrix bios
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can edit for 1.3V, 1.4V but not necessary I think. Becuase it's hard to go over 1220Mhz...
> 
> It's safe and enough for everyone. It also works with every GPU Tweak versions
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks to *twisted1*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'll next need to test if Trixx will work now that the bios allows for higher settings.
Click to expand...

So...

Who's going to be the first guinea pig to run their card under load 24/7 @ 1.4v to see if it dies quickly or not?









I'm tempted.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> So...
> 
> Who's going to be the first guinea pig to run their card under load 24/7 @ 1.4v to see if it dies quickly or not?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm tempted.


Thats probably equivalent to a 3770k @ 1.65v 24/7/365 xD


----------



## Hokies83

took 3 weeks for 3 of my 7950s to degrade at 1.3v 24/7


----------



## kj1060

Alright... When I close GPU-Z, why does GPU 2 and GPU 3 temperature drop to zero in Afterburner?

Edit: Forgot to say which program I was using.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Alright... When I close GPU-Z, why does GPU 2 and GPU 3 temperature drop to zero in Afterburner?
> 
> Edit: Forgot to say which program I was using.


You have ulps enable


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You have ulps enable










Figures it was something simple. This I am not so sure about, now I am missing the graph for GPU 2 & 3 temperature. When I go to the Monitor tab there is no GPU 2 and 3 temperature that I can put a check mark next to.


----------



## Mackem

Anyone got a guide or help on how to overclock my GIGABYTE WF3 7950? I believe it's voltage locked?

What tools should I be using to overclock / test for stability and what temperatures and whatnot should I stay under?


----------



## zerokool_3211

what is this "black screen issue?

because the last couple of nights i have left my pc mining overnight with the same settings as normal and when i come ito it in the morning the screens are blacked out and i have to reboot the pc...it seems like it doesnt wake from SS


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Figures it was something simple. This I am not so sure about, now I am missing the graph for GPU 2 & 3 temperature. When I go to the Monitor tab there is no GPU 2 and 3 temperature that I can put a check mark next to.


If you disable ulps through AB you should get monitor for 3 gpus.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> its a magic lil mod, my vrm temps stay low and it helps oc well.
> 
> im actually testing now and my vrms are warm. hopefully this will catch on with case manufacturers, I even drilled holes in the case side.
> 
> on topic I may be getting a asus 7970 soon. well if I can afford it, emailed a retailer and stock should come in at 6/6 at about £320


There are actually a few manufacturers that implement this, just not enough imo. Azza and Rosewell have this on a few cases.


----------



## Belial

To anyone who owns a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X 3L - what is your overclock?

I've had 2 of these cards:
1. 1068mhz//1658mhz//1.169v 61% asic (dont think asic means anything but just fyi)
2. 1083mhz//1571mhz//1.169v 65% asic

I RMAd my first card because it rattled really badly: 




However my 2nd card rattles too! Not as bad as the first one, but it still does, especially at 100% fan speed (which of course is best to run on any GPGPU program as fan uses ~1w, 70w to 80w uses about 40w+ more power). These cards suck.

I'm just curious on the results of other 3L owners - did I get unlucky, or all of these sapphires bad clockers? I have a strong feeling that there's something at issue with the card itself rather than me getting unlucky binning (2 cards with near exact overclocks, increased voltage has zero affect on stability or increase overclock at all, maybe it's heat wall but I dont know... i hit 80*C+ easily though and 1.169v is significantly less voltage than the stock 1.25v of the 1st bios profile).

Anyways, I regret this card. For a certain computational GPGPU program, I've come to realize that Hynix RAM and Memory Voltage control is actually much more important than Core voltage control or core overclock, ie ~100mhz additional RAM overclock will yield about $5 additional a month. However what really salts me is that the card rattles. I thought my original Sapphire was simply a faulty model, but now I realize they all rattle due to the cheap plastic sheath they use (maybe I should simply remove it?).

I believe all of the gigabytes, including the new voltage locked ones, use Hynix, so I sort of wish I went with one of those and just replaced the awful heatsink on it (3x75mm fans are insanely loud, its why the tf3 is so much louder than all the other 7950 models). I'm considering also just returning my 7950 and exchanging it for a reference model and then using a closed loop mod on it; does anyone know if any of the reference models use hynix 100% of the time and have memory voltage control?

I'm also thinking of buying an Asus Dc2 V2 off ebay for ~$275 (market rate atm). Asus does serial number warranty and with ebay's pay-later, I can order the asus now, and pay for it in a month by the time I have my asus and have shipped back my sapphire.


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> To anyone who owns a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X 3L - what is your overclock?
> 
> I've had 2 of these cards:
> 1. 1068mhz//1658mhz//1.169v 61% asic (dont think asic means anything but just fyi)
> 2. 1083mhz//1571mhz//1.169v 65% asic
> 
> I RMAd my first card because it rattled really badly:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However my 2nd card rattles too! Not as bad as the first one, but it still does, especially at 100% fan speed (which of course is best to run on any GPGPU program as fan uses ~1w, 70w to 80w uses about 40w+ more power). These cards suck.
> 
> I'm just curious on the results of other 3L owners - did I get unlucky, or all of these sapphires bad clockers? I have a strong feeling that there's something at issue with the card itself rather than me getting unlucky binning (2 cards with near exact overclocks, increased voltage has zero affect on stability or increase overclock at all, maybe it's heat wall but I dont know... i hit 80*C+ easily though and 1.169v is significantly less voltage than the stock 1.25v of the 1st bios profile).
> 
> Anyways, I regret this card. For a certain computational GPGPU program, I've come to realize that Hynix RAM and Memory Voltage control is actually much more important than Core voltage control or core overclock, ie ~100mhz additional RAM overclock will yield about $5 additional a month. However what really salts me is that the card rattles. I thought my original Sapphire was simply a faulty model, but now I realize they all rattle due to the cheap plastic sheath they use (maybe I should simply remove it?).
> 
> I believe all of the gigabytes, including the new voltage locked ones, use Hynix, so I sort of wish I went with one of those and just replaced the awful heatsink on it (3x75mm fans are insanely loud, its why the tf3 is so much louder than all the other 7950 models). I'm considering also just returning my 7950 and exchanging it for a reference model and then using a closed loop mod on it; does anyone know if any of the reference models use hynix 100% of the time and have memory voltage control?
> 
> I'm also thinking of buying an Asus Dc2 V2 off ebay for ~$275 (market rate atm). Asus does serial number warranty and with ebay's pay-later, I can order the asus now, and pay for it in a month by the time I have my asus and have shipped back my sapphire.


2 MSI TF3 for sale over on AnAndtech for 260$ each.


----------



## Belial

^ Thanks, but I can't find it?

I'm thinking of either buying a certain 7950 that uses hynix + memory voltage, even if it's reference (or maybe even just hynix, i might consider that) and putting an aftermarket cooler on it, or an asus dc2 v2 off ebay (it has hynix and memory voltage as I understand, and its quieter... but it's all tradeoffs, prices, ie 7950 + h60 mount vs asus dc2).


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> ^ Thanks, but I can't find it?
> 
> I'm thinking of either buying a certain 7950 that uses hynix + memory voltage, even if it's reference (or maybe even just hynix, i might consider that) and putting an aftermarket cooler on it, or an asus dc2 v2 off ebay (it has hynix and memory voltage as I understand, and its quieter... but it's all tradeoffs, prices, ie 7950 + h60 mount vs asus dc2).


Why is the Hynix RAM so important to you? You shouldn't let it deter you from an otherwise good card.

Memory frequency doesn't make that big of a difference in games, and Elpida chips are still stable enough to bench at high frequencies.


----------



## Belial

About 100mhz increased memory clock results in about $10+ a month in a GPGPU program I use. It's actually significantly more important to me than core clock is. The particular program I use also requires that my core-to-memory clocks be ~55-65%. I, and everyone else who uses this program, get better results with, say, 1050mhz Core//1650 Memory, then, say, 1200 Core// 1500 memory.

I don't mind people being curious, but there's a specific reason I ask for what I ask for. Don't tell me "oh memory overclocking is a waste", if it's what I want to do that should be good enough, but fyi, what I do actually requires high VRAm clocks, much more than core clocks.

Finally, there's what, a dozen different 7950 models all similarly priced? Why would you not want to buy the BEST 7950 to choose from? it's absurd to me that people are okay picking the 2nd best 7950. I'm just not that kind of person, especially if it's $300... I understand the 7950 is a good chip and even the 'worst' 7950 isn't really that much worse than the 'best', but sorry, I want to buy the best (or best for value, of course).

Seriously. This is OCN, but lately it seems more like "meh, just spend 10 minutes tinkering and then get back to playing the latest COD, who cares about finding the true limits of your hardware and spending weeks on end learning the ins and outs of the latest technology and reaching the ultimate overclock to the single mhz or timing." To me, I'd rather spend 4 months getting 20mhz more or a single timing a step higher, than playing games. _That_, to me, is a lot more fun than playing some factory pumped out game that takes zero skill to play, has zero competitive virtue, and will be replaced by the exact same game in 2 years (am I crazy that the average time I spend on a game is 5 years?).

Games. ha. Who buys 7950s just to play games?


----------



## Snuckie7

Ah fair enough. The problem you run into here, is that you may not be able to find _any_ 7950's that have what you're looking for.

Might have to look into used cards.


----------



## th3illusiveman

This accursed card will not overclock






























Even now it can barely do 1125/1450 which is pathetic on a 7970 imo. I wouldn't even be mad if i didn't spend $100 on an accelero that killed my actual good chip then another $60 shipping the thing to the RMA office and back twice. I wouldn't even look at the GTX780 if i was running at 1200/1700+ but man it sure is temping right now. I think Powercolors custom PCB is made out of cheap junk and that this core would be way better off on a reference PCB. Vdroop is insane on this thing and i would probably need to push in 1.35v or something ridiculous like that for a 1200Mhz overclock. ( Only thing to do now is wait and see how cheap the GTX770 makes 7970s then maybe i can grab a reference card for cheap and OC that.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> This accursed card will not overclock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even now it can barely do 1125/1450 which is pathetic on a 7970 imo. I wouldn't even be mad if i didn't spend $100 on an accelero that killed my actual good chip then another $60 shipping the thing to the RMA office and back twice. I wouldn't even look at the GTX780 if i was running at 1200/1700+ but man it sure is temping right now. I think Powercolors custom PCB is made out of cheap junk and that this core would be way better off on a reference PCB. The worst overclocking card i've owned by quite a large margin.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Only thing to do now is wait and see how cheap the GTX770 makes 7970s then maybe i can grab a reference card for cheap and OC that.


REF card + accelero is a win


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> This accursed card will not overclock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even now it can barely do 1125/1450 which is pathetic on a 7970 imo. I wouldn't even be mad if i didn't spend $100 on an accelero that killed my actual good chip then another $60 shipping the thing to the RMA office and back twice. I wouldn't even look at the GTX780 if i was running at 1200/1700+ but man it sure is temping right now. I think Powercolors custom PCB is made out of cheap junk and that this core would be way better off on a reference PCB. Vdroop is insane on this thing and i would probably need to push in 1.35v or something ridiculous like that for a 1200Mhz overclock. ( Only thing to do now is wait and see how cheap the GTX770 makes 7970s then maybe i can grab a reference card for cheap and OC that.


I dont feel that bad about my 7970 anymore lol. Sorry about your card man, i felt the same way when i had my 7970 Matrix.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> REF card + accelero is a win


Might buy an accelero pretty soon. Ill be able to run 1250/1850 24/7 if i keep it under 60C on loads (1225mV)


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> This accursed card will not overclock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even now it can barely do 1125/1450 which is pathetic on a 7970 imo. I wouldn't even be mad if i didn't spend $100 on an accelero that killed my actual good chip then another $60 shipping the thing to the RMA office and back twice. I wouldn't even look at the GTX780 if i was running at 1200/1700+ but man it sure is temping right now. I think Powercolors custom PCB is made out of cheap junk and that this core would be way better off on a reference PCB. Vdroop is insane on this thing and i would probably need to push in 1.35v or something ridiculous like that for a 1200Mhz overclock. ( Only thing to do now is wait and see how cheap the GTX770 makes 7970s then maybe i can grab a reference card for cheap and OC that.


How did the Accelero kill your chip? I agree about Powercolors pcb. My 6970 pcs+ developed some massive sag.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> How did the Accelero kill your chip? I agree about Powercolors pcb. My 6970 pcs+ developed some massive sag.


My cards are so bendy that I can wrap them up into a ball!


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> About 100mhz increased memory clock results in about $10+ a month in a GPGPU program I use. It's actually significantly more important to me than core clock is. The particular program I use also requires that my core-to-memory clocks be ~55-65%. I, and everyone else who uses this program, get better results with, say, 1050mhz Core//1650 Memory, then, say, 1200 Core// 1500 memory.
> 
> I don't mind people being curious, but there's a specific reason I ask for what I ask for. Don't tell me "oh memory overclocking is a waste", if it's what I want to do that should be good enough, but fyi, what I do actually requires high VRAm clocks, much more than core clocks.
> 
> Finally, there's what, a dozen different 7950 models all similarly priced? Why would you not want to buy the BEST 7950 to choose from? it's absurd to me that people are okay picking the 2nd best 7950. I'm just not that kind of person, especially if it's $300... I understand the 7950 is a good chip and even the 'worst' 7950 isn't really that much worse than the 'best', but sorry, I want to buy the best (or best for value, of course).
> 
> Seriously. This is OCN, but lately it seems more like "meh, just spend 10 minutes tinkering and then get back to playing the latest COD, who cares about finding the true limits of your hardware and spending weeks on end learning the ins and outs of the latest technology and reaching the ultimate overclock to the single mhz or timing." To me, I'd rather spend 4 months getting 20mhz more or a single timing a step higher, than playing games. _That_, to me, is a lot more fun than playing some factory pumped out game that takes zero skill to play, has zero competitive virtue, and will be replaced by the exact same game in 2 years (am I crazy that the average time I spend on a game is 5 years?).
> 
> Games. ha. Who buys 7950s just to play games?


I have one of those early 7950 (Gigabyte w/ windforce) and I have no idea what the memory is but it does 2000mhz or 1900mhz at 1.6v. You should probably look into those, very good card and very good cooler. Mine does 1235MHz at 1.3v with 100% fan but man the vrm stay at 70c on air with that volt!! Take a look for these cards, very low asic too


----------



## ebduncan

I have noticed that most of the high end 7000's series cards are hard to find atm.

Could be they just have that awesome game bundle, and are flying off the selves. Then I was reading the 780 GTX review over at TomsHardware, and he hinted

"But, I'm going to wait a week before deciding what I'd spend my money on in the high-end graphics market. You'd be wise to do the same&#8230;" at the end of that review. Is it new cards from AMD? or maybe the 770gtx and 760gtx?

Any who don't care i bought a Powercolor 7950 Reference Boost edition card. I bought a water block, and a extra radiator. I will be rocking the 7950 for the foreseeable future. Seems I got a good one as has hynix memory, and is voltage unlocked. Before I took my XFX 7950 out I decided to play with some crossfire :-D. I fired up all 4 of the games that came with the never settle reloaded promo @ 1080p maxed out, (AA as well x8) solid 60fps, smooth game play was really nice. Might have to look into getting a second card and another gpu block.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ebduncan/media/crossfire002_zps232c60cf.jpg.html

Ok enough fun with crossfire, wish i could keep it, but the XFX card needs to ship out to its new owner. So i started to play with the new card Just some quick tweaks has me at 1050 core/ 1575 default voltage. Will do more once the water block comes in the mail Tuesday.

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/8v8uw/


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> How did the Accelero kill your chip? I agree about Powercolors pcb. My 6970 pcs+ developed some massive sag.


Accelero heatsinks are terribad,. My old chip hit 1225Mhz with 1.169v and the core was always under 55c but the VRMS were at 100c in games like Sleeping dogs and they hit the high 90s in Unigine Valley. So i tried to replace them with a custom part which ended up shorting my sweet beautiful magnificent 7970







. I wouldn't have needed to do that had they not packed the cheapest VRM heatsinks they could make in a $100 cooler!









Now i'm stuck with this POS




























.

Still though, if you intend on buying one make absolutely sure your heatsinks are cleared from any of the capacitors on the PCB. The main reason soo many people kill their cards with this cooler is by shorting them out. Another reason many people "think" their cards are dead is because 7970s are very sensitive to how much pressure the screws around the core are. If you install the cooler and you get no signal take the card out and loosen the screws more and more and that will probably fix it. If you turn your PC on and see/smell smoke.. it's a short and it's dead. Another thing is to make sure the card isn't screwed into your PCI-E slot too tight, that's another thing that caused me to lose a signal when the card was still alive. These are just tips i'm giving that i wish i read when i was pulling my hair out lol.







It's the best air cooler on the market for cooling the core but it comes with the worst VRM heatsinks as well.


----------



## Bartouille

Remove the heatsinks and let the fan directly blow on it. My 7950 has no heatsink on the vrm and it tops 70C at 1.3v with 100% fan (i dont mind about noise when gaming







).


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Remove the heatsinks and let the fan directly blow on it. My 7950 has no heatsink on the vrm and it tops 70C at 1.3v with 100% fan (i dont mind about noise when gaming
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ).


This might not work. Your VRM's could be from a cooler running component type that does not require heat sink cooling.


----------



## d1nky

^^^ damn if you took the heatsink off with no vrm protection theyd just heat up and go pop!!

hence mobos have a thermal cut off, not sure if gfx cards do.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> This might not work. Your VRM's could be from a cooler running component type that does not require heat sink cooling.


They are running with no heatsinks and don't go over 80c. Problem is i think these VRMs Powercolor uses have some sort of limit as to how much voltage they can run hence why the Vdroop is so substantial and overclocking potential so poor and why they run soo cool.


----------



## almighty15

I changed the thermal paste on my 7950 Boost Edition and not it won't run at stock clocks without crashing.....

It's an MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 Boost with a stock core clock of 960Mhz...

I've flashed the spare BIOS with a regular boost BIOS of 880Mhz and it runs fine.... Put it in the stock 960Mhz BIOS and it crashes....

Temperatures for the VRM and core and not the issue as it runs an Antec 620 using the GPU mod and it never goes over 46c under load.

Is my card busted or it my PSU giving out under load? My PSU is only a few months old and is a BeQuiet 650w unit.


----------



## BradleyW

Deleted.


----------



## Hokies83

What tim? The tf3 cooler does not like CL LM or LU.. as i found out..


----------



## BradleyW

What is the best way besides water cooling to cool the VRM's on a Powercolor 7970 V3?
Is it worth using CLU and would it be easy to remove from the GPU die and copper base HS?
Thank you.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> What tim? The tf3 cooler does not like CL LM or LU.. as i found out..


Works fine for me?


----------



## BradleyW

How does CLU react on 7970's with copper base cooling?
Cheers.


----------



## Snuckie7

CLU only has problems with aluminum based metals.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> CLU only has problems with aluminum based metals.


My base has copper pipes running through. Would the other material be steel? I can't see the rest of the base being made of aluminium. I have the powercolor V3 7970 (AX7970).
Cheers mate.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> To anyone who owns a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X 3L - what is your overclock?
> 
> I've had 2 of these cards:
> 1. 1068mhz//1658mhz//1.169v 61% asic (dont think asic means anything but just fyi)
> 2. 1083mhz//1571mhz//1.169v 65% asic
> 
> I RMAd my first card because it rattled really badly:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> However my 2nd card rattles too! Not as bad as the first one, but it still does, especially at 100% fan speed (which of course is best to run on any GPGPU program as fan uses ~1w, 70w to 80w uses about 40w+ more power). These cards suck.
> 
> I'm just curious on the results of other 3L owners - did I get unlucky, or all of these sapphires bad clockers? I have a strong feeling that there's something at issue with the card itself rather than me getting unlucky binning (2 cards with near exact overclocks, increased voltage has zero affect on stability or increase overclock at all, maybe it's heat wall but I dont know... i hit 80*C+ easily though and 1.169v is significantly less voltage than the stock 1.25v of the 1st bios profile).
> 
> Anyways, I regret this card. For a certain computational GPGPU program, I've come to realize that Hynix RAM and Memory Voltage control is actually much more important than Core voltage control or core overclock, ie ~100mhz additional RAM overclock will yield about $5 additional a month. However what really salts me is that the card rattles. I thought my original Sapphire was simply a faulty model, but now I realize they all rattle due to the cheap plastic sheath they use (maybe I should simply remove it?).
> 
> I believe all of the gigabytes, including the new voltage locked ones, use Hynix, so I sort of wish I went with one of those and just replaced the awful heatsink on it (3x75mm fans are insanely loud, its why the tf3 is so much louder than all the other 7950 models). I'm considering also just returning my 7950 and exchanging it for a reference model and then using a closed loop mod on it; does anyone know if any of the reference models use hynix 100% of the time and have memory voltage control?
> 
> I'm also thinking of buying an Asus Dc2 V2 off ebay for ~$275 (market rate atm). Asus does serial number warranty and with ebay's pay-later, I can order the asus now, and pay for it in a month by the time I have my asus and have shipped back my sapphire.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> About 100mhz increased memory clock results in about $10+ a month in a GPGPU program I use. It's actually significantly more important to me than core clock is. The particular program I use also requires that my core-to-memory clocks be ~55-65%. I, and everyone else who uses this program, get better results with, say, 1050mhz Core//1650 Memory, then, say, 1200 Core// 1500 memory.
> 
> I don't mind people being curious, but there's a specific reason I ask for what I ask for. Don't tell me "oh memory overclocking is a waste", if it's what I want to do that should be good enough, but fyi, what I do actually requires high VRAm clocks, much more than core clocks.
> 
> Finally, there's what, a dozen different 7950 models all similarly priced? Why would you not want to buy the BEST 7950 to choose from? it's absurd to me that people are okay picking the 2nd best 7950. I'm just not that kind of person, especially if it's $300... I understand the 7950 is a good chip and even the 'worst' 7950 isn't really that much worse than the 'best', but sorry, I want to buy the best (or best for value, of course).
> 
> Seriously. This is OCN, but lately it seems more like "meh, just spend 10 minutes tinkering and then get back to playing the latest COD, who cares about finding the true limits of your hardware and spending weeks on end learning the ins and outs of the latest technology and reaching the ultimate overclock to the single mhz or timing." To me, I'd rather spend 4 months getting 20mhz more or a single timing a step higher, than playing games. _That_, to me, is a lot more fun than playing some factory pumped out game that takes zero skill to play, has zero competitive virtue, and will be replaced by the exact same game in 2 years (am I crazy that the average time I spend on a game is 5 years?).
> 
> Games. ha. Who buys 7950s just to play games?


1. No, not all Sapphires cards overclock bad. You got some bad cores thats it. Brand doesnt matter.
2. Your bad overclocking is partially because of user error. 80c? What do you expect?.
3. You complain about sapphire and you contemplate getting a 7000 card from ASUS? Man...

My 7950 VaporX Does 1280/1450. My new Sapphire ref 7970 does 1295/1850-1900.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My base has copper pipes running through. Would the other material be steel? I can't see the rest of the base being made of aluminium. I have the powercolor V3 7970 (AX7970).
> Cheers mate.


yes it is aluminum. best component for price besides copper for heat transfer
please note i did say " for price" if i had a few extra gold bars i would seriously make me some cpu and gpu blocks......

and my pc would be worth alot more LOL


----------



## BradleyW

What kind of issues does CLU have with aluminium? Looks like I will be using CFIII for my 7970's. I'm having heat issues!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What kind of issues does CLU have with aluminium? Looks like I will be using CFIII for my 7970's. I'm having heat issues!


short version... it eats it

to all the gpu brains here....
think 1.35v ( before drop ) would be harmful 24/7 thinking about trying it ( under water )


----------



## Mega Man

delete


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Works fine for me?


The TF3 cooler block base is not smooth it has groves in it and CL LU / LP would not stick to it..

But it was on Gpu tried it out temps were not so great since it did not aseem to like to bond to the bottom of the gpu block..

Removed it put some PK-1 temps dropped 10 C

All of my other gpu's are using CL LU the TF3 is the onlyone that did not like it.


----------



## BradleyW

Thank you everyone. Rep for all who helped.
So, I might try some CFIII on a single 7970 and test. It is 1c worse than hegrease and that other crazy TIM called indigo extreme.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> The TF3 cooler block base is not smooth it has groves in it and CL LU / LP would not stick to it..
> 
> But it was on Gpu tried it out temps were not so great since it did not aseem to like to bond to the bottom of the gpu block..
> 
> Removed it put some PK-1 temps dropped 10 C
> 
> All of my other gpu's are using CL LU the TF3 is the onlyone that did not like it.


Were you getting better or worse temps than stock?

If PK-1 is really that much better for the TFIII cooler I might have to pick some up. . .


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Were you getting better or worse temps than stock?
> 
> If PK-1 is really that much better for the TFIII cooler I might have to pick some up. . .


That's a very good question.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> They are running with no heatsinks and don't go over 80c. Problem is i think these VRMs Powercolor uses have some sort of limit as to how much voltage they can run hence why the Vdroop is so substantial and overclocking potential so poor and why they run soo cool.


I've had a powercolor 7970 up to 1.57V vcore, I think that was pretty close to the limit the VRMs can take, the very bottom one was getting burning hot to the touch at that point, but lived.
Vdroop was terrible, 1.57V was loading at around 1.48V on the DMM.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What is the best way besides water cooling to cool the VRM's on a Powercolor 7970 V3?
> Is it worth using CLU and would it be easy to remove from the GPU die and copper base HS?
> Thank you.


Not sure if you are asking about LM tim on the VRMs or not, I would not use liquid metal tim on the mosfets, they get warm & if the liquid metal runs enough to bridge the contacts, poof.
Freezing or water cooling with universal blocks I use copper ramsinks (thermal taped) on the mosfets with a fan on them (have a bunch of ramsinks I cut in half for use with different cards, they fit on the fets just right)


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Accelero heatsinks are terribad,. My old chip hit 1225Mhz with 1.169v and the core was always under 55c but the VRMS were at 100c in games like Sleeping dogs and they hit the high 90s in Unigine Valley. So i tried to replace them with a custom part which ended up shorting my sweet beautiful magnificent 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I wouldn't have needed to do that had they not packed the cheapest VRM heatsinks they could make in a $100 cooler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now i'm stuck with this POS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Still though, if you intend on buying one make absolutely sure your heatsinks are cleared from any of the capacitors on the PCB. The main reason soo many people kill their cards with this cooler is by shorting them out. Another reason many people "think" their cards are dead is because 7970s are very sensitive to how much pressure the screws around the core are. If you install the cooler and you get no signal take the card out and loosen the screws more and more and that will probably fix it. If you turn your PC on and see/smell smoke.. it's a short and it's dead. Another thing is to make sure the card isn't screwed into your PCI-E slot too tight, that's another thing that caused me to lose a signal when the card was still alive. These are just tips i'm giving that i wish i read when i was pulling my hair out lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's the best air cooler on the market for cooling the core but it comes with the worst VRM heatsinks as well.


I've never tried a aftermarket aircooler on a gpu and probably never will. I have a scuba suit on my friend with no intention of aircooling. Was this the first tiime you have used something other than reference cooler on a graphics card? I would think a air cooler would be engineered with a close tolerance as a waterblock does, but I could be wrong. Are you sure the vrm heatsinks were making proper contact when you installed the accelero?

My card just keeps on impressing me!
1350/1800


I know I'm going to hit a wall at some point, but has surpassed my expectations. Clean run , no artifacts!


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I've never tried a aftermarket aircooler on a gpu and probably never will. I have a scuba suit on my friend with no intention of aircooling. Was this the first tiime you have used something other than reference cooler on a graphics card? I would think a air cooler would be engineered with a close tolerance as a waterblock does, but I could be wrong. Are you sure the vrm heatsinks were making proper contact when you installed the accelero?
> 
> My card just keeps on impressing me!
> 1350/1800
> 
> 
> I know I'm going to hit a wall at some point, but has surpassed my expectations. Clean run , no artifacts!


very impressive clocks!

I would be happy with 1200core/1575 mem on my 7950 on water. I will find out on tuesday when my water block gets here. For now I'm just running 1050 core/ 1575 mem default voltage, reference cooler. (i spent maybe 10 mins overclocking) why waste my time now when it will be a different beast under water in a few more days :-D


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I've never tried a aftermarket aircooler on a gpu and probably never will. I have a scuba suit on my friend with no intention of aircooling. Was this the first tiime you have used something other than reference cooler on a graphics card? I would think a air cooler would be engineered with a close tolerance as a waterblock does, but I could be wrong. Are you sure the vrm heatsinks were making proper contact when you installed the accelero?
> 
> My card just keeps on impressing me!
> 1350/1800
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know I'm going to hit a wall at some point, but has surpassed my expectations. Clean run , no artifacts!


Was that done on air? If so, that's very impressive.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Were you getting better or worse temps than stock?
> 
> If PK-1 is really that much better for the TFIII cooler I might have to pick some up. . .


I got the same question...I used liquid pro, but it should be about the same as liquid ultra, it still dropped my temps significantly compared to stock though.


----------



## Hokies83

Better then stock but no where as good as the PK-1

Went from 82c 100% fan speed after running overclocked for 24 hrs to 73c 100% fan speed after 24 hrs.

The bottom of the TF3 cooler does not seem to like CL LU / LP

I have CL LU on my other 11 7950s none are TF3 and there coolers have a smooth surface.. Im sure if u lapped the bottom of the TF3 a lil and used CL LU it would out perform the pk-1

But down time for me is money out the window... As power color has already had 1 of my 7950s down for 16 days..... which is keeping my Main system down.. and im starting ot get very Angry...


----------



## Snuckie7

82C at 100% fan speed sounds pretty bad.

Mine never goes above 80C even for suicide bench runs when I run the fan at 100%. 18C ambients.


----------



## Hokies83

Have 4 cards in 1 system and 100% load them for 24 hrs.. the room heats up.

I could run them for an hr or 2 at a time that is nothing.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Better then stock but no where as good as the PK-1
> 
> Went from 82c 100% fan speed after running overclocked for 24 hrs to 73c 100% fan speed after 24 hrs.
> 
> The bottom of the TF3 cooler does not seem to like CL LU / LP
> 
> I have CL LU on my other 11 7950s none are TF3 and there coolers have a smooth surface.. Im sure if u lapped the bottom of the TF3 a lil and used CL LU it would out perform the pk-1
> 
> But down time for me is money out the window... As power color has already had 1 of my 7950s down for 16 days..... which is keeping my Main system down.. and im starting ot get very Angry...


Which would you use from looking at my pictures? CLU or CFIII? Plase look at the surface of my heat sink for smoothness and material used. Also, please look at the hard dry TIM inbetween the small resistors surrounding the GPU die. How do I clean that up? Do I even need to clean that up?
Also, Powercolor's stock TIM was just like removing a heat sink of a Pentium 4 that's been sat in the attic for 5 years! It was horrid and dry!




*Thank you!*


----------



## Hokies83

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Which would you use from looking at my pictures? CLU or CFIII? Plase look at the surface of my heat sink for smoothness and material used. Also, please look at the hard dry TIM inbetween the small resistors surrounding the GPU die. How do I clean that up? Do I even need to clean that up?
> Also, Powercolor's stock TIM was just like removing a heat sink of a Pentium 4 that's been sat in the attic for 5 years! It was horrid and dry!
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Thank you!*


Is the surface of the cooler smooth to the touch?

If so CL LU.

The dry tim i never worry to much about.. but i would think something like a blunted tooth pick..Or a q Tip u pull the cotton out of would do the trick.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> I changed the thermal paste on my 7950 Boost Edition and not it won't run at stock clocks without crashing.....
> 
> It's an MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 Boost with a stock core clock of 960Mhz...
> 
> I've flashed the spare BIOS with a regular boost BIOS of 880Mhz and it runs fine.... Put it in the stock 960Mhz BIOS and it crashes....
> 
> Temperatures for the VRM and core and not the issue as it runs an Antec 620 using the GPU mod and it never goes over 46c under load.
> 
> Is my card busted or it my PSU giving out under load? My PSU is only a few months old and is a BeQuiet 650w unit.


That makes no logical sense at all. It running on a different BIOS but not on another sounds like a software issue. Try reinstalling the drivers, I found I had to reinstall drivers anytime I changed BIOS.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Ah fair enough. The problem you run into here, is that you may not be able to find _any_ 7950's that have what you're looking for.
> 
> Might have to look into used cards.


the only person selling an asus dc2 v2 7950 on ebay right now is a total dbag. I asked if they had the original receipt (seller even says the original was doa and this was the replacement) and they went into a huge tirade about how im a walmart employee hassling them for a $2 piece of clothing... except it's a $300 graphics card...

I'm considering buying just a cheapo reference 7950 that has hynix + memory voltage and putting an h60 on it, which would be way better than any aftermarket cooler anyways... just not sure which reference cards use hynix. Only cards I know that use hynix 100% of the time is asus dc2 v2 (expensive and discontinued) and gigabyte (locked voltage).


----------



## th3illusiveman

how do i unlock more than 1.3v in afterburner?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> how do i unlock more than 1.3v in afterburner?


from what i know you cant or i havernt seen a mod that allows you too. only in some versions of trixx that i know of but i am sure you know about trixx


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> how do i unlock more than 1.3v in afterburner?


why in the world would you need more than 1.3v? 7950s run hot as it is.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> why in the world would you need more than 1.3v? 7950s run hot as it is.


^this. why? but if you really want to, first use trixx. it should let you set it all the way up to 1.381v, *THEN* open AB. AB should reflect the same amount. do it at your own risk.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Which would you use from looking at my pictures? CLU or CFIII? Plase look at the surface of my heat sink for smoothness and material used. Also, please look at the hard dry TIM inbetween the small resistors surrounding the GPU die. How do I clean that up? Do I even need to clean that up?
> Also, Powercolor's stock TIM was just like removing a heat sink of a Pentium 4 that's been sat in the attic for 5 years! It was horrid and dry!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Thank you!*


Brad, that powercolor only cools the core. the vram and the vrms are exposed. it is possible to put heatsinks on the vrms but will be difficult to do the same on the vrams due to lack of space. i only use mx-2 as my tim and i don't see my core go any higher than 60c. maybe summer.

edit: the vram and vrms depends on the fans mainly.


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guy.
Somehow I manage to break one of the fan blades of my 7950 TFIII, anybody can give me a suggestion?


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guy.
> Somehow I manage to break one of the fan blades of my 7950 TFIII, anybody can give me a suggestion?


Ho, ho ho, give coins cuz I made for you:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1336160/how-to-repair-msi-twin-frozr-heatsink-fans-or-how-to-fix-fans-where-there-is-no-hole-behind-the-sticker

You can use glue if you are patient enough and have strong glue, but your best bet is to simply buy a replacement 75mm fan or find someone with TF3 fans (ie someone who replaced their tf3 with water blocks).


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guy.
> Somehow I manage to break one of the fan blades of my 7950 TFIII, anybody can give me a suggestion?


couple on ebay. but if it were me i would call MSI and attempt to have them send me a new one.
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/75mm-vga-video-card-fan
just leave the "i broke" out of it and ask nicely

edited out saphire....... can you tell i just woke up


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> couple on ebay. but if it were me i would call saphire and attempt to hhave them send me a new one.
> http://www.ebay.com/bhp/75mm-vga-video-card-fan
> just leave the "i broke" out of it and ask nicely


That's my plan, i have to wait and until tomorrow becuase MSI's office is closed apparently, I found a replacement if MSI refuses to sell me one.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181139352371?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

For as little as £20 it will doo


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> That's my plan, i have to wait and until tomorrow becuase MSI's office is closed apparently, I found a replacement if MSI refuses to sell me one.
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181139352371?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
> 
> For as little as £20 it will doo


yea msi... thats what i ment.... >.> even if you have to buy one would be nice to get OEM fan back .


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Is the surface of the cooler smooth to the touch?
> 
> If so CL LU.
> 
> The dry tim i never worry to much about.. but i would think something like a blunted tooth pick..Or a q Tip u pull the cotton out of would do the trick.


Soft tooth brush works wonders and will not harm anything. Take a few seconds over picking at it for an hour. My personal experience


----------



## LReyes66

part of the klub...picked up a sapphire vaporx 7970 ghz edition. Whats a common stable oc setting for this card?


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LReyes66*
> 
> part of the klub...picked up a sapphire vaporx 7970 ghz edition. Whats a common stable oc setting for this card?


I would think 1200/1650 would be doable But thats the fun in overclocking, each cards different and you have to find your own limits. Just watch your temps and I don't personally ever want to see 80*.


----------



## Taraq

Hi, I just put together my rig yesterday with a sapphire vapor-x 7970 ghz edition, but as long as my case is upright I can see a very slight bend in the graphics card, is doesn't appear to be getting any worse but I was just wondering if this is normal or if there's anything that I can or should do about it. Thanks!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Is the surface of the cooler smooth to the touch?
> 
> If so CL LU.
> 
> The dry tim i never worry to much about.. but i would think something like a blunted tooth pick..Or a q Tip u pull the cotton out of would do the trick.


It is smooth overall, but not smooth enough I don't think. Looks like I will be using some CFIII.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Soft tooth brush works wonders and will not harm anything. Take a few seconds over picking at it for an hour. My personal experience


thanks alot
1 question though when you say "soft tooth brush" do you mean old tooth brush or the softest one i can buy ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LReyes66*
> 
> part of the klub...picked up a sapphire vaporx 7970 ghz edition. Whats a common stable oc setting for this card?


welcome
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Taraq*
> 
> Hi, I just put together my rig yesterday with a sapphire vapor-x 7970 ghz edition, but as long as my case is upright I can see a very slight bend in the graphics card, is doesn't appear to be getting any worse but I was just wondering if this is normal or if there's anything that I can or should do about it. Thanks!


welcome
make a support or buy one ( google pwercolor powerjack ) wood, acrylic both work well from what i heard.... i am making one from aluminum 8020 + some rubber

so what do you guys think 1.35~1.4 v too much for 24/7? ( not at load, so before vdrop )
thinking about upping my bios voltage


----------



## hotrod717

I used an old, soft toothbrush. I don't see why a new one wouldn't be the same, probably better. Save so much time and when I say clean, i mean cleaned every little particle.

I run 1.257v for 1100/1600 for 24/7.


----------



## Mega Man

what about if you were water cooled


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> what about if you were water cooled


I am. Have the matrix on its own loop with a thin 360 and 3 deltas. with that being said, my most recent run of Valley was 1375/1825 @ 1.4v and topped at 42*. I just prefer playing it safe 24/7.


----------



## LReyes66

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I would think 1200/1650 would be doable But thats the fun in overclocking, each cards different and you have to find your own limits. Just watch your temps and I don't personally ever want to see 80*.


1200/1600 was my 7870 tahiti settings lol

Thanks ill try it..... been using 1175/1585


----------



## d1nky

guys im still having problems with my combined score in firestrike.

individiual scoring is great, but when combined test is happening it doesnt go above 10fps

i thought the problem was ram but appears not to be as my gpu usage doesnt go above 50%

ive tried all hints and tips you guys give me before but nothing, looks as so my gpu isnt being utilised fully in the combined test giving a crap result.

any ideas?

i did look on google and apparently drivers may help, well ive tried the latest betas and whqls and nothing.

thanks


----------



## PedroC1999

http://www.overclock.net/t/1394768/a-few-questions-regarding-safe-temps-and-safe-voltages/0_100#post_20050360

Anyone?


----------



## h2on0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I am. Have the matrix on its own loop with a thin 360 and 3 deltas. with that being said, my most recent run of Valley was 1375/1825 @ 1.4v and topped at 42*. I just prefer playing it safe 24/7.


How do you get 1.4? Please help? I feel I could get so much more out of my card if I could get over 1.381.

I run valley at 1.381/1300 1.7/1900.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I am. Have the matrix on its own loop with a thin 360 and 3 deltas. with that being said, my most recent run of Valley was 1375/1825 @ 1.4v and topped at 42*. I just prefer playing it safe 24/7.


Look the tsm score. Your card underperform for these clocks


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Look the tsm score. Your card underperform for these clocks


I don't think so. Just was comparing on valley site and this card does extremely well. In fact similar card, same clocks scored less with higher cpu oc. Also, I don't have anything disabled, apps running in background( processes, not set high priority). The highest clock for 7970 on that thread was 1550 on core with ln2. and only scored 60 or so fps. So, how do you come up with my card underperforms? Trolling? 4 or 5 points can be made up by setting priority, disabling apps and a few other tweaks that I simply haven't done. I'm not trying to compete with anybody, simply happy that my card IS a good performer and oc's so well.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I don't think so. Just was comparing on valley site and this card does extremely well. In fact similar card, same clocks scored less with higher cpu oc. Also, I don't have anything disabled, apps running in background( processes, not set high priority). The highest clock for 7970 on that thread was 1550 on core with ln2. and only scored 60 or so fps. So, how do you come up with my card underperforms? Trolling? 4 or 5 points can be made up by setting priority, disabling apps and a few other tweaks that I simply haven't done. I'm not trying to compete with anybody, simply happy that my card IS a good performer and oc's so well.


Tsm score is close to 60 fps with 1370 core clock. Your are at 54. Your oc is unstable the memory correction kicks in and you lose performance


----------



## Snuckie7

Guys do you know how to force 3D clocks in game?

I just booted up Age of Empires III, and it's a stuttering mess. I check the AB graphs, and sure enough the core clock jumps between 300, 500, and 880.


----------



## OneGun

I use my I turbo software to disable 2d clocks.. Other then that I don't know..


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Tsm score is close to 60 fps with 1370 core clock. Your are at 54. Your oc is unstable the memory correction kicks in and you lose performance


have not seen TSM's score, but could be related to CPU OC. When the benchmark spikes in fps, for example, I noticed my cpu would get say for example 120fps peak and someone with a higher clocked cpu will be getting 150fps peak, thus affecting the average FPS score.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> have not seen TSM's score, but could be related to CPU OC. When the benchmark spikes in fps, for example, I noticed my cpu would get say for example 120fps peak and someone with a higher clocked cpu will be getting 150fps peak, thus affecting the average FPS score.


Yeah ofc but 5 fps difference on average are not from cpu oc. And i believe tsm score is with lower clocks.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah ofc but 5 fps difference on average are not from cpu oc. And i believe tsm score is with lower clocks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I am. Have the matrix on its own loop with a thin 360 and 3 deltas. with that being said, my most recent run of Valley was 1375/1825 @ 1.4v and topped at 42*. I just prefer playing it safe 24/7.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Newbie2009 --- i5 2500k @ 4.9ghz --- Sapphire HD7970 ; 1375/1850--- 58.4 --- 2442
> 
> 
> 
> This aint over DJ (shakes fist)


Little lower than mine so yeah probably unstable OC. cpu with HT should be scoring higher than 2500k in benchmark.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah ofc but 5 fps difference on average are not from cpu oc. And i believe tsm score is with lower clocks.


Keep drinking the haterade my friend. I've already told you I don't disable or optimize for that run. Mikecdm has a run with same gpu clock and a higher cpu clock and scores lower than me. You keep talking about tsm's score and my score, but what does your card do? I see you have 1370/1800 in your sig rig. What do you score in this bench?
Again, I didn't ever say my card is better than anybody's, but somehow you feel you need to compare. Where's your card and numbers?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Keep drinking the haterade my friend. I've already told you I don't disable or optimize for that run. Mikecdm has a run with same gpu clock and a higher cpu clock and scores lower than me. You keep talking about tsm's score and my score, but what does your card do? I see you have 1370/1800 in your sig rig. What do you score in this bench?
> Again, I didn't ever say my card is better than anybody's, but somehow you feel you need to compare. Where's your card and numbers?


Facepalm. This is not a competition. Your score is low for your clocks. You want to listen fine.Otherwise i was dumb even to talk to you


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1394768/a-few-questions-regarding-safe-temps-and-safe-voltages/0_100#post_20050360
> 
> Anyone?


I think Ranger had some good answers in that post.
It's up to you if you want to run those clocks 24/7, but I wouldn't want to be at 1.3v. all the time. I settled on 1100/1500 24/7 for mine, on air they do that at stock voltage. Plenty of performance for me at those speeds.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Guys do you know how to force 3D clocks in game?
> 
> I just booted up Age of Empires III, and it's a stuttering mess. I check the AB graphs, and sure enough the core clock jumps between 300, 500, and 880.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I use my I turbo software to disable 2d clocks.. Other then that I don't know..


Hmm I don't think I want to disable 2D clocks. I just want it to clock to 3D in game. Gahh


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Facepalm. This is not a competition. Your score is low for your clocks. You want to listen fine.Otherwise i was dumb even to talk to you


I apologize if your intention is genuine, but have found more times than not someone trying to stir up trouble. Really those couple points could be related to a lot of things. There are tweaks you can do to raise numbers. Over on the Valley thread there discussing all of these right now and most are undetectable. My oc is totally in line with the majority at those settings. My previous score was 56.6 by the way not 54.In fact I rerran at 1375/1850 and that 25 mhz on memory raised me. My oc is fine. I feel like you were trying to nitpick and compare, why, Idk.


Also, when the benches are run makes a difference. It's almost summer and say another bench was run in the middle of winter at colder temps. Definately makes adifference in oc, in fact a lot of people have summer and winter oc's for this reason.


----------



## sugarhell

You must understand when the memory correction kicks in you lose performance. Also in amd drivers it doesnt matter if you have them on performance or on quality. I gain only 0.1 fps if i set them on performance. My intentions is to start to find out where is the bottleneck. Too much oc? Unstable cpu or imc? Dunno


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You must understand when the memory correction kicks in you lose performance. Also in amd drivers it doesnt matter if you have them on performance or on quality. I gain only 0.1 fps if i set them on performance. My intentions is to start to find out where is the bottleneck. Too much oc? Unstable cpu or imc? Dunno


Well, i'm trying to increase my llc, mem voltage, and power target to see if it makes a difference. There is no guarantee that 2 gpu's with same settings are going to score exactly the same numbers. I wasn't refering to catalyst settings. A stripped os definately helps in any bench. Or Radeon Pro.


----------



## zerokool_3211

here is my best run....was just playing around....cant wait to get this thing wet.....

1220/1850 are the clocks if you cant see


----------



## Taraq

make a support or buy one ( google pwercolor powerjack ) wood, acrylic both work well from what i heard.... i am making one from aluminum 8020 + some rubber
[/quote]
Got it propped up by my motherboard manual now







, I'll be putting something together soon that should hold it up though.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Keep drinking the haterade my friend. I've already told you I don't disable or optimize for that run. Mikecdm has a run with same gpu clock and a higher cpu clock and scores lower than me. You keep talking about tsm's score and my score, but what does your card do? I see you have 1370/1800 in your sig rig. What do you score in this bench?
> Again, I didn't ever say my card is better than anybody's, but somehow you feel you need to compare. Where's your card and numbers?


He is trying to help you get a better score. I told you in a different thread your fps was too low for such a high OC and if it's unstable and you're losing performance what's the point of even benchmarking it?









Well NVM then... looks like you found out what he meant.

Anyways, Trixx won't go over 1.3v for me so how can i do it? Both Afterburner and Sapphire Trixx at locked to 1.3v... I used the XCL shortcut.


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> He is trying to help you get a better score. I told you in a different thread your fps was too low for such a high OC and if it's unstable and you're losing performance what's the point of even benchmarking it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well NVM then... looks like you found out what he meant.
> 
> Anyways, Trixx won't go over 1.3v for me so how can i do it? Both Afterburner and Sapphire Trixx at locked to 1.3v... I used the XCL shortcut.


By modifying your core voltage in your video card's bios. I've reprogrammed mine to run at 1.256v, up from 1.17v. The bios editor is pretty cool. Just be warned, don't overvolt your card! The voltage you set will be the default 3D voltage:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/25650#post_20038008


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> By modifying your core voltage in your video card's bios. I've reprogrammed mine to run at 1.256v, up from 1.17v. The bios editor is pretty cool. Just be warned, don't overvolt your card! The voltage you set will be the default 3D voltage:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/25650#post_20038008


That's really cool







If i increase the Power Limit will it help with my vrdroop issues? Like if i put it at 30%?


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> That's really cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If i increase the Power Limit will it help with my vrdroop issues? Like if i put it at 30%?


No way to test. I haven't been able to get the power limit to change on my card. My DC2T, even though it is recognized by the program as a "reference" card, it still will not change my power limit. I've only been able to change the voltage.

The author of the vbios editor stated he plans to code it for clock speeds in the future. But for now It only helps with increasing voltage to the GPU core. I've dialed in my OC to 1180 with 1.18v, so I set the voltage to 1.218v in the program (droops to 1.183v under load). Yesterday I had it set to 1.256v, but changed it because I won't be running the card any higher for the time being. I am/have been folding with my card 24/7 since April 13th.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> That's really cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If i increase the Power Limit will it help with my vrdroop issues? Like if i put it at 30%?


Unfortunately no. Power limit only helps prevent throttling. The only cards that have measures for vDroop are the ASUS Matrix and MSI Lightning IIRC. I think those cards have some kind of an LLC option available.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Unfortunately no. Power limit only helps prevent throttling. The only cards that have measures for vDroop are the ASUS Matrix and MSI Lightning IIRC. I think those cards have some kind of an LLC option available.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> No way to test. I haven't been able to get the power limit to change on my card. My DC2T, even though it is recognized by the program as a "reference" card, it still will not change my power limit. I've only been able to change the voltage.
> 
> The author of the vbios editor stated he plans to code it for clock speeds in the future. But for now It only helps with increasing voltage to the GPU core. I've dialed in my OC to 1180 with 1.18v, so I set the voltage to *1.218v in the program (droops to 1.183v under load).* Yesterday I had it set to 1.256v, but changed it because I won't be running the card any higher for the time being. I am/have been folding with my card 24/7 since April 13th.










well that sucks. Still looking for a way to keep my Vdroop undercontrol without needing to pump ridiculous amounts of voltage through it. 1.212 in AB = 1.137 load


----------



## kmetek

YES or NO?

VTX3D RADEON HD 7950 X-Edition Boost, 3072 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, UEFI

http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Grafikkarten/AMD-Grafikkarten/Alle-AMD-Grafikkarten/VTX3D-RADEON-HD-7950-X-Edition-Boost-3072-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-UEFI::22502.html?language=en

239,90€

just 10€ more then

SAPPHIRE RADEON HD 7870 XT, 2048 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, Mini-DP, HDMI

http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Graphics-Card/AMD-Graphics-Card/RADEON-HD7000-Series/SAPPHIRE-RADEON-HD-7870-XT-2048-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-Mini-DP-HDMI::21687.html

7950 or 7870 XT ?????


----------



## stubass

I have never heard of VTX3D cards so i dont know what they are like. That Sapphire 7870 xt is a really decent card built on a light version of the 7950/70 Tahiti GPU. I would go with it out of thoose two. People have nicked named it a 7930.


----------



## th3illusiveman

I'd go with the 7950







It's just better then the 7870 XT in every way.


----------



## kmetek

i'll take 7950 then.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kmetek*
> 
> YES or NO?
> 
> VTX3D RADEON HD 7950 X-Edition Boost, 3072 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, UEFI
> 
> http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Grafikkarten/AMD-Grafikkarten/Alle-AMD-Grafikkarten/VTX3D-RADEON-HD-7950-X-Edition-Boost-3072-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-UEFI::22502.html?language=en
> 
> 239,90€
> 
> just 10€ more then
> 
> SAPPHIRE RADEON HD 7870 XT, 2048 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, Mini-DP, HDMI
> 
> http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Graphics-Card/AMD-Graphics-Card/RADEON-HD7000-Series/SAPPHIRE-RADEON-HD-7870-XT-2048-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-Mini-DP-HDMI::21687.html
> 
> 7950 or 7870 XT ?????


definitely HD 7950. at the same clocks HD 7950 is 15 - 20% faster than HD 7870 Tahiti LE

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/HIS/HD_7950_X2_Boost/31.html
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Club_3D/HD_7870_jokerCard_Tahiti_LE/31.html

if you can spend a bit more go for the HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost. 950 mhz boost. the best built HD 7950. reference HD 7970 PCB. 8 + 6 pin power.more power phases than reference HD 7950. unlocked voltage. excellent cooler. card is 311 mm long. check if you can fit the card in your case.

http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/info/p844956_3072MB-HIS-Radeon-HD-7950-IceQ-X2-Boost--DDR5--PCIe-3-0--Mini-DP.html


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, CPU's OC better when their running colder, does this apply to graphics cards too?

I mean, with [email protected] it hits 75*c, If I can get temps down to high 40's and low 50's, will my card get a few more MHz?


----------



## kmetek

raghu78: it's 50€ more


----------



## Pill Monster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kmetek*
> 
> YES or NO?
> 
> VTX3D RADEON HD 7950 X-Edition Boost, 3072 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, UEFI
> 
> http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Grafikkarten/AMD-Grafikkarten/Alle-AMD-Grafikkarten/VTX3D-RADEON-HD-7950-X-Edition-Boost-3072-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-UEFI::22502.html?language=en
> 
> 239,90€
> 
> just 10€ more then
> 
> SAPPHIRE RADEON HD 7870 XT, 2048 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, Mini-DP, HDMI
> 
> http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Graphics-Card/AMD-Graphics-Card/RADEON-HD7000-Series/SAPPHIRE-RADEON-HD-7870-XT-2048-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-Mini-DP-HDMI::21687.html
> 
> 7950 or 7870 XT ?????


Don't buy VTX, they are owned by TUL who also own Powercolor. Cheapest cards around and notoriously unstable.... Pay extra for a decent 7950 imho.


----------



## PedroC1999

Im sorry, VTX3D is a rubbish brand, but PowerColor most definitely isnt. They make high quality card just like MSI and Sapphire. Im very happy with my card, that imm actually buying the same card again. Please dont insult other card manufacturers, as you making that comparison, just makes VTX3D sound better


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kmetek*
> 
> YES or NO?
> 
> VTX3D RADEON HD 7950 X-Edition Boost, 3072 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, UEFI
> 
> http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Grafikkarten/AMD-Grafikkarten/Alle-AMD-Grafikkarten/VTX3D-RADEON-HD-7950-X-Edition-Boost-3072-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-UEFI::22502.html?language=en
> 
> 239,90€
> 
> just 10€ more then
> 
> SAPPHIRE RADEON HD 7870 XT, 2048 MB DDR5, PCIe 3.0, Mini-DP, HDMI
> 
> http://www.caseking.de/shop/catalog/Graphics-Card/AMD-Graphics-Card/RADEON-HD7000-Series/SAPPHIRE-RADEON-HD-7870-XT-2048-MB-DDR5-PCIe-30-Mini-DP-HDMI::21687.html
> 
> 7950 or 7870 XT ?????


I own a VTX , Lovely little card. Mine is game stable at 1150/1300.

EDIT - It's a 7850, my bad. NVM.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I own a VTX , Exact same model. Lovely little card. Mine is game stable at 1150/1300.


I agree i have several vtx3d. They just use reference pcb with a dual fan cooler. Nothing special but they are okay cards.

Ref pcb> custom pcb


----------



## Pill Monster

The VTX 7950 in question is an old version 1, it uses Hynix H5GQ2H24MFR-T2C IC's and has the original Tahiti Pro core vs higher binned Tahiti Pro2 found on later models.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Im sorry, VTX3D is a rubbish brand, but PowerColor most definitely isnt. They make high quality card just like MSI and Sapphire. Im very happy with my card, that imm actually buying the same card again. Please dont insult other card manufacturers, as you making that comparison, just makes VTX3D sound better


They are both made by TUL and are equally as bad...
Quote:


> For the cooler *is obvious that VTX3D is a Tul-fire. We see absolutely identical model with respect to heat pipes and radiator as the PowerColor PCS + HD 7950* . The differences between the two constructs are marginal cooling. VTX3D omits to nickel plate the heat pipe tubes and also used a different plastic cover as PowerColor.


Quote:


> AMD's reference implementation competes with only four phases of GPU power, *the alternative design provides six reactors* before this. The memory is also supported in this version but, as with AMD's specification with only one phase, which obviously is absolutely sufficient.


(Vapor-X has 8 phase)
Original review here....

I'm not trying to make one sound better than the other - I don't own either brand so why would I even do that?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, CPU's OC better when their running colder, does this apply to graphics cards too?
> 
> I mean, with [email protected] it hits 75*c, If I can get temps down to high 40's and low 50's, will my card get a few more MHz?


Anyone?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Anyone?


If you read this thread we have already said several times that tahiti is temp sensitive. Thats why it scales so good under water.
Lower temps will help you with the core oc.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> If you read this thread we have already said several times that tahiti is temp sensitive. Thats why it scales so good under water.
> Lower temps will help you with the core oc.


Yea, but does lower temps help him gain more MHz @1,3V?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Yea, but does lower temps help him gain more MHz @1,3V?


On air i can bench at 1200 at 1.2V

On water i can bench at 1300 at 1.2 V

Probably he doesnt need 1.3V or he has a low asic quality card so the vdroop its pretty bad


----------



## PedroC1999

So I may be able to get 1200+ with it under water?

And yeah, I have a 65% ASIC card, at 1.3v, it vDroops to 1.254


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> So I may be able to get 1200+ with it under water?
> 
> And yeah, I have a 65% ASIC card, at 1.3v, it vDroops to 1.254


Probably yeah. If i remember your temps is around 75C. Thats quite high for tahiti if you want to achieve a high oc. Just put your fan speed at 100% and try to stay close to 65 with higher clocks


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> So I may be able to get 1200+ with it under water?
> 
> And yeah, I have a 65% ASIC card, at 1.3v, it vDroops to 1.254


That is HUGE vdroop lol. You'll probably get higher because of lower temps.


----------



## PedroC1999

75*CF is 30mins Heaven fan at 100%

Does this apply to the Memory too?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> 75*CF is 30mins Heaven fan at 100%
> 
> Does this apply to the Memory too?


Not that i noticed.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> 75*CF is 30mins Heaven fan at 100%
> 
> Does this apply to the Memory too?


No memory is just luck.


----------



## PedroC1999

So, when I put my card under wat6er, I will have more OC headroom, correct?

and my memory is stable at 1800MHz, is that a good OC?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> So, when I put my card under wat6er, I will have more OC headroom, correct?
> 
> and my memory is stable at 1800MHz, is that a good OC?


Yeah for your memory its a good overclock


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> On air i can bench at 1200 at 1.2V
> 
> On water i can bench at 1300 at 1.2 V
> 
> Probably he doesnt need 1.3V or he has a low asic quality card so the vdroop its pretty bad


So its possible for me to get maybe 1250MHz on the core, or is it unrealistic?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah for your memory its a good overclock


Thanks


----------



## Hoball01

hey im wondering on getting the Sapphire HD 7970 OC Edition with BOOST 3GB or waiting until amd release the 8 series what you guys think?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> So, when I put my card under wat6er, I will have more OC headroom, correct?
> 
> and my memory is stable at 1800MHz, is that a good OC?


no... you SHOULD have more room...meaning no promises


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> So its possible for me to get maybe 1250MHz on the core, or is it unrealistic?
> Thanks


My 7970 72.5 ASIC does 1295 on core with reference cooler. Make what you want of that.


----------



## PedroC1999

Well I can gather that you got a good clocker, and obviously 7970's are higher binned than 7950;s (generally)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Well I can gather that you got a good clocker, and obviously 7970's are higher binned than 7950;s (generally)


7000 series like low temps. I could probably get 1300+ on core if i could keep it under 50c at 1.25-1.35 volts.


----------



## PedroC1999

Thanks, so there is possible new hope for me


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> He is trying to help you get a better score. I told you in a different thread your fps was too low for such a high OC and if it's unstable and you're losing performance what's the point of even benchmarking it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well NVM then... looks like you found out what he meant.
> 
> Anyways, Trixx won't go over 1.3v for me so how can i do it? Both Afterburner and Sapphire Trixx at locked to 1.3v... I used the XCL shortcut.


I'm leaving the first part alone, even though I'm getting 57.1 at 1375/1850 with a 3770k @ 4,6 and the other being compared is 59.5 1370/ 1870 with a 3930x @ 5ghz

I have a card with unlocked voltage and am using Asus' GPU Tweak, I don't know how you would be able to get to 1.3v or past it with what you are using.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I'm leaving the first part alone, even though I'm getting 57.1 at 1375/1850 with a 3770k @ 4,6 and the other being compared is 59.5 1370/ 1870 with a 3930x @ 5ghz
> 
> I have a card with unlocked voltage and am using Asus' GPU Tweak, I don't know how you would be able to get to 1.3v or past it with what you are using.


2 ways
1 edit bios
2 use MODDED trix


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 2 ways
> 1 edit bios
> 2 use MODDED trix


Modded Trixx link pls









Though i don't think i should be pushing 1.3v+ with no sinks on the VRMs







but this card frustrates me, so maybe i should let it









then again.... maybe not







...









link for future reference would be nice tho.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> couple on ebay. but if it were me i would call saphire and attempt to hhave them send me a new one.
> http://www.ebay.com/bhp/75mm-vga-video-card-fan
> just leave the "i broke" out of it and ask nicely
> 
> 
> 
> That's my plan, i have to wait and until tomorrow becuase MSI's office is closed apparently, I found a replacement if MSI refuses to sell me one.
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181139352371?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
> 
> For as little as £20 it will doo
Click to expand...

btw msi won't ship you replacement fans, and they'll charge you a $55 physical damage fee as fan damage or cooler damage isn't covered under warranty.


----------



## hotrod717

Just to prove my point: This was ran with exact oc as before, BUT with iexplore.exe and a few other processes ended with unigine set to realtime. still at 1375/1850 3770K @ 4.6

I'm sure if stripped the os alittle more and bumped my memory to 1870, I would be closer and gain that 1 fps.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Modded Trixx link pls
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Though i don't think i should be pushing 1.3v+ with no sinks on the VRMs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but this card frustrates me, so maybe i should let it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> then again.... maybe not
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> link for future reference would be nice tho.


I hope to not see illusive posting in this thread later about his 7970 blowing up for some odd reason, through no fault of his own.


----------



## LReyes66

So I overclocked my card to 1200/1600 which did 2 fps lower then 1175/1585.... why?









Dont plan on wetting these cards anytime soon, maybe after i get back from vegas, but whats a ballpark estimate about the limit i should expect for a vaporx 7970?


----------



## PedroC1999

Maybe some processes were using your GPU or CPu, re run with everything not running


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LReyes66*
> 
> So I overclocked my card to 1200/1600 which did 2 fps lower then 1175/1585.... why?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dont plan on wetting these cards anytime soon, maybe after i get back from vegas, but whats a ballpark estimate about the limit i should expect for a vaporx 7970?


1200-1300 on core.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I hope to not see illusive posting in this thread later about his 7970 blowing up for some odd reason, through no fault of his own.


it's never my fault









(i cry myself to sleep at night when i think about all the cards i've killed)







. I should make a monument for them with their S/N numbers.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> I hope to not see illusive posting in this thread later about his 7970 blowing up for some odd reason, through no fault of his own.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it's never my fault
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (i cry myself to sleep at night when i think about all the cards i've killed)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I should make a monument for them with their S/N numbers.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised there's no mention of my many gpu deaths......


----------



## richie_2010

does anyone know the width or be able to measure the width of the 7950 or 7970 pcb by the vrm area, im upgrading to a 7950 and wondering if the vrm solution I used on my 6950 will fit the card


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm surprised there's no mention of my many gpu deaths......


I've killed 3 GPUs. 2 Gtx460s that died heroically running 980Mhz+ for 2 weeks and my golden 7970 by user error death by accelero. It's the worst feeling ever when a GPU dies.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I'm surprised there's no mention of my many gpu deaths......
> 
> 
> 
> I've killed 3 GPUs. 2 Gtx460s that died heroically running 980Mhz+ for 2 weeks and my golden 7970 by user error death by accelero. It's the worst feeling ever when a GPU dies.
Click to expand...

I've killed.....

8800GT SLI (death by fire trap PSU)
Golden HD4890 (death by BIOS flash, wouldn't flash back)
GTX470 (death by dremel)
GTX580 (death by H50 mod)
Golden HD7970 (death by Accelero) (keep in mind this was the FIRST 7970 shipped from newegg's warehouse)

Every high end card I've EVER had right there (high end at the time), lol. Ironically, ever since I joined OCN.....


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> 2 Gtx460s that died heroically running 980Mhz+ for 2 weeks


Lmao


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> My 7970 72.5 ASIC does 1295 on core with reference cooler. Make what you want of that.


my 65% asic does 1220 on air @ 1.3 volts in AB


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I've killed.....
> 
> 8800GT SLI (death by fire trap PSU)
> Golden HD4890 (death by BIOS flash, wouldn't flash back)
> GTX470 (death by dremel)
> GTX580 (death by H50 mod)
> Golden HD7970 (death by Accelero) (keep in mind this was the FIRST 7970 shipped from newegg's warehouse)
> 
> Every high end card I've EVER had right there (high end at the time), lol. Ironically, ever since I joined OCN.....


I killed a 3850 by overclocking the VRAM too high, and I had a 6970 die on me. Horrid feeling when stuff dies on you.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> my 65% asic does 1220 on air @ 1.3 volts in AB


You lucky thing, what are your temps? (Your lucky because yours OC's better than mine on Air)

Am I the only one that hasn't killed a single PC part? (considering the amount of benches/suicide runs at 1.7v+)


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> I've killed.....
> 
> 8800GT SLI (death by fire trap PSU)
> Golden HD4890 (death by BIOS flash, wouldn't flash back)
> GTX470 (death by dremel)
> GTX580 (death by H50 mod)
> Golden HD7970 (death by Accelero) (keep in mind this was the FIRST 7970 shipped from newegg's warehouse)
> 
> Every high end card I've EVER had right there (high end at the time), lol. Ironically, ever since I joined OCN.....


Wow... you're the GPU reaper of death man.


----------



## Mackem

I have a Gigabyte Windforce 3 7950, default clocks are 1000/1250. I believe it's voltage locked. BIOS version is 015.026.000.000.000000 (FX1 I believe). The voltage at idle is 0.950 and goes to 1.250 when benching. Isn't that a bit high? Is there a way of getting the voltage lower? My GPU has a 6+8 pin PCIe. I am willing to change BIOS versions if it reduces voltage as long as I can still use my DVI and HDMI ports for my two monitors as I've heard some of the older BIOS versions stop the HDMI working.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> I have a Gigabyte Windforce 3 7950, default clocks are 1000/1250. I believe it's voltage locked. BIOS version is 015.026.000.000.000000 (FX1 I believe). The voltage at idle is 0.950 and goes to 1.250 when benching. Isn't that a bit high? Is there a way of getting the voltage lower? My GPU has a 6+8 pin PCIe. I am willing to change BIOS versions if it reduces voltage as long as I can still use my DVI and HDMI ports for my two monitors as I've heard some of the older BIOS versions stop the HDMI working.


Lowering your voltage will most likely cause instability. The card runs at that voltage because it needs that voltage to sustain it's factory overclocked clocks.


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Lowering your voltage will most likely cause instability. The card runs at that voltage because it needs that voltage to sustain it's factory overclocked clocks.


you can only try and lower them, my 1055t runs stock 1.3 ive lowered it to 1.15 no probs and I also lowered the voltage on my 6950 when I had it


----------



## youpekkad

Just asking: I got liquid pro applied on the GPU-die, is it recommended to change the TIM regularly? I change TIM on my CPU regularly, but it is normal, non-metallic TIM.


----------



## Mackem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Lowering your voltage will most likely cause instability. The card runs at that voltage because it needs that voltage to sustain it's factory overclocked clocks.


It seems as though the voltage wasn't as high under load on older BIOS versions and people managed to far surpass my speeds (stock)


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Just asking: I got liquid pro applied on the GPU-die, is it recommended to change the TIM regularly? I change TIM on my CPU regularly, but it is normal, non-metallic TIM.


Form what I understand, liquid pro isn't a tim you change regularly. Most suggest ultra for it easier application.


----------



## youpekkad

Yea, I wish I´d got Ultra instead :/ Found out that Ultra is better like 10 minutes after applying


----------



## PedroC1999

At 1.3v, my card vDroops to 1.254, is this good?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> At 1.3v, my card vDroops to 1.254, is this good?


No it is not. That is huge vdroop lol.


----------



## PedroC1999

Is it? What does yours drop to?

Also, what would you call max safe voltage after vDroop?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Is it? What does yours drop to?
> 
> Also, what would you call max safe voltage after vDroop?


1. About 25mV.
2. Uhm, that depends how cold you can keep the GPU. I have benched at 1300 on the ref cooler without problems.


----------



## PedroC1999

So yours drops to 1.275v?

And I Mean for the card to last long, as in would it be safe until lets say 1.28v?

How do you get the modded Sapphire Trixx for 1.381v?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> So yours drops to 1.275v?
> 
> And I Mean for the card to last long, as in would it be safe until lets say 1.28v?
> 
> How do you get the modded Sapphire Trixx for 1.381v?


If you can keep the GPU cool i would say 1.3v after vdroop is safe. Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b mod.


----------



## PedroC1999

Anyone back him up? ^^^ Just want to be sure


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Anyone back him up? ^^^ Just want to be sure


1.3v is fine according to most people. My limit, personally, would be 1.25v. My GPU's run at 1125/1650 @ 1.09v with asic of 83 on both.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 1.3v is fine according to most people. My limit, personally, would be 1.25v. My GPU's run at 1125/1650 @ 1.09v with asic of 83 on both.


Nice, but we are talking AFTER vDroop, not what you set in Ab or Trixx, are you sure?


----------



## Snuckie7

My card has pretty massive vDroop, about 80-90mV. It's weird because I have a high ASIC card too (89.7%). Oh well, if 1.04V after vDroop is enough to sustain 1200MHz, I'm good with that.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> You lucky thing, what are your temps? (Your lucky because yours OC's better than mine on Air)
> 
> Am I the only one that hasn't killed a single PC part? (considering the amount of benches/suicide runs at 1.7v+)


my temps at those clocks max out @ 71C.....i killed a 6970 when swapping for an acellero cooler....i still dont know how it happened

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> you can only try and lower them, my 1055t runs stock 1.3 ive lowered it to 1.15 no probs and I also lowered the voltage on my 6950 when I had it


i ran my 6970 and still do way undervolted and overclocked
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> No it is not. That is huge vdroop lol.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My card has pretty massive vDroop, about 80-90mV. It's weird because I have a high ASIC card too (89.7%). Oh well, if 1.04V after vDroop is enough to sustain 1200MHz, I'm good with that.


i guess this is pretty huge vdroop then as well isnt it


----------



## vipergtspa

Hi,

I was wondering if someone could help me out with OC my sapphire HD7970 vapor x ? stock clocks 1050/1500 at 0.947V idol 1.150V under load.

My first issue is any time I increase the memory I get screen flashing, along with the VDDC will increase from 0.947 to 1.246 while idol.

Next is if I use sapphire trixx to OC (any version) it will crash my computer unless I use constant voltage enabled.

Trixx has my stock voltage set to 1.256V, but no matter where I set it with DLPS disabled along with constant voltage enabled my VDDC will drop much lower then where I have it set during activity. Board Power Li is set to +20%

My max OC without having issue so far is 1200/1500 at stock voltage and I would like to know what I am doing wrong or is this a hardware/software issue ? My ASIC is 65.9%

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


----------



## BackwoodsNC

What's a good temp to stay under?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Nice, but we are talking AFTER vDroop, not what you set in Ab or Trixx, are you sure?


I don't know, GPU-Z shows 1.09 on the core and 1.6 on the VRAM under high load, and TRIXX, when I start it up, says 1.112v, so I think it is 1.112v with 1.09 after vdroop.


----------



## d1nky

HELP NEEDED

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395102/problem-that-needs-solving-firestrike-combined-test


----------



## almighty15

My MSI Twin Frozr 7950 Boost Edition is really doing my head in...

At stock clocks and voltage it crashes in heavy 3D loads...

If I up the over drive to 20% it becomes slightly more stable...

If I flash the BIOS to a regular 7950 which has lower clocks and voltage it works fine......

Software issue?

I have fitted an Antec 620 onto it and the card was working fine before that....


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> My MSI Twin Frozr 7950 Boost Edition is really doing my head in...
> 
> At stock clocks and voltage it crashes in heavy 3D loads...
> 
> If I up the over drive to 20% it becomes slightly more stable...
> 
> If I flash the BIOS to a regular 7950 which has lower clocks and voltage it works fine......
> 
> Software issue?
> 
> I have fitted an Antec 620 onto it and the card was working fine before that....


your screws may be too tight ( zipties or w.e ) or not tight enough. what are your temps


----------



## kwaidonjin

I love my 7950, running at 1150/1650


----------



## SulumorDNA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> What's a good temp to stay under?


I like to stay under 70c but I hear around 90c is still ok. The highest my iceq 7950 has been is 65c.

Edit: that said, my 6790 used to get around 93c and it crapped out in less than a year ... Even had a gelid VGA cooler on it.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LReyes66*
> 
> So I overclocked my card to 1200/1600 which did 2 fps lower then 1175/1585.... why?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dont plan on wetting these cards anytime soon, maybe after i get back from vegas, but whats a ballpark estimate about the limit i should expect for a vaporx 7970?


after you hit your wall performance drops wall is different for each chip. you can mod bios and overvolt to compensate. but i wouldnt without water cooling min.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> I have a Gigabyte Windforce 3 7950, default clocks are 1000/1250. I believe it's voltage locked. BIOS version is 015.026.000.000.000000 (FX1 I believe). The voltage at idle is 0.950 and goes to 1.250 when benching. Isn't that a bit high? Is there a way of getting the voltage lower? My GPU has a 6+8 pin PCIe. I am willing to change BIOS versions if it reduces voltage as long as I can still use my DVI and HDMI ports for my two monitors as I've heard some of the older BIOS versions stop the HDMI working.


sounds like you have a boost card 1.25v is the stock boost voltage


----------



## SonDa5

Finally had some time to water cool my Sapphire Vapor X HD7950 today.











Thread I started on it.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395093/sapphire-vapor-x-hd7950-double-deuce-war-custom-edition-water-cooling


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Finally had some time to water cool my Sapphire Vapor X HD7950 today.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thread I started on it.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1395093/sapphire-vapor-x-hd7950-double-deuce-war-custom-edition-water-cooling


Congrats !~~~~~

what do you think my my new 1xgpu high score ( just personal best )
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6640467

(centered not stretched)


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Congrats !~~~~~
> 
> what do you think my my new 1xgpu high score ( just personal best )
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6640467
> 
> (centered not stretched)


Thanks.

Your score looks great. Some fast 2400mhz+ RAM may help your physics score out. Good job.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Your score looks great. Some fast 2400mhz+ RAM may help your physics score out. Good job.


that is 2400+ ram ( clocked at just under 2500 ) always shows that speed for what ever reason. best legit score i have seen for 8350. but i have been known to be wrong. ( used the new beta drivers and they are not approved. but i didnt mess with tess. or anything.)


----------



## almighty15

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> your screws may be too tight ( zipties or w.e ) or not tight enough. what are your temps


Temps are extremely low! Nothing higher then 46c for the core and no higher then 70c for the VRMs...


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Temps are extremely low! Nothing higher then 46c for the core and no higher then 70c for the VRMs...


i would try to rma that thing probably


----------



## jomama22

Figured out how to do artmoney over voltage on the 7970 lightnigs (get past 1.35v). Today will be a good, if not an interesting, day.


----------



## th3illusiveman

sell 7970 for $320, and GTX570 for $140 and get GTX780 for $200 more? Or wait till june and CFX fix then buy another 7970 for CFX? I'm extremely worried about my PSU. i know it can handle two stock 7970s but how about an OC? 2 7970s running 1125 with 1200mv? Plus my 2500k is overclocked to 4.4Ghz with 1.265v.

7970s get mega hungry when you overclock them. With the GTX780 fully overclocked i would be getting around 80% of HD7990 performance without needing to worry about power but i run 120hz and every FPS matters (or i wouldn't need more then 1 7970)


----------



## richie_2010

Wooo just got my 7950 from scan. Went in store for the 1st time n all the stuff they have on display but no amd gpus
Got the msi 7950 with reference board and 3 games for 200 after cashback. Might sell the ganes how much you think there worth


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Wooo just got my 7950 from scan. Went in store for the 1st time n all the stuff they have on display but no amd gpus
> Got the msi 7950 with reference board and 3 games for 200 after cashback. Might sell the ganes how much you think there worth


Not much as I just ended giving mine away cause it wasn't worth my time for $35..There was a bunch of people a month ago on ebay selling them for $35..


----------



## PedroC1999

Oh My God, at stock voltage (1094mV), my card vDroops to 945mV

Isn't that like a 150mV vDroop? But when my card is at 1.3v, it only vDroops to 1.254, thats 100mV less vDroop at a higher load, is that normal?


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Oh My God, at stock voltage (1094mV), my card vDroops to 945mV
> 
> Isn't that like a 150mV vDroop? But when my card is at 1.3v, it only vDroops to 1.254, thats 100mV less vDroop at a higher load, is that normal?


my first card (powercolor PCS+) droops from 1150 to 1028 =122mv droop

second card (gigabyte tf3 droops from 1150 to 1073 = 77mv droop

at 1.3v first card goes down to about 1.21 = 90mv droop, second card does 1.3 down to 1.201 = 99mv droop.

i guess vdroop is different for every card, so looks like i cant comment on normal


----------



## PedroC1999

And at 1.381v it drops to 1.345 (35mV)

Is it just me or is vDroop getting better as the voltage increases?


----------



## richie_2010

Just took the shroud off my msi 7950 and there is nothing on the vrms to cool them
Will test the card 1st and then put some enzotech heatsinks on them


----------



## PedroC1999

Anyone help?
http://www.overclock.net/t/1395256/unlock-afterburner-voltage-past-1-3v/0_100#post_20061178

SideNote - Its hillarious!
http://www.overclock.net/t/1395267/asus-radeon-hd-7950-direct-cu-ii-10-000-on-amazon/0_100#post_20061591


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Anyone help?
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1395256/unlock-afterburner-voltage-past-1-3v/0_100#post_20061178
> 
> SideNote - Its hillarious!
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1395267/asus-radeon-hd-7950-direct-cu-ii-10-000-on-amazon/0_100#post_20061591


Use trixx 4.4.0b mod.


----------



## PedroC1999

I have, please check the thread and read through it


----------



## richie_2010

ive just got the msi r7950 3gd5/oc be g from scan and my thoughts of it are as follows

what I like about the card
its a reference 7950 pcb with Hynix ram and voltage control for both memory and core comes with loads of accessories and free games and 3d mark advanced.

what I don't like
I took of the cooler shroud off the card to find no vrm cooling whatsoever. while im using it now the temps are 33-34 on the core and vrms I haven't put it under load yet and I wont until I sort the vrm solution.
I have the card in the 3rd pcie slot of my board and with the hdd bay gone the front fan is blowing straight at the back of the card.
my only other complaint is that the voltage says its 1250 in msi for the core, im sure that's way to high but I think its set to the boost bios as the oc is 830core and the boost is 840 and gpu-z is showing 840.

just shut down and changed bios switch and its still the same bios so it seems I have the boost bios on both

so im loving the card apart from its faults but I will fix them no problem


----------



## Cool Mike

Purchased a Sapphire 7990 Thursday. I got a good overclocker. 1150 Core 1650 memory @ 1.27V on the core. Stable running 3Dmark Firestrike and heaven at 1440P. Temps are high, but seem to be the norm for these cards. Max temp 93C running Heaven. I am working on improving case cooling.


----------



## PedroC1999

Wow, back that down, your damaging your card! Keep it under 75*C, or else that may cause damage, 90*C is ALLOT!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cool Mike*
> 
> Purchased a Sapphire 7990 Thursday. I got a good overclocker. 1150 Core 1650 memory @ 1.27V on the core. Stable running 3Dmark Firestrike and heaven at 1440P. Temps are high, but seem to be the norm for these cards. Max temp 93C running Heaven. I am working on improving case cooling.


How is that a good overclocker? lol


----------



## PedroC1999

that was what I was going to say lol.

I founf ou that my PCS+ has dual bios and a switch for it, as soon as I get my build set up, im unlocking voltage from the BIOS, no more -xcl for me!

And from what I can understand, lower ASIC cards are better for watercooling, so my card may actually be useful!


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> that was what I was going to say lol.
> 
> I founf ou that my PCS+ has dual bios and a switch for it, as soon as I get my build set up, im unlocking voltage from the BIOS, no more -xcl for me!
> 
> And from what I can understand, lower ASIC cards are better for watercooling, so my card may actually be useful!


whats yours mines 67.3


----------



## PedroC1999

65.2, the lower the ASIC, the better the card is when watercooled, but the higher the ASIC, the better they are with stock cooling.

My card's core is relatively under average from a 7950, but if you compare to a low ASIC card like yours, their pretty similar. I hope mine will shine when I watercool it in a few days


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> 65.2, the lower the ASIC, the better the card is when watercooled, but the higher the ASIC, the better they are with stock cooling.
> 
> My card's core is relatively under average from a 7950, but if you compare to a low ASIC card like yours, their pretty similar. I hope mine will shine when I watercool it in a few days


I heard 70-75 ASIC is best for water cooling. Not sure if that is 100% true though.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> 65.2, the lower the ASIC, the better the card is when watercooled, but the higher the ASIC, the better they are with stock cooling.
> 
> My card's core is relatively under average from a 7950, but if you compare to a low ASIC card like yours, their pretty similar. I hope mine will shine when I watercool it in a few days


No. You need 70-75% for watercooling. 65 % asic quality and lower is good for ln2/phase.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I heard 70-75 ASIC is best for water cooling. Not sure if that is 100% true though.


Oh well, im close enough, and who knows, my 2nd card can be a total BEAST!


----------



## Snuckie7

ASIC really doesn't matter for overclocking unless you actually can't push enough volts.


----------



## vipergtspa

Looking for some help.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395156/sapphire-hd7970-vapor-x-ocing-help-please

Thanks


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Wow, back that down, your damaging your card! Keep it under 75*C, or else that may cause damage, 90*C is ALLOT!


tell that to my two 7950's xD , Both are running 80C and 88C non stop foldin .


----------



## almighty15

Solved my crashing at load problem.... Too much TIM on the card









Must of been playing havoc with the resisters surrounding the core.


----------



## th3illusiveman

How do you turn Over Current Protection off?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Solved my crashing at load problem.... Too much TIM on the card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Must of been playing havoc with the resisters surrounding the core.


Ah pressure difference. I have done it so many times lol

I remember that you wanted a bios editor.

Here

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


----------



## richie_2010

My msi card has the boost bios on both switches and so gives me a 840core with 1250 mv in afterburner
I want to flash a Basic msi bios to it but want to know what bios number to use and or does tge device
Id have to match the cards bios n the bios I flash

Flashing a basic bios would give me a lower voltage?


----------



## PedroC1999

IIRC, most cards use the 1 for general use and flashing, and 2 for the back/recovery one


----------



## richie_2010

So if I flashed 1 and borked it I could flick the switch to 2 boot and flick back to one while its on and flash the origibal bios back

Just dont want to break it lol


----------



## Hokies83

Anybody tried or have a Lepa 1600 watt psu?

Thinking of getting one and going Quad fire on my Main system and selling my AX 1200.


----------



## PedroC1999

Yes that's the way. I will be doing this when my rig comes together, as im sick of the limits of MSI AB, even when unlocked xD


----------



## richie_2010

My voltages are unlocked but my cores max voltage is 1.3
Thats fine by me but its just the stock voltage

Flashing a bios and it not working not going burn out my card


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> My voltages are unlocked but my cores max voltage is 1.3
> Thats fine by me but its just the stock voltage
> 
> Flashing a bios and it not working not going burn out my card


My card has a Dual Bios switch, so I don't really mind. And I got a leaky core, so at 1.3v, it vDroops to 1.254, I would like it to vDroop to 1.28 like most other cards, so I need voltage in AB to be like 1.34

Thats no problem, il just edit the bios to let me go upto 1.4v, end of that


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hokies83*
> 
> Anybody tried or have a Lepa 1600 watt psu?
> 
> Thinking of getting one and going Quad fire on my Main system and selling my AX 1200.


Ask Karlitos or tsm106. Both have a Lepa G1600 and are pretty happy with it.


----------



## almighty15

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> My msi card has the boost bios on both switches and so gives me a 840core with 1250 mv in afterburner
> I want to flash a Basic msi bios to it but want to know what bios number to use and or does tge device
> Id have to match the cards bios n the bios I flash
> 
> Flashing a basic bios would give me a lower voltage?


Really? I have the boost edition too only my default core is at 960Mhz at 1.25v

Max core speed at that voltage and without increasing power tune is 1100Mhz core and 1375Mhz memory


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Really? I have the boost edition too only my default core is at 960Mhz at 1.25v
> 
> Max core speed at that voltage and without increasing power tune is 1100Mhz core and 1375Mhz memory


Yea the overclock waz to 830 n the boost to 840


----------



## Mackem

Any recommendations for a fan curve / profile? My 7950 is at 1150/1450 @ 1.150V but the fan speed is on auto and it goes to 64% fan speed, temperature of 58 degrees Celcius, which is great but the fan is a bit loud but I don't want the temps to skyrocket. Any suggestions?


----------



## zerokool_3211

ok so when i first got my TF3 7970 13.1 was the newest driver set, and when i set all that up AB showed that my cards stock voltage was 1.200...and when not under load it would go down to .945

and more lately AB keeps saying that my cards stock voltage is 1.256 and when it is not under load will drop to .945

now if i mine i do it @ 1053/1750 so i dont need that much core voltage...so i drop it down to 1.175 and under idle it no longer drops to .945 so my idle temps dont go as low.....instead it drops to about 1.168 @ idle and 1.120 under load....this is really confusing me...is this the way it is supposed to work....

ok after playing with it to take some screenshots.....it looks like if i reset the my 1 profile in AB (which is stock settings) then it sets 1.256 as the voltage and it will go down to .945 at idle and it seems like if i lower it manually from there it will as well

also even with voltage monitoring check in AB it doesnt show up there

sorry for the lost post...


----------



## d1nky

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-6WINBetaDriver.aspx


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-6WINBetaDriver.aspx


Come on steam noob


----------



## almighty15

Here you go my fellow MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 owners...

http://www.4shared.com/file/F7PN12j3/new.html

Custom BIOS that has MVDDC at 1.6v ( 1.6v loaded ) and VDDC at 1.3v ( 1.25v loaded ) and a powertune limit of 50%

My stock BIOS for my Boost Edition had VDDC at 1.25v ( 1.2v loaded ) and MVDDC at 1.55v ( 1.55v loaded ) and a powertune limit of 20%

Now this new BIOS has a CCC cap of 1100Mhz so you'll have to override it via MSI Afterburner..

For you water cooled junkies out there I might be able to set it so that the card loads with a VDDC of 1.3v which should give some great overclocks


----------



## PedroC1999

What is your ASIC, because that is very similar to my card


----------



## almighty15

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> What is your ASIC, because that is very similar to my card


God awful at 64.5%


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Here you go my fellow MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 owners...
> 
> http://www.4shared.com/file/F7PN12j3/new.html
> 
> Custom BIOS that has MVDDC at 1.6v ( 1.6v loaded ) and VDDC at 1.3v ( 1.25v loaded ) and a powertune limit of 50%
> 
> My stock BIOS for my Boost Edition had VDDC at 1.25v ( 1.2v loaded ) and MVDDC at 1.55v ( 1.55v loaded ) and a powertune limit of 20%
> 
> Now this new BIOS has a CCC cap of 1100Mhz so you'll have to override it via MSI Afterburner..
> 
> For you water cooled junkies out there I might be able to set it so that the card loads with a VDDC of 1.3v which should give some great overclocks


Are you using the TechPowerUp vbios editor and adjusting the signal to allow higher voltage?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> God awful at 64.5%


Lol.


----------



## almighty15

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> Are you using the TechPowerUp vbios editor and adjusting the signal to allow higher voltage?


Yes

It doesn't adjust any voltages on my Boost BIOS but adjusts voltages on the non-boost BIOS's... weird..


----------



## PedroC1999

How woudlI edit my7950's BIOS

I downloaded the Tool you just said, and loaded my ROM, but says it isnt an Ati card?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> How woudlI edit my7950's BIOS
> 
> I downloaded the Tool you just said, and loaded my ROM, but says it isnt an Ati card?


Why do you want to edit your bios?


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Yes
> 
> It doesn't adjust any voltages on my Boost BIOS but adjusts voltages on the non-boost BIOS's... weird..


The program is in its infancy stage, and not all cards are supported. As of now the tool only adjusts the default voltage for 3D. Once you change it, the card defaults to it. I set my 7970 DC2T to 1.219v which keeps me stable at 1180 for folding. If I want to run the card at stock, I have to lower the vcore back down with software (or flash it back).


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> ok so when i first got my TF3 7970 13.1 was the newest driver set, and when i set all that up AB showed that my cards stock voltage was 1.200...and when not under load it would go down to .945
> 
> and more lately AB keeps saying that my cards stock voltage is 1.256 and when it is not under load will drop to .945
> 
> now if i mine i do it @ 1053/1750 so i dont need that much core voltage...so i drop it down to 1.175 and under idle it no longer drops to .945 so my idle temps dont go as low.....instead it drops to about 1.168 @ idle and 1.120 under load....this is really confusing me...is this the way it is supposed to work....
> 
> ok after playing with it to take some screenshots.....it looks like if i reset the my 1 profile in AB (which is stock settings) then it sets 1.256 as the voltage and it will go down to .945 at idle and it seems like if i lower it manually from there it will as well
> 
> also even with voltage monitoring check in AB it doesnt show up there
> 
> sorry for the lost post...


anyone


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> anyone


Might be "force constant voltage" in AB? Not too sure really.


----------



## Cool Mike

This is benching, not 24/7 or playing games for hours. Just saying I had a stable overclock, but high heat at 1440P. Look at the reviews on the reference 7990 at stock freq/volt 78-82C at load. THESE CARDS RUN HOT. This makes 3 different branded 7990's I have owned and this is the hottest. The Ares II was the coolest.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> anyone


didn't you have a really good overclocker? Anyways i use a program called HwInfo64 to monitor my voltages because i find it reports the proper voltage and voltage changes correctly all the time.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> The program is in its infancy stage, and not all cards are supported. As of now the tool only adjusts the default voltage for 3D. Once you change it, the card defaults to it. I set my 7970 DC2T to 1.219v which keeps me stable at 1180 for folding. If I want to run the card at stock, I have to lower the vcore back down with software (or flash it back).


Can you please post a down load link to this software? I don't see it at techpower up and I am hoping this software will help me over clock my Vapor X HD7950.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Can you please post a down load link to this software? I don't see it at techpower up and I am hoping this software will help me over clock my Vapor X HD7950.


I think I found it.









http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


----------



## ericeod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I think I found it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


That's it. Open the program and click on "Help", then on "How to Use". That will give you the basic instructions.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> didn't you have a really good overclocker? Anyways i use a program called HwInfo64 to monitor my voltages because i find it reports the proper voltage and voltage changes correctly all the time.


yeah i guess it is a pretty good clocker for being a TF3 7970 on air....gpu-z reports it correctly...it seems that my voltage never goes back down to that .945 unless i hit the reset button and then it goes back to stock voltage and will then idle @ .945

lol....still confuses me as to why it does that


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I think I found it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423
> 
> 
> 
> That's it. Open the program and click on "Help", then on "How to Use". That will give you the basic instructions.
Click to expand...

wow, that looks really simple to use.. not that i have a need for it lol


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> My voltages are unlocked but my cores max voltage is 1.3
> Thats fine by me but its just the stock voltage
> 
> Flashing a bios and it not working not going burn out my card


http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards/0_100
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Here you go my fellow MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 owners...
> 
> http://www.4shared.com/file/F7PN12j3/new.html
> 
> Custom BIOS that has MVDDC at 1.6v ( 1.6v loaded ) and VDDC at 1.3v ( 1.25v loaded ) and a powertune limit of 50%
> 
> My stock BIOS for my Boost Edition had VDDC at 1.25v ( 1.2v loaded ) and MVDDC at 1.55v ( 1.55v loaded ) and a powertune limit of 20%
> 
> Now this new BIOS has a CCC cap of 1100Mhz so you'll have to override it via MSI Afterburner..
> 
> For you water cooled junkies out there I might be able to set it so that the card loads with a VDDC of 1.3v which should give some great overclocks


i have mine set to 1.4v for extreme benching !~ ( not so LN extreme just high end water cooling. have yet to break 40c on core....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ericeod*
> 
> Are you using the TechPowerUp vbios editor and adjusting the signal to allow higher voltage?


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> didn't you have a really good overclocker? Anyways i use a program called HwInfo64 to monitor my voltages because i find it reports the proper voltage and voltage changes correctly all the time.


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I think I found it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> yeah i guess it is a pretty good clocker for being a TF3 7970 on air....gpu-z reports it correctly...it seems that my voltage never goes back down to that .945 unless i hit the reset button and then it goes back to stock voltage and will then idle @ .945
> 
> lol....still confuses me as to why it does that


it is supposed to it downclocks itself when not in 3d mode. normal


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards/0_100
> i have mine set to 1.4v for extreme benching !~ ( not so LN extreme just high end water cooling. have yet to break 40c on core....
> +1
> +1
> +1
> it is supposed to it downclocks itself when not in 3d mode. normal


it doesnt do that after i change the clocks though......also i was playing some wow yesterday with a 1100/1700 stable overclock and it one instance it seemed to be artifacting but is was only in that one instance group


----------



## Souv

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/10692-video-card-showdown/


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Why do you want to edit your bios?


I need to unlock higher voltages to battle vDroop


----------



## bosoxdanc

Hey guys, so I've decided I wanna get a 7950 or a 7970. After my Sapphire 4870x2 crapped the bed, and now my Sapphire 5870 on its last legs, I've decided its time to use a different brand of cards. I seem to be set in my mind on either an HIS 7950 boost or an HIS 7970. Are these reliable cards? From reviews I've read, they seem pretty good, but I haven't really seen a ton about them on here.
Thanks.
-Dan


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Hey guys, so I've decided I wanna get a 7950 or a 7970. After my Sapphire 4870x2 crapped the bed, and now my Sapphire 5870 on its last legs, I've decided its time to use a different brand of cards. I seem to be set in my mind on either an HIS 7950 boost or an HIS 7970. Are these reliable cards? From reviews I've read, they seem pretty good, but I haven't really seen a ton about them on here.
> Thanks.
> -Dan


7950 in my opinion


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Hey guys, so I've decided I wanna get a 7950 or a 7970. After my Sapphire 4870x2 crapped the bed, and now my Sapphire 5870 on its last legs, I've decided its time to use a different brand of cards. I seem to be set in my mind on either an HIS 7950 boost or an HIS 7970. Are these reliable cards? From reviews I've read, they seem pretty good, but I haven't really seen a ton about them on here.
> Thanks.
> -Dan


http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/10692-video-card-showdown/


----------



## bosoxdanc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> 7950 in my opinion


Thanks for the links.

My question more is is HIS a reliable brand?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> 7950 in my opinion
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the links.
> 
> My question more is is HIS a reliable brand?
Click to expand...

Yes the HIS HD7950 iceQ X^2 is a pretty decent card. reliable brand yes.


----------



## bosoxdanc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Yes the HIS HD7950 iceQ X^2 is a pretty decent card. reliable brand yes.


This is the one I'm looking at for a 7950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Thanks for the links.
> 
> My question more is is HIS a reliable brand?


I personally have sapphire reference 7950 and I can hit 1020 MHz from 800 without any voltage change and fan on auto(81c max).From what I have heard HIS is a reliable brand and you can opt for it.Temperature is non-issue as GPU can handle upto 95c,but 85c is a safe-target.Overall,90%+ TAHITI chipsets are grand overclockers,whichever brand you opt for and good binning parts.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Yes the HIS HD7950 iceQ X^2 is a pretty decent card. reliable brand yes.
> 
> 
> 
> This is the one I'm looking at for a 7950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420
Click to expand...

yep that card has average cooling actually, unlocked voltage but is one of the longer ones so check your case









out of HIS cards, this is the one you want for better cooling
http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-731.shtml
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429&Tpk=H795QMC3G2M&IsVirtualParent=1


----------



## bosoxdanc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yep that card has average cooling actually, unlocked voltage but is one of the longer ones so check your case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> out of HIS cards, this is the one you want for better cooling
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-731.shtml
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429&Tpk=H795QMC3G2M&IsVirtualParent=1


Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help.
So even at only $70 more, do you still think I'd be better off getting the 7950?


----------



## Belial

is there any physical way to differentiate the older not-voltage-locked gigabyte 7950s and the new ones? Like a bios switch, or a serial or model number of some kind, or the outputs?

As in, i want to ask ebay sellers which version they have when they might never have used the card, for example.

thanks.


----------



## PedroC1999

The PCB revision by the 6pin power I think


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yep that card has average cooling actually, unlocked voltage but is one of the longer ones so check your case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> out of HIS cards, this is the one you want for better cooling
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-731.shtml
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429&Tpk=H795QMC3G2M&IsVirtualParent=1
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help.
> So even at only $70 more, do you still think I'd be better off getting the 7950?
Click to expand...

i dont think it is worth it, most 7950's clock really well and have one of the best perf / $$ around


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help.
> So even at only $70 more, do you still think I'd be better off getting the 7950?


I have two of the His IceQ X2s and i love them..Haven't done to much overclocking but i did get them both up to 1175/1400..I usually just run them stock..I love the look and the cooling of my cards..









http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429&Tpk=H795QMC3G2M&IsVirtualParent=1&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=6146846&SID=1j6fq68qbpjor


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Thanks a lot, I appreciate the help.
> So even at only $70 more, do you still think I'd be better off getting the 7950?


Hardly 5-6% diff.,7950 the way to gr in other thought,if you want to aid amd a bit more in their financial crysis,go with 7970


----------



## bosoxdanc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I have two of the His IceQ X2s and i love them..Haven't done to much overclocking but i did get them both up to 1175/1400..I usually just run them stock..I love the look and the cooling of my cards..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429&Tpk=H795QMC3G2M&IsVirtualParent=1&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=6146846&SID=1j6fq68qbpjor


I'm confused, lol. Your sig rig says 7950 boost, but that isn't a boost card? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get everything straight before I drop ~$330, haha.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> Hardly 5-6% diff.,7950 the way to gr in other thought,if you want to aid amd a bit more in their financial crysis,go with 7970


Clock to clock yeah. But you need 100-120 mhz more to match a 7970 with a 7950


----------



## PedroC1999

And 160MHz more for a single 680, and a few more for a 680 milly overclocked


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> Hey guys, so I've decided I wanna get a 7950 or a 7970. After my Sapphire 4870x2 crapped the bed, and now my Sapphire 5870 on its last legs, I've decided its time to use a different brand of cards. I seem to be set in my mind on either an HIS 7950 boost or an HIS 7970. Are these reliable cards? From reviews I've read, they seem pretty good, but I haven't really seen a ton about them on here.
> Thanks.
> -Dan


HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost is one of the best HD 7950 cards. get it if you can fit the card in your case. its 311 mm long. reference HD 7970 PCB with 8 + 6 pin power. unlocked voltage and good cooler.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429

http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-731.shtml
http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/his_7970_iceq_xsup2_ghz_edition_7950_iceq_xsup2_boost_clock,3.html

if you want a shorter card go for MSI HD 7950 TF3 OC. around 262 mm long.

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-R7950-TWIN-FROZR-3GD5/dp/B007NG3WR2/


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> I'm confused, lol. Your sig rig says 7950 boost, but that isn't a boost card? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get everything straight before I drop ~$330, haha.


Actually it is the boost card in that link. Look under details and you will see the boost clock of 950mhz. Newegg is horrible at saying which card is which as you really got to look at all the details. Hope that helps you bud..


----------



## bosoxdanc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost is one of the best HD 7950 cards. get it if you can fit the card in your case. its 311 mm long. reference HD 7970 PCB with 8 + 6 pin power. unlocked voltage and good cooler.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429
> 
> http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-731.shtml
> http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/his_7970_iceq_xsup2_ghz_edition_7950_iceq_xsup2_boost_clock,3.html
> 
> if you want a shorter card go for MSI HD 7950 TF3 OC. around 262 mm long.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/MSI-R7950-TWIN-FROZR-3GD5/dp/B007NG3WR2/


Well, I have an HAF 922, so I don't think fitting the card would be a problem, at least from what I've seen online.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Actually it is the boost card in that link. Look under details and you will see the boost clock of 950mhz. Newegg is horrible at saying which card is which as you really got to look at all the details. Hope that helps you bud..


I was just about to reply to you and tell you I saw it in the details, lol. Thanks!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> And 160MHz more for a single 680, and a few more for a 680 milly overclocked


A gtx 680 needs more than 100 mhz to match a 7970.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1322119/12-11-vs-310-33


----------



## bosoxdanc

Grand Total: $329.99

Thanks, guys!


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A gtx 680 needs more than 100 mhz to match a 7970.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1322119/12-11-vs-310-33


Rightly so.Also, 7950 OC pawns 680 OC for 200$+ less

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18455827

And CF issue can be solved through radeon pro as for now.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-11.html
"Aside from a few dropped frames and a handful of spikes when the test changes scenes, our dual-Tahiti card enjoys much smoother sailing. In fact, the end result is often better than what you'd see from a single graphics card, with virtually no micro-stuttering left.

The RadeonPro software is more complicated to use than Nvidia's hardware-based solution because you have to manually create a new profile for each and every game. But the results speak for themselves. This is nothing short of a revelation for the folks who pin the scalability of their gaming machines on multi-GPU configurations, but hate the idea of micro-stuttering. John Mautari, the utility's developer, deserves big thanks from the crew at AMD, to be certain. "


----------



## richie_2010

hi guys I need some help.
as I posted my card has come with the boost bios on both bios numbers so its set the voltage at 1.25 and if I try and lower it using afterburner and put the card under load it still says 1.25
ive flashed another msi bios to the card and again that still doing the same.

any help will be apreciated


----------



## Koniakki

Hey AMD's. I was looking through my reps and I came across a post that had this info about your beloved 7970 from 1,5 years ago.

I thought why not. Lets make a quick graph using the before and now performance.

Well this took a bit longer to make the graph than what I thought it would take. Anw I hope all you guys enjoy it.

Guru3D Battlefield 3 around that time. Don't remember drivers used. You can easily find the article and check it. It was the release date drivers obviously.

This is just a quick comparison for you guys.

7970 non Ghz Battlefield 3 performance at release date:



And a recent graph of how the 7970 non Ghz performs right now:



*I hope you guys enjoyed it.*


----------



## SulumorDNA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bosoxdanc*
> 
> I'm confused, lol. Your sig rig says 7950 boost, but that isn't a boost card? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get everything straight before I drop ~$330, haha.


I have the boost card and it runs great for me. Got it new for $280something. Never gets above 65c for me. Handles OC pretty good, I haven't done anything extreme though.


----------



## richie_2010

if anyone has the msi 7950 reference oc card can you pm me the bios (non boost one) as mine has come with 2 boot bioses


----------



## Mackem

Anyone help me out with some rough settings for my Gigabyte 7950? ASIC quality is 64.9% and was wondering what sort of voltage I'd be looking at roughly for 1150/1500 clocks? I've set the power limit to +20% but not sure what voltage to go for and what fan profile.

I tried putting the voltage at 1.165V and it crashed my computer when benching (Screen went yellow). The fan was set to auto and it span up to something ridiculous like 75%. The problem is trying to find A) A stable voltage and B) A fan curve that has a balance between noise and temperature; I don't want the fans to be at 70%+ but then at the same time I don't want my card to hit the mid 70s.

Anyone else with a similar ASIC / card recommend any settings?


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Anyone help me out with some rough settings for my Gigabyte 7950? ASIC quality is 64.9% and was wondering what sort of voltage I'd be looking at roughly for 1150/1500 clocks? I've set the power limit to +20% but not sure what voltage to go for and what fan profile.
> 
> I tried putting the voltage at 1.165V and it crashed my computer when benching (Screen went yellow). The fan was set to auto and it span up to something ridiculous like 75%. The problem is trying to find A) A stable voltage and B) A fan curve that has a balance between noise and temperature; I don't want the fans to be at 70%+ but then at the same time I don't want my card to hit the mid 70s.
> 
> Anyone else with a similar ASIC / card recommend any settings?


Gpu temperature is only to be worried if it crosses 90c barrier.My runs at 80s for one and a half years now @1000/1350(from 800/1250),no voltage change,fan speed auto(81c max) now playing MLL.


----------



## Mackem

I just need to find a starting voltage to go from for 1100/1500 or 1150/1500 as I don't have a load of free time to try voltages and have to reboot when it crashes.


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

Those drivers better come real soon and fix stuff for us with CF, it's a hassle for me to sell stuff, but I'd consider going 780 sli if the 8970s have the same troubles


----------



## richie_2010

*my boost bios has voltage control







*

I was reading that voltage control wasn't available in boot bios and proceeded to look for another bios for my card, anyway I was messing around with the voltages on msi afterburner and noticing they were changing on Everest (I was using evga precision x which was showing no change when doing them)

set at stock voltage by boost bios (shown in afterburner
core voltage at idle 0.805 memory 1.552


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






using tpu render 1.215 core 1.552 memory


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







set at voltage of 1100 using afterburner
core at 0.805 and ram at 1.552


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






using the render 1.074 and 1.552


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







this is using the boost bios on my card (both switches are set to it from factory)
my card is supposed to come with a factory oc of 830 and a boost of 840


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> Those drivers better come real soon and fix stuff for us with CF, it's a hassle for me to sell stuff, but I'd consider going 780 sli if the 8970s have the same troubles


Amd is leading on single-GPU frame pacing on this gen cards.

Amd promised that CF fix will be available on june/july driver.
Until then radeon pro the best solution for CF fix and quality.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-11.html
"Aside from a few dropped frames and a handful of spikes when the test changes scenes, our dual-Tahiti card enjoys much smoother sailing. In fact, the end result is often better than what you'd see from a single graphics card, with virtually no micro-stuttering left.

The RadeonPro software is more complicated to use than Nvidia's hardware-based solution because you have to manually create a new profile for each and every game. But the results speak for themselves. This is nothing short of a revelation for the folks who pin the scalability of their gaming machines on multi-GPU configurations, but hate the idea of micro-stuttering. John Mautari, the utility's developer, deserves big thanks from the crew at AMD, to be certain. "


----------



## youpekkad

Oh man, do I hate high ambient temps, my card runs at 1,106V in AB, around 1,02-1,03V after vdroop and with 67% fan I get high 60s (VRMs low/midhigh 70s...) while playing FC3/BF3, and this is after re-applying TIM (using liquid pro), with stock TIM it would hit high 70s/low 80s @1,02V actual !!!

Stock MSI-cooler isnt really cutting it for anything higher than 1150MHz for 24/7 when weather gets warm it seems, such a shame...


----------



## PedroC1999

Has your card got a custom heatsink, or is it a reference heatsink?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Im bored guys, recommend a game please. I like 4X games, strategy, sandbox and FPS mainly.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Has your card got a custom heatsink, or is it a reference heatsink?


Mine? It is a MSI twin frozr III with a 7970 PCB...Also has very high ASIC, I remember some ppl were having problems with these exact same cards and their high temps (especially before re-seating the cooler and re-applying the TIM).

Has anyone here done a H50/60-mod for their card? Starts to sound like a good idea


----------



## PedroC1999

My PCS+ is one of the cheapest 7950's and handles 1.1v at 65*C with 40% load lol


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Mine? It is a MSI twin frozr III with a 7970 PCB...Also has very high ASIC, I remember some ppl were having problems with these exact same cards and their high temps (especially before re-seating the cooler and re-applying the TIM).
> 
> Has anyone here done a H50/60-mod for their card? Starts to sound like a good idea


Im going to do the mod on mine soon going order the shim and some vrm sinks
My thinking is how am I going to keep the shim in place while putting the h60 on


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> My PCS+ is one of the cheapest 7950's and handles 1.1v at 65*C with 40% load lol


That... Is horrible lol.


----------



## PedroC1999

Sorry, my mistake, I thought he said 1.2

1.1v is stock for me, 54*C with 30% fan, lol


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Im going to do the mod on mine soon going order the shim and some vrm sinks
> My thinking is how am I going to keep the shim in place while putting the h60 on


What card you have? Did you watch this (



) tutorial on youtube?


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Sorry, my mistake, I thought he said 1.2
> 
> 1.1v is stock for me, 54*C with 30% fan, lol










Yea, high asic-quality must have some effect, also my card is running @1150MHz. And also it is hotter than ever when I´ve had this card, during winter time it was in the low 60s @65 fan mostly.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> My PCS+ is one of the cheapest 7950's and handles 1.1v at 65*C with 40% load lol


Eh, 40% and 100% wont be too much different in temps.. at least, they arent usually for me.

My Vapor-X handles 1.138v[1200mhz] at 73c with 100% fan now in the summer. [Was ~66C in winter]

So its not that terrible.. although my result isnt very good, thats for sure.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> hi guys I need some help.
> as I posted my card has come with the boost bios on both bios numbers so its set the voltage at 1.25 and if I try and lower it using afterburner and put the card under load it still says 1.25
> ive flashed another msi bios to the card and again that still doing the same.
> 
> any help will be apreciated


this is the same thing i am running into....it will drop to idle voltages of like .945 on my TF3 7970, but then when i change the clock it will never idle even close to that again....i really would like to get rid of the boost feature of mine as well, but i am to afraid the flash the bios in lu of messing it up


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Eh, 40% and 100% wont be too much different in temps.. at least, they arent usually for me.
> 
> My Vapor-X handles 1.138v[1200mhz] at 73c with 100% fan now in the summer. [Was ~66C in winter]
> 
> So its not that terrible.. although my result isnt very good, thats for sure.


For my card there is a night/day difference between like 65% and 90-100% fan.

Few months ago I was testing 1200MHz core (was using same voltage as you) and with 65% fan in Metro2033=temps 65-70C > artifacts. 90% fan=57-61C > no artifacts. @90-100% it is loud for sure...


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zerokool_3211*
> 
> this is the same thing i am running into....it will drop to idle voltages of like .945 on my TF3 7970, but then when i change the clock it will never idle even close to that again....i really would like to get rid of the boost feature of mine as well, but i am to afraid the flash the bios in lu of messing it up


Ive not tried upping the speed and see if the voltage changes but I can increse and decrease the load voltage even though its a boost bios


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> What card you have? Did you watch this (
> 
> 
> 
> ) tutorial on youtube?


Ive upgraded to the msi reference 7950 so will need the shim. Ive seen that vid and used it on my 6950 but trying to hold the card keep the shim from moving and put that on is going to be a pain


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Mine? It is a MSI twin frozr III with a 7970 PCB...Also has very high ASIC, I remember some ppl were having problems with these exact same cards and their high temps (especially before re-seating the cooler and re-applying the TIM).
> 
> Has anyone here done a H50/60-mod for their card? Starts to sound like a good idea


should check out this...... BUT BE PREPARED FOR A LONG WAIT . thanks !~
more importantly why just put a full cover block on it? even @ 1.4v i have yet to see mine break 40c !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Im going to do the mod on mine soon going order the shim and some vrm sinks
> My thinking is how am I going to keep the shim in place while putting the h60 on


see link above
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Ive upgraded to the msi reference 7950 so will need the shim. Ive seen that vid and used it on my 6950 but trying to hold the card keep the shim from moving and put that on is going to be a pain


see above.... but again why not just go for full cover?


----------



## hotrod717

Wow, my memory seems to be throttling.










Update:

Fastest single non- LN2 7970........ASUS HD7970 MATRIX


No 3rd party apps. Only listed tweaks in op of valley thread.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Wow, my memory seems to be throttling.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Update:
> 
> Fastest single non- LN2 7970........ASUS HD7970 MATRIX
> 
> 
> No 3rd party apps. Only listed tweaks in op of valley thread.


no 3rd party apps as in no AB or anything


----------



## th3illusiveman

High ASIC = Higher card temps


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> High ASIC = Higher card temps


You forgot to quote someone?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You forgot to quote someone?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yea, high asic-quality must have some effect, also my card is running @1150MHz. And also it is hotter than ever when I´ve had this card, during winter time it was in the low 60s @65 fan mostly.


----------



## OneGun

Today i changed a few fans in my case and when i got it all back together and running i tried a benchmark..Well Xfire was disabled and it would not let me enable it..So i had to re install drivers and then it worked..Then i went in my case again right now to cable manage a little bit better and turned on and Xfire was disabled again..But this time it let me just enable it..Anyone know why its doing this?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Im bored guys, recommend a game please. I like 4X games, strategy, sandbox and FPS mainly.


Bioshock series. (finished all 3 for first time recently)
I picked up darkness 2 on the cheap recently, liking it so far.
Metro Last Light- have not really tried it yet.
Anno 2070
Command & Conquer pack (origin)
RAGE


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Bioshock series. (finished all 3 for first time recently)
> I picked up darkness 2 on the cheap recently, liking it so far.
> Metro Last Light- have not really tried it yet.
> Anno 2070
> Command & Conquer pack (origin)
> RAGE


World in Conflict is a great RTS for people who don't really play the genre often. It's not complicated to get into and still looks great and will run like butter on any modern GPU.

Bioshock Infinite looks amazing and is easily one of the best looking games i've ever played on PC. Not as technically impressive as crysis 3 but the art direction in that game blows Crysis out the water imo. The gameplay and story leave alot to be desired though.

Could you tell me what Anno 2070 is like? What do you actually do in that game?


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Sorry, my mistake, I thought he said 1.2
> 
> 1.1v is stock for me, 54*C with 30% fan, lol


It all depends on build quality(binning) and ASIC values.Even reference card can be better than many non-reference cards out there.I personally own sapphire ref 7950(center 75mm fan,no heat pipes),but still on OC and temp.(my room amb temp 40-43c ) my card does way better than many other non-ref cards out in the market.I can hit 1020 MHz from 800 without any voltage change.




These OC(no voltage change) temps are recorded when playing one of the most demanding game crysis 3(vsync on) OC to 980/1250(no further OC needed,as I am already getting 50-60 fps with vsync)




My mobo is b75m d3h which does not support OCing (of my 2500k).But still even on stock 2500k is masterpiece.Still yet to find a game which challenges my i5 2500k.


----------



## SulumorDNA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> World in Conflict is a great RTS for people who don't really play the genre often. It's not complicated to get into and still looks great and will run like butter on any modern GPU.
> 
> Bioshock Infinite looks amazing and is easily one of the best looking games i've ever played on PC. Not as technically impressive as crysis 3 but the art direction in that game blows Crysis out the water imo. The gameplay and story leave alot to be desired though.
> 
> Could you tell me what Anno 2070 is like? What do you actually do in that game?


Crysis 3 looks really good but I agree the bioshock infinite is the better game. I have been borderlands 2 a lot lately, good game.


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SulumorDNA*
> 
> Crysis 3 looks really good but I agree the bioshock infinite is the better game. I have been borderlands 2 a lot lately, good game.


Rightly so.Bioshock Infinite is miles better game(only except graphics) than crysis 3,hands down.Infinite is one among the best top 10 games ever made.I play crysis 3 only for graphics and some cool alien-tech weapons,bow and typhoon







.Other than that,shallow game-play and weak plot-line.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> World in Conflict is a great RTS for people who don't really play the genre often. It's not complicated to get into and still looks great and will run like butter on any modern GPU.
> 
> Bioshock Infinite looks amazing and is easily one of the best looking games i've ever played on PC. Not as technically impressive as crysis 3 but the art direction in that game blows Crysis out the water imo. The gameplay and story leave alot to be desired though.
> 
> Could you tell me what Anno 2070 is like? What do you actually do in that game?


There is a career mode and war mode. All I have played is a map that you have to take over, protect your region, have supply routes with different islands, keep your population happy. More like sim city than say command and conquer, but a little of both I suppose.

Kinda of a game once you get going hard to put down, but I would stay away from it on a weeknight lol

Agree on bioshock infinite. Superb game too.


----------



## Sonikku13

I've went and both overclocked my 75.5% ASIC 7970, and undervolted it at stock settings. When overclocked, I can achieve 1190 MHz core at 1.25 V, though I hit a wall there, it wouldn't increase very much at 1.281 V. PowerTune was set to +20%. I can reach 1575 MHz memory clock on default voltage. Haven't pushed farther than that yet. The overclock was 20 minutes OCCT stable.

When undervolted, I leave PowerTune at 0%, then turned the volts down to 0.95 V. It seems stable, 20 minutes OCCT stable, though there was one hitch, my computer did a stand by, which meant the GPU lowered it's clocks for a split second. I need to retest, that means. Any lower, however, and the computer hangs, at 0.925 V, for example, the computer hangs after 1 second of OCCT.

Default voltage is at 1.112 V core, 1.6 V memory, and the core is not stable at 1125 MHz at default voltage, though the crashes are few and far between. I know it's the core because the memory was 20 minutes OCCT stable as stated earlier.

As of right now, I see no need to overclock my 7970, it runs through everything I play, including BF3, like butter. That's why it's undervolted to 0.95 V core at the moment.


----------



## bond32

My heatkiller 7970 block will be in tomorrow, also ordered the backplate as it just came in stock at frozencpu.com. Anyone have any good install tips?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> My heatkiller 7970 block will be in tomorrow, also ordered the backplate as it just came in stock at frozencpu.com. Anyone have any good install tips?


PROTIP: Install it correctly!


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> It all depends on build quality(binning) and ASIC values.Even reference card can be better than many non-reference cards out there.I personally own sapphire ref 7950(center 75mm fan,no heat pipes),but still on OC and temp.(my room amb temp 40-43c ) my card does way better than many other non-ref cards out in the market.I can hit 1020 MHz from 800 without any voltage change.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These OC(no voltage change) temps are recorded when playing one of the most demanding game crysis 3(vsync on) OC to 980/1250(no further OC needed,as I am already getting 50-60 fps with vsync)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My mobo is b75m d3h which does not support OCing (of my 2500k).But still even on stock 2500k is masterpiece.Still yet to *find a game which challenges my i5 2500k*.


Each game that stresses the CPU? Your i5 2500k at stock is screaming at you! "Overclooooock meeee, Overcloooock meee...*OVERCLOCK ME, FFS!!!!"*


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> There is a career mode and war mode. All I have played is a map that you have to take over, protect your region, have supply routes with different islands, keep your population happy. More like sim city than say command and conquer, but a little of both I suppose.
> 
> Kinda of a game once you get going hard to put down, but I would stay away from it on a weeknight lol
> 
> Agree on bioshock infinite. Superb game too.


Thanks, is it hard to get into? I've never really played a game like that before. I don't want a repeat of what happened to me when i bought sins of a solar empire lol totally got lost in that one.

On an unrelated note i found the limits of this card and they aren't good. 1.256 is the max voltage i can put in before the OCP kicks in and crashes the card and it has between 80mv and 90mv vdroop at load. Curse the RMA office for replacing my reference card with this









looks like it's 1150/1475 max OC... oh well there are worse things in this world... like volcanoes and sharks.


----------



## richie_2010

Anyone with a reference 7970 pcb and needs vrm cooling there is confirmation that the gelid vrm cooler for 6950/70 cards fit.
You want the rev 2 heatsink


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Anyone with a reference 7970 pcb and needs vrm cooling there is confirmation that the gelid vrm cooler for 6950/70 cards fit.
> You want the rev 2 heatsink


that's what shorted out my card.... i wish i never bought it


----------



## richie_2010

how did it short your card

I never had as problem


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> It all depends on build quality(binning) and ASIC values.Even reference card can be better than many non-reference cards out there.I personally own sapphire ref 7950(center 75mm fan,no heat pipes),but still on OC and temp.(my room amb temp 40-43c ) my card does way better than many other non-ref cards out in the market.I can hit 1020 MHz from 800 without any voltage change.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> These OC(no voltage change) temps are recorded when playing one of the most demanding game crysis 3(vsync on) OC to 980/1250(no further OC needed,as I am already getting 50-60 fps with vsync)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My mobo is b75m d3h which does not support OCing (of my 2500k).But still even on stock 2500k is masterpiece.Still yet to find a game which challenges my i5 2500k.


[email protected] was a big bottleneck for me in BF3 multi in full 64p servers, game didnt feel playable, got fps drops all the time into low 40s etc...When I gave it a little bit of overclock (to 4,5GHz), not only I gained 15+fps overall, the minimums jumped into mid 50s.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> how did it short your card
> 
> I never had as problem


It won't fit on the stock 7970 vrms with the thermal pad it comes with so you need to sand it down so it makes good contact. I sanded mine down but i guess it wasn't even on both sides so when i screwed it in it was slanted and ended up shorting the card. If you go the smart way and just buy thicker pads (though you would sacrifice thermal conductivity) you might be able to attach it safely.


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> It won't fit on the stock 7970 vrms with the thermal pad it comes with so you need to sand it down so it makes good contact. I sanded mine down but i guess it wasn't even on both sides so when i screwed it in it was slanted and ended up shorting the card. If you go the smart way and just buy thicker pads (though you would sacrifice thermal conductivity) you might be able to attach it safely.


did it kill it and could you not rma
if mine was a ref 7970 I would have got one and been in the same boat as you least we know to use thicker pads for them.
thanks for sharing


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> It won't fit on the stock 7970 vrms with the thermal pad it comes with so you need to sand it down so it makes good contact. I sanded mine down but i guess it wasn't even on both sides so when i screwed it in it was slanted and ended up shorting the card. If you go the smart way and just buy thicker pads (though you would sacrifice thermal conductivity) you might be able to attach it safely.


I like your new avatar. Seems you are an amd guy now


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I like your new avatar. Seems you are an amd guy now


Lol it's a temp, all this GTX770 worshiping is just too temping to pass up. They will all know about the power of the 7970 when i'm done with them
















Sadly the GPU gods have seen it fit to give me one of the worst 7970s when i defend the thing so much... oh irony, you so funny......
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> did it kill it and could you not rma
> if mine was a ref 7970 I would have got one and been in the same boat as you least we know to use thicker pads for them.
> thanks for sharing


well i managed to RMA it (although i did feel about about doing that to powercolor) but if you've been reading my recent posts in this thread you will see it didn't go smoothly.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Lol it's a temp, all this GTX770 worshiping is just too temping to pass up. They will all know about the power of the 7970 when i'm done with them
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sadly the GPU gods have seen it fit to give me one of the worst 7970s when i defend the thing so much... oh irony, you so funny......
> well i managed to RMA it (although i did feel about about doing that to powercolor) but if you've been reading my recent posts in this thread you will see it didn't go smoothly.


You got one of the worst 7970s and your still defending it, nuff said IMO


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> You got one of the worst 7970s and your still defending it, nuff said IMO


well... when the "worst" overclocking 7970 is a 24% overclock above the standard chip then it really does say quite abit about how much of a beast the chip is don't you think? It's not a 32% overclock like my last one was but i think i can live with it







and it will still wipe the floor with most 680s lol


----------



## PedroC1999

On air, I have a 34% increase on core and 44% increase on memory, hoping to go higher once my blocks come in


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> well... when the "worst" overclocking 7970 is a 24% overclock above the standard chip then it really does say quite abit about how much of a beast the chip is don't you think? It's not a 32% overclock like my last one was but i think i can live with it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and it will still wipe the floor with most 680s lol


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> On air, I have a 34% increase on core and 44% increase on memory, hoping to go higher once my blocks come in


whats your stock clocks and overclocks
I haven't started mine yet but my stock is 840 and 1250 waiting on some enzotech heatsinks and a shim to come in


----------



## PedroC1999

Im at 1175c/1800m

I got high temps, thats why I hope to get better clocks when under water

EDIT - stock is 880c/1250m


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Im at 1175c/1800m
> 
> I got high temps, thats why I hope to get better clocks when under water
> 
> EDIT - stock is 880c/1250m


Come on man! You're under water. You should get better!


----------



## PedroC1999

Im not yet, everything has arrived apart from my case and SpecialTech shipment, which coincidentally has my GPU blocks


----------



## Koniakki

A simple







would be nice actually just for my free time I used on that for this AMD community thread.

But I guess no one asked me to do it so I guess again that makes it ok.









http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/25940#post_20069044


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> My heatkiller 7970 block will be in tomorrow, also ordered the backplate as it just came in stock at frozencpu.com. Anyone have any good install tips?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> PROTIP: Install it correctly!


+1
take your time. use non conductive tim. dont overtighten screws. take your time....

best tip i was ever given..... ever
if your forcing it, your doing it wrong

to get my stock heatsink unstuck i used my wifes blowdryer to heat up the heatsink and soften everything.

one good idea that was suggested to me was to use a toothbrush to clean off oem tim.

my tim was a pita to get off i would reccomend some professional tim removal kits .

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> I've went and both overclocked my 75.5% ASIC 7970, and undervolted it at stock settings. When overclocked, I can achieve 1190 MHz core at 1.25 V, though I hit a wall there, it wouldn't increase very much at 1.281 V. PowerTune was set to +20%. I can reach 1575 MHz memory clock on default voltage. Haven't pushed farther than that yet. The overclock was 20 minutes OCCT stable.
> 
> When undervolted, I leave PowerTune at 0%, then turned the volts down to 0.95 V. It seems stable, 20 minutes OCCT stable, though there was one hitch, my computer did a stand by, which meant the GPU lowered it's clocks for a split second. I need to retest, that means. Any lower, however, and the computer hangs, at 0.925 V, for example, the computer hangs after 1 second of OCCT.
> 
> Default voltage is at 1.112 V core, 1.6 V memory, and the core is not stable at 1125 MHz at default voltage, though the crashes are few and far between. I know it's the core because the memory was 20 minutes OCCT stable as stated earlier.
> 
> As of right now, I see no need to overclock my 7970, it runs through everything I play, including BF3, like butter. That's why it's undervolted to 0.95 V core at the moment.


gotta say more i read about higher asic cards happier i am i got 50-70% asic.... mine did 1200/1800 np at air....

i need a bigger psu to go higher but i know on water one of my cards ( with lower asic ) will do 1290/1875 np..... have not had time to play with my second card.....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koniakki*
> 
> A simple
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> would be nice actually just for my free time I used on that for this AMD community thread.
> 
> But I guess no one asked me to do it so I guess again that makes it ok.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/25940#post_20069044


Thanks!~


----------



## kzone75

Dang, I almost thought I finally got the AMD driver issues. It turned out to be Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b that's been messing things up a lot. Took me as while to figure that one out. I even started to blame the card.







All is well now. Everything at stock, because it's ridiculously hot here now.


----------



## richie_2010

if I load up evga oc scanner and set it to check for artifacts my gpu load fluctuates from 20% to 88% it never goes 100%
is this because of the crappy reference cooler and no vrm cooling


----------



## Sasasd

Changed TIM on my MSI 7950 TF3. Idle temps are now 1-2c higher but load is 1-2c lower, pretty weird. Also temps degrease much slower than before. I used AS5. I know it has long cure time but do you have any experience about AS5? I used dot method but many suggest spread because AS5 is kinda thick?


----------



## Sonikku13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> I've went and both overclocked my 75.5% ASIC 7970, and undervolted it at stock settings. When overclocked, I can achieve 1190 MHz core at 1.25 V, though I hit a wall there, it wouldn't increase very much at 1.281 V. PowerTune was set to +20%. I can reach 1575 MHz memory clock on default voltage. Haven't pushed farther than that yet. The overclock was 20 minutes OCCT stable.
> 
> When undervolted, I leave PowerTune at 0%, then turned the volts down to 0.95 V. It seems stable, 20 minutes OCCT stable, though there was one hitch, my computer did a stand by, which meant the GPU lowered it's clocks for a split second. I need to retest, that means. Any lower, however, and the computer hangs, at 0.925 V, for example, the computer hangs after 1 second of OCCT.
> 
> Default voltage is at 1.112 V core, 1.6 V memory, and the core is not stable at 1125 MHz at default voltage, though the crashes are few and far between. I know it's the core because the memory was 20 minutes OCCT stable as stated earlier.
> 
> As of right now, I see no need to overclock my 7970, it runs through everything I play, including BF3, like butter. That's why it's undervolted to 0.95 V core at the moment.
> 
> 
> 
> gotta say more i read about higher asic cards happier i am i got 50-70% asic.... mine did 1200/1800 np at air....
> 
> i need a bigger psu to go higher but i know on water one of my cards ( with lower asic ) will do 1290/1875 np..... have not had time to play with my second card.....
Click to expand...

After pushing my memory, it turns out it's doing 1850 MHz at 1.6 V (default voltage). Other than one hitch when I first started OCCT on that test where the display didn't show the OCCT test correctly, it's 20 minutes OCCT stable along with my 1190 MHz core clock. I have nothing to complain about with my 7970. Sure, I wish it'd clock higher on the core, but 1850 MHz memory is nothing to be mad about. Could the display issues be caused by running on VGA instead of DVI?

I will downclock my memory to 1825 MHz due to the display issues. In fact, since, OCCT says it's stable at 1850 MHz, I'll assume it's stable at 1825 MHz and run it there.

Temps are low because of my fan profile. Overclocked, it runs 65C on the GPU core due to a fan speed of 92.8%. Undervolted, it runs at 52 C due to a fan speed of 74.2%. I run my fan profile linearly from 0C at 0% to 70C at 100%, then 100% at any temperature above 70C.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> After pushing my memory, it turns out it's doing 1850 MHz at 1.6 V (default voltage). Other than one hitch when I first started OCCT on that test where the display didn't show the OCCT test correctly, it's 20 minutes OCCT stable along with my 1190 MHz core clock. I have nothing to complain about with my 7970. Sure, I wish it'd clock higher on the core, but 1850 MHz memory is nothing to be mad about. Could the display issues be caused by running on VGA instead of DVI?
> 
> I will downclock my memory to 1825 MHz due to the display issues. In fact, since, OCCT says it's stable at 1850 MHz, I'll assume it's stable at 1825 MHz and run it there.
> 
> Temps are low because of my fan profile. Overclocked, it runs 65C on the GPU core due to a fan speed of 92.8%. Undervolted, it runs at 52 C due to a fan speed of 74.2%. I run my fan profile linearly from 0C at 0% to 70C at 100%, then 100% at any temperature above 70C.


Dont use OCCT or furmark....


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> Changed TIM on my MSI 7950 TF3. Idle temps are now 1-2c higher but load is 1-2c lower, pretty weird. Also temps degrease much slower than before. I used AS5. I know it has long cure time but do you have any experience about AS5? I used dot method but many suggest spread because AS5 is kinda thick?


Make sure if you ever change the tim again NONE of it gets on the transistors around the core.  AS5 is silver based and conductive and will short your card out if it comes in contact with those.

You should buy MX4 instead.


----------



## bond32

Got the heatkiller block installed. Super nice block, very impressed. http://www.overclock.net/t/1367654/swiftech-h220-owners-club/3450#post_20087533


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Make sure if you ever change the tim again NONE of it gets on the transistors around the core.  AS5 is silver based and conductive and will short your card out if it comes in contact with those.
> 
> You should buy MX4 instead.


I knew this also but isn't AS5 only slighty conductive?

Not Electrically Conductive:
Arctic Silver 5 was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity.
(While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)


----------



## Sonikku13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> After pushing my memory, it turns out it's doing 1850 MHz at 1.6 V (default voltage). Other than one hitch when I first started OCCT on that test where the display didn't show the OCCT test correctly, it's 20 minutes OCCT stable along with my 1190 MHz core clock. I have nothing to complain about with my 7970. Sure, I wish it'd clock higher on the core, but 1850 MHz memory is nothing to be mad about. Could the display issues be caused by running on VGA instead of DVI?
> 
> I will downclock my memory to 1825 MHz due to the display issues. In fact, since, OCCT says it's stable at 1850 MHz, I'll assume it's stable at 1825 MHz and run it there.
> 
> Temps are low because of my fan profile. Overclocked, it runs 65C on the GPU core due to a fan speed of 92.8%. Undervolted, it runs at 52 C due to a fan speed of 74.2%. I run my fan profile linearly from 0C at 0% to 70C at 100%, then 100% at any temperature above 70C.
> 
> 
> 
> Dont use OCCT or furmark....
Click to expand...

Well OCCT doesn't test for GPU memory stability that well, I had to downclock more than I expected to get BF3 stable. Sitting on 1190 MHz 1.25 V/1800 MHz 1.60 V (stock) at the moment.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> I knew this also but isn't AS5 only slighty conductive?
> 
> Not Electrically Conductive:
> Arctic Silver 5 was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity.
> (While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)


MX4 is not periode. I don't know man, it would be a bad way to kill a $300 video card when you can get $10 thermal paste.


----------



## BradleyW

Hey everyone, sorry to but in like this but I am in need of some help and you guy's and probably the ones who can fix this.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1396354/urgent-help-radeonpro-wont-function
Cheers.


----------



## Seid Dark

What is going on here? I was watching Youtube video when suddenly this happens:



Windows didn't respond after that. I rebooted the computer and picture is normal again. I've had some flickering problems on desktop previously but nothing like this.

Does this look like there's something wrong with the core or memory chips of the card? I feel that if I RMA this card they will say it's not faulty due the random nature of the problem.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> What is going on here? I was watching Youtube video when suddenly this happens:
> 
> 
> 
> Windows didn't respond after that. I rebooted the computer and picture is normal again. I've had some flickering problems on desktop previously but nothing like this.
> 
> Does this look like there's something wrong with the core or memory chips of the card? I feel that if I RMA this card they will say it's not faulty due the random nature of the problem.


Disable flash acceleration d ear friend


----------



## Seid Dark

So that's normal on AMD cards if flash acceleration is enabled?







Problem is on driver side?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> So that's normal on AMD cards if flash acceleration is enabled?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Problem is on driver side?


No flash sucks


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> What is going on here? I was watching Youtube video when suddenly this happens:
> 
> 
> 
> Windows didn't respond after that. I rebooted the computer and picture is normal again. I've had some flickering problems on desktop previously but nothing like this.
> 
> Does this look like there's something wrong with the core or memory chips of the card? I feel that if I RMA this card they will say it's not faulty due the random nature of the problem.
> 
> 
> 
> *Disable flash acceleration d ear friend*
Click to expand...

that is the usual culprit, disable it and see what happends and report back


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> I knew this also but isn't AS5 only slighty conductive?
> 
> Not Electrically Conductive:
> Arctic Silver 5 was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity.
> (While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)


no it uses real silver. which is VERY elec. conductive.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> What is going on here? I was watching Youtube video when suddenly this happens:
> 
> 
> 
> Windows didn't respond after that. I rebooted the computer and picture is normal again. I've had some flickering problems on desktop previously but nothing like this.
> 
> Does this look like there's something wrong with the core or memory chips of the card? I feel that if I RMA this card they will say it's not faulty due the random nature of the problem.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No flash sucks


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> that is the usual culprit, disable it and see what happends and report back


flash is just really crappy and needs to be done away with .
i cant even watch youtube anymore.


----------



## bond32

Got a nice overclock of 1250 core and 1710 mem with the new heatkiller nickel waterblock. Temperatures are blowing my mind how much cooler it is. Load it runs low 40's where on the stock cooler stock voltage it was low to mid 80's at load. I am super happy with it. If I can just now manage to put the backplate on when it comes in without draining the loop I will be in good shape.


----------



## eBombzor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> flash is just really crappy and needs to be done away with .
> i cant even watch youtube anymore.


HTML5 Beta anyone?


----------



## OneGun

Can i get water blocks for my His ICEQ X2 7950 cards?


----------



## PedroC1999

HIS Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock 3GB GDDR5 (H795QMC3G2M)

Is this your card? If so, any 7950 water block will fit fine


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> HIS Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock 3GB GDDR5 (H795QMC3G2M)
> 
> Is this your card? If so, any 7950 water block will fit fine


So i was looking at a new Liquid cooler..Should i get a H220 and possibly get two blocks for my cards in the future and run them off that?Will the pump handle the two cards and a CPU?Is the H220 better then a H100i?


----------



## PedroC1999

The H220 is better than H100i, but you will need at least 360mm of radiator for 3 blocks, I recommend a total of 480 though. The H220 wont handle all the heat, but the pump is fine


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Dont use OCCT or furmark....


rightly said s hell...
play games with your gpu guys,don't waste your time doing occt and furmark just for doin's sake and darn your card..


----------



## Sasasd

Okay so AS5 is conductive... I was thinking buying CLU. It should be fine, heatsink isn't aluminium?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> Okay so AS5 is conductive... I was thinking buying CLU. It should be fine, heatsink isn't aluminium?


also conductive and imo not worth it.

but hey to each his own


----------



## youpekkad

I was very close to kill my GPU when I applied liquid pro, the paste wouldnt come out first, then it came faster than I expected and was VERY close (luckily it stayed on die...) that it got in contact with the small components around the GPU-die. Got lucky I guess, and now I read user comments that they got better temps with TFIII cooler when they used non-conductive normal TIM. I think I wont touch that stuff again


----------



## Recr3ational

As everyone's talking about TIM, what's people opinion on IC Diamond? That's what I used on my 7950 TFIII and it dropped 10c ( I think MSI used to much)


----------



## ConradTP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> HIS Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock 3GB GDDR5 (H795QMC3G2M)
> 
> Is this your card? If so, any 7950 water block will fit fine


I think he'll be looking for a reference *7970* block, as the H795QMC3G2M uses a 7970 PCB.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> As everyone's talking about TIM, what's people opinion on IC Diamond? That's what I used on my 7950 TFIII and it dropped 10c ( I think MSI used to much)


Love the Formula 7! Used it on the last 3 wb installs that I've done and a dot of Gelid extreme on the thermal pads. It doesn't go over 42*. I use the Gelid on my cpu's though, easier to apply and clean


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Love the Formula 7! Used it on the last 3 wb installs that I've done and a dot of Gelid extreme on the thermal pads. It doesn't go over 42*. I use the Gelid on my cpu's though, easier to apply and clean


When you say Formula 7, do you mean Fomula 7 from antec or IC Diamond 7? Haha


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> When you say Formula 7, do you mean Fomula 7 from antec or IC Diamond 7? Haha


Antec.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Antec.


Is it good for your gpu? Better than ic diamond?


----------



## Snuckie7

Does anyone have a link that shows the driver improvements for the 7970 over the past year or so? I remember seeing a graph that shows this but i can't find it anymore.


----------



## PedroC1999

Hows CFx going for AMD< im about to enter the dual graphics world


----------



## kahboom

Uncapped 7950.zip 3688k .zip file
/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
Adjusted Frequencies and Voltage profiles in gpu bios, I made a few of them for MSI Twin Frozr III HD 7950 cards Non boost. But from what ive been told by other members is that the ones with lower memory speed works. Original File http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/124252/msi-hd7950-3072-120524.html Does not work with MSI Afterburner at all kicks voltages way down, but other tools work fine, Overclock Limits are raised and you Don't have to force the flash if you have a MSI Twin Frozr card if takes it like an update, since checksum has been corrected. While there has been some movement which helped me to figure out the vrm signal range with this http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Uncapped 7950.zip 3688k .zip file
> 
> Adjusted Frequencies and Voltage profiles in gpu bios, I made a few of them for MSI Twin Frozr III HD 7950 cards Non boost. But from what ive been told by other members is that the ones with lower memory speed works. Original File http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/124252/msi-hd7950-3072-120524.html Does not work with MSI Afterburner at all kicks voltages way down, but other tools work fine, Overclock Limits are raised and you Don't have to force the flash if you have a MSI Twin Frozr card if takes it like an update, since checksum has been corrected. While there has been some movement which helped me to figure out the vrm signal range with this http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


I need Msi Twin froze III HD 7950 boost bios tho !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> I need Msi Twin froze III HD 7950 boost bios tho !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Why would you want a boost BIOS?


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Why would you want a boost BIOS?


Overclock More









Need flash to other bios mine is boost bios......


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> I need Msi Twin froze III HD 7950 boost bios tho !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I have gave to another member That had a Twin frozr boost card and it unlocked voltage as well. It might work for you but it depends on your motherboard, some will not boot with cross vendor bios but since its the same company maybe its coded the same.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Uncapped 7950.zip 3688k .zip file
> /width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
> Adjusted Frequencies and Voltage profiles in gpu bios, I made a few of them for MSI Twin Frozr III HD 7950 cards Non boost. But from what ive been told by other members is that the ones with lower memory speed works. Original File http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/124252/msi-hd7950-3072-120524.html Does not work with MSI Afterburner at all kicks voltages way down, but other tools work fine, Overclock Limits are raised and you Don't have to force the flash if you have a MSI Twin Frozr card if takes it like an update, since checksum has been corrected. While there has been some movement which helped me to figure out the vrm signal range with this http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


And a Rep+ for your efforts, and providing the files.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *yoyo711*
> 
> Overclock More
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Need flash to other bios mine is boost bios......


Boost BIOS doesn't affect max overclock, only stock clocks. . .

I'd rather have both non boost BIOS tbh. Less issues all around.


----------



## PainKiller89

Can someone please explain why gpu 2 usage is weird in the picture


----------



## kahboom

Uncapped MSI Twin Frozr III HD 7950 Bios.zip 3688k .zip file
 Now with working 50% power control  And i dare not to hit apply without getting another triple rad







, I supplied trixx mod 4.4 only because it has ram voltage available while other Trixx did not have this option.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> Can someone please explain why gpu 2 usage is weird in the picture
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


1 upls is it disabled or enabled?
2 what are you doing when it is weird ? ( gaming? desktop? web surfing ?
3 do you have enable amd cfx for apps that have no associated app profile checked?


----------



## PainKiller89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 1 upls is it disabled or enabled?
> 2 what are you doing when it is weird ? ( gaming? desktop? web surfing ?
> 3 do you have enable amd cfx for apps that have no associated app profile checked?


1. ULPS is disabled
2. Gaming in BF3
3. What do you mean? I have latest cap 1 installed, using msi afterburner.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> 1. ULPS is disabled
> 2. Gaming in BF3
> 3. What do you mean? I have latest cap 1 installed, using msi afterburner.




incase you cant read that

Untitled.png 655k .png file


----------



## PainKiller89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> incase you cant read that
> 
> Untitled.png 655k .png file


I don't have that option, also bf3 is already part of amd crossfire list if i am not mistaken


----------



## Mega Man

i would try reinstalling drivers. sadly that is about the extent of my gpu knowledge maybe it is time for the heavy hitters to step in

i dont think at that clock/volts you should be having issues with a x850 psu.


----------



## PainKiller89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i would try reinstalling drivers. sadly that is about the extent of my gpu knowledge maybe it is time for the heavy hitters to step in
> 
> i dont think at that clock/volts you should be having issues with a x850 psu.


Ye, i am not understanding why the performance is bad when crossfire is enabled in bf3. I am also running 144hz monitor.


----------



## kahboom

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-bios-mod-thread#post_20067187







Now to find someone to code.







More profiles added.


----------



## Leethal

How much increase in performance will i see if i get another 7950?

Also single 7950 guys, what fps do you get on Crysis 3 maxed out?


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> How much increase in performance will i see if i get another 7950?
> 
> Also single 7950 guys, what fps do you get on Crysis 3 maxed out?


Depends on the game, i would say 20 to 90% depending on the game, only major titles seem to get better FPS but i think it was well worth the move.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ...
> i did pick up a komodo used as i could not find any in stock that were not WAY over priced. and i found this
> 
> 
> 
> both LEDS are on but the used one is really dim, did you change LEDs to a bighter led later in production or could it just be hidden? ( have not taken it off to see how the led is held in place.)
> ...


.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[email protected]*
> 
> ...
> Komodo LED's: we haven't changed anything.
> ...






About the Swiftech Komodo 7970 blocks...

a) They have excellent performance even at very low flowrates! My loop flowrate is barely 0.5GPM and i get max GPU Temp ~34C and both VRM Temps ~42C!
Note here, that i have the komodos connected in Parallel, having heard Gabes advice (eventhough i had second thoughts since most of the people recommend series) and the results with half the flowrate ~0.25 GPM through each card, are amazing!

b) These beautiful blocks when in crossfire config give you "non-standard" tight spacing of 12-13mm. So you have to use either the special komodo x-bracket or the short version of swiftech gpu connectors. I have bought both and eventhough the X-bracket is very beautifull, i prefer for installation flexibility to use the short swiftech connectors. The shortest BP D-Plug is 15mm.

c) While when i bought the blocks, both leds had same brightness, now i also have the issue mentioned above with the leds brightness difference. Both blocks bought together/new and my bottom card's led is not that bright anymore.

Eventhough i ve heard experienced people saying that komodo blocks are more restrictive in flow than other blocks (which might be the case), I still have not found a 7970 waterblock achieving such low VRM Temps even at such low flowrates...


----------



## kahboom

These blocks are great no regrets getting these waterblocks.


----------



## d1nky

which sapphire trixx mod? 4.4 or 4.6?

i want highest possible core voltage and best oc stability.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Is it good for your gpu? Better than ic diamond?


Haven't used IC, but from what I have read it is a newer "formula" or suspension than IC and actually did slighlty better in testing. Haven't seen over 42* on a highly clocked 7970. My previous oc'd 6990 didn't go above 46* I have done a lot of cpu swapping and haven't used it on CPU yet. However, once I delid my Ivy, I may just to guage results. I'm thinking to try the Formula 7 and Gelid, before putting CLU on the IHS. I just bought some thermal sensors and would like to do some testing in/at different points in my cooling loops. Don't want to do multiple WB installs


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Haven't used IC, but from what I have read it is a newer "formula" or suspension than IC and actually did slighlty better in testing. Haven't seen over 42* on a highly clocked 7970. My previous oc'd 6990 didn't go above 46* I have done a lot of cpu swapping and haven't used it on CPU yet. However, once I delid my Ivy, I may just to guage results. I'm thinking to try the Formula 7 and Gelid, before putting CLU on the IHS. I just bought some thermal sensors and would like to do some testing in/at different points in my cooling loops. Don't want to do multiple WB installs
> 
> Okay man thanks for the reply i think i might have to buy some!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> .
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> About the Swiftech Komodo 7970 blocks...
> 
> a) They have excellent performance even at very low flowrates! My loop flowrate is barely 0.5GPM and i get max GPU Temp ~34C and both VRM Temps ~42C!
> Note here, that i have the komodos connected in Parallel, having heard Gabes advice (eventhough i had second thoughts since most of the people recommend series) and the results with half the flowrate ~0.25 GPM through each card, are amazing!
> 
> b) These beautiful blocks when in crossfire config give you "non-standard" tight spacing of 12-13mm. So you have to use either the special komodo x-bracket or the short version of swiftech gpu connectors. I have bought both and eventhough the X-bracket is very beautifull, i prefer for installation flexibility to use the short swiftech connectors. The shortest BP D-Plug is 15mm.
> 
> c) While when i bought the blocks, both leds had same brightness, now i also have the issue mentioned above with the leds brightness difference. Both blocks bought together/new and my bottom card's led is not that bright anymore.
> 
> Eventhough i ve heard experienced people saying that komodo blocks are more restrictive in flow than other blocks (which might be the case), I still have not found a 7970 waterblock achieving such low VRM Temps even at such low flowrates...


thanks !~ please forgive my tubing mess ~ waiting for my res to come back from being custom moded..... then i will be fixing my loop !~ and adding qdcs ( GO SWIFTECH !~ ) but i gotta tell your your loop looks so clean man !~

so far i have managed to put 1.4v vcore in my 7970 and have yet to hit above 40c vcore and 56 vrms.... pretty darn good imo.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> These blocks are great no regrets getting these waterblocks.


Man, they do look good!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Man, they do look good!


my only complaint..... is that they dont make cfx bridges for my triple slot spacing !~ WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> thanks !~ please forgive my tubing mess ~ waiting for my res to come back from being custom moded..... then i will be fixing my loop !~ and adding qdcs ( GO SWIFTECH !~ ) but i gotta tell your your loop looks so clean man !~
> 
> so far i have managed to put 1.4v vcore in my 7970 and have yet to hit above 40c vcore and 56 vrms.... pretty darn good imo.


I am glad you like my loop









1.4volts? Isnt this above specs (1.3 is the limit i think)









In any case, the numbers i showed above refer to room temp ~26C and stock voltage in both cards.









Enjoy watercooling...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> I am glad you like my loop
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1.4volts? Isnt this above specs (1.3 is the limit i think)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> In any case, the numbers i showed above refer to room temp ~26C and stock voltage in both cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Enjoy watercooling...


yes it is. i mod my bios !~

if you are interested.
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423
http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards/0_100


----------



## PedroC1999

How do you change the MAX voltage of your cards? I want to go from 1.3v to 1.35 to battle vDroop


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> so far i have managed to put 1.4v vcore in my 7970 and have yet to hit above 40c vcore and 56 vrms.... pretty darn good imo.


What are you using to montior voltage? Have you used a voltmeter for measurements?

IC Diamond.

I had bad experience with it and though it worked decent I had some problems with it.

Here is photo of damage to my GPU die and block after usage of IC Diamond.


----------



## PainKiller89

Can someone explain why gpu 1 and gpu 2 is spiking?

This is while gaming


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What are you using to montior voltage? Have you used a voltmeter for measurements?
> 
> IC Diamond.
> 
> I had bad experience with it and though it worked decent I had some problems with it.
> 
> Here is photo of damage to my GPU die and block after usage of IC Diamond.


yep it contains abrasive materials all right !~

and i can i have both a fluke and a fieldpeice !~


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> Can someone explain why gpu 1 and gpu 2 is spiking?
> 
> This is while gaming


might be due to the boost bios on your cards, mine did it when running stress test until I flashed a diff bios to it


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> might be due to the boost bios on your cards, mine did it when running stress test until I flashed a diff bios to it


My Sapphire HD7950 950mhz Edition behaved like this when I used a poor designed XSPC New Edition Razer HD7970 block on it which has terrible VRM cooling, my spiking on gpu load was between 100% to 63% and was happening when VRM would reach around 110C. Looks like a VRM over current protection that switches when heat is too high.


----------



## richie_2010

my vrms were saying 70s when it was happening although there is nothing on them atm.
why did they choose such crappy coolers for these cards


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> my only complaint..... is that they dont make cfx bridges for my triple slot spacing !~ WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


seriously?! asus cards are triple slotters so i thought they would?

ohhhh what trixx mod should i use?????? 4.4 or 4.6


----------



## Vi0lence

which brand 7970do you guys run? looking into getting away from nvidia cards. would like a company with good customer service. looking for 4 way crossfire. also please no asus cards. not interested in dealing with asus


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> seriously?! asus cards are triple slotters so i thought they would?
> 
> ohhhh what trixx mod should i use?????? 4.4 or 4.6


Trixx 4.4.0b mod


----------



## PedroC1999

Major big question, how far can you guys go on stock volts, with 1094mV (my stock) I can get to 1020MHz on the core, is this good? (card is at 1020mV after vDroop)


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Major big question, how far can you guys go on stock volts, with 1094mV (my stock) I can get to 1020MHz on the core, is this good? (card is at 1020mV after vDroop)


I think the stock boost voltage on mine was 1.089V and that took me all the way to 1150MHz.


----------



## PedroC1999

Is my 1020MHz on stock considered good, or just plain old rubbish?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Is my 1020MHz on stock considered good, or just plain old rubbish?


I think "irrelevant" is a better take on it.


----------



## Blindsay

Neither







it say that's so so.

My 7950s shipped with a factory overclock of 1000mhz and I can do 1125 without raising the voltage (I cant raise the voltage on my card)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Is my 1020MHz on stock considered good, or just plain old rubbish?


I can do 1125 stock voltage on my 7970. 925-1125 on core.


----------



## Spiralmind

Pulled the trigger on a Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor-X Ghz edition. Should be here Wednesday-ish. Couldn't pass it up plus 4 free games.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spiralmind*
> 
> Pulled the trigger on a Sapphire HD 7970 Vapor-X Ghz edition. Should be here Wednesday-ish. Couldn't pass it up plus 4 free games.


Sweet..


----------



## CravinR1

Its all I can do not to order another 7950 for crossfire

..... I don't even need it as the most demanding game I play is Starcraft 2 and League of Legends


----------



## bond32

Those of you with the heat killer x 7970, what temps and clocks are you getting? Mine seems to do fine around 1250 core and 1760 mem, 1.3 V. Just wanted to compare. Haven't really played with it much yet.


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

When are the new drivers due? The ones that fix some CF problems like crappy frame times


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Vi0lence*
> 
> which brand 7970do you guys run? looking into getting away from nvidia cards. would like a company with good customer service. looking for 4 way crossfire. also please no asus cards. not interested in dealing with asus


i love my msi cards and great service too !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Major big question, how far can you guys go on stock volts, with 1094mV (my stock) I can get to 1020MHz on the core, is this good? (card is at 1020mV after vDroop)


honestly dont know. i just pushed volts to max.....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> When are the new drivers due? The ones that fix some CF problems like crappy frame times


last i heard this month


----------



## dir_d

Anyone having any weird issues with crossfire after they patch their drivers to overclock a korean monitor? It seems the patch that is required is messing up Radeon Pro and some of its functionally.


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> Can someone explain why gpu 1 and gpu 2 is spiking?
> 
> This is while gaming


What version of MSI Afterburner is that? looks cool


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PainKiller89*
> 
> Can someone explain why gpu 1 and gpu 2 is spiking?
> 
> This is while gaming
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What version of MSI Afterburner is that? looks cool
Click to expand...

That's their latest Dragon Army Skin, available here:
www.guru3d.com/files_details/msi_afterburner_beta_download.html
See the last download link, below the Afterburner download links.


----------



## kahboom

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread Thread updated.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> When are the new drivers due? The ones that fix some CF problems like crappy frame times


July.


----------



## staccker

Question on the XFX 7950 Core Edition:

There is currently a deal on newegg for the XFX 7950 for 260$ http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-150-590&nm_mc=EMC-GD060313&cm_mmc=EMC-GD060313-_-index-_-Item-_-14-150-590

It seems that this one runs hot and there have been some hot and cold reviews. Would it be recommended to use an after market cooler on this to get better temps?

Anyone have any experience with this card?

thanks!


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Just wondered has anyone had any atikmpag.sys DSOD at all on 13.4 Drivers ?


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Just wondered has anyone had any atikmpag.sys DSOD at all on 13.4 Drivers ?


I haven't on my new 7970. I had that a lot with my 7850 though.


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> I haven't on my new 7970. I had that a lot with my 7850 though.


Ok thanks , I getting It very time the PC is turned on now ( 7950 Cards ) , Uninstalled 13.4 Drivers , went to 13.2 - No BSOD But now OpenCL refused to work , GPUz gets a openCL error and It wont fold under Boinc as both GPU's are "missing" as they supposedly don't support OpenCL

I have tried to reinstall 13.4 twice but it always get BSOD

i had No issues before 5 days ago , id started to get 1 or 2 BSOD but now its every single time :/


----------



## spinejam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Ok thanks , I getting It very time the PC is turned on now ( 7950 Cards ) , Uninstalled 13.4 Drivers , went to 13.2 - No BSOD But now OpenCL refused to work , GPUz gets a openCL error and It wont fold under Boinc as both GPU's are "missing" as they supposedly don't support OpenCL
> 
> I have tried to reinstall 13.4 twice but it always get BSOD
> 
> i had No issues before 5 days ago , id started to get 1 or 2 BSOD but now its every single time :/


Install this: http://developer.amd.com/tools-and-sdks/heterogeneous-computing/amd-accelerated-parallel-processing-app-sdk/downloads/


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Ok thanks , I getting It very time the PC is turned on now ( 7950 Cards ) , Uninstalled 13.4 Drivers , went to 13.2 - No BSOD But now OpenCL refused to work , GPUz gets a openCL error and It wont fold under Boinc as both GPU's are "missing" as they supposedly don't support OpenCL
> 
> I have tried to reinstall 13.4 twice but it always get BSOD
> 
> i had No issues before 5 days ago , id started to get 1 or 2 BSOD but now its every single time :/


You downloaded the 13.2 beta 2 i think with the broken OCL. Download the latest 13.2 beta 3 i think or something


----------



## th3illusiveman

if i upload my Bios here could someone mod the voltage for me?


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> if i upload my Bios here could someone mod the voltage for me?


http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread#post_20105937


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spinejam*
> 
> Install this: http://developer.amd.com/tools-and-sdks/heterogeneous-computing/amd-accelerated-parallel-processing-app-sdk/downloads/


Thanks , I did try that but had no luck things just refused to work . So I stopped trying and just did a new win 7 install , installed the 13.4 Drivers again and it seems to be working fine . just wonder how long till the BSOD come bad :/ .


----------



## BradleyW

Has anyone had issues with 13.6 Beta? I have bad shadow corruption on tomb raider and blue screens and random shut offs/restarts with Res evil Revelations. Issues not present on 13.4 and 13.5 Beta 2.


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

I was using the 13.5 beta, what happened to 13.5??? Now I'm going to try 13.6 beta I suppose

Where's the 1 that will fix the crappy CF frame times, where 1 frame lasts only a few milliseconds and the next frame lasts 40ms, so it feels and looks slow

I'm sure I have that in BF3 and a few other games that report high fps but look and feel bad


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> I was using the 13.5 beta, what happened to 13.5??? Now I'm going to try 13.6 beta I suppose
> 
> Where's the 1 that will fix the crappy CF frame times, where 1 frame lasts only a few milliseconds and the next frame lasts 40ms, so it feels and looks slow
> 
> I'm sure I have that in BF3 and a few other games that report high fps but look and feel bad


Have you tried RadeonPro?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Have you tried RadeonPro?


But how would you fix frame latency in rad pro?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But how would you fix frame latency in rad pro?


Enable vsync and Dynamic framerate cap.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But how would you fix frame latency in rad pro?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But how would you fix frame latency in rad pro?


http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1750626


----------



## OneGun

The only game that I can't dial in perfectly with RadeonPro is Far Cry 3..


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> The only game that I can't dial in perfectly with RadeonPro is Far Cry 3..


Because the graphic engine is broken and the devs dont patch the game.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Because the graphic engine is broken and the devs dont patch the game.


Sucks cause it's a beautiful game but online sucks cause of UPLAY connection issues ad single player is un playable in multi gpu setups..


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1750626


So the testing shows stuttering with Vsync, but he was below 60fps, so that's the reason. Then, it looks as if the testing between msi and radeonpro were ran without vsync enabled in game. From this, I'd say it does not matter which you use when vsync is enabled.


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Enable vsync and Dynamic framerate cap.


I'll try that setting
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1750626


thanks
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> The only game that I can't dial in perfectly with RadeonPro is Far Cry 3..


FC3 ran that badly with my CF I deleted it again. I could never figure out how to get Rpro to run with FC3, I had to start the game from the Uplay launcher, never found a why around that


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> So the testing shows stuttering with Vsync, but he was below 60fps, so that's the reason. Then, it looks as if the testing between msi and radeonpro were ran without vsync enabled in game. From this, I'd say it does not matter which you use when vsync is enabled.


I was just trying to help.. If you don't want to use the best crossfire stutter fixer then thats fine with me.. Have a great day..


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> I'll try that setting
> thanks
> FC3 ran that badly with my CF I deleted it again. I could never figure out how to get Rpro to run with FC3, I had to start the game from the Uplay launcher, never found a why around that


When uplay comes up, click play and rad pro still works.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I was just trying to help.. If you don't want to use the best crossfire stutter fixer then thats fine with me.. Have a great day..


I'm only commenting on the testing, and thank you for the link. I'm a radeon pro user myself and I use the frame rate cap feature in radeon pro, but when using msi or rad pro for locking the frames, as long as vsync is enabled, there might be no difference.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I'm only commenting on the testing, and thank you for the link. I'm a radeon pro user myself and I use the frame rate cap feature in radeon pro, but when using msi or rad pro for locking the frames, as long as vsync is enabled, there might be no difference.


Enable the osd. It report the frame latency. If you follow my settings you will get 16 ms locked. Just change your refresh rate


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But how would you fix frame latency in rad pro?


http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-11.html

Aside from a few dropped frames and a handful of spikes when the test changes scenes, our dual-Tahiti card enjoys much smoother sailing. In fact, the end result is often better than what you'd see from a single graphics card, with virtually no micro-stuttering left.

The RadeonPro software is more complicated to use than Nvidia's hardware-based solution because you have to manually create a new profile for each and every game. But the results speak for themselves. This is nothing short of a revelation for the folks who pin the scalability of their gaming machines on multi-GPU configurations, but hate the idea of micro-stuttering. John Mautari, the utility's developer, deserves big thanks from the crew at AMD, to be certain.


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Wo , BSOD again , removed 13.4drivers , went to 12.8 Drivers all is working again .. So far .


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> When uplay comes up, click play and rad pro still works.


When I would add a profile, I linked to uplay.exe or whatever it is, and RP would show fps in the uplay popup, but not in FC3 so I assumed it wasn't working.

And I looked for the FC3 .exe but I either never found it or something wasn't right

When I get another SSD I'll try it all again


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I'm only commenting on the testing, and thank you for the link. I'm a radeon pro user myself and I use the frame rate cap feature in radeon pro, but when using msi or rad pro for locking the frames, as long as vsync is enabled, there might be no difference.


usually the vsync on + frame cap is to lower input lag as well.. is not only for stuttering.. You need to understand your games and perf and setting to use with radeonpro to remove stuttering..

Think about your avg most match your cap or screen refresh rate..

I hate stuttering and i hate screen tearing so my goal is 60 frames avg at the desired resolution..
Thats all i need in reality..


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Enable the osd. It report the frame latency. If you follow my settings you will get 16 ms locked. Just change your refresh rate


Completely Off-Topic:

Lol man, have I told you how much I love your gifs?

Tetsuo...
















Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is still a masterpiece after so many years. It's up there with Miyazaki's wonderful art and Ghost In The Shell. The kind of movie which doesn't get old. I remember when I was 6 years old(1990) and saw Kaneda with the laser on the cover, getting fits of pleasure...and then putting Akira's tape into one or another crappy Disney Direct-To-TV cover cause my parents didn't want me to see violence and such illogical things parents do







.

The next 5 minutes were spent whispering with the shop owner to not give me away.







Good memories from an AWESOME MOVIE


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Completely Off-Topic:
> 
> Lol man, have I told you how much I love your gifs?
> 
> Tetsuo...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is still a masterpiece after so many years. It's up there with Miyazaki's wonderful art and Ghost In The Shell. The kind of movie which doesn't get old. I remember when I was 6 years old(1990) and saw Kaneda with the laser on the cover, getting fits of pleasure...and then putting Akira's tape into one or another crappy Disney Direct-To-TV cover cause my parents didn't want me to see violence and such illogical things parents do
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> The next 5 minutes were spent whispering with the shop owner to not give me away.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good memories from an AWESOME MOVIE


Oh man,you sure putting up some names:Akira, GITS







Truly the best of the best.Even James Cameron and Spielberg got flabbergasted by those ausumness. As i said,best of the best.








If you want some more hot damn like those,I can provide you with lists.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> Oh man,you sure putting up some names:Akira, GITS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Truly the best of the best.Even James Cameron and Spielberg got flabbergasted by those ausumness. As i said,best of the best.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you *want* some more hot damn like those,I can provide you with *lists.*


Off-Topic: I was really hard on adult & intelligent anime some years ago, but I've been disconnected for quite some time. I take your offer. Start spilling the beans in PM.









On-Topic: My ATI x900 does 2000mhz core, [email protected] core if I dream it.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Wo , BSOD again , removed 13.4drivers , went to 12.8 Drivers all is working again .. So far .


these 13.6 betas have made my points drop like a mofo in 3dmark, especially compared to the 12s.

or some major degradation has happened while my cards been doing nothing in a box or idling lol


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> Completely Off-Topic:
> 
> Lol man, have I told you how much I love your gifs?
> 
> Tetsuo...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is still a masterpiece after so many years. It's up there with Miyazaki's wonderful art and Ghost In The Shell. The kind of movie which doesn't get old. I remember when I was 6 years old(1990) and saw Kaneda with the laser on the cover, getting fits of pleasure...and then putting Akira's tape into one or another crappy Disney Direct-To-TV cover cause my parents didn't want me to see violence and such illogical things parents do
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> The next 5 minutes were spent whispering with the shop owner to not give me away.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good memories from an AWESOME MOVIE


----------



## Leethal

13.6 Beta Drivers made my 7950 run better, seeing 5-10 fps more in games


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> 13.6 Beta Drivers made my 7950 run better, seeing 5-10 fps more in games


You upgrade from 13.4 thats why.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> if i upload my Bios here could someone mod the voltage for me?


Ewwww nicki minaj with her 3 meter wide ass, i cant see how people find that attractive... Must purge my mind.


----------



## richie_2010

Forget that


----------



## Souv

!!


----------



## Souv

Crytek: AMD Graphics enable amazing visual experiences on Crysis 3






Crysis 3 even better with AMD Eyefinity & HD3D


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> 
> !!


From this picture it looks like AMD is going in the shoe business. Tilt your head to the right.


----------



## bond32

Still looking to see what other single 7970 users are getting on 3dmark11. So far http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6680068 is my best, 11817 graphics score. I returned my 2 660 ti's for one 7970, before the best overall score with the ti's was 14007.


----------



## rhole

Quote:


> Still looking to see what other single 7970 users are getting on 3dmark11. So far http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6680068 is my best, 11817 graphics score. I returned my 2 660 ti's for one 7970, before the best overall score with the ti's was 14007.


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932136

My 3DMark11 score. With single 7970. Graphics score 12794. This is from about 2 months a go, so not sure if any possible driver improvement since that might improve it. Might re-do if there is.


----------



## Sonikku13

When running my 7970 at 1.25 V while doing an activity that OCN doesn't allow us to talk about, I saw my VRM1 temp hit 105C. I panicked, stopped doing that activity, and then changed the volts to 1.175V.

My 7970 seems to have a major VDroop problem. When set to 1.25 V in Trixx, in this activity that I was running, my voltage was averaging about 1.12 V.

This activity also destabilized my 1190 MHz core overclock that was 20 minutes OCCT stable with error check on at a voltage setting of 1.175 V. I had to downclock to 1,125 MHz core to get it stable in this activity. My memory was also downclocked to 1750 MHz to get it totally stable in this activity.

As of now, at 1125 MHz core/1750 MHz memory at 1.175 V/1.6 V (default) respectively, I get core temps of around 79C, VRM1 temps of 78C, and VRM2 temps of 50C at 100% fan speed, full blast. I can handle the noise, but are these temps high for the stock cooler without me replacing the TIM on the cooler? Or are they normal?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> When running my 7970 at 1.25 V while doing an activity that OCN doesn't allow us to talk about, I saw my VRM1 temp hit 105C. I panicked, stopped doing that activity, and then changed the volts to 1.175V.
> 
> My 7970 seems to have a major VDroop problem. When set to 1.25 V in Trixx, in this activity that I was running, my voltage was averaging about 1.12 V.
> 
> This activity also destabilized my 1190 MHz core overclock that was 20 minutes OCCT stable with error check on at a voltage setting of 1.175 V. I had to downclock to 1,125 MHz core to get it stable in this activity. My memory was also downclocked to 1750 MHz to get it totally stable in this activity.
> 
> As of now, at 1125 MHz core/1750 MHz memory at 1.175 V/1.6 V (default) respectively, I get core temps of around 79C, VRM1 temps of 78C, and VRM2 temps of 50C at 100% fan speed, full blast. I can handle the noise, but are these temps high for the stock cooler without me replacing the TIM on the cooler? Or are they normal?


Yeah those temps look very high to me. You must have really bad case airflow?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Still looking to see what other single 7970 users are getting on 3dmark11. So far http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6680068 is my best, 11817 graphics score. I returned my 2 660 ti's for one 7970, before the best overall score with the ti's was 14007.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932136
> 
> My 3DMark11 score. With single 7970. Graphics score 12794. This is from about 2 months a go, so not sure if any possible driver improvement since that might improve it. Might re-do if there is.
Click to expand...

3dm11 is not comparable between different cpus. Try using 3dm13 instead as that doesn't overly weight ivy ridiculously.


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Yeah those temps look very high to me. You must have really bad case airflow?


105c is very high but 79c is absolutely fine for a gpu


----------



## FragZero

How safe is memory overvoltage on a 7950?

My 7950 does

1.600v 1450ish
1.650v 1600ish
1.700v 1800 - haven't tried higher.

Tomorrow i'll get an accelero 7970 so i will be able to add memory and VRM heatsinks to my card!.


----------



## PedroC1999

My card does...

1750 - Stock
1780 - 1630
1805 - 1669

And thats the memory limits, I run 1800 24/7 because it is a very good clock


----------



## p2mob

Ahhh XFX ruined it for me....This is the most ill get out of my 7950 double d....1050mhz core 1350mhz [email protected] core it will crash during benchmarking.

I don't know what to do, I was thinking to switching to GTX780 but then I was considering giving MSI R7970 LIGHTNING BE Radeon HD 7970 GHz a shot.

ughh decisions, decisions....

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/10/uv1j.jpg/


----------



## Sonikku13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> When running my 7970 at 1.25 V while doing an activity that OCN doesn't allow us to talk about, I saw my VRM1 temp hit 105C. I panicked, stopped doing that activity, and then changed the volts to 1.175V.
> 
> My 7970 seems to have a major VDroop problem. When set to 1.25 V in Trixx, in this activity that I was running, my voltage was averaging about 1.12 V.
> 
> This activity also destabilized my 1190 MHz core overclock that was 20 minutes OCCT stable with error check on at a voltage setting of 1.175 V. I had to downclock to 1,125 MHz core to get it stable in this activity. My memory was also downclocked to 1750 MHz to get it totally stable in this activity.
> 
> As of now, at 1125 MHz core/1750 MHz memory at 1.175 V/1.6 V (default) respectively, I get core temps of around 79C, VRM1 temps of 78C, and VRM2 temps of 50C at 100% fan speed, full blast. I can handle the noise, but are these temps high for the stock cooler without me replacing the TIM on the cooler? Or are they normal?
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah those temps look very high to me. You must have really bad case airflow?
Click to expand...

I've got a HAF 912 with RFX-120 fans, two of them doing 175 CFM intake via the front, one doing 87.5 CFM intake via the side, one doing 87.5 CFM out the rear, and two doing 175 CFM out the top. Airflow shouldn't really be an issue unless the HAF 912 was designed poorly.


----------



## BradleyW

Hey, has anyone had problems with radeonpro crashing games on start up?


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey, has anyone had problems with radeonpro crashing games on start up?


No sir.. But I only play BF3 and Crysis 3..


----------



## youpekkad

Atleast what I´ve found is that if I try using RadeonPro, I MUST disable Afterburner OSD/fraps/dxtory etc or else it wont function properly (BF3 just crashes..) Have never really got it working...

But most ppl are very happy with the software so I must be doing something wrong, dont really care either way, games run very smoothly with Afterburner as well and I want Afterburner to be working because I use it to overclock my GPU, control the fan speed and monitor temps and gpu-usage. Also Afterburner works with the other softwares as well.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> Ahhh XFX ruined it for me....This is the most ill get out of my 7950 double d....1050mhz core 1350mhz [email protected] core it will crash during benchmarking.
> 
> I don't know what to do, I was thinking to switching to GTX780 but then I was considering giving MSI R7970 LIGHTNING BE Radeon HD 7970 GHz a shot.
> 
> ughh decisions, decisions....
> 
> http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/10/uv1j.jpg/
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


that is pretty bad indeed. around 37 is stock for 7950. what are your voltages?


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> that is pretty bad indeed. around 37 is stock for 7950. what are your voltages?


XFX has locked voltages, so i cannot increase to try going further.

It runs 1.250v at load....temps around 64c MAX...


----------



## PedroC1999

Maybe flash a new BIOS? Or is it locked at hardware level?


----------



## bond32

Are you guys using trixx? I couldn't find 4.4.0 but I didn't look much. I can only do a max of 1.3 to the core and it reads 1.25 is.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Are you guys using trixx? I couldn't find 4.4.0 but I didn't look much. I can only do a max of 1.3 to the core and it reads 1.25 is.


 Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file

There enjoy.


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Maybe flash a new BIOS? Or is it locked at hardware level?


Im not sure how to flash the bios for a graphics card I might look into that.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Still looking to see what other single 7970 users are getting on 3dmark11. So far http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6680068 is my best, 11817 graphics score. I returned my 2 660 ti's for one 7970, before the best overall score with the ti's was 14007.


pretty good actually
here is my best but i am water cooled and using 1.4v vcore on this bench.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6665271
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6665294

( these are with my lower asic card @ max )
normal unmodded bios ( 2 cards scores for top oc for both ( one at a time )
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6363400
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6361491

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rhole*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932136
> 
> My 3DMark11 score. With single 7970. Graphics score 12794. This is from about 2 months a go, so not sure if any possible driver improvement since that might improve it. Might re-do if there is.


nice score but most 7970s cant do 1320 on core
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> When running my 7970 at 1.25 V while doing an activity that OCN doesn't allow us to talk about, I saw my VRM1 temp hit 105C. I panicked, stopped doing that activity, and then changed the volts to 1.175V.
> 
> My 7970 seems to have a major VDroop problem. When set to 1.25 V in Trixx, in this activity that I was running, my voltage was averaging about 1.12 V.
> 
> This activity also destabilized my 1190 MHz core overclock that was 20 minutes OCCT stable with error check on at a voltage setting of 1.175 V. I had to downclock to 1,125 MHz core to get it stable in this activity. My memory was also downclocked to 1750 MHz to get it totally stable in this activity.
> 
> As of now, at 1125 MHz core/1750 MHz memory at 1.175 V/1.6 V (default) respectively, I get core temps of around 79C, VRM1 temps of 78C, and VRM2 temps of 50C at 100% fan speed, full blast. I can handle the noise, but are these temps high for the stock cooler without me replacing the TIM on the cooler? Or are they normal?


see below !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 3dm11 is not comparable between different cpus. Try using 3dm13 instead as that doesn't overly weight ivy ridiculously.


+1 ill throw mine in though it is a closer match
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> I've got a HAF 912 with RFX-120 fans, two of them doing 175 CFM intake via the front, one doing 87.5 CFM intake via the side, one doing 87.5 CFM out the rear, and two doing 175 CFM out the top. Airflow shouldn't really be an issue unless the HAF 912 was designed poorly.


is the heatsink full of dust? those are pretty high volts though without water oyu may not be able to keep up
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> XFX has locked voltages, so i cannot increase to try going further.
> 
> It runs 1.250v at load....temps around 64c MAX...


hardware or bios ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Maybe flash a new BIOS? Or is it locked at hardware level?


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> Im not sure how to flash the bios for a graphics card I might look into that.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards/0_100
pick a bios or you can mod your own !~

either way _*BACKUP YOUR BIOS*_
_*BACKUP YOUR BIOS*_
_*BACKUP YOUR BIOS*_

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


----------



## jomama22

megaman:

Man you need 1.4v for 1235/1255 cores?

You did say the 50% pt removed artifacts and stabilized your of correct? What was your max oc before the 50% pt?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> megaman:
> 
> Man you need 1.4v for 1235/1255 cores?
> 
> You did say the 50% pt removed artifacts and stabilized your of correct? What was your max oc before the 50% pt?


no i use it for 1290/1900. i can go lower but i have not had time to find it. i went from 1.35 to 1.4

i edited "these" to this.
may of posted wrong score one second .

edit yes i did...... meh bad will edit in a min
edit fixed. found both links for both of the benches i ran

also to note these are with my lower asic card. have not had time to play with the bios on my higher asic card


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no i use it for 1290/1900. i can go lower but i have not had time to find it. i went from 1.35 to 1.4
> 
> i edited "these" to this.
> may of posted wrong score one second .
> 
> edit yes i did...... meh bad will edit in a min
> edit fixed. found both links for both of the benches i ran
> 
> also to note these are with my lower asic card. have not had time to play with the bios on my higher asic card


O OK cool.

Did the 50% pt do anything for you?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> O OK cool.
> 
> Did the 50% pt do anything for you?


i think so. couldnt run the 1290 well with +20 but the +50 gave me that. but other people more knowledgeable about gpus said it is hardware locked.

that being said. i think it works


----------



## th3illusiveman

7970 crashes at anything over 1.244v (which Vdroops to 1.15) because i assume some form of OCP starts up. How to fix?

Temperatures are good with core between 50-60c and Vrms between 75-85c but it crashes regardless any ideas?


----------



## Mega Man

need more info..... system specs drivers and what kind of crash full system shutdown ?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> need more info..... system specs drivers and what kind of crash full system shutdown ?


Specs are sig rig, drivers are 13.5 and the type of crash is signal loss without resuming. Screen goes black PC remains on and will not display an image until a restart.

Thow i know it isn't a stability issue but some something else is because i can run 1160/1500 with 1.244v but it will crash at the same clocks with 1.250v and anything over in sleeping dogs and 3DM12. I use those two as my stability testers because Valley and 3DM11 aren't as taxing. I believe Sleeping Dogs (with Extreme AA) draws more power then any other PC game out there.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Specs are sig rig, drivers are 13.5 and the type of crash is signal loss without resuming. Screen goes black PC remains on and will not display an image until a restart.
> 
> Thow i know it isn't a stability issue but some something else is because i can run 1160/1500 with 1.244v but it will crash at the same clocks with 1.250v and anything over in sleeping dogs and 3DM12. I use those two as my stability testers because Valley and 3DM11 aren't as taxing. I believe Sleeping Dogs (with Extreme AA) draws more power then any other PC game out there.


sounds like card is tripping on ocp

to my knowledge when it does it wont turn back on till you reboot


----------



## OneGun

Oc so i got a OCed Korean 1440p at 120hz monitor..I play BF3 and want to try and get 120fps most of the time..So i tried turning down settings and Ocing my Cards.So when i turned down settings it worked somewhat but not enough..So i oced my 7950s to 1150/1350 and i get the same fps but now my cards only are using 65% load,..So when they are running stock i am closer to 85% load...Is there just no way to get 120fps in a game?


----------



## Falkentyne

BF3 is also VERY CPU dependent.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> 105c is very high but 79c is absolutely fine for a gpu


I think you miss the point. I didn't say the temps were dangerous, I said they are a lot higher than they should be.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> I've got a HAF 912 with RFX-120 fans, two of them doing 175 CFM intake via the front, one doing 87.5 CFM intake via the side, one doing 87.5 CFM out the rear, and two doing 175 CFM out the top. Airflow shouldn't really be an issue unless the HAF 912 was designed poorly.


I had my cards aircooled in a HAF 932. With 1.3v and a very aggressive fan profile I could keep them just touching 60c. Yours are higher temps with less volts. You have really hot weather at the moment?


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Falkentyne*
> 
> BF3 is also VERY CPU dependent.


To much for a 3570k at 4.5ghz?


----------



## richie_2010

anyone here done the mod to there card esp with the h60 bracket did it need any modifications to the 4 prongs to clear ram ect


----------



## Eljoka

Talking to Gigabyte Windforce (7950 and 7970) : I'm looking to buy fan shrouds for these models (the black plastic thing with the 3 fans attached to it). I'f anyone is willing to sell it, I'll buy


----------



## Sonikku13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> I've got a HAF 912 with RFX-120 fans, two of them doing 175 CFM intake via the front, one doing 87.5 CFM intake via the side, one doing 87.5 CFM out the rear, and two doing 175 CFM out the top. Airflow shouldn't really be an issue unless the HAF 912 was designed poorly.
> 
> 
> 
> is the heatsink full of dust? those are pretty high volts though without water oyu may not be able to keep up
Click to expand...

I'll check when I get my AX760i, which should be next week. I've had my card for almost 17 months, so dust might be inside it. I can't be too certain though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> [
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> I've got a HAF 912 with RFX-120 fans, two of them doing 175 CFM intake via the front, one doing 87.5 CFM intake via the side, one doing 87.5 CFM out the rear, and two doing 175 CFM out the top. Airflow shouldn't really be an issue unless the HAF 912 was designed poorly.
> 
> 
> 
> I had my cards aircooled in a HAF 932. With 1.3v and a very aggressive fan profile I could keep them just touching 60c. Yours are higher temps with less volts. You have really hot weather at the moment?
Click to expand...

I got central air conditioning, so weather shouldn't be a problem. I think the ambient temperature (I'm not at home at the moment, but my guess should be really close) is 75F in my house. I'll get a more accurate temperature later.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Guys, quick question..

Will an Artic Accelero 7970 fit on a 7950 REFERENCE?








$49 a piece haha


----------



## rageofthepeon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Guys, quick question..
> 
> Will an Artic Accelero 7970 fit on a 7950 REFERENCE?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> $49 a piece haha


Short answer: Yes for Artic Accelero Xtreme 7970 and Accelero Hybrid 7970 versions.

But just to be sure you should check here: http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/vga.html


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rageofthepeon*
> 
> Short answer: Yes for Artic Accelero Xtreme 7970 and Accelero Hybrid 7970 versions.
> 
> But just to be sure you should check here: http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/vga.html


Yeah looks like it should fit, the heatsyncs are bigger then the VRM's Caps so yeah it should be fine. If it's not I'll RMA it haha.


----------



## Souv

AMD Computex 2013 - Press Conference


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Oc so i got a OCed Korean 1440p at 120hz monitor..I play BF3 and want to try and get 120fps most of the time..So i tried turning down settings and Ocing my Cards.So when i turned down settings it worked somewhat but not enough..So i oced my 7950s to 1150/1350 and i get the same fps but now my cards only are using 65% load,..So when they are running stock i am closer to 85% load...Is there just no way to get 120fps in a game?


Anyone know why this happens?


----------



## PedroC1999

In that case, then It will be a CPu bottleneck, try to further, as your cards are giving out all their potential, but your CPU


----------



## Anoxy

Is a Corsair HX750 sufficient for Crossfire 7970 GHz with a 3570K? I probably won't need or want to overclock them.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> In that case, then It will be a CPu bottleneck, try to further, as your cards are giving out all their potential, but your CPU


So I need a new Cpu?


----------



## PedroC1999

NO!!!, Overclock it, will get you good improvements, for every 100MHz you gain, your FPS should increase steadily until your GPU's at 100%


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> NO!!!, Overclock it, will get you good improvements, for every 100MHz you gain, your FPS should increase steadily until your GPU's at 100%


I'm finishing up my stress testing now at 4.5ghz..this will help a lot then?


----------



## PedroC1999

Should help ALOT!

The jump from 3.4 to 4.5 is huge, can you go further????


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I'm finishing up my stress testing now at 4.5ghz..this will help a lot then?


Report back to us.







I am interested to see your performance gain.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Should help ALOT!
> 
> The jump from 3.4 to 4.5 is huge, can you go further????


I'm sure I can get 4.6 but I don't want to delid my Cpu..


----------



## Souv

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcgameshardware.de%2FThief-4-PC-98521%2FNews%2FThief-AMD-Gaming-Evolved-1072590%2F


----------



## d1nky

@ onegun and pedro...

i didnt read back but to me an 3570k shouldnt be bottlenecking that much? you sure the game isnt fps capped?

crysis3 is and you have to press ¬ button and type something ive forgotten to change max fps


----------



## PedroC1999

But if he overclocks, and the game has the same FPS, but GPU usage is low, then its the CPU, it has to be overclocked to maximise usage


----------



## d1nky

or say the game is capped @ say 150fps (im maxing already)

i overclock by 30% wanting an extra 20fps but the game is capped so my gpu usage drops keeping the higher clocks?!

i saw this on crysis3 so im not sure on BF3 (btw not my rig lol)

usually when you overclock the gpu, usage drops because it has no need to internalize that amount of data

i may be wrong, but i had an fx4100 on this 7950 and usage was high on cpu but low gpu.

id thought an i5 would be on par with 3820 in this game


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> or say the game is capped @ say 150fps (im maxing already)
> 
> i overclock by 30% wanting an extra 20fps but the game is capped so my gpu usage drops keeping the higher clocks?!
> 
> i saw this on crysis3 so im not sure on BF3 (btw not my rig lol)
> 
> usually when you overclock the gpu usage drops because it has no need to internalise that amount of data


That I don't know, not many game have limiters, specially not very common ones, maybe its VSYNC lol


----------



## richie_2010

For those who have done the mod to their cards did you use the ek shim or one from ebay ect
Ive beeb reading about people having temp issues maybe its because the shim is to thick
The ek one is about .5mm thick


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> That I don't know, not many game have limiters, specially not very common ones, maybe its VSYNC lol


google it, youll see a reason and people actually wanting to cap fps lol

stability and screen tearing are main reasons i can think of.

i may be wrong tho and if the cpu oc brings more fps then i am!

it depends how the fps stops tho? if it hits 120 dead = capped. and im i remember some screens dont allow a certain amount of fps to stop tearing, my old vga 19inch doesnt go all that high.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> That I don't know, not many game have limiters, specially not very common ones, maybe its VSYNC lol


I'm not that stupid lol.. I use Radon pro and my vsync is at 120 and so is my dynamic framerate control.. But some times it drops to 65fps with the gpus at 60percent usage.. By the way I am playing on a OCED Korean 1440p 120hz monitor


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I'm sure I can get 4.6 but I don't want to delid my Cpu..


Delidding is super easy, just saying. Use the vice method.


----------



## d1nky

vsync steps up fps in increments to stop tearing between the fps gaps, if i remember rightly?

and the hertz of the monitor sets the fps unless the gpu fps drop below that!

why you get 65, 120 and i bet youve set yourself that cap!!

''VSync ties your FPS and refresh rate together, to reduce screen tearing. Your screen can only display 60 fps if you have a 60Hz screen, so it's not worth it to turn vsync off.''

LOL

this is what google was invented for..... heres some reading

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=928593


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> vsync steps up fps in increments to stop tearing between the fps gaps, if i remember rightly?
> 
> and the hertz of the monitor sets the fps unless the gpu fps drop below that!
> 
> why you get 65, 120 and i bet youve set yourself that cap!!
> 
> ''VSync ties your FPS and refresh rate together, to reduce screen tearing. Your screen can only display 60 fps if you have a 60Hz screen, so it's not worth it to turn vsync off.''
> 
> LOL


But even if I turn off vsync on my 120hz monitor i go from 150fps down to 65 Fps.. And my cards are still at no more the 70percent usage.. So if I set vsync to 120 why don't my cards work harder to stay at 120..


----------



## d1nky

if vsync is truly disabled your fps will be jumping all over the place determined on the render of the scene.

when you have two cards rendering and the scene has X amount of rendering needed then full amount of gpu usage isnt needed.

plus drivers have a massive role to play.

like i said i may be wrong, but seems to me the cpu shouldnt be capping them. maybe ask in an intel thread as well

or try the higher oc on cpu with every Vsync setting disabled (game/ccc/radeonpro)


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> But even if I turn off vsync on my 120hz monitor i go from 150fps down to 65 Fps.. And my cards are still at no more the 70percent usage.. So if I set vsync to 120 why don't my cards work harder to stay at 120..


Radeon Pro

DynamicFramerateControl 120fps + Tripple Buffering

Do it and report back

edit.. If Triple Buffering is enabled in game, disable it in Radeon Pro but if it is not in game enabled in game, enable it in Radeon Pro.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Radeon Pro
> 
> DFC 120fps + Tripple Buffering
> 
> Do it and report back


I suggest against triple buffer with dfc. Adds a good deal if input lag.

Vsync makes the cards work less. You will notice lower minimum frames with it enabled and more input lag. Dfc @ 120 works best.

Even dvsync will seem to lower minimum frames as well.

Only use triple buffer with vsync, not dfc


----------



## youpekkad

Its probably just the game, BF3 is very cpu-demanding and quite poorly coded (esp. B2K-maps....) There are several threads where ppl with high-end SLI/CF setups are trying to achieve that 120fps mark but not getting there, some way or another its your cpu...Take a look http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2249262


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Its probably just the game, BF3 is very cpu-demanding and quite poorly coded (esp. B2K-maps....) There are several threads where ppl with high-end SLI/CF setups are trying to achieve that 120fps mark but not getting there, some way or another its your cpu...Take a look http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2249262


You will hit a CPU bottleneck hard in bf3, specifically multiplayer and definitely 64player mp.

What I suggest is to turn up some eye candy if you want max GPU usage as much as possible. Do understand that you max frames, when CPU limited, will not improve no matter how powerful the cards.

With my lightning's @1250/1800 in bf3, I use radeonpro with ssaa(enhanced AA as the setting so the amount of Aa is technically controlled by bf3), edge detect, smaa on low, dfc set at 120. Bf3 in game AA is set to max and deferred AA to off (I do not like the fxaa they use).

This is a sure way to keep my GPUs humming at 90% or more most of the time. On large maps I do need to tone it down just a bit though to keep 120fps.

Now as I said, if you hit a CPU bottleneck, no matter what you do, you will not get over those max fps.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I suggest against triple buffer with dfc. Adds a good deal if input lag.
> 
> Vsync makes the cards work less. You will notice lower minimum frames with it enabled and more input lag. Dfc @ 120 works best.
> 
> Even dvsync will seem to lower minimum frames as well.
> 
> Only use triple buffer with vsync, not dfc


I never use triple buffering as I read that in a xfire setup you should never use it.. Was that wrong.. Here is where I read that..
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1750626


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I never use triple buffering as I read that in a xfire setup you should never use it.. Was that wrong.. Here is where I read that..
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1750626


I know that post. I really can't comment as I don't know much about that specific subject.

To take a bit from that post though. I personally did not like having vsync on with dfc, it does add lag even though he didn't notice it, but I can't tell you it most certainly does.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> I know that post. I really can't comment as I don't know much about that specific subject.
> 
> To take a bit from that post though. I personally did not like having vsync on with dfc, it does add lag even though he didn't notice it, but I can't tell you it most certainly does.


ok in two more hours I will turn of vsync and leave on dfc and give it a shot.. Also at that point I will be running at 4.5 on my 3570k so I will see if that also makes a difference. Thank you guys. I will report back with my findings once I test everything..


----------



## PedroC1999

Ok, this will be interesting.

Hows the CrossFire going like? Im starting my system tomorrow, and want soem info on how its going to us AMD users


----------



## FragZero

Installed my Accelero 7970 today! Seems they ship with a new type of thermal glue, cures in 60 minutes! I left it for 2 hours and everything was rock solid!

1250/1800 with vrm's under 80 and core under 65.

AMAZING!

3dmark 11 GPU score

7600 -> 11600 or 52%

3dmark (new) GPU score

6000 -> 9200 or 53%

I spend 280 euro on this setup, new would this be 330 but awesome price/performance ratio!


----------



## kfxsti

Look what the ups man dropped off today HAHA












will be doing some benching and ocing tonight


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Installed my Accelero 7970 today! Seems they ship with a new type of thermal glue, cures in 60 minutes! I left it for 2 hours and everything was rock solid!
> 
> 1250/1800 with vrm's under 80 and core under 65.
> 
> AMAZING!
> 
> 3dmark 11 GPU score
> 
> 7600 -> 11600 or 52%
> 
> 3dmark (new) GPU score
> 
> 6000 -> 9200 or 53%
> 
> I spend 280 euro on this setup, new would this be 330 but awesome price/performance ratio!


wow, your card destroys my 7970







i also have an accelero







































Anyways, good for you







you should have no trouble going toe to toe with any GTX670 and even some GTX680s out there with those clocks.


----------



## Anoxy

So, anything wrong with Crossfiring two different 7970s? I have a Vapor-X card right now and was considering another Sapphire card, but not the GHz.


----------



## zerokool_3211

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Major big question, how far can you guys go on stock volts, with 1094mV (my stock) I can get to 1020MHz on the core, is this good? (card is at 1020mV after vDroop)


i can easily do 1100 on stock volts ( .950 after vdroop) ROFL


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I never use triple buffering as I read that in a xfire setup you should never use it.. Was that wrong.. Here is where I read that..
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1750626


One, if you use fraps and excel you can record the fps (min, max and ave). BF3 MP 64 (full) was the first game i played after i setup crossfire (7950/7970). Never heard of Radeonpro, so never used it. here were my numbers for 1080 Ultra (all) and 4MSAA . . .



the gpus were stock and ran on their own clocks. my i7 SB was oc'ed at 4.5GHz as usual. only the 7950 was 100%. the 7970 went down to about 90%.


----------



## th3illusiveman

What is going on man.... ?

i used this "Atiman" utility and my PC is going crazy yo. Stuff is just popping up in weird colors and closing the all this other random stuff is happening lol. Wouldn't be suprised if it installed a botnet or something secretly


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> One, if you use fraps and excel you can record the fps (min, max and ave). BF3 MP 64 (full) was the first game i played after i setup crossfire (7950/7970). Never heard of Radeonpro, so never used it. here were my numbers for 1080 Ultra (all) and 4MSAA . . .
> 
> 
> 
> the gpus were stock and ran on their own clocks. my i7 SB was oc'ed at 4.5GHz as usual. only the 7950 was 100%. the 7970 went down to about 90%.


I am playing at 1440p but why are my cards at 60 to 70 percent load? Now if I set everything to ultra the load goes up but I get the same frames. So I figured if I lowered the settings my frames would go up but all it does is put less load on the cards..


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

So do the 13.6 fix any CF frame times in any games?

What are they good for?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I am playing at 1440p but why are my cards at 60 to 70 percent load? Now if I set everything to ultra the load goes up but I get the same frames. So I figured if I lowered the settings my frames would go up but all it does is put less load on the cards..


this is when the cpu is oc'ed to 4.5GHz?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kaltenbrunner*
> 
> So do the 13.6 fix any CF frame times in any games?
> 
> What are they good for?


not sure what frame time issues cause. whatever it is . . . it never affected my game play. but i only tried xfire on bf3, c3, and c2. oh, valley was stuttery but it did not bother me. btw, i was using 13.2 beta 6 i think at the time.


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> So, anything wrong with Crossfiring two different 7970s? I have a Vapor-X card right now and was considering another Sapphire card, but not the GHz.


Go for it if the vapor-x is not a GHz, that's what you mean right? The brands are all compatible, they are built to certain tolerances. Just try to get cards close to the same clock speeds


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> this is when the cpu is oc'ed to 4.5GHz?
> not sure what frame time issues cause. whatever it is . . . it never affected my game play. but i only tried xfire on bf3, c3, and c2. oh, valley was stuttery but it did not bother me. btw, i was using 13.2 beta 6 i think at the time.


Yes I just played a round.. So if I set to ultra my gpus go around 90 plus load.. But when I lower settings it just uses my gpus less.. Maybe it's just the game..Seems that ocing the Cpu or Gpus does nothing to fix this.. I mean I guess I am asking for a lot lol.. Asking for 120 plus FPS on 1440p.. A year ago I would have been happy with 30fps at 1080p..


----------



## rubixcube101

Hi guys, my computer is experiencing very occasional screen flickering as of the last two days on very light loading; word processing and internet browsing. I decided to crank up a game for a few minutes to test as i don't have time to play to long at the moment and it seemed to show no issue at all. Just wondering why its happening and if its a sign of my 7970 or screen about to die? Idk... has anyone else experienced this?

Also i doubt its my drivers because i have been using the 13.5 beta drivers for much longer than two days and not experienced this issue.

Cheers.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> Hi guys, my computer is experiencing very occasional screen flickering as of the last two days on very light loading; word processing and internet browsing. I decided to crank up a game for a few minutes to test as i don't have time to play to long at the moment and it seemed to show no issue at all. Just wondering why its happening and if its a sign of my 7970 or screen about to die? Idk... has anyone else experienced this?
> 
> Also i doubt its my drivers because i have been using the 13.5 beta drivers for much longer than two days and not experienced this issue.
> 
> Cheers.


Is your card OCed?


----------



## rubixcube101

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Is your card OCed?


Not when just doing low load stuff, i only OC when i'm playing games. Even then i run 1150/1500 nothing dramatic


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Guys, quick question..
> 
> Will an Artic Accelero 7970 fit on a 7950 REFERENCE?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> $49 a piece haha


depends on the 7950 pcb lol
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Delidding is super easy, just saying. Use the vice method.


no
dont do it. unless you feel comfortable with it. period it is like ocing. if you dont feel comfortable with it ... dont .if you do. do it !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Installed my Accelero 7970 today! Seems they ship with a new type of thermal glue, cures in 60 minutes! I left it for 2 hours and everything was rock solid!
> 
> 1250/1800 with vrm's under 80 and core under 65.
> 
> AMAZING!
> 
> 3dmark 11 GPU score
> 
> 7600 -> 11600 or 52%
> 
> 3dmark (new) GPU score
> 
> 6000 -> 9200 or 53%
> 
> I spend 280 euro on this setup, new would this be 330 but awesome price/performance ratio!


great until you need to take off the heatsinks and rma the card. i never would reccomend to anyone to use glue instead use thermal tape
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> Look what the ups man dropped off today HAHA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> will be doing some benching and ocing tonight


Gorgeous keep us informed!~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> So, anything wrong with Crossfiring two different 7970s? I have a Vapor-X card right now and was considering another Sapphire card, but not the GHz.


no. but you need to know that they will downclock to the slower of the 2
you can even CFX 7970s and 7950s
but some people just dont like to do that. ( mix cards )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rubixcube101*
> 
> Hi guys, my computer is experiencing very occasional screen flickering as of the last two days on very light loading; word processing and internet browsing. I decided to crank up a game for a few minutes to test as i don't have time to play to long at the moment and it seemed to show no issue at all. Just wondering why its happening and if its a sign of my 7970 or screen about to die? Idk... has anyone else experienced this?
> 
> Also i doubt its my drivers because i have been using the 13.5 beta drivers for much longer than two days and not experienced this issue.
> 
> Cheers.


sounds like it is kicking in and out fo 3dmode but ... yea i am not the best person for this


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Guys, quick question..
> 
> Will an Artic Accelero 7970 fit on a 7950 REFERENCE?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> $49 a piece haha


By 7950 reference do you mean the following layout?



Than yes! I just installed the accelero 7970 on my card which has the LF R19F PCB, just make sure to cover all the vrm's inside the yellow markings.

@Mega Man: It's a risk i'm willing to take! I got nearly 50% increased performance and the card wasn't that insanely expensive.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> By 7950 reference do you mean the following layout?
> 
> 
> 
> Than yes! I just installed the accelero 7970 on my card which has the LF R19F PCB, just make sure to cover all the vrm's inside the yellow markings.
> 
> @Mega Man: It's a risk i'm willing to take! I got nearly 50% increased performance and the card wasn't that insanely expensive.


Awesome! That is exactly right!
Heh, I told my Auntie + Nan that I ordered some stuff that was on sale and they were like "We'll pay for it as an early pressie you're 19 soon" hehe.
Really happy now









I'm thinking of leaving the cooling plate on each card and putting the VRM's on that, so when/if I ever take it off I can just pull the plate off rather then have the heatsyncs glued to the cards









EDIT: Just found the Sekisui #5760! on PC Case Gear @ $2 a piece! Ordered 5 pieces








Not gonna use the plates, heh stuff that now










EDIT: Repped you and the previous guy to assist, don't really have time to go through and rep everyone unfortunately as I have exams soon!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> So, anything wrong with Crossfiring two different 7970s? I have a Vapor-X card right now and was considering another Sapphire card, but not the GHz.


No not really, I found that with my 6850's having the same BIOS on each card can help though. So you could try that when/if you get two. It's just the coolers that will be different and stock clocks but that's easily fixed with afterburner!


----------



## FragZero

Not a huge fan of Thermal Tape although i have never tried aftermarket stuff like the Sekisui tape.

I added heatsinks on the following points



Pay attention to the RAM chip at the bottom! There is not enough room available to glue a full size heatsink, i attached 2 of the smaller ones so it's 70% covered now.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Not a huge fan of Thermal Tape although i have never tried aftermarket stuff like the Sekisui tape.
> 
> I added heatsinks on the following points
> 
> 
> 
> Pay attention to the RAM chip at the bottom! There is not enough room available to glue a full size heatsink, i attached 2 of the smaller ones so it's 70% covered now.


I've heard that it's good, I guess we'll see!
Did you glue yours or what? Also thanks a ton for the help, when I get the stuff and prep the cards would I be able to message you about it into further detail? I may eventually post my results with it and a how-to/mini review.









EDT: Also how many slots is it in total? Will 2x fit well in CFX with 1 slot spacing?


----------



## Matt-Matt

D'OH!


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I've heard that it's good, I guess we'll see!
> Did you glue yours or what? Also thanks a ton for the help, when I get the stuff and prep the cards would I be able to message you about it into further detail? I may eventually post my results with it and a how-to/mini review.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDT: Also how many slots is it in total? Will 2x fit well in CFX with 1 slot spacing?


I used the included glue.

Just pm me and i'll try my best to assist you









Edit: No way 1 space will be enough, the whole card takes up 3 spaces with the accelero installed.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> I used the included glue.
> 
> Just pm me and i'll try my best to assist you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: No way 1 space will be enough, the whole card takes up 3 spaces with the accelero installed.


Awesome!









I'll let you know how the tape goes then and I may have to use glue or even a combination of both!









As in right now I have two two slot cards and inbetween them there is a single slot which is empty,

Looks like it'll fit though! Just


----------



## FragZero

Should be fine!


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Does anyone recon a damaged/faulty 7950 would case a atikmpag.sys BSOD as I cannot for the life of me install any drivers without it happening at some point on my pc .

Done 2 Fresh installs with drivers 12.8 and 13.4 - Worked fine for about 30 minuets , after reset 2 minuets in I get BSOD

Yet yesterday I ran both cards @ 1200 MHz on firestike and had no issues , turned pc on this morning and BSOD within a few minuets , using 13.2 beta 7 drivers , 13.4 give me the same BSOD within minuets of desktop starting .

So ... Im stuck either way :/


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Should be fine!












Wish I had an RX240 rad so I could mount the PSU in the top and the graphics card down the bottom slot to allow for airflow









Another quick question, do they push air to the back of the card or dump heat inside the case?








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TwirlyWhirly555*
> 
> Does anyone recon a damaged/faulty 7950 would case a atikmpag.sys BSOD as I cannot for the life of me install any drivers without it happening at some point on my pc .
> 
> Done 2 Fresh installs with drivers 12.8 and 13.4 - Worked fine for about 30 minuets , after reset 2 minuets in I get BSOD
> 
> Yet yesterday I ran both cards @ 1200 MHz on firestike and had no issues , turned pc on this morning and BSOD within a few minuets , using 13.2 beta 7 drivers , 13.4 give me the same BSOD within minuets of desktop starting .
> 
> So ... I stuck either way :/


Did the installer crash or anything while it was installing the drivers? I had this problem with my crossfire setup and had to reformat the entire PC, NOTHING else worked and you'll spend more time trying to fix it. I knew both cards were good though because they'd been ran individually by themselves before.


----------



## Anoxy

Found a Sapphire 7970 VaporX card for $350 on Craigslist. Worth it?
Any of you ever bought a GPU off CL?


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Another quick question, do they push air to the back of the card or dump heat inside the case?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


inside the case, time to get decent airflow


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Gorgeous keep us informed!~


Well didnt get to do much. BUT i did cram the core slider to 1100 and the mem to 1575 with no voltage change and played bf3 for about 2 hours. Temps never went over 61c and its super quite.
From what i can see as of right now there is no way of disabling crossfire on this card with CCC like there is with my powercolor AX7990.
And i could not tell a difference in fps with the 1100/1575 over the stock 1000/1500 . I will be doing more testing tonight for sure....
I can say this though, as far as my 7970s in crossfire, and my other 7990 are concerned .This card seems to be a lot smoother ? But then again that was only BF3
that i got to play. Will be doing more testing, a lot more testing lol


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> inside the case, time to get decent airflow


Thought so, yeah the airflow is decent in my case, I'll be flipping the cases sidefans over though so they can blow out the majority of the warm air


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> :
> Did the installer crash or anything while it was installing the drivers? I had this problem with my crossfire setup and had to reformat the entire PC, NOTHING else worked and you'll spend more time trying to fix it. I knew both cards were good though because they'd been ran individually by themselves before.


First time round No the installer was successful when I tried 13.4 , 12.8 , after trying and trying to stop the BSOD I gave up , re installed windows tried again this time the installer said it failed , but I had no problems for about 30 minuets then BSOD .

Second win 7 install later I tried the 13.2 beta 7 , it successfully installed the drivers , ran the new 3D mark @ 1200/1500 Mhz had no problems , then I turned the PC on again the following day ( today ) ... and You can guess what happened







. It seems to happen when the pc is turned on just after starting desktop .

the BSOD screen says that the display driver stopped responding , but didn't recover .. so the PC freaks out over it and does the BSOD .

I may try for the 3rd time new win 7 install , are there drivers above 13.4 ? might as well try them if there is .

unless folding for 1 week got to the cards .


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Found a Sapphire 7970 VaporX card for $350 on Craigslist. Worth it?
> Any of you ever bought a GPU off CL?


I'm actually looking at afew going for $280 on ebay and thinking the same thing lol. If AMD had their CFX fix out i'd be all over it, as it stands... idk man. I do want another 7970 though, a reference board that can actually OC.

I like this current PCB of mine because it runs very cool and the heatsink Powercolor provides runs very quietly and will go well with my Accelero should i ever use a CFX combo.


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> I'm actually looking at afew going for $280 on ebay and thinking the same thing lol. If AMD had their CFX fix out i'd be all over it, as it stands... idk man. I do want another 7970 though, a reference board that can actually OC.
> 
> I like this current PCB of mine because it runs very cool and the heatsink Powercolor provides runs very quietly and will go well with my Accelero should i ever use a CFX combo.


Well shoot, so you think CFX is too buggy right now to be worth it? I just ordered all the parts to move my ITX rig into an ATX form factor so I have the option of CFX (among other things) in the future.

But if the experience is sub par, maybe ill just stick to my single 7970 for now? :S


----------



## bond32

Physics score is still low but I topped 12k on graphics. I'm happy

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6692092


----------



## Anoxy

I asked this in the Sapphire thread, but I'll ask here too for good measure.

If I buy a 7970 off craigslist, with the original box, all accessories, and proof of purchase from Newegg, will Sapphire honor their warranty if it craps out on me down the road?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I'm not that stupid lol.. I use Radon pro and my vsync is at 120 and so is my dynamic framerate control.. But some times it drops to 65fps with the gpus at 60percent usage.. By the way I am playing on a OCED Korean 1440p 120hz monitor


DELID!


----------



## PedroC1999

Any Idea why a Alphacool 7950/70 wont fit on my reference 7950, theres like a 1cm gap between GPU and block and it just doesn't fit on


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Any Idea why a Alphacool 7950/70 wont fit on my reference 7950, theres like a 1cm gap between GPU and block and it just doesn't fit on


----------



## conwa

OWWWWW cant wait!!!









I will get my first ever high end card next monday!
7970 sapphire with Komodo waterblock.
I sold my 2 7850's, so now im on my onboard gpu. (1440P screen is crying now)

I know my performance will go down a bit compared to my CF 7850's, but its totally worth it! (I hope)
In the future I will add another 7970, but for now its fine.
Next upgrade will be a 3770K to replace the 2600K.


----------



## Noviets

Do the 7970 DC2T's crossfire well? Are there any known issues I should be aware of?

I'm trying to decide if I should get a second 7970 for crossfire (2x16 pcie 2.0) when steamroller is out, or get the best AMD single card at the time, likely the 9xxx series as the 8xxx series is reserved for the mobile market.

What do you guys think?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Yes I just played a round.. So if I set to ultra my gpus go around 90 plus load.. But when I lower settings it just uses my gpus less.. Maybe it's just the game..Seems that ocing the Cpu or Gpus does nothing to fix this.. I mean I guess I am asking for a lot lol.. Asking for 120 plus FPS on 1440p.. A year ago I would have been happy with 30fps at 1080p..


One check this thread out . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1397369/best-way-to-push-1440p-120hz-maxed-out/20#post_20132491


----------



## p2mob

I bought the 3dmark a while back but I accidentally deleted e-mail that included the key for it, is there anywhere to recover that lost or is it gone n I gotta pay again?

NVM I found my key after logging in @ 3dmark website.


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> I bought the 3dmark a while back but I accidentally deleted e-mail that included the key for it, is there anywhere to recover that lost or is it gone n I gotta pay again?
> 
> NVM I found my key after logging in @ 3dmark website.


How did you found out your key

I'm the same boat tho..........


----------



## p2mob

When you log in @ 3dmark.com go to settings, it tells you your key

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/72453854.jpg/


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> One check this thread out . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1397369/best-way-to-push-1440p-120hz-maxed-out/20#post_20132491


Thank you...It just seems to be a multiplayer issue..when i play single player i get right between 110-120fps...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Thank you...It just seems to be a multiplayer issue..when i play single player i get right between 110-120fps...


try co-op. if it is ok . . . then it is the cpu for sure that's holding back the setup. sorry, man.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Any Idea why a Alphacool 7950/70 wont fit on my reference 7950, theres like a 1cm gap between GPU and block and it just doesn't fit on


guessing because the Alphacool 7950/70 fits the 7950 based off the 7970 pcb.

did you get part number 11047 or 11050. I'm guessing you ordered the 11047 but need the 11050.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Any Idea why a Alphacool 7950/70 wont fit on my reference 7950, theres like a 1cm gap between GPU and block and it just doesn't fit on


Because it's not made for it, only for the first reference 7950's which were 7970 PCB's, I had this problem too with TWO XSPC blocks. Return the block now and if they won't return it claim it as false advertising because it is..

EDIT: That is because a row of capacitors yes? That's what mine did


----------



## vonalka

I just got my hands on a 7990 - performance seems about the same as my 7970 x 2 setup. Has anyone tried running a 7990 with one or more 7970's?


----------



## SonDa5

Get a load of my VRM temps under 3dMark11 load on my water cooled VApor X HD7950.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *conwa*
> 
> OWWWWW cant wait!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I will get my first ever high end card next monday!
> 7970 sapphire with Komodo waterblock.
> I sold my 2 7850's, so now im on my onboard gpu. (1440P screen is crying now)
> 
> I know my performance will go down a bit compared to my CF 7850's, but its totally worth it! (I hope)
> In the future I will add another 7970, but for now its fine.
> Next upgrade will be a 3770K to replace the 2600K.


congrats you will love the komodo !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I just got my hands on a 7990 - performance seems about the same as my 7970 x 2 setup. Has anyone tried running a 7990 with one or more 7970's?


nice. i know some one has 2x7970 with 7990


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Because it's not made for it, only for the first reference 7950's which were 7970 PCB's, I had this problem too with TWO XSPC blocks. Return the block now and if they won't return it claim it as false advertising because it is..
> 
> EDIT: That is because a row of capacitors yes? That's what mine did


Yup, the capacitors block it completely. Could you tell me which block I should get for my 7950 PCB?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Physics score is still low but I topped 12k on graphics. I'm happy
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6692092


is 3DM11 biased towards Nvidia hardware? GTX770s are getting scores quite abit higher then yours with their overclocks.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> GTX770s are getting scores quite abit higher then yours with their overclocks.


Where? Best score on a GTX 770 at HWbot is with a volt modded GTX 770 and a powerful over clocked CPU and the score isn't much higher.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2384986_poparamiro_3dmark11___performance_geforce_gtx_770_13654_marks

That score bond32 posted was very good. Take into account the low physics score from the CPU and bond32's score was really good.


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Physics score is still low but I topped 12k on graphics. I'm happy
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6692092


Time to push for 12k gpu score! I have seen 11700 gpu score at 1250/1850 sooooo


----------



## Moolers

Hi,
I just received a MSI Twin Frozr 7950 this morning and I'm wondering about the power connections on the card.
It takes an 8 pin and a 6 pin, so I know that the card can pull more power over a card with 2 x 6pin but whats the significance of it.

Why is it better to get a 7950 with 1 x 8pin and 1 x 6pin?

Thanks,
Moo


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moolers*
> 
> Hi,
> I just received a MSI Twin Frozr 7950 this morning and I'm wondering about the power connections on the card.
> It takes an 8 pin and a 6 pin, so I know that the card can pull more power over a card with 2 x 6pin but whats the significance of it.
> 
> Why is it better to get a 7950 with 1 x 8pin and 1 x 6pin?
> 
> Thanks,
> Moo


It is 7970pcb and should have voltage control. Nothing really special about it. Newer 6+6 boost editions can clock higher, I have 8+6 7950 and my card clocks really well with low voltage but I'm temp limited.


----------



## Moolers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> It is 7970pcb and should have voltage control. Nothing really special about it. Newer 6+6 boost editions can clock higher, I have 8+6 7950 and my card clocks really well with low voltage but I'm temp limited.


Cheers, thats what I thought. Thanks for confirming, I'll have to double check but I thought it was a Boost card I received.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> It is 7970pcb and should have voltage control. Nothing really special about it. Newer 6+6 boost editions can clock higher, I have 8+6 7950 and my card clocks really well with low voltage but I'm temp limited.


It may not be 7970 PCB. MSI has been known to mix up the design of that card.

Good luck with it.


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> It may not be 7970 PCB. MSI has been known to mix up the design of that card.
> 
> Good luck with it.


Yeah I was wondering that I have black plate for cooling VRMs so my card isn't 100% reference or...?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Where? Best score on a GTX 770 at HWbot is with a volt modded GTX 770 and a powerful over clocked CPU and the score isn't much higher.
> 
> http://hwbot.org/submission/2384986_poparamiro_3dmark11___performance_geforce_gtx_770_13654_marks
> 
> That score bond32 posted was very good. Take into account the low physics score from the CPU and bond32's score was really good.


there are people in the 770 owners thread getting 12100-12400 GPU score in 3DM11


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moolers*
> 
> Cheers, thats what I thought. Thanks for confirming, I'll have to double check but I thought it was a Boost card I received.


My two His 7950's are boost cards and they have the 8pin and 6pin also..Thinking the MSI you got is also a boost..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> there are people in the 770 owners thread getting 12100-12400 GPU score in 3DM11


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6694575?

Meh


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> there are people in the 770 owners thread getting 12100-12400 GPU score in 3DM11


That really isn't much higher than the score you commented about.

My HD7950 gets higher than that.

Over all if you look at the HD7970 3dMark11 scores at HWbot you will see many higher scores than GTX 770.


----------



## Moolers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> My two His 7950's are boost cards and they have the 8pin and 6pin also..Thinking the MSI you got is also a boost..


Yup, just checked and its a boost card with an 8pin and a 6pin. Can't wait to see how it OC.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moolers*
> 
> Yup, just checked and its a boost card with an 8pin and a 6pin. Can't wait to see how it OC.


I haven't really tried to much on mine but i got 1200/1500..I haven't tried higher yet but i will soon..


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> That really isn't much higher than the score you commented about.
> 
> My HD7950 gets higher than that.
> 
> Over all if you look at the HD7970 3dMark11 scores at HWbot you will see many higher scores than GTX 770.


they disable tessellation to win, that's a dirty trick
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6694575?
> 
> Meh


impressive but is that with Tessellation enabled? 770 does abit lower than that with tess enabled.


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> impressive but is that with Tessellation enabled? 770 does abit lower than that with tess enabled.


That must be without any tricks, 7970 power!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Yup, the capacitors block it completely. Could you tell me which block I should get for my 7950 PCB?


EK have some nice blocks and I believe there is an Alpha-cool 7950 block too!
Unfortunately I couldn't seem to find any ones in Australia at a decent price so now I'm going with Acceleros..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> they disable tessellation to win, that's a dirty trick
> impressive but is that with Tessellation enabled? 770 does abit lower than that with tess enabled.


It has tess enabled, if it didnt it would say on the score page.


----------



## SonDa5

770 is the card using the magic. HD7970 is better.


----------



## Rangerjr1

+ That score i linked was done with ref cooler, im getting a new cooler pretty soon.


----------



## th3illusiveman

mind running at those clocks again except with 1500 memory. I'm wondering why i got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932398 with my old 7970 (it was using 13.2 drivers so they were not too old)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> mind running at those clocks again except with 1500 memory. I'm wondering why i got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932398 with my old 7970 (it was using 13.2 drivers so they were not too old)


Why are you wondering about that? It looks correct. Your core is being bottlenecked by RAM.


----------



## d1nky

lol ranger kiling off 7970s and making people question theres!

how about those 7950s that can nearly hit 12k


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> lol ranger kiling off 7970s and making people question theres!
> 
> how about those 7950s that can nearly hit 12k


Those 7950s are ridiculous lol.


----------



## d1nky

i found the old drivers i was using and got the modded trix so today shall be fun.......


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i found the old drivers i was using and got the modded trix so today shall be fun.......


Getting my Prolimatech MK26 should be even FUNNER!


----------



## d1nky

haha yea that was a good find









im going water, had enough of these wc loops gettin better scores.

just wait 13k on a 7950 pahaha


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> haha yea that was a good find
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> im going water, had enough of these wc loops gettin better scores.
> 
> just wait 13k on a 7950 pahaha


I thought you where getting a MK26 too


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> That really isn't much higher than the score you commented about.
> 
> My HD7950 gets higher than that.
> 
> Over all if you look at the HD7970 3dMark11 scores at HWbot you will see many higher scores than GTX 770.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I thought you where getting a MK26 too


it wont fit with crossfire lol


----------



## youpekkad

Give me a proper cooler and I break that 12k graphics in 3dmark11 with my 7950


----------



## FragZero

Seems the highest i can go is 11823 GPU score

1270/1875 1.269 volt

More volt triggers ocp
Higher memory frequency and the performance goes down
Core is at it's max

Sooo close to 12k


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Where? Best score on a GTX 770 at HWbot is with a volt modded GTX 770 and a powerful over clocked CPU and the score isn't much higher.
> 
> http://hwbot.org/submission/2384986_poparamiro_3dmark11___performance_geforce_gtx_770_13654_marks
> 
> That score bond32 posted was very good. Take into account the low physics score from the CPU and bond32's score was really good.


Thanks man. I can't push this fx 6300 much more, best physics score I got was about 7400 ish and that wasn't stable. I'll be holding out for steamroller later this year and hopefully it won't be too expensive.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Seems the highest i can go is 11823 GPU score
> 
> 1270/1875 1.269 volt
> 
> More volt triggers ocp
> Higher memory frequency and the performance goes down
> Core is at it's max
> 
> Sooo close to 12k


whats your voltage after Vdroop? You enter 1.269 in AB but what does it drop to when under load? Also ASIC?


----------



## FragZero

1.163 is the lowest i have seen.

ASIC 78.0%


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> 1.163 is the lowest i have seen.
> 
> ASIC 78.0%


Ah thanks.

So i see you suffer the same Vdroop Issues i have yet your Core holds such a significant OC anyways... The difference between our ASICs is only 4%...









Anyone else doing 1200Mhz+ with around 1.15v *after* Vdroop?


----------



## winkyeye

Does anyone know what is the difference between the Powercolor 7990 and the Devil 13 7990 model?

Here are the Newegg links:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131483
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131479

In the review for the normal 7990, someone said the card is voltage locked but other reviews said they were able to undervolt the card.


----------



## disintegratorx

I'm not sure if y'all knew how to change the 2D clocks or not, but if you didn't, I found out how to here: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117633

Its probably old news, but I just thought I'd mention it incase someone was wondering how to do it.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Ah thanks.
> 
> So i see you suffer the same Vdroop Issues i have yet your Core holds such a significant OC anyways... The difference between our ASICs is only 4%...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else doing 1200Mhz+ with around 1.15v *after* Vdroop?


mines about 1.22v+ after vdroop, 1225mhz max for that voltage


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Seems the highest i can go is 11823 GPU score
> 
> 1270/1875 1.269 volt
> 
> *More volt triggers ocp*
> Higher memory frequency and the performance goes down
> Core is at it's max
> 
> Sooo close to 12k


I highly doubt you are hitting OCP. You're very far from the the over current limiter. I'm running 100mhz more core clock and volts, upto 1.35v. From here if I go higher on the volts then I start to hit the limiter and get the blackscreen. Remember different gpu nannies protections cause different types of lockups.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0-fill-the-form/5040_40#post_20078084
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6061238

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> they disable tessellation to win, that's a dirty trick
> impressive but is that with Tessellation enabled? 770 does abit lower than that with tess enabled.
> 
> 
> 
> It has tess enabled, if it didnt it would say on the score page.
Click to expand...











Why's it a dirty trick if THAT is the HWBOT rules? Who are you do decide what is right or wrong if those are the rules they decided upon. I think it's also hilarious that NV has a powerful hack in LOD too at their disposal for years now. I bet you didn't know no tess was allowed for AMD cuz NV has been getting away with LOD cheats forever and a day. Something something about payback and fairness... lol.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Ah thanks.
> 
> So i see you suffer the same Vdroop Issues i have yet your Core holds such a significant OC anyways... The difference between our ASICs is only 4%...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else doing 1200Mhz+ with around 1.15v *after* Vdroop?


I am doing 1250 at 1.17(1.1 after vdroop) with my 87%. But thats te wall


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I am doing 1250 at 1.17(1.1 after vdroop) with my 87%. But thats te wall


That reference PCB is pretty amazing then, i don't get how a core like mine has a 74% ASIC quality when it's so unremarkable. I wonder if it would overclock better on a reference PCB of if this ASIC stuff is BS. What would be cool is if someone with an ASIC around the same as mine could post some number, might clear things up or bring up new questions.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I highly doubt you are hitting OCP. You're very far from the the over current limiter. I'm running 100mhz more core clock and volts, upto 1.35v. From here if I go higher on the volts then I start to hit the limiter and get the blackscreen. Remember different gpu nannies protections cause different types of lockups.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0-fill-the-form/5040_40#post_20078084
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6061238
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why's it a dirty trick if THAT is the HWBOT rules? Who are you do decide what is right or wrong if those are the rules they decided upon. I think it's also hilarious that NV has a powerful hack in LOD too at their disposal for years now. I bet you didn't know no tess was allowed for AMD cuz NV has been getting away with LOD cheats forever and a day. Something something about payback and fairness... lol.


you quoted the other guy but i suppose your post was partially aimed at me as well? I made it clear in the Unigine Valley thread why i dislike tweaks. If those 770 users also used the LOD "hack" then they are in the same boat. The only benches i personally care about are the ones run on stock driver settings because that's what i use in my games and that's what reviewers use for testing so those are the only results relevant to me. I understand however that this debate is highly subjective and many people think other wise and that's fine. I understand where they are coming from, after all the option *are* there right.

Edit: Oh, you should try sleeping dogs benchmark (with extreme AA) - i bet it would trigger your OCP with that much voltage in no time.


----------



## tsm106

I don't really care for tweaks myself. I didn't build a top end rig to have to run reduced settings is my personal stance. And for the record if everyone is using pre-defined tweaks in regard to the valley thread, it sort defeats the point of tweaking anyways since the gap will stay the same regardless lol. Eew you mentioned the 770 and valley, hmm there is one dude who is haxing it up pretty good in there w/o mentioning names but its not hard to figure out who lol.

That being said, what happens in hwbot stays in hwbot. It is its own little world with its own set of rules.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That being said, what happens in hwbot stays in hwbot. It is its own little world with its own set of rules.


HWbot is a good place to study performance of hardware. Lots of scores and information under different conditions and it is helpful.

GTX 770 is new so hard to find alot of data but from what I am seeing its not better than HD7970 and probably not as good as HD7950.


----------



## sugarhell

Ehh the ASIC quality is about how my card handles the volts. Overclock is not connected with ASIC except in rarely situations like mine that i hit the volt wall so i cant oc more. After 1.17 my card freeze


----------



## th3illusiveman

You card locks up after 1.17v? is this in Afterburner or after Vdroop? If it's in AB then don't you think that's strange?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> You card locks up after 1.17v? is this in Afterburner or after Vdroop? If it's in AB then don't you think that's strange?


Its 87% asic. Its normal. My stock after vdroop is below 1volt.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its 87% asic. Its normal. My stock after vdroop is below 1volt.


i had an 87 ASIC card that could run 1.212-1.219v without any crashes/freezes/ hardlocks - It's how i did my Valley and 3DM11 runs with 1300Mhz. If it's a reference card then it shouldn't be crashing at such a low voltage. But it seems like you squeezed out a good OC anyways.

EDIT: I remember you saying something about going through 10+ cards? (or am i crazy) If that's true then you probably know more about Tahiti then i do


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> i had an 87 ASIC card that could run 1.212-1.219v without any crashes/freezes/ hardlocks - It's how i did my Valley and 3DM11 runs with 1300Mhz. If it's a reference card then it shouldn't be crashing at such a low voltage. But it seems like you squeezed out a good OC anyways.
> 
> EDIT: I remember you saying something about going through 10+ cards? (or am i crazy) If that's true then you probably know more about Tahiti then i do


Ya mining. I dont remember exactly but after 1.17 i didint gain anything and over 1.21 i hit the ocp.

I have 10 cards (mining) but i went through over 20 cards for binning


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Ah thanks.
> 
> So i see you suffer the same Vdroop Issues i have yet your Core holds such a significant OC anyways... The difference between our ASICs is only 4%...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone else doing 1200Mhz+ with around 1.15v *after* Vdroop?


Yeah my card holds 1200 MHz with about 1.07-1.08V after VDroop. ASIC is 89.7%.

I'll take a crack at a 12000 3DM11 score in a bit. I can break 8000 in Firestrike so I should be able to pull it off.


----------



## strayakent

So i've just overclocked my Gigabyte HD7950 Rev 2, hardware locked voltage @1.25v Bios FX1 (came with it when i bought it). Ran Kombustor for 15 minutes with no artifacts.

Can i go any higher?


----------



## d1nky

anyone know the size (depth) of thermal pads on asus vrms? from what ive seen theyre about 2mm thick but thats after compression.

and what decent performing brands are there for pads?

btw google has nothing beneficial


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I highly doubt you are hitting OCP. You're very far from the the over current limiter. I'm running 100mhz more core clock and volts, upto 1.35v. From here if I go higher on the volts then I start to hit the limiter and get the blackscreen. Remember different gpu nannies protections cause different types of lockups.
> 
> [


Well i run 1200mhz 1.2v without a problem, i raise the voltage to 1.3v and i get a black screen almost immediatly after starting a 3d application. (it starts from 1.270).

Can i do anything about this?


----------



## bond32

Got the Heatkiller backplate in and installed. Man this thing is sexy. I'll post some pictures as soon as I figure out how to get the air out of my loop.


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *strayakent*
> 
> So i've just overclocked my Gigabyte HD7950 Rev 2, hardware locked voltage @1.25v Bios FX1 (came with it when i bought it). Ran Kombustor for 15 minutes with no artifacts.
> 
> Can i go any higher?


That looks bomb. I have aspirations to OC my 7950 but am hesitant because of the possible high temps. Have you tested the temps before and after with stock cooling?

It would be great to know!!


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *strayakent*
> 
> So i've just overclocked my Gigabyte HD7950 Rev 2, hardware locked voltage @1.25v Bios FX1 (came with it when i bought it). Ran Kombustor for 15 minutes with no artifacts.
> 
> Can i go any higher?


My His 7950s do 1200mhz at 1.26 volts.. So you can prolly push a Lil higher.


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guys,
i have 2 7950 TF3, running in cfx

My top card is 50c idle and my second card is 41, is that normal?
Due to my internal digital thermostat its 27c in my 600t case,

Thanks


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guys,
> i have 2 7950 TF3, running in cfx
> 
> My top card is 50c idle and my second card is 41, is that normal?
> Due to my internal digital thermostat its 27c in my 600t case,
> 
> Thanks


Are you running multiple monitors?


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Are you running multiple monitors?


yeah 3 monitors


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> yeah 3 monitors


Thats why,


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Thats why,


so its normal then? i dont have to worry about it?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> so its normal then? i dont have to worry about it?


When you run multimonitors your clocks stay in 3d mode. If you dont want to stay in 3d mode you need to disable powerplay


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> When you run multimonitors your clocks stay in 3d mode. If you dont want to stay in 3d mode you need to disable powerplay


Okay thanks guys


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Yup, the capacitors block it completely. Could you tell me which block I should get for my 7950 PCB?


http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx ( assuming it is a ref. card. )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> there are people in the 770 owners thread getting 12100-12400 GPU score in 3DM11


i can take them down pretty easy
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> they disable tessellation to win, that's a dirty trick
> impressive but is that with Tessellation enabled? 770 does abit lower than that with tess enabled.


mine is i know rangers is. however FM wont validate the new drivers yet
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> It has tess enabled, *if it didnt it would say on the score page.*


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> 770 is the card using the magic. HD7970 is better.


+1
kinda sad that new gen is being run over by old gen ... ( both relatively high end )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> mind running at those clocks again except with 1500 memory. I'm wondering why i got this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5932398 with my old 7970 (it was using 13.2 drivers so they were not too old)


looks good to me, would need to know your settings ( ram speed cpu speeds ect. also just a fyi just because you can boot and run stuff... does not mean your are at your top... performance can decrease.)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guys,
> i have 2 7950 TF3, running in cfx
> 
> My top card is 50c idle and my second card is 41, is that normal?
> Due to my internal digital thermostat its 27c in my 600t case,
> 
> Thanks


yes it is normal


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> congrats you will love the komodo !~
> nice. i know some one has 2x7970 with 7990


I put one of my 7970's in with the 7990 and got a good boost on 3DM11:
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6698953

With the 7990 by itself I got P14888


----------



## disintegratorx

These newest beta drivers are the best ever for BF3.. Just throw on Adaptive Multisampling and roll out!


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I put one of my 7970's in with the 7990 and got a good boost on 3DM11:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6698953
> 
> With the 7990 by itself I got P14888


you should OC your CPU man, you can get a higher P score that way.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonalka*
> 
> I put one of my 7970's in with the 7990 and got a good boost on 3DM11:
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6698953
> 
> With the 7990 by itself I got P14888


you should do quadfire !~


----------



## OneGun

Anytime i have tried to install 3dmark i get a error in installation and i can't install it..I think when i first got my computer i had it and uninstalled it but it would not uninstall right and i have had issues with it since..Can anyone tell me how i can fix this as i would really like to see my score..Thank you


----------



## Mega Man

try changing directories.

may need a clean install....


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> try changing directories.
> 
> may need a clean install....


Is this a good score?My 7950s are stock on this test..I don't know why it says my 3570k is at 2800mhz when i am at 4.5ghz..

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/749111


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Is this a good score?My 7950s are stock on this test..I don't know why it says my 3570k is at 2800mhz when i am at 4.5ghz..
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/749111


Nice! Now overclock those GPUs!


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Nice! Now overclock those GPUs!


Is this better?

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/749257


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Is this better?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/749257


You can do better!


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You can do better!


Ok then give me some voltages and speeds to try.. Remember I am on stock air cooling..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Ok then give me some voltages and speeds to try.. Remember I am on stock air cooling..


I did 1290/1875 on my ref 7970. No excuses.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I did 1290/1875 on my ref 7970. No excuses.


voltage?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> voltage?


1.28 before vdroop.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 1.28 before vdroop.


Ram voltage?


----------



## shadow water

hey guys/gals i have an 1100T overclocked to 4.0 running very stable and would like to know if putting a 7950 in my system would bottleneck the gpu because of the cpu?
i also might get two 7950's but not in the immediate future.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shadow water*
> 
> hey guys/gals i have an 1100T overclocked to 4.0 running very stable and would like to know if putting a 7950 in my system would bottleneck the gpu because of the cpu?
> i also might get two 7950's but not in the immediate future.


Bottlenecks on AMD platforms 99% of the time isnt because of the CPU, but because of the PCIe. So in short, no. Your 1100T wont bottleneck 2 7950s, your motherboard wont either. But anything above 2 GPUs you will start to see motherboard related bottlenecks.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Ram voltage?


Stock. 1.6V.


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shadow water*
> 
> hey guys/gals i have an 1100T overclocked to 4.0 running very stable and would like to know if putting a 7950 in my system would bottleneck the gpu because of the cpu?
> i also might get two 7950's but not in the immediate future.


I've got a 1055T @ 4.0GHz, and a XFX 7950, there's no bottleneck at all, I can even run it at 3.8GHz with no bottleneck also


----------



## shadow water

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Bottlenecks on AMD platforms 99% of the time isnt because of the CPU, but because of the PCIe. So in short, no. Your 1100T wont bottleneck 2 7950s, your motherboard wont either. But anything above 2 GPUs you will start to see motherboard related bottlenecks.


thank you very much i have a gigabyte motherboard that runs two fully pinned 16x slots so i guess i dont have to worry about it.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shadow water*
> 
> hey guys/gals i have an 1100T overclocked to 4.0 running very stable and would like to know if putting a 7950 in my system would bottleneck the gpu because of the cpu?
> i also might get two 7950's but not in the immediate future.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Bottlenecks on AMD platforms 99% of the time isnt because of the CPU, but because of the PCIe. So in short, no. Your 1100T wont bottleneck 2 7950s, your motherboard wont either. But anything above 2 GPUs you will start to see motherboard related bottlenecks.


I can not agree much more, just adding to the fact that the CPU's aren't great on the AMD side, but two cards is a bit of a waste though, You will still see benefits of having two over one just not as great as excpected due to the CPU not being as powerful as it needs to be to utilize both GPU's 100%. Even my 3570k is bottlenecking my 7950's at 3.4GHz (Was tempoary) but yeah.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I can not agree much more, just adding to the fact that the CPU's aren't great on the AMD side, but two cards is a bit of a waste though, You will still see benefits of having two over one just not as great as excpected due to the CPU not being as powerful as it needs to be to utilize both GPU's 100%. Even my 3570k is bottlenecking my 7950's at 3.4GHz (Was tempoary) but yeah.


How did you figure out your 3570k is bottle necking your Gpus? And with turbo boost aren't you running at 3.8ghz?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *shadow water*
> 
> hey guys/gals i have an 1100T overclocked to 4.0 running very stable and would like to know if putting a 7950 in my system would bottleneck the gpu because of the cpu?
> i also might get two 7950's but not in the immediate future.
> 
> 
> 
> Bottlenecks on AMD platforms 99% of the time isnt because of the CPU, but because of the PCIe. So in short, no. Your 1100T wont bottleneck 2 7950s, your motherboard wont either. But anything above 2 GPUs you will start to see motherboard related bottlenecks.
Click to expand...

Huh?
AMD platform: FX-8350/4 X 7970
I didn't handpick these, I have a folder of 35 Titles all doing the same thing
The Heaven 4.0 is @ 1920 x 1080





I am not sure what or why you are saying the "PCIe" on an AMD chipset will create a bottleneck. Even at PCIe Gen 2.0 x 4 you only lose 4-7% performance with a 7970 plugged into it. Besides this article that TPU does every year, I have hands on experience running quadfire on ASUS Crosshair Formula ROG boards.


The PCIe scaling article can be had here in it's entirety:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/1.html

I had a Phenom II 1100T @ 4034MHz & 4 X 6970's quadfire

Metro 2033

Dirt 3

BF3

You will be fine with a pair of 7950's being fed by a 1100T


----------



## bond32

Pics with the new backplate on:


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Pics with the new backplate on:


Nice









I have the same blocks on my 7970's, but every time I want to order the BP's they are out of stock at FCPU, are you in the US? and where did you get yours?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Huh?
> AMD platform: FX-8350/4 X 7970
> I didn't handpick these, I have a folder of 35 Titles all doing the same thing
> The Heaven 4.0 is @ 1920 x 1080
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not sure what or why you are saying the "PCIe" on an AMD chipset will create a bottleneck. Even at PCIe Gen 2.0 x 4 you only lose 4-7% performance with a 7970 plugged into it. Besides this article that TPU does every year, I have hands on experience running quadfire on ASUS Crosshair Formula ROG boards.
> 
> 
> The PCIe scaling article can be had here in it's entirety:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/1.html
> 
> I had a Phenom II 1100T @ 4034MHz & 4 X 6970's quadfire
> 
> Metro 2033
> 
> Dirt 3
> 
> BF3
> 
> You will be fine with a pair of 7950's being fed by a 1100T


Then what the "AMD Bottlenecking Multi GPU Setups" rants all about then?


----------



## Red1776

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Huh?
> AMD platform: FX-8350/4 X 7970
> I didn't handpick these, I have a folder of 35 Titles all doing the same thing
> The Heaven 4.0 is @ 1920 x 1080
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not sure what or why you are saying the "PCIe" on an AMD chipset will create a bottleneck. Even at PCIe Gen 2.0 x 4 you only lose 4-7% performance with a 7970 plugged into it. Besides this article that TPU does every year, I have hands on experience running quadfire on ASUS Crosshair Formula ROG boards.
> 
> 
> The PCIe scaling article can be had here in it's entirety:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/1.html
> 
> I had a Phenom II 1100T @ 4034MHz & 4 X 6970's quadfire
> 
> Metro 2033
> 
> Dirt 3
> 
> BF3
> 
> You will be fine with a pair of 7950's being fed by a 1100T
Click to expand...





Then what the "AMD Bottlenecking Multi GPU Setups" rants all about then?

That is a good question Ranger.


----------



## hotrod717

I got twins!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> That is a good question Ranger.


Its natural. Intel is faster so they produce more fps. So when you have only 2 cpu makers you compare them. Nothing bad about amd. Ofc when you move to multimonitor or 1440p the cpu doesnt play a huge role so except sc2 or skyrim amd=intel


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you should do quadfire !~


I was thinking about that, but don't have enough power cable left to do it.


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shadow water*
> 
> hey guys/gals i have an 1100T overclocked to 4.0 running very stable and would like to know if putting a 7950 in my system would bottleneck the gpu because of the cpu?
> i also might get two 7950's but not in the immediate future.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> I've got a 1055T @ 4.0GHz, and a XFX 7950, there's no bottleneck at all, I can even run it at 3.8GHz with no bottleneck also


Perhaps you could help me figure out why the majourity of the games I play I'm unable to achieve 100% GPU Usage on a 1090T BE at 4ghz with a single 7970?
Granted its overclocked to 1160/1600, In games like Battlefield 3 I get around 40%-60% GPU Usage.

Only time I can max it out is through benching.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Perhaps you could help me figure out why the majourity of the games I play I'm unable to achieve 100% GPU Usage on a 1090T BE at 4ghz with a single 7970?
> Granted its overclocked to 1160/1600, In games like Battlefield 3 I get around 40%-60% GPU Usage.
> 
> Only time I can max it out is through benching.


BF3 MP needs a lot of cpu. Even with intel you cant achieve 100% gpu usage.


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> BF3 MP needs a lot of cpu. Even with intel you cant achieve 100% gpu usage.


I also have a question regarding this subject. If a game doesnt use 100% GPU (Say 50-60% for example) would getting a second 7970 crossfire effect the FPS of that game given it cannot max out a single card already?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> I also have a question regarding this subject. If a game doesnt use 100% GPU (Say 50-60% for example) would getting a second 7970 crossfire effect the FPS of that game given it cannot max out a single card already?


I dont know your situation but if you want to get cf and have 50% usage on both cards its not worth it. Maybe you have vsync?


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I dont know your situation but if you want to get cf and have 50% usage on both cards its not worth it. Maybe you have vsync?


Nah V-Sync isn't on, I was just going to get a second 7970 as it was the last thing I was going to get in prep for steamroller (Aside from getting another 840 Pro for a Raid0).

But with this 1090T at 4Ghz, I've experienced alot more bottle necking than what people have posted here. Perhaps it's just the games I play, who knows...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Nah V-Sync isn't on, I was just going to get a second 7970 as it was the last thing I was going to get in prep for steamroller (Aside from getting another 840 Pro for a Raid0).
> 
> But with this 1090T at 4Ghz, I've experienced alot more bottle necking than what people have posted here. Perhaps it's just the games I play, who knows...


Try something like crysis 3 or metro which is gpu dependent


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Try something like crysis 3 or metro which is gpu dependent


There we go, it sat at 96% for a good while at 86 FPS.

Dunno why I don't play the game more, the graphics are pretty epic.

Just another question, I have the DC2 Top edition, but I've flashed to the Matrix bios. Aside from the bios differences, are there any others between DC2 and DC2T (the ASIC is 52.9% On my current TOP).
The reason I ask it because it would save me about $85


----------



## meloj17

BF3 on my 7950 DC2 (stock clocks) and i5-2500k @ 4.0 OC stays above 100 for a good time, but occasionally drops to 85-90 frames (720p mind you). I'm aware of others with 7950s getting 100+ constantly. Would a 4.5 OC keep it higher?


----------



## OneGun

I just OCed my 3570k to 4.5 and I noticed no difference in bf3 then when I was running at 4.1..I have two 7950s and was trying to get a constant 120fps on my OCed 1440p monitor..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I got twins!


Time to swap that board for an extreme man and hotwire them puppies.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Time to swap that board for an extreme man and hotwire them puppies.


Was just kicking myself for not getting it in the 1st place. I figured I would save and get the formula with water over the vrm. Keep finding that I'd be better off spending the money in the first place. Looking for a case at the moment as well as waterblock and ek parallel link.
Haven't gone to far with the second card as it's still on air, but seems similar to the first. These get too hot with the stock cooler. Asus should have put a wb on these and called it a day.

@ Onegun - U can't trust everything and everyone that posts. Read your posts and responses. Definately no bottleneck with what you were running to begin with.


----------



## Anoxy

Finally got crossfire 7970s and i cant even get one to work with my hackintosh -_-

Might have to see if somebody will trade me for 680s i guess.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Finally got crossfire 7970s and i cant even get one to work with my hackintosh -_-
> 
> Might have to see if somebody will trade me for 680s i guess.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Was just kicking myself for not getting it in the 1st place. I figured I would save and get the formula with water over the vrm. Keep finding that I'd be better off spending the money in the first place. Looking for a case at the moment as well as waterblock and ek parallel link.
> Haven't gone to far with the second card as it's still on air, but seems similar to the first. These get too hot with the stock cooler. Asus should have put a wb on these and called it a day.
> 
> @ Onegun - U can't trust everything and everyone that posts. Read your posts and responses. Definately no bottleneck with what you were running to begin with.


I realized that once I OCed my cpu and got the exact same FPS..But people in here told me my cpu was bottle necking my gpus.. I don't believe them now.. Thank you.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I realized that once I OCed my cpu and got the exact same FPS..But people in here told me my cpu was bottle necking my gpus.. I don't believe them now.. Thank you.


I saw you posted in a couple threads, but didn't want to stir the pot. It probably was a good experience figuring it out. Next time you'll look for the







. Sometimes the most willing to help actually help the least!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> How did you figure out your 3570k is bottle necking your Gpus? And with turbo boost aren't you running at 3.8ghz?


Oh I didn't think of the Turbo boost, but yeah in BF3 the CPU is at 99% almost constantly, whereas my 7950's at stock are hitting 60-70% usage


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I saw you posted in a couple threads, but didn't want to stir the pot. It probably was a good experience figuring it out. Next time you'll look for the
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Sometimes the most willing to help actually help the least!


it is really difficult to prove, especially in bf3 without in-game benchmark. i test my hardware primarily to find out the best settings but also to compare with the reviews thrown out by sites like Tom's.

here is BF3 MP using 1080 Ultra, 4MSAA and AA post at High. i7 SB 4.5 GHz HT off and HT on and 7950 stock . . .



idk how accurate 'cause, like isaid without in-game benchmark, it is impossible to re-create exact same scenario. That Noshahr TDM 64 (full on both).

now, i never tried HToff with crossfire but this is what i get . . .



one gpu won't reach 100% usage.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> it is really difficult to prove, especially in bf3 without in-game benchmark. i test my hardware primarily to find out the best settings but also to compare with the reviews thrown out by sites like Tom's.
> 
> here is BF3 MP using 1080 Ultra, 4MSAA and AA post at High. i7 SB 4.5 GHz HT off and HT on and 7950 stock . . .
> 
> 
> 
> idk how accurate 'cause, like isaid without in-game benchmark, it is impossible to re-create exact same scenario. That Noshahr TDM 64 (full on both).
> 
> now, i never tried HToff with crossfire but this is what i get . . .
> 
> 
> 
> one gpu won't reach 100% usage.


Wasn't directed toward you. A few people gave their opinions and offered nothing more than that.


----------



## richie_2010

could someone running hwinfo show me the where the voltage is being read from for the core voltage.
in msi afterburner my stock voltage is 1.25 but when I lower it the only voltage that changes is a gpu vrm voltage out not the gpu vddc


----------



## youpekkad

Why dont you use gpu-z? It reads accurate VDCC-number.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Wasn't directed toward you. A few people gave their opinions and offered nothing more than that.


i was not sure, so i provided whatever i have. the same with my zosma locked and unlocked at 4GHz paired with the 7970 using 1080 Ultra 4MSAA.









not sure the accuracy of HwIfo but both chips played the games smoothly. although, the Phenom x 6 handled the 7970 stock just fine, i would not think of crossfiring with it. it is only $110 cpu.


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Why dont you use gpu-z? It reads accurate VDCC-number.


the vddc in hwinfo goes from 0950 to 1.25 but in gpuz its much lower and matches the vrm output voltage and changes when I decrease the voltage but the vddc in hwinfo stays the same.
is the vddc in hwinfo like the vid voltage on cpus

edit: I also get load issues where the core speed drops along with the load until I up the powertune to 20% this is on stock bios and speeds ect


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> the vddc in hwinfo goes from 0950 to 1.25 but in gpuz its much lower and matches the vrm output voltage and changes when I decrease the voltage but the vddc in hwinfo stays the same.
> is the vddc in hwinfo like the vid voltage on cpus
> 
> edit: I also get load issues where the core speed drops along with the load until I up the powertune to 20% this is on stock bios and speeds ect


Set pt% at 20% or you will get throttled it seems.


----------



## richie_2010

Y does it throttle at stock though surely that not right


----------



## kzone75

Well, this can't be good, can it?


----------



## d1nky

something has broke for sure!

my guess is core as theyre not ''blocky'' artifacts

try different display outs and see if anything happens.


----------



## kzone75

Tried different outs, but it's still the same. Can only get to the desktop now with the generic VGA driver. The stripes are still there too.









No overclocking was done for a couple of months. Temps were always below 70C.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> Tried different outs, but it's still the same. Can only get to the desktop now with the generic VGA driver. The stripes are still there too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No overclocking was done for a couple of months. Temps were always below 70C.


RMA?


----------



## kzone75

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> Tried different outs, but it's still the same. Can only get to the desktop now with the generic VGA driver. The stripes are still there too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No overclocking was done for a couple of months. Temps were always below 70C.
> 
> 
> 
> RMA?
Click to expand...

Yes.


----------



## d1nky

that card died quick!! i think i remember you posting a pic of it new.


----------



## kzone75

I put it in the 2nd PCI-e slot and it seems to be ok for now.. No stripes in BIOS or desktop, and I could even run the Valley benchmark. With the latest driver even.








The first PCI-e slot borked, then?


----------



## shadow water

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> I put it in the 2nd PCI-e slot and it seems to be ok for now.. No stripes in BIOS or desktop, and I could even run the Valley benchmark. With the latest driver even.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The first PCI-e slot borked, then?


do you have bad card sag?


----------



## kcuestag

Anyone knows what cards are those? Apparently that's the rig they'll be using to show Battlefield 4 Multiplayer tomorrow, wondering if those are 2x HD7970's or 2x HD7990's?


----------



## d1nky

dirty pins maybe? improper connection?


----------



## kzone75

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shadow water*
> 
> do you have bad card sag?


My Asus 6950 was sagging quite a lot, but not this 7970.


----------



## kzone75

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone knows what cards are those? Apparently that's the rig they'll be using to show Battlefield 4 Multiplayer tomorrow, wondering if those are 2x HD7970's or 2x HD7990's?


Been googling around but I can't find anything that look like those cards in the pic. But then again, it's almost 1 am.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone knows what cards are those? Apparently that's the rig they'll be using to show Battlefield 4 Multiplayer tomorrow, wondering if those are 2x HD7970's or 2x HD7990's?


Those are two reference engeneer sample HD8970

























CHEERS..


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Those are two reference engeneer sample HD8970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


Doesn't look like those.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> Been googling around but I can't find anything that look like those cards in the pic. But then again, it's almost 1 am.


Doesn't look like anything currently available. Could be 8970's in disguise.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Doesn't look like anything currently available. Could be 8970's in disguise.


The connectors placed a bit before the end of the PCB look like the newly released HD7990, but the cooler shroud doesn't.


----------



## shadow water

those are 7970's double d's from xfx


----------



## shadow water

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> My Asus 6950 was sagging quite a lot, but not this 7970.


your 6950 could have loosened your pci lane and then the 7970 broke it.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shadow water*
> 
> those are 7970's double d's from xfx


You're right, we have a winner: http://cdn.overclock.net/9/91/91002185_08032012361.jpeg


----------



## p2mob

Is it possible for the bios to be locked at hardware on XFX 7950? Because I am not seeing the switch to enable bios flash. I see the 1 and 2 but it doesn't have a switch


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> Is it possible for the bios to be locked at hardware on XFX 7950? Because I am not seeing the switch to enable bios flash. I see the 1 and 2 but it doesn't have a switch


to my knowledge xfx removed the bios switch


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> Is it possible for the bios to be locked at hardware on XFX 7950? Because I am not seeing the switch to enable bios flash. I see the 1 and 2 but it doesn't have a switch


Is your voltage locked at 1.13v on that card?


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> Is it possible for the bios to be locked at hardware on XFX 7950? Because I am not seeing the switch to enable bios flash. I see the 1 and 2 but it doesn't have a switch


Kahboom can help you out with that, My voltage was locked at 1.030V and was only able to overvolt by 1.13V but Kahboom has managed to unlock the voltage in my BIOS and hell.... I can overvolt as high as the heavens if I wanted.


----------



## yoyo711

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> Kahboom can help you out with that, My voltage was locked at 1.030V and was only able to overvolt by 1.13V but Kahboom has managed to unlock the voltage in my BIOS and hell.... I can overvolt as high as the heavens if I wanted.


Yap Kahboom help me the Msi 7950 boost card bios. He mod bios for me


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Could anyone in this club suggest a good 7970 with unlocked voltage? Do any of the cards with unlocked voltage come with A/M coolers or just reference coolers?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Could anyone in this club suggest a good 7970 with unlocked voltage? Do any of the cards with unlocked voltage come with A/M coolers or just reference coolers?


Any ref card, most cards with A/M coolers arent ref.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Any ref card, most cards with A/M coolers arent ref.


So if I wanted to get good temps out of a ref card I would have to put it underwater?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> So if I wanted to get good temps out of a ref card I would have to put it underwater?


Why do you think ref coolers are bad? They are actually pretty good, cools my VRMs better than my Prolimatech MK-26. People usually replace them because they are loud under heave load.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Could anyone in this club suggest a good 7970 with unlocked voltage? Do any of the cards with unlocked voltage come with A/M coolers or just reference coolers?
> 
> 
> 
> Any ref card, most cards with A/M coolers arent ref.
Click to expand...

As of last month the MSI 2PMD3GD5


Is an unlocked reference followed board and is unlocked.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> As of last month the MSI 2PMD3GD5
> 
> 
> Is an unlocked reference followed board and is unlocked.


That is a ref cooler isnt it?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Guys, what 7950s come with hynix ram and unlocked core and ram volts?
Is there an up to date list somewhere?
Thanks!


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> As of last month the MSI 2PMD3GD5
> 
> 
> Is an unlocked reference followed board and is unlocked.
> 
> 
> 
> That is a ref cooler isnt it?
Click to expand...

It is and it didn't do a half bad job before I blocked it.



here is an MSI next to three of AMD (green sticker)reference boards


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Guys, what 7950s come with hynix ram and unlocked core and ram volts?
> Is there an up to date list somewhere?
> Thanks!


None really, a reference 7970 will be your best bet I think


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> As of last month the MSI 2PMD3GD5
> 
> 
> Is an unlocked reference followed board and is unlocked.


What clocks has that bad boy hit?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> What clocks has that bad boy hit?


Some can hit 1350/1900 if you're lucky. My ref card hits 1310/1875.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Some can hit 1350/1900 if you're lucky. My ref card hits 1310/1875.


With a loop yeah you can .


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> As of last month the MSI 2PMD3GD5
> 
> 
> Is an unlocked reference followed board and is unlocked.
> 
> 
> 
> What clocks has that bad boy hit?
Click to expand...

That card there in my system hits exactly the same clocks as Rangers 1310/1875


----------



## prescotter

Guys,

When using the Modded Trixx with unlocked voltage on the hd7970

on default when i open trix, the MVDDC is so low (0.3v or something) that when i hit apply, my pc crashes, i first have to put it on 1.5v so it doesnt crash.

Do you guys experience similar behaviour?

I can use the software fully, but its like it doesnt detect my default memory voltage

edit:
Is there a way with Afterburner to get 1.38v vcore and 1.7v vmem?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> What clocks has that bad boy hit?
> 
> 
> 
> Some can hit 1350/1900 if you're lucky. My ref card hits 1310/1875.
Click to expand...

I can do higher than 1350 on three cards. Ranger, you need to send me yours so i can test it.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Nice, I'd like to hit 1300. That's what I pretty much level off at on my 670.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I can do higher than 1350 on three cards. Ranger, you need to send me yours so i can test it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Nice, I'd like to hit 1300. That's what I pretty much level off at on my 670.


Most keplers will stop at 1300 ish. My 680 does too. Its thanks to Nv's hard volt locking, shrugs.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

I can't complain about the perf I get out of this card. I just want to get a 7970 for a miner


----------



## Red1776

If you can find a XFX R7970 Black Edition FX-797A-TNBC
They are true reference and have been excellent OC'ers


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I can do higher than 1350 on three cards. Ranger, you need to send me yours so i can test it.
Click to expand...

Maybe I should offer Ranger a seat in exchange?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Guys, what 7950s come with hynix ram and unlocked core and ram volts?
> Is there an up to date list somewhere?
> Thanks!


Take a look here if you haven't already.

The information is mostly correct to my knowledge.


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> None really, a reference 7970 will be your best bet I think


My msi 7950 ref comes with hynix rAM n unlocked voltages


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Is your voltage locked at 1.13v on that card?


Naw it's at 1.250, at idle it drops to 0.950


----------



## FragZero

Wow i just got a power meter from a friend and did some quick testing

System from spec
230volts

OCCT Powersupply test for 60 seconds

800/1250 0.995 volts 320 watt
1200/1850 1.213 volts 490 watt

Overclocking adds 170 watt! since it's an 80%+ powersupply so simplified that's around 135 watt extra

And this also means my powersupply is way overkill, 490 watt or simplified 392 watt from my 850watt


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Maybe I should offer Ranger a seat in exchange?


I dont even see how you burned me lol


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> I can't complain about the perf I get out of this card. I just want to get a 7970 for a miner


Go with a 7950 for mining...if it has hynix mem and unlocked voltage you can get equal performace for less money and less power draw.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> My msi 7950 ref comes with hynix rAM n unlocked voltages


Nice, thank you...how noisy is it on air at 80% fan?


----------



## Sonikku13

Quick question. How do I remove screws that won't come out off my 7970? I tried last night with a screwdriver only and the screws just wouldn't come out because they were cammed in or something.

I was trying to remove the cooler so I could replace the TIM, but also found I had no isopropyl alcohol. Whoops.


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Go with a 7950 for mining...if it has hynix mem and unlocked voltage you can get equal performace for less money and less power draw.
> Nice, thank you...how noisy is it on air at 80% fan?


sounds like a jet, Im putting the mod on mine got a ek shim and just deciding if to use the h60 or 620

on a separate note has anyone noticed there hoses on the barbs move on the 620 only round not forwards and backwards mine does on one hose its not leaked or anything but im uncertain if to use it


----------



## kzone75

An update on my 7970 "issue".
I noticed today that GPU-Z is now showing the correct clock/memory speed in the 2nd pci-e slot. In the first slot it showed 1050 clock/1500mem. Now it's 925MHz / 1375MHz Also the voltages were much higher in the first slot when everything was stock. 1.256V in the 1st, 1.168V in the 2nd slot. It's a tad confusing.
Been playing some games this evening with no issues at all, but I will be keeping it stock for now.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> An update on my 7970 "issue".
> I noticed today that GPU-Z is now showing the correct clock/memory speed in the 2nd pci-e slot. In the first slot it showed 1050 clock/1500mem. Now it's 925MHz / 1375MHz Also the voltages were much higher in the first slot when everything was stock. 1.256V in the 1st, 1.168V in the 2nd slot. It's a tad confusing.
> Been playing some games this evening with no issues at all, but I will be keeping it stock for now.


STOCK >:O?


----------



## kzone75

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> STOCK >:O?


Like a boss.


----------



## ivanlabrie

I got an HIS IceQ X2 Boost 7950 that does 1200mhz core and 1675mhz mem with 1.2v and 1.65v respectively, but I may need a second one soon...not sure if I wanna get another one of the same model though.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> Quick question. How do I remove screws that won't come out off my 7970? I tried last night with a screwdriver only and the screws just wouldn't come out because they were cammed in or something.
> 
> I was trying to remove the cooler so I could replace the TIM, but also found I had no isopropyl alcohol. Whoops.


Are you speaking of the spring loaded philips head on the Bracket/backplate?

Get a good 'eyeglass repair' size set of screwdrivers.

...and for god sakes, get some alcohol!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Are you speaking of the spring loaded philips head on the Bracket/backplate?
> 
> Get a good 'eyeglass repair' size set of screwdrivers.
> 
> ...and for god sakes, get some alcohol!


I use 95% Ethanol


----------



## PedroC1999

I find that a regulr screw driver is perfectly fine for it, why do some people need such small screwdrivers?


----------



## Atomfix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p2mob*
> 
> Naw it's at 1.250, at idle it drops to 0.950


My card idles at 0.850V What model is your card? Mines 795A-TDJC


----------



## Sonikku13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Sonikku13*
> 
> Quick question. How do I remove screws that won't come out off my 7970? I tried last night with a screwdriver only and the screws just wouldn't come out because they were cammed in or something.
> 
> I was trying to remove the cooler so I could replace the TIM, but also found I had no isopropyl alcohol. Whoops.
> 
> 
> 
> Are you speaking of the spring loaded philips head on the Bracket/backplate?
> 
> Get a good 'eyeglass repair' size set of screwdrivers.
> 
> ...and for god sakes, get some alcohol!
Click to expand...

I'll try it again when I get some isopropyl alcohol. And I was using the smallest screwdriver I had. The backplate came out fine. As did 9 of the other 11 screws. However, two of the screws, I broke the screw threading, so when I try to turn the screwdriver to get the screw out, it just rotates the screwdriver, and has no effect on the screw. So they won't come out with just a screwdriver. What I'd like to know is how to get those screws that won't come out with a small screwdriver out.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Are you speaking of the spring loaded philips head on the Bracket/backplate?
> 
> Get a good 'eyeglass repair' size set of screwdrivers.
> 
> ...and for god sakes, get some alcohol!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I use 95% Ethanol
Click to expand...

No, I meant to drink....it sounds frustrating hehe


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> My msi 7950 ref comes with hynix rAM n unlocked voltages


Awesome, but we can't be certain that the next bunch of cards produced will be both Hynix and Unlocked voltage


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> It is and it didn't do a half bad job before I blocked it.
> 
> 
> 
> here is an MSI next to three of AMD (green sticker)reference boards


i an second that. i have the ov version of that card x2 and they were great . if set to 100% fan they do sound like blow driers. but man they cool well .... and you can block them if you want to


----------



## EternalRest

I think my video card is starting to artifact...


----------



## Mega Man

:/ that sucks you running them/it oced?


----------



## EternalRest

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> :/ that sucks you running them/it oced?


No. Its on stock.


----------



## Mega Man

sucks even more...


----------



## p2mob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Atomfix*
> 
> My card idles at 0.850V What model is your card? Mines 795A-TDJC


Model No. FX-795A-TD
Part No. Fx-7950X-TDFC


----------



## EternalRest

Yes sir, it does. Any program can I use that I can confirmed that it is an artifact. Has anyone deal with PowerColor's RMA? I guess I'm going have to put my 560ti back in.


----------



## broadbandaddict

I'm getting ready to pick up some blocks for my Diamond 7970s. Are these any good?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I'm getting ready to pick up some blocks for my Diamond 7970s. Are these any good?


they are pretty good. i always reccomend you check out the komodo from swiftech as it comes with a backplate and a single slot spacer. for not much more. also they are true full cover blocks.


Spoiler:  they just look plain sexay !



[




dont mind the mess of tubes it will be taken care of once i get more orings.......


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> they are pretty good. i always reccomend you check out the komodo from swiftech as it comes with a backplate and a single slot spacer. for not much more. also they are true full cover blocks.
> 
> 
> Spoiler:  they just look plain sexay !
> 
> 
> 
> [
> 
> 
> 
> 
> dont mind the mess of tubes it will be taken care of once i get more orings.......


I was planning on going with those originally actually. I switched to the heatkiller blocks because I'm probably going to get their CPU block too and they match. I'd prefer to get the best performing blocks I can but I won't lie and say that looks don't matter, I'll only be running 2 cards (no more room for more) so not sure if that makes a difference.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I was planning on going with those originally actually. I switched to the heatkiller blocks because I'm probably going to get their CPU block too and they match. I'd prefer to get the best performing blocks I can but I won't lie and say that looks don't matter, I'll only be running 2 cards (no more room for more) so not sure if that makes a difference.





Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



This and that page explains why


swiftech fanboy but hey cant argue with my results though


----------



## kcuestag

I have 2x Heatkiller for my HD7970's and they're to me the best blocks available for these cards, they're awesome, you won't regret it.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> I have 2x Heatkiller for my HD7970's and they're to me the best blocks available for these cards, they're awesome, you won't regret it.


I will second this. I run 4 x 7970's with Heat killers and they move a grand total of 7c from idle to load (30c-37/38c) @ 23 ambient. I use the quad MultiLink as well.


----------



## Sasasd

Just swapped my TIM from AS5 to Gelid GC-extreme. Ambient may be couple degrees lower now but I see 3-5c drop. GPU temp also rises much slower and degreases much faster than with AS5. Application thought was PITA. I failed first attemp because I put too little paste, I noticed this paste needs pretty thick layer. Very good buy, didn't think that TIM matters this much.


----------



## conwa

Can I please be added to the club?

Just received my Sapphire 7970 with Komodo waterblock!

My first High end card!


----------



## kcuestag

I want to be added as well, don't think I joined yet:


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> I want to be added as well, don't think I joined yet:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Sweet gaming rig buddy.







Really nice layout.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Sweet gaming rig buddy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really nice layout.


Thanks! I do plan on making the loop shorter/cleaner like I had in this video: 




Only reason I didn't do it like that on current state is because of kinking on the tubing from reservoir/pump to the top rad, so I'm waiting to get 30º and 60º angled adapters to help with that, but I still look how the loop looks right now.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Thoughts on this card? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121560


----------



## Anoxy

I'm a noob, but why is it a triple slot card when all other 7970s are only dual slot?


----------



## PedroC1999

Because the cooler is much bigger and bulkier


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Yeah, it runs cooler, but I am curious as to how it performs overclock-wise.


----------



## PedroC1999

It overclocks badly, to say the least, lots of people with the DCUII have issues with stability, and some are even voltage locked, while some don't work at all


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Any suggestions for something that will stay cool with a decent o/c?


----------



## PedroC1999

Sapphire Vapor X or MSI TFIII


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> It overclocks badly, to say the least, lots of people with the DCUII have issues with stability, and some are even voltage locked, while some don't work at all


yeah ^^ this... dont i know it with the 7950 version. the cooler is poorly mounted as well which is the bulk of the issues atleast with mine. there is a fix that KingT told me about using a 80mm X mounting bracket with some plastic washers. i have to check again with him as i cant quite remember lol

i wouldnt recommend a 7950/7970 DCUII card to anyone.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

I hear the TFIII whines like a newborn, but I haven't heard much about the Vapor-X.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> I hear the TFIII whines like a newborn, but I haven't heard much about the Vapor-X.


What about a His ICEQ X2?


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Thoughts on this card? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121560


It's a great card when it actually works, but very often is voltage locked and buggy card ( high rate of RMA - just check newegg experience feed).

CHEERS..


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> What about a His ICEQ X2?


Heard that's one of the worst A/M coolers out there.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> What about a His ICEQ X2?
> 
> 
> 
> Heard that's one of the worst A/M coolers out there.
Click to expand...

you mean this card?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412&Tpk=his%207970%20x2&IsVirtualParent=1

from what i hear the cooling is great especially with large FAN's it uses.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Heard that's one of the worst A/M coolers out there.


Quite the contrary. The IceQ X2 cooler is probably _the_ best dual slot cooler available for 7900 cards.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Yay misinformation







. The key thing I am searching for is good overclocking with good cooling.


----------



## richie_2010

Go for the iceq x2 has a decent cooler which will help in overclocking.
You want a decent overclocking card but its luck of the draw on its overclocking potential so get the one that has all the tools to do so


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> What about a His ICEQ X2?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Yay misinformation
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . The key thing I am searching for is good overclocking with good cooling.


I reccomend it unless you want it for bitcoin/litecoin mining...other than that mine is superb.

The cooler is absolutely great, really quiet if you want it to, and the card reaches 1200mhz core with 1.2v and 1675mhz mem with 1.6v
Not bad for having Elpida chips, but voltage is fully unlocked on both mem and core.

Oh, max temps when fully loaded (folding/mining) at 24c ambient: 75c with 3100rpm fans. (audible)
For gaming you could pull off lower temps with 50% fan or less...it doesn't exhaust much hot air inside the case, unlike the windforce or others. A side intake fan reduced temps considerably for me.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I reccomend it unless you want it for bitcoin/litecoin mining...other than that mine is superb.
> 
> The cooler is absolutely great, really quiet if you want it to, and the card reaches 1200mhz core with 1.2v and 1675mhz mem with 1.6v
> Not bad for having Elpida chips, but voltage is fully unlocked on both mem and core.


Yeah Ivan I am really looking for a card that will do great with mining and gaming. I don't want to compromise the performance that I currently have with my 670 FTW. I'm concerned if I go with a 7950, I won't have the same frames.


----------



## stubass

well if you want a card thats goos for mining as well, you want a good vRAM OC thus a card with Hynix IC's.
maybe look at the
Gigabyte Windforce 3
or
Sapphire Vapor-X


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

I wish Belial had a 7970 guide. http://www.overclock.net/t/1394623/belials-comprehensive-guide-to-7950s







I need to know for sure that I will be getting Hynix mem and all that jazz.


----------



## OneGun

I have two His ICEQ X2 7950s and they are great run cool and OC pretty good.. I haven't pushed them that much but I got 1200/1500 so far on air..


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Yeah Ivan I am really looking for a card that will do great with mining and gaming. I don't want to compromise the performance that I currently have with my 670 FTW. I'm concerned if I go with a 7950, I won't have the same frames.


Frame wise, you'll get the same or more...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> well if you want a card thats goos for mining as well, you want a good vRAM OC thus a card with Hynix IC's.
> maybe look at the
> Gigabyte Windforce 3
> or
> Sapphire Vapor-X


Agreed, add Msi twin frozr III to that list.
The new batches sold at Newegg are GREAT.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> I wish Belial had a 7970 guide. http://www.overclock.net/t/1394623/belials-comprehensive-guide-to-7950s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I need to know for sure that I will be getting Hynix mem and all that jazz.


7970s are not as good for mining...7950 is cheaper, draws 50w less and performs pretty much equal to a 7970. Get two 7950s and sell games, you should spend between 400-450usd after selling. I'd reccomend the Gigabyte Windforce cards, you flash bios F43 and get 1100mhz core with 1.09v, then clock ram to 1617mhz and you should hit 650kh/s mining litecoin per card.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

What do you mean sell games? Everything is in Steam. Lol. So you think the windforce is best? What about in terms of noise/coil whine. I really don't like coil whine.


----------



## PedroC1999

My 7950 PCS+ doesnt coild whine and overclocks good with good temps (close to ASUS Cooler, but overclocks better)

I assume the 7970 version with the same cooler overclocks well too, and also has good temps, no coil whine etc


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Agreed, add Msi twin frozr III to that list.
> The new batches sold at Newegg are GREAT.


There's a new batch? Do go on. . .


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> What do you mean sell games? Everything is in Steam. Lol. So you think the windforce is best? What about in terms of noise/coil whine. I really don't like coil whine.


Not sure about coil whine...one of my friends has one of the old unlocked voltage 7970s and his card was really quiet, cool and overclocked pretty far.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> My 7950 PCS+ doesnt coild whine and overclocks good with good temps (close to ASUS Cooler, but overclocks better)
> 
> I assume the 7970 version with the same cooler overclocks well too, and also has good temps, no coil whine etc


Thing is cards that look good on paper for regular use are not as good for mining.
That said the non ref Powercolor 7970 is really good too. ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131489 )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> There's a new batch? Do go on. . .


A friend has one, and it's a beast, I've also seen the review at overclockers.com (latest msi 7970 review) and it looks really good.


----------



## bond32

I have a reference 7970 from visiontek, has very little coil whine. Coil whine was pretty bad on my msi 660 ti's.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Not sure about coil whine...one of my friends has one of the old unlocked voltage 7970s and his card was really quiet, cool and overclocked pretty far.
> Thing is cards that look good on paper for regular use are not as good for mining.
> That said the non ref Powercolor 7970 is really good too. ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131489 )
> A friend has one, and it's a beast, I've also seen the review at overclockers.com (latest msi 7970 review) and it looks really good.


Okay Ivan. Sorry that you have to deal with me, but I am going to be that fickle person to ask you for a recommendation on the 7950 side as you say that they are of a better value when it comes to mining.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> Okay Ivan. Sorry that you have to deal with me, but I am going to be that fickle person to ask you for a recommendation on the 7950 side as you say that they are of a better value when it comes to mining.


Go to card: Gigabyte 7950 windforce 3dx...flash to f43 bios, run a miner with a 4gb pendrive to say money.








3 or 4 cards per rig, with pci-e 16x to 16x extenders to spread them out and cool them easily with a box fan. Use a milk crate as a case.
Here's the special scrypt mining linux os you gotta use: (can't control vddc in linux, that's why you flash to f43 bios) https://forum.litecoin.net/index.php?topic=2924.0

If you run them in a regular case, the f43 bios will help keeping them cool. 1.09v is plenty for these cards, 1.25v is absolute overkill, and bordering on barbaric behavior by the manufacturers lol

Expect between 650-710kh/s out of these, for only 200-190w (maybe less) from the wall.

EDIT: you should head to the mining club thread for more info, and not hijack this radeon thread.


----------



## Kriant

Guys, need your opinion:

Just finished my 4x7970 setup. Card 0,2,3 are showing 30c on idle, card 1 ( which is main card, judging from the clocks) shows 45c 0_o. Bad thermal paste? or water not reaching properly?

Loop is parallel with box in and out on top of the first card due to space issues on the bottom.

Need advice, before I'll have to go and drain the whole loop, and disassemble the thing


----------



## KaRLiToS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> Guys, need your opinion:
> 
> Just finished my 4x7970 setup. Card 0,2,3 are showing 30c on idle, card 1 ( which is main card, judging from the clocks) shows 45c 0_o. Bad thermal paste? or water not reaching properly?
> 
> Loop is parallel with box in and out on top of the first card due to space issues on the bottom.
> 
> Need advice, before I'll have to go and drain the whole loop, and disassemble the thing


This is weird, your main card should be the card 0. The one in the first slot with all your monitors plugged in? Do you have a pic of your setup?


----------



## Kriant

Here, the old unfinished pic, but the layout of the cards hadn't changed


----------



## Kriant

GPU 2 coreclock is 500, which indicates that it's the primary card ( all others are at 300).

I've used my old-ish MX2 thermal paste, but it has it's warranty covered for another 2 years hmm. ( thermal paste that came with Koolance water-block had something green inside of it, so I've decided to throw it away).

All the screws are tighten up, I feel if I screw-in more, then I will start bending the PCB


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> What do you mean sell games? Everything is in Steam. Lol. So you think the windforce is best? What about in terms of noise/coil whine. I really don't like coil whine.


I'm assuming he means sell the games that come with the cards....lol


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*


What is that black box that the hoses are running to? Is that some sort of chiller unit?


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> What is that black box that the hoses are running to? Is that some sort of chiller unit?


Nah, Nova Xtreme 1080


----------



## spizzlo

Hey everybody. I just joined the club and I couldn't be happier. I started with a 7850 back in December and now have somehow finagled my way all the way to a 7970. I absolutely love it. It's this Powercolor. I only payed $290 from NCIX after selling the games. A steal for a 7970. Hopefully the next gen doesn't come out _too_ soon, I'd like to have the best AMD card for a while.


----------



## Kriant

Ordered Phobya HeGreese extreme just in case already. I don't want to drain my loop, it's such a pain in the ass


----------



## Kriant

Hmm, maybe those screws from the XFX fan arn't doing their job, I need an X-braket, only no-where to buy that one -_-


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *conwa*
> 
> Can I please be added to the club?
> 
> Just received my Sapphire 7970 with Komodo waterblock!
> 
> My first High end card!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


congrats and welcome man !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> I want to be added as well, don't think I joined yet:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


you too !~

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *0CALEFACTION0*
> 
> I wish Belial had a 7970 guide. http://www.overclock.net/t/1394623/belials-comprehensive-guide-to-7950s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I need to know for sure that I will be getting Hynix mem and all that jazz.


remember to take everything with a grain of salt.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spizzlo*
> 
> Hey everybody. I just joined the club and I couldn't be happier. I started with a 7850 back in December and now have somehow finagled my way all the way to a 7970. I absolutely love it. It's this Powercolor. I only payed $290 from NCIX after selling the games. A steal for a 7970. Hopefully the next gen doesn't come out _too_ soon, I'd like to have the best AMD card for a while.


welcome as well

let us know if any of you new owners need any help !~


----------



## d1nky

how many people has applied the whole 1.4v (forget vdroop) in trixx for benching?

yesterday i found out if apply anymore than 1337v on core itll crash straight away? uncommon or unusual?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Unless you're below 0c there's not much reason to go over 1.25-1.3v really...


----------



## d1nky

my temps dont exceed 60*c on core and vrms with fans at 90-100%

this is strictly benching, and short term 99% gpu usage is fine..... so ive been told.

its just strange that i get a crash any higher than 1337v

but thanks

i may even wait tll i get the card under water...... then try


----------



## ivanlabrie

Temps are holding you back...
If you wanna bench further you're gonna have to do an OCP mod, to remove that 20% power target limit, then cool the card below 0 for best resuls.


----------



## d1nky

yea i havent got a chance of doing that........

ive nearly hit 12k graphics 3dmark11

and ive hit 8.8k graphics firestrike on air so im doing ok.... ill just get a waterloop and chill the water!

i havent put much thought into the TDP limit thing..... ill ask again when i get a loop.

thanks


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> how many people has applied the whole 1.4v (forget vdroop) in trixx for benching?
> 
> yesterday i found out if apply anymore than 1337v on core itll crash straight away? uncommon or unusual?


Because AMD is *1337* with their voltages?









Sounds like you're hitting the power limit as has been mentioned, next step is a hard mod again as mentioned.


----------



## d1nky

yea ive seen it mentioned a lot but never really put much thought in to it tbh.....

and is there a link you guys can show me for this please


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hi guys is the Sapphire Vapor-x HD 7970 GHz better or the Gigabyte HD 7970 OC and sorry for my annoying question but can the 7970 be modded to work like a firepro one








Thanks in advance


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> congrats and welcome man !~
> you too !~
> remember to take everything with a grain of salt.
> welcome as well
> 
> let us know if any of you new owners need any help !~


A HUGE DARN DERP HERP GRAIN OF FRIKKIN SALT.


----------



## d1nky

^^^^ and pepper


----------



## sugarhell

Probably a whole ocean ^^


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> Tried different outs, but it's still the same. Can only get to the desktop now with the generic VGA driver. The stripes are still there too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No overclocking was done for a couple of months. Temps were always below 70C.


have something similar issue with a bad seated bridge..


----------



## MrSharkington

If anyone has far cry 3 blood dragon and a 7950, can they tell me their average fps? I'm not sure if there is something wrong with my card or not since I saw someone on youtube who was able to get 70-80 fps on a 7950 maxed with 4xmsaa, though I'm only getting around the 40s with 4xmsaa turned on. I know it's not a really good port and that the msaa kills performance, but I'm just curious if anyone else is having the same frame rate as me?


----------



## d1nky

depends on resolution and CCC settings.......

i was about 40-60fps at 1080p max everything - farcry3


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hi guys is the Sapphire Vapor-x HD 7970 GHz better or the Gigabyte HD 7970 OC and sorry for my annoying question but can the 7970 be modded to work like a firepro one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance


iirc gigabyte cards are locked. I have two of the Vapor-X cards and they're great.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> iirc gigabyte cards are locked. I have two of the Vapor-X cards and they're great.


How far can you OC it is it good in comparison with the asus gtx 770 direct cu II i really want this beast for the free games
Thanks


----------



## Anoxy

If I'm submitting a GPU-Z screenshot to register on this thread, how am I supposed to display my username? Couldn't anyone just MS Paint their username on somebody elses screenshot of GPU-Z?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> If I'm submitting a GPU-Z screenshot to register on this thread, how am I supposed to display my username? Couldn't anyone just MS Paint their username on somebody elses screenshot of GPU-Z?


Include a piece of paper with your name in the pic...take a picture of your screen


----------



## Anoxy

Yeah I know I can do that, but the OP says "GPU-Z link" implying we can use a screen shot.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> If I'm submitting a GPU-Z screenshot to register on this thread, how am I supposed to display my username? Couldn't anyone just MS Paint their username on somebody elses screenshot of GPU-Z?


Or on the first post, click on the big blue "Register!" link and you will be redirected here
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dGhhU1NWMTdhS2h1aEczV0REc3Jkb2c6MQ

Note: make sure you use your OCN username in bothe the Username Field and the GPU-z validation


----------



## Anoxy

My god I know. I'm referring to the bottom of the registration form:



It says GPU-Z link. Does that mean screencap of the GPU-Z window? (using the built in screenshot feature in GPU-Z) If so, how does that prove it's _your_ set-up?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> My god I know. I'm referring to the bottom of the registration form:
> 
> 
> 
> It says GPU-Z link. Does that mean screencap of the GPU-Z window? (using the built in screenshot feature in GPU-Z) If so, how does that prove it's _your_ set-up?


in the validation tab of GPU-z, for your name put Anoxy and validate. also if you take a screenshot, you can save that on some site even OCN and put the link to it in that box.


----------



## Belial

I need to put VRM heatsinks on a gigabyte 7950. Could someone tell me the space between the thinnest part of the VRM? I'm not sure if 20mm wide VRM heatsinks would fit, if I need to get 10mm, 14mm, etc.

Thanks. I'd really appreciate it.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spizzlo*
> 
> Hey everybody. I just joined the club and I couldn't be happier. I started with a 7850 back in December and now have somehow finagled my way all the way to a 7970. I absolutely love it. It's this Powercolor. I only payed $290 from NCIX after selling the games. A steal for a 7970. Hopefully the next gen doesn't come out _too_ soon, I'd like to have the best AMD card for a while.


hey that's the card i have, let us know how it overclocks. These cards very cheap and i need to know if it's because of a cheaper PCB which sucks for overclocking or if they just roll like that.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I need to put VRM heatsinks on a gigabyte 7950. Could someone tell me the space between the thinnest part of the VRM? I'm not sure if 20mm wide VRM heatsinks would fit, if I need to get 10mm, 14mm, etc.
> 
> Thanks. I'd really appreciate it.


No need for vrm sinks if they use high quality parts. (normally they do)
I'm getting a windforce 7970 tomorrow man, maybe I can find that out for you.


----------



## Elemdil

Hi everyone!
New owner of a 7970 and happy to be part of the community.

I've got the following DCUII 7970 to replace my two GTX 570 in sli. I must say that I am impressed by how powerful but especially quiet this card is










I could OC it to (only) 1160 MHz for the core and 1850 MHz for the memory at 1250 mV (I read that for an everyday overclock 1250 mV is the max I should go).
I think I got a bad core as i can't reach 1200. However at 1275 mV I can go over 1200 MHz for my core and the temps are still below 73. Do you think it's safe or I shoud stay as I am right know?

Cheers


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elemdil*
> 
> Hi everyone!
> New owner of a 7970 and happy to be part of the community.
> 
> I've got the following DCUII 7970 to replace my two GTX 570 in sli. I must say that I am impressed by how powerful but especially quiet this card is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I could OC it to (only) 1160 MHz for the core and 1850 MHz for the memory at 1250 mV (I read that for an everyday overclock 1250 mV is the max I should go).
> I think I got a bad core as i can't reach 1200. However at 1275 mV I can go over 1200 MHz for my core and the temps are still below 73. Do you think it's safe or I shoud stay as I am right know?
> 
> Cheers


1.25v is some massive overvoltage in my experience. You should try undervolting while overclocking since temps affect stability way more than just vcore. I'd start at 1.1v and see how far it can go that way. Focus on keeping the card fed with cool outside air at all times.


----------



## Elemdil

Thanks for the answer









But as my stock voltage is 1175 mV you think I should even use 1100 mV and try to overclock? Is my stock voltage is too high then?


----------



## th3illusiveman

if temps are good the 1.275v is fine for an everyday OC as long you aren't mining with the thing 24/7.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> if temps are good the 1.275v is fine for an everyday OC as long you aren't mining with the thing 24/7.


I will have to disagree, Boost cars ship with 1.25v stock, so they are perfectly fine until like 1.29, as the headroom is good then


----------



## PedroC1999

Need to ask, does ASIC score stay the same when you overclock?


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Need to ask, does ASIC score stay the same when you overclock?


yes it stays the same.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> if temps are good the 1.275v is fine for an everyday OC as long you aren't mining with the thing 24/7.
> 
> 
> 
> I will have to disagree, Boost cars ship with 1.25v stock, so they are perfectly fine until like 1.29, as the headroom is good then
Click to expand...

1.29... what? Boost cards don't run 1.25v at load, the 1.25v is not a real running voltage, more like a limit. The idle voltage with no load will show as 1.25v, but to repeat it's not a real load at idle.

The higher volts you run daily the higher chances of failure you will take on. That's just the way it is. As long as you have ample cooling, and run proper voltage/clock profiles I personally don't see a problem. And as you alluded to th3illusiveman, I would not recommend high volts and mining.

For benching I throw the full voltage limit (1.35v+) at my cards, but for daily use I am a light weight. running stock voltage.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1.29... what? Boost cards don't run 1.25v at load, the 1.25v is not a real running voltage, more like a limit. The idle voltage with no load will show as 1.25v, but to repeat it's not a real load at idle.
> 
> The higher volts you run daily the higher chances of failure you will take on. That's just the way it is. As long as you have ample cooling, and run proper voltage/clock profiles I personally don't see a problem. And as you alluded to th3illusiveman, I would not recommend high volts and mining.
> 
> For benching I throw the full voltage limit (1.35v+) at my cards, but for daily use I am a light weight. running stock voltage.


In short: Get ref cards.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> In short: Get ref cards.


Or better get a matrix


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Or better get a matrix


Too bad i cant curse you out on ocn.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Too bad i cant curse you out on ocn.


Feel the TOS in your skin


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> In short: Get ref cards.
> 
> 
> 
> Or better get a matrix
Click to expand...

Those come in handy when u need a seat.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Those come in handy when u need a seat.


Or as a paper weight.


----------



## d1nky

LOL ranger ive ordered a matrix........ got it earlier and ONLY JOKING!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL ranger ive ordered a matrix........ got it earlier and ONLY JOKING!


Dont joke about things like that man.


----------



## d1nky

oh as its a sunny day and this is the 7series thread......

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/541628

from when i first got this card i could get 11.2k and more graphics score everytime..... now a few months on (been folding and benched like a biatch) i struggle to get 10.5k graphics.

same drivers and clocks etc


----------



## tsm106

Did you do the clamping pressure mod on the cooler yet?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> oh as its a sunny day and this is the 7series thread......
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/541628
> 
> from when i first got this card i could get 11.2k and more graphics score everytime..... now a few months on (been folding and benched like a biatch) i struggle to get 10.5k graphics.
> 
> same drivers and clocks etc


Doesnt work like that in the newest 3dmark lol. Try 3dmark11 again and you will see your Graphics scores are back to normal.


----------



## d1nky

you misunderstand, i put that link there just for you lol

im not that dumb.................... i know 3dmark11 and firestrike calculate points totally differently.

i was saying that degradation has hit my card hard and ive lost about 800 points from new.

i would post links to compare but i delete all the crap scoring ones.









i was going to write something that rhymes 'sugar cane' dumb but thought not lol


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> you misunderstand, i put that link there just for you lol
> 
> im not that dumb.................... i know 3dmark11 and firestrike calculate points totally differently.
> 
> i was saying that degradation has hit my card hard and ive lost about 800 points from new.
> 
> i would post links to compare but i delete all the crap scoring ones.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i was going to write something that rhymes 'sugar cane' dumb but thought not lol


Just... Come on steam...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> you misunderstand, i put that link there just for you lol
> 
> im not that dumb.................... i know 3dmark11 and firestrike calculate points totally differently.
> 
> i was saying that degradation has hit my card hard and ive lost about 800 points from new.
> 
> i would post links to compare but i delete all the crap scoring ones.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i was going to write something that rhymes 'sugar cane' dumb but thought not lol


Just... Come on steam...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> from when i first got this card i could get 11.2k and more graphics score everytime..... now a few months on (been folding and benched like a biatch) i struggle to get 10.5k graphics.
> 
> same drivers and clocks etc


Reference my post above regarding voltage. Folding/mining you really want to run low voltage or you will suck the life out of your card/s. On the flip side, I hammer my cards only in benches and they have not degraded and its been two years now.


----------



## Hoball01

Cpu: Amd fx4100 4.5ghz
Ram: corsair vengeance 16gb 1600mhz
Mobo: Msi 990fxa-gd65
Gpu: Sapphire hd 7970 3gb oc with boost edition
Psu: Antec Truepower 650w

need help over clocking it more the only usable oc i can get is at 1140/1500 with 1.174v i cant go higher in either bit without games crashing or amd drivers failing


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Reference my post above regarding voltage. Folding/mining you really want to run low voltage or you will suck the life out of your card/s. On the flip side, I hammer my cards only in benches and they have not degraded and its been two years now.


lucky..... ive ragged the life out of mine. was folding at something like 1150/1650 for a week solid.

benches my fans are max for hours...... the bearings start getting warm in the front lol

its a soldier tho.....

and who keeps a card for two years lol









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hoball01*
> 
> Cpu: Amd fx4100 4.5ghz
> Ram: corsair vengeance 16gb 1600mhz
> Mobo: Msi 990fxa-gd65
> Gpu: Sapphire hd 7970 3gb oc with boost edition
> Psu: Antec Truepower 650w
> 
> need help over clocking it more the only usable oc i can get is at 1140/1500 with 1.174v i cant go higher in either bit without games crashing or amd drivers failing


youre wasting your time overclocking the card for games..... that cpu will hold ya back like a mofo..

i had this 7950 with my 4100 @ 4.8ghz + and still never really saw gpu usage higher than 80%


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hoball01*
> 
> Cpu: Amd fx4100 4.5ghz
> Ram: corsair vengeance 16gb 1600mhz
> Mobo: Msi 990fxa-gd65
> Gpu: Sapphire hd 7970 3gb oc with boost edition
> Psu: Antec Truepower 650w
> 
> need help over clocking it more the only usable oc i can get is at 1140/1500 with 1.174v i cant go higher in either bit without games crashing or amd drivers failing


The idea of increasing voltage never occured to you?


----------



## Hoball01

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> The idea of increasing voltage never occured to you?


yes it did i tried that i had it at 1.206v trying to make 1150/1500 stable but it still wasn't stable


----------



## Hoball01

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> lucky..... ive ragged the life out of mine. was folding at something like 1150/1650 for a week solid.
> 
> benches my fans are max for hours...... the bearings start getting warm in the front lol
> 
> its a soldier tho.....
> 
> and who keeps a card for two years lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> youre wasting your time overclocking the card for games..... that cpu will hold ya back like a mofo..
> 
> i had this 7950 with my 4100 @ 4.8ghz + and still never really saw gpu usage higher than 80%


i was thinking that thats why im getting a new fx 8350 next month but i still wanna at least make this card stable enough for now until i get that cpu


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hoball01*
> 
> yes it did i tried that i had it at 1.206v trying to make 1150/1500 stable but it still wasn't stable


More volts.


----------



## d1nky

meh do what i done and give the 4100 all ya can....... i was running my 4100 at 1.6v 5ghz for some time as well lol

save the 7970s dignity and let it have some peace before the storm!

and like ranger said.... MOAR volts


----------



## Hoball01

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> More volts.


how high ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> and who keeps a card for two years lol


I suppose to be accurate its closer to 1.5 years. But I will be keeping them at least till Q4, which will be two years maybe longer. Tahiti paper launched in Q4 2011 and I got my first card in Jan 12.


----------



## Hoball01

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> meh do what i done and give the 4100 all ya can....... i was running my 4100 at 1.6v 5ghz for some time as well lol
> 
> save the 7970s dignity and let it have some peace before the storm!
> 
> and like ranger said.... MOAR volts


hahahaha how did u not kill that off my 4100 is at 4.5 but at stock i can try and push the hell outta if since it doens't really get that hot under load


----------



## d1nky

fair enough, ive had mine since christmas. (present for myself)

7970 next then..... dare i say it..... have ya seen the new asus gtx 780?









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hoball01*
> 
> hahahaha how did u not kill that off my 4100 is at 4.5 but at stock i can try and push the hell outta if since it doens't really get that hot under load


its a beast for something cheap. i had it folding at 4.5ghz.

i know a guy that has his running @5.1ghz 1.6v 24/7 lol and still going strong.

the xigmatek aegir was fine for cooling it no matter what.


----------



## Hoball01

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> fair enough, ive had mine since christmas. (present for myself)
> 
> 7970 next then..... dare i say it..... have ya seen the new asus gtx 780?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> its a beast for something cheap. i had it folding at 4.5ghz.
> 
> i know a guy that has his running @5.1ghz 1.6v 24/7 lol and still going strong.
> 
> the xigmatek aegir was fine for cooling it no matter what.


fairplay to him im gunna give volting my cpu a shot and hope i dont fry it or something


----------



## d1nky

disclaimer: its your eff up it mess it up!

your board seems adequate for the task. and ive had the cooler once upon a time.

just take it slowly and test then repeat!


----------



## Hoball01

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> disclaimer: its your eff up it mess it up!
> 
> your board seems adequate for the task. and ive had the cooler once upon a time.
> 
> just take it slowly and test then repeat!


well i got the nb to 2500mhz atm and

the cpu seems to get to 4.7 easy enough without it going mental on 1.5v


----------



## th3illusiveman

Whats all this stuff about the Matrix? I thought that card was a beast?


----------



## TwirlyWhirly555

Got My 7950 XFX running at 1150/1400 @ 1.169 Volts on Core , 70 C max under 100% load while folding







* Happy Dance *


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Whats all this stuff about the Matrix? I thought that card was a beast?


It is not, most reference cards will overclock more than a Matrix.

Just believe me when i say this: Ref cards are BETTER.


----------



## d1nky

or ya use the hotwire function and OC it more........


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> or ya use the hotwire function and OC it more........


No it sucks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> or ya use the hotwire function and OC it more........
> 
> 
> 
> No it sucks.
Click to expand...

Hotwire = void warranty.


----------



## d1nky

overclock = void warranty


----------



## FragZero

A few days ago i found a cheap Thermalright HR-11, Accelero + H11 = perfect fit!

Seems it lowered my VRM temps by around 10 degrees! Really surprising, the PCB must have been really hot on the back Oo

Current 5 minutes Furmark and OCCT stable clocks

1.213volts (1.107 after vdrop)

1250mhz core
1800mhz memory

Max temperatures

68°C core
82°C VRM

I have some heatsinks left from my accelero install, think i will just glue them to the backside of my card ( Flat area's offcourse







)


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> overclock = void warranty


What?


----------



## d1nky

LOL the guy said hotwire invalidates warranty......

so my right of reply was just that!

most of what we do loses warranty, so picking that point for why the hotwire function is bad, well wasnt much of a point tbh


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> yes it stays the same.


Err, my ASIC is 65.2% at stock, but when OC'ed, it jumps up to 88~%

Anyone else think this is weird?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Err, my ASIC is 65.2% at stock, but when OC'ed, it jumps up to 88~%
> 
> Anyone else think this is weird?


Boost card?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL the guy said hotwire invalidates warranty......
> 
> so my right of reply was just that!
> 
> most of what we do loses warranty, so picking that point for why the hotwire function is bad, well wasnt much of a point tbh


One is not really provable but the other is physical modification of the card and that's well, endgame voiding. It's just one of those things u can't go back on once its done. Comes with the territory I suppose.


----------



## d1nky

so is reapplying TIM or changing sinks etc.........

and manufacturers have the right to test.

like ya said comes with the territory!

OVERCLOCK ON!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Did you do the clamping pressure mod on the cooler yet?


What mod is that? What cards did you apply it to?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Reference my post above regarding voltage. Folding/mining you really want to run low voltage or you will suck the life out of your card/s. On the flip side, I hammer my cards only in benches and they have not degraded and its been two years now.


Agreed








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> It is not, most reference cards will overclock more than a Matrix.
> 
> Just believe me when i say this: Ref cards are BETTER.


No...for ambient maybe.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> No it sucks.


Not true, the lightning sucks for air cooling as well...those are tuned for ln2 cooling man.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Err, my ASIC is 65.2% at stock, but when OC'ed, it jumps up to 88~%
> 
> Anyone else think this is weird?


Anyone?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> What mod is that? What cards did you apply it to?


It applies to asus DC2 cards and the initial versions where the cooler did not apply enough pressure/clamping force on the die. You could fix this by adding small spacers thereby forcing the springs to apply more clamping force.


----------



## d1nky

wow.... thats some old card history there. V1 had the problem of contact to components due to poor chassis design, ive read many stories of card sagging and thus heat problems.

it wasnt just on the core but vrms also lol

i got V2 and well the springs are pretty weak tbh so i replaced them with the ones from my gts450. enitre new design where the base frame/plate is mounted to the pcb and everything mounted to the frame.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> wow.... thats some old card history there. V1 had the problem of contact to components due to poor chassis design, ive read many stories of card sagging and thus heat problems.
> 
> it wasnt just on the core but vrms also lol
> 
> i got V2 and well the springs are pretty weak tbh so i replaced them with the ones from my gts450.


V1 also had a vrm sensor bug, did not report correct temps. They fixed V1, ala V2 but they then voltage locked random V2's in quantity. Oh Asus, you take and give and take some more... lol.


----------



## d1nky

haha yea strange that. however, a lot of 7*** cards are being locked, ive read that it could be just pcb revisions and certain revs are locked. (ive also read that these new pcb revisions need a OC software update to unlock certain parameters, pinch of salt)

ive messed with a few bioses for mine, and well the new bios asus has on the site for my card locked my voltages.









so glad i listened when people say to save your old one.


----------



## Elemdil

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I will have to disagree, Boost cars ship with 1.25v stock, so they are perfectly fine until like 1.29, as the headroom is good then


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1.29... what? Boost cards don't run 1.25v at load, the 1.25v is not a real running voltage, more like a limit. The idle voltage with no load will show as 1.25v, but to repeat it's not a real load at idle.
> 
> The higher volts you run daily the higher chances of failure you will take on. That's just the way it is. As long as you have ample cooling, and run proper voltage/clock profiles I personally don't see a problem. And as you alluded to th3illusiveman, I would not recommend high volts and mining.
> 
> For benching I throw the full voltage limit (1.35v+) at my cards, but for daily use I am a light weight. running stock voltage.


Thanks guys!
I'm not sure what mining is^^ but as I use my computer only for gaming and browsing a few hours a day I guess I'll go with 1.275 V


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Err, my ASIC is 65.2% at stock, but when OC'ed, it jumps up to 88~%
> 
> Anyone else think this is weird?


Anyone think its weird?


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> wow.... thats some old card history there. V1 had the problem of contact to components due to poor chassis design, ive read many stories of card sagging and thus heat problems.
> 
> it wasnt just on the core but vrms also lol
> 
> i got V2 and well the springs are pretty weak tbh so i replaced them with the ones from my gts450. enitre new design where the base frame/plate is mounted to the pcb and everything mounted to the frame.


I have a V1 and I have fixed my with a X shape mounting bracket from original AMD reference card.

Now my temps are perfect, hitting 62C in Furmark at stock 900/1250 and fan hitting just 24% (1600 rpm).

I have my slightly overclocked to 1000/1750MHz and my max GPU temp was 52C in games (BF3, Crysis 2,3 etc) and fan hits 32% with my custom fan profile.

The PCB itself on V1 Asus HD7950 DC2T is a reference AMD design HD7950 so no problem with it at all.

The design problem is in the mounting screws as they cannot be tightened enough, so you must put some plastic 2mm thick whashers or this X bracket.










CHEERS..


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Err, my ASIC is 65.2% at stock, but when OC'ed, it jumps up to 88~%
> 
> Anyone else think this is weird?
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone think its weird?
Click to expand...

Yes it's weird.


----------



## PedroC1999

Which one should I believe more? the 60 odd or the 80 odd, theres quite a big difference between the 2, does that mean that my chip is leaky at low voltages, but tighter on higher ones?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Which one should I believe more? the 60 odd or the 80 odd, theres quite a big difference between the 2, does that mean that my chip is leaky at low voltages, but tighter on higher ones?


I ask you already. Its a boost card?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I ask you already. Its a boost card?


Sorry, no it isnt,


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Which one should I believe more? the 60 odd or the 80 odd, theres quite a big difference between the 2, does that mean that my chip is leaky at low voltages, but tighter on higher ones?


Close your overclock app as it is interfering with gpu reading the asic table. If you want to test overclocked while reading asic, use Overdrive. Then see what gpuz says.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hey guys will the Sapphire Vapor-X HD 7970 GHz edition last for about 2 years no need for maxed out settings for all that time also i'm very comfortable with 30 fps
Thanks


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hey guys will the Sapphire Vapor-X HD 7970 GHz edition last for about 2 years no need for maxed out settings for all that time also i'm very comfortable with 30 fps
> Thanks


yep, that card will do the job for you


----------



## roudabout6

I finally decided to overclock my Crossfire 7950s. After hours of work I finally got stable at 1175 core and 1450 memory. I very happy with the core clock because I am on air and my last 7950s only went to 1100. But the memory clock im so happy with. Now I know that memory clock really doesnt affect performance. But seeing as i am running in 5760 x 1080 I would think it does. Is there any way to increase my memory clock, or do I even need too.

Thanks and Cheers


----------



## seanotoolestuff

I don't have a 79x0 card, but I just wanted to ask how the HD 7950 performs in comparison with the 7970. Is it worth the $100 extra?

Thanks.

Also, how is the XFX model? I love their coolers, my brother has an HD 7750 with the Ghost Thermal, and it is fantastic, really quiet. Thanks heaps.


----------



## MrSharkington

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seanotoolestuff*
> 
> I don't have a 79x0 card, but I just wanted to ask how the HD 7950 performs in comparison with the 7970. Is it worth the $100 extra?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Also, how is the XFX model? I love their coolers, my brother has an HD 7750 with the Ghost Thermal, and it is fantastic, really quiet. Thanks heaps.


on stock clocks there is a difference, but an overclocked 7950 performs pretty much the same


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Elemdil*
> 
> Hi everyone!
> New owner of a 7970 and happy to be part of the community.
> 
> I've got the following DCUII 7970 to replace my two GTX 570 in sli. I must say that I am impressed by how powerful but especially quiet this card is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I could OC it to (only) 1160 MHz for the core and 1850 MHz for the memory at 1250 mV (I read that for an everyday overclock 1250 mV is the max I should go).
> I think I got a bad core as i can't reach 1200. However at 1275 mV I can go over 1200 MHz for my core and the temps are still below 73. Do you think it's safe or I shoud stay as I am right know?
> 
> Cheers


welcome fair warning most of those cards dont oc well
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> if temps are good the 1.275v is fine for an everyday OC as long you aren't mining with the thing 24/7.


yes but.... you shorten the life of your card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1.29... what? Boost cards don't run 1.25v at load, the 1.25v is not a real running voltage, more like a limit. The idle voltage with no load will show as 1.25v, but to repeat it's not a real load at idle.
> 
> The higher volts you run daily the higher chances of failure you will take on. That's just the way it is. As long as you have ample cooling, and run proper voltage/clock profiles I personally don't see a problem. And as you alluded to th3illusiveman, I would not recommend high volts and mining.
> 
> For benching I throw the full voltage limit (1.35v+) at my cards, but for daily use I am a light weight. running stock voltage.


this is what i do
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seanotoolestuff*
> 
> I don't have a 79x0 card, but I just wanted to ask how the HD 7950 performs in comparison with the 7970. Is it worth the $100 extra?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Also, how is the XFX model? I love their coolers, my brother has an HD 7750 with the Ghost Thermal, and it is fantastic, really quiet. Thanks heaps.


depends on what you want/what you use i wont trade my 7970s for anything
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSharkington*
> 
> on stock clocks there is a difference, but an overclocked 7950 performs pretty much the same


untill you oc the 7970 and use stuff that use all the extra power !~


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I need to put VRM heatsinks on a gigabyte 7950. Could someone tell me the space between the thinnest part of the VRM? I'm not sure if 20mm wide VRM heatsinks would fit, if I need to get 10mm, 14mm, etc.
> 
> Thanks. I'd really appreciate it.
> 
> 
> 
> No need for vrm sinks if they use high quality parts. (normally they do)
> I'm getting a windforce 7970 tomorrow man, maybe I can find that out for you.
Click to expand...

I don't believe a gigabyte 7950 of old used high quality parts ;/


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I don't believe a gigabyte 7950 of old used high quality parts ;/


these will fit for both vrm1 & 2 on ver 1. what version do you have?

http://www.svc.com/ec-rhs-02.html

there is a copper version about twice the amount. not sure if it is avaiable where you're from. i had a windforce 7950 (v1) and was able to oc the vram to 1700 just for benching.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Nice, I can get heatsinks like that locally for 2 bucks per 6 units...I'll give it a try just for the heck of it.
I'm picking the card up in an hour.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> these will fit for both vrm1 & 2 on ver 1. what version do you have?
> 
> http://www.svc.com/ec-rhs-02.html
> 
> there is a copper version about twice the amount. not sure if it is avaiable where you're from. i had a windforce 7950 (v1) and was able to oc the vram to 1700 just for benching.


there are 2 different types of memory you can find on the 79XX cards.

Hynix memory chips= the good ones
Elpida memory chips= not so good ones
Quote:


> Originally Posted by seanotoolestuff
> 
> I don't have a 79x0 card, but I just wanted to ask how the HD 7950 performs in comparison with the 7970. Is it worth the $100 extra?


generally the $100 will get you about 5% faster at the same clock speed. From my stand point the 7970 is not worth it, because you can get a 7950 for 260-270$ and overclock it beyond the level of a $400+ 7970. Granted you can overclock the 7970 as well, 5% isn't going to really change your game play much anyways. I rather save that 130-140$


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> there are 2 different types of memory you can find on the 79XX cards.
> 
> Hynix memory chips= the good ones
> Elpida memory chips= not so good ones
> generally the $100 will get you about 5% faster at the same clock speed. From my stand point the 7970 is not worth it, because you can get a 7950 for 260-270$ and overclock it beyond the level of a $400+ 7970. Granted you can overclock the 7970 as well, 5% isn't going to really change your game play much anyways. I rather save that 130-140$


the windorce 7950 i had came with hynix.


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the windorce 7950 i had came with hynix.


Where can you check to see if it came with Hynix or the other?


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Razzle Dazzle*
> 
> Where can you check to see if it came with Hynix or the other?


Belial has a really great guide to figuring out just that! http://www.overclock.net/t/1394623/belials-comprehensive-guide-to-7950s

I just ordered a WF3 w/Hynix and I hope it will be here on Monday.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> His guide is trash.


Do explain. I found it to be quite useful.


----------



## 0CALEFACTION0

Well then. Suppose I've been grilled.


----------



## d1nky

ive just read that guide, well skimmed through it.

first page is him not having a clue about TOP and NON TOP asus cards. and even mentioning the retailer forgot to write it in their description.

TOP = overclocked out of the box.
NON TOP = not overclocked from factory.

_''Sometimes the retailer forgets to add 'TOP" to the description.'' - belial_

and forgot to add it to the boxes they mass produced and spent money on making........oh and forgot to write why its a TOP in their descriptions.

im sorry to the people who let this happen and believe some of this stuff.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ive just read that guide, well skimmed through it.
> 
> first page is him not having a clue about TOP and NON TOP asus cards. and even mentioning the retailer forgot to write it in their description.
> 
> TOP = overclocked out of the box.
> NON TOP = not overclocked from factory.
> 
> _''Sometimes the retailer forgets to add 'TOP" to the description.'' - belial_
> 
> and forgot to add it to the boxes they mass produced and spent money on making........oh and forgot to write why its a TOP in their descriptions.
> 
> im sorry to the people who let this happen and believe some of this stuff.


Not to mention he is using Nvidia cards in the OP lol


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Not to mention he is using Nvidia cards in the OP lol


Its not a 7950? Probably some ancient form of amd 7950s.


----------



## Newbie2009

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=379451

New driver from Asder on guru


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=379451
> 
> New driver from Asder on guru


Thanks i will try it later ^^


----------



## ebduncan

its easy to tell what ram came on your video card, remove the cooler, look at the memory chips.....

They will either say hynix, or eplida on the memory chips itself. Easiest way to tell which ones you have. I have eplida Memory chips on my 7950 boost edition. I'm clocked at 1200 core/1500 mem. My previos XFX 7950 standard card had the same eplida memory on it and i couldn't go past 1400mhz on the mem. Most folks i have seen on here with the hynix memory chips have no issues running 1575+ at default voltage. Doesn't mean if you have eplida memory chips that you cannot overclock the mem, just less likely to get great results.

Honestly though on the 79XX series cards memory bandwidth is fine , the most important thing is core clock speed. Overclocking the memory can show some small gains, and they are small gains. If you want the highest ram clock then your going to want a card with hynix memory chips.


----------



## PedroC1999

My elpida clocks at 1800Mhz, Golden RAM batch?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> My elpida clocks at 1800Mhz, Golden RAM batch?


Exactly my point. Memory oc is pure luck nothing else.


----------



## PedroC1999

Lets hope my second card can match the 1800, as I bet its got Elpida too


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> My elpida clocks at 1800Mhz, Golden RAM batch?


Golden is 1900MHz+


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Golden is 1900MHz+


Thats for Hynix, for Elpida, I heard that anything over 1700 is very rare


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Lets hope my second card can match the 1800, as I bet its got Elpida too


two times lucky... you'll be lucky lol
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Golden is 1900MHz+


jeez if i had 1300/1900 id be effing golden with joy

benchies smashed all day long


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> two times lucky... you'll be lucky lol
> jeez if i had 1300/1900 id be effing golden with joy
> 
> benchies smashed all day long


Lol look my dead golden card on air with 1.25 volt with ref cooler

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5471110

12.11 drivers.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> two times lucky... you'll be lucky lol
> jeez if i had 1300/1900 id be effing golden with joy
> 
> benchies smashed all day long


If if does match it, I will run and do the lottery, as I heard that a 24/7 OC above 1700 with Elpida is extremely rara, I can do 1750 with no more MVDDC, and 1800 with 1669 MVDDC (stock is 1600)


----------



## d1nky

i meant on my 7950.... 7970 thats not too special









why is it dead?

LIVE FAST DIE YOUNG









lol pedro i wouldnt push ya luck........


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i meant on my 7950.... 7970 thats not too special
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> why is it dead?
> 
> LIVE FAST DIE YOUNG


Phase


----------



## d1nky

shame it aint repairable, i got a 6850 that i need to solder a resistor back on.

ya mean power phase or cooling phase gone wrong?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> shame it aint repairable, i got a 6850 that i need to solder a resistor back on.
> 
> ya mean power phase or cooling phase gone wrong?


Cooling phase with hard mod. Its repairable


----------



## ivanlabrie

Is that driver better than the 13.6b2 one?
I'm away, but I may give it a shot later...
Got a Giga 7970 wf3 OC, old revision with unlocked volts and hynix chips.


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Ok so I am a total n00b at gpu overclocks and a n00b to most of the gpu overclock lingo.

I have stock settings on my 7950 Vapor-X. Is the Trixxx Memory Clock (at 5000) the same as GPU-Z GPU Memory Clock(1250 MHz)? Also do all AMD cards 'idle' like mine it at 500 MHz. Thanks for the help of a nooooob.


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Razzle Dazzle*
> 
> Ok so I am a total n00b at gpu overclocks and a n00b to most of the gpu overclock lingo.
> 
> I have stock settings on my 7950 Vapor-X. Is the Trixxx Memory Clock (at 5000) the same as GPU-Z GPU Memory Clock(1250 MHz)? Also do all AMD cards 'idle' like mine it at 500 MHz. Thanks for the help of a nooooob.


Yes 5000 is same as 1250Mhz. Though mine 7950 idles at 300/150, I think you have something open that causes higher clocks.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sasasd*
> 
> Yes 5000 is same as 1250Mhz. Though mine 7950 idles at 300/150, I think you have something open that causes higher clocks.


or he has 2 or more monitors .....


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

I have 2 monitors lol. But I was just wanting to make sure everything is running smoothly before I dabble in the OC business. Thanks!


----------



## Zen00

If you have a 7990 and haven't bothered registering it for the Sapphire Select Club, can I have your serial number so I can use it?

Beyond that, for everyone else who is a SSC member they are currently giving away Mini Ninjas and Hitman: Blood Money.


----------



## Sonikku13

I replaced the stock thermal paste on my reference HIS 7970 with some Antec Formula 7, and the results are nice. While Bitcoin mining, I get results that are 14C cooler on the core, 16C cooler on VRM1, and VRM2 remains a non-issue. I placed Antec Formula 7 over the GPU, the memory chips, and the VRMs. So now at a 25C ambient, my core temp is 71C, my VRM1 temp is 75C, and my VRM2 temp is 49C. The reference cooler is the same, it was 100% before, it's 100% now as I'd prefer core temps under 70C, but this is a massive start.


----------



## ivanlabrie

100% fan!? yikes...undervolt man!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Razzle Dazzle*
> 
> Ok so I am a total n00b at gpu overclocks and a n00b to most of the gpu overclock lingo.
> 
> I have stock settings on my 7950 Vapor-X. Is the Trixxx Memory Clock (at 5000) the same as GPU-Z GPU Memory Clock(1250 MHz)? Also do all AMD cards 'idle' like mine it at 500 MHz. Thanks for the help of a nooooob.


what is 1250 x 4?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> what is 1250 x 4?


5k rangers.


----------



## Sonikku13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> 100% fan!? yikes...undervolt man!


When undervolted, the temps are lower. It's overclocked at 1125 MHz 1.2 V/1750 MHz 1.6 V, which explains the higher temps.


----------



## ipv89

How good/Bad is the PowerColor AX7950 3GB??


----------



## Matt-Matt

Just installed one of the Artic Accelero 7970's on my sapphire...

Would boot but no display! I was so scared that i'd bricked it!

Turns out the BIOS on BIOS 2 is corrupt (yes for some reason it was on slot 2).

Anyway so far idle is 26c for the core, 30 and 32c for the VRM's








Downloading kombustor now for temps


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Just installed one of the Artic Accelero 7970's on my sapphire...
> 
> Would boot but no display! I was so scared that i'd bricked it!
> 
> Turns out the BIOS on BIOS 2 is corrupt (yes for some reason it was on slot 2).
> 
> Anyway so far idle is 26c for the core, 30 and 32c for the VRM's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Downloading kombustor now for temps


Nice!








I gotta play with a few bioses to get the best mining performance with my card...scrypt is extremely sensitive to mem timings and speeds, as well as core speed ratio vs mem. Funny thing is a single 7970 can get up to 800kh/s which is almost as much as my 7950 and 6950 did together, so I can't complain if I make it


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Nice!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I gotta play with a few bioses to get the best mining performance with my card...scrypt is extremely sensitive to mem timings and speeds, as well as core speed ratio vs mem. Funny thing is a single 7970 can get up to 800kh/s which is almost as much as my 7950 and 6950 did together, so I can't complain if I make it


Yeah, well now it works sometimes.. Like I'll be in windows then the screen will go black!









Gonna try flashing the BIOS of another reference 7950 board, anyone got a 2L?


----------



## Scorpion49

Hey guys, currently running a 7970 WF3 from Gigabyte that I will be returning due to horrible coil whine, and I have a Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X on the way (couldn't pass up the price).

Wondering if anyone has a fix for stuttering in BL2, its really bugging me a lot. Playing with vsync on, 2560x1600, AO and DOF off it maintains 60fps at all times. Physx is at Low, running 13.6 Beta drivers. However, there is this slight judder to it that is driving me nuts, and it does NOT occur with the GTX 580 I have in the house. I haven't played this game in quite some time, and I don't remember it doing this the last time I tried it while using a 7970. Any suggestions?


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I don't believe a gigabyte 7950 of old used high quality parts ;/
> 
> 
> 
> these will fit for both vrm1 & 2 on ver 1. what version do you have?
> 
> http://www.svc.com/ec-rhs-02.html
> 
> there is a copper version about twice the amount. not sure if it is avaiable where you're from. i had a windforce 7950 (v1) and was able to oc the vram to 1700 just for benching.
Click to expand...

I bought these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251231210540?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I seriously regret buying enzotechs which are way overpriced instead of just buying some aluminum. You can buy like a 40 piece set of aluminum VRM/VRAM/etc heatsinks that are like 10x10x15 or like the arctic vga heatsink kit for $5-8 shipped, you gotta be an idiot to buy enzotechs, 10 pieces for $15+ just because they are copper (not to mention aluminum looks better. I just wasnt thinking at the time. They are 10x10x14mm though, so if you say that 20x20x6mm will fit... then anything I get should be fine.

Are you sure those 20x20 will fit though? How do you know that? Did you use them yourself? I plan to buy the voltage unlocked gigabyte 7950 off ebay, i'm just currently having trouble because i keep missing the bidding like an idiot. a bit busy. i need to stop trying to bid at the last minute and just enter $290 max bid and let it ride and inevitably win it instead of trying to play it.
Quote:


> ive just read that guide, well skimmed through it.
> 
> first page is him not having a clue about TOP and NON TOP asus cards. and even mentioning the retailer forgot to write it in their description.
> 
> TOP = overclocked out of the box.
> NON TOP = not overclocked from factory.
> 
> ''Sometimes the retailer forgets to add 'TOP" to the description.'' - belial
> 
> and forgot to add it to the boxes they mass produced and spent money on making........oh and forgot to write why its a TOP in their descriptions.
> 
> im sorry to the people who let this happen and believe some of this stuff.


TOP and non-TOP are the exact same physical card... a different BIOS is not a different card. I know this is hard to comprehend, but a BIOS is firmware. It's something that can be changed. I'm not going to repeat a non-TOP and TOP when a non-TOP can be turned into a TOP just by changing the publicly available BIOS.

Your criticism of the guide and the OP, certainly does not match the severity of the perceived problem.

Also, learn to take a joke.

My guide on 7950s is the best 7950 guide in the world, bar none, and is actively updated. If you have any suggestions on how to improve the guide, I am all ears. As I've stated multiple times, I only want to improve the guide, and I've only written the guide because no one has taken the initiative to do so themselves. The guide is less a guide, and more just a database, a resource, with a healthy dose of Belial-esque humor thrown in (some people are still genuinely upset that I put pictures of the top secret NDA alpha version of the AMD 7950 in the OP ). Unfortunately, certain people just want to make snarky comments so they look cool, instead of actually giving a valid reason for why they do not like the guide.

The proper avenue for posting criticisms and concerns about a guide is through private message (not to keep things private, but to prevent a guide that someone has put a ton of time and effort into, from being derailed). The guide might have it's shortcomings, but with the help of the community I hope to make it a lot better.

Fortunately though, the guide is 95% perfect and there is very little that can be done to improve the guide except some additional input on PCBs, PCB serial numbers, and the reference models. My guide is the only one that will tell you the differences between the 7950s, how to tell between hynix or Elpida. _Hell, I was the first person on OCN to post that there are two different versions of Elpidas._

If you look at the hater's profiles though, you can see that they are actually gamers, most of them teenaged, and they bought FX Bulldozer or Piledriver chips, so you know they have no clue what they are talking about (buying an FX chip for gaming, that is)


----------



## Matt-Matt

Built a Haswell i5 build for a mate in my dorm block, he loves it.

*not de-lidding as it's not mine*

But as I installed it the IHS looks a tad smaller then the 3570k's, and it also had black glue/adhesive visible on the outsides of it. I can take some photos in a few weeks as I have to put a Swiftech H220 on it..

Also: 60c at full load in Intel Burn Test on stock with the stock cooler! I might not have AVX installed yet.. Not sure. I'll check that later hey?


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I bought these:
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251231210540?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
> 
> I seriously regret buying enzotechs which are way overpriced instead of just buying some aluminum. You can buy like a 40 piece set of aluminum VRM/VRAM/etc heatsinks that are like 10x10x15 or like the arctic vga heatsink kit for $5-8 shipped, you gotta be an idiot to buy enzotechs, 10 pieces for $15+ just because they are copper (not to mention aluminum looks better. I just wasnt thinking at the time. They are 10x10x14mm though, so if you say that 20x20x6mm will fit... then anything I get should be fine.
> 
> Are you sure those 20x20 will fit though? How do you know that? Did you use them yourself? I plan to buy the voltage unlocked gigabyte 7950 off ebay, i'm just currently having trouble because i keep missing the bidding like an idiot. a bit busy. i need to stop trying to bid at the last minute and just enter $290 max bid and let it ride and inevitably win it instead of trying to play it.
> TOP and non-TOP are the exact same physical card... a different BIOS is not a different card. I know this is hard to comprehend, but a BIOS is firmware. It's something that can be changed. I'm not going to repeat a non-TOP and TOP when a non-TOP can be turned into a TOP just by changing the publicly available BIOS.
> 
> Your criticism of the guide and the OP, certainly does not match the severity of the perceived problem.
> 
> Also, learn to take a joke.
> 
> My guide on 7950s is the best 7950 guide in the world, bar none, and is actively updated. If you have any suggestions on how to improve the guide, I am all ears. As I've stated multiple times, I only want to improve the guide, and I've only written the guide because no one has taken the initiative to do so themselves. The guide is less a guide, and more just a database, a resource, with a healthy dose of Belial-esque humor thrown in (some people are still genuinely upset that I put pictures of the top secret NDA alpha version of the AMD 7950 in the OP ). Unfortunately, certain people just want to make snarky comments so they look cool, instead of actually giving a valid reason for why they do not like the guide.
> 
> The proper avenue for posting criticisms and concerns about a guide is through private message (not to keep things private, but to prevent a guide that someone has put a ton of time and effort into, from being derailed). The guide might have it's shortcomings, but with the help of the community I hope to make it a lot better.
> 
> Fortunately though, the guide is 95% perfect and there is very little that can be done to improve the guide except some additional input on PCBs, PCB serial numbers, and the reference models. My guide is the only one that will tell you the differences between the 7950s, how to tell between hynix or Elpida. _Hell, I was the first person on OCN to post that there are two different versions of Elpidas._
> 
> If you look at the hater's profiles though, you can see that they are actually gamers, most of them teenaged, and they bought FX Bulldozer or Piledriver chips, so you know they have no clue what they are talking about (buying an FX chip for gaming, that is)


There is a 7950 OCing guide here and i never knew about it?


----------



## Matt-Matt

When I installed the new heatsink, there was lots of old thermal paste over the parts of the GPU core.. I cleaned these with a jewelers screwdriver wrapped in a tissue dipped in metho to get rid of most off it. I almost spent 45 minutes doing this..


With the plate removed and the new artic heatsyncs installed, these didn't stick too well but stuck enough that if you didn't touch them they wouldn't fall off. I was using Seskusi #5760 or however you spell it










Finally done! Was just checking all the heatsinks before installation.


It extends out past the PCB sooo much! Was again testing all the RAM/VRM sinks etc here.


Installed.. I had a problem where I'd lose display, this is due to the card sagging. I am yet to get a chopstick to support it.. But I will later tonight!

Temps are (1050MHz, Stock voltage) - for now
Core 45c
VRM's 60c

*With MSI Kombustor 1920x1080 burn in.

EDIT: On the next card I will write an install guide and a review on this, with and without crossfire. Just not right now as I have an exam Monday Afternoon, another Wednesday morning and the last on the Friday afternoon!

EDIT: Happy 19th to me, heh. I had to get this stuff delivered to my grandmas as I don't have an address here and so she gave me the money for the coolers!









EDIT: They were also $49 AUD each, plus $10 AUD for all the tape needed for both. $2 for a 6 inch strip, each card will need 2x 6 inch strips.


----------



## Newbie2009

I have had my cards a year and a half now and I must say, I think my 7970s are probably my favorite graphics cards that I ever owned. 1125/1575 stock, no problem. 1325/1775 highest for gaming.
I have barely ever even used the 2nd card. But both running @ 1125/1575 stock volts , they are really fast.

Maybe it's because these are the first cards I have ever warercooled (first watercooled rig too). Don't think I can ever go back.

Really cannot see myself upgrading for a while, next amd cards would have to be pretty epic to consider it.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> When I installed the new heatsink, there was lots of old thermal paste over the parts of the GPU core.. I cleaned these with a jewelers screwdriver wrapped in a tissue dipped in metho to get rid of most off it. I almost spent 45 minutes doing this..


ugh, i stopped bothering after the 3rd time i was changing the TIM on a 7950. that stuff is just impossible to get out between those capacitors. Sekusui is nice. Someone around here said it's 'definitely better than 3M' and that's all we really have to go by. So what's the change in temps?

Do a _real_ overclock man, like really pushing the card, so you can exaggerate the difference









Quote:


> There is a 7950 OCing guide here and i never knew about it?


hmm i suppose you could say it covers overclocking 7950s. They aren't really difficult to overclock, there isn't much to it, but yes, there is a 7950 guide you didn't know about. All the overclock section is is this:
Quote:


> Most people who buy 7950s are GPGPU users, but you got a lot of gamers using it too. It is no longer plagued by the driver issues that used to make the 660TI a better card practically, either, and is a great candidate for Crossfire. Like any high-end card, it runs very hot - it's max temp is 80-90*C, and max voltage is ~1.3-1.4v, although good luck staying cool on such voltages, even on water. VRMs, like any VRM, max out around 90-100*C, and memory voltage at ~1.65v.
> 
> On a boost profile of [email protected], it's very common to hit 80-90*C on any non-reference heatsink on a warm day inside a well ventilated case during a proper heat test or GPGPU run. I don't even want to think of a reference card's temps.
> 
> Overclocking 7950s is usually about hitting a sweet spot, where additional voltage does nothing, and can range from 1050-1250mhz, with most cards hitting around [email protected]~1.2v.


but I'll add a bit about the different programs and actually _how_ it's done now that you say what you say.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> 
> When I installed the new heatsink, there was lots of old thermal paste over the parts of the GPU core.. I cleaned these with a jewelers screwdriver wrapped in a tissue dipped in metho to get rid of most off it. I almost spent 45 minutes doing this..
> 
> 
> With the plate removed and the new artic heatsyncs installed, these didn't stick too well but stuck enough that if you didn't touch them they wouldn't fall off. I was using Seskusi #5760 or however you spell it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally done! Was just checking all the heatsinks before installation.
> 
> 
> It extends out past the PCB sooo much! Was again testing all the RAM/VRM sinks etc here.
> 
> 
> Installed.. I had a problem where I'd lose display, this is due to the card sagging. I am yet to get a chopstick to support it.. But I will later tonight!
> 
> Temps are (1050MHz, Stock voltage) - for now
> Core 45c
> VRM's 60c
> 
> *With MSI Kombustor 1920x1080 burn in.
> 
> EDIT: On the next card I will write an install guide and a review on this, with and without crossfire. Just not right now as I have an exam Monday Afternoon, another Wednesday morning and the last on the Friday afternoon!
> 
> EDIT: Happy 19th to me, heh. I had to get this stuff delivered to my grandmas as I don't have an address here and so she gave me the money for the coolers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: They were also $49 AUD each, plus $10 AUD for all the tape needed for both. $2 for a 6 inch strip, each card will need 2x 6 inch strips.


VRM heatsinks are pretty crappy on that cooler :/. Just like my Prolimatech MK26.


----------



## PedroC1999

Can I ask if vDroop scales up when adding VDDC, because mine doesnt


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> VRM heatsinks are pretty crappy on that cooler :/. Just like my Prolimatech MK26.


Yeah, but I'm getting 65c tops really... I'm not complaining!

I had to use the themal pads that came with the Sapphire cooler and then the thermal tape to hold them down however as the tiny resistors stuck out above the height of the actual VRM chip (The black square parts), it was the only way. I'm considering putting the sinks on top of the thermal/metal plate that comes with the HIS and re-installing it on the Sapphire.. I'm not sure, I think no plate and just the tape to the sinks would be better though. I may one day get some forged copper ones for the VRM's, and maybe for the memory too just to have it all the same matching


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> VRM heatsinks are pretty crappy on that cooler :/. Just like my Prolimatech MK26.


Yeah, but I'm getting 65c tops really... I'm not complaining!

I had to use the themal pads that came with the Sapphire cooler and then the thermal tape to hold them down however as the tiny resistors stuck out above the height of the actual VRM chip (The black square parts), it was the only way. I'm considering putting the sinks on top of the thermal/metal plate that comes with the HIS and re-installing it on the Sapphire.. I'm not sure, I think no plate and just the tape to the sinks would be better though. I may one day get some forged copper ones for the VRM's, and maybe for the memory too just to have it all the same matching


----------



## ebduncan

People trying to clean the GPU core, and its surrounding parts.

Use a toothbrush..... It works awesome!


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Can I ask if vDroop scales up when adding VDDC, because mine doesnt


Anyone?


----------



## Raf Leung

Hey guys i have a 7970 can i buy a 7950 and cf them? and is it worth it? thanks!


----------



## d1nky

pedro really depends on the chip i think. my vdroop gets slightly greater as i up the voltage, but tiny.

vdroop is least at stock voltages tho, so from my perspective theres a tiny tiny scale.

usually max vdroop of about 50mv

example input 1300v

full load, higher temps 1250v

around about that anyway


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raf Leung*
> 
> Hey guys i have a 7970 can i buy a 7950 and cf them? and is it worth it? thanks!


Yes you can!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> People trying to clean the GPU core, and its surrounding parts.
> 
> Use a toothbrush..... It works awesome!


That is an awesome idea! I may even re-apply the cooler maybe








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Raf Leung*
> 
> Hey guys i have a 7970 can i buy a 7950 and cf them? and is it worth it? thanks!


Yeah you can, but I'd suggest just putting in the extra and getting another 7970 to match as it reduces microstutter etc


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> what is 1250 x 4?


Hahaha I know, now I feel dumb. I do not regret it though! For a split second I was like GOLDEN CARD but then I was like


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hi guys can you install the arctic accelero xtreme on the sapphire vapor x 7970 ghz edition


----------



## grunion

Matrix Platinum in stock..


----------



## ivanlabrie

yumm, no ln pot atm though...


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Just picked up a Sapphire 7950 100352-2L for $220, barely even used.

Now I play the waiting game for the shipping









Will post when I receive it/take pics.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Anyone?


Yes, its more of a percent than a static value it seems.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTank Jones16x*
> 
> Just picked up a Sapphire 7950 100352-2L for $220, barely even used.
> 
> Now I play the waiting game for the shipping
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will post when I receive it/take pics.


Wow nice! Really good price for that card!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Flashed the Sapphire Dual-X bios to my Giga WF3 OC cause the ram timings seem to be tighter...
I'm using it to mine BTC atm, doing 720mh/s on air is pretty sweet








Waiting for my Haswell rig to come, then I'll start saving for a second of these puppies. I hope I can find a second wf3 oc like mine (old revision) with unlocked volts for mem and core.
Modded the bios to have 50% power target too btw.


----------



## Noviets

Is Power Limit % effected by voltage locked bios?

I was wondering if it would be worth while to change mod the Power Limit max percentage as a means of getting around the voltage lock.

My thought would be no, as the VDDC voltage remains the same with 0 or 20 set


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Is Power Limit % effected by voltage locked bios?
> 
> I was wondering if it would be worth while to change mod the Power Limit max percentage as a means of getting around the voltage lock.
> 
> My thought would be no, as the VDDC voltage remains the same with 0 or 20 set


You should flash to an unlocked bios...or a boost one with 1.25v and go from there. It's a bit excessive imho, and you're gonna be limited by temps ultimately.


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> You should flash to an unlocked bios...or a boost one with 1.25v and go from there. It's a bit excessive imho, and you're gonna be limited by temps ultimately.


I have been using the Matrix Bios which has got me to 1.256, Stable at 1170/1500, I have no clue what my VRM temps are as I cant seem to get a program to display them (Perhaps faulty?) but the card doesn't get above 53C in BF3 (Custom fan profile).

Which was why I believe I could push it further, say 1.300vddc. I would also like to tweak the memory just a little, but ultimately, I'm not too fussed about the memory clock, as long as I can get the core above 1,200, I'm aiming for 1,250, bud id be happy with anything over 1200 core.

I've tried 4 different BIOS's and so far I haven't had any luck, (and to be honest they were just guess bioses) so if anyone has an ASUS 7970 unlocked bios, I would love to try it. I have the DC2 Top edition, if that represents any compatibility issues..


----------



## ipv89

Would you guys recommend a gigabyte 7950 3gb, I am upgrading from HD 7770


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> Would you guys recommend a gigabyte 7950 3gb, I am upgrading from HD 7770


its a pretty decent card and cooler and well worth considering. Just about any 7950 will make a great gaming card. The his iceq x^2 is probablyhas the best cooler nowadays and worth a look as well.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> Would you guys recommend a gigabyte 7950 3gb, I am upgrading from HD 7770


If you find one of the old ones like mine, yeah, I'd grab a second one for sure.
Runs really cool and is voltage unlocked for both core and mem.
I modded the bios for 50% power target and can get to 1300mhz core and 1930mhz mem on air with 1.3v and 1.65v respectively.
Max temp was 72c while benching...It mines bitcoin at 1150-1200mhz core with 1.18v.


----------



## ipv89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> If you find one of the old ones like mine, yeah, I'd grab a second one for sure.
> Runs really cool and is voltage unlocked for both core and mem.
> I modded the bios for 50% power target and can get to 1300mhz core and 1930mhz mem on air with 1.3v and 1.65v respectively.
> Max temp was 72c while benching...It mines bitcoin at 1150-1200mhz core with 1.18v.


What do you mean one of the old ones, I am looking at this one

Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD HD 7950 3GB DDR5 PCI-E 3.0 Video Card HDTV DVI HDMI Displayport
[GV-R795WF3-3GD]

Thats a sweet overclock man


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Wow nice! Really good price for that card!


Thanks!

Got super lucky the other night browsing eBay, and I came across it as it was posted. Seller feedback is over 1,000, no negative reviews. Having a look at his recent sales, it appears to be that he buys these cards from Newegg/etc, and claims the rebate/free games, then just sells the card/games separate online.

Just means more of a newer card for me! Also he seems to be a nice seller, agreed to help me with any RMA should the card die in the 2 year warranty (I've heard back and forth stories about Sapphire needing/not needing proof of purchase, anyone confirm/deny?).


----------



## ipv89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> its a pretty decent card and cooler and well worth considering. Just about any 7950 will make a great gaming card. The his iceq x^2 is probablyhas the best cooler nowadays and worth a look as well.


Is this the one you are talking about?

http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=757/ID=19712/SID=764647669/productdetails.html


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> Is this the one you are talking about?
> 
> http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=757/ID=19712/SID=764647669/productdetails.html


No he was talking about the one with two fans on it like this...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> Is this the one you are talking about?
> 
> http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139235/CATID=757/ID=19712/SID=764647669/productdetails.html
> 
> 
> 
> No he was talking about the one with two fans on it like this...
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429
Click to expand...

yes that is the one i am talking about. i couldnt find it on that NZ website tho.


----------



## ipv89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> yes that is the one i am talking about. i couldnt find it on that NZ website tho.


would you recommend it over the gigabyte?I could order from new egg I would just prefer local.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> What do you mean one of the old ones, I am looking at this one
> 
> Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD HD 7950 3GB DDR5 PCI-E 3.0 Video Card HDTV DVI HDMI Displayport
> [GV-R795WF3-3GD]
> 
> Thats a sweet overclock man


I mean the first revisions of the 7970, those were superb (like mine): voltage unlocked from the factory!








That's my benching oc (for now...on air), normal clocks are 1160mhz with 1.18v and 1850mhz mem with stock volts.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> would you recommend it over the gigabyte?I could order from new egg I would just prefer local.


The Gigabyte is slightly quieter and cooler, whilst being dual slot too, BUT it'll dump heat to the side, so you'll need a side exhaust next to it (decent cfm and pressure...)
HIS card has Elpída mem, Giga has Hynix (normally) which oc's better.

I've had both the HIS X2 Boost 7950 and now a Gigabyte 7970 WF3 OC, and I'd take a Windforce card over most any day.
I know for a fact the majority of the new WF3 card's are locked, but can be flashed to a different bios (f43 for undervolting to 1.09v for example) to better suit your needs.-they have a two position bios switch which is rather useful!-


----------



## ipv89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I mean the first revisions of the 7970, those were superb (like mine): voltage unlocked from the factory!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's my benching oc (for now...on air), normal clocks are 1160mhz with 1.18v and 1850mhz mem with stock volts.
> The Gigabyte is slightly quieter and cooler, whilst being dual slot too, BUT it'll dump heat to the side, so you'll need a side exhaust next to it (decent cfm and pressure...)
> HIS card has Elpída mem, Giga has Hynix (normally) which oc's better.
> 
> I've had both the HIS X2 Boost 7950 and now a Gigabyte 7970 WF3 OC, and I'd take a Windforce card over most any day.
> I know for a fact the majority of the new WF3 card's are locked, but can be flashed to a different bios (f43 for undervolting to 1.09v for example) to better suit your needs.-they have a two position bios switch which is rather useful!-


Interesting I am just about 100% sold on the wind force now. does flashing bios kill the warranty? I will get one now and another in a few months they will be in my sig rig .
Side fans I find make allot of noise.


----------



## Notion

Hi all ,

i'm new to overclocking Graphics cards.. I have picked up a Club3D 7950 RoyalKing, which from what i can see in my results is pretty much identical to TinyTimLogan's youtube vid review on this card.
The overclock look great, but i am not fully aware of what i am doing..

I have followed a few online blogs about over clocking and tried pretty much every setting..

Basically with Heaven benchmark i find the optimum setting for the card are VM 1219, +20%, 1200 /1575.

I am not sure how this converts to real life values as in the memory speed what would equal 6000ghz?? not sure how the multiplier works

if someone could enlighten me would be great.

also how does one get the memory beyond 1575? say 1700

I am using Afterburner to do the overclocking.. But i did notice until i set and agreed to the CCC overclocking agreement no application would over clock the card.. is this normal?

Thanks

Notion


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Hi all ,
> 
> i'm new to overclocking Graphics cards.. I have picked up a Club3D 7950 RoyalKing, which from what i can see in my results is pretty much identical to TinyTimLogan's youtube vid review on this card.
> The overclock look great, but i am not fully aware of what i am doing..
> 
> I have followed a few online blogs about over clocking and tried pretty much every setting..
> 
> Basically with Heaven benchmark i find the optimum setting for the card are VM 1219, +20%, 1200 /1575.
> 
> I am not sure how this converts to real life values as in the memory speed what would equal 6000ghz?? not sure how the multiplier works
> 
> if someone could enlighten me would be great.
> 
> also how does one get the memory beyond 1575? say 1700
> 
> I am using Afterburner to do the overclocking.. But i did notice until i set and agreed to the CCC overclocking agreement no application would over clock the card.. is this normal?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Notion


you can extend your oc limits in afterburner with the /XCL command. You can also install asus gpu tweak and it gives you the option to extend overclocking limits.


----------



## Notion

Thanks i will check it out.. cheers

you don't happen to know what 1200/1575 would translate to by any chance? or how to calculate it..

Cheers


----------



## Notion

not to worry figured it..


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> People trying to clean the GPU core, and its surrounding parts.
> 
> Use a toothbrush..... It works awesome!
> 
> 
> 
> That is an awesome idea! I may even re-apply the cooler maybe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Raf Leung*
> 
> Hey guys i have a 7970 can i buy a 7950 and cf them? and is it worth it? thanks!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah you can, but I'd suggest just putting in the extra and getting another 7970 to match as it reduces microstutter etc
Click to expand...

I got a question about the microstutter. I've heard it's a driver issue, I've seen it being a driver issue, but how much of the microstutter issue is because of the stock power limit, which causes the card to throttle itself even on stock clocks? I mean, if you put in the +50% power limit, does the stuttering go away? It should, right?


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> Would you guys recommend a gigabyte 7950 3gb, I am upgrading from HD 7770


No. And depends on what you do. New gigabytes are voltage locked (you can possibly get voltage control if you edit the gpu bios, it's complicated, not guaranteed, and no memory voltage). The old ones were perfect. The cooler is decent, but be aware it's similar performance as any other 2x92mm fan (ie anything besides the msi and xfx models) and thus louder and higher pitched because it's using 3 small fans instead of 2 big fans.

It comes with hynix so it's awesome for GPGPU scrypt work, but it's a poor choice for gaming because core clock and the core voltage to change that, are more important. Now, if you buy an old gigabyte off ebay or somthing, THAT is a perfect card.

The Asus 7950 right now is back in stock on newegg, if you can fit a 3x slot card, buy that (unless you are wiling to buy ebay and spend the time to message every seller and ask if his gigabyte is 6+6 like the old, unlocked model or 8+6 like the new, locked models, and glue vrm sinks on it as the old ones dont have any). At $320AR it's an awesome price, and it's cooler blows the gigabyte or any other card out of the water, as far as aftermarket heatsinks go.

Really I'd just invest $40-50 in 'the mod' and put an h50 on a 7950. Even an asus 7950 needs to be run at high speeds to really keep cool on high load, I'd be willing to pay $40-50 to be able to push an extreme overclock on a 7950 as well as have it be virtually dead silent.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I got a question about the microstutter. I've heard it's a driver issue, I've seen it being a driver issue, but how much of the microstutter issue is because of the stock power limit, which causes the card to throttle itself even on stock clocks? I mean, if you put in the +50% power limit, does the stuttering go away? It should, right?


Do you even know what microstutter is? Microstutter is a pipeline problem NOT a power issue. 50% power limit is impossible on 7970 except lightning,vapor-x because they bypass the OCP. Now the reason why the 50% power limit helps the throttle issue is unknown.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> I bought these:
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251231210540?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
> 
> I seriously regret buying enzotechs which are way overpriced instead of just buying some aluminum. You can buy like a 40 piece set of aluminum VRM/VRAM/etc heatsinks that are like 10x10x15 or like the arctic vga heatsink kit for $5-8 shipped, you gotta be an idiot to buy enzotechs, 10 pieces for $15+ just because they are copper (not to mention aluminum looks better. I just wasnt thinking at the time. They are 10x10x14mm though, so if you say that 20x20x6mm will fit... then anything I get should be fine.
> 
> Are you sure those 20x20 will fit though? How do you know that? Did you use them yourself? I plan to buy the voltage unlocked gigabyte 7950 off ebay, i'm just currently having trouble because i keep missing the bidding like an idiot. a bit busy. i need to stop trying to bid at the last minute and just enter $290 max bid and let it ride and inevitably win it instead of trying to play it.
> TOP and non-TOP are the exact same physical card... a different BIOS is not a different card. I know this is hard to comprehend, but a BIOS is firmware. It's something that can be changed. I'm not going to repeat a non-TOP and TOP when a non-TOP can be turned into a TOP just by changing the publicly available BIOS.
> 
> Your criticism of the guide and the OP, certainly does not match the severity of the perceived problem.
> 
> Also, learn to take a joke.
> 
> My guide on 7950s is the best 7950 guide in the world, bar none, and is actively updated. If you have any suggestions on how to improve the guide, I am all ears. As I've stated multiple times, I only want to improve the guide, and I've only written the guide because no one has taken the initiative to do so themselves. The guide is less a guide, and more just a database, a resource, with a healthy dose of Belial-esque humor thrown in (some people are still genuinely upset that I put pictures of the top secret NDA alpha version of the AMD 7950 in the OP ). Unfortunately, certain people just want to make snarky comments so they look cool, instead of actually giving a valid reason for why they do not like the guide.
> 
> The proper avenue for posting criticisms and concerns about a guide is through private message (not to keep things private, but to prevent a guide that someone has put a ton of time and effort into, from being derailed). The guide might have it's shortcomings, but with the help of the community I hope to make it a lot better.
> 
> Fortunately though, the guide is 95% perfect and there is very little that can be done to improve the guide except some additional input on PCBs, PCB serial numbers, and the reference models. My guide is the only one that will tell you the differences between the 7950s, how to tell between hynix or Elpida. _Hell, I was the first person on OCN to post that there are two different versions of Elpidas._
> 
> If you look at the hater's profiles though, you can see that they are actually gamers, most of them teenaged, and they bought FX Bulldozer or Piledriver chips, so you know they have no clue what they are talking about (buying an FX chip for gaming, that is)


this quote is so void of personal bias, and ignorance about amd processors. and so full of humility. ( total sarcasm )


Spoiler: Truth!



it is pretty clear i will be telling most people to completely avoid said guide.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> When I installed the new heatsink, there was lots of old thermal paste over the parts of the GPU core.. I cleaned these with a jewelers screwdriver wrapped in a tissue dipped in metho to get rid of most off it. I almost spent 45 minutes doing this..
> 
> 
> With the plate removed and the new artic heatsyncs installed, these didn't stick too well but stuck enough that if you didn't touch them they wouldn't fall off. I was using Seskusi #5760 or however you spell it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally done! Was just checking all the heatsinks before installation.
> 
> 
> It extends out past the PCB sooo much! Was again testing all the RAM/VRM sinks etc here.
> 
> 
> Installed.. I had a problem where I'd lose display, this is due to the card sagging. I am yet to get a chopstick to support it.. But I will later tonight!
> 
> Temps are (1050MHz, Stock voltage) - for now
> Core 45c
> VRM's 60c
> 
> *With MSI Kombustor 1920x1080 burn in.
> 
> EDIT: On the next card I will write an install guide and a review on this, with and without crossfire. Just not right now as I have an exam Monday Afternoon, another Wednesday morning and the last on the Friday afternoon!
> 
> EDIT: Happy 19th to me, heh. I had to get this stuff delivered to my grandmas as I don't have an address here and so she gave me the money for the coolers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: They were also $49 AUD each, plus $10 AUD for all the tape needed for both. $2 for a 6 inch strip, each card will need 2x 6 inch strips.


happy bday man !~ congrats now show us what it can do @!


----------



## Kriant

Well...that card that was behaving strangely ? It died -_-. I've reapplied thermal paste ( got Anted diamond 7), put on the x-bracket on the back instead of those crappy xfx screws...and it didn't boot at all, non, zilch, no signal. Other cards work fine. No burns, no scratches, nothing wrong with it cosmetically, it just died.... XFX RMA will be a pain in the ass that's for sure.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> Well...that card that was behaving strangely ? It died -_-. I've reapplied thermal paste ( got Anted diamond 7), put on the x-bracket on the back instead of those crappy xfx screws...and it didn't boot at all, non, zilch, no signal. Other cards work fine. No burns, no scratches, nothing wrong with it cosmetically, it just died.... XFX RMA will be a pain in the ass that's for sure.


Check if it is a pressure problem. Reapplied the paste again. Maybe you put too much


----------



## Deeya

Hello, I finally decided to re-paste my 7970 and took some pics to see whether or not I would be able to add it to my H220 loop with a full cover or a modified universal block/ram and vrm heatspreaders....

It has the 109-C38637-00P on it but from some sites that that means it's a reference layout and some that say its different..

Anyways here's the pictures


----------



## Notion

Is it worth replacing the thermal paste on the GPU die and heat sink?.. sa replace with MX4 or arctic silver..?

thanks


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Is it worth replacing the thermal paste on the GPU die and heat sink?.. sa replace with MX4 or arctic silver..?
> 
> thanks


Yeah why not. Most of the times you need to change the stock tim.

On heatsinks just leave it


----------



## ipv89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> No. And depends on what you do. New gigabytes are voltage locked (you can possibly get voltage control if you edit the gpu bios, it's complicated, not guaranteed, and no memory voltage). The old ones were perfect. The cooler is decent, but be aware it's similar performance as any other 2x92mm fan (ie anything besides the msi and xfx models) and thus louder and higher pitched because it's using 3 small fans instead of 2 big fans.
> 
> It comes with hynix so it's awesome for GPGPU scrypt work, but it's a poor choice for gaming because core clock and the core voltage to change that, are more important. Now, if you buy an old gigabyte off ebay or somthing, THAT is a perfect card.
> 
> The Asus 7950 right now is back in stock on newegg, if you can fit a 3x slot card, buy that (unless you are wiling to buy ebay and spend the time to message every seller and ask if his gigabyte is 6+6 like the old, unlocked model or 8+6 like the new, locked models, and glue vrm sinks on it as the old ones dont have any). At $320AR it's an awesome price, and it's cooler blows the gigabyte or any other card out of the water, as far as aftermarket heatsinks go.
> 
> Really I'd just invest $40-50 in 'the mod' and put an h50 on a 7950. Even an asus 7950 needs to be run at high speeds to really keep cool on high load, I'd be willing to pay $40-50 to be able to push an extreme overclock on a 7950 as well as have it be virtually dead silent.


So if I water cool the card I might as well get the cheapest card such as PowerColor AX7950 I can as it will not be $40 - 50 to do that mod your talking more lik $140 - 200 where I am. does anyone knoe the product code for the old one the new one is GV-R795WF3-3GD


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Check if it is a pressure problem. Reapplied the paste again. Maybe you put too much


I've re-applied everything last night again ( thanks to quick disconnects it didn't take too long) - took the card out of the system, took down the waterblock cleaned thermal paste off, re-applied thermal paste again.

What do you mean pressure problem? you can put too much pressure on the GPU that it won't boot? don't think I did


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ipv89*
> 
> So if I water cool the card I might as well get the cheapest card such as PowerColor AX7950 I can as it will not be $40 - 50 to do that mod your talking more lik $140 - 200 where I am. does anyone knoe the product code for the old one the new one is GV-R795WF3-3GD


if your going to water cool it mine as well just get the power color. They had that card this morning for 219 or 209 on newegg.com open box item. You should have got one then. I wouldnt take a gigabyte card if it was given to me.


----------



## Kriant

That's the card. I'll put stock cooler on it tonight and will try one more time


----------



## ipv89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> if your going to water cool it mine as well just get the power color. They had that card this morning for 219 or 209 on newegg.com open box item. You should have got one then. I wouldnt take a gigabyte card if it was given to me.


Im in new zealand so Im not going to buy a open box product from another country just in case I have to return


----------



## Notion

Does anyone know if there is a water block for the Club3D 7950 RoyalKing? Got a loop on my CPU, but would love to extend it to the graphics card..cheers


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Does anyone know if there is a water block for the Club3D 7950 RoyalKing? Got a loop on my CPU, but would love to extend it to the graphics card..cheers


Check here:

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


----------



## Notion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Check here:
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


thanks for the link.. looks as though there is only universal block and not a full water block.. is it worth it to have a universal water block? is ther anything to cool the rest if you only cover the gpu chip?


----------



## PedroC1999

You need to buy Ram Sinks and direction a fan to the mosfets etc


----------



## Notion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> You need to buy Ram Sinks and direction a fan to the mosfets etc


don't suppose you have any links to thoose that you have quoted..

cheers


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this quote is so void of personal bias, and ignorance about amd processors. and so full of humility. ( total sarcasm )
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Truth!
> 
> 
> 
> it is pretty clear i will be telling most people to completely avoid said guide.
> 
> 
> 
> happy bday man !~ congrats now show us what it can do @!


Will be in a week or so! Got exams this week!









Just checking OCN before it quickly.. hehe

Also does anyone know why my card is throttling at stock? Core is at 45c and VRM's are at 65c tops, power limit is +20% and yet every few seconds it rolls back to exactly 63% usage which is 850MHz core apparently..

EDIT: Also Microstutter is a PITA, it was there with my 6850's quite badly.. But I've had no real bad cases on my 7950's I've barely used them in CFX though haha.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Will be in a week or so! Got exams this week!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just checking OCN before it quickly.. hehe
> 
> Also does anyone know why my card is throttling at stock? Core is at 45c and VRM's are at 65c tops, power limit is +20% and yet every few seconds it rolls back to exactly 63% usage which is 850MHz core apparently..
> 
> EDIT: Also Microstutter is a PITA, it was there with my 6850's quite badly.. But I've had no real bad cases on my 7950's I've barely used them in CFX though haha.


umm gpu usage doesn't tell you anything about clock rates. Just because your gpu usage is not 100% doesn't mean you running at lower clocks. It means your not fully using the gpus.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> 
> When I installed the new heatsink, there was lots of old thermal paste over the parts of the GPU core.. I cleaned these with a jewelers screwdriver wrapped in a tissue dipped in metho to get rid of most off it. I almost spent 45 minutes doing this..
> 
> 
> With the plate removed and the new artic heatsyncs installed, these didn't stick too well but stuck enough that if you didn't touch them they wouldn't fall off. I was using Seskusi #5760 or however you spell it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Finally done! Was just checking all the heatsinks before installation.
> 
> 
> It extends out past the PCB sooo much! Was again testing all the RAM/VRM sinks etc here.
> 
> 
> Installed.. I had a problem where I'd lose display, this is due to the card sagging. I am yet to get a chopstick to support it.. But I will later tonight!
> 
> Temps are (1050MHz, Stock voltage) - for now
> Core 45c
> VRM's 60c
> 
> *With MSI Kombustor 1920x1080 burn in.
> 
> EDIT: On the next card I will write an install guide and a review on this, with and without crossfire. Just not right now as I have an exam Monday Afternoon, another Wednesday morning and the last on the Friday afternoon!
> 
> EDIT: Happy 19th to me, heh. I had to get this stuff delivered to my grandmas as I don't have an address here and so she gave me the money for the coolers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: They were also $49 AUD each, plus $10 AUD for all the tape needed for both. $2 for a 6 inch strip, each card will need 2x 6 inch strips.


An old toothbrush works so much better, takes like 3 min. ,and takes risk out of it.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> An old toothbrush works so much better, takes like 3 min. ,and takes risk out of it.


Yeah, I didn't know that at the time







I didn't even think of that at all!
Thanks though,
+Rep
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> umm gpu usage doesn't tell you anything about clock rates. Just because your gpu usage is not 100% doesn't mean you running at lower clocks. It means your not fully using the gpus.


I know, but GPU-Z is reporting it at 850MHz drops when the usage goes to 63% or whatever it was..
This is with MSI Kombustor on default and at 1920x1080


----------



## ivanlabrie

Sounds like a boost bios...I'd flash a non boost one if it's reference.


----------



## Belial

why do people flash bios on 7950s? The idea that overclocking GPUs is slightly more stable per clock, higher overclock, etc, than software? Does this even hold true most of the time, or for any significant gain?

can you unlock voltage controls in 7950s? If you could unlock core and memory voltage control in the newer locked gigabytes, that would be friggin awesome...


----------



## EaquitasAbsum

I recently bought a 7970, and I am wondering if I should buy a second one or just wait for the 9xxx series to come to light? Anybody got any idea of when this series is supposed to come out or direct me to a thread on this site discussing when that would be great.

Edit= Spelling mistakes


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EaquitasAbsum*
> 
> I recently bought a 7970, and I am wondering if I should buy a second one or just wait for the 9xxx series to come to light? Anybody got any idea of when this series is supposed to come out or direct me to a thread on this site discussing when that would be great.
> 
> Edit= Spelling mistakes


Volcanic islands I.E the 9xxx series may be released late this year. some discussions here for discussion. nothing is really confirmed tho
http://www.overclock.net/t/1389370/chiphell-amd-volcanic-island-chip-design-leak-and-specs
http://www.overclock.net/t/1388824/wccft-amd-reportedly-launching-volcanic-islands-gpus-in-2013


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Sounds like a boost bios...I'd flash a non boost one if it's reference.


Yeah it did that before but it has a non boost bios, it has the stock BIOS that came with the card on it..


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Check if it is a pressure problem. Reapplied the paste again. Maybe you put too much


Ok, so I've decided to follow thy wisdom, and reassembled the card with tidy nice looking lair of tim, and stock XFX crap-fan-cooler and...it's ALIIIVE!! ALIVE!!!! ( manic laughter included).

Now then, it seems indeed I put too much pressure somewhere. My culprit is that x-bracket, but I'm not sure how should I judge what is "enough" without the bracket, I still want to put Koolance WB on that card, and default xfx screws are just 4 screws and not pressure-bracket in the middle, which Koolance wb block instruction seems to suggest that I need to use

So thanks for your helpful post.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> why do people flash bios on 7950s? The idea that overclocking GPUs is slightly more stable per clock, higher overclock, etc, than software? Does this even hold true most of the time, or for any significant gain?
> 
> can you unlock voltage controls in 7950s? If you could unlock core and memory voltage control in the newer locked gigabytes, that would be friggin awesome...


Isn't there a comprehensive guide that would have answered those fundamental questions already?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Isn't there a comprehensive guide that would have answered those fundamental questions already?


+1


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> why do people flash bios on 7950s? The idea that overclocking GPUs is slightly more stable per clock, higher overclock, etc, than software? Does this even hold true most of the time, or for any significant gain?
> 
> can you unlock voltage controls in 7950s? If you could unlock core and memory voltage control in the newer locked gigabytes, that would be friggin awesome...


its simple really, When you play with the bios you can input your own values. Some folks will flash the bios with their overclock settings. So then the card will always be at that speed with out 3rd party tweakers. You can also increase the overclocking limits and power tune.

I think most folks flash the bios on a voltage locked card to make it voltage adjustable (given its a reference pcb) There are a few guides floating around the web.


----------



## SDub

Ooh ohh! Count me in!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> Ooh ohh! Count me in!


Are they 6GB Vapour X's?


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> Ooh ohh! Count me in!


Vapor-X???


----------



## SDub

Well, yes and no. They are 3GB Vapor X's


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> Well, yes and no. They are 3GB Vapor X's


Please change that intel stock cooler. I will vomit


----------



## SDub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Please change that intel stock cooler. I will vomit


Haha! Picked up all of my gear from Microcenter except for my H100i. Currently in shipment!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> Haha! Picked up all of my gear from Microcenter except for my H100i. Currently in shipment!


Still vomit


----------



## Corduroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> Well, yes and no. They are 3GB Vapor X's


What are your GPU temps under load? I


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Corduroy*
> 
> What are your GPU temps under load? I


So hot that they blame him for global warming


----------



## Corduroy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> So hot that they blame him for global warming


LOL

I just want to know the temp levels, and the difference between his top/bottom card. I have the same cards and I want to establish how good/bad are my temps.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Got my 7950 Accelero's finally installed and in properly!


Spoiler: Warning lots of content! :p




Sapphire 7950 2L (Notice the AMD logo above the PCI-E)


Cooler mostly off, look at that crappy excuse for a VRM plate..


Alternate shot of the stock cooling "Solution"
The PCB which is the AMD 7950 reference, again going off the look of it and the AMD logo above the PCI-E slot.


The heatsinks which come with the kit, they should have really included some copper ones for the VRM's at least. The aluminum ones do just for me though as I can't get any copper ones easily in Australia.


The HIS 7950 IceQ Card, note: No AMD logo present above the PCI-E slot.


Perfect application of the Liquid metal paste on that too








Also, look at the quality of that heatsink compared to the Sapphire... We'll get back to that later though,


Easy removal for anyone that's concerned! The only worry is that as you remove it, it will bead and you need to try and not push it to the side as it'll interfere with components on the card.


A (pretty) clean looking core, the paste around it was left from the factory and I can't be bothered cleaning it as it won't harm anything. (Yes it came like that pretty much)


Now that's what I'm talking about for the VRM plate, a lot better then Sapphires solution but still not great really.


Here is when I realized why the HIS didn't have an AMD logo above the PCI-E slot, (i always thought it was reference?). If you look at the VRM's you can see that it has an extra row (more phases?). Anyway yeah, basically it's not reference so I'm happy I didn't end up trying to find some 7950 blocks as it wouldn't have fit either way.


Showing the thickness of the VRM plate off the HIS.. Not very thick but still better then what Sapphire offer.


The stuff that saved me, Sekisui #5760 incase you can't read








Good stuff, great idea but horrible to apply. You do get better at it over time though.


The stock thermal paste job, I'm told that this is MX-4. It's way too much but the cores run fairly cool anyway. I don't want to waste good TIM when I only have MX-2 left myself.


The density of the fins, a LOT higher then the HIS and Sapphire ones.


Just a picture of the cooler before install.


The bracket solution that Artic have provided, this is useless if you want to run crossfire as it makes the cards 4 slots (just) which is so useless really. I didn't use this on either and both my cards run fine as of now.


Stock glue, again didn't use this as I didn't want to glue my cards and have to wait 24H-48H to use them, that and apparently it's not that conductive.


#5760 on a vRAM sink, it's hard to see that it's on there at first.


The easy way to apply: First split the paper off one side with a fingernail (grow 'em if you don't have 'em







)


Note: That I've got a bit of extra tape on the side?


It's for this, so you can flatten down one side and then release. It results in the tape being attached to the side and then easy removal of the tape with no tearing!










Heatsink test #1.. One fell off as pictured and another fell off right after the photo, time to clean the components (RAM in this case) with metho and then re-apply the tape/sink.


Wasn't too happy with the amount of "stick" the sinks had, so I tried using the stock pad that the sinks were more attached this worked to some extent..


The new problem, was that the pad didn't stick so well to the VRM's.. So my new solution was to use a bit of tape on the underside of the pad to secure it!










The screws that Artic provide have no springs were on there..
So I pulled the springs off the screws that came with the stock card and put them on the longer screws!










This really got me..
The plate that has the mounting holes for the cooler covers up say, 1/3rd of the bottom Memory chip.. Interesting.
Both times I put the sinks on, the cooler wouldn't fit and i then pulled the sink off and it would..
So pull it off, then put it on AFTER!










Well.. Matt has had a busy night..
A busy night of pulling apart graphics cards!










Both cards sagged quite a lot! They weigh a lot more then the stock coolers and they protrude the end of the PCB a lot more then the stock coolers making them bend even more under the weight! Cable ties are your friends here! If you look you can see that the cards are attached together with cable ties and the top one is attached to the case.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Got my 7950 Accelero's finally installed and in properly!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Now people will think you have 7970s.


----------



## Snuckie7

So many dirty jokes about this picture


----------



## BradleyW

Hello,
What is the best way to test a 7970 overclock without causing mass heat as seen in Furmark and MSI Kombuster? Reason I ask is because Tomb Raider keeps hanging at 1125MHz core speed. However, 1125 is stable for hours on end in other 3d applications.

Cheers.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So many dirty jokes about this picture


Heheh, I know


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So many dirty jokes about this picture


his shoes are dirty


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hello,
> What is the best way to test a 7970 overclock without causing mass heat as seen in Furmark and MSI Kombuster? Reason I ask is because Tomb Raider keeps hanging at 1125MHz core speed. However, 1125 is stable for hours on end in other 3d applications.
> 
> Cheers.


Arma 2 engine kills my RAM OC on my 7970. Some games just dont run well with OC it seems.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Arma 2 engine kills my RAM OC on my 7970. Some games just dont run well with OC it seems.


That's a shame.
I can do 1050/1450 with tomb raider, but even then, I had a crash at those speeds, but the crash could have been caused by radeonpro. The latest set of builds seem highly sketchy on every system I've tested it on.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> his shoes are dirty


Heh, yeah they're 2-3 years old


----------



## mboner1

Has anyone heard any new news on when the new "prototype" driver is coming? don't want to really start a new thread asking for info but i'm becoming a tad impatient and skeptical.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Has anyone heard any new news on when the new "prototype" driver is coming? don't want to really start a new thread asking for info but i'm becoming a tad impatient and skeptical.


They said June/July, which means the end of July!
Don't get your hopes up. These new drivers are based on the 2011 drivers and 2012 drivers, so expect a fair reduction in fps.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hello,
> What is the best way to test a 7970 overclock without causing mass heat as seen in Furmark and MSI Kombuster? Reason I ask is because Tomb Raider keeps hanging at 1125MHz core speed. However, 1125 is stable for hours on end in other 3d applications.
> 
> Cheers.


Have you tried OCCT?
www.ocbase.com
When I've used it in the past, it didn't push the cards ridiculously hard like Furball, or Kombustor does.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Have you tried OCCT?
> www.ocbase.com
> When I've used it in the past, it didn't push the cards ridiculously hard like Furball, or Kombustor does.


OCCT and furmark dont push your card hard enough. They just create heat.

I use 3dmark,valley,heaven and WoW


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> OCCT and furmark dont push your card hard enough. They just create heat.
> 
> I use 3dmark,valley,heaven and WoW


Looping firestrike or 3dmark11 works great, its what i use.


----------



## OneGun

The new nvidia drivers are bricking GPUS lol.. And they say our drivers suck..
http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/27187-do-not-update-to-32018/


----------



## PedroC1999

I loop Heaven and Valley for a few times a piece for stability, and for In-Between-Adjustments I run Heaven for 2 mins


----------



## ivanlabrie

I just do whatever I normally do, like run 3dm11, heaven, metro 2033, borderlands 2 and litecoin mining.
I tend to go for the most efficient setup though, not overvolting for 24/7 use, but undervolting and overclocking at the same time.


----------



## EaquitasAbsum

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Volcanic islands I.E the 9xxx series may be released late this year. some discussions here for discussion. nothing is really confirmed tho
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1389370/chiphell-amd-volcanic-island-chip-design-leak-and-specs
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1388824/wccft-amd-reportedly-launching-volcanic-islands-gpus-in-2013


Thanks


----------



## vinton13

Guys...how is my 3D Mark 11 (Basic) graphic score for two 7950s in Xfire (stock)?
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6743662


----------



## Anoxy

Well, according to that graph, you're above avergage


----------



## vinton13

Oh thank god...I can't really test anything to it's max potential *coughCPUcough* so I was worried.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Looping firestrike or 3dmark11 works great, its what i use.


How long do you test?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How long do you test?


I know him 4 years. He still test.


----------



## vinton13

Just to confirm from someone else...my scores are fine, right?


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Just to confirm from someone else...my scores are fine, right?


http://bit.ly/127LTWF


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Just to confirm from someone else...my scores are fine, right?


That score sucks...I got close to that with a single 7970 and also on a gtx 670 ftw.
There's something seriously broken with your xfire settings...did you check it's enabled in CCC?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> That score sucks...I got close to that with a single 7970 and also on a gtx 670 ftw.
> There's something seriously broken with your xfire settings...did you check it's enabled in CCC?


His graphics score is about right; it's just that his overall score sucks.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> That score sucks...I got close to that with a single 7970 and also on a gtx 670 ftw.
> There's something seriously broken with your xfire settings...did you check it's enabled in CCC?


actually there is nothing wrong with his score, yes there are higher scores from the same 7950 crossfire. In crossfire i score 14xxx something at stock settings, power tune set to 20%.

Try increasing your powertune to 20% then rerun the benchmark.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> His graphics score is about right; it's just that his overall score sucks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> actually there is nothing wrong with his score, yes there are higher scores from the same 7950 crossfire. In crossfire i score 14xxx something at stock settings, power tune set to 20%.
> 
> Try increasing your powertune to 20% then rerun the benchmark.


I had a 10k+ run with an 8120 and an oced 7970...hence my reaction.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I had a 10k+ run with an 8120 and an oced 7970...hence my reaction.


I'm getting a higher graphics score at 950MHz.. About to run at 1100MHz









EDIT:

Stock @ 950MHz and Overclocked @ 1100MHz

Clearly I have a bit of a CPU bottleneck at stock (that's for now, till I sort out a few things.. besides its exam week!)

You can see the overall score doesn't increase that much with all that GPU power added.









BF3 also sits at 97%+ CPU usage the entire time haha.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I'm getting a higher graphics score at 950MHz.. About to run at 1100MHz
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Stock @ 950MHz and Overclocked @ 1100MHz
> 
> Clearly I have a bit of a CPU bottleneck at stock (that's for now, till I sort out a few things.. besides its exam week!)
> 
> You can see the overall score doesn't increase that much with all that GPU power added.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BF3 also sits at 97%+ CPU usage the entire time haha.


Cough, lame gtx 670 ftw + 3770k and good 7970 with a lame fx cpu vs your 3570k xD (dat bottleneck)


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Cough, lame gtx 670 ftw + 3770k and good 7970 with a lame fx cpu vs your 3570k xD (dat bottleneck)


Shh









It's not a bad score though, it doesn't help that my RAM and CPU are at stock, along with the GPU's RAM heh, not for too long though!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Shh
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's not a bad score though, it doesn't help that my RAM and CPU are at stock, along with the GPU's RAM heh, not for too long though!


Nothing like some competitiveness to spice things up!








Register at hwbot and post some scores









I'll be getting a proper rig in a couple of weeks, for now my main rig is a mining rig powered by a pentium d which was 5 bucks.


----------



## vinton13

Raised the power limit, score rose by around 600
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6744051

I'm not concerned with the overall score, I'm only concerned with the GPU score...just got my second 7950 today.

EDIT: Do I have to install CAP with the 13.6 drivers? Because I did earlier.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13* https://www.overclock.net/t/1196856...te&model=HD+7950&interface=&memType=&memSize=ad/26740#post_20214462]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [/URL]
> 
> Raised the power limit, score rose by around 600
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6744051
> 
> I'm not concerned with the overall score, I'm only concerned with the GPU score...just got my second 7950 today.
> 
> EDIT: Do I have to install CAP with the 13.6 drivers? Because I did earlier.


Not sure what CAP's i'm running, but I've got 13.3 and it's all good! Don't have enough data left to download 150MB drivers :/

Yeah, raise the power limit and make sure they're running fairly cool and not too hot on the VRM's.









EDIT: Gigabyte Tri-Cool? Look for a BIOS here, my Sapphire had a BIOS on it that was limited to 230W which would throttle the card no matter what, even at +20% stock.. It'd be throttling to 850MHz. Not with a BIOS that has an upper limit of 286w (on both, matching BIOS' have always ran better for me) I get no throttling @ 1100MHz, 1.2v and +20% power draw.


----------



## vinton13

Alright, thanks...will update soon.

And thanks guys. I think I will settle with this GPU score for now, based on the views here, I'll just say it's average for now. I'm aware that my CPU is a major bottleneck right now.


----------



## ebduncan

I will put my other 7950 back in my rig and run some more benchmarks

I am currently only running a single 7950 @ 1200/1575 and [email protected] I'm a bit over 10k currently with just one card.

What is your hyper transport speed? generally gives good gains increasing the hyper transport with crossfired cards.


----------



## Kriant

Amigos, so I've re-seated the card without completely screwing down the x-bracket, and now all four cards are functioning.

When I run the system on idle - the first card ( the one, which has X-bracket not completely screwed in) idles at 5c higher then other cards, under load the difference goes to 3c higher.

Should I tighten the x-bracket more? ( last time, when I tightened it completely the card wouldn't work, and the system wouldn't see it at all)


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Alright, thanks...will update soon.
> 
> And thanks guys. I think I will settle with this GPU score for now, based on the views here, I'll just say it's average for now. I'm aware that my CPU is a major bottleneck right now.


Good to know! Just check it in GPU-Z before you go wasting time flashing them to see if they're actually throttling. I.E Run something like kombustor with +20% and see what core you run at stock and overclocked.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> Amigos, so I've re-seated the card without completely screwing down the x-bracket, and now all four cards are functioning.
> 
> When I run the system on idle - the first card ( the one, which has X-bracket not completely screwed in) idles at 5c higher then other cards, under load the difference goes to 3c higher.
> 
> Should I tighten the x-bracket more? ( last time, when I tightened it completely the card wouldn't work, and the system wouldn't see it at all)


I would get some padding or something for the metal? bracket to put on the underside, this will protect the components below it whilst removing the conductivity of the metal while having the bracket fully screwed down.


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> I would get some padding or something for the metal? bracket to put on the underside, this will protect the components below it whilst removing the conductivity of the metal while having the bracket fully screwed down.


The bracket already have padding =) I'll prly dew one more turn on the screws tomorrow, and see where that get me


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> The bracket already have padding =) I'll prly dew one more turn on the screws tomorrow, and see where that get me


Try more/thicker/better padding?

Yeah, try a turn a day to keep the temperature away!


----------



## Kriant

the pads are 0.5mm the white ones ( which this time around koolance block didn't even have, unlike the other ones I ordered) are thicker ( 1mm I believe).

Yeah, that's the plan. I mean, when I run Metro Last Light the temp difference in 2-3c doesn't stike and alarm me, it's the idle that just creep up in my thoughts. One turn a day .. lol that sounded like a slogan


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> the pads are 0.5mm the white ones ( which this time around koolance block didn't even have, unlike the other ones I ordered) are thicker ( 1mm I believe).
> 
> Yeah, that's the plan. I mean, when I run Metro Last Light the temp difference in 2-3c doesn't stike and alarm me, it's the idle that just creep up in my thoughts. One turn a day .. lol that sounded like a slogan


Haha yeah, games get nowhere near the same temperatures as what all of these "testing" programs do, my VRM's hit 105c in Kombustor after 15 minutes. BUT I'll be getting more like 90c in games which is OK.


----------



## Kriant

Well, I'm talking core temps =) thermal pads are squished super tight, it's just the GPU itself that wants all that extra attention. GPU1 is 34c idle, GPU 2 and 3 - 29, GPU 4 - 31. Under load they don't go over 46c and that's in my hot room ( yey summer).


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yeah, second that man.

I bought a big bag of case screws and rubber grommets and such for random building scenarios from Ebay. Those are a good addition to your tool bag.

Tomorrow I'm picking up a Celly G440 single core and my rma'd MVG. My second 3770k died on me, so I'll just run that till I can sell my stuff and get a Haswell rig.
I already know which board and cpu to get naturally but can't afford it just now. Once that is bought I'll start saving for my second 7970 or maybe a pair of 8970s if I make enough mining and those come out anytime soon.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Cough, lame gtx 670 ftw + 3770k and good 7970 with a lame fx cpu vs your 3570k xD (dat bottleneck)


heh..

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6664211
granted that is not 12k+ on physics but by no means is it a slacker or gimped. and my gpu was @ stock speeds in that test.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> heh..
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6664211
> granted that is not 12k+ on physics but by no means is it a slacker or gimped. and my gpu was @ stock speeds in that test.


Your 8350 is much stronger than my 8120 man! I can't even boot at 5ghz with it and an H100


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> Well, I'm talking core temps =) thermal pads are squished super tight, it's just the GPU itself that wants all that extra attention. GPU1 is 34c idle, GPU 2 and 3 - 29, GPU 4 - 31. Under load they don't go over 46c and that's in my hot room ( yey summer).


Yeah, fair enough. Those temps seem fine for 4x cards to be honest!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yeah, second that man.
> 
> I bought a big bag of case screws and rubber grommets and such for random building scenarios from Ebay. Those are a good addition to your tool bag.
> 
> Tomorrow I'm picking up a Celly G440 single core and my rma'd MVG. My second 3770k died on me, so I'll just run that till I can sell my stuff and get a Haswell rig.
> I already know which board and cpu to get naturally but can't afford it just now. Once that is bought I'll start saving for my second 7970 or maybe a pair of 8970s if I make enough mining and those come out anytime soon.


Teach me how to mine


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, fair enough. Those temps seem fine for 4x cards to be honest!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Teach me how to mine


http://www.overclock.net/t/1398219/official-bitcoin-litecoin-digitalcoin-and-all-crypto-currencies-club-and-general-information-thread


----------



## LimitedSkill

I will sign up when I get home... I'm very late though


----------



## Rangerjr1

mattmatt.

Your physics score is a SHAME for all the 3570Ks out there ...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> mattmatt.
> 
> Your physics score is a SHAME for all the 3570Ks out there ...


Really? Is it that low?
Please don't be another broken thing.. Turns out my car won't start tonight... It has no water in it, but i added a bit (still not enough, it just won't turn over)









Had to get a lift back to uni, well @#!$ son.









EDIT: Figured out why my Physics score is so low.. Stock CPU and stock Samsung RAM timings.. So 11t makes it so much worse


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Really? Is it that low?
> Please don't be another broken thing.. Turns out my car won't start tonight... It has no water in it, but i added a bit (still not enough, it just won't turn over)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Had to get a lift back to uni, well @#!$ son.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Figured out why my Physics score is so low.. Stock CPU and stock Samsung RAM timings.. So 11t makes it so much worse


Its not broken, its just not overclocked.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> Amigos, so I've re-seated the card without completely screwing down the x-bracket, and now all four cards are functioning.
> 
> When I run the system on idle - the first card ( the one, which has X-bracket not completely screwed in) idles at 5c higher then other cards, under load the difference goes to 3c higher.
> 
> Should I tighten the x-bracket more? ( last time, when I tightened it completely the card wouldn't work, and the system wouldn't see it at all)


Are they plumbed in parallel? You are losing sooo much cooling with quad parallel. Is your pump really that weak, D5s?


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Are they plumbed in parallel? You are losing sooo much cooling with quad parallel. Is your pump really that weak, D5s?


Yeah, MCP655's, so two D5s., but there is no space between PSU and bottom card( even for slim 90 degree fitting) to do anything else


----------



## mboner1

Is this score alright for crossfired 7970's? I jus upgraded from vantage and have no idea what scores are acceptable.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/797373


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Is this score alright for crossfired 7970's? I jus upgraded from vantage and have no idea what scores are acceptable.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/797373


Looks alright, but come on... Physics score man.


----------



## Corduroy

Better than mine (2x7970 Ghz Ed)
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/796760


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Is this score alright for crossfired 7970's? I jus upgraded from vantage and have no idea what scores are acceptable.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/797373
> 
> 
> 
> Looks alright, but come on... Physics score man.
Click to expand...

Depends on the clocks you are at and how serious you are. Two 7970s can score well over 15K in firestrike.


----------



## mboner1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Looks alright, but come on... Physics score man.


Is the physics score down to the cpu? What can i do to fix that, i thought the i5 3570k was all good? I have it @ 4.4ghz and that's the best i can get.


----------



## mboner1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Depends on the clocks you are at and how serious you are. Two 7970s can score well over 15K in firestrike.


I would like to get everything i can out of them for real world performance. I have 1 card that clocks significantly better than the other.

I have the His 7970 which i could max out as a single card with msi afterburner with no problems, didn't try going any higher than that.

And i have a msi 7970 which only goes upto 1050 core clock and 1475 memory clock.

I have also switched the bios from the His to the msi one cos i was getting some bad issues in games and that has helped sync the cards up, i was getting fluctuating gpu usage in msi afterburner between the 2 cards but they are now identical.


----------



## SDub

@mboner1

Do you have measured values for the max power consumption for your system? You and I have very similar specs except I'm running a intel core i5 4670k.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Depends on the clocks you are at and how serious you are. Two 7970s can score well over 15K in firestrike.
> 
> 
> 
> I would like to get everything i can out of them for real world performance. I have 1 card that clocks significantly better than the other.
> 
> I have the His 7970 which i could max out as a single card with msi afterburner with no problems, didn't try going any higher than that.
> 
> And i have a msi 7970 which only goes upto 1050 core clock and 1475 memory clock.
> 
> I have also switched the bios from the His to the msi one cos i was getting some bad issues in games and that has helped sync the cards up, i was getting fluctuating gpu usage in msi afterburner between the 2 cards but they are now identical.
Click to expand...

Which msi card is that? I assume your HIS is a reference based card? Since you have a quad core your physics score will never compare to a hexacore, so I wouldn't let it bother you too much. You can still get some games by optimizing your rig with that in mind. Get your system ram clocked as high as it will go, 2400mhz with decent timings is a good starting goal. You want a cpu oc of around 4.8. And most importantly get the gpus clocked as highest as you can and don't push the gpu memory too high. Clock them 20mhz or so under your max mem speed.


----------



## mboner1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Which msi card is that? I assume your HIS is a reference based card? Since you have a quad core your physics score will never compare to a hexacore, so I wouldn't let it bother you too much. You can still get some games by optimizing your rig with that in mind. Get your system ram clocked as high as it will go, 2400mhz with decent timings is a good starting goal. You want a cpu oc of around 4.8. And most importantly get the gpus clocked as highest as you can and don't push the gpu memory too high. Clock them 20mhz or so under your max mem speed.


Cheers. What does overclocking the memory of the gpu too high do? Both are reference based cards, the msi is a OC edition, was 1010 core clock and 1375 mem out of the box. Was really disappointed with it's performance. Should have got a 2nd His but i thought the msi's were meant to be superior.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Which msi card is that? I assume your HIS is a reference based card? Since you have a quad core your physics score will never compare to a hexacore, so I wouldn't let it bother you too much. You can still get some games by optimizing your rig with that in mind. Get your system ram clocked as high as it will go, 2400mhz with decent timings is a good starting goal. You want a cpu oc of around 4.8. And most importantly get the gpus clocked as highest as you can and don't push the gpu memory too high. Clock them 20mhz or so under your max mem speed.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers. What does overclocking the memory of the gpu too high do? Both are reference based cards, the msi is a OC edition, was 1010 core clock and 1375 mem out of the box. Was really disappointed with it's performance. Should have got a 2nd His but i thought the msi's were meant to be superior.
Click to expand...

If you push gpu memory overclock too far it will actually incur a penalty which you can see in reduced benchmark scores. Btw that's quite the low ceiling on the msi card. Yikes.


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Is the physics score down to the cpu? What can i do to fix that, i thought the i5 3570k was all good? I have it @ 4.4ghz and that's the best i can get.


Lol, he is trolling or something. Score is ok, I get similar results with 3570K 4,4Ghz.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hi guys will i be able to play the games that come with the 7000 series multiplayer


----------



## mboner1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> @mboner1
> 
> Do you have measured values for the max power consumption for your system? You and I have very similar specs except I'm running a intel core i5 4670k.


Nah man, but i did a bit of research before getting everything and im pretty sure that my corsair 850w psu is pretty much the minimum of what would be recommended. The guy at the shop suggested a 800w corsair but i said i was overclocking and he agreed the 850w was a safer option. I have read some sites claiming over 850w usage for my system but i find that hard to believe , and i have also read that the corsair 850w can actually go up to 1000w, just not recommended for long periods. Hope that helps somewhat lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> @mboner1
> 
> Do you have measured values for the max power consumption for your system? You and I have very similar specs except I'm running a intel core i5 4670k.
> 
> 
> 
> Nah man, but i did a bit of research before getting everything and im pretty sure that my corsair 850w psu is pretty much the minimum of what would be recommended. The guy at the shop suggested a 800w corsair but i said i was overclocking and he agreed the 850w was a safer option. I have read some sites claiming over 850w usage for my system but i find that hard to believe , and i have also read that the corsair 850w can actually go up to 1000w, just not recommended for long periods. Hope that helps somewhat lol.
Click to expand...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1393294/7970-quad-fire/10#post_20028650

Post 13.

Single 7970 at max clocks running full bore can and will pull the whole 300w. Times that two and add cpu and accessories and you will be using that 850w pretty well. With psu's more is always better imo.


----------



## mboner1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1393294/7970-quad-fire/10#post_20028650
> 
> Post 13.
> 
> Single 7970 at max clocks running full bore can and will pull the whole 300w. Times that two and add cpu and accessories and you will be using that 850w pretty well. With psu's more is always better imo.


So you reckon my psu is under? lol, now i'm a little concerned haha, i wasn't even here for that! lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mboner1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1393294/7970-quad-fire/10#post_20028650
> 
> Post 13.
> 
> Single 7970 at max clocks running full bore can and will pull the whole 300w. Times that two and add cpu and accessories and you will be using that 850w pretty well. With psu's more is always better imo.
> 
> 
> 
> So you reckon my psu is under? lol, now i'm a little concerned haha, i wasn't even here for that! lol.
Click to expand...

You would be about at the limit if you had your rig pegged all the way with very high clocking 70s. Assuming you did or could it would/could draw 1000w at the wall and after conversion at 85% factor, you will be right at 850w. Luckily there is always a lil more in each psu so it will be adequate. However, if you routinely take your system to the max you will end up stressing the psu a lot since it's roughly at its limit. That said, no one is going to max their rig like that 24/7.


----------



## mboner1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You would be about at the limit if you had your rig pegged all the way with very high clocking 70s. Assuming you did or could it would/could draw 1000w at the wall and after conversion at 85% factor, you will be right at 850w. Luckily there is always a lil more in each psu so it will be adequate. However, if you routinely take your system to the max you will end up stressing the psu a lot since it's roughly at its limit. That said, no one is going to max their rig like that 24/7.


Yeah, that's what i figured, i have seen quite a few ppl recommending or running 7970's with 750w psu's and didn't feel comfortable with that. 850w was from what i have read, pretty much as low as you want to go, but could still be pretty much certain that you had enough wattage. (not sure if that's the right term lol.)


----------



## Mega Man

I can attest to that. my x750 worked fine with my 8350 and cfx 7970s unlessi pushed really hard on my over clocks


----------



## Mega Man

I can attest to that. my x750 worked fine with my 8350 and cfx 7970s unlessi pushed really hard on my over clocks


----------



## Mega Man

I can attest to that. my x750 worked fine with my 8350 and cfx 7970s unlessi pushed really hard on my over clocks


----------



## PedroC1999

I will be running a i7 3820, and 2x 7950's off a AX850, which can deliver 1000w if there is a power spike etc, but I don't think that if I use maybe 860-880w at 100% load with all the stress testing crap, I will be more than Ok even after a hefty OC


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hi guys will i be able to play the games that come with the 7000 series multiplayer


Guys


----------



## bond32

So I have had my Visiontek 7970 ref for a while now. Have done some overclocking and this is the best I can get without artifacts : http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/7vz3x/

Temps are pretty low with the heatkiller block, load gets to 45 C. Would I be able to flash some other bios and be able to up the voltage higher than what it's at? I have it as high as sapphire's tweak utility will go, says VDDC is at 1381 mV but im showing 1.170 V in cpuid monitor.

Also gpuz says the bios is from 2011.


----------



## SDub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> I can attest to that. my x750 worked fine with my 8350 and cfx 7970s unlessi pushed really hard on my over clocks


Ah, this is what I was looking for. I have a TX750 V2 and I want to run crossfired 7970s and a core i5 4670K all OC'd.


----------



## OneGun

Is this a good score with two 7950s?
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/749257


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Is this a good score with two 7950s?
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/749257


http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Is+this+a+good+score+with+two+7950s%3F+http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dmark.com%2F3dm%2F749257


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Is+this+a+good+score+with+two+7950s%3F+http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dmark.com%2F3dm%2F749257


http://bit.ly/14gZNZY


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> http://bit.ly/14gZNZY


http://bit.ly/11m0rXd


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Is+this+a+good+score+with+two+7950s%3F+http%3A%2F%2Fwww.3dmark.com%2F3dm%2F749257


Ah man I was hoping you would rag on me and tell my how crappy my score is like you do everyone else..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Ah man I was hoping you would rag on me and tell my how crappy my score is like you do everyone else..


ooooh dont get me wrong, im getting 9800 on a single 7970 and close to 10k physics, on an AMD PROCESSOR! Think about that. AMD Processor. What is hokies going to say about this? He will disown you from the intel church.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> ooooh dont get me wrong, im getting 9800 on a single 7970 and close to 10k physics, on an AMD PROCESSOR! Think about that. AMD Processor. What is hokies going to say about this? He will disown you from the intel church.


an Octocore AMD processor...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> an Octocore AMD processor...


AMD

THE SHAME!


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> ooooh dont get me wrong, im getting 9800 on a single 7970 and close to 10k physics, on an AMD PROCESSOR! Think about that. AMD Processor. What is hokies going to say about this? He will disown you from the intel church.


Ohh no my epeen isn't as big as yours.. What will I do.. Haha


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> an Octocore AMD processor...
> 
> 
> 
> AMD
> 
> THE SHAME!
Click to expand...

Don't hate me, I just bought a X79 RIVF for 200 bucks and a 3820 for 230 to go with it. X79 for the win.


----------



## Gorki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Don't hate me, I just bought a X79 RIVF for 200 bucks and a 3820 for 230 to go with it. X79 for the win.


Woot! Awesome deal. I wish I could find some nice deals from people that are willing to ship overseas







.
I'm already enough punished since I'm still unable to post on market... My RIVE and 7970 needs WB asap...


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Guys


Seriously man? You own the freakin game. Why _wouldn't_ you be able to play multiplayer...?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> I can attest to that. my x750 worked fine with my 8350 and cfx 7970s unlessi pushed really hard on my over clocks


I sure hope so, because I'm running a 3570k and XFrire 7970 GHz running at stock clocks. And I got a Corsair AX750.

What are some signs that my PSU is insufficient for my system?


----------



## Scorpion49

Got my new 7950 vapor-X to replace the coil whining WF3 7970. This card is massive! I took a pic comparing the two and a GTX 580 TFII that I have. Very happy with this card on first impressions, just popped it in now so I haven't benched it at all. Mine is the 8+8 pin card but it works fine with 8+6 (some cards won't POST if you do this and just give you a message saying to plug it in).


----------



## vinton13

Errrrr...I think I screwed up...I flashed one of my card while it was on switch #2, it changed in GPUZ, and now games would crash as soon as it puts the card on 3D clocks. Note that the system would start and run normal.

I switched it to #1 and everything works. I tried reverting the locked BIOS back to what I backed up, but it's not going back. I think I screwed up one of my lives.

HELL YES...IT REVERTED...I dunno what I did...but...no more flashing BIOS for a while...boy...I almost...I almost...cried

I don't see why It would not work though. :\

I hope the mismatching BIOS on the two cards aren't what's causing the memory leak issue I'm having with CF though.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Guys


sorry i dont understand the question. if i understand you correctly, and IF the games have multi-player then yes you can play them it is like you bought the game from steam
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SDub*
> 
> Ah, this is what I was looking for. I have a TX750 V2 and I want to run crossfired 7970s and a core i5 4670K all OC'd.


nah you will be fine. i do mean at the limits i was hitting OCP ( since have bought a 1250 but have not had time to play with it )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Ohh no my epeen isn't as big as yours.. What will I do.. Haha


your avatar says different !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Seriously man? You own the freakin game. Why _wouldn't_ you be able to play multiplayer...?
> I sure hope so, because I'm running a 3570k and XFrire 7970 GHz running at stock clocks. And I got a Corsair AX750.
> 
> What are some signs that my PSU is insufficient for my system?


you will shut down on OCP ie your full system will just shut off. idr but i think you have to flip the switch in back on seasonics. only happened when i was pushing insane clocks on suicide runs.... side note my components have not died from my suicide runs..... and i have pushed them pretty far ( ~1.7v vcore on cpu not to mention any other volts..... and gpus have been to 1.4v vcore ( before drop via bios ) )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Errrrr...I think I screwed up...I flashed one of my card while it was on switch #2, it changed in GPUZ, and now games would crash as soon as it puts the card on 3D clocks. Note that the system would start and run normal.
> 
> I switched it to #1 and everything works. I tried reverting the locked BIOS back to what I backed up, but it's not going back. I think I screwed up one of my lives.
> 
> HELL YES...IT REVERTED...I dunno what I did...but...no more flashing BIOS for a while...boy...I almost...I almost...cried
> 
> I don't see why It would not work though. :\
> 
> I hope the mismatching BIOS on the two cards aren't what's causing the memory leak issue I'm having with CF though.


yea i think i can flash both my bios as well. but you still should not have any problems flashing them back. so dont be afraid just learn to double check and back up your bios


----------



## Driimit

Hello everyone. Wanna know something. I've got the Sapphire HD 7970 OC with boost(SKU: 11197-03-40G, blue pcb). I am getting the graphics score(not combined score) around ~9975 on 3dmark 11 in performance preset in stock clocks. core/mem are 1050/1500 MHz., power board limit maxed out to 20%.

I feel like it's a bit less than what I should get. I see in the reviews the HIS Iceq X2 7970 at exact same clock speed getting graphics score of around 10300.

I want to know am i below par to some extent at this clock? (don't tell me to increase my score by OCing. I want to know the score at stock first.)

Please share your scores and/or thoughts. Whoever has this specific Sapphire card or any other 7970. If you've got enough time kindly run the 3dmark 11 performance preset exactly at 1050/1500 and share the graphics score.

Another question: does the cpu influence the graphics score to any extent? I'm using 2nd generation pentium g630 @2.7 GHz. So would my graphics score change to any extent if it were a 3rd gen i5(say i5 3470)??


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Driimit*
> 
> Hello everyone. Wanna know something. I've got the Sapphire HD 7970 OC with boost(SKU: 11197-03-40G, blue pcb). I am getting the graphics score(not combined score) around ~9975 on 3dmark 11 in performance preset in stock clocks. core/mem are 1050/1500 MHz., power board limit maxed out to 20%.
> 
> I feel like it's a bit less than what I should get. I see in the reviews the HIS Iceq X2 7970 at exact same clock speed getting graphics score of around 10300.
> 
> I want to know am i below par to some extent at this clock? (don't tell me to increase my score by OCing. I want to know the score at stock first.)
> 
> Please share your scores and/or thoughts. Whoever has this specific Sapphire card or any other 7970. If you've got enough time kindly run the 3dmark 11 performance preset exactly at 1050/1500 and share the graphics score.
> 
> Another question: does the cpu influence the graphics score to any extent? I'm using 2nd generation pentium g630 @2.7 GHz. So would my graphics score change to any extent if it were a 3rd gen i5(say i5 3470)??


too many variables to answer... everything affects score. yes a new board/cpu may/probably will improve your score


----------



## Driimit

Okay Mega Man. Thanks. Still looking for other responses. Especially to all my questions.


----------



## tx-jose

Dilema....

want to go CF for BF4 with my new 1440P monitor on the way but......my card is discontinued ....or $100 too expensive on amazon









Sapphire 7950 950Mhz Edition non boost with the 8+6pin 7970 PCB .......


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Dilema....
> 
> want to go CF for BF4 with my new 1440P monitor on the way but......my card is discontinued ....or $100 too expensive on amazon frown.gif
> 
> Sapphire 7950 950Mhz Edition non boost with the 8+6pin 7970 PCB .......


1. Ebay, ebay, ebay
2. Crossfire it with another brand's 7950? I mean, as long as you get another 7950 you should be just fine, it doesn't have to be precisely your model


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> 1. Ebay, ebay, ebay
> 2. *Crossfire it with another brand's 7950? I mean, as long as you get another 7950 you should be just fine, it doesn't have to be precisely your model*


Yeah, we aren't using nVidia cards









I'd try and get a 7970 PCB 7950 card though, doesn't have to be the same brand though because even if it's not it's the same card beneath.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> AMD
> 
> THE SHAME!


Yea, But moar cores tho.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Man looking at the past few replies i've made on this forum it's no wonder my Post/Rep ratio is soo bad. I mean look at how MegaMan replies to people and then mine. Mine are now diamondsMine need more substance...


----------



## OneGun

Here is a good article for AMD GPU owners that want BF4..

http://www.techpowerup.com/185884/all-frostbite-3-titles-will-be-optimized-for-amd-only-updated.html


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Here is a good article for AMD GPU owners that want BF4..
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/185884/all-frostbite-3-titles-will-be-optimized-for-amd-only-updated.html


Bit contradictory..But at least we will get drivers on time for bf4 rather than months later



http://www.pcper.com/news/Graphics-Cards/Rumor-AMD-Gets-Exclusive-Optimization-all-Frostbite-3-Games


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Driimit*
> 
> Hello everyone. Wanna know something. I've got the Sapphire HD 7970 OC with boost(SKU: 11197-03-40G, blue pcb). I am getting the graphics score(not combined score) around ~9975 on 3dmark 11 in performance preset in stock clocks. core/mem are 1050/1500 MHz., power board limit maxed out to 20%.
> 
> I feel like it's a bit less than what I should get. I see in the reviews the HIS Iceq X2 7970 at exact same clock speed getting graphics score of around 10300.
> 
> I want to know am i below par to some extent at this clock? (don't tell me to increase my score by OCing. I want to know the score at stock first.)
> 
> Please share your scores and/or thoughts. Whoever has this specific Sapphire card or any other 7970. If you've got enough time kindly run the 3dmark 11 performance preset exactly at 1050/1500 and share the graphics score.
> 
> Another question: does the cpu influence the graphics score to any extent? I'm using 2nd generation pentium g630 @2.7 GHz. So would my graphics score change to any extent if it were a 3rd gen i5(say i5 3470)??


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6748927

yes, in 3DMark benchmarks cpu does influence results (all). Your cpu is holding back your gpu but not much based on this program. in games like BF3 MP, then it will big time.


----------



## eclipsextreme

I had just bought a 560ti from a friend before a 7970 landed on my lap. So what I've discovered is my older yet capable rig is defintly due for an upgrade. Ive only noticed a slight fps change from the 560ti playing bf3. 45-50 fps @ 1680x1050

My current system
Core2 Extreme QX6850 OC'd @ 3.6
8gb ddr2 @ 1066
Foxconn P45

I may have a line on one if not two more 7970s so I am researching into a good mobo


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> I had just bought a 560ti from a friend before a 7970 landed on my lap. So what I've discovered is my older yet capable rig is defintly due for an upgrade. Ive only noticed a slight fps change from the 560ti playing bf3. 45-50 fps @ 1680x1050
> 
> My current system
> Core2 Extreme QX6850 OC'd @ 3.6
> 8gb ddr2 @ 1066
> Foxconn P45
> 
> I may have a line on one if not two more 7970s so I am researching into a good mobo


Well i suggest you get a new CPU aswel. Current bang for buck CPUs are the 8320 and 3570k. Both will do great in all games. 3570k does somewhat better in singlethreaded games which tends to be a little older, while the 8320 tends to do better in multithreaded games like crysis 3, bf3 etc. Not that either one will be the difference between playable and unplayable in any game.


----------



## Rangerjr1

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6746820

New graphics score guys!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> http://www.pcper.com/news/Graphics-Cards/Rumor-AMD-Gets-Exclusive-Optimization-all-Frostbite-3-Games


That silly front of a website, are they going to do an expose now to defend their partner?


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That silly front of a website, are they going to do an expose now to defend their partner?


Ryan has too much of articles to write these days.Next thing he will do "Among 100 test samples we took for incessant 2 hours of gameplay alloted for each sample to see how many got physically ill playing with amd cards especially x-fire.Stay tuned for further updates."


----------



## Driimit

I'm running the Sapphire HD 7970 OC with boost.(blue PCB, two 8 pin connector, SKU : 11197-03-40G)

My core temperature at idle seems to be quite high ~45 degree. Under load(extreme load like furmark, heaven) its kinda okay like ~80 degree, still not good. But the real problem is VRM temperature gets way too high under load. There are two VRM temperatures(you can check through GPU-Z) and the VRM temp 1 is specifically high for me and under load it remains about 10 to 15 degree higher than VRM temp 2. Under furmark load I've seen it reaching 108 degree and it was still rising before I closed the program. At that moment the other VRM temp was like 91 degree. I know furmark stresses the graphics card extremely hard. But even that can't account for the high temp I'm getting in VRM temp. Also as I said, under load one VRM temp remains considerably less than the other.

So anybody faced this high VRM temperature issue??

Do you think I've got a poor quality/faulty card with VRM thermal solution in VRM not working??


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Driimit*
> 
> I'm running the Sapphire HD 7970 OC with boost.(blue PCB, two 8 pin connector, SKU : 11197-03-40G)
> 
> My core temperature at idle seems to be quite high ~45 degree. Under load(extreme load like furmark, heaven) its kinda okay like ~80 degree, still not good. But the real problem is VRM temperature gets way too high under load. There are two VRM temperatures(you can check through GPU-Z) and the VRM temp 1 is specifically high for me and under load it remains about 10 to 15 degree higher than VRM temp 2. Under furmark load I've seen it reaching 108 degree and it was still rising before I closed the program. At that moment the other VRM temp was like 91 degree. I know furmark stresses the graphics card extremely hard. But even that can't account for the high temp I'm getting in VRM temp. Also as I said, under load one VRM temp remains considerably less than the other.
> 
> So anybody faced this high VRM temperature issue??
> 
> Do you think I've got a poor quality/faulty card with VRM thermal solution in VRM not working??


VRM 1 is not being adequately cooled?

Cause 108 looks awfully high for stock speeds


----------



## Anoxy

Another rookie question for you fine folks: is it possible to only watercool my 7970s? Like does anyone make a generic GPU water cooling kit?


----------



## Nwanko

http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/vga/589/accelero-hybrid-7970.html MAYBE?


----------



## Driimit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/cooling/vga/589/accelero-hybrid-7970.html MAYBE?


Lol, not maybe. Cuz I want to investigate this problem actually. To know is there something wrong with my card as I said. I'm not willing to spend any money on a cooler right now. I also can't afford something like that right now.

Thanks for the links however. It seems like a beautiful product. Haven't seen it earlier. Asking just out of curiosity don't these coolers only integrate and work with cards with reference PCB only? I've read like that.

Waiting for response on my original temperature issue.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Well i suggest you get a new CPU aswel. Current bang for buck CPUs are the 8320 and 3570k. Both will do great in all games. 3570k does somewhat better in singlethreaded games which tends to be a little older, while the 8320 tends to do better in multithreaded games like crysis 3, bf3 etc. Not that either one will be the difference between playable and unplayable in any game.


I have i7-860 but after looking at 1156 boards it does seem worth the time or money. Since im looking for mutli gpu support i think im gonna go 1155 with more board and cpu options. Been looking at a msi or asrock with 3 pcie.


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Driimit*
> 
> Lol, not maybe. Cuz I want to investigate this problem actually. To know is there something wrong with my card as I said. I'm not willing to spend any money on a cooler right now. I also can't afford something like that right now.
> 
> Thanks for the links however. It seems like a beautiful product. Haven't seen it earlier. Asking just out of curiosity don't these coolers only integrate and work with cards with reference PCB only? I've read like that.
> 
> Waiting for response on my original temperature issue.


I think he was responding to my post....


----------



## Seid Dark

I was playing BF3 and suddenly had grey screen with red stripes. What is going on, I thought this could happen with too high memory oc but my memory is at stock speed. To make matters worse, this is completely random, yesterday I played BF3 for 3-4 hours and my pc didn't crash like this.


----------



## Lizard22

hello my gpu temperatures are good, but I would like some advice to better position the GPU2 radiator.
temps: GPU1: 1100/1375, 56c core. VRM: 65c, 64c.
GPU2: 1100/1375, 58c core. VRM 72c, 61c.


----------



## Anoxy

dat cable management...


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> dat cable management...


Zip ties are amazing..


----------



## Driimit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I think he was responding to my post....


Oops.. Then it's coincided because I was talking about the HD 7970 GPU temperature issue and that cooling was for 7970 too.


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Just got my 7950 in the mail, ran a quick Heaven benchmark with no OC.

How does it look?


----------



## GetzTheGoldfish

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I was playing BF3 and suddenly had grey screen with red stripes. What is going on, I thought this could happen with too high memory oc but my memory is at stock speed. To make matters worse, this is completely random, yesterday I played BF3 for 3-4 hours and my pc didn't crash like this.


Just the same thing happend to me while i was running furmark on my Sapphire hd 7970, (i kinda freaked out







)


----------



## KingT

I have ordered Asus HD7950 DC2T V2 card, as I have sold my V1, so I'm anxious to compare these two.









I expect better OC as my V1 was crippled by lack of VRM cooling (I have fixed cooler issue by adding original AMD X shape mounting bracket on the back of PCB).

CHEERS..


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I have ordered Asus HD7950 DC2T V2 card, as I have sold my V1, so I'm anxious to compare these two.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I expect better OC as my V1 was crippled by lack of VRM cooling (I have fixed cooler issue by adding original AMD X shape mounting bracket on the back of PCB).
> 
> CHEERS..


dont be dissapointed if its voltage locked!

but its a friggin beast if not WOOT!


----------



## vinton13

I'm at my last straw with this CFX 7950s...the last thing left for me to do is to re-install Windows.

I've done literally everything else to solve this problem where BF3 will crash when I minimize and say I need more VRAM.
Then Crysis 3 just keeps crashing and using more than 4GB VRAM (according to MSI AB).
I've tried updating the BIOS on my older 7950 as well, the BIOS just won't work at all.

If there is anything else you guys think I should try before re-installing, let me know please.









Question to CFX users, do your BIOS match on the cards?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> I'm at my last straw with this CFX 7950s...the last thing left for me to do is to re-install Windows.
> 
> I've done literally everything else to solve this problem where BF3 will crash when I minimize and say I need more VRAM.
> Then Crysis 3 just keeps crashing and using more than 4GB VRAM (according to MSI AB).
> I've tried updating the BIOS on my older 7950 as well, the BIOS just won't work at all.
> 
> If there is anything else you guys think I should try before re-installing, let me know please.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Question to CFX users, do your BIOS match on the cards?


BIOS don't need to match. Your issue sounds Windows related, try running the WEI. It sounds stupid, but it has fixed issues with GPU usage for me in the past, especially related to folding. Also, try running the game with no afterburner and ensure the OSD is off, and any program that might utilizes some kind of frame buffer hooking to get stats.


----------



## vinton13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> BIOS don't need to match. Your issue sounds Windows related, try running the WEI. It sounds stupid, but it has fixed issues with GPU usage for me in the past, especially related to folding. Also, try running the game with no afterburner and ensure the OSD is off, and any program that might utilizes some kind of frame buffer hooking to get stats.


WEI dropped from 7.9 to 7.8 when I added the second card. I'll try the AB thing though.

EDIT: Nope, no luck. Same thing.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> WEI dropped from 7.9 to 7.8 when I added the second card. I'll try the AB thing though.
> 
> EDIT: Nope, no luck. Same thing.


Wait wait, I missed you said crash on MINIMIZE. That is totally a BF3 thing and there is a way to fix it, let me see if I can find it as I read about it a while back. It has nothing to do with your cards at all. Nvidia and AMD can both have that issue, I'll post back in a bit when I find it.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> I'm at my last straw with this CFX 7950s...the last thing left for me to do is to re-install Windows.
> 
> I've done literally everything else to solve this problem where BF3 will crash when I minimize and say I need more VRAM.
> Then Crysis 3 just keeps crashing and using more than 4GB VRAM (according to MSI AB).
> I've tried updating the BIOS on my older 7950 as well, the BIOS just won't work at all.
> 
> If there is anything else you guys think I should try before re-installing, let me know please.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Question to CFX users, do your BIOS match on the cards?


I only really play those two games and i have never had those issues on my two 7950s..Why are you using so much Vram?How many monitors and what res are you running?


----------



## Scorpion49

I found it, you need to right click the shortcut you use (or make one if you're going through origin, whatever) and disable desktop composition and visual themes. Its windows Aero interfering with the process (it will do this even if you have Aero "off"), I remember having to do this on my buddies machine with GTX 470 now that I've thought about it.


----------



## vinton13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Wait wait, I missed you said crash on MINIMIZE. That is totally a BF3 thing and there is a way to fix it, let me see if I can find it as I read about it a while back. It has nothing to do with your cards at all. Nvidia and AMD can both have that issue, I'll post back in a bit when I find it.


It doesn't happen when using a single card though. But if you can find it, it'd be great. It'll save me from re-installing since I don't really care that much for Crysis. I play Bf3 a lot more.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I only really play those two games and i have never had those issues on my two 7950s..Why are you using so much Vram?How many monitors and what res are you running?


One monitor, 1080p.
Bf3 stays 3GB and below, when I minimize it, it drops from 3GB to 2.5GB, but when I try to maximize it again, it tells me I need more VRAM and crashes.

Crysis 3 on the other hand...once the game loads, it keeps climbing from 3GB to somewhere above 4GB and then crashes. Sometimes I get an error about memory allocation, sometimes I don't get any error at all.


----------



## vinton13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I found it, you need to right click the shortcut you use (or make one if you're going through origin, whatever) and disable desktop composition and visual themes. Its windows Aero interfering with the process (it will do this even if you have Aero "off"), I remember having to do this on my buddies machine with GTX 470 now that I've thought about it.


Okay thank you very much. I will try it soon.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Another rookie question for you fine folks: is it possible to only watercool my 7970s? Like does anyone make a generic GPU water cooling kit?


yes pump rad gpu block, res(optional) ( assuming you are looking for custom loop other wise there are a few brackets you can buy for AIO units or you can use zip ties.

right now he is not taking any more orders. but here is an example.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1237219/620-920-h50-h70-gpu-brackets/4200_100#post_20225101

if you are going custom loop you want at very MINIMUM 1 120 single fan rad per component but i always recomend at min 1 120mm daul fan rad ( 240 ) per componant. and if you are doing your gpu should just do your cpu as well... only a bit more and well worth it 1 more rad ( or a bigger one ) and a cpu block ( min i recommend for a cpu/gpu custom system is a 360 or any combo that adds up to 3x120mm )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Driimit*
> 
> Lol, not maybe. Cuz I want to investigate this problem actually. To know is there something wrong with my card as I said. I'm not willing to spend any money on a cooler right now. I also can't afford something like that right now.
> 
> Thanks for the links however. It seems like a beautiful product. Haven't seen it earlier. Asking just out of curiosity don't these coolers only integrate and work with cards with reference PCB only? I've read like that.
> 
> Waiting for response on my original temperature issue.


no mounting holes are the same no matter wwhat card you use. but get copper heatsinks for your vrms and memory if you ever do buy that. i know there are a few on the market.
also i recommend using tape not glue ( thermal tape ) to attach them as glue is forever!~


----------



## Anoxy

Radeon Pro is a miracle. I was getting slightly frustrated with micro-stuttering in games so I googled around a bit and tried making a RP profile, specifically for Arkham City, and wow. Smooth as glass now and temps never go above 66 C maxed out at 1440p
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes pump rad gpu block, res(optional) ( assuming you are looking for custom loop other wise there are a few brackets you can buy for AIO units or you can use zip ties.


Oh no, I was talking about pre-made units, like Corsair's hydro series but for GPUs.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Radeon Pro is a miracle. I was getting slightly frustrated with micro-stuttering in games so I googled around a bit and tried making an RP profile, specifically for Arkham City, and wow. Smooth as glass now and temps never go above 66 C maxed out at 1440p/


You can try a combination of vsync and framerate cap. Its the best for cf.

Try this:



Its my settings for an average 16 ms latency all the time. Just change your frames based on your monitor refresh rate.


----------



## Anoxy

I know, that's what I'm doing. Except I read that you shouldn't use triple buffering for crossfire.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I know, that's what I'm doing. Except I read that you shouldn't use triple buffering for crossfire.


I was also told to never use triple buffering for crossfire..


----------



## vltor

There is something wrong with my computer. After installing a 7950 oc edition gpu u am not able to fully and properly access the windows login screen. After rebooting i always end up with a black blank screen. However i encounter none of these problems if i insert the amd 5450. Someone please help or send me a pm.


----------



## vinton13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I only really play those two games and i have never had those issues on my two 7950s..Why are you using so much Vram?How many monitors and what res are you running?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I found it, you need to right click the shortcut you use (or make one if you're going through origin, whatever) and disable desktop composition and visual themes. Its windows Aero interfering with the process (it will do this even if you have Aero "off"), I remember having to do this on my buddies machine with GTX 470 now that I've thought about it.


Reporting back to tell you guys the fix what Scorpion49 posted, worked.








Thanks a bunch!


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Reporting back to tell you guys the fix what Scorpion49 posted, worked.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks a bunch!


Glad to hear it, now enjoy your nice hardware! I knew I had heard of that before when you posted it, although I haven't seen it in about 6 or 8 months as I don't play BF3 myself.


----------



## Paul17041993

never managed to get the voltage on my DCIIT unlocked...
core of 1050MHz, memory at 1700MHz, but that's as far as it will go without more volts (locked at 1175mV)
been planning on fitting a waterblock on it lately, but I'm starting to wonder if its really worth it apart from giving my audio card more heat space...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Radeon Pro is a miracle. I was getting slightly frustrated with micro-stuttering in games so I googled around a bit and tried making a RP profile, specifically for Arkham City, and wow. Smooth as glass now and temps never go above 66 C maxed out at 1440p
> Oh no, I was talking about pre-made units, like Corsair's hydro series but for GPUs.


i talked about those as well.. several people make brackets including the thread i linked.

zip ties work too. unfortunately dwood is not taking any orders atm


----------



## tx-jose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> [/B]
> 
> Yeah, we aren't using nVidia cards
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd try and get a 7970 PCB 7950 card though, doesn't have to be the same brand though because even if it's not it's the same card beneath.


Im OCD like that tho lol....

what about the boost card vs my non boost?


----------



## Mega Man

still fine but the cards downclock to the lowest clock


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTank Jones16x*
> 
> Just got my 7950 in the mail, ran a quick Heaven benchmark with no OC.
> 
> How does it look?


Well after a while, I think I got a stable overclock. Sitting at 1100 Core clock/1450 memory clock/@1.225V. Wish I am able to go higher, but I don't want to push past 1.250V.

Also I had a lovely time trying to figure out why my core clock kept dropping no matter what OC I put it at (dropping during games/benchmarks causing me to lose about 20ish FPS). Had to ditch MSI AF and install Trixxx, along with raising my power control to 20%. The core clock still drops when I am idle, but when I load up a game/benchmark, the core clock seems to be stable at the OC I put it at.

Here is what I am sitting at now:


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> still fine but the cards downclock to the lowest clock


I know how you feel though, haha. You could just flash the BIOS of a boost to the non boost or vice versa I'm fairly sure that's do-able. I run different cards (Almost the same PCB), but they both have acceleros on them so they both look the same!


----------



## Mega Man

i am not complaining just letting him know


----------



## JJ1217

with a 7950, which is worth it for ocing, 1100 @ 1.175 V, or 1200 @ 1.275V?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> with a 7950, which is worth it for ocing, 1100 @ 1.175 V, or 1200 @ 1.275V?


Hmm, can you find a sweetspot in between?
1.275v is rather high for air cooling/24/7...I wouldn't like to push more than 1.2v for daily usage but that's just me being wary of the power bill


----------



## d1nky

LOL if anyone installed those leaked betas.... youre probably mining for someone.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185660


----------



## ivanlabrie

mofo xD

Sounds like regular botnet practices...hate those guys.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL if anyone installed those leaked betas.... youre probably mining for someone.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185660


LOL That IS funny.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> with a 7950, which is worth it for ocing, 1100 @ 1.175 V, or 1200 @ 1.275V?


either is fine as long as temps are fine. My 7950 runs at 1.25 volts stock (boost edition)


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL if anyone installed those leaked betas.... youre probably mining for someone.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185660


just seen this, wow, making people your bitcoin miners, that's genius! lol


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i am not complaining just letting him know


I didn't mean to quote you, when I replied I was dead tired and still am. Got an exam tomorrow (11 hours) so I'm gonna sleep. I just prepped the papers for it today and thank goodness it's finally done! Last exam woo!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> just seen this, wow, making people your bitcoin miners, that's genius! lol


Yeah haha, that is actually!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL if anyone installed those leaked betas.... youre probably mining for someone.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185660
> 
> 
> 
> LOL That IS funny.
Click to expand...

Does that mean asder00's driver was infected or a different driver?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Does that mean asder00's driver was infected or a different driver?


Different.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Does that mean asder00's driver was infected or a different driver?
> 
> 
> 
> Different.
Click to expand...

Gotcha thanks. I was like nooo asder000 what will I dooo?


----------



## alancsalt

Botcoin....


----------



## d1nky

no if ya read two key posts, one guy says look heres some other link. asder said that guys has a bitcoin.exe in them.

and i believe these drivers caught on like wildfire, dangers of forums i suppose.

im just glad i eas too lazy to test different ones out.


----------



## Seid Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*


I ask again, is this normal driver bug or cause for warranty? RMA will be difficult because this card can play games for several hours without problems, and then suddenly crash like this. RMA guys usually just test with some benchmarks and call it a day. I can run Valley and 3DMarks without problems.


----------



## Brizzol

Quote:


> never managed to get the voltage on my DCIIT unlocked...
> core of 1050MHz, memory at 1700MHz, but that's as far as it will go without more volts (locked at 1175mV)


Have you tried using sapphire trixx? I could vamp mine up to 1.3v.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I ask again, is this normal driver bug or cause for warranty? RMA will be difficult because this card can play games for several hours without problems, and then suddenly crash like this. RMA guys usually just test with some benchmarks and call it a day. I can run Valley and 3DMarks without problems.


Need more information. How many times has this happened? It may be just a glitch with the drivers. You game for hours without a problem and I am thinking it maybe just an issue with the drivers. The only time I have ever had an issue like that was with my hd5870 when the computer goes into hibernation by timers. You would see a gray screen like this.



This was a driver issue and maybe similar to what has happened to you.


----------



## Csokis

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/347803712930070529Quote:


> Big news for CrossFire! We plan to release our driver that delivers improved multi-GPU frame pacing on July 31. More info soon.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Csokis*
> 
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/347803712930070529


This is exactly what I said about 10 pages ago lol. Well, not exactly, but I predicted that the drivers would be out end of july.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Csokis*
> 
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/347803712930070529


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> This is exactly what I said about 10 pages ago lol. Well, not exactly, but I predicted that the drivers would be out end of july.


Maybe the 8970 is out by then!?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Maybe the 8970 is out by then!?


September.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Hey guys i have a question about this Oculous Rift thing that's getting alot of attention these days. Can it work with PCs right now in all games? It seems all it does is display two mirrored images, one for each eye (kinda like running two monitors)


----------



## dookiebot

From what I have read this is this will not work with all games out of the box and will require some support from the game developers (Valve and iD are 2 of many that are happily supporting the device).

Also a big challenge with the Rift is the HUD display and other messaging in game as VR introduces a whole new range of how that should integrate with the player. The traditional way it's used in game on flat monitors does not work well in VR.

I am following this tech closely though. It would be the one thing that could ween me off eyefinity.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Seid Dark*
> 
> I ask again, is this normal driver bug or cause for warranty? RMA will be difficult because this card can play games for several hours without problems, and then suddenly crash like this. RMA guys usually just test with some benchmarks and call it a day. I can run Valley and 3DMarks without problems.


I cant even begin to tell you how much trouble I had with this for the first 4-6 months of it in RMA, to then find it would only crash as long as any software under the name ASUS was installed (didn't even have to be running, just there), if you have any software from asus or similar, try uninstalling and see if it still hapens...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Brizzol*
> 
> Have you tried using sapphire trixx? I could vamp mine up to 1.3v.


I have literally tried everything, I got as far as using the OC BIOS from ASUS, to then find the vcore was then locked at 1100mV constantly even though you could move the slider up to 2000mV in GPUTweak (no value would be applied, but clocks still were...), in turn this made the card even more unstable at stock clocks, and would crash whenever I tried to run Heaven4.0...

- no matrix bios works, card will only work with DCII BIOS's (yes I tried all 7 different versions I could find, for both U2 and U3)

I guess if trixx got an update not too long ago I could see if it will get anywhere, atm it does nothing, and afterburner isn't a real help either apart from allowing me to set the memory to 1700MHz...


----------



## Noviets

My 7970 DC2T isn't showing VRM temps, and I had throttling at 61c on the GPU, using OCCT. So I assume that the VRMs are overheating? Should I RMA it?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> My 7970 DC2T isn't showing VRM temps, and I had throttling at 61c on the GPU, using OCCT. So I assume that the VRMs are overheating? Should I RMA it?


Custom PCB... It wont let you see the VRM temps.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Custom PCB... It wont let you see the VRM temps.


Can you see the VRM's on the card? If so, do they have heat sinks on them?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can you see the VRM's on the card? If so, do they have heat sinks on them?


On my card?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> On my card?


Sorry I hit quote on the wrong message.

This is what I should have quoted:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> My 7970 DC2T isn't showing VRM temps, and I had throttling at 61c on the GPU, using OCCT. So I assume that the VRMs are overheating? Should I RMA it?


And the message is - Can you see the VRM's on the card? If so, do they have heat sinks on them?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Sorry I hit quote on the wrong message.
> 
> This is what I should have quoted:
> And the message is - Can you see the VRM's on the card? If so, do they have heat sinks on them?


DC2 cards have the "durability plate" that covers the VRMs and VRAM chips. I dont know how good it is because guess what? I CANT SEE THE DAMN VRM TEMPS... good job custom ASUS PCB.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> DC2 cards have the "durability plate" that covers the VRMs and VRAM chips. I dont know how good it is because guess what? I CANT SEE THE DAMN VRM TEMPS... good job custom ASUS PCB.


Well, the holder of the card should check their airflow. If that fails, it would be a case of RMA.


----------



## Kriant

Ok, I've figured out what's up with temperature difference on idle on my card compared to others - > IF you set 1500mhz and over on RAM via Afterburner or catalyst amd OC or trixx the XFX bios seems to interperet it as a signal for 3d setting and my card instantly jumps to 1.25v hence higher temps on gpu ( I've disabled ULPS for quadfire purposes and now my first card runs at 500/whatever I put on ram in 2d)


----------



## Paul17041993

the VRM on the DCII is naturally hot an inefficient from what Ive found, if your GPU core is overheating the screws may bee too loose (most of the first versions had this problem...), but 60-65C is normal anyway under load.

as for trixx, just updated, exact same as before...



edit: also tried latest beta for afterburner, voltage is still gone entirely...



at this point, with all the trouble I have had to go through (including my mobo), I have lost all respect for ASUS...

almost a year and the card has barely been used as it was designed for...


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can you see the VRM's on the card? If so, do they have heat sinks on them?


I had to RMA my first DC2T because it was the wrong voltage, that one had two VRM temps, one worked, the other one was stuck at 25C. It also showed a lot more stuff, like Amps, etc. Can't figure out why, I even tried to change Bios, no difference


----------



## OneGun

So the Crossfire driver release date is July 31st huh?They had to wait for last day in July lol..


----------



## dir_d

Im hoping a Beta will show up sooner and the one on the 31st is WHQL


----------



## ebduncan

its well know it takes around a month to get a driver certified.

We will likely see a beta here soon.


----------



## CravinR1

What do I need to use a secondary monitor from mini displayport to DVI on my TF3 MSI 7950 ?

I bought something from amazon that didn't work:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007KB0EGC/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> What do I need to use a secondary monitor from mini displayport to DVI on my TF3 MSI 7950 ?
> 
> I bought something from amazon that didn't work:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007KB0EGC/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1


2 things to know
if you have 2 monitors hooked up already and adding a third you need an active adapter.

if you are only adding a second monitor you can have a passive adapter.

the ones at micro center work well. but all adapters in my exp will fail over time.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Can the 7970 be modded to work like a FirePro graphics card


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Can the 7970 be modded to work like a FirePro graphics card


no


----------



## mtielemans

Not a single 7990 registered yet it seems! Looking forward to register mine after the weekend (when I'm back home).


----------



## Anoxy

nevermind.


----------



## Jason007 xtreme

Registered !

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/8edeu/


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jason007 xtreme*
> 
> Registered !
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/8edeu/










guess I better get a gigabyte to replace this crap ASUS...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Im off to TPU noobs. Bye.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Im off to TPU noobs. Bye.


Huh?? xD

@Paul: older giga cards were AWESOME for air cooling. Not sure if you can flash newer ones with the old non-ghz/boost bioses though.
My 7970 does 1300/1940 with 1.3v and 1.65v respectively.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Huh?? xD
> 
> @Paul: older giga cards were AWESOME for air cooling. Not sure if you can flash newer ones with the old non-ghz/boost bioses though.
> My 7970 does 1300/1940 with 1.3v and 1.65v respectively.


Goddamn that memory. Mine can/could do 1890 on memory and 1310 on core.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> guess I better get a gigabyte to replace this crap ASUS...


crap asus?! ya wouldnt know a decent card if it slapped ya in the face!

98% of gpu problems are user error! NOOB!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> crap asus?! ya wouldnt know a decent card if it slapped ya in the face!
> 
> 98% of gpu problems are user error! NOOB!


Could you unlock your card? What rev. is it?

@Rangerjr1, yeah







Pretty beastly, sadly I only got a pentium D based rig atm. Sold my MVG after my 3770k's demise. Waiting for either Ivy-E/Haswell-E or saving for a Haswell build.


----------



## d1nky

mines rev 1.02X


----------



## ivanlabrie

do you know if you can flash/unlock any DcuII 7950/70?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> do you know if you can flash/unlock any DcuII 7950/70?


Flash unlock to get unlocked voltage? or to flash to a 7970 from a 7950?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Flash unlock to get unlocked voltage? or to flash to a 7970 from a 7950?


Both







(I know shaders won't unlock though)


----------



## Anoxy

Wow, quite the deal if you're in the market for a 7970.

$299 after rebate over at Newegg


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Wow, quite the deal if you're in the market for a 7970.
> 
> $299 after rebate over at Newegg


What the hell&#8230; that's cheaper than what I got my 7950 for a few months ago and that 7970 isn't even a bad model.


----------



## Anoxy

Yeah, 8xxx series on the horizon


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yumm, I want three!!!

Sounds like 8xxx is coming in July (like the xfire fix driver)








I'm excited!

Might have to get a few more 7970s for mining if they are so cheap though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> crap asus?! ya wouldnt know a decent card if it slapped ya in the face!
> 
> 98% of gpu problems are user error! NOOB!


yea, asus themselves say the exact same thing, funnily enough their software crashes my computer all the time despite both the card and mobo being, you guessed it, asus...
could also mention, the fans on this card are not incredibly quiet either, they have a notable grumble, but that may just be their tacky sleeve bearings and the card sitting vertical instead of the normal horizontal...
side note, I wish I could get a gigabyte 99FX-UD7, they have the best overclocking results due to their extra phases... that and the on-board audio asus seem to like advertising is actually worse then using standard realtech chips...

edit: you actually have to pop the back plate off to get to the revision number...? really...?


----------



## Rauli11

i'm looking to buy a 7970 from amazon UK or DE and i want to ask you guys do you know any specific model that is good temperatures and voltage unlocked?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea, asus themselves say the exact same thing, funnily enough their software crashes my computer all the time despite both the card and mobo being, you guessed it, asus...
> could also mention, the fans on this card are not incredibly quiet either, they have a notable grumble, but that may just be their tacky sleeve bearings and the card sitting vertical instead of the normal horizontal...
> side note, I wish I could get a gigabyte 99FX-UD7, they have the best overclocking results due to their extra phases... that and the on-board audio asus seem to like advertising is actually worse then using standard realtech chips...
> 
> edit: you actually have to pop the back plate off to get to the revision number...? really...?


It doesn't get any better than the CHV you have mate...look at the top scores and validations at hwbot.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rauli11*
> 
> i'm looking to buy a 7970 from amazon UK or DE and i want to ask you guys do you know any specific model that is good temperatures and voltage unlocked?


HIS IceQ X2 Boost 7950 and X2 Turbo 7970s are unlocked and has a good cooler, Sapphire Dual-X cards should be good and unlocked too.


----------



## Rauli11

Thank you for your quick response, I haven't checked out HIS cards yet, i will do so in a moment but about sapphire, i googled and learned some people have the voltage lock issue on different models of sapphire 7970s but i don't know whether to trust those statements or not. If they really are unlocked i would defenetly get sapphire because i have a hd 6870 myself and the quality is quite good.

EDIT: Looks like HIS cards are out of my league price wise, but ivanlabrie did you have this card in mind when you said that it's voltage unlocked? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sapphire-Radeon-HD7970-Graphics-384bit/dp/B008V25EWI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1371907633&sr=8-3&keywords=7970


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea, asus themselves say the exact same thing, funnily enough their software crashes my computer all the time despite both the card and mobo being, you guessed it, asus...
> could also mention, the fans on this card are not incredibly quiet either, they have a notable grumble, but that may just be their tacky sleeve bearings and the card sitting vertical instead of the normal horizontal...
> side note, I wish I could get a gigabyte 99FX-UD7, they have the best overclocking results due to their extra phases... that and the on-board audio asus seem to like advertising is actually worse then using standard realtech chips...
> 
> edit: you actually have to pop the back plate off to get to the revision number...? really...?


seems youre in a minority, the board you have is loved by everyone that owns it!

and the card you have, yea maybe you got unlucky!

my 7950 - voltage unlocked can bench at 1200/1800 maybe more or less dependent on the 3d test.

i dont have a back plate the card number etc is right where i can see it.

id trade my 11.5k 3dmark11 graphics score 7950 and mobo with 12 phases for yours any day!

**and remember people your are using these cards outside of their intended usage - problems are your own not the cards when it comes to overclocking etc

........................................................................................................................................................

and at the people wondering about unlocking voltages on their cards. this is from my experience and its 100% true. a few weeks ago i was testing different (compatible) bioses on my card.

i tried 7970/7950s from different vendors etc etc. some worked and the majority didnt. there was no magical differences in performance, most the time just a lot of instability. fully benched/stressed and gamed.

However, i did try Asus' new updated bios for the card, meant for this card. And it locked my voltages with every single overclock software. i reverted back to my old bios, and my voltages were unlocked again.


----------



## KingT

Today I got Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP *V2* card, simply amazing.

Even though I got an average clocker,ASIC= 66,2% but the heat and noise is just great.

I got it @ 1100/1600MHz with 1.150V in Afterburner (stock Voltage is 1.094V, 900MHz core).

In games it hits 62C max on GPU and VRMs never break 70C, fan speeds up @ 48% max with my fan profile, not noisy at all. (very hot summer day, no AC in room)

I also had V1 card, memory was great hitting 1850MHz stable but core was limited to 1050MHz due lack of VRM cooling.

In the end very happy with my purchase of V2, great card, great build quality, passive cooling on VRMs and memory, 8+2 phase custom design PCB (super alloy components) and cooler from HD7970 DC2 model.

This is probably one of the best HD7950 on the market, too bad Asus didn't introduce this card from the very beginning.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!















CHEERS..


----------



## Paul17041993

maby I could try your BIOS and see if it will accept without giving any errors...?

at this point I think I'm just going to get one or two stock 7950's or 7970's and waterblock them... not particularly interested in overclocking them much if I have two... (asus card I would have to watercool if I want a second card due to the slots, why couldn't they have put that pciex1 where the legacy PCI slot is in the first version...)

as for the CVF being top on the list isn't surprising, though I would prefer a board like the UD7 anyway for what it has, no real interest in things like special onboard audio and software suits unless they actually have some good parts and design under them to back it up...


----------



## d1nky

@ kingT the card is a beast, i thought they had 10phase design and the 7970 has 12.

Asic doesnt really mean too much with overclocking, mines down to about 50% lol

if you do any benches please post a link, id like to see.

@paul youd have to get a compatible bios


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea, asus themselves say the exact same thing, funnily enough their software crashes my computer all the time despite both the card and mobo being, you guessed it, asus...
> could also mention, the fans on this card are not incredibly quiet either, they have a notable grumble, but that may just be their tacky sleeve bearings and the card sitting vertical instead of the normal horizontal...
> side note, I wish I could get a gigabyte 99FX-UD7, they have the best overclocking results due to their extra phases... that and the on-board audio asus seem to like advertising is actually worse then using standard realtech chips...
> 
> edit: you actually have to pop the back plate off to get to the revision number...? really...?


You got to be kidding? You can't get your hardware to work properly so you blame the manufacturer. Like Dinky said... user error. MVF is one of the best board out there. The components on this board are top notch.

@kingt lower asic = watercooled monster


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> @ kingT the card is a beast, i thought they had 10phase design and the 7970 has 12.
> 
> Asic doesnt really mean too much with overclocking, mines down to about 50% lol
> 
> if you do any benches please post a link, id like to see.


Asus HD7950 V2 has 8phases for GPU and 2 phases for memory (8+2 phase design), HD7970 DC2 has 10 phases for GPU and 2 for memory (10+2 phase design).

*Asus HD7950 DC2 V2 PCB:
*







[B]Asus HD7970 DC2 PCB:
[/B]
[IMG alt="Asus_HD_7970_DCII_TOP_Review_PCB_geral-1024x678.jpg"]http://www.hardwarebenchnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Asus_HD_7970_DCII_TOP_Review_PCB_geral-1024x678.jpg


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> Wow, quite the deal if you're in the market for a 7970.
> 
> $299 after rebate over at Newegg


Boost card...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rauli11*
> 
> i'm looking to buy a 7970 from amazon UK or DE and i want to ask you guys do you know any specific model that is good temperatures and voltage unlocked?


Get a reference card.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> maby I could try your BIOS and see if it will accept without giving any errors...?
> 
> at this point I think I'm just going to get one or two stock 7950's or 7970's and waterblock them... not particularly interested in overclocking them much if I have two... (asus card I would have to watercool if I want a second card due to the slots, why couldn't they have put that pciex1 where the legacy PCI slot is in the first version...)
> 
> as for the CVF being top on the list isn't surprising, though I would prefer a board like the UD7 anyway for what it has, no real interest in things like special onboard audio and software suits unless they actually have some good parts and design under them to back it up...


I've also owned the CHV, and it had the same issue many Asus boards I have owned in the past had: AI Suite II software. That software created more problems that I could even name, so if you have it installed, try getting rid of all of it and seeing what happens.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea, asus themselves say the exact same thing, funnily enough their software crashes my computer all the time despite both the card and mobo being, you guessed it, asus...
> could also mention, the fans on this card are not incredibly quiet either, they have a notable grumble, but that may just be their tacky sleeve bearings and the card sitting vertical instead of the normal horizontal...
> side note, I wish I could get a gigabyte 99FX-UD7, they have the best overclocking results due to their extra phases... that and the on-board audio asus seem to like advertising is actually worse then using standard realtech chips...
> 
> edit: you actually have to pop the back plate off to get to the revision number...? really...?


the chv is top of the class in ocing.

triple slot cards are not the mobos fault you should of know that when buying. double slot is the norm.

however the saber tooth does have triple slot spacing.

i dont think a single giga board could match the chv, sorry but side note. dont use aisute..... ever use hwinfo64 and either speed fan or one of the other many fan softwares out there.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rauli11*
> 
> i'm looking to buy a 7970 from amazon UK or DE and i want to ask you guys do you know any specific model that is good temperatures and voltage unlocked?


Get the His ice x2..


----------



## Rauli11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Get a reference card.


But doesn't it have a loud and hot cooler, i dont really have more money to buy custom cooler


----------



## PedroC1999

There are reference card's with custom coolers, such as my PCS+ and the Vapor X


----------



## eclipsextreme

Edit....

Noob quesiton... lack of sleep lately effecting me.

My 7900 series card was given to me by a friend. Only says radeon on the card. Looks like this one,



It has a 8 and 6 pin power connectors. Now how to I tell if it is a 7950 or 7970


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Dumb Noob Quesiton but *everything on my PC says 7900 Series* and then 3dmark11 said 7950. Haven't found any visual differences between the two. My card has a 8pin and 6pin PCIE power.


dont worry, that is normal....


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Asus HD7950 V2 has 8phases for GPU and 2 phases for memory (8+2 phase design), HD7970 DC2 has 10 phases for GPU and 2 for memory (10+2 phase design).
> 
> *Asus HD7950 DC2 V2 PCB:
> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [B]Asus HD7970 DC2 PCB:
> [/B]
> [IMG alt="Asus_HD_7970_DCII_TOP_Review_PCB_geral-1024x678.jpg"]http://www.hardwarebenchnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Asus_HD_7970_DCII_TOP_Review_PCB_geral-1024x678.jpgThe PCB is the same lenght and widht, the coolers are 100% identical. Actually a backplate from HD7970 DC2 would fit perfectly on HD7950 DC2 V2 card. Yeah , great card, too bad Asus dropped ball with V1, using a reference AMD design PCB without any passive cooling on VRM and memory, and just slapping a huge DC2 cooler from HD69xx DC2 series on top of it, They also used inadequate spring load screws that could'n hold down the weight od the cooler itself. (overheating problems). CHEERS..[/QUOTE]
> 
> thats kind of strange because when i counted the chokes on my card it had 10 for the gpu. 2 for the mem. i might of been drunk or not remembering correctly lol i will check again another time.
> 
> and if youre into benching posy up some scores pretty please!


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> dont worry, that is normal....


Sorry edited my post cause I noticed I forgot my question...


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> dont worry, that is normal....
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry edited my post cause I noticed I forgot my question...
Click to expand...

well in the un-edited post 3Dmark11 reported a 7950 so i am guessing you have a 7950. Another way you can check is open up GPU-z and look at the shaders box, if it is a hd7950 it will read 1792, a hd7970 will read 2048.

there are a few hd7950's with 8+6 PCie power connectors.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Edit....
> 
> Noob quesiton... lack of sleep lately effecting me.
> 
> My 7900 series card was given to me by a friend. Only says radeon on the card. Looks like this one,
> 
> 
> 
> It has a 8 and 6 pin power connectors. Now how to I tell if it is a 7950 or 7970


Just download GPU-Z and it'll tell you wether it's a 7950 or a 7970.


----------



## eclipsextreme




----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*


from what i can tell you have a HD7950 judging by the Device ID
HD7970
Device Id: 1002 6798
HD7950
Device Id: 1002 679A


----------



## Adversity

Just bought a 7970, it is the Sapphire OC version, anyone know how well it clocks?


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> from what i can tell you have a HD7950 judging by the Device ID
> HD7970
> Device Id: 1002 6798
> HD7950
> Device Id: 1002 679A


Thanks, most be a 7950 then, I was told 7970 when I got it and when I googled pictures they look the same lol. But the 800/1250 and the 22nm looks like 7950, not that it matters, still beats the 560ti I was running before









just need to update my registration then
Also just ran 3dsmark with it clocked at 975/1250 with a max temp of 65


----------



## Paul17041993

yea I cant even touch the asus software even if I wanted to, both gputweak and AIsuit cause zebrascreens every 10-30 minutes independent of what other things are running... which ended up with a pointless and costly 3 month RMA and loads of stress cause the thing wouldn't even do basic tasks...

but if this card cant go past 1100MHz, then I'm just going to sell it...

if you were in the same boat as me, you would understand my disappointment to asus as a company (not just my hardware either...)


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Thanks, most be a 7950 then, I was told 7970 when I got it and when I googled pictures they look the same lol. But the 800/1250 and the 22nm looks like 7950, not that it matters, still beats the 560ti I was running before
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just need to update my registration then
> Also just ran 3dsmark with it clocked at 975/1250 with a max temp of 65


I hope you didn't pay a 7970 price tag for that 7950 though.


----------



## Driimit

Using Sapphire HD 7970 OC w/ Boost. Whenever I overclock my memory clock, I don't see any difference in my benchmarking. The stock mem clock is 1500 MHz. For a specific core clock say I'm getting 57 fps in Unigine Heaven benchamark at 1080p. Then with the memory clock tuned up to 1580 MHz. I'd get 56.2 MHz. Not that it's a major degradation though. But the point is despite we all know that memory overclocking gives us rather trivial improvement compared to core overclocking, overclocking the memory shouldn't degrade the performance at least. Btw it has got nothing to do with voltage tweaking/memory not getting enough voltage as far as I observed.

I've had similar problems in my HD 7850 OC. I asked about in in OCN. Some people said the ECC memory stuff kicking in and the performance degradation occurred due to extra work done by the card to do error checking. But the same performance degradation(as slight as it may be) occurred not only when I overclocked my memory clock, but also when I underclocked it.

Any suggestions/info on what's happening actually?


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTank Jones16x*
> 
> I hope you didn't pay a 7970 price tag for that 7950 though.


oh no that would be a different story.... nope it was a freebie


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> There are reference card's with custom coolers, such as my PCS+ and the Vapor X


VaporX is not reference.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rauli11*
> 
> But doesn't it have a loud and hot cooler, i dont really have more money to buy custom cooler


No, its pretty good. Just loud.


----------



## d1nky

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/576182


----------



## eclipsextreme

Nice, 1250/1750 what are you cooling with?

I got way less CPU than you








http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/819003


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Nice, 1250/1750 what are you cooling with?
> 
> I got way less CPU than you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/819003


He's cooling using the DC2 cooler.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/576182


What voltage are you using to achieve those clocks?


----------



## Anoxy

Halp!

This just started happening last night, running two 7970s in crossfire. Horizontal flickering lines moving up my screen. It only happens when a game is fullscreen, doesn't happen in windowed mode.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Nice, 1250/1750 what are you cooling with?
> 
> I got way less CPU than you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/819003


oh wow a core2... gpu score looks like its being majorly bottlenecked by your cpu and ram lol...

@Anoxy, tried without xfire and tested each card individually? any driver updates lately? dust/overheating? wouldn't surprise me if one of your cards has a small memory error causing it to loose some pixels each frame...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea I cant even touch the asus software even if I wanted to, both gputweak and AIsuit cause zebrascreens every 10-30 minutes independent of what other things are running... which ended up with a pointless and costly 3 month RMA and loads of stress cause the thing wouldn't even do basic tasks...
> 
> but if this card cant go past 1100MHz, then I'm just going to sell it...
> 
> if you were in the same boat as me, you would understand my disappointment to asus as a company (not just my hardware either...)


hate to tell you but it has been said in this thread (not by me )" all the asus 7xxx cards are junks"
their high end mobos on the other hand..... cant be great at everything i guess


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> hate to tell you but it has been said in this thread (not by me )" all the asus 7xxx cards are junks"
> their high end mobos on the other hand..... cant be great at everything i guess


pretty much, I bought the card for its nice cooler and would plan to watercool it later if I wanted to xfire (after getting the dedicated soundcard...), but I honestly did not expect it to be virtually impossible to overclock,

mobo on the other hand, if I knew how much trouble the audio was going to be, I would have stuck to more original plans of the sabertooth or a gigabyte board + dedicated audio, instead of having to get a dedicated card later on just to at least "fix" all the audio driver issues (constant high cpu usage, crackling, the chip simply isn't designed for its purpose...)
(5.1 speakers and i like to have 24-bit, 96KHz, plus some op-amps are nice...)

though this is the original CVF I'm talking about, have had it for about a year now...


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> oh wow a core2... gpu score looks like its being majorly bottlenecked by your cpu and ram lol...
> 
> @Anoxy, tried without xfire and tested each card individually? any driver updates lately? dust/overheating? wouldn't surprise me if one of your cards has a small memory error causing it to loose some pixels each frame...


I just tried with one card and it works normally....? Is it possible that my AX750 PSU is insufficient for my system?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I just tried with one card and it works normally....? Is it possible that my AX750 PSU is insufficient for my system?


Try a different bridge.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I just tried with one card and it works normally....***? Is it possible that my AX750 PSU is insufficient for my system?


yea that could be the PSU starting to age and creating instability on the cards when both are used...
but also as Scorpion49 said, try a different xfire bridge if you have a spare...


----------



## Anoxy

The PSU is brand new. Everything in my build was purchased less than a month ago.

Now when I plug both cards in and try to power on my computer, it just power cycles itself, shutting off, then back on, then off, etc. I can't even get to the BIOS. I don't have any other XFire bridges, but I don't see why my current one would suddenly cause this issue. Everything was working fine before last night.


----------



## Anoxy

I am so close to returning everything in my build and just starting from scratch again.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> The PSU is brand new. Everything in my build was purchased less than a month ago.
> 
> Now when I plug both cards in and try to power on my computer, it just power cycles itself, shutting off, then back on, then off, etc. I can't even get to the BIOS. I don't have any other XFire bridges, but I don't see why my current one would suddenly cause this issue. Everything was working fine before last night.


If you are using a power strip try plugging directly into the wall..


----------



## Anoxy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> If you are using a power strip try plugging directly into the wall..


I could kiss you right now.

That solved all of my issues. Thanks a million.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Anoxy*
> 
> I could kiss you right now.
> 
> That solved all of my issues. Thanks a million.


I take reps not kisses







..I wouldn't leave it like that to long in case of power surge..So buy a new high quality power strip asap..Glad i could help bud..


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*


Hey there, it seems you're missing about 1000 shaders and 64 TMU's on your card









That's no 7950.


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Hey there, it seems you're missing about 1000 shaders and 64 TMU's on your card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's no 7950.


Going by gpuz info,that's obviously not 7970/50.May be some cheapo Chinese product labelled 7900


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> Going by gpuz info,that's obviously not 7970/50.May be some cheapo Chinese product labelled 7900


Something look very suspicious...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Hey there, it seems you're missing about 1000 shaders and 64 TMU's on your card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's no 7950.


was about to say, only 768...?

edit: actually could that be one of those 7870 boost cards...? (GCN, like a restricted 7950)


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> was about to say, only 768...?
> 
> edit: actually could that be one of those 7870 boost cards...? (GCN, like a restricted 7950)


A 3GB one?They have those?


----------



## richie_2010

Try a 7950 bios on it. Maybe the bios is borked


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Try a 7950 bios on it. Maybe the bios is borked


This^


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> pretty much, I bought the card for its nice cooler and would plan to watercool it later if I wanted to xfire (after getting the dedicated soundcard...), but I honestly did not expect it to be virtually impossible to overclock,
> 
> mobo on the other hand, if I knew how much trouble the audio was going to be, I would have stuck to more original plans of the sabertooth or a gigabyte board + dedicated audio, instead of having to get a dedicated card later on just to at least "fix" all the audio driver issues (constant high cpu usage, crackling, the chip simply isn't designed for its purpose...)
> (5.1 speakers and i like to have 24-bit, 96KHz, plus some op-amps are nice...)
> 
> though this is the original CVF I'm talking about, have had it for about a year now...


i just got a kick but deal on my CHVZ only 155 !~ just finished installing it too.... will play with it tomorrow.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> I take reps not kisses
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ..I wouldn't leave it like that to long in case of power surge..So buy a new high quality power strip asap..Glad i could help bud..


hate to tell everyone. but all high end psus have a built in surge protector far better then any 20-30 $ surge protector. only real thing you can do is buy a ( i forgot the name of the battery backup. ) battery backup that conditions the power
* dont know the name atm too late for me to care but there are 2 kinds of backups.
1 passes the ac power through to the pc and switches to battery as needed when power drops.
the other goes like this ac in >battery charger > battery > 12v inverter > ac out

the latter conditions the power as no matter what input volts are, the output will always be the same assuming no fault with the 12v inverter


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i just got a kick but deal on my CHVZ only 155 !~ just finished installing it too.... will play with it tomorrow.
> hate to tell everyone. but all high end psus have a built in surge protector far better then any 20-30 $ surge protector. only real thing you can do is buy a ( i forgot the name of the battery backup. ) battery backup that conditions the power
> * dont know the name atm too late for me to care but there are 2 kinds of backups.
> 1 passes the ac power through to the pc and switches to battery as needed when power drops.
> the other goes like this ac in >battery charger > battery > 12v inverter > ac out
> 
> the latter conditions the power as no matter what input volts are, the output will always be the same assuming no fault with the 12v inverter


Well i know on another forum that this guy lost all of his work computers from a power surge except 1 of them because it had a Corsair AX850 in it..But the rest were fried..So ya most good PSUs have a good surge protector but i feel safer behind the psu and a good power strip..


----------



## Brizzol

Can i be in your gang yet? I submitted through the form a few days ago and haven't heard a response, am i supposed to hear a response?


----------



## kzone75

Let us all join hands and cry over my 7970. It lived a short but intensive life. HDMI and DVI stopped working. The last thing I experienced was the desktop running 800x480 16-bit.. I'm a sad panda now..



Oh well, on to the next.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kzone75*
> 
> Let us all join hands and cry over my 7970. It lived a short but intensive life. HDMI and DVI stopped working. The last thing I experienced was the desktop running 800x480 16-bit.. I'm a sad panda now..
> 
> 
> 
> Oh well, on to the next.


not particularly surprising for the brand, not under warranty either I suppose? I wonder actually if that card might still work as a secondary in xfire... (if its just the display adapter broken)


----------



## kzone75

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> not particularly surprising for the brand, not under warranty either I suppose? I wonder actually if that card might still work as a secondary in xfire... (if its just the display adapter broken)


The brand is fine. Been using Club3D before. It's still under warranty and it will be RMA'd next week. If I grab another Club3D, I do not know. I've had a Gigabyte and this card of the 7970s. What are we going to pick next?









It is completely dead now, so it won't be possible to xfire anymore..


----------



## Sazz

hey guys just a question, anyone here happen to know the thickness of the thermal pad used on the reference HD7970's (sapphire to be exact, just in case other reference 7970's uses different pads)

I have it under watercooling atm and I am planning to sell my entire watercooling unit and will put everything back at stock/air cooling and just want to know what thickness those thermal pads are so that I can buy replacement for it.

I'm going to the US Navy in a few months and I don't want the watercooling to be just sitting there and nobody is using it, i've experienced before when my system was sitting for 2weeks while I was on vacation and the coolant settled and the tubing got some serious plastisizer issue that I had to disassemble the blocks to clean them up and replace tubings.

anyways it would be really helpful, just PM me the answer since most posts here gets drowned really fast xD


----------



## d1nky

i laugh at the people who say asus cards are crap!

my 7950 is keeping up with 7970s and destroying the nvidia equivalents on air....... DCII infact!

your crying is boring!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Well i know on another forum that this guy lost all of his work computers from a power surge except 1 of them because it had a Corsair AX850 in it..But the rest were fried..So ya most good PSUs have a good surge protector but i feel safer behind the psu and a good power strip..


I had a surge kill my 3770k coming from the wall outlet, through the gpu, cause the monitor wasn't plugged to a surge protector, so YAH. Use one!









I'll post gpu-z and some benchmark scores later, downloading 3dmark now...Get ready for uber bottleneckin fun (Pentium D at stock 3ghz, 2x1gb crucial ballistix ddr2 800 and a 1300/1900mhz 7970)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i laugh at the people who say asus cards are crap!
> 
> my 7950 is keeping up with 7970s and destroying the nvidia equivalents on air....... DCII infact!
> 
> your crying is boring!


lol


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i laugh at the people who say asus cards are crap!
> 
> my 7950 is keeping up with 7970s and destroying the nvidia equivalents on air....... DCII infact!
> 
> your crying is boring!


I like your spirit! But cards OC differently lol.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Try a 7950 bios on it. Maybe the bios is borked


Thanks! I will try a bios for sure. I know this card was used with several hundred others in a large test project so I wonder if it wad factory derated to meet project specs


----------



## ivanlabrie

Strangely enough Icestorm doesn't like my 1900+ mem clocks which run fine gaming and/or mining (or with older benchies)
I'm stuck with the demo so I'm gonna have to lower mem speed to run 3dmark.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Try a 7950 bios on it. Maybe the bios is borked
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks! I will try a bios for sure. I know this card was used with several hundred others in a large test project so I wonder if it wad factory derated to meet project specs
Click to expand...

I'd want to open it up to check out the pcb first, before trying to use GPU-Z to second-guess what it is. Especially before flashing it.


----------



## richie_2010

yea show us the pcb please


----------



## [CyGnus]

Guys what is a normal overclock for a 7970 memory? I have mine at 1750 no issues (1.613v) can i continue to push it?

3DMark2K11: 11396 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6682717


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Guys what is a normal overclock for a 7970 memory? I have mine at 1750 no issues (1.613v) can i continue to push it?


Some can reach 1900. I think you should be able to do 1850.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Some can reach 1900. I think you should be able to do 1850.


No need to touch the mem voltage?

I also modded the VGA,replaced the fans with 2 120mm 72cfm ones my vrm's are 25ºc full load and the GPU at 1200 @ 1.23v is at 60ºC


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> No need to touch the mem voltage?
> 
> I also modded the VGA,replaced the fans with 2 120mm 72cfm ones my vrm's are 25ºc full load and the GPU at 1200 @ 1.23v is at 60ºC


You probably need to, i wouldnt go over 1.7V for 24/7 usage. 25c VRM at 100% load? i HIGHLY doubt that.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> No need to touch the mem voltage?
> 
> I also modded the VGA,replaced the fans with 2 120mm 72cfm ones my vrm's are 25ºc full load and the GPU at 1200 @ 1.23v is at 60ºC
> 
> 
> 
> You probably need to, i wouldnt go over 1.7V for 24/7 usage. 25c VRM at 100% load? i HIGHLY doubt that.
Click to expand...

It sounds like he has a non-functional vrm sensor. I have that on my VisionTek 7950, it reads 25C 24/7!


----------



## [CyGnus]

maybe the sensor is off like you guys said, even so i am not worried i have 2 120mm fans on the vga plus 2 120 on the side of the case so it has plenty of cooling


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> maybe the sensor is off like you guys said, even so i am not worried i have 2 120mm fans on the vga plus 2 120 on the side of the case so it has plenty of cooling


I've seen some posts on OCN about that issue on some 7900-series cards. My Gigabyte 7950 vrm sensors work fine, the VisionTec card doesn't. Not much I can do about it, but it isn't a big deal.

Your gpu temps. under load on air are excellent imo. The gpu mod/120mm fans you have are really effective, I'd be at least 10-15C higher on air with mine.








I'll bet your vrm's are doing just fine as well! It's frustrating not being able to check though.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I've seen some posts on OCN about that issue on some 7900-series cards. My Gigabyte 7950 vrm sensors work fine, the VisionTec card doesn't. Not much I can do about it, but it isn't a big deal.
> 
> Your gpu temps. under load on air are excellent imo. The gpu mod/120mm fans you have are really effective, I'd be at least 10-15C higher on air with mine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll bet your vrm's are doing just fine as well! It's frustrating not being able to check though.


Yea i guess you guys are right, i whine that i cant bench at 1300/1800 when i dont have 10-15c ambient -.-

With my Prolimatech MK26 i get 59c or so load at 1.2v 1150/1705.


----------



## Lizard22

HELLO I WANT TO KNOW THE EFFICIENCY OF MY LIMIT xfx PSU 850 w,
I'M 2 GPU 7950 overclocking, MI SHOWS THAT UPS consumes 830wts.
this may limit my overclock because my psu is 80 plus (bronze) 82% efficient.
I'm running clocks 1200/1375 in crossfire mode.

i7 2600K 4.7GHz
GPU1. msi 7950 twing froz III. 1.193v 1200/1375
GPU2. msi 7950 2PMD3GDDR5. 1.300v 1200/1375


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> HELLO I WANT TO KNOW THE EFFICIENCY OF MY LIMIT xfx PSU 850 w,
> I'M 2 GPU 7950 overclocking, MI SHOWS THAT UPS consumes 830wts.
> this may limit my overclock because my psu is 80 plus (bronze) 82% efficient.
> I'm running clocks 1200/1375 in crossfire mode.
> 
> i7 2600K 4.7GHz
> GPU1. msi 7950 twing froz III. 1.193v 1200/1375
> GPU2. msi 7950 2PMD3GDDR5. 1.300v 1200/1375


I dont even know what you're asking.

Edit: Oh its pulling 830W? Well then you're fine. If its 80% efficient your PSU is still only delivering 664 watts. You still got 150w left over. You're completely fine!

830w Pulled from wall
80% Efficiency.

830 x 0.8 = 664W <--- This is the wattage your system is using from your PSU. Your PSU will ALLWAYS pull 20% more power from your UPS than your system is using. If you read 1000W from the wall you should start considering a new PSU because you are close to the limit of what your PSU can deliver.

1000W from wall multiplied by 0.8 (Efficiency) = 800Watts delivered to the system.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I've seen some posts on OCN about that issue on some 7900-series cards. My Gigabyte 7950 vrm sensors work fine, the VisionTec card doesn't. Not much I can do about it, but it isn't a big deal.
> 
> Your gpu temps. under load on air are excellent imo. The gpu mod/120mm fans you have are really effective, I'd be at least 10-15C higher on air with mine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll bet your vrm's are doing just fine as well! It's frustrating not being able to check though.
> 
> 
> 
> Yea i guess you guys are right, i whine that i cant bench at 1300/1800 when i dont have 10-15c ambient -.-
> 
> With my Prolimatech MK26 i get 59c or so load at 1.2v 1150/1705.
Click to expand...

Well, that's also an excellent result.








I had a Prolimatech MK-13 on a 480 some years ago, it wasn't really rated for the 480 but worked well nonetheless.
The MK-26 is a much newer design, one thing I recall about them was the high-quality of their construction, similar to Thermalright.
You're not going to get any better than that on air.


----------



## Lizard22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> HELLO I WANT TO KNOW THE EFFICIENCY OF MY LIMIT xfx PSU 850 w,
> I'M 2 GPU 7950 overclocking, MI SHOWS THAT UPS consumes 830wts.
> this may limit my overclock because my psu is 80 plus (bronze) 82% efficient.
> I'm running clocks 1200/1375 in crossfire mode.
> 
> i7 2600K 4.7GHz
> GPU1. msi 7950 twing froz III. 1.193v 1200/1375
> GPU2. msi 7950 2PMD3GDDR5. 1.300v 1200/1375


I need a new power supply?, over 1000 wts for overclocking
that psu you recommend for future third gpu 7950?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lizard22*
> 
> I need a new power supply?, over 1000 wts for overclocking
> that psu you recommend for future third gpu 7950?


did you even read what i wrote?


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yea i guess you guys are right, i whine that i cant bench at 1300/1800 when i dont have 10-15c ambient -.-
> 
> With my Prolimatech MK26 i get 59c or so load at 1.2v 1150/1705.


why are you only at 1150?


----------



## Lizard22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I dont even know what you're asking.
> 
> Edit: Oh its pulling 830W? Well then you're fine. If its 80% efficient your PSU is still only delivering 664 watts. You still got 150w left over. You're completely fine!
> 
> 830w Pulled from wall
> 80% Efficiency.
> 
> 830 x 0.8 = 664W <--- This is the wattage your system is using from your PSU. Your PSU will ALLWAYS pull 20% more power from your UPS than your system is using. If you read 1000W from the wall you should start considering a new PSU because you are close to the limit of what your PSU can deliver.
> 
> 1000W from wall multiplied by 0.8 (Efficiency) = 800Watts delivered to the system.


thanks for replying, you're right are showing 830 wts ups, I think I'm reaching the limit for my crossfire, clocks 1200/1375 with errors.
Stable Overclock 1150/1375.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> why are you only at 1150?


I can bench at 1300. For higher 24/7 i would need colder temps. And its summertime so i cant really run any higher.

For higher i would need more volts, more volts equals higher temps, higher temps equals more artifacts. To remove artifacts i need more volts. Therefor higher temps and more artifacts. Its the circle of evil. I would need a block.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Not too sure what you need to see on the pcb. There is not alot of labeling on it and if you need better pictures ill get my camera out, my phone was picking up too much glare.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> No need to touch the mem voltage?
> 
> I also modded the VGA,replaced the fans with 2 120mm 72cfm ones my vrm's are 25ºc full load and the GPU at 1200 @ 1.23v is at 60ºC


I had a similar 7950 and had no vrm temps (stuck at 25c too)...I like the fan mod, gonna try it with my current Gigabyte WF3 OC. I'd need at least one more Gelid Silent 12 pwm hmmm, I was looking for an excuse to get more of those fans (love them).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I can bench at 1300. For higher 24/7 i would need colder temps. And its summertime so i cant really run any higher.
> 
> For higher i would need more volts, more volts equals higher temps, higher temps equals more artifacts. To remove artifacts i need more volts. Therefor higher temps and more artifacts. Its the circle of evil. I would need a block.


Same here, I don't wanna hurt this card with heat and volts, it's a good one and should run really nice on water and even better cold








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Not too sure what you need to see on the pcb. There is not alot of labeling on it and if you need better pictures ill get my camera out, my phone was picking up too much glare.


Take off the heatsink, not only the shroud...that will help.


----------



## OneGun

On my His Iceq X2 7950s I have the same issues on my VRM temps.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i laugh at the people who say asus cards are crap!
> 
> my 7950 is keeping up with 7970s and destroying the nvidia equivalents on air....... DCII infact!
> 
> your crying is boring!


And other 7950's overclock even better without the bag of problems that comes with ASUS. Your point?


----------



## [CyGnus]

I will post some pics of the mod i done (yay for zipties







)


----------



## d1nky

youre all cry babies


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Not too sure what you need to see on the pcb. There is not alot of labeling on it and if you need better pictures ill get my camera out, my phone was picking up too much glare.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Thanks for opening the card and posting the photos. Rep+








It really helps to identify the card.
Imo, yours looks like one of the original early AMD pre-production reference samples, and it has the straight row of capacitors and 6+8-pin connectors common to the 7970 pcb.
But the first pre-production samples of the 7950 also used this 7970 pcb.
It also has the gpu brace on the back, and a decent finned plate under the radial fan.
It's kind of cool to see one of these, as they aren't all that common. I'd also consider taking off the heatsink as "ivan" mentioned, taking some photos of the naked pcb to see what other info. can be found there. You'll then be able to put on a proper application of a decent tim, when putting the card back together.
Edit:
Does it have a dual bios switch?
You should make a backup copy of the original bios with GPU-Z when you re-install the card, of course.
I don't know how it could be anything less than a 7950 with that pcb., and the 6+8-pin connectors, unless AMD was really experimenting with the cards as you mentioned.


----------



## gr8sho

Greetings Peeps.

Spent a few days getting my two 7970s in a proper initial Crossfilre setup. I ended up going down a rat hole because the two cards I bought, one from NewEgg and the other directly from Diamond came with different BIOS and I wanted to get that sorted out. The cards are otherwise completely identical. same physical packaging same part number, etc.

Where I landed was to revert the newer card with GHz VBIOS back to the original Dec 2011 version using DOS and ATIFLASH. Ah what fun.

Using MSI Afterburner, have clocks conservatively set at 1050/1500 initially, ULPS disabled, OC limits raised, and more aggressive fan profile set.

I will be pushing these cards to see what they can do soon, but want to get more of a feel for GPU temps as ambient is pretty warm here in south Florida. Crysis 3 is able to stress these cards pretty much to 100% with max settings.

These cards have stock cooling. What is the max target temperature typically to guard for under sustained load?


----------



## [CyGnus]

Ok here they are


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Ok here they are
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Now that's airflow!








Nothing like a couple good 120mm fans to boost that airflow on the card's cooler.
The two fans on the door, blowing cooler outside air directly onto the card, further reduces the temps.
I did a lot of this kind of modding to my air-cooled cards before I decided to go to water cooling, and it was very effective.
You'd be a lot higher than 60C on load with the stock cooling.
Edit:
How do you keep everything so dust-free?


----------



## [CyGnus]

Well i clean all the fans and dust in the case once a week


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> youre all cry babies


whos crying? lol

side note, I think the more updated BIOS I'm using in my card from the attempts the other day have a lower memory voltage, had to drop the memory down 50 to 1650 to stop severe flickering in gmod13...
(used to go up to 1800 before starting to majorly artifact...)


----------



## ivanlabrie

Well, new 3dmark was too much for my poor pentium d and my 2x1gb ddr2 sticks, so I didn't bother testing further.

I'll experiment with the fan mod next weekend me thinks.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Yes! I have officially been CrossfireX'ed! hahaha!







Dual 7970's, Gotta update and re-register now haha now let's get that new driver on the way! haha


----------



## McShibbs

I realized the 7970 Ghz Edition does have physical support for up to 4 and sometimes more displays. I was wondering if there were any limitations on refresh rate, resolution, or anything else for the car to support 4 monitors simultaneously? I do plan on gaming with the card, but I will primarily be gaming on a single display so I will not need the horsepower to power all 4 in a game environment.

Also for those of you with 7970 GHz Edition cards which is the best brand, and what made you decide to go AMD over Nvidia?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *McShibbs*
> 
> I realized the 7970 Ghz Edition does have physical support for up to 4 and sometimes more displays. I was wondering if there were any limitations on refresh rate, resolution, or anything else for the car to support 4 monitors simultaneously? I do plan on gaming with the card, but I will primarily be gaming on a single display so I will not need the horsepower to power all 4 in a game environment.
> 
> Also for those of you with 7970 GHz Edition cards which is the best brand, and what made you decide to go AMD over Nvidia?


Dont get GHz edition. Brand doesnt matter if its reference (dont get anything else BUT reference.)


----------



## McShibbs

Why should I avoid the GHz edition? And why should I stick with a reference card?

I'm going to guess that means I won't run into any complications with a quad display set up either?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *McShibbs*
> 
> Why should I avoid the GHz edition? And why should I stick with a reference card?
> 
> I'm going to guess that means I won't run into any complications with a quad display set up either?


1. Reference cards doesnt have boost (Boost cards are kind of volt locked to 1.25v or so) Correct me if im wrong tsm/sugar.
2. They fit the most heatsinks and waterblocks.
3. They are cheaper.
4. The core sure as hell isnt handicapped by the PCB and power delivery that many custom PCB cards are.
5. The cooler is good enough for OC by a long shot. Its just loud.


----------



## McShibbs

See loud doesn't work for me though, and I won't be overclocking the card much at all if at all. I just need something that works. If I need more power I'll invest in a second card before I start overclocking.

I'm working on building a silent rig on the budget side of things as well so no water blocks or after market coolers either. If cost was a concern of mine I would have listed that already.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *McShibbs*
> 
> See loud doesn't work for me though, and I won't be overclocking the card much at all if at all. I just need something that works. If I need more power I'll invest in a second card before I start overclocking.
> 
> I'm working on building a silent rig on the budget side of things as well so no water blocks or after market coolers either. If cost was a concern of mine I would have listed that already.


Well if you dont overclock and you care about sound then go ahead and get a custom card.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Well i clean all the fans and dust in the case once a week


What were your temperatures before and after the fan mod on your GPU?

I am thinking of doing the same.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What were your temperatures before and after the fan mod on your GPU?
> 
> I am thinking of doing the same.


With the stock cooler and the fans at 60% (loud as hell) same OC the card went to 77ºc with the dual 120mm mod the fans are very quiet and temps are 60/62ºc (my ambient is 28/30ºc Lisbon)


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 1. Reference cards doesnt have boost (Boost cards are kind of volt locked to 1.25v or so) Correct me if im wrong tsm/sugar.
> 2. They fit the most heatsinks and waterblocks.
> 3. They are cheaper.
> 4. The core sure as hell isnt handicapped by the PCB and power delivery that many custom PCB cards are.
> 5. The cooler is good enough for OC by a long shot. Its just loud.


FWIW, I just went through this very decision making process, and all these points were in my view. Although I hadn't experienced the fans directly, they are only a tad louder than the the GPUs they replaced and not by much.
I previously had an EVGA GTX 460 SLI setup and loved it. They were reference design too. Outstanding product. I really wanted a pair of 690s. But I have no regrets now.

An additional, albeit very minor, point is these AMD reference cards work very nicely in my Black and Red machine. Read color scheme.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> With the stock cooler and the fans at 60% (loud as hell) same OC the card went to 77ºc with the dual 120mm mod i the fans are very quiet and temps are 60/62ºc (my ambient is 28/30ºc Lisbon)


I might try this on my card for sure!

Hey, do any 7970 CF owners on here have Witcher 2 installed?


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> With the stock cooler and the fans at 60% (loud as hell) same OC the card went to 77ºc with the dual 120mm mod the fans are very quiet and temps are 60/62ºc (my ambient is 28/30ºc Lisbon)


How are you controlling those fans? Are you using a mainboard header or did you use the same connector as the OEM fan?

BTW, I asked in an earlier post what a max sustained temp is for the Tahiti GPU. Yours seems to indicate 77C..







That seems pretty high.


----------



## gr8sho

One other question. In a two card Crossfire configuration, how many bridges should be used?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> With the stock cooler and the fans at 60% (loud as hell) same OC the card went to 77ºc with the dual 120mm mod the fans are very quiet and temps are 60/62ºc (my ambient is 28/30ºc Lisbon)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> How are you controlling those fans? Are you using a mainboard header or did you use the same connector as the OEM fan?
> 
> BTW, I asked in an earlier post what a max sustained temp is for the Tahiti GPU. Yours seems to indicate 77C..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That seems pretty high.


I guess you can hookup a splitter and use the 4-pin connector on the gpu pcb.
I'm a try it NAO...my card isn't too noisy but it's definitely audible. Wonder if a TY-140 would do?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> One other question. In a two card Crossfire configuration, how many bridges should be used?


1 should be used.
People use 2 to make it look nice, but little do they know, it can cause crossfire performance issues in certain scenarios.


----------



## timaishu

Question for you 7950 owners out there. I bought a HIS 7950 iceqx2 a bit over a week ago and let me just say that this is a BEAST! While price/performace isn't that high (most expensive model on newegg), I felt it was worth it just because it had everything I wanted(was gonna get a sapphire but was worried about the numerous revisions and the general confusion regarding vrms/overclocking/locked voltages). Anyways I wanted to see what yall thought about my overclock.

Right now using Afterburner I am at 1100x1400 at stock voltages + 20% power limit. GPUZ reports an asic score of 74.4%. I have been able to play BF3 for an hour with temps are 69c max(usually hover around 65c). Im not bothering testing with kombuster anymore as I feel its not a good test as real world temps never get as high as I do in that.

Is my overclock decent?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Question for you 7950 owners out there. I bought a HIS 7950 iceqx2 a bit over a week ago and let me just say that this is a BEAST! While price/performace isn't that high (most expensive model on newegg), I felt it was worth it just because it had everything I wanted(was gonna get a sapphire but was worried about the numerous revisions and the general confusion regarding vrms/overclocking/locked voltages). Anyways I wanted to see what yall thought about my overclock.
> 
> Right now using Afterburner I am at 1100x1400 at stock voltages + 20% power limit. GPUZ reports an asic score of 74.4%.


This looks about right with that ASIC quality.
70%+ is high for a 7950.


----------



## gr8sho

Thanks.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> This looks about right with that ASIC quality.
> 70%+ is high for a 7950.


Mine, a 7970, registered 74.5 or something like that. I have no idea if that's good or not.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I guess you can hookup a splitter and use the 4-pin connector on the gpu pcb.
> I'm a try it NAO...my card isn't too noisy but it's definitely audible. Wonder if a TY-140 would do?


This seems at face value to be preferable because it would allow MSIA to control the fan speed as a function of GPU temp.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> 1 should be used.
> People use 2 to make it look nice, but little do they know, it can cause crossfire performance issues in certain scenarios.


How does it cause performance issues?I have to use two so i can run 1440p at 120hz..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Mine, a 7970, registered 74.5 or something like that. I have no idea if that's good or not.


My 72.5% ASIC card is golden, can do 1300/1850 on air.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> My 72.5% ASIC card is golden, can do 1300/1850 on air.


Its crap
/endthread


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its crap
> /endthread


I know where you live.


----------



## timaishu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> This looks about right with that ASIC quality.
> 70%+ is high for a 7950.


Sweet. I guess I have nothing to worry about then.

I am not done experimenting, but I think I could do 1125-1150 without needing to raise the vcore. Slowly working my way up to see whats stable in game.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Mine, a 7970, registered 74.5 or something like that. I have no idea if that's good or not.


Yes that is good.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> How does it cause performance issues?I have to use two so i can run 1440p at 120hz..


A single bridge is good up to 2560x1440p. Maybe you need two for the 120Hz refresh rate?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I might try this on my card for sure!
> 
> Hey, do any 7970 CF owners on here have Witcher 2 installed?


i do but i have not really gotten into it yet
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> One other question. In a two card Crossfire configuration, how many bridges should be used?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Yes that is good.
> A single bridge is good up to 2560x1440p. Maybe you need two for the 120Hz refresh rate?


all you need is one. but i have yet to seen any damage ( with proof ) by 2 cfx bridges... i have seen a bunch of rumors saying so nothing more though and no 1 cfx bridge is fine for any res.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i do but i have not really gotten into it yet
> 
> all you need is one. but i have yet to seen any damage ( with proof ) by 2 cfx bridges... i have seen a bunch of rumors saying so nothing more though and no 1 cfx bridge is fine for any res.


I haven't seen any issues either playing Crysis 3. Just wanted to confirm. Thx All.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Now I want a second 7970 to try those xfire cables I got plenty of


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I might try this on my card for sure!
> 
> Hey, do any 7970 CF owners on here have Witcher 2 installed?


Yep, what do you need?


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i do but i have not really gotten into it yet
> 
> all you need is one. but i have yet to seen any damage ( with proof ) by 2 cfx bridges... i have seen a bunch of rumors saying so nothing more though and no 1 cfx bridge is fine for any res.


Except when pushing 120hz and using the AMD driver patcher..
Here are requirements for a 120hz OC at 1440p..I know on 79series cards some games will crash unless using 2 bridges at 1440p 120hz..

Requirements:
Windows Vista or later
5000-series GPU or newer
CrossFire requires two bridges if the pixel clock is greater than 320 MHz. This is only possible with cards that have two connectors. It will not work properly with more than two cards.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Except when pushing 120hz and using the AMD driver patcher..
> Here are requirements for a 120hz OC at 1440p..I know on 79series cards some games will crash unless using 2 bridges at 1440p 120hz..
> 
> Requirements:
> Windows Vista or later
> 5000-series GPU or newer
> CrossFire requires two bridges if the pixel clock is greater than 320 MHz. This is only possible with cards that have two connectors. It will not work properly with more than two cards.


can i see the source on that?


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> can i see the source on that?


Yes sir..

http://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-AMD-ATI-Pixel-Clock-Patcher


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hi so i've been reading this thread for a while and i saw some people complaining about the Sapphire Vapor-X HD 7970 GHz edition i'm planning to buy one but i wanted to know what's wrong with them cause i thought they were very good because it has a good cooler (i know it's loud) and it's voltage unlocked and it's said that it's a very good card generally so please verify


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Yep, what do you need?


Hello,
Do you have crashes on the latest build of Witcher 2 in any cutscene with crossfire enabled and Vsync disabled?
Cheers.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hello,
> Do you have crashes on the latest build of Witcher 2 in any cutscene with crossfire enabled and Vsync disabled?
> Cheers.


Not that I've noticed, i'll do another play through later tonight and let you know.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Well, despite common sense, side intake fan actually lowered temps way more than a side exhaust...I'm using the WF3 Giga 7970 OC btw.
Added a rear exhaust (and removed the rear exhaust fan grill) and I'm sitting 10c lower than before.

What kind of airflow patterns are you guys using? (the air cooling guys...)
I'm thinking of going for the mod after adding more cards, or just going full wc too, but it'll have to wait a few months.


----------



## richie_2010

I have yet to put the mod on my new card but side n front intake (no hdd bay) rear and top exhaust.
Took shroud of my 7950 and have heatsinks on vrms so helps temps on vrms but I think it hinders temps on the core


----------



## ivanlabrie

Cool, same setup here...except I do top intake, the rest is the same, but with the stock shroud since it doesn't really block air (Windforce 3 cooler).
I was toying with the idea of putting my dual 120x38mm 5300rpm (220cfm max) fans on the card's sink but they don't really fit over my sata cables.

Gotta hurry up and get me a Haswell rig, or Ivy-E. Not sure yet, I wanna do some 3d benching and grab quad 8970s, but I also wanna play with Haswell's awesome memory controller. Maybe the Ivy-E rig can pay for the other upgrades with mining


----------



## richie_2010

I only have the top exhaust cos of the h100i


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Well, despite common sense, side intake fan actually lowered temps way more than a side exhaust...I'm using the WF3 Giga 7970 OC btw.
> Added a rear exhaust (and removed the rear exhaust fan grill) and I'm sitting 10c lower than before.
> 
> What kind of airflow patterns are you guys using? (the air cooling guys...)
> I'm thinking of going for the mod after adding more cards, or just going full wc too, but it'll have to wait a few months.


I've been doing this for years, but it always made sense to me that the side fans would work best for intake air, which they do:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!






Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Cool, same setup here...except I do top intake, the rest is the same, but with the stock shroud since it doesn't really block air (Windforce 3 cooler).
> I was toying with the idea of putting my dual 120x38mm 5300rpm (220cfm max) fans on the card's sink but they don't really fit over my sata cables.
> 
> Gotta hurry up and get me a Haswell rig, or Ivy-E. Not sure yet, I wanna do some 3d benching and grab quad 8970s, but I also wanna play with Haswell's awesome memory controller. Maybe the Ivy-E rig can pay for the other upgrades with mining


On a previous air cooled setup I had, a couple 38mm Panaflo fans were very effective, but needed a fan controller when not benching:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I've been doing this for years, but it always made sense to me that the side fans would work best for intake air, which they do:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a previous air cooled setup I had, a couple 38mm Panaflo fans were very effective, but needed a fan controller when not benching:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Nice man! How did you keep the card from sagging down? And how did you hold those onto the cooler? Couldn't figure out a way to do it.
Zip ties? Got pics?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Not that I've noticed, i'll do another play through later tonight and let you know.


Make sure vsync and any frame limiting software is disabled please.
Thank you.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I've been doing this for years, but it always made sense to me that the side fans would work best for intake air, which they do:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On a previous air cooled setup I had, a couple 38mm Panaflo fans were very effective, but needed a fan controller when not benching:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice man! How did you keep the card from sagging down? And how did you hold those onto the cooler? Couldn't figure out a way to do it.
> Zip ties? Got pics?
Click to expand...

Thanks. I was fortunate to have a metal bar from a previous Prolimatech MK-13 cooler I had used before, which I used to hold the fans.
But I have also used 120mm x 25mm fans, with zip-ties, threading them through the fins of the cooler over the back of the card.
There wasn't any sagging problem.

But, my air-cooling will soon be history, as I'm finishing a custom water loop for the 7950s:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Thanks. I was fortunate to have a metal bar from a previous Prolimatech MK-13 cooler I had used before, which I used to hold the fans.
> But I have also used 120mm x 25mm fans, with zip-ties, threading them through the fins of the cooler over the back of the card.
> There wasn't any sagging problem.
> 
> But, my air-cooling will soon be history, as I'm finishing a custom water loop for the 7950s:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Metal bar, as in what?

I'll have to figure it out, gonna buy some zip ties to experiment with it later...my 775 rig is severely holding me back, single pci-e 1.0 slot.
My 3770k died so I had to sell the board and ram to get some funds to get by. Mining litecoins now, hopefully I can make enough by September to warrant an upgrade.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Thanks. I was fortunate to have a metal bar from a previous Prolimatech MK-13 cooler I had used before, which I used to hold the fans.
> But I have also used 120mm x 25mm fans, with zip-ties, threading them through the fins of the cooler over the back of the card.
> There wasn't any sagging problem.
> 
> But, my air-cooling will soon be history, as I'm finishing a custom water loop for the 7950s:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Metal bar, as in what?
> 
> I'll have to figure it out, gonna buy some zip ties to experiment with it later...my 775 rig is severely holding me back, single pci-e 1.0 slot.
> My 3770k died so I had to sell the board and ram to get some funds to get by. Mining litecoins now, hopefully I can make enough by September to warrant an upgrade.
Click to expand...

The metal bar was part of the Prolimatech MK-13 cooler I had used in the past, on a 480. This link to the cooler shows the parts and accessories included, it is called the "fan secure bar":
www.prolimatech.com/en/products/detail.asp?id=159&subid=575#showtab
I saved the cooler and parts when I sold the 480, as I later fitted an AC Accelero on it.
Currently, Prolimatech makes a compatible cooler for the 7900 series cards, the MK-26:
www.prolimatech.com/en/products/detail.asp?id=2484&subid=2565#showtab
But it now uses fan clips.

You could use a metal shelf bracket to do the same, or just use zip-ties to attach the fans to the stock cooler and card, after removing the stock shroud/fan assembly.


----------



## Souv

AMD Radeon™ Graphics Presents: The Fixer


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> AMD Radeon™ Graphics Presents: The Fixer


Shots fired.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> AMD Radeon™ Graphics Presents: The Fixer


Haha


----------



## navit

Love it, ha ha ha


----------



## kj1060

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> AMD Radeon™ Graphics Presents: The Fixer


Should have made sure the HD 7970 worked before destroying the green card.


----------



## BradleyW

Hey AMD'ers.
My bottom 7970 runs 3c hotter than the top card. Any tips for cooling it further without buying a new cooler?

Thank you.


----------



## richie_2010

Wouldnt worry bout 3c buddy


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'd move the bottom intakes to the side panel as side intakes, if you don't have a window...


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kj1060*
> 
> Should have made sure the HD 7970 worked before destroying the green card.


Haha


----------



## ivanlabrie

I saw that fixer thing and thought, the xfire fix drivers are out!
Big meh...


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Wouldnt worry bout 3c buddy


Exactly what I told him.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I'd move the bottom intakes to the side panel as side intakes, if you don't have a window...


I have a 200mm fan already on the side








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Wouldnt worry bout 3c buddy


The bottom card hits 80c in valley on the Ultra preset.
1200MHz core, 1.17vcore (Vdroop will make it lower).
I would prefer the bottom card to be in the high 70's on that overclock, so I really want to knock that 3c off.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Apply some CLP on the VGA's and clean those coolers and you should see around 4-5ºc drop.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Apply some CLP on the VGA's and clean those coolers and you should see around 4-5ºc drop.


I can't. I have been told not to use CLP and CLU because the base of my GPU cooler is not smooth. It is ever so slightly rough.


----------



## [CyGnus]

lapping usually solves that


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> lapping usually solves that


Is it true then? That CLP and CLU can't be used on an absolute smooth surface?


----------



## ivanlabrie

It sticks easier to smooth surfaces like the die, and metals.
You can use it, but be very careful that it doesn't move from over the die since it can short other components.


----------



## [CyGnus]

In my point of view you just have to be careful when you apply it that's it, just a little bit to make a very thin layer and you are set.


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> Can someone tell me a good place to get one since newegg is sold out?


http://www.shoprbc.com/ca/shop/searchResults.php?keywords=7970&sortBy=&sortDir=

they have tons of ref cards available, I got the black OC edition... tossed a XSPC waterblock on it and I'm already looking to double up and cross fire.. expensive though


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> It sticks easier to smooth surfaces like the die, and metals.
> You can use it, but be very careful that it doesn't move from over the die since it can short other components.


OK, now I am a little scared of having a short. My heat sink base is not smooth, so can it still be used? My base appears to be copper.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> In my point of view you just have to be careful when you apply it that's it, just a little bit to make a very thin layer and you are set.


I remember using CLU on my 3770k between the die and IHS so applying it should be easy. I am just worried that I might short my card, and that the performance might be crap due to the rougher surface on my HS. I'm told a rough surface can make CL Ultra perform worse than expected. It is easy to clean off Die and copper bases without having to use the rough cloth fabric?


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey AMD'ers.
> My bottom 7970 runs 3c hotter than the top card. Any tips for cooling it further without buying a new cooler?
> 
> Thank you.


nope

get waterblocks and create a sick loop


----------



## [CyGnus]

BradleyW very hard to clean off, for those 3-4ºc maybe its not worth it if you are concerned about your cooler surface, a dead card is a worthless card so play safe forget about the CLP/U


----------



## Bartouille

Hey guys I'm running 1.3v at 1215MHz stable, temps are max 74c core and 80/80c for VRM? Is it safe?

Edit:: btw ambient is 28c so yea.. kinda hotter then usual


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> BradleyW very hard to clean off, for those 3-4ºc maybe its not worth it if you are concerned about your cooler surface, a dead card is a worthless card so play safe forget about the CLP/U


What's the next best thing without strings attached?


----------



## [CyGnus]

Just use some MX-4 and make sure the cooler is clean.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Hey guys I'm running 1.3v at 1215MHz stable, temps are max 74c core and 80/80c for VRM? Is it safe?


I would not go past 1.25v unless you are on water.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What's the next best thing without strings attached?


No paste comes relatively close...PK-3 would be ok without being ridiculously overpriced like indigo xtreme is.
Don't worry so much about tim though, work on undervolting your cards a bit and improving airflow, removing restrictive grills and such.


----------



## MrSharkington

Hi, just out of nowhere my 7950 twin frozr iii started emitting this horrible coil whine which it never used to, do you think that msi would return it for coil whine or not?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> BradleyW very hard to clean off, for those 3-4ºc maybe its not worth it if you are concerned about your cooler surface, a dead card is a worthless card so play safe forget about the CLP/U
> 
> 
> 
> What's the next best thing without strings attached?
Click to expand...

You can mess around with different tim's forever, but it isn't going to drop your temps. all that much regardless. If you're hitting 80C at times, that's getting hot.
Seriously, you should consider some better cooling for those cards. If you must stick with air cooling, look at the AC Accelero coolers, they work well, although the vrm sinks tend to be rather flakey for them. If you really want to do something about it, give water cooling some consideration. I put it off for years, then finally took the plunge. A couple good blocks like these:

you'll be hitting load temps. in the 40's. I'll have mine finished this week.

Think about it!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> In my point of view you just have to be careful when you apply it that's it, just a little bit to make a very thin layer and you are set.


Now there is a proper memory/vrm plate!


----------



## BradleyW

Right now I am using CFIII on my GPU's. Testing shows it is 1.5c worse than indigo extreme and 1c worse than Phobia he grease. Now things are warmer in the house, my top card hits 79c and bottom hits 80c. I just need 3c knocking off so I can run 1.2Ghz core 24/7.
Look at the image, will this new idea work?
Thanks all. You are being extremely helpful.


----------



## ivanlabrie

That looks like the best possible air cooling layout for your gpus.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hi so i've been reading this thread for a while and i saw some people complaining about the Sapphire Vapor-X HD 7970 GHz edition i'm planning to buy one but i wanted to know what's wrong with them cause i thought they were very good because it has a good cooler (i know it's loud) and it's voltage unlocked and it's said that it's a very good card generally so please verify


HELLO


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> HELLO


Why not go with a His Iceq x2.it is a better card IMO..


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I have a 200mm fan already on the side
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The bottom card hits 80c in valley on the Ultra preset.
> 1200MHz core, 1.17vcore (Vdroop will make it lower).
> I would prefer the bottom card to be in the high 70's on that overclock, so I really want to knock that 3c off.


With that same voltage but running 1100MHz, I'm seeing 70C. I'm still in learning mode. I'm pretty sure I have MSIA set to have the fans at 100% when the GPU hits 70C. I haven't come across any rule of thumb guides yet. Oh, and I'm running an open case right now. Yes the cards are loud.

Also these cards are new so they haven't had time to get too dusty yet.

Again I ask, when running stock cooling, how high do you let the temps get under load.


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> With that same voltage but running 1100MHz, I'm seeing 70C. I'm still in learning mode. I'm pretty sure I have MSIA set to have the fans at 100% when the GPU hits 70C. I haven't come across any rule of thumb guides yet. Oh, and I'm running an open case right now. Yes the cards are loud.
> 
> Also these cards are new so they haven't had time to get too dusty yet.
> 
> Again I ask, when running stock cooling, how high do you let the temps get under load.


Try to keep the cards below 70c when overclocking. The HD79XX's really don't like getting over that when clocked higher. The highest I let mine go is 75c under load for long periods of time


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> Try to keep the cards below 70c when overclocking. The HD79XX's really don't like getting over that when clocked higher. The highest I let mine go is 75c under load for long periods of time


Interestingly, I'm not getting acceptable FPS with Cryss 3 on Ultra running a 1080p display, so I had to drop it back to Very High setting. I was hoping to jack up the OC a little more to see if I can reach Ultra. Crysis 3 will saturate both cards.

Can you please share your volts and freqs to get that 75C limit?

Thanks.


----------



## dir_d

I run 1200/[email protected] playing tomb raider maxed out and I get up to 77 when my ambient is high. Usually 90F+ outside.


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Thanks. I was fortunate to have a metal bar from a previous Prolimatech MK-13 cooler I had used before, which I used to hold the fans.
> But I have also used 120mm x 25mm fans, with zip-ties, threading them through the fins of the cooler over the back of the card.
> There wasn't any sagging problem.
> 
> But, my air-cooling will soon be history, as I'm finishing a custom water loop for the 7950s:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You can mess around with different tim's forever, but it isn't going to drop your temps. all that much regardless. If you're hitting 80C at times, that's getting hot.
> Seriously, you should consider some better cooling for those cards. If you must stick with air cooling, look at the AC Accelero coolers, they work well, although the vrm sinks tend to be rather flakey for them. If you really want to do something about it, give water cooling some consideration. I put it off for years, then finally took the plunge. A couple good blocks like these:
> 
> you'll be hitting load temps. in the 40's. I'll have mine finished this week.
> 
> Think about it!





i only hit 40s when i am at 1.4v though bios otherwise mine at load are like 37c









loops looks great too btw


----------



## BackwoodsNC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Interestingly, I'm not getting acceptable FPS with Cryss 3 on Ultra running a 1080p display, so I had to drop it back to Very High setting. I was hoping to jack up the OC a little more to see if I can reach Ultra. Crysis 3 will saturate both cards.
> 
> Can you please share your volts and freqs to get that 75C limit?
> 
> Thanks.


On my gigabyte WF3 7950 I have fans set at a max of 50%. Right now the card is loaded mining, running at 69c max. GPU:1050 Volts:1.150 Mem:1500

Oh and the ambient is 70f


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BackwoodsNC*
> 
> On my gigabyte WF3 7950 I have fans set at a max of 50%. Right now the card is loaded mining, running at 69c max. GPU:1050 Volts:1.150 Mem:1500
> 
> Oh and the ambient is 70f


My 7970 wf3 runs at 63c, fans at 50% and case fans at 50% too...pretty quiet all in all. Mining scrypt coins too.
Ambient temp is 24c, or 75.2F









I'd love it if the new 8970 wf3 comes unlocked and without boost clocks







, and sporting the gorgeous 770 wf3 cooler.


----------



## gr8sho

okay, well it looks like I'm in the ballpark at least.

Thanks.


----------



## rcoolb2002

I just put in a EVGA 750w Gold psu and I notice that the input voltage to my 7950 is jumping from 12.06 - 12.13vdc under load. This is causing the VDDC to jump around and the AMP draw to jump anywhere from 40-100a. Is this common?

Attached GPU-Z showing all the spiking and jumping.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Thanks. I was fortunate to have a metal bar from a previous Prolimatech MK-13 cooler I had used before, which I used to hold the fans.
> But I have also used 120mm x 25mm fans, with zip-ties, threading them through the fins of the cooler over the back of the card.
> There wasn't any sagging problem.
> 
> But, my air-cooling will soon be history, as I'm finishing a custom water loop for the 7950s:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You can mess around with different tim's forever, but it isn't going to drop your temps. all that much regardless. If you're hitting 80C at times, that's getting hot.
> Seriously, you should consider some better cooling for those cards. If you must stick with air cooling, look at the AC Accelero coolers, they work well, although the vrm sinks tend to be rather flakey for them. If you really want to do something about it, give water cooling some consideration. I put it off for years, then finally took the plunge. A couple good blocks like these:
> 
> you'll be hitting load temps. in the 40's. I'll have mine finished this week.
> 
> Think about it!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i only hit 40s when i am at 1.4v though bios otherwise mine at load are like 37c
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> loops looks great too btw
Click to expand...

Thanks. I hope to be doing the initial leak testing this week.
I wasn't meaning to push water cooling on Bradley, but I sure think he would enjoy the results, with his cards hitting 80C! And that's with good case airflow.

You've got an awesome build!







The Komodos are great blocks, and I like the fact that they include the backplates. I had to hunt around for one of the EK backplates, with the extra shipping and duty, it really bumps up the cost. Main reason I went with them was the visible coolant in their acrylic top, as I have an IATX layout. But it seems that the Swifty blocks are damn good performers.

Your temps. are incredible. I figure it's pretty good to be in the 40's at load, but you're normally in the 30's! That certainly gives you a lot of headroom for kicking up the voltage. 1.4v. is a lot higher than I'll be venturing, but it's good to see that you can do it for benching.


----------



## xTank Jones16x

It seems I am only able to get 1.225V @ 1100/1450









At least my temps are ok, usually high 30's, low 40's idle. Max under load is around the lower 60's.


----------



## kahboom

Custom bios 1180core 1500mem @ 1.125v http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6773222


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Thanks. I hope to be doing the initial leak testing this week.
> I wasn't meaning to push water cooling on Bradley, but I sure think he would enjoy the results, with his cards hitting 80C! And that's with good case airflow.
> 
> You've got an awesome build!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Komodos are great blocks, and I like the fact that they include the backplates. I had to hunt around for one of the EK backplates, with the extra shipping and duty, it really bumps up the cost. Main reason I went with them was the visible coolant in their acrylic top, as I have an IATX layout. But it seems that the Swifty blocks are damn good performers.
> 
> Your temps. are incredible. I figure it's pretty good to be in the 40's at load, but you're normally in the 30's! That certainly gives you a lot of headroom for kicking up the voltage. 1.4v. is a lot higher than I'll be venturing, but it's good to see that you can do it for benching.


thanks for the kind words !~
yea it is fun. but i notice it really does not help alot... or maybe there is a huge voltage wall to get over where you chip maxes out. idk too scared to push 1.5v lol

not stable yet but i now have a CHVz will update it when i am stable again just tonight finnally having time to play with it

the reason i love swiftech is that they ship everything pretty much complete. the backplates the single slot bracket. i love the full cover look too
cant wait to get my SLI fittings in ( just got hte replacements but with the new board they are now too small. need to buy bigger ones LOL
may hold off till i do a big purchase from swiftech and get my QDCs as well. ( check out them if you have nto yet seen them ... they crush koolances imo )


----------



## ivanlabrie

I wouldn't do over 1.3v on water...things stop scaling after a certain point unless you're several degrees below 0c, and specially without a no power limit hardware mod.


----------



## Mega Man

meh i do it for fun... besides i have ins on my hardware lol ... best part it covers ocing !~


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I wouldn't do over 1.3v on water...things stop scaling after a certain point unless you're several degrees below 0c, and specially without a no power limit hardware mod.


That is your opinion not fact.


----------



## JJ1217

Lapped the heatsink on my HIS 7950 IceQ, temps dropped from 80 degrees at 55% fan speed (1100 @ 1.175V), to 73 degrees at the same clocks. Pretty happy with my result.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> BradleyW very hard to clean off, for those 3-4ºc maybe its not worth it if you are concerned about your cooler surface, a dead card is a worthless card so play safe forget about the CLP/U


I reapplied my CLU after just lapping my heatsink, and to be honest, it is one of the most easiest TIM's I've ever had to take off, especially with the alcohol wipe they provide. You literally just lightly wipe on the die and most of its gone.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That is your opinion not fact.


Exactly why I said I wouldn't do it...you do have ln2 pots I guess since you know so much about this, you've probably tried it I assume.
Or is it like Kepler that can take 1.4v and get to 1400mhz on water?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Lapped the heatsink on my HIS 7950 IceQ, temps dropped from 80 degrees at 55% fan speed (1100 @ 1.175V), to 73 degrees at the same clocks. Pretty happy with my result.


Great! Glad you solved that...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Interestingly, I'm not getting acceptable FPS with Cryss 3 on Ultra running a 1080p display, so I had to drop it back to Very High setting. I was hoping to jack up the OC a little more to see if I can reach Ultra. Crysis 3 will saturate both cards.
> 
> Can you please share your volts and freqs to get that 75C limit?
> 
> Thanks.


is there a hack to set C3 to Ultra? Highest mine goes to Very High. with crossfire 7900 cards and the i7 SB at 4.5 and just 4MSAA my minimum was dipping down to the 30s using 1080. the game is just demanding but smooth even at that fps. mind you the chip struggled to keep up with cards at stock.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Lapped the heatsink on my HIS 7950 IceQ, temps dropped from 80 degrees at 55% fan speed (1100 @ 1.175V), to 73 degrees at the same clocks. Pretty happy with my result.


Wow that's still high temp for that OC, at least compared to my Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 card.

My card does 1100/1600MHz with 1.18V and max GPU temp was 65C (fan at 50% = 2500rpm), that's in Crysis 2 Revival mod.

In BF3 never goes above 62C and fan hits 45% = 2300rpm, not noisy at all.

CHEERS..


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Wow that's still high temp for that OC, at least compared to my Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 card.
> 
> My card does 1100/1600MHz with 1.18V and max GPU temp was 65C (fan at 50% = 2500rpm), that's in Crysis 2 Revival mod.
> 
> In BF3 never goes above 62C and fan hits 45% = 2300rpm, not noisy at all.
> 
> CHEERS..


Well, you're comparing a three slot dual 10 cm fan cooler with a large heatsink to a single 57mm fan (And its a blower too) tiny heatsink light as cooler (Its so light I can hardly feel it, no joke). I think 73 degrees is pretty good. I live in Australia too, which has quite high ambient...


----------



## ivanlabrie

The iceQ blower does a great job for a compact card, and works great for crossfire setups.


----------



## Scorpion49

Hey guys, got a quick question. I have the Sapphire Vapor-X with two 8-pin, and if I try to OC to even 1100 my computer shuts down under load. Currently using a TX550M which I would think is enough for even a heavily OC'd 7950, the kill-a-watt is only reading around 465W when it happens.

Bad PSU or is it the card? I'm leaning towards trying a new PSU as I don't think this one is pushing enough amps on the 12v rail. I can't find any precise spec on the Sapphire saying X amps needed, only 500W PSU which is pretty vague.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Well, you're comparing a three slot dual 10 cm fan cooler with a large heatsink to a single 57mm fan (And its a blower too) tiny heatsink light as cooler (Its so light I can hardly feel it, no joke). I think 73 degrees is pretty good. I live in Australia too, which has quite high ambient...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> The iceQ blower does a great job for a compact card, and works great for crossfire setups.


This, the IceQ blower-style cooler is the best blower style card that you can get from what I know of. I got mine off PC Case Gear when they had their sale on them for $299 and I assume that JJ1217 did too!









What's interesting about them is they feature more VRM's then AMD's reference design and apart from that they're identical pretty much. (I compared them side by side), I also love the quality of the actual cooler. It's a lot better then the Sapphire one (Reference PCB) and has a lot more weight to it (VRM cooling is ten fold better too).


----------



## Nwanko

Can anyone point me to te solution, how to configure msi afterburner to set the voltage to my 7950. I got a Powercolor 7950 v2 boost clock from RMA yesterday.

The thing is this. The slider and everything is working normal but when i set a specific voltage to my card, it always stays at 1.250V in load. Tried the 2.3.1 and the 3.0 beta 10 version of it. Installed as the the-amd-how-to-thread says. Is there a profile tweak or something to get this working.

PS: if i set the voltage in trixx 4.60 it stays just the way i set it. Its also showing normal in msi display and gpu-z with a minnor vdroop. I don't want to use two programs soo if anyone has the solution for this problem please help. Haven't found anything yet.

Side note for another problem. I have a Z77x-ud5h motherboard, the card is in the first Pcie x16 slot, gpu says its only working at x8 mode(LOAD),+ my mobo is a stupid thing,the card wont give a signal at all if i don't set the pcie slots to GEN2 in bios. WONT POST AT ALL!


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Can anyone point me to te solution, how to configure msi afterburner to set the voltage to my 7950. I got a Powercolor 7950 v2 boost clock from RMA yesterday.
> 
> The thing is this. The slider and everything is working normal but when i set a specific voltage to my card, it always stays at 1.250V in load. Tried the 2.3.1 and the 3.0 beta 10 version of it. Installed as the the-amd-how-to-thread says. Is there a profile tweak or something to get this working.
> 
> PS: if i set the voltage in trixx 4.60 it stays just the way i set it. Its also showing normal in msi display and gpu-z with a minnor vdroop. I don't want to use two programs soo if anyone has the solution for this problem please help. Haven't found anything yet.
> 
> Side note for another problem. I have a Z77x-ud5h motherboard, the card is in the first Pcie x16 slot, gpu says its only working at x8 mode(LOAD),+ my mobo is a stupid thing,the card wont give a signal at all if i don't set the pcie slots to GEN2 in bios. WONT POST AT ALL!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Have you tried setting the power control settings in CCC? I had to set mine to +20% to get my voltage to stay lower than 1.25V under load.

CCC - Performance - Overdrive - Tweak power control settings from there.

I also had to get rid of MSI AF as it would just not stick my voltage, no matter if I messed with the power control settings or not, and I went with Trixx. I don't mind the switch, only thing different is I don't get all my graphs on the side like MSI AF (GPUz does this just fine).


----------



## Ferling

What CPU's from AMD would you be suggested to pair up with the 7970 3gb when gaming at 1440p

From minimum-max


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTank Jones16x*
> 
> Have you tried setting the power control settings in CCC? I had to set mine to +20% to get my voltage to stay lower than 1.25V under load.
> 
> CCC - Performance - Overdrive - Tweak power control settings from there.
> 
> I also had to get rid of MSI AF as it would just not stick my voltage, no matter if I messed with the power control settings or not, and I went with Trixx. I don't mind the switch, only thing different is I don't get all my graphs on the side like MSI AF (GPUz does this just fine).


I've set the power limit to 20 closed the ccc,now the voltage is 1.125v no matter what i set it...

There has to be some setting in the profiles to add like with my previous card 5850 i had to add a line like this.

[Settings]
VDDC_VT1165_Defaults = 18 39


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> I've set the power limit to 20 closed the ccc,now the voltage is 1.125v no matter what i set it...
> 
> There has to be some setting in the profiles to add like with my previous card 5850 i had to add a line like this.
> 
> [Settings]
> VDDC_VT1165_Defaults = 18 39


Tried starting from scratch? Un-install MSI AF/Trixx (basically reset any OC), re-install drivers/CCC (I had to do that more than once), then install just Trixx and try again?


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTank Jones16x*
> 
> Tried starting from scratch? Un-install MSI AF/Trixx (basically reset any OC), re-install drivers/CCC (I had to do that more than once), then install just Trixx and try again?


TriXX is working, but i don't want to use two programs, i need msi for osd display and fan control. I just want msi to work for everything,oc,fan,osd...


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> TriXX is working, but i don't want to use two programs, i need msi for osd display and fan control. I just want msi to work for everything,oc,fan,osd...


I was like you but i switched to trixx and radeon pro. Radeon Pro for OSD and crossfire settings and Trixx for overclocking and fan profiles.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> I was like you but i switched to trixx and radeon pro. Radeon Pro for OSD and crossfire settings and Trixx for overclocking and fan profiles.


Trixx isn't bad,but i don't know how to use and setup game profiles and such in radeonpro. Now i'm just playing Black Ops 2 and Battlefied 3. Can you explaine or share your radeon pro settings for osd and the game profiles?


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Trixx isn't bad,but i don't know how to use and setup game profiles and such. Now i'm just playing Black Ops 2 and Battlefied 3. Can you explaine or share your radeon pro settings for osd and the game profiles?


I will when i get home im at work right now installing 2010 exchange remotely for a client.


----------



## Emu105

Wait MSI afterburner won't OC the 7970?


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Emu105*
> 
> Wait MSI afterburner won't OC the 7970?


It will but i think Trixx is better and ive had more success with it.


----------



## maynard14

Hi to all









is it a good idea if i upgrsde my 7870 myst edition to 7970 or gtx 770?

i want to play all next games ,.. or should i wait for ati 8 series


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> TriXX is working, but i don't want to use two programs, i need msi for osd display and fan control. I just want msi to work for everything,oc,fan,osd...


I haven't had real success getting MSI AF to work with my 7950, and the voltage not sticking was just giving me a headache.

As for Trixx, it has a manual fan control option, the same as AF. As for OSD, if you have a second monitor, you could always use Rainmeter and set up some skins to show what you need (it's what I have).

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Hi to all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is it a good idea if i upgrsde my 7870 myst edition to 7970 or gtx 770?
> 
> i want to play all next games ,.. or should i wait for ati 8 series


7870's can OC quite well from what I have heard, no real reason to upgrade as of yet. I would wait until the 8xxx series.


----------



## [CyGnus]

A 7870XT is very capable off playing all the games that exist although not on max but close, if those +10/15fps are important upgrade it to either one if not dont waste money


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTank Jones16x*
> 
> I haven't had real success getting MSI AF to work with my 7950, and the voltage not sticking was just giving me a headache.
> 
> As for Trixx, it has a manual fan control option, the same as AF. As for OSD, if you have a second monitor, you could always use Rainmeter and set up some skins to show what you need (it's what I have).
> 7870's can OC quite well from what I have heard, no real reason to upgrade as of yet. I would wait until the 8xxx series.


He as the cut down Tahiti LE 7870, making it even more pointless to upgrade to a 7950/70.
Second the next gen thing, or go xfire for cheap later on.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Hey guys, got a quick question. I have the Sapphire Vapor-X with two 8-pin, and if I try to OC to even 1100 my computer shuts down under load. Currently using a TX550M which I would think is enough for even a heavily OC'd 7950, the kill-a-watt is only reading around 465W when it happens.
> 
> Bad PSU or is it the card? I'm leaning towards trying a new PSU as I don't think this one is pushing enough amps on the 12v rail. I can't find any precise spec on the Sapphire saying X amps needed, only 500W PSU which is pretty vague.


you would want to be able to supply a minimum of ~20A to the card, (240W, especially when overclocking), the fact that you read ~465W, you've probably already maxed out one or more of your power lanes (including 5V and 3.3V)

a card with dual-8pin is expected to be able to pull power more then 6+8 pin can provide stable enough when overclocked, 6+8 handles up to 250-300W...


----------



## Mackem

I have my dual monitors connected to my 7950 via DVI and HDMI. I've flashed a modded BIOS so that I could unlock the voltage but I can only play with it in TRIXX. I went into the AMD CCC to put the power slider to +20% but my question is how do I make it so that the overclock only applies to 3D applications? The core clock goes down to 500 when I'm on the desktop but the memory clock still stays at it's overclocked value.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> A 7870XT is very capable off playing all the games that exist although not on max but close, if those +10/15fps are important upgrade it to either one if not dont waste money


hi sir! thanks to all of your replies...

if i oc this 7870 myst sir

what core clock and memory clock will im aiming for constant 60 fps and ultra settings on 720 p? is it possible? i, struggling on metro last light


----------



## [CyGnus]

why dont you try it and see... every card is different so the results are not the same for everyone.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Can anyone point me to te solution, how to configure msi afterburner to set the voltage to my 7950. I got a Powercolor 7950 v2 boost clock from RMA yesterday.
> 
> The thing is this. The slider and everything is working normal but when i set a specific voltage to my card, it always stays at 1.250V in load. Tried the 2.3.1 and the 3.0 beta 10 version of it. Installed as the the-amd-how-to-thread says. Is there a profile tweak or something to get this working.
> 
> PS: if i set the voltage in trixx 4.60 it stays just the way i set it. Its also showing normal in msi display and gpu-z with a minnor vdroop. I don't want to use two programs soo if anyone has the solution for this problem please help. Haven't found anything yet.
> 
> Side note for another problem. I have a Z77x-ud5h motherboard, the card is in the first Pcie x16 slot, gpu says its only working at x8 mode(LOAD),+ my mobo is a stupid thing,the card wont give a signal at all if i don't set the pcie slots to GEN2 in bios. WONT POST AT ALL!


Go to power options in windows and change the PCI Express to OFF.


----------



## Emu105

So i just got my 7970 sapphire i love this thing!! maxs out bf3 skyrim simcity now the only game it drops to around 35frams is the new need for speed when i put 4aa on it just drops down but when i put 2x its fine why is that.... time to download crysis 3 God i love AMD!


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> why dont you try it and see... every card is different so the results are not the same for everyone.


i understand sir,.. thanks ! i will try







thanks again


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> With that same voltage but running 1100MHz, I'm seeing 70C. I'm still in learning mode. I'm pretty sure I have MSIA set to have the fans at 100% when the GPU hits 70C. I haven't come across any rule of thumb guides yet. Oh, and I'm running an open case right now. Yes the cards are loud.
> 
> Also these cards are new so they haven't had time to get too dusty yet.
> 
> Again I ask, when running stock cooling, how high do you let the temps get under load.


I hit late 60's on stock speeds with 45% fan.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Go to power options in windows and change the PCI Express to OFF.


Nothing changed,still at x8.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Nothing changed,still at x8.


Did you reboot?


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Did you reboot?


Yes,still the same...


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> is there a hack to set C3 to Ultra? Highest mine goes to Very High. with crossfire 7900 cards and the i7 SB at 4.5 and just 4MSAA my minimum was dipping down to the 30s using 1080. the game is just demanding but smooth even at that fps. mind you the chip struggled to keep up with cards at stock.


I'm on business travel right now so can't check. No hack applied. I just remember backing down from max system setting, I thought it said Ultra and where I landed was on Very High. I'm finishing another playthrough and am on the final Alpha Ceph battle. Lots and lots of stuff going on in this scene.

My FX 8350 is running at 4.9GHz and only runs at about 65% total CPU, so I'm fairly confident the GPUs are the bottleneck since they both show 100% utilization. I'll try some additional OC tweaking over the weekend and hope for a bit more performance.

Even at Very High, the additional detail in the weapons and so forth is quite amazing.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Yes,still the same...


Reseat the card. Could be a I/O plate to chassis mismatch causing the card to not go into the slot properly.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> This, the IceQ blower-style cooler is the best blower style card that you can get from what I know of. I got mine off PC Case Gear when they had their sale on them for $299 and I assume that JJ1217 did too!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What's interesting about them is they feature more VRM's then AMD's reference design and apart from that they're identical pretty much. (I compared them side by side), I also love the quality of the actual cooler. It's a lot better then the Sapphire one (Reference PCB) and has a lot more weight to it (VRM cooling is ten fold better too).


Yeah I did, around a month ago. Was disappointed when I initially got it, it had a stock voltage of 1.25 V that couldn't be changed, and would hit 90 degrees celcius at 100% fan speed. Ended up flashing to a 7970 bios that was unlocked. The fact that I had to do so many warranty destroying things just to get a not that great temperature anyways is pretty crap, considering they advertise all over the box that its 10 degrees cooler and however decibels quieter. I'm happy with it now though.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Go to power options in windows and change the PCI Express to OFF.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nothing changed,still at x8.
Click to expand...

Does the UD5 have 'Onboard PCIe Devices setting' under intergrated peripherals like the UD7?
if so you can manually set the PCIE lanes .


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Does the UD5 have 'Onboard PCIe Devices setting' under intergrated peripherals like the UD7?
> if so you can manually set the PCIE lanes .


I have an uefi bios,no setting like this in my bios.
My sapphire 7950 also didn't work at x16 on my p55a-u5 system. so there's something else causing this...


----------



## Snuckie7

I'm planning to mod my Corsair H70 to my 7950. Think it's worth lapping the H70 before applying CLU?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Yeah I did, around a month ago. Was disappointed when I initially got it, it had a stock voltage of 1.25 V that couldn't be changed, and would hit 90 degrees celcius at 100% fan speed. Ended up flashing to a 7970 bios that was unlocked. The fact that I had to do so many warranty destroying things just to get a not that great temperature anyways is pretty crap, considering they advertise all over the box that its 10 degrees cooler and however decibels quieter. I'm happy with it now though.


Sounds like it came with a boot BIOS, mine didn't.. It plays nicely with a Sapphire reference BIOS though, it gives it 950MHz stock @ 1156mv. Unlocked voltage and a 280W limit in the BIOS.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Sounds like it came with a boot BIOS, mine didn't.. It plays nicely with a Sapphire reference BIOS though, it gives it 950MHz stock @ 1156mv. Unlocked voltage and a 280W limit in the BIOS.


Yeah mine was boost. Happy with it now though, regardless of the many things I've done just to get it down to a nice temperature. I sometimes run it undervolted, 0.925V with 800/1250, doesn't pass 54 degrees celcius.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Emu105*
> 
> So i just got my 7970 sapphire i love this thing!! maxs out bf3 skyrim simcity now the only game it drops to around 35frams is the new need for speed when i put 4aa on it just drops down but when i put 2x its fine why is that.... time to download crysis 3 God i love AMD!


is your cpu stock? might help to oc it to at least 4.2GHz.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I'm on business travel right now so can't check. No hack applied. I just remember backing down from max system setting, I thought it said Ultra and where I landed was on Very High. I'm finishing another playthrough and am on the final Alpha Ceph battle. Lots and lots of stuff going on in this scene.
> 
> My FX 8350 is running at 4.9GHz and only runs at about 65% total CPU, so I'm fairly confident the GPUs are the bottleneck since they both show 100% utilization. I'll try some additional OC tweaking over the weekend and hope for a bit more performance.
> 
> Even at Very High, the additional detail in the weapons and so forth is quite amazing.


did not check the usage but this was what i got in xfire with the gpus stock . . .

Very High (all) and 4MSAA



you need a gaming laptop for travel.









edit: indoors the fps is a bunch higher.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I'm planning to mod my Corsair H70 to my 7950. Think it's worth lapping the H70 before applying CLU?


Are you gonna use zipties or did you order the custom bracket? I´ve been seriously contemplating the same operation as well and I´m just curious...


----------



## SortOfGrim

So I







my matrix and tweaked the GPU clock and Memory a bit

GPU-Z


----------



## th3illusiveman

well, My 7970 has officially broken 10Ghz!  Nvm, it's intels Next Gen GPU tek


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> well, My 7970 has officially broken 10Ghz!


But its only got 12 GCN Cores?

I rather my regular 7950


----------



## sugarhell

Now the new model 7970 10GHZ edition


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> well, My 7970 has officially broken 10Ghz!  Nvm, it's intels Next Gen GPU tek


Nice custom BIOS written for it!








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Now the new model 7970 10GHZ edition


Hahahahaha!


----------



## Emu105

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Emu105*
> 
> So i just got my 7970 sapphire i love this thing!! maxs out bf3 skyrim simcity now the only game it drops to around 35frams is the new need for speed when i put 4aa on it just drops down but when i put 2x its fine why is that.... time to download crysis 3 God i love AMD!
> 
> 
> 
> is your cpu stock? might help to oc it to at least 4.2GHz.
Click to expand...

Right now i have it at 3.8 i try to get 4.2 stable was a bit of a pain i guess i need more voltage.


----------



## Paul17041993

ok so apparently with 1050core, 1650mem, my 7970 can do 600-630MH/s in bitmining... but doing so it floats to 77-81 deg Celsius...

does that sound normal for a DCIIT...?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> ok so apparently with 1050core, 1650mem, my 7970 can do 600-630MH/s in bitmining... but doing so it floats to 77-81 deg Celsius...
> 
> does that sound normal for a DCIIT...?


Lower the memory. No need so high for mining. Also if you dont do scrypt mining lower it to the lowest value.


----------



## ivanlabrie

He should be mining litecoins at the very least...head to the bitcoin and alt coin club thread in the compute section here for more info.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> He should be mining litecoins at the very least...head to the bitcoin and alt coin club thread in the compute section here for more info.


TBH though, I don't think I'm going to bother doing any mining with what I have, or at least not until its a full watercooled setup... the temps I found quite surprising though, even with the fans on 100%, it seems to sit at 72C...

noise and heat going into the room on the other hand is obnoxious... lol...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Heat will always be there with wc too...


----------



## Paul17041993

of course, but not quite as high and loud provided a good pump and radiator...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> of course, but not quite as high and loud provided a good pump and radiator...


Heat radiates into the ambient the same, heatload will dissipate faster and your components will run cooler but the ambient air will heat up the same.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Are you gonna use zipties or did you order the custom bracket? I´ve been seriously contemplating the same operation as well and I´m just curious...


I'm going with the NZXT bracket once they release that. Zipties are a little too sketchy for me.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> ... ambient air will heat up the same.


bolt a rad-box to your window? XD

though room temp isn't so much an issue in winter, I'm used to 30C and up... (AU, far from coast)


----------



## Wiffinberg

Hmm....

To get a second 7950 or 8000 series when released?









Thoughts?


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> Hmm....
> 
> To get a second 7950 or 8000 series when released?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thoughts?


I was contemplating the same thing, but thought I might just sell my 7950 and buy a badass 8970 DCII when it comes out.


----------



## Wiffinberg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I was contemplating the same thing, but thought I might just sell my 7950 and buy a badass 8970 DCII when it comes out.


Fair enough, I guess we just wait and see what the new cards have to offer


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I was contemplating the same thing, but thought I might just sell my 7950 and buy a badass 8970 DCII when it comes out.


or wait for the 8k to be in preorder and get loads of 7950/70s on low prices...


----------



## Wiffinberg

^ Could be a plan


----------



## frickfrock999

Can anybody report how the latest drivers are running for 32 Bit Vista Ultimate?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *frickfrock999*
> 
> Can anybody report how the latest drivers are running for 32 Bit Vista Ultimate?


Check hwbot.org, many benchers use vista for certain 3d runs.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> TBH though, I don't think I'm going to bother doing any mining with what I have, or at least not until its a full watercooled setup... the temps I found quite surprising though, even with the fans on 100%, it seems to sit at 72C...
> 
> noise and heat going into the room on the other hand is obnoxious... lol...


I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP *V2* card which has identical cooler to HD7970 DC2 model.

In Litecoin @ 1100/1600MHz, 1.18V with fan @ 60% (3000 rpm), my max GPU temp was 68C, VRM temps = 81/71C.

@ 1000/1600MHz, 1.094V, max GPU temp was 64C, fan speed 50% (2600 rpm).










So definetly you should consider reapllying TIM , maybe Asus overdid thermalpaste on your card which has a negative impact on temperatures.

CHEERS..


----------



## Spectre-

hi guys new here

can someone tell me if i can push my R7950 over the 1100mhz mark

thank you


----------



## [CyGnus]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> hi guys new here
> 
> can someone tell me if i can push my R7950 over the 1100mhz mark
> 
> thank you


Every card is different you have to try it, give it some voltage and overclock it


----------



## Tralalo

Hi guys,
I get errors in OCCT if I push my HIS 7970 IceQ X² core clock past 1050MHz, do I have a bad card (ASIC is 60%, core voltage is 1.15, drops to 1.05 under load) or do you just dont use OCCT to test stability ?

Thanks


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tralalo*
> 
> Hi guys,
> I get errors in OCCT if I push my HIS 7970 IceQ X² core clock past 1050MHz, do I have a bad card (ASIC is 60%, core voltage is 1.15, drops to 1.05 under load) or do you just dont use OCCT to test stability ?
> 
> Thanks


my card atm only runs on 1.17V with a stable clock of 1050, though I believe its the voltage droop that's making your card unstable...

what PSU you using? and is that a characteristic of the HIS cards to have a droop like that? haven't looked too much about the V droop on the 7970s really... (mine doesn't seem to at all, though my PSU seems to supply 12.2V to it...)


----------



## Moolers

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tralalo*
> 
> Hi guys,
> I get errors in OCCT if I push my HIS 7970 IceQ X² core clock past 1050MHz, do I have a bad card (ASIC is 60%, core voltage is 1.15, drops to 1.05 under load) or do you just dont use OCCT to test stability ?
> 
> Thanks


Test your OC with Heaven/Valley and while gaming, I wouldn't bother with OCCT for GPU testing. You should be able to push past 1050MHz easily enough.


----------



## Paul17041993

ok, so I actually decided to look at the ASIC on my card...

55.6%

TBH, I'm not sure if that's even a good number for watercooling or not... has anyone else got a percent that low...?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> ok, so I actually decided to look at the ASIC on my card...
> 
> 55.6%
> 
> TBH, I'm not sure if that's even a good number for watercooling or not... has anyone else got a percent that low...?


My second 7950 (Sapphire) is 54.2% I think, can't remember but it's really low like yours. Doesn't mean much though


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Hi gentleman,

I have little question for those who can help me. My brother bought him self a reference design hd7950 and got an stable overclock at 1230/1880 mhz, but how to get the board power li higher than 20? I know that there is some kind of a mod to get more power to the card, but how?


----------



## Paul17041993

well, I can safely say i have completely given up on this DCIIT, more then 20 flashes and I havn't gotten a single BIOS that goes anywhere...

either it works, but is locked @1170mV, or it gives the "device has a problem", system locks up on hardware scan, card is _undervolted_, or it just simply refuses to boot in POST...

as far as I can tell, this card is 100% **hardware locked** and I couldn't even bother thinking about trying to wire trimpots to it now... let alone spend money on a one-off waterblock...

#neveragain


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> ok, so I actually decided to look at the ASIC on my card...
> 
> 55.6%
> 
> TBH, I'm not sure if that's even a good number for watercooling or not... has anyone else got a percent that low...?


My Asus HD7950 DC2T *V2* has ASIC = 66,2%, stock voltage 1.094V.

I can get it 100% stable (games, OCCT, GPU tool error check) @ 1100/1600MHz with 1.213V in Afterburner, that's 1.15 - 1.17V under load.

Any higher than 1100MHz is Mission impossible for GPU, no matter how high is voltage (tried max 1.3V), it just starts to artefacts.

Temperature is not a problem, in games max is 64C @ 1.1GHz (1.213V), fan @ 48% (2400 rpm),VRM-s under 70C, but just GPU cannot get past 1.1GHz mark no matter what I do.

For comparision, I had Asus HD7950 DC2T *V1* card, ASIC = 77.9%, very low stock voltage 0.993V, it did 1.1GHz stable with 1.10V in afterburner, also memory did 1850MHz fully stable at stock 1.6V.

So I'd say yeah, ASIC does play a certain role but more important is a overall quality of a GPU sample, I have seen low ASIC chips hitting over 1200MHz stable.

CHEERS..


----------



## ebduncan

Hmms i didn't see anyone post this up yet

so here you are

new preview drivers from AMD this is probably the most important fix "Aggressive V-sync interrupt optimization" the crossfire shudder fix. Granted the real driver is due at the end of JULY

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalystWIN8-1PreviewDriver.aspx


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Hmms i didn't see anyone post this up yet
> 
> so here you are
> 
> new preview drivers from AMD this is probably the most important fix "Aggressive V-sync interrupt optimization" the crossfire shudder fix. Granted the real driver is due at the end of JULY


Watch out, some of those "preview" drivers posted in random forums had a bitcoin mining trojan inside.
No link also...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Hmms i didn't see anyone post this up yet
> 
> so here you are
> 
> new preview drivers from AMD this is probably the most important fix "Aggressive V-sync interrupt optimization" the crossfire shudder fix. Granted the real driver is due at the end of JULY


No it isnt a fix.

Link here:http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_13_x_%2813_150_1_june_21%29_download.html


----------



## Adversity

Anyone else having problems with TriXX and Afterburner? When I use TriXX, no matter what setting I choose, I get the "driver crashed and recovered" error, and when I use Afterburner I get hundreds of wavy lines on my desktop. I'm going to clean the drivers with driver sweeper and reinstall Catalyst now, let's see if that works.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Adversity*
> 
> Anyone else having problems with TriXX and Afterburner? When I use TriXX, no matter what setting I choose, I get the "driver crashed and recovered" error, and when I use Afterburner I get hundreds of wavy lines on my desktop. I'm going to clean the drivers with driver sweeper and reinstall Catalyst now, let's see if that works.


Read my sig link .


----------



## ebduncan

i forgot the link opps.

heres the link, preview driver for windows 8.1

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalystWIN8-1PreviewDriver.aspx


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> i forgot the link opps.
> 
> heres the link, preview driver for windows 8.1
> 
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalystWIN8-1PreviewDriver.aspx


When will we see a leaked preview for windows 7?


----------



## [CyGnus]

There is a modded version for win 7 32bit and 64bit here: http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_13_x_(13_150_1_june_21)_download.html


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> There is a modded version for win 7 32bit and 64bit here: http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_13_x_(13_150_1_june_21)_download.html


I've been reading comments and people claim any overclock with these drivers cause noticeable frame loss.


----------



## th3illusiveman

Are reference cards with the GHZ bios worth it? I could buy a VisionTek HD7970 reference with a 72% ASIC rating and sell this one as a $30 side grade. Ghz bios on regular reference cards reversible to a normal bios? I would hate to sell this card and get stuck with another voltage limited/locked GPU.


----------



## Tralalo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> my card atm only runs on 1.17V with a stable clock of 1050, though I believe its the voltage droop that's making your card unstable...
> 
> what PSU you using? and is that a characteristic of the HIS cards to have a droop like that? haven't looked too much about the V droop on the 7970s really... (mine doesn't seem to at all, though my PSU seems to supply 12.2V to it...)


Hi, my PSU is a Seasonic 700W : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151031
It should be enough for a single gpu setup


----------



## [CyGnus]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've been reading comments and people claim any overclock with these drivers cause noticeable frame loss.


I installed these and only been folding with them so far and my ppd raised from 125K to 129K, will test some games later and see how it goes


----------



## B30wulf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Are reference cards with the GHZ bios worth it? I could buy a VisionTek HD7970 reference with a 72% ASIC rating and sell this one as a $30 side grade. Ghz bios on regular reference cards reversible to a normal bios? I would hate to sell this card and get stuck with another voltage limited/locked GPU.


If its true reference it will have unlocked voltage, i honestly dont know how GHz bios"es" affect voltage unlocks or not. All i can say is stay away from boost cards.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> Are reference cards with the GHZ bios worth it? I could buy a VisionTek HD7970 reference with a 72% ASIC rating and sell this one as a $30 side grade. Ghz bios on regular reference cards reversible to a normal bios? I would hate to sell this card and get stuck with another voltage limited/locked GPU.


The 'true' green sticker ref cards are unlocked. MSI cards like the 2PMD3GD5 that are referenec design are/have been unlocked as well.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *B30wulf*
> 
> If its true reference it will have unlocked voltage, i honestly dont know how GHz bios"es" affect voltage unlocks or not. All i can say is stay away from boost cards.


Why stay away from boost cards?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Why stay away from boost cards?


Fixed voltage at 1.25. Boost mode =dislike


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Fixed voltage at 1.25. Boost mode =dislike


I agree. Can anyone share a Powercolor 7950 v2 stock bios(not boost). Every bios i've tried isn't working,and both bioses are the same on my card. I have Trixx for oc,and everytime i start my pc the voltage loads 1.250v.

P.S. Still no solution for my problem,the card wont work at x16 and the card won't post,wont give signal when i set it to auto or gen3 pcie,only works on gen2 and x8. LAME!


----------



## Mackem

Hi guys,

I have a Windforce 3X 7950 Rev. 2 card. I flashed a modded FX1 BIOS by robnitro to allow me to unlock the voltage and play with it (Only thing is I have to use TRIXX). I OC'ed to 1150/1450 with a VDDC of 1129. I have the very latest AMD Beta drivers.

What happens is that sometimes randomly, my secondary monitor will crash and the screen goes like this. It's annoying as I've played games for 5-6 hours today and it's only just done it. I can use the primary monitor just fine though but I have to reboot the computer to get the 2nd monitor working again.

Is this a case of too low voltage or dodgy BIOS?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I have a Windforce 3X 7950 Rev. 2 card. I flashed a modded FX1 BIOS by robnitro to allow me to unlock the voltage and play with it (Only thing is I have to use TRIXX). I OC'ed to 1150/1450 with a VDDC of 1129. I have the very latest AMD Beta drivers.
> 
> What happens is that sometimes randomly, my secondary monitor will crash and the screen goes like this. It's annoying as I've played games for 5-6 hours today and it's only just done it. I can use the primary monitor just fine though but I have to reboot the computer to get the 2nd monitor working again.
> 
> Is this a case of too low voltage or dodgy BIOS?


could be both I would think, maby try lowering your clocks or set them back to default to see if it triggers still, if it does then I guess its the BIOS at fault.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I have a Windforce 3X 7950 Rev. 2 card. I flashed a modded FX1 BIOS by robnitro to allow me to unlock the voltage and play with it (Only thing is I have to use TRIXX). I OC'ed to 1150/1450 with a VDDC of 1129. I have the very latest AMD Beta drivers.
> 
> What happens is that sometimes randomly, my secondary monitor will crash and the screen goes like this. It's annoying as I've played games for 5-6 hours today and it's only just done it. I can use the primary monitor just fine though but I have to reboot the computer to get the 2nd monitor working again.
> 
> Is this a case of too low voltage or dodgy BIOS?


Which driver is it and where did you get it?
Check your idle temps and post back...


----------



## Mackem

Modded FY1 BIOS from robnitro on these forums. Temps were like mid 30s low 40s (at the 1150/1400 clocks)


----------



## Gomi

Joining the club



















Going into a Caselabs S3 w. pedestal / Asus ROG IMPACT (Mitx) rig.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1404454/build-log-caselabs-s3-w-pedestal-hd7990-de-lidded-4770k-bare-die-asus-rog-impact-liquid-cooled-extravaganza-grey-horizon/0_100#post_20282979


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gomi*
> 
> Joining the club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1404454/build-log-caselabs-s3-w-pedestal-hd7990-de-lidded-4770k-bare-die-asus-rog-impact-liquid-cooled-extravaganza-grey-horizon/0_100#post_20282979


man that looks awesome, and only 1 slot too









hope to hear you get good clocks on it!


----------



## kcuestag

Nice card! Welcome to the club, these 7000 series cards are awesome.


----------



## Melee

I am hoping you guys can help me out. I will be running 5760x1080 soon so I need a decent amount of power. I am considering going with two 7970s in Crossfire.

I found a local guy with two brand new and sealed Sapphire 7970 Vapor X Ghz Editions that he will sell me for ~ $325 each or $600 for both that include the 10 free games that came with them. He purchased two new 780s (out of my budget and no desire to spend that much. lol) so he has no need for these now.

What are your opinions on these cards? I know the prices have dropped on them a bit lately which worries me but the reviews I've read seem solid. I'm not sure what to do on this one.

Anyways, thanks for your help in advance. I hope to be joining the club soon!


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Melee*
> 
> I am hoping you guys can help me out. I will be running 5760x1080 soon so I need a decent amount of power. I am considering going with two 7970s in Crossfire.
> 
> I found a local guy with two brand new and sealed Sapphire 7970 Vapor X Ghz Editions that he will sell me for ~ $325 each or $600 for both that include the 10 free games that came with them. He purchased two new 780s (out of my budget and no desire to spend that much. lol) so he has no need for these now.
> 
> What are your opinions on these cards? I know the prices have dropped on them a bit lately which worries me but the reviews I've read seem solid. I'm not sure what to do on this one.
> 
> Anyways, thanks for your help in advance. I hope to be joining the club soon!


I'd go for them, they're great cards, and great price too.









You won't be dissapointed, I sold my GTX680 SLI and got a pair of HD7970's and I like them a lot more than the Nvidia cards, in fact I'd prefer them over a pair of GTX780's, the performance difference is small compared to the huge price jump, and they have a lot of driver issues, specially in Battlefield 3 which is the game I play the most.

Go for them.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Fixed voltage at 1.25. Boost mode =dislike


I don't mind the boost cards. The stock voltage of 1.25 is nice for overclocking.

I have a boost card overclocked to 1200/1575. All i did was put a water block on it, and used AMD CCC to increase powertune to 20% and set the clocks. No voltage tweaking or 3rd party software.

However You can adjust the voltage on the boost cards someone made a tool for it

http://www.overclock.net/t/1341065/squeezing-sapphire-7950-oc-boost#post_18886397
Quote:


> Link: http://www35.zippyshare.com/v/4022846/file.html
> 
> The stock BETA support voltage control on the core but has limited fan profile settings and no VMEM control. The modded version fixes fan control and has full VMEM VDDC control and VDDC as high as 1.381v for the core (1.30v loaded after vdroop).
> 
> Stock voltage is also higher on these cards. 1.254v VDDC in stead of 1.175v.
> 
> Now, the way to OC these cards is to FULLY DISABLE AMD Overdrive in CCC.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I don't mind the boost cards. The stock voltage of 1.25 is nice for overclocking.
> 
> I have a boost card overclocked to 1200/1575. All i did was put a water block on it, and used AMD CCC to increase powertune to 20% and set the clocks. No voltage tweaking or 3rd party software.
> 
> However You can adjust the voltage on the boost cards someone made a tool for it
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1341065/squeezing-sapphire-7950-oc-boost#post_18886397


Its not stock voltage. Its fixed voltage at 1.25. The boost cards has only negatives nothing positive against the vanilla cards


----------



## richie_2010

You can flash the bios on a boost card to.a non boost bios


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> You can flash the bios on a boost card to.a non boost bios


ANd half of the time it doesnt work


----------



## richie_2010

my msi 7950 which came with boost allows me to adjust voltage in msi afterburner on ram and gpu


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> ANd half of the time it doesnt work


I'm looking and testing almost every bios 800/1250 and non of them are working. I have a Powercolor 7950 v2 card that came with a boost bios 925/1250. I don't like it. Can anyone point me to a stock 800/1250 bios. The one on Techpowerup site for powercolor doesn't even post.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> I'm looking and testing almost every bios 800/1250 and non of them are working. I have a Powercolor 7950 v2 card that came with a boost bios 925/1250. I don't like it. Can anyone point me to a stock 800/1250 bios. The one on Techpowerup site for powercolor doesn't even post.


I can send you my 880/1250 PCS+ BIOS if you wish


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I can send you my 880/1250 PCS+ BIOS if you wish


what's the voltage on that?

For some reason a gigabyte bios is working also,but its unstable when i oc my card.

this one ----> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/135249/gigabyte-hd7950-3072-121219.html


----------



## PedroC1999

Stock is 1094mV


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Stock is 1094mV


Ok,downloaded,will try and post back.

EDIT: No go,it doesn't post. Gonna try some other 800/1250 bioses,have nothing to loose.


----------



## NLight95

Lately I've been getting black screen crashes (PC locks up) with my 7970. I'm running completely stock voltages with the card running cool at 34C. These crashes have only occurred using GPU-Z (v 0.72) and/or Trixx 4.60, and the crashes are very random where I really don't know when it will occur. I think one area where it will crash consistently is loading GPU-Z immediately after Win7 boots, but that may be due to the drivers and the latter conflicting because they are both trying to access the card at once, so my bad on that one. This only started happening with the 13.x drivers.

I'm currently using the Cat 13.4 WHQL drivers. I might roll back to 12.10 but I'm wondering--*what has been the most stable WHQL Cat drivers for you guys*?


----------



## richie_2010

Nwanko try the msi 7950 bioses I used a 880 1250 one which lowered voltages on core but upped mem voltage. Never had issue with it


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> Lately I've been getting black screen crashes (PC locks up) with my 7970. I'm running completely stock voltages with the card running cool at 34C. These crashes have only occurred using GPU-Z (v 0.72) and/or Trixx 4.60, and the crashes are very random where I really don't know when it will occur. I think one area where it will crash consistently is loading GPU-Z immediately after Win7 boots, but that may be due to the drivers and the latter conflicting because they are both trying to access the card at once, so my bad on that one. This only started happening with the 13.x drivers.
> 
> I'm currently using the Cat 13.4 WHQL drivers. I might roll back to 12.10 but I'm wondering--*what has been the most stable WHQL Cat drivers for you guys*?


Read my sig link. And install the latest betas. WHQL is trash


----------



## NLight95

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Read my sig link. And install the latest betas. WHQL is trash


Considering the issue my 7970 is having, would you recommend turning ULPS off? I might use one of the modded drivers.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NLight95*
> 
> Considering the issue my 7970 is having, would you recommend turning ULPS off? I might use one of the modded drivers.


Yes disable it.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Nwanko try the msi 7950 bioses I used a 880 1250 one which lowered voltages on core but upped mem voltage. Never had issue with it


Tried one of the xfx bioses,and it works,also lowered the vid to 0.981V and its working great. One problem salved.

Now to figure out why the card is working only at x8 in the first pcie x16 slot, and why its not working at Gen3 pcie.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Tried one of the xfx bioses,and it works,also lowered the vid to 0.981V and its working great. One problem salved.
> 
> Now to figure out why the card is working only at x8 in the first pcie x16 slot, and why its not working at Gen3 pcie.


now actually does the pcie controller in the cpu die need extra drivers of the sort? or some extra BIOS thing? tbh I have barely looked at the intel cpus nowadays, though I have heard something along the lines of pcie3 being disabled on some systems due to a bug...

edit:
* The PCIEX4 slot is available only when an Intel 22nm (Ivy Bridge) CPU is installed.
* The PCIEX4 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX8 and PCIEX16 slots. When the PCIEX4 slot is populated, the PCIEX16 slot will operate at up to x8 mode and the PCIEX8 will operate at up to x4 mode.

checked your not using those slots?


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> now actually does the pcie controller in the cpu die need extra drivers of the sort? or some extra BIOS thing? tbh I have barely looked at the intel cpus nowadays, though I have heard something along the lines of pcie3 being disabled on some systems due to a bug...
> 
> edit:
> * The PCIEX4 slot is available only when an Intel 22nm (Ivy Bridge) CPU is installed.
> * The PCIEX4 slot shares bandwidth with the PCIEX8 and PCIEX16 slots. When the PCIEX4 slot is populated, the PCIEX16 slot will operate at up to x8 mode and the PCIEX8 will operate at up to x4 mode.
> 
> checked your not using those slots?


I only have 1 7950 installed and 1 sound card in pci slot x-fi fatal1ty champion series.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> I only have 1 7950 installed and 1 sound card in pci slot x-fi fatal1ty champion series.


yet your stuck on both pcie2 and only 8 lanes on the first slot? curious...
for whatever reason it sounds like the mobo thinks one of the other two slots is occupied by some pcie2 card, making the first switch to only 8 lanes and the whole controller switch to pcie2...

you have tried updating mobo BIOS, resetting CMOS, maby even rolling back to an old BIOS, etc etc correct?

also have you tried without the PCI card? I doubt it could be a cause but from what it seems it could be anything...


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yet your stuck on both pcie2 and only 8 lanes on the first slot? curious...
> for whatever reason it sounds like the mobo thinks one of the other two slots is occupied by some pcie2 card, making the first switch to only 8 lanes and the whole controller switch to pcie2...
> 
> you have tried updating mobo BIOS, resetting CMOS, maby even rolling back to an old BIOS, etc etc correct?
> 
> also have you tried without the PCI card? I doubt it could be a cause but from what it seems it could be anything...


Tried everything!!! i have tried a gts250 and 9500gt both not posting. tried a freinds 7850 2gb and posts normal wtih bios defaults. wierd?!


----------



## ivanlabrie

rma the board? ask Sin0822...


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Tried everything!!! i have tried a gts250 and 9500gt both not posting. tried a freinds 7850 2gb and posts normal wtih bios defaults. wierd?!


I see you have a gigabyte board. I also have one, in the bios you might need to change your pci-e config. Not sure if its the same with UEFI bios ( never used them) but ctrl+ F1 Will give you advanced options in bios. One of the new settings is PCI-E configuration, with multiple settings based on how you want the bandwidth allocated.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I see you have a gigabyte board. I also have one, in the bios you might need to change your pci-e config. Not sure if its the same with UEFI bios ( never used them) but ctrl+ F1 Will give you advanced options in bios. One of the new settings is PCI-E configuration, with multiple settings based on how you want the bandwidth allocated.


I know,i'm not using the 3d bios. There are no advanced settings for the pci-e. You can choose between the Gen1,2,3,auto. That's about it for what i know.

This is a reply from gigabyte support,did everything but no luck.

_Remove such as add-on cards, devices from motherboard, only install CPU, single memory, single HDD, VGA card and power (simple environment), and make sure the components on the motherboard are installed properly, please load optimized default in BIOS and then try again.

If it cannot post after load BIOS optimized default, please follow the steps below to try to fix this issue:

1. Turn off your computer. Remove add-on VGA card and connect monitor with onboard VGA port.

2. Boot and enter BIOS. Go to [BIOS Features] and set [CSM Support] as [Always]；set [Display Boot Option Control] as [Legacy First]

3. Save BIOS setting and turn off computer.

4. Re-install add-on VGA card and connect monitor with add-on VGA card properly.

If problem remains after above BIOS setting, we suggest you test your motherboard with another VGA card or test with another PCI E slot.

However, if the problem still remains after you test another VGA card, please contact is again and provide us the information of your system configuration. And if you have change any setting in BIOS after load default, please inform us too. We will see if we could assist you further.

Regards,
GIGABYTE_

It's not just me,i've read more people having issues with this. A guy on tweaktown forum had the same issue the same card and motherboard and it also didn't work. Then he got another ud5h board and worked normal on that board,no issues.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Rma the thing then...I insist on asking sin0822 here, pm him. He'll give a way better answer than random gb support guy # 35.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> You can choose between the Gen1,2,3,auto.


and you tried setting it to 2 and 3 but it stays on 2 anyway? or even set it to 1?

either way there definitely seems to be something very wrong with your mobo (or cpu for that matter...), think you would just have to RMA and let gigabyte sort out whats going on...


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Melee*
> 
> I am hoping you guys can help me out. I will be running 5760x1080 soon so I need a decent amount of power. I am considering going with two 7970s in Crossfire.
> 
> I found a local guy with two brand new and sealed Sapphire 7970 Vapor X Ghz Editions that he will sell me for ~ $325 each or $600 for both that include the 10 free games that came with them. He purchased two new 780s (out of my budget and no desire to spend that much. lol) so he has no need for these now.
> 
> What are your opinions on these cards? I know the prices have dropped on them a bit lately which worries me but the reviews I've read seem solid. I'm not sure what to do on this one.
> 
> Anyways, thanks for your help in advance. I hope to be joining the club soon!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> I'd go for them, they're great cards, and great price too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You won't be dissapointed, I sold my GTX680 SLI and got a pair of HD7970's and I like them a lot more than the Nvidia cards, in fact I'd prefer them over a pair of GTX780's, the performance difference is small compared to the huge price jump, and they have a lot of driver issues, specially in Battlefield 3 which is the game I play the most.
> 
> Go for them.





+1


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> I know,i'm not using the 3d bios. There are no advanced settings for the pci-e. You can choose between the Gen1,2,3,auto. That's about it for what i know.
> 
> This is a reply from gigabyte support,did everything but no luck.
> 
> _Remove such as add-on cards, devices from motherboard, only install CPU, single memory, single HDD, VGA card and power (simple environment), and make sure the components on the motherboard are installed properly, please load optimized default in BIOS and then try again.
> 
> If it cannot post after load BIOS optimized default, please follow the steps below to try to fix this issue:
> 
> 1. Turn off your computer. Remove add-on VGA card and connect monitor with onboard VGA port.
> 
> 2. Boot and enter BIOS. Go to [BIOS Features] and set [CSM Support] as [Always]；set [Display Boot Option Control] as [Legacy First]
> 
> 3. Save BIOS setting and turn off computer.
> 
> 4. Re-install add-on VGA card and connect monitor with add-on VGA card properly.
> 
> If problem remains after above BIOS setting, we suggest you test your motherboard with another VGA card or test with another PCI E slot.
> 
> However, if the problem still remains after you test another VGA card, please contact is again and provide us the information of your system configuration. And if you have change any setting in BIOS after load default, please inform us too. We will see if we could assist you further.
> 
> Regards,
> GIGABYTE_
> 
> It's not just me,i've read more people having issues with this. A guy on tweaktown forum had the same issue the same card and motherboard and it also didn't work. Then he got another ud5h board and worked normal on that board,no issues.


the option is not available until you press ctrl+ F1 in the bios, otherwise the option is hidden.


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> the option is not available until you press ctrl+ F1 in the bios, otherwise the option is hidden.


ctrl+f1 is a switch between 3d bios and advanced settings,it doesn't give you extra settings....


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> I'm looking and testing almost every bios 800/1250 and non of them are working. I have a Powercolor 7950 v2 card that came with a boost bios 925/1250. I don't like it. Can anyone point me to a stock 800/1250 bios. The one on Techpowerup site for powercolor doesn't even post.


If you're still looking, This one worked a charm on my Sapphire 7950 2L (Reference PCB) and on a vaugley reference HIS 7950 Turbo. It increases the TDP limit to similar of a 7970 I believe and works a charm. (No boost!) Both of my cards ran at 1156mv stock or 1165mv (I can't remember and it's not with me now).


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> If you're still looking, This one worked a charm on my Sapphire 7950 2L (Reference PCB) and on a vaugley reference HIS 7950 Turbo. It increases the TDP limit to similar of a 7970 I believe and works a charm. (No boost!) Both of my cards ran at 1156mv stock or 1165mv (I can't remember and it's not with me now).


The xfx one i working well,i'll stay at that for now. Waiting for Sin0822 to reply.


----------



## richie_2010

does anyone have a reference 7950 msi card with a normal bios not a boost bios that they can share.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> does anyone have a reference 7950 msi card with a normal bios not a boost bios that they can share.


I got a reference PowerColor PCS+ with no boost if you want


----------



## richie_2010

Is it voltage unlocked and what are the sppeds on the core n mem and the voltages


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Is it voltage unlocked and what are the sppeds on the core n mem and the voltages


Voltage unlocked, stock voltage is 1094mV, stock core is 880 and stock memory is 1250, memory voltage is 1.6


----------



## richie_2010

please can you send me a link ill pm you
Mine is a boost bios and uses 1.25 for 840.
Hynix ram can use 1.6v cant they mine are 1.55


----------



## Notion

Hi Peeps,

is it normal for the VDDC Current to hit 126 A logged through GPU-Z?

Is this normal or does it indicate an issue?

Running a Club3D RoyalKing 7950

Thanks

Noition


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Hi Peeps,
> 
> is it normal for the VDDC Current to hit 126 A logged through GPU-Z?
> 
> Is this normal or does it indicate an issue?
> 
> Running a Club3D RoyalKing 7950
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Noition


It's fine. At 1.30v my 7970 hits up to 140a.


----------



## Notion

Cheers for clear it up thanks

best

Notion


----------



## Mackem

Not quite sure what sort of clocks to go for on my 7950 and what sort of voltage range we're talking. I was thinking 1100/1500 or maybe even 1150/1500?

I don't have a lot of experience OCing them and find it quite time consuming to bump it by small amounts then stress test.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Not quite sure what sort of clocks to go for on my 7950 and what sort of voltage range we're talking. I was thinking 1100/1500 or maybe even 1150/1500?
> 
> I don't have a lot of experience OCing them and find it quite time consuming to bump it by small amounts then stress test.


It all depends on the quality of a GPU itself (luck of draw).

I had Asus HD7950 DC2T V1 which did 1100MHz on the core with 1.1V and 1850MHz on the memory.

Now I have another Asus HD7950 DC2T but V2 card (completely differente model) and it does 1100MHz with 1.21V and max 1600MHz on the memory.

Also V2 should overclock better as it has better PCB and cooler, but still as it has a low quality GPU it limits overclocking potential of the card and it requires a much higher voltage for the same overclock.

To you I would say when overclocking keep the voltage under 1.25V in Afterburner and GPU temperature under 80C , also keep an eye on VRM temperatures and keep them under 90C.

CHEERS..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> is it normal for the VDDC Current to hit 126 A


with silicon chips running at around 1-2V but consuming hundreds of watts, 100-200A can be perfectly normal, that's the whole reason why your cards and motherboards have so many power phases.

for a 7970 @ 1.1V to hit its 210W TDP, that's almost 200A coming through, but you would only see something like that when running furmark and such, and I think the FX-8150 in my rig with the settings atm will pull some 120A @ 1.45V, making a total use of almost 180W at max load...
(don't actually have an accurate reading of the power, ASUS sensors seem to cap at 100A and 99.9W :I)


----------



## Notion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> with silicon chips running at around 1-2V but consuming hundreds of watts, 100-200A can be perfectly normal, that's the whole reason why your cards and motherboards have so many power phases.
> 
> for a 7970 @ 1.1V to hit its 210W TDP, that's almost 200A coming through, but you would only see something like that when running furmark and such, and I think the FX-8150 in my rig with the settings atm will pull some 120A @ 1.45V, making a total use of almost 180W at max load...
> (don't actually have an accurate reading of the power, ASUS sensors seem to cap at 100A and 99.9W :I)


KK sounds good.. just hadn't noticed it prior to flashing my Bios.. Play about 1 hr of BF3 and noticed the spikes.. cheers for the reply.

best

Notion


----------



## pioneerisloud

For those of you that have done that "H50 mod" to your 7950's, how do you keep the memory and VRM's cool? My last experience mounting an Accelero kind of left my 7970 dead thanks to the heatsinks falling off. Plus I'm not sure where I can buy those heatsinks.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For those of you that have done that "H50 mod" to your 7950's, how do you keep the memory and VRM's cool? My last experience mounting an Accelero kind of left my 7970 dead thanks to the heatsinks falling off. Plus I'm not sure where I can buy those heatsinks.


^^I would like to know this as well.


----------



## BobTheChainsaw

Hey my XFX 7950 overclocks like ass - 950 on core and 1500 mhz on memory. Any way to improve it? Not sure I want to mount a custom cooler...


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BobTheChainsaw*
> 
> Hey my XFX 7950 overclocks like ass - 950 on core and 1500 mhz on memory. Any way to improve it? Not sure I want to mount a custom cooler...


A better cooler would only help if your card is running too hot.

Many XFX cards just don't overclock well, so unless temperature is the problem, there's not much you can do.

Maybe try some a different BIOS or something, but those are hit or miss.


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For those of you that have done that "H50 mod" to your 7950's, how do you keep the memory and VRM's cool? My last experience mounting an Accelero kind of left my 7970 dead thanks to the heatsinks falling off. Plus I'm not sure where I can buy those heatsinks.


For my vrms I used enzotech mc01 heatsinks needed 2 packs and for the ram enzotech mc10 heatsinks need 2 packs as the rest can be usdd on the othed lil chips.
I havenet mooded mine yet but ive put sinks on the vrms n just let them settle for an hour not fell off yet. I left tge shroud off thinking airflow would be better but im putting it back on as it isnt


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> For those of you that have done that "H50 mod" to your 7950's, how do you keep the memory and VRM's cool? My last experience mounting an Accelero kind of left my 7970 dead thanks to the heatsinks falling off. Plus I'm not sure where I can buy those heatsinks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> For my vrms I used enzotech mc01 heatsinks needed 2 packs and for the ram enzotech mc10 heatsinks need 2 packs as the rest can be usdd on the othed lil chips.
> I havenet mooded mine yet but ive put sinks on the vrms n just let them settle for an hour not fell off yet. I left tge shroud off thinking airflow would be better but im putting it back on as it isnt


I used some seskui #5760 to hold the stock heatsyncs on.. I'm going to get some copper ones one day and re-mount them as the VRM ones aren't on very well. (Thermal tape on each side of the thermal pad) - As the capacitors stick up too high and the VRM's have bad contact if I don't use the thermal pad.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> why in the world would you need more than 1.3v? 7950s run hot as it is.


To overclock more obviously? I never had any temp issues at 1.3V on my Vapor-X card, could have easily pushed it higher.


----------



## richie_2010

ped i tried your bios and windows booted ect but had no gpu or mem speeds in gpuz and a error in device manager


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> ped i tried your bios and windows booted ect but had no gpu or mem speeds in gpuz and a error in device manager


Ooops









Search for the 7950 BIOS mod thread, upload your BIOS and he will unlock it all for you using HEX codes etc


----------



## richie_2010

i will look into it, was going try the msi bioses on techpower up, when i put it underload the core drops to 63 to 100 and speeds fluctuate to 830 840 and lower

you would think that cards would come with stock bios on one switch and a boost bios on the other no mine came with boost on both, the stock speed was 830 boost is 840 1.25v for 840 is rediculous


----------



## richie_2010

sorry just to ask what tool do you use to show your gpu voltage and can you up a pic with it circled, i can change mine but its not gpu core that changes its gpu vrm


----------



## PedroC1999

GPU z


----------



## richie_2010

under gpu-z is it the vddc you look at?
i only ask as in aida64 the vddc in gpu-z is listed under gpu vrm and gpu core in aida shows what afterburner says which is 1.25, if i lower it the vddc in gpuz and gpu vrm voltage in aida change


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> under gpu-z is it the vddc you look at?
> i only ask as in aida64 the vddc in gpu-z is listed under gpu vrm and gpu core in aida shows what afterburner says which is 1.25, if i lower it the vddc in gpuz and gpu vrm voltage in aida change


VDDC = GPU Core Voltage
MVDDC = GPU Memory Voltage


----------



## richie_2010

cheers buddy, was just a lil confused looking at them all, ive got a mis bios to work which has given me 880 core and 1250 ram with 1047mv under load, it set the ram to 1.5 so I lowered it to 1.55. can Hynix ram handle 1.6 though?

the best part is when running evga oc scanner it would jump loads from 830 to 840 and lower but now it stays at 99% all the time with no powertune added.


----------



## PedroC1999

Hynix's stock MVDDC is 1600mV, so set it to that


----------



## Snuckie7

The Hynix on my card defaulted to 1.55V


----------



## PedroC1999

Strange, maybe different IC.

Saying that, my Elpida RAM default to 1.6v, and overclocks like Hynix, so it may well be defaulted at 1.55


----------



## richie_2010

Yea mine are hynix. My stock bios was 1550 for them but this one is 1600. So since there rated at 1600 I can leave them at that.

Was going to sell it but might keep it now and have fun, looking at pics my card shares the exact same components as the 7950 tf3


----------



## Spectre-

hi guys
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6797650

so i got this score on 3dmark11 can someone tell me if the score is good or not

and can you guys give me tips on how to push it over 10k limit

thank you


----------



## th3illusiveman

after putting heatsinks on my memory chips my card is doing 1800Mhz when it would crash at anything over 1450Mhz before. still testing but at least this thing isn't a total loss. Can someone run a 3Dmark run at 1160core/1700Mhz memory? I get around ~11300 *GPU score* which seems pretty low.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> hi guys
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6797650
> 
> so i got this score on 3dmark11 can someone tell me if the score is good or not
> 
> and can you guys give me tips on how to push it over 10k limit
> 
> thank you


That score is good for the specs, to improve you should try to push that CPU close to 5GHz that will improve the physics score and faster ram would help too


----------



## Dyaems

my new toy.



will register when i get home!


----------



## [CyGnus]

Dyaems congrats that is a great card, let me know what clocks you can achieve with it


----------



## Spectre-

i have tried to push over 4.7ghz but its not that stable and ivy' are horrible


----------



## [CyGnus]

Maybe you need to delide and get some CLP on that die then you will see the Ivy magic


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Since we are somewhat on the topic of 3DMark scores, how does this look for my sig rig?


----------



## [CyGnus]

xTank Jones16x its a decent score did you have the CPU at 4.2GHz? Can you push it higher?


----------



## maynard14

hi...confuse about frames per second guys...

i have 7870 myst and judging by what i read in the internet.. if i want smmoth gameplay i need constant 60 fps ...but i want to max all settings on modern games of today just like crysis3 very high..is that even possible..?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> hi...confuse about frames per second guys...
> 
> i have 7870 myst and judging by what i read in the internet.. if i want smmoth gameplay i need constant 60 fps ...but i want to max all settings on modern games of today just like crysis3 very high..is that even possible..?


You can't max out crysis 3 on that card. You should get smooth game play as long as you keep above 30 fps. If you find yourself getting low frames, reduce game graphics quality or use a frame rate limiter and cap the frames to 30. If you get high fps, you could try capping the frames to 60.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Yes it is with 2 or 3 780's and a good CPU at 5GHz or so i think you can get constant 60fps in every game that exists now if you are asking if the 7870XT is capable of doing 60fps on crysis 3 maybe in CFX paired with a good CPU it might


----------



## xTank Jones16x

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> xTank Jones16x its a decent score did you have the CPU at 4.2GHz? Can you push it higher?


I can, but I don't want to push my temps any higher. It's so damn hot in my room as it is (been roughly 100°+ days here, and my room gets little in the way of A/C), my ambient temps stay high.

Usually when my room is warm like this, I idle about low-mid 30's, and max under load around low-mid 50's.


----------



## Paul17041993

likely my CPU's lowish single-thread performance capping the total score;


(demo version)
full result here: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6802219

opinions? does the graphics score sound right? TBH not sure how much overclocking the northbridge and HT link would affect the scores, they are both overclocked decently high atm...


----------



## Corduroy

Checking in with 2xSapphire 7970 ghz Vapor-X. First one bought two months ago, second one bought out of impulse 3 weeks ago.





Sorry for the crappy phone picture.


----------



## TeeBlack

Just picked up this backplate to go with my EK gpu block.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Just picked up this backplate to go with my EK gpu block.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Good ol' Ricardo!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Corduroy*
> 
> Checking in with 2xSapphire 7970 ghz Vapor-X. First one bought two months ago, second one bought out of impulse 3 weeks ago.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry for the crappy phone picture.


Now that is pure awesome


----------



## neurotix

Anyone know how to increase the Board Power Line Limit on newer Catalyst versions?

I've heard it's possible to raise the board power line above 20% and this helps with higher overclocks. I have a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X.

Currently I'm using the Sapphire Trixx Mod 4.4.0b so I can adjust RAM voltage. Had nothing but bad experiences with Afterburner with Sapphire cards.

My Catalyst is Catalyst 13.3, apparently.

I tried following the guide here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18509458

I don't have the "PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable" registry entry in the appropriate registry tables.

Rep to anyone who can give me a working solution.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Look for Sugarhell, he has a guide in his signature.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i have tried to push over 4.7ghz but its not that stable and ivy' are horrible


If you can't push the cpu higher, what are you running system memory at? Memory OC can make a good difference in the physics score, 1600Mhz to 2600mhz is close to 2000 point gain at the same cpu speed.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> If you can't push the cpu higher, what are you running system memory at? Memory OC can make a good difference in the physics score, 1600Mhz to 2600mhz is close to 2000 point gain at the same cpu speed.


that much ey? guess I will be upgrading the ram in the future...


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Look for Sugarhell, he has a guide in his signature.


I followed this guide and tried the RacerX tool and it said "Error Type 13 mismatch".

I'm thinking this has to be due to the registry entries not being there.

There has to be a way to do this on recent versions of Catalyst.

Next?


----------



## JJ1217

Yeah guys, so I bought a EK FC7950 Backplate to mount on my reference HD 7950 IceQ. It fits on and stuff, and the holes are in the right place, its just the screws they give is too thick, and the screws originally on the graphics card is too short. Is there anyway to identify the screw that HIS use so I can buy longer versions? I hate the blue PCB on my card... I am not planning to watercool, I just want the backplate.


----------



## ivanlabrie

I modded my bios to do it...different method but worked.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Anyone know how to increase the Board Power Line Limit on newer Catalyst versions?
> 
> I've heard it's possible to raise the board power line above 20% and this helps with higher overclocks. I have a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X.
> 
> Currently I'm using the Sapphire Trixx Mod 4.4.0b so I can adjust RAM voltage. Had nothing but bad experiences with Afterburner with Sapphire cards.
> 
> My Catalyst is Catalyst 13.3, apparently.
> 
> I tried following the guide here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18509458
> 
> I don't have the "PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable" registry entry in the appropriate registry tables.
> 
> Rep to anyone who can give me a working solution.


I'm running latest *13.6 beta* and I have done a Power Limit registry hack.










The thing is that PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable is in a different folder than before in older Catalyst drivers.

1. Open regedit.exe

2. Then click on *edit* tab and then click *Find*

3. Then in "Fhind What" field copy/paste PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable

4. Then click "Find next"

5. It will find PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable and then you're free to edit it. (change 14 value to 32 and save).

*P.S.* You need first to have MSI Afterburner installed and also to perform /xcl method for unofficial overclock, if you don't do that then PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable would not exist in your registry.

CHEERS..


----------



## neurotix

Thanks KingT it worked.





Seems like the step missing was to install MSI Afterburner and do /xcl to extend overclocking limits and add the necessary registry entries.

However, from the screens you can see it works with Sapphire Trixx mod that allows memory voltage control.

I can't use Afterburner because when I try and set clocks and adjust the sliders, they default back down to the original speeds, especially if I try and use more than one slider at once.

So, anyone else with this problem that doesn't have it in Trixx can do it this way to raise the Board Power Line limit in Trixx...

I've heard some crazy stories about raising the power line improving benchmark results and FPS in games, so I guess I'll run some benches and see if it's true.

Cheers.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Good to hear that you nailed it









Post some benchies!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I modded my bios to do it...different method but worked.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


This, yeah I actually downloaded a BIOS but the same effect works!


----------



## neurotix

1200/1700mhz

Can't seem to do much more on the core or I artifact in games.

EDIT: Also I'd do 3dmark06 but for some reason lately it crashes and reboots my machine in the very last test.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> likely my CPU's lowish single-thread performance capping the total score;
> 
> 
> (demo version)
> full result here: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6802219
> 
> opinions? does the graphics score sound right? TBH not sure how much overclocking the northbridge and HT link would affect the scores, they are both overclocked decently high atm...


yes, cpu (physics) score affects the graphics score in 3DMark11. Normally at those clocks the graphics score should be around 10300. not really that big of a deal. also, like you read FtW wrote, the RAM speed makes a difference as well.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> 
> 
> 1200/1700mhz
> 
> Can't seem to do much more on the core or I artifact in games.
> 
> EDIT: Also I'd do 3dmark06 but for some reason lately it crashes and reboots my machine in the very last test.


On par with my 4.7ghz 8120 + 7970 score...good.







I had 2400mhz cl7-11-7-27-1t ram too.


----------



## neurotix

Since it's new I just ran the free version of Unigine Valley.

Score: 3515
FPS: 84.9

Couldn't take a screen shot, when I tried to it was black, and I tried to save the html to the desktop and it said it did but didn't make a file. Guess because it's the lame free version.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Since it's new I just ran the free version of Unigine Valley.
> 
> Score: 3515
> FPS: 84.9
> 
> Couldn't take a screen shot, when I tried to it was black, and I tried to save the html to the desktop and it said it did but didn't make a file. Guess because it's the lame free version.


Press f12 and then go to your documents to find it


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I'm running latest *13.6 beta* and I have done a Power Limit registry hack.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The thing is that PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable is in a different folder than before in older Catalyst drivers.
> 
> 1. Open regedit.exe
> 
> 2. Then click on *edit* tab and then click *Find*
> 
> 3. Then in "Fhind What" field copy/paste PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable
> 
> 4. Then click "Find next"
> 
> 5. It will find PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable and then you're free to edit it. (change 14 value to 32 and save).
> 
> *P.S.* You need first to have MSI Afterburner installed and also to perform /xcl method for unofficial overclock, if you don't do that then PP_PhmSoftPowerPlayTable would not exist in your registry.
> 
> CHEERS..


Rep+ for sharing your method.


----------



## neurotix

Didn't know I needed to change the preset from the default, but that's what I get for Extreme HD.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> yes, cpu (physics) score affects the graphics score in 3DMark11. Normally at those clocks the graphics score should be around 10300. not really that big of a deal. also, like you read FtW wrote, the RAM speed makes a difference as well.


yeap, that's what I figured, but not entirely bothered to do much of a rebuild till steamroller is out, at that point Ill be trying to look for 2400 or so ram etc...


----------



## Spectre-

really nervous about delidding my processor


----------



## Snuckie7

Use the vice method for delidding instead of a razor. Much lower chance of killing your chip.


----------



## darwing

hey guys I got a 7970 XFX black OC edition 1000Ghz a little while back with a xspc waterblock, now for some reason I lost one of the thermal pads and had to re-use one of the pads that came with the block...

with that in mind the temps are great but when I OC it to 1125/1575 it goes for a bit then the OS freezes... Its random when it happens but usually during a game is this because of the used thermal pad?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> hey guys I got a 7970 XFX black OC edition 1000Ghz a little while back with a xspc waterblock, now for some reason I lost one of the thermal pads and had to re-use one of the pads that came with the block...
> 
> with that in mind the temps are great but when I OC it to 1125/1575 it goes for a bit then the OS freezes... Its random when it happens but usually during a game is this because of the used thermal pad?


what sort of freeze? and whats the core voltage? if you have it clocked at 1125 with stock voltage that may be why


----------



## ste.ru

Hello all
i have a 7970 but now is summer and the temperature is high, It is safe have 75/78 °C on GPU with 28/29 °C abient temperature with a reference design? I no have idea for lower this tempereratue


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ste.ru*
> 
> Hello all
> i have a 7970 but now is summer and the temperature is high, It is safe have 75/78 °C on GPU with 28/29 °C abient temperature with a reference design? I no have idea for lower this tempereratue


Yeah it should be fine! You may want to re-apply your thermal paste and maybe get some better stuff though that may help your temps!

Could try cleaning out the heatsync incase that is also the cause due to being cloged up with dust!


----------



## Paul17041993

ok so, the card completely lost stability running 3D applications, and I had to lower it all the way back down to 1000 core, 1500 mem (exact/lower then a GHz card), and now my 3Dmark11 scores are a good ~200 lower in combined, and ~340 in graphics, but an ever so slightly increase in physics score...

and all around the place I see people on 7950's with the same volts, higher clocks and getting scores way higher then mine despite having physics scores almost 1000 lower... lame...

think from now on I'm just going to stick to pure reference cards and be done with it, I couldn't care about special coolers and "superior power design" b.s. as I doubt I would notice the difference here anyway...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> ok so, the card completely lost stability running 3D applications, and I had to lower it all the way back down to 1000 core, 1500 mem (exact/lower then a GHz card), and now my 3Dmark11 scores are a good ~200 lower in combined, and ~340 in graphics, but an ever so slightly increase in physics score...
> 
> and all around the place I see people on 7950's with the same volts, higher clocks and getting scores way higher then mine despite having physics scores almost 1000 lower... lame...
> 
> think from now on I'm just going to stick to pure reference cards and be done with it, I couldn't care about special coolers and "superior power design" b.s. as I doubt I would notice the difference here anyway...


I always suggest ref caards and pcb. I have bench on phase a ref 7970 close to 1450. The vrms is fine for close to 1500, which isway above any normal oc. The more phase and the superior components (like the military from msi







) is just a marketing gimmick. For tahiti you need good colling,vrm cooling and a medium ASIC quality card so it can scale with volts.


----------



## ivanlabrie

+1, 1450 on phase change is awesome


----------



## ste.ru

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah it should be fine! You may want to re-apply your thermal paste and maybe get some better stuff though that may help your temps!
> 
> Could try cleaning out the heatsync incase that is also the cause due to being cloged up with dust!


thank you for reply

i think to re-apply thermal pad (i have polimatec PK-1) but in the last VGA i change the thermal pad the temperature was increased of 3/4 °C.

i set now the fan for increased the rpm


----------



## Offline

Recently upgraded to a Gigabyte 3x Windforce 7970, really nice upgrade from a 6970 (Which was a brilliant card), managed to up it to 1100/1650 too which i don't think is too bad considering the card is voltage locked.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Offline*
> 
> Recently upgraded to a Gigabyte 3x Windforce 7970, really nice upgrade from a 6970 (Which was a brilliant card), managed to up it to 1100/1650 too which i don't think is too bad considering the card is voltage locked.


Try to unlock volts...it's a great card, with good cooling and noise profile. (have one







, had a 6950 wf3 before, then a HIS iceq x2 7950 which I didn't like as much as my gb cards btw)


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> what sort of freeze? and whats the core voltage? if you have it clocked at 1125 with stock voltage that may be why


okay yeah the card comes Overclocked already the XFX black edition and Im just going into the performance overclock tools that come with catalyst and upping it without changing the voltage... so when it freezes its just the OS that locks, no blue screen or anything just frozen till i reboot.

so basically yea am I going to have to increase the voltage? and what is the best way to overclock it what tool catalyst or MSI?


----------



## [CyGnus]

Afterburner or Trixx are good


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Afterburner or Trixx are good


what is a good voltage to increase too if Im doing a catalyst OC, my temps are around 29-35 degrees, Im not even pushing it yet


Side Note Question: If I wanted to get another card, and SLI them do I have to get the exact card I already have or can I get some other version, IE MSI or another make of the 7970?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Afterburner or Trixx are good
> 
> 
> 
> what is a good voltage to increase too if Im doing a catalyst OC, my temps are around 29-35 degrees, Im not even pushing it yet
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Side Note Question: If I wanted to get another card, and SLI them do I have to get the exact card I already have or can I get some other version, IE MSI or another make of the 7970?
Click to expand...

On air save voltage would be around 1.2V maybe a tad more. depends on temps really aslong as your full load temps are maxing around 70*C on the core and around 90*C on the VRM's you will be fine.

personally i would use a 3RD party app like afterburner or trixx over CCC since you can unlock or comes with unlocked the max values of the sliders set by CCC.

Aslong as you get another 79xx card you can xfire them, doesnt have to be the same manufacturer.


----------



## Norlig

wasnt there new drivers that were supposed to come out july 30th?

They were going to improve Crossfire performance?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> wasnt there new drivers that were supposed to come out july 30th?
> 
> They were going to improve Crossfire performance?


yes from what i hear, i believe it is 31st July set to be released.


----------



## PedroC1999

Damn, couldn't they come out 3 days earlier?!?!?! Im going away on the 28th and my rig can't come as its heavier than me


----------



## almighty15

My Twin Frozr 3 7950 broke and MSI sent me the original version of the card back with a temp sensor problem









Played my face to my retailer and they sent a brand spanking new one complete with a free copy of Far Cry 3 and the best thing? This new card is the 8+6pin and using a 7970 PCB and overclocks like a boss!!!


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> My Twin Frozr 3 7950 broke and MSI sent me the original version of the card back with a temp sensor problem
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Played my face to my retailer and they sent a brand spanking new one complete with a free copy of Far Cry 3 and the best thing? This new card is the 8+6pin and using a 7970 PCB and overclocks like a boss!!!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hey guys so I was wondering if I should get the sapphire 7970 refrence design or should I go with the vapor x one also the first one isn't a ghz edition so is there A real difference or what I'm trying to save money for the 3930k so please help me decide and thanks


----------



## Snuckie7

Get the reference if you don't mind a louder cooler.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Get a 7950 and save some bucks its only 5/7% slower than a 7970 if the price on both is close go for the 7970 like i did (45€ difference)


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Get a 7950 and save some bucks its only 5/7% slower than a 7970 if the price on both is close go for the 7970 like i did (45€ difference)


Cygnus, you can find sapphire 7970s for 309usd these days...hard to reccomend 7950s really. At least if you buy from USA.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Get a 7950 and save some bucks its only 5/7% slower than a 7970 if the price on both is close go for the 7970 like i did (45€ difference)


with the 3930K? i think the 7970 would blend in better. if money is not an issue . . . i'd recommend the 780 as the minimum.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> My Twin Frozr 3 7950 broke and MSI sent me the original version of the card back with a temp sensor problem
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Played my face to my retailer and they sent a brand spanking new one complete with a free copy of Far Cry 3 and the best thing? This new card is the 8+6pin and using a 7970 PCB and overclocks like a boss!!!


Lucky guy really nice


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Get the reference if you don't mind a louder cooler.


I don't care if I'm next to a jet engine as long as it does well
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Get a 7950 and save some bucks its only 5/7% slower than a 7970 if the price on both is close go for the 7970 like i did (45€ difference)


There's no 7950 where I live
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Cygnus, you can find sapphire 7970s for 309usd these days...hard to reccomend 7950s really. At least if you buy from USA.


I prefer new
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> with the 3930K? i think the 7970 would blend in better. if money is not an issue . . . i'd recommend the 780 as the minimum.


If money wasn't a problem I would get 7990 with i7 3970x


----------



## dsmwookie

He meant 7970s can be had new here for $309.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Thats a really good price, here (PT) the cheapest 7970 goes for 350€ (450$)


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hmm...another question which one is better the reference 7970 or the gigabyte 7970(don't if it's 8+6 pin or 8+8 pin but I wouldn't bet it's gonna be the voltage unlocked one)
And generally what are the differences between the GHz edition and the normal one and can the normal one be overclocked to the same speed


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dsmwookie*
> 
> He meant 7970s can be had new here for $309.


Oh sorry read it used instead of USD







plus like my avatar shows I'm not from USA


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I don't care if I'm next to a jet engine as long as it does well
> There's no 7950 where I live
> I prefer new
> If money wasn't a problem I would get 7990 with i7 3970x


I import from the US, pretty sure you can beat your local pricing doing that too. How bad is customs tax?
Shipping via priority mail is 50usd, but the savings may not be worth it if you have enough $.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Thats a really good price, here (PT) the cheapest 7970 goes for 350€ (450$)


Yeah, they convert usd to eur 1:1, which sucks.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I import from the US, pretty sure you can beat your local pricing doing that too. How bad is customs tax?
> Shipping via priority mail is 50usd, but the savings may not be worth it if you have enough $.
> Yeah, they convert usd to eur 1:1, which sucks.


My customs are really bad so even if I import it doesn't matter


----------



## PCBuilder94

Does the sapphire 7950 3L have a reference pcb?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> My customs are really bad so even if I import it doesn't matter


Ok, gotcha...pick a good reference pcb 7970...noise can be deafening with regular blower cards, so be warned.
HIS makes fine unlocked voltage cards btw, can you find those there?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Ok, gotcha...pick a good reference pcb 7970...noise can be deafening with regular blower cards, so be warned.
> HIS makes fine unlocked voltage cards btw, can you find those there?


No sadly


----------



## ivanlabrie

What brands/models can you find there? Pricing?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> What brands/models can you find there? Pricing?


Sapphire and gigabyte there are 2 sapphire ones the vapor-x and the reference


----------



## ivanlabrie

Get whatever has reference pcb and isn't ghz edition or boost.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Get whatever has reference pcb and isn't ghz edition or boost.


Ok then but why if i may ask


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Ok then but why if i may ask


Unlocked voltage, better chances of getting a decent card, whatever the brand.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Ok then but why if i may ask


Unlocked voltage, better chances of getting a decent card, whatever the brand.


----------



## hammertime850

hey guys, I was wondering what a good max safe voltage for a ref 7970?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammertime850*
> 
> hey guys, I was wondering what a good max safe voltage for a ref 7970?


With a waterblock you are fine with 1.36 volt

On air 1.3 volt max


----------



## PCBuilder94

Hey guys need a Radeon for my new 2560x1440 preferably reference so I can pop a waterblock on when I crossfire. Looking at these heard conflicting reports of them being ref pcb:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007NG3WR2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1372821955&sr=1-1&pi=SL75
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CAN84OY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1372821955&sr=1-2&pi=SL75
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CKH1MM6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1372821955&sr=1-3&pi=SL75


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Hey guys need a Radeon for my new 2560x1440 preferably reference so I can pop a waterblock on when I crossfire. Looking at these heard conflicting reports of them being ref pcb:
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007NG3WR2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1372821955&sr=1-1&pi=SL75
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CAN84OY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1372821955&sr=1-2&pi=SL75
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CKH1MM6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1372821955&sr=1-3&pi=SL75


go with HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost. *uses a reference HD 7970 PCB. more power phases than ref HD 7950*. unlocked voltage. compatible with ref HD 7970 full cover waterblocks.

http://www.amazon.com/HIS-Boost-Clock-Graphics-H795QMC3G2M/dp/B00A6ASRL8/

http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/his_7970_iceq_xsup2_ghz_edition_7950_iceq_xsup2_boost_clock,3.html

you can check with http://coolingconfigurator.com/

the HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost works with EK FC-7970 series


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> go with HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost. *uses a reference HD 7970 PCB. more power phases than ref HD 7950*. unlocked voltage. compatible with ref HD 7970 full cover waterblocks.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/HIS-Boost-Clock-Graphics-H795QMC3G2M/dp/B00A6ASRL8/
> 
> http://www.legionhardware.com/articles_pages/his_7970_iceq_xsup2_ghz_edition_7950_iceq_xsup2_boost_clock,3.html
> 
> you can check with http://coolingconfigurator.com/
> 
> the HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost works with EK FC-7970 series


I have two of these and i love them..


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yeah, solid cards...but what about the Sapphire that's available for 309usd after rebate? (that 7970...)
Non-ref pcb?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yeah, solid cards...but what about the Sapphire that's available for 309usd after rebate? (that 7970...)
> Non-ref pcb?


yeah custom PCB. will not work with ref HD 7970 full cover waterblocks.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Ah, gotcha...price is great though, but not sure if it's unlockable (if voltage comes locked)
HIS is good, I've owned one of those and was a solid clocker even on air.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Hey guys need a Radeon for my new 2560x1440 *preferably reference so I can pop a waterblock on when I crossfire*. Looking at these heard conflicting reports of them being ref pcb:
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007NG3WR2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1372821955&sr=1-1&pi=SL75
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CAN84OY/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1372821955&sr=1-2&pi=SL75
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CKH1MM6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1372821955&sr=1-3&pi=SL75


The only place to get a real reference card or a quality reference based card like the original Sapphire 7970 OC is the used market. There's two FS threads selling high clocking cards with blocks for very good prices so I would look there. ASAP.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hammertime850*
> 
> hey guys, I was wondering what a good max safe voltage for a ref 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> With a waterblock you are fine with 1.36 volt
> 
> *On air 1.3 volt max*
Click to expand...

As long as you have silly awesome aircooling.


----------



## BFdes93

Is it possible to get a GHz edition 7970 with a stock cooler in the UK?

I can't find any - apart from review models did they even exist?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hammertime850*
> 
> hey guys, I was wondering what a good max safe voltage for a ref 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> With a waterblock you are fine with 1.36 volt
> 
> *On air 1.3 volt max*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> As long as you have silly awesome aircooling.
Click to expand...

I did it...until my blocks showed up....









1.3v on air is a B no matter how you cut it.


----------



## ivanlabrie

So used 7970s is where it's at TSM? The cheap 309 and 327usd 7970 at newegg sucks then? Can't it be bios modded or something? What about Msi twin frozr cards?


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The only place to get a real reference card or a quality reference based card like the original Sapphire 7970 OC is the used market. There's two FS threads selling high clocking cards with blocks for very good prices so I would look there. ASAP.


I just bought one from diamond mm very recently. Looks like the real deal.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I just bought one from diamond mm very recently. Looks like the real deal.


In the last 4 months I bought two BRAND NEW 7950 PCS+'s

Their all reference, so I assume the same applies to the 7970


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> They're
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I love to correct people on simple grammar stuff when they speak English natively lol.
> 
> As far as i know Diamond 7970s are always reference. Idk about PCS.


Sorry to spoil your party mate, but my native language is Portuguese, and i am only 13. I learned 3 languages before getting to English, and do make the occasional mistake, but Im a top-of-the-class student and im learning everyday


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> So used 7970s is where it's at TSM? The cheap 309 and 327usd 7970 at newegg sucks then? Can't it be bios modded or something? What about Msi twin frozr cards?


There are no true ref cards sold anymore. Diamonds supply dried up recently. They've basically replaced it with an alternate pcb dual fan card.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The only place to get a real reference card or a quality reference based card like the original Sapphire 7970 OC is the used market. There's two FS threads selling high clocking cards with blocks for very good prices so I would look there. ASAP.
> 
> 
> 
> I just bought one from diamond mm very recently. Looks like the real deal.
Click to expand...

Refer to the above.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> As long as you have silly awesome aircooling.


Why not?

I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 card and @ 1100/1600MHz with 1.22V it never goes above 65C, VRMS 72C max, now that's with fan speeding up to 45%, I tried 1.3V and it never went above 70C still with fan far from it's maximum speed.

Even Asus on their BOOST bios which is available on their site and left to user to decide to use it or not, their boost BIOS has 1.25V voltage (tested myself), so extra 0.05V is no big deal for GPU.

CHEERS..


----------



## ivanlabrie

Problem is when you wanna undervolt, or overvolt more for benching on water.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There are no true ref cards sold anymore. Diamonds supply dried up recently. They've basically replaced it with an alternate pcb dual fan card.
> Refer to the above.


http://www.diamondmm.com/7970pe53g-diamond-amd-radeon-video-graphics-card.html


----------



## hammertime850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> With a waterblock you are fine with 1.36 volt
> 
> On air 1.3 volt max


wow, I had know idea it was that high. I was at 1.150 thinking I should be careful.


----------



## Snuckie7

As tsm said, you'd have to have some pretty ridiculous air cooling to cool 1.3V adequately.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammertime850*
> 
> wow, I had know idea it was that high. I was at 1.150 thinking I should be careful.


Some reference cards come with higher voltage than 1.15V at stock. I'm not too sure about 1.3V on air for 24/7, that would be on the high side for air cooling in cool ambients.


----------



## [CyGnus]

I have my 7970 with 2 120mm fans 1500RPM each, 2 more on the side panel and i am @ 1.24v i guess 1.3v is just too much for a stock cooled card, with some heavy mods maybe but even so i think its too much voltage for 24/7


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> I have my 7970 with 2 120mm fans 1500RPM each, 2 more on the side panel and i am @ 1.24v i guess 1.3v is just too much for a stock cooled card, with some heavy mods maybe but even so i think its too much voltage for 24/7
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I wouldn't want to run 1.3v. 24/7, even on water, but that's a good air cooled setup, with lots of airflow.
1200/[email protected] is a good overclock at a decent voltage imo.


----------



## [CyGnus]

i am getting lucky with my VGA's my other RIG has a 7870 WF3 Gigabyte and does 1250/1500 with 1.25v







(bought it today and i thought it might be voltage locked)


----------



## akbisw

Just did a quick benchmark of my 7950 that I just got today!!!!!!! running 1200/1650 max temp 87c, vram temp 95c








Is it because of sapphires cooler? or is it just that this card is super HOT!!! btw voltage was hovering just below 1.2v. I have the DUAL X cooler...My previous card 7870xt even at 1.25v at 1200 core clock wouldnt go beyond 70c with a powercolor aluminum heatpipe heatsink and custom mounted 120mm fans. Those 7950 temps are using the same custom mounted fans btw. Only difference is the Sapphire heatsink. That powercolor didnt even have memory heatsink lol. What's going on?? Any help on this matter would be appreciated!


----------



## Snuckie7

Could be a bad thermal paste job, or maybe you just need a more aggressive fan profile.


----------



## [CyGnus]

79xx are much more hotter then 78xx


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> 79xx are much more hotter then 78xx


Agreed..My 7950 is alot hotter then my old 7850..


----------



## PCBuilder94

Ordered my 7950 20 minutes ago!


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Ordered my 7950 20 minutes ago!


Huge upgrade from a 560ti! May it treat you well


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akbisw*
> 
> 
> 
> Just did a quick benchmark of my 7950 that I just got today!!!!!!! running 1200/1650 max temp 87c, vram temp 95c
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it because of sapphires cooler? or is it just that this card is super HOT!!! btw voltage was hovering just below 1.2v. I have the DUAL X cooler...My previous card 7870xt even at 1.25v at 1200 core clock wouldnt go beyond 70c with a powercolor aluminum heatpipe heatsink and custom mounted 120mm fans. Those 7950 temps are using the same custom mounted fans btw. Only difference is the Sapphire heatsink. That powercolor didnt even have memory heatsink lol. What's going on?? Any help on this matter would be appreciated!


That 95 temp(s) is/are for the VRMS not VRAM. they are the small black squares along the right side and about four of them (normally) at the upper left corner of the pcb (view of the pcb on its side where the core and other parts can be seen). if they do not have heatsinks, i suggest you put some over them before raising your oc higher.

not sure how your pcb is layed but see if this will work for the vrms . . .

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/evnipucoramh.html

replace the paste on the core while you're at it with MX-4 or MX-2 (non-capacitive). but the best solution is watercooling if a waterblock is available.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Ordered my 7950 20 minutes ago!


Which one??? Gz man!


----------



## PCBuilder94

This one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009MML1UA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1372941891&sr=8-1&pi=SL75


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

How far can i overclock a refrence 7970 non GHz and is there an actual hardware difference between the GHz and non GHz


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> How far can i overclock a refrence 7970 non GHz and is there an actual hardware difference between the GHz and non GHz


depends if yours is voltage locked. air, water or other type of cooling. go to this thread and look at the first chart (Top 30 . . .) and scroll all the way down (Data not collected). checkout tsm's scores for single, dual, and tri. i think his were done watercooled.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0-fill-the-form

i suggest you read this first . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> How far can i overclock a refrence 7970 non GHz and is there an actual hardware difference between the GHz and non GHz


The cards are no different from eachother EXCEPT that one is higher clocked than the other. This has no effect on overclocking capabilities.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> depends if yours is voltage locked. air, water or other type of cooling. go to this thread and look at the first chart (Top 30 . . .) and scroll all the way down (Data not collected). checkout tsm's scores for single, dual, and tri. i think his were done watercooled.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0-fill-the-form
> 
> i suggest you read this first . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread


It's gonna be a sapphire refrence one and air cooled
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> The cards are no different from eachother EXCEPT that one is higher clocked than the other. This has no effect on overclocking capabilities.


So no hardware differences then


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> It's gonna be a sapphire refrence one and air cooled
> So no hardware differences then


None at all.


----------



## Mega Man

ranger is correct. mostly it is just a bios flash


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ranger is correct. mostly it is just a bios flash


So i can just flash the bios for the GHz edition that simple


----------



## Mega Man

orrrrrrrrrrrrr you could just oc it manually as most ref. cards come unlocked volts


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> So i can just flash the bios for the GHz edition that simple


That is kind of pointless when you could just open MSI AB or Trixx and do a quick OC. You probably wouldnt even have to increase volts. Mine does 1150 on stock volts. 1.175V.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

So i was thinking for cooling i might get an ARCTIC Accelero Xtreme 7970 VGA Cooler but i have a question
For long term usage will this stress the PCB as it's mounted only by a bracket so the weight is all focused in that little area where the GPU core is


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> So i was thinking for cooling i might get an ARCTIC Accelero Xtreme 7970 VGA Cooler but i have a question
> For long term usage will this stress the PCB as it's mounted only by a bracket so the weight is all focused in that little area where the GPU core is


Ill be completely honest with you. NO aftermarket air cooler will perform better than the ref cooler. The only + side is that its not as loud.

Bad sides of aftermarket air coolers:
- You cant really tell when you are overtightening because you cant really feel it when you have tightened it enough. I overtightened mine and bent the PCB.
- VRM and RAM cooling sucks no discussion.
- They look stupid.
- Usually much heavier so you will TWIST the PCB.

Ref coolers are GOOD. Just LOUD. They have the best VRM cooling on air ive seen so far. They can handle overclocks EASILY.


----------



## Mega Man

that is why you use sexay water !~


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> That 95 temp(s) is/are for the VRMS not VRAM. they are the small black squares along the right side and about four of them (normally) at the upper left corner of the pcb (view of the pcb on its side where the core and other parts can be seen). if they do not have heatsinks, i suggest you put some over them before raising your oc higher.
> 
> not sure how your pcb is layed but see if this will work for the vrms . . .
> 
> http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/evnipucoramh.html
> 
> replace the paste on the core while you're at it with MX-4 or MX-2 (non-capacitive). but the best solution is watercooling if a waterblock is available.


My sapphire cooler dual x heatsink already has a PCB wide heatsink attached to all the grams and chips like a water block. I'm using mx2 right now. I will try lapping the heatsink and see if that helps. Also at around 1.1v I'm able to do 1100 core clock and the temps maxed out at 73c. I will try to redo the entire heatsink assembly and replace the paste with some xigmatek. Thanks for ur input


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

thank you man i think i'll save the money for an H100i instead of the H80i especially if i buy an i7 3930k


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> thank you man i think i'll save the money for an H100i instead of the H80i especially if i buy an i7 3930k


H100 ---> High end air cooling (Barely)

> H80

So dont get the H80 atleast.


----------



## th3illusiveman

anyone run their cards at 1800Mhz memory 24/7? Any benefit to that over 1750?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> anyone run their cards at 1800Mhz memory 24/7? Any benefit to that over 1750?


I do.

Answer: Well not really. I just run it at 1800 because i can lol.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I do.
> 
> Answer: Well not really. I just run it at 1800 because i can lol.


Yup, me too.

Elpida 1800MHz ? 1.669v


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Yup, me too.
> 
> Elpida 1800MHz ? 1.669v


I have the good kind of RAM on a reference card.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I have the good kind of RAM on a reference card.


My card is reference too, and you if my Elpida overclock to 1800MHz, they will be exactly the same as hynix at 1800MHz (I seem to have a very good Elpida card)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> My card is reference too, and you if my Elpida overclock to 1800MHz, they will be exactly the same as hynix at 1800MHz (I seem to have a very good Elpida card)


God elpida lol

So did you overclock the CPU yet?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> hi guys
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6797650
> 
> so i got this score on 3dmark11 can someone tell me if the score is good or not
> 
> and can you guys give me tips on how to push it over 10k limit
> 
> thank you


10k is easy, 11k actually require some trying


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 10k is easy, 11k actually require some trying


Mehhh 11k is easy.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Mehhh 11k is easy.


12k ftw
1 of my 2 7970s
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6640467
my second card
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6363400


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 12k ftw
> 1 of my 2 7970s
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6640467
> my second card
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6363400


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6818473?

Would get atleast 11.5k if i used my CPU bench settings.


----------



## Mega Man

yea my physics are low in these lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Mehhh 11k is easy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 12k ftw
Click to expand...

13k is easy.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 13k is easy.


lol


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 13k is easy.


AMD CPU!!! AIR COOLING!!!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 13k is easy.


not that i dont believe you ....


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not that i dont believe you ....


You're asking for walls of benchmark links.


----------



## Mega Man

yeppers. should be fun to try and beat though. also talking about conventional cooling single gpus not L2N or phase


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yeppers. should be fun to try and beat though. also talking about conventional cooling single gpus not L2N or phase


Water is not conventional in my eyes. If someone tried as hard as we do to get good scores with a 3930k as we do with 8350s you could easily get 15k+ on Physics. You cant catch up with that...


----------



## Mega Man

i am talking about gpu scores onry


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i am talking about gpu scores onry


Oh yea, as if we're getting 1350+ on core.


----------



## PedroC1999

I really want my 3820 to clock good, hope to have it at 4.9Ghz for a smooth gaming experience


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I really want my 3820 to clock good, hope to have it at 4.9Ghz for a smooth gaming experience


Why havent you overclocked it yet?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Why havent you overclocked it yet?


Because my CPU block is leaking and I sent it in for a replacement EK block today xD

Ive RMA'ed like 5-6 odd things already for this build, im literally so close yet so far to overclocking!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 13k is easy.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> not that i dont believe you ....
Click to expand...

This run is old but not really feeling the urge to update it tbh.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6061238


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Water is not conventional in my eyes. If someone tried as hard as we do to get good scores with a 3930k as we do with 8350s you could easily get 15k+ on Physics. You cant catch up with that...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This run is old but not really feeling the urge to update it tbh.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6061238


thanks
gives me some guidelines to work with !~


----------



## [CyGnus]

Why 4.9 for smooth gameplay and not 4.8 or 5.0??
I doubt anyone will notice any difference if playing at 4.5GHz or 5GHz.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Why 4.9 for smooth gameplay and not 4.8 or 5.0??
> I doubt anyone will notice any difference if playing at 4.5GHz or 5GHz.


Doubt it.


----------



## PedroC1999

Well, my goal is 4.9, but ideally I want to have more, just 4.9 What-Ever-Volts-It-Needs kinda thing


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Why 4.9 for smooth gameplay and not 4.8 or 5.0??
> *I doubt anyone will notice any difference if playing at 4.5GHz or 5GHz.*
> 
> 
> 
> Doubt it.
Click to expand...

It would depend on the game. There's two situations where a high cpu overclock will be evident to the user. In poorly threaded games that are cpu bound like Civilization games.

http://www.techspot.com/review/320-civilization-v-performance/page11.html

And in situations with highly threaded games running multiple gpus, specifically quad gpu. And example of this unique first world problem is BF3. The difference between 4.5 vs 5 is the difference between poor gpu scaling and great gpu scaling since you need as much cpu power as possible. In fact its accepted in these circles that there is still not enough cpu power to push quads in extreme conditions.


----------



## PedroC1999

I mainly play a EXTREMELY modded GTA IV, which is known to be poorly optomised, hence the need for a high clock to try to even it out.

Hope to run my cards at 1150/1750-1800 if the second one can do it


----------



## BradleyW

Does anyone know the specs for the Powercolor 7970 V3 fans?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I mainly play a EXTREMELY modded GTA IV, which is known to be poorly optomised, hence the need for a high clock to try to even it out.
> 
> Hope to run my cards at 1150/1750-1800 if the second one can do it


Hey, you run a highly-modded GTA IV too?








That's still the game I enjoy the most, with some selected mods.
I've found that using RadeonPro with the right frame cap settings really helps to smooth it out in Crossfire. Hopefully this will improve when we get the anticipated new driver from AMD, at the end of the month.
No question that it's poorly optimized, but it's all we've got for the last of the GTA series.
"V" may or may not become a reality for the PC.


----------



## PedroC1999

I run the ProReal Mod, that me and GxStorm are developing, with a custom ultra high settings enb upgrade made by Nasmith2000 which is downsampled 1600p























My 6300 can keep the FPS over 20, so its doing its job I guess xD


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I run the ProReal Mod, that me and GxStorm are developing, with a custom ultra high settings enb upgrade made by Nasmith2000 which is downsampled 1600p
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My 6300 can keep the FPS over 20, so its doing its job I guess xD


I never had much luck with any ENB-based graphics tweaks, so this sounds interesting. Some very interesting stats. there.
Not wanting to derail this thread, I've bookmarked the ProReal Mod thread, and I'm looking it over.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I mainly play a EXTREMELY modded GTA IV, which is known to be poorly optomised, hence the need for a high clock to try to even it out.
> 
> Hope to run my cards at 1150/1750-1800 if the second one can do it


Read this thread mate: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=724953&highlight=bulldozer+flat+line


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Read this thread mate: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=724953&highlight=bulldozer+flat+line


Doubt it also applies to SB-E though


----------



## youpekkad

Does crossfire even work with GTAIV? I´ve heard stuff like "more GPUs, less performance"


----------



## PedroC1999

My friend with dual 7870's got from 60-80 scaling, so not perfect, but definitely a difference


----------



## PedroC1999

My friend with dual 7870's got from 60-80 scaling, so not perfect, but definitely a difference


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Read this thread mate: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=724953&highlight=bulldozer+flat+line


The posts below show healthy increases as the CPU is overclocked higher. How is that CPU flat lining if his score increased in the images below, per 100mhz?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Does crossfire even work with GTAIV? I´ve heard stuff like "more GPUs, less performance"


As long as I use RadeonPro to set the Crossfire optimization settings, which probably involve "tricking" it to simulate the benefit of Crossfire, it does seem to run better than with a single card.
Placebo effect? Maybe.
But I do see quicker draw distance rendering, and the game feels snappier in Crossfire.
If Rockstar does decide to bless us with a pc version of GTA V, I sure hope they optimize it better for the pc.


----------



## PedroC1999

Or else, I will my their heads off, virtually off course


----------



## Zippit

What program are you guys using to overclock?


----------



## PedroC1999

MSI AfterBurner, no questions asked


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zippit*
> 
> What program are you guys using to overclock?


i use afterburner personally, trixx is good as well.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Doubt it also applies to SB-E though


In my mind you had an 8320...xD
Must be going crazy, since people were discussing 3dmark results and gaming on piledriver I put you in the same bag.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> The posts below show healthy increases as the CPU is overclocked higher. How is that CPU flat lining if his score increased in the images below, per 100mhz?


Read the whole thing, the conclusion was there's a sweetspot where scaling keeps reducing and power draw AND heat make it unpractical to oc further.
With Bulldozer it was at 4.2-4.3ghz, but mainly because the chips stopped scaling or scaled really poorly, piledriver keeps scaling but also not as noticeably with each mhz increase after a certain point. And needing custom water to get more performance out of a weak and power hungry cpu (compared to Intel's offerings) kinda beats the price advantage they have. (specially if you consider motherboard pricing to get a decent OC without vrm's melting)


----------



## PedroC1999

My 6300 is at 4.5, not changing it anytime soon, might go down to 44x TURbo instead of just 45x 24/7, but thats when it goes to family PC offcoarse


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yeah, the 6300 is nice, 4.5 is great for it.


----------



## Snuckie7

If you guys don't mind me asking here, what settings exactly in RadeonPro do you change to get GTA IV to run smoothly?

That pos stuttered like mad last I tried it.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> In my mind you had an 8320...xD
> Must be going crazy, since people were discussing 3dmark results and gaming on piledriver I put you in the same bag.
> Read the whole thing, the conclusion was there's a sweetspot where scaling keeps reducing and power draw AND heat make it unpractical to oc further.
> With Bulldozer it was at 4.2-4.3ghz, but mainly because the chips stopped scaling or scaled really poorly, piledriver keeps scaling but also not as noticeably with each mhz increase after a certain point. And needing custom water to get more performance out of a weak and power hungry cpu (compared to Intel's offerings) kinda beats the price advantage they have. (specially if you consider motherboard pricing to get a decent OC without vrm's melting)


that made me lol.

weak. no
power hungry maybe. but really does an extra ~25$ per year matter that much in power bill? kill your ac earlier and you will save more monies.
include that when you properly utilize the fx it stomps most intels at reasonable comparisons price point vs same price point and please lets not use EOL pricing for ivy as a comparison.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Oh, you're messing with the wrong guy...I'm no intel fanboi lol

I don't care for power, fx cpus are weaker than intel and you know it, boards like yours cost a lot more than an entry level extreme 4, all valid points.
No need to defend AMD against my non-attack.

I was saying that there's not much point in going over 4.5ghz on a piledriver cpu, since the speed improvement is negligible for the amount of headaches it implies. Show me an air cooled 24/7 5ghz 8350/20 if you can, I very much doubt you do.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Oh, you're messing with the wrong guy...I'm no intel fanboi lol
> 
> I don't care for power, fx cpus are weaker than intel and you know it, boards like yours cost a lot more than an entry level extreme 4, all valid points.
> No need to defend AMD against my non-attack.
> 
> I was saying that there's not much point in going over 4.5ghz on a piledriver cpu, since the speed improvement is negligible for the amount of headaches it implies. Show me an air cooled 24/7 5ghz 8350/20 if you can, I very much doubt you do.


Plenty. A piledriver chip is way more easy to achieve 5ghz than an ivy.Rangerjr1 has a 8350 at 5 ghz with a noctua. You are lucky if you get a 4,7 on a ivy without hitting 100C.


----------



## ivanlabrie

But it's still slower...and needs an expensive board to run so high, and an expensive air cooler or wc.

Still not convinced.


----------



## Snuckie7

Delidded Ivy can easily hit 5GHz on high end air.


----------



## ivanlabrie

5ghz is an arbitrary e-peen bulging number, that's all...
Also, this is the AMD radeon owner's thread, let's not fight over silly stuff.
We all know how each chip performs, and their weak and strong points, let's move on, we're not blind nvidia/Wintel/zealot fans here, right?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> If you guys don't mind me asking here, what settings exactly in RadeonPro do you change to get GTA IV to run smoothly?
> 
> That pos stuttered like mad last I tried it.


I'm on another computer at the moment, but this is a good guide to use:
www.overclock.net/t/996344/amd-6970-crossfire-problems/10#post_13657550
This also applies to Crossfire, not just the 6970.


----------



## Snuckie7

Will that help if I don't have crossfire?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> But it's still slower...and needs an expensive board to run so high, and an expensive air cooler or wc.
> 
> Still not convinced.


Expensive. I got an asus 990 rev 2 for 120 and i can hit easily 5ghz with my h80


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Will that help if I don't have crossfire?


For one card, you can skip the first part, as you don't need to worry about Crossfire! Then, do the memory tweak, and at the end, disable vsync to always off. I also set a framerate cap using my monitor's resolution, to 60 fps.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> For one card, you can skip the first part, as you don't need to worry about Crossfire! Then, do the memory tweak, and at the end, disable vsync to always off. I also set a framerate cap using my monitor's resolution, to 60 fps.


Alright cool thanks!

+1


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> But it's still slower...and needs an expensive board to run so high, and an expensive air cooler or wc.
> 
> Still not convinced.


speak for your self.i see a huge improvement @ 4.8+ vs 4.6 say what you want but dont base your "fact" on one persons results. and i am not the only one who says this.
there are a few aircooled 5ghz. but they are usually golden.

weaker. yea keep telling your self that.

as far as this is a79xx thread. cpus effect gaming and gpu usage too.
you start it, then try to end and look like the bigger guy. does not work.

the highest cost amd board i think is cheaper then any entry level enthusiast intel board.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quite the big mouth eh? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131876

I didn't "start it", since I don't wanna argue like children do...You can buy whatever you want, but don't state a piledriver cpu is faster than a 2600k/3770k/4770k when it's not (maybe at something like WinRar, or non intel-compiler biased apps, non-x87 old as F$"% code...wait, that's been fixed too







)

Again, I don't wanna argue and turn this thread into the constant fanboi warz we see around here, so stop it.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quite the big mouth eh? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131876
> 
> I didn't "start it", since I don't wanna argue like children do...You can buy whatever you want, but don't state a piledriver cpu is faster than a 2600k/3770k/4770k when it's not (maybe at something like WinRar, or non intel-compiler biased apps, non-x87 old as F$"% code...wait, that's been fixed too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> Again, I don't wanna argue and turn this thread into the constant fanboi warz we see around here, so stop it.


Because you have to run the top mobo model for amd to achieve 5ghz?Yes..no.I dont remember anyone told you that a 8350 is faster.


----------



## Mega Man

thanks.... i did say they are not weak
i did say highest level amd board ( which is 240 ) is cheaper then entry lv enthusiast intels. which i could be wrong but all the ones i have seen are what 300?
( serious question )


----------



## OneGun

Am I in the CPU fan boy thread? Where all we do is argue? Cause if I am please remove me from this club..
Thank you


----------



## TFL Replica

Please do not quote spammers.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TFL Replica*
> 
> Please do not quote spammers.


Don't you think it was appropriate? I did remove his link...and reported him.


----------



## Arturo.Zise

I just got a brand new Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X and have been doing some messing with Afterburner. Ran some quick Heaven benches and managed to get 1175/1575 on stock volts without crashing. Anything over 1200 and it bombs out. I did try manual voltage at 1.25 for a 1200 run but temps flew over 80c in 5 min so I stopped it asap lol.

For my 1175/1575 run I noticed the core was at 70c and the VRM's at high 70's after 30 min. Is that safe enough? Haven't tried gaming at those clocks yet so not sure if the temps will rise higher after longer periods?


----------



## TFL Replica

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Don't you think it was appropriate? I did remove his link...and reported him.


Thanks for removing it. Best thing to do when you see a spammer is to report and move on.


----------



## almighty15

Guys what's the best to tell if I'm TDP limited when overclocking? Got an Antec Kuhler 620 strapped to my 7950 and when I whack the voltage up to 1.3v and try to push the clocks the card just shows artefacts in ATITOOL


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> Guys what's the best to tell if I'm TDP limited when overclocking? Got an Antec Kuhler 620 strapped to my 7950 and when I whack the voltage up to 1.3v and try to push the clocks the card just shows artefacts in ATITOOL


what temp are your vrms ?


----------



## almighty15

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> what temp are your vrms ?


Low 50s


----------



## ivanlabrie

Guys, I'm being offered two 7970s:

-A ref pcb, old Msi card, which comes with an arctic accelero 7970 cooler for an extra 50 bucks...
or
-Sapphire Dual X oc, ref pcb card (not boost/ghz)

Thoughts?

Can only take one of them...


----------



## Snuckie7

The Sapphire and put it under water.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Guys, I'm being offered two 7970s:
> 
> -A ref pcb, old Msi card, which comes with an arctic accelero 7970 cooler for an extra 50 bucks...
> or
> -Sapphire Dual X oc, ref pcb card (not boost/ghz)
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Can only take one of them...


Sapphire Dual X OC.

Im at 4.8GHz on the first sabertooth on air. Cheap motherboard btw.


----------



## ivanlabrie

No water for now...and not for a long time, but I'll consider it.


----------



## Legion123

hi guys

hopefully you will be able to help me. Got an MSI 7970 OC BE yesterday, runs all nice but i wanted to oc it straight away. it comes with afterburner so off i went. I managed to get it 1207 / 1614 but when i load those settings desktop becomes jerky does it every couple of seconds just jumps up and down but when i start a game (or haven benchmark in this case) works perfect! no artifacts no overheating nothing, didnt change the voltage but even if i leave the clocks at stock but just increase power to +20% it does that as well?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> hi guys
> 
> hopefully you will be able to help me. Got an MSI 7970 OC BE yesterday, runs all nice but i wanted to oc it straight away. it comes with afterburner so off i went. I managed to get it 1207 / 1614 but when i load those settings desktop becomes jerky does it every couple of seconds just jumps up and down but when i start a game (or haven benchmark in this case) works perfect! no artifacts no overheating nothing, didnt change the voltage but even if i leave the clocks at stock but just increase power to +20% it does that as well?


Do you have MSI AB newest beta? Its a weird bug with the older MSI AB versions. Download Beta.


----------



## Legion123

hmm i got what was on the disc, it asked me if i wanted beta and i thought i should stick to what they have given me - ill try beta tonight thanks.


----------



## [CyGnus]

Try beta 10 and the latest 13.x drivers and see how it goes


----------



## Legion123

i got the 13.4 from amd's website last night need to try this beta afterburner see what it does, ill post it later cheers


----------



## [CyGnus]

13.4 that is pretty old install the 13.x here: http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/amd_catalyst_13_x_(13_150_1_june_21)_download.html


----------



## Legion123

is it for 7970? it doesnt say anywhere (or i cant find it)


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> is it for 7970? it doesnt say anywhere (or i cant find it)


Yes get the 13.6 beta..


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arturo.Zise*
> 
> I just got a brand new Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X and have been doing some messing with Afterburner. Ran some quick Heaven benches and managed to get 1175/1575 on stock volts without crashing. Anything over 1200 and it bombs out. I did try manual voltage at 1.25 for a 1200 run but temps flew over 80c in 5 min so I stopped it asap lol.
> 
> For my 1175/1575 run I noticed the core was at 70c and the VRM's at high 70's after 30 min. Is that safe enough? Haven't tried gaming at those clocks yet so not sure if the temps will rise higher after longer periods?


the same story here with my DUAL-X 7950 2012 model . At 1200 even after taking off the shroud and putting two 120mm fan full blast on the heatsink with sidepanel off temps reached 87c!!!!!! after 30 mins. I had my memory at 1650 as well at 1.6v and that went up to 85c!!! This card get REALLY hot real fast. Plus the ambient in my room is 30c (yay student life ftw). So, I would try a better thermal paste first if i were you if you want to make ur OC worthwhile. But the performance increase was DRAMATIC as well. over 2000 in Valley Extreme HD. did not get to test games cause I realized the temp was way too high for my taste.

Your 1175/1575 temps look GOOD imo. Better than any stock cooler temps on stock clocks so yaa (includes both amd and nvidia)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Guys, I'm being offered two 7970s:
> 
> -A ref pcb, old Msi card, which comes with an arctic accelero 7970 cooler for an extra 50 bucks...
> or
> -Sapphire Dual X oc, ref pcb card (not boost/ghz)
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> Can only take one of them...
> 
> 
> 
> Sapphire Dual X OC.
> 
> Im at 4.8GHz on the first sabertooth on air. Cheap motherboard btw.
Click to expand...

The original Sapphire OC was actually an improvement over the reference design with its extra vrm phase. But the real positive with the Sapphire OC is the cooler, with its memory plate and vrm block. Those two things make it more attractive than the Accelero imo.


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The original Sapphire OC was actually an improvement over the reference design with its extra vrm phase. But the real positive with the Sapphire OC is the cooler, with its memory plate and vrm block. Those two things make it more attractive than the Accelero imo.


I got the sapphire dual x non of version and it has hynix memory that goes up to 1700 or more and the core goes beyond 1200 and I just can't contain the heat at that level. Other than that its a beast


----------



## Legion123

works better now, doesnt do skippy thing anymore but for some reason i cant get it to 1200 anymore, i was able to but now i get tiny little artefacts here and there when i run haven benchmark very rarely but they werent there before..


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> works better now, doesnt do skippy thing anymore but for some reason i cant get it to 1200 anymore, i was able to but now i get tiny little artefacts here and there when i run haven benchmark very rarely but they werent there before..


Just because they werent there before doesnt mean it was stable then and not stable now. You said you didnt touch voltage yet, right? Try bumping it up slightly and keep your temps and VRM temps in check. What do you have your memory on the card set at?

Also, had my card for a while now and the temperatures at full load and 100% fan were hitting 88degrees. Decided today to redo the stock thermal paste. Obviously didnt help out my idle but initial testing shows a huge decrease in temperatures at load.


----------



## timaishu

Been overclocking my HIS 7950 and so far I am at 1100x1575 stable with stock voltage.

Am I just lucky with the memory or is this normal? I maxed out the slider for memory in afterburner and played an hour of BF3 with no problems.

I might be able to go a little higher on the clock, but it is pretty close to the limit. I think around 1150 is where it begins to crash.


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Been overclocking my HIS 7950 and so far I am at 1100x1575 stable with stock voltage.
> 
> Am I just lucky with the memory or is this normal? I maxed out the slider for memory in afterburner and played an hour of BF3 with no problems.
> 
> I might be able to go a little higher on the clock, but it is pretty close to the limit. I think around 1150 is where it begins to crash.


I Dont think so. 7950s are meant to be pushed to 1200 lol. Just bump that voltage slider to 1250 on trixx. You probably have hynix memory so that can go upto 1700 or more. Good luck


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akbisw*
> 
> I Dont think so. 7950s are meant to be pushed to 1200 lol. Just bump that voltage slider to 1250 on trixx. You probably have hynix memory so that can go upto 1700 or more. Good luck


HIS usually use Elpida memory, and from other peoples accounts, they aren't very good for OCing. I wouldn't really know, as my Elpida ram hits 6.8 GHZ effective (so 1700), but I've found people unable to go past 1450 mhz


----------



## [CyGnus]

My his 7970 does 1750 no problem... i dont know if it is elpida or hynix


----------



## Legion123

i tried to bump up the voltage from 1219 to 1225 and it didnt help, ended up at 1185/1550 works perfect


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> works better now, doesnt do skippy thing anymore but for some reason i cant get it to 1200 anymore, i was able to but now i get tiny little artefacts here and there when i run haven benchmark very rarely but they werent there before..


Set a more aggressive fan profile perhaps.


----------



## Marcos Viegas

My overclock and 3Dmak11 results:



And 3Dmark Fire Strike:


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marcos Viegas*
> 
> My overclock and 3Dmak11 results:
> 
> 
> 
> And 3Dmark Fire Strike:


http://www.overclock.net/t/1406832/single-gpu-firestrike-top-30/0_40


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Set a more aggressive fan profile perhaps.


hmm i haven't actually played with fans just got them on auto, the highest temp i have ever seen was 69-70 after like 10 haven runs one after another so thought i should just leave it as it is - i like my pc quiet







btw whats the highest voltage i can set it to? just to see if i can poush that 1200 again (i just cant leave it alone







)


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marcos Viegas*
> 
> My overclock and 3Dmak11 results:
> 
> 
> 
> And 3Dmark Fire Strike:


What settings is this on? i run mine on extreme and im nowhere near...


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Marcos Viegas*
> 
> My overclock and 3Dmak11 results:
> 
> 
> 
> And 3Dmark Fire Strike:


your graphics score in 3DM11 is low. I get that with 1140/1800 so it's probably not stable.


----------



## Arturo.Zise

I just tried pushing my 7950 Vapor-X to 1200/1600 with 1.2v and managed a 970 in Heaven (Extreme Settings). Temps hit 74c but VRM's got to 80c. Noticed in GPU-Z that the voltage only hit 1.18 max. How far can you push volts on air before things get dangerous?


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arturo.Zise*
> 
> I just tried pushing my 7950 Vapor-X to 1200/1600 with 1.2v and managed a 970 in Heaven (Extreme Settings). Temps hit 74c but VRM's got to 80c. Noticed in GPU-Z that the voltage only hit 1.18 max. How far can you push volts on air before things get dangerous?


VRM temps are fine. Well the guys who make the boost cards usually set 1.25V, so I'd assume thats probably the limit.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

I have a quick question and pardon me for sounding really stupid. I just purchased a Sapphire Vapor-X with Boost. How do you turn on this so called "Boost Mode" I am not a huge overclocker so I figured Id enable boost mode rather then messing with settings


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> I have a quick question and pardon me for sounding really stupid. I just purchased a Sapphire Vapor-X with Boost. How do you turn on this so called "Boost Mode" I am not a huge overclocker so I figured Id enable boost mode rather then messing with settings


You are not supposed to talk like this on ocn!

SEriously: ITs already enabled.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> hmm i haven't actually played with fans just got them on auto, the highest temp i have ever seen was 69-70 after like 10 haven runs one after another so thought i should just leave it as it is - i like my pc quiet
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> btw whats the highest voltage i can set it to? just to see if i can poush that 1200 again (i just cant leave it alone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


If you keep the temp circa 60c load you should get more of an overclock. 1.3v is the most I assume, however I would not set that with auto fan profile.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> your graphics score in 3DM11 is low. I get that with 1140/1800 so it's probably not stable.


I noticed this too, most likely unstable memory overclock (1935 is pretty extreme...)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> If you keep the temp circa 60c load you should get more of an overclock. 1.3v is the most I assume, however I would not set that with auto fan profile.


+1

1.3V is the most i would recommend on air atleast.


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You are not supposed to talk like this on ocn!
> 
> SEriously: ITs already enabled.


HAHA yeah i might get stoned for saying i dont care for overclocking. Honestly tho overclock.net has easily the best community around to date so im sure they will throw softer stones


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> HAHA yeah i might get stoned for saying i dont care for overclocking. Honestly tho overclock.net has easily the best community around to date so im sure they will throw softer stones


There is a bios switch o the card that gives you 950 on core or so. Try it out.


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> HAHA yeah i might get stoned for saying i dont care for overclocking. Honestly tho overclock.net has easily the best community around to date so im sure they will throw softer stones


You stock voltage is probably 1175mv so on that voltage you can proably set the core clock to 1100-1150 easily without doing anything else in TRIXX.


----------



## Arturo.Zise

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> VRM temps are fine. Well the guys who make the boost cards usually set 1.25V, so I'd assume thats probably the limit.


Managed a 1000 score in Heaven with 1240/1685 @ 1.23v. Not a realistic setting for daily use but it was still fun hitting 1k.

Thinking of trying a 1175/1575 setting in some games to see how temps and fan noise go. Any good recommendations for games to test OC temps and fan noise?


----------



## [CyGnus]

Test with Metro Last Light Benchmark 10/15 runs and let it be if it crashes down the clocks or up the voltage


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Test with Metro Last Light Benchmark 10/15 runs and let it be if it crashes down the clocks or up the voltage


My gpu dies core by core everytime it has to render anything related to metro. BUT godzomg them TEXTURE on Last light!!! Best game visuals I have ever seen!


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arturo.Zise*
> 
> Managed a 1000 score in Heaven with 1240/1685 @ 1.23v. Not a realistic setting for daily use but it was still fun hitting 1k.
> 
> Thinking of trying a 1175/1575 setting in some games to see how temps and fan noise go. Any good recommendations for games to test OC temps and fan noise?


Metro2033 is very sensible to high overclocks (at least in my case), it starts showing artifacts instantly if you are unstable or hit your thermal wall. For example @1200MHz my card runs fine until the core hits ~62C, after that artifacts start showing.

Far Cry 3 heats my card more than anything else...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hey guys so I have a question can the the 7970 be overclocked to the same degree as the GHz edition or not and thanks for helping me out


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hey guys so I have a question can the the 7970 be overclocked to the same degree as the GHz edition or not and thanks for helping me out


7970 non ghz overclocked to a ghz.......... easy!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> 7970 non ghz overclocked to a ghz.......... easy!


No my friend lol I mean can I overclock the non GHz to the same level that the GHz edition can or what


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> No my friend lol I mean can I overclock the non GHz to the same level that the GHz edition can or what


yes, even better in most cases


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> No my friend lol I mean can I overclock the non GHz to the same level that the GHz edition can or what


yes


----------



## neurotix

Supposedly you can according to some people.

However, I paid a little extra for my Sapphire Vapor-X, and it does 1200/1600mhz with no problems at 1.25v. Also, it stays very cool in most games, around 65c, because it has better cooling.

I've seen numerous people with the cheaper Dual X Sapphire card and they have trouble doing 1150/1575 even at 1.3v, and artifact at those clocks. Generally, it seems the GHz editions overclock better overall and have higher ASIC quality.

To me, it seems you get what you pay for. If anything, paying for a high-tier cooling solution is going to equate to higher clocks at lower temperature. The voltage and clocks are totally dependent on your card, but I'm glad I paid more for a Vapor-X.


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Supposedly you can according to some people.
> 
> However, I paid a little extra for my Sapphire Vapor-X, and it does 1200/1600mhz with no problems at 1.25v. Also, it stays very cool in most games, around 65c, because it has better cooling.
> 
> I've seen numerous people with the cheaper Dual X Sapphire card and they have trouble doing 1150/1575 even at 1.3v, and artifact at those clocks. Generally, it seems the GHz editions overclock better overall and have higher ASIC quality.
> 
> To me, it seems you get what you pay for. If anything, paying for a high-tier cooling solution is going to equate to higher clocks at lower temperature. The voltage and clocks are totally dependent on your card, but I'm glad I paid more for a Vapor-X.


I have the dual X cooler the only problem i have is cooling. But the actual chip is a gem







.


----------



## [CyGnus]

well it depends really my 7970 only has a 62% ASIC and does 1250/1750 and i see others with 75% and higher and cant get 1200 core... all depends on luck with overclock


----------



## 4LC4PON3

has anyone ever had this issue. I am not sure why this happened but I installed GPUZ and went to run it and Bam my rig crashed. PC was still running but no video signal to monitor hit restart and pc is fine. It only did this with GPUZ

I did notice there are many reports especially on TPU forums about it crashing there rig.


----------



## [CyGnus]

That happened to me 1/2 times with 0.7.2v maybe 0.7.3 will be fixed


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> That happened to me 1/2 times with 0.7.2v maybe 0.7.3 will be fixed


kool thanks i got worried cause its a new rig I was honestly like NOOOOOOOOOOOO cause I dont want to RMA anything


----------



## [CyGnus]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> kool thanks i got worried cause its a new rig I was honestly like NOOOOOOOOOOOO cause I dont want to RMA anything


Try a older version 0.7.0 that should be 100% ok


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> has anyone ever had this issue. I am not sure why this happened but I installed GPUZ and went to run it and Bam my rig crashed. PC was still running but no video signal to monitor hit restart and pc is fine. It only did this with GPUZ
> 
> I did notice there are many reports especially on TPU forums about it crashing there rig.


Yeah I had this a couple of times, at first I thought it was a defective card, but then read on forums other people get this as well, hasn't happened in a while though.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> Try a older version 0.7.0 that should be 100% ok


May I ask where you've read that it'll be fixed? I'd like to see it.

Thanks mate.


----------



## JJ1217

Well, sold my HD 7950 IceQ from HIS. Was just never happy with it, despite all that I did to it. Buyer asked for it to be flashed back to original, which was easy, and now I found out that the original bios SOMEHOW made the card cooler and quieter.

The original bios was 1.170V with 925/1250, while I had the 7970 bios on it which I OCed to 1100/1600 @ 1.175V. At same clocks, the original bios hits 70 degrees at 53% fan speed, but the 7970 Bios hits 74 degrees at 65% fan speed! I really don't understand how the 7970 bios makes it run hotter, even at the same clocks. Don't regret the sale though, as I wanted a black PCB 7950 from Asus. Bought a brand new HD 7950 DC2 V2 (Which I had originally before I sold it and got a 670 because I wanted to try out Nvidia for once). So I'm back at square one. Planning to Crossfire this bad boy when the latency drivers from AMD eventually come out! $300 for a new card and 3 games is pretty good.


----------



## timaishu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Well, sold my HD 7950 IceQ from HIS. Was just never happy with it, despite all that I did to it. Buyer asked for it to be flashed back to original, which was easy, and now I found out that the original bios SOMEHOW made the card cooler and quieter.
> 
> The original bios was 1.170V with 925/1250, while I had the 7970 bios on it which I OCed to 1100/1600 @ 1.175V. At same clocks, the original bios hits 70 degrees at 53% fan speed, but the 7970 Bios hits 74 degrees at 65% fan speed! I really don't understand how the 7970 bios makes it run hotter, even at the same clocks. Don't regret the sale though, as I wanted a black PCB 7950 from Asus. Bought a brand new HD 7950 DC2 V2 (Which I had originally before I sold it and got a 670 because I wanted to try out Nvidia for once). So I'm back at square one. Planning to Crossfire this bad boy when the latency drivers from AMD eventually come out! $300 for a new card and 3 games is pretty good.


Did you have the iceqx2?

Tell me which clocks to run and which voltage, and I can test mine to see how my temps compare.

For the record. The highest I have gotten mine is 1120x1575 with stock voltage and stable in BF3. I stopped running kombuster because its not a realistic test imo.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Did you have the iceqx2?
> 
> Tell me which clocks to run and which voltage, and I can test mine to see how my temps compare.
> 
> For the record. The highest I have gotten mine is 1120x1575 with stock voltage and stable in BF3. I stopped running kombuster because its not a realistic test imo.


No I had the single fan blower style one, the IceQ.


----------



## [CyGnus]

kcuestag maybe it will not sure, but download 0.7.0 no issues with that version







(its the one i am using)


----------



## Apinchof

Got this card 2 days ago, this will be my first personally purchased graphics card.
I realized the 7970 was supposed to be a larger card, I didn't realize it would be half the size of my motherboard, and barely fit inside my case. Now I know why a bigger case might be a good idea in the future.

Somehow my PSU started to smoke when try to add this in, but for now it definitely looks nice in the case. Can wait to try it out with a working PSU


----------



## Legion123

thats the best i can get out of it , anything more and i get tiny, tiny artifacts which i don't like (stock voltage)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Iambazerkus*
> 
> Got this card 2 days ago, this will be my first personally purchased graphics card.
> I realized the 7970 was supposed to be a larger card, I didn't realize it would be half the size of my motherboard, and barely fit inside my case. Now I know why a bigger case might be a good idea in the future.
> 
> Somehow my PSU started to smoke when try to add this in, but for now it definitely looks nice in the case. Can wait to try it out with a working PSU


WHAT?!?!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Iambazerkus*
> 
> Got this card 2 days ago, this will be my first personally purchased graphics card.
> I realized the 7970 was supposed to be a larger card, I didn't realize it would be half the size of my motherboard, and barely fit inside my case. Now I know why a bigger case might be a good idea in the future.
> 
> Somehow my PSU started to smoke when try to add this in, but for now it definitely looks nice in the case. Can wait to try it out with a working PSU


sounds like a cheap OEM rig (I hope not, for the sake your putting a 7970 in







)...

600W+ PSU, silver rated or higher for good stability and efficiency, make sure your case has plenty of airflow, I know for a fact even 180mm fans can struggle if they are not able to push/suck enough through...


----------



## [CyGnus]

A good 450/550w is enough for a 7970 i currently have my 7970 @ 1200/1600 with a corsair cx430M in my folding rig


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Iambazerkus*
> 
> Got this card 2 days ago, this will be my first personally purchased graphics card.
> I realized the 7970 was supposed to be a larger card, I didn't realize it would be half the size of my motherboard, and barely fit inside my case. Now I know why a bigger case might be a good idea in the future.
> 
> Somehow my PSU started to smoke when try to add this in, but for now it definitely looks nice in the case. Can wait to try it out with a working PSU


can you do us a favor and tell us what kind of rig you have or at least take a picture of the insides.


----------



## richie_2010

my 7950 at 880 and 1250 with my 1055t at 3ghz only gets 5549 in firestrike, is that normal


----------



## Apinchof

Oh lord guys give me some credit, I would never put a Graphics Card this big and power hungry into an OEM computer. I know that most of them have just enough power to work with the components inside, and maybe smaller upgrades like ram or hard drive.

Computer Specs
i3 3225
8GB ram 1 card
ASrock Extreme 4
2TB Hard drive

The PSU was a Thermaltake 750p
Found here
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153174

It worked perfectly up to yesterday, I'm not sure what happened. I tried to figure out what it could be in the PSU form here, it seems that it just failed for whatever reason. I've had it for about 5 months now. So It's surprising it would just decide to fail yesterday. If you checked out the PSU recommended PSU thread or Search Thermaltake 750 smart, you'll find a lot of info on a modular power supply and most of them seem to be positive. The one I got seems to just be the non-modular cheaper version of that Power supply.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153157

There were no reviews when I got it. Which normally I wouldn't have gone with, but it was a very good deal and the modular cousin was rated so highly I decided to go for the cheaper probably the same components non-modular version

This is the first time I've upgraded with a GPU, I don't think I did anything wrong. Put in the GPU, thought at one point that I didn't put it in hard enough. So I pushed down on it as much as possible. I don't think it could have gone any lower because it was flush against the side with the ports.

The power supply had 6+2 power cables which I thought were the same as 8 pin ones essentially, I had two of them plugged into the graphics card.

The Fans did spin for a while, actually the computer was on and working for a bit. I got a new Korean monitor so I was excited to try to use it with the new GPU. It wouldn't work so I force the computer off, at some point after this it started to smoke a little(PSU), never got to test if the graphics card was actually working


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Iambazerkus*
> 
> Oh lord guys give me some credit, I would never put a Graphics Card this big and power hungry into an OEM computer. I know that most of them have just enough power to work with the components inside, and maybe smaller upgrades like ram or hard drive.
> 
> Computer Specs
> i3 3225
> 8GB ram 1 card
> ASrock Extreme 4
> 2TB Hard drive
> 
> The PSU was a Thermaltake 750p
> Found here
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153174
> 
> It worked perfectly up to yesterday, I'm not sure what happened. I tried to figure out what it could be in the PSU form here, it seems that it just failed for whatever reason. I've had it for about 5 months now. So It's surprising it would just decide to fail yesterday. If you checked out the PSU recommended PSU thread or Search Thermaltake 750 smart, you'll find a lot of info on a modular power supply and most of them seem to be positive. The one I got seems to just be the non-modular cheaper version of that Power supply.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153157
> 
> There were no reviews when I got it. Which normally I wouldn't have gone with, but it was a very good deal and the modular cousin was rated so highly I decided to go for the cheaper probably the same components non-modular version
> 
> This is the first time I've upgraded with a GPU, I don't think I did anything wrong. Put in the GPU, thought at one point that I didn't put it in hard enough. So I pushed down on it as much as possible. I don't think it could have gone any lower because it was flush against the side with the ports.
> 
> The power supply had 6+2 power cables which I thought were the same as 8 pin ones essentially, I had two of them plugged into the graphics card.
> 
> The Fans did spin for a while, actually the computer was on and working for a bit. I got a new Korean monitor so I was excited to try to use it with the new GPU. It wouldn't work so I force the computer off, at some point after this it started to smoke a little(PSU), never got to test if the graphics card was actually working


Did you put the EPS cables(mobo power) into the GPU? Have seen that before. As long as the power cables say pcie on them going to the GPU it should be good.

Sounds like a burnt up PSU. They have a 5 yr warranty I believe. I have 2 thermaltake tough power (1475w and 1000w) and both have been great.


----------



## Apinchof

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Did you put the EPS cables(mobo power) into the GPU? Have seen that before. As long as the power cables say pcie on them going to the GPU it should be good.
> 
> Sounds like a burnt up PSU. They have a 5 yr warranty I believe. I have 2 thermaltake tough power (1475w and 1000w) and both have been great.


Nope don't know what eps is.
All the cables said pci-express


----------



## DUpgrade

^ They think you might have put an 8 pin EPS 12v in your PCIE 8 pin. I don't think that's the case as the connector is different and PCIE 8 pin has the extra ground and sense lines no additional power. Your PSU might have stressed too much somehow and you might want to look into an RMA.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *[CyGnus]*
> 
> A good 450/550w is enough for a 7970 i currently have my 7970 @ 1200/1600 with a corsair cx430M in my folding rig


not if the rest of your rig uses just as much power as the 7970, I overloaded a 550W quite a few times when I had to RMA my seasonic...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Iambazerkus*
> 
> The PSU was a Thermaltake 750p
> Found here
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153174


now that is curious... in theory it has enough for two 7970s, and OCP should have protected it from a short... I guess you got one with a bad wire or coil and adding the 7970 exposed the fault...
get it RMA-ed if its still under warranty, though I'm not too fond of the use of sub-100buck PSUs with more expensive hardware...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> can you do us a favor and tell us what kind of rig you have or at least take a picture of the insides.


fill out a rig builder ( upper right corner of this page then put it in your sig )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> not if the rest of your rig uses just as much power as the 7970, I overloaded a 550W quite a few times when I had to RMA my seasonic...
> now that is curious... in theory it has enough for two 7970s, and OCP should have protected it from a short... I guess you got one with a bad wire or coil and adding the 7970 exposed the fault...
> get it RMA-ed if its still under warranty, though I'm not too fond of the use of sub-100buck PSUs with more expensive hardware...


talk to shilka pretty sure tough power are thermal takes only good psus key with psus are good quality components and low ripple/noise


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> not if the rest of your rig uses just as much power as the 7970, I overloaded a 550W quite a few times when I had to RMA my seasonic...
> now that is curious... in theory it has enough for two 7970s, and OCP should have protected it from a short... I guess you got one with a bad wire or coil and adding the 7970 exposed the fault...
> get it RMA-ed if its still under warranty, though I'm not too fond of the use of sub-100buck PSUs with more expensive hardware...


a good quality 550w PSU is all you really need IMO. I run a Capstone 550w zero issues on it with my 7950 overclocked to 7970 ish levels. Not sure why you think there are no good Power Supplies at Sub 100.00 levels when there are MANY power supplies @60+ that having amazing build qualities


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4LC4PON3*
> 
> a good quality 550w PSU is all you really need IMO. I run a Capstone 550w zero issues on it with my 7950 overclocked to 7970 ish levels. Not sure why you think there are no good Power Supplies at Sub 100.00 levels when there are MANY power supplies @60+ that having amazing build qualities


meh ill take my 1.2kw power supply. i have tripped x750 ocp a few times with meh rig !~


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> meh ill take my 1.2kw power supply. i have tripped x750 ocp a few times with meh rig !~


in your case sure crossfire 7970s and prolly some pretty hard overclocks I can see but in most cases with a single cpu/gpu i dont see you need anything insane for power. def dont need a 1.2k watt PSU for single setups


----------



## Bartouille

Wow! ONE of my side panel fan couldn't spin because of the PCI-E cable for the GPU and it made my core and vrm/core temp jump by 5-7C! Running 1.3v/1.5v for my 1215/1675 oc, i was getting 77c max core temp and 84c vrm after like 20 min of gta4, which eventually crashed. I didn't know what the hell was going on until I discovered this. Now I'm back to 72c max core and 78c max vrm after 3 hours of gta and ambient is 29c!


----------



## Spectre-

hey guys just have a fairly noob question

can i crossfire my HD7950 with my Thermaltake Tough Power 775 watts

Also i have my 3570k overclocked to 4.5 ghz


----------



## Mega Man

yes with almost no problems. probably no problems. only on suicide runs have i tripped my ocp on my 8350 ( all components still kicking. too love amd )


----------



## ivanlabrie

I don't trust Thermaltake psu's in general, but technically you should be ok Spectre-.
They do have some solid offerings, but in general they are dodgy.


----------



## Spectre-

cool thanks a lot guys

i am gonna pick up my second HD7950 soon


----------



## JJ1217

I might make a tiny review for when I get my Asus HD 7950 DCII TOP. I've had one before, and was the best card I've ever had. Sold it to try out Nvidia.. regretted that decision.

I like how people compare the DCII cooler, and the 7950 TwinFrozr Cooler, and while its similar in temps and fan noise, they never ever make a remark about the fan speed.

Although this is Russian, it gives a good idea on how slow the Asus fans have to spin to still beat the MSI cooler, at its stock clocks, with a meagre difference of 2 degrees. (17% to 48%). Showing it has a much more cooling capacity, and really at this point, the fans are barely spinning. dB difference was also small, being only 3 dB, 31 to 34.

Once they started OCing to 1100, at 1.187 V, the difference was 14 Db, and 7 degrees celcius, both in favour of the Asus cooler ( Fan speed comparison is 24% to 64%) I find it hard how people keep saying that the TwinFrozr cooler is better.

At 1.25V with the same clocks (1100), the difference is even more, with the difference being 12 degrees and 26% fan speed on the Asus card compared to 76% on the MSI card. dB difference was 20 dB. From this, it shows the TwinFrozr keeps up at default clocks, but just goes down as you OC. Although, 30% fan speed on the Asus card I found when I had it, was the point before I could hear it. So the fans are louder, but have to work alot less.

http://www.overclockers.ru/lab/49680_4/Testiruem_raznye_varianty_Radeon_HD_7950_ASUS_HD_7950_DirectCUII_TOP_V2_MSI_R7950.html

If you use chrome, you can translate it. Interesting read.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

I have had this problem ever since i got the HD 7970. Did not have it with HD 6970 or HD 5850. Basically my card stock voltage is 1.131v. I use MSI AB and this does not matter what version. I set the voltage to 1.175v and all is well and all but it does not stick forever if you know what i mean. For what ever reason the voltage will drop back to stock.


----------



## BradleyW

Hey all!
One of my 7970's seems to run about 1-2c hotter than the other and this is because the cooler and card don't make good contact. One corner of the die has no paste on it, like so:


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey all!
> One of my 7970's seems to run about 1-2c hotter than the other and this is because the cooler and card don't make good contact. One corner of the die has no paste on it, like so:


OR Because nothing is perfectly symmetrical. (not even airflow...)


----------



## ihatelolcats

guys im having some trouble with my 7950 with h60 cooler...

at stock clocks 900/1250 i am getting crashes and problems while gaming. gpu never exceeds 60C but thats the only temp sensor on my card. i have a fan blowing across the card. do you think it could be another temp, ram, vrm, or otherwise causing this? i am on 13.6 beta 2 driver

pic of my setup



ive never seen it before but that looks like throttling ^
what temp would cause this?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Well, naked vrm's with no active cooling on top might not be a good idea...
What's powertune set to?


----------



## ihatelolcats

powertune +20%


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> guys im having some trouble with my 7950 with h60 cooler...
> 
> at stock clocks 900/1250 i am getting crashes and problems while gaming. gpu never exceeds 60C but thats the only temp sensor on my card. i have a fan blowing across the card. do you think it could be another temp, ram, vrm, or otherwise causing this? i am on 13.6 beta 2 driver
> 
> pic of my setup
> 
> 
> 
> ive never seen it before but that looks like throttling ^
> what temp would cause this?


Why would you do this? Seriously? First you get the 7950 with the worst cooler there is, THEN you take it off only to put a H60 on it (Which sucks btw) and leave the VRMs and RAM naked... Seriously...


----------



## ihatelolcats

why do anything? i knew i wouldnt use the stock cooler. the h60 actually works really well despite sucking. i have the pump and fans turned down so its quiet an still keeps the card around 60c


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> why do anything? i knew i wouldnt use the stock cooler. the h60 actually works really well despite sucking. i have the pump and fans turned down so its quiet an still keeps the card around 60c


in my opinion i dont think leaving the VRMs and RAM naked it a smart idea.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> why do anything? i knew i wouldnt use the stock cooler. the h60 actually works really well despite sucking. i have the pump and fans turned down so its quiet an still keeps the card around 60c


You didnt think this through did you?


----------



## youpekkad

I really dont think 60c with the h60 is a great result, is it @stock or overclocked?

I mean, mine stays below 65c, usually around 60c with the stock TFIII cooler @1150/1500 (yea voltage is 1,1V only, but it has veeery high ASIC, means it runs a lot hotter than a "normal" card at that voltage).
I remember seing GTX470/480 users keep their cards below 50c with hefty overclocks with these antec kuhler/corsair h50/60 etc mods, so you must be doing something wrong...


----------



## TwiggLe

Last few posts are making me chuckle....

Wonder if he could get a real waterblock and mod the H60 to work with it... But either way yeah what you did isn't too bright...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> guys im having some trouble with my 7950 with h60 cooler...
> 
> at stock clocks 900/1250 i am getting crashes and problems while gaming. gpu never exceeds 60C but thats the only temp sensor on my card. i have a fan blowing across the card. do you think it could be another temp, ram, vrm, or otherwise causing this? i am on 13.6 beta 2 driver
> 
> pic of my setup
> 
> 
> 
> ive never seen it before but that looks like throttling ^
> 
> 
> what temp would cause this?


guys. there was a time when you didnt know about things either. you can 1 mock 2 teach.

OCN is about #2 teaching. please stop being so rude.

you may need a shim for the block to make good contact.
you also probably need to put on small heatsinks like these on the memory and the VRMS you can find them from many brands /venders

memory are the big rectangles. VRMS and really small and hopefully someone has a pic handy and can circle them for ou


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> guys. there was a time when you didnt know about things either. you can 1 mock 2 teach.
> 
> OCN is about #2 teaching. please stop being so rude.
> 
> you may need a shim for the block to make good contact.
> you also probably need to put on small heatsinks like these on the memory and the VRMS you can find them from many brands /venders
> 
> memory are the big rectangles. VRMS and really small and hopefully someone has a pic handy and can circle them for ou


I asked and did research before doing things like this.


----------



## Rangerjr1

And no... its not throttling... It doesnt throttle at 60c lol


----------



## ivanlabrie

But vrm temps?

We need an hwinfo screenshot to be sure...


----------



## ihatelolcats

you know i wanted to get some heatsinks for it but wasnt able to find a decent set reasonably priced. i didnt think it would be that big of an issue since older cards i have had didnt come with any, at least on the ram.
can someone confirm that vrm overheat causes core downclocking?

this card doesnt have temp sensor other than core ;(


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> I really dont think 60c with the h60 is a great result, is it @stock or overclocked?
> 
> I mean, mine stays below 65c, usually around 60c with the stock TFIII cooler @1150/1500 (yea voltage is 1,1V only, but it has veeery high ASIC, means it runs a lot hotter than a "normal" card at that voltage).
> I remember seing GTX470/480 users keep their cards below 50c with hefty overclocks with these antec kuhler/corsair h50/60 etc mods, so you must be doing something wrong...


I'm not really too up to date with ASIC quality, how does higher ASIC quality make it run hotter? Wouldn't it run cooler due to needing less volts to hit the same clcoks?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you know i wanted to get some heatsinks for it but wasnt able to find a decent set reasonably priced. i didnt think it would be that big of an issue since older cards i have had didnt come with any, at least on the ram.
> can someone confirm that vrm overheat causes core downclocking?
> 
> this card doesnt have temp sensor other than core ;(


Even if it doesnt does it mean you should let them overheat? Seriously are you this uneducated on this subject??? No offence man but if you dont know what you are doing you shouldnt do stuff like this. +1 for guts though.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you know i wanted to get some heatsinks for it but wasnt able to find a decent set reasonably priced. i didnt think it would be that big of an issue since older cards i have had didnt come with any, at least on the ram.
> can someone confirm that vrm overheat causes core downclocking?
> 
> this card doesnt have temp sensor other than core ;(


you can get the ones Mega posted or these (probably 2 sets) . . .

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/evnipucoramh.html

apply them on the vrms (1 and 2) and the vrams.

edit: for checking temp, i use this . . .

http://www.hwinfo.com/download64.html

scroll down and verify if indeed yours do not have vrm sensors. vram temps do not exist.


----------



## youpekkad

Didnt want to sound rude, I just thought there must be some issues with the contact etc given that any decent custom cooler gets the same temps.

Higher ASIC%=leaks less >>> more heat stays inside the core etc. I´ve seen ppl with ~60% ASIC cards run 1,3V on air with the same cooler and achieve similar temps than me @1,1V.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> But vrm temps?
> 
> We need an hwinfo screenshot to be sure...


It's got to be the VRM temps. I have seen my HD7950 drop load to 63% then teeter totter back and forth to 100% load when VRM temps reach 115c with a *crappy XSPC HD7970 New Edition water block.*

I also got the dipping on my operation screen shots.



http://www.overclock.net/t/1366829/nickel-plated-heatkiller-gpu-x-79x0-vs-xspc-razor-hd-7970-full-coverage-vga-block-new-design#post_19558238


----------



## Gomi

Every cell in my body is screaming for giving my HD7990 a spin soon - If just that damn Motherboard (IMPACT) would be released soon *Sigh* - It is the last thing missing in my build.

Also looking forward to the incomming patch - Though most of my worries already been put out by other owners of the HD7990, saying it is not all that bad as people want to make it (Latency, OC problems) - The heat is solved, and the block + card combination is sexy as hell


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> OR Because nothing is perfectly symmetrical. (not even airflow...)


It is now running 4c hotter. The cooler never had contact issues before....
But 4 recent resits are failing.


----------



## akbisw

I think its a sign


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akbisw*
> 
> 
> 
> I think its a sign


20Ghz? Nice overclock man!


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> 20Ghz? Nice overclock man!


lol sarcasm? or are you really surprised?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akbisw*
> 
> 
> 
> I think its a sign


bench that bad boy......


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> It's got to be the VRM temps. I have seen my HD7950 drop load to 63% then teeter totter back and forth to 100% load when VRM temps reach 115c with a *crappy XSPC HD7970 New Edition water block.*
> 
> I also got the dipping on my operation screen shots.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1366829/nickel-plated-heatkiller-gpu-x-79x0-vs-xspc-razor-hd-7970-full-coverage-vga-block-new-design#post_19558238


Thanks for posting the link to your block review, I hadn't seen it.
I'll comment further there, but you did a very good job with the review. Rep+


----------



## Rangerjr1

nvm....


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> guys im having some trouble with my 7950 with h60 cooler...
> 
> at stock clocks 900/1250 i am getting crashes and problems while gaming. gpu never exceeds 60C but thats the only temp sensor on my card. i have a fan blowing across the card. do you think it could be another temp, ram, vrm, or otherwise causing this? i am on 13.6 beta 2 driver
> 
> pic of my setup
> 
> 
> 
> ive never seen it before but that looks like throttling ^
> what temp would cause this?


thats not even hardware related, cmon guys!!!

youve got a virus casuing this issue, run a full virus check and furmark for hours


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> thats not even hardware related, cmon guys!!!
> 
> youve got a virus casuing this issue, run a full virus check and furmark for hours


lol


----------



## DUpgrade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *akbisw*
> 
> 
> 
> I think its a sign


Man, what are your temps on that? Hope it's on water because it has to be on fire.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Didnt want to sound rude, I just thought there must be some issues with the contact etc given that any decent custom cooler gets the same temps.
> 
> Higher ASIC%=leaks less >>> more heat stays inside the core etc. I´ve seen ppl with ~60% ASIC cards run 1,3V on air with the same cooler and achieve similar temps than me @1,1V.


This is true.

ihatelolcats - You need to find some heatsinks you can install on your vrms and memory, this is why your 7950 is having issues. Installing nothing on them is a risk and if you continue to run your card this way you will probably damage it.

I am not sure if you will have enough clearance with the H50? But it's a nice option.

http://www.swiftech.com/hd7900-hsf.aspx

or

http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/spare-parts/535/heatsink-accelero-xtreme-7970.html

You will need to purchase some adhesive glue to mount the heatsinks.

Here is a picture with an H80 with the same heatsinks.



overall the H60 is not a bad way to cool a 7950. I think people underrate it. I had one in a P/P and it's not that bad at all. But it looks like you have an H50 not H60.

BTW - I still haven't had a chance to overclock the 8320 yet - still waiting on a better case to fit this enormous PSU








My buddy is not picking up the rig until Aug, so I have some time.


----------



## akbisw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> bench that bad boy......


it will die guaranteed....ehh what the hell its for a good cause







just kidding. Its just GPU-z glitching out for a second, or my gpu glitching out either one of those, definitely caused by TriXX


----------



## UZ7

So I've had this happen only 2-3 times maybe? and it was when watching a video clip.

I reverted back to 13.5B2 drivers because xsplit was messing up with 13.6B2 or whatever while I was trying to record gameplay and/or cast so I changed to older drivers.

DVI cord is fine and plugged tight.

This happened while the video card was at stock 830/1250, 1031mV.

Trying to see if it was only driver based.


----------



## chauza

Hello 7900 users!

I just sold my XFX 7950 Double Dissipation (voltage locked) for $250 and won an auction for a XFX 7970 (voltage unlocked) for $256! So basically, I added $6 for the 7970 and it's voltage unlocked. Now, my question is, how much performance will I gain after upgrading my 7950? The 7970 is still on its way so I haven't tried it yet.

Here's my score with the 7950:



And here's the complete specs:

AMD FX 8350 at stock
MSI 890FXA-GD70 (two-year old mobo)
XFX AMD R7950 "Ghost" Double Dissipation at stock
Corsair Dominator 16gb DDR3 1333 MHz with airflow
Corsair H60 Hydro
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
Asus DRW-24B1ST DVD Multi burner
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750w


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> Hello 7900 users!
> 
> I just sold my XFX 7950 Double Dissipation (voltage locked) for $250 and won an auction for a XFX 7970 (voltage unlocked) for $256! So basically, I added $6 for the 7970 and it's voltage unlocked. Now, my question is, how much performance will I gain after upgrading my 7950? The 7970 is still on its way so I haven't tried it yet.
> 
> Here's my score with the 7950:
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the complete specs:
> 
> AMD FX 8350 at stock
> MSI 890FXA-GD70 (two-year old mobo)
> XFX AMD R7950 "Ghost" Double Dissipation at stock
> Corsair Dominator 16gb DDR3 1333 MHz with airflow
> Corsair H60 Hydro
> Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
> Asus DRW-24B1ST DVD Multi burner
> PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750w


Not sure how much the AMD CPU will help as its running on stock as well but when my CPU was at 4.5GHz and GPU 1100/1600 on the 7950 I got around 10K, so if you OC high you may be able to break 10K, I know the 7970 can hit 11K with high/mod OC


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> Hello 7900 users!
> 
> I just sold my XFX 7950 Double Dissipation (voltage locked) for $250 and won an auction for a XFX 7970 (voltage unlocked) for $256! So basically, I added $6 for the 7970 and it's voltage unlocked. Now, my question is, how much performance will I gain after upgrading my 7950? The 7970 is still on its way so I haven't tried it yet.
> 
> Here's my score with the 7950:
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the complete specs:
> 
> AMD FX 8350 at stock
> MSI 890FXA-GD70 (two-year old mobo)
> XFX AMD R7950 "Ghost" Double Dissipation at stock
> Corsair Dominator 16gb DDR3 1333 MHz with airflow
> Corsair H60 Hydro
> Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
> Asus DRW-24B1ST DVD Multi burner
> PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750w


It'll be 1-5% faster clock for clock with your 7950. Considering you bought an XFX card, having it voltage unlocked might not help considering a lot of the XFX cards have cooling issues on the VRM's since XFX cheaped out so badly on cooler design. That may have been fixed, but I know it was an issue right after release.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> Hello 7900 users!
> 
> I just sold my XFX 7950 Double Dissipation (voltage locked) for $250 and won an auction for a XFX 7970 (voltage unlocked) for $256! So basically, I added $6 for the 7970 and it's voltage unlocked. Now, my question is, how much performance will I gain after upgrading my 7950? The 7970 is still on its way so I haven't tried it yet.
> 
> Here's my score with the 7950:
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the complete specs:
> 
> AMD FX 8350 at stock
> MSI 890FXA-GD70 (two-year old mobo)
> XFX AMD R7950 "Ghost" Double Dissipation at stock
> Corsair Dominator 16gb DDR3 1333 MHz with airflow
> Corsair H60 Hydro
> Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
> Asus DRW-24B1ST DVD Multi burner
> PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750w


11k is quite easy with an 8350 and a 7970.


----------



## chauza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UZ7*
> 
> Not sure how much the AMD CPU will help as its running on stock as well but when my CPU was at 4.5GHz and GPU 1100/1600 on the 7950 I got around 10K, so if you OC high you may be able to break 10K, I know the 7970 can hit 11K with high/mod OC


What cpu are you using?


----------



## UZ7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> What cpu are you using?


2500K

you may be able to break 10/11K but I think you would need to OC your CPU as well


----------



## chauza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 11k is quite easy with an 8350 and a 7970.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It'll be 1-5% faster clock for clock with your 7950. Considering you bought an XFX card, having it voltage unlocked might not help considering a lot of the XFX cards have cooling issues on the VRM's since XFX cheaped out so badly on cooler design. That may have been fixed, but I know it was an issue right after release.


Wow, thanks for the fast replies guys! So, if you can easily get 11k with 7970, my 8k score from 7950 is quite low, isn't it?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> Wow, thanks for the fast replies guys! So, if you can easily get 11k with 7970, my 8k score from 7950 is quite low, isn't it?[/.quote]
> 
> You where running stock wherent you? You need atleast 4.8 on CPU and 1250/1800 on GPU to reach 11k


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 11k is quite easy with an 8350 and a 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> It'll be 1-5% faster clock for clock with your 7950. Considering you bought an XFX card, having it voltage unlocked might not help considering a lot of the XFX cards have cooling issues on the VRM's since XFX cheaped out so badly on cooler design. That may have been fixed, but I know it was an issue right after release.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, thanks for the fast replies guys! So, if you can easily get 11k with 7970, my 8k score from 7950 is quite low, isn't it?
Click to expand...

You were also at stock on CPU and GPU. 8k is about right considering everything was stock. Overclock your CPU to 4.5GHz or higher, and that GPU to 1100 / 1500 (or higher), and you'll be breaking 10k easy in 3DMark.

Like I said, just be weary of the XFX cooler. Watch your core and VRM temps closely.


----------



## d1nky

HA!

nuff said!

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6373074

8K on an Fx4100........ go home!


----------



## chauza

Quote:


> You where running stock wherent you? You need atleast 4.8 on CPU and 1250/1800 on GPU to reach 11k


I see, I'm not even sure if my current setup can reach 4.8ghz.


----------



## chauza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You were also at stock on CPU and GPU. 8k is about right considering everything was stock. Overclock your CPU to 4.5GHz or higher, and that GPU to 1100 / 1500 (or higher), and you'll be breaking 10k easy in 3DMark.
> 
> Like I said, just be weary of the XFX cooler. Watch your core and VRM temps closely.


Got it, thanks for the tips.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> I see, I'm not even sure if my current setup can reach 4.8ghz.


What setup do you have?


----------



## chauza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> What setup do you have?


AMD FX 8350 at stock
MSI 890FXA-GD70 (two-year old mobo)
XFX AMD R7950 "Ghost" Double Dissipation at stock
Corsair Dominator 16gb DDR3 1333 MHz with airflow
Corsair H60 Hydro
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
Asus DRW-24B1ST DVD Multi burner
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750w


----------



## d1nky

id probably make my fx4100/7950 do 9K on water...... weekend maybe........

behave all of you!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chauza*
> 
> AMD FX 8350 at stock
> MSI 890FXA-GD70 (two-year old mobo)
> XFX AMD R7950 "Ghost" Double Dissipation at stock
> Corsair Dominator 16gb DDR3 1333 MHz with airflow
> Corsair H60 Hydro
> Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty
> Asus DRW-24B1ST DVD Multi burner
> PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750w


Hah, well that H60 and the motherboard wont really get you anywhere. Get a Gigabyte UD3, it will overclock about as good as any high end 990FX mobo. And get high end air cooling like the NH-D14 or Thermalright Silver Arrow. Or the one i have







! H100s work too but i personally odnt like them. RAM is important for physics score on 8350s btw.


----------



## chauza

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Hah, well that H60 and the motherboard wont really get you anywhere. Get a Gigabyte UD3, it will overclock about as good as any high end 990FX mobo. And get high end air cooling like the NH-D14 Thermalright Silver Arrow. Or the one i have
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ! H100s work too but i personally odnt like them. RAM is important for physics score on 8350s btw.


Ok, will sell my current setup and buy those parts!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yeah, those are really good...2133mhz+ oced ram will help physics score.
And yeah, the Silver Arrow is my weapon of choice too









I still kind of want an fx4170 for giggles but can't spend money on ln2 pots and extra hardware now...
I will be getting a used 3820+x79-ud3 combo for peanuts, so I can play with you guys







. Kinda broke atm :/


----------



## richie_2010

My 7950 at 880 1250 with stock 1055t only gets high 5k in firestrike is that right


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> My 7950 at 880 1250 with stock 1055t only gets high 5k in firestrike is that right


Yes. Its stock -_____-


----------



## pioneerisloud

Guys....this is overclock.net, not stockclocks.net.....overclock those CPU's and GPU's already!!!!! Geez.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Guys....this is overclock.net, not stockclocks.net.....overclock those CPU's and GPU's already!!!!! Geez.


Agreed.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Guys....this is overclock.net, not stockclocks.net.....overclock those CPU's and GPU's already!!!!! Geez.


LOL lets undervolt, get naked and hug trees!


----------



## richie_2010

Thanks just having issues with my comp and cant attain if its the ssd or ram or both


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Guys....this is overclock.net, not stockclocks.net.....overclock those CPU's and GPU's already!!!!! Geez.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LOL lets undervolt, get naked and hug trees!
Click to expand...

Ummm, I'm overclocked and undervolted......

i3 2120 @ 3.5GHz, 1.10v (stock VID was 1.25v IIRC)
Sapphire HD7970 (flashed to GHz) @ 1100 / 1800 @ 1.10v / 1.7v (stock being 1.175v / 1.6v).


----------



## d1nky

theres a tree..... lets see ya naked!


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Ummm, I'm overclocked and undervolted......
> 
> i3 2120 @ 3.5GHz, 1.10v (stock VID was 1.25v IIRC)
> Sapphire HD7970 (flashed to GHz) @ 1100 / 1800 @ 1.10v / 1.7v (stock being 1.175v / 1.6v).


What BCLK? And can it be pushed more? I've seen 3.65 out of those things


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> theres a tree..... lets see ya naked!


1) i3 2120 is limited by BCLK adjustments, so it only figured to undervolt it if I could.
2) Let's see you keep a reference blower style 7970 cool, even at only 1.10v it hits 85*C load.

It's not that I wanted to undervolt, its more that I kind of have no other choice since my hardware is already at its limits currently without a different CPU and better cooling on the GPU (which I refuse to do now, since I keep killing cards by putting aftermarket coolers on them).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Ummm, I'm overclocked and undervolted......
> 
> i3 2120 @ 3.5GHz, 1.10v (stock VID was 1.25v IIRC)
> Sapphire HD7970 (flashed to GHz) @ 1100 / 1800 @ 1.10v / 1.7v (stock being 1.175v / 1.6v).
> 
> 
> 
> What BCLK? And can it be pushed more? I've seen 3.65 out of those things
Click to expand...

106.1 BCLK. Board won't POST after that. RAM is at DDR3-1980 @ 9-9-9-24-1T (Samsung Wonder RAM).


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> HA!
> 
> nuff said!
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6373074
> 
> 8K on an Fx4100........ go home!


checkout the graphics score back in August last year . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/4228459

must be using 12.6 driver or older.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> 1) i3 2120 is limited by BCLK adjustments, so it only figured to undervolt it if I could.
> 2) Let's see you keep a reference blower style 7970 cool, even at only 1.10v it hits 85*C load.
> 
> It's not that I wanted to undervolt, its more that I kind of have no other choice since my hardware is already at its limits currently without a different CPU and better cooling on the GPU (which I refuse to do now, since I keep killing cards by putting aftermarket coolers on them).
> 106.1 BCLK. Board won't POST after that. RAM is at DDR3-1980 @ 9-9-9-24-1T (Samsung Wonder RAM).


Ok, i3's are cool, was going to go for a 3240 before I saw the 6300 unlocked beast. Doubt the i3 would validate at 5.3+ xD


----------



## d1nky

hmm my physics was **** as i was using 1 broke bit of RAM. and phenoms are well... flulabababbaennon

the graphics has obliterated most tho!

i use the old 13.2 beta 2s for benching most of the time.

im thinking of chucking my 4100 on my loop with new ram and ocing it till death and try hit 9k

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/6373074/3dm11/4228459

@pioneer is loud. i know reference isnt the best but stop breaking cards lol


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> hmm my physics was **** as i was using 1 broke bit of RAM. and phenoms are well... flulabababbaennon
> 
> the graphics has obliterated most tho!
> 
> i use the old 13.2 beta 2s for benching most of the time.
> 
> im thinking of chucking my 4100 on my loop with new ram and ocing it till death and try hit 9k
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/6373074/3dm11/4228459
> 
> @pioneer is loud. i know reference isnt the best but stop breaking cards lol


You're full of it lol


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You're cool as hell


thanks


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/6373074/3dm11/4228459


Is that 4.8Ghz FX 4100 getting beat by a 4Ghz 960T?

Physics Test 14.0 FPS 16.7 FPS

I had a 4.0Ghz 960T - Loved that CPU - Still serviceable today for a single GPU


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> thanks


HAHAAHAHAHAAHHA


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Is that 4.8Ghz FX 4100 getting beat by a 4Ghz 960T?
> 
> Physics Test 14.0 FPS 16.7 FPS
> 
> I had a 4.0Ghz 960T - Loved that CPU - Still serviceable today for a single GPU


960t 6 cores? idk







. 4.8 for a 4100 is damn impressive lol


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 960t 6 cores? idk
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . 4.8 for a 4100 is damn impressive lol


it's showing 4 logical cores, so looks like it didn't unlock. Mine never did either. Still a good showing for a Phenom II, unless I am missing something. Of course Piledriver is much better than Bulldozer.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> it's showing 4 logical cores, so looks like it didn't unlock. Mine never did either. Still a good showing for a Phenom II, unless I am missing something. Of course Piledriver is much better than Bulldozer.


yah, that was locked 960. here it is unlocked at 4GHz with a 7970 stock . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6462334

it can only go as high as 7500 in physics. not bad for a $100 cpu.


----------



## d1nky

LOL i could done better but i only had one stick of ram to play with @1600mhz max

i reckon with this new config it would be good at 5+ghz and score about the same as the phenom!

its my best recorded graphics i think.

to remind people. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6373074


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL i could done better but i only had one stick of ram to play with @1600mhz max
> 
> i reckon with this new config it would be good at 5+ghz and score about the same as the phenom!
> 
> its my best recorded graphics i think.
> 
> to remind people. http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6373074


Come on steam man.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> yah, that was locked 960. here it is unlocked at 4GHz with a 7970 stock . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6462334
> 
> it can only go as high as 7500 in physics. not bad for a $100 cpu.


Agreed







It was the best $100 I ever spent on a CPU -- I wish I never sold it


----------



## d1nky

phenomenal..........


----------



## d1nky

Where have all good men gone
And where are all the *AMD* gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?

Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need

I need an AMD hero
I'm holding out for a AMD hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a AMD hero
I'm holding out for a AMD hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life

Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me

Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet

I need a AMD hero
I'm holding out for a AMD hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a AMD hero
I'm holding out for a AMD hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life

Up Where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear that there's someone somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like a fire in my blood

I need a AMD hero
I'm holding out for a AMD hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a AMD hero
I'm holding out for a AMD hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Where have all good men gone
> And where are all the gods?
> Where's the street-wise Hercules
> To fight the rising odds?
> 
> Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
> Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need
> 
> I need a hero
> I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
> He's gotta be strong
> And he's gotta be fast
> And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
> I need a hero
> I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
> He's gotta be sure
> And it's gotta be soon
> And he's gotta be larger than life
> 
> Somewhere after midnight
> In my wildest fantasy
> Somewhere just beyond my reach
> There's someone reaching back for me
> 
> Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
> It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet
> 
> I need a hero
> I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
> He's gotta be strong
> And he's gotta be fast
> And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
> I need a hero
> I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
> He's gotta be sure
> And it's gotta be soon
> And he's gotta be larger than life
> 
> Up Where the mountains meet the heavens above
> Out where the lightning splits the sea
> I would swear that there's someone somewhere
> Watching me
> Through the wind and the chill and the rain
> And the storm and the flood
> I can feel his approach
> Like a fire in my blood
> 
> I need a hero
> I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
> He's gotta be strong
> And he's gotta be fast
> And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
> I need a hero
> I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
> He's gotta be sure
> And it's gotta be soon
> And he's gotta be larger than life


MAXIMUS VI HERO


----------



## Snuckie7

12k with an i7 tbh


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 12k with an i7 tbh


You got competition...I'm getting a 3820 that does 5ghz on air.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> You got competition...I'm getting a 3820 that does 5ghz on air.


Sounds like an awesome chip, my 8350 does 5GHz 24/7 stable on air. Not prime stable though :/.


----------



## Snuckie7

5GHz? Time to up my overclock!

I got to get me some better cooling though


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Sounds like an awesome chip, my 8350 does 5GHz 24/7 stable on air. Not prime stable though :/.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 5GHz? Time to up my overclock!
> 
> I got to get me some better cooling though


Yeah, a team mate is selling it to me for a discounted price so I can't pass on a pre-binned chip like that.
I can upgrade to Ivy-E which will be soldered ihs later on too...(IF giga updates the x79-ud3 bios properly)

I have a Silver Arrow and ty-140s, as well as my benching fans: Nidec 5300rpm 120x38mm and 220cfm dual fans.


----------



## BWG

Hey, have any of you owners folded before? Were you around when these card did just over a messily 15k daily? Well, they actually get over 100k daily now. I could use some old or new folders who own one of these cards on a 24/7 folding basis,

Who's with me?


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BWG*
> 
> Hey, have any of you owners folded before? Were you around when these card did just over a messily 15k daily? Well, they actually get over 100k daily now. I could use some old or new folders who own one of these cards on a 24/7 folding basis,
> 
> Who's with me?


Sorry not my cup of Tea. Good luck


----------



## BWG

Strike 1


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> But vrm temps?
> 
> We need an hwinfo screenshot to be sure...
> 
> 
> 
> It's got to be the VRM temps. I have seen my HD7950 drop load to 63% then teeter totter back and forth to 100% load when VRM temps reach 115c with a *crappy XSPC HD7970 New Edition water block.*
> 
> I also got the dipping on my operation screen shots.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1366829/nickel-plated-heatkiller-gpu-x-79x0-vs-xspc-razor-hd-7970-full-coverage-vga-block-new-design#post_19558238
Click to expand...

thanks for the responses, i used the stock silicone thermal pads and put a heatsink onto everything the stock cooler covers (vrm, ram) and still get the downclocking issue. i guess they could still be too hot...though it doesnt seem likely
i guess the only thing left to do is to put the stock cooler back on and see if it still does it

vrm heatsink i used. should be much more than adequate imo with a 120mm fan blowing full speed across it


meant to add, i got mixed up somehow. i am using an antec 620, not an h60. lol


----------



## ivanlabrie

That's odd, if you did use sinks...I never liked XFX cards man, don't know what to tell you, I'm at a loss.


----------



## JJ1217

I saw a review testing like 3 7950's and 3 7970's comparing them to each other. The XFX 7970 DD was louder, and hotter than the reference! How can a board partner manage that! I'll try find it. Despite them showing 80 degree temps, they kept maintaining that the card was cool. It was hitting 100 degrees OCed at 100% fan speed! Jesus! I'll try find it, I read it a couple of days ago.


----------



## JJ1217

http://www.behardware.com/articles/853-13/roundup-the-radeon-hd-7970s-and-7950s-from-asus-his-msi-powercolor-sapphire-and-xfx.html

found it, here it is. Really bad card.


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> This is true.
> 
> ihatelolcats - You need to find some heatsinks you can install on your vrms and memory, this is why your 7950 is having issues. Installing nothing on them is a risk and if you continue to run your card this way you will probably damage it.
> 
> I am not sure if you will have enough clearance with the H50? But it's a nice option.
> 
> http://www.swiftech.com/hd7900-hsf.aspx
> 
> or
> 
> http://www.arctic.ac/en/p/spare-parts/535/heatsink-accelero-xtreme-7970.html
> 
> You will need to purchase some adhesive glue to mount the heatsinks.
> 
> Here is a picture with an H80 with the same heatsinks.
> 
> 
> 
> overall the H60 is not a bad way to cool a 7950. I think people underrate it. I had one in a P/P and it's not that bad at all. But it looks like you have an H50 not H60.
> 
> BTW - I still haven't had a chance to overclock the 8320 yet - still waiting on a better case to fit this enormous PSU
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My buddy is not picking up the rig until Aug, so I have some time.





dont use glue you cant get them off !~ use thermal tape


----------



## valkeriefire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BWG*
> 
> Hey, have any of you owners folded before? Were you around when these card did just over a messily 15k daily? Well, they actually get over 100k daily now. I could use some old or new folders who own one of these cards on a 24/7 folding basis,
> 
> Who's with me?


Actually BWG kinda downplayed the 7970s signicance to folding today. The 7970 is now kinda the king of folding (at least as far as price to performance goes). It pretty much destroys even a heavily overclocked 3770k. If you have a spare GPU in your sli setup, you can fold while you are not gaming. Stanford Univ recently redesigned their code to be optimized for GPUs like the 7970, so GPU folding is becoming much more important.

Anyhow, I got a 7970 specifically for folding. I'm currently running at 1.22v @1200mhz. My temps are about 64C max (62 average). Based on that, what do you think I could go up to safely on air for 24/7 operation? I am using the Sapphire 7970 100351 model shown here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

Thanks for your help.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I saw a review testing like 3 7950's and 3 7970's comparing them to each other. The XFX 7970 DD was louder, and hotter than the reference! How can a board partner manage that! I'll try find it. Despite them showing 80 degree temps, they kept maintaining that the card was cool. It was hitting 100 degrees OCed at 100% fan speed! Jesus! I'll try find it, I read it a couple of days ago.


I actually barely see any XFX cards down here in AU, guess they are just too dogy to be worth it for the suppliers, especially how our temperatures are a good 10-20C or more higher then most other countries on average...

cheap heatpipes, dodgy mounting, cheap paste and surface finish, use of less total power phases, less copper overall on the PCB will make temperatures and efficiency massively worse...

side note, I'm pretty sure 100C on a overclocked 79x0 chip would only last a few months before the silicon just destroys itself... large chip == much less tolerance in extreme environments...


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I actually barely see any XFX cards down here in AU, guess they are just too dogy to be worth it for the suppliers, especially how our temperatures are a good 10-20C or more higher then most other countries on average...
> 
> cheap heatpipes, dodgy mounting, cheap paste and surface finish, use of less total power phases, less copper overall on the PCB will make temperatures and efficiency massively worse...
> 
> side note, I'm pretty sure 100C on a overclocked 79x0 chip would only last a few months before the silicon just destroys itself... large chip == much less tolerance in extreme environments...


Yep. One Hundred Degrees, is far far too much. Thats why, if you go on Newegg's page for the 7970 DD, its littered with people with dead chips after a couple of months. No wonder they offer the unlimited length warranty -- they're gonna need it if their cards break in 3 months.

Moving on, got my new 7950. Slowly pushed up volts to find out whether it could take it. It lasted 4 hours of 1.25V in Valley, and the VRM's didn't pass 70 degrees. All good. Moving it from 900 MHZ, I pegged it at 1200 (I know its a bit far, but I just wanted to test it to see if it was stable immediately, and then where to proceed). So its stable at 1200 at 1.25V, after an hour and a half of Crysis 3 and Battlefield 3, and doesn't pass 78 degrees at 40% fan speed.

Now I have a dilemma. Should I stay at 1200, and undervolt to the lowest volts I can go for total stability, or should I keep the 1.25V (The highest I'm willing to go for volts), and OC the core as much as possible for 1.25V? The Temps for the core and VRM's are pretty good.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Now I have a dilemma. Should I stay at 1200, and undervolt to the lowest volts I can go for total stability, or should I keep the 1.25V (The highest I'm willing to go for volts), and OC the core as much as possible for 1.25V? The Temps for the core and VRM's are pretty good.


think it would be best to stay at 1200 for now, guess you could try 1250 or even 1300 and see if its stable and cool enough...

lowering the voltage may or may not make it unstable at 1200, though all cards act differently so the only way to find out is to try yourself...


----------



## d1nky

go for max on that voltage.you never know the limits of the card until you try.

once youve found the limits and tested with different 3D tests, go back to about 75-80% of that max overclock for 24/7 use.

you could be at the limit, you wont know until youve tried!


----------



## JJ1217

Alright, I'll try and see how high I can go tonight. I'll post my results when I find how far I can go.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Alright, I'll try and see how high I can go tonight. I'll post my results when I find how far I can go.


Make that resistor scream for mercy.


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 11k is quite easy with an 8350 and a 7970.


11k? what setting is this on? extreme? surely not...


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> 11k? what setting is this on? extreme? surely not...


11K extreme preset NO......

who uses a lil old 8350/7970 for extreme presets??

10K+ is doable with a 8350/7950 maybe 11K+ sometimes


----------



## KingT

I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 card, 66% ASIC and this GPU is pretty bad for OC.

My absolute maximum stable OC was 1110MHz on the core with 1.244V in Afterburner, for 1100MHz it neds 1.200V.

It has a stock voltage of 1.094V and it does 1030MHz with stock Vcore, but moving past 1060MHz it requires a lot of Voltage.

1094V (STOCK) - 1030MHz

1.125V - 1060MHz

1.150V - 1080MHz

1.200V - 1100MHz

1.244V - 1110MHz (max stable overclock without artefacts)

Even though build quality of this V2 card is excellent (8 phases for GPU , Super Alloy VRM components) the low binned GPU is holding me back in overclocking, the cooler is GREAT and silent too, card never reaches 70C in games and benchmarks with fan speed up to 50%.

I keep it at 1080MHz for 24/7 usage, card never goes above 64C (fan up to 44%)..

CHEERS..


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *valkeriefire*
> 
> Actually BWG kinda downplayed the 7970s signicance to folding today. The 7970 is now kinda the king of folding (at least as far as price to performance goes). It pretty much destroys even a heavily overclocked 3770k. If you have a spare GPU in your sli setup, you can fold while you are not gaming. Stanford Univ recently redesigned their code to be optimized for GPUs like the 7970, so GPU folding is becoming much more important.
> 
> Anyhow, I got a 7970 specifically for folding. I'm currently running at 1.22v @1200mhz. My temps are about 64C max (62 average). Based on that, what do you think I could go up to safely on air for 24/7 operation? I am using the Sapphire 7970 100351 model shown here http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008
> 
> Thanks for your help.


what are your vrms' temps? they are normally higher than the core's temp, so those will dictate how far you can go on air or other type of cooling. use HwInfo64 to check temps.


----------



## Coree

I'm planning on replacing the thermal pad under my VRM heatsink.
I'm thinking of buying the Phobya Ultra 5W/mk 1,5mm pad. Any thoughts on this? I could get the thinner 0,5mm version, is there any difference?
And sorry, if i'm posting here. I have the 7870LE, but had the VTX3D 7950 before.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> I'm planning on replacing the thermal pad under my VRM heatsink.
> I'm thinking of buying the Phobya Ultra 5W/mk 1,5mm pad. Any thoughts on this? I could get the thinner 0,5mm version, is there any difference?
> And sorry, if i'm posting here. I have the 7870LE, but had the VTX3D 7950 before.


I was told to use 1mm for VRM and 0,5mm for RAM chips. I accidentaly used 1mm on RAM and it lifted my heatsink off the GPU and that resulted in horrible temps.


----------



## Coree

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I was told to use 1mm for VRM and 0,5mm for RAM chips. I accidentaly used 1mm on RAM and it lifted my heatsink off the GPU and that resulted in horrible temps.


Hmm, would it be good if I buy the 0,5mm version, and stack them then?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Hmm, would it be good if I buy the 0,5mm version, and stack them then?


I wouldnt do that.


----------



## Coree

Alright, found the 1mm version. Costs 4,20€ here. I'll probably order it soon.
I found a 7w/mk version too, but it's 20€ more expensive. Is it worth it?


----------



## Gomi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Alright, found the 1mm version. Costs 4,20€ here. I'll probably order it soon.
> I found a 7w/mk version too, but it's 20€ more expensive. Is it worth it?


If you want the best of the best, and do not really care about the price, see if you can get FujiPoly - I know FrozenCPU carries it in different sizes and thickness.

The FujiPoly Ultra Extreme is 17.0 W/mK.

I used FujiPoly Ultra Extreme around the die on my 4770K - Both for isolating the tiny VRM next to the die and of course to go complete extreme (Could have used a 1 USD Nail polish). Coollaboratory Ultra on the Die of course.

Doing the same on the HD7990 - Fujipoly on the RAM and VRM and CLU on the die(s).


----------



## Nwanko

Still haven't resolved my pcie issue. Still running only at x8 2.0. Piece of bullshrimp man.

Is this normal fps for my system? Talking about Multiplayer.

Black ops 2 maxed out 8xmsaa. Card at 1100/1500,cpu stock 3.9 turbo. I get arround 90-115fps on 1920x1080.

Tried my sec. pc i5-750 at 3.2ghz,same settings, doesn't drop below 100,avg arround 135-140fps on 1680x1050.

both run at x8 2.0, don't know why.

MB in my second, p55a-ud5.

Is the difference between this two resolutions normal or what?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Still haven't resolved my pcie issue. Still running only at x8 2.0. Piece of bullshrimp man.
> 
> Is this normal fps for my system? Talking about Multiplayer.
> 
> Black ops 2 maxed out 8xmsaa. Card at 1100/1500,cpu stock 3.9 turbo. I get arround 90-115fps on 1920x1080.
> 
> Tried my sec. pc i5-750 at 3.2ghz,same settings, doesn't drop below 100,avg arround 135-140fps on 1680x1050.
> 
> both run at x8 2.0, don't know why.
> 
> MB in my second, p55a-ud5.
> 
> Is the difference between this two resolutions normal or what?


Yes lol


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Still haven't resolved my pcie issue. Still running only at x8 2.0. Piece of bullshrimp man.
> 
> Is this normal fps for my system? Talking about Multiplayer.
> 
> Black ops 2 maxed out 8xmsaa. Card at 1100/1500,cpu stock 3.9 turbo. I get arround 90-115fps on 1920x1080.
> 
> Tried my sec. pc i5-750 at 3.2ghz,same settings, doesn't drop below 100,avg arround 135-140fps on 1680x1050.
> 
> both run at x8 2.0, don't know why.
> 
> MB in my second, p55a-ud5.
> 
> Is the difference between this two resolutions normal or what?


tried talking to the manufacturer of the card about it? and gone as far as an RMA? cant remember if you mentioned that at all or not so I'm not sure...
far as I know you either have a borked BIOS or the pcie lanes are half-broken somehow if it seems to do the same thing on different mobos and cpus... hope you can get somewhere and not end up taking 4 months to get something working like I ended up with, even though it was the same crap card int he end... :I

side note, yes the framerate difference between the resolutions sounds perfectly normal, from what Ive seen the 79x0 cards don't get much of an impact until you go really into multi-screen setups, due to their insane memory bandwidth...


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> tried talking to the manufacturer of the card about it? and gone as far as an RMA? cant remember if you mentioned that at all or not so I'm not sure...
> far as I know you either have a borked BIOS or the pcie lanes are half-broken somehow if it seems to do the same thing on different mobos and cpus... hope you can get somewhere and not end up taking 4 months to get something working like I ended up with, even though it was the same crap card int he end... :I
> 
> side note, yes the framerate difference between the resolutions sounds perfectly normal, from what Ive seen the 79x0 cards don't get much of an impact until you go really into multi-screen setups, due to their insane memory bandwidth...


I just don't want to be without my rig,i waited for my card over a month to get from rma. I will try the card next week when my frinds upgrades his computer to a z87 system. If it doesn't work there at x16 3.0 then i'll know it's the card.

But still i if select Gen3 or auto in bios and disable the igpu the system will not post, bios beeps indicates there is no video card.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yes lol


LOL ya make me laugh!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL ya make me laugh!


nice troll mang


----------



## Legion123

what settings though? performance? i need to try it i was only going the highest possible (extreme)


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Alright, found the 1mm version. Costs 4,20€ here. I'll probably order it soon.
> I found a 7w/mk version too, but it's 20€ more expensive. Is it worth it?


If you can buy the Fujipoly as the others have said, I can personally recommend them. The 11 w/mk version is much cheaper than the ultra and will work just fine. You can stack it if you need to. This stuff is like playdoh and is not like a typical thermal pad. If you are water cooling and using a block then .5mm for memory chips and 1mm for vrms. This maybe the same for most 7970/7950 cards with air cooling? But for my TF3 7950 I used about 3mm of fujipoly pads over the vrms because there was a large gap between the heat plate and the vrms. with added heatsinks via thermal tape I saw 20c + Temp reductions. Now I game game at 1250/1750 with the vrms below 90c - Crysis 3 - is the best way to test both GPU and vrm temps. Also overclock stability.

Here is some proof


----------



## valkeriefire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> what are your vrms' temps? they are normally higher than the core's temp, so those will dictate how far you can go on air or other type of cooling. use HwInfo64 to check temps.


Thanks for responding, + rep. My VRAM is at 67C when my core is 62C. Max temp folding is still 64C with 1200mhz at 1.22-1.25v in gpu-z. I don't OC the VRAM since it doesn't matter for folding.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *valkeriefire*
> 
> Thanks for responding, + rep. My VRAM is at 67C when my core is 62C. Max temp folding is still 64C with 1200mhz at 1.22-1.25v in gpu-z. I don't OC the VRAM since it doesn't matter for folding.


i am pretty sure that temp is for the vrms not vram and it looks good. keep them under 80C (my standard).


----------



## JJ1217

Well I was wrong. 1200 @ 1.25V still is not stable. I pushed up to 1.275V and upped the fan speed to 45%, and its running very well. I'll keep doing heavy testing. But my OCD is killing me, I need 0.5 or full numbers haha! Is 1.3V way too much for a 7950, even if the temps are kept back? At 1.275V with 45% fan speed, it tops out at 78 degrees, with VRM's at 74 degrees.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Well I was wrong. 1200 @ 1.25V still is not stable. I pushed up to 1.275V and upped the fan speed to 45%, and its running very well. I'll keep doing heavy testing. But my OCD is killing me, I need 0.5 or full numbers haha! Is 1.3V way too much for a 7950, even if the temps are kept back? At 1.275V with 45% fan speed, it tops out at 78 degrees, with VRM's at 74 degrees.


1.27 volt with 78 is really bad. For anything close to 1.3 volt you need temps close to 60s to be stable


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 card, 66% ASIC and this GPU is pretty bad for OC.
> 
> My absolute maximum stable OC was 1110MHz on the core with 1.244V in Afterburner, for 1100MHz it neds 1.200V.
> 
> It has a stock voltage of 1.094V and it does 1030MHz with stock Vcore, but moving past 1060MHz it requires a lot of Voltage.
> 
> 1094V (STOCK) - 1030MHz
> 
> 1.125V - 1060MHz
> 
> 1.150V - 1080MHz
> 
> 1.200V - 1100MHz
> 
> 1.244V - 1110MHz (max stable overclock without artefacts)
> 
> Even though build quality of this V2 card is excellent (8 phases for GPU , Super Alloy VRM components) the low binned GPU is holding me back in overclocking, the cooler is GREAT and silent too, card never reaches 70C in games and benchmarks with fan speed up to 50%.
> 
> I keep it at 1080MHz for 24/7 usage, card never goes above 64C (fan up to 44%)..
> 
> CHEERS..


Wanted to say I had the very same results you have even thought I have sapphire hd 7950, with some minor voltage changes, such as 1.157 instead of straight 1.150.
And to be honest I bearlyc hanged memory it was normally at 1400ish


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 card, 66% ASIC and this GPU is pretty bad for OC.
> 
> My absolute maximum stable OC was 1110MHz on the core with 1.244V in Afterburner, for 1100MHz it neds 1.200V.
> 
> It has a stock voltage of 1.094V and it does 1030MHz with stock Vcore, but moving past 1060MHz it requires a lot of Voltage.
> 
> 1094V (STOCK) - 1030MHz
> 
> 1.125V - 1060MHz
> 
> 1.150V - 1080MHz
> 
> 1.200V - 1100MHz
> 
> 1.244V - 1110MHz (max stable overclock without artefacts)
> 
> Even though build quality of this V2 card is excellent (8 phases for GPU , Super Alloy VRM components) the low binned GPU is holding me back in overclocking, the cooler is GREAT and silent too, card never reaches 70C in games and benchmarks with fan speed up to 50%.
> 
> I keep it at 1080MHz for 24/7 usage, card never goes above 64C (fan up to 44%)..
> 
> CHEERS..


Seems reasonable. I currently have mine pegged at 1100 at 1.150V. 1100 is average for a 7950 I would say, so you're not missing out on much. Most 7950's I've seen hit 1100 at around 1.175 - 1.2 V, so I don't really see why you're complaining.

How do you stand 44% fan speed? Anything more than 30% becomes audible. Although the tone it makes at noticeable speeds is alot more tolerable (My old HIS 7950 made less noise at 50%, but it had a different tone, and I've seen a Msi 7950, which was pretty dang loud).


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 1.27 volt with 78 is really bad. For anything close to 1.3 volt you need temps close to 60s to be stable


?? If's it's stable, it's stable - His temps are well within spec. I would personally try to raise the fan speed to stay under 75c - but that's me.

Not to offend anyone, but has there been any Asus 7950's that actually get some decent overclocks? Like 1200+ ? Seems like everyone I see is stuck below 1200..

I still think the best overclocking 7950 is the MSI TF3, but the HSF is not the best, and gets pretty loud past 60%


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Seems reasonable. I currently have mine pegged at 1100 at 1.150V. 1100 is average for a 7950 I would say, so you're not missing out on much. Most 7950's I've seen hit 1100 at around 1.175 - 1.2 V, so I don't really see why you're complaining.
> 
> How do you stand 44% fan speed? Anything more than 30% becomes audible. Although the tone it makes at noticeable speeds is alot more tolerable (My old HIS 7950 made less noise at 50%, but it had a different tone, and I've seen a Msi 7950, which was pretty dang loud).


This Asuss V2 HD7950 card has identical cooler to Asus HD7970 DC2 (6x 6mm heatpipes), it's very efficient and very silent, at 44% speed (~ 2200 rpm) it's *pretty damn silent*.

I really cannot hear GPU fans over my other fans in system (CPU/Case) and my GPU temp is 64C @ 1080/1600MHz overclock.

@ 1100/1600MHz overclock GPU temp is 66C max, fan hits 46% speed (~ 2300 rpm), also pretty silent, barely audible.

VRMs on this card never break 75C even with 1.25V set, so they're pretty cool.

I also had V1 DC2 HD7950 model, it has a slightly different cooler with 5x 8mm thick heatpipes (very similar to Matrix HD7970 cooler), it was also very silent and great performer.

Also my V1 card had 78% ASIC , for 1100MHz it needed 1.1V, this new V2 card requires 1.2V for the same clocks.

Also memory on V1 was stable @ 1850MHz, this V2 card cannot go over 1650MHz on the memory without GSOD/RSOD.

CHEERS..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> ?? If's it's stable, it's stable - His temps are well within spec. I would personally try to raise the fan speed to stay under 75c - but that's me.
> 
> Not to offend anyone, but has there been any Asus 7950's that actually get some decent overclocks? Like 1200+ ? Seems like everyone I see is stuck below 1200..
> 
> I still think the best overclocking 7950 is the MSI TF3, but the HSF is not the best, and gets pretty loud past 60%


Lol you dont know much do you? Tahiti is very sensitive to temperatures above certian clock speeds (varies with all cards). And that sensitive temp wall for ME is 60C, all cards are around 60c. If you cross it you will start artifacting or even crash.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Lol you dont know much do you? *Tahiti is very sensitive to temperatures above certian clock speeds (varies with all cards). And that sensitive temp wall is 60C.* If you cross it you will start artifacting or even crash.


Lol wat. You should've stuck with your first statement, as that is the correct answer.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Lol wat. You should've stuck with your first statement, as that is the correct answer.


Well for ME its 60c. Thats what i meant. Sorry ill edit it. 60C exactly as a matter of fact. And in all cards its around 60c.


----------



## Snuckie7

Oh that makes more sense now









That temperature threshold varies with each chip, as well as with the temperature and voltage of the core, so it's impossible to make a blanket statement like that.

My chip seems to have a higher threshold than most, and stays stable at 1200MHz at 80C and beyond.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Oh that makes more sense now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That temperature threshold varies with each chip, as well as with the temperature and voltage of the core, so it's impossible to make a blanket statement like that.
> 
> My chip seems to have a higher threshold than most, and stays stable at 1200MHz at 80C and beyond.


Well that clock probably isnt high enough to have temperature affect it. Try 1250-1300 on core.


----------



## Snuckie7

At 1320MHz it's 72C exactly. Still higher than most I imagine.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> At 1320MHz it's 72C exactly. Still higher than most I imagine.


Ah not bad. 72C seems plausible, i have never seen a chip that could do such speeds at 80c.

Also, can you do a benchmark for me at 1320 on core? Im interested to see how well it performs


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> At 1320MHz it's 72C exactly. Still higher than most I imagine.


At 72C and 1320 core probably memory correction kicks in.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Ah not bad. 72C seems plausible, i have never seen a chip that could do such speeds at 80c.
> 
> Also, can you do a benchmark for me at 1320 on core? Im interested to see how well it performs


Here are some benches I did a while ago. No tweaks.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/631487
http://cdn.overclock.net/3/30/30bb949c_fQlx0SK.jpeg
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> At 72C and 1320 core probably memory correction kicks in.


Possibly, I usually run the memory pretty high for 1300MHz runs. For 24/7 use though, I keep it at 1500MHz.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Lol you dont know much do you? Tahiti is very sensitive to temperatures above certian clock speeds (varies with all cards). And that sensitive temp wall for ME is 60C, all cards are around 60c. If you cross it you will start artifacting or even crash.


Where is your proof? Are we talking about your card or his card? I'm glad your card is same as everyone else .... Go back to trolling the 3DMark thread... Geesh


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Where is your proof? Are we talking about your card or his card? I'm glad your card is same as everyone else .... Go back to trolling the 3DMark thread... Geesh


He is right.Try to play metro with 1300 mhz and 77C. Crash inc in 3,2,1...


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You dont believe me on the temperature part? Lol


Not saying I don't believe you, I just need some evidence... your word is not enough..


----------



## Face2Face

So JJ1217 has his card @ 1200Mhz and is topping out @ 78c - And he is gaming on it fine ... and you saying it's not stable?

I guess I will have to try it out for my self. How long should i give it? Your saying 3-2-1 seconds -- so how long? I don't mind being wrong, I just haven't noticed it. But thanks for acting like your 15. Get outside much??


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> So JJ1217 has his card @ 1200Mhz and is topping out @ 78c - And he is gaming on it fine ... and you saying it's not stable?


Anything manual its not stable 100%. You will never now if its stable or its just stable for the specific application. With every single driver release you can lose oc or gain oc. Because he can play, it doesnt mean that its stable. And 1200 is way too low


----------



## Snuckie7

Temperature is a factor at every frequency. It's just that the threshold is likely too high for you to notice at lower clocks. Of course, this varies from chip to chip.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Temperature is a factor at every frequency. It's just that the threshold is likely too high for you to notice at lower clocks. Of course, this varies from chip to chip.


This guy just ignores the fact that temperatures IS a factor.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> That is at 1200 for forks sake! When you reach HIGHER clocks it starts becoming important. You think im lying, you think im trolling, and you dont read older posts. What are you contributing with here? Filling up this thread with false accusations?
> 
> Get out, no one likes you.


Yes 1200Mhz is where this conversation began and now your guys are talking about 1250 and 1300Mhz? All I said if the guy is stable @ 1200Mhz @ 78c @ 1.27v and he is stable then what's wrong with that??


----------



## sugarhell

Almost every card with voltage control scale with the temps. The fact is better temps=> your chip can handle more volts.

Tahiti perform the best at 45C. I had many problems below that. Then you go under 0


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Yes 1200Mhz is where this conversation began and now your guys are talking about 1250 and 1300Mhz? All I said if the guy is stable @ 1200Mhz @ 78c @ 1.27v and he is stable then what's wrong with that??


I never said 1200 at 78c wasnt possible. Im just saying Tahiti is temp sensitive and you dont believe me, that is what this is all about.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Anything manual its not stable 100%. You will never now if its stable or its just stable for the specific application. With every single driver release you can lose oc or gain oc. Because he can play, it doesnt mean that its stable. And 1200 is way too low


What do mean by manual? Manual fan speed? What is your method for finding stability?


----------



## ivanlabrie

come on guys









I can +1 the temp/artifact/mem error correction thing...it DOES happen, and I get lower scores and games crash (except 3dm01) if I go too high with 50% fan or less. Temps start creeping over 73c and boom.


----------



## BradleyW

This helped my VRM's.....



Lots of Noctua fans at 600rpm each. Silent and cool! (I cannot hear them at low speed in a silent room with no side panel on!


----------



## FtW 420

Temps are a factor for every card & cpu. The cooler they run, the faster you can make them go.

Same 7970 lightning in all tests looking for max clocks that pass 3dmark 11

Air


water


Icy


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> This helped my VRM's.....
> 
> 
> 
> Lots of Noctua fans at 600rpm each. Silent and cool! (I cannot hear them at low speed in a silent room with no side panel on!


What... What case is that :O


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Temps are a factor for every card & cpu. The cooler they run, the faster you can make them go.
> 
> Same 7970 lightning in all tests looking for max clocks that pass 3dmark 11
> 
> Air
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> water
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Icy
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Lol i can say i beat ftw420s air 7970 benchmark score! (Graphics score.) http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6836311


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 90C on VRMs is quite high, i personally dont let it go over 75c. Bench with fans on 100% to keep it as low as possible.


Yes I have been. I also game with my with my fan speed set to 100% to help - the Arctic 7970 cooler is pretty quiet @ 100% .


----------



## ivanlabrie

Lightning's suck on air man, don't brag


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> What... What case is that :O


http://www.xigmatek.com/product.php?productid=122&type=photo


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> http://www.xigmatek.com/product.php?productid=122&type=photo


Gz on 20,000th post!


----------



## Nwanko

Soo. I made a comparison with my friend,he has a gtx 580 SOC wf3, i7 2600 with h67 mobo. We made screenshots at the same points at same settings. I with my oc 1000/1500,he has everything stock. And his card was 30fps better then mine in black ops 2. In bf3 they are about the same. How is that possible.

His card is runnin at x16 2.0 normaln,mine at x8 2.0.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Soo. I made a comparison with my friend,he has a gtx 580 SOC wf3, i7 2600 with h67 mobo. We made screenshots at the same points at same settings. I with my oc 1000/1500,he has everything stock. And his card was 30fps better then mine in black ops 2. In bf3 they are about the same. How is that possible.
> 
> His card is runnin at x16 2.0 normaln,mine at x8 2.0.


do you mind running a bench like 3DMark11?


----------



## RoGearLTU

So I'm planing to buy 7950 and can't decide which model to pick up. Which one is better: Flex OC or Vapor-X?


----------



## Nwanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> do you mind running a bench like 3DMark11?


Artefacts no matter what clock i use,i have the latest beta driver 13.x 21 june. Will try beta2 or 13.4.

EDIT:

13.4 whql

1100/1500
cpu stock


1200/1600
cpu stock


----------



## PCBuilder94

Can someone help me help this guy before he buys a 760? http://www.overclock.net/t/1408359/urgent-need-help-finalizing-this-rig


----------



## tolga9009

Could someone please post an ASUS HD7970-3GD5 reference BIOS? TechPowerUp doesn't list it - the only one that comes next to a reference VBIOS is their 113-C3860100-101 one - that's quite odd, because other manufacturers list it under number 113-C3860100-100 (XFX, HIS and so on). So, I'm not quite sure, if it's really the reference VBIOS. What I'm going to do? I got an ASUS mainboard and an HIS HD7970 reference graphics card. Currently trying to use the ASUS UEFI Update Tool to receive a UEFI GOP VBIOS for my reference card - which requires an ASUS graphics card. I'd really be happy about it!

//Edit: I've checked 113-C3860100-101 - it seems to be DCII BIOS. So, TechPowerUp really lacks ASUS HD7970 reference BIOS.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Gz on 20,000th post!


Thanks bud!

Hey, I decided to mod my 7970's for fun, check it out!


----------



## 4LC4PON3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RoGearLTU*
> 
> So I'm planing to buy 7950 and can't decide which model to pick up. Which one is better: Flex OC or Vapor-X?


the main advantage of the flex cards from sapphire is they support triple monitor without the need for minidisplayport to DVI adapter. you can connect 2 monitors to DVI and 1 monitor to HDMI.

the vapor-x cannot do that. you have to connect third monitor to minidisplayport using minidp to dvi adapter.



In the above diagram you see 6 possible Eyefinity setups. With the Vapor-X only the bottom 2 setups will work. You can use an active DP adapter to connect to the display port if your monitor(s) don't have native DP. With the Flex card you can use any of the 6 setups. Depending on your monitors you might still need adapters, but they can be of the cheaper passive types and you don't need to use a displayport out from the card.

The Vapor-X has a better cooler and beefed up PCB components. It does use ~2.3 slots. So, you might run into spacing problems on your mobo. Especially if you run Crossfire.

If you aren't running Eyefinity you don't really get any benefit from the Flex cards. Your money is probably better spent on the Vapor-X


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Thanks bud!
> 
> Hey, I decided to mod my 7970's for fun, check it out!


I want that case.


----------



## ivanlabrie

It's kinda like a nicer supermicro server case...front to back airflow or bust.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> ?? If's it's stable, it's stable - His temps are well within spec. I would personally try to raise the fan speed to stay under 75c - but that's me.
> 
> Not to offend anyone, but has there been any Asus 7950's that actually get some decent overclocks? Like 1200+ ? Seems like everyone I see is stuck below 1200..
> 
> I still think the best overclocking 7950 is the MSI TF3, but the HSF is not the best, and gets pretty loud past 60%


yea, most non-reference asus cards are very poor overclockers, found that the hard way... their only real upside is being fairly quiet.
though they also have some nice solder points for hardware-level overvolting, though I haven't been bothered to go out and get myself a trimpot, couple of rockerswitches and a new soldering iron to make use of my card...

as for temps, any temperature variations can cause instability due to how physics works, if a card seems stable at 80C, it probably is, but getting those temps around 60C would mean the card is simply more likely to stay stable and last longer, especially if its not being used 24/7 and the actual temperature range shifts up-and-down all the time.

simply put, less temperature range from idle lows to full-use highs, the better your card will be overall.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Artefacts no matter what clock i use,i have the latest beta driver 13.x 21 june. Will try beta2 or 13.4.
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> 13.4 whql
> 
> 1100/1500
> cpu stock
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1200/1600
> cpu stock
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


your scores on both runs are low and that could really be caused by the card running at X8. i know that a fraction of the power for the gpu such as ours come from the pcie lane and the other part comes from the psu rail. seems to me that your mobo is not supplying enough power and could be related to the problem with the interface as well (X8). have you tried the gpu on another rig?

at 1100/1500 your graphics score should be above 10000 and 1200/1600 close to 11000.


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> But vrm temps?
> 
> We need an hwinfo screenshot to be sure...
> 
> 
> 
> It's got to be the VRM temps. I have seen my HD7950 drop load to 63% then teeter totter back and forth to 100% load when VRM temps reach 115c with a *crappy XSPC HD7970 New Edition water block.*
> 
> I also got the dipping on my operation screen shots.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1366829/nickel-plated-heatkiller-gpu-x-79x0-vs-xspc-razor-hd-7970-full-coverage-vga-block-new-design#post_19558238
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> thanks for the responses, i used the stock silicone thermal pads and put a heatsink onto everything the stock cooler covers (vrm, ram) and still get the downclocking issue. i guess they could still be too hot...though it doesnt seem likely
> i guess the only thing left to do is to put the stock cooler back on and see if it still does it
> 
> vrm heatsink i used. should be much more than adequate imo with a 120mm fan blowing full speed across it
> 
> 
> meant to add, i got mixed up somehow. i am using an antec 620, not an h60. lol
Click to expand...

i used an infrared thermometer to check the temperatures of the heatsinks: vrm only around 45C and ram at 60C
this was while downclocking was occurring. idle temp is about 35C for both
so...any ideas?


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> ?? If's it's stable, it's stable - His temps are well within spec. I would personally try to raise the fan speed to stay under 75c - but that's me.
> 
> Not to offend anyone, but has there been any Asus 7950's that actually get some decent overclocks? Like 1200+ ? Seems like everyone I see is stuck below 1200..
> 
> I still think the best overclocking 7950 is the MSI TF3, but the HSF is not the best, and gets pretty loud past 60%





there are a few


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Where is your proof? Are we talking about your card or his card? I'm glad your card is same as everyone else .... Go back to trolling the 3DMark thread... Geesh


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Not saying I don't believe you, I just need some evidence... your word is not enough..





have you tried reading this thread ?


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> So JJ1217 has his card @ 1200Mhz and is topping out @ 78c - And he is gaming on it fine ... and you saying it's not stable?
> 
> I guess I will have to try it out for my self. How long should i give it? Your saying 3-2-1 seconds -- so how long? I don't mind being wrong, I just haven't noticed it. But thanks for acting like your 15. Get outside much??





who is trolling now?


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> i used an infrared thermometer to check the temperatures of the heatsinks: vrm only around 45C and ram at 60C
> this was while downclocking was occurring. idle temp is about 35C for both
> so...any ideas?





1 infrared thermos are not that accurate for spot temps, general temps yes but not spot temps ( ie the size of vrms & memory) + the farther away the more the diameter of what you are seeing is )
2 infrared thermos are not accurate on shiny surfaces.
just so you know. i bet your chips are above 70ish


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I never said 1200 at 78c wasnt possible. Im just saying Tahiti is temp sensitive and you dont believe me, that is what this is all about.


You're actually right. I increased the fan speed, and it still hasn't crashed yet. And its sitting a lower voltage, 1.225V. Wow I did not actually know that. Thanks for the info. Its sitting at 65 degrees at 55% fan speed.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> your scores on both runs are low and that could really be caused by the card running at X8. i know that a fraction of the power for the gpu such as ours come from the pcie lane and the other part comes from the psu rail. seems to me that your mobo is not supplying enough power and could be related to the problem with the interface as well (X8). have you tried the gpu on another rig?
> 
> at 1100/1500 your graphics score should be above 10000 and 1200/1600 close to 11000.


power only comes through the first section on the slot, don't think that would be the case otherwise the card probably wouldn't run entirely...

BUT, power spec of 75W max through the slot is only allowed on 16-lane cards, so the fact that the card is only using 8 (25W max) might be related...

it could actually be a simple thing that the card is actually missing one of the sensor pins that tells the motherboard it has 16 lanes... either way I think the only real solution is to RMA the card again...









wikipedia has some nice info of the pcie spec; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express


----------



## RoGearLTU

Does someone know is this card voltage locked or not? Because I'm buying 7950 only for it's beastly overclock anf if I can't OC it, I'll maybe get another GPU.

http://www.kilobaitas.lt/PCI-E_16x/Sapphire/VGA_PCIE16_HD7950_3GB_GDDR5/VA/11196-09-40G/CatalogStoreDetail.aspx?CatID=PL_433&ID=447291


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> You're actually right. I increased the fan speed, and it still hasn't crashed yet. And its sitting a lower voltage, 1.225V. Wow I did not actually know that. Thanks for the info. Its sitting at 65 degrees at 55% fan speed.


Magic


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea, most non-reference asus cards are very poor overclockers, found that the hard way... their only real upside is being fairly quiet.
> though they also have some nice solder points for hardware-level overvolting, though I haven't been bothered to go out and get myself a trimpot, couple of rockerswitches and a new soldering iron to make use of my card...
> 
> as for temps, any temperature variations can cause instability due to how physics works, if a card seems stable at 80C, it probably is, but getting those temps around 60C would mean the card is simply more likely to stay stable and last longer, especially if its not being used 24/7 and the actual temperature range shifts up-and-down all the time.
> 
> simply put, less temperature range from idle lows to full-use highs, the better your card will be overall.


same with all brands, some are zhit some are not!

Look at ranger with his godly ref 7970.

and my once upon a time near 12k graphics score in 3d11


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> same with all brands, some are zhit some are not!
> 
> Look at ranger with his godly ref 7970.
> 
> and my once upon a time near 12k graphics score in 3d11


well from what I have observed, I can probably safely say that _all_ reference cards are the more top-rated, I don't think Ive seen one that cant hit at least 1200 core, or that can't overvolt for that matter (excluding GHZ, and brand-specific BIOSes...).


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well from what I have observed, I can probably safely say that _all_ reference cards are the more top-rated, I don't think Ive seen one that cant hit at least 1200 core, or that can't overvolt for that matter (excluding GHZ, and brand-specific BIOSes...).


----------



## JJ1217

Damn. Despite me playing 2 hours + of BF3 straight, my oc of 1200 @ 1.225V finally crashed. I might settle for 1150 or 1175 under 1.225V if it can manage. I think maybe then it'll be stable.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Damn. Despite me playing 2 hours + of BF3 straight, my oc of 1200 @ 1.225V finally crashed. I might settle for 1150 or 1175 under 1.225V if it can manage. I think maybe then it'll be stable.


Try to keep it cooler.


----------



## d1nky

^^^

theres a few that are locked etc.

im getting a 780 and owning all you noobs.......AN ASUS GOD ONE!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ^^^
> 
> theres a few that are locked etc.
> 
> im getting a 780 and owning all you noobs.......AN ASUS GOD ONE!


I'd personally hold off until AMD show their hand.


----------



## ebduncan

i'd also wait.

You just going to play a price premium now for the 780, when AMD releases there new parts then the prices will be adjusted.

Besides i haven't Run across a game that i couldn't play with my 7950. I understand some folks have to have the latest and greatest, but at least to me doesn't make much sense.

I buy bang for the dollar. I don't need a 700$ gpu, when a 300$ one will provide the near the same gameplay experience at 1080p basically.


----------



## Kriant

I'll wait as well, till new gen. from AMD and possible some "response to a response" from Nvidia. 4x7970 works just fine for pretty much anything right now


----------



## Face2Face

Well I did some research last night and read through this thread to learn more about Tahiti and it being temperature sensitive. My ignorance lead me to believe Tathi responded to temperatures like a typical CPU would. For instance a 3570K at stock speeds running @ 85c will still operate fine under load over an extended amount of time, because it's within Intel's thermal spec. That same cpu @ 4.6ghz at the same temp will respond in the same way. Looking at some 7950 reviews I am seeing some stock cards with stock frequencies running in upwards of 80c. My initial thinking was as long as you stay below thermal spec the clocks speeds could be at any level. For instance a 7950 @ 800 mhz is stable @ 80c, then I thought a card running 1250mhz would be stable running @ 80c as well - because it's within the thermal spec. This however is not true for Tahiti based upon results posted in this thread and others forums. I realize all chips are not the same and some may work okay for a short amount of time, but for an extended amount of time they will more than likely become unstable So, I apologize for my ignorance and for being offensive in my initial responses to a couple of posters. Thanks!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Well I did some research last night and read through this thread to learn more about Tahiti and it being temperature sensitive. My ignorance lead me to believe Tathi responded to temperatures like a typical CPU would. For instance a 3570K at stock speeds running @ 85c will still operate fine under load over an extended amount of time, because it's within Intel's thermal spec. That same cpu @ 4.6ghz at the same temp will respond in the same way. Looking at some 7950 reviews I am seeing some stock cards with stock frequencies running in upwards of 80c. My initial thinking was as long as you stay below thermal spec the clocks speeds could be at any level. For instance a 7950 @ 800 mhz is stable @ 80c, then I thought a card running 1250mhz would be stable running @ 80c as well - because it's within the thermal spec. This however is not true for Tahiti based upon results posted in this thread and others forums. I realize all chips are not the same and some may work okay for a short amount of time, but for an extended amount of time they will more than likely become unstable So, I apologize for my ignorance and for being offensive in my initial responses to a couple of posters. Thanks!


Good post.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Well that clock probably isnt high enough to have temperature affect it. Try 1250-1300 on core.


I went all way up to 1400 on the core in my 7950 the problem was that card never broke a sweat at those clocks watercooled..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> I went all way up to 1400 on the core in my 7950 the problem was that card never broke a sweat at those clocks watercooled..


You are missing the point arent you? Are you another one of these guys who never read previous posts?


----------



## d1nky

just remember hes gotta be strong and hes gotta be fit from the fight ^^^


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You are missing the point arent you? Are you another one of these guys who never read previous posts?


Im just saying theres so much a chip can do no matter how good it is... XD


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You are missing the point arent you? Are you another one of these guys who never read previous posts?
> 
> 
> 
> Im just saying theres so much a chip can do no matter how good it is... XD
Click to expand...

And you're still missing the point. You'd never know how good your card is till you got it cooled well enough.


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> And you're still missing the point. You'd never know how good your card is till you got it cooled well enough.


And by that You mean -190C on LN2 right


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> And by that You mean -190C on LN2 right


Oh lol.


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Oh lol.


Well I got 50 L of LN2 here and two KPC fatboys to put on my 7970's, so should I test them or use the LN2 on my Haswell's only


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> And you're still missing the point. You'd never know how good your card is till you got it cooled well enough.
> 
> 
> 
> And by that You mean -190C on LN2 right
Click to expand...

Ah no. It still looks like there is a ton of confusion regarding tahiti and all of its nuances. I'm just going to touch on the cooling in relation to overclocking for the benefit of the thread. With tahiti, the general rule of thumb is the lower the temps on core and vrm, the higher overclock one can achieve putting all externals aside like ability to over-volt etc. Thus if you get the temps down, your overclocks will be higher and more reliable. There is also a sweet spot which is exactly where watercooling comes in because most watercooling loops can achieve this target, which is sub 50c at load. If you can keep your cards on core and roughly vrms below 50c, you can hit the very high clocks as long as you have a gold card.

And here is the kicker, in most cases you will never know if you have a gold capable card because you cannot achieve the cooling needed to test gold card clocks unless you have water, or very favorable environmental conditions and that will only give you an idea whether its possible.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Oh lol.
> 
> 
> 
> Well I got 50 L of LN2 here and two KPC fatboys to put on my 7970's, so should I test them or use the LN2 on my Haswell's only
Click to expand...

Why are you asking this? I would assume you have taken into account all the variables. There are many obstacles in your path unless you have a Lightning gpu and even then there are still mods you need to do.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Well I did some research last night and read through this thread to learn more about Tahiti and it being temperature sensitive. My ignorance lead me to believe Tathi responded to temperatures like a typical CPU would. For instance a 3570K at stock speeds running @ 85c will still operate fine under load over an extended amount of time, because it's within Intel's thermal spec. That same cpu @ 4.6ghz at the same temp will respond in the same way. Looking at some 7950 reviews I am seeing some stock cards with stock frequencies running in upwards of 80c. My initial thinking was as long as you stay below thermal spec the clocks speeds could be at any level. For instance a 7950 @ 800 mhz is stable @ 80c, then I thought a card running 1250mhz would be stable running @ 80c as well - because it's within the thermal spec. This however is not true for Tahiti based upon results posted in this thread and others forums. I realize all chips are not the same and some may work okay for a short amount of time, but for an extended amount of time they will more than likely become unstable So, I apologize for my ignorance and for being offensive in my initial responses to a couple of posters. Thanks!


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ah no. It still looks like there is a ton of confusion regarding tahiti and all of its nuances. I'm just going to touch on the cooling in relation to overclocking for the benefit of the thread. With tahiti, the general rule of thumb is the lower the temps on core and vrm, the higher overclock one can achieve putting all externals aside like ability to over-volt etc. Thus if you get the temps down, your overclocks will be higher and more reliable. There is also a sweet spot which is exactly where watercooling comes in because most watercooling loops can achieve this target, which is sub 50c at load. If you can keep your cards on core and roughly vrms below 50c, you can hit the very high clocks as long as you have a gold card.
> 
> And here is the kicker, in most cases you will never know if you have a gold capable card because you cannot achieve the cooling needed to test gold card clocks unless you have water, or very favorable environmental conditions and that will only give you an idea whether its possible.
> Why are you asking this? I would assume you have taken into account all the variables. There are many obstacles in your path unless you have a Lightning gpu and even then there are still mods you need to do.


It was just a joke, sorry for confusing things up. I'm not gonna waste any of my LN2 on my two 7970 ref cards for sure, not worth the effort and I've already killed a Lightning on LN2.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> And you're still missing the point. You'd never know how good your card is till you got it cooled well enough.


I know that i never said nothing on tahiti loving low temps..

Not that close to single digits as ambient temps are not good for benching.. Not getting into the extreme or tedious setups XD


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> And by that You mean -190C on LN2 right


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> It was just a joke, sorry for confusing things up. I'm not gonna waste any of my LN2 on my two 7970 ref cards for sure, not worth the effort and I've already killed a Lightning on LN2.


Are you sure the lightning is dead? If you got it down to -190° it would have stopped booting & looked dead, Mine doesn't like colder than -60° to -125° depending on the output & cable used.


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> ?? If's it's stable, it's stable - His temps are well within spec. I would personally try to raise the fan speed to stay under 75c - but that's me.
> 
> Not to offend anyone, but has there been any Asus 7950's that actually get some decent overclocks? Like 1200+ ? Seems like everyone I see is stuck below 1200..
> 
> I still think the best overclocking 7950 is the MSI TF3, but the HSF is not the best, and gets pretty loud past 60%
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> there are a few
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Where is your proof? Are we talking about your card or his card? I'm glad your card is same as everyone else .... Go back to trolling the 3DMark thread... Geesh
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Not saying I don't believe you, I just need some evidence... your word is not enough..
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> have you tried reading this thread ?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> So JJ1217 has his card @ 1200Mhz and is topping out @ 78c - And he is gaming on it fine ... and you saying it's not stable?
> 
> I guess I will have to try it out for my self. How long should i give it? Your saying 3-2-1 seconds -- so how long? I don't mind being wrong, I just haven't noticed it. But thanks for acting like your 15. Get outside much??
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> who is trolling now?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> i used an infrared thermometer to check the temperatures of the heatsinks: vrm only around 45C and ram at 60C
> this was while downclocking was occurring. idle temp is about 35C for both
> so...any ideas?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1 infrared thermos are not that accurate for spot temps, general temps yes but not spot temps ( ie the size of vrms & memory) + the farther away the more the diameter of what you are seeing is )
> 2 infrared thermos are not accurate on shiny surfaces.
> just so you know. i bet your chips are above 70ish
Click to expand...

is 70ish hot enough to cause downclocking? another fellow in here said his did it at 115


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> is 70ish hot enough to cause downclocking? another fellow in here said his did it at 115


No 70 is not hot enough for that, did you consider that your VRM and RAM might be overheating so it causes throttling or even crashing? Well who knows.........


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> is 70ish hot enough to cause downclocking? another fellow in here said his did it at 115
> 
> 
> 
> No 70 is not hot enough for that, did you consider that your VRM and RAM might be overheating so it causes throttling or even crashing? Well who knows.........
Click to expand...

i used an infrared thermometer to check the temperatures of the heatsinks: vrm only around 45C and ram at 60C
this was while downclocking was occurring. idle temp is about 35C for both


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> i used an infrared thermometer to check the temperatures of the heatsinks: vrm only around 45C and ram at 60C
> this was while downclocking was occurring. idle temp is about 35C for both


GAaaaaaaaaah you ruined your card with that stupid h60 mod of yours.


----------



## Emu105

Guys i need your help big time..... i have some crazy screen flickering only when i have 2 monitors hooked up I'm uploading the video on youtube so you guys can see.... Thanks


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Emu105*
> 
> Guys i need your help big time..... i have some crazy screen flickering only when i have 2 monitors hooked up I'm uploading the video on youtube so you guys can see.... Thanks


Disable power play with msi AB.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> is 70ish hot enough to cause downclocking? another fellow in here said his did it at 115


on your vrms and memory yes i think it is but idr really sugar would have to chime in
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Disable power play with msi AB.


+1


----------



## Paul17041993

heat is proportional to the resistance of conductors, and with chips as these the smallest microOHM counts, its perfectly possible for a card to overclock significantly better at 50C or less instead of 60-70, though I don't see that happening too often...

like the titanic snapping like a twig, all silicon has its own breaking point, never are atoms 100% aligned during fabrication, nomatter the effort put in. Otherwise tearing a piece of paper in a straight line would be as simple as... ok I actually cant think of what would be that simple...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> is 70ish hot enough to cause downclocking? another fellow in here said his did it at 115


if you had been running the card without heatsinks long enough, theres a fair chance you damaged the VRMs and the card is downclocking due to lack of power sability...
though I honestly have no idea what these cards have in the terms of regulation safety, possible you may have placed a heatsink badly if its still downclocking...


----------



## JJ1217

1175 mhz on my 7950 at 1.225V, or 1200 at 1.25V... both are very stable provided I keep the temps under 70 degrees. 75+ and it crashes. I might just put 1200 because it helps out my OCD (and having 1.25V is a perfect number as well), as well as enlargening my epeen. Cheers Sugarhell for the tips on keeping the temps down. Something I never knew, and this knowledge will allow me to tell others as well


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> 1175 mhz on my 7950 at 1.225V, or 1200 at 1.25V... both are very stable provided I keep the temps under 70 degrees. 75+ and it crashes. I might just put 1200 because it helps out my OCD (and having 1.25V is a perfect number as well), as well as enlargening my epeen. Cheers Sugarhell for the tips on keeping the temps down. Something I never knew, and this knowledge will allow me to tell others as well


If you can keep it under 60 or so you should not see it as impossible to get 1250 on core at 1250mV.


----------



## Dyaems

just wondering if i need to install Catalyst 13.5 Beta 2 if i want to use 13.5 CAP 1...? or it is not needed?


----------



## ProVisionOman

Hi,

Are 7950 CrossFire a good idea? Any micro-stuttering or anything?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProVisionOman*
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Are 7950 CrossFire a good idea? Any micro-stuttering or anything?


tried it with a 7970/7950 and played BF3, C3, and C2 without stutter but i have an i7 @ 4.5. can't tell you about any other games. oc'ed just the 7950 to 1100 and got a Valley score of 78 - with much stutter. lol.

you're not thinking of crossfiring with your sig, right?


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, whats your CineBnech R11.5 Open GL Score with 7950 CrossFire?

I get 79.19, is that good?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, whats your CineBnech R11.5 Open GL Score with 7950 CrossFire?
> 
> I get 79.19, is that good?


that's a score for a 6870. i get a 98 for the 7950 at stock.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> that's a score for a 6870. i get a 98 for the 7950 at stock.


Wait, what?

Why is that?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Wait, what?
> 
> Why is that?


not sure. run it again at stock.

edit: my 7770 gets a 73. something is wrong.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> 1175 mhz on my 7950 at 1.225V, or 1200 at 1.25V... both are very stable provided I keep the temps under 70 degrees. 75+ and it crashes. I might just put 1200 because it helps out my OCD (and having 1.25V is a perfect number as well), as well as enlargening my epeen. Cheers Sugarhell for the tips on keeping the temps down. Something I never knew, and this knowledge will allow me to tell others as well


Reminds me of my overclocking experience, tried playing Metro2033 @1200 core, tried 1,15V, not stable. I thought=moar voltsss, still @1,3V its unstable >>> I cant hit 1200MHz it seems. WRONG, set the voltage @1,138V and increase the fan speed so that it stays below 62C=played for 30 minutes without crashing or artifacting, when it reached 62-63C = artifacts. Also reached 1250MHz bench stable by reducing volts and increasing the fan speed









Like you found out, adding more volts to remain stable @high clocks is like throwing gasoline in to the flames, with Tahiti less is more


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Reminds me of my overclocking experience, tried playing Metro2033 @1200 core, tried 1,15V, not stable. I thought=moar voltsss, still @1,3V its unstable >>> I cant hit 1200MHz it seems. WRONG, set the voltage @1,138V and increase the fan speed so that it stays below 62C=played for 30 minutes without crashing or artifacting, when it reached 62-63C = artifacts. Also reached 1250MHz bench stable by reducing volts and increasing the fan speed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Like you found out, adding more volts to remain stable @high clocks is like throwing gasoline in to the flames, with Tahiti less is more


Some times you really need more volts, but its pointless if you cant keep the temps low.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Some times you really need more volts, but its pointless if you cant keep the temps low.


+1


----------



## ihatelolcats

so after enduring ridicule and insults in this thread i figured out that downclocking to 850mhz is not any kind of overheat protection. it is intended behavior to limit the card to a certain power envelope and is influenced by the -/+20% slider in ccc. so far i havent found a way to disable it completely. i hope this information helps someone else


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> so after enduring ridicule and insults in this thread i figured out that downclocking to 850mhz is not any kind of overheat protection. it is intended behavior to limit the card to a certain power envelope and is influenced by the -/+20% slider in ccc. so far i havent found a way to disable it completely. i hope this information helps someone else


That powerboost/powertune whatever ya want to call it raises the TDP level of the card allowing it to draw more power.

any kind of overclock/voltage increase will make the card throttle without it, theres even people that throttle at stock on certain 3d render because of this, hence AMD introduced this function.

jeez im sorry on my behalf for thinking you was a noob that didnt know what you was doing to your card. there is a mod to raise it to 50% if you research.


----------



## PedroC1999

http://valid.canardpc.com/2862680

Bottlenecking, no thanks


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> so after enduring ridicule and insults in this thread i figured out that downclocking to 850mhz is not any kind of overheat protection. it is intended behavior to limit the card to a certain power envelope and is influenced by the -/+20% slider in ccc. so far i havent found a way to disable it completely. i hope this information helps someone else


+20% will give full room most of the time unless your trying to get 1200 core with 1.2V+, which I doubt that cooling mod would handle anyway...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> http://valid.canardpc.com/2862680
> 
> Bottlenecking, no thanks


whats the physics score in 3dmark for that?
my 8150 @ 4.6GHz gets 7430, I wonder how close they are...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> +20% will give full room most of the time unless your trying to get 1200 core with 1.2V+, which I doubt that cooling mod would handle anyway...
> whats the physics score in 3dmark for that?
> my 8150 @ 4.6GHz gets 7430, I wonder how close they are...


prolly 12000.


----------



## ihatelolcats

luckily i found a nonboost XFX bios (800mhz) that works stably on my card. now i can OC for real with no funny business from "boost"


----------



## JJ1217

Boost is crap. My old HIS 7950 IceQ boost even with the 20% slider, at the stock 1.175V, always downclocked when OCed to 1100. There's no reason it should downclock, its just the bios because a POS.


----------



## ihatelolcats

yep. extremely angering


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> yep. extremely angering


Which is why people should buy reference cards.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> yep. extremely angering
> 
> 
> 
> Which is why people should buy reference cards.
Click to expand...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1408565/what-does-a-reference-pcb-on-a-gpu-imply-is-it-better-built-better-standards-that-must-be-followed-what/0_40#post_20384914


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Which is why people should buy reference cards.


I got an a-wesome-sus matrix. Great card, has like 1 billion more power phases than my ref card.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Nice for ln2...for regular users it's a bit too much










How good does it oc on water? any hardmods?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Nice for ln2...for regular users it's a bit too much
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How good does it oc on water? any hardmods?


lol that went over your head.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol that went over your head.


huh? I've seen a review at ocf, haven't played with it myself.


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> yep. extremely angering
> 
> 
> 
> Which is why people should buy reference cards.
Click to expand...

it really doesnt have anything to do with that. its just the bios not hardware


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> it really doesnt have anything to do with that. its just the bios not hardware


Thats why you should buy reference vanilla 7970s.


----------



## Azgalor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Thats why you should buy reference vanilla 7970s.


Guys, I'm doing a new PC gaming build on a Silverstone Sugo SG10 and plan to fit two HD7950 down the road, the case has plenty of space for them and great cooling. That brings me to two questions:

Which vanilla reference 7950 do u guys recommend for best OCing? It is a Micro ATX case so I do prefer blower style if possible.

What is the current state of the Crossfire "fix" from ATI? I know it is due later this month but I am dying to order my parts already and I really really wanna go with ATI for this build for maximum value. I do game on a Korean 1440p monitor OC @ 120hz so for me Crossfire/SLI will be a must but I am worried about driver issues. Any honest and factual input is GREATLY appreciated.


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> it really doesnt have anything to do with that. its just the bios not hardware
> 
> 
> 
> Thats why you should buy reference vanilla 7970s.
Click to expand...

you are making my wallet hurt









can anyone explain how these gpus respond to voltage changes? originally this card had 1.25v across it and i could only run at 1000mhz (1050 was unstable). now with only 1.09v i can still run 1000mhz. that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you are making my wallet hurt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can anyone explain how these gpus respond to voltage changes? originally this card had 1.25v across it and i could only run at 1000mhz (1050 was unstable). now with only 1.09v i can still run 1000mhz. that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me


Has your temps been lowered drastically lately?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you are making my wallet hurt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can anyone explain how these gpus respond to voltage changes? originally this card had 1.25v across it and i could only run at 1000mhz (1050 was unstable). now with only 1.09v i can still run 1000mhz. that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me


If your temps aren't dropping with the voltage drop, it could be that the program isn't actually changing the voltage on your card and you just think it is.


----------



## Snuckie7

So my 7950 is acting up again and doesn't downclock from 3D clocks after exiting a game. Most likely culprits?

Using official overclocking with MSI AB btw.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Has your temps been lowered drastically lately?


Hey, sorry for asking too many questions, but is 1.3V still safe as long as I keep the temps down? Or will I still be hit hard with the effects of that electromitigration effects on the chip or whatever its called? I have it at 1250/1500 @ 1.3V, and I've been gaming for the last 1 day on this on crysis 3's multiplayer.. I won't say its stable yet, but its doing well. Temps won't pass 65 degrees at 60% fan speed. I try keep it under 60 degrees, but even with 100% fan speed, it still maxes out at 62 degrees. What do you think?


----------



## Snuckie7

1.3V will degrade your chip quickly if you run it 24/7. I think Hokies killed one of his cards in 2 weeks running 1.3V.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 1.3V will degrade your chip quickly if you run it 24/7. I think Hokies killed one of his cards in 2 weeks running 1.3V.


Ouch. I'll put it back to 1.25V then.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> 1.3V will degrade your chip quickly if you run it 24/7. I think Hokies killed one of his cards in 2 weeks running 1.3V.


Not necessarily correct, as AMD chips cards with 1.25v as you know, this is already close to 1.3v, and its their stock, so 1.3v will be fine BECAUSE OF VDROOPl, you will never be at 1.3v, more like 1.27ish


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Not necessarily correct, as AMD chips cards with 1.25v as you know, this is already close to 1.3v, and its their stock, so 1.3v will be fine BECAUSE OF VDROOPl, you will never be at 1.3v, more like 1.27ish


Eh? No.

The stock voltage range starts from 1.01 up to 1.17-1.25. On the boost cards the 1.25 volt its a fixed voltage. You shouldnt run 1.3 volt 24/7 except if you are watercooling and you know what are you doing. On air only try to oc with the stock voltage for 24/7


----------



## richie_2010

my reference 7950 came with a boost bios and I hated it, under load the core speed would drop, since I flashed it with a bios from another msi card with a higher core speed and less voltage it hasn't dropped once


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> it really doesnt have anything to do with that. its just the bios not hardware


unless it has a hardware volt lock

*cough*


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> it really doesnt have anything to do with that. its just the bios not hardware
> 
> 
> 
> unless it has a hardware volt lock
> 
> *cough*
Click to expand...

that has nothing to do with boost
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you are making my wallet hurt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> can anyone explain how these gpus respond to voltage changes? originally this card had 1.25v across it and i could only run at 1000mhz (1050 was unstable). now with only 1.09v i can still run 1000mhz. that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me
> 
> 
> 
> If your temps aren't dropping with the voltage drop, it could be that the program isn't actually changing the voltage on your card and you just think it is.
Click to expand...

its the bios though. can the card ignore voltage from bios? also i suppose i really dont know what the max temp was before because it was downclocking to 850mhz


----------



## hotrod717

Finally got a MVE and am looking forward to trying the hotwire feature on my Matrix's. I believe the DC2's also have a socket for this. Hotwire connects mobo and gpu and allows for realtime control and monitoring of gpu vcore, mem voltage, and pll voltage. This card is truly going to be unlocked! I have 2 cards but will only being doing this with the watercooled card once I receive my new Phobya benchcase.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Finally got a MVE and am looking forward to trying the hotwire feature on my Matrix's. I believe the DC2's also have a socket for this. Hotwire connects mobo and gpu and allows for realtime control and monitoring of gpu vcore, mem voltage, and pll voltage. This card is truly going to be unlocked! I have 2 cards but will only being doing this with the watercooled card once I receive my new Phobya benchcase.


can't wait for the results.


----------



## PedroC1999

What do you guys with 7950 Crossfire get in the 'Graphics' in 3DMARK 11?

I get P18253 with 1100/12590 on both cards


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> What do you guys with 7950 Crossfire get in the 'Graphics' in 3DMARK 11?
> 
> I get P18253 with 1100/12590 on both cards


Sounds about right, with my 7950 VaporX i reached 11.7k Graphics score at 1250/1500.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Sounds about right, with my 7950 VaporX i reached 11.7k Graphics score at 1250/1500.


Finally got CrossFire to work, was really worried, turns out it was the profiles acting up









Has the drivers got a profile for GTA IV?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Finally got CrossFire to work, was really worried, turns out it was the profiles acting up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Has the drivers got a profile for GTA IV?


No idea.


----------



## PedroC1999

Why doesnt Heaven 4.0 stress my other card? Only 3DMark out of all stressers work with 2 cards.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Why doesnt Heaven 4.0 stress my other card? Only 3DMark out of all stressers work with 2 cards.


It should be working both at 100%. I am running quad 7970's and it works them all @ 100%
Something else is not working correctly.


----------



## Pheozero

Is there like a Dummies guide to Overclocking floating around OCN?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Is there like a Dummies guide to Overclocking floating around OCN?


The GPU? Just ask anyone really or go check out tsm106's AMD How to guide.


----------



## Pheozero

Yeah, I meant the GPU. I've gone through the How to thread a couple of times. Very informative but not quite what I'm looking for. I'm trying to find a tutorial with do's and don'ts, that sort of stuff. I've played around with my card a little and have gotten it to 1100 around stock volts.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Yeah, I meant the GPU. I've gone through the How to thread a couple of times. Very informative but not quite what I'm looking for. I'm trying to find a tutorial with do's and don'ts, that sort of stuff. I've played around with my card a little and have gotten it to 1100 around stock volts.


Add me on steam and ill help you the best i can, easier to communicate.

Rangerjr1 on steam.


----------



## Pheozero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Add me on steam and ill help you the best i can, easier to communicate.
> 
> Rangerjr1 on steam.


Will do.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> It should be working both at 100%. I am running quad 7970's and it works them all @ 100%
> Something else is not working correctly.


antone?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> It should be working both at 100%. I am running quad 7970's and it works them all @ 100%
> Something else is not working correctly.
> 
> 
> 
> antone?
Click to expand...

um sorry? I don't know what tat means


----------



## PedroC1999

Stupid Mobile









I mean, how can I make Heaven 4.0 support my CFx setup? It is working as my 3DMARK scores are similar to a 7950CFx setup


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Stupid Mobile
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I mean, how can I make Heaven 4.0 support my CFx setup? It is working as my 3DMARK scores are similar to a 7950CFx setup


What driver set are you on?

This was with 13.4



So... a flaky profile, or dirty driver install? maybe use AMDCleanup an reinstall? *Try 1x1 optimized first and see what that changes*

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Make sure is running at full screen an not windowed for cfx to kick in.


----------



## BradleyW

Hey all, I have a slight issue.
When I use Vsync on a single 7970, the mouse has no lag, however when CF is enabled, the mouse lag with Vsync is almost a 1 second delay. How come?

Thank you.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey all, I have a slight issue.
> When I use Vsync on a single 7970, the mouse has no lag, however when CF is enabled, the mouse lag with Vsync is almost a 1 second delay. How come?
> 
> Thank you.


That's completely normal, vsync is a lot more noticeable when using CrossfireX.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> What driver set are you on?
> 
> This was with 13.4
> 
> 
> 
> So... a flaky profile, or dirty driver install? maybe use AMDCleanup an reinstall? *Try 1x1 optimized first and see what that changes*
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx


Full screen on my main monitor, 13.6 BETA


----------



## TheMafia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey all, I have a slight issue.
> When I use Vsync on a single 7970, the mouse has no lag, however when CF is enabled, the mouse lag with Vsync is almost a 1 second delay. How come?
> 
> Thank you.


This happens b/c the frames of the game/engine has gone past the display refresh rate. it holds everything back to resync.

*A trick for everyone.... was able to do it in quake3...im sure it applies to many other games too:*

Vsync: on
max fps: 2-5 frames BELOW display refresh

now the display refresh is never reached thus avoiding the resyncing process. i did this when i still had a 60hz display after coming down from a 100hz crt.....hated the tearing and unsmooth action. Im at 144hz now and fps way lower, thus no need for vsync.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> This happens b/c the frames of the game/engine has gone past the display refresh rate. it holds everything back to resync.
> 
> *A trick for everyone.... was able to do it in quake3...im sure it applies to many other games too:*
> 
> *Vsync: on
> max fps: 2-5 frames BELOW display refresh*
> 
> now the display refresh is never reached thus avoiding the resyncing process. i did this when i still had a 60hz display after coming down from a 100hz crt.....hated the tearing and unsmooth action. Im at 144hz now and fps way lower, thus no need for vsync.


Limiting the frames anything below the refresh rate causes stuttering ONLY when Vsync is enabled.


----------



## TheMafia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Limiting the frames anything below the refresh rate causes stuttering ONLY when Vsync is enabled.


Stuttering is caused by multiple graphics card workign together

with vsync you are telling the game engine to not produce more frames than the monitor can display

when the engine gets above the refresh rate of the monitor... than you experience mouse lag as the engine freezes to compensate

Stuttering can be a lot more visible when vsync is present, but dont be fooled its happening quite often even without vsync, you will see it when you have a high refresh monitor.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> Stuttering is caused by multiple graphics card workign together
> 
> with vsync you are telling the game engine to not produce more frames than the monitor can display
> 
> when the engine gets above the refresh rate of the monitor... than you experience mouse lag as the engine freezes to compensate
> 
> Stuttering can be a lot more visible when vsync is present, but dont be fooled its happening quite often even without vsync, you will see it when you have a high refresh monitor.


I understand this, but when I use Vsync I don't see a single stutter, and I can see a stutter from a mile away, just ask anyone who knows me well on here. I just don't understand why people limit the frame rate 1-2 below the refresh rate when using Vsync. It clearly causes noticeable stuttering!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> Stuttering is caused by multiple graphics card workign together
> 
> with vsync you are telling the game engine to not produce more frames than the monitor can display
> 
> when the engine gets above the refresh rate of the monitor... than you experience mouse lag as the engine freezes to compensate
> 
> Stuttering can be a lot more visible when vsync is present, but dont be fooled its happening quite often even without vsync, you will see it when you have a high refresh monitor.


Stuttering is caused by many components like HDD and unstable CPU,RAM oc. Micro -stuttering is a problem from gpu. It happens both on single and multi gpus.

When you have Vsync the engine cant get more fps than your refresh rate. You get input lag because vsync is another level on the pipeline. Not because somehow you get more fps which is impossible with vsync.

With vsync the micro-stuttering is less visible. Now if you mean that you cant handle 60 fps all the time and you drop to 30 fps thats not micro-stuttering its framedrops.


----------



## OneGun

Why not use RadeonPro?It fixes microstutter and you use dynamic framerate control and not vsync..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey all, I have a slight issue.
> When I use Vsync on a single 7970, the mouse has no lag, however when CF is enabled, the mouse lag with Vsync is almost a 1 second delay. How come?
> 
> Thank you.


now some questions, what game/games specifically and what does the cpu usage seem to be?

this is generally a thing with the way they are programmed, if not designed nicely, a fast gpu setup but with capped cycle rates can cause the input polling for at least your mouse to slow down,

60fps, or 60 cycles a second for the rendering, if you have two cards you end up almost half-ing the time of each cycle, and as a result you get strange input lag and/or jittering (equivalent to about 30fps or so),

usually most good engines control input on a second thread to handle this much better, that's where the second question comes in,

if having the two cards can max out your cpu usage, or more specifically max the threads that the engine uses, even if its only for a short time, this can cause the input thread to be pushed out of timing and cause some strange results,


----------



## TheMafia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I understand this, but when I use Vsync I don't see a single stutter, and I can see a stutter from a mile away, just ask anyone who knows me well on here. I just don't understand why people limit the frame rate 1-2 below the refresh rate when using Vsync. It clearly causes noticeable stuttering!


well the reason they ... welll ill speak for myself here... why i did it... is b/c when vsync reaches the display refresh it locks up your input (b/c the engine delays itself) ... so if you never reach the display refresh you never encounter this.... as for stuttering ... read what he said:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Stuttering is caused by many components like HDD and unstable CPU,RAM oc. Micro -stuttering is a problem from gpu. It happens both on single and multi gpus.
> 
> When you have Vsync the engine cant get more fps than your refresh rate. You get input lag because vsync is another level on the pipeline. Not because somehow you get more fps which is impossible with vsync.
> 
> With vsync the micro-stuttering is less visible. Now if you mean that you cant handle 60 fps all the time and you drop to 30 fps thats not micro-stuttering its framedrops.


----------



## TheMafia

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Stuttering is caused by many components like HDD and unstable CPU,RAM oc. Micro -stuttering is a problem from gpu. It happens both on single and multi gpus.
> 
> When you have Vsync the engine cant get more fps than your refresh rate. You get input lag because vsync is another level on the pipeline. Not because somehow you get more fps which is impossible with vsync.
> 
> With vsync the micro-stuttering is less visible. Now if you mean that you cant handle 60 fps all the time and you drop to 30 fps thats not micro-stuttering its framedrops.


You are totally right, i had the wrong terminology


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> You are totally right, i had the wrong terminology


Still RadeonPro removes all these issues you speak of..


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheMafia*
> 
> well the reason they ... welll ill speak for myself here... why i did it... is b/c when vsync reaches the display refresh it locks up your input (b/c the engine delays itself) ... so if you never reach the display refresh you never encounter this.... as for stuttering ... read what he said:


I understand this, but it is a known fact that if the fps is currently at 59 or lower when Vsync is ON, the game/animation/motion will stutter approx. every 1 second. So, setting an fps to anything below the refresh rate when Vsync is enabled to fix input lag is not really an option for someone who wants clean motion/smooth game play. However, there is no stutter if the fps is at or between 59.1 fps to 59.9 fps, so if anyone knowns any programs that allow decimal fps limit input (input of a decimal value), please let me know.

Thank you.


----------



## devilhead

what do you think guys?
i have overclocked card to 1100 and 1500 with stock voltage, and here i have







RMA tells to me that from working card was removed pci-e cable... so they say thats my fault


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Why doesnt Heaven 4.0 stress my other card? Only 3DMark out of all stressers work with 2 cards.


You have to go into catalyst control center where you turn crossfire x on or off, there is another little box there you have to check to make crossfire work with programs not supported by crossfire or something to that affect... sorry not at home at the moment to check.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what do you think guys?
> i have overclocked card to 1100 and 1500 with stock voltage, and here i have
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> RMA tells to me that from working card was removed pci-e cable... so they say thats my fault


wheres the cables for the other card? apart from that does it glitch without the OC?

- remove any ASUS software installed (including AItuner, GPUtweak), that may be the cause of the crash in the first place,

from what I see, either bad display port/cable, or your memory is shot...


----------



## devilhead

No asus software are installed, video card have been checked in 3 pc, ofcourse RMA guys have checked







only one more thing what i can do, to send card to ASUS or contact with them


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> No asus software are installed, video card have been checked in 3 pc, ofcourse RMA guys have checked
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> only one more thing what i can do, to send card to ASUS or contact with them


PROTIP: Dont buy ASUS 7970s unless they're reference.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> PROTIP: Dont buy ASUS 7970s unless they're reference.


from what I see, both are reference...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> No asus software are installed, video card have been checked in 3 pc, ofcourse RMA guys have checked
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> only one more thing what i can do, to send card to ASUS or contact with them


and it does the exact same on 3 different PCs? different screens? different cables? will this show any artifacts when booting too? what did the RMA people think when they were testing it? also what cable you actually using? just DVI or something else?

also, good idea that the other card should be removed from the system when testing it like that, I would think the mobo would complain if the main card (first-most slot) isn't set up correctly...

a way to eliminate software entirely would be to get an alternate hard drive/storage device (even if its external), install windows on it and make sure your other drives are unplugged, and if it still has artifacts and/or crashing before you even install proper drivers its definitely defective...


----------



## keymaster07

Hi Guys

I've just completed the register form....so what must I do now?
Sapphire Hd 7950 Vapor-X boost edition









Key


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keymaster07*
> 
> Hi Guys
> 
> I've just completed the register form....so what must I do now?
> Sapphire Hd 7950 Vapor-X boost edition
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Key


game, fold, mine . . .


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> PROTIP: Dont buy ASUS 7970s unless they're reference.


PROTIP: Dont buy a card unless you know how to use it


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> PROTIP: Dont buy a card unless you know how to use it


PROTIP: Nothing on the 7970 Matrix worked as it should have.

Volts buttons? Did nothing.
GPU TWeak? Its the worst GPU OC utility out there, and you're forced to use it if you wanna OC.
Extra power phases? Did nothing for me and my overclocks.
Cooler? Nothing impressive.
Lights? Useless.
Boost? Yes it worked but who the !"%"#¤"# likes boost?
PRICE??? I expected a LOT MORE for the price i paid.

You havent had first hand experience with it, dont tell me that i didnt use it correctly.

Reference 7970 ---> 7970 Matrix ALL DAY.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> PROTIP: Dont buy a card unless you know how to use it


PROTIP: don't buy from a company that has "ass" in its name


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> PROTIP: don't buy from a company that has "ass" in its name


^^^^ This comes from someone who owns an ASUS 7970.


----------



## d1nky

^^^ LOL

dont cry!

my 7950 ---->> 7970s and 7950s

luck of the draw


----------



## Rangerjr1

GG NO RE ASUS 7970 MATRIX.

Didnt even bother to RMA it because i didnt want the same useless piece of PCB again.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> ^^^^ This comes from someone who owns an ASUS 7970.


yeap, well at the time was more interested in quiet aircooling then overclocking, but an extra hundred bucks for a card riddled with bugs left me very dissapoint...








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 
> 
> GG NO RE ASUS 7970 MATRIX.
> 
> Didnt even bother to RMA it because i didnt want the same useless piece of PCB again.


omg I just noticed what that actually is LOL


----------



## d1nky

LOL^^^ dont cry!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yeap, well at the time was more interested in quiet aircooling then overclocking, but an extra hundred bucks for a card riddled with bugs left me very dissapoint...


Yep, and i got the extreme premium of doom premium of all premiumness of all cards and it was still worse than a reference card...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ^^^ LOL
> 
> dont cry!
> 
> my 7950 ---->> 7970s and 7950s
> 
> luck of the draw


I would still like to know what BIOS you got that running on...


----------



## d1nky

standard/stock

its capable of great benching!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> standard/stock
> 
> its capable of great benching!










and wiremodding doesn't count

side note, anyone know how high the vcore can go via a trimpot on the solder points? never seemed to find enough to determine if its worth the bother trying to mod...


----------



## d1nky

its a 7950 i cant hotwire and no chance am i hard modding!

ill get it to score 9.2k graphics when the sun dissapears, havent broke 1330v for core so may do a 1380v run


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> from what I see, both are reference...
> and it does the exact same on 3 different PCs? different screens? different cables? will this show any artifacts when booting too? what did the RMA people think when they were testing it? also what cable you actually using? just DVI or something else?
> 
> also, good idea that the other card should be removed from the system when testing it like that, I would think the mobo would complain if the main card (first-most slot) isn't set up correctly...
> 
> a way to eliminate software entirely would be to get an alternate hard drive/storage device (even if its external), install windows on it and make sure your other drives are unplugged, and if it still has artifacts and/or crashing before you even install proper drivers its definitely defective...


Yes, both are reference, at Rampage 4 extreme is switch to switch off graphic card slots, so the 1 was off, tryed on hdmi cable, same prob, but when the windows booting is no glitching







i have used many cables, now using for my 120hz monitor DVI. changed 3 monitors







the problem is inside the card... RMA guys saying that this damage done with removing pci-e cables from the working card....but the problem begins form after overclocking







))


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Yes, both are reference, at Rampage 4 extreme is switch to switch off graphic card slots, so the 1 was off, tryed on hdmi cable, same prob, but when the windows booting is no glitching
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i have used many cables, now using for my 120hz monitor DVI. changed 3 monitors
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the problem is inside the card... RMA guys saying that this damage done with removing pci-e cables from the working card....but the problem begins form after overclocking
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ))


so it only starts glitching after overclocking, but fine beforehand? as for removing the cables while running, that would/should just shut the card off and you would have a blank screen, the artifacts and stripe-screen-of-death are generally caused from some form of instability...

what software you using? just standard catalyst control center/vision control center? does it crash when idling? (after a fresh reboot, before opening anything like gpuz or any 3D programs)

I know my card would/will always have stoned zebra whenever I have any asus software installed, though never really worked out particularly why even though both the mobo and card are also asus...


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Hey guys I'm running V. 13.5 of MSI Afterburner with an OC on my 7950 and was wondering if it is capable of setting the powertune to +20% instead of having to do it in CCC? (I can't quite seem to find it)

CCC always seems to reset my +20% back to zero when I close out of it...


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Razzle Dazzle*
> 
> Hey guys I'm running V. 13.5 of MSI Afterburner with an OC on my 7950 and was wondering if it is capable of setting the powertune to +20% instead of having to do it in CCC? (I can't quite seem to find it)
> 
> CCC always seems to reset my +20% back to zero when I close out of it...


Don't see why it wouldn't


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> Don't see why it wouldn't


Where would it be lol.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hey guys I'm finally gonna buy a 7970 reference design so I was wondering which is the best OC software between trixx and MSI AB


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hey guys I'm finally gonna buy a 7970 reference design so I was wondering which is the best OC software between trixx and MSI AB


I heard Trixx 4.4.0B MOD for benching and MSI AB for 24/7.

Dont go over 1.25V for 24/7 and 1.3V for benching!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I heard Trixx 4.4.0B MOD for benching and MSI AB for 24/7.
> 
> Dont go over 1.25V for 24/7 and 1.3V for benching!


OK thanks is 1.25 safe for 24/7 for a few years or is it too much


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I heard Trixx 4.4.0B MOD for benching and MSI AB for 24/7.
> 
> Dont go over 1.25V for 24/7 and 1.3V for benching!


1.3v for benching and you believe that?


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> 1.3v for benching and you believe that?


Why not go over 1,3V during benching, LOL


----------



## RavageTheEarth

I've ordered my Alphacool 7950 blocks. Finally!! Right now I have a Swiftech MCW82 on one card and the other is running air. Temps on the waterr cooled card is 40c at full load. Even after hours it doesn't rise. VRM temps are 70c though because of the heatsinks. I have 1080mm of rad space. Very excited to throw on the blocks and put everything into the mountain mods ascension case. Then I can finally mine 24/7 without worrying about heat. Will post a link to my build log once I get the case in. Going to miss my Phantom 820 but its going to be nice not having to mod anything anymore.


----------



## Rangerjr1

I go over 1.3v because im hardcore, and i live in the north. I dont recommend going over becuase it will push you over the temp wall and cause more instability than stability.

@ABD EL HAMEED. If you live above the arctic circle then yea you should do more than 1.3v for benching in 10c ambients. But i dont think you live anywhere near it based on your name.


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> so it only starts glitching after overclocking, but fine beforehand? as for removing the cables while running, that would/should just shut the card off and you would have a blank screen, the artifacts and stripe-screen-of-death are generally caused from some form of instability...
> 
> what software you using? just standard catalyst control center/vision control center? does it crash when idling? (after a fresh reboot, before opening anything like gpuz or any 3D programs)
> 
> I know my card would/will always have stoned zebra whenever I have any asus software installed, though never really worked out particularly why even though both the mobo and card are also asus...


no, its glitching all the time, I wanted to say, that after my overclock, like i remember it was on stock v, 1100/1500 something like that, then played like for an hour BF3, and began glitching... thats all story.
Software that i use is the new version of catalyst with dirvers + TriX - if i'm overclocking







and about asus software it is just skin on gpu-z, nothing else







and about crashing: it crashes straight away when you will start game, at msi kombustor you can already see that is weird colors, and when i'm switching off it crashes.....


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> no, its glitching all the time, I wanted to say, that after my overclock, like i remember it was on stock v, 1100/1500 something like that, then played like for an hour BF3, and began glitching... thats all story.
> Software that i use is the new version of catalyst with dirvers + TriX - if i'm overclocking
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and about asus software it is just skin on gpu-z, nothing else
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and about crashing: it crashes straight away when you will start game, at msi kombustor you can already see that is weird colors, and when i'm switching off it crashes.....


1. Dont use Kombustor.
2. Artifacting after 1 hour? Sounds like temp wall to me, try to keep the temps low while gaming. 100% on fans or so.
3. It crashes when unstable, its unstable when you cross the temp wall.
4. Temp walls occur when you OC your 7970/7950 to a certain speed. Rarely happens at stock.


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I go over 1.3v because im hardcore, and i live in the north. I dont recommend going over becuase it will push you over the temp wall and cause more instability than stability.
> 
> @ABD EL HAMEED. If you live above the arctic circle then yea you should do more than 1.3v for benching in 10c ambients. But i dont think you live anywhere near it based on your name.


I'm not above the artic circle but I use this one in my GPU-loop when I'm benching: waterchiller Hailea Ultra Titan 1500 (HC500=790Watt cooling capacity)

It keeps my water temps below 15C or lower if I want


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I go over 1.3v because im hardcore, and i live in the north. I dont recommend going over becuase it will push you over the temp wall and cause more instability than stability.
> 
> @ABD EL HAMEED. If you live above the arctic circle then yea you should do more than 1.3v for benching in 10c ambients. But i dont think you live anywhere near it based on your name.


Lol man my avatar says exactly where I live and it's summer here so I will never go above 1.25 I'm just asking will 1.25 be stable for the long term


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> I'm not above the artic circle but I use this one in my GPU-loop when I'm benching: waterchiller Hailea Ultra Titan 1500 (HC500=790Watt cooling capacity)
> 
> It keeps my water temps below 15C or lower if I want


What clocks are you getting with your 7970?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Lol man my avatar says exactly where I live and it's summer here so I will never go above 1.25 I'm just asking will 1.25 be stable for the long term


Well i would think so if you can keep it relatively cold.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Well i would think so if you can keep it relatively cold.


Is 70c good enough I'm a total noob at this stuff


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Is 70c good enough I'm a total noob at this stuff


If you can keep it around (or lower preferably) 70C should be safe for long term use!


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> What clocks are you getting with your 7970?


Core 1300-1330, mem sucks only 1710 on one card and 1740 on the other, not the best cards but they ca run BF3 for hours at 1270/1680.
Trying to get two more ref cards, found two XFX that where supposed to be ref PCB but it wasn't although it had the right modelnr from XFX.
Looks like XFX has changed the PCB but not their modelnr.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Core 1300-1330, mem sucks only 1710 on one card and 1740 on the other, not the best cards but they ca run BF3 for hours at 1270/1680.
> Trying to get two more ref cards, found two XFX that where supposed to be ref PCB but it wasn't although it had the right modelnr from XFX.
> Looks like XFX has changed the PCB but not their modelnr.


My reference 7970 Sapphire does 1300/1890 on ref cooler. Wonder what i it can do with a loop and a chiller.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> What clocks are you getting with your 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> Core 1300-1330, mem sucks only 1710 on one card and 1740 on the other, not the best cards but they ca run BF3 for hours at 1270/1680.
> Trying to get two more ref cards, found two XFX that where supposed to be ref PCB but it wasn't although it had the right modelnr from XFX.
> *Looks like XFX has changed the PCB but not their modelnr.*
Click to expand...

WTLY.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> its a 7950 i cant hotwire and no chance am i hard modding!
> 
> ill get it to score 9.2k graphics when the sun dissapears, havent broke 1330v for core so may do a 1380v run


I bench my 7950 at 1300MHz with 1.2ishV. GOML


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I bench my 7950 at 1300MHz with 1.2ishV. GOML


Ooooh so much for ASUS cards...


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Ooooh so much for ASUS cards...


i know right!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> *I bench my 7950 at 1300MHz with 1.2ishV.* GOML
> 
> 
> 
> Ooooh so much for ASUS cards...
Click to expand...

Right...


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> My reference 7970 Sapphire does 1300/1890 on ref cooler. Wonder what i it can do with a loop and a chiller.


If you have a WC-block you could try to put a rad in a bucket of ice-water and see how high it goes


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

OK noob question coming BE WARNED








How far can i OC the refrence 7970 with stock cooler?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

@Rangerjr1 just a question why do you like refrence design cards so much


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @Rangerjr1 just a question why do you like refrence design cards so much


because he found a great overclocking one. his can bench pretty damn high on air, kick out some good scores and he isnt afraid to push it!

just the same reasons why he likes chav girls!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @Rangerjr1 just a question why do you like refrence design cards so much


Because they are the best. Custom pcbs in general are inferior to the ref pcb

(That only apply to AMD. Nvidia ref sucks)


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> because he found a great overclocking one. his can bench pretty damn high on air, kick out some good scores and he isnt afraid to push it!
> 
> just the same reasons why he likes chav girls!


LULz


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @Rangerjr1 just a question why do you like refrence design cards so much
> 
> 
> 
> because he found a great overclocking one. his can bench pretty damn high on air, kick out some good scores and he isnt afraid to push it!
> 
> just the same reasons why he likes chav girls!
Click to expand...

It was the last one in the store, possibly his country cuz the part number had been changed to non-ref for a longtime before. And they had this card sitting there for who knows how long collecting dust lol!


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> Core 1300-1330, mem sucks only 1710 on one card and 1740 on the other, not the best cards but they ca run BF3 for hours at 1270/1680.
> Trying to get two more ref cards, found two XFX that where supposed to be ref PCB but it wasn't although it had the right modelnr from XFX.
> *Looks like XFX has changed the PCB but not their modelnr.*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> My reference 7970 Sapphire does 1300/1890 on ref cooler. Wonder what i it can do with a loop and a chiller.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> WTLY.
> 
> 
> 
> Yupp they did check these threads:
> 
> http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/water-cooling/59722-ek-7970-waterblock-***-2.html#post691139
> 
> http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/water-cooling/59722-ek-7970-waterblock-***-2.html#post691256
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> OK noob question coming BE WARNED
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How far can i OC the refrence 7970 with stock cooler?


Assuming its a good chip and high ASIC you can reach 1300 for benching on ref cooler easily. If you get a high ASIC card you can overclock pretty high with no to very little voltage changes!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I bench my 7950 at 1300MHz with 1.2ishV. GOML


Hey uhm... Why dont you show me a 3dmark11 score at those speeds?

Link pls.


----------



## keymaster07

I just realized, why is my ASIC Quality percentage so low? Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X Boost Edition only 58.5%!!! Is this even normal?

Thanks
Key


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keymaster07*
> 
> I just realized, why is my ASIC Quality percentage so low? Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X Boost Edition only 58.5%!!! Is this even normal?
> 
> Thanks
> Key


Boost.


----------



## keymaster07

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Boost.


Oh ok, I guess i know now...Thanks!!!

Key


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keymaster07*
> 
> Oh ok, I guess i know now...Thanks!!!
> 
> Key


They have the fixed voltage at 1.25 volt thatds why all the cards are so low ASIC.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I go over 1.3v because im hardcore, and i live in the north. I dont recommend going over becuase it will push you over the temp wall and cause more instability than stability.
> 
> @ABD EL HAMEED. If you live above the arctic circle then yea you should do more than 1.3v for benching in 10c ambients. But i dont think you live anywhere near it based on your name.


I live in the arctic circle, even cold winter temps didnt help me to go above 1,2V without hitting my temp wall







, and that was in during benching....

Its probably a pain to live near equator and try hitting high clocks....


----------



## keymaster07

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> They have the fixed voltage at 1.25 volt thatds why all the cards are so low ASIC.


But the thing is, when I stress test the card, and use HWMonitor to check my max voltage, its showing 1.125V instead of the 1.25V that I keep hearing of for this card?


----------



## ProVisionOman

Umm, are the Gigabyte 7950's voltage locked?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Assuming its a good chip and high ASIC you can reach 1300 for benching on ref cooler easily. If you get a high ASIC card you can overclock pretty high with no to very little voltage changes!


Thanks man but I'm not into benching I just want it to run 24/7


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keymaster07*
> 
> I just realized, why is my ASIC Quality percentage so low? Sapphire HD 7950 Vapor-X Boost Edition only 58.5%!!! Is this even normal?
> 
> Thanks
> Key


don't worry, my DCII is even worse...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> don't worry, my DCII is even worse...


Ahh yea the ASUS 7970s...


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Ahh yea the ASUS 7970s...


lol


----------



## Alxx

Hi,
i have a question.
With my Sapphire Radeon 7950 Boost I run Battlefild 3 at 1440p on Ultra settings.
I get between 35-50 Fps.
But I saw that 95 % of the time in the Game the Gpu is at 100 % load, at 68 C°.
Is that normal (100% load) ?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> Hi,
> i have a question.
> With my Sapphire Radeon 7950 Boost I run Battlefild 3 at 1440p on Ultra settings.
> I get between 35-50 Fps.
> But I saw that 95 % of the time in the Game the Gpu is at 100 % load, at 68 C°.
> Is that normal (100% load) ?


Yes.


----------



## Alxx

Should I worry ?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> Should I worry ?


Not at all.


----------



## Alxx

Thanks


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Am I imagining or did the last 4 posts just disappear


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProVisionOman*
> 
> Umm, are the Gigabyte 7950's voltage locked?


the version 2s are (newer model).


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Hey uhm... Why dont you show me a 3dmark11 score at those speeds?
> 
> Link pls.


I'm pretty sure you've asked for this before, but here's a run at 1320MHz.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/631487

You can take my word that I ran it at 1.213V.

Edit: 3DMark Firestrike but you get the idea.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I'm pretty sure you've asked for this before, but here's a run at 1320MHz.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/631487
> 
> You can take my word that I ran it at 1.213V.
> 
> Edit: 3DMark Firestrike but you get the idea.


was that on air... nice run! but firestrike is easier to clock than 3d11


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> was that on air... nice run! but firestrike is easier to clock than 3d11


Yep I realized. I'll give it a go when my ambients are a littler lower


----------



## istudy92

I have same GPU you have, Alex, and not overclocked yet i get 50-60 FPS on the game all the time.
I do not have 100% load, I understand that each GPU is diff, but to have such low FPS at a small screen is extreamly strange, I am using 1900x1080p


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I have same GPU you have, Alex, and not overclocked yet i get 50-60 FPS on the game all the time.
> I do not have 100% load, I understand that each GPU is diff, but to have such low FPS at a small screen is extreamly strange, I am using 1900x1080p


if your gpu isn't being used 100% (with vsync off), it means its bottlenecking on something else, this can be normal for a lot of games if your not using high detail settings anyway...


----------



## almighty15

My MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 Boost Edition only has a stock voltage of 1.125v

It's also completely and utterly stable at 1.1Ghz at that voltage too...... And the best thing is the cards ASIC rating is low.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> My MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 Boost Edition only has a stock voltage of 1.125v
> 
> It's also completely and utterly stable at 1.1Ghz at that voltage too...... And the best thing is the cards ASIC rating is low.


My higher ASIC TFIII 7950 can do 1200MHz at that voltage. <3 MSI


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> My higher ASIC TFIII 7950 can do 1200MHz at that voltage. <3 MSI


My 7950's (HIS/Sapphire)are fairly low ASICS.. Can do 1100MHz @ 1.22v in crossfire, going to try and push them a bit more as the VRM's only get to 75c in BF3 and the core is at 65c on card one and 45c on card two!









EDIT: VRM's go to ~90c in Kombustor after 5-10 minutes, still not too bad for air though. 1100MHz is what I'm happy with but if I can do 1150 or 1200 at say 1.25v or a bit more i'll run that daily.









Need help with RAM overclocking? Still got 'em running at 1250MHz, last time I tried 1400MHz it just locked up. 1300MHz is pointless and 1350 was okay. What is a safe voltage for the vRAM to run at? 1.6v/1.7v?


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Need help with RAM overclocking? Still got 'em running at 1250MHz, last time I tried 1400MHz it just locked up. 1300MHz is pointless and 1350 was okay. What is a safe voltage for the vRAM to run at? 1.6v/1.7v?


I've heard 1.65 is high as you should go. I run my ram at 1450. 1500 freezes up every once in a while. I've even tried taking it up to 1.7v....just doesn't like 1500mhz or more


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jellyfish420*
> 
> I've heard 1.65 is high as you should go. I run my ram at 1450. 1500 freezes up every once in a while. I've even tried taking it up to 1.7v....just doesn't like 1500mhz or more


Sure, I think mine are stock at 1.6v.. Isn't 1.5v "normal"? I'll try 1.65v when I'm back at my dorm


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *almighty15*
> 
> My MSI Twin Frozr 3 7950 Boost Edition only has a stock voltage of 1.125v
> 
> It's also completely and utterly stable at 1.1Ghz at that voltage too...... And the best thing is the cards ASIC rating is low.


I would expect that to clock pretty good if you can get the voltage higher then 1125,

my DCII runs at 1175, but has a ~55 ASIC and is only fully stable on 1000MHz core :{


----------



## d1nky

my card has about a 50% asic.

clocks upto 1250/1800 benches and fully stable its good at 1150/1650


----------



## gr8sho

Hi, My 7970s idle at 0.85V and peak at 1.170V. I'm using MSI AB to tweak the card, and have the power limit slider up to 20%. The card BIOS is the original release version. What do I have to do to go past 1.17V?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Hi, My 7970s idle at 0.85V and peak at 1.170V. I'm using MSI AB to tweak the card, and have the power limit slider up to 20%. The card BIOS is the original release version. What do I have to do to go past 1.17V?


check AB's settings if the box to unlock voltages work.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Hi, My 7970s idle at 0.85V and peak at 1.170V. I'm using MSI AB to tweak the card, and have the power limit slider up to 20%. The card BIOS is the original release version. What do I have to do to go past 1.17V?


Enable voltage control in MSI AB settings.


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Hi, My 7970s idle at 0.85V and peak at 1.170V. I'm using MSI AB to tweak the card, and have the power limit slider up to 20%. The card BIOS is the original release version. What do I have to do to go past 1.17V?


Is there a setting within MSI Afterburner to get that power limit slider to show up?


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, when I feen 1.250v to my cards, I can get 1125MHz stable, If I have the core at 1150 though, it stutters in Heaven?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, when I feen 1.250v to my cards, I can get 1125MHz stable, If I have the core at 1150 though, it stutters in Heaven?


Stuttering is usually caused by unstable VRAM.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Stuttering is usually caused by unstable VRAM.


VRAM is at the same setting on both tests?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> VRAM is at the same setting on both tests?


How should i know?


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> check AB's settings if the box to unlock voltages work.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Enable voltage control in MSI AB settings.


Fair enough, I didn't tell you I enabled the setting. The option is indeed available to me and I can set the values, but when I got go to test, it never goes past 1.17V. I'm using HWINFO64 to check min/max values. I'm using Crysis 3 as the test program.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Fair enough, I didn't tell you I enabled the setting. The option is indeed available to me and I can set the values, but when I got go to test, it never goes past 1.17V. I'm using HWINFO64 to check min/max values. I'm using Crysis 3 as the test program.


Does your clocks scale well with increasing voltage in AB? If it does then the voltage does increase, HWINFO just doesnt show it.


----------



## zGunBLADEz

This is my firestrike score with 7970+7950 on crossfire
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/56067
The 7950 was @ 1375/ 1700 with 1.25v , dont know why 3dmark put 2000 on the ram like my 7970...


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Does your clocks scale well with increasing voltage in AB? If it does then the voltage does increase, HWINFO just doesnt show it.


To me, this looks like it scales up as I would expect, except for the voltage.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> To me, this looks like it scales up as I would expect, except for the voltage.


Then the voltage increases i guess. Try GPUz and see if it changes there.


----------



## jdc122

when boost cards are set to 1.25v, arent they set to counteract vdroop, so they actually hit 1.25v rather than like 1.17 or something? i just bought a HIS iceq boost and im trying to mine on it, but no matter what i do they voltage is locked at 1.2v, which i havent seen before, anyone know if this is a problem, or just vdroop from a boost bios?

i know i can solve it by a bios flash, but i suspect something is up, 100% fan, hits about 80c load and then the pc shuts down, restarts but takes about 20 seconds for anyting to show up on screen, even with only 1000/1450 so im sure its not unstable clocks.


----------



## PedroC1999

GUYS, why does OHM show 1.090v no matter what?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> VRAM is at the same setting on both tests?


the extra core clock is probably pushing the stability off by a hair, guess you could try dropping the memory slightly while increasing core and see how it goes...


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Sure, I think mine are stock at 1.6v.. Isn't 1.5v "normal"? I'll try 1.65v when I'm back at my dorm


I believe that the hynix is 1.5 stock and the elpida is 1.6 stock. If I'm wrong someone correct me.......

But iirc both are good to 1.65......


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Then the voltage increases i guess. Try GPUz and see if it changes there.


For some reason I'm giving blind faith to a tool that has been known to have mistakes. To make it easier on myself I just tested this within the AF tool itself and the reported voltages track with the settings I selected.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

+1


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> when boost cards are set to 1.25v, arent they set to counteract vdroop, so they actually hit 1.25v rather than like 1.17 or something? i just bought a HIS iceq boost and im trying to mine on it, but no matter what i do they voltage is locked at 1.2v, which i havent seen before, anyone know if this is a problem, or just vdroop from a boost bios?
> 
> i know i can solve it by a bios flash, but i suspect something is up, 100% fan, hits about 80c load and then the pc shuts down, restarts but takes about 20 seconds for anyting to show up on screen, even with only 1000/1450 so im sure its not unstable clocks.


sounds like the cooler isn't sitting right, if its overheating very fast on stock clocks?
try sitting your computer upsidedown and/or on its side and see if temps are different, if they are then you might have to tighten the screws a bit on the card...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> when boost cards are set to 1.25v, arent they set to counteract vdroop, so they actually hit 1.25v rather than like 1.17 or something? i just bought a HIS iceq boost and im trying to mine on it, but no matter what i do they voltage is locked at 1.2v, which i havent seen before, anyone know if this is a problem, or just vdroop from a boost bios?
> 
> i know i can solve it by a bios flash, but i suspect something is up, 100% fan, hits about 80c load and then the pc shuts down, restarts but takes about 20 seconds for anyting to show up on screen, even with only 1000/1450 so im sure its not unstable clocks.


When i installed my reference cooler incorrectly the temperatures where high at idle and increased INCREDIBLY fast under load and shut down at 110c lol, took 3 seconds for that to happen.) So try to unmount the cooler and remount it. As far as i know HIS IceQ has a VRM/RAM full cover heatsink so you can take the core heatsink off and replace the tim without problems


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> When i installed my reference cooler incorrectly the temperatures where high at idle and increased INCREDIBLY fast under load and shut down at 110c lol, took 3 seconds for that to happen.) So try to unmount the cooler and remount it. As far as i know HIS IceQ has a VRM/RAM full cover heatsink so you can take the core heatsink off and replace the tim without problems


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> sounds like the cooler isn't sitting right, if its overheating very fast on stock clocks?
> try sitting your computer upsidedown and/or on its side and see if temps are different, if they are then you might have to tighten the screws a bit on the card...


idles at 34c ,it heats up slowly, like over a couple of minutes ( i know what you mean about instant overheating, happened to my old 6970), it just doesnt seem to settle down. its sat on its side, open air on a bench, with 3 120mm fans blowing air onto the gpu.

ill try tightening the screws, but is it worth replacing the TIM too?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> idles at 34c ,it heats up slowly, like over a couple of minutes ( i know what you mean about instant overheating, happened to my old 6970), it just doesnt seem to settle down. its sat on its side, open air on a bench, with 3 120mm fans blowing air onto the gpu.
> 
> ill try tightening the screws, but is it worth replacing the TIM too?


You NEED to replace TIM. When you take it off and put it on it will trap air and that way the heat doesnt transfer over to the heatsink as effectively. Then we're back to square #1 and you have heat problems again.

When you clean off the TIM use Acetone (Its usually in nailpolish so ask your mom or wife!







) or use alcohol! Be careful with Acetone though.


----------



## ivanlabrie

$300 7970 in the marketplace...Diamond, looks yummy (ref).
Shame I can't afford it


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> $300 7970 in the marketplace...Diamond, looks yummy (ref).
> Shame I can't afford it


NOOO DONT SPREAD THE NEWS!


----------



## Erick Silver

OK Guys. I am looking for someone in this club that has a Sapphire HD7950 VaporX. I need a little info on what kind of clocks I can set it to and what kind of performance I can expect. I am upgrading from a GTX560SE to the VaporX.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> OK Guys. I am looking for someone in this club that has a Sapphire HD7950 VaporX. I need a little info on what kind of clocks I can set it to and what kind of performance I can expect. I am upgrading from a GTX560SE to the VaporX.


I used to own a 7950 VaporX. It did 1280/1500 on benchmarks and 1250/1400 for gaming. At those clocks you're in 7970 OC territory. Pretty good if you ask me! Cooler is also very good. Remember the temp wall if you're a bencher.


----------



## Alxx

" I have same GPU you have, Alex, and not overclocked yet i get 50-60 FPS on the game all the time.
I do not have 100% load, I understand that each GPU is diff, but to have such low FPS at a small screen is extreamly strange, I am using 1900x1080p"

I get these Frames because I use 2560x1440p.
I think for 1440p 35-50 FPS in Battlefield is allright for a 7950.









Would changing the Thermal Paste of my Sapphire 7950 Boost bring better Temperatures ?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, when I feen 1.250v to my cards, I can get 1125MHz stable, If I have the core at 1150 though, it stutters in Heaven?


Would say that it's throttling, the 1150MHz is using more power. Try either the +50% hack or a custom BIOS and see how it goes then!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> OK Guys. I am looking for someone in this club that has a Sapphire HD7950 VaporX. I need a little info on what kind of clocks I can set it to and what kind of performance I can expect. I am upgrading from a GTX560SE to the VaporX.


paired with the 1090 at 3.8? you don't need to oc the gpu. but this is ocn, so it won't hurt. the 7950 is about 2.5 stronger than your current gpu.

here is my thuban at 4 with a 7970 stock (7950 1000/1500 - estimate) . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6462334

compare it to yours. oc the cpu to 4 if you can and max out BF3 MP 64.









edit: PROTIP: http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread


----------



## seanotoolestuff

Hi

I am doing some upgrades soon, and I was wondering if the Sapphire reference Boost model is any good.

I don't care about locked voltages, warranty means nothing.

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DisplayPort-PCI-Express-Graphics-21196-00-20G/dp/B00BXVFM3K/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1374229854&sr=8-11&keywords=7990

There it is.

Thanks in advance.

It's mostly the VRMs I want to know about, as I will be watercooling at some point.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seanotoolestuff*
> 
> Hi
> 
> I am doing some upgrades soon, and I was wondering if the Sapphire reference Boost model is any good.
> 
> I don't care about locked voltages, warranty means nothing.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DisplayPort-PCI-Express-Graphics-21196-00-20G/dp/B00BXVFM3K/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1374229854&sr=8-11&keywords=7990
> 
> There it is.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> It's mostly the VRMs I want to know about, as I will be watercooling at some point.


Basically you'll want a 7950 block as none of the 7970 ones will fit, nor will any of the "79x0" ones as the capacitors on the reference 7950 are in a different pattern.


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

Two MSI Radeon 7950. Mark me down playa.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> " I have same GPU you have, Alex, and not overclocked yet i get 50-60 FPS on the game all the time.
> I do not have 100% load, I understand that each GPU is diff, but to have such low FPS at a small screen is extreamly strange, I am using 1900x1080p"
> 
> I get these Frames because I use 2560x1440p.
> I think for 1440p 35-50 FPS in Battlefield is allright for a 7950.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would changing the Thermal Paste of my Sapphire 7950 Boost bring better Temperatures ?


In that case never mind your fps and load is actually quite normal.
And there is thermal paste on the sapphire 7950? Where at?


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> " I have same GPU you have, Alex, and not overclocked yet i get 50-60 FPS on the game all the time.
> I do not have 100% load, I understand that each GPU is diff, but to have such low FPS at a small screen is extreamly strange, I am using 1900x1080p"
> 
> I get these Frames because I use 2560x1440p.
> I think for 1440p 35-50 FPS in Battlefield is allright for a 7950.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would changing the Thermal Paste of my Sapphire 7950 Boost bring better Temperatures ?


I have a Sapphire 7970 (8pin + 6pin) and I have had it for a while now. I noticed my temperatures becoming worse and worse in this heat wave. I went ahead and cleaned the card and added IC Diamond thermal compound. Whereas before I was pushing 1175 mV to the card, I am now able to get 1200mV and increase my OC up to 1200/1700. The temperatures are about 20 degrees different from before. Definitely worked well for me but everyone will have a different experience.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> I have a Sapphire 7970 (8pin + 6pin) and I have had it for a while now. I noticed my temperatures becoming worse and worse in this heat wave. I went ahead and cleaned the card and added IC Diamond thermal compound. Whereas before I was pushing 1175 mV to the card, I am now able to get 1200mV and increase my OC up to 1200/1700. The temperatures are about 20 degrees different from before. Definitely worked well for me but everyone will have a different experience.


Keep in mind, I believe the IC diamond will scratch the GPU core. Correct me if I am wrong. Still unsure of what the best to use on the GPU is though.


----------



## Alxx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> In that case never mind your fps and load is actually quite normal.
> And there is thermal paste on the sapphire 7950? Where at?


So what is between GPU and the Cooler then ?

And what would be the best to put between Cooler and GPU ?

@confed Thanks


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

Anyone try the beta drivers for CF yet, do they help in FC3 or Hitman or BF3 ????


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Just wanted to ask about how does the ref 7970 compare to GTX 770 can I overclock the 7970 so it can beat the 770


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Just wanted to ask about how does the ref 7970 compare to GTX 770 can I overclock the 7970 so it can beat the 770


You mean the after lifting 680? You dont need to overclock to match a 1200-1250 mhz 680.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You mean the after lifting 680? You dont need to overclock to match a 1200-1250 mhz 680.


Meaning what?
You mean it can be OC to beat the 770


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Meaning what?
> You mean it can be OC to beat the 770


Just dont get the 770...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Just dont get the 770...


 OK then


----------



## th3illusiveman

whats the max 24/7 voltage i can use on my VRAM? stock in MSi AB is 1.6v


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> whats the max 24/7 voltage i can use on my VRAM? stock in MSi AB is 1.6v


The stock one. For me 1.7 doesnt improve my memory oc at all. So i use the stock one even for 1900.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Meaning what?
> You mean it can be OC to beat the 770


Beat? What do you mean by beat. Already a stock 7970 match easily or beat a 770 at 1080p with fxaa ( reviews favorit AA-i wonder why) and easily beat a 770 at 1440p. Now if you want to go to 4k a 7970 battle with the 780,titan.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> The stock one. For me 1.7 doesnt improve my memory oc at all. So i use the stock one even for 1900.
> Beat? What do you mean by beat. Already a stock 7970 match easily or beat a 770 at 1080p with fxaa ( reviews favorit AA-i wonder why) and easily beat a 770 at 1440p. Now if you want to go to 4k a 7970 battle with the 780,titan.


OK I'll go with the 7970 then thanks


----------



## th3illusiveman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> The stock one. For me 1.7 doesnt improve my memory oc at all. So i use the stock one even for 1900.
> Beat? What do you mean by beat. Already a stock 7970 match easily or beat a 770 at 1080p with fxaa ( reviews favorit AA-i wonder why) and easily beat a 770 at 1440p. Now if you want to go to 4k a 7970 battle with the 780,titan.


i get weird artifacts after 2+ hours of gameplay if my memory is OCd too high. Think more voltage will fix it? 1.65v safe?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> i get weird artifacts after 2+ hours of gameplay if my memory is OCd too high. Think more voltage will fix it? 1.65v safe?


Dunno. You should try 1.62,1.64 then 1.65. Dont go over this for 24/7


----------



## humayunh

Hey!

I have a Sapphire Dual X 7950 3L.
I am having a weird issue. games are running all fine, except in Sleeping dogs the game would crash when the card reached 75 Degree plus, setting a fan profile fixed that.
The Weird issue is, while browsing or on the desktop, occasionally the screen Flickers (Its not turning on or off), it just does a sudden judder or weird thing, for a split second and then works as normal. But playing games is all fine. Should i be worried? I have Windows 7 64Bit installed.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

@Rangerjr1 please answer this this this time WHY DO YOU LOVE REFRENCE CARDS SO MUCH?!!


----------



## Mydog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @Rangerjr1 please answer this this this time WHY DO YOU LOVE REFRENCE CARDS SO MUCH?!!


They don't have locked volts in bios and OC better at least that's my experience


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mydog*
> 
> They don't have locked volts in bios and OC better at least that's my experience


Better pcb,less problems,no stupid bios.OC is luck


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

OK thanks guys


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> OK thanks guys


We have answered that question before. Are you believing all the "military components" gibberish that supposedly come with the custom cards?


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> We have answered that question before. Are you believing all the "military components" gibberish that supposedly come with the custom cards?


GIBBERISH??? My MSI Radeon 7950 are made with the bones of dead terrorist and F-16 parts.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @Rangerjr1 please answer this this this time WHY DO YOU LOVE REFRENCE CARDS SO MUCH?!!


because unlike nvidia amd reference is done correctly and can not be beat !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> GIBBERISH??? My MSI Radeon 7950 are made with the bones of dead terrorist and F-16 parts.


hahaha that is awesomesauce !~


----------



## PedroC1999

OCN, when I overclock my CFx 7950's, they never idle back to 500/300 and 300/150

Why is this? Im using AfterBurner with ULPS off


----------



## Myyu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> GIBBERISH??? My MSI Radeon 7950 are made with the bones of dead terrorist and F-16 parts.


LOL. That is going in my sig. Thats the funniest thing I've seen/read/heard all week!


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> OCN, when I overclock my CFx 7950's, they never idle back to 500/300 and 300/150
> 
> Why is this? Im using AfterBurner with ULPS off


Simply because ULPS is off. ULPS and Unofficial Overclocking should be disabled when it would throttle down, other wise you would have to make 2D and 3D profiles so it would downclock. Go to the AMD How to Thread.


----------



## PedroC1999

With ULPS, I get a 20bit bus on my second card?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> With ULPS, I get a 20bit bus on my second card?


You gotta stop asking questions in the way you would make a statement.


----------



## PedroC1999

Sorry Ranger,it is the way I speak.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Sorry Ranger,it is the way I speak.


I dont mind the way you speak, just make your "questions" easier to answer because they arent very specific at all when you ask like that.


----------



## Rangerjr1

I dont know what you're asking. Thats all.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> With ULPS, I get a 20bit bus on my second card?


First you shoud search what ulps do.

ULPS: WHen you dont use your second card drivers almost power off the card.

When you disable powerplay you need to set 2 profiles on MSI AB. 2D and 3D.

Before we start to OC we should research the subject not just attack and see what will happen.


----------



## PedroC1999

I'm going to start a proper thread, will post link here


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *humayunh*
> 
> Hey!
> 
> I have a Sapphire Dual X 7950 3L.
> I am having a weird issue. games are running all fine, except in Sleeping dogs the game would crash when the card reached 75 Degree plus, setting a fan profile fixed that.
> The Weird issue is, while browsing or on the desktop, occasionally the screen Flickers (Its not turning on or off), it just does a sudden judder or weird thing, for a split second and then works as normal. But playing games is all fine. Should i be worried? I have Windows 7 64Bit installed.


I would think that if the OC is not so great in stability; 2D > 3D mode conversions can cause flickering, I noticed my card would flicker when not running anything 3D if the clocks were too high...
(the card will sometimes switch to 3D mode for a split second or so if the load gets high enough, especially can be noticeable with high-def videos etc)


----------



## PedroC1999

http://www.overclock.net/t/1411365/help-to-downclock-cfx-7950s-when-idle/0_40


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1411365/help-to-downclock-cfx-7950s-when-idle/0_40


I replied already, just change it to *with PowerPlay support.*


----------



## Matt-Matt

Honestly I do not know why you guys are disabling ULPS etc, I've had:

Crossfire 6870 + 6850 Hybrid,
Crossfire 6850's,
Crossfire 7950's

I know of someone that has Crossfire 6950's too and he has no problems (albeit at stock), but I've never had a problem with CFX that's really bad. Apart from stuttering in FC3 and basically that Skyrim is broken.. But you get that.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Honestly I do not know why you guys are disabling ULPS etc, I've had:
> 
> Crossfire 6870 + 6850 Hybrid,
> Crossfire 6850's,
> Crossfire 7950's
> 
> I know of someone that has Crossfire 6950's too and he has no problems (albeit at stock), but I've never had a problem with CFX that's really bad. Apart from stuttering in FC3 and basically that Skyrim is broken.. But you get that.


Sometimes i get better bench performance. But 224/7 i use ulps and it works great.

If you can see a moment my thread guys i would be happy









http://www.overclock.net/t/1411372/i-need-some-really-good-horror-games


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Sometimes i get better bench performance. But 224/7 i use ulps and it works great.
> 
> If you can see a moment my thread guys i would be happy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1411372/i-need-some-really-good-horror-games


Fair enough, I'll have a look into it for later. Seeing as my cards run moderately cool and I don't pay power here it doesn't phase me. I will get into mining one day









EDIT: Don't have a ruler with me.. Anyone know how wide a regular PCB is, well specifically to a 7950 if anyone has one out anytime soon. Looking at this for each of my cards with two 80mm fans on the end of each.

Obviously for the VRM's if it'll fit, and of course using some smaller sinks for the two that aren't lined up properly. Not sure on how I'll secure it though. Thermal tape isn't that strong unfortunately.


----------



## JJ1217

I'm very confused by my Asus 7950 card atm.. 7950's in general tbh. With a fixed fan speed of 10% at 900/1250 @1.025V, I hit 70 degrees in Battlefield 3. With the auto fan speed (Which NEVER goes past 10%), I max out at 63 degrees in Battlefield 3. Reminds me sort of how my old 7950 with the 7970 bios ran considerably hotter than the 7950 bios even with the same clocks and volts.... god damn tahiti.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I'm very confused by my Asus 7950 card atm.. 7950's in general tbh. With a fixed fan speed of 10% at 900/1250 @1.025V, I hit 70 degrees in Battlefield 3. With the auto fan speed (Which NEVER goes past 10%), I max out at 63 degrees in Battlefield 3. Reminds me sort of how my old 7950 with the 7970 bios ran considerably hotter than the 7950 bios even with the same clocks and volts.... god damn tahiti.


Nahhh it ASUS. So much for premium quality components stolen from dead F16 fighter jets!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I'm very confused by my Asus 7950 card atm.. 7950's in general tbh. With a fixed fan speed of 10% at 900/1250 @1.025V, I hit 70 degrees in Battlefield 3. With the auto fan speed (Which NEVER goes past 10%), I max out at 63 degrees in Battlefield 3. Reminds me sort of how my old 7950 with the 7970 bios ran considerably hotter than the 7950 bios even with the same clocks and volts.... god damn tahiti.


I would say that the card isn't reading the fan speed properly or the programs aren't, try either ASUS' own program or a different BIOS on the card or just stick with the default









EDIT: To add to the whole "ZeroCore" and "ULPS" my PC just crashed after leaving it for 5-10 minutes, I'm certain it was a GPU problem as it went to windows 7 basic and then froze and I had to press the reset button.

EDIT: Not the cards, turns out it's the IMC on the 3570k not being stable at 4.6GHz, might have to add a bit more IMC voltage heh


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Huh...it's been quite a few days now hope I can get the HD 7970


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> We have answered that question before. Are you believing all the "military components" gibberish that supposedly come with the custom cards?


Hmm...i asked you specifcally cause you seem to praise them all the time and now i know why


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hmm...i asked you specifcally cause you seem to praise them all the time and now i know why


Praise? I buy them because they are better, and i learned that the hard way.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Praise? I buy them because they are better, and i learned that the hard way.


Hmm...limme guess your old Vapor-X 7950 i heard you talk about it once


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hmm...limme guess your old Vapor-X 7950 i heard you talk about it once


Nope, that card was decent. Im talking about my dreaded overhyped ASUS 7970 Matrix Platinum.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Nope, that card was decent. Im talking about my dreaded overhyped ASUS 7970 Matrix Platinum.


The PLATINUM and there was i thinking it's the best after market 7970 all this hype for nothing then guess i'll stick with sapphire they are the best ones on AMD side and that's from experience i owned 2 of thier cards and now i'm getting the third one


----------



## d1nky

btw asus fan profile is meant to be silent.

maxs at about 30% at 65*c..... its because the heatsink is effective enough not have the fans at 50%+


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> btw asus fan profile is meant to be silent.
> 
> maxs at about 30% at 65*c..... its because the heatsink is effective enough not have the fans at 50%+


Ref heatsink spins about 10% faster at those temps. LOL GZ ASUS.


----------



## d1nky

noise will be the difference tho....


----------



## keymaster07

Sorry to interrupt.
I just wanted to know how good is this overclock for my HD 7950 Vapor X 1060/1550 stock voltage.
How does that OC compare to HD7970 GHZ / GTX 670 OC?

When I try to push past Core 1075, it crashes and Display driver will stop working...and if my memory goes past 1575 it crashes as well.
Also, when I put my power limit to 20%, I can hear a high pitch sound coming from my pc, like its from my PSU or something, so i lowered it to 5% power limit.

Thanks
Key


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keymaster07*
> 
> Sorry to interrupt.
> I just wanted to know how good is this overclock for my HD 7950 Vapor X 1060/1550 stock voltage.
> How does that OC compare to HD7970 GHZ / GTX 670 OC?
> 
> When I try to push past Core 1075, it crashes and Display driver will stop working...and if my memory goes past 1575 it crashes as well.
> Also, when I put my power limit to 20%, I can hear a high pitch sound coming from my pc, like its from my PSU or something, so i lowered it to 5% power limit.
> 
> Thanks
> Key


... Put PL to 20% and increase voltage for higher clocks.


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Myyu*
> 
> LOL. That is going in my sig. Thats the funniest thing I've seen/read/heard all week!


Well golly gee that makes me a little excited.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1411365/help-to-downclock-cfx-7950s-when-idle/0_40
> 
> 
> 
> I replied already, just change it to *with PowerPlay support.*
Click to expand...











I can't think of one good reason to go with powerplay support enabled.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can't think of one good reason to go with powerplay support enabled.


I already told him to set a 2d profile but w/e


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can't think of one good reason to go with powerplay support enabled.
> 
> 
> 
> I already told him to set a 2d profile but w/e
Click to expand...

It's strange that you have to mention that. It should be like wearing underwear or brushing teeth.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's strange that you have to mention that. It should be like wearing underwear or brushing teeth.


Here first we OC then we do a proper research.


----------



## Erick Silver

OK Guys(and gals if their are any). I will be receiving my Sapphire HD7950 Vapor X on Monday. Wanted to know what were the best drivers for me to use right now?

I have not had a ATI GPU since I joined OCN when I had a 1.6Ghz Dual Core Celeron and an HD2600 XT GPU. Its been a while....


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Here first we OC then we do a proper research.


no, we choose a card from pretty pictures and neat featureres, then we OC, then we research, then we regret, then we buy a reference?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> OK Guys(and gals if their are any). I will be receiving my Sapphire HD7950 Vapor X on Monday. Wanted to know what were the best drivers for me to use right now?


13.1 I don't remember having issues with, though I cant remember which version had the more efficient bench scores...
prob just go with 13.4 (latest release), or the 13.6 beta if you want...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> no, we choose a card from pretty pictures and neat featureres, then we OC, then we research, then we regret, then we buy a reference?
> 13.1 I don't remember having issues with, though I cant remember which version had the more efficient bench scores...
> prob just go with 13.4 (latest release), or the 13.6 beta if you want...


Oh you regret the DC2? Break it in half, TSM will use it as a profile pic and call it a chair. Then you end up getting a ref and you will be super satisfied!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Oh you regret the DC2? Break it in half, TSM will use it as a profile pic and call it a chair. Then you end up getting a ref and you will be super satisfied!


atm Ill be looking to getting a reference, ~380AUD, then try selling this DCII on ebay for 400 bucks or more.

reference card that comes with all the adapters needed for eyefinity, 20 bucks or more money gain, OC potential, profit?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> atm Ill be looking to getting a reference, ~380AUD, then try selling this DCII on ebay for 400 bucks or more.
> 
> reference card that comes with all the adapters needed for eyefinity, 20 bucks or more money gain, OC potential, profit?


No boost bios, no stupid coolers or "military components" You're not forced to use GPU Tweak like i was with my Matrix. No stupid lights, it fits all waterblocks. It FITS IN MY TESTBENCH WITH THE HANDLE!


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> No boost bios, no stupid coolers or "military components" You're not forced to use GPU Tweak like i was with my Matrix. No stupid lights, it fits all waterblocks. It FITS IN MY TESTBENCH WITH THE HANDLE!


Military components or bust.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> Military components or bust.


Yea MSI likes to advertise about their military components! I bet your GPU boxes have planes on them lol

MSI: "YEA, THE GPUS ARE MADE OUT OF THE PLANES YOU CAN SEE ON OUR BOXES."


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> no, we choose a card from pretty pictures and neat featureres, then we OC, then we research, then we regret, then we buy a reference?


actually I just realized I forgot the "pointless and costly RMA because of stupid software bugs" part...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> Military components or bust.


pretty sure all the cards use the same solid caps etc, think only sapphire actually gets parts from a different source with sometimes funky noise results (albeit rare), besides, whats not to say they are actually recycled from older cards? anyone think of that...?


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yea MSI likes to advertise about their military components! I bet your GPU boxes have planes on them lol
> 
> MSI: "YEA, THE GPUS ARE MADE OUT OF THE PLANES YOU CAN SEE ON OUR BOXES."


They cargo dropped it to my house within a hour of ordering it.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yea MSI likes to advertise about their military components! I bet your GPU boxes have planes on them lol
> 
> MSI: "YEA, THE GPUS ARE MADE OUT OF THE PLANES YOU CAN SEE ON OUR BOXES."


Has to be military grade components, or the gpu might not survive a big bang from the mobo.

I thought reference cards were preferred for waterblock compatibility. With air & water cooling reference or non-reference PCBs don't usually make much difference since the OC is pretty much up to getting good silicon on the PCB, for extreme overclocking the non-reference PCBs do come out ahead though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Has to be military grade components, or the gpu might not survive a big bang from the mobo.
> 
> I thought reference cards were preferred for waterblock compatibility. With air & water cooling reference or non-reference PCBs don't usually make much difference since the OC is pretty much up to getting good silicon on the PCB, for extreme overclocking the non-reference PCBs do come out ahead though.


non-reference cards that use reference PCB are usually pretty good, but the reference cooler is pretty much the best without modding, but can be pretty loud.
as for extreme OCs, your modding the card a fair bit so cards with more power phases etc would have their parts utilized, otherwise standard software-controlled clocking the reference seems to come out on top all the time...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> non-reference cards that use reference PCB are usually pretty good, but the reference cooler is pretty much the best without modding, but can be pretty loud.
> as for extreme OCs, your modding the card a fair bit so cards with more power phases etc would have their parts utilized, otherwise standard software-controlled clocking the reference seems to come out on top all the time...


Non reference boards that use ref PCB?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Non reference boards that use ref PCB?


What? I want that card


----------



## d1nky

LOL^^^


----------



## tsm106

I think my reference or bust mantra has now gained some traction.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I think my reference or bust mantra has now gained some traction.


bless....

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/679994
too hot to clock any higher but nearly 8k on a not so good lil system


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Non reference boards that use ref PCB?


pretty sure there were a couple that used full reference, though with minor differences, might only be in the first few versions though...


----------



## d1nky

the board is the pcb..................

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printed_circuit_board


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I think my reference or bust mantra has now gained some traction.
> 
> 
> 
> bless....
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/679994
> too hot to clock any higher but nearly 8k on a not so good lil system
Click to expand...

Hi5 for ref pcb. Need more cpu and water but good clocks nonetheless on that cooler.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/221487

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Non reference boards that use ref PCB?
> 
> 
> 
> pretty sure there were a couple that used full reference, though with minor differences, might only be in the first few versions though...
Click to expand...

Only one I know of is the original Sapphire OC and that was a keeper.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hi5 for ref pcb. Need more cpu and water but good clocks nonetheless on that cooler.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/221487


LOL an 8350 n 7950 2k away from 3930k/7970

shouldnt that be an extreme score??

yea i keep looking at waterblocks and thinking about it, or buying a 7970


----------



## sugarhell

No its not 2 k. Its 8k on physics and 1500 on gpu score which is huge


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> LOL an 8350 n 7950 2k away from 3930k/7970
> 
> shouldnt that be an extreme score??
> 
> yea i keep looking at waterblocks and thinking about it, or buying a 7970


TSM's could just about qualify, he's only a few hundred points behind my extreme cooled 7970 & 3770k.
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/109990


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> TSM's could just about qualify, he's only a few hundred points behind my extreme cooled 7970 & 3770k.
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/109990


_Core clock 1,617 MHz_

Dear lord


----------



## tsm106

Regular old water baby!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

@Rangerjr1 I want to know what happened to your Asus Matrix platinum


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @Rangerjr1 I want to know what happened to your Asus Matrix platinum


I snapped it in half.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> the board is the pcb..................
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printed_circuit_board


obviously, though I said card not board...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I snapped it in half.


0_o lol what?
Seriously what happened?


----------



## tsm106

It's forever memorialized in my profile pic lol.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> 0_o lol what?
> Seriously what happened?


nothing happened, just nothing...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> nothing happened, just nothing...


Then why does he hate it so much?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Then why does he hate it so much?


He stole his wife and they run to asus rma center to stay there forever.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> pretty sure there were a couple that used full reference, though with minor differences, might only be in the first few versions though...


Both of mine are pretty much reference, the Sapphire 2L's are fully reference actually. It has the AMD logo printed above the PCI-E slot and I have compared it to pictures of reference PCB'd 7950's. Keep in mind that the waterblocks that say "Fits 79x0" or "7950/7970" will NOT fit a true reference 7950, but will fit a 7950 with a 7970 PCB.

Oh and the HIS Turbo is basically a reference too, the only difference I can see is more VRM's physically, whether that be more lesser quality ones or just more I don't know. I've got them both running the same BIOS though








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> He stole his wife and they run to asus rma center to stay there forever.


Haha, Wow... But really why destroy a ~$600 card that you could have sold?

EDIT: I see it died and they wouldn't RMA it.. Wow what.... Idiots, lets say idiots.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Both of mine are pretty much reference, the Sapphire 2L's are fully reference actually. It has the AMD logo printed above the PCI-E slot and I have compared it to pictures of reference PCB'd 7950's. Keep in mind that the waterblocks that say "Fits 79x0" or "7950/7970" will NOT fit a true reference 7950, but will fit a 7950 with a 7970 PCB.
> 
> Oh and the HIS Turbo is basically a reference too, the only difference I can see is more VRM's physically, whether that be more lesser quality ones or just more I don't know. I've got them both running the same BIOS though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Haha, Wow... But really why destroy a ~$600 card that you could have sold?
> 
> EDIT: I see it died and they wouldn't RMA it.. Wow what.... Idiots, lets say idiots.


I broke the card becasue it was a crap card anyways. Even if i could RMA it i wouldnt want a second Matrix.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I broke the card becasue it was a crap card anyways. Even if i could RMA it i wouldnt want a second Matrix.


Could have RMA'd it and sold it?
Oh well good to know to stay away from them myself..

I guess you could say it's an overglorified *overclocking card* for people that don't know anything..
Because unless you're nVidia any card can be overclocked 99% of the time.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Could have RMA'd it and sold it?
> Oh well good to know to stay away from them myself..
> 
> I guess you could say it's an overglorified *overclocking card* for people that don't know anything..
> Because unless you're nVidia any card can be overclocked 99% of the time.


Yep, i was really gullible at the time i bought it. Didnt know much at all. tsm and sugarhell welcomed me with their arms and trained me to who i am today!


----------



## Mega Man

HEY ! i helped too...... besides the ref hs is the most sexay HS ever... loved blowers since my first gpu which i still have today..

lets see if i can remember the name properly x850 xt PE


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> HEY ! i helped too...... besides the ref hs is the most sexay HS ever... loved blowers since my first gpu which i still have today..
> 
> lets see if i can remember the name properly x850 xt PE


I think we all like blowers








Hehehehe,

I do like the reference ones, but the reason why I'm now going to get reference is for the VRM's being cooled properly with the stock cooler and that I can waterblock it in the future, or get some artic coolers like my current cards have!


----------



## Erick Silver

I have been looking into getting one of the Arctic coolers for a while. They any good?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I have been looking into getting one of the Arctic coolers for a while. They any good?


not sure if they can get much lower temps then the reference cooler (ref. has a passive heat plate), but I'm pretty sure they are quiet...


----------



## Erick Silver

I have a GTX560SE that I need a new cooler on. was not sure on what to get...

But since I will be upgrading to the 7950 here next week it can wait...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> not sure if they can get much lower temps then the reference cooler (ref. has a passive heat plate), but I'm pretty sure they are quiet...


They are sure silent! At 90% fan speed they're barely audible! (I have two).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I have been looking into getting one of the Arctic coolers for a while. They any good?


They're really quiet as I mentioned, unless you go above 90%+, but with headphones on I can't really hear them and the PC is right next to my ear haha.
They are massive and I need to cable tie them to the case, otherwise they sag too much and it loses connection to the PCI-E slot,

I'm still trying to sort out VRM cooling on one of the cards, thinking of "modding" the plate that came with the Sapphire to fit, however the HIS' plate fits fine and I run it with that because it puts pressure on the VRM's which cools them a lot better then what some aluminium sinks thermally taped do, they do fall off too so I'm trying to source a plate of some sort, I'll probably end up modding the Sapphire one and thermal taping the aluminum sinks to that though. It also provides some extra strength to the PCB to assist in keeping it flat, (cable ties are still needed).

Temps are ~68c on full load on the top card, bottom card is obviously a bit cooler running in at 55-60c depending on how well stuff is scaling, this is at 1100MHz @ 1.22v though, VRM's on the top card top out at 95c after about ~30 minutes of MSI Kombustor at that setting with both cards, (that's the one with the aluminum sinks), can't read the second card due to a software issue (Hence why it's on the bottom!).

Never see anywhere near 90c in games though, BF3 is hitting ~75c on the VRM's and 65c on the core max really, might be a bit more after say 4+ hours straight but it's still decent.
My stock coolers were hitting almost 70c at stock, so I'm fairly happy with this and they're so much quieter!









I would say get them if you want a moderate OC (Nothing crazy), but moreso keeping it quiet.

Oh and the newer ones come with MX-2 applied, pull it off straight away because it is really way too much paste. Don't use the thermal glue either, get some seskui #5760 or something like it, it doesn't work well for the VRM's though.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> obviously, though I said card not board...


you said ''Non reference boards that use ref PCB?''


----------



## alancsalt

Paul17041993 used the words he quoted. Rangerjr1 used the words u quoted.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> *non-reference cards that use reference PCB* are usually pretty good, but the reference cooler is pretty much the best without modding, but can be pretty loud.
> as for extreme OCs, your modding the card a fair bit so cards with more power phases etc would have their parts utilized, otherwise standard software-controlled clocking the reference seems to come out on top all the time...
> 
> 
> 
> Non reference boards that use ref PCB?
Click to expand...

Does it matter...?


----------



## d1nky

yes..... because someone messed up and made someone else look like a silly billy!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I broke the card becasue it was a crap card anyways. Even if i could RMA it i wouldnt want a second Matrix.


LOL so you weren't joking O_O


----------



## jjpctech

Want some 7990 Epic Prone?

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_104549_zps500747b3.jpg.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_104556_zpsb16c0a5b.jpg.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_110908_zpsfb89802c.jpg.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_144022_zps82591e1b.jpg.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_145821_zps07a356a9.jpg.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130719_124654_zpse4b77572.jpg.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00016_zps4bc839c5.png.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00023_zpsac19c927.jpg.html

I am happy considering it was a £400 card from ebay that was faulty and VTX3D Replaced it under warranty


----------



## kcuestag

Nice purchase, may I ask what that cable on the PCB is for? I reckon you aren't running any fan on the GPU so wondering what's it actually for.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jjpctech*
> 
> I am happy considering it was a £400 card from ebay that was faulty and VTX3D Replaced it under warranty


Wow that's a wonderful deal! Nice block as well.

What is that extra clear-looking adapter on your old block? It looks similar to my EK 7950 block, but I don't have the clear part.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Nice purchase, may I ask what that cable on the PCB is for? I reckon you aren't running any fan on the GPU so wondering what's it actually for.


Wouldn't it be for the red light at the back?


----------



## ConradTP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Nice purchase, may I ask what that cable on the PCB is for? I reckon you aren't running any fan on the GPU so wondering what's it actually for.


I think it's for the dual-bios switch mounted on the rear bracket.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> They are sure silent! At 90% fan speed they're barely audible! (I have two).
> They're really quiet as I mentioned, unless you go above 90%+, but with headphones on I can't really hear them and the PC is right next to my ear haha.
> They are massive and I need to cable tie them to the case, otherwise they sag too much and it loses connection to the PCI-E slot,
> 
> I'm still trying to sort out VRM cooling on one of the cards, thinking of "modding" the plate that came with the Sapphire to fit, however the HIS' plate fits fine and I run it with that because it puts pressure on the VRM's which cools them a lot better then what some aluminium sinks thermally taped do, they do fall off too so I'm trying to source a plate of some sort, I'll probably end up modding the Sapphire one and thermal taping the aluminum sinks to that though. It also provides some extra strength to the PCB to assist in keeping it flat, (cable ties are still needed).
> 
> Temps are ~68c on full load on the top card, bottom card is obviously a bit cooler running in at 55-60c depending on how well stuff is scaling, this is at 1100MHz @ 1.22v though, VRM's on the top card top out at 95c after about ~30 minutes of MSI Kombustor at that setting with both cards, (that's the one with the aluminum sinks), can't read the second card due to a software issue (Hence why it's on the bottom!).
> 
> Never see anywhere near 90c in games though, BF3 is hitting ~75c on the VRM's and 65c on the core max really, might be a bit more after say 4+ hours straight but it's still decent.
> My stock coolers were hitting almost 70c at stock, so I'm fairly happy with this and they're so much quieter!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I would say get them if you want a moderate OC (Nothing crazy), but moreso keeping it quiet.
> *
> Oh and the newer ones come with MX-2 applied, pull it off straight away because it is really way too much paste. Don't use the thermal glue either, get some seskui #5760 or something like it, it doesn't work well for the VRM's though.*


underline - thats cool? i can do 1.4 in bios with my board and it barely hits 40 c ...

bold very very true ( serious note ) and very very good advice
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> LOL so you weren't joking O_O


o no he is not
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jjpctech*
> 
> Want some 7990 Epic Prone?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_104549_zps500747b3.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_104556_zpsb16c0a5b.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_110908_zpsfb89802c.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_144022_zps82591e1b.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_145821_zps07a356a9.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130719_124654_zpse4b77572.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00016_zps4bc839c5.png.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00023_zpsac19c927.jpg.html
> 
> 
> I am happy considering it was a £400 card from ebay that was faulty and VTX3D Replaced it under warranty


very nice
epic


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jjpctech*
> 
> Want some 7990 Epic Prone?
> 
> I am happy considering it was a £400 card from ebay that was faulty and VTX3D Replaced it under warranty


Awesome card and great deal


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> HEY ! i helped too...... besides the ref hs is the most sexay HS ever... loved blowers since my first gpu which i still have today..
> 
> lets see if i can remember the name properly x850 xt PE


Yes you did my friend!


----------



## jjpctech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Nice purchase, may I ask what that cable on the PCB is for? I reckon you aren't running any fan on the GPU so wondering what's it actually for.


Its the Dual Bios Button wires.

Unlocks voltage control and some extra clock speeds when pressed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Wow that's a wonderful deal! Nice block as well.
> 
> What is that extra clear-looking adapter on your old block? It looks similar to my EK 7950 block, but I don't have the clear part.


That is a DirectCUII 7970, Unfortunately the EK blocks made to fir them didn't have any way to have I/O for the tubes facing up so i made a batch that will link up with a EK xfire link to allow it.
Looks cool with UV coolant
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Awesome card and great deal


Thanks









It maxes out at 1140/1700 on the weaker GPU but performs very well in games


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jjpctech*
> 
> Want some 7990 Epic Prone?
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_104549_zps500747b3.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_104556_zpsb16c0a5b.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_110908_zpsfb89802c.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_144022_zps82591e1b.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_145821_zps07a356a9.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130719_124654_zpse4b77572.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00016_zps4bc839c5.png.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00023_zpsac19c927.jpg.html
> 
> I am happy considering it was a £400 card from ebay that was faulty and VTX3D Replaced it under warranty


what is the chip in between the two gpus?


----------



## jdc122

can anyone share with me why Vapor-X cards are disliked? i can see a good deal on one that i can use for mining, should i not get one?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> what is the chip in between the two gpus?


PLX chip i think


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> can anyone share with me why Vapor-X cards are disliked? i can see a good deal on one that i can use for mining, should i not get one?
> PLX chip i think


Custom PCB with boost bios.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Custom PCB with boost bios.


so dont buy it?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> so dont buy it?


If you're as picky as me then no.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> If you're as picky as me then no.


i might be able to get two ref 6970's instead?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> i might be able to get two ref 6970's instead?


Yea that would be better for mining!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yea that would be better for mining!


Depends on power costs...do the math yourselves.
You can use trixx 4.04b mod and still undervolt and oc to mine, and you can flash a non boost bios to get good performance (stock boost bios sucks for mining).
You can get between 700-800kh/s with one. With two 6970s you get to 1000kh/s, but they draw 250w each, vs 200w on the undervolted 7970.
You don't push core and mem and add volts like there's no tomorrow to mine, so, yeah, ref card for mining...if you live somewhere close to it, it'll drive you nuts.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> what is the chip in between the two gpus?


that little silver chip is basically a little "bridge" that allows the two GPUs to share the same PCIe slot effectively, most/all dual-gpu cards have them.

side note, not enough room left for the watercooled DCII...?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that little silver chip is basically a little "bridge" that allows the two GPUs to share the same PCIe slot effectively, most/all dual-gpu cards have them.
> 
> side note, not enough room left for the watercooled DCII...?


Oh thats a DC2? Trash it!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that little silver chip is basically a little "bridge" that allows the two GPUs to share the same PCIe slot effectively, most/all dual-gpu cards have them.
> 
> side note, not enough room left for the watercooled DCII...?


most? You should remove it ;p


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> most? You should remove it ;p


;p;p;p


----------



## Matt-Matt

Hey guys,

Which 7950 is the best out of all of these? It's for a mate and he's only going to run a single card and probably run stock unless, I hope to put a non-boost BIOS on it too because I've had a bad experience with them. Will probably run at 1000MHz, or 1100MHz depending how good it is.

Gigabyte Tri-cool
MSI Twin Frozr
Sapphire 7950 OC *looks to be a 3L so I'm thinking no*
Sapphire VapourX
Asus DC2 *Tri-Slot*
HIS IceQ Turbo - Considering this, I loved mine.
Reference Sapphire - Best value of the lot! - Would add an accelero to it because it's worth it I think, despite voiding the warranty









So far the Gigabyte is probably going to be the way I'll go, I would get a reference and put an artic accelero on it if I could but I can't and I'd rather not tear the card apart from stock as it will allow him to keep the warranty intact.

Also didn't like my own Sapphire 2L cooler, did like that the card was reference but the cooler was bad and the fan broke and they wouldn't honor it because it still worked.

EDIT: That or a 7870 maybe.. I think the 7950 is a better choice as he can afford it and the core is faster albeit the extra memory not being needed.


----------



## Snuckie7

Anyone know of a nice backplate I can get for a 7970 PCB 7950?

My card is starting to sag already


----------



## Kokin

Just go for the reference and Accelero cooler.







BTW the reference you linked was HIS, not Sapphire.

Warranty isn't really void if you can put back the stock heatsink. You also have to make sure you save the original BIOS if you were to try different BIOS for the card, so make sure to reflash the original before you RMA.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Just go for the reference and Accelero cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BTW the reference you linked was HIS, not Sapphire.
> 
> Warranty isn't really void if you can put back the stock heatsink. You also have to make sure you save the original BIOS if you were to try different BIOS for the card, so make sure to reflash the original before you RMA.


Of course! I know on my Sapphire 2L it had like a rubber type thing that I had to pull of (with a lot of force), to show that I've removed the heatsink so that's why I was wondering. Scumbag Sapphire









Considering the MSI honestly, a lot easier and he won't be going for "Massive overclocks" and the fact that it has a side window and will look nicer with it's black PCB and metal chassis, unlike the other cards.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Anyone know of a nice backplate I can get for a 7970 PCB 7950?
> 
> My card is starting to sag already


That's not too bad.. Use a black cable tie to hold it up!


----------



## Kokin

By all means the Twin Frozr is a good choice. I'm not sure if the PCB is pure black as my non-TF MSI card is a dark brown color.


----------



## raghu78

Gigabyte HD 7950 comes with 1000 mhz boost clocks out of the box. its voltage locked. 1100 mhz should be easy to achieve on that card at stock voltage of 1.25v. the windforce3x is a good cooler.


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Anyone know of a nice backplate I can get for a 7970 PCB 7950?
> 
> My card is starting to sag already


First off, I'm OCD, so try to forgive.

From an engineering POV a backplate is not going to add a lot of torsional rigidity. A triangular bracket, a post, or a hanger would be more effective. For most of us though, it's about what looks good, so a backplate might be as far as you're prepared to go. Generally using cable ties may be effective, but not everyone would like the look.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> By all means the Twin Frozr is a good choice. I'm not sure if the PCB is pure black as my non-TF MSI card is a dark brown color.


Yeah, well dark brown/black isn't really distinguishable unless you're looking at it for too long








It will probably look better then a Gigabyte with say a blue PCB








I had a 6870 Hawk myself and personally I miss the quality of the cooler so I will probably get a MSI card I think.. Not too sure still! What are your temps like, moreso worried about the VRM's.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> Gigabyte HD 7950 comes with 1000 mhz boost clocks out of the box. its voltage locked. 1100 mhz should be easy to achieve on that card at stock voltage of 1.25v. the windforce3x is a good cooler.


That's the thing, I don't want it to run 1.25v all the time because that's a lot of heat and it's stuck there. Almost all cards should do 1100MHz at 1.25v and more like 1150MHz which I guess could just be set.
Used a Gigabyte 570 Tri-Cool and while it was OK the quality of it wasn't the best and it didn't look as good as the MSI.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Yeah, well dark brown/black isn't really distinguishable unless you're looking at it for too long
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It will probably look better then a Gigabyte with say a blue PCB
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had a 6870 Hawk myself and personally I miss the quality of the cooler so I will probably get a MSI card I think.. Not too sure still! What are your temps like, moreso worried about the VRM's.
> That's the thing, I don't want it to run 1.25v all the time because that's a lot of heat and it's stuck there. Almost all cards should do 1100MHz at 1.25v and more like 1150MHz which I guess could just be set.
> Used a Gigabyte 570 Tri-Cool and while it was OK the quality of it wasn't the best and it didn't look as good as the MSI.


Yeah nothing really beats the look of the Twin Frozr (for me personally). I have my 7950 watercooled with a full cover block, so my VRMs are typically just a few C higher than my core temps.

My typical settings are: 950/1400 @ 1.087V/1.6V - Core + VRMs are at low 40C at full load.

If extra power is needed and I'm playing full res (3240x1920) I use either: 1100/1600 @ 1.225V/1.637V (high 40C) or 1250/1750 @ 1.381V/1.65V (low to mid 50C and VRMs can reach 60C+)


----------



## Mega Man

you can also use fishing line i have been told.... ( to support the card from sagging )


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> most? You should remove it ;p


shush you maby i was referring to something









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Anyone know of a nice backplate I can get for a 7970 PCB 7950?
> 
> My card is starting to sag already


tilt the case on its front and enjoy silverstone-style cooling!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you can also use fishing line i have been told.... ( to support the card from sagging )


yea decent fishingline should be strong enough...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yeah nothing really beats the look of the Twin Frozr (for me personally). I have my 7950 watercooled with a full cover block, so my VRMs are typically just a few C higher than my core temps.
> 
> My typical settings are: 950/1400 @ 1.087V/1.6V - Core + VRMs are at low 40C at full load.
> 
> If extra power is needed and I'm playing full res (3240x1920) I use either: 1100/1600 @ 1.225V/1.637V (high 40C) or 1250/1750 @ 1.381V/1.65V (low to mid 50C and VRMs can reach 60C+)


No idea what it was with the stock cooler?








Or at least is the VRM plate/sink any good?


----------



## Kokin

Well I have the non-TF version so it is the reference cooler (v2 of course). Newegg Link

Temps were actually pretty bad and there were no heatsinks for the VRMs nor the memory. I would definitely not recommend the reference cooler unless you're planning on putting a waterblock or aftermarket heatsink on it. Any 2~3 fan cooler will outclass the reference cooler even if there are no memory/VRM heatsinks.

This is what it looks like though:


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Of course! I know on my Sapphire 2L it had like a rubber type thing that I had to pull of (with a lot of force), to show that I've removed the heatsink so that's why I was wondering. Scumbag Sapphire


Yeah - sapphire warranty sucks in this regard. As soon as the stock heatsink comes off then the warranty is void if they can somehow prove it according to their warranty conditions on their site. When possible I always try to go with the companies with a more reasonable warranty conditions even if it costs me slight premium, like, for example Club3D. Unfortunately I needed a card which can do 5 screens and Sapphire was the only 7950 series which could do it at the time (the Club3D MST hubs were not available back then). So I have now Sapphire 7950 FleX OC.

Already tried to put a Heatkiller Core block on it but did not fit, that additional heat spreader got in the way so I will need to find a smaller block for that core. I would like to keep the heatspreader on the VRM's / RAM.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Well I have the non-TF version so it is the reference cooler (v2 of course). Newegg Link
> 
> Temps were actually pretty bad and there were no heatsinks for the VRMs nor the memory. I would definitely not recommend the reference cooler unless you're planning on putting a waterblock or aftermarket heatsink on it. Any 2~3 fan cooler will outclass the reference cooler even if there are no memory/VRM heatsinks.
> 
> This is what it looks like though:


Looks great! Yeah well we won't be watercooling that! I only just ventured into that myself!
Yeah I guess I'll be looking around still, want to try and get one off a certain site because I want to buy some speakers too... And I'll save on shipping








He'll probably want to buy off PC Case Gear though as that's where the other stuff was from.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Yeah - sapphire warranty sucks in this regard. As soon as the stock heatsink comes off then the warranty is void if they can somehow prove it according to their warranty conditions on their site. When possible I always try to go with the companies with a more reasonable warranty conditions even if it costs me slight premium, like, for example Club3D. Unfortunately I needed a card which can do 5 screens and Sapphire was the only 7950 series which could do it at the time (the Club3D MST hubs were not available back then). So I have now Sapphire 7950 FleX OC.
> 
> Already tried to put a Heatkiller Core block on it but did not fit, that additional heat spreader got in the way so I will need to find a smaller block for that core. I would like to keep the heatspreader on the VRM's / RAM.


Get a multi-fit block and not a full cover? Fullcovers are sexy and all but it's like a woman... Hard to find and when you do really expensive, sometimes there are compatability issues too


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Get a multi-fit block and not a full cover? Fullcovers are sexy and all but it's like a woman... Hard to find and when you do really expensive, sometimes there are compatability issues too


Haha great analogy.

He actually does have a universal block, but even those are not one-size-fits-all.









http://shop.watercool.de/HEATKILLER-GPU-X-Core-LC/en


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

What are you guys benchmarking with Crossfire 7950s?


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Haha great analogy.
> 
> He actually does have a universal block, but even those are not one-size-fits-all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://shop.watercool.de/HEATKILLER-GPU-X-Core-LC/en


Indeed. These Heatkiller core blocks don't want to go on Sapphire 7950 FleX with that heat spreader present. The area marked in red will get in the way.


If I cut the underlying heat spreader then putting the stock heat sink back will not help me if I need to put the card through warranty should it fail. So I would really prefer to keep that one intact. Will need a smaller block. Atm thinking about getting either EK VGA Supermacy bridge acetal or Alphacool HF 14 ATI/NVidia Smart Motion Universal Copper Edition which is also somewhat cheaper and smaller (just 40 x 40 mm base against heatkillers 59 x 55 mm). But I'm still thinking about it some. The EK block is atm out of stock but should come available again on thursday in their web shop so not in hurry with that decision. Wont need it before mid august anyway as wont have time before that to put blocks on anyway.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Haha great analogy.
> 
> He actually does have a universal block, but even those are not one-size-fits-all.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://shop.watercool.de/HEATKILLER-GPU-X-Core-LC/en


Oh yep, I see. Well they should be








But if you actually see what I replied to the guy with the block. It's Sapphires problem, not the blocks and good luck finding a block that will fit with that plate on..
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Indeed. These Heatkiller core blocks don't want to go on Sapphire 7950 FleX with that heat spreader present. The area marked in red will get in the way.
> 
> 
> If I cut the underlying heat spreader then putting the stock heat sink back will not help me if I need to put the card through warranty should it fail. So I would really prefer to keep that one intact. Will need a smaller block. Atm thinking about getting either EK VGA Supermacy bridge acetal or Alphacool HF 14 ATI/NVidia Smart Motion Universal Copper Edition which is also somewhat cheaper and smaller (just 40 x 40 mm base against heatkillers 59 x 55 mm). But I'm still thinking about it some. The EK block is atm out of stock but should come available again on thursday in their web shop so not in hurry with that decision. Wont need it before mid august anyway as wont have time before that to put blocks on anyway.


It's the same with my Artic Accelero Extreme 7970 coolers..
Going to get a dremel/some tool and cut it away, it's the only way because the cooling plate is better then what any "thermal tape + sinks" can do because it will be permanently on with screws unlike the tape, which from my experience falls off.

What's interesting is that my HIS IceQ plate fits fine..


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Sadly no HD 7970 for me i can't belive i can't find any in any store :/ here so i'm searching for 7950 so far i found this one
http://www.egprices.com/product.php?id=13519
Oh well anyway i'm gonna upgrade when i need to


----------



## Erick Silver

It has arrived!!!!











Installation and tweaking will happen tonight when I get home from work.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Sadly no HD 7970 for me i can't belive i can't find any in any store :/ here so i'm searching for 7950 so far i found this one
> http://www.egprices.com/product.php?id=13519
> Oh well anyway i'm gonna upgrade when i need to


http://www.egprices.com/search.php?q=HD+7970

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It has arrived!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Installation and tweaking will happen tonight when I get home from work.


be careful. i know you are coming from a nvidia gpu. read this . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread

enjoy!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> http://www.egprices.com/search.php?q=HD+7970
> be careful. i know you are coming from a nvidia gpu. read this . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread
> 
> enjoy!


Thanks but it's not there i checked by calling they're out of stock


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Thanks but it's not there i checked by calling they're out of stock


just take your 7950 to 1100/1575 and you have a 7970 GHz.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> just take your 7950 to 1100/1575 and you have a 7970 GHz.


not if its got elpida ram.....


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> just take your 7950 to 1100/1575 and you have a 7970 GHz.


I prefer 7970 1.22GHz


----------



## d1nky

i prefer chav girls to normal girls...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> not if its got elpida ram.....


Which my 7950 had lol


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Oh yep, I see. Well they should be
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But if you actually see what I replied to the guy with the block. It's Sapphires problem, not the blocks and good luck finding a block that will fit with that plate on..
> It's the same with my Artic Accelero Extreme 7970 coolers..
> Going to get a dremel/some tool and cut it away, it's the only way because the cooling plate is better then what any "thermal tape + sinks" can do because it will be permanently on with screws unlike the tape, which from my experience falls off.
> 
> What's interesting is that my HIS IceQ plate fits fine..


Yep - the thought certainly crossed my mind







Have even the new thermal pads ready in the box if I would like to go that route. Although I'm atm eyeballing this block: http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p12500_Alphacool-HF-14-ATI-NVidia-Smart-Motion-Universal-Copper-Edition.html - and trying to figure out if its small enough to bypass the Sapphire heatspreader. It's one of the cheapest GPU blocks but should still work pretty well in the end of the day as hey - its copper and there's water going thru it and that's all whats needed to make GPU's happy, they really love water. Under water in my impression you will hit volts which are not comfortable for 24/7 usage or the OC limit of the chip than a temperature problem when overclocking.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> just take your 7950 to 1100/1575 and you have a 7970 GHz.


I'll do that thanksanyways i can still upgrade later probably in a year or so i'll see then what amd has to offer with their 9000 series or nVidia with their 800 series


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I'll do that thanksanyways i can still upgrade later probably in a year or so i'll see then what amd has to offer with their 9000 series or nVidia with their 800 series


We dont speak about Nvidia in here.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> We dont speak about Nvidia in here.


LOL ok then whatever you say man


----------



## d1nky

we do as the 780 is a killer card but overpriced


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Hey i just wanted to know what's the difference between 7970 and 7950 are the cores different or is it difference in stream proccessors


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hey i just wanted to know what's the difference between 7970 and 7950 are the cores different or is it difference in stream proccessors


Stream processors.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> We dont speak about Nvidia in here.


Context.

For example, an appropriate pic of a 680 Lightning for an AMD thread



You never did get back to me about that matrix, so had to kill a 680.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Context.
> 
> For example, an appropriate pic of a 680 Lightning for an AMD thread
> 
> 
> 
> You never did get back to me about that matrix, so had to kill a 680.


For the VRM? hahahah yea sorry about that.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Somone that can put some information into my troubled mind?

My Sapphire 7950 OC Edition (1050/1500) is in for repair because of this problem.

I have grapficsbugs whatever i do, even if it's browsing the webb or even starting the pc (in the loadingscreen). Switched card to my good ol' trusty 4650 and i had no problems at all.

So i turned in the card after reinstalling my OS 2-3 times and drivers 4-6 times (including several older versions).

So, what do you think the problem is? Is it repairable? Or should i be prepeared that they call me and tell me that the card is busted for good?


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Somone that can put some information into my troubled mind?
> 
> My Sapphire 7950 OC Edition (1050/1500) is in for repair because of this problem.
> 
> I have grapficsbugs whatever i do, even if it's browsing the webb or even starting the pc (in the loadingscreen). Switched card to my good ol' trusty 4650 and i had no problems at all.
> 
> So i turned in the card after reinstalling my OS 2-3 times and drivers 4-6 times (including several older versions).
> 
> So, what do you think the problem is? Is it repairable? Or should i be prepeared that they call me and tell me that the card is busted for good?


i dont thinks its repairable, that sounds like a problem with the core itself rather than the pcb, however thats what a warranty is for so they'll just send you a new one back


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> i dont thinks its repairable, that sounds like a problem with the core itself rather than the pcb, however thats what a warranty is for so *they'll just send you a new one back*


One can hope that this would be the case. All too often has it not come up all roses though.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Oh man, it's almost like i wanna burst into tears.. SINCE THEY CAN'T REPLACE IT. It was the only one that they had left when i got it one year back. (That's the reason why i could chose between the 7950 and the 7870 when my 7870 got busted).

Damn it.. I hope they atleast get me a 7950, if i'm unlucky they will shoot me back to the 7870 again.









EDIT: When i called them before i sent it in i asked if it was replacable with the samel model, and the answer was no.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> One can hope that this would be the case. All too often has it not come up all roses though.


exact same was happening to my DCII, didn't get a usable card back till 4 months after purchase and even then, it was problematic...
then I found out it was all because of software triggering the card to shut down at random points for no reason, causing the whole system the lock up a second later and leave the screen at random colours...

@ LifeDisturbens ; you should get a new card back from them due to warranty, otherwise you will have to look at what drivers and software your using, my case I just need any asus software with any driver versions (literally, 11.12 through to 13.4) and the crashes are 100% replicateable.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> @ LifeDisturbens ; you should get a new card back from them due to warranty, otherwise you will have to look at what drivers and software your using, my case I just need any asus software with any driver versions (literally, 11.12 through to 13.4) and the crashes are 100% replicateable.


The only problem is that i will prob be stuck with a 7870 instead..


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> The only problem is that i will prob be stuck with a 7870 instead..


i dont think they'll dare downgrade you....


----------



## LifeDisturbens

When i bought the PC from the start a 7870 was originally in the PC, they just sent me a 7950 OC because it was the "closest" they had in at the moment. (If i had waited some days i would get another 7870, but i was lucky as hell).

So.. They would dare. Trust me.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> When i bought the PC from the start a 7870 was originally in the PC, they just sent me a 7950 OC because it was the "closest" they had in at the moment. (If i had waited some days i would get another 7870, but i was lucky as hell).
> 
> So.. They would dare. Trust me.


damn that's unfortunate... maby you could convince them to put a new reference 7950 in there? they are cheap as(s) chips these days...
though I'm pretty sure the 7950 should still have warranty if its only a year old, minimum 2 or 3 years from AMD I think...


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> damn that's unfortunate... maby you could convince them to put a new reference 7950 in there? they are cheap as(s) chips these days...
> though I'm pretty sure the 7950 should still have warranty if its only a year old, minimum 2 or 3 years from AMD I think...


I can get a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X 3/6 GB if i pay 100/200 euro. Or i atleast think i can, i red thier policy and it should be possible.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I can get a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X 3/6 GB if i pay 100/200 euro. Or i atleast think i can, i red thier policy and it should be possible.


Get the 6GB to lol in 770 owners faces.


----------



## Erick Silver

Oh I can't wait! My Sapphire HD7950 Vapor X was delivered 20 min before I had to be to work so I had to leave it at home. I am off in 1.5 hours and I plan on speeding home to my new fun!


----------



## Erick Silver

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! 15 MINUTES....DAMN YOU FATHER TIME!!!!!! MOVE YOUR AZZ!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It has arrived!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Installation and tweaking will happen tonight when I get home from work.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Yep - the thought certainly crossed my mind
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have even the new thermal pads ready in the box if I would like to go that route. Although I'm atm eyeballing this block: http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p12500_Alphacool-HF-14-ATI-NVidia-Smart-Motion-Universal-Copper-Edition.html - and trying to figure out if its small enough to bypass the Sapphire heatspreader. It's one of the cheapest GPU blocks but should still work pretty well in the end of the day as hey - its copper and there's water going thru it and that's all whats needed to make GPU's happy, they really love water. Under water in my impression you will hit volts which are not comfortable for 24/7 usage or the OC limit of the chip than a temperature problem when overclocking.


have you tried the swiftech gpu block ...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Oh I can't wait! My Sapphire HD7950 Vapor X was delivered 20 min before I had to be to work so I had to leave it at home. I am off in 1.5 hours and I plan on speeding home to my new fun!


congrats !~


----------



## Erick Silver

OK Guys. Here's the eye candy.
With the GTX560SE


My Mod after losing 2 or 3 fan blades during the Chimp Challenge



The GTX560SE next to the HD7950 for size comparison


The new hotness in the computer!


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> +1
> 
> 1.3V is the most i would recommend on air atleast.


My Vapor-X had no issues with temps at 1.3V atleast, topped out pretty much at 72-73C in anything with custom fan profile that wasn't even loud.
That was with Phobya thermal pads everywhere and CLU on the core.


----------



## Snuckie7

I'd say the max voltage would depend on your card's ASIC too. Low ASIC = low temps for a given voltage, high ASIC = higher temps at that voltage.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I'd say the max voltage would depend on your card's ASIC too. Low ASIC = low temps for a given voltage, high ASIC = higher temps at that voltage.


ASIC doesn't mean anything really.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> ASIC doesn't mean anything really.


It means a lot actually (if boost is factored out).

It just happens to have no bearing on max overclocks, but that isn't everything.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> It means a lot actually (if boost is factored out).
> 
> It just happens to have no bearing on max overclocks, but that isn't everything.


Yea, ASIC means very little when talking about max overclocks or overclockability in general, but it is true what Snuckie said about the temps, you cant just run 1,3V on a 90% ASIC card, just no...Maybe on water on very low ambients...

My 88,9% ASIC card got in the 70s before reapplying TIM @1,07V (barely over 1,0V actual...), right now even with liquid pro on it I hit the thermal wall @1,138V for 24/7 use, with room ambients in the low [email protected]% 1,2V was the max for benches. It would probably fry @1,3V (and throttle heavily before doing so...)

So yea, ASIC means something, but not in a way of high ASIC=better card or low ASIC=dud card.


----------



## Ribozyme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Yea, ASIC means very little when talking about max overclocks or overclockability in general, but it is true what Snuckie said about the temps, you cant just run 1,3V on a 90% ASIC card, just no...Maybe on water on very low ambients...
> 
> My 88,9% ASIC card got in the 70s before reapplying TIM @1,07V (barely over 1,0V actual...), right now even with liquid pro on it I hit the thermal wall @1,138V for 24/7 use, with room ambients in the low [email protected]% 1,2V was the max for benches. It would probably fry @1,3V (and throttle heavily before doing so...)
> 
> So yea, ASIC means something, but not in a way of high ASIC=better card or low ASIC=dud card.


What does ASIC mean then and could you elaborate a bit? I heard that it is a matter of voltage leak percentage?


----------



## bond32

So my 7970 is on water, my max overclock without artifacts is about 1240 on the core and 1800 on the mem, ASIC is 70%, is this a good overclock? I never thought it was considering the card never gets over 47C at load...


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> So my 7970 is on water, my max overclock without artifacts is about 1240 on the core and 1800 on the mem, ASIC is 70%, is this a good overclock? I never thought it was considering the card never gets over 47C at load...


It's decent. What overclocking software you using? Trixx?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> So my 7970 is on water, my max overclock without artifacts is about 1240 on the core and 1800 on the mem, ASIC is 70%, is this a good overclock? I never thought it was considering the card never gets over 47C at load...


Got my 7970 to 1300/1890 on air. Would probably get higher if my temps never went above 47c


----------



## Face2Face

Any of you guys think it's worth while putting CLU on my 7950? I have a 7950 with an Accelero and the temps start to rise to 62-63C after about a month of use. Whenever I install a fresh coat of MX4 the temps stay under 60c, then a month later they rise. I already have some CLU, just didn't know if anyone has seen good results?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Any of you guys think it's worth while putting CLU on my 7950? I have a 7950 with an Accelero and the temps start to rise to 62-63C after about a month of use. Whenever I install a fresh coat of MX4 the temps stay under 60c, then a month later they rise. I already have some CLU, just didn't know if anyone has seen good results?


could be just higher ambient. it was cooler a month ago. at least where i live.


----------



## MykaAurora

Feeding 1.363 Vcore ( In GPU Tweak ) into 7970 Matrix shouldn't be a problem right?


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> It's decent. What overclocking software you using? Trixx?


Trixx yes. 1.3 V too. I considered bios modification but every time I try to save the bios in gpuz the video card drivers crash... I will look into that later. But still I can't seem to get over 1240's without artifacts. Perhaps I need to still do some more tweaking.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Trixx yes. 1.3 V too. I considered bios modification but every time I try to save the bios in gpuz the video card drivers crash... I will look into that later. But still I can't seem to get over 1240's without artifacts. Perhaps I need to still do some more tweaking.


You cannot push higher than 1.3? What programs are you using to test the overclock? Try pushing the core further with stock memory.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> could be just higher ambient. it was cooler a month ago. at least where i live.


Yeah I hear it's getting hot up near New England. I am down in the South where it's really hot and humid this time of the year so temps shouldn't have changed. I don't think I will be delidding my 3570K, so I am trying to find use for this CLU.


----------



## MykaAurora

Since you guys wants to push it higher than 1.3 vCore so brings me to my 2nd question. What's the highest voltage this chip can handle?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Since you guys wants to push it higher than 1.3 vCore so brings me to my 2nd question. What's the highest voltage this chip can handle?


1.3v.

MSI afterburner will for example, hit under 1.3v when you set the target voltage @ 1.3.
Sapphire trixx can raise the target voltage to 1.38 to hit 1.3v actual.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> You cannot push higher than 1.3? What programs are you using to test the overclock? Try pushing the core further with stock memory.


I will try this for sure. Thanks for the info on the voltage. I can't push it higher than the 1.38 in trixx which it still reads lower in HWMonitor. Is there any other way to add more voltage?


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> So my 7970 is on water, my max overclock without artifacts is about 1240 on the core and 1800 on the mem, ASIC is 70%, is this a good overclock? I never thought it was considering the card never gets over 47C at load...


thats really good if you ask me i got same ASIC (70.9%) and i get artifacts at 1190 with 1.25v and memory max i can get to is 1554


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> 1.3v.
> 
> MSI afterburner will for example, hit under 1.3v when you set the target voltage @ 1.3.
> Sapphire trixx can raise the target voltage to 1.38 to hit 1.3v actual.


Though my card support hotwire by ASUS. So I think I'm able to feed higher than GPU Tweak limit which it 1.4 Vcore. IDK.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> I will try this for sure. Thanks for the info on the voltage. I can't push it higher than the 1.38 in trixx which it still reads lower in HWMonitor. Is there any other way to add more voltage?


No that is the max. If you use GPUz you should see the GPU sucking about 1.3v with target 1.38 set in trixx.

I recommend doing core first and memory after.

For stress testing the OC, use crysis 2 benchmark, good for core and memory, crysis & warhead - good for core, 3D Mark 11 - good for memory.

Avoid unigine valley or heaven for testing clocks.

It might be a case your chip just will not go further, but I would expect you to be hitting 1250 core with 1.3v target and 1300 or close with 1.38 target.

The higher you go though, diminishing returns.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Yea, ASIC means very little when talking about max overclocks or overclockability in general, but it is true what Snuckie said about the temps, you cant just run 1,3V on a 90% ASIC card, just no...Maybe on water on very low ambients...
> 
> My 88,9% ASIC card got in the 70s before reapplying TIM @1,07V (barely over 1,0V actual...), right now even with liquid pro on it I hit the thermal wall @1,138V for 24/7 use, with room ambients in the low [email protected]% 1,2V was the max for benches. It would probably fry @1,3V (and throttle heavily before doing so...)
> 
> So yea, ASIC means something, but not in a way of high ASIC=better card or low ASIC=dud card.


My temps were nearly identical on both my Vapor-X cards when I had Crossfire and ran them as single to find out max clocks.

First (and better) one was 58% or something and the second one was something like 86%.
I still dare to say that ASIC really doesn't mean anything at all.


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Avoid unigine valley or heaven for testing clocks.
> 
> .


why is that mate?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> My temps were nearly identical on both my Vapor-X cards when I had Crossfire and ran them as single to find out max clocks.
> 
> First (and better) one was 58% or something and the second one was something like 86%.
> I still dare to say that ASIC really doesn't mean anything at all.


If you tested a thousand chips you would probably see a pattern in ASIC %, but a lot of other variables. From what I have seen on this thread fir last 17 months, an ASIC of 70-76 is best for water cooling, on average.


----------



## MykaAurora

Come on, someone please give me the maximum Vcore safe for 7970 chip. There's must be something out there.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Come on, someone please give me the maximum Vcore safe for 7970 chip. There's must be something out there.


Hardware wise, once you go over 1.3v actual you may see instability as hardware protections throttle the card. Does that help?

Your temps are more important. Obviously the life of your card will diminish if you always run high volts.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Come on, someone please give me the maximum Vcore safe for 7970 chip. There's must be something out there.


It all depends on your ASIC. If its high i wouldnt recommend too much, too much being around 1.2-1.25 if you're over 85% ASIC. I run 1.22 on 72.5% ASIC.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> why is that mate?


Because they don't stress the card enough. I can bench about 1380 core on both and 1900 memory if my memory (no pun intended) serves me.

Won't get near those clocks in ones I mentioned.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> My temps were nearly identical on both my Vapor-X cards when I had Crossfire and ran them as single to find out max clocks.
> 
> First (and better) one was 58% or something and the second one was something like 86%.
> I still dare to say that ASIC really doesn't mean anything at all.


I only have experience I have is with two MSI TF3 7950's - My current one is 89% and my other was a 93% - Both ran in the low to mid 70's with the stock cooler at stock speeds 880/1250. My current volts @ stock is 1.030 and the other was 1.009. Cards are begging to be underwater - My current card 89% hits 1325/1910 w/Accelero @ 1.230/1.7 for benching only.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> I only have experience I have is with two MSI TF3 7950's - My current one is 89% and my other was a 93% - Both ran in the low to mid 70's with the stock cooler at stock speeds 880/1250. My current volts @ stock is 1.030 and the other was 1.009. Cards are begging to be underwater - My current card 89% hits 1325/1910 w/Accelero @ 1.230/1.7 for benching only.


72.5% asic is perfect for water, you can increase the volts without temps reaching too high AND the voltage doesnt leak immediatly! I doubt you're going to get more out of those cards.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 72.5% asic is perfect for water, you can increase the volts without temps reaching too high AND the voltage doesnt leak immediatly! I doubt you're going to get more out of those cards.


probably right - Would be fun to try though







I am not going watercooling until my next build, which won't happen for awhile.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Hardware wise, once you go over 1.3v actual you may see instability as hardware protections throttle the card. Does that help?
> 
> Your temps are more important. Obviously the life of your card will diminish if you always run high volts.


Alright thank you. The reason I've asked, I thought maybe there's something like intel chip where they stated maximum voltage for general overclocking. excluding DICE/LN2.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> It all depends on your ASIC. If its high i wouldnt recommend too much, too much being around 1.2-1.25 if you're over 85% ASIC. I run 1.22 on 72.5% ASIC.


Thank you sir, but my asic is 63.2% asic.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Alright thank you. The reason I've asked, I thought maybe there's something like intel chip where they stated maximum voltage for general overclocking. excluding DICE/LN2.


You are ignoring ASIC. And you bought the Matrix. WHy did you get the Matrix?


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Alright thank you. The reason I've asked, I thought maybe there's something like intel chip where they stated maximum voltage for general overclocking. excluding DICE/LN2.


Does Intel state their maximum voltage for overclocking? I haven't seen it for IVY or Sandy.. I spoke to a Intel engineer and he said you can't put a number on it - But 1.35V + for Ivy seems to be pretty high - he said.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You are ignoring ASIC. And you bought the Matrix. WHy did you get the Matrix?


I know, in future i'll only be going reference and waterblock. Lesson learned.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Does Intel state their maximum voltage for overclocking? I haven't seen it for IVY or Sandy.. I spoke to a Intel engineer and he said you can't put a number on it - But 1.35V + for Ivy seems to be pretty high - he said.


Some sort, maybe not intel themselves state that, experienced overclockers. IDK.

And it's not maximum voltage, its maximum safe voltage for 24/7 operation.. Those kind of stuff.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I know, in future i'll only be going reference and waterblock. Lesson learned.


I did the same mistake lol. How fast are you getting it?


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I did the same mistake lol. How fast are you getting it?


What kind of fast?


----------



## Face2Face

You would think a PCB looking like this it would be better than reference -- What the hell happened? Do they all stink? That's a whole lot of phases.



The heatsink itself doesn't look all that impressive, but it could perform pretty well?


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> You would think a PCB looking like this it would be better than reference -- What the hell happened? Do they all stink?


They're mainly made for LN2/DICE benching. They have quite low ASIC. Which mine is 63.2% . And natively support for VGA hot wire that can support excessive voltage feeding for Vcore/PLL/Vmem.


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Does Intel state their maximum voltage for overclocking? I haven't seen it for IVY or Sandy.. I spoke to a Intel engineer and he said you can't put a number on it - But 1.35V + for Ivy seems to be pretty high - he said.


1.35V HIGH? MADNESS!!

1.52V for 24/7 use.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 1.35V HIGH? MADNESS!!
> 
> 1.52V for 24/7 use.


1.52 for 24/7 umm for lets say 3 years? LOL. Joking.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> 1.35V HIGH? MADNESS!!
> 
> 1.52V for 24/7 use.


Water I presume







That's good to hear, I hope it will last you awhile before degradation sets in - I am just regurgitating what the engineer said.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> You would think a PCB looking like this it would be better than reference -- What the hell happened? Do they all stink? That's a whole lot of phases.
> 
> 
> 
> The heatsink itself doesn't look all that impressive, but it could perform pretty well?


No, it sucks ass. Reference cards have enough phases for 1600-1700 on core with LN2. I dont see the point of getting a matrix even for LN2...


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> No, it sucks ass. Reference cards have enough phases for 1600-1700 on core with LN2. I dont see the point of getting a matrix even for LN2...


I'm trying to regain my dignity, and you've crushed it into pieces. Haha. Yeah, it suck egg a lot! Yet there are stupid people getting it even though I said not to.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> No, it sucks ass. Reference cards have enough phases for 1600-1700 on core with LN2. I dont see the point of getting a matrix even for LN2...


Gotta love marketing at it's best.. These cards are really expensive too.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I'm trying to regain my dignity, and you've crushed it into pieces. Haha. Yeah, it suck egg a lot! Yet there are stupid people getting it even though I said not to.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Gotta love marketing at it's best.. These cards are really expensive too.


Yep, these cards suck and i experienced 1 first hand. Couldnt get over 1250 on core and 1750 on memory. My reference RUINS my ROG MATRIX.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yep, these cards suck and i experienced 1 first hand. Couldnt get over 1250 on core and 1750 on memory. My reference RUINS my ROG MATRIX.


I'll be going first batch for reference (hopefully) 9790. LOL. Never again repeat aweful mishap.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I'll be going first batch for reference (hopefully) 9790. LOL. Never again repeat aweful mishap.


Yep me too.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yep, these cards suck and i experienced 1 first hand. Couldnt get over 1250 on core and 1750 on memory. My reference RUINS my ROG MATRIX.


So your reference does 1300/1890. I assume that's benching with the fan @ 100% ? What speeds do you game at? And how hot does it get?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> So your reference does 1300/1890. I assume that's benching with the fan @ 100% ? What speeds do you game at? And how hot does it get?


I bench at 1300/1890 with fan at 100% when i have REALLY low ambients because tahiti is temp sensitive. I start artifacting at 55c when i have high clocks







. I game at 1220/1700 (1700 because Metro kills RAM lol) Gaming load? Doesnt get too hot, 60-70C custom profile at 1.238V before vdroop.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I bench at 1300/1890 with fan at 100% when i have REALLY low ambients because tahiti is temp sensitive. I start artifacting at 55c when i have high clocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I game at 1220/1700 (1700 because Metro kills RAM lol) Gaming load? Doesnt get too hot, 60-70C custom profile at 1.238V before vdroop.


Nice, those are nice clocks and temps to game at. I find metro LL to respond pretty well to increasing the frequency or your core and memory. I did a bench at different frequencies - Everything maxed - with the exception of no SSAA and PhysX @ 1080P


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Nice, those are nice clocks and temps to game at. I find metro LL to respond pretty well to increasing the frequency or your core and memory. I did a bench at different frequencies - Everything maxed - with the exception of no SSAA and PhysX @ 1080P


Ah thats some nice graphs! Try SSAA x4 and see how much RAM speed affects that.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Ah thats some nice graphs! Try SSAA x4 and see how much RAM speed affects that.


Nice thought. When I get home I will do some more testing. Here are some more if you are interested.

Tomb Raider - 1080P Ulitmate Preset



Crysis 3 - System Spec - High - Textures - Very High - AF -16X - SMAA - 2X bench scene


----------



## devilhead

i have Sapphire 7970 reference with asic 68.8% and i run with waterblock, so i can achieve 1300/1800 1.31v and memory 1.71v, after 1300mhz begins artifacts







at Valley i can get 58.4 fps


----------



## Erick Silver

I use FAH to test OC Stability. Right now I have been folding all night at 1150/1500 with 1.250v. Fan set to auto is running at 40% and temps are at about 59*c


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> i have Sapphire 7970 reference with asic 68.8% and i run with waterblock, so i can achieve 1300/1800 1.31v and memory 1.71v, after 1300mhz begins artifacts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> at Valley i can get 58.4 fps


See, asic can't truly rely on. I envy your OC sir.

So far I'm able to get 1210MHz @ 1.363Vcore underwater. with asic 63.2%


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> See, asic can't truly rely on. I envy your OC sir.
> 
> So far I'm able to get 1210MHz @ 1.363Vcore underwater. with asic 63.2%


Hahahaha so much for Matrix ROG. Glad i got rid of it lol


----------



## Erick Silver

I have a 59% ASIC. Not that I have a bloody clue what that means for my overclocking ability. But here is my GPU-Z:

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ef7ua/

Not too shabby.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I have a 59% ASIC. Not that I have a bloody clue what that means for my overclocking ability. But here is my GPU-Z:
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ef7ua/
> 
> Not too shabby.


that's a 7970 GHz you have not a 7950.


----------



## Erick Silver

Nope Sapphire HD7950 Vapor X 3GB


----------



## d1nky

ive got 59% as well and can oc up to around 1270/1800 max.

depends on the 3d test tbh!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Nope Sapphire HD7950 Vapor X 3GB
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


maybe the label says so but that oc is that of a stock 7970GHz.


----------



## Erick Silver

Soooo....good or bad? LOL


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Soooo....good or bad? LOL


it's great and it is being used for an even great cause.


----------



## sugarhell

matrix da best


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> I only have experience I have is with two MSI TF3 7950's - My current one is 89% and my other was a 93% - Both ran in the low to mid 70's with the stock cooler at stock speeds 880/1250. My current volts @ stock is 1.030 and the other was 1.009. Cards are begging to be underwater - My current card 89% hits 1325/1910 w/Accelero @ 1.230/1.7 for benching only.


MSI TFIII master race. Seriously. These cards all seem to be beasts. 6+8 7970 PCB, Hynix RAM, can hit 1300MHz+ with <1.25V. Hot damn.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Nice thought. When I get home I will do some more testing. Here are some more if you are interested.
> 
> Tomb Raider - 1080P Ulitmate Preset
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Crysis 3 - System Spec - High - Textures - Very High - AF -16X - SMAA - 2X bench scene


most reviews will go by the slowest 7950. +rep


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> most reviews will go by the slowest 7950. +rep


All reviews do, especially the ones involving 680s and 770s lol. Clocking to 1200 on core by them selves and beating 7950s by 10fps good frikkin job lol. Overclock the 7950 to 1300/1750 and do it again.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> All reviews do, especially the ones involving 680s and 770s lol. Clocking to 1200 on core by them selves and beating 7950s by 10fps good frikkin job lol. Overclock the 7950 to 1300/1750 and do it again.


like this . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/502403/graphics-card-ranking-5th-time-and-last-updated-daily/920

i wonder how many based their purchase on that? lol


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> I only have experience I have is with two MSI TF3 7950's - My current one is 89% and my other was a 93% - Both ran in the low to mid 70's with the stock cooler at stock speeds 880/1250. My current volts @ stock is 1.030 and the other was 1.009. Cards are begging to be underwater - My current card 89% hits 1325/1910 w/Accelero @ 1.230/1.7 for benching only.


Yo what settings are youy running those metro benchmarks at? Im getting fps in the low 40s at 1210 for some reason.


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yo what settings are youy running those metro benchmarks at? Im getting fps in the low 40s at 1210 for some reason.


he disabled ssaa


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> he disabled ssaa


There is something else too.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> MSI TFIII master race. Seriously. These cards all seem to be beasts. 6+8 7970 PCB, Hynix RAM, can hit 1300MHz+ with <1.25V. Hot damn.


Yea after following this thread for a while, it seems that MSI TFIII 7950 w/7970 PCB is the best 7950 as far as OCing goes, everyone that I´ve seen has ultra high ASIC (close to 90%) though so they need to be properly cooled to release their fury (like Face2Face said, are begging to be underwater, I 100% agree with that....) Stock cooler doesnt do justice to a very good core, at least not in my case









I remember there was one user (gunblade if I remember correctly) who had one of these under water that could do 1,4GHz on the core


----------



## Paul17041993

I have 55% and can only run 1000c 1500m, all you people having fun and I just don't have the time to get a new card sorted >:

if anythings to be learned, you can never have a bad overclock, because there will always be at least one stuck on stock... wait... nvm...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

So tomorrow i'll go and buy the GPU i'll ask for the 7970 hopefully i'll find one this time if i don't i'll see if they have a 7950 i just hope to find one of them spicially the 7970:blushsmil


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Yea after following this thread for a while, it seems that MSI TFIII 7950 w/7970 PCB is the best 7950 as far as OCing goes, everyone that I´ve seen has ultra high ASIC (close to 90%) though so they need to be properly cooled to release their fury (like Face2Face said, are begging to be underwater, I 100% agree with that....) Stock cooler doesnt do justice to a very good core, at least not in my case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I remember there was one user (gunblade if I remember correctly) who had one of these under water that could do 1,4GHz on the core


well i happen to have MSI AMD Radeon HD 7970 Twin Frozr III BE and unfortunately my ASIC is 70% the highest i can go is 1220/1800 with core @1.3v and mem @ 1.65v fans 100% and starts artefacting when card reaches 70C below that is fine but tbh i dont think i could push it much more than that on water...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> There is something else too.


I think you are right mate i just run it at 1220/1800 and i get 32 FPS with everything maxed out and 45 FPS with SSAA off


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yo what settings are youy running those metro benchmarks at? Im getting fps in the low 40s at 1210 for some reason.


Here you go -



I did these Metro LL benchmarks on 7/9/2013

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=35237391&postcount=30


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Here you go -


Something doesnt add up lol


----------



## Face2Face

See my edit - Indeed something is strange - What the heck happened?

EDIT:

Found out why - http://steamcommunity.com/app/43160/discussions/0/846959362242735843/

It's a very high tessellation bug that is dropping framerates. Supposed to be fixed soon.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> See my edit - Indeed something is strange - What the heck happened?
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Found out why - http://steamcommunity.com/app/43160/discussions/0/846959362242735843/


no idea man. Drivers?


----------



## Carniflex

So if I read it right then my 7950 having ASIC of 60.5 % means it wants to see some water. It can sort of do up to ~1150 with stock cooler but gets a bit too uncomfortably hot.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> See my edit - Indeed something is strange - What the heck happened?
> 
> EDIT:
> 
> Found out why - http://steamcommunity.com/app/43160/discussions/0/846959362242735843/
> 
> It's a very high tessellation bug that is dropping framerates. Supposed to be fixed soon.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> no idea man. Drivers?


So tesselation is ruining it?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Face2face add me on steam

Steam: Rangerjr1


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> So tesselation is ruining it?


Seems to be. I just left my PC. I will add you when I get back. Thanks


----------



## Rangerjr1

So now that Tess is broken in Metro LL whats our new standard?

I suggest

1080p
Quality: Very high
Texture filtering: AF 16X
Motion blur: Normal
SSAA: Off
Tess: High (Not very high)
And no physX.


----------



## Legion123

this is what i get









Face2Face what drivers are you using?

edit

core was running at 1220 when i did the test i noticed 1210 just now it was when i took printscreen..


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> So if I read it right then my 7950 having ASIC of 60.5 % means it wants to see some water. It can sort of do up to ~1150 with stock cooler but gets a bit too uncomfortably hot.


i think the asic does not matter whether one can put the gpu under water or not. water mainly to improve temp for everyday clocks and enjoy a quiet rig.

my watercooled 7950 had an asic of 56% and did bench at 1255/1700 in valley. that was achievable using the stock cooler but the fan had to be set at 80% and ambient way below room temp. the difference was one was loud.

never oc'ed for daily use.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> So now that Tess is broken in Metro LL whats our new standard?
> 
> I suggest
> 
> 1080p
> Quality: Very high
> Texture filtering: AF 16X
> Motion blur: Normal
> SSAA: Off
> Tess: High (Not very high)
> And no physX.


Yeah that would make sense now. I wonder when they plan on getting very high Tess fixed -- I was just about to start playing this game









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> 
> 
> this is what i get
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Face2Face what drivers are you using?
> 
> edit
> 
> core was running at 1220 when i did the test i noticed 1210 just now it was when i took printscreen..


13.6 Beta 2 - Can't compare to my graphs - All Tess is broken now ?


----------



## Rangerjr1

1300/1800 @ 1.277V.

I impressed myself today lol.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1300/1800 @ 1.277V.
> 
> I impressed myself today lol.


Hmmm.. I think something is wrong with Tessellation in this game period. Your AVG FPS should be much higher -









Freaking sweet temps though


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Hmmm.. I think something is wrong with Tessellation in this game period. Your AVG FPS should be much higher -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Freaking sweet temps though


Norway + open windows + low ambients + ??? = PROFIT!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Okay all lets just disable tess completely as our new standard?


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Norway + open windows + low ambients + ??? + PROFIT!


Nice... Here it's Hot + Humidity = Overclock repellent.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Okay all lets just disable tess completely as our new standard?


Yeah, that works.


----------



## devilhead

Rangerjr1 which place of Norway? In Sandvika is incredible hot, now it is 20C







tummorow ~27C


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Rangerjr1 which place of Norway? In Sandvika is incredible hot, now it is 20C
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> tummorow ~27C


Bodø


----------



## devilhead

heh, at least good weather for benching


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Bodø


Ummm you live here.. When can I come sleep on your couch?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Ummm you live here.. When can I come sleep on your couch?


Yep and yep, come sleep on my couch


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yep and yep, come sleep on my couch


Great, just have to get my Passport and find a way to pay for airfare, drop the kids off with the grand parents and tell the wife I am going on a business trip and not to call.

I will run Metro LL with no Tess tonight when I get back.


----------



## Legion123

run it on high as well i am currious









i just done it on mine and got 45


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> run it on high as well i am currious
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just done it on mine and got 45


edit:

Face2Face

just currious, what processor have you got? and what speed are you running it on?


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> edit:
> 
> Face2Face
> 
> just currious, what processor have you got? and what speed are you running it on?


Well it looks like something is wrong with the game - Tess or not. Your frames should be a lot higher than that. I have a 3570K @ 4.8Ghz - Doesn't matter though - Running it overclocked only helps minimums not avg fps. I also have a FX [email protected] stock - Needs a new motherboard, because throttles when I look at it...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Idk why but tesselation enabled let me run at higher clocks







. How about we use High tesselation D?


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Idk why but tesselation enabled let me run at higher clocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . How about we use High tesselation D?


I guess it really doesn't matter at this point. They really need to fix this - Since you already ran it @ High Tess - then we all can do the same for the sake of comparison.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

I just wanted to point out this:

Metro LL is ALMOST as badly optimized for PC as Metro 2033, even today 680's and 7950's have FPS issues with that game because it's badly optimized. So if people don't get good FPS in the game, don't blame clocks or something.

Since well, it wont help out that much. The game is broken. lol

(Or did you discuss something else? I just browsed quickly through it).


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> I just wanted to point out this:
> 
> Metro LL is ALMOST as badly optimized for PC as Metro 2033, even today 680's and 7950's have FPS issues with that game because it's badly optimized. So if people don't get good FPS in the game, don't blame clocks or something.
> 
> Since well, it wont help out that much. The game is broken. lol
> 
> (Or did you discuss something else? I just browsed quickly through it).


New game patch broke tesselation so avarage FPS drops by 20 lol


----------



## Snuckie7

I averaged 60fps in the benchmark when I ran it a week ago (Highest settings, no SSAA or PhysX). Guess that patch is killing performance.


----------



## Erick Silver

Bumped my 7950 to 1200/1500 and its still rock steady at 1.250v. Fan Profile at 70% and temps are 57*c. MSI Afterburner will not go higher than 1200 core. Is there another program out there that will?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Bumped my 7950 to 1200/1500 and its still rock steady at 1.250v. Fan Profile at 70% and temps are 57*c. MSI Afterburner will not go higher than 1200 core. Is there another program out there that will?


Go enable unofficial overclocking.


----------



## Erick Silver

Where do I do that?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Where do I do that?


Did you even TRY to open the settings? -,-


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Bumped my 7950 to 1200/1500 and its still rock steady at 1.250v. Fan Profile at 70% and temps are 57*c. MSI Afterburner will not go higher than 1200 core. Is there another program out there that will?


Yes, MSI Afterburner.



No need to mess with unofficial overclocking either.


----------



## devilhead

made run with 1320/1800 Valley, but after 1300 begins artifacts







when it will be not so hot, will try to hit 1330-1340







and maybe some on memory 1810-1820








when first time run those card on air and saw asic 69% - i think that the card is piece of..... but now i see that the card is not the worst


----------



## Erick Silver

Hmmm. My Afterburner does not have the AMD Section there. So that would be why I did not see it.

Ranger: You should ask questions before assuming that someone does not know what they are doing. Yes, I opened the settings. I'm not a noob. For some reason I don't have the same Afterburner with the AMD section.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Hmmm. My Afterburner does not have the AMD Section there. So that would be why I did not see it.
> 
> Ranger: You should ask questions before assuming that someone does not know what they are doing. Yes, I opened the settings. I'm not a noob. For some reason I don't have the same Afterburner with the AMD section.


Yes that is why you should keep your programs up to date. Go download the latest AB beta.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> made run with 1320/1800 Valley, but after 1300 begins artifacts
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when it will be not so hot, will try to hit 1330-1340
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and maybe some on memory 1810-1820
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when first time run those card on air and saw asic 69% - i think that the card is piece of..... but now i see that the card is not the worst


Are you cooling that with a water block?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Hmmm. My Afterburner does not have the AMD Section there. So that would be why I did not see it.
> 
> Ranger: You should ask questions before assuming that someone does not know what they are doing. Yes, I opened the settings. I'm not a noob. For some reason I don't have the same Afterburner with the AMD section.


Yes you're right, you're not a noob. You just didnt know how to extend OC limits on MSI AB. Sorry.


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yes you're right, you're not a noob. You just didnt know how to extend OC limits on MSI AB. Sorry.


LOL Would have helped if I had bothered to update my version of AB though too. I have been out of the OC and Folding game for a bit.


----------



## devilhead

Yes, i cool with HEATKILLER 79X0







but still when the room temperature 26C the card heats to 41-42







i have one more new heatkiller block, maybe you need it?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Yes, i cool with HEATKILLER 79X0
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but still when the room temperature 26C the card heats to 41-42
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i have one more new heatkiller block, maybe you need it?


Yep, mine is cooled with air. And i got no experience with water cooling anyways so...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Bumped my 7950 to 1200/1500 and *its still rock steady at 1.250v*. Fan Profile at 70% and temps are 57*c. MSI Afterburner will not go higher than 1200 core. Is there another program out there that will?


Of course its steady since AB *does not* display real voltage until you tell it to show real voltage.


----------



## Erick Silver

...... Corrupted or missing file..blah...blah...blah


----------



## jjpctech

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00017_zps510bf42f.png.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_144022_zps82591e1b.jpg.html

http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130719_124654_zpse4b77572.jpg.html

I like my 7990


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> LOL Would have helped if I had bothered to update my version of AB though too. I have been out of the OC and Folding game for a bit.


not a noob, just little experience with afterburner, everyone is at everything some point.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yep, mine is cooled with air. And i got no experience with water cooling anyways so...


COOLING NOOB!!1! (joke







)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jjpctech*
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_144022_zps82591e1b.jpg.html
> 
> I like my 7990


*nerdgasm*


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> not a noob, just little experience with afterburner, everyone is at everything some point.
> COOLING NOOB!!1! (joke
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> *nerdgasm*


atleast i have a reference card







(No joke







)


----------



## Rangerjr1

http://pastebin.com/yDynxAyn

Anything you guys think i should add to my first loop







?


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jjpctech*
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/00017_zps510bf42f.png.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130718_144022_zps82591e1b.jpg.html
> 
> http://s69.photobucket.com/user/phoenixdancer/media/20130719_124654_zpse4b77572.jpg.html
> 
> I like my 7990


wow that is killer!!


----------



## TehOnlyMITTENS

Hey guys, I have the ASUS DCUII 7970. I know this card is voltage locked, but I believe you can bypass the lock by using the VGA Hotwire soldering points and changing the voltage that way, am I correct?

Also, If that is the case, are there any mods out there to use that method without an ASUS ROG board? As you can see in my sig rig, I don't have one.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TehOnlyMITTENS*
> 
> Hey guys, I have the ASUS DCUII 7970. I know this card is voltage locked, but I believe you can bypass the lock by using the VGA Hotwire soldering points and changing the voltage that way, am I correct?
> 
> Also, If that is the case, are there any mods out there to use that method without an ASUS ROG board? As you can see in my sig rig, I don't have one.


Why oh why do people still buy these cards after so many complaints...


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> http://pastebin.com/yDynxAyn
> 
> Anything you guys think i should add to my first loop
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ?


Go nuts and make some mess.









Careful, it may hurt your eyes, brain and heart.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Go nuts and make some mess.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Careful, it may hurt your eyes, brain and heart.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


O_O


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> O_O


Told ya.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

So OK my father might consider newegg but i wanted to know a few things
Does the customs apply to the things i order?
Can stuff be dilivered to my country?
How are the shipment costs?
And what about the warrenty?


----------



## TehOnlyMITTENS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Why oh why do people still buy these cards after so many complaints...


I did something I shouldn't have done : trusted a company's marketing. I figured a card from a reputable company that advertises OCing all over it, would overclock well...I was wrong.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TehOnlyMITTENS*
> 
> Hey guys, I have the ASUS DCUII 7970. I know this card is voltage locked, but I believe you can bypass the lock by using the VGA Hotwire soldering points and changing the voltage that way, am I correct?
> 
> Also, If that is the case, are there any mods out there to use that method without an ASUS ROG board? As you can see in my sig rig, I don't have one.


trimpot, dipswitch and a little bit of wire and glue will get you somewhere, though I cant remember any specifics and I haven't been bothered to do it myself either...

hotwire points just work on resistance, no digital whatever needed...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> So OK my father might consider newegg but i wanted to know a few things
> Does the customs apply to the things i order?
> Can stuff be dilivered to my country?
> How are the shipment costs?
> And what about the warrenty?


Newegg doesnt ship to Egypt


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> So OK my father might consider newegg but i wanted to know a few things
> Does the customs apply to the things i order?
> Can stuff be dilivered to my country?
> How are the shipment costs?
> And what about the warrenty?


Never mind


----------



## Rangerjr1

Guys, im about to blow a LOAD of money on this. Better be worth it. If some of the parts arent compatible or whatever please let me know.


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 
> 
> Guys, im about to blow a LOAD of money on this. Better be worth it. If some of the parts arent compatible or whatever please let me know.


Your tubing seems to be off, unless I'm reading it wrong


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> Your tubing seems to be off, unless I'm reading it wrong


It was off, i changed it.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 
> 
> Guys, im about to blow a LOAD of money on this. Better be worth it. If some of the parts arent compatible or whatever please let me know.


Better get a fan controller, them fans are going to be loud. What model number are they?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Better get a fan controller, them fans are going to be loud. What model number are they?


AP15


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> It was off, i changed it.


how about the right amount of barb fittings. you will use barbs, right? also you need a way to drain the loop for maintenance. fittings like these or whatever that will match your other parts . . .

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14873/ex-tub-1067/Enzotech_G14_Barb_Stop_Fitting_w_Cap_-_12_ID_-_Nickel_Plate_Metallic_Silver_NPH-ID12-G14.html

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/13666/ex-tub-961/Phobya_180_Degree_T_Bock_-_Black_Nickel_64092.html?tl=g30c499s745


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> AP15


Wonder why their listed as ultra high speed? When I seen that I assumed they were the high rpm models. I run AP15's and out of all the fans I've had their the best by far


----------



## tsm106

This is what I would get in that price range. You need to get the essentials and upgrade yer fans later.

With externals, you must use QDCs. Ya should get the 35x heatsink too, ya need at least 10ft of tubing (external), ya need a set of couplers to connect the QDCs to your case, ya also need extra barbs for it, etc etc.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is what I would get in that price range. You need to get the essentials and upgrade yer fans later.


For me?


----------



## tsm106

I had to do something lol...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I had to do something lol...


Oh lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I had to do something lol...
> 
> 
> 
> Oh lol
Click to expand...

Also, the QDCs double as drains too.


----------



## RemagCP

Hey, does slapping a fan on an exposed VRM cooling plate lower temps much? I have a MCW-82 and my VRM temps are fine at stock, but when I crank up the voltage and clocks the temps get up there.

Last test I did one got up to 104*c and the over got to the high 80's, this is at 1220 core 1620 mem and 1.17mv voltage.

Here is what my plate looked like before I attached the MCW-82:



Thanks for the help.


----------



## Ryude

Does anyone know if it's worth removing the cooler on my 7950 and changing the TIM for something else? I assume like most coolers they used way too much paste and hurt performance.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RemagCP*
> 
> Hey, does slapping a fan on an exposed VRM cooling plate lower temps much? I have a MCW-82 and my VRM temps are fine at stock, but when I crank up the voltage and clocks the temps get up there.
> 
> Last test I did one got up to 104*c and the over got to the high 80's, this is at 1220 core 1620 mem and 1.17mv voltage.
> 
> Here is what my plate looked like before I attached the MCW-82:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the help.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1372912/the-msi-tf3-vrm-project-with-accelero-xtreme-7970/0_40

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryude*
> 
> Does anyone know if it's worth removing the cooler on my 7950 and changing the TIM for something else? I assume like most coolers they used way too much paste and hurt performance.


I generally do that on all my hardware, like changing the oil to a better type in my car. Just be careful of the thermal pads as you can only do it so many times before they tear or break down.


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1372912/the-msi-tf3-vrm-project-with-accelero-xtreme-7970/0_40
> I generally do that on all my hardware, like changing the oil to a better type in my car. Just be careful of the thermal pads as you can only do it so many times before they tear or break down.


Thanks









I'll be getting my new intel build from UPS tomorrow and I figure since I have to remove the card from my current rig I may as well look into changing the paste. Also, I've never done paste on a GPU before. Can I just use the same method I use on my CPU's? I use rice grain and then plastic baggy to spread it.


----------



## Mega Man

dont spread it.... ever gpu or cpu


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> This is what I would get in that price range. You need to get the essentials and upgrade yer fans later.
> 
> With externals, you must use QDCs. Ya should get the 35x heatsink too, ya need at least 10ft of tubing (external), ya need a set of couplers to connect the QDCs to your case, ya also need extra barbs for it, etc etc.


+1, though I don't see why you want barbs w/o clips over compression fittings, and radiator is probably a bit OP, but I guess you wont ever have to worry about much noise and have heaps of headroom for future upgrades...

I would also think you would want two pumps for various reasons, that pump used in these kind of setups (by itself) frequently?


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Nice, those are nice clocks and temps to game at. I find metro LL to respond pretty well to increasing the frequency or your core and memory. I did a bench at different frequencies - Everything maxed - with the exception of no SSAA and PhysX @ 1080P


let me just go back to this for a sec..what puzzles me is why you performance jumps are so high...i got like 7 frames more from stock to 1220/1800 and Rangerjr1 run his one 1300/1800 hes got same processor as me clocked at the same speed and he gets 2 frames more where you get like 16 frames from 1000 to 1250 core..what the hell...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> let me just go back to this for a sec..what puzzles me is why you performance jumps are so high...i got like 7 frames more from stock to 1220/1800 and Rangerjr1 run his one 1300/1800 hes got same processor as me clocked at the same speed and he gets 2 frames more where you get like 16 frames from 1000 to 1250 core..what the hell...


Maybe because he was testing in an area that was not as strenuous which means an overclock goes a longer way. To really see what's going on, run a standard benchmark such as heaven 4.0 on max quality, 1080p, for all of you, then compare. Or maybe he has a 7970 and he read the box wrong and thought it said 7950?


----------



## jjpctech

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TehOnlyMITTENS*
> 
> Hey guys, I have the ASUS DCUII 7970. I know this card is voltage locked, but I believe you can bypass the lock by using the VGA Hotwire soldering points and changing the voltage that way, am I correct?
> 
> Also, If that is the case, are there any mods out there to use that method without an ASUS ROG board? As you can see in my sig rig, I don't have one.


Have you tried GPU tweak 2.2.1.4? My dcii 7970 is voltage unlocked with that GPU tweak


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Maybe because he was testing in an area that was not as strenuous which means an overclock goes a longer way. To really see what's going on, run a standard benchmark such as heaven 4.0 on max quality, 1080p, for all of you, then compare. Or maybe he has a 7970 and he read the box wrong and thought it said 7950?


could also be the cpu and its oc.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> dont spread it.... ever gpu or cpu


Depends on the themal paste of course.. well the viscosity part mainly. When I used AS5, it never spread nicely by itself with just the pressure of the heatsink. Don't even get me started on CLU.

I am really confused how Asus screwed their 7970 DC2. It also seems to have issue with the dual link DVI pushing more than 1920x1080. Their 7950 DC2 V2 from them, which I have, is amazing. Its voltage unlocked, and has the same cooler as the 7970 DC2. Really makes no sense when the card seems to be littered with OCing issues and display issues, especially when their 7950 is great.


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Depends on the themal paste of course.. well the viscosity part mainly. When I used AS5, it never spread nicely by itself with just the pressure of the heatsink. Don't even get me started on CLU.
> 
> I am really confused how Asus screwed their 7970 DC2. It also seems to have issue with the dual link DVI pushing more than 1920x1080. Their 7950 DC2 V2 from them, which I have, is amazing. Its voltage unlocked, and has the same cooler as the 7970 DC2. Really makes no sense when the card seems to be littered with OCing issues and display issues, especially when their 7950 is great.


Some Asus DCU2 cards have a switch to toggle between single and dual link. With dual link enabled you are limited to max 5 screens as one of the other ports deactivates. Not sure from top of my head but I think some might have been able to switch between dual and single link without switch as well and switched to single link mode if anything was plugged into the second DVI slot.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Depends on the themal paste of course.. well the viscosity part mainly. When I used AS5, it never spread nicely by itself with just the pressure of the heatsink. Don't even get me started on CLU.
> 
> I am really confused how Asus screwed their 7970 DC2. It also seems to have issue with the dual link DVI pushing more than 1920x1080. Their 7950 DC2 V2 from them, which I have, is amazing. Its voltage unlocked, and has the same cooler as the 7970 DC2. Really makes no sense when the card seems to be littered with OCing issues and display issues, especially when their 7950 is great.


well ASUS have proven themselves to be clueless on how to do things with AMD hardware these days, god knows why...

one things for sure, not trusting them for anything unless they can prove themselves worthy of such high over priced hardware.
might only consider if I were doing an intel+nvidia system but from what Ive experienced from that, doubt that will ever happen...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Depends on the themal paste of course.. well the viscosity part mainly. When I used AS5, it never spread nicely by itself with just the pressure of the heatsink. Don't even get me started on CLU.
> 
> I am really confused how Asus screwed their 7970 DC2. It also seems to have issue with the dual link DVI pushing more than 1920x1080. Their 7950 DC2 V2 from them, which I have, is amazing. Its voltage unlocked, and has the same cooler as the 7970 DC2. Really makes no sense when the card seems to be littered with OCing issues and display issues, especially when their 7950 is great.


CLU is different. but he said pea sized drop.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well ASUS have proven themselves to be clueless on how to do things with AMD hardware these days, god knows why...
> 
> one things for sure, not trusting them for anything unless they can prove themselves worthy of such high over priced hardware.
> might only consider if I were doing an intel+nvidia system but from what Ive experienced from that, doubt that will ever happen...


no both the sabertooth and the CVFz are top of line no better to oc on mobos


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> let me just go back to this for a sec..what puzzles me is why you performance jumps are so high...i got like 7 frames more from stock to 1220/1800 and Rangerjr1 run his one 1300/1800 hes got same processor as me clocked at the same speed and he gets 2 frames more where you get like 16 frames from 1000 to 1250 core..what the hell...


I think we should hold off on this until Metro LL is fixed. It's broken pretty badly now on the graphics side, and overclocks may not scaling properly. I got home too late last night to do any benchmarking, so this is my excuse..

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RemagCP*
> 
> Hey, does slapping a fan on an exposed VRM cooling plate lower temps much? I have a MCW-82 and my VRM temps are fine at stock, but when I crank up the voltage and clocks the temps get up there.
> 
> Last test I did one got up to 104*c and the over got to the high 80's, this is at 1220 core 1620 mem and 1.17mv voltage.
> 
> Here is what my plate looked like before I attached the MCW-82:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the help.


I would replace that stock plate with one from Swiftech -http://www.swiftech.com/HD7900-HSF.aspx



Much more surface area and having a fan blow on the VRM area should help quite a bit.


----------



## BradleyW

To add to the Metro LL discussion, crossfire does not scale well when tessellation is enabled. AMD have an updated CFX profile along with many other profiles, and were leaked along side the leaked frame pacing drivers, However, I think the leaks have been filled and we have no option but to wait for official release to see the fixes that are required for the latest games.


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> I think we should hold off on this until Metro LL is fixed. It's broken pretty badly now on the graphics side, and overclocks may not scaling properly. I got home too late last night to do any benchmarking, so this is my excuse..


when you get a chance can you run haven all maxed out on your maximum oc please mate?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> when you get a chance can you run haven all maxed out on your maximum oc please mate?


On a 7950 he would score about 2200-2350 at those clocks.


----------



## Legion123

no way..that wouldn't be on extreme settings mate

i had this on 1185/1600


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> no way..that wouldn't be on extreme settings mate
> 
> i had this on 1185/1600


Oh yea, i was thinking about extreme preset.


----------



## d1nky

we running benches??


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> no way..that wouldn't be on extreme settings mate
> 
> i had this on 1185/1600


This is what I got the last time I ran it - Awhile ago @ 1300/1800. Much harder to run then Valley



RangerJr1 you should do one at the same clocks, so we can see how much faster the 7970 is at the same clock speeds. Everyone always says 5-8%


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> This is what I got the last time I ran it - Awhile ago @ 1300/1800. Much harder to run then Valley
> 
> 
> 
> RangerJr1 you should do one at the same clocks, so we can see how much faster the 7970 is at the same clock speeds. Everyone always says 5-8%


I got one done at 1290/1890 at extreme preset. I wont do any benching until i get my loop.


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> we running benches??


lemme get my water 1st


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> This is what I got the last time I ran it - Awhile ago @ 1300/1800. Much harder to run then Valley
> 
> 
> 
> RangerJr1 you should do one at the same clocks, so we can see how much faster the 7970 is at the same clock speeds. Everyone always says 5-8%


i have done mine last night on 1220/1800 and i got 42 frames ill post it later when i get home


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I got one done at 1290/1890 at extreme preset. I wont do any benching until i get my loop.


Just one more with Heaven Maxed out @ 1300/1800 -Pretty Please !!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Just one more with Heaven Maxed out @ 1300/1800 -Pretty Please !!


I would if i could, but i really cant. I think my GPU has suffered degredation after all the abuse i have put it through on air. + The ambients are high, like 25C now so i cant really bench even if i wanted to.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I would if i could, but i really cant. I think my GPU has suffered degredation after all the abuse i have put it through on air. + The ambients are high, like 25C now so i cant really bench even if i wanted to.


I hear ya. I feel the same way about mine for some reason - At one point in time I could do 53.3 FPS with Extreme Preset in Valley - I cannot for the life of me repeat it... my card probably feels like a 62yr retired porn star...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> I hear ya. I feel the same way about mine for some reason - At one point in time I could do 53.3 FPS with Extreme Preset in Valley - I cannot for the life of me repeat it... my card probably feels like a 62yr retired porn star...


Its like,, the first few benches. Like first 5 does AWESOME clocks. But after that it like degrades a bit. but not much and then it stays strong for a long time.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Its like,, the first few benches. Like first 5 does AWESOME clocks. But after that it like degrades a bit. but not much and then it stays strong for a long time.


i agree with this, my 7950 did about 1330, not i get about 1280 :/


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> i agree with this, my 7950 did about 1330, not i get about 1280 :/


Yep









Mine can do 1300 with proper cooling, its just not as easy on air anymore.


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Yep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine can do 1300 with proper cooling, its just not as easy on air anymore.


fine by me though, its still above average scores


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> fine by me though, its still above average scores


top 5-7 7970 or so. + its not water cooled and coupled with an AMD processor. Valley hates AMD processors lol


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> top 5-7 7970 or so. + its not water cooled and coupled with an AMD processor. Valley hates AMD processors lol


holy crap, 1300 on AIR???


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jdc122*
> 
> holy crap, 1300 on AIR???


I have 1 1300/1890 3dmark firestrike score and i posted another Metro LL 1300/1800 on here a few posts back.

But yea i CAN but it has to be under very specific circumstances. I usually do 1290/1850.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I have 1 1300/1890 3dmark firestrike score and i posted another Metro LL 1300/1800 on here a few posts back.
> 
> But yea i CAN but it has to be under very specific circumstances. I usually do 1290/1850.


You still cant match my 1300/1900 with 30 ambient.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You still cant match my 1300/1900 with 30 ambient.


My 680 does 1400/2000 and it owns ur 7970 lol

GK104 4 lyfe


----------



## Legion123

as promised 1220/1800 i tried 1300 but just cant do it when i start seeing minimal artefacts i just stop the tests tweak and try again with this one i cant go above this without artefacting


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> My 680 does 1400/2000 and it owns ur 7970 lol
> 
> GK104 4 lyfe












I was playing valley last night with the 7970 for a score of 2675, I'll have to try heaven 4.0 again next time.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was playing valley last night with the 7970 for a score of 2675, I'll have to try heaven 4.0 again next time.


Nice, i usually play 3dmark in my freetime. Man best game ever!


----------



## FtW 420

Actually my goal was firestrike extreme, got 5809 single 7970 & was happy with it, so played valley for a little while after.

Now I want more than 5809 so will play heaven when I beat it.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Actually my goal was firestrike extreme, got 5809 single 7970 & was happy with it, so played valley for a little while after.
> 
> Now I want more than 5809 so will play heaven when I beat it.


I need to get my loop up and running so i can do some proper benching... Im tired of being temp blocked.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You still cant match my 1300/1900 with 30 ambient.


I can do 1300/1940 at 25c ambients...100% fan and 1.3/1.65v
I really need water, but not sure if my Giga 7970 WF3 OC (non boost) fits any waterblock.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I need to get my loop up and running so i can do some proper benching... Im tired of being temp blocked.


You need ln2 and pots...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no both the sabertooth and the CVFz are top of line no better to oc on mobos


Ive seen overclocks on asrock boards just from upping the multiplier, CHV needs a lot more then that...
but its not just OC'ing though that Ive been disappointed/annoyed with, much much more...


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Ive seen overclocks on asrock boards just from upping the multiplier, CHV needs a lot more then that...
> but its not just OC'ing though that Ive been disappointed/annoyed with, much much more...


You can do the exact same on the CHV board. ASrock is ok, cheap in my opinion. I never got LLC to work correctly on the extreme 4 990fx when I had it. The sabertooth and CHV are top of the line, its easy to see the differences. Not to mention all the added features with the Asus...

I am still curious about the extreme 9 board. Was close to ordering it but went with the CHV.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Not to mention all the added features with the Asus...


good when they work, just that they need software to utilize which ASUS cant seem to supply is whats disappointing, but I generally prefer hardware-level management anyway...

overclocking wise, my 4.6GHz consists of lower multipliers and the FSB raised to 230, with every single other voltage nudged a bit, (besides cpu voltages, those are up a lot), but why do they also have a turbo multiplier that you can use but don't have the ability to change said voltage? closest to that is to drop off your VRM regulation, which just makes things even worse...


----------



## hotrod717

Got the hotwire hooked to my Matrix, finally, but am having problems adjusting the voltage. I've tried the oc key and it doesn't show value or setting in tweakit. It shows current values, but won't allow me to adjust. Not sure if GPU Tweak is blocking it or if I need to make some adjustment in bios. I thought that I would be able to make realtime adjustments. Anyone have any experience with hotwire?

^^ Extreme 9 sucks. Bought it for my 8350 and sent it right back. Extremely cheap imo.


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Got the hotwire hooked to my Matrix, finally, but am having problems adjusting the voltage. I've tried the oc key and it doesn't show value or setting in tweakit. It shows current values, but won't allow me to adjust. Not sure if GPU Tweak is blocking it or if I need to make some adjustment in bios. I thought that I would be able to make realtime adjustments. Anyone have any experience with hotwire?
> 
> ^^ Extreme 9 sucks. Bought it for my 8350 and sent it right back. Extremely cheap imo.


The VGA hotwire voltage can only be adjusted in bios I believe.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> The VGA hotwire voltage can only be adjusted in bios I believe.


Asus says that it can be adjusted through oc key. It's there, it just won't allow me to adjust for some reason.


----------



## Erick Silver




----------



## theoneofgod

Playing Tomb Raider with 7950 xfire, my GPU memory is showing 3404MB used with afterburner, is this normal?


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Playing Tomb Raider with 7950 xfire, my GPU memory is showing 3404MB used with afterburner, is this normal?


divide by 2


----------



## LifeDisturbens

There we go, i phoned the company Komplett and plead for them to do the switch from 7950 to 7970, and the answer was:

"We haven't got your card here yet, so be patiant. After checking the forum Overclock.net in the thread Official Amd Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 owners Thread we've decided to replace your card with the Sapphire 7970 3 GB Vapor-X as requested. We will send you a mail when the state of your Sapphire HD 7950 3 GB "BC" is confirmed. A bill of 1050 kronor will be sent to you after the maintance".

In other words, 1050 kronor is around.. Lets see, 90 euro? Maybe 99 or something.
So yeah, i'm prob getting a 7970 this or next week! If they can repair the 7950 they'll just send that back instead. But still, this is awesome!


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> divide by 2


My total memory available is 3072MB, why would I have to divide it by 2?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Asus says that it can be adjusted through oc key. It's there, it just won't allow me to adjust for some reason.


ROG forums are ya best bet, and asus coded something so gpu tweak can only be used.

and try different bios switches, i believe them to be different. On switch1 i can overclock a beast and switch2 is pretty mundane. heard others having the same experience as well.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> There we go, i phoned the company Komplett and plead for them to do the switch from 7950 to 7970, and the answer was:
> 
> "We haven't got your card here yet, so be patiant. After checking the forum Overclock.net in the thread Official Amd Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 owners Thread we've decided to replace your card with the Sapphire 7970 3 GB Vapor-X as requested. We will send you a mail when the state of your Sapphire HD 7950 3 GB "BC" is confirmed. A bill of 1050 kronor will be sent to you after the maintance".
> 
> In other words, 1050 kronor is around.. Lets see, 90 euro? Maybe 99 or something.
> So yeah, i'm prob getting a 7970 this or next week! If they can repair the 7950 they'll just send that back instead. But still, this is awesome!


be sure to give them a good review if they have gone that far then!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> My total memory available is 3072MB, why would I have to divide it by 2?


xfire, you have 3072MB * the number of cards, just that most programs don't actually tell you the real total as its more of a theoretical max you can use.

that and some memory can be inside your RAM, depending on what sort of rendering system is in use...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> There we go, i phoned the company Komplett and plead for them to do the switch from 7950 to 7970, and the answer was:
> 
> "We haven't got your card here yet, so be patiant. After checking the forum Overclock.net in the thread Official Amd Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 owners Thread we've decided to replace your card with the Sapphire 7970 3 GB Vapor-X as requested. We will send you a mail when the state of your Sapphire HD 7950 3 GB "BC" is confirmed. A bill of 1050 kronor will be sent to you after the maintance".
> 
> In other words, 1050 kronor is around.. Lets see, 90 euro? Maybe 99 or something.
> So yeah, i'm prob getting a 7970 this or next week! If they can repair the 7950 they'll just send that back instead. But still, this is awesome!


this site?

http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/site/KomplettHome.aspx

if it is, i'll be using that site to help others in your area if ever.


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Hi,
I need help with my new GV-R795WF3-3GD. I bought right this card from Gigabyte, because i thought it nice choose (nice cooler, 1,25V default=nice OC in Catalyst, nice price). I tried to move the bar in Catalyst, the maximum frequency of memory is only 5.5 GHz! It is absolutely tragic result. frown.gif So I'm very frustrated. In all ocercloking software is voltage to core and memory is locked. My question is, can you help me with this problem please?
Can you send me bios, where it will be higher voltage for memory? Or send instructions, how to pick up the voltage of memory with some software?

Thanks


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Asus says that it can be adjusted through oc key. It's there, it just won't allow me to adjust for some reason.


Have you tried + - num key? I can change it no problem. But the increment isn't the same as in GPU Tweak.

IINM you need to enable in bios, try take a look at the bios.


----------



## PedroC1999

Taken from the AMD HOW TO THREAD


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Install driver of choice. Tri and quadfire people, I'd recommend you stick with RC11 and refer to Part 2 for getting the rest of your cards enabled.

Install AB, I recommend in a different directory from default. In general you will need to install the above linked clock control files. RC11 does not need these files.

On your desktop is the shortcut of AB, make a copy of it to edit. Add -xcl to the end of the target box after right clicking it/properties. Click ok to close the window. Make sure to close AB before running this newly edited shortcut.

Ex.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" -xcl

After AB's prompt, reboot and save this shortcut and rename it so you have it for safe keeping. You will need to re-run if it you change drivers again.

For some background on the xcl process. The -xcl switch is just to tell AB to create new modified Powerplay Tables in the registry. All it does is unlock the overclock limits of Overdrive. Note you won't be using Overdrive at all. You'll instead be using AB but using AB just as default with only the check marks for unlocking voltage. Don't do anything in AB's config file, that method is for "unofficial method" whereas you'll be using "official method."
When you add -xcl to the AB shortcut, it doesn't run, it merely imports the Powerplay Tables as mentioned above. Once that's done, you have to then remove the -xcl you added, and reboot. Upon reboot, you can open up AB and overclock like normal.
**There are a couple caveats with the -xcl method. The most annoying is that AB cannot edit the Powerplay Tables of more than 1 card. And that 1 card is only the active card so if you have crossfire you will have to jump thru some hurdles. There's a trick to add all the Powerplay Tables for ppl in crossfire in that link.
**The other annoyance is that you will have to redo the -xcl method after each driver install.
**Also, you will need the clock control files.
It's also a good idea if you are crossfired, to do this on a cleaned registry so you know which Radeon folder to edit.Thus the bottom line is we use AB to overclock without enabling UOM and without disabling ULPS. When you set your overclock in AB, this gets passed to Overdrive and you stay inside AMD's Powersaving tech. For voltage control, we use AB as we normally would.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> this site?
> 
> http://www.komplett.ie/Komplett/site/KomplettHome.aspx
> 
> if it is, i'll be using that site to help others in your area if ever.


Yes, that's the site. I've even got the phonenumber of one of thier workers. Since he said i'm having so many troubles since i bought the PC from them. That he personally would take care of it if it doesn't work when i get back my grapficscard. So i'm pretty lucky.

I guess the support isnt that giving to all people though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> Hi,
> I need help with my new GV-R795WF3-3GD. I bought right this card from Gigabyte, because i thought it nice choose (nice cooler, 1,25V default=nice OC in Catalyst, nice price). I tried to move the bar in Catalyst, the maximum frequency of memory is only 5.5 GHz! It is absolutely tragic result. frown.gif So I'm very frustrated. In all ocercloking software is voltage to core and memory is locked. My question is, can you help me with this problem please?
> Can you send me bios, where it will be higher voltage for memory? Or send instructions, how to pick up the voltage of memory with some software?
> 
> Thanks


bit of a mess in my mind reading after doing crazy programming, I understand you found the memory is locked in CCC/VECC? whats the value (non total) that you can ramp it up to? and generally tools like MSI afterburner will apply a registry trick to unlock the controls in CCC/VECC for you,

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Yes, that's the site. I've even got the phonenumber of one of thier workers. Since he said i'm having so many troubles since i bought the PC from them. That he personally would take care of it if it doesn't work when i get back my grapficscard. So i'm pretty lucky.
> 
> I guess the support isnt that giving to all people though.


generally support can be all over the place for many companies, but when one gives good support, even only once, you praise it like they were a puppy, that way (also like a puppy) you encourage them to be more like that, and vice-versa.


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> bit of a mess in my mind reading after doing crazy programming, I understand you found the memory is locked in CCC/VECC? whats the value (non total) that you can ramp it up to? and generally tools like MSI afterburner will apply a registry trick to unlock the controls in CCC/VECC for you,


Memory can run only at 5,5Ghz. I need higher voltage, but the voltage (core, memory) is locked. I cant set the higher.







(


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> Memory can run only at 5,5Ghz. I need higher voltage, but the voltage (core, memory) is locked. I cant set the higher.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (


ah, yea, think you might be a bit out of luck there, gigabyte has been voltage locking their cards for a while now, you might be lucky to get a BIOS version that unlocks the voltages though, otherwise you might be stuck at the stock voltages...

5500 is pretty decent for a 7950 though...


----------



## DrzkaCZ

It is possible to modify the bios and increase the memory voltage or some trick to unlock it in MSI afterburner or TrixX?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> It is possible to modify the bios and increase the memory voltage or some trick to unlock it in MSI afterburner or TrixX?


Download Trixx 4.4.0b mod.

http://www.overclock.net/attachments/8046


----------



## DrzkaCZ

In this version i have GPU clock, Memory clock and VDDC... not memory voltage







(


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> In this version i have GPU clock, Memory clock and VDDC... not memory voltage
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (


Scroll down.


----------



## Rangerjr1

@Face2face

In post human on crysis 3 i did some benching. From where the "bridge" starts to the first door opens.

Avg: 36.708 - Min: 26 - Max: 52

All settings max except for AA that was disabled.

8350 @4.8GHz 2600NB - 7970 @1150/1800.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ROG forums are ya best bet, and asus coded something so gpu tweak can only be used.
> 
> and try different bios switches, i believe them to be different. On switch1 i can overclock a beast and switch2 is pretty mundane. heard others having the same experience as well.


I'll try ROG forums. The switch on the matrix, if I recall is different. Has something to do with fan control. I have no problems oc'ing this beast, but want to tweak a little more. 1385/1875 is where I am at in GPU Tweak for benchies.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Have you tried + - num key? I can change it no problem. But the increment isn't the same as in GPU Tweak.
> 
> IINM you need to enable in bios, try take a look at the bios.


Yeah I tried that 1..2...3. Not sure what to base those numbers on. What does each increment signify? If that's all there is, that's pretty lame. Hopefully I can get some info on Rog forum. I did enable Extreme in VGA Paradise. This card is a awesome clocker, I just want a bit more control and volts. It tops out at 42* so a little more juice shouldn't hurt.


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> Scroll down.


Sorry and power tune. Not memory voltage







.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Same benchmark at 1280/1800.

Avg: 42.244 - Min: 33 - Max: 62


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ROG forums are ya best bet, and asus coded something so gpu tweak can only be used.
> 
> and try different bios switches, i believe them to be different. On switch1 i can overclock a beast and switch2 is pretty mundane. heard others having the same experience as well.
> 
> 
> 
> I'll try ROG forums. The switch on the matrix, if I recall is different. Has something to do with fan control. I have no problems oc'ing this beast, but want to tweak a little more. 1385/1875 is where I am at in GPU Tweak for benchies.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Have you tried + - num key? I can change it no problem. But the increment isn't the same as in GPU Tweak.
> 
> IINM you need to enable in bios, try take a look at the bios.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yeah I tried that 1..2...3. Not sure what to base those numbers on. What does each increment signify? If that's all there is, that's pretty lame. Hopefully I can get some info on Rog forum. I did enable Extreme in VGA Paradise. This card is a awesome clocker, I just want a bit more control and volts. It tops out at 42* so a little more juice shouldn't hurt.
Click to expand...

Seen this yet?


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Seen this yet?


I have now! Thanks, I'll give it a go. Seems like +/- (num). Cool, tried it and it does work. I'll have to open up GPU tweak and play with it. +rep to you brother. The voltage monitor wasn't changing when I applied a adjustment, but it wasn't under load. Is there a work around to get rid of idle and keep it at max clocks or do I just have to load it and then do the adjustments to see the result?

Man that Ln2 gets another beast stirring!!


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Any ideas how to get more out of memory? pls


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> Any ideas how to get more out of memory? pls


Better cooling always helps (put heatsinks on your VRAM)


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> Any ideas how to get more out of memory? pls


revise, study hard, brain train and practice memory retrieval cues


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> Better cooling always helps (put heatsinks on your VRAM)


I have Windforce 3x cooler... with heatsink on VRAM and VRM.
Quote:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by DrzkaCZ View Post
> 
> Any ideas how to get more out of memory? pls mad.gif
> 
> revise, study hard, brain train and practice memory retrieval cues


Thanks. Graphic memory i thought.


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Oh well, i just got the mail with the maintance. The card is broken so it said i will get a 7970.

So i'm borrowing my friends old card, since he got his 7970 today.

Well, the IceQ is pretty neat. Almost beats the 7950 in all benchmarks. (It's unlocked to 6970).


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Oh well, i just got the mail with the maintance. The card is broken so it said i will get a 7970.
> 
> So i'm borrowing my friends old card, since he got his 7970 today.
> 
> Well, the IceQ is pretty neat. *Almost beats the 7950 in all benchmarks.* (It's unlocked to 6970).


Wat. That's some monster 6950 you got there.


----------



## PedroC1999

Hello OCN,

Me, GxStorm and a few others are developing a professional realizm mod for GTA IV, we are in deep need for new testers, please drop by, and help us test, develop and improve our modification, ALL help would be greatly appreciated. No monster rig is needed, it runs on mid range PC's too!

http://www.overclock.net/t/1380967/gta-proreal-mod-release/0_40

Thanks You for taking a look


----------



## spizzlo

Is there a sig for this club? I can't seem to find it.


----------



## youpekkad

HD6950 beating HD7950? Pics of benches or didnt happen


----------



## Razzle Dazzle

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> revise, study hard, brain train and practice memory retrieval cues


Bazinga!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> HD6950 beating HD7950? Pics of benches or didnt happen


Didn't happen...maybe a super oced 6970 vs a stock non-ghz 7950, but not likely.


----------



## Snuckie7

Typo for 7850 most likely


----------



## DrzkaCZ

What about some mode, or modification in MSI Afterburner? (To higher memory voltage on 7950)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> What about some mode, or modification in MSI Afterburner? (To higher memory voltage on 7950)


Just get Trixx 4.4.0b mod.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I'll try ROG forums. The switch on the matrix, if I recall is different. Has something to do with fan control. I have no problems oc'ing this beast, but want to tweak a little more. 1385/1875 is where I am at in GPU Tweak for benchies.
> Yeah I tried that 1..2...3. Not sure what to base those numbers on. What does each increment signify? If that's all there is, that's pretty lame. Hopefully I can get some info on Rog forum. I did enable Extreme in VGA Paradise. This card is a awesome clocker, I just want a bit more control and volts. It tops out at 42* so a little more juice shouldn't hurt.


I've told ya + - num, and I didn't get a rep? Haha. Joking.

It adds voltage to your current voltage settings. But the multiplier I don't quite gets it yet. seems like 0.01 = 0.5v or something IDK, I just fitted waterblock, didn't have the chance to try again with hotwire.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> What about some mode, or modification in MSI Afterburner? (To higher memory voltage on 7950)


You can already crank 1.7V by default in AB although I'm not sure why you would want to do that. Volts don't help mem that much.


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *spizzlo*
> 
> Is there a sig for this club? I can't seem to find it.


Copy the code below and enter into your sig.

Code:



Code:


[URL=http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread]AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 Owners Thread[/URL]


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> Just get Trixx 4.4.0b mod.


I tried it... no memory voltage.








Quote:


> You can already crank 1.7V by default in AB although


I think that default voltage is 1,4V or 1,5V and i cant set the higher. I don't have the memory voltage bar in MSI afterburner or Trixx.


----------



## hammertime850

Hey any 7990 owners here? I'm thinking of getting one and was confused by the fact that in all the review they did not get any gains from overclocking. Is that just what it does or are you guys having different results/using "hacks" to bypass that problem?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammertime850*
> 
> Hey any 7990 owners here? I'm thinking of getting one and was confused by the fact that in all the review they did not get any gains from overclocking. Is that just what it does or are you guys having different results/using "hacks" to bypass that problem?


I would get 2 7970s instead.


----------



## Erick Silver

Or 7950s


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I would get 2 7970s instead.


The 7990 looks like kind of a strange beast, with the new plex chips they seem to communicate better than with a xfire bridge & they are doing great things with the lowish clocks that they're at.
But dual gpus always run a bit hotter, & it is a pricey strange beast.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammertime850*
> 
> Hey any 7990 owners here? I'm thinking of getting one and was confused by the fact that in all the review they did not get any gains from overclocking. Is that just what it does or are you guys having different results/using "hacks" to bypass that problem?


I have been able to with the latest driver. But im hoping the next driver will help even more. As far as the comments on buying 2 7970s . I have those aswell. On top of the 2 7990s in my possesion. I enjoy my 7990s especially the Malta 7990 more than any of my 7970s.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> I have been able to with the latest driver. But im hoping the next driver will help even more. As far as the comments on buying 2 7970s . I have those aswell. On top of the 2 7990s in my possesion. I enjoy my 7990s especially the Malta 7990 more than any of my 7970s.


Give me a 7990







?


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Give me a 7990
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ?


Brother if I could I would. But many lunch sacrifices took place to budget these cards lol


----------



## th3illusiveman

to the people wondering about ASIC, it only matters when you're running the core on a good PCB. My ASIC is 74.1% and that's considered good but i can't get it over 1150 because the PCB is cheap crap. I wonder what it could do on a lightning PCB considering those usually come with 50-60% ASIC ratings yet reach 1200Mhz+


----------



## Erick Silver

I believe that I posted earlier in the thread that I had a 59% ASIC? Can't remember. I'm at 1150/1500 and its folding strong.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *th3illusiveman*
> 
> to the people wondering about ASIC, it only matters when you're running the core on a good PCB. My ASIC is 74.1% and that's considered good but i can't get it over 1150 because the PCB is cheap crap. I wonder what it could do on a lightning PCB considering those usually come with 50-60% ASIC ratings yet reach 1200Mhz+


ASIC is almost irrelevant when overclocking. ASIC tells you how much voltage leak there is, the lower the ASIC is the higher the leak. So you can increase the voltage quite a bit and it wont get that hot. If the ASIC is high the chip will get hot with barely any voltage change, but it scales incredibly well with it. Thats why air coolers prefer high asic. 72.5% ASIC is middle ground and perfect for water.

ASIC has nothing to do with the chips capability of OCing, thats pure luck. My ASIC is 72.5% and mine does 1270-1300/1890 on air depending on the benchmark.


----------



## d1nky

i got 59% ASIC and can do 1billion jiggawatts on core and 12truple zillion on mem


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> i got 59% ASIC and can do 1billion jiggawatts on core and 12truple zillion on mem


AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA


----------



## Erick Silver

LOL


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> 1.3v.
> 
> MSI afterburner will for example, hit under 1.3v when you set the target voltage @ 1.3.
> Sapphire trixx can raise the target voltage to 1.38 to hit 1.3v actual.


This is totally false, I see my card go up to 1.35V:



My ASIC is 65.8% and it's not that great of a clocker even when under water.


----------



## hammertime850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> I have been able to with the latest driver. But im hoping the next driver will help even more. As far as the comments on buying 2 7970s . I have those aswell. On top of the 2 7990s in my possesion. I enjoy my 7990s especially the Malta 7990 more than any of my 7970s.


ah thank you, thinking of throwing one in an sg08, but was weird-ed out by the odd results


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> This is totally false, I see my card go up to 1.35V:


Do you have memory voltage there? Can you send me screen?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> Do you have memory voltage there? Can you send me screen?


I'm using a modded Trixx, so yes:


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> I'm using a modded Trixx, so yes:


Version 4.4.0b?

How many voltage is in default? 1,5V?


----------



## Kokin

Yes 4.4.0b, I have the file if you want it. Just PM me.

Default is 1.6V


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Yes 4.4.0b, I have the file if you want it. Just PM me.
> 
> Default is 1.6V


I have tried helping that guy... He doesnt listen. I gave him a direct link to Trixx 4.0.0b mod.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I have tried helping that guy... He doesnt listen. I gave him a direct link to Trixx 4.0.0b mod.


Oh, well if he's using 5770's then MSI Afterburner is fine enough.


----------



## Mega Man

meh i dont need trix...i just mod my bios


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> meh i dont need trix...i just mod my bios


I'm not sure if you're trying to sound special with this post... but it ain't working out.

If the user wanted permanent values, then I would agree that BIOS mods are the way to go. However, I'm normally in stock regardless of using Eyefinity (3240x1920 res) and I prefer having the option to change my settings whenever I want. I'm pretty sure many people feel the same way about this.


----------



## Mega Man

umm no, wow you just take everything so personal.

i d k about you but i just flick a switch and i am back to stocks...


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I'm not sure if you're trying to sound special with this post... but it ain't working out.
> 
> If the user wanted permanent values, then I would agree that BIOS mods are the way to go. However, I'm normally in stock regardless of using Eyefinity (3240x1920 res) and I prefer having the option to change my settings whenever I want. I'm pretty sure many people feel the same way about this.


Yeah, there are benching clocks, and then there are normal use clocks. There's no way I'm going to hammer my video card with 1300MHz for 24/7 use.


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> umm no, wow you just take everything so personal.
> 
> i d k about you but i just flick a switch and i am back to stocks...


Agreed...what's the difference between a stock bios/boost bios or a stock bios/modded bios....just push a button


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> This is totally false, I see my card go up to 1.35V:
> 
> 
> 
> My ASIC is 65.8% and it's not that great of a clocker even when under water.


Ya you may see volts up to 1.35 with such a small load. But put it under a `load` and you will only see around 1.3.

*actual results may vary slightly


----------



## Spectre-

cant push more than this

:L

cant get 10k

someone got tips

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6888829

i have no clue why my processor and ram didnt show up

specs- 4600mhz
16gb @ 1600mhz ram


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> cant push more than this
> 
> :L
> 
> cant get 10k
> 
> someone got tips
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6888829
> 
> i have no clue why my processor and ram didnt show up
> 
> specs- 4600mhz
> 16gb @ 1600mhz ram


Clock your CPU and GPU higher. Thats about it.


----------



## Spectre-

:L
cant

i just crash at 4.7ghz


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> :L
> cant
> 
> i just crash at 4.7ghz


Up the voltage.


----------



## Spectre-

i have a bad chip :"L

i clock at 4500mhzz @ 1.32 volts

4.7 would mean 1.37volts

not so sure


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> This is totally false, I see my card go up to 1.35V:
> 
> 
> 
> My ASIC is 65.8% and it's not that great of a clocker even when under water.


Results may vary. Put it under 100% load, doubt you are pulling 1.35 then.

Both my cards pull circa 1.3v @ 1.38v, both 70-75 ASIC. You are running pretty hot too for watercooled card.

Saying that, I have pushed mine further in the past though


----------



## Kokin

Oh you guys are right, sorry about that.

Just tested it out and it does go down to about 1.3V at 100% usage. Most of the time I don't hit past 30~50% usage, so I never saw it go down to 1.3V.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> umm no, wow you just take everything so personal.
> 
> i d k about you but i just flick a switch and i am back to stocks...


Your post just seemed like you were saying "BIOS mod > Trixx" when either way is good. Didn't mean to make it personal.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hammertime850*
> 
> Hey any 7990 owners here? I'm thinking of getting one and was confused by the fact that in all the review they did not get any gains from overclocking. Is that just what it does or are you guys having different results/using "hacks" to bypass that problem?


bottleneck and shared power reasons is why the 7990 is not so good a clocker.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Oh you guys are right, sorry about that.
> 
> Just tested it out and it does go down to about 1.3V at 100% usage. Most of the time I don't hit past 30~50% usage, so I never saw it go down to 1.3V.


generally that's what vdroop is, more load almost always makes your voltages drop significantly unless you have some really strong regulators, also different mobos and PSUs will affect this variation significantly, just simple physics really...

another example is my CPU is technically set to 1.48V, but the regulators try to keep it around 1.46V, if I turn the regulation down/off, the voltage will drop to ~1.4 under heavy load (and cause crashes).


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i have a bad chip :"L
> 
> i clock at 4500mhzz @ 1.32 volts
> 
> 4.7 would mean 1.37volts
> 
> not so sure


if you cant oc the cpu more tighten the ram timings a bit or overclock them.

shame about the card, what mem chips are in there?

mine was capable of 11.8k graphics and now does about 11.5k on a cold day

im aiming for 11K total score tho


----------



## PedroC1999

I almost get 19k in Graphics.

Cards at 1125/1500


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i have a bad chip :"L
> 
> i clock at 4500mhzz @ 1.32 volts
> 
> 4.7 would mean 1.37volts
> 
> not so sure


Spectre, 1.32v for 4.5 is AVERAGE, anything over is BAD


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> cant push more than this
> 
> :L
> 
> cant get 10k
> 
> someone got tips
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6888829
> 
> i have no clue why my processor and ram didnt show up
> 
> specs- 4600mhz
> 16gb @ 1600mhz ram


i understand your desire to get higher but your graphics score shows that you've surpassed a 7970 GHz speed. if you have 4 sticks of ram . . . try 2. it might help get your oc higher unless you have a cooling problem.


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> Quote:
> Originally Posted by Kokin View Post
> 
> Yes 4.4.0b, I have the file if you want it. Just PM me.
> 
> Default is 1.6V
> 
> I have tried helping that guy... He doesnt listen. I gave him a direct link to Trixx 4.0.0b mod.


I know i know... i said i tried it. I downloaded this file, than I started... I wrote it...
In there i have only memory and core frequency, core voltage and power tune... NOT memory voltage!

Am I doing something wrong?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> I know i know... i said i tried it. I downloaded this file, than I started... I wrote it...
> In there i have only memory and core frequency, core voltage and power tune... NOT memory voltage!
> 
> Am I doing something wrong?


I don't get Memory voltage in 4.40b either, it was only implemented in the latest revision I think


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> cant push more than this
> 
> :L
> 
> cant get 10k
> 
> someone got tips
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6888829
> 
> i have no clue why my processor and ram didnt show up
> 
> specs- 4600mhz
> 16gb @ 1600mhz ram


Are you sure your GPU OC is stable?

I get higher graphics score at lower clocks (gaming clocks, 1150/1500), http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6870025

@1180/1550 you should be getting closer to 11k than 10,5k, just saying...

Maybe try increasing the fan speed, lowering the memory clock to see if your score increases/if you can gain few extra MHz on the core that way?


----------



## PedroC1999

Try running Heaven first for stability, it takes less time


----------



## Mopar63

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> cant push more than this
> 
> :L
> 
> cant get 10k
> 
> someone got tips
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6888829
> 
> i have no clue why my processor and ram didnt show up
> 
> specs- 4600mhz
> 16gb @ 1600mhz ram


Dude do you realize you are with 17% of the average for a 4470K and a Titan. Think about how much a 4770K and Titan rig costs and then yours. Seriously dude your numbers are great.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Try running Heaven first for stability, it takes less time


Which is best to stress with, Valley or Heaven?


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> bottleneck and shared power reasons is why the 7990 is not so good a clocker.


please enlighten me on this "bottleneck" ..... especially if this has to do with the bridge.
and "shared power" reasons is not a reason either. Driver is playing a big role here.
Especially if your talking about the Malta 7990.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Which is best to stress with, Valley or Heaven?


BOTH!

Ideally you want furmark to see max temps, heaven or valley at max looped followed by uber gaming for a couple hours on/off cycles.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> BOTH!
> 
> Ideally you want furmark to see max temps, heaven or valley at max looped followed by uber gaming for a couple hours on/off cycles.


Thank you, and I find folding with your GPU for several days could tell its stability.


----------



## Spectre-

dont know about cooling problems

running a kuhler 620 in a HAF 932 case with pretty much all the fans


----------



## Spectre-

i see your running i7 processor

its easier for you to get 10k since HT is a major factor playing

unless its disabled

*then i just quit*


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> please enlighten me on this "bottleneck" ..... especially if this has to do with the bridge.
> and "shared power" reasons is not a reason either. Driver is playing a big role here.
> Especially if your talking about the Malta 7990.


shared power, the reference 7990 only has two 8 pin PCIe for a start, then has somewhat limited VRMs split between both cores, so that's obviously going to pose a limitation for high clocks, then bottleneck wise, your running two high power gpus through an additional controller and through a single x16 lane slot, depending on your setup, this will add an ever so slightly delay and cap on the data from cpu > gpus, especially if your unlucky to only have PCIe2 spec.

the 7990s have notably better efficiency and bin quality, but they have their limitations compared to multiple dedicated 7970 cores, so really if you have the space, get multiple 7970s, driver wise you get identical problems, just that the 7990 might be notably worse due to the extra chip inbetween...

7990s are great if you want high performance (and have the money) but don't have 6 or 8 spare slots in your case for a proper setup...


----------



## Spectre-

its fun though to push a system

after all machines are built to break barriers


----------



## Spectre-

i am not sure about mem chips

its a HD 7950 TF3 boost edition


----------



## Spectre-

well i ran furmark for about 4 hours got no crashes

i am starting to think about throttle here


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i see your running i7 processor
> 
> its easier for you to get 10k since HT is a major factor playing
> 
> unless its disabled
> 
> *then i just quit*


Are you referring to my post?

If so, then yes, i7 helps with overall score, physics score and combined score, however it does nothing to graphics score. And I have HT enabled, my RAM (1333, cl9) sucks though so ppl with faster RAM get higher physics score than me with the i7.

Your problem IMO is that your graphics score @1180/1550 is lower than mine @1150/1500 (I would get the same graphics score with the i5, and BTW Ivy usually scores tad bit higher graphics than Sandy...)

This all leads me to believe, that your GPU is not fully stable, either temps get too high, core doesnt get enough voltage or memory is unstable, all of these can lower the score even though you "pass" the test. If it was stable, you would break 10k 3dmarks and your graphics score would be around 10800.

Thats why I suggested you to increase the fan speed, try lowering memory clock, or if temps are in check, slightly increase the voltage and see if your score gets where it should be.


----------



## Spectre-

to the overclocking station

*testing everything

ill prime95 tonight


----------



## Spectre-

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6921897

this is my score with crossfire another 7950

seems pretty low


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6921897
> 
> this is my score with crossfire another 7950
> 
> seems pretty low


your gpus are about 30% slower than the 780s . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6920070

compare the graphics scores. how much you buy those?


----------



## Spectre-

$650 for both of them

but i just put one of the 7950's in system for a run

it belongs in a different system


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> $650 for both of them
> 
> but i just put one of the 7950's in system for a run
> 
> it belongs in a different system


try harder . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5169992

edit: just pulling your leg. your system is running fine. prolly just a little fine tuning. listen to Youpekkad.


----------



## ShooterFX

I am loving my 7990. No issues whatsoever. Must still do a bit of overclocking but currently running everything i play full and have no heat issues.


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> I don't get Memory voltage in 4.40b either, it was only implemented in the latest revision I think


You have to make sure you get the"modded" version of trixx 4.40b.

Try here..... http://www.overclock.net/t/1395565/where-can-i-find-sapphire-trixx-oc-v4-6-0-modded-with-memory-voltage-control


----------



## Spectre-

that is pretty close graphics score

but fuarrrrkk that physics score is nearly 3k more points


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> shared power, the reference 7990 only has two 8 pin PCIe for a start, then has somewhat limited VRMs split between both cores, so that's obviously going to pose a limitation for high clocks, then bottleneck wise, your running two high power gpus through an additional controller and through a single x16 lane slot, depending on your setup, this will add an ever so slightly delay and cap on the data from cpu > gpus, especially if your unlucky to only have PCIe2 spec.
> 
> the 7990s have notably better efficiency and bin quality, but they have their limitations compared to multiple dedicated 7970 cores, so really if you have the space, get multiple 7970s, driver wise you get identical problems, just that the 7990 might be notably worse due to the extra chip inbetween...
> 
> 7990s are great if you want high performance (and have the money) but don't have 6 or 8 spare slots in your case for a proper setup...


Most of this i agree with except the part of driver wise problems. Many other owners of this card are seeing the same ocing issues because of drivers.But with each release, we see gains..
The additional controller is no more than like FTW said is a PLX chip. The two cores communicate with one another via a high bandwidth 48 lane PCI-E 3.0 PLX bridge chip which has the ability to push over 96GB/s of information.

I wasnt disagreeing with you on anything my good man. so sorry if that post came across as pissy. lol just wanted to see your thoughts on the "shared power" That and trying to sneak in posts at work lol


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kfxsti*
> 
> Most of this i agree with except the part of driver wise problems. Many other owners of this card are seeing the same ocing issues because of drivers.But with each release, we see gains..
> The additional controller is no more than like FTW said is a PLX chip. The two cores communicate with one another via a high bandwidth 48 lane PCI-E 3.0 PLX bridge chip which has the ability to push over 96GB/s of information.
> 
> I wasnt disagreeing with you on anything my good man. so sorry if that post came across as pissy. lol just wanted to see your thoughts on the "shared power" That and trying to sneak in posts at work lol


Id imagine tasks that need the two gpus to communicate with each other more then the cpu, the 7990 could have a significant advantage, but otherwise your adding an unnecessary bit of hardware (though of course necessary to use the same slot), especially with two 7990s, that's core,core > bridge > cpu,NB > bridge > core,core, not particularly ideal when you think of it...

though has anyone compared 7990s with and without xfire to standard 7970s on the same system? I'm curious of the score differences in certain benches, especially three and four 7970s vs two 7990s (quadfire)...


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Id imagine tasks that need the two gpus to communicate with each other more then the cpu, the 7990 could have a significant advantage, but otherwise your adding an unnecessary bit of hardware (though of course necessary to use the same slot), especially with two 7990s, that's core,core > bridge > cpu,NB > bridge > core,core, not particularly ideal when you think of it...
> 
> though has anyone compared 7990s with and without xfire to standard 7970s on the same system? I'm curious of the score differences in certain benches, especially three and four 7970s vs two 7990s (quadfire)...


like ya mention to run quadifre you would need a decent motherboard and chip to rule out any other variables.


----------



## kfxsti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Id imagine tasks that need the two gpus to communicate with each other more then the cpu, the 7990 could have a significant advantage, but otherwise your adding an unnecessary bit of hardware (though of course necessary to use the same slot), especially with two 7990s, that's core,core > bridge > cpu,NB > bridge > core,core, not particularly ideal when you think of it...
> 
> though has anyone compared 7990s with and without xfire to standard 7970s on the same system? I'm curious of the score differences in certain benches, especially three and four 7970s vs two 7990s (quadfire)...


I cant disable crossfire on the Malta.No Option at all to And the AX7990 absolutely HATES it being disabled.... But i would love to know the one 7990 core Vs a 7970 as well lol


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I've told ya + - num, and I didn't get a rep? Haha. Joking.
> 
> It adds voltage to your current voltage settings. But the multiplier I don't quite gets it yet. seems like 0.01 = 0.5v or something IDK, I just fitted waterblock, didn't have the chance to try again with hotwire.


I found the answer to one of my questions about load. There is a button in GPU Tweak on upper left side of banner that turns 2D off, essentially putting it under load by forcing 3D only. Let me know how you make out with clocking and the new WB.Hopefully I can get a handle on the +/- values and figure out exactly how much I'm increasing each setting by mv. I also hope this overrides the top value in GPU Tweak.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I found the answer to one of my questions about load. There is a button in GPU Tweak on upper left side of banner that turns 2D off, essentially putting it under load by forcing 3D only. Let me know how you make out with clocking and the new WB.Hopefully I can get a handle on the +/- values and figure out exactly how much I'm increasing each setting by mv. I also hope this overrides the top value in GPU Tweak.


Yeah, nice! So far matrix still suck, 1210 MHz @ 1.363Vcore. 24/7 daily use. Haven't try the bench clocks yet.

I'm hoping I can add more than 1.4Vcore limit by GPU Tweak. I just don't know how much this chip can handle.


----------



## TehOnlyMITTENS

I know its not reference, but can the ASUS DCUII 7970 be flashed to a Ghz edition? Unlikely, but figure I'd ask.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TehOnlyMITTENS*
> 
> I know its not reference, but can the ASUS DCUII 7970 be flashed to a Ghz edition? Unlikely, but figure I'd ask.


you can flash it with any compatible 7970 bios.

a few people flashed them with matrix bioses, but gpu tweak only for overclocking


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrzkaCZ*
> 
> I know i know... i said i tried it. I downloaded this file, than I started... I wrote it...
> In there i have only memory and core frequency, core voltage and power tune... NOT memory voltage!
> 
> Am I doing something wrong?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jellyfish420*
> 
> You have to make sure you get the"modded" version of trixx 4.40b.
> 
> Try here..... http://www.overclock.net/t/1395565/where-can-i-find-sapphire-trixx-oc-v4-6-0-modded-with-memory-voltage-control


To make it even easier: http://www.overclock.net/t/1394117/vddc-and-mvddc-unlock-on-sapphire-7970-dual-x-blue-pcb-2x8pins

Make sure you download that second link. It will be the modded .exe so make sure to open that instead of what you had before. The .exe is standalone so you are free to delete any previous versions of Trixx you have.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Even though i'm a GTX 760 owner i still enjoy reading this thread so much i wished i was able to buy a 7950 or 7970 but they're both out of stock now :/


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Even though i'm a GTX 760 owner i still enjoy reading this thread so much i wished i was able to buy a 7950 or 7970 but they're both out of stock now :/


you have it? don't install 320.18 on it. i heard it still comes with new cards. do you mind bench 3DMark11, etc. i've seen valley bench but not much the others. btw, oc it.


----------



## DrzkaCZ

Quote:


> Make sure you download that second link. It will be the modded .exe so make sure to open that instead of what you had before. The .exe is standalone so you are free to delete any previous versions of Trixx you have.


I downloaded the second link. Then I try to started... again no memory voltage.


----------



## Kokin

^Could be a custom PCB 7950 that cannot change memory voltage.

Mine is a reference PCB, so I'm able to adjust my voltages + fit a waterblock.


----------



## Ryude

Hey guys my 7950 has started to show some artifacts when just browsing/idle desktop. Completely new computer, temps are fine (31C idle), stock clocks. It didn't do it in the other case, any ideas what the problem is?


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryude*
> 
> Hey guys my 7950 has started to show some artifacts when just browsing/idle desktop. Completely new computer, temps are fine (31C idle), stock clocks. It didn't do it in the other case, any ideas what the problem is?


Driver problem? Maybe if youjust switched cases...is it snapped in the pcie slot all the way?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryude*
> 
> Hey guys my 7950 has started to show some artifacts when just browsing/idle desktop. Completely new computer, temps are fine (31C idle), stock clocks. It didn't do it in the other case, any ideas what the problem is?


What are you idle clocks? You may have to turn off ULPS. I normally idle at 500/1450 (memory does not downclock).


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jellyfish420*
> 
> Driver problem? Maybe if youjust switched cases...is it snapped in the pcie slot all the way?


Yea that was my first guess too, so I re-seated it. It still does it, but it's not like all the time or anything. Just once every few hours or so.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryude*
> 
> Yea that was my first guess too, so I re-seated it. It still does it, but it's not like all the time or anything. Just once every few hours or so.


ive heard this happening when the power connectors arent in correctly for cpu/mobo or the standoffs screws not in. check all the psu connections and anything for shorts, it could be a build up of static releasing or something dodgy.


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> ive heard this happening when the power connectors arent in correctly for cpu/mobo or the standoffs screws not in. check all the psu connections and anything for shorts, it could be a build up of static releasing or something dodgy.


Thanks for the suggestion, I will re-check my power connectors and stand-offs.


----------



## PCBuilder94

Can someone tell me what the difference between the Asus DC2 7950 V2 and the regular Asus 7950 DC2 is? I was looking at the EK compatibility and the original one has a waterblock but not the V2 so what is the difference?


----------



## jdc122

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Can someone tell me what the difference between the Asus DC2 7950 V2 and the regular Asus 7950 DC2 is? I was looking at the EK compatibility and the original one has a waterblock but not the V2 so what is the difference?


i just posted this in your thread, but here goes..

Quote:


> as far as i know, the DCII is a reference pcb with a DCII cooler on it, but its also the version with cooling problems. the v2 has the cooling fixed, but is also the custom pcb version


DCII is reference pcb, hence waterblock


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Can someone tell me what the difference between the Asus DC2 7950 V2 and the regular Asus 7950 DC2 is? I was looking at the EK compatibility and the original one has a waterblock but not the V2 so what is the difference?


The original 7950 DC2 has a REFERENCE 7950 PCB, was ultimately replaced by the V2 version because of the crappy screws that they used, and so the heatsink never made good contact with the core. You needed to use washers to fix it.

The 7950 V2 has a non reference PCB, but its nothing like the 7970 DC2 PCB either, even though they both use the same cooler.

Don't get the 7950 DC2 V1 if you plan to keep the stock heatsink. If you plan to watercool it, go right ahead.


----------



## mordocai rp

just got myself a sapphire dual-x oc 7950. Can't wait to plug it in and fire it up


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> like ya mention to run quadifre you would need a decent motherboard and chip to rule out any other variables.


of course, but that's also where PCIe3 would come in, 4* 8 PCIe3 lanes should give the cards enough bandwidth, but how would the NB and/or cpu cope with it vs two 7990s...

mind you, looking at prices down here, I could get 3 reference 7970s for the same price as a 7990, ~50-75% better performance for the same cost, just 3 times the space needed.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> The original 7950 DC2 has a REFERENCE 7950 PCB, was ultimately replaced by the V2 version because of the crappy screws that they used, and so the heatsink never made good contact with the core. You needed to use washers to fix it.
> 
> The 7950 V2 has a non reference PCB, but its nothing like the 7970 DC2 PCB either, even though they both use the same cooler.
> 
> Don't get the 7950 DC2 V1 if you plan to keep the stock heatsink. If you plan to watercool it, go right ahead.


Either version of asus hd7950 DCII NEVER used ref pcb, look at the custom chokes and vrms....... version1 and 2

and it wasnt just the screws, it was the mount/frame which sagged and pulled away from the die.

and the 7970 has the same PCB layout as the 7950... just 7950 is missing several parts and hotwire.

the version1 has been discontinued for a while now, and itll be hard to find many blocks to fit these. and if ya find a full copper one let me know please.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jellyfish420*
> 
> Agreed...what's the difference between a stock bios/boost bios or a stock bios/modded bios....just push a button


yep, you should reboot even if using software imo
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Oh you guys are right, sorry about that.
> 
> Just tested it out and it does go down to about 1.3V at 100% usage. Most of the time I don't hit past 30~50% usage, so I never saw it go down to 1.3V.
> Your post just seemed like you were saying "BIOS mod > Trixx" when either way is good. Didn't mean to make it personal.


well hate to tell you i am.

ever notice people on OCN tell you to OC via bios NOT software? there is a reason.
but it does not make *that* much difference with gpus, ill always take a bios oc over a software one .......
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> shared power, the reference 7990 only has two 8 pin PCIe for a start, then has somewhat limited VRMs split between both cores, so that's obviously going to pose a limitation for high clocks, then bottleneck wise, your running two high power gpus through an additional controller and through a single x16 lane slot, depending on your setup, this will add an ever so slightly delay and cap on the data from cpu > gpus, especially if your unlucky to only have PCIe2 spec.
> 
> the 7990s have notably better efficiency and bin quality, but they have their limitations compared to multiple dedicated 7970 cores, so really if you have the space, get multiple 7970s, driver wise you get identical problems, just that the 7990 might be notably worse due to the extra chip inbetween...
> 
> 7990s are great if you want high performance (and have the money) but don't have 6 or 8 spare slots in your case for a proper setup...


umm what about water blocks. my 2 only take up 2 slots and working on finishing my quadfire atm .... looking for the right model .
also the stock reference ones are 3x8pin not 2


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> also the stock reference ones are 3x8pin not 2


no?


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Yeah, nice! So far matrix still suck, 1210 MHz @ 1.363Vcore. 24/7 daily use. Haven't try the bench clocks yet.
> 
> I'm hoping I can add more than 1.4Vcore limit by GPU Tweak. I just don't know how much this chip can handle.


I guess I really lucked out then. I was benching today with 1380/1890 at 1.4 in GPU Tweak. Actual with OC key was 1.36875v during heaviest usage and 42* max under water with a dedicated slim 360mm rad. At those clocks I get some light flickering. 1375/1875 is solid though. I run 1250/1700 @ 1.3v 24/7. I'm hoping to break 1.4v with hotwire as well. What is your Asic? Your not the first to have some issues with the Matrix. What is your serial? Did you get it early or later. I have an older serial# 009XX.

^^ AMD really did a wonderful job with Malta. They just spank the Powercolr/Club3d AX series. More efficient, higher clocks, and a slimmer form. Don't want to drop the cash now, but will definitely be picking one up after they come down in price, unless the 8970/9970 series just smokes them from the gate.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Either version of asus hd7950 DCII NEVER used ref pcb, look at the custom chokes and vrms....... version1 and 2
> 
> and it wasnt just the screws, it was the mount/frame which sagged and pulled away from the die.
> 
> and the 7970 has the same PCB layout as the 7950... just 7950 is missing several parts and hotwire.
> 
> the version1 has been discontinued for a while now, and itll be hard to find many blocks to fit these. and if ya find a full copper one let me know please.


Asus 7950 DC2 PCB:



HIS REFERENCE 7950 PCB:



When I said REF PCB, I didn't mean it like that, I meant layout. Meaning blocks should work for it.

and if you're talking about the 7970 DC2 PCB compared to the 7950 DC2 V2 PCB, the backplate doesn't work for it. The holes seem to line up weirdly and it attached itself on weirdly too. I would know, I borrowed one to check out the dimensions, thinking like you, it would be identical. I was hoping to get dimensions to get dwood to make me one.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> no?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=7990&N=-1&isNodeId=1
no

i think that was an early model. all i have ever seen is 3 x8 pin

i am sorry i stand corrected....... looks like some are.... all i have ever heard from them is 3x8 pin... sorry meh bad !~


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I guess I really lucked out then. I was benching today with 1380/1890 at 1.4 in GPU Tweak. Actual with OC key was 1.36875v during heaviest usage and 42* max under water with a dedicated slim 360mm rad. At those clocks I get some light flickering. 1375/1875 is solid though. I run 1250/1700 @ 1.3v 24/7. I'm hoping to break 1.4v with hotwire as well. What is your Asic? Your not the first to have some issues with the Matrix. What is your serial? Did you get it early or later. I have an older serial# 009XX.
> 
> ^^ AMD really did a wonderful job with Malta. They just spank the Powercolr/Club3d AX series. More efficient, higher clocks, and a slimmer form. Don't want to drop the cash now, but will definitely be picking one up after they come down in price, unless the 8970/9970 series just smokes them from the gate.


My serial# C9XXCM . This mean mine is a newer batch? Asic of 63.2% .


----------



## Mega Man

just bought my third 7970 ( same brand/model as my other 2 ) assuming microcenter.com has my microcenters inv correct. working on finding a fourth as we speaks !~~~`


----------



## Spectre-

i think i had an unstable overclock at 4.6ghz because just scored more on 4.5 ghz

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6926181


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> My serial# C9XXCM . This mean mine is a newer batch? Asic of 63.2% .


They are the first digits. My full serial is C9XXCM0009xx. (Don't feel comfortable listing every# since that's what Asus uses for warranty and registration.) The second card I had was C9XXCM0026xx. You have a nice low asic? Mine is 67%. Low asic is good for water/dice/ln2, higher is better for air cooling. What are you using to cool it?Like I said, mine is on it's on loop and doesn't have cpu or other peripherals to add heat to the water. A lot of people say series is the way to go, but that doesn't make sense to me. More components on the loop= more heat put into the water and more work the rad and fans have to cool it down. What is your max temp after 2-3 runs of valley?


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> They are the first digits. My full serial is C9XXCM0009xx. (Don't feel comfortable listing every# since that's what Asus uses for warranty and registration.) The second card I had was C9XXCM0026xx. You have a nice low asic? Mine is 67%. Low asic is good for water/dice/ln2, higher is better for air cooling. What are you using to cool it?Like I said, mine is on it's on loop and doesn't have cpu or other peripherals to add heat to the water. A lot of people say series is the way to go, but that doesn't make sense to me. More components on the loop= more heat put into the water and more work the rad and fans have to cool it down. What is your max temp after 2-3 runs of valley?


Mine 0057XX . Yeah, mine in serial loop with 1200mm total of rad space in between here and there. Thick rad btw.

Owh and the temp was 55c @ 30+c ambient. < yeah tropical mate.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i think i had an unstable overclock at 4.6ghz because just scored more on 4.5 ghz
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6926181


Nice, what about single card? Did that score increase as well?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=7990&N=-1&isNodeId=1
> no
> 
> i think that was an early model. all i have ever seen is 3 x8 pin
> 
> i am sorry i stand corrected....... looks like some are.... all i have ever heard from them is 3x8 pin... sorry meh bad !~


you were probably looking at the (legendary) powercolor 7990 (technically 7970x2) too much...


----------



## Spectre-

still figuring out my single card run

i am trying to squeeze a few more points by adjusting ram timings and running some tweaks through the modded Trixx

Thanks for linking that guys


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> HD6950 beating HD7950? Pics of benches or didnt happen


We tested it in some games with the same rig, only that we switched cards between the tests.

It was the Sapphire 7950 3GB "OC".
And the HiS 6950 (Unlocked to 6970) IceQ Edition clocked with 50 extra Mhz and some RAM Mhz.

The only thing it couldnt manage was bigger areas and more stuff to load etc because it the V-ram clock was lower.

Didnt need to superclock it. Actually, it's not much differance between it and the 7950. Of course it's slower. But in that state that it was it beat up the 7950.
But this also was when the 7xxx series had problems with thier drivers, so it could be that.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Mine 0057XX . Yeah, mine in serial loop with 1200mm total of rad space in between here and there. Thick rad btw.
> 
> Owh and the temp was 55c @ 30+c ambient. < yeah tropical mate.


Wow, those temps are unfortunate. I suggest giving dedicated loop a try if it within your means. And yes you have a much later card. It's like newborn to old man! The later cards seem to be lesser bretheren. Early cards definitely got cherry picked chips. Pretty sure I can get 1400mhz without dice or ln2 if I can get above 1.36875 on load. If I can get a true 1.4v, i'd say I'm there. If I post a 1400/1900 run in valley, there is some sh#$ to follow for sure. Keep your eyes peeled.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Wow, those temps are unfortunate. I suggest giving dedicated loop a try if it within your means. And yes you have a much later card. It's like newborn to old man! The later cards seem to be lesser bretheren. Early cards definitely got cherry picked chips. Pretty sure I can get 1400mhz without dice or ln2 if I can get above 1.36875 on load. If I can get a true 1.4v, i'd say I'm there. If I post a 1400/1900 run in valley, there is some sh#$ to follow for sure. Keep your eyes peeled.


Better ambient temps in winter should make it easier as well. I was running 1400 core + in the winter water cooled, trying now in summer max core clock was 1376, more voltage just made things worse with higher temps.
My best water cooled valley score from last month


----------



## Red1776

Hi gang,
I had several requests for a build log for my new project 'Holodeck XI' but I did not keep a list so I am going to leave a link here for those interested as it is another quad 7970 and 9970's when they come out..
I just started so not much there at the moment, but it is going to progress rather quickly.

Holodeck XI / AMD Quadfire/ Extreme Watercooling BuildLog




So for anyone interested

http://www.overclock.net/t/1412530/holodeck-xi-amd-quadfire-extreme-watercooling-buildlog


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Wow, those temps are unfortunate. I suggest giving dedicated loop a try if it within your means. And yes you have a much later card. It's like newborn to old man! The later cards seem to be lesser bretheren. Early cards definitely got cherry picked chips. Pretty sure I can get 1400mhz without dice or ln2 if I can get above 1.36875 on load. If I can get a true 1.4v, i'd say I'm there. If I post a 1400/1900 run in valley, there is some sh#$ to follow for sure. Keep your eyes peeled.


My ambient will not allow even though I have dedicated loop.

1.4G? Nice, make sure you post it.


----------



## Emu105

Guys just ran a 3dmark 11 basic and this my score http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6929251 i think its pretty low what you guys think??


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Emu105*
> 
> Guess just ran a 3dmark 11 basic and this my score http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6929251 i think its pretty low what you guys think??


your graphics is much higher then mine, despite similar clocks, bit more OC on everything should get you notably higher scores, especially VRAM... (1455 is pretty low for a 7970)


----------



## d1nky

im using xfire for the first time, one card doesnt oc for anything.

tried and tested it by itslef and no go!

benches seem a bit stuttery, games so far are friggin awesome, 200fps most of the time on some games.

well at stock these two 7950s full 13k graphics in firestrike.

when i have the cash ill buy in to it!


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> im using xfire for the first time, one card doesnt oc for anything.
> 
> tried and tested it by itslef and no go!
> 
> benches seem a bit stuttery, games so far are friggin awesome, 200fps most of the time on some games.
> 
> well at stock these two 7950s full 13k graphics in firestrike.
> 
> when i have the cash ill buy in to it!


\

Oh man! I've been planning to do the same thing for awhile now. How are the temps on those bad boys? They look beastly, but 1/2 a slot space between them doesn't seem very viable. Although for some reason DC2 seems to have alot of missing cooling past 50% fan speed. Ie, for me, the difference between 40% fan speed at 1.225V, and 50% fan speed, is 10 degrees, but the difference between 50% fan speed and 100% fan speed is around 3-4 degrees.


----------



## d1nky

TBH crossfire isnt all that, ive played 1 game so far that had xfire and it wasnt demanding.

farcry3 hasnt enabled it once. and my top card is 99% all the way and just hit 70*c at stock with stock fans.

from what ive seen its over-rated. may re-install drivers again. and try some different ones.

but sat here next to these two monsters i dont care, they look friggin sexy and beasty! they match my buiild well and quiet as hell.

im going to buy a 7970 as soon as the drivers are sorted, but at 1080p on a 50inch screen.... its immense when it works!

ill try crysis3 and a few others in a bit!


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> TBH crossfire isnt all that, ive played 1 game so far that had xfire and it wasnt demanding.
> 
> farcry3 hasnt enabled it once. and my top card is 99% all the way and just hit 70*c at stock with stock fans.
> 
> from what ive seen its over-rated. may re-install drivers again. and try some different ones.
> 
> but sat here next to these two monsters i dont care, they look friggin sexy and beasty! they match my buiild well and quiet as hell.
> 
> im going to buy a 7970 as soon as the drivers are sorted, but at 1080p on a 50inch screen.... its immense when it works!
> 
> ill try crysis3 and a few others in a bit!


Something is not working correctly. The game does not 'enable' crossfire. You set it in CCC on or off. The cards are load balanced when in crossfire mode so if one card is @ 99% and the other is not doing the same, you have not activated CF.
secondly you have played one game that was CF compatible? what games are you playing that will not take advantage of CF?
Things should look like this when CF is enabled:
The second card should scale at 85-103% and I get very good scaling o9n my 3rd and 4th card. So what I am saying is, if your CF "aint all that" ...something is not working correctly for you.

these are BF3,MetroLL,Metro 2033, Crysis 3,crysis2,Dirt3, Heaven 4.0, F1, etc, etc




Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Bartouille

Hey guys I am wondering if I manage to get temps down to 50C using 1.3V core (currently getting 70-75C), will I get better OC at the same voltage? Currently my 7950 oc is 1225c and 1650m (had to reduce volts on mem to 1.5v instead of 1.6v because that added 2-3c more, otherwise I run 1850mhz easy) and that's using windforce x3 at 100%. I really feel I am temps limited and I could push this card even more, because in benchs like heaven I can run 1250 because it doesn't as hot as heavily moded skyrim or crysis. ASIC on this card is low, 58.6% if I remember correctly, takes 1.3v like nothing, never seen an artifact or anything, vrm run very cool also, even if they have no heatsink on them (never seen them go above 80c). Are low asic cards more sensitive to temps than higher asic one? Either way my windforce cooler has a horrible grinding noise, but i dont want to return the card either because they will probably give me another card that doesn't overclock as good and probably voltage locked).

thank you


----------



## d1nky

the ones that worked so far are:

black ops 2 multi player and single player
all of F.E.A.R
heaven/valley
3dmark - but stuttered a lot

on 1080p ive hit 300fps in a couple games at max lol

farcry 3 didnt utilise the second card at all which sucked because the reason i havent played it much is because its demanding on gfx.

and i know the game doesnt 'enable' xfire thats CCC operated, but drivers/software dont work with all games. im a bit annoyed farcry didnt use both cards tbh. would been excellent.

im downloading crysis3 atm to max it out and see what its like on max.

ive got several other games ill try also.


----------



## xedjflowx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Yes I just played a round.. So if I set to ultra my gpus go around 90 plus load.. But when I lower settings it just uses my gpus less.. Maybe it's just the game..Seems that ocing the Cpu or Gpus does nothing to fix this.. I mean I guess I am asking for a lot lol.. Asking for 120 plus FPS on 1440p.. A year ago I would have been happy with 30fps at 1080p..


watsup OneGun haha funny seein u here..

well guys sign me up as a Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 Ghz Edition owner


----------



## Spectre-

hahahahha

stole my brothers HD 7950

Crossfire time

he got a HD 7970

his score
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6927679


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> the ones that worked so far are:
> 
> black ops 2 multi player and single player
> all of F.E.A.R
> heaven/valley
> 3dmark - but stuttered a lot
> 
> on 1080p ive hit 300fps in a couple games at max lol
> 
> farcry 3 didnt utilise the second card at all which sucked because the reason i havent played it much is because its demanding on gfx.
> 
> and i know the game doesnt 'enable' xfire thats CCC operated, but drivers/software dont work with all games. im a bit annoyed farcry didnt use both cards tbh. would been excellent.
> 
> im downloading crysis3 atm to max it out and see what its like on max.
> 
> ive got several other games ill try also.


Let me know how the temps go when both GPU's are at 100% utilization. I'd like to see how much it impacts it.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xedjflowx*
> 
> watsup OneGun haha funny seein u here..
> 
> well guys sign me up as a Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 Ghz Edition owner


Welcome to the club bud . and welcome to OC.net..


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> 
> 
> hahahahha
> 
> stole my brothers HD 7950
> 
> Crossfire time
> 
> he got a HD 7970
> 
> his score
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6927679


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6836311

...


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6836311
> 
> ...


1.29Gigahurtles on GPU , 5Gigahurtles on CPU. You've gone all out man. Nice score btw.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xedjflowx*
> 
> watsup OneGun haha funny seein u here..
> 
> well guys sign me up as a Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 Ghz Edition owner


Congrats man, now overclock that sucker!!


----------



## devilhead

first time tryed 3DMark 11 with my stock gaming settings







4.4ghz and 1200/1650








http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6931663


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> first time tryed 3DMark 11 with my stock gaming settings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 4.4ghz and 1200/1650
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6931663


could be just the 3DM11 version but i get 11600 graphics score at those clocks.


----------



## devilhead

one more run http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6931940


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Let me know how the temps go when both GPU's are at 100% utilization. I'd like to see how much it impacts it.


crysis 3 maxed out got the top card to 68*c and bottom was 55*c at stock fan and clocks


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> one more run http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6931940


That graphics score seems low for the clocks, if the RAM is too high you might be stuttering which will lower the score.


----------



## devilhead

low?







)) i have compared mine and yours, without Physics Test and Combined Test. So mine have 30mhz more on core, but yours have 90mhz more on memory and i win in 3 test of 4







and yours win Graphics Test 4


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> low?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )) i have compared mine and yours, without Physics Test and Combined Test. So mine have 30mhz more on core, but yours have 90mhz more on memory and i win in 3 test of 4
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and yours win Graphics Test 4


AAaaah okay, but mine wins total Graphics score!


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Better ambient temps in winter should make it easier as well. I was running 1400 core + in the winter water cooled, trying now in summer max core clock was 1376, more voltage just made things worse with higher temps.
> My best water cooled valley score from last month


Well i went back to pull my best valley score and... no thread. I had second highest on active list, but tsm06 had a bit higher with some higher clocks. I believe my best run was 61.2 or 61.4 with 1380/1885 Can't remember exactly and why i went looking for thread. I switched boards and lost some data. I don't think I have the original screenie any more. I want to say 2574 for the score, but again can't recall exactly. I'll do some runs later tonight and tomorrow and see what I can get.
What happened to "valley thread"???


----------



## devilhead

26C ambient


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> 26C ambient


Looks like you got a good card as well. What brand and model?


----------



## PedroC1999

Guys, on my 7950's at 1.3v, they vDroop to 1.28v as expected, but max temps is just 50*C, would that be safe to run 24/7 (Not really, just for gaming, folding would be whatever I can get out of 1150mV)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Guys, on my 7950's at 1.3v, they vDroop to 1.28v as expected, but max temps is just 50*C, would that be safe to run 24/7 (Not really, just for gaming, folding would be whatever I can get out of 1150mV)


I would say its safe.


----------



## devilhead

Sapphire 7970 reference + 79x0 heatkiller block


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I would say its safe.


Probably safe, or DEFINITELY safe?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Probably safe, or DEFINITELY safe?


Probably safe.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Sapphire 7970 reference + 79x0 heatkiller block


Borrowing my friends Accelero 7970, should be interesting!


----------



## Bartouille

http://www.eteknix.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Prolimatech_MK26_reuploads_fixedWB-17.jpg

Going to get this to replace my Windforce X3! I'm gonna use my two side panel fans on it (I have to remove them anyways because the cooler is so large I'm pretty sure it won't fit). I hope it will drop my temps by 15-20c versus my Windforce X3!









(going to order it today so it will probably be here next week, gonna post some pics and results!)


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> http://www.eteknix.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Prolimatech_MK26_reuploads_fixedWB-17.jpg
> 
> Going to get this to replace my Windforce X3! I'm gonna use my two side panel fans on it (I have to remove them anyways because the cooler is so large I'm pretty sure it won't fit). I hope it will drop my temps by 15-20c versus my Windforce X3!


NO NO AND NO. I had the cooler and i regret EVERY PENNY I USED ON IT.

1. The VRM heatsinks are HORRIBLE! They barely stick to the VRMs and the heatsink is like 1mm from it, so if you use a little force or something and bend it just A LITTLE TINY BIT you will move the VRM heatsink when installing the heatsink. And the VRMs doesnt cool the VRMs well at all.
2. You never know when to stop tightening the screws for the heatsink because the mount plate is made of cheap metal so it'll bend real easily. You dont even feel it bending. (Yes its that bad)
3. The RAM heatsinks barely stick.

Stick with your windforce or get an Accelero 7970.


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> NO NO AND NO. I had the cooler and i regret EVERY PENNY I USED ON IT.
> 
> 1. The VRM heatsinks are HORRIBLE! They barely stick to the VRMs and the heatsink is like 1mm from it, so if you use a little force or something and bend it just A LITTLE TINY BIT you will move the VRM heatsink when installing the heatsink. And the VRMs doesnt cool the VRMs well at all.
> 2. You never know when to stop tightening the screws for the heatsink because the mount plate is made of cheap metal so it'll bend real easily. You dont even feel it bending. (Yes its that bad)
> 3. The RAM heatsinks barely stick.
> 
> Stick with your windforce or get an Accelero 7970.


The thing about the accelero is that it comes with TERRIBLE on it and you can't remplace them, and I don't care how quiet they are. In terms of cooling, the Windforce X3 at 100% is the same as the accelero at 100%. I heard about accelero vrm cooling being terrible too. I also heard about the mk-26 vrm heatsink not sticking in some reviews, I guess I'll have to buy some extra adhesive or something, but in the worst case I'll leave them no heatsink just like my windforce x3 is right now (never get above 80c even when it's hot, so it's not a problem). Also my windforce x3 has trouble keeping my core under 70c at 1.3v, and I feel like this is preventing me to get very high clocks. Not only that, my windforce x3 has some girding noise, which is incredibly loud, it eventually goes away after 3min playing a game, but as soon as I alt-tab and come back to the desktop (card cools down) the grinding noise comes back, until I heat up the card again, weird problem I know.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> The thing about the accelero is that it comes with TERRIBLE on it and you can't remplace them, and I don't care how quiet they are. In terms of cooling, the Windforce X3 at 100% is the same as the accelero at 100%. I heard about accelero vrm cooling being terrible too. I also heard about the mk-26 vrm heatsink not sticking in some reviews, I guess I'll have to buy some extra adhesive or something, but in the worst case I'll leave them no heatsink just like my windforce x3 is right now (never get above 80c even when it's hot, so it's not a problem). Also my windforce x3 has trouble keeping my core under 70c at 1.3v, and I feel like this is preventing me to get very high clocks. Not only that, my windforce x3 has some girding noise, which is incredibly loud, it eventually goes away after 3min playing a game, but as soon as I alt-tab and come back to the desktop (card cools down) the grinding noise comes back, until I heat up the card again, weird problem I know.


You'll regret it if you get the MK-26. Just saying. MK-26 doesnt have amazing cooling either...


----------



## Kriant

Seems low. And the cards are getting only 50% load under load in valley benchmark for some reason.


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kriant*
> 
> 
> 
> Seems low. And the cards are getting only 50% load under load in valley benchmark for some reason.


ouch







)) thats low for 4x7970/7950







i think that you need to do 1x1 optimization for valley


----------



## spizzlo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Copy the code below and enter into your sig.
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> [URL=http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread]AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 Owners Thread[/URL]


Thanks!


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Well i went back to pull my best valley score and... no thread. I had second highest on active list, but tsm06 had a bit higher with some higher clocks. I believe my best run was 61.2 or 61.4 with 1380/1885 Can't remember exactly and why i went looking for thread. I switched boards and lost some data. I don't think I have the original screenie any more. I want to say 2574 for the score, but again can't recall exactly. I'll do some runs later tonight and tomorrow and see what I can get.
> What happened to "valley thread"???


The mods took the valley thread down for cleaning, it is done now & ready to go back up, but needs a new OP to take it over.
Looking for a new OP now if anyone is interested send a PM.


----------



## Arizonian

Don't think it's been addressed in this thread about the Valley Benchmark, so I will clarify.

*TOS*

Quote:


> Post questions/remarks relating to a member being banned from the Overclock.net forum or game server. Please contact overclock.net staff directly.
> Post questions/remarks pertaining to infractions, warnings or deleted posts. Please contact overclock.net staff directly.


We are addressing this so we can re-open the *[OFFICIAL]--- Top 30 --- Unigine 'Valley' Benchmark 1.0 [Fill the Form]*

Thank you all for your patience and please no further comments regarding this subject per Terms of Service.


----------



## KingT

I have Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP *V2* card, it came with *113-AD38900-104* BIOS.

This BIOS is not available on Asus web site, there are only 101 and 103 BIOS versions.

These 101 and 103 BIOS version do not work with my particular card (system would not POST) , so I would like if somebody else has V2 card with 104 BIOS, to post if their card works with 101 or 103 BIOS versions.

Phisically al *V2* cards are identical, also all come with 1.02x PCB revision but for some reason my uses different BIOS version than others (I have a couple of my friends having the same V2 card but with 101 or 103 BIOS).

If someone could give some feedback on this it would be great.

CHEERS..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> one card doesnt oc for anything.
> 
> tried and tested it by itslef and no go!


orly


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> ouch
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )) thats low for 4x7970/7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i think that you need to do 1x1 optimization for valley




Yup, that sure fixed the issue and bumped the score:thumb:


----------



## Thoth420

Hello All.








I recently replaced my XFX HD6970 with the EVGA 770 in my sig. Suffice to say I am not happy. After trying the 5 available drivers for the 7xx series I cannot seem to keep my system stable for more than a day with everything at stock clocks(with the exception of the factory OC on the card). Doing troubleshooting and searching around the web had led me to determine what I feared. The ever elusive....sometimes impossible to fix TDR.
Anyway I have games to play and the HD6970 never did me wrong it was just getting a bit old and crusty. It is also gone (to a friend in need of a GPU badly) so putting it back in is sadly not an option.

Anyway suggestions on a specific model would be good. Looking for something a bit quiet and nothing that gets too hot(the 6970 did tend to do that even at stock) and def something with capacitors that don't sing the song of their people. Obviously something stable as I like to leave my PC on for extended periods. Overclock capability in a GPU is not a big deal or even a must. I know I know heresy.

I was eyeing this MSI because it is available and I have been looking to try out one of their products:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127736

Any thoughts opinions suggestions etc are welcome. I also don't want to clog the thread or cause a my card is better than your card argument so if you want to send me feedback via PM it would be not only fine but encouraged.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I was eyeing this MSI because it is available and I have been looking to try out one of their products:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127736
> 
> Any thoughts opinions suggestions etc are welcome. I also don't want to clog the thread or cause a my card is better than your card argument so if you want to send me feedback via PM it would be not only fine but encouraged.


Sapphire HD 7970 OC(1 ghz) for USD 318 (298 after mail in rebate)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008


----------



## Spectre-

holy crap thats cheap

the cheapest ghz card i could get was $ 385

which is my brothers Msi R7970 ghz edition


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> -trim-
> 
> Anyway suggestions on a specific model would be good. Looking for something a bit quiet and nothing that gets too hot(the 6970 did tend to do that even at stock) and def something with capacitors that don't sing the song of their people. Obviously something stable as I like to leave my PC on for extended periods. Overclock capability in a GPU is not a big deal or even a must. I know I know heresy.
> 
> I was eyeing this MSI because it is available and I have been looking to try out one of their products:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127736
> 
> Any thoughts opinions suggestions etc are welcome. I also don't want to clog the thread or cause a my card is better than your card argument so if you want to send me feedback via PM it would be not only fine but encouraged.


basically put, if you want to overclock and/or have the adapters needed out-of-the-box for eyefinity, get a full reference card (they are very cheap too)

otherwise if you don't care for either of the above and want something relatively quiet and cool, there's not much you can go wrong with either of the non-reference cards, each has its own ups and downs and each is equally likely to be problematic, I think the MSI and sapphire cards tend to be the ones with better cooling but seem to suffer the most frequent from faulty chokes (ear-splitting coil whine), gigabyte seems to be the best clocked with good cooling (though loud under load from what Ive heard).

look for a card suitable to you, IMO your highly unlikely to use things like 4 displayport outputs unless your at least intending on spending enough money for a second card later on, even then, DP standard makes them pointless anyway...


----------



## Kokin

Here's another deal for a 7950:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Looks like a great price for a 7950 with unlocked voltage and dual fans.
> 
> $260 - $20 Rebate
> 
> Sale ends 7/30/2013 @ 11:59PM PST
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-202-026&nm_mc=EMC-GD072913&cm_mmc=EMC-GD072913-_-index-_-Item-_-14-202-026


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Hello All.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I recently replaced my XFX HD6970 with the EVGA 770 in my sig. Suffice to say I am not happy. After trying the 5 available drivers for the 7xx series I cannot seem to keep my system stable for more than a day with everything at stock clocks(with the exception of the factory OC on the card). Doing troubleshooting and searching around the web had led me to determine what I feared. The ever elusive....sometimes impossible to fix TDR.
> Anyway I have games to play and the HD6970 never did me wrong it was just getting a bit old and crusty. It is also gone (to a friend in need of a GPU badly) so putting it back in is sadly not an option.
> 
> Anyway suggestions on a specific model would be good. Looking for something a bit quiet and nothing that gets too hot(the 6970 did tend to do that even at stock) and def something with capacitors that don't sing the song of their people. Obviously something stable as I like to leave my PC on for extended periods. Overclock capability in a GPU is not a big deal or even a must. I know I know heresy.
> 
> I was eyeing this MSI because it is available and I have been looking to try out one of their products:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127736
> 
> Any thoughts opinions suggestions etc are welcome. I also don't want to clog the thread or cause a my card is better than your card argument so if you want to send me feedback via PM it would be not only fine but encouraged.


HD9000 series are coming soon. if i were you, i'll just get a cheap one for now, see how the HD9000 performs, then decide whether to upgrade to that or not. see POST # 28530. that 7970 is expensive. very expensive for something that will only perform about 6% better than the 7950 at $260.

edit: if you only play at 1080 60Hz, that 7950 will max out BF3 at stock. i did but my i7 SB @ 4.5GHz.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Hello All.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I recently replaced my XFX HD6970 with the EVGA 770 in my sig. Suffice to say I am not happy. After trying the 5 available drivers for the 7xx series I cannot seem to keep my system stable for more than a day with everything at stock clocks(with the exception of the factory OC on the card). Doing troubleshooting and searching around the web had led me to determine what I feared. The ever elusive....sometimes impossible to fix TDR.
> Anyway I have games to play and the HD6970 never did me wrong it was just getting a bit old and crusty. It is also gone (to a friend in need of a GPU badly) so putting it back in is sadly not an option.
> 
> Anyway suggestions on a specific model would be good. Looking for something a bit quiet and nothing that gets too hot(the 6970 did tend to do that even at stock) and def something with capacitors that don't sing the song of their people. Obviously something stable as I like to leave my PC on for extended periods. Overclock capability in a GPU is not a big deal or even a must. I know I know heresy.
> 
> I was eyeing this MSI because it is available and I have been looking to try out one of their products:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127736
> 
> Any thoughts opinions suggestions etc are welcome. I also don't want to clog the thread or cause a my card is better than your card argument so if you want to send me feedback via PM it would be not only fine but encouraged.


You're forgetting that the 770 has very low RAM bandwidth and has a lower IPC. Its a worse card all around compared to a 7970.


----------



## Juub

Was wondering something. My motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H and is said to be SLI ready. I got two 7950's I wanna CrossfireX but on AMD's requirements page for the 7950, it says I need a motherboard with a free PCIE 16x. I noticed my motherboard has one 16x, one 8x, one 4x and one 1x. Could I put the secondary GPU on the 8x or will it not work? It's PCI 3.0 btw.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Juub*
> 
> Was wondering something. My motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-Z77MX-D3H and is said to be SLI ready. I got two 7950's I wanna CrossfireX but on AMD's requirements page for the 7950, it says I need a motherboard with a free PCIE 16x. I noticed my motherboard has one 16x, one 8x, one 4x and one 1x. Could I put the secondary GPU on the 8x or will it not work? It's PCI 3.0 btw.


It'll work.


----------



## Alxx

Hi
I wanted to remove the cooler of my Sapphire 7950 Boost. Because I want to change Thermal Paste.
Somehow I could not remove the cooler. I unscrewed 4 screws at the back and found also 4 push-pins that I pushed in.
After that the cooler was still sitting very tight on the Graphics Card.
I could not remove the cooler. Is there anything else to do / unscrew ?

This is the card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006

Maybe someone has a solution to this.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> Hi
> I wanted to remove the cooler of my Sapphire 7950 Boost. Because I want to change Thermal Paste.
> Somehow I could not remove the cooler. I unscrewed 4 screws at the back and found also 4 push-pins that I pushed in.
> After that the cooler was still sitting very tight on the Graphics Card.
> I could not remove the cooler. Is there anything else to do / unscrew ?
> 
> This is the card
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> Maybe someone has a solution to this.


Twist the cooler.


----------



## Alxx

Are you sure ?
Then I have to twist very tight.
I have done this before, but this thing is really tight on the card if nothing else is to unscrew / remove.
I just don't want to break something.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> Are you sure ?
> Then I have to twist very tight.
> I have done this before, but this thing is really tight on the card if nothing else is to unscrew / remove.
> I just don't want to break something.


You should've gotten reference. Man you're not looking closely enough, i can see on newegg that there are 9 screws....


----------



## Alxx

Sorry,
I see the Picture from Newegg is different, sorry for that.
I don't have the other 5 screws on my card only 4 around the chip area.
I did not buy the card fom Newegg.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> Sorry,
> I see the Picture from Newegg is different, sorry for that.
> I don't have the other 5 screws on my card only 4 around the chip area.
> I did not buy the card fom Newegg.


There are definitely more than 4 or 5 screws holding a cooler and fan assembly on any 79XX. Go to EK website and there should be some direction on how to remove cooler as if you were putting a waterblock on it.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> There are definitely more than 4 or 5 screws holding a cooler and fan assembly on any 79XX. Go to EK website and there should be some direction on how to remove cooler as if you were putting a waterblock on it.


Mine only had 4 screws securing the cooler to the PCB.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> Hi
> I wanted to remove the cooler of my Sapphire 7950 Boost. Because I want to change Thermal Paste.
> Somehow I could not remove the cooler. I unscrewed 4 screws at the back and found also 4 push-pins that I pushed in.
> After that the cooler was still sitting very tight on the Graphics Card.
> I could not remove the cooler. Is there anything else to do / unscrew ?
> 
> This is the card
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202006
> 
> Maybe someone has a solution to this.


make sure you took all screws out. i missed one my first time,
then i used a heat gun even a blow dryer works head up the heat sink and it helps alot.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Mine only had 4 screws securing the cooler to the PCB.


On the entire assembly? Cooler assembly; fan, shroud, and block?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> On the entire assembly? Cooler assembly; fan, shroud, and block?


The entire cooler came off cleanly with 4 screws. There was an additional plate screwed on to the PCB, but I didn't need to remove it to repaste the GPU.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> On the entire assembly? Cooler assembly; fan, shroud, and block?
> 
> 
> 
> The entire cooler came off cleanly with 4 screws. There was an additional plate screwed on to the PCB, but I didn't need to remove it to repaste the GPU.
Click to expand...

Obviously you have an open fan cooler and you are being silly implying your whole fan assembly only needed 4 screws.


----------



## Kriant

There is no way the entire cooler assembly is being held on 4 screws.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Obviously you have an open fan cooler and you are being silly implying your whole fan assembly only needed 4 screws.


Which is irrelevant because the guy trying to remove his cooler also has an open fan cooler.


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Mine only had 4 screws securing the cooler to the PCB.


I have the vapor-x...which looks kinda similar....and peeking at the back side of it, mine is held on with 4 screws as well


----------



## Alxx

I thank everybody for the replies.

My Card has insted of 9 screws at the back only 4 screws.
The are some screws to remove the Fan Unit from the cooler, but not at the back.

What do you mean by "open fan cooler " ?
I have the standard Sapphire 7950 Boost cooler.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Alxx*
> 
> I thank everybody for the replies.
> 
> My Card has insted of 9 screws at the back only 4 screws.
> The are some screws to remove the Fan Unit from the cooler, but not at the back.
> 
> What do you mean by "open fan cooler " ?
> I have the standard Sapphire 7950 Boost cooler.


still can't take it off? put it back in and play C3 or something for about 15 minutes. shutdown, then take it out. do not rush 'cause it will still be hot. undo all the screws and twist slowly the cooler from the pcb as described by Ranger.

edit: btw, there are coolers that are attached to the bracket (used to hold the gpu to the case) using tiny screws. check it out.


----------



## Alxx

Thank you,








I wil try that tomorow.
If I don't succeed I will make some pictures of the card and post it.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> HD9000 series are coming soon. if i were you, i'll just get a cheap one for now, see how the HD9000 performs, then decide whether to upgrade to that or not. see POST # 28530. that 7970 is expensive. very expensive for something that will only perform about 6% better than the 7950 at $260.
> 
> edit: if you only play at 1080 60Hz, that 7950 will max out BF3 at stock. i did but my i7 SB @ 4.5GHz.


I am more looking for something that will already be in my system and locked and loaded for BF4 as well as something to play with in the meantime. I also plan on making the upgrade to 120 hz in a few months for BF4 as well.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You're forgetting that the 770 has very low RAM bandwidth and has a lower IPC. Its a worse card all around compared to a 7970.


Very true. I must say I was very happy with my 6970 as it was my first AMD card since an x1300 I believe.

I decided to go with the one I linked since the rest of the stuff available (at least the 7970's) aside from it didn't seem too attractive. Not really interested in the newest or fastest just something I can rely on for games for the next 2 years(and they don't all have to even be maxed out to the hilt but that would be nice too). Basically something for BF3 and 4, Blacklist, Watchdogs, GTA5(if it comes out for PC) and Thief 4 and maybe an MMO if something looks good. Thanks for all the advice(too bad I caught it too late) and it should be here and up and running by tomorrow.


----------



## Spectre-

i have the benq XL2411T (144hz) monitor

i dont run bf3 maxed out but i get around 80-120fps on caspian border 64player w/ HD 7950 (x2)

my brother has a
HD 7970 with his FX8120 and he runs bf3 pretty much maxed out on his 60 hz screen


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i have the benq XL2411T (144hz) monitor
> 
> i dont run bf3 maxed out but i get around 80-120fps on caspian border 64player w/ HD 7950 (x2)
> 
> my brother has a
> HD 7970 with his FX8120 and he runs bf3 pretty much maxed out on his 60 hz screen


Ya I expected to have to lose some IQ to achieve the fps you mentioned with a single 7970 on BF3 which is fine. I was actually considering a BenQ but the reviews are so mixed and I do use my system for media as well as gaming. Few months to decide anyway and some new stuff may come out.


----------



## Spectre-

what about the asus 144hz screens that was my first choice but they are really expensive in australia


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> what about the asus 144hz screens that was my first choice but they are really expensive in australia


Higher than 120 hz are not out of the question. 120 is just the minimum. Also does your buddy with the single 7970 have a preferred driver version that he likes? I see MSI has drivers on their site that aren't labeled like the AMD releases are. Not sure which to try.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Higher than 120 hz are not out of the question. 120 is just the minimum. Also does your buddy with the single 7970 have a preferred driver version that he likes? I see MSI has drivers on their site that aren't labeled like the AMD releases are. Not sure which to try.


Are you thinking about getting a 7000 card?


----------



## Spectre-

i will have to ask him tonight

i think the drivers he uses are not latest and i am pretty sure they are the drivers you get with the disc


----------



## Mega Man

take my advice use the latest drivers from amd.com


----------



## Erick Silver

Hey Guys. Right now I have my card OC'd to 1150/1500 at 1.250v. Was wondering if I should or could bump that 1500 up a smidge?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Hey Guys. Right now I have my card OC'd to 1150/1500 at 1.250v. Was wondering if I should or could bump that 1500 up a smidge?


You dont need to at all, especially not with a single 1080p screen. Whats up with the massive volts for those core clocks?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Hey Guys. Right now I have my card OC'd to 1150/1500 at 1.250v. Was wondering if I should or could bump that 1500 up a smidge?


You dont need to at all, especially not with a single 1080p screen. Whats up with the massive volts for those core clocks?


----------



## Spectre-

hahaha i use latest drivers

but my brother is really stubborn and doesnt take advice from me about this stuff


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Are you thinking about getting a 7000 card?


Already ordered one next day on the egg. HD7970 MSI Lightning Boost Edition
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> take my advice use the latest drivers from amd.com


Latest WHQL or Beta?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> hahaha i use latest drivers
> 
> but my brother is really stubborn and doesnt take advice from me about this stuff


Hehe he should listen. I have had no problems swapping around drivers on the 6970. I figured latest was best I think the 13.4 was WHQL when I shelfed the 6970...hehe still is.

Thanks all.


----------



## Spectre-

i use WHQL

i lost fps in the beta drivers on 3dmark11 and bf3 but only in crossfire+


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Already ordered one next day on the egg. HD7970 MSI Lightning Boost Edition
> Latest WHQL or Beta?
> Hehe he should listen. I have had no problems swapping around drivers on the 6970. I figured latest was best I think the 13.4 was WHQL when I shelfed the 6970...hehe still is.
> 
> Thanks all.


Should've gotten reference. But im sure it'll serve you good.


----------



## theoneofgod

Frame pacing drivers should be released tomorrow! 31/7


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Frame pacing drivers should be released tomorrow! 31/7


Maybe


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i use WHQL
> 
> i lost fps in the beta drivers on 3dmark11 and bf3 but only in crossfire+


Ok thanks I guess 13.4 is a good base point.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Should've gotten reference. But im sure it'll serve you good.


Why do you say that? Just curious. My 6970 was reference I believe(got it from a friend) was an xfx 6970 with the typical centrifuge fan. It got very hot and the fan was incredibly loud. In the end I guess loud is better than hot but the xfx just did both. Replaced the TIM and cleaned it out frequently but it just loved to be hot.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Frame pacing drivers should be released tomorrow! 31/7


Ewww decisions decisions. What exactly is the whole frame latency problem? Do any of you guys notice it? Any negative side effects that would translate into say me owning faces?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Ok thanks I guess 13.4 is a good base point.
> Why do you say that? Just curious. My 6970 was reference I believe(got it from a friend) was an xfx 6970 with the typical centrifuge fan. It got very hot and the fan was incredibly loud. In the end I guess loud is better than hot but the xfx just did both. Replaced the TIM and cleaned it out frequently but it just loved to be hot.
> Ewww decisions decisions. What exactly is the whole frame latency problem? Do any of you guys notice it? Any negative side effects that would translate into say me owning faces?


These reference coolers are very good actually, they're just loud. Lightning? Well you're paying a lot more for the same thing. Reference 7970s ---> all other 7970s.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> These reference coolers are very good actually, they're just loud. Lightning? Well you're paying a lot more for the same thing. Reference 7970s ---> all other 7970s.


I see thanks for the input. The extra money wasn't really a problem and I did want to try an MSI product and been putting it off long enough.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Ok thanks I guess 13.4 is a good base point.
> Why do you say that? Just curious. My 6970 was reference I believe(got it from a friend) was an xfx 6970 with the typical centrifuge fan. It got very hot and the fan was incredibly loud. In the end I guess loud is better than hot but the xfx just did both. Replaced the TIM and cleaned it out frequently but it just loved to be hot.
> Ewww decisions decisions. What exactly is the whole frame latency problem? Do any of you guys notice it? Any negative side effects that would translate into say me owning faces?


I notice micro-stutter with RadeonPro. Some games suffer more than others. BF3 and Tomb Raider run like a dream, but FarCry3, Borderlands 2, not so great.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> These reference coolers are very good actually, they're just loud. Lightning? Well you're paying a lot more for the same thing. Reference 7970s ---> all other 7970s.


Some reference 7970s, I have a reference & a lightning.
It's all about the silicon, my reference has pretty bad silicon while the lightning is better than average. Your matrix & reference cards worked the other way around.

Reference cards are a cheaper way to play the lottery, & easier for watercoolers in general.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Some reference 7970s, I have a reference & a lightning.
> It's all about the silicon, my reference has pretty bad silicon while the lightning is better than average. Your matrix & reference cards worked the other way around.
> 
> Reference cards are a cheaper way to play the lottery, & easier for watercoolers in general.


Thanks guys I will have some pics and such either tomorrow or the day after.


----------



## Juub

Do you guys have any custom fans curves recommended for a CrossfireX pair of PowerColor 7950's? I'm talking about the one with the dual fans.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Some reference 7970s, I have a reference & a lightning.
> It's all about the silicon, my reference has pretty bad silicon while the lightning is better than average. Your matrix & reference cards worked the other way around.
> 
> Reference cards are a cheaper way to play the lottery, & easier for watercoolers in general.


except for when you find that almost all reference 7970s are fully unlocked and can go to 1200 core or even up to 1400 with little effort, but pretty much all non-reference are locked and only go a very small distance if one at all...

'cept maby the MSI lightning seems to be unlocked, but from what I've observed it tends to have a high fault rate, especially chokes...

as for the DCII and matrix cards, both are pretty much complete failures...


----------



## Snuckie7

The Lightning is a sweet card. One of the few non reference designs that's better than the AMD reference.


----------



## Spectre-

i am still pretty happy of my twin frozr 3
but ye the overclocking is horrible compared to the reference designs

i am so jealous of my brother's R7970 he got it upto 1250mhz @1.23 volts


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The Lightning is a sweet card. One of the few non reference designs that's better than the AMD reference.


Wouldnt say BETTER. But a different choice!


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> except for when you find that almost all reference 7970s are fully unlocked and can go to 1200 core or even up to 1400 with little effort, but pretty much all non-reference are locked and only go a very small distance if one at all...
> 
> 'cept maby the MSI lightning seems to be unlocked, but from what I've observed it tends to have a high fault rate, especially chokes...
> 
> as for the DCII and matrix cards, both are pretty much complete failures...


I am not big into the GPU overclock. A factory OC is fine with me. Did you mean a high fault rate past the manufacturer stock settings or even at those settings?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Wouldnt say BETTER. But a different choice!


Well the Lightning has all that fancy power delivery and a cooler arguably better than the reference one, so if all else is equal (ie the silicon), then the Lightning will no doubt overclock better. That being said, I'd take a reference card with a nearly guaranteed good batch of silicon (like the Diamond references) over a Lightning probably.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Well the Lightning has all that fancy power delivery and a cooler arguably better than the reference one, so if all else is equal (ie the silicon), then the Lightning will no doubt overclock better. That being said, I'd take a reference card with a nearly guaranteed good batch of silicon (like the Diamond references) over a Lightning probably.


My Matrixes extra 99999 phases didnt help at all lol.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> My Matrixes extra 99999 phases didnt help at all lol.


Well, the extra phases only help if the card works first


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Well the Lightning has all that fancy power delivery and a cooler arguably better than the reference one, so if all else is equal (ie the silicon), then the Lightning will no doubt overclock better. That being said, I'd take a reference card with a nearly guaranteed good batch of silicon (like the Diamond references) over a Lightning probably.


No diamond reference in stock on the egg. Not much really there for 7970's so the Lightning stood out.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Well, the extra phases only help if the card works first


Might try MSIs TF3 cards though, they seem to be pretty good.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> No diamond reference in stock on the egg. Not much really there for 7970's so the Lightning stood out.


Those legendary Diamonds are long gone. The last I heard of them were a few cards still left at MicroCenter, but I'm not sure if those even are still in stock.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Might try MSIs TF3 cards though, they seem to be pretty good.


Pretty sure those use reference PCBs too; might explain why they're so good


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You dont need to at all, especially not with a single 1080p screen. Whats up with the massive volts for those core clocks?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You dont need to at all, especially not with a single 1080p screen. Whats up with the massive volts for those core clocks?


That's the same volts i run. 1200/1475. Iirc he has vapor-x and if he's got near the same ASIC as me...58.6% ...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I am not big into the GPU overclock. A factory OC is fine with me. Did you mean a high fault rate past the manufacturer stock settings or even at those settings?


if the card works fine without making any painful noises, you should be fine,
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Well the Lightning has all that fancy power delivery and a cooler arguably better than the reference one, so if all else is equal (ie the silicon), then the Lightning will no doubt overclock better. That being said, I'd take a reference card with a nearly guaranteed good batch of silicon (like the Diamond references) over a Lightning probably.


power and cooler mean nothing if the card is just poorly designed, and the lightning I don't think has a phase plate on the heatpipes so I doubt it could be any better then the reference temps wise...


----------



## Derpinheimer

Wondering if anyone might know the dimensions of the GDDR5 memory on these cards? I tried to search around but couldnt find anything. Am getting a universal GPU waterblock and my card had a mem/gpu combo block... so, needs new mem heatsinks. If you have any ideas on a good VRM heatsink, thats welcome too.

I know I could open it up, but I dont have any paste lying around.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> if the card works fine without making any painful noises, you should be fine,
> power and cooler mean nothing if the card is just poorly designed, and the lightning I don't think has a phase plate on the heatpipes so I doubt it could be any better then the reference temps wise...


The thing is that Lightnings are very meticulously, well designed cards.

As for the phase plate, are you talking about the vapor chamber? The Lightning cooler doesn't need one to match the reference design for performance/noise because the Lightning uses an open fan cooler.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> if the card works fine without making any painful noises, you should be fine,
> power and cooler mean nothing if the card is just poorly designed, and the lightning I don't think has a phase plate on the heatpipes so I doubt it could be any better then the reference temps wise...


Please don't mean cap whine..... I hate cap whine.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Please don't mean cap whine..... I hate cap whine.


I love coil whine


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> These reference coolers are very good actually, they're just loud. Lightning? Well you're paying a lot more for the same thing. Reference 7970s ---> all other 7970s.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> My Matrixes extra 99999 phases didnt help at all lol.


Really, do we have to go here again. My Matrix against your Ref.??? You got a single bad card and all of them are bad?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Really, do we have to go here again. My Matrix against your Ref.??? You got a single bad card and all of them are bad?


What? I cant remember ever talking to you. Even if your cards are good though its not because of the "ROG MATRIX" features, caps, phases, whatever it comes with.

Edit: You'd probably win anyways because im not watercooling my 7970.


----------



## Thoth420

I know you guys expect more out of hardware than I probably do. As long as it works and I can game and the thing doesn't make nutty sounds or the fan isn't ridiculous then I am content. I did notice on my few months with nvidia how much I enjoy digital vibrance. Is there something in CCC that is equivalent?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I know you guys expect more out of hardware than I probably do. As long as it works and I can game and the thing doesn't make nutty sounds or the fan isn't ridiculous then I am content. I did notice on my few months with nvidia how much I enjoy digital vibrance. Is there something in CCC that is equivalent?


Go to Display Settings and jack up the saturation and contrast? idk.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Go to Display Settings and jack up the saturation and contrast? idk.


Saturation sounds more like it would have a similar effect.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> What? I cant remember ever talking to you. Even if your cards are good though its not because of the "ROG MATRIX" features, caps, phases, whatever it comes with.
> 
> Edit: You'd probably win anyways because im not watercooling my 7970.


Are you serious? Every time you bash the Matrix I respond. Your memory is @#$%.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I know you guys expect more out of hardware than I probably do. As long as it works and I can game and the thing doesn't make nutty sounds or the fan isn't ridiculous then I am content. I did notice on my few months with nvidia how much I enjoy digital vibrance. Is there something in CCC that is equivalent?


You're probably conditioned to the muted nvidia color palette. Technically there is supposed to be no difference. In the real world though, you can see a difference.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You're probably conditioned to the muted nvidia color palette. Technically there is supposed to be no difference. In the real world though, you can see a difference.


Hey, still trying to beat that last single card you posted a month or so ago. If I can get a handle on hotwire, it may be possible! I totally agree with your statement there. Had a 590 and 480 , something was just off with the color to me. AMD for life!


----------



## Thoth420

It's not AMD guys it is just my monitor. I tried tweaking it but the color is just lifeless. When I got the 770 I saw digital vibrance and was like ewwww puffery lets try it. What I saw was pretty nice as the colors started to pop a bit. I guess I just never bothered trying the ccc color settings since they all were generic things that my monitor had. Never struck me they might work better.


----------



## Paul17041993

I want to see a matrix card actually get to 1400 core, whats their voltage cap?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Are you serious? Every time you bash the Matrix I respond. Your memory is @#$%.


You know, you're not important enough in my life so i dont really need to remember you. Sorry that it upsets you. Also, i have said many times its not only the fact that my 7970 Matrix overclocked like crap that made me hate it. There where several other reasons too.


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You dont need to at all, especially not with a single 1080p screen. Whats up with the massive volts for those core clocks?


1.250 is high for that? Should I drop it a bit? Also keep in mind thathis is also my [email protected] Team Competition card. Was wondering of bumping the MemClk would improve folding TPF?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> 1.250 is high for that? Should I drop it a bit? Also keep in mind thathis is also my [email protected] Team Competition card. Was wondering of bumping the MemClk would improve folding TPF?


I run 1250MHz on core with 1.210-1.225V...


----------



## Kokin

I get 1250 with 1.3V


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I get 1250 with 1.3V


RIP LONGTERM USAGE.


----------



## jellyfish420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I run 1250MHz on core with 1.210-1.225V...


With your reference card you probably have higher ASIC value then us vapor-x users, and our sub 60%.....
I run 1200 mhz on the core at 1.255, but when its all said and done, its running right at 1.20v.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jellyfish420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I run 1250MHz on core with 1.210-1.225V...
> 
> 
> 
> With your reference card you probably have higher ASIC value then us vapor-x users, and our sub 60%.....
> I run 1200 mhz on the core at 1.255, *but when its all said and done, its running right at 1.20v*.
Click to expand...

Careful you don't get stuck thinking real voltage is only what you are pushing after droop. If you input 1.255v and you end up with 1.2v, 1.2v is not really what you need for 1200mhz. The voltage drop from droop is crucial in the relationship between voltage vs asic scaling.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> RIP LONGTERM USAGE.


It's 950/1400 90% of the time and it's on a waterblock.









My CPU is OCed all the time though.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It's 950/1400 90% of the time and it's on a waterblock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My CPU is OCed all the time though.


Same as, my gpus when I need more grunt go to 1125/1575 stock volts. Rarely need the top end OC.


----------



## JJ1217

I don't see the issue with 1.25V. Alot of the boost cards use these locked crazy volts. The fact that they're shipping it out like this, and still give it a 3 years whatever warranty, tells me it should be fine. OF course that doesn't mean the cooler can handle it. My old IceQ from HIS hit 90 degrees with 100% fan speed with the locked 1.25V (So much for it being regarded as the coolest 7950, maybe at stock clocks, but once OCed temps dramatically increased).


----------



## PCBuilder94

HEY GUYS ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE I JOIN THE OWNERS HERE
WHAT IS THE BEST 7950/70 AVAILABLE NOW? WILL I GET GOOD FPS AT 2560X1440?


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> HEY GUYS ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE I JOIN THE OWNERS HERE
> WHAT IS THE BEST 7950/70 AVAILABLE NOW? WILL I GET GOOD FPS AT 2560X1440?


i like my MSI but i dont think you will get good fps on crasy res like this -depending which game and how many of those you will have


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> HEY GUYS ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE I JOIN THE OWNERS HERE
> WHAT IS THE BEST 7950/70 AVAILABLE NOW? WILL I GET GOOD FPS AT 2560X1440?


balance. get a titan. you'll end up complaining about crossfire issues just like others here in ocn. don't cheap out.


----------



## Nonehxc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> HEY GUYS ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE I JOIN THE OWNERS HERE
> WHAT IS THE BEST 7950/70 AVAILABLE NOW? WILL I GET GOOD FPS AT 2560X1440?


The best are reference designs if cooled properly, or those that have unlocked voltage and good VRM/cooling, like the Powercolor +PCS.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1378823/list-of-7950-7970-model-that-have-unlocked-voltage

For good [email protected], you'll need CF, although in many games one card should hold its own, but don't expect perfect 60FPS. If I were you I would wait a bit, new cards are supposed to come in October, so if you like one of the new ones, you buy one. If you like a 79x0 card, you'll profit from the price drop due to new series release.

BTW CF guys, do you have your panties down for tomorrow? Must be nice to wait for that end-all-be-all Beta driver(hope it has some niceties aside from CF fixes







). tsm106 and Karlitos must be going mad with the expectation


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nonehxc*
> 
> The best are reference designs if cooled properly, or those that have unlocked voltage and good VRM/cooling, like the Powercolor +PCS.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1378823/list-of-7950-7970-model-that-have-unlocked-voltage
> 
> For good [email protected], you'll need CF, although in many games one card should hold its own, but don't expect perfect 60FPS. If I were you I would wait a bit, new cards are supposed to come in October, so if you like one of the new ones, you buy one. If you like a 79x0 card, you'll profit from the price drop due to new series release.
> 
> BTW CF guys, do you have your panties down for tomorrow? Must be nice to wait for that end-all-be-all Beta driver(hope it has some niceties aside from CF fixes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). tsm106 and Karlitos must be going mad with the expectation


Can't wait.


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I don't see the issue with 1.25V. Alot of the boost cards use these locked crazy volts. The fact that they're shipping it out like this, and still give it a 3 years whatever warranty, tells me it should be fine. OF course that doesn't mean the cooler can handle it. My old IceQ from HIS hit 90 degrees with 100% fan speed with the locked 1.25V (So much for it being regarded as the coolest 7950, maybe at stock clocks, but once OCed temps dramatically increased).


It's about the leakage. Cards that come at 1.25V stock have a lot of leakage and low ASIC most of the time so they run cool. You'll probably never get a boost card that has 90% and rarely 80% ASIC.


----------



## PedroC1999

Anyone else really excited for the Cfx fix?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Anyone else really excited for the Cfx fix?


I'm excited to see results because I'm going to be looking into the 9970 in CF and hope it's ironed out.


----------



## Kriant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> I'm excited to see results because I'm going to be looking into the 9970 in CF and hope it's ironed out.


You are a brave soul!

After the x79 + cross/tri/quad fire compatibility issue ( and eyefinity) which took a year to fix, I'm not jumping on to a new card, until I get some confirmation


----------



## PedroC1999

Im waiting for the 9970 too, hope to sell both my '50s for one, should really help in temperatures and compatibility, not to mention I if the CFx doesnt work well again


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I want to see a matrix card actually get to 1400 core, whats their voltage cap?


Voltage cap in GPU Tweak is 1.4v. Actual voltage shows as 1.36875 at load. Hoping that Hotwire wire will push past. I can also Raise llc, but don't want the spikes at say 85-100%

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You know, you're not important enough in my life so i dont really need to remember you. Sorry that it upsets you. Also, i have said many times its not only the fact that my 7970 Matrix overclocked like crap that made me hate it. There where several other reasons too.










That's rich. No, it doesn't upset me, it's kinda funny. Has nothing to do with importance, just memory capacity.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Hey, still trying to beat that last single card you posted a month or so ago. If I can get a handle on hotwire, it may be possible! I totally agree with your statement there. Had a 590 and 480 , something was just off with the color to me. AMD for life!


You've been trying to beat clocks that tsm did in like 5 minutes for like 1 month lol. If only you had actual good cards. (He has reference cards). And come on... Hotwire and 1.4v ? lol


----------



## dir_d

Maybe you guys can help me, no matter what my 7950 vapor-x will artifact at 1200 core. Any tips or tricks you got? It wont crash at 1200 at 1.2 volts all the way up to 1.3 volts its just artifacts. Turn it down to 1175 and i can run at 1.18 all day long even at 78C playing TR.

In xfire i run 1175/[email protected]


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Maybe you guys can help me, no matter what my 7950 vapor-x will artifact at 1200 core. Any tips or tricks you got? It wont crash at 1200 at 1.2 volts all the way up to 1.3 volts its just artifacts. Turn it down to 1175 and i can run at 1.18 all day long even at 78C playing TR.
> 
> In xfire i run 1175/[email protected]


Ah okay, well cards will have a temp wall at certain clocks. For you it seems to be 1175 on core and above. At this point you need to keep the temps low to clock higher (40-60C usually) Try to bench with fans at 100% and you'll probably be able to clock higher. I need to use 100% fan speed if i want more than 1260 on core on my 7970. My temp wall is 55c.


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Ah okay, well cards will have a temp wall at certain clocks. For you it seems to be 1175 on core and above. At this point you need to keep the temps low to clock higher (40-60C usually) Try to bench with fans at 100% and you'll probably be able to clock higher. I need to use 100% fan speed if i want more than 1260 on core on my 7970. My temp wall is 55c.


Thanks, i dont have low ambients the way my house faces the sun. Ill live with 1175 in xfire.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Thanks, i dont have low ambients the way my house faces the sun. Ill live with 1175 in xfire.


Good 24/7 clocks!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Maybe you guys can help me, no matter what my 7950 vapor-x will artifact at 1200 core. Any tips or tricks you got? It wont crash at 1200 at 1.2 volts all the way up to 1.3 volts its just artifacts. Turn it down to 1175 and i can run at 1.18 all day long even at 78C playing TR.
> 
> In xfire i run 1175/[email protected]


You need a more aggressive fan profile, try to keep it under 60c.


----------



## Arizonian

If your a bencher the [OFFICIAL]--- Top 30 --- Unigine 'Valley' Benchmark 1.0 is reopened.


----------



## Erick Silver

I was just sitting here and reading the clock speed posts and etc. I can get my 7950 Vapor X to 1200 game stable with no problem. But when I start to Fold with it at that speed its not stable. I have to back down to 1150. So while those clock may be stable for games its not stable under more stressful applications.

Didn't [email protected] come out with a Benchmarking Program or something like that a few years ago?


----------



## PCBuilder94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> balance. get a titan. you'll end up complaining about crossfire issues just like others here in ocn. don't cheap out.


Did you really say get a titan? If I had $1000 I would get two 7970s or 7990 or 780s. I am perfectly fine with 30 fps I will add a second one at Christmas time anyways. I wont be at 1440p until then too


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Did you really say get a titan? If I had $1000 I would get two 7970s or 7990 or 780s. I am perfectly fine with 30 fps I will add a second one at Christmas time anyways. I wont be at 1440p until then too


There are only 4 cards i recommend at this time. Its the 7970, 7950, 780 and Titan.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Maybe you guys can help me, no matter what my 7950 vapor-x will artifact at 1200 core. Any tips or tricks you got? It wont crash at 1200 at 1.2 volts all the way up to 1.3 volts its just artifacts. Turn it down to 1175 and i can run at 1.18 all day long even at 78C playing TR.
> 
> In xfire i run 1175/[email protected]


Like everyone else said, its a temp wall. I 'hooked up' my computer up to an AC vent, now I can run 1225 instead of 1175 with 60% fan.. maybe you could try the same? I use bubble wrap and guided the air into intake xD

-- no condensation issues at all. And I do get sub ambient temps at idle, like 13c core and whatnot.

And just in case someone who knows missed my question- what is the dimensions of the memory on these cards? Is 14x14mm a good heatsink size? Or should I go a bit bigger? Im luck enough to have good clocking Hynix on my 7950 so I'd like to keep it cool when I switch to universal GPU waterblock.
If anyone has the EK Supremacy VGA waterblock, do you have any idea how tall the mem heatsinks can be on the ones that are covered by fittings?

Thanks!


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> There are only 4 cards i recommend at this time. Its the 7970, 7950, 780 and Titan.


Why the Titan? You're paying a huge premium for 3GB of VRAM and e-peen.

Better to get a 780 Classy or Lightning instead.


----------



## Thoth420

Lightning BE just got here. Doing a fresh install of windows etc. Didn't know the regulator had led lightup. My case is so pretty through the window in the HAF now.







Pics soon.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Why the Titan? You're paying a huge premium for 3GB of VRAM and e-peen.
> 
> Better to get a 780 Classy or Lightning instead.


Because its good, never involved the price.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Because its good, never involved the price.


Most aren't as good as the unlocked Classies though&#8230;only reasons to get one are for GPGPU stuff or the 6GB of VRAM, which nobody really needs unless doing the former.

It's pretty much a pointless card when the 780 exists.

And yes, price does matter when you're recommending stuff to people.


----------



## Mackem

Trying to find a good clock for a trade off between heat and performance for my Gigabyte Windforce 3X OC 7950. I've currently got it at stock BIOS and it's a rev. 2 card so the voltage is locked to 1.25V. Any ideas?


----------



## devilhead

Rangerjr1 maybe you know how to get more voltage to my 7970?







now i'm using trixx, there i adjust to 1.381v and get just 1.34v ! Tryed ASUS GPU Tweak there i can't find at all voltage slider....


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Rangerjr1 maybe you know how to get more voltage to my 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> now i'm using trixx, there i adjust to 1.381v and get just 1.34v ! Tryed ASUS GPU Tweak there i can't find at all voltage slider....


Wow your droop is massive. Well the program i know that lets you increase Volts the most is Trixx 4.4.0b mod.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Wow your droop is massive. Well the program i know that lets you increase Volts the most is Trixx 4.4.0b mod.


Looks like pretty average vdroop to me? Mine drops 10%. Thats not even 3%.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Looks like pretty average vdroop to me? Mine drops 10%. Thats not even 3%.


Mine drops 0.020v...


----------



## Snuckie7

Mine drops around 70-80mV as well, so about 8%.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Mine drops around 70-80mV as well, so about 8%.


What the hell? I guess i got really low droop then 20mV.


----------



## devilhead

i use 4.4.0b







maybe it is some hack to trixx, to make V up to 1.45


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I want to see a matrix card actually get to 1400 core, whats their voltage cap?


Not sure in software, needs hotwire for extra volts.
The world record 7970 single gpu for 3dmark 11 is a matrix http://www.hwbot.org/submission/2348167_xtreme_addict_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_7970_18309_marks
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Why the Titan? You're paying a huge premium for 3GB of VRAM and e-peen.
> 
> Better to get a 780 Classy or Lightning instead.


The classies are tearing it up, caught up to all but the top couple Titans, mrtooshorts Titan is the last unmodded Titan holding them back. Lightnings should be up there too.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Wow your droop is massive. Well the program i know that lets you increase Volts the most is Trixx 4.4.0b mod.


Vdroop gets worse with more voltage, the higher the voltage the more droop they get.


----------



## youpekkad

My vdroop is almost similar to Snuckie´s, 1106mV in software, 1030-1045mV actual or so.

@dir_d: your card sounds exactly similar to mine, my cards core stops scaling after 1170-1180MHz (by that I mean it needs to stay ridicilously cool in order to be stable...), 1200MHz is stable only if temps stay around 60C and gets just worse after you go higher.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Not sure in software, needs hotwire for extra volts.
> The world record 7970 single gpu for 3dmark 11 is a matrix http://www.hwbot.org/submission/2348167_xtreme_addict_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_7970_18309_marks


eh? there's a lightning at 1800... and yes I'm talking the use of software alone, no hardware mods, last I remember the matrix was locked at 1250mv, correct me if you have otherwise...

hardware mods will almost always get different results, the fact that asus locks their cards in an attempt to force you to buy a mobo with hotwire is just one of the reasons I don't support them anymore...

and the crosshair V doesn't have hotwire despite its cost, funny that...









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> @dir_d: your card sounds exactly similar to mine, my cards core stops scaling after 1170-1180MHz (by that I mean it needs to stay ridicilously cool in order to be stable...), 1200MHz is stable only if temps stay around 60C and gets just worse after you go higher.


you actually want to try and keep it under 60c in the first place, 70c and up and you start to burn the card,
(7970 is nowhere near as tolerant to heat as older cards like 5770s)


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> eh? there's a lightning at 1800... and yes I'm talking the use of software alone no hardware mods, last I remember the matrix was locked at 1250mv, correct me if you have otherwise...
> 
> hardware mods will almost always get different results, the fact that asus locks their cards in an attempt to force you to buy a mobo with hotwire is just one reasons I don't support them anymore...
> 
> and the crosshair V doesn't have hotwire despite its cost, funny that...


The matrix does need a soldering iron to get higher voltage, although they make it easy with the mod points. The lightnings can do 1.8V just in software, no iron needed.


----------



## Thoth420

Can't find the camera so I snapped a quick photo with a wireless.
Going to run a few games to try her out.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Can't find the camera so I snapped a quick photo with a wireless.
> 
> 7970.jpg 100k .jpg file
> 
> 
> Going to run a few games to try her out.


Overclock it or im coming to your house.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Overclock it or im coming to your house.


I have never overclocked a GPU. Going to do some reading into it.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I have never overclocked a GPU. Going to do some reading into it.


Feel free to ask me any question if you need any help overclocking it!


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Feel free to ask me any question if you need any help overclocking it!


Will do thanks. I am very satisfied with it so far. Very quiet and nice low temps.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Will do thanks. I am very satisfied with it so far. Very quiet and nice low temps.


Low temps mean nothing until you OC!


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Low temps mean nothing until you OC!


I know more happy about the quiet.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Overclock it or im coming to your house.


Haha this. It's a crime leaving a Lightning at stock.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Haha this. It's a crime leaving a Lightning at stock.


Oh it won't be left at stock. I just like to evaluate any piece of hardware at stock first....or in this case: it's factory overclocked (which is about as serious as my CPU cooler but that is another matter) state first.


----------



## Nevk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> 
> Can't find the camera so I snapped a quick photo with a wireless.
> Going to run a few games to try her out.


good card !

I really like this fan.

My next card will be HD9970 Lightning


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Oh it won't be left at stock. I just like to evaluate any piece of hardware at stock first....or in this case: it's factory overclocked (which is about as serious as my CPU cooler but that is another matter) state first.


What is your CPU clocked at?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Oh it won't be left at stock. I just like to evaluate any piece of hardware at stock first....or in this case: it's factory overclocked (which is about as serious as my CPU cooler but that is another matter) state first.


yeah its best to thoroughly test at stock. make sure the card is 100% stable in benchmarks / games and then you can go for overclocking. you should also monitor your core and vrm temps using hwinfo32 or msi afterburner when running games/benchmarks. try to keep core temps below 70c and VRM temps below 90c. set a custom fan profile if needed. for benchmarks use 3dmark 2013, heaven 4.0, valley 1.0 . for games use crysis 3, bf3, tombraider and sleeping dogs. these are some of the most demanding games.

then when you overclock see whats the highest you can reach at stock voltage. on air I would say stick to stock voltage. if you can get to 1250 mhz at stock voltage that should be a very nice perf bump. 1250 mhz is enough to call your chip golden. good luck


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The Lightning is a sweet card. One of the few non reference designs that's better than the AMD reference.


lightning is for L2N !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> No diamond reference in stock on the egg. Not much really there for 7970's so the Lightning stood out.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652&Tpk=R7970-2PMD3GD5%2fOC

great card imo fyi

enjoy your lightning


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> What is your CPU clocked at?


Stock at the moment. Intel CPU cooler on there....so with that I wouldn't dare try and push for a max OC. Best I have gotten with modest temps was 4.2 @ 1.3. Trying to decide what cooler I want...not sure if I want to try water for the first time.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> yeah its best to thoroughly test at stock. make sure the card is 100% stable in benchmarks / games and then you can go for overclocking. you should also monitor your core and vrm temps using hwinfo32 or msi afterburner when running games/benchmarks. try to keep core temps below 70c and VRM temps below 90c. set a custom fan profile if needed. for benchmarks use 3dmark 2013, heaven 4.0, valley 1.0 . for games use crysis 3, bf3, tombraider and sleeping dogs. these are some of the most demanding games.
> 
> then when you overclock see whats the highest you can reach at stock voltage. on air I would say stick to stock voltage. if you can get to 1250 mhz at stock voltage that should be a very nice perf bump. 1250 mhz is enough to call your chip golden. good luck


Cool I have 3dmark and all of the games you mentioned. I pretty much bought the card for BF3 and 4 and a few Ubisoft titles coming out. They also tossed in Crysis 3 which I didn't have.
Thanks for all the info. I have OC'd a few CPU's just never had the need to OC a GPU.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> lightning is for L2N !~
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127652&Tpk=R7970-2PMD3GD5%2fOC
> 
> great card imo fyi
> 
> enjoy your lightning


I must have missed that. Def happy with this so far.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Stock at the moment. Intel CPU cooler on there....so with that I wouldn't dare try and push for a max OC. Best I have gotten with modest temps was 4.2 @ 1.3. Trying to decide what cooler I want...not sure if I want to try water for the first time.
> Cool I have 3dmark and all of the games you mentioned. I pretty much bought the card for BF3 and 4 and a few Ubisoft titles coming out. They also tossed in Crysis 3 which I didn't have.
> Thanks for all the info. I have OC'd a few CPU's just never had the need to OC a GPU.
> I must have missed that. Def happy with this so far.


Get high end air cooling!


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> eh? there's a lightning at 1800... and yes I'm talking the use of software alone, no hardware mods, last I remember the matrix was locked at 1250mv, correct me if you have otherwise...
> 
> hardware mods will almost always get different results, the fact that asus locks their cards in an attempt to force you to buy a mobo with hotwire is just one of the reasons I don't support them anymore...
> 
> and the crosshair V doesn't have hotwire despite its cost, funny that...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> you actually want to try and keep it under 60c in the first place, 70c and up and you start to burn the card,
> (7970 is nowhere near as tolerant to heat as older cards like 5770s)


No Matrix is 1.4.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> The matrix does need a soldering iron to get higher voltage, although they make it easy with the mod points. The lightnings can do 1.8V just in software, no iron needed.


Actually the Matrix has sockets and hotwires come with MVE. No soldering needed.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> The matrix does need a soldering iron to get higher voltage, although they make it easy with the mod points. The lightnings can do 1.8V just in software, no iron needed.
> 
> 
> 
> Actually the Matrix has sockets and hotwires come with MVE. No soldering needed.
Click to expand...

Talk about easy button. I'm sure with some ingenuity one could fashion a plug for the dc2 to avoid soldering as well. Hell you could use a nut and screw then wind the wire onto the screw.


----------



## Paul17041993

400 bucks for a card eyefinity-compatible out-of-the-box and guaranteed to overclock vs 600 bucks for a massive card that I doubt Id find a waterblock for and has a very poor record...

tough decision!


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 400 bucks for a card eyefinity-compatible out-of-the-box and guaranteed to overclock vs 600 bucks for a massive card that I doubt Id find a waterblock for and has a very poor record...
> 
> tough decision!


HMMM. Not sure what exactly you're referring to. Matrix is actually $380 with rebate from newegg and EK makes a very nice waterblock for. Waterblock also comes with 2 slot backplate. I do however think the newer Matrixs are hit or miss. Luckily mine is #9XX. My 2nd was. 29XX. There probably up to 4XXX or 5XXX by now. I also believe some operator error has been involved with "poor clocker" reports and specifically one that someone broke in a tantrum. The stock coolers aren't very good regardless of Asus's hype. Definitely recommend a WB. Other than used cherry picked early reference cards, I doubt your odds of getting a 1350+ card is very good at this point. And no card is guarantedd to overclock over factory. Some of them have problems doing what they are spec'd at.


----------



## Thoth420

Battlefield 3 running very respectable even at 8x MSAA Ultra everything Motion Blur Disabled at my preferred FoV of 76. I decided to set it at 4x MSAA however for actual multiplayer but the single player could easily be enjoyed on 8x. No long distance z fighting or flicker down a 8x or 12x scope which was visible on both the 6970 and the 770. I guess the extra gig and the faster bus really do make a difference. Installing all my games with benchmarks to get an idea of how this card works overall but it runs my most played game perfect and I am very happy.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Battlefield 3 running very respectable even at 8x MSAA Ultra everything Motion Blur Disabled at my preferred FoV of 76. I decided to set it at 4x MSAA however for actual multiplayer but the single player could easily be enjoyed on 8x. No long distance z fighting or flicker down a 8x or 12x scope which was visible on both the 6970 and the 770. I guess the extra gig and the faster bus really do make a difference. Installing all my games with benchmarks to get an idea of how this card works overall but it runs my most played game perfect and I am very happy.


How do you get 8XMSAA? I always find BF3 needs more AA. I can't get it past 4.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> How do you get 8XMSAA? I always find BF3 needs more AA. I can't get it past 4.


I was testing on a server with 8 people. Nebadan Flats then Caspian Border. I am putting it on 4x to actually play.
This is on a 7970 Lightning not a 770 as well. I am getting rid of my 770.

Also wolf you don't need to prove anything and your southbridge is most likely fine(if it was prior to the 320 drivers then it def is). I just proved it and if I hadn't sold the 6970 I would have been able to prove it sooner. I would take any yt video etc with a grain of salt but you and I both know something is wrong. I just am pretty damn sure it is software.


----------



## theoneofgod

Any one else keep checking for the frame pacing drivers at AMD?


----------



## Pr0pheT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> How do you get 8XMSAA? I always find BF3 needs more AA. I can't get it past 4.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Battlefield 3 running very respectable even at 8x MSAA Ultra everything Motion Blur Disabled at my preferred FoV of 76. I decided to set it at 4x MSAA however for actual multiplayer but the single player could easily be enjoyed on 8x. No long distance z fighting or flicker down a 8x or 12x scope which was visible on both the 6970 and the 770. I guess the extra gig and the faster bus really do make a difference. Installing all my games with benchmarks to get an idea of how this card works overall but it runs my most played game perfect and I am very happy.


He probably enabled it in CCC... :-\


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pr0pheT*
> 
> He probably enabled it in CCC... :-\


I should be more clear. The CCC 3d settings are default. The only thing I changed in catalyst was bumping up saturation a bit.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Any one else keep checking for the frame pacing drivers at AMD?


From rage3d.com
http://www.rage3d.com/index.php?cat=75#newsid34002964

Crossfire frame pacing driver release incoming
Jul 30, 2013 at 01:57 PM by seanR3D
Post a comment
AMD has announced through its Twitter account it will be releasing its new Crossfire driver tomorrow, July 31. This will be a major release for Crossfire users, as it improves multi-GPU frame pacing (in simplified terms: less stuttering and smoother gameplay).

Source: Twitter

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/347803712930070529


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> From rage3d.com
> http://www.rage3d.com/index.php?cat=75#newsid34002964
> 
> Crossfire frame pacing driver release incoming
> Jul 30, 2013 at 01:57 PM by seanR3D
> Post a comment
> AMD has announced through its Twitter account it will be releasing its new Crossfire driver tomorrow, July 31. This will be a major release for Crossfire users, as it improves multi-GPU frame pacing (in simplified terms: less stuttering and smoother gameplay).
> 
> Source: Twitter
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/347803712930070529


That's what I was referring to.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> From rage3d.com
> http://www.rage3d.com/index.php?cat=75#newsid34002964
> 
> Crossfire frame pacing driver release incoming
> Jul 30, 2013 at 01:57 PM by seanR3D
> Post a comment
> AMD has announced through its Twitter account it will be releasing its new Crossfire driver tomorrow, July 31. This will be a major release for Crossfire users, as it improves multi-GPU frame pacing (in simplified terms: less stuttering and smoother gameplay).
> 
> Source: Twitter
> 
> __ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/347803712930070529


i don't mean to sound rude. is your 930 oc'ed to at least 4GHz? 'cause, no matter what frame pacing fix you apply, the cpu will not feed those gpus enough to make use of both. in that scenario, stutter will most likely happen.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i don't mean to sound rude. is your *960* oc'ed to at least 4GHz? 'cause, no matter what frame pacing fix you apply, the cpu will not feed those gpus enough to make use of both. in that scenario, stutter will most likely happen.


Fixed?


----------



## Thoth420

Crysis 3 installed and running like a dream with maxed SMAA. Didn't try any other AA yet. 2 out of about 20 games down. The next lot are games with benchmarks built in so I will just post all the results I get in one post. The top two are FPS so I play them with v sync on anyway and until I get my 120 hz display the monitor is the bottleneck.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Fixed?


thankgod.


----------



## JJ1217

I've always wondered why overclocks with Battlefield 3 scale amazingly.. like going from 800 on a 7950 to 1175 nets me around 20 FPS in most cases, while OCing in games such as Crysis 3 only net me 6-10 FPS (Although 6-10 FPS is everything at 1440p with a single card).

Battlefield 3 also always makes the card run cooler by 6 - 7 degrees compared to Valley. Makes me think some certain part of Battlefield 3 was not coded all too well..


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I've always wondered why overclocks with Battlefield 3 scale amazingly.. like going from 800 on a 7950 to 1175 nets me around 20 FPS in most cases, while OCing in games such as Crysis 3 only net me 6-10 FPS (Although 6-10 FPS is everything at 1440p with a single card).
> 
> Battlefield 3 also always makes the card run cooler by 6 - 7 degrees compared to Valley. Makes me think some certain part of Battlefield 3 was not coded all too well..


Dice basically split teams. Both were given the same engine and one was tasked with getting something working quickly....that was and is BF3. The other team was told to go nuts and given a much longer window to play around....and the result will be BF4. I guess we will see in Nov how well that worked out.


----------



## radicalrev

Hi guys,

I am trying to get another 7970 to CF with my Sapphire HD7970 ref.

I stumble upon an used 7970 in my country, its a Powercolor HD7970 V2.

Powercolor v2:
http://www.powercolor.com/global/products_features.asp?id=391

Sapphire Ref :
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1443&leg=0

Will both cards work fine in Crossfire? Without changing/overclock/underclock any of the cards.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *radicalrev*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I am trying to get another 7970 to CF with my Sapphire HD7970 ref.
> 
> I stumble upon an used 7970 in my country, its a Powercolor HD7970 V2.
> 
> Powercolor v2:
> http://www.powercolor.com/global/products_features.asp?id=391
> 
> Sapphire Ref :
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1443&leg=0
> 
> Will both cards work fine in Crossfire? Without changing/overclock/underclock any of the cards.


Yeah, it'll work.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> HMMM. Not sure what exactly you're referring to. Matrix is actually $380 with rebate from newegg and EK makes a very nice waterblock for. Waterblock also comes with 2 slot backplate. I do however think the newer Matrixs are hit or miss. Luckily mine is #9XX. My 2nd was. 29XX. There probably up to 4XXX or 5XXX by now. I also believe some operator error has been involved with "poor clocker" reports and specifically one that someone broke in a tantrum. The stock coolers aren't very good regardless of Asus's hype. Definitely recommend a WB. Other than used cherry picked early reference cards, I doubt your odds of getting a 1350+ card is very good at this point. And no card is guarantedd to overclock over factory. Some of them have problems doing what they are spec'd at.


not over here mate, 600 bucks or more for a vanilla 7970 matrix, reference sells at about 400 and has a full set of adapters for eyefinity...

and really after what Ive had to go through, I couldn't give a damn about the hype of hotwire and the sorts, Id rather a card that can actually do what its advertised to do and not cost me my own time and money just to get working...

and my DCIIT pretty much doesn't clock at all now, you can push the memory 100 higher to 1500 (GHz spec) and that's literally it...


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> not over here mate, 600 bucks or more for a vanilla 7970 matrix, reference sells at about 400 and has a full set of adapters for eyefinity...
> 
> and really after what Ive had to go through, I couldn't give a damn about the hype of hotwire and the sorts, Id rather a card that can actually do what its advertised to do and not cost me my own time and money just to get working...
> 
> and my DCIIT pretty much doesn't clock at all now, you can push the memory 100 higher to 1500 (GHz spec) and that's literally it...


still its all in the luck of the draw!

ive got two DCIIs 7950s to play with, mine is good at 1250/1800 the 2nd crashes at 1100/1500

and remember that cards arent sold just so people can overclock them - its against policy infact lol


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> and remember that cards arent sold just so people can overclock them - its against policy infact lol


then why advertise it as such









but eh, if anything I still prefer pure reference just for waterblock and/or custom cooler compatibility...


----------



## gkolarov

I can overclock my two saphire 7950 Boost 3L cards in cross to 1150/1650 with 1.25v. It is not much, many people can overclock more than that, but i think it is enough for now in every game. ASIC is 66 and 65. The temperature goes to 75 with autofan.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> then why advertise it as such
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but eh, if anything I still prefer pure reference just for waterblock and/or custom cooler compatibility...


I agree.get a lightning if you wanna go extreme otherwise the ref is the wise choice


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> then why advertise it as such
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but eh, if anything I still prefer pure reference just for waterblock and/or custom cooler compatibility...


you answered your own question, advertisement.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gkolarov*
> 
> I can overclock my two saphire 7950 Boost 3L cards in cross to 1150/1650 with 1.25v. It is not much, many people can overclock more than that, but i think it is enough for now in every game. ASIC is 66 and 65. The temperature goes to 75 with autofan.


There's not much point going above that in crossfire, for gaming, unless you have some crazy monitor setup and want to kill FPS with MSAA.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> not over here mate, 600 bucks or more for a vanilla 7970 matrix, reference sells at about 400 and has a full set of adapters for eyefinity...
> 
> and really after what Ive had to go through, I couldn't give a damn about the hype of hotwire and the sorts, Id rather a card that can actually do what its advertised to do and not cost me my own time and money just to get working...
> 
> and my DCIIT pretty much doesn't clock at all now, you can push the memory 100 higher to 1500 (GHz spec) and that's literally it...


That's a bummer. Hot wire was my choice. I hit those clocks without it. I didn't have to do anything other than load drivers and GPU Tweak to get it working and overclocking takes time regardless of card. I brought hotwire into it by choice for those clocks that you really can't reach without it. It really is luck of the draw with any card. I know how you feel about getting something and it not living up to your expectations and the association with brand and wanting to go elsewhere. Hope you find something that works for you! Finding a used early reference is probably your best bet for getting better odds for a better chip.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i don't mean to sound rude. is your 930 oc'ed to at least 4GHz? 'cause, no matter what frame pacing fix you apply, the cpu will not feed those gpus enough to make use of both. in that scenario, stutter will most likely happen.


Oh dont worry








Actually i use all my hardware at stock speeds. Stutter i have mainly in FAR CRY 3 while BF3 is quite smooth! Still, i believe that microstutter is mainly a crossfire related issue and not that much a cpu issue...


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> That's a bummer. Hot wire was my choice. I hit those clocks without it. I didn't have to do anything other than load drivers and GPU Tweak to get it working and overclocking takes time regardless of card. I brought hotwire into it by choice for those clocks that you really can't reach without it. It really is luck of the draw with any card. I know how you feel about getting something and it not living up to your expectations and the association with brand and wanting to go elsewhere. Hope you find something that works for you! Finding a used early reference is probably your best bet for getting better odds for a better chip.


You didnt reach tsms clocks yet even though you have hotwire. Reference cards.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> That's what I was referring to.






__ https://www.facebook.com/AMDGaming/posts/506186919453800



Oops... seems like a delay in the release of the new driver...


----------



## BradleyW

Again......so looks like Friday now I'd say.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Again......so looks like Friday now I'd say.


Or 31st of August.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You didnt reach tsms clocks yet even though you have hotwire. Reference cards.


Reference and waterblocks are the way forward. Last I heard TSM was using 2 PSUs to power his Quad xfire. Serious business.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *radicalrev*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I am trying to get another 7970 to CF with my Sapphire HD7970 ref.
> 
> I stumble upon an used 7970 in my country, its a Powercolor HD7970 V2.
> 
> Powercolor v2:
> http://www.powercolor.com/global/products_features.asp?id=391
> 
> Sapphire Ref :
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/?cid=1&gid=3&sgid=1157&lid=1&pid=1443&leg=0
> 
> Will both cards work fine in Crossfire? Without changing/overclock/underclock any of the cards.


no matter what cards you use they ALL will downclock to the LOWEST set speeds ( you can oc them both to the same speed, if the cards will oc that far. usually takes a bit more volts then running them solo though

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Reference and waterblocks are the way forward. Last I heard TSM was using 2 PSUs to power his Quad xfire. Serious business.


as will i... debating about getting a second 1250w seasonic based one ( have an xfx ) or using my extra 750w.... )


----------



## eosgreen

is anyone having any driver issues and more specifically with sc2?


----------



## radicalrev

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no matter what cards you use they ALL will downclock to the LOWEST set speeds ( you can oc them both to the same speed, if the cards will oc that far. usually takes a bit more volts then running them solo though


Great to hear, as long as they wont't be any issues.

I also have seen 7970 doesn't crossfire well when searching on google.

Anyone have any comments on this?


----------



## Mega Man

i never have had a problem....

not an attack on anyone but personally i think the micro stutter issue is blown outta proportion by fanbois.....


----------



## Thoth420

I heard something about AMD working on stacking the VRAM on xfire configs(assume nvidia is doing something similar but I don't follow them as much lately). Anyone have any info on that? I tried a few google searches but I don't know exactly what they are calling it.


----------



## eosgreen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i never have had a problem....
> 
> not an attack on anyone but personally i think the micro stutter issue is blown outta proportion by fanbois.....


my house has x2 7850 and we have always been nvidia but after we bought the 7850s we noticed some stuttering some of the time after xfiring them and now i think we are a bit paranoid


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i never have had a problem....
> 
> not an attack on anyone but personally i think the micro stutter issue is blown outta proportion by fanbois.....


Amen brother, I've been trying to preach the sermon but no one is listening


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *radicalrev*
> 
> Great to hear, as long as they wont't be any issues.
> 
> I also have seen 7970 doesn't crossfire well when searching on google.
> 
> Anyone have any comments on this?


7970 scale brilliantly in crossfire usually, think the microstuttering issue is only something to do with the more latest drivers and certain titles...

and I don't think its really anything noticable, you should have your detail settings on something that allows the fps to stay above 60 anyway, lower then 60 fps, doesn't matter what games, you will always experience some forms of stuttering...

that and I think a lot of cases might actually be related to slowish memory or cpu clock fluttering...


----------



## Mega Man

can also be because you are feeding a monitor that can only take 60fps 59 58 ect or even 70... and the sync rates dont line up


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> can also be because you are feeding a monitor that can only take 60fps 59 58 ect or even 70... and the sync rates dont line up


oh yes exactly, the two gpus could fall out of sync if the monitor has a sloppy refresh rate...


----------



## Mega Man

just re read what i said..

ment if the monitor has 60 fps and it is being fed 59 58.... ect


----------



## Mega Man

Does anyone know where i can get 2 Multi Stream Transport Hub ( club 3d are the only ones making it ) in the us ?


----------



## hotrod717

Hmm. I haven't used hotwire to for any benching as of yet. Unfortunately, I can still see a green little trolls quotes.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Hmm. I haven't used hotwire to for any benching as of yet. Unfortunately, I can still see a green little trolls quotes.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *radicalrev*
> 
> Great to hear, as long as they wont't be any issues.
> 
> I also have seen 7970 doesn't crossfire well when searching on google.
> 
> Anyone have any comments on this?


7970 CF is probably one of the best Multi GPU systems in terms of scaling. In most games I have almost perfect x2 scaling.


----------



## theoneofgod

What's this talk about memory re-writing. What will the benefit?


----------



## grymok

At last i got my MSI 7950 TF3 water cooled.
Got a Watercool 79x0 fullcover block, looks pretty BAD!



Now i can easily reach 1300/1750 with 1.2 vcore.
GPU Temp: 43 C
VRAM Temp: 48 C

I see this as a very success full project.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> At last i got my MSI 7950 TF3 water cooled.
> Got a Watercool 79x0 fullcover block, looks pretty BAD!
> 
> 
> 
> Now i can easily reach 1300/1750 with 1.2 vcore.
> GPU Temp: 43 C
> VRAM Temp: 48 C
> 
> I see this as a very success full project.


Brown PCB is ewey. Go black or go home. I can see someone seeing a double entendre from my previous sentence :3


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Brown PCB is ewey. Go black or go home. I can see someone seeing a double entendre from my previous sentence :3





turn into .....


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Brown PCB is ewey. Go black or go home. I can see someone seeing a double entendre from my previous sentence :3


True, but it can't be seen for the backplate anyways. But the card can be pushed a hell of a lot, so i'm pretty glad, atm








else i should have went with the 7970 Lightning. But that card just costs to much


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> What's this talk about memory re-writing. What will the benefit?


I actually have no idea what you're talking about...?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> At last i got my MSI 7950 TF3 water cooled.
> Got a Watercool 79x0 fullcover block, looks pretty BAD!
> 
> 
> 
> Now i can easily reach 1300/1750 with 1.2 vcore.
> GPU Temp: 43 C
> VRAM Temp: 48 C
> 
> I see this as a very success full project.


oh my I actually quite like that copper on a brown PCB... I don't know, guess its a steampunk or retro wooden look... I want...


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I actually have no idea what you're talking about...?
> oh my I actually quite like that copper on a brown PCB... I don't know, guess its a steampunk or retro wooden look... I want...


Sheds light? http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33997362


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Sheds light? http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33997362


oooohhhh a rewrite of the memory management in the drivers... I was thinking of something else...

its funny though how they are still finding silly efficiency bugs, yet the cards already perform pretty good most of the time despite their age, I mean, nvidia has released two (three?) generations in the timeframe of the 79x0 cards...

I'm really looking forward for the 9k series, I just hope they don't have as much issues as the 7k did at launch and hit the ground running...


----------



## theoneofgod

Here you go guys http://www2.ati.com/drivers/beta/AMD_Catalyst_13.8_Beta.exe


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Sheds light? http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33997362


Latest replies from that source have been January...
Are the drivers that fix these issues already integrated into the latest WHQL version?


----------



## OneGun

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=380080

Frame pacing drivers..


----------



## Thoth420

Ermagherd:
Resolved intermittent mouse cursor corruption when rapidly moving the cursor across window borders









I am not going crazy.....


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Ermagherd:
> Resolved intermittent mouse cursor corruption when rapidly moving the cursor across window borders
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not going crazy.....


this is the best fix for me!

I hate having that stupid corrupt cursor, that will randomly go back to normal after a few mins. Happens all the time when i alt tab out of dota 2.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> this is the best fix for me!
> 
> I hate having that stupid corrupt cursor, that will randomly go back to normal after a few mins. Happens all the time when i alt tab out of dota 2.


Well I just installed the card and was noticing no problems testing it in games etc.
The only thing I did see was this on occasion and like you said after closing or tabbing out of an application.
I was starting to wonder and woke up to that in the notes. Def glad they noticed and fixed such a tiny little thing.
Now to decide on trying them or just sticking on 13.4 til they add that feature to the WHQL.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Ermagherd:
> Resolved intermittent mouse cursor corruption when rapidly moving the cursor across window borders
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not going crazy.....
> 
> 
> 
> this is the best fix for me!
> 
> I hate having that stupid corrupt cursor, that will randomly go back to normal after a few mins. Happens all the time when i alt tab out of dota 2.
Click to expand...

It's an easy fix cuz it will come back in future drivers if history is any lesson. Fyi, just shake the mouse pointer back and forth quickly. It forces the desktop to refresh/redraw the cursor.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> oooohhhh a rewrite of the memory management in the drivers... I was thinking of something else...
> 
> its funny though how they are still finding silly efficiency bugs, yet the cards already perform pretty good most of the time despite their age, I mean, nvidia has released two (three?) generations in the timeframe of the 79x0 cards...
> 
> I'm really looking forward for the 9k series, I just hope they don't have as much issues as the 7k did at launch and hit the ground running...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's an easy fix cuz it will come back in future drivers if history is any lesson. Fyi, just shake the mouse pointer back and forth quickly. It forces the desktop to refresh/redraw the cursor.


anything new has issues at launch and will continue to as stuff gets changed... that is whats nice about drivers... they can be updated.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Ermagherd:
> Resolved intermittent mouse cursor corruption when rapidly moving the cursor across window borders
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am not going crazy.....


not as bad as the obnoxious intel buffer artifacts...


----------



## JJ1217

Not sure if placebo, but Crysis 3 on a single 7950 definitely feels smoother than before. My brother agrees with me also. Was this also helping single GPU solutions in some way? Or was it just a general driver fix that just helped?


----------



## Snuckie7

I have quantifiable data here that shows improvement for single GPU users as well.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1414778/various-catalyst-13-8-frame-pacing-driver-reviews/200_20#post_20524662

It's not just you


----------



## JJ1217

Cheers +1 REP


----------



## kcuestag

I think this is the time where I am mostly enjoying the fact that I moved from 2x GTX680 to 2x HD7970, these new drivers (13.8 Beta) are awesome, I always play without VSYNC, and right now all games feel so smooth that you'd think I use vsync, it's smooth as butter.


----------



## BradleyW

I'm having a serious issue with the new drivers. My mouse is laggy and choppy on the desktop and within applications such as the internet browser. Reformat did not fix the issue. Issue is not present on previous versions of CCC. Please help.

Edit: Some evidence of mouse movement issues with these drivers:


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Not sure if placebo, but Crysis 3 on a single 7950 definitely feels smoother than before. My brother agrees with me also. Was this also helping single GPU solutions in some way? Or was it just a general driver fix that just helped?


Far Cry 3 also is smoother with these on a single gpu, somehow...


----------



## grymok

Does those 13.8 beta drivers, apply to Windows 8.1. As it seems like AMD has seperate driver for Windows 8.1?
I got a lot 'driver has stopped working' when i'm Folding, and gaming and both at the same time to.


----------



## ebduncan

far cry 3 is just a choppy game.

single gpu, and i still notice it being choppy even with avgerage fps of 50 some.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I'm having a serious issue with the new drivers. My mouse is laggy and choppy on the desktop and within applications such as the internet browser. Reformat did not fix the issue. Issue is not present on previous versions of CCC. Please help.
> 
> Edit: Some evidence of mouse movement issues with these drivers:


Weird, I've no issues at all in any game neither at desktop.


----------



## BradleyW

Try wiggling the mouse in the open window of your browser whilst it loads up.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Try wiggling the mouse in the open window of your browser whilst it loads up.


Works fine, I use Google Chrome.


----------



## BradleyW

What DPI do you use? Did you wiggle the mouse around whilst chrome was loading....within the chrome browser window?
Here is the tool to check for the error.

New Compressed (zipped) Folder.zip 33k .zip file


----------



## sugarhell

Got the new drivers. Its good i expect more. Far cry 3 still broken game i bet someone needs to patch this game


----------



## Rickles

wish 13.8 worked in eyefinity


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Okay, i think i just shat my pants.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







My upgrade contains: Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X 3 GB, Saberthooth 990FX 2.0, CM 212 EVO.

My FPS Penis grew by 40 FPS in Valley, not bad. (I Gave 100 bucks for my GPU).


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Okay, i think i just shat my pants.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My upgrade contains: Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X 3 GB, Saberthooth 990FX 2.0, CM 212 EVO.
> 
> My FPS Penis grew by 40 FPS in Valley, not bad. (I Gave 100 bucks for my GPU).


i am sure you can go higher than that. my 7950 did 51.2 on that with no tweaks. ASIC is 56 if it matters.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> wish 13.8 worked in eyefinity


Soontm.Its summer, time for vacation


----------



## bond32

Question here : using the 7900 bios modifier, I set my vrm signal to 155. My card's ASIC is 70%, can I go higher? My temps are around a constant 40 C with the heat killer block and vrm temp never gets high. Could I run this reference 7970 at 1.3 volts?


----------



## dir_d

Anyone having any troubles enabling vsync on 13.8? I get a black screen or a full crash reset. I think it might be me patching the drivers to run at [email protected] but im not sure.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Okay, i think i just shat my pants.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My upgrade contains: Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X 3 GB, Saberthooth 990FX 2.0, CM 212 EVO.
> 
> My FPS Penis grew by 40 FPS in Valley, not bad. (I Gave 100 bucks for my GPU).


Come on man, ATLEAST 2000...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I'm having a serious issue with the new drivers. My mouse is laggy and choppy on the desktop and within applications such as the internet browser. Reformat did not fix the issue. Issue is not present on previous versions of CCC. Please help.
> 
> Edit: Some evidence of mouse movement issues with these drivers:


you got mouse drivers or macro drivers in use with that? seems a bit odd for polling and/or DPI to flip about with changes in gpu clock...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Anyone having any troubles enabling vsync on 13.8? I get a black screen or a full crash reset. I think it might be me patching the drivers to run at [email protected] but im not sure.


your applying a FPS patch to drivers that had their FPS management overhawled? yea, don't do that...?


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Does those 13.8 beta drivers, apply to Windows 8.1. As it seems like AMD has seperate driver for Windows 8.1?
> I got a lot 'driver has stopped working' when i'm Folding, and gaming and both at the same time to.


EDIT: Oki the old drivers don't work for windows 8.1. It has to be the preview one.


----------



## jellyman




----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> EDIT: Oki the old drivers don't work for windows 8.1. It has to be the preview one.


never use a preview OS or such, there is seldom if every any support for it.
I wait for final release of the windows 8.1 in a few months then drivers are out to support it.


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Question here : using the 7900 bios modifier, I set my vrm signal to 155. My card's ASIC is 70%, can I go higher? My temps are around a constant 40 C with the heat killer block and vrm temp never gets high. Could I run this reference 7970 at 1.3 volts?


Yes you can.
if you should is a whole different question.
temp isnt the issue, its degradation.
its your card.
personally I always run my card at 90% of what the max is.


----------



## Coree

Ok, so I ordered the thermal pad.
It's the Phobya Ultra 5w/mk 1,5mm pad. I was going for the 1mm version, but it wasn't at stock. Is 1,5mm too thick for VRM's, or is it recommended that i'll cut it a bit, leaving it 1mm thick?
Thank you if you can help.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> Ok, so I ordered the thermal pad.
> It's the Phobya Ultra 5w/mk 1,5mm pad. I was going for the 1mm version, but it wasn't at stock. Is 1,5mm too thick for VRM's, or is it recommended that i'll cut it a bit, leaving it 1mm thick?
> Thank you if you can help.


I use 1mm for VRMs and 0.5mm for RAM.

And how do you plan on cutting 0.5mm OFF the thermalpad to make it thinner? lol


----------



## Coree

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> I use 1mm for VRMs and 0.5mm for RAM.
> 
> And how do you plan on cutting 0.5mm OFF the thermalpad to make it thinner? lol


Second thoughts.. I'll just leave it like it is







Too hard to cut yeah
OR PERHAPS I'LL USE A CHEESE SLICER


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> EDIT: Oki the old drivers don't work for windows 8.1. It has to be the preview one.


when 8 was in dev/prerelease, I used it as a secondary OS, though most drivers on 7 worked perfectly fine with it till it started having signature checking...

I would think 8.1 should be fine with 8 drivers, but I guess there could be some issues with the new frame-pacing and the newer GUI system in 8.1...


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> wish 13.8 worked in eyefinity


Works in Eyefinity for me with a single 7950, unless you meant Crossfire + Eyefinity.


----------



## grymok

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> when 8 was in dev/prerelease, I used it as a secondary OS, though most drivers on 7 worked perfectly fine with it till it started having signature checking...
> 
> I would think 8.1 should be fine with 8 drivers, but I guess there could be some issues with the new frame-pacing and the newer GUI system in 8.1...


Just tested this yesterday, and it wasn't possible to install the Win 8 drivers, it couldn't detect the graphics driver.
So went back to the Win 8.1 preview driver


----------



## theoneofgod

Found out with 13.8 + Crossfire + GPU-Z + DX11 = crash...
Can anyone confirm?


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Found out with 13.8 + Crossfire + GPU-Z + DX11 = crash...
> Can anyone confirm?


It's a GPU-Z bug I think, I also had that issue once in a while, I believe downgrading to an older GPU-Z version should fix it.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> It's a GPU-Z bug I think, I also had that issue once in a while, I believe downgrading to an older GPU-Z version should fix it.


Worked fine with 13.6, best wait for a new version I think.


----------



## istudy92

I have a quick question.

I currently have an fx4300 OC at 4.7ghz
Now i found a working phenom II 1090t black. I have the proper cooling system to OC it to 4.0 or more.

I have a sapphire 7950 and wantted to know, which CPU would be better for games with this gpu, and possibly the "9770" when and if it comes out with that name.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I have a quick question.
> 
> I currently have an fx4300 OC at 4.7ghz
> Now i found a working phenom II 1090t black. I have the proper cooling system to OC it to 4.0 or more.
> 
> I have a sapphire 7950 and wantted to know, which CPU would be better for games with this gpu, and possibly the "9770" when and if it comes out with that name.


Why are you getting the low end AMD 9000 GPU? Get the 1090T.


----------



## Mega Man

7950>9770


----------



## istudy92

No no no, im talking about the new gpu that will hopefully come out Q3 Q4 2013.
Volcano gpu? Idk but point is which would be better fx4300 or 1090t? And why?

I also video edit a little bit, and multi task.
But isn't a 4.7 OC better than 4.0?


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you got mouse drivers or macro drivers in use with that? seems a bit odd for polling and/or DPI to flip about with changes in gpu clock...
> your applying a FPS patch to drivers that had their FPS management overhawled? yea, don't do that...?


I tested everything and on my system it is the pixel clock patch that toastyx made that is making me crash when vsync is applied. Hopefully he fixes it


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> No no no, im talking about the new gpu that will hopefully come out Q3 Q4 2013.
> Volcano gpu? Idk but point is which would be better fx4300 or 1090t? And why?
> 
> I also video edit a little bit, and multi task.
> But isn't a 4.7 OC better than 4.0?


...

1. Phenom has better IPC
2. It has 2 extra cores.

Its a better all around chip.

And what 9770 are you talking about? Why are you downgrading from a 7950?


----------



## MykaAurora

Do you guys use OCCT 4.4.0 as stability test?

I never knew my card can pass single run on 1200MHz @ stock Vcore = 1257mV . I always thought pass OCCT = stable for 24/7. I guess not.


----------



## MykaAurora

Even passed Metro: Last Light benchmark. What a funny lie I've been living in.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Even passed Metro: Last Light benchmark. What a funny lie I've been living in.


Lol another Matrix that doesnt clock as impressively as the advertisement makes you think. Im sorry that ASUS tricked you into buying it, next time buy a ref card.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Lol another Matrix that doesnt clock as impressively as the advertisement makes you think. Im sorry that ASUS tricked you into buying it, next time buy a ref card.


I'll try get it higher since I can get 1200MHz at stock.









Owh and yeah, I WILL get a reference card next time. Best OC and plenty of waterblock choices.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I'll try get it higher since I can get 1200MHz at stock.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Owh and yeah, I WILL get a reference card next time. Best OC and plenty of waterblock choices.


Good that you learned from that mistake! I did too and its the best lesson of my life! (Within computer hardware







)


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> ...
> 
> 1. Phenom has better IPC
> 2. It has 2 extra cores.
> 
> Its a better all around chip.
> 
> And what 9770 are you talking about? Why are you downgrading from a 7950?


I am talking about the new volcanic island graphic card series that will come out later this year possibly if anything next year.
"9970" or am i wrong about all this?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I am talking about the new volcanic island graphic card series that will come out later this year possibly if anything next year.
> "9970" or am i wrong about all this?


9970 is flagship. So thats probably it.


----------



## xedjflowx

anyone have any tips on how to overclock? I ran Unigine last night and got a score of 1028..

Then I boosted the core clock and memory clock to 50 extra mhz, set the custom fan and got an even lower score. Just the fact that I got a lower score the second time made me think I have no clue what I'm doing. Am I supposed to boost the core clock and memory clock synchronized or does it not matter? Any ideas? Also, im using 1440p and stats are in my signature


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xedjflowx*
> 
> anyone have any tips on how to overclock? I ran Unigine last night and got a score of 1028..
> 
> Then I boosted the core clock and memory clock to 50 extra mhz, set the custom fan and got an even lower score. Any ideas? Also, im using 1440p and stats are in my signature


50MHz is barely an overclock. And how was your fanprofile set?


----------



## xedjflowx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> 50MHz is barely an overclock. And how was your fanprofile set?


haha good to know.. the fan profile is set to the default one.. a fixed increase in fan speed for every degree that the gpu rises


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Good that you learned from that mistake! I did too and its the best lesson of my life! (Within computer hardware
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Bahh, can't get past 1260MHz. Stupid card.

Hopefully 9970 + waterblock don't cost me bomb.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xedjflowx*
> 
> haha good to know.. the fan profile is set to the default one.. a fixed increase in fan speed for every degree that the gpu rises


You should bench at 100% fan speed. Tahiti GPUs scale really well with low temps.


----------



## xedjflowx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> You should bench at 100% fan speed. Tahiti GPUs scale really well with low temps.


I will try doing some more tests and report back, but what boost numbers are unsafe for most cards and which boost numbers are ok for most cards. Just trying to get an idea. Also, what makes an OC stable?


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xedjflowx*
> 
> I will try doing some more tests and report back, but what boost numbers are unsafe for most cards and which boost numbers are ok for most cards. Just trying to get an idea. Also, what makes an OC stable?


Boost?

You know its unstable when the driver restarts, usually caused by unstable core. If the computer crashes and wont react to anything its unstable GPU RAM. Also, if you see flower-ish artifacts the core is unstable and too hot for the clocks (Doesnt need to be very hot at all, just too hot for those -CLOCKS-).


----------



## istudy92

Your card is fairly averge on OC though..i know for 7950 avg is 1150 URS is 1250 so ur card isnt faulty at all!


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

I'm lazy and really don't want to dig around for this one so you could scrutinize me and hang me with a noose. But I'm new to overclocking GPUs and want to get more out of my MSI 7950s. What kind of OC have you guys gotten on stock coolers with stable temps for Crossfire?


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

I'm only running at like 1100/1475 but I honestly have to clue on a proper ratio for peak performance.


----------



## SortOfGrim

Does anyone else have issues with Catalyst 12.4 13.4? Everytime I want to switch to eyefinity Catalyst crashes. Other than that it works but it's just annoying.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> I'm lazy and really don't want to dig around for this one so you could scrutinize me and hang me with a noose. But I'm new to overclocking GPUs and want to get more out of my MSI 7950s. What kind of OC have you guys gotten on stock coolers with stable temps for Crossfire?


1100/1450 here


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

Kg you are on stock voltage right?


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

I hate that my benchmarks go down when I oc higher.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> I hate that my benchmarks go down when I oc higher.


Turbo dip effect. LOL.

I guess my OC 1200MHz @ stock vCore is good enough for my 24/7 operation.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SortOfGrim*
> 
> Does anyone else have issues with Catalyst 12.4? Everytime I want to switch to eyefinity Catalyst crashes. Other than that it works but it's just annoying.


Couldn't you use a newer driver? 12.4 is pretty old. If you meant 13.4, I had no issues going in and out of Eyefinity.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> I hate that my benchmarks go down when I oc higher.


It should be going higher, lower scores might indicate an unstable OC.


----------



## TheOwlHootHoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It should be going higher, lower scores might indicate an unstable OC.


Well I'm doing stability testing in Kombustor and then Benchmarking in 3d Mark 11.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> Well I'm doing stability testing in Kombustor and then Benchmarking in 3d Mark 11.


NO. NO. NO. NO AND NO! Dont use Kombustor! Why do people still use kombustor and furmark??? Loop 3dmark or Valley/Heaven for stability...


----------



## istudy92

1080/1375 1156
1125/1420 1187
1170/1455 1225v
7950


----------



## BradleyW

Does anyone have a jerky mouse with CCC 13.8? Try loading cpu-z and move the mouse in the loading window as it starts.


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Does anyone have a jerky mouse with CCC 13.8? Try loading cpu-z and move the mouse in the loading window as it starts.


Yep, mine doing the same thing.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryude*
> 
> Yep, mine doing the same thing.


I wonder why only a minority of people have this issue. You are the 4th person who has the issue out of hundreds that don't.


----------



## Paul17041993

its generally normal for low-level hardware reading to cause things like mouse stuttering, but if it continues after load then somethings not quite right...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> its generally normal for low-level hardware reading to cause things like mouse stuttering, but if it continues after load then somethings not quite right...


The issue is present only with CCC 13.8.


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> The issue is present only with CCC 13.8.


Agreed, this didn't happen with any other driver.


----------



## JJ1217

Do you guys use Trixx or MSI AB? I personally use MSI AB for the ingame temp monitoring display, but other than that, none of the other features I really use. I've wanted to see what Overclocks I'd get with Trixx, as someone on the Bitcointalk forum was claiming to only hit a max of 750 core on his 5850 with AB, while he could hit 1000 on the core on Trixx. Another on OCUK with a 7950 claims to have the same clocks with lower volts stable on trixx, while with higher volts on AB it isn't even stable after 10 minutes. Interesting stuff, I'm going to use Trixx for now. Can't keep a eye on temps ingame, hopefully auto prevents it from getting too high.


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Do you guys use Trixx or MSI AB? I personally use MSI AB for the ingame temp monitoring display, but other than that, none of the other features I really use. I've wanted to see what Overclocks I'd get with Trixx, as someone on the Bitcointalk forum was claiming to only hit a max of 750 core on his 5850 with AB, while he could hit 1000 on the core on Trixx. Another on OCUK with a 7950 claims to have the same clocks with lower volts stable on trixx, while with higher volts on AB it isn't even stable after 10 minutes. Interesting stuff, I'm going to use Trixx for now. Can't keep a eye on temps ingame, hopefully auto prevents it from getting too high.


For some reason, Trixx gives me stable overclocks while AB doesn't. Same voltages and everything, just not as stable. But yeah, AB has way better monitoring.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryude*
> 
> For some reason, Trixx gives me stable overclocks while AB doesn't. Same voltages and everything, just not as stable. But yeah, AB has way better monitoring.


Trixx controls voltage much better than MSI AB.


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheOwlHootHoot*
> 
> Kg you are on stock voltage right?


Sorry I would have replied sooner but got sucked into skyrim, but yes stock. Watercooled and temps hit 31 after hours of gaming and vrms in low 40's.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Trixx controls voltage much better than MSI AB.


Damn. If Trixx implemented the OSD like AB and EVGA's one do, it would be near perfect.

Haven't seen a huge difference in terms of overclocks, although OC's that would crash instantly on AB don't crash instantly on Trixx, but it does artifact a tiny bit. Its definitely more stable, but not 100% yet.


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Damn. If Trixx implemented the OSD like AB and EVGA's one do, it would be near perfect.
> 
> Haven't seen a huge difference in terms of overclocks, although OC's that would crash instantly on AB don't crash instantly on Trixx, but it does artifact a tiny bit. Its definitely more stable, but not 100% yet.


It's sad that we can't download OSD as a standalone because HWiNFO is able to monitor everything you need and show it on OSD. That's what I use to see my VRM temps while in-game along side what msi afterburner shows!


----------



## provost

hey folks, relatively new to AMD CCC. i sometime connect my 7950 to HDTV. With the new beta driver, HDTV does not recognize the signal and i get the message this resolution is not supported. The beta works fine on my monitor. Lat whql was ok for HDTV though. What do I have to do in Catalyst control to adjust the resolution for HDTV? Thanks.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *provost*
> 
> hey folks, relatively new to AMD CCC. i sometime connect my 7950 to HDTV. With the new beta driver, HDTV does not recognize the signal and i get the message this resolution is not supported. The beta works fine on my monitor. Lat whql was ok for HDTV though. What do I have to do in Catalyst control to adjust the resolution for HDTV? Thanks.


be sure your using updated drivers and not the rubbish that comes with your card's "driver disk"

should be under the desktop management tab, there's various display options, but generally the easiest is to just use the windows display manager to set the displays to the right resolution and refresh rate

most TVs should accept 1080P, which is just 1920x1080 @60Hz


----------



## SortOfGrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Couldn't you use a newer driver? 12.4 is pretty old. If you meant 13.4, I had no issues going in and out of Eyefinity.










yeah I meant *13.4* I guess I'll remove all amd stuff and reinstall it.

*edit: did a clean install of AMD and it works again!


----------



## MykaAurora

Turns out last night was due to low ambient temp. I can't repeat 1200MHz @ stock with current ambient.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ryude*
> 
> Agreed, this didn't happen with any other driver.


Have you made a big report? Also, send a PM to Thracks saying that you have mouse issues on CCC 13.8.


----------



## MykaAurora

Now I have a problem. Installed 13.8 Beta, and uninstalled it using ati-uninstaller. Then reinstall 13.6 beta 2 , but then the windows load for a few seconds, then the screen shows straight line pattern ( most of the time grey in color ) and all monitors will go in standby mode.

Now I'm all messed up.

I can only enter windows in clean boot and safe mode.

I have the feeling this was caused by C++ redistributable stuff. IDK.

Help me guys~


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Now I have a problem. Installed 13.8 Beta, and uninstalled it using ati-uninstaller. Then reinstall 13.6 beta 2 , but then the windows load for a few seconds, then the screen shows straight line pattern ( most of the time grey in color ) and all monitors will go in standby mode.
> 
> Now I'm all messed up.
> 
> I can only enter windows in clean boot and safe mode.
> 
> I have the feeling this was caused by C++ redistributable stuff. IDK.
> 
> Help me guys~


Are you running stock? I've noticed that with 13.8 my memory overclock is unstable at 1600MHz.


----------



## BradleyW

I just made a thread on the hardforum website and many seem to agree that there is reduced pointer performance on the desktop with CCC 13.8.

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1775015


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guys,
i was wondering if you can help me, Im trying to change the clocks on my first 7950 and when i change it. it still says its on 1100 on gpuz. It changes on my second card..


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Are you running stock? I've noticed that with 13.8 my memory overclock is unstable at 1600MHz.


Yes. But it repeatedly occur too precise to be caused by overclocks. It's software problem.


----------



## Pr0pheT

These cards, or mine, seem picky on voltage. I found I can take my card higher on less volts than more. Temps are reasonable too. Is this normal?


----------



## istudy92

Ove Trixx <3 great overclocking tool! Easy and simple to use with stable clocks! Dont use CCC to OC!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Ove Trixx <3 great overclocking tool! Easy and simple to use with stable clocks! Dont use CCC to OC!


MSI AB is good too!


----------



## PCBuilder94

Hey guys I have a chance to buy this GPU from a buddy for $300 should I do it?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202005&Tpk=6gb%207970


----------



## Ryude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Hey guys I have a chance to buy this GPU from a buddy for $300 should I do it?
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202005&Tpk=6gb%207970


It's a good card, the question is do you need that much power? If you don't care about that, then yes it's a good deal.


----------



## PCBuilder94

Well I don't need 6GB of VRAM but $300 is the same price as a new 7950 which was what I was going to get.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Well I don't need 6GB of VRAM but $300 is the same price as a new 7950 which was what I was going to get.


I sure wouldn't pay 600 bucks for one, but 300 sounds like a good deal. It will be a big upgrade over the 560ti if that's what you're replacing.


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Are you running stock? I've noticed that with 13.8 my memory overclock is unstable at 1600MHz.


Managed to retrace the problem. Stupid Asus GPU Tweak that caused the system to behave like that. Thank you for your help.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> Managed to retrace the problem. Stupid Asus GPU Tweak that caused the system to behave like that. Thank you for your help.


omg, and I was just about to ask that, yes ASUS software CAN and WILL cause crashes.

at least you found it before you did anything horrible like trying to RMA...

nuff said


----------



## PCBuilder94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I sure wouldn't pay 600 bucks for one, but 300 sounds like a good deal. It will be a big upgrade over the 560ti if that's what you're replacing.


I'm actually replacing Haswell IGPU...


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> omg, and I was just about to ask that, yes ASUS software CAN and WILL cause crashes.
> 
> at least you found it before you did anything horrible like trying to RMA...
> 
> nuff said


RMA is my least nightmare. REFORMAT is worst for me.

It seems the VCredist is surely the thing that causes the problem. I can't load radeonpro too.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Hey guys I have a chance to buy this GPU from a buddy for $300 should I do it?
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202005&Tpk=6gb%207970


Hey bud im a business person..and my senses and experience is telling me that offer is too good to be true!
I cousin gave me his 7950 for 200..50 bucks less than eBay averge price...and it was cause it had horrible overclock abilitys...
Make sure your friend isnt swindling you!! No offense to your friend.


----------



## PCBuilder94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey bud im a business person..and my senses and experience is telling me that offer is too good to be true!
> I cousin gave me his 7950 for 200..50 bucks less than eBay averge price...and it was cause it had horrible overclock abilitys...
> Make sure your friend isnt swindling you!! No offense to your friend.


No worries I understand... I too am a business person. The only reason I am considering it is because I went over to his house and asked why he didn't overclock it... His reply was he didn't need to... So I downloaded after burner and was able to get 1250 Core clock and 1600 memory... It may not be a lot but it is fast enough for my 1080p monitor until I get a 1440 monitor which wont happen for about 12 months... CAPITALISM FTW


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> RMA is my least nightmare. REFORMAT is worst for me.
> 
> It seems the VCredist is surely the thing that causes the problem. I can't load radeonpro too.


true, reformat can be quite a pain depending on what you have, though Ill have to check the VCredist thing on my setup, though it being a problem since almost a year ago I'm not too sure...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> No worries I understand... I too am a business person. The only reason I am considering it is because I went over to his house and asked why he didn't overclock it... His reply was he didn't need to... So I downloaded after burner and was able to get 1250 Core clock and 1600 memory... It may not be a lot but it is fast enough for my 1080p monitor until I get a 1440 monitor which wont happen for about 12 months... CAPITALISM FTW


that seems a pretty decent OC, lowish memory might just be because of having 6GB...


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> true, reformat can be quite a pain depending on what you have, though Ill have to check the VCredist thing on my setup, though it being a problem since almost a year ago I'm not too sure...
> that seems a pretty decent OC, lowish memory might just be because of having 6GB...


I hate losing data, even a fraction of it.







.

I'm finding a way to check the integrity of VCRedist installed or required in my system.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> NO. NO. NO. NO AND NO! Dont use Kombustor! Why do people still use kombustor and furmark??? *Loop 3dmark or Valley/Heaven* for stability...


3DMark 11 is good for testing memory overclock, valleu and heaven are no good for testing oc, I can bench much higher on those than crysis 2 loop or crysis loop. Agree re furmark and kombustor.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MykaAurora*
> 
> I hate losing data, even a fraction of it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I'm finding a way to check the integrity of VCRedist installed or required in my system.


I doubt it could be from a corrupt VCRedist install, I know my card will always go drunk-printer with any asus software, something with it sending negative values to the controllers and/or turning them off entirely...

I can post a log dump of the numbers if anyone wants, the system lasts about 2 seconds (after the screen messes up) before a lockup...


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I doubt it could be from a corrupt VCRedist install, I know my card will always go drunk-printer with any asus software, something with it sending negative values to the controllers and/or turning them off entirely...
> 
> I can post a log dump of the numbers if anyone wants, the system lasts about 2 seconds (after the screen messes up) before a lockup...


IDK, radeon pro too can't be launch.

And, I'm able to run GPU Tweak happily before this.


----------



## BradleyW

If you can't get rad pro to launch, try installing net framework 4 plus updates, and net framework 3.5 plus updates/service packs. Along with this, run the direct-X online update tool.


----------



## JJ1217

Hey guys, I have a problem ever since a hooked up a secondary 1080p monitor along with my 1440p primary. Any time I OC the memory, the volts of the card go from the default 0.949V to what I have it set to for my overclocks, to 1.25V (1.191 after droop). The clocks remain at 500 mhz. The annoying thing is, these extra volts often cause the temperatures to rise around 7-8 degrees, from 45 idle to around 52-53. I've reinstalled drivers. AB and Trixx both reproduce the issue. Core OC's fine, which is good, but the difference between 1600 mem and 1250 mem on my 7950 is sometimes around 2 fps on Crysis 3, which is pretty big compared to a 6 FPS increase from 800 to 1175 core.

Cheers


----------



## welly321

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Hey guys, I have a problem ever since a hooked up a secondary 1080p monitor along with my 1440p primary. Any time I OC the memory, the volts of the card go from the default 0.949V to what I have it set to for my overclocks, to 1.25V (1.191 after droop). The clocks remain at 500 mhz. The annoying thing is, these extra volts often cause the temperatures to rise around 7-8 degrees, from 45 idle to around 52-53. I've reinstalled drivers. AB and Trixx both reproduce the issue. Core OC's fine, which is good, but the difference between 1600 mem and 1250 mem on my 7950 is sometimes around 2 fps on Crysis 3, which is pretty big compared to a 6 FPS increase from 800 to 1175 core.
> 
> Cheers


This happens no matter what. Even if your not overclocking.

HAving two displays causes the card to receive full volts and increases the idle clocks.


----------



## devilhead

i feel that with 13.8 it is much harder to overclock the card higher, i'm crashing much faster, then with 13.4-13.6, i can get higher clocks







so for the benchmarks 13.4-13.6 is much better


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If you can't get rad pro to launch, try installing net framework 4 plus updates, and net framework 3.5 plus updates/service packs. Along with this, run the direct-X online update tool.


Repaired net runtime. DirectX update shows my version is the latest. Still can't run radeon pro.


----------



## BradleyW

Ran as admin?


----------



## MykaAurora

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Ran as admin?


Nahh, it was just a hiccup. I now can run GPU Tweak, just radeon pro service need to manually start. Looking into solution for that now. Thank you sir for your help!


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> i feel that with 13.8 it is much harder to overclock the card higher, i'm crashing much faster, then with 13.4-13.6, i can get higher clocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> so for the benchmarks 13.4-13.6 is much better


Weird, I can still do my usual 1125/1500 and 1200/1500 overclocks on my cards with same voltage as previous drivers.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PCBuilder94*
> 
> Hey guys I have a chance to buy this GPU from a buddy for $300 should I do it?
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202005&Tpk=6gb%207970


No. Get a reference card.


----------



## istudy92

Is it a boost card? Because it sounds like a typical boost "issue"


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Weird, I can still do my usual 1125/1500 and 1200/1500 overclocks on my cards with same voltage as previous drivers.


yeeh, for me is the same, but when you are trying to push further to the max







like with 13.8 i can do just 1340/1800 Valley, but with 13.4-13.6 i can do 1360/1805








my usual clocks for bf3 is 1200/1650 1.24v


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Weird, I can still do my usual 1125/1500 and 1200/1500 overclocks on my cards with same voltage as previous drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> yeeh, for me is the same, but when you are trying to push further to the max
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> like with 13.8 i can do just 1340/1800 Valley, but with 13.4-13.6 i can do 1360/1805
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> my usual clocks for bf3 is 1200/1650 1.24v
Click to expand...

It's you. I don't have any problems overclocking on 13.8. Btw, your max isn't that high.


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's you. I don't have any problems overclocking on 13.8. Btw, your max isn't that high.


heh, i even didn't sayed that my card is beast







my card just usual 7970 under the water







now i have tested again those drivers, for sure for my pc it makes sence(same clocks, same voltage)


----------



## grymok

What's people's max overclock for their cards?

After I got my msi tf3 7950 under water, I can reach 1350/1800.
Score in uningine v3 all maxed in 1920x1080: 1461 score and 58 fps.
Core temp: 50
Vrm temp: 68 and 58


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> What's people's max overclock for their cards?
> 
> After I got my msi tf3 7950 under water, I can reach 1350/1800.
> Score in uningine v3 all maxed in 1920x1080: 1461 score and 58 fps.
> Core temp: 50
> Vrm temp: 68 and 58


Very nice. My 7970 max so far is 1280 on core, 1306 score on heaven all maxed 51.8 fps. I haven't played around enough with mine, feel like it will go much higher. Using the Heatkiller block, temps are very low.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Is it a boost card? Because it sounds like a typical boost "issue"


What is a "typical boost issue" out of curiosity?


----------



## The Storm

I am sure this has been asked a million times but I currently have 2 7950's that I have had for 9 months or so and they still have the stock paste. I currently have picked up some noctua nt-h1, and some Cool Labs liquid ultra, which would be more practical to use for ease of use and longevity? Oh and some old school AS5 as well.


----------



## Snuckie7

Wow damn, so one of my VRM's is hitting 103C under load. What would be the best way of lowering that?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Wow damn, so one of my VRM's is hitting 103C under load. What would be the best way of lowering that?


Blow a 120 towards the front of the card from the side on.


----------



## JayKaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Very nice. My 7970 max so far is 1280 on core, 1306 score on heaven all maxed 51.8 fps. I haven't played around enough with mine, feel like it will go much higher. Using the Heatkiller block, temps are very low.


Nice OC my dame first HD7970 tops out at 1275Mhz never got to test the second card on water, then i had issues with the over clocking software, drove me crazy..
SO im back at 1110Mhz / 1525mem I can run the mem higher but I don't see the point at this stage..

Haven't tested the latest over clocking software to see if its fixed the issue (May be a CFX issue oc issue)

FWIW the first card has a low ASIC score...

Working on a 5G oc for my I7 2600K ATM @4.8G and stable..


----------



## bobsaget

hey,

does the sapphire 7950 Dual X OC use a reference PCB?
The SKU is 11196-02-40G.

Has any tried to watercool this one?

Thanks!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobsaget*
> 
> hey,
> 
> does the sapphire 7950 Dual X OC use a reference PCB?
> The SKU is 11196-02-40G.
> 
> Has any tried to watercool this one?
> 
> Thanks!


AFAIK 21197-00 is the reference.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobsaget*
> 
> hey,
> 
> does the sapphire 7950 Dual X OC use a reference PCB?
> The SKU is 11196-02-40G.
> 
> Has any tried to watercool this one?
> 
> Thanks!


Just checked the EK block compatibility site and it should be good for watercooling. Pictures also indicate that there is the AMD logo on top of the PCI-E fingers, so that's another indicator of a reference PCB.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> This happens no matter what. Even if your not overclocking.
> 
> HAving two displays causes the card to receive full volts and increases the idle clocks.


I get this as well with my 3 screens, I asked a dude on here because I was worried and he said it was perfectly normal. Apparently it's always on 3d mode or something.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> This happens no matter what. Even if your not overclocking.
> 
> HAving two displays causes the card to receive full volts and increases the idle clocks.
> 
> 
> 
> I get this as well with my 3 screens, I asked a dude on here because I was worried and he said it was perfectly normal. Apparently it's always on 3d mode or something.
Click to expand...

That not true.
That is being caused by certian driver sets (most likel;y beta) or an unclean install.
I have been through this 50 times with people. there is no reason that your clocks have to stay in 3d mode because you have more than one screen.
I have a 3+1 extended setup and notice the clocks on the other three 7970's as well as the voltage


----------



## Recr3ational

Well that was what I got told? :/ What do you mean by clean install?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> That not true.
> That is being caused by certian driver sets (most likel;y beta) or an unclean install.
> I have been through this 50 times with people. there is no reason that your clocks have to stay in 3d mode because you have more than one screen.
> I have a 3+1 extended setup and notice the clocks on the other three 7970's as well as the voltage


4-way means its not triggering enough load on a single card to trigger the 3D clocks...?

usually if you had a multi-monitor setup and the idle load went high enough, it will flip into 3D mode, not particularly sure how boost cards or certain OCs behave to this though...


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> That not true.
> That is being caused by certian driver sets (most likel;y beta) or an unclean install.
> I have been through this 50 times with people. there is no reason that your clocks have to stay in 3d mode because you have more than one screen.
> I have a 3+1 extended setup and notice the clocks on the other three 7970's as well as the voltage
> 
> 
> 
> 4-way means its not triggering enough load on a single card to trigger the 3D clocks...?
> 
> usually if you had a multi-monitor setup and the idle load went high enough, it will flip into 3D mode, not particularly sure how boost cards or certain OCs behave to this though...
Click to expand...

It does the same thing no matter if I am running 2,3,4 cards. 2D mode is 2D mode. the cards don't start load leveling until you get into 3D mode.
Quote:


> Well that was what I got told? :/ What do you mean by clean install?


I have seen this problem corrected by using an uninstaller cleaner, simply reinstalling, or using a non beta WHQL driver set.

***** If you have Aero on, turn it off. It can screw with 2D/3D clocks as well*****


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 4-way means its not triggering enough load on a single card to trigger the 3D clocks...?
> 
> usually if you had a multi-monitor setup and the idle load went high enough, it will flip into 3D mode, not particularly sure how boost cards or certain OCs behave to this though...


Now I'm slightly worried haha. As this is my first build I rely on people's input. A few months back I got told it was safe. So I went with it :/. So any advice would be really helpful.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 4-way means its not triggering enough load on a single card to trigger the 3D clocks...?
> 
> usually if you had a multi-monitor setup and the idle load went high enough, it will flip into 3D mode, not particularly sure how boost cards or certain OCs behave to this though...
> 
> 
> 
> Now I'm slightly worried haha. As this is my first build I rely on people's input. A few months back I got told it was safe. So I went with it :/. So any advice would be really helpful.
Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong, your clocks idling @ 500 rather than 300/150 is not going to hurt anything other than a bit extra heat and a cents on you elec bill.

When the driver set goes WHQL, you will likely see the 2D/3DF clock issue listed in the bug fixes


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Don't get me wrong, your clocks idling @ 500 rather than 300/150 is not going to hurt anything other than a bit extra heat and a cents on you elec bill.
> 
> When the driver set goes WHQL, you will likely see the 2D/3DF clock issue listed in the bug fixes


Extra heat? Its about double for me when using 2 screens (50-60C)


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Don't get me wrong, your clocks idling @ 500 rather than 300/150 is not going to hurt anything other than a bit extra heat and a cents on you elec bill.
> 
> When the driver set goes WHQL, you will likely see the 2D/3DF clock issue listed in the bug fixes
> 
> 
> 
> Extra heat? Its about double for me when using 2 screens (50-60C)
Click to expand...

He said 7-+8C
That is the same mine was at when mine stuck from beta drivers . 500MHz rather than 300. sound like yours were stuck @ 1000


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> He said 7-+8C
> That is the same mine was at when mine stuck from beta drivers . 500MHz rather than 300. sound like yours were stuck @ 1000


Yeah mines on 1100, but the heats not a problem. It's just that I rather get things fixed. What is it that I actually need to reinstall?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> He said 7-+8C
> That is the same mine was at when mine stuck from beta drivers . 500MHz rather than 300. sound like yours were stuck @ 1000
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah mines on 1100, but the heats not a problem. It's just that I rather get things fixed. What is it that I actually need to reinstall?
Click to expand...

Are you on 13.8?

are you using a 3rd party OC software? or forcing constant voltage?


----------



## Recr3ational

Er, I can't remember, I'm at work at the moment but I doubt I'm on beta drivers, even so a reinstalls not going to hurt. Is it 13.8 I need to install?

I'm using afterburner and no. I'm not


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Er, I can't remember, I'm at work at the moment but I doubt I'm on beta drivers, even so a reinstalls not going to hurt. Is it 13.8 I need to install?


Depends on where you want to start.
13.8 is a beta driver.
You can install the latest certified driver (13.4)
Check your settings if you are using OC software (Trixx, MSI Afterburner, etc) make sure you are not forcing voltage 3D/Mode etc
Turn off Aero glass
Check if ULPS is disabled.
Zero Core will actually spin the fan down on the second card in 2D mode.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Depends on where you want to start.
> 13.8 is a beta driver.
> You can install the latest certified driver (13.4)
> Check your settings if you are using OC software (Trixx, MSI Afterburner, etc) make sure you are not forcing voltage 3D/Mode etc
> Turn off Aero glass


Okay, I think I'm on 13.4. I'll reinstall afterburner and turn aero off, thanks for the help.


----------



## youpekkad

Oh man, Far Cry 3 still stutters on a single-gpu, sometimes it runs very well and is fun to play, other times you just wanna quit right away, seriously whats wrong with that game? Also few times I´ve gotten a weird bug before the cut scene that Vsync flicks on/off by itself causing game to flick between 30fps (vsynced) and 50+ fps or whatever I get in real time, very annoying...

Other games run very well, purchased Skyrim and was excepting some stutters because of some user comments, but no, capped 60fps constant, smooth as hot knife in a butter.


----------



## MotoPC

Hey guys I have had my 7970 for awhile now and I have this constant screen tearing problem, heres a line to the thread I made it has all the info there and a pic and youtube link. check it out and lemme know if you can help me out thanks.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1416341/constant-screen-tear-on-monitor-from-7970-but-not-on-hdtv/0_20#post_20556616


----------



## BradleyW

It is sad to hear these FC3 issues. I just played in DX9 using Bioshock crossfire profile whilst maxing out the game + SweetFX and it never ever dropped below 60 with vsync and fps limiter. Not a single stutter! And I CAN see a stutter a mile away.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Oh man, Far Cry 3 still stutters on a single-gpu, sometimes it runs very well and is fun to play, other times you just wanna quit right away, seriously whats wrong with that game? Also few times I´ve gotten a weird bug before the cut scene that Vsync flicks on/off by itself causing game to flick between 30fps (vsynced) and 50+ fps or whatever I get in real time, very annoying...
> 
> Other games run very well, purchased Skyrim and was excepting some stutters because of some user comments, but no, capped 60fps constant, smooth as hot knife in a butter.


tried turning settings down? should be aiming for above 60 fps to not have stuttering, its not just rendering that can cause it...


----------



## youpekkad

Yea, I´ve tried disabling stuff+lower settings+capping fps @ 61,60,59,58, tried radeon pro etc. Now I´m just using Ultra+HDAO+2XMSAA (fps above 50 almost all the time) w/ no further tweaks, it is very random that how it runs/feels, some days it feels very smooth, then on some others it is just jerky cant really explain why...

I remember that below 60fps would feel like 30, now it feels smooth even @ 40-50 (usually...), but it still has bunch of issues..


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> What is a "typical boost issue" out of curiosity?


By that I simply meant that the boost cards optimize themselves at times and people forget it supposed to happen.

"At its most basic level, PT is a combination of BIOS and Catalyst driver changes that allow AMD to overdrive the GPU when conditions permit. In practice PT Boost is very similar to NVIDIA's GPU Boost. Both technologies are based around the concept of a base clock (or engine clock in AMD's terminology) with a set voltage, and then one or more boost bins with an associated voltage that the GPU can move to as power/thermal conditions permit. In essence PT Boost allows suitably equipped cards to overvolt and overclock themselves to a limited degree."

This is a more specialized explanation.

Simple answer though,

Voltage changes at times when it is needed to keep optimal performance.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> By that I simply meant that the boost cards optimize themselves at times and people forget it supposed to happen.
> 
> "At its most basic level, PT is a combination of BIOS and Catalyst driver changes that allow AMD to overdrive the GPU when conditions permit. In practice PT Boost is very similar to NVIDIA's GPU Boost. Both technologies are based around the concept of a base clock (or engine clock in AMD's terminology) with a set voltage, and then one or more boost bins with an associated voltage that the GPU can move to as power/thermal conditions permit. In essence PT Boost allows suitably equipped cards to overvolt and overclock themselves to a limited degree."
> 
> This is a more specialized explanation.
> 
> Simple answer though,
> 
> Voltage changes at times when it is needed to keep optimal performance.


I see thanks.


----------



## tsm106

Take home point is avoid boost like the plague.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Take home point is avoid boost like the plague.


Too late for that.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Too late for that.


Avoid everything but reference cards like the plague.


----------



## Bluemustang

Rather than create a new thread i guess i should ask in here.

Originally i planned to hold onto my 7970 until maxwell but an incredible deal has popped up on a 7950 and i think its worth selling my 7970 for 2 of these.

I just need to figure out whether this one is voltage locked or not. Anyone know for sure if its a reference and isnt voltage locked?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131478


----------



## istudy92

I disagree, reference cards are good, but always search for cards that are OC equip ready... BUT if reference is basically what i just said then i agree
,,?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Avoid everything but reference cards like the plague.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Rather than create a new thread i guess i should ask in here.
> 
> Originally i planned to hold onto my 7970 until maxwell but an incredible deal has popped up on a 7950 and i think its worth selling my 7970 for 2 of these.
> 
> I just need to figure out whether this one is voltage locked or not. Anyone know for sure if its a reference and isnt voltage locked?
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131478


Avoid boost cards at all cost, why? Because they become hard to overclock ..still possible to overclock but just not as smoothly as a regular card.

Also, i own a 7950 and its great, but ima tell you now, a single gpu is better than crossfire, always get the best single gpu u can.

AMD just released 18.8 catalyst driver bc they are trying to fix the crossfire frame rate issue during eye finitely and crossfire stuff.

Just by that you can see you will maybe have problems.

Save that card and crossfire it in a few months when price drops!!

Also..u only get a max of 80% performance increase if anything much less to 50% u never know, is it worth it? You are the one who decides.


----------



## richie_2010

I say reference are better exept the msi twin n the asus dc2 as they use better quality parts if im not mistaken


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> I say reference are better exept the msi twin n the *asus dc2* as they use better quality parts if im not mistaken


And here we go


----------



## Thoth420

I really enjoy my Boost Edition Lightning but I am not much for overclocking a GPU.


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Avoid boost cards at all cost, why? Because they become hard to overclock ..still possible to overclock but just not as smoothly as a regular card.
> 
> Also, i own a 7950 and its great, but ima tell you now, a single gpu is better than crossfire, always get the best single gpu u can.
> 
> AMD just released 18.8 catalyst driver bc they are trying to fix the crossfire frame rate issue during eye finitely and crossfire stuff.
> 
> Just by that you can see you will maybe have problems.
> 
> Save that card and crossfire it in a few months when price drops!!
> 
> Also..u only get a max of 80% performance increase if anything much less to 50% u never know, is it worth it? You are the one who decides.


Its catalyst 13.8 not 18.8. And how does them releasing a new driver that solves frame pacing prove how there are issues. If anything it proves the issues are being resolved.


----------



## OneGun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> And here we go


He does not know what he just started..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> I say reference are better exept the msi twin n the asus dc2 as they use better quality parts if im not mistaken


if only...

unfortunately, and I can confirm, the DCII _does not OC at all_ from its stock settings, and in the case of my card I doubt a hardware mod would even get anywhere...

think the only non-reference that can OC significantly (compared to reference) is the MSI lighting, but even then that's a massive gamble...

oh and heres a quick-pic of the way the DCII is cooled, notice the memory isn't cooled correctly (probably how my memory degraded so fast virtually instantly...)


----------



## bobsaget

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Just checked the EK block compatibility site and it should be good for watercooling. Pictures also indicate that there is the AMD logo on top of the PCI-E fingers, so that's another indicator of a reference PCB.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> AFAIK 21197-00 is the reference.


thanks both of you.

The thing is i can get the 7950 dual x card from sapphire (NON boost) oc @ 900mhz (11196-02-40G) at 180€ (second hand). I would like to watercool it.
Should I give it a try or wait? Because 79xx prices are going to fall soon, and the new games bundle is going to be released as well. But all i can find at the moment at french e-retailers are boost cards.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bobsaget*
> 
> thanks both of you.
> 
> The thing is i can get the 7950 dual x card from sapphire (NON boost) oc @ 900mhz (11196-02-40G) at 180€ (second hand). I would like to watercool it.
> Should I give it a try or wait? Because 79xx prices are going to fall soon, and the new games bundle is going to be released as well. But all i can find at the moment at french e-retailers are boost cards.


If you can wait for the new 9K series, then prices for 7K should tank pretty quickly (probably $150 for the 7950 and $200 for the 7970).


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I disagree, reference cards are good, but always search for cards that are OC equip ready... BUT if reference is basically what i just said then i agree
> ,,?


it has been proven time and time again amd ref is the best. for many reasons. nvidia is a different story. but you see amd knows how to do it right while all the after market pcbs seems to fail at anything but stock
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Avoid boost cards at all cost, why? Because they become hard to overclock ..still possible to overclock but just not as smoothly as a regular card.
> 
> Also, i own a 7950 and its great, but ima tell you now, a single gpu is better than crossfire, always get the best single gpu u can.
> 
> AMD just released 18.8 catalyst driver bc they are trying to fix the crossfire frame rate issue during eye finitely and crossfire stuff.
> 
> Just by that you can see you will maybe have problems.
> 
> Save that card and crossfire it in a few months when price drops!!
> 
> Also..u only get a max of 80% performance increase if anything much less to 50% u never know, is it worth it? You are the one who decides.


why ? simple 99% are voltage locked. usually by hardware now, not by software.
as far as stuttering issues, do they stutter. yes amd has even said so. however i still feel it is mostly a fanboy blown outta proportion issue !~ as even before the "fix" i plays several games that had the "issue" and let me tell you they still looked beautiful
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> if only...
> 
> unfortunately, and I can confirm, the DCII _does not OC at all_ from its stock settings, and in the case of my card I doubt a hardware mod would even get anywhere...
> 
> think the only non-reference that can OC significantly (compared to reference) is the MSI lighting, but even then that's a massive gamble...
> 
> oh and heres a quick-pic of the way the DCII is cooled, notice the memory isn't cooled correctly (probably how my memory degraded so fast virtually instantly...)


that is due to the MSI lightning being good for L2n as the voltage is 100% unlocked
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> If you can wait for the new 9K series, then prices for 7K should tank pretty quickly (probably $150 for the 7950 and $200 for the 7970).


yea this pretty much !~ but it is your personal choice !~!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> that is due to the MSI lightning being good for L2n as the voltage is 100% unlocked


they have a low average ASIC don't they? I would think that that could help with more extreme OCs involving nitrogen etc...

as for reference they just seem to have the best design and components overall, a lot of the custom cards that use a reference PCB seem to be along the lines of rejects, or have been custom ordered to use cheaper chokes and lower-grade silicon...

as for the 9k, I think I'll be waiting for a bit to get a couple of (reference) 7970s at a lower price, although I'm not sure if I want to try and flog my DCII off before the prices drop, maby I'll just burn the thing...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *OneGun*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> And here we go
> 
> 
> 
> He does not know what he just started..
Click to expand...

Leave him alone, judging by his profile pic, he's been passing the dutchie to the left hand side.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I really enjoy my Boost Edition Lightning but I am not much for overclocking a GPU.


Oh you didnt...


----------



## dookiebot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> If you can wait for the new 9K series, then prices for 7K should tank pretty quickly (probably $150 for the 7950 and $200 for the 7970).


I just may give xfire a try at that point .

Xfire + Eyefinity = Masochist Gamer


----------



## WebsterXC

Quick question for you guys. I finally convinced my buddy to get into watercooling, and he purchased a reference 7950 PCB (the non-7970 PCB version), however the only 7950 waterblock advertised for the card at FrozenCPU is on backorder.

However they do carry the XFX 7970 non-reference waterblock from Heatkiller, that also has 7950 listed on its compatibility. Can anyone confirm for me that THIS waterblock will fit THIS pcb?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WebsterXC*
> 
> Quick question for you guys. I finally convinced my buddy to get into watercooling, and he purchased a reference 7950 PCB (the non-7970 PCB version), however the only 7950 waterblock advertised for the card at FrozenCPU is on backorder.
> 
> However they do carry the XFX 7970 non-reference waterblock from Heatkiller, that also has 7950 listed on its compatibility. Can anyone confirm for me that THIS waterblock will fit THIS pcb?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


XFX revised boards are of their own design and knowing this I would not chance it especially on someone else's dime. Why not just get the block from another source like PPCS or other etailer?

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33689


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Take home point is avoid boost like the plague.


This ^

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Too late for that.
> 
> 
> 
> Avoid everything but reference cards like the plague.
Click to expand...

And this^

I'm glad I was an early adapter, and bought reference 7950's.
No boost crap, cards aren't voltage locked, and no issues getting blocks for the reference pcb's.
I can still enjoy playing with them for a while yet.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Thoth420

As long as it isn't a flaw that will manifest at the stock settings. I didn't really expect or plan to OC this card. The next rig is going to be all under water so maybe that one.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> As long as it isn't a flaw that will manifest at the stock settings. I didn't really expect or plan to OC this card. The next rig is going to be all under water so maybe that one.


Then WHY did you get the Lightning???


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rangerjr1*
> 
> Then WHY did you get the Lightning???


I wanted to try MSI and the egg was pretty slim on MSI 7970's.


----------



## istudy92

Should i get 1440p monitor with 60 hz or stick with 1080p 60hz?on 7950


----------



## WebsterXC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> XFX revised boards are of their own design and knowing this I would not chance it especially on someone else's dime. Why not just get the block from another source like PPCS or other etailer?
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=33689


Thanks, +rep

And because FrozenCPU is a 5 minute drive from my house.


----------



## kwaidonjin

Would this be a good card to Xfire with my sapphire 7950? would it be worth the $199 as far as performance goes? Thank you.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-TechBargains&cm_mmc=AFC-TechBargains-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16814131478


----------



## Spectre-

it should be fine man

the lower clocked gpu will set the clocks to the same on both cards


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Should i get 1440p monitor with 60 hz or stick with 1080p 60hz?on 7950


1080p might run nicer for the 7950 at higher settings, but you could try a 1440p, just might mean turning down some texture and/or shader settings to get nice framerates, depending on the game.

if you can OC it a fair bit (or get the vram at least to 1500 or so), it should be quite fine...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Should i get 1440p monitor with 60 hz or stick with 1080p 60hz?on 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 1080p might run nicer for the 7950 at higher settings, but you could try a 1440p, just might mean turning down some texture and/or shader settings to get nice framerates, depending on the game.
> 
> if you can OC it a fair bit (or get the vram at least to 1500 or so), it should be quite fine...
Click to expand...

1440 vs 1080 is like over 2/3rds more pixel density so that translates into almost double the load. One 7950 will be hard pressed to handle that smoothly.


----------



## grymok

Is it possible to get this card anymore http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/MSI-DEMO-Radeon-R7950-TF-OC-3GB-GDDR5-2343405d.html
or very similar, for CF?
It's the 7970 pcb with 8 x 6 power pins.
Just felt over this deal http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-203-MS

Not as i will upgrade now, but if i thought about it in the future?


----------



## Durvelle27

I think this is a good place to ask this. Should i upgrade to a HD 7970


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *grymok*
> 
> Is it possible to get this card anymore http://www.proshop.dk/Grafikkort/MSI-DEMO-Radeon-R7950-TF-OC-3GB-GDDR5-2343405d.html
> or very similar, for CF?
> It's the 7970 pcb with 8 x 6 power pins.
> Just felt over this deal http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-203-MS
> 
> Not as i will upgrade now, but if i thought about it in the future?


You can still find this on ebay for the regular OC 6+8pin version. Newegg has the Boost version now some are 6+6pin and some are 6+8pin, you will have to look around its more hit and miss every where.


----------



## kahboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I think this is a good place to ask this. Should i upgrade to a HD 7970


Its better then a single 7870 thats for sure. Are you ditching the crossfire and going to run single card only or expand in the future? Are you running more than one monitor?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Its better then a single 7870 thats for sure. Are you ditching the crossfire and going to run single card only or expand in the future? Are you running more than one monitor?


I have 2x 7870s



Yes, just run a single card until the HD 9000 series releases
Just one monitor. 1920x1080 120Hz


----------



## kahboom

A better investment would be a different motherboard and keep the gpus you have for now and just wait for the HD 9000 cards to come out then decide which route to take. Or just wait and buy nothing and see what you want to do when they come out.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> A better investment would be a different motherboard and keep the gpus you have for now and just wait for the HD 9000 cards to come out then decide which route to take. Or just wait and buy nothing and see what you want to do when they come out.


whats wrong with my current board


----------



## gatornation240

Just placed in order for
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420
Soo glad I waited for the perfect time, wanted one for around 250, checked everyday and this is the best deal yet @ $239. I'll grab another one used probably when everyone goes over to the 9xxx series and hopefully be set for a couple years.
Is the frame pacing driver AMD just released any good? My 7770s are currently being rma'd so I haven't tried them; I'll have screenshots up by this weekend got next day shipping.


----------



## d1nky

or

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-9970-vs-GeForce-GTX-780

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-9970-vs-GeForce-GTX-TITAN


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> or
> 
> http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-9970-vs-GeForce-GTX-780
> 
> http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-9970-vs-GeForce-GTX-TITAN


Dinky read my last comment


----------



## mordocai rp

Hey guys, I have a sapphire 7950 dual-x boost and was wondering if I could use this heatsink for it, along with a mcw-82?
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_582&products_id=34499


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mordocai rp*
> 
> Hey guys, I have a sapphire 7950 dual-x boost and was wondering if I could use this heatsink for it, along with a mcw-82?
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_582&products_id=34499


Yup, looks good


----------



## WebsterXC

Alright so I'm having a little trouble figuring out how to TriFire my graphics cards. I have a Sapphire HD7970 in the first PCI-e slot, a Sapphire 7950 in the second slot (7970PCB style, but with two 6-pin connectors), and an MSI Twin Frozr 7950 in the last slot (7970PCB with one 8-pin and one 6-pin connector). I understand that I have to play around with the clocks to get them to cooperate with each other properly, but what cards need to be changed to what clocks? As of now, CCC is telling me I'm unable to turn CrossFire on because one of my "bridges is installed incorrectly". MSI Afterburner and GPU-Z do not recognize my Sapphire 7950 in the second PCI-e slot. Is this normal? Do I need to push clocks around to get the second card to recognize, or is something else wrong? I'm currently running Catalyst 13.4, but that was before I added the MSI and Sapphire 7950 cards. Do I need to reinstall as well?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> or
> 
> http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-9970-vs-GeForce-GTX-780
> 
> http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-9970-vs-GeForce-GTX-TITAN


I dont particularly believe those specs, 4096 shader units and slow memory seems something unorthodox








but only time will tell what AMD is up to...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WebsterXC*
> 
> Alright so I'm having a little trouble figuring out how to TriFire my graphics cards. I have a Sapphire HD7970 in the first PCI-e slot, a Sapphire 7950 in the second slot (7970PCB style, but with two 6-pin connectors), and an MSI Twin Frozr 7950 in the last slot (7970PCB with one 8-pin and one 6-pin connector). I understand that I have to play around with the clocks to get them to cooperate with each other properly, but what cards need to be changed to what clocks? As of now, CCC is telling me I'm unable to turn CrossFire on because one of my "bridges is installed incorrectly". MSI Afterburner and GPU-Z do not recognize my Sapphire 7950 in the second PCI-e slot. Is this normal? Do I need to push clocks around to get the second card to recognize, or is something else wrong? I'm currently running Catalyst 13.4, but that was before I added the MSI and Sapphire 7950 cards. Do I need to reinstall as well?


you should have it running on stock clocks to start, at stock it should all work by itself, possibly a bad bridge?

though you could also have a BIOS issue if one of the cards isn't being recognised correctly...


----------



## WebsterXC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I dont particularly believe those specs, 4096 shader units and slow memory seems something unorthodox
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but only time will tell what AMD is up to...
> you should have it running on stock clocks to start, at stock it should all work by itself, possibly a bad bridge?
> 
> though you could also have a BIOS issue if one of the cards isn't being recognised correctly...


I've tried different bridges and that didn't help.


----------



## Paul17041993

tried pulling the 7970 out and leaving the two 7950s in the same slots and see if they crossfire correctly? also you made sure that all three slots you are using are x16 and x8s? I'm not too sure about issues with crossfireX setups and the CPU+NB lanes...


----------



## JJ1217

Thinking of doing a fresh install for 13.8. Every other game is silky smooth, but I've noticed an almost extreme amount of stuttering at 21 FPS on Valley -- with old drivers it was never this sort of stutter. I'll see how it goes.


----------



## PedroC1999

Dow did the 13.8 drivers do for AMD; any better?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Dow did the 13.8 drivers do for AMD; any better?


Yes, they seem great for most people.


----------



## Krozjin

Hey guys! I currently own the 7990 and I set them up in eyefinity with a resolution of 7990x1440 (3x 27" screens), and I was wondering, is it possible to crossfire this card with the 7950 or 7970? I don't have enough juice in this card to run games on max settings any more at that resolution, and I don't have the money to get another 7990. Thanks!


----------



## dir_d

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krozjin*
> 
> Hey guys! I currently own the 7990 and I set them up in eyefinity with a resolution of 7990x1440 (3x 27" screens), and I was wondering, is it possible to crossfire this card with the 7950 or 7970? I don't have enough juice in this card to run games on max settings any more at that resolution, and I don't have the money to get another 7990. Thanks!


Yes, I would get a 7970.


----------



## anubis1127

I just picked up a used HIS 7970 reference model from a fellow OCN member, here it is:



Long GPU, and this fan is LOUD above 55% or so, but so far it seems to be solid for Shadowrun Returns, and NBA 2k13.


----------



## Krozjin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dir_d*
> 
> Yes, I would get a 7970.


Awesome! One quick question, I noticed that the card has a 4 pin and a 3 pin power supply slot, I only have 2 3 pins left, I presume I would either need to get an adapter or another power supply, or would it still work fine? Thanks for the help!


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I just picked up a used HIS 7970 reference model from a fellow OCN member, here it is:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Long GPU, and this fan is LOUD above 55% or so, but so far it seems to be solid for Shadowrun Returns, and NBA 2k13.


Jeez, that IO shield looks very bent!


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Jeez, that IO shield looks very bent!


Yes, they did a great job packaging it, haha. I was able to bend it back to the point where it fits in my case with some pliers, annoying, but didn't seem to effect the GPU.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Yes, they did a great job packaging it, haha. I was able to bend it back to the point where it fits in my case with some pliers, annoying, but didn't seem to effect the GPU.


I've had this sometimes.


----------



## xedjflowx

So is this a good score? I have a 1440p monitor but I did it 1080p so it could be comparable to most. both these are at stock voltage.. i think the sapphire 7970's are locked at stock voltage anyway. Also, this is for the 13.4 drivers
OC'd

Stock


----------



## WebsterXC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> tried pulling the 7970 out and leaving the two 7950s in the same slots and see if they crossfire correctly? also you made sure that all three slots you are using are x16 and x8s? I'm not too sure about issues with crossfireX setups and the CPU+NB lanes...


Yeah they're 16x-8x-8x. It's weird, the motherboard recognizes the first and third cards, but somehow just misses slot 2. It's a brand new card, so I really doubt its dead from the factory. Since the cards have waterblocks on them I was hoping to troubleshoot as much as possible before taking the loop apart.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WebsterXC*
> 
> Yeah they're 16x-8x-8x. It's weird, the motherboard recognizes the first and third cards, but somehow just misses slot 2. It's a brand new card, so I really doubt its dead from the factory. Since the cards have waterblocks on them I was hoping to troubleshoot as much as possible before taking the loop apart.


yea did you test them before waterblocking them...? :I
DOA cards and/or a defective mobo are both fair possibilities from anywhere, most hardware doesn't really get properly tested after they leave the factories these days...


----------



## gatornation240

Mild OC 1070/1600, gonna go ham tomorrow, gotta enjoy the last party of the summer tonight.


----------



## The Storm

I switched out my thermal past on my sapphire 7950 boost edition cards,(dual X) I decided to try CL ultra. On stock paste during BF3 GPU 1 would run right at 69c and GPU 2 would be 65c give or take a few degrees. This was stock, no OC during gameplay. Now with the CL ultra GPU 1 is 62c and GPU 2 is 57c. Not bad for just swapping out the paste. I applied it on the die and heatsink, not sure if that was the proper way or not. I applied then installed the heatsink, then removed the heatsink to make sure there wasn't too much paste spilling over and shorting something. Neither card had too much to spill over so I reinstalled the heatsinks and slapped em back in my rig.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WebsterXC*
> 
> Alright so I'm having a little trouble figuring out how to TriFire my graphics cards. I have a Sapphire HD7970 in the first PCI-e slot, a Sapphire 7950 in the second slot (7970PCB style, but with two 6-pin connectors), and an MSI Twin Frozr 7950 in the last slot (7970PCB with one 8-pin and one 6-pin connector). I understand that I have to play around with the clocks to get them to cooperate with each other properly, but what cards need to be changed to what clocks? As of now, CCC is telling me I'm unable to turn CrossFire on because one of my "bridges is installed incorrectly". MSI Afterburner and GPU-Z do not recognize my Sapphire 7950 in the second PCI-e slot. Is this normal? Do I need to push clocks around to get the second card to recognize, or is something else wrong? I'm currently running Catalyst 13.4, but that was before I added the MSI and Sapphire 7950 cards. Do I need to reinstall as well?


yes you can you dont have to mess with any clocks, they will automatically down clock to the lowest speed installed

could be dead card, bad seat in pcie, dust/debris in pcie

you have them all powered
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krozjin*
> 
> Hey guys! I currently own the 7990 and I set them up in eyefinity with a resolution of 7990x1440 (3x 27" screens), and I was wondering, is it possible to crossfire this card with the 7950 or 7970? I don't have enough juice in this card to run games on max settings any more at that resolution, and I don't have the money to get another 7990. Thanks!


yes you can
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> I switched out my thermal past on my sapphire 7950 boost edition cards,(dual X) I decided to try CL ultra. On stock paste during BF3 GPU 1 would run right at 69c and GPU 2 would be 65c give or take a few degrees. This was stock, no OC during gameplay. Now with the CL ultra GPU 1 is 62c and GPU 2 is 57c. Not bad for just swapping out the paste. I applied it on the die and heatsink, not sure if that was the proper way or not. I applied then installed the heatsink, then removed the heatsink to make sure there wasn't too much paste spilling over and shorting something. Neither card had too much to spill over so I reinstalled the heatsinks and slapped em back in my rig.


dont see you much anymore old friend !~

side note although not optimal you can use a 6pin to 8pin adapter without issue for the most part


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> dont see you much anymore old friend !~


Ya, summer time the oil refinery here has me working a bunch of hours, 6-7 days a week 12 hr days or nights with 2 hrs of commute. I will slow down this fall and I will have more time to play with my rigs. I seen your post about quad 7970's....nice man can't wait to see them in action


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WebsterXC*
> 
> It's a brand new card, so I really doubt its dead from the factory. Since the cards have waterblocks on them I was hoping to troubleshoot as much as possible before taking the loop apart.


Watercooling 101, you must test each card stock cooler and all, each one individually to prove it is not defective or doa before moving onto water. Personally I take it a step further and check asic %, do a quick overclock to scout the max clocks on air, etc. Then if the card checks out I move onto water.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> I switched out my thermal past on my sapphire 7950 boost edition cards,(dual X) I decided to try CL ultra. On stock paste during BF3 GPU 1 would run right at 69c and GPU 2 would be 65c give or take a few degrees. This was stock, no OC during gameplay. Now with the CL ultra GPU 1 is 62c and GPU 2 is 57c. Not bad for just swapping out the paste. I applied it on the die and heatsink, not sure if that was the proper way or not. I applied then installed the heatsink, then removed the heatsink to make sure there wasn't too much paste spilling over and shorting something. Neither card had too much to spill over so I reinstalled the heatsinks and slapped em back in my rig.


Nice. I'm suing CLU on my 7950, quite a big drop in temps for something so little. Its a little bit more trouble to remove than other thermal pastes such as MX-4, but well worth it. It went from 80 degrees at 1.25V to 73 degrees at the same clocks/volts. And that was with auto fan, so the fan speeder was lower at the same time.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Nice. I'm suing CLU on my 7950, quite a big drop in temps for something so little. Its a little bit more trouble to remove than other thermal pastes such as MX-4, but well worth it. It went from 80 degrees at 1.25V to 73 degrees at the same clocks/volts. And that was with auto fan, so the fan speeder was lower at the same time.


Hmm, nice results, why are you suing them? xD

Kidding aside, I may have to pick up some CLU, this reference hd 7970 gets a bit toasty in my case on top of the GTX 780.


----------



## WebsterXC

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Watercooling 101, you must test each card stock cooler and all, each one individually to prove it is not defective or doa before moving onto water. Personally I take it a step further and check asic %, do a quick overclock to scout the max clocks on air, etc. Then if the card checks out I move onto water.


Things got rushed because I'm headed to college 1,000 miles away next week. I normally test things on air first, but I got lazy and was in a rush at the same time. This is the fourth dead 79XX series card I've had to deal with. AMD is about to lose my business I'm tired of this.

Worst case scenario, I flip flop cards and put the dead card in the last PCI-e slot and run it for show, then RMA over my winter break. That way I can still CrossFire.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WebsterXC*
> 
> Things got rushed because I'm headed to college 1,000 miles away next week. I normally test things on air first, but I got lazy and was in a rush at the same time. This is the fourth dead 79XX series card I've had to deal with. AMD is about to lose my business I'm tired of this.
> 
> Worst case scenario, I flip flop cards and put the dead card in the last PCI-e slot and run it for show, then RMA over my winter break. That way I can still CrossFire.


Hate the modifier manafactor not amd diffrient brands have diff results.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *WebsterXC*
> 
> Things got rushed because I'm headed to college 1,000 miles away next week. I normally test things on air first, but I got lazy and was in a rush at the same time. This is the fourth dead 79XX series card I've had to deal with. AMD is about to lose my business I'm tired of this.
> 
> Worst case scenario, I flip flop cards and put the dead card in the last PCI-e slot and run it for show, then RMA over my winter break. That way I can still CrossFire.


if its not a pure reference card, its not AMD, don't blame them on something they didn't cause


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I just picked up a used HIS 7970 reference model from a fellow OCN member, here it is:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Long GPU, and this fan is LOUD above 55% or so, but so far it seems to be solid for Shadowrun Returns, and NBA 2k13.


Nice, my first 7970 was a HIS also, good overclocker & never any problems. The brand really is irrelevant for reference. Saying that, I did have dual 6950S HIS Ice Q cards and really liked them too.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Nice, my first 7970 was a HIS also, good overclocker & never any problems. The brand really is irrelevant for reference. Saying that, I did have dual 6950S HIS Ice Q cards and really liked them too.


Indeed, this is my first reference HD7970. I wanted to try a reference card this time around, my previous 7970 was a Lightning that I had an EK block for, wanted to see how a reference card would stack up against that (it doesn't very well, that Lightning was a beast).


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Indeed, this is my first reference HD7970. I wanted to try a reference card this time around, my previous 7970 was a Lightning that I had an EK block for, wanted to see how a reference card would stack up against that (it doesn't very well, that Lightning was a beast).


Lol bad ref.


----------



## Thoth420

Getting some vertical blue artifacts in Tomb Raider just running at stock clocks. Possibly be the boost doing this? I haven't noticed any issue in the other games I play.


----------



## ukic

I want to upgrade to 7970 CF. Googled and made sure that my psu (Corsair AX750) can support it. So far from the threads I've read and from the psu calculators I went thru, my psu should be ok. Then 7990 came into mind. Now I wanna get a 7990 instead but basing on threads/reviews I've read, my psu is not sufficient to run one. Wanted to hear some thoughts on this. I thought a 7990 = 2x 7970.

EDIT: Should I just go for 2 of these (Sapphire HD 7970 with OC Boost)?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I want to upgrade to 7970 CF. Googled and made sure that my psu (Corsair AX750) can support it. So far from the threads I've read and from the psu calculators I went thru, my psu should be ok. Then 7990 came into mind. Now I wanna get a 7990 instead but basing on threads/reviews I've read, my psu is not sufficient to run one. Wanted to hear some thoughts on this. I thought a 7990 = 2x 7970.


7990 uses less power than 7970 CF. Your AX750 should have no problem supporting a HD 7990 and your 3770k.


----------



## gatornation240

*Running 13.8 Beta*
1150/1610 @1.250V @60% fan speed **Max temp:61*C

I think this was 1100/1600 @1.250V



Validation~~~http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/k9m2b/
This is a fun card, can't wait to grab another one. Hows she look guys? Should I push further on air? Has anyone done the REDMOD to the HIS ICE~Q yet? Got an H60 with dwood bracket sitting on my desk....


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I want to upgrade to 7970 CF. Googled and made sure that my psu (Corsair AX750) can support it. So far from the threads I've read and from the psu calculators I went thru, my psu should be ok. Then 7990 came into mind. Now I wanna get a 7990 instead but basing on threads/reviews I've read, my psu is not sufficient to run one. Wanted to hear some thoughts on this. I thought a 7990 = 2x 7970.
> 
> EDIT: Should I just go for 2 of these (Sapphire HD 7970 with OC Boost)?


if you already have a HD 7970 get another HD 7970. sapphire, his, gigabyte have good coolers. stay away from XFX. otherwise I suggest HD 7950 CF. amazing value for money. the HD 7970 is 5% faster than HD 7950 at same clocks. you can decide if thats worth USD 80. HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost is one of the best built cards. reference HD 7970 PCB. good cooler.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Getting some vertical blue artifacts in Tomb Raider just running at stock clocks. Possibly be the boost doing this? I haven't noticed any issue in the other games I play.


OMGOSH i had the same problem. Soo wierd..you gata tweak the OC for that game idk why!


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> OMGOSH i had the same problem. Soo wierd..you gata tweak the OC for that game idk why!


I solved it. Was either CCC saturation turned up or using FXAA instead of SSAA. Either way fixt.


----------



## anubis1127

Hey guys, just playing around a bit with my 7970, ASIC is 79.2%. How is that as far as 7970s go? Good, avg? Does ASIC quality seem to matter much on these Tahiti chips?


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Hey guys, just playing around a bit with my 7970, ASIC is 79.2%. How is that as far as 7970s go? Good, avg? Does ASIC quality seem to matter much on these Tahiti chips?


Above average I would say (my 2 are 70-73%). Interested to see your OC ability. Pretty random IMO the ASIC, but I have heard around mid 70s is the sweet spot (assuming you have not lost the chip lottery) for overclock potential.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Above average I would say (my 2 are 70-73%). Interested to see your OC ability. Pretty random IMO the ASIC, but I have heard around mid 70s is the sweet spot (assuming you have not lost the chip lottery) for overclock potential.


Cool. Once I take the GTX 780 out of my main rig and put it in my Celeron build, I'm going to unleash the 7970 and overvolt / OC it more. Right now it just gets too hot.


----------



## Kaltenbrunner

I have a 7950 CF and those drivers are crap. They wrecked BF3, skyrim, and BFBC2 is now all laggy and choppy , and they are all I tried so far.

This 7950 CF experience has gone pretty bad


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Hey guys, just playing around a bit with my 7970, ASIC is 79.2%. How is that as far as 7970s go? Good, avg? Does ASIC quality seem to matter much on these Tahiti chips?


I would think that you should be able to OC pretty far on stock volts, then even further with more volts, but you may end up hitting a wall somewhere...

go wild on it I want to see how it behaves...


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I would think that you should be able to OC pretty far on stock volts, then even further with more volts, but you may end up hitting a wall somewhere...
> 
> go wild on it I want to see how it behaves...


I am a bit curious to see what it will do, going to try OCing it a bit and running some 3DMark11 and heaven because I have them installed. Then try some dx11 games after that.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xedjflowx*
> 
> So is this a good score? I have a 1440p monitor but I did it 1080p so it could be comparable to most. both these are at stock voltage.. i think the sapphire 7970's are locked at stock voltage anyway. Also, this is for the 13.4 drivers
> OC'd
> 
> Stock
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


not bad. my 7950 did 41.


----------



## anubis1127

Here are a couple quick results using 13.8 beta drivers, and 3930k stock:

1200 / 1600 @ 1.3V in Trixx after LLC 1.2-1.24V in GPU-Z

Heaven 4.0:



3DMark11: P11112

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6994855

Not as good as I was hoping to see, but I'll probably just run it stock most of the time anyway.


----------



## BradleyW

I'm getting crazy issues with Sniper 2 Ghost Warrior. DX11 mode puts my fps into the low 30's all the time and DX9 mode gives me crazy walls of artifacts that fly around in the sky and all the lighting effects flash on and off. Also, my gun has a artifacts attached to it and enemy's have no body, just flying guns.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Here are a couple quick results using 13.8 beta drivers, and 3930k stock:
> 
> 1200 / 1600 @ 1.3V in Trixx after LLC 1.2-1.24V in GPU-Z
> Heaven 4.0:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3DMark11: P11112
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6994855
> 
> Not as good as I was hoping to see, but I'll probably just run it stock most of the time anyway.


not sure about that graphics score. i think i got around 11600 for same clocks. might be high temps.

reference are meant for watercooling anyway.

edit:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6564785


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> not sure about that graphics score. i think i got around 11600 for same clocks. might be high temps.
> 
> reference are meant for watercooling anyway.


Indeed. If I decide to keep the card its definitely getting a block.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I want to upgrade to 7970 CF. Googled and made sure that my psu (Corsair AX750) can support it. So far from the threads I've read and from the psu calculators I went thru, my psu should be ok. Then 7990 came into mind. Now I wanna get a 7990 instead but basing on threads/reviews I've read, my psu is not sufficient to run one. Wanted to hear some thoughts on this. I thought a 7990 = 2x 7970.
> 
> EDIT: Should I just go for 2 of these (Sapphire HD 7970 with OC Boost)?


That is exactly what I'm doing. The 7990 is about $700 on Amazon. The sapphire 7970 is $320 with a $20 mail in rebate. Already have one, will be ordering the second today.


----------



## BBEG

Couple questions for 7990 owners:

1) What is the most we can expect out of _voltage locked_ 7990s like the PowerColor 3-slot version?

2) Can anyone measure real-world load power consumption for their 7990s? I'm looking specifically at crossfire, trifire 7970, and quadfire 7970.


----------



## TripleTurbo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BBEG*
> 
> Couple questions for 7990 owners:
> 
> 1) What is the most we can expect out of _voltage locked_ 7990s like the PowerColor 3-slot version?
> 
> 2) Can anyone measure real-world load power consumption for their 7990s? I'm looking specifically at crossfire, trifire 7970, and quadfire 7970.


7990 triple slot powercolor is NOT voltage locked, brother.









Asics on my 7990 are 72, 74. At 1100 mv I run 1100/1700. My 1200 watt nzxt hale v90 PSU has shut down twice playing Crysis 3 with my lightning and 7990 clocked/volted higher. I cant say precisely what it pulls from the wall , though.


----------



## InsaneCB

Hey guys I buy a second Sapphire HD7950 Vapor-X, the same bios version as the first card. Both are the 2X8 pin power conection, using the catalyst 13.4 + cap 13.5 or the last one 13.8 beta, has a low performance in so many game (even less that one card), the GPU usage is on 30-50% each one. Some like this:




The rest of config is: Asus p8z77-v pro + i5 3570k @ 4.5ghz + 2x4Gb Ram + NZXT 850W. I'm sure the cards it's on a 16X pci-e, the SO is windows 8 X64 and try in a clean instalation.

I'm using MSI Afterburners, forced constant vcore, disabling ULSP and power limit +20%. Individualy run ok, each, and testing with 2 crossfire bridges.

Thanks for help !!


----------



## RemagCP

Jeez, do 3 7970's really use that much power?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InsaneCB*
> 
> Hey guys I buy a second Sapphire HD7950 Vapor-X, the same bios version as the first card. Both are the 2X8 pin power conection, using the catalyst 13.4 + cap 13.5 or the last one 13.8 beta, has a low performance in so many game (even less that one card), the GPU usage is on 30-50% each one. Some like this:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The rest of config is: Asus p8z77-v pro + i5 3570k @ 4.5ghz + 2x4Gb Ram + NZXT 850W. I'm sure the cards it's on a 16X pci-e, the SO is windows 8 X64 and try in a clean instalation.
> 
> I'm using MSI Afterburners, forced constant vcore, disabling ULSP and power limit +20%. Individualy run ok, each, and testing with 2 crossfire bridges.
> 
> Thanks for help !!


1 are you using enable cfx + enable cfx for games with no prof. ( wording may be different ) in catalyst ?
2 have you tried using only one bridge ?
3 have you tried reseating GPUs & blowing out the slots ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RemagCP*
> 
> Jeez, do 3 7970's really use that much power?


with 2 i can trip my x750 seasonic ocp with a cpu and gpu oc...... my quadfire rig will have 1250w+750w ( 1250 is xfx {seasonic} and 750 is seasonic ) once i can get my pedestal built ( praying dwood is ok ...... ) just to avoid that. cpu +2gpus and everything else on 1250, 2x gpu on x750


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TripleTurbo*
> 
> 7990 triple slot powercolor is NOT voltage locked, brother.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Asics on my 7990 are 72, 74. At 1100 mv I run 1100/1700. My 1200 watt nzxt hale v90 PSU has shut down twice playing Crysis 3 with my lightning and 7990 clocked/volted higher. I cant say precisely what it pulls from the wall , though.


I'm thinking a multi-lane PSU? (very bad for dual-gpu cards)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RemagCP*
> 
> Jeez, do 3 7970's really use that much power?


no, cards alone are about half that really, maximum possible draw he could get from his system would be around 900W, which would be if he had some serious overclock...

for reference, the fan in my 1000W never spins, even when I max it out, I'm only really using about 450W max...
(single 7970 @1175mv, very heavy cpu overclock)


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I'm thinking a multi-lane PSU? (very bad for dual-gpu cards)
> no, cards alone are about half that really, maximum possible draw he could get from his system would be around 900W, which would be if he had some serious overclock...
> 
> for reference, the fan in my 1000W never spins, even when I max it out, I'm only really using about 450W max...
> (single 7970 @1175mv, very heavy cpu overclock)


gonna call you on that. 5.2ghz+ + obscene ocing on 2 cards = tripping ocp on x750 ( ~ 800w ) you would be amazed how much power i can pull from the wall and both my psus are single rail


----------



## InsaneCB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 1 are you using enable cfx + enable cfx for games with no prof. ( wording may be different ) in catalyst ?
> 2 have you tried using only one bridge ?
> 3 have you tried reseating GPUs & blowing out the slots ?


1 = Yes, that's right
2= I use only one bridge, but I try with 2 different (1 at time)
3= Each vga works ok in their slot, at 99%

The most worst performance is on battlefield 3, like the video posted.


----------



## BBEG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> gonna call you on that. 5.2ghz+ + obscene ocing on 2 cards = tripping ocp on x750 ( ~ 800w ) you would be amazed how much power i can pull from the wall and both my psus are single rail


For reference: my sig rig cannot pull enough juice to spin my PSU's fan consistently. That means I'm pulling less than 430W on average. 2600k at 4.7-4.8 GHz, 680s clocked to the max, clawing through Heaven and Valley. I need to remember to get a multimeter on the way home from work tomorrow.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RemagCP*
> 
> Jeez, do 3 7970's really use that much power?


No, they really shouldn't. Kitkuru's testbed is an overclocked 3960X, RIVE, 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM, and two CF 7990s. They pulled 824W from the wall at max load.

3570k + 7990 + MVE + 8GB Corsair 2400 RAM = 480W load
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2013/04/24/amd-radeon-hd-7990-6gb-review/9

3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB GSKILL 1866 RAM = 612W load
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-Review-The-Silent-Beast/?page=12

3960X + 7990 + X79SLI + 16GB GSKILL 1867 RAM = 472W load
http://anandtech.com/show/6915/amd-radeon-hd-7990-review-7990-gets-official/16

3960X + 7990 + X79 Extreme11 + 8GB GSKILL 1600 RAM = 491W load
http://www.techspot.com/review/663-amd-radeon-hd-7990/page8.html

3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB Corsair 1600 RAM = 512W load
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-6GB-Review-Malta-Gets-Frame-Rated/Power-Consumption-Sound-

3960X + 7990 CF + RIVE + 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM = 800-824W load from the socket
http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/hd7990-quadfire-tested-crash-happy/
http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/sapphire-hd7990-quadfirex-review/23/

On one hand, the temptation is unbelievable to snag one or two of these discounted 7990s; they can definitely run the three-monitor setup I want and will outrun anything in a < 26L case. I can probably get $800 for my 680s w/ Heatkiller blocks (got two great cards it seems), which would cover one 7990 + EK water block. Getting a 2nd, though, would basically require a full system change; my PSU can _technically_ run it CF 7990s and an OC'd CPU, but I have no OC headroom for the GPUs at all. Need a new CPU to make the quadfire worth it. Need to upsize the cooling options for my custom mATX case. _Still_ need to get past a couple bills before I upgrade monitors.

Anyone have insight on how well a 7990 + 7970 crossfire together? Is it a worthwhile combo? I think I can still cool 7990+7970+CPU with 480x120 of rad space...


----------



## xSneak

could someone help me?

I have a sapphire 7970 oc with boost that is unstable at stock speeds. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202008

On any modern game I play I will get random system shutdowns - my computer instantly turns off, and I can only turn it back on after I flip the power switch on the psu to off for a couple seconds (ethernet light turns off). My system is stable in prime95 blend, and I have tried 13.4, 13.6 beta, and 13.8 beta with the same results.

This has been happening randomly since I assembled my system, but for a time it wasn't giving me any problems until now.

My psu is an antec hcp-750 and I've ran prime95 with furmark at the same time for a couple hours with no problems.

Whenever I look at the logs it says amd display driver stopped responding.


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BBEG*
> 
> For reference: my sig rig cannot pull enough juice to spin my PSU's fan consistently. That means I'm pulling less than 430W on average. 2600k at 4.7-4.8 GHz, 680s clocked to the max, clawing through Heaven and Valley. I need to remember to get a multimeter on the way home from work tomorrow.
> No, they really shouldn't. Kitkuru's testbed is an overclocked 3960X, RIVE, 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM, and two CF 7990s. They pulled 824W from the wall at max load.
> 
> 3570k + 7990 + MVE + 8GB Corsair 2400 RAM = 480W load
> http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2013/04/24/amd-radeon-hd-7990-6gb-review/9
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB GSKILL 1866 RAM = 612W load
> http://hothardware.com/Reviews/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-Review-The-Silent-Beast/?page=12
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + X79SLI + 16GB GSKILL 1867 RAM = 472W load
> http://anandtech.com/show/6915/amd-radeon-hd-7990-review-7990-gets-official/16
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + X79 Extreme11 + 8GB GSKILL 1600 RAM = 491W load
> http://www.techspot.com/review/663-amd-radeon-hd-7990/page8.html
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB Corsair 1600 RAM = 512W load
> http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-6GB-Review-Malta-Gets-Frame-Rated/Power-Consumption-Sound-
> 
> 3960X + 7990 CF + RIVE + 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM = 800-824W load from the socket
> http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/hd7990-quadfire-tested-crash-happy/
> http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/sapphire-hd7990-quadfirex-review/23/
> 
> On one hand, the temptation is unbelievable to snag one or two of these discounted 7990s; they can definitely run the three-monitor setup I want and will outrun anything in a < 26L case. I can probably get $800 for my 680s w/ Heatkiller blocks (got two great cards it seems), which would cover one 7990 + EK water block. Getting a 2nd, though, would basically require a full system change; my PSU can _technically_ run it CF 7990s and an OC'd CPU, but I have no OC headroom for the GPUs at all. Need a new CPU to make the quadfire worth it. Need to upsize the cooling options for my custom mATX case. _Still_ need to get past a couple bills before I upgrade monitors.
> 
> Anyone have insight on how well a 7990 + 7970 crossfire together? Is it a worthwhile combo? I think I can still cool 7990+7970+CPU with 480x120 of rad space...





there is a reason red1776 has a 2.2kw holodeck, and he builds quadfire rigs every 8~9months. you can believe what ever you want ill choose to listen to people who actually have it. ( i will be on that list, just waiting for my 2 new blocks to come so that the cards will fit in my case, just ordering them now YAY !~!) cards are in hand.

side note it is very little different from tri fire.

you have 6gb of ram ( just as if you got a 6gb 7970 fro saphire ( iirc who makes it ) )
they tend to not clock as well as a single gpu.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BBEG*
> 
> For reference: my sig rig cannot pull enough juice to spin my PSU's fan consistently. That means I'm pulling less than 430W on average. 2600k at 4.7-4.8 GHz, 680s clocked to the max, clawing through Heaven and Valley. I need to remember to get a multimeter on the way home from work tomorrow.
> No, they really shouldn't. Kitkuru's testbed is an overclocked 3960X, RIVE, 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM, and two CF 7990s. They pulled 824W from the wall at max load.
> 
> 3570k + 7990 + MVE + 8GB Corsair 2400 RAM = 480W load
> http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2013/04/24/amd-radeon-hd-7990-6gb-review/9
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB GSKILL 1866 RAM = 612W load
> http://hothardware.com/Reviews/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-Review-The-Silent-Beast/?page=12
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + X79SLI + 16GB GSKILL 1867 RAM = 472W load
> http://anandtech.com/show/6915/amd-radeon-hd-7990-review-7990-gets-official/16
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + X79 Extreme11 + 8GB GSKILL 1600 RAM = 491W load
> http://www.techspot.com/review/663-amd-radeon-hd-7990/page8.html
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB Corsair 1600 RAM = 512W load
> http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-6GB-Review-Malta-Gets-Frame-Rated/Power-Consumption-Sound-
> 
> 3960X + 7990 CF + RIVE + 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM = 800-824W load from the socket
> http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/hd7990-quadfire-tested-crash-happy/
> http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/sapphire-hd7990-quadfirex-review/23/
> 
> On one hand, the temptation is unbelievable to snag one or two of these discounted 7990s; they can definitely run the three-monitor setup I want and will outrun anything in a < 26L case. I can probably get $800 for my 680s w/ Heatkiller blocks (got two great cards it seems), which would cover one 7990 + EK water block. Getting a 2nd, though, would basically require a full system change; my PSU can _technically_ run it CF 7990s and an OC'd CPU, but I have no OC headroom for the GPUs at all. Need a new CPU to make the quadfire worth it. Need to upsize the cooling options for my custom mATX case. _Still_ need to get past a couple bills before I upgrade monitors.
> 
> Anyone have insight on how well a 7990 + 7970 crossfire together? Is it a worthwhile combo? I think I can still cool 7990+7970+CPU with 480x120 of rad space...


Man, that low price has given me the itch! Imagine 2 months ago they were $1000.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> gonna call you on that. 5.2ghz+ + obscene ocing on 2 cards = tripping ocp on x750 ( ~ 800w ) you would be amazed how much power i can pull from the wall and both my psus are single rail


yea pretty much at your level, the power usage ramps up like a monster...
(I would think, ~250W each card, ~200W cpu, ~200W for everything else, plus or minus a bit)

power consumption curve most of the time is equivalent to a y=x^2 graph, as your current will increase proportionally to your voltages.


----------



## Sazz

checking the thread, seems like my 3Dmark 11 Graphics score still holds its own and my 3Dmark Firestrike score as well with my previous rig. (if you check my profile you can see my previous rig FX8350+7970, sold it already).

I am building a new rig with same core components, FX8350+7970 again. this time the 7970 I got got 84.9% ASIC rating and hopefully it clocks better than my previous one (the previous 7970 I had on the previous rig got 83.2% ASIC rating and clocked at 1330/1860 at 1.275v watercooled with Koolance Block)

This time I am going for all EK/Corsair build. it won't be done until next month.

my 3Dmark scores on my previous rig as follows.

3Dmark 11
3Dmark Firestrike

Hopefully I can beat those scores of mine xD


----------



## sooyong94

I'm currently running a 7950 Vapor-X right now... My friend is going to trade his 7970 Vapor-X GHz with my 7950. Should I take the offer?


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sooyong94*
> 
> I'm currently running a 7950 Vapor-X right now... My friend is going to trade his 7970 Vapor-X GHz with my 7950. Should I take the offer?


I've got to ask why would your friend want to down grade from his Vapor-X 7970 to your Vapor-X 7950....Is it an even trade or is money also changing hands?


----------



## Mega Man

i would have to ask the same thing ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BBEG*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> gonna call you on that. 5.2ghz+ + obscene ocing on 2 cards = tripping ocp on x750 ( ~ 800w ) you would be amazed how much power i can pull from the wall and both my psus are single rail
> 
> 
> 
> For reference: my sig rig cannot pull enough juice to spin my PSU's fan consistently. That means I'm pulling less than 430W on average. 2600k at 4.7-4.8 GHz, 680s clocked to the max, clawing through Heaven and Valley. I need to remember to get a multimeter on the way home from work tomorrow.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RemagCP*
> 
> *Jeez, do 3 7970's really use that much power?*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> No, they really shouldn't. Kitkuru's testbed is an overclocked 3960X, RIVE, 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM, and two CF 7990s. They pulled 824W from the wall at max load.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 3570k + 7990 + MVE + 8GB Corsair 2400 RAM = 480W load
> http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2013/04/24/amd-radeon-hd-7990-6gb-review/9
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB GSKILL 1866 RAM = 612W load
> http://hothardware.com/Reviews/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-Review-The-Silent-Beast/?page=12
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + X79SLI + 16GB GSKILL 1867 RAM = 472W load
> http://anandtech.com/show/6915/amd-radeon-hd-7990-review-7990-gets-official/16
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + X79 Extreme11 + 8GB GSKILL 1600 RAM = 491W load
> http://www.techspot.com/review/663-amd-radeon-hd-7990/page8.html
> 
> 3960X + 7990 + P9X79 + 16GB Corsair 1600 RAM = 512W load
> http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Radeon-HD-7990-6GB-Review-Malta-Gets-Frame-Rated/Power-Consumption-Sound-
> 
> 3960X + 7990 CF + RIVE + 16GB GSKILL 2400 RAM = 800-824W load from the socket
> http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/hd7990-quadfire-tested-crash-happy/
> http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/sapphire-hd7990-quadfirex-review/23/
> 
> 
> 
> On one hand, the temptation is unbelievable to snag one or two of these discounted 7990s; they can definitely run the three-monitor setup I want and will outrun anything in a < 26L case. I can probably get $800 for my 680s w/ Heatkiller blocks (got two great cards it seems), which would cover one 7990 + EK water block. Getting a 2nd, though, would basically require a full system change; my PSU can _technically_ run it CF 7990s and an OC'd CPU, but I have no OC headroom for the GPUs at all. Need a new CPU to make the quadfire worth it. Need to upsize the cooling options for my custom mATX case. _Still_ need to get past a couple bills before I upgrade monitors.
> 
> Anyone have insight on how well a 7990 + 7970 crossfire together? Is it a worthwhile combo? I think I can still cool 7990+7970+CPU with 480x120 of rad space...
Click to expand...

Dude, don't post links to reviews regarding power consumption as if it is anything but meaningful. The numbers they publish are ridiculously low even for stock clocked systems.

For the question in bold, yes they can draw a sizable amount of watts... that is if you are lucky enough to have gold cards that can clock to gold and beyond.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dude, don't post links to reviews regarding power consumption as if it is anything but meaningful. The numbers they publish are ridiculously low even for stock clocked systems.
> 
> For the question in bold, yes they can draw a sizable amount of watts... that is if you are lucky enough to have gold cards that can clock to gold and beyond.


yea a lot of benchmarks cant really be trusted, a lot of the time you don't specifically know how they measured the current...

stock TDP for the 7970, your looking about 220W max, bout 250W to 300W heavily overclocked, also want to count for headroom to give better stability in such cases,
reference 7990 will pull a maximum of 375W before it breaches the total card TDP limit, which is generally only possible when overclocked, such point you want to be able to feed it some 450W,

so like MegaMan above, if you have two 7970s @ around 1.3v, and a cpu heavily clocked at around 5GHz or so, you would want a bare minimum of a 1000W PSU with good regulation to keep it stable...
but a 7990 and a 7970 with 1200mv each or lower, a 800W PSU may even be enough, though probably not very stable and it wouldn't leave much room for the cpu overclock...

worst comes to worst, you want to go that far with dual gpu cards try and find a 1200W or higher *single-rail* PSU, silverstone's Zeus ZM1350 has a single rail mode via a switch, but if your going for multiple single gpu cards you should be fine with a multi-rail PSU...


----------



## bond32

I have a chance to get a sapphire 7970 vapor x 6 gb for around 340. Would you guys still recommend it at that price over others? I also considered the msi lightning but it is around 100 more.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> I have a chance to get a sapphire 7970 vapor x 6 gb for around 340. Would you guys still recommend it at that price over others? I also considered the msi lightning but it is around 100 more.


Unless you are going to get 2-3 of them, there is no point. A single 7970 is not fast enough utilize 6GB. In order to utilize 6GB vram you would need a massive resolution(3-5 monitors 1440p+ on each), with cranked up AA, etc. At that point a single 7970 wouldn't be fast enough to make it worth while.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Unless you are going to get 2-3 of them, there is no point. A single 7970 is not fast enough utilize 6GB. In order to utilize 6GB vram you would need a massive resolution(3-5 monitors 1440p+ on each), with cranked up AA, etc. At that point a single 7970 wouldn't be fast enough to make it worth while.


Which would you recommend then? I was really going off price, seeing how most 7970's are between $350 and $400.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> 7990 uses less power than 7970 CF. Your AX750 should have no problem supporting a HD 7990 and your 3770k.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> if you already have a HD 7970 get another HD 7970. sapphire, his, gigabyte have good coolers. stay away from XFX. otherwise I suggest HD 7950 CF. amazing value for money. the HD 7970 is 5% faster than HD 7950 at same clocks. you can decide if thats worth USD 80. HIS HD 7950 iceq x2 boost is one of the best built cards. reference HD 7970 PCB. good cooler.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429


Thanks for the quick replies


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Which would you recommend then? I was really going off price, seeing how most 7970's are between $350 and $400.


If it's new, then its fine for the price. If used, you could get a cheaper used 3gb model, and have the same performance. Extra vram isn't going to hurt anything, it just doesn't make sense to pay extra for RAM that is never going to be used. Given the cheap price, it wouldn't be a bad purchase by any means.


----------



## Bluemustang

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Which would you recommend then? I was really going off price, seeing how most 7970's are between $350 and $400.


Lot cheaper than that if you wait for one of numerous frequent sales. There have been loads of 7950s and 7970s on sale the last week. 7970s for as low as 280 and 7950s as low as 180. Check the deals section of ocn.


----------



## istudy92

It
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Which would you recommend then? I was really going off price, seeing how most 7970's are between $350 and $400.


It depends, 7950 is really good especially OC..the 7970 will only give u 10% more performance is it worth the price for it?
If ur 1080 p 7950 is good value, if 1440 then 7970


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> It
> 
> It depends, 7950 is really good especially OC..the 7970 will only give u 10% more performance is it worth the price for it?
> If ur 1080 p 7950 is good value, if 1440 then 7970


Such a vague statement...


----------



## Snuckie7

I think he means overall, i.e. the average overclocked 7970 ends about 10% faster than the average overclocked 7950. Clock for clock, the difference is much smaller.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bluemustang*
> 
> Lot cheaper than that if you wait for one of numerous frequent sales. There have been loads of 7950s and 7970s on sale the last week. 7970s for as low as 280 and 7950s as low as 180. Check the deals section of ocn.


I should have done this long ago. Leaning towards the HIS 7950 now...


----------



## istudy92

should i get a 7990 and sell my 7950...or wait for the 9xxx series..volcano islands
i mean the 7990 better than that damn titan..but like..dammit idk if i should wait!? and make a choice

ps. idk if my rig build shows below as signiture or w/e someone leme know? (if it doesnt show how do i put it?)

I am planning on getting a 1440p too soo idk *shrug*


----------



## Paul17041993

now that the prices for the 7990 dropped, I'm actually tempted to get one over a couple of 7970s, price (including waterblocks) is virtually identical, two 7970s would be more practical, but the 7990 just seems to awesome of a card to not get my hands on...

maby I'll skip eyefinity for now and get a 7990, then get a 7970 later on after the 9xx0 release...


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> now that the prices for the 7990 dropped, I'm actually tempted to get one over a couple of 7970s, price (including waterblocks) is virtually identical, two 7970s would be more practical, but the 7990 just seems to awesome of a card to not get my hands on...
> 
> maby I'll skip eyefinity for now and get a 7990, then get a 7970 later on after the 9xx0 release...


The only reason I'd see not to get a 7990 would be because the dual cards tend to "degrade" it's used market price quite fast, so the re-sell value in the future would be higher on the 7970's.

Other than that, I had a 5970 and loved it, very solid card, and if I were to get new cards right now I'd go for the 7990.


----------



## tsm106

7990 Malta, aka the reference 7990 are highly binned silicon. The good is that they are very thrifty as far as power consumption, but the flip side to that is that they scale very poorly with voltage. It is already very rare to get a high binned (high asic) card that clocks well with added voltage. I've seen maybe two on this forum. Thus with a Malta, don't expect to achieve the same potential overclocks as you would with reference 7970s. If you are more happy/content with out of the box performance or a lil bit higher than that, then go for a 7990. The PC Devil on the other hand does not have access to AMD's internal binning so it will not be a highly binned card and with the Devils high potential for power draw due to its custom design, it has much greater potential to overclock.


----------



## istudy92

dang and would it be good to wait though? for the possiblity of getting a 7990 and get battlefield 4 part of the game pack?!


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> dang and would it be good to wait though? for the possiblity of getting a 7990 and get battlefield 4 part of the game pack?!


I would wait for the new cards.


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'm probably getting dual 7970s (used) to play with trifire and then resell for profit...and just keep one of them (an msi ref card with an arctic accelero xtreme cooler) and sell the other two.


----------



## BBEG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> there is a reason red1776 has a 2.2kw holodeck, and he builds quadfire rigs every 8~9months. you can believe what ever you want ill choose to listen to people who actually have it. ( i will be on that list, just waiting for my 2 new blocks to come so that the cards will fit in my case, just ordering them now YAY !~!) cards are in hand.




The highest at any point during Valley 1.0 was *505W*. 2600k at 4.8 GHz (1.38V-ish? Just picked a quick stable-ish OC for purposes of recording watts), 680s clocked at 1293 / 7114 and 1267 / 7114 respectively (1.2V on 770 BIOS), Maximus V Gene motherboard, two Antec Spot Cools, OEM LiteOn DVD player, Seasonic SS-860XP2.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but how much more power will another 2 GPUs really pull? Do 7990s draw so much that they'd really exceed the 950, much less the 1KW mark?


----------



## Snuckie7

Well the first thing is that 7970's eat a lot more power than GTX 680's.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BBEG*
> 
> I'm not trying to be argumentative, but how much more power will another 2 GPUs really pull? Do 7990s draw so much that they'd really exceed the 950, much less the 1KW mark?


with the same cpu, Id probably see a couple of 7990s take that up to around 900W, 680s are generally less then 200W each, 7970 has a lot more in it so you can get up to 220W or something... (haven't measured mine at all yet)

if I had a 7990, I wouldn't bother too much about overclocking, Id probably just nudge it to 1100 or 1200 if they can and be done with it...


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> with the same cpu, Id probably see a couple of 7990s take that up to around 900W, 680s are generally less then 200W each, 7970 has a lot more in it so you can get up to 220W or something... (haven't measured mine at all yet)
> 
> if I had a 7990, I wouldn't bother too much about overclocking, Id probably just nudge it to 1100 or 1200 if they can and be done with it...


For power draw, it can go up very quickly with increasing voltage & clocks. Locked reference 680s are generally less than 200 watts each, the 680 Lightnings with voltage control can go upwards of 400 watts each when pushed to the max for benches. Air cooled, not full out subzero cooled. Unlocked 7970s are similar for heavily increased power draw when bumping the voltage far enough.


----------



## istudy92

But a 7990 would work with a 700w Platinum PSU right? (dont scare me now)


----------



## BBEG

I'd put even money that a quality 700W PSU will run them just fine. Running TF 7990+7970 would _probably_ stretch that PSU too thin, CPU draw pending*. I highly doubt it'll run CF 7990s, since apparently they draw more than 690s and 4-way SLI 680s / SLI 690s would _probably_** hit 850-900W with any CPU capable of not throttling them.

*My 2600k at 4.7 GHz mostly-stable draws 120-130W tops according to Core Temp. When I put it under water I'll go for 5.0 and see what that draws.

**Rough math: 505W max - 130W CPU = 375W for SLI OC 680s; 375x2 = 750W for OC 4-way 680s or SLI 690s; 750+130 = 880W for OC 2600k + 2x690s or 4x 680s. Call it 900W to be safe.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> should i get a 7990 and sell my 7950...or wait for the 9xxx series..volcano islands
> i mean the 7990 better than that damn titan..but like..dammit idk if i should wait!? and make a choice
> 
> ps. idk if my rig build shows below as signiture or w/e someone leme know? (if it doesnt show how do i put it?)
> 
> I am planning on getting a 1440p too soo idk *shrug*


no it does not, goto your profile. scroll down to your sig... edit ... show stuff in your sig
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> now that the prices for the 7990 dropped, I'm actually tempted to get one over a couple of 7970s, price (including waterblocks) is virtually identical, two 7970s would be more practical, but the 7990 just seems to awesome of a card to not get my hands on...
> 
> maby I'll skip eyefinity for now and get a 7990, then get a 7970 later on after the 9xx0 release...


really up to you. swiftech does make a sexay block for them too, but their first batch was sent back due to quality issues !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> But a 7990 would work with a 700w Platinum PSU right? (dont scare me now)


yes. but i would not expect to do some massive ocs.
1 7990s have not been known to clock well due to only being able to use 2x8 pins
2 if they do you can trip ocp ( wont hurt, just makes you do darn )


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> For power draw, it can go up very quickly with increasing voltage & clocks. Locked reference 680s are generally less than 200 watts each, the 680 Lightnings with voltage control can go upwards of 400 watts each when pushed to the max for benches. Air cooled, not full out subzero cooled. Unlocked 7970s are similar for heavily increased power draw when bumping the voltage far enough.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> power consumption curve most of the time is equivalent to a y=x^2 graph, as your current will increase proportionally to your voltages.


double the voltage would double the current and in turn quadruple your total power,
so a card that pulls about 200W @1100mv core, a 20% voltage increase to 1320mv will bring your cards power up to a whopping 288W, approximately, vdroop, core frequency etc can change these numbers around.

basically put, stock clocks and volts will pull a fairly small amount of power, but going into serious overclocking, your going to need a crapload of power the further you go...


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

You guys discussing power consumption may be interested in a topic I made that didn't get any replies so dropped away from view fast. I tested my consumption with 1, 2 and 3 7970's.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1233168/real-world-power-consumption-measurements-from-triple-7970s/0_40#post_19272613


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> You guys discussing power consumption may be interested in a topic I made that didn't get any replies so dropped away from view fast. I tested my consumption with 1, 2 and 3 7970's.
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1233168/real-world-power-consumption-measurements-from-triple-7970s/0_40#post_19272613


Your testing certainly shows the power consumption increase as you add more cards, 544/882/1264 for each successive 7970.
You mentioned your XFX 1250w psu in that thread, I've been running mine for over a year now, and have been completely satisfied with it, but that's with two 7950's.
I knew it didn't have a single rail configuration before I bought it, as it was mentioned in Johnny Guru's review.
Nonetheless, I haven't had any shutdowns with my setup, but I can see why you would be looking at a different psu if you're going to be running three 7970's.


----------



## bond32

For the Sapphire 7950 with reference 7970 pcb : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXVFM3K/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Where would I find a pci bracket to convert to single slot? Or would I just need to go to the machine shop and cut the dual?


----------



## Stu-Crossfire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You mentioned your XFX 1250w psu in that thread, I've been running mine for over a year now, and have been completely satisfied with it, but that's with two 7950's.
> I knew it didn't have a single rail configuration before I bought it, as it was mentioned in Johnny Guru's review.
> Nonetheless, I haven't had any shutdowns with my setup, but I can see why you would be looking at a different psu if you're going to be running three 7970's.


You presumably configured it properly after reading a decent review. I just plugged them in anywhere after believing the damn hype on the XFX website. After I reconfigured it, it was fine, but I had already decided I wanted a bigger one with a tad more headroom and now I have a very powerful "Spare" which is no bad thing.


----------



## Bartouille

Hey guys should I push my 7950 over 1.3v? Mine has a ton of vdroop which kinda annoys me







It's like 1.225v when playing games!! Winter is coming too and I'm going to apply some CLU on the die and maybe get some new vrm cooling because my vrm are always 10c hotter than core.

Also my card seems to like high voltage... i can do 1.2ghz at 1.288v but with 1.3v I do 1215?? does that mean that with like 1.32v i will be able to do 1250??


----------



## Pr0pheT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Hey guys should I push my 7950 over 1.3v? Mine has a ton of vdroop which kinda annoys me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's like 1.225v when playing games!! Winter is coming too and I'm going to apply some CLU on the die and maybe get some new vrm cooling because my vrm are always 10c hotter than core.
> 
> Also my card seems to like high voltage... i can do 1.2ghz at 1.288v but with 1.3v I do 1215?? does that mean that with like 1.32v i will be able to do 1250??


Depends if you've already maxed out your core... and are you game stable or benchmark stable at those clocks. Run Heaven or the Metro Last Light benchmark and look for artifacts.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Hey guys should I push my 7950 over 1.3v? Mine has a ton of vdroop which kinda annoys me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's like 1.225v when playing games!! Winter is coming too and I'm going to apply some CLU on the die and maybe get some new vrm cooling because my vrm are always 10c hotter than core.
> 
> Also my card seems to like high voltage... i can do 1.2ghz at 1.288v but with 1.3v I do 1215?? does that mean that with like 1.32v i will be able to do 1250??


if it isn't watered . . . it is not advisable. really depends on the temps. vrms will always be warmer than the core no matter what cooling solution from my observation. if you can keep all temps below 80C - i'd say, your safe.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Hope to be joining this club soon. Should have my powercolor AX7990 Devil 13 in by Thursday.


----------



## Rangerjr1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Hope to be joining this club soon. Should have my powercolor AX7990 Devil 13 in by Thursday.


Your name is contradicting


----------



## nvidiaftw12




----------



## sugarhell

lol is so easy to calculate the watts that you need.Base power consumption + 20% power slide roughly 300 watt for a 7970 max consumption.

500 watt for a single 7970
800ish watt for dual
I like 1400-1600 for anything higher because you need a big loop and 5ghz cpu or you are insane


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stu-Crossfire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> You mentioned your XFX 1250w psu in that thread, I've been running mine for over a year now, and have been completely satisfied with it, but that's with two 7950's.
> I knew it didn't have a single rail configuration before I bought it, as it was mentioned in Johnny Guru's review.
> Nonetheless, I haven't had any shutdowns with my setup, but I can see why you would be looking at a different psu if you're going to be running three 7970's.
> 
> 
> 
> You presumably configured it properly after reading a decent review. I just plugged them in anywhere after believing the damn hype on the XFX website. After I reconfigured it, it was fine, but I had already decided I wanted a bigger one with a tad more headroom and now I have a very powerful "Spare" which is no bad thing.
Click to expand...

I did, but I really had no idea what the power draw was for the two 7950s. The readings you posted for the 7970s were an eye-opener for me.
You've got lots of headroom now, with the Enermax 1500w, and the XFX is certainly a decent spare!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> lol is so easy to calculate the watts that you need.Base power consumption + 20% power slide roughly 300 watt for a 7970 max consumption.
> 
> 500 watt for a single 7970
> 800ish watt for dual
> I like 1400-1600 for anything higher because you need a big loop and 5ghz cpu or you are *insane*


Hahaha!

Is it insane that a single Lepa 1600 is still not enough? LOL.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hahaha!
> 
> Is it insane that a single Lepa 1600 is still not enough? LOL.


Ssss thats a secret


----------



## theoneofgod

DX9 still stuttering like crazy here...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Does anybody have an Ares ii I want to see how it performs


----------



## welly321

Replaced my reference cooler with a gelid icy vision-a. WOW went from 75 temp at load to 55 at load. Also allowed me to up the voltage and hit 1200/1600. And finally i've hit 10k 3dmarks!!
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7009102?


----------



## eliongater

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> For the Sapphire 7950 with reference 7970 pcb : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXVFM3K/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> Where would I find a pci bracket to convert to single slot? Or would I just need to go to the machine shop and cut the dual?


I think ek do them


----------



## OmarCCX

I'm planning on waiting for the next-gen of Radeons, but the price drop on the 79xx is tempting me.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> Replaced my reference cooler with a gelid icy vision-a. WOW went from 75 temp at load to 55 at load. Also allowed me to up the voltage and hit 1200/1600. And finally i've hit 10k 3dmarks!!
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7009102?


How much did that cost? Got any pics?


----------



## welly321

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> How much did that cost? Got any pics?


I'll throw some pics up later. I paid $40 for it from newegg.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426031


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Your testing certainly shows the power consumption increase as you add more cards, 544/882/1264 for each successive 7970.
> You mentioned your XFX 1250w psu in that thread, I've been running mine for over a year now, and have been completely satisfied with it, but that's with two 7950's.
> I knew it didn't have a single rail configuration before I bought it, as it was mentioned in Johnny Guru's review.
> Nonetheless, I haven't had any shutdowns with my setup, but I can see why you would be looking at a different psu if you're going to be running three 7970's.


what do you mean. the guru review i saw said it did as does its seasonic counterpart???

side note he talks about easy rail being a over hyped load of bubcus... which it is but it is a true single rail

i dont know how i missed that >.> i now remember that but i totally forget about it.....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> For the Sapphire 7950 with reference 7970 pcb : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXVFM3K/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> Where would I find a pci bracket to convert to single slot? Or would I just need to go to the machine shop and cut the dual?


swiftech used to sell it but i cant seem to find it anymore. only can find the 6990 version. may want to ask game/ bramsli OR call them tomorrow to see if they can hook you up. price was reasonable too iirc
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> if it isn't watered . . . it is not advisable. really depends on the temps. vrms will always be warmer than the core no matter what cooling solution from my observation. if you can keep all temps below 80C - i'd say, your safe.


bearly true and even @ 1.4v my vrms are barely above my core... <3 komodos !~


----------



## magicase

Anyone here running 7990+7970 for Tri CF? Currently have a 7970 and buying a 7990 soon and wondering should I CF or tri CF for 1440p @ 120hz


----------



## chino1974

Guys I'm having a serious issue with my rig and I'm hoping someone here can help me figure this out. First off the spec for my build are

Asus RIVE with latest bios

i7 3930k at 4.5Ghz

16Gb Corsair Dominator Platinum 2133

2 x PowerColor PCS+ 7970 Vortex II ghz ed in crosffire

Enermax MaxRevo 1500 watt psu

2X 256Gb Samsung 840 Pro ssd's in raid 0 for boot

250Gb OCZ Vertex 3.2 ssd or games

2T.b. W.D. Caviar Green for data

It is all in a Corsair 900d case with a custom loop comprised of a Swiftech mcr480, Hardware Labs Black Ice GTX 360mm, Hardware Labs Black Ice GTX 280mm, 2x D5 pumps, FrozenQ 250 Helix res, Swiftech Apoggee HD cpu block, 2x XSPC Raystorm universal gpu blocks, Bitspower flow indicator, Monsoon 1/2x3/4 red compressions, Primochill LRT Advanced 1/2x3/4 bloodshed red tubing and bitspower angled fittings throughout.

Anyways now to my issue. When I run gpu-z my it showed that my gpus were not running at pci-e 3.0. So I did the registry hack to both gpus and now it shows both the cards at 3.0 when under load. But one card is showing a Bus width of 384Bit and Bandwidth of 273.6GB/s the other is only showing a Bus Width of 32 Bit and Bandwidth of 22.8GB/s. Would anyone have an idea what is wrong here and what I can do to fix this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here's a screenshot of gpu-z


----------



## sugarhell

Disable ulps. Easy fix you could find in 5 min if you search a bit


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Your testing certainly shows the power consumption increase as you add more cards, 544/882/1264 for each successive 7970.
> You mentioned your XFX 1250w psu in that thread, I've been running mine for over a year now, and have been completely satisfied with it, but that's with two 7950's.
> I knew it didn't have a single rail configuration before I bought it, as it was mentioned in Johnny Guru's review.
> Nonetheless, I haven't had any shutdowns with my setup, but I can see why you would be looking at a different psu if you're going to be running three 7970's.
> 
> 
> 
> what do you mean. the guru review i saw said it did as does its seasonic counterpart???
> 
> side note he talks about easy rail being a over hyped load of bubcus... which it is but it is a true single rail
> 
> i dont know how i missed that >.> i now remember that but i totally forget about it.....
Click to expand...

Lol!
I hadn't read that review in a while either, so I looked it up, here's a link to page 2:
www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story3&reid=273
Quote:
*"So what's the deal? Well, it turns out that EasyRail isn't EasyRail after all. This power supply actually has four +12V rails. The way I hooked up the cables to the power supply, and the way the +12V is distributed was causing the OCP to trip. I was plugging the 4+4-pin into my load tester and the 4+4-pin shares a +12V rail with the 24-pin connector; so putting a load on both of these connectors was putting the total load on one +12V rail."*

Nonetheless, it is a Seasonic-manufactured psu, and certainly has more than enough capacity for two 7950s.
Just be sure to connect the gpu cables accordingly!


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Disable ulps. Easy fix you could find in 5 min if you search a bit


ULPS is disabled and it's still doing this. So it's not that. I also forgot to mention the card with the low bus width and band width issue is the first card. The main gpu.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> what do you mean. the guru review i saw said it did as does its seasonic counterpart???
> 
> side note he talks about easy rail being a over hyped load of bubcus... which it is but it is a true single rail
> 
> i dont know how i missed that >.> i now remember that but i totally forget about it.....
> swiftech used to sell it but i cant seem to find it anymore. only can find the 6990 version. may want to ask game/ bramsli OR call them tomorrow to see if they can hook you up. price was reasonable too iirc
> bearly true and even @ 1.4v my vrms are barely above my core... <3 komodos !~


1.4v? Isnt 1.3v the absolute max?

What does 1.4v droop down to under load?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> 1.4v? Isnt 1.3v the absolute max?
> 
> What does 1.4v droop down to under load?


You can go up to 1.38V in Trixx, which drops to about 1.3V flat with vDroop.


----------



## bond32

Just got the 2 7950's installed. Why would the second card be idling at 99% gpu load?
Edit: Think that was the ULPS mode, disabled that.


----------



## bond32

Delete.


----------



## MooMoo

Did anybody else get problems with newest 13.8 drivers? Im using 2 monitors and my main monitor (which is on dvi port), got random 'crashing', screen shows horrible bit mess, Computer works fine but cant really do anything and have to restart computer. I reverted back to 13.6 beta2 and it seems gone away.


----------



## welly321

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Did anybody else get problems with newest 13.8 drivers? Im using 2 monitors and my main monitor (which is on dvi port), got random 'crashing', screen shows horrible bit mess, Computer works fine but cant really do anything and have to restart computer. I reverted back to 13.6 beta2 and it seems gone away.


Yep exact same setup as you and I had that issue. I have an achieva shimian 1440p as my main monitor and i freaked out for a second and thought it died. Turns out 13.8 doesnt play well with two monitors, especially if your running them at different resolutions.


----------



## King Lycan

How are those 7990's performing underwater ?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> 1.4v? Isnt 1.3v the absolute max?
> 
> What does 1.4v droop down to under load?


i mod my bios for benches !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> You can go up to 1.38V in Trixx, which drops to about 1.3V flat with vDroop.


or you can use this.

i never really paid attention to vdrop i was just messing around. i will say it didnt help a whole lot.... but still fun to play with ... core +vrms barely hit 40c iirc ( have not had a lot of time to play since summer ... it is the busy season ... )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> Yep exact same setup as you and I had that issue. I have an achieva shimian 1440p as my main monitor and i freaked out for a second and thought it died. Turns out 13.8 doesnt play well with two monitors, especially if your running them at different resolutions.


mine works fine !~ atm running 2 cards till my blocks come in ( should be here tomorrow







)


----------



## Derpinheimer

I dont mean a software limit, I meant I thought over 1.3v was "deadly"?


----------



## Snuckie7

Nah, he's running his cards under water so 1.4V for a few bench runs won't be that bad.


----------



## Mega Man

for long periods yes, even 1.3 is


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Did anybody else get problems with newest 13.8 drivers? Im using 2 monitors and my main monitor (which is on dvi port), got random 'crashing', screen shows horrible bit mess, Computer works fine but cant really do anything and have to restart computer. I reverted back to 13.6 beta2 and it seems gone away.


Doesn't do well for multi-monitors and does not have Eyefinity support. The 13.8 phase 2 drivers are supposed to tackle Eyefinity + multi-monitors, hoping they release soon.


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Did anybody else get problems with newest 13.8 drivers? Im using 2 monitors and my main monitor (which is on dvi port), got random 'crashing', screen shows horrible bit mess, Computer works fine but cant really do anything and have to restart computer. I reverted back to 13.6 beta2 and it seems gone away.
> 
> 
> 
> Doesn't do well for multi-monitors and does not have Eyefinity support. The 13.8 phase 2 drivers are supposed to tackle Eyefinity + multi-monitors, hoping they release soon.
Click to expand...

I'm also having issues with my 3 monitor eyefinity setup crashing. I have 2 7970s at the moment running 3 23" 1080 monitors. And every once in a while one of the monitors will drop out. It always one of the ones attached to the display port plugs. I have to either restart my rig or unplug and reconnect one of the display port plugs for it to get signal again. I really hope they release a update to 13.8 asap!!!!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> I'm also having issues with my 3 monitor eyefinity setup crashing. I have 2 7970s at the moment running 3 23" 1080 monitors. And every once in a while one of the monitors will drop out. It always one of the ones attached to the display port plugs. I have to either restart my rig or unplug and reconnect one of the display port plugs for it to get signal again. I really hope they release a update to 13.8 asap!!!!


you sure that's not the monitors doing that? I know for a fact that displayport can be pretty horrible with cheap cables/adapters/monitors, or maby something was changed with the display controller in 13.8...?

anyway, can you confirm that the displays don't drop out on previous drivers? and that the problem only ever occurs on 13.8?


----------



## gatornation240

I must have been doing something wrong, is this a decent score?
I'm getting over 100% on my gpu usage, is this normal?



I was gonna grab another IceQ but it looks like I got one of the last ones, newegg has taken it down "discontinued"


----------



## bond32

I'm getting really bad artifacting on 2 7950's, stock clocks. Any idea what the issue could be? They are brand new Sapphire's with the reference cooler. They are plenty cool.


----------



## chino1974

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> I'm also having issues with my 3 monitor eyefinity setup crashing. I have 2 7970s at the moment running 3 23" 1080 monitors. And every once in a while one of the monitors will drop out. It always one of the ones attached to the display port plugs. I have to either restart my rig or unplug and reconnect one of the display port plugs for it to get signal again. I really hope they release a update to 13.8 asap!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> you sure that's not the monitors doing that? I know for a fact that displayport can be pretty horrible with cheap cables/adapters/monitors, or maby something was changed with the display controller in 13.8...?
> 
> anyway, can you confirm that the displays don't drop out on previous drivers? and that the problem only ever occurs on 13.8?
Click to expand...

I know for a fact its not the monitors, cables or adapters as their all new and not cheap. And it never did this until I updated to 13.8. I actually rolled it back to 13.6 and it stopped doing it. So at least in my case there is something definitely wrong with 13.8.


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> I'm getting really bad artifacting on 2 7950's, stock clocks. Any idea what the issue could be? They are brand new Sapphire's with the reference cooler. They are plenty cool.


could be drivers...

Had issue recently with 13.8. My 2nd card was not detected. causing crossfire disabled. or crossfirex wasnt even there









I restarted my computer, went it to bios system browser and 2nd card was detected. Restarted again and there it was again







I thought my 2nd card died


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chino1974*
> 
> I know for a fact its not the monitors, cables or adapters as their all new and not cheap. And it never did this until I updated to 13.8. I actually rolled it back to 13.6 and it stopped doing it. So at least in my case there is something definitely wrong with 13.8.


Things like that need to be reported to AMD. Like I'm still getting corrupted cursor in 13.8


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> I'm getting really bad artifacting on 2 7950's, stock clocks. Any idea what the issue could be? They are brand new Sapphire's with the reference cooler. They are plenty cool.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nightfox*
> 
> could be drivers...
> 
> Had issue recently with 13.8. My 2nd card was not detected. causing crossfire disabled. or crossfirex wasnt even there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I restarted my computer, went it to bios system browser and 2nd card was detected. Restarted again and there it was again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I thought my 2nd card died


Drivers most likely. Re-installing them should do the trick.


----------



## staccker

I will be perusing this thread more frequently now that I have a HIS 7950 ICEQ^2 Boost coming in next week!









I am excited to set it up coming from a 9800 GTX should be a substantial change. Could not pass up the price drop recently.

Any pointers on overclocking the HIS 7950 ICEQ^2 from anyone who has one?


----------



## gatornation240

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *staccker*
> 
> I will be perusing this thread more frequently now that I have a HIS 7950 ICEQ^2 Boost coming in next week!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am excited to set it up coming from a 9800 GTX should be a substantial change. Could not pass up the price drop recently.
> 
> Any pointers on overclocking the HIS 7950 ICEQ^2 from anyone who has one?


Use the HIS iTurbo app to OC; Trixx, gputweak, afterburner all work but I feel iTurbo works well with these cards







I've bout maxed this card out on air, may move to water sooner rather than later

*Has anyone done the REDMOD to an HIS 7950?* I don't want to take this cooler off and have the holes (pcb) not match up with the h60 bracket (like my 7770s)


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Drivers most likely. Re-installing them should do the trick.


Actually just tested each card individual, found one of the two was causing the artifacting. Getting a replacement asap.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Actually just tested each card individual, found one of the two was causing the artifacting. Getting a replacement asap.


good job finding out, bond. must have been frustrating. wish you well on the rma.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> good job finding out, bond. must have been frustrating. wish you well on the rma.


Its amazon, so easy. I should have known better I was ready to ship both back... Should have tested each


----------



## Nelson2011

Anyone have the core edition xfx card, do they clock good? Looking to pick one up for crossfire... battlefield 4 is getting closer ha..


----------



## nvidiaftw12




----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*


The irony!









Nice grab man...congrats. How does it clock?


----------



## Rickles

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gatornation240*
> 
> Use the HIS iTurbo app to OC; Trixx, gputweak, afterburner all work but I feel iTurbo works well with these cards
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've bout maxed this card out on air, may move to water sooner rather than later
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Has anyone done the REDMOD to an HIS 7950?* I don't want to take this cooler off and have the holes (pcb) not match up with the h60 bracket (like my 7770s)




Just use zip ties. That's my 7970, so the pcb is a little different. And I zip tied a 92mm fan to the h60 and the end of the card. I took the impellers out of my h60s and am using them as crappy waterblocks until I get motivated enough to put my loop together.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*


Now that's one, er, two fine gpus you got there!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> 
> 
> Just use zip ties. That's my 7970, so the pcb is a little different. And I zip tied a 92mm fan to the h60 and the end of the card. I took the impellers out of my h60s and am using them as crappy waterblocks until I get motivated enough to put my loop together.


Why are you torturing the poor thing?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*


Very nice specially from a guy named nvidia ftw lol serously though that's an awesome GPU there


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> The irony!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice grab man...congrats. How does it clock?


Haven't tested it. Killed my last gpu, kinda scared to mess with this one. Don't need it anyhow. 

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Now that's one, er, two fine gpus you got there!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Why are you torturing the poor thing?
> Very nice specially from a guy named nvidia ftw lol serously though that's an awesome GPU there


Thanks guys. 

And for anyone wondering, voltage is unlocked, or at least not grayed out at any rate.


----------



## tsm106

Whats your asic on the cores, are they matching?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Very close, 73.1 and 71.4.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Very close, 73.1 and 71.4.


Thats why I like the devil, none of this powersaving mambi pambi crap so you get real asic % numbers. What you have there has waterblock written all over it. The Malta's have super high asics which makes them overvolt like crap in contrast.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Thats why I like the devil, none of this powersaving mambi pambi crap so you get real asic % numbers. What you have there has waterblock written all over it. The Malta's have super high asics which makes them overvolt like crap in contrast.


I'm already broke, no waterblocks for a while. 

Also, since you seem to know what you're talking about does this heaven score look about right?



I hadn't been following up on the 7xxx series much, as I though I'd never have one, but then this sale came along.

E: Derp wrong code.


----------



## Durvelle27

Just picked up a HD 7970 and Full Cover EK block. Should have it by Saturday


----------



## beezy98

Should I buy this HIS 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock 3GB that's on sale right now? Or do you guys think I should wait a few months for the new AMD cards to come out and wait for a better price then? I'm looking to upgrade and from what I've been reading this is one of the best 7950's out there. Only wished they used better quality memory chips and had a black PCB instead. Oh well, memory clocking doesn't really matter to me since I just game.

$249 /w shipping + 3 free games
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161429


----------



## Scorpion49

Weee its here







This has to be one of the best looking cards I've seen or handled in quite a while.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Weee its here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This has to be one of the best looking cards I've seen or handled in quite a while.


Dafaq 2 7990 in one day that's too much and here I'm pittying on my GTX 760 awesome card you have simply awesome


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Dafaq 2 7990 in one day that's too much and here I'm pittying on my GTX 760 awesome card you have simply awesome


760 is still a good card, it gets the job done right? Don't feel too bad, if you can save up for a while you can get something better


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Weee its here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This has to be one of the best looking cards I've seen or handled in quite a while.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> 760 is still a good card, it gets the job done right? Don't feel too bad, if you can save up for a while you can get something better


I'm not sad lol and yes it plays BF3 nicely and that's all i want i was just wowed by its awesomeness
side note:nice avatar


----------



## ivanlabrie

Agreed xD


----------



## Scorpion49

Welp, I was going to try and run some benches on this thing but I just discovered my motherboard seems to have given up on overclocking and moved down to florida to retire. Its saving my settings just fine but nothing is being applied, which is weird as it was working fine last week.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Welp, I was going to try and run some benches on this thing but I just discovered my motherboard seems to have given up on overclocking and moved down to florida to retire. Its saving my settings just fine but nothing is being applied, which is weird as it was working fine last week.


 do you even to OC that beast?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Thats why I like the devil, none of this powersaving mambi pambi crap so you get real asic % numbers. What you have there has waterblock written all over it. The Malta's have super high asics which makes them overvolt like crap in contrast.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm already broke, no waterblocks for a while.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, since you seem to know what you're talking about does this heaven score look about right?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I hadn't been following up on the 7xxx series much, as I though I'd never have one, but then this sale came along.
> 
> E: Derp wrong code.
Click to expand...

I haven't run heaven in a while but that looks pretty low to me. Check out this thread for how to setup overclocking and stuff on these cards if you're unfamiliar.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I haven't run heaven in a while but that looks pretty low to me. Check out this thread for how to setup overclocking and stuff on these cards if you're unfamiliar.


Alright, I will thanks. As for the heaven score, something driver related might have been the cause, as with my old gpu, the display drivers crashed the second time I opened up bf3 since startup. When I tried it with the new gpu it did the same thing so I went ahead and wiped the OS like I had planned to (needed it anyways) and I'll see how it is when I get everything back up and running.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Weee its here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This has to be one of the best looking cards I've seen or handled in quite a while.


agreed, that card is just absolutely beautiful, perfectly rounded design and only takes 2 slots of space...


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> agreed, that card is just absolutely beautiful, perfectly rounded design and only takes 2 slots of space...


Well, turns out I'm not going to keep it. It has HORRIBLE coil whine, it sounds like an army of cicadas have taken up residence in my PC. Whats worse is it does it in any 3D task, not just benchmarks. Very disappointing.


----------



## Thoth420

Some snazzy cards scorp and nvidiaftw









Are you going to RMA scorp? or try a different brand? Hope the next one doesn't. My 7970 whines a bit just like the 770 did under the same situations but the 7970 isn't as loud. At this point swapping hardware around I think it is just part of life or I have dirty power coming out of my wall. If that is the case...I will have to live with it.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Well, turns out I'm not going to keep it. It has HORRIBLE coil whine, it sounds like an army of cicadas have taken up residence in my PC. Whats worse is it does it in any 3D task, not just benchmarks. Very disappointing.


Mine has some coil whine as well, but only at idle or every light usage (like FF), but none in games, so I guess I'll keep it. It's not that loud anyway.

Shame though.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Just a question what is coil whining and how do I recognize it?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Super high pitched sounds.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Super high pitched sounds.


Hmm what does it mean then?
Are the fans broke or something?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Some snazzy cards scorp and nvidiaftw
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Are you going to RMA scorp? or try a different brand? Hope the next one doesn't. My 7970 whines a bit just like the 770 did under the same situations but the 7970 isn't as loud. At this point swapping hardware around I think it is just part of life or I have dirty power coming out of my wall. If that is the case...I will have to live with it.


I've had lots of cards that whine, this one is more of a buzz than a whine and extremely loud. Even HD videos on youtube cause it to act up. Not sure if I want to return for another or RMA, depends which is faster I guess.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Hmm what does it mean then?
> Are the fans broke or something?


IIRC, it happens when voltage regulation coils or something are vibrating at very high frequencies. It can be fixed with got glue if my memory serves me.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> IIRC, it happens when voltage regulation coils or something are vibrating at very high frequencies. It can be fixed with got glue if my memory serves me.


Aww that's even worse with the fans you could simply replace it but with VRM it's bad good look scorp I hope you get a new better one


----------



## Scorpion49

Seems as if I didn't get any games bundle either. I noticed it looks like the box had been opened, I think TigerDirect might have snagged those for themselves.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Seems as if I didn't get any games bundle either. I noticed it looks like the box had been opened, I think TigerDirect might have snagged those for themselves.


It should've comes with 8 games right?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Yeah.


----------



## Scorpion49

Didn't come with anything at all. I was looking for a slip of paper with codes on it or something, nada.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yeah, it should...

I'm looking more and more at the devil 13 cards. Can't afford them atm though, but would do me and my mining operation good


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yeah, it should...
> 
> I'm looking more and more at the devil 13 cards. Can't afford them atm though, but would do me and my mining operation good


The only ones better than them are the ARES II


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*





woot !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Just picked up a HD 7970 and Full Cover EK block. Should have it by Saturday


CONGRATS !~


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Weee its here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This has to be one of the best looking cards I've seen or handled in quite a while.





nice. but i have to disagree. i just think the blower is the best looking one... always have ever since my xt850pe
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Welp, I was going to try and run some benches on this thing but I just discovered my motherboard seems to have given up on overclocking and moved down to florida to retire. Its saving my settings just fine but nothing is being applied, which is weird as it was working fine last week.


have you tried reflashing ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Well, turns out I'm not going to keep it. It has HORRIBLE coil whine, it sounds like an army of cicadas have taken up residence in my PC. Whats worse is it does it in any 3D task, not just benchmarks. Very disappointing.


sorry to hear that sure it is not your psu ( some psus cause coil whine )

figured i would keep you guys in the loop too !~

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: UPDATEZ GUYZ !~~~~
> 
> 
> 
> hmmmmmm whats this
> 
> Could it be????
> 
> Hint.... there are 2
> 
> God i love the shine
> 
> just look at this sexayness.......
> 
> you know their will be another round of megas computer porn !~
> here is a sampler from Vol1


guess what i am doing tonight !~


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sorry to hear that sure it is not your psu ( some psus cause coil whine )


Considering my PSU has been attached to at least 10 different cards in the last few weeks alone, I don't think so.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> woot !~
> CONGRATS !~
> nice. but i have to disagree. i just think the blower is the best looking one... always have ever since my xt850pe
> have you tried reflashing ?
> sorry to hear that sure it is not your psu ( some psus cause coil whine )
> 
> figured i would keep you guys in the loop too !~
> guess what i am doing tonight !~


Lol can't stop laughing


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> woot !~
> CONGRATS !~
> nice. but i have to disagree. i just think the blower is the best looking one... always have ever since my xt850pe
> have you tried reflashing ?
> sorry to hear that sure it is not your psu ( some psus cause coil whine )
> 
> figured i would keep you guys in the loop too !~
> guess what i am doing tonight !~


I do agree that the reference blowers have a nice look to them, simple & elegant. But so loud, & still hot... Pretty is nice but I have to go for performance over fashion.

Some fun tonight! Nice looking block, fashion & performance all in one


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I do agree that the reference blowers have a nice look to them, simple & elegant. But so loud, & still hot... Pretty is nice but I have to go for performance over fashion.
> 
> Some fun tonight! Nice looking block, fashion & performance all in one


Nothing can match the black and gold sexyiness of my Gigabyte GTX 760


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> woot !~
> CONGRATS !~
> nice. but i have to disagree. i just think the blower is the best looking one... always have ever since my xt850pe
> have you tried reflashing ?
> sorry to hear that sure it is not your psu ( some psus cause coil whine )
> 
> figured i would keep you guys in the loop too !~
> guess what i am doing tonight !~


Thx


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Considering my PSU has been attached to at least 10 different cards in the last few weeks alone, I don't think so.


still could be it. not saying your psu is bad. but is has been known that a good card w certain ( not brand specific just random psu and or cards ) = coil whine
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I do agree that the reference blowers have a nice look to them, simple & elegant. But so loud, & still hot... Pretty is nice but I have to go for performance over fashion.
> 
> Some fun tonight! Nice looking block, fashion & performance all in one


hehe still waiting for my new riser to get here.
i think ref cooler is the best temp wise... but it is loud
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Nothing can match the black and gold sexyiness of my Gigabyte GTX 760


erp..... nope sorry wrong !~
here is my proof


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> still could be it. not saying your psu is bad. but is has been known that a good card w certain ( not brand specific just random psu and or cards ) = coil whine


I just tested it with both of my spare units, a TX550M and an NZXT Hale82 750W and it still whined. The card is known to whine. Reviews showed that 9 times out of 10 it whines. I gambled and lost, thats all.









I really want to go back to AMD but this is making it hard. I guess I'll mosey on over to Fry's and see what they have in stock, I ain't gonna be without a GPU for another 2 weeks. Those swiftech blocks are pretty pimp btw.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> still could be it. not saying your psu is bad. but is has been known that a good card w certain ( not brand specific just random psu and or cards ) = coil whine
> hehe still waiting for my new riser to get here.
> i think ref cooler is the best temp wise... but it is loud
> erp..... nope sorry wrong !~
> here is my proof


OK you win but I'm still second


----------



## Mega Man

thanks !~ cant wait to get these last 2 cards in my rig .... looking forward to it. but i need my pcie riser still !~! should be here tomorrow or monday


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> thanks !~ cant wait to get these last 2 cards in my rig .... looking forward to it. but i need my pcie riser still !~! should be here tomorrow or monday


You should leave em there and admire them


----------



## Mega Man

those are the cards that are in my rig. i have 2 more that i just bought blocks for


----------



## Scorpion49

So I've just gone to the store and grabbed two MSI TFIII 7950's to hold me over. Since I plan to ship the 7990 back on saturday I might toss it back in and try some trifire benches


----------



## Mega Man

dont you mean quad fire ?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> dont you mean quad fire ?


No, I have an mATX board so I can only fit 2 cards. I would have to use 1 7950 and the 7990.


----------



## Mega Man

that sucks :/


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> that sucks :/


Hmmm, you may be on to something with this PSU business. Both of these cards whine as well, not as bad as the 7990 but still annoying. I've had dozens of 7970's and 7950's that did not. I'll have to check and see if the Seasonic KM3 platform is known for this, about to re-test with my Corsair on these ones.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Well, turns out I'm not going to keep it. It has HORRIBLE coil whine, it sounds like an army of cicadas have taken up residence in my PC. Whats worse is it does it in any 3D task, not just benchmarks. Very disappointing.


wa...wa...WHAA...?

that's funny, don't remember hearing the 7990 having that problem... maby you got a dud somehow...?

and "coil whine" is a high pitched sound, sometimes as high as 22KHz, that comes off the choke coils, this generally means your coils are somewhat defective and usually is relateable to poor overclocking, if you have one you should technically get it RMAed as it its technically a defective piece of hardware that likely will live a short-ish life otherwise.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Hmmm, you may be on to something with this PSU business. Both of these cards whine as well, not as bad as the 7990 but still annoying. I've had dozens of 7970's and 7950's that did not. I'll have to check and see if the Seasonic KM3 platform is known for this, about to re-test with my Corsair on these ones.


so, hold on, have you made sure its coming off the cards and not off your mobo or PSU...?
the fact that you mention many cards whining makes me very very skeptical...


----------



## Scorpion49

So I've discovered a few things.

1) The green light on the 7990 does not come on with the V1000 but it does come on with my TX550M. Doesn't seem to affect anything.

2) Tri-fire with the 7990 and a 7950 at 1000/1500 is the fastest GPU setup I've ever owned, coil whine notwithstanding.

Scientific "research": http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7018992

I'm down to run any other benches requested, I have pretty much everything out there. Going to let the 7990 sit on the warframe menu page all night as it whines really nicely, we'll see if it improves after 24 hours or so.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> wa...wa...WHAA...?
> 
> that's funny, don't remember hearing the 7990 having that problem... maby you got a dud somehow...?
> 
> and "coil whine" is a high pitched sound, sometimes as high as 22KHz, that comes off the choke coils, this generally means your coils are somewhat defective and usually is relateable to poor overclocking, if you have one you should technically get it RMAed as it its technically a defective piece of hardware that likely will live a short-ish life otherwise.


Literally EVERY review of the 7990 I can find mentions it. Excerpt from the first one on google (TPU):
Quote:


> A really big, glaring issue is the AMD HD 7990's loud coil whine. It is very noisy, audible throughout the whole room, especially at high framerates. What makes it even worse is that the pitch and volume keep changing all the time, so you will find it distracting, noticing it more than its fan noise. I asked five other colleagues and they all confirmed the card's coil whine issue, so it's not just my sample.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Well, I'm guess I'm lucky that mine is a quiet, sound and only at idle.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Well, I'm guess I'm lucky that mine is a quiet, sound and only at idle.


The whiny 7990 are the Malta cards, not the custom PCB Powercolor etc.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So I've discovered a few things.
> 
> 1) The green light on the 7990 does not come on with the V1000 but it does come on with my TX550M. Doesn't seem to affect anything.
> 
> 2) Tri-fire with the 7990 and a 7950 at 1000/1500 is the fastest GPU setup I've ever owned, coil whine notwithstanding.
> 
> Scientific "research": http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7018992
> 
> I'm down to run any other benches requested, I have pretty much everything out there. Going to let the 7990 sit on the warframe menu page all night as it whines really nicely, we'll see if it improves after 24 hours or so.
> Literally EVERY review of the 7990 I can find mentions it. Excerpt from the first one on google (TPU):


So you only hear it during benchmarks or extremely high framerate situations?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> So you only hear it during benchmarks or extremely high framerate situations?


Interestingly, the 7950's buzz on the desktop, especially with mouse movement. The 7990 is only at 3D clocks, it doesn't change too much with frame rate. Heres a little taste of what my webcam could record.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Interestingly, the 7950's buzz on the desktop, especially with mouse movement. The 7990 is only at 3D clocks, it doesn't change too much with frame rate. Heres a little taste of what my webcam could record.


Sounds terrible. What were you running when you recorded that?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Sounds terrible what were you running when you recorded that?


An 800x600 window of warframe login menu. Running 3Dmark11 or Heaven it gets so loud I can hear it across the house. However, I have hope! I left it on for about 20 minutes and took my headphones off and it was quiet. Restarted the game and it started back up again but maybe it will "break in" after a few days and stop.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> An 800x600 window of warframe login menu. Running 3Dmark11 or Heaven it gets so loud I can hear it across the house. However, I have hope! I left it on for about 20 minutes and took my headphones off and it was quiet. Restarted the game and it started back up again but maybe it will "break in" after a few days and stop.


Sounds similar to what I experience at high framerate on the 7970 and experienced on 770. Mine is more of a buzz. I never however had either just quit making sound in a situation that they would. So that is odd. I have heard people say theirs did go away using that method however. I don't get any sound gaming so I just opted to not care as long as the card works fine. Having had the past two cards do it on two different PSU's so at this point I just gave up. If it is making noise while gaming or something then I would consider an RMA but that is a double card and I have no experience with them. So maybe it will be noisy in situations my single cards wouldn't. It is much more powerful so more FPS and mine seem to sing more the higher the framerate and when the GPU isn't actually working hard. Like a menu for instance.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Sounds similar to what I experience at high framerate on the 7970 and experienced on 770. Mine is more of a buzz.


Well I think I found what the whine is causing, check out GPU2. The noise is coming from directly behind the #2 die.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Well I think I found what the whine is causing, check out GPU2. The noise is coming from directly behind the #2 die.


What would that be indicative of? How this stuff actually works is a bit beyond me.
So are there like two GPU chips in there? And just one of them is making noise?
I am definitely interested in what is causing this....I just stopped worrying about mine at least.


----------



## bond32

Are you talking about coil whine? Coil whine can't really be helped I think. It's a combination of the card and gpu. I know my previous 660 ti's were the worst... Now these 7950's are much better (all same psu).


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> What would that be indicative of? How this stuff actually works is a bit beyond me.
> So are there like two GPU chips in there? And just one of them is making noise?
> I am definitely interested in what is causing this....I just stopped worrying about mine at least.


Hrm, I'm thinking the card is faulty further than the whine. I switched to BIOS 1 just to see what would happen, and the green light came on when I booted, however GPU 1 dropped out completely and crossfire is not working either, the 7590 and GPU1 are idle while only GPU 2 is working.

As far as how it works, here is a little cut and paste so I don't have to type it:
Quote:


> Coil whine is mechanical resonance of the coil with the frequency of the signal passing through it. Physically, a coil is just loops of wire, sometimes with a core other than air. If the frequency of the signal is in resonance with the physical wires of the coil, the coil may vibrate. Oft times, the vibration is beyond human hearing (yokes in TV's can do this), other times it's in the range of human hearing.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Hrm, I'm thinking the card is faulty further than the whine. I switched to BIOS 1 just to see what would happen, and the green light came on when I booted, however GPU 1 dropped out completely and crossfire is not working either, the 7590 and GPU1 are idle while only GPU 2 is working.
> 
> As far as how it works, here is a little cut and paste so I don't have to type it:


Hrm that sucks man.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So I've discovered a few things.
> 
> 1) The green light on the 7990 does not come on with the V1000 but it does come on with my TX550M. Doesn't seem to affect anything.


think that means you have a bad ground line... or you have a bad power connector in general...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Interestingly, the 7950's buzz on the desktop, especially with mouse movement. The 7990 is only at 3D clocks, it doesn't change too much with frame rate. Heres a little taste of what my webcam could record.


now that strangely doesn't sound like the proper "whine" that coils can make... think you can get us a good uncompressed audio recording...?


----------



## l3jmr

I am looking for a quality, 7950 card for scrypt mining purposes. I have bought gigabyte 7950 8+6pin one last week and i am very dissapointed. I have managed to get a costum bios with 1.069v (instead of 1,25V) and it runs about 10 degrees cooler, but the performance is still crappy. I get 540khash. Anything over 13 intensity results in HW errors.

So my question is wich would be best, am currently looking at sapphire 7950 boost and power color pcs+ ?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l3jmr*
> 
> I am looking for a quality, 7950 card for scrypt mining purposes. I have bought gigabyte 7950 8+6pin one last week and i am very dissapointed. I have managed to get a costum bios with 1.069v (instead of 1,25V) and it runs about 10 degrees cooler, but the performance is still crappy. I get 540khash. Anything over 13 intensity results in HW errors.
> 
> So my question is wich would be best, am currently looking at sapphire 7950 boost and power color pcs+ ?


just get a reference 7970...


----------



## istudy92

Reading all this stuff on noise makes me appriciate my sapphire 7950. Iv never had noise problem, matter fact my case fan from corsair makes more noise than anything else. hrough your pain i become happyer in what I have lol.


----------



## l3jmr

excuse me for asking, but what is a reference card ?


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l3jmr*
> 
> excuse me for asking, but what is a reference card ?


Made by AMD, no 3rd party brand like Powercolor and Sapphire. However I believe it's hard to get one of these in some places. So a reference design would do. Reference design are just like reference cards but i mayt, at times, have labels of the 3rd party manufacturer.


----------



## Paul17041993

HIS are a good source, you can grab them on ebay and the sorts, they even come with enough adapters for 3 DVI monitors...
http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml
should be able to get one around 400bucks or cheaper, not too sure about prices in the US though atm, but you will then have a card that can overclock really well out of the box and with little to no effort, and it should stay pretty cool too albeit somewhat loud...

as for the topic of coil whine, funnily enough my crummy card doesn't have that problem, lol, though fans are still fairly noticeable under load...


----------



## l3jmr

Thanks for advice. Im from europe and i prefer not to buy used stuff. I buy my compontents from here:
http://www.cyberport.de/

The 7950 sapphire costs me 200eur (260$) but i have no idea weather it's reference or not:
http://www.cyberport.de/sapphire-radeon-hd-7950-boost-3gb-pcie-dvi-hdmi-2xminidp---retail-2E01-7AE_789.html

7970 sapphire is 276eur (367$):
http://www.cyberport.de/sapphire-radeon-hd-7970-3gb-ddr5-pcie-dvi-hdmi-2xminidp---full-retail-2E01-79R_789.html

7970 sapphire vapor-x 287eur (381$):
http://www.cyberport.de/sapphire-radeon-hd-7970-3gb-ddr5-pcie-dvi-hdmi-2xminidp---full-retail-2E01-79H_789.html

7970 HiS iceq x2 294eur (390$)
http://www.cyberport.de/his-radeon-hd-7970-iceq-x-ghz-edition-3gb-gddr5-pcie-dvi-hdmi-2xminidp---retail-2E28-18S_789.html

I would prever to get 7950, because it's almost as fast 7970 for 75eur cheaper and consumes less power wich makes electricity bill alittle lowe (if it works properly not like the ****ty gigabyte i have now). But now im really scared what to get because i dont want another gigabyte scenario.

The heat or noise doesnt bother me at all, since i have miners in the basement.

So it has to look like http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml to be reference?


----------



## Paul17041993

7970 vs an overclocked 7950, the 7970 would actually be more efficient, and really there's no real difference in power consumption (at the same perf level), just that the 7950 is a much lower grade chip with some parts disabled and somewhat limited overclocking potential.

and you can get new hardware untouched from ebay like it were from a proper store, you just have to look for the right ones, be sure to check seller ratings etc, you could check newegg if they have any reference cards available, though me in AU I only really have ebay as an option currently (no one wants to stock reference cards for some reason...).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l3jmr*
> 
> So it has to look like http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-678.shtml to be reference?


and yeap, that's a pure reference card, even comes with all the stock clocks leaving you an open door to overclocking, the other 4 you mentioned are modified cards that don't do so well, I think even if you didn't overclock they may have issues mining for long periods of time... (coolers are not quite as good as the reference cooler)


----------



## Tobiman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> (coolers are not quite as good as the reference cooler)


Sorry but my Vapor-X beats any VGA air cooler that is currently on the market. Including reference


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> think that means you have a bad ground line... or you have a bad power connector in general...
> 
> now that strangely doesn't sound like the proper "whine" that coils can make... think you can get us a good uncompressed audio recording...?


The light comes on with BIOS2 but not BIOS1, the card is bad. GPU1 died already.

It is proper coil whine, it is just very low frequency. If I let it crank up to 500fps it becomes high-pitched like you're thinking of.


----------



## l3jmr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 7970 vs an overclocked 7950, the 7970 would actually be more efficient, and really there's no real difference in power consumption (at the same perf level), just that the 7950 is a much lower grade chip with some parts disabled and somewhat limited overclocking potential.
> 
> and you can get new hardware untouched from ebay like it were from a proper store, you just have to look for the right ones, be sure to check seller ratings etc, you could check newegg if they have any reference cards available, though me in AU I only really have ebay as an option currently (no one wants to stock reference cards for some reason...).
> and yeap, that's a pure reference card, even comes with all the stock clocks leaving you an open door to overclocking, the other 4 you mentioned are modified cards that don't do so well, I think even if you didn't overclock they may have issues mining for long periods of time... (coolers are not quite as good as the reference cooler)


Thank you very much for your help. I have managed to find some new reference cards on ebay. It's a power color branded but it looks same as the HiS from the link you gave me.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l3jmr*
> 
> excuse me for asking, but what is a reference card ?


A reference graphics card is a card that follows the design specifications from AMD. You cannot buy a graphics card made by AMD. AMD may have engineering samples at tech conventions but they do not sell graphics cards. The GPU cores are made by AMD and are sold to board partners such as Asus, XFX, Powercolor, MSI Etc. who make the PCB, put the various components on the board which results in a graphics card. A reference card follows the exact layout of components etc.. on the PCB of the card and also uses the reference cooler according to the specifications of AMD. Note that a card can have a reference PCB layout but has a non reference cooler. Cards that deviate from AMD's specifications/guidelines are called non reference cards.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> The light comes on with BIOS2 but not BIOS1, the card is bad. GPU1 died already.
> 
> It is proper coil whine, it is just very low frequency. If I let it crank up to 500fps it becomes high-pitched like you're thinking of.


Whaat? I dont think so. GPU was fine, you see a usage issue and whine, and one of the cores is dead now? Too unlikely. GPUs rarely die for no reason.


----------



## l3jmr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> A reference graphics card is a card that follows the design specifications from AMD. You cannot buy a graphics card made by AMD. AMD may have engineering samples at tech conventions but they do not sell graphics cards. The GPU cores are made by AMD and are sold to board partners such as Asus, XFX, Powercolor, MSI Etc. who make the PCB, put the various components on the board which results in a graphics card. A reference card follows the exact layout of components etc.. on the PCB of the card and also uses the reference cooler according to the specifications of AMD. Note that a card can have a reference PCB layout but has a non reference cooler. Cards that deviate from AMD's specifications/guidelines are called non reference cards.


Ok, thanks for a thorough explanation. How is one to know then if a card is reference or not if they can also come with non reference cooler? Is there a list of some sorts for this somewhere ? This is the saphires number if that means anything 11196-19-20G


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l3jmr*
> 
> Ok, thanks for a thorough explanation. How is one to know then if a card is reference or not if they can also come with non reference cooler? Is there a list of some sorts for this somewhere ? This is the saphires number if that means anything 11196-19-20G


Looks like a non-reference pcb. http://www.coolingconfigurator.com


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> An 800x600 window of warframe login menu. Running 3Dmark11 or Heaven it gets so loud I can hear it across the house. However, I have hope! I left it on for about 20 minutes and took my headphones off and it was quiet. Restarted the game and it started back up again but maybe it will "break in" after a few days and stop.


Perhaps it's just placebo, but it seems like on day 2 mine is much quieter as well. I could barely fall asleep last night though, my ears had taken up a memory of the sound and played it over and over.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Sounds similar to what I experience at high framerate on the 7970 and experienced on 770. Mine is more of a buzz.
> 
> 
> 
> Well I think I found what the whine is causing, check out GPU2. *The noise is coming from directly behind the #2 die*.
Click to expand...

Cores do not make noise. The only thing that can possibly vibrate are the chokes. PSU quality also has a huge bearing on *coil whine*.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I'm already broke, no waterblocks for a while.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, since you seem to know what you're talking about does this heaven score look about right?
> 
> 
> 
> I hadn't been following up on the 7xxx series much, as I though I'd never have one, but then this sale came along.
> 
> E: Derp wrong code.


i just added my 7950 in my intel rig and ran the same bench and got a 58.3 all stock. anyway, i disabled the 7970 and ran the 7950 at X8 lane . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7021432

my last 7950 at X16 lane same everything . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5601273

except driver. i am still using 13.5.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Ok. Thanks.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l3jmr*
> 
> I am looking for a quality, 7950 card for scrypt mining purposes. I have bought gigabyte 7950 8+6pin one last week and i am very dissapointed. I have managed to get a costum bios with 1.069v (instead of 1,25V) and it runs about 10 degrees cooler, but the performance is still crappy. I get 540khash. Anything over 13 intensity results in HW errors.
> 
> So my question is wich would be best, am currently looking at sapphire 7950 boost and power color pcs+ ?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> just get a reference 7970...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 7970 vs an overclocked 7950, the 7970 would actually be more efficient, and really there's no real difference in power consumption (at the same perf level), just that the 7950 is a much lower grade chip with some parts disabled and somewhat limited overclocking potential.
> 
> and you can get new hardware untouched from ebay like it were from a proper store, you just have to look for the right ones, be sure to check seller ratings etc, you could check newegg if they have any reference cards available, though me in AU I only really have ebay as an option currently (no one wants to stock reference cards for some reason...).
> and yeap, that's a pure reference card, even comes with all the stock clocks leaving you an open door to overclocking, the other 4 you mentioned are modified cards that don't do so well, I think even if you didn't overclock they may have issues mining for long periods of time... (coolers are not quite as good as the reference cooler)


Buddy, you're spewing FUD regarding mining...sorry to put it that way.

NO, keep the Gigabyte 7950 and flash it to bios F43. It'll run cool, use up less power and be quieter than a ref 7970. Most cost more than the difference in hashing speed increase, and draw 250w vs 180w 7950s draw at mining clocks. A properly clocked giga 7950 does 650-680kh/s easily and draws less power than a 7970 (which most have trouble going over 720kh/s, some can't pass 650kh/s)

Scrypt mining is memory intensive, not core intensive alone like Bitcoin (sha256) so a 7970 is not much faster while costing quite a bit more and drawing more power even undervolted.
There's a fine balance between clocks, driver version and bios that needs to be addressed to get the best performance mining wise, but this is not the place to discuss that.

Head to the bitcoin/litecoin club thread in the computing forum section for more info.


----------



## Durvelle27

Card will be here tomorrow

XFX HD 7970 Core Edition and EK Radeon HD 7970 VGA Liquid Cooling Block - Acetal + Nickel CSQ (EK-FC7970 - Acetal + Nickel CSQ)


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Buddy, you're spewing FUD regarding mining...sorry to put it that way.
> 
> NO, keep the Gigabyte 7950 and flash it to bios F43. It'll run cool, use up less power and be quieter than a ref 7970. Most cost more than the difference in hashing speed increase, and draw 250w vs 180w 7950s draw at mining clocks. A properly clocked giga 7950 does 650-680kh/s easily and draws less power than a 7970 (which most have trouble going over 720kh/s, some can't pass 650kh/s)
> 
> Scrypt mining is memory intensive, not core intensive alone like Bitcoin (sha256) so a 7970 is not much faster while costing quite a bit more and drawing more power even undervolted.
> There's a fine balance between clocks, driver version and bios that needs to be addressed to get the best performance mining wise, but this is not the place to discuss that.
> 
> Head to the bitcoin/litecoin club thread in the computing forum section for more info.


hum, so you do or you don't want fast memory...? my DCII (7970 1000/1500) could do 650 but the cooler couldn't keep up for its life...


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Cores do not make noise. The only thing that can possibly vibrate are the chokes. PSU quality also has a huge bearing on *coil whine*.


I didn't say it was the core, I said it was coming from behind the core. There are a boatload of caps and chokes right there. Considering I tested multiple PSU's and they are all good quality units, I don't think that was the problem.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Whaat? I dont think so. GPU was fine, you see a usage issue and whine, and one of the cores is dead now? Too unlikely. GPUs rarely die for no reason.


I've had it happen before with a 6990 as well. One core dropped off the radar after only a few minutes. Dead or not, its not doing anything. I don't care if its because of the bridge chip or the core itself. Non-functioning means it is useless.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Perhaps it's just placebo, but it seems like on day 2 mine is much quieter as well. I could barely fall asleep last night though, my ears had taken up a memory of the sound and played it over and over.


It got quiet after a while each time, and I've read reports that people have been able to burn in the components and it eventually becomes mostly or totally silent. True or not, I don't know. Its getting shipped back.


----------



## bond32

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7022646

Hows this score look? Just got my second card in, clocked at a modest 1200 core. On air atm, but will be on water soon.


----------



## Tobiman

It's pretty good considering I have an i5-3570k @ 4.6ghz and 2 x 7970s and only score this
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7011092


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tobiman*
> 
> It's pretty good considering I have an i5-3570k @ 4.6ghz and 2 x 7970s and only score this
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7011092


Dang, I would have thought you would school me on physics. I just have a 6300 at 4.8. I can bench at 5.1 once I get my loop set back up.

Are you on air?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hum, so you do or you don't want fast memory...? my DCII (7970 1000/1500) could do 650 but the cooler couldn't keep up for its life...


Sorry if that was a bit rough man...didn't intend to offend you but you worded it as if it was the absolute truth regarding mining.
Fast mem is a must, but won't do any good if the core speed isn't hitting the proper ratio.
That ratio depends on the card, but can generally be found between 0.5-0.65 core vs mem speed.


----------



## Tobiman

yup. She's going under water in a couple days though


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> It got quiet after a while each time, and I've read reports that people have been able to burn in the components and it eventually becomes mostly or totally silent. True or not, I don't know. Its getting shipped back.


It's better when It's cold I for me.


----------



## hotrod717

derp


----------



## BillOhio

So... The GA Windforce 7950s are $270 up here in Canada right now. After taxes, 2 of them would come to $610 and include 2 sets of the games bundle and $50 worth of MIRs so that if I got free games that I would have bought anyway I'd be maybe ~$450 out of pocket in total. I'm currently on 570 SLI. Please Advise.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Card will be here tomorrow
> 
> XFX HD 7970 Core Edition and EK Radeon HD 7970 VGA Liquid Cooling Block - Acetal + Nickel CSQ (EK-FC7970 - Acetal + Nickel CSQ)


is that block specific for that card?

http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> just get a reference 7970...


+12
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l3jmr*
> 
> excuse me for asking, but what is a reference card ?


see below
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tobiman*
> 
> Sorry but my Vapor-X beats any VGA air cooler that is currently on the market. Including reference


you are dreaming !~
ill take ref over that.
reason why it beat your vapor. i CAN waterblock it .....
#2 it is much less ugrry
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> A reference graphics card is a card that follows the design specifications from AMD. You cannot buy a graphics card made by AMD. AMD may have engineering samples at tech conventions but they do not sell graphics cards. The GPU cores are made by AMD and are sold to board partners such as Asus, XFX, Powercolor, MSI Etc. who make the PCB, put the various components on the board which results in a graphics card. A reference card follows the exact layout of components etc.. on the PCB of the card and also uses the reference cooler according to the specifications of AMD. *Note that a card can have a reference PCB layout but has a non reference cooler*. Cards that deviate from AMD's specifications/guidelines are called non reference cards.


easy way to go
http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx#tab3
tells you everything you need to know.
however another way is to see if you can see amd on the board like this 
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> So... The GA Windforce 7950s are $270 up here in Canada right now. After taxes, 2 of them would come to $610 and include 2 sets of the games bundle and $50 worth of MIRs so that if I got free games that I would have bought anyway I'd be maybe ~$450 out of pocket in total. I'm currently on 570 SLI. Please Advise.


sdoo it sli sucks !~ ( i mean you did come to the amd thread what are we supposed to say !! )


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> is that block specific for that card?
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/


No its not


----------



## Kokin

@Scorpion49: Have you tried to run the cards in a benchmark/stress test overnight? There were lots of reports in this thread a few months ago regarding the reduction/loss of coil whine after a whole night/day of high load.

I experienced coil whine when I first got my card and the above seemed to help (left Heaven on overnight). I do still get the coil whine in very high framerate situations (ex: exit screen of Heaven benchmark), but it's rare for me to hear it nowadays.


----------



## tsm106

I saw some promising dev work for a practical bios editor at TPU. CHeck it out, it may be helpfu to the non-reference card ppl.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2962165&posted=1#post2962165

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> is that block specific for that card?
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/
> 
> 
> 
> No its not
Click to expand...

You better figure it out dude! Read the link.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I saw some promising dev work for a practical bios editor at TPU. CHeck it out, it may be helpfu to the non-reference card ppl.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2962165&posted=1#post2962165
> You better figure it out dude! Read the link.


Figure what out


----------



## Tobiman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you are dreaming !~
> ill take ref over that.
> reason why it beat your vapor. i CAN waterblock it .....
> #2 it is much less ugrry


LOL! I must argue that while the reference air cooler presents the owner with the option to easily watercool, it doesn't emphasize the effectiveness of the air cooler itself. My Vapor-X 7970 never goes above 70 celsius on the hottest of days while mining at 100% load, coupled with the fact that I get higher overclocks than most, if not all, reference 7970s, it's the obvious winner here. Plus, you can always use universal blocks, if you must use water.

Kapoow!!! End of discussion.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you are dreaming !~
> ill take ref over that.
> reason why it beat your vapor. i CAN waterblock it .....
> #2 it is much less ugrry


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tobiman*
> 
> LOL! I must argue that while the reference air cooler presents the owner with the option to easily watercool, it doesn't emphasize the effectiveness of the air cooler itself. My Vapor-X 7970 never goes above 70 celsius on the hottest of days while mining at 100% load, coupled with the fact that I get higher overclocks than most, if not all, reference 7970s, it's the obvious winner here. Plus, you can always use universal blocks, if you must use water.
> 
> Kapoow!!! End of discussion.


*eating popcorn*


----------



## Mega Man

*points to tsm *


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tobiman*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you are dreaming !~
> ill take ref over that.
> reason why it beat your vapor. i CAN waterblock it .....
> #2 it is much less ugrry
> 
> 
> 
> LOL! I must argue that while the reference air cooler presents the owner with the option to easily watercool, it doesn't emphasize the effectiveness of the air cooler itself. My Vapor-X 7970 never goes above 70 celsius on the hottest of days while mining at 100% load, coupled with the fact that I get higher overclocks than most, if not all, reference 7970s, it's the obvious winner here. Plus, you can always use universal blocks, if you must use water.
> 
> Kapoow!!! End of discussion.
Click to expand...

Get a grip man, its just a cooler. I would get a loud musty old reference card over your vaporx any day but that's just my opinion. Hell, I would say the original Sapp OC card is much better than the blue vaporx pcb that is now unfortunately used on almost all of their cards.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> @Scorpion49: Have you tried to run the cards in a benchmark/stress test overnight? There were lots of reports in this thread a few months ago regarding the reduction/loss of coil whine after a whole night/day of high load.
> 
> I experienced coil whine when I first got my card and the above seemed to help (left Heaven on overnight). I do still get the coil whine in very high framerate situations (ex: exit screen of Heaven benchmark), but it's rare for me to hear it nowadays.


Yeah I was going to try that but GPU1 stopped showing any activity after I switched between the BIOS on the GPU. 1 or 2 it wouldn't do anything, also wouldn't be detected for temps or anything like that. I already shipped it back, I'll stay with the two 7950's which are working well.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Figure what out


Are you pulling my leg? This is a perplexing reply...









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> @Scorpion49: Have you tried to run the cards in a benchmark/stress test overnight? There were lots of reports in this thread a few months ago regarding the reduction/loss of coil whine after a whole night/day of high load.
> 
> I experienced coil whine when I first got my card and the above seemed to help (left Heaven on overnight). I do still get the coil whine in very high framerate situations (ex: exit screen of Heaven benchmark), but it's rare for me to hear it nowadays.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I was going to try that but GPU1 stopped showing any activity after I switched between the BIOS on the GPU. 1 or 2 it wouldn't do anything, also wouldn't be detected for temps or anything like that. I already shipped it back, I'll stay with the two 7950's which are working well.
Click to expand...

Are the bios' different? It doesn't have an AUSUM bios does it? Though in all honesty I haven't kept up to date on the 7990s. If it did/does have two different bios' then you would need to reinstall drivers once you flipped the switch.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you pulling my leg? This is a perplexing reply...


You didn't say why. The card is a XFX HD 7970 Refernce Core Edition


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Are you pulling my leg? This is a perplexing reply...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You didn't say why. The card is a XFX HD 7970 Refernce Core Edition
Click to expand...

You bought a used card? Original revision?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You bought a used card? Original revision?


Yes and Yes


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You bought a used card? Original revision?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes and Yes
Click to expand...

Whew... you had me worried there.


----------



## Tobiman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Get a grip man, its just a cooler. I would get a loud musty old reference card over your vaporx any day but that's just my opinion. Hell, I would say the original Sapp OC card is much better than the blue vaporx pcb that is now unfortunately used on almost all of their cards.


. LOL, How dare he call my sexy beast UGLY? Actually, I have the glossy green PCB which looks better. My only gripe is that it bends in my case unlike the 6Gb version that comes with a backplate.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> So... The GA Windforce 7950s are $270 up here in Canada right now. After taxes, 2 of them would come to $610 and include 2 sets of the games bundle and $50 worth of MIRs so that if I got free games that I would have bought anyway I'd be maybe ~$450 out of pocket in total. I'm currently on 570 SLI. Please Advise.


That's a good deal at NCIX. I bought my 7950 Windforce at NCIX last year, on sale for $340.








Only thing is, they are a different revision now, and like most current AMD 7900 series cards, it's voltage-locked. If this isn't a concern to you, then by all means go for it.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Whew... you had me worried there.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Get a grip man, its just a cooler. I would get a loud musty old reference card over your vaporx any day but that's just my opinion. Hell, I would say the original Sapp OC card is much better than the blue vaporx pcb that is now unfortunately used on almost all of their cards.


*splutter* "just a cooler"!?1! how dares you insult the coolness of the reference blower! imean its made of a massive block of copper for pettys sake

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Yeah I was going to try that but GPU1 stopped showing any activity after I switched between the BIOS on the GPU. 1 or 2 it wouldn't do anything, also wouldn't be detected for temps or anything like that. I already shipped it back, I'll stay with the two 7950's which are working well.












Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tobiman*
> 
> . LOL, How dare he call my sexy beast UGLY? Actually, I have the glossy green PCB which looks better. My only gripe is that it bends in my case unlike the 6Gb version that comes with a backplate.


Ive seen way too many green PCBs to enjoy it...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Sorry if that was a bit rough man...didn't intend to offend you but you worded it as if it was the absolute truth regarding mining.
> Fast mem is a must, but won't do any good if the core speed isn't hitting the proper ratio.
> That ratio depends on the card, but can generally be found between 0.5-0.65 core vs mem speed.


well was kinda referring to a overclocked 7950 vs a 7970, I think there's a certain point where if you overclock the 7950 too far it uses more power then the 7970 at the same performance level, though I have barely skimmed the barrel on coin mining so I'm likely missing something...

now if you'll excuse me, I have some crying in a corner to attend to...
(joke, I'm always willing to accept mistakes







)


----------



## Souv

This card(sapphire hd 7950) got dead after 6 months right after finishing metro last light,lol









Rma took 2 long months







but finally the replacement new card arrived few days back









*Sapphire HD 7950 dual-x(850 to 925 MHZ boost)*:



Guys what you think about the card (oc,temp,etc etc) ...Is it a good replacement than my previous one.Sharing info would be greatly appreciated


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> This card(sapphire hd 7950) got dead after 6 months right after finishing metro last light,lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rma took 2 long months
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but finally the replacement new card arrived few days back
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Sapphire HD 7950 dual-x(850 to 925 MHZ boost)*:
> 
> 
> 
> Guys what you think about the card (oc,temp,etc etc) ...Is it a good replacement than my previous one.Sharing info would be greatly appreciated


very good dual x cooler. you can overclock that card to 1100 - 1150 mhz while keeping core temps below 70c. the only issue is there are no VRM temp sensors in that card.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1367119/sapphire-100352-3l-hd7950-stripped-for-your-viewing-pleasure


----------



## Mega Man

http://sites.amd.com/us/promo/never-settle/Pages/nsreloadedforever.aspx


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/promo/never-settle/Pages/nsreloadedforever.aspx


hate the fact that prices of Video cards and so on in US are very cheap compared worldwide and still they offer first these kind of promos.....

never mind. guess ill better transfer to US someday to continue my hobby


----------



## Scorpion49

Anyone else have like 60 different HDMI audios int heir sound manager from AMD devices?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Anyone else have like 60 different HDMI audios int heir sound manager from AMD devices?


I do


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/promo/never-settle/Pages/nsreloadedforever.aspx


Picked up two of the Golds this morning


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Anyone else have like 60 different HDMI audios int heir sound manager from AMD devices?


On my fresh install...no. Prior on a year old system with a 6970 yes a few duplicates but never had any problems. Then again I use a DVI for an input though so....these days I don't even bother installing AMD sound drivers.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Anyone else have like 60 different HDMI audios int heir sound manager from AMD devices?


you get 6 audio controllers, one for each display, just leave them disabled if your not using them.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you get 6 audio controllers, one for each display, just leave them disabled if your not using them.


I disabled all of them, but I had 24 in total. Not sure where they all came from.


----------



## SavageBrat

Folks sorry for this but am I in the right place upgraded from a hd 7750..as I just pick up an MSI 7970 lightning edition that was a return because someone wanted a higher version.. but it came without anything just the card .. help please...

Capture.PNG 38k .PNG file


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SavageBrat*
> 
> Folks sorry for this but am I in the right place upgraded from a hd 7750..as I just pick up an MSI 7970 lightning edition that was a return because someone wanted a higher version.. but it came without anything just the card .. help please...
> 
> Capture.PNG 38k .PNG file


Whats the problem?


----------



## SavageBrat

Should I clean out the old drivers and re-install fresh or can I just update them ? current drivers

Capture.PNG 105k .PNG file


----------



## Scorpion49

Just plug in the card and enjoy your day









If you really wanted to you could upgrade the drivers, I'm using 13.8 beta because I'm running crossfire.


----------



## bond32

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7027651

Getting better... Likely won't get any more till I get the water blocks on.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I disabled all of them, but I had 24 in total. Not sure where they all came from.


4 gpus, and probably related to not reinstalling drivers like your sposed to...

unlike nvidia you don't need to reboot your computer after every driver reinstall, so it only takes a couple of minutes...


----------



## Durvelle27

Card arrived today.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7027651
> 
> Getting better... Likely won't get any more till I get the water blocks on.


Id say your cpu is holding them back, or you need to oc more.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Id say your cpu is holding them back, or you need to oc more.


It is, I will be purchasing a 8320 soon so hopefully it won't be holding me back long.


----------



## BillOhio

I tried to hold out until next gen but 3GB of VRAM and more FPS than a Titan for $610 out the door before $50 in MIR plus 6 free games and they look awesome and are quiet... Can I get an 'Amen'?


----------



## SavageBrat

Hello again, I apologize for not reading all 2900 plus pages but can someone explain how to get my sound back, or if it's possible I installed my card and all i have a a slew of everything(hdmi connections) but no speakers..tia

nm..figured it out..


----------



## Bartouille

Just applied some CLU on my gpu... 10c drop!! 55c max under heaven 3.0 at 1200/1750 1.287/1.544v!


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I tried to hold out until next gen but 3GB of VRAM and more FPS than a Titan for $610 out the door before $50 in MIR plus 6 free games and they look awesome and are quiet... Can I get an 'Amen'?


Amen brother


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Amen brother


...and my night is made


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> ...and my night is made


Could you take a pic of them side by side in better lighting?
AWESOME cards BTW


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Could you take a pic of them side by side in better lighting?
> AWESOME cards BTW




That's the best I can do right now as it's night time and the light in the apartment is pretty soft. I do think I'm going to like these cards and that they will get me through the next few gens, which feels like a great value relatively.

ALSO, can somebody remind me how to get an SSD to show up in my control panel? All of the install guides show how to install Windows but I just want to initialize the thing and load some games. I'm sure I'm on AHSCI(?) mode as I'm booting from an SSD already. I know it's off topic for this thread but the question is to small to start a thread somewhere else and I figured this post might get noticed and replied to on account of the pics.


----------



## Durvelle27

Painted the backplate


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> 
> 
> That's the best I can do right now as it's night time and the light in the apartment is pretty soft. I do think I'm going to like these cards and that they will get me through the next few gens, which feels like a great value relatively.
> 
> ALSO, can somebody remind me how to get an SSD to show up in my control panel? All of the install guides show how to install Windows but I just want to initialize the thing and load some games. I'm sure I'm on AHSCI(?) mode as I'm booting from an SSD already. I know it's off topic for this thread but the question is to small to start a thread somewhere else and I figured this post might get noticed and replied to on account of the pics.


Go into Administrative Tools , Computer Management, Storage and format it .


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Go into Administrative Tools , Computer Management, Storage and format it .


Ummm... is there a 'Format' button


----------



## bigmac11

Try right clicking on the drive.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Ummm... is there a 'Format' button


no! do not format a ssd. wait.

edit: here. consult Sean . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1248358/seans-ssd-hdd-troubleshooting-guide

this, too . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/seans-windows-7-install-optimization-guide-for-ssds-hdds


----------



## nvidiaftw12

... Formatting an ssd is fine.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> no! do not format a ssd. wait.
> 
> edit: here. consult Sean . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1248358/seans-ssd-hdd-troubleshooting-guide


Do about 10 a month and never had any issues


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*


You need to change yer name to amdftw12


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> You need to change yer name to amdftw12


Can't. Also, having a name and card like that is fun to shove in someone's face when they call you a fanboy.


----------



## BillOhio

I 'created a new simple volume' and the disk showed up







Thanks All


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Do about 10 a month and never had any issues


i stand corrected. it is safe.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I 'created a new simple volume' and the disk showed up
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks All


Probably wasn't the best instructions but I was watching UFC and trying to help you at the same time


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i stand corrected. it is safe.


No problem


----------



## BillOhio

something was screwy with my 1TB HDD so I did the same thing to it as I did to my SSD and it's up and running again, so that saved me some cash on a replacement







Thanks Again All!


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> very good dual x cooler. you can overclock that card to 1100 - 1150 mhz while keeping core temps below 70c. the only issue is there are no VRM temp sensors in that card.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1367119/sapphire-100352-3l-hd7950-stripped-for-your-viewing-pleasure


Well said Raghu,will see to the above link you gave me


----------



## Durvelle27

XFX HD 7970 w/EK Block @1250/1650

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7028582


----------



## BillOhio

uhhhh.... so I load up BF:BC2 and Afterburner and my GPU2 usage reads 23% and 53 degreees... GPU1 reads 99% usage and 101 degrees...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> uhhhh.... so I load up BF:BC2 and Afterburner and my GPU2 usage reads 23% and 53 degreees... GPU1 reads 99% usage and 101 degrees...


Cooling problem aside, gpu usage issues are almost always a driver issue then an overclocking/setup issue. I'm on my tablet so I don't have access to my links but I've written a guide on both aspects. someone link him to the how to guide for me tnx?


----------



## BillOhio

I'm using 13.8, and I figured one of the cards would be hotter as they are pretty close to each other... but I wasn't expecting 100 degrees... yeesh


----------



## JJ1217

My old WF3 670's in SLI maxed out at around 80 degrees at 40% fan speed, while they used a bit less power. I wouldn't expect 100 degrees though. Are you sure your fans are actually ramping up?


----------



## Paul17041993

formatting an SSD is perfectly fine, just DONT do a _full format_, the IO ops wear the life away...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> uhhhh.... so I load up BF:BC2 and Afterburner and my GPU2 usage reads 23% and 53 degreees... GPU1 reads 99% usage and 101 degrees...


your coolers failing and the card is throttling... better check your fans, case airflow and screws...


----------



## 98uk

7970 owners, especially those with a Gigabyte card... halp!

http://www.overclock.net/t/1419610/is-my-replacement-gpu-from-amazon-doa/0_20


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> 7970 owners, especially those with a Gigabyte card... halp!
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1419610/is-my-replacement-gpu-from-amazon-doa/0_20


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> uninstall every form of hardware monitoring software, including all your motherboard ones (AI suit, etc), uninstall the card drivers and try the windows default ones, do some 3D tests, try games that crash it, then re-install the AMD drivers, I would say try the 13.1 drivers first and see if you still get crashes...
> 
> that will help find out if its software related, otherwise there's a possibility of bad power supply to the card, your motherboard may be acting funky, or it could just be a plain defective card...
> 
> my example of a similar situation is if I install AI suit (for my crosshair V) or GPUTweak, I will always repeatedly get crashes very similar to yours, mine usually ends up with random coloured stripes in a pattern and this screen will display a couple of seconds before the system goes into a full hard lock...


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Painted the backplate


This is pretty cool. What kind of paint did you use and did you have to sand off the original paint job?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> This is pretty cool. What kind of paint did you use and did you have to sand off the original paint job?




When I OC my card do I need to adjust the memory volts also


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 w/EK Block @1250/1650
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7028582


Should get higher imo. Unless XFX is wonky, which I have heard it is, you should be able to get over 12k no problem. I had an almost identical setup to you, was able to get 1275 core on my reference 7970 with little effort.


----------



## Pr0pheT

Is it worth picking up another 7950 and going crossfire now or are there still runt/microstutter frame issues?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Should get higher imo. Unless XFX is wonky, which I have heard it is, you should be able to get over 12k no problem. I had an almost identical setup to you, was able to get 1275 core on my reference 7970 with little effort.


I was able to get 1250/1700


----------



## Scorpion49

Kinda disappointed, neither of my 7950's will go past 1200 even with extra voltage. My last TFIII 7950 was able to do 1350 with 1.3V.

Also poast 5000


----------



## Mega Man

quick update guys !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> well guys... . quad looks sick...
> 
> but first here is a taste. just a very quick and dirty OC nothing is optimized
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7031085
> you may or may not notice is onry 3x 7970.... yea that is accurate...
> 
> like i said quad fire looks awesome. but i need a 90deg adapter... which will be on order for pcie for this to work should get it wed-thurs and will have t . some new fittings, and my dual MCP35x pumps installed along with my new fans that i just didnt want to take the time to do this time round.
> 
> so
> now for the pics
> 
> 
> Spoiler: LOTS AND LOTS OF BIG PICS !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also huge thanks to red. this would not of happened without him ~!~


----------



## ukic

@Mega Man - Beautiful! /Drool


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Friggen thing is artifacting on me now. Time to go back where you came from.


----------



## Souv

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> very good dual x cooler. you can overclock that card to 1100 - 1150 mhz while keeping core temps below 70c. the only issue is there are no VRM temp sensors in that card.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1367119/sapphire-100352-3l-hd7950-stripped-for-your-viewing-pleasure


VRM temp sensors act strange for this card raghu.I mean when the day the card arrived hwinfo 64 was showing vrm temps.I have no screens but it showed for first 2 days or so.But after that dunno what happened it just wont show on hwinfo64.Strange !


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 w/EK Block @1250/1650
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7028582


where are the ones that keep on saying XFX is bad?


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> where are the ones that keep on saying XFX is bad?


XFX is bad. Doesnt mean they dont get good chips just like everybody else?


----------



## Gregar Forte

Hi, do a 860w psu enough for a 7990 and 7970 crossfire at stock?tq


----------



## nvidiaftw12

I believe you'll need a bit more than that. I wouldn't do any thing less than 1200.


----------



## Gregar Forte

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I believe you'll need a bit more than that. I wouldn't do any thing less than 1200.


I see. Just asking because with recent price drop, 7990 looks interesting. Anyway thanks for reply.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I believe you'll need a bit more than that. I wouldn't do any thing less than 1200.


Worked fine on my 1000W unit, I would say you could probably get away with an 850W of good quality with no issues.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Worked fine on my 1000W unit, I would say you could probably get away with an 850W of good quality with no issues.


Well this guy pulled 1250 watts from the wall in just 3dmark with 3 7970's.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1233168/real-world-power-consumption-measurements-from-triple-7970s/0_30

Granted, that is from the wall and not calculating psu efficiency, but it is a bit more than 850 watts.


----------



## Gregar Forte

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Worked fine on my 1000W unit, I would say you could probably get away with an 850W of good quality with no issues.


Ok, thanks.Anyway will wait until AMD release their new card alongside with more optimized driver.But the 7990 is so tempting me as it is cheaper than a reference 780 and it is a dual-gpu card.btw my psu is seasonic 860w platinum, do you think it will suffice for a 7970 and a 7990?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Well this guy pulled 1250 watts from the wall in just 3dmark with 3 7970's.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1233168/real-world-power-consumption-measurements-from-triple-7970s/0_30
> 
> Granted, that is from the wall and not calculating psu efficiency, but it is a bit more than 850 watts.


standing under their TDP,; 3 7970 cores will use less then 700W, so depends on the rest of your system whether 850W will be just enough, though a 1000W will work well unless your overclocking...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> XFX is bad. Doesnt mean they dont get good chips just like everybody else?


XFX isn't as bad as ppl make them out to be


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i stand corrected. it is safe.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Souv*
> 
> VRM temp sensors act strange for this card raghu.I mean when the day the card arrived hwinfo 64 was showing vrm temps.I have no screens but it showed for first 2 days or so.But after that dunno what happened it just wont show on hwinfo64.Strange !


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Hi, do a 860w psu enough for a 7990 and 7970 crossfire at stock?tq


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gregar Forte*
> 
> Ok, thanks.Anyway will wait until AMD release their new card alongside with more optimized driver.But the 7990 is so tempting me as it is cheaper than a reference 780 and it is a dual-gpu card.btw my psu is seasonic 860w platinum, do you think it will suffice for a 7970 and a 7990?


i can trip my ocp with extreme ocs on my 8350 +2x7970s that being said if you run at or near stock you should be fine


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Well this guy pulled 1250 watts from the wall in just 3dmark with 3 7970's.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1233168/real-world-power-consumption-measurements-from-triple-7970s/0_30
> 
> Granted, that is from the wall and not calculating psu efficiency, but it is a bit more than 850 watts.


Yeah, KAW are not the greatest thing to test this with. Mine thinks my 7950CF setup uses 1300W during 3Dmark11, in test 1 it peaks around 1460W









I think they only work properly for a short period of time, it used to be pretty close to what I would estimate the usage at, now it thinks my 30W CFL lamp uses 140W.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Yeah, KAW are not the greatest thing to test this with. Mine thinks my 7950CF setup uses 1300W during 3Dmark11, in test 1 it peaks around 1460W


You should get a better one, unless they are all off in general?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> You should get a better one, unless they are all off in general?


They are all about the same, problem is most are rated for only 10 or 15A, mine is a 15A unit and I probably went past that at one point. Now it no longer functions correctly. They are proven to provide some strange results when compared to an actual load tester, for example it is possible for a KAW to show over 100% efficiency.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> They are all about the same, problem is most are rated for only 10 or 15A, mine is a 15A unit and I probably went past that at one point. Now it no longer functions correctly. They are proven to provide some strange results when compared to an actual load tester, for example it is possible for a KAW to show over 100% efficiency.


You've put me off buying one.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Well that's lame. But, in tests done by W1zzard on TPU, the card can use a good bit of watts.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Well that's lame. But, in tests done by W1zzard on TPU, the card can use a good bit of watts.


How did he test?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> How did he test?


He has a nice little device that he plugs the 8 pin connectors into, and then plugs the gpu into it on the out side. It then measures the current running through.


----------



## BillOhio

I think I need to make some space between these cards and get some open airflow. Anybody got a reccomendation for a motherboard that will work well for crossfire? I'll probably upgrade the CPU to Haswell or Ivy later this year and need the MoBo to go with it, I just don't want to spend $400 on a Rampage or a Sniper or whatever...


----------



## Johny Boy

Hi all , this is my first post here on OCN.









Currently i don't have GPU so it's kinda urgent as my new build is delayed due to this.
Looking to buy either 7950 or GTX 760 or should i wait for AMD's 9xxx series card due to release in Oct which will cost a bomb that too after arriving some good 3 months late in my country .

I prefer 7950 and price wise AMD is slightly higher ( 20 ~40 $ ) than GTX 760 in my country but i am literally confused about which brand of 7950 to go for plus i wont be water cooling but overclock it slightly hence more confusion.
Providing few links about different 7950's.
http://www.flipkart.com/asus-amd-ati-hd7950-dc2t-3-gb-gddr5-graphics-card/p/itmd8b4ktdgktukw?pid=GRCDJCSGM3GUYVQZ&ref=a7bb819c-9cbb-49a9-b079-d2e120fc7d39
http://www.flipkart.com/sapphire-amd-ati-hd-7950-3gb-gddr5-flex-3-gb-graphics-card/p/itmddu7gvtdk9hgr?pid=GRCDDU7GCRBHNZPN&ref=67c8480c-78f3-444e-9c33-101c1de4af28
Or Boost version
http://www.flipkart.com/sapphire-amd-ati-hd-7950-3gb-gddr5-boost-3-gb-graphics-card/p/itmdfyygkk2zwpjk?pid=GRCDC2QTBPZHV8HQ&ref=67c8480c-78f3-444e-9c33-101c1de4af28
Then their is another Vapor X version on same e-retailer site.....provided above links as reference for different model but would be buying from local market were prices will be 5-10% lower than what that site is quoting.

I have also been looking into used market and currently being offered MSI GTX580 TF oc @ ~ Sub 200$ with 15 months warranty left / Brand new 4 weeks old Asus 7950 DC II Top 2 version @ same price as above links quotes.Should i go for 580 ? Before anyone gets irritated with currency then 1$ ~62 Rs here.

Following is my new build.
FX 8350 + Asus M5A99Fx Pro + CM 212 Hyper Evo.
PSU - Seasonic 620 S12 ii.
Case - Corsair 400 R
Ram - 2x4 GB Gskill 2133Mhz.
Monitor - Dell ST220L

The games that i play are BF3 / Cyrsis 3/ Mass Effect / Call of Duty / Metro. @ 1080p High settings....would like to keep this GPU for next 2-3 years till age shows on performance.

Thanks


----------



## Erick Silver

I did a Ultimate Rig Build for the free monthly rig. 3x Sapphire 7970's with all the other equipment required just over 1000w. So I chose a 1200w PSU for a little headroom. Check the Ultimate Rig Entry in my sig.


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johny Boy*
> 
> Hi all , this is my first post here on OCN.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Currently i don't have GPU so it's kinda urgent as my new build is delayed due to this.
> Looking to buy either 7950 or GTX 760 or should i wait for AMD's 9xxx series card due to release in Oct which will cost a bomb that too after arriving some good 3 months late in my country .
> 
> I prefer 7950 and price wise AMD is slightly higher ( 20 ~40 $ ) than GTX 760 in my country but i am literally confused about which brand of 7950 to go for plus i wont be water cooling but overclock it slightly hence more confusion.
> Providing few links about different 7950's.
> http://www.flipkart.com/asus-amd-ati-hd7950-dc2t-3-gb-gddr5-graphics-card/p/itmd8b4ktdgktukw?pid=GRCDJCSGM3GUYVQZ&ref=a7bb819c-9cbb-49a9-b079-d2e120fc7d39
> http://www.flipkart.com/sapphire-amd-ati-hd-7950-3gb-gddr5-flex-3-gb-graphics-card/p/itmddu7gvtdk9hgr?pid=GRCDDU7GCRBHNZPN&ref=67c8480c-78f3-444e-9c33-101c1de4af28
> Or Boost version
> http://www.flipkart.com/sapphire-amd-ati-hd-7950-3gb-gddr5-boost-3-gb-graphics-card/p/itmdfyygkk2zwpjk?pid=GRCDC2QTBPZHV8HQ&ref=67c8480c-78f3-444e-9c33-101c1de4af28
> Then their is another Vapor X version on same e-retailer site.....provided above links as reference for different model but would be buying from local market were prices will be 5-10% lower than what that site is quoting.
> 
> I have also been looking into used market and currently being offered MSI GTX580 TF oc @ ~ Sub 200$ with 15 months warranty left / Brand new 4 weeks old Asus 7950 DC II Top 2 version @ same price as above links quotes.Should i go for 580 ? Before anyone gets irritated with currency then 1$ ~62 Rs here.
> 
> Following is my new build.
> FX 8350 + Asus M5A99Fx Pro + CM 212 Hyper Evo.
> PSU - Seasonic 620 S12 ii.
> Case - Corsair 400 R
> Ram - 2x4 GB Gskill 2133Mhz.
> Monitor - Dell ST220L
> 
> The games that i play are BF3 / Cyrsis 3/ Mass Effect / Call of Duty / Metro. @ 1080p High settings....would like to keep this GPU for next 2-3 years till age shows on performance.
> 
> Thanks


I would go with either of the Sapphire cards. I had an Asus GTS450 and while a great overclocker in general the voltage was not that great nor easy to adjust. I have a Sapphire 7950 Vapor X and would definately recommend it to those looking for a great performing card with a good price point.


----------



## Scorpion49

760 is a fast card, but I would choose the 7950 every time. Its fast out of the box with high stock clocks but it is shader limited, been there done that with 1152 shader 660 OEM parts.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I would go with either of the Sapphire cards. I had an Asus GTS450 and while a great overclocker in general the voltage was not that great nor easy to adjust. I have a Sapphire 7950 Vapor X and would definately recommend it to those looking for a great performing card with a good price point.


How is it running for you btw? Kinda funny how I got rid of 7950 just to end up with more 7950


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> XFX is bad. Doesnt mean they dont get good chips just like everybody else?


just because u say so? i bet u have never had a XFX card do u? i have used 2 XFX card including the on in my rig sig... XFX7950 and after 1year no issue at all
it overclock up to Core 1050 and mem 1500 no voltage increase... so how is that bad?
just because u cant do 1300/1700 it doesnt mean a card is bad...

i have come across a couple of you guys saying that but my conclusion is, that when
a videocard doesnt give u BIG OC numbers = BAD

which is not the case cause 80% of GPU users dont even bother doing OC.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> just because u say so? i bet u have never had a XFX card do u? i have used 2 XFX card including the on in my rig sig... XFX7950 and after 1year no issue at all
> it overclock up to Core 1050 and mem 1500 no voltage increase... so how is that bad?
> just because u cant do 1300/1700 it doesnt mean a card is bad...
> 
> i have come across a couple of you guys saying that but my conclusion is, that when
> a videocard doesnt give u BIG OC numbers = BAD
> 
> which is not the case cause 80% of GPU users dont even bother doing OC.


XFX has a poor reputation for customer support, and their non-reference coolers can be hit or miss depending on the model. I don't think they're that bad though, I've had a few XFX cards and they were fine.


----------



## Snuckie7

This is why XFX is bad









http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/21460_20#post_19358527


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> XFX has a poor reputation for customer support, and their non-reference coolers can be hit or miss depending on the model. I don't think they're that bad though, I've had a few XFX cards and they were fine.


its the same... bad customer service doenst mean a product is bad. it doent even have anything to do wit it in the first place...
its like if i get a Galaxy S4 and i called samsung for help and theyr representative is not helpfull
in going to post in forums Samsung S4 is bad just because the CSR didnt help me? lol


----------



## Johny Boy

Quote:


> I would go with either of the Sapphire cards. I had an Asus GTS450 and while a great overclocker in general the voltage was not that great nor easy to adjust. I have a Sapphire 7950 Vapor X and would definately recommend it to those looking for a great performing card with a good price point.


Ahh lovely i too want to go for Vapor X.
So i shouldn't wait for AMD's 9xxx series as it will be crazily priced here initially ?
Quote:


> 760 is a fast card, but I would choose the 7950 every time. Its fast out of the box with high stock clocks but it is shader limited, been there done that with 1152 shader 660 OEM parts.


So that's two vote for 7950

Thank's.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> This is why XFX is bad
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/21460_20#post_19358527


can u grow up?
i can show u plenty of pleople having issue with ASUS, Sapphire, Powercolor, MSI and the list goes on... what does your post prove any ways?


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> 760 is a fast card, but I would choose the 7950 every time. Its fast out of the box with high stock clocks but it is shader limited, been there done that with 1152 shader 660 OEM parts.
> *How is it running for you btw? Kinda funny how I got rid of 7950 just to end up with more 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *


Its running great!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/38039606/Folding/summary.html

Overclocked it to 1100/1500 at 1.25v and temps are at about 53*c. Its a quick and dirty Overclock. Have not messed with the Power management slider. Not sure about that bit of it. I think I can get it clocked higher, I just have not had the time nor energy to fine tune it. If you could remember some of the clocks you had it at that would be most helpful.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> its the same... bad customer service doenst mean a product is bad. it doent even have anything to do wit it in the first place...
> its like if i get a Galaxy S4 and i called samsung for help and theyr representative is not helpfull
> in going to post in forums Samsung S4 is bad just because the CSR didnt help me? lol


...What do you think sets apart the different companies who have their own versions of AMD cards?

-Support/Warranty
-Aftermarket coolers
-PCB changes

XFX sucks on all counts.

Just because they still get good chips from AMD doesnt make them good


----------



## Erick Silver

Sorry. But if a company has poor customer service overall then its not a company I like to go to. I see it like this. I work as a Customer Service Agent at a Hotel here where I live(I do actually, I'm at work now). If I was totally rude and nasty to you when you came to check in would you want to stay or come back? Or would you decide to look for another hotel to stay at? Same principle.

As much as I would like to reach across the counter some days and b-slap a stupid moron of a whiney, greedy, over needy, gimmee gimmee gimmee little punk of a customer, I have to smile, get what they need and do it politely. When I get home is on to BF3 and use the Shotgun Profile to release anger and stress.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Sorry. But if a company has poor customer service overall then its not a company I like to go to. I see it like this. I work as a Customer Service Agent at a Hotel here where I live(I do actually, I'm at work now). If I was totally rude and nasty to you when you came to check in would you want to stay or come back? Or would you decide to look for another hotel to stay at? Same principle.


that is understandable but it doesnt mean the PRODUCT is BAD... we are talking about the Hardware not what a human being can do for u....


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> that is understandable but it doesnt mean the PRODUCT is BAD... we are talking about the Hardware not what a human being can do for u....


But the actual hardware is bad.


----------



## Erick Silver

I wouldn't say that. But the XFX GTX560 SE I had threw 3 fan blades in the Chimp Challenge while only at 50% fan profile. Other than that its been a champ.

Scratch that. it was EVGA


----------



## Snuckie7

XFX has made decent stuff in the past. It's just that they screwed up pretty bad with the 7900 cards.


----------



## Thoth420

I only had one XFX card. A reference 6970. It worked perfectly fine and still does(sold it). I can't speak for their RMA service etc. but I have never really enjoyed or had what I would call a "good" RMA experience. This is probably since I am a single gpu single gaming system type of guy so an RMA means I am literally out of commission.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johny Boy*
> 
> Hi all , this is my first post here on OCN.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Currently i don't have GPU so it's kinda urgent as my new build is delayed due to this.
> Looking to buy either 7950 or GTX 760 or should i wait for AMD's 9xxx series card due to release in Oct which will cost a bomb that too after arriving some good 3 months late in my country .
> 
> I prefer 7950 and price wise AMD is slightly higher ( 20 ~40 $ ) than GTX 760 in my country but i am literally confused about which brand of 7950 to go for plus i wont be water cooling but overclock it slightly hence more confusion.
> Providing few links about different 7950's.
> http://www.flipkart.com/asus-amd-ati-hd7950-dc2t-3-gb-gddr5-graphics-card/p/itmd8b4ktdgktukw?pid=GRCDJCSGM3GUYVQZ&ref=a7bb819c-9cbb-49a9-b079-d2e120fc7d39
> http://www.flipkart.com/sapphire-amd-ati-hd-7950-3gb-gddr5-flex-3-gb-graphics-card/p/itmddu7gvtdk9hgr?pid=GRCDDU7GCRBHNZPN&ref=67c8480c-78f3-444e-9c33-101c1de4af28
> Or Boost version
> http://www.flipkart.com/sapphire-amd-ati-hd-7950-3gb-gddr5-boost-3-gb-graphics-card/p/itmdfyygkk2zwpjk?pid=GRCDC2QTBPZHV8HQ&ref=67c8480c-78f3-444e-9c33-101c1de4af28
> Then their is another Vapor X version on same e-retailer site.....provided above links as reference for different model but would be buying from local market were prices will be 5-10% lower than what that site is quoting.
> 
> I have also been looking into used market and currently being offered MSI GTX580 TF oc @ ~ Sub 200$ with 15 months warranty left / Brand new 4 weeks old Asus 7950 DC II Top 2 version @ same price as above links quotes.Should i go for 580 ? Before anyone gets irritated with currency then 1$ ~62 Rs here.
> 
> Following is my new build.
> FX 8350 + Asus M5A99Fx Pro + CM 212 Hyper Evo.
> PSU - Seasonic 620 S12 ii.
> Case - Corsair 400 R
> Ram - 2x4 GB Gskill 2133Mhz.
> Monitor - Dell ST220L
> 
> The games that i play are BF3 / Cyrsis 3/ Mass Effect / Call of Duty / Metro. @ 1080p High settings....would like to keep this GPU for next 2-3 years till age shows on performance.
> 
> Thanks


bit of advice dont get that mobo if you want to oc. get a saberkitty or CVFz also that cooler will make you cry go big air or H220.... or custom loop .. but not that one.

lastly 7950 all the way. stay away from boost if you want to oc. get reference. ( they are non voltage locked )
i would talk to tsm if i were you

or you could wait for the next gen... but in a few months after that the next gen could be out... so maybe you should wait for that too.
point being you could always wait. because there will always be something better. get what you can afford now and upgrade if you can later.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> just because u say so? i bet u have never had a XFX card do u? i have used 2 XFX card including the on in my rig sig... XFX7950 and after 1year no issue at all
> it overclock up to Core 1050 and mem 1500 no voltage increase... so how is that bad?
> just because u cant do 1300/1700 it doesnt mean a card is bad...
> 
> i have come across a couple of you guys saying that but my conclusion is, that when
> a videocard doesnt give u BIG OC numbers = BAD
> 
> which is not the case cause 80% of GPU users dont even bother doing OC.


1 their 79xx coolers suck
2 they have done away with the bios switch
3 for more i will refer you to tsm as he knows.... well pretty much everything
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> XFX has made decent stuff in the past. It's just that they screwed up pretty bad with the 7900 cards.


+1 they also had decent cust service ... hopefully they will get their act together


----------



## istudy92

So got a few questions reading past few pages...what is mining on gpu?? I googled it and umm didn't understand it"(

Second
what's the difference in 7990 and 7970 would the card matter when using just ONE 1440p monitor or even 1080p?

Lastly
nvida vs AMD gpu over clocking, by any chance is one better than another in OC? And do the diffrience differ greatly?

These are just questions out of curiosity
and maybe a little bit of an itch to sell me 7950 for a 7990


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> So got a few questions reading past few pages...what is mining on gpu?? I googled it and umm didn't understand it"(
> 
> Second
> what's the difference in 7990 and 7970 would the card matter when using just ONE 1440p monitor or even 1080p?
> 
> Lastly
> nvida vs AMD gpu over clocking, by any chance is one better than another in OC? And do the diffrience differ greatly?
> 
> These are just questions out of curiosity
> and maybe a little bit of an itch to sell me 7950 for a 7990


http://www.overclock.net/t/1398219/official-bitcoin-litecoin-digitalcoin-and-all-crypto-currencies-club-and-general-information-thread/0_30


----------



## MrStrat007

Hey guys, just got 2x Msi Twin Frozr 7970's in my system! Been lurking in this thread for a while, was just waiting on putting my cards in to make sure they worked before posting. So far so good. Cards are blazing fast!

-Strat


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> So got a few questions reading past few pages...what is mining on gpu?? I googled it and umm didn't understand it"(
> 
> Second
> what's the difference in 7990 and 7970 would the card matter when using just ONE 1440p monitor or even 1080p?
> 
> Lastly
> nvida vs AMD gpu over clocking, by any chance is one better than another in OC? And do the diffrience differ greatly?
> 
> These are just questions out of curiosity
> and maybe a little bit of an itch to sell me 7950 for a 7990


7990 =2x7970 on one pcb. generally that dont oc as well as a 7970 cfx build and you have access to 6gb of ram vs the 3gb on cfx ( assuming oyu dont get the saphire model with 6gb )

either would work fine but i am sure the 7990 would push it better. or you could just get 2x7970


----------



## Paul17041993

load testing; if you want to do it properly, get a single-rail PSU and modify it with a current meter.

I can argue ASUS is just as bad as XFX, though I think all the companies have had quite their share of mess-ups this generation...

7990 is == to two 7970s for the most part, but if you want to OC, go for the 7970s, otherwise the 7990 is a great and very efficient card left at stock clocks.


----------



## EternalRest

Anyone have experience with PowerColor's RMAs? I came home from work today and my computer will not POST. My motherboard gave me a Bug code of 62. Which I googled and I found that its a GPU error. I put my 560ti back in, and its working without a problem. I'm going to memtest my RAM tonight. I'm pretty sure its the GPU.


----------



## Stupidfastwagon

Guys I have a thread already started here asking about adding another 7870 to my setup, I just dont know if it would be a good idea because of the restrictive space. I have a 5 SP120 and I am planing on adding a H80i to my setup to replace my EVO 212... Any advice?

Here is a picture of the room im am working with...


----------



## istudy92

Nice thanks FTW and megaman


----------



## Mega Man

get a new case? i can tell you from the short time i had my 2 new gpus in my video cards could not breathe


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stupidfastwagon*
> 
> Guys I have a thread already started here asking about adding another 7870 to my setup, I just dont know if it would be a good idea because of the restrictive space. I have a 5 SP120 and I am planing on adding a H80i to my setup to replace my EVO 212... Any advice?
> 
> Here is a picture of the room im am working with...


Damn lol that's some tight space. I think the cards might bend to fit sideways.


----------



## Stupidfastwagon

Even if I got a bigger case would I still have heat issues?


----------



## Stupidfastwagon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Damn lol that's some tight space. I think the cards might bend to fit sideways.


LOL, yeah I was looking at it today and saying yikes... here is another question, would there be a big gain if I sold the 7870 and just picked up a 7970?


----------



## Mega Man

you may. the spacing on the slots is part of the problem. but with a bigger case you have more options.IE a riser to move your card lower.

in reality you will have to try it to find out from that angle looks like you might be ok. but it could be the angle of the camera unfortunately your sig is not up to date. as it says you have a giga board and the one in the pic is a asus rog...


----------



## Stupidfastwagon

Its an Asus Maximus Gene VI, I havent updated my profile or sig yet to reflect anything yet because i have been trying to figure out all these stupid options


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stupidfastwagon*
> 
> Guys I have a thread already started here asking about adding another 7870 to my setup, I just dont know if it would be a good idea because of the restrictive space. I have a 5 SP120 and I am planing on adding a H80i to my setup to replace my EVO 212... Any advice?
> 
> Here is a picture of the room im am working with...


Thats why when I finally go multi card I am going with the Corsair 540 Air


----------



## Stupidfastwagon

Thats a pretty sweet looking case! My wife has already been asking me why my computer is so loud... lol


----------



## Durvelle27

1250/1700

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7032537


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> So got a few questions reading past few pages...what is mining on gpu?? I googled it and umm didn't understand it"(
> 
> Second
> what's the difference in 7990 and 7970 would the card matter when using just ONE 1440p monitor or even 1080p?
> 
> Lastly
> nvida vs AMD gpu over clocking, by any chance is one better than another in OC? And do the diffrience differ greatly?
> 
> These are just questions out of curiosity
> and maybe a little bit of an itch to sell me 7950 for a 7990


Well I can answer your last question,So far my my experience with nvidia GPUs (GTX 760) is that they're voltage locked so it's a bit limited to OC it as oppose to AMD cards also since you're thinking of mining never get an nvidia GPU the 7900 series runs much better


----------



## istudy92

Thanks, so then technically speaking wouldn't an AMD gpu be better than a nvida card when overclocked????


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Thanks, so then technically speaking wouldn't an AMD gpu be better than a nvida card when overclocked????


and here we go...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Thanks, so then technically speaking wouldn't an AMD gpu be better than a nvida card when overclocked????


Technically you can't say a brand is better than brand you compare a card vs a card for example my GTX 760 vs the HD 7950 the 760 is better at stock but the 7950 is an OC beast and it can beat the the hell out of my 760when both OCed for example


----------



## BillOhio

TLDR: I need to space out my cards.



So... I did a fresh install today and completely reformatted all of my hard drives... 'scorched earth' style and then loaded up Catalyst 13.8 to run my brand new cards. By themselves either card runs fantastic. BF:BC2 looks and plays awesome with the settings ramped up and running at 1440. Both cards when by themselves stay at a steady 60 degrees and even with the case sitting right next to me on the desk top and the side panel off, the fans can barely be heard. Individually these cards are really, really impressive, especially for what I paid.

In CF though... different story as the top card continues to shoot up to more than 100 degrees after a just few minutes of game play. The cards work too well independently to suspect hardware and it'd be a surprise if it's drivers when I'm fresh off of a fresh install of everything. I'm pretty confident that the cards are just too damn close and that the top card is getting almost no air and that what air it is getting has already been heated by the bottom card.

I think in the fast few pages I saw Mega-Man's pics include a shot of a riser in his amazing setup and I'm wondering if there's a way to use one of those in a more mainstream rig like mine? Even if the riser gave me the space I need I would still need a way to mount the card inside the case, so I wonder if there are brackets out there or something? Or should I just box up the second card until I'm ready to upgrade my CPU and look for a better MoBo that gives the space to crossfire on?

Thanks All,
-Bill


----------



## Kokin

Bill have you tried the 13.4 or 13.6b2 drivers yet? 13.8 is not stable for many people atm. Make sure to use ATIMAN Uninstaller 7.0.2, it will reboot your computer twice or three times but just let it cycle through the whole process.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> TLDR: I need to space out my cards.
> 
> 
> 
> So... I did a fresh install today and completely reformatted all of my hard drives... 'scorched earth' style and then loaded up Catalyst 13.8 to run my brand new cards. By themselves either card runs fantastic. BF:BC2 looks and plays awesome with the settings ramped up and running at 1440. Both cards when by themselves stay at a steady 60 degrees and even with the case sitting right next to me on the desk top and the side panel off, the fans can barely be heard. Individually these cards are really, really impressive, especially for what I paid.
> 
> In CF though... different story as the top card continues to shoot up to more than 100 degrees after a just few minutes of game play. The cards work too well independently to suspect hardware and it'd be a surprise if it's drivers when I'm fresh off of a fresh install of everything. I'm pretty confident that the cards are just too damn close and that the top card is getting almost no air and that what air it is getting has already been heated by the bottom card.
> 
> I think in the fast few pages I saw Mega-Man's pics include a shot of a riser in his amazing setup and I'm wondering if there's a way to use one of those in a more mainstream rig like mine? Even if the riser gave me the space I need I would still need a way to mount the card inside the case, so I wonder if there are brackets out there or something? Or should I just box up the second card until I'm ready to upgrade my CPU and look for a better MoBo that gives the space to crossfire on?
> 
> Thanks All,
> -Bill


As far as I know the winforce cooler pulls air into the card so with that much space their is little much of air being pulled by the card thus cooling it
Have you tried side fans blowing on the card?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> stuff
> 
> Thanks All,
> -Bill


My cards are in much the same configuration but with much less space to breathe and my temps are good. Do you use vsync? My top card hovers around 68*C and the bottom one around 62*C no matter what game I play.


----------



## BillOhio

Kokin, no I haven't. I do appreciate the tip though. I will definitely check out that uninstaller, Thank You!

ABD EL HAMEED, there is a fan just off to the right of the cards in that pic, you can barely see the front of. I'm sure it's borderline useless though and half of the reason it's in the case is because it has LEDs on it.

Scorpion49, I had used VSync when I wanted to keep my fan noise lower on my 570s. With these cards though I just wanted to open them up, let them run and see what they could do. Do you really have less space than I do? My cards are almost touching... wow









At this point I'd really like to get some space between the cards and work from there. It sounds like a riser would let me make some room between the cards at which point I'd be looking for some kind of mount or bracket for the second card, and maybe for the first as well since they aren't any lighter than any other 11" card.

I work as a contractor and have an art degree so I'm starting to think about pulling out the tools and getting a bit creative to make some sort of basic 'mod' to support the two cards without them being right on top of each other. Hell, if it turns in to something decent maybe I'll patent the thing as it seems like a lot of people could make use of something along these lines


----------



## Durvelle27

XFX HD 7970 w/EK Block @1250/1700


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Kokin, no I haven't. I do appreciate the tip though. I will definitely check out that uninstaller, Thank You!
> 
> ABD EL HAMEED, there is a fan just off to the right of the cards in that pic, you can barely see the front of. I'm sure it's borderline useless though and half of the reason it's in the case is because it has LEDs on it.
> 
> Scorpion49, I had used VSync when I wanted to keep my fan noise lower on my 570s. With these cards though I just wanted to open them up, let them run and see what they could do. Do you really have less space than I do? My cards are almost touching... wow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At this point I'd really like to get some space between the cards and work from there. It sounds like a riser would let me make some room between the cards at which point I'd be looking for some kind of mount or bracket for the second card, and maybe for the first as well since they aren't any lighter than any other 11" card.
> 
> I work as a contractor and have an art degree so I'm starting to think about pulling out the tools and getting a bit creative to make some sort of basic 'mod' to support the two cards without them being right on top of each other. Hell, if it turns in to something decent maybe I'll patent the thing as it seems like a lot of people could make use of something along these lines


Perhaps one day, you'll water cool those 7950s.
That would really take care of your temps., and your card spacing won't matter.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Perhaps one day, you'll water cool those 7950s.
> That would really take care of your temps., and your card spacing won't matter.


No doubt that that would be [email protected] but I paid good money for the beefed up coolers already and am not looking to break the bank on top of the $600 I've dropped already on these things. There's gotta be a way to just space these things out a bit, I can't be the first guy whose cards ran hot for lack of airflow...

it would be [email protected] though... how much would it cost to watercool 2 7950s?


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> TLDR: I need to space out my cards.
> 
> 
> 
> So... I did a fresh install today and completely reformatted all of my hard drives... 'scorched earth' style and then loaded up Catalyst 13.8 to run my brand new cards. By themselves either card runs fantastic. BF:BC2 looks and plays awesome with the settings ramped up and running at 1440. Both cards when by themselves stay at a steady 60 degrees and even with the case sitting right next to me on the desk top and the side panel off, the fans can barely be heard. Individually these cards are really, really impressive, especially for what I paid.
> 
> In CF though... different story as the top card continues to shoot up to more than 100 degrees after a just few minutes of game play. The cards work too well independently to suspect hardware and it'd be a surprise if it's drivers when I'm fresh off of a fresh install of everything. I'm pretty confident that the cards are just too damn close and that the top card is getting almost no air and that what air it is getting has already been heated by the bottom card.
> 
> I think in the fast few pages I saw Mega-Man's pics include a shot of a riser in his amazing setup and I'm wondering if there's a way to use one of those in a more mainstream rig like mine? Even if the riser gave me the space I need I would still need a way to mount the card inside the case, so I wonder if there are brackets out there or something? Or should I just box up the second card until I'm ready to upgrade my CPU and look for a better MoBo that gives the space to crossfire on?
> 
> Thanks All,
> -Bill


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> As far as I know the winforce cooler pulls air into the card so with that much space their is little much of air being pulled by the card thus cooling it
> Have you tried side fans blowing on the card?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Kokin, no I haven't. I do appreciate the tip though. I will definitely check out that uninstaller, Thank You!
> 
> ABD EL HAMEED, there is a fan just off to the right of the cards in that pic, you can barely see the front of. I'm sure it's borderline useless though and half of the reason it's in the case is because it has LEDs on it.
> 
> Scorpion49, I had used VSync when I wanted to keep my fan noise lower on my 570s. With these cards though I just wanted to open them up, let them run and see what they could do. Do you really have less space than I do? My cards are almost touching... wow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> At this point I'd really like to get some space between the cards and work from there. It sounds like a riser would let me make some room between the cards at which point I'd be looking for some kind of mount or bracket for the second card, and maybe for the first as well since they aren't any lighter than any other 11" card.
> 
> I work as a contractor and have an art degree so I'm starting to think about pulling out the tools and getting a bit creative to make some sort of basic 'mod' to support the two cards without them being right on top of each other. Hell, if it turns in to something decent maybe I'll patent the thing as it seems like a lot of people could make use of something along these lines






if you really want you can buy a riser ( from red whom i trust, dont get the cheap ebay risers. mine cost 60ish +shipping (10 ) i can get you their web address. )
you can get a new case with a +1 slot ( like the CM strom trooper/stryker, i was thinking about doing this, but i decided to just wait and get a 90deg pcie adapter instead as i think the CFX bridges are just too sexay to cover up ) others on OCN have modded their cases to house a +1 or to take out the pcie slots and put it vertically there.
or you can test your mod skills.
it really is up to you !~

but to be honest you seem to have enough room you have tri slot spacing.
i would recommend using a fan you can use the trusty zip ties and pushing air into them ( put in on the side of the GPUS pushing air in ) i would use a high static pressure fan ( noctua or any other good rad fan !~ )

just my









http://www.overclock.net/t/1163799/nzxt-gamma-90-mod/0_100

also thanks for the kind words i appreciate it.

expect ~ 100-150 for blocks ( komodos cost 154.99 )
assuming your reference
if not universal blocks are like 40 then some copper hs like 15-20 this also assumes you are already watercooled and have pump/rads/res

also please dont take this wrong, as i dont know much about that case. but it seems like that case may be air starved. i would get some high flow/pressure fans to push cool air in and out of that case if i were you


----------



## BillOhio

I'd be curious to see their sight, yeah. I'm googling around between posting in this thread to see what options are out there besides buying blocks and rads, or a new cpu/ motherboard upgrade (yet) or whatever

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this also assumes you are already watercooled and have pump/rads/res


No, I admit that that kind of a setup is still a level or two beyond where my head (and wallet) are at...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> also please dont take this wrong, as i dont know much about that case. but it seems like that case may be air starved. i would get some high flow/pressure fans to push cool air in and out of that case if i were you


Yeah, The Corsair 650D is not considered to be a great case for air, but it's hard to solely blame the case when my temps go from 60 to 100+ once I add a second card, especially as I don't have the panels on yet. I still have it in mind that spacing out the cards will bring the temps back to something reasonable, especially after they stayed so cool and quiet when I was using 1 at a time.

All I really have in mind to do is find a PCI-E extender like: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/PCI-E-PCI-Express-16X-Riser-Card-Extender-Flexible-Extension-Cable-Ribbon-Adapter-Converter-Brand-New/471397492.html], drop the second card down a few inches and figure out something to rest it on. I would just plug the card in to my bottom PCI-E slot except that some of the cables running in to the bottom of the mother board get in the way of being able to get the card all the way in to the PCI-E slot.

Am very much appreciating the suggestions and input


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Scorpion49, I had used VSync when I wanted to keep my fan noise lower on my 570s. With these cards though I just wanted to open them up, let them run and see what they could do. Do you really have less space than I do? My cards are almost touching... wow


Honestly, thats why you're having heat issues. Running them full bore all the time is not going to help much, why not use radeonpro and set a frame cap if you don't like vsync? I have one card on top of the PSU, and the other on top of the sound card.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Honestly, thats why you're having heat issues. Running them full bore all the time is not going to help much, why not use radeonpro and set a frame cap if you don't like vsync? I have one card on top of the PSU, and the other on top of the sound card.


I should DL RadeonPro , good call, and Thank You.

As far as running them all out, even at 100% usage the cards barely broke 60c, with the fan no where near 100% when being used individually but together the top card is over 100 degrees in just a few minutes. It could be drivers, or that I'm running them all out, or one of the other appreciated suggestions made so far... but until I can space these cards out and rule out the cramped space I'm going to have it mind to give them some room to breathe and go from there.

BTW, your sig says EVGA, is that a pic of a previous set up? I like the pic though, sort of the ol' 'whatever works' approach


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I should DL RadeonPro , good call, and Thank You.
> 
> As far as running them all out, even at 100% usage the cards barely broke 60c, with the fan no where near 100% when being used individually but together the top card is over 100 degrees in just a few minutes. It could be drivers, or that I'm running them all out, or one of the other appreciated suggestions made so far... but until I can space these cards out and rule out the cramped space I'm going to have it mind to give them some room to breathe and go from there.
> 
> BTW, your sig says EVGA, is that a pic of a previous set up? I like the pic though, sort of the ol' 'whatever works' approach


Yeah I just got these a few days ago. Was having lots of driver problems with Nvidia (ironically as everyone claims AMD drivers suck). I've actually had 7970 WF3 cards like yours and they did a very similar thing, the top card overheated like crazy if I let them run all out. I remember having that problem because I was playing Skyrim at the time and with 12.11 drivers it would stutter really bad unless I forced vsync off, thats when I started using radeonpro.


----------



## BillOhio

^ is that a chick in your Avatar?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 w/EK Block @1250/1650
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7028582
> 
> 
> 
> *where are the ones that keep on saying XFX is bad?*
Click to expand...











He's using a reference XFX 7970 not the revised wholly XFX designed card. Whatever argument you have in favor of XFX is meaningless in the face of the crap they are selling now and for the last year. Which is when they had the bright idea of replacing all reference or reference based cards with something *they* designed.

http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I'm already broke, no waterblocks for a while.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, since you seem to know what you're talking about does this heaven score look about right?
> 
> 
> 
> I hadn't been following up on the 7xxx series much, as I though I'd never have one, but then this sale came along.
> 
> E: Derp wrong code.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I haven't run heaven in a while but that looks pretty low to me. Check out this thread for how to setup overclocking and stuff on these cards if you're unfamiliar.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i just added my 7950 in my intel rig and ran the same bench and got a 58.3 all stock. anyway, i disabled the 7970 and ran the 7950 at X8 lane . . .


Like I said, that two gpu score is very low. I'd guess you both do not have a custom profile for crossfire which is needed for Heaven and Valley.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 w/EK Block @1250/1700


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> ^ is that a chick in your Avatar?


I hope so. Here is the bigger version:


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Well, I managed to find at least one guy who solved the problem...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I hope so. Here is the bigger version:


I'm choosing to believe that's a female but either way, they've got a great butt.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I'm choosing to believe that's a female but either way, they've got a great butt.


why its awesome
1 girl shooting gun
2 butt


----------



## tsm106

That's female cuz who the hell wears spandex to shoot a gun but a girl?? Oh it's jiggling lol.


----------



## BillOhio

I ask for help on my $600 investment and I get a reply every 30 minutes... I point out a great butt and you dudes follow up in less than 3 minutes...


----------



## Mega Man

forum tends to be more active certain times

i just got finished mixing some eliquid for myself as i was out of refills !~

you dont want to see me without my nicotine !~


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 w/EK Block @1250/1650
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7028582
> 
> 
> 
> *where are the ones that keep on saying XFX is bad?*
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's using a reference XFX 7970 not the revised wholly XFX designed card. Whatever argument you have in favor of XFX is meaningless in the face of the crap they are selling now and for the last year. Which is when they had the bright idea of replacing all reference or reference based cards with something *they* designed.
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/
> 
> I have the XFX 7970's (the actual 'Green sticker' reference cards) and they are tremendous cards. I started warning people that they began (without a warning or heads up) that I could find that they went to their own layout non-ref boards on the DD Ghost cards. If I had my druthers now and was putting together a 7970 machine I would find more of the early XFX or the Diamond white box.
> 
> The MSI 2PMD3GD5 ' REF type' have proven to be pretty good cards as well
> 
> outlined is MSI mentioned, other three are 'Green sticker XFX. all 1300MHz and over
Click to expand...


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> forum tends to be more active certain times
> 
> i just got finished mixing some eliquid for myself as i was out of refills !~
> 
> you dont want to see me without my nicotine !~


No No, it's all good man... just couldn't pass up the joke









...and I guess I could grab a few PCI-E Extenders, daisy chain them, and put the second GPU wherever I wanted...



and I just found a 4.7" Crossfire bridge. The plan is coming together!
http://www.moddiy.com/products/Official-Asus-SLI-Bridge-Connector-%252d-12cm-Long-Version.html


----------



## end00

So ladies and gents. I just flashed my bios on my Asus directcu2 7970 and everything went fine. Then when I rebooted and opend up MSI afterburner it doesn't show me haveing any driver, clocks, or anything. I had the same result with trixx too. I tried uninstalling driver/reinstall but no change. It also doesn't mention the temp of the card either. Any suggestions?

This is the bios I used http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131189/asus-hd7970-3072-120813-3.html

My buddy who has the same card used that bios and is running fine with no problems. Also I did power down, flip bios switch, then power back up/flash. I don't know what went wrong or where. Is that the wrong bios or what?

Edit- And crap I just realized I didn't backup the secondary bios I backed up the main :\.

Help


----------



## end00

Capture.PNG 37k .PNG file


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> So ladies and gents. I just flashed my bios on my Asus directcu2 7970 and everything went fine. Then when I rebooted and opend up MSI afterburner it doesn't show me haveing any driver, clocks, or anything. I had the same result with trixx too. I tried uninstalling driver/reinstall but no change. It also doesn't mention the temp of the card either. Any suggestions?
> 
> This is the bios I used http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131189/asus-hd7970-3072-120813-3.html
> 
> My buddy who has the same card used that bios and is running fine with no problems. Also I did power down, flip bios switch, then power back up/flash. I don't know what went wrong or where. Is that the wrong bios or what?
> 
> Edit- And crap I just realized I didn't backup the secondary bios I backed up the main :\.
> 
> Help


http://extreme.pcgameshardware.de/attachments/581984d1347560462-amd-radeon-hd-7x00-series-overclocking-undervolting-thread-asus-hd7970-dcii.zip


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> http://extreme.pcgameshardware.de/attachments/581984d1347560462-amd-radeon-hd-7x00-series-overclocking-undervolting-thread-asus-hd7970-dcii.zip


Is that the stock secondary bios?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> TLDR: I need to space out my cards.
> 
> 
> 
> So... I did a fresh install today and completely reformatted all of my hard drives... 'scorched earth' style and then loaded up Catalyst 13.8 to run my brand new cards. By themselves either card runs fantastic. BF:BC2 looks and plays awesome with the settings ramped up and running at 1440. Both cards when by themselves stay at a steady 60 degrees and even with the case sitting right next to me on the desk top and the side panel off, the fans can barely be heard. Individually these cards are really, really impressive, especially for what I paid.
> 
> In CF though... different story as the top card continues to shoot up to more than 100 degrees after a just few minutes of game play. The cards work too well independently to suspect hardware and it'd be a surprise if it's drivers when I'm fresh off of a fresh install of everything. I'm pretty confident that the cards are just too damn close and that the top card is getting almost no air and that what air it is getting has already been heated by the bottom card.
> 
> I think in the fast few pages I saw Mega-Man's pics include a shot of a riser in his amazing setup and I'm wondering if there's a way to use one of those in a more mainstream rig like mine? Even if the riser gave me the space I need I would still need a way to mount the card inside the case, so I wonder if there are brackets out there or something? Or should I just box up the second card until I'm ready to upgrade my CPU and look for a better MoBo that gives the space to crossfire on?
> 
> Thanks All,
> -Bill


plenty of air space there, just that the top card is recycling its own air way too much...

just get a couple of decent side fans in exhaust, upgrade that intake fan to a more powerful one and your temps should drop at least below 80C


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> plenty of air space there, just that the top card is recycling its own air way too much...
> 
> just get a couple of decent side fans in exhaust, upgrade that intake fan to a more powerful one and your temps should drop at least below 80C


Agreed. Remember, the WF3 is one of those coolers which blast out ALL HOT air through the side that you're facing when looking at it. This is a rather bad design for CFX, as it goes straight up into the cooler above it.

Some coolers, while aftermarket still push out SOME air out of the back, depending on the pressure. My 7950 Dc2 actually pushes out quite a nice amount of hot air out the back, enough to make a piece of paper flutter. Not as much as reference, but its some. Most of it goes upwards straight out of the top.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Agreed. Remember, the WF3 is one of those coolers which blast out ALL HOT air through the side that you're facing when looking at it. This is a rather bad design for CFX, as it goes straight up into the cooler above it.
> 
> Some coolers, while aftermarket still push out SOME air out of the back, depending on the pressure. My 7950 Dc2 actually pushes out quite a nice amount of hot air out the back, enough to make a piece of paper flutter. Not as much as reference, but its some. Most of it goes upwards straight out of the top.


I wouldn't say bad for crossfire, just that they need a crapload of suction off the sides to be effective...

bunch of exhaust fans on the side, good high-pressure fan at the end, some form of foam to sit between the cards to stop them sucking back their own air and temps should be good, have the fans temperature controlled and it would likely end up somewhat quieter then a bunch of reference cards in crossfire.

BUT, this isn't counting in the case of overclocking, those coolers are not suitable for both confined space and high clocks simultaneously...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> No No, it's all good man... just couldn't pass up the joke
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and I guess I could grab a few PCI-E Extenders, daisy chain them, and put the second GPU wherever I wanted...
> 
> 
> 
> and I just found a 4.7" Crossfire bridge. The plan is coming together!
> http://www.moddiy.com/products/Official-Asus-SLI-Bridge-Connector-%252d-12cm-Long-Version.html


pcie tolerance is making me twitch...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> So ladies and gents. I just flashed my bios on my Asus directcu2 7970 and everything went fine. Then when I rebooted and opend up MSI afterburner it doesn't show me haveing any driver, clocks, or anything. I had the same result with trixx too. I tried uninstalling driver/reinstall but no change. It also doesn't mention the temp of the card either. Any suggestions?
> 
> This is the bios I used http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131189/asus-hd7970-3072-120813-3.html
> 
> My buddy who has the same card used that bios and is running fine with no problems. Also I did power down, flip bios switch, then power back up/flash. I don't know what went wrong or where. Is that the wrong bios or what?
> 
> Edit- And crap I just realized I didn't backup the secondary bios I backed up the main :\.
> 
> Help


well, have fun, that's probably all I can "help" you with, wish you luck in at least getting somewhere...

if you go to device manager, if you see a little yellow warning sign on the card, it means the BIOS is incompatible, ( a lot will be )


----------



## DarkHollow

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> So ladies and gents. I just flashed my bios on my Asus directcu2 7970 and everything went fine. Then when I rebooted and opend up MSI afterburner it doesn't show me haveing any driver, clocks, or anything. I had the same result with trixx too. I tried uninstalling driver/reinstall but no change. It also doesn't mention the temp of the card either. Any suggestions?
> 
> This is the bios I used http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131189/asus-hd7970-3072-120813-3.html
> 
> My buddy who has the same card used that bios and is running fine with no problems. Also I did power down, flip bios switch, then power back up/flash. I don't know what went wrong or where. Is that the wrong bios or what?
> 
> Edit- And crap I just realized I didn't backup the secondary bios I backed up the main :\.
> 
> Help
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> well, have fun, that's probably all I can "help" you with, wish you luck in at least getting somewhere...
> 
> if you go to device manager, if you see a little yellow warning sign on the card, it means the BIOS is incompatible, ( a lot will be )
Click to expand...

This is why before doing anything bios related you back them both up. Takes 30 seconds.

Anyways I just got my new card the other day so everything is running again. I dunno about the supposed lightning bios this guy put on this XFX. I backed it up but still.... Maybe I will try my Asus bios. It clocked to 1225 but after that it just seems to artifact and crash. Definitely could be the bios.


----------



## EternalRest

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> Anyone have experience with PowerColor's RMAs? I came home from work today and my computer will not POST. My motherboard gave me a Bug code of 62. Which I googled and I found that its a GPU error. I put my 560ti back in, and its working without a problem. I'm going to memtest my RAM tonight. I'm pretty sure its the GPU.


bump.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> bump.


Eternal, read this thread . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread

if you haven't and is your motherboard's bios updated?


----------



## EternalRest

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> bump.


I don't know how. =[


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EternalRest*
> 
> I don't know how. =[


what do you mean? you don't know how to update bios?

first, check your bios version in BIOS. it should be 17.10.

double check if this is your motherboard . . .

http://www.msi.com/product/mb/Z77-MPOWER.html#/?div=BIOS

second (it comes with risks), follow this . . .

http://www.msi.com/service/biosupdate/


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *end00*
> 
> So ladies and gents. I just flashed my bios on my Asus directcu2 7970 and everything went fine. Then when I rebooted and opend up MSI afterburner it doesn't show me haveing any driver, clocks, or anything. I had the same result with trixx too. I tried uninstalling driver/reinstall but no change. It also doesn't mention the temp of the card either. Any suggestions?
> 
> This is the bios I used http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131189/asus-hd7970-3072-120813-3.html
> 
> *My buddy who has the same card used that bios and is running fine with no problems. Also I did power down, flip bios switch, then power back up/flash. I don't know what went wrong or where. Is that the wrong bios or what?*
> 
> *Edit- And crap I just realized I didn't backup the secondary bios I backed up the main* :\.
> 
> Help


1. Reinstall the driver.

2. Doh!


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Hey guys,

I have kinda weird problem here. After reading a lot of info about the new 13.8 driver, i finally installed it.
But the thing is that there is still huge microstutter in Medal of Honor Warfighter and Battlefield 3. So actually there is 0% improvement.
I did clean install, and I did use driver sweeper, but I can still see big difference between running BF3 on single gpu and dual GPU. On single GPU the game runs really smooth, but when I enable my second HD7970 there is a lot of frameskip when moving my mouse. BTW, I have also CAP drivers installed.

Any suggestions about this?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I have kinda weird problem here. After reading a lot of info about the new 13.8 driver, i finally installed it.
> But the thing is that there is still huge microstutter in Medal of Honor Warfighter and Battlefield 3. So actually there is 0% improvement.
> I did clean install, and I did use driver sweeper, but I can still see big difference between running BF3 on single gpu and dual GPU. On single GPU the game runs really smooth, but when I enable my second HD7970 there is a lot of frameskip when moving my mouse. BTW, I have also CAP drivers installed.
> 
> Any suggestions about this?


No, remove those caps to fix the issue please. many users seem to be installing these caps with 13.8 and they all have issues with BF3. These caps are not needed because 13.8 uses latest caps already.


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I have kinda weird problem here. After reading a lot of info about the new 13.8 driver, i finally installed it.
> But the thing is that there is still huge microstutter in Medal of Honor Warfighter and Battlefield 3. So actually there is 0% improvement.
> I did clean install, and I did use driver sweeper, but I can still see big difference between running BF3 on single gpu and dual GPU. On single GPU the game runs really smooth, but when I enable my second HD7970 there is a lot of frameskip when moving my mouse. BTW, I have also CAP drivers installed.
> 
> Any suggestions about this?


i dont think you need to install CAP as the 13.8 has a built in profiles... try uninstall CAP


----------



## Johny Boy

Thanks Mega Man.
If i go for 7590 and OC it then which card should i get ? All i see here is either Asus 7950 DC11 top v2 edition or various Sapphire cards like Boost / Vapor X / OC edition....
How is used GTX 580 in comparison with above for stop gap period till AMD 9xxx reaches my country's shore.I am asking as new AMD series will cost anything above 500$ for things that might cost others mere 300$.....
So i am in fix and envy all you guys as you have Newegg /Microcenter which sells so cheaply....right now 7950 is being sold at or above 400$ ...
















I know it's stupid to ask now but how much improvement shall we expect on AMD 9xxx series in stock form over current generation AMD cards ?

Thanks !!


----------



## istudy92

Quick answer...we do not know the improvements in the 9xxx series. Everything is based on rumors.

also..sapphire is a good brand in general. I have vapor x good 1200 overclock.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johny Boy*
> 
> Thanks Mega Man.
> If i go for 7590 and OC it then which card should i get ? All i see here is either Asus 7950 DC11 top v2 edition or various Sapphire cards like Boost / Vapor X / OC edition....
> How is used GTX 580 in comparison with above for stop gap period till AMD 9xxx reaches my country's shore.I am asking as new AMD series will cost anything above 500$ for things that might cost others mere 300$.....
> So i am in fix and envy all you guys as you have Newegg /Microcenter which sells so cheaply....right now 7950 is being sold at or above 400$ ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know it's stupid to ask now but how much improvement shall we expect on AMD 9xxx series in stock form over current generation AMD cards ?
> 
> Thanks !!


well, as far as rumors go, specs of the 9970 are sposedly 4096 cores and 512bit memory bus (probably fake, but could still be true...), so it seems like its going to be one funky card...

price wise I think AMD announced it will be 500-600USD at launch, about the same that the 7970 was, 9950 should be about 100 bucks cheaper.

performance improvement? I'm somewhat expecting the 9970 to be on-par with the titan, who knows it could be a lot faster or slower, in which the later case we may see a special card released sometime later to rival the titan?

unfortunately today we only have rumors, so unless you have a time machine there's no way to tell whats going to unfold...


----------



## Johny Boy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well, as far as rumors go, specs of the 9970 are sposedly 4096 cores and 512bit memory bus (probably fake, but could still be true...), so it seems like its going to be one funky card...
> 
> price wise I think AMD announced it will be 500-600USD at launch, about the same that the 7970 was, 9950 should be about 100 bucks cheaper.
> 
> performance improvement? I'm somewhat expecting the 9970 to be on-par with the titan, who knows it could be a lot faster or slower, in which the later case we may see a special card released sometime later to rival the titan?
> 
> unfortunately today we only have rumors, so unless you have a time machine there's no way to tell whats going to unfold...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Quick answer...we do not know the improvements in the 9xxx series. Everything is based on rumors.
> 
> also..sapphire is a good brand in general. I have vapor x good 1200 overclock.


Oh that sucks in terms of price per performance for me as it will be priced 50% at premium here on launch.
But 9970 @ Titan's territory would be awesome so that means 9950 would be somewhat near GTX 780 i guess or 5% less ?








Now that's healthy improvement which tosses up my GPU buying ...lol....i guess then i have to please myself with any of used GTX580/660/7580 till new card prices settles down.









Thanks Paul and Istudy92.


----------



## BradleyW

Hey all,
I've noticed something that worries me with AMD. They don't bring out profiles for games anymore. I mean, we still don't have profiles for big games like Bioshock Infinite and Remember me. In contrast, Nvidia already have a full working profile for the new batman game and that is 3 months away, along with other games such as splinter cell blacklist. They also have profiles for pretty much every game for SLI.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He's using a reference XFX 7970 not the revised wholly XFX designed card. Whatever argument you have in favor of XFX is meaningless in the face of the crap they are selling now and for the last year. Which is when they had the bright idea of replacing all reference or reference based cards with something *they* designed.
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/news/233/19/New-revision-od-XFX-7970-cards-brings-compatibility-issues/
> 
> Like I said, that two gpu score is very low. I'd guess you both do not have a custom profile for crossfire which is needed for Heaven and Valley.


Yeah, thanks and I belive you're correcty, I'll test again if I'm able to get another back from rma.


----------



## end00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1. Reinstall the driver.
> 
> 2. Doh!


Driver is installed. It's just the bios is incompatible I suppose. Need to find one that works. Also my main bios still works.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey all,
> I've noticed something that worries me with AMD. They don't bring out profiles for games anymore. I mean, we still don't have profiles for big games like Bioshock Infinite and Remember me. In contrast, Nvidia already have a full working profile for the new batman game and that is 3 months away, along with other games such as splinter cell blacklist. They also have profiles for pretty much every game for SLI.


CAPS (some work on single GPU configs)
What they lack are good release notes imo.


----------



## Beefbud

Quick question from a first time PC builder...

I am installing my Sapphire HD 7970 right now and I'm connecting it to the power supply. There are two sets of connectors with 8 sockets each on the card. My question is, do I need to run two different PCI-e cables to fill both sockets on the card? If not, what is the purpose of the second socket?

I can post a picture if more clarification is needed.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> CAPS (some work on single GPU configs)
> What they lack are good release notes imo.


What I mean is that many games lack a profile, hence limited CFX scaling. When the R9's are out, we won't have any support!


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Beefbud*
> 
> Quick question from a first time PC builder...
> 
> I am installing my Sapphire HD 7970 right now and I'm connecting it to the power supply. There are two sets of connectors with 8 sockets each on the card. My question is, do I need to run two different PCI-e cables to fill both sockets on the card? If not, what is the purpose of the second socket?
> 
> I can post a picture if more clarification is needed.


Yes, you need two 8 pin power cables from your PSU.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> What I mean is that many games lack a profile, hence limited CFX scaling. When the R9's are out, we won't have any support!


I see what you mean.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I see what you mean.


Here is a fine example, I get a 15fps increase in CFX mode in Remember Me. No profile! Yet, Nvidia have an SLI profile. Same case with Bioshock Infinite! What is going on here?


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Here is a fine example, I get a 15fps increase in CFX mode in Remember Me. No profile! Yet, Nvidia have an SLI profile. Same case with Bioshock Infinite! What is going on here?


I hear ya. I just have never used more than one card. So when for instance the 7xxx series started to come out my 6970 support kind of fell off. While I could still use newer CAPS drivers didn't make much difference. With multi card config driver support and profiles are so much more important. For me being a single GPU user has much less of an effect. They also haven't dropped a WHQL since April...so there are a few summer games that have been left out so to speak.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Hey all,
> I've noticed something that worries me with AMD. They don't bring out profiles for games anymore. I mean, we still don't have profiles for big games like Bioshock Infinite and Remember me. In contrast, Nvidia already have a full working profile for the new batman game and that is 3 months away, along with other games such as splinter cell blacklist. They also have profiles for pretty much every game for SLI.


likely they are focusing on their frame pacing and the 9xx0 cards atm...


----------



## BradleyW

My worry is, will the HD 7000 users get left behind in a few months?

I'm playing Remember me atm and it uses Unreal 3 engine. I get 10+ fps with CFX enabled. What profile should I try to increase fps? ME3 and Bioshock plus dishonored seem to increase the frames by 45+. Any other profiles?


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> My worry is, will the HD 7000 users get left behind in a few months?
> 
> I'm playing Remember me atm and it uses Unreal 3 engine. I get 10+ fps with CFX enabled. What profile should I try to increase fps? ME3 and Bioshock plus dishonored seem to increase the frames by 45+. Any other profiles?


Sadly that's how it works no matter if it's Nvidia or AMD, new generations come out and older cards are kind of forgotten when it comes to drivers. I'm not complaining though, I can max out any game I want at 2560x1440 with my cards and I might skip the next gen.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johny Boy*
> 
> Thanks Mega Man.
> If i go for 7590 and OC it then which card should i get ? All i see here is either Asus 7950 DC11 top v2 edition or various Sapphire cards like Boost / Vapor X / OC edition....
> How is used GTX 580 in comparison with above for stop gap period till AMD 9xxx reaches my country's shore.I am asking as new AMD series will cost anything above 500$ for things that might cost others mere 300$.....
> So i am in fix and envy all you guys as you have Newegg /Microcenter which sells so cheaply....right now 7950 is being sold at or above 400$ ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know it's stupid to ask now but how much improvement shall we expect on AMD 9xxx series in stock form over current generation AMD cards ?
> 
> Thanks !!


i would talk to tsm !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Beefbud*
> 
> Quick question from a first time PC builder...
> 
> I am installing my Sapphire HD 7970 right now and I'm connecting it to the power supply. There are two sets of connectors with 8 sockets each on the card. My question is, do I need to run two different PCI-e cables to fill both sockets on the card? If not, what is the purpose of the second socket?
> 
> I can post a picture if more clarification is needed.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Yes, you need two 8 pin power cables from your PSU.


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Sadly that's how it works no matter if it's Nvidia or AMD, new generations come out and older cards are kind of forgotten when it comes to drivers. I'm not complaining though, I can max out any game I want at 2560x1440 with my cards and I might skip the next gen.


also they may update them behind the scenes and just not tell anyone....


----------



## istudy92

You guys think my fx4300 would be bad with a 9x70 gpu when it comes out august? Or should I opt for 8320/50?
I wouldbt see a diffrience?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You guys think my fx4300 would be bad with a 9x70 gpu when it comes out august? Or should I opt for 8320/50?
> I wouldbt see a diffrience?


It's a bit weak, you might benefit from a cpu upgrade, but I wouldn't jump on an 8320/50 from it. Maybe wait for next gen cpus or get a cheap used fx 6300.
Not a super big difference though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You guys think my fx4300 would be bad with a 9x70 gpu when it comes out august? Or should I opt for 8320/50?
> I wouldbt see a diffrience?


I would think a 4300 would pose a bottleneck on a fair few games, but this is AMD we're talking about, just grab the card and if you notice its not getting fully used you can pop a 8320/50 in later.


----------



## ivanlabrie

My thoughts exactly...only decent intel socket is 2011 these days, upgrade path wise.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> It's a bit weak, you might benefit from a cpu upgrade, but I wouldn't jump on an 8320/50 from it. Maybe wait for next gen cpus or get a cheap used fx 6300.
> Not a super big difference though.


That's exactly what I was thinking..but an 6300 is relative price to a 8320! Also concerning waitting on next gen CPU..iv been on forums a lot of rumors concern that they will be apus and or change in mobo socket soo..like Idk"(

yeahpaul u may have a good point lol just wait, test then apply.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

I hit the limit on my cpu while recording in bf3 the other day, so.... it's up to you. I would go the amd route.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You guys think my fx4300 would be bad with a 9x70 gpu when it comes out august? Or should I opt for 8320/50?
> I wouldbt see a diffrience?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I would think a 4300 would pose a bottleneck on a fair few games, but this is AMD we're talking about, just grab the card and if you notice its not getting fully used you can pop a 8320/50 in later.


a single gpu. no. it may cause bottle necks in games. but not concerning the gpu it would be in parts of games that can use more cores ( cpu useage not at all related to the gpu ) . bottom line. if you can upgrade and want to do it. if you want a reason why.

here is my reasoning.
1 can you use more cores doing what you do
2 do you need the upgrade
3 do you want it ( this was my reasoning. i did not anser yes to any of the other questions. this was my only reason. )

truth is for most people a core 2 would be fine ( or phenom ) both will suffice just fine. most ppl never need dual cores let alone quad, heca, octo cores. so this is a question for your self.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> That's exactly what I was thinking..but an 6300 is relative price to a 8320! Also concerning waitting on next gen CPU..iv been on forums a lot of rumors concern that they will be SOUs and or change in mobo socket soo..like Idk"(


amd has already said there will be one more cpu ( it could of been the 9xxx line ) for am3 + and as for the soldered on mobo... i highly doubt it.

one thing i have learned is not to wait.
the reason is you could wait for the next gen. but in a little more time another gen would come out. why not wait for it... and again... and again you can always wait.

upgrade because you need to. upgrade because you want to. get what you can afford and what suits your needs.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> a single gpu. no. it may cause bottle necks in games. but not concerning the gpu it would be in parts of games that can use more cores ( cpu useage not at all related to the gpu ) . bottom line. if you can upgrade and want to do it. if you want a reason why.
> 
> here is my reasoning.
> 1 can you use more cores doing what you do
> 2 do you need the upgrade
> 3 do you want it ( this was my reasoning. i did not anser yes to any of the other questions. this was my only reason. )
> 
> truth is for most people a core 2 would be fine ( or phenom ) both will suffice just fine. most ppl never need dual cores let alone quad, heca, octo cores. so this is a question for your self.
> amd has already said there will be one more cpu ( it could of been the 9xxx line ) for am3 + and as for the soldered on mobo... i highly doubt it.
> 
> one thing i have learned is not to wait.
> the reason is you could wait for the next gen. but in a little more time another gen would come out. why not wait for it... and again... and again you can always wait.
> 
> upgrade because you need to. upgrade because you want to. get what you can afford and what suits your needs.


+1 for this
I guess it does make sense, I'd prolly buy it..cause I want it more than need it..cause..I get 60fsp on bf3 yet..pplz say its 8 core capable seems like I'm good?

So then that leads me to..ether get a Korean 1440p or 8350 what hard choices!!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yup, if you can afford it and want it upgrade. Simple really...

@iStudy92: Personally I think the am3+ socket doesn't leave much room for upgrades, since your cpu isn't bad at all. You can get moar funds by gpu and cpu coin mining. Did you try that? Depends on power costs though, it may or may not be worth it.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yup, if you can afford it and want it upgrade. Simple really...
> 
> @iStudy92: Personally I think the am3+ socket doesn't leave much room for upgrades, since your cpu isn't bad at all. You can get moar funds by gpu and cpu coin mining. Did you try that? Depends on power costs though, it may or may not be worth it.


That's what I was thinking to do..I'm new to mining..havnt started only..found out about it yesterday..I think it may be efficient for me because I have a 700w platinum PSU. Would CPU be a factor for mining? I thought it was gpu dependent


----------



## Mega Man

honestly 80+rating is a load of hogwash... it may save you a quarter a day maybe even a dollar. quality power delivery is what counts in a psu
companies are just riding the "green" wave
if you want to discuss it shilka is a good man to talk to


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> honestly 80+rating is a load of hogwash... it may save you a quarter a day maybe even a dollar. quality power delivery is what counts in a psu


Not really. Saves money, makes less heat and is more environmentally friendly. Also, from what I've seen, the higher the efficiency, the more you can push the limits.

Also, a quarter a day is a ton.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> That's what I was thinking to do..I'm new to mining..havnt started only..found out about it yesterday..I think it may be efficient for me because I have a 700w platinum PSU. Would CPU be a factor for mining? I thought it was gpu dependent


New cpu coin is out, primecoin. It computes prime number chains, which are useful for encryption keys (record chains that is), instead of the useless hashes used for sha256 decryption (bitcoin) or scrypt (litecoin).

I make 1.12 bitcoins monthly with my cpu, mining primecoin. Yours should do a bit worse, but not much. Say 80 bucks / month.
Gpu wise, your card should mine easily at 600kh/s, meaning that it would produce roughly 0.5 bitcoins mining another coin and then converting back to bitcoin. (best route)
I'd guess it would be around 150usd monthly...without considering power costs.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> My thoughts exactly...only decent intel socket is 2011 these days, upgrade path wise.


well, until they pop a pin off the next gen...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well, until they pop a pin off the next gen...












I won't go back to non extreme intel sockets...I can use the cpu power really.


----------



## Mega Man

not really higher efficiency just means less energy is wasted as heat

assuming it is a quality psu and good for its rating a 850w is capable of delivering 850+wats ( usually a little wiggle room ) whether or not it is 80+ 80+gold 80+titanium or not 80+

you spend more money on that psu with the rating then you will EVER EVER get back ( ROI is in the negative ).... as for the environmental friendly... ill leave it alone


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not really higher efficiency just means less energy is wasted as heat
> 
> assuming it is a quality psu and good for its rating a 850w is capable of delivering 850+wats ( usually a little wiggle room ) whether or not it is 80+ 80+gold 80+titanium or not 80+
> 
> you spend more money on that psu with the rating then you will EVER EVER get back ( ROI is in the negative ).... as for the environmental friendly... ill leave it alone


Yes, but some are 650 watt platinums or w/e, but you can push them to 750+ watts but they will then be gold efficiency.

Also, I believe it would pay you back if you kept you psu for like 7 years or something.


----------



## ivanlabrie

I've had my tx750 for ages now...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> New cpu coin is out, primecoin. It computes prime number chains, which are useful for encryption keys (record chains that is), instead of the useless hashes used for sha256 decryption (bitcoin) or scrypt (litecoin).
> 
> I make 1.12 bitcoins monthly with my cpu, mining primecoin. Yours should do a bit worse, but not much. Say 80 bucks / month.
> Gpu wise, your card should mine easily at 600kh/s, meaning that it would produce roughly 0.5 bitcoins mining another coin and then converting back to bitcoin. (best route)
> I'd guess it would be around 150usd monthly...without considering power costs.


Wait what their is also CPU mining I thought it was only GPU,I wonder how would my 3570k perform at it?how can I do it?
I'm mining now so I can save up for a 7970 hopefully prices will drop because of the 9000 series


----------



## Erick Silver

I have my 7950 @ 1100/1500. I have a feeling that it can go higher. But Its not been particularly stable. I use MSI Afterburner to do my clocking. Theres a Power Limit % slider. But I have no idea what to do with it. Any recommendations?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I have my 7950 @ 1100/1500. I have a feeling that it can go higher. But Its not been particularly stable. I use MSI Afterburner to do my clocking. *Theres a Power Limit % slider. But I have no idea what to do with it.* Any recommendations?


set it to +20%


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Yes, but some are 650 watt platinums or w/e, but you can push them to 750+ watts but they will then be gold efficiency.
> 
> Also, I believe it would pay you back if you kept you psu for like 7 years or something.


Plus its less work on the AC in summer/hot areas.

What do you mean when you say, "Not more efficient, just less waste"

If you need 800w of power for your system, an 80% efficiency system will draw 1000w. A 90% efficiency system will draw 900w. Less power used, and less heat byproduct.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

got i third 7970 with waterblock for trifire...my question is do you think my i5 4670k can handle these beasts with choking ?


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I have my 7950 @ 1100/1500. I have a feeling that it can go higher. But Its not been particularly stable. I use MSI Afterburner to do my clocking. Theres a Power Limit % slider. But I have no idea what to do with it. Any recommendations?


Powertune to +20% should be the first step, even at stock clocks. That card should have voltage control, try using the latest beta Afterburner to disable ULPS and then bump up the voltage to 1.250V and see where it goes. One of my 7950's I have now will go to 1300 but the other falls on its face at 1125


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> got i third 7970 with waterblock for trifire...my question is do you think my i5 4670k can handle these beasts with choking ?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I figure it'll do fine.
Bring on the card pron!


----------



## jamaican voodoo

thanks for the quick reply i was bit worried their, it's good know that it will be able to manage them beast lol, +rep for you sir.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> got i third 7970 with waterblock for trifire...my question is do you think my i5 4670k can handle these beasts with choking ?


why wouldnt it ?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> thanks for the quick reply i was bit worried their, it's good know that it will be able to manage them beast lol, +rep for you sir.


I thank-you, and look forward to seeing those three beasts in your beautiful build.


----------



## jamaican voodoo

@ mega man........well i hear that i i5 is not really and ideal processor for a more than 2 high end gfx cards so i wasn't sure if was true are not. i was thinking to get and i7 4770k but don't want do if the i5 will do just fine.


----------



## Mega Man

people say that about any cpu just to tout how "awesome" their cpu is ......

they say that about the fx line up and i can tell you it pushes them fine


----------



## jamaican voodoo

well thanks you for the info, i'm happy to hear that it can.. now it's time for me to install the third one and be blow away lol thanks guys for the help


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Plus its less work on the AC in summer/hot areas.
> 
> What do you mean when you say, "Not more efficient, just less waste"
> 
> If you need 800w of power for your system, an 80% efficiency system will draw 1000w. A 90% efficiency system will draw 900w. Less power used, and less heat byproduct.


i mean what i said just because your gold does NOT mean you can supply more then you are rated for. granted there is a buffer. but ANY good psu has those for short spikes, they are not designed for long term use. it seems like he was saying you can have more head room
* with the exception of the EVGA model that you can "oc" with 240v
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Yes, but some are 650 watt platinums or w/e, but you can push them to 750+ watts but they will then be gold efficiency.
> 
> Also, I believe it would pay you back if you kept you psu for like 7 years or something.


nah if you are running your psu that long... i feel bad for your pc capacitors age among other things. just better to get new ones imo, and i do

also you can not just push it to 750w 99% of psus have ocp esp the reputable ones .


----------



## Paul17041993

just depends on the purpose really, the majority of cpus will handle a lot of things, just that more cards means you can grind more pixels with more detail, better cpu means anything that uses it will run better (physics and AI usually).

really, unless you have a piss poor cpu and/or you want the maximum numbers from benchmarks, your not going to get much of a difference...


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> people say that about any cpu just to tout how "awesome" their cpu is ......
> 
> they say that about the fx line up and i can tell you it pushes them fine


Exactly, AMD's FX cpus are doing just fine.
I still miss my old AMD socket 939 Opteron!


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Exactly, AMD's FX cpus are doing just fine.
> I still miss my old AMD socket 939 Opteron!


Depends on the game really, my FX 8320 was no match for some of my Intel builds in games like Planetside 2 or Skyrim. Games that aren't heavily threaded and like ipc is the weak area of those CPU. I pushed mine for all it was worth, maxed out at 5250mhz under water, 2400mhz RAM (FX guys know how hard this is for a non-benching rig and to actually be stable) and endless tweaking with the NB/HT and I still gained fps moving to a 3770k at just 4.6ghz.

Definitely not bad chips especially if you have a budget, just have to be aware of the limitations. I would much rather spend $169 on an FX 8-core than a locked i5.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Exactly, AMD's FX cpus are doing just fine.
> I still miss my old AMD socket 939 Opteron!
> 
> 
> 
> Depends on the game really, my FX 8320 was no match for some of my Intel builds in games like Planetside 2 or Skyrim. Games that aren't heavily threaded and like ipc is the weak area of those CPU. I pushed mine for all it was worth, maxed out at 5250mhz under water, 2400mhz RAM (FX guys know how hard this is for a non-benching rig and to actually be stable) and endless tweaking with the NB/HT and I still gained fps moving to a 3770k at just 4.6ghz.
> 
> Definitely not bad chips especially if you have a budget, just have to be aware of the limitations. I would much rather spend $169 on an FX 8-core than a locked i5.
Click to expand...

That was then, this is now.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Depends on the game really, my FX 8320 was no match for some of my Intel builds in games like Planetside 2 or Skyrim. Games that aren't heavily threaded and like ipc is the weak area of those CPU. I pushed mine for all it was worth, maxed out at 5250mhz under water, 2400mhz RAM (FX guys know how hard this is for a non-benching rig and to actually be stable) and endless tweaking with the NB/HT and I still gained fps moving to a 3770k at just 4.6ghz.
> 
> Definitely not bad chips especially if you have a budget, just have to be aware of the limitations. I would much rather spend $169 on an FX 8-core than a locked i5.


yea, mainly more single-thread games will have issues on slower-per-core cpus, minecraft is another example.

but on the other hand, especially with AMD being behind the next consoles, multithreading should be much more common for newer games, crysis3 is a good example, pushing the 8350 up close to the 2011 processors just by using ~6 heavy threads...


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Exactly, AMD's FX cpus are doing just fine.
> I still miss my old AMD socket 939 Opteron!


I still use my 939 opteron system. Runs a few low traffic websites.
Quote:


> Depends on the game really, my FX 8320 was no match for some of my Intel builds in games like Planetside 2 or Skyrim. Games that aren't heavily threaded and like ipc is the weak area of those CPU. I pushed mine for all it was worth, maxed out at 5250mhz under water, 2400mhz RAM (FX guys know how hard this is for a non-benching rig and to actually be stable) and endless tweaking with the NB/HT and I still gained fps moving to a 3770k at just 4.6ghz.
> 
> Definitely not bad chips especially if you have a budget, just have to be aware of the limitations. I would much rather spend $169 on an FX 8-core than a locked i5.


your sig says you have 3570k. Why would you go from a 3770k to a 3570k? and I've never seen your name in the FX piledriver owners club. Regardless, The Fx chips are by no means the best gaming cpu's there are better options out there. They do very well against intel parts in price vs performance. IE you can have a FX 6350 for the same price as a Intel I3, which the FX just man handles in any threaded work load. Gaining FPS is nice if it allows you to play at higher quality settings, otherwise its just extra money spent for numbers.
IE who cares if you getting 80fps vs 60fps when both are playing butter smooth.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

@ivanlabrie if I remember correctly you installed the arctic accelero xtreme on your 7970 before,right?
Anyways I wanted to ask how does it perform?how are your temps?is your PCB bending?how much space does it take?


----------



## BillOhio

OK, so, I'd been trying to figure out a way to space out my new 7950 Windforces and get some airflow between them to hopefully drop the temps from 100+ on my top card. It had seemed like the easiest place to start with that would have been to just drop my bottom card into my third/lowest PCI-E slot on my board except that the cables into my front panel connectors on the MOBO were creating an obstacle with the large cooler on the Windforce and I couldn't quite get my card into that third slot. So I've been looking around for solutions and I just found the SilverStone LC11 PCI Express Riser Card (RC01) which looks like it would make the space needed to get the card in to the third slot, and I like that this is a name brand product from Silverstone. I've only seen one user review but it was from a gamer who used the smaller of the 2 pieces to resolve the same issue as mine. I figure this would let me put 3 or 4 inches between my cards and from there I can pick up one or two additional fans (reccomendations?) to keep that top card from pulling in hot air. I thought I'd throw that idea out and see if anyone had a thought... thanks again!


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jamaican voodoo*
> 
> got i third 7970 with waterblock for trifire...my question is do you think my i5 4670k can handle these beasts with choking ?


Fine for gaming, benchmarks will be so so.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I still use my 939 opteron system. Runs a few low traffic websites.
> your sig says you have 3570k. Why would you go from a 3770k to a 3570k? and I've never seen your name in the FX piledriver owners club. Regardless, The Fx chips are by no means the best gaming cpu's there are better options out there. They do very well against intel parts in price vs performance. IE you can have a FX 6350 for the same price as a Intel I3, which the FX just man handles in any threaded work load. Gaining FPS is nice if it allows you to play at higher quality settings, otherwise its just extra money spent for numbers.
> IE *who cares if you getting 80fps vs 60fps when both are playing butter smooth*.


lol this is what i always say to intel lovers, they just like to pay premium for nothing.


----------



## Johny Boy

Re phrasing my earlier post and marked to TSM.

Which 7590 to go for that will be easy to OC? I can get Asus 7950 DC11 top v2 edition or various Sapphire cards like Boost / Vapor X / OC edition....
How is used GTX 580 / 7850 in comparison with above for stop gap period till AMD 9xxx reaches my country's shore.I am asking as new AMD series will cost anything above 500$ for things that might cost others mere 300$ and might push 7950/7970 prices low.....

Either way it's 7950 now or 9xxx series later on.


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Johny Boy*
> 
> Re phrasing my earlier post and marked to TSM.
> 
> Which 7590 to go for that will be easy to OC? I can get Asus 7950 DC11 top v2 edition or various Sapphire cards like Boost / Vapor X / OC edition....
> How is used GTX 580 / 7850 in comparison with above for stop gap period till AMD 9xxx reaches my country's shore.I am asking as new AMD series will cost anything above 500$ for things that might cost others mere 300$ and might push 7950/7970 prices low.....
> 
> Either way it's 7950 now or 9xxx series later on.


HD 7950 is the best value for money card. there are some very good deals on HD 7970 too. which country are you from ? the HD 99xx cards are going to be priced higher. so it all depends on how much you can spend. also whats your CPU, monitor res and psu ? try and fill a sig rig

http://www.overclock.net/t/1258253/how-to-put-your-rig-in-your-sig


----------



## Kokin

*If you haven't seen the news thread yet, 13.8 b2 drivers are out! It still doesn't apply to DX9, nor multi-monitor setups/Eyefinity, though I'm willing to give this a try.*

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8WINBetaDriver.aspx

============================================================

I'm not here to make this thread an AMD vs Intel thing, just sharing my experience.

From my personal experience, my old Phenom II 955 @ 4.2ghz (1600mhz RAM with 7-7-7-18 timings) could not handle running 2x 5870s in BF3. Both cards would run at 99% when in single-card mode, but would only run about 50~60% during Crossfire mode. Switching to a 2550K @ stock allowed them to run at the full 90~100% speed in BF3, as well as gain a slight performance gain when @ 5ghz.

Sinnce there are owners of both camps successfully running CF'ed 7950s/7970s, it's not really necessary to bicker over what is better. If it works for you, it works for you.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> I still use my 939 opteron system. Runs a few low traffic websites.
> your sig says you have 3570k. Why would you go from a 3770k to a 3570k? and I've never seen your name in the FX piledriver owners club. Regardless, The Fx chips are by no means the best gaming cpu's there are better options out there. They do very well against intel parts in price vs performance. IE you can have a FX 6350 for the same price as a Intel I3, which the FX just man handles in any threaded work load. Gaining FPS is nice if it allows you to play at higher quality settings, otherwise its just extra money spent for numbers.
> IE who cares if you getting 80fps vs 60fps when both are playing butter smooth.


I was there for a while, I had an FX 8150 previously as well. Here is the last CPU-Z validation I did for the FX owners thread: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=2745113

The 3570k replaced the 3770k after a delidding accident. I would always choose an AMD FX or possibly an APU or FM2 Athlon for a budget build due to the overclocking that is possible. There are few reasons I could see to buy Intel in the sub $200 range or wherever the i5 k-chip is at now.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea, mainly more single-thread games will have issues on slower-per-core cpus, minecraft is another example.
> 
> but on the other hand, especially with AMD being behind the next consoles, multithreading should be much more common for newer games, crysis3 is a good example, pushing the 8350 up close to the 2011 processors just by using ~6 heavy threads...


Yeah, I wouldn't rely on it to change all that fast. It will take console development a while to catch up to the new hardware. I am hoping for good things from steamroller, and maybe a half decent mATX board.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @ivanlabrie if I remember correctly you installed the arctic accelero xtreme on your 7970 before,right?
> Anyways I wanted to ask how does it perform?how are your temps?is your PCB bending?how much space does it take?


I don't have it yet! A friend might sell me a ref msi 7970 with it installed.
I hear it does bend a bit, without some kind of support.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> lol this is what i always say to intel lovers, they just like to pay premium for nothing.


True, I only got Intel for 3d benchmarking at hwbot, other than that, AMD can do just as well on most things.
There's really no point, unless you want it and can afford it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I was there for a while, I had an FX 8150 previously as well. Here is the last CPU-Z validation I did for the FX owners thread: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=2745113
> 
> The 3570k replaced the 3770k after a delidding accident. I would always choose an AMD FX or possibly an APU or FM2 Athlon for a budget build due to the overclocking that is possible. There are few reasons I could see to buy Intel in the sub $200 range or wherever the i5 k-chip is at now.
> Yeah, I wouldn't rely on it to change all that fast. It will take console development a while to catch up to the new hardware. I am hoping for good things from steamroller, and maybe a half decent mATX board.


Cough, fm2+ sniper m3!


----------



## 98uk

Can anyone tell me, if I have a single 7970 and Catalyst 13.8... do I need the CAP profiles as well, or is that just for multiple cards or dual core GPU's?


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Can anyone tell me, if I have a single 7970 and Catalyst 13.8... do I need the CAP profiles as well, or is that just for multiple cards or dual core GPU's?


no you dont need CAP as 13.8 has already a CAP installed..


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I don't have it yet! A friend might sell me a ref msi 7970 with it installed.
> I hear it does bend a bit, without some kind of support.
> True, I only got Intel for 3d benchmarking at hwbot, other than that, AMD can do just as well on most things.
> There's really no point, unless you want it and can afford it.
> Cough, fm2+ sniper m3!


Ouch that's disturbing,what do you mean by support?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *98uk*
> 
> Can anyone tell me, if I have a single 7970 and Catalyst 13.8... do I need the CAP profiles as well, or is that just for multiple cards or dual core GPU's?


No need for CAPs since they already have built-in profiles. 13.8 b2 is released as well and has so far been stable for me, though I haven't tried it on BF3 or Tomb Raider yet.


----------



## sugarhell

so to end this

It doesnt matter if you have the caps.Everytime drivers check for the most recent profile so if the integrate profile is the most recent then they discard the cap profile.If you realize it for a moment caps are just .xml


----------



## Erick Silver

Okay, I have pushed the Power Limit Bar to 20%. Now to bump the Core Clock up....


----------



## gatornation240

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Okay, I have pushed the Power Limit Bar to 20%. Now to bump the Core Clock up....


*DO IT*, I've had my 7950 for maybe a week now and I'm already thinking about getting another one for crossfire, the 3 game deal + low price is appealing. I've got till 3 EST to make up my mind on whether to wait or get it today. The AMD never settle bundle offered atm at the bottom of the image says expires 10/14/13 11:59PDT maybe a hint at the launch date for the 9000 series. Anyone have 2 IceQs on the same board? I may have to go another brand dude to this massive cooler.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Ouch that's disturbing,what do you mean by support?


A guy I knows used a bar fixed to his case, to help hold the card in place. It sags otherwise, but I wouldn't be too worried.
You could try the accelero ones with a radiator and pump, or just save for proper wc eventually.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> A guy I knows used a bar fixed to his case, to help hold the card in place. It sags otherwise, but I wouldn't be too worried.
> You could try the accelero ones with a radiator and pump, or just save for proper wc eventually.


I'll look into it when I get the card itself lol right now I'm mining hopefully one day I'll have enough money to get two ref 7970's just thinking about them makes me drool lol


----------



## JRuxGaming

I ordered my HD 7950 last Friday and I am expecting it Friday. I have 3 new IPS panels coming in today, as well. What should I expect with the performance on Eyefinity? Is it good, bad, or should I just stick with single monitor gaming? Can't wait to get my upgrade and hope you are all enjoying your cards.


----------



## Johny Boy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> HD 7950 is the best value for money card. there are some very good deals on HD 7970 too. which country are you from ? the HD 99xx cards are going to be priced higher. so it all depends on how much you can spend. also whats your CPU, monitor res and psu ? try and fill a sig rig
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1258253/how-to-put-your-rig-in-your-sig


Hi Raghu i am from India and prices here are insanely high so a 300$ card can be bang for others but bane for me as it would be around 450$ here.








Taking that in respect of prices i can fairly see 550-600$ for 9950 here , don't wanna spend that much in GPU to be honest as i am not hardcore gamer nor will i be ever but yes having a nice GPU that can play all current + next gen games.








Market here is flooded with Sapphire cards like Vapor X/Dual OC/ Boost and Asus's offerings, His is available but not so widely hence sapphire or else GTX cards from Zotac/Gigabyte/MSI.
Just need a card that can play all my requirements and would upgrade it later with same card in CF or SLI setup.
Here is my current System Build thread as i am building whole new rig.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1419957/its-red-and-its-all-amd


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Just a question why is reference better than any non reference cards?doesn't nonrefrence cards have better cooling and power phases thus it should click higher?how is a reference card better than for example a sapphire vapor-x which is a beast?
I'm not talking about water blocks compatibility as I could care less about water cooling


----------



## BillOhio

Who said reference is better? ...they usually do dump their heat outside of the case which is nice, but otherwise, if you're not talking about WC'ing then I'm not sure where a reference card is better.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Who said reference is better? ...they usually do dump their heat outside of the case which is nice, but otherwise, if you're not talking about WC'ing then I'm not sure where a reference card is better.


When doing crossfire, reference cards are better since they blow out heat outside your case. You don't want your case turned into an oven. If you look at threads carefully, a lot of people running crossfire have heat issues. Tsm106 told me about this and I have to agree with him.


----------



## TeeBlack

Reference cards are not better. they are only better when you talking watercooling.


----------



## Snuckie7

Oh dear


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Oh dear


snuckie I thought I saw ya name somewhere else, hwbot! you was my competition for raping my system to get a decent firestrike score!


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> snuckie I thought I saw ya name somewhere else, hwbot! you was my competition for raping my system to get a decent firestrike score!


Haha yep, sounds like me


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Haha yep, sounds like me


I beat you btw









but its a i7 vs 8350 so kind of unfair tbh!


----------



## Snuckie7

Welp, time to do a rerun! Link to your score please?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Welp, time to do a rerun! Link to your score please?


No way! I forbid you! I don't want to be 5th lol


----------



## Snuckie7

C'mon lemme just see the score


----------



## d1nky

http://hwbot.org/benchmark/3dmark_-_fire_strike/rankings?hardwareTypeId=videocard_1889#start=0#interval=20

LOL


----------



## Snuckie7

I'll be back in a bit


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I'll be back in a bit


then ill be back after that!









btw other people we're not having sexual relations!


----------



## Snuckie7

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1106767

Alright, a little improvement there with the same clocks. Let's see if I can break 8500


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'm sorry guys but I also have a 7970 and an i7 3820...might have to bench that too xD


----------



## d1nky

7950 category only and im using an fx8350 btw

8500 ill beat that after then


----------



## Snuckie7

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1106805

I rest my case. Happy benching!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Oh too bad...but seems like fun









Been ages since I ran any bench.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1106805
> 
> I rest my case. Happy benching!


itll be tough but do-able. give me something to aim for!

your cpu is going to be tough to beat tbh


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> OK, so, I'd been trying to figure out a way to space out my new 7950 Windforces and get some airflow between them to hopefully drop the temps from 100+ on my top card. It had seemed like the easiest place to start with that would have been to just drop my bottom card into my third/lowest PCI-E slot on my board except that the cables into my front panel connectors on the MOBO were creating an obstacle with the large cooler on the Windforce and I couldn't quite get my card into that third slot. So I've been looking around for solutions and I just found the SilverStone LC11 PCI Express Riser Card (RC01) which looks like it would make the space needed to get the card in to the third slot, and I like that this is a name brand product from Silverstone. I've only seen one user review but it was from a gamer who used the smaller of the 2 pieces to resolve the same issue as mine. I figure this would let me put 3 or 4 inches between my cards and from there I can pick up one or two additional fans (reccomendations?) to keep that top card from pulling in hot air. I thought I'd throw that idea out and see if anyone had a thought... thanks again!


have you got exhaust fans like I recommended? also, leaving the case open will only make it worse, you need to suck that hot air away from the sides of the cards...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Reference cards are not better. they are only better when you talking watercooling.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have you got exhaust fans like I recommended? also, leaving the case open will only make it worse, you need to suck that hot air away from the sides of the cards...


Why the facepalm? I tend to agree.
Easier to get waterblocks for reference, what else makes reference better?

Some overclock better than non-reference boards, except the reference cards that don't. Aside from the cooler, it's about getting lucky with the silicon, whatever PCB is wrapped around it.


----------



## ebduncan

reference cards are just that. The non reference cards feature revised pcb, cooling solution, connections. In most cases they have all 3. Just because the card is a non reference card doesn't mean you cannot water cool it. It is just not all non reference PCB's offer full cover water block support. Meaning you have to get a universal core water block and adapt it to your use, and find ways to cool the VRM etc.

Reference cards are nice because they exhaust the heat out of the case, always nice.

Non reference cards have better pcb's and voltage regulation put use a custom cooler (usually better than the reference cooler) which usually vents the heat back into the case.

Finding a FULL cover water block may not be possible for some non reference cards. All AMD reference cards can use a full cover water block.

Buy according to your needs. To sit back and claim one style is better than the other is nonsense, depends on your needs and budget.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1106805
> 
> I rest my case. Happy benching!


I'll try to beat it


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have you got exhaust fans like I recommended? also, leaving the case open will only make it worse, you need to suck that hot air away from the sides of the cards...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why the facepalm? I tend to agree.
> Easier to get waterblocks for reference, what else makes reference better?
> 
> Some overclock better than non-reference boards, except the reference cards that don't. Aside from the cooler, it's about getting lucky with the silicon, whatever PCB is wrapped around it.
Click to expand...

The situations where a proper custom card shines over a reference card are very rare. The only situation imo that matters is when you want to exceed the hard TDP limit, and in that case the Lightning is better. Outside of that, all these custom cards have varying degrees of negative impact and imo the negatives and the added cost are not worth it.

Btw, this is AMD and as we know their reference design is something you actually can admire unlike the other brand.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Why the facepalm? I tend to agree.
> Easier to get waterblocks for reference, what else makes reference better?
> 
> Some overclock better than non-reference boards, except the reference cards that don't. Aside from the cooler, it's about getting lucky with the silicon, whatever PCB is wrapped around it.


These guys are talking unmodded voltage tweaking and overclocking, no ocp/ovp hardmodding and such.
Latest ghz ed / boost cards suck, so I give them that.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1106805
> 
> I rest my case. Happy benching!


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> reference cards are just that. The non reference cards feature revised pcb, cooling solution, connections. In most cases they have all 3. Just because the card is a non reference card doesn't mean you cannot water cool it. It is just not all non reference PCB's offer full cover water block support. Meaning you have to get a universal core water block and adapt it to your use, and find ways to cool the VRM etc.
> 
> Reference cards are nice because they exhaust the heat out of the case, always nice.
> 
> Non reference cards have better pcb's and voltage regulation put use a custom cooler (usually better than the reference cooler) which usually vents the heat back into the case.
> 
> Finding a FULL cover water block may not be possible for some non reference cards. All AMD reference cards can use a full cover water block.
> 
> Buy according to your needs. To sit back and claim one style is better than the other is nonsense, depends on your needs and budget.


This is what I was thinking, reference & non-reference coolers & PCBs have their pros & cons depending on the buyer & intended use. One isn't necessarily better than the other.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The situations where a proper custom card shines over a reference card are very rare. The only situation imo that matters is when you want to exceed the hard TDP limit, and in that case the Lightning is better. Outside of that, all these custom cards have varying degrees of negative impact and imo the negatives and the added cost are not worth it.
> 
> Btw, this is AMD and as we know their reference design is something you actually can admire unlike the other brand.


I have seen the points you made through the thread & they are valid, it was just starting to look like some of the member are reading too much into it & thinking the non-reference PCBs are like a downgrade from reference.
I still agree reference are a better value with the same chances of getting a great card (maybe better since there are more reference cards made, who knows?)

Mostly just thinking that the facepalm post above was not exactly a facepalm moment.


----------



## bond32

I bought these 2 sapphire 7950's, they are fully reference 7970 pcb design with the reference blower cooler. I only have them on air for temporary purposes till my second block gets in, but I am surprised at how high I was able to clock them. The blower is, of course, crazy loud however.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Mostly just thinking that the facepalm post above was not exactly a facepalm moment.


It was in reply to this:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Reference cards are not better. they are only better when you talking watercooling.


Which I think a facepalm is not far from appropriate.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have you got exhaust fans like I recommended? also, leaving the case open will only make it worse, you need to suck that hot air away from the sides of the cards...


I haven't gotten that far as for now I've unplugged my second card. I plan to add an exhaust ('pull') fan between the cards at the back of the case once I've created that gap between the cards. There is already a 'push' fan in front of the cards. To create the gap in the first place via the PCI-E extender I'll have to place an order from an online retailer for the extender and for the extra long crossfire bridge and wait for the delivery.

In the mean time I'm going with one card and using VSYNC and I don't have any issues. One card by itself doesn't have any trouble staying under 70 degrees and games still look great. I have my panels back on and the single card is a bit cooler with the panels on than otherwise, as you and I both knew it would be. When I made the comment about having the panels off I was replying to mentioning of the cards being choked for air.

Since nobody has thrown up any flags about the extender idea I'll order the parts on the weekend and report back once I've made the changes to the set up.

Thanks for the replies, Peace


----------



## istudy92

So..like yesterday I was asking wether to get a 1440p monitor, or fx 8350..I decided to get a 1440p and it arrived today same day shipping im impatient hehe...

My 7950..at stock speed of 900mhz CANNOT handle this screen at all!! I was like WAHHHHHH!!!







it was hitting like 35fps =[ opposed to SOLID 60fps on 1080p on BF3

I overclocked it to 1170mhz and then i got 45-65fps but since this monitor is overclocked to 96refresh rate..i feel like im not making the best use outa the monitor and gaming =[

Should i get 2nd 7950 or wait for new 9xxx series and get 9x70??

=[=[
=[=[


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> So..like yesterday I was asking wether to get a 1440p monitor, or fx 8350..I decided to get a 1440p and it arrived today same day shipping im impatient hehe...
> 
> My 7950..at stock speed of 900mhz CANNOT handle this screen at all!! I was like WAHHHHHH!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it was hitting like 35fps =[ opposed to SOLID 60fps on 1080p on BF3
> 
> I overclocked it to 1170mhz and then i got 45-65fps but since this monitor is overclocked to 96refresh rate..i feel like im not making the best use outa the monitor and gaming =[
> 
> Should i get 2nd 7950 or wait for new 9xxx series and get 9x70??
> 
> =[=[
> =[=[


If you have Screen Space Ambient Occlusion on, (SSAO) turn it off. It chews up our cards performance.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i mean what i said just because your gold does NOT mean you can supply more then you are rated for. granted there is a buffer. but ANY good psu has those for short spikes, they are not designed for long term use. it seems like he was saying you can have more head room
> * with the exception of the EVGA model that you can "oc" with 240v
> nah if you are running your psu that long... i feel bad for your pc capacitors age among other things. just better to get new ones imo, and i do
> 
> also you can not just push it to 750w 99% of psus have ocp esp the reputable ones .


Yeah, but some like the Anteck hcp 1200 watt can be pushed 1800 without hitting the OCP.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> So..like yesterday I was asking wether to get a 1440p monitor, or fx 8350..I decided to get a 1440p and it arrived today same day shipping im impatient hehe...
> 
> My 7950..at stock speed of 900mhz CANNOT handle this screen at all!! I was like WAHHHHHH!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it was hitting like 35fps =[ opposed to SOLID 60fps on 1080p on BF3
> 
> I overclocked it to 1170mhz and then i got 45-65fps but since this monitor is overclocked to 96refresh rate..i feel like im not making the best use outa the monitor and gaming =[
> 
> Should i get 2nd 7950 or wait for new 9xxx series and get 9x70??
> 
> =[=[
> =[=[


1440p monitor means more pixels to push so that's normal also the prices are gonna be higher if you buy one of their new series GPUs so take that into perspective


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> 1440p monitor means more pixels to push so that's normal also the prices are gonna be higher if you buy one of their new series GPUs so take that into perspective


well money isnt an immediate issue in the sense of willing to buy something "worth it" but not overpowered like 4 7990 or quad titans lol.

at least im happy to see an actual difference in overclocking my gpu. iv never seen such a jump in FPS with overclocking as i have with a 1440p monitor.

Does Vram matter 6gb and 3gb wont matter unless its 3 monitors correct?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> If you have Screen Space Ambient Occlusion on, (SSAO) turn it off. It chews up our cards performance.


Is this found in the games or on the monitor settings?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> well money isnt an immediate issue in the sense of willing to buy something "worth it" but not overpowered like 4 7990 or quad titans lol.
> 
> at least im happy to see an actual difference in overclocking my gpu. iv never seen such a jump in FPS with overclocking as i have with a 1440p monitor.
> 
> Does Vram matter 6gb and 3gb wont matter unless its 3 monitors correct?
> Is this found in the games or on the monitor settings?


You can't get 4 7990s only 2 anyway sense they're coming next October then Meg maybe you should wait maybe there's something awesome coming just wait for now unless you feel Like your fps are really bad


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Is this found in the games or on the monitor settings?


In games and the nvidia control panel(if you have an nvidia card).


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> You can't get 4 7990s only 2 anyway sense they're coming next October then Meg maybe you should wait maybe there's something awesome coming just wait for now unless you feel Like your fps are really bad


ima n00b quad 7990 LOOOL my bad.

I guess your right, if it isnt bad then I guess waitting is fine! Patience is a virtue!









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> In games and the nvidia control panel(if you have an nvidia card).


neh i got AMD so i guess i dont have to do none of that?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> ima n00b quad 7990 LOOOL my bad.
> 
> I guess your right, if it isnt bad then I guess waitting is fine! Patience is a virtue!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> neh i got AMD so i guess i dont have to do none of that?


I too thought that I could get 4 7990s I was like it's gonna hell awesome if I could get 8 7970s together


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Just a question why is reference better than any non reference cards?doesn't nonrefrence cards have better cooling and power phases thus it should click higher?how is a reference card better than for example a sapphire vapor-x which is a beast?
> I'm not talking about water blocks compatibility as I could care less about water cooling


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Who said reference is better? ...they usually do dump their heat outside of the case which is nice, but otherwise, if you're not talking about WC'ing then I'm not sure where a reference card is better.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TeeBlack*
> 
> Reference cards are not better. they are only better when you talking watercooling.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have you got exhaust fans like I recommended? also, leaving the case open will only make it worse, you need to suck that hot air away from the sides of the cards...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ebduncan*
> 
> reference cards are just that. The non reference cards feature revised pcb, cooling solution, connections. In most cases they have all 3. Just because the card is a non reference card doesn't mean you cannot water cool it. It is just not all non reference PCB's offer full cover water block support. Meaning you have to get a universal core water block and adapt it to your use, and find ways to cool the VRM etc.
> 
> Reference cards are nice because they exhaust the heat out of the case, always nice.
> 
> Non reference cards have better pcb's and voltage regulation put use a custom cooler (usually better than the reference cooler) which usually vents the heat back into the case.
> 
> Finding a FULL cover water block may not be possible for some non reference cards. All AMD reference cards can use a full cover water block.
> 
> Buy according to your needs. To sit back and claim one style is better than the other is nonsense, depends on your needs and budget.






Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The situations where a proper custom card shines over a reference card are very rare. The only situation imo that matters is when you want to exceed the hard TDP limit, and in that case the Lightning is better. Outside of that, all these custom cards have varying degrees of negative impact and imo the negatives and the added cost are not worth it.
> 
> Btw, this is AMD and as we know their reference design is something you actually can admire unlike the other brand.


this.. + 99% of custom pcbs are voltage locked, boost, or high rate of fail *cough cough matrix with it 12million phases *
is it possible to get a clocker non ref... yes. but ref is better for many reasons... and imo it is a down grade. + the cooling on most.... imo does not surpass the ref design
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Yeah, but some like the Anteck hcp 1200 watt can be pushed 1800 without hitting the OCP.


i highly highly doubt that., if i am wrong please feel free to show proof not talking about a $15 watt meter, a real multimeter name brand ~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> ima n00b quad 7990 LOOOL my bad.
> 
> I guess your right, if it isnt bad then I guess waitting is fine! Patience is a virtue!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> neh i got AMD so i guess i dont have to do none of that?


nah we all made it at first XD


----------



## BillOhio

I think 8 7970s could actually render real life in real time... they's probably get hot though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> This is what I was thinking, reference & non-reference coolers & PCBs have their pros & cons depending on the buyer & intended use. One isn't necessarily better than the other.
> I have seen the points you made through the thread & they are valid, it was just starting to look like some of the member are reading too much into it & thinking the non-reference PCBs are like a downgrade from reference.
> I still agree reference are a better value with the same chances of getting a great card (maybe better since there are more reference cards made, who knows?)
> 
> Mostly just thinking that the facepalm post above was not exactly a facepalm moment.


unfortunately, a lot of non-reference are very poor quality and have hardware locks on them...
that DCIIT in my sig? yea, it gets its ass handed over by any 7970 or 7950 here... very disappointing for what i paid for it...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I haven't gotten that far as for now I've unplugged my second card. I plan to add an exhaust ('pull') fan between the cards at the back of the case once I've created that gap between the cards. There is already a 'push' fan in front of the cards. To create the gap in the first place via the PCI-E extender I'll have to place an order from an online retailer for the extender and for the extra long crossfire bridge and wait for the delivery.
> 
> In the mean time I'm going with one card and using VSYNC and I don't have any issues. One card by itself doesn't have any trouble staying under 70 degrees and games still look great. I have my panels back on and the single card is a bit cooler with the panels on than otherwise, as you and I both knew it would be. When I made the comment about having the panels off I was replying to mentioning of the cards being choked for air.
> 
> Since nobody has thrown up any flags about the extender idea I'll order the parts on the weekend and report back once I've made the changes to the set up.
> 
> Thanks for the replies, Peace


yea, from what i see your experiencing a severe case of lack of airflow, whats essentially happening is with the two cards, they blow their exhaust out and towards the side of the case, but the top card ends up sucking all this air back in and over-recycles the air, just placing some strip of foam (heat resistant though) between the cards to give the first card a "duct" to suck the air from the ends might fix it for the most part, but you still need good fans to suck the hot air away (you don't want your cpu to suck it in either).

as for using risers, might work nicely if you can drop the second card down a slot or two, though the right-angle riser I don't think will really be an effective solution...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I think 8 7970s could actually render real life in real time... they's probably get hot though.


4 7990s on a server board, makes it a single-unit supercomputer, some good openCL code will allow extreme detail in near-real-time...
but that's both expensive and not very practical for use yet... 2020 maby...?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this.. + 99% of custom pcbs are voltage locked, boost, or high rate of fail *cough cough matrix with it 12million phases *
> is it possible to get a clocker non ref... yes. but ref is better for many reasons... and imo it is a down grade. + the cooling on most.... imo does not surpass the ref design
> i highly highly doubt that., if i am wrong please feel free to show proof not talking about a $15 watt meter, a real multimeter name brand ~
> nah we all made it at first XD


I didn't the cooling was good,is it compared to other non refrence?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I think 8 7970s could actually render real life in real time... they's probably get hot though.


Lol


----------



## Mega Man

i d k about the quality of the riser in question either. i got mine from http://www.adexelec.com/

although i have not had a chance to use it yet, it was reccomended from another user on ocn and i have to say quality is top notch !~ just ordered a 90deg from them and i am hoping it will just fit... it not ill have to mod it ( due to the cfx bridges from swiftech it is really close to my mobo :/ )


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> though the right-angle riser I don't think will really be an effective solution...


Yeah, the last kit I posted actually comes with a second smaller piece (the top half of the photo) that should add a half an inch or so clearance away from the motherboard. Unfortunately I haven't seen that piece by itself but only included with the right angle riser. It's $30 but I'm sure I'll use it for years, possibly through multiple setups as it will always be nice to move that bottom card away from the MoBo connections. I'm kind of surprised that this isn't a more common problem as big as these cards are getting.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i d k about the quality of the riser in question either. i got mine from http://www.adexelec.com/
> 
> although i have not had a chance to use it yet, it was reccomended from another user on ocn and i have to say quality is top notch !~ just ordered a 90deg from them and i am hoping it will just fit... it not ill have to mod it ( due to the cfx bridges from swiftech it is really close to my mobo :/ )


Mega, thanks again and I will definitely check through the site you linked and will be curious to know how your riser works out. The product I linked is actually made by Silverstone and as good as their cases are I'm hoping that their other products are of comparable quality. I think FrozenCPU also has a good reputation, no?Of course I realize that there are plenty of companies who are great in one department and crap in others but overall I'm optimistic. If I find something similar at adexelc then I will probably order from them provided I can get shipping to Canada.

Edit: Oh Hell, all this place does is Risers?! That's funny... so which one of theirs do I get?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I didn't the cooling was good,is it compared to other non refrence?
> Lol


I think a lot of cases have proven the reference cooler better then all others bar maby the vaporX, though this is with extreme overclocks and the reference cooler is pretty loud...

reference cooler consists of a massive block of copper and a plate, unlike (cheaper) heatpipes that all other coolers use...


----------



## Mega Man

depends on what you want, they are not cheap. but yea. 100% custom made too. just http://www.adexelec.com/product.htm and scroll through to what you want. they are very helpful and can tell you which you can get for gen 2/3 ect main thing is distance. gen 2 is 12" iirc and 3 is 8"


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I think a lot of cases have proven the reference cooler better then all others bar maby the vaporX, though this is with extreme overclocks and the reference cooler is pretty loud...
> 
> reference cooler consists of a massive block of copper and a plate, unlike (cheaper) heatpipes that all other coolers use...


This is new to me I don't care if I'm next to a jet engine my case is behind my monitor and I have a 5.1 sound system so it should be good


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this.. + 99% of custom pcbs are voltage locked, boost, or high rate of fail *cough cough matrix with it 12million phases *
> is it possible to get a clocker non ref... yes. but ref is better for many reasons... and imo it is a down grade. + the cooling on most.... imo does not surpass the ref design
> i highly highly doubt that., if i am wrong please feel free to show proof not talking about a $15 watt meter, a real multimeter name brand ~
> nah we all made it at first XD


I'm not sure how accurate this is, and the translation is bad, but it is one of the places stating it.

http://www.chiphell.com/article-2153-5.html


----------



## Mega Man

..........
i may buy a 7990 just for the new block  <3 the backplate...... going trifire ( yes i know it is quadfire ) with 2x7970 +7990 ........ options !~ hmmmmmmm
maybe wifey needs a 7970 CF with komodos !~ ...
price is not bad either .... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127735


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i highly highly doubt that., if i am wrong please feel free to show proof not talking about a $15 watt meter, a real multimeter name brand ~


The site that had that review is gone, but it did indeed do this without tripping OCP. They were able to pull 40A from each +12V rail. Sort of like the older HX1050 which was actually a 1500W unit in disguise.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ..........
> i may buy a 7990 just for the new block  <3 the backplate...... going trifire ( yes i know it is quadfire ) with 2x7970 +7990 ........ options !~ hmmmmmmm
> maybe wifey needs a 7970 CF with komodos !~ ...
> price is not bad either .... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127735


I'd personally rather have the ek ones look wise.


----------



## Mega Man

you can have them


Spoiler: *personal opinion your welcome to disagree, please do not take this as a disrespect



because IMO they look UGGRY


----------



## nvidiaftw12

No disrespect taken at all. But I don't like all the branding and stickers or w/e there is on that. It's fine if it's evngraved in, but yellow on a black card? No thanks. A solid, flat, black block wouldn't be bad, but that's not what that is.


----------



## Durvelle27

XFX HD 7970 @1250/1700


----------



## Mega Man

you dont see the stickers.... the only other thing you would see on the 7990 is the swiftech logo in white.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 @1250/1700


I get 50 fps with 760 do better than that


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Wait. If you have quadfire, why do you want a 7990?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you dont see the stickers.... the only other thing you would see on the 7990 is the swiftech logo in white.


Dose cards *drooling* what will you do with them when you get the 7990?


----------



## Mega Man

put 2 in my wifes rig when i get off my bum and install my daul mcp35x pumps into my system ... if i buy it


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Well damn. You have a lucky wife.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I get 50 fps with 760 do better than that


What's your score and screenshot


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> put 2 in my wifes rig when i get off my bum and install my daul mcp35x pumps into my system ... if i buy it


That's a big if there
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> What's your score and screenshot


You don't believe me then OK I'll post them later


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> That's a big if there
> You don't believe me then OK I'll post them later


Will be waiting


----------



## FNG-Protogenic

I can't find a single 7990 on the list D: does anyone here have one and did they have to flash their BIOS to unlock voltages?


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 @1250/1700


Are you using allowed tweaks or not? I get higher score (2187) w/7950 @ 1215/1700.


----------



## Gunderman456

Just got the Sapphire HD 7990. GPU-Z indicates a 1.20v at +20 power. I looked for a new Bios through Sapphire and they did not offer any.

I managed a 1110MHz (max stable) and 1600 on Memory (probably can do more there). I ran Crysis 3 on ultra with no problems afterwards.

Really overclocking the HD 7990 will get you 2-4 frames more. You will need to decide if it's worth it.


----------



## pcoutu17

I'm looking at building a new rig, and I'm highly interested in using the 7990 for it. I've also looked into doing 7950CF. However, this build will be in a Lian-Li PC-V354 so space is at a premium, which means cooling is as well. I'm fairly certain that a 7990 is plausible in the case, as I've heard it has less power consumption and heat output compared to dual card solutions. I guess my main question would be whether or not using 2 7950s is advised in a fairly small case (I'm guessing no). From what I've read, two 7950s shouldn't be too underpowered compared to the 7990, especially when they can be found for ~$300 less. Oh, and I'll be gaming on one 2560x1440 monitor


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Will be waiting


Ummm...what's that?

OK it's not 50 I can't find the 50fps screenshot :/


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Are you using allowed tweaks or not? I get higher score (2187) w/7950 @ 1215/1700.


What allowed tweaks


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Ummm...what's that?
> 
> OK it's not 50 I can't find the 50fps screenshot :/


Bwahahahaha

My score is higher


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Bwahahahaha
> 
> My score is higher


Good for you an OCed 7970 is better than my GTX 760







seriously though I can get that score the only thing holding me back is that my CPU and RAM aren't OCed


----------



## Durvelle27

So is mines. I could easily get higher


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> That's a big if there


not really i just have to get a big enough hair up my bum. still debating [email protected] 1200/1800 or less clocked with awesome backplate.
one though in the back of my mind is have FQ make a custom light up backplate for the top card to go over the current backplate that lights up with LEDs
decisions decisions
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> I'm looking at building a new rig, and I'm highly interested in using the 7990 for it. I've also looked into doing 7950CF. However, this build will be in a Lian-Li PC-V354 so space is at a premium, which means cooling is as well. I'm fairly certain that a 7990 is plausible in the case, as I've heard it has less power consumption and heat output compared to dual card solutions. I guess my main question would be whether or not using 2 7950s is advised in a fairly small case (I'm guessing no). From what I've read, two 7950s shouldn't be too underpowered compared to the 7990, especially when they can be found for ~$300 less. Oh, and I'll be gaming on one 2560x1440 monitor


dont think size of case matter as much as airflow
but you can acctually get ( right now ) 2x7950 for around 320 with 2 different accounts ( assuming you are in us !~ )


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> So is mines. I could easily get higher


Since when did AMD shift their 8320 at 4.5GHz also you're still comparing a 7970 vs a 760 OC YOUR GPU MOAR!!!it can do better


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not really i just have to get a big enough hair up my bum. still debating [email protected] 1200/1800 or less clocked with awesome backplate.
> one though in the back of my mind is have FQ make a custom light up backplate for the top card to go over the current backplate that lights up with LEDs
> decisions decisions
> dont think size of case matter as much as airflow
> but you can acctually get ( right now ) 2x7950 for around 320 with 2 different accounts ( assuming you are in us !~ )


Ah, good point. From everything I've read, the PC-V354 has great cooling for its size. It has 2x120mm fans in the front, a 140mm on the top, and, I believe, space for a 120mm in the rear. I can also get a customized case that has an extra 120mm fan on the side panel, but I don't know how much that would actually be worth it.

I do happen to be in the great U S of A, so that surprising little discount adds to my interest in the 7950CF option.


----------



## BillOhio

what size rad would I need to WC 2 7950s if I left the CPU on air... ?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> what size rad would I need to WC 2 7950s if I left the CPU on air... ?


Minimum of a 240mm rad


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Since when did AMD shift their 8320 at 4.5GHz also you're still comparing a 7970 vs a 760 OC YOUR GPU MOAR!!!it can do better


I indeed be Ocing it more actually doing a lot of test now


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Minimum of a 240mm rad


You think that'd be enough to OC the cards a bit and still keep temps in the 50s?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> what size rad would I need to WC 2 7950s if I left the CPU on air... ?


basic rule of thumb
air hs =120mm rad

you need 1 120mm rad per component MIN
me personally i try to have 2x120mm rad per component. been a bit slack since i went to 7970x4... but that will soon be resolved, just need to get off my bum and order it. i will probably get my new/extra rads when i get my aquaero


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> You think that'd be enough to OC the cards a bit and still keep temps in the 50s?


I did say minimum Lol.

I would recommend a 480 rad though


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> basic rule of thumb
> air hs =120mm rad
> 
> you need 1 120mm rad per component MIN
> me personally i try to have 2x120mm rad per component. been a bit slack since i went to 7970x4... but that will soon be resolved, just need to get off my bum and order it. i will probably get my new/extra rads when i get my aquaero


Do you just use one pump with that many rads?


----------



## Mega Man

atm it is. but i have a dual mcp35x i was just to lazy to put it in. but flow is not an issue at all.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Do you just use one pump with that many rads?


I use a single MCP655 with 2x 240mm rads and flow is still good.


----------



## BillOhio

so I'm seeing that the 650D is built to house 2x140 on it's roof, that and a single pump and a res makes up the components of a loop yeah? Plus fittings, tubing and coolant and blocks.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> so I'm seeing that the 650D is built to house 2x140 on it's roof, that and a single pump and a res makes up the components of a loop yeah? Plus fittings, tubing and coolant and blocks.


It can fit a 240 or 280. Don't forget clamps Lol. Also i would suggest distilled water & a kill coil instead of coolant


----------



## Mega Man

nah distilled +biocide ( iandh dead water or pt nuke ( NOT PHN ) = win ... dont have to worry about it messing with any nickle products


----------



## process

hihi...was hoping someone could help here.

Got a 7970ghz ed, fx8350, v formula-z mb, khuler 920, 16gb kingston @ 2133

clocked cpu to 4.6 on the fly which results in benchmarks just flying through scenes and resulting in lower fps. Its like the 7970 can't keep up with the speed. Can anyone advise plz?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> nah distilled +biocide ( iandh dead water or pt nuke ( NOT PHN ) = win ... dont have to worry about it messing with any nickle products


Or this


----------



## MrSharkington

Hi everyone, I just got my replacement 7950 from msi. Seems I got the 6 + 8 pin version though in msi afterburner the core clock slider wont go over 1100MHz where as my previous (6 + 6 pin) went to 1200, what do I do to unlock the slider to go higher?


----------



## Derpinheimer

unlock msi afterburner limits. i think there are multiple methods to this, but i just make a shorcut to msiafterburner.exe and add /xcl in the target, like so:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl


----------



## MrSharkington

Appreciate it, thanks!


----------



## Derpinheimer

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. Close afterburner [if open] then open it from the shortcut just once. Restart computer and it will not need to be ran again like that until you change drivers or update AB. Hopefully i'm still speaking English, very tired


----------



## Snuckie7

The xcl method is old and you don't need to make a shortcut anymore. Dig around in the AB settings and find a checkbox called "Extend official overclocking limits"


----------



## MrSharkington

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The xcl method is old and you don't need to make a shortcut anymore. Dig around in the AB settings and find a checkbox called "Extend official overclocking limits"


the xcl method isnt working on mine for some reason, I'm trying to look for the checkbox but I can't find it any help?


----------



## Snuckie7

You need to update AB to one of the newer betas to get that option.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

How good is a ref diamond HD 7970?


----------



## MrSharkington

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> You need to update AB to one of the newer betas to get that option.


Thanks that worked. I've got it at 1200/1500 on 1.2v, is that a safe voltage? my temps are fairly normal


----------



## maynard14

Hi! new to overclocking video card

i oc my 7870 myst power color using after burner msi / using stock cooler of the gpu

and i set my power limit to 20 percent

then core clock to 1230

and memory clock to 1550

my fan set to manual @ 65 percent and my core temp is @ 75c

if i set my fan speed to auto my temp on core clock is 81c

should i bring down my oc or its ok to use it in everyday usage,.. i use uniengine 1 and heaven engine 4.0 no artifacts or hang ups


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> hihi...was hoping someone could help here.
> 
> Got a 7970ghz ed, fx8350, v formula-z mb, khuler 920, 16gb kingston @ 2133
> 
> clocked cpu to 4.6 on the fly which results in benchmarks just flying through scenes and resulting in lower fps. Its like the 7970 can't keep up with the speed. Can anyone advise plz?


do you mind running 3DMark11?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Hi! new to overclocking video card
> 
> i oc my 7870 myst power color using after burner msi / using stock cooler of the gpu
> 
> and i set my power limit to 20 percent
> 
> then core clock to 1230
> 
> and memory clock to 1550
> 
> my fan set to manual @ 65 percent and my core temp is @ 75c
> 
> if i set my fan speed to auto my temp on core clock is 81c
> 
> should i bring down my oc or its ok to use it in everyday usage,.. i use uniengine 1 and heaven engine 4.0 no artifacts or hang ups


you can set a custom fan profile instead.

btw, you are in the wrong thread. there is a specific thread for that gpu. might be here . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1373543/official-7870-tahiti-le-xt-owners-club


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you can set a custom fan profile instead.
> 
> btw, you are in the wrong thread. there is a specific thread for that gpu. might be here . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1373543/official-7870-tahiti-le-xt-owners-club


oh sorry sir i will put my questions there,. thank you sir and sorry for breaking the rules.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> oh sorry sir i will put my questions there,. thank you sir and sorry for breaking the rules.


no problem. the only rule you broke is the 'gender' rule. we do have female overclockers on board.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> no problem. the only rule you broke is the 'gender' rule. we do have female overclockers on board.


hahaha nice


----------



## sugarhell

I am finally back. Time to try these new drivers


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> You think that'd be enough to OC the cards a bit and still keep temps in the 50s?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I did say minimum Lol.
> 
> I would recommend a 480 rad though


I have two 7950's cooled by a 420 , 60mm thick and no matter the load they stay under 35C on the core and under 45C on the VRMs.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> What allowed tweaks


Check the Valley-thread, there is a list of couple of driver tweaks that everyone (who wants to get as good of a score as possible) uses.

My point is, your score w/7970 at those clocks should be a lot higher, try those tweaks and see what you get, there´s a chance that your OC is unstable too.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I am finally back. Time to try these new drivers


wb my friend @!


----------



## DokLes

Hi All

Just built first water cooling so thought I would push the boat out a bit. Current rig as follows:



So, basics, i7 920 2.6 about to get a shock
VTX3D 7990 with a new block and ready for some messing with
Using one triple and one double XSPC rad on 1/2ID through a Laing DDC
OCX1000 PSU, a bit noisy but plenty of fuel

Temps look solid at the moment but I am still getting into OC so it will take a little time to find the limits.


Pics on the inside of the box soon (Xigmatek Elysium) since its a bit untidy and needs a replan after some adds.

Any comment and suggestions are most welcome.

Cheers

Les


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DokLes*
> 
> Hi All
> 
> Just built first water cooling so thought I would push the boat out a bit. Current rig as follows:
> 
> 
> 
> So, basics, i7 920 2.6 about to get a shock
> VTX3D 7990 with a new block and ready for some messing with
> Using one triple and one double XSPC rad on 1/2ID through a Laing DDC
> OCX1000 PSU, a bit noisy but plenty of fuel
> 
> Temps look solid at the moment but I am still getting into OC so it will take a little time to find the limits.
> 
> 
> Pics on the inside of the box soon (Xigmatek Elysium) since its a bit untidy and needs a replan after some adds.
> 
> Any comment and suggestions are most welcome.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Les


bloomfield, not too many of those around these days...

loop sounds pretty good, though I would personally recommend upgrading your pump to a D5 for both noise and temps, but if your DDC is working well enough then you might not need to worry about it...

I also noticed your using the max clocks from CCC/VisionControlCenter (whichever you want to call it these days), I would expect the card to be able to go up to 1200 core and 1700 memory with a bit more voltage then stock, but then might be the question of whether your DDC is pushing enough water flow around to keep the whole card cool...


----------



## DokLes

Thanks for the suggestion, yeah, the based rig has been around for a while and it needed a bit of sprucing up. The DDC seems okay for now, TBH after getting the new GPUI am a tad skint for project funds till the missus stops looking into the bank









Apparently this particular card has run comfortably at 1140/1750 so I will be pushing to that and seeing how far I can go with the current water. Tempted to stick another double in the front since there is a crazy amount of space in the case but then it will certainly be the D5 at least or slap a second loop with two DDC


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Anybody here owns a Vapor-X card?How's the cooling?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Check the Valley-thread, there is a list of couple of driver tweaks that everyone (who wants to get as good of a score as possible) uses.
> 
> My point is, your score w/7970 at those clocks should be a lot higher, try those tweaks and see what you get, there´s a chance that your OC is unstable too.


Its stable as I have run numerous test with no problems


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Check the Valley-thread, there is a list of couple of driver tweaks that everyone (who wants to get as good of a score as possible) uses.
> 
> My point is, your score w/7970 at those clocks should be a lot higher, try those tweaks and see what you get, there´s a chance that your OC is unstable too.
> 
> 
> 
> Its stable as I have run numerous test with no problems
Click to expand...

It's true, your fps should be higher. Ranger's run at 1300/1800 which is a lil faster hit 58fps iirc so that should give you an idea. That said the valley thread has gone down the toilet since they are letting cheaters in the leaderboard.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Its stable as I have run numerous test with no problems


I can attest, too, that your score is low. my 7950 scores 51.2 at those clocks.


----------



## sugarhell

New valley is about the best cheater?


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> do you mind running 3DMark11?


ran 3dmark 11 at stock cpu with a slight gc clock & mem bumped...results below. Then bios clocked cpu to 4.5 and ran 3d mark 11 again...got to the final scene 3 times and bsod








'a clock interrupt was not recieved on a secondary processor within the allocated timer interval' - up volts?

results from 4mhz below along with 4.5clock cpuz...at 4.5, gc hit around 74 c before bsod

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/st111.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/s112.jpg.html

4.5mhz idle (fans sety to extreme..later rpm lowered)
http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/idle.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/cp45.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/m2.jpg.html


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's true, your fps should be higher. Ranger's run at 1300/1800 which is a lil faster hit 58fps iirc so that should give you an idea. That said the valley thread has gone down the toilet since they are letting cheaters in the leaderboard.


That's what I've been telling him my GTX 760 gets 50 and his 1250 7970 gets 51 that's not possible


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> That's what I've been telling him my GTX 760 gets 50 and his 1250 7970 gets 51 that's not possible


Its so easy. Most users here dont search properly before oc. They just fire up msi,trixx oc and then they come here to ask why god why amd sucks so much. So 51 fps is so possible if your oc is unstable


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its so easy. Most users here dont search properly before oc. They just fire up msi,trixx oc and then they come here to ask why god why amd sucks so much. So 51 fps is so possible if your oc is unstable


I never said AMD sucks and OK if its unstable what do you guys suggest


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I never said AMD sucks and OK if its unstable what do you guys suggest


Lower your oc or control your temps


----------



## tsm106

Stop taking pics of your run and hit the screencap button instead?


----------



## istudy92

I
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Anybody here owns a Vapor-X card?How's the cooling?


I own a vapor x, its great, i mean i think it is!
I have it at 1170/1455 at 1.225mvt on full load that is.
Never runs above 75C


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lower your oc or control your temps


My temps never go above 50c


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stop taking pics of your run and hit the screencap button instead?


I tried that buy image comes out all black


----------



## Snuckie7

F12 key instead?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> My temps never go above 50c


You watercool your 7970? You force 1.3 volt? Or your oc is unstable and you need to redo it or your system software is messed up.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSharkington*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The xcl method is old and you don't need to make a shortcut anymore. Dig around in the AB settings and find a checkbox called "Extend official overclocking limits"
> 
> 
> 
> the xcl method isnt working on mine for some reason, I'm trying to look for the checkbox but I can't find it any help?
Click to expand...

The xcl method sucks, you can't bypass powerplay using xcl. Not sure why anyone would want a more flicker prone environment.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its so easy. Most users here dont search properly before oc. They just fire up msi,trixx oc and then they come here to ask why god why amd sucks so much. So 51 fps is so possible if your oc is unstable


Ya for example if my OC isn't stable it starts running at stock but the OC software OC slider is still at the same place
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I never said AMD sucks and OK if its unstable what do you guys suggest


Try to find a better OC try OCing your mem or core only OC one of them and find the most stable OC then find the maximum stable OC for the other I know your 7970 can do a lot better


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You watercool your 7970? You force 1.3 volt? Or your oc is unstable and you need to redo it or your system software is messed up.


Yes & yes


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Ya for example if my OC isn't stable it starts running at stock but the OC software OC slider is still at the same place
> Try to find a better OC try OCing your mem or core only OC one of them and find the most stable OC then find the maximum stable OC for the other I know your 7970 can do a lot better


Will give that try


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Will give that try


It helped me identify the max stable clock on each


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I
> I own a vapor x, its great, i mean i think it is!
> I have it at 1170/1455 at 1.225mvt on full load that is.
> Never runs above 75C


Good I'm mining for a 7970 Vapor-X and wanted to know how good it is


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> It helped me identify the max stable clock on each


Just for reference

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7032537


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JRuxGaming*
> 
> I ordered my HD 7950 last Friday and I am expecting it Friday. I have 3 new IPS panels coming in today, as well. What should I expect with the performance on Eyefinity? Is it good, bad, or should I just stick with single monitor gaming? Can't wait to get my upgrade and hope you are all enjoying your cards.


I'm using a 7950 and Eyefinity can be very demanding for many of the recent games. I use my IPS monitors in Portrait mode (3240x1920) and does not boggle down the card more as much as Landscape does (5760x1080).

I mostly play free-to-play games such as Vindictus or League of Legends and a single 7950 @ 950/1400 will work fine for those games at full res. For games like BF3 or Tomb Raider, I cannot use max settings, but a mixture of High/Ultra which is pretty close to max and does not really look any different. The more demanding games require something like a 1100/1600 or 1250/1750 OC for my card, though I have a full cover waterblock so it stays between 35C~50C at all times.

Having used Eyefinity for over a year now, I'm very happy with the huge res because it makes multi-tasking so much easier. I can browse the internet on one monitor, read stuff in another, and have temp monitoring programs/chat programs like Skype on the third. I can even have multiple games in windowed mode and go nuts. My only gripe is that the bezels can get in the way, though once you're watching a video or playing a game, the bezels go away. I may move towards a single 1440p monitor in the future as nothing really beats a no-bezel setup.

The bezel compensation really helps to keep images cohesive between monitors, though it can be detrimental for videos with subs (foreign films & anime) and could block you from seeing game menus/inventories, so I'm forced to compromise between turning it on and off for whatever I'm doing. My res goes from 3240x1920 to 3510x1920, though I do not see any FPS drops in games.

Edit: Wow sorry for the long reply, but there really is a lot to say about Eyefinity.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I'm using a 7950 and Eyefinity can be very demanding for many of the recent games. I use my IPS monitors in Portrait mode (3240x1920) and does not boggle down the card more as much as Landscape does (5760x1080).
> 
> I mostly play free-to-play games such as Vindictus or League of Legends and a single 7950 @ 950/1400 will work fine for those games at full res. For games like BF3 or Tomb Raider, I cannot use max settings, but a mixture of High/Ultra which is pretty close to max and does not really look any different. The more demanding games require something like a 1100/1600 or 1250/1750 OC for my card, though I have a full cover waterblock so it stays between 35C~50C at all times.
> 
> Having used Eyefinity for over a year now, I'm very happy with the huge res because it makes multi-tasking so much easier. I can browse the internet on one monitor, read stuff in another, and have temp monitoring programs/chat programs like Skype on the third. I can even have multiple games in windowed mode and go nuts. My only gripe is that the bezels can get in the way, though once you're watching a video or playing a game, the bezels go away. I may move towards a single 1440p monitor in the future as nothing really beats a no-bezel setup.
> 
> The bezel compensation really helps to keep images cohesive between monitors, though it can be detrimental for videos with subs (foreign films & anime) and could block you from seeing game menus/inventories, so I'm forced to compromise between turning it on and off for whatever I'm doing. My res goes from 3240x1920 to 3510x1920, though I do not see any FPS drops in games.
> 
> Edit: Wow sorry for the long reply, but there really is a lot to say about Eyefinity.


Could you show me your monitor setup?right now I have a dream to get 3 dell monitors in Portrait mode like yours but I have to get some $$$$ first


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Could you show me your monitor setup?right now I have a dream to get 3 dell monitors in Portrait mode like yours but I have to get some $$$$ first




An old setup


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 
> 
> An old setup




















































I just can't stop drooling


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> ran 3dmark 11 at stock cpu with a slight gc clock & mem bumped...results below. Then bios clocked cpu to 4.5 and ran 3d mark 11 again...got to the final scene 3 times and bsod
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 'a clock interrupt was not recieved on a secondary processor within the allocated timer interval' - up volts?
> 
> results from 4mhz below along with 4.5clock cpuz...at 4.5, gc hit around 74 c before bsod
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/st111.jpg.html
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/s112.jpg.html
> 
> 4.5mhz idle (fans sety to extreme..later rpm lowered)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


your gpu temp is pretty high. use HwInfo64 to check the core temp and, more importantly, the VRMs' temps.

your psu is suspect, too. i advise not to oc both cpu and gpu at same time. you don't need to oc your gpu just the cpu, especially if you are only using 1080.

keep HwInfo running in the background during a game and check it after about 1/2 hour, then take a sceenshot. you'll have to scroll down to see the vrms temps.

edit:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/getmirror/hwinfo64,1.html


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 
> 
> An old setup


Can't stop looking


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Good I'm mining for a 7970 Vapor-X and wanted to know how good it is


well a small update i hit 80c when mining at 1120/1440/1225mvt 98% gpu load


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> well a small update i hit 80c when mining at 1120/1440/1225mvt 98% gpu load


That's because you OCed it,right?I heard in mining you shouldn't really OC rather undervolt cause of the long periods that the cards run at full load


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> That's because you OCed it,right?I heard in mining you shouldn't really OC rather undervolt cause of the long periods that the cards run at full load


I ran my 7950 @ 1200MHz & ~1.07v or something for a few months, mining. Chip required a bit more voltage at the end but overall works fine.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> I ran my 7950 @ 1200MHz & ~1.07v or something for a few months, mining. Chip required a bit more voltage at the end but overall works fine.


Yeah, should work fine below 80c, and with 1.15v or less.


----------



## welly321

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 
> 
> An old setup


Wow Im normally not a fan of eyefinity but that looks awesome. Would love to adventure in skyrim like that. I run a 1440p monitor ATM but wow thats awesome!


----------



## Paul17041993

any eyefinity setup is awesome, provided the games are playable...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> any eyefinity setup is awesome, provided the games are playable...


For eyefinity i run 3 gpus. I changed to 4k monitor recently and i downgrade to 2 gpus


----------



## istudy92

umm, I lowered my voltage on my OC, you were right, runs just fine =p


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Is this found in the games or on the monitor settings?


Games settings.


----------



## Sujeto 1

Hey guys, what do you think about CF of HD7990?


----------



## Penryn

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> any eyefinity setup is awesome, provided the games are playable...


I never had an issue running most games even when I had one 7970. With crossfire I can't really think of any game that I can't get 60fps on without slight tweaks to SSAO or AA.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 
> 
> An old setup


I tired portrait but I feel the bezels are too close to the middle. It's nice though if I could get rid of them but I'm too lazy to mutilate my monitors lol.

I have my 3 Dells setup landscape:


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Penryn*
> 
> I never had an issue running most games even when I had one 7970. With crossfire I can't really think of any game that I can't get 60fps on without slight tweaks to SSAO or AA.
> I tired portrait but I feel the bezels are too close to the middle. It's nice though if I could get rid of them but I'm too lazy to mutilate my monitors lol.
> 
> I have my 3 Dells setup landscape:


Another nice setup







though I prefer portrait so I want to ask about good portrait monitors
Right now I have a dual monitors setup my main monitor is a 1080p 23" my secondary one is 1366*768 19" this setup is great for multitasking and also good for monitoring temps OC software while gaming or benching


----------



## BillOhio

BF:BC2 runs fine, but I'm getting 5FPS in MetroLL?


----------



## TormenteD

Hey guys which out of the AMD vendors generally has the best warranty / customer support? I'm about to buy a 7990 because of the insane price drop.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TormenteD*
> 
> Hey guys which out of the AMD vendors generally has the best warranty / customer support? I'm about to buy a 7990 because of the insane price drop.


I'm thinking of sapphire


----------



## istudy92

sapphire has good quality cards, so why need a warrenty=]


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> sapphire has good quality cards, so why need a warrenty=]


Well I have 2 sapphire cards they seem good really never had issues with them


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Now I'm tempted,I think I'll mine for a 7990


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Now I'm tempted,I think I'll mine for a 7990


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Now I'm tempted,I think I'll mine for a 7990


gotta love it when that happens ay?

but yea I think sapphire being AMD-specific might have the better service for the 7990, though I don't think it would matter much as its a reference card, if it has a problem it would be serious enough that any company should accept an RMA...
(though I might not trust ASUS so much, personal experience...)


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> gotta love it when that happens ay?
> 
> but yea I think sapphire being AMD-specific might have the better service for the 7990, though I don't think it would matter much as its a reference card, if it has a problem it would be serious enough that any company should accept an RMA...
> (though I might not trust ASUS so much, personal experience...)


Ya sorry about the double post,but ya it's like EVGA on nVidia


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Guys with ref 7990 what do you think of them?how well do they OC?how well do they overvolt?


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> BF:BC2 runs fine, but I'm getting 5FPS in MetroLL?


Found the fix, turning off Advanced Physx got the game back up to full speed.


----------



## Juub

So, I'm really interested in that 7990 but I need some opinions first. How is it? Is microstuttering an issue? Can I duplicate my display with CrossFireX and still get signal on both screens while playing a game?


----------



## ivanlabrie

I hear the Malta cards aren't too good for heavy overclocking, and they are limited to 1.3v max since they use volterra volt controllers which are not compatible with modded trixx.

I'd look at the cheap Devil 13 by powercolor, which happens to have better cooling for air rigs anyway.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I hear the Malta cards aren't too good for heavy overclocking, and they are limited to 1.3v max since they use volterra volt controllers which are not compatible with modded trixx.
> 
> I'd look at the cheap Devil 13 by powercolor, which happens to have better cooling for air rigs anyway.


If you can still find a devil for sale...


----------



## ukic

How are these results? If I push 1100/1500 w/o touching voltage I get artifacts. No voltage increase for me atm since my psu is only 750watts. For now, going to stay with 1050/1500. Are these acceptable? Temps are a little high.



EDIT: Full size image here.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I hear the Malta cards aren't too good for heavy overclocking, and they are limited to 1.3v max since they use volterra volt controllers which are not compatible with modded trixx.
> 
> I'd look at the cheap Devil 13 by powercolor, which happens to have better cooling for air rigs anyway.


I won't be overvolting much anyway plus isn't the ref cheaper?also they look better


----------



## Morizuno

Is it still worth buying a 7970? If so which one is the one to get? I've been looking at this msi one for the cooler and this his one since it is the cheapest.


----------



## BillOhio

I would (and just did) go with a 7950 as the performance is very comparable and you can find them for $100 less than what you are posting. Also, keep an eye in the for sale section here on OCN as 79xx's will be going up for sale very often and I saw your thread that you are on a budget.


----------



## Juub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Morizuno*
> 
> Is it still worth buying a 7970? If so which one is the one to get? I've been looking at this msi one for the cooler and this his one since it is the cheapest.


It is. There's no card at its performance/price. You either pay much less and get less performance or you pay much more and get a bit more performance.

Price:

Titan>>>GTX 780>>GTX 770>GTX 680>HD7970>/=GTX 670>HD7950>/=GTX 760

Performance:

Titan>GTX780>>GTX770>/=GTX 680>/=/GTX 670>/=HD7950>/=GTX 760

It's the best card and pretty much the only one at its price range. You can doll out an extra 100$ to get a 770 or save a 100$ to get a 7950. It's not that much worse than a 770 but it's not that much better than a 7950 either if you overclock both.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I won't be overvolting much anyway plus isn't the ref cheaper?also they look better


To be honest, I wantted to get a 7990 as well because the price is just BEAUTIFUL!

but the ONLY, and hear me out, ONLY reason I will not get it is because the new 9XXX series are to come out in less than 45 days and the announcement is comming september 25th hawaii time on the cards for sale and prices.

Its best to wait to see if the rumors are correct and wether these new cards will be a blast in the future performance wise, PLUS 7990 doesnt qualify you for never settle forever package, it has a premade 8 game coupon so u cant use it to get the new BF4 game, or any new games comming out before december 31st 2013 (which is when the offer ends)

(never settle forever is just a new promotion where new AMD gpu buyers are able to pick ANY 3,2, or 1 game from AMD selection at any time instead of a premade package=] ) (for those who dont know)


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'm gonna sell my Gigabyte 7970 Windforce OC and grab two msi ref 7970s soon me thinks...mainly for financial reasons. Might end up with only one of them though.


----------



## BillOhio

there aren't blocks for the Windforce?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> To be honest, I wantted to get a 7990 as well because the price is just BEAUTIFUL!
> 
> but the ONLY, and hear me out, ONLY reason I will not get it is because the new 9XXX series are to come out in less than 45 days and the announcement is comming september 25th hawaii time on the cards for sale and prices.
> 
> Its best to wait to see if the rumors are correct and wether these new cards will be a blast in the future performance wise, PLUS 7990 doesnt qualify you for never settle forever package, it has a premade 8 game coupon so u cant use it to get the new BF4 game, or any new games comming out before december 31st 2013 (which is when the offer ends)
> 
> (never settle forever is just a new promotion where new AMD gpu buyers are able to pick ANY 3,2, or 1 game from AMD selection at any time instead of a premade package=] ) (for those who dont know)


Yes but how much will they be?will they be on sale for BTC?I'm not gonna buy them now I just started mining it would take months to save for a 7990 which is worth it by the time I have saved for it I'll probably have enough BTC for 9970 card so I'll have the option but right now the 7990 is killing me the 9970 has to be very good to attract my attention
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I'm gonna sell my Gigabyte 7970 Windforce OC and grab two msi ref 7970s soon me thinks...mainly for financial reasons. Might end up with only one of them though.


Nice you'll be mining well with them


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> How are these results? If I push 1100/1500 w/o touching voltage I get artifacts. No voltage increase for me atm since my psu is only 750watts. For now, going to stay with 1050/1500. Are these acceptable? Temps are a little high.
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Full size image here.


Bump.


----------



## Morizuno

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Juub*
> 
> It is. There's no card at its performance/price. You either pay much less and get less performance or you pay much more and get a bit more performance.
> 
> Price:
> 
> Titan>>>GTX 780>>GTX 770>GTX 680>HD7970>/=GTX 670>HD7950>/=GTX 760
> 
> Performance:
> 
> Titan>GTX780>>GTX770>/=GTX 680>/=/GTX 670>/=HD7950>/=GTX 760
> 
> It's the best card and pretty much the only one at its price range. You can doll out an extra 100$ to get a 770 or save a 100$ to get a 7950. It's not that much worse than a 770 but it's not that much better than a 7950 either if you overclock both.


Ah, alright. Which 7970 would you recommend? It will be my first high-end card so I'm unsure on the brands / coolers ect


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Anybody here owns a Vapor-X card?How's the cooling?


I have a Vapor X 7950 and have to say that the cooling is superb IMO. I have it clocked to 1100/1500 and it never goes over 55*c at 50% fan profile


----------



## Gunderman456

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Bump.


I thought my 7990 on core 1110 and mem 1600 was stable but it was not. Even core 1100 and mem 1500 was not stable with +20% power (1.20v max of card).

Core 1050 and mem 1500 with 0% raise in power remains the fall back to stable clocks. Mind you I still intend to see what I can get away with tomorrow that will be stable for the long haul!

Yes, these cards in general don't overclock well as stated in the reviews as well, and even so what moderate overclock you get will not affect frame rates that much. This is what I found and also reflected in reviews. You may get a gem, but it seems on average, they will not be beasts in overclocking prowess. The good news, they don't have to be.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Yes but how much will they be?will they be on sale for BTC?I'm not gonna buy them now I just started mining it would take months to save for a 7990 which is worth it by the time I have saved for it I'll probably have enough BTC for 9970 card so I'll have the option but right now the 7990 is killing me the 9970 has to be very good to attract my attention
> Nice you'll be mining well with them


A very reliable source (sorry i cant find the link and where i on overclock it was found) is that it will be priced below 600 dollars!


----------



## Juub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Morizuno*
> 
> Ah, alright. Which 7970 would you recommend? It will be my first high-end card so I'm unsure on the brands / coolers ect


Do you overclock a lot? Do you care about noise/heat? Also, what's your budget? There are quite a few different 7970's.

That 7990 is torturing me. I wanna buy but the 9000 series is only a month and a half away and I'm dying because of the wait.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Could you show me your monitor setup?right now I have a dream to get 3 dell monitors in Portrait mode like yours but I have to get some $$$$ first


Sure:




Let me get a picture of a game up. Will edit this post in a few minutes.

Here's Tomb Raider:


----------



## Juub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Sure:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me get a picture of a game up. Will edit this post in a few minutes.


This is...beautiful. Still can't stand the separations between the screens though.









I heard once the 7990's run out of stock, AMD ain't making new ones. Any truth to that?


----------



## xxKuro

Hello,
I don't know is this the right place to post this, but I'll ask anyways.
Recently I got an AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition ASUS Matrix Platinum. I bought it for the sake of wanting to overclock it slightly. Meaning I want to OC it enough so it is stable with only air cooling. I googled around. Looked at some reviews. All of them are able to get at least 1280 MHz on Core and 1750 MHz on memory, some even up to 1310 MHz on the core.
So through using GPU Tweak I adjusted it to the settings that they had (including all the voltage settings for the reviews that included them).. I keep on getting artificing when I run 3DMark and Heaven Benchmarks. Even at much lower clock rates I still get artificing.

Am I doing something wrong? Or did I get a bad card (which is hard to believe considering that platinum editions are suppose to be "hand picked" GPUs). Or did the 13.0 AMD patch did something? Because all the reviews were made in the 12.0 patches.


----------



## istudy92

Yes sir,
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Juub*
> 
> This is...beautiful. Still can't stand the separations between the screens though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I heard once the 7990's run out of stock, AMD ain't making new ones. Any truth to that?


yes sir they will be sold out, they are pushing it outa the market so it does can abolish thier newer products.
Although this isnt confirmed, but many agree with it, and in a business perspective it makes sense


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Juub*
> 
> This is...beautiful. Still can't stand the separations between the screens though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I heard once the 7990's run out of stock, AMD ain't making new ones. Any truth to that?


Once you use one or see it in action, they really do disappear, though I would definitely trade this setup for one of those Korean 27" or 30" monitors even if it means a smaller monitor. 3 of these 21.5" monitors make it like a 40", so it's pretty big!

As for the 7990s, AMD has never really kept production of dual-GPU cards for long periods of time after the next gen releases.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Sure:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me get a picture of a game up. Will edit this post in a few minutes.
> 
> Here's Tomb Raider:


It's too bueatiful


----------



## Juub

I think I'll wait till the 9000 series. A big problem I have with CrossFireX is that you can't keep the signal on a duplicated monitor if the games run on DX9. For someone who mainly games on his HDTV, this is something I simply deal with. I also noticed many DX9 games disable CrossFireX if played in windowed mode.


----------



## istudy92

I go
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Once you use one or see it in action, they really do disappear, though I would definitely trade this setup for one of those Korean 27" or 30" monitors even if it means a smaller monitor. 3 of these 21.5" monitors make it like a 40", so it's pretty big!
> 
> As for the 7990s, AMD has never really kept production of dual-GPU cards for long periods of time after the next gen releases.


i got 27 inch Korean....its massive 1440p


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I go
> i got 27 inch Korean....its massive 1440p


Meh I prefer 1600p


----------



## Kokin

Yeah but my resolution is 3240x1920 (1920p) or with bezel compensation it's 3510x1920, so it's even bigger.


----------



## magicase

I just picked up my 7990 and after installing I have found 1 problem.

For some odd reason the 2nd GPU is running at 99% load all the time while the 1st one is on 0% during idle. Can anyone help here?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *magicase*
> 
> I just picked up my 7990 and after installing I have found 1 problem.
> 
> For some odd reason the 2nd GPU is running at 99% load all the time while the 1st one is on 0% during idle. Can anyone help here?


Are you using the new 13.8 b2 drivers? The 13.8 drivers have been known to show the wrong "specs" such as showing 1x despite running @ 16x. Feel the card and see if it is hot.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *magicase*
> 
> I just picked up my 7990 and after installing I have found 1 problem.
> 
> For some odd reason the 2nd GPU is running at 99% load all the time while the 1st one is on 0% during idle. Can anyone help here?


Disable ULPS.


----------



## magicase

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Are you using the new 13.8 b2 drivers? The 13.8 drivers have been known to show the wrong "specs" such as showing 1x despite running @ 16x. Feel the card and see if it is hot.


Yes i'm currently using the 13.8 B2 driver

GPU-Z is showing the specs so I'm kind of disappointing with my 7990.


----------



## magicase

Seems to have fixed itself after disabling ULPS. Fingers crossed it stays like this.

EDIT. It didn't fix it. Now back to 99% load


----------



## nikoli707

So my msi twin frozr 3 7950 wont go past 1.25v no matter what i do. Ive tried using trix and afterburner but neither let me up the voltage. All i can get out of my card for a stable run thru benchmarks is 1170 core/1575 mem and im only hitting 69c so i know i have a lot more head room as far as voltage is concerned. What do i do?

1150/1550 are my 24/7 clocks.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *magicase*
> 
> Seems to have fixed itself after disabling ULPS. Fingers crossed it stays like this.
> 
> EDIT. It didn't fix it. Now back to 99% load


Not quite sure, though have you tried the older 13.6b2 or 13.4 drivers?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> So my msi twin frozr 3 7950 wont go past 1.25v no matter what i do. Ive tried using trix and afterburner but neither let me up the voltage. All i can get out of my card for a stable run thru benchmarks is 1170 core/1575 mem and im only hitting 69c so i know i have a lot more head room as far as voltage is concerned. What do i do?
> 
> 1150/1550 are my 24/7 clocks.


If it's the boost edition, you may be voltage-locked due to some of the newer PCBs not having voltage control.

You could try flashing a different vBIOS. Though if your PCB is voltage-locked, there's nothing you can do about it.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> So my msi twin frozr 3 7950 wont go past 1.25v no matter what i do. Ive tried using trix and afterburner but neither let me up the voltage. All i can get out of my card for a stable run thru benchmarks is 1170 core/1575 mem and im only hitting 69c so i know i have a lot more head room as far as voltage is concerned. What do i do?
> 
> 1150/1550 are my 24/7 clocks.


not gana lie but thats pretty high voltage for a avg overclock.

I got 1160/1440 at 1.187 trixx

ps.
and why is everyones goddamns memory overclock so damn high, EVERYONE i see has something above 1500memory, i havnt found anyone below 1450 at my clock-____-


----------



## xxKuro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> Hello,
> I don't know is this the right place to post this, but I'll ask anyways.
> Recently I got an AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition ASUS Matrix Platinum. I bought it for the sake of wanting to overclock it slightly. Meaning I want to OC it enough so it is stable with only air cooling. I googled around. Looked at some reviews. All of them are able to get at least 1280 MHz on Core and 1750 MHz on memory, some even up to 1310 MHz on the core.
> So through using GPU Tweak I adjusted it to the settings that they had (including all the voltage settings for the reviews that included them).. I keep on getting artificing when I run 3DMark and Heaven Benchmarks. Even at much lower clock rates I still get artificing.
> 
> Am I doing something wrong? Or did I get a bad card (which is hard to believe considering that platinum editions are suppose to be "hand picked" GPUs). Or did the 13.0 AMD patch did something? Because all the reviews were made in the 12.0 patches.


Anyone have any ideas about this? I thought the post might have gotten lost in the sea of beautiful eyefinity pictures.


----------



## nikoli707

my voltage is just flat out stuck at 1.25v. i cant move it up or down. it does change from either .950v or 1.250v depending on gpu load.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas about this? I thought the post might have gotten lost in the sea of beautiful eyefinity pictures.


What does the artifacting look like? Is it little green dots all over the place?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> Anyone have any ideas about this? I thought the post might have gotten lost in the sea of beautiful eyefinity pictures.


Some, or maybe even quite a number of Matrix's don't clock well at all. You may have gotten a dud like Ranger


----------



## Derpinheimer

Low memory clocks are not uncommon at all.

If you have Hynix 1250MHz, its random. Maybe 1300, maybe 2000. Its anywhere inbetween.

If its Elpida 1250, you will not get 1500.
If its Elpida 1500, you might get up to 1700

So, you probably have Elpida 1250

Also, Nikoli707, 69c is getting a bit hot for stable OCing. 1150/1.25v isnt too far from the norm for overclocking.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gunderman456*
> 
> I thought my 7990 on core 1110 and mem 1600 was stable but it was not. Even core 1100 and mem 1500 was not stable with +20% power (1.20v max of card).
> 
> Core 1050 and mem 1500 with 0% raise in power remains the fall back to stable clocks. Mind you I still intend to see what I can get away with tomorrow that will be stable for the long haul!
> 
> Yes, these cards in general don't overclock well as stated in the reviews as well, and even so what moderate overclock you get will not affect frame rates that much. This is what I found and also reflected in reviews. You may get a gem, but it seems on average, they will not be beasts in overclocking prowess. The good news, they don't have to be.


i dont think you have the right understanding of what the power slider does. it raises the cards TDP not voltage
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> Hello,
> I don't know is this the right place to post this, but I'll ask anyways.
> Recently I got an AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition ASUS Matrix Platinum. I bought it for the sake of wanting to overclock it slightly. Meaning I want to OC it enough so it is stable with only air cooling. I googled around. Looked at some reviews. All of them are able to get at least 1280 MHz on Core and 1750 MHz on memory, some even up to 1310 MHz on the core.
> So through using GPU Tweak I adjusted it to the settings that they had (including all the voltage settings for the reviews that included them).. I keep on getting artificing when I run 3DMark and Heaven Benchmarks. Even at much lower clock rates I still get artificing.
> 
> Am I doing something wrong? Or did I get a bad card (which is hard to believe considering that platinum editions are suppose to be "hand picked" GPUs). Or did the 13.0 AMD patch did something? Because all the reviews were made in the 12.0 patches.


reviews are often lied in. most asus cards dont oc well. ( 79xx series, unless reference )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> So my msi twin frozr 3 7950 wont go past 1.25v no matter what i do. Ive tried using trix and afterburner but neither let me up the voltage. All i can get out of my card for a stable run thru benchmarks is 1170 core/1575 mem and im only hitting 69c so i know i have a lot more head room as far as voltage is concerned. What do i do?
> 
> 1150/1550 are my 24/7 clocks.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> If it's the boost edition, you may be voltage-locked due to some of the newer PCBs not having voltage control.
> 
> You could try flashing a different vBIOS. Though if your PCB is voltage-locked, there's nothing you can do about it.


this +1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> not gana lie but thats pretty high voltage for a avg overclock.
> 
> I got 1160/1440 at 1.187 trixx
> 
> ps.
> and why is everyones goddamns memory overclock so damn high, EVERYONE i see has something above 1500memory, i havnt found anyone below 1450 at my clock-____-


different types of memory i am going to spell this wrong but 188ish is hynix 1500ish is ephina ( usually there are exceptions / golden )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> my voltage is just flat out stuck at 1.25v. i cant move it up or down. it does change from either .950v or 1.250v depending on gpu load.


voltage locked


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> not gana lie but thats pretty high voltage for a avg overclock.
> 
> I got 1160/1440 at 1.187 trixx
> 
> ps.
> and why is everyones goddamns memory overclock so damn high, EVERYONE i see has something above 1500memory, i havnt found anyone below 1450 at my clock-____-


lol you would hate my memory overclock on my first 7970 then it will do 1950mhz stable 2nd one will only do 1650 tho.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Low memory clocks are not uncommon at all.
> 
> If you have Hynix 1250MHz, its random. Maybe 1300, maybe 2000. Its anywhere inbetween.
> 
> If its Elpida 1250, you will not get 1500.
> If its Elpida 1500, you might get up to 1700
> 
> So, you probably have Elpida 1250
> 
> Also, Nikoli707, 69c is getting a bit hot for stable OCing. 1150/1.25v isnt too far from the norm for overclocking.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i dont think you have the right understanding of what the power slider does. it raises the cards TDP not voltage
> reviews are often lied in. most asus cards dont oc well. ( 79xx series, unless reference )
> 
> this +1
> different types of memory i am going to spell this wrong but 188ish is hynix 1500ish is ephina ( usually there are exceptions / golden )
> voltage locked


it really does pay to read around this forum learn something new each day =]


----------



## Mega Man

hey i was close on the spelling. not to bad with a migraine hey !~


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> not gana lie but thats pretty high voltage for a avg overclock.
> 
> I got 1160/1440 at 1.187 trixx
> 
> ps.
> and why is everyones goddamns memory overclock so damn high, EVERYONE i see has something above 1500memory, i havnt found anyone below 1450 at my clock-____-


The 7900 have 2 different RAM brands Hynix and Elpida. The Hynix chips are the ones that clock 1600~1800 while Elpida are 1500 or less.

My 7950 only does 1100/1600 @ 1.225V, so it's a pretty bad clocker.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> my voltage is just flat out stuck at 1.25v. i cant move it up or down. it does change from either .950v or 1.250v depending on gpu load.


Sounds like a Boost BIOS. Try to flash a non-boost one.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> What does the artifacting look like? Is it little green dots all over the place?


That's one indication. You can also get black dots all over the place or just funky colors all around.


----------



## xxKuro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> What does the artifacting look like? Is it little green dots all over the place?


Its really just funky colors all over the place. Sometimes I see the Black/Pink or Black/White grid of missing textures... Bright lighting and lens flares will glitch out. Of course these are the extreme cases when I try to overclock at a higher speed (but still suppose to be stable). Once i tone it down however a lot of these issues disappear, but however I can still see some warping of geometries in the background of Heavens Benchmark Extreme.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> your gpu temp is pretty high. use HwInfo64 to check the core temp and, more importantly, the VRMs' temps.
> 
> your psu is suspect, too. i advise not to oc both cpu and gpu at same time. you don't need to oc your gpu just the cpu, especially if you are only using 1080.
> 
> keep HwInfo running in the background during a game and check it after about 1/2 hour, then take a sceenshot. you'll have to scroll down to see the vrms temps.
> 
> edit:
> 
> http://www.majorgeeks.com/mg/getmirror/hwinfo64,1.html


Thanks a lot..I'll get onto that asap. I got an eyefinity 3x1 - 5760x1080 setup. I've tried getting a stable cpu oc before benchmarking again and have some temperature concerns. I'm currently living and working in Saudi where it is hot as F! Outside temps can hit mid 50c. Aircon in my room is constantly on at 16c. Today running prime95 cpu temps went up to 69c! I changed some percentages in bios digipower+ to have them drop to 61c . Still high? Screens below. Think ill try dropping digipower+ percentages, upping voltage and fsb

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/ht.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/temp1.jpg.html


----------



## rdr09

Thanks a lot..I'll get onto that asap. I got an eyefinity 3x1 - 5760x1080 setup. I've tried getting a stable cpu oc before benchmarking again and have some temperature concerns. I'm currently living and working in Saudi where it is hot as F! Outside temps can hit mid 50c. Aircon in my room is constantly on at 16c. Today running prime95 cpu temps went up to 69c! I changed some percentages in bios digipower+ to have them drop to 61c . Still high? Screens below. Think ill try dropping digipower+ percentages, upping voltage and fsb





Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!











Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







[/quote]

yes, you need to address that cpu temp first. can you see temps for the gpu if you scroll down the slider in HwIfo? Like this . . .



edit: is the khuler sucking air from the outside?


----------



## magicase

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Not quite sure, though have you tried the older 13.6b2 or 13.4 drivers?.


After a few restarts the cores are both now stable. Seems to work with ULPS disabled.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Thanks a lot..I'll get onto that asap. I got an eyefinity 3x1 - 5760x1080 setup. I've tried getting a stable cpu oc before benchmarking again and have some temperature concerns. I'm currently living and working in Saudi where it is hot as F! Outside temps can hit mid 50c. Aircon in my room is constantly on at 16c. Today running prime95 cpu temps went up to 69c! I changed some percentages in bios digipower+ to have them drop to 61c . Still high? Screens below. Think ill try dropping digipower+ percentages, upping voltage and fsb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


yes, you need to address that cpu temp first. can you see temps for the gpu if you scroll down the slider in HwIfo? Like this . . .



edit: is the khuler sucking air from the outside?[/quote]
I know how hot it can get,good thing it's dry air I can't stand humidity


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> edit: is the khuler sucking air from the outside?


lol nha its blowing out...
the cpu is idling at 40-45c. gave up on 4600mhz fsb clock for now and gone on to multiplier instead. 4600 on multiplier hits temps of 68c. graphics card remains around 45c in prime.

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/4668.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/gcp.jpg.html

will lower voltage on this and any digi+ power to lower cpu temps. You know which is clock and core in HWinFO?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> lol nha its blowing out...
> the cpu is idling at 40-45c. gave up on 4600mhz fsb clock for now and gone on to multiplier instead. 4600 on multiplier hits temps of 68c. graphics card remains around 45c in prime.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/4668.jpg.html
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/gcp.jpg.html
> 
> 
> 
> will lower voltage on this and any digi+ power to lower cpu temps. You know which is clock and core in HWinFO?


process, i think you should ask here . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1318995/official-fx-8320-fx-8350-vishera-owners-club

when my thuban idled that high, i knew already that was not going to pass Prime. i had to make sure it was at or below 35C. AMD cpus do not vary much when it comes to temps.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> Hello,
> I don't know is this the right place to post this, but I'll ask anyways.
> Recently I got an AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition ASUS Matrix Platinum. I bought it for the sake of wanting to overclock it slightly. Meaning I want to OC it enough so it is stable with only air cooling. I googled around. Looked at some reviews. All of them are able to get at least 1280 MHz on Core and 1750 MHz on memory, some even up to 1310 MHz on the core.
> So through using GPU Tweak I adjusted it to the settings that they had (including all the voltage settings for the reviews that included them).. I keep on getting artificing when I run 3DMark and Heaven Benchmarks. Even at much lower clock rates I still get artificing.
> 
> Am I doing something wrong? Or did I get a bad card (which is hard to believe considering that platinum editions are suppose to be "hand picked" GPUs). Or did the 13.0 AMD patch did something? Because all the reviews were made in the 12.0 patches.


sorry man, but you've been scammed...









the only "hand picking" ASUS do is for the lowest quality chips they can afford to fit on a rubbish board with pretty lights that serve no purpose whatsoever, unless your willing to modify the card to override the electronics, your better off getting rid of the thing... (RMA if your still in the trial period)


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Sure:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Let me get a picture of a game up. Will edit this post in a few minutes.
> 
> Here's Tomb Raider:


Here's mine :/


----------



## sugarhell

you need a mousepad lol


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That's one indication. You can also get black dots all over the place or just funky colors all around.


Reason I was asking is the Asus DCUII TOP and Matrix cards have a known issue with the second DVI port and BIOS switch causing green artifacts in dual-link mode on some screens. I had that problem myself a while back.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> you need a mousepad lol


Ya I know lol I'm using a nat geo for kids magazine as one


----------



## ukic

Looks like my cards doesn't have vrm sensors? http://i.imgur.com/JAa8s6U.jpg

Is there another way to check vrm temps? I tried hwinfo and gpuz


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> process, i think you should ask here . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1318995/official-fx-8320-fx-8350-vishera-owners-club
> 
> when my thuban idled that high, i knew already that was not going to pass Prime. i had to make sure it was at or below 35C. AMD cpus do not vary much when it comes to temps.


Thanks a lot rdr09. Been playing with it all day and not really achieving any temp reduction. The only thing I can think of is room temp. Even though aircon is blasting at 16c, I do soemetimes leave the window and door open or it can get too cold in here! I've put the cpu back to 4ghz and running prime I get a max of 54c. I'll see if anyone can help in the thread you posted, but for now I'll just give it a rest.

Thanks again


----------



## process

on the topic of eyefinity setups, got mine in landascape. Tried portrait, but there were some cable length issues!

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/IMG_0755.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/IMG_0759.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/IMG_0761.jpg.html


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> on the topic of eyefinity setups, got mine in landascape. Tried portrait, but there were some cable length issues!
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/IMG_0755.jpg.html
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/IMG_0759.jpg.html
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/IMG_0761.jpg.html










Crysis 3 never looked so good


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Crysis 3 never looked so good


here is eyeinfinity in the future . . .


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> here is eyeinfinity in the future . . .


Meh the colors aren't that good


----------



## richie_2010

Can I leave my 7950 in thw rig with no power cables connected while I test another card


----------



## Rickles

I have my monitors in portrait (less fisheye)

Do you guys think that a 3 x 140mm rad and a 140mm rad will be enough for a 4.6 ghz 2500k and 2 7970s at 1100 / 1700. Or should I also put in a 2 x120 mm?


----------



## sugarhell

Its enough


----------



## Gunderman456

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i dont think you have the right understanding of what the power slider does. it raises the cards TDP not voltage -snip-


From MSI Afterburner Manual;

"Core Voltage (mV)：Adjust mster GPU core voltage. Depending on graphics card model the voltage can be represented either explicitly or as an offset added to base voltage. Singed values represented the offset whilst unsigned values represent absolute voltage. Drag the bar left/right to decrease/increase the GPU voltage; or input the custom value directly in the final column. You can try to adjust the GPU voltage to get higher
overclocking capability. Hint 1: When GPU settings synchronization mode is enabled in tab in advanced properties, anychanges applied to the master GPU are also applied to all similar GPUs in the system. Hint 2: Voltage control is available on limited set of graphics card models equipped with programmable voltage regulation module. Please refer to documentation to get full list of graphics card models supporting
voltage adjustments. Hint 3: When the slider is focused, you may use cursor keys on your keyboard to finetune the clock. Hint 4: You may click the adjacent edit field to directly type the in a desired clock."

When the GPU is at 0%, GPU-Z shows the card at 1.1v at +20% it goes up to 1.2v.

Just like Bios feature when overclocking a CPU with the +/-.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Looks like it's enough...4x140mm space is plenty really, unless you wanna slow down fans more.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Can I leave my 7950 in thw rig with no power cables connected while I test another card


i hope it is 'cause i have my 7970 in my intel rig with the cables unplug while i test my 7950. i don't see any problems, though.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Reason I was asking is the Asus DCUII TOP and Matrix cards have a known issue with the second DVI port and BIOS switch causing green artifacts in dual-link mode on some screens. I had that problem myself a while back.


Been meaning to ask this for a while and then forgot. Which port is the first DVI and which is second? DVI-I or DVI-D?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Looks like my cards doesn't have vrm sensors? http://i.imgur.com/JAa8s6U.jpg
> 
> Is there another way to check vrm temps? I tried hwinfo and gpuz


Some cards just don't report the vrm temps., here is a lame arse excuse from HIS on that issue:
www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/19460#post_18952268
I have a Gigabyte 7950 that does report the vrm temps., my other 7950 from VisionTek doesn't, it always says 25C with any monitoring software.
Not a damn thing we can do about it.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Been meaning to ask this for a while and then forgot. Which port is the first DVI and which is second? DVI-I or DVI-D?


On the lightning the one closest to the PCB is the DVI-I, the one on the outer edge of the bracket is DVI-D. Looks like a dual link DVI-D but is electrically single.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> On the lightning the one closest to the PCB is the DVI-I, the one on the outer edge of the bracket is DVI-D. Looks like a dual link DVI-D but is electrically single.


I know that. I was just wondering if one was labeled port 1 etc.
I only have one monitor so was just wondering which one to plug into.


----------



## BillOhio

Comissar, I'm guessing that your Gigabyte 7950 is a Rev ! if you were able to find a block for it? I was kinda-sorta thinking about WC'ing mine but it doesn'tt look like there is a block for the Rev 2 Windforce 7950s.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I know that. I was just wondering if one was labeled port 1 etc.
> I only have one monitor so was just wondering which one to plug into.


there should be a noticeable little labeling on the plate that mentions its linked to the displayport below it, though cant remember which end its on...

said port runs in single + the displayport works, or dual and the displayport is disabled.

EDIT: its on the side closest to the PCIe slot, both ports are DVI-I but the one closest to the BIOS switch is only electrically single-link


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Comissar, I'm guessing that your Gigabyte 7950 is a Rev ! if you were able to find a block for it? I was kinda-sorta thinking about WC'ing mine but it doesn'tt look like there is a block for the Rev 2 Windforce 7950s.


I bought mine from NCIX last year, it is the original Revision 1 version, but I also have an early VisionTek 7950 with a similar pcb. The EK blocks I bought from Performance PC have been great, and fit perfectly on both cards:


Idk if there is any difference with the newer revision pcb on your Gigabyte cards, you could check the EK site to see if they are compatible.
Edit:
I had a look at their Configurator, it looks like Gigabyte changed the pcb for the Rev. 2 cards:
www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist
Damn AMD partners and their pcb changes.








There are a couple EK reps. here, they could confirm if you're sool with their blocks. Otherwise, you could check some of the other blocks, like Swiftech or Aquacomputer.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> there should be a noticeable little labeling on the plate that mentions its linked to the displayport below it, though cant remember which end its on...
> 
> said port runs in single + the displayport works, or dual and the displayport is disabled.
> 
> EDIT: its on the side closest to the PCIe slot, both ports are DVI-I but the one closest to the BIOS switch is only electrically single-link


Thanks Paul.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> had a look at their Configurator, it looks like Gigabyte changed the pcb for the Rev. 2 cards:
> www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist
> Damn AMD partners and their pcb changes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


They did me a favor. I'm optimistic about what to expect If I use some of the suggestions and fixes that I've found in this and other threads on OCN. Frozen CPU has shipped me a riser that should let me extend my bottom PCI-E card far enough to make room for some airflow. I thought I might need a 120mm Crossfire bridge but I just measured and the much more common 100mm bridges will work. I'm thinking of zip tying a fan on to the back grill between the cards to pull exhaust from between the cards so there ought to be quite a bit of air current there. From there I only last night found out about disabling ULPS which ought to help even out the load and temps between the cards. I'll set up a profile in Radeon Pro to cap FPS at 60 and I'll disable Physx in games like Metro LL where it destroys performance.

I'm guessing that I can get to where I'm getting really smooth 'frame flow' on high settings with minimal noise which is what I bought these cards for. If I can do it without the expense of WC'ing then, yeah, they did me a favor. We'll see.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> had a look at their Configurator, it looks like Gigabyte changed the pcb for the Rev. 2 cards:
> www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist
> Damn AMD partners and their pcb changes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> They did me a favor. I'm optimistic about what to expect If I use some of the suggestions and fixes that I've found in this and other threads on OCN. Frozen CPU has shipped me a riser that should let me extend my bottom PCI-E card far enough to make room for some airflow. I thought I might need a 120mm Crossfire bridge but I just measured and the much more common 100mm bridges will work. I'm thinking of zip tying a fan on to the back grill between the cards to pull exhaust from between the cards so there ought to be quite a bit of air current there. From there I only last night found out about disabling ULPS which ought to help even out the load and temps between the cards. I'll set up a profile in Radeon Pro to cap FPS at 60 and I'll disable Physx in games like Metro LL where it destroys performance.
> 
> I'm guessing that I can get to where I'm getting really smooth 'frame flow' on high settings with minimal noise which is what I bought these cards for. If I can do it without the expense of WC'ing then, yeah, they did me a favor. We'll see.
Click to expand...

Right, do disable ULPS! I use RadeonPro as well. I hope the riser works for now. I did a lot of messing around with various air cooling methods before I went to water cooling, there are also some very good air coolers available for your cards. The stock Gigabyte coolers aren't bad either, you just need to space yours out, extra fans help too. If and when you do decide to water cool, it isn't cheap, but sure is effective. My temps. dropped from the high 70's under load, running the fans at 100%, to the high 30's with the water cooling, and we're hitting the 30'sC (over 90F) lately here!


----------



## maynard14

can you give me advice sir,.. i have a friend selling his amsung 27 inch monitor,.. it his full hd screen and 60 hz ,.. but my problem is i dont know whta should i upgrade first,.. my gpu or my tv ? currently have 7870 myst gpu and a sont bravia tv 32 inch 720 p.... if you are me guys what should i upgrade first? thanks in advance


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'd upgrade the monitor first...overclock the card and it'll cope with 1080p with some lowered detailes (shadows, no ssao)


----------



## maynard14

thanks sir,.. when in full hd resolution sir,.. what fps should i be targeting ? is 40 fps to 50 is enough? with all max settings except anti aliasing?


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> there are also some very good air coolers available for your cards. The stock Gigabyte coolers aren't bad either!


Right now I'm running Metro LL on just one of the cards and it looks great and doesn't sound too bad at all for fan noise. I'm hoping that adding the second card will split the load between the 2 cards and take the fan noise down further. That being said, yeah, I envy your setup no doubt. Those temps are impressive. Eventually I'll upgrade to a loop and a pair of reference cards, but those cards will be at least a couple of generations away. In the mean time, if games look this good on just 1 7950 I'm looking to see what I can get out of two, especially if they stay cool enough to OC.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> there are also some very good air coolers available for your cards. The stock Gigabyte coolers aren't bad either!
> 
> 
> 
> Right now I'm running Metro LL on just one of the cards and it looks great and doesn't sound too bad at all for fan noise. I'm hoping that adding the second card will split the load between the 2 cards and take the fan noise down further. That being said, yeah, I envy your setup no doubt. Those temps are impressive. Eventually I'll upgrade to a loop and a pair of reference cards, but those cards will be at least a couple of generations away. In the mean time, if games look this good on just 1 7950 I'm looking to see what I can get out of two, especially if they stay cool enough to OC.
Click to expand...

Once you get your cooling sorted out, they'll be great.
Two 7950's will give you some excellent gaming power. And they do have good stock cooling. Enjoy those cards you have now, I wouldn't rush into getting replacements for them, you've got lots of horsepower there!


----------



## ivanlabrie

I like my Windforce rev 1 7970 but it sucks for litecoin mining...I'm gonna sell it locally and with the $ I can get two used msi ref cards, it's crazy.


----------



## BillOhio

I still haven't figured out how to use Radeon Pro but the frame counter does show up. Metro LL is running at 70+ FPS at 1440 on high settings? Can that be right?


----------



## Derpinheimer

Finally got my 7950 under water.

Seem to have found a stable OC @ 1325MHz/1.25v



Ignoring the first split between the two graphs _which I suppose is me minimizing Heaven and getting it ready for benchmark, it looks like the core clock dropped quite a few times during it. No artifacts or anything, temps.. well, they speak for themselves. Power slider is +20%. This.. is throttling, right?

Here are valley results


_

I ran it again at 1300, and framerate was 27.1 vs 27.7. Pretty close to 1:1 gains for the extra 25MHz. There were a lot less bumps in the core clock though. In both runs GPU usage held steady at 99%

And again at 1200, framerate was 26. Almost no bumps in core clock.

So, 10% higher core clock results in 6.5% higher performance?

If I am throttling what are my options?


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> I still haven't figured out how to use Radeon Pro but the frame counter does show up. Metro LL is running at 70+ FPS at 1440 on high settings? Can that be right?


Well, it's GTA IV, but it works for me...........


----------



## BillOhio

I mean, does 1 7950 really run Metro LL at 1440 on high settings at 70+ FPS? I know that these cards are respectable but that"s a lot higher than I would have expected at that resolution. Not that I'm complaining if the 70+ is legit


----------



## xxKuro

Okay i went on the ROG website and found a thread that talked about Matrix Platinum 7970 Overclocking.
Apparently.. if you got the first batch of 7970 Matrix they will overclock to 1.3 GHz no problem. (so technically ASUS ain't lying or ripping you off) HOWEVER... sometimes afterward AMD decide to issue a Voltage lock on any new 7xxx GFX Cards made afterwards... which made the Matrix next to impossible to OC. The best set up someone was able to get after this voltage locking was this set up:

GPU Clock: 1180Mhz
GPU Voltage: 1325mV
VDDCI Voltage: 875mV (the default left it unchanged)
Memory Clock: 7000Mhz
Memory Voltage: 1620mV
Power Target: 120%
Load Line: 75%
VRM Clock: 705Khz

Which isn't bad on the Memory Clock OC, but less than satisfactory on the OC of the Core GPU.


----------



## ihatelolcats

what do you guys think- have we reached rock bottom prices for 7950s?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> what do you guys think- have we reached rock bottom prices for 7950s?


Possibly. I've never seen the high end cards at sub $200 while they're still high end. 6950s didn't drop this low till AFTER the 7900s released. My 2 cents anyway.

They'll always get cheaper of course. But they're still a high end card right now.


----------



## xxKuro

Around 250ish bucks isn't bad.. especially when still trying to keep the card relevant. However I wouldn't be surprised it can fall into the 150 range in a few more years, but then again that is when they will stop being relevant.

Finally I managed to get my Card to Clock to 1235 MHz on Core... i give up trying to go for more.


----------



## Spectre-

still pretty expensive in australia

a HD7950 windforce is around $400 f

why is stuff expensive here :C


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> still pretty expensive in australia
> 
> a HD7950 windforce is around $400 f
> 
> why is stuff expensive here :C


import logic is all wrong... >:C


----------



## Spectre-

cost me $670 to get 2 msi tf3 7950

in usa with all the rebates and stuff including delivery costs ~ $ 620


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> still pretty expensive in australia
> 
> a HD7950 windforce is around $400 f
> 
> why is stuff expensive here :C


Sure about that? I'm from Aus too, and not even the rareish Asus 7950 hits $400 (Most of those are around 370).

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1311&products_id=19285

The dual fan powercolor 7950 is $279 something at PCCG.


----------



## maynard14

im just curious can you put coollaboratory on gpu?


----------



## Spectre-

:O

wooops sorry i thought i type HD 7970

:L

sorry about that

still expensive and dont get me started on ram prices in australia


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> :O
> 
> wooops sorry i thought i type HD 7970
> 
> :L
> 
> sorry about that
> 
> still expensive and dont get me started on ram prices in australia


In Egypt it costs 441.5$ for a ref 7970


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> im just curious can you put coollaboratory on gpu?


Yes I used Coollaboratory Ultra on my 7950's without issue.


----------



## Spectre-

:O

i have no right to complain then


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> Okay i went on the ROG website and found a thread that talked about Matrix Platinum 7970 Overclocking.
> Apparently.. if you got the first batch of 7970 Matrix they will overclock to 1.3 GHz no problem. (so technically ASUS ain't lying or ripping you off) HOWEVER... sometimes afterward AMD decide to issue a Voltage lock on any new 7xxx GFX Cards made afterwards... which made the Matrix next to impossible to OC. The best set up someone was able to get after this voltage locking was this set up:
> 
> GPU Clock: 1180Mhz
> GPU Voltage: 1325mV
> VDDCI Voltage: 875mV (the default left it unchanged)
> Memory Clock: 7000Mhz
> Memory Voltage: 1620mV
> Power Target: 120%
> Load Line: 75%
> VRM Clock: 705Khz
> 
> Which isn't bad on the Memory Clock OC, but less than satisfactory on the OC of the Core GPU.


Flash it with the original run BIOS. I had to do it with my MSI Lightning, the first 5000 were unlocked then they locked them. Flashed to the "5000" BIOS and OC'd to 1400+.


----------



## Juub

So guys, I was really interested in buying a 7990 but I realized the 8 free games that come with it are all games I've already got. Is there going to be a new bundle release for them? This seems to be the last batch of 7990 so I wanna catch one before they go out of stock.

Edit: Crap, I've looked around and the new Never Settle Forever bundle won't include the 7990. That's one less major reason to buy it...


----------



## magicase

I know something is wrong here but I don't what is causing this.

I have a 7990 for 1440p but when I look at GPU-Z during games/benchmarks the GPU load for both cards are 40-70% each. Wouldn't it normally be 100% for both cores at 1440p or am I doing something wrong?


----------



## Gunderman456

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *magicase*
> 
> I know something is wrong here but I don't what is causing this.
> 
> I have a 7990 for 1440p but when I look at GPU-Z during games/benchmarks the GPU load for both cards are 40-70% each. Wouldn't it normally be 100% for both cores at 1440p or am I doing something wrong?


Same here, when I put the clocks at stock (boost) with my 7990 the GPU-Z indicated 0.95 volts, if I overclock the clocks in MSI Afterburner and hit apply the volts go down to 0.85v. When stressed (gaming) both stock and overclock clocks end up doing 1.20v (max).

My max on one GPU is 150% (?) and on the second 100%. So I'm having an opposite effect to you. How can one of the GPUs be at 150%?


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> still pretty expensive in australia
> 
> a HD7950 windforce is around $400 f
> 
> why is stuff expensive here :C


Greed. Companies argue distribution and some have a legit argument. It becomes par for the course and then before you know it digital distribution will be treated like dry dock cargo. Imagine a world were data transfer is taxed.


----------



## l0rdraiden

which one is better taking into account that I will do OC.
Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 Dual-X 3GB GDDR5
Gigabyte Radeon HD 7970 OC 3GB GDDR5

http://www.pccomponentes.com/sapphire_radeon_hd_7970_dual_x_3gb_gddr5.html
http://www.pccomponentes.com/gigabyte_radeon_hd_7970_oc_3gb_gddr5.html


----------



## xxKuro

The Gigabyte OC is a waste mainly because for that price you should be able to get a GHz edition, which have higher stock frequency than the Gigabyte on OC.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> The Gigabyte OC is a waste mainly because for that price you should be able to get a GHz edition, which have higher stock frequency than the Gigabyte on OC.


Ghz edition cards sucks. Simple as that


----------



## xxKuro

Hummm i'll try that. Did you run the Ghz Edition BIOS that AMD gave to everyone to allow them a free upgrade, or did you get a Lightning Specific Bios?


----------



## xxKuro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Ghz edition cards sucks. Simple as that


Please enlighten us and explain why... cause many people are happy with the fact that they can get 1 GHz stock, so they don't need to risk experimenting with instability of OC at times. To me thats more than a good enough reason to get a GHz edition, considering that

a) If you are willing to risk flashing your BIOS, you can get a GHz edition with a none GHz edition card anyways
b) If you do get a straight up GHz edition card, it usually are more sturdier built because companies want you to be able to OC it even more (despite AMD screwing you over with the Voltage lock anyways)


----------



## pioneerisloud

Reference bios 7970s clock farther typically. They'll also easily pull 1050/1500 at stock volts by simply moving the sliders in ccc. Usually they'll clock to 1100-1200 on stock voltage.

Ghz edition cards are stuck at 1.25v which is more than reference. Which means extra heat and power at the same clocks.

Overall he's right. The ghz cards suck unless you install it and forget about it. If you overclock manually go for reference bios cards.


----------



## sugarhell

First AMD doesnt lock the voltage.

Second why you should flash your bios with a ghz edition bios? You are insane?

Third the ref design its one of the best pcb you can get. I have personal experience with a chiller


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'd go with the dual-x between those two...


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> First AMD doesnt lock the voltage.
> 
> Second why you should flash your bios with a ghz edition bios? You are insane?
> 
> Third the ref design its one of the best pcb you can get. I have personal experience with a chiller


This. +rep


----------



## l0rdraiden

thanks for the feedback, In case I get the 7970 I will buy the sapphire.
It's is possible to "easily" overclock the 7950 to perform like a 7970?

http://www.pccomponentes.com/sapphire_radeon_hd_7950_with_boost_3gb_gddr5.html


----------



## ukic

Does this Sapphire HD 7990 reference card blows out heat outside the case? Just wondering coz it has a 3 fan design...


----------



## nvidiaftw12

All heat from that will go into the case.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> All heat from that will go into the case.


Yikes!









EDIT: I guess not all reference cards blows the heat outside the case!


----------



## xxKuro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> First AMD doesnt lock the voltage.
> 
> Second why you should flash your bios with a ghz edition bios? You are insane?
> 
> Third the ref design its one of the best pcb you can get. I have personal experience with a chiller


Because this thread exists http://www.overclock.net/t/1281425/amd-release-hd-7970-ghz-bios-upgrade-for-reference-hd-7970


----------



## sugarhell

Because this thread exists it means that its correct?

Whats the point to flash to a bios with a 1.25 fixed voltage when 95% of the vanilla 7970s is below the 1.2 volt. More heat?


----------



## ivanlabrie

1.25v is stupid high for an air cooled card...


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> 1.25v is stupid high for an air cooled card...


You're telling me. My 7970 reference was hitting 95*c with the ghz bios and 100% fan. That's actually down from 98*c since I changed grease.


----------



## erocker

Isn't 1.25v stock voltage for some 7950's?


----------



## l0rdraiden

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You're telling me. My 7970 reference was hitting 95*c with the ghz bios and 100% fan. That's actually down from 98*c since I changed grease.


Do you recommend to flash the GHZ bios? or it's better to overclock the reference bios?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Flash it with the original run BIOS. I had to do it with my MSI Lightning, the first 5000 were unlocked then they locked them. Flashed to the "5000" BIOS and OC'd to 1400+.


assuming he hasn't gotten a _hardware_ locked card.

*cough*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xxKuro*
> 
> The Gigabyte OC is a waste mainly because for that price you should be able to get a GHz edition, which have higher stock frequency than the Gigabyte on OC.


anything pre-overclocked is a waste of time in my eyes.
(unless you don't want to do any overclocking at all)


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *erocker*
> 
> Isn't 1.25v stock voltage for some 7950's?


I'm guessing they do that with all the low ASIC 7950's. Mine would be hitting 90-100C easily with that much voltage,


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *l0rdraiden*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> You're telling me. My 7970 reference was hitting 95*c with the ghz bios and 100% fan. That's actually down from 98*c since I changed grease.
> 
> 
> 
> Do you recommend to flash the GHZ bios? or it's better to overclock the reference bios?
Click to expand...

Honestly I'd shoot for a voltage unlocked stock bios. Usually your stock voltage is significantly lower (like 1.05-1.175v), and stock voltage is usually plenty to hit 1100mhz. Being voltage unlocked is a huge plus, since then you can fine tune things and get the best between speed and temperatures.

Before I got rid of my 7970, I had it at 1100/1650 with 1.10v (stock voltage for my card was 1.175v) and stock auto fan profile.


----------



## l0rdraiden

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Honestly I'd shoot for a voltage unlocked stock bios. Usually your stock voltage is significantly lower (like 1.05-1.175v), and stock voltage is usually plenty to hit 1100mhz. Being voltage unlocked is a huge plus, since then you can fine tune things and get the best between speed and temperatures.
> 
> Before I got rid of my 7970, I had it at 1100/1650 with 1.10v (stock voltage for my card was 1.175v) and stock auto fan profile.


Could you point me out to a guide or explain me how I can unlock the stock BIOS? (to unlock the voltage)


----------



## LifeDisturbens

Wich is the most stable driver at the moment? I think i'm having some kind of driver issue. (Or bottleneck, but i don't think that's the problem. Better check the drivers first).

So wich is the most stable version? 13.4?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> Wich is the most stable driver at the moment? I think i'm having some kind of driver issue. (Or bottleneck, but i don't think that's the problem. Better check the drivers first).
> 
> So wich is the most stable version? 13.4?


Other than that famous Release Candidate driver AMD released ages ago, 13.4 and 13.5 Beta 2 are very stable!


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> assuming he hasn't gotten a _hardware_ locked card.
> 
> *cough*


That was a 680 but the same thing applies. Also, I haven't seen any truly hardware locked 79XX series, and I've owned a pile of them. Thinking about it, I've had at least 16 different 7950's and 7970's at this point. I'm kind of glad they didn't go the Nvidia route and take away voltage control, because warranty claims


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> That was a 680 but the same thing applies. Also, I haven't seen any truly hardware locked 79XX series, and I've owned a pile of them. Thinking about it, I've had at least 16 different 7950's and 7970's at this point. I'm kind of glad they didn't go the Nvidia route and take away voltage control, because warranty claims


And that's one of the things I hate about my 760


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> And that's one of the things I hate about my 760


Yeah, I spent weeks flashing my 660's over and over again trying to find the last little scraps of performance out of the BIOS. I ended up giving up, as they would run 1372mhz individually but would only run up to 1202 in SLI no matter what I did.

I hate green light program.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Yeah, I spent weeks flashing my 660's over and over again trying to find the last little scraps of performance out of the BIOS. I ended up giving up, as they would run 1372mhz individually but would only run up to 1202 in SLI no matter what I did.
> 
> I hate green light program.


I regret buying the 760 I wish I bought the 7870 HAWK hell the 7850 would've been better for mining


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Has anyone did the +50% powertune/power limit does it really do anything and help overclocking ?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> That was a 680 but the same thing applies. Also, I haven't seen any truly hardware locked 79XX series, and I've owned a pile of them. Thinking about it, I've had at least 16 different 7950's and 7970's at this point. I'm kind of glad they didn't go the Nvidia route and take away voltage control, because warranty claims


I would love you to prove my card wrong...


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> 1.25v is stupid high for an air cooled card...
> 
> 
> 
> You're telling me. My 7970 reference was hitting 95*c with the ghz bios and 100% fan. That's actually down from 98*c since I changed grease.
Click to expand...

Ouch!


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Finally got my 7950 under water.
> 
> Seem to have found a stable OC @ 1325MHz/1.25v
> 
> 
> 
> Ignoring the first split between the two graphs _which I suppose is me minimizing Heaven and getting it ready for benchmark, it looks like the core clock dropped quite a few times during it. No artifacts or anything, temps.. well, they speak for themselves. Power slider is +20%. This.. is throttling, right?
> 
> Here are valley results
> 
> 
> _
> 
> I ran it again at 1300, and framerate was 27.1 vs 27.7. Pretty close to 1:1 gains for the extra 25MHz. There were a lot less bumps in the core clock though. In both runs GPU usage held steady at 99%
> 
> And again at 1200, framerate was 26. Almost no bumps in core clock.
> 
> So, 10% higher core clock results in 6.5% higher performance?
> 
> If I am throttling what are my options?


Any opinions on this? I ran the common Heaven bench and got 1045 pts @ 1325/1850. I saw another person with verified 1065 @ 1300/1800. I ran it more times and OCd memory/CPU, results only got worse [1030]


----------



## iwsafagvopge

Got Mine Vapor x 7950


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I would love you to prove my card wrong...


What have you tried with it? Which BIOS in specific and which side of the chip did you try to flash? I only had my 7970 TOP for a little while as it would not play nice with my Catleap. Are you having the issue where the voltage slider unlocks but it will not apply or affect the voltage at all? If that is the case you just need to find a different BIOS, I had that with several of the windforce cards from Gigabyte and ended up finding a modded Sapphire BIOS that finally worked on it.

Here it is in "test bench" mode haha


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Has anyone did the +50% powertune/power limit does it really do anything and help overclocking ?


as far as i know that only affects boost edition cards


----------



## Spectre-

i dont see difference on my HD 7950's i got the 50% power thing on afterburner

the one good thing about it is i get 1ghz + boost w/o ocing the card


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> as far as i know that only affects boost edition cards


Ah then would do me no good neither of my cards are boost they both are running a stock firmware with unlimited core and memory clocks and unlocked voltages.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> What have you tried with it? Which BIOS in specific and which side of the chip did you try to flash? I only had my 7970 TOP for a little while as it would not play nice with my Catleap. Are you having the issue where the voltage slider unlocks but it will not apply or affect the voltage at all? If that is the case you just need to find a different BIOS, I had that with several of the windforce cards from Gigabyte and ended up finding a modded Sapphire BIOS that finally worked on it.
> 
> Here it is in "test bench" mode haha


30+ BIOSs, both switch positions, tested all software, done everything possible, but it was always locked at 1175mV...

if you could get me a link to the BIOS you used, I could test it, but I doubt it would work...


----------



## maynard14

im sorry if i post it in the wrong section but can you help me?

i just want to ask,. currently i have sony bravia 720 p lcd tv,..

and im thinking of upgrading between this two monitor coz they are cheap here ,. which of this 2 monitors will i choose and best for gaming?

samsung 23 inch led

http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/p...A950DS/XY-spec

or this 27 inch led?

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/m...350HS/ZA-specs

thank you in advance


----------



## Mega Man

1 your links do not work it seems.
2 cheap monitors are really not good with gaming. you get what you pay for. however that is not to say you can not game on cheap monitors


----------



## maynard14

oh sorry about that

here it is

http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/pc-peripherals/monitor/archive/LS23A950DS/XY-spec

or

http://www.samsung.com/us/computer/monitors/LS27A350HS/ZA-specs


----------



## hotrod717

7990's are now $650 and under - I'm wondering if they're going to get any cheaper. 2nd thought is waiting may not be an option as they may be sold out soon.
Anyone know if the Powercolor AX (nonref) has same features as Devil in dumbed down packaging?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> 7990's are now $650 and under - I'm wondering if they're going to get any cheaper. 2nd thought is waiting may not be an option as they may be sold out soon.
> Anyone know if the Powercolor AX (nonref) has same features as Devil in dumbed down packaging?


The regular AX is the same thing, but with lower clocks and locked voltage.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> The regular AX is the same thing, but with lower clocks and locked voltage.


Are you positively sure its locked voltage? I guess that's my main question., as I've seen various statements about that. Some saying it is, others saying it is not voltage locked.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Are you positively sure its locked voltage? I guess that's my main question., as I've seen various statements about that. Some saying it is, others saying it is not voltage locked.


No, but everything I've read says it is.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> No, but everything I've read says it is.


Their website and literature says it's unlocked, but I have heard people trying to oc when boost button (oc bios) is enabled and failing. However, when using reg. bios,it is unlocked, and oveclocks. Just trying to nail down the facts before jumping and ending up disappointed. Hopefully someone with this can jump in and confirm or deny.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 30+ BIOSs, both switch positions, tested all software, done everything possible, but it was always locked at 1175mV...
> 
> if you could get me a link to the BIOS you used, I could test it, but I doubt it would work...


I'll look and see if I have it, I remember it was quite a process and not just a normal flash and go. IIRC it was a 1.4 volt BIOS too, but it was a long time ago. The cards aren't hardware voltage locked via the PCB as they still work with the ROG link thing if you have a Rampage motherboard. Asus is just playing mean games with you with firmware and BIOS to try and make you buy a Matrix card.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Is there any way to water cool VRMs with a universal waterblock? A tiny fan just isnt cutting it anymore with such high voltage and clocks.

And please if anyone knows, how can I tell for sure if I am throttling?


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Is there any way to water cool VRMs with a universal waterblock? A tiny fan just isnt cutting it anymore with such high voltage and clocks.
> 
> And please if anyone knows, how can I tell for sure if I am throttling?


Dont think you can cool your vrms unless you have someone mill you a custom heatsink for the vrms or go with a full cover block. You could use gpuz to see if your thottling if you see the gpu core going up and down while gaming you would be thottling.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Yeah I dont see it move very often but in Heaven 4 I scored ~1040 with 1325/1850 and another person got 1065 with 1300/1800.. so unless its because my drivers are not up to date IDK :/


----------



## adog12341

I just ordered me a HIS 7970 IceQ X2!!! Can't wait.







For $270 shipped I couldn't pass it up.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> I just ordered me a HIS 7970 IceQ X2!!! Can't wait.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For $270 shipped i couldn't pass it up.


270 each?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> 270 each?


Yep $299.99 at the egg -$30 V.me = $269.99 + tax where applicable









EDIT: Oh btw, you also get the games


----------



## Strileckifunk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> I just ordered me a HIS 7970 IceQ X2!!! Can't wait.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> For $270 shipped I couldn't pass it up.


Certainly my favorite looking stock cooler. Mine isn't a beastly OCer (ghz edition), but it gets the job done. Didn't notice those price drops over at the Egg...getting close to getting another for xfire


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I'll look and see if I have it, I remember it was quite a process and not just a normal flash and go. IIRC it was a 1.4 volt BIOS too, but it was a long time ago. The cards aren't hardware voltage locked via the PCB as they still work with the ROG link thing if you have a Rampage motherboard. Asus is just playing mean games with you with firmware and BIOS to try and make you buy a Matrix card.


the hotwire is just an analogue resistance signal, a trimpot would get me control over it, but its still full hardware control, your just giving the regulators a different value to go off.

but any BIOS that can supposedly get a high voltage will allow me to prove whether its fully hardware locked or not...


----------



## chantruong

I got my MSI 7950 Twin Frozr today. Oddly enough, it was a boost version with 7970 pcb. Nevertheless, I got the core 1100 and mem 1400 on stock volts (1183). Wouldn't do 1575 mem on stock. Temps maxed out 71 after 30 minutes of Unigine Heaven and auto fan setting. Also ACSI of 65.7%


----------



## TechJunki

Hello everyone, I'm lookng for a custom bios for the 7990 that increases the power limit. Having trouble finding one and a guide to flashing. Does such a thing exist? Thanks.


----------



## sugarhell

Bios for power limit? All the cards have a hard limit tdp. You cant surpass it somehow with a bios. You can try the 50% power limit hack it helps the boost cards in some way


----------



## adog12341

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Yep $299.99 at the egg -$30 V.me = $269.99 + tax where applicable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Oh btw, you also get the games


Exactly what I did!







And yes, the awesome 3 game deal. I'm waiting for BF4 to be put on the list to use it, though. No taxes for me, though.

Hopefully she clocks well.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Yep $299.99 at the egg -$30 V.me = $269.99 + tax where applicable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: Oh btw, you also get the games


Ah, Sweet... I initially misread and thought you had bought 79*50*s. That's great that you got that deal for 7970s. Enjoy


----------



## adog12341

Yea I saw the 7950s went back up a bit, so I jumped for the 7970 for under $300! Ahhhh, can't wait. I love upgrading components.


----------



## Snuckie7

Huh it seems like the Crysis games are really finnicky to run.

Crysis 2 crashes before the opening scene with the error "Crysis 2 (TM) has stopped working."

Happens with OC and stock profiles. Anyone know of a fix?


----------



## sugarhell

Maybe a steam/files problem?Try to verify your files


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Bios for power limit? All the cards have a hard limit tdp. You cant surpass it somehow with a bios. You can try the 50% power limit hack it helps the boost cards in some way


I read a bunch of threads on it but I cant completely understand what it does. My Vapor-X has a boost BIOS which I have since flashed to newer versions released by Sapphire with hider TDP limits.

But I think I'm hitting them at 1325MHz & 1.25v.

Will this help me?


----------



## CravinR1

Second 7950 TF3 on the way. I'm hoping I can get a crossfire oc of 1160/1510 and have some real graphical power

Just couldn't justify 50% more for a 7970 over the cost of a 7950


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Bios for power limit? All the cards have a hard limit tdp. You cant surpass it somehow with a bios. You can try the 50% power limit hack it helps the boost cards in some way
> 
> 
> 
> I read a bunch of threads on it but I cant completely understand what it does. My Vapor-X has a boost BIOS which I have since flashed to newer versions released by Sapphire with hider TDP limits.
> 
> But I think I'm hitting them at 1325MHz & 1.25v.
> 
> Will this help me?
Click to expand...

it might but it would help more if you found a non-boost bios to overclock with. im not sure what the logic is but what "boost" does is downclock the card under load. what mine did was alternate rapidly between boost and nonboost state. i hated it


----------



## tonyjones

I still can't believe prices have dropped to like $649 for the 7990 Radeon. Once it hits $500 I'll buy one lol


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tonyjones*
> 
> I still can't believe prices have dropped to like $649 for the 7990 Radeon. Once it hits $500 I'll buy one lol


Don't get your hopes up cause I don't think that's gonna happen soon


----------



## Kokin

I highly doubt it would go down to $500 as well, though $600 looks likely. Considering you can get 7950s for $170~$200 right now, I don't see why anyone wouldn't go that route unless they were stuck with ITX limitations.


----------



## Ribozyme

Guys could you help me out? I think my search to the most silent idle card has finally come to an end(or just begun actually). I discovered that some people use msi afterburner to put fan rpm to 0% and it makes the card stops it fans! It doesn't work with all GPUs though, so far I only have reports for a 7870 gigabyte and a 7850 club 3D. Could you test this out with your cards and fill in the poll here?http://www.overclock.net/t/1421563/gpu-passive-in-idle-finally
Thanks in advance!


----------



## Paul17041993

well, check the status of the BIOS editor on the techPowerUp forums, saw it now does voltage control and decided to give it a shot.

lo, nothing happened, trixx shows 1170 isn't the "max" anymore, but the voltage is still locked on it, trixx is completely broken and afterburner is missing all voltage control and monitoring...

also, 13.4 suddenly decided it will nolonger install and my internets been capped so I cant download a fresh copy of 13.8, stuck on 13.1 for now...


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tonyjones*
> 
> I still can't believe prices have dropped to like $649 for the 7990 Radeon. Once it hits $500 I'll buy one lol


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Don't get your hopes up cause I don't think that's gonna happen soon


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> I highly doubt it would go down to $500 as well, though $600 looks likely. Considering you can get 7950s for $170~$200 right now, I don't see why anyone wouldn't go that route unless they were stuck with ITX limitations.


The 6990 was still $600+ well after the 7970's came out. I can't see it going below $600, especially when stock runs low and there will be more demand than supply. If the 9970's are $500 at release, there will still be a demand. Unless, the 9970 has more power than a 7990. I just don't think that will happen.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> The 6990 was still $600+ well after the 7970's came out. I can't see it going below $600, especially when stock runs low and there will be more demand than supply. If the 9970's are $500 at release, there will still be a demand. Unless, the 9970 has more power than a 7990. I just don't think that will happen.


basically put, a dual-gpu card is virtually never going to be cheaper then a couple of similar reference cards, so the 7970s would need a significant drop before the 7990 could get another. In AU (in AUD), a couple of reference 7970s cost 800 bucks total, the 7990 is still about 900 bucks.

and the 7970 was close to the 6990 for the most part, I'm thinking with the way things are going the 9970 will be pretty similar to the 7990, though memory would be notably slower for the most part due to only being a single gpu...


----------



## JJ1217

The 7970 would probably be sold out or be in very limited supply when the next gen cards come out. The cards will probably be phased out before the 7950's dropping beneath $170 tbh, and the 7970 $230-250.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> basically put, a dual-gpu card is virtually never going to be cheaper then a couple of similar reference cards, so the 7970s would need a significant drop before the 7990 could get another. In AU (in AUD), a couple of reference 7970s cost 800 bucks total, the 7990 is still about 900 bucks.
> 
> and the 7970 was close to the 6990 for the most part, I'm thinking with the way things are going the 9970 will be pretty similar to the 7990, though memory would be notably slower for the most part due to only being a single gpu...


If AMD is going to compete with Nvidia it will have to be close. I haven't seen any leaks on performance yet. All we can do is hope.
BTW: Good luck finding 2 reference 7970 for under $600. Right now, in the US at least, the 7990's are a amazing deal.

^ Newegg still has 6970's for sale. $169


----------



## danycyo

I want to be a member. I got an awesome 7950 to add to the group. Check out my #'s on stock voltages.


----------



## nightfox

you can.. just go page 1 and click register


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well, check the status of the BIOS editor on the techPowerUp forums, saw it now does voltage control and decided to give it a shot.
> 
> lo, nothing happened, trixx shows 1170 isn't the "max" anymore, but the voltage is still locked on it, trixx is completely broken and afterburner is missing all voltage control and monitoring...
> 
> also, 13.4 suddenly decided it will nolonger install and my internets been capped so I cant download a fresh copy of 13.8, stuck on 13.1 for now...


Man that really sucks. I went through all my benching screens to find the BIOS I used and I can't seem to find it. However, I know I used Asus GPU Tweak which was the only program that would actually apply the voltage once I got the slider to work. Trixx and AB would just default back to stock.


----------



## TechJunki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Bios for power limit? All the cards have a hard limit tdp. You cant surpass it somehow with a bios. You can try the 50% power limit hack it helps the boost cards in some way


I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around this. Even at 20% power increase the clocks are still throttling. Even after undervolting to 1.1 it was still happening.....so from my experience so far there is literally no point in attempting to overclock these cards. I'm glad I bought these just for mining. I put them in my gaming system to test them out and made sure they worked properly....wow what a huge disappointment. In addition to the throttling issue the fans are way louder than I expected. Honestly the loudest video card I've ever owned even at low speeds. Oh and there is some serious coil whine on both my 7990s. Epic fail from AMD imo. Even at the reduced $689 price tag I honestly would never recommend one of these to anyone unless it was for mining and they have a good watercooling setup.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around this. Even at 20% power increase the clocks are still throttling. Even after undervolting to 1.1 it was still happening.....so from my experience so far there is literally no point in attempting to overclock these cards. I'm glad I bought these just for mining. I put them in my gaming system to test them out and made sure they worked properly....wow what a huge disappointment. In addition to the throttling issue the fans are way louder than I expected. Honestly the loudest video card I've ever owned even at low speeds. Oh and there is some serious coil whine on both my 7990s. Epic fail from AMD imo. Even at the reduced $689 price tag I honestly would never recommend one of these to anyone unless it was for mining and they have a good watercooling setup.


Have you ever thought that you got bad cards,also since there's throttling why did you undervolt it?


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around this. Even at 20% power increase the clocks are still throttling. Even after undervolting to 1.1 it was still happening.....so from my experience so far there is literally no point in attempting to overclock these cards. I'm glad I bought these just for mining. I put them in my gaming system to test them out and made sure they worked properly....wow what a huge disappointment. In addition to the throttling issue the fans are way louder than I expected. Honestly the loudest video card I've ever owned even at low speeds. Oh and there is some serious coil whine on both my 7990s. Epic fail from AMD imo. Even at the reduced $689 price tag I honestly would never recommend one of these to anyone unless it was for mining and they have a good watercooling setup.


Posts like these are a big part of why I went with a pair of 7950s.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around this. Even at 20% power increase the clocks are still throttling. Even after undervolting to 1.1 it was still happening.....so from my experience so far there is literally no point in attempting to overclock these cards. I'm glad I bought these just for mining. I put them in my gaming system to test them out and made sure they worked properly....wow what a huge disappointment. In addition to the throttling issue the fans are way louder than I expected. Honestly the loudest video card I've ever owned even at low speeds. Oh and there is some serious coil whine on both my 7990s. Epic fail from AMD imo. Even at the reduced $689 price tag I honestly would never recommend one of these to anyone unless it was for mining and they have a good watercooling setup.


This is pretty much what all of the reviews pointed out. The card has a 375W TDP so it obviously has some firmware in place to keep it from exceeding that by too much. Two 7970's can go far beyond 375W with overclocking so its no surprise they are throttling. I bought mine intending to leave it at stock but my coil whine was too much for me to take.


----------



## TechJunki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Have you ever thought that you got bad cards,also since there's throttling why did you undervolt it?


2 cards (one from MSI and one from XFX) that both behave exactly the same? I highly doubt I was so unlucky that I got 2 bad cards. They are throttling because of the extremely restrictive power limit so if you undervolt it uses less power.....makes sense to me. Undervolting actually helped but didn't fully fix the problem.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> 2 cards (one from MSI and one from XFX) that both behave exactly the same? I highly doubt I was so unlucky that I got 2 bad cards. They are throttling because of the extremely restrictive power limit so if you undervolt it uses less power.....makes sense to me. Undervolting actually helped but didn't fully fix the problem.


Wait are you refering to the malta cards?


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around this. Even at 20% power increase the clocks are still throttling. Even after undervolting to 1.1 it was still happening.....so from my experience so far there is literally no point in attempting to overclock these cards. I'm glad I bought these just for mining. I put them in my gaming system to test them out and made sure they worked properly....wow what a huge disappointment. In addition to the throttling issue the fans are way louder than I expected. Honestly the loudest video card I've ever owned even at low speeds. Oh and there is some serious coil whine on both my 7990s. Epic fail from AMD imo. Even at the reduced $689 price tag I honestly would never recommend one of these to anyone unless it was for mining and they have a good watercooling setup.
> 
> 
> 
> This is pretty much what all of the reviews pointed out. The card has a 375W TDP so it obviously has some firmware in place to keep it from exceeding that by too much. Two 7970's can go far beyond 375W with overclocking so its no surprise they are throttling. I bought mine intending to leave it at stock but my coil whine was too much for me to take.
Click to expand...

i really dont think it is firmware. im pretty sure 7990s are "boost" cards which is purely a bios feature. the trick would be to find a non-boost bios for a 7990


----------



## Bal3Wolf

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> I'm just having a hard time wrapping my head around this. Even at 20% power increase the clocks are still throttling. Even after undervolting to 1.1 it was still happening.....so from my experience so far there is literally no point in attempting to overclock these cards. I'm glad I bought these just for mining. I put them in my gaming system to test them out and made sure they worked properly....wow what a huge disappointment. In addition to the throttling issue the fans are way louder than I expected. Honestly the loudest video card I've ever owned even at low speeds. Oh and there is some serious coil whine on both my 7990s. Epic fail from AMD imo. Even at the reduced $689 price tag I honestly would never recommend one of these to anyone unless it was for mining and they have a good watercooling setup.


Mining puts a load on them far more then even crysis 3 and its a dual gpu its going to run hot and need a high rpm fan your thotting it sounds like because of temps get better air flow or point some fans toward the gpu and it wouldnt thottle.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Man that really sucks. I went through all my benching screens to find the BIOS I used and I can't seem to find it. However, I know I used Asus GPU Tweak which was the only program that would actually apply the voltage once I got the slider to work. Trixx and AB would just default back to stock.


shame gputweak is a rig killer in my case, doesn't matter what version I use and if I disable all the services, it till somehow causes the card to cark randomly just by having it installed...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> 2 cards (one from MSI and one from XFX) that both behave exactly the same? I highly doubt I was so unlucky that I got 2 bad cards. They are throttling because of the extremely restrictive power limit so if you undervolt it uses less power.....makes sense to me. Undervolting actually helped but didn't fully fix the problem.


now you sure your putting the power slider to +20%? or just leave it at stock? I don't see how the cards could throttle at all unless they are overheating (70C+) or your doing something silly like setting the slider to -20...

apart from that if they are "boost" cards, you could try flashing them with reference BIOSs, might fix problems for the most part...


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> shame gputweak is a rig killer in my case, doesn't matter what version I use and if I disable all the services, it till somehow causes the card to cark randomly just by having it installed...


Huh, thats weird. I never liked GPU tweak but I didn't have an issue with it running properly. AI Suite II however... ugh.


----------



## Mega Man

for those who are interested.

small update as it has been 1or 2 weeks on my quadfire. as with anything there have been some bumps in meh road.


Spoiler: Explanation for those that care about pcie risers and is thinking about purchasing them



if you look down at a pcie slot on your board bside is the lower side and a side is the upper side



originally i thought i needed "A" side connectors ( where the ribbon comes out of the top ) but found they were too long considering the fact i want to use these as i didnt account for the fact the pcie slot needs to be near flush to my mobo edge. so i bought a 90deg adapter...... which also is not helping.
i am in contact with the people who manufacture the risers to see what we can do. so yea still happening but ... yea gonna take time to do.

while playing i managed to get my gpus and board wet. no big deal i have just been letting them dry i am sure everything is fine as there was no power to the board save for the bios battery, and if that is damaged i have a warranty through microcenter !~

now for my question. i found the screw that holds on the i/lo bracket on my gpu had come out on GPU1 ( weird right ? ) and it is not stripped or anything. so i pulled the block and noticed on my first gpu block install i had not taken off the OEM pad that goes here ( AWESOME PAINT SKILLZ !~ )


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







so msi and swiftechs had been MASHED together...
so i bought this

now for meh question, whats the best way to cut this stuff that i can actually do. i saw someone using a laser cnc to do it. while it is awesome.... i just dont have access to that.... i was thinking scissors, knife/razor, or paper cutter ( with the rotory wheel cutter. not the giant piece of scissors)

any ideas ?


----------



## TechJunki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Mining puts a load on them far more then even crysis 3 and its a dual gpu its going to run hot and need a high rpm fan your thotting it sounds like because of temps get better air flow or point some fans toward the gpu and it wouldnt thottle.


The funny thing is I havent even started mining with them yet, I'm still waiting for parts to build a new mining PC. I just tested the cards in my gaming PC with a few games including crysis 3, max payne 3, tomb raider, COH2 and all of them constantly switch between 950-1000mhz, with the 2nd gpu constantly going from 100%-60%-100%-60% due to throttling making for a pretty crappy, stuttery game experience to be perfectly honest. Even with the new 13.8 drivers. Like I said before, very disappointed in AMD. Anyone looking for a single card solution in this price range I would say Nvidia is their only option right now.


----------



## Mega Man

with the hundreds that are sold. i highly doubt that., what cpu were you running, mobo, psu lots of variables here.

rigbuilder helps a ton here

not saying it could not of been what you said. but i dont think amd would do that..
i will say that using 2 on same pcb can help lower power requirements and may be the reason to the lower tdp they should run fine at stock though

not talking about ocing as that is different then stock


----------



## nvidiaftw12

I would use an exacto knife, mega.


----------



## Scorpion49

Anyone have trouble installing the 13.8 beta 2 driver? I get about halfway through and my screen goes black, does not come back on so I have to reset and it never finishes.


----------



## Kokin

^ It was pretty quick and simple for me. The screen always turns black when I install drivers, but it only stays black for a second or two.

Did yours hang at the black screen? If so, try to use ATIMAN Uninstaller and reinstall them again. I once had it hang at the black screen and the ATIMAN Uninstaller fixed it for me.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> ^ It was pretty quick and simple for me. The screen always turns black when I install drivers, but it only stays black for a second or two.
> 
> Did yours hang at the black screen? If so, try to use ATIMAN Uninstaller and reinstall them again. I once had it hang at the black screen and the ATIMAN Uninstaller fixed it for me.


Yeah, it hangs after the first few flickers. I have completely removed the old 13.8 beta 1 at this point and it still does it. I'll check out ATIMAN.


----------



## Mega Man

i have had to reinstall windows when it did that to me


----------



## Morizuno

How noisy is the reference 7970?


----------



## Mega Man

that depends on the fan speed lol

so before i hit "buy" do you guys think the 17mk/w is worth it, i know i was getting less then 40c overvolted to max on both vrms and core. using stock komodo pads, which are 6mk/w


----------



## Mega Man

that depends on the fan speed lol

so before i hit "buy" do you guys think the 17mk/w is worth it, i know i was getting less then 40c overvolted to max on both vrms and core. using stock komodo pads, which are 6mk/w


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> that depends on the fan speed lol
> 
> so before i hit "buy" do you guys think the 17mk/w is worth it, i know i was getting less then 40c overvolted to max on both vrms and core. using stock komodo pads, which are 6mk/w


Well, I would certainly buy it if i knew EXACTLY the thickness of the pads used by swiftech (you can ask Gabe for that). Another consideration i would have, would be if these new pads are electrically conductive which would also be a NO GO.

Also, always keep in mind the possibility to use non electrically conductive tim instead of pads, but thats loooots of work and might end up to a complete mess of your pcb









By the way, eventhough i also bought the xfire bridge for my 2 komodos i never used it... Its nice but still too complicated during installation/uninstallation of the blocks.

http://www.overclock.net/t/584302/ocn-water-cooling-club-and-picture-gallery/31830#post_18578582


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Bal3Wolf*
> 
> Mining puts a load on them far more then even crysis 3 and its a dual gpu its going to run hot and need a high rpm fan your thotting it sounds like because of temps get better air flow or point some fans toward the gpu and it wouldnt thottle.
> 
> 
> 
> The funny thing is I havent even started mining with them yet, I'm still waiting for parts to build a new mining PC. I just tested the cards in my gaming PC with a few games including crysis 3, max payne 3, tomb raider, COH2 and all of them constantly switch between 950-1000mhz, with the 2nd gpu constantly going from 100%-60%-100%-60% due to throttling making for a pretty crappy, stuttery game experience to be perfectly honest. Even with the new 13.8 drivers. Like I said before, very disappointed in AMD. Anyone looking for a single card solution in this price range I would say Nvidia is their only option right now.
Click to expand...

its not throttling buddy its "boosting"
flash a non-boost bios


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> that depends on the fan speed lol
> 
> so before i hit "buy" do you guys think the 17mk/w is worth it, i know i was getting less then 40c overvolted to max on both vrms and core. using stock komodo pads, which are 6mk/w


99% of the time, no. Hell are your cards even capable of going past gold clocks of 1300/1800? The number of quad rigs that have 4 gold cards is more than rare and if you're lucky to have a matched set like that, then it may be worth it to drop the cash for every last bit of cooling. That is if you are serious about benching though it doesn't look that way with your choice of cpu?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Yeah, it hangs after the first few flickers. I have completely removed the old 13.8 beta 1 at this point and it still does it. I'll check out ATIMAN.


Atiman uninstaller v 7.0.2 is the one you are looking for. Most of the times it corrects/resets the mess caused by uncomplete drivers that are found from time to time all over the internet as leaked "beta".


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> 2 cards (one from MSI and one from XFX) that both behave exactly the same? I highly doubt I was so unlucky that I got 2 bad cards. They are throttling because of the extremely restrictive power limit so if you undervolt it uses less power.....makes sense to me. Undervolting actually helped but didn't fully fix the problem.


oh I just realized what card you were talking about, yes throttling on the reference 7990 is perfectly normal, there is probably something else too amplifying the reduction such as a cpu/memory bottleneck, PCIe2.0 (and/or only 8 lanes instead of 16), or just simply not enough pixels to grind.

that and in quad-fire the gpus only really get ~75% utilized each on average for most games...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Well, I would certainly buy it if i knew EXACTLY the thickness of the pads used by swiftech (you can ask Gabe for that). Another consideration i would have, would be if these new pads are electrically conductive which would also be a NO GO.
> 
> Also, always keep in mind the possibility to use non electrically conductive tim instead of pads, but thats loooots of work and might end up to a complete mess of your pcb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By the way, eventhough i also bought the xfire bridge for my 2 komodos i never used it... Its nice but still too complicated during installation/uninstallation of the blocks.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/584302/ocn-water-cooling-club-and-picture-gallery/31830#post_18578582


you dont have to it is in the description
and i have already asked the thermal conductivity


----------



## TechJunki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> its not throttling buddy its "boosting"
> flash a non-boost bios


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> oh I just realized what card you were talking about, yes throttling on the reference 7990 is perfectly normal, there is probably something else too amplifying the reduction such as a cpu/memory bottleneck, PCIe2.0 (and/or only 8 lanes instead of 16), or just simply not enough pixels to grind.
> 
> that and in quad-fire the gpus only really get ~75% utilized each on average for most games...


I've only tried both cards one at a time, not in quadfire.

Don't think 3770k @ 4.5 and 16gb ram would bottleneck, running in a pci-e 3.0 16x lane.

It's designed to automatically boost to 1000mhz unless its being throttled back due to power limit so by saying "its not throttling buddy its boosting" doesn't make sense.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Atiman uninstaller v 7.0.2 is the one you are looking for. Most of the times it corrects/resets the mess caused by uncomplete drivers that are found from time to time all over the internet as leaked "beta".


It was impossible. That program wouldn't install, windows was borked, then mobo decided it wanted to hang every start. I just got done moving everything to an MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming in a Corsair 540, tired of messing with that Gigabyte board and mATX in general. On the upside, I installed Windows 7 not 8 this time and 13.8 Beta 2 installed flawlessly.


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TechJunki*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> its not throttling buddy its "boosting"
> flash a non-boost bios
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> oh I just realized what card you were talking about, yes throttling on the reference 7990 is perfectly normal, there is probably something else too amplifying the reduction such as a cpu/memory bottleneck, PCIe2.0 (and/or only 8 lanes instead of 16), or just simply not enough pixels to grind.
> 
> that and in quad-fire the gpus only really get ~75% utilized each on average for most games...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I've only tried both cards one at a time, not in quadfire.
> 
> Don't think 3770k @ 4.5 and 16gb ram would bottleneck, running in a pci-e 3.0 16x lane.
> 
> It's designed to automatically boost to 1000mhz unless its being throttled back due to power limit so by saying "its not throttling buddy its boosting" doesn't make sense.
Click to expand...

the low clock state is default. any time it is above that is technically the boost state. so it isn't throttling


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> the low clock state is default. any time it is above that is technically the boost state. so it isn't throttling


in a more detailed description;

both cores are rated for 950MHz, if the load is high enough (per core) and the card has room, the cores may clock up to 1000, but the 375W TDP means that only one of the two cores may boost at one time.

also, depending on the load, if both cores are utilized with a very heavy load, the cores may start throttling below 950MHz to stay below the total TDP, not much can be done about this.

I'm not sure if the powertune limit affects the total TDP or not though...


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> It was impossible. That program wouldn't install, windows was borked, then mobo decided it wanted to hang every start. I just got done moving everything to an MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming in a Corsair 540, tired of messing with that Gigabyte board and mATX in general. On the upside, I installed Windows 7 not 8 this time and 13.8 Beta 2 installed flawlessly.


Hi, there are special guidelines for use of atiman uninstaller in windows 8, that i dont have the time to check right now. Either way, i am glad you made it in windows 7









Edit: Guidelines of how to install Atiman Uninstaller v7.0.2 are found in my post below...


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you dont have to it is in the description
> and i have already asked the thermal conductivity


Thats great,... i never noticed that the thickness was mentioned in the description... good catch









And regarding the conductivity issue i mention, i refer to *electrical* conductivity, not thermal. 17w/mK is the thermal conductivity that makes these pads superb,... still you have to make sure that the material these pads are made of is not electrically conductive - not even a little!

Most probably you will be fine and the only factor here will be the price...
You and i both know what a great job the stock komodo pads do in vrm temps, so Tsm106 has a point in his message. Unless price is not a factor to you, you should buy these only for some serious benching capabilities of your cards and (i would add) in case your flowrate becomes so low that you will need maximum performance from your blocks (still of course, with less money you can add another pump







)

Looking forward to see your build finished...


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> It was impossible. That program wouldn't install, windows was borked, then mobo decided it wanted to hang every start. I just got done moving everything to an MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming in a Corsair 540, tired of messing with that Gigabyte board and mATX in general. On the upside, I installed Windows 7 not 8 this time and 13.8 Beta 2 installed flawlessly.


Below, you will find the *guidelines for installation of Atiman Uninstaller v7.0.2 in windows 8.*









Here you go...

_"Usually when you have installation issues of Atiman Uninstaller under win 8, thats because you are NOT logged in as (real) administrator...

To activate the admin account of windows 8 you have to do the following:

1) Press Win Key + R and a command window will open
2) Write lusrmgr.msc and press enter
3) Click on the right tab "Users"
4) Write click in Administrator>Properties
5) Untick the box "Account is isabled">Apply>OK
6) Again right click on Administrator and click on "Set Password"
7) Add a Password for the Administrator

Now, you can log-in as a (real) administrator when you select to login as Administrator

After that you can install the Atiman Uninstaller."_

Note: I dont have win 8 myself, but these were the guidelines directly by Atiman, that worked for many win 8 users


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Below, you will find the *guidelines for installation of Atiman Uninstaller v7.0.2 in windows 8.*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here you go...


That wasn't my problem, but its good info. I was having a variety of other issues as well.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> That wasn't my problem, but its good info. I was having a variety of other issues as well.


Well, after a point of dealing with multiple windows problems, i believe that what you did is the only solution









Man, i love your Avatar


----------



## Arturo.Zise

Is there any point in my buying a second 7950 Vapor-X and and running CF if I'm staying at 1080p?


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arturo.Zise*
> 
> Is there any point in my buying a second 7950 Vapor-X and and running CF if I'm staying at 1080p?


If you want to rape ALL the pixels, sure why not. People will say its overkill, but I reckon the 7950 will be phased out long before it drops too much more. At its current prices its just a steal, and even if a faster card comes out, you can't complain about getting such good performance for such a low price. If you plan to CFX, half way through September is probably the latest you could do it (if you plan to buy brand new)

Make sure you have good cooling though, the Vapor-X is 2.5 slots (Which I find funny because people complain about the Asus 7950 v2/7970 DC2 coolers thickness which is 2.5 slots, while praising the Vapor-X which is also 2.5 slots







)


----------



## richie_2010

which would you say would be the better and easiest to mount on the 7950?
The h60 or the antec 620? I have brackets for both and I have both coolers. but the 620 has the fan portion on as well. I have enzotech heat sinks on my vrms and I've purchased more for the ram.
I have found that the vrms are cooler with the shroud off with the heat sinks than on with them.

I had the 620 cooling my old card and it was great. I have since noticed that the tubes on the barbs to the radiator move around but don't leak, I am concerned about that though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arturo.Zise*
> 
> Is there any point in my buying a second 7950 Vapor-X and and running CF if I'm staying at 1080p?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> If you want to rape ALL the pixels, sure why not. People will say its overkill, but I reckon the 7950 will be phased out long before it drops too much more. At its current prices its just a steal, and even if a faster card comes out, you can't complain about getting such good performance for such a low price. If you plan to CFX, half way through September is probably the latest you could do it (if you plan to buy brand new)
> 
> Make sure you have good cooling though, the Vapor-X is 2.5 slots (Which I find funny because people complain about the Asus 7950 v2/7970 DC2 coolers thickness which is 2.5 slots, while praising the Vapor-X which is also 2.5 slots
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


yea it is somewhat overkill for only 1080p, but there's nothing stopping you do it anyway, just means you would rather let the cards run at stock and stay relatively cool and quiet than overclock them for no real perf gain...

also, the asus DCII cards are _3_ slots, lol, if you put another card next to them it blocks their airflow.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Man, i love your Avatar


We're pretty sure it's a chick.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> We're pretty sure it's a chick.





Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!














Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Well, after a point of dealing with multiple windows problems, i believe that what you did is the only solution
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Man, i love your Avatar


Nice fresh Windoze installation... now I can try and play Skyrim once I re-download all 174 mods.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arturo.Zise*
> 
> Is there any point in my buying a second 7950 Vapor-X and and running CF if I'm staying at 1080p?


Moar power is always worth it. Especially if its cheap like 7950's. Just give in to the anger, and your journey towards the dark side will be complete.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Is this really throttling or just Heaven switching camera?



I cant see how it would throttle at such low voltage...


----------



## sugarhell

Test something without scenes..


----------



## Derpinheimer

Simcity, prob 10 mins.

BF3:



:/ Looks like thats a for sure to throttling then. I dont see why..


----------



## SpirosRonto

Is 7xxx series still worth it? I mean that now that 9xxx are releasing ,is getting a 7950 gonna hold for a long time? (with oc'ing)


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SpirosRonto*
> 
> Is 7xxx series still worth it? I mean that now that 9xxx are releasing ,is getting a 7950 gonna hold for a long time? (with oc'ing)


7950's are still strong cards, and with the price point they are with sales going on, you really can't go wrong. You can get 2 for what you used to only be able to get 1 for.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Is this really throttling or just Heaven switching camera?
> 
> 
> 
> I cant see how it would throttle at such low voltage...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> 
> 
> Simcity, prob 10 mins.
> 
> BF3:
> 
> 
> 
> :/ Looks like thats a for sure to throttling then. I dont see why..


doesn't look like throttling at all really, clocks are too solid for the usage.

many programs will get hardware usage "jitter", its perfectly normal its just the way programs have to work to do certain little tasks like make more particles, flip cameras, clean up some memory, etc etc


----------



## Derpinheimer

Idk, I was trying to measure power usage but my BF3 seems to have gotten corrupt again, so itll be awhile before I can test it again.

It looked like @ 1300/1.2v [or something] it was about 160W max draw

I ran 1100/1.3v and it was 200+ watt, but completely stable core clock and usage.. unfortunately I got some BSOD before I could test it fully. And I tried again @ 1200/1.138v, another BSOD. Not sure what they were, screens were too short.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Did the power limit mod and it seems to have fixed the problem! Now I'm back to square one at finding a voltage that wont artifact, lol, [its higher than 1181/1300 unfortunately







]


----------



## BradleyW

Does CFX work for any of these:
Splinter Cell Blacklist
Saints Row IV
The Bureau XCOM Declassified
Lost Planet 3

If not, should I use AFR or force an application for any on the list? If yes to the application option, which application for which game on the list?

Thank you.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Idk, I was trying to measure power usage but my BF3 seems to have gotten corrupt again, so itll be awhile before I can test it again.
> 
> It looked like @ 1300/1.2v [or something] it was about 160W max draw
> 
> I ran 1100/1.3v and it was 200+ watt, but completely stable core clock and usage.. unfortunately I got some BSOD before I could test it fully. And I tried again @ 1200/1.138v, another BSOD. Not sure what they were, screens were too short.


yea [email protected] would be pushing it stability wise, 1.25V will stay mostly under the 210W TDP, higher and you will need the +50% TDP BIOS mod to keep it overclocked effectively.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea [email protected] would be pushing it stability wise, 1.25V will stay mostly under the 210W TDP, higher and you will need the +50% TDP BIOS mod to keep it overclocked effectively.


Hm, well, I was still hitting the limit at 1.175v/1300 [My chip seems to like low voltages, 86.8% ASIC]

However, I think the reason I hit it so early is because of Sapphire's precautionarily low limits set in the BIOS. These Vapor-X had major VRM temp issues with original cooler, so I can see why.

Thanks for the help though. My Heaven scores did go up from [~1040] to 1099 on the first try, just from the higher power limit.


----------



## hucklebuck

I'm looking into getting a new GPU and I want to get either a 7950 or a 7970. I keep hearing it's best to get a reference design. How do I know if it is reference design?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I'm looking into getting a new GPU and I want to get either a 7950 or a 7970. I keep hearing it's best to get a reference design. How do I know if it is reference design?



That's how the reference look like except for the MSI logo


----------



## Derpinheimer

Its best to get reference... if you want to watercool. Otherwise, for your sanity, do not get a reference cooler.

[Theyre LOUD]


----------



## hucklebuck

I would like to watercool it , just not right away. Don't have the $$ for all that right now.

I found one at Tiger Direct, VisionTek was the brand. Is it a good card?

Can you get water blocks for non reference designs?


----------



## Arturo.Zise

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> If you want to rape ALL the pixels, sure why not. People will say its overkill, but I reckon the 7950 will be phased out long before it drops too much more. At its current prices its just a steal, and even if a faster card comes out, you can't complain about getting such good performance for such a low price. If you plan to CFX, half way through September is probably the latest you could do it (if you plan to buy brand new)


I will be at 1080p for a while, but would consider moving to a 27" 1440p at some stage. Getting a new Phantom 530/630 case and a new PSU before xmas so might have to throw another vid card in the mix. But if the 9000 series is an uber upgrade I might sell my current card and go for one of those. I would go reference though and switch to WC if I did.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I'm looking into getting a new GPU and I want to get either a 7950 or a 7970. I keep hearing it's best to get a reference design. How do I know if it is reference design?


http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx#tab3
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> 
> That's how the reference look like except for the MSI logo


not completely true but it is the easiest way to tell
msi makes a ref tf one for example you can easily see the amd logo

either it will have the number on the board as talked about on that swiftech page
or an amd logo on it....
there may be some without either but i have not seen any
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I would like to watercool it , just not right away. Don't have the $$ for all that right now.
> 
> I found one at Tiger Direct, VisionTek was the brand. Is it a good card?
> 
> Can you get water blocks for non reference designs?


yes some mostly made by EK you would have to goto their website to find out which one
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arturo.Zise*
> 
> I will be at 1080p for a while, but would consider moving to a 27" 1440p at some stage. Getting a new Phantom 530/630 case and a new PSU before xmas so might have to throw another vid card in the mix. But if the 9000 series is an uber upgrade I might sell my current card and go for one of those. I would go reference though and switch to WC if I did.


that is a good way but i think a single card will struggle with 1440p at max settings i could be wrong though


----------



## jbswets

Hey all,

Just got my MSI 7950 in the mail today, but it has one issue.

The card in question is the R7950-3GD5/OC BE (Reference cooler, not the twin Frozr). Plugged it in and while I was initially very happy with it, it only took me a few minutes to notice a glaring problem with the card.

The fan speed is stuck at 1000+-20 RPM. I'm able to adjust the 'Fan Speed %' in numerous programs and have other programs show the adjustment, however the displayed RPM never changes, and visually and audibly I can confirm no change in fan speed.

Also, when left on auto, the fan % raises automatically as you would expect, however the fan speed does not actually change, it stays at around 1000RPM (Usually 980, though occasionally it will jump to 1015 or so for some reason). This leads to massive overheating of the card after just a few minutes of benchmarking/gaming. Idle speed is fine, I've seen 36C Idle after I came back from making lunch.

Anyone have any suggestions? I emailed their tech support and got an automated message saying expect a reply within 24 hours, so if I don't hear back tomorrow I will call them.

I bought the reference design since it was the cheapest, and I am strongly considering putting it under water (and maybe even buying a second one also). I know issues like this happen with electronics all the time but it has kind of turned me off of the card. I would almost rather buy a new card and return the current one than wait for them to swap it out, though I'm not sure how Newegg's policy is on that, as I've bought tons of stuff through them but have never actually had to return anything.

If I do buy a new card, anyone have any suggestions on a good card/brand? I like the look of the XFX card, and it's cheap with dual DVI ports.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jbswets*
> 
> Hey all,
> 
> Just got my MSI 7950 in the mail today, but it has one issue.
> 
> The card in question is the R7950-3GD5/OC BE (Reference cooler, not the twin Frozr). Plugged it in and while I was initially very happy with it, it only took me a few minutes to notice a glaring problem with the card.
> 
> The fan speed is stuck at 1000+-20 RPM. I'm able to adjust the 'Fan Speed %' in numerous programs and have other programs show the adjustment, however the displayed RPM never changes, and visually and audibly I can confirm no change in fan speed.
> 
> Also, when left on auto, the fan % raises automatically as you would expect, however the fan speed does not actually change, it stays at around 1000RPM (Usually 980, though occasionally it will jump to 1015 or so for some reason). This leads to massive overheating of the card after just a few minutes of benchmarking/gaming. Idle speed is fine, I've seen 36C Idle after I came back from making lunch.
> 
> Anyone have any suggestions? I emailed their tech support and got an automated message saying expect a reply within 24 hours, so if I don't hear back tomorrow I will call them.
> 
> I bought the reference design since it was the cheapest, and I am strongly considering putting it under water (and maybe even buying a second one also). I know issues like this happen with electronics all the time but it has kind of turned me off of the card. I would almost rather buy a new card and return the current one than wait for them to swap it out, though I'm not sure how Newegg's policy is on that, as I've bought tons of stuff through them but have never actually had to return anything.
> 
> If I do buy a new card, anyone have any suggestions on a good card/brand? I like the look of the XFX card, and it's cheap with dual DVI ports.


sounds like either the fan is defective, or its not connected properly. the PWM signal wire might not be sitting right...

anyone know the common min and max RPM for the reference blower fan...?


----------



## Mega Man

is this card reference ?


----------



## richie_2010

Thats the one I have reference 7950 pcb with 2x6pin. Has 2 rows of vrms.


----------



## richie_2010

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1704168

Third pic is pcb this card has


----------



## jcwild

Sorry if this has come up before; this thread is just colossal and needs to have it's own forum!

I have the following system:

*Case*: Corsair 600T with mesh side panel.
*Motherboard*: ASRock Extreme 11
*CPU*: i7 3930K, overclocked to 4.2GHz
*PSU*: Corsair AX1200i
*Cooling*: Corsair H100i (out), 2 x 200mm fans (in), 1 x 120mm fan (out)
*RAM*: 32Gb Kingston @ 2133MHz
*Graphics*: 2 x Gigabyte HD 7990 in Quadfire configuration
*Display*: 37" Dell 3007FPU + 2 x 21" Dell 2007FP
*Driver*: Catalyst 13.4

The trouble I'm having is the GPUs are running very hot. From what I have read, idle temp for this card should be around 40 degrees. Mine sits at 60 degrees in idle. Whenever I start gaming, the temperatures shoot up to about 100 degrees.

Ambient temperature is about 17 degrees currently.

I can't work out why this is running so hot. I am not overclocking the graphics cards at all.

I tried installing the latest driver, Catalyst 13.8 Beta 2, but this was much worse; the temperature went up to between 70 and 80 degrees, in Idle!! I have checked there is no malware, and I've run Process Explorer to check what is using the GPU, and it is just dwm.exe which is to be expected. The system is only about 1 month old, and no old parts.

Can anyone suggest what could be wrong?

Thanks.


----------



## sugarhell

You have 3 monitors so your card doesnt downclock. Disable powerplay.

Also it seems like lack of air pressure. Adjust high fan speed (dont leave it on auto on AB) and check if with the side open you have better temps


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Sorry if this has come up before; this thread is just colossal and needs to have it's own forum!
> 
> I have the following system:
> 
> *Case*: Corsair 600T with mesh side panel.
> *Motherboard*: ASRock Extreme 11
> *CPU*: i7 3930K, overclocked to 4.2GHz
> *PSU*: Corsair AX1200i
> *Cooling*: Corsair H100i (out), 2 x 200mm fans (in), 1 x 120mm fan (out)
> *RAM*: 32Gb Kingston @ 2133MHz
> *Graphics*: 2 x Gigabyte HD 7990 in Quadfire configuration
> *Display*: 37" Dell 3007FPU + 2 x 21" Dell 2007FP
> *Driver*: Catalyst 13.4
> 
> The trouble I'm having is the GPUs are running very hot. From what I have read, idle temp for this card should be around 40 degrees. Mine sits at 60 degrees in idle. Whenever I start gaming, the temperatures shoot up to about 100 degrees.
> 
> Ambient temperature is about 17 degrees currently.
> 
> I can't work out why this is running so hot. I am not overclocking the graphics cards at all.
> 
> I tried installing the latest driver, Catalyst 13.8 Beta 2, but this was much worse; the temperature went up to between 70 and 80 degrees, in Idle!! I have checked there is no malware, and I've run Process Explorer to check what is using the GPU, and it is just dwm.exe which is to be expected. The system is only about 1 month old, and no old parts.
> 
> Can anyone suggest what could be wrong?
> 
> Thanks.


haha yea, not enough airflow, your going to need a few decent 120mm exhaust fans on the side of your case next to the cards to extract the heat.

not sure if a 200mm fan on the side would have enough suction, doubt it, but I'm pretty sure the 600T(mesh) can mount 4 120mm fans on the side if I remember correctly...

and yes I mean exhaust, the cards blow their heat outwards from the sides, if you put intake fans there it will only make it worse...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> haha yea, not enough airflow, your going to need a few decent 120mm exhaust fans on the side of your case next to the cards to extract the heat.
> 
> not sure if a 200mm fan on the side would have enough suction, doubt it, but I'm pretty sure the 600T(mesh) can mount 4 120mm fans on the side if I remember correctly...
> 
> and yes I mean exhaust, the cards blow their heat outwards from the sides, if you put intake fans there it will only make it worse...


When did you become a professor in aerodynamics


----------



## jcwild

I have just removed the 200mm (in) side fan (so that leaves me with 200mm (in) at front, 120mm (out) at back and H100i (2 x 120mm)(out) at top.

My temp has now risen from 60 to 66, so seems the intake fan was making a significant improvement. With the side taken away, I also get 66-67 degrees.

I do get the point about the video cards venting out the side tho, so makes sense to me that the fan should be extracting. But wouldn't that just exhaust all the fresh air taken in the front, before it passes over the graphics cards?

I'll try connecting it to exhaust and see what happens.


----------



## jcwild

Hmm, so putting the 200mm side fan back on as an exhaust keeps the temperature about 65-66 degrees, so definitely much worse than the other way around.

This can't be right can it?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Sorry if this has come up before; this thread is just colossal and needs to have it's own forum!
> 
> I have the following system:
> 
> *Case*: Corsair 600T with mesh side panel.
> *Motherboard*: ASRock Extreme 11
> *CPU*: i7 3930K, overclocked to 4.2GHz
> *PSU*: Corsair AX1200i
> *Cooling*: Corsair H100i (out), 2 x 200mm fans (in), 1 x 120mm fan (out)
> *RAM*: 32Gb Kingston @ 2133MHz
> *Graphics*: 2 x Gigabyte HD 7990 in Quadfire configuration
> *Display*: 37" Dell 3007FPU + 2 x 21" Dell 2007FP
> *Driver*: Catalyst 13.4
> 
> The trouble I'm having is the GPUs are running very hot. From what I have read, idle temp for this card should be around 40 degrees. Mine sits at 60 degrees in idle. Whenever I start gaming, the temperatures shoot up to about 100 degrees.
> 
> Ambient temperature is about 17 degrees currently.
> 
> I can't work out why this is running so hot. I am not overclocking the graphics cards at all.
> 
> I tried installing the latest driver, Catalyst 13.8 Beta 2, but this was much worse; the temperature went up to between 70 and 80 degrees, in Idle!! I have checked there is no malware, and I've run Process Explorer to check what is using the GPU, and it is just dwm.exe which is to be expected. The system is only about 1 month old, and no old parts.
> 
> Can anyone suggest what could be wrong?
> 
> Thanks.


Would be helpful if you sent us a picture of the system. Also have you verified that the temps that are being recorded are correct using a different utility? It could be that the card in the top slot is getting blocked from the second card in front. If there is good enough clearance between two cards. Try removing 1 of the cards and try looking at how the temperature is affected with 1 card in the system.


----------



## jcwild

Sure, layout is as follows:



I can't move the cards any further apart due to the length of the Crossfire cable.

Temperature is pretty accurate, here's an infra-red image:


----------



## BradleyW

What temps do you get when running these cards separate?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Sure, layout is as follows:
> 
> 
> 
> I can't move the cards any further apart due to the length of the Crossfire cable.
> 
> Temperature is pretty accurate, here's an infra-red image:


Infra red cam?
Have you looked at the fans rpm under load?maybe the fans aren't working properly


----------



## jbswets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> sounds like either the fan is defective, or its not connected properly. the PWM signal wire might not be sitting right...
> 
> anyone know the common min and max RPM for the reference blower fan...?


Figured the fan may be defective or like you said just an improperly soldered wire somewhere.

Regarding the fan, I believe it's a reference PCB and semi-reference shroud design, however it isn't the blower type fan, it's a single tiny radial fan mounted in the middle of the card.

The fan and actual metal portion of the heatsink is much smaller than I expected, so even with control over the speed of the fan I'm worried that there may still be heat issues. I wish I had jumped on the buss and gotten 2 of those Twin Frozrs for the same price + Crysis









Ah well, the past is the past. Anyone have suggestions on one brand over the other, because I am most likely going to swap the card out rather than exchange it. Normally I have excellent luck with MSI so I'm not really turned off to them as a brand, just this card in particular. I also will very likely buy 2 (the 2nd after the 9000 series comes out if it creates a price drop or incentives to move remaining stock) and they will both likely be watercooled at some point.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Sure, layout is as follows:
> 
> 
> 
> I can't move the cards any further apart due to the length of the Crossfire cable.
> 
> Temperature is pretty accurate, here's an infra-red image:


Look what the fans are doing. JUST CHECKED MY CARD AND ITS IDLING AT 66c WITH FANS AT 31%. HWINFO IS PROVIDING THE SAME INFORMATION AS AFTERBURNER. I know my card is running hotter of late but i just said it could be the fact that it has dust in it or the TIM needs to now be replaced after over a year of gaming.


----------



## ihatelolcats

how do you have access to a thermal imaging cam


----------



## jcwild

Bought one off eBay a while back when trying to work out why my house was freezing. Turns out to be quite a useful tool.


----------



## ivanlabrie

jcwild, very nice cam!









Hey, the side intake in your case would be ideal, since your cards exhaust hot air out the back.
I suggest you clean the heatsinks and re apply tim, and maybe get new thermal pads, maybe something's not making proper contact in there. I'd reccomend using PK3 for the core.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Bought one off eBay a while back when trying to work out why my house was freezing. Turns out to be quite a useful tool.


What a cool toy!


----------



## ukic

Too hot?

http://i.imgur.com/TTIhn7l.jpg


----------



## Derpinheimer

If my CPU idles between 12c and 18c , is it normal for the 7950 to idle at 20c flat? I thought GPUs ran cooler than CPUs due to increased surface area. Is this only true on load temps [where it still is cooler, I just hope for a bit more!]


----------



## KnownDragon

I know this may be annoying and I apologize if it is. I am looking at a r7950 tf 3gd5 OC/BE and a N650ti 2gd5 OC/BE. I was inquiring to see if anyone that has a 7950 can show me some benchmark results. The 7950 is the top I can spend any advice is welcome.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> I know this may be annoying and I apologize if it is. I am looking at a r7950 tf 3gd5 OC/BE and a N650ti 2gd5 OC/BE. I was inquiring to see if anyone that has a 7950 can show me some benchmark results. The 7950 is the top I can spend any advice is welcome.


Get the 7950, the 650ti is almost a low end card.


----------



## jbswets

In response to this:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jbswets*
> 
> Hey all,
> 
> Just got my MSI 7950 in the mail today, but it has one issue.
> 
> The card in question is the R7950-3GD5/OC BE (Reference cooler, not the twin Frozr). Plugged it in and while I was initially very happy with it, it only took me a few minutes to notice a glaring problem with the card.
> 
> The fan speed is stuck at 1000+-20 RPM. I'm able to adjust the 'Fan Speed %' in numerous programs and have other programs show the adjustment, however the displayed RPM never changes, and visually and audibly I can confirm no change in fan speed.
> 
> Also, when left on auto, the fan % raises automatically as you would expect, however the fan speed does not actually change, it stays at around 1000RPM (Usually 980, though occasionally it will jump to 1015 or so for some reason). This leads to massive overheating of the card after just a few minutes of benchmarking/gaming. Idle speed is fine, I've seen 36C Idle after I came back from making lunch.
> 
> Anyone have any suggestions? I emailed their tech support and got an automated message saying expect a reply within 24 hours, so if I don't hear back tomorrow I will call them.
> 
> I bought the reference design since it was the cheapest, and I am strongly considering putting it under water (and maybe even buying a second one also). I know issues like this happen with electronics all the time but it has kind of turned me off of the card. I would almost rather buy a new card and return the current one than wait for them to swap it out, though I'm not sure how Newegg's policy is on that, as I've bought tons of stuff through them but have never actually had to return anything.
> 
> If I do buy a new card, anyone have any suggestions on a good card/brand? I like the look of the XFX card, and it's cheap with dual DVI ports.


MSI Tech support says no fan controller? Is this for real? I find this incredibly hard to believe that they would 'lock' the fan at 1,000RPM. This card reaches 100C after 10 min of moderate gaming.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jbswets*
> 
> In response to this:
> MSI Tech support says no fan controller? Is this for real? I find this incredibly hard to believe that they would 'lock' the fan at 1,000RPM. This card reaches 100C after 10 min of moderate gaming.


Absolutely, something is wrong. I hadnt read your temps at first but no way do they intend for 100c GPU temps. Reference coolers are loud. If they were to skimp on a controller, then they would lock it at 2000+RPM. Something is wrong here.

[/quote]
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> I know this may be annoying and I apologize if it is. I am looking at a r7950 tf 3gd5 OC/BE and a N650ti 2gd5 OC/BE. I was inquiring to see if anyone that has a 7950 can show me some benchmark results. The 7950 is the top I can spend any advice is welcome.


Benchmark results of what?

this might be what you are looking for: http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/550?vs=680
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> If my CPU idles between 12c and 18c , is it normal for the 7950 to idle at 20c flat? I thought GPUs ran cooler than CPUs due to increased surface area. Is this only true on load temps [where it still is cooler, I just hope for a bit more!]


I should add these are under a custom loop.. so, not air coolers.

After prob 30 mins of idling at reduced voltage and clockspeed,

CPU temp min: 10/11/17/18
GPU temp current/min: 19-20


----------



## jbswets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Absolutely, something is wrong. I hadnt read your temps at first but no way do they intend for 100c GPU temps. Reference coolers are loud. If they were to skimp on a controller, then they would lock it at 2000+RPM. Something is wrong here.
> 
> ---


Thinking of returning it and buying the XFX Double D FX-795A-TDKC, however the lack of reviews on the card anywhere has me hesitating. Newegg has 1 review which is positive, and I see they sell the same card on amazon, but with no reviews there.

The 6+8 pin power connector is nice, as it 'should' mean it's a 7970 PCB, or have I got it all wrong? Just wondering if anyone has experience with the card before I pull the trigger on it. And any thoughts on if I should get 2 now or wait for 9000 series and pick up a second then?


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Sure, layout is as follows:
> 
> 
> 
> I can't move the cards any further apart due to the length of the Crossfire cable.
> 
> Temperature is pretty accurate, here's an infra-red image:


I had these kind of idle temps BUT with room temp of ~26C and COSMOS PURE BLACK case that is beautiful but totally inefficient airflow-wise.

The olution for my case (2x 7970) was to create fan profiles using MSI AB where i had the fans at about:
10C-10% rpm
20C-20% rpm
...
60C-60% rpm
etc

This worked quite well (fan went never above 65% during gaming) but the REAL solution was... watercooling.

If i were you i would examine both the fan profiles AND the clocks you actually have when idle... 60+C on idle with the space you have between the cards AND the side fan, seems quite high!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Hmm, so putting the 200mm side fan back on as an exhaust keeps the temperature about 65-66 degrees, so definitely much worse than the other way around.
> 
> This can't be right can it?


yea its probably not powerful enough to keep up with the cards, that and you also need the same air coming from the front of the case to supply enough pressure so the cards can get fresh air...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> jcwild, very nice cam!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey, the side intake in your case would be ideal, since your cards exhaust hot air out the back.
> I suggest you clean the heatsinks and re apply tim, and maybe get new thermal pads, maybe something's not making proper contact in there. I'd reccomend using PK3 for the core.


he has 7990s, not reference 7970s









though i think ultimately watercooling with a 1080 radiator would be the best choice instead of heaps of noisy fans all over your case...

but that would depend on whether you would want to go that far...?


----------



## hucklebuck

Do reference design cards have voltage unlocked?

I have read some reviews that say reference design cards get coil whine, is this true? If so under what conditions?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> When did you become a professor in aerodynamics


its actually relatively simple, if you have high pressure coming in from the sides, you end up fighting the air coming out the side of the cooler and effectively ruin the cooling efficiency, whereas very high suction will suck this air out, and also provide a vacuum to assist in pulling fresh air from the front and back end of the card where the fans need to get fresher air, putting some ducting between the cards will also amplify this significantly.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Do reference design cards have voltage unlocked?
> 
> I have read some reviews that say reference design cards get coil whine, is this true? If so under what conditions?


I haven't really seen a locked reference card, provided it inst a "boost" or "OC" card, but you can usually re-flash them anyway, as for coil whine I haven't heard anything about pure reference cards, let alone more then what I've heard about other cards...

though a lot of other cards that use a reference PCB are custom ordered and tend to have a high fault rate with both coli whine and DOA cards from what I've seen...


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Do reference design cards have voltage unlocked?
> 
> I have read some reviews that say reference design cards get coil whine, is this true? If so under what conditions?


I dont quite understand the whole voltage locking thing, but from what I've read, just about any if not all cards can be forced to have higher voltages. Many come reference at 1.25V anyway, which is more than enough for just about any OC. For reference, I can do 1.225v and 1325MHz.

Coil whine is luck of the draw with anything but a select few cards, which are slightly less likely to have it. My Sapphire Vapor-X originally came whine-less but has since developed a buzz. Prevalent under high power draw. Whine? You probably wont have this unless you dont use a frame limiter and are running 100+FPS. But really, the only way to get better odds on this is buying a non-reference card with higher quality parts. Which one would that be? No idea.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jbswets*
> 
> Thinking of returning it and buying the XFX Double D FX-795A-TDKC, however the lack of reviews on the card anywhere has me hesitating. Newegg has 1 review which is positive, and I see they sell the same card on amazon, but with no reviews there.
> 
> The 6+8 pin power connector is nice, as it 'should' mean it's a 7970 PCB, or have I got it all wrong? Just wondering if anyone has experience with the card before I pull the trigger on it. And any thoughts on if I should get 2 now or wait for 9000 series and pick up a second then?


Hmm, XFX DD is not a new card and has been regarded as awful for most of its existence. It should be better than a reference cooler, even if only slightly. With a 7970 PCB, if you are confident in that, then go for it.


----------



## jbswets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Hmm, XFX DD is not a new card and has been regarded as awful for most of its existence. It should be better than a reference cooler, even if only slightly. With a 7970 PCB, if you are confident in that, then go for it.


Do you have a specific brand/model you would recommend? After this experience I think I'd rather shell out a little more in the hopes of getting a better card.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> But really, the only way to get better odds on this is buying a non-reference card with higher quality parts. Which one would that be? No idea.


shame there isn't any in existence, they really messed up this series...

reference is arguably the best choice in pretty much every way bar fan noise...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> shame there isn't any in existence, they really messed up this series...
> 
> reference is arguably the best choice in pretty much every way bar fan noise...


Messed up? No. A higher quality pcb gives you more protection on your vrms power phases etc etc. The ref pcb design its okay for up to 1400-1450 mhz. Way above any normal or loop user will achieve with his card

This fashion with the custom pcb started with the weak nvidia's pcbs so now everyone thinks that you will achieve more oc with a custom pcb.Anyone remember the 570 vrms blow out of the water?


----------



## Derpinheimer

VRMs dont cause coil whine..


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea its probably not powerful enough to keep up with the cards, that and you also need the same air coming from the front of the case to supply enough pressure so the cards can get fresh air...
> he has 7990s, not reference 7970s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> though i think ultimately watercooling with a 1080 radiator would be the best choice instead of heaps of noisy fans all over your case...
> 
> but that would depend on whether you would want to go that far...?


Sorry, my bad, thought those were 7970s!
Then yeah, 60c idle seems likely with bad airflow.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Messed up? No. A higher quality pcb gives you more protection on your vrms power phases etc etc. The ref pcb design its okay for up to 1400-1450 mhz. Way above any normal or loop user will achieve with his card
> 
> This fashion with the custom pcb started with the weak nvidia's pcbs so now everyone thinks that you will achieve more oc with a custom pcb.Anyone remember the 570 vrms blow out of the water?


Agreed, but fan noise can be terrible...problem is we got no decent non ref cards these days, maybe the HIS ones. :/


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Messed up? No. A higher quality pcb gives you more protection on your vrms power phases etc etc. The ref pcb design its okay for up to 1400-1450 mhz. Way above any normal or loop user will achieve with his card
> 
> This fashion with the custom pcb started with the weak nvidia's pcbs so now everyone thinks that you will achieve more oc with a custom pcb.Anyone remember the 570 vrms blow out of the water?


oh yea of course, there's only so much the reference can handle, after all, its meant to be "reference".

but the rest of the cards in real-world uses and 24/7 and/or gaming overclock scenarios have just seemed to be a massive disappointment this series...

but if it means one card choice for watercooling, whats to argue?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> VRMs dont cause coil whine..


duh, the coils do XD

but I think actually in some cases the VRM components might make a very faint little whine/squeal, I think my DCII might be starting to make one (not a coil-whine/rattle persay like you normally get)


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> oh yea of course, there's only so much the reference can handle, after all, its meant to be "reference".
> 
> but the rest of the cards in real-world uses and 24/7 and/or gaming overclock scenarios have just seemed to be a massive disappointment this series...
> 
> but if it means one card choice for watercooling, whats to argue?
> duh, the coils do XD
> 
> but I think actually in some cases the VRM components might make a very faint little whine/squeal, I think my DCII might be starting to make one (not a coil-whine/rattle persay like you normally get)


Exactly. He is saying like the current capabilities mean something. A quality card would have good coils too.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Exactly. He is saying like the current capabilities mean something. A quality card would have good coils too.


cept for with the case of the ASUS cards, you need to actually mod the cards with heaps of wiring to actually put any use to all those extra phases and "high quality components".

though this day and age, all hardware uses solid caps and chokes, its only really the very cheap and/or OEM parts that have the more tacky components, things like "military class..." are just advertising gimmicks as they are the exact same components just with different colouring.


----------



## Thoth420

Hey guys sorry for the potentially noob question... but could I make my r7970 Boost Edition not boost by using for instance a bios for the non boost r7970 lightning?


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Hey guys sorry for the potentially noob question... but could I make my r7970 Boost Edition not boost by using for instance a bios for the non boost r7970 lightning?


yes


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Hey guys sorry for the potentially noob question... but could I make my r7970 Boost Edition not boost by using for instance a bios for the non boost r7970 lightning?


Yep, bewst is all in the BIOS.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> yes


Sweet thanks ihatelolcats


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> yes


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Yep, bewst is all in the BIOS.


Sweet thanks fellas.


----------



## Snuckie7

Hey guys, so what's the current status and best method of downsamping?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

To not do it?


----------



## Snuckie7

But what if I want to







?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Why not?


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Hey guys, so what's the current status and best method of downsamping?


http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=366244
12.11 is the newest driver that will work


----------



## jcwild

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea its probably not powerful enough to keep up with the cards, that and you also need the same air coming from the front of the case to supply enough pressure so the cards can get fresh air...
> he has 7990s, not reference 7970s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> though i think ultimately watercooling with a 1080 radiator would be the best choice instead of heaps of noisy fans all over your case...
> 
> but that would depend on whether you would want to go that far...?


I would certainly consider watercooling, although it's definitely more of a custom job when doing it for graphics cards. Would need to do a bit of research first.

I think what I'm going to do is try multiple 120mm intake fans on the side instead of the single 200mm fan, and see what difference that makes. I can tie them in to the fan knob on the 600T, so can turn them down when not gaming.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> I would certainly consider watercooling, although it's definitely more of a custom job when doing it for graphics cards. Would need to do a bit of research first.
> 
> I think what I'm going to do is try multiple 120mm intake fans on the side instead of the single 200mm fan, and see what difference that makes. I can tie them in to the fan knob on the 600T, so can turn them down when not gaming.


XSPC and EK have full-cover blocks for the 7990, meber of the name Gomi used the later block in his mini-ITX rig here;
http://www.overclock.net/t/1404454/build-log-caselabs-s3-w-pedestal-hd7990-de-lidded-4770k-bare-die-asus-rog-impact-liquid-cooled-extravaganza-grey-horizon


----------



## maynard14

can a DVI-I dual link display 120hz @ 1920x1080 resolution? thanks..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> XSPC and EK have full-cover blocks for the 7990, meber of the name Gomi used the later block in his mini-ITX rig here;
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1404454/build-log-caselabs-s3-w-pedestal-hd7990-de-lidded-4770k-bare-die-asus-rog-impact-liquid-cooled-extravaganza-grey-horizon


as does swiftech
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> can a DVI-I dual link display 120hz @ 1920x1080 resolution? thanks..


yes that or displayport


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> as does swiftech
> yes that or displayport


thank you ill buy a 24 pin dvi cable tomorrow


----------



## Erick Silver

I'm having a problem. I benched my 7950 Vapor X with Unigine Valley AND FFXIV Benchmark and got it stable at 1100/1500 with 20% power @1.25v and 50% fan profile at around 53*c. It folds at those settings too. BUT, when I start the actual FFXIV Game it crashes before even getting to the loading screen. I have to set it back to stock just to play the game. What can I do?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I'm having a problem. I benched my 7950 Vapor X with Unigine Valley AND FFXIV Benchmark and got it stable at 1100/1500 with 20% power @1.25v and 50% fan profile at around 53*c. It folds at those settings too. BUT, when I start the actual FFXIV Game it crashes before even getting to the loading screen. I have to set it back to stock just to play the game. What can I do?


guess its not fully stable then? whats your cards ASIC? may or may not need slightly more volts...

I know my card would *seem* stable at 1050/1750, but running 3dmark11 would present the "...has stopped responding..." crash, no driver errors or artifacts, just crash it, 1000/1700 and it was perfectly fine.

vdroop from other components can carry though to the card, so it might be crashing at the loading screen due to your harddrive and mobo pulling more current.


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> guess its not fully stable then? whats your cards ASIC? may or may not need slightly more volts...
> 
> I know my card would *seem* stable at 1050/1750, but running 3dmark11 would present the "...has stopped responding..." crash, no driver errors or artifacts, just crash it, 1000/1700 and it was perfectly fine.
> 
> vdroop from other components can carry though to the card, so it might be crashing at the loading screen due to your harddrive and mobo pulling more current.


ASIC is about 59%


----------



## anteerror

Hi guys, I apologize If this is in the wrong area or has been covered...

Any Arma 3 Players here??

What frames are you getting on your cards in Arma 3 at Ultra? I have view distance at about 7k and objects at about 4k. Vertical sync is disabled. I stay between 30-43 FPS until i get above a major city and It drops considerably. (this is on new large map Altis with a single 7990 and the 13.8 beta drivers)
I play on a vizio big screen with generic plug n play drivers - Is this ok or should I have Different drivers for monitor?
Anyone getting much better frames? Am I missing something?

Also in PayDay 2 vertical lines just look HORRIBLE, almost like a barber pole or something, Im guessing it has to do with the duel GPUs and improper support?

thanks guys and sorry for my ignorance


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I'm having a problem. I benched my 7950 Vapor X with Unigine Valley AND FFXIV Benchmark and got it stable at 1100/1500 with 20% power @1.25v and 50% fan profile at around 53*c. It folds at those settings too. BUT, when I start the actual FFXIV Game it crashes before even getting to the loading screen. I have to set it back to stock just to play the game. What can I do?


Try to raise the memory a little bit and check if that works, if not house sapphire Trixx to overclock and raise voltage levels, the amd overclock software is gay-.- that u raise voltages by percentages and not the actual volts.


----------



## Clos

Question for you guys, I haven't decided if I want to put under water my 7970. I'm curious to keep it compact IF I decide to do it. Would a corsair h90 (140mm) setup work?(once adapted of course) I doubt I'd overclock it. I just to want an insane loop in my case. Buying am h110 for CPU, so curious if a h90 could do you only.
Thanks in advance


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> ASIC is about 59%


yea you possibly need more voltage, usually the lower the ASIC the more voltage they need for the clocks, BUT they tend to also make less heat and are great for watercooling.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Try to raise the memory a little bit and check if that works, if not house sapphire Trixx to overclock and raise voltage levels, the amd overclock software is gay-.- that u raise voltages by percentages and not the actual volts.


CCC/overdrive doesn't have voltage control at all, you can only adjust the TDP offset %


----------



## Juub

So guys, I'd like to have some feedback. I can currently purchase four different 7950's for an awesome price.

It boils down to 4 different cards now:

Gigabyte Windforce(244$ after MIR) vs Sapphire HD Boost(246$) vs MSI Twin Frozr III(254$ after MIR) vs Sapphire Vapor-X(264$). I plan on purchasing two and CrossFireX them.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I'm having a problem. I benched my 7950 Vapor X with Unigine Valley AND FFXIV Benchmark and got it stable at 1100/1500 with 20% power @1.25v and 50% fan profile at around 53*c. It folds at those settings too. BUT, when I start the actual FFXIV Game it crashes before even getting to the loading screen. I have to set it back to stock just to play the game. What can I do?


53 degrees at 50% at 1.25V. I don't understand how that is even possible. Are you sure its even pushing 1.25V? And if it is, there is no way its running at 100% usage. For it to be running at such low temps and moderate fan speeds is ludicrous. Assuming its air cooled of course, if its WCed thats a different matter.

1.25V 1100 is pretty disappointing, I've owned a few 7950's and all of them have been stable at 1100 @ 1.175V. That seems to be the average.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Juub*
> 
> So guys, I'd like to have some feedback. I can currently purchase four different 7950's for an awesome price.
> 
> It boils down to 4 different cards now:
> 
> Gigabyte Windforce(244$ after MIR) vs Sapphire HD Boost(246$) vs MSI Twin Frozr III(254$ after MIR) vs Sapphire Vapor-X(264$). I plan on purchasing two and CrossFireX them.


well, depends on your cooling options, the gigabyte will push exhaust out the side whereas the MSI and sapphires will push heat out of each end, so for the gigabyte you would need to suck the air out of your case on the side panel directly next to the cards, whereas the other three you need the inverse, you need to push air into the sides of the cards and let the ends be able to exhaust in some way (lots of side intakes, front as an exhaust preferably for best results).

so that's your main decision to look at, but apart from that I might say go for the vaporX, pretty good cooler from what Ive heard, albeit, its a 2.5/3 slot card, the other three only take the normal 2 slots each.


----------



## Juub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well, depends on your cooling options, the gigabyte will push exhaust out the side whereas the MSI and sapphires will push heat out of each end, so for the gigabyte you would need to suck the air out of your case on the side panel directly next to the cards, whereas the other three you need the inverse, you need to push air into the sides of the cards and let the ends be able to exhaust in some way (lots of side intakes, front as an exhaust preferably for best results).
> 
> so that's your main decision to look at, but apart from that I might say go for the vaporX, pretty good cooler from what Ive heard, albeit, its a 2.5/3 slot card, the other three only take the normal 2 slots each.


So in terms of performance and overclockability, they're all in the same ballpark?

I also got 4 expansion slots so if this one takes 2.5, I won't be able to put two of them in my motherboard, will I?

This is my motherboard.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Juub*
> 
> So in terms of performance and overclockability, they're all in the same ballpark?
> 
> I also got 4 expansion slots so if this one takes 2.5, I won't be able to put two of them in my motherboard, will I?
> 
> This is my motherboard.


ah, so yea, the vaporX is out of the question then unless you went with a single card or a bigger mobo, that case then the other sapphire might be the best choice, Ive heard it clocks really well for a non-reference card, but being a "boost" card you would want to re-flash them.

the gigabyte card is probably out too as they need a fair bit of airflow, which would probably be too restricted in your rig...

so anyone else want to comment the T.F.III vs the sapphire boost?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> ah, so yea, the vaporX is out of the question then unless you went with a single card or a bigger mobo, that case then the other sapphire might be the best choice, Ive heard it clocks really well for a non-reference card, but being a "boost" card you would want to re-flash them.
> 
> the gigabyte card is probably out too as they need a fair bit of airflow, which would probably be too restricted in your rig...
> 
> so anyone else want to comment the T.F.III vs the sapphire boost?


I think the T.F. III is better in terms of cooling,noise and OC


----------



## Snuckie7

I'd actually say otherwise. The TFIII cooler isn't good at all (source: I own it)


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I'd actually say otherwise. The TFIII cooler isn't good at all (source: I own it)


Weird in the GTX 760 thread the T.F. III is considered one of the best


----------



## Snuckie7

That's probably because the GTX 760 uses a different TF cooler with bigger fans.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> That's probably because the GTX 760 uses a different TF cooler with bigger fans.


Maybe,I think it uses T.F. IV


----------



## ivanlabrie

AMD's TFIII sucks, runs like 10c hotter than Giga's Windforce...Sapphire's Vapor x is good too, same as DcuII (but the cards not so much)


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> AMD's TFIII sucks, runs like 10c hotter than Giga's Windforce...Sapphire's Vapor x is good too, same as DcuII (but the cards not so much)


So the best card of them is the Vapor-X,right?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> So the best card of them is the Vapor-X,right?


I wouldn't go as far as to say that...I was talking coolers. Vapor x is huge and not much better than windforce, which is way slimmer.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I wouldn't go as far as to say that...I was talking coolers. Vapor x is huge and not much better than windforce, which is way slimmer.


OK but at least it's voltage unlocked,right?


----------



## chantruong

My TFIII 7950 runs pretty hot. It's also been getting hotter everyday since I got it last week. When I got the card it idled at 40 and maxed out at 71c in Heaven. Yesterday it Idled at 45 and maxed out at 76c while ambient temps stayed the same. This is strange as I've seen OC'd TFIII running at 30 idle and 60-65 load. My card is currently running @ 1100/1400 with 1.188v (stock). Did they screw up my card? My room's ambient temperature has been hot lately (~28c) and I don't have the best case for airflow. Should it make a 10 degree difference at idle and load?


----------



## hucklebuck

What do you think of this card? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-127-737&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo

I haven't purchased a video card in years and I have only bought Nvidia in the past, please help.

Is this card reference? If the card is volt locked can I flash a different bios to unlock voltages?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chantruong*
> 
> My TFIII 7950 runs pretty hot. It's also been getting hotter everyday since I got it last week. When I got the card it idled at 40 and maxed out at 71c in Heaven. Yesterday it Idled at 45 and maxed out at 76c while ambient temps stayed the same. This is strange as I've seen OC'd TFIII running at 30 idle and 60-65 load. My card is currently running @ 1100/1400 with 1.188v (stock). Did they screw up my card? My room's ambient temperature has been hot lately (~28c) and I don't have the best case for airflow. Should it make a 10 degree difference at idle and load?


Different cards have different Stock Voltage. 1.188v is in the high side. Also 28C is in the hot side. Fan Profile also matter. 76C looks right to me.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> What do you think of this card? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-127-737&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo
> 
> I haven't purchased a video card in years and I have only bought Nvidia in the past, please help.
> 
> Is this card reference? If the card is volt locked can I flash a different bios to unlock voltages?


For the price you cant really complain.

The cooler is not really that good. Also no idea if the card has voltage control.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> What do you think of this card? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-127-737&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo
> 
> I haven't purchased a video card in years and I have only bought Nvidia in the past, please help.
> 
> Is this card reference? If the card is volt locked can I flash a different bios to unlock voltages?


that card gets hot. i have one and i knew that from the get go. what i didn't know are that it has voltage unlocked, uses hynix vram, and will fit the EK block for a 7950.

if you don't plan on buying an aftermarket cooler - you might want to check others. i am using my 7970 stock cooler with it to keep my temps below 80C during games with the fan at auto.

edit: i also added some heatsinks on the vrms. selling my 7770 soon to get me a waterblock.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> that card gets hot. i have one and i knew that from the get go. what i didn't know are that it has voltage unlocked, uses hynix vram, and will fit the EK block for a 7950.
> 
> if you don't plan on buying an aftermarket cooler - you might want to check others. i am using my 7970 stock cooler with it to keep my temps below 80C during games with the fan at auto.
> 
> edit: i also added some heatsinks on the vrms. selling my 7770 soon to get me a waterblock.


So in other words, it's a good card just a crappy cooler? How well does it oc?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> So in other words, it's a good card just a crappy cooler? How well does it oc?


to me it is a very good card for my use. it does 1100/1575 at stock voltages. have not pushed it. I game with my gpus stock.

I can max out BF3 MP 64 with it at stock and the thuban at 4GHz using 1080.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> So in other words, it's a good card just a crappy cooler? How well does it oc?


If crap cooler and possibly no Voltage Control not much.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> If crap cooler and possibly no Voltage Control not much.


that msi 7950 is voltage unlocked. mine is but the cooler is truly crap.


----------



## richie_2010

Yea voltage unlocked and mine ref 7950 pcb. It may come with boost bios which boosts 10 onthe core and 1.25v I flashed a tf bios 880 1250 to mine with a 1.18v no probs


----------



## chantruong

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chantruong*
> 
> My TFIII 7950 runs pretty hot. It's also been getting hotter everyday since I got it last week. When I got the card it idled at 40 and maxed out at 71c in Heaven. Yesterday it Idled at 45 and maxed out at 76c while ambient temps stayed the same. This is strange as I've seen OC'd TFIII running at 30 idle and 60-65 load. My card is currently running @ 1100/1400 with 1.188v (stock). Did they screw up my card? My room's ambient temperature has been hot lately (~28c) and I don't have the best case for airflow. Should it make a 10 degree difference at idle and load?


Would reapplying the TIM would lower my temps significantly? I heard of a lot of 7950 with poorly applied TIM at stock.


----------



## richie_2010

Worth a shot nothing to lose


----------



## kgtuning

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chantruong*
> 
> Would reapplying the TIM would lower my temps significantly? I heard of a lot of 7950 with poorly applied TIM at stock.


on both of my powercolor 7950's the TIM wasn't bad. I changed it to AS5 and it made no difference in temps. The only reason I used AS5 is because it's the only stuff I had. I have since gone to watercooling but I normally use cool laboratories ultra, you might see a bit cooler temps with that stuff.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> that msi 7950 is voltage unlocked. mine is but the cooler is truly crap.


Maybe invest the $40 you save to something like a Antec 620 and have superior temps?


----------



## Snuckie7

Modding an AIO to a 7900 card is pretty messy now that you can't get a custom bracket anymore. You need a shim too on top of a ghetto mount.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Modding an AIO to a 7900 card is pretty messy now that you can't get a custom bracket anymore. You need a shim too on top of a ghetto mount.


What happened to custom brackets?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> What happened to custom brackets?


Dwood doesn't make them anymore, and any stragglers you find online are usually really overpriced.


----------



## richie_2010

Do you guys think that 3mm or 5mm acrylic would be strong enough if used to make a bracket for the 620 and the h-series.
For the h-series please take the thought of heat melting the acrylic from the equasion.

I would appreciate any and all comments


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Dwood doesn't make them anymore, and any stragglers you find online are usually really overpriced.


Here, try this thread:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1221722/sigma-cool-aio-gpu-mounts-mount-kuhler-620-nzxt-kraken-x40-on-your-gpu-ship-same-day

not overpriced either.


----------



## Clos

Well I appreciate both of ya'lls feedback. But I'm curious, IF I were to find a bracket, would a 120mm or 140mm rad keep the temps under control?


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> is this card reference ?


That's the card I have and it is reference + can fit a waterblock. My (outdated) buildlog has pictures of my teardown of the card and pictures of the PCB + vRAM.


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clos*
> 
> Well I appreciate both of ya'lls feedback. But I'm curious, IF I were to find a bracket, would a 120mm or 140mm rad keep the temps under control?


A 120mm Rad should do the trick nicely. A 140mm will do a little better.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clos*
> 
> Well I appreciate both of ya'lls feedback. But I'm curious, IF I were to find a bracket, would a 120mm or 140mm rad keep the temps under control?


With a RAD you can crank up the voltage and gain as much as 50% increase in clock speed. Remember HD 7950 only clocked @ 800MHz. 1200MHz will get you huge performance increase.


----------



## Mega Man

quick updates
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> figured i would unvail my newest update to my build....
> 
> still waiting for the correct riser to come in for my pc, ...... the wait is killing me
> 
> 
> Spoiler: big pic !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> even get a free look at one of my dogs !~


ill make sure to show you guys the results !~


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> quick updates
> ill make sure to show you guys the results !~


That's awesome man,what res are those monitors?
Can you give us the link to your build log?


----------



## Mega Man

the link is *non-existent*
( i dont have one..... may make a mid build log, i never really expected it to turn into this pc, has been an interesting journey though lol )

they are 1080p

of course the price dropped the day after i bought them..... gonna take it to MC and get a refund for the difference tomorrow


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> the link is *non-existent*
> ( i dont have one..... may make a mid build log, i never really expected it to turn into this pc, has been an interesting journey though lol )
> 
> they are 1080p
> 
> of course the price dropped the day after i bought them..... gonna take it to MC and get a refund for the difference tomorrow LOL


Great,will you buy 1440p or 1600p monitors instead?
Anyway good luck with your build and keep us updated


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

I think a monitor setup like this would be better,what do you think mega?


----------



## Mega Man

helk no i want 120+hz







i just will get them to price match !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> 
> I think a monitor setup like this would be better,what do you think mega?


downside 60hz onry
i prefer 6 3top 3 bottom horizontal

i want to do 6 but i have to find MST hubs i may try when me and my wife go back to china


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> helk no i want 120+hz
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just will get them to price match !~
> downside 60hz onry
> i prefer 6 3top 3 bottom horizontal
> 
> i want to do 6 but i have to find MST hubs i may try when me and my wife go back to china


Or get a 2 level disk


----------



## NomNomNom

wheere are the VRM sensor locations? like where is vrm 1 and vrm 2?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Or get a 2 level disk


no an mst hub is a hub that splits the DP port into 3 dp ports
http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mst-hub-1-3.html

side note why make this hub with ~a 4" cable..... why wouldnt you want to put this on your desk instead of having it suspended in air by the DP cord.....


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no an mst hub is a hub that splits the DP port into 3 dp ports
> http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mst-hub-1-3.html
> 
> side note why make this hub with ~a 4" cable..... why wouldnt you want to put this on your desk instead of having it suspended in air by the DP cord.....


Oh I got it now,I thought you were gonna mount 3 displays on the wall and the 3 on the desk,good luck with your build


----------



## Thengine

I need some help picking a card I can overclock. I am not sure if either of these 7950's are hardware voltage locked:
GIGABYTE GV-R795WF3-3GD for $234
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr795wf33gd
or
MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC for $246
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r7950twinfrozr3gd5oc

Are these a better deal than a MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC for $256?
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-n760tf2gd5oc

I am going to be buying a 1440p monitor soon from S. Korea. I wanted something good but under $270


----------



## hucklebuck

Just ordered this card today, should arrive mid next week. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-127-737&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=1#scrollFullInfo

What software (drivers, OC programs, etc.) should I install. First time not going Nvidia.

Going to remove old Nvidia programs too.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thengine*
> 
> I need some help picking a card I can overclock. I am not sure if either of these 7950's are hardware voltage locked:
> GIGABYTE GV-R795WF3-3GD for $234
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr795wf33gd
> or
> MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC for $246
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r7950twinfrozr3gd5oc
> 
> Are these a better deal than a MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC for $256?
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-n760tf2gd5oc
> 
> I am going to be buying a 1440p monitor soon from S. Korea. I wanted something good but under $270


OK let me help you with this since I own a 760,the 760 is better than a 7950 at STOCK,BUT when both OCed the 7950 can be better also the 7950 is voltage unlocked unlike the 760 but that depends on which 7950 you buy,also the 3 GB memory on the 7950 would be better for the high res screen you're buying,but if you care about cooling and silence the MSI 760 is both cooler and quieter but you can always WC both if you want
Hope this helps


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Just ordered this card today, should arrive mid next week. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-127-737&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=1#scrollFullInfo
> 
> What software (drivers, OC programs, etc.) should I install. First time not going Nvidia.
> 
> Going to remove old Nvidia programs too.


Start with 13.4.
Also MSI has drivers on their site as I own an MSI card now too and took a look. They were labeled in a very confusing manner so I opted for AMD driver latest WHQL(which is 13.4)
The latest beta is 13.8 v2


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Start with 13.4.
> Also MSI has drivers on their site as I own an MSI card now too and took a look. They were labeled in a very confusing manner so I opted for AMD driver latest WHQL(which is 13.4)
> The latest beta is 13.8 v2


Thanks.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Thanks.


No problem


----------



## Juub

So how is CrossFireX now? Is it still a pain or is microstuttering virtually gone now?


----------



## theoneofgod

It's much better for DX10, DX11, much much better. I still see it badly in DX9 games.


----------



## alancsalt

If you care to:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1258253/how-to-put-your-rig-in-your-sig


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thengine*
> 
> I need some help picking a card I can overclock. I am not sure if either of these 7950's are hardware voltage locked:
> GIGABYTE GV-R795WF3-3GD for $234
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-video-card-gvr795wf33gd
> or
> MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC for $246
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-r7950twinfrozr3gd5oc
> 
> Are these a better deal than a MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC for $256?
> http://pcpartpicker.com/part/msi-video-card-n760tf2gd5oc
> 
> I am going to be buying a 1440p monitor soon from S. Korea. I wanted something good but under $270


if you are watercooling i would recommend this one flash bios and boost is gone ...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127737


----------



## FoamyV

Hey, new 7970 owner, sorry for bothering, I'd like to know what is a decent overclock? I got to 1231/1500 at 1.275 and it seems stable. Is the voltage too high, is it a good oc? Thank you.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FoamyV*
> 
> Hey, new 7970 owner, sorry for bothering, I'd like to know what is a decent overclock? I got to 1231/1500 at 1.275 and it seems stable. Is the voltage too high, is it a good oc? Thank you.


That is a very solid overclock, 1200+ is a good chip.


----------



## FoamyV

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> That is a very solid overclock, 1200+ is a good chip.


Thank you, what would a max voltage be? I went down to 1.268 and can't go over 1210. What's a safe voltage?







Temps didn't go over 68 through 3dmark firestrike extreme, the 1230 though flickered twice.

LE: got to a min voltage of 1.256 for 1205 - does it look safe and still decent? Thanks again.


----------



## Snuckie7

Max voltage is right around what you're pushing now. I wouldn't go over 1.3V on air, and make sure your core and VRM temps are acceptable.


----------



## twoofswords

Upgraded from a 1gb 7850 to a 3gb 7970... The recent open box deals at Amazon Warehouse were just too hard to resist.




I still pull a crappy KD ratio but man, does it look gorgeous when I do die... Now to find a decent monitor stand.


----------



## JayKaos

I have an issue.

when I oc i can get 1115Mhz core through CCC and 1675Mhz ram but if I use AB or Trixx its unstable as hell even with ULPS disabled and added voltage..

Put it this way if I oc with other software it dont work hell can evan hit 1100Mhz stable in Trixx

FTW 2x HD7970's in CFX on a gigabyte Z68X-UD7 board with a Corsair AX850W PSU and I7 2600k cpu ALL ON WATER!

so what give's..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *twoofswords*
> 
> Upgraded from a 1gb 7850 to a 3gb 7970... The recent open box deals at Amazon Warehouse were just too hard to resist.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I still pull a crappy KD ratio but man, does it look gorgeous when I do die... Now to find a decent monitor stand.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824994053
if i get one it will be this one. i just think it looks sexay !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JayKaos*
> 
> I have an issue.
> 
> when I oc i can get 1115Mhz core through CCC and 1675Mhz ram but if I use AB or Trixx its unstable as hell even with ULPS disabled and added voltage..
> 
> Put it this way if I oc with other software it dont work hell can evan hit 1100Mhz stable in Trixx
> 
> FTW 2x HD7970's in CFX on a gigabyte Z68X-UD7 board with a Corsair AX850W PSU and I7 2600k cpu ALL ON WATER!
> 
> so what give's..


have you tried a fresh win install ? sometimes the reg gets corrupted and i cant even run ab


----------



## Paul17041993

I'm starting to wonder about my card, vcore reads 1.170V, but its overheating massively now... cant tell if the 1.3V BIOS mod is suddenly doing something or the cards killing itself...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824994053
> if i get one it will be this one. i just think it looks sexay !~
> have you tried a fresh win install ? sometimes the reg gets corrupted and i cant even run ab


I wonder if there's one that supports 5 portrait monitors


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I'm starting to wonder about my card, vcore reads 1.170V, but its overheating massively now... cant tell if the 1.3V BIOS mod is suddenly doing something or the cards killing itself...


well crap, hours after it was flicked to the second BIOS and I just saw it go to a black screen with oscillating orange horizontal stripes after firefox crashed, computer didn't crash though, I never in my life have seen such a screen...

I honestly have no clue whats happening now, I swear this cards cursed...


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well crap, hours after it was flicked to the second BIOS and I just saw it go to a black screen with oscillating orange horizontal stripes after firefox crashed, computer didn't crash though, I never in my life have seen such a screen...
> 
> I honestly have no clue whats happening now, I swear this cards cursed...


You can't put 1.3v on high ASIC cards. Only low ASIC cards will deal with 1.3v like it's nothing while maintaining low temps. What is your asic %?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> You can't put 1.3v on high ASIC cards. Only low ASIC cards will deal with 1.3v like it's nothing while maintaining low temps. What is your asic %?


depends on the cooling.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> depends on the cooling.


No. On a high asic card over 1.25 you will hit ocp easily.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I wonder if there's one that supports 5 portrait monitors


any video card that supports 5 ( most of the 6xxx and 7xxx do 2dp, 1hdmi 2through dual link dvi splitter )


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> any video card that supports 5 ( most of the 6xxx and 7xxx do 2dp, 1hdmi 2through dual link dvi splitter )


I meant the monitor holders lol,My GTX 760 only supports 4 :/


----------



## Mega Man

there are but they get pricy fast.

you can always have one custom built, i saw a guy use galvanized pipe to build one didnt look bad tbh


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> there are but they get pricy fast.
> 
> you can always have one custom built, i saw a guy use galvanized pipe to build one didnt look bad tbh


Like how pricy?also is there a 4 monitor stand that I enables me to put 3 monitors below and 1 monitor?sorry for the lack of info I feel like I can barely speak English after all it isn't my native language lol


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I'm starting to wonder about my card, vcore reads 1.170V, but its overheating massively now... cant tell if the 1.3V BIOS mod is suddenly doing something or the cards killing itself...


You might want to try pulling heatsink/fan off and reapplying tim, It is unbelievable the amount of tim manufacturers put on. Waaayyyyy too much. Not to mention it's cheap, generic tim at that. Putting Gelid Extreme on will definitely drop your temps a good bit. 10-15* in some cases.


----------



## anteerror

Hi guys, Noob question

I have an XFX 7990, I know these have a reputation to run hot but Im just wondering How hot? Whats safe? Mine is hiting 86 degrees and that seems awfully hot to me. Is that normal with these cards? It is stock, not overclocked, and fans are on auto. Should I crank the fans up in afterburner?

Thanks


----------



## m0bius

I just got an MSI 7990, and I was wondering if there should be 2 different gpu temp sensors... I have GPU1 and GPU2 stats on everything but GPU temp...


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anteerror*
> 
> Hi guys, Noob question
> 
> I have an XFX 7990, I know these have a reputation to run hot but Im just wondering How hot? Whats safe? Mine is hiting 86 degrees and that seems awfully hot to me. Is that normal with these cards? It is stock, not overclocked, and fans are on auto. Should I crank the fans up in afterburner?
> 
> Thanks


Yeah you have to make a custom fan profile and try lowering your default voltage. It helps lowering temps.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NomNomNom*
> 
> wheere are the VRM sensor locations? like where is vrm 1 and vrm 2?


Anybody?


----------



## Joa3d43

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m0bius*
> 
> I just got an MSI 7990, and I was wondering if there should be 2 different gpu temp sensors... I have GPU1 and GPU2 stats on everything but GPU temp...


I run two Giga 7990s (Malta) and they do have separate temp sensors for each GPU, ie in GPUz and MSI AB. However, in many apps / benches, only the lead GPU temps will show


----------



## neurotix

So I just got a Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970. I have a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X and one of the fans on it stopped working after only a month. I can't send it to Sapphire because I removed the heatsink to replace the TIM.

The mounting system on the Accelero is terrible.

They provided cheap plastic ring spacers for the screw holes that you're supposed to hold on with paper double sided tape that doesn't even work. So, I skipped using the spacers completely.

The backplate for the top of the card has EVA foam that sits between the metal backplate and the card (above the chip). So I tightened all 4 screws down to secure the heatsink to the card. However, in the manual they recommend you only turn each screw 2 rotations to secure the cooler to the card. The problem with this is that the thing is so heavy that it won't be tight enough and eventually the weight of the heatsink will seperate the heat plate from the GPU chip itself. The only thing making them keep contact and cool the card was the thermal paste. Eventually the seal from the thermal paste popped and then the plate came right off the chip, which made my card crash doing anything in 3D mode with temps over 100C (triggering the anti heat protection and shutting the card off, making my monitor get no signal).

So I tightened the screws down even more, but not quite to the point where the backplate was touching the back of the card. It seemed fine for a day but now again I had issues with the card crashing in 3D mode. So I open my case up and pull down on the heatsink and sure enough, it's not making full contact with the VGA chip.

I just redid the thermal paste, and this time I tightened the backplate down with screws until the screws were all the way in and the metal backplate is touching the back of the card in some spots. The EVA foam is also heavily compressed all the way against the components behind the VGA chip.

Wondering if there's any issue with a non insulated metal plate making contact with the back of the VGA board. I might want to tighten this thing even further just to prevent it coming loose at all over time from the weight of the heatsink. Though it seems to be fine now.

The good thing is that when the cooler is making contact it works excellently. I max out at 60C in Valley benchmark at 1200mhz/1600mhz 1.318/1.6v Crysis 3 tops out at 58C at these settings.

Here's a video, in Egyptian unfortunately showing the install on my card. Should still give you an idea of the process. Keep in mind I didn't use the little plastic spacers, and if you did I think the heat plate would eventually lose contact with the chip: 




Here's a thread I found about this cooler and my card. http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=725149


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> So I just got a Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970. I have a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X and one of the fans on it stopped working after only a month. I can't send it to Sapphire because I removed the heatsink to replace the TIM.
> 
> The mounting system on the Accelero is terrible.
> 
> They provided cheap plastic ring spacers for the screw holes that you're supposed to hold on with paper double sided tape that doesn't even work. So, I skipped using the spacers completely.
> 
> The backplate for the top of the card has EVA foam that sits between the metal backplate and the card (above the chip). So I tightened all 4 screws down to secure the heatsink to the card. However, in the manual they recommend you only turn each screw 2 rotations to secure the cooler to the card. The problem with this is that the thing is so heavy that it won't be tight enough and eventually the weight of the heatsink will seperate the heat plate from the GPU chip itself. The only thing making them keep contact and cool the card was the thermal paste. Eventually the seal from the thermal paste popped and then the plate came right off the chip, which made my card crash doing anything in 3D mode with temps over 100C (triggering the anti heat protection and shutting the card off, making my monitor get no signal).
> 
> So I tightened the screws down even more, but not quite to the point where the backplate was touching the back of the card. It seemed fine for a day but now again I had issues with the card crashing in 3D mode. So I open my case up and pull down on the heatsink and sure enough, it's not making full contact with the VGA chip.
> 
> I just redid the thermal paste, and this time I tightened the backplate down with screws until the screws were all the way in and the metal backplate is touching the back of the card in some spots. The EVA foam is also heavily compressed all the way against the components behind the VGA chip.
> 
> Wondering if there's any issue with a non insulated metal plate making contact with the back of the VGA board. I might want to tighten this thing even further just to prevent it coming loose at all over time from the weight of the heatsink. Though it seems to be fine now.
> 
> The good thing is that when the cooler is making contact it works excellently. I max out at 60C in Valley benchmark at 1200mhz/1600mhz 1.318/1.6v Crysis 3 tops out at 58C at these settings.
> 
> Here's a video, in Egyptian unfortunately showing the install on my card. Should still give you an idea of the process. Keep in mind I didn't use the little plastic spacers, and if you did I think the heat plate would eventually lose contact with the chip:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a thread I found about this cooler and my card. http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=725149


Ya I remember that vid,I can translate it you know since I speak Arabic also I think you would want to give some support to the card by anyway you can


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> So I just got a Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970. lots of stuff


I think you should make an attempt to follow the instructions and use the spacers.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> You can't put 1.3v on high ASIC cards. Only low ASIC cards will deal with 1.3v like it's nothing while maintaining low temps. What is your asic %?


55.4%, and the DCII is a piss poor cooler, but I honestly have no clue what voltage it was pushing as the card only wants to lie, and I doubt it was actually 1.3V as 1200MHz core was just artifacts galore, crashed before I had the chance to test 1100MHz, didn't seem any different then the stock voltage and it only just started overheating like this today, more then a week after I modded the BIOS...

even then, it doesn't explain the... whatever screen that was... that happened after it was put back to a stock BIOS, completely re-flashed the card yesterday so its completely and utterly stock again, flashing also takes about 5 minutes or so each BIOS instead of the 10 seconds it used to...

I'm tempted to just hit this card with a wielder, seems too daemonic to be worth trying to sell...


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> So I just got a Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970. I have a Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X and one of the fans on it stopped working after only a month. I can't send it to Sapphire because I removed the heatsink to replace the TIM.
> 
> The mounting system on the Accelero is terrible.
> 
> They provided cheap plastic ring spacers for the screw holes that you're supposed to hold on with paper double sided tape that doesn't even work. So, I skipped using the spacers completely.
> 
> The backplate for the top of the card has EVA foam that sits between the metal backplate and the card (above the chip). So I tightened all 4 screws down to secure the heatsink to the card. However, in the manual they recommend you only turn each screw 2 rotations to secure the cooler to the card. The problem with this is that the thing is so heavy that it won't be tight enough and eventually the weight of the heatsink will seperate the heat plate from the GPU chip itself. The only thing making them keep contact and cool the card was the thermal paste. Eventually the seal from the thermal paste popped and then the plate came right off the chip, which made my card crash doing anything in 3D mode with temps over 100C (triggering the anti heat protection and shutting the card off, making my monitor get no signal).
> 
> So I tightened the screws down even more, but not quite to the point where the backplate was touching the back of the card. It seemed fine for a day but now again I had issues with the card crashing in 3D mode. So I open my case up and pull down on the heatsink and sure enough, it's not making full contact with the VGA chip.
> 
> I just redid the thermal paste, and this time I tightened the backplate down with screws until the screws were all the way in and the metal backplate is touching the back of the card in some spots. The EVA foam is also heavily compressed all the way against the components behind the VGA chip.
> 
> Wondering if there's any issue with a non insulated metal plate making contact with the back of the VGA board. I might want to tighten this thing even further just to prevent it coming loose at all over time from the weight of the heatsink. Though it seems to be fine now.
> 
> The good thing is that when the cooler is making contact it works excellently. I max out at 60C in Valley benchmark at 1200mhz/1600mhz 1.318/1.6v Crysis 3 tops out at 58C at these settings.
> 
> Here's a video, in Egyptian unfortunately showing the install on my card. Should still give you an idea of the process. Keep in mind I didn't use the little plastic spacers, and if you did I think the heat plate would eventually lose contact with the chip:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a thread I found about this cooler and my card. http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=725149


You know, sapphire can't really know that you replaced the thermal paste...


----------



## Rayleyne

I'm so very tempted to trade 2 Waterblocked 7970s for a waterblocked 7990 simply because it free's up a slot.


----------



## Snuckie7

It's possible that there's some kind of warranty sticker that gets broken when you take apart the card (MSI had one on mine, but I took it off and put it back on when replacing the TIM







)


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> You know, sapphire can't really know that you replaced the thermal paste...


The cooler came with thermal pads and some of them are damaged, ripped etc. They'd very obviously be able to tell I took their heatsink off if I sent it to them.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I think you should make an attempt to follow the instructions and use the spacers.


This is ridiculous, if you'd have seen the spacers you'd see it's not even possible. They are literally tiny little plastic rings that are supposed to be held on by very small circular double sided tape that is impossible to get apart and use. -1


----------



## NomNomNom

What kind of temps do you guys get running OCCT? And any answers on VRM 1 and VRM 2 locations?


----------



## hucklebuck

What software do you use when oc'ing. How about what software do you use to check for artifacting?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rayleyne*
> 
> I'm so very tempted to trade 2 Waterblocked 7970s for a waterblocked 7990 simply because it free's up a slot.


2 free slots.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> The cooler came with thermal pads and some of them are damaged, ripped etc. They'd very obviously be able to tell I took their heatsink off if I sent it to them.
> This is ridiculous, if you'd have seen the spacers you'd see it's not even possible. They are literally tiny little plastic rings that are supposed to be held on by very small circular double sided tape that is impossible to get apart and use. -1


Some brands simply don't care.  I dunno if sapphire would or not, but they're know to be the best.


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Some brands simply don't care.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I dunno if sapphire would or not, but they're know to be the best.


Sapphire is awesome. I've bought 2 4670s from them, a 6870, and my 7970 Vapor-X. I was forced to get an Arctic Accelero Xtreme 7970 because one of the fans on my Vapor-X cooler failed after only a month of use, and I had replaced the thermal paste on it with AS5, and some of the thermal pads tore, so it's obvious I opened the thing.

I wasn't complaining about Sapphire, I love the brand and until this 7970 have had no problems with them whatsoever. I was complaining mainly about Arctic's horrible mounting system for their Accelero cooler. I paid $84 for this thing and it can't even use metal standoffs as spacers like every tower CPU heatsink I've ever had. Instead, there are really cheap tiny plastic rings with double sided paper tape that is impossible to get apart unless you have hands the size of a little girl and fingernails.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Oh I know. I'm just saying, I've heard of some products rma'd that had clearly been opened and still been accepted.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Like how pricy?also is there a 4 monitor stand that I enables me to put 3 monitors below and 1 monitor?sorry for the lack of info I feel like I can barely speak English after all it isn't my native language lol


last one i saw was 1k+ but i dont really look for them

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I think you should make an attempt to follow the instructions and use the spacers.


+2
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NomNomNom*
> 
> What kind of temps do you guys get running OCCT? And any answers on VRM 1 and VRM 2 locations?


they are there for a reason. it wont hut the pcb unless you short something out.... bottom line dont do it.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> 2 free slots.
> Some brands simply don't care.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I dunno if sapphire would or not, but they're know to be the best.


it depends on the the WB but in my case it would only free up 1 slot as well


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> The cooler came with thermal pads and some of them are damaged, ripped etc. They'd very obviously be able to tell I took their heatsink off if I sent it to them.
> This is ridiculous, if you'd have seen the spacers you'd see it's not even possible. They are literally tiny little plastic rings that are supposed to be held on by very small circular double sided tape that is impossible to get apart and use. -1


Sapphire doesn't care if you changed the TIM and you could easily have just RMA'd the card for a faulty fan. Since you already bought the Accelero, and said yourself you didn't follow the instructions, why not try out doing it the way they suggest since you're having issues with it staying mounted properly? They didn't put those parts in there for the health of the factory workers who chucked it all in the box.

FYI - I have seen the spacers. I've used several of those coolers over the years. I never had an issue with it, just laid the cooler on the fan side, put the spacers over the holes, card carefully on top and screws through the back. Takes all of 20 seconds.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Oh I know. I'm just saying, I've heard of some products rma'd that had clearly been opened and still been accepted.


XFX took my 6970 back and gave me a replacement...... and I took it apart numerous times and destroyed the thermal padding and even lost a sticker that said the warranty would be void if removed.


----------



## Mega Man

it is based on what manufacture most are good some are not.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it is based on what manufacture most are good some are not.


Agreed. Always worth a shot though...you never know.


----------



## Rayleyne

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it depends on the the WB but in my case it would only free up 1 slot as well


At the moment i'm using Trifire so i'd go from using 3* 16 pci-e 3.0 slots to just two, so i could use something else.

But ya, Gotta find someone willing to trade em.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> XFX took my 6970 back and gave me a replacement...... and I took it apart numerous times and destroyed the thermal padding and even lost a sticker that said the warranty would be void if removed.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it is based on what manufacture most are good some are not.


for the most part it would depend on what the problem with the card is, usually they would accept it anyway if it was a fault that would have happened without modifying the card anyway, but if the card got burnt in some way from a bad cooler and they see the heatsink was removed they likely wont accept it. (unless the stock heatsink had an obvious failure)


----------



## NomNomNom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> they are there for a reason. it wont hut the pcb unless you short something out.... bottom line dont do it.


That doesnt even come close to my original question


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NomNomNom*
> 
> That doesnt even come close to my original question


think he meant another post, the one referring to a warranty label on the cooler...?


----------



## Dergoma

Hey Guys, Just got me a Visontek 7950 Card as an Upgrade to my 6850, card is hella better then my original but after doing some looking around here, very few poeple have it. and after lurking here in the posts, i have not been able to find the Bios Flash for it, even at TPU, all the card bios are like Msi/XFX etc etc, so anyone here that has a Visiontek 7950 has done the dual Bios? and if so which one did you use that was stable?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

It's reference, right?

Also, why do you want to flash it?


----------



## Dergoma

To be honest, im not 100% sure how to check, and ive looked through post on OCN like crazy, some say you gotta have a little amd sticker by the fan and the fan cant be in the middle, you gotta have a graphic design on front, somewhere I read it has to have an 8 pin connector? Im not sure to many answers and to many people saying there wrong, and I want to flash the bios for the boost, stock clock is 800/1250-1100/1500 the way it is but if I flash it to turbo core, 925/1250 but I can crank it past 1100. Max from what I read is 1200 on that card but like I said I can't find to much info on Visionteks 7950


----------



## Erick Silver

I am still having an issue with my HD7950. It folds perfectly at 1100/1500 20% power at 1.175v. Benches Unigine Valley, FFXIV Benchmark, and 3DMark11 without an issue. But as soon as I start up the actual FFXIV game it crashes before I even get to the log in screen. I set it to stock and it works fine. Any ideas?


----------



## Dergoma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I am still having an issue with my HD7950. It folds perfectly at 1100/1500 20% power at 1.175v. Benches Unigine Valley, FFXIV Benchmark, and 3DMark11 without an issue. But as soon as I start up the actual FFXIV game it crashes before I even get to the log in screen. I set it to stock and it works fine. Any ideas?


not enough juice? Or maybe a driver issue? Crank it to 1.2 and load the game again and see what happens


----------



## Erick Silver

I was running at 1.25v and starting dropping it to get better temps. But even at 1.25v it was still crashing. Pretty sure I have the most current NON Beta drivers. Will double check when I get home.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dergoma*
> 
> To be honest, im not 100% sure how to check, and ive looked through post on OCN like crazy, some say you gotta have a little amd sticker by the fan and the fan cant be in the middle, you gotta have a graphic design on front, somewhere I read it has to have an 8 pin connector? Im not sure to many answers and to many people saying there wrong, and I want to flash the bios for the boost, stock clock is 800/1250-1100/1500 the way it is but if I flash it to turbo core, 925/1250 but I can crank it past 1100. Max from what I read is 1200 on that card but like I said I can't find to much info on Visionteks 7950


Does it look like this?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> The cooler came with thermal pads and some of them are damaged, ripped etc. They'd very obviously be able to tell I took their heatsink off if I sent it to them.
> This is ridiculous, if you'd have seen the spacers you'd see it's not even possible. They are literally tiny little plastic rings that are supposed to be held on by very small circular double sided tape that is impossible to get apart and use. -1


this is the one i was referencing to
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NomNomNom*
> 
> That doesnt even come close to my original question


ny bad i clicked the wrong one i never remember which are what though to answer your q tpm knows iirc
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dergoma*
> 
> To be honest, im not 100% sure how to check, and ive looked through post on OCN like crazy, some say you gotta have a little amd sticker by the fan and the fan cant be in the middle, you gotta have a graphic design on front, somewhere I read it has to have an 8 pin connector? Im not sure to many answers and to many people saying there wrong, and I want to flash the bios for the boost, stock clock is 800/1250-1100/1500 the way it is but if I flash it to turbo core, 925/1250 but I can crank it past 1100. Max from what I read is 1200 on that card but like I said I can't find to much info on Visionteks 7950


pics help. mn and other things you can always check this list
http://www.swiftech.com/KOMODO-HD7900.aspx#tab3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I am still having an issue with my HD7950. It folds perfectly at 1100/1500 20% power at 1.175v. Benches Unigine Valley, FFXIV Benchmark, and 3DMark11 without an issue. But as soon as I start up the actual FFXIV game it crashes before I even get to the log in screen. I set it to stock and it works fine. Any ideas?


sounds like driver/game coding issue to me may have to wait for amd / SE to fix it.....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Does it look like this?


i think the ref 7950s look different unless they use the 7970 pcb but i could be wrong 7950s are one card i dont know alot about


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dergoma*
> 
> To be honest, im not 100% sure how to check, and ive looked through post on OCN like crazy, some say you gotta have a little amd sticker by the fan and the fan cant be in the middle, you gotta have a graphic design on front, somewhere I read it has to have an 8 pin connector? Im not sure to many answers and to many people saying there wrong, and I want to flash the bios for the boost, stock clock is 800/1250-1100/1500 the way it is but if I flash it to turbo core, 925/1250 but I can crank it past 1100. Max from what I read is 1200 on that card but like I said I can't find to much info on Visionteks 7950


a reference 7950 has two 6pin power connectors, an AMD logo on the slot, a red fan in the middle, the shroud is coloured black with red stripes on the edges and the PCB is black. companies will paste stickers on various locations.

anything else is not a reference card, the card above for example is a reference 7970 PCB and stock cooler, there are some 7950s that use the same design, but these are not reference 7950s.

edit; here's a perfect example http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-679.shtml


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> a reference 7950 has two 6pin power connectors, an AMD logo on the slot, a red fan in the middle, the shroud is coloured black with red stripes on the edges and the PCB is black. companies will paste stickers on various locations.
> 
> anything else is not a reference card, the card above for example is a reference 7970 PCB and stock cooler, there are some 7950s that use the same design, but these are not reference 7950s.
> 
> edit; here's a perfect example http://www.hisdigital.com/un/product2-679.shtml


You're half right with that. Both of those are "reference" 7950's. The primary ref card has the blower from a 7970, however they created the fan in the middle design as the "acoustically optimized" version. Both are reference cards, only card I can remember with two designs out of the gate although I don't think I've seen but a handful of the original blower style except in early reviews.

If you check out the launch propaganda you find stuff like :
Quote:


> AMD is pitching this version as the primary model, prioritising 'directed and exhausted airflow' as opposed to the alternative, which has been 'generally optimized for acoustics.'


----------



## Dergoma

Thats what it looks like and mine does have 2x6 pin connectors and a dual bios switch


----------



## gertruude

hi

I recently bought this 7950 and i wondered if i can unlock the voltage or mod the bios

Any help appreciated

Cheers


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> You're half right with that. Both of those are "reference" 7950's. The primary ref card has the blower from a 7970, however they created the fan in the middle design as the "acoustically optimized" version. Both are reference cards, only card I can remember with two designs out of the gate although I don't think I've seen but a handful of the original blower style except in early reviews.
> 
> If you check out the launch propaganda you find stuff like :


cept its known as a "reference 7970" but with parts disabled like the 7950, so far Ive only seen "boost" 7950s use the 7970 design in the real world.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gertruude*
> 
> hi
> 
> I recently bought this 7950 and i wondered if i can unlock the voltage or mod the bios
> 
> Any help appreciated
> 
> Cheers


Just use Sapphire Trixx or MSI Afterburner and overvolt to see if your voltage goes up (using a monitoring program like GPU-Z).


----------



## gertruude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Just use Sapphire Trixx or MSI Afterburner and overvolt to see if your voltage goes up (using a monitoring program like GPU-Z).


the voltage is still locked so cant overvault it lol


----------



## richie_2010

Has it got a boost bios on it cos the boost bios is locked voltage. Flash another bios n see

My msi boost was voltage locked untill I flashed new bios


----------



## AnAngryKoala

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gertruude*
> 
> the voltage is still locked so cant overvault it lol


You have to enable it in the settings when using Afterburner.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gertruude*
> 
> the voltage is still locked so cant overvault it lol


using AB? did you go to settings and checked - unlock voltages?


----------



## Dergoma

And thats withva visiontek 7950?


----------



## gertruude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> using AB? did you go to settings and checked - unlock voltages?


yes mate.....im starting to think i got the wrong card


----------



## Paul17041993

@Dergoma & @ gertruude you should both be able to just get full-reference 7950 BIOSes (unbranded, only labeled as "AMD") and enjoy your fully unlocked cards, though I cant see the AMD+logo on either of your cards PCBs so they don't seem to be 100% reference, may have some differences like cheaper components etc.

I'm not particularly sure if the ref7950 had one of the two BIOSs locked or not and which one it might be, but if it fails to write straight away and will boot fine afterwards then that's probably the read-only one.


----------



## Dergoma

I will take closer pics in a sec, still waking up with no coffee in hand *** lol


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gertruude*
> 
> yes mate.....im starting to think i got the wrong card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


try a newer version of AB. 3.0 or something.


----------



## gertruude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> try a newer version of AB. 3.0 or something.


i installed the latest one first and still the same its why i went back to previous version lol


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gertruude*
> 
> yes mate.....im starting to think i got the wrong card


the voltage is blank on my card too, so I'm not particularly sure if this is due to it being locked or there's something funky with the later MSI versions and some driver and/or registry issue...


----------



## gertruude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the voltage is blank on my card too, so I'm not particularly sure if this is due to it being locked or there's something funky with the later MSI versions and some driver and/or registry issue...


well i went on xfx site and for my card it says superior thermals, perfect for overclocking, so i dont understand either why the voltage is locked, if it is


----------



## Dergoma




----------



## Dergoma

as soon as a Mod Approves my Post, took pics from all sides of the Visiontek 7950, so you can see what i see lol


----------



## richie_2010

Y you neef approval just add them


----------



## Dergoma

i tried but said since im fairley knew, my post had to be inspected by a mod
the post has like 6 pics or so


----------



## Dergoma




----------



## Dergoma




----------



## richie_2010

Can you link me to the page you got it from and a pic of the pcb with the shroud removed so can see the vrms


----------



## Dergoma




----------



## Dergoma

i got it from Dell, but i think there was a post on Tweaktown about it, 1 sec lemme find it, ok i did some looking and its MIA lol i will crack mine open in a bit and show you guys


----------



## richie_2010

It looks like a 7970 pcb as there is a 8pin markup where the one 6pin is. Ive got to ask does it have a boost bios.


----------



## Dergoma




----------



## Dergoma




----------



## Dergoma




----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dergoma*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


that follows a reference 7950 design. same as my msi 7950 and gigabyte rev 1 7950. the vrms are not sinked so that is our biggest issue with our cards.

i slapped a stock 7970 cooler on mine and added heatsinks on the vrms. my temps now are under control ( 65C core/80C vrms) whereas before just playing PS2 temps will go as high as 100C.

edit: those temps were on my intel rig which does not have front intake fan nor side fan.


----------



## richie_2010

difference between mine and yours is where your pcb allows 8pin mine don't.
I've put heat sinks on my vrms also, if your having trouble with the voltage flash the bios to another card. that should be voltage unlocked


----------



## Dergoma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> difference between mine and yours is where your pcb allows 8pin mine don't.
> I've put heat sinks on my vrms also, if your having trouble with the voltage flash the bios to another card. that should be voltage unlocked


yeah which bios? And what tool, it will be my first time


----------



## richie_2010

does your card have a boost bios and have you tried the 2nd bios.
did you unlock the voltage in msi ab


----------



## Dergoma

I flipped the switch but same settings and I have not tried msi as seeing its a visiontek but I will dl it and try


----------



## Recr3ational

Can someone explain to me,
What ASIC is?


----------



## hotrod717

This will explain a little I think. http://www.techpowerup.com/159098/techpowerup-gpu-z-0-5-8-released.htm
Asic % basically tells how much voltage leakage a particular chip has. If you check your chip with gpuz, it will show a little chart that gives a basic description - High asic %= good air cooling/lower voltage, low asic % = good water cooling/high voltage, ect, ect.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> This will explain a little I think. http://www.techpowerup.com/159098/techpowerup-gpu-z-0-5-8-released.htm
> Asic % basically tells how much voltage leakage a particular chip has. If you check your chip with gpuz, it will show a little chart that gives a basic description - High asic %= good air cooling/lower voltage, low asic % = good water cooling/high voltage, ect, ect.


Thanks man i have 87.1%
I'm just trying to understand all this shizz out
Thanks again!


----------



## Erick Silver

Lucky bastard! I have a 59% ASIC on my 7950.....


----------



## sugarhell

He is not lucky except if he is mining....


----------



## ukic

My 7990 asic is 68.9% and 67.5%


----------



## Belkov

At first i thought my 59% asics quality is a bad thing, but now i'm happy with it. Low asics also means lower VRM temps. I can hardly reach 1200MHz with almost 1.3v., but my temps are great with a little bit more agressive fan profile. Usualy i play with 1100/1500 MHz and never pass 70 degrees for core and VRMs.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Lucky bastard! I have a 59% ASIC on my 7950.....


My second one has 69% so I'm guessing its just luck?


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> At first i thought my 59% asics quality is a bad thing, but now i'm happy with it. Low asics also means lower VRM temps. I can hardly reach 1200MHz with almost 1.3v., but my temps are great with a little bit more agressive fan profile. Usualy i play with 1100/1500 MHz and never pass 70 degrees for core and VRMs.


I have mine set to 1100/1500 as well. But its not stable playing FFXIV. Have to play that game at stock. But its perfect running everything else.


----------



## Belkov

What voltage are you using for 1100 for the core?


----------



## bond32

Is there a way to enable the 50% powertune in the registry for a 7950 or is that purely a bios mod?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dergoma*


blue PCB D: hopefully that doesn't mean its a poor overclocker... (blue == modified reference)


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I have mine set to 1100/1500 as well. But its not stable playing FFXIV. Have to play that game at stock. But its perfect running everything else.


Probably just something that game engine is doing if everything else works.


----------



## Durvelle27

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7083178


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7083178










whats your memory though? apparently I see 8GB @1333? if true then you should get yourself some good memory and i would expect the scores to increase significantly.

your definitely a lot higher then me though, but the physics score looks virtually the same as me...


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> whats your memory though? apparently I see 8GB @1333? if true then you should get yourself some good memory and i would expect the scores to increase significantly.
> 
> your definitely a lot higher then me though, but the physics score looks virtually the same as me...


Probably upgraded from a Phenom II chip and kept the RAM. Vishera likes speed and tight timings, 1866-2133 seems to be the sweet spot if you can get some good sticks.


----------



## bond32

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7100770

yeah 2 cards but still, physics score is much higher with faster ram with good timings.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7100770
> 
> yeah 2 cards but still, physics score is much higher with faster ram with good timings.


FX 8320 @4.6GHz, 8GB DDR3 1333MHz, and HD 7970 @1250/1850
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> whats your memory though? apparently I see 8GB @1333? if true then you should get yourself some good memory and i would expect the scores to increase significantly.
> 
> your definitely a lot higher then me though, but the physics score looks virtually the same as me...


Not a fair comparison considering your CPU is at 5GHz


----------



## bond32

True. Actually you're score is good, but the ram should be like the others said, 1800-2133 ish.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> True. Actually you're score is good, but the ram should be like the others said, 1800-2133 ish.


I'm looking into getting some 2133MHz RAM


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> FX 8320 @4.6GHz, 8GB DDR3 1333MHz, and HD 7970 @1250/1850
> Not a fair comparison considering your CPU is at 5GHz


*cough* what...? last I checked it was only 4.5/4.6 lol...?

quotes in the wrong order


----------



## Paul17041993

well here's my one from a few months back for comparison;
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6802219

though the clocks it shows are wrong, not sure why it does that really, I believe at the time it was 4.6GHz, and 1840MHz memory.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well here's my one from a few months back for comparison;
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6802219
> 
> though the clocks it shows are wrong, not sure why it does that really, I believe at the time it was 4.6GHz, and 1840MHz memory.


Did the same to me, my FX8320 at 4.6ghz and RAM at 1800 I think since that was an FSB overclock: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6288239


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Did the same to me, my FX8320 at 4.6ghz and RAM at 1800 I think since that was an FSB overclock: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6288239


Same Physics score as mines
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> *cough* what...? last I checked it was only 4.5/4.6 lol...?
> 
> quotes in the wrong order


Yes on mobile sorry
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well here's my one from a few months back for comparison;
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6802219
> 
> though the clocks it shows are wrong, not sure why it does that really, I believe at the time it was 4.6GHz, and 1840MHz memory.


Lower than mines lol


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Thanks man i have 87.1%
> I'm just trying to understand all this shizz out
> Thanks again!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Lucky bastard! I have a 59% ASIC on my 7950.....


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> My 7990 asic is 68.9% and 67.5%


Waterblock that badboy! That's a great % for watercooling!









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> At first i thought my 59% asics quality is a bad thing, but now i'm happy with it. Low asics also means lower VRM temps. I can hardly reach 1200MHz with almost 1.3v., but my temps are great with a little bit more agressive fan profile. Usualy i play with 1100/1500 MHz and never pass 70 degrees for core and VRMs.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> My second one has 69% so I'm guessing its just luck?


Depends what type of cooling you are using. A higher asic% for air is better as it requires less voltage and in turn stays fairly cool. Lower asic% is definitely better for water cooling, but there is a line. Too low an asic% is going to limit oc and will require so much voltage. If you have a low asic% and a locked card you are definitely stuck. My card has 67% and is a beast. I do wish it required slightly less voltage though. Anything above 1375/1875, it starts to throttle at 1.4v, but doesn't surpass 42*. I would say that 65 - 70% is the sweet spot for unlocked cards. If my card was locked at 1.3v I probably wouldn't be able to push past 1200 core. I'm wanting to sell this card, but I highly doubt if I'll ever own a better one in terms of overclock ability. You wouldn't think it would be difficult, but the lowballers keep it firmly in my rig.


----------



## jdc122

so i have a waterblocked 7950 with possibly the lowest asic i've ever seen (57.1%) and it cant even hit 1200, am i expecting too much?


----------



## sugarhell

High asic cards are hotter not cooler


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> High asic cards are hotter not cooler


Haven't owned one, but would've thought less voltage = less heat. I'm sure there is a sweet spot for air cooled as well??

^^ Yes, way too much leakage and I'm assuming you're locked to 1.3v


----------



## Paul17041993

55.4% ASIC is mine, locked at 1170mV and 1000MHz core, not possible to OC, mines a perfect example of the worst case scenario of a card









side note, I'm also seeing game crashes now even though its at stock, and temps didn't seem to improve after resetting the BIOSs so I don't think it was being overvolted at all either, card seems to actually be dying without even lifting off the ground...


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Haven't owned one, but would've thought less voltage = less heat. I'm sure there is a sweet spot for air cooled as well??
> 
> ^^ Yes, way too much leakage and I'm assuming you're locked to 1.3v


open gpuz and check, theyre binned with less voltage because less leakage which means more heat. simples.

btw my 7950 is 59% asic and can do 1250/1750 on a warm day on air


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> open gpuz and check, theyre binned with less voltage because less leakage which means more heat. simples.
> 
> btw my 7950 is 59% asic and can do 1250/1750 on a warm day on air


Your reference to gpuz's table is subjective. Higher asic requires less voltage. In most cases, less voltage equals less heat. Whats your voltage and temp for that 1250/1750 on a warm day?


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 55.4% ASIC is mine, locked at 1170mV and 1000MHz core, not possible to OC, mines a perfect example of the worst case scenario of a card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> side note, I'm also seeing game crashes now even though its at stock, and temps didn't seem to improve after resetting the BIOSs so I don't think it was being overvolted at all either, card seems to actually be dying without even lifting off the ground...


Yeah, feel bad for you. Luck of the draw. Have you attempted rma? If it doesn't perform properly at stock, they would have to replace it.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Your reference to gpuz's table is subjective. Higher asic requires less voltage. In most cases, less voltage equals less heat. Whats your voltage and temp for that 1250/1750 on a warm day?


youre missing the point, they ARE binned according to asic quality because HIGH asic (less leakage) has more current/power and MORE heat!

its not subjective, its factored in to the build of the card! just like VID on a cpu!

I haven't got proof of temps but for benching im always @ 1300/1600v (but theyre around 65*c or below 100% fan)



or my firestrike higher clocks

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/762043


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> open gpuz and check, theyre binned with less voltage because less leakage which means more heat. simples.
> 
> btw my 7950 is 59% asic and can do 1250/1750 on a warm day on air


My HD 7970 has a ASIC of 61.5%. I have been up to 1275/1850


----------



## gertruude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> My HD 7970 has a ASIC of 61.5%. I have been up to 1275/1850


my 7950 is asic 68.7% and i cant do crap
haha

i go to 1020mhz from 900 which aint too bad i suppose for a crappy voltage locked card


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gertruude*
> 
> my 7950 is asic 68.7% and i cant do crap
> haha
> 
> i go to 1020mhz from 900 which aint too bad i suppose for a crappy voltage locked card


That sucks. Mines is voltage unlocked


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> That sucks. Mines is voltage unlocked


which 7970 do you have? brand and model.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> My HD 7970 has a ASIC of 61.5%. I have been up to 1275/1850


grrr yours is a watercooled 7970, mines a 7950 on air in the summer!

I bet mine could do 1300/1850 if it was on water. I don't even touch mem voltage to hit 1750!


----------



## hotrod717




----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*


nice!

but the min fps is lower than some ive seen.

tbh I haven't ran that benchmark for sometime, but don't think it drops that much!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*


i beat your temp. 56% ASIC.



like yours - zero tweaks.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> which 7970 do you have? brand and model.


XFX HD 7970 Core Edition


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 Core Edition


i remember. that's the reference one. very nice.


----------



## Scorpion49

One of my 7950's is 51.5%...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i remember. that's the reference one. very nice.


Yep. Watercooled temps never go above 50c


----------



## Snuckie7

High ASIC cards do get extremely hot. The VRM's on my 89.7% card shoot up over 100C during benches, and the core exceeds 70C with the fans at 100%.

Says nothing about overclocking though, because my card still OC's great.


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> High ASIC cards do get extremely hot. The VRM's on my 89.7% card shoot up over 100C during benches, and the core exceeds 70C with the fans at 100%.
> 
> Says nothing about overclocking though, because my card still OC's great.


Wow I thought I was the only one lol.

My RMA'd card is 93% and gets up to those VRM temps @ 1100/1500. Thing is it only needs 1.1v at those speeds but the VRM temps are too high to go any higher







. The cooler on my card wont allow for any ramsinks either.

I'm sure if I watercooled my GPU I'd be able to hit 1250-1300 easily. It's just the darned VRMs


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jbswets*
> 
> Hey all,
> 
> Just got my MSI 7950 in the mail today, but it has one issue.
> 
> The card in question is the R7950-3GD5/OC BE (Reference cooler, not the twin Frozr). Plugged it in and while I was initially very happy with it, it only took me a few minutes to notice a glaring problem with the card.
> 
> The fan speed is stuck at 1000+-20 RPM. I'm able to adjust the 'Fan Speed %' in numerous programs and have other programs show the adjustment, however the displayed RPM never changes, and visually and audibly I can confirm no change in fan speed.
> 
> Also, when left on auto, the fan % raises automatically as you would expect, however the fan speed does not actually change, it stays at around 1000RPM (Usually 980, though occasionally it will jump to 1015 or so for some reason). This leads to massive overheating of the card after just a few minutes of benchmarking/gaming. Idle speed is fine, I've seen 36C Idle after I came back from making lunch.
> 
> Anyone have any suggestions? I emailed their tech support and got an automated message saying expect a reply within 24 hours, so if I don't hear back tomorrow I will call them.
> 
> I bought the reference design since it was the cheapest, and I am strongly considering putting it under water (and maybe even buying a second one also). I know issues like this happen with electronics all the time but it has kind of turned me off of the card. I would almost rather buy a new card and return the current one than wait for them to swap it out, though I'm not sure how Newegg's policy is on that, as I've bought tons of stuff through them but have never actually had to return anything.
> 
> If I do buy a new card, anyone have any suggestions on a good card/brand? I like the look of the XFX card, and it's cheap with dual DVI ports.


That sounds like a flashed bios issue.


----------



## gatornation240

70.7% ASIC here and I've only pushed it to 1200/1625 @1.125 @75% Fan Speed 70* Max

Wow Paul the DCII is volt locked? That's one I was contemplating; the chances of getting another 7950 to OC as well I figured I might as well go 7970


----------



## Thoth420

My Lightning score is 68.1%.


----------



## ukic

Is it me or Sapphire Trixx doesn't support 7990? Hmmmm


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 Core Edition


Nice run, you got me, this was what I ended up with on water

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> My Lightning score is 68.1%.


Lightning in the screen above is a 79.5% asic.


----------



## sugarhell

Its not 8x AA. Its just 4x


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its not 8x AA. Its just 4x


I would say good eye but think it might just be me with a bad eye, showed it pretty large & I missed that...


----------



## matthew3041230

Hey all.. I am curious of something.... I used the Download link on the first page of this thread and my AV(AvastIS) flipped saying it was Malware.. lol Well, I checked it out thought it may have been a false positive so I disabled the WebShield... Ran it.. got all the way through it.... Bammm.. Fired off file shield as a Trojan/Malware Gen.... Anyone else have a similar problem?

Think I will find the home link of ATIman and see if it happens there as well.. if not.. welp, that link may be tainted....

Matthew
*EDIT*
These are the warnings I am getting:




Any one have a clue? Again, I disabled my WebShield, and these are results from trying to install it... Evidently my AV is going nuts over it.. this is the 7.X? Version that I found too, not the 6.X version listed on the first page of this thread....


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Nice run, you got me, this was what I ended up with on water
> 
> Lightning in the screen above is a 79.5% asic.


What clocks


----------



## FtW 420

I had all the info in this screen, 1376/1885 on the 7970


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *matthew3041230*
> 
> Hey all.. I am curious of something.... I used the Download link on the first page of this thread and my AV(AvastIS) flipped saying it was Malware.. lol Well, I checked it out thought it may have been a false positive so I disabled the WebShield... Ran it.. got all the way through it.... Bammm.. Fired off file shield as a Trojan/Malware Gen.... Anyone else have a similar problem?
> 
> Think I will find the home link of ATIman and see if it happens there as well.. if not.. welp, that link may be tainted....
> 
> -snip-


oh now I remember why I don't use any antivirus anymore...

more serious note, have you tried re-downloading etc or getting the file from a different computer? there's a possibility the files are getting injected somewhere, otherwise its likely just being overprotective and interpreting the code as a form of malware.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I had all the info in this screen, 1376/1885 on the 7970


I just noticed you used 8x


----------



## matthew3041230

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> oh now I remember why I don't use any antivirus anymore...
> 
> more serious note, have you tried re-downloading etc or getting the file from a different computer? there's a possibility the files are getting injected somewhere, otherwise its likely just being overprotective and interpreting the code as a form of malware.


Yea, I work in Network Securty, so I've done all the usual trixx I knew to do before asking any one here... Kaspersky does the same thing on my other computer... Doesn't matter where I go, where I download it from...same results.... even bringing the heuristics sensitvity to a bare minimum causes bellsz n whissel'z to start rippin. I know people use it all the time... I just wonder, perhaps its an unsafe software designed for scouting ur system? hmm Who designed this software anyways....? Anyone have a "home" link to the a site's author, BESIDES a shared file location? Never trust stuff like that anyways, and as always, it's "use at your risk" anyways... I'm not too shabby on something like that; So, without knowing the above questions, I'm not going to use this software. It's been my exper. over time, either stuff gets broken, stolen or spied upon when you do. Just a word of the wise, when you use software and you can't validate the author or find a home page or some sort of info, and your AV goes NUTS....Probably SHOULD skip that one over...Even IF it does work perfectly...because..what else is it doing? In the security world, this is a bigg no no no.....

Matthew


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I just noticed you used 8x


Using the settings from the Valley thread in the benching section, I have my Titan score in the list so the 7970 water & ln2 cooled scores aren't in it.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Using the settings from the Valley thread in the benching section, I have my Titan score in the list so the 7970 water & ln2 cooled scores aren't in it.


The bench thread. Are you using tweaked tesa


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i beat your temp. 56% ASIC.
> 
> 
> 
> like yours - zero tweaks.


Uh look at my clocks> I would hope your temps are lower. I'm running 1375/1875

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> XFX HD 7970 Core Edition


You can't post a regular screenie? Not familiar with "Ultra" quality. All others have Extreme HD. Seems bogus.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Uh look at my clocks> I would hope your temps are lower. I'm running 1375/1875
> You can't post a regular screenie? Not familiar with "Ultra" quality. All others have Extreme HD. Seems bogus.


Ibhave no reason to fake a bench but I'll run it again


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> The bench thread. Are you using tweaked tesa


I don't think that had any tweaks, have to try again with the allowed texture filter tweak.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Uh look at my clocks> I would hope your temps are lower. I'm running 1375/1875
> You can't post a regular screenie? Not familiar with "Ultra" quality. All others have Extreme HD. Seems bogus.


He may not have known these things, like using F12 for an in-bench screenshot or to find it in C:\users\yourname\valley\screenshots


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Ibhave no reason to fake a bench but I'll run it again


Just odd that your Valley info has something I've never seen in any of the screenies from the thread. Take a look for yourself. Anybody?

Unfortunately my card starts to throttle at 1375/1870. I can run higher, but score doesn't improve.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Just odd that your Valley info has something I've never seen in any of the screenies from the thread. Take a look for yourself. Anybody?
> 
> Unfortunately my card starts to throttle at 1375/1870. I can run higher, but score doesn't improve.


Never paid attention. After I refill my red and tighten fittings I'll rerun it.


----------



## bond32

If you go into the settings it says "ultra" and when you check your results it says "extreme HD"


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> If you go into the settings it says "ultra" and when you check your results it says "extreme HD"


It's not the setting screen. It's the score window:


Is it because he ran at 4X. That just occurred to me, that may be the reason.


----------



## Ruined

The quality setting shows if you use custom settings, by default in the Extreme HD preset the quality is ultra.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ruined*
> 
> The quality setting shows if you use custom settings, by default in the Extreme HD preset the quality is ultra.


Yes, but is it on anybody else's score window as shown. It's not the start screen with settings. It's the score screen. As I stated previously, I'm wondering that it isn't because the run was at 4x instead of customary 8x.


----------



## sugarhell

Yeah thats the reason. Now move on


----------



## hotrod717

^


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *matthew3041230*
> 
> Yea, I work in Network Securty, so I've done all the usual trixx I knew to do before asking any one here... Kaspersky does the same thing on my other computer... Doesn't matter where I go, where I download it from...same results.... even bringing the heuristics sensitvity to a bare minimum causes bellsz n whissel'z to start rippin. I know people use it all the time... I just wonder, perhaps its an unsafe software designed for scouting ur system? hmm Who designed this software anyways....? Anyone have a "home" link to the a site's author, BESIDES a shared file location? Never trust stuff like that anyways, and as always, it's "use at your risk" anyways... I'm not too shabby on something like that; So, without knowing the above questions, I'm not going to use this software. It's been my exper. over time, either stuff gets broken, stolen or spied upon when you do. Just a word of the wise, when you use software and you can't validate the author or find a home page or some sort of info, and your AV goes NUTS....Probably SHOULD skip that one over...Even IF it does work perfectly...because..what else is it doing? In the security world, this is a bigg no no no.....
> 
> Matthew


Perhaps it's because it kinda takes over your computer similar to a virus would?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Perhaps it's because it kinda takes over your computer similar to a virus would?


or like 3rd-party antivirus does?










a lot will probably read heavy driver interaction as malware anyway, depending on how its designed.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> or like 3rd-party antivirus does?


xD


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *matthew3041230*
> 
> Yea, I work in Network Securty, so I've done all the usual trixx I knew to do before asking any one here... Kaspersky does the same thing on my other computer... Doesn't matter where I go, where I download it from...same results.... even bringing the heuristics sensitvity to a bare minimum causes bellsz n whissel'z to start rippin. I know people use it all the time... I just wonder, perhaps its an unsafe software designed for scouting ur system? hmm Who designed this software anyways....? Anyone have a "home" link to the a site's author, BESIDES a shared file location? Never trust stuff like that anyways, and as always, it's "use at your risk" anyways... I'm not too shabby on something like that; So, without knowing the above questions, I'm not going to use this software. It's been my exper. over time, either stuff gets broken, stolen or spied upon when you do. Just a word of the wise, when you use software and you can't validate the author or find a home page or some sort of info, and your AV goes NUTS....Probably SHOULD skip that one over...Even IF it does work perfectly...because..what else is it doing? In the security world, this is a bigg no no no.....
> 
> Matthew


Because heuristics sniffing programs are garbagio(spanglish for garbage). I agree with Paul and not to harsh your job but I have also found that security software just leads to problems being a gamer with nothing worth securing.


----------



## matthew3041230

That is a rather rude and unprofessional comment to make and only farther shows disrespect. If you disagree, that is one thing; But bashing someone is another and that's on a teenager level. When 4 different AV programs begin to flag something I check it before I make a call... And what I mean by that, is checking it against the original hash from an author's site. Since no one here could produce that, I did contact the author of this thread and was lead to Larson. Thus, we both agreed that this is something he should be made aware of, because even he says it should not be doing that as that link was given to him directly by Larson himself. So all in all, perhaps since it's a private program wrote and designed to reach deep within and completely and utterly remove the last scrap of binary in code, is why it's triggering such tests. Its not garbage. It's doing what it's supposed to do...why the triggers is what I am questioning. It's my duty as a Security IT guy to figure this out. So Either one of two things is going on: Someone has injected malicious code into his program, OR it's just that good, and is triggering because it does reach in and go around parameters to see that ALL of the coding is gone. The latter is perhaps the most logical reason, since the author of this thread probably would not risk his banishment upon such frility. I however, still will pass it on, and you should be appreciative that someone takes time to post such questions and inform people. Hypothetically, what if it were some how infected? How many 1000's of people have downloaded that program? My software is garbage? AvastIS, Norton360, McAfee & KasperSky between as many different computers??? whatever. I call the bluff. Let us find out whether it's legit, or someone's messing with things they shouldn't. Personally, before you trip on someone who's just inquiring about a potential security risk, make sure you're in a postition to do so. Personal thoughts don't count. Facts, proveable facts do. Many times I see things that I severely disagree with, but mostly I keep it to myself. This is something that can effect a great many people and we all should be questioning it till we find out what the deal is. I realize this guy is a some big wig, but that don't mean diddly squat in the real world. He's half a world away and not able to keep a close of an eye on this as possible. It's practically impossible. I don't think he'd do it either, risking his reputation on something silly as that. At any point when something like this happens, that author/creator should be notified... I am sure you let the creator of Riva Tuner know when a bug is in the sys...so why not this? It's not any different.
Hmm.. It's still funny my friend... This is what I see day in and day out. I however will be up front, in saying, this is a totally new piece of software to me, so forgive me if I seem a little on the wire about it. Seeing the stuff I do, you'd be questioning every bit of data in it too....Just looking out, is all.

Have a great week peeps

Matthew

Matthew


----------



## matthew3041230

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> or like 3rd-party antivirus does?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> a lot will probably read heavy driver interaction as malware anyway, depending on how its designed.


You're absolutely right; That's what I am curious about.. Seems I'm the only one so far thta's getting this trigger, as even on different sites/forums, people who use this, never had that happen...more flags for me that are raised. SO.. I dont know? I know I've wrote software to seek stuff, go in and change or watch for certain things to happen and had to make global exceptions, because it wasn't listed in the database or registered with the AV provider.... in that case, it would tripp out.

Matthew


----------



## Thoth420

Woah buddy.....calm down. I just meant they are known to produce false positives. If you are very security minded this is a good thing and I would say these programs are doing what they should. I specifically said that I wasn't trying to bash you just that if you run an AV that sniffs heuristics and get some feedback about some programs I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised. I do apologize as I seem to have got you upset and that wasn't my intent. I guess I should have vouched for ATIman directly instead of being indirect as that was my intent.


----------



## matthew3041230

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Because heuristics sniffing programs are garbagio(spanglish for garbage). I agree with Paul and not to harsh your job but I have also found that security software just leads to problems being a gamer with nothing worth securing.


There is always something worth securing... You mean to tell me, you don't keep the network secured by/or/with that PC? So, you multi-player game, right? You've got an unprotected computer, open on a network with no securty? I'd be really careful bout putting that out there like that. Regardless if your "gaming" computer has nothing to protect, I ASSURE you, you open yourself to a world of trouble by not securing the NETWORK with any PC... You're inviting someone to quietly use your PC to do some serious stuff from your address, or since your computer is trusted on your network, hit your router and basically search the devices on your network.... and whatever else they feel like doing since they are already in there.. Firewall? Ha! That's just to make people feel better... You need actively running software to detect stuff going on... not hving any? That's on you my friend... I would put something on it, even if it was free.. Only some advice for you to prevent problems in the future... OR nothing... Who knows... Do you gamble and win often? If so, then you'll prolly be alright.. If not.. may wanna secure that end up before ur part of a botnet launching a D.D.o.S. against a major network and the feds come to your door, taking you and your electronics somewhere. While you may hold sted-fast and not talk.. I promise, the data thats on your system will sing.. How are you going to convince them you didn't do it, when you have no AV, no means to have stopped it, since these type of programs dont like AV software, ppl who launch them ususally do it on machines that lack it. Even more incriminating. Should you be able to show proof.. how long and how much $$$ in lawyers is that going to take? Just asking you and others who do read this, to take a moment and think their network security over. This post isn't to ridicule you or anything like that. This is a very serious situation. I only wish you have nothing bad happen, but I promise that is very bad practice to be into.

Really worth taking a chance on this happening? Think it can't??? Think again....

Matthew


----------



## matthew3041230

Yes, I and I did correct my original message... Hoping you didn't catch that last paragraph before I had a chance to change it.. Had you not, for that I apologize because its rather late/early depending how you see it, and I missed a couple words in there, and that totally changed the meaning of it.. So, after I posted, re read everything.. I went to changing it really quick!

Its what I was saying too, bujt what are reasons for the false positives... did you have any? if so, you're the first asides from me

Yea, that's cool, because like the one who started this thread, also vouched... but said he should be made aware of this issue and gave me the contact info so I will be letting him know everything shortly. First, I gotta get some sleep.. my eyes look like this.. =_= Hence, the mistake in your message that I had taken... lol Yes, Honestly, I am a very security conscience person. Having my grandfather a victim of Identity theft of over a $100,000 yes, I am. (basically who raised me)

So, it's why i don't mess with it, on top of that, educated in the field, makes it 10x worse.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *matthew3041230*
> 
> There is always something worth securing... You mean to tell me, you don't keep the network secured by/or/with that PC? So, you multi-player game, right? You've got an unprotected computer, open on a network with no securty? I'd be really careful bout putting that out there like that. Regardless if your "gaming" computer has nothing to protect, I ASSURE you, you open yourself to a world of trouble by not securing the NETWORK with any PC... You're inviting someone to quietly use your PC to do some serious stuff from your address, or since your computer is trusted on your network, hit your router and basically search the devices on your network.... and whatever else they feel like doing since they are already in there.. Firewall? Ha! That's just to make people feel better... You need actively running software to detect stuff going on... not hving any? That's on you my friend... I would put something on it, even if it was free.. Only some advice for you to prevent problems in the future... OR nothing... Who knows... Do you gamble and win often? If so, then you'll prolly be alright.. If not.. may wanna secure that end up before ur part of a botnet launching a D.D.o.S. against a major network and the feds come to your door, taking you and your electronics somewhere. While you may hold sted-fast and not talk.. I promise, the data thats on your system will sing.. How are you going to convince them you didn't do it, when you have no AV, no means to have stopped it, since these type of programs dont like AV software, ppl who launch them ususally do it on machines that lack it. Even more incriminating. Should you be able to show proof.. how long and how much $$$ in lawyers is that going to take?
> 
> Really worth taking a chance on this to happen? Think it can't??? Think again....
> 
> Matthew


Sounds like a sales pitch man sorry just being honest. I am not paying money to protect myself from the interwebs police arresting me for some theoretical mastermind hacker that piped into my system to do misdeeds.....sounds like their problem being cops and all. I run a few programs to check my system a few times a week when I want. I don't like programs that interrupt my fun so I tend to stay away from the more invasive security programs or anything spouting real time protection. In the end you have to admit computer and network security goes like this:
User X creates something new(lets call it Q) that security software doesn't even recognize
Q goes on to wreak havoc and people complain prompting an investigation
Scripts are written to sniff out Q and added to security software updates
Only now are you safe from Q

So in summation everything you described I agree could happen but so could what I described above. It is like getting asteroid insurance and then the next asteroid to affect you is the one that destroys earth.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *matthew3041230*
> 
> Yes, I and I did correct my original message... Hoping you didn't catch that last paragraph before I had a chance to change it.. Had you not, for that I apologize because its rather late/early depending how you see it, and I missed a couple words in there, and that totally changed the meaning of it.. So, after I posted, re read everything.. I went to changing it really quick!
> 
> Its what I was saying too, bujt what are reasons for the false positives... did you have any? if so, you're the first asides from me
> 
> Yea, that's cool, because like the one who started this thread, also vouched... but said he should be made aware of this issue and gave me the contact info so I will be letting him know everything shortly. First, I gotta get some sleep.. my eyes look like this.. =_= Hence, the mistake in your message that I had taken... lol Yes, Honestly, I am a very security conscience person. Having my grandfather a victim of Identity theft of over a $100,000 yes, I am. (basically who raised me)
> 
> So, it's why i don't mess with it, on top of that, educated in the field, makes it 10x worse.


I will concede you def know way more about all this stuff than I do. Maybe I am a bit lax on my security but the system I mention is only for gaming and media(mostly film and netflix). The one I use for everyday use, work and anything I wish to keep secure is separate and does have have virus software running 24/7. Since you mention it.....I did have issues gaming on my last system with virus software which turned me off to the more heavy programs. I use Malwarebytes, Spybot and I have AIDA64 running on my gaming system. Seems to do the trick for me but then again I am not the "remember me" setting type of guy and change my passwords often. Went 7 years in WoW with no authenticator and a very desired account and it is still safe. I figure if someone would get me for something it would be that.


----------



## sugarhell

Walls of text. I hate them so much


----------



## Paul17041993

in a basic nutshell (and yes I am technically a qualified systems admin), for office systems for the most part you use a form of antivirus for all your servers, linux boxes are not really necessary but it can help in various ways if they have the software too, then the client boxes have a terminal version of the antivirus, of which is nowhere near as heavy as home alternatives, they use the servers to maintain security and things like full virus scans are done alongside cleanups and server backups during the weekends.

that's your professional and large-scale IT systems.

for home use and gaming, honestly for the most part there's no real point in things like mcafee and the majority of heavy antivirus suits that fill your computer with garbage and unnecessary integrity checks, nowadays I just let windows 8's own security and UAC take care of everything, in the miniscule offchance I could possibly get some form of malware or a virus, no form of antivirus would deal with it in less then a week, no joke, they take a very long time to work these out of which its much quicker removing by hand if you know how to deal with it.

unless you have someone completely clueless at computer security (eg parents or young kids), there's no real point, but there's no harm in having things like malwarebytes and performing a scan on the days your not using your computer (windows 8 does this itself automatically and dynamically).


----------



## istudy92

A
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> in a basic nutshell (and yes I am technically a qualified systems admin), for office systems for the most part you use a form of antivirus for all your servers, linux boxes are not really necessary but it can help in various ways if they have the software too, then the client boxes have a terminal version of the antivirus, of which is nowhere near as heavy as home alternatives, they use the servers to maintain security and things like full virus scans are done alongside cleanups and server backups during the weekends.
> 
> that's your professional and large-scale IT systems.
> 
> for home use and gaming, honestly for the most part there's no real point in things like mcafee and the majority of heavy antivirus suits that fill your computer with garbage and unnecessary integrity checks, nowadays I just let windows 8's own security and UAC take care of everything, in the miniscule offchance I could possibly get some form of malware or a virus, no form of antivirus would deal with it in less then a week, no joke, they take a very long time to work these out of which its much quicker removing by hand if you know how to deal with it.
> 
> unless you have someone completely clueless at computer security (eg parents or young kids), there's no real point, but there's no harm in having things like malwarebytes and performing a scan on the days your not using your computer (windows 8 does this itself automatically and dynamically).


agreed, serf the web with some good knowledge, avoid obvious punishing emails, avoid weird downloads n let malbyte work its thing, with Microsoft security suit once in while









Btw i do think there's a LITTLE bit of trolling going on-..- i mean, i think everyone has some sort of AV in place wether free or bought. Its a matter of wether its disabled or active.

Ps. Can we get back to talking about AMD GPUS????







its September!!! New volcanic islands gpu are comming out soon!!!


----------



## Mutantx

Been trying to lock my 2d clock from AB as tired of having the card throttle from 950 to 500 in game randomly and im failing hard to follow what seem simple instructions !

the issue i think is that before i tried steps listed but i already had AB installed and unlocked / OCd (and im sure the steps specify you must only unlock voltage option leave the rest the same) - i tried to uninstall and reinstall AB but it just came back with same settings i had before...

i have found a small cheat to force 3d speeds 100 % in game and that's play any flash video all the time im playing .... total bs lol


----------



## ihatelolcats

haha afraid of installing atiman. cmon son


----------



## process

hihi...got my bro a HIS 7950 Boost Core and he talks of high gpu temps hitting early 80c. Googled and looked on AMD for max 7950 temps but couldnt find. Anyone got any idea?


----------



## zGunBLADEz

Here I am thinking if he is a security it why 4 av apps? Or why not sandboxie and find out for us. Xd


----------



## sivoloc

Runs super duper awesome my Asus 7990, exept i got unlucky and got a badly coil whining card so i send it back to the reseller and are receiving my newly one next week, hopefully the new one wount do the same!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> hihi...got my bro a HIS 7950 Boost Core and he talks of high gpu temps hitting early 80c. Googled and looked on AMD for max 7950 temps but couldnt find. Anyone got any idea?


bout 65C is the mark you want to keep under, but 80C is mostly fine, just that the card/s may die within their 3 year expected life.
make sure there's heaps of airflow inside the case, even a couple of 200mm fans can struggle if they are not pushing enough when the card is under load.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sivoloc*
> 
> 
> 
> Runs super duper awesome my Asus 7990, exept i got unlucky and got a badly coil whining card so i send it back to the reseller and are receiving my newly one next week, hopefully the new one wount do the same!


purdy

this seemingly high rate of coilwhine makes me wonder if they actually test the chokes properly beforehand, I mean, it would save the cost of thousands of RMAs...


----------



## sivoloc

Quote:


> this seemingly high rate of coilwhine makes me wonder if they actually test the chokes properly beforehand, I mean, it would save the cost of thousands of RMAs...


well, i dont think they do. Not ASUS i think, out of 20 reviews i've found 11 out of them had coil whine, so if i get one from RMA that has Coil whine i will Just get my money back and either buy two 7970's or go to the dark side and get a gtx 690! it's a pitty, because this card i so freaking powerfull that i cant even explain and then to be tuined by a fault so easy to counter


----------



## Mackem

Hi guys,

I have a bit of an issue:

I was using a modded FX1 BIOS from robnitro to allow me to unlock the voltage of my Windforce 3X 7950 Rev. 2 card and play around with it in TRIXX, but I had to go back to stock.

Sometimes randomly my monitors will both just 'turn off' and display 'No signal' but I can still hear Windows sounds / music etc. even though the monitors are off. I then have to reboot the computer to get the monitors working again, after which it works fine.

I'm not sure if it's a coincidence but it happens a lot just after I've opened GPU-Z but I can't recall if it does it in games. I have GPU-Z 0.7.2 and after the last crash, I rebooted and tried to open GPU-Z again and it said "During previous startup GPU-Z crashed at OpenCL detection. Please update your OpenCL and graphics drivers".

This has happened a few times and it's enough for me to wonder if there is something wrong with my card or the modded BIOS I used? I tried modded FX1 and FY1 as well and both did it. This happened when the card was at stock speeds / voltages as well as when overclocked.


----------



## ukic

I think I'm just very lucky... No coil whine here at all. If ever there is, I can't here anything!


----------



## sivoloc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I think I'm just very lucky... No coil whine here at all. If ever there is, I can't here anything!


Well that makes me more confident to get a non faulty card


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> bout 65C is the mark you want to keep under, but 80C is mostly fine, just that the card/s may die within their 3 year expected life.
> make sure there's heaps of airflow inside the case, even a couple of 200mm fans can struggle if they are not pushing enough when the card is under load.
> purdy
> 
> this seemingly high rate of coilwhine makes me wonder if they actually test the chokes properly beforehand, I mean, it would save the cost of thousands of RMAs...


Thx thx


----------



## Mutantx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> haha afraid of installing atiman. cmon son


well i did infact un install drivers a day ago to update to the latest driver and i had to do a restore as i kept getting "cant find INF files" and then on a reboot couldnt get back into windows which was lots of fun xd so yes a few issues happening right now


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mackem*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I have a bit of an issue:
> 
> I was using a modded FX1 BIOS from robnitro to allow me to unlock the voltage of my Windforce 3X 7950 Rev. 2 card and play around with it in TRIXX, but I had to go back to stock.
> 
> Sometimes randomly my monitors will both just 'turn off' and display 'No signal' but I can still hear Windows sounds / music etc. even though the monitors are off. I then have to reboot the computer to get the monitors working again, after which it works fine.
> 
> I'm not sure if it's a coincidence but it happens a lot just after I've opened GPU-Z but I can't recall if it does it in games. I have GPU-Z 0.7.2 and after the last crash, I rebooted and tried to open GPU-Z again and it said "During previous startup GPU-Z crashed at OpenCL detection. Please update your OpenCL and graphics drivers".
> 
> This has happened a few times and it's enough for me to wonder if there is something wrong with my card or the modded BIOS I used? I tried modded FX1 and FY1 as well and both did it. This happened when the card was at stock speeds / voltages as well as when overclocked.


i didnt have the GPUz failing to load but i have seen this when my DP adapter went bad.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> I think I'm just very lucky... No coil whine here at all. If ever there is, I can't here anything!


some people can and some people cant hear it.

it really is not possible to "test" for coil whine as there are many many causes of it. , dirty power, ac leakage, different components


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it really is not possible to "test" for coil whine as there are many many causes of it. , dirty power, ac leakage, different components


I mean the coils individually, they should be put under an oscillating high current and vibration tested, if they vibrate they fail.

problem is I don't think they do the proper testing like said, so you end up with heaps of defective chokes soldered onto the cards.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Someone ought to try hotglue on a 7990 and see if it helps.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I mean the coils individually, they should be put under an oscillating high current and vibration tested, if they vibrate they fail.
> 
> problem is I don't think they do the proper testing like said, so you end up with heaps of defective chokes soldered onto the cards.


My Lightning has a certificate that says it went through a vibration test among a list of other tests. I am not saying I believe all of that but the card still produces some chirp at extremely high framerates and extremely heavy load(folding benching etc.) but not gaming for the most part minus v sync off and a 3d application getting thousands of frames. My EVGA 770 ACX did the same before that. I tried different Power Supply and even the cards at a friends house in his system which is hooked up to an APC backup with a line conditioner...happens regardless. My reference 6970 from xfx got hot as all







but never had any whine.


----------



## istudy92

22 days just wanted to let u guys all know


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Someone ought to try hotglue on a 7990 and see if it helps.


pry the caps off and top em up with good silicone, but it doesn't necessarily work unless you can get it completely between the gaps in the coil.

you also need to use a very tolerant silicone or you could end up making smoke...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> pry the caps off and top em up with good silicone, but it doesn't necessarily work unless you can get it completely between the gaps in the coil.
> 
> you also need to use a very tolerant silicone or you could end up making smoke...


Let there be fire








Just wondering why didn't they make good 7990s???


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Someone ought to try hotglue on a 7990 and see if it helps.
> 
> 
> 
> pry the caps off and top em up with good silicone, but it doesn't necessarily work unless you can get it completely between the gaps in the coil.
> 
> you also need to use a very tolerant silicone or you could end up making smoke...
Click to expand...

can you show me what part specifically makes the noise? my 7950 does it and id kind of like to try something to fix it


----------



## Kokin

Have you guys tried to run a stress test or benchmark (like Heaven) overnight? It greatly reduced the coil whine when I first got my 7950 and haven't really heard it outside of high FPS situations (like the exit window for Heaven).


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Have you guys tried to run a stress test or benchmark (like Heaven) overnight? It greatly reduced the coil whine when I first got my 7950 and haven't really heard it outside of high FPS situations (like the exit window for Heaven).


I have heard that or the fold overnight for a week or two method a few times. It doesn't really bother me enough but if it was a 24/7 thing or say something that I have to hear when I get a 120 hz monitor then I will definitely give that a shot.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> can you show me what part specifically makes the noise? my 7950 does it and id kind of like to try something to fix it


the choke coils, usually little grey cubes on the board, sometimes with little black arrows on them.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Have you guys tried to run a stress test or benchmark (like Heaven) overnight? It greatly reduced the coil whine when I first got my 7950 and haven't really heard it outside of high FPS situations (like the exit window for Heaven).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I have heard that or the fold overnight for a week or two method a few times. It doesn't really bother me enough but if it was a 24/7 thing or say something that I have to hear when I get a 120 hz monitor then I will definitely give that a shot.


basically any form of a super-heavy stress test over a long time has the chance to re-smelt the chokes and help them stop vibrating, unfortunately not guaranteed to work or clear the noise completely...

but if you have the noise there's no real harm trying, you could try generating some coins while your at it.


----------



## m0bius

After Lite coin mining for 2 days, the coil whine on my card disappeared. Temps get alarmingly high though... They tend to sit in the mid 80s.

I was stopping by to ask if anyone if they've had a bios go bad on a 7990. I was playing the Witcher 2 (with Ubersampling! Lol) and out of nowhere the system slows to a crawl and then locks up completely. I ended up having to restart it, but when I got back to Windows it saw one of the chips as a 7900 series Radeon and the other as a "standard VGA adapter."

Flipping the bios switch fixed it, but now I'm stuck wondering what exactly was on the other bios, as when I started re testing the card again, I noticed my mining hashrate had fallen a consistent 50 KH on both chips.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *m0bius*
> 
> After Lite coin mining for 2 days, the coil whine on my card disappeared. Temps get alarmingly high though... They tend to sit in the mid 80s.
> 
> I was stopping by to ask if anyone if they've had a bios go bad on a 7990. I was playing the Witcher 2 (with Ubersampling! Lol) and out of nowhere systems slows to a crawl and then locks up completely. I ended up having to restart it, but when I got back to Windows it saw one of the chips as a 7900 series Radeon and the other as a "standard VGA adapter."
> 
> Flipping the bios switch fixed it, but now I'm stuck wondering what exactly was on the other bios, as when I started re testing the card again, I noticed my mining hashrate had fallen a consistent 50 KH on both chips.


hm, not sure but I think one BIOS might be boost, other without, but that crash seems worrying...

hopefully one of the gpus isn't damaged, but if it seems fine now then something funky must be afoot... this the reference 7990 or one of the others?


----------



## m0bius

It's an MSI Malta based reference.

What would be the difference in the Boost bios? I'm manually setting the clocks as it is.


----------



## hyphenated

Hi guys

Quick & dirty question.

I'm working on a project that has a few single points of failure (SPOFs) on cooling, and want the ability to reliably and quickly shut down either a mining process or the GPUs. I will be running a PSU for the motherboard, and a 12V-only 2kW PSU for the GPUs. My experience suggests that the GPUs are reasonably smart about power supplies - at least on startup. They will not spin up their fans and get busy unless there is mobo power and power to each PCIe power socket (at least with the Gigabyte and Saphire 7950s and 7970s I've tried).

One of the easiest ways to kill a potential thermal runaway would be to cut the heavy-duty 12V PSU - the processor keeps running, as would the mobo 12V rail through the PCIe bus, but the major amps to the GPUs would be gone. The question is does anyone know this set of assumptions to be incorrect, or liable to unpleasantness or card loss? It would be a tad ironic to kill the GPUs trying to save them.

Thanks!


----------



## SpirosRonto

Just joined i guess







.


----------



## sugarhell

Welcome


----------



## bond32

Nice... That's a great card, especially with its crazy low price right now.


----------



## jbswets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zGunBLADEz*
> 
> That sounds like a flashed bios issue.


Well if so it wasn't me who did it. The card looked new when it arrived, however there was no sort of QC stickers anywhere (the ones you have to remove to open the product) so it's possible it had belonged to someone else but I doubt it.

In my chats with MSI tech support I sent them a copy of my bios and they said it was the most recent version and everything looked fine to them. I'm RMAing it through Newegg now and have ordered the $219 Twin Frozr (right before it went back up to $279 - yay me).

Hopefully I have better luck with this one!


----------



## skitz9417

hi guys im just wondering is the hd 7950 good for 1080p gaming


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> hi guys im just wondering is the hd 7950 good for 1080p gaming


Yep, good enough.


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Yep, good enough.


ok cool i can get a hd 7950 for 294 dollars









and im just wondering if i wanted to crossfire it would 620m psu be ok for it


----------



## dayen666

Someone know if 7970 fit in CM 690 Advanced II? I have currently 5870 branded Sapphire
Thanks


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dayen666*
> 
> Someone know if 7970 fit in CM 690 Advanced II? I have currently 5870 branded Sapphire
> Thanks


It can fit a videocard up to 11.9685 inches. You should be good, just check the measurements of the one you are looking at.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> ok cool i can get a hd 7950 for 294 dollars
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and im just wondering if i wanted to crossfire it would 620m psu be ok for it







You will be fine as long as you don't plan on overclocking your 7950's much . Keep in mind the numbers you see on his Killawatt are not adjusted for efficiency. So if he is using 530 watts playing Crysis 3 adjusted for let's say 83% efficiency then his setup is consuming around 440w from his PSU. Also, your PII @ 4.0Ghz will use more watts vs. the 3770K in the video, but it still shouldn't be much over 500 watts total.


----------



## dayen666

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> It can fit a videocard up to 11.9685 inches. You should be good, just check the measurements of the one you are looking at.


Thanks, do you own this build? I want to know if fit good or is too tight


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You will be fine as long as you don't plan on overclocking your 7950's much . Keep in mind the numbers you see on his Killawatt are not adjusted for efficiency. So if he is using 530 watts playing Crysis 3 adjusted for let's say 83% efficiency then his setup is consuming around 440w from his PSU. Also, your PII @ 4.0Ghz will use more watts vs. the 3770K in the video, but it still shouldn't be much over 500 watts total.


well i have a x79 motherboard and im getting a i7 3820


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> well i have a x79 motherboard and im getting a i7 3820


get a quality 750 or 850.


----------



## Hellfury

Got a PowerColor AX7990 non-reference (triple slot) on Tuesday (was a special). running at 1000/6000 @1.1v. This is my first AMD card. coming from GTX460 SLI (one blew). will post pics if you guys like


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Got a PowerColor AX7990 non-reference (triple slot) on Tuesday (was a special). running at 1000/6000 @1.1v. This is my first AMD card. coming from GTX460 SLI (one blew). will post pics if you guys like


YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS


----------



## skitz9417

yea i may just get one and then when i need the power i will get another one


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Got a PowerColor AX7990 non-reference (triple slot) on Tuesday (was a special). running at 1000/6000 @1.1v. This is my first AMD card. coming from GTX460 SLI (one blew). will post pics if you guys like


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> well i have a x79 motherboard and im getting a i7 3820


It's going to be close with a 3820. If you plan on overclocking the 3820 and 7950's I would suggest a 750-850 watt PSU. 7950's can draw in upwards of 250 watts each when heavily overclocked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dayen666*
> 
> Thanks, do you own this build? I want to know if fit good or is too tight


I use to own the first gen version of this case, but never had a large videocard to put it in. You have the measurements now, take a look at a couple cards and see what their lengths are.


----------



## gertruude

Anybody got any experience with this Gfx Card


----------



## Hellfury




----------



## nvidiaftw12

Are you by any chance experience any coil whine on that card?


----------



## Hellfury

Nope. I'm quite impressed with the card. doesnt go over 70 degrees C and that's with the voltage at 1.3


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You will be fine as long as you don't plan on overclocking your 7950's much . Keep in mind the numbers you see on his Killawatt are not adjusted for efficiency. So if he is using 530 watts playing Crysis 3 adjusted for let's say 83% efficiency then his setup is consuming around 440w from his PSU. Also, your PII @ 4.0Ghz will use more watts vs. the 3770K in the video, but it still shouldn't be much over 500 watts total.


hey man your here too


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Nope. I'm quite impressed with the card. doesnt go over 70 degrees C and that's with the voltage at 1.3


Very nice. You got a bit bit better luck of the draw than I did. I had to rma mine because it had hideous voltage whine at idle.

What application is that 70C in?


----------



## Hellfury

MSI kombustor. haven't really had the chance to test it further. you have the pretty colours and 1337 screwdrivers though


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> hey man your here too


yes sir, I make my rounds


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> yes sir, I make my rounds


lol


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> MSI kombustor. haven't really had the chance to test it further. you have the pretty colours and 1337 screwdrivers though


 Mine didn't run near as cool. Well, we'll see how it is after the RMA.

Also, I would have preferred all black. The devil was cheaper when I bought though.


----------



## Thoth420

I decided to monitor temps while gaming last night....I must say I am very impressed with the Lightning and it's cooler. Just using the auto fan the card never got above 57C.....this is a very marked improvement over the up to 88C (avg 82C) that my reference XFX 6970 performed at.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyphenated*
> 
> Hi guys
> 
> Quick & dirty question.
> 
> I'm working on a project that has a few single points of failure (SPOFs) on cooling, and want the ability to reliably and quickly shut down either a mining process or the GPUs. I will be running a PSU for the motherboard, and a 12V-only 2kW PSU for the GPUs. My experience suggests that the GPUs are reasonably smart about power supplies - at least on startup. They will not spin up their fans and get busy unless there is mobo power and power to each PCIe power socket (at least with the Gigabyte and Saphire 7950s and 7970s I've tried).
> 
> One of the easiest ways to kill a potential thermal runaway would be to cut the heavy-duty 12V PSU - the processor keeps running, as would the mobo 12V rail through the PCIe bus, but the major amps to the GPUs would be gone. The question is does anyone know this set of assumptions to be incorrect, or liable to unpleasantness or card loss? It would be a tad ironic to kill the GPUs trying to save them.
> 
> Thanks!


of all seriousness, never cut the power to a single component on a live system (bar harddrives etc), if you cut the power to the card your system will go into a lockup and you also run the risk of it blowing your motherboard from a sudden full-draw through the PCIe slot...

get some form of temperature sensors and a program that reads said sensors and tells the computer to sleep if they go too high.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*


I sniff a crosshairV...

MOAR PIKTUREHS!!1!


----------



## ihatelolcats

i have used a program for controlling thermals that will throttle your card when it goes above a certain temperature
http://www.efmer.eu/boinc/
it works pretty well. i recommend playing with it a little to figure out how it works then set up your temp limits where you want them

also has rules options such as shutdown if a temp goes too high


----------



## Paul17041993

/\ /\ /\

throttling is usually enough to save the cards.

if you had a large watercooling setup you would ideally want a flow sensor somewhere and get something to shut down the computer in the case of a "fan failure" (sensor stops spinning).


----------



## Recr3ational

This might be a silly question but how do you know of your graphics cards broken?

Because today both of my 7950s seriously having some bad issues.

I ran my pc with a different psu and also used an old 6770. Everything worked fine so I'm guessing its the graphics card.


----------



## process

7970 ghz ed getting as low as 10-15fps in metroLL.. thats with v sync off and settings low/standard. may be worth going through the hassle of getting another 7970 and cfing them on eyefinity


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> 7970 ghz ed getting as low as 10-15fps in metroLL.. thats with v sync off and settings low/standard. may be worth going through the hassle of getting another 7970 and cfing them on eyefinity


Something is not adding up. Another card is not going to fix your issue.You can also try giving your card +20% Power limit.
Not sure if Metro is still broken or not, I noticed they updated it a couple days ago, but I haven't played it yet.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> This might be a silly question but how do you know of your graphics cards broken?
> 
> Because today both of my 7950s seriously having some bad issues.
> 
> I ran my pc with a different psu and also used an old 6770. Everything worked fine so I'm guessing its the graphics card.


This is a very vague description, we really have nothing to go by. Can you explain what's going on?

PS. Please make me some back-plates, they look sick.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Something is not adding up. Another card is not going to fix your issue.You can also try giving your card +20% Power limit.
> Not sure if Metro is still broken or not, I noticed they updated it a couple days ago, but I haven't played it yet.


Metro was bad before, but AMD made a fix for it.... Was playing a week or so back and cant remember the fps getting this bad. At a resolution of 5760 x 1080 with vsync and ssa off - quality normal I get between 65-100 fps. When a battle kicks in it'll drop as low as 10fps. Thats with a slight oc of the card + 20% power.

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/spec.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/fpsing.jpg.html

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/fpsd.jpg.html

will try some diff games l;ater see if the prob is with all


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> 7970 ghz ed getting as low as 10-15fps in metroLL.. thats with v sync off and settings low/standard. may be worth going through the hassle of getting another 7970 and cfing them on eyefinity


we need more info like settings, res etc. I never had a problem playing Metro LL at 1080p with my 7870s or my 7970


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> we need more info like settings, res etc. I never had a problem playing Metro LL at 1080p with my 7870s or my 7970


above your post mate


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> above your post mate


oh sorry didn't see it


----------



## process

np...only seems to be in m,etro at the mo.... just tried hit man and was running a solid 50/60 with settings high


----------



## istudy92

20 days left for announcement of 9XXX series =]


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> np...only seems to be in m,etro at the mo.... just tried hit man and was running a solid 50/60 with settings high


Could be the new Metro update? Just curious what are your vrms temps? Has it always had drops to 10FPS in this game? That's a big resolution for one card and generally you see bigger dips with AMD CPU's vs. the Intel equivalent.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 20 days left for announcement of 9XXX series =]


I'm so excited!!! I just bought another 7950







...... wait ..... what...


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Could be the new Metro update? Just curious what are your vrms temps? Has it always had drops to 10FPS in this game? That's a big resolution for one card and generally you see bigger dips with AMD CPU's vs. the Intel equivalent.
> I'm so excited!!! I just bought another 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...... wait ..... what...


idle vrm around 64 and upon full load early 70s. I know high, but my liquid cooling fan is pretty much obstructing the vrms. Waiting to get out of where I am so I can pick a spot fan or 2.

When I first played Metro, it didn't run tooo smooth. Then AMD bought out an update which allowed the game to run good. Can never remember the fps dropping to around 10. Just changed clock of cpu and ram and primed it for 10 minutes with no problem...just to eliminate any other probs except the gpu. Will try it again now in a mo.

Also in a big 2 minds about getting another 7970 - Anyone know if the previous eyefinity and crossfire issues have been solved?

Dunno whats going on here..... I dropped all settings to the lowest possible in game and was running around 80/90fps. 2 monsters came out, started shooting and the fps dropped to 9/10. When there were no monsters I was walking around with 8/9fps and then after about 30 seconds the fps shot up to 90/98.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> idle vrm around 64 and upon full load early 70s. I know high, but my liquid cooling fan is pretty much obstructing the vrms. Waiting to get out of where I am so I can pick a spot fan or 2.
> 
> When I first played Metro, it didn't run tooo smooth. Then AMD bought out an update which allowed the game to run good. Can never remember the fps dropping to around 10. Just changed clock of cpu and ram and primed it for 10 minutes with no problem...just to eliminate any other probs except the gpu. Will try it again now in a mo.
> 
> Also in a big 2 minds about getting another 7970 - Anyone know if the previous eyefinity and crossfire issues have been solved?
> 
> Dunno whats going on here..... I dropped all settings to the lowest possible in game and was running around 80/90fps. 2 monsters came out, started shooting and the fps dropped to 9/10. When there were no monsters I was walking around with 8/9fps and then after about 30 seconds the fps shot up to 90/98.


It doesn't look like the eyefinity issue has been fixed as of yet. http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8WINBetaDriver.aspx

Your vrms temps look very good on load, so I wouldn't worry to much there. I am going to say its a Metro issue or maybe even an AMD driver issue with eyefinity? Metro performance has been broken for awhile, but as i stated before they just updated it not long ago, so I would think they fixed the performance issues? Maybe you can try re-installing your drivers? Also alt-tab out of the game when the performance drops and see if your gpu is throttling at all.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> This is a very vague description, we really have nothing to go by. Can you explain what's going on?
> 
> PS. Please make me some back-plates, they look sick.


Erm yeah sorry.
Well when I turn on my pc, I leave it for a few minutes and get blue/white stripes on all three of my screens. Then I have to reboot. After rebooting sometimes I can't even get into windows,

I think I found the problem though, it's a combination of my top gpu and my first pic-e slot being screwed. I RMAed the gpu and going to buy a new motherboard.

And for the backplates, it's very easy to do. Just cut some acrylic, drill whee the screws are and cover it with vinyl


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Erm yeah sorry.
> Well when I turn on my pc, I leave it for a few minutes and get blue/white stripes on all three of my screens. Then I have to reboot. After rebooting sometimes I can't even get into windows,
> 
> I think I found the problem though, it's a combination of my top gpu and my first pic-e slot being screwed. I RMAed the gpu and going to buy a new motherboard.
> 
> And for the backplates, it's very easy to do. Just cut some acrylic, drill whee the screws are and cover it with vinyl


Like you said, it sounds like your gpu has gone bad or is going bad. I assume you tested both gpu's separately in different slots as well? Either way, sounds like you figured it out. Thanks for the info on the backplates


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Like you said, it sounds like your gpu has gone bad or is going bad. I assume you tested both gpu's separately in different slots as well? Either way, sounds like you figured it out. Thanks for the info on the backplates


Yeah I did that. I think it's just a bad gpu. Hopefully it's only the gpu and not the motherboard aswell.

Haha no problems. When you do make the backplates put some foam or something on the outside of the acrylic just to "lift" it off the pcb. I think it should be alright if it was touching but I wasn't sure.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Could be the new Metro update? Just curious what are your vrms temps? Has it always had drops to 10FPS in this game? That's a big resolution for one card and generally you see bigger dips with AMD CPU's vs. the Intel equivalent.
> I'm so excited!!! I just bought another 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...... wait ..... what...


Yeah sucks...u shoulda waited 30 days for brand new amd titian killers..."rumor"


----------



## Face2Face

I am only on a single 1080P monitor and wanted to give CFX a try. The last time I had dual vcards was with two 7800GT's...... yeah I think I am due







. Either way my two 7950's will beat a Titan or the new 9970(I hope?) so I am alright with that.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Yeah I did that. I think it's just a bad gpu. Hopefully it's only the gpu and not the motherboard aswell.
> 
> Haha no problems. When you do make the backplates put some foam or something on the outside of the acrylic just to "lift" it off the pcb. I think it should be alright if it was touching but I wasn't sure.


Thanks. Acrylic is not conductive material so id show be ok, but it can melt, so some foam would be ideal


----------



## Durvelle27

anybody else have a XFX HD 7970 Core Edition


----------



## maynard14

hi bro im having a hard time trying to work on 120hz on my s27a950d

im using 24 pin dual link dvi cable and 7870 myst powercolor gpu,.. and still there is no option for 120hz only 60 hz,.. tried reinstalling amd drivers still no luck,.. tried installing s27a950d driver no luck still

im getting frustrated,.. huhu can some one help me...


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Could be the new Metro update? Just curious what are your vrms temps? Has it always had drops to 10FPS in this game? That's a big resolution for one card and generally you see bigger dips with AMD CPU's vs. the Intel equivalent.
> I'm so excited!!! I just bought another 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...... wait ..... what...
> 
> 
> 
> idle vrm around 64 and upon full load early 70s. I know high, but my liquid cooling fan is pretty much obstructing the vrms. Waiting to get out of where I am so I can pick a spot fan or 2.
> 
> When I first played Metro, it didn't run tooo smooth. Then AMD bought out an update which allowed the game to run good. Can never remember the fps dropping to around 10. Just changed clock of cpu and ram and primed it for 10 minutes with no problem...just to eliminate any other probs except the gpu. Will try it again now in a mo.
> 
> Also in a big 2 minds about getting another 7970 - Anyone know if the previous eyefinity and crossfire issues have been solved?
> 
> Dunno whats going on here..... I dropped all settings to the lowest possible in game and was running around 80/90fps. 2 monsters came out, started shooting and the fps dropped to 9/10. When there were no monsters I was walking around with 8/9fps and then after about 30 seconds the fps shot up to 90/98.
Click to expand...

i bet physx is turned on


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> It doesn't look like the eyefinity issue has been fixed as of yet. http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8WINBetaDriver.aspx
> 
> Your vrms temps look very good on load, so I wouldn't worry to much there. I am going to say its a Metro issue or maybe even an AMD driver issue with eyefinity? Metro performance has been broken for awhile, but as i stated before they just updated it not long ago, so I would think they fixed the performance issues? Maybe you can try re-installing your drivers? Also alt-tab out of the game when the performance drops and see if your gpu is throttling at all.


Thanks for your feedback...there's no talk of crossfire with eyefinity fixes in the latest update, but maybe there were in previous.. I'll check in the eyefinity forums.
my config seems fine for all other games I play so I may just bin metro:thumb:


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> i bet physx is turned on


will check...

ye it is... missed it cause its in game options not video








n1


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Erm yeah sorry.
> Well when I turn on my pc, I leave it for a few minutes and get blue/white stripes on all three of my screens. Then I have to reboot. After rebooting sometimes I can't even get into windows,
> 
> I think I found the problem though, it's a combination of my top gpu and my first pic-e slot being screwed. I RMAed the gpu and going to buy a new motherboard.
> 
> And for the backplates, it's very easy to do. Just cut some acrylic, drill whee the screws are and cover it with vinyl


hippy zebra can be caused by software too, programs like gputweak can cause random lockups like that, so just be watchfull of what you install and what happens afterwards.

but if you have it worked out then great.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> i bet physx is turned on


god forbid why they insist it be single-threaded...


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> i bet physx is turned on


DOH! Still happening though... I got all settings except the res as low as I can get them & still frames will drop from 70+ to 10 in an instant


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> anybody else have a XFX HD 7970 Core Edition


yup I do


----------



## process

just tried metro on a single monitor and its much much better norm 100-120fps..in battles itll drop to 50-60


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 20 days left for announcement of 9XXX series =]


My 7970 is still inside full refund range on the Egg.....479.99 back towards a 9xxx hrm.....what should I do?!?!


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> yup I do


what can you get on the core


----------



## Scorpion49

Anyone here that plays Skyrim? I notice a LOT of stutter on a single 7950 with the 13.8 beta 2's and I can see the frame time counter bouncing between 16.7ms vsync and 2000.00ms which is the max the chart shows.


----------



## sugarhell

No stutter here even with 8k shadows


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No stutter here even with 8k shadows


What I find interesting is that even single card its reporting that I use more than 6GB of Vram as well. I swapped both cards out for a GTX 680 I'm borrowing to check if its something else on the system and there is no problem with that card installed. Kind of at a loss with it as it just started up after I played about 30-40 hours.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Anyone here that plays Skyrim? I notice a LOT of stutter on a single 7950 with the 13.8 beta 2's and I can see the frame time counter bouncing between 16.7ms vsync and 2000.00ms which is the max the chart shows.


I retired from Skyrim and am on 13.4 WHQL anyway so I can't really test it but...... Have you tried playing fullscreen windowed mode to see if the stutter goes away?


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> what can you get on the core


Used to do 1200 on air. My card has been running hotter than usual. It may be related to the fact its summer in Jamaica. So i now do a conservative clock of 1125. Each chip will be different and the temps are what you need to watch really.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I retired from Skyrim and am on 13.4 WHQL anyway so I can't really test it but...... Have you tried playing fullscreen windowed mode to see if the stutter goes away?


I did try that, that was first on my list. I remember back when 12.11 came out that was the only way I could play Skyrim, fullscreen window with frame cap. Something that was specific to the 7950 at that point (I think it was a memory issue in the driver).


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> Used to do 1200 on air. My card has been running hotter than usual. It may be related to the fact its summer in Jamaica. So i now do a conservative clock of 1125. Each chip will be different and the temps are what you need to watch really.


Temps aren't a problem for me as my card is on water and never goes above 48c. But i can't seem to get it higher than 1265/1850


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I did try that, that was first on my list. I remember back when 12.11 came out that was the only way I could play Skyrim, fullscreen window with frame cap. Something that was specific to the 7950 at that point (I think it was a memory issue in the driver).


Ya when I retired that was the big fix....sorry can't suggest anything past it. Part of the reason I retired was the last few patches messed the game up again for me...and it just wasn't worth playing detective all over again.


----------



## sugarhell

Hmm scorpion try the new drivers.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> hi bro im having a hard time trying to work on 120hz on my s27a950d
> 
> im using 24 pin dual link dvi cable and 7870 myst powercolor gpu,.. and still there is no option for 120hz only 60 hz,.. tried reinstalling amd drivers still no luck,.. tried installing s27a950d driver no luck still
> 
> im getting frustrated,.. huhu can some one help me...


not all dvi cables are dual dvi and they can go bad as well.
have you tried different cables ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> My 7970 is still inside full refund range on the Egg.....479.99 back towards a 9xxx hrm.....what should I do?!?!


up to you, but announcement does not mean deployment
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Temps aren't a problem for me as my card is on water and never goes above 48c. But i can't seem to get it higher than 1265/1850


you may of hit your limit and/or your chip may want cooler temps to stay there


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hippy zebra can be caused by software too, programs like gputweak can cause random lockups like that, so just be watchfull of what you install and what happens afterwards.
> 
> but if you have it worked out then great.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> god forbid why they insist it be single-threaded...


Hippy Zebra? Wow that is probably the best way to describe a crash hahaha!


----------



## gatornation240

I had issues with skyrim running stock clocks, But it's been playing smooth as butter with my OC profiles
wow 6gb of vram used? thats crazy the most I've used is1900mb this past weekend.


----------



## sugarhell

Easily 3gb vram


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gatornation240*
> 
> I had issues with skyrim running stock clocks, But it's been playing smooth as butter with my OC profiles
> wow 6gb of vram used? thats crazy the most I've used is1900mb this past weekend


Try turning the power level up to +20.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gatornation240*
> 
> I had issues with skyrim running stock clocks, But it's been playing smooth as butter with my OC profiles
> wow 6gb of vram used? thats crazy the most I've used is1900mb this past weekend


Yeah... I don't have 6GB to use so how it was displaying that I have no idea. Maybe its a bug with afterburner and not skyrim/drivers. I am using the 3.0.1 beta or whatever it is now.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not all dvi cables are dual dvi and they can go bad as well.
> have you tried different cables ?
> up to you, but announcement does not mean deployment
> you may of hit your limit and/or your chip may want cooler temps to stay there


isn't that cool enough


----------



## Scorpion49

Oooh I see the 13.10 popped up now.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> My 7970 is still inside full refund range on the Egg.....479.99 back towards a 9xxx hrm.....what should I do?!?!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not all dvi cables are dual dvi and they can go bad as well.
> have you tried different cables ?
> up to you, but announcement does not mean deployment
> you may of hit your limit and/or your chip may want cooler temps to stay there


I highly recommend returning it.
Reasons:
1) mega man says announcement but not deployment, he is correct BUT deployment will be 100% before October 26th when battlefield 4 comes out because this new GPU is going along with the games release, the game is optimized for the new driver gpu.
2) strong evidence suggest the best card will be less than 600 USD (by strong evidence i mean some good verified info leakers, past history, and AMD value motto)
3) new GPu will have longer resale value single card may be stronger than any card out there (rumor it will be titian killer from a leak)
4) wait another 30 days for brand new hardware to show off and join the 9xxx thread club









Ps. Evidence can be found within our beloved OCN website look for threads concerning volcanic islands and google it around to find more info too.
But mostly count on AMD philosphy of great value for best performance.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I highly recommend returning it.
> Reasons:
> 1) mega man says announcement but not deployment, he is correct BUT deployment will be 100% before October 26th when battlefield 4 comes out because this new GPU is going along with the games release, the game is optimized for the new driver gpu.
> 2) strong evidence suggest the best card will be less than 600 USD (by strong evidence i mean some good verified info leakers, past history, and AMD value motto)
> 3) new GPu will have longer resale value single card may be stronger than any card out there (rumor it will be titian killer from a leak)
> 4) wait another 30 days for brand new hardware to show off and join the 9xxx thread club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ps. Evidence can be found within our beloved OCN website look for threads concerning volcanic islands and google it around to find more info too.
> But mostly count on AMD philosphy of great value for best performance.


Thanks for the advice man!


----------



## hucklebuck

I just got my 7950. What are the max safe temps for the gpu, ram and vrms? Don't want to burn up my card.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I just got my 7950. What are the max safe temps for the gpu, ram and vrms? Don't want to burn up my card.


GPU i like to keep it under 70*C, you could go a few degrees higher and be OK, VRM's 90*C..


----------



## gatornation240

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Oooh I see the 13.10 popped up now.


goodman, and nvidia ftw I'll give that a try on stock clocks, it's def set to 20 on my OC profiles


----------



## Shiromar

Gigabyte 7950's on Amazon for as low as $225... Not sure if I should grab a second now or wait to see if the price goes down any further with the release of the 9000 series!
Even better deal looking on Newegg with prices down to $225 w/ $25 MIR and never settle gold package.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shiromar*
> 
> Gigabyte 7950's on Amazon for as low as $225... Not sure if I should grab a second now or wait to see if the price goes down any further with the release of the 9000 series!
> Even better deal looking on Newegg with prices down to $225 w/ $25 MIR and never settle gold package.


They're probably not going to get much better.


----------



## Shiromar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> They're probably not going to get much better.


Yup. I've decided that I'm going to pick one up tomorrow. The end result is that I'll be getting my second 7950 brand new from amazon for ~$115 out of pocket after 38% off my amazon gift cards and then a $25 MIR that I just noticed. Too bad I don't have room for three cards...


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Hell of a deal.


----------



## Shiromar

Heck yeah. I'm basically just getting a $500 amazon gift card for $300 and calling it a day. That should suffice my needs for the next month or so!


----------



## shadow water

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jcwild*
> 
> Sure, layout is as follows:
> 
> 
> 
> I can't move the cards any further apart due to the length of the Crossfire cable.
> 
> Temperature is pretty accurate, here's an infra-red image:


You my good sir need more airflow so get better fans at the front


----------



## jaydude

Just upgraded from my Sapphire 6870 to a Gigabyte 7950 WF3, Was lucky enough to get one with the 7970 pcb but it has bugger all sensors to work with.



Is it still safe for some big overclocks while not knowing all the temps?

Edit: HWiNFO64 does not show VRM temps either.


----------



## Snuckie7

I don't believe the rev one Windforce's come with VRM heatsinks. You're definitely going to want to do something about that before you get into heavy overclocking.


----------



## jaydude

Mine is the Rev 2 version, So it has the VRM heatsink but no sensor for it.


----------



## Snuckie7

And you still got a 7970 PCB? Huh, I thought rev 2 did away with that.

In that case then, you should be good to go. What's your card's ASIC btw?


----------



## jaydude

Gpuz says its 60.2%


----------



## Snuckie7

Ah, you should be good pushing ~1.25V without heating up your VRMs too much.


----------



## geoxile

I'm going to post this here as well. The more places the better chance someone who knows a solution comes across it.

I recently got a second 7950 to crosssfire and in games I get this weird color flickering, like it's rapidly switching between two different color profiles. In BF3 my PC will even randomly shutdown or freeze up or simply CTD if I'm lucky. This only happens when crossfire is on and when a color profile is in use. I use powerstrip to enforce color profiles for my two monitors. I think the problem is that the color profiles are only being enforced on one video card, while the other is trying to reset the color profiles when I start up BF3. I also tried a little program called color profile keeper to enforce color profiles, same problems.

The only way to avoid any problems is to allow BF3 to reset the color profiles, but that's not an option since my monitors look crap without their color profiles. Anyone know how to solve this?


----------



## xSneak

Guys, any idea what's wrong here? Is my card defective possibly?


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xSneak*
> 
> Guys, any idea what's wrong here? Is my card defective possibly?


psu overheat protection


----------



## end00

I'm in the process of RMA'ing my Asus 7970. I was having freezing, artifacting, and all around random stuff happening. I did asvanced rma so we'll see what arrives soon.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xSneak*
> 
> Guys, any idea what's wrong here? Is my card defective possibly?


It would help if you told us what is in your machine so we don't have to try to use our limited telepathy skills.

But you're tripping the OCP more than likely.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> psu overheat protection


Not overheat, overcurrent.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> It would help if you told us what is in your machine so we don't have to try to use our limited telepathy skills.
> 
> But you're tripping the OCP more than likely.
> Not overheat, overcurrent.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*


Haha whats up anubis? I secretly started folding again


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Haha whats up anubis? I secretly started folding again


Not much, another day in paradise. Nice, I am folding on too much gear right now, z9, 7970, 780, and a 670. I think my wife is going to kill me when we get the power bill for this month, haha.


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Anyone here that plays Skyrim? I notice a LOT of stutter on a single 7950 with the 13.8 beta 2's and I can see the frame time counter bouncing between 16.7ms vsync and 2000.00ms which is the max the chart shows.


One the best ways for me to get rid of stutter was to disable Skyrim's vsync and use Radeon Pro's dynamic vsync... soooo much better. Seems the vsync they use in the game sucks. This is with a 3570K @ 4.8Ghz and 7950 with vram usage of 2.8GB.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Selling my heatkiller gpu blocks. They are he nickel models, 2 of them. Also have back plates. PM me if interested


Oh man, thats tempting. I want to wait for what 9000 brings before I water cool though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> One the best ways for me to get rid of stutter was to disable Skyrim's vsync and use Radeon Pro's dynamic vsync... soooo much better. Seems the vsync they use in the game sucks. This is with a 3570K @ 4.8Ghz and 7950 with vram usage of 2.8GB.


Yeah, unfortunately SKSE and RadeonPro don't get along, the game will just crash instantly.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Not much, another day in paradise. Nice, I am folding on too much gear right now, z9, 7970, 780, and a 670. I think my wife is going to kill me when we get the power bill for this month, haha.


Yeah thats a lot of powah.


----------



## xSneak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> It would help if you told us what is in your machine so we don't have to try to use our limited telepathy skills.
> 
> But you're tripping the OCP more than likely.
> Not overheat, overcurrent.


specs were in the youtube video, although I can't blame you for watching it embeded.

I'll update my sig with my system anyways. How could it be my psu if I can run furmark and prime95 at the same time for 2 hours without any problems???

In the windows log it says the display driver crashed I think. This happens regardless of what drivers or clock speeds I use.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xSneak*
> 
> specs were in the youtube video, although I can't blame you for watching it embeded.
> 
> I'll update my sig with my system anyways. How could it be my psu if I can run furmark and prime95 at the same time for 2 hours without any problems???
> 
> In the windows log it says the display driver crashed I think. This happens regardless of what drivers or clock speeds I use.


Furmark and P95 don't provide transient loads. If you have a spare PSU I would try that first. Also check your VRM and Northbridge temps on your board. How is airflow in your case?


----------



## xSneak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Furmark and P95 don't provide transient loads. If you have a spare PSU I would try that first. Also check your VRM and Northbridge temps on your board. How is airflow in your case?


My h100i is on the top of my case and intakes air to cool the vrms partially, and i've never seen my NB get hot even when doing ibt or prime95. I've also had the heaven/valley benchmark run for hours with and without prime95 in the background, it's not a game but there would be some transient load with that.

Airflow in my case is good, 2 120mm intake fans in the front, 1 120mm on the bottom, and a 140mm exhaust fan. It can't be overheating to my cpu/gpu.

I wish i had a spare psu or videocard, but i don't. I should add that this only happens with some modern games I have played, bioshock infinite and shogun 2 at times. Although i've put 12 hours into far cry 3 with no problems.


----------



## d1nky

check the clocks.... im posting on behalf of someone. not bad for a card just put on water

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1182823


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xSneak*
> 
> My h100i is on the top of my case and intakes air to cool the vrms partially, and i've never seen my NB get hot even when doing ibt or prime95. I've also had the heaven/valley benchmark run for hours with and without prime95 in the background, it's not a game but there would be some transient load with that.
> 
> Airflow in my case is good, 2 120mm intake fans in the front, 1 120mm on the bottom, and a 140mm exhaust fan. It can't be overheating to my cpu/gpu.
> 
> I wish i had a spare psu or videocard, but i don't. I should add that this only happens with some modern games I have played, bioshock infinite and shogun 2 at times. Although i've put 12 hours into far cry 3 with no problems.


Interesting, possibly a bad GPU then? Have you tried other slots on your motherboard? You could try updated drivers but I've never seen a driver crash shut a machine completely off, usually you just lose display at worst.


----------



## istudy92

19 dayssss woahh


----------



## switchblade

Each card is different and each chip is also. Try raising voltage a little more.


----------



## headiesbro

Hey guys this may have been discussed before but I cant find anything about it. I just installed my 7990 yesterday and everything has been pretty good so far. The one problem I am having is that in gpu-z and catalyst control center it shows 1 of the 2 gpus constantly at 99% utilization @ 1000mhz core clock and 1500mhz mem clock. This is at idle, with absolutely nothing running on my machine. The temp is 74C, and jumps to 78-84 under load. I double and triple checked that I removed all the drivers from my old nvidia card before installing the catalyst drivers, and also reinstalled the ATI drivers 3 times now.

Anyone have similar issues?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

What drivers?


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *headiesbro*
> 
> Hey guys this may have been discussed before but I cant find anything about it. I just installed my 7990 yesterday and everything has been pretty good so far. The one problem I am having is that in gpu-z and catalyst control center it shows 1 of the 2 gpus constantly at 99% utilization @ 1000mhz core clock and 1500mhz mem clock. This is at idle, with absolutely nothing running on my machine. The temp is 74C, and jumps to 78-84 under load. I double and triple checked that I removed all the drivers from my old nvidia card before installing the catalyst drivers, and also reinstalled the ATI drivers 3 times now.
> 
> Anyone have similar issues?


I recall someone else mentioning a similar issue earlier in the thread. Have you tried the new 13.10 beta that was released a couple days ago?


----------



## headiesbro

Yes, yesterday when I first installed I was using 13.8 cause I thought that it was the latest. I went ahead just a little while ago and removed all the drivers and did a full driver sweep and installed the 13.10, I am having the same issue.


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *headiesbro*
> 
> Yes, yesterday when I first installed I was using 13.8 cause I thought that it was the latest. I went ahead just a little while ago and removed all the drivers and did a full driver sweep and installed the 13.10, I am having the same issue.


you disabled ULPS?


----------



## headiesbro

how would I go about doing that?


----------



## BillOhio

I googled 'disable ulps' and there are plenty of forum threads and articles that will inform


----------



## headiesbro

wow that seems to have worked. Really crazy I wasnt able to find someone with this same card with the same problem in the last 5 hours. I'm now idling a 47C on the second gpu.

Thanks alot


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *headiesbro*
> 
> wow that seems to have worked. Really crazy I wasnt able to find someone with this same card with the same problem in the last 5 hours. I'm now idling a 47C on the second gpu.
> 
> Thanks alot


Awesome


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *headiesbro*
> 
> wow that seems to have worked. Really crazy I wasnt able to find someone with this same card with the same problem in the last 5 hours. I'm now idling a 47C on the second gpu.
> 
> Thanks alot


Glad you got it working enjoy that monster.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xSneak*
> 
> Guys, any idea what's wrong here? Is my card defective possibly?


check your motherboard temps, could be the NB overheating if it only does it in games, otherwise somethings fishy with the card...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> psu overheat protection


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Not overheat, overcurrent.


they are both the same thing, pull too much current and it overheats.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> check your motherboard temps, could be the NB overheating if it only does it in games, otherwise somethings fishy with the card...
> 
> they are both the same thing, pull too much current and it overheats.


Overheating protection on PSU's that might even have that involves setting the fan to 100%. They don't shut off because they are hot, they simply become less efficient. Overcurrent protection will shut it down if you pull too many amps from one rail, which most likely will not overheat or even warm up the PSU to begin with.


----------



## hucklebuck

I got a problem with my 7950?

I will leave my computer for awhile and when I return the monitor will be off because I have it shut off in Windows 7 if there is no activity for 15 minutes. So I will just tap the mouse or keyboard and it will wake up. But after I installed this 7950 sometimes it wakes up and sometimes it does nothing so I will just have to turn it off with the power button. I haven't adjusted any settings yet. What could this be?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I got a problem with my 7950?
> 
> I will leave my computer for awhile and when I return the monitor will be off because I have it shut off in Windows 7 if there is no activity for 15 minutes. So I will just tap the mouse or keyboard and it will wake up. But after I installed this 7950 sometimes it wakes up and sometimes it does nothing so I will just have to turn it off with the power button. I haven't adjusted any settings yet. What could this be?


Are you using display port by any chance?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Overheating protection on PSU's that might even have that involves setting the fan to 100%. They don't shut off because they are hot, they simply become less efficient. Overcurrent protection will shut it down if you pull too many amps from one rail, which most likely will not overheat or even warm up the PSU to begin with.


draw too much current, the chokes and transistors will start to overheat, the transformer will likely start to overheat too but it has a thermal fuse and would likely never be triggered.

usually overcurrent and undervoltage protection will cut the power before the PSU gets too hot, but if the airflow is too restricted it will shut off from overheating anyway.


----------



## Mega Man

i have had that problem when i had a dp adapter die


----------



## Scorpion49

My best 7950 crossfire score so far... wish my first card was a better clocker, it is stuck right around 1100.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Are you using display port by any chance?


No. I also had a single pci express cable that was set up for crossfire hooked up. I used that one cable for both 6 pin connectors on 1 card. Since I didn't know if that might be causing the issue I added another cable so I have one power cable for each 6 pin connector. I also reinstalled the drivers and disabled ULPS. Hmmm.. lets see if that works


----------



## istudy92

18 days left


----------



## ivanlabrie

By then I'll have a 7970 xfire setup


----------



## Auscheel

Did you ever resolve this noise issue? My brand new 7950 makes this exact same noise while gaming.

Totally screwed up the formatting here. Original post below:

Help!

My GPU (MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC Radeon HD 7950 3GB) is kinda noisy, it always make a ticking noise when I play games, and I was wondering if it was coil whine or something else. I recorded the sound, and I uploaded it to Mediafire, anyone would mind to help me with this?

Not really sure what to do here, since I've already RMA'ed my first Twin Frozr... Not really sure I want to stick with Radeon if I need to send it back again.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?yemeb1os727mjgy

Thank you all.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Auscheel*
> 
> Did you ever resolve this noise issue? My brand new 7950 makes this exact same noise while gaming.


Coil whine? My reference 7950's are pretty bad with coil whine...

For reasons unknown to me, I thought I wanted a classified 770. Promptly returned that before I returned my 7950's... Dumb move I know. It was an awesome card, but for $620, no wasn't that awesome. Then I thought I wanted a msi 780 lightning... Would have been $840 with tax. Wow. Don't know what got into me...


----------



## anubis1127

I have read that you can fix coil whine with clear nail polish.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I have read that you can fix coil whine with clear nail polish.


Interesting... I might try it if I see mine is still bad. I remounted my heatkiller blocks, tightened them down just a little more.


----------



## sivoloc

finally the verdict came with my 7990 and the reseller dont want to send me a new one because they are too afraid that i will get a defective one again, so the gave a credit nota, so i will be going to the dark side again, with sli 780, such a shame with powerfull card like the 7990


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sivoloc*
> 
> finally the verdict came with my 7990 and the reseller dont want to send me a new one because they are too afraid that i will get a defective one again, so the gave a credit nota, so i will be going to the dark side again, with sli 780, such a shame with powerfull card like the 7990


GL with the 780's, those are quite beastly. For the money/performance the 7990 is a better option in my opinion, but the 780 is an absolute monster too.


----------



## Auscheel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I have read that you can fix coil whine with clear nail polish.


Could you be more specific? How does one fix it with clear nail polish?


----------



## sivoloc

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> GL with the 780's, those are quite beastly. For the money/performance the 7990 is a better option in my opinion, but the 780 is an absolute monster too.


i couldnt agree more, the 1 day i had my 7990 i absolute loved it to death, but the issue with the coil whine is just too big, i know that many have been lucky not to get one, but the site where i bought the card is in germany near berlin, and i live in denmark so if i get unlucky again i would hate it









maybe if the next generation is good, i will get CF of the new 9970


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Auscheel*
> 
> Could you be more specific? How does one fix it with clear nail polish?


http://www.overclock.net/t/818281/how-to-silence-coil-whine/0_40#post_10608714

There is an old post, but I've seen it posted in several threads, not just clear nail polish, many things will work, LockTite, Super Glue, epoxy, and a couple others. The idea is to put something non-conductive in the expansion path of the copper.


----------



## CptAsian

[Insert Evil Laughter Here]
Really loving this new card. Looks great, too. Especially the backplate.


----------



## istudy92

Verified Source that I was talking about

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-radeon-volcanic-islands-r-200,24158.html

18 days=]


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> 
> 
> [Insert Evil Laughter Here]
> Really loving this new card. Looks great, too. Especially the backplate.


How are the temps with that case? Do you have any coil whine?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> How are the temps with that case? Do you have any coil whine?


I turned the fans up to 75% on the GPU, and the temps are in the mid to high 60's with some heavy gaming. Stupid loud though. And would the coil whine be the fast paced, high-pitched ticking noise I'm hearing ONLY when I'm tabbed in a game? I've never heard it before, so I'm not sure what it sounds like.

EDIT: I just bothered to go watch a video on coil whine, and I don't have any. But I do have that really odd ticking noise that I previously mentioned. Much less annoying compared to coil whine, in my opinion.


----------



## ukic

Nice! I don't have coil whine either. I think you have better airflow since I hit around 70c-73c when playing BF3.

EDIT: My looks like this. With a 200mm fan on side panel.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Nice! I don't have coil whine either. I think you have better airflow since I hit around 70c-73c when playing BF3.
> 
> EDIT: My looks like this. With a 200mm fan on side panel.


With what fan speed? Or do you set it on auto? And do you have the 200mm on intake or exhaust? I've realized how much air is pushed out the side of the card, so I think I might actually be better off without my top panel. Clean looking build, by the way. Those cables look really nice.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> With what fan speed? Or do you set it on auto? And do you have the 200mm on intake or exhaust? I've realized how much air is pushed out the side of the card, so I think I might actually be better off without my top panel. Clean looking build, by the way. Those cables look really nice.


Thanks. Side panel fan is exhaust and fan speed/temps/results are all in here


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Thanks. Side panel fan is exhaust and fan speed/temps/results are all in here


Ah. Well considering your fan speeds, slightly higher core clock, and 1440p monitor (as opposed to my 1080p), I think our cards and airflow are about the same.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I have read that you can fix coil whine with clear nail polish.


Not on closed caps..so for the most part on these newer cards no.


----------



## EliteReplay

hi i have a XFX7950 black edition... card was working fine for 1year but now is hitting 92C playing BF3
i live in dominican republic... and getting thermal paste is difficult... anyother options?

the fans are running 100% and still same temp...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Verified Source that I was talking about
> 
> http://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-radeon-volcanic-islands-r-200,24158.html
> 
> 18 days=]


yea probably just going to get a reference 9950 and watercooling it depending on the money at the time. instead of a reference 7970.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> 
> 
> [Insert Evil Laughter Here]
> Really loving this new card. Looks great, too. Especially the backplate.


looks great, wish your mobo was red and black though...

as with the rest of 7990s keep an exhaust fan on the side panel too keep it cool if your not already.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Not much, another day in paradise. Nice, I am folding on too much gear right now, z9, 7970, 780, and a 670. I think my wife is going to kill me when we get the power bill for this month, haha.


You could show her one of my power bills, it has to make yours look nicer...


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> You could show her one of my power bills, it has to make yours look nicer...


How many meters you hook up to? Only time I have seen that amount is for growers and their hids...hey wait a minute!


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> How many meters you hook up to? Only time I have seen that amount is for growers and their hids...hey wait a minute!


Couple more years there won't be any reason to hide....









That is one crazy bill though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> You could show her one of my power bills, it has to make yours look nicer...


well someone has a supercomputer...


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> looks great, wish your mobo was red and black though...
> 
> as with the rest of 7990s keep an exhaust fan on the side panel too keep it cool if your not already.


Yep, that's the next step. Looking to get an MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming motherboard, along with a new CPU cooler, probably the NZXT Kraken X40. Unfortunately, I can't fit any 240 or 280 (like the X60) rads because of this monster of a card. But first, some Bitfenix Alchemy cables, and and NZXT Hue. As for cooling the card, I've got a horizontal case, so a lot of hot air shoots upwards, so I think I'll just run without a top panel. No fans on the sides, but they're ventilated. I could pull out the old meshed top panel and get a fan for it, but it won't fit with the current CPU cooler, as far as I know.


----------



## kgtuning

Man Im pissed when I get a 150$ bill... nevermind that silly bill.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> You could show her one of my power bills, it has to make yours look nicer...


Haha, nice.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> You could show her one of my power bills, it has to make yours look nicer...


Wait...the power bill is more than 23000$ O_O ?I just don't get it


----------



## JJ1217

Never realized how good case airflow is. Sort of did a upgrade (Lots more airflow but a lot of practicality and usefulness lost) from a 600T to a HAF X. The 200mm side panel fan reduced my GPU temps from 80 degrees (1175 @ 1.25V) to 70 degrees both at 40% fan speed. I wonder if a 7950 TFIII could maintain those temps at those fan speeds.


----------



## Scorpion49

So the #2 GPU 99% bug seems to be going strong in 13.10 beta as well. Maybe I'll switch to Intel integrated graphics for a better gaming experience...


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So the #2 GPU 99% bug seems to be going strong in 13.10 beta as well. Maybe I'll switch to Intel integrated graphics for a better gaming experience...


Stuff like this always keeps me away from anything other than a strong single GPU config. Always seems like half of everything doesn't work half the time when you double up on cards.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Stuff like this always keeps me away from anything other than a strong single GPU config. Always seems like half of everything doesn't work half the time when you double up on cards.


I wish there was something stronger on the AMD side than a 7950/7970 I would be on it in a heartbeat. Even with the frame pacing I have had to futz with settings so much that it takes the enjoyment right out of gaming. Nvidia isn't much better off right now, I got rid of my 770's due to their horrible 700 series drivers the same as you did.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> I wish there was something stronger on the AMD side than a 7950/7970 I would be on it in a heartbeat. Even with the frame pacing I have had to futz with settings so much that it takes the enjoyment right out of gaming. Nvidia isn't much better off right now, I got rid of my 770's due to their horrible 700 series drivers the same as you did.


Yep at this point I have just decided to wait until the end of next year to buy anything other than a new display and some new drives. Unless something dies.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Yep at this point I have just decided to wait until the end of next year to buy anything other than a new display and some new drives. Unless something dies.


Right now I'm trying to play Dragon Age 2 and GPU 2 keeps dropping to idle and 0% usage... I've restarted the game and my computer more than 20 times in the past hour and haven't gotten past the games intro trying to get everything to work right. Gaming should not be a chore... and I should not have sold my Titan out of spite for Nvidia. Only GPU I've ever owned that I plugged in and didn't even want to bother with overclocking because it just plain worked and did everything I wanted.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Right now I'm trying to play Dragon Age 2 and GPU 2 keeps dropping to idle and 0% usage... I've restarted the game and my computer more than 20 times in the past hour and haven't gotten past the games intro trying to get everything to work right. Gaming should not be a chore... and I should not have sold my Titan out of spite for Nvidia.


I feel kind of the same...should have just kept my 6970 until it died a fiery death.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I feel kind of the same...should have just kept my 6970 until it died a fiery death.


On the plus side, I did manage to solve my strange motherboard BIOS issue and now I have the 3930k at 4700mhz 1.344V stable so that helps out.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> On the plus side, I did manage to solve my strange motherboard BIOS issue and now I have the 3930k at 4700mhz 1.344V stable so that helps out.


Nice.









I am running mine stock, because I am too lazy to put TIM, and my push fans back on my CPU loop.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Nice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am running mine stock, because I am too lazy to put TIM, and my push fans back on my CPU loop.


This chip is a strange animal. It will crash IMMEDIATELY and hard reset the system if I go over 1.400V and put it under load. It also won't POST at 49x or 50x multi, but it will do 4.4ghz at 1.200V and 4.6ghz at 1.295V. 4.8 is its limit with around 1.375V so I pulled it back to 4.7 and added +0.025V for stability sake.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> This chip is a strange animal. It will crash IMMEDIATELY and hard reset the system if I go over 1.400V and put it under load. It also won't POST at 49x or 50x multi, but it will do 4.4ghz at 1.200V and 4.6ghz at 1.295V. 4.8 is its limit with around 1.375V so I pulled it back to 4.7 and added +0.025V for stability sake.


That is still pretty good. I'd be happy with 4.7 ~ 1.35V, would probably stay pretty reasonably cool too.

My last 3930k wouldn't do 4.7 under 1.425V or so, IIRC. This one I haven't played with, but the previous owner was using it at 4.8, or 4.9, so we'll see once I stop being lazy.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> That is still pretty good. I'd be happy with 4.7 ~ 1.35V, would probably stay pretty reasonably cool too.
> 
> My last 3930k wouldn't do 4.7 under 1.425V or so, IIRC. This one I haven't played with, but the previous owner was using it at 4.8, or 4.9, so we'll see once I stop being lazy.


Mush! Laziness is not allowed!

Stays nice and cool, maxing out the hottest core around 70-72*C... bear in mind it is around 90*F in my apartment right now with 65% humidity.

On topic, I got both my cards to run properly in this game with the following steps:

- Shut off afterburner and disable windows startup
- Disable crossfire
- Reboot
- Enable crossfire
- Reboot
- Turn on afterburner
- Reboot
- Overclock cards
- Reboot
- Play game
- Alt-tab out of game
- Turn on afterburner
- Apply profile
- Profit???


----------



## anubis1127

Haha, sounds fun.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Haha, sounds fun.


It was a "that oughtta fix it"...


----------



## Tray

Hey guys, using afterburner I OC'ed my 7950 to 1100/1302 rather arbitrarily. I see the voltage reading with GPUz shows that voltage is higher than before (its now 1.169V).

ran some kombustor tests and they were ok, ran 3dmark and it crashed, video drivers stopped working.
Should I increase the memory clock and voltage and what to? thanks

also, is this normal behavior?
http://i.imgur.com/ZNogspc.png


----------



## istudy92

17 days for new R9 amd cards


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So the #2 GPU 99% bug seems to be going strong in 13.10 beta as well. Maybe I'll switch to Intel integrated graphics for a better gaming experience...


think disabling ULPS was the fix to stop that...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> This chip is a strange animal. It will crash IMMEDIATELY and hard reset the system if I go over 1.400V and put it under load. It also won't POST at 49x or 50x multi, but it will do 4.4ghz at 1.200V and 4.6ghz at 1.295V. 4.8 is its limit with around 1.375V so I pulled it back to 4.7 and added +0.025V for stability sake.


sounds like overcurrent or overvoltage protection on the mobo, made sure your increasing the regulators? (if your board has that)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tray*
> 
> also, is this normal behavior?
> http://i.imgur.com/ZNogspc.png


nothing out of the ordinary there, what you running? flash and videos etc will trigger usage.


----------



## Hellfury

crosshair v formula-z with fx 8350 and 16gb corsair vengeance 1866 cl9


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> crosshair v formula-z with fx 8350 and 16gb corsair vengeance 1866 cl9


did I miss something...?

also, that's the same ram as me, but I have a year old crosshairV (before the Z existed) and a 8150.

be sure to put your sig rig in your rig sig... or something like that...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Was experimenting with 13.10 beta, and the smoothness is amazing in games, but it really SUCKS for coin mining. Not sure why, but it really does suck. :/


----------



## istudy92

Nvm dont know how to delete post on ipad


----------



## CptAsian

Alright, so some stuff has happened since yesterday. It's now Sunday morning. Friday night, I booted up the computer for the first time with the new 7990 and Platinum-1000 PSU. Everything went well, and I got the debug code A0, which I usually do, meaning there's nothing wrong. I played a few games, messed with fan speeds and temps, and all was well. Saturday morning, I wake it up (didn't shut it down), and I get the D3 debug code (apparently doesn't mean anything; I've asked around quite a bit), which I usually get after putting my rig to sleep, and all was well for the rest of the day. That evening, I put my computer to sleep, come back from dinner, and get the E3 debug code. That was new. I did some Googling, and found that this might have something to do with some sleep state and is caused by the PSU. I asked in the UD5H motherboard thread, and I still haven't gotten a response. I just decided to go with it, and played some GTA for an hour. Go back to desktop to go to bed, and it BSOD's. Computer restarts, and everything's fine. Put it to sleep. Wake it up this morning, get the D3 debug code, but my *theme has been lost and I have terrible coil whine*, which I didn't have before. Restart the computer, and all is well again. This whole thing would be the PSU, no? Sorry, that was really lengthy.


----------



## Thoth420

So guys I decided to break down this sig rig and sell the parts to finance a brand spanking new AMD/AMD system with one of the new AMD cards dropping soon. I need something to drive one of the new BEN Q 24 inch monitors with just one GPU. I want the most stable problem free config for BF4 with expansion to a tri screen setup in the future when I can afford two more of those expensive new panels.

Mostly looking for suggestions on an AMD CPU and a good mobo for it. Stability is the most important factor I am going for in this build...no crazy big CPU OC and just a non OC reference 8970 or 9970 w/e they are gonna be called. Feel free to send thoughts to me via PM instead of clogging the thread.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Alright, so some stuff has happened since yesterday. It's now Sunday morning. Friday night, I booted up the computer for the first time with the new 7990 and Platinum-1000 PSU. Everything went well, and I got the debug code A0, which I usually do, meaning there's nothing wrong. I played a few games, messed with fan speeds and temps, and all was well. Saturday morning, I wake it up (didn't shut it down), and I get the D3 debug code (apparently doesn't mean anything; I've asked around quite a bit), which I usually get after putting my rig to sleep, and all was well for the rest of the day. That evening, I put my computer to sleep, come back from dinner, and get the E3 debug code. That was new. I did some Googling, and found that this might have something to do with some sleep state and is caused by the PSU. I asked in the UD5H motherboard thread, and I still haven't gotten a response. I just decided to go with it, and played some GTA for an hour. Go back to desktop to go to bed, and it BSOD's. Computer restarts, and everything's fine. Put it to sleep. Wake it up this morning, get the D3 debug code, but my *theme has been lost and I have terrible coil whine*, which I didn't have before. Restart the computer, and all is well again. This whole thing would be the PSU, no? Sorry, that was really lengthy.


Is everything set to stock? If not, try to go to stock settings and see if it occurs.

Also why are you putting it in sleep state when you have a SSD? I actually get bad problems when using sleep state (it will sleep for a minute and wake up again) and sometimes will not wake up, which would force me to do a hard reboot.

If anything try a different PSU, but Seasonics are by far one of the best PSUs in the market though duds are always a possibility.

Edit: Another thing to try is to clear your BIOS/CMOS on your motherboard. That tends to fix unknown problems sometimes.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> hi i have a XFX7950 black edition... card was working fine for 1year but now is hitting 92C playing BF3
> i live in dominican republic... and getting thermal paste is difficult... anyother options?
> 
> the fans are running 100% and still same temp...


any help?


----------



## sugarhell

If your card runs at 100C then you have a problem with temps. So either you open up your gpu and change tim or you check your case air cooling.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Is everything set to stock? If not, try to go to stock settings and see if it occurs.
> 
> Also why are you putting it in sleep state when you have a SSD? I actually get bad problems when using sleep state (it will sleep for a minute and wake up again) and sometimes will not wake up, which would force me to do a hard reboot.
> 
> If anything try a different PSU, but Seasonics are by far one of the best PSUs in the market though duds are always a possibility.
> 
> Edit: Another thing to try is to clear your BIOS/CMOS on your motherboard. That tends to fix unknown problems sometimes.


Yep, everything's stock. And about the SSD and sleeping, do you mean that I should shut down the computer every time I want to turn it off for a few hours? I've been putting it to sleep with my SSD every day for about seven months; no problems. And I'll look into the BIOS/CMOS. Haven't really read/learned about clearing either of those, but I have to learn at some point.







Thanks.


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Alright, so some stuff has happened since yesterday. It's now Sunday morning. Friday night, I booted up the computer for the first time with the new 7990 and Platinum-1000 PSU. Everything went well, and I got the debug code A0, which I usually do, meaning there's nothing wrong. I played a few games, messed with fan speeds and temps, and all was well. Saturday morning, I wake it up (didn't shut it down), and I get the D3 debug code (apparently doesn't mean anything; I've asked around quite a bit), which I usually get after putting my rig to sleep, and all was well for the rest of the day. That evening, I put my computer to sleep, come back from dinner, and get the E3 debug code. That was new. I did some Googling, and found that this might have something to do with some sleep state and is caused by the PSU. I asked in the UD5H motherboard thread, and I still haven't gotten a response. I just decided to go with it, and played some GTA for an hour. Go back to desktop to go to bed, and it BSOD's. Computer restarts, and everything's fine. Put it to sleep. Wake it up this morning, get the D3 debug code, but my *theme has been lost and I have terrible coil whine*, which I didn't have before. Restart the computer, and all is well again. This whole thing would be the PSU, no? Sorry, that was really lengthy.


Did you get that BSOD on idle or gaming? If on idle, disable C3, C6 and (if available on ur motherboard) C7 states, leave C1E and Speedstep enabled.

Those 3 states are known to cause idle BSOD's on the last few generations of Intel CPU's.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> If your card runs at 100C then you have a problem with temps. So either you open up your gpu and change tim or you check your case air cooling.


i have a Corsair 600T with fans 200m and 120 as intake... in the top 200mm fan.. and 120mm fan as exhaust... so that shold be fine i guess? in a side note, i opened the side panel of my case temps just drop to 82C... so i guess i need to pu TIM? but the situation here it is... if i remove the screws... i will lose the warranty on the card.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> i have a Corsair 600T with fans 200m and 120 as intake... in the top 200mm fan.. and 120mm fan as exhaust... so that shold be fine i guess? in a side note, i opened the side panel of my case temps just drop to 82C... so i guess i need to pu TIM? but the situation here it is... if i remove the screws... i will lose the warranty on the card.


If you opened the side panel and you have better temps that means your case air cooling sucks


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kcuestag*
> 
> Did you get that BSOD on idle or gaming? If on idle, disable C3, C6 and (if available on ur motherboard) C7 states, leave C1E and Speedstep enabled.
> 
> Those 3 states are known to cause idle BSOD's on the last few generations of Intel CPU's.


It blue screened about a minute after closing out of GTA, but before I started GTA, I was doing some basic internet browsing and watching YouTube videos for about two hours, and nothing was out of place (other than the E3 code). So I'm not really sure if it was when I was idle or load; I don't really know what to call that. But changing those three states wouldn't hurt, right? I just realized I need to update my BIOS, too...


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> If you opened the side panel and you have better temps that means your case air cooling sucks


sorry man but u are not helping... my temps where 72C and eventually with the case closed it went to 82c after a year, mind u this is a Black Edition card (Factory OC) and now its reaching 92C while playing... so dont atribute all the issue to my case air flow.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> sorry man but u are not helping... my temps where 72C and eventually with the case closed it went to 82c after a year, mind u this is a Black Edition card (Factory OC) and now its reaching 92C while playing... so dont atribute all the issue to my case air flow.


Sorry but you suck explaining. You said that you have 100C now. And then you told me that you opened the case and dropped to 82C.

As i told you clean your case/check your air case cooling or change you tim.Open your side panel and check your temps


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> hi i have a XFX7950 black edition... card was working fine for 1year but now is hitting 92C playing BF3
> i live in dominican republic... and getting thermal paste is difficult... anyother options?
> 
> the fans are running 100% and still same temp...


this was my first post where did i said it was 100c?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> hi i have a XFX7950 black edition... card was working fine for 1year but now is hitting 92C playing BF3
> i live in dominican republic... and getting thermal paste is difficult... anyother options?
> 
> the fans are running 100% and still same temp...
> 
> i have a Corsair 600T with fans 200m and 120 as intake... in the top 200mm fan.. and 120mm fan as exhaust... so that shold be fine i guess? in a side note, i opened the side panel of my case temps just drop to 82C... so i guess i need to pu TIM? but the situation here it is... if i remove the screws... i will lose the warranty on the card.


What do you understand from this.....


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> What do you understand from this.....


whre do u see 100c? i said 92C with a closed case... before it was to be 82C and when the card was brand new it was 72C... so temp are getting 10C higher like every 6month...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> whre do u see 100c? i said 92C with a closed case... before it was to be 82C and when the card was brand new it was 72C... so temp are getting 10C higher like every 6month...


92C with 100% fan speed is so bad. So w/e i say 92 or 100 is the same for you. Check your case and change your tim. Is not that hard to understand yo


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 92C with 100% fan speed is so bad. So w/e i say 92 or 100 is the same for you. Check your case and change your tim. Is not that hard to understand yo


ok... another question if i remove the screws i will lose the warranty... can a card be RMA just for this?


----------



## kcuestag

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> It blue screened about a minute after closing out of GTA, but before I started GTA, I was doing some basic internet browsing and watching YouTube videos for about two hours, and nothing was out of place (other than the E3 code). So I'm not really sure if it was when I was idle or load; I don't really know what to call that. But changing those three states wouldn't hurt, right? I just realized I need to update my BIOS, too...


Won't hurt to try.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Alright, so some stuff has happened since yesterday. It's now Sunday morning. Friday night, I booted up the computer for the first time with the new 7990 and Platinum-1000 PSU. Everything went well, and I got the debug code A0, which I usually do, meaning there's nothing wrong. I played a few games, messed with fan speeds and temps, and all was well. Saturday morning, I wake it up (didn't shut it down), and I get the D3 debug code (apparently doesn't mean anything; I've asked around quite a bit), which I usually get after putting my rig to sleep, and all was well for the rest of the day. That evening, I put my computer to sleep, come back from dinner, and get the E3 debug code. That was new. I did some Googling, and found that this might have something to do with some sleep state and is caused by the PSU. I asked in the UD5H motherboard thread, and I still haven't gotten a response. I just decided to go with it, and played some GTA for an hour. Go back to desktop to go to bed, and it BSOD's. Computer restarts, and everything's fine. Put it to sleep. Wake it up this morning, get the D3 debug code, but my *theme has been lost and I have terrible coil whine*, which I didn't have before. Restart the computer, and all is well again. This whole thing would be the PSU, no? Sorry, that was really lengthy.


could be

could be alot we need a rig to help, what brand/model psu did you get ? your rig didnt load my first time.... sorry. so what card did you have before? are you using beta drivers? do you have upls disabled ?
are you using dp adapters. ? try without the dp adapter as well.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> sorry man but u are not helping... my temps where 72C and eventually with the case closed it went to 82c after a year, mind u this is a Black Edition card (Factory OC) and now its reaching 92C while playing... so dont atribute all the issue to my case air flow.


also how often do you clean your case? is there alot of dust on the cooler?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> could be
> 
> could be alot we need a rig to help, what brand/model psu did you get ? your rig didnt load my first time.... sorry. so what card did you have before? are you using beta drivers? do you have upls disabled ?
> are you using dp adapters. ? try without the dp adapter as well.


The PSU I'm using is the SeaSonic Platinum-1000. Linky. I previously had a 7950 and a Corsair TX650. Not using the beta drivers; just version 13.4. UPLS is enabled, as far as I'm concerned (didn't mess with that at all). I'm running with just a DVI cable; no adapters here. But I will mess around with the BIOS (probably going to update and then change those states) when I have a nice little block of time.


----------



## gatornation240

replay consider putting more fans in the case, even if you have to mod the panel/case you can figure out a way to get more flow. You can try and RMA but if it works for them they wont see a reason to grant you a new card based off of temps that can vary. I plan on moving out to haiti with my relative at some point and I know already I would have to watercool it's crazy hot down there man but you know that as well as anyone.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gatornation240*
> 
> replay consider putting more fans in the case, even if you have to mod the panel/case you can figure out a way to get more flow. You can try and RMA but if it works for them they wont see a reason to grant you a new card based off of temps that can vary. I plan on moving out to haiti with my relative at some point and I know already I would have to watercool it's crazy hot down there man but you know that as well as anyone.


yeah lol... in haiti is hotter than in DR... but i think i will contact XFX and depending what the tell... i will RMA or just Re apply TIM


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> The PSU I'm using is the SeaSonic Platinum-1000. Linky. I previously had a 7950 and a Corsair TX650. Not using the beta drivers; just version 13.4. UPLS is enabled, as far as I'm concerned (didn't mess with that at all). I'm running with just a DVI cable; no adapters here. But I will mess around with the BIOS (probably going to update and then change those states) when I have a nice little block of time.


one issue that happenes with 7990s relates to upls i would recommend disabling it
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> yeah lol... in haiti is hotter than in DR... but i think i will contact XFX and depending what the tell... i will RMA or just Re apply TIM


again is the fins on the card dirty how often do you clean it ??


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> So guys I decided to break down this sig rig and sell the parts to finance a brand spanking new AMD/AMD system with one of the new AMD cards dropping soon. I need something to drive one of the new BEN Q 24 inch monitors with just one GPU. I want the most stable problem free config for BF4 with expansion to a tri screen setup in the future when I can afford two more of those expensive new panels.
> 
> Mostly looking for suggestions on an AMD CPU and a good mobo for it. Stability is the most important factor I am going for in this build...no crazy big CPU OC and just a non OC reference 8970 or 9970 w/e they are gonna be called. Feel free to send thoughts to me via PM instead of clogging the thread.


Well as I posted before on this thread the new AMD cards will be called named R9- 290, 285,280 etc etc 290=7990 285=7970 etc etc You will be most benifited by the R9 285 or w/e the number is I forgot (because I have posted before that the new BF4 will be HIGHLY optimized for radeon cards, ALSO remember bf4 will use ALOT of your cpu an 8350 will be best for the game since alot of physics going on with the new game, this is all rational not fact, but based on history as BF3 it uses up alot of CPU power too)

Always go for best single card GPU to avoid crossfire problems and microshutter or w/e people talk about.

From a AMD cpu and mobo.
Steamroller CPU will come out in jan/feb with new FX processors (possibly Noone knows now it is a speculation that AMD will move to a full APU FM+2 build, but again noone knows and we will find out September 25th when AMD makes thier announcement in hawaii)

I would stray away from FXA990 UD3 gigabyte and go for UD5 or 7, BUT most people are going with sabertooth mobo because it overclocks veryyy well with the fx8350. the gigabyte boards are good but the UD3 isnt that great for 8350 OC.

Then there is a possibilty you can go get an FM2+ board and get yourself an APU. I have no info on it since I do not plan on switching to it this year im waitting for thier announcement.
generally an APU is for mainstream who dont use a GPU and want to play games on medium settings and watch videos. No benifit for those who have a dedicated GPU.

But thats my 2 cents on your question.

BTW...my friend is offering to trade his Titan for my 7950 and 400 bucks..idk if i should trade...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Well as I posted before on this thread the new AMD cards will be called named R9- 290, 285,280 etc etc 290=7990 285=7970 etc etc You will be most benifited by the R9 285 or w/e the number is I forgot (because I have posted before that the new BF4 will be HIGHLY optimized for radeon cards, ALSO remember bf4 will use ALOT of your cpu an 8350 will be best for the game since alot of physics going on with the new game, this is all rational not fact, but based on history as BF3 it uses up alot of CPU power too)
> 
> Always go for best single card GPU to avoid crossfire problems and microshutter or w/e people talk about.
> 
> From a AMD cpu and mobo.
> Steamroller CPU will come out in jan/feb with new FX processors (possibly Noone knows now it is a speculation that AMD will move to a full APU FM+2 build, but again noone knows and we will find out September 25th when AMD makes thier announcement in hawaii)
> 
> I would stray away from FXA990 UD3 gigabyte and go for UD5 or 7, BUT most people are going with sabertooth mobo because it overclocks veryyy well with the fx8350. the gigabyte boards are good but the UD3 isnt that great for 8350 OC.
> 
> Then there is a possibilty you can go get an FM2+ board and get yourself an APU. I have no info on it since I do not plan on switching to it this year im waitting for thier announcement.
> generally an APU is for mainstream who dont use a GPU and want to play games on medium settings and watch videos. No benifit for those who have a dedicated GPU.
> 
> But thats my 2 cents on your question.
> 
> BTW...my friend is offering to trade his Titan for my 7950 and 400 bucks..idk if i should trade...


Just wait for the 9970


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Well as I posted before on this thread the new AMD cards will be called named R9- 290, 285,280 etc etc 290=7990 285=7970 etc etc You will be most benifited by the R9 285 or w/e the number is I forgot (because I have posted before that the new BF4 will be HIGHLY optimized for radeon cards, ALSO remember bf4 will use ALOT of your cpu an 8350 will be best for the game since alot of physics going on with the new game, this is all rational not fact, but based on history as BF3 it uses up alot of CPU power too)
> 
> Always go for best single card GPU to avoid crossfire problems and microshutter or w/e people talk about.
> 
> From a AMD cpu and mobo.
> Steamroller CPU will come out in jan/feb with new FX processors (possibly Noone knows now it is a speculation that AMD will move to a full APU FM+2 build, but again noone knows and we will find out September 25th when AMD makes thier announcement in hawaii)
> 
> I would stray away from FXA990 UD3 gigabyte and go for UD5 or 7, BUT most people are going with sabertooth mobo because it overclocks veryyy well with the fx8350. the gigabyte boards are good but the UD3 isnt that great for 8350 OC.
> 
> Then there is a possibilty you can go get an FM2+ board and get yourself an APU. I have no info on it since I do not plan on switching to it this year im waitting for thier announcement.
> generally an APU is for mainstream who dont use a GPU and want to play games on medium settings and watch videos. No benifit for those who have a dedicated GPU.
> 
> But thats my 2 cents on your question.
> 
> BTW...my friend is offering to trade his Titan for my 7950 and 400 bucks..idk if i should trade...


that will be changing.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> that will be changing.


essentially with HSA and all such thats why i am waitting because I myself am an AMD stockholder and follow them around and I personally believe AMD will cut the FX steamroller or just keep it for that 10% of enthusist and completly change to APU and make that as the new AMD standard. It just makes sense to do so, economically and performance wise.


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> one issue that happenes with 7990s relates to upls i would recommend disabling it
> again is the fins on the card dirty how often do you clean it ??


the card is clean like when i first got it... i clean it like every 3month.


----------



## Kannas

http://cdn.overclock.net/0/05/052733de_gpuoc.jpeg


----------



## ivanlabrie

Well, back to 13.10, installed the 2.7 sdk and that fixed the mining performance issues.
I had lower 3dm11 scores on 12.8 and 12.11 btw. quite odd


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Just got Dual-X 7950's in XFire, but the benchmark score I got is puzzling, It seems unusually low to me. Is it? (FYI: This is with stock clocks)


----------



## sugarhell

A single 7950 score 40 fps at stock. So yeah your score is so low


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kenshiro 26*
> 
> Just got Dual-X 7950's in XFire, but the benchmark score I got is puzzling, It seems unusually low to me. Is it? (FYI: This is with stock clocks)


That's very low. I score that with a single 7970


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Alright, so some stuff has happened since yesterday. It's now Sunday morning. Friday night, I booted up the computer for the first time with the new 7990 and Platinum-1000 PSU. Everything went well, and I got the debug code A0, which I usually do, meaning there's nothing wrong. I played a few games, messed with fan speeds and temps, and all was well. Saturday morning, I wake it up (didn't shut it down), and I get the D3 debug code (apparently doesn't mean anything; I've asked around quite a bit), which I usually get after putting my rig to sleep, and all was well for the rest of the day. That evening, I put my computer to sleep, come back from dinner, and get the E3 debug code. That was new. I did some Googling, and found that this might have something to do with some sleep state and is caused by the PSU. I asked in the UD5H motherboard thread, and I still haven't gotten a response. I just decided to go with it, and played some GTA for an hour. Go back to desktop to go to bed, and it BSOD's. Computer restarts, and everything's fine. Put it to sleep. Wake it up this morning, get the D3 debug code, but my *theme has been lost and I have terrible coil whine*, which I didn't have before. Restart the computer, and all is well again. This whole thing would be the PSU, no? Sorry, that was really lengthy.


0xE3 is a "RESOURCE_NOT_OWNED" error, related to the ntfs filesystem, 0xD3 I think is a general driver failure, think one of your drives is having an issue...

try using a different sata cable on your SSD to be sure its not that, the high load when you turn it back on might be getting read errors...

also disable hybrid standby if you don't want to be butchering your SSD.


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A single 7950 score 40 fps at stock. So yeah your score is so low


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> That's very low. I score that with a single 7970


Any ideas on what's amiss? I'd really like to figure this out before I start any serious OC'ing.

More info: GPU Utilization never goes above 55%, usually hovers in the 40~50 range during the entire benchmark.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kenshiro 26*
> 
> Any ideas on what's amiss? I'd really like to figure this out before I start any serious OC'ing.
> 
> More info: GPU Utilization never goes above 55%, usually hovers in the 40~50 range during the entire benchmark.


Use 1x1


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> try using a different sata cable on your SSD to be sure its not that, the high load when you turn it back on might be getting read errors...
> 
> also disable hybrid standby if you don't want to be butchering your SSD.


Okay, I'll add that to my list of things to try. Thanks.
Quote:


> 0xE3 is a "RESOURCE_NOT_OWNED" error, related to the ntfs filesystem, 0xD3 I think is a general driver failure, think one of your drives is having an issue...


Um... What?







I'm not great at all as far as the technical software bits of the whole PC business, so you'll have to make things really simple for me.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Um... What?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not great at all as far as the technical software bits of the whole PC business, so you'll have to make things really simple for me.


there's nothing simple about windows errors









0xE3 I think can be commonly caused if a storage device gets a severe amount of errors and drops off the computer, 0xD3 I think can happen from buggy drivers, there's no real way to tell unless you analyze the whole crashdump and trace what went wrong where...

other two possibilities are bad sata drivers and/or the SB on your board is faulting for some reason...


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> there's nothing simple about windows errors
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 0xE3 I think can be commonly caused if a storage device gets a severe amount of errors and drops off the computer, 0xD3 I think can happen from buggy drivers, there's no real way to tell unless you analyze the whole crashdump and trace what went wrong where...
> 
> other two possibilities are bad sata drivers and/or the SB on your board is faulting for some reason...


This seems odd because I've had that D3 code every time after I wake my computer up from sleep, even before I got my SSD. And the E3 code only appeared after I got my new GPU and PSU. Nothing else changed, other than my new GPU drivers.


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Use 1x1


A little bump, still heavily underperforming though.



I'm assuming this is the option I'm supposed to enable, yes?


----------



## sugarhell

This cant be right. You run fullscreen,disabled ulps?

Also this is the .bat not the actually exe


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> This cant be right. You run fullscreen,disabled ulps?


Affirmative.


----------



## sugarhell

DOnt use official oc. Use unofficial. Check my sig for the guide


----------



## Scorpion49

Well guys, I defected again. I started getting black screens on the desktop and I was just fed up with it, so I brought the 7950's back to the store (still in the return window) and picked up an Asus DCUII GTX 780. This card is a monster, easily overclocked +200/+200 for 1246 on the core, extremely quiet too. Going to stay single GPU for the foreseeable future.


----------



## KnownDragon

Just plugged in my brand new HIS 7950 anyone know how this one does?


----------



## heroxoot

I wanted to update mine. Should I register again or what?

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/wym8k/


----------



## timaishu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> Just plugged in my brand new HIS 7950 anyone know how this one does?


I have a 7950 iceQx2 in mine.

I kinda had to learn to love mine. I went into it expecting this thing to run cool and quet and to be honest, it doesn't. I don't know how it compares to its competitors, but my expectations were higher than it really performed. I think I was mored annoyed in that I paid the, at the time, $326 price. It is now down to like 260, and I could have just bought a sapphire card for that same price when I bought mine. Oh well. For its current price though, its a hell of a card. The value just wasn't there for my original price I paid, but now I would say its a good card price wise.

I love it though, mine overclocks and is stable to around 1110-1115 core and 1490 memory without any voltage increases. I found when I raise the voltage, the temps are too high causing the fan to scream. Probably wouldn't be as bad if my ambients temps weren't so high.


----------



## skitz9417

does anyone have this one http://www.powercolor.com/au/products_features.asp?id=387


----------



## Paul17041993

whos got this card and hows it go?

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=23160

TFIII "OC Boost", looking at it its pretty much reference but I'm not sure about coilwhine and ASIC...

if its good enough I'll get it to replace my DCII and water it, instead of trying to find a full reference, then I'll hold off the 9k until they age and drop in price a bit.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> whos got this card and hows it go?
> 
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=23160
> 
> TFIII "OC Boost", looking at it its pretty much reference but I'm not sure about coilwhine and ASIC...
> 
> if its good enough I'll get it to replace my DCII and water it, instead of trying to find a full reference, then I'll hold off the 9k until they age and drop in price a bit.


I'm curious about those myself...A friend has 7950s like that and he says they are ref and oc like mad.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> whos got this card and hows it go?
> 
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_1309&products_id=23160
> 
> TFIII "OC Boost", looking at it its pretty much reference but I'm not sure about coilwhine and ASIC...
> 
> if its good enough I'll get it to replace my DCII and water it, instead of trying to find a full reference, then I'll hold off the 9k until they age and drop in price a bit.


Both of my 7950's were the 7970 PCB, boost models. One OC'd to 1300 easily, the other was kind of stuck around 1125-1150. But they had fully unlocked voltages for both core and memory, stayed pretty cool as well.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> That's very low. I score that with a single 7970


check in ccc if any graphical settings are set to over-ride applications


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> DOnt use official oc. Use unofficial.


This helped, something's still off though.



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> check in ccc if any graphical settings are set to over-ride applications


Everything is set to default in the system settings.


----------



## sugarhell

Hmm 40 fps is the score of a single 7950.Can you check your gpu usage?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Hmm 40 fps is the score of a single 7950.Can you check your gpu usage?


i had 7950/7970 stock do 72 in valley. i oc'ed the 7950 to 1000/1400 and got a 78. crossfire ain't working in this case obviously. 7950 was primary card.

@Kenshiro, you mind running 3DMark11?


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Can you check your gpu usage?


A little higher than before, mostly in the 40~60 range with slight dips below and above.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i had 7950/7970 stock do 72 in valley. i oc'ed the 7950 to 1100/1575 and got a 78. crossfire ain't working in this case obviously.
> 
> @Kenshiro, you mind running 3DMark11?


I have only 99% usage on valley. Nothing lower

Kenshiro also use 1x1. You have wrong file on the ccc. Its the .bat not the actually exe


----------



## theoneofgod

Can any one confirm 13.10 fixes GPU2 running at 99%?


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> @Kenshiro, you mind running 3DMark11?



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Kenshiro also use 1x1. You have wrong file on the ccc. Its the .bat not the actually exe


When DL'd from their site and extracted with the installer I get the .bat file in the program folder, not an .exe. The same is true of Heaven 4.0.


----------



## sugarhell

Go to bin and choose valley.


----------



## headiesbro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Can any one confirm 13.10 fixes GPU2 running at 99%?


13.10 did not fix this. I had to disable ulps to fix this problem: http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps

Works like a charm now.


----------



## Chopper1591

Hello fellow owners







,

I am a proud owner of an Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X for almost half an year or so. But hadn't thought about looking up the Owners Club.
Just now when I was browsing the Vishera Owners Club I looked at my sig and it looked kinda empty.









So here I am. Have just registered by using the form.

For those who are interested, I have the new version of the 7950 Vapor-X with dual 8-pin connectors. Sadly it is voltage locked, which the card I had before wasn't. But that one(same model) wasn't stable on stock boost clocks somehow.
This one also has the proper VRM cooling.

Through bios editing I am able to raise the voltage the hard way. But sadly I can't lower it with software after that so I don't want to go too high because of the power consumption.








I am now on 1.2V bios which vDroops to about 1.143-1.147v with the occasional spike to 1.74v.
This lets me clock the card to 1150 core. The memory I leave at stock because I don't see much gains from that. Maybe need to try what the max is sometime...

Temps while gaming, Splinter Cell Blacklist for example, on 75-80% gpu load are about 69-71c on the core and 67-70c on the VRMs. That is with fan on auto which ramps up till about 50-55%.

Can go to 1200 core or higher if I tweak the bios to 1.25v or higher but the power usage skyrockets if I do that. The current will rise from max 127a(stock) to around 180a with 1.2v already so do the math.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *headiesbro*
> 
> 13.10 did not fix this. I had to disable ulps to fix this problem: http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps
> 
> Works like a charm now.


Max Payne 3 works fine here, scaling normally with ULPS on. No 99% GPU2 unlike with 13.8beta2.

edit: Not working with other games. Damn.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Max Payne 3 works fine here, scaling normally with ULPS on. No 99% GPU2 unlike with 13.8beta2.
> 
> edit: Not working with other games. Damn.


you'll just have to leave ULPS off until AMD specifically mentions they fixed it, few extra idle watts never hurt anyone...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you'll just have to leave ULPS off until AMD specifically mentions they fixed it, few extra idle watts never hurt anyone...


Just how much more watts will it add on in average?


----------



## istudy92

16 days


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Go to bin and choose valley.


No effect. Pretty much the same GPU utilization between 40~60.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kenshiro 26*
> 
> A little higher than before, mostly in the 40~60 range with slight dips below and above.


Sometimes valley gets broken it happened with my GTX 760,at first it used to get 40 FPS when heavily OCed it could get 50 FPS but then after a while it started to use 50% of my GPU's power so scores were cut by half and now I can't bench anymore because of that :/
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Hello fellow owners
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ,
> 
> I am a proud owner of an Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X for almost half an year or so. But hadn't thought about looking up the Owners Club.
> Just now when I was browsing the Vishera Owners Club I looked at my sig and it looked kinda empty.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So here I am. Have just registered by using the form.
> 
> For those who are interested, I have the new version of the 7950 Vapor-X with dual 8-pin connectors. Sadly it is voltage locked, which the card I had before wasn't. But that one(same model) wasn't stable on stock boost clocks somehow.
> This one also has the proper VRM cooling.
> 
> Through bios editing I am able to raise the voltage the hard way. But sadly I can't lower it with software after that so I don't want to go too high because of the power consumption.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am now on 1.2V bios which vDroops to about 1.143-1.147v with the occasional spike to 1.74v.
> This lets me clock the card to 1150 core. The memory I leave at stock because I don't see much gains from that. Maybe need to try what the max is sometime...
> 
> Temps while gaming, Splinter Cell Blacklist for example, on 75-80% gpu load are about 69-71c on the core and 67-70c on the VRMs. That is with fan on auto which ramps up till about 50-55%.
> 
> Can go to 1200 core or higher if I tweak the bios to 1.25v or higher but the power usage skyrockets if I do that. The current will rise from max 127a(stock) to around 180a with 1.2v already so do the math.


Actually if you're benching using valley memory OCes are important
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 16 days


I just hope they're not missed up as the 7000 series


----------



## JRuxGaming

Is there something wrong, or is this normal for a stock 7950?


----------



## KnownDragon

HIS IQ at stock way better then my gtx 650


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> HIS IQ at stock way better then my gtx 650


if you can run it at 1100/1500 - see it grow 1300 pts. raise your fan speed just to be safe.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Just how much more watts will it add on in average?


~2W vs ~10W, depending on the card, you wouldn't really notice unless you had 4 of them...

you know when a card is in correct ULPS state when its fans stop spinning.


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> HIS IQ at stock way better then my gtx 650


I get lower scores for this as well.


----------



## Thoth420

Kenshiro Rep for your Avatar bro!
4 8 15 16 23 42
The beginning is the end and the end is the beginning. Namaste.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kenshiro 26*
> 
> I get lower scores for this as well.


whats your memory, HT and NB clocks? looks like the scores are being shoved down by lowish physics scores...


----------



## Paul17041993

http://games.on.net/2013/09/amd-announces-price-drop-in-australia-more-bundled-games/


----------



## danycyo

Not bad for an 870 3.8 HT on . This is what I am getting with my Vapor X clocked at 1150/1490 just a day to day overclock.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Sometimes valley gets broken it happened with my GTX 760,at first it used to get 40 FPS when heavily OCed it could get 50 FPS but then after a while it started to use 50% of my GPU's power so scores were cut by half and now I can't bench anymore because of that :/
> Actually if you're benching using valley memory OCes are important
> *I just hope they're not missed up as the 7000 series*


what do you mean?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> what do you mean?


You know the coil whine issue,the fact that the after market cards are worse than reference and things like that


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> You know the coil whine issue,the fact that the after market cards are worse than reference and things like that


Coil whine is not exclusive on amd. Also reference design cards should be good cards not like the nvidia's ref. So i dont see a problem.

See the 780. The ref 780 cant handle 1.35-1.4 volt but the classified just fine. Tsm probably use over 1.3 volt for a year now and his card is just fine


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> You know the coil whine issue,the fact that the after market cards are worse than reference and things like that


you own a nvidia card. if you dwell in the nvidia forum more often, you'll find out that coil whine exists with those cards, too. i've had three 7900 series cards. my first 7950 had one but went away after joining the Valley benchmark thread. my current cards don't have any.


----------



## istudy92

15 days..
And drivers are drivers..i doubt a diff card fixes driver issues, or do new card series break apart from current driver software? Anyone know


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 15 days..
> And drivers are drivers..i doubt a diff card fixes driver issues, or do new card series break apart from current driver software? Anyone know


try a new cpu. to be fair, 13.8 beta 1 bork C2, so i am using 13.5.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Coil whine is not exclusive on amd. Also reference design cards should be good cards not like the nvidia's ref. So i dont see a problem.
> 
> See the 780. The ref 780 cant handle 1.35-1.4 volt but the classified just fine. Tsm probably use over 1.3 volt for a year now and his card is just fine


So because an entirely different architecture uses a different voltage it is somehow not as good? I don't understand your logic here.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> So because an entirely different architecture uses a different voltage it is somehow not as good? I don't understand your logic here.


I think you lack some knowledge. The vrms on the stock 780 and titan is really weak. Look all the zombies cards on the hwbot for water and chill. On a chiller a ref 7970 can reach 1450 mhz and the vrms is okay. Now try that on a titan with 1.35 volt. You will fry your card after some benchmarks

Do you remember the 570s vrms?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I think you lack some knowledge. The vrms on the stock 780 and titan is really weak. Look all the zombies cards on the hwbot for water and chill. On a chiller a ref 7970 can reach 1450 mhz and the vrms is okay. Now try that on a titan with 1.35 volt. You will fry your card after some benchmarks
> 
> Do you remember the 570s vrms?


Who cares? You are talking apples, and oranges. That is like saying "I don't want a 3930k because I can only go up to around 1.45V, but on a FX 8350 I can go up to 1.55-1.6V so I'm going to get that instead."


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Who cares? You are talking apples, and oranges. That is like saying "I don't want a 3930k because I can only go up to around 1.45V, but on a FX 8350 I can go up to 1.55-1.6V so I'm going to get that instead."


You still talk about things that you dont have experience. When a vrm blow up its not because of the architecture but the quality sucks for the voltage range. So the nvidia's pcb quality sucks. Thats why almost none gets a ref nvidia.Why do you think a classified can oced to 1450? Better pcb. Now look on amd. Except ln2 and chiller its almost useless to get a custom pcb


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I think you lack some knowledge. The vrms on the stock 780 and titan is really weak. Look all the zombies cards on the hwbot for water and chill. On a chiller a ref 7970 can reach 1450 mhz and the vrms is okay. Now try that on a titan with 1.35 volt. You will fry your card after some benchmarks
> 
> Do you remember the 570s vrms?


Ahh, so YOU are the one that lacks knowledge. Because the VRM section of the Titan/780/770 handles 1.3V+ just fine with the proper BIOS to prevent vdroop, although this was only recently discovered. Also, remember you're talking a die twice the size of your incredible Tahiti chip which means the power delivery system has more work to do in the first place.

I will agree with you in that the 7970 is better for being unlocked and able to do it out the door while people had to scramble around with trying to get control of the NCP4206 chip.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You still talk about things that you dont have experience. When a vrm blow up its not because of the architecture but the quality sucks for the voltage range. So the nvidia's pcb quality sucks. Thats why almost none gets a ref nvidia.Why do you think a classified can oced to 1450? Better pcb. Now look on amd. Except ln2 and chiller its almost useless to get a custom pcb


Haha, OK. I have a 7970 reference card right now, and have owned 2 other 7970s. Of them the only one that would do over 1300mhz was the 7970 lightning, and that's not a coincidence. The reference 79xx cards have some of the worst vdroop I've seen on modern cards.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Ahh, so YOU are the one that lacks knowledge. Because the VRM section of the Titan/780/770 handles 1.3V+ just fine with the proper BIOS to prevent vdroop, although this was only recently discovered. Also, remember you're talking a die twice the size of your incredible Tahiti chip which means the power delivery system has more work to do in the first place.
> 
> I will agree with you in that the 7970 is better for being unlocked and able to do it out the door while people had to scramble around with trying to get control of the NCP4206 chip.


Handles fine for one benchmark. Use 1.35 volt for 6 months and see. Always on a ref pcb.

Also you should see my first rig gpus. Just for a reference.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Haha, OK. I have a 7970 reference card right now, and have owned 2 other 7970s. Of them the only one that would do over 1300mhz was the 7970 lightning, and that's not a coincidence. The reference 79xx cards have some of the worst vdroop I've seen on modern cards.


Thats why tsm has 4 ref cards that can do 1380? Yeah right...

Probably you dont know that tahiti is temp sensitive..

I i dont remember that i spoke about ocing?Or i did.No i didint.

Pcb quality and components doesnt mean higher oc. The fact that i cant kill my card even with a chiller is an evidence


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Thats why tsm has 4 ref cards that can do 1380? Yeah right...
> 
> Probably you dont know that tahiti is temp sensitive..
> 
> I i dont remember that i spoke about ocing?Or i did.No i didint.
> 
> Pcb quality and components doesnt mean higher oc. The fact that i cant kill my card even with a chiller is an evidence


That wasn't even my main point. The crappy voltage regulation of the 79xx cards was my main point. You say you are running 1.35V, have you tried checking that with a multimeter? I'd be surprised if you were using more than 1.28V or so in reality.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Haha, OK. I have a 7970 reference card right now, and have owned 2 other 7970s. Of them the only one that would do over 1300mhz was the 7970 lightning, and that's not a coincidence. The reference 79xx cards have some of the worst vdroop I've seen on modern cards.


Scorps owned 7xx cards and 7xxx cards afaik so he def has the experience first hand....sup scorp.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> That wasn't even my main point. The crappy voltage regulation of the 79xx cards was my main point. You say you are running 1.35V, have you tried checking that with a multimeter? I'd be surprised if you were using more than 1.28V or so in reality.


1.38. And with a multimeter 1.365

You know the vdroop is related to the asic quality of the card?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 1.38. And with a multimeter 1.365
> 
> You know the vdroop is related to the asic quality of the card?


Ah, I see. No, I didn't. What is the ASIC on that one?

My current 7970 is 79% and has terrible vdroop, and IIRC my last one was 73% which was also pretty bad.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ah, I see. No, I didn't. What is the ASIC on that one?
> 
> My current 7970 is 79% and has terrible vdroop, and IIRC my last one was 73% which was also pretty bad.


For water cooling i use 71-73%. MSI AB has higher vdroop than modded trixx also


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> For water cooling i use 71-73%. MSI AB has higher vdroop than modded trixx also


Interesting, I'll have to look into modding my trixx.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Interesting, I'll have to look into modding my trixx.


Its on my sig guide the file.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Scorps owned 7xx cards and 7xxx cards afaik so he def has the experience first hand....sup scorp.


Hah! I feel like I should be a reviewer sometimes with how much hardware I go through. I can't think of a card recently that I haven't actually had. And I've owned more than a dozen HD79xx cards. God save my wallet. sugarhell really liked his AMD cards, I don't have any issue with that as deep down I would much rather support AMD myself if I had to pick sides (that doesn't mean I won't own Nvidia if it offers better performance for the games I like to play). Bad info is something I don't like to see though.


----------



## eviltommyng

anyone could help me upgrade my Driver and reset the MSi AB... i can't find the tutorial of TSM anymore


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Hah! I feel like I should be a reviewer sometimes with how much hardware I go through. I can't think of a card recently that I haven't actually had. And I've owned more than a dozen HD79xx cards. God save my wallet. sugarhell really liked his AMD cards, I don't have any issue with that as deep down I would much rather support AMD myself if I had to pick sides (that doesn't mean I won't own Nvidia if it offers better performance for the games I like to play). Bad info is something I don't like to see though.


I could review GPU's lately too....but I am too much of a noob to dare attempt to think I know enough to do it. Brand new rig head to toe ordered with a 780 so off we go...thats evga 580 ref, xfx hd6970 idk ref, evga 770 axc superclocked, r7970 lightning BE(bad choice....should have consulted these guys first and went reference) and now evga ref 780 titan jr but that will be the first one to go in the rig not in my signature.


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eviltommyng*
> 
> anyone could help me upgrade my Driver and reset the MSi AB... i can't find the tutorial of TSM anymore


I've never had any issue just directly installing the new driver, is it giving you an error or problems somehow?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> I could review GPU's lately too....but I am too much of a noob to dare attempt to think I know enough to do it. Brand new rig head to toe ordered with a 780 so off we go...thats evga 580 ref, xfx hd6970 idk ref, evga 770 axc superclocked, r7970 lightning BE(bad choice....should have consulted these guys first and went reference) and now evga ref 780 titan jr but that will be the first one to go in the rig not in my signature.


Time for a new rig already? I thought you were trying to be satisfied with what you had for a while yet. I just built two identical Haswell rigs for guys I work with, they both got a 7950 as that is the best priced best performing card out right now. I suggested they could wait until the 9000 series but neither of them was interested in waiting until october. I'm pretty happy with the 780 I just picked up myself, I got the Asus DCUII model with custom PCB and it overclocks like a champ, 1306mhz with only +25mv.


----------



## Durvelle27

Does anybody have any experience with BIOs modification. I'm trying to mod my 7970 BIOs to get 1.35+v on the core.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Hah! I feel like I should be a reviewer sometimes with how much hardware I go through. I can't think of a card recently that I haven't actually had. And I've owned more than a dozen HD79xx cards. God save my wallet. sugarhell really liked his AMD cards, I don't have any issue with that as deep down I would much rather support AMD myself if I had to pick sides (that doesn't mean I won't own Nvidia if it offers better performance for the games I like to play). Bad info is something I don't like to see though.


WHat do you mean by bad info? Are you even know about pcb quality and vrms? You dont even know that 1.35+ is a dead zone for titans. You dont care about architecture or die. You care that your vrms are weak for 1.30/1.35 and more volts. Thats why you need hardmod for the vrms.

Why do you think a classified can handle over 1.4 volt with normal cooling (water)? Better vrms than the reference titan/780 pcb. Why do you think 90% gets a custom pcb?

And also you dont know a damn thing about tahiti in general. I went through 30 7970 for mining banning. You know with an ocp hardmod on a ref 7970 you can go up to 1.45 volt and the vrms is just fine.

Even vegas doesnt want to try 1.35 volt on his titans because of the vrms. That is with 33C on his gpu


----------



## Scorpion49

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> WHat do you mean by bad info? Are you even know about pcb quality and vrms? You dont even know that 1.35+ is a dead zone for titans. You dont care about architecture or die. You care that your vrms are weak for 1.30/1.35 and more volts. Thats why you need hardmod for the vrms.
> 
> Why do you think a classified can handle over 1.4 volt with normal cooling (water)? Better vrms than the reference titan/780 pcb. Why do you think 90% gets a custom pcb?
> 
> And also you dont know a damn thing about tahiti in general. I went through 30 7970 for mining banning. You know with an ocp hardmod on a ref 7970 you can go up to 1.45 volt and the vrms is just fine.
> 
> Even vegas doesnt want to try 1.35 volt on his titans because of the vrms. That is with 33C on his gpu


What happened to civil conversations here? You consider the 7970 PCB superior because it can hardmod for more voltage under extreme cooling, thats fine but I find it far-fetched that people would be gaming on 1.45V 7970's on air or water 24/7. The Titan PCB isn't designed with overclocking in mind, but it runs just fine within spec. The 570 and 590 had horrible VRM sections that died under normal use, so they aren't really comparable.

And the point where you were wrong: with the new vdroop BIOS floating around the Titan PCB will happily hold 1.325V with decent air cooling or water. That was why I said you were giving bad info. Fanatical defense of a product isn't really becoming and even if you know what you're talking about it makes people less inclined to believe you.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> You know the coil whine issue,the fact that the after market cards are worse than reference and things like that


Coil whine is pretty random, you could get that with pretty much any card. The aftermarket aren't worse than reference, they just cost more for the same chances in the silicon lottery.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scorpion49*
> 
> Ahh, so YOU are the one that lacks knowledge. Because the VRM section of the Titan/780/770 handles 1.3V+ just fine with the proper BIOS to prevent vdroop, although this was only recently discovered. Also, remember you're talking a die twice the size of your incredible Tahiti chip which means the power delivery system has more work to do in the first place.
> 
> I will agree with you in that the 7970 is better for being unlocked and able to do it out the door while people had to scramble around with trying to get control of the NCP4206 chip.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> WHat do you mean by bad info? Are you even know about pcb quality and vrms? You dont even know that 1.35+ is a dead zone for titans. You dont care about architecture or die. You care that your vrms are weak for 1.30/1.35 and more volts. Thats why you need hardmod for the vrms.
> 
> Why do you think a classified can handle over 1.4 volt with normal cooling (water)? Better vrms than the reference titan/780 pcb. Why do you think 90% gets a custom pcb?
> 
> And also you dont know a damn thing about tahiti in general. I went through 30 7970 for mining banning. You know with an ocp hardmod on a ref 7970 you can go up to 1.45 volt and the vrms is just fine.
> 
> Even vegas doesnt want to try 1.35 volt on his titans because of the vrms. That is with 33C on his gpu


1.35V is going into the danger zone for reference 780s & Titans, at that point you want to be careful of the VRMs. If people were doing 1.4V + I'm 99% sure not all would live.
The 7000s can take a fair bit of voltage, I had a reference powercolor up to 1.56V at 1550 core, at that point the VRMs were pretty much burning hot & at the breaking point, from that point on is where the non-reference cards shine a bit more.


----------



## sugarhell

Hold just fine ? Its a step close to dead zone.I know many titan owners that doesnt want to use 1.35 volt


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Hold just fine ? Its a step close to dead zone.I know many titan owners that doesnt want to use 1.35 volt


I was one of them, after modding for vcore I limited myself to 1.33V after the first titan got killed at like 1.36V.
Since then a few have died at 1.35 - 1.4V. The lowest voltage death I've read of was a Titan at 1.30V.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Does anybody have any experience with BIOs modification. I'm trying to mod my 7970 BIOs to get 1.35+v on the core.


is this just for benching? just use Trixx. it should go all the way to 1.38v.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Does anybody have any experience with BIOs modification. I'm trying to mod my 7970 BIOs to get 1.35+v on the core.


depending on the card it may or may not work, I attempted this on mine and got nowhere, though apart from the DCIIT I'm not sure what others may be locked...

as for the other convos;

- coilwhine, only more noticable on some of the cheaper cards as they have less coils, if a card has heaps of extra coils you would never really notice if a couple were noisy/defective.
- vdroop, also related to amount of coils and VRMs, but its also heavvilly related to your PSU, cables and some software might give different signals to the VRM controllers.

a lot of the custom 79x0s have failed for various reasons, most have only been designed to be cheap and affordable while offering moderate stock overclocks, others have had problems related to the designers clearly having no clue how these chips work and making piss poor design decisions.

9k might be better or worse in the terms of reference vs custom, but honestly I couldn't care, if there's cards with blower coolers I'll likely stick to those...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Coil whine is not exclusive on amd. Also reference design cards should be good cards not like the nvidia's ref. So i dont see a problem.
> 
> See the 780. The ref 780 cant handle 1.35-1.4 volt but the classified just fine. Tsm probably use over 1.3 volt for a year now and his card is just fine


Sorry that's not my point I agree with you that ref should be good but I meant that after market ones were horrible according to you guys cause you said they OC poorly because of the boost BIOS and most are voltage locked like the Asus ones and I know that coil whine isn't amd exclusive but I meant that it should be less a lot of you seem to complain about it specially the 7990 owners
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you own a nvidia card. if you dwell in the nvidia forum more often, you'll find out that coil whine exists with those cards, too. i've had three 7900 series cards. my first 7950 had one but went away after joining the Valley benchmark thread. my current cards don't have any.


Well I did own 2 AMD cards before you know and like I said before I didn't want the 760 I wanted the 7970 but couldn't find any in my country neither did I find a 7950 and also I haven't seen anyone at the 760 thread complaining about coil whine...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Coil whine is pretty random, you could get that with pretty much any card. The aftermarket aren't worse than reference, they just cost more for the same chances in the silicon lottery.
> 
> 1.35V is going into the danger zone for reference 780s & Titans, at that point you want to be careful of the VRMs. If people were doing 1.4V + I'm 99% sure not all would live.
> The 7000s can take a fair bit of voltage, I had a reference powercolor up to 1.56V at 1550 core, at that point the VRMs were pretty much burning hot & at the breaking point, from that point on is where the non-reference cards shine a bit more.


Yes but there shouldn't be many users complaining about it,right?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Sorry that's not my point I agree with you that ref should be good but I meant that after market ones were horrible according to you guys cause you said they OC poorly because of the boost BIOS and most are voltage locked like the Asus ones and I know that coil whine isn't amd exclusive but I meant that it should be less a lot of you seem to complain about it specially the 7990 owners
> Well I did own 2 AMD cards before you know and like I said before I didn't want the 760 I wanted the 7970 but couldn't find any in my country neither did I find a 7950 and also I haven't seen anyone at the 760 thread complaining about coil whine...
> Yes but there shouldn't be many users complaining about it,right?


post # 1850 in the 760 club.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> is this just for benching? just use Trixx. it should go all the way to 1.38v.


Yes its just for benching. Trixx and AB stops at 1.3v


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its on my sig guide the file.


Hmm, gave 4.40b a try, set the voltage to 1.3V in modded Trixx, and am still seeing under 1.24V on the multi-meter. Oh well, guess my card just sucks.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Yes its just for benching. Trixx and AB stops at 1.3v


hmmm. i am using Trixx V 4.3.0 and mine goes to 1.381v. once i set/apply that *and* open AB . . . AB will show the same voltage.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Sorry that's not my point I agree with you that ref should be good but I meant that after market ones were horrible according to you guys cause you said they OC poorly because of the boost BIOS and most are voltage locked like the Asus ones and I know that coil whine isn't amd exclusive but I meant that it should be less a lot of you seem to complain about it specially the 7990 owners
> Well I did own 2 AMD cards before you know and like I said before I didn't want the 760 I wanted the 7970 but couldn't find any in my country neither did I find a 7950 and also I haven't seen anyone at the 760 thread complaining about coil whine...
> Yes but there shouldn't be many users complaining about it,right?


I can't speak for boost bios & locked non-reference PCB (locked non-ref, that is a true facepalm...), at least the early non-ref 7970s could be great or not, but haven't followed closely enough to see if the majority suck these days.

It depends, coil whine really bugs some people but not everyone. I don't always even hear it, & when I do it doesn't bug me so I don't post about it, I imagine there are others too.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> hmmm. i am using Trixx V 4.3.0 and mine goes to 1.381v. once i set/apply that *and* open AB . . . AB will show the same voltage.


Is it modded


----------



## Darklyric

Hey anyone know of a good bios for a wf3 rev 2 7950 voltage locked at 1.25? 2 of the cards i got for mining were at much lower voltage but this one locked at crumy 1.25. I bel.ieve the asic is around 58%. Also I wonder if i could save one of the 1.1 vcore bios cards and flash that to it as they are all rev 2 with hynix ram. Any help would be great thanks!


----------



## ihatelolcats

you can save a bios with gpu-z


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Is it modded


i am not sure. i just dloaded and used it as it is.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> locked at crumy 1.25. I believe the asic is around 58%.


there's much worse, trust me...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i am not sure. i just dloaded and used it as it is.


OK I'll check it again


----------



## timaishu

Seems like my scores are pretty low. Thoughts?

AMD FX-6350 stock settings
AMD HIS 7950 iceQx2 stock settings and then 1100x1500 without any voltage changes


----------



## KnownDragon

Looks good, Hey I have increased my 7950 clocks as high as possible without voltage increase. Question if I increase voltage can I push the clocks more?


----------



## onicactus

JUST GOT MY SAPPHIRE!!!! 7970
its pretty awesome so far
almost had to modify my case to get it to fit in.....
and a lot bigger than the 550ti i was using


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> there's much worse, trust me...


I'm going to be mining with it though so I'd prefer a lower voltage over a higher clock bios.

In gpu-z I doesnt show my bios's name just a bunch of xxxx. If i save it will it show the name so i can start there in searching for a better bios?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> post # 1850 in the 760 club.


So the squely noise is coil whine...good to know that
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I can't speak for boost bios & locked non-reference PCB (locked non-ref, that is a true facepalm...), at least the early non-ref 7970s could be great or not, but haven't followed closely enough to see if the majority suck these days.
> 
> It depends, coil whine really bugs some people but not everyone. I don't always even hear it, & when I do it doesn't bug me so I don't post about it, I imagine there are others too.


So it differs from card to card and some care and others care about it,I always imagined that coil whine is this ultra high loud high pitched unbearable sound...


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> So the squely noise is coil whine...good to know that
> So it differs from card to card and some care and others care about it,I always imagined that *coil whine is this ultra high loud high pitched unbearable sound...*


Depends on the card. For me that is exactly what it was.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Depends on the card. For me that is exactly what it was.


You mean with the ref 7990 you got


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> You mean with the ref 7990 you got


I don't have a reference 7990.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I don't have a reference 7990.


Ya...sorry it's the devil 13 one,right?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Ya...sorry it's the devil 13 one,right?


Ya. I've only seen one other report of voltage whine on these cards, guess I just got unlucky. I'll see how the one I get back from rma is if powercolor will ever email me back.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Seems like my scores are pretty low. Thoughts?
> 
> AMD FX-6350 stock settings
> AMD HIS 7950 iceQx2 stock settings and then 1100x1500 without any voltage changes


might be more cpu+ram bound, 3dmark doesn't tend to play nicely with AMD cpus...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Except for an oced 8120 or something like that...it can get much higher scores.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Seems like my scores are pretty low. Thoughts?
> 
> AMD FX-6350 stock settings
> AMD HIS 7950 iceQx2 stock settings and then 1100x1500 without any voltage changes


what test was that? 3d mark d11??

if it is its kinda little bit "low" for that 1100 OC. id assume. at 1120 i get around 7500+ish with 8000 being highest and *with* *fx4300* not 6300. as you can see above its settings are 1130/1450 with 1157 volt

ps. 14days left=]


----------



## timaishu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> what test was that? 3d mark d11??
> 
> if it is its kinda little bit "low" for that 1100 OC. id assume. at 1120 i get around 7500+ish with 8000 being highest and *with* *fx4300* not 6300. as you can see above its settings are 1130/1450 with 1157 volt
> 
> ps. 14days left=]


Yes it is 3dmark11.

Why is my score so low compared to yours?


----------



## Paul17041993

yea FX just doesn't have the per-core performance that 3dmark favors, you can see how it sort of scales ~4k, ~6k, ~8k with 4 6 and 8 cores, my 8150 @4.5 is around 8k in physics.

memory also seems to drop the graphics score slightly compared to intel processors at the same memory clocks, hoping steamroller will be a lot closer in this regard.


----------



## timaishu

I know my card works as I can max out BF3 and Crysis3 no problem, just strange that it benches lower than others I see here.

I doubt its ram as I have 8 gigs of 1866


----------



## firaaero

Anyone been getting stutter issues playing games windowed mode on a 7970 with two monitors?


----------



## Paul17041993

ok physics was a fair bit lower then I remembered... that's with the 7970 @ 1000/1650 I think, cpu @4.6G and mem @1840

@timaishu yea your graphics definitely seems a lot lower then it should, made sure your ram is in dual-channel? if its in single-channel I believe it will pose a significant bottleneck...

NB and HT overclocks will probably have a large effect too...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> might be more cpu+ram bound, 3dmark doesn't tend to play nicely with AMD cpus...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> ok physics was a fair bit lower then I remembered... that's with the 7970 @ 1000/1650 I think, cpu @4.6G and mem @1840
> 
> @timaishu yea your graphics definitely seems a lot lower then it should, made sure your ram is in dual-channel? if its in single-channel I believe it will pose a significant bottleneck...
> 
> NB and HT overclocks will probably have a large effect too...


win8 scores lower then win 7
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6640467
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6664211
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6665271
granted not 16k but still not bad. you can get 9k np at normal clocks


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ps. 14days left=]


Okay, I might have missed this, but I'm now curious about where you found that out.

Also, I had some time last night to work with my rig for a while. I didn't update the BIOS, but I did change the sleep states. I updated to 13.10 beta drivers, and I disabled ULPS. Now, we'll just see what happens after I put it to sleep once or twice. If there are still problems, I'll mess with the SSD some more, and I might resort to running my rig all day and shutting it down every night. +Rep to everyone who helped (I think I got everyone). Thanks again to you all.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Seems like my scores are pretty low. Thoughts?
> 
> AMD FX-6350 stock settings
> AMD HIS 7950 iceQx2 stock settings and then 1100x1500 without any voltage changes


Your score is very low.

This is with a 7870


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Yes it is 3dmark11.
> 
> Why is my score so low compared to yours?


To be honest I truely do not know.
Of course megaman posted physics scores scaling and it was OBVIOUS because you had a 6000, i had 4700, 8130 had 8000.
so then it leaves us with GPU itself. check the memory, RMA it i wouldnt really know maybe the technictions can explain something! =/
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Okay, I might have missed this, but I'm now curious about where you found that out.
> 
> Also, I had some time last night to work with my rig for a while. I didn't update the BIOS, but I did change the sleep states. I updated to 13.10 beta drivers, and I disabled ULPS. Now, we'll just see what happens after I put it to sleep once or twice. If there are still problems, I'll mess with the SSD some more, and I might resort to running my rig all day and shutting it down every night. +Rep to everyone who helped (I think I got everyone). Thanks again to you all.


Those were my scores I have a whole list of scores if you want to see=] check em out

so those are at diff OC settings..sometimes a high OC gave me less performance than low..somewhat confusing but oh well.
PS if you notice when I raise the voltage by .05 on the bottom with same stable OC, I increase my score by 1k, perhaps your card needs a little bit more juice, try ramping up the voltage a bit!!


----------



## bond32

2 different benchmarks, 2 different operating systems. Can't compare any of that.


----------



## Paul17041993

looking at my results, there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between win 7 and 8, but that might just be my setup...

one other possibility is that there could be a bunch of error correction running which would significantly reduce the scores, could try underclocking the card (leave voltages at stock) and see how the scores scale, and we probably need to make sure the cards running on the full 16 lanes too...

side note, noticed today a crapload of graphical artifacts (texture corruption mainly) on spiral knights, though graphics were not anything harsh so the card was probably in idle clocks for the majority of it, 13.8.2 drivers,
haven't confirmed anything else though so it may just be a one-time bug...


----------



## hyphenated

Sorry - got lost in the thread and missed your reply. Thanks for pointers. Any suggestions on a shut-down program? It's vaguely UPS-like, but if I can find a package that can initiate shutdown from one or more switches and/or a temperature that would be an elegant fix.


----------



## Paul17041993

you would need something that can send a command, like "shutdown /h" (hibernate), not sure what programs have that feature though... looks like speedfan does provided it can read the sensors you want... (not always the case, but usually cpu and gpus are fine)


----------



## BillOhio

So, my top card had been shooting up to over 100 C within just a few minutes of gaming. I have since bought a riser so my bottom card would fit in my bottom PCIe slot and a 10CM crossfire bridge to span the space created by lowering the bottom card. (altogether with shipping and duty this was over $90). There is a Bitfenix Spectre just in front of the 2 cards and I can see myself adhering another fan outside the back of the case as an exhaust. As things stand, my top card seems to be staying under 65c so that's pretty good progress. The readings on Afterburner still seem weird but at least I can use both of my cards now.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> So, my top card had been shooting up to over 100 C within just a few minutes of gaming. I have since bought a riser so my bottom card would fit in my bottom PCIe slot and a 10CM crossfire bridge to span the space created by lowering the bottom card. (altogether with shipping and duty this was over $90). There is a Bitfenix Spectre just in front of the 2 cards and I can see myself adhering another fan outside the back of the case as an exhaust. As things stand, my top card seems to be staying under 65c so that's pretty good progress. The readings on Afterburner still seem weird but at least I can use both of my cards now.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


That's perfectly acceptable now.
Congrats!


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> That's perfectly acceptable now.
> Congrats!


Hey, Thanks Man. I confess to feeling just a bit pleased with myself. On ultra at 2560 x 1440 my FPS on Heaven went from hovering around 34 to hovering around 60, so I guess I'm seeing the performance from the 2nd card immediately, and with what seems to be respectable scaling. I haven't OC'd past Gigabyte's factory OC'd 1000 and I'm not sure that I will. Will an OC raise heat, and therefore noise?

I'm sure there are some guys with newer CPUs putting up bigger benchmarks on 7950 XFire. I had been fighting the urge to upgrade to a 4770k and an Asus Z87 Deluxe but I dropped a $K today on a jacket 2 weeks after dropping $650 on the cards and I think that that's enough spending on non essentials for right now...


----------



## anubis1127

What temps should I try to keep VRM1, and VRM2 under?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> What temps should I try to keep VRM1, and VRM2 under?


aim for under full load to around 90*C or lower for VRM's


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillOhio*
> 
> Hey, Thanks Man. I confess to feeling just a bit pleased with myself. On ultra at 2560 x 1440 my FPS on Heaven went from hovering around 34 to hovering around 60, so I guess I'm seeing the performance from the 2nd card immediately, and with what seems to be respectable scaling. I haven't OC'd past Gigabyte's factory OC'd 1000 and I'm not sure that I will. Will an OC raise heat, and therefore noise?
> 
> I'm sure there are some guys with newer CPUs putting up bigger benchmarks on 7950 XFire. I had been fighting the urge to upgrade to a 4770k and an Asus Z87 Deluxe but I dropped a $K today on a jacket 2 weeks after dropping $650 on the cards and I think that that's enough spending on non essentials for right now...


I just dropped about $320 on a third 7950 and gpu block... Now im in the same boat, can't upgrade anything else for a while.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> aim for under full load to around 90*C or lower for VRM's


Thanks! I'm sitting at 70C on 1, and around 54c on 2.


----------



## istudy92

13 days left=]


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 13 days left=]


Until what!


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 13 days left=]


You do realize this is not the launch date for the HD9 series from AMD. It's just a PR event where it is expected that they will unveil the new gpu's. Launch is speculated to be October. It will be nice to see them and get concrete info from AMD and start to see some performance reviews. But, again, it won't be until October or so until you will actually be able to purchase one.


----------



## jerrolds

They should announce specs, pricing and hopefully reviewers will have articles up and running assuming they have them ready now but NDA are preventing them from release.


----------



## meloj17

Can I just install the Beta drives w/o a drive clean?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> Can I just install the Beta drives w/o a drive clean?


Would a link here be a useful response? This guide is what I use every time I update drivers, just to make sure everything will go smoothly.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> You do realize this is not the launch date for the HD9 series from AMD. It's just a PR event where it is expected that they will unveil the new gpu's. Launch is speculated to be October. It will be nice to see them and get concrete info from AMD and start to see some performance reviews. But, again, it won't be until October or so until you will actually be able to purchase one.


I think most of us would just be excited to see the official cards for a start...


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> Until what!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> You do realize this is not the launch date for the HD9 series from AMD. It's just a PR event where it is expected that they will unveil the new gpu's. Launch is speculated to be October. It will be nice to see them and get concrete info from AMD and start to see some performance reviews. But, again, it won't be until October or so until you will actually be able to purchase one.


13 days until AMD announces thier new GPUs.

And yes i know that, i am excited because then it will finally reveal what rumors are true and what rumors arnt, PLUS an updated roadmap to steamroller cpus=]=]=]!!!!

Rumors in summery that interest anyone here would be such:

"titan killer" flagship gpu will out perform titan
"600 under" best card for under 600? thats a deal right there espiecally if its a titan killer
"R9" name code...kool i guess?
apart from that idc about the nitty greddy details inside card for now. uiim more excited about BF 4 with the card=]


----------



## meloj17

Wow am I ever confused! I've been trying to get solid fps in BF3 with 7950 Xfires, but just cant get it toptimized. So I tried installing the new beta drive 13.10, but afterburner and CCC show my card/cards with default minimum clocks of 500 and 625!! What happened to 1000 and 1250? \

Any help would be appreciated! Here is the original thread I posted asking for assistance with the Xfire: http://www.overclock.net/t/1425864/7950-crossfire-help/10#post_20790389


----------



## Darklyric

*Do Not Use With WIN8*Use amd driver uninstall utility http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx[/URL] board as it will delete those too. Then install 13.8
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8WINBetaDriver.aspx


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> Wow am I ever confused! I've been trying to get solid fps in BF3 with 7950 Xfires, but just cant get it toptimized. So I tried installing the new beta drive 13.10, but afterburner and CCC show my card/cards with default minimum clocks of 500 and 625!! What happened to 1000 and 1250? \
> 
> Any help would be appreciated! Here is the original thread I posted asking for assistance with the Xfire: http://www.overclock.net/t/1425864/7950-crossfire-help/10#post_20790389


what does gpuz says about your default clock? if you raise clocks using AB, does it goes back to 500 and 625?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> *Do Not Use With WIN8*Use amd driver uninstall utility http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx[/URL] board as it will delete those too. Then install 13.8
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8WINBetaDriver.aspx


why 13.8 beta? there are bug fixes from 13.8 beta in the 13.10 beta... so 13.10 should perform better... imho


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nightfox*
> 
> why 13.8 beta? there are bug fixes from 13.8 beta in the 13.10 beta... so 13.10 should perform better... imho


you can say that about every update, but there's always reasons why older versions are still in use.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> *Do Not Use With WIN8*Use amd driver uninstall utility http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx[/URL] board as it will delete those too. Then install 13.8
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8WINBetaDriver.aspx


So the uninstaller won't work at all for windows 8?


----------



## Shiromar

Hey guys, I just received my second Gigabyte 7950 today and ran into some issues getting everything set-up and getting CF working. I've made a thread here if anyone could give me a hand getting things back on the road. At this point I'm almost tempted to do a complete system reinstall to see if that will get things working.


----------



## istudy92

12 days my comrads


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> So the uninstaller won't work at all for windows 8?


don't think so unless it specifically says so, nor I don't think its needed at all...


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> don't think so unless it specifically says so, nor I don't think its needed at all...


I ask because this is what it says on the AMD site:

Description:
"This standalone uninstallation utility will clean your system of any existing AMD Catalyst™ drivers to prepare your PC for the clean installation of a new driver version. Currently supports Windows 7 at this time.
After running the utility, a restart of the computer is required to fully remove driver files that may be in use during the uninstall process. Installing a new driver prior to a system restart may cause the operating system to not function properly."


----------



## 4514kaiser

Hey I complete forgot whether installation of Cap drivers were required after you have install CCC!!

All Cap files are included in CCC if CCC is the latest driver update correct?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Hey I complete forgot whether installation of Cap drivers were required after you have install CCC!!
> 
> All Cap files are included in CCC if CCC is the latest driver update correct?


well, last I checked you don't install the caps at all on the 13.8 or 13.10 drivers, pretty sure they have it all built-in by now...


----------



## maynard14

hi there is this card good?

http://www.powercolor.com/Global/products_layer_2.asp?ByBus=PCI-E&ByClass=ByUniqueFeature&VGASeries=RADEON%20HD7000%20Series&IsView=0&Series=Vortex

my friend is selling it for a cheap price,...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> hi there is this card good?
> 
> http://www.powercolor.com/Global/products_layer_2.asp?ByBus=PCI-E&ByClass=ByUniqueFeature&VGASeries=RADEON%20HD7000%20Series&IsView=0&Series=Vortex
> 
> my friend is selling it for a cheap price,...


if you mean cheap asin around 200 bucks or less, go for it, otherwise I'm not particularly sure how good it would be...


----------



## JRuxGaming

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> *Do Not Use With WIN8*Use amd driver uninstall utility http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/catalyst-uninstall-utility.aspx[/URL] board as it will delete those too. Then install 13.8
> http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/AMDCatalyst13-8WINBetaDriver.aspx


If you follow the guide on OCN on how to properly uninstall ATI Drivers, that still works perfectly fine on Windows 8. I use 13.10 beta drivers in Windows 8 and it runs perfectly fine.


----------



## BYOGamingPC

I owned a couple of these Sapphire HD 7950 w/ Boost 21196-00-20G http://amzn.to/14N0pLI cards and they were beasts when it came to overclocking. The only problem was that I had to jack up the fan speed and they were a bit loud but man they were fast. I also used them for scrypt mining and they were getting 620 kh/s each easily.


----------



## Darklyric

you would think they would boil scypt mining.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> if you mean cheap asin around 200 bucks or less, go for it, otherwise I'm not particularly sure how good it would be...


thank you sir,. ahhh i read the comments on newegg of the card,.. i think its not that good quality card,.. ill just pass the deal,.. and wait still for the amd 9xx cards.. thanks


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir,. ahhh i read the comments on newegg of the card,.. i think its not that good quality card,.. ill just pass the deal,.. and wait still for the amd 9xx cards.. thanks


i have this (check out the comments) . . .

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131468

it is watered

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6564785


----------



## Erick Silver

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMD-Radeon-HD-7970-Sapphire-Dual-X-/130984979010?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item1e7f502a42

GET IT WHILE YOU CAN!!! NO BIDS!!!!


----------



## Erick Silver

$600 IN MY POCKET AND I CAN'T TOUCH A PENNY OF IT..... /RAGE


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> $600 IN MY POCKET AND I CAN'T TOUCH A PENNY OF IT..... /RAGE


I hope it's not all in pennies. You would need some large pockets for that.


----------



## CptAsian

So after using my HD 7990 for a week, which is actually just a few hours, I can conclude that it gets stupid hot. Almost concerningly hot. I have to run the fans at 80%, which is around 4200 RPM, to keep the temps below 80C. Is this okay to run the fans this fast for a few hours at a time? Also, that ticking noise is still there. It doesn't really sound like coil whine, but it could be. Thoughts?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> So after using my HD 7990 for a week, which is actually just a few hours, I can conclude that it gets stupid hot. Almost concerningly hot. I have to run the fans at 80%, which is around 4200 RPM, to keep the temps below 80C. Is this okay to run the fans this fast for a few hours at a time? Also, that ticking noise is still there. It doesn't really sound like coil whine, but it could be. Thoughts?


Fans should be fine.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i have this (check out the comments) . . .
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131468
> 
> it is watered
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6564785


thank you sir.,.. but his selling the vortex II edition.,., so its not the same but your score is very good,.. ill still wait for the new gpu amd.. thanks sir for the reply


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> So after using my HD 7990 for a week, which is actually just a few hours, I can conclude that it gets stupid hot. Almost concerningly hot. I have to run the fans at 80%, which is around 4200 RPM, to keep the temps below 80C. Is this okay to run the fans this fast for a few hours at a time? Also, that ticking noise is still there. It doesn't really sound like coil whine, but it could be. Thoughts?


I've ran all my GPU fans at 100% just fine. Just sounds like a jet. XD


----------



## anubis1127

+1 to that, I have my 7970 @ 100% right now because its folding, and I can still hear it out in the living room 20 feet away.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir.,.. but his selling the vortex II edition.,., so its not the same but your score is very good,.. ill still wait for the new gpu amd.. thanks sir for the reply


you're welcome maynard. the main thing is to find out if the card has voltage control. the cooling can be dealt with later. change the tim, add fans, or water. i am not sure if that card will fit any waterblock or if you are planning on water. still, the main thing is if the card is unlocked.

now, if you are seeking a card for benching, then i will recommend what most others willl - a reference card and water cool it. for gaming, an unlocked ordinary 7970 is best.

btw, that card will take up to 3 slots, i believe.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4514kaiser*
> 
> Hey I complete forgot whether installation of Cap drivers were required after you have install CCC!!
> 
> All Cap files are included in CCC if CCC is the latest driver update correct?


yes
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I hope it's not all in pennies. You would need some large pockets for that.


hahaha


----------



## Thernen

Here are my 2 new Gigabyte 7970 with EK blocks.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> Here are my 2 new Gigabyte 7970 with EK blocks.










Looks good.


----------



## timaishu

Using my new qnix 1440p display, I have finally been able to bring my 7950 to its knees. BF3 Ultra @1440p didn't even scare it one bit. Solid 40+ fps no matter the fire fight.

With Crysis 3 though, or lawd. Getting 22fps max. I was getting around 40+ at 1680x1050.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you're welcome maynard. the main thing is to find out if the card has voltage control. the cooling can be dealt with later. change the tim, add fans, or water. i am not sure if that card will fit any waterblock or if you are planning on water. still, the main thing is if the card is unlocked.
> 
> now, if you are seeking a card for benching, then i will recommend what most others willl - a reference card and water cool it. for gaming, an unlocked ordinary 7970 is best.
> 
> btw, that card will take up to 3 slots, i believe.


thanks sir btw heres the card

http://www.tipidpc.com/viewitem.php?iid=26218413

its has no shop warranty and no box and manual but its cheap 285.03 USD

thanks sir,.. im still thinking if this card 7970 or brand new 7970 or wait for 9xx cards


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Using my new qnix 1440p display, I have finally been able to bring my 7950 to its knees. BF3 Ultra @1440p didn't even scare it one bit. Solid 40+ fps no matter the fire fight.
> 
> *With Crysis 3 though, or lawd. Getting 22fps max. I was getting around 40+ at 1680x1050.*


Those darn ropes.

Crytek Development starts at 00:56:

"Do you know what we need? Some rope"


----------



## istudy92

11 days boys!

almist in ssingle didgets!!


----------



## hucklebuck

My MSI 7950 has ASIC quality of 60.8%. Is that good or bad? What does it mean?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> My MSI 7950 has ASIC quality of 60.8%. Is that good or bad? What does it mean?


It doesn't mean much, other than your chip will need more voltage to be stable.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> So after using my HD 7990 for a week, which is actually just a few hours, I can conclude that it gets stupid hot. Almost concerningly hot. I have to run the fans at 80%, which is around 4200 RPM, to keep the temps below 80C. Is this okay to run the fans this fast for a few hours at a time? Also, that ticking noise is still there. It doesn't really sound like coil whine, but it could be. Thoughts?


yea they need a crapload of airflow, 2 or 3 strong (1200rpm or higher) 120mm fans to suck the air off the card should keep it cool...

might scribble up a flow diagram if people want...?

also to add to the noise debate, mine sounds like a fuel deprived lawnmower when at 100%, though not quite as loud as the two 120mm's on my thermaltake...


----------



## maynard14

hi again ocn ,.. i will buy a reference card 7970 powercolor tomorrow and i will cross fire it to my power color myst edition tahiti chipset,..

im just thinking that there is only one connector for the crossfire bridge to the 7870 myst



while the reference card it has 2 crossfire bridge connector,...



will it work for crossfire this two video cards?

im worried it wont work before i purchase the card,..


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> hi again ocn ,.. i will buy a reference card 7970 powercolor tomorrow and i will cross fire it to my power color myst edition tahiti chipset,..
> 
> im just thinking that there is only one connector for the crossfire bridge to the 7870 myst
> 
> 
> 
> while the reference card it has 2 crossfire bridge connector,...
> 
> 
> 
> will it work for crossfire this two video cards?
> 
> im worried it wont work before i purchase the card,..


Why do you want to CF a 7970, and a 7870XT?

You just need one CF bridge for 2 cards, the other connector is for adding more cards.


----------



## maynard14

coz currently sir i have 7870 myst,.. and i found a very cheap reference card 7970 powercolor,. before i sell my 7870 myst i want to try to crossfire them sir ,. and see if i can gain some fps,..will they work sir?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> coz currently sir i have 7870 myst,.. and i found a very cheap reference card 7970 powercolor,. before i sell my 7870 myst i want to try to crossfire them sir ,. and see if i can gain some fps,..will they work sir?


It should work, but the extra SPs and vram on the 7970 will be disabled to match the 7870 XT. That is why I asked, if you were buying it as a long term CF solution, I would just recommend another 7870XT.


----------



## maynard14

i see sir... ill just need to put the crossfire bridge to the first slot of the reference card 7970 to the 7870 myst ? right sir? im just experimenting sir,.. i just want to see the fps gain if i crossfire the 2 cards,.. and if not then i would sell the 7870 myst and save money for the other 1 7970 to crossfire them


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> hi again ocn ,.. i will buy a reference card 7970 powercolor tomorrow and i will cross fire it to my power color myst edition tahiti chipset,..
> 
> im just thinking that there is only one connector for the crossfire bridge to the 7870 myst
> 
> 
> 
> while the reference card it has 2 crossfire bridge connector,...
> 
> 
> 
> will it work for crossfire this two video cards?
> 
> im worried it wont work before i purchase the card,..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Why do you want to CF a 7970, and a 7870XT?
> 
> You just need one CF bridge for 2 cards, the other connector is for adding more cards.


to my understanding you CAN NOT cfx a 78xx and a 79xx you can do any of the 79xx in cfx though


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> to my understanding you CAN NOT cfx a 78xx and a 79xx you can do any of the 79xx in cfx though


7870XT is Tahiti LE, they should have named it 7930 to avoid confusion.


----------



## maynard14

but sir i search that you can crossfire same tahiti chipset to the other just like 7870 myst which is a tahiti can crossfire to 7970 tahiti,.. i just googled it hehe


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> if you were buying it as a long term CF solution, I would just recommend another 7870XT.


He mentioned in another thread that he can't find any 7870s in his country.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Hey OCN, joined because I have a question. I have a Sapphire HD 7950 in an eGPU setup with my laptop, and I'm working on perfecting my overclock. I've overclocked my 670 back home, but that's considerably easier to OC than this card.

Right now I'm at 1150/1600 at 1.268 mV. I can clock up to 1200 MHz but I get artifacting in some games.

Anyway, I feel like if I up the voltage more (can go up to 1.3v) I can go a bit higher without artifacting, but my card doesn't have VRM temp monitors. Do you think this would be safe to do, or would my card's VRM go boom? I'm mainly looking for answers from people who have run high voltages for a long time.

Keep in mind this isn't a 24/7 OC, when I'm not gaming I downclock my card to 900/1200 at 1.068 mV.

Max temp under load with the higher OC is about 62c on cool days, up to about 68c on hot days.


----------



## sugarhell

Dont cf 7870xt with 7970. 256 bit vs 384 bit memory bus. More shaders on the 7970s. You can sell your cards and wait for the new flagship soon


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> Hey OCN, joined because I have a question. I have a Sapphire HD 7950 in an eGPU setup with my laptop, and I'm working on perfecting my overclock. I've overclocked my 670 back home, but that's considerably easier to OC than this card.
> 
> Right now I'm at 1150/1600 at 1.268 mV. I can clock up to 1200 MHz but I get artifacting in some games.
> 
> Anyway, I feel like if I up the voltage more (can go up to 1.3v) I can go a bit higher without artifacting, but my card doesn't have VRM temp monitors. Do you think this would be safe to do, or would my card's VRM go boom? I'm mainly looking for answers from people who have run high voltages for a long time.
> 
> Keep in mind this isn't a 24/7 OC, when I'm not gaming I downclock my card to 900/1200 at 1.068 mV.
> 
> Max temp under load with the higher OC is about 62c on cool days, up to about 68c on hot days.


what app are you using to check temps?


----------



## maynard14

coz i found a 7970 and its only 217 dollars. later on if doesnt cf well i will be selling the 7870 myst and cross fire it with another 7970 or sell the 7970 also n buy a 9xx series cards


----------



## hucklebuck

I got a question about checking the overclock on my MSI 7950. I am using Afterburner and Kombustor. What tests should I be running in Kombustor to look for artifacts? Like under which tab: 3D Tests, GPU Burn in?


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> what app are you using to check temps?


GPU-Z and Sapphire Trixx.

Apparently my card does not have VRM temp monitors because every piece of software I've tried does not show them for my card.

Forgot to add, my card does not have a reference cooler, it has Sapphire's Dual ACX cooler, I think.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I got a question about checking the overclock on my MSI 7950. I am using Afterburner and Kombustor. What tests should I be running in Kombustor to look for artifacts? Like under which tab: 3D Tests, GPU Burn in?


Kombustor isn't the best stress test for GPU OCs. I usually use Heaven 4.0 on max settings to check for artifacts, and then some DX11 games.


----------



## sugarhell

^


----------



## hucklebuck

I have Heaven 4.0 installed along with Crysis (the first one), Metro 2033 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Call of Pripyat. Those good? If not I got a free game coupon that I got from New Egg, which games are good to check with that are fun?

Another question. In Kombustor under the GPU Burn in tab I will run a test and my gpu mhz will fluctuate up and down but when I up the Power Limit in Afterburner it goes away. Depending on the 3D api sometimes it takes more, like Opengl 2 requires more Power Limit than DirectX 11. What is going on? Under which 3D api should I set my Power Limit to? I don't want it higher than I need cause it raises temps and I'm still on stock cooling.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I have Heaven 4.0 installed along with Crysis (the first one), Metro 2033 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - Call of Pripyat. Those good? If not I got a free game coupon that I got from New Egg, which games are good to check with that are fun?
> 
> Another question. In Kombustor under the GPU Burn in tab I will run a test and my gpu mhz will fluctuate up and down but when I up the Power Limit in Afterburner it goes away. Depending on the 3D api sometimes it takes more, like Opengl 2 requires more Power Limit than DirectX 11. What is going on? Under which 3D api should I set my Power Limit to? I don't want it higher than I need cause it raises temps and I'm still on stock cooling.


Yeah, those should be fine. I usually throw some BF3, Crysis 2, and FC3 at it, or just whatever more demanding game I have installed. Basically whatever game you want to play, try that.

I'm not sure about the GPU burn question, I don't install Kombustor because I have found it to be worthless. Whenever I OC my 7970 it seems like I have to set the power limit to 20%, or it will downclock intermittently while folding. [email protected] / BOINC are another good way to stress test a GPU OC.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> GPU-Z and Sapphire Trixx.
> 
> Apparently my card does not have VRM temp monitors because every piece of software I've tried does not show them for my card.
> 
> Forgot to add, my card does not have a reference cooler, it has Sapphire's Dual ACX cooler, I think.


try this app . . .

http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php

avoid the add ons. scroll down to see vrms' temps (in case your card has them).


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Yeah, those should be fine. I usually throw some BF3, Crysis 2, and FC3 at it, or just whatever more demanding game I have installed. Basically whatever game you want to play, try that.
> 
> I'm not sure about the GPU burn question, I don't install Kombustor because I have found it to be worthless. Whenever I OC my 7970 it seems like I have to set the power limit to 20%, or it will downclock intermittently while folding. [email protected] / BOINC are another good way to stress test a GPU OC.


How do you use [email protected] to check for gpu oc? Does it fail or tell you you're not stable? By the way +rep.


----------



## anubis1127

Yeah, if the OC is unstable it will fail the project.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> try this app . . .
> 
> http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php
> 
> avoid the add ons. scroll down to see vrms' temps (in case your card has them).


Tried that program already, vrm does not appear in the list.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> Tried that program already, vrm does not appear in the list.


yup, you got one that does not have sensors. sucks.


----------



## bond32

Trifire baby!


----------



## BillOhio

^Sweet, how does the 3rd card scale?


----------



## bond32

No idea, just came in today. Pulled a trick so I didn't have to drain the entire loop to add the third card. So far so good!

According to benchmarks, it scales pretty darn good. Not as good as going from 1 to 2, but good. Ill be testing and benching later today.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> yup, you got one that does not have sensors. sucks.


Weaksauce. Anybody running high voltage on their cards have anything to share about longevity?

Also, while running benchmarks GPUZ says my card was using over 60A of power... My psu only has 46A on the 12v rail, and I have a hard time believing that this card is using more than my 600w psu outputs... Am I missing something here or is GPUZ just wrong?


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> yup, you got one that does not have sensors. sucks.
> 
> 
> 
> Weaksauce. Anybody running high voltage on their cards have anything to share about longevity?
> 
> Also, while running benchmarks GPUZ says my card was using over 60A of power... My psu only has 46A on the 12v rail, and I have a hard time believing that this card is using more than my 600w psu outputs... Am I missing something here or is GPUZ just wrong?
Click to expand...

46A at 12V = 550W
60A at 1.25v = 75W only
well that cant be right. idk how gpuz measures or calculates that value


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> 46A at 12V = 550W
> 60A at 1.25v = 75W only
> well that cant be right. idk how gpuz measures or calculates that value


That's what I missed. I thought it meant 60a at 12v, not 1.25. Thanks.


----------



## Thernen

I am in need of some advice. I just got 2 7970's for my system. I also purchased 2 of these monitors

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung+-+C750+Series+27%26%2334%3B+LED+HD+Monitor/8585136.p?id=1218879338068&skuId=8585136

I have one hooked up from monitor hdmi to card. The other is a dvi from monitor to hdmi (dvi to hdmi cable).

My question is if I get a 3rd one of these monitors what would I need to run it and use eyefinty? This is first time going multimonitor with ati cards.


----------



## Mega Man

you need an active display port adapter.... please note the active if you get a passive one it will not work


----------



## Thernen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you need an active display port adapter.... please note the active if you get a passive one it will not work


This this one will work?

http://www.frys.com/product/7415405?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> This this one will work?
> 
> http://www.frys.com/product/7415405?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG


No, that one is passive.

An active one will run you $25-30 typically.


----------



## Paul17041993

pretty sure the outputs on the second card are still functional, unless the 7xx0 series had that removed...?


----------



## bond32

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1224995?

I'll take it!!


----------



## Thernen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> pretty sure the outputs on the second card are still functional, unless the 7xx0 series had that removed...?


I am new to Crossfire and multiple monitor setup. If someone can please confirm that would be great. I ordered the 3rd monitor but no adapter yet. If I need one I was looking on Amazon if someone could suggest one.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> I am new to Crossfire and multiple monitor setup. If someone can please confirm that would be great. I ordered the 3rd monitor but no adapter yet. If I need one I was looking on Amazon if someone could suggest one.


All monitors must be connected to the primary card for multi-monitor use. The second card is only used for added GPU horsepower and VRAM mirroring (to my knowledge).


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> I am new to Crossfire and multiple monitor setup. If someone can please confirm that would be great. I ordered the 3rd monitor but no adapter yet. If I need one I was looking on Amazon if someone could suggest one.


Amazon active displayport to dvi

All three monitors need to be plugged into the top GPU (or primary).


----------



## Thernen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Amazon active displayport to dvi
> 
> All three monitors need to be plugged into the top GPU (or primary).


Anyone used them? Any better than the other?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> Anyone used them? Any better than the other?


Actually that link wasn't the best, you'll want one of the active mini-DP to DVI for the 7970.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Actually that link wasn't the best, you'll want one of the active mini-DP to DVI for the 7970.


I think the monitors he linked only accept VGA and hdmi?

Edit: I am on my iPhone and things don't always load correctly, like BestBuy website!


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Actually that link wasn't the best, you'll want one of the active mini-DP to DVI for the 7970.


I wasn't sure how much those cost, quite happy I got one with my 7990 now.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> I think the monitors he linked only accept VGA and hdmi?
> 
> Edit: I am on my iPhone and things don't always load correctly, like BestBuy website!


Haha, you are correct, I just looked at them. That is rather odd for Input.

In that case, Thernen, this should work: Accell (B086B-008B-2) UltraAV Mini DisplayPort 1.1 to HDMI 1.4 Active Adapter - AMD Eyefinity Certified

Even says Eyefinity in the description. 

[edit] fail link


----------



## Thernen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> I think the monitors he linked only accept VGA and hdmi?
> 
> Edit: I am on my iPhone and things don't always load correctly, like BestBuy website!


Yes they have 2 HDMI and a VGA. Was going to use HDMI.

Right on one is hooked up HDMI. And the other using HDMI to dvi cable.


----------



## istudy92

10 days!!!!!!!!! last time we will be in double didgets!!!


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 10 days!!!!!!!!! last time we will be in double didgets!!!


Til what, announcement of 9 series? Specs will probably be leaked before then.


----------



## maynard14

hi there so i bought the 7970 card and i tried crossfire x on my 7870 myst,.. but i have a problem : here it is



i already connect them with the right cross fire bridge,,, and still it gives me that error,.. do i get that error because of incompatibility of the cards? or is there something missing?

i isntalled 13.10 beta driver,.. do i need to install AMD Catalyst Application Profiles?

sorry for being noob,.. this is my first time trying to crossfire x


----------



## process

put this in the eyefinity forum a while ago but no reply..

does it make a difference if using 2 active mini dp to hdmi/dvi in comparisson to using 1?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> hi there so i bought the 7970 card and i tried crossfire x on my 7870 myst,.. but i have a problem : here it is
> 
> 
> 
> i already connect them with the right cross fire bridge,,, and still it gives me that error,.. do i get that error because of incompatibility of the cards? or is there something missing?
> 
> i isntalled 13.10 beta driver,.. do i need to install AMD Catalyst Application Profiles?
> 
> sorry for being noob,.. this is my first time trying to crossfire x


could be a bad bridge, or you could try hooking the 7970 end to the other slot, making it sit at an angle, other then that you may need to do some bios and/or driver tricks to get them to recognize correctly...


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> could be a bad bridge, or you could try hooking the 7970 end to the other slot, making it sit at an angle, other then that you may need to do some bios and/or driver tricks to get them to recognize correctly...


i installed fresh windows 7 on my other hdd and still the same .. so i think no driver issues... i just have one cross fire bridge so i cant test the bridge,.. so i just give up... i will sell my myst this sat... and think if i should buy another 7970 reference card,.

thanks to all the advices,..


----------



## marsey99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1224995?
> 
> I'll take it!!


dude i am scoring 12k with 1 card and have seen others beat that with only 2.

i think something is off with that tbh


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *marsey99*
> 
> dude i am scoring 12k with 1 card and have seen others beat that with only 2.
> 
> i think something is off with that tbh


Links? Clocks?

Useless post? yes.

Any my cpu is only at 4.5 ghz.

And my cards are only at 1150 core.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Links? Clocks?
> 
> Useless post? yes.
> 
> Any my cpu is only at 4.5 ghz.
> 
> And my cards are only at 1150 core.


marsey is prolly talking about a different benchmark. 3DMark11 maybe?

anyway, bond, you are matching a Titan in sli. good job, man.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> marsey is prolly talking about a different benchmark. 3DMark11 maybe?
> 
> anyway, bond, you are matching a Titan in sli. good job, man.


Thanks, that's what I was seeing. At any rate either my cpu is garbage or I still don't know what I'm doing. Pulling my hair out over this 4770k


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Thanks, that's what I was seeing. At any rate either my cpu is garbage or I still don't know what I'm doing. Pulling my hair out over this 4770k


my i7 SB at 5 only gets 11300.









edit: 12800 physics in Firestrike. so, your chip is definitely faster.


----------



## maynard14

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7166071

wooohh i think my card is very weak? all stock no oc on the card but my cpu is oc to 4.4

huhu is this normal?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7166071
> 
> wooohh i think my card is very weak? all stock no oc on the card but my cpu is oc to 4.4
> 
> huhu is this normal?


yes, it is. here is my 7970 at stock . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6290837

don't laugh. that can max out BF3 MP 64.


----------



## istudy92

Yes i
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Til what, announcement of 9 series? Specs will probably be leaked before then.


f

Yes 10 days till announcement, but 9-8 days for a very good solid leak


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> yes, it is. here is my 7970 at stock . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6290837
> 
> don't laugh. that can max out BF3 MP 64.


thank you sir but im just confuse i have seen 7950 at 8k score to and even 7870 myst i have also 8k mark,... hmmmm its just like i dont feel an upgrade from my 7870 myst to 7970.. hahah


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir but im just confuse i have seen 7950 at 8k score to and even 7870 myst i have also 8k mark,... hmmmm its just like i dont feel an upgrade from my 7870 myst to 7970.. hahah


here HT off . . .

7950 at 7970 GHz speed. use Trixx and try to leave the voltage alone. see if it runs. maybe crank the fan up to 70% just to be safe . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5156575

in your case, you prolly only need 1050/1500.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir but im just confuse i have seen 7950 at 8k score to and even 7870 myst i have also 8k mark,... hmmmm its just like i dont feel an upgrade from my 7870 myst to 7970.. hahah


Seems pretty normal. I just disabled 2 cores on my 3930k, and ran 3dmark11 with my 7970 @ 925 / 1500, and got p9206.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7166193

Forgot to turn HT off when I was in the BIOS.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> here HT off . . .
> 
> 7950 at 7970 GHz speed. use Trixx and try to leave the voltage alone. see if it runs. maybe crank the fan up to 70% just to be safe . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5156575
> 
> in your case, you prolly only need 1050/1500.


thanks sir that is crazy hehe see 7950 beats 7970 ,.. haha but mine i wont oc im afraid haha and i notice while playing a gmae it does reach 80c max temp huhu


----------



## badtaylorx

wanted to stop by this club and show you guys what im building for my little brother,

if anybody likes it, i figured you guys would...

http://s1084.photobucket.com/user/badtaylorx/media/WP_20130914_00_17_57_Pro_zpsb45da370.jpg.html


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thanks sir that is crazy hehe see 7950 beats 7970 ,.. haha but mine i wont oc im afraid haha and i notice while playing a gmae it does reach 80c max temp huhu


Crank up the fan higher if you want to keep your temps down. You can OC a bit without having to add voltage typically.

You could always flash a "GHZ editition" bios to it. I did that on my 7970, and while it doesn't turn it into a true GHZ edition, it does up the clock speed from 925 to 1050mhz, which is a nice little boost.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Crank up the fan higher if you want to keep your temps down. You can OC a bit without having to add voltage typically.
> 
> You could always flash a "GHZ editition" bios to it. I did that on my 7970, and while it doesn't turn it into a true GHZ edition, it does up the clock speed from 925 to 1050mhz, which is a nice little boost.


if i flash to ghz edition sir will it add voltag eand can i go back to its normal non ghz edition? and can you give me alink sir on how to do that if ever i decide to flash the bios to ghz edition.. thnks


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> if i flash to ghz edition sir will it add voltag eand can i go back to its normal non ghz edition? and can you give me alink sir on how to do that if ever i decide to flash the bios to ghz edition.. thnks


If you decide to try it, you would want to backup your current BIOS first, can be done easily using GPU-Z, or the ATI Winflash tool. That way you can always revert back if you don't like it.

There is a thread on ocn about it (well probably multiple). I think this is the one I went to when I tried it: http://www.overclock.net/t/1281425/amd-release-hd-7970-ghz-bios-upgrade-for-reference-hd-7970/


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> If you decide to try it, you would want to backup your current BIOS first, can be done easily using GPU-Z, or the ATI Winflash tool. That way you can always revert back if you don't like it.
> 
> There is a thread on ocn about it (well probably multiple). I think this is the one I went to when I tried it: http://www.overclock.net/t/1281425/amd-release-hd-7970-ghz-bios-upgrade-for-reference-hd-7970/


thank you sir i already back up my bios and there is 2 bios on the card i can switch to bios one and bios 2 but to be safe i already back up my default bios. i hope it wont add heat id i flash the ghz bios,.. thanks sir i will post back later . and post my 3dmark 11 result


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir i already back up my bios and there is 2 bios on the card i can switch to bios one and bios 2 but to be safe i already back up my default bios. i hope it wont add heat id i flash the ghz bios,.. thanks sir i will post back later . and post my 3dmark 11 result


Cool, good luck (you shouldn't need it, it's pretty straight-forward). I think all the reference hd 7970 have 2 bios, mine does too, just make sure you are position 1 (to the right), the other one is read-only.



Ew, my rig is dusty.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *badtaylorx*
> 
> wanted to stop by this club and show you guys what im building for my little brother,
> 
> if anybody likes it, i figured you guys would...


Love the coolant color, looks nice. Your brother is going to have a nice rig by the looks of it. Also digging the noctua fans, those are some of my favorites.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Cool, good luck (you shouldn't need it, it's pretty straight-forward). I think all the reference hd 7970 have 2 bios, mine does too, just make sure you are position 1 (to the right), the other one is read-only.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ew, my rig is dusty.
> 
> Love the coolant color, looks nice. Your brother is going to have a nice rig by the looks of it. Also digging the noctua fans, those are some of my favorites.


hi sir it seems that the link for the bios flashing is down.. huhu


----------



## maynard14

hi sir,. successfully flash my bios and my 3dmark 11 score gradually improve!

from this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7166071

to this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7166497

i might keep this bios for now and try to experiment with it

but i notice my temp is kinda bit hot it gives me max temp @ 81c...


----------



## CptAsian

Okay guys, problems again. The disappearing theme and coil whine on the desktop happened again, but with no blue screen this time. Everything's fine with a restart. I'm guessing it's the GPU drivers, but I'm running 13.10. Any ideas?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thanks sir that is crazy hehe see 7950 beats 7970 ,.. haha but mine i wont oc im afraid haha and i notice while playing a gmae it does reach 80c max temp huhu


doesn't beat my 7970


----------



## KnownDragon

I have noticed a high pitch noise coming from my speakers at first I thought it was coil whine but it was not.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> doesn't beat my 7970


haha yes sir...i wont oc any further. . ill just keep it this way sir..haha im really afraid i might damage my gpu


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> haha yes sir...i wont oc any further. . ill just keep it this way sir..haha im really afraid i might damage my gpu


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7083178


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7083178[/quote
> 
> wohhhhh are u under water sir for ur card....haha thats amazing....i cant get my card oc to that level....haha


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7083178[/quote
> 
> wohhhhh are u under water sir for ur card....haha thats amazing....i cant get my card oc to that level....haha
> 
> 
> 
> yes my entire system is watercooled
Click to expand...


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7083178


Your physics score is still terrible... You're water cooled? Only at 4.6 ghz?

What's your ram at? Speed? Timings?


----------



## bond32

Holy cow... http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7167006


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *badtaylorx*
> 
> wanted to stop by this club and show you guys what im building for my little brother,
> 
> if anybody likes it, i figured you guys would...
> 
> http://s1084.photobucket.com/user/badtaylorx/media/WP_20130914_00_17_57_Pro_zpsb45da370.jpg.html


Like what you did with the stock Matrix backlit badge. Are you using it as was intended, to indicate load on the cards?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> Your physics score is still terrible... You're water cooled? Only at 4.6 ghz?
> 
> What's your ram at? Speed? Timings?


Please I know my physics score is not the greatest but that wasn't the point of that run. I just wanted to see what my card could do at those clocks.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Please I know my physics score is not the greatest but that wasn't the point of that run. I just wanted to see what my card could do at those clocks.


What are your clocks? Will your 8320 do 4.9? I remember 4.9 ghz being about the break point between taking some voltage and taking a ton of voltage.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bond32*
> 
> What are your clocks? Will your 8320 do 4.9? I remember 4.9 ghz being about the break point between taking some voltage and taking a ton of voltage.


They were at 1250/1850

This is one of my older runs

FX-8320 @4.8GHz+HD 7970 @1230/1700

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7032537


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> I have noticed a high pitch noise coming from my speakers at first I thought it was coil whine but it was not.


yea that's what onboard sound does...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea that's what onboard sound does...


Low quality you mean


----------



## Thernen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> Yes they have 2 HDMI and a VGA. Was going to use HDMI.
> 
> Right on one is hooked up HDMI. And the other using HDMI to dvi cable.


Reading reviews and they seem to be all over the place. So not sure which should get.

Also should I get DP mini to HDMI? Or mini DP to DVI and then get DVI to HDMI cable?


----------



## anubis1127

I would do straight mini DP to HDMI, then just go HDMI right to your 3rd panel. As far as which is the best one to get, I'm not sure, never setup Eyefinity. Hopefully one of the eyefinity guys will chime in.


----------



## sugarhell

Go default.
Active adapter mini dp->dvi,
dvi->dvi
HDMI->dvi


----------



## Mega Man

so more questions first time doing eyefinity

1 i can not run games at max due to the fact my gpus run out of memory, is this normal ? 4xref 7970
2 when i enable eyefinity i am stuck @ 60hz, is there a way to bring it to my displays 144hz ?


----------



## sugarhell

On eyefinity u use something like 4xmsaa-8xmsaa?

I just set my monitors to 120 hz nothing else...


----------



## Mega Man

how i dont see the option for 120hz


----------



## sugarhell

Disable eyefinity.Set them at 120 hz and then recreate eyefinity


----------



## Mega Man

ah ill try that thanks


----------



## sugarhell

...

Right click on desktop-> screen resolution->advanced settings->monitor


----------



## vinton13

Hey everyone. I just noticed something fishy about one of my 7950s.
I bought them a few months ago, everything works great, I ran Unigine with everything maxed at 1080p and I averaged around 60 FPS.

The only problem is, I noticed the core clock won't stay stable on one of them, and the fan speed, albeit they're both at 100, the RPM on that card is also much lower, resulting in temps much higher.

I switched them around, putting the top card underneath and the results are the same, however the temperature is much lower.

One card is the second revision card, the other is the first revision. This is happening on the second revision one.

Any insight would be appreciated. What are the RPM like with you folks who have the second revision?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

What is the power level on them?


----------



## ihatelolcats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Hey everyone. I just noticed something fishy about one of my 7950s.
> I bought them a few months ago, everything works great, I ran Unigine with everything maxed at 1080p and I averaged around 60 FPS.
> 
> The only problem is, I noticed the core clock won't stay stable on one of them, and the fan speed, albeit they're both at 100, the RPM on that card is also much lower, resulting in temps much higher.
> 
> I switched them around, putting the top card underneath and the results are the same, however the temperature is much lower.
> 
> One card is the second revision card, the other is the first revision. This is happening on the second revision one.
> 
> Any insight would be appreciated. What are the RPM like with you folks who have the second revision?


welcome to boost. enjoy your stay


----------



## vinton13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> What is the power level on them?


Okay, I increased the power level and the core fluctuation is fixed. They were stock previously. However the temps on that first card are still off the hook compared the second card because of the difference in RPM I presume.
But shouldn't the card be able to stay at 1000 MHZ at stock? The other card does.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

How close together are the cards? The top will normally be a bit hotter. While yes, it would be preferable to have both cards at the same temps, those are fine.


----------



## vinton13

Two inches apart.

But note that the fan speed on both are 100 in MSI AB. Even then the RPM difference is 1000.
What's the RPM like at 100% fan speed for the folks with the second revision 7950s?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ah ill try that thanks


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> ...
> 
> Right click on desktop-> screen resolution->advanced settings->monitor


sorry i editied it when i reloaded mozzilla it reposted that post .....


----------



## timaishu

My HIS 7950 is hitting 81c in skyrim............

So I recently got one of those qnix 1440p monitors. I have skyrim fully modded and have my card OC'd to 1100x1450. Anyways, before at 1680x1050 I was hitting maybe 70c tops. Now thought at 2560x1440 my temps are hitting 81c! Is this because of the extra strain? My frames are still good at about 35-40.

Why is it getting so hot?

Forgot to mention my ambient temps are high. About 80-85F, but still, though, shouldn't it not get this hot?


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Hey everyone. I just noticed something fishy about one of my 7950s.
> I bought them a few months ago, everything works great, I ran Unigine with everything maxed at 1080p and I averaged around 60 FPS.
> 
> The only problem is, I noticed the core clock won't stay stable on one of them, and the fan speed, albeit they're both at 100, the RPM on that card is also much lower, resulting in temps much higher.
> 
> I switched them around, putting the top card underneath and the results are the same, however the temperature is much lower.
> 
> One card is the second revision card, the other is the first revision. This is happening on the second revision one.
> 
> Any insight would be appreciated. What are the RPM like with you folks who have the second revision?


That can happen when the cards don't have enough power. Try upping the voltage a little if you haven't fixed it already.


----------



## istudy92

9 days OMGOSH single fidgets nine!!!! NUEVEEEE 9999999999999999999999999 woahhhhh 2 more days till its only a week lalallala


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Okay, I increased the power level and the core fluctuation is fixed. They were stock previously. However the temps on that first card are still off the hook compared the second card because of the difference in RPM I presume.
> But shouldn't the card be able to stay at 1000 MHZ at stock? The other card does.


they have different fans, or the second slower one is slightly defective...


----------



## vinton13

Okay, I tried them individually. They both work, same performance. However, the rev. 2 still runs hotter.
Max temp for the rev. 1 is 65 C.
Max temp for the rev. 2 is 80 C.

Max RPM for the rev. 1 is around 4500.
Max RPM for the rev. 2 is around 3500.

Both fans are set to 100%

My question to the folks with the Rev. 2 Gigabyte Windforce 7950s, with the fan speed at 100%, what RPM are you guys seeing?

Also, a general question, shouldn't the card be able to sustain 1000MHz core clock without having to tamper with the power limit?


----------



## Xiphos

thinking about getting a HD 7970. just a quick question, with the Gold Never Settle Forever coupon, do you have to redeem all 3 games at once? or can you redeem just 1 game for now and hold on to your other 2 redemption credits for later?

never mind, found out you have to use all your credits at once.


----------



## Darklyric

Well On the older ones i remember that you could redeem like c3 separately from bioshock/tr/fc3


----------



## Durvelle27

what are the best drivers to use


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> what are the best drivers to use


The last one


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> Okay, I tried them individually. They both work, same performance. However, the rev. 2 still runs hotter.
> Max temp for the rev. 1 is 65 C.
> Max temp for the rev. 2 is 80 C.
> 
> Max RPM for the rev. 1 is around 4500.
> Max RPM for the rev. 2 is around 3500.
> 
> Both fans are set to 100%
> 
> My question to the folks with the Rev. 2 Gigabyte Windforce 7950s, with the fan speed at 100%, what RPM are you guys seeing?
> 
> Also, a general question, shouldn't the card be able to sustain 1000MHz core clock without having to tamper with the power limit?


I have 3 rev 2 wf3's and they all sit about 100rpm apart at the 3400 +-200rpm or so. The rev 2 run hotter if they are locked at 1.25 just because that way to much for stock clocks.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> The last one


I already have 13.8 but i heard some older version give better performance with the HD 7970


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I already have 13.8 but i heard some older version give better performance with the HD 7970


13.10...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 13.10...


i don't think they will help performance with a single card


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> i don't think they will help performance with a single card


After 13.2 almost zero driver helps single gpu except bugfixes. So use the last drivers.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> After 13.2 almost zero driver helps single gpu except bugfixes. So use the last drivers.


Ok thank you and also i see you mine. How did you underclock your card. when i tried it always reverted back to stock.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Ok thank you and also i see you mine. How did you underclock your card. when i tried it always reverted back to stock.


Press apply...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Press apply...


lol ik that. Do you use AB


----------



## Darklyric

Yea Sometimes ^^ gets me too and some bios's on cards require a certain voltage at a certain core/mem clock. Like my vaporX 7950's require 1.125 at 1100+ core but i can go to 1.05-7 at 1090core.


----------



## brucethemoose

Question: If temps are below 70C, is 1.31V (~1.25V after vdroop) safe for a gaming OC on a 7950 with a 7970 PCB? VRM temps seemed to be bugged right now, but I'm trying to get a reading.

Also, in HIS iTurbo, what does "VRM overheat protection" do?


----------



## Darklyric

Probably throttle the voltage or shut the card down i would think. and 70c is fine honestly for gaming. My top card in mining runs at 72c for days on end.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Xiphos*
> 
> thinking about getting a HD 7970. just a quick question, with the Gold Never Settle Forever coupon, do you have to redeem all 3 games at once? or can you redeem just 1 game for now and hold on to your other 2 redemption credits for later?
> 
> never mind, found out you have to use all your credits at once.


Hold out for a couple of months.


----------



## vinton13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> I have 3 rev 2 wf3's and they all sit about 100rpm apart at the 3400 +-200rpm or so. The rev 2 run hotter if they are locked at 1.25 just because that way to much for stock clocks.


Thank you! That saved me a lot of headache.








I have one question though, at stock, does the core clock fluctuate between 900 and 1000 MHz? That is, without touching the power limit?


----------



## Thernen

I just wanted to verify with someone that is using Eyefinity that you can use a mini displayport HDMI adaptor that it works. My monitors only have HDMI and VGA inputs. I was going to run HDMI from monitor to the adaptor via HDMI then the adaptor to the mini DP on the card. Somewhere I read that you needed to DVI. It was an old post and said no DP to HDMI adaptor were out.


----------



## Darklyric

Yea one of mine does for some reason.... its pissing me off badly. I contacted gigabyte and they said to try flashing a few of their bios's and see if that fixes it. If not he said they might be able to provide me with an unlocked bios. Either way im sgtill afraid to use their windows flashing tool lol but I think ill try dos this weekend


----------



## gatornation240

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brucethemoose*
> 
> Question: If temps are below 70C, is 1.31V (~1.25V after vdroop) safe for a gaming OC on a 7950 with a 7970 PCB? VRM temps seemed to be bugged right now, but I'm trying to get a reading.
> 
> Also, in HIS iTurbo, what does "VRM overheat protection" do?


70 is good, and from what I understand HIS did not put a VRM sensor on the 7950s, Pic of a conversation with an HIS rep a few pages back IIRC.


----------



## brucethemoose

Occt aside (which seems to cause voltage throttling anyway), temps are closer to 60C. I'm just worried about the voltage degrading the chip in 2-3 years.

I may dig up the post, but that's annoying if true. It also makes the VRM protection thing more of a mystery... maybe it calculates the VRM's power dissipation or something.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brucethemoose*
> 
> Question: If temps are below 70C, is 1.31V (~1.25V after vdroop) safe for a gaming OC on a 7950 with a 7970 PCB? VRM temps seemed to be bugged right now, but I'm trying to get a reading.
> 
> Also, in HIS iTurbo, what does "VRM overheat protection" do?


if you can keep it cool, 1.3V is mostly fine, but you cant guarantee it will last more then 6 months or so...

try keeping it ~1.25 if you want a couple years life or so out of it. (most overclockers replace their hardware every year or so)


----------



## Thernen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> I just wanted to verify with someone that is using Eyefinity that you can use a mini displayport HDMI adaptor that it works. My monitors only have HDMI and VGA inputs. I was going to run HDMI from monitor to the adaptor via HDMI then the adaptor to the mini DP on the card. Somewhere I read that you needed to DVI. It was an old post and said no DP to HDMI adaptor were out.


Anyone?

Also is there a mini Displayport 1.2 hub to HDMI? I could use that to connect all 3 of my monitors to one hub.


----------



## Paul17041993

there's hub-like converters that will accept DP in, and have DP and DVI outputs, though you would be limited to two (1080p) monitors per output I'm pretty sure.

and yes, mDP > HDMI works provided its an *active* adapter, which I'm pretty sure most are.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

So what is a safe operating temperature and a max temperature for the 7970's VRMs? So far I am hitting 80C on the valley benchmarks and I think I am going to stop there.


----------



## istudy92

And the 8th day has arrived...1 more day till a week is upon us all!!!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> So what is a safe operating temperature and a max temperature for the 7970's VRMs? So far I am hitting 80C on the valley benchmarks and I think I am going to stop there.


80C is relatively cool for VRMs, they go up to 100C, even hotter in some cases.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> And the 8th day has arrived...1 more day till a week is upon us all!!!


and from what Ive seen in a recent interview, the new cards will be 28nm, I think they will not be intended to "beat" the titan either, more built for affordability...

not that this would be a bad thing, I would expect more crossfire setups with these cards if they are cheap enough at launch...


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 80C is relatively cool for VRMs, they go up to 100C, even hotter in some cases.
> and from what Ive seen in a recent interview, the new cards will be 28nm, I think they will not be intended to "beat" the titan either, more built for affordability...
> 
> not that this would be a bad thing, I would expect more crossfire setups with these cards if they are cheap enough at launch...


True, if it is for benchmarking I wouldn't worry too much.

But for gaming I want them to be below 70c.


----------



## Mega Man

do not recommend 100c if you want to keep your card...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> do not recommend 100c if you want to keep your card...


yea should have put more emphasis on "...up to...", they can go that high but you want to keep them lower for as much as possible or they will start to degrade.

but some cards have different components and behave differently, the DCII and matrix cards for example go up to 115C normally if I remember correctly, though mine doesn't have any sensors so I cant confirm...


----------



## vinton13

What are the maximum safe temperature for these 7950s?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> What are the maximum safe temperature for these 7950s?


same as the 7970, you ideally want to keep them below 70C but they are usually still stable up to 75C, overclocking you want to keep them below 60C for best results.


----------



## maynard14

mine is a reference 7970 powercolor and flash my bios to ghz edition... when playing crysis 3 my max vrm is 87c and my max gpu temp is 85c

could you help me pls on how can i lower does temp or should i just flash back to my original bios?

by the way heres my set up and my case is nzxt phantom

pls ignore the 7870 card i already remove it and my side panel has 2 fan 120 mm as intake



and my fan speed for my card is 50 percent

i hope you can help me... im getting worried i might fry my gpu because og my temp


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> mine is a reference 7970 powercolor and flash my bios to ghz edition... when playing crysis 3 my max vrm is 87c and my max gpu temp is 85c
> 
> could you help me pls on how can i lower does temp or should i just flash back to my original bios?
> 
> by the way heres my set up and my case is nzxt phantom
> 
> pls ignore the 7870 card i already remove it and my side panel has 2 fan 120 mm as intake
> 
> 
> 
> and my fan speed for my card is 50 percent
> 
> i hope you can help me... im getting worried i might fry my gpu because og my temp


Well first of all, that bottom right 120mm fan that is at an angle won't be helping at all. It needs to be flush with the bottom of the case for it to be effective in any way. You are at your maximum airflow. Only other options are to remove the hdd bay and optical bays and install a stack of fans at the front like so:

Also, those 200mm fans above the H100i might be reducing performance if they can't keep up with static pressure designed fans, thus causing turbulence.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Well first of all, that bottom left 120mm fan that is at an angle won't be helping at all. It needs to be flush with the bottom of the case for it to be effective in any way. You are at your maximum airflow. Only other options are to remove the hdd bay and optical bays and install a stack of fans at the front.


thanks sir for your fast reply and advice,.. if i remove the 120 fan on the bottom will it be intake or exhaust?
and if i put some 120 fan on the optical drive intake or exhaust again?> ill try to remove the drive cage when i have the time and a drill

thnk you again.. but are does temp are ok for this card? ,.. i tried the other games and max temp is 84c and vrm is 80c,.. idle os around 45 c or should i put back the stock bios>?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> mine is a reference 7970 powercolor and flash my bios to ghz edition... when playing crysis 3 my max vrm is 87c and my max gpu temp is 85c
> 
> could you help me pls on how can i lower does temp or should i just flash back to my original bios?
> 
> by the way heres my set up and my case is nzxt phantom
> 
> pls ignore the 7870 card i already remove it and my side panel has 2 fan 120 mm as intake
> 
> 
> 
> and my fan speed for my card is 50 percent
> 
> i hope you can help me... im getting worried i might fry my gpu because og my temp


well, with the way that cooler is designed, it needs an air intake on the side panel and outtakes at both ends of the card, but being a powercolor card those are probably the best temps you'll get out of it for the most part...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Well first of all, that bottom right 120mm fan that is at an angle won't be helping at all. It needs to be flush with the bottom of the case for it to be effective in any way. You are at your maximum airflow. Only other options are to remove the hdd bay and optical bays and install a stack of fans at the front like so:


actually, the fan not being flush gives it a lot more airflow, unless the bottom of his case has no grill and/or filters the airflow and efficiency is halved when you sit a fan flush on the bottom, not counting for resistance under the case itself.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well, with the way that cooler is designed, it needs an air intake on the side panel and outtakes at both ends of the card, but being a powercolor card those are probably the best temps you'll get out of it for the most part...
> actually, the fan not being flush gives it a lot more airflow, unless the bottom of his case has no grill and/or filters the airflow and efficiency is halved when you sit a fan flush on the bottom, not counting for resistance under the case itself.


yes there is a grill or holes in the bottom of the case where i put the 120 stock fans of my h100i.,.. but i will try to remove the other corsair stock fan ..and try to mod the case to remove the hdd drive cage,..
or if i can save enough i will buy the corsair 540 case,..

i see so with my card powercolor my temps are at normal right? oh well maybe ill kust try to ignore my gpu card,. the rest of my components are at ok temp .. thanks again ocn members thank you


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well, with the way that cooler is designed, it needs an air intake on the side panel and outtakes at both ends of the card, but being a powercolor card those are probably the best temps you'll get out of it for the most part...
> actually, the fan not being flush gives it a lot more airflow, unless the bottom of his case has no grill and/or filters the airflow and efficiency is halved when you sit a fan flush on the bottom, not counting for resistance under the case itself.


But if the fan IS flush, it will intake all it's air from the outside of the case which will prove to be more effective despite reduced airflow. You should test it and see.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> But if the fan IS flush, it will intake all it's air from the outside of the case which will prove to be more effective despite reduced airflow. You should test it and see.


I agree unless you somehow rig a shroud that would stop it from pulling inside the case. Ether way if you have your stock cpu cooler, snag the fan off of it and put it on the top ref card and have it pushing air out the back of the case. Might help?


----------



## Coree

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vinton13*
> 
> What are the maximum safe temperature for these 7950s?


AMD stated on Twitter that the maximum junction temperature of the 7970 is 85C. Same goes with the 7950, I think. Same chip. VRM's are up to 125C, but keeping them under 95C is recommended.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 80C is relatively cool for VRMs, they go up to 100C, even hotter in some cases.


Ah.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> do not recommend 100c if you want to keep your card...


Pfft. Who needs a gpu to last more than a few benchmarks? The glory of being #1 is eternal!!!!!!!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> True, if it is for benchmarking I wouldn't worry too much.
> 
> But for gaming I want them to be below 70c.


All about that benchmark epeen.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Coree*
> 
> AMD stated on Twitter that the maximum junction temperature of the 7970 is 85C. Same goes with the 7950, I think. Same chip. VRM's are up to 125C, but keeping them under 95C is recommended.


Excellent..



I must get higher fps on valley!!! lol


----------



## sugarhell

Tahiti is temp sensitive. So its useless to have 80-90C


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Do what?


----------



## sugarhell

It means higher temps lower oc you newbie


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> It means higher temps lower oc you newbie


-Calls me a newb because he isn't concise and clear. -


----------



## sugarhell

How it wasnt clear? Tahiti is temp sensitive. SO its useless to let your card to go up to 80-90C because you will gain anything


----------



## NinjaSushi2

My gpu maxes it around 60C maybe, my VRMs on the other hand hit 80C. I can squeeze more out of it.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> My gpu maxes it around 60C maybe, my VRMs on the other hand hit 80C. I can squeeze more out of it.


Your best valley?


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> 61 NinjaSushi2 i7 3770k HD 7970 CrossFire 103.3 4324 8062


I can go higher for sure.

Edit: That pasted odd. 103.3 fps, score of 4324, post 8062, CF 7970 using non matching cards. I bet if I had some of those MSI 7970 Lightnings with the aftermarket PCB I could get higher. Oooh that 14+2+1 Phase design..


----------



## sugarhell

SIngle?


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Er... do you mean single card or?


----------



## sugarhell

SIngle card score.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Haven't ran a single card score in a while so I don't remember. Also my PC is apart atm while I finish sleeving the wires.


----------



## sugarhell

Here my best score.



I can push more but its kinda hot today


----------



## NinjaSushi2

It's been anywhere between 80F-100F (27C-38C) where I am from so it makes benchmarking difficult at times.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I can go higher for sure.
> 
> Edit: That pasted odd. 103.3 fps, score of 4324, post 8062, CF 7970 using non matching cards. I bet if I had some of those MSI 7970 Lightnings with the aftermarket PCB I could get higher. Oooh that 14+2+1 Phase design..


eeeeehhhhhh

those lightnings are not block-able are they though...?

think Ill get a couple of 7950s, seeing as they are 300 bucks each;
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_877&products_id=22854
can anyone confirm for me that they use a ref 7970 layout for waterblocks? haven't been able to really find anything on them myself but it sounds like they do...


----------



## Darklyric

Is this unigine vally bench free to use? Im tempted to get into benching


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> eeeeehhhhhh
> 
> those lightnings are not block-able are they though...?
> 
> think Ill get a couple of 7950s, seeing as they are 300 bucks each;
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_877&products_id=22854
> can anyone confirm for me that they use a ref 7970 layout for waterblocks? haven't been able to really find anything on them myself but it sounds like they do...


Newegg had some Gigabytes on sale for 200 USD a piece. Not sure the shipping cost to AUS though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Is this unigine vally bench free to use? Im tempted to get into benching


Yep, free and there is a whole thread dedicated to it.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0/0_20


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Got my rma back. Whines just the same. Lost $50, got a worse card, and lost a month of having a nice card for once. So pissed.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Newegg had some Gigabytes on sale for 200 USD a piece. Not sure the shipping cost to AUS though.


the gigabytes are not ref layout though, and they are about ~320AUD here excluding shipping, they are also blue so I'd rather stay away from them as to not make my rig look something awefull...


----------



## alancsalt

Australia, PCCaseGear seems to be the go....all things considered...


----------



## BillOhio

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the gigabytes are not ref layout though,


You can get blocks for revision 1, not revision 2. Also, with a blue themed MoBo the blue PCB works.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> eeeeehhhhhh
> 
> those lightnings are not block-able are they though...?
> 
> think Ill get a couple of 7950s, seeing as they are 300 bucks each;
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_877&products_id=22854
> can anyone confirm for me that they use a ref 7970 layout for waterblocks? haven't been able to really find anything on them myself but it sounds like they do...


I knew I remember seeing a block for the lightnings: http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc7970-lightning-acetal-nickel.html

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> Australia, PCCaseGear seems to be the go....all things considered...


I've heard that before from Akula.

Edit: I guess it's EOL.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I knew I remember seeing a block for the lightnings: http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc7970-lightning-acetal-nickel.html


discontinued


----------



## GunMetal

Hey guys, does a 50%-60% GPU load and 80%-90% CPU load means bottleneck?


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Hey guys, does a 50%-60% GPU load and 80%-90% CPU load means bottleneck?


Depends on the game. For GTA IV i'd be lucky for it to hit 50% CPU usage and 50% GPU, while still only getting like 30 frames.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> eeeeehhhhhh
> 
> those lightnings are not block-able are they though...?
> 
> think Ill get a couple of 7950s, seeing as they are 300 bucks each;
> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=193_877&products_id=22854
> can anyone confirm for me that they use a ref 7970 layout for waterblocks? haven't been able to really find anything on them myself but it sounds like they do...


ek did make them.

yes they are ref
le still only getting like 30 frames.[/quote]


----------



## istudy92

7 mofo days!!!oneweek left!!!!!! Lalallaslla


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Hey guys, does a 50%-60% GPU load and 80%-90% CPU load means bottleneck?


If the game is not too CPU heavy then yes.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If the game is not too CPU heavy then yes.


*GPU?









though you'll get games like borderlands2 which will bottleneck if you turn physx to max while in cpu mode
(whole game is single-threaded







)


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 7 mofo days!!!oneweek left!!!!!! Lalallaslla


Is this until they release the 9k series?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> *GPU?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> though you'll get games like borderlands2 which will bottleneck if you turn physx to max while in cpu mode
> (whole game is single-threaded
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


You could always shut down all cores but one and then go for a really high OC.


















Has hyperthreading actually benefited any games in the past?


----------



## stl drifter

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXVFM3K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

would two of these run BF4 , COD:ghost , TitanFall on ultra settings I plan on either getting one of the 1440p korean monitors, or this monitor http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824160162&Tpk=aoc%2029%20inch


----------



## bond32

Wow, price has dropped a ton from that card. I bought 3 of them at $259 each.


----------



## stl drifter

are they good cards?


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> are they good cards?


Some of the best in my opinion. Fully reference design. If you use air cooling it may not be the best, but its great because 7970 blocks fit as it has the 7970 reference design pcb. Only downside to this card is it has a 4+1 power phase (I believe the OG 7950 reference had this) where most have 5+1. Doesn't make or break anything in my opinion, I was able to get 2 of them to 1280 on the core.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> are they good cards?


They can be good cards if you get a better cooling method for them and then OC them. I am not sure if that bios flash works though.


----------



## bond32

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> They can be good cards if you get a better cooling method for them and then OC them. I am not sure if that bios flash works though.


It does. I will be experimenting later, I have been able to flash them before but my previous board ran a hash check on the vga bios on boot, problems would happen if it wasn't stock. I have a different board now so I will be trying other bios.


----------



## stl drifter

ok what about this card here

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121716


----------



## Darklyric

The reviews say unlocked and seems to have a decent cooler from what people say and 2x6pin. Price is a little steep for a 7950 since there 7970s going for 270 AR.

I'd go for the ref sapphire card honestly since you can prstobably get a full coverage water block for it and if not stick some heatsinks on the vrms and what not and a fan on the inside to vent it out. You could also do the "custom" wc methon with a h60 and zipties lol.


----------



## stl drifter

ok guys , i just ordered 2 of the sapphires


----------



## Darklyric

Grats man. Are you going to WC them?







pics please


----------



## stl drifter

Thanks man ! Yelp im either going to the do a matx water cool build or a atx. I have a caselabs M8 that I am itcing to build in.


----------



## quakermaas

One of my 18 month old MSI HD7970 cards started to show lots of artifacts, pulled it from my computer and refitted the original air cooler and took it back to the shop I bought it in and they said they will have to send it of to MSI for RMA.

Few weeks later I got a call to come in and pick up my card, when I got to the shop, I was given a sealed box HD 7970 TwinFrozr III boost edition









It has a reference board, so waterblock can go back on, but for now I will use it the way it is.

MSI now have a seal on one of the four screws that holds the heat-sink to the GPU, so they will now know if you have removed it for any reason. I can remember reading the MSI were waterblock friendly, maybe they have changed that policy now.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> One of my 18 month old MSI HD7970 cards started to show lots of artifacts, pulled it from my computer and refitted the original air cooler and took it back to the shop I bought it in and they said they will have to send it of to MSI for RMA.
> Few weeks later I got a call to come in and pick up my card, when I got to the shop, I was given a sealed box HD 7970 TwinFrozr III boost edition
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It has a reference board, so waterblock can go back on, but for now I will use it the way it is.
> 
> MSI now have a seal on one of the four screws that holds the heat-sink to the GPU, so they will now know if you have removed it for any reason. I can remember reading the MSI were waterblock friendly, maybe they have changed that policy now.


Can you not just peel the sticker off and save it?


----------



## quakermaas

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Can you not just peel the sticker off and save it?


Probably can, didn't even try, just fitted it and all running good again.

The seal is about the size of the screw head, very small.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> ok what about this card here
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121716


stay away from asus 79xx cards unless ref
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stl drifter*
> 
> ok guys , i just ordered 2 of the sapphires


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> One of my 18 month old MSI HD7970 cards started to show lots of artifacts, pulled it from my computer and refitted the original air cooler and took it back to the shop I bought it in and they said they will have to send it of to MSI for RMA.
> Few weeks later I got a call to come in and pick up my card, when I got to the shop, I was given a sealed box HD 7970 TwinFrozr III boost edition
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It has a reference board, so waterblock can go back on, but for now I will use it the way it is.
> 
> MSI now have a seal on one of the four screws that holds the heat-sink to the GPU, so they will now know if you have removed it for any reason. I can remember reading the MSI were waterblock friendly, maybe they have changed that policy now.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *quakermaas*
> 
> Probably can, didn't even try, just fitted it and all running good again.
> 
> The seal is about the size of the screw head, very small.


you can peel it off i have heard of people taking off the screw with a pair of pliers and something like electrical tape to protect the screw from damage and the sticker, but most people have had NO problems with warranty even after taking off the sticker
YRMV


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> stay away from asus 79xx cards unless ref
> 
> you can peel it off i have heard of people taking off the screw with a pair of pliers and something like electrical tape to protect the screw from damage and the sticker, but most people have had NO problems with warranty even after taking off the sticker
> YRMV


Yea you can always call and ask anonymously and just have them send you and email if they say yes. XFX did that for me since there card was running at 92c....---xfx voltage locked 7870 with an 82% asic is bs lol.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea you can always call and ask anonymously and just have them send you and email if they say yes. XFX did that for me since there card was running at 92c....---xfx voltage locked 7870 with an 82% asic is bs lol.


fair warning i have called a few times to be sure * code name Mr Mcgee !~ * and been told yes and no. most ppl there are low level employees that really dont matter the rma dept does, but they have always been very lenient ( check ocn or google. )


----------



## Darklyric

I have the email saved







so they cant *Screw* of a rma when i blow it up


----------



## broadbandaddict

So I just got my first watercooling loop up and running (still need to sleeve the PSU before the build is done though) and I've been playing with some overclocks. I'm thinking I'm gonna repaste my CPU with Liquid Ultra (used my PK1 I had laying around) and was wondering if it would be OK to use it on my 7970s? I can't see why not but figured I'd double check. I'm also wondering if anybody could recommend better VRM pads. I've got the Heatkiller Nickel blocks BTW. Thanks in advance.


----------



## ihatelolcats

i know that XFX places those warranty stickers on the screws but its for non-US countries only. so you can break them and it doesnt matter. the same might be true for msi, not sure


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Argh.






I'd like to warn anyone young against these powercolor 7990s. If you can hear it in the video, you probably won't want this card, as the 2 I have had have sounded *perfectly identical in coil whine.*


----------



## Darklyric

Yea I've got 3 sapphire and three gigabyte 7950s and none of them have coil whine but I hear a lot of people with powercoolers have at least a little.

As for gpu paste you want to use non conductive and conducive since there a chance some might spill on the exposed circuts


----------



## Belkov

Well i had 2 Sapphire(Vapor-X) and now i have GB 7950 WF3 - all 3 had a little coil whine. The GB has coil whine only when Heaven and Valley are closing and on Hitman: Absolution when v-sync is off.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> So I just got my first watercooling loop up and running (still need to sleeve the PSU before the build is done though) and I've been playing with some overclocks. I'm thinking I'm gonna repaste my CPU with Liquid Ultra (used my PK1 I had laying around) and was wondering if it would be OK to use it on my 7970s? I can't see why not but figured I'd double check. I'm also wondering if anybody could recommend better VRM pads. I've got the Heatkiller Nickel blocks BTW. Thanks in advance.


I use this on my GPU and CPU. Its also non-conductive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233069


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> So I just got my first watercooling loop up and running (still need to sleeve the PSU before the build is done though) and I've been playing with some overclocks. I'm thinking I'm gonna repaste my CPU with Liquid Ultra (used my PK1 I had laying around) and was wondering if it would be OK to use it on my 7970s? I can't see why not but figured I'd double check. I'm also wondering if anybody could recommend better VRM pads. I've got the Heatkiller Nickel blocks BTW. Thanks in advance.


I have CLU on my 7950 die and it's been working fine so far. I've heard rumors though that it dries up after a year or so and the performance degrades severely.


----------



## gatornation240

I hope you have some good headphones, that would drive me nuts; my HIS has coil whine at high fps 300+


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Argh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'd like to warn anyone young against these powercolor 7990s. If you can hear it in the video, you probably won't want this card, as the 2 I have had have sounded *perfectly identical in coil whine.*


Rolls-Royce called, they want their Trent's back...


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I use this on my GPU and CPU. Its also non-conductive
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233069


Right now I've got PK1 on my GPUs and CPU and it seems to perform fine. Just figured since I'll be redoing my CPU paste and hopefully redoing the GPU VRM pads I'd be able to redo the paste on them as well.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I have CLU on my 7950 die and it's been working fine so far. I've heard rumors though that it dries up after a year or so and the performance degrades severely.


Great, I'll probably have to at least try it. I've read that painting it on is the best method, is that how you did it?


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Right now I've got PK1 on my GPUs and CPU and it seems to perform fine. Just figured since I'll be redoing my CPU paste and hopefully redoing the GPU VRM pads I'd be able to redo the paste on them as well.
> Great, I'll probably have to at least try it. I've read that painting it on is the best method, is that how you did it?


Painting it on is really the only way to apply it. The paste is metallic and won't spread well just from the pressure of the heatsink. Plus, you want to make sure that you cover the entire surface of the GPU die, which the pea/rice method won't.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Painting it on is really the only way to apply it. The paste is metallic and won't spread well just from the pressure of the heatsink. Plus, you want to make sure that you cover the entire surface of the GPU die, which the pea/rice method won't.


* with the thinnest layer possible


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gatornation240*
> 
> I hope you have some good headphones, that would drive me nuts; my HIS has coil whine at high fps 300+


I do have some good headphones, but it's annoying to chat with people while wearing them. Also, mine is silent at load, only noisy at idle.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Rolls-Royce called, they want their Trent's back...


Yeah.


----------



## DoctorBear

I have a Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozr III OC Edition from MSI. It died about a month ago, so I RMA'ed it on the same day. 3 weeks later I got back the same card (it has scratches in the same places) and it no longer has the previous problem (turning my computer off/not allowing it to turn on), but now it has a new problem (won't show a picture/if it does show a picture, the black colors show as blue).

I'm not sure if I should just RMA it again with the chance that they send me back the same card again with more problems or take some other action. I can't fathom how they would send back my card without checking to see if it worked properly.

Is MSI known for lousy customer service like this?

I can't tell if this is a mistake or if they're just incompetent!























How should I proceed so that I don't end up waiting another month to receive the same broken card with new problems?









~ Yours, AN ANGRY BEAR!


----------



## Mega Man

test it in another pc


----------



## DoctorBear

I forgot to mention that I've tested in a friend's pc and it doesn't work there either. He even has better stuff than I do.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DoctorBear*
> 
> I have a Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozr III OC Edition from MSI. It died about a month ago, so I RMA'ed it on the same day. 3 weeks later I got back the same card (it has scratches in the same places) and it no longer has the previous problem (turning my computer off/not allowing it to turn on), but now it has a new problem (won't show a picture/if it does show a picture, the black colors show as blue).
> 
> I'm not sure if I should just RMA it again with the chance that they send me back the same card again with more problems or take some other action. I can't fathom how they would send back my card without checking to see if it worked properly.
> 
> Is MSI known for lousy customer service like this?
> 
> I can't tell if this is a mistake or if they're just incompetent!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How should I proceed so that I don't end up waiting another month to receive the same broken card with new problems?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ~ Yours, AN ANGRY BEAR!


RMA, PCB is shot, previous repair must have replaced a chip but that's obviously exposed another fault.


----------



## hucklebuck

I'm about to oc the ram on my MSI 7950 reference card with Hynix ram. How high are people able to oc this ram without any voltage increases? How much voltage can I safely push without getting extra cooling on the ram? Stock is 1600 mV.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I'm about to oc the ram on my MSI 7950 reference card with Hynix ram. How high are people able to oc this ram without any voltage increases? How much voltage can I safely push without getting extra cooling on the ram? Stock is 1600 mV.


Are you sure that's Hynix in there? Stock voltage for Hynix is 1.5V +- 5% IIRC. My Hynix IC's shipped with a stock voltage of 1.55V.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Are you sure that's Hynix in there? Stock voltage for Hynix is 1.5V +- 5% IIRC. My Hynix IC's shipped with a stock voltage of 1.55V.


not all cards have the same base volts


----------



## bond32

Thought this was cool... http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7182919

Stock voltage and cooler. Single 7950. 1250 core 1500 mem. Pretty awesome in my opinion considering it is $189 AR now : http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BXVFM3K/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not all cards have the same base volts


But all Hynix based cards should be within the voltage specification.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> But all Hynix based cards should be within the voltage specification.


yes key word. spec does not mean same voltage


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes key word. spec does not mean same voltage


The range for Hynix is 1.5V +- 5%? 1.6V is out of that range.


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The range for Hynix is 1.5V +- 5%? 1.6V is out of that range.


I thought Hynix was 1.6v stock

elpida is 1.5v


----------



## MrSharkington

Hey guys, what's the maximum temperature for my 7950? I got a windowed side panel for my case and it's caused it to reach up to 78c on my overclock, is this safe? (it's a 7970 pcb if that matters)


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> The range for Hynix is 1.5V +- 5%? 1.6V is out of that range.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> I thought Hynix was 1.6v stock
> 
> elpida is 1.5v


Well, what is it boys?
Its a bit confusing for some guys here.

I also thought hynix was rated at 1.6v stock.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSharkington*
> 
> Hey guys, what's the maximum temperature for my 7950? I got a windowed side panel for my case and it's caused it to reach up to 78c on my overclock, is this safe? (it's a 7970 pcb if that matters)


Personally I don't want it above 80c for daily use. Some say advised max is about 85c. But then again. Max temp isn't what you want all the time.
Is that a temp while gaming? Or stressing?

My 7950 vapor-x @ 1150 core stays at around 70c after 4+ hours of gaming.


----------



## MrSharkington

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Well, what is it boys?
> Its a bit confusing for some guys here.
> 
> I also thought hynix was rated at 1.6v stock.
> Personally I don't want it above 80c for daily use. Some say advised max is about 85c. But then again. Max temp isn't what you want all the time.
> Is that a temp while gaming? Or stressing?
> 
> My 7950 vapor-x @ 1150 core stays at around 70c after 4+ hours of gaming.


Both, I didn't get a very good chip since I need 1.2v to achieve 1100mhz. Also, my windowed side panel on my case kind of limits the airflow so it's also understandable why there's an increase in temperature, I might drop it a bit to see how things turn out, thanks!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrSharkington*
> 
> Hey guys, what's the maximum temperature for my 7950? I got a windowed side panel for my case and it's caused it to reach up to 78c on my overclock, is this safe? (it's a 7970 pcb if that matters)


yea they need quite a bit of airflow, especially if they blow to the side and you don't have a fan next to them, 75C is generally the max you should try to keep it below...


----------



## d1nky

I believe its the same as normal memory modules rated at X

Hynix is 1.6v

elpida 1.5v

(there are exceptions to the rule based on asic/binning I presume)


----------



## Paul17041993

you have to remember about vdroop, chips may be rated for a certain voltage but the feeding voltage will always be some value above that voltage depending on the characteristic of the hardware, ASIC will likely be a part of it too.

think of it as the minimum stable start voltage.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> I thought Hynix was 1.6v stock
> 
> elpida is 1.5v


Yea my hynix on my vapor x cards is 1.6 stock. Not sure how its out of spec if its stock but w/e maybe newer set of hynix chips allow more voltage or have higher leakage?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you have to remember about vdroop, chips may be rated for a certain voltage but the feeding voltage will always be some value above that voltage depending on the characteristic of the hardware, ASIC will likely be a part of it too.
> 
> think of it as the minimum stable start voltage.


or better known as VID

every card ive ever heard of with Hynix has 1.6v as standard, and well the limits are up to the user tbh!

ive never gone over 1650v allowing upto nearly 1800mhz on air


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> I have CLU on my 7950 die and it's been working fine so far. I've heard rumors though that it dries up after a year or so and the performance degrades severely.


I've been very happy with mx 4 and it spreads perfect as I reseated it 3 times (OCD i guess) just to make sure. Its also non conductive and last longer I presume.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belkov*
> 
> Well i had 2 Sapphire(Vapor-X) and now i have GB 7950 WF3 - all 3 had a little coil whine. The GB has coil whine only when Heaven and Valley are closing and on Hitman: Absolution when v-sync is off.


sucks I guess got fairly lucky. only one of my cards is 1200 + core card though sadly (100% stable that is)


----------



## hucklebuck

So, 1.65 volts is safe voltage for memory oc with air cooling? I just want an idea, don't want to start oc'ing gpu ram and fry my card.









Do I just use the same benchmarking and stress tests to check gpu ram oc as I did the core? What does it do if the ram fails oc? Do benchmark scores go up with good gpu ram oc?


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Are there any really good thermal pads out there? I currently have to Komodo 7970 blocks which use thermal pads to cool the VRMs and I want a better way. I think the gap is too big to use TC though.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> I believe its the same as normal memory modules rated at X
> 
> Hynix is 1.6v
> 
> elpida 1.5v
> 
> (there are exceptions to the rule based on asic/binning I presume)


My 7950 TF3 has Hynix, stock memory voltage is 1550mv. Should I up it to 1600mv?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Are there any really good thermal pads out there? I currently have to Komodo 7970 blocks which use thermal pads to cool the VRMs and I want a better way. I think the gap is too big to use TC though.


i recommend this . . .

http://www.svc.com/100gm150100.html

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> My 7950 TF3 has Hynix, stock memory voltage is 1550mv. Should I up it to 1600mv?


mine is, too. just leave it alone. mine does 1575 at that v.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> or better known as VID
> 
> every card ive ever heard of with Hynix has 1.6v as standard, and well the limits are up to the user tbh!
> 
> ive never gone over 1650v allowing upto nearly 1800mhz on air


Mines has a stock volt of 1.6v. I too it upto 1.640mV @1850 on water


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Mines has a stock volt of 1.6v. I too it upto 1.640mV @1850 on water


Hows stable are your guys mem clocks... i mean i can't get much past 1500 without immediate artifacts even in short benches.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Hows stable are your guys mem clocks... i mean i can't get much past 1500 without immediate artifacts even in short benches.


Maybe too low mem voltage. Tried upping already?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Hows stable are your guys mem clocks... i mean i can't get much past 1500 without immediate artifacts even in short benches.


There pretty stable but note all mem doesn't OC the same


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'm stable up to 1750mhz mem, more required 1.65v for benching but I wouldn't run that 24/7.
Sold that card too, btw.

Guys, I'm getting a card and it comes with an arctic accelero xtreme 7970 installed. Can I remove it? The owner didn't want to force it and rip a mem chip or something...


----------



## luci5r

Hate to do this, but bumping up my post to the top of new page; it ended up being the last post on the previous page. Would get Zero visibility there.
___

I had a thread running (here) about this issue, but someone suggested I should post in the owner's club.

I'm looking for owner's of _*HD 7990*_.

Someone I was speaking with in another forum had suggested the idea that an _*HD 7990*_ is essentially very similar to the _*FirePro S10000*_ professional card (if not the same board) and due it's dual BIOS ability, it should be possible to flash the FirePro BIOS as a secondary BIOS on the card to use the professional driver features for pro apps (like Maya etc.).

I did find threads in this forum where something similar has been done before; however, for older cards. I believe someone had successfully flashed the FirePro W7000 BIOS on an HD 7970. This is a critical issue for me as I'm building a Gaming / CGI Development rig and I've been battling the choice between _*GTX 780 & HD 7990*_ - both are equally priced. Three separate forums & over 100 responses later, I'm quite convinced going with the GTX 780; I planned to put in 1 now & and add a 2nd one later down the road to SLI.

However, the possibility of flashing an HD 7990 -> FirePro changes that! That would essentially give me the "perfect" card. Excellent gaming AND Advantages of a professional card/drivers when needed (for pro apps like Maya, etc.).

I was wondering if there's anyone here who may know anything about this or any experience with such a possibility; who may have tried it. More importantly, if there's someone who's owns an HD 7990 and is willing to give it a shot.

Any help I can receive on this would be tremendously appreciated.

Thanks.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *luci5r*
> 
> Hate to do this, but bumping up my post to the top of new page; it ended up being the last post on the previous page. Would get Zero visibility there.
> ___
> 
> I had a thread running (here) about this issue, but someone suggested I should post in the owner's club.
> 
> I'm looking for owner's of _*HD 7990*_.
> 
> Someone I was speaking with in another forum had suggested the idea that an _*HD 7990*_ is essentially very similar to the _*FirePro S10000*_ professional card (if not the same board) and due it's dual BIOS ability, it should be possible to flash the FirePro BIOS as a secondary BIOS on the card to use the professional driver features for pro apps (like Maya etc.).
> 
> I did find threads in this forum where something similar has been done before; however, for older cards. I believe someone had successfully flashed the FirePro W7000 BIOS on an HD 7970. This is a critical issue for me as I'm building a Gaming / CGI Development rig and I've been battling the choice between _*GTX 780 & HD 7990*_ - both are equally priced. Three separate forums & over 100 responses later, I'm quite convinced going with the GTX 780; I planned to put in 1 now & and add a 2nd one later down the road to SLI.
> 
> However, the possibility of flashing an HD 7990 -> FirePro changes that! That would essentially give me the "perfect" card. Excellent gaming AND Advantages of a professional card/drivers when needed (for pro apps like Maya, etc.).
> 
> I was wondering if there's anyone here who may know anything about this or any experience with such a possibility; who may have tried it. More importantly, if there's someone who's owns an HD 7990 and is willing to give it a shot.
> 
> Any help I can receive on this would be tremendously appreciated.
> 
> Thanks.


found this but not sure if it will help . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1403233/amd-firepro-modded-drivers-12-104-2-whql-for-radeon-cards


----------



## luci5r

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> found this but not sure if it will help . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1403233/amd-firepro-modded-drivers-12-104-2-whql-for-radeon-cards


That was the thread I was actually referring to in my post; I had seen that one previously. Unfortunately, it appears OP has abandoned that thread as some other people looking for information in there didn't get any response. I was hoping to post in there but seeing no responses, only questions in there, seemed futile. They seemed to have flashed 7950, but there wasn't any mention of 7990.

Thanks though - Appreciate it.


----------



## Darklyric

If this is possible that nearly doubles the P2P ratio of a 7990....especially with the cf drivers out. Also Isn't maya open gl? If so you definitely want to go 7990 look at this since a single 7970 ge hold its own in open gl with a 780 and titan and a 7990 is going to scale very well in open gl from what i know about it. These are slightly cherry picked from http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-780-performance-review,3516-24.html but even where it loses it not bad considering it a few hundred less.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Are there any really good thermal pads out there? I currently have to Komodo 7970 blocks which use thermal pads to cool the VRMs and I want a better way. I think the gap is too big to use TC though.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i recommend this . . .
> 
> http://www.svc.com/100gm150100.html


You can get better Fujipoly ones from FrozenCPU for the same price. 11W/mK instead of 6W/mK.

Fujipoly 150x100x.5MM Extreme


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *luci5r*
> 
> That was the thread I was actually referring to in my post; I had seen that one previously. Unfortunately, it appears OP has abandoned that thread as some other people looking for information in there didn't get any response. I was hoping to post in there but seeing no responses, only questions in there, seemed futile. They seemed to have flashed 7950, but there wasn't any mention of 7990.
> 
> Thanks though - Appreciate it.


my bad. did not see the link but like Darklyric said, Maya will benefit from cards that support open gl.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> You can get better Fujipoly ones from FrozenCPU for the same price. 11W/mK instead of 6W/mK.
> 
> Fujipoly 150x100x.5MM Extreme


Which one is used for the vrms? the 1mm or half? anyway, Ninja said the gap is big but that mk looks pretty good.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I'm stable up to 1750mhz mem, more required 1.65v for benching but I wouldn't run that 24/7.
> Sold that card too, btw.
> 
> Guys, I'm getting a card and it comes with an arctic accelero xtreme 7970 installed. Can I remove it? The owner didn't want to force it and rip a mem chip or something...


Yea if he used the stuff they send with its going to suck getting off. I thinks its like a glue/solder almost... "non-conductive G-1 thermal glue" not sure why it has to be glue lol ??? but if he used it I've heard of complications removing it.


----------



## Darklyric

Yea i found this in their data
"Unlike thermal epoxies that almost permanently attach heatsinks to components such as chips and FETs, the G-1 is intended to serve as adhesive thermal interface materials with scope for easy removal. It's more of a competition to thermal tape and "generic" thermal pads. Once applied, Arctic guarantees this compound to maintain its adhesion for up to 10 years. "

But I've seen a few people talking about it so idk. Maybe try and super heat the card before you pull the cooler? gl man


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea i found this in their data
> "Unlike thermal epoxies that almost permanently attach heatsinks to components such as chips and FETs, the G-1 is intended to serve as adhesive thermal interface materials with scope for easy removal. It's more of a competition to thermal tape and "generic" thermal pads. Once applied, Arctic guarantees this compound to maintain its adhesion for up to 10 years. "
> 
> But I've seen a few people talking about it so idk. Maybe try and super heat the card before you pull the cooler? gl man


Dammit, I need to sell that huge brick...I'll see what I can do with a heat gun.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

anyone running oc'ed (2way xfire) 7950's off a 650 W psu? some debate on if a good quality 650w psu will be able to pull it off.


----------



## Darklyric

Mail it to me? Its not a bad cooler but is that that dud of a mining 7970?


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> anyone running oc'ed (2way xfire) 7950's off a 650 W psu? some debate on if a good quality 650w psu will be able to pull it off.


Yes and its sketchy with a powerhog 8350 even undervolted at 4.2ghz.... i would recommend a *good* 750w since they aren't much more


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yes and its sketchy with a powerhog 8350 even undervolted at 4.2ghz.... i would recommend a *good* 750w since they aren't much more


so you are doing that now on a 650W ? The problem is I already have a seasonic 650W so I really don't want to spend 100~ on a new psu.

I will be using a 3570k which im sure uses less power and I only gave it +0.025 vcore to reach 4.4ghz stable. So not much more than stock I think.

My first card is stable @ 1150/1500 with 1250 vddc. I won't have the second one till monday to test.

I think/hope I will be able to pull it off on 650W while I save up for a very high capacity psu.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Mail it to me? Its not a bad cooler but is that that dud of a mining 7970?


I need to sell it to recoup some $$$ from the purchase...I can live with two ref cooled 7970s in my case. I can also get like 200usd for the cooler locally.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> so you are doing that now on a 650W ? The problem is I already have a seasonic 650W so I really don't want to spend 100~ on a new psu.
> 
> I will be using a 3570k which im sure uses less power and I only gave it +0.025 vcore to reach 4.4ghz stable. So not much more than stock I think.
> 
> My first card is stable @ 1150/1500 with 1250 vddc. I won't have the second one till monday to test.
> 
> I think/hope I will be able to pull it off on 650W while I save up for a very high capacity psu.


yea but eveything on that build is undervolted and its still a little sketchy.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Maybe too low mem voltage. Tried upping already?


Yea i went all out and even tried 1.7v for 1550 and no go.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> yea but eveything on that build is undervolted and its still a little sketchy.


define sketchy please? and I might buy this.. trying to find a good review of it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=17-139-010&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Keywords=%28keywords%29&Page=1#scrollFullInfo

I kind of think I should just get an 850W unit though spending ~100 after rebates and coupon codes just to get 100W more seems dumb.


----------



## Darklyric

Rosewill has some cheaper one i believe like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182133 which i think is on the recommended list.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> my bad. did not see the link but like Darklyric said, Maya will benefit from cards that support open gl.
> Which one is used for the vrms? the 1mm or half? anyway, Ninja said the gap is big but that mk looks pretty good.


I think you need both .5MM and 1MM for different areas. I remember when I put my Heatkiller blocks on it had two different thickness VRM pads. I'd assume you can double up the .5MM if you want.


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Rosewill has some cheaper one i believe like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182133 which i think is on the recommended list.


You are correct, these Rosewill Hive units are great PSU's


----------



## HardwareDecoder

well it is like 60$ after rebate so I'll just go ahead and order it. Better safe then sorry I don't want to run a psu at 100% max load and blow up a 1500$ computer. I can save the 650W I have for something else.

I cant tell if it comes with enough pci-e power cables though I don't want to have to use molex's

nvm it comes with 4 6+2 pin so i'm good.


----------



## Darklyric

Yea i think i'm going to on when i get paid tom lol







thanks for reminding me about it. stupid question but can i overclock again with that 750w and an 8350?


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea i think i'm going to on when i get paid tom lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for reminding me about it. stupid question but can i overclock again with that 750w and an 8350?


the 20$ promo code on it ends today. just an fyi. I just ordered one Better safe than sorry with my pc.

dont buy a hive.... see this thread it is no better than a good 650W psu apparently

http://www.overclock.net/t/1427936/need-a-psu-for-3570k-oc-xfire-7950s-oc/10


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i recommend this . . .
> 
> http://www.svc.com/100gm150100.html
> mine is, too. just leave it alone. mine does 1575 at that v.


Thanks.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> You can get better Fujipoly ones from FrozenCPU for the same price. 11W/mK instead of 6W/mK.
> 
> Fujipoly 150x100x.5MM Extreme


Doubly thanks.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I think you need both .5MM and 1MM for different areas. I remember when I put my Heatkiller blocks on it had two different thickness VRM pads. I'd assume you can double up the .5MM if you want.


I'll have to ask the swiftech guys. I want to find a way to lower the temps on my VRMs if I can. I have used thermal grease before but that was with removing the XFX cooler and thermal pads and using TC on that. Not sure if it did the trick but maybe I can try it with a WB?

Edit: The website says 0.5mm pads.
Quote:


> Thermal joints installation:
> GPU: thermal compound (included)
> Memory pre-installed 0.5mm thermal pads
> Power Mosfets: pre-installed 0.5mm thermal pads


Wonder if I can use some TC/TG.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Thanks.
> Doubly thanks.
> I'll have to ask the swiftech guys. I want to find a way to lower the temps on my VRMs if I can. I have used thermal grease before but that was with removing the XFX cooler and thermal pads and using TC on that. Not sure if it did the trick but maybe I can try it with a WB?
> 
> Edit: The website says 0.5mm pads.
> Wonder if I can use some TC/TG.


I'd stick with VRM pads, they are designed to be there so best not to glob a bunch of thermal paste between the GPU and block.


----------



## Strileckifunk

Anyone here have problems with Windows 8.1 (lol) ? I upgraded yesterday and went to the Beta 10 drivers. I also went to the latest beta for Afterburner. Other than that, I changed nothing. Now my fps in BF3 looks to be capped at 30 and my other monitor that I use for temps/music wont even come on. Any ideas?


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I'd stick with VRM pads, they are designed to be there so best not to glob a bunch of thermal paste between the GPU and block.


Yea the gap is kinda big and shims seem risky to me personally.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> Anyone here have problems with Windows 8.1 (lol) ? I upgraded yesterday and went to the Beta 10 drivers. I also went to the latest beta for Afterburner. Other than that, I changed nothing. Now my fps in BF3 looks to be capped at 30 and my other monitor that I use for temps/music wont even come on. Any ideas?


haven't gotten the chance to test 8.1 really so cant help you much there, but were the 13.9 drivers fine? or was there some issues there too? should probably contact AMD about that to see if they might know whats happening, and/or report to their bugboard.

kernal I don't think is really any different to 8 so I don't think the drivers would be much different either, unless its some software issue or maby even DX11.2...


----------



## jomama22

Could always stick the pad onto the vrms with nonconductive TIM (so the paste is between the pad and vrms). It will help wick some of that heat up to the pad. This is the way suggested by ek on their blocks and what I do. Vrms never break 35* under full load @1.35v.


----------



## Strileckifunk

Along the lines of what I was thinking. Reloading the drivers corrected the issue with my secondary monitor, but I'm still not breaking 30 FPS on maps I was easily maintaining 60 on. Maybe try reverting back to 13.9?

Edit: Found the issue! For whatever reason, AB set my core and memory down to 700!!!! I'm actually surprised I maintained 30 fps @ 1440p


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jomama22*
> 
> Could always stick the pad onto the vrms with nonconductive TIM (so the paste is between the pad and vrms). It will help wick some of that heat up to the pad. This is the way suggested by ek on their blocks and what I do. Vrms never break 35* under full load @1.35v.


Interesting.. On both sides or just one?


----------



## jomama22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Interesting.. On both sides or just one?


Just vrm side


----------



## KnownDragon

How does this look?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> I also thought hynix was rated at 1.6v stock.


as did i but undervolting never hurt, also someone looked up the specs and they are rated for much higher speeds at stock volts, that is why almost all with said chips can hit 1700-1800 on stock volts np ( idr what the ratings are sorry )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> So, 1.65 volts is safe voltage for memory oc with air cooling? I just want an idea, don't want to start oc'ing gpu ram and fry my card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do I just use the same benchmarking and stress tests to check gpu ram oc as I did the core? What does it do if the ram fails oc? Do benchmark scores go up with good gpu ram oc?


more depends on your temps the chips them selves are beast
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> Are there any really good thermal pads out there? I currently have to Komodo 7970 blocks which use thermal pads to cool the VRMs and I want a better way. I think the gap is too big to use TC though.


see below
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> You can get better Fujipoly ones from FrozenCPU for the same price. 11W/mK instead of 6W/mK.
> 
> Fujipoly 150x100x.5MM Extreme


but much higher shipping in most cases great when you are already buying an order. but ~$10 to ships some thermal pads... no thanks
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> anyone running oc'ed (2way xfire) 7950's off a 650 W psu? some debate on if a good quality 650w psu will be able to pull it off.


you probably could but ocing would be ....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> I think you need both .5MM and 1MM for different areas. I remember when I put my Heatkiller blocks on it had two different thickness VRM pads. I'd assume you can double up the .5MM if you want.


no it is on the swiftech product page .5mm, also i asked the stock ones are 6mk/w
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea i think i'm going to on when i get paid tom lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thanks for reminding me about it. stupid question but can i overclock again with that 750w and an 8350?


yes on extreme ocs i would trip OCP on my 8350 with 2x cfx 7970s, and i am talking 1.7vcore and 1.4 core on gpus but for decent ocs it is ok. it will hold you back from good ocs but it works fine for most ppl ( i had x750 )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> Anyone here have problems with Windows 8.1 (lol) ? I upgraded yesterday and went to the Beta 10 drivers. I also went to the latest beta for Afterburner. Other than that, I changed nothing. Now my fps in BF3 looks to be capped at 30 and my other monitor that I use for temps/music wont even come on. Any ideas?


also there is a 8.1 specific driver


----------



## KnownDragon

Here are 3d Mark results


----------



## Majorhi

I just upgraded to an ASUS 7950 from ASUS 6870's CFX. Is there an informative guide on how to overclock these cards? I've done the incremental increase on both core and mem to 1050/1550 but it's not stable and I haven't messed with the voltage from stock as I haven't found info on that.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> Here are 3d Mark results


your oc may not be stable or the temps are getting up there (above 90). try 1100/1500 and see if you get better scores.

here is mine . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/144796


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> your oc may not be stable or the temps are getting up there (above 90). try 1100/1500 and see if you get better scores.
> 
> here is mine . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/144796


Here are the results from the adjusted clocks at 1100/1500 it baffles me. Lowering the clocks resulted in a lower score.


----------



## maynard14

does a single 7970 will be enough for next gen games? im thinking of crossfire 7970...and lastly can i replace the tim of reference powercolor 7970 to coollaboratory pro?


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> does a single 7970 will be enough for next gen games? im thinking of crossfire 7970...and lastly can i replace the tim of reference powercolor 7970 to coollaboratory pro?


I would like to say yes a 7970 would be enough for next gen games. Crossfire will see you really pleasing results. At room temp the coolaboratory liquid pro is liquid. If I understand this right is it a paste or a liquid? I wouldn't want anything liquid on my gpu that cost that much.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *luci5r*
> 
> Hate to do this, but bumping up my post to the top of new page; it ended up being the last post on the previous page. Would get Zero visibility there.
> ___
> 
> I had a thread running (here) about this issue, but someone suggested I should post in the owner's club.
> 
> I'm looking for owner's of _*HD 7990*_.
> 
> Someone I was speaking with in another forum had suggested the idea that an _*HD 7990*_ is essentially very similar to the _*FirePro S10000*_ professional card (if not the same board) and due it's dual BIOS ability, it should be possible to flash the FirePro BIOS as a secondary BIOS on the card to use the professional driver features for pro apps (like Maya etc.).
> 
> I did find threads in this forum where something similar has been done before; however, for older cards. I believe someone had successfully flashed the FirePro W7000 BIOS on an HD 7970. This is a critical issue for me as I'm building a Gaming / CGI Development rig and I've been battling the choice between _*GTX 780 & HD 7990*_ - both are equally priced. Three separate forums & over 100 responses later, I'm quite convinced going with the GTX 780; I planned to put in 1 now & and add a 2nd one later down the road to SLI.
> 
> However, the possibility of flashing an HD 7990 -> FirePro changes that! That would essentially give me the "perfect" card. Excellent gaming AND Advantages of a professional card/drivers when needed (for pro apps like Maya, etc.).
> 
> I was wondering if there's anyone here who may know anything about this or any experience with such a possibility; who may have tried it. More importantly, if there's someone who's owns an HD 7990 and is willing to give it a shot.
> 
> Any help I can receive on this would be tremendously appreciated.
> 
> Thanks.


Why don't you buy 2 7970s instead? They can be modded to work as W9000 cards I think


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> your oc may not be stable or the temps are getting up there (above 90). try 1100/1500 and see if you get better scores.
> 
> here is mine . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/144796


I must be humble and say +rep to you. I am a noob when it comes to the gpu overclocking. You were right I was not +90c but the overclock was unstable. Here are my new 3D mark11 results.







I had to bump my board power limit in order to achieve this.


----------



## NinjaSushi2

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> does a single 7970 will be enough for next gen games? im thinking of crossfire 7970...and lastly can i replace the tim of reference powercolor 7970 to coollaboratory pro?


I honestly wouldn't spend the money on it just for a GPU. Also I wouldn't spend it on a powercolor nonetheless. As far as TIM goes, Tuniq TX-2 and TX-4 are more than enough as your VRMs will get much hotter than your GPU ever will imo. At least that has been my experience.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> I would like to say yes a 7970 would be enough for next gen games. Crossfire will see you really pleasing results. At room temp the coolaboratory liquid pro is liquid. If I understand this right is it a paste or a liquid? I wouldn't want anything liquid on my gpu that cost that much.


thank you sir,.. a friend of mind tried to put a clp to his 7870 with aluminium cooler and it over heats and his lucky it didnt burn out his card but i saw his heatsink crack and he freak out ,. thats why im asking if the reference card can be cool with a clp ,. but it dont know its cooler,..

i see,.. maybe will see when the next gen games are availbe and benchmark the hell of does new games


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NinjaSushi2*
> 
> I honestly wouldn't spend the money on it just for a GPU. Also I wouldn't spend it on a powercolor nonetheless. As far as TIM goes, Tuniq TX-2 and TX-4 are more than enough as your VRMs will get much hotter than your GPU ever will imo. At least that has been my experience.


hmmm is powercolor brand that bad sir?

i found a asus 7970 reference card also thats why im thinking of crossfire for my 7970 reference powercolor...

i think tx4 or tuniq brand is not available here in our country,.. i have clp but i have not yet test or put it on my card coz im scared it will burn out my card


----------



## Paul17041993

just got the email, next gen is being revealed on the 25th, 5 days from now... ~ish depending on your timezone




__ https://www.facebook.com/AMDGaming/posts/528617747210717











guess I will end up holding off on a couple of 7950s... or not... or... eh will have to see the prices and perf first...


----------



## JJ1217

I so badly want to buy another Asus HD 7950 DCII TOP to go in CFX. But I can't because I know that the new GPU's will be revealed.

When the new cards are revealed, I know they won't be released for sale, but will there at least be benchmarks from other websites to show us how it performs?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I so badly want to buy another Asus HD 7950 DCII TOP to go in CFX. But I can't because I know that the new GPU's will be revealed.


just don't get the DCII in general unless you have no care for OC, customer support and hardware reliability...


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> just don't get the DCII in general unless you have no care for OC, customer support and hardware reliability...


I understand the 7970 DCII is voltage locked, out of the three Asus 7950's I've had all have been great Ocers (and all voltage unlocked) and never had a problem. The 7970 DCII is the only problematic card imo from Asus, everything else they make is pretty great, look at their Nvidia series and other 7800 series cards.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I so badly want to buy another Asus HD 7950 DCII TOP to go in CFX. But I can't because I know that the new GPU's will be revealed.
> 
> When the new cards are revealed, I know they won't be released for sale, but will there at least be benchmarks from other websites to show us how it performs?


Yea I'd bet they've already given samples out to the review sites and a nice long NGA. I can wait either







.... i have like 200 ltc burning a hole in my wallet for a new card to play with

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I understand the 7970 DCII is voltage locked, out of the three Asus 7950's I've had all have been great Ocers (and all voltage unlocked) and never had a problem. The 7970 DCII is the only problematic card imo from Asus, everything else they make is pretty great, look at their Nvidia series and other 7800 series cards.


I heard they had problems with their cooler not mounting correctly and there being a gap on the vrms or core i think but can't remember but regardless their other cards seem to get some great reviews.


----------



## d1nky

Not all DCII 7970s are volt locked, its usually newer PCB revisions that are. Also many other vendors lock voltages, its a way to stop people frying/RMA'ing the cards I believe.

But DCII7970 voltages still could be modded by hotwire if done right!

Ive used 2 DCII 7950s one didn't oc very well at all, but I didn't clean drivers so that may have been the problem. I want a second and maybe a 7970/matrix on a block as well

and well this one...

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/762043

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6910745

best oc so far on air is 1260/1780


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> Not all DCII 7970s are volt locked, its usually newer PCB revisions that are. Also many other vendors lock voltages, its a way to stop people frying/RMA'ing the cards I believe.
> 
> But DCII7970 voltages still could be modded by hotwire if done right!
> 
> Ive used 2 DCII 7950s one didn't oc very well at all, but I didn't clean drivers so that may have been the problem. I want a second and maybe a 7970/matrix on a block as well
> 
> and well this one...
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/762043
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6910745
> 
> best oc so far on air is 1260/1780


That's right, you had a DCII 7950 crossfire setup.. How were the temps in the limited time you had them?


----------



## d1nky

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> That's right, you had a DCII 7950 crossfire setup.. How were the temps in the limited time you had them?


around 65-70*c on top card and 60*c on bottom.

that was stock, I could still have them but I haven't sleeved anymore cables and well not all games used xfire.. so I kind of didn't bother with it! plus it oc's like crap.

they looked friggin sweet together tho! my favourite design cooler of all time, although the new GTX 780 DCII looks awesome!


----------



## hirikarus

i'm using xfx 7950 and it's very noise sound from a both fans.

anyway to fix it?

Sorry for my english.

Thanks !!


----------



## Darklyric

Like a clicking noise when the fans speed up past a certain rpm? Has it always made this noise or after a cooler re-seat?


----------



## hirikarus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Like a clicking noise when the fans speed up past a certain rpm? Has it always made this noise or after a cooler re-seat?


i'm playing bf3
70 celcius with fan 70- 80 percent its very noise


----------



## Darklyric

try manually setting it to say 40% and see if the noise goes away. (not a fix just trying to make sure its the same issue i had with my xfx cooler on my dd 7870)

Not in game though as it might overheat!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I understand the 7970 DCII is voltage locked, out of the three Asus 7950's I've had all have been great Ocers (and all voltage unlocked) and never had a problem. The 7970 DCII is the only problematic card imo from Asus, everything else they make is pretty great, look at their Nvidia series and other 7800 series cards.


yea apparently the 680 fell the same fate too, and the cooler is pretty horrible IMO especially how it doesn't actually cover the VRAM correctly, no overclocking at all here, not even memory.


----------



## d1nky

again its nothing to do with vendor just luck of the draw!

you find people say ''this card is the best in the world'' because it works for them well, or ''asus/gigabyte etc suck'' because they got unlucky with silicon/pcb

all manufacturers have their advantages and weaknesses!


----------



## HardwareDecoder

how this ? windforce 7950 max temp at around 60c w/ 50% fan.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hirikarus*
> 
> i'm playing bf3
> 70 celcius with fan 70- 80 percent its very noise


I'd follow what Dark said. Try 50 - 55% and see if you can bear it. Also, see post #217 by pappy . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1365110/anyone-use-sapphire-model-100352-3l-radeon-7950/210

main thing is to not let your temps affect your gameplay and at the same not risk losing your hearing. lol

edit: also, use HwInfo64 to check temps. it will show both core and vrms temps if your card has the sensors for the latter.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> again its nothing to do with vendor just luck of the draw!
> 
> you find people say ''this card is the best in the world'' because it works for them well, or ''asus/gigabyte etc suck'' because they got unlucky with silicon/pcb
> 
> all manufacturers have their advantages and weaknesses!


Exactly. I had two 670 FTW's which I bought, which one was DOA and the other had a horrible squealing problem and a weird substance coming from the PCB (probably something from the caps). I would never say EVGA was crap, I know they make very good cards and mix that with excellent customer service.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> again its nothing to do with vendor just luck of the draw!
> 
> you find people say ''this card is the best in the world'' because it works for them well, or ''asus/gigabyte etc suck'' because they got unlucky with silicon/pcb
> 
> all manufacturers have their advantages and weaknesses!


and some like to shoot themselves by making crap hardware and advertising it as overclockable...


----------



## Darklyric

Yea i actually solved my issue with the dd 7870 by sanding the inside circumference of the cooler as when the card heats up the cooler flexes and puches the fans closer to the shroud where it was nicking the inside edges of the cooler... iMHO worst design for a cooler but thats just my









***The main reason I told you to turn your fan down was that when mine was at 40% that it would not flex down as far and not contact so we know that in particular would be the issue***


----------



## d1nky

my point exactly.... you find many people moan about something they bought which didn't perform like they hoped, call the manufacturer crap etc

but the people who got lucky don't mention anything about it... and not forgetting that overclocking is something out of warranty and they have disclaimers saying cards aren't sold to overclock etc etc

also the people that find golden cards usually go through many to cherry pick 1, and you had the chance of a 30 day return. and some people just are tempted by advertising and are naïve!

like if I bought a 7970 now and it was volts locked, it would go back and id repeat that until I found the one....


----------



## Darklyric

No i said the cooler IMHO was not good, only two heat pipes and boils at 92c on open gl and cl until i finally found an open box aftermarket cooler which takes it 62c under a higher intensity. the card itself is excellent IMHO albeit voltage locked.

Stop jumping to conclusions. I didn't state any opinions as facts just expressed my experience with that particular cooler. Also xfx was the easiest company out of all the amd brands I've have dealt with.

**** i thought you were referring to my post.... apologies


----------



## luci5r

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Why don't you buy 2 7970s instead? They can be modded to work as W9000 cards I think


Where do you have concrete info that 7970 can be modded w/ W9000 BIOS? Aside from the one thread here, I haven't been able to locate any concrete, solid direction or information on this. And the one thread here was abandoned by the OP so there's only question - no real answers there. I'm open to all Radeon options that can be successfully flashed to use FirePro BIOS ... doesn't have to be the highest end.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> If this is possible that nearly doubles the P2P ratio of a 7990....especially with the cf drivers out. Also Isn't maya open gl? If so you definitely want to go 7990 look at this since a single 7970 ge hold its own in open gl with a 780 and titan and a 7990 is going to scale very well in open gl from what i know about it. These are slightly cherry picked from http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-gtx-780-performance-review,3516-24.html but even where it loses it not bad considering it a few hundred less.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


This is interesting, I must admit. Looking the OpenGL issue further, it did start to appear that GTX cards are not featuring as much computing power as Radeon's when it comes to OpenGL. And yes, you're correct, Maya uses OpenGL. Furthermore, RealFlow, another pro app I use, uses (has the option to) OpenGL for particle simulations.

Where I get stumped is, I have been doing this research for some time now -- there are two different places where GTX was being consistently & overwhelmingly being recommended to me over Radeon.

(i) RTS Gaming; Particularly Blizzard Games. I don't play any FPS (Crysis, BF, etc) games on the PC at all --- Only RTS Games like StarCraft2, Diablo, CoH, C&C, etc. It's well know that these games are more CPU-intensive then GPU-intensive; still, GPU plays a big part in maxing out the graphics settings. It appears, and this is collaborated by various sources, that Blizzard games tend to run better & favor GTX over Radeon. Although I have not been able to find a concrete reason as to why, but that seems to be the consensus.

(ii) A lot of pro developers I've talked to seem to prefer NVidia offerings over AMD's. The data you presented regarding OpenGL seems to counter that argument, so again, I'm not 100% clear why pro developers lean towards NVidia over AMD (Not just Quadros vs FirePro, but also GTX vs Radeons).

I'm so undecided on this; I figured the possibility of flashing Radeon w/ FirePro drivers would be a big decision-maker. However, I've had no real luck in ascertaining it's possibility.


----------



## Darklyric

Those benches were unlfashed fyi just plain jane 7970 BE lol(one of the best ones) but amds cards compute power is excellent if it can be utilized in the SW your using. Stuff like cuda acceleration in certain apps you names might be why they offered nivida cards but you have to balance which ones you use most and the performance gained in one app and lost in another app with both companies. That or they just maybe prefer nivida drivers for gaming like how radeons used to have major issues with frame shuttering in CFX while sli scaled better most of the time with much shutter. this is mostly fixed now except on 4k and 1600+ resolution screens with the latter of the two's fix coming soon. I cant tell much of a difference in RTS games with and amd gpu or nivdia gpu like when I traded my friend my 7870ghz for his 660ti but I liked some of the nividia features. The main reason they might be recommending nividia for gamin IMHO is they are mixing up amd GPU performance with CPU performance in those types of game you listed (CPU bound game that really want 1 very strong core as apposed to 6-8 weaker cores like amd has out atm). You should research every professional application you will be using and see what type of acceleration it supports and if you use both cuda open gl/cl then i would suggest maybe a 7970 and a equivalent nivida gpu and then dual boot for specific apps.

Personally from the apps you've listed i would go with a radeon gpu as the $ to performance ratio in those apps will be better.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *luci5r*
> 
> Where do you have concrete info that 7970 can be modded w/ W9000 BIOS? Aside from the one thread here, I haven't been able to locate any concrete, solid direction or information on this. And the one thread here was abandoned by the OP so there's only question - no real answers there. I'm open to all Radeon options that can be successfully flashed to use FirePro BIOS ... doesn't have to be the highest end.
> This is interesting, I must admit. Looking the OpenGL issue further, it did start to appear that GTX cards are not featuring as much computing power as Radeon's when it comes to OpenGL. And yes, you're correct, Maya uses OpenGL. Furthermore, RealFlow, another pro app I use, uses (has the option to) OpenGL for particle simulations.
> 
> Where I get stumped is, I have been doing this research for some time now -- there are two different places where GTX was being consistently & overwhelmingly being recommended to me over Radeon.
> 
> (i) RTS Gaming; Particularly Blizzard Games. I don't play any FPS (Crysis, BF, etc) games on the PC at all --- Only RTS Games like StarCraft2, Diablo, CoH, C&C, etc. It's well know that these games are more CPU-intensive then GPU-intensive; still, GPU plays a big part in maxing out the graphics settings. It appears, and this is collaborated by various sources, that Blizzard games tend to run better & favor GTX over Radeon. Although I have not been able to find a concrete reason as to why, but that seems to be the consensus.
> 
> (ii) A lot of pro developers I've talked to seem to prefer NVidia offerings over AMD's. The data you presented regarding OpenGL seems to counter that argument, so again, I'm not 100% clear why pro developers lean towards NVidia over AMD (Not just Quadros vs FirePro, but also GTX vs Radeons).
> 
> I'm so undecided on this; I figured the possibility of flashing Radeon w/ FirePro drivers would be a big decision-maker. However, I've had no real luck in ascertaining it's possibility.


I don't have concrete evidence but you can pm the guy and ask him if you want


----------



## shadowland31

I am planning on getting the Sapphire Radeon HD OC 7970 3GB Video Card and I have a few crucial questions. I am curious on the technical specifications of what it can do. I want to play high graphic games on ultra graphic settings with a 60+ fps. I was wondering if this card can do it without a crossfire. Could it do it on a 2560x1440 screen resolution? How noisy is the card? I won't play every game with a headset so I don't want it to take away from the submersion of the video game. Thanks for all your help!


----------



## Darklyric

Yea the exact model # would be nice so we can see which cooler it has. The vapor-x coolers from sapphire are superb imo. Also at 1440 you might have to turn AA and MSAA down a touch but it should be fine besides that. - 7950 are dirt cheap right now too.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> again its nothing to do with vendor just luck of the draw!
> 
> you find people say ''this card is the best in the world'' because it works for them well, or ''asus/gigabyte etc suck'' because they got unlucky with silicon/pcb
> 
> all manufacturers have their advantages and weaknesses!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> and some like to shoot themselves by making crap hardware and advertising it as overclockable...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *d1nky*
> 
> my point exactly.... you find many people moan about something they bought which didn't perform like they hoped, call the manufacturer crap etc
> 
> but the people who got lucky don't mention anything about it... and not forgetting that overclocking is something out of warranty and they have disclaimers saying cards aren't sold to overclock etc etc
> 
> also the people that find golden cards usually go through many to cherry pick 1, and you had the chance of a 30 day return. and some people just are tempted by advertising and are naïve!
> 
> like if I bought a 7970 now and it was volts locked, it would go back and id repeat that until I found the one....


This exactly! It just gets so old hearing all the complaining. Some manufact. add features they say will help oc, but I don't know of any that guarantee a oc of any kind. It's purely luck of the draw. All of them use the same AMD 7970 or 7970 ghz chips. You can buy a card with great features, 20+ power phase, hotwire, ect,ect., but if the chip stinks, it isn't going to help. And I agree most of the people that have these amazing cards have went thru a lot them to find that one great card. And some just got lucky. Don't hate the player, hate the game.


----------



## Chopper1591

Maybe some of you guys can help me out on this.

Today I decided to redo the thermal paste on my 7950 vapor-x.

I did not expect this:


I kinda hopped the ram had a separate heatsink.

I didn't had additional thermal pads laying here so I reused the pads.

Now I am looking to buy pads as it is not advised to reuse pads.
I found these, do you guys think they will work nicely with the card? Seems high conductivity(7W/mk)
http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Phobya-Thermal-Pad-XT-7W-mk-120x20-x-1mm-/281170903352?pt=UK_Computing_Thermal_Compounds_Supplies&hash=item4177178138

When they arrive I want to be sure I do the paste on the best possible method. I am using Arctic Silver 5. Some say not to use that because of the electrical conductivity.

What do you guys think?
Should I buy other paste(mx-4 or chill factor 3)?
And what is the best method? dot, X, spread?

Thanks


----------



## ihatelolcats

you can reuse pads. not a problem


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Maybe some of you guys can help me out on this.
> 
> Today I decided to redo the thermal paste on my 7950 vapor-x.
> 
> I did not expect this:
> 
> 
> I kinda hopped the ram had a separate heatsink.
> 
> I didn't had additional thermal pads laying here so I reused the pads.
> 
> Now I am looking to buy pads as it is not advised to reuse pads.
> I found these, do you guys think they will work nicely with the card? Seems high conductivity(7W/mk)
> http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Phobya-Thermal-Pad-XT-7W-mk-120x20-x-1mm-/281170903352?pt=UK_Computing_Thermal_Compounds_Supplies&hash=item4177178138
> 
> When they arrive I want to be sure I do the paste on the best possible method. I am using Arctic Silver 5. Some say not to use that because of the electrical conductivity.
> 
> What do you guys think?
> Should I buy other paste(mx-4 or chill factor 3)?
> And what is the best method? dot, X, spread?
> 
> Thanks


Gelid Extreme is great and actually recommended by EK. I personally use the spread method on gpus.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> When they arrive I want to be sure I do the paste on the best possible method. I am using Arctic Silver 5. Some say not to use that because of the electrical conductivity.
> 
> What do you guys think?
> Should I buy other paste(mx-4 or chill factor 3)?
> And what is the best method? dot, X, spread?


I get better temps with mx4 and don't have to worry about it frying anything. Also the same price as AS5. AS5 is overrated nowadays since its an old design. Still, it is a good paste though.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you can reuse pads. not a problem


They are reusable as long as your careful not to ball them up or tear them.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you can reuse pads. not a problem


Oh ok.

Thought I could use them but some say don't reuse.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Gelid Extreme is great and actually recommended by EK. I personally use the spread method on gpus.


Is Gelid Extreme no conductive(electrical) too?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> I get better temps with mx4 and don't have to worry about it frying anything. Also the same price as AS5. AS5 is overrated nowadays since its an old design. Still, it is a good paste though.
> They are reusable as long as your careful not to ball them up or tear them.


Yeah I know it's old but it still keeps up pretty well indeed.


----------



## Rar4f

Asking for some info









I plan to experience 1440 gaming:
UD3h z87x Gigabyte
16GB ram
I7 4770k
600W PSU

Asus PB278Q

Sapphire Radeon *7970 3GB* vs Sapphire Radeon *7970 3GB GHz* Vapor-X
11197-11-40G costs around $13 less than 11197-12-40G

Can i get more performance out of a the non OC one than the GHz edition?
Is there things by GHz edition thats better than non OC one? Such as maybe...coolers?

How much am i looking at average if i OC the 7970 non oc one myself?

The non OC one i listed costs $13 less than GHz one. And if i know i can get significantly more performance out of the non OC, i might as well go with it


----------



## Darklyric

Ocing isn't guaranteed but i think the ghz is voltage locked if i remember right.


----------



## Rar4f

But what is the probability of getting significantly better clockspeed if u oc non oc 7970 as opposed to how much youll get from ghz edition. Isnt ghz edition factory oc?


----------



## diazalon

My friend is going to build a build a new PC and on newegg there are $230 and would most likely beat dual 760's. Are there many problems wif CF still? would the HD7990 be any better, also would LOL support cross fire?


----------



## Darklyric

No idea i own all 7950s









7970>760 and about = to 7950 depending on how each card overclocks. 7970 is about = 770 depending on cards and ocing of course.


----------



## hotrod717

Gelid is nonconductive and the best out there imho other than clu. IC7 is close,but will scratch with multiple application and removal.

Ghz edition are binned chips that are oc'd from factory. Like getting a guarantee of 1 GHz. Reg. Or ref. based is pure luck. No guarantee of anything over stock 925mhz., but a lot are unlocked and you could get lucky in silicon lottery.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diazalon*
> 
> My friend is going to build a build a new PC and on newegg there are $230 and would most likely beat dual 760's. Are there many problems wif CF still? would the HD7990 be any better, also would LOL support cross fire?


pretty sure LOL does not suport CFX, not that it need to since its requirements are so low a single 7970 would blow it out fps wise.


----------



## istudy92

5 days left for R9!!


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 5 days left for R9!!


I'm sure everyone reading this thread is aware of the date. It gets very annoying watching you post this daily. Not trying to be a jerk, just getting tired of reading this everyday


----------



## istudy92

;( okay


----------



## Rar4f

any1 have any idea much r9 280 and r9 280x may cost?


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> I'm sure everyone reading this thread is aware of the date. It gets very annoying watching you post this daily. Not trying to be a jerk, just getting tired of reading this everyday


How could you get tired of reading 5 words..?


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> How could you get tired of reading 5 words..?


Maybe its just me but posting it everyday just got on my nerves. Sorry if I offended anyone including OP


----------



## Rar4f

yove not offended me


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> I'm sure everyone reading this thread is aware of the date. It gets very annoying watching you post this daily. Not trying to be a jerk, just getting tired of reading this everyday


This.


----------



## alancsalt

It could be seen as spamming for post count.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 5 days left for R9!!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> just got the email, next gen is being revealed on the 25th, 5 days from now... ~ish depending on your timezone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __ https://www.facebook.com/AMDGaming/posts/528617747210717
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> guess I will end up holding off on a couple of 7950s... or not... or... eh will have to see the prices and perf first...


----------



## Rar4f

I am prolly getting a 7970 GHz edition (Vapor X),
but i will wait til i see if the successors of 7950 and 7970 are good and affordable.

Is the reason Nvidia´s gtx 770 4gb is lacking because of the memory interface?


----------



## Lukinrats

Looking for a little help. I currently own an HD 7870ghz edition. My cousin wants to upgrade his card, so I am going to sell him mine

I now need to decide on what upgrade I want. I am looking at the 7970, the 7970 ghz Ed. And maybe the 7950

I am wondering if there is a big enough diff between the two 7970s. I mean if I can overclock the 7970 myself then I don't need to get th ghz. If I can't then I do want it.

As for the 7950, just curious if the 7970s are much better.

Thanks


----------



## Erick Silver

Personally(and from my current experience with the model) I would go with the 7950. If you manage to get your hands on a good card you will be able to overclock it to settings that match a stock 7970. Which is no small feat. And at the price point that the 7950s are at right now its probably one of the best Bang for your Buck cards out there right now.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Looking for a little help. I currently own an HD 7870ghz edition. My cousin wants to upgrade his card, so I am going to sell him mine
> 
> I now need to decide on what upgrade I want. I am looking at the 7970, the 7970 ghz Ed. And maybe the 7950
> 
> I am wondering if there is a big enough diff between the two 7970s. I mean if I can overclock the 7970 myself then I don't need to get th ghz. If I can't then I do want it.
> 
> As for the 7950, just curious if the 7970s are much better.
> 
> Thanks


The 7970 is indeed better, the GHz isn't worth it since you can OC it very easily to 1GHz. A 7950 can reach 7970 speeds so it depends on the price.


----------



## Erick Silver

I agree with the above. My Sapphire VaporX HD7950 is at 1100mhz Core and 1500Mhz Mem.


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Personally(and from my current experience with the model) I would go with the 7950. If you manage to get your hands on a good card you will be able to overclock it to settings that match a stock 7970. Which is no small feat. And at the price point that the 7950s are at right now its probably one of the best Bang for your Buck cards out there right now.


This is my 7950 HIS hd7950 iq. 3gb


----------



## Rar4f

isnt 7950 pretty much around same as a 7970 ghz?

Assuming you overclock 7950 and get lucky and get its frequency to 1000 MHz?

7970 ghz costs $132 more than 7950 Vapor X (non oc), so i thought get the 7950 and OC it?

For 1440 gaming


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> isnt 7950 pretty much around same as a 7970 ghz?
> 
> Assuming you overclock 7950 and get lucky and get its frequency to 1000 MHz?
> 
> 7970 ghz costs $132 more than 7950 Vapor X (non oc), so i thought get the 7950 and OC it?
> 
> For 1440 gaming


HD 7950 boost cards come at 925 mhz stock speeds. HD 7950 at 1125 Mhz is equal to a stock HD 7970 Ghz(1050 mhz). HD 7950 is definitely best value for money. don't buy vapor-x. just get a sapphire dual x or pcs+ . these cards have a better cooler than vapor-x and come with unlocked voltage.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131458
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131499
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shadowland31*
> 
> I am planning on getting the Sapphire Radeon HD OC 7970 3GB Video Card and I have a few crucial questions. I am curious on the technical specifications of what it can do. I want to play high graphic games on ultra graphic settings with a 60+ fps. I was wondering if this card can do it without a crossfire. Could it do it on a 2560x1440 screen resolution? How noisy is the card? I won't play every game with a headset so I don't want it to take away from the submersion of the video game. Thanks for all your help!


i dont think a single card can do it at max settings you would have to turn down a few ( not many ) just a bit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Maybe some of you guys can help me out on this.
> 
> Today I decided to redo the thermal paste on my 7950 vapor-x.
> 
> I did not expect this:
> 
> 
> I kinda hopped the ram had a separate heatsink.
> 
> I didn't had additional thermal pads laying here so I reused the pads.
> 
> Now I am looking to buy pads as it is not advised to reuse pads.
> I found these, do you guys think they will work nicely with the card? Seems high conductivity(7W/mk)
> http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Phobya-Thermal-Pad-XT-7W-mk-120x20-x-1mm-/281170903352?pt=UK_Computing_Thermal_Compounds_Supplies&hash=item4177178138
> 
> When they arrive I want to be sure I do the paste on the best possible method. I am using Arctic Silver 5. Some say not to use that because of the electrical conductivity.
> 
> What do you guys think?
> Should I buy other paste(mx-4 or chill factor 3)?
> And what is the best method? dot, X, spread?
> 
> Thanks


dot also i would be wary of ebay for components such as this. i would go to perf pcs ( best shipping on single items ) they have 6mk/w which is plenty
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ihatelolcats*
> 
> you can reuse pads. not a problem


this ^
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Gelid is nonconductive and the best out there imho other than clu. IC7 is close,but will scratch with multiple application and removal.
> 
> Ghz edition are binned chips that are oc'd from factory. Like getting a guarantee of 1 GHz. Reg. Or ref. based is pure luck. No guarantee of anything over stock 925mhz., but a lot are unlocked and you could get lucky in silicon lottery.


there is no proof besides 1 guy spamming several forums. i know several people here on this forum that have proof and it DOES NOT leave a single scratch


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> HD 7950 boost cards come at 925 mhz stock speeds. HD 7950 at 1125 Mhz is equal to a stock HD 7970 Ghz(1050 mhz). HD 7950 is definitely best value for money. don't buy vapor-x. just get a sapphire dual x or pcs+ . these cards have a better cooler than vapor-x and come with unlocked voltage.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131458
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131499
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026


I heard Vapor X is better cooler than Dual X?


----------



## Lukinrats

So basically, the 7950 and 7970 are the same card except for the clocks?

Actually the Vapor x was the one I was getting. What's wrong with it?


----------



## Lukinrats

Fwiw, my card now is an Msi twin frozr 7870, so what about this? It's not the ghz edition, but it's already at ghz stock

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> So basically, the 7950 and 7970 are the same card except for the clocks?


Not at all; the 7950 can just be overclocked to match the stock 7970. 7970s are faster than 7950s at the same clocks, so they end up being the faster of the two.


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> So basically, the 7950 and 7970 are the same card except for the clocks?
> 
> Actually the Vapor x was the one I was getting. What's wrong with it?


As far as i can tell clockspeed for its core and memory seems to be whats setting 7970 and 7950 apart.

And i dont know whats wrong with Vapor X, i asked same question to poster above saying Dual X is better cooler than Vapor X


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> So basically, the 7950 and 7970 are the same card except for the clocks?
> 
> Actually the Vapor x was the one I was getting. What's wrong with it?


nope steam processors (shaders) also differs. 7950 has 1792 up against 2048 for 7970.

I dont see anything wrong with vapor x. I have 2 of these and nothing wrong. They are not voltage locked neither. Vapor x supposed to be better than dual x. For most people prefer dual x as dual x has a reference boards thus making them water block ready. Vapor x also has higher power phase than dual x. and vapor X has a custom pcb and there is no full waterblock for it.


----------



## Lukinrats

So what is the Nvidia equivalent to these. 770?

Think I'm going to get a 7970, but just need to decide between the standard and ghz editions. Might go with the one linked above just because I have experience with that model. Been good


----------



## nightfox

ghz edition is only factory OC'ed. you can just get standard one and OC it yourself.....

Suggest you wait for next gen AMD cards. They will announce next week.


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> So what is the Nvidia equivalent to these. 770?
> 
> Think I'm going to get a 7970, but just need to decide between the standard and ghz editions. Might go with the one linked above just because I have experience with that model. Been good


Yes, 770 is the equivalent of 7970.

But before you pick 7950, 7970 or a gtx 770
You must know resolution youll be playing games at. If you play games at 1440 or higher, i believe chosing 770 will be bad. Because it has lower memory interface (256ish?) vs Radeon 7970 (384ish).
Plus the gtx 770 has 1GB less Vram than 7970.

However, if you plan on playing games on 1080 monitor, then i would go with Gtx 770, assuming you can afford it, if not you can get 7970.

The higher resolution you play games at the more significant the 7970´s capabiities become, which results in it giving you better fps than gtx 770.


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nightfox*
> 
> ghz edition is only factory OC'ed. you can just get standard one and OC it yourself.....
> 
> Suggest you wait for next gen AMD cards. They will announce next week.


Can you tell me when, or point me to an article or something. I don't think I can wait, plus the new ones will probably be so expensive that these 7970s will still be the way to go for a while


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> Yes, 770 is the equivalent of 7970.
> 
> But before you pick 7950, 7970 or a gtx 770
> You must know resolution youll be playing games at. If you play games at 1440 or higher, i believe chosing 770 will be bad. Because it has lower memory interface (256ish?) vs Radeon 7970 (384ish).
> Plus the gtx 770 has 1GB less Vram than 7970.
> 
> However, if you plan on playing games on 1080 monitor, then i would go with Gtx 770, assuming you can afford it, if not you can get 7970.
> 
> The higher resolution you play games at the more significant the 7970´s capabiities become, which results in it giving you better fps than gtx 770.


I play at 1080 because I use a LCD tv for a monitor. Also, I am not really a fan of Nvidia, but I was just asking.

I think I will want the 7970. I would like the ghz, but if i can't overclock it significantly over the 7970 std, then it will be a waste.


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> I play at 1080 because I use a LCD tv for a monitor. Also, I am not really a fan of Nvidia, but I was just asking.
> 
> I think I will want the 7970. I would like the ghz, but if i can't overclock it significantly over the 7970 std, then it will be a waste.


In my region the GHz edition is cheaper than a 7970 std. Though i also want to overclock a GHz to

1150 core and 1600 memory.


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Can you tell me when, or point me to an article or something. I don't think I can wait, plus the new ones will probably be so expensive that these 7970s will still be the way to go for a while


point you to where? Difference was only Vbios.


----------



## Lukinrats

So, let's say that I get this particular model of the 7970. I like it from what I can tell, but I am open to suggestions and all. So, if I am choosing one of these....Is there a difference in the end, other than the clocks? Do they choose higher binned parts for the GHZ edition? Can I just clock the 7970 as high as the GHZ? Does the GHZ clock even higher @ the high end than the STD? As far as the money, it really does not matter, except that I do not want to waste it if there is not point

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161431


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nightfox*
> 
> point you to where? Difference was only Vbios.


Oh, no i meant to something that tells me when they will be announcing


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Oh, no i meant to something that tells me when they will be announcing


http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/graphics/display/20130918234029_AMD_to_Announce_Next_Gen_Graphics_Chips_Next_Week.html

also there is a thread here at OCN

http://www.overclock.net/t/1427631/official-date-of-the-new-amd-cards-revealed-25-9-13

but then again of course few months more then manufacturers will start making there own based from these chips and like always, price will be high... so if you can wait few more months then get next gen, if not then just take 7970 or even better 7990 ^_^,,

If only I live in US, I already sold my 7950's and bought a 2 x 7990 and water cool them... Prices in US was just way too cheap compared here in korea


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> So, let's say that I get this particular model of the 7970. I like it from what I can tell, but I am open to suggestions and all. So, if I am choosing one of these....Is there a difference in the end, other than the clocks? Do they choose higher binned parts for the GHZ edition? Can I just clock the 7970 as high as the GHZ? Does the GHZ clock even higher @ the high end than the STD? As far as the money, it really does not matter, except that I do not want to waste it if there is not point
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161412
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161431


Ofc you can clock the 7970 std to as high as the GHZ.

But it is all probability stuff. Chances are youll have fair overclock.
But like everyone says, there is no gurantee.

The GHz is 1000 core (950 std), while boost is 1050 (1000 std).

But i think difference between a std 7970 is also the cooler (Vapor X),

*ABOUT GHz edition:*
_Maximum stable clocks of our card are 1185 MHz core (13% overclock) and 1635 MHz Memory (9% overclock).

GPU overclocking potential is good and seems to be higher than other "standard" HD 7970 cards. Only the MSI HD 7970 Lighting gets similar clocks, which might be because MSI is picking from the best GPUs, too.
Memory overclocking does not work so well, which is surprising as other cards using the same board design and memory chips get higher clocks here._

*ABOUT STD:*
_Maximum stable clocks of our card are 1075 MHz core (16% overclock) and 1715 MHz Memory (25% overclock).

Both overclocks are spectacular. It's amazing to see over 15% overclocking potential on a brand-new GPU design, using a brand new production process. Over 1700 MHz memory clock is actually the highest memory speed we have ever seen!
_

As you can see, unless your very unlucky you should easily match the speed of a GHz by ocing a std.

SOURCE 1
SOURCE 2


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i dont think a single card can do it at max settings you would have to turn down a few ( not many ) just a bit
> dot also i would be wary of ebay for components such as this. i would go to perf pcs ( best shipping on single items ) they have 6mk/w which is plenty
> this ^
> there is no proof besides 1 guy spamming several forums. i know several people here on this forum that have proof and it DOES NOT leave a single scratch


Not sure about who you're referring to spamming forums, but I'll see when I change my tim. Seems likely, however, I would be open to seeing proof that it doesn't.


----------



## bigmac11

I've owned 5 7950's and 3 7970's and all of them overclocked to at least 1150/1500 after I learned all the tricks. Honestly between the 7970 and 7950 you'll never notice a difference. The only difference is the old Diamond 7970 overclock like a sob


----------



## TechJunki

Is there a way to overclock past the 1100 mhz restriction on the 7990? Thanks

Edit: lol nm


----------



## Lukinrats

So this is not worth the money?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127736


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> So this is not worth the money?
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127736


At that price absolutely not.


----------



## Lukinrats

Well, then it sounds like I should go with 7970 std..Which one is the question. Is there one that does not exhibit the whine, and consistently OCs well?


----------



## bigmac11

If you were going to spend $400 plus on one card grab 2 7950's and get the best deal going









http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202030R&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-Desktop+Graphics+Cards-_-N82E16814202030R&gclid=CNjo-63o2rkCFUxgMgodWlMAyw


----------



## Lukinrats

I wasn't really. Thought someone said the msi was best. Which 7970 should i get?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> At that price absolutely not.


not completely true
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> I wasn't really. Thought someone said the msi was best. Which 7970 should i get?


it is ... for L2N but otherwise get a reference


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not completely true
> it is ... for L2N but otherwise get a reference


Not completely sure what this is talking about above? Cooling with Liquid Nitrogen? Anyway, if that is the case, I am not sure what the correlation between that and the MSI lightning would be

I guess I am just going to get this. I already know what to expect from TwinFrozr iii so there is that

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Video+Cards+-+AMD/ATI-_-MSI-_-14127732


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Not completely sure what this is talking about above? Cooling with Liquid Nitrogen? Anyway, if that is the case, I am not sure what the correlation between that and the MSI lightning would be
> 
> I guess I am just going to get this. I already know what to expect from TwinFrozr iii so there is that
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Video+Cards+-+AMD/ATI-_-MSI-_-14127732


the lightning has extra phases and a spectacular PCB capable of very high clocks under liquid nitrogen or helium, but not necessarily a good standard overclocker.

if your willing to overclock and/or watercool, look for a reference card or one that uses a reference PCB, theres a few, MSI's "boost" cards seem to be the common atm.

if you only care for stock clocks and no overclocking (or very little), get a custom card, gigabyte's cards have good stock clocks but their cooler can be tricky to keep cool.

as for 7950 vs 7970 vs 7970GHz, the 7970 and GHz are completely identical, just different stock clocks, the 7950 while slower then the 7970 by a small margin is quite the value card and usually overclocks really well.

most people here with 7950s have whipped my 7970DCIIT's ass at everything...


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Gelid is nonconductive and the best out there imho other than clu. IC7 is close,but will scratch with multiple application and removal.
> 
> Ghz edition are binned chips that are oc'd from factory. Like getting a guarantee of 1 GHz. Reg. Or ref. based is pure luck. No guarantee of anything over stock 925mhz., but a lot are unlocked and you could get lucky in silicon lottery.


Alright thanks. Will buy one of those bottles of Gelid Extreme. 10g 20,48 euro shipped // 3,5g 10,95 euro shipped.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Looking for a little help. I currently own an HD 7870ghz edition. My cousin wants to upgrade his card, so I am going to sell him mine
> 
> I now need to decide on what upgrade I want. I am looking at the 7970, the 7970 ghz Ed. And maybe the 7950
> 
> I am wondering if there is a big enough diff between the two 7970s. I mean if I can overclock the 7970 myself then I don't need to get th ghz. If I can't then I do want it.
> 
> As for the 7950, just curious if the 7970s are much better.
> 
> Thanks


I have to agree with the others.
A decent 7950 would be best bang for buck.

It all comes down to how much you want to spend on it.
How do you want to cool it btw? If stock get one with a good cooler, if water take an reference.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I agree with the above. My Sapphire VaporX HD7950 is at 1100mhz Core and 1500Mhz Mem.


Do you have 3dmark 11 scores with your card?
I also have the 7950 vapor-x(2x8pin version).

* Correction: do mean Heaven 4.0 scores







. Just outta bed....

This is mine doing 1100/1650(1.2v modded bios):


And 1150/1500, seems to be my sweet spot (temp/wattage wise):


Core can go higher but will have to up the voltage more and that raises the wattage quiet allot. Will let the amps peak at ~190a. 190*1.25v= 237,5W


----------



## byterhythm

I've had my 7950 (non boost) for 4 months and it just randomly died. I'm unsure what caused it but I had it overclocked to 1000mhz using afterburner with +20% power limit, stock memory, stock voltage.

When I was gaming the temps go up to 80C when playing games like Metro. I was able to run loops of Heaven w/o any issues and some other games but I did not use Furmark or OCCT.

I was just watching a movie one day and the pc shut down, replacing the video card with my old one (gts 450) was able to boot up the pc.

Anyway, I sent the card back to the shop and they will have it repaired or replaced in 3-4 weeks time.

I wonder if the oc I did killed the card or is the card not any good? (the brand or this specific model or just bad luck?)

http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-2PMD3GD5-OC.html


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *byterhythm*
> 
> I've had my 7950 (non boost) for 4 months and it just randomly died. I'm unsure what caused it but I had it overclocked to 1000mhz using afterburner with +20% power limit, stock memory, stock voltage.
> 
> When I was gaming the temps go up to 80C when playing games like Metro. I was able to run loops of Heaven w/o any issues and some other games but I did not use Furmark or OCCT.
> 
> I was just watching a movie one day and the pc shut down, replacing the video card with my old one (gts 450) was able to boot up the pc.
> 
> Anyway, I sent the card back to the shop and they will have it repaired or replaced in 3-4 weeks time.
> 
> I wonder if the oc I did killed the card or is the card not any good? (the brand or this specific model or just bad luck?)
> 
> http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7950-2PMD3GD5-OC.html


Can't know for sure until you hear the results from the store.
But it is probably bad luck. I have a hard time believing that mild overclock killed the card. Though 80c is a bit high to run all the time.
My 7950 vapor-x stays at round 70c when gaming for 4+ hours at 1100core.

Could just as much be another component in your system.
Which PSU are you running?


----------



## byterhythm

^ Seasonic X650. it was the first thing that I tested, when my pc shut down. Seems to be working fine.

Will it help if I replace the paste? It is a stock/reference card with a tiny fan


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *byterhythm*
> 
> ^ Seasonic X650. it was the first thing that I tested, when my pc shut down. Seems to be working fine.


Oh ok. Yeah I can't read your mind.









Will have to wait the results from the store then.
Can you post back when you have them? Would like to hear it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *byterhythm*
> 
> When I was gaming the temps go up to 80C when playing games like Metro. I was able to run loops of Heaven w/o any issues and some other games but I did not use Furmark or OCCT.


I think you jsut wore it out by letting it go so hot, try to keep your replacement more under 75C...

OC doesn't sound like anything major though so I don't think that did much to it, likely an already weak card that the heat killed it off relatively quick.


----------



## Darklyric

^^ this and replacing the paste usually gets you a few degrees ( i got 15c with paste on an xfx card







) but if they are actually fixing that card I can only assume they did have done this already. I'd check your temps first. Do you know what your vrm temps were? -I think this might have been the issue with the card's core running 80c your vrms could have been 100+.


----------



## Majorhi

I'm digging my ASUS 7950. OC'd to 1200/1600. Been folding for the last 48 hours or so straight, as a bit of a stress test for it, with no issues. Custom fixed fan speed of 33% stays around 59 core and 65 on the VRMs. Here in a little bit I'm gonna fire up a game and see what the temps go up to.


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majorhi*
> 
> I'm digging my ASUS 7950. OC'd to 1200/1600. Been folding for the last 48 hours or so straight, as a bit of a stress test for it, with no issues. Custom fixed fan speed of 33% stays around 59 core and 65 on the VRMs. Here in a little bit I'm gonna fire up a game and see what the temps go up to.


Did you have to apply extra voltage?


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the lightning has extra phases and a spectacular PCB capable of very high clocks under liquid nitrogen or helium, but not necessarily a good standard overclocker.
> 
> if your willing to overclock and/or watercool, look for a reference card or one that uses a reference PCB, theres a few, MSI's "boost" cards seem to be the common atm.
> 
> if you only care for stock clocks and no overclocking (or very little), get a custom card, gigabyte's cards have good stock clocks but their cooler can be tricky to keep cool.
> 
> as for 7950 vs 7970 vs 7970GHz, the 7970 and GHz are completely identical, just different stock clocks, the 7950 while slower then the 7970 by a small margin is quite the value card and usually overclocks really well.
> 
> most people here with 7950s have whipped my 7970DCIIT's ass at everything...


What an awesome reply. Thanks! #1. I do not really have room to water cool the card. I already have an H80 on my CPU. I guess I could cool the card with that, and get an H100 for my CPU, but I don't really want to.

I do like to overclock, but not insanely. As in, I would like to maybe get the Ghz edition and then see how much more I could squeeze out of it. However, it would aggravate me if I bought the std and then couldn't get the same from it.

I have decided that I want to go with the 7970. Actually, I decided to go with the 7990 last night, but then when I thought about having to buy another PSU, I decided against it again. Mine is only Corsair 700.

If most people are whipping the A$$ of our card, then I would assume that is because they are going through elaborate modding to highly overclock it. I am not willing to do all that at this time

I really think I will just get this one. I know what to expect

http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=7777bc3c17029328d03146e0ed767841&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Ft%2F1196856%2Fofficial-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread%2F30900&v=1&libId=dca300fe-79d5-4de4-acb9-82f6d4e2ebe8&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16814127732%26nm_mc%3DOTC-pr1c3grabb3r%26cm_mmc%3DOTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Video%2BCards%2B-%2BAMD%2FATI-_-MSI-_-14127732&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.overclock.net%2Ft%2F1196856%2Fofficial-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread%2F30910&title=%5BOfficial%5D%20AMD%20Radeon%20HD%207950%2F7970%2F7990%20Owners%20Thread%20-%20Page%203091&txt=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newegg.com%2FProduct%2FProduct.aspx%3FItem%3DN82E16814127732%26amp%3Bnm_mc%3DOTC-pr1c3grabb3r%26amp%3Bcm_mmc%3DOTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Vide...&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13797785315046


----------



## Majorhi

Yes. I have it at 1.25. I'm using Trixx to OC it. I'm debating between pushing the clocks higher or backing down the voltage. Trying to find that sweet spot. I know currently it's relatively stable. I can run most benchies, occt, 3dmark11 and the newest 3dmark. For some reason though, it doesn't like that catzilla benchmark.


----------



## Darklyric

700w at the 12v rail should be fine for a 7990.


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> 700w at the 12v rail should be fine for a 7990.


It just said that it requires a 750W psu. Plus I don't guess I really need a dual GPU for what I am doing. I game on a single 1080p LCD TV. It would be overkill me thinks.


----------



## firaaero

Hey guys! I've been getting stuttering in windowed mode games with my 7970 Ghz edition. I've tested everything including my GPU i tested on a friends rig and tests. I tested everything but my PSU so far.... Could my 750w psu be causing it? its a 12v 4 rail one.. Thinking of buying a new one. Tried everything already.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firaaero*
> 
> Hey guys! I've been getting stuttering in windowed mode games with my 7970 Ghz edition. I've tested everything including my GPU i tested on a friends rig and tests. I tested everything but my PSU so far.... Could my 750w psu be causing it? its a 12v 4 rail one.. Thinking of buying a new one. Tried everything already.


Can you give some more info?

Does this problem suddenly occur?
Did you buy the card and it happens or what?

Only in windowed?
Tried removing drivers and updating/installing again.

How do you have the gpu connected to the psu?
Make sure you use two different 12v rails for the gpu cables...


----------



## byterhythm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Oh ok. Yeah I can't read your mind.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Will have to wait the results from the store then.
> Can you post back when you have them? Would like to hear it.


Yes. I will report back once I have the card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I think you jsut wore it out by letting it go so hot, try to keep your replacement more under 75C...
> 
> OC doesn't sound like anything major though so I don't think that did much to it, likely an already weak card that the heat killed it off relatively quick.


I used to think that modern cards can withstand that much heat unlike in the old days.

I have no problems getting an aftermarket cooler for the card (The Deepcool Dracula is readily available in local shops), but i'm on a mATX system and the cooler will block all of my SATA ports








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> ^^ this and replacing the paste usually gets you a few degrees ( i got 15c with paste on an xfx card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) but if they are actually fixing that card I can only assume they did have done this already. I'd check your temps first. Do you know what your vrm temps were? -I think this might have been the issue with the card's core running 80c your vrms could have been 100+.


The VRM temps is a few degress higher than the GPU temp when I was using the HWinfo overlay.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firaaero*
> 
> Hey guys! I've been getting stuttering in windowed mode games with my 7970 Ghz edition. I've tested everything including my GPU i tested on a friends rig and tests. I tested everything but my PSU so far.... Could my 750w psu be causing it? its a 12v 4 rail one.. Thinking of buying a new one. Tried everything already.


Yes it *could* be but like chopper said there are many other things that can be causing it.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

reading through and seeing everyone's temps and oc's seems like my first WF 7950 is a good clocker and the cooler is nice. 1150/1500 1.25v 60c max in games


----------



## Rar4f

How good is vapor x cooler compared to gigabytes? I have choice to get 7970 oc gigabyte over 7970 ghz vapor x. The gigabyte costs $57 less, so if gigabyte cooler is roughly as good as vapor x, then itll save me from getting a ghz edition that costs more for vapor x...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> If most people are whipping the A$$ of our card, then I would assume that is because they are going through elaborate modding to highly overclock it. I am not willing to do all that at this time


well generally many people are getting 7950s (mostly reference or 7970 PCB) and getting quite high clocks, 1100-1200 core, 1400-1600 mem? whereas my pitiful DCIIT (7970, 1000 core, 1400 mem) is a hardware-locked card and cools very poorly, so no overclocking on my side, highest 3Dmark11 score I've seen on it is some 8600 graphic points, vs well over 9000 from the overclocked 7950s...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *firaaero*
> 
> Hey guys! I've been getting stuttering in windowed mode games with my 7970 Ghz edition. I've tested everything including my GPU i tested on a friends rig and tests. I tested everything but my PSU so far.... Could my 750w psu be causing it? its a 12v 4 rail one.. Thinking of buying a new one. Tried everything already.


I guess the PSU could cause some throttling if the voltages sway too much, have you been able to monitor the activity of the card? and same drivers on a different rig doesn't replicate the stuttering?


----------



## Lukinrats

How is this?

http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Radeon-Mini-Displayport-Graphics-GV-R797OC-3GD/dp/B00752QYLK/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1379804713&sr=1-7


----------



## Lukinrats

So you guys really think a 7990 would be ok with my Corsair GS700 PSU? With the Z77 Sandybridge rig. I run about 5 platter drives, and an SSD, plus a couple of USB 3 external drives. A good many fans and an H80. I overclock to about 4.8 with 1.44 +/- volts. I tried out the psu calculator and I can make it tell me what I want to hear, but just checking in about experiences


----------



## nvidiaftw12

That'd be pushing it. These can use around 500+ watts at full load. Also, be warned, almost all 7990s have bad coil whine.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> How is this?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Radeon-Mini-Displayport-Graphics-GV-R797OC-3GD/dp/B00752QYLK/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1379804713&sr=1-7


280$ after rebate seems good since newegg apparently just raised the price on the 7950.

I'm not entirely sure if 7970's are worth it at all though since 7950's oc to 7970 level most of the time. I think all gigabyte cards are voltage locked now but the newest FX1 bios for the 7950 ships with 1000/1250 clocks and 1.25 standard. Mine easily went to 1150/1500 (crashes if I try to go to 1200) tested with heaven / BL2 / Metro LL / BF3

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125414

I ordered one of those when it was 225$ with 25 rebate making it $200 an amazing deal imo. Gonna xfire with my current.

Seems like you just missed that sale.


----------



## Lukinrats

Also wondering about this one. It comes with 4 free games instead of 3 like all the rest.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Also wondering about this one. It comes with 4 free games instead of 3 like all the rest.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150632


that one is a terrible deal imo.

for 460$ you could have two of those 7950's oc them and absolutely spank anything @ 1440/1600p

so for about 80$ more you could have quite a bit more performance. I'd either get a single 7950 and oc it or get the two for 460.

sucks you missed the sale.









oh and you'd get 6 free games if you bought two 7950's


----------



## JJ1217

http://wccftech.com/rumor-amd-hawaii-gpu-r9-290x-volcanic-islands-pcb-leaked-512bit-interface-massive-die-size/

Looks cool, interesting read. And it was one of the dice employees who leaked it as well. Didn't they leak the 7990?


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> that one is a terrible deal imo.
> 
> for 460$ you could have two of those 7950's oc them and absolutely spank anything @ 1440/1600p
> 
> so for about 80$ more you could have quite a bit more performance. I'd either get a single 7950 and oc it or get the two for 460.
> 
> sucks you missed the sale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> oh and you'd get 6 free games if you bought two 7950's


Well, I actually do not want to Xfire so that is why I am not looking at the 7950's. I would do the 7990, but i get conflicting reports on PSU requirement. One person says 700 is plenty and another says not. I've read about the 7950 vs the 7970 and I think there is enough of a difference after OC that I want 7970. So now I am just trying to figure out which card I want. I have had 3 cards. All 3 have been MSI ghz editions. I have loved each one. I am sort of worried about getting anything else because I read about all kinds of issues with Saphire and others. I know what to expect from the twin frozr. It is a bit more than some of the others, but I don't worry about what I will get.

I also like the HIS IceQ as best as I can tell


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Well, I actually do not want to Xfire so that is why I am not looking at the 7950's. I would do the 7990, but i get conflicting reports on PSU requirement. One person says 700 is plenty and another says not. I've read about the 7950 vs the 7970 and I think there is enough of a difference after OC that I want 7970. So now I am just trying to figure out which card I want. I have had 3 cards. All 3 have been MSI ghz editions. I have loved each one. I am sort of worried about getting anything else because I read about all kinds of issues with Saphire and others. I know what to expect from the twin frozr. It is a bit more than some of the others, but I don't worry about what I will get.
> 
> I also like the HIS IceQ as best as I can tell


corsair 750w, runs 4.7ghz haswell and a 1200mhz oc 7970 without a hickhup for me.

however, seems the new amd card might be really good,
http://udteam.tistory.com/539


----------



## Majorhi

My Corsair 750 runs my 8350 @ 4.8 and 7950 @ 1200/1600 as well as 8 case fans, 5 HD's and Led case lights. No power issues here. I previously had dual 6870's OC'd before going to the single 7950.


----------



## Lukinrats

I guess I could try it.

Btw, it's seems as if there are a good many that are trying to help me, so let me make it an easy question to answer.

If you were buying a 7970 card right now, which of these 3 would you buy

Saphire Vapor-x (don't hear good things)
HIS IceQ - (seems to be good, but don't see it mentioned much)
MSI Twin Frozr iii - (I have had wonderful luck with these)

Thanks


----------



## Lukinrats

On a side note. I keep seeing folks mention the new AMD cards. I would wait, but won't they be severely overpriced for a while?


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> I guess I could try it.
> 
> Btw, it's seems as if there are a good many that are trying to help me, so let me make it an easy question to answer.
> 
> If you were buying a 7970 card right now, which of these 3 would you buy
> 
> Saphire Vapor-x (don't hear good things)
> HIS IceQ - (seems to be good, but don't see it mentioned much)
> MSI Twin Frozr iii - (I have had wonderful luck with these)
> 
> Thanks


I've had 4 previous generations of Sapphires, x800 GTO, x1950 hd3870 and hd4870, without issue. Haven't used the other two. So I'd have to go with the Sapphire based on previously used cards.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

have most of you edited the registry/bios to allow 50% power limit ? I just did that and it fixed boost fluctuation issues I was having. with certain benchmarks. It seemed to be fine in games already though.


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> have most of you edited the registry/bios to allow 50% power limit ? I just did that and it fixed boost fluctuation issues I was having. with certain benchmarks. It seemed to be fine in games already though.


Never heard anything about that. Mine seems to be running fine where it's at. 1200/1600 1.25. Been folding the last couple days without issue.


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majorhi*
> 
> I've had 4 previous generations of Sapphires, x800 GTO, x1950 hd3870 and hd4870, without issue. Haven't used the other two. So I'd have to go with the Sapphire based on previously used cards.


Sound like me. I have had the Msi Cyclone 6850, the MSI Twin Frozr iii 7850, and the MSI Twin Frozr iii 7870. They have been some damned good cards. The only reason I might go away from it this time is the price. If anyone can convince me that I will be as happy with IceQ or the Vapor X. TBH, the IceQ is the one to get as far as I am concerned. The 7970 standard is $299, and the Ghz is $349. Just not sure about the quality, cooling, and if there is an abnormal amount of coil whine


----------



## Lukinrats

Does anyone know about the games that come with the Radeon cards? I am wondering if that is a Newegg thing, or if I can get it through Amazon


----------



## Lukinrats

This really looks interesting. I could go for something like this

http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11197-05-40G/dp/B0098HW0H2/ref=sr_1_102?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1379621532&sr=1-102&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=shopamd-20

Edit: No I can't. 4 x 8pin Pci-e power connectors puts me out of the running on this ha


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> This really looks interesting. I could go for something like this
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-DL-DVI-I-SL-DVI-D-PCI-Express-11197-05-40G/dp/B0098HW0H2/ref=sr_1_102?m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1379621532&sr=1-102&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=shopamd-20
> 
> Edit: No I can't. 4 x 8pin Pci-e power connectors puts me out of the running on this ha


6gb is dumb unless you are gonna run 4k monitor(s) with MSAA 8x.


----------



## Lukinrats

LMAO! I love being called dumb!

Seriously though, I realized after I first posted it that it was too much. I thought it was a way of having the 2 7970's in one package so I didn't have to crossfire 2 separate cards.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> LMAO! I love being called dumb!
> 
> Seriously though, I realized after I first posted it that it was too much. I thought it was a way of having the 2 7970's in one package so I didn't have to crossfire 2 separate cards.


in no way was I calling YOU dumb. Although that card is still dumb imo.


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> in no way was I calling YOU dumb. Although that card is still dumb imo.


I know, I said Seriously after. As in, I was not being serious above that

However, if that card is dumb, then isn't a crossfired pair of 7970's dumb also? I might not understand it, but I thought it was just dual 7970's there. It says dual in the name


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Does anyone know about the games that come with the Radeon cards? I am wondering if that is a Newegg thing, or if I can get it through Amazon


In regards to the game choices......


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> I know, I said Seriously after. As in, I was not being serious above that
> 
> However, if that card is dumb, then isn't a crossfired pair of 7970's dumb also? I might not understand it, but I thought it was just dual 7970's there. It says dual in the name


Dual Mini DP PCI-Express Graphics

dual cards are for horsepower. you would still have the same vram as one card.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> However, if that card is dumb, then isn't a crossfired pair of 7970's dumb also? I might not understand it, but I thought it was just dual 7970's there. It says dual in the name


It's just a regular 7970 Ghz with 6GB of VRAM instead of 3GB.


----------



## firaaero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well generally many people are getting 7950s (mostly reference or 7970 PCB) and getting quite high clocks, 1100-1200 core, 1400-1600 mem? whereas my pitiful DCIIT (7970, 1000 core, 1400 mem) is a hardware-locked card and cools very poorly, so no overclocking on my side, highest 3Dmark11 score I've seen on it is some 8600 graphic points, vs well over 9000 from the overclocked 7950s...
> I guess the PSU could cause some throttling if the voltages sway too much, have you been able to monitor the activity of the card? and same drivers on a different rig doesn't replicate the stuttering?


Yeah, i have tried it on a friends RIG same drivers, same setup, pretty much everything. Yeah, i've been monitoring all my parts they all say they are running how they should be. Except this Stutter issue. Also been getting a lot of coil whine past 150+ FPS. Most FPS games i don't use Vsync cause for some reason i find it harder to aim. Also the stutter is mostly there for like 1-2 mins then goes away for another 2-3 then comes back. Other times its just always there. Tested everything else in my rig *but* the power supply.... Happened on two setups with the same PSU....


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majorhi*
> 
> In regards to the game choices......


No actually, I am wondering if I can get the games if I order them from Amazon. I want to use my Prime account, but I want the games. Amazon says nothing about free games


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> It's just a regular 7970 Ghz with 6GB of VRAM instead of 3GB.


Ah, ok. Then dual is talking about dual memory


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> No actually, I am wondering if I can get the games if I order them from Amazon. I want to use my Prime account, but I want the games. Amazon says nothing about free games


In my experience, if it doesn't mention that it comes with it...it's not coming with it.


----------



## Majorhi

I paid $264 on Newegg last Friday for my ASUS 7950.I have to still send in the MIR and get $20 back. It came with the "Redeem your Radeon Rewards offer" card


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Ah, ok. Then dual is talking about dual memory


No, dual is referring to "Dual Mini DP", or two mini-displayport video outs.


----------



## Lukinrats

Well, I went ahead and ordered the MSI Twin Frozr 7970. It was a little higher than some of the rest, but in the end, I know exactly what I will be getting and I know that I like it a lot. I wanted to get a couple of the others, but some of them are over12" long. My current 7870 already covers my Sata ports, so I didn't want to just cover those and have to remove a hard drive just to make one fit. The MSI 7970 is the exact length of the MSI 7870, so that was one of the other selling points.
I was this close to buying the MSI 7970 Lightning edition, but alas, it has no HDMI and I don't know that I ready or willing to move over to DVI, or Display port. I really have no reason TBH. I use Televisions for my PC monitors. They are all 1080p, and I can only assume that a lot of people around here use PC monitors to get that higher Res.

I really would have gone with the HIS IceQ if it had not been 12.35" long. Man, that is a little bit to long, even for the largest cases. I have a Cooler Master Storm Styker (white), and that length gets all up into the hard drive rack.

Oh, well, I will let you guys know how she does. I never have overclocked this 7870 because I have never needed to. I will probably do the 7970 just to see what scores I can get. It will be something to mess around with.

Thanks for all the replies!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> Well, I went ahead and ordered the MSI Twin Frozr 7970. It was a little higher than some of the rest, but in the end, I know exactly what I will be getting and I know that I like it a lot. I wanted to get a couple of the others, but some of them are over12" long. My current 7870 already covers my Sata ports, so I didn't want to just cover those and have to remove a hard drive just to make one fit. The MSI 7970 is the exact length of the MSI 7870, so that was one of the other selling points.
> I was this close to buying the MSI 7970 Lightning edition, but alas, it has no HDMI and I don't know that I ready or willing to move over to DVI, or Display port. I really have no reason TBH. I use Televisions for my PC monitors. They are all 1080p, and I can only assume that a lot of people around here use PC monitors to get that higher Res.
> 
> I really would have gone with the HIS IceQ if it had not been 12.35" long. Man, that is a little bit to long, even for the largest cases. I have a Cooler Master Storm Styker (white), and that length gets all up into the hard drive rack.
> 
> Oh, well, I will let you guys know how she does. I never have overclocked this 7870 because I have never needed to. I will probably do the 7970 just to see what scores I can get. It will be something to mess around with.
> 
> Thanks for all the replies!


Could you give us a link to the one you baught?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Could you give us a link to the one you baught?


the boost OC edition I'm pretty sure...

and I think I'm set on getting the R9-290X







hopefully it doesn't take too long for waterblocks to arrive so I can start doing a full loop...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> I guess I could try it.
> 
> Btw, it's seems as if there are a good many that are trying to help me, so let me make it an easy question to answer.
> 
> If you were buying a 7970 card right now, which of these 3 would you buy
> 
> Saphire Vapor-x (don't hear good things)
> HIS IceQ - (seems to be good, but don't see it mentioned much)
> MSI Twin Frozr iii - (I have had wonderful luck with these)
> 
> Thanks


msi last i knew it was ref, can be flashed with ref bios and take the boost out and waterblocked
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> in no way was I calling YOU dumb. Although that card is still dumb imo.


nah it is a niche product. actually one of the reasons i am thinking about 7990s 6gb !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the boost OC edition I'm pretty sure...
> 
> and I think I'm set on getting the R9-290X
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hopefully it doesn't take too long for waterblocks to arrive so I can start doing a full loop...


yea me too i wanna do another quadfire rig. it has been fun and challenging !~ ill wait for the komodos !~


----------



## Kenshiro 26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majorhi*
> 
> In regards to the game choices......


I know Saints Row was added just recently, Is Battlefield 4 going to be added to this list?


----------



## Rar4f

Is it this edition of 7950 that you guys are complimenting?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102963


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kenshiro 26*
> 
> I know Saints Row was added just recently, Is Battlefield 4 going to be added to this list?


Honestly, I don't know. I have until December 31st to claim my 3 free games. Here's to hoping they add more titles.


----------



## istudy92

So 3 days for the announcement, for anyone interested to watch what new cards might be, go on amd website on the 25th and click investor relations in order to watch a live webinar at 7pm Hawaii time.
Then go on Nasdaq next day at 930 and watch the stocks sky rocket. Lol


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> So 3 days for the announcement, for anyone interested to watch what new cards might be, go on amd website on the 25th and click investor relations in order to watch a live webinar at 7pm Hawaii time.
> Then go on Nasdaq next day at 930 and watch the stocks sky rocket. Lol


I hope 7970 goes down by $50 in my region. I will be super happy if that happens


----------



## meloj17

I want to run a Xfire setup with my 2500k @ 4.7 OC, and possibly OC my GPUS sometime soon, do I need to upgrade my PSU?


----------



## flopper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> I want to run a Xfire setup with my 2500k @ 4.7 OC, and possibly OC my GPUS sometime soon, do I need to upgrade my PSU?


if crossfire, maybe.
single gpu, no.


----------



## Lukinrats

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Could you give us a link to the one you baught?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732


----------



## Rar4f

Is Never Settle Forever codes in the box, or do you get them separately after purchase?


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> Is Never Settle Forever codes in the box, or do you get them separately after purchase?


Mine came with the packing slip.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> I want to run a Xfire setup with my 2500k @ 4.7 OC, and possibly OC my GPUS sometime soon, do I need to upgrade my PSU?


For 2 Gpus, 850w will be plenty, however, 3 gpu's will require more juice.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kenshiro 26*
> 
> I know Saints Row was added just recently, Is Battlefield 4 going to be added to this list?


AMD mentioned it would be bundled with the new cards


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *meloj17*
> 
> I want to run a Xfire setup with my 2500k @ 4.7 OC, and possibly OC my GPUS sometime soon, do I need to upgrade my PSU?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> For 2 Gpus, 850w will be plenty, however, 3 gpu's will require more juice.


this. i had an 8350 and 2x7970s +x750 and i only tripped ocp on suicide runs. you will be fine


----------



## Figuremania

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lukinrats*
> 
> No actually, I am wondering if I can get the games if I order them from Amazon. I want to use my Prime account, but I want the games. Amazon says nothing about free games


I got my promotion codes from Amazon with HIS 7950 that I got about 3 weeks ago.


----------



## Chopper1591

Good evening y'all,

So I just messed up my Windows install somehow.
Was mounting an image and it kept loading it somehow. Couldn't open Windows Explorer also. So I thought I'd just log-off and login again.
Kept on displaying "Logging off". Waited for like 10 minutes, hard rebooted the system.
When it started loading Windows it kept on starting the Startup Recovery....

Tried to repair it through Windows cd but that was a no go since it wouldn't see my raid0 stripe... +1 to Gigabyte motherboard raid.









Ahh well was time to do a re-install anyway. But it keeps being a pain the butt.









Anyway, to the point.

A short Heaven bench on the old install: 7950 vapor-x 1150core 1500mem.


Same settings with the new install. Only difference is drivers. Can drivers make this much difference?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

You might have been able to fix the stripe with test disk. Guess it's a bit late now.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> Is it this edition of 7950 that you guys are complimenting?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102963


not really no, but I think its a good clocker on average...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Good evening y'all,
> 
> So I just messed up my Windows install somehow.
> Was mounting an image and it kept loading it somehow. Couldn't open Windows Explorer also. So I thought I'd just log-off and login again.
> Kept on displaying "Logging off". Waited for like 10 minutes, hard rebooted the system.
> When it started loading Windows it kept on starting the Startup Recovery....
> 
> Tried to repair it through Windows cd but that was a no go since it wouldn't see my raid0 stripe... +1 to Gigabyte motherboard raid.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ahh well was time to do a re-install anyway. But it keeps being a pain the butt.


I would check your cables, windows would get stuck in recovery mode if I had a bad cable on my SSD drives but work perfectly fine after replacing them, if the image file caused your array to drop out like it sounds like it did then you have a problem...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Anyway, to the point.
> 
> A short Heaven bench on the old install: 7950 vapor-x 1150core 1500mem.
> 
> 
> Same settings with the new install. Only difference is drivers. Can drivers make this much difference?


yes, coupled with a different kernal too, install SP1 and test again.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

can someone run a heaven @ 1440p or 1080 even with max settings on 7950 xfires ? want something to compare to tomorrow when I get my second card.


----------



## hucklebuck

I want to install the latest beta drivers for my 7950. Should I do a clean install? Is there a link or tut for doing a clean install?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I want to install the latest beta drivers for my 7950. Should I do a clean install? Is there a link or tut for doing a clean install?


I use this every time I update my GPU drivers. Really straightforward and simple. However, I just realized that you have an AMD CPU, so I'm not sure if that guide will work.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Is an i3 really that much of a bottleneck in heaven and valley? I'm seeing 50-60% usage at most at 1080p.


----------



## hucklebuck

It says in link not not use if you have AMD chipset, which I do so it's a no go. Is there a reason that I should not update to the latest beta drivers? I have the latest stable drivers and have no problems . I was just wondering if there would be any benefit to the latest beta?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> It says in link not not use if you have AMD chipset, which I do so it's a no go. Is there a reason that I should not update to the latest beta drivers? I have the latest stable drivers and have no problems . I was just wondering if there would be any benefit to the latest beta?


I dunno. I'm running on 13.10 beta, and I think I'm having some problems caused by by drivers, so I'm actually considering switching to 13.9.


----------



## Paul17041993

if I ever need to roll back drivers I just delete the AMD folders for the drivers, uninstall the drivers then go to device manager and make sure its removed the newer drivers from the system, then install the older drivers.

I haven't used any utilities for a long time, simply because of the times I used to they either did nothing or did damage that would take multiple driver re-installs to fix, manual way hasn't failed me...


----------



## marsey99

i saw a drop in performance with the new ones vs the last betas


----------



## Rar4f

*From a scale of 1-10*, how well will this setup be for overclocking 7950:

R4 Define Case:
*Removed top cage*

INTAKE: 140mmx2 front (Noctua NF A14 FLX), 140mm bottom (stock r2 silent 140mm serie)
EXHAUST: 140mm rear and top rear exhaust (stock fans)

I want a idea of how much cooling i will have for when i decide to overclock.


----------



## meloj17

OCN has a great thread for properly uninstalling AMD GPU drives: here


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> *From a scale of 1-10*, how well will this setup be for overclocking 7950:
> 
> R4 Define Case:
> *Removed top cage*
> 
> INTAKE: 140mmx2 front (Noctua NF A14 FLX), 140mm bottom (stock r2 silent 140mm serie)
> EXHAUST: 140mm rear and top rear exhaust (stock fans)
> 
> I want a idea of how much cooling i will have for when i decide to overclock.


got some side vents? also depends whether the cooler blows center >> ends or center >> sides,

center >> ends likes air coming in from a side vent and going out the back slots and out the front of the case,

center >> sides likes airflow from the front of the case and out the sides, or towards the cpu if you put a bit of ducting between the cards to stop the top one sucking the air from the bottom one.


----------



## leeb2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well generally many people are getting 7950s (mostly reference or 7970 PCB) and getting quite high clocks, 1100-1200 core, 1400-1600 mem? whereas my pitiful DCIIT (7970, 1000 core, 1400 mem) is a hardware-locked card and cools very poorly, so no overclocking on my side, highest 3Dmark11 score I've seen on it is some 8600 graphic points, vs well over 9000 from the overclocked 7950s...
> I guess the PSU could cause some throttling if the voltages sway too much, have you been able to monitor the activity of the card? and same drivers on a different rig doesn't replicate the stuttering?


hi, just for reference I got an XFX 7950 from Amazon and although I don't like the cooling it did easily overclock from 925 to 1200MHz (base clock 800MHz). In fact it was stable at 1100MHz with 6800MHz memory clock! The GPU score in 3dmark11 P-mode is 10269.

As I say, the temps were rubbish, mainly because AMD did there usual trick of increasing the performance by.....increasing the voltage and power. At 1.25v boost, the temps were over 90C! The XFX cooler just can't cope with that. (I have 2 cards which are the same).

The DCIIT cooler is huge, I would expect great cooling performance. What voltage is the core at?

I quickly decided to edit my BIOS and managed to drop the voltages from 1.25v down to 1.069v, still at 925MHz. Power and temperatures dropped dramatically.


----------



## karupt

Has anyone been able to set up 7950 fans to completely shut off at low temps?







I've been tinkering around trying to get it to work for a couple days no, but no luck.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leeb2013*
> 
> hi, just for reference I got an XFX 7950 from Amazon and although I don't like the cooling it did easily overclock from 925 to 1200MHz (base clock 800MHz). In fact it was stable at 1100MHz with 6800MHz memory clock! The GPU score in 3dmark11 P-mode is 10269.
> 
> As I say, the temps were rubbish, mainly because AMD did there usual trick of increasing the performance by.....increasing the voltage and power. At 1.25v boost, the temps were over 90C! The XFX cooler just can't cope with that. (I have 2 cards which are the same).
> 
> The DCIIT cooler is huge, I would expect great cooling performance. What voltage is the core at?
> 
> I quickly decided to edit my BIOS and managed to drop the voltages from 1.25v down to 1.069v, still at 925MHz. Power and temperatures dropped dramatically.


the XFX cards this time round I think were considered one of the worst of the lot, and I also agree as quoted before about the stock 1.25V, "stupidly high", worst case scenario a 7970 @ 1GHz should only need 1.175V at the most, 7950 a little lower.

my 7970 runs at 1.175V, fully locked via hardware unless I mod the card, the cooler isn't particularly brilliant for the space it consumes though, I think the gigabytes have significantly more surface area, and the rear-most fan on mine blows most of its cool air out the back panel for some silly reason, there's also a few of the memory chips only half-covered by the surrounding shroud which severely limits memory clocks too (I had them at 1750MHz for about a month, but now they only run at 1400 without artifacts).

I get about 72C with the card under load, 25C ambient and can only get lower if the fans are at 100% and I have two 180mm 2000rpm fans next to it (stupidly loud at that).

the reference cooler and the sapphire VaporX coolers on the other hand use phase-change-plates which only ever overheat if your pushing something like 1.3V or more (or there's virtually no airflow).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *karupt*
> 
> Has anyone been able to set up 7950 fans to completely shut off at low temps?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been tinkering around trying to get it to work for a couple days no, but no luck.


not possible, they don't work that way, only time you can ever get a card to turn its fans off completely is when its in a very low power state (ULPS), though its still pretty buggy at times...


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> You might have been able to fix the stripe with test disk. Guess it's a bit late now.


Care to give me some info on that?
I already did a re-install, didn't take that long anyway.

But would like to hear it for future usage.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I would check your cables, windows would get stuck in recovery mode if I had a bad cable on my SSD drives but work perfectly fine after replacing them, if the image file caused your array to drop out like it sounds like it did then you have a problem...
> yes, coupled with a different kernal too, install SP1 and test again.


Had that before indeed. Know what you are talking about.
But I have a hard time believing that was the cause this time...

The system worked good and it just went downhill after I mounted the image.

Re-install also went without a flaw.

Sharp eye btw. Hadn't noticed the SP1 thingy.
Will install the servicepack and redo the benchmark. Will post results if interested.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *karupt*
> 
> Has anyone been able to set up 7950 fans to completely shut off at low temps?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've been tinkering around trying to get it to work for a couple days no, but no luck.


Does it make so much noise?








I have to plant my air in the card to hear the 7950 vapor-x fans at 20%


----------



## hardiboy

i have r7970 lightning BE
will it be oke if i run it for 2560x1440 monitor

i mean for next gen games
like BF4 GTA5


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> i have r7970 lightning BE
> will it be oke if i run it for 2560x1440 monitor
> 
> i mean for next gen games
> like BF4 GTA5


If it is "oke" would be up to you.

Really depends on how high you want the graphics settings to be and what you consider playable, fps wise.

If I were to game on that resolution I would probably go for Crossfire.
But you can always overclock that card since it is a decent model.


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> got some side vents? also depends whether the cooler blows center >> ends or center >> sides,
> 
> center >> ends likes air coming in from a side vent and going out the back slots and out the front of the case,
> 
> center >> sides likes airflow from the front of the case and out the sides, or towards the cpu if you put a bit of ducting between the cards to stop the top one sucking the air from the bottom one.


I have no clue what you mean







Please rephrase?


----------



## hardiboy

Now i have r7970 lightning be
But at my place this card wont restock again
And if i want to crossfite it with othet 7970 like saphire vapor , wil it work?


----------



## rocket47

@hardiboy
Yeah it works, even a cf 7950/7970 works,
A different brand for the 7970 doesnt matter when you crossfire.


----------



## hardiboy

But they has a different clock
Do i have to overclock so they have the same clock?

And if i want to cf it
Is hx650 corsair will be enough?


----------



## rocket47

My cf 7950 have the same clock, but i dont think its an obligation, wait for another reply just to make sure.

For the power supply, i cant see your specs, im on the mobile version, but maybe its tight.

Wait gor the other members to reply, but ill take at least a 750w oe even a 850 yo make sure.


----------



## hardiboy

My spec
4670k
Msi z87 gd65
Corsair 2x4 gb
H100i
Msi r7970 lightninng be
Hdd 2
Sdd 1
Corsair hx650

If i apply 1 more 7970 how about it


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the XFX cards this time round I think were considered one of the worst of the lot, and I also agree as quoted before about the stock 1.25V, "stupidly high", worst case scenario a 7970 @ 1GHz should only need 1.175V at the most, 7950 a little lower.
> 
> my 7970 runs at 1.175V, fully locked via hardware unless I mod the card, the cooler isn't particularly brilliant for the space it consumes though, I think the gigabytes have significantly more surface area, and the rear-most fan on mine blows most of its cool air out the back panel for some silly reason, there's also a few of the memory chips only half-covered by the surrounding shroud which severely limits memory clocks too (I had them at 1750MHz for about a month, but now they only run at 1400 without artifacts).
> 
> I get about 72C with the card under load, 25C ambient and can only get lower if the fans are at 100% and I have two 180mm 2000rpm fans next to it (stupidly loud at that).
> 
> the reference cooler and the sapphire VaporX coolers on the other hand use phase-change-plates which only ever overheat if your pushing something like 1.3V or more (or there's virtually no airflow).
> not possible, they don't work that way, only time you can ever get a card to turn its fans off completely is when its in a very low power state (ULPS), though its still pretty buggy at times...


Well theres a tool on tech power up that can mod fan control in bios so maybe that way?

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189089


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> But they has a different clock
> Do i have to overclock so they have the same clock?
> 
> And if i want to cf it
> Is hx650 corsair will be enough?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> My spec
> 4670k
> Msi z87 gd65
> Corsair 2x4 gb
> H100i
> Msi r7970 lightninng be
> Hdd 2
> Sdd 1
> Corsair hx650
> 
> If i apply 1 more 7970 how about it


I would upgrade that psu if I were you.
You will need at least an 750w IMO. But you best just buy an 850 for the small price difference. Try to sell that HX650 and look for an hx850.

About CF'ing two different cards. It works without a problem. Only thing is the slowest card will determine at which frequency both cards run.
So lets say one card has an stock clock of 950mhz and the other one is 900mhz. Both cards will run at 900mhz stock. But you can easily clock the slower one to the same speed as the faster one.










Edit:
Did some search for you and if you are lucky you might JUST cut it with that psu.
But how old is it? If it is 2 years or older it's a no go.

And do you plan to overclock the cards and/or the cpu?

If so go for the 750. Maybe see if you can find the Corsair AX760. They are pretty decent and fully modulair.


----------



## hardiboy

Yeah I plan to PC CPU
Because it will be bottleneck if I don't oc CPU
And I will oc Gpu too

What pus should I get?


----------



## Darklyric

Well you can probably undervolt the gpus a bit if they are 1.25v so that will equal things out when overclocked to around the same power draw as a stock gpu.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> Yeah I plan to PC CPU
> Because it will be bottleneck if I don't oc CPU
> And I will oc Gpu too
> 
> What pus should I get?


Good 750W should suffice.

Corsair AX/HX 750/760
Seasonic G-Serie 750 or X-750(v2)
Or if you have the budget play it safe and buy the 850/860 model of one of the above mentioned models.

Hope this helps.


----------



## hardiboy

so its is oke to CF 2 7970 from diferent vendor

thanks its really help me

i now what should i do now


----------



## Escovado

I just put together a new water-cooled system with two Radeon HD 7990s in CrossFireX. The motherboard is the Asus Rampage IV Extreme, 32 GB RAM @ 1866MHz, CPU is the Core i7-4930K @ 3.4GHz. No overclocking on the CPU but I did bump the 7990s up 100MHz to 1100 (the max allowed by the AMD control panel. I ran a few benchmarks over the weekend and here's one of the results:

Futuremark Firestrike Extreme Result

The result made it into the Futuremark hall of fame at #45 as of Sept 22, 2013:



Link to the full list.

Consequently, I found it very amusing to find my system was the only one in the list with AMD video cards.









The Radeon 7990 is a much under-rated video card. If you don't care bout PhysX, then they are worth considering since they are being sold at clearance prices.

Edit: Whoops, when i ran the benchmark for the power supply test it bumped my #45 entry and replaced it with a #44. Oh well.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I just put together a new water-cooled system with two Radeon HD 7990s in CrossFireX. The motherboard is the Asus Rampage IV Extreme, 32 GB RAM @ 1866MHz, CPU is the Core i7-4930K @ 3.4GHz. No overclocking on the CPU but I did bump the 7990s up 100MHz to 1100 (the max allowed by the AMD control panel. I ran a few benchmarks over the weekend and here's one of the results:
> 
> Futuremark Firestrike Extreme Result
> 
> The result made it into the Futuremark hall of fame at #45 as of Sept 22, 2013:
> 
> 
> 
> Link to the full list.
> 
> Consequently, I found it very amusing to find my system was the only one in the list with AMD video cards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Radeon 7990 is a much under-rated video card. If you don't care bout PhysX, then they are worth considering since they are being sold at clearance prices.


i read the primary advantage of this kind of setup is - it will make use of the full pci-e lanes available (X16X16) if the board allows.

i am pretty sure you don't care about power draw but do you know how much your rig pulls?


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i read the primary advantage of this kind of setup is - it will make use of the full pci-e lanes available (X16X16) if the board allows.
> 
> i am pretty sure you don't care about power draw but do you know how much your rig pulls?


I just got all the software installed and everything set up last night. I have yet to hook it up to my wattage meter. Good idea!







I'll post that info tonight.

I do know it's a power hog because when I had the 7990s in my old system (Intel QX9650 core 2 quad @ 3.8GHz, DFI LanParty X48-T3-RS motherboard) I could crash its Corsair 1200AX power supply when I ran the OCCT power supply torture test.









I have a Lepa 1600 watt power supply in the new rig and it handles everything I can throw at it (so far). I haven't done the OCCT torture test yet.

Here's a photo of the new rig (from the Pipe Bending 101 thread) after I finished installing the water cooling loop (no wiring yet):


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I just got all the software installed and everything set up last night. I have yet to hook it up to my wattage meter. Good idea!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll post that info tonight.
> 
> I do know it's a power hog because when I had the 7990s in my old system (Intel QX9650 core 2 quad @ 3.8GHz, DFI LanParty X48-T3-RS motherboard) I could crash its Corsair 1200AX power supply when I ran the OCCT power supply torture test.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a Lepa 1600 watt power supply in the new rig and it handles everything I can throw at it (so far). I haven't done the OCCT torture test yet.
> 
> Here's a photo of the new rig (from the Pipe Bending 101 thread) after I finished installing the water cooling loop (no wiring yet):


wow. it is ready for chilled water. just need the right fitting. very nice. i am jelly.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> wow. it is ready for chilled water. just need the right fitting. very nice. i am jelly.


You are too kind. Thank you. It was a total PITA to install the copper tubing, but dang, I loved the result. It's worth the trouble. Actually, where the tube comes out of the bottom video card and runs the the top radiator, I thought about adding valves and a tube run for an external in/out hookup for a water chiller. I'll see if I even need it. I'll post the wattage reading tonight.


----------



## Thernen

I got my 3rd monitor today for my 7970 crossfire setup. I currently have one hooked up HDMI and the other DVI. My active mini DP to HDMI adaptor should also come today. My question is does it matter which monitor is corrected to what? Someone told my the center in a 3x1 should be on the mini DP.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Well theres a tool on tech power up that can mod fan control in bios so maybe that way?
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189089


they're still not designed to shut the fans off completely while the cards running, so even with a custom preset the BIOS and/or hardware is likely locked at a minimum value and/or will complain and ramp them back up if they stop spinning...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I just got all the software installed and everything set up last night. I have yet to hook it up to my wattage meter. Good idea!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'll post that info tonight.
> 
> I do know it's a power hog because when I had the 7990s in my old system (Intel QX9650 core 2 quad @ 3.8GHz, DFI LanParty X48-T3-RS motherboard) I could crash its Corsair 1200AX power supply when I ran the OCCT power supply torture test.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have a Lepa 1600 watt power supply in the new rig and it handles everything I can throw at it (so far). I haven't done the OCCT torture test yet.
> 
> Here's a photo of the new rig (from the Pipe Bending 101 thread) after I finished installing the water cooling loop (no wiring yet):


hell yea copper pipes! at least I now have an impression of the style if I were to use any...

whats that tube for the bottom though? you also have a pretty interesting loop design...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> You are too kind. Thank you. It was a total PITA to install the copper tubing, but dang, I loved the result. It's worth the trouble. Actually, where the tube comes out of the bottom video card and runs the the top radiator, I thought about adding valves and a tube run for an external in/out hookup for a water chiller. I'll see if I even need it. I'll post the wattage reading tonight.


looking forward to the results. thanks.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> I got my 3rd monitor today for my 7970 crossfire setup. I currently have one hooked up HDMI and the other DVI. My active mini DP to HDMI adaptor should also come today. My question is does it matter which monitor is corrected to what? Someone told my the center in a 3x1 should be on the mini DP.


this might help.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1269074/help-quick-eyeinfinity-ports-question

i know there is an official guide in the amd site.


----------



## Darklyric

Yea all you need now is a chiller


----------



## Thoth420

780 GTX not impressed. My 7970 just sold on ebay too so I guess I am going to grab one of these new cards. Do they come out for sale on Wed or is it just a reveal?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Sell it on Ebay once those are about to come out...if you have something to hold you on till then.
I'm on a 4350, waiting for my new 7970, will probably mine with it and save then resell it and get an R9-290X.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thoth420*
> 
> 780 GTX not impressed. My 7970 just sold on ebay too so I guess I am going to grab one of these new cards. Do they come out for sale on Wed or is it just a reveal?


Just reveal with benches and maybe some prices i hope. I actually like that reference cooler but I'm going to have a hard time justifying a 500$+ card when 2 7950s eats everything i throw at it. Maybe Star citizen...maybe will make me upgrade.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Just reveal with benches and maybe some prices i hope. I actually like that reference cooler but I'm going to have a hard time justifying a 500$+ card when 2 7950s eats everything i throw at it. Maybe Star citizen...maybe will make me upgrade.


So when will they actually be available for sale like a rough guesstimate?


----------



## Darklyric

Probably by october 25th would be my guess--purely a guess though. Or coinciding console launch maybe?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Care to give me some info on that?
> I already did a re-install, didn't take that long anyway.
> 
> But would like to hear it for future usage.
> Had that before indeed. Know what you are talking about.
> But I have a hard time believing that was the cause this time...
> 
> The system worked good and it just went downhill after I mounted the image.
> 
> Re-install also went without a flaw.
> 
> Sharp eye btw. Hadn't noticed the SP1 thingy.
> Will install the servicepack and redo the benchmark. Will post results if interested.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Does it make so much noise?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to plant my air in the card to hear the 7950 vapor-x fans at 20%


http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

You can use it to find and repair lost partions which sounds like what you had. I only learned about it the other day, as I needed it myself.


----------



## Thoth420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Probably by october 25th would be my guess--purely a guess though. Or coinciding console launch maybe?


Oh dear that is too long. Oh well. Thanks.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> looking forward to the results. thanks.


I was very curious, so I ran some tests with my watt meter on the new system when I went home for lunch.

The full system specs:

CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K Ivy Bridge-E *at stock speed* (I haven't gotten around to over clocking yet).
Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV Extreme.
Memory: 32GB Corsair Dominator GT @ 1866MHz.
GPUs: two AMD Radeon 7990s in CrossfireX (EK full-coverage water blocks)
Soundcard: Soundblaster ZX
Cooling control: Aquaero 5 XT
Pumps: 2 D5 pumps in series.
Radiators: two Hardware Labs SR-1 480s and one SR-1 380.
Fans: 31 Noctua PWM fans (22 on the radiators in push-pull, and 9 on the case).
CaseLabs Magnum TH10 case.
Power Supply: Lepa G1600W
Storage: 1 Samsung 1TB 840 Evo SSD, 1 Hitachi 4TB mechanical drive, and 1 LG blu-ray drive.

The power usage results:

Standby: 19 watts
Idle at startup: 167 watts
Maximum draw running the Futuremark Firestrike Extreme benchmark: 1043 watts.
Maximum running the OCCT Power Supply Torture Test (1 hour): 1323 watts.
Idle15 minutes after torture test: 494 watts

After 30 minutes into the torture test, the system reached an equilibrium where the water temperature stabilized at 38.1C and the fans ran at 56% speed (about 800 RPM). I used the DirectX 9 GPU test here since the DIrectX11 test does nothing to warm up the GPUs.

I'm sure that when I start overclocking the CPU, the power draw will increase considerably!









[Yeesh...I edited this post about 20 times to get all the typos out!







]


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> -snip-


hot dog that's a lot of power... whats the 7990s running at? and yea your going to see a very large increase when overclocking your cpu...


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hot dog that's a lot of power... whats the 7990s running at? and yea your going to see a very large increase when overclocking your cpu...


The 7990s are running at 1100MHz. The max setting allowed by AMDs control center. BTW - Is there a way to try higher frequencies and adjust the voltages as well?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> The 7990s are running at 1100MHz. The max setting allowed by AMDs control center. BTW - Is there a way to try higher frequencies and adjust the voltages as well?


MSI Afterburner, with voltage control and extended limits enabled, should work.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> MSI Afterburner, with voltage control and extended limits enabled, should work.


I have Diamond reference design 7990 cards. Will that work on them as well?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I have Diamond reference design 7990 cards. Will that work on them as well?


Getting any coil whine on those?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I have Diamond reference design 7990 cards. Will that work on them as well?


Probably. You can download it here to try it out; I recommend getting the latest beta, as it's much better than the rather outdated stable release.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hell yea copper pipes! at least I now have an impression of the style if I were to use any...
> 
> whats that tube for the bottom though? you also have a pretty interesting loop design...


I was just finishing my leak testing when I took that photo. Those plastic tubes are attached to the two drain valves in case I needed an emergency water release during the leak test. I'm glad I did since I had two sprayers at the beginning.









The loop design evolved as I was building the system and adding components. I wanted to do two things: 1) Use as much of the copper tubing as I could without special fittings and 2) make it easy to remove the motherboard tray. I kinda like the whimsical look of the curving tubes.

The tube running out of the bottom video card, making a 180 turn and then going up into the roof radiator was originally supposed to go from the left of the top video card into the top radiator. However, since the tubing isn't flexible, when I made the tube for the original routing, it was impossible to connect the tubing and screw in the fittings without pulling the video cards: the entry points in the radiator and the top video card were facing each other. Routing it the way it is now allowed me to move the tube in place and just screw both of the fittings in without disturbing anything on the motherboard. Does that make sense?

The flow in the loop goes like this:

Reservoir / dual pump assembly-->Front radiator-->motherboard VRM-->CPU-->Chipset-->Video cards in parallel-->Top front radiator-->top rear radiator--> Reservoir / dual pump assembly.

There's also a copper tube running from a fill port in the roof to the Reservoir.

The two drain ports are at the lowest points in the loop. They draw out about 90% of the water when I open them up.

The only place where I cheated and used bits power fittings was in the direct connection between the two 480 radiators in the roof. They were too close together and and the ole in the wall was offset by 7.5 degrees. I have an idea how I can use the copper tubing there too, but I'll try it later when I have more time.

The flow meter indicates that the loop circulates about 0.95 gallons / min when both pumps are running at 100%.

Edit: I'm using 10mm OD / 8mm ID copper tubing BTW.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Getting any coil whine on those?


No coil whine. The whole system is dead silent save for the power supply when it's got a load on it. Since the power supply has a small form factor, it is rather loud with a full load on it like the torture test. Otherwise it's well behaved.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Lucky.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> Probably. You can download it here to try it out; I recommend getting the latest beta, as it's much better than the rather outdated stable release.


Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Lucky.


Ssssshh! Don't jinx it!


----------



## rdr09

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I was very curious, so I ran some tests with my watt meter on the new system when I went home for lunch.
> 
> The full system specs:
> 
> CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K Ivy Bridge-E *at stock speed* (I haven't gotten around to over clocking yet).
> Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV Extreme.
> Memory: 32GB Corsair Dominator GT @ 1866MHz.
> GPUs: two AMD Radeon 7990s in CrossfireX (EK full-coverage water blocks)
> Soundcard: Soundblaster ZX
> Cooling control: Aquaero 5 XT
> Pumps: 2 D5 pumps in series.
> Radiators: two Hardware Labs SR-1 480s and one SR-1 380.
> Fans: 31 Noctua PWM fans (22 on the radiators in push-pull, and 9 on the case).
> CaseLabs Magnum TH10 case.
> Power Supply: Lepa G1600W
> Storage: 1 Samsung 1TB 840 Evo SSD, 1 Hitachi 4TB mechanical drive, and 1 LG blu-ray drive.
> 
> The power usage results:
> 
> Standby: 19 watts
> Idle at startup: 167 watts
> Maximum draw running the Futuremark Firestrike Extreme benchmark: 1043 watts.
> Maximum running the OCCT Power Supply Torture Test (1 hour): 1323 watts.
> Idle15 minutes after torture test: 494 watts
> 
> After 30 minutes into the torture test, the system reached an equilibrium where the water temperature stabilized at 38.1C and the fans ran at 56% speed (about 800 RPM). I used the DirectX 9 GPU test here since the DIrectX11 test does nothing to warm up the GPUs.
> 
> I'm sure that when I start overclocking the CPU, the power draw will increase considerably!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [Yeesh...I edited this post about 20 times to get all the typos out!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ]






you did good on your choice of psu. guess you have enough room for oc'ing both cpu and gpus.

and it seems to use less wattage than quad 7970s.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I have Diamond reference design 7990 cards. Will that work on them as well?


reference cards, you should be able to get full core voltage and clock control with afterburner, your limitation will be the power phases being shared, might have quite a lot of vdroop...


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you did good on your choice of psu. guess you have enough room for oc'ing both cpu and gpus.
> 
> and it seems to use less wattage than quad 7970s.


I suspect I'm going to need to plug this into a 20 amp circuit when I start overclocking the CPU.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I suspect I'm going to need to plug this into a 20 amp circuit when I start overclocking the CPU.


it might cause a power outage in your street. lol


----------



## leeb2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the XFX cards this time round I think were considered one of the worst of the lot, and I also agree as quoted before about the stock 1.25V, "stupidly high", worst case scenario a 7970 @ 1GHz should only need 1.175V at the most, 7950 a little lower.


I think you're right, it was a bit of an impulse buy and I read some reviews which said they were ok. After I paid my money, I found all the other reviews which said the cooling was rubbish. You can basically ignore all that 'double dissiapation, cooler, quieter' marketing.
The cards I got are the most recent revision too, with the 925MHz clock, they are shorter than the original cards with 800-900MHz clocks, hence even smaller coolers! Why they thought that was a good idea is beyond me.
However they are well built with a thick metal heat spreader covering the vrms and memory covering the whole PCB and bolted to it, with a gorgeous aluminium shroud and nice red stripe. Of course, you can't see the shroud as all cards mount upside down in tower systems!!
Being able to o/c to 1200MHz and push the memory to 6800-7200 is not too bad either. And now that I got them running at 925MHz on 1.069v I'm much happier, it has really transformed them.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I suspect I'm going to need to plug this into a 20 amp circuit when I start overclocking the CPU.


definitely a good idea lol, 120V 15A only provides 1600W total power to play with...

wooo for superior 240V


----------



## xSneak

Hey guys, update on pc shutting down.

It was my psu







unsurprisingly.

Took about a week and a half, but I got a hcp 850w platinum







from antec and I haven't had any problems since.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I suspect I'm going to need to plug this into a 20 amp circuit when I start overclocking the CPU.


Check to see if you have 12 gauge wire as well. 14 would do it, but it isn't rated for it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xSneak*
> 
> Hey guys, update on pc shutting down.
> 
> It was my psu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> unsurprisingly.
> 
> Took about a week and a half, but I got a hcp 850w platinum
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> from antec and I haven't had any problems since.


awesome, but I think you need some zipties...


----------



## xSneak

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> awesome, but I think you need some zipties...


I am too lazy









The h100i contributes the most to the mess of cables, but I'm not that ocd about it.


----------



## darwing

Hey guys so I have a radeon 7970 black edition oc and am thinking about getting another one used for 250! I have an xspc block for the 1 already so I'd grab another waterblock for them in sli.

If I could get 3 7970's in water cooled I would but how worth it is it to have 2-3 7970's? Apparently I can sli any 79xx cards even the cheaper 7950 with a 7970 and a 7990! But wouldn't that just bottleneck it at the lowest card you have sli'd?

How does it work as well do you know of any bridges that I can do a dual link loop with?


----------



## hardiboy

Is mini display port and display port same?
Because 7970 lightning dont support dual dvi

u2713hm support displayport


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> Hey guys so I have a radeon 7970 black edition oc and am thinking about getting another one used for 250! I have an xspc block for the 1 already so I'd grab another waterblock for them in sli.
> 
> If I could get 3 7970's in water cooled I would but how worth it is it to have 2-3 7970's? Apparently I can sli any 79xx cards even the cheaper 7950 with a 7970 and a 7990! But wouldn't that just bottleneck it at the lowest card you have sli'd?
> 
> How does it work as well do you know of any bridges that I can do a dual link loop with?


3 7970s is very good for the most part, little frame pace issues by default too, and if you mix 7970s and 7950s it will go into crossFireX mode which runs slightly different to standard crossFire, the 7970s would be partially slowed for efficiency as they would have to wait for the 7950/s to their side of the job (slight slower then the 7970s would).

so a 7970 and 7950 will be about the same as two 7950s, but you could have the advantage of 7970 performance for tasks that only use one of the two GPUs (rare though), you could overclock the 7950 though to compensate.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> Is mini display port and display port same?
> Because 7970 lightning dont support dual dvi
> 
> u2713hm support displayport


yes, just different plug size, you only need a miniDP > DP adapter (passive, its only a socket change) or a cable that has miniDP on one end and DP on the other.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> Is mini display port and display port same?
> Because 7970 lightning dont support dual dvi
> 
> u2713hm support displayport


Mini DP means you need an adapter to turn it into regular DP, this comes with most cards with a mini DP so dont owrry


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Mini DP means you need an adapter to turn it into regular DP, this comes with most cards with a mini DP so dont owrry


The 7970's black edition don't have a mini hdmi they have a straight hdmi

As well I just looked up a few reviews and 2x 7970 beats a Titan and 3 7970's beats 2x's titans! So yeah that seems pretty good saving a ton of money with the 7970's!

Ill pick up the second reference 7970 tomorrow and order another waterblock for it,

Now in series or parallel? And how do I do that lol


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> The 7970's black edition don't have a mini hdmi they have a straight hdmi


?

We are talking about DP and M-DP, I was just explaining what they are, not confirming any facts regarding cards though


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> The 7970's black edition don't have a mini hdmi they have a straight hdmi
> 
> As well I just looked up a few reviews and 2x 7970 beats a Titan and 3 7970's beats 2x's titans! So yeah that seems pretty good saving a ton of money with the 7970's!
> 
> Ill pick up the second reference 7970 tomorrow and order another waterblock for it,
> 
> Now in series or parallel? And how do I do that lol


we are talking about D.P. ...

mini-HDMI is a mobile device standard, you would never see it on desktop hardware...

and best card block layout is parallel for the most part, you use a couple of crossfire/sli extenders or you can have a full link block if your blocks support it.

edit; also, what brand are these "black editions"? never heard of them...


----------



## hardiboy

Thanks
I hope there is a converter inside my box


----------



## maynard14

tried to oc my powercolor 7970 reference

and here are my settings on after burner

power limit 20 percent

core clock 1125

memory clock 1575

fan speed is at 50 percent

max temp is 82 c under load

and heres my tomb raider benchmark:



and heres my heaven 4.0 becnhmark

Unigine Heaven Benchmark 4.0

FPS:
*43.6*
Score:
*1099*
Min FPS:
*19.5*
Max FPS:
*103.8*

System

Platform:
Windows NT 6.2 (build 9200) 64bit
CPU model:
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3570K CPU @ 3.40GHz (3399MHz) x4
GPU model:
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.200.11.0 (3072MB) x1

FPS:
43.6
Score:
1099
Min FPS:
19.5
Max FPS:
103.8
System
Platform:
Windows NT 6.2 (build 9200) 64bit
CPU model:
Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3570K CPU @ 3.40GHz (3399MHz) x4
GPU model:
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.200.11.0 (3072MB) x1
Settings
Render:
Direct3D11
Mode:
1920x1080 4xAA fullscreen
Preset
Custom
Quality
Ultra
Tessellation:
Extreme
Powered by UNIGINE Engine

,.. is it good overclock guys? im new to 7970 card,..

no artifacts no crashing

and im using the default bios

and i notice that i can up the voltage but i afraid i might fry my gpu coz i already have thermal issues which is 81c on load


----------



## sugarhell

The link is on your C hard disk


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> The link is on your C hard disk


oh sorry sir ill edit my post


----------



## hardiboy

I found a mini display to display port
So can i plug it to u2713hm
My vga 7970 lightning which does not have dual dvi


----------



## SavageBrat

Hardiboy, you lost me ..as I have the same card but the non BE version, how many monitors are you hooking up?


----------



## Durvelle27

HD 7970 @1280/1850



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211328

Trying to get GPU upto 1300MHz but its struggling


----------



## aerosmith9110

Hi guys,

3106 pages here so pardon me if I asked this again if this was asked before.

I got 3 HD7950 powercolor v5 crossfire ( had the bad luck of getting a non reference PCB! )
now I'm planning to use ek-vga universal vga block.
I see that I need the cu adapter ( or a shim )

Is there a way I don't need this ( what is the temp consequence I read somewhere its just 1C )? or I could DIY and try to look for a copper sheet and maybe cut it to size?


----------



## hardiboy

Only 1 monitor
I just afraid this dell u2713hm cannot work with lightning because it does not has dual dvi haha

But i am glad if it can work with mini dp
Because i have found the converter inside my box

I want to run it at 2560x1440
And it just can do it with display port


----------



## Rar4f

If i could get a vapor x 7970 to 1200MHz Core and 1700 Mem,

ill be super happy


----------



## Sunnyside

Does anyone here have BF3 with dual 7970's 50's or a 7990?

I have a 2500k @ 4.6 with 2 7950s and am getting very low gpu utilisation in bf3.










Would appreciate it so so much if someone could quickly join a empty gulf of oman server, view point f and let me know what kind of fps / gpu usage they are getting

Thanks alot


----------



## HardwareDecoder

I have it with dual 7950's I'm usually @ 80%+ usage with everything completely maxed out and getting 90+fps


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> HD 7970 @1280/1850
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211328
> 
> Trying to get GPU upto 1300MHz but its struggling


I'm surprised to see how high my 7950 scores compared to your 7970

7950 vapor-x @ 1200/1250 modded bios to 1.225v paired with an 8320 @ 4.2ghz

3dmark 11 // gpu score 10194

Good score anyway


----------



## sugarhell

I have 100% gpu usage on both cards with a 3930k at 4.5.On my 3770k stock i get 80-90%


----------



## Sunnyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> I have it with dual 7950's I'm usually @ 80%+ usage with everything completely maxed out and getting 90+fps


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I have 100% gpu usage on both cards with a 3930k at 4.5.On my 3770k stock i get 80-90%


Thanks for the response guys, could either of you take a screen cap of point F on a empty gulf of oman server just for direct comparison.

Considering upgrading my cpu but want to be sure

Thanks alot


----------



## Newbie2009

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> HD 7970 @1280/1850
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211328






Trying to get GPU upto 1300MHz but its struggling

12k GPU is a good score


----------



## Darklyric

I would as you can sell yours and pick a ht i7 2600-2700 for like 50$ more probably. bah and get 8gb of ram dude.


----------



## Durvelle27

**Update**

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211670


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> tried to oc my powercolor 7970 reference
> 
> and here are my settings on after burner
> 
> power limit 20 percent
> 
> core clock 1125
> 
> memory clock 1575


now try unlocking the limits and see if you can push a little more voltage without it burning...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> Only 1 monitor
> I just afraid this dell u2713hm cannot work with lightning because it does not has dual dvi haha
> 
> But i am glad if it can work with mini dp
> Because i have found the converter inside my box
> 
> I want to run it at 2560x1440
> And it just can do it with display port


both the card and monitor would have dual-link, its a standard these days really, you just need to be sure your using a dual-link cable...


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> now try unlocking the limits and see if you can push a little more voltage without it burning...
> both the card and monitor would have dual-link, its a standard these days really, you just need to be sure your using a dual-link cable...


thanks sir..but what is the max voltage i could input on air cooling at stock cooling... ? thank you.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thanks sir..but what is the max voltage i could input on air cooling at stock cooling... ? thank you.


always depends on the ability of the card, but generally over 1.3V is not recommended unless you have the reference blower, VaporX or full-cover watercooling, just be sure your not letting it get too hot, under 65C is usually the safe zone for effective overclocks.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> always depends on the ability of the card, but generally over 1.3V is not recommended unless you have the reference blower, VaporX or full-cover watercooling, just be sure your not letting it get too hot, under 65C is usually the safe zone for effective overclocks.


i have the reference blower sir,.. but im already at the max temp of 81c load and 50 percent fan,.. so i think this is my gpus limit... but can i replace the ti inside the gpu with coollaboratory pro?


----------



## Darklyric

^^on my 7950 vapor x rev 2 i think i hit like 65c on the top and 61c on the bottom in cf while playing bf3 and like 1.29v. Now for mining I undervolt like a boss but this cooler is awesome i will say.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> **Update**
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211670


is that just on the plain free 3d mark 11? or the pay for fire strike one?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> Does anyone here have BF3 with dual 7970's 50's or a 7990?
> 
> I have a 2500k @ 4.6 with 2 7950s and am getting very low gpu utilisation in bf3.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would appreciate it so so much if someone could quickly join a empty gulf of oman server, view point f and let me know what kind of fps / gpu usage they are getting
> 
> Thanks alot


Check your cpu usage whine in game. I always run vsync so I'm always at 60 so my util never really passes 50%.


----------



## Sunnyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Check your cpu usage whine in game. I always run vsync so I'm always at 60 so my util never really passes 50%.


CPU usage is pegged @ 100% when in game, not sure why its so low at all. What maps you play? Could that the B2K maps are the hardest to run


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> CPU usage is pegged @ 100% when in game, not sure why its so low at all. What maps you play? Could that the B2K maps are the hardest to run


I play all maps. That cpu usage sounds about right, nothing really you can do.


----------



## Sunnyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I play all maps. That cpu usage sounds about right, nothing really you can do.


My fps goes below 60 though alot and not really sure why. You said your card never goes below 60?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> is that just on the plain free 3d mark 11? or the pay for fire strike one?


Its the paid version of 3DMark 11


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> CPU usage is pegged @ 100% when in game, not sure why its so low at all. What maps you play? Could that the B2K maps are the hardest to run


does BF3 really use more then 4 threads? guess you're stuck then unless you get an i7 (not much of a gain) or an AMD rig...

but check your CPU again, is it BF3 using all the CPU or is there other processes? audio at times can be a hog unless you have a proper dedicated card...


----------



## Sunnyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> does BF3 really use more then 4 threads? guess you're stuck then unless you get an i7 (not much of a gain) or an AMD rig...
> 
> but check your CPU again, is it BF3 using all the CPU or is there other processes? audio at times can be a hog unless you have a proper dedicated card...


Yeah it does hah, don't fancy getting an i7 though since hardly any games use 4 cores, never mind more hah.

Are some other processes but not using much cpu, also got a Xonar DG for audio


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> Yeah it does hah, don't fancy getting an i7 though since hardly any games use 4 cores, never mind more hah.
> 
> Are some other processes but not using much cpu, also got a Xonar DG for audio


card seems fairly basic so I would expect a lot of the sound processing to be in software, guess you could try disabling sound completely and see what difference it makes...

other then that you might have to turn down/off some physics, corpses etc...


----------



## RemagCP

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> does BF3 really use more then 4 threads? guess you're stuck then unless you get an i7 (not much of a gain) or an AMD rig...
> 
> but check your CPU again, is it BF3 using all the CPU or is there other processes? audio at times can be a hog unless you have a proper dedicated card...


From the benchies I have seen the 2500k/3570k and 8350 are practically neck and neck in BF3, so it would be a side grade.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> My fps goes below 60 though alot and not really sure why. You said your card never goes below 60?


Never goes below 60. Only had it happen once when recording video.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> The 7970's black edition don't have a mini hdmi they have a straight hdmi
> 
> As well I just looked up a few reviews and 2x 7970 beats a Titan and 3 7970's beats 2x's titans! So yeah that seems pretty good saving a ton of money with the 7970's!
> 
> Ill pick up the second reference 7970 tomorrow and order another waterblock for it,
> 
> Now in series or parallel? And how do I do that lol


best way i have ever seen to describe parallel vs series
http://www.swiftech.com/ApogeeHD.aspx
about half way down
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aerosmith9110*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> 3106 pages here so pardon me if I asked this again if this was asked before.
> 
> I got 3 HD7950 powercolor v5 crossfire ( had the bad luck of getting a non reference PCB! )
> now I'm planning to use ek-vga universal vga block.
> I see that I need the cu adapter ( or a shim )
> 
> Is there a way I don't need this ( what is the temp consequence I read somewhere its just 1C )? or I could DIY and try to look for a copper sheet and maybe cut it to size?


just buy it i head ebay sells them for like $2~4 you need it
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> Only 1 monitor
> I just afraid this dell u2713hm cannot work with lightning because it does not has dual dvi haha
> 
> But i am glad if it can work with mini dp
> Because i have found the converter inside my box
> 
> I want to run it at 2560x1440
> And it just can do it with display port


just use a mini dp to dp cable as you have to buy a cable anyway

weird update in windows 7 even with a new dual link dvi cable i cant get that monitor to use 144hz... works fine in windows 8 though...... 144hz eyefinity !~


----------



## leeb2013

hi, recently got 2 XFX HD7950 cards, here they are in my system.

Originally, these cards were factory o/c to 925MHz at 1.25v with 5000MHz memory and they got HOT!

So I edited the bios with VBE and now they run at 1GHz with 6000MHz memory at 1.081v. I added the green perspex divider between them as initially the PCB of the lower card was reaching 95C and the air going into the top card fans was 40-50C!!

The divider is supported on foam pads on the back of the lower card which leaves an air gap. The 120mm white fan at the end of the cards blows cool air across them and through this gap, venting at the open PCI slots. This fan is temperature controlled by a thermister sitting on the heatsink of the upper card. So it only speeds up when the card starts to warm up. 2 more fans on the front of the case and 1 in the bottom puch plenty of cool air into this area. Up top are 2 140mm fans, the front one is an intake and blows cool air over the RAM and into the CPU cooler. If this fan was an extractor, it would be sucking up the hot air from the GPUs, over the RAM and into the CPU cooler. The rear top fan and back panel fan extract warm air from the CPU.

Now the GPUs suck in air at 30-35C and both run significantly cooler. Only reaching 70C during Heaven11 and Valley bench marks.

here's some photos and benchmarks;


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Nice mod!

Now someone needs to try it with dual 7990s and see if it keeps the top card from freaking out.


----------



## leeb2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Nice mod!
> 
> Now someone needs to try it with dual 7990s and see if it keeps the top card from freaking out.


nothing an air conditioner and some ducting couldn't sort out!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leeb2013*
> 
> hi, recently got 2 XFX HD7950 cards, here they are in my system.
> 
> Originally, these cards were factory o/c to 925MHz at 1.25v with 5000MHz memory and they got HOT!
> 
> So I edited the bios with VBE and now they run at 1GHz with 6000MHz memory at 1.081v. I added the green perspex divider between them as initially the PCB of the lower card was reaching 95C and the air going into the top card fans was 40-50C!!
> 
> The divider is supported on foam pads on the back of the lower card which leaves an air gap. The 120mm white fan at the end of the cards blows cool air across them and through this gap, venting at the open PCI slots. This fan is temperature controlled by a thermister sitting on the heatsink of the upper card. So it only speeds up when the card starts to warm up. 2 more fans on the front of the case and 1 in the bottom puch plenty of cool air into this area. Up top are 2 140mm fans, the front one is an intake and blows cool air over the RAM and into the CPU cooler. If this fan was an extractor, it would be sucking up the hot air from the GPUs, over the RAM and into the CPU cooler. The rear top fan and back panel fan extract warm air from the CPU.
> 
> Now the GPUs suck in air at 30-35C and both run significantly cooler. Only reaching 70C during Heaven11 and Valley bench marks.
> 
> here's some photos and benchmarks;


sounds like its very effective, though the fan blowing from the side would be pushing against the backmost fans on the coolers, I would expect at least a small improvement if you were to push air into the sides...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Nice mod!
> 
> Now someone needs to try it with dual 7990s and see if it keeps the top card from freaking out.


I don't think so, as the 7990s blow off into the side you would still need exhaust fans on the side, the intake fan at the end will definitely help though, sideways coolers you should put the perspex standing parallel to the side panel to stop the fans sucking hot air back in...


----------



## hotrod717

Well gents, just received A "true" AMD reference card to put this widely held belief that reference cards are better than custom pcb belief to the test. Also have 2 other reference based, unlocked cards on the way. I really lucked out on the AMD card as it came from a wildly popular gamemaker and probably one of the first batches to ship. Should be interesting to see and I'll definitely be posting the comparisons. R290x you say, don't think it will beat 2 7970's in crossfire for $380 total vs. an est. $600. The prices that used 7970's are going for, Tri-fire at $600 can't be beat!


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Never goes below 60. Only had it happen once when recording video.


But he/she have AX7990 Devil 13, comparing to your 7950. You could try to OC that card, it gave me nice boost on BF3. Metro 64 run so smoooth. Sometimes B2K or newer maps get under 60fps with all on ultra 2msaa.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Well gents, just received A "true" AMD reference card to put this widely held belief that reference cards are better than custom pcb belief to the test. Also have 2 other reference based, unlocked cards on the way. I really lucked out on the AMD card as it came from a wildly popular gamemaker and probably one of the first batches to ship. Should be interesting to see and I'll definitely be posting the comparisons. R290x you say, don't think it will beat 2 7970's in crossfire for $380 total vs. an est. $600. The prices that used 7970's are going for, Tri-fire at $600 can't be beat!


yeayea, but the 290X is a **single** GPU, capabale of beating the Titan at that









it'd probably still be cheaper for me to watercool then two or three 7950/70s anyway...


----------



## hotrod717

^ I agree. I hope AMD pulls it off! This is my time to play, with prices as they are on 7970's. While the latest and greatest is tempting, price/performance screams moar cards!

Unimpressed with this reference so far. It has an asic of 78% and appears to have a modded bios. 1025 on the core stock. Also important note, in crossfire, my Matrix is running 1100 and the reference is running 1025. Tomorrow , when I have time, I'll take out the Matrix and do some oc'ing of the reference. Not sure how far I'll be able to take it. 78% should be decent on air, but talk about hot! I'm hoping the other 2 cards will fair better than this one.

Forgot to drop a pic:


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> ^ I agree. I hope AMD pulls it off! This is my time to play, with prices as they are on 7970's. While the latest and greatest is tempting, price/performance screams moar cards!
> 
> Unimpressed with this reference so far. It has an asic of 78% and appears to have a modded bios. 1025 on the core stock. Also important note, in crossfire, my Matrix is running 1100 and the reference is running 1025. Tomorrow , when I have time, I'll take out the Matrix and do some oc'ing of the reference. Not sure how far I'll be able to take it. 78% should be decent on air, but talk about hot! I'm hoping the other 2 cards will fair better than this one.


flash it with the original reference BIOS, but it might not be needed, 78% sounds pretty good actually as it means you shouldn't need anything bar the stock blower to cool it at 1.3V or more, but you'll need to have it ramped to 100% for that...

I'm expecting you to get a minimum of 1200 core, 1300 seems a common average with a bit of voltage, some I think might have gotten up to 1400 while still on air...

and if your disappointed with air cooling, waterblock them, that's how a lot of people run their reference cards at such high clocks.


----------



## marc0053

For those interested n a 7970 for $269
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121560

With promo code: EMCYTZT4469


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> flash it with the original reference BIOS, but it might not be needed, 78% sounds pretty good actually as it means you shouldn't need anything bar the stock blower to cool it at 1.3V or more, but you'll need to have it ramped to 100% for that...
> 
> I'm expecting you to get a minimum of 1200 core, 1300 seems a common average with a bit of voltage, some I think might have gotten up to 1400 while still on air...
> 
> and if your disappointed with air cooling, waterblock them, that's how a lot of people run their reference cards at such high clocks.


mine asic is 73.8 percent using power color reference ,. i able to oc it to 1215 and 1575 on air stock cooler but slightly loud at 55 percent fan speed and i only oc it when gaming


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> does BF3 really use more then 4 threads? guess you're stuck then unless you get an i7 (not much of a gain) or an AMD rig...
> 
> but check your CPU again, is it BF3 using all the CPU or is there other processes? audio at times can be a hog unless you have a proper dedicated card...


Yea its supposed to use 6 and mine uses 8 for some odd reason after i messed around with thread affinity/ priority and my fps went up around 10 max fps. Also cpu usage was down across all cores by about 10-15% with them all being very even. An 8350 and i5 would be a side grade though imo as they trade blows in that game atm since those i5s are nearly 100% utilized and fx chips aren't. Makes me wonder if bf4 will run me at 100%







since its built around and 8 core amd cpu.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea its supposed to use 6 and mine uses 8 for some odd reason after i messed around with thread affinity/ priority and my fps went up around 10 max fps. Also cpu usage was down across all cores by about 10-15% with them all being very even. An 8350 and i5 would be a side grade though imo as they trade blows in that game atm since those i5s are nearly 100% utilized and fx chips aren't. Makes me wonder if bf4 will run me at 100%
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> since its built around and 8 core amd cpu.


yea the 8350 vs an i5 with uses around 6 threads wouldn't make much of a difference, due to the i5 having slightly better per-core perf, but if somethings built to use yay amount of threads, they will like yay amount of cores or more to run optimally.

BF4 has me wondering too, especially if they plant to run it on the next consoles it would need 6 threads from the get-go like BF3 has, though at the same time the cpu might be a lot lower due to utilizing GPGPU...

IMO, unless intel gets some something of a real use in their iGPU, they really have to get themselves out of this 4 core trend that they have been sitting in for... how long now...? I mean leaving 6 cores or more for an expensive (overpriced really) enthusiast platform is a bit stifling for the industry...

if you want an example of what I'm trying to get at, crysis 3 benchmarks seem to be enough on their own...


----------



## Darklyric

yes and star citizen seems to favor my 8 core as well. maybe SR will force intel into a cheap reasonable 6/8 core haswell-e chip (will probably be locked). Also bf4 is rumored to run on 8 cores, albeit lower clocked and not great ipc cores. Also Im not sure why the fx chips are so under utilized in most games per core too.


----------



## Sunnyside

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea the 8350 vs an i5 with uses around 6 threads wouldn't make much of a difference, due to the i5 having slightly better per-core perf, but if somethings built to use yay amount of threads, they will like yay amount of cores or more to run optimally.
> 
> BF4 has me wondering too, especially if they plant to run it on the next consoles it would need 6 threads from the get-go like BF3 has, though at the same time the cpu might be a lot lower due to utilizing GPGPU...
> 
> IMO, unless intel gets some something of a real use in their iGPU, they really have to get themselves out of this 4 core trend that they have been sitting in for... how long now...? I mean leaving 6 cores or more for an expensive (overpriced really) enthusiast platform is a bit stifling for the industry...
> 
> if you want an example of what I'm trying to get at, crysis 3 benchmarks seem to be enough on their own...


lol @ slightly better per core perf. An i5 at 1GHz decimates bulldozer at 5GHz. Intel has been making quality processors, improving the ipc etc. Meanwhile AMD just spams cores and gets lucky in 1 or 2 games (BF3, Crysis 3). Bulldozer is slower clock for clock than Phenom II, lol so amd is beaten in any game that doesnt use more than 4 cores (aka 99.9% of games)


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> lol @ slightly better per core perf. An i5 at 1GHz decimates bulldozer at 5GHz. Intel has been making quality processors, improving the ipc etc. Meanwhile AMD just spams cores and gets lucky in 1 or 2 games (BF3, Crysis 3). Bulldozer is slower clock for clock than Phenom II, lol so amd is beaten in any game that doesnt use more than 4 cores (aka 99.9% of games)


No. A 1ghz i5 just sucks. And no they are not get lucky thats the right thing more games to support real multithreading.Most of the games use 4 cores some rts and crappy games use 1-2 cores and some others up to 8 cores. With the new consoles most of them will use 8 threads


----------



## Gregar Forte

Hi, I want to get an aftermarket gpu cooler for my 7970. Between EKL Alpehnfohn Peter AMD 79xx edition and Prolimatech MK-26 Black Series, which one is better. Both come with no fan.


----------



## hotrod717

Just confirmed that it is showing in afterburner as msi r7970 lighning be. Unfortunately I believe this is on both settings of bios switch. I'll have to find stock bios, although this one may be better for daily driving. 1.7v on this bios


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> lol @ slightly better per core perf. An i5 at 1GHz decimates bulldozer at 5GHz. Intel has been making quality processors, improving the ipc etc. Meanwhile AMD just spams cores and gets lucky in 1 or 2 games (BF3, Crysis 3). Bulldozer is slower clock for clock than Phenom II, lol so amd is beaten in any game that doesnt use more than 4 cores (aka 99.9% of games)


actuaklly no the fx chips show they are better than phenoms in games like ps2 ect.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Just confirmed that it is showing in afterburner as msi r7970 lighning be. Unfortunately I believe this is on both settings of bios switch. I'll have to find stock bios, although this one may be better for daily driving.


you can mod you own bios or maybe find a stock one at techpowerup. I modded for my 7950s and love the extra powertune and bios fan profiles...not to mention voltage unlocking wf3's


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> actuaklly no the fx chips show they are better than phenoms in games like ps2 ect.
> you can mod you own bios or maybe find a stock one at techpowerup. I modded for my 7950s and love the extra powertune and bios fan profiles...not to mention voltage unlocking wf3's


my phenom maxes out PS2 at 4GHz Quad with a 7950 using 1080. Yes, Ultra (all).


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> my phenom maxes out PS2 at 4GHz Quad with a 7950 using 1080. Yes, Ultra (all).


Not to turn this into a phenom vs fx thread just saying the benches show an improvement from phenom to fx ....like they should as its the newer arch. Honestly phenoms are still as expensive as fx for some reason which i cant figure out besides the name recognition, as your usually getting a used chip for the price of a new chip. I'm also refering to vishera and not zambezi fx chips.

Although quad phenoms can be had for a great price and make a nice budget build since you can easily use a 4 phase, and older chipset board.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Not to turn this into a phenom vs fx thread just saying the benches show an improvement from phenom to fx ....like they should as its the newer arch. Honestly phenoms are still as expensive as fx for some reason which i cant figure out besides the name recognition, as your usually getting a used chip for the price of a new chip. I'm also refering to vishera and not zambezi fx chips.
> 
> Although quad phenoms can be had for a great price and make a nice budget build since you can easily use a 4 phase, and older chipset board.


you got to be specific as to which fx so as not to mislead readers.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Not to turn this into a phenom vs fx thread just saying the benches show an improvement from phenom to fx ....like they should as its the newer arch. Honestly phenoms are still as expensive as fx for some reason which i cant figure out besides the name recognition, as your usually getting a used chip for the price of a new chip. I'm also refering to vishera and not zambezi fx chips.
> 
> Although quad phenoms can be had for a great price and make a nice budget build since you can easily use a 4 phase, and older chipset board.


I ran my phenom's up until about 5 or 6 months ago and up until vishera, performance per core was better with 1090"s and 1100T's. That still can be debated. The phenom II's, imo, were a lot more fun to oc than my 8350, which I only had in rig for about 4 weeks total. What ultimately made me change over to intel was the difference in graphics. I gained roughly 20fps in Cinebench, moving from a 1100T to 3770K.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I ran my phenom's up until about 5 or 6 months ago and up until vishera, performance per core was better with 1090"s and 1100T's. That still can be debated. The phenom II's, imo, were a lot more fun to oc than my 8350, which I only had in rig for about 4 weeks total. What ultimately made me change over to intel was the difference in graphics. I gained roughly 20fps in Cinebench, moving from a 1100T to 3770K.


if only the thuban can oc up to 4.5GHz, it will rival even an i7.

thuban 4.5 gets an 8 in cinebench. my i7 gets aroung 8.60 at same clocks.

my Cheap Grade with lower clocks and slower gpu uses the same game settings as my intel rig at 1080. exact same. maxes out BF3 MP, PS2, C2, Metro (7950 has to be oc'ed to 7970 GHz speeds).


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I ran my phenom's up until about 5 or 6 months ago and up until vishera, performance per core was better with 1090"s and 1100T's. That still can be debated. The phenom II's, imo, were a lot more fun to oc than my 8350, which I only had in rig for about 4 weeks total. What ultimately made me change over to intel was the difference in graphics. I gained roughly 20fps in Cinebench, moving from a 1100T to 3770K.


well you have to take cinebench with a few grains of salt. Its fine for comparing amd to amd or intel to intel though. The whole issue about the different instructions is what I'm talking about.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> well you have to take cinebench with a few grains of salt. Its fine for comparing amd to amd or intel to intel though. The whole issue about the different instructions is what I'm talking about.


Don't want to debate intel to amd I've used and enjoyed both. I'm talking graphics.

Just found this looking at bios' at techpowerup:
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/133697/asus-hd7970-3072-120315-8.html
Appearently there were some of these shpped with my current bios. Not sure why AB is reporting as Lighnting BE, that should have 1150 as core.


----------



## Darklyric

Misunderstood, still its I've been playing with a 4770k and its a nice cpu and a lot more required to oc it as well so i understand what you mean about fx there just too easy in that regard. Just sucks that intel didn't use solder on this 280$ chip... punks and honestly I didn't see 20 fps gained in any game except sc2 maybe and ps2. I also play at 1080 so that could be it but 720 is utter waste with cf 79xx

Woot 1k! i think i'm done posting


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Misunderstood, still its I've been playing with a 4770k and its a nice cpu and a lot more required to oc it as well so i understand what you mean about fx there just too easy in that regard. Just sucks that intel didn't use solder on this 280$ chip... punks and honestly I didn't see 20 fps gained in any game except sc2 maybe and ps2. I also play at 1080 so that could be it but 720 is utter waste with cf 79xx
> 
> Woot 1k! i think i'm done posting


Congratulations









AMD event is nearly upon us.


----------



## Gungnir

GPU 14 livestream is live!


----------



## LifeDisturbens

How big is the risk that the card is damaged from static electricity and what are the effects? My friend said that it could be it that is causing me grapfical bugs since we have almost identical PC's and he has no problems with his card.

How to i notice if its damaged?


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> How big is the risk that the card is damaged from static electricity and what are the effects? My friend said that it could be it that is causing me grapfical bugs since we have almost identical PC's and he has no problems with his card.
> 
> How to i notice if its damaged?


Its not so easy to tell.

Easiest thing is to take your card and plug it in his system. If it works good there you know it is something else that is causing the problems.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Its not so easy to tell.
> 
> Easiest thing is to take your card and plug it in his system. If it works good there you know it is something else that is causing the problems.


Agreed. To expand from this, people find that once the hardware is working fine in another system, it often means that the hardware was not connected correctly in the other machine, or there's a software issue, such as driver conflict, poor settings configuration and so on.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Agreed. To expand from this, people find that once the hardware is working fine in another system, it often means that the hardware was not connected correctly in the other machine, or there's a software issue, such as driver conflict, poor settings configuration and so on.


I second that.

I once had to repair a pc from someone which wasn't booting at all. Well it powered on but no post.
Tried everything and ended up replacing the motherboard which fixed it. But I was just curious so I tested the old board one more time and it posted no problem....

Apparently it was the cpu. After just taking it out and putting it back in there were no problems at all.
Pc's are weird sometimes


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> I second that.
> 
> I once had to repair a pc from someone which wasn't booting at all. Well it powered on but no post.
> Tried everything and ended up replacing the motherboard which fixed it. But I was just curious so I tested the old board one more time and it posted no problem....
> 
> Apparently it was the cpu. After just taking it out and putting it back in there were no problems at all.
> Pc's are weird sometimes


I've been in these situations before as well. It's as if the issues can be delayed or masked when you start changing stuff.


----------



## Remix65

i'm in the market to buy a pair of 7970/50's...

*requirements: each card must only take up 2 slots.*

i bought some 7950's but i must get rid of them because they take up 3 slots. i'm not a gamer i need my other slots.


----------



## Darklyric

reference maybe? and are you going to put the under water?


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> reference maybe? and are you going to put the under water?


if you're talking to me no. no underwater for me...


----------



## ivanlabrie

R9-290x is so sexy!

Are you guys watching the livestream?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> R9-290x is so sexy!
> 
> Are you guys watching the livestream?


Yeah. But probably 90% of ocn just post on that cringe thread on news


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> yes and star citizen seems to favor my 8 core as well. maybe SR will force intel into a cheap reasonable 6/8 core haswell-e chip (will probably be locked). Also bf4 is rumored to run on 8 cores, albeit lower clocked and not great ipc cores. Also Im not sure why the fx chips are so under utilized in most games per core too.


mainly due to most games being designed (the easy way) and having single large threads, of which scale horribly across the FX processors...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sunnyside*
> 
> lol @ slightly better per core perf. An i5 at 1GHz decimates bulldozer at 5GHz. Intel has been making quality processors, improving the ipc etc. Meanwhile AMD just spams cores and gets lucky in 1 or 2 games (BF3, Crysis 3). Bulldozer is slower clock for clock than Phenom II, lol so amd is beaten in any game that doesnt use more than 4 cores (aka 99.9% of games)


eh? no fanboyism please, we all know AMD doesn't have the free resources to "spam cores", otherwise there would have been a 12 core FX by now...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah. But probably 90% of ocn just post on that cringe thread on news


This is the radeon club thread thingie...felt like posting here xD

I'm probably gonna sell my current cards to get one or two 290x's for mining. It all depends on how good they do at it.


----------



## invincible20xx

guys anybody here running to reference 7990's in crossfire (4 GPUs)


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> guys anybody here running to reference 7990's in crossfire (4 GPUs)


I am. What's up?


----------



## Darklyric

How are your temps....


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> How are your temps....


I've been attempting to overclock my 7990's with MSI Afterburner (looks like the old RivaTuner). There is almost *zero* overclocking headroom from the factory settings. The maximum temps reported with 1.3v core (stock is 1.165v) @1130MHz is 51C under my water cooling rig. Not over-clocked is in the low 40s max. I have EK full coverage water blocks.

I hope this helps.

[Edit: I assume you were talking to me.







]


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I've been attempting to overclock my 7990's with MSI Afterburner (looks like the old RivaTuner). There is almost *zero* overclocking headroom from the factory settings. The maximum temps reported with 1.3v core (stock is 1.165v) @1130MHz is 51C under my water cooling rig. Not over-clocked is in the low 40s max. I have EK full coverage water blocks.
> 
> I hope this helps.


i wanted to know how are the temps when using the stock triple fan cooling solution









why you say zero overclocking headroom ? 1130 core is 130 mhz over clock over stock on the reference 7970 cores


----------



## Joa3d43

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I am. What's up?


I'm also running two Malta 7990s - initially, with stock air cooling and 1.3v MSI AB, they'd go to about 1210MHz on the cores and with that hit mid-to-high 80 Cs at 21 C ambient...Now water-cooled w/two EK full blocks, temps stay below 50, even w/1.35v 1245 MHz cores


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joa3d43*
> 
> I'm also running two Malta 7990s - initially, with stock air cooling and 1.3v MSI AB, they'd go to about 1210MHz on the cores and with that hit mid-to-high 80 Cs at 21 C ambient...Now water-cooled w/two EK full blocks, temps stay below 50, even w/1.35v 1245 MHz cores
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


did you test with stock cooling and no overclocking no over-volting??

i'm concerned about the top board temps


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joa3d43*
> 
> I'm also running two Malta 7990s - initially, with stock air cooling and 1.3v MSI AB, they'd go to about 1210MHz on the cores and with that hit mid-to-high 80 Cs at 21 C ambient...Now water-cooled w/two EK full blocks, temps stay below 50, even w/1.35v 1245 MHz cores
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I can't get mine to run through a benchmark any higher than 1130MHz. Does MSI AB allow voltages above 1.3? The user interface tops out there. Are you doing anything else?


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I can't get mine to run through a benchmark any higher than 1130MHz. Does MSI AB allow voltages above 1.3? The user interface tops out there. Are you doing anything else?


why would you want to overclock quad fire 7970









stock with lower temps is better i guess, no ?


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> i wanted to know how are the temps when using the stock triple fan cooling solution
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> why you say zero overclocking headroom ? 1130 core is 130 mhz over clock over stock on the reference 7970 cores


I was referring to value beyond the the max overclock of 1100MHz allowed by AMD's software.









I never checked the air cooled temps. I ran my cards a day or two on air just to make sure they weren't DOA and then went straight to water.


----------



## Joa3d43

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> did you test with stock cooling and no overclocking no over-volting??
> 
> i'm concerned about the top board temps


...'stock w/stock AMD boost and voltage' (no mods, no MSI AB) at 1100MHz ranged from 78C to 82 C (ambient low 20s)


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> why would you want to overclock quad fire 7970


1. ''Cause it's there.
2. It's faster (usually)


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joa3d43*
> 
> ...'stock w/stock AMD boost and voltage' (no mods, no MSI AB) at 1100MHz ranged from 78C to 82 C (ambient low 20s)


82c on both top gpus ? do you remember what fan speeds were used ?


----------



## Joa3d43

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I can't get mine to run through a benchmark any higher than 1130MHz. Does MSI AB allow voltages above 1.3? The user interface tops out there. Are you doing anything else?


...the MSI AB 1.3v is good for 1210 MHz to 1230MHz on mine (depending on bench)...have tried a custom BIOS from TechPowerUp (VBE) which now supports VT1556M VRMs and custom voltages

EDIT @ Invincible20xx - fans would have been set to 97% for air-cooled benching and such


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> 1. ''Cause it's there.
> 2. It's faster (usually)


what resolution are you playing at ?


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> what resolution are you playing at ?


1920x1200 at the moment. I just built this new system, so a monitor upgrade is in the works too. I haven't decided exactly what to buy though. Probably a multi-monitor set up. I certainly have the GPUs to handle it.


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joa3d43*
> 
> ...the MSI AB 1.3v is good for 1210 MHz to 1230MHz on mine (depending on bench)...have tried a custom BIOS from TechPowerUp (VBE) which now supports VT1556M VRMs and custom voltages
> 
> EDIT @ Invincible20xx - fans would have been set to 97% for air-cooled benching and such


97% was loud ?

i mean top gpu fans hit 97% on overclocked state how hard did it work at stock ?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Agreed. To expand from this, people find that once the hardware is working fine in another system, it often means that the hardware was not connected correctly in the other machine, or there's a software issue, such as driver conflict, poor settings configuration and so on.


or windows may be corrupted from oc
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> i'm in the market to buy a pair of 7970/50's...
> 
> *requirements: each card must only take up 2 slots.*
> 
> i bought some 7950's but i must get rid of them because they take up 3 slots. i'm not a gamer i need my other slots.


solution.... watercooled all 4 of my cards take 1 slot only
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> why would you want to overclock quad fire 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> stock with lower temps is better i guess, no ?


better question.... why not ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> 1. ''Cause it's there.
> 2. It's faster (usually)


3 why not i mean this is overclock.net.... overkill is what we do
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> 1920x1200 at the moment. I just built this new system, so a monitor upgrade is in the works too. I haven't decided exactly what to buy though. Probably a multi-monitor set up. I certainly have the GPUs to handle it.


i love 3 of these in portrait it is just awesome http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236313

win 7 seems to have a software issue as i can run 144hz on all 3 screens np in win 8 gonna trya reinstall the dvi wont goto 144hz in win 7 ... but most ppl have no problems


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> or windows may be corrupted from oc
> solution.... watercooled all 4 of my cards take 1 slot only
> better question.... why not ?
> 3 why not i mean this is overclock.net.... overkill is what we do
> i love 3 of these in portrait it is just awesome http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236313
> 
> win 7 seems to have a software issue as i can run 144hz on all 3 screens np in win 8 gonna trya reinstall the dvi wont goto 144hz in win 7 ... but most ppl have no problems


why not ? the answer is heaaaaaatttt with such setup i would rather undervolt


----------



## Mega Man

what heat? normally i max @ less then 40c on all video cards atm with the new layout i average ~ 43c going back to old layout as soon as i get my res installed in my loop


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> what heat? normally i max @ less then 40c on all video cards atm with the new layout i average ~ 43c going back to old layout as soon as i get my res installed in my loop


i would be using stock air cooling , water cooling is not an option for me


----------



## Joa3d43

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> 97% was loud ?
> 
> i mean top gpu fans hit 97% on overclocked state how hard did it work at stock ?


...it certainly wasn't dead quiet, but when I bench cards that are air-cooled, I always set the fans to 97% or so before I even start...game-play was a different matter and I left the fans just on auto - but then, the 7990s weren't air-cooled for very long anyways before the w-c stuff arrived


----------



## Darklyric

Those 7990s you guys got have any coil wine?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Those 7990s you guys got have any coil wine?


Only when my GPU drivers act up. My theme will disappear, and I'll get insane coil whine in the desktop, but it's easily fixed with a restart. Happens maybe every four or six times I wake up my computer from sleep, but I don't think it's a problem. It does bug me quite a bit, though, just knowing something's not right.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Those 7990s you guys got have any coil wine?


Deafening amounts. Mine isn't reference though.


----------



## Joa3d43

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Those 7990s you guys got have any coil wine?


...no coil whine at all


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> R9-290x is so sexy!
> 
> Are you guys watching the livestream?


Hell yeah i watched it, then i stoped watching after 40mins-1:30 because..come on spend 1 hour on AUDIO?! like gpu is for graphics IDC ABOUT AUDIO!
smh

apart from that the price still sorta steep, wish it were 500 bucks for the titan killer R9 290x.

2850* steam processors thats almost 1000 more than 7950, which is almost a 57% increase if one were to upgrade, if not i believe 2500* for 280. not sure just guestimating on that lol

is it a buy? who knows now im iffy "shrug" crossfire 7950 seems pretty convient in terms of 200 buck price tag for same performance. as 1 290x (guestimation on just the knowlegde that 290x has 1k more processors)

what ur opinion guys?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Cfx.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hell yeah i watched it, then i stoped watching after 40mins-1:30 because..come on spend 1 hour on AUDIO?! like gpu is for graphics IDC ABOUT AUDIO!
> smh
> 
> apart from that the price still sorta steep, wish it were 500 bucks for the titan killer R9 290x.
> 
> 2850* steam processors thats almost 1000 more than 7950, which is almost a 57% increase if one were to upgrade, if not i believe 2500* for 280. not sure just guestimating on that lol
> 
> is it a buy? who knows now im iffy "shrug" crossfire 7950 seems pretty convient in terms of 200 buck price tag for same performance. as 1 290x (guestimation on just the knowlegde that 290x has 1k more processors)
> 
> what ur opinion guys?


We don't know price yet; the $600 figure that's been thrown around lately is wrong, according to AMD.

I believe the current consensus is the 290X will have ~2800SPs, the 290 will have ~2500, the 280X 2048, etc.


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> solution.... watercooled all 4 of my cards take 1 slot only


even though i don't want to watercool my cards i was highly consider it if it were the only problem i have. i also have another problem which is that the sapphire dual-x isn't acting right showing all my 7 monitors and i doubt anyone has a similar set up as mine to even begin helping me out. the DP-HDMI-DVI-DVI just isnt acting righ and alternating btwn DVI and HDMI or HDMI and HDMI. it won't do 4 monitors off one card. and i also can't get eyefinity to work on 5 monitor setup. really frustrating so i just want to get rid of the cards and get one with 2 mini-DP-HDMI-DVI...


----------



## Remix65

would anyone know if these 7970/50 gpus support a max of 5 or 4 monitors


----------



## Mega Man

6 2 via the dual link dvi ( need a splitter ) 1 via single link dvi 1 hdmi 2 DP

or 6via DP


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> even though i don't want to watercool my cards i was highly consider it if it were the only problem i have. i also have another problem which is that the sapphire dual-x isn't acting right showing all my 7 monitors and i doubt anyone has a similar set up as mine to even begin helping me out. the DP-HDMI-DVI-DVI just isnt acting righ and alternating btwn DVI and HDMI or HDMI and HDMI. it won't do 4 monitors off one card. and i also can't get eyefinity to work on 5 monitor setup. really frustrating so i just want to get rid of the cards and get one with 2 mini-DP-HDMI-DVI...


you can ONLY use 2 DIRECT outputs at a time, the rest have to be via displayport, you'll need a displayport splitter for >3 screens. (VaporX has only the one DP)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> would anyone know if these 7970/50 gpus support a max of 5 or 4 monitors


6 monitors with two DP splitters, or 4 without them, (DVI DVI mDP mDP) don't use HDMI unless you want to (or have to), it shares with the second DVI port.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you can ONLY use 2 DIRECT outputs at a time, the rest have to be via displayport, you'll need a displayport splitter for >3 screens. (VaporX has only the one DP)
> 6 monitors with two DP splitters, or 4 without them, (DVI DVI mDP mDP) don't use HDMI unless you want to (or have to), it shares with the second DVI port.


really ? i thought ... nvm he is probably right .


----------



## hotrod717

Funny, all the hype leading up to GPU 14 Tech Day and unveiling of new AMD flagship gpu, We hardly have anymore info on R9 290x now, than we had before. No performance info or price. Still rumors. I for one, was completely underwhelmed.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Funny, all the hype leading up to GPU 14 Tech Day and unveiling of new AMD flagship gpu, We hardly have anymore info on R9 290x now, than we had before. No performance info or price. Still rumors. I for one, was completely underwhelmed.


I stayed up until 5am only for it to be delayed further another hour. If I knew it was going to happen, I would of just woken up at 6am. And it pissed me off even more that absolutely NOTHING was announced. Just holding a card and some other marketing crap about audio. Big whoop. At least tell us the launch price, even then I would've felt it was enough.


----------



## Remix65

what's the word on the streets on xfx 7970 double d ghz edition,
black edition?


----------



## bburnham37

Word on the street? Don't buy it. Look elsewhere for a card you won't have to RMA.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bburnham37*
> 
> Word on the street? Don't buy it. *Look elsewhere for a card you won't have to RMA.*


And then get refused for RMA service because you coughed in the same room as your GPU (or whatever silly excuse XFX finds not to RMA your product).


----------



## Durvelle27

Was able to get 1300/1850 on my 7970 @1.352v/1650mV


----------



## Remix65

so which air 7970/50 that only takes up only 2 slots would you guys recommend?

vapor-x, dual-x, gigabyte with 3 fans all take up 3 slots...


----------



## hardiboy

My msi lightning boost edition stock condition
Volt 1256
Core 1150
Memory 1500

I have seen 2-3 review and i tried to overclocking without raise the volt

I set memory to 1600 and it was oke
I set clock to 1200 with 1500 memory and i saw a little snow block so i stoped my benchmark quickly

And i want to ask some advice from you guys
Could you help me

How do i know if the test is stable
What is the safe temp for gpu card


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> so which air 7970/50 that only takes up only 2 slots would you guys recommend?
> 
> vapor-x, dual-x, gigabyte with 3 fans all take up 3 slots...


Depends on the prices where you at.
But my vote goes to vapor-x for the awesome cooling. Windforce is also a good contender.

My 7950 vapor-x does 1150 core with around 1.168v. Temps stay around 70c after 4 hours of gaming(75-90% load).

VRMs stay around 68-70c.

Hope this helps.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> so which air 7970/50 that only takes up only 2 slots would you guys recommend?
> 
> vapor-x, dual-x, gigabyte with 3 fans all take up 3 slots...


I've had very good luck with MSI cards. I've had 2 7950s (one with 7970 PCB, one with 7950 PCB) and a 7970 Lightning and they were all good cards. Although if you're going to be using all your slots with little aiflow between cards reference might be better cause they exhaust instead of dumping hot air back in the case.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Depends on the prices where you at.
> But my vote goes to vapor-x for the awesome cooling. Windforce is also a good contender.
> 
> My 7950 vapor-x does 1150 core with around 1.168v. Temps stay around 70c after 4 hours of gaming(75-90% load).
> 
> VRMs stay around 68-70c.
> 
> Hope this helps.


He is asking which 2 slot cooler would be the best. Vapor-X is 2.5 slots.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I stayed up until 5am only for it to be delayed further another hour. If I knew it was going to happen, I would of just woken up at 6am. And it pissed me off even more that absolutely NOTHING was announced. Just holding a card and some other marketing crap about audio. Big whoop. At least tell us the launch price, even then I would've felt it was enough.


they didnt put out price because they are trying to sell out on the 7XXX series, if they announce thier killer prices, who would be smart enough to buy a 7xxx?? (if they are indeed killer prices)


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> so which air 7970/50 that only takes up only 2 slots would you guys recommend?
> 
> vapor-x, dual-x, gigabyte with 3 fans all take up 3 slots...


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161399

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814129204

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127749

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732

buy reference !~


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *leeb2013*
> 
> hi, recently got 2 XFX HD7950 cards, here they are in my system.
> 
> Originally, these cards were factory o/c to 925MHz at 1.25v with 5000MHz memory and they got HOT!
> 
> So I edited the bios with VBE and now they run at 1GHz with 6000MHz memory at 1.081v. I added the green perspex divider between them as initially the PCB of the lower card was reaching 95C and the air going into the top card fans was 40-50C!!
> 
> The divider is supported on foam pads on the back of the lower card which leaves an air gap. The 120mm white fan at the end of the cards blows cool air across them and through this gap, venting at the open PCI slots. This fan is temperature controlled by a thermister sitting on the heatsink of the upper card. So it only speeds up when the card starts to warm up. 2 more fans on the front of the case and 1 in the bottom puch plenty of cool air into this area. Up top are 2 140mm fans, the front one is an intake and blows cool air over the RAM and into the CPU cooler. If this fan was an extractor, it would be sucking up the hot air from the GPUs, over the RAM and into the CPU cooler. The rear top fan and back panel fan extract warm air from the CPU.
> 
> Now the GPUs suck in air at 30-35C and both run significantly cooler. Only reaching 70C during Heaven11 and Valley bench marks.
> 
> here's some photos and benchmarks;
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


That's a really good idea, putting the divider between the cards to control the hot air from the bottom card.
Combined with the fans, that's a good reduction in the temps. Rep+


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> what's the word on the streets on xfx 7970 double d ghz edition,
> black edition?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bburnham37*
> 
> Word on the street? Don't buy it. Look elsewhere for a card you won't have to RMA.


so I guess that's why i never heard of the "black editions"...?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> so which air 7970/50 that only takes up only 2 slots would you guys recommend?
> 
> vapor-x, dual-x, gigabyte with 3 fans all take up 3 slots...


WFIII (gigabyte) and TFIII (MSI) are only 2 slots, but like all cards they will still suffer from air restriction, your best options are either reference blowers or watercooling, or just get a 7990.


----------



## hotrod717

Collection has now been expanded to 4 - 7970's! Matrix, AMD reference, and 2 - MSI gd5/oc's.
I'm.going to have so much fun this weekend. Plan is to bin best of the 3 to run in crossfire with my Matrix. Can't imagine 2 cards in crossfire running 1300+/1800+. Hopefully I will!


----------



## Mega Man

congrats !~


----------



## kahboom

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202036 Sapphire HD 7990 now 599.99 and has a 20.00 rebate card, and comes with 8 Games, very tempting


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202036 Sapphire HD 7990 now 599.99 and has a 20.00 rebate card, and comes with 8 Games, very tempting


I'd wait on the 290x


----------



## gkolarov

It seems that R9 290X will be as fast as a titan:

http://videocardz.com/45753/amd-radeon-r9-290x-slightly-faster-gtx-titan


----------



## Danny1107

Can I join the club?









2x MSI 7970 TwinFrozr III in crossfire

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/n8zcw/
http://gpuz.techpowerup.com/13/09/27/2n9.png

1150mhz GPU Clock
1600mhz Memory clock
+20% power


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> congrats !~


Thanks! I really lucked out with the 2 MSI cards, 67 & 67.3 asic%. This might turn into trifire setup, since my Matrix has a 67% asic also. I've pretty much used GPU Tweak up until now, but it doesn't seem to play well with other manufacturers cards and doesn't list voltage. Afterburner does list voltage, but seems to limit clock speeds. Not sure what I can do to take advantage of the 3 unlocked cards together. Any ideas?


----------



## Lionheart1980

What is the right voltage for these cards? I have two of em in crossfired... but i can't figure out what is voltage and there's like 3 or 4 diff voltage reading in GPU-Z...
http://www.hisdigital.com/ca/product2-726.shtml


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Thanks! I really lucked out with the 2 MSI cards, 67 & 67.3 asic%. This might turn into trifire setup, since my Matrix has a 67% asic also. I've pretty much used GPU Tweak up until now, but it doesn't seem to play well with other manufacturers cards and doesn't list voltage. Afterburner does list voltage, but seems to limit clock speeds. Not sure what I can do to take advantage of the 3 unlocked cards together. Any ideas?


Where do you find that ASIC % at?


----------



## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> What is the right voltage for these cards? I have two of em in crossfired... but i can't figure out what is voltage and there's like 3 or 4 diff voltage reading in GPU-Z...
> http://www.hisdigital.com/ca/product2-726.shtml


Is this what you are asking?
1: 12V - which i assume is the 12V rail
2: VDDC - Core voltage
3: MVDDC - Memory voltage


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majorhi*
> 
> Where do you find that ASIC % at?


GPU-Z. If you right click on the top banner on left, where it says GPU-Z ; scroll down the list to "Read Asic Quality"


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stubass*
> 
> Is this what you are asking?
> 1: 12V - which i assume is the 12V rail
> 2: VDDC - Core voltage
> 3: MVDDC - Memory voltage


Ahh thanks a bunch mate..


----------



## HardwareDecoder

asic quality means nothing


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> asic quality means nothing


Really? Hmm.. what is the best method to overclock, not touching volt, and see if card is good at it?


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Really? Hmm.. what is the best method to overclock, not touching volt, and see if card is good at it?


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> asic quality means nothing


Actually, it does. It can be interpreted in different ways, but all comes down to VID and the leakage of the chip. Also most factory oc'd cards I've seen have a lower asic% . Might be nice to see someone start a info thread on this containing asic% and max oc's. Both air and water.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Actually, it does. It can be interpreted in different ways, but all comes down to VID and the leakage of the chip. Also most factory oc'd cards I've seen have a lower asic% . Might be nice to see someone start a info thread on this containing asic% and max oc's. Both air and water.


it means jack for ocing. In fact i've seen the reverse, low asic cards oc better on air atleast.

Which I guess would mean it does mean something, just not what people think.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> it means jack for ocing. In fact i've seen the reverse, low asic cards oc better on air atleast.
> 
> Which I guess would mean it does mean something, just not what people think.


I would have to disagree. My Matrix has 67 and does 1375/1875 on water. Higher asic reference with 78 gets scorching hot and wouldn't dare take it past 1200. You have your opinion and entitled to it, but most won't waterblock a high asic card. All of the high clocks 1300+ I've seen have low asic cards. All Lighnings, Matrix, ect, I have seen have lower asic's. Your experience seems to be the exception. How many 7970 have you been through?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202036 Sapphire HD 7990 now 599.99 and has a 20.00 rebate card, and comes with 8 Games, very tempting


Go for it if you've got the cash. Awesome deal in my book; probably the best value card I've seen out there. Really hot and loud though, but that is expected. Got mine two weeks ago for $670. And I'm not sure if the games work. In fact, I think I'm going to take care of that now. I'll let you guys know.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> asic quality means nothing


Oh the engineer just speak.Tell me why it means nothing


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I would have to disagree. My Matrix has 67 and does 1375/1875 on water. Higher asic reference with 78 gets scorching hot and wouldn't dare take it past 1200. You have your opinion and entitled to it, but most won't waterblock a high asic card. All of the high clocks 1300+ I've seen have low asic cards. All Lighnings, Matrix, ect, I have seen have lower asic's. Your experience seems to be the exception. How many 7970 have you been through?


My XFX Core Edition has a ASIC rating of 61.3% and it does 1300/1850 on water


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I would have to disagree. My Matrix has 67 and does 1375/1875 on water. Higher asic reference with 78 gets scorching hot and wouldn't dare take it past 1200. You have your opinion and entitled to it, but most won't waterblock a high asic card. All of the high clocks 1300+ I've seen have low asic cards. All Lighnings, Matrix, ect, I have seen have lower asic's. Your experience seems to be the exception. How many 7970 have you been through?


67 is really low. 73-78 is the right asic for proper watercooling. Below 70 is mostly for ln2 guys


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> GPU-Z. If you right click on the top banner on left, where it says GPU-Z ; scroll down the list to "Read Asic Quality"


So is 65.5% good?


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majorhi*
> 
> So is 65.5% good?


yep its good.. i have 2 gpus in cf.. one is 68 and other is 63...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> it means jack for ocing. In fact i've seen the reverse, low asic cards oc better on air atleast.
> 
> Which I guess would mean it does mean something, just not what people think.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I would have to disagree. My Matrix has 67 and does 1375/1875 on water. Higher asic reference with 78 gets scorching hot and wouldn't dare take it past 1200. You have your opinion and entitled to it, but most won't waterblock a high asic card. All of the high clocks 1300+ I've seen have low asic cards. All Lighnings, Matrix, ect, I have seen have lower asic's. Your experience seems to be the exception. How many 7970 have you been through?


lower ASIC generally means the chip needs more volts to run at the same clocks, but doesn't mean it makes more heat and less efficient, just means that particular chip works slightly differently.

but it depends on the ability of the card, references seem to have the highest success rate due to their design, other custom PCBs seem to push this and are not generally as successful bar the lightning.

my 7970 (DCIIT) has 55.4% ASIC, locked and completely unstable at anything bar the stock 1000/1400, very rubbish card in general...


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> lower ASIC generally means the chip needs more volts to run at the same clocks, but doesn't mean it makes more heat and less efficient, just means that particular chip works slightly differently.
> 
> but it depends on the ability of the card, references seem to have the highest success rate due to their design, other custom PCBs seem to push this and are not generally as successful bar the lightning.
> 
> my 7970 (DCIIT) has 55.4% ASIC, locked and completely unstable at anything bar the stock 1000/1400, very rubbish card in general...


Interesting thou.. my both cards are OC to 1125/1550 mhz and stable thur 3dmark11 advance (extreme)... cannot go higher like 1200/1600 mhz like some ppl have on OCN..
For anyone in curious what cards i have.. its HIS Radeon 7970 GHz Edition in CF..


----------



## Lionheart1980

And the cards are at stock Volt.. btw


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Interesting thou.. my both cards are OC to 1125/1550 mhz and stable thur 3dmark11 advance (extreme)... cannot go higher like 1200/1600 mhz like some ppl have on OCN..
> For anyone in curious what cards i have.. its HIS Radeon 7970 GHz Edition in CF..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> And the cards are at stock Volt.. btw


likely the ASICs are relatively high, probably in the 70% range like I usually see...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> asic quality means nothing


I hope that is a joke?


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I hope that is a joke?


it wasn't a joke it is my personal experience and others agree with me even if some don't

http://www.overclock.net/t/1298200/asic-quality-question/10

Anyway I have exams to study for today so I won't be around to debate this any further.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion lets agree to disagree.


----------



## sugarhell

You are just wrong. Asic quality means everything about a gpu. Volts,current,vdroop,ocp limits.


----------



## Lionheart1980

I have a serious question.. since i upgraded to new cards from 6950 to 7970 ghz.. and updated latest driver.. i have noticed the screen while browsing on the net.. it flicked well not flicked more like a tilt down then back up in millisecond.... is it my card doing it or just amd CCC driver doing it? I wasn't sure if i should rma the cards


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> I have a serious question.. since i upgraded to new cards from 6950 to 7970 ghz.. and updated latest driver.. i have noticed the screen while browsing on the net.. it flicked well not flicked more like a tilt down then back up in millisecond.... is it my card doing it or just amd CCC driver doing it? I wasn't sure if i should rma the cards


Happens to me too. I guess that means it's just the driver.


----------



## Majorhi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Interesting thou.. my both cards are OC to 1125/1550 mhz and stable thur 3dmark11 advance (extreme)... cannot go higher like 1200/1600 mhz like some ppl have on OCN..
> For anyone in curious what cards i have.. its HIS Radeon 7970 GHz Edition in CF..


Just ran Heaven benchmark after running the new Catzilla benchmark. 1200/1600 1.225v 59c Max Temp ASUS 7950


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Actually, it does. It can be interpreted in different ways, but all comes down to VID and the leakage of the chip. Also most factory oc'd cards I've seen have a lower asic% . Might be nice to see someone start a info thread on this containing asic% and max oc's. Both air and water.
> 
> 
> 
> it means jack for ocing. In fact i've seen the reverse, low asic cards oc better on air atleast.
> 
> Which I guess would mean it does mean something, just not what people think.
Click to expand...

Typically lower ASIC cards require water cooling to truly make them shine.. They usually have a higher stock voltage, but once kept extra cool via a full cover water block, they overclock pretty well. Higher ASIC cards seem to do quite well with air cooling, and will achieve similar results under water as well.

Obviously there's still a certain hint of silicon lottery involved, but based on what I've seen this tends to be the case. YMMV and all that.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Happens to me too. I guess that means it's just the driver.


Ah.. glad to see i'm not the only one.. wat card you have?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Actually, it does. It can be interpreted in different ways, but all comes down to VID and the leakage of the chip. Also most factory oc'd cards I've seen have a lower asic% . Might be nice to see someone start a info thread on this containing asic% and max oc's. Both air and water.
> 
> 
> 
> it means jack for ocing. In fact i've seen the reverse, low asic cards oc better on air atleast.
> 
> Which I guess would mean it does mean something, just not what people think.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Typically lower ASIC cards require water cooling to truly make them shine.. They usually have a higher stock voltage, but once kept extra cool via a full cover water block, they overclock pretty well. Higher ASIC cards seem to do quite well with air cooling, and will achieve similar results under water as well.
> 
> Obviously there's still a certain hint of silicon lottery involved, but based on what I've seen this tends to be the case. YMMV and all that.
Click to expand...

Also, as a reference I believe my ASIC is 71% (I'd have to double check when I get home, I haven't looked since I bought the card) and I can overclock to 1310/1750 for stable 24/7 clocks with a full cover water block.


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> GPU-Z. If you right click on the top banner on left, where it says GPU-Z ; scroll down the list to "Read Asic Quality"


i have sapphire 7970 with asic 68.8, my clocks is 1365/1805







for me already TRIXX voltage is not enough 1.381, i need maybe 1.4v







than i can beat your valley score







now i have 60.5FPS


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Ah.. glad to see i'm not the only one.. wat card you have?


7990. It's in my sig rig.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> 7990. It's in my sig rig.


Oic nice. i was gonna go for that 7990.. wasn't sure.. i had old HIS 6950 in CF so i just went from personal exp.. and upgraded with same company.. been good so far.. knock on wood


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> i have sapphire 7970 with asic 68.8, my clocks is 1365/1805
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> for me already TRIXX voltage is not enough 1.381, i need maybe 1.4v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> than i can beat your valley score
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> now i have 60.5FPS


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*


Here's mine.. gpu overclocked at 1100mhz core /stock memory 1500mhz.. just small overclock until my WC stuff arrives


----------



## Lionheart1980

I have another question.. do you know if i should use both bridges for CF with my cards? or one is fine..? any performance increase or decrease either way?


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> I have another question.. do you know if i should use both bridges for CF with my cards? or one is fine..? any performance increase or decrease either way?


i didn't know the answer to this the other day when I got my second card. For me it didn't detect the crossfire when I used two bridges, removed one and everything worked fine.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Here's mine.. gpu overclocked at 1100mhz core /stock memory 1500mhz.. just small overclock until my WC stuff arrives


Ehh OK for two 7970s


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Ehh OK for two 7970s


Its low for 2 7970 1100


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> I have another question.. do you know if i should use both bridges for CF with my cards? or one is fine..? any performance increase or decrease either way?


I believe it's best to use both if you're using a 1440p monitor at 120hz, but otherwise, one works just fine.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> i didn't know the answer to this the other day when I got my second card. For me it didn't detect the crossfire when I used two bridges, removed one and everything worked fine.


usually means one of the cables was borked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> I have another question.. do you know if i should use both bridges for CF with my cards? or one is fine..? any performance increase or decrease either way?


either you wish, doesn't usually matter, usually one is fine but for 1440p, 120Hz or eyefinity it might help performance slightly.


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*


what processor clock? mine was 3930k at 5.2ghz and 2400 ram


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> what processor clock? mine was 3930k at 5.2ghz and 2400 ram


FX 8350 @5.092GHz and 1866MHz RAM


----------



## nightfox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> i didn't know the answer to this the other day when I got my second card. For me it didn't detect the crossfire when I used two bridges, removed one and everything worked fine.


well my experience differs to yours... when i installed my 2nd gpu and uses only 1 bridge, it works fine until reboot. next reboot, CCC ask me to install 2nd bridge... i dont think its about monitor res cause even i use my old 1050 monitor, ccc still requires 2bridges.... never notice difference though... but if ccc requires then do it. if it doesnt require, then no point of installing both...

otherwise, there should be no harm if you install two bridges. thats only my opinion.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 67 is really low. 73-78 is the right asic for proper watercooling. Below 70 is mostly for ln2 guys


I want to agree, if my chip had a little less leakage(aka higher asic%) I think it would do a bit better. I'm throttling higher than my top clocks. I would think 70-72% is just about perfect for watercooling. Lower definitely needs watercooling to shine and LN2 would be better.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> i have sapphire 7970 with asic 68.8, my clocks is 1365/1805
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> for me already TRIXX voltage is not enough 1.381, i need maybe 1.4v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> than i can beat your valley score
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> now i have 60.5FPS


I am at 1.4v with that score, but the Matrix has a lot more going on than the ref. pcb as well. Actual volts are 1.3875. Although valley shows it in list to be top non-ln2, there are a couple that have gotten a bit higher, tsm, ftw, ect. But, I'm not a oc guru either!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its low for 2 7970 1100


I agree 2 stock 7970's should be getting 80+. 2 of mine get 89. one cards at 1100 and the 1025 core.

I'm looking for the voltage unlocker for AB that was previously posted and removed from a thread. Anybody have a copy?


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I want to agree, if my chip had a little less leakage(aka higher asic%) I think it would do a bit better. I'm throttling higher than my top clocks. I would think 70-72% is just about perfect for watercooling. Lower definitely needs watercooling to shine and LN2 would be better.
> I am at 1.4v with that score, but the Matrix has a lot more going on than the ref. pcb as well. Actual volts are 1.3875. Although valley shows it in list to be top non-ln2, there are a couple that have gotten a bit higher, tsm, ftw, ect. But, I'm not a oc guru either!
> I agree 2 stock 7970's should be getting 80+. 2 of mine get 89. one cards at 1100 and the 1025 core.
> 
> I'm looking for the voltage unlocker for AB that was previously posted and removed from a thread. Anybody have a copy?


my actual volts is 1.341v







TRIXX 1.381v


----------



## hotrod717

So far 3 cards in trifire are barely scoring better than 2 in crossfire. Not sure why. Starting to look like crossfire is what I'll be sticking with unless I can figure it out. I know it's not going to scale as well as going from 1 to 2 cards, but 5 or 6 fps ave., that's bad.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nightfox*
> 
> well my experience differs to yours... when i installed my 2nd gpu and uses only 1 bridge, it works fine until reboot. next reboot, CCC ask me to install 2nd bridge... i dont think its about monitor res cause even i use my old 1050 monitor, ccc still requires 2bridges.... never notice difference though... but if ccc requires then do it. if it doesnt require, then no point of installing both...
> 
> otherwise, there should be no harm if you install two bridges. thats only my opinion.


Yeah I just tried again with the second bridge and now it works so







idk what was wrong. But I do know when I first got the second card I did try with both bridges and it didn't show up so I rebooted took one off and it worked.

What I am pretty sure of from googling is you don't *need* a second bridge for xfire only tri fire.

Since we are talking about xfire alot in here today I'm wondering if anyone knows or has a link to info on whether the new xfire tech (xdma -- bridgeless xfire) is gonna work with all gcn cards IE 7xxx series or just the new R7/R9 cards?

1 bridge

2 bridge

red fish
blue fish

heaven score stayed about the same, using a second bridge did make it show up as 7950 x2 in heaven though. hmmm


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> So far 3 cards in trifire are barely scoring better than 2 in crossfire. Not sure why. Starting to look like crossfire is what I'll be sticking with unless I can figure it out. I know it's not going to scale as well as going from 1 to 2 cards, but 5 or 6 fps ave., that's bad.


i would be willing to bet your psu is holding you way way back. if you have a second you can hook up your third card to your second psu use a paperclip to jump the green wire on the 24pin to any black wire use the power switch on the back of the second psu, when you power on your pc and re bench i bet it gets better!~
imo 750w is just not enough for 3 cards
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> Yeah I just tried again with the second bridge and now it works so
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> idk what was wrong. But I do know when I first got the second card I did try with both bridges and it didn't show up so I rebooted took one off and it worked.
> 
> What I am pretty sure of from googling is you don't *need* a second bridge for xfire only tri fire.
> 
> Since we are talking about xfire alot in here today I'm wondering if anyone knows or has a link to info on whether the new xfire tech (xdma -- bridgeless xfire) is gonna work with all gcn cards IE 7xxx series or just the new R7/R9 cards
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> ?
> 
> 1 bridge
> 
> 2 bridge
> 
> red fish
> blue fish
> 
> 
> 
> heaven score stayed about the same, using a second bridge did make it show up as 7950 x2 in heaven though. hmmm


are they bringing that back again? just give in and give us all hard pcb cfx bridges.....


----------



## totalownership

Guys I plan to buy a 7970 today. I'd like to get one that over clocks nicely on air and has no problems with crossfire in the future. What is the conscenous on the highest regarded card?

EDIT: I should clarify a bit. I have a 7870 right now that I'm pretty pleased with but there are certain games that have put a beating on it. I could crossfire the 7870 for about 150 bucks more or for a little under 300 get a 7970. I decided to go the 7970 route but is this really the best route?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Some sapphire one. Or reference. Reference is always good.


----------



## totalownership

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Some sapphire one. Or reference. Reference is always good.


Thanks for the reply. I'm looking at getting this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-202-008&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo

So I'll be able to use Afterburner and overclock this some? Will I be able to do a little voltage bump if needed? I don't want a card that's locked.

Also looks like this car might be problematic trying to do 3 screens for me.
What about the Gigabyte card?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413


----------



## jojoenglish85

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *totalownership*
> 
> Thanks for the reply. I'm looking at getting this one:
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=14-202-008&SortField=0&SummaryType=0&Pagesize=10&PurchaseMark=&SelectedRating=-1&VideoOnlyMark=False&VendorMark=&IsFeedbackTab=true&Page=2#scrollFullInfo
> 
> So I'll be able to use Afterburner and overclock this some? Will I be able to do a little voltage bump if needed? I don't want a card that's locked.
> 
> Also looks like this car might be problematic trying to do 3 screens for me.
> What about the Gigabyte card?
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125413


I love Gigabytes cards, but i have never had fun trying to overclock them on the 6xxx series. I won't bother with them now and will stick with Asus or Saphire.


----------



## totalownership

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jojoenglish85*
> 
> I love Gigabytes cards, but i have never had fun trying to overclock them on the 6xxx series. I won't bother with them now and will stick with Asus or Saphire.


Looking at the cards I'm just get more frustrating and am about to just get another 7870. The Gigabyte was looking good in that I wouldn't have to buy any adapters for my monitor cables until...

"Cons: With the newest hardware revision of these boards (Rev 2.1)*, the voltage is set fairly (a bit too) low and then hardware locked with an on-board resistor.* I won't tell you the implications of this right here, but those of you with some knowledge will know what it is. Simply Google around about this specific card and you'll see the complaints.

I knocked 2 whole eggs off for the above, because the reference 7970's don't have this issue, and neither do some of the other brands non-reference designs (and neither did Rev 1.0 of this specific board). I would do some research first before pulling the trigger.

Other Thoughts: Without getting too deep into it, I'll say this. A reference 7970 and a reference 7970 Ghz Edition feature the same exact chip. The difference is solely in the clocks. Some more knowledgeable people will buy the 7970's and simply match clocks to the Ghz Edition, and save some money in the process. *Unfortunately, that is nigh-impossible with this specific card because of the hardware locked voltage that is a non-reference addition*. The reason for this should be pretty self explanatory: why spend extra money on a Ghz Edition when you can match the performance from a regular 7970? Well, in Gigabyte's case: because you have to... Gigabyte's GV-R797OC-3GD Rev 2.1 is stuck where it is... you can eek anything significant out of it.

It wouldn't be so bad, except the original Rev 1.0 boards of this same exact model did not feature the hardware locked voltage, and you can find many many review out there talking about how great it is for doing a certain something something. This lead to many people buying this specific card, only to get stuck with the locked voltage on the current revision.

Womp womp.

Don't get me wrong though... this is still an EXCELLENT card exactly where it stands. It performs beautifully and the price isn't horrible either... just don't buy this specific model if you ever plan to try to push it much farther."


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nightfox*
> 
> well my experience differs to yours... when i installed my 2nd gpu and uses only 1 bridge, it works fine until reboot. next reboot, CCC ask me to install 2nd bridge... i dont think its about monitor res cause even i use my old 1050 monitor, ccc still requires 2bridges.... never notice difference though... but if ccc requires then do it. if it doesnt require, then no point of installing both...
> 
> otherwise, there should be no harm if you install two bridges. thats only my opinion.


I guess AMD are starting to enforce it to help with frame pacing...

I'll requote what I said before, looks like it got missed...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> i didn't know the answer to this the other day when I got my second card. For me it didn't detect the crossfire when I used two bridges, removed one and everything worked fine.
> 
> 
> 
> usually means one of the cables was borked.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> I have another question.. do you know if i should use both bridges for CF with my cards? or one is fine..? any performance increase or decrease either way?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> either you wish, doesn't usually matter, usually one is fine but for 1440p, 120Hz or eyefinity it might help performance slightly.
Click to expand...


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i would be willing to bet your psu is holding you way way back. if you have a second you can hook up your third card to your second psu use a paperclip to jump the green wire on the 24pin to any black wire use the power switch on the back of the second psu, when you power on your pc and re bench i bet it gets better!~
> imo 750w is just not enough for 3 cards
> are they bringing that back again? just give in and give us all hard pcb cfx bridges.....


Haha,! No, I wouldn't be running 3 cards off 750w psu. I have 2 psu's. 750x connected to 2 cards and 550w jumpered to single 7970. Both single rail, highly regarded psu's. Maybe I just need a restart and to play around a little bit! How are the quads coming ? Still using those thermal probes I sent you?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Haha,! No, I wouldn't be running 3 cards off 750w psu. I have 2 psu's. 750x connected to 2 cards and 550w jumpered to single 7970. Both single rail, highly regarded psu's. Maybe I just need a restart and to play around a little bit! How are the quads coming ? Still using those thermal probes I sent you?


i do when i use my CVFZ ~
i am on quadfire but tbh i liked my CVFz more then this UD7. giga needs some help ... and i can get better scores in 3d11 with the CVFz .... go figure ...


----------



## rdr09

so, does anyone know if BF4 will be included in the 3 Game Bundled that comes with the 7900 series cards? i've been holding onto it in the hopes it will. if not, i might as well grab Dirt3 and 2 other games i don't have yet. thanks.


----------



## Newbie2009

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> so, does anyone know if BF4 will be included in the 3 Game Bundled that comes with the 7900 series cards? i've been holding onto it in the hopes it will. if not, i might as well grab Dirt3 and 2 other games i don't have yet. thanks.


Negative. Preorder only for R9 290X & only 8000 copies available. NOT part of the gaming bundle from AMD.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Newbie2009*
> 
> Negative. Preorder only for R9 290X & only 8000 copies available. NOT part of the gaming bundle from AMD.


i guess i'll be going back to racing again soon. thanks.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Haha,! No, I wouldn't be running 3 cards off 750w psu. I have 2 psu's. 750x connected to 2 cards and 550w jumpered to single 7970. Both single rail, highly regarded psu's. Maybe I just need a restart and to play around a little bit! How are the quads coming ? Still using those thermal probes I sent you?


I read your commnet on valley. You should use 1x1 optimization on valley. On heaven quad 7970s have 100% usage


----------



## prescotter

Did some testing with the Memory Frequency on my HD7970, After doing a reinstall i couldnt remember how it was exactly so i figured out i make myself a nice chart.

You can clearly see after 1875Mhz the voltage bumps need to be insane to keep going. I think 1875-1900Mhz is the sweet spot.

Maybe its usefull for you guys, you can compare your speeds/voltage or estimate how much voltage you need for a certain speed.












Edit Testing done with Crysis 3 Singelplayer Missions, Highest settings @ 1080p only with FXAA instead of MSAA.

Core was running 1100MHz on 1,160v with these tests to 100.0% make sure the Core Speed would not mess up the result. Even if i run the core on 1225MHz it is still excactly the same stibility. Meaning High core speed does not ''clash'' with a Higher Memory speed. Like you read on some Nvidia cards.

Now by seeing the speeds in my rig, i have been running a bit too much voltage on the memory for nothing.


----------



## KnownDragon

I know someone has probably said this but just for anyone that cares the His IceQ 7950 works in 10.8.3 with no problems.


----------



## hotrod717

Looking at "full cover" waterblocks for my new 7970's, I'm surprised by the manufacturers that don't have active vrm cooling in their designs. Actually only about half of them do. Some make a show of it, others a complete lack of anything altogether.


----------



## Dart06

Does anyone know if the 7990 is going to be able to use Mantle? I was thinking about holding out for a 290X but I might have changed my mind.

A 7990 will likely have quite a bit more performance (especially because of the price/performance) and since I like to play on my 120hz monitor, I think I would enjoy a little bit more power instead of having to lower a lot of settings. If it can use Mantle, I think I'd just rather jump for the 7990.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dart06*
> 
> Does anyone know if the 7990 is going to be able to use Mantle? I was thinking about holding out for a 290X but I might have changed my mind.
> 
> A 7990 will likely have quite a bit more performance (especially because of the price/performance) and since I like to play on my 120hz monitor, I think I would enjoy a little bit more power instead of having to lower a lot of settings. If it can use Mantle, I think I'd just rather jump for the 7990.


The 7990 used GCN, so yea, mantle will be supported.


----------



## Dart06

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> The 7990 used GCN, so yea, mantle will be supported.


How much of a performance difference do you think there would be at Ultra settings on BF4 between the two? I know we don't know the full specs of the 290X and that the 7990 is in all terms a faster card overall but since it uses CFX the 290X might still be the better buy. I am so conflicted.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dart06*
> 
> How much of a performance difference do you think there would be at Ultra settings on BF4 between the two? I know we don't know the full specs of the 290X and that the 7990 is in all terms a faster card overall but since it uses CFX the 290X might still be the better buy. I am so conflicted.


This question is pointless as we don't know the specs for 290x. There is nothing to compare. Since you already waited, be patient and wait till 290x specs comes out. I however jumped on the 7990 wagon and I am enjoying my card.


----------



## TangoDown332

Is anyone skeptical about Mantle's capabilities, in comparison to Direct X?


----------



## totalownership

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TangoDown332*
> 
> Is anyone skeptical about Mantle's capabilities, in comparison to Direct X?


Nope, not really.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Did some testing with the Memory Frequency on my HD7970, After doing a reinstall i couldnt remember how it was exactly so i figured out i make myself a nice chart.
> 
> You can clearly see after 1875Mhz the voltage bumps need to be insane to keep going. I think 1875-1900Mhz is the sweet spot.
> 
> Maybe its usefull for you guys, you can compare your speeds/voltage or estimate how much voltage you need for a certain speed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit Testing done with Crysis 3 Singelplayer Missions, Highest settings @ 1080p only with FXAA instead of MSAA.
> 
> Core was running 1100MHz on 1,160v with these tests to 100.0% make sure the Core Speed would not mess up the result. Even if i run the core on 1225MHz it is still excactly the same stibility. Meaning High core speed does not ''clash'' with a Higher Memory speed. Like you read on some Nvidia cards.
> 
> Now by seeing the speeds in my rig, i have been running a bit too much voltage on the memory for nothing.


yea that's usually the norm for overclocking in general, you just have to experiment to find that sweet spot in your particular hardware, that's a nice char though, should probably help some of the inexperienced with how much voltage they probably need.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dart06*
> 
> How much of a performance difference do you think there would be at Ultra settings on BF4 between the two? I know we don't know the full specs of the 290X and that the 7990 is in all terms a faster card overall but since it uses CFX the 290X might still be the better buy. I am so conflicted.


the 7990 will definitely be faster then the 290X by a long shot for the most part (4k shaders vs ~2.8k, 768bit mem vs 512,), your only concern should be micro-stutering and maby heat from having two cores on one card, look at two 7970s if you can fit them in your case;
HIS's blowers take 3 slots each but if you have that space they will have the best overall cooling, otherwise look at reference blowers or fit your case with heaps of fans.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dart06*
> 
> How much of a performance difference do you think there would be at Ultra settings on BF4 between the two? I know we don't know the full specs of the 290X and that the 7990 is in all terms a faster card overall but since it uses CFX the 290X might still be the better buy. I am so conflicted.


Well technically speaking, AMD has been slashing price of 7990 because it does not want the 7990 to canabolize the new GPU flagships, this therfor means ether of 2 things
1) 7990 is really good but they dont want to canabolize the 290x
2) the new 290x is actually better so why keep something that has been upgraded in general?

but i really believe it has to do with competition within the price range is not accetable, also 7990 has preset 8 game codes, while 290x will most likly have never settle forever bundle to get ANY #(specific #) of games from oct-dec 31s 2013.

the 290x will 100% have bf4 bundled unlike 7990, because this new game is helping show off the new GPU.

but these are only my assumtions.


----------



## totalownership

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> *the 290x will 100% have bf4 bundled* unlike 7990, because this new game is helping show off the new GPU.
> 
> but these are only my assumtions.


And that should be Mantle-enabled also right?
I really want to see those Mantle benchmarks


----------



## Wiffinberg

any of you guys reckon it would be worth getting a second 7950 with the 290x just around the corner?
I have the space and enough wattage to do it and can get a second card (probably the vaporX) at a reasonable price

Thoughts? (probably a lot of people in the same boat as me







)


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> any of you guys reckon it would be worth getting a second 7950 with the 290x just around the corner?
> I have the space and enough wattage to do it and can get a second card (probably the vaporX) at a reasonable price
> 
> Thoughts? (probably a lot of people in the same boat as me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


I just bought a second one and im pretty happy with it.... no xfire issues.

2x 7950 beats a 780 pretty good at 1440p and only costs 400$ or so bucks.


----------



## jaydude

Hey guys just wondering, Would there be any point in reapplying thermal paste to my 7950, I have the windforce 3x rev.2 card it has a heatsink on the vrm so that should be fine, I have it oc'd to 1200/1575 with stock voltage 1.25v,

Running the Resident evil 6 benchmark the temps went up to 76c and the fan at 96%

I got some antec formula 7 paste so would there be a point in reapplying?

Thanks in advance


----------



## skitz9417

hi guys im just wondering is the gigabite hd 7950 have a unlocked voltage and would a be a good deal if i can get one for 250 dollars


----------



## diggiddi

So guys what's the skinny on that Asus DCII 7970, is it voltage locked and how high are the overclock's on it at stock voltage and more.
I really like the backplate on it and it seems to be a quality unit


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jaydude025*
> 
> Hey guys just wondering, Would there be any point in reapplying thermal paste to my 7950, I have the windforce 3x rev.2 card it has a heatsink on the vrm so that should be fine, I have it oc'd to 1200/1575 with stock voltage 1.25v,
> 
> Running the Resident evil 6 benchmark the temps went up to 76c and the fan at 96%
> 
> I got some antec formula 7 paste so would there be a point in reapplying?
> 
> Thanks in advance


Many intake and exhaust fans do u have? (case fans)


----------



## jaydude

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> Many intake and exhaust fans do u have? (case fans)


I have 3 120mm fans all up not including the psu fan, 2 on my hyper 212+ and 1 at the back of my case, I'm thinking about buying a new case soon so I can add some decent cooling, I've been using this case for almost 7 years now so its getting pretty old but has done a decent job up until now









I don't even know what brand the case is it just came with the pc I brought before I tore the innards out and replaced them with better stuffs hehe









And that's when I began the magnificent journey of building my own pc's


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> So guys what's the skinny on that Asus DCII 7970, is it voltage locked and how high are the overclock's on it at stock voltage and more.
> I really like the backplate on it and it seems to be a quality unit


dont buy asus 79xx cards. unless ref


----------



## skitz9417

hi guys im just wondering is the gigabite hd 7950 have a unlocked voltage and would a be a good deal if i can get one for 250 dollars and will be upgarding from my hd 6950 1gb so what do u think


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> hi guys im just wondering is the gigabite hd 7950 have a unlocked voltage and would a be a good deal if i can get one for 250 dollars and will be upgarding from my hd 6950 1gb so what do u think


AMD is close to releasing "new"/new gpus. Wait til they do that









AMD R7 260X will be 2GB and cost $140. So i think that will suite your need







Not sure which of the new gpus are 7950 succesor.
I know r9 280x is the 7970 successor , it will cost $300, so if you can fork up some extra cash, then thats a great card to get.


----------



## KnownDragon

will you be able to flash the new bios to a 7950?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> AMD is close to releasing "new"/new gpus. Wait til they do that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD R7 260X will be 2GB and cost $140. So i think that will suite your need
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure which of the new gpus are 7950 succesor.
> I know r9 280x is the 7970 successor , it will cost $300, so if you can fork up some extra cash, then thats a great card to get.


I don't mean to be nit-picky, but the successor to the 7970 would be the r9-290x. Successor being a person or thing that succeeds another, so the r9-290x would be succeeding the 7970 as the top AMD single GPU offering.

The r9-280x is rumored to be a re-badged 7970.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> any of you guys reckon it would be worth getting a second 7950 with the 290x just around the corner?
> I have the space and enough wattage to do it and can get a second card (probably the vaporX) at a reasonable price
> 
> Thoughts? (probably a lot of people in the same boat as me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Get the new cards, right now you can buy a 7950 for 200 bucks, but the new r9 7950 version, will prolly cost 300-400 and outperform the 7970 thats on the current market.
Please take this as a grain of salt because these are rumored speculation, but so far from the research iv done of rumors iv been getting some hit on stuff lol.
If the r9 290x specs are what they are they would have a 56% increase in steam processors from a 7970 or 1000 extra steam processors from a 7950.
In general it's best to have a single great gpu than multiple gpu.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *totalownership*
> 
> And that should be Mantle-enabled also right?
> I really want to see those Mantle benchmarks


I'm sorry i do not have information on mantle :/ but I believe, please correct me if im wrong mantle will allow for cross platform gaming for developers to ease in coding or hard are modification? I'm not sure sorry


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> dont buy asus 79xx cards. unless ref


Ok why not? I dont like ref cards and i'm not planning on waterblocking them


----------



## Mega Man

they have a high tendency to oc horribly
overpriced for what you get
ref cards are not all blowers, albeit the blowers are much sexier, MSI TF for example is ref but has 2 fans
some asus cards require gpu tweek which most people hate.
you can buy backplates or make your own if that is what you are looking for .


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> So guys what's the skinny on that Asus DCII 7970, is it voltage locked and how high are the overclock's on it at stock voltage and more.
> I really like the backplate on it and it seems to be a quality unit


rubbish, really, no real quality in them at all...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Ok why not? I dont like ref cards and i'm not planning on waterblocking them


lets just say, 4+ months were wasted and the card is not worth half the price it sells at...


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> AMD is close to releasing "new"/new gpus. Wait til they do that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> AMD R7 260X will be 2GB and cost $140. So i think that will suite your need
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure which of the new gpus are 7950 succesor.
> I know r9 280x is the 7970 successor , it will cost $300, so if you can fork up some extra cash, then thats a great card to get.


but its crappy for me thaey do us prices and i live in australia so the prices are more


----------



## lugal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> So guys what's the skinny on that Asus DCII 7970, is it voltage locked and how high are the overclock's on it at stock voltage and more.
> I really like the backplate on it and it seems to be a quality unit


DC2 is best non reference cooler in terms of noise, thats about it, nothing special in oc. If I remember they are not voltage locked, but you need to use asus oc utility to be able to increase voltage.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lugal*
> 
> DC2 is best non reference cooler in terms of noise, thats about it, nothing special in oc. If I remember they are not voltage locked, but you need to use asus oc utility to be able to increase voltage.


basically, but I think unless you get an older 2nd hand version, they are hardware locked and impossible to overvolt without modification...


----------



## Wiffinberg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Get the new cards, right now you can buy a 7950 for 200 bucks, but the new r9 7950 version, will prolly cost 300-400 and outperform the 7970 thats on the current market.
> Please take this as a grain of salt because these are rumored speculation, but so far from the research iv done of rumors iv been getting some hit on stuff lol.
> If the r9 290x specs are what they are they would have a 56% increase in steam processors from a 7970 or 1000 extra steam processors from a 7950.
> In general it's best to have a single great gpu than multiple gpu.


My main reason for asking is that Im on a very tight budget and it would be cheaper for me to get a second card rather than try to sell my current card and get a new one.
(Im in NZ so the new cards will be hella expensive for me







)


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> My main reason for asking is that Im on a very tight budget and it would be cheaper for me to get a second card rather than try to sell my current card and get a new one.
> (Im in NZ so the new cards will be hella expensive for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


yea me too


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> My main reason for asking is that Im on a very tight budget and it would be cheaper for me to get a second card rather than try to sell my current card and get a new one.
> (Im in NZ so the new cards will be hella expensive for me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> yea me too


I remember at the launch of the 79x0 cards, the prices weren't much different at pccasegear then US stores...

they should still be cheaper then the 7990s, that's for sure..


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> hi guys im just wondering is the gigabite hd 7950 have a unlocked voltage and would a be a good deal if i can get one for 250 dollars and will be upgarding from my hd 6950 1gb so what do u think


not but all 3 of my rev 2 wf3 7950s were not hw locked and it only took a bios flash. Depends on your pricing as they are 200$ new here in the us.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lugal*
> 
> DC2 is best non reference cooler in terms of noise, thats about it, nothing special in oc. If I remember they are not voltage locked, but you need to use asus oc utility to be able to increase voltage.


I've heard the vaporx but i guess they are probably close...just dont get an xfx card lol.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> not but all 3 of my rev 2 wf3 7950s were not hw locked and it only took a bios flash. Depends on your pricing as they are 200$ new here in the us.
> I've heard the vaporx but i guess they are probably close...just dont get an xfx card lol.


yea the vaporX coolers are ultimately the best alongside the reference blower, depending on the situation, but they are not so quiet by default I think...

the DCII will sit at 20-30% untill it hits about 60C or more, then it ramps up and you can hear it, not incredibly loud but a noticeable grumble.


----------



## skitz9417

eg eh i may just go for the hd 7950 will the hd 700 sereis still support mantle ?


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea the vaporX coolers are ultimately the best alongside the reference blower, depending on the situation, but they are not so quiet by default I think...
> 
> the DCII will sit at 20-30% untill it hits about 60C or more, then it ramps up and you can hear it, not incredibly loud but a noticeable grumble.


Yea it sounds link a turbine starting after about 55% when i start my miner with an aggressive fan profile







but it keeps them the coolest by far and they are in my case and not a bench.


----------



## Thernen

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> eg eh i may just go for the hd 7950 will the hd 700 sereis still support mantle ?


I was wondering the same.


----------



## hotrod717

A lot of people will tell you that they aren't good. I'm going to tell you mine is the best I've ever owned and I've owned 6 different 7970's from various manufacturers. I actually like GPU Tweak in general and with an unlocked card, you will have no issues. Actually GPU Tweak offers the highest unlocked voltage of 1.4v. Other overclocking software has to be modded to do this or higher. Everyone has an opinion, they are entitled to it, but Asus doesn't deserve the bad rap it gets in this thread. 2 or 3 people have a bad experience, they must all be bad. Just like anything else, you got to wonder how much operator error has played into it.


----------



## Thernen

Hello,

I haven't used AMD/ATI cards for sometime so kind of starting off new. Always I have the following system:

Asus Rampage IV Extreme
i7 3960x overclocked to 4.4ghz
32gb Corsair Dominator DDR3 2133
2 Gigabyte 7970 GV-R797D5-3GD-B Crossfire currently running at stock 925/1375. I have been able to get to 1175/1650
Windows 8 Pro 64bit (I know Win 8 but I need it for work I do)
2 Corsair Force GT 120gb in Raid 0 for OS SATA3 (x79)
1 Corsair Force 3 120gb for Programs SATA3
1 Corsair Force GT 120gb Games SATA3
1 Seagate 2tb hard drive for DATA SATA2
3 Samsung 27" 1920x1080 S27C750P monitors

System is fully water cooled.

Using the AMD beta drivers 13.10

Like I said I am new to using these cards. I have been long time Nvidia user but got a good deal on these and wanted to trying something new. I have 2 EVGA GTX 580's 1.5gb cards before.

I am also new to playing BF3 on the PC. I have been playing on the Xbox for sometime but some friends made me get it on the PC (so far I like it).

I am asking for some help what would be the best settings in BF3 for my system using these monitor in Eyefinity. With Bezel comp res is around 5960x1080.

When using Ultra setting I am getting 30-50 fps, Auto 75-100, and low 150-175. I would like to get best looking game play with best fps. I have never gamed on 3 monitor system so also learning as I go. And with BF4 coming out what like to learn what I can now. Within BF3 not sure what each setting does/is so any guides for this?

Any help would be great and feel free to ask for more info from me if needed.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Pip Boy

hi just joined the club unintentionally. I was waiting for the 8 series as i sold my 5850 a few months ago and replaced it with an A10-5800k APU (surprisingly good) but I just received a brand new 7950 VTX black edition for free









(long story short it was a brand new replacement from an RMA and someone I knew was going to ebay but I decided it could be my birthday present and gave my $120 birthday money from friends for it)

so.. um now i need to bring myself to install it and watch it bottleneck hideously on the A10









will it bottleneck really bad? Im thinking of getting a Kaveri non GPU APU and selling the Trinity setup at some point


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Thernen*
> 
> I was wondering the same.


Mantle is a GCN API. PS4 / Xbox One = GCN. They aren't some next generation GCN architecture either, they are the same that's in our 79xx cards. If AMD don't support 7950 and 7970 with mantle they will do it so we will have to purchase new cards...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phill1978*
> 
> hi just joined the club unintentionally. I was waiting for the 8 series as i sold my 5850 a few months ago and replaced it with an A10-5800k APU (surprisingly good) but I just received a brand new 7950 VTX black edition for free
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (long story short it was a brand new replacement from an RMA and someone I knew was going to ebay but I decided it could be my birthday present and gave my $120 birthday money from friends for it)
> 
> so.. um now i need to bring myself to install it and watch it bottleneck hideously on the A10
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> will it bottleneck really bad? Im thinking of getting a Kaveri non GPU APU and selling the Trinity setup at some point


Yes is CPU limited games (BF3, Crysis 3, etc.) It would bottleneck pretty badly. I would suggest a FX 6300 as bare minimum


----------



## Strileckifunk

Any word on updated drivers for the BF4 beta? I'm kinda scared to be trying this with Windows 8.1 as is


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Strileckifunk*
> 
> Any word on updated drivers for the BF4 beta? I'm kinda scared to be trying this with Windows 8.1 as is


We have already profiles for bf4 from 13.8 beta


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> We have already profiles for bf4 from 13.8 beta


13.10b2 has updated profiles for BF4 I think.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> 13.10b2 has updated profiles for BF4 I think.


Yeah for 32-bit single gpu and also an update to cf profile


----------



## T-Willi

Can someone link me to the latest 7950 drivers and then another for the beta-drivers?

Im positive I have the latest drivers but Id just like to verify it. I reaaaaaaallly cant wait for the BF4 beta but I dont want to be disappointed if my rig can't handle it (which I hope it should)

Just taking a quick look at my sig it should run the beta right? CPU is overclocked at 3.8 and the GPU is overclocked but I dont know what it is exactly since im on my laptop at school.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *T-Willi*
> 
> Can someone link me to the latest 7950 drivers and then another for the beta-drivers?
> 
> Im positive I have the latest drivers but Id just like to verify it. I reaaaaaaallly cant wait for the BF4 beta but I dont want to be disappointed if my rig can't handle it (which I hope it should)
> 
> Just taking a quick look at my sig it should run the beta right? CPU is overclocked at 3.8 and the GPU is overclocked but I dont know what it is exactly since im on my laptop at school.


Here ya go.

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/radeonaiw_win8-64.aspx


----------



## T-Willi

Thanks!


----------



## ukic

Found it!


----------



## Wiffinberg

Ok so I'm gonna bite the bullet and get a second 7950 for my sig rig,

My question is: will my silent pro gold 800w be enough to power this config with my OC'd 8350?
Psu calc recommends at least 750w (under full load, with 2 hdds + 1 ssd) so do you guys think I will be ok, or should i start looking at an 850-900w unit?


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> Ok so I'm gonna bite the bullet and get a second 7950 for my sig rig,
> 
> My question is: will my silent pro gold 800w be enough to power this config with my OC'd 8350?
> Psu calc recommends at least 750w (under full load, with 2 hdds + 1 ssd) so do you guys think I will be ok, or should i start looking at an 850-900w unit?


If i were you.. i would do the safe side.. get a 1k watt psu.. better safe than sorry.







. i had a 750 watt psu for a while and when i got another card for CF.. my psu died on me while gaming on Mechwarrior Online.. very heavy on cards.. therfore hard on psu.. i was lucky that my psu didn't caused any problem with any of my pc parts.. since then i upgraded to 1300watt.. the reason for hugh jump in power was i was getting rdy to WC my rig.. i rather to be safe and not have any psu die on me...


----------



## totalownership

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> If i were you.. i would do the safe side.. get a 1k watt psu.. better safe than sorry.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . i had a 750 watt psu for a while and when i got another card for CF.. my psu died on me while gaming on Mechwarrior Online.. very heavy on cards.. therfore hard on psu.. i was lucky that my psu didn't caused any problem with any of my pc parts.. since then i upgraded to 1300watt.. the reason for hugh jump in power was i was getting rdy to WC my rig.. i rather to be safe and not have any psu die on me...


Dammit man. I was gonna go get a 750-800 for a 7870 Crossfire setup and here you come telling me to spend MORE money.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> If i were you.. i would do the safe side.. get a 1k watt psu.. better safe than sorry.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . i had a 750 watt psu for a while and when i got another card for CF.. my psu died on me while gaming on Mechwarrior Online.. very heavy on cards.. therfore hard on psu.. i was lucky that my psu didn't caused any problem with any of my pc parts.. since then i upgraded to 1300watt.. the reason for hugh jump in power was i was getting rdy to WC my rig.. i rather to be safe and not have any psu die on me...


No. A quality 850 watt psu is enough. Except if you put 1.5 volt in both cards


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No. A quality 850 watt psu is enough. Except if you put 1.5 volt in both cards


^ yea that is true also.. bear in mind.. if you plan to watercool and etc.. then it nice to have little extra power to be on safe side IMO


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> A lot of people will tell you that they aren't good. I'm going to tell you mine is the best I've ever owned and I've owned 6 different 7970's from various manufacturers. I actually like GPU Tweak in general and with an unlocked card, you will have no issues. Actually GPU Tweak offers the highest unlocked voltage of 1.4v. Other overclocking software has to be modded to do this or higher. Everyone has an opinion, they are entitled to it, but Asus doesn't deserve the bad rap it gets in this thread. 2 or 3 people have a bad experience, they must all be bad. Just like anything else, you got to wonder how much operator error has played into it.


Do you have the DC2 or the Matrix?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> basically, *but I think unless you get an older 2nd hand version, they are hardware locked and impossible to overvolt without modification*...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lugal*
> 
> DC2 is best non reference cooler in terms of noise, thats about it, nothing special in oc. *If I remember they are not voltage locked,* but you need to use asus oc utility to be able to increase voltage.


So are they locked or not and what are y'all s overclocks?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> A lot of people will tell you that they aren't good. I'm going to tell you mine is the best I've ever owned and I've owned 6 different 7970's from various manufacturers. I actually like GPU Tweak in general and with an unlocked card, you will have no issues. Actually GPU Tweak offers the highest unlocked voltage of 1.4v. Other overclocking software has to be modded to do this or higher. Everyone has an opinion, they are entitled to it, but Asus doesn't deserve the bad rap it gets in this thread. 2 or 3 people have a bad experience, they must all be bad. Just like anything else, you got to wonder how much operator error has played into it.


its a shame ASUS does jack to provide usable software, let alone support their customers...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Do you have the DC2 or the Matrix?
> 
> So are they locked or not and what are y'all s overclocks?


yes they are locked, just don't bother, not even the matrix is worth the expensive tag unless you really know a lot about electronics and have some nitro or helium tanks...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *totalownership*
> 
> Dammit man. I was gonna go get a 750-800 for a 7870 Crossfire setup and here you come telling me to spend MORE money.


850w would be plenty for a HD 7870 CFX but once you start OCing and adding volt to CPU/GPU you want a little headroom. I have ran a HD 7870 Crossfire setup on my Corsair TX850 850w but i barely touched card volts



HD 7870 CFX 1200/1450 1.220v


----------



## Wiffinberg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No. A quality 850 watt psu is enough. Except if you put 1.5 volt in both cards
> 
> 
> 
> ^ yea that is true also.. bear in mind.. if you plan to watercool and etc.. then it nice to have little extra power to be on safe side IMO
Click to expand...

I am air cooling the gfx cards and will prob not wc them in the future due to budget restraints.

Darn, so ar you reeeealy sure my 800w will not cut it? even if its the short term lol?

What about A SeaSonic X-850 SS-850KM3, is this unit any good?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> Ok so I'm gonna bite the bullet and get a second 7950 for my sig rig,
> you will love it !~
> My question is: will my silent pro gold 800w be enough to power this config with my OC'd 8350?
> Psu calc recommends at least 750w (under full load, with 2 hdds + 1 ssd) so do you guys think I will be ok, or should i start looking at an 850-900w unit?


you will be fine see below
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *totalownership*
> 
> Dammit man. I was gonna go get a 750-800 for a 7870 Crossfire setup and here you come telling me to spend MORE money.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wiffinberg*
> 
> I am air cooling the gfx cards and will prob not wc them in the future due to budget restraints.
> 
> Darn, so ar you reeeealy sure my 800w will not cut it? even if its the short term lol?
> 
> What about A SeaSonic X-850 SS-850KM3, is this unit any good?


ask shilka he is psu god.....

but seriously i had 2x7970 +8350 and i could trip the OCP on my x750 .... on suicide runs ( gpus @ 1.4v though bios mods and cpu @ 1.7v )

during normal usage and normal ocs they were fine

so NO you dont need a new psu yours will be fine
!~!!


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Do you have the DC2 or the Matrix?
> 
> So are they locked or not and what are y'all s overclocks?


Matrix.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> its a shame ASUS does jack to provide usable software, let alone support their customers... Uh I've never had a problem with either.yes they are locked, just don't bother, not even the matrix is worth the expensive tag unless you really know a lot about electronics and have some nitro or helium tanks...


I'm sorry you and a few others had a bad experience, I however, have had nothing but greatness out of them. Again, best card I've ever owned and I've owned a few top end cards the past couple years. A bunch of 6970's, A couple 590's, a 6990....
I didn't have to do anything but push a few sliders to get my high clocks along with some testing and prudence. Again, how many other software and card combo's offer 1.4v from the gate without any mods?? Just imagine if I bashed intel because my first 3770k wouldn't oc worth spit. Guess what? I got a few more until I was satisfied.


----------



## Wiffinberg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> so NO you dont need a new psu yours will be fine
> !~!!


Thanks for that, I was getting worried there


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Matrix.
> I'm sorry you and a few others had a bad experience, I however, have had nothing but greatness out of them. Again, best card I've ever owned and I've owned a few top end cards the past couple years. A bunch of 6970's, A couple 590's, a 6990....
> I didn't have to do anything but push a few sliders to get my high clocks along with some testing and prudence. Again, how many other software and card combo's offer 1.4v from the gate without any mods?? Just imagine if I bashed intel because my first 3770k wouldn't oc worth spit. Guess what? I got a few more until I was satisfied.


Yeah but isn't the matrix a totally different beast than the DC2?


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Matrix.
> I'm sorry you and a few others had a bad experience, I however, have had nothing but greatness out of them. Again, best card I've ever owned and I've owned a few top end cards the past couple years. A bunch of 6970's, A couple 590's, a 6990....
> I didn't have to do anything but push a few sliders to get my high clocks along with some testing and prudence. Again, how many other software and card combo's offer 1.4v from the gate without any mods?? Just imagine if I bashed intel because my first 3770k wouldn't oc worth spit. Guess what? I got a few more until I was satisfied.


I agree, I've had nothing but good experiences with my multiple Asus 7950's. Their service I can't comment on, but their cards are fantastic for my uses, and all my 7950's overclocked to aroung average to what most people got. I feel like there are like 2-3 people on this thread who have crap Asus cards and just bash on Asus ANY CHANCE they get. Looking at you Paul...


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I agree, I've had nothing but good experiences with my multiple Asus 7950's. Their service I can't comment on, but their cards are fantastic for my uses, and all my 7950's overclocked to aroung average to what most people got. I feel like there are like 2-3 people on this thread who have crap Asus cards and just bash on Asus ANY CHANCE they get. Looking at you Paul...


With all brands bad cards occur. But overall Asus is pretty decent, yes.

I've used Sapphire myself for years and my experience was always very good.
Just this 7950 vapor-x line(the old revision) sucked ass. Sorry for the language. They just missed with the vrms+cooling.
By all means the newer card I got from the store after exchanging, since it wasn't even stable at stock boost clocks, is way better. Stock cooling keeps the core at around 70c and the vrms around 68-70c with 1150 clock // 1.2v.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> With all brands bad cards occur. But overall Asus is pretty decent, yes.
> 
> I've used Sapphire myself for years and my experience was always very good.
> Just this 7950 vapor-x line(the old revision) sucked ass. Sorry for the language. They just missed with the vrms+cooling.
> By all means the newer card I got from the store after exchanging, since it wasn't even stable at stock boost clocks, is way better. Stock cooling keeps the core at around 70c and the vrms around 68-70c with 1150 clock // 1.2v.


Yeah, the old revision sucks so bad.

I saw a newer revision 7950 working in one of my friends rig. It wasn't as quiet as the DC2, but it got DARN close. Its early fan speeds weren't as good to DC2 (eg 10% fan speed to 10% was around a 10 degree difference), but once it was 30% to 30% it was around 3 degrees, with the Vapor-X a little louder. I would totally get myself a Vapor-X over DC2 because of aesthetics if they didn't use a cheap looking blue PCB. The Asus card has a black PCB, and thus doesn't need a backplate as much for aesthetics.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Yeah, the old revision sucks so bad.
> 
> I saw a newer revision 7950 working in one of my friends rig. It wasn't as quiet as the DC2, but it got DARN close. Its early fan speeds weren't as good to DC2 (eg 10% fan speed to 10% was around a 10 degree difference), but once it was 30% to 30% it was around 3 degrees, with the Vapor-X a little louder. I would totally get myself a Vapor-X over DC2 because of aesthetics if they didn't use a cheap looking blue PCB. The Asus card has a black PCB, and thus doesn't need a backplate as much for aesthetics.


Your right about the PCB. Sapphire is known to use blue ones though.

And for the price you can't go wrong on them IMO.

Just did a little bench BTW. How does it compared to yours? Note that I only use 4gb ram now, because on stick is bad. Have to send the set back to Corsair









3dmark 11


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Haha,! No, I wouldn't be running 3 cards off 750w psu. I have 2 psu's. 750x connected to 2 cards and 550w jumpered to single 7970. Both single rail, highly regarded psu's. Maybe I just need a restart and to play around a little bit! How are the quads coming ? Still using those thermal probes I sent you?


I ran 2xHD7950 with a 620W crappy PSU (Antec HCG-620), worked just fine


----------



## TangoDown332

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No. A quality 850 watt psu is enough. Except if you put 1.5 volt in both cards


I second this I'm running my sig rig with a Seasonic X-850 80 Plus Gold PSU .


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TangoDown332*
> 
> I second this I'm running my sig rig with a Seasonic X-850 80 Plus Gold PSU .


Running sig rig with 850w AX

Max Ive pushed through...

CPU @ 1.688
Cards at 1.32


----------



## Darklyric

yea you should get a kilawatt and then multiply that by the efficiency of your psu and you'll have an idea as to how close you are.


----------



## anubis1127

So how is the BF4 beta treating you gents?


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> yea you should get a kilawatt and then multiply that by the efficiency of your psu and you'll have an idea as to how close you are.


I can't break 430W with my 3570K at 5GHz and 660Ti at max voltage that the BIOS mod allows, even with IBT+FurMark running simultaneously.
And that has my AVR, modem, display etc behind the same plug, the AVR alone takes 50-60W under low volume.

So PC power consumption is like 350W tops, 1000W PSU is overkill for any setup short of 4-way SLI/CF.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I can't break 430W with my 3570K at 5GHz and 660Ti at max voltage that the BIOS mod allows, even with IBT+FurMark running simultaneously.
> And that has my AVR, modem, display etc behind the same plug, the AVR alone takes 50-60W under low volume.
> 
> So PC power consumption is like 350W tops, 1000W PSU is overkill for any setup short of 4-way SLI/CF.


A big facepalm


----------



## Stige

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A big facepalm


Not sure what you are on about.

Just checked again, IBT+FurMark, highest number I got with my AVR turned off was 428.8.
That is with display+modem+router on the same plug aswell.
So I guess I was off a bit saying 430W with AVR on.

But the actual system consumption if you substract the modem/router/display from it and calculate with PSU efficiency should be no more than 360W.


----------



## Darklyric

One 7970 can hit over 300w....


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> Not sure what you are on about.
> 
> Just checked again, IBT+FurMark, highest number I got with my AVR turned off was 428.8.
> That is with display+modem+router on the same plug aswell.
> So I guess I was off a bit saying 430W with AVR on.
> 
> But the actual system consumption if you substract the modem/router/display from it and calculate with PSU efficiency should be no more than 360W.


You are wrong. You have no idea about multigpus and you make big claims. I can easily trip my 850 watt psu even with 2 gpus. With 3 heavily oced 7970s i have seen over 1400 watt . You think that we run a i5 with 3 gpus? A 5ghz sbe can pull over 300 watt easily.

You know each 7970 can pull 300 watt


----------



## bigmac11

I can trip my 1300 watt supply easily with 3 cards. If I add the 4th I cannot oc at all.


----------



## Darklyric

thats why us miners undervolt


----------



## Wiffinberg

I will be OC my gpu's at stock volts so I think I will be ok


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stige*
> 
> I can't break 430W with my 3570K at 5GHz and 660Ti at max voltage that the BIOS mod allows, even with IBT+FurMark running simultaneously.
> And that has my AVR, modem, display etc behind the same plug, the AVR alone takes 50-60W under low volume.
> 
> So PC power consumption is like 350W tops, 1000W PSU is overkill for any setup short of 4-way SLI/CF.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A big facepalm


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> One 7970 can hit over 300w....


these ^^


----------



## Rar4f

Excuse my noobness, but what do people refer to when they say "mining" from a computer perspective?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Bitcoin.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> Excuse my noobness, but what do people refer to when they say "mining" from a computer perspective?


Bitcoin Mining


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Bitcoin.






We mine litecoins on gpus, bitcoins are not cost effective to mine lately...not on regular consumer grade hardware at least.
You can trade litecoins for bitcoins or both for usd if you wish.

My 7970 generates the equivalent of 0.5btc per month, mining 24hs per day. So, roughly 75usd minus power costs.


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We mine litecoins on gpus, bitcoins are not cost effective to mine lately...not on regular consumer grade hardware at least.
> You can trade litecoins for bitcoins or both for usd if you wish.
> 
> My 7970 generates the equivalent of 0.5btc per month, mining 24hs per day. So, roughly 75usd minus power costs.


Can you run this application in the background e.g can i play a game on fullscreen while having coin program up?

P.S Thanks everyone for answer to my question!


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rar4f*
> 
> Can you run this application in the background e.g can i play a game on fullscreen while having coin program up?
> 
> P.S Thanks everyone for answer to my question!


Bitcoin discussion or questions should be directed here in our *Distributed Computing* section of the forums.


----------



## Rar4f

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Bitcoin discussion or questions should be directed here in our *Distributed Computing* section of the forums.


Yes sir/mam.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I'm sorry you and a few others had a bad experience, I however, have had nothing but greatness out of them. Again, best card I've ever owned and I've owned a few top end cards the past couple years. A bunch of 6970's, A couple 590's, a 6990....
> I didn't have to do anything but push a few sliders to get my high clocks along with some testing and prudence. Again, how many other software and card combo's offer 1.4v from the gate without any mods?? Just imagine if I bashed intel because my first 3770k wouldn't oc worth spit. Guess what? I got a few more until I was satisfied.


have they fixed this yet? its been around for 2 years, always replicable...


point is I didn't spend 550 bucks for a half-defective piece of hardware that I have gotten no support for bar paying another 50+ bucks for a useless service...

if ASUS wanted to turn this around, they are free to do so and I will be perfectly willing to support them, otherwise I cant help others in the same situation...

side note wheres that snapped matrix again?

subnote;
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Again, how many other software and card combo's offer 1.4v from the gate without any mods??


reference, surprising how well those 5 phases can go through.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have they fixed this yet? its been around for 2 years, always replicable...
> 
> 
> point is I didn't spend 550 bucks for a half-defective piece of hardware that I have gotten no support for bar paying another 50+ bucks for a useless service...
> 
> if ASUS wanted to turn this around, they are free to do so and I will be perfectly willing to support them, otherwise I cant help others in the same situation...
> 
> side note wheres that snapped matrix again?
> 
> subnote;
> reference, surprising how well those 5 phases can go through.


Because a kid with anger issues probably damaged the card by trying to get 1300+ on core with no water and then wanted to complain it didn't oc the way he wanted it to.
You contacted Asus within the warranty period for a card that didn't work correctly at stock and they refused rma?
I've never seen that screen running any card. Again, has nothing to do with operator error?
My AMD reference is the worst of my lot.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Because a kid with anger issues probably damaged the card by trying to get 1300+ on core with no water and then wanted to complain it didn't oc the way he wanted it to.
> You contacted Asus within the warranty period for a card that didn't work correctly at stock and they refused rma?
> I've never seen that screen running any card. Again, has nothing to do with operator error?
> My AMD reference is the worst of my lot.


I wil just say that i changed over 20 7970s this gen and i never got an asus. Its simple. They suck this gen

Also the ref pcb is ont of the best out there. Probably you dont know that the ref pcb can handle up to 1.5 volt. Oh look your more power phases is useless for normal use.

I dont understand why a lot of guys fall for marketing gimmicks. Military components or 20 billion phases. All this is just bs the only thing that you should care is the temps and the asic quality. So overpaying for a card that gives you nothing except a better cooler is just a fail for me. Because you got a good card doesnt mean that matrix is good. Yeah the quality is higher but then what? Gpu tweak? Pls god no. Only if you have rive for hotwire. Even then if you are an extreme user you should get a lightning.So in the end you just pay for something that you will never use


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have they fixed this yet? its been around for 2 years, always replicable...
> 
> 
> point is I didn't spend 550 bucks for a half-defective piece of hardware that I have gotten no support for bar paying another 50+ bucks for a useless service...
> 
> if ASUS wanted to turn this around, they are free to do so and I will be perfectly willing to support them, otherwise I cant help others in the same situation...
> 
> side note wheres that snapped matrix again?
> 
> subnote;
> reference, surprising how well those 5 phases can go through.
> 
> 
> 
> Because a kid with anger issues probably damaged the card by trying to get 1300+ on core with no water and then wanted to complain it didn't oc the way he wanted it to.
> You contacted Asus within the warranty period for a card that didn't work correctly at stock and they refused rma?
> I've never seen that screen running any card. Again, has nothing to do with operator error?
> My AMD reference is the worst of my lot.
Click to expand...

Asus cards have been utter crap this generation. Stop denying what is basically obvious to everyone else. Asus does make some great products AMD gpus aside, but their rma is one of the worst in the business. Btw, your card is still slower than my crappy reference card. LOL.


----------



## Face2Face

Two MSI TF3's 7950's on a 7970 PCB with both ASICs at 89% -

1200/1700 with 1.188v and a power limit of 20% on both cards

Max draw 827w at the wall = @ 85% Efficiency 702w used by the PSU running the Valley benchmark @ Extreme HD settings

One MSI TF3 @ 1300/1650 @ 1.235v + PL @ 20%



At the wall running the valley bench in extreme HD = about 440watts @ 85%


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I wil just say that i changed over 20 7970s this gen and i never got an asus. Its simple. They suck this gen
> 
> Also the ref pcb is ont of the best out there. Probably you dont know that the ref pcb can handle up to 1.5 volt. Oh look your more power phases is useless for normal use.
> 
> I dont understand why a lot of guys fall for marketing gimmicks. Military components or 20 billion phases. All this is just bs the only thing that you should care is the temps and the asic quality. So overpaying for a card that gives you nothing except a better cooler is just a fail for me. Because you got a good card doesnt mean that matrix is good. Yeah the quality is higher but then what? Gpu tweak? Pls god no. Only if you have rive for hotwire. Even then if you are an extreme user you should get a lightning.So in the end you just pay for something that you will never use


I agree, i got a good card. I just can't beleive it is the only one. The second Matrix I had wasn't worse. It clocked the same as the first on air. MVE also has hotwire, which is crappy and and buggy. I had no issues with a rma from them on my fx990 saber. If you haven't owned a Asus 7970, how do you know they suck, because someone else told you.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Asus cards have been utter crap this generation. Stop denying what is basically obvious to everyone else. Asus does make some great products AMD gpus aside, but their rma is one of the worst in the business. Btw, your card is still slower than my crappy reference card. LOL.


Obvious, why, because the same 3 or 4 people just keep on saying it. Yeah, and you've gone thru and binned how many to get that golden reference. I've only been oc'ing gpu's for about a year. You want to compare your experience to mine? All I do is open gpu tweak, push a few sliders and test. You're telling me that you don't mod your bios or hard mod your reference cards to push past 1.3v??? It really doesn't bother me that you have a faster card. I'm not going to go to the trouble that you do to get those clocks. I'm happy and greatful for what I have. Pretty funny what a noob can do with that crappy Asus card. I'd be upset too.


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Anyone running BF4 beta yet? What's your results?

I don't even have the BF4 driver update and it runs pretty damn good. Getting high fps and no hitching.


----------



## sugarhell

No you just use trixx to get past 1.3 volt. No bios mod nothing. You just deny anything. The only asus that i got was a ref one. The others are just craps and i sold them right away. Also you know why your second asus can do the same clocks? Temps nothing else.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Two MSI TF3's 7950's on a 7970 PCB with both ASICs at 89% -
> 
> 1200/1700 with 1.188v and a power limit of 20% on both cards
> 
> Max draw 827w at the wall = @ 85% Efficiency 702w used by the PSU running the Valley benchmark @ Extreme HD settings
> 
> One MSI TF3 @ 1300/1650 @ 1.235v + PL @ 20%
> 
> 
> 
> At the wall running the valley bench in extreme HD = about 440watts @ 85%


i am only using a 700W psu for my oc'ed i7 SB and 7950/7970 crossfire. so far no issues but i don't oc my gpus. *how accurate is that meter?*
my 550W handled my oc'ed thuban and the 7970 stock, too.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Two MSI TF3's 7950's on a 7970 PCB with both ASICs at 89% -
> 
> 1200/1700 with 1.188v and a power limit of 20% on both cards
> 
> Max draw 827w at the wall = @ 85% Efficiency 702w used by the PSU running the Valley benchmark @ Extreme HD settings
> 
> One MSI TF3 @ 1300/1650 @ 1.235v + PL @ 20%
> 
> 
> 
> At the wall running the valley bench in extreme HD = about 440watts @ 85%


really? because I get around 570W usage with the 80% accounted for at 100% 3570k (oc) and 2x 7950 (oc) 100% load -- cards both at 1.25 Vddc with 50% power limit

I only have a 650W PSU and it runs just fine.

What cpu do you have ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have they fixed this yet? its been around for 2 years, always replicable...
> 
> 
> point is I didn't spend 550 bucks for a half-defective piece of hardware that I have gotten no support for bar paying another 50+ bucks for a useless service...
> 
> if ASUS wanted to turn this around, they are free to do so and I will be perfectly willing to support them, otherwise I cant help others in the same situation...
> 
> side note wheres that snapped matrix again?
> 
> subnote;
> reference, surprising how well those 5 phases can go through.


I have gotten that screen a few times my self.


----------



## Recr3ational

Hey guys
I'm about to buy some blocks for my twin frozrs 7950s (v2).

Also I was thinking about buyin those EK links.

I was wondering how does the blocks connect to the links?
Do I have to buy a specific thing or does it come with the blocks,

It's my first build and I'm very cautious of it all.
Thanks


----------



## Face2Face

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i am only using a 700W psu for my oc'ed i7 SB and 7950/7970 crossfire. so far no issues but i don't oc my gpus. *how accurate is that meter?*
> my 550W handled my oc'ed thuban and the 7970 stock, too.


Brand new Killawatt.

Both MSI TF3 7950's at stock clocks 880/1250 with 1.093v core and 1.6v on the memory 0% Power Limit

Max draw of 457w at the wall - = 388w after 85% efficiency. CPU 3570K @ 4.8Ghz @ 1.32v

As you can see overclocking these cards adds....um quite a lot


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey guys
> I'm about to buy some blocks for my twin frozrs 7950s (v2).
> 
> Also I was thinking about buyin those EK links.
> 
> I was wondering how does the blocks connect to the links?
> Do I have to buy a specific thing or does it come with the blocks,
> 
> It's my first build and I'm very cautious of it all.
> Thanks


i think this is what you need . . .

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc-link-r48x0-58x0.html

and this . . .

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc-bridge-dual-parallel.html

here is the manual link . . .

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/EK-IM/EK-IM-3831109855126.pdf

if this is the block you will use . . .

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15577/ex-blc-1081/EK_Radeon_HD_7950_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_Electroless_Nickel_Plated_EK-FC7950_-_AcetalEN_Nickel.html

you need to use this to make sure . . .

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Brand new Killawatt.
> 
> Both MSI TF3 7950's at stock clocks 880/1250 with 1.093v core and 1.6v on the memory 0% Power Limit
> 
> Max draw of 457w at the wall - = 388w after 85% efficiency. CPU 3570K @ 4.8Ghz @ 1.32v
> 
> As you can see overclocking these cards adds....um quite a lot


thanks, Face. +rep.


----------



## hucklebuck

What are some really good 7950 reference air coolers? I don't want the one that has thermal glue.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i think this is what you need . . .
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc-link-r48x0-58x0.html
> 
> and this . . .
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc-bridge-dual-parallel.html
> 
> here is the manual link . . .
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/shop/EK-IM/EK-IM-3831109855126.pdf
> 
> if this is the block you will use . . .
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15577/ex-blc-1081/EK_Radeon_HD_7950_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Acetal_Electroless_Nickel_Plated_EK-FC7950_-_AcetalEN_Nickel.html
> 
> you need to use this to make sure . . .
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


Hey
Thanks, but I'll have to buy this:
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/ek-fc7970-acetal-csq-for-amd-reference-design-radeon-hd-7970-and-7950-graphics-card

Because my cards have 7970 pcbs,
Are those links still compatible? thanks again


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Hey
> Thanks, but I'll have to buy this:
> http://www.scan.co.uk/products/ek-fc7970-acetal-csq-for-amd-reference-design-radeon-hd-7970-and-7950-graphics-card
> 
> Because my cards have 7970 pcbs,
> Are those links still compatible? thanks again


you need to match it . . .

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/catalogsearch/result/index/?q=EK-FC+Bridge+DUAL+Parallel&x=9&y=14&p=2

you can ask here, too . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/993624/ek-club

ask which is better - serial or parallel. you're welcome.


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you need to match it . . .
> 
> http://www.ekwb.com/shop/catalogsearch/result/index/?q=EK-FC+Bridge+DUAL+Parallel&x=9&y=14&p=2
> 
> you can ask here, too . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/993624/ek-club
> 
> ask which is better - serial or parallel. you're welcome.


Really appreciate your help my friend, thanks a lot. REP+


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Face2Face*
> 
> Brand new Killawatt.
> 
> Both MSI TF3 7950's at stock clocks 880/1250 with 1.093v core and 1.6v on the memory 0% Power Limit
> 
> Max draw of 457w at the wall - = 388w after 85% efficiency. CPU 3570K @ 4.8Ghz @ 1.32v
> 
> As you can see overclocking these cards adds....um quite a lot


Is that with both the gpu's and cpu on full load?
Guess not.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Anyone running BF4 beta yet? What's your results?
> 
> I don't even have the BF4 driver update and it runs pretty damn good. Getting high fps and no hitching.


I played it for a little while last night, and my FPS was all over the place. Anywhere from 30 to 60, with spikes down to 20 every now and then. That was on ultra. When I tried to change the settings the game crashed on me. I didn't have the Beta 2 drivers, but the game ran well. Nowhere near as good as BF3 FPS wise, but that's expected, and it's playable for sure.


----------



## 06TSX

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I played it for a little while last night, and my FPS was all over the place. Anywhere from 30 to 60, with spikes down to 20 every now and then. That was on ultra. When I tried to change the settings the game crashed on me. I didn't have the Beta 2 drivers, but the game ran well. Nowhere near as good as BF3 FPS wise, but that's expected, and it's playable for sure.


Yea that's about that same for me last night as well. I didn't have any drops to 20 but it stayed around the 35-55 range. Mine wouldn't even load without updating to the lastest driver.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *06TSX*
> 
> Yea that's about that same for me last nightbas well. I didn't have any drops to 20 but it stayed around the 35-55 range. Mine wouldn't even load with updating to the lastest driver.


The framerate drops only really happened when I was in a chopper or something of that nature. It did take me about 20 minutes to connect to a game, and it crashed after about an hour.


----------



## Strileckifunk

I was getting stuck on loading all morning, but finally just started getting back in games. My cards holding strong with textures set to ultra and everything else on high, which is the default the game recommended. Haven't really tried tweaking it yet, but I'm pretty consistent at 60 fps in 1440p, aside from the occasional dip in areas heavily populated with explosions and particle effects.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Because a kid with anger issues probably damaged the card by trying to get 1300+ on core with no water and then wanted to complain it didn't oc the way he wanted it to.


Have you completely missed the fact that this is a LOCKED card? LOCKED! NO OVERCLOCKING AT ALL! don't go throwing insults in the wrong direction...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> You contacted Asus within the warranty period for a card that didn't work correctly at stock and they refused rma?
> I've never seen that screen running any card. Again, has nothing to do with operator error?


more or less letting it sit on their shelves for 3 months after a small amount of tests is what really pissed me, if they were so sure the card is perfectly fine then they could have just replaced it with another one, lo it was a total of 4+ months that I got the card back to me with the exact same issues, + having the antistatic bag and connector protectors missing, even less reassuring...

as for the retailer; this is literally the only failed warranty out of half a dozen, Ive had successful RMAs from little plastic clips to a 300buck PSU, and they even said themselves that ASUS cards are hard to get a successful RMA...

don't get me wrong, I'm still willing to get other hardware from ASUS, my next mobo will likely be another crosshair again and I'm currently eying 3 21" monitors for eyefinity from them, but my experience with their graphics cards + many many other stories Ive heard, form the green side too, even tsm106's matrix up there, they just seem to have completely lost the plot this generation...

now away from that topic, we have an official section for the 290 and 290X yet?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have you completely missed the fact that this is a LOCKED card? LOCKED! NO OVERCLOCKING AT ALL! don't go throwing insults in the wrong direction...
> more or less letting it sit on their shelves for 3 months after a small amount of tests is what really pissed me, if they were so sure the card is perfectly fine then they could have just replaced it with another one, lo it was a total of 4+ months that I got the card back to me with the exact same issues, + having the antistatic bag and connector protectors missing, even less reassuring...
> 
> as for the retailer; this is literally the only failed warranty out of half a dozen, Ive had successful RMAs from little plastic clips to a 300buck PSU, and they even said themselves that ASUS cards are hard to get a successful RMA...
> 
> don't get me wrong, I'm still willing to get other hardware from ASUS, my next mobo will likely be another crosshair again and I'm currently eying 3 21" monitors for eyefinity from them, but my experience with their graphics cards + many many other stories Ive heard, form the green side too, even tsm106's matrix up there, they just seem to have completely lost the plot this generation...
> 
> now away from that topic, we have an official section for the 290 and 290X yet?


You can overclock without overvolting typically, might be different with dcII. The Matrix card my buddy had sucked though, would crash on stock volts out of the gate, since day one. He RMA'd it, and they sent the same card back with the same issues. Asus RMA / customer service is terrible, even with their mobos. I got my $600 Asus motherboard back from RMA with a m6 screwhole for the HSF missing. I mean COME ON, how does that even pass QA?? Oh right, there isn't any.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> You can overclock without overvolting typically, might be different with dcII. The Matrix card my buddy had sucked though, would crash on stock volts out of the gate, since day one. He RMA'd it, and they sent the same card back with the same issues. Asus RMA / customer service is terrible, even with their mobos. I got my $600 Asus motherboard back from RMA with a m6 screwhole for the HSF missing. I mean COME ON, how does that even pass QA?? Oh right, there isn't any.


unfortunately 55% ASIC means it would need more voltage to get anywhere, not even memory will want to go far...

and yea I honestly don't know what ASUS are thinking if they want to make these super complex pieces of hardware and then do such stupid things like locking them via hardware and not accepting when they have made something unsatisfactory...

its like getting a Ferrari and replacing the gearbox with one that only has two gears... made of aluminum...


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> unfortunately 55% ASIC means it would need more voltage to get anywhere, not even memory will want to go far...
> 
> and yea I honestly don't know what ASUS are thinking if they want to make these super complex pieces of hardware and then do such stupid things like locking them via hardware and not accepting when they have made something unsatisfactory...
> 
> its like getting a Ferrari and replacing the gearbox with one that only has two gears... made of aluminum...


Did you try the Asus GPU tweak software? I know that's what you have to use to adjust voltage on the Matrix cards, never had a DCII, or known anyone that has had one.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Did you try the Asus GPU tweak software? I know that's what you have to use to adjust voltage on the Matrix cards, never had a DCII, or known anyone that has had one.


I guess you haven't seen my posts from some months back now, I'll explain in a summary;

GPUTweak; cannot be used, at all, not even installing, just having its files there causes the controller in the card to backstab the card and cause the screen I mentioned before, all versions do this and ASUS have not made a fix for almost 2 years, Ive even seen many people in the ROG forums mention you can only use one version, which said version I think didn't have the issue provided I used the old 11.12 drivers from the ASUS site (horrible, utterly horrible...)

BIOS mod; does nothing, only makes the card heat up like a blast furnace but doesn't actually change any voltages (I have no idea how it even does that, defying basic electronics on itself...)

with the stock 1170mV it runs at, I can get 1000 core and 1500 memory, that's literally it, the memory is barely even stable at that, any core increase just kills it or causes app crashes and spasticated artifacting...

most games will have occasional glitches at stock settings too but annoyingly never enough to work out anything, and some games will have none at all for the most part...


----------



## anubis1127

Ah, yeah, I don't pay attention very well. Ouch, that doesn't sound like much fun at all.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> unfortunately 55% ASIC means it would need more voltage to get anywhere, not even memory will want to go far...
> 
> and yea I honestly don't know what ASUS are thinking if they want to make these super complex pieces of hardware and then do such stupid things like locking them via hardware and not accepting when they have made something unsatisfactory...
> 
> its like getting a Ferrari and replacing the gearbox with one that only has two gears... made of aluminum...
> 
> 
> 
> Did you try the Asus GPU tweak software? I know that's what you have to use to adjust voltage on the Matrix cards, never had a DCII, or known anyone that has had one.
Click to expand...

Gputweak is a turd of an oc program. Paul, it's typical of fanboy behavior to ignore those who have real problems and to gloss over X products weak points. I'm sure you know who will continue to champion the turd of this generations tahiti cards. But you are not alone, there have been many a threads dating back since the DC2's release with many unhappy customers. It's too bad Asus could give a five about you guys though. I shudder to think the day I need to rma or get help with my RIVE, lol. Knock on wood...


----------



## JJ1217

Grabbed a Sapphire HD 7950 used off ebay for a steal, $180. Pretty happy considering all 7950's go $300+ brand new in Australia, and other used ones for around $220-$250.

Hopefully it goes well in CFX with my Asus 7950. I'm guessing since the Asus 7950 is 3 slots, I should put the asus in my second PCIe slot so that the cards get more airflow? Does that make sense?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> But you are not alone, there have been many a threads dating back since the DC2's release with many unhappy customers.


yea I noticed the barrage of complaints about the card overall from many places, I just wish I had seen them before I ended up with the bad version, strangely I did a lot of these searches but they only seemed to show up _after_ I got it...









Murphy's law is the bane of the enthusiast world...


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> its like getting a Ferrari and replacing the gearbox with one that only has two gears... made of aluminum...


just say aluminum Like the english do and it make it sound so much better...







and hey second is still what 70mph lol?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> just say aluminum Like the english do and it make it sound so much better...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and hey second is still what 70mph lol?


I actually meant aluminium... silly spellcheck...









and sports/supercars probably only need 2 gears for average use, lol, though a lot of cars in AU have much lower gear ratios to compensate for common rough terrain...

point is your making something designed for extremes, into something designed for common use, very wasteful if not disastrous...


----------



## ivanlabrie

You guys seen dat 290x price leak? Dam...I'm sticking to my 7970 for some time, maybe add a second one in a month or two.


----------



## process

Looking for a second one myself but be buggered if I can find a company that will ship to Saudi. Think I'll have to have 1 shipped to my UK address and then express delivered here grrr...

buuuuut... found this little deal
300$ gigabyte hd7970OC - plus amd gold bundle (games)

http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=67547&vpn=GV-R797OC-3GD&manufacture=Gigabyte&promoid=1317
Price: $300
Savings: $30 MIR
Expiry: Oct 9, 2013 Report Expired Deal


----------



## ivanlabrie

You can find them for less normally...I'd get a used one from the marketplace here, and have an american guy mail it to you via USPS.
I've done that countless times, never had an issue.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> You can find them for less normally...I'd get a used one from the marketplace here, and have an american guy mail it to you via USPS.
> I've done that countless times, never had an issue.


Most guys are american here? Maybe a dumb question.

How much would shipping be to the Netherlands?
Just out of curiosity.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> You can find them for less normally...I'd get a used one from the marketplace here, and have an american guy mail it to you via USPS.
> I've done that countless times, never had an issue.


deffo a suggestion to look into, cheers. Buuuut I'd much rather get new with warranty


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> deffo a suggestion to look into, cheers. Buuuut I'd much rather get new with warranty


If budget is a constraint and your local pricing is 3x the american price, it makes you think twice.
I try to get only Gigabyte branded products, since it's the only brand that will have me covered with warranty.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea I noticed the barrage of complaints about the card overall from many places, I just wish I had seen them before I ended up with the bad version, strangely I did a lot of these searches but they only seemed to show up _after_ I got it...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Murphy's law is the bane of the enthusiast world...


Murphy's law hit me hard with this most recent card.


----------



## glenquagmire

Am I correct that Gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0 is REFERENCED?? It looks like it.


----------



## hardiboy

help me please

i tried to overclock my 7970 lightning BE

i used msi afterburner and have unlocked vcore setting

but the vcore only stayed at 1256 and it is a stock vcore
even i have raised the vcore

i used gpu-z to monitor my vcore and record it to file

and then i realized it


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hardiboy*
> 
> help me please
> 
> i tried to overclock my 7970 lightning BE
> 
> i used msi afterburner and have unlocked vcore setting
> 
> but the vcore only stayed at 1256 and it is a stock vcore
> even i have raised the vcore
> 
> i used gpu-z to monitor my vcore and record it to file
> 
> and then i realized it


this may help?
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/03/20/msi_r7970_lightning_video_card_review/3#.Uk6GKIafiVA

Anybody know if I will be more likely to run into problems with 3 different branded 7970's?
Now I have a gigabyte 7970 ghz ed

I want to get another...but finding one that'll be shipped where I am is difficult. Soooo I was going to have 1 shipped to my Uk address ands then forwarded to where I am by a family member. But then I noticed this:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1430929/sapphire-and-xfx-7970s-fresh-from-rma

A Saphire and xfx 7970 for under $300... yet to contact seller to see if he'll ship to where I am.. but for now just trrying to figure out the plausability of my thoughts

any advice gretly appreciated


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> this may help?
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/03/20/msi_r7970_lightning_video_card_review/3#.Uk6GKIafiVA
> 
> Anybody know if I will be more likely to run into problems with 3 different branded 7970's?
> Now I have a gigabyte 7970 ghz ed
> 
> I want to get another...but finding one that'll be shipped where I am is difficult. Soooo I was going to have 1 shipped to my Uk address ands then forwarded to where I am by a family member. But then I noticed this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1430929/sapphire-and-xfx-7970s-fresh-from-rma
> 
> A Saphire and xfx 7970 for under $300... yet to contact seller to see if he'll ship to where I am.. but for now just trrying to figure out the plausability of my thoughts
> 
> any advice gretly appreciated


\

I remember in a linus techtips video, he said something along the lines, if you get three cards, you have to be careful of getting it from different vendors. Its fine in 2 way CFX, but Linus said there can be some vBios issues from using multiples of different cards with much different bioses. I don't really know the validity of this, but Linus did say it and I believe it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> this may help?
> http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/03/20/msi_r7970_lightning_video_card_review/3#.Uk6GKIafiVA
> 
> Anybody know if I will be more likely to run into problems with 3 different branded 7970's?
> Now I have a gigabyte 7970 ghz ed
> 
> I want to get another...but finding one that'll be shipped where I am is difficult. Soooo I was going to have 1 shipped to my Uk address ands then forwarded to where I am by a family member. But then I noticed this:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1430929/sapphire-and-xfx-7970s-fresh-from-rma
> 
> A Saphire and xfx 7970 for under $300... yet to contact seller to see if he'll ship to where I am.. but for now just trrying to figure out the plausability of my thoughts
> 
> any advice gretly appreciated


generally mixing (non-reference PCB) brands is frowned on, has a fair chance of causing various incompatibility issues...

for the most part I believe the cards might work correctly, but I don't think they will enjoy overclocking due to different BIOSes and controllers...


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Am I correct that Gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0 is REFERENCED?? It looks like it.


doubtful, i have 3 and i think its not going to fit a full coverage waterblock.


----------



## gatornation240

I've had good experiences with ASUS's RMA department, sent in 2 cards 12 days laters I had 2 brand new cards on my desk. But I must agree the ASUS software is not stable at all


----------



## Matt-Matt

Just wondering:

A mate got a ASUS DC2T off eBay used (with a waterblock/backplate/dual-slot adaper), anyway we can't get VRM readings on it?
I tried both BIOS' too, Afterburner, ASUS GPU Tweak and GPU-Z.

The good news is the core gets up to 37c at full load at 1000MHz









It also seems that the voltage is locked? Afterburner won't let us touch it..
Would be keen on a BIOS that allows us to actually use the waterblock properly if that's the case..

I can get more details later, not right now though


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Just wondering:
> 
> A mate got a ASUS DC2T off eBay used (with a waterblock/backplate/dual-slot adaper), anyway we can't get VRM readings on it?
> I tried both BIOS' too, Afterburner, ASUS GPU Tweak and GPU-Z.
> 
> The good news is the core gets up to 37c at full load at 1000MHz
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It also seems that the voltage is locked? Afterburner won't let us touch it..
> Would be keen on a BIOS that allows us to actually use the waterblock properly if that's the case..
> 
> I can get more details later, not right now though


Small detail would be useful.
Which card is it? 7950/7970


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Small detail would be useful.
> Which card is it? 7950/7970


Oh my bad I forgot to mention that. It's a 7970









That's all I know unfortunately, oh well the BIOS is stock at 925/1375 if that makes any difference, (assuming they created a GHz edition BIOS that is?)


----------



## Durvelle27

For anybody who want to know how BF4 runs on a 7970

Siege of Shanghai 64/64

1080P Max Settings

FX 8350 @4.8GHz
1866MHz 8GB RAM
HD 7970 1200/1600

2013-10-04 07:34:49 - bf4
Frames: 12213 - Time: 200000ms - Avg: 61.065 - Min: 38 - Max: 104


----------



## sugarhell

Max settings you mean without aa or 2xmssa?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Max settings you mean without aa or 2xmssa?


4xMSAA


----------



## sugarhell

Oh okay i had 72 fps average with 4xmsaa. 7970 1300/1800


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Oh okay i had 72 fps average with 4xmsaa. 7970 1300/1800


My card can't do 1300









Max it can do stable is 1265/1850


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> My card can't do 1300
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Max it can do stable is 1265/1850


1300/1800 is my 24/7


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 1300/1800 is my 24/7


I

my card isn't best OCer. anything over 1265 needs a volt bump over 1.3v


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 1300/1800 is my 24/7


Max card 1 does is 1200/1850

Max card two does is 1175/1400


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Max card 1 does is 1200/1850
> 
> Max card two does is 1175/1400


Max:


----------



## PedroC1999

I don't do Valley, I run Heaven


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Max:


HD 7970 1325/1850


----------



## sugarhell

Thats kinda slow.. Memory correction kicks in probably. Try with lower memory like 1800


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Thats kinda slow.. Memory correction kicks in probably. Try with lower memory like 1800


Did try that and score went down


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Did try that and score went down


How many mem clocks did you test?
I usually do 50mhz increments and compare each score to get the sweetspot.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> How many mem clocks did you test?
> I usually do 50mhz increments and compare each score to get the sweetspot.


I worked from 1750 upto 1880


----------



## sugarhell

Memory correction is not only for your memory clocks. You need to find the sweetspot for your core-memory clock


----------



## glenquagmire

which pin connectors should I be using for my fans? I have a 3 pin connector on a Volt Switch that came with my fractal design case and I have 4 pin connectors on my motherboard. I'm just not sure which should I be using? The fans I'm going to hook up to the system are gentle typhoon ap-15, but if I can act it to the Volt Switch on the front of the computer I don't believe I get fan readings. If I hook it to the motherboard, I believe I get fan readings.


----------



## PedroC1999

CPU @ 4.6
GPU's @ 1100/1350 (Can go further on both, 24/7 OC here)

Heaven 4.0 @ Ultra/Extreme tesselation @ 1920*1080

Minimum - 25.6
Average - 149.1
Max - 68.4
Score -1723


----------



## BillyBonz

Hello everyone, I am almost ready to click the buy button on the AMD Radeon 7990. I see there are quite a few versions of this gpu. Which company offers the better product?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> Hello everyone, I am almost ready to click the buy button on the AMD Radeon 7990. I see there are quite a few versions of this gpu. Which company offers the better product?


All are the same except for the powercolor model. I wouldn't recommend it, it has bad coil whine. It's hit and miss with the reference 7990.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Just wondering:
> 
> A mate got a ASUS DC2T off eBay used (with a waterblock/backplate/dual-slot adaper), anyway we can't get VRM readings on it?
> I tried both BIOS' too, Afterburner, ASUS GPU Tweak and GPU-Z.
> 
> The good news is the core gets up to 37c at full load at 1000MHz
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It also seems that the voltage is locked? Afterburner won't let us touch it..
> Would be keen on a BIOS that allows us to actually use the waterblock properly if that's the case..
> 
> I can get more details later, not right now though


the DCII doesn't have VRM sensors, and your friend might be out of luck if its the hardware locked kind...


----------



## Gomi

My 7990 is a love/hate relationship -

It runs *EVERYTHING* I throw at it, laughing, at FPS that are 100+ - Then again calling the sound it emits "Coil Whine" would be an understatement, it is more like "Coil RIGHT-IN-YO-FACE-SCREAMING-BABY!".

Yes, I did RMA it - Twice - That is a total of 3 cards that been under my hood - All had terrible Coil Whine. I learned to live with it - And learned my lesson.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gomi*
> 
> My 7990 is a love/hate relationship -
> 
> It runs *EVERYTHING* I throw at it, laughing, at FPS that are 100+ - Then again calling the sound it emits "Coil Whine" would be an understatement, it is more like "Coil RIGHT-IN-YO-FACE-SCREAMING-BABY!".
> 
> Yes, I did RMA it - Twice - That is a total of 3 cards that been under my hood - All had terrible Coil Whine. I learned to live with it - And learned my lesson.


Very well said. Completely agree. I wish I had of found this one thread when I had my first card, so I could have tried one more fix on it, it doesn't work on this rma'd one. Gonna go for my second. rma next week.


----------



## xSneak

I'm thinking about going crossfire by getting another 7970. I already have the sapphire 7970 OC w/boost, should I get a ref card or a non-ref card?

I'm afraid that the top card will melt from all the heat coming off a bottom non ref card. I only have a single 140mm fan as exhaust in my case.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xSneak*
> 
> I'm thinking about going crossfire by getting another 7970. I already have the sapphire 7970 OC w/boost, should I get a ref card or a non-ref card?
> 
> I'm afraid that the top card will melt from all the heat coming off a bottom non ref card. I only have a single 140mm fan as exhaust in my case.


Get a plastic spacer in between cards, to isolate the heat from the bottom card, and have a few fans moving air from front to back. Ref works best for this.


----------



## glenquagmire

Whats the best software and everything to OC my Crossfire 7950 Gigabyte Windforce Rev 2.0? I am new to OC and learning. Also, how do I know if I have a referenced card or not?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Whats the best software and everything to OC my Crossfire 7950 Gigabyte Windforce Rev 2.0? I am new to OC and learning. Also, how do I know if I have a referenced card or not?


Best software would be MSI Afterburner; I recommend the beta, rather than the stable release, personally. I don't think your cards are reference; the Rev 2 Windforces have a custom PCB design, IIRC.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the DCII doesn't have VRM sensors, and your friend might be out of luck if its the hardware locked kind...


Well it's not actually hardware locked this one.. BIOS locked..
We modded the BIOS last night (well I did he was drunk) haha.

Set it running at 1.25v for 3D load and then raised the CCC max clocks to 1500/2000MHz and set the power limit to 260 or 280W and it runs like a charm. The card can do 300W easily because it has two 8x pins.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> Best software would be MSI Afterburner; I recommend the beta, rather than the stable release, personally. I don't think your cards are reference; the Rev 2 Windforces have a custom PCB design, IIRC.


Rev 2.0 isn't reference according to EK (Cooling-Configurator), I'd say it isn't either based off it being a Rev 2.0
That being said Afterburner should handle it fine, if it won't allow voltage control you'll have to run a modded BIOS.


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Get a plastic spacer in between cards, to isolate the heat from the bottom card, and have a few fans moving air from front to back. Ref works best for this.


could you show pictures of this plastic spacer...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> could you show pictures of this plastic spacer...


Someone posted some, can't find it atm.

I made a drawing:


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> could you show pictures of this plastic spacer...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Someone posted some, can't find it atm.


This?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yup, that...brilliant mod, and great results. Looks kinda cool too


----------



## XLifted

Switched over to AMD for now. Pricing was awesome on NewEgg.

Got AMD Radeon 7950 by Powercolor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131458

Very impressed with it's cooling. It's running cooler than my GTX 550ti that I sold now.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Well it's not actually hardware locked this one.. BIOS locked..
> We modded the BIOS last night (well I did he was drunk) haha.
> 
> Set it running at 1.25v for 3D load and then raised the CCC max clocks to 1500/2000MHz and set the power limit to 260 or 280W and it runs like a charm. The card can do 300W easily because it has two 8x pins.
> Rev 2.0 isn't reference according to EK (Cooling-Configurator), I'd say it isn't either based off it being a Rev 2.0
> That being said Afterburner should handle it fine, if it won't allow voltage control you'll have to run a modded BIOS.


So whats up with the vrm sensors and how high have you clocked it?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> So whats up with the vrm sensors and how high have you clocked it?


Can't get VRM sensors.. The backplate is pretty hot to the touch though.

It runs moderately stable at 1275/1700MHz with 1.25v so far, that isn't confirmed because it's only ran about 10-15 minutes of Kombustor and been mining overnight. 1285MHz on the core would artifact.

Might try 1.3v to see what we can get, I doubt we will get a lot better though as artifacts generally mean you're at the high-end of clock speed that the card can do in my experience.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Can't get VRM sensors.. The backplate is pretty hot to the touch though.
> 
> It runs moderately stable at 1275/1700MHz with 1.25v so far, that isn't confirmed because it's only ran about 10-15 minutes of Kombustor and been mining overnight. 1285MHz on the core would artifact.
> 
> Might try 1.3v to see what we can get, I doubt we will get a lot better though as artifacts generally mean you're at the high-end of clock speed that the card can do in my experience.


thx +rep looking at either this card or the MSI TFIII but loving the backplate bigtime


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> CPU @ 4.6
> GPU's @ 1100/1350 (Can go further on both, 24/7 OC here)
> 
> Heaven 4.0 @ Ultra/Extreme tesselation @ 1920*1080
> 
> Minimum - 25.6
> Average - 149.1
> Max - 68.4
> Score -1723


is that proper scaling?
How do you score on the extreme preset? 1600x900 windowed.

Heres my 7950 vapor-x // 1150 1500, cpu at 4.44


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Well it's not actually hardware locked this one.. BIOS locked..
> We modded the BIOS last night (well I did he was drunk) haha.
> 
> Set it running at 1.25v for 3D load and then raised the CCC max clocks to 1500/2000MHz and set the power limit to 260 or 280W and it runs like a charm. The card can do 300W easily because it has two 8x pins.


what was this BIOS mod though? I'm curious...


----------



## JJ1217

Hey dudes, found an awesome deal on a 7950. Like killer, no sarcasm whatsoever.

*http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-XFX-ATI-Radeon-HD-7950-DDR5-PCI-E-Graphics-Card-3GB-/190900208757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item2c728a0475&_uhb=1*


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Hey dudes, found an awesome deal on a 7950. Like killer, no sarcasm whatsoever.
> 
> *http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-XFX-ATI-Radeon-HD-7950-DDR5-PCI-E-Graphics-Card-3GB-/190900208757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item2c728a0475&_uhb=1*


Thats actually a really great deal! Wish I hadnt just bought two Gigabyte 7950's









This GPU is the silver model and its a dual slot GPU. Single fan GPUs in the center are the best cooling GPUs around. Notice also the Ghost model is a special version of the 7950, which is a vapor style GPU. When its actually in the 16x slot (either slot 1 or 2) the GPU actually becomes see thru like a ghost. "900MHz which is 100MHz more than the base models" is 100 MHz less than a stock Gigabyte 7950, however this one is labeled Brand New!!! You cant beat anything that is Brand New! Lastly, its from United Kingdom. The GPU's when overseas are purchased, you get really awesome stamped boxes and shipping labels. You also get to do currency conversion which is fantastic for Dollar to Euro. Its a wonderful process to see the dollar convert to Euro, to really show the buying power of the US Dollar. I know this model if it is the male version, speaks like ROb Pattenson and if female, speaks like Adele. Cards bought and sold in the US male voice is Ray Romano or if female is Fran Descher. Definitely a good deal!

Hands down worth bidding on!!

Anyone elses thoughts?


----------



## sugarhell

You know guys with the boost cards that you can disable boost with a bios edit.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> what was this BIOS mod though? I'm curious...


This thread over at TPU. Worked a charm as I mentioned.

Oh and I only edited the voltage and power limit. I left the rest how it was because setting clocks will cause it to "Hash Check" and basically just load a black screen.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Thats actually a really great deal! Wish I hadnt just bought two Gigabyte 7950's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This GPU is the silver model and its a dual slot GPU. Single fan GPUs in the center are the best cooling GPUs around. Notice also the Ghost model is a special version of the 7950, which is a vapor style GPU. When its actually in the 16x slot (either slot 1 or 2) the GPU actually becomes see thru like a ghost. "900MHz which is 100MHz more than the base models" is 100 MHz less than a stock Gigabyte 7950, however this one is labeled Brand New!!! You cant beat anything that is Brand New! Lastly, its from United Kingdom. The GPU's when overseas are purchased, you get really awesome stamped boxes and shipping labels. You also get to do currency conversion which is fantastic for Dollar to Euro. Its a wonderful process to see the dollar convert to Euro, to really show the buying power of the US Dollar. I know this model if it is the male version, speaks like ROb Pattenson and if female, speaks like Adele. Cards bought and sold in the US male voice is Ray Romano or if female is Fran Descher. Definitely a good deal!
> 
> Hands down worth bidding on!!
> 
> Anyone elses thoughts?


You get free postage so it's insane!


----------



## istudy92

I am soo sad maybe its my drivers and CPU bottle neck fx4300,
but when I play OC 7950 BF4, i get 30-35 FPS x2msaa
its quite sad indeed, perhaps its only because of beta?!

My guess is my cpu is bottle necking me =/

anyone have opinions wether cpu may be a probable cause?


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> Best software would be MSI Afterburner; I recommend the beta, rather than the stable release, personally. I don't think your cards are reference; the Rev 2 Windforces have a custom PCB design, IIRC.


how do i know? the little tower things are in a straight line across the gpu


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Well it's not actually hardware locked this one.. BIOS locked..
> We modded the BIOS last night (well I did he was drunk) haha.
> 
> Set it running at 1.25v for 3D load and then raised the CCC max clocks to 1500/2000MHz and set the power limit to 260 or 280W and it runs like a charm. The card can do 300W easily because it has two 8x pins.
> Rev 2.0 isn't reference according to EK (Cooling-Configurator), I'd say it isn't either based off it being a Rev 2.0
> That being said Afterburner should handle it fine, if it won't allow voltage control you'll have to run a modded BIOS.


no clue what that means.....still learning


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> no clue what that means.....still learning


What didn't you understand? I'm happy to explain it to you.


----------



## glenquagmire

That being said Afterburner should handle it fine, if it won't allow voltage control you'll have to run a modded BIOS.

its volt locked at 1250v. run a modded bios?

here is what has been recommended to DL for OC the CPU and GPU.
_"prime95:
http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft/
IBT AVX (under additional software on main page of this thread):
http://www.overclock.net/t/1318995/official-fx-8320-fx-8350-vishera-owners-club
OCCT:
http://www.ocbase.com/
hwinfo64 (or hwinfo32 if ur 32bit):
http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php

Only part I would change is 3Dmark11 or firestrike. Use Heaven or Valley instead for hefty OC testing. They seem to be straight up GPU intensive and many have spoken against 3Dmarks ability to turn your GPU into a hotplate and fry itself."_

I have downloaded:
Prime (dont know what it does)
IBT AVX (Dont know what it does, I see the application but when I click it the window pops up then disappears)
OCCT (what does this do)
*I havent DL yet hwinfo64 (what does this do?
***Then the other guy said he would DL Heaven over 3Dmark11 or Firedtrike. I downloaded Heaven but did I DL 3Dmark11 or Firestrike because I cant tell?***


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> That being said Afterburner should handle it fine, if it won't allow voltage control you'll have to run a modded BIOS.
> 
> its volt locked at 1250v. run a modded bios?
> 
> here is what has been recommended to DL for OC the CPU and GPU.
> _"prime95:
> http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft/
> IBT AVX (under additional software on main page of this thread):
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1318995/official-fx-8320-fx-8350-vishera-owners-club
> OCCT:
> http://www.ocbase.com/
> hwinfo64 (or hwinfo32 if ur 32bit):
> http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php
> 
> Only part I would change is 3Dmark11 or firestrike. Use Heaven or Valley instead for hefty OC testing. They seem to be straight up GPU intensive and many have spoken against 3Dmarks ability to turn your GPU into a hotplate and fry itself."_
> 
> I have downloaded:
> Prime (dont know what it does)
> IBT AVX (Dont know what it does, I see the application but when I click it the window pops up then disappears)
> OCCT (what does this do)
> *I havent DL yet hwinfo64 (what does this do?
> ***Then the other guy said he would DL Heaven over 3Dmark11 or Firedtrike. I downloaded Heaven but did I DL 3Dmark11 or Firestrike because I cant tell?***


Prime95 is for CPU testing over a long period of time: Disregard this for GPU overclocking.
IBT AVX is similar to Intel Burn Test I believe, this is a quick-short CPU test for maximum heat output of the CPU and a quick test.

OCCT is a maximum heat output again for graphics cards, it tests UBER stability but it has been known to damage cards though.
HWInfo64 will tell you voltages and temps of stuff all-round.

Heaven is good for bench-marking the GPU mainly, I think that the CPU effects it a bit though.

Personally I do:
CPU:
Intel Burn Test until I'm doing 10-20 runs on "high" with my desired settings, then:
Overnight run Prime95 for a good 10 hours or more to test stability.
In doing all of this I'm running speccy/realtemp to see temperatures of the CPU. Speccy tends to be good as an overall temp program I've found.

GPU:
Install GPU-Z
Download Afterburner/Kombustor and install them.
Set up afterburner to allow for voltage control if possible.
Set the power limit to +20% where applicable (AMD 7xxx cards essentially)
Increase the core clock by like 50MHz, then test with Kombustor for 2-3 minutes.
Rinse and repeat until it either crashes or artifacts,
Then increase the voltage if temps are okay,
Check again, and keep increasing the core clock.

The same goes for the RAM essentially I just don't increase the voltage on mine personally.

When I have my desired settings I'll play BF3 for an hour or two and if that's stable it's generally 100% stable.


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Prime95 is for CPU testing over a long period of time: Disregard this for GPU overclocking.
> IBT AVX is similar to Intel Burn Test I believe, this is a quick-short CPU test for maximum heat output of the CPU and a quick test.
> 
> OCCT is a maximum heat output again for graphics cards, it tests UBER stability but it has been known to damage cards though.
> HWInfo64 will tell you voltages and temps of stuff all-round.
> 
> Heaven is good for bench-marking the GPU mainly, I think that the CPU effects it a bit though.
> 
> Personally I do:
> CPU:
> Intel Burn Test until I'm doing 10-20 runs on "high" with my desired settings, then:
> Overnight run Prime95 for a good 10 hours or more to test stability.
> In doing all of this I'm running speccy/realtemp to see temperatures of the CPU. Speccy tends to be good as an overall temp program I've found.
> 
> GPU:
> Install GPU-Z
> Download Afterburner/Kombustor and install them.
> Set up afterburner to allow for voltage control if possible.
> Set the power limit to +20% where applicable (AMD 7xxx cards essentially)
> Increase the core clock by like 50MHz, then test with Kombustor for 2-3 minutes.
> Rinse and repeat until it either crashes or artifacts,
> Then increase the voltage if temps are okay,
> Check again, and keep increasing the core clock.
> 
> The same goes for the RAM essentially I just don't increase the voltage on mine personally.
> 
> When I have my desired settings I'll play BF3 for an hour or two and if that's stable it's generally 100% stable.


Ok I downloaded everything you have there. Is Gigabyte OC Guru the same as the MSI Afterburn? I have two Gigabyte 7950 Windforce. I also gave voltage perfmission but it doesnt move in MSI. I can only adjust it down from 1250 in OC Guru.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Ok I downloaded everything you have there. Is Gigabyte OC Guru the same as the MSI Afterburn? I have two Gigabyte 7950 Windforce. I also gave voltage perfmission but it doesnt move in MSI. I can only adjust it down from 1250 in OC Guru.


Nope, that kinda sucks...get the latest beta for Afterburner here: http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/msi_afterburner_beta_download.html


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Nope, that kinda sucks...get the latest beta for Afterburner here: http://www.guru3d.com/files_details/msi_afterburner_beta_download.html


should i use the MSI and delete OC GURU from Gigabyte?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> should i use the MSI and delete OC GURU from Gigabyte?


I've tried both, the Msi latest beta is heaps better...


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I've tried both, the Msi latest beta is heaps better...


ok my set is 7950 gig windforce in xfire. how do i star oc these things?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> Hello everyone, I am almost ready to click the buy button on the AMD Radeon 7990. I see there are quite a few versions of this gpu. Which company offers the better product?


They're all basically the same (I'm assuming that you're talking about the Malta cards), but Sapphire generally has the lowest price. However, just a few days ago, it was $600 on Newegg, but now it's gone back up to 730. The price has been fluctuating madly recently, so you might wait for the price to go back down, but at the risk of it going out of stock.


----------



## glenquagmire

Hey all....

I have two 7950 Gigabyte Windforce and I am trying to set them up right for XFire and overclock. I notice under GPU-Z, there are two noticeable diferences in the Settings. The Bus Interface on one card is PCI-E [email protected] *2.0* and the other is PCI-E [email protected] *1.1*. What is that and why? I just got them both at the same time. Weird thing is when I do the "Render Test" on GPU-Z, it says 1.1 becomes 2.0, like the other card at 2.0. Then the Rendering is done it goes back to 1.1.





Another thing I notice is on the 2.0 it says Bus Width is 32 bit and Bandwidth is 20.0 GB/s; where as on the 1.1 it says Bus Width 384 bit and Bandwidth is 240.0 GB/s. Why??


----------



## sugarhell

Disable ulps...


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Disable ulps...


whats that and where do i do it?


----------



## sugarhell

Use MSI AB. Its on settings.


----------



## glenquagmire

What does that do? Just wanting to learn....

Now they have different bios versions.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> What does that do? Just wanting to learn....
> 
> Now they have different bios versions.


ULPS is a power saving feature that's designed to basically shut down a GPU when it's not being used (for instance, the second card in a Crossfire setup). Unfortunately, it tends to cause some issues, especially when overclocking, so most people just turn it off. The cards don't use very much power in idle, anyway, so it's not a huge loss.


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> ULPS is a power saving feature that's designed to basically shut down a GPU when it's not being used (for instance, the second card in a Crossfire setup). Unfortunately, it tends to cause some issues, especially when overclocking, so most people just turn it off. The cards don't use very much power in idle, anyway, so it's not a huge loss.


Thanks.

Now for why two exact same cards have now two different BIOS????

BIOS VERSION 015.034.000.002.000000
BIOS VERSION 015.026.000.000.000000

Why is that? Same Cards, exactly.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> This thread over at TPU. Worked a charm as I mentioned.
> 
> Oh and I only edited the voltage and power limit. I left the rest how it was because setting clocks will cause it to "Hash Check" and basically just load a black screen.
> You get free postage so it's insane!


typical, tried that on mine and got nowhere bar causing it to burn itself...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Now for why two exact same cards have now two different BIOS????
> 
> BIOS VERSION 015.034.000.002.000000
> BIOS VERSION 015.026.000.000.000000
> 
> Why is that? Same Cards, exactly.


different batches, it happens, you could update the second one if you want to be the same as the first but I don't think it would make much of a difference...

be warned some updated BIOSs can introduce a voltage lock though.


----------



## glenquagmire

Gigabyte 7950 all are volt locked at least rev 2.0.

How do I flash?

Also, I seem to get pretty much much the same heaven readings with a maxed out 1200 core 1500 memory as my cards stock. Why? I'm getting 76 fps avg 1950 score all on extreme and ultra setting for 1080 res.


----------



## LukePilot152

Hey guys. Just returned my awfully loud 7870LE after just three days in my system, and to their dismay they're losing me to this group, as I've just ordered a new Asus DirectCU 7970 for £60 more, which they seemed to think wasn't worth it, but I just wanted to own a GPU that, for a short time, was the most powerful single GPU on the market.

Best Regards
Luke


----------



## glenquagmire

weird thing is when I Don't disable ulps, I keep the same BIOS versions for both cards. However in doing the disable of the uLPS, I get different bus with and bandwidth.

When I click on disable ULPS, I get different BIOS versions but then I get the same bus width and bandwidth.


----------



## glenquagmire

Are these good scores on heaven 4.0? I have crossfire 7950 gigabyte rev 2.0 stock settings.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LukePilot152*
> 
> Hey guys. Just returned my awfully loud 7870LE after just three days in my system, and to their dismay they're losing me to this group, as I've just ordered a new Asus DirectCU 7970 for £60 more, which they seemed to think wasn't worth it, but I just wanted to own a GPU that, for a short time, was the most powerful single GPU on the market.
> 
> Best Regards
> Luke


well I hope yours works fine for you then...


----------



## glenquagmire

Is this a good HEAVEN Score?



MSI Afterburner:
Crossfire 7950 Gigabyte
Power Limit: +20
Core: 1200
Memory: 1425
Fans: Auto

Any recommendations for OC the GPU? changes from mentioned above?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> typical, tried that on mine and got nowhere bar causing it to burn itself...
> different batches, it happens, you could update the second one if you want to be the same as the first but I don't think it would make much of a difference...
> 
> be warned some updated BIOSs can introduce a voltage lock though.


@Custom BIOS' it actually worked, our card is running at 1.25v as I set. So you can increase the clocks higher then what you normally could.

With my 6850's at least I got a bit of a bump in the score in benchmarks and a bit less stuttering by having the newer BIOS on both cards.
So I always flash the same BIOS where possible, like now I'm running a Sapphire BIOS on a HIS card.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> @Custom BIOS' it actually worked, our card is running at 1.25v as I set. So you can increase the clocks higher then what you normally could.


that the ASUS one or another brand? I'm tempted to try it again for one last time, though it getting into summer and water being postponed for eyefinity and 290X I don't think it'll get anywhere...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that the ASUS one or another brand? I'm tempted to try it again for one last time, though it getting into summer and water being postponed for eyefinity and 290X I don't think it'll get anywhere...


The ASUS DCII, I haven't tested it on my cards yet. It's a DCII Top according to the sticker on the PCI-E slot, but the stock BIOS itself is a non-top so I'm unsure. It was bought second hand off eBay too but never used.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> The ASUS DCII, I haven't tested it on my cards yet. It's a DCII Top according to the sticker on the PCI-E slot, but the stock BIOS itself is a non-top so I'm unsure. It was bought second hand off eBay too but never used.


no I meant the BIOS, there's a handful of different custom BIOSes from multiple manufacturers that provide OC room without registry patches...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> no I meant the BIOS, there's a handful of different custom BIOSes from multiple manufacturers that provide OC room without registry patches...


from what i can tell he means he can up the volts permanently in bios,

my question is what is he looking at? AB ? if so has he done the mod so ab shows actual volts ?


----------



## FernTeixe

reporting my noob experience
Well I'm new here and totally noob when it comes to bios/oc etc. BUT I'm trying hard now XD
I have a 7970 oc with boost , I flashed it to vapor-x 7970ghz it's running better , it's 6 - 7c less and I'm getting 1180 core /1550 memory... never see my temps above 60c ( I have nice case+ tons of fans )
I'm getting lower score at 3dmark/unigine BUT higher fps in games.
My msi afterburner recognize my vga as 7970 MSI lightning BE. I don't know why

Also just saw one thing.

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/119023/asus-hd7970-3072-120102.html

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/145837/asus-r9280x-3072-130828.html

they have the same GPU ID... so if comes out a sapphire card with same GPU ID will I be able to flash ?









oh I was almost forgetting.. is it ok for VRAM run hotter than diode? ( don't even know what exactly is diode, but I know it's the msi afterburner temps, but GPU-Z shows vram 1-2 and one of them is always 3-6c hotter than diode)


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> from what i can tell he means he can up the volts permanently in bios,
> 
> my question is what is he looking at? AB ? if so has he done the mod so ab shows actual volts ?


hes gotten a custom OC BIOS which increases the maximum settings from what I can tell, then has done the BIOS patch to increase the voltage to 1.25V, what BIOS he used though is what I'm after...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> from what i can tell he means he can up the volts permanently in bios,
> 
> my question is what is he looking at? AB ? if so has he done the mod so ab shows actual volts ?


Yeah sorry, that's what I mean haha.
You're still unable to change the voltage with software, but GPU-Z is showing 1.25v and I doubt you could do 1275MHz on the stock "Max" of 1.13v haha.

How do you get Afterburner to display the volts?









I used the stock BIOS and modded it with the program I linked, I can get a copy of the exact BIOS if you want though?

All that you need to do is copy and save it from GPU-Z though, and then load it into that program and then flash the modded BIOS to the card.


----------



## Bmxant

After a week of emailing back and forth with Gigabyte, they finally agreed to process a request for a fan replacement on my Windforce 3x 7970. I'm really hoping they send me a new cooler and not a single fan. The third fan (far right when the card is installed) occasionally rattles, but who knows how long I have before the other ones start to croak as well. After all, I did purchase the card around launch time (2/25/12)

Has anyone else had issues with their Gigabyte card?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bmxant*
> 
> After a week of emailing back and forth with Gigabyte, they finally agreed to process a request for a fan replacement on my Windforce 3x 7970. I'm really hoping they send me a new cooler and not a single fan. The third fan (far right when the card is installed) occasionally rattles, but who knows how long I have before the other ones start to croak as well. After all, I did purchase the card around launch time (2/25/12)
> 
> Has anyone else had issues with their Gigabyte card?


just a typical sleeve bearing thing, which way do you have the card oriented? some will wear out very fast if sitting a certain way...


----------



## Bmxant

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> just a typical sleeve bearing thing, which way do you have the card oriented? some will wear out very fast if sitting a certain way...


The card is mounted normally in my Switch 810, nothing fancy.


----------



## Brulf

Anyone ever had any trouble getting a decent oc out of the msi twin frozr be 7950s? most i can get out of mine is 1050/1350 and even then i get the very odd random artifact


----------



## Hellfury

Replaced the thermal paste on my card today so i thought i'd post since pics


----------



## Durvelle27

BF4 on my HD 7970


----------



## Hellfury

Case is by no means ideal and i won't be buying Aerocool products again. Would have preferred an Enermax Fulmo GT or Rosewill Blackhawk Ultra, but neither are available in my country


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Replaced the thermal paste on my card today so i thought i'd post since pics


Hi mate, could you by any chance tell me if you have coil whine?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Replaced the thermal paste on my card today so i thought i'd post since pics


Nice, how much did it drop temps by? I love the vRAM placement being so spread out too








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> 
> 
> Case is by no means ideal and i won't be buying Aerocool products again. Would have preferred an Enermax Fulmo GT or Rosewill Blackhawk Ultra, but neither are available in my country


Ouch... I'd never buy and Aerocool case, someone I did a build for wanted one for the 9x side fans..
I then went along to show him the cost of 9x side fans and explained the quality of the case and the noise the fans would make..

Someone also got an Aerocool keyboard.. Worst POS that I've ever seen. I would rather a HP Keyboard myself..


----------



## Hellfury

No coil whine and dropped temps by 8 degrees C. Used mx4 tim. Yeah im really unhappy with the build quality of the case. The metal parts for the most part are alright but the plastic front panel and top are horrible . The side panel gauze rusted. Worst of all, the sata power connector for the top hdd bay thing sparked flames. Thankfully i didnt have it plugged in and i was there when it happened. :/ The only reason i got the case was due to the size. Im currently looking for something to replace it with that's available in my country


----------



## Hellfury

It was a real bum buy. Yeah 9 side panel fans is cool but having experimented with it its plain stupid unless you splice cables etc or use tons of ugly adapters. The fans also feel flimsy and the plastic is really thin. I had to create new power and rest switches because the stock ones broke. Currently the case is completely frankenstine and really irks me as i have fairly decent hardware and the case now looks hideous


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> No coil whine and dropped temps by 8 degrees C. Used mx4 tim. Yeah im really unhappy with three build quality of the case. The metal parts for the most part are alright but the paid front panel and front are hortible. The side panel gauze rusted. Worst of all, the sata power connector for the top hdd bay thing sparked flames. Thankfully i didnt have it plugged in and i was there when it happened. :/ The only reason i got the case was due to the size. Im currently looking for something to replace it with that's available in my country


what was your temp before re applying the thermal?


----------



## Hellfury

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> what was your temp before re applying the thermal?


The max id seen the temps ever hit was 70 degrees C in kombustor on a hot day. However that was with the card overclocked and the voltage @1.3


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hes gotten a custom OC BIOS which increases the maximum settings from what I can tell, then has done the BIOS patch to increase the voltage to 1.25V, what BIOS he used though is what I'm after...


you can download and edit your own

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> reporting my noob experience
> Well I'm new here and totally noob when it comes to bios/oc etc. BUT I'm trying hard now XD
> I have a 7970 oc with boost , I flashed it to vapor-x 7970ghz it's running better , it's 6 - 7c less and I'm getting 1180 core /1550 memory... never see my temps above 60c ( I have nice case+ tons of fans )
> I'm getting lower score at 3dmark/unigine BUT higher fps in games.
> My msi afterburner recognize my vga as 7970 MSI lightning BE. I don't know why
> 
> Also just saw one thing.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/119023/asus-hd7970-3072-120102.html
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/145837/asus-r9280x-3072-130828.html
> 
> they have the same GPU ID... so if comes out a sapphire card with same GPU ID will I be able to flash ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> oh I was almost forgetting.. is it ok for VRAM run hotter than diode? ( don't even know what exactly is diode, but I know it's the msi afterburner temps, but GPU-Z shows vram 1-2 and one of them is always 3-6c hotter than diode)


it is core temp

you can check out sugarhells guide in his sig.

if you are using gpuz however you should be seeing actual volts


----------



## Hellfury

Overall I'm impressed with the card as i got a really good deal (in the context of my country), worked out costing less than a vapor x 7970 6gb


----------



## nvidiaftw12

I'm quite unhappy with mine. I rma'd once, and both cards have had horrible coil whine.


----------



## timaishu

Anyone here with an fx-6300/63 with 7950 post their 3dmark scores. I swear mine seems lower than it should be.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I'm quite unhappy with mine. I rma'd once, and both cards have had horrible coil whine.


Coil whine is 50% your gpu 50% your psu. I am not saying its your psu but its worth to check it


----------



## sugarhell

Guys dont mess to flash to other manufacture bios. Just edit yours to remove boost. And i saw somewhere that we shouldnt flash to a 280x. Probably different pcb layout


----------



## By-Tor

I have narrowed my choice down to this 7950 to replace my Asus 7850. At a great price point and good reviews this looks like the best choice to me.

Anyone have any experience or thoughts on this Power Color 7950?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131458

http://www.powercolor.com/global/products_features.asp?id=389

Thanks


----------



## glenquagmire

i got two gigabyte 7950 windforce rev 2.0, good out of the box COre 1000 and MEM 1250, but its Volt locked (so are many others though)


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Coil whine is 50% your gpu 50% your psu. I am not saying its your psu but its worth to check it


It's not my psu. I have listened closely, and it is the card. Also, the whine only happens at idle.


----------



## EliteReplay

guys can u link me a guide how to re apply TIM to my HD7950 please?


----------



## Hellfury

Its not specific to any card. I apply it in an x pattern like evga reccomends for their waterblocks


----------



## Hellfury

There are varying opinions on how to apply it. Just make sure you put the screws back correctly so that the pressure is correct


----------



## glenquagmire

Can anybody tell me why I have two BIOS for the same cards and I just got them both and which BIOS should I keep? Gigabyte 7950 Rev 2.0 XFire

Here are my current BIOS:

015.026.000.000.000000
015.034.000.002.000000

I assume they should be the same, so which do I keep?

The first BIOS is my top card and the second is, well you guessed it, the bottom card. Thing is, I dont see anything for the second BIOS anywhere on Gigabyte or Tech website. Is this a new BIOS or something?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> guys can u link me a guide how to re apply TIM to my HD7950 please?


this might help . . .

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/EK-IM/EK-IM-3831109856710.pdf


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> It's not my psu. I have listened closely, and it is the card. Also, the whine only happens at idle.


Coil whine is because of defective capacitors or your psu let pass dirt current in your card.The sound will come from your gpu but its not always the gpu the reason


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Coil whine is because of defective capacitors or your psu let pass dirt current in your card.The sound will come from your gpu but its not always the gpu the reason


Usually it is just vibrations which change noise based on the level of current passed.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Usually it is just vibrations which change noise based on the level of current passed.


Yeah usually. So when i have coil whine i first check my psu. Othewise is just the gpu

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_noise


----------



## glenquagmire

Can anybody tell me why I have two BIOS for the same cards and I just got them both and which BIOS should I keep? Gigabyte 7950 Rev 2.0 XFire

Here are my current BIOS:

015.026.000.000.000000
015.034.000.002.000000

I assume they should be the same, so which do I keep?

The first BIOS is my top card and the second is, well you guessed it, the bottom card. Thing is, I dont see anything for the second BIOS anywhere on Gigabyte or Tech website. Is this a new BIOS or something?


----------



## FernTeixe

Guys is my 7970 working ok?

Battlefield 3 ultra settings - min 78 - avg 92 - max 138 - 10min playing at Damavand Peak
Crysis 2 max settings - min 56 - avg 78 - max 112 - 10 min
Far Cry 3 - ultra settings but only 2x AA - min 42 - avg 62 - max 91







also just asking, my ASIC is 66.8% is it good or bad?

anyway it's a 7970 oc with boost blue pcb with 7970 Vapor-x ghz bios.

I'm using windows 8.1 pro rtm (dreamspark version)


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Can anybody tell me why I have two BIOS for the same cards and I just got them both and which BIOS should I keep? Gigabyte 7950 Rev 2.0 XFire
> 
> Here are my current BIOS:
> 
> 015.026.000.000.000000
> 015.034.000.002.000000
> 
> I assume they should be the same, so which do I keep?
> 
> The first BIOS is my top card and the second is, well you guessed it, the bottom card. Thing is, I dont see anything for the second BIOS anywhere on Gigabyte or Tech website. Is this a new BIOS or something?


Do not assume they are the same. In the course of manufacturing components used on a card, like ram or capacitors may change, and the bios can be changed accordingly. In those cases cross-flashing can result in a card that no longer works.

Please do not repeat the same question at such a short interval. It is "spamming". If you do not get an answer that is usually because there is no easy answer.


----------



## glenquagmire

So what should I do?


----------



## alancsalt

Nothing. Leave them as they are, unless you want to flash modified bios, in which case modify both and flash them back to their respective cards.


----------



## Durvelle27

Need help underclocking card.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you can download and edit your own
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183423


yesyes Ive already been through that twice, I need the "custom BIOS" that he patched so I can try it, stock ones do nothing bar increase thermals...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> It's not my psu. I have listened closely, and it is the card. Also, the whine only happens at idle.


the PSU doesn't have to make noise to cause it though, if the regulators are failing it will be feeding dirty power to other components and cause coils to scream in pain, best to check with another PSU to at least see (hear) if it sounds any different.

and actually from what I remember with the coil whine you recorded, that doesn't particularly sound clean at all...


----------



## kahboom

*New Bios Tool*

VBE7.0.0.7b.zip 550k .zip file


Bios editor for HD 7000 series cards with this editor you can edit clocks, voltage, powertune, fan profile.

Tool Recalculates checksum, does not work with UEFI bios at the moment, you would have to use a hex editor to add that function back in, works with Legacy bios.

*To add powertune set on by default.*

Ok in the image above there are two bios files, one on the left being the stock bios and on the right is the edited one, Now notice on the left the power tune figures TDP 173, Powertune 175-260. So say you need 10% PT to be stable at your clock your running, Click the Manual Power Limit adjustment add 10% so use your calculator, so 175x1.10=192.5 which you can just make 192 or 193, and 260x1.10=286 so i just put 285 for mine but you get the picture, This raise's the cards Powertune for stock clocks, try to stay under 300-320, boost cards have alot of room since there set so low. Note that since you raised it 10% or whatever you set it too in bios you no longer need to have it set in your overclock tool. Reasons why boost cards need so much is because they are set so low to begin with.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yesyes Ive already been through that twice, I need the "custom BIOS" that he patched so I can try it, stock ones do nothing bar increase thermals...
> the PSU doesn't have to make noise to cause it though, if the regulators are failing it will be feeding dirty power to other components and cause coils to scream in pain, best to check with another PSU to at least see (hear) if it sounds any different.
> 
> and actually from what I remember with the coil whine you recorded, that doesn't particularly sound clean at all...


It's clean except in firefox, where hardware excelleration varies the usage. Other people have reported the issue to, so I don't believe it's the psu.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> *New Bios Tool*
> 
> VBE7.0.0.7b.zip 550k .zip file
> 
> 
> Bios editor for HD 7000 series cards with this editor you can edit clocks, voltage, powertune, fan profile.
> 
> Tool Recalculates checksum, does not work with UEFI bios at the moment, you would have to use a hex editor to add that function back in, works with Legacy bios.
> 
> *To add powertune set on by default.*
> 
> Ok in the image above there are two bios files, one on the left being the stock bios and on the right is the edited one, Now notice on the left the power tune figures TDP 173, Powertune 175-260. So say you need 10% PT to be stable at your clock your running, Click the Manual Power Limit adjustment add 10% so use your calculator, so 175x1.10=192.5 which you can just make 192 or 193, and 260x1.10=286 so i just put 285 for mine but you get the picture, This raise's the cards Powertune for stock clocks, try to stay under 300-320, boost cards have alot of room since there set so low. Note that since you raised it 10% or whatever you set it too in bios you no longer need to have it set in your overclock tool. Reasons why boost cards need so much is because they are set so low to begin with.


This is what I did, it's a great little tool. It was working with a UEFI BIOS for my mate I think, (It's not on my PC) I can check later?
I raised it to about 320W as the card in question has two 8x pins, and set 1.25v out of the box









Boost cards? Yeah either mod the BIOS like that, remove it or find an older version that doesn't have boost. Boost is terrible when you can change the voltage.. I had one and it would just throttle constantly because it was set to 1.25v which was too much for the cooler and too much for the power limit even at +20% ON STOCK. Just in BF3 it'd throttle down to 830MHz from 925 like wth, who came up with the idea to force 1.25v through all cards.


----------



## Jwilliams01207

I've got a HiS 7970 IceQx2 1075/1525 @ stock voltage.
Not the max overclock, but it stays cool and quiet at this clock.


----------



## Remix65

could someone direct me to the best place i could get help with setting up eyefinity 5x1 with 2 7950's.. i can't seem to get them set up. it only picks up 3 monitors


----------



## sugarhell

Go here:
http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/amd-eyefinity-technology/how-to/Pages/set-up.aspx


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> It's clean except in firefox, where hardware excelleration varies the usage. Other people have reported the issue to, so I don't believe it's the psu.


curious, I wonder if its the memory chokes making the noise...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> could someone direct me to the best place i could get help with setting up eyefinity 5x1 with 2 7950's.. i can't seem to get them set up. it only picks up 3 monitors


...the... what...?

I hope you only have 6 monitors connected... if you have two extras you need to disable those to start with or software might get messy...

also be sure you have two hooked via DVI or HDMI, and the other 4 need to be via displayport (direct for the ASUS cards, others need a couple of splitters)

and all screens need to be connected via the primary card.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> curious, I wonder if its the memory chokes making the noise...
> ...the... what...?
> 
> I hope you only have 6 monitors connected... if you have two extras you need to disable those to start with or software might get messy...
> 
> also be sure you have two hooked via DVI or HDMI, and the other 4 need to be via displayport (direct for the ASUS cards, others need a couple of splitters)
> 
> and all screens need to be connected via the primary card.


Hmm. Don't think so, as it will do it at 3d clocks, just when under no load. It appears to be from the secondary gpu. Good thought though. I've heard reports of forcing constant voltage will fix it. It didn't for my current one, as it has no voltage control on the second gpu.


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Go here:
> http://www.amd.com/us/products/technologies/amd-eyefinity-technology/how-to/Pages/set-up.aspx


doesnt help with portrait 5x1


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> curious, I wonder if its the memory chokes making the noise...
> ...the... what...?
> 
> I hope you only have 6 monitors connected... if you have two extras you need to disable those to start with or software might get messy...
> 
> also be sure you have two hooked via DVI or HDMI, and the other 4 need to be via displayport (direct for the ASUS cards, others need a couple of splitters)
> 
> and all screens need to be connected via the primary card.



main card's the 2nd slot. 4 monitors hooked through it. it's maxed out. that has the 3 eyefinity hooked up plus monitor 8.
the other card has 3 plus the landscape 7
onboard has the landscape 30" 2560x1600 and the 15" 1028x768


----------



## FuriousPop

Hi All,

Long time reading, very few posting!

Current setup of Crossfire Asus 7970's DirectCU ii TOP's running 13.8 beta drivers on 1x dell u3011. - both gpu's roughly at 50-75% usage with temps running in the 45's to 60's degees cel depending on most games, BF3 with vsync off got the cards to 72degrees cel and 2nd at 68....

Currently have my other 2x u3011's in the box looking to get them out in Dec for a eyefinity setup (landscape setup, since i haven't found appropriate stands for portrait). Or possibly selling the 3x u3011's to perhaps upgrade to 1x or 3x u3014 for the lag reduction (apparently one of the best monitors out now)

Wondering is my PSU enough for a 3x trifire setup at 1000w?
your thoughts/comments appreciated..

Oh hopefully i posted in the right area...if not please advise.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> Long time reading, very few posting!
> 
> Current setup of Crossfire Asus 7970's DirectCU ii TOP's running 13.8 beta drivers on 1x dell u3011. - both gpu's roughly at 50-75% usage with temps running in the 45's to 60's degees cel depending on most games, BF3 with vsync off got the cards to 72degrees cel and 2nd at 68....
> 
> Currently have my other 2x u3011's in the box looking to get them out in Dec for a eyefinity setup (landscape setup, since i haven't found appropriate stands for portrait). Or possibly selling the 3x u3011's to perhaps upgrade to 1x or 3x u3014 for the lag reduction (apparently one of the best monitors out now)
> 
> Wondering is my PSU enough for a 3x trifire setup at 1000w?
> your thoughts/comments appreciated..
> 
> Oh hopefully i posted in the right area...if not please advise.


If it's the Enermax Plat that you've listed I know that it will run your rig damn fine, I'm running 2x 7950's overclocked/modded BIOS' off an 850W Silverstone Strider, your Enermax has 150W more plus it's in a whole new class being platinum rated.

EDIT: Trifire should still be fine. Mine run two 7950's on a 850W silver as I mentioned, I just quickly ran a PSU calculator and it came in at under 900W with a 4.8GHz 3770k @ 1.45v, three 7970's, Two SSD's, Four Normal HDD's, Four Greens, two PCI-E x1 cards. - This is an absolute max scenario. I am assuming that the amps on the rail(s) are high enough for the cards to run.

EDIT2: 83 AMPs is pretty awesome, so in short you're fine.


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> Long time reading, very few posting!
> 
> Current setup of Crossfire Asus 7970's DirectCU ii TOP's running 13.8 beta drivers on 1x dell u3011. - both gpu's roughly at 50-75% usage with temps running in the 45's to 60's degees cel depending on most games, BF3 with vsync off got the cards to 72degrees cel and 2nd at 68....
> 
> Currently have my other 2x u3011's in the box looking to get them out in Dec for a eyefinity setup (landscape setup, since i haven't found appropriate stands for portrait). Or possibly selling the 3x u3011's to perhaps upgrade to 1x or 3x u3014 for the lag reduction (apparently one of the best monitors out now)
> 
> Wondering is my PSU enough for a 3x trifire setup at 1000w?
> your thoughts/comments appreciated..
> 
> Oh hopefully i posted in the right area...if not please advise.


1000W is fine. i've used 2 sapphire dual-x 7970's on my backup rosewill capstone 450W and they worked fine. (i couldn't find the other modular psu cable for my 860W so i used the 450W as i waited for the modular cable).
once the cable got here i downgraded to the 7950's reference because they are slimmer. the 7970's were too wide.

*edit: def to with the u3014 because they are LED. the u3011's will give off too much heat. lag reduction is a plus too. my zr30w isn't LED and gives off major heat.*

(u3011 110W typical 250W max) x3
(u3014 60W typical 1110W max) x3


----------



## FuriousPop

wow! that was quick response!

Thanks for that, much appreciated. puts my mind to ease with the PSU..

Now my last concern is the monitors........which i'll have a read around and post in appropriate area..


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> i've used 2 sapphire dual-x 7970's on my backup rosewill capstone 450W and they worked fine.










2 7970s on a 450W?!?! Capstones are good PSUs, certainly, but I'm shocked that worked for any length of time...

But yeah, 1000W for trifire is good.


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2 7970s on a 450W?!?! Capstones are good PSUs, certainly, but I'm shocked that worked for any length of time...
> 
> But yeah, 1000W for trifire is good.


yeah the capstone is bad ass. maybe it worked because it's brand new. i bought it as a back up when using a single 6970 since my seasonic 860W sometimes just doesn't want to power up when i move my pc cause it's a mobile machine. the capstone works all the time. 3770k, 2 7970's, ssd, hdd, fans. not a single crash. ran it for a week. gamed a few times but i'm not really a gamer. i didn't want to get anything too big since it's a backup psu so $60 is all i wanted to spend. the 860w looks better and more efficient on paper so i use it as main.


----------



## FernTeixe

guys , noob question... If my 7970 does not get more than 1150, even with good temps 57c. It's set to 1.256v but , never saw getting more than 1.816 at gpu-z/HWinfo... is it silicon lottery or there is a chance I can get better clock with different bios?


this kind of artifact if I try more than 1150


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> 
> main card's the 2nd slot. 4 monitors hooked through it. it's maxed out. that has the 3 eyefinity hooked up plus monitor 8.
> the other card has 3 plus the landscape 7
> onboard has the landscape 30" 2560x1600 and the 15" 1028x768


uuuhhhhhmmmm what...?

primary card is always the topmost one on the board... and the second card's ports are disabled in crossfire I'm pretty sure, or at least AMD doesn't want you to use them while in crossfire.

as for that mess of cables... I have no idea what I'm looking at...

as I said before, for any eyefinity, you use a combination of a max of two direct digital outputs (DVI or HDMI) and a max of 4 displayport outputs unless your card has 5 or 6 mini-displayports (not your case).
ONLY hooked via the primary/top-most card.
and ALL displays must use identical resolutions and refresh rates.

anything else is NOT SUPPORTED and will likely only lead to a mess like you posted before, also I don't remember eyefinity supporting additional monitors other then those in the array, as it combines the array to be one single display surface (re-separable via hydravision if you wish).

and those using the intel GPU, remove them now and never plug them back in again... also disable your intel GPU in the BIOS like your supposed to...


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> guys , noob question... If my 7970 does not get more than 1150, even with good temps 57c. It's set to 1.256v but , never saw getting more than 1.816 at gpu-z/HWinfo... is it silicon lottery or there is a chance I can get better clock with different bios?
> 
> 
> this kind of artifact if I try more than 1150


Every card is diffrient not one card is the same some just overclock like crazy and some like yours and mine can only hit average;( your overclock seems to be average.


----------



## NBAasDOGG

The R9 280X bios in online:
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/145837/asus-r9280x-3072-130828.html

I'm going to try to flash my two 7970's to R9 280X, so we can get DX11.2 with bios update


----------



## sugarhell

No dont,...


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> The R9 280X bios in online:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/145837/asus-r9280x-3072-130828.html
> 
> I'm going to try to flash my two 7970's to R9 280X, so we can get DX11.2 with bios update


If you really want to flash your card with the 280X BIOs don't use the ASUS ones as the board uses extra VRMs which could result in a brick. Use the MSI ones but wait until tomorrw for the new drivers to drop as the current 13.10Beta2 ones don't support the R7/R9 series so the rivers won't install


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> If you really want to flash your card with the 280X BIOs don't use the ASUS ones as the board uses extra VRMs which could result in a brick. Use the MSI ones but wait until tomorrw for the new drivers to drop as the current 13.10Beta2 ones don't support the R7/R9 series so the rivers won't install


Alright, i'll wait till tomorow then. Doe you think it's gonna work? I mean really... the R9 280x is just the 7970 with DX11.2. So if we flash bios, maybe we DX11.2 support???


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> The R9 280X bios in online:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/145837/asus-r9280x-3072-130828.html
> 
> I'm going to try to flash my two 7970's to R9 280X, so we can get DX11.2 with bios update


don't do it. you will brick the card. SKYMTL of hardwarecanucks advised to not flash R9 280X BIOS on HD 7970. he said he could not say more because he was under NDA.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> The R9 280X bios in online:
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/145837/asus-r9280x-3072-130828.html
> 
> I'm going to try to flash my two 7970's to R9 280X, so we can get DX11.2 with bios update


um why?

DX11.2 is a driver thing, the 7k series will still support it without patches provided your running windows 8.1.

and flash a R7 cad with a R9 BIOS? just sounds like a bad idea no?


----------



## glenquagmire

how do i know if my GPUs are referenced or not? They are Gigabyte 7950 Rev 2.0 (caps are in straight line) Are there blocks for these?? http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=987


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> um why?
> 
> DX11.2 is a driver thing, the 7k series will still support it without patches provided your running windows 8.1.
> 
> and flash a R7 cad with a R9 BIOS? just sounds like a bad idea no?


I think your confused. The R9 290X is a rebranded 7970 GHz


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I think your confused. The R9 290X is a rebranded 7970 GHz


280x is a tahiti chip. 290x is the new gpu


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 280x is a tahiti chip. 290x is the new gpu


Yes ik but he said R7


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> how do i know if my GPUs are referenced or not? They are Gigabyte 7950 Rev 2.0 (caps are in straight line) Are there blocks for these?? http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=987


they use a custom PCB layout, most obvious is they have more chokes (6+1 instead of 5+1), reference blocks wont fit without modification.
but you should be fine with a universal block provided you keep the VRM area cool, already have a heatsink attached.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I think your confused. The R9 290X is a rebranded 7970 GHz


whut... and I believe you have a typo









but the R9 280X is labeled R9, which is supposed to mean GCN2.0...? 7970 is R7...?


----------



## glenquagmire

Can you link some examples for me? Still learning. Thanks


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> ...but the R9 280X is labeled R9, which is supposed to mean GCN2.0...? 7970 is R7...?


R9 means high-end, R7 means mid-range; it has nothing to do with arch. When he said "R7", I believe he was referring to the 7000 series, not the new R7 series.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> they use a custom PCB layout, most obvious is they have more chokes (6+1 instead of 5+1), reference blocks wont fit without modification.
> but you should be fine with a universal block provided you keep the VRM area cool, already have a heatsink attached.
> whut... and I believe you have a typo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but the R9 280X is labeled R9, which is supposed to mean GCN2.0...? 7970 is R7...?


R9 does not mean GCN 2.0. Its means enthusiast level. Only the R9 290x, R9 290, and R7 260X support GCN 2.0 as the rest are rebrands.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> I think your confused. The R9 290X is a rebranded 7970 GHz


R9 280x = 7970

also guys... this link http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/145837/asus-r9280x-3072-130828.html looks like any of 7970, if change the name I would think it's an asus matrix like this http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/130348/asus-hd7970-3072-120813-4.html


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Can you link some examples for me? Still learning. Thanks


well your basically after a waterblock similar to what you would have on your CPU, though im not particularly sure what ones there are, people have used closed-loop coolers on their cards too so I don't think you need much modification to use a CPU block...

as for the rest of the card, you should get some heatsinks for the memory, I'm pretty sure the heatsink already on the VRM area is fine and you'll need to mount one or two fans on/near the card to get the same effect that the stock heatsink had.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> R9 does not mean GCN 2.0. Its means enthusiast level. Only the R9 290x, R9 290, and R7 260X support GCN 2.0 as the rest are rebrands.


hum that is puzzling, but you still shouldn't need to use a 280X BIOS, nor do I think its a good idea as they could have changed the controllers...

though with the cards having two BIOS ROMs by default your probably safe enough to test it anyway...


----------



## FernTeixe

@Paul17041993

you seems to know alot and is always answering people around here... let me ask a newbie question. I was flashing my sapphire 7970 oc with boost and I tried every brand I could. But it only worked with Vapor-x GHZ... it's what I'm using now, also my temps got really better. The question is, can I use bios from another brand? or will only work with sapphire?


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Maybe the R9 280X has some better overclock potentials with their new bios, comparing to HD7970.
Just like the GTX770 and 680


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well your basically after a waterblock similar to what you would have on your CPU, though im not particularly sure what ones there are, people have used closed-loop coolers on their cards too so I don't think you need much modification to use a CPU block...
> 
> as for the rest of the card, you should get some heatsinks for the memory, I'm pretty sure the heatsink already on the VRM area is fine and you'll need to mount one or two fans on/near the card to get the same effect that the stock heatsink had.
> hum that is puzzling, but you still shouldn't need to use a 280X BIOS, *nor do I think its a good idea as they could have changed the controllers*...
> 
> though with the cards having two BIOS ROMs by default your probably safe enough to test it anyway...


This, it's a good idea to compare the PCBs & make sure they at least look compatible first. Different voltage controllers or memory ICs (that can have different voltage/timings) could mess things up pretty good.
When NDA is up SKYMTL will probably post something since he has commented on bios flashing but can't say anything about it yet.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> @Paul17041993
> 
> you seems to know alot and is always answering people around here... let me ask a newbie question. I was flashing my sapphire 7970 oc with boost and I tried every brand I could. But it only worked with Vapor-x GHZ... it's what I'm using now, also my temps got really better. The question is, can I use bios from another brand? or will only work with sapphire?


yes and no, I think with the VaporX cards you are limited to the VaporX BIOS versions, it generally depends on how the card was designed and what controllers and components it uses.

most reference or reference-based PCBs can use different BIOSs from different brands interchangeably, more custom PCBs can have various limitations, for example, my DCII uses a custom PCB, but will handle most reference BIOSs fine, though I believe my display outputs get somewhat messed up when doing so (only have one monitor atm so I've never fully tested).
however it will fail to work with any of the Matrix BIOSs due to a slightly different design with different controllers, at the same time though a few other people use Matrix BIOSs just fine.

generally its a trial-and-error thing until you work out which BIOSs work well and which don't, and you don't usually need to mix brands bar the reference BIOSs (all the same really).


----------



## KnownDragon

New 3dMark Scores! .


----------



## FernTeixe

thanks man!!


----------



## BillyBonz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> They're all basically the same (I'm assuming that you're talking about the Malta cards), but Sapphire generally has the lowest price. However, just a few days ago, it was $600 on Newegg, but now it's gone back up to 730. The price has been fluctuating madly recently, so you might wait for the price to go back down, but at the risk of it going out of stock.


Thank you for the info! By the way, when setting up eyefinity with this card is it better to use mini display port for all 3 of the monitors with the 3rd adapter being active?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> Thank you for the info! By the way, when setting up eyefinity with this card is it better to use mini display port for all 3 of the monitors with the 3rd adapter being active?


I don't run Eyefinity, so I wouldn't know off the top of my head. You might need to do some Googling.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> doesnt help with portrait 5x1


screen res >> portrait ( right click on desktop ) [ all 3 ]

CCC> eyefinity
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Hi All,
> 
> Long time reading, very few posting!
> 
> Current setup of Crossfire Asus 7970's DirectCU ii TOP's running 13.8 beta drivers on 1x dell u3011. - both gpu's roughly at 50-75% usage with temps running in the 45's to 60's degees cel depending on most games, BF3 with vsync off got the cards to 72degrees cel and 2nd at 68....
> 
> Currently have my other 2x u3011's in the box looking to get them out in Dec for a eyefinity setup (landscape setup, since i haven't found appropriate stands for portrait). Or possibly selling the 3x u3011's to perhaps upgrade to 1x or 3x u3014 for the lag reduction (apparently one of the best monitors out now)
> 
> Wondering is my PSU enough for a 3x trifire setup at 1000w?
> your thoughts/comments appreciated..
> welcome
> it should be fine without major ocing
> Oh hopefully i posted in the right area...if not please advise.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> If it's the Enermax Plat that you've listed I know that it will run your rig damn fine, I'm running 2x 7950's overclocked/modded BIOS' off an 850W Silverstone Strider, your Enermax has 150W more plus it's in a whole new class being platinum rated.
> 
> EDIT: Trifire should still be fine. Mine run two 7950's on a 850W silver as I mentioned, I just quickly ran a PSU calculator and it came in at under 900W with a 4.8GHz 3770k @ 1.45v, three 7970's, Two SSD's, Four Normal HDD's, Four Greens, two PCI-E x1 cards. - This is an absolute max scenario. I am assuming that the amps on the rail(s) are high enough for the cards to run.
> 
> EDIT2: 83 AMPs is pretty awesome, so in short you're fine.


huh what does platinum rated have to do with anything? 1000w is 1000w just means power pulled from the wall is less ...... however has the same power available as a 80+ bronze 1000w....
still 1000w
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Every card is diffrient not one card is the same some just overclock like crazy and some like yours and mine can only hit average;( your overclock seems to be average.


also could be temp related. how is your temps ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> guys , noob question... If my 7970 does not get more than 1150, even with good temps 57c. It's set to 1.256v but , never saw getting more than 1.816 at gpu-z/HWinfo... is it silicon lottery or there is a chance I can get better clock with different bios?
> 
> 
> this kind of artifact if I try more than 1150


1.8 what?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> Thank you for the info! By the way, when setting up eyefinity with this card is it better to use mini display port for all 3 of the monitors with the 3rd adapter being active?


not from what i can tell it should not matter


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> Thank you for the info! By the way, when setting up eyefinity with this card is it better to use mini display port for all 3 of the monitors with the 3rd adapter being active?


I think your limited to only one passive adapter (uses the direct digital link that isn't usable via DVI/HDMI like most other cards), Ive heard of screen tearing between the direct ports and display ports, but I haven't seen it first-hand to really know about it.

either way you would want 3 active adapters (no screen tearing or whatnot), or get a passive and an active, use the active as your main and you might not notice anything on the surrounding screens...


----------



## Mega Man

i notice it on both my surrounding screens ( one is DP one dual DVI )


----------



## FernTeixe

1.816v... as I said, low temps, not so high voltage, but can't overclock above 1150... if I try there is always artifact.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> 1.816v


wut









even for memory, that's insanely high, if you mean the core, your not actually pushing that voltage...


----------



## Mega Man

yea... that is what i thought.... unless he has a lightning


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Guys is my 7970 working ok?
> 
> Battlefield 3 ultra settings - min 78 - avg 92 - max 138 - 10min playing at Damavand Peak
> Crysis 2 max settings - min 56 - avg 78 - max 112 - 10 min
> Far Cry 3 - ultra settings but only 2x AA - min 42 - avg 62 - max 91
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> also just asking, my ASIC is 66.8% is it good or bad?
> 
> anyway it's a 7970 oc with boost blue pcb with 7970 Vapor-x ghz bios.
> 
> I'm using windows 8.1 pro rtm (dreamspark version)


also my GPU-Z screen shot 

this was the first post I did, sorry... I'm newbie, so I flashed my 7970 oc with boost to vapor-x ghz... now I'm having better temps.
I think you can see voltage and all the stuff with these screenshots

well there VDDC voltage, it's higher than the last time I saw , when it was at 1.816 ... but well I see some people with 1.3v...
anyway I think the limit to my card is 1150 for core clock

also msi-afterburner recognize as lightning


----------



## FernTeixe

Well I was looking something inside my case, and then I dropped a piece of metal over my 7970 pcb. It fell near the pci-e power connector.
.
Now when I turn on my pc I can hear the beep from the boot. But there is no image.
So...... is there a way to fix it? or should I just buy a new vga?

I already changed bios, so I guess I lost the warranty...

I think I don't need to care about those clocks/temps/voltages anymore...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Well I was looking something inside my case, and then I dropped a piece of metal over my 7970 pcb. It fell near the pci-e power connector.
> .
> Now when I turn on my pc I can hear the beep from the boot. But there is no image.
> So...... is there a way to fix it? or should I just buy a new vga?
> 
> I already changed bios, so I guess I lost the warranty...
> 
> I think I don't need to care about those clocks/temps/voltages anymore...


Try it as a secondary card, like alongside the iGPU and see if GPU-Z or anything can detect it.. Otherwise R.I.P to your 7970.

I actually did that once to my HIS 7950.. It went to a black screen and then full fans, I then turned the PC off and almost cried and then bam she booted fine. Hasn't missed a beat since.

Try a different BIOS if possible.. Does it have any response?

If you CAN, try and blind flash it with Atiflash.exe from a Windows 98 boot disk. It MAY have just corrupted your BIOS somehow, but I doubt it.. Does the computer actually boot or does it just halt? I.E Do you hear the "doon donn doon" windows sound if you leave it long enough?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Well I was looking something inside my case, and then I dropped a piece of metal over my 7970 pcb. It fell near the pci-e power connector.
> .
> Now when I turn on my pc I can hear the beep from the boot. But there is no image.
> So...... is there a way to fix it? or should I just buy a new vga?
> 
> I already changed bios, so I guess I lost the warranty...
> 
> I think I don't need to care about those clocks/temps/voltages anymore...


if it fell on the pcie connector and nothing else

try a new pcie cable/ slot if modular.

if it shorted the pcie connector to something else. odds are the card is done.


----------



## rdr09

7970 firestrikes scores i've checked recently are showing up as 280X. lol


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> 7970 firestrikes scores i've checked recently are showing up as 280X. lol


7970's are showing up as 280x's? That gives me hope of a 280x BIOS on 7970's. It may be possible, maybe it has to be modded but it should be possible theoretically.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if it fell on the pcie connector and nothing else
> 
> try a new pcie cable/ slot if modular.
> 
> if it shorted the pcie connector to something else. odds are the card is done.


We can only try, a 7970 isn't cheap either way...
Use the iGPU or another GPU to test it if possible, it could have shorted out just that PCI-E slot too so try that if you can. Or a different PSU/Power cables. I doubt the PSU though because it would have taken the entire thing.


----------



## sugarhell

New asus dc is good. Good cooler volts up to 1.4 and only 10 bucks over msrp


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> 7970's are showing up as 280x's? That gives me hope of a 280x BIOS on 7970's. It may be possible, maybe it has to be modded but it should be possible theoretically.
> We can only try, a 7970 isn't cheap either way...
> Use the iGPU or another GPU to test it if possible, it could have shorted out just that PCI-E slot too so try that if you can. Or a different PSU/Power cables. I doubt the PSU though because it would have taken the entire thing.


i read the 7970 and the 280X can be crossfired. lets just wait. only a few more days.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> 7970's are showing up as 280x's? That gives me hope of a 280x BIOS on 7970's. It may be possible, maybe it has to be modded but it should be possible theoretically.
> We can only try, a 7970 isn't cheap either way...
> Use the iGPU or another GPU to test it if possible, it could have shorted out just that PCI-E slot too so try that if you can. Or a different PSU/Power cables. I doubt the PSU though because it would have taken the entire thing.


depends on a few options it could easily have....

this is why i like backplates !~ $20 saved my cards more often then i can count ...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> New asus dc is good. Good cooler volts up to 1.4 and only 10 bucks over msrp


You think so? If so it may be tempting...


----------



## rdr09

280X baby . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6564785


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> 280X baby . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6564785


I have 8 280x now


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I have 8 280x now


lol. all this time we have it in our system.

wow . . . 8. i didn't know mining is still profitable.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> lol. all this time we have it in our system.
> 
> wow . . . 8. i didn't know mining is still profitable.


It is if you get free power been mining on my 7950's for the past 2-3 weeks and made a bit on the side


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Can someone geve me link to a R9 280x reference bios?
I want to flahs my 2 HD7970's, but i need a reference bios, not the one from Asus DC II or Matrix, nor MSI GAMINg.

anyone?


----------



## lyerit

Hey guys!

I just recently joined OCN to ask one of the most bugging questions of mine: which brand you prefer the most?

Here goes my story: in August i bought a completely new setup (chieftec GPS 550w psu, AMD FX-8320, 16gigs of kingstons HyperX Blue, and an ASrock 970 Extrem 4 mobo), and along with it i bough an Asus HD7870. I spent weeks on reading articles and reviews about the card, and i've read about lots of problems (mostly BSOD) with most of the brands. Asus seemed to have less of these, and the cooling seemed nice and quiet, so i decided to buy it. Sadly enough mine was faulty, i thought about some power supply issues (though i didn't really had the time to OC it properly, i've been using the factory defaults) as it suddenly drawn wide vertical grey lines seperated by narrow black ones (but in the background anything i did went on). Needless to say, i returned (8 workdays after I bought it) for a warranty service, and I hoped they'll replace my card, but they didn't. They sent it for repair. 30 workdays after i gave them my card (and lots of e-mail exchanges with the shop), i went in, and asked them about a replacement. They gave me a full refund instead, so here I am now, using my old 4830, confused which brand should I choose, as I will never ever buy ASUS stuff again (got a laptop made by them, have no probs with it, but it seems their warranty service is just awful).

I've been hesitating between the XFX (FX-795A-TDBC) and the GB (GV-R795WF3-3GD) version. The former would cost me around 323 bucks, the latter 342, but needless to say, I'm willing to pay a bit more for a guaranteed perfect product, and a decent warranty service.

A bit additional: I'm from Hungary, and I've been thinking about ordering it from overseas, but the additional VAT for shipping it to me would make it unreasonably pricy. However if anyone knows an European retail seller who would sell me the card cheaper and is more trustworthy, I'm open for any ideas (in the EU i don't have to pay any additional costs, but the shipping fee). In addition in my country, somehow, there is a disgusting practice by the shops: they take off the voucher, which AMD would give me (i mean the one which comes along with the never settle bundles) to sell them separately, which makes me thinking more about ordering it from abroad. I'd really love to get that voucher for this price.

tl;dr: I'd like to hear which brand you prefer, and where to buy it in the EU.


----------



## Notion

hi Guys / Gals

hope you all don't think this is off topic and sorry if it is deemed so..

i am looking for a water block to fit my Club3D KingRoyal 7950.. The Ek-fc7950 would fit with modification (not too keen to try it)

But i found this water block and wondering if anyone has the knowledge to know if it would fit my PCB.

This link shows an identical PCB and the method to converting the EK-FC7950. Link: http://www.overclock.net/t/1393276/modifying-an-ek-fc7950-to-fit-a-powercolor-hd7970-v3

My thinking is that the Swiftech Komodo HD7900 Full Cover Waterblock for Reference Design AMD 7950 Graphics Card : Copper Acetal has an adjustable part where you would have to cut out from the EK water block.. The only other concern is the cooling of the resister to the top front of the card.

Any advice or wisdom on this would be great...

Only issue with Ek water block is it has been discontinued and as rare as rocking horse poop to get hold of..

Thanks

Notion


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> New asus dc is good. Good cooler volts up to 1.4 and only 10 bucks over msrp


well the 7970 one was about that at launch, apart from the loose cooler screws, this the 280X or 290X?

seeing as people have been flashing to 280X without any hiccups so far, guess I could try flashing mine too, might even get something out of it...

edit; where can one find these BIOSs atm though? doesn't seem they are on techPowerUp yet...


----------



## JJ1217

Got my second 7950, a sapphire one to go with my asus 7950. Had to put the asus in the 1st pcie as I used two dvi monitors, and the sapphire only had 1 dvi port. I was worried about getting extreme temps with the dcii due to half a slot.. I was dead wrong. The card is purring quietly at almost the same temperatures (+5 degrees), despite only having slight breathing room. I guess the HAF X 200mm side fan helps it out there. The Sapphire card is also purring along nicely, extremely quiet, even quieter than the DC2 I daresay.

These cards destroy the GB 670 windforce cooler. When I had two 670's, they frequently hit 80 degrees each and were extremely loud. These cards are up there in the same performance but have 10 degrees less temps and are completely silent. I am completely surprised. The cards both get up to 90% usage each, and this is where my problem starts. When I see 90% usage, I check my CPU. Its hovering at around 50-70% (100% in C3) for most games. When I alt tab to give the process more priority, I notice that the second GPU DISABLES itself every time I alt tab. Any time I alt tab from a game, it drops from 90% usage to 0% usage. I searched the issue online and there are very few issues. Hoping its a driver issue. Will reinstall when I get back in three days. For the most part, I can definitely see the microstuttering. BF3 at 80 fps still feels like 40, but C3 is smooth as butter. Using 13.10.


----------



## NBAasDOGG

I flashes my hd7970 ref to à r9 280x ref with no succes.

You get a blackscreen on the boot


----------



## NBAasDOGG

HOLY SMOKES!

I flashed a old HD7950 to r9 280x bios, and it unlocked the shadars to 2048. Somehow the second card won't flash but the first one does work.


----------



## ebduncan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> HOLY SMOKES!
> 
> I flashed a old HD7950 to r9 280x bios, and it unlocked the shadars to 2048. Somehow the second card won't flash but the first one does work.


Interesting. Where you get the bios file from?

I might have to try this on my 7950's haha.


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Alright gens. Here i did some Heaven 4.0 benchmark with the HD7950, whish somehow shows 2048sp with the R9 280X bios.
The second card won't unlock so i did the benchmark with Crossfire disabled.

Stockclock: 800mhz
Overclocked to 1130mhz
Max temp 70C



I don't know what a real HD7970 scores on 1130, but it should be around 45 or something......no clue


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lyerit*
> 
> Hey guys!
> 
> I just recently joined OCN to ask one of the most bugging questions of mine: which brand you prefer the most?
> 
> Here goes my story: in August i bought a completely new setup (chieftec GPS 550w psu, AMD FX-8320, 16gigs of kingstons HyperX Blue, and an ASrock 970 Extrem 4 mobo), and along with it i bough an Asus HD7870. I spent weeks on reading articles and reviews about the card, and i've read about lots of problems (mostly BSOD) with most of the brands. Asus seemed to have less of these, and the cooling seemed nice and quiet, so i decided to buy it. Sadly enough mine was faulty, i thought about some power supply issues (though i didn't really had the time to OC it properly, i've been using the factory defaults) as it suddenly drawn wide vertical grey lines seperated by narrow black ones (but in the background anything i did went on). Needless to say, i returned (8 workdays after I bought it) for a warranty service, and I hoped they'll replace my card, but they didn't. They sent it for repair. 30 workdays after i gave them my card (and lots of e-mail exchanges with the shop), i went in, and asked them about a replacement. They gave me a full refund instead, so here I am now, using my old 4830, confused which brand should I choose, as I will never ever buy ASUS stuff again (got a laptop made by them, have no probs with it, but it seems their warranty service is just awful).
> 
> I've been hesitating between the XFX (FX-795A-TDBC) and the GB (GV-R795WF3-3GD) version. The former would cost me around 323 bucks, the latter 342, but needless to say, I'm willing to pay a bit more for a guaranteed perfect product, and a decent warranty service.
> 
> A bit additional: I'm from Hungary, and I've been thinking about ordering it from overseas, but the additional VAT for shipping it to me would make it unreasonably pricy. However if anyone knows an European retail seller who would sell me the card cheaper and is more trustworthy, I'm open for any ideas (in the EU i don't have to pay any additional costs, but the shipping fee). In addition in my country, somehow, there is a disgusting practice by the shops: they take off the voucher, which AMD would give me (i mean the one which comes along with the never settle bundles) to sell them separately, which makes me thinking more about ordering it from abroad. I'd really love to get that voucher for this price.
> 
> tl;dr: I'd like to hear which brand you prefer, and where to buy it in the EU.


Sapphire.


----------



## glenquagmire

Check to see if it's voltage locked...many 7950 are volt locked. Also check pcb....is it compatible with a water block.

My Windforce rev 2 are volt locked and are not compatible with water blocks. Someone said try a universal water block but I need some guidance on that.

I have two brand new gigabyte 7950 Windforce rev 2. They come out the box at 1000 core and 1250 memory. Easy to overclock. I like them. I haven't tried sapphire but I was considering the same as you.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Sapphire.


+1


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> HOLY SMOKES!
> 
> I flashed a old HD7950 to r9 280x bios, and it unlocked the shadars to 2048. Somehow the second card won't flash but the first one does work.


unlocked the shaders? that's curious, though if you get artifacts or crashing you'll have to flash it back due to bad shader cores...


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> unlocked the shaders? that's curious, though if you get artifacts or crashing you'll have to flash it back due to bad shader cores...


Here i did some Heaven 4.0 benchmark with the HD7950, whish somehow shows 2048sp with the R9 280X bios.
The second card won't unlock so i did the benchmark with Crossfire disabled.

Stockclock: 800mhz
Overclocked to 1130mhz
Max temp 70C


----------



## glenquagmire

why all of the sudden a 280X BIOS conversation for the past few days??? Is this a BIOS for Gigabyte 7950 as well?


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> Here i did some Heaven 4.0 benchmark with the HD7950, whish somehow shows 2048sp with the R9 280X bios.
> The second card won't unlock so i did the benchmark with Crossfire disabled.
> 
> Stockclock: 800mhz
> Overclocked to 1130mhz
> Max temp 70C


Nice score man. I just did Heaven with the same settings as you and got only 34.4... at 1130. What was your memory running at? Mine is only 1250


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Nice score man. I just did Heaven with the same settings as you and got only 34.4... at 1130. What was your memory running at? Mine is only 1250


Same here memory is on 1250 mhz.


----------



## sugarhell

Just test with the original bios and this bios on heaven. Do you have a bios switch right?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Got my second 7950, a sapphire one to go with my asus 7950. Had to put the asus in the 1st pcie as I used two dvi monitors, and the sapphire only had 1 dvi port. I was worried about getting extreme temps with the dcii due to half a slot.. I was dead wrong. The card is purring quietly at almost the same temperatures (+5 degrees), despite only having slight breathing room. I guess the HAF X 200mm side fan helps it out there. The Sapphire card is also purring along nicely, extremely quiet, even quieter than the DC2 I daresay.
> 
> These cards destroy the GB 670 windforce cooler. When I had two 670's, they frequently hit 80 degrees each and were extremely loud. These cards are up there in the same performance but have 10 degrees less temps and are completely silent. I am completely surprised. The cards both get up to 90% usage each, and this is where my problem starts. When I see 90% usage, I check my CPU. Its hovering at around 50-70% (100% in C3) for most games. When I alt tab to give the process more priority, I notice that the second GPU DISABLES itself every time I alt tab. Any time I alt tab from a game, it drops from 90% usage to 0% usage. I searched the issue online and there are very few issues. Hoping its a driver issue. Will reinstall when I get back in three days. For the most part, I can definitely see the microstuttering. BF3 at 80 fps still feels like 40, but C3 is smooth as butter. Using 13.10.


you're still using the i5?


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> why all of the sudden a 280X BIOS conversation for the past few days??? Is this a BIOS for Gigabyte 7950 as well?


You can try to flash to R9 280X but maybe it doesn't work.

I did flash 2x hd7950 oems to 280x. One of the card is unlocked to 2048sp, while the other turns into blackscreen! My other 2 reference hd7970 also turend into blackscreen


----------



## NBAasDOGG

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Just test with the original bios and this bios on heaven. Do you have a bios switch right?


I will post soon, but why does the second 7950 turns into blackscreen with the 280x bios?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> I will post soon, but why does the second 7950 turns into blackscreen with the 280x bios?


Maybe the extra shaders are unstable on that one?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> I will post soon, but why does the second 7950 turns into blackscreen with the 280x bios?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> Maybe the extra shaders are unstable on that one?


probably that, as for the 7970s I'm not too sure, different controllers?


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> Alright gens. Here i did some Heaven 4.0 benchmark with the HD7950, whish somehow shows 2048sp with the R9 280X bios.
> The second card won't unlock so i did the benchmark with Crossfire disabled.
> 
> Stockclock: 800mhz
> Overclocked to 1130mhz
> Max temp 70C
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know what a real HD7970 scores on 1130, but it should be around 45 or something......no clue


Compare This is my sapphire boost 7950 @ 1165/ 1300 mem



Never mind I just realized the resolution is different


----------



## Bartouille

Well I just flashed my Gigabyte 7950 rev 1.0 with ATI 290x bios and it didn't work. Black screen. Too bad


----------



## sugarhell

Ofc black screen they use different outputs...2 dvi 1 hdmi 1 dp


----------



## FuriousPop

to my shock, was looking around for a Asus 7970 Top card only to find that only 1 store is stocking it and at $542AUS!!!!

There goes my idea of a tri-fire.....

Or is there a chance i can get a matrix one and put that in or something else?

Idea is to eventually be running *eyefinity* 3x30', is it possible to have 2x7970 then something else as a 3rd card that doesn't match exactly the previous x2 for trifire? obviously trying to minimize headaches!


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Ofc black screen they use different outputs...2 dvi 1 hdmi 1 dp


Yea that might be the cause. I get the signal tho, but just a black screen. Didn't try HDMI or anything, I might give it another try when there's some bios with the same output as my card.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> to my shock, was looking around for a Asus 7970 Top card only to find that only 1 store is stocking it and at $542AUS!!!!
> 
> There goes my idea of a tri-fire.....
> 
> Or is there a chance i can get a matrix one and put that in or something else?
> 
> Idea is to eventually be running *eyefinity* 3x30', is it possible to have 2x7970 then something else as a 3rd card that doesn't match exactly the previous x2 for trifire? obviously trying to minimize headaches!


You can run any 7970s in Crossfire, or any 7900 series's in CrossfireX. Manufacturer and model don't matter as long as the GPUs themselves are the same; if running different GPUs, such as a 7970 and a 7950, all GPUs are locked to match the slowest.


----------



## Dogmatic34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> to my shock, was looking around for a Asus 7970 Top card only to find that only 1 store is stocking it and at $542AUS!!!!
> 
> There goes my idea of a tri-fire.....
> 
> Or is there a chance i can get a matrix one and put that in or something else?
> 
> Idea is to eventually be running *eyefinity* 3x30', is it possible to have 2x7970 then something else as a 3rd card that doesn't match exactly the previous x2 for trifire? obviously trying to minimize headaches!


Yeah, you can Crossfire 7970's with 7950's.


----------



## FuriousPop

Kool, thanks for that...

So putting a 7990 or a 7970 matrix - only downside is they will run at the slowest card being the current 7970 top's i have...

hhhmmmmm......

starting to think its not even worth it to go trifire then


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> Kool, thanks for that...
> 
> So putting a 7990 or a 7970 matrix - only downside is they will run at the slowest card being the current 7970 top's i have...
> 
> hhhmmmmm......
> 
> starting to think its not even worth it to go trifire then


It's worth it! Just overclock the slower ones?









I had a 6870 and a 6850 at one stage and the 6870 was clocked a bit higher (around 50MHz) - I Just bumped the frquency of the 6850 to the 6870's frequency and it worked a chram!

What are you using for cooling? Air or??


----------



## nvidiaftw12

I would not, not get a 7990. It would hold your 7970's back anyway.


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> It's worth it! Just overclock the slower ones?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had a 6870 and a 6850 at one stage and the 6870 was clocked a bit higher (around 50MHz) - I Just bumped the frquency of the 6850 to the 6870's frequency and it worked a chram!
> 
> What are you using for cooling? Air or??


Using Air in my Cosmos 2 Ultra case - current temps on BF3 @1600p - both cards stay in the high 50's to low 60's.








hhhmmmmmm..... some thinking about it indeed...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I would not, _not_ get a 7990. It would hold your 7970's back anyway.


thats good to know that this option is a no go OR more importantly not the best performance wise, since i don't plan to OC until at least looking into water cooling.
Thanks for that,


----------



## ebduncan

I just wanted to say you can have different levels of overclock in crossfire.

I have two 7950's in crossfire. Both are under water Top card runs at 1200mhz/1575 mem Bottom card runs at 1100/1575. You can set the overclock individually even in CCC. During benchmarks according to monitoring software the clocks are not matched.


----------



## Bartouille

Anyone have msi 280x gaming bios?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Anyone have msi 280x gaming bios?


idk *shrug*

all i know UK is realsing the 280x and below oct 11th. and it seems that the 280x is the same benchmark wise as 7970 for a cheaper price. so essentially its just Higher value, with manta & trueaudio =[
looks like nothing new. (yes u asked about bios but im just saying in general)

Edit:
As below gungnir corrected me, i guess 7xxx series does have mantle, i guess these 280x cards just seem more and more of a rebranding every second-___- this deppresses me quite some bit=/


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> all i know UK is realsing the 280x and below oct 11th. and it seems that the 280x is the same benchmark wise as 7970 for a cheaper price. so essentially its just Higher value, with manta & trueaudio =[
> looks like nothing new. (yes u asked about bios but im just saying in general)


The 7970 supports Mantle, too, and the 280X doesn't support TrueAudio.


----------



## Paul17041993

well with whats unfolded, the 280X is pretty much identical to the 7970, same die and everything, BUT, most cards are getting overhawled and guess what?

you can now run eyefinity without a displayport adapter










though all monitors need to be 100% identical, or at least the last two should be, the second clock gen is shared while still allowing 3 independant display outputs (of the same digital clocks)

I think I'll be getting the 280X DCII, I mean, not like I could loose anything from what I already have ey?


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



then I may return next year for the 290X or another 280X, under water


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lyerit*
> 
> Hey guys!
> 
> I just recently joined OCN to ask one of the most bugging questions of mine: which brand you prefer the most?
> 
> Here goes my story: in August i bought a completely new setup (chieftec GPS 550w psu, AMD FX-8320, 16gigs of kingstons HyperX Blue, and an ASrock 970 Extrem 4 mobo), and along with it i bough an Asus HD7870. I spent weeks on reading articles and reviews about the card, and i've read about lots of problems (mostly BSOD) with most of the brands. Asus seemed to have less of these, and the cooling seemed nice and quiet, so i decided to buy it. Sadly enough mine was faulty, i thought about some power supply issues (though i didn't really had the time to OC it properly, i've been using the factory defaults) as it suddenly drawn wide vertical grey lines seperated by narrow black ones (but in the background anything i did went on). Needless to say, i returned (8 workdays after I bought it) for a warranty service, and I hoped they'll replace my card, but they didn't. They sent it for repair. 30 workdays after i gave them my card (and lots of e-mail exchanges with the shop), i went in, and asked them about a replacement. They gave me a full refund instead, so here I am now, using my old 4830, confused which brand should I choose, as I will never ever buy ASUS stuff again (got a laptop made by them, have no probs with it, but it seems their warranty service is just awful).
> 
> I've been hesitating between the XFX (FX-795A-TDBC) and the GB (GV-R795WF3-3GD) version. The former would cost me around 323 bucks, the latter 342, but needless to say, I'm willing to pay a bit more for a guaranteed perfect product, and a decent warranty service.
> 
> A bit additional: I'm from Hungary, and I've been thinking about ordering it from overseas, but the additional VAT for shipping it to me would make it unreasonably pricy. However if anyone knows an European retail seller who would sell me the card cheaper and is more trustworthy, I'm open for any ideas (in the EU i don't have to pay any additional costs, but the shipping fee). In addition in my country, somehow, there is a disgusting practice by the shops: they take off the voucher, which AMD would give me (i mean the one which comes along with the never settle bundles) to sell them separately, which makes me thinking more about ordering it from abroad. I'd really love to get that voucher for this price.
> 
> tl;dr: I'd like to hear which brand you prefer, and where to buy it in the EU.


anything reference ~~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> hi Guys / Gals
> 
> hope you all don't think this is off topic and sorry if it is deemed so..
> 
> i am looking for a water block to fit my Club3D KingRoyal 7950.. The Ek-fc7950 would fit with modification (not too keen to try it)
> 
> But i found this water block and wondering if anyone has the knowledge to know if it would fit my PCB.
> 
> This link shows an identical PCB and the method to converting the EK-FC7950. Link: http://www.overclock.net/t/1393276/modifying-an-ek-fc7950-to-fit-a-powercolor-hd7970-v3
> 
> My thinking is that the Swiftech Komodo HD7900 Full Cover Waterblock for Reference Design AMD 7950 Graphics Card : Copper Acetal has an adjustable part where you would have to cut out from the EK water block.. The only other concern is the cooling of the resister to the top front of the card.
> 
> Any advice or wisdom on this would be great...
> 
> Only issue with Ek water block is it has been discontinued and as rare as rocking horse poop to get hold of..
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Notion


no it is not adjustable sorry. 99% sure my 7970 isnt but easy solution contact bramsli1 on ocn he works at swiftech gabe is not on the forums (Ocn ) -often
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> Got my second 7950, a sapphire one to go with my asus 7950. Had to put the asus in the 1st pcie as I used two dvi monitors, and the sapphire only had 1 dvi port. I was worried about getting extreme temps with the dcii due to half a slot.. I was dead wrong. The card is purring quietly at almost the same temperatures (+5 degrees), despite only having slight breathing room. I guess the HAF X 200mm side fan helps it out there. The Sapphire card is also purring along nicely, extremely quiet, even quieter than the DC2 I daresay.
> 
> These cards destroy the GB 670 windforce cooler. When I had two 670's, they frequently hit 80 degrees each and were extremely loud. These cards are up there in the same performance but have 10 degrees less temps and are completely silent. I am completely surprised. The cards both get up to 90% usage each, and this is where my problem starts. When I see 90% usage, I check my CPU. Its hovering at around 50-70% (100% in C3) for most games. When I alt tab to give the process more priority, I notice that the second GPU DISABLES itself every time I alt tab. Any time I alt tab from a game, it drops from 90% usage to 0% usage. I searched the issue online and there are very few issues. Hoping its a driver issue. Will reinstall when I get back in three days. For the most part, I can definitely see the microstuttering. BF3 at 80 fps still feels like 40, but C3 is smooth as butter. Using 13.10.


have to ask..... do you have ulps enabled? if so ... disable it
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NBAasDOGG*
> 
> HOLY SMOKES!
> 
> I flashed a old HD7950 to r9 280x bios, and it unlocked the shadars to 2048. Somehow the second card won't flash but the first one does work.


nice !~


----------



## Notion

Many thanks for the reply.. i will give him a message.

Cheers


----------



## Mega Man

np i just relized how that looks

bram is on ocn alot

gabe ( owner of swiftech ) is not on nearly as much !~ GL in your quest !~


----------



## hypespazm

got a few questions, recently built a new Rig for my girlfriend and its running a amd 6350 FX and a 7950, the other day while playing BF4 I realized that the CPU was hitting 100% on all cores... then I did the auto tune OC from ASUS and got it to go to 4.2 ghz now the processor is at aroun 85-90% load. Should I be worried about a potential bottleneck and lost in performance? and also is there room for overclocking the Video card, at the moment Im a mainly Intel and nvidia guy not too sure what can be done with the hardware


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> got a few questions, recently built a new Rig for my girlfriend and its running a amd 6350 FX and a 7950, the other day while playing BF4 I realized that the CPU was hitting 100% on all cores... then I did the auto tune OC from ASUS and got it to go to 4.2 ghz now the processor is at aroun 85-90% load. Should I be worried about a potential bottleneck and lost in performance? and also is there room for overclocking the Video card, at the moment Im a mainly Intel and nvidia guy not too sure what can be done with the hardware


i'd keep the gpu at stock and oc the cpu more based on your findings. i recommend 4.5 - 4.7GHz.


----------



## gkolarov

What is the load on the GPU ? We have made a table with results in Cinebench R15 in our local forum, i don't know how accurate it is about CPU utilization in games, but may be helpful


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Check to see if it's voltage locked...many 7950 are volt locked. Also check pcb....is it compatible with a water block.
> 
> My Windforce rev 2 are volt locked and are not compatible with water blocks. Someone said try a universal water block but I need some guidance on that.
> 
> I have two brand new gigabyte 7950 Windforce rev 2. They come out the box at 1000 core and 1250 memory. Easy to overclock. I like them. I haven't tried sapphire but I was considering the same as you.


Hey i have 3x rev 2 7950s wf3s and they are all unlocked after using that bios mod tool. pm me if you need instructions on how to use it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> +1


+2 i love my sapphires and they all meet mid range overclocking at the least as well as are unlocked core and mem voltage... no throttling and run the coolest of all of my 7950s








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gkolarov*
> 
> What is the load on the GPU ? We have made a table with results in Cinebench R15 in our local forum, i don't know how accurate it is about CPU utilization in games, but may be helpful


"1123 Intel Core i7 970" is beating 3770ks..... lol i love this new cinebench


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> got a few questions, recently built a new Rig for my girlfriend and its running a amd 6350 FX and a 7950, the other day while playing BF4 I realized that the CPU was hitting 100% on all cores... then I did the auto tune OC from ASUS and got it to go to 4.2 ghz now the processor is at aroun 85-90% load. Should I be worried about a potential bottleneck and lost in performance? and also is there room for overclocking the Video card, at the moment Im a mainly Intel and nvidia guy not too sure what can be done with the hardware


I'd go as high as you can go stably on the cpu ...but use the bios to overclock it and just bump the multi and voltage untill you get 4.5-4.8 ghz stable. Watch your temps as the fx chips are maxed out at 62c-63c I believe.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i'd keep the gpu at stock and oc the cpu more based on your findings. i recommend 4.5 - 4.7GHz.


^^^ this should be possible with a mid range cooler for bf3 and c3 ect gaming in general.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Hey i have 3x rev 2 7950s wf3s and they are all unlocked after using that bios mod tool. pm me if you need instructions on how to use it.
> +2 i love my sapphires and they all meet mid range overclocking at the least as well as are unlocked core and mem voltage... no throttling and run the coolest of all of my 7950s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> "1123Intel Core i7 970" is beating 3770ks..... lol i love this new cinebench


IKR!
Right now I still have a sapphire 5830 and a 6790 they can take a beating and if the 7950 or 7970 were available I would have bought sapphire too,Ironicly though I found out that the 7970s were back after two weeks of building my rig


----------



## kahboom

Beta 13.11 is a keeper if you ask me,

Previous score 14683 on 3DMark11 performance 13.10 Beta 2
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7274110

Current score 15558 on 3DMark11 performance 13.11 Beta 1 Graphics score jumped 2K
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7287819

Msi HD 7950's crossfire 1200/1600


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> Beta 13.11 is a keeper if you ask me,
> 
> Previous score 14683 on 3DMark11 performance 13.10 Beta 2
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7274110
> 
> Current score 15558 on 3DMark11 performance 13.11 Beta 1 Graphics score jumped 2K
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7287819
> 
> Msi HD 7950's crossfire 1200/1600


does it play BF4 (beta) as good as 13.10, though.


----------



## kahboom

I don't know i haven't played BF4 beta, i gained 2k in 3DMark11 and in the new 3DMark as well, Maybe they have a better profile for crossfire now, re-ran just to confirm, http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288062 Its the same, i will have to try BF4 beta this weekend to see how it is, any boost is nice, i would like to see triple or quad systems and see what kind of gains they are getting.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> I don't know i haven't played BF4 beta, i gained 2k in 3DMark11 and in the new 3DMark as well, Maybe they have a better profile for crossfire now, re-ran just to confirm, http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288062 Its the same, i will have to try BF4 beta this weekend to see how it is, any boost is nice, i would like to see triple or quad systems and see what kind of gains they are getting.


hell, i am installing 13.11 and try BF4. Do you mind doing a single run? Thanks.


----------



## kahboom

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288171 Single card 3DMark11 with 13.11 Beta 1 drivers


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288171 Single card 3DMark11 with 13.11 Beta 1 drivers


7950 at 7970 GHz speeds

Before

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5601273

After

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288276








Nice score BTW and thanks again. now, unto BF4.


----------



## glenquagmire

Did you flash a new bios for the 7950 gpu? Is this compatible with gigabyte Windforce 7950 rev 2?


----------



## process

gigabyte 7970ghz ed / fx8350 @ 4.7ghz

before
http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/CompAndBenches/47-60-70at2133.jpg.html

after
http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/CompAndBenches/60-70-2133.jpg.html


----------



## ArbyWan

Going to be pulling the trigger on this as soon as I sell off my Laptop. Also since I just Pre-Ordered BF4 I need to sell off my HD7770 Ghz Edition as I will need something stronger than a 1Gig Semi-Low end card.

But now that the Rx Series is around the corner I am hesitant.

What would you guys do? Wait for the new generation or just go with the Matrix 7970?

I plan on doing a CrossFire setup down the road but will only be able to afford one card at the moment.

Cheers everyone, and sorry to threadjack









ArbyWan


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> gigabyte 7970ghz ed / fx8350 @ 4.7ghz
> 
> before
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/CompAndBenches/47-60-70at2133.jpg.html
> 
> after
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/CompAndBenches/60-70-2133.jpg.html


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211670


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211670


grrr! Big clocking your end oh
ghz ed is voltage locked so get a mere 60/70mhz clock

gpu & cpu water cooled?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> grrr! Big clocking your end oh
> ghz ed is voltage locked so get a mere 60/70mhz clock
> 
> gpu & cpu water cooled?


Yes my PC is fully watercooled


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArbyWan*
> 
> Going to be pulling the trigger on this as soon as I sell off my Laptop. Also since I just Pre-Ordered BF4 I need to sell off my HD7770 Ghz Edition as I will need something stronger than a 1Gig Semi-Low end card.
> 
> But now that the Rx Series is around the corner I am hesitant.
> 
> What would you guys do? Wait for the new generation or just go with the Matrix 7970?
> 
> I plan on doing a CrossFire setup down the road but will only be able to afford one card at the moment.
> 
> Cheers everyone, and sorry to threadjack
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ArbyWan


the 290 will be about that in a few months. that takes up 3 slots, so unless you'll watercool, you need to check your mobo arrangement.

if you can't wait, just get 2 7950s.for cheap and get 6 games.

edit: if with your thuban, it will bottleneck 2 7950s. the 8300 will help but needs to be oc'ed high.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> got a few questions, recently built a new Rig for my girlfriend and its running a amd 6350 FX and a 7950, the other day while playing BF4 I realized that the CPU was hitting 100% on all cores... then I did the auto tune OC from ASUS and got it to go to 4.2 ghz now the processor is at aroun 85-90% load. Should I be worried about a potential bottleneck and lost in performance? and also is there room for overclocking the Video card, at the moment Im a mainly Intel and nvidia guy not too sure what can be done with the hardware


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i'd keep the gpu at stock and oc the cpu more based on your findings. i recommend 4.5 - 4.7GHz.


pretty much keep everything regular, the game is only BETA it isnt optmized at all.
your cpu is actually the recommended that BF4 asks for, i however have fx4300..and get 100% load on that game...BS idk why i got 4300..im so stupid..i shoulda just gotten i5-___- all i did was like 4core=4 core 100bucks<200 = fx4300 LOL noob moment of my life smh


----------



## Paul17041993

unsurprisingly, code 43 (hardware fail) when flashing my card to 280X, rules out bonus cash for selling...









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArbyWan*
> 
> Going to be pulling the trigger on this as soon as I sell off my Laptop. Also since I just Pre-Ordered BF4 I need to sell off my HD7770 Ghz Edition as I will need something stronger than a 1Gig Semi-Low end card.
> 
> But now that the Rx Series is around the corner I am hesitant.
> 
> What would you guys do? Wait for the new generation or just go with the Matrix 7970?
> 
> I plan on doing a CrossFire setup down the road but will only be able to afford one card at the moment.
> 
> Cheers everyone, and sorry to threadjack
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ArbyWan


willing to waste that much money on a gimmic card? IMO wait for the 280X, the DCII (280X, avoid the 7970 version) seems to be the best choice over the other custom 7970s, haven't seen much of the newer VaporX yet though...


----------



## Recr3ational

Guys
Why the hell is it when i look on any monitoring software, my second card says " Standard VGA Adapter" but my top card is perfectly fine? Also i can't overclock it or do anything with it..
I tried reinstall CCC etc. No luck


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Guys
> Why the hell is it when i look on any monitoring software, my second card says " Standard VGA Adapter" but my top card is perfectly fine? Also i can't overclock it or do anything with it..
> I tried reinstall CCC etc. No luck


uh, you in crossfire? it sounds like the card isn't being recognized at all...


----------



## Recr3ational

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> uh, you in crossfire? it sounds like the card isn't being recognized at all...


yes sir,
I was thinking exactly the same. I am in crossfire.
I managed to have the name to pup up but this happens.
The left one is my second card, Right one is my working one, i pressed reset to stop an confusions.



Just realised to cant see it, but if you look closely i have no values on my second card (LEFT)


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArbyWan*
> 
> Going to be pulling the trigger on this as soon as I sell off my Laptop. Also since I just Pre-Ordered BF4 I need to sell off my HD7770 Ghz Edition as I will need something stronger than a 1Gig Semi-Low end card.
> 
> But now that the Rx Series is around the corner I am hesitant.
> 
> What would you guys do? Wait for the new generation or just go with the Matrix 7970?
> 
> I plan on doing a CrossFire setup down the road but will only be able to afford one card at the moment.
> 
> Cheers everyone, and sorry to threadjack
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ArbyWan


plz dont apologize i would stay away from asus 79xx cards, too many experienced ppl have bad results, granted a small handful do have good results.

mostly asus cards are gimmicks ( IE a billion vrms ect ... ), the reference card has the best results oc wise
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> pretty much keep everything regular, the game is only BETA it isnt optmized at all.
> your cpu is actually the recommended that BF4 asks for, i however have fx4300..and get 100% load on that game...BS idk why i got 4300..im so stupid..i shoulda just gotten i5-___- all i did was like 4core=4 core 100bucks<200 = fx4300 LOL noob moment of my life smh


meh get a 83xx and you will like it more!~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Recr3ational*
> 
> Guys
> Why the hell is it when i look on any monitoring software, my second card says " Standard VGA Adapter" but my top card is perfectly fine? Also i can't overclock it or do anything with it..
> I tried reinstall CCC etc. No luck


did you disable ulps ?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kahboom*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288171 Single card 3DMark11 with 13.11 Beta 1 drivers


kahboom!

BF4 Beta approved. 1080 Ultra and 4MSAA. 7950 stock/i7 4.5



dips to 30s but smooth. this game is like C3.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> plz dont apologize i would stay away from asus 79xx cards, too many experienced ppl have bad results, granted a small handful do have good results.
> 
> mostly asus cards are gimmicks ( IE a billion vrms ect ... ), the reference card has the best results oc wise
> meh get a 83xx and you will like it more!~
> did you disable ulps ?


yeah your prolly right, 8350 may be good for me, =/ I just wish 4300 did not bottle neck my 7950 =/ but it seems to be the case with these new games =/
I am just holding out to see if maybe on blackfriday i can get a good deal with 290x and an 8350 who knows I might get lucky.

but im curious, I had a 1440p korean monitor, sold it to my friend have a regular 60htz 1080p 23" would a 290x possibly be useless? or would it benifit if I just use vsync and stuff.

grr decisions decisions decisions


----------



## hypespazm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> yeah your prolly right, 8350 may be good for me, =/ I just wish 4300 did not bottle neck my 7950 =/ but it seems to be the case with these new games =/
> I am just holding out to see if maybe on blackfriday i can get a good deal with 290x and an 8350 who knows I might get lucky.
> 
> but im curious, I had a 1440p korean monitor, sold it to my friend have a regular 60htz 1080p 23" would a 290x possibly be useless? or would it benifit if I just use vsync and stuff.
> 
> grr decisions decisions decisions


... You will be fne with a60HZ monitor. Trust me. aslong as you can get an overclock on the monitor...

On another note.. Would you guys recommend flashing that new bios from the new R series onto the 7970///

one more thing.. how far can I overclock the 6350 on a stock cooler??


----------



## inedenimadam

Just picked up a TFiii from Microcenter for a touch under $300.00 after taxes. 71.7 quality 1050/1375 1.106v (undervolted)

I am on 13.10 with windows 8.1. Any benefit from 13.11?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> ... You will be fne with a60HZ monitor. Trust me. aslong as you can get an overclock on the monitor...
> 
> On another note.. Would you guys recommend flashing that new bios from the new R series onto the 7970///
> 
> one more thing.. how far can I overclock the 6350 on a stock cooler??


probably not far.... i dont know though about 63xx but 83xx ~ 4.1,4.2 ish , if lucky ~ 4.4
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Just picked up a TFiii from Microcenter for a touch under $300.00 after taxes. 71.7 quality 1050/1375 1.106v (undervolted)
> 
> I am on 13.10 with windows 8.1. Any benefit from 13.11?


ppl seem to like 13.11 better


----------



## hypespazm

So I have sapphire 7950, If I was to flash the new R9 bios or R8 bios which ever one that is supposed to go with my card. should I see a big difference in performance...Like earlier this guys said that he unlocked Stream processors I am curious as to if this is possible. I really want to get most out of this system.. I already have the 6350 and I was worried that it wasnt going to be enough for next generation of gaming let me know what you guys think . and if you know how to flash the bios it would be great as well


----------



## Remix65

i gave up on trying to do 5x1. my light research shows that i have to have one card handle all 5 monitors. most of the 7970's and 7950's only do 4 monitors max. i've tried a whole bunch of 7970's sapphire, xfx and gave up because i didn't like things about them. i think i'll just stick to these reference dual 7950's.
i'll live with 3x1 eyefinity in windowed mode. crossfire disables my other monitors on the other card and i can't afford my other monitors to be off cause i game in btwn work which depends on email so i'm forced to turn down settings using only one card.

so i really have dual 7950's for nothing. i could have gone for a 7970 and a another lesser card for multimonitor purposes.

oh well...


----------



## process

ouch...hope this wont be the case for me...I got another 2 7970s coming and really want to maintain my 3x1 eyefinity


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> ouch...hope this wont be the case for me...I got another 2 7970s coming and really want to maintain my 3x1 eyefinity


i've used 3x1 for years without a hiccup (5600, 6870, 6970)
more than when i got into the 6-7 is when i get problems. after reboot i have to rearrange the monitors...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> i gave up on trying to do 5x1. my light research shows that i have to have one card handle all 5 monitors. most of the 7970's and 7950's only do 4 monitors max. i've tried a whole bunch of 7970's sapphire, xfx and gave up because i didn't like things about them. i think i'll just stick to these reference dual 7950's.
> i'll live with 3x1 eyefinity in windowed mode. crossfire disables my other monitors on the other card and i can't afford my other monitors to be off cause i game in btwn work which depends on email so i'm forced to turn down settings using only one card.
> 
> so i really have dual 7950's for nothing. i could have gone for a 7970 and a another lesser card for multimonitor purposes.
> 
> oh well...


yes I'm pretty sure I said you need 3-6 monitors that are the same, and any more then you can plug into the ports, need displayport splitters.

want a diagram...?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> i've used 3x1 for years without a hiccup (5600, 6870, 6970)
> more than when i got into the 6-7 is when i get problems. after reboot i have to rearrange the monitors...


and more then 6 is completely unsupported, you'll need a fire card for that.


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yes I'm pretty sure I said you need 3-6 monitors that are the same, and any more then you can plug into the ports, need displayport splitters.
> 
> want a diagram...?
> and more then 6 is completely unsupported, you'll need a fire card for that.


all i wanted was 5x1. i can hook up 2 to my igpu.
i thought since each card has 4 outputs i had 8 to work with and use 5 of the 8 for 5x1 eyefinity.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> all i wanted was 5x1. i can hook up 2 to my igpu.
> i thought since each card has 4 outputs i had 8 to work with and use 5 of the 8 for 5x1 eyefinity.


no, drivers don't work like that unfortunately, this isn't nvidia...

all frame buffers are sent to the main card in crossfire, so _all_ displays must hook up to this, any displays elsewhere will likely break the array due to how eyefinity works, it combines the array to a single surface of which every display in the array must fit in 100%.

which yes, that means its only one buffer per frame, screens are not rendered individually.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> no, drivers don't work like that unfortunately, this isn't nvidia...
> 
> all frame buffers are sent to the main card in crossfire, so _all_ displays must hook up to this, any displays elsewhere will likely break the array due to how eyefinity works, it combines the array to a single surface of which every display in the array must fit in 100%.
> 
> which yes, that means its only one buffer per frame, screens are not rendered individually.


Pretty sure there is a hack that will allow you to use multiple displays, thing is it breaks CFX though..

BUT you can use say a cheap/used 5650 or similar alongside your other GPU's


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Pretty sure there is a hack that will allow you to use multiple displays, thing is it breaks CFX though..
> 
> BUT you can use say a cheap/used 5650 or similar alongside your other GPU's


breaking crossfire in some way would be expected cause your changing the buffer system, its designed for one single buffer, not multiple.

the intel gpu could still possibly run the extra screens though, I'm just not sure if the AMD drivers will be able to set the eyefinity array correctly while they are there, I also wouldn't recommend having a 5650 in there as the drivers could conflict...
(I used to have a 9550 and HD 4350 on a Pentium 4 rig, running 4 CRT monitors, it worked but was a pain to get the drivers to cooperate...)


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> plz dont apologize i would stay away from asus 79xx cards, too many experienced ppl have bad results, granted a small handful do have good results.
> 
> mostly asus cards are gimmicks ( IE a billion vrms ect ... ), the reference card has the best results oc wise


I respect your opinion, but, I didn't have any coil whine whatsoever with those " gimmick" cards. Funny thing is every single reference card I've had did. Asus Dc2 12 phase and Matrix 20 phase is much better, the components they use are far superior to reference and will last longer. Extra power phases equals cleaner power. Take a look at motherboards. Would you oc on a 6 + 2 mobo or would you/ do you oc on a 12+2 mobo. That should put it into some perspective. I remember when extra power phases where called gimmicks on mobo's. Now every oc'ing board worth it's salt seem to add more every year.
I don't here anyone calling the extra power phases or features on Lightnings a gimmick.

Asus hate for the sake of 2 or 3 people.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I respect your opinion, but, I didn't have any coil whine whatsoever with those " gimmick" cards. Funny thing is every single reference card I've had did. Asus Dc2 12 phase and Matrix 20 phase is much better, the components they use are far superior to reference and will last longer. Extra power phases equals cleaner power. Take a look at motherboards. Would you oc on a 6 + 2 mobo or would you/ do you oc on a 12+2 mobo. That should put it into some perspective. I remember when extra power phases where called gimmicks on mobo's. Now every oc'ing board worth it's salt seem to add more every year.
> I don't here anyone calling the extra power phases or features on Lightnings a gimmick.
> 
> Asus hate for the sake of 2 or 3 people.


fun fact, the crosshair V has only 8+2 phases, beats a 12+2 phase board, and the phases on the asus cards are generally much lower capacity and less efficient, but its not the phases we have the problem with when overclocking, its the PCB and controllers...

the 280X DCII though looks like they have fixed their flaws, seems to have great stock clocks and 1.4V support off the bat... (FYI it uses a PCB very close to reference design, unlike the 7970DCII)

the "DCII V2" and Matrix ones are the rebadges though, avoid them...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> fun fact, the crosshair V has only 8+2 phases, beats a 12+2 phase board, and the phases on the asus cards are generally much lower capacity and less efficient, but its not the phases we have the problem with when overclocking, its the PCB and controllers...
> 
> the 280X DCII though looks like they have fixed their flaws, seems to have great stock clocks and 1.4V support off the bat... (FYI it uses a PCB very close to reference design, unlike the 7970DCII)
> 
> the "DCII V2" and Matrix ones are the rebadges though, avoid them...


Dont fight with this guy. He just believes everything gimmick. "Asus Dc2 12 phase and Matrix 20 phase is much better, the components they use are far superior to reference and will last longer. Extra power phases equals cleaner power. Take a look at motherboards. ".

Reference can go up to 1.5 volt.Personal experience. So a normal user believes that asus gives him better what overclocking over a ref? Only at 1.38 volt? I can use 1.5 volt easily on a ref pcb with just an ocp mod.

Lightning is THE card for ln2. Matrix is the card for nothing.Its not better than a ref caard its not better for ln2 than a lightning. Fails everywhere


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Reference can go up to 1.5 volt.Personal experience. So a normal user believes that asus gives him better what overclocking over a ref? Only at 1.38 volt? I can use 1.5 volt easily on a ref pcb with just an ocp mod.
> 
> Lightning is THE card for ln2. Matrix is the card for nothing.Its not better than a ref caard its not better for ln2 than a lightning. Fails everywhere


of course, though I generally meant that the card will support 1.4V without having to enable any settings or patches etc, though this is for GPUTweak, whether said program has been fixed to work correctly or not is another story...

and yea, the lightning is the boss, not particularly worth the cost for standard overclocking, but is the record holder for sub-zero...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yes I'm pretty sure I said you need 3-6 monitors that are the same, and any more then you can plug into the ports, need displayport splitters.
> 
> want a diagram...?
> and more then 6 is completely unsupported, you'll need a fire card for that.


no you just need to get ahold of some mst hubs (club3d) which are uk only and i have found no way to get them to the us without having a friend import them for you
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Dont fight with this guy. He just believes everything gimmick. "Asus Dc2 12 phase and Matrix 20 phase is much better, the components they use are far superior to reference and will last longer. Extra power phases equals cleaner power. Take a look at motherboards. ".
> 
> Reference can go up to 1.5 volt.Personal experience. So a normal user believes that asus gives him better what overclocking over a ref? Only at 1.38 volt? I can use 1.5 volt easily on a ref pcb with just an ocp mod.
> 
> Lightning is THE card for ln2. Matrix is the card for nothing.Its not better than a ref caard its not better for ln2 than a lightning. Fails everywhere












he has used.... well most every card out there ( sugar ) and knows his stuffs


----------



## sugarhell

^No i hate custom pcbs. After sapphire changed their dual-x to a custom pcb its a pain for me to find good ref. Once i used a boost card. That was crap. But its easy to fix it

I never had an asus dc or vapor-x or xfx with custom pcb









http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/sapphire-r9-280x-toxic-edition-oc-3gb-review/

This card looks interesting tho.Anyone wants 780 performance for 350 bucks?


----------



## Paul17041993

with the 400 buck price tag (AUD), these refresh cards (the new ones that is, not the rebadges) seem pretty worth it, especially for 3 monitors as they don't need an active adapter anymore, I'm definitely getting the 280X DCII, but later on when I have a bit more money after the 700 bucks on 3 screens + bracket, I'll be getting a reference 290X and a full water loop.

these stock memory clocks are quite exotic though, memory at 1600 is pretty impressive for stock, I wonder if they changed their choice of ICs...


----------



## ArbyWan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the 290 will be about that in a few months. that takes up 3 slots, so unless you'll watercool, you need to check your mobo arrangement.
> 
> if you can't wait, just get 2 7950s.for cheap and get 6 games.
> 
> edit: if with your thuban, it will bottleneck 2 7950s. the 8300 will help but needs to be oc'ed high.


Well I do plan to do Water Cooling, and currently am using a Phenom II x6 so my CPU will need a upgrade at some point soon. I do have it OC'd to 3.9Ghz and can go higher but figured that was a decent bump from 2.8Ghz.

My Mobo has room for the 3 slot cards so that's not an issue.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> unsurprisingly, code 43 (hardware fail) when flashing my card to 280X, rules out bonus cash for selling...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> willing to waste that much money on a gimmic card? IMO wait for the 280X, the DCII (280X, avoid the 7970 version) seems to be the best choice over the other custom 7970s, haven't seen much of the newer VaporX yet though...


Well that is why I asked first







because I knew that there would be better suggestions for me to look at.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> plz dont apologize i would stay away from asus 79xx cards, too many experienced ppl have bad results, granted a small handful do have good results.
> 
> mostly asus cards are gimmicks ( IE a billion vrms ect ... ), the reference card has the best results oc wise
> meh get a 83xx and you will like it more!~
> did you disable ulps ?










Can't help it man, I'm a Canadian lol.

So it seems the general consensus is to steer clear of the 7970's, or if i do opt in for one then to aim for something like MSI or Sapphire, that sound about right?

Thanks for the great info guys,

ArbyWan


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> i gave up on trying to do 5x1. my light research shows that i have to have one card handle all 5 monitors. most of the 7970's and 7950's only do 4 monitors max. i've tried a whole bunch of 7970's sapphire, xfx and gave up because i didn't like things about them. i think i'll just stick to these reference dual 7950's.
> i'll live with 3x1 eyefinity in windowed mode. crossfire disables my other monitors on the other card and i can't afford my other monitors to be off cause i game in btwn work which depends on email so i'm forced to turn down settings using only one card.
> 
> so i really have dual 7950's for nothing. i could have gone for a 7970 and a another lesser card for multimonitor purposes.
> 
> oh well...


sapphire flex 7950s(not sure if there is a 7970) are good cheap 5 monitor cards (not 100% as i've only ran 3 so any confirmation would be great)


----------



## Darklyric

*Fixed*, the last step didnt want to copy paste on my phone







as per request from glenquagmire


Spoiler: Bios Flashing Guide!



I'm not responsible for an incorrect flash and either way you have your original bios to reflash.

1) you will need a fat 32 flashdrive the smaller ones like 8 gb seem to work better for me. Please take everything off of it and back it up as it will be wiped

2)HPflashdriver formater http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool.shtml

3)Boot files to make this flash drive boot-able in DOS
(I'm assuming your motherboard can boot from a flashdrive)http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/46707-ms-dos-bootable-flash-drive-create.html -this is also a guide on how to reformat your flashdrive with the bootfiles and has pics to thumb.gif

4)gpu-z ( which you have) for saving the original bios from the bad card just incase the flash goes wrong.

5) MAKE SURE YOU Save YOUR ORIGINAL BIOS for the bad card and the good card and label them accordingly on your harddrive. no copy the one from your good card and name it something easy "bios.rom" and put it on the formatted flashdrive

6) Now download atiflash 4.07 ( i just used this the other day and it worked fine on a 79xx card and then unzip it and put it on the flashdrive http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2230/atiflash-4-07/

7) now Pull the good card out of your system completely (not necessary but i always do anyway) and move the other one to your first pci-e x16 slot

8) now just to make sure its not seeing another gpu for some odd reason and your flashing the right one type in the code below and it should show your gpu location " 0 " and the device id ect and no other devices
9)Now for the flashing. the code to see location ect is
Code:

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -f -p 0 newbios.bin

and the " -f " is the flash command and the " -p 0 " is the location its flashing to and the " newbios.bin " is the one you copied from the first card and renamed. btw .bin vs .rom should be the same and either file type should work. I've just always used .rom.
Code:

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -f -p 0 newbios.bin





Some of this wont apply to you as i wrote it out for a guy that was having c3 issues with one card and not another.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArbyWan*
> 
> Well I do plan to do Water Cooling, and currently am using a Phenom II x6 so my CPU will need a upgrade at some point soon. I do have it OC'd to 3.9Ghz and can go higher but figured that was a decent bump from 2.8Ghz.
> 
> My Mobo has room for the 3 slot cards so that's not an issue.
> Well that is why I asked first
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> because I knew that there would be better suggestions for me to look at.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can't help it man, I'm a Canadian lol.
> 
> So it seems the general consensus is to steer clear of the 7970's, or if i do opt in for one then to aim for something like MSI or Sapphire, that sound about right?
> 
> Thanks for the great info guys,
> 
> ArbyWan


i am estimating the 290 to be around as fast as 2 7950s. i'd just wait for the reviews here in ocn. sell the laptop and lower your settings in BF4 for the the 7770. i expect the thuban to bottleneck the 290 for sure. i had the 7970 with my thuban a 4GHz and was able to max out BF3 MP 64 just fine but the 290 is a different animal.


----------



## Darklyric

yea its more on the lines of a 780 from rumors i've seen and if only thubans could oc higher.... i want a higher leakage thuban 1110T lol that hits 5 ghz on 8 cores


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> ... You will be fne with a60HZ monitor. Trust me. aslong as you can get an overclock on the monitor...
> 
> On another note.. Would you guys recommend flashing that new bios from the new R series onto the 7970///
> 
> one more thing.. how far can I overclock the 6350 on a stock cooler??


No i cant overclock my monitor -___- if i could i wouldnt be complaining LOL

and yes you can overclock it, but not as high as it can go!
your 6300 is same as my 4300 it runs really cool.

u can hit 4.4 piece of cake


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> yea its more on the lines of a 780 from rumors i've seen and if only thubans could oc higher.... i want a higher leakage thuban 1110T lol that hits 5 ghz on 8 cores


my thuban can game at 4.3 but dang it is hot but still i would not crossfire 7900 seires with this. at BF3 MP 64 maxed at 1080, only got like 80% CPU usage paired with the 7970, which pushed it to 99% at only 4GHz.


----------



## ArbyWan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i am estimating the 290 to be around as fast as 2 7950s. i'd just wait for the reviews here in ocn. sell the laptop and lower your settings in BF4 for the the 7770. i expect the thurban to bottleneck the 290 for sure. i had the 7970 with my thurban a 4GHz and was able to max out BF3 MP 64 just fine but the 290 is a different animal.


Good idea, the money from the Laptop I am just going to set aside until we get some info on the new cards. So I guess it is just going to be Medium settings in BF4 for now









Haven't done any OC's on my HD7770, but now might be the time to try and see just where I can take it to, although it is the Ghz Edition so it might not be much more I am afraid.

Will jump over to an HD7770 thread and see what others have been able to get to and what kind of performance increases I'd be looking at.

ArbyWan


----------



## glenquagmire

Hugs and kisses


----------



## ArbyWan

Also just spotted this, it is a pre-order, but does give a date of when it will be available and some price points that I am sure are going to change.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ArbyWan*
> 
> Also just spotted this, it is a pre-order, but does give a date of when it will be available and some price points that I am sure are going to change.


man, that is cheaper than the older version - 7970. it could be voltage locked but at 1100 core, who cares? unless you're a bencher.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6528790


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Hugs and kisses


I fixed that guide... the last step with the commands to flash didnt want to copy paste on my cell


----------



## ArbyWan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> man, that is cheaper than the older version - 7970. it could be voltage locked but at 1100 core, who cares? unless you're a bencher.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6528790


I know right? Will hold off on buying a card if they are going to stay at that price point, and maybe we get a BIOS that unlocks VRM's if they are indeed locked down.

The Sapphire Toxic looks pretty cool, little bright/loud though


----------



## loube

Hello all, been a lurker on this thread for sometime and hope someone can help

I have a SAPPHIRE 100351SR Radeon HD 7970 with boost it has 2 8pin power connectors

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814202008

I opened my bios in VBE7 and am not sure what to do with overdrive and powertune. Can anyone help give me some pointers? TIA


----------



## SavageBrat

Hi All, sorry long time lurker..was goofing off last night a spell..playing with my lightning,haven't oc my cpu yet but the first 2 pic at stock and the last 2 are were I ended with no voltage tweaking.

 

finished..


----------



## diggiddi

Savage max out your power limit it should help increase your OC


----------



## loube

What is the max on the power limit? If I change the TDP Limit to %50 and or change the powertune Power limit to 320w is that the max?


----------



## SavageBrat

Thanks, I was just playing going to start working on my cpu oc tomorrow, then do my video card..


----------



## diggiddi

You can either increase it to 50% or slide it over in Afterburner


----------



## process

Got a gigabyte 7970 ghz ed and getting 2 other 7970s. One XFX and 1 msi reference...

Think the first task is to get a trifire setup on a single monitor... over/underclock to gain stability... if not maybe some bios flashing (never done it on a gpu before oh) & then fingers crossed theyll smoothly operate under eyefinity..

question is...will a Corshair 850 TX manage this load?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Got a gigabyte 7970 ghz ed and getting 2 other 7970s. One XFX and 1 msi reference...
> 
> Think the first task is to get a trifire setup on a single monitor... over/underclock to gain stability... if not maybe some bios flashing (never done it on a gpu before oh) & then fingers crossed theyll smoothly operate under eyefinity..
> 
> question is...will a Corshair 850 TX manage this load?


Make sure you make backups of everything and when you create backups make two-three copies of them with GPU-Z across every single HDD you own...

I recently had an issue of putting a BIOS onto my 7950's that wasn't stable.. So I went back to the previous ones... I fully bricked them up that time...

The backup was corrupt and was flashing nothing to them! I had $300 paperweights... So I remembered I'd made a secondary backup which wasn't corrupt!


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> ^No i hate custom pcbs. After sapphire changed their dual-x to a custom pcb its a pain for me to find good ref. Once i used a boost card. That was crap. But its easy to fix it
> 
> I never had an asus dc or vapor-x or xfx with custom pcb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/sapphire-r9-280x-toxic-edition-oc-3gb-review/
> 
> This card looks interesting tho.Anyone wants 780 performance for 350 bucks?


Looks great!

By the way, a friend got two ghz ed giga 7970 windforce oc cards...they have lots of issues (I'm guessing it's the ghz ed bios)
Tried flashing using atiwinflash but it didn't improve much, and voltage is still locked at 1.25v
Disabled ULPS and modded the original bios, but it didn't help.


----------



## glenquagmire




----------



## hypespazm

So I have sapphire 7950, If I was to flash the new R9 bios or R8 bios which ever one that is supposed to go with my card. should I see a big difference in performance...Like earlier this guys said that he unlocked Stream processors I am curious as to if this is possible. I really want to get most out of this system.. I already have the 6350 and I was worried that it wasnt going to be enough for next generation of gaming let me know what you guys think . and if you know how to flash the bios it would be great as well


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Looks great!
> 
> By the way, a friend got two ghz ed giga 7970 windforce oc cards...they have lots of issues (I'm guessing it's the ghz ed bios)
> Tried flashing using atiwinflash but it didn't improve much, and voltage is still locked at 1.25v
> Disabled ULPS and modded the original bios, but it didn't help.


another hardware lock then? fyi the 280X version is also just a rebadge, you notice it has the 2 miniDPs and no support for 3 direct monitors.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> So I have sapphire 7950, If I was to flash the new R9 bios or R8 bios which ever one that is supposed to go with my card. should I see a big difference in performance...Like earlier this guys said that he unlocked Stream processors I am curious as to if this is possible. I really want to get most out of this system.. I already have the 6350 and I was worried that it wasnt going to be enough for next generation of gaming let me know what you guys think . and if you know how to flash the bios it would be great as well


you could try to see what happens, and flashing is relatively simple;

get atiwinflash, plop it in C somewhere, also back up your current BIOS for simplicity if you get a messup.

> then run CMD as an admin, start button > type "cmd" > right click and run as administrator is the simplest way

> then go "cd C:\ati_winflash", or whatever directory you put it, the cd command changes the active directory
> then go "atiwinflash -i" it will bring up a bar, wait for this, when a box appears showing info you close this and proceed
> then go "atiwinflash -f -p 0 biosname.rom" and it should flash to the card, you should rename the BIOS beforehand so its easy to type, no spaces.

if the flash was successful, you should be able to reboot and you should be proceeding into windows with a new BIOS, verify with GPUz or whatnot.

if the computer doesn't boot, or you get a black screen, try changing the port your monitor is connected to, if it doesn't boot at all then you just flip it to the other BIOS to get into windows, once its in windows flip it back to the bad BIOS and flash it back to the original BIOS, it should then boot to windows with its original BIOS and you can start from the beginning with another BIOS.

if catalyst says "no AMD card..." or such, check device manager, if the card has the error 43 failure then the BIOS is incompatible and you'll need to flash back to the original (no need to flip the switch as your already in windows).

great thing about the 79x0 cards is their dual-BIOS, means you don't need an extra gpu somewhere if a BIOS flash goes wrong...


----------



## hypespazm

Im almost about to do this flash I just wanted to know what are the benefits of flashing the 79x0 bios?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> Im almost about to do this flash I just wanted to know what are the benefits of flashing the 79x0 bios?


Which BIOS onto which card? BIOS flashing can unlock extra functionality, like voltage control or extra shaders. You have to flash to a compatible BIOS, though.


----------



## hypespazm

well I just built the rig for my girlfriend and I built her an amd 6350FX and the GPU is sapphire 7950 . So Im am not tooo sure which one of the bios's is compatible thats why im here to learn


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> So I have sapphire 7950, If I was to flash the new R9 bios or R8 bios which ever one that is supposed to go with my card. should I see a big difference in performance...Like earlier this guys said that he unlocked Stream processors I am curious as to if this is possible. I really want to get most out of this system.. I already have the 6350 and I was worried that it wasnt going to be enough for next generation of gaming let me know what you guys think . and if you know how to flash the bios it would be great as well


DO NOT FLASH THE R9 280X BIOS on the HD 7950. you could brick your card according to SKYMTL of hardwarecanucks. you cannot unlock the disabled sp on HD 7950.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i am estimating the 290 to be around as fast as 2 7950s. i'd just wait for the reviews here in ocn. sell the laptop and lower your settings in BF4 for the the 7770. i expect the thuban to bottleneck the 290 for sure. i had the 7970 with my thuban a 4GHz and was able to max out BF3 MP 64 just fine but the 290 is a different animal.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> yea its more on the lines of a 780 from rumors i've seen and if only thubans could oc higher.... i want a higher leakage thuban 1110T lol that hits 5 ghz on 8 cores


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Got a gigabyte 7970 ghz ed and getting 2 other 7970s. One XFX and 1 msi reference...
> 
> Think the first task is to get a trifire setup on a single monitor... over/underclock to gain stability... if not maybe some bios flashing (never done it on a gpu before oh) & then fingers crossed theyll smoothly operate under eyefinity..
> 
> question is...will a Corshair 850 TX manage this load?


probably not but could be ok ~ stock
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Looks great!
> 
> By the way, a friend got two ghz ed giga 7970 windforce oc cards...they have lots of issues (I'm guessing it's the ghz ed bios)
> Tried flashing using atiwinflash but it didn't improve much, and voltage is still locked at 1.25v
> Disabled ULPS and modded the original bios, but it didn't help.


hardware locked?


----------



## hypespazm

is it the R9 or the R7 that can be flashed onto the 7950?


----------



## By-Tor

My Power Color 7950 PCS came in today. I grabbed it the night before the price jumped from $209 to $269. Waiting on my water Block & Heat sinks from Swiftech & Sidewinder computers.
Trying the OC programs out to see which works best with this card. Sapphire Trixx is doing ok with the card @ 1180/1550 so far.

http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/IMG_2762_zps82fd1829.jpg.html

Ran 3dmark11
http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/9722_zps523bf1c8.jpg.html


----------



## glenquagmire

What's this switch on my gigabyte 7950?


----------



## Remix65

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> What's this switch on my gigabyte 7950?


bios 1, bios 2 just incase you brick a bios overclocking...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Looks great!
> 
> By the way, a friend got two ghz ed giga 7970 windforce oc cards...they have lots of issues (I'm guessing it's the ghz ed bios)
> Tried flashing using atiwinflash but it didn't improve much, and voltage is still locked at 1.25v
> Disabled ULPS and modded the original bios, but it didn't help.


Hmm. First i would disable boost. On the bios editor there are 2 performance states. One the non-boost and the other 'the pain' one. Just put the same values on both. Then try to raise tdp and increase the voltages. If it is actually hardware locked a simple volt mod is enough if you want. Never had a voltage locked but maybe we can find the layout


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> My Power Color 7950 PCS came in today. I grabbed it the night before the price jumped from $209 to $269. Waiting on my water Block & Heat sinks from Swiftech & Sidewinder computers.
> Trying the OC programs out to see which works best with this card. Sapphire Trixx is doing ok with the card @ 1180/1550 so far.
> 
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/IMG_2762_zps82fd1829.jpg.html
> 
> Ran 3dmark11
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/9722_zps523bf1c8.jpg.html


wow 1180 mhz is a nice overclock from the factory clocks of 880 mhz. if you get lucky this chip might hit 1250+ mhz under water.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> DO NOT FLASH THE R9 280X BIOS on the HD 7950. you could brick your card according to SKYMTL of hardwarecanucks. you cannot unlock the disabled sp on HD 7950.


people have done it, and it seems to have worked, depends on whether the shaders are bad or not, if your lucky you could actually have a 7970 chip instead of 7950 grade that will act perfectly fine with the 280X BIOS.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> is it the R9 or the R7 that can be flashed onto the 7950?


R9 280X, there's no R7.


----------



## sugarhell

If i remember 7950 is a laser cut die.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> My Power Color 7950 PCS came in today. I grabbed it the night before the price jumped from $209 to $269. Waiting on my water Block & Heat sinks from Swiftech & Sidewinder computers.
> Trying the OC programs out to see which works best with this card. Sapphire Trixx is doing ok with the card @ 1180/1550 so far.
> 
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/IMG_2762_zps82fd1829.jpg.html
> 
> Ran 3dmark11
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/9722_zps523bf1c8.jpg.html


With that card I wouldn't stress it too much or overclock it till you get the water block and cooling setup as it has no VRAM heatsinks as you can see by the picture. And I'm unsure if it had VRM heatsinks. I would assume not though.

Really good price though!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> is it the R9 or the R7 that can be flashed onto the 7950?


It's the R9 280x that can be flashed. I did it myself but it still appears in GPU-Z as a "7900 seeies".. It has no benefit at all and I actually bricked both my cards twice trying to do it. My backup bios 1 was corrupt.. And I couldn't figure it out for a while









What I'm trying to say is that it's a waste of time and it won't unlock anything as there is nothing to be unlocked. It's just creating an unnessacary risk.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Hmm. First i would disable boost. On the bios editor there are 2 performance states. One the non-boost and the other 'the pain' one. Just put the same values on both. Then try to raise tdp and increase the voltages. If it is actually hardware locked a simple volt mod is enough if you want. Never had a voltage locked but maybe we can find the layout


You could do this but it would still technically be "boosting". You'd be better off looking for a bios without boost and trying a few of those.


----------



## FoamyV

Hey guys, so regarding the new graphic cards, talking about the 280x, they're better than 7970 and ( at least in my country ) cheaper than a 7950? Am i correct? Kind of regret getting a 7970 Saph 2 months ago


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> With that card I wouldn't stress it too much or overclock it till you get the water block and cooling setup as it has no VRAM heatsinks as you can see by the picture. And I'm unsure if it had VRM heatsinks. I would assume not though.


powercolor dont go very far anyway...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> It's the R9 280x that can be flashed. I did it myself but it still appears in GPU-Z as a "7900 seeies".. It has no benefit at all and I actually bricked both my cards twice trying to do it. My backup bios 1 was corrupt.. And I couldn't figure it out for a while
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What I'm trying to say is that it's a waste of time and it won't unlock anything as there is nothing to be unlocked. It's just creating an unnessacary risk.


if you have a locked card like mine its worth a shot, otherwise you get no gain, just as the rebadged cards have no difference (same thing)

I wonder though how well the proper 280X cards will scale overall compared to the 7970s... stock voltage now seems to be 1.2V...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> powercolor dont go very far anyway...
> if you have a locked card like mine its worth a shot, otherwise you get no gain, just as the rebadged cards have no difference (same thing)
> 
> I wonder though how well the proper 280X cards will scale overall compared to the 7970s... stock voltage now seems to be 1.2V...


They'll clock higher I think.. There has to be some difference... lol

And yeah I know, mine are both unlocked. I got really lucky and got two referenceish PCB's, one is full and the other is like 99% ref. (Ref 7950 waterblocks will fit).


----------



## switchblade

hmmmm crossfiring the 280x with the hd 7970


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> DO NOT FLASH THE R9 280X BIOS on the HD 7950. you could brick your card according to SKYMTL of hardwarecanucks. you cannot unlock the disabled sp on HD 7950.


I did, luckily I have 2 bios switch.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> I did, luckily I have 2 bios switch.


Same, it worked on mine as I mentioned but it was the same essentially so I went back to my original BIOS.


----------



## rdr09

for those who love to bench, make sure you use 13.11.


----------



## sugarhell

I still use 12.11 for benching


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I still use 12.11 for benching


you want to gain 400 points graphics score in FS?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

I feel like I wanna kill myself after seeing the R9 280X,it's the same as a 760 but more powerful than a 770 x___x


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> you want to gain 400 points graphics score in FS?


I am not into fs yet


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I am not into fs yet


the fs itself is smoother, too. try it sugar.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the fs itself is smoother, too. try it sugar.


I need to make a new loop and i am so bored...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I need to make a new loop and i am so bored...


lol. clean the house. i am about to clean, too. see you guys.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> lol. clean the house. i am about to clean, too. see you guys.


Rofl. I need to do the same.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Rofl. I need to do the same.


I'm basking in the glory of my clean house after 12+ hours of organizing a basement







refreshing to know I can find what I'm looking for when i go down there.


----------



## sugarhell

I need to fix my cables. Everytime i fix them then i sleep the night and the next morning is like snakes. Magic


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Dont fight with this guy. He just believes everything gimmick. "Asus Dc2 12 phase and Matrix 20 phase is much better, the components they use are far superior to reference and will last longer. Extra power phases equals cleaner power. Take a look at motherboards. ".
> 
> Reference can go up to 1.5 volt.Personal experience. So a normal user believes that asus gives him better what overclocking over a ref? Only at 1.38 volt? I can use 1.5 volt easily on a ref pcb with just an ocp mod.
> 
> Lightning is THE card for ln2. Matrix is the card for nothing.Its not better than a ref caard its not better for ln2 than a lightning. Fails everywhere


Reference can go up to 1.5 volt with hard mods, right? Actually Matrix goes to 1.4 from jump, no bios or hard mods. I'm not stating it's the very best card out there, just that it's not anywhere near as bad as you and 2 or so other members like to portray it to be. I don't have to do anything other than push a few sliders to get great clocks, but you ref guys have to mod bios or hard mod your cards to match. And then there is the coil whine, of which I have none. I think it's quite obvious you hate for the sake of hating. The only place I've seen it fail is in THIS thread, because of 2 or 3 people. Happy Hating!

For those that don't know, this is what he's talking about having to do to a ref. card to get that voltage-
http://www.hwbox.gr/news-events-overclocking-hwbot/15179-radeon-hd-7970-ocp-mod-released-phil-hwbox-gr.html

ROFL! I didn't have to do that to get great clocks!!!


----------



## raghu78

http://www.overclock.net/t/1432035/amd-r9-280x-280-270x-owners-club/40#post_20965758

For those making any purchase which does not have a promotional gift offer or gift coupon use Code: SAVE25OCT11R

for 25 bucks off your purchase of 250 or more.

GOOD TODAY ONLY.

HD 7000 cards and GTX 600/700 cards won't get $25 savings because they come with free game coupons .


----------



## sugarhell

^ i can use 1.38v without any hard mod or bios mod so i cant understand your logic... It is bad. It fails to compete everywhere. It doesnt have anything special over any ref card and it cant catch a lightning. Do you think tsm use a hard mod with his 'cheap' ref card? No at all. He competes with your premium matrix just with a software oc program. You want to argue with me without proofs. And i tell you that i can go up to 1.5-1.55 volt because i wanted some people to see the gimmick that asus and all these companies use. If i can go up to 1.5 volt with a ref phases and vrms then the matrix why it even exist? It doesnt offer anything in normal cooling(air,water) neither with exotic(dice/ln2). Its a gimmick to pay premium. Also you can get coil whine on every card on this planet. Its just random and it doesnt represent the quality. By the way i only had coil whine with custom pcbs or alternatives pcb to the ref with lower quality components. You even tried to spread misinformations to win our argument. Simply you cant

By the way with this simply hard mod he achieved 1600 mhz on the core. You cant even read your link...

The funny thing is that you linked a greek site. If you could read this card could run at 1550 without this mod.

You think that you got a good oc because matrix is good. No you have a loop and your chip is good at these volts pcb do nothing about your oc.


----------



## Darklyric

so on my 7950 vapor x cards I can have more than 1.3v with a modded afterburner or something like it?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> so on my 7950 vapor x cards I can have more than 1.3v with a modded afterburner or something like it?


On my sig check the guide. Download the modded trixx


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Reference can go up to 1.5 volt with hard mods, right? Actually Matrix goes to 1.4 from jump, no bios or hard mods. I'm not stating it's the very best card out there, just that it's not anywhere near as bad as you and 2 or so other members like to portray it to be. I don't have to do anything other than push a few sliders to get great clocks, but you ref guys have to mod bios or hard mod your cards to match. And then there is the coil whine, of which I have none. I think it's quite obvious you hate for the sake of hating. The only place I've seen it fail is in THIS thread, because of 2 or 3 people. Happy Hating!
> 
> For those that don't know, this is what he's talking about having to do to a ref. card to get that voltage-
> http://www.hwbox.gr/news-events-overclocking-hwbot/15179-radeon-hd-7970-ocp-mod-released-phil-hwbox-gr.html
> 
> ROFL! I didn't have to do that to get great clocks!!!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> ^ i can use 1.38v without any hard mod or bios mod so i cant understand your logic... It is bad. It fails to compete everywhere. It doesnt have anything special over any ref card and it cant catch a lightning. Do you think tsm use a hard mod with his 'cheap' ref card? No at all. He competes with your premium matrix just with a software oc program. You want to argue with me without proofs. And i tell you that i can go up to 1.5-1.55 volt because i wanted some people to see the gimmick that asus and all these companies use. If i can go up to 1.5 volt with a ref phases and vrms then the matrix why it even exist? It doesnt offer anything in normal cooling(air,water) neither with exotic(dice/ln2). Its a gimmick to pay premium. Also you can get coil whine on every card on this planet. Its just random and it doesnt represent the quality. By the way i only had coil whine with custom pcbs or alternatives pcb to the ref with lower quality components. You even tried to spread misinformations to win our argument. Simply you cant
> 
> By the way with this simply hard mod he achieved 1600 mhz on the core. You cant even read your link...
> 
> The funny thing is that you linked a greek site. If you could read this card could run at 1550 without this mod.
> 
> You think that you got a good oc because matrix is good. No you have a loop and your chip is good at these volts pcb do nothing about your oc.


*eating popcorn*


----------



## Dogmatic34

Hey, guys. Just wondering, how does the 3DMark 11 benchmark in my sig look? Just want to check if everything is ok. Thanks.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> *eating popcorn*


*reaches in the bag and gets fingas bit*


----------



## punk2k6




----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *punk2k6*


Looks so badass,can you hear any coil whine in there?


----------



## crun

Finally I ordered my new GPU - MSI R7950 Twin Frozr 3GD5/OC









It was really cheap and it should fit my case (26.1cm card length vs about 26.7cm GPU space) - if not I will figure something out to stick it there anyway.

I'm hoping it is going to overclock as well as my HD5850


----------



## punk2k6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Looks so badass,can you hear any coil whine in there?


It has coil whine but cant barely hear it unless I'm really close to it


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *punk2k6*
> 
> It has coil whine but cant barely hear it unless I'm really close to it


I've heard a few people leaving it on menu screen of like c3 or something with really high fps overnight and it "curing" the majority of the whine. Very clean setup man i love the look of those noctura coolers. dh-14 right?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quick question. My newly purchased TF3 BE OC 7970 has a stock voltage of 1.250 and a VRAM Voltage or 1.500. I am trying to undervolt a little to fight off temps til I can bring the card into the water loop with the CPU. I undervolted the core to 1.200 but I cannot reduce the VRAM voltage below 1.5. I can increase it up to 1700mV, but the sliders left most position is 1500 :/ any ideas? is undervolting the VRAM a bad idea?

Edit to add: currently 1175/1600 at 1.200/1.500


----------



## sugarhell

Yes its a bad idea under 1.55. The main problem is the fixed voltage at 1.25 no matter what your asic quality. Try to edit your bios


----------



## punk2k6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> I've heard a few people leaving it on menu screen of like c3 or something with really high fps overnight and it "curing" the majority of the whine. Very clean setup man i love the look of those noctura coolers. dh-14 right?


yup Noctua NH-D14


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yes its a bad idea under 1.55. The main problem is the fixed voltage at 1.25 no matter what your asic quality. Try to edit your bios


Alright, I was just trying to go easy on the card until I can get it underwater, I really dislike seeing any internal temperatures over 60C, and this cookie bakes at 78 on stock clocks. At least it is unlocked for when it does go


----------



## istudy92

Quick question,
Since you guys have been talking about it, what is the point of flashing bios and such, specifcally how it has been mentioned by another fellow OCNer 280x flash?


----------



## sugarhell

None. Most bios is the same just with a new id.


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> With that card I wouldn't stress it too much or overclock it till you get the water block and cooling setup as it has no VRAM heatsinks as you can see by the picture. And I'm unsure if it had VRM heatsinks. I would assume not though. .


My old 4870x2 had a huge/heavy copper heat sink that made good contact with the GPU, Memory and more. The 7750, 7850 and now 7950 I have now the stock cooling only makes contact with the GPU itself. Going to wait on anymore OCing till the block and heat sinks come in. I have a couple Swiftech MCW60 blocks, but they would work on the 7900 series cards.

It seems to be a very solid card and with nothing else to compare it to other than my PowerColor 7750 and Asus 7850 it does clock better than both so far and once I get this stock cooler off and get it on water I'll push it more.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *punk2k6*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Awesome! It's cool seeing someone else cramming a 7990 into a HAF XB. How are your temps?


----------



## Remix65

some of you remember a few pages ago asking what 7970 to get. i've bought 6 or 7 7970/50's since then. even the xfx double d's which i was told to stay away from








i bought the 7950's for an average of $150 and the 7970's 180-250. and resold them for about that much.

when i see the ppl buy 7950's for $200+ i feel they're over paying for them. especially the new ones which might come with headaches like rma'ing. i'd rather just get something used and in mint condition that's been tested to work.

i rarely buy new.


----------



## punk2k6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Awesome! It's cool seeing someone else cramming a 7990 into a HAF XB. How are your temps?


Idle's like 48c highest is 75c


----------



## By-Tor

I installed my 7950 last night with the drivers my 7850 was using (13.9). Everything was fine then, but now I load up games or even just surfing I'm getting flicker.

I updated to the 13.11 beta drivers and no change.

What could be causing this?

Thanks


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> I installed my 7950 last night with the drivers my 7850 was using (13.9). Everything was fine then, but now I load up games or even just surfing I'm getting flicker.
> 
> I updated to the 13.11 beta drivers and no change.
> 
> What could be causing this?
> 
> Thanks


Are any overclocking programs being applied from the 7870? Have you tried restarting the PC/Uninstalling drivers fully, restarting then installing new ones then restarting? That has happened to me before


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Are any overclocking programs being applied from the 7870? Have you tried restarting the PC/Uninstalling drivers fully, restarting then installing new ones then restarting? That has happened to me before


Uninstalled Asus GPU Tweak and now using Sapphire Trixx 4.4 mod, but it's not even running. Uninstalled drivers, reinstalled drivers and many restarts.

I'm about to throw the 7850 back in and see if it still happens.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> Uninstalled Asus GPU Tweak and now using Sapphire Trixx 4.4 mod, but it's not even running. Uninstalled drivers, reinstalled drivers and many restarts.
> 
> I'm about to throw the 7850 back in and see if it still happens.


Yep, I was gonna say that if you still had it try it as a next step.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Remix65*
> 
> some of you remember a few pages ago asking what 7970 to get. i've bought 6 or 7 7970/50's since then. even the xfx double d's which i was told to stay away from
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i bought the 7950's for an average of $150 and the 7970's 180-250. and resold them for about that much.
> 
> when i see the ppl buy 7950's for $200+ i feel they're over paying for them. especially the new ones which might come with headaches like rma'ing. i'd rather just get something used and in mint condition that's been tested to work.
> 
> i rarely buy new.


Same here...You can mine litecoins or whatever with them while you have them too. They make on average 2usd per day, maybe more, per 7950.


----------



## By-Tor

Also thinking maybe my PSU could be near it's limit. Using a 5 y/o 700 watt Xcilo GreatPower.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817189009

It's powering the normal computer stuff below along with 2 MCP350/355 swiftech pumps, 5-141 cfm Delta fans on 2 rads, 3 case fans and now I added this 7950 which takes 2 PCI-e plugs where the 7850 only needed one..

Pumps.
http://www.swiftech.com/mcp35512vdcpump.aspx

Delta Fans
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/de12trblhisp.html

Any thoughts on this?


----------



## chropose

Hello all,

I have 7970 and I can do 3dmark11 benchmark at 1.3V 1340 core and 1950 memory but I can't do 1125 core 1575 on stock volatage (1.113). Is something wrong with this?

Thank you.


----------



## sugarhell

Can we have a link to 3dmark?


----------



## crun

MSI AMD Radeon HD7950 TWINFROZR 3072MB DDR5/384bit
DVI/HDMI/DP PCI-E (880/5000) (wer. OC - OverClock)
(Boost Edition) R7950 TF 3GD5/OC *BE G*

Is the BE G any indication of what memory and PCB cars has? Most reviewed cards etc. are BE. I suppose BE G is newer, therefore weakling 7950 PCB and Elpidas RAM?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *punk2k6*
> 
> Idle's like 48c highest is 75c


Is that with the default auto fan speeds?


----------



## Mega Man

BE is boost edition i dont know about the g


----------



## punk2k6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Is that with the default auto fan speeds?


No, I use MSI Afterburner and set a fan profile


----------



## Azuredragon1

Hey i got a problem with my crossfire setup. It works but sometimes it tends to put all the load on the 2nd 7950 and none on the first, is there a way to fix that?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *punk2k6*
> 
> No, I use MSI Afterburner and set a fan profile
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Ah. When I'm idle, I set my fans to 40%, with temps around 38-42. When I'm running a game of sorts, I'm at 80% (stupid loud) and take off the top panel of my case. Temps hover anywhere from 65-80, depending on the game.


----------



## inedenimadam

Man I love having a dual bios







...something I did not get with my 7850

Made a new one for myself, so I dont have to use afterburner or CCC! I have more headroom, but I wanted to be conservative with the voltage and stability.


----------



## Yvese

Does anyone else here use this 7950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420

I just bought one for CF and I think the VRM sensor on it is broken. VRM temps stay at 25C even under load/OC. Temps for the card itself is good though - it gets to 70C @ 1100/1500 in BF3 and that's with the fan at only 50%.

I also BSOD when I launch games @ 144hz in crossfire. Really annoying but an easy fix.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Does anyone else here use this 7950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420
> 
> I just bought one for CF and I think the VRM sensor on it is broken. VRM temps stay at 25C even under load/OC. Temps for the card itself is good though - it gets to 70C @ 1100/1500 in BF3 and that's with the fan at only 50%.
> 
> I also BSOD when I launch games @ 144hz in crossfire. Really annoying but an easy fix.


I used to have one, horrible card, it was locked at 1.25V and hit 90 degrees at 100% fan speed. I also had a boost clock variant, and I hated it, because some cards got 1.175V and others got 1.25V, resulting in different temps and fan speed. A 57mm fan can't handle 1.25V.

There is no broken VRM sensor -- there isn't one in the first place to break. Look it up, plenty of HIS cards have no VRM sensor. Interestingly though, my Elpida ram on that card got up to 1850, while both the hynix's on my two current 7950's max out at around 1550.


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I used to have one, horrible card, it was locked at 1.25V and hit 90 degrees at 100% fan speed. I also had a boost clock variant, and I hated it, because some cards got 1.175V and others got 1.25V, resulting in different temps and fan speed. A 57mm fan can't handle 1.25V.
> 
> There is no broken VRM sensor -- there isn't one in the first place to break. Look it up, plenty of HIS cards have no VRM sensor. Interestingly though, my Elpida ram on that card got up to 1850, while both the hynix's on my two current 7950's max out at around 1550.


Yea I just found out mine is locked at what I assume is 1.175, though in MSI AB it says 1.169. Seems to not be an issue though since I can hit 1100/1500 just fine with CF disabled. I don't plan on running at those speeds in CF since I'm afraid my PSU wouldn't like it much ( it's 4 years old ). Temp wise though it's better than my Sapphire so I guess I got lucky since my sapphire needs 100% fan speed just to stay below 80C at those speeds, though it's still quiet.

As for the VRM, I figured there was no sensor. Shouldn't be an issue though since I don't plan on pushing it in CF. Would have been nice if it was included =/

Now if AMD could just fix 144hz that'd be great


----------



## istudy92

You know what I wish?

I wish amd never laser cut the die on lower end cards=[


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Does anyone else here use this 7950: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161420
> 
> I just bought one for CF and I think the VRM sensor on it is broken. VRM temps stay at 25C even under load/OC. Temps for the card itself is good though - it gets to 70C @ 1100/1500 in BF3 and that's with the fan at only 50%.
> 
> I also BSOD when I launch games @ 144hz in crossfire. Really annoying but an easy fix.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Yea I just found out mine is locked at what I assume is 1.175, though in MSI AB it says 1.169. Seems to not be an issue though since I can hit 1100/1500 just fine with CF disabled. I don't plan on running at those speeds in CF since I'm afraid my PSU wouldn't like it much ( it's 4 years old ). Temp wise though it's better than my Sapphire so I guess I got lucky since my sapphire needs 100% fan speed just to stay below 80C at those speeds, though it's still quiet.
> 
> As for the VRM, I figured there was no sensor. Shouldn't be an issue though since I don't plan on pushing it in CF. Would have been nice if it was included =/
> 
> Now if AMD could just fix 144hz that'd be great


And yes, my sensor is "stuck" at 24c... I knew that he had the same card the second he posted 25c..









Mine doesn't do anything over 1250MHz on the vRAM either, my reference Sapphire 2L does however.

Yeah I have one too, mine does over 1.25v though. AFAIK it's the first batch/revision though.

To get over "1.25v" you could try the BIOS I'm using if you wish? I'll attach it to this post.

The stock BIOS on the HIS 7950 iTurbo is 172w (that's at +20%) I'm fairly sure, which is rubbish.. The card needs more juice even at 225W really.

I've been running this BIOS on both my 7950's for a good 8 months or so now, perfectly stable. They're from the 8x + 6x pin 7950 by Sapphire, aka the "950MHz edition" from what I can tell.

So it seems that I can't send it on this.. I can PM you if you want?


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> And yes, my sensor is "stuck" at 24c... I knew that he had the same card the second he posted 25c..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mine doesn't do anything over 1250MHz on the vRAM either, my reference Sapphire 2L does however.
> 
> Yeah I have one too, mine does over 1.25v though. AFAIK it's the first batch/revision though.
> 
> To get over "1.25v" you could try the BIOS I'm using if you wish? I'll attach it to this post.
> 
> The stock BIOS on the HIS 7950 iTurbo is 172w (that's at +20%) I'm fairly sure, which is rubbish.. The card needs more juice even at 225W really.
> 
> I've been running this BIOS on both my 7950's for a good 8 months or so now, perfectly stable. They're from the 8x + 6x pin 7950 by Sapphire, aka the "950MHz edition" from what I can tell.
> 
> So it seems that I can't send it on this.. I can PM you if you want?


Heh that's actually the sapphire card I'm using. If I flash it on the HIS will that allow voltage tweaking and disable boost? Never flashed a bios before so not sure exactly how it affects the card.

But yea, PM me the bios since I have no idea how to get it off my sapphire card lol. Thanks


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Heh that's actually the sapphire card I'm using. If I flash it on the HIS will that allow voltage tweaking and disable boost? Never flashed a bios before so not sure exactly how it affects the card.
> 
> But yea, PM me the bios since I have no idea how to get it off my sapphire card lol. Thanks


Gimme a few mins, having problems atm :/


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Gimme a few mins, having problems atm :/


NP and thanks!


----------



## Mega Man

have to ask am i the only one that hates the new cards have the 2x dvi ??? i liked making all my cards single slots.

granted i have seen them where the manufacture went back to 1dvi 1hdmi 2mdp

i understand more people want dvi... but surely there is another way !~~~~


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Testing out a set of 7950's and in BF4 only getting 50% usage on each card... is there a better driver over another at the moment? Just wondering. Thanks guys!









p.s. Currently on 13.10v2


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrWhiteRX7*
> 
> Testing out a set of 7950's and in BF4 only getting 50% usage on each card... is there a better driver over another at the moment? Just wondering. Thanks guys!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> p.s. Currently on 13.10v2


I'm on 13.11 beta, and I only get around 65% usage each card. Not too much of a gain, but its only because for some reason Bf4 takes 100% cpu all the time (could be bug, doesn't look that intensive over other games to take 100%)


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I'm on 13.11 beta, and I only get around 65% usage each card. Not too much of a gain, but its only because for some reason Bf4 takes 100% cpu all the time (could be bug, doesn't look that intensive over other games to take 100%)


I'm getting the same usage. It's definitely a beta issue. Should be fixed at launch since BF3 works fine.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> Hey i got a problem with my crossfire setup. It works but sometimes it tends to put all the load on the 2nd 7950 and none on the first, is there a way to fix that?


Go to registry and disable Ulps:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SYSTEM\\ControlSet001\\Control \\Cl ass\\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}]

and change "EnableUlps" to 0 under the 0000 and 0001 or 0003 keys.

http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps


----------



## crun

Could MSI R9750 Twin Frozr users share their max overclock/voltage/temps/date of purchase?









Going to get my card probabaly on tuesday/wednesday, can't waittttt


----------



## FuriousPop

hi all,

just rebuilt my machine. got crossfire 2x7970 TOP's. i had 13.11 beta installed but found it was running the cards too hot - mid 60's.

Which driver is most stable temp wise?

nothing overclocked, running on air.... specs in my sig/rig.

before 13.11 was 13.8b1 - was running similar to 13.11.
and prior to that i was running 12.7 with CAP 12.7

any suggestions?

will be playing Guild wars 2, BF3 and hopefully Bf4 beta - i found that if the drivers run these i normally dont have any probs with other games...

thanks in advanced,


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> hi all,
> 
> just rebuilt my machine. got crossfire 2x7970 TOP's. i had 13.11 beta installed but found it was running the cards too hot - mid 60's.
> 
> Which driver is most stable temp wise?
> 
> nothing overclocked, running on air.... specs in my sig/rig.
> 
> before 13.11 was 13.8b1 - was running similar to 13.11.
> and prior to that i was running 12.7 with CAP 12.7
> 
> any suggestions?
> 
> will be playing Guild wars 2, BF3 and hopefully Bf4 beta - i found that if the drivers run these i normally dont have any probs with other games...
> 
> thanks in advanced,


I believe mid 60s is fine... Gaming I'm norm around early to mid 70s


----------



## Dogmatic34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> I believe mid 60s is fine... Gaming I'm norm around early to mid 70s


Yeah, 60's isn't hot at all.


----------



## FuriousPop

forgot to ask also, which monitoring software to use?

i tried MSI Afterburner - think it was the latest version - but for some reason only the temp of the 2nd card was showing, couldn't find the options to show the temp of GPU1... really weird as previous versions could...

much difference if i just install my old version?


----------



## Dogmatic34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> forgot to ask also, which monitoring software to use?
> 
> i tried MSI Afterburner - think it was the latest version - but for some reason only the temp of the 2nd card was showing, couldn't find the options to show the temp of GPU1... really weird as previous versions could...
> 
> much difference if i just install my old version?


For monitoring I use AIDA64.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> hi all,
> 
> just rebuilt my machine. got crossfire 2x7970 TOP's. i had 13.11 beta installed but found it was running the cards too hot - mid 60's.
> 
> Which driver is most stable temp wise?
> 
> nothing overclocked, running on air.... specs in my sig/rig.
> 
> before 13.11 was 13.8b1 - was running similar to 13.11.
> and prior to that i was running 12.7 with CAP 12.7
> 
> any suggestions?
> 
> will be playing Guild wars 2, BF3 and hopefully Bf4 beta - i found that if the drivers run these i normally dont have any probs with other games...
> 
> thanks in advanced,


the normal load temp for the DCII is about 72C, more or less, had it at 75C while bitcoin mining.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> forgot to ask also, which monitoring software to use?
> 
> i tried MSI Afterburner - think it was the latest version - but for some reason only the temp of the 2nd card was showing, couldn't find the options to show the temp of GPU1... really weird as previous versions could...
> 
> much difference if i just install my old version?


do both have the same BIOS version? the controllers on the DCII are pretty horrid so I'm not too sure how far you will get...


----------



## theoneofgod

Downsampling still possible with 13.11?


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Heh that's actually the sapphire card I'm using. If I flash it on the HIS will that allow voltage tweaking and disable boost? Never flashed a bios before so not sure exactly how it affects the card.
> 
> But yea, PM me the bios since I have no idea how to get it off my sapphire card lol. Thanks


here is a guide on how to flash and you can use the bios editing tool from tech powerup


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189089


to do all sorts of cools things like increase tdp, unlock voltage control, set bios level fan profiles ect which are all very useful. The best part is you can disable boot. It requires you to boot from dos flashdrive to do it but its very easy. here is a guide i wrote for another user

I'm not responsible for an incorrect flash and either way you have your original bios to reflash. Warning: Spoiler! (Click to hide)


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



1) you will need a fat 32 flashdrive the smaller ones like 8 gb seem to work better for me. Please take everything off of it and back it up as it will be wiped

2)HPflashdriver formater http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool.shtml

3)Boot files to make this flash drive boot-able in DOS
(I'm assuming your motherboard can boot from a flashdrive)http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/46707-ms-dos-bootable-flash-drive-create.html -this is also a guide on how to reformat your flashdrive with the bootfiles and has pics to thumb.gif

4)gpu-z ( which you have) for saving the original bios from the bad card just incase the flash goes wrong.

5) MAKE SURE YOU Save YOUR ORIGINAL BIOS for the bad card and the good card and label them accordingly on your harddrive. no copy the one from your good card and name it something easy "bios.rom" and put it on the formatted flashdrive

6) Now download atiflash 4.07 ( i just used this the other day and it worked fine on a 79xx card and then unzip it and put it on the flashdrive http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2230/atiflash-4-07/

7) now Pull the good card out of your system completely (not necessary but i always do anyway) and move the other one to your first pci-e x16 slot

8) now just to make sure its not seeing another gpu for some odd reason and your flashing the right one type in the code below and it should show your gpu location " 0 " and the device id ect and no other devices
9)Now for the flashing. the code to see location ect is
Code:

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -f -p 0 newbios.bin

and the " -f " is the flash command and the " -p 0 " is the location its flashing to and the " newbios.bin " is the one you copied from the first card and renamed. btw .bin vs .rom should be the same and either file type should work. I've just always used .rom.
Code:

Code:



Code:


atiflash.exe -f -p 0 newbios.bin





Some of this wont apply to you as i wrote it out for a guy that was having c3 issues with one card and not another.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> have to ask am i the only one that hates the new cards have the 2x dvi ??? i liked making all my cards single slots.
> 
> granted i have seen them where the manufacture went back to 1dvi 1hdmi 2mdp
> 
> i understand more people want dvi... but surely there is another way !~~~~


Nope. I waterblocked my two 7970s and switched to single slot. Only way I could get my soundcard in but I would have done it anyways.









I haven't used DVI in 4+ years. I've been on displayport since 2009.


----------



## Darklyric

Yea the dvi thing is ridiculous....


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'm still on a CRT...what's the difference between those types of outputs?
Need to get rid of my debts so I can get me a proper monitor.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea the dvi thing is ridiculous....


I actually prefer DVI...


----------



## karupt

Hey guys

My ASUS 7950 v2 has 5 pins on the fan connector. I was thinking of hooking up one of these to it, but I have no idea what the 5th pin does or if it would even be safe or even work. Any help?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I'm still on a CRT...what's the difference between those types of outputs?
> Need to get rid of my debts so I can get me a proper monitor.


Still on a CRT?









I've had an LCD for 2 years personally, back when I was 16..

One is digital and one is Analogue, it means that the 290x isn't able to be used with a CRT as it takes an analog input and not a digital one.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *karupt*
> 
> Hey guys
> 
> My ASUS 7950 v2 has 5 pins on the fan connector. I was thinking of hooking up one of these to it, but I have no idea what the 5th pin does or if it would even be safe or even work. Any help?


Maybe it's just for extra voltage as it has two larger fans? (Higher power requirements?) Maybe flick ASUS an email?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Still on a CRT?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've had an LCD for 2 years personally, back when I was 16..
> 
> One is digital and one is Analogue, it means that the 290x isn't able to be used with a CRT as it takes an analog input and not a digital one.
> Maybe it's just for extra voltage as it has two larger fans? (Higher power requirements?) Maybe flick ASUS an email?


I had a big chunk of CC debt, I'm pretty close to pay it off in full...guys, don't spend more than you can afford with CC's, or at least focus on paying stuff off immediately or in a month or two, avoid interests









I'm gonna go for a 1080p or 1440p ips monitor next month I guess, and will need an r9-290 or 290x, or a couple of used 7970/50s.


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I had a big chunk of CC debt, I'm pretty close to pay it off in full...guys, don't spend more than you can afford with CC's, or at least focus on paying stuff off immediately or in a month or two, avoid interests
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm gonna go for a 1080p or 1440p ips monitor next month I guess, and will need an r9-290 or 290x, or a couple of used 7970/50s.


Good advice! I am a Business Banker and hate debt, though I sell it, lol.

You want to know how I bought and paid for my entire New RIG??>>>>>I sold absolutely everything in my house that I was not using or could afford to part away with, to buy the parts I want for my new build. I literally am not coming out of pocket anything. I have an invoice I created myself for what I am buying and balance it with what I have sold.


----------



## bencher

Hi Everyone.

I just picked up a 7970. I was wondering if this Unigine score is about what 7970 gets.


----------



## Dogmatic34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi Everyone.
> 
> I just picked up a 7970. I was wondering if this Unigine score is about what 7970 gets.


My 7990 gets about 67FPS average, so I would say yes.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dogmatic34*
> 
> My 7990 gets about 67FPS average, so I would say yes.


That score was with my 7970 clocked at 1.1ghz. I must say i am disappointed with its performance.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Good advice! I am a Business Banker and hate debt, though I sell it, lol.
> 
> You want to know how I bought and paid for my entire New RIG??>>>>>I sold absolutely everything in my house that I was not using or could afford to part away with, to buy the parts I want for my new build. I literally am not coming out of pocket anything. I have an invoice I created myself for what I am buying and balance it with what I have sold.


Yeah, I started doing that...I don't buy anything unless I can make some kind of profit to cover the expense in the first place, or come out winning.
It's a good thing I mine litecoins and primecoins, and also have expensive hardware prices in Argentina...I can import stuff and sell it for a profit when I no longer need it.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi Everyone.
> 
> I just picked up a 7970. I was wondering if this Unigine score is about what 7970 gets.


That's at stock?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi Everyone.
> 
> I just picked up a 7970. I was wondering if this Unigine score is about what 7970 gets.


That's about right

My HD 7970 @1290/1850


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> That's at stock?


No its at 1.1ghz on core.

Why you ask?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> That's about right
> 
> My HD 7970 @1290/1850


So you think my 1.1ghz is ok then?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea the dvi thing is ridiculous....


if only the affordable (sub 200AUD) 1080p screens had displayports, otherwise I would get 3 and use a hub...

for now, DVI and HDMI all the way.


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yeah, I started doing that...I don't buy anything unless I can make some kind of profit to cover the expense in the first place, or come out winning.
> It's a good thing I mine litecoins and primecoins, and also have expensive hardware prices in Argentina...I can import stuff and sell it for a profit when I no longer need it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's at stock?


I want to know more about this mining thing. I hear like three different mining sites. what is it?


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yeah, I started doing that...I don't buy anything unless I can make some kind of profit to cover the expense in the first place, or come out winning.
> It's a good thing I mine litecoins and primecoins, and also have expensive hardware prices in Argentina...I can import stuff and sell it for a profit when I no longer need it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's at stock?
> 
> 
> 
> I want to know more about this mining thing. I hear like three different mining sites. what is it?
Click to expand...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1398219/official-bitcoin-litecoin-digitalcoin-and-all-crypto-currencies-club-and-general-information-thread


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> I want to know more about this mining thing. I hear like three different mining sites. what is it?


You can mine some cpu specific coins on your cpu and also mine on your radeon cards...I did both (now running a 4350 so no gpu mining).
Primecoins on cpu and litecoin on gpu, or worldcoin...read some more below.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1398219/official-bitcoin-litecoin-digitalcoin-and-all-crypto-currencies-club-and-general-information-thread


That








Thx!


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I had a big chunk of CC debt, I'm pretty close to pay it off in full...guys, don't spend more than you can afford with CC's, or at least focus on paying stuff off immediately or in a month or two, avoid interests
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm gonna go for a 1080p or 1440p ips monitor next month I guess, and will need an r9-290 or 290x, or a couple of used 7970/50s.


LOL
me too gata pay these credit card debt up!

Ima be selling my 1080p IPS and upgrading to a 4k monitor (I dont even know why! lol just cause 290x might be able to handle it?)
perhaps 2 7950 will work?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> LOL
> me too gata pay these credit card debt up!
> 
> Ima be selling my 1080p IPS and upgrading to a 4k monitor (I dont even know why! lol just cause 290x might be able to handle it?)
> perhaps 2 7950 will work?


Good question...maybe Mantle + 290X = good 4K gaming in the future?








We'll see, I'll have to grab your monitor if you sell xD


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Nope. I waterblocked my two 7970s and switched to single slot. Only way I could get my soundcard in but I would have done it anyways.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I haven't used DVI in 4+ years. I've been on displayport since 2009.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Yea the dvi thing is ridiculous....


yay i am not the only one maybe we will have more manufactures doing more of the old style then the new stuffs. if the us had mst hubs i would be on all DP .... till then i am using 1 DVI .... anyone in the uk area want to buy meh 2 mst hubs and ship them !~ ill pay !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I'm still on a CRT...what's the difference between those types of outputs?
> Need to get rid of my debts so I can get me a proper monitor.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I had a big chunk of CC debt, I'm pretty close to pay it off in full...guys, don't spend more than you can afford with CC's, or at least focus on paying stuff off immediately or in a month or two, avoid interests
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm gonna go for a 1080p or 1440p ips monitor next month I guess, and will need an r9-290 or 290x, or a couple of used 7970/50s.


hehe i have paid of my CCs 3 times, gave up after buying the house. wife is not gonna stop till "it" is done besides if the market crashes maybe they will go outta business

in all seriousness though ill have my stuff paid off in a year or so. all while doing major upgrades ( bought wii u all my pc stuff, buying 4xr9-290x and ps4, xbox1 ) i feel i am doing ok


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yay i am not the only one maybe we will have more manufactures doing more of the old style then the new stuffs. if the us had mst hubs i would be on all DP .... till then i am using 1 DVI .... anyone in the uk area want to buy meh 2 mst hubs and ship them !~ ill pay !
> 
> hehe i have paid of my CCs 3 times, gave up after buying the house. wife is not gonna stop till "it" is done besides if the market crashes maybe they will go outta business
> 
> in all seriousness though ill have my stuff paid off in a year or so. all while doing major upgrades ( bought wii u all my pc stuff, buying 4xr9-290x and ps4, xbox1 ) i feel i am doing ok


As long as you keep interest in check and don't overspend you're fine...debt is not bad per se, if you can manage it.

Hey I hear the Gigabyte R9-280X is voltage unlocked and it mines like crazy! 740kh/s 1100-1500mhz and 1.15v








Wonder if it'll have the new Windforce cooler, if it does I may have to snag a couple instead of an r9-290 or 290X.


----------



## Mega Man

hehe probably rev 1.0 is but rev 1.1 which i give ~ 1 month will be locked down ( because sarcasm does not translate to text i am being semi sarcastic )


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I had a big chunk of CC debt, I'm pretty close to pay it off in full...guys, don't spend more than you can afford with CC's, or at least focus on paying stuff off immediately or in a month or two, avoid interests
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm gonna go for a 1080p or 1440p ips monitor next month I guess, and will need an r9-290 or 290x, or a couple of used 7970/50s.


Go to 1080P first, more affordable and easier to push out the FPS









I know CC debts are hell, my parents have one.. It was all okay till the passing of my father earlier this year and now mum is having to sell the house to repay it, which in short means she has to move and now she's moving closer to me...








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yeah, I started doing that...I don't buy anything unless I can make some kind of profit to cover the expense in the first place, or come out winning.
> It's a good thing I mine litecoins and primecoins, and also have expensive hardware prices in Argentina...I can import stuff and sell it for a profit when I no longer need it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's at stock?


Nice, nice! I've been mining litecoins as you know! I sold a few before and made ~$18, I don't pay for power where I live so I don't lose anything apart from the hardware lifespan. My VRM's sitting on 90c most of the day kind of scares me but there isn't much I can do really.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Go to 1080P first, more affordable and easier to push out the FPS
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know CC debts are hell, my parents have one.. It was all okay till the passing of my father earlier this year and now mum is having to sell the house to repay it, which in short means she has to move and now she's moving closer to me...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Nice, nice! I've been mining litecoins as you know! I sold a few before and made ~$18, I don't pay for power where I live so I don't lose anything apart from the hardware lifespan. My VRM's sitting on 90c most of the day kind of scares me but there isn't much I can do really.


Higher fan speed, clean dust and lower voltages.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dogmatic34*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi Everyone.
> 
> I just picked up a 7970. I was wondering if this Unigine score is about what 7970 gets.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My 7990 gets about 67FPS average, so I would say yes.
Click to expand...

I can get about 62fps with one card.


----------



## Dogmatic34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I can get about 62fps with one card.


One 7970? What's your graphics score in 3DMark 11?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dogmatic34*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I can get about 62fps with one card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One 7970? What's your graphics score in 3DMark 11?
Click to expand...











Over 13K.


----------



## Dogmatic34

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Over 13K.


Mine's 19K, so maybe that's CF scaling, I don't know, as I am not experienced with it. But, your CPU is godly, man. I'm officially jelly.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dogmatic34*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Over 13K.
> 
> 
> 
> Mine's 19K, so maybe that's CF scaling, I don't know, as I am not experienced with it. But, your CPU is godly, man. I'm officially jelly.
Click to expand...

It's strange, for some random reason I don't have any 3dm11 two card runs. I guess I never got around to it and with so many iterations of the same bench, its too time consuming lol. If its any consolation, I am the leader for tahiti cards in the top 30 Heaven thread.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Over 13K.












what clocks...?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Higher fan speed, clean dust and lower voltages.


Running at the absolute max fan speed on the side fans and the fans on the cards.. It's so noisy too haha, but all for teh moneys.

Voltage is at bare minimum too, cards have no dust in them either..


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi Everyone.
> 
> I just picked up a 7970. I was wondering if this Unigine score is about what 7970 gets.


My Sapphire 7950 @ 1165 gpu 1250 memory my min fps are really low, I need a better cpu


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's strange, for some random reason I don't have any 3dm11 two card runs. I guess I never got around to it and with so many iterations of the same bench, its too time consuming lol. If its any consolation, *I am the leader for tahiti cards in the top 30 Heaven thread*.


and I think you will soon be back on top for all single / dual cards with two watercooled R9 290X cards.


----------



## Kenshiro 26

After a clean Windows install Unigine benches are working correctly.

*Before:*



*After:*


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kenshiro 26*
> 
> After a clean Windows install Unigine benches are working correctly.
> 
> *Before:*
> 
> 
> 
> *After:*


I hate when it does that, had the same issue before and took me a clean windows installed to solve it


----------



## deNordic

Just ordered an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum. Can i flash bios from Asus R9 280X Matrix Platinum? Isn't it the same?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Just ordered an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum. Can i flash bios from Asus R9 280X Matrix Platinum? Isn't it the same?


Yes you can


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's strange, for some random reason I don't have any 3dm11 two card runs. I guess I never got around to it and with so many iterations of the same bench, its too time consuming lol. If its any consolation, I am the leader for tahiti cards in the top 30 Heaven thread.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what clocks...?


I had over 13k graphics score too, on my former Giga 7970 WF3 rev 1, 1250/1750mhz. But my cpu held my overall score back (i7 3820 at 4.5ghz...stupid H60)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Just ordered an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum. Can i flash bios from Asus R9 280X Matrix Platinum? Isn't it the same?


Why didn't you get the new card?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Just ordered an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum. Can i flash bios from Asus R9 280X Matrix Platinum? Isn't it the same?


not worth flashing the BIOS. just manually overclock it.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Just ordered an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum. Can i flash bios from Asus R9 280X Matrix Platinum? Isn't it the same?


http://forums.evga.com/tm.aspx?m=2038253


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Just ordered an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum. Can i flash bios from Asus R9 280X Matrix Platinum? Isn't it the same?


You should have ordered the 280X Matrix, it's $50 cheaper on Newegg. I'd return it, if possible,and get the 280X version. No need to flash.


----------



## deNordic

Because it's on an exclusive discount http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-293-AS @ £222 and includes AMD Gold reward ticket (3 games free) and Diablo3 steelseries mousepad. So why should i have preferred it over 280X Matrix which was more expesive and hadn't had all these extra things?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I had over 13k graphics score too, on my former Giga 7970 WF3 rev 1, 1250/1750mhz. But my cpu held my overall score back (i7 3820 at 4.5ghz...stupid H60)










mine only gets 8k @ 1050/1650...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Why didn't you get the new card?


considering the 7970 and 280X matrix's are the same card...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> mine only gets 8k @ 1050/1650...
> considering the 7970 and 280X matrix's are the same card...


Yeah 13k is a lot for such a small oc.


----------



## deNordic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> http://forums.evga.com/tm.aspx?m=2038253


Do i gain anything else than the "name change" ? I mean 7970 = 280X (at same clocks) but someone in the thread you posted, wrote that he gained a slight increase.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Good question...maybe Mantle + 290X = good 4K gaming in the future?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We'll see, I'll have to grab your monitor if you sell xD


lol sure but I warn you the shipping may cost more than the screen itself if ur really located in Argentina!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yay i am not the only one maybe we will have more manufactures doing more of the old style then the new stuffs. if the us had mst hubs i would be on all DP .... till then i am using 1 DVI .... anyone in the uk area want to buy meh 2 mst hubs and ship them !~ ill pay !
> 
> hehe i have paid of my CCs 3 times, gave up after buying the house. wife is not gonna stop till "it" is done besides if the market crashes maybe they will go outta business
> 
> in all seriousness though ill have my stuff paid off in a year or so. all while doing major upgrades ( bought wii u all my pc stuff, buying 4xr9-290x and ps4, xbox1 ) i feel i am doing ok


LOL dang way to overshadow me buying just a 4k monitor LOL ur rig would prolly run it way better!


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Do i gain anything else than the "name change" ? I mean 7970 = 280X (at same clocks) but someone in the thread you posted, wrote that he gained a slight increase.


Not much but i believe 3DMark score increased but other than that not much of a difference unless AMD releases a specific driver to increase R9/R7 performance


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Not much but i believe 3DMark score increased but other than that not much of a difference unless AMD releases a specific driver to increase R9/R7 performance


Probably the same performance increase in flashing a 680 to a 770, something to do with RAM timings and more efficient stuff etc


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Probably the same performance increase in flashing a 680 to a 770, something to do with RAM timings and more efficient stuff etc


280x use the same hynix and elpida memories. So no flashing to a 280x is useless


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 280x use the same hynix and elpida memories. So no flashing to a 280x is useless


Okay then - Just my 2cents haha


----------



## istudy92

Ether way lets just wait until oct 15th when NDA ends and we will know offically what the specs are and performance from offical testers!
=]
then from there we can decide to buy out on bunch of 7xxx or sell out =p


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Ether way lets just wait until oct 15th when NDA ends and we will know offically what the specs are and performance from offical testers!
> =]
> then from there we can decide to buy out on bunch of 7xxx or sell out =p


Looks like launch day is delayed http://www.overclock.net/t/1433925/vc-amd-radeon-r9-290-series-launch-postponed/


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Looks like launch day is delayed http://www.overclock.net/t/1433925/vc-amd-radeon-r9-290-series-launch-postponed/


From what i get from my supplier 15 was never the launch day Just nda. Launch day was at the end of october


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> From what i get from my supplier 15 was never the launch day Just nda. Launch day was at the end of october


NDA ending is kinda like the paper launch day at least, cards may not be on the shelves for sale but there is usually a good flood of info when the NDA finishes up.

I was never really sure if it was the 15th for NDA, there was an AMD looking slide that said the 15th but who knows where it came from...


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Looks like launch day is delayed http://www.overclock.net/t/1433925/vc-amd-radeon-r9-290-series-launch-postponed/


great link, this is somewhat sad, but I do believe it has to do with marketing strategy. One OCN post called it an "apple move, to release same day NDA and sell on hype to counter nvidas price drops"
Oh well, ether way we can place our money on BF4 release, as long as we know when bf4 comes out then we will know when 290x will too.

bf4 is the pedalstone for these new gpus.

its like pokemon and ds release lol (bad analogy but w/e)

ether way I think if I were to get XF 7950 new card id still win by getting me bf4 bundled (never settle)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> mine only gets 8k @ 1050/1650...
> considering the 7970 and 280X matrix's are the same card...
> 
> 
> 
> *Yeah 13k is a lot for such a small oc.*
Click to expand...

Yep. Not sure ivan realizes that 13K score is the fastest current valid score using silly nosebleeding clocks.









Btw, someone asked what clocks for 13K gpu score in 3dm11, iirc it was at least 1375/1380 but since the new 3dm11 patch it doesn't always show the exact clocks.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Hey, does 13.9 amd driver includes the frame pacing driver? or is it only in 13.10 beta driver? Any better or difference? Cuz i'm getting little fed up with screen does the quick mirco move down and back up in position during web... or its normal? just the driver doing it or card? I kno someone said on OCN that he has a 7990 and it does the same to him.. I do have UPLS already disabled, bear in mind.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Disable hardware acell and it should fix that.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> great link, this is somewhat sad, but I do believe it has to do with marketing strategy. One OCN post called it an "apple move, to release same day NDA and sell on hype to counter nvidas price drops"
> Oh well, ether way we can place our money on BF4 release, as long as we know when bf4 comes out then we will know when 290x will too.
> 
> bf4 is the pedalstone for these new gpus.
> _*
> its like pokemon and ds release lol (bad analogy but w/e)
> *_
> ether way I think if I were to get XF 7950 new card id still win by getting me bf4 bundled (never settle)


i think it is more scary that you know that..... *run away *


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Disable hardware acell and it should fix that.


Trying it now, its disabled ... well see then.







hope it fixes it.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Is there any difference between 13.10 driver (Beta) and 13.9 driver (WHQL)?


----------



## Derpinheimer

Not sure if this is the right spot.

For some reason MSI afterburner & others can no longer overclock my card. I had re-installed windows a few weeks ago, and everything went fine. MSI AB worked the same as always.

Yesterday I noticed that HWinfo said the card was running at 850MHz (I was wondering why the card was running so cool), but I couldnt get it to move from that. Restarted, all was fine again. But now today I cant get it to do anything. Somehow it got itself stuck at 855MHz [?] but cant go up or down from there.

Core clockspeed/voltage -> uncontrllable
Memory clockspeed/voltage -> controllable

??? Any ideas? I re-installed AB, tried new version, clean uninstalled, installed, (now there are issues with the sliders not being extended to unnofficial mode)


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i think it is more scary that you know that..... *run away *


facebook....facebook...and the worst part is..im actually friends with them...
i should start unfriending.. lol


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Not sure if this is the right spot.
> 
> For some reason MSI afterburner & others can no longer overclock my card. I had re-installed windows a few weeks ago, and everything went fine. MSI AB worked the same as always.
> 
> Yesterday I noticed that HWinfo said the card was running at 850MHz (I was wondering why the card was running so cool), but I couldnt get it to move from that. Restarted, all was fine again. But now today I cant get it to do anything. Somehow it got itself stuck at 855MHz [?] but cant go up or down from there.
> 
> Core clockspeed/voltage -> uncontrllable
> Memory clockspeed/voltage -> controllable
> 
> ??? Any ideas? I re-installed AB, tried new version, clean uninstalled, installed, (now there are issues with the sliders not being extended to unnofficial mode)


Well I think I figured it out. It looks like MSI AB killed the vBios and instead of editing 3d Performance Mode, it was changing 2d Perf (The middle one).

So, idle clocks were the same. However the in-between mode jumped the core clock to the desired settings (Which caused BSOD/display crash on internet), and the 855 dropped to 850 on 3d stuff.

So luckily I have a second bios to switch to and all seems fine. Now I cant remember where I got the bios MSI AB killed...


----------



## cyph3rz

To all you 7950/7970/7990 owners, what are your maximum temps on your cards? I have a XFX 7950 card inside a 600T corsair case currently playing Metro Last Light and I get a maximum temperature of 65C. My card runs hot with this game. So I'm just wondering how everyone else is doing with temps. Thanks for your input!


----------



## BillyBonz

Google HW done







7990 on its way


----------



## cyph3rz

Nah, maximum temp is 70C. I've also been thinking about trying out one of these new Radeon R9 cards.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyph3rz*
> 
> To all you 7950/7970/7990 owners, what are your maximum temps on your cards? I have a XFX 7950 card inside a 600T corsair case currently playing Metro Last Light and I get a maximum temperature of 65C. My card runs hot with this game. So I'm just wondering how everyone else is doing with temps. Thanks for your input!


At 1300/1850 @1.35v I'm maxing 47c on water


----------



## punk2k6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyph3rz*
> 
> To all you 7950/7970/7990 owners, what are your maximum temps on your cards? I have a XFX 7950 card inside a 600T corsair case currently playing Metro Last Light and I get a maximum temperature of 65C. My card runs hot with this game. So I'm just wondering how everyone else is doing with temps. Thanks for your input!


65c is not hot at all lol


----------



## FuriousPop

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyph3rz*
> 
> To all you 7950/7970/7990 owners, what are your maximum temps on your cards? I have a XFX 7950 card inside a 600T corsair case currently playing Metro Last Light and I get a maximum temperature of 65C. My card runs hot with this game. So I'm just wondering how everyone else is doing with temps. Thanks for your input!


i have 2x7970 asus TOP's in crossfire and when running BF3 1st card normally sitting at the 64 degree cel area. and thats with the latest 13.11 beta drivers.

Can't see the temp of my 2nd card since latest MSI afterburner only displays temp of first card. - annoying really, shows everything else of 2nd card BUT temp - and cant change anything in settings to show it either...

Haven't tried Metro as yet - might give it a go tonight.

also GW2 doesn't go over approx low 60's either.


----------



## inedenimadam

MSI twin-frozr 3 7970 1150/1600 70C Max @ 1219mV.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyph3rz*
> 
> To all you 7950/7970/7990 owners, what are your maximum temps on your cards? I have a XFX 7950 card inside a 600T corsair case currently playing Metro Last Light and I get a maximum temperature of 65C. My card runs hot with this game. So I'm just wondering how everyone else is doing with temps. Thanks for your input!


my DCII runs at 72-75C, ideally 60C is the sweet spot but they usually handle 75C fine, higher then that though will start to wear it out.


----------



## Derpinheimer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derpinheimer*
> 
> Well I think I figured it out. It looks like MSI AB killed the vBios and instead of editing 3d Performance Mode, it was changing 2d Perf (The middle one).
> 
> So, idle clocks were the same. However the in-between mode jumped the core clock to the desired settings (Which caused BSOD/display crash on internet), and the 855 dropped to 850 on 3d stuff.
> 
> So luckily I have a second bios to switch to and all seems fine. Now I cant remember where I got the bios MSI AB killed...


AAAND its doing it again.

What the --- is this bull?

How is it possible that changin vbios, display driver, and msi ab clean uninstalls and reinstalls doesnt correct this?!


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *punk2k6*
> 
> 65c is not hot at all lol


Yeah 65c is "warm", with two cards I get under 70c at all times at 1100/1250, with one i don't pass 50c, but probably more like 45c.

That is gaming, mining the top card gets up to 75c when it gets warm and 85-90c on the VRM's..


----------



## istudy92

70C is avg.


----------



## cyph3rz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *punk2k6*
> 
> 65c is not hot at all lol


Well actually it's a little over 70c. I see you have a 7990. What's your maximum temp?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Hey, does 13.9 amd driver includes the frame pacing driver? or is it only in 13.10 beta driver? Any better or difference? Cuz i'm getting little fed up with screen does the quick mirco move down and back up in position during web... or its normal? just the driver doing it or card? I kno someone said on OCN that he has a 7990 and it does the same to him.. I do have UPLS already disabled, bear in mind.


That was me. I'm running the 13.10 beta 2, and I still get that. My temps, by the way, get up to 74 or so in World of Tanks, which seems to be an average game, graphically speaking, at 80% fan speed, with the top of my case taken off. It's stupid loud.


----------



## Phelan

I previously owned a 7970, but as of a couple days ago I sold it and ordered a Visiontek 7990! I'm stoked. I wanted a 7990 instead of my original plan of 2 7970s because I want to run 5 screens off an ITX build. Which leads me to my next question. How much watts am I looking at running with my 7990 and say a 4770K? I'm thinking the SG07/08 is my ideal size case but I dunno if the included 600w PSU will be enough for it.


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phelan*
> 
> I previously owned a 7970, but as of a couple days ago I sold it and ordered a Visiontek 7990! I'm stoked. I wanted a 7990 instead of my original plan of 2 7970s because I want to run 5 screens off an ITX build. Which leads me to my next question. How much watts am I looking at running with my 7990 and say a 4770K? I'm thinking the SG07/08 is my ideal size case but I dunno if the included 600w PSU will be enough for it.


If you look at this review you can see it's pulling 550w load for the entire system. That's with a 3960x @ 4.3ghz. I'd go with at least 650w to leave some breathing room.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah 13k is a lot for such a small oc.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yep. Not sure ivan realizes that 13K score is the fastest current valid score using silly nosebleeding clocks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, someone asked what clocks for 13K gpu score in 3dm11, iirc it was at least 1375/1380 but since the new 3dm11 patch it doesn't always show the exact clocks.


I thought you guys were into benching...

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7135614
http://hwbot.org/submission/2423668_ivanlabrie_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_7970_12635_marks


----------



## sugarhell

No tess...We are talking about with tess.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No tess...We are talking about with tess.


I was talking benching...so no tess.


----------



## sugarhell

I hate modified benching. There is no point. There is no skill when you just remove a graphic option to gain more points.


----------



## alancsalt

If you bench on the Bot, it's pointless not going by their rules. If you are benching for a thread with different rules, fine, but you are only valid for that thread. Whatever the rules are for where you are entering your results....

To each their own.


----------



## AJsez

Hi all,
I'm just verifying something. I planned to purchase a Reference 7950. The seller provided these photo. But GPU-Z is showing only 768 unified shaders and the card have an 8 pin and 6 pin connector. Is that correct??? Or there is something wrong here..

http://s1197.photobucket.com/user/AJsez/media/7950GPU-Z.jpg.html

http://s1197.photobucket.com/user/AJsez/media/7950photo.jpg.html


----------



## Phelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> If you look at this review you can see it's pulling 550w load for the entire system. That's with a 3960x @ 4.3ghz. I'd go with at least 650w to leave some breathing room.


That sounds promising. A 4770K should pull quite a bit less power than a 3960X am I right? I'd use my XFX 850w, but it woun't fit. I'm wanting to use the 600w that comes with Silverstone SG08 because it's a custom size, and in the location it's located, will allow me to fit a 280 rad above it.

The Silverstone 600w is rated and tested at 50*C instead of 40, so I think it should be able to handle the power, right?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I hate modified benching. There is no point. There is no skill when you just remove a graphic option to gain more points.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> If you bench on the Bot, it's pointless not going by their rules. If you are benching for a thread with different rules, fine, but you are only valid for that thread. Whatever the rules are for where you are entering your results....
> 
> To each their own.


Well, yeah, I thought you all liked hwbot benching...It has its quirks, and ultimately benching with friends at a forum thread might be more entertaining and less stressful (stupid rules that only the admins know...and stuff like that can get on your nerves).


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AJsez*
> 
> Hi all,
> I'm just verifying something. I planned to purchase a Reference 7950. The seller provided these photo. But GPU-Z is showing only 768 unified shaders and the card have an 8 pin and 6 pin connector. Is that correct??? Or there is something wrong here..
> 
> http://s1197.photobucket.com/user/AJsez/media/7950GPU-Z.jpg.html
> 
> http://s1197.photobucket.com/user/AJsez/media/7950photo.jpg.html


A little digging and I found THIS ARTICLE about a 768-shader pcb that was not intended for public sale, but as a sample to send to board makes to get the ball rolling with their designs without giving away the specs on the card. If that is what this card is, then the performance will suck, as is 25% less shaders than even the 7850.

edit to add: here on our forums.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah 13k is a lot for such a small oc.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Yep. Not sure ivan realizes that 13K score is the fastest current valid score using silly nosebleeding clocks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, someone asked what clocks for 13K gpu score in 3dm11, iirc it was at least 1375/1380 but since the new 3dm11 patch it doesn't always show the exact clocks.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I thought you guys were into benching...
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7135614
> http://hwbot.org/submission/2423668_ivanlabrie_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_7970_12635_marks
Click to expand...











Never ask me about disabling tess lmao. Why would you buy a card with tessellation then turn around and disable it to get *pumped up artificial FAKE scores*??

LOL, my Pscore is higher with tess on vs yours with tess off.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Over 13K.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> what clocks...?
Click to expand...

That said, here's the post that you quoted and removed my 3dm11. Not sure how/why you respond to the actual bench without noticing the validity of the bench itself.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Never ask me about disabling tess lmao. Why would you buy a card with tessellation then turn around and disable it to get *pumped up artificial FAKE scores*??
> 
> LOL, my Pscore is higher with tess on vs yours with tess off.
> That said, here's the post that you quoted and removed my 3dm11. Not sure how/why you respond to the actual bench without noticing the validity of the bench itself.


Funny guy eh? Quite the attitude too Mr HEXA CORE.









I didn't remove anything from the post I quoted, just hit multi and posted. :/

EDIT: Fun fact, I can't find you at hwbot...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Funny guy eh? Quite the attitude too Mr HEXA CORE.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I didn't remove anything from the post I quoted, just hit multi and posted. :/
> 
> EDIT: Fun fact, I can't find you at hwbot...


Because he hates hwbot


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Because he hates hwbot


Not my problem...I post a score and get flamed for no reason, not cool.


----------



## EliteReplay

hi guys... im trying to get the 4 screw on the top of my XFX 7950 to remove the heatsink but the screw driver that i need i dont find the size of it

can u please show me a picture of the one u used to get it done? thanks


----------



## Darklyric

number one phillips if i remeber right.... DO NOT strip it.....


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That said, here's the post that you quoted and removed my 3dm11. Not sure how/why you respond to the actual bench without noticing the validity of the bench itself.


ah, hadn't actually read the run fully so I hadn't noticed it was custom...


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> That was me. I'm running the 13.10 beta 2, and I still get that. My temps, by the way, get up to 74 or so in World of Tanks, which seems to be an average game, graphically speaking, at 80% fan speed, with the top of my case taken off. It's stupid loud.


Ah right, it was you with same problem i had (screen tilted down then bck up quickly during web). I found the solution to this.. disable the hardware acceleration in firefox's advance option. It fixed it for me.







Hope it helps ya as well.


----------



## process

Got 1 x 7970 and another 2 x 7970s coming and now thinking what sort of performance gain I'll see between 2 and 3. Are there any games that'll actually use this amount of graphical power? Have the option of selling oone on, so if the performance gain is minimal, I may sell it on and then not have to think about a new psu

As for psu, I'm now running a Corshair 850w AX or TX can't remem...but thinking I may have to upgrade..if so (not sure, could run 3 at stock?), which of these would you recommend?

COOLER MASTER SILENT PRO HYBRID (RS-D00-SPHA-D3) 1300W ATX 12V V2.3 / EPS 80 PLUS GOLD FULL MODULARPOWER SUPPLY W/FREE FAN CONTROLLER $371

CORSAIR AX1200 Professional Series Gold 1200W SLI Certified 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply
 $357

SILVERSTONE ST1500 1500W ATX 12V 2.3 & EPS 12V SLI READY 80 PLUS SILVER CERTIFIED ACTIVE PFC POWER SUPPLY $384


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Never ask me about disabling tess lmao. Why would you buy a card with tessellation then turn around and disable it to get *pumped up artificial FAKE scores*??
> 
> LOL, my Pscore is higher with tess on vs yours with tess off.
> That said, here's the post that you quoted and removed my 3dm11. Not sure how/why you respond to the actual bench without noticing the validity of the bench itself.


Because there are places where futuremark valid scores are required, & there are places where futuremark valid doesn't matter. You don't bench for hwbot, but there shouldn't be issues with people posting tess disabled scores in here, it isn't one of the official ranked threads.

Dug up a water cooled tess enabled score from last winter, crack open the windows & have a shot at it.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Got 1 x 7970 and another 2 x 7970s coming and now thinking what sort of performance gain I'll see between 2 and 3. Are there any games that'll actually use this amount of graphical power? Have the option of selling oone on, so if the performance gain is minimal, I may sell it on and then not have to think about a new psu
> 
> As for psu, I'm now running a Corshair 850w AX or TX can't remem...but thinking I may have to upgrade..if so (not sure, could run 3 at stock?), which of these would you recommend?
> 
> COOLER MASTER SILENT PRO HYBRID (RS-D00-SPHA-D3) 1300W ATX 12V V2.3 / EPS 80 PLUS GOLD FULL MODULARPOWER SUPPLY W/FREE FAN CONTROLLER $371
> 
> CORSAIR AX1200 Professional Series Gold 1200W SLI Certified 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Full Modular Active PFC Power Supply
> $357
> 
> SILVERSTONE ST1500 1500W ATX 12V 2.3 & EPS 12V SLI READY 80 PLUS SILVER CERTIFIED ACTIVE PFC POWER SUPPLY $384


From what i know, from going single gpu to dual gpus, u will gain about roughly 50% or more gain in some areas / games. From dual gpus to triple gpus, you will gain about 25% roughly maybe less.... and in my honest opinion about going quad gpus is a waste of time and money cuz you will only gain maybe 5 to 10% gain. If i were you, i would go dual only and get the most of em that way. If money is no limit then up to ya









As for your choice of psu, i would go with Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1300Watts PSU. (1st one)


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> From what i know, from going single gpu to dual gpus, u will gain about roughly 50% or more gain in some areas / games. From dual gpus to triple gpus, you will gain about 25% roughly maybe less.... and in my honest opinion about going quad gpus is a waste of time and money cuz you will only gain maybe 5 to 10% gain. If i were you, i would go dual only and get the most of em that way. If money is no limit then up to ya


From what I've seen, it heavily relies on the game; if there's bad or no Crossfire support in a game, the gains can be minimal or even slightly negative. In games that support Crossfire correctly, though, it tends to be ~80-90%+ (100% on occasion) for two GPUs and ~60%+ for three.
Quote:


> As for psu, I'm now running a Corshair 850w AX or TX can't remem...but thinking I may have to upgrade..if so (not sure, could run 3 at stock?), which of these would you recommend?


Out of those, I'd recommend the AX1200. If you can get a Seasonic X- or Platinum-series, Rosewill Capstone or Tachyon, or Lepa, those would be good too. I'm not sure what units CM and Silverstone use, so I can't say if those are good.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Because there are places where futuremark valid scores are required, & there are places where futuremark valid doesn't matter. You don't bench for hwbot, but there shouldn't be issues with people posting tess disabled scores in here, it isn't one of the official ranked threads.
> 
> Dug up a water cooled tess enabled score from last winter, crack open the windows & have a shot at it.


Yup...looks good btw.
I sold that card so I can't go for a tess enabled run to post here.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> From what I've seen, it heavily relies on the game; if there's bad or no Crossfire support in a game, the gains can be minimal or even slightly negative. In games that support Crossfire correctly, though, it tends to be ~80-90%+ (100% on occasion) for two GPUs and ~60%+ for three.
> Out of those, I'd recommend the AX1200. If you can get a Seasonic X- or Platinum-series, Rosewill Capstone or Tachyon, or Lepa, those would be good too. I'm not sure what units CM and Silverstone use, so I can't say if those are good.


I'd keep my eyes peeled, sometimes some well known psu reviewers sell great, tested units here or at overclockers.com/forums...(Bobnova, Oklahoma Wolf, Johnny Guru)
Also, some local members sell good and cheap units from time to time. My TX750 was bought here, and never had an issue since I got it two years ago.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yup...looks good btw.
> I sold that card so I can't go for a tess enabled run to post here.
> I'd keep my eyes peeled, sometimes some well known psu reviewers sell great, tested units here or at overclockers.com/forums...(Bobnova, Oklahoma Wolf, Johnny Guru)
> Also, some local members sell good and cheap units from time to time. My TX750 was bought here, and never had an issue since I got it two years ago.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yup...looks good btw.
> I sold that card so I can't go for a tess enabled run to post here.
> I'd keep my eyes peeled, sometimes some well known psu reviewers sell great, tested units here or at overclockers.com/forums...(Bobnova, Oklahoma Wolf, Johnny Guru)
> Also, some local members sell good and cheap units from time to time. My TX750 was bought here, and never had an issue since I got it two years ago.


You're selling off your AMD cards? I'm guessing for new AMD?
Just seems weird that you would be getting rid of them unless upgrading.

I'll have to sit outside to bench cold weather again this year, have some roommates here now & bet they would start whining if I dropped the temp in the house down to 2° again...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> You're selling off your AMD cards? I'm guessing for new AMD?
> Just seems weird that you would be getting rid of them unless upgrading.
> 
> I'll have to sit outside to bench cold weather again this year, have some roommates here now & bet they would start whining if I dropped the temp in the house down to 2° again...


Needed to kill my CC debt asap...I'll upgrade to 290 or 290x as soon as possible though. Or just get dual 7970 or 7950s and a monitor.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Needed to kill my CC debt asap...I'll upgrade to 290 or 290x as soon as possible though. Or just get dual 7970 or 7950s and a monitor.


I am basing my buy soley on one thing.
What ever set up gets me 50% more performance on a single card then ill buy a new 290, if not 7950 sapphire my beastly value card (used 185USD back in June 2013:thumb


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Needed to kill my CC debt asap...I'll upgrade to 290 or 290x as soon as possible though. Or just get dual 7970 or 7950s and a monitor.


Yes same boat here but i have the monitor and 2x7950s is awesome in virtually everything i play.... although I'd love to read your review on a 290(x)









my







is to get the monitor first though .... its a huge leap


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Needed to kill my CC debt asap...I'll upgrade to 290 or 290x as soon as possible though. Or just get dual 7970 or 7950s and a monitor.


I've been there, learned the hard way I am not good with credit. Nowdays I have a prepaid type card that I have to put money on before i can use it, or just have the cash in my pocket. I can go broke but at least can't dig myself too deep into a hole.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I've been there, learned the hard way I am not good with credit. Nowdays I have a prepaid type card that I have to put money on before i can use it, or just have the cash in my pocket. I can go broke but at least can't dig myself too deep into a hole.


Yea I'm usually careful but my stupid transmission blew up a few months back...


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> From what i know, from going single gpu to dual gpus, u will gain about roughly 50% or more gain in some areas / games. From dual gpus to triple gpus, you will gain about 25% roughly maybe less.... and in my honest opinion about going quad gpus is a waste of time and money cuz you will only gain maybe 5 to 10% gain. If i were you, i would go dual only and get the most of em that way. If money is no limit then up to ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for your choice of psu, i would go with Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1300Watts PSU. (1st one)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> From what I've seen, it heavily relies on the game; if there's bad or no Crossfire support in a game, the gains can be minimal or even slightly negative. In games that support Crossfire correctly, though, it tends to be ~80-90%+ (100% on occasion) for two GPUs and ~60%+ for three.
> Out of those, I'd recommend the AX1200. If you can get a Seasonic X- or Platinum-series, Rosewill Capstone or Tachyon, or Lepa, those would be good too. I'm not sure what units CM and Silverstone use, so I can't say if those are good.


Cheers guys... When the cards come, I'll try them with the AX850w and if running at stock, ill bench with 2 then 3... try out some diff games & check fps and report back. If the difference is minimal, I'll prob sell one on and keep dual. As for PSU, I dunno... I do like the idea of having the extra bay thingy with cooler master! But also know I can rely on AX psus.


----------



## blackhole2013

I love my ref 7970 i run 1175/1600 at 1.175v while gaming ..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> From what i know, from going single gpu to dual gpus, u will gain about roughly 50% or more gain in some areas / games. From dual gpus to triple gpus, you will gain about 25% roughly maybe less.... and in my honest opinion about going quad gpus is a waste of time and money cuz you will only gain maybe 5 to 10% gain. If i were you, i would go dual only and get the most of em that way. If money is no limit then up to ya
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As for your choice of psu, i would go with Cooler Master Silent Pro Hybrid 1300Watts PSU. (1st one)


depends on CPU and RAM though, perf gains are usually about 175-200% with 2, then ~275% for 3 and ~325% for 4 at the most, usually at that point you should have eyefinity, quadHD and/or 3D.


----------



## barebackbadger

Just moved to amd from nvidia, got the asus 7970 maxius platinum cheap in the uk
BUT think its going back
Tried 3 different drivers (the latest one, the beta and the one that came on the disc) initially the pc would boot up with white and black vertical stripes
Then my pc would get to the user select screen, then once at desktop the screen would go all glitchy then so far i have had a red and black vertical striped screen and a green and black vertical screen

Do you guys think its knackered?
I put my 680 back in and thats fine so rules out motherboard or power supply issue


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *barebackbadger*
> 
> Just moved to amd from nvidia, got the asus 7970 maxius platinum cheap in the uk
> BUT think its going back
> Tried 3 different drivers (the latest one, the beta and the one that came on the disc) initially the pc would boot up with white and black vertical stripes
> Then my pc would get to the user select screen, then once at desktop the screen would go all glitchy then so far i have had a red and black vertical striped screen and a green and black vertical screen
> 
> Do you guys think its knackered?
> I put my 680 back in and thats fine so rules out motherboard or power supply issue


- uninstall every AMD driver you installed
- uninstall ALL ASUS software and drivers
- do a registry clean
- make sure ALL ASUS services are gone
- make sure ALL AMD drivers are gone
- your card should now be on stock windows drivers
- go to AMD site, download latest release (public or beta, your choice) and install

enjoy

fyi don't use GPUTweak, likely the cause.


----------



## barebackbadger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> - uninstall every AMD driver you installed
> - uninstall ALL ASUS software and drivers
> - do a registry clean
> - make sure ALL ASUS services are gone
> - make sure ALL AMD drivers are gone
> - your card should now be on stock windows drivers
> - go to AMD site, download latest release (public or beta, your choice) and install
> 
> enjoy
> 
> fyi don't use GPUTweak, likely the cause.


Tried all that


----------



## alancsalt

uninstalled all nvidia drivers? Removed all traces?


----------



## barebackbadger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> uninstalled all nvidia drivers? Removed all traces?


Yeah, went through regedit etc to make sure as well (exported before i made changes just in case)
It worked ok until yesterday (had it friday but only installed yesterday), started tomb raider, game glitched then the 7970 aint worked since


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *barebackbadger*
> 
> Yeah, went through regedit etc to make sure as well (exported before i made changes just in case)
> It worked ok until yesterday (had it friday but only installed yesterday), started tomb raider, game glitched then the 7970 aint worked since


This means all but 1 thing...welcome to amd hardship circle...lol jjp
aahh=/ bad 1st experience!! =[


----------



## barebackbadger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> This means all but 1 thing...welcome to amd hardship circle...lol jjp
> aahh=/ bad 1st experience!! =[


Its not put me off or anything.. Its just one of those things, didnt come on here to slag it off etc, was just asking for advice and to make sure there was nothing i had missed
I work with servers all day through work, i know how hardware works.
Not sure what its like in the US but here in the uk there seems to be a real drive to sell the 7970s etc so the failure rate on the volume sold there as to be some... Sods law it would be mine lol
I have just requested an RMA, hope it gets turned around quick so i can get back to gaming







glad it happened during the b4 beta and not on full release


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *barebackbadger*
> 
> Yeah, went through regedit etc to make sure as well (exported before i made changes just in case)
> It worked ok until yesterday (had it friday but only installed yesterday), started tomb raider, game glitched then the 7970 aint worked since


RMA then, sounds like the card popped a nut- I mean a memory IC...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> I've been there, learned the hard way I am not good with credit. Nowdays I have a prepaid type card that I have to put money on before i can use it, or just have the cash in my pocket. I can go broke but at least can't dig myself too deep into a hole.


serious question in canada dont they have debit cards? why not use them ?


----------



## barebackbadger

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> RMA then, sounds like the card popped a nut- I mean a memory IC...


Yeah thought it was knackered, just needed some sort of confirmation
Just one of those things. Thanks for the help though.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> serious question in canada dont they have debit cards? why not use them ?


You can't use those for paypal outside the US...not so easily at least.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> serious question in canada dont they have debit cards? why not use them ?


They do have debit cards, I just don't use them. I have the credit card for online orders & for places that need a credit card for deposit, otherwise cash.

I've always hated being in line behind someone who has to swipe the debit card over & over to pay for a cup of coffee.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> serious question in canada dont they have debit cards? why not use them ?
> 
> 
> 
> They do have debit cards, I just don't use them. I have the credit card for online orders & for places that need a credit card for deposit, otherwise cash.
> 
> I've always hated being in line behind someone who has to swipe the debit card over & over to pay for a cup of coffee.
Click to expand...

Why do they have to swipe it over and over? Should be swipe once and if the chain is anywhere near big enough anything under $20 shouldn't even need signature/pin number. Simply swipe and authorized.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Never ask me about disabling tess lmao. Why would you buy a card with tessellation then turn around and disable it to get *pumped up artificial FAKE scores*??
> 
> LOL, my Pscore is higher with tess on vs yours with tess off.
> That said, here's the post that you quoted and removed my 3dm11. Not sure how/why you respond to the actual bench without noticing the validity of the bench itself.
> 
> 
> 
> Because there are places where futuremark valid scores are required, & there are places where futuremark valid doesn't matter. You don't bench for hwbot, but there shouldn't be issues with people posting tess disabled scores in here, it isn't one of the official ranked threads.
> 
> Dug up a water cooled tess enabled score from last winter, crack open the windows & have a shot at it.
Click to expand...

If you notice in my post, the context was in reference to my 3dm11 run which is hyperlinked and it makes up all the text. Thus bragging he got 13K gs w/o tess when we're talking about tess on valid scores... it's a duh moment. I don't care if anyone runs tess off, but if you're going to reference it you should have the courtesy to note that it's with tess off otherwise its just bad form.

Btw, your pscore is 61pts higher than the one linked in the posts here. Graphics scores aren't comparable cuz you're using ivy in a year old revision of 3dm11. And w/o a link I can't tell what version it is, not that it matters regardless.

Oh also, I ran tests versus your friend with the 7990s, tess off. Yea, um like I said many times there is no difference in IPS. I'm wondering whether I should bother to post the results. It doesn't seem like ppl care about honesty in the valley thread anymore. I got around to putting my fourth card back in my rig, so now I can run rbby278's valley cheat tool at your boy's clocks.


----------



## FtW 420

This is true, tess enabled is standard for OCN so tess disabled should be noted, otherwsie the guys who don't know might freak out that thier card looks under-performing or something.
I wish 3dmark11 showed the version number in the score screen, I can't remember which it was either, probably 1.01 but I'm not sure. I'll have to do it again with the latest & newer drivers.

For the 7990 vs. 7970 xfire I was comparing at the bot, not a lot of 7990s getting benched but the ones that are there do seem to be getting comparable scores at lower clocks. Comparing with the same cpu at similar clockspeed, the 7990 does seem to get around the same scores as 2 x 7970s clocked 50 - 100mhz higher.
I'd have to dig deeper into drivers, it is possible the 7990s are just newer & using more recent drivers than the comparable 7970s I was looking at.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> This is true, tess enabled is standard for OCN so tess disabled should be noted, otherwsie the guys who don't know might freak out that thier card looks under-performing or something.
> I wish 3dmark11 showed the version number in the score screen, I can't remember which it was either, probably 1.01 but I'm not sure. I'll have to do it again with the latest & newer drivers.
> 
> For the 7990 vs. 7970 xfire I was comparing at the bot, not a lot of 7990s getting benched but the ones that are there do seem to be getting comparable scores at lower clocks. Comparing with the same cpu at similar clockspeed, the 7990 does seem to get around the same scores as 2 x 7970s clocked 50 - 100mhz higher.
> I'd have to dig deeper into drivers, it is possible the 7990s are just newer & using more recent drivers than the comparable 7970s I was looking at.


There is no difference. You can call it what you will, like you were insinuating that I'm a noob and don't know jack. Whatever, the facts speak for themselves. The other facts like his heaven run with TESS OFF was only a few fps higher than my TESS ON valid submission. That should be freaking obvious to even the least astute observer.

Firestrike

7990
Score14861
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/984515

7970x2
Score14698
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/944386

3dm11

7990
ScoreP20755
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7028779

7970x2
ScoreP22246
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7266771


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FtW 420*
> 
> This is true, tess enabled is standard for OCN so tess disabled should be noted, otherwsie the guys who don't know might freak out that thier card looks under-performing or something.
> I wish 3dmark11 showed the version number in the score screen, I can't remember which it was either, probably 1.01 but I'm not sure. I'll have to do it again with the latest & newer drivers.
> 
> For the 7990 vs. 7970 xfire I was comparing at the bot, not a lot of 7990s getting benched but the ones that are there do seem to be getting comparable scores at lower clocks. Comparing with the same cpu at similar clockspeed, the 7990 does seem to get around the same scores as 2 x 7970s clocked 50 - 100mhz higher.
> I'd have to dig deeper into drivers, it is possible the 7990s are just newer & using more recent drivers than the comparable 7970s I was looking at.


I guess I didn't know you guys weren't benching like I do...tess off and 3dm11 version make quite the difference score wise, and I like to get higher scores, that's about it.








But yeah, strictly performance wise, or fairness, or whatever yeah, you can't compare tess off vs a more 'legit' approach.

Bios versions play their part too, different ram timings probably.


----------



## glenquagmire

hey guys having a small problem with xfire

I just installed the Crosshair V FOrmula Z MOBO and have the 2 7950 Gigabyte GPUs installed. thing is, I see the two as options under GPU-z, under BIOS, everywhere else, however under MSI Afterburner, Kombuster, Heaven, I am only getting performance from one GPU under load.

ULPS disabled, Xfire enabled.

Is there something I need to do to make both work?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FuriousPop*
> 
> i have 2x7970 asus TOP's in crossfire and when running BF3 1st card normally sitting at the 64 degree cel area. and thats with the latest 13.11 beta drivers.
> 
> Can't see the temp of my 2nd card since latest MSI afterburner only displays temp of first card. - annoying really, shows everything else of 2nd card BUT temp - and cant change anything in settings to show it either...
> 
> Haven't tried Metro as yet - might give it a go tonight.
> 
> also GW2 doesn't go over approx low 60's either.


have you tried disabling ULPS? Once i disabled that and restarted my pc my temps for my 2nd gpu started showing up....


----------



## vonPelz

I don't know the reason, but MSI Afterburner has been causing some really serious problems for my 7950. 90% of the time when I go and watch a youtube video my screen will go corrupt like this: http://i.imgur.com/J7Tztcq.jpg and then the system will hang.
If I keep my clocks at stock I don't have this problem, but if I make any kind of adjustment in Afterburner that will happen.

I have now uninstalled AB and am now running Trixx instead. After this I don't have any lock ups anymore and I can happily overclock to 1150/1250.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> I don't know the reason, but MSI Afterburner has been causing some really serious problems for my 7950. 90% of the time when I go and watch a youtube video my screen will go corrupt like this: http://i.imgur.com/J7Tztcq.jpg and then the system will hang.
> If I keep my clocks at stock I don't have this problem, but if I make any kind of adjustment in Afterburner that will happen.
> 
> I have now uninstalled AB and am now running Trixx instead. After this I don't have any lock ups anymore and I can happily overclock to 1150/1250.


funky, Id say the GPU is crashing, the voltages or clocks might be wrong for the 2D/idle profile, or somethings bugged and its fluffing up the controller...

if it still occurs on Trixx you might need to try altering your 2D clocks, and you tried with hardware acceleration off? (both flash and browser)


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *barebackbadger*
> 
> Its not put me off or anything.. Its just one of those things, didnt come on here to slag it off etc, was just asking for advice and to make sure there was nothing i had missed
> I work with servers all day through work, i know how hardware works.
> Not sure what its like in the US but here in the uk there seems to be a real drive to sell the 7970s etc so the failure rate on the volume sold there as to be some... Sods law it would be mine lol
> I have just requested an RMA, hope it gets turned around quick so i can get back to gaming
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> glad it happened during the b4 beta and not on full release


You try a fresh windows instal by chance? Just something to do while waiting on rma to pan out. ohh and dont put any of that asus sw on just chipset ect.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> I don't know the reason, but MSI Afterburner has been causing some really serious problems for my 7950. 90% of the time when I go and watch a youtube video my screen will go corrupt like this: http://i.imgur.com/J7Tztcq.jpg and then the system will hang.
> If I keep my clocks at stock I don't have this problem, but if I make any kind of adjustment in Afterburner that will happen.
> 
> I have now uninstalled AB and am now running Trixx instead. After this I don't have any lock ups anymore and I can happily overclock to 1150/1250.


I had the same issue with trixx's little widget or w/e you call it that monitors temps ect... same exact issue and switched to msi AB and perfection. --this was on vaper x 7950s lol


----------



## Chopper1591

Most of you probably have read this already.

But for the ones who didn't, maybe you find this interesting.

A review of the Sapphire R9 280x Toxic.

Seems like a nice card for the price.
Cheaper then the 7970 ghz and faster(where I live).


----------



## anubis1127

Not to mention it looks sweet. Orange PC components ftw.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Most of you probably have read this already.
> 
> But for the ones who didn't, maybe you find this interesting.
> 
> A review of the Sapphire R9 280x Toxic.
> 
> Seems like a nice card for the price.
> Cheaper then the 7970 ghz and faster(where I live).


they used 13.5. it should have gotten higher in 3DMark11 at least. here my 7950 at 1100/1575 with only an i7 SB 4.5

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288276

13.11.


----------



## sugarhell

Whats the point to use 13.5?


----------



## KingT

I have ordered another Asus HD7950 DC2T V2 card for a CrossFire setup









Can't wait









CHEERS...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Whats the point to use 13.5?


what you think? 280 toxic or 290? i'll wait for the 290.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> what you think? 280 toxic or 290? i'll wait for the 290.


290 by far. I expect 50% increase for a 290x and the 290 will fall to 40-45%


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 290 by far. I expect 50% increase for a 290 and the 290 will fall to 40-45%


i'll shoot for the 290. prices should get even better early next year. but that toxic is what it is - TOXIC. lol


----------



## sugarhell

Toxic is voltage locked too.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 290 by far. I expect 50% increase for a 290x and the 290 will fall to 40-45%


You think the 290 will retail at 550usd?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Toxic is voltage locked too.


That sucks!


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Most of you probably have read this already.
> 
> But for the ones who didn't, maybe you find this interesting.
> 
> A review of the Sapphire R9 280x Toxic.
> 
> Seems like a nice card for the price.
> Cheaper then the 7970 ghz and faster(where I live).


hey that link is great, but question how realiable do you think it is?!
if these are real benchmarks and all then getting a 280x from my 7950 would be a great upgrade let alone 290x


----------



## fast_fate

the 7970 enthusiests amongst you may get a kick from this trio - a work in progress...





Spoiler: the rear end


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fast_fate*
> 
> the 7970 enthusiests amongst you may get a kick from this trio - a work in progress...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: the rear end










such a clean case such a clean rig


----------



## fast_fate

Thanks - can't beat a Caselabs for design & quality.

I also started toying with front of the MB side but not sure about any of this yet - might rip out and start again ??


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fast_fate*
> 
> the 7970 enthusiests amongst you may get a kick from this trio - a work in progress...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: the rear end


You have dual xeons there?


----------



## vonPelz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> funky, Id say the GPU is crashing, the voltages or clocks might be wrong for the 2D/idle profile, or somethings bugged and its fluffing up the controller...
> 
> if it still occurs on Trixx you might need to try altering your 2D clocks, and you tried with hardware acceleration off? (both flash and browser)


Yeah, it's strange, because I could still game for long times without crashing... On Youtube the voltage and clocks on the 7950 kept changing constantly, I guess that caused the corruption/crash. Might have something to do with AB's monitoring maybe, since Trixx doesn't have monitoring besides the GPU temperature.

Disabling Flash hardware acceleration definitely fixed it, but that's not really a solution and without hw acceleration you get nearest neighbor video scaling, which I can't stand.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> I don't know the reason, but MSI Afterburner has been causing some really serious problems for my 7950. 90% of the time when I go and watch a youtube video my screen will go corrupt like this: http://i.imgur.com/J7Tztcq.jpg and then the system will hang.
> If I keep my clocks at stock I don't have this problem, but if I make any kind of adjustment in Afterburner that will happen.
> 
> I have now uninstalled AB and am now running Trixx instead. After this I don't have any lock ups anymore and I can happily overclock to 1150/1250.


That pic is classic hw acceleratiion bug. AB is doing what you are telling it to. It's probably because you don't have a fundamental understanding of how the two different overclocking modes work. AB by default uses OFFICIAL mode and Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode. The difference between the two besides how they actually implement clock changes, is in how they work with AMD's powersaving processes or in how they ignore/bypass those processes, which is what Trixx does. Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode without powerplay suppport.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/280_40

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fast_fate*
> 
> the 7970 enthusiests amongst you may get a kick from this trio - a work in progress...
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: the rear end


Not sure how you are going to cool 900w just from the gpus... well that is if you were lucky and have three gold cards. I have a habit of throwing Nova Extremes at everything... that helps in cooling.


----------



## fast_fate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> You have dual xeons there?


yep - 2650's


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fast_fate*
> 
> yep - 2650's


Nice


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I have ordered another Asus HD7950 DC2T V2 card for a CrossFire setup
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Can't wait
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS...


Two 7950's are sweet.








I noticed you have your psu in the 932 bottom-mounted. As the case offers two psu mounting options, when I had a 932, I had the psu mounted in the top of the case. That gave a lot more room for my fat, air-cooled cards that I had at that time. It allowed the cards to be spaced for better breathing, and two 120mm fans in the bottom of the 932 helped the airflow even more.


----------



## eAT5

BF4 played like crap, then i reset my CPU and GPU clocks to default and the game plays awesome 100+ fps, strange.


----------



## vonPelz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That pic is classic hw acceleratiion bug. AB is doing what you are telling it to. It's probably because you don't have a fundamental understanding of how the two different overclocking modes work. AB by default uses OFFICIAL mode and Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode. The difference between the two besides how they actually implement clock changes, is in how they work with AMD's powersaving processes or in how they ignore/bypass those processes, which is what Trixx does. Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode without powerplay suppport.


Ok, that would make sense, but I was using unofficial OC mode in Afterburner to access the higher clocks... Also, does Powerplay include anything else than lowering clocks and voltages during idle? Because my card is still doing that, even if I have it overclocked using Trixx.


----------



## Phelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That pic is classic hw acceleratiion bug. AB is doing what you are telling it to. It's probably because you don't have a fundamental understanding of how the two different overclocking modes work. AB by default uses OFFICIAL mode and Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode. The difference between the two besides how they actually implement clock changes, is in how they work with AMD's powersaving processes or in how they ignore/bypass those processes, which is what Trixx does. Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode without powerplay suppport.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/280_40
> Not sure how you are going to cool 900w just from the gpus... well that is if you were lucky and have three gold cards. I have a habit of throwing Nova Extremes at everything... that helps in cooling.


Me thinks you didn't see the 2 other monsta rads on the backside, in the spoiler







.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That pic is classic hw acceleratiion bug. AB is doing what you are telling it to. It's probably because you don't have a fundamental understanding of how the two different overclocking modes work. AB by default uses OFFICIAL mode and Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode. The difference between the two besides how they actually implement clock changes, is in how they work with AMD's powersaving processes or in how they ignore/bypass those processes, which is what Trixx does. Trixx uses UNOFFICIAL mode without powerplay suppport.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, that would make sense, but I was using unofficial OC mode in Afterburner to access the higher clocks... Also, does Powerplay include anything else than lowering clocks and voltages during idle? Because my card is still doing that, even if I have it overclocked using Trixx.
Click to expand...

There is a lot of nuance to AB so it's really hard to know what your are doing and how without a getting all your settings or a screenshot. Are you using the beta? In the link I provided in the last post, in post #2 of that link there is a video. It shows what happens when you allow powerplay to work. NOW, the kicker is AB by default allows Powerplay to run with UNOFFICIAL mode.

Also, due to hw acceleration, and the varying powerstates, a program can kick the card into the hard coded powerstates without your knowing it unless you are aware that it IS going to happen.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phelan*
> 
> Me thinks you didn't see the 2 other monsta rads on the backside, in the spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I have 3 nova for 6 7970s..


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Anybody getting over 40% gpu usage in trifire on BF4 beta?







lol I know it's a beta just wondering.


----------



## Darklyric

not getting over 40% with CF lol....


----------



## sugarhell

I am getting 90% gpu usage with trifire.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fast_fate*
> 
> the 7970 enthusiests amongst you may get a kick from this trio - a work in progress...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: the rear end


that looks pretty sweet, the red tubes definitely seem a good choice in there...

though all in series? (apart from cards, you have a parallel block there)
I'm curious how the temps will work but guess seeing as ts dual xeon (I see those stickers







) your not getting any/much overclocking...


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> they used 13.5. it should have gotten higher in 3DMark11 at least. here my 7950 at 1100/1575 with only an i7 SB 4.5
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7288276
> 
> 13.11.


You are comparing apples with peanuts.

I get around 10400 with my 7950 and 8320 @ 4.4.

The card gives nice performance with stock clocks for the price.
Can be pre-odered here(Netherlands) for 289 euro(390 USD).
A 7970 vapor-x will set me back around 360 euro(486 USD).

A mate of mine is about to build a new pc and is kinda on a budget.
So when I found this I was like: good value for the money.
Faster then the 7970 and allot cheaper IMO.

Also has decent components as you can see if you read the whole review.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 290 by far. I expect 50% increase for a 290x and the 290 will fall to 40-45%


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i'll shoot for the 290. prices should get even better early next year. but that toxic is what it is - TOXIC. lol


Don't hate that much please.








Of course the 290 will be allot faster.

But for the price being the 280x is a decent choice IMO.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Toxic is voltage locked too.


My 7950 vapor-x is also voltage locked.
But by editing the bios I can change it nonetheless.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> hey that link is great, but question how realiable do you think it is?!
> if these are real benchmarks and all then getting a 280x from my 7950 would be a great upgrade let alone 290x


Yeah its an early review.
We will have to wait for the card to release and more reviews to roll out.

I agree with you.
If my 7950 starts to struggle with the upcoming games I will probably sell it and get the 280x.

I don't need ultra high end.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> You are comparing apples with peanuts.
> 
> I get around 10400 with my 7950 and 8320 @ 4.4.
> 
> The card gives nice performance with stock clocks for the price.
> Can be pre-odered here(Netherlands) for 289 euro(390 USD).
> A 7970 vapor-x will set me back around 360 euro(486 USD).
> 
> A mate of mine is about to build a new pc and is kinda on a budget.
> So when I found this I was like: good value for the money.
> Faster then the 7970 and allot cheaper IMO.
> 
> Also has decent components as you can see if you read the whole review.
> 
> Don't hate that much please.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Of course the 290 will be allot faster.
> 
> But for the price being the 280x is a decent choice IMO.
> My 7950 vapor-x is also voltage locked.
> But by editing the bios I can change it nonetheless.
> Yeah its an early review.
> We will have to wait for the card to release and more reviews to roll out.
> 
> I agree with you.
> If my 7950 starts to struggle with the upcoming games I will probably sell it and get the 280x.
> 
> I don't need ultra high end.


i compared the 7950 scores with similar oc's but they used a X79 chip oc'ed higher than my SB and got beat. the driver made a difference in 7950 and should also do the same with the rest of the amd cars. i'd imagine the that chip would score around 13000 in physics and their graphics score using 13.5 getting 200 points less.

in short, the 280 should be scoring closer to 12000 with 13.11. that is amazing.


----------



## crun

My 7950 Twin Frozr 3 has arrived two hours ago. It is a really tight fit in my case! Literally 2mm more and it would be too long. It was pretty much the only possible AMD choice for me.

So far I didn't notice any throttling... Memory/core clocks and GPU usage seems rock stable. I'm on +20% Power Limit.
However, two things concerned me so far: stuttering in FurMark 1.11.0 (Heaven runs fine, didn't test other benchmarks yet) and sometimes laggy animations in Windows while running Furmark or Heaven Extreme (windowed). Is it normal?

Anyway, 1150/1500 @ 1.188 (stock) seems to be running perfectly stable for me. 1175 core OR 1550 OR decreasing voltage to 1150 caused crashes, artifacts etc.
I'm getting ~75c GPU temp and ~80cVRM while fan spins on 50%. Cool and silent.

Now I'm working on the undervolted/little OC profile. So far looks good

Improvement from HD5850 is really noticable. For example, Heaven (Extreme Preset) average fps increased from 17 to 45. On the other hand, in World of Warcraft (the only game I have tested so far) fps didn't change THAT much - CPU must be bottlenecking it. (50-60% GPU usage during my short test)


----------



## vonPelz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There is a lot of nuance to AB so it's really hard to know what your are doing and how without a getting all your settings or a screenshot. Are you using the beta? In the link I provided in the last post, in post #2 of that link there is a video. It shows what happens when you allow powerplay to work. NOW, the kicker is AB by default allows Powerplay to run with UNOFFICIAL mode.
> 
> Also, due to hw acceleration, and the varying powerstates, a program can kick the card into the hard coded powerstates without your knowing it unless you are aware that it IS going to happen.


I was using AB 2.3.1 with "UnofficialOverclockingMode" set to 1 and voltage control enabled. I have it unistalled now.

Anyway, yes it seems that Powerplay was the culprit all along. I think the problems started when I enabled unofficial overclocking in AB, the voltages and clocks started fluctuating constantly causing flickering on desktop and then the corruption on Youtube. I guess if I set "UnofficialOverclockingMode" to 2 then it would solve the problem, though at the cost of losing Powerplay. I think I'm fine though with Trixx, I actually like the interface better and the clocks and voltages still go down with low gpu usage without any issues, so I guess Powerplay is working w/ Trixx anyway?


----------



## glenquagmire

hey guys. i have 2 7950 gigabyte windforce rev 2.0 on a crosshair v formula z. i have a problem when I am running benchmarks, I am not getting the second GPU to participate. I see both GPUs under BIOS and when looking at GPU-Z and even MSI Afterburner, but just dont see load reflecting. Fan spins since off ULPS diabled, but thats all.

Xfire enabled, ULPS disabled running Catalyst 13.9 (just downgraded from 13.11 beta to see if that mattered), MSI afterburner, Kombuster and Heaven 4.0.

***UPDATE: SO I FLIPPED THE BRIDGE FROM FACING RIGHT TO FACING LEFT AND TA DA!!!****


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i compared the 7950 scores with similar oc's but they used a X79 chip oc'ed higher than my SB and got beat. the driver made a difference in 7950 and should also do the same with the rest of the amd cars. i'd imagine the that chip would score around 13000 in physics and their graphics score using 13.5 getting 200 points less.
> 
> in short, the 280 should be scoring closer to 12000 with 13.11. that is amazing.


Oh sorry, I misread your post.
You are actually using the newer drivers.

My bad.









Would like to see benches with the newer drivers.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crun*
> 
> My 7950 Twin Frozr 3 has arrived two hours ago. It is a really tight fit in my case! Literally 2mm more and it would be too long. It was pretty much the only possible AMD choice for me.
> 
> So far I didn't notice any throttling... Memory/core clocks and GPU usage seems rock stable. I'm on +20% Power Limit.
> However, two things concerned me so far: stuttering in FurMark 1.11.0 (Heaven runs fine, didn't test other benchmarks yet) and sometimes laggy animations in Windows while running Furmark or Heaven Extreme (windowed). Is it normal?
> 
> Anyway, 1150/1500 @ 1.188 (stock) seems to be running perfectly stable for me. 1175 core OR 1550 OR decreasing voltage to 1150 caused crashes, artifacts etc.
> I'm getting ~75c GPU temp and ~80cVRM while fan spins on 50%. Cool and silent.
> 
> Now I'm working on the undervolted/little OC profile. So far looks good
> 
> Improvement from HD5850 is really noticable. For example, Heaven (Extreme Preset) average fps increased from 17 to 45. On the other hand, in World of Warcraft (the only game I have tested so far) fps didn't change THAT much - CPU must be bottlenecking it. (50-60% GPU usage during my short test)


Good to hear you are happy with the card. And congrats on the tight fit.









I don't know about the stuttering, I haven't experienced that. How is the cpu load when that happens?

1.188 seems a bit high for 1150. But I t aint too bad. How did you monitor the voltage? Is that the peak voltage or average?

To me 75c is already on the high side. But it is indeed perfectly safe.
Though I like to keep it at 70c or below to keep the card healthy for a long time. 80c is definitely the max I would let it reach.

Mmo's are mostly cpu bound anyway and Wow isn't really THAT resource heavy. Try it at various core clocks and see how the usage is.
Try Skyrim heavy modded.









Good luck on the profiles.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Oh sorry, I misread your post.
> You are actually using the newer drivers.
> 
> My bad.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Would like to see benches with the newer drivers.
> Good to hear you are happy with the card. And congrats on the tight fit.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know about the stuttering, I haven't experienced that. How is the cpu load when that happens?
> 
> 1.188 seems a bit high for 1150. But I t aint too bad. How did you monitor the voltage? Is that the peak voltage or average?
> 
> To me 75c is already on the high side. But it is indeed perfectly safe.
> Though I like to keep it at 70c or below to keep the card healthy for a long time. 80c is definitely the max I would let it reach.
> 
> Mmo's are mostly cpu bound anyway and Wow isn't really THAT resource heavy. Try it at various core clocks and see how the usage is.
> Try Skyrim heavy modded.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Good luck on the profiles.


Tahiti starts having issues at 70*C ish, I was hitting 75*C, as soon as I watercooled, I went an extra 50MHz on that voltage level, as my temps were now under 50


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Tahiti starts having issues at 70*C ish, I was hitting 75*C, as soon as I watercooled, I went an extra 50MHz on that voltage level, as my temps were now under 50


any idea how to put a water block on the gpus for gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0? I cannot find EK making a specific one for that Rev but did for Rev 1.0. is a universal block and option?


----------



## sugarhell

50C under water? Thats high


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 50C under water? Thats high


Not 50 under load, as in "Under 50"

Their actually at about 40*C if i stress EVERYTHING, (If cards at 1.25v)


----------



## sugarhell

With 1.38 volt my cards when i had a loop was at 30C max. Oh you have only 360+240


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> With 1.38 volt my cards when i had a loop was at 30C max. Oh you have only 360+240


Sick loop and fans/rads








Got any pics?


----------



## Indiegreg

Hello everyone. Do you allow HD 7870 Ghz Edition? Is there a club for the Gigabyte? Whom can make one?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Sick loop and fans/rads
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Got any pics?


Its ugly...I have change to 3 nova with an open case.Thats include a lot of tubing and 3 pumps next to the pc. I never had a photo because it so ugly







Ghetto rig


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> With 1.38 volt my cards when i had a loop was at 30C max. Oh you have only 360+240


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Not 50 under load, as in "Under 50"
> 
> Their actually at about 40*C if i stress EVERYTHING, (If cards at 1.25v)


OH YEA.....I PEE STANDING UP!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> There is a lot of nuance to AB so it's really hard to know what your are doing and how without a getting all your settings or a screenshot. Are you using the beta? In the link I provided in the last post, in post #2 of that link there is a video. It shows what happens when you allow powerplay to work. NOW, the kicker is AB by default allows Powerplay to run with UNOFFICIAL mode.
> 
> Also, due to hw acceleration, and the varying powerstates, a program can kick the card into the hard coded powerstates without your knowing it unless you are aware that it IS going to happen.
> 
> 
> 
> I was using AB 2.3.1 with "UnofficialOverclockingMode" set to 1 and voltage control enabled. I have it unistalled now.
> 
> Anyway, yes it seems that Powerplay was the culprit all along. I think the problems started when I enabled unofficial overclocking in AB, the voltages and clocks started fluctuating constantly causing flickering on desktop and then the corruption on Youtube. I guess if I set "UnofficialOverclockingMode" to 2 then it would solve the problem, though at the cost of losing Powerplay. I think I'm fine though with Trixx, I actually like the interface better and the clocks and voltages still go down with low gpu usage without any issues, *so I guess Powerplay is working w/ Trixx anyway?*
Click to expand...

As I wrote above, any app can force the cards powerstate into another powerstate. Trixx is a set once app, meaning it sets the card into 3D clocks, and that's it. It does not monitor the powerstate and re-enable X clock settings. Think of it more as a manual app, a dumb app in essence. AB is much better for day to day overclocking due to it's profile capability. The other thing you have to confirm is that you've disabled hw accel in everything that uses gpu acceleration, though even after doing that it's not a guarantee but its the best practice that counts.

Personally I game with AB and bench with Trixx. I can't live w/o AB's OSD server. On boot up I have nothing loaded, ie. no AB or Trixx.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> With 1.38 volt my cards when i had a loop was at 30C max. Oh you have only 360+240


My 7970 @1325/1850 @1.381v only hits 47c under full load. 240+240


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> *Fixed*, the last step didnt want to copy paste on my phone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> as per request from glenquagmire
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Bios Flashing Guide!
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not responsible for an incorrect flash and either way you have your original bios to reflash.
> 
> 1) you will need a fat 32 flashdrive the smaller ones like 8 gb seem to work better for me. Please take everything off of it and back it up as it will be wiped
> 
> 2)HPflashdriver formater http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Hard-Disk-Utils/HP-USB-Disk-Storage-Format-Tool.shtml
> 
> 3)Boot files to make this flash drive boot-able in DOS
> (I'm assuming your motherboard can boot from a flashdrive)http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/46707-ms-dos-bootable-flash-drive-create.html -this is also a guide on how to reformat your flashdrive with the bootfiles and has pics to thumb.gif
> 
> 4)gpu-z ( which you have) for saving the original bios from the bad card just incase the flash goes wrong.
> 
> 5) MAKE SURE YOU Save YOUR ORIGINAL BIOS for the bad card and the good card and label them accordingly on your harddrive. no copy the one from your good card and name it something easy "bios.rom" and put it on the formatted flashdrive
> 
> 6) Now download atiflash 4.07 ( i just used this the other day and it worked fine on a 79xx card and then unzip it and put it on the flashdrive http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2230/atiflash-4-07/
> 
> 7) now Pull the good card out of your system completely (not necessary but i always do anyway) and move the other one to your first pci-e x16 slot
> 
> 8) now just to make sure its not seeing another gpu for some odd reason and your flashing the right one type in the code below and it should show your gpu location " 0 " and the device id ect and no other devices
> 9)Now for the flashing. the code to see location ect is
> Code:
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> atiflash.exe -f -p 0 newbios.bin
> 
> and the " -f " is the flash command and the " -p 0 " is the location its flashing to and the " newbios.bin " is the one you copied from the first card and renamed. btw .bin vs .rom should be the same and either file type should work. I've just always used .rom.
> Code:
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> atiflash.exe -f -p 0 newbios.bin
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Some of this wont apply to you as i wrote it out for a guy that was having c3 issues with one card and not another.


Does this unlock volt for the GPUs?

Is this for any GPU or specifically my Gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0? I would like first to make them have the same BIOS since they have two different BIOS.


----------



## devilhead

my 600t 5.2ghz 3930k and 1365/1805 at valley end was 31C







but i have opened windows


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its ugly...I have change to 3 nova with an open case.Thats include a lot of tubing and 3 pumps next to the pc. I never had a photo because it so ugly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ghetto rig


Ghetto rocks bro, post some pics if you feel like it








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> my 600t 5.2ghz 3930k and 1365/1805 at valley end was 31C
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but i have opened windows


Faen! That's nice







(you live in Norway bro...wish I had cool temps like yours)


----------



## sugarhell

Its unfair. I have like 10C+ ambients.On the summer probably 20C


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its unfair. I have like 10C+ ambients.On the summer probably 20C


My ambients are 29c-33c


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> My ambients are 29c-33c


My ambients on summer was like 35+.We can easily hit 40-43 here on greece


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> My ambients on summer was like 35+.We can easily hit 40-43 here on greece


HOT


----------



## c0ld

Would my Antec 902 V3 able to house the 7990?


----------



## fast_fate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that looks pretty sweet, the red tubes definitely seem a good choice in there...
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> though all in series? (apart from cards, you have a parallel block there)
> I'm curious how the temps will work but guess seeing as ts dual xeon (I see those stickers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) your not getting any/much overclocking...


The tubing is actually pink - true colour can be seen in reflection on CPU blocks.
Was nervious about pink prior to install - but really looks great
Yep - one continuous loop - I'll have to see how temps go and if need be split the loops and replace the Iwaki with dual/tripple pump set-up.
Will get mild overclock on 16 cores (32 threads) - intended purpose as home server and crunching monster.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not sure how you are going to cool 900w just from the gpus... well that is if you were lucky and have three gold cards. I have a habit of throwing Nova Extremes at everything... that helps in cooling.


2 x 480 Monsta'a, 1 x 360 60mm, 1 x 240 60mm and the RD30 pushing the juice.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phelan*
> 
> Me thinks you didn't see the 2 other monsta rads on the backside, in the spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I'ld say so - + the extra 240 in front has been added


----------



## vonPelz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> As I wrote above, any app can force the cards powerstate into another powerstate. Trixx is a set once app, meaning it sets the card into 3D clocks, and that's it. It does not monitor the powerstate and re-enable X clock settings. Think of it more as a manual app, a dumb app in essence. AB is much better for day to day overclocking due to it's profile capability. The other thing you have to confirm is that you've disabled hw accel in everything that uses gpu acceleration, though even after doing that it's not a guarantee but its the best practice that counts.
> 
> Personally I game with AB and bench with Trixx. I can't live w/o AB's OSD server. On boot up I have nothing loaded, ie. no AB or Trixx.


Hm, in my experience Trixx doesn't work the way you are describing. I tried a little test and took some screenshots of it.

1. http://i.imgur.com/vdb0ypZ.jpg
Overclock applied in Trixx. Youtube with video paused. Clocks are automatically down to 300/150 and voltage is also lower.

2. http://i.imgur.com/TW6eC7p.jpg
Video playing @ 1080p and HW acceleration enabled. Clocks seem now to be at stock speeds (900/1250) and voltage is a little higher, gpu usage ~20%.

3. http://i.imgur.com/oryLNq0.jpg
While playing games the clocks go to the true overclocked speeds.

The only bad side with Trixx that I see, is that it has to start up with Windows to apply the clocks. But if you have an SSD and plenty RAM, I don't think it matters much.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> My ambients on summer was like 35+.We can easily hit 40-43 here on greece


AU, in a valley, up to 40-45C ambient, no AC, fortunately (apart from dust) my Raven will suck air right off the floor and dump the heat upwards so the temps are still pretty good...


----------



## glenquagmire

MY Xfire 7950 Gigbayte is 80c in Heaven.....too hot????


----------



## crun

Check your VRM temperature sensors (GPU-Z shows them IF your card supports it, I'm not sure if Gigabyte does though)
They tend to run 5-10 warmer on my Twin Frozr and according to this test, up to 30c warmer than the GPU Temperature sensor


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> As I wrote above, any app can force the cards powerstate into another powerstate. Trixx is a set once app, meaning it sets the card into 3D clocks, and that's it. It does not monitor the powerstate and re-enable X clock settings. Think of it more as a manual app, a dumb app in essence. AB is much better for day to day overclocking due to it's profile capability. The other thing you have to confirm is that you've disabled hw accel in everything that uses gpu acceleration, though even after doing that it's not a guarantee but its the best practice that counts.
> 
> Personally I game with AB and bench with Trixx. I can't live w/o AB's OSD server. On boot up I have nothing loaded, ie. no AB or Trixx.
> 
> 
> 
> Hm, in my experience Trixx doesn't work the way you are describing. I tried a little test and took some screenshots of it.
> 
> 1. http://i.imgur.com/vdb0ypZ.jpg
> Overclock applied in Trixx. Youtube with video paused. Clocks are automatically down to 300/150 and voltage is also lower.
> 
> 2. http://i.imgur.com/TW6eC7p.jpg
> Video playing @ 1080p and HW acceleration enabled. Clocks seem now to be at stock speeds (900/1250) and voltage is a little higher, gpu usage ~20%.
> 
> 3. http://i.imgur.com/oryLNq0.jpg
> While playing games the clocks go to the true overclocked speeds.
> 
> The only bad side with Trixx that I see, is that it has to start up with Windows to apply the clocks. But if you have an SSD and plenty RAM, I don't think it matters much.
Click to expand...

Scratches head, it did exactly what I said it would do. Trixx cannot keep the cards from changing powerstates. YouTube or Firefox etc are all apps that can kick the cards pout of 3d clocks amd into the various built-in powerstates, like for ex. uvd, idle etc. There's not much more say on the topic.


----------



## vonPelz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Scratches head, it did exactly what I said it would do. Trixx cannot keep the cards from changing powerstates. YouTube or Firefox etc are all apps that can kick the cards pout of 3d clocks amd into the various built-in powerstates, like for ex. uvd, idle etc. There's not much more say on the topic.


Ah ok, in that case I must've misunderstood.








So I guess it's just the combination of overclocking and Powerplay on that caused all the glitches with AB. I suppose Trixx by default disables Powerplay? In that case I think I'll just go back to AB and set "UnofficialOverclockingMode" to 2 and save the system some resources by not needing to run the app in the background.

Edit: Scratch that, if "UnofficialOverclockingMode" is set to 2, the clocks just stay at the same overclocked speeds all the time. With the setting set to 1, I get the same glitches and flickering again as before. Must be a bug in AB I guess, for now I'm going to run with Trixx.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> MY Xfire 7950 Gigbayte is 80c in Heaven.....too hot????


that is pretty hot isn't it... guess you need a bit more airflow around the card, but 80C is still relatively safe, just might make your card a bit less stable if you tried overclocking, a lot of chips overclock notably better under 65C (you want water at that point anyway really).


----------



## glenquagmire

I pushed it to 1200 core +20 power and 1460 memory to get 80c.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Scratches head, it did exactly what I said it would do. Trixx cannot keep the cards from changing powerstates. YouTube or Firefox etc are all apps that can kick the cards pout of 3d clocks amd into the various built-in powerstates, like for ex. uvd, idle etc. There's not much more say on the topic.
> 
> 
> 
> Ah ok, in that case I must've misunderstood.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I guess it's just the combination of overclocking and Powerplay on that caused all the glitches with AB. *I suppose Trixx by default disables Powerplay?* In that case I think I'll just go back to AB and set "UnofficialOverclockingMode" to 2 and save the system some resources by not needing to run the app in the background.
Click to expand...

No, you cannot disable powerplay but you can bypass it with AB using unofficial mode set to 2. But that only works in conjunction with properly configured 2D and 3D profiles. I would suggest you read the link with the video I posted earlier to get a more complete understanding of how the powerstates work and the overclocking process. It's not complicated but it has a lot of nuance or options to weigh.


----------



## PROBN4LYFE

Is it time to pick up that 2nd 7950 or move up a little higher?


----------



## glenquagmire

Good time meaning.......

Technology doesn't get more expensive as time goes, but less. I got 2 gigabyte 7950 cards rev 2 with 6 games for $400 however sold 3 games voucher so my total cost for 2 7950 and 3 games is $375.

When these first hit the market 1 card was almost $500. Good deal? Yes in comparison to buy two and 3 games for $375 vs 1 and other games at almost $500.


----------



## vonPelz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> No, you cannot disable powerplay but you can bypass it with AB using unofficial mode set to 2. But that only works in conjunction with properly configured 2D and 3D profiles. I would suggest you read the link with the video I posted earlier to get a more complete understanding of how the powerstates work and the overclocking process. It's not complicated but it has a lot of nuance or options to weigh.


Ok, thanks for the tip, but in my case I feel it seems just easier to run with Trixx and have powerstates functioning properly from the get-go.


----------



## Koniakki

Guys I have been offered a Powercolor Radeon HD7990 V2 straight up trade for my Palit 780 Jetstream.

What do you think? Please provide some insightful info too please since I'm really tempted by that offer!!









I got a few days to decide..


----------



## KingT

2nd HD7950 installed, runs well on 550W Seasonic GOLD power supply, GPUs at stock 900/1250MHz.

Only issue is tha since cards are very close to each other because of 2.5 slot DC2 coolers, the card on the top heats up to 69C, bottom card never reaches 57C.










CHEERS..


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koniakki*
> 
> Guys I have been offered a Powercolor Radeon HD7990 V2 straight up trade for my Palit 780 Jetstream.
> 
> What do you think? Please provide some insightful info too please since I'm really tempted by that offer!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got a few days to decide..


Card looks decent (your 780).. You can SLi the 780 and get more frames and not worry about power/heat.. But a 7990 on the other hand.

The 7990 can be used for mining if you're into that though, and a waterblock is easier to find if you ever go that route..

They have the same amount of vRAM too, honestly if it was me I'd stick with the 780 as it's good, and allows for future upgrades while using less power and heat and you'll have less problems in games.

Plus you have a nice card and it seems to clock well too which is nice.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vonPelz*
> 
> Ok, thanks for the tip, but in my case I feel it seems just easier to run with Trixx and have powerstates functioning properly from the get-go.


*theme song to flash gordan plays in background* flash that baby with the techpowerup tool i post a while back... i can dig it out but i can't open spoilers on my phone for some reason.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Card looks decent (your 780).. You can SLi the 780 and get more frames and not worry about power/heat.. But a 7990 on the other hand.
> The 7990 can be used for mining if you're into that though, and a waterblock is easier to find if you ever go that route..
> They have the same amount of vRAM too, honestly if it was me I'd stick with the 780 as it's good, and allows for future upgrades while using less power and heat and you'll have less problems in games.
> Plus you have a nice card and it seems to clock well too which is nice.


this^^^ 780>7970 and 7990 have come down in price a lot which lead me to belive that 780s are soon to follow so an sli would be very temping for ya. (780) is the only non radeon card i want :]
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> AU, in a valley, up to 40-45C ambient, no AC, fortunately (apart from dust) my Raven will suck air right off the floor and dump the heat upwards so the temps are still pretty good...


Yea here we see maybe 43c max but chances of that with 90+% humidity are pretty good....


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Koniakki*
> 
> Guys I have been offered a Powercolor Radeon HD7990 V2 straight up trade for my Palit 780 Jetstream.
> 
> What do you think? Please provide some insightful info too please since I'm really tempted by that offer!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got a few days to decide..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Card looks decent (your 780).. You can SLi the 780 and get more frames and not worry about power/heat.. But a 7990 on the other hand.
> 
> The 7990 can be used for mining if you're into that though, and a waterblock is easier to find if you ever go that route..
> 
> They have the same amount of vRAM too, honestly if it was me I'd stick with the 780 as it's good, and allows for future upgrades while using less power and heat and you'll have less problems in games.
> 
> Plus you have a nice card and it seems to clock well too which is nice.
Click to expand...

I concur, the 7990 might push out more raw power, but the upgrade path with the 7990 is short, and the law of diminishing returns for investment is ugly. A single gpu configuration is more likely to provide a smoother experience, and will not suck as bad when adding more power later.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koniakki*
> 
> Guys I have been offered a Powercolor Radeon HD7990 V2 straight up trade for my Palit 780 Jetstream.
> 
> What do you think? Please provide some insightful info too please since I'm really tempted by that offer!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got a few days to decide..


if you are using 3D and vram is giving you issues, then i recommend more vram cars.

edit: and if you do use 3D . . . nvidia is the only way atm. Go Titan!


----------



## youpekkad

Installed these latest betas (13.11) today (I know these have been around for a while...) and pretty impressive that new drivers still provide performance gains, went from 10567 graphics score in 3dmark11 to 10861 @1150/1500MHz.

AMD drivers are pretty awesome these days IMO.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Does this unlock volt for the GPUs?
> 
> Is this for any GPU or specifically my Gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0? I would like first to make them have the same BIOS since they have two different BIOS.


Yes that will work for your gpus most likely as it modifies your bios.... I used it on my rev2 wf3 7950s to get voltage control and take out boost. There as many other things you can do with it as well.


----------



## bencher

Hi guys,

I have an Asus DC II.
Even when idling the voltage is at 1.17v.

Is that normal?


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I have an Asus DC II.
> Even when idling the voltage is at 1.17v.
> 
> Is that normal?


weird that your mem is 1500mhz (is this a 7970?)on idle and core is only 500mhz and your temps are pretty bad...59c is gaming load on my overclocked vaporx


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> weird that your mem is 1500mhz (is this a 7970?)on idle and core is only 500mhz and your temps are pretty bad...59c is gaming load on my overclocked vaporx


Yes it is a 7970. I just finished gaming why the temps were that high.

I am concerned about the voltage at idle which you said nothing about. Voltage could be causing the high temps.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi guys,
> 
> I have an Asus DC II.
> Even when idling the voltage is at 1.17v.
> 
> Is that normal?


That's not IDLE state of your card, it should downclock at 300MHz core and 150MHz memory, then your GPU voltage would be around 0.8V.

It seems that your card is stuck.

CHEERS.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> That's not IDLE state of your card, it should downclock at 300MHz core and 150MHz memory, then your GPU voltage would be around 0.8V.
> 
> It seems that your card is stuck.
> 
> CHEERS.


bencher must be using more than one monitor.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> That's not IDLE state of your card, it should downclock at 300MHz core and 150MHz memory, then your GPU voltage would be around 0.8V.
> 
> It seems that your card is stuck.
> 
> CHEERS.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> bencher must be using more than one monitor.


Yes I have 2 of my 3 monitors connected.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Yes I have 2 of my 3 monitors connected.


that's why. your cars will not go to idle state. 500 is the lowest.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Yes I have 2 of my 3 monitors connected.


sorry i guess i should have said its all related ... core/mem clocks and idles states. Thats still a high temp IMHO for now being like 5 seconds out of a game... unless thats the top card in cf. Whats are your temps at load?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> 2nd HD7950 installed, runs well on 550W Seasonic GOLD power supply, GPUs at stock 900/1250MHz.
> 
> Only issue is tha since cards are very close to each other because of 2.5 slot DC2 coolers, the card on the top heats up to 69C, bottom card never reaches 57C.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


how is that possible?!
is it not overclocked or something?!
0.0
does that mean i get get tri CF with 700w Platinum?


----------



## Darklyric

its possible 500w x .85 (85% efficency) is 425 watts so... he is probably close to his limit though and might be restricted on overclocking and overvolting.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> that's why. your cars will not go to idle state. 500 is the lowest.


Thanks I learnt something new today.

This explains why my 7870 use to idle at 60c.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> sorry i guess i should have said its all related ... core/mem clocks and idles states. Thats still a high temp IMHO for now being like 5 seconds out of a game... unless thats the top card in cf. Whats are your temps at load?


At load it is 70-75c.

I am not running cf.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> how is that possible?!
> is it not overclocked or something?!
> 0.0
> does that mean i get get tri CF with 700w Platinum?


It's very possible.

Two Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP stock 900/1250MHz together do not pull more than 300W, probably around 280W because they're not BOOST cards and they have 1.094V stock voltage.

So that leaves ~ 250W for CPU (2500K @ 4.5GHz), the rest is powered by 5V rail (HDD's, SDD etc.)

The system is rock solid even when cards are overclocked @ 1000/1575MHz (stock voltage) .

PSU is high quality GOLD unit with +90% efficiency so it's not problem for it to power this system.

CHEERS..


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> its possible 500w x .85 (85% efficency) is 425 watts so... he is probably close to his limit though and might be restricted on overclocking and overvolting.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> It's very possible.
> 
> Two Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP stock 900/1250MHz together do not pull more than 300W, probably around 280W because they're not BOOST cards and they have 1.094V stock voltage.
> 
> So that leaves ~ 250W for CPU (2500K @ 4.5GHz), the rest is powered by 5V rail (HDD's, SDD etc.)
> 
> The system is rock solid even when cards are overclocked @ 1000/1575MHz (stock voltage) .
> 
> PSU is high quality GOLD unit with +90% efficiency so it's not problem for it to power this system.
> 
> CHEERS..


Thats interesting,
by any chance you guys know any good links that explain how voltage, rails power usage is explained in greater detail and how to calculate it yourself?


----------



## THEStorm

My ASUS ROG Matrix 7970 Platinum is in the mail! Coming from a 560TI this should be a nice upgrade, I will register once I have it installed.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *THEStorm*
> 
> My ASUS ROG Matrix 7970 Platinum is in the mail! Coming from a 560TI this should be a nice upgrade, I will register once I have it installed.


Why did you buy now?
Would have been better of to wait for the next line of cards.


----------



## glenquagmire

Lol, Carey holsman once said...."if you wait, you will just keep waiting. There's always a better deal and better part, but you have to just pull the trigger and buy it". (Or something like that)


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Why did you buy now?
> Would have been better of to wait for the next line of cards.


Price, is better and the performance difference wont be worth the extra money for 5 extra fps


----------



## THEStorm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> Price, is better and the performance difference wont be worth the extra money for 5 extra fps


That's what I figured, I found a good deal and I have my current card already sold so I needed something now. If you always wait for the next best thing you will always be waiting. My current setup lasted a good 2 years, so if I can get that again out of these parts I will be happy.


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> 2nd HD7950 installed, runs well on 550W Seasonic GOLD power supply, GPUs at stock 900/1250MHz.
> 
> Only issue is tha since cards are very close to each other because of 2.5 slot DC2 coolers, the card on the top heats up to 69C, bottom card never reaches 57C.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/31910#post_20989404

Not sure if my previous reply was of any use to your setup, but it would help your issue.
Note that I did have a D14 as well at the time, the psu fit fine above it, it just requires removing the top fan.

Edit:
Found a photo of one setup I had with the psu top-mounted in the 932, it shows how much extra room there is for the cards, with the psu top-mounted:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Why did you buy now?
> Would have been better of to wait for the next line of cards.


Yea Newegg has the rebranded 7970 R9 280x out now ...For the same price


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/31910#post_20989404
> 
> Not sure if my previous reply was of any use to your setup, but it would help your issue.
> Note that I did have a D14 as well at the time, the psu fit fine above it, it just requires removing the top fan.


That wouln't help because bottom card runs cooler, the top card is the one who runs 10C hotter because it sucks in hot air from the back of the PCB of the bottom card.

CHEERS..


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/31910#post_20989404
> 
> Not sure if my previous reply was of any use to your setup, but it would help your issue.
> Note that I did have a D14 as well at the time, the psu fit fine above it, it just requires removing the top fan.
> 
> 
> 
> That wouln't help because bottom card runs cooler, the top card is the one who runs 10C hotter because it sucks in hot air from the back of the PCB of the bottom card.
> 
> CHEERS..
Click to expand...

I see what you're saying, to combat that issue, depending on which pci-e slots you can use with your motherboard, you can sometimes space the two cards apart further.
I had various setups in my 932, with both one card and two, when I was air cooling them, the extra room came in handy at the time.
Water cooling has made that all unnecessary now though.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I see what you're saying, depending on which pci-e slots you can use with your motherboard, you can sometimes space the two cards apart further.
> I had various setups in my 932, with both one card and two, when I was air cooling them, the extra room came in handy at the time.
> Water cooling has made that all unnecessary now though.


Yeah, third PCIe slot is limited to 4x max bandwidth so I cannot use it for CrossFire, so removing PSU from the bottom and placing it to the top would not help at all.

CHEERS..


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Yeah, third PCIe slot is limited to 4x max bandwidth so I cannot use it for CrossFire, so removing PSU from the bottom and placing it to the top would not help at all.
> 
> CHEERS..


Right. That's the trouble with having nice fat coolers when you want to go crossfire! Well, your temps. are still quite good for air cooling.
Should be a nice performance increase from one card!


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> I see what you're saying, depending on which pci-e slots you can use with your motherboard, you can sometimes space the two cards apart further.
> I had various setups in my 932, with both one card and two, when I was air cooling them, the extra room came in handy at the time.
> Water cooling has made that all unnecessary now though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, third PCIe slot is limited to 4x max bandwidth so I cannot use it for CrossFire, so removing PSU from the bottom and placing it to the top would not help at all.
> 
> CHEERS..
Click to expand...

Yeah thats not true at all. contrary to many peoples beliefs an x4 PCIe slot will net you around only a 5-8% performance loss of a x16 slot. in fact if you limited a a PCIE slot to only 1 Lane you would get 70% of the performance . so while you probably don't want it for a machine that you are trying to set VRM squealing bench records with, a x4 PCIe slot is perfectly capable of contributing to the performance of a crossfire system.
I know this, I have done this several times on machines with the 4th slot being an x4.. and the the average loss was only 4%. the latest being this machine




http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/23.html


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Koniakki*
> 
> Guys I have been offered a Powercolor Radeon HD7990 V2 straight up trade for my Palit 780 Jetstream.
> 
> What do you think? Please provide some insightful info too please since I'm really tempted by that offer!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I got a few days to decide..


I absolutely would not. The pwoercolor cards have bad coil whine at idle. Should you decide to though, I may be able to top that deal.


----------



## Koniakki

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Card looks decent (your 780).. You can SLi the 780 and get more frames and not worry about power/heat.. But a 7990 on the other hand.
> 
> The 7990 can be used for mining if you're into that though, and a waterblock is easier to find if you ever go that route..
> 
> They have the same amount of vRAM too, honestly if it was me I'd stick with the 780 as it's good, and allows for future upgrades while using less power and heat and you'll have less problems in games.
> 
> Plus you have a nice card and it seems to clock well too which is nice.


Just for gaming and long, long, benchmarking/tweaking sessions... And I'm I believe the raw power of the 7990 would have bring a lot of smiles to my face.. Oh well..
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I concur, the 7990 might push out more raw power, but the upgrade path with the 7990 is short, and the law of diminishing returns for investment is ugly. A single gpu configuration is more likely to provide a smoother experience, and will not suck as bad when adding more power later.


As I said its mostly and purely raw fps I prefer, but then again I never had a crossfire setup myself, I don't know where I would have gotten my self into. But I have high respect for AMD and I believe in them. Slow and steady.

Also even my previous 690 and my now 780 are purely just temporary cards until Maxwell. And I would have had tons of fan with the 7990.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> if you are using 3D and vram is giving you issues, then i recommend more vram cars.
> 
> edit: and if you do use 3D . . . nvidia is the only way atm. Go Titan!


No 3D for now. Just 1080p/1440p/4K normal gameplay.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> I absolutely would not. The pwoercolor cards have bad coil whine at idle. Should you decide to though, I may be able to top that deal.


Hmm... coil whine. I didn't know that. Maybe that's why the low price and straight up trade. Top it up? I'm interested.. PM me.

All in all, I really appreciate the feedback guys. I will really think this through and I can assure you that that knowing my self, if I had seen that deal before I got my PJ 780, I would be in this side now..









Maybe it was for the better that I didn't get that PC 7990 V2. I really wanted a 7990 for some time now. Anyhow....

Thank you guys.


----------



## punk2k6

Did the Radeon 7990 gone up in price on newegg ? luckily I got mines for $ 600 lol


----------



## nvidiaftw12

They fluctuate a lot.


----------



## Phelan

My 7990=locked voltage


----------



## glenquagmire

Guys I think this 8s the wave of gpus. Reason probably being, manufacturers probably don't want a bunch of rmas because we all decided to overclock and have issues. Costs too much to to do that. So lock the voltage so if it's an rma, it is an actual default product. Also if you volt unlock it could then void warranty.


----------



## SortOfGrim

hey all!

I'm thinking of adding the ASUS Matrix R9280X P to my rig, The Hero Magnum, will the 760W psu suffice?


----------



## Mega Man

if that was it..... i am sure it would.... but after the 79xx debacle .... do you want to risk an asus >????


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *THEStorm*
> 
> That's what I figured, I found a good deal and I have my current card already sold so I needed something now. If you always wait for the next best thing you will always be waiting. My current setup lasted a good 2 years, so if I can get that again out of these parts I will be happy.


yes and as soon as you buy PC hardware something new comes out with in weeks. my last build lasted 13 months 1 month after warranty , liquid coolant leaked onto my GPU while playing Black Ops 2, Big Blue Flash the smell of burnt plastic. only thing that survived was memory and case...


----------



## SortOfGrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if that was it..... i am sure it would.... but after the 79xx debacle .... do you want to risk an asus >????


were you referring to me? What debacle? What did I miss?


----------



## Mega Man

lol... ill refer you to sugar lol


----------



## sugarhell

Not this again...


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SortOfGrim*
> 
> hey all!
> 
> I'm thinking of adding the ASUS Matrix R9280X P to my rig, The Hero Magnum, will the 760W psu suffice?


yes 280x cards are 7970ghz that are more efficient


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> yes 280x cards are 7970ghz that are more efficient


No?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> yes 280x cards are 7970ghz that are more efficient


They are 7970 ghz cards, that's it. Bios has a different id.


----------



## SortOfGrim

but they are compatible? and the 760Watt is enough?


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> They are 7970 ghz cards, that's it. Bios has a different id.


no due to process improvements the voltage has been reduced to 1.2v.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7400/the-radeon-r9-280x-review-feat-asus-xfx/20

" With the Tahiti based 7970GE, we saw AMD push some very high voltages when boosting in order to hit their 1050MHz clockspeed targets. With 280X on the other hand they can back off at least a bit, which should help real world power consumption some.

On both our stock and factory overclocked 280X cads *we see a boost voltage of 1.2v, which as expected is a bit lower than the 1.218v the 7970GE drew* under the same conditions."


----------



## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SortOfGrim*
> 
> but they are compatible? and the 760Watt is enough?


yeah HD 7970 and R9 280X are the same chip. they can be run in CF without any problems.









http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/63551-will-crossfire-r9-280x-hd-7970-scaling-tested.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/radeon-r9-280x-radeon-hd-7970-crossfire-compatible,24619.html
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1784907

as for 760w its fine even for running a couple of overclocked HD 7970 / R9 280X cards at 1.15 - 1.2 ghz with a heavily overclocked. 4670k(4.5 ghz). on air cooling two cards in CF running aboe 1.2 ghz is not so easy. so i advise you to run it at 1.15 - 1.2 ghz.


----------



## SortOfGrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> yeah HD 7970 and R9 280X are the same chip. they can be run in CF without any problems.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/63551-will-crossfire-r9-280x-hd-7970-scaling-tested.html
> http://www.tomshardware.com/news/radeon-r9-280x-radeon-hd-7970-crossfire-compatible,24619.html
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1784907
> 
> as for 760w its fine even for running a couple of overclocked HD 7970 / R9 280X cards at 1.15 - 1.2 ghz with a heavily overclocked. 4670k(4.5 ghz). on air cooling two cards in CF running aboe 1.2 ghz is not so easy. so i advise you to run it at 1.15 - 1.2 ghz.


thanks 4 the links! The second card will also be water cooled, must keep noise down


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> no due to process improvements the voltage has been reduced to 1.2v.
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/7400/the-radeon-r9-280x-review-feat-asus-xfx/20
> 
> " With the Tahiti based 7970GE, we saw AMD push some very high voltages when boosting in order to hit their 1050MHz clockspeed targets. With 280X on the other hand they can back off at least a bit, which should help real world power consumption some.
> 
> On both our stock and factory overclocked 280X cads *we see a boost voltage of 1.2v, which as expected is a bit lower than the 1.218v the 7970GE drew* under the same conditions."


Ah, thanks for letting me know...I still think 1.25v on all cards was outrageous and that ghz ed cards sucked pretty bad, vs original revisions.


----------



## sugarhell

Its the same cards. 1.25 volts was a fixed voltage. The same with 1.2

They pretty much messed up with a 1.25 volt in the bios


----------



## istudy92

Soo....if 280x is 7970.... What's equal to 7950??


----------



## FernTeixe

I'm looking for r9 280x vapor-x bios







I got my new 7970 oc w/ boost. Already flashed to vapor-x 7970 ghz. I want to try r9 bios >_< but I'm not finding sapphire bios

sorry my EngRish


----------



## glenquagmire

I wouldn't worry about your English.....there a lot of people in this country that we probably would assume are foreign by the sentences and words they put together. I think we're all used to it by now Lol.

C u at da xroads yo! B sur ta bring da jewry.


----------



## FernTeixe

Well thanks man. Some times I just don't know if I was clear in what I was trying to say xD

at 1150/1500
ASIC quality 65.3%



everything ok?


----------



## Phelan

Anyone know how to voltage unlock a reference 7990?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Soo....if 280x is 7970.... What's equal to 7950??


I don't think there is one, at least not yet.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phelan*
> 
> Anyone know how to voltage unlock a reference 7990?


It should already be voltage unlocked? I haven't heard of an AMD reference PCB where the voltage is locked. What brand and model is that 7990?


----------



## ShortySmalls

I bought a gigabyte 7990 on monday for $600 brand new on newegg (its back to $1000 now lololol) it came today but i will not be home from college until tomarrow afternoon to pick it up and install it, with my new motherboard/cpu.


----------



## Phelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> It should already be voltage unlocked? I haven't heard of an AMD reference PCB where the voltage is locked. What brand and model is that 7990?


Visiontek :/

Then again, I'm getting all kinds of issues, like 100% GPU usage on one GPU with nothing running, 80 fps in Kombustor 1080p tes at stock clocks (1000), but 180 fps at 1100, among other issues...


----------



## sugarhell

For 123456056837 time update your drives. 13.8 drivers had an ulps bug. Or just disable ulps. If it is a ref malta it should have unlocked voltages


----------



## totalownership

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> C u at da xroads yo! B sur ta bring da jewry.


Ahh recin' ya'll git dat jewry up yond'a north bubba , Ahm fittin go huntin. good goobly goo.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Phelan*
> 
> ...80 fps in Kombustor 1080p tes at stock clocks (1000), but 180 fps at 1100, among other issues...


In my experience, Kombustor fluctuates wildly; on my 7950, it's gone from ~30fps to ~200, at the same clocks, same drivers, and same version of Kombustor. It's not a good test of performance.


----------



## Phelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> For 123456056837 time update your drives. 13.8 drivers had an ulps bug. Or just disable ulps. If it is a ref malta it should have unlocked voltages


This is a ref model; maybe its an Afterburner issue? I'll try Trixx when I get home. I installed new drivers, but I'll uninstall them and install them clean to try again. I'm testing the card in my brother's Phenom II X4 965 rig, if that makes any difference. Previous drivers were catalyst, 13.2 maybe? I can't remember. His card is a 6950 though.


----------



## Phelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> In my experience, Kombustor fluctuates wildly; on my 7950, it's gone from ~30fps to ~200, at the same clocks, same drivers, and same version of Kombustor. It's not a good test of performance.


Thanks, I'll try a different benchmark tonight.


----------



## glenquagmire

Is this good for Xfire? 7950 gigabyte rev 2.0 1190 core 1460 memory +20 power.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Is this good for Xfire? 7950 gigabyte rev 2.0 1190 core 1460 memory +20 power.


aren't those locked? score is pretty good. temp is not bad either.


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> aren't those locked? score is pretty good. temp is not bad either.


yes they are 1250v. there is a flash another member on the board sent me and also posted page 3165 of this thread to unlock. I haven't tried it yet though.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> yes they are 1250v. there is a flash another member on the board sent me and also posted page 3165 of this thread to unlock. I haven't tried it yet though.


i don't think you need to. if you have to . . . save the original bios first.


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i don't think you need to. if you have to . . . save the original bios first.


If i do it will be later after I am as fluid at OC'ing as you and a few others I have been chatting with. I am not too excoted to fry my 2 GPUs just yet. Kind of disappointed about not finding a water block option for them....Rev 2


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> If i do it will be later after I am as fluid at OC'ing as you and a few others I have been chatting with. I am not too excoted to fry my 2 GPUs just yet. Kind of disappointed about not finding a water block option for them....Rev 2


i think you are being humble. both your cars are faster than stock 280X. they are actualy matching the titan. maybe with unlocked voltage you can do 1200/1600. the windforce has one of the best stock coolers imo. suck they deviated from the rev 1 which can accept an ek block.


----------



## glenquagmire

Dude I didn't even know what 280X was lol.

I have the cards set right now to a point that I am good without flashing bios and stuff yet. After the cpu is maxed out and we find that point, then I will start messing with the gpus. I haven't even played a game yet.

Seriously I started my new rig september 1st. Since then I have changed everything except cpu...lol. yep changed my new rig in less than a month! I get involved and want more and learn new things and then use ideas and posts from all people on the board. Seriously its like a story of progression. Wait till I start my pic story and you will see what I started with.

Here is my first rig up to one month ago. ...


Now (never mind the Blue dram. From the first new rig I started with. 16gb tridents get here soon)


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Dude I didn't even know what 280X was lol.
> 
> I have the cards set right now to a point that I am good without flashing bios and stuff yet. After the cpu is maxed out and we find that point, then I will start messing with the gpus. I haven't even played a game yet.
> 
> Seriously I started my new rig september 1st. Since then I have changed everything except cpu...lol. yep changed my new rig in less than a month! I get involved and want more and learn new things and then use ideas and posts from all people on the board. Seriously its like a story of progression. Wait till I start my pic story and you will see what I started with.
> 
> Here is my first rig up to one month ago. ...
> 
> 
> Now (never mind the Blue dram. From the first new rig I started with. 16gb tridents get here soon)


Nice and the difference is so big!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Nice and the difference is so big!


^this.


----------



## glenquagmire

Thanks. And that's what she said! Bada Bing!


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> I wouldn't worry about your English.....there a lot of people in this country that we probably would assume are foreign by the sentences and words they put together. I think we're all used to it by now Lol.
> 
> C u at da xroads yo! B sur ta bring da jewry.


----------



## glenquagmire

Hey all, if anyone is interested in my pic gallery I started, its under my profile.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Hey question, I'm running a Sapphire 7950 DualX (3L, this one here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026) with a hefty OC on it. The chip I got is pretty screwed, I'm only at 1125 Mhz core but I'm running 1750 Mhz VRAM. My voltage is 1.268v. I can bump up to 1150 core in games, but fail synthetic benches. I'm running this in an eGPU setup (x1 Gen2.0 bandwidth, ~80% of desktop performance, this thread has my findings/how-to: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/4674-%5Bguide%5D-15-lenovo-w530-hd7950%40x1-2-pe4l-2-1b.html ) but I'm getting tired of the stuttering caused by the bandwidth limits.

However, this is where I'm in need of some help.

I'm powering this via a Corsair 600w PSU rated for 46a on the 12v rail, but during benching GPU-z says my card is pulling 70a max, a bit over 50a gaming. How accurate could this be? I've had no problems with my PSU and a 600w PSU should have no problems powering just a graphics card, right?

Next, I'm planning on building a rig around these parts. Taking some RAM and a HDD from my rig at home, buying a new case, mobo, 3570k, and cpu cooler. Do you guys think that this PSU will run these things with a heavily OC'ed 7950?

The reason I'm asking here is because I'm trying to take my OC+voltage bump into account here, every PSU calculator + most other people don't know enough about video cards to determine this. I have a feeling it will be fine but I guess what I'm looking for is ease of mind before I drop $500+ to build a rig then have to drop $100 more for a new PSU.

Thanks.

By the way, that rig on the last page looks great.


----------



## raghu78

corsair cx 600 with 46a is fine. you can easily run an 3570k overclocked with a HD 7950 overclocked. don't bother with gpu-z. btw i advise you to lower your memory oc to 1600 mhz. you don't need more bandwidth as HD 7950 has a lot. you are only reducing the life of your memory as its more prone to failures with such high overclocks. the core at 1100 mhz is fine. don't push it too much. try and hit a good balance of perf, temps and fan noise.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Dude I didn't even know what 280X was lol.
> 
> I have the cards set right now to a point that I am good without flashing bios and stuff yet. After the cpu is maxed out and we find that point, then I will start messing with the gpus. I haven't even played a game yet.
> 
> Seriously I started my new rig september 1st. Since then I have changed everything except cpu...lol. yep changed my new rig in less than a month! I get involved and want more and learn new things and then use ideas and posts from all people on the board. Seriously its like a story of progression. Wait till I start my pic story and you will see what I started with.
> 
> Here is my first rig up to one month ago. ...
> 
> 
> Now (never mind the Blue dram. From the first new rig I started with. 16gb tridents get here soon)


no worries... Just mail it to me and ill unlock them... Lol.

But yea the main reason I fllashed my rev 2s was so I could undervolted them to get better temps, and to get rid of that stupid non temmp related throttle while mining. The main thing is you always have thesecond bios switch incase you brick it


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> I'm powering this via a Corsair 600w PSU rated for 46a on the 12v rail, but during benching GPU-z says my card is pulling 70a max, a bit over 50a gaming. How accurate could this be? I've had no problems with my PSU and a 600w PSU should have no problems powering just a graphics card, right?
> 
> Next, I'm planning on building a rig around these parts. Taking some RAM and a HDD from my rig at home, buying a new case, mobo, 3570k, and cpu cooler. Do you guys think that this PSU will run these things with a heavily OC'ed 7950?


Im running two Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 cards (900/1250MHz stock) and 2500K @ 4.5GHz all on Seasonic G550W PSU with 45A on 12V+ rail.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!















So that makes you very comfortable with a single HD7950 on a Corsair unit with 46A.

You can easily max out overclocks on both your GPU and CPU and still you'd be at around 350W mark.

CHEERS..


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> no due to process improvements the voltage has been reduced to 1.2v.
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/7400/the-radeon-r9-280x-review-feat-asus-xfx/20
> 
> " With the Tahiti based 7970GE, we saw AMD push some very high voltages when boosting in order to hit their 1050MHz clockspeed targets. With 280X on the other hand they can back off at least a bit, which should help real world power consumption some.
> 
> On both our stock and factory overclocked 280X cads *we see a boost voltage of 1.2v, which as expected is a bit lower than the 1.218v the 7970GE drew* under the same conditions."
> 
> 
> 
> Ah, thanks for letting me know...I still think 1.25v on all cards was outrageous and that ghz ed cards sucked pretty bad, vs original revisions.
Click to expand...

It's a new asic but that doesn't mean jack. You realize the early reference cards could all do 1100mhz + on stock voltage, the voltage that scaled to asic%???

What's that mean? It means you could hit GE clocks at as low as 1.13v. I'm sitting on more than a handful of early true reference cards that can max Overdrive on stock volts with the stock cooler.

If anything, process improvement has DETERIORATED with the advent of the damn boost cards.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> no due to process improvements the voltage has been reduced to 1.2v.
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/7400/the-radeon-r9-280x-review-feat-asus-xfx/20
> 
> " With the Tahiti based 7970GE, we saw AMD push some very high voltages when boosting in order to hit their 1050MHz clockspeed targets. With 280X on the other hand they can back off at least a bit, which should help real world power consumption some.
> 
> On both our stock and factory overclocked 280X cads *we see a boost voltage of 1.2v, which as expected is a bit lower than the 1.218v the 7970GE drew* under the same conditions."
> 
> 
> 
> Ah, thanks for letting me know...I still think 1.25v on all cards was outrageous and that ghz ed cards sucked pretty bad, vs original revisions.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It's a new asic but that doesn't mean jack. You realize the early reference cards could all do 1100mhz + on stock voltage, the voltage that scaled to asic%???
> 
> What's that mean? It means you could hit GE clocks at as low as 1.13v. I'm sitting on more than a handful of early true reference cards that can max Overdrive on stock volts with the stock cooler.
> 
> If anything, process improvement has DETERIORATED with the advent of the damn boost cards.
Click to expand...

I just recently purchased a BE OC reference designed card. The voltage it shipped with is ridiculous (1.259), but the card really can hit its boost marks (1050/1375) and then some (1150/1600) at a much more reasonable voltage of 1.100! And that sound like the exact same quality that you are hinting at with your earlier reference cards. So, I dont know if I agree that we see deterioration, as much as we see a flat line process improvement, coupled with a desire to gimmick up some cards to sell at a higher premium.


----------



## tsm106

FYI, your MSI card is not a real reference card.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> FYI, your MSI card is not a real reference card.


Wow you really like ref and hate boost I know you do that for a reason but wow it's as if you were in love with ref


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> FYI, your MSI card is not a real reference card.
> 
> 
> 
> Wow you really like ref and hate boost I know you do that for a reason but wow it's as if you were in love with ref
Click to expand...

On every big forum there are always a few big threads devoted solely to bios flashing in particular boost afflicted cards. Hmm... what are these guys trying to get back or out of? More often than not when the basic reference formula has been changed by an AIB it has taken away functionality that the reference design established.


----------



## glenquagmire

quick question....

can i just take out the DRAM I have and sell it or is there something I need to erase or wipe first before taking it out to sell? G Skill 1866 selling to someone and want to make sure there isnt anything on them.


----------



## Darklyric

Nope that prom stays there forevers lol jpjp everytime you power down your comp it wipes it and stores it on hdd.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> Hey question, I'm running a Sapphire 7950 DualX (3L, this one here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026) with a hefty OC on it. The chip I got is pretty screwed, I'm only at 1125 Mhz core but I'm running 1750 Mhz VRAM. My voltage is 1.268v. I can bump up to 1150 core in games, but fail synthetic benches. I'm running this in an eGPU setup (x1 Gen2.0 bandwidth, ~80% of desktop performance, this thread has my findings/how-to: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-gpu-projects/4674-%5Bguide%5D-15-lenovo-w530-hd7950%40x1-2-pe4l-2-1b.html ) but I'm getting tired of the stuttering caused by the bandwidth limits.
> 
> However, this is where I'm in need of some help.
> 
> I'm powering this via a Corsair 600w PSU rated for 46a on the 12v rail, but during benching GPU-z says my card is pulling 70a max, a bit over 50a gaming. How accurate could this be? I've had no problems with my PSU and a 600w PSU should have no problems powering just a graphics card, right?
> 
> Next, I'm planning on building a rig around these parts. Taking some RAM and a HDD from my rig at home, buying a new case, mobo, 3570k, and cpu cooler. Do you guys think that this PSU will run these things with a heavily OC'ed 7950?
> 
> The reason I'm asking here is because I'm trying to take my OC+voltage bump into account here, every PSU calculator + most other people don't know enough about video cards to determine this. I have a feeling it will be fine but I guess what I'm looking for is ease of mind before I drop $500+ to build a rig then have to drop $100 more for a new PSU.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> By the way, that rig on the last page looks great.


It's pulling 70 amps, but from the vrm's, not the power supply. So that would be 70 amps at 1.268 volts, not 12.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Thanks for clearing that up, also thanks for the advice guy on the last page.


----------



## Bigchrome

Just got an Asus Direct CU II 7970. My god it is huuge. Had to shoe-horn it in around my watercooling tubes. It's also one sexy card, looking forward to getting down to playing with it!


----------



## BillyBonz

Its done, just received my 7990


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> Its done, just received my 7990


Which 7990 did you get?


----------



## BillyBonz

VisionTek 7990..only gripe is I tried to register my product, created a new user name in ther web site... still waiting on e-mail confirmation to log and register my product... other than that its working well.


----------



## Phelan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> VisionTek 7990..only gripe is I tried to register my product, created a new user name in ther web site... still waiting on e-mail confirmation to log and register my product... other than that its working well.


Is yours voltage locked?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> FYI, your MSI card is not a real reference card.


I am aware of that, but a reference water block will fit. You said the reference cards were superior, and my point is that not much has changed in performance/hardware in the BE/GE/OC cards, they are just minor variations (or complete copies) of the reference cards, just loaded with a new bios and chocked full of voltage. You can love on the "pure reference" all you want, but once you clear away the BIOS, the boost cards and the reference cards perform the dang same, with nearly identical hardware.


----------



## lightsout

Hey guys whats the go to driver for a single 79xx card? The newest or is there a good stable one?


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Hey guys whats the go to driver for a single 79xx card? The newest or is there a good stable one?


13.9 is the latest whql driver.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Hey guys whats the go to driver for a single 79xx card? The newest or is there a good stable one?
> 
> 
> 
> 13.9 is the latest whql driver.
Click to expand...

Is that what people are using? I had a 7870 and some drivers would cause major issues. Trying to avoid that.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> FYI, your MSI card is not a real reference card.
> 
> 
> 
> I am aware of that, but a reference water block will fit. You said the reference cards were superior, and my point is that not much has changed in performance/hardware in the BE/GE/OC cards, they are just minor variations (or complete copies) of the reference cards, just loaded with a new bios and chocked full of voltage. You can love on the "pure reference" all you want, but once you clear away the BIOS, the boost cards and the reference cards perform the dang same, with nearly identical hardware.
Click to expand...

^^That was a rather inaccurate summary of the topic.

The only thing similar to a true reference card is a true reference card with a boost bios. Those were made for a short while after the release of the GE cards, but soon after AIB's started production on their revised boost cards and it all went downhill. The problem with a lot of boost cards right now is that they never had a reference counterpart, thus rendering the flash to reference not possible. LOL, I could write pages on this. When you really think about why reference cards are no longer produced by AIBs, or sold by them it comes down to profits. Producing your own designed boards is cheaper and you can use cheaper components and in other cases you can strategically use alternate parts like different vrm controllers guaranteeing the customer has no voltage control. Looks at Gigafail and XFX for no voltage control. Looks at HIS for daft choices in vrm controllers and non-active sensors. Looks at Sapphire for random voltage locked cards. Basically of all the brands out there, there is no consistency with all of them. This makes finding the right card an annoying experience.

As I wrote there many differences in boards today, and I'm not a fan of the products sold. The 280x cards leave a sour taste as well since they are all AIB designed boards. The beauty of the reference design is that its a "known" quality and every board is the same, which is the polar opposite of what's being sold on the market right now.

Btw, if it was so darn easy like you implied to flash a bios making the boost go away, there would not be a need for the bios editors that have recently been developed. Thankfully ppl have a solution or possible solution of getting around the boost crap. One caveat would be that the bios editors are not fully mature and there is still a lot of testing to be done on an individual basis.

This guy rangerjr, he was so annoyed by his Matrix that in a fit he snapped, and then promptly snapped his board in half. You can see it in my avy pic. Anyways, he asks me which board to buy and that is the question I least like to answer because as written above the choices are not easy. Luckily we found what looked like the last Sapphire reference card in Norway. Taking my advice he bought it. Now he's the only other guy on futuremark benches that has broken 9700+ in firestrike. Overclocking is still all luck, but something there's definitely something about reference cards that keeps me coming back to them. That's not to say that you won't find gold cards from other pcb designs, its just that there's a lot less working against you with a true reference card.


----------



## chronicfx

I put a waterblock on my powercolor 7990 and one of the temps is a bit high. It is the second GPU as in the one that only activates under load, it goes from zero core state to 15c higher than the main always active core in just a few seconds but seems to retain that delta. Can someone diagram out for me which core is the main always active core vs. which one is the secondary core? Which is closest to the i/o bracket and which is closer to the power connectors? This is my card below.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Is that what people are using? I had a 7870 and some drivers would cause major issues. Trying to avoid that.


13.9 is what I've seen most people recommend and I've been using it without issue. Fixed a lot of issues with crossfire for sure. Their may be another that's recommended for this bench or that, but overall performance and playability, 13.9 with CAP 13.5 is the way to go. I try to stay away from betas personally.

^Well thought out and articulated in a informational and unbiased way "T" .








I don't own firestrike.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I put a waterblock on my powercolor 7990 and one of the temps is a bit high. It is the second GPU as in the one that only activates under load, it goes from zero core state to 15c higher than the main always active core in just a few seconds but seems to retain that delta. Can someone diagram out for me which core is the main always active core vs. which one is the secondary core? Which is closest to the i/o bracket and which is closer to the power connectors? This is my card below.


And easy thing to do is disable crossfire in catalyst and watch the load on the deactivated core stay down/sleep. The feel for the hot core. Btw, only the slave core gets shutdown when you do this. Thus the hot one is your main. If you are having usage issues, disable ulps and/or try a different driver.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> FYI, your MSI card is not a real reference card.
> 
> 
> 
> I am aware of that, but a reference water block will fit. You said the reference cards were superior, and my point is that not much has changed in performance/hardware in the BE/GE/OC cards, they are just minor variations (or complete copies) of the reference cards, just loaded with a new bios and chocked full of voltage. You can love on the "pure reference" all you want, but once you clear away the BIOS, the boost cards and the reference cards perform the dang same, with nearly identical hardware.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> ^^That was a rather inaccurate summary of the topic.
> 
> The only thing similar to a true reference card is a true reference card with a boost bios. Those were made for a short while after the release of the GE cards, but soon after AIB's started production on their revised boost cards and it all went downhill. The problem with a lot of boost cards right now is that they never had a reference counterpart, thus rendering the flash to reference not possible. LOL, I could write pages on this. When you really think about why reference cards are no longer produced by AIBs, or sold by them it comes down to profits. Producing your own designed boards is cheaper and you can use cheaper components and in other cases you can strategically use alternate parts like different vrm controllers guaranteeing the customer has no voltage control. Looks at Gigafail and XFX for no voltage control. Looks at HIS for daft choices in vrm controllers and non-active sensors. Looks at Sapphire for random voltage locked cards. Basically of all the brands out there, there is no consistency with all of them. This makes finding the right card an annoying experience.
> 
> As I wrote there many differences in boards today, and I'm not a fan of the products sold. The 280x cards leave a sour taste as well since they are all AIB designed boards. The beauty of the reference design is that its a "known" quality and every board is the same, which is the polar opposite of what's being sold on the market right now.
> 
> Btw, if it was so darn easy like you implied to flash a bios making the boost go away, there would not be a need for the bios editors that have recently been developed. Thankfully ppl have a solution or possible solution of getting around the boost crap. One caveat would be that the bios editors are not fully mature and there is still a lot of testing to be done on an individual basis.
> 
> This guy rangerjr, he was so annoyed by his Matrix that in a fit he snapped, and then promptly snapped his board in half. You can see it in my avy pic. Anyways, he asks me which board to buy and that is the question I least like to answer because as written above the choices are not easy. Luckily we found what looked like the last Sapphire reference card in Norway. Taking my advice he bought it. Now he's the only other guy on futuremark benches that has broken 9700+ in firestrike. Overclocking is still all luck, but something there's definitely something about reference cards that keeps me coming back to them. That's not to say that you won't find gold cards from other pcb designs, its just that there's a lot less working against you with a true reference card.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, my experience on the topic issomewhat limited, and finding the difference between what you described as reference performance, and what I have personally experienced with my near reference pcb BE card are very similar in regards to voltage requirements and clocks. I can admit, a broader, more experienced take on the subject has proven me wrong. The only real problem that I have with this card at the moment is that I have two choices, an unlocked voltage BIOS, or a GOP BIOS. It does not appear that I am to have the best of both worlds.


----------



## tsm106

Have you seen this? You could ask liamstears to mod your unlocked bios.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1389206/do-you-want-uefi-gop-on-your-7950-7970-i-can-add-it-to-your-bios/0_40


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> FYI, your MSI card is not a real reference card.
> 
> 
> 
> Basically of all the brands out there, there is no consistency with all of them. This makes finding the right card an annoying experience.
> 
> Btw, if it was so darn easy like you implied to flash a bios making the boost go away, there would not be a need for the bios editors that have recently been developed. Thankfully ppl have a solution or possible solution of getting around the boost crap. One caveat would be that the bios editors are not fully mature and there is still a lot of testing to be done on an individual basis.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *You are not kidding I have been dealing with this the past couple days. It seems every card out now has some sort of limitation. I think I found a 7950 w/7970 pcb and boost bios, will find out tomorrow.*
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Is that what people are using? I had a 7870 and some drivers would cause major issues. Trying to avoid that.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 13.9 is what I've seen most people recommend and I've been using it without issue. Fixed a lot of issues with crossfire for sure. Their may be another that's recommended for this bench or that, but overall performance and playability, 13.9 with CAP 13.5 is the way to go. I try to stay away from betas personally.
> 
> ^Well thought out and articulated in a informational and unbiased way "T" .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't own firestrike.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *Thanks man. 13.9 sounds like the one.*
Click to expand...


----------



## richie_2010

My 7950 msi came with the boost bios I just flashed with a tf bios and no more boost. Used one of tpu website.


----------



## Scotty99

Does anyone own this exact card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150671

Seems like a smoking deal, but i can never get around so many bad reviews on newegg with amd gpu's (go look at nvidia collectively, tons of cumulative 5 star reviews). I ask about this card cause its a smoking deal, 180.00 after rebate with 3 games from the never settle bundle AND crysis 3. On top of all of that it has a lifetime warranty.

But since this is a newer version of the card i cannot be sure who to trust, if you look at xfx reply on page 3 you will see they define this card as having a 1050 clock speed and two 6 pin connectors, when in reality it has a 925 clock speed and a 6 and a 8 pin connector. Its just kinda confusing.


----------



## fast_fate

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scotty99*
> 
> Does anyone own this exact card:
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150671
> 
> Seems like a smoking deal, but i can never get around so many bad reviews on newegg with amd gpu's (go look at nvidia collectively, tons of cumulative 5 star reviews). I ask about this card cause its a smoking deal, 180.00 after rebate with 3 games from the never settle bundle AND crysis 3. On top of all of that it has a lifetime warranty.
> 
> But since this is a newer version of the card i cannot be sure who to trust, if you look at xfx reply on page 3 you will see they define this card as having a 1050 clock speed and two 6 pin connectors, when in reality it has a 925 clock speed and a 6 and a 8 pin connector. Its just kinda confusing.


\

XFX always seem to get average to bad reviews








I am more than happy with all 3 of my XFX 7970 DD Black Editions.
Limited blocks but for them - but luckily HeatKiller put out their XFX edition so you should be covered there.
GPU pricing should get interesting as Christmas approaches.
I would hold off another 4 - 6 weeks
If you need the card/s now - and the 7950 meets your requirements - go for it.


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scotty99*
> 
> Does anyone own this exact card:
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150671
> 
> Seems like a smoking deal, but i can never get around so many bad reviews on newegg with amd gpu's (go look at nvidia collectively, tons of cumulative 5 star reviews). I ask about this card cause its a smoking deal, 180.00 after rebate with 3 games from the never settle bundle AND crysis 3. On top of all of that it has a lifetime warranty.
> 
> But since this is a newer version of the card i cannot be sure who to trust, if you look at xfx reply on page 3 you will see they define this card as having a 1050 clock speed and two 6 pin connectors, when in reality it has a 925 clock speed and a 6 and a 8 pin connector. Its just kinda confusing.


The DD cooler is trash. There are plenty of reviews showing on the 7970 DD with it being both louder AND hotter than the 7970 reference. Like seriously.. how badly did they screw up the cooler to manage that?


----------



## Scotty99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fast_fate*
> 
> \
> 
> XFX always seem to get average to bad reviews
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am more than happy with all 3 of my XFX 7970 DD Black Editions.
> Limited blocks but for them - but luckily HeatKiller put out their XFX edition so you should be covered there.
> GPU pricing should get interesting as Christmas approaches.
> I would hold off another 4 - 6 weeks
> If you need the card/s now - and the 7950 meets your requirements - go for it.


Do you really think its going to get cheaper than 180.00 after rebate for a 7950 being as the r9 270x is 200 bucks? I honestly think this is the cheapest will we see them ever. There is a HiS 7950 for 15 bucks less up front (195) but it has a 15 less MiR, i just dont like the reference style cooler they have on their cards.


----------



## Scotty99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> The DD cooler is trash. There are plenty of reviews showing on the 7970 DD with it being both louder AND hotter than the 7970 reference. Like seriously.. how badly did they screw up the cooler to manage that?


Well here is tiny tom reviewing the old style DD cooler when the 7950's first came out and it hit 60c max under a benchmark:






Problem i am running into is that isnt this card and i cannot find any benchmarks or reviews on this particular card im looking at, thats why im here asking if anyone has this exact card.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> And easy thing to do is disable crossfire in catalyst and watch the load on the deactivated core stay down/sleep. The feel for the hot core. Btw, only the slave core gets shutdown when you do this. Thus the hot one is your main. If you are having usage issues, disable ulps and/or try a different driver.


Thanks man. I didnt know you could disable crossfire on a 7990. I will try it later. What i did do was i loosened screws on one core hoping to see one shoot to 100c and throttle.. What ended up happening was the computer shut down mid bios boot, corrupted the bios, the motherboard is dual bios so it reflashed the first bios and thats when i shut it down and decided i better reseat the gpu now so i drained reseated and filled and let it bleed a couple hours then rebooted to OS MISSING lol... So i reimaged and ALL of my overclocks were gone.. From 4.3 to 5.0 in 100mhz increments all 12 or 24 primestable.. Gone! temps are actually alot better now, they are only 13c apart... But long story short.. That was stupid...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^That was a rather inaccurate summary of the topic.
> 
> bla bla bla blllaaaallaal,refrence is super duper awesome and for a good reason
> This guy rangerjr, he was so annoyed by his Matrix that in a fit he snapped, and then promptly snapped his board in half. You can see it in my avy pic*You can see it in my avy pic*.


Intersting....
I've always thought that the thing in your avatar was some sort of laptop or chair but now I know it's not LOL


----------



## xNutella

x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X





thoughts? they reached 73C during the test.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thoughts? they reached 73C during the test.


FYI 73 isn't bad at all,if you want you can get some side panel fans to suck air out of the case
Nice build BTW what are the other secs?


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> FYI 73 isn't bad at all,if you want you can get some side panel fans to suck air out of the case
> Nice build BTW what are the other secs?


► Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth Z87
► CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
► CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i
► Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16Gb
► SSD: Samsung Pro 840 256 gb.
► SSD: Samsung Pro 840 512 gb.
► GPU: x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X (Crossfire)
► PSU: Corsair HX850w
► Case: Corsair Carbide Air 540


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> ► Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth Z87
> ► CPU: Intel Core i7-4770K
> ► CPU Cooler: Corsair H100i
> ► Memory: Corsair Vengeance 16Gb
> ► SSD: Samsung Pro 840 256 gb.
> ► SSD: Samsung Pro 840 512 gb.
> ► GPU: x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X (Crossfire)
> ► PSU: Corsair HX850w
> ► Case: Corsair Carbide Air 540


Nice,73 isn't much really but if you wanna lower the temps use side panel fans to suck out air


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Nice,73 isn't much really but if you wanna lower the temps use side panel fans to suck out air


that will ruin the look of the 540 case







.


----------



## KnownDragon

Hey guys going to get some water cooling here in the near future. I was wondering if you guys could help me out. Here is the link to my card and blocks. What would be the best route to go universal or full block? If full block which one would go best with copper?

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=773


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> that will ruin the look of the 540 case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


But it will help a lot with temps


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> Hey guys going to get some water cooling here in the near future. I was wondering if you guys could help me out. Here is the link to my card and blocks. What would be the best route to go universal or full block? If full block which one would go best with copper?
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist?gpu_gpus=773


I personally like full coverage. Nice thing about EK full coverage is, they cool the vrm's . Some other manufacturers call their waterblocks "full-coverage", but are missing this. XSPC, it's missing entirely and Alphacool has a piece there, but no water circulating over it. This is also the biggest difference between universal and full coverage. Universal blocks cool the gpu, but you end up having to use passive heatsinks on memory and vrm's. Copper oxidizes and gets dirty over time. Nothing wrong performance wise. Mostly a choice in asthetics between copper and nickel plating.


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> But it will help a lot with temps


yup that's right


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> yup that's right


Also with red fans your case will still look badass,I'm so jelly


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> I personally like full coverage. Nice thing about EK full coverage is, they cool the vrm's . Some other manufacturers call their waterblocks "full-coverage", but are missing this. XSPC, it's missing entirely and Alphacool has a piece there, but no water circulating over it. This is also the biggest difference between universal and full coverage. Universal blocks cool the gpu, but you end up having to use passive heatsinks on memory and vrm's. Copper oxidizes and gets dirty over time. Nothing wrong performance wise. Mostly a choice in asthetics between copper and nickel plating.


Thank you Hot Rod. +rep


----------



## Bartouille

I "hate" Far Cry 3, I had to drop my gpu core OC to 1200MHz







And this game heats my gpu like crazy, 72C/78C/78C after playing it 5 hours.


----------



## Davidbc

Hey, I've been around this forum for a while but never commented. I'm an HD 7950 boost owner, and I wanna ask you if you know what OC I can achieve with my card without changing the voltages. Right now is set at at the default 925/1250mhz and temperatures while playing are around 59-62ºC with the fan at 45% or so (automatic).


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fast_fate*
> 
> \
> 
> XFX always seem to get average to bad reviews
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I am more than happy with all 3 of my XFX 7970 DD Black Editions.
> Limited blocks but for them - but luckily HeatKiller put out their XFX edition so you should be covered there.
> GPU pricing should get interesting as Christmas approaches.
> I would hold off another 4 - 6 weeks
> If you need the card/s now - and the 7950 meets your requirements - go for it.


and removal of the bios switch
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> Thank you Hot Rod. +rep


or swiftech and real chrome .... just saying ! meh nickle


----------



## Ellis

Hi









Recently got a great deal on an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum, it was on sale after the release of the 280X









I've come from a GTX 460 and never owned an AMD card before, so a lot of stuff is new to me. Got a few questions:

MSI Afterburner: how do I enable voltage control? Yes, Asus have their own tool but the UI is crappy and it doesn't have the overlay so I'd prefer to use regular Afterburner. I've tried checking "unlock voltage control" and switching to kernel mode, and putting these 2 files in my Afterburner directory, and enabling unofficial overclocking through the 2 config files, but the voltage control is still inaccessible.

Overclocking in general: stock for this card is 1100MHz, with 1257mV core voltage. It seems OK at 1150 with stock volts, but 1200 gives artifacts even with over 1.3V (using the option in GPU Tweak to lock clock speed and voltage). There's also a VDDCI voltage control, but I've no idea what this does or if it would increase stability. So far, I haven't had much like with overclocking the card.

Vsync: is there a way to get something similar to Nvidia's adaptive Vsync? No option exists in CCC but I wonder if an external tool might be able to do it.

Thanks!


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Davidbc*
> 
> Hey, I've been around this forum for a while but never commented. I'm an HD 7950 boost owner, and I wanna ask you if you know what OC I can achieve with my card without changing the voltages. Right now is set at at the default 925/1250mhz and temperatures while playing are around 59-62ºC with the fan at 45% or so (automatic).


Prolly 1160 or thereabouts


----------



## Mega Man

you would not be the first to find you MUST use gpu tweek to oc your card, including voltage controls


----------



## Scotty99

Ive been readin a lot of 7950 stuff as im in the market for one and 1125mhz core seems like the number a lot of people got on stock volts.


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Scotty99*
> 
> Ive been readin a lot of 7950 stuff as im in the market for one and 1125mhz core seems like the number a lot of people got on stock volts.


With the proper cooling, I run my 7950 at 1100ghz core with 1500mhz ram. His IceQ 3gb pretty good quality but with stock heat sink it sounds like a small electric helicopter.


----------



## MarlowXim

Any comments on either SAPPHIRE 100351SR it's a boost card or the MSI R7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE in particular in terms of overclocking and voltage. Hoping to hit aroung 1200 mhz + on the core to match my reference model for crossfire. ideally I would want to purchase another reference model but Canadian prices are still high for older reference cards at our retailers.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I put a waterblock on my powercolor 7990 and one of the temps is a bit high. It is the second GPU as in the one that only activates under load, it goes from zero core state to 15c higher than the main always active core in just a few seconds but seems to retain that delta. Can someone diagram out for me which core is the main always active core vs. which one is the secondary core? Which is closest to the i/o bracket and which is closer to the power connectors? This is my card below.


Hi there. Could you tell me if you have any coil whine, and if so, after the wb install, was it any quieter?


----------



## LukePilot152

Got my new 7970 and I'm absolutely chuffed to bits with it.

It's the Asus DirectCU II Version and it cost me £210 new from OCUK on a today-only deal of theirs.

I've got it clocked at 1100/6000 and with Quad 120 intakes and Quad 120 exhausts in my case and 25% fan speed it hits 78C after an hour in Furmark. It's virtually inaudible over my case fans, which are very quiet themselves (8x Yate Loons at 800rpm).

I highly recommend anyone planning on getting a R9-280X to reconsider, considering that you can pick up a 7970 for £20-£30 cheaper than the R9s.

Happy to be in the 79xx club, considering I've upgraded from a 6770!


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LukePilot152*
> 
> Got my new 7970 and I'm absolutely chuffed to bits with it.
> 
> It's the Asus DirectCU II Version and it cost me £210 new from OCUK on a today-only deal of theirs.
> 
> I've got it clocked at 1100/6000 and with Quad 120 intakes and Quad 120 exhausts in my case and 25% fan speed it hits 78C after an hour in Furmark. It's virtually inaudible over my case fans, which are very quiet themselves (8x Yate Loons at 800rpm).
> 
> I highly recommend anyone planning on getting a R9-280X to reconsider, considering that you can pick up a 7970 for £20-£30 cheaper than the R9s.
> 
> Happy to be in the 79xx club, considering I've upgraded from a 6770!


Running it at 1100/1500 with 25% fan speed and ? voltage in *Furmark* is what the problem is.

Furmark cooks GPUs and can potentially fry VRMs without adequate cooling. Be careful.

Turn your fan to 100% and I'm sure the temps would come down.

With my card at 1200/1600 1.3v WITH 100% fan speed and an Accelero Xtreme 7970, which is a massive cooler with 3 fans, I top out at 72C in Furmark.

72C in Furmark, mind you, is more taxing than any other application I can possibly run on my setup. I top out at 60C in Valley after 2 hours and 58C running Crysis 3 on Ultra. Even [email protected] with Core 17 work units only brings my card to 55C. *Nothing pushes a card as hard and potentially dangerously as Furmark. You will probably never see similar temps in any other program.*

TL;DR: Turn your fan speed up and just play the games you want to play and look for artifacts if you want. Your card isn't bad and a 1100/1500 overclock is good. Furmark is just that stressful (unnecessarily).


----------



## RaleighStClair

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ellis*
> 
> Hi
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Recently got a great deal on an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum, it was on sale after the release of the 280X
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've come from a GTX 460 and never owned an AMD card before, so a lot of stuff is new to me. Got a few questions:
> 
> MSI Afterburner: how do I enable voltage control? Yes, Asus have their own tool but the UI is crappy and it doesn't have the overlay so I'd prefer to use regular Afterburner. I've tried checking "unlock voltage control" and switching to kernel mode, and putting these 2 files in my Afterburner directory, and enabling unofficial overclocking through the 2 config files, but the voltage control is still inaccessible.
> 
> Overclocking in general: stock for this card is 1100MHz, with 1257mV core voltage. It seems OK at 1150 with stock volts, but 1200 gives artifacts even with over 1.3V (using the option in GPU Tweak to lock clock speed and voltage). There's also a VDDCI voltage control, but I've no idea what this does or if it would increase stability. So far, I haven't had much like with overclocking the card.
> 
> Vsync: is there a way to get something similar to Nvidia's adaptive Vsync? No option exists in CCC but I wonder if an external tool might be able to do it.
> 
> Thanks!


RadeonPro has an adaptive VSYNC called 'dynamic' vsync. RadeonPro is also an amazing program for FPS overlay, SweetFX injection, SMAA injection and many other tweaks.

Highly, highly recommended for AMD cards.

http://www.radeonpro.info


----------



## Ellis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you would not be the first to find you MUST use gpu tweek to oc your card, including voltage controls


Ah, oh well. If I can get a decent overclock then it's worth it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RaleighStClair*
> 
> RadeonPro has an adaptive VSYNC called 'dynamic' vsync. RadeonPro is also an amazing program for FPS overlay, SweetFX injection, SMAA injection and many other tweaks.
> 
> Highly, highly recommended for AMD cards.
> 
> http://www.radeonpro.info


Ah cool, thanks. I use the SMAA injector in a couple of games that only support FXAA (BioShock Infinite, Borderlands 2, maybe some others that I've forgotten) so if there's an easier way to manage which games I use it with, that'd be nice. I'll download RadeonPro now.


----------



## hotrod717

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ellis*
> 
> Hi
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Recently got a great deal on an Asus 7970 Matrix Platinum, it was on sale after the release of the 280X
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've come from a GTX 460 and never owned an AMD card before, so a lot of stuff is new to me. Got a few questions:
> 
> MSI Afterburner: how do I enable voltage control? Yes, Asus have their own tool but the UI is crappy and it doesn't have the overlay so I'd prefer to use regular Afterburner. I've tried checking "unlock voltage control" and switching to kernel mode, and putting these 2 files in my Afterburner directory, and enabling unofficial overclocking through the 2 config files, but the voltage control is still inaccessible.
> 
> Overclocking in general: stock for this card is 1100MHz, with 1257mV core voltage. It seems OK at 1150 with stock volts, but 1200 gives artifacts even with over 1.3V (using the option in GPU Tweak to lock clock speed and voltage). There's also a VDDCI voltage control, but I've no idea what this does or if it would increase stability. So far, I haven't had much like with overclocking the card.
> 
> Vsync: is there a way to get something similar to Nvidia's adaptive Vsync? No option exists in CCC but I wonder if an external tool might be able to do it.
> 
> Thanks!


Even though you have to use GPU Tweak, it offers far more control than any other software. You do have to learn how to use all of it to help with an overclock. Bump your power target to 120%. Try and also bump memory along with core. Unlock the voltage to core clock. Once you get past 1200mhz core, you also may need to bump VDDCI to 925. Unfortunately your stock volts are a little high. These cards seem to do better with an asic% of 72% or lower. What is your voltage cap in GPU tweak? Don't forget to adjust your fan speed during benching. Depress red button for a few seconds and it will stay at 100%. PM me if you need help. There's no love for Asus or GPU Tweak here.


----------



## LukePilot152

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Running it at 1100/1500 with 25% fan speed and ? voltage in *Furmark* is what the problem is.
> 
> Furmark cooks GPUs and can potentially fry VRMs without adequate cooling. Be careful.
> 
> Turn your fan to 100% and I'm sure the temps would come down.
> 
> With my card at 1200/1600 1.3v WITH 100% fan speed and an Accelero Xtreme 7970, which is a massive cooler with 3 fans, I top out at 72C in Furmark.
> 
> 72C in Furmark, mind you, is more taxing than any other application I can possibly run on my setup. I top out at 60C in Valley after 2 hours and 58C running Crysis 3 on Ultra. Even [email protected] with Core 17 work units only brings my card to 55C. *Nothing pushes a card as hard and potentially dangerously as Furmark. You will probably never see similar temps in any other program.*
> 
> TL;DR: Turn your fan speed up and just play the games you want to play and look for artifacts if you want. Your card isn't bad and a 1100/1500 overclock is good. Furmark is just that stressful (unnecessarily).


Thanks for the advice. I know only too well the potential hazards regarding inadequate VRM cooling, having fried a 95W motherboard by running a 140w Phenom II on it, when I was a much younger, more naive person. The ASUS version has a heatspreader for the VRM, and I've got dual 120mm fans at the bottom blowing a noticeable amount of airflow right up at it.

I'm running the card at 25% fan speed because I want a silent system, and it may be my English figures of speech but I'm most definitely very happy with the card - it's the best I've ever had.

In the not too distant future, I hope to have it cooled with my CPU on a 360 Radiator and a D5 pump, if my father lets me (being 16 and having your parents dictate what to spend your money on sucks!).

Best Regards
Luke


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LukePilot152*
> 
> Thanks for the advice. I know only too well the potential hazards regarding inadequate VRM cooling, having fried a 95W motherboard by running a 140w Phenom II on it, when I was a much younger, more naive person. The ASUS version has a heatspreader for the VRM, and I've got dual 120mm fans at the bottom blowing a noticeable amount of airflow right up at it.
> 
> I'm running the card at 25% fan speed because I want a silent system, and it may be my English figures of speech but I'm most definitely very happy with the card - it's the best I've ever had.
> 
> In the not too distant future, I hope to have it cooled with my CPU on a 360 Radiator and a D5 pump, if my father lets me (being 16 and *having your parents dictate what to spend your money on sucks!*).
> 
> Best Regards
> Luke


I feel your pain


----------



## lightsout

Whats up guys. I found a Twin frozr 7950 with a 7970 pcb and 8+6 power. Not super stoked on the overclock. Trying to hit 1200 on the core took the voltage to 1.25v even but was getting artifacting in Valley. Also temp climbed to 77c so I quit the bench.

I know the temp is high, need some case fans.

Should I not go any higher on the voltage because of the temps? Should I enable the 50% power thing right now I have it at 20%?

EDIT*** Ramped up the fan and took the side panel off and things were much better. No artifacts and the temps topped out at 65c.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Ramped up the fan and took the side panel off and things were much better. No artifacts and the temps topped out at 65c.


Looks like you figured it out, you need lower temps for stability.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Ramped up the fan and took the side panel off and things were much better. No artifacts and the temps topped out at 65c.
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like you figured it out, you need lower temps for stability.
Click to expand...

Yes totally appears that way. I ran valley @1200 with 1.2v. Finished but lost about 1.5fps from when I did a run at 1.25v. VRM temp maxxed out at 54c so I am happy with that.


----------



## Leethal

Hey guys happy 7950 owner here, just bought another one for crossfire. How are you guys liking crossfire 7950s?

Single 1080p 60hz monitor here. Crossfire 7950s should last me a year or two right?


----------



## lightsout

Do you guys unlock power limit to 50%? Or do most people leave it at 20%?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hotrod717*
> 
> There's no love for Asus or GPU Tweak here.


my case its a rig butcherer and a waster of time and money, ASUS has the worst software department to date...

but if it works without killing your rig and costing you money on a rejected RMA then good for you.


----------



## tsm106

^^GPUTweak is a joke. 5 minutes with it and I was ready to punch the screen. lol.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Do you guys unlock power limit to 50%? Or do most people leave it at 20%?


+50 doesnt raise the tdp limit because that is locked down in hardware and the only way to raise it is hard mod or buy a lightning. The reg hack may be bring some relief to those with boost cards that came default with very tight restraints, ie throttle happy stock bios. Otherwise it doesnt do anything. If you are oc'ing fine as is you dont look to be boost throttle afflicted.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^GPUTweak is a joke. 5 minutes with it and I was ready to punch the screen. lol.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Do you guys unlock power limit to 50%? Or do most people leave it at 20%?
> 
> 
> 
> +50 doesnt raise the tdp limit because that is locked down in hardware and the only way to raise it is hard mod or buy a lightning. The reg hack may be bring some relief to those with boost cards that came default with very tight restraints, ie throttle happy stock bios. Otherwise it doesnt do anything. If you are oc'ing fine as is you dont look to be boost throttle afflicted.
Click to expand...

I ask because in a bench , forgot which one. The gpu usage was not a straight line it was real up and down, wasn't sure if the card was throttling.


----------



## tsm106

You have to figure it out. Not all benches have static loads, like valley or metro. And some others are static. When you have throttling issues, you tend to really have throttling issues so they typically are easy to notice. Games will run like absolute crap making it easy to get frustrated with the poor performance, ding ding ding.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> I ask because in a bench , forgot which one. The gpu usage was not a straight line it was real up and down, wasn't sure if the card was throttling.


usage doesn't generally == throttling, clocks and voltage do.


----------



## lightsout

Oh ok, thank you for clearing that up. Plus rep for those that helped.


----------



## FernTeixe

well just to know if its all ok.. is my score ok for 7970 @ 1150 ? I think my temps are good xD it's 100% fan speed, but I don't really listen since my headphone is really good... but at 60% speed I didn't saw temps vram getting higher than 64c and gpu/diode temp didn't got higher than 58c


----------



## Lionheart1980

Hey guys, do you have to unintall CCC to use radeonpro software? Is there any advice about using radeonpro?

I"m using 2 HIS Radeon HD 7970GHz Edition in crossfired mode.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Hey guys, do you have to unintall CCC to use radeonpro software? Is there any advice about using radeonpro?
> 
> I"m using 2 HIS Radeon HD 7970GHz Edition in crossfired mode.


Nope


----------



## process

Gunna bombard you with some questions , so any help appreciated...

I have a gigabyte hd 7970 ghz ed
Saphire radeon 7970
xfx dd 7970

was going to try trifire with a corsair tx850w but wasn't hopeful about this as even if there were enough pcie cables, the wattage would be border line... so with not enough pcie cables, i've decided to settle for a crossfire...

prob is I don't know which to cross fire... from reviews ive read, im thinking of keeping the gigabyte & saphire cards.... yet to put in xfx and do a bench comparison.

Also seems the bottom saphire is being regd as card2 and always seems to be at 99% load while the top gigabyet card load is from 0 to 20ish% under no load. I've disabled ULPS, but usage distribution under no load remains uneven..Under load the top gigabyte card will reach 94% usage

reseated the saphire, uninstalled and reinstalled drivers and now I get quite the opposite... under no load gpu2 (saphire) remains at 0% while gpu1 (gigabyte) lowly fluctuates...

Also under load the bottom saphire card will hit temps of 78c, but fans will run at 44% which is accordingly 2737rpm (error in percentage reading?)

old gigabyte and saphire crossfire result
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7343012

new gig and saph
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7344138

old gigabyet and xfx
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7343362

xfx with a slight increase which is confusing cause set at 1100/1500 it spacked out and made system hang... above done with 1000/1400

ugine h4 gig + saphire bench of - 2668
gig + xfx - 2393

Oooo dimlema...xfx runs cooler at 72c on load...saphire hit 78...but clocks better and maintains gigabytes stock speeds of 1100/1500

these temps are with side panel off though









attached are 2 gpu logs for saphire and gigabyte...if anyone has the time a quick look over would be greatly appreciated...

saph2Sensor Log.txt 374k .txt file


gig3Sensor Log.txt 315k .txt file


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Hey guys, do you have to unintall CCC to use radeonpro software? Is there any advice about using radeonpro?
> 
> I"m using 2 HIS Radeon HD 7970GHz Edition in crossfired mode.


I use RadeonPro to force Triple Buffering for games like Skyrim.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Hi there. Could you tell me if you have any coil whine, and if so, after the wb install, was it any quieter?


i do have coil whine and i did not hear it until i put it under water. Mine is not as loud as people have put on video. But it does make a crackling like noise under load. But i game with headphones so i am not too concerned by it.


----------



## dmfree88

@process. Its possible you just have a bad fan profile. I usually set mine custom to hit 100 percent at 75 and it never seems to go over 60 unless benching heavy oc. I am not sure what your max fan speed is but mine goes to like 3400 rpm.

Imo the giga is probably best if its wf edition. The sapphire and xfx are both pretty similar could go either way

Side panel can make a difference aswell i get better temps with side panel w fan than with it off. Most likely because it closes and creates the wind tunnel effect


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> @process. Its possible you just have a bad fan profile. I usually set mine custom to hit 100 percent at 75 and it never seems to go over 60 unless benching heavy oc. I am not sure what your max fan speed is but mine goes to like 3400 rpm.
> 
> Imo the giga is probably best if its wf edition. The sapphire and xfx are both pretty similar could go either way


the saphire @ 50% runs around 3120rpm...
gigabyte ghz ed @ 50% runs at 2230

saph has 1 fan and gig has 3 oh... ye gig is deffo a keeper...just not sure on whether to keep the xfx or saphire... im thinking saphire cause I can clock it to gig stock speeds. xfx is quieter and a little cooler oh


----------



## FernTeixe

my sapphre 7970 oc w/ boost shows 3250 RPM at 100% speed


----------



## chronicfx

I have a sapphire vapor x too. Underneath my 7990 i can also let you know my fan speeds if u like


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> my sapphre 7970 oc w/ boost shows 3250 RPM at 100% speed


sounds perfectly normal, the VaporX uses 90mm fans doesn't it?


----------



## samuel002

who got this card stock bios? http://www.ncix.com/products/?sku=84902&vpn=AX7950%203GBD5-2DHV5E&manufacture=PowerColor

i just bought it and it has artifacts for some reason.


----------



## crun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Whats up guys. I found a Twin frozr 7950 with a 7970 pcb and 8+6 power. Not super stoked on the overclock. Trying to hit 1200 on the core took the voltage to 1.25v even but was getting artifacting in Valley. Also temp climbed to 77c so I quit the bench.
> 
> I know the temp is high, need some case fans.
> 
> Should I not go any higher on the voltage because of the temps? Should I enable the 50% power thing right now I have it at 20%?
> 
> EDIT*** Ramped up the fan and took the side panel off and things were much better. No artifacts and the temps topped out at 65c.


Hey, I bought a 7950 twin frozr 3 about a week ago and I have a 8+6 pin version too. You sure it means 7970 pcb though?

Anyway, it doesn't overlock THAT good (at least compared to my monster 5850)
After few days of testing, my final profile for gaming is:

1.2v core, 1.55v (stock) memory. 1125 core, 1500 memory. 75-80c GPU, 80-85c VRM @ 60% fan speed.

Had to go gradually down from 1150 core, because it wasn't stable enough. Benchmark didn't really show it though, it seemed perfectly stable @1150 even after hours or two of Heaven.
It is really tight inside of my case + circulation is bad, so temperatures aren't the best. I might try 1.25v, maybe it will go 1200core then or something (doubt it)... with 80-90% fan speed temperatures should be managable I guess.
Obviously RAMs are Elpidas, because I couldn't reach even 1550.

In my case, it's running fine at +20% power. 99% usage all the time in demanding games, clocks are stable too.

Overall I'm happy from the performance, but I wish it could oc as good as mine previous card


----------



## sugarhell

75-80c GPU, 80-85c VRM

Thats why it doesnt oc high


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crun*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Whats up guys. I found a Twin frozr 7950 with a 7970 pcb and 8+6 power. Not super stoked on the overclock. Trying to hit 1200 on the core took the voltage to 1.25v even but was getting artifacting in Valley. Also temp climbed to 77c so I quit the bench.
> 
> I know the temp is high, need some case fans.
> 
> Should I not go any higher on the voltage because of the temps? Should I enable the 50% power thing right now I have it at 20%?
> 
> EDIT*** Ramped up the fan and took the side panel off and things were much better. No artifacts and the temps topped out at 65c.
> 
> 
> 
> Hey, I bought a 7950 twin frozr 3 about a week ago and I have a 8+6 pin version too. You sure it means 7970 pcb though?
> 
> Anyway, it doesn't overlock THAT good (at least compared to my monster 5850)
> After few days of testing, my final profile for gaming is:
> 
> 1.2v core, 1.55v (stock) memory. 1125 core, 1500 memory. 75-80c GPU, 80-85c VRM @ 60% fan speed.
> 
> Had to go gradually down from 1150 core, because it wasn't stable enough. Benchmark didn't really show it though, it seemed perfectly stable @1150 even after hours or two of Heaven.
> It is really tight inside of my case + circulation is bad, so temperatures aren't the best. I might try 1.25v, maybe it will go 1200core then or something (doubt it)... with 80-90% fan speed temperatures should be managable I guess.
> Obviously RAMs are Elpidas, because I couldn't reach even 1550.
> 
> In my case, it's running fine at +20% power. 99% usage all the time in demanding games, clocks are stable too.
> 
> Overall I'm happy from the performance, but I wish it could oc as good as mine previous card
Click to expand...

Did you look at the memory. I think these have hynix. 8+6 power is the 7970 pcb. Mine isn't a great clocker either. I have been gaming at 1100mhz 1.11v. Fan needs to be cranked to keep the temps down on this card. I can bench at 1200 1.21v but its not stable.

I noticed it jumped to 70c when I was playing BF3. Looked at the OSD and my voltage had jumped from 1.1v to 1.18v (stock on this boost card). Put the voltage back down and the temp went back to mid 60s.

Whats your ASIC? Mine is 71%


----------



## FernTeixe

is it all good with my temps / voltage and stuff?
I'm not having problems with flicker/artifact
seems stable at 1170/1550

I took the screenshot after 1 hour playing bf3 + 1 hour of uningine valley... my room temperature was around 26c

I don't know if it's only me, but Trine 2 is making my vga hotter than furmark... anyone with same problem?


----------



## dmfree88

I was considering buying a cheaper 7950 and ended up buying a 7870 hawk. Was wondering if anyone with a single 7950 could show me how well I compare? Thx









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745


(custom set to 1080p)


----------



## theoneofgod

Stock 3770k, 7950 clocked at 850MHz.
Quote:


> FPS:
> 28.9
> Score:
> 727
> Min FPS:
> 15.6
> Max FPS:
> 61.6


GPU temp 63C.


----------



## Shurtugal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> I was considering buying a cheaper 7950 and ended up buying a 7870 hawk. Was wondering if anyone with a single 7950 could show me how well I compare? Thx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745
> 
> 
> (custom set to 1080p)


Did you overclock that to 1300 MHz? I assume it's not stock


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> I was considering buying a cheaper 7950 and ended up buying a 7870 hawk. Was wondering if anyone with a single 7950 could show me how well I compare? Thx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745
> 
> 
> (custom set to 1080p)


your 7870 oc'ed is about a s fast as a stock 7970.









my highest score in Heaven with the 7950 using same settings was 41.


----------



## Chopper1591

What do you consider comfortable vrm temps on the 7950?

When I clock my 7950 vapor-x @ 1200/1700 with 1.225v(bios) the temps are: core 70-75c vrms 75-81c.
These temps are acquired when benching.

Is this safe for daily use?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> I was considering buying a cheaper 7950 and ended up buying a 7870 hawk. Was wondering if anyone with a single 7950 could show me how well I compare? Thx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745


I almost got one of those after owning a HD7950. They look like alot of fun to over clock and I like the high quality and details of the card.
After thinking it over and doing alot of research I decided to get another HD7950.

One of my 3dMark11 benchmarks.


----------



## Shurtugal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I almost got one of those after owning a HD7950. They look like alot of fun to over clock and I like the high quality and details of the card.
> After thinking it over and doing alot of research I decided to get another HD7950.
> 
> One of my 3dMark11 benchmarks.


Could you post the link?
Cheers!









Edit: That beats my 280X, lol


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Shurtugal*
> 
> Could you post the link?
> Cheers!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: That beats my 280X, lol


I don't have the link but there are many other HD7950 owners that have had good performance from HD7950. HD7970 is only around 5% better.
I think AMD discontinued the HD7950 because it performs too close to HD7970/280x.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I don't have the link but there are many other HD7950 owners that have had good performance from HD7950. HD7970 is only around 5% better.
> I think AMD discontinued the HD7950 because it performs to close to HD7970/280x.


Clocks? Tess on or off?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Clocks? Tess on or off?


I think the clocks on the card were around 1370/1800. The card is water cooled. Don't remember the CPU speeds and the score was legal for HWbot.org submission. I think I submitted the score to HWbot.org


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I think the clocks on the card were around 1370/1800. The card is water cooled. Don't remember the CPU speeds and the score was legal for HWbot.org submission. I think I submitted the score to HWbot.org


That seems a bit low for these clocks. Hmm hwbot allow tess off but i dont think this is with tess off.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> That seems low for these clocks. Hmm hwbot allow tess off but i dont think this is with tess off.


The score was from about a year ago. Since then the drivers have gotten better for this benchmark.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> The score was from about a year ago. Since then the drivers have gotten better for this benchmark.


You know ivy bridge gives around 300 gs?


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You know ivy bridge gives around 300 gs?


What is gs?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> What is gs?


Graphic score. 3dmark 11 is biased on ivy cpus. They fixed it with fs tho


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Graphic score. 3dmark 11 is biased on ivy cpus. They fixed it with fs tho


I don't know what to believe about that. My Haswell 4770k doesn't do much better.

I found the score at HWbot.org with more detailes. 1325 on the core.

http://hwbot.org/submission/2331634_

Some more benchmarks with HD7950.

Top score with VApor X HD7950
bottom score with sapphire 950mhz edition


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> What do you consider comfortable vrm temps on the 7950?
> 
> When I clock my 7950 vapor-x @ 1200/1700 with 1.225v(bios) the temps are: core 70-75c vrms 75-81c.
> These temps are acquired when benching.
> 
> Is this safe for daily use?


Nobody?
Don't want to fry things here.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Nobody?
> Don't want to fry things here.


Its okay up to 85c for 24/7.

They have tjmax around 105C and the vrms based on the model (hynix-elpida) up to 130. Its quite difficult to burn a card with temps nowdays


----------



## SonDa5

Cooler the better. Water cooling works great. In the 40C for gaming.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Its okay up to 85c for 24/7.
> 
> They have tjmax around 105C and the vrms based on the model (hynix-elpida) up to 130. Its quite difficult to burn a card with temps nowdays


Alright thanks.
My card has Hynix chips. Don't know about the vrm's though. Haven't removed the sink on those. But they are told to be quiet good on the vapor-x cards.

So I should be good if I make a high clock gaming profile that maxes at around 80-85c on the vrms?
Will only use it on heavy games anyway. Most games play fine with 1100 core.

I will work on getting the lowest possible voltage while being stable on 1200 core.
Maybe 1.225v is still a bit too high.
1100 core works with around 1.16-1.18v

If I try memory at 1800 I get the chess board screen(grey) and have to hard-reset the system.
Don't feel like overvolting the ram though. 1600-1700 is plenty anyway.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Cooler the better. Water cooling works great. In the 40C for gaming.


LN2 works great too.








But I was asking about the state the card is in now.


----------



## sugarhell

Yeah if you can do it. I use a 1100/1500 profile for a balance between temps/noise and performance


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> My card has Hynix chips.
> LN2 works great too.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I was asking about the state the card is in now.


Did you recently get your Vapor X? Hynx memory on them used to be rare to find. Mine has the slower Elpida.
I think the Vapor X HD7950 has BIOS problem that doesn't like to over clock.

I have Vapor X HD7950 and 950mhz edition. Both are great cards. The 950mhz is alot faster. Both are water cooled and they work great. Keep em cool as possible and they should last longer.

My HD7950s.


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Did you recently get your Vapor X? Hynx memory on them used to be rare to find. Mine has the slower Elpida.
> I think the Vapor X HD7950 has BIOS problem that doesn't like to over clock.
> 
> I have Vapor X HD7950 and 950mhz edition. Both are great cards. The 950mhz is alot faster. Both are water cooled and they work great. Keep em cool as possible and they should last longer.
> 
> My HD7950s.


Ehmm. Don't remember exactly, don't want to look for the invoice. It's about 5-6 months old if I'm correct.
I had another one before but I am pretty sure that one had Elpida chips.

Care to share a score of your vapor-x?
I will try to get the highest run I can with 3dmark 11 performance and post back the results.


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chopper1591*
> 
> Ehmm. Don't remember exactly, don't want to look for the invoice. It's about 5-6 months old if I'm correct.
> I had another one before but I am pretty sure that one had Elpida chips.
> 
> Care to share a score of your vapor-x?
> I will try to get the highest run I can with 3dmark 11 performance and post back the results.


I shared the firestrike score.

Right now I am in the middle of building a new rig and the cards are sitting waiting for me to finish the new build. May be awhile. Waiting on parts. Hopefully within a month.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I almost got one of those after owning a HD7950. They look like alot of fun to over clock and I like the high quality and details of the card.
> After thinking it over and doing alot of research I decided to get another HD7950.
> 
> One of my 3dMark11 benchmarks.


that is a 3dmark11 bench with 1 7950? Seriously?

this is a recent bench with 2x7970 @ 1100/1500... why's the physics low in comparison?









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7346240


----------



## alancsalt

The CPU? Physics is strongly influenced by cpu, and then ram....


----------



## Chopper1591

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> that is a 3dmark11 bench with 1 7950? Seriously?
> 
> this is a recent bench with 2x7970 @ 1100/1500... why's the physics low in comparison?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7346240


Yeah physics score is cpu bound.

Here's my 7950.
1150/1700 with an 8320 @ 4.6ghz.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7349082

Physics score is way low because of the cpu and only 4gb ram ATM. Needs to be send in for RMA.


----------



## crun

3DMark score comparison of Powercolor HD5850 (@950/1300 AFAIR) and MSI 7950 Twin Frozr3 (@1125/1600) with i5-750 @3.6 and 2x4DDR3 @1444

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1407498
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1445523
Quote:


> Whats your ASIC? Mine is 71% [on 7950]


63.9%


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> I was considering buying a cheaper 7950 and ended up buying a 7870 hawk. Was wondering if anyone with a single 7950 could show me how well I compare? Thx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745
> 
> 
> 
> I almost got one of those after owning a HD7950. They look like alot of fun to over clock and I like the high quality and details of the card.
> After thinking it over and doing alot of research I decided to get another HD7950.
> 
> One of my 3dMark11 benchmarks.
Click to expand...

Wow what clock is that at? I've been trying to break 11k on the graphics score. At 1200mhz best I got was 10900. Thats with 3570k at 4.5 and my ram at 2133.


----------



## Phelan

I don't have a screenshot, but since my rig is down, I tested my 7990 in my brother's stock clocked Phenom II X4 965 rig lol. Conposite was 9900, with 40xx CPU score and 18xxx GPU score (3.0 CPU, stock 1000/1500 gpu). No bottleneck here....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SonDa5*
> 
> I think the clocks on the card were around 1370/1800. The card is water cooled. Don't remember the CPU speeds and the score was legal for HWbot.org submission. I think I submitted the score to HWbot.org
> 
> 
> 
> That seems a bit low for these clocks. Hmm hwbot allow tess off but i dont think this is with tess off.
Click to expand...

Need more clock and it's 1K pts too low.


----------



## bencher

Hi guys i just ran 3dmark11. Is this score on point with a 1.1ghz 7970 and 4.4ghz 8320?


----------



## istudy92

Ohh when I get home ima post my vapor x score. Before it gets sold.
I'm selling mine to get the 280x .
Why?
Simple..I can sell mine for 200 bucks, pay extra 100 for 280x which is basically a 7970 and get bf4 bundled with 3 other games. Means I pay only 100 bucks extra for a 5-10% performance boost! free games! and greater resale future value tad dah.
Was going to buy the game ether way, so why not just pay 40 bucks extra for a slight performance boost?
















7950 is ideally good cheap card its overclocks always gets me above 50 fps on most games on max...cept....crysis...smh


----------



## sugarhell

You know they dont give bf4 with 280x...


----------



## dajez

Atm i have 1x hd7970. What do u guys think i should crossfire it with,1 more hd7970 or a r9 280x?


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> Atm i have 1x hd7970. What do u guys think i should crossfire it with,1 more hd7970 or a r9 280x?


That possible?


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dajez*
> 
> Atm i have 1x hd7970. What do u guys think i should crossfire it with,1 more hd7970 or a r9 280x?


2x7970 if this helps
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7346240


----------



## chronicfx

Does the r280x use a crossfire bridge too? I read they were getting rid of that, maybe just for the r290 series?


----------



## dajez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> That possible?


Yes it is

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> 2x7970 if this helps
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7346240


Saw some benchmarks where they are the same
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/63551-will-crossfire-r9-280x-hd-7970-scaling-tested.html

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Does the r280x use a crossfire bridge too? I read they were getting rid of that, maybe just for the r290 series?


I think only the 290/290x doesnt


----------



## Darklyric

The xfx DD didn't have one if the news column but idk if they usually come with a bridge


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi guys i just ran 3dmark11. Is this score on point with a 1.1ghz 7970 and 4.4ghz 8320?


Anyone?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You know they dont give bf4 with 280x...[/quotes]
> 
> Well then....my plan is falling apart as we speak...lol..EPIC FAIL!!!!
> 
> So..why wouldn't the 290x have cross bridge? Would that mean it cant be crossfire do? Or...?


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi guys i just ran 3dmark11. Is this score on point with a 1.1ghz 7970 and 4.4ghz 8320?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone?
Click to expand...

How much better is a 7970 than a 7950? Not much huh. My score is about the same with an extra 100mhz. I'll do a run with the same clock as you if you want later. But I have an ivy chip not sure how much the difference is in 3dmark11.


----------



## Clukos

I just received a 7970 matrix platinum. Do you guys know if there is any other way to change the voltage of this card without using the god damn awful software that is GPUTweak (after years of using Afterburner i just can't change to GPUTweak, it seems so... bad)?

If i press the + or - buttons on the card do you know if it resets after each restart?

And for the love of god, if you create such a good card hardware-wise don't lock it software wise to whatever program you want to force the user to use.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> I just received a 7970 matrix platinum. Do you guys know if there is any other way to change the voltage of this card without using the god damn awful software that is GPUTweak (after years of using Afterburner i just can't change to GPUTweak, it seems so... bad)?
> 
> If i press the + or - buttons on the card do you know if it resets after each restart?


With Matrix the only way is GPU Tweak. It is terrible, you aren't imagining that. I don't know about the +, or - buttons.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> I just received a 7970 matrix platinum. *Do you guys know if there is any other way to change the voltage of this card without using the god damn awful software that is GPUTweak* (after years of using Afterburner i just can't change to GPUTweak, it seems so... bad)?
> 
> If i press the + or - buttons on the card do you know if it resets after each restart?
> 
> And for the love of god, if you create such a good card hardware-wise don't lock it software wise to whatever program you want to force the user to use.


Yea. Return it and get one with a proper VRM controller.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Anyone?


thats a decent score, heres my 8350 at 4.8ghz with a OC'd 7870 to 1302/1405. You seem to be fairly similar with better graphics score, which you should have







:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745


----------



## Paul17041993

7970 and 280X will crossfire perfectly fine, they are the same gpu after all, only diff between them is a revised PCB and the ability to eyefinity without a displayport adapter
(if its a proper one, a lot are just rebadges)


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> I just received a 7970 matrix platinum. Do you guys know if there is any other way to change the voltage of this card without using the god damn awful software that is GPUTweak (after years of using Afterburner i just can't change to GPUTweak, it seems so... bad)?
> 
> If i press the + or - buttons on the card do you know if it resets after each restart?
> 
> And for the love of god, if you create such a good card hardware-wise don't lock it software wise to whatever program you want to force the user to use.


I've seen people complain about the crappy Asus cards dozens of times in this thread...where were you mate?


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> thats a decent score, heres my 8350 at 4.8ghz with a OC'd 7870 to 1302/1405. You seem to be fairly similar with better graphics score, which you should have
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745


That is a pretty nice overclock on the 7870.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> How much better is a 7970 than a 7950? Not much huh. My score is about the same with an extra 100mhz. I'll do a run with the same clock as you if you want later. But I have an ivy chip not sure how much the difference is in 3dmark11.


looking forward to seeing it.


----------



## dmfree88

i was trying super hard to beat 1st place out of single gpu 8350's with a 7870. Managed to get 4th place, although its because they beat me in physics with a 5.2ghz cpu oc while mines at 4.8 as far as i know i currently have the highest graphics score







.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> i was trying super hard to beat 1st place out of single gpu 8350's with a 7870. Managed to get 4th place, although its because they beat me in physics with a 5.2ghz cpu oc while mines at 4.8 as far as i know i currently have the highest graphics score
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Ln2 on dat cpu! I think alatar was benching at 6+ ghz on an 8320


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> thats a decent score, heres my 8350 at 4.8ghz with a OC'd 7870 to 1302/1405. You seem to be fairly similar with better graphics score, which you should have
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331745
> 
> 
> 
> That is a pretty nice overclock on the 7870.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> How much better is a 7970 than a 7950? Not much huh. My score is about the same with an extra 100mhz. I'll do a run with the same clock as you if you want later. But I have an ivy chip not sure how much the difference is in 3dmark11.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> looking forward to seeing it.
Click to expand...

Score went down quite a bit.
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7351218


----------



## dmfree88

all i got is a nh-d14







.. I can probably push 5ghz for a bench.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Score went down quite a bit.
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7351218


Wow you almost got the same score as me... Even though I have a 7970...


----------



## youpekkad

My 7950 @ 1150/1500MHz 24/7 overclock http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7322321.

At the same clocks they arent that different (7970 is ~5% faster), but 7970s tend to clock slightly better, in other words, its easier to hit >1200MHz w/7970 than with the 7950. I would guess that on average 24/7 overclocks 7970 is ~10-15% faster than a 7950 (probably around 1200MHz on a 7970 and 1150 on a 7950 or so.)


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> My 7950 @ 1150/1500MHz 24/7 overclock http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7322321.
> 
> At the same clocks they arent that different, but 7970s tend to clock slightly better, in other words, its easier to hit >1200MHz w/7970 than with the 7950. I would guess that on average 24/7 overclocks 7970 is ~10% faster than a 7950 (probably around 1200MHz on a 7970 and 1150 on a 7950 or so.)


Now I feel like I wasted my money. I could have gotten a 7950 for much cheaper.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> My 7950 @ 1150/1500MHz 24/7 overclock http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7322321.
> 
> At the same clocks they arent that different (7970 is ~5% faster), but 7970s tend to clock slightly better, in other words, its easier to hit >1200MHz w/7970 than with the 7950. I would guess that on average 24/7 overclocks 7970 is ~10-15% faster than a 7950 (probably around 1200MHz on a 7970 and 1150 on a 7950 or so.)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> My 7950 @ 1150/1500MHz 24/7 overclock http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7322321.
> 
> At the same clocks they arent that different, but 7970s tend to clock slightly better, in other words, its easier to hit >1200MHz w/7970 than with the 7950. I would guess that on average 24/7 overclocks 7970 is ~10% faster than a 7950 (probably around 1200MHz on a 7970 and 1150 on a 7950 or so.)
> 
> 
> 
> Now I feel like I wasted my money. I could have gotten a 7950 for much cheaper.
Click to expand...

Wow they really are close. I considered a 7970 glad I didn't spend the extra $. But I am sure some folks can come in here with some better 7970 scores. Have you tried pushing yours to 1200?


----------



## jerrolds

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> I just received a 7970 matrix platinum. Do you guys know if there is any other way to change the voltage of this card without using the god damn awful software that is GPUTweak (after years of using Afterburner i just can't change to GPUTweak, it seems so... bad)?
> 
> If i press the + or - buttons on the card do you know if it resets after each restart?
> 
> And for the love of god, if you create such a good card hardware-wise don't lock it software wise to whatever program you want to force the user to use.


Only way to change voltage software wise, set LLC or configure the 2nd fan is via GPU Tweak - the worst of the overclocking utilities. Pressing the + or - does not reset after restart, its basically a hardware voltage config.

To me there was no difference in using GPUTweak or the + - buttons to alter voltage. I just did it thru software cuz it was easier, hitting the buttons can hurt if you accidently brush the fan tips with your fingers


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Wow they really are close. I considered a 7970 glad I didn't spend the extra $. But I am sure some folks can come in here with some better 7970 scores. Have you tried pushing yours to 1200?


There is no voltage control on Asus 7970 DC II







. neither in GPU tweak.


----------



## youpekkad

Yea I can hit 1250MHz in benches, quite challenging though on air-cooling as it needs to stay pretty cool at those clocks...55C is too much...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> My 7950 @ 1150/1500MHz 24/7 overclock http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7322321.
> 
> At the same clocks they arent that different (7970 is ~5% faster), but 7970s tend to clock slightly better, in other words, its easier to hit >1200MHz w/7970 than with the 7950. I would guess that on average 24/7 overclocks 7970 is ~10-15% faster than a 7950 (probably around 1200MHz on a 7970 and 1150 on a 7950 or so.)
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> My 7950 @ 1150/1500MHz 24/7 overclock http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7322321.
> 
> At the same clocks they arent that different, but 7970s tend to clock slightly better, in other words, its easier to hit >1200MHz w/7970 than with the 7950. I would guess that on average 24/7 overclocks 7970 is ~10% faster than a 7950 (probably around 1200MHz on a 7970 and 1150 on a 7950 or so.)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Now I feel like I wasted my money. I could have gotten a 7950 for much cheaper.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow they really are close. I considered a 7970 glad I didn't spend the extra $. But I am sure some folks can come in here with some better 7970 scores. Have you tried pushing yours to 1200?
Click to expand...

Psst.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7298100


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Psst.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7298100


What is the core and memory clock of your 7970?


----------



## dmfree88

says 300/150 lol


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Psst.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7298100
> 
> 
> 
> What is the core and memory clock of your 7970?
Click to expand...

Iirc 1380/1880. Rangerjr1's 7970 does like1375/1880 too and gets same score, like 9 pts more.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Iirc 1380/1880. Rangerjr1's 7970 does like1375/1880 too and gets same score, like 9 pts more.


So I am guessing if a 7950 clocks the same the score will be similar.

How disappointed I am in wasting my hard earned money.

And Buying Non reference was a huge mistake...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> So I am guessing if a 7950 clocks the same the score will be similar.
> 
> How disappointed I am in wasting my hard earned money.
> 
> And Buying Non reference was a huge mistake...


Not even close


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Iirc 1380/1880. Rangerjr1's 7970 does like1375/1880 too and gets same score, like 9 pts more.
> 
> 
> 
> So I am guessing if a 7950 clocks the same the score will be similar.
> 
> How disappointed I am in wasting my hard earned money.
> 
> And Buying Non reference was a huge mistake...
Click to expand...

I don't recall a 7950 ever getting very close, even the gold ones. There are those that preach that 7950s are within 5% but ugh I haven't seen that on the benching front.


----------



## dmfree88

a 7950 is like buying 1600 ram. it will likely oc to 1866 but the 1866 is still likely going to be better at the same clock (or 1866 vs 2133 etc)., or atleast require less power. No different then buying a 8350 over a 8320 sometimes its worth it







. But if it was a big difference in price then you probably woulda been just as happy with the 7950


----------



## youpekkad

No I said that @ same clocks they are within 5% or so, I also said that 7970s clock higher on average so 7970OC is like 10-15% faster than 7950OC. Ofc there are some extreme scenarios where a good 7950 is faster than below average 7970 etc.

The best 7950s can break 12,5k graphics in 3dmark11. There was a one user with the card that was able to hit like 1,4GHz core if I remember correctly but those are veeery rare.


----------



## Durvelle27

Boom goes the dynamite

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7211670


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Not even close


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't recall a 7950 ever getting very close, even the gold ones. There are those that preach that 7950s are within 5% but ugh I haven't seen that on the benching front.


Are you talking about clocks not begin close?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Are you talking about clocks not begin close?


i am pretty sure tsm is talking about scores.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> Ofc there are some extreme scenarios where a good 7950 is faster than below average 7970 etc.


like... my DCII vs every 7950 here...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> like... my DCII vs every 7950 here...


RIP your dreams


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> like... my DCII vs every 7950 here...


This will be my last asus product.

Why is yours slightly defective?


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> like... my DCII vs every 7950 here...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> RIP your dreams
Click to expand...

lol


----------



## CerealKillah

I have been all over with this, so sorry if this is repetitive.

I put my revision 1 WF3 7950 under water this weekend and temps are looking good.

I am able to get 1200 core/ 1600 memory with 1.25 volts. GPU core temp never gets above 34C on Kombuster, OCCT, etc and VRMs never get above 39C.

What is the generally accepted "safe" core voltage for a Rev 1 WF3 7950?


----------



## lightsout

I just fired up MW3 and performance was all over the place. WOuld see fps in the 70-80s but it would also lag and dip into the 30's. Usage was steady at 98-99%. Is this just a crappy port? Figured I should be able to stay well above 60fps no problem. Temps were good too max was 55c.

Sorry that was at 1200p.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> This will be my last asus product.
> 
> Why is yours slightly defective?


well... everything really, barely stable with a 100MHz increase in memory so either one of the ICs are bad or they are just very poor quality, and the fact that the gpu has 55% ASIC and will not accept the slightest overclock without being unstable makes me wonder if it even passed as a 7970...

1170mV, 1000MHz max core, Ive seen chips do much better then that on average...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well... everything really, barely stable with a 100MHz increase in memory so either one of the ICs are bad or they are just very poor quality, and the fact that the gpu has 55% ASIC and will not accept the slightest overclock without being unstable makes me wonder if it even passed as a 7970...
> 
> 1170mV, 1000MHz max core, Ive seen chips do much better then that on average...


At 1170mV my Giga 7970 OC rev 1.0 did 1175mhz without breaking a sweat. :/
Ram went up to 1750mhz too...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CerealKillah*
> 
> I have been all over with this, so sorry if this is repetitive.
> 
> I put my revision 1 WF3 7950 under water this weekend and temps are looking good.
> 
> I am able to get 1200 core/ 1600 memory with 1.25 volts. GPU core temp never gets above 34C on Kombuster, OCCT, etc and VRMs never get above 39C.
> 
> What is the generally accepted "safe" core voltage for a Rev 1 WF3 7950?


the temps are really good. i think the other more experienced members here in this thread will recommend for watercooled 7900 car to keep the core voltage under 1.3v for 7/24 clocks. for the memory, i would say 1.675v max. this is assuming your temps stay as cool as possible. imo, under 70C.

i had a windforce rev 1 and i used 1.3v for 1255 core and 1.7v for 1700 mem benching. i just maxed it to skip all the tinkering. i only use 1080 so my gpus stay stock for gaming.


----------



## FernTeixe

well I got a new 7970 sapphire oc with boost.. it's getting over 1160 vddc at 1,243v... with 1,256 it's getting over 1200, but it's getting 70c + and I don't like it.

I'm using it with 1,881v and gpu clock at 1100 now... after 1 hour running unigine heaven it's 56c and vrm is like 62/60c

with 1100mhz


with 1160mhz

(with this clock I was getting 59c gpu temp / vrm temp was at 66/63c after 1 hour of unigine heaven

well I don't know if it would change something, but today is really hot here, around 34c in my city


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> At 1170mV my Giga 7970 OC rev 1.0 did 1175mhz without breaking a sweat. :/
> Ram went up to 1750mhz too...


that exactly... whats the ASIC though?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that exactly... whats the ASIC though?


It was a sub 70% card, can't recall exactly, around 67% I think.

Would you guys say a ref 7950 pcb 7950 is a good buy? Comes volt modded with vgpu and ovp/ocp.
It's 150 shipped, not sure if it's a good buy really. It's hard to find newer cards, since I would need someone else to buy it for me and ship it.


----------



## lightsout

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that exactly... whats the ASIC though?
> 
> 
> 
> It was a sub 70% card, can't recall exactly, around 67% I think.
> 
> Would you guys say a ref 7950 pcb 7950 is a good buy? Comes volt modded with vgpu and ovp/ocp.
> It's 150 shipped, not sure if it's a good buy really. It's hard to find newer cards, since I would need someone else to buy it for me and ship it.
Click to expand...

IMO a 7950 at $150 is a good deal. Volt modded is a bonus. Maybe someone else may have a different opinion. The card could have been abused with the volt mod though. Something to think about.


----------



## BillyBonz

Not sure I am new to this dual gpu cards, how would I know if it is voltage locked? I ran the Unigine Valley bench mark. I got the following score:

Unigine Valley Benchmark 1.0

FPS:
60.6

Score:
2537

Min FPS:
18.7

Max FPS:
101.4

System

Platform:
Windows 8 (build 9200) 64bit

CPU model:
AMD FX(tm)-8150 Eight-Core Processor (4214MHz) x4

GPU model:
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.152.0.0 (3072MB) x2

Settings

Render:
Direct3D11

Mode:
1920x1080 8xAA fullscreen

Preset
Extreme HD

Powered by UNIGINE Engine

Unigine Corp. © 2005-2013


----------



## istudy92

Hey guys I finally got home to my desktop to upload my data.
Here is my 3dmark11 on 7950 vapor x OC 1170/1455/1225 volts



Im not sure my score is all that great=/
and I AM PRETTY SURE my fx4300 OC 4.7 is a bottleneck.
Why? Because I owned an 8350 OC at 4.2 and I got a score of..look below=]


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







As you can see from above, my GPU was only OC at 1080_1375_1156 and my score was really high.
I am stupid I forgot to OC gpu another 100 -___-

Whats your opinion do you agree my fx4300 is bottlenecking? cause I sure believe i could hit 9500 easy with another 100 memory and clock speed OC like the 1st picture.


----------



## bencher

What is ASIC?


----------



## FernTeixe

ASIC = aliens

you can read about ASIC here http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18477067


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BillyBonz*
> 
> Not sure I am new to this dual gpu cards, how would I know if it is voltage locked? I ran the Unigine Valley bench mark. I got the following score:
> 
> Unigine Valley Benchmark 1.0
> 
> FPS:
> 60.6
> 
> Score:
> 2537
> 
> Min FPS:
> 18.7
> 
> Max FPS:
> 101.4
> 
> System
> 
> Platform:
> Windows 8 (build 9200) 64bit
> 
> CPU model:
> AMD FX(tm)-8150 Eight-Core Processor (4214MHz) x4
> 
> GPU model:
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.152.0.0 (3072MB) x2
> 
> Settings
> 
> Render:
> Direct3D11
> 
> Mode:
> 1920x1080 8xAA fullscreen
> 
> Preset
> Extreme HD
> 
> Powered by UNIGINE Engine
> 
> Unigine Corp. © 2005-2013


Score is low for 2x 7900


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey guys I finally got home to my desktop to upload my data.
> Here is my 3dmark11 on 7950 vapor x OC 1170/1455/1225 volts
> 
> 
> 
> Im not sure my score is all that great=/
> and I AM PRETTY SURE my fx4300 OC 4.7 is a bottleneck.
> Why? Because I owned an 8350 OC at 4.2 and I got a score of..look below=]
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As you can see from above, my GPU was only OC at 1080_1375_1156 and my score was really high.
> I am stupid I forgot to OC gpu another 100 -___-
> 
> Whats your opinion do you agree my fx4300 is bottlenecking? cause I sure believe i could hit 9500 easy with another 100 memory and clock speed OC like the 1st picture.


you are not bottlenecking with the 4300. You wont see the full potential due to lower physics scores and possibility of other variables (not having more then 4 cores when they are used up). But you only had a difference of less then 200 graphics score and the gpu was 100 mhz difference in clock. Seems like its still working at similar level either way. Total score is based off of physics(cpu) + gpu


----------



## EdwinCodec

Hey guys,

I'm pretty new to Gpu overclocking. Need some help here. I've stabilized the clock at 1120/1525 for my 7970 without adjusting my voltage. Clock temp under 43c on heaven max stress test. Also, I've been running the stress test for 30mins just to make sure things are fine. So everything passes. Unfortunately, when I try on game like NFS most wanted 2012, it crashes. Fifa 14 and metro series all fine. Any comments?

Lowering the clock doesn't help. Running on 13.10beta 2 here
Currently on watercool.


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EdwinCodec*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm pretty new to Gpu overclocking. Need some help here. I've stabilized the clock at 1120/1525 for my 7970 without adjusting my voltage. Clock temp under 43c on heaven max stress test. Also, I've been running the stress test for 30mins just to make sure things are fine. So everything passes. Unfortunately, when I try on game like NFS most wanted 2012, it crashes. Fifa 14 and metro series all fine. Any comments?
> 
> Lowering the clock doesn't help. Running on 13.10beta 2 here
> Currently on watercool.


Needs moar voltage.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey guys I finally got home to my desktop to upload my data.
> Here is my 3dmark11 on 7950 vapor x OC 1170/1455/1225 volts
> 
> 
> 
> Im not sure my score is all that great=/
> and I AM PRETTY SURE my fx4300 OC 4.7 is a bottleneck.
> Why? Because I owned an 8350 OC at 4.2 and I got a score of..look below=]
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As you can see from above, my GPU was only OC at 1080_1375_1156 and my score was really high.
> I am stupid I forgot to OC gpu another 100 -___-
> 
> Whats your opinion do you agree my fx4300 is bottlenecking? cause I sure believe i could hit 9500 easy with another 100 memory and clock speed OC like the 1st picture.


with a physics score of ~4400, yes definitely, 4 FX cores are equivalent to two intel cores with HT, cept the intel ones generally prefer single thread and FX excels in multi, IMO get yourself a 8350 and you should get a bit more out of your setup...


----------



## EdwinCodec

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Needs moar voltage.


Man, that means I've got myself a power hungry card? I've seen people with stock voltage and managed to get to 1200mhz at least lol. I'm already having a power hungry processor Fx 8150 as well..... How sad


----------



## thestraw0039

Hey guys, with the new line of R9s coming out I've been thinking of picking up an upgrade over my GeForce 550ti card. I was eying this card here which was at $260 this weekend and today I noticed it's up to $308. So I was wondering what brands you guys would recommend and what price point I should be looking at. I'm running one monitor at 1900 x 1200, don't really plan on upgrading the monitor anytime soon, so I assume I don't need anything more than the 9750. Thanks guys


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> ASIC = aliens
> 
> you can read about ASIC here http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18477067


Thanks. +Rep.

I just checked my card and its 62% :'(


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EdwinCodec*
> 
> Man, that means I've got myself a power hungry card? I've seen people with stock voltage and managed to get to 1200mhz at least lol. I'm already having a power hungry processor Fx 8150 as well..... How sad


1200mhz on stock voltage is, from everything I've heard, a very good card. A card like that could probably do 1300mhz stable with a slight voltage increase.

My 7970 needs 1.318v in Trixx to do 1200mhz stable. Any less voltage and I get driver crashes while gaming. The card gets far less than that under load, even with "force constant voltage" enabled (which doesn't seem to work). It has massive vdroop.

Long story short, it's gonna need more than stock voltage to run at the clocks you want.


----------



## FernTeixe

thanks, man!
I had an 7970 with 68.5% asic quality, now I have an 7970 with 65.3% ... but this new one, with lower ASIC quality overclock better, cooler and with lower voltage. I had to put vddc to 1.256 to get 1150mhz with my older 7970, now I'm getting 1170 (or more) with vddc at 1.243 ... and now I'm using it at 1.183 at 1130 without problems...

I can't really understand if there is something that really matter or if it's just luck...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> like... my DCII vs every 7950 here...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> This will be my last asus product.
> 
> Why is yours slightly defective?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey guys I finally got home to my desktop to upload my data.
> Here is my 3dmark11 on 7950 vapor x OC 1170/1455/1225 volts
> 
> 
> 
> Im not sure my score is all that great=/
> and I AM PRETTY SURE my fx4300 OC 4.7 is a bottleneck.
> Why? Because I owned an 8350 OC at 4.2 and I got a score of..look below=]
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> As you can see from above, my GPU was only OC at 1080_1375_1156 and my score was really high.
> I am stupid I forgot to OC gpu another 100 -___-
> 
> Whats your opinion do you agree my fx4300 is bottlenecking? cause I sure believe i could hit 9500 easy with another 100 memory and clock speed OC like the 1st picture.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> you are not bottlenecking with the 4300. You wont see the full potential due to lower physics scores and possibility of other variables (not having more then 4 cores when they are used up). But you only had a difference of less then 200 graphics score and the gpu was 100 mhz difference in clock. Seems like its still working at similar level either way. Total score is based off of physics(cpu) + gpu


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> with a physics score of ~4400, yes definitely, 4 FX cores are equivalent to two intel cores with HT, cept the intel ones generally prefer single thread and FX excels in multi, IMO get yourself a 8350 and you should get a bit more out of your setup...


bottleneck no lower scores yes, physics will lower your scroe... will it bottleneck your gpu, no


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> bottleneck no lower scores yes, physics will lower your scroe... will it bottleneck your gpu, no


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> with a physics score of ~4400, yes definitely, 4 FX cores are equivalent to two intel cores with HT, cept the intel ones generally prefer single thread and FX excels in multi, IMO get yourself a 8350 and you should get a bit more out of your setup...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> you are not bottlenecking with the 4300. You wont see the full potential due to lower physics scores and possibility of other variables (not having more then 4 cores when they are used up). But you only had a difference of less then 200 graphics score and the gpu was 100 mhz difference in clock. Seems like its still working at similar level either way. Total score is based off of physics(cpu) + gpu


well then i guess the consensus is cpu not a bottleneck factor=] thats somewhat warming to hear lol considering i dont feel like upgrading my cpu for time being and waitting on those new APU amd is looking to come out with. ether that or throw away my crappy mobo and switch to intel =]


----------



## MrWhiteRX7

Anyone getting full gpu usage in xfire or trifire in bioshock infinite?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thestraw0039*
> 
> Hey guys, with the new line of R9s coming out I've been thinking of picking up an upgrade over my GeForce 550ti card. I was eying this card here which was at $260 this weekend and today I noticed it's up to $308. So I was wondering what brands you guys would recommend and what price point I should be looking at. I'm running one monitor at 1900 x 1200, don't really plan on upgrading the monitor anytime soon, so I assume I don't need anything more than the 9750. Thanks guys


the prices of the 7950s went up and i don't think it is worth it over a 280X. but if you must, then i recommend this . . .

http://www.amazon.com/HIS-Boost-Clock-Graphics-H795QC3G2M/dp/B0093I3V88/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1382416524&sr=8-31&keywords=R9+280X

wait for raghu. he might see this.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> thanks, man!
> I had an 7970 with 68.5% asic quality, now I have an 7970 with 65.3% ... but this new one, with lower ASIC quality overclock better, cooler and with lower voltage. I had to put vddc to 1.256 to get 1150mhz with my older 7970, now I'm getting 1170 (or more) with vddc at 1.243 ... and now I'm using it at 1.183 at 1130 without problems...
> 
> I can't really understand if there is something that really matter or if it's just luck...


mines got a highish asic (82.7%) and can OC on air amazingly. I can do 1250 1.25. did 1304 with 1.31 might have been able to push it further.. mines a 7870 tho, arent the clock levels similar?


----------



## bencher

I just flashed my bios and now I am a a happy man


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Hi guys i just ran 3dmark11. Is this score on point with a 1.1ghz 7970 and 4.4ghz 8320?


Now after bios flash, I can now overlock furthe. New 3d mark score


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> bottleneck no lower scores yes, physics will lower your scroe... will it bottleneck your gpu, no


well for programs that use no more then 4 threads, yes bottleneck is unlikely vs 8 cores, but with threading becoming more common you should get something a bit more in there for the extra omph, but this is AMD we're talking about, why not upgrade...?


----------



## Leethal

How are you guys getting like 11000 scores with a 7950? I only get around 9500. Graphics score of 10200. 1125/1575 20+ Overclock


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> Now after bios flash, I can now overlock furthe. New 3d mark score


it's really nice when it work well... I flashed my 7970 dual-x boost to vapor-x and got better scores.. but I think sapphire has the lower than other brands...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> How are you guys getting like 11000 scores with a 7950? I only get around 9500. Graphics score of 10200. 1125/1575 20+ Overclock


probably they flashed to 7970, my 7970 at 1170mhz reach 11.100 T_T


----------



## catbuster

Hi guys, i have asus HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 for around a week and i have a little problem with it.

Sometimes I get a freeze while playing league of legends, screen freezes, i try alt tab and it unstucks after a second or two, after unfreeze monitor shows that dvi is now conected.

I havent tried any others games yet. I havent oc'ed yet. I am using dvi port. Any tips?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> How are you guys getting like 11000 scores with a 7950? I only get around 9500. Graphics score of 10200. 1125/1575 20+ Overclock


they have clocks around 1200/1600 to 1300/1800, and their CPU has high overclocks boosting the total score.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> Hi guys, i have asus HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 for around a week and i have a little problem with it.
> 
> Sometimes I get a freeze while playing league of legends, screen freezes, i try alt tab and it unstucks after a second or two, after unfreeze monitor shows that dvi is now conected.
> 
> I havent tried any others games yet. I havent oc'ed yet. I am using dvi port. Any tips?


ok well;

- updated to lastest drivers? or 13.4, 13.8 drivers? if your using the ones from ASUS, for your life remove them now...
- remove any and all ASUS software and drivers
- tried other DVI port?
- does this occur on other games?

sounds like something strange is going on with the framebuffers, could be a defective card, or could be a bug with said game if it doesn't happen elsewhere...

if you have latest drivers and tested with 13.4 or 13.8 drivers, or even 12.10, and done above with the problem occurring on any 3D application, then guess you have to RMA, the DCII/T has a known fault with dual-link DVI too.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> Hi guys, i have asus HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 for around a week and i have a little problem with it.
> 
> Sometimes I get a freeze while playing league of legends, screen freezes, i try alt tab and it unstucks after a second or two, after unfreeze monitor shows that dvi is now conected.
> 
> I havent tried any others games yet. I havent oc'ed yet. I am using dvi port. Any tips?


trade it in for MSI









Asus- Mobo
MSI- GPU

seems to be the way to go nowadays









maybe try flashing the bios see what sort of improvements you get? Did this happen ever before with previous gpu or is this a new build? as mentioned above its likely just a DUD

Im guessing from the looks of your build though its possibly the Fortron PSU just doesnt have the guts to handle a 7970. My seasonic 650w barely can handle my 7870 hawk overclocked. You got alot of beef in your system there might need more beef in your power.

only review i could really find was on a 750:
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013/01/03/fsp_raider_750w_power_supply_review/9

doesnt sound like a good psu at all might be due to horrible voltage regulation that your freezing randomly.

Highly recommend upgrading to a rosewill capstone series. good bang for buck, noone ever complains with a capstone. Probably could stick with 650w unless you plan to upgrade to SLI but i would still recommend a psu upgrade.


----------



## catbuster

Wow thx for fast replays guys! its a new build... i downloaded drivers from amd i am at work now so cant check the driver version i dont have any asus software instaled... now i started to think maybe psu is at fault ;/ 650W should be enough honestly, but yeah...

I will try some other games after work, shoud i try something to stress my gpu? I ran 3dmark yesterday and no freeze...


----------



## Paul17041993

would seem unusual for a PSU to cause frame buffer "freezes" but not actually crash the card, but I guess its still possible in theory...

unless your screen has some strange buffering of its own which is giving the impression that the buffers are freezing even though the card has actually stopped sending them...?

generally inside the card/gpu you have the cores and the display controllers which send the frames to the screen, if the gpu cores crash or bug somehow but the controller stays active you can end up with forms of freeze-frames or colored stripes, as the cores are nolonger sending anything to the controller's buffer. or something like that, its a bit tricky to explain really...


----------



## KingT

I've just got a custom molex to PCIE kables for better looks and airflow inside the case.

System is runnig great on a SeaSonic G550W GOLD unit.










Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

































CHEERS..


----------



## EdwinCodec

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> 1200mhz on stock voltage is, from everything I've heard, a very good card. A card like that could probably do 1300mhz stable with a slight voltage increase.
> 
> My 7970 needs 1.318v in Trixx to do 1200mhz stable. Any less voltage and I get driver crashes while gaming. The card gets far less than that under load, even with "force constant voltage" enabled (which doesn't seem to work). It has massive vdroop.
> 
> Long story short, it's gonna need more than stock voltage to run at the clocks you want.


Hell yeah! Thanks for the info! Managed to stabilize it at 1125 like finally. Adjusted my core voltage to 1125!


----------



## Clukos

On my matrix 7970 if i drop the load line calibration to 25% it seems like the voltage i set the core is close to the one the card if fed, like i set it to be 1.219, i get 1.207 on the card. If i set it to 75% the card gets 1.185. What settings should i use for a stable overclock, anyone with more experience with Matrix cards can give some input on this?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> Hi guys, i have asus HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 for around a week and i have a little problem with it.
> 
> Sometimes *I get a freeze while playing league of legends, screen freezes, i try alt tab and it unstucks after a second or two*, after unfreeze monitor shows that dvi is now conected.
> 
> I havent tried any others games yet. I havent oc'ed yet. I am using dvi port. Any tips?


That reads like classic driver crashing and recover. If you can alt-tab back to the desktop quick enough, you would see the driver crash/recover triangle in the notification area. If you can't get to the notification area in time to see the triangle, it will disappear in a few seconds. Thus the rub. You're gonna have to examine your cards clocks vs stability. Whether its overclocked or not yer going to need to raise voltage until it stops crashing.


----------



## By-Tor

Will an older X-Fire bridge from say a 4870x2 (short 2.375") work with a newer 7950 card?

Any danger in using it?

Thanks


----------



## Yvese

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> Will an older X-Fire bridge from say a 4870x2 (short 2.375") work with a newer 7950 card?
> 
> Any danger in using it?
> 
> Thanks


I'm curious why you'd want to use an older bridge when every card comes with its own.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> Will an older X-Fire bridge from say a 4870x2 (short 2.375") work with a newer 7950 card?
> 
> Any danger in using it?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> I'm curious why you'd want to use an older bridge when every card comes with its own.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter, the bridges are the same afaik.


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> I'm curious why you'd want to use an older bridge when every card comes with its own.


Just that its shorter and won't bow out when installed that's all...

Thanks


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Yvese*
> 
> I'm curious why you'd want to use an older bridge when every card comes with its own.
> 
> 
> 
> Just that its shorter and won't bow out when installed that's all...
> 
> Thanks
Click to expand...

That fold looks ugly huh? Hehe. Btw, paint them black and they disappear from view.


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That fold looks ugly huh? Hehe. Btw, paint them black and they disappear from view.


Not really ugly, but the shorter ones do look better. I have thought about painting them black....


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That fold looks ugly huh? Hehe. Btw, paint them black and they disappear from view.
> 
> 
> 
> Not really ugly, but the shorter ones do look better. I have thought about painting them black....
Click to expand...




Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## x Jakk x

Quick question for 7990 owners, has the micro-stuttering completely disappeared with the new drivers? 7990 is so cheap now so I was thinking of getting that instead of a 780, which is the same price, but I'll probably go with the 780 if there's still a stuttering issue.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *x Jakk x*
> 
> Quick question for 7990 owners, has the micro-stuttering completely disappeared with the new drivers? 7990 is so cheap now so I was thinking of getting that instead of a 780, which is the same price, but I'll probably go with the 780 if there's still a stuttering issue.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1436002/super-happy-with-my-first-amd-card


----------



## catbuster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That reads like classic driver crashing and recover. If you can alt-tab back to the desktop quick enough, you would see the driver crash/recover triangle in the notification area. If you can't get to the notification area in time to see the triangle, it will disappear in a few seconds. Thus the rub. You're gonna have to examine your cards clocks vs stability. Whether its overclocked or not yer going to need to raise voltage until it stops crashing.


Hey its factory oced 7970 1000/1400 so i need to increase voltage a bit? Really thx for help, i ran furmark to test for 15 mins nothing crashed... will try to alt tab next time it happens








So in the end i need to incease voltage or decrese the clocks


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That reads like classic driver crashing and recover. If you can alt-tab back to the desktop quick enough, you would see the driver crash/recover triangle in the notification area. If you can't get to the notification area in time to see the triangle, it will disappear in a few seconds. Thus the rub. You're gonna have to examine your cards clocks vs stability. Whether its overclocked or not yer going to need to raise voltage until it stops crashing.
> 
> 
> 
> Hey its factory oced 7970 1000/1400 so i need to increase voltage a bit? Really thx for help, i ran furmark to test for 15 mins nothing crashed... will try to alt tab next time it happens
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So in the end i need to incease voltage or decrese the clocks
Click to expand...

That's what it looks like to me. The thing with Asus is their QC is terribly uneven. Some cards will come perfect and others are basket cases. You might want to check your LLC level too.

Something you can do is run hwinfo64, set it to log your gpu voltages. Run furmark just to make the driver crash. After recovery, close furmark and inspect your logs to see what your real voltage is and how low it drooped before crashing.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lightsout*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that exactly... whats the ASIC though?
> 
> 
> 
> It was a sub 70% card, can't recall exactly, around 67% I think.
> 
> Would you guys say a ref 7950 pcb 7950 is a good buy? Comes volt modded with vgpu and ovp/ocp.
> It's 150 shipped, not sure if it's a good buy really. It's hard to find newer cards, since I would need someone else to buy it for me and ship it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> IMO a 7950 at $150 is a good deal. Volt modded is a bonus. Maybe someone else may have a different opinion. The card could have been abused with the volt mod though. Something to think about.
Click to expand...

Why would someone hard mod a 7950?? Seriously, does not make sense. And if it had all that work done on it, it must have wires and resistors, dials hanging all over it.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why would someone hard mod a 7950?? Seriously, does not make sense. And if it had all that work done on it, it must have wires and resistors, dials hanging all over it.


Yeah, it does...and I don't get it why you would mod the 7950 pcb 7950 either. It was rather cheap and the guy shipped to Argentina, that's all.
I'm waiting for the 290x, or maybe the 290 non x.
Decided to improve my cpu cooling first, get a proper monitor then save for the gpu.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> On my matrix 7970 if i drop the load line calibration to 25% it seems like the voltage i set the core is close to the one the card if fed, like i set it to be 1.219, i get 1.207 on the card. If i set it to 75% the card gets 1.185. What settings should i use for a stable overclock, anyone with more experience with Matrix cards can give some input on this?


LLC generally changes the ramp of the vdroop, so if you set it very high you might end up with lower idle volts and much higher load voltage, generally you need to fiddle and find the balance that works right somewhere in the middle...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


wow I'm definitely doing that to mine if/when I get my two 280X's (still in consideration)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> Hey its factory oced 7970 1000/1400 so i need to increase voltage a bit? Really thx for help, i ran furmark to test for 15 mins nothing crashed... will try to alt tab next time it happens
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So in the end i need to incease voltage or decrese the clocks


if its unstable on stock settings it needs an RMA, try it in a different rig though to see if the problems replicate, but does the problem only occur in L.O.L.? got any other games it occurs on?


----------



## Clukos

zzzzzzzzzz my matrix platinum acts weird, no crashes whatsoever but artifacts everywhere even when underclocked. I opened up the card replaced the tim re-seated the whole metal backplate and the one that covers vrm/ram. Hopefully i won't get any more artifacts, it's really annoying. At least i got it cheap :|


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> zzzzzzzzzz my matrix platinum acts weird, no crashes whatsoever but artifacts everywhere even when underclocked. I opened up the card replaced the tim re-seated the whole metal backplate and the one that covers vrm/ram. Hopefully i won't get any more artifacts, it's really annoying. At least i got it cheap :|


Artifacts at stock = defective.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> zzzzzzzzzz my matrix platinum acts weird, no crashes whatsoever but artifacts everywhere even when underclocked. I opened up the card replaced the tim re-seated the whole metal backplate and the one that covers vrm/ram. Hopefully i won't get any more artifacts, it's really annoying. At least i got it cheap :|


yea, sorry to say but I think the gpu is shot... should have RMAed before dismantling it, hopefully you still can and ASUS wont reject it like they usually do...

suddenly I'm hearing a lot of complaints from ASUS cards but none from any other brand... how typical...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea, sorry to say but I think the gpu is shot... should have RMAed before dismantling it, hopefully you still can and ASUS wont reject it like they usually do...
> 
> suddenly I'm hearing a lot of complaints from ASUS cards but none from any other brand... how typical...


Asus too strong.

But their mobos are great. Maybe they should put the same team on the gpu section too


----------



## crun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *catbuster*
> 
> Hi guys, i have asus HD7970-DC2T-3GD5 for around a week and i have a little problem with it.
> 
> Sometimes I get a freeze while playing league of legends, screen freezes, i try alt tab and it unstucks after a second or two, after unfreeze monitor shows that dvi is now conected.
> 
> I havent tried any others games yet. I havent oc'ed yet. I am using dvi port. Any tips?


League of Legend was the only game that was crashing my UV profile constantly - had to up voltage a little. Strange lol


----------



## ivanlabrie

A friend is whining that his 7970 doesn't run Dota 2 smoothly...might be a dx9 thing?


----------



## FPSAlexei

I have a Gigabyte HD7990. Guess I'm in da club!


----------



## FernTeixe

guys I'm always asking about newbie stuff... but ... is VRM temperature "always" higher than diode temperature?
I'm asking because I'm a bit lost about how far I should go with my voltage/clocks and temps

Furmark is getting really hot even with stock clocks, so I'm using Trine 2 maxed withou frame cap.. it's making hotter than far cry 3 , but everytime I run furmark when I see vrm at 80c I just shut it down T__T

anyway playing games and idle its not hot at all..


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> guys I'm always asking about newbie stuff... but ... is VRM temperature "always" higher than diode temperature?
> I'm asking because I'm a bit lost about how far I should go with my voltage/clocks and temps
> 
> Furmark is getting really hot even with stock clocks, so I'm using Trine 2 maxed withou frame cap.. it's making hotter than far cry 3 , but everytime I run furmark when I see vrm at 80c I just shut it down T__T
> 
> anyway playing games and idle its not hot at all..


I wouldn't use Furmark for anything...well, maybe to find your unstable oc in a few seconds. It's way to heavy on your card.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> guys I'm always asking about newbie stuff... but ... is VRM temperature "always" higher than diode temperature?
> I'm asking because I'm a bit lost about how far I should go with my voltage/clocks and temps
> 
> Furmark is getting really hot even with stock clocks, so I'm using Trine 2 maxed withou frame cap.. it's making hotter than far cry 3 , but everytime I run furmark when I see vrm at 80c I just shut it down T__T
> 
> anyway playing games and idle its not hot at all..


yes, the vrms are a tad warmer than the core, especially on air where the core is the only thing in contact with the cooler. and like ivan said, do not use furmark.

edit: try to keep all of them under 80C.


----------



## FernTeixe

so it's a relief , almost all review I see all cards have a really good temps with furmark. My voltage is a bit high for stable clock, I'm using 1.243 to get stable 1150... is it ok for a new video card 65c gpu temp 75c vrm 1 and 67c vrm 2 ?

it's my first "hight-end" video card, so I'm having fun overclocking, I always had mid-end and nvidia stuff, so I never did so serious stuff... also never looked to my temps.

so I'm a bit like a kid looking it all the time and trying to get to my "sweet spot"

would a heatsink over the pcb help? I have some old north bridge heatsink.. it's maybe crazy so don't kill me for this dumb question if it's dumber than I think ... I'm saying it cuz I'm always seem cards with backplate and some weird stuff around the gpu


----------



## BillyBonz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Score is low for 2x 7900


I notice by browsing at other 7990s performance scores, I am running driver 13.9 on this card. Could it be my cpu slowing things down?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> so it's a relief , almost all review I see all cards have a really good temps with furmark. My voltage is a bit high for stable clock, I'm using 1.243 to get stable 1150... is it ok for a new video card 65c gpu temp 75c vrm 1 and 67c vrm 2 ?
> 
> it's my first "hight-end" video card, so I'm having fun overclocking, I always had mid-end and nvidia stuff, so I never did so serious stuff... also never looked to my temps.
> 
> so I'm a bit like a kid looking it all the time and trying to get to my "sweet spot"
> 
> would a heatsink over the pcb help? I have some old north bridge heatsink.. it's maybe crazy so don't kill me for this dumb question if it's dumber than I think ... I'm saying it cuz I'm always seem cards with backplate and some weird stuff around the gpu


yes, heatsinks will help quite a bit. they might even lower your temps down 20C. be careful, though. some of these heatsinks are aluminum and may conduct electricity, even very little, and may kill your first high-end card. i'd put thermal pads on the vrms first, then add the heatsinks. secure them with zip ties or whatever non-conductive material. if you can fit some on the vrams (if they are not sinked), those will need cooling as well.

edit: for best results - watercooling. a cheaper buy are acceleros.


----------



## FernTeixe

thank you sir!

in my country accelero is like really overpriced, also I'm already saving money for my next pc, so I just want this one to live 2 years while save enough for new one








I think I'll stop to overclock now and let it the way it is now.
I'm just really confused if I should pay more attention to gpu temps or vrm temps. should i always look both? or since it's stable for some days I can let it and use like stock clock card?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> A friend is whining that his 7970 doesn't run Dota 2 smoothly...might be a dx9 thing?


His cpu he means.


----------



## ivanlabrie

My buddy has an i3 530 so it might be that (?)

I think he needs to do a proper driver install, and other stuff...I didn't touch that pc yet, so he probably has boost, ulps and all that crap enabled.

EDIT: you mean the poster...I thought you were talking bout my friend. gotcha


----------



## sugarhell

No i mean your friend. Dota 2 is quite cpu dependent


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> thank you sir!
> 
> in my country accelero is like really overpriced, also I'm already saving money for my next pc, so I just want this one to live 2 years while save enough for new one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think I'll stop to overclock now and let it the way it is now.
> I'm just really confused if I should pay more attention to gpu temps or vrm temps. should i always look both? or since it's stable for some days I can let it and use like stock clock card?


Fern, pay attention to both temps.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No i mean your friend. Dota 2 is quite cpu dependent


Might be the case...I already told him his cpu was a bit subpar for a 7970, but well. He doesn't wanna oc it either xD


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

@megaman I wanted to ask you about the 3 144Hz monitors,Do you run in them in portrait or in horizantel?have you debezzeled them or not?
You have a badass setup so I was kinda interested


----------



## ivanlabrie

Can you guys help me set up a crossfire setup?

Anything I have to keep in mind besides the usual stuff?

(a friend of mine is asking for help and I don't have access to his pc atm)

I'll try some teamviewer later.

He has a 2600k rig with dual 7970s, one is bios flashed to a non boost/ghz ed bios, the other is a rev 2 7970 ghz ed with stock bios. I guess he would need to flash that one too.
Drivers are 13.11b3


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Can you guys help me set up a crossfire setup?
> 
> Anything I have to keep in mind besides the usual stuff?


Get 2 cards.
Install drivers.
Disable ulps
Disable flash acceleration
Disable powerplay


----------



## Leethal

Waiting on my second 7950 to arrive. So crossfire has been fixed right?

Going to be running Crossfire 7950s on a single 1080p Monitor 60Hz


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Get 2 cards.
> Install drivers.
> Disable ulps
> Disable flash acceleration
> Disable powerplay


And bios flash to non ghz on the second card? I'll do it just in case...


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Waiting on my second 7950 to arrive. So crossfire has been fixed right?
> 
> Going to be running Crossfire 7950s on a single 1080p Monitor 60Hz


thats what I am running. 7950 Gigabyte rev 2.0 in Xfire


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Waiting on my second 7950 to arrive. So crossfire has been fixed right?
> 
> Going to be running Crossfire 7950s on a single 1080p Monitor 60Hz


isnt that an ideal set up though?
Dual GPU on a 1080 60htz, you would always see with todays games 60 or higher min so its "perfect" performance and then it means the monitor is the bottleneck? LOL


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> isnt that an ideal set up though?
> Dual GPU on a 1080 60htz, you would always see with todays games 60 or higher min so its "perfect" performance and then it means the monitor is the bottleneck? LOL


Yup, pretty much


----------



## istudy92

Um, to be honest somehow i am leaning soo much to a new 7950, idk...like now i feel like taking off my 7950 off ebay and keeping it...i didnt think the new gpus would be such a failure!

edit: failure thus far with specs and benchmarks (wether they are real or not)


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Um, to be honest somehow i am leaning soo much to a new 7950, idk...like now i feel like taking off my 7950 off ebay and keeping it...i didnt think the new gpus would be such a failure!
> 
> edit: failure thus far with specs and benchmarks (wether they are real or not)


Where's the failure? I'd love a 290x...


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> thats what I am running. 7950 Gigabyte rev 2.0 in Xfire


How do you like it? Satisfied with the performance?


----------



## istudy92

Well I mean more specifcally the lower ranged cards the 280x. And 290x is a titan killer but not by much so far, and above that 4k monitor usage is beyond duable without a 2nd 290x so you need some serious debt for that set up =/
It just doesnt seem soo compelling as I had hoped it would be =/

but again this is just based on the information out there soo far which can or cannot be true.


----------



## Leethal

I feel much better about what to expect with my new soon to be crossfire setup


----------



## istudy92

Idk my 7950 still has 6 days left, or 5, if i dont see an announcement of the new gpu by 4 days from now..ima go crazy


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Well I mean more specifcally the lower ranged cards the 280x. And 290x is a titan killer but not by much so far, and above that 4k monitor usage is beyond duable without a 2nd 290x so you need some serious debt for that set up =/
> It just doesnt seem soo compelling as I had hoped it would be =/
> 
> but again this is just based on the information out there soo far which can or cannot be true.


The pre order price at shopblt is 570usd right now...that's not so bad.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> I feel much better about what to expect with my new soon to be crossfire setup


Crossfire is definitely a better value atm...problem would be eyefinity with such setup, or so I hear. Maybe some more experienced guys here can chime in. radeonpro fixes that?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> And bios flash to non ghz on the second card? I'll do it just in case...


Just bios edit.


----------



## glenquagmire

my scores on heaven so far....


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> my scores on heaven so far....


wow! is that only 2x 7950's or 3?


----------



## sugarhell

So from the 280x thread i just learned that the toxic had unlocked voltage. So the best 7970/280x right now is toxic.

Between i dont know why we have different threads for the 280x...


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> The pre order price at shopblt is 570usd right now...that's not so bad.
> Crossfire is definitely a better value atm...problem would be eyefinity with such setup, or so I hear. Maybe some more experienced guys here can chime in. radeonpro fixes that?


Single monitor here, never was a fan of multiple screens.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> So from the 280x thread i just learned that the toxic had unlocked voltage. So the best 7970/280x right now is toxic.
> 
> Between i dont know why we have different threads for the 280x...


Iirc the toxic has support only in trixx 4.6 which sucks because 4.6 is not modded, ftl.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Iirc the toxic has support only in trixx 4.6 which sucks because 4.6 is not modded, ftl.


http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0a/0a5a9754_280xtoxic.jpeg









Still not the best but at least not voltage locked


----------



## nvidiaftw12

What about that msi card? I like the looks of that one.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Get 2 cards.
> Install drivers.
> *Disable ulps
> Disable flash acceleration
> Disable powerplay*


should these be enabled while using one card? reason i ask is im having troubles with my VPN while working. One of my programs flashes like crazy. When i say flashes i mean the window blinks as i hover the mouse over different things within it. it drives me insane. It also does it on our "hub page" which seems to be flash related. You think messing with flash acceleration could fix this issue?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> should these be enabled while using one card?


Ulps is for crossfire only.

In general i just disable flash acceleration on everything or i am trying to use a browser with a built-in flash. Powerplay if you know what you are doing.

With powerplay off you need to change manual from 2d clocks to 3d clocks. In general is better for these guys with multimonitor+ crossfire. Also this help for extreme benching too


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Iirc the toxic has support only in trixx 4.6 which sucks because 4.6 is not modded, ftl.
> 
> 
> 
> http://cdn.overclock.net/0/0a/0a5a9754_280xtoxic.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still not the best but at least not voltage locked
Click to expand...

The problem hasn't changed. No 1.38v core voltage and memory voltage at the same time since trixx 4.4.0 doesn't fully support the toxic vrm controller.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The problem hasn't changed. No 1.38v core voltage and memory voltage at the same time since trixx 4.4.0 doesn't fully support the toxic vrm controller.


I dont think anyone on air to use 1.38 volts. No block for the card

Actually its kinda stupid. This card has 2x8 pin, 50% powerlimit and can bypass ocp but it doesnt have a block..


----------



## dmfree88

yeah 1.31 was pushin the heat barrier hardcore for me with a twin frozr 4, thats what ln2 bios switch is for =)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The problem hasn't changed. No 1.38v core voltage and memory voltage at the same time since trixx 4.4.0 doesn't fully support the toxic vrm controller.
> 
> 
> 
> I dont think anyone on air to use 1.38 volts. No block for the card
> 
> Actually its kinda stupid. This card has 2x8 pin, 50% powerlimit and can bypass ocp but it doesnt have a block..
Click to expand...

fate is a cruel mistress.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The problem hasn't changed. No 1.38v core voltage and memory voltage at the same time since trixx 4.4.0 doesn't fully support the toxic vrm controller.


That leaves us with...ref pcb 79xx cards?

I hope the 290x is not as underwhelming for the benching crowd.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I dont think anyone on air to use 1.38 volts. No block for the card
> 
> Actually its kinda stupid. This card has 2x8 pin, 50% powerlimit and can bypass ocp but it doesnt have a block..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> fate is a cruel mistress.


Ouch, indeed...I don't get it


----------



## EdwinCodec

Latest OC benchmarking. Running a single 7970 at 1125/1580.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EdwinCodec*
> 
> Latest OC benchmarking. Running a single 7970 at 1125/1580.


well man your 7970 is really good mine is set to 1150/1550 and I'm having the same score.... maybe windows 8.1 is killing my fps a bit, since I lost score in 3dmark
but well would like mine making more with lower clock








most of people really try high clocks but for me above 1150 I'm just making it too hot for 1-3 fps more.... I think 1150 is my sweet spot.
what is your temps/voltage?

also my scores










to not flood
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I dont think anyone on air to use 1.38 volts. No block for the card
> 
> Actually its kinda stupid. This card has 2x8 pin, 50% powerlimit and can bypass ocp but it doesnt have a block..


I saw some people using cpu block in gpu + blower or fan ... it's like accelero but homemade...( I saw some tutorials in some youtube channels ) it would probably work with this card since is just about to fit some stuff in the right place, but I know it will not do the same effect... but it may help

I'm just trying to think about


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> @megaman I wanted to ask you about the 3 144Hz monitors,Do you run in them in portrait or in horizantel?have you debezzeled them or not?
> You have a badass setup so I was kinda interested


i think you are talking about me ? thanks for the kind words, i run both. but i much much prefer portrait. i wont debezel till my warranty is up


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Asus too strong.
> 
> But their mobos are great. Maybe they should put the same team on the gpu section too


that, and maby steal some microsoft staff for software...

though IMO I wish graphics cards could be overclocked via BIOS or similar...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I dont think anyone on air to use 1.38 volts. No block for the card
> 
> Actually its kinda stupid. This card has 2x8 pin, 50% powerlimit and can bypass ocp but it doesnt have a block..


uni blocks...?


----------



## EdwinCodec

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> well man your 7970 is really good mine is set to 1150/1550 and I'm having the same score.... maybe windows 8.1 is killing my fps a bit, since I lost score in 3dmark
> but well would like mine making more with lower clock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> most of people really try high clocks but for me above 1150 I'm just making it too hot for 1-3 fps more.... I think 1150 is my sweet spot.
> what is your temps/voltage?
> 
> also my scores
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to not flood
> I saw some people using cpu block in gpu + blower or fan ... it's like accelero but homemade...( I saw some tutorials in some youtube channels ) it would probably work with this card since is just about to fit some stuff in the right place, but I know it will not do the same effect... but it may help
> 
> I'm just trying to think about


Thanks for the compliment mate! You've got great scores too! I set my voltage to 1.131v on core voltage and 1.606v on memory. Temps are below 45c under benchmark testing. I'm on watercool btw.


----------



## youpekkad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EdwinCodec*
> 
> Thanks for the compliment mate! You've got great scores too! I set my voltage to 1.131v on core voltage and 1.606v on memory. Temps are below 45c under benchmark testing. I'm on watercool btw.


You´re on water? Push that thing further man, you could probably hit 1250-1300MHz quite easily @1,25-1,3V since your temperature wall has basically been removed


----------



## EdwinCodec

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youpekkad*
> 
> You´re on water? Push that thing further man, you could probably hit 1250-1300MHz quite easily @1,25-1,3V since your temperature wall has basically been removed


No time to play with it yet =( busying developing my mobile application for Final Year project currently. Once I'm done, I'll push it further for sure man! ! =D


----------



## gkolarov

Crossfire with two 7950:

at 1175/1650,1.281V -> valley 1.0

at 1150/1650, 1.28V -> heaven 4.0

All tests are with the latest 13.9 beta 2 driver. Max core temp is around 71-73 (it highly depends from room temperature).


----------



## Paul17041993

generally its a good idea to have the clocks identical to give an even frame rate, though I don't think a 50MHz diff in core would cause anything noticeable...


----------



## sugarhell

Paul look this. I dont even know..

http://www.overclock.net/t/1436221/vc-nda-up-on-amd-r9-290x-the-24th/60#post_21039993


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i think you are talking about me ? thanks for the kind words, i run both. but i much much prefer portrait. i wont debezel till my warranty is up


Ya I meant you







,I see then,how are the bezeles though?pics?


----------



## ivanlabrie

$549 msrp hinted...nda lifted tomorrow.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> $549 msrp hinted...nda lifted tomorrow.


Yeap


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



http://hexus.net/tech/news/graphics/61513-amd-account-manager-reveals-radeon-r9-290x-launch-dates/



Watch it be pushed back just beacuse it was leaked..also take it with grain of salt since..why would a manager GIVE OUT HIS NAME!! he would get fired. at least imo.


----------



## Clukos

Remember the artifact problem i had with the matrix on stock? Turns up it was the voltage, it was higher than the card can handle due to high asic, i lowered it from 1.219 to 1.149 and the artifacts are gone. Pretty bad QC though from Asus, i mean what the heck. This is supposed to be one of your best GPU products on the market ffs; at least the card doesn't break 59C on full load now... "Inspiring Innovation. Persistent Perfection." my ass, i also got their MX279H monitor and had backlight bleeding all over it, had to RMA that one...

I think i should stick to MSI and LG/Dell/Samsung for monitors/GPUs.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> Remember the artifact problem i had with the matrix on stock? Turns up it was the voltage, it was higher than the card can handle due to high asic, i lowered it from 1.219 to 1.149 and the artifacts are gone. Pretty bad QC though from Asus, i mean what the heck. This is supposed to be one of your best GPU products on the market ffs; at least the card doesn't break 59C on full load now... "Inspiring Innovation. Persistent Perfection." my ass, i also got their MX279H monitor and had backlight bleeding all over it, had to RMA that one...
> 
> I think i should stick to MSI and LG/Dell/Samsung for monitors/GPUs.


What is the Asic of your card?


----------



## Clukos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> What is the Asic of your card?


78%


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> What is the Asic of your card?
> 
> 
> 
> 78%
Click to expand...

That lil bit of voltage should not have caused any problem except raising temps.


----------



## Clukos

I don't understand how it works either, it just does. If i raise the voltage over 1.2 it starts artifacting, shame because this card can supposedly handle a lot of voltage on paper. One good thing is that i am running the same clocks (1100/1650) with very low temperatures. Highest i got in stress tests was mid sixties.

I would RMA but i don't have a replacement GPU and with Battlefield 4/AC 4 around the corner i really don't want to wait 3-4 weeks to get a new GPU. As long as it runs at 1100/1650 without artifacts i'll be satisfied.

If i feel like Rmaing later on i can probably get a replacement since this card does not even work properly with the stock bios from Asus, first time i had to tinker with a card in order to get it to work instead of vice versa...


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> 78%


http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18477067

According to that link you can set voltage as low as 1.112v.


----------



## Clukos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bencher*
> 
> http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18477067
> 
> According to that link you can set voltage as low as 1.112v.


Thanks for the link, unfortunately GPUTweak doesn't let me lower the card voltage lower than 1.149 (probably because the card is pre-overclocked). What i did was increase the load line calibration, so it should be around that amount of voltage. Just ran Crysis 3 maxed for 15 minutes, no artifacts and highest temp was 62C.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> Thanks for the link, unfortunately GPUTweak doesn't let me lower the card voltage lower than 1.149 (probably because the card is pre-overclocked). What i did was increase the load line calibration, so it should be around that amount of voltage. Just ran Crysis 3 maxed for 15 minutes, no artifacts and highest temp was 62C.


15 mins is not enough IMO.

When I oc I see artifacts after 1hr lol


----------



## Clukos

Bah, i guess i'll check it out tomorrow, i am too tired to play one hour of Crysis 3 right now









Played one hour of Tomb Raider though, all maxed as well, no artifacts. It seems like it wants to co-operate for the moment.


----------



## Mutantx

ive manually set my fan speed in AB for my my msi 7950 - the issue is the fan tachometer still goes to full IMMEDIATELY when the gpu is under a lot of load which is making playing some game impossible over fan noise...

any ideas how to fix?


----------



## Clukos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mutantx*
> 
> ive manually set my fan speed in AB for my my msi 7950 - the issue is the fan tachometer still goes to full IMMEDIATELY when the gpu is under a lot of load which is making playing some game impossible over fan noise...
> 
> any ideas how to fix?


Have you clicked the "User Define" icon on the right of the fan control in afterburner? Sometimes it's stuck and i need to press it a few times till it works.

This is how it works for me:


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> Have you clicked the "User Define" icon on the right of the fan control in afterburner? Sometimes it's stuck and i need to press it a few times till it works.
> 
> This is how it works for me:


Go into setting and flick the fan tab, then enable user define.


----------



## Mutantx

not worked ;; as soon as gpu has any load over 60 % ish the fan tachometer hits 100 % @4300 RPM... (no temp changes @ 54 c) which is odd as i can play some games and it sticks around 2400-3000 rpm


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> I don't understand how it works either, it just does. If i raise the voltage over 1.2 it starts artifacting, shame because this card can supposedly handle a lot of voltage on paper. One good thing is that i am running the same clocks (1100/1650) with very low temperatures. Highest i got in stress tests was mid sixties.
> 
> I would RMA but i don't have a replacement GPU and with Battlefield 4/AC 4 around the corner i really don't want to wait 3-4 weeks to get a new GPU. As long as it runs at 1100/1650 without artifacts i'll be satisfied.
> 
> If i feel like Rmaing later on i can probably get a replacement since this card does not even work properly with the stock bios from Asus, first time i had to tinker with a card in order to get it to work instead of vice versa...


bubble in the paste?

otherwise your about as unlucky as me and got shoved a reject...


----------



## Mutantx

should the fan tachometer be running so independently from fan speed like mine is? in fact after some testing -so far it seems to only be in one game ... FFXIV online


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> And bios flash to non ghz on the second card? I'll do it just in case...


just edit as they sometimes aren't compatible between like cards for whatever reason. Techpowerup has a tool for 7950s and it works on 7970s or there is another one that makes it betty easy...entering z fewvalues ect. I have a guide for the rest of the flash if you need it a few pages back to use dos and aitflash.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> just edit as they sometimes aren't compatible between like cards for whatever reason. Techpowerup has a tool for 7950s and it works on 7970s or there is another one that makes it betty easy...entering z fewvalues ect. I have a guide for the rest of the flash if you need it a few pages back to use dos and aitflash.


Yeah, I know how to flash em...and edit bioses. But never tried xfire before.
My buddy fixed most of his issues but complains that Far Cry still lags a bit.


----------



## Darklyric

Hmm fc3 blood dragon is supposed to be superior game for cf or non cf. I think that the game devs gave up on fixing fc3 lol


----------



## FernTeixe

far cry is full of graphic glitch... my brother have a 680 and I have a 7970 and both have flicker and micro shuttering at almost same places...


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> far cry is full of graphic glitch... my brother have a 680 and I have a 7970 and both have flicker and micro shuttering at almost same places...


I have no stutter at all with a 7990 and 7970 tri fire and a 3570k at 4.8.. Your need more gpu and [email protected] I dont have even a hint of it stutter on ultra and 4x aa at 1440p. Although i have crash to desktop alot, that i will agree is the crappiness of ubisoft.


----------



## FernTeixe

I'm very sensitive to little any little punch. Try to walk for long time in the grass/jungle looking around. Sandbox games always have some weird problems and texture flickering or dogs flying.


----------



## glenquagmire

PERFORMANCE PC DISCOUNTS!!!!!!!


----------



## BillyBonz

I am testing my GPU out, I lauched Call of Juarez Gunslinger game. I got the screen tearing on this game. I am starting to worry a bit.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> PERFORMANCE PC DISCOUNTS!!!!!!!


theres a location to post these:

http://www.overclock.net/f/327/online-deals


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> I'm very sensitive to little any little punch. Try to walk for long time in the grass/jungle looking around. Sandbox games always have some weird problems and texture flickering or dogs flying.


Thats how it is when my cpu is clocked to
4.3ghz. When it is clocked to 4.8ghz those glitches go away completely. I am actually playing it right now flamethrowing hoyts fields.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Thats how it is when my cpu is clocked to
> 4.3ghz. When it is clocked to 4.8ghz those glitches go away completely. I am actually playing it right now flamethrowing hoyts fields.


oh man I was bit lost when I was building my rig and got 3570 non k , it was cheaper and wanted to finish my build fast. Now I see how dumb it was









thank you for telling me!!


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Thats how it is when my cpu is clocked to
> 4.3ghz. When it is clocked to 4.8ghz those glitches go away completely. I am actually playing it right now flamethrowing hoyts fields.


What people don't realize is how tough it is on your cpu. You have to get past that to end the glitches. I get about 90% cpu usage when i play at 4.8 and all three of my gpu are at 100% (literally exactly 100% load). Its a demanding game that really needs serious hardware. Again anything under 4.8ghz was glitchy for me, it is the cpu not keeping up and this an ivy bridge. Maybe you dont need such a high overclock with a single card? Hopefully..


----------



## chronicfx

Here is a mid game shot. Look at my cpu and gpu load.



Open it in a new tab to zoom in


----------



## FernTeixe

I'll buy a new rig in less than 2 years, already saving money. Since this was the first time I did everything alone I'm learning more and more. Until now I was always buying mid-end dell stuff. Now I'm having fun doing all kinds of stuff on my own.

is it better to buy a LGA 2011 for high-end pc? I mean to not change it as often as we need when we get a 1150...

I have a crap rid









psu - cx600... so it's only 550w
sapphire 7970 oc with boost cheapest 7970








ga-b75m-d3h low-end mobo
3570 non k
2x4gb ripjaws 8-8-8-20 @ 1860 , for some reason my mobo is reading it higher than it should


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> oh man I was bit lost when I was building my rig and got 3570 non k , it was cheaper and wanted to finish my build fast. Now I see how dumb it was
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thank you for telling me!!


Aww bummer about the non-k. That extra $10 bucks makes a big difference for gaming.. Just not in much else does the speed matter. The good news is. Far Cry 3 and Crysis 3 and the witcher 2 are the only games I have found that require a heavy overclock. I have actually been playing Witcher 2 on Ultra now with ubersampling and it's smooth probably 60fps I can snap the camera around and it feels like it, but I can't get any FPS monitor software up or it crashes. Been going back to my old games now that I have tri-fire and haven't been dissapointed one bit. For all the crap people spew about tri-fire being broken, I am gonna say "I LOVE IT!" and this is coming from gtx680 SLI at its release date. I switched to 7970 xfire when the ghz ed. dropped and now I sold one of my 7970 for $300 and picked up a 7990 for $599 for tri-fire. I think I will stay with this and skip the R290x unless they have fixed crossfire on "the hardware" level like they said. That might be attractive although I haven't found any problems with tri-fire yet and I can use radeon pro for my dx9 games. Maybe the posts about a 3rd card being the fix for micro stutter are true? Or is 13.11 beta that is the truth? I dunno.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> I'll buy a new rig in less than 2 years, already saving money. Since this was the first time I did everything alone I'm learning more and more. Until now I was always buying mid-end dell stuff. Now I'm having fun doing all kinds of stuff on my own.
> 
> is it better to buy a LGA 2011 for high-end pc? I mean to not change it as often as we need when we get a 1150...
> 
> I have a crap rid
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> psu - cx600... so it's only 550w
> sapphire 7970 oc with boost cheapest 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ga-b75m-d3h low-end mobo
> 3570 non k
> 2x4gb ripjaws 8-8-8-20 @ 1860 , for some reason my mobo is reading it higher than it should


LGA 2011 definitely has a stronger CPU for gaming. But it is expensive and power hungry (good cooling needed). If I had another $1000 laying around I would upgrade from 1155 to the lower end 6 core and a good board and overclock it. But I am more into "what gives me the most gain" so I usually am more into buying the "3570k" with a $150 board and spending my dough on extra GPU.


----------



## FernTeixe

I see... well in my country 3570 non k was 91$ US more. LOL we pay 100% tax when buying computer parts.

I want my rig to last 2 years even if i have to play at low settings. I'll save good amount of money and try better rig with a decent psu/cpu/mobo... Now I really needed a pc and... as you can guess... a 1500$ pc here we actually pay almost 3000$... so I'll try something better in the future , I just hope it last until there









and thank you for all your explanation. it's good to learn more and so I don't do same mistake again... and also now I know that Far Cry isn't as bad as it looks to me


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Ya I meant you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ,I see then,how are the bezeles though?pics?


big but worth it.
no pics desk is a night mare right now, hoping ot have time to relocate my pc to my new caselabs case this weekend.... but i am on call so we will see if that happens... maybe i can snag a few then
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> I'll buy a new rig in less than 2 years, already saving money. Since this was the first time I did everything alone I'm learning more and more. Until now I was always buying mid-end dell stuff. Now I'm having fun doing all kinds of stuff on my own.
> 
> is it better to buy a LGA 2011 for high-end pc? I mean to not change it as often as we need when we get a 1150...
> 
> I have a crap rid
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> psu - cx600... so it's only 550w
> sapphire 7970 oc with boost cheapest 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ga-b75m-d3h low-end mobo
> 3570 non k
> 2x4gb ripjaws 8-8-8-20 @ 1860 , for some reason my mobo is reading it higher than it should


one would hope intel would be on to a new socket ( they do change what every year to two ?) by that time


----------



## FernTeixe

I think they change every year :/


----------



## EdwinCodec

Hmmm. Tuning up the voltage by a notch eventually get me better scores. Previously 1.131 core voltage was having a score of 1909.


----------



## By-Tor

My new PSU was installed tonight and I was able to OC my cards. My old PSU would shut the system down with any OC on the cards so I had to wait to run a OCed bench.

Both cards were OCed to 1203/1555 and I'm very happy with the score and the way the cards performed. Not sure how this stacks up on OCN's 3D Mark 11 scores.

http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/150691203-1555_zpse9e77aa9.jpg.html

http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/Valley2001_zps595c4473.jpg.html


----------



## FernTeixe

your unigine score is like you are using only one video card. but your 3Dmark score is really good.


----------



## dmfree88

thats extreme hd setting usually takes some serious power


----------



## JJ1217

R9 290x.. $550. Beating Titan ably too. Simply amazing for $550, like holy cow. Considering we were expecting upwards of $600-$700 $550 really is attractive. Might considering selling dual 7950's for one, even though it won't be faster, it'll be a better experience overall I think.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> R9 290x.. $550. Beating Titan ably too. Simply amazing for $550, like holy cow. Considering we were expecting upwards of $600-$700 $550 really is attractive. Might considering selling dual 7950's for one, even though it won't be faster, it'll be a better experience overall I think.


yeah and when the prices come down you can get another one and keep up with the newer cards/games as they come out

better hurry up though 7950 are gonna start goin down in price now too.


----------



## Paul17041993

damnit now I'm going to get stuck again on the decision of two 280X's for ~8TFLOP or a 290X for bout 100 less AUD and single-gpu advantages...


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> thats extreme hd setting usually takes some serious power


I'm dumb, I thought it was a 7970 xfire

anyway it's strange to me since my 7970 do the same 47 avg fps in the unigine vally, but do almost half of the 3dmark graphifc score.. 11k


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> damnit now I'm going to get stuck again on the decision of two 280X's for ~8TFLOP or a 290X for bout 100 less AUD and single-gpu advantages...


I dunno, the r9 is priced at $700 in australia but thats the BF3 edition with all those special stickers and whatnot. If its $600, I'd definitely buy it no doubt. I want a non-reference cooler -- looking at the reviews of toms hardware, it was running at 800 mhz most of the time, at 73% usage. considering it beat the titan, I can't wait to see how it performs when it runs at 100% usage with 1 GHz.


----------



## byterhythm

Finally got the replacement 7950 from the shop.

Runs 8C cooler than the dead card with the same clocks (1000mhz core/1575mhz memory)


----------



## Kittencake

this beauty landed on my door step this morning ^_^ power color 7950


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> your unigine score is like you are using only one video card. but your 3Dmark score is really good.


Looked like it to me also so I ran it again and it used 0% of the second card.

Can I some how force it to use both cards together?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> Looked like it to me also so I ran it again and it used 0% of the second card.
> 
> Can I some how force it to use both cards together?


Run fullscreen


----------



## By-Tor

I did.

http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/Valley2001_zps595c4473.jpg.html


----------



## sugarhell

Disable ulps then


----------



## By-Tor

It was disabled. I just re-ran it and it used both cards... Does this look about right for these cards?

This is @ 1150/1450

http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/ValleyOC1150-1450_zps5b444c4a.jpg.html

Heaven run @ 1150/1500

http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/HeavenOC1150-1500_zps27b2c008.jpg.html


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> damnit now I'm going to get stuck again on the decision of two 280X's for ~8TFLOP or a 290X for bout 100 less AUD and single-gpu advantages...


Im deciding to go from 7950 to Crossfire 280x, for 2 reasons, my 700w psu would not handle a 290x crossfire
2 280x would be better than one 290x in terms of performance.
Yes one could say one card better than another due to framerates. but lets admit it, AMD has been truely working on thier drivers to a modest success, and now most games comming out in the upcomming months would be optmiized for AMD hardware/software so its a +1 to go for a cheaper dual set up.

Also 6 free games aint soo bad u know? although the games aint all that fun-__- but then again never settle forever u get to choose ur games=] when ever! =p

EDit: about price i sorta posted the rumored price below 600 USD from reliable leak source so i wasnt soo surprised =p


----------



## sugarhell

Just get a 290.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> It was disabled. I just re-ran it and it used both cards... Does this look about right for these cards?
> 
> This is @ 1150/1450
> 
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/ValleyOC1150-1450_zps5b444c4a.jpg.html
> 
> Heaven run @ 1150/1500
> 
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/HeavenOC1150-1500_zps27b2c008.jpg.html


lol did I said 70? haha yes , not it looks like crossfire!! nice score man XD


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> lol did I said 70? haha yes , not it looks like crossfire!! nice score man XD


Glad its working....lol

These are OK scores for my sig rig?


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> Glad its working....lol
> 
> These are OK scores for my sig rig?


well for what I saw in this thread it's good









scaling well and having good performance


----------



## dade_kash_xD

Random question. Anyone know the length in CM or MM the crossfire bridge that come with XFX cards are?


----------



## Mutantx

following my last post it seems i found a thread on another forum that early MSI twin frozerIII had fan issues over 59c the fan would hit 100 % but i think mine was from the newer revision after march 2013 where it was fixed (an i never hit over 52c anyways)...that aside i think i fixed the issue and hope someone can explain to me how and why this worked xd

my card voltage was set stock at 1.25 i went into AB and unlocked the voltage and turned it down to 1.05 and no more ramping up of fan RPMs


----------



## Leethal

Maybe the higher voltage caused it to get hotter and making the fans the run faster?


----------



## Mutantx

temp is 1c different - i dont think thats it


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> damnit now I'm going to get stuck again on the decision of two 280X's for ~8TFLOP or a 290X for bout 100 less AUD and single-gpu advantages...


it might be cheaper to ship from the us


----------



## gatornation240

Ok I gotta show ASUS some love with all the hate I've been seeing, I may be an isolated situation but I sent in my two 7770s for RMA and got two brand new ones no questions asked 12 days from sending it off; so their RMA dep is fine IMO I however cannot comment on the actual quality of the cards I have nothing to compare them to.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> My new PSU was installed tonight and I was able to OC my cards. My old PSU would shut the system down with any OC on the cards so I had to wait to run a OCed bench.
> 
> Both cards were OCed to 1203/1555 and I'm very happy with the score and the way the cards performed. Not sure how this stacks up on OCN's 3D Mark 11 scores.
> 
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/150691203-1555_zpse9e77aa9.jpg.html
> 
> http://s747.photobucket.com/user/Bytor_Photo2112/media/Valley2001_zps595c4473.jpg.html


very nice score...whats ur cpu clock at?

here's my latest 2x7970 on air @ 1100/1500
4.7ghz

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7366083


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> very nice score...whats ur cpu clock at?
> 
> here's my latest 2x7970 on air @ 1100/1500
> 4.7ghz
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7366083


CPU running at 4.9 and some change (on water)
1600mhz ram running at 2240mhz
HT @ 2809mhz
NB @ 2528mhz
cards clocked to 1203/1555 on air for now. (Waiting on heat sinks then both on water)


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mutantx*
> 
> my card voltage was set stock at 1.25 i went into AB and unlocked the voltage and turned it down to 1.05 and no more ramping up of fan RPMs


need to find that quote again... "stupid high"

I honestly have no idea why they have the stock voltage set so high, it should be 1.2V at the most really...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> need to find that quote again... "stupid high"
> 
> I honestly have no idea why they have the stock voltage set so high, it should be 1.2V at the most really...


I use 1.25 volt for 1325 on my semi golden card...


----------



## ivanlabrie

Yeah, 1.25 was enough for 1250mhz on my former Giga 7970 oc rev 1.0 lol


----------



## Mutantx

yeh ... and since i turned it down its worked real nice all day


----------



## FernTeixe

lol... I tested 3 7970 and none got stable above above 1200 with 1,256....I'm really unlucky

the best I found was a card doing 1100 at 1.175


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> lol... I tested 3 7970 and none got stable above above 1200 with 1,256....I'm really unlucky
> 
> the best I found was a card doing 1100 at 1.175


Temps.


----------



## FernTeixe

I'm using it with 1243 vddc , but hwmonitor shows it as 1256...but not real.


----------



## devilhead

mine can do just 1.25v --- 1200/1600....but with 1.381v(1.34v real) can do 1375/1820














soon it will come 290x, will see what can do those card with EK waterblock


----------



## ivanlabrie

I finally took the plunge with the Glacer 240L...so I'll be saving for 290X + EK block as well.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> I'm using it with 1243 vddc , but hwmonitor shows it as 1256...but not real.


mine does the same thing with hwinfo64 i thought vddc was gpu voltage but its always 1.219 while my voltage is higher or lower in MSI AB. it used to scale down with gpu core clock and memclock at idle aswell. now at idle my memory clock never decreases and my vddc is always 1.219. I dont know what happened i think i broke it?



could it be because i added a second monitor? I never really looked at it after that until i realized it wasnt underclocking mem anymore, noticed idle temps went from 25ish to 50ish when i hooked it up though.


----------



## istudy92

welp friends
I am an offical owner of 2 sapphire vaporx 7950,
just bought a cheap used sapphire 7950 for 180+shipping.

Looks like ima crossfire after all.
=]
Why?
Just cause 290x didnt impress me, plus 2 7950 beats 1 290x=]
1750 steamproceessorsx2 = 3400 >2800
same power consumption (at least near it) and same fps id assume no?
downside? framerates but w/e drivers will be fixed sooner or later=]

auhh...excitement of buying something super cheap.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Since this thread has some very good AMD experts(tsm,sugarhell,megaman....)I wanted to ask about mantle,as far as I know It's lower level api and it enables the game or program in question to speak to the video card directly rather than speaking to DX which in turns speaks to the hardware so mantle allows for more performance out of the GPU,so is this something I missed?


----------



## sugarhell

Dx is not speaking to hardware. It goes back to the os and then back to the drivers. Then drivers talk with the gpu and then send data to the pipeline.

mantle now thats interesting. A low api is:

The game talk directly with the mantle api a software layer inside the drivers.Then this software talks directly to the nature language of GCN.

The benefits a lot. TRUE multithreading, more draw calls, smoother gameplay, rendering posibilities not possible with dx11, better performance.

I can go into the subject more but meh.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Dx is not speaking to hardware. It goes back to the os and then back to the drivers. Then drivers talk with the gpu and then send data to the pipeline.
> 
> mantle now thats interesting. A low api is:
> 
> The game talk directly with the mantle api a software layer inside the drivers.Then this software talks directly to the nature language of GCN.
> 
> The benefits a lot. TRUE multithreading, more draw calls, smoother gameplay, rendering posibilities not possible with dx11, better performance.
> 
> I can go into the subject more but meh.


Multi threading?I thought you needed multi cores for that unless your taking about CF
I would like you to go on and on as you explain it in a fairly simple way and I'm interested in iy


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> mine does the same thing with hwinfo64 i thought vddc was gpu voltage but its always 1.219 while my voltage is higher or lower in MSI AB. it used to scale down with gpu core clock and memclock at idle aswell. now at idle my memory clock never decreases and my vddc is always 1.219. I dont know what happened i think i broke it?
> 
> 
> 
> could it be because i added a second monitor? I never really looked at it after that until i realized it wasnt underclocking mem anymore, noticed idle temps went from 25ish to 50ish when i hooked it up though.


YEAH ...man I was like a crazy noob the frist time I tried 3 monitors, my idle went up to 46c LOL

even 2 monitors it will lock in ur max voltage.... also if you want it back to single monitor. you must deactivate it in CCC control windows button + R doesn't work... you'll have to deactivate the second desktop, something like this...
cuz even if you remove the second monitor it does not get back to normal until you deactivate it.... :/

sorry my engrish


----------



## sugarhell

No i mean about cpu. Most cpu optimizations are done through dx11. But even if the game run across 8 cores its not true multithreading. The main game will run still on 2 main cores. They just offload something like loading or sound on other threads. This is one of the main disadvantage of dx.Dx has a lot of overhead too. For example drivers send a call and until you get back the answer you have to wait for example 1 sec. This can cause a lot. Stutter,lag,lower performance.

Low api is like asembly. If you know about programming language asembly gives you almost 100% of your hardware.But the cons is that support only one type of hardware. That means only gcn


----------



## meloj17

So I have an Asus 7950 DC2, and a Gigabyte windforce 7950 in Xfire, and I'm benchmarking these with BF3 in preparation for BF4. I noticed that when I would lower resolutions and graphic levels, my GPU usage on both cards would decrease, along with my frames. Is this normal?
I was hoping to get a constant FPS above 120 at all times, but I still see it dip to 95-100.
Any help or guidance would be most appreciated.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No i mean about cpu. Most cpu optimizations are done through dx11. But even if the game run across 8 cores its not true multithreading. The main game will run still on 2 main cores. They just offload something like loading or sound on other threads. This is one of the main disadvantage of dx.Dx has a lot of overhead too. For example drivers send a call and until you get back the answer you have to wait for example 1 sec. This can cause a lot. Stutter,lag,lower performance.
> 
> Low api is like asembly. If you know about programming language asembly gives you almost 100% of your hardware.But the cons is that support only one type of hardware. That means only gcn


This is interesting,so that's why FX processors are bad for gaming compared to intel
I'll just give an example to make sure I understand,it's like C++ and java,Java usually is translated to java bytes(I think)then translated to 0s and 1s but C++ on the other hand is translated directly through the compiler to 0s and 1s which makes the execution much faster in C++ compared to Java but Java can run on any Java compiler unlike C++
Sorry for my crappy expression though I'm still very much a N00B


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> This is interesting,so that's why FX processors are bad for gaming compared to intel
> I'll just give an example to make sure I understand,it's like C++ and java,Java usually is translated to java bytes(I think)then translated to 0s and 1s but C++ on the other hand is translated directly through the compiler to 0s and 1s which makes the execution much faster in C++ compared to Java but Java can run on any Java compiler unlike C++
> Sorry for my crappy expression though I'm still very much a N00B


Hmm a bit raw but on the point.

A simple example. You say to your mom to go to the supermarket to get you coca cola. Ofc in the road for the super she will stop on every single store(clothes,accessories etc etc). Then she will arrive on the super late. Then she needs to come back to you.
But if you go alone you will just go the the super market on the right time.

About multithreading mantle will help on multithreading even on intel cpus. For example 6 cores 3930k will see a gain too.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Hmm a bit raw but on the point.
> 
> A simple example. You say to your mom to go to the supermarket to get you coca cola. Ofc in the road for the super she will stop on every single store(clothes,accessories etc etc). Then she will arrive on the super late. Then she needs to come back to you.
> But if you go alone you will just go the the super market on the right time.
> 
> About multithreading mantle will help on multithreading even on intel cpus. For example 6 cores 3930k will see a gain too.


Nice!Why are some people saying that mantle is a fail and it won't get used then?I heard BF4 will use it


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Nice!Why are some people saying that mantle is a fail and it won't get used then?I heard BF4 will use it


I can tell you frostbite engine will support it. That means around 15 games from EA. I bet on amd summit( one of my teacher will be there) they will announce more graphic engines. I can speculate cry engine and unreal


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> welp friends
> I am an offical owner of 2 sapphire vaporx 7950,
> just bought a cheap used sapphire 7950 for 180+shipping.
> 
> Looks like ima crossfire after all.
> =]
> Why?
> Just cause 290x didnt impress me, plus 2 7950 beats 1 290x=]
> 1750 steamproceessorsx2 = 3400 >2800
> same power consumption (at least near it) and same fps id assume no?
> downside? framerates but w/e drivers will be fixed sooner or later=]
> 
> auhh...excitement of buying something super cheap.


actually it seems the 290X only uses about 220W, 300W worst case scenario, but the reference is limited by the cooler...

I personally might be going for a non-reference 290X, depending on how the prices go...

though has anyone gotten a 290X under water and overclocked? I just wonder how it copes with only the 6+8 pin connectors...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> actually it seems the 290X only uses about 220W, 300W worst case scenario, but the reference is limited by the cooler...
> 
> I personally might be going for a non-reference 290X, depending on how the prices go...
> 
> though has anyone gotten a 290X under water and overclocked? I just wonder how it copes with only the 6+8 pin connectors...


You dont care about 6+8 pins. If the cards need more power will get from pcie.

Whats the stock tdp? 250+ watts? With 50% power limit this card is probably close to 400 watt maybe more. With 1.4 volt this card will fly.

From what i checked with no volts under water they get easy 1200 something


----------



## ivanlabrie

I'll get one for xmas...probably, or at least the wc parts to expand the aio I got.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I can tell you frostbite engine will support it. That means around 15 games from EA. I bet on amd summit( one of my teacher will be there) they will announce more graphic engines. I can speculate cry engine and unreal


Thanks for the info


----------



## Paul17041993

yea 8 + 6 + PCIe gives 300W of safe TDP, so it makes me wonder how much a different PCB could increase the overclocking...

I guess i might just go for a reference 290X, though water might have to wait, parts are available but I'm not sure if I can afford another 1KAUD to go with the 750AUD for monitors and 700AUD for the card...


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I can tell you frostbite engine will support it. That means around 15 games from EA. I bet on amd summit( one of my teacher will be there) they will announce more graphic engines. I can speculate cry engine and unreal


I suspect at least cry as well. Which is star citizen maybe!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea 8 + 6 + PCIe gives 300W of safe TDP, so it makes me wonder how much a different PCB could increase the overclocking...
> 
> I guess i might just go for a reference 290X, though water might have to wait, parts are available but I'm not sure if I can afford another 1KAUD to go with the 750AUD for monitors and 700AUD for the card...


8+6+ pcie can give you up more than 500 watt. With my dice and my lightning i can easily pass 500 watt

Last time i checked they have 7 quality phases new better votlage regulator (RW) and japanese capacitors. For normal cooling i think its an overkill


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Since this thread has some very good AMD experts(tsm,sugarhell,megaman....)I wanted to ask about mantle,as far as I know It's lower level api and it enables the game or program in question to speak to the video card directly rather than speaking to DX which in turns speaks to the hardware so mantle allows for more performance out of the GPU,so is this something I missed?


HAHAHAHAHA stop with the lies, i most definitely do not deserve to be on that list, but thanks. still no... no where near those 2

i know ..... very very little when it comes to GPUs
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Nice!Why are some people saying that mantle is a fail and it won't get used then?I heard BF4 will use it


Nvidia fanbois!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> HAHAHAHAHA stop with the lies, i most definitely do not deserve to be on that list, but thanks. still no... no where near those 2
> 
> i know ..... very very little when it comes to GPUs
> Nvidia fanbois!


lol


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea 8 + 6 + PCIe gives 300W of safe TDP, so it makes me wonder how much a different PCB could increase the overclocking...
> 
> I guess i might just go for a reference 290X, though water might have to wait, parts are available but I'm not sure if I can afford another 1KAUD to go with the 750AUD for monitors and 700AUD for the card...


That's 7 18 gauge wires. I don't feel like doing the math, but it's safe to say it can handle well more than 300 watts. The board might not be able to though.


----------



## Paul17041993

power delivery seems to be a 5+1+1 phase system, about the same as the ref 7970, apparently can get 1400 core with nitrogen...

by the looks of it its more limited on cooling, still makes me wonder what the custom versions will compare to the reference apart from cooling solution...


----------



## DaClownie

Hrm, so with these being released... is it going to be more worthwhile to simply grab a second 7970 used on the marketplace here and crossfire them or trade the 7970 for a 290x?

EDIT: Being used for 1440p gaming with sig rig


----------



## sugarhell

1400 on ln2? Yeah when you have no voltage control. Lets just wait for the latest AB. Gibbo from ocuk got 12something on water without volts


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> HAHAHAHAHA stop with the lies, i most definitely do not deserve to be on that list, but thanks. still no... no where near those 2
> 
> i know ..... very very little when it comes to GPUs
> Nvidia fanbois!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Dx is not speaking to hardware. It goes back to the os and then back to the drivers. Then drivers talk with the gpu and then send data to the pipeline.
> 
> mantle now thats interesting. A low api is:
> 
> The game talk directly with the mantle api a software layer inside the drivers.Then this software talks directly to the nature language of GCN.
> 
> The benefits a lot. TRUE multithreading, more draw calls, smoother gameplay, rendering posibilities not possible with dx11, better performance.
> 
> I can go into the subject more but meh.


Megaman i think your on the list just cause your everywhere..i mean..every damn thread i talk in ur lerking..wether its fx club, or gigbyte club,,or this place or that! UR EVERYWHERE OMIPOTIENT!
anyways.. cough.

but 7XXX cards are mantle supported correct?


----------



## sugarhell

Anything that use gcn. From apu to a 290x.

Gcn is like modules on fx. Amd just scale up the arch based on the tdp.


----------



## FernTeixe

well guys... I have one more newbie question.

My 7970 have ASIC quality rated as 65.3% .... it get 1100mhz stable with 1.184v ... BUT for me to get 1120 or more it jump to 1.223 +
to get 1150 stable I need 1.243... 1170+ 1.256...

is it normal? to jump so much for just 20hz ?

I'm asking because I saw Paul saying 1.256 is too high... so i was trying some lower voltage with higher clocks... ignoring temperature, is there any other problem with high voltage?


----------



## dmfree88

your only real limitation is cooling. voltage shouldnt hurt anything if your staying cool (and your cards not a dud) considering theres many out there on ln2 cooling doing crazy clocks im sure with there voltages higher then you will get. my 7870 runs at 1.21 stock and has been pushed past 1.3 on air. not sure how different 7870 is vs 7970 but i would hope you can handle MOAR VOLTS


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> well guys... I have one more newbie question.
> 
> My 7970 have ASIC quality rated as 65.3% .... it get 1100mhz stable with 1.184v ... BUT for me to get 1120 or more it jump to 1.223 +
> to get 1150 stable I need 1.243... 1170+ 1.256...
> 
> is it normal? to jump so much for just 20hz ?
> 
> I'm asking because I saw Paul saying 1.256 is too high... so i was trying some lower voltage with higher clocks... ignoring temperature, is there any other problem with high voltage?


I've been running mine with 1.3v since I got it 18 months ago, and it still runs the same clocks, although mine is underwater. Mine runs 1300/1700 24/7 clocks


----------



## FernTeixe

when I turn it to 1150 and 1.243 my temps increase only 2-6c

also, is your graphic card ok now? I did you saw what I said about 2 monitors setup







?


----------



## FernTeixe

so the problem is only temperature? I'm getting 64c max at gpu core and 75 max 1vrm , 72 vrm 2 when I'm overclocking to 1150 at 1.243v
but... I don't know if it's worth it...

with 1100 I'm doing 3978 points in firestrike ...and with 1150 only 4048 ç_ç (graphic score)
I guess it's not really worth to make it 6-7c hotter for just it :~~


----------



## Leethal

Got my 7950 on stock voltage of 1.031 running 1125/1575 stable with a max of 68c


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> so the problem is only temperature? I'm getting 64c max at gpu core and 75 max 1vrm , 72 vrm 2 when I'm overclocking to 1150 at 1.243v
> but... I don't know if it's worth it...
> 
> with 1100 I'm doing 3978 points in firestrike ...and with 1150 only 4048 ç_ç (graphic score)
> I guess it's not really worth to make it 6-7c hotter for just it :~~


Sweet spot temp wise is under 50c. Nearing 70c overclocks become real hard to maintain w/o throwing a lot of voltage into it. Getting temps into these ranges usually means one of two things, water or you live somewhere freaking cold. Btw, read more, learn more. There is a method to overclocking tahiti that few put the time into learning but if you can supply the right conditions you can hit very rewarding clocks.


----------



## blackhole2013

My card starts to act funny at 70c like sometimes it will freeze or it will start getting artifacts in game is this normal ....


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sweet spot temp wise is under 50c. Nearing 70c overclocks become real hard to maintain w/o throwing a lot of voltage into it. Getting temps into these ranges usually means one of two things, water or you live somewhere freaking cold. Btw, read more, learn more. There is a method to overclocking tahiti that few put the time into learning but if you can supply the right conditions you can hit very rewarding clocks.


well guys... maybe I wasn't clear... VRM reach 75c... gpu core temp never reached more than 64c
anyway I'm in a very hot place , temperature is 30c now... my 7970 is idling at 32c and I'll not have waterblock option because it's a boost version
also you are the very first person to say a number like below 60c... I can't even find reviews with numbers below 50c with stock clocks...
the 290x is getting like 94c, any nvidia card you search will get around 72c... and any review will see temps around 66 at game full load... and around 74 with furmark ...for the 7970


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> well guys... I have one more newbie question.
> 
> My 7970 have ASIC quality rated as 65.3% .... it get 1100mhz stable with 1.184v ... BUT for me to get 1120 or more it jump to 1.223 +
> to get 1150 stable I need 1.243... 1170+ 1.256...
> 
> is it normal? to jump so much for just 20hz ?
> 
> I'm asking because I saw Paul saying 1.256 is too high... so i was trying some lower voltage with higher clocks... ignoring temperature, is there any other problem with high voltage?


yea there's usually some point that you have to ramp up the voltage largely to get it stable, generally what I said before was referring to stock clocks and the 1.25V being excessively overkill, 1.25V will get you up to about 1250MHz on core usually, shouldn't need any more than 1.2V for stock clocks below 1100...

but yea your general limit is temps, try to keep them below 70C and you usually cant get dangerous volts on air without overheating anyway, if you're on water you should be weary of going above 1.3V as it can start to sap the life of the card...


----------



## FernTeixe

VRM is hotter than gpu core, so vrm under 70c too?

I mean... already saw my vrm reaching 75 while gpu core was like 64c


----------



## Paul17041993

VRMs are usually fine below 90C, some will go up to 125C or so without issues depending on the card.


----------



## boontje3

yust benched my new asus 7950dcu v2 @stock 900/1200 and what a nice improvement comming from a gtx280







and that only for the price of 175euro


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boontje3*
> 
> yust benched my new asus 7950dcu v2 @stock 900/1200 and what a nice improvement comming from a gtx280
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and that only for the price of 175euro


now overcl- oh...


----------



## boontje3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> now overcl- oh...


need to read more on oc a gpu first never done it before

any got a good guide for a beginner?


----------



## dmfree88

newb guide:

a few clicks up on core clock, test, few click up on core clock test, whenever you crash or become unstable raise voltage until stable. You can run a benchmark like 3dmark11 on benchmark only to verify stability but you need 2 screens to view temps at the same time. will usually crash/bsod in the first run if unstable. (Can probably use heaven or something else with a temp sensor built in if you only have one screen) If you dont have unlocked voltage then you can only push until its unstable then back it off a bit. Same goes for memory and memory voltage. Theres really no unsafe limit just dont allow temps to get too high for your cards safe oc limit (includes VRM temps and memory temps). Air can only push so far it will never be too high if your cooler can handle it and your stable









Actually thinking about making a small gpu OC guide to go with my Multiplier OC guide. Might be nice ill post it here if/when I do


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boontje3*
> 
> need to read more on oc a gpu first never done it before
> 
> any got a good guide for a beginner?


well, if I read correctly you have the DCII, so I guess your best bet is to go into CCC/amd control center and ramp the clocks up, see if its stable on 1000 core, then try the max it allows, then try adding 50MHz to the memory until you loose stability, you can do this while running something like the unigine heaven benchmark in windowed mode in the backgound, I honestly don't know how far you will get though, the DCII isn't known to be OC friendly...


----------



## boontje3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> newb guide:
> 
> a few clicks up on core clock, test, few click up on core clock test, whenever you crash or become unstable raise voltage until stable. You can run a benchmark like 3dmark11 on benchmark only to verify stability but you need 2 screens to view temps at the same time. will usually crash/bsod in the first run if unstable. (Can probably use heaven or something else with a temp sensor built in if you only have one screen) If you dont have unlocked voltage then you can only push until its unstable then back it off a bit. Same goes for memory and memory voltage. Theres really no unsafe limit just dont allow temps to get too high for your cards safe oc limit (includes VRM temps and memory temps). Air can only push so far it will never be too high if your cooler can handle it and your stable
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Actually thinking about making a small gpu OC guide to go with my Multiplier OC guide. Might be nice ill post it here if/when I do


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well, if I read correctly you have the DCII, so I guess your best bet is to go into CCC/amd control center and ramp the clocks up, see if its stable on 1000 core, then try the max it allows, then try adding 50MHz to the memory until you loose stability, you can do this while running something like the unigine heaven benchmark in windowed mode in the backgound, I honestly don't know how far you will get though, the DCII isn't known to be OC friendly...


ok thank for tips

will be starting tomorrow


----------



## Clukos

I decided to leave the matrix to 1100/1650 while undervolting it, ran Valley maxed for 2 and a half hours without any artifacts and max temp was 65C, seems like the problem is solved for now. Since i am gaming in 1080p i don't really think that trying to overclock the card more would gain any noticeable benefits so i'll leave it at that. Kinda sucks that i can't overclock a matrix though, at least it runs completely silent. It's like i don't even have a gpu on the system


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boontje3*
> 
> need to read more on oc a gpu first never done it before
> 
> any got a good guide for a beginner?


I would add to these experts guides that while. In ccc at the bottom is a poeertune slider that you should just crank to +20 or all the way to the right.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> I would add to these experts guides that while. In ccc at the bottom is a poeertune slider that you should just crank to +20 or all the way to the right.


Good point forgot to mention that. Power to plus 20 so it can take what it needs


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Sweet spot temp wise is under 50c. Nearing 70c overclocks become real hard to maintain w/o throwing a lot of voltage into it. Getting temps into these ranges usually means one of two things, water or you live somewhere freaking cold. Btw, read more, learn more. There is a method to overclocking tahiti that few put the time into learning but if you can supply the right conditions you can hit very rewarding clocks.
> 
> 
> 
> well guys... maybe I wasn't clear... VRM reach 75c... gpu core temp never reached more than 64c
> anyway I'm in a very hot place , temperature is 30c now... my 7970 is idling at 32c and I'll not have waterblock option because it's a boost version
> also you are the very first person to say a number like below 60c... I can't even find reviews with numbers below 50c with stock clocks...
> the 290x is getting like 94c, any nvidia card you search will get around 72c... and any review will see temps around 66 at game full load... and around 74 with furmark ...for the 7970
Click to expand...

Talk about falling on deaf ears. Shrugs...


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boontje3*
> 
> need to read more on oc a gpu first never done it before
> 
> any got a good guide for a beginner?


Most of 7970s can do 1125/1575 on stock voltage but I guess you can try lower first for me I just went for 1125/1575 the day I got the card ...Now I got it to 1200/1600 at 1.165v the only problem with mine after 70c problems can happen but it usually don't get there unless there's a game that runs my card 99% all the time which most don't unless I'm gaming in side by side 3D


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Most of 7970s can do 1125/1575 on stock voltage but I guess you can try lower first for me I just went for 1125/1575 the day I got the card ...Now I got it to 1200/1600 at 1.165v the only problem with mine after 70c problems can happen but it usually don't get there unless there's a game that runs my card 99% all the time which most don't unless I'm gaming in side by side 3D


thats wierd my brothers voltage locked 7970 does 1200/ 1600mhz

just needs the fan to be uppped by 100%


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Talk about falling on deaf ears. Shrugs...


Paul or whatever person around have any comment about it? guy got mad because I said he was the first to say about temperature around 50c ?

I could not understand it, my english is not good enough and seems he didn't like something...


----------



## sugarhell

Just listen this man. He is like holy bible.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Paul or whatever person around have any comment about it? guy got mad because I said he was the first to say about temperature around 50c ?
> 
> I could not understand it, my english is not good enough and seems he didn't like something...


no worries i think you both just had a miss-understanding. You basically both told eachother the same thing just opposite (water vs air). Your good man


----------



## FernTeixe

well I'm here to listen, but my english is not good sometimes I feel lost.

I just could not really understand the point...
thanks dmfree88


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Most of 7970s can do 1125/1575 on stock voltage but I guess you can try lower first for me I just went for 1125/1575 the day I got the card ...Now I got it to 1200/1600 at 1.165v the only problem with mine after 70c problems can happen but it usually don't get there unless there's a game that runs my card 99% all the time which most don't unless I'm gaming in side by side 3D


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> thats wierd my brothers voltage locked 7970 does 1200/ 1600mhz
> 
> just needs the fan to be uppped by 100%


eheh hehehe heh...


----------



## Kittencake

k is my powercolor 7950 ok? . its stock speeds but idle it reads 51c with 2 24" monitors @ 1080p with my fan speed being 30 %


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> k is my powercolor 7950 ok? . its stock speeds but idle it reads 51c with 2 24" monitors @ 1080p with my fan speed being 30 %


its normal to be a little higher when two displays are plugged. disable one for a few minutes and see for your self.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> k is my powercolor 7950 ok? . its stock speeds but idle it reads 51c with 2 24" monitors @ 1080p with my fan speed being 30 %


If you're running two monitors the idle clocks are higher, meaning it will generate more heat and need to run the fans faster to keep the temps down.


----------



## Kittencake

how do i adjust my fan speed?


----------



## Kittencake

nevermind I used msi afterburner on and adjusted it now i"m at 45c @ 48% speed. what would be the recommended speed i keep the fan at?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> nevermind I used msi afterburner on and adjusted it now i"m at 45c @ 48% speed. what would be the recommended speed i keep the fan at?


Your best bet would be to set a custom fan curve based on temps you want to stay below.


----------



## Kittencake

k and how do go about that ?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> k and how do go about that ?


On Afterburner, open the settings/properties menu, go to the fan tab, check the "Enable user defined software automatic fan control" option and set your desired fan curve, then press the "user" button on the fan control slider.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> eheh hehehe heh...


I feel the same D:
how the hell can people be so lucky... tested 3 7970 none went to more than 1100 with stock voltage :/


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> k is my powercolor 7950 ok? . its stock speeds but idle it reads 51c with 2 24" monitors @ 1080p with my fan speed being 30 %


perfectly normal, I wouldn't worry at all about idle temperatures...


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> perfectly normal, I wouldn't worry at all about idle temperatures...


yes this^ multi monitor setups don't allow it to go into its lowest power state.


----------



## theoneofgod

Mouse corruption is back in 13.11 beta 6, great!


----------



## Kittencake

mouse corruption ?


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> mouse corruption ?


Dont worry bout ur idle temps i idle at 50ish with 2 monitors. Im overclocked with a custom fan curve and still never exceed 65 gaming. But idle over 50 still


----------



## Kittencake

I'd hate to see temps with 3 monitors , what on your thoughts on using arctic cooling hybrid accelero it seems pretty straight forward, your opinion thoughts?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> I'd hate to see temps with 3 monitors , what on your thoughts on using arctic cooling hybrid accelero it seems pretty straight forward, your opinion thoughts?


I dont believe 3 monitors idles any higher, basically your card just never downclocks all the way when it has to manage 2+ monitors.


----------



## Kittencake

That's a relief , what would happen if I decided to under volt the card?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I dont believe 3 monitors idles any higher, basically your card just never downclocks all the way when it has to manage 2+ monitors.


Yeah; on a 7950 at least, it idles at 300/150 for one monitor and 500/1250 for 2+.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> That's a relief , what would happen if I decided to under volt the card?


Lower temps, mainly. It will also reduce stress on the GPU, but that's only really relevant if you're running heavy compute 24/7, like folding, BOINC, or mining


----------



## ukic

Was ULPS fixed? I noticed that now my 2nd card is off (according to OpenHardwareMonitor/Msi AB) when idle and when I play a movie or a game it activates. However I also noticed when I run gpu-z the 2nd gpu activates to 100%, is this a gpu-z bug?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Was ULPS fixed? I noticed that now my 2nd card is off (according to OpenHardwareMonitor) when idle and when I play a movie or a game it activates. However I also noticed when I run gpu-z the 2nd gpu activates to 100%, is this a gpu-z bug?


Yeah


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah


Yes to both questions?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Yes to both questions?


----------



## King PWNinater

The max amount of GPUs supported for an Asus Crosshair Formula Z MoBo is 3 graphics cards in Crossfire/SLI. Is it possible to work 2 7990s with this Motherbaord?


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*


Lol damn it mannnnnnnnnnnnnn!


----------



## Kittencake

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> Yeah; on a 7950 at least, it idles at 300/150 for one monitor and 500/1250 for 2+.
> Lower temps, mainly. It will also reduce stress on the GPU, but that's only really relevant if you're running heavy compute 24/7, like folding, BOINC, or mining


. Well I wanna start leaving my pc to fold at night


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King PWNinater*
> 
> The max amount of GPUs supported for an Asus Crosshair Formula Z MoBo is 3 graphics cards in Crossfire/SLI. Is it possible to work 2 7990s with this Motherbaord?


Yes, that limit is dictated by the PCIe slots, not the number of GPUs.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> . Well I wanna start leaving my pc to fold at night


Other than temps, there wouldn't be a difference before months of running 100% with no downtime (which is very unlikely for a non-dedicated system). You can undervolt if you want to, but it's by no means required.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King PWNinater*
> 
> The max amount of GPUs supported for an Asus Crosshair Formula Z MoBo is 3 graphics cards in Crossfire/SLI. Is it possible to work 2 7990s with this Motherbaord?


of course, but people have usually run 4 7970s off it...


----------



## dmfree88

yeah really 100 percent is 100 percent if u got adequate cooling running it overclocked constantly really shouldn't effect shelf life much. Im sure running it 100 percent constantly effects the shelf life more then the overclock itself does.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> of course, but people have usually run 4 7970s off it...


Whats the point to run your 4th card through a pcie 4x?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> of course, but people have usually run 4 7970s off it...
> 
> 
> 
> Whats the point to run your 4th card through a pcie 4x?
Click to expand...

We don't saturate 16x lanes yet anyhow. Near as I can tell, the performance difference between 4x and 16x is near nothing. Also, what's the point in running a 4th card anyway? Scaling is hardly linear once you get to the fourth card. Trifire seems to be where the good scaling ends.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> We don't saturate 16x lanes yet anyhow. Near as I can tell, the performance difference between 4x and 16x is near nothing. Also, what's the point in running a 4th card anyway? Scaling is hardly linear once you get to the fourth card. Trifire seems to be where the good scaling ends.


Did you ever tried quadfire?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> We don't saturate 16x lanes yet anyhow. Near as I can tell, the performance difference between 4x and 16x is near nothing. Also, what's the point in running a 4th card anyway? Scaling is hardly linear once you get to the fourth card. Trifire seems to be where the good scaling ends.
> 
> 
> 
> Did you ever tried quadfire?
Click to expand...

Nope, simply my opinion based on the too much internet that I read. If I'm wrong, feel free to shoot me down


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Nope, simply my opinion based on the too much internet that I read. If I'm wrong, feel free to shoot me down


On 1080p eyefinity and dx11 games i always had 80-90% gpu usage. With a 5ghz sbe the usage was around 95% across all cards.

Also using 4x on your last card is really bad. You cause delay on your quadfire and performance impact.

Now dont tell me on 1080p scaling sucks

Still agree that tri-fire is way better for gaming purpose


----------



## ukic

Anyone here Enabled/Disabled HPET to gain better performance?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Whats the point to run your 4th card through a pcie 4x?


~25% increase in perf vs 3 cards...? but you can also use the riser board from ASUS if you really wanted to (little difference)


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King PWNinater*
> 
> The max amount of GPUs supported for an Asus Crosshair Formula Z MoBo is 3 graphics cards in Crossfire/SLI. Is it possible to work 2 7990s with this Motherbaord?


yes you can use 7990s

you can also run quadfire with a riser, i have done it


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Nope, simply my opinion based on the too much internet that I read. If I'm wrong, feel free to shoot me down
> 
> 
> 
> On 1080p eyefinity and dx11 games i always had 80-90% gpu usage. With a 5ghz sbe the usage was around 95% across all cards.
> 
> Also using 4x on your last card is really bad. You cause delay on your quadfire and performance impact.
> 
> Now dont tell me on 1080p scaling sucks
> 
> Still agree that tri-fire is way better for gaming purpose
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean by using x4 PCIe On you last card Is "really bad" a X4 PCIe interface will only net a 4-7% loss in performance of that card. In fact if you were to only make use of a single (X1) PCIe lne , you would still get 70% of of the cards performance.





Using dirt 3 as an example on an 5760 x 1080 Eyefinity setup, The 4th card on an x4 PCIe using a riser for the 4th card on an Asus Crosshauir Formula board . The difference between tri and quad fire was from 100 FPS to 120 FPS.
I have done this on more than one generation of Radeon GPU's including 5870,6970, and currently 7970's with relative results.

Even using a lesser CPU , in this case an 1100T you can see the 4th GPU (bring used on an X4 PCIe interface, and with the use of a PCIe riser , being used @ 100% with the other three GPU's)
This one is of a Metro 2033 gamplay capture. along with BF3, and Dirt3

Metro2033_CPU_GPU_USE.JPG 202k .JPG file


----------



## Paul17041993

when running there's only really coord data being updated and sent into the gpu memory, so like red said above, even a x1 lane will be fine for the most part, though you may notice loading screens would be a fair bit longer as it takes longer to send the textures into the card's memory.


----------



## sugarhell

So going from 100 to 120 fps is success?









100% gpu usage means nothing lol.

Also on eyefinity cf bridge is not enough ( 1gb/s). They move data from pcie

Also the graph is from single gpu. At least you can try harder


----------



## rcoolb2002

Hey guys,

I just bought a 1440p Qnix that I will be overclocking to a reasonable level (100hz?)

I currently have a 7950 and 7850(extra hash power).

Think i should get another 7950 or sell both and spend couple extra dollars to 290?


----------



## FernTeixe

guys, do it work? 



 ?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcoolb2002*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I just bought a 1440p Qnix that I will be overclocking to a reasonable level (100hz?)
> 
> I currently have a 7950 and 7850(extra hash power).
> 
> Think i should get another 7950 or sell both and spend couple extra dollars to 290?


I would keep them mining coins, maybe sell the 7850 since it's not as efficient. The 290 non x might be a good idea for mining and gaming as well, if it hits the 400-450 price zone and hashes at 850-1000kh/s at stock. We still need cgminer to support them though.


----------



## Mega Man

yes you can do that, there are also various brackets you can buy , however you need to cool your memory and vrms still


----------



## FernTeixe

I was just thinking if it's better than 7970 oc with boost cooler... since I can't use water block ... it's not really about noise, it is just to have better temps









if I get an H100 + 2x fan under the vga would work?

I'm asking because I never had watercoolier so I don't really know how much better it would be... since noctua NH-D14 is better than many watercoolers I don't really know if would be worth...

lol or I can get a noctua NH-D14 hehehe


----------



## Clukos

Can someone help me out a sec, what should i use for a 7970 in voltage controls. High voltage and high vdroop or low voltage and low vdroop? What is the difference? I am not really good with voltage control in GPUs and the Matrix card is definitely confusing me


----------



## ivanlabrie

You talking cpu or some frankencooling idea?


----------



## Clukos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> You talking cpu or some frankencooling idea?


No GPU, the Asus Matrix 7970 has an option for Load Line Calibration which manages vdroop. For example if LLC is 100% and i use 1.3 volts the cards gets 1.21. If i use 25% LLC the Card gets 1.29 or something like that. That is the concept. I just don't know what is best for the card, is vdroop necessary?


----------



## Leethal

100% load on games max temp I reach is 70c, but usually it stays around 60-65. Is this safe? My ambient temps are ridiculously hot


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Plenty cool.


----------



## FernTeixe

time for a newbie question...

I have a 7970 oc with boost - I flashed it to 7970 vapor-x ghz

voltage is set to 1.256 .. but I can lower it or make it higher with trixx

now my newbie question :

When I was running it with dual-x 7970 oc with boost bios when I was running a game it was going directly to the voltage I set.

Like when I put 1,200, when gaming it would be constantly 1.200...

but with vapor-x bios even if I set 1.300 it's not constant when gaming... it go up and down. When I'm running unigine valley for example it's getting "" constant 1.170 ... and about 5 or more minutes I see a little spike for a second it goes to 1.193 or 1.230... but only for a second...

it's good, right?


----------



## ivanlabrie

You shouldn't flash to vapor x from dual x...different kind of pcb on both cards. Mod your stock bios for best results.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> 100% load on games max temp I reach is 70c, but usually it stays around 60-65. Is this safe? My ambient temps are ridiculously hot


sometime ago I asked the same question and everybody said different stuff.. lol
what I think from what I've been reading is... it's ""safe"" until 80c, but nobody likes to see this numbers, so everybody says that around 70 is safe... and around 65 is good... below 60 is perfect.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> sometime ago I asked the same question and everybody said different stuff.. lol
> what I think from what I've been reading is... it's ""safe"" until 80c, but nobody likes to see this numbers, so everybody says that around 70 is safe... and around 65 is good... below 60 is perfect.


I think they said anything under 80 is safe for normal operation,however,if you want the best OC resaults you need to keep it under 50


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> You shouldn't flash to vapor x from dual x...different kind of pcb on both cards. Mod your stock bios for best results.


I don't know how to mod my bios....I'm using vapor-x bios for awhile now... and no artifacts, no glitchs/flickering... running unigine valley about 1 hour :

gpu core 62c max - 60c avg

vrm 1 68c max - 65 avg

vrm 2 65c max - 63 avg

VDDC : 1.230 max / 1.173 avg

VDDC current 188 A max / 109 A avg

VDDC current in 15.4A max / 13.2A avg

for what I see around it seems ok T_T


----------



## Leethal

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I think they said anything under 80 is safe for normal operation,however,if you want the best OC resaults you need to keep it under 50


How are you suppose to do that? Watercooled? Because i dont see how i can do that on air


----------



## Leethal

Whats the point of Modding the bios? is it safe to do.

I got a Sapphire 7950, should i mod the bios?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Whats the point of Modding the bios? is it safe to do.
> 
> I got a Sapphire 7950, should i mod the bios?


Overclocking software is a mixed bag, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, it requires extra resources from your system to start up and run, and sometimes causes problems that are hard to fix. Modding the bios allows you to forgo the software entirely, as well as give you the power to increase TDP, change voltage, remove the "boost" part of the bios that sometimes causes issues, set a custom fan profile, and you can also add GOP to your BIOS to enable secure boot. I dont really see much reason NOT to mod your BIOS, unless you are satisfied with stock settings that is.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> So going from 100 to 120 fps is success?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 100% gpu usage means nothing lol.
> 
> Also on eyefinity cf bridge is not enough ( 1gb/s). They move data from pcie
> 
> Also the graph is from single gpu. At least you can try harder


3x1080p @60Hz == ...~186MB/s...? a 4 lane 2.0 slot will provide 2GB/s max, more then enough for the most part.

pretty sure your only loosing about 10% max of the total perf vs a full 4 gpu setup with 8 (2.0) lanes to each card...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Nope, simply my opinion based on the too much internet that I read. If I'm wrong, feel free to shoot me down
> 
> 
> 
> On 1080p eyefinity and dx11 games i always had 80-90% gpu usage. With a 5ghz sbe the usage was around 95% across all cards.
> 
> Also using 4x on your last card is really bad. You cause delay on your quadfire and performance impact.
> 
> Now dont tell me on 1080p scaling sucks
> 
> Still agree that tri-fire is way better for gaming purpose
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure what you mean by using x4 PCIe On you last card Is "really bad" a X4 PCIe interface will only net a 4-7% loss in performance of that card. In fact if you were to only make use of a single (X1) PCIe lne , you would still get 70% of of the cards performance.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Using dirt 3 as an example on an 5760 x 1080 Eyefinity setup, The 4th card on an x4 PCIe using a riser for the 4th card on an Asus Crosshauir Formula board . The difference between tri and quad fire was from 100 FPS to 120 FPS.
> I have done this on more than one generation of Radeon GPU's including 5870,6970, and currently 7970's with relative results.
> 
> Even using a lesser CPU , in this case an 1100T you can see the 4th GPU (bring used on an X4 PCIe interface, and with the use of a PCIe riser , being used @ 100% with the other three GPU's)
> This one is of a Metro 2033 gamplay capture. along with BF3, and Dirt3
> 
> Metro2033_CPU_GPU_USE.JPG 202k .JPG file
Click to expand...

Seriously, why you keep going on and on about x4? Who the hell would bother to build quadfire rig and then slap it on x4 slot? It's borderline ******ed.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> I was just thinking if it's better than 7970 oc with boost cooler... since I can't use water block ... it's not really about noise, it is just to have better temps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> if I get an H100 + 2x fan under the vga would work?
> 
> I'm asking because I never had watercoolier so I don't really know how much better it would be... since noctua NH-D14 is better than many watercoolers I don't really know if would be worth...
> 
> lol or I can get a noctua NH-D14 hehehe


i dont know who told you that, but the nhd14 is worse then most watercoolers.and if you take out AIO units like the h100.... then well it is worse then 99%....the only one i would recommend is h220/the cm counterpart.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcoolb2002*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I just bought a 1440p Qnix that I will be overclocking to a reasonable level (100hz?)
> 
> I currently have a 7950 and 7850(extra hash power).
> 
> Think i should get another 7950 or sell both and spend couple extra dollars to 290?


Hey I had a Qnix with 7950, I sold it to my friend because that monitor is not worth it with 1 gpu, Yes frames were playable OC 40min-55, max on BF3 but its that feeling where I could OC the monitor to 110htz and could increase smoothness dramatically with a 2nd card.

Now I am getting a 2nd card, I will rebuy the qnix and play at 60min + htz hopefully.

also I mine with 7950 but idk eh not worth it mining with it, that why i use a 30Ghash ASIC machine used to give me like a few bitcoins a day not anymore now adays=/ oh well.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i dont know who told you that, but the nhd14 is worse then most watercoolers.and if you take out AIO units like the h100.... then well it is worse then 99%....the only one i would recommend is h220/the cm counterpart.


thank you for your help , man xD

do you think I can get temps around 50c (under load) with an H100 in my 7970?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> How are you suppose to do that? Watercooled? Because i dont see how i can do that on air


Yes watercooled,unless you live in the siberian desert with no shelter and your case is open......


----------



## FernTeixe

I'm in a very hot country, but today when temperature was around 30c

I had it

One hour running unigine valley

gpu core 62c max - 60c avg

vrm 1 68c max - 65 avg

vrm 2 65c max - 63 avg

VDDC : 1.230 max / 1.173 avg

VDDC current 188 A max / 109 A avg

VDDC current in 15.4A max / 13.2A avg

I think I'l buy a sealed cooler and try to use it in my 7970 so xD... here my video card was already 600us$... and there is no waterblock to use in it... so I'll try it xD
thank you for your help guys... at Linus tech tips people said it was totally crazy and would not work


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> thank you for your help , man xD
> 
> do you think I can get temps around 50c (under load) with an H100 in my 7970?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Yes watercooled,unless you live in the siberian desert with no shelter and your case is open......


although it seems he is gone ( i fear either dead or in hospital ) look up dwood in these forums you will see many examples. from zip ties to screws, to the brackets, there are some acrylic bracket available as well, last i knew nzxt was bring some out as well.

so no it is not crazy, _*but you will need a shim !!!!!!!*_ you should but idk really again in the dwood thread, lots of examples !


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> although it seems he is gone ( i fear either dead or in hospital ) look up dwood in these forums you will see many examples. from zip ties to screws, to the brackets, there are some acrylic bracket available as well, last i knew nzxt was bring some out as well.
> 
> so no it is not crazy, _*but you will need a shim !!!!!!!*_ you should but idk really again in the dwood thread, lots of examples !


I never said it was crazy.....


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> although it seems he is gone ( i fear either dead or in hospital ) look up dwood in these forums you will see many examples. from zip ties to screws, to the brackets, there are some acrylic bracket available as well, last i knew nzxt was bring some out as well.
> 
> so no it is not crazy, _*but you will need a shim !!!!!!!*_ you should but idk really again in the dwood thread, lots of examples !


thank you!!!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I never said it was crazy.....


no i never said you did, he said ppl at another forum did though, i just quoted you to agree with you


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> I never said it was crazy.....


yeah man xD not you !!

at Linus Techtips forum... I don't know why I asked something there first... it's a nice forum, but they don't really understand that's not easy nor affordable to buy some stuff outside north america/europe


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no i never said you did, he said ppl at another forum did though, i just quoted you to agree with you


Lol sorry then,I think the only guy who lived in similar conditions was @Rangerjr1 if I remember correctly


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Seriously, why you keep going on and on about x4? Who the hell would bother to build quadfire rig and then slap it on x4 slot? It's borderline ******ed.


because the gain still exists.

this is also for AM3+, we don't have NB bottlenecks.


----------



## sugarhell

Whats the point to pay for something and dont get 100% from this?


----------



## Kokin

Would the 4x versus the others running at a higher rate mess with the way the 4 work together?

I remember I had an Msi 790FX-GD65 that could support 4-way CF with 8x through all the slots, but it struggled to even drive 2x 5870s in 16x for BF3. I would be getting single card performance with lots of stuttering despite my PhII 955 @ 4.2 GHz and motherboard's NB being clocked to 3000Mhz. Once I switched to a i5 2550K (no-iGPU) + P67 board my 5870s ran 100% no problem.


----------



## FernTeixe

sometimes 5% of something is better than nothing?

well ... if there is something people can do, they will do... Why do people buy 4 cards to run in 1x monior? why do people who don't work with engineer and this kind of stuff just buy 4 of the best graphic card and overclock and see some numbers?

when people can do something, they will do with a good reason, with a bad reason or without reason... and when it's about % , if now we have a video card 1% better , exactly 1% better than all we already have... tons of guys will buy it just to stress it to the limit and will be proud if turn 1% into 1,003%


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Seriously, why you keep going on and on about x4? Who the hell would bother to build quadfire rig and then slap it on x4 slot? It's borderline ******ed.
> 
> 
> 
> because the gain still exists.
> 
> this is also for AM3+, we don't have NB bottlenecks.
Click to expand...

Shakes head. I think its a disservice to the community to keep pushing this sillyness. Yall think its so fast. Come at me lolz. Bring it on you quad amd cpu guys. Anytime. All I see is you guys talking it up how great it is, on par with the alternative, but I see nothing in terms of results. Taps feet...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Would the 4x versus the others running at a higher rate mess with the way the 4 work together?
> 
> I remember I had an Msi 790FX-GD65 that could support 4-way CF with 8x through all the slots, but it struggled to even drive 2x 5870s in 16x for BF3. I would be getting single card performance with lots of stuttering despite my PhII 955 @ 4.2 GHz and motherboard's NB being clocked to 3000Mhz. Once I switched to a i5 2550K (no-iGPU) + P67 board my 5870s ran 100% no problem.


unaffected, the crosshairV will give x16, x8, x8, x4 with no impact on performance vs all x8, and its 10% loss at the most, in games and benchmarks 2GB/s (Bytes, not bits) on only the 4th most card doesn't affect frame updates and returned buffers really.

haven't heard any complaints from Red and MegaMan about it...?


----------



## Mega Man

hey i never said i could bring on the numbers you do. but it runs my games well in eyefinity !


----------



## Leethal

Is modding a bios specific to a brand of GPU. For example I have a Sapphire Dual X 7950. How do I go about modding the bios? Any links or tutorials?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Nope, simply my opinion based on the too much internet that I read. If I'm wrong, feel free to shoot me down
> 
> 
> 
> On 1080p eyefinity and dx11 games i always had 80-90% gpu usage. With a 5ghz sbe the usage was around 95% across all cards.
> 
> Also using 4x on your last card is really bad. You cause delay on your quadfire and performance impact.
> 
> Now dont tell me on 1080p scaling sucks
> 
> Still agree that tri-fire is way better for gaming purpose
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure what you mean by using x4 PCIe On you last card Is "really bad" a X4 PCIe interface will only net a 4-7% loss in performance of that card. In fact if you were to only make use of a single (X1) PCIe lne , you would still get 70% of of the cards performance.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Using dirt 3 as an example on an 5760 x 1080 Eyefinity setup, The 4th card on an x4 PCIe using a riser for the 4th card on an Asus Crosshauir Formula board . The difference between tri and quad fire was from 100 FPS to 120 FPS.
> I have done this on more than one generation of Radeon GPU's including 5870,6970, and currently 7970's with relative results.
> 
> Even using a lesser CPU , in this case an 1100T you can see the 4th GPU (bring used on an X4 PCIe interface, and with the use of a PCIe riser , being used @ 100% with the other three GPU's)
> This one is of a Metro 2033 gamplay capture. along with BF3, and Dirt3
> 
> Metro2033_CPU_GPU_USE.JPG 202k .JPG file
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Seriously, why you keep going on and on about x4? Who the hell would bother to build quadfire rig and then slap it on x4 slot? It's borderline ******ed.
Click to expand...

What is this "keep going on?"
I made one post regarding it in the thread.
If you are running trifire, and decided to got from a single to multiple screens, It does add frames, enables you to turn on say adv DOF in metro , higher settings etc. This is not speculation, I have done it several times to test it out and that is exactly what it did. Not everyone has the $$ to rifle through fifty cards to find the golden ones, or perhaps to replace the MB for a native MB with 4 card GPU capability.
While your at it,
why bother with an X4 slot?
well because not everyone is building a benchmark machine. Some are building gaming machines and and an x4 Rev 2.0 slot will deliver 93%+ performance of an x16 slot, and the difference between playability and or higher settings with a eyefinity setup. While I opt for a MB with native 4 card support.........
Pardon me and a little out of the box thinking for those who can't completely retool for the 4th card to run at higher resolutions.

....Thats why.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> What is this "keep going on?"
> I made one post regarding it in the thread.
> If you are running trifire, and decided to got from a single to multiple screens, It does add frames, enables you to turn on say adv DOF in metro , higher settings etc. This is not speculation, I have done it several times to test it out and that is exactly what it did. Not everyone has the $$ to rifle through fifty cards to find the golden ones, or perhaps to replace the MB for a native MB with 4 card GPU capability.
> While your at it,
> why bother with an X4 slot?
> well because not everyone is building a benchmark machine. Some are building gaming machines and and an x4 Rev 2.0 slot will deliver 93%+ performance of an x16 slot, and the difference between playability and or higher settings with a eyefinity setup. While I opt for a MB with native 4 card support.........
> Pardon me and a little out of the box thinking for those who can't completely retool for the 4th card to run at higher resolutions.
> 
> ....Thats why.


It's good to see you back man


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 3x1080p @60Hz == ...~186MB/s...? a 4 lane 2.0 slot will provide 2GB/s max, more then enough for the most part.


actually just realized I fudged the math there, it would actually take ~1.11GB/s through that card if it rendered 60 frames/second, rendering same res at 120 frames total for all cards will only need 560MB/s through that card, the main card (16 lanes) would be getting ~1.68GB/s from the other 3 cards.

so, in a sense with the main card having 16 lanes it kinda gives an advantage...?


----------



## KingT

I have tested OC on my HD7950 DC2T V2 cards separately.

Both cards come with Elpida memory, it seems that on these latest batches of HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 cards Asus has changed memory from Hynix originally used, that's why these "Elida based" cards use 113-AD38900-104 BIOS version and cannot work with 101 or 103 versions.

*1st* card has ASIC 66.2%, Elpida memory.

Max stable OC 1100MHz Core (1.20V set in AB), 1600Mhz memory (beyond that usualy RSOD or GSOD)

*2nd* card has ASIC 70.3%, Elpida memory.

1150MHz on the core with 1.175V (so far tested, not absolute max) , 1600Mhz on the memory (havent tried higher yet).

Both GPUs max temp ~ 67C, VRM temp 72/67C.

CHEERS.


----------



## alancsalt

On air...?


----------



## rcoolb2002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> Is modding a bios specific to a brand of GPU. For example I have a Sapphire Dual X 7950. How do I go about modding the bios? Any links or tutorials?


7950 Bios modding thread

I have a HIS 7950 and had all kinds of issues trying to overclock through software.

I flashed the HIS Boost GHZ bios on that thread, and havent thought about my video card since. Runs like a champ.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> On air...?


Yes, on air, stock DC2 cooling.

1st card is pretty much lemon, 2nd hans more OC potential.

CHEERS..


----------



## wanna_buy

Today I read the review about ASUS ROG HD7970 Platinum and I found this info.
Quote:


> While most of ASUS' upgraded cards come with capacitors rated for 5,000 hours of continuous operation (an improvement over the reference design's 2,000 hours), the Matrix uses ultra high end Nichicon GT series units that should run past the 10,000 hour mark.


Does that mean that card will fail after 10,000 hours of overall use or simply it will work powered on uninterrupted for 10,000 hour before PC is restarted?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Today I read the review about ASUS ROG HD7970 Platinum and I found this info.
> Does that mean that card will fail after 10,000 hours of overall use or simply it will work powered on uninterrupted for 10,000 hour before PC is restarted?


no it just screams advertising gimmic.

in a more serious note it doesn't mean anything.

in a more professional serious note they will last longer then the card itself.

in the real world no difference.


----------



## DMatthewStewart

This thread is a blessing. I had no idea that ASUS had a GPU Tweak tool.

*Is the ASUS GPU Tweak for ASUS GPU's or for ASUS mobo's?*

Not to mention the Atiman Uninstaller sounds like its going to be a big help. I have had quite a tough time getting games to play nice on Windows (I say that as if my Linux OS has a bunch of kick ass, easy-to-use games). I just built a rig and nowhere in my mobo literature is there a mention of GPU Tweak. How knew is that program? My mobo is the ASUS m5A97 R2.0


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMatthewStewart*
> 
> This thread is a blessing. I had no idea that ASUS had a GPU Tweak tool.
> 
> *Is the ASUS GPU Tweak for ASUS GPU's or for ASUS mobo's?*
> 
> Not to mention the Atiman Uninstaller sounds like its going to be a big help. I have had quite a tough time getting games to play nice on Windows (I say that as if my Linux OS has a bunch of kick ass, easy-to-use games). I just built a rig and nowhere in my mobo literature is there a mention of GPU Tweak. How knew is that program? My mobo is the ASUS m5A97 R2.0


Asus tool is for ASUS branded GPU's, not ASUS branded MB's. It really is not the best overclocking software, that title still falls to MSI afterburner no matter what brand GPU you use. The only reason to have ASUS GPU Tweak is if you have an ASUS GPU and want to mess with your voltage. I dont know if it is for "all" ASUS cards, but several can not have their voltage adjusted without the ASUS program. The program usually comes bundled in the software disk when you buy a new ASUS GPU.


----------



## rabidz7

Me has a 7970.


----------



## DMatthewStewart

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Asus tool is for ASUS branded GPU's, not ASUS branded MB's. It really is not the best overclocking software, that title still falls to MSI afterburner no matter what brand GPU you use. The only reason to have ASUS GPU Tweak is if you have an ASUS GPU and want to mess with your voltage. I dont know if it is for "all" ASUS cards, but several can not have their voltage adjusted without the ASUS program. The program usually comes bundled in the software disk when you buy a new ASUS GPU.


Thank you sir! I actually have the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr. Its a great card and I am just now starting to appreciate the Afterburner program and jsut how great of a utility it is.


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMatthewStewart*
> 
> Thank you sir! I actually have the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr. Its a great card and I am just now starting to appreciate the Afterburner program and jsut how great of a utility it is.


i have the Msi r7950 TF3 boost edition

its easier to use sapphire trixxx for oc'ing


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DMatthewStewart*
> 
> Thank you sir! I actually have the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr. Its a great card and I am just now starting to appreciate the Afterburner program and jsut how great of a utility it is.
> 
> 
> 
> i have the Msi r7950 TF3 boost edition
> 
> its easier to use sapphire trixxx for oc'ing
Click to expand...

A mini-van is also easier to learn to drive than a stick shift lambo, but if all you are doing with your cards is driving the kids to school and dont need the extra performance, then yeah...trixxx will suit you fine.

Edit to add: trixxx has its place...it is a very lightweight and easy to use program.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> A mini-van is also easier to learn to drive than a stick shift lambo, but if all you are doing with your cards is driving the kids to school and dont need the extra performance, then yeah...trixxx will suit you fine.
> 
> Edit to add: trixxx has its place...it is a very lightweight and easy to use program.


if you have a vapor-x you'll need trixxx to change voltage....
also every extra feature msi afterburner may offer you can get with another software. or can run both at same time.
but trixxx sometimes is necessary if you'll not flash the bios


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DMatthewStewart*
> 
> Thank you sir! I actually have the MSI 7950 Twin Frozr. Its a great card and I am just now starting to appreciate the Afterburner program and jsut how great of a utility it is.
> 
> 
> 
> i have the Msi r7950 TF3 boost edition
> 
> its easier to use sapphire trixxx for oc'ing
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> A mini-van is also easier to learn to drive than a stick shift lambo, but if all you are doing with your cards is driving the kids to school and dont need the extra performance, then yeah...trixxx will suit you fine.
> 
> Edit to add: trixxx has its place...it is a very lightweight and easy to use program.
Click to expand...

Shakes head.

Trixx is for the big boys since it allows more voltage than AB. What is this silly analogy??


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Nope, simply my opinion based on the too much internet that I read. If I'm wrong, feel free to shoot me down
> 
> 
> 
> On 1080p eyefinity and dx11 games i always had 80-90% gpu usage. With a 5ghz sbe the usage was around 95% across all cards.
> 
> Also using 4x on your last card is really bad. You cause delay on your quadfire and performance impact.
> 
> Now dont tell me on 1080p scaling sucks
> 
> Still agree that tri-fire is way better for gaming purpose
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure what you mean by using x4 PCIe On you last card Is "really bad" a X4 PCIe interface will only net a 4-7% loss in performance of that card. In fact if you were to only make use of a single (X1) PCIe lne , you would still get 70% of of the cards performance.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Using dirt 3 as an example on an 5760 x 1080 Eyefinity setup, The 4th card on an x4 PCIe using a riser for the 4th card on an Asus Crosshauir Formula board . The difference between tri and quad fire was from 100 FPS to 120 FPS.
> I have done this on more than one generation of Radeon GPU's including 5870,6970, and currently 7970's with relative results.
> 
> Even using a lesser CPU , in this case an 1100T you can see the 4th GPU (bring used on an X4 PCIe interface, and with the use of a PCIe riser , being used @ 100% with the other three GPU's)
> This one is of a Metro 2033 gamplay capture. along with BF3, and Dirt3
> 
> Metro2033_CPU_GPU_USE.JPG 202k .JPG file
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Seriously, why you keep going on and on about x4? Who the hell would bother to build quadfire rig and then slap it on x4 slot? It's borderline ******ed.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What is this "keep going on?"
> I made one post regarding it in the thread.
> If you are running trifire, and decided to got from a single to multiple screens, It does add frames, enables you to turn on say adv DOF in metro , higher settings etc. This is not speculation, I have done it several times to test it out and that is exactly what it did. Not everyone has the $$ to rifle through fifty cards to find the golden ones, or perhaps to replace the MB for a native MB with 4 card GPU capability.
> While your at it,
> why bother with an X4 slot?
> well because not everyone is building a benchmark machine. Some are building gaming machines and and an x4 Rev 2.0 slot will deliver 93%+ performance of an x16 slot, and the difference between playability and or higher settings with a eyefinity setup. While I opt for a MB with native 4 card support.........
> Pardon me and a little out of the box thinking for those who can't completely retool for the 4th card to run at higher resolutions.
> 
> ....Thats why.
Click to expand...

One post. That's why you carry around these pics showing the usage every chance you get as if you have a chip on your shoulder you have to prove the validity of your chosen setup?

Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?

You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> A mini-van is also easier to learn to drive than a stick shift lambo, but if all you are doing with your cards is driving the kids to school and dont need the extra performance, then yeah...trixxx will suit you fine.
> 
> Edit to add: trixxx has its place...it is a very lightweight and easy to use program.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> if you have a vapor-x you'll need trixxx to change voltage....
> also every extra feature msi afterburner may offer you can get with another software. or can run both at same time.
> but trixxx sometimes is necessary if you'll not flash the bios


It's *TRIXX* not triXXX people will get a wrong idea because of you


----------



## FernTeixe

hahaha lol didn't thought about that...


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?
> 
> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.


I run trifire with a single panel because crossfire wasn't enough power to max most modern games. I have tried multiple screen setups and it most certainly isn't for me. The spare pc setup has triple monitors and I cannot play more than 5 minutes w/o getting what I would describe as motion sickness.

So everyone is unique and need to be treated as such and not be demeaned for their choices.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Nope, simply my opinion based on the too much internet that I read. If I'm wrong, feel free to shoot me down
> 
> 
> 
> On 1080p eyefinity and dx11 games i always had 80-90% gpu usage. With a 5ghz sbe the usage was around 95% across all cards.
> 
> Also using 4x on your last card is really bad. You cause delay on your quadfire and performance impact.
> 
> Now dont tell me on 1080p scaling sucks
> 
> Still agree that tri-fire is way better for gaming purpose
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure what you mean by using x4 PCIe On you last card Is "really bad" a X4 PCIe interface will only net a 4-7% loss in performance of that card. In fact if you were to only make use of a single (X1) PCIe lne , you would still get 70% of of the cards performance.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Using dirt 3 as an example on an 5760 x 1080 Eyefinity setup, The 4th card on an x4 PCIe using a riser for the 4th card on an Asus Crosshauir Formula board . The difference between tri and quad fire was from 100 FPS to 120 FPS.
> I have done this on more than one generation of Radeon GPU's including 5870,6970, and currently 7970's with relative results.
> 
> Even using a lesser CPU , in this case an 1100T you can see the 4th GPU (bring used on an X4 PCIe interface, and with the use of a PCIe riser , being used @ 100% with the other three GPU's)
> This one is of a Metro 2033 gamplay capture. along with BF3, and Dirt3
> 
> Metro2033_CPU_GPU_USE.JPG 202k .JPG file
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Seriously, why you keep going on and on about x4? Who the hell would bother to build quadfire rig and then slap it on x4 slot? It's borderline ******ed.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What is this "keep going on?"
> I made one post regarding it in the thread.
> If you are running trifire, and decided to got from a single to multiple screens, It does add frames, enables you to turn on say adv DOF in metro , higher settings etc. This is not speculation, I have done it several times to test it out and that is exactly what it did. Not everyone has the $$ to rifle through fifty cards to find the golden ones, or perhaps to replace the MB for a native MB with 4 card GPU capability.
> While your at it,
> why bother with an X4 slot?
> well because not everyone is building a benchmark machine. Some are building gaming machines and and an x4 Rev 2.0 slot will deliver 93%+ performance of an x16 slot, and the difference between playability and or higher settings with a eyefinity setup. While I opt for a MB with native 4 card support.........
> Pardon me and a little out of the box thinking for those who can't completely retool for the 4th card to run at higher resolutions.
> 
> ....Thats why.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> One post. That's why you carry around these pics showing the usage every chance you get as if you have a chip on your shoulder you have to prove the validity of your chosen setup?
> 
> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?
> 
> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.
Click to expand...

I don't even know where to start to tell you where and how much is wrong with that post/response.
1) Chip on my shoulder? ,....what?? I am a reviewer and folders of info and benches I have collected
2) I only post them when someone asks
3
Quote:


> )Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?


A) you do not have to spend $500 a panel if you choose not to
B)
Quote:


> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel?


You would be surprised, try reading some system specs around. Those who are only interested in running benches mostly.
C) because it can be done and it does add frames. betters the average and low frame rate, and allows the use of higher detail settings. The 4th card when I first used this configuration with a CIVF allowed for higher settings, AA, AF ect. and was the difference between playable rates with three monitors in many games.
Quote:


> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.


Wow...what an ego! I do not feel the slightest twinge to justify what I do or experiment with to you or anyone else as hard as your Solipsistic ego may find that to believe. If you have a look around you may notice that this option is exercised by mostly those who have only a 4th slot as an x4, and wait until the cost of their chosen card is half of what it was to begin with. I don't care what anyone choses to purchases
Facts is facts. I have tried and thoroughly tested using a 4th card in an x4 PCIe slot with several setups and weather you and your inflated ego consider it "proper" or not...It works.
Quote:


> The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.


Another roll your own statement and selective reading. I said this setup is not my personal preference. I use a MB that has native 4 card capability. (but you conveniently ignored that) I have said, and always have that the X4 is an option...again...it works if it's an option you want to exercise.

What I find so amusing is that for some reason you get your feathered ruffled over folks using a x4 for a 4th card to gt better frame rates in games ( a config that works) but have no problem with those that spend $$$$ to strap a pot to their MB, insulate it, expose it to the risk of condensation, 2v, and or the risk of burning out a $1K CPU for the fun of it.
I have also posted about, and am working on a 'from scratch' massive T.E.C. cooler project. You want to take a shot at that as well because it does not meet with the almighty TSM106 approval?
To each his/her own....why don't you leave it that way.
or, as Bigmac11 put it...
Quote:


> So everyone is unique and need to be treated as such and not be demeaned for their choices.


I will see if I can get everyone together and make sure that we all run our choices and preferences by you first from now on.


----------



## pcoutu17

So, I recently got the Sapphire HD 7990, and I'm loving it. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to upgrade to a 2560x1440 Monitor yet. The card maxes out at 75C in FurMark at 1920x1080, which from what I have seen is pretty good. I'm just wondering how much hotter I can expect it to run at 2560x1440? I know FurMark is a good bit hotter than what I would see in games (typically ~65C right now), but I'm just trying to get a feel.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> if you have a vapor-x you'll need trixxx to change voltage....
> also every extra feature msi afterburner may offer you can get with another software. or can run both at same time.
> but trixxx sometimes is necessary if you'll not flash the bios


I prefer AB Gui personally and it allows for full voltage adjustment up to 1.3v on the unmodded version on my vapor x 7950. Stock bios too and it allows for 1.7 mem voltage. Just my experiences with AB and vaporx cards.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> One post. That's why you carry around these pics showing the usage every chance you get as if you have a chip on your shoulder you have to prove the validity of your chosen setup?
> 
> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?
> 
> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.


I think your forgetting, this is Red1776 your talking about... he has... um... how many quadfire rigs now...?

I'm not really sure where your trying to go though, it seems someone asked about quadfire on a crosshairV and all of a sudden you're saying quadfire is pointless...?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> who the hell uses trifire on one panel?


uuuuhhhhhhhhhm... is that a trick question...?


----------



## dmfree88

ASUS 7970 DCUII TOP (stock, relatively defective)

I loled..

but anyways. Why all the fuss tsm106 you seem to not have any valid argument and are just being a troll. People who have older gpu generally use trifire on a single panel. Id like to see your card survive bf4 on a single panel 1080p+ 120hz single gpu max settings. Even dual gpu good luck pushing 120fps vsynced. He told you 20 fps improvement you act like thats nothing. 20fps is HUGE in gaming. you only gain like 3-10 fps overclocking your card maybe 10-20 with watercooled. 20fps from adding another card is big improvement.

I can barely even play bf4 with my single gpu at 60hz 1080p so why wouldnt there be MANY others pushing 2, 3 or even 4 gpu to make it work better. Granted im only using a 7870 but i know your 7970 still needs atleast a buddy to play bf4 with some decent graphics


----------



## istudy92

im soo excited, i just got a 2nd 7950 vapor x today=p

downside?
i dont really have games..that need such configuration...i only play dota 90% of time and new game path of excile....

to be honest bf3 was wack..i dont feel like getting bf4....

whats a good game for maxing out=]


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> im soo excited, i just got a 2nd 7950 vapor x today=p
> 
> downside?
> i dont really have games..that need such configuration...i only play dota 90% of time and new game path of excile....
> 
> to be honest bf3 was wack..i dont feel like getting bf4....
> 
> whats a good game for maxing out=]


mod skyrim...its not optimized at all and heavily modded textures eat up the RAM no problem. ymmv.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> mod skyrim...its not optimized at all and heavily modded textures eat up the RAM no problem. ymmv.


well i dont like to play games twice (at least linear games with a story line) also my cpu would be raped by reviews supposiably i only got fx4300-__- waitting to see new steamroller annoucnement nov 11th to see if i get 8350=p im soo late on these upgrades-__-

Anymore suggestions?!


----------



## dmfree88

you could come play DDO with me







. You think its constant vsync until you step into a raid or event


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?
> 
> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.
> 
> 
> 
> I run trifire with a single panel because crossfire wasn't enough power to max most modern games. I have tried multiple screen setups and it most certainly isn't for me. The spare pc setup has triple monitors and I cannot play more than 5 minutes w/o getting what I would describe as motion sickness.
> 
> So everyone is unique and need to be treated as such and not be demeaned for their choices.
Click to expand...

I'm not against your personal choice to run whatever setup you want. That's not my point so you misunderstood. Run whatever you want, it's "your" choice, but when you choose to run a less than ideal setup and continually misinform inexperienced members to sway them down the same choice you made.... That's what I have a problem with. Again I've no problem if you decide trifire is what you need on a single panel.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> One post. That's why you carry around these pics showing the usage every chance you get as if you have a chip on your shoulder you have to prove the validity of your chosen setup?
> 
> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?
> 
> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.
> 
> 
> 
> I think your forgetting, this is Red1776 your talking about... he has... um... how many quadfire rigs now...?
> 
> I'm not really sure where your trying to go though, it seems someone asked about quadfire on a crosshairV and all of a sudden you're saying quadfire is pointless...?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> who the hell uses trifire on one panel?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> uuuuhhhhhhhhhm... is that a trick question...?
Click to expand...

Going quadfire on AMD cpu is very far from the ideal. If at all possible you should steer ppl out of that direction. And given the cost associated with quadfire rigs and all the bells and whistles, it really is stupid not to look seriously into a cheap x79 rig. The cost difference is not much, 200 ish.

It is comical that ppl are actually questioning this. Why are there not more benches showing quad gpu with amd cpus out there? Cuz they are freaking slow! Its one thing to buy the best that you can and hope for the best. It's an entirely other matter to direct ppl into a worse setup and for what reasons?

I searched for the fastest 3dm11.

Heres a beta one, just ran 9-28. Pscore 17964

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7231786

Oh looky here trifire Pscore 16840 Zomg look at that [email protected]#$

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5392240

You might recognize this one which is what I clocked at for comparison:

doh lost the link, it was red's quad run at 1125/1575. He got 14K pscore.

Now here's a run at same clocks. Pscore 26912. It's comical because this puny clocked run is enough to get me 51st on the 3dm11 Perf HoF.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7391500


----------



## dmfree88

just another intel troll i see









you are changing the subject. who cares if intel performs better at quad. the point was that its still an improvement over tri-fire. and it is. Your just bringing irrelevant subject to the forum. Its not better to spend 200 more to get intel if its 200 cheaper to get reasonable performance that might not quite beat it. not all of us have that extra 200 dollars. Some prefer amd for other reasons but either way its still not going to burn down your computer if you go amd so why even bring it up? The original point was quad is possible and theres not a huge loss by adding a x4 card as the 4th. And amd is perfectly capable of supporting it and providing good results.. Get off your intel high horse.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> just another intel troll i see
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> you are changing the subject. who cares if intel performs better at quad. the point was that its still an improvement over tri-fire. and it is. Your just bringing irrelevant subject to the forum. Its not better to spend 200 more to get intel if its 200 cheaper to get reasonable performance that might not quite beat it. not all of us have that extra 200 dollars. Some prefer amd for other reasons but either way its still not going to burn down your computer if you go amd so why even bring it up? The original point was quad is possible and theres not a huge loss by adding a x4 card as the 4th. And amd is perfectly capable of supporting it and providing good results.. Get off your intel high horse.


Not a huge loss? Stop being a tool.


----------



## ivanlabrie

If you have $$ for more than 2 cards you have money for a used Sandy bridge rig lol...or an x79 extreme 4 and a 3820.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> If you have $$ for more than 2 cards you have money for a used Sandy bridge rig lol...or an x79 extreme 4 and a 3820.


Thats the point. When you give almost 2k for 4 cards and loop why to stay with a 500 bucks combo mobo and cpu? Its like bying 1k tires for a lada.

I dont have anything against amd ( actually i am an amd fanboy ) but the reality sometimes sucks. 8350 is an amazing cpu for the money but not even close for quadfire.


----------



## dmfree88

here we go, this isnt intel vs amd get over it guys. YOU ARE ARGUING DIFFERENT POINTS TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT YOU DAMN TROLLS


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?
> 
> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.
> 
> 
> 
> I run trifire with a single panel because crossfire wasn't enough power to max most modern games. I have tried multiple screen setups and it most certainly isn't for me. The spare pc setup has triple monitors and I cannot play more than 5 minutes w/o getting what I would describe as motion sickness.
> 
> So everyone is unique and need to be treated as such and not be demeaned for their choices.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm not against your personal choice to run whatever setup you want. That's not my point so you misunderstood. Run whatever you want, it's "your" choice, but when you choose to run a less than ideal setup and continually misinform inexperienced members to sway them down the same choice you made.... That's what I have a problem with. Again I've no problem if you decide trifire is what you need on a single panel.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> One post. That's why you carry around these pics showing the usage every chance you get as if you have a chip on your shoulder you have to prove the validity of your chosen setup?
> 
> Trifire... who the hell uses trifire on one panel? And suddenly moving to trip panels requires moving to a fourth? Only mandatory situation is moving up to 12m pixels. Who is crazy enough to spend at least 500 bucks a panel times three and NOT go all in a few hundred more bucks on a proper platform?
> 
> You guys are just finding creative ways to justify your personal choices, and that is all it is. The problem is when you pass off personal preference as technical advice.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think your forgetting, this is Red1776 your talking about... he has... um... how many quadfire rigs now...?
> 
> I'm not really sure where your trying to go though, it seems someone asked about quadfire on a crosshairV and all of a sudden you're saying quadfire is pointless...?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> who the hell uses trifire on one panel?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> uuuuhhhhhhhhhm... is that a trick question...?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Going quadfire on AMD cpu is very far from the ideal. If at all possible you should steer ppl out of that direction. And given the cost associated with quadfire rigs and all the bells and whistles, it really is stupid not to look seriously into a cheap x79 rig. The cost difference is not much, 200 ish.
> 
> It is comical that ppl are actually questioning this. Why are there not more benches showing quad gpu with amd cpus out there? Cuz they are freaking slow! Its one thing to buy the best that you can and hope for the best. It's an entirely other matter to direct ppl into a worse setup and for what reasons?
> 
> I searched for the fastest 3dm11.
> 
> Heres a beta one, just ran 9-28. Pscore 17964
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7231786
> 
> Oh looky here trifire Pscore 16840 Zomg look at that [email protected]#$
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5392240
> 
> You might recognize this one which is what I clocked at for comparison:
> 
> doh lost the link, it was red's quad run at 1125/1575. He got 14K pscore.
> 
> Now here's a run at same clocks. Pscore 26912. It's comical because this puny clocked run is enough to get me 51st on the 3dm11 Perf HoF.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7391500
Click to expand...

man when you miss a point you go all the way.
This is the 8350/8320 Owners club. I don't point anyone anywhere, If you are here, it's because you are the owner of an 8350/8320...you might have surmised that from the title of the thread








Not everyone builds benchboxes. I myself grow tired of running Heaven, 3DMark, etc very quickly.
and WOW! a few 3DMark11 scores.
This is what I build for.



I build for gaming performance at high res.
I also build for what I use my machine for. and what I use it for I will take my 8350 over the 3770/4770 anytime.
The fact that what others do bothers you so much is very entertaining though.








and there is this:


None of my bench runs have been beyond the anemic CCC OC limit and at the VRM squealing suicide runs you guys do.
and if you want to play the benchmark game fine

keep it up though, I am sure your vacu-pump is in the mail.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm not against your personal choice to run whatever setup you want. That's not my point so you misunderstood. Run whatever you want, it's "your" choice, but when you choose to run a less than ideal setup and continually misinform inexperienced members to sway them down the same choice you made.... That's what I have a problem with. Again I've no problem if you decide trifire is what you need on a single panel.
> 
> Please point out where I mislead anyone? Why is one panel not an ideal setup? I think your confused and now so am I. Whatever I'm done either way.


----------



## Red1776

Well this BS aside,
As many of you know My wife was hit by a drunk driver and suffered a traumatic head injury. The physical fallout from this is a continuing uphill battle on a daily basis and a long road to recovery. Things were looking better briefly , but have taken a few steps back.
Thank you to all of you who have PM'd me or sent the good wishes and kind words here.
with three kids, work and my wifes situation I probably will be scarce on here for a while. Some of you were in contact with me about components etc and I will continue to check My PM's as well as send my email address if you decide to opt for those items.
Thanks again guys








and talk to you soon I hope.

Greg


----------



## dmfree88

let us know how things are going red! As always we are all praying for you and yours!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Well this BS aside,
> As many of you know My wife was hit by a drunk driver and suffered a traumatic head injury. The physical fallout from this is a continuing uphill battle on a daily basis and a long road to recovery. Things were looking better briefly , but have taken a few steps back.
> Thank you to all of you who have PM'd me or sent the good wishes and kind words here.
> with three kids, work and my wifes situation I probably will be scarce on here for a while. Some of you were in contact with me about components etc and I will continue to check My PM's as well as send my email address if you decide to opt for those items.
> Thanks again guys
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and talk to you soon I hope.
> 
> Greg


Man. We just discuss about gpus to forget personal issues even if we disagree.

But i hope you good luck and wishes.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Red1776: All the best man, hopefully your wife will recover just fine.


----------



## maynard14

Hi guys,.. its been a while posting question on this thread haha

i currenlty have 7970 reference,. and one monitor,.. im thinking of adding one more 7970 reference for crossfire on my current 7970.

is it worth it for one monitor? i just one more FPS,,, and ultra settings,..

i have 750 corsair psu,... well is it worth it? what you think guys,, i dont know if ill benefit on crossfiring on 1 monitor


----------



## sugarhell

1080p 120 hz?


----------



## bigmac11

Red1776 hope everything works out and best wishes to you and yours.


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*


Wow look how bad your processor is holding you back. I hope that wasn't at 5.2 ghz


----------



## dmfree88

wow look at how many i7 processors are BELOW him..... nothing is holding him back the ones above him are jacked up overclocked I7 aswell as the ones below him. Clearly this shows its capable of being in the top, just a bunch of intel fanboys run around saying it wont so nobody hardly takes it that far. the truth is most who do have enough money end up with intel because well it is currently better performance-wise in most metrics. But this clearly shows that if enough is invested into a decent amd rig it can just aswell stand with the best of em.


----------



## Mega Man

has buying intel crossed my mind, yes.

but i hate intel. just a personal preference. so i will support amd. i have fun gaming though and that is what matters.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Hi guys,.. its been a while posting question on this thread haha
> 
> i currenlty have 7970 reference,. and one monitor,.. im thinking of adding one more 7970 reference for crossfire on my current 7970.
> 
> is it worth it for one monitor? i just one more FPS,,, and ultra settings,..
> 
> i have 750 corsair psu,... well is it worth it? what you think guys,, i dont know if ill benefit on crossfiring on 1 monitor


imo yes it helped me alot


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow look how bad your processor is holding you back. I hope that wasn't at 5.2 ghz
Click to expand...

1) no it was not at 5.2
2) at least its not holding me back as bad ad the 4930 and 3930 below it. (# 15 & 16) christ, look before you post. But thanks for the laugh.









...and I have lots of room left on both the GPU and CPU.


----------



## ivanlabrie

I don't get why people get so emotional about a piece of hardware...I like benching for sport, so I got an intel setup but I also like to spend as little as possible cause I can't afford the best. I've had both sandy and ivy rigs, and went to an x79 based one with an i7 3820 since I was able to buy it used for less money than I got from selling my previous parts (and it can be upgraded unlike the z77 platform I had).
Can't use AMD for cpus since I wouldn't be competitive at hwbot with it, but it's definitely a decent platform. I don't agree with using an 8350 for quadfire though, and the guys below that 8350 must be running stock or worse clocks than him. Please, don't get into zealot mode guys, be real.


----------



## istudy92

Hey guys finally got home to put my card in!!=]

new 7950=p
My 1st time doing all this kool experience i must say, if anything its really thrilling more so even to put it out the world of pplz who appriciate games and hardware=p


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!








I need a little help from you guys=/

1) My rig seems messy...any tips on how to clean up wires, or what I can do to extend wires because I can use the back of my case to hide wires..BUT idk what I need to extend the wires=/

2) I installed CCC, but when I click on "enable CF" it goes back to "disable" circle is that supposed to happen?
2a) wth am i supposed to do lol...-___- i feel like a noob again!
2b) where do I put CF bridge tape thingy?? like there are 2 um..top thingings...as u can see i put it on the furthest left of card, should i put it on the center area??


----------



## Bartouille

Nice rig man but better get some cable management in there!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

If I recall correctly,red uses CAD software so 8 true cores does help,I know it's probably better to use the hexa core 3930 or 4930 for that but still the 8350 is pretty awesome for the money


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 1) no it was not at 5.2
> 2) at least its not holding me back as bad ad the 4930 and 3930 below it. (# 15 & 16) christ, look before you post. But thanks for the laugh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and I have lots of room left on both the GPU and CPU.


You're telling me to look before I post but you don't see tsm106 on top? Doin it wrong


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I don't get why people get so emotional about a piece of hardware...I like benching for sport, so I got an intel setup but I also like to spend as little as possible cause I can't afford the best. I've had both sandy and ivy rigs, and went to an x79 based one with an i7 3820 since I was able to buy it used for less money than I got from selling my previous parts (and it can be upgraded unlike the z77 platform I had).
> Can't use AMD for cpus since I wouldn't be competitive at hwbot with it, but it's definitely a decent platform. I don't agree with using an 8350 for quadfire though, and the guys below that 8350 must be running stock or worse clocks than him. Please, don't get into zealot mode guys, be real.


every single person below him? thats the top 30 and hes 12th. you said yourself you wont get one so dont knock it till you try it. You say you dont want a "zealot mode" but your the one claiming its trash or that every single person under him with a i7 must be cause hes better with AMD. your just so hell bent on intel that you cant even accept that amd could work quad sli and beat a majority of i7 owners. Wont even accept it as a plausable use? Sound like a TROLL


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> You're telling me to look before I post but you don't see tsm106 on top? Doin it wrong


i see him there but that doesnt mean red wasnt on there. just because tsm got a better score doesnt mean the AMD isnt capable of doing quadfire.. you guys are all changing the subject looking beyond the point. AMD CAN HANDLE QUADFIRE


----------



## ivanlabrie

You're getting really aggressive with this man...I meant that it's not an ideal setup for benching and that I'd rather not get it for my needs.
And also, that your tone is not what's these forums spirit is all about. And yeah, benching is a big part of the whole overclocking hobby.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I don't get why people get so emotional about a piece of hardware...I like benching for sport, so I got an intel setup but I also like to spend as little as possible cause I can't afford the best. I've had both sandy and ivy rigs, and went to an x79 based one with an i7 3820 since I was able to buy it used for less money than I got from selling my previous parts (and it can be upgraded unlike the z77 platform I had).
> Can't use AMD for cpus since I wouldn't be competitive at hwbot with it, but it's definitely a decent platform. *I don't agree with using an 8350 for quadfire though, and the guys below that 8350 must be running stock or worse clocks than him. Please, don't get into zealot mode guys, be real.*


I dont understand why you act like im being aggressive? and now your lieing claiming you said something different... You say you only say its not great for benching when you clearly said i dont agree with using it for quadfire. My argument has and will continue to be that this is not true amd handles quadfire fine. But you continue to claim otherwise and now trying to accuse me of being aggressive when you are giving absolutely ridiculous responses and continually changing the subject and or not providing logical answers with facts to back them up. Other then "they ALL must have been stock or something".

Big bowl of DENiAL


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 1) no it was not at 5.2
> 2) at least its not holding me back as bad ad the 4930 and 3930 below it. (# 15 & 16) christ, look before you post. But thanks for the laugh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and I have lots of room left on both the GPU and CPU.
> 
> 
> 
> You're telling me to look before I post but you don't see tsm106 on top? Doin it wrong
Click to expand...

No, No, you don't get it both ways. I have had conversations with TSM and he picks through a lot of cards to find the 4 'golden cards he uses.(and good for him) I believe his lowest clocking card will do 1330 core if memory serves. Also the highest OC bench I have submitted is the anemic 1125 that the CCC allows. I may get some computer time to bench as I am going to be housebound for a while with my wifes situation. If I do I will put up some VRM squealing 1.35v results up as well. It will close the gap.
and if you are going to tell me I am doing it wrong, you better look up # 15& 16 and tell them they are really doing it wrong...although I have no idea how you will parse that with fact tat they are both using Intel E-editions...but Like I said...you c can't have it both ways.
Not to mention that on m,any of these lists, the guys at the top are using Phase change, Dice, or other.
nice try though.









@ Ivan.
Thanks for the good thoughts.
Now, nobody is spending $$$ on a $500-$1000 CPU and submitting underclocked results. I have talked with enough of these folks to know that they are OC'ing both thier GPU's and CPU's as well.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Nice rig man but better get some cable management in there!


Thank you kind sir for the only person acknowledging my big moon step foward to gaming lol. now if only the rest of peeps here could help me=p


----------



## ivanlabrie

I guess...it's not such big of a deal. And, welcome red.

@dmfree: I still think you're a touch too sensitive with this whole AMD cpus can't handle quadfire for benching deal. I think they are decent chips and good enough for gaming but quadfire is not cheap, and it really doesn't make much sense when you can buy a sandy or ivy rig for less at times, factoring in the expensive boards you need to oc an octo core.
If you prefer to support AMD then more power to you, I'd rather not support Nvidia but I also want what's best for me and my intended usage. I bench, and I also game a bit, but I also mine coins since it helps pay bills here in Argentina. (power is cheap and usd is expensive)

And I'm doing my best posting, I'm at work and can't concentrate all my efforts on writing stuff in this thread.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm not against your personal choice to run whatever setup you want. That's not my point so you misunderstood. Run whatever you want, it's "your" choice, but when you choose to run a less than ideal setup and continually misinform inexperienced members to sway them down the same choice you made.... That's what I have a problem with. Again I've no problem if you decide trifire is what you need on a single panel.
> Going quadfire on AMD cpu is very far from the ideal. If at all possible you should steer ppl out of that direction. And given the cost associated with quadfire rigs and all the bells and whistles, it really is stupid not to look seriously into a cheap x79 rig. The cost difference is not much, 200 ish.
> 
> It is comical that ppl are actually questioning this. Why are there not more benches showing quad gpu with amd cpus out there? Cuz they are freaking slow! Its one thing to buy the best that you can and hope for the best. It's an entirely other matter to direct ppl into a worse setup and for what reasons?
> 
> I searched for the fastest 3dm11.
> 
> Heres a beta one, just ran 9-28. Pscore 17964
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7231786
> 
> Oh looky here trifire Pscore 16840 Zomg look at that [email protected]#$
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5392240
> 
> You might recognize this one which is what I clocked at for comparison:
> 
> doh lost the link, it was red's quad run at 1125/1575. He got 14K pscore.
> 
> Now here's a run at same clocks. Pscore 26912. It's comical because this puny clocked run is enough to get me 51st on the 3dm11 Perf HoF.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7391500


because you fail to see the point, its not about bench numbers.


----------



## CptAsian

Can you guys stop bickering and take this discussion to a new thread? Thanks.


----------



## bigmac11

Wow I didn't know we had a new mod


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> I dont understand why you act like im being aggressive? and now your lieing claiming you said something different... You say you only say its not great for benching when you clearly said i dont agree with using it for quadfire. My argument has and will continue to be that this is not true amd handles quadfire fine. But you continue to claim otherwise and now trying to accuse me of being aggressive when you are giving absolutely ridiculous responses and continually changing the subject and or not providing logical answers with facts to back them up. Other then "they ALL must have been stock or something".
> 
> Big bowl of DENiAL


Except the two guys using quad fire were clocked at 4.5ghz vs red's 5.0ghz
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> No, No, you don't get it both ways. I have had conversations with TSM and he picks through a lot of cards to find the 4 'golden cards he uses.(and good for him) I believe his lowest clocking card will do 1330 core if memory serves. Also the highest OC bench I have submitted is the anemic 1125 that the CCC allows. I may get some computer time to bench as I am going to be housebound for a while with my wifes situation. If I do I will put up some VRM squealing 1.35v results up as well. It will close the gap.
> and if you are going to tell me I am doing it wrong, you better look up # 15& 16 and tell them they are really doing it wrong...although I have no idea how you will parse that with fact tat they are both using Intel E-editions...but Like I said...you c can't have it both ways.
> Not to mention that on m,any of these lists, the guys at the top are using Phase change, Dice, or other.
> nice try though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @ Ivan.
> Thanks for the good thoughts.
> Now, nobody is spending $$$ on a $500-$1000 CPU and submitting underclocked results. I have talked with enough of these folks to know that they are OC'ing both thier GPU's and CPU's as well.


Grats on beating people with lower clocks?

Why do you assume 1.35v has to be VRM squealing? I've seen more dumped on it and it was fine. These 7970s can take a beating.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'm not against your personal choice to run whatever setup you want. That's not my point so you misunderstood. Run whatever you want, it's "your" choice, but when you choose to run a less than ideal setup and continually misinform inexperienced members to sway them down the same choice you made.... That's what I have a problem with. Again I've no problem if you decide trifire is what you need on a single panel.
> 
> 
> 
> Please point out where I mislead anyone? Why is one panel not an ideal setup? I think your confused and now so am I. Whatever I'm done either way.
Click to expand...

I wasn't referring to you regarding the misleading part. I could have worded that better for sure.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Except the two guys using quad fire were clocked at 4.5ghz vs red's 5.0ghz
> Grats on beating people with lower clocks?
> 
> Why do you assume 1.35v has to be VRM squealing? I've seen more dumped on it and it was fine. These 7970s can take a beating.


omg its like talking to a brick wall or something.... the point wasnt that his is the BEST THERE IS or something. the point is its capable of running quadfire without issue. and sees reasonable numbers. I dont have time for this cuz im working but really man... really... just get it through your head were not saying hes the best out there or that amd is the best option. just that it works fine and its not bottlenecking CLEARLY. Just needs a little more umph to compete. WE KNOW THAT... get over yourself jeeeeebus


----------



## istudy92

could someone help me...lol=[


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 1) no it was not at 5.2
> 2) at least its not holding me back as bad ad the 4930 and 3930 below it. (# 15 & 16) christ, look before you post. But thanks for the laugh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and I have lots of room left on both the GPU and CPU.
> 
> 
> 
> You're telling me to look before I post but you don't see tsm106 on top? Doin it wrong
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> No, No, you don't get it both ways. I have had conversations with TSM and he picks through a lot of cards to find the 4 'golden cards he uses.(and good for him) I believe his lowest clocking card will do 1330 core if memory serves. Also the highest OC bench I have submitted is the anemic 1125 that the CCC allows. I may get some computer time to bench as I am going to be housebound for a while with my wifes situation. If I do I will put up some VRM squealing 1.35v results up as well. It will close the gap.
> and if you are going to tell me I am doing it wrong, you better look up # 15& 16 and tell them they are really doing it wrong...although I have no idea how you will parse that with fact tat they are both using Intel E-editions...but Like I said...you c can't have it both ways.
> Not to mention that on m,any of these lists, the guys at the top are using Phase change, Dice, or other.
> nice try though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @ Ivan.
> Thanks for the good thoughts.
> Now, nobody is spending $$$ on a $500-$1000 CPU and submitting underclocked results. I have talked with enough of these folks to know that they are OC'ing both thier GPU's and CPU's as well.
Click to expand...









What the hell do my cards have to do with running benches at your clocks to compare the speed difference. The fact is you run a specifically slower setup BY CHOICE. You know it, and we all know it. The problem is you choose to cheerlead for the slower setup, and you end up misinforming others about the best practices, or ideal method to get the highest performance one can get.

How many times do I have to run benches at your clocks to show this over and over???

http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-4-0-scores/1320_40#post_19343118

Why don't do drop your 3dm11 or any other gpu bench out there, at your simple overdrive at clocks. We'll compare any bench any time. Now ask ppl if its worth it to spend an extra few hundred dollars to get the 25% gain? That's a freaking deal.


----------



## istudy92

Everytime I press enable, CCC program blinks back to "disable"

They are sorta diff cards same brand both OC editions





the bios are diff but does that matter? if it does how do i fix it?


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> 
> Everytime I press enable, CCC program blinks back to "disable"


have you restarted your system after enabling crossfire

my pc did teh same

it seems like its just a glitch with CCC


----------



## dmfree88

some people start out poor and get like one gpu at a time cause they cant afford the full setup.
some people arent rich...

AGAIN noone EVER said he was the best anyways. Just stated its perfectly suitable for quadfire. you guys are just full of yourselves


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> some people start out poor and get like one gpu at a time cause they cant afford the full setup.
> some people arent rich...
> 
> AGAIN noone EVER said he was the best anyways. Just stated its perfectly suitable for quadfire. you guys are just full of yourselves


i dont think anyone is full of themselves on this thread

yes i have a 3930k based pc in my signature but i am also an uni student and make ariund $450-500 a fortnight

so it took me 3 months of savings to make my rig

really if you put in the effort for something you like its worth it in the end


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> have you restarted your system after enabling crossfire
> 
> my pc did teh same
> 
> it seems like its just a glitch with CCC


You sir deserve a gosh damn hot chocolate melted cookie right outa the damn oven! (or oatmeal if u perfer, or terimisu if ur too good for cookies? lol)

Thanks it solved my problem=] such a simple solution overseen -..-


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You sir deserve a gosh damn hot chocolate melted cookie right outa the damn oven! (or oatmeal if u perfer, or terimisu if ur too good for cookies? lol)
> 
> Thanks it solved my problem=] such a simple solution overseen -..-


hahaha no problem

believe me i felt like an idiot when i did it for the first time i was sitting around for 3 hours and getting mad at my pc i nearly returned my second 7950 because of this

but this is OCN and glad i could help

edit- make sure you disable ULPS for maximum performance of 2 cards

have fun and would recommend using 13.8 beta for maximum Cf performance

( i seemed to lose 3d mark score w/ 13.9 and 13.11)


----------



## eternal7trance

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You sir deserve a gosh damn hot chocolate melted cookie right outa the damn oven! (or oatmeal if u perfer, or terimisu if ur too good for cookies? lol)
> 
> Thanks it solved my problem=] such a simple solution overseen -..-


You'd be surprised all the crazy stuff that gets fixed by restarting lol


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> You'd be surprised all the crazy stuff that gets fixed by restarting lol


true that brother

i have fixed wierd issues with USB's that dont etect by just plugging out the power cable from my PSU

i am so wierded out by these things


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> i dont think anyone is full of themselves on this thread
> 
> yes i have a 3930k based pc in my signature but i am also an uni student and make ariund $450-500 a fortnight
> 
> so it took me 3 months of savings to make my rig
> 
> really if you put in the effort for something you like its worth it in the end


i didnt say it wasnt.... some people would rather or need to buy it now with maybe one gpu and dont have the extra 200 dollars to go i7.. so they get amd and it works fine.. then maybe over time (like even a year or more) they get another gpu or maybe even manage to get all 4. but either way this doesnt make it a bad choice. Just doesnt make it the optimum possibility. Not all people can afford to nor care to beat everyone at a benchmark. Again for the umptillionth time i never said AMD was better. i never said it was the best choice. I said its a perfectly logical and sensable choice. and your not hindering yourself from doing quadfire its perfectly capable. It also leaves alot more room for cooling investments which can yield similar results or better then stock intel (for still less then the cost of intel). So this is obviously a reasonable choice its maybe not the best when you could just save a little more and get intel and have a slightly better rig.

ALL that asside the whole point was its perfectly capable of handling quadfire. I wouldnt recommend to someone who has a bunch of money to pick amd over intel. But if they are dead set on getting it now and only have enough for AMD then its a perfectly plauseable option. Aswell as to start with. If you dont have much money to start and you want to upgrade as you go and need a PC like NOW. Then AMD is a good way to go and eventually can still be quadfire and a decent powerhouse. I dont get why this is translated into this madness?


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> i didnt say it wasnt.... some people would rather or need to buy it now with maybe one gpu and dont have the extra 200 dollars to go i7.. so they get amd and it works fine.. then maybe over time (like even a year or more) they get another gpu or maybe even manage to get all 4. but either way this doesnt make it a bad choice. Just doesnt make it the optimum possibility. Not all people can afford to nor care to beat everyone at a benchmark. Again for the umptillionth time i never said AMD was better. i never said it was the best choice. I said its a perfectly logical and sensable choice. and your not hindering yourself from doing quadfire its perfectly capable. It also leaves alot more room for cooling investments which can yield similar results or better then stock intel (for still less then the cost of intel). So this is obviously a reasonable choice its maybe not the best when you could just save a little more and get intel and have a slightly better rig.
> 
> ALL that asside the whole point was its perfectly capable of handling quadfire. I wouldnt recommend to someone who has a bunch of money to pick amd over intel. But if they are dead set on getting it now and only have enough for AMD then its a perfectly plauseable option. Aswell as to start with. If you dont have much money to start and you want to upgrade as you go and need a PC like NOW. Then AMD is a good way to go and eventually can still be quadfire and a decent powerhouse. I dont get why this is translated into this madness?


sorry this is just my mistake then

i thought the topic was going off hand and was just about people gloating and showing off

i was just simply trying to understand the situation

My bad ...


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> hahaha no problem
> 
> believe me i felt like an idiot when i did it for the first time i was sitting around for 3 hours and getting mad at my pc i nearly returned my second 7950 because of this
> 
> but this is OCN and glad i could help
> 
> edit- make sure you disable ULPS for maximum performance of 2 cards
> 
> have fun and would recommend using 13.8 beta for maximum Cf performance
> 
> ( i seemed to lose 3d mark score w/ 13.9 and 13.11)


awh really!?

gezz it was soo annoying to wait for 13.11-__- i guess ill revert back to it 13.8 lol
lol well yeah thanks i sat 2 hours cause pplz be yappen about who knows what in this forum these past few posts lol.
AMD WOOAHHH go RED LALALLA lol *shrug*

um now im trying to set up my 2nd card to fold anyone know how to configure? (if not dw ill go to folding form and stuff but mine as well ask around here=p)


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *eternal7trance*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> 1) no it was not at 5.2
> 2) at least its not holding me back as bad ad the 4930 and 3930 below it. (# 15 & 16) christ, look before you post. But thanks for the laugh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...and I have lots of room left on both the GPU and CPU.
> 
> 
> 
> You're telling me to look before I post but you don't see tsm106 on top? Doin it wrong
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> No, No, you don't get it both ways. I have had conversations with TSM and he picks through a lot of cards to find the 4 'golden cards he uses.(and good for him) I believe his lowest clocking card will do 1330 core if memory serves. Also the highest OC bench I have submitted is the anemic 1125 that the CCC allows. I may get some computer time to bench as I am going to be housebound for a while with my wifes situation. If I do I will put up some VRM squealing 1.35v results up as well. It will close the gap.
> and if you are going to tell me I am doing it wrong, you better look up # 15& 16 and tell them they are really doing it wrong...although I have no idea how you will parse that with fact tat they are both using Intel E-editions...but Like I said...you c can't have it both ways.
> Not to mention that on m,any of these lists, the guys at the top are using Phase change, Dice, or other.
> nice try though.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> @ Ivan.
> Thanks for the good thoughts.
> Now, nobody is spending $$$ on a $500-$1000 CPU and submitting underclocked results. I have talked with enough of these folks to know that they are OC'ing both thier GPU's and CPU's as well.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What the hell do my cards have to do with running benches at your clocks to compare the speed difference. The fact is you run a specifically slower setup BY CHOICE. You know it, and we all know it. The problem is you choose to cheerlead for the slower setup, and you end up misinforming others about the best practices, or ideal method to get the highest performance one can get.
> 
> How many times do I have to run benches at your clocks to show this over and over???
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-4-0-scores/1320_40#post_19343118
> 
> Why don't do drop your 3dm11 or any other gpu bench out there, at your simple overdrive at clocks. We'll compare any bench any time. Now ask ppl if its worth it to spend an extra few hundred dollars to get the 25% gain? That's a freaking deal.
Click to expand...

R you nuts?
A few differences
1) different driver set
2) what does 4.8GHz Intel have to do with 4.8GHz AMD?
3) What does choosing to run at a lower core have to do with anything? (I just said I would amp mine up if I get the time to and Post them)
4) I care very little about benches. I have said this before, I will say it again. I am a graphics whore and build for running hi -res games with everything maxed out...and do
5) what does your 1330 cards have to do with anything? ..quite a lot actually ( look at the others with the same CPU and GPU's that don't do near as well as you do.


If your golden cards have nothing to do with it, then why are there two quad 7970 setups with a 3930 and a 4960 10+ frames below me?

6) congrats! you take the 3DMark crown @ 1280 x 720 , I will put my game numbers up against yours at anytime at hi res (which is entirely my point of the quads I build)
7) If you want to pay the benchmark game, fine run HWbot Prime and lets compare.
8) before you start the IPC crap, thats fine. it's an interesting number for arch comparison , but who uys a V-8 and unplugs seven of the cylinders?
9) You know damn well, and this is the one that irritates me to no end., Benchmarks are designed for, and give full credit for all of the GPU on board in a linear fashion. GAMES DO NOT. If benching between 720p and 1080P is your thing then great for you. I have said since day one that my goal is performance in games at hi-res.
10) I don't misinform anyone about anything. people who come to me already have their 8350/8320 in hand or on the way.
11) as I said in my previous post. if I get some time, I will amp up my GPU's and post new benches. I will have few for you as well to see if you can match. I notice guys like you like the 720p and the SuperPrime stuff. So you like shooting your trap off about the benches of your choosing, I have a few for you to run.
12) I just broke out Trixx and AB for the first time in a long while and guess what? they continued to scale with no CPU increase.
13) 720p bench to your hearts delight and have fun. It's about the gaming performance. and there is no 25% increase. It's title by title. Careful of the crap you are trying to peddle. I own a 3820, 3770K, and 3930. I know how the dynamics work.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> hahaha no problem
> 
> believe me i felt like an idiot when i did it for the first time i was sitting around for 3 hours and getting mad at my pc i nearly returned my second 7950 because of this
> 
> but this is OCN and glad i could help
> 
> edit- make sure you disable ULPS for maximum performance of 2 cards
> 
> have fun and would recommend using 13.8 beta for maximum Cf performance
> 
> ( i seemed to lose 3d mark score w/ 13.9 and 13.11)
> 
> 
> 
> awh really!?
> 
> gezz it was soo annoying to wait for 13.11-__- i guess ill revert back to it 13.8 lol
> lol well yeah thanks i sat 2 hours cause pplz be yappen about who knows what in this forum these past few posts lol.
> AMD WOOAHHH go RED LALALLA lol *shrug*
> 
> um now im trying to set up my 2nd card to fold anyone know how to configure? (if not dw ill go to folding form and stuff but mine as well ask around here=p)
Click to expand...

You seem new around here? Check out this link on the fundamentals of setting up overclocking which will play a direct correlation to how well the cards behave.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40

Check the distributed computing forum for guides on your flavor folding, etc.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> sorry this is just my mistake then
> 
> i thought the topic was going off hand and was just about people gloating and showing off
> 
> i was just simply trying to understand the situation
> 
> My bad ...


your fine no worries.. that was my exact problem i was having i was like wth is everyones problem as soon as i said amd was ok to use for quadfire it was like a balloon bursted with all the amd hate hit the fan


----------



## Paul17041993

if I had the money Id probably do quadfire with an AMD system anyway, just general experience, the other option would be an 8 core xeon, but... that's both ridiculously expensive in comparison and looses overclocking...

sure I could get a 4770K, still quite a bit costly in comparison, but also only has 4 cores, and HyperThreading... if there's one thing I hate the most its stuttering from threads not getting power at the right time... that and tasks that like 6-8 cores hate 4 hyperthreaded cores...

I'm all for moving tasks to parallel anyway, the single thread cpu is long overdue for retirement...


----------



## SchmoSalt

Does anyone know why MSI Afterburner cannot set or even view my 7950's voltage? It appears that GPU-Z and Kombustor can at least view my card's voltage, even though they report two different values.

I've tried both the unofficial overclocking mode and low-level hardware access in Afterburner to no avail.



Thanks,
Matt


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> Does anyone know why MSI Afterburner cannot set or even view my 7950's voltage? It appears that GPU-Z and Kombustor can at least view my card's voltage, even though they report two different values.
> 
> I've tried both the unofficial overclocking mode and low-level hardware access in Afterburner to no avail.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Matt


gpu-z is just plain rubbish its soo buggy

i would trust afterburner or something like hw monitor for voltages


----------



## inedenimadam

Make sure voltage control is ticked in the options, and if that doesn't work; Try Afterburner Beta build.


----------



## SchmoSalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Make sure voltage control is ticked in the options, and if that doesn't work; Try Afterburner Beta build.


No dice. I checked again and the voltage control was ticked on in Afterburner. I installed the latest beta but voltage control is still blocked out.



I'm beginning to wonder if the card itself is voltage locked or something is messing with it in my UEFI.

Thanks for the help!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey guys finally got home to put my card in!!=]
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> new 7950=p
> My 1st time doing all this kool experience i must say, if anything its really thrilling more so even to put it out the world of pplz who appriciate games and hardware=p
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I need a little help from you guys=/
> 
> 1) My rig seems messy...any tips on how to clean up wires, or what I can do to extend wires because I can use the back of my case to hide wires..BUT idk what I need to extend the wires=/
> 
> 2) I installed CCC, but when I click on "enable CF" it goes back to "disable" circle is that supposed to happen?
> 2a) wth am i supposed to do lol...-___- i feel like a noob again!
> 2b) where do I put CF bridge tape thingy?? like there are 2 um..top thingings...as u can see i put it on the furthest left of card, should i put it on the center area??


congrats welcome !! the cfx bridge goes on either finger, attached to the same one below it. ( not that it matters but it could damage the bridge ! )

zip ties are your friends !~!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You sir deserve a gosh damn hot chocolate melted cookie right outa the damn oven! (or oatmeal if u perfer, or terimisu if ur too good for cookies? lol)
> 
> Thanks it solved my problem=] such a simple solution overseen -..-


haha i had the same problem
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> Does anyone know why MSI Afterburner cannot set or even view my 7950's voltage? It appears that GPU-Z and Kombustor can at least view my card's voltage, even though they report two different values.
> 
> I've tried both the unofficial overclocking mode and low-level hardware access in Afterburner to no avail.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Matt


is your card voltage locked?


----------



## FernTeixe

lol sometimes I see long discussions about what is the "best" and I think ... "in my country you must have 3x more money than those guys to do the same, will have to import and will take like 1 month to complete this kind of spec"..and I feel depressed... even more when I ask , or anyone ask about something that is clearly not a good/best option but is the best money/performance...or clearly the only option the person have available...and then someone say "oh go with a blah-blah it's the best and only 50 bucks" ...

most of the time who do it have a very very high-end rig and looks like the person is trolling...

also sometimes 2 person talking about almost a homemade way to cooldown something... or even a very cheap and homemade stuff... and a guy with an very expensive rig say "lol brah u crazy? get a kuler custom for 300 bucks, if you can buy 2 video card u can do it"

=_=


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> Does anyone know why MSI Afterburner cannot set or even view my 7950's voltage? It appears that GPU-Z and Kombustor can at least view my card's voltage, even though they report two different values.
> 
> I've tried both the unofficial overclocking mode and low-level hardware access in Afterburner to no avail.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Matt


seems the same as what my 7970 does, think it might be locked? what card and BIOS it have?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> lol sometimes I see long discussions about what is the "best" and I think ... "in my country you must have 3x more money than those guys to do the same, will have to import and will take like 1 month to complete this kind of spec"..and I feel depressed... even more when I ask , or anyone ask about something that is clearly not a good/best option but is the best money/performance...or clearly the only option the person have available...and then someone say "oh go with a blah-blah it's the best and only 50 bucks" ...
> 
> most of the time who do it have a very very high-end rig and looks like the person is trolling...
> 
> also sometimes 2 person talking about almost a homemade way to cooldown something... or even a very cheap and homemade stuff... and a guy with an very expensive rig say "lol brah u crazy? get a kuler custom for 300 bucks, if you can buy 2 video card u can do it"
> 
> =_=


I'm not trolling dude...I work hard, and save, and have to resort to importing extra stuff to resell it to gather funds.
The cost of one r9 290x equals 80% of my monthly pay in local currency after shipping and tax. And it easily sells for 1.5-2x that when it gets here...


----------



## jezzer

Anyone with a 7990 playing BF4?

Wondering what min-max FPS is on max settings with that card


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey guys finally got home to put my card in!!=]
> 
> new 7950=p
> My 1st time doing all this kool experience i must say, if anything its really thrilling more so even to put it out the world of pplz who appriciate games and hardware=p
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I need a little help from you guys=/
> 
> 1) My rig seems messy...any tips on how to clean up wires, or what I can do to extend wires because I can use the back of my case to hide wires..BUT idk what I need to extend the wires=/
> 
> 2) I installed CCC, but when I click on "enable CF" it goes back to "disable" circle is that supposed to happen?
> 2a) wth am i supposed to do lol...-___- i feel like a noob again!
> 2b) where do I put CF bridge tape thingy?? like there are 2 um..top thingings...as u can see i put it on the furthest left of card, should i put it on the center area??


i, see if you can run the wire under the gpus like this . . .


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







the other thing, you can prolly remove that bottom cage, run the wires for the gpus to the back and back in using zipties to keep them nice and neat like Mega said. Those are flat wires and you should secure them flat at the back so you can still close the back side door without problem.

edit: i just noticed. we have the same case. 912? i took the middle rack out . . .



installed the hdd at the bottom rack facing the other way. if you do the same, you should not have trouble closing the side door.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I'm not trolling dude...I work hard, and save, and have to resort to importing extra stuff to resell it to gather funds.
> The cost of one r9 290x equals 80% of my monthly pay in local currency after shipping and tax. And it easily sells for 1.5-2x that when it gets here...


it wan'st to you... but if you do this kind of stuff, yeah it's for you too so.

I'm in brazil ... and you might know we have worse prices. 1800us$ for a PS4 can show how stupid is my country.

As I said when some people go telling about what is the "best" without taking in consideration who doable is to the others, is like trolling.
I didn't said it to one person. but every week you'll find people saying what is "better/best" without considering what people said about their own conditions. I think it's lack of empathy and seems nonsense. Since someone is going to lose time to help, why would they just show the "best" instead of getting around the problem itself ?
So that's why looks like people are showing off their own stuff and trolling.

sorry my english hermano <3 and argentia is way better than here, I went in your country some times, and college , streets everything is better







and paraguay may be closer to you haha.


----------



## jezzer

Does the 7990 support DX11.2?
AMD site says no but yes for the 7xxx series


----------



## FernTeixe

if it's true I don't know, but they say it will support

http://www.legitreviews.com/amd-radeon-hd-7000-series-video-cards-will-support-directx-11-2-after-driver-update_121841


----------



## jezzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> if it's true I don't know, but they say it will support
> 
> http://www.legitreviews.com/amd-radeon-hd-7000-series-video-cards-will-support-directx-11-2-after-driver-update_121841


Yes i read that, but they talk about 7000 series. U would say the 7990 is also within the 7000 series but i wonder why on the AMD site the 7990 is not cited as DX11.2 compatible.

Since 7000 series is made compatible AMD changed specs on their site to note that but they dit not do it for the 7990 card.

I really like the price of the 7990 now but if it does not support DX11.2 it's a bummer.


----------



## preston.murrell

any ideas on water cooling a devil 13 guys? i only know of the ekwb block but its so expensive!!!!!! but water cooling it is becoming a must so i can have complete silence in my gaming


----------



## FernTeixe

well in the product specification it shows 11.1 for 7970

http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7970/Pages/radeon-7970.aspx#3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *preston.murrell*
> 
> any ideas on water cooling a devil 13 guys? i only know of the ekwb block but its so expensive!!!!!! but water cooling it is becoming a must so i can have complete silence in my gaming


I was searching how to wc my 7970 oc with boost (there is no block for it..) and I found it


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i, see if you can run the wire under the gpus like this . . .
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the other thing, you can prolly remove that bottom cage, run the wires for the gpus to the back and back in using zipties to keep them nice and neat like Mega said. Those are flat wires and you should secure them flat at the back so you can still close the back side door without problem.
> 
> edit: i just noticed. we have the same case. 912? i took the middle rack out . . .
> 
> 
> 
> installed the hdd at the bottom rack facing the other way. if you do the same, you should not have trouble closing the side door.










such a clean rig!!!
ahh!!

Well my main issue is that the cords itself are not long enough like the mobo power if I put it through the back of my case it wont reach the mobo conntection on top far left corner.
Do extensions exist? And what are they called so i can amazon them=p


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> such a clean rig!!!
> ahh!!
> 
> Well my main issue is that the cords itself are not long enough like the mobo power if I put it through the back of my case it wont reach the mobo conntection on top far left corner.
> Do extensions exist? And what are they called so i can amazon them=p


at least do the 8 pin by running it under the gpus. you will have to uninstall both gpus first. it should reach. after that, redo the gpu cables, which are plenty long. run them at the back. remove the middle rack. it is only being held by screws (keep the screws). use zipties to secure the cables at the back of the motherboard base. those cables are sturdy - do not tighten the zipties until you have properly ran them, measured, and viewed from the front. when it looks good, then tighten them.

take your time but hurry - BF4 is here! ha!


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Wow I didn't know we had a new mod


Well, I'm sorry if I sounded a little too authoritative. The fact that people had been arguing over this for the past five pages just really bothered me for some reason.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> it wan'st to you... but if you do this kind of stuff, yeah it's for you too so.
> 
> I'm in brazil ... and you might know we have worse prices. 1800us$ for a PS4 can show how stupid is my country.
> 
> As I said when some people go telling about what is the "best" without taking in consideration who doable is to the others, is like trolling.
> I didn't said it to one person. but every week you'll find people saying what is "better/best" without considering what people said about their own conditions. I think it's lack of empathy and seems nonsense. Since someone is going to lose time to help, why would they just show the "best" instead of getting around the problem itself ?
> So that's why looks like people are showing off their own stuff and trolling.
> 
> sorry my english hermano <3 and argentia is way better than here, I went in your country some times, and college , streets everything is better
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and paraguay may be closer to you haha.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> such a clean rig!!!
> ahh!!
> 
> Well my main issue is that the cords itself are not long enough like the mobo power if I put it through the back of my case it wont reach the mobo conntection on top far left corner.
> Do extensions exist? And what are they called so i can amazon them=p


http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34_804_805&products_id=36186


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jezzer*
> 
> Yes i read that, but they talk about 7000 series. U would say the 7990 is also within the 7000 series but i wonder why on the AMD site the 7990 is not cited as DX11.2 compatible.
> 
> Since 7000 series is made compatible AMD changed specs on their site to note that but they dit not do it for the 7990 card.
> 
> I really like the price of the 7990 now but if it does not support DX11.2 it's a bummer.


It doesn't state the 7950 is capable of 11.2 either.


----------



## sugarhell

They support 11.2 already.


----------



## SchmoSalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> seems the same as what my 7970 does, think it might be locked? what card and BIOS it have?


That's what it looks like.

Card:
SAPPHIRE 100352-3L

BIOS:
015.029.000.002.000000 (113-1E249100-S41)


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> it wan'st to you... but if you do this kind of stuff, yeah it's for you too so.
> 
> I'm in brazil ... and you might know we have worse prices. 1800us$ for a PS4 can show how stupid is my country.
> 
> As I said when some people go telling about what is the "best" without taking in consideration who doable is to the others, is like trolling.
> I didn't said it to one person. but every week you'll find people saying what is "better/best" without considering what people said about their own conditions. I think it's lack of empathy and seems nonsense. Since someone is going to lose time to help, why would they just show the "best" instead of getting around the problem itself ?
> So that's why looks like people are showing off their own stuff and trolling.
> 
> sorry my english hermano <3 and argentia is way better than here, I went in your country some times, and college , streets everything is better
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and paraguay may be closer to you haha.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> I'm not trolling dude...I work hard, and save, and have to resort to importing extra stuff to resell it to gather funds.
> The cost of one r9 290x equals 80% of my monthly pay in local currency after shipping and tax. And it easily sells for 1.5-2x that when it gets here...


you south Americans always trolling in here... Lol jp


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> That's what it looks like.
> 
> Card:
> SAPPHIRE 100352-3L
> 
> BIOS:
> 015.029.000.002.000000 (113-1E249100-S41)


odd sapphires are usually unlocked. Have you tried trixx betas ect?

If those don't work I would recommend modding your bios with the techpowerup tool.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> you south Americans always trolling in here... Lol jp


that's why I don't put location in my profile. I hate the brazilians we find at foruns/games . Since I'm brazilian I feel ok to say it without being racist or anything like this.
anyway people from argentina is usually nice... but yeah south america is a problem


----------



## LukePilot152

Hello,

I'm wondering about voltages and what to do with them. At stock clocks the voltage is set to 1.175v, but as I don't plan to overclock until I get a 1080P monitor, can I lower these voltages to achieve lower temperatures? Core will remain at 1000 and memory at 5600 (1400)

Regards
Luke


----------



## Darklyric

Just keep lowering it until it becomes unstable or crashes. 1.1v is usually pretty easy.


----------



## inedenimadam

Does anybody know what type of memory voltage is safe for a 7970 with hynix memory? on air? on water? Stock voltage is 1.500, and it can do 1600 on that.


----------



## sugarhell

Under water 1.7


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LukePilot152*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I'm wondering about voltages and what to do with them. At stock clocks the voltage is set to 1.175v, but as I don't plan to overclock until I get a 1080P monitor, can I lower these voltages to achieve lower temperatures? Core will remain at 1000 and memory at 5600 (1400)
> 
> Regards
> Luke


hohoho I know what card you have...

but yea, try lowering the voltage to 1.15, see if it stays stable, then 1.1, etc until it seems unstable, think 1.1V is the usual spot but knowing your card it may or may not like it...


----------



## LukePilot152

Okay, so I did some tests and I've documented my findings in a lengthy blog post that can be found here:
http://hwpilot.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/fiddling-with-gpu-voltage-what-does-it.html

Don't worry, I did put a little note at the bottom thanking you guys for your help.

Paul17041993 - If you guessed my card was an Asus HD 7970 DirectCU then you'd be correct - I love it!

Best Regards
Luke


----------



## DaClownie

Hey guys... having a bit of an issue, hoping someone can lend me a hand...

I had the issue where I used the AMD uninstall utility in Windows 8 and it jacked up my install. So, I figured... why not just reinstall, update to win8.1, and get the latest drivers while I'm at it.

I'm now running Windows 8.1, my processor is overclocked to 4.6GHz, my video card is clocked at 1200/1600. Everything is stable, running fine as they're not even my max overclocks on either. I'm running Catalyst 13.9, and I'm getting weird issues in ALL games.

So when I first start up the computer, it works fine. It lets me game just fine, no issues with BF4 or Path of Exile, Fallout, etc. However, It's now 5 hours later, I sit back down to game, and BF4 keeps crashing with a DirectX crash, and Path of exile gets 2-4 second stutters where I have a line on he screen like it was mid drawing of a frame, FPS drops to 0, etc.

Any idea what I can do to get this to work correctly again? these are the same clocks/volts/temps that I ran on Windows8, and now with 8.1 and Catalyst 13.9 instead of 13.6 I can't get everything to play nice anymore. :/


----------



## ivanlabrie

Running the uninstaller without uninstalling manually first got me into trouble as well...I'd reinstall, then uninstall, then reboot in safe mode and run atiman uninstaller.


----------



## tsm106

Win 8? Just run the driver install, choose to uninstall, express. Don't reboot till after next step. Then uninstall CIM in control panel. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You sir deserve a gosh damn hot chocolate melted cookie right outa the damn oven! (or oatmeal if u perfer, or terimisu if ur too good for cookies? lol)
> 
> Thanks it solved my problem=] such a simple solution overseen -..-


Awesome, glad you got it sorted, and it was such a simple solution.

Have you tried any benchmarks on the 7950 CF setup? I just added a 2nd 670 to my PC the other week, and am curious to how it compares to a 7950 CFX setup, I assume slower because SLI scaling is pretty sorry compared to CFX, but I'd love to compare some results with you, or any other 7950 CFX setups.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Awesome, glad you got it sorted, and it was such a simple solution.
> 
> Have you tried any benchmarks on the 7950 CF setup? I just added a 2nd 670 to my PC the other week, and am curious to how it compares to a 7950 CFX setup, I assume slower because SLI scaling is pretty sorry compared to CFX, but I'd love to compare some results with you, or any other 7950 CFX setups.


Here's my run of 3DMark11 Performance , GPU's at stock 900/1250MHz.:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331740

Here's 3DMark11 Performance with OC @ 1000/1575MHz (stock voltages):

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7339755
Here's Valley bench, Extreme HD p...,
Average FPS: 57
Minimum FPS: 50
CHEERS..


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Awesome, glad you got it sorted, and it was such a simple solution.
> 
> Have you tried any benchmarks on the 7950 CF setup? I just added a 2nd 670 to my PC the other week, and am curious to how it compares to a 7950 CFX setup, I assume slower because SLI scaling is pretty sorry compared to CFX, but I'd love to compare some results with you, or any other 7950 CFX setups.


Yeahhh well with the overclocks I have not done so, because I do not know how to individually overclock the 2nd card without the 1st one being affected.
Can anyone help me out with that? =]

Here are my benchmarks for 3d11, firestrike extream, and regular.

Below is 900mhz dual


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!





Then this one is 800Mhz


And finally 1000Mhz




My 1st card iv been able to push it to 1170, 2nd card I still need to figure out its max.

how do my scores fare for a fx4300 OC 4.7 and stockish clocks on GPU?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Here's my run of 3DMark11 Performance , GPU's at stock 900/1250MHz.:
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7331740
> 
> Here's 3DMark11 Performance with OC @ 1000/1575MHz (stock voltages):
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7339755
> Here's Valley bench, Extreme HD p...1/7395805]http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7395805
> 
> and here is a Valley run on OCd on stock voltage:
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I couldn't figure out how to get a screenshot in Valley, so I just saved the results, and then took a SS of that. When I did printscreen in Valley it got my desktop.
> 
> I'll try some bone stock clocks now.
> 
> Dang, I don't have Crysis 3, pretty much the only AAA title I don't have in recent years. They lost me after Crysis 2.
> 
> [edit]
> 
> Oh cool, @istudy92 I'll try some Fire Strike while I have the cards OCd, then I'll do stock runs of the 3 benches.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *preston.murrell*
> 
> any ideas on water cooling a devil 13 guys? i only know of the ekwb block but its so expensive!!!!!! but water cooling it is becoming a must so i can have complete silence in my gaming


You don't have any coil whine? If not, heck yeah throw a block on there, and keep it around for a long time.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Awesome thanks! Hrmm...my 670s on stock volts are doing better than I thought against 7950s.
> 
> We have similar CPUs, mine is 3570k @ 4.5ghz.
> 
> My OCd on stock voltage results:
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7395805
> 
> and here is a Valley run on OCd on stock voltage:
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I couldn't figure out how to get a screenshot in Valley, so I just saved the results, and then took a SS of that. When I did printscreen in Valley it got my desktop.
> 
> I'll try some bone stock clocks now.
> 
> Dang, I don't have Crysis 3, pretty much the only AAA title I don't have in recent years. They lost me after Crysis 2.


Yeah , actually nVidia usually does better in 3DMark 11 and Valley than AMD but that's all I have.

GTX670 is faster than HD7950, it's pretty much on pair with HD7970, but for the price HD7950 has better value especially when overclocked.

CHEERS..


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Yeah , actually nVidia usually does better in 3DMark 11 and Valley than AMD but that's all I have.
> 
> GTX670 is faster than HD7950, it's pretty much on pair with HD7970, but for the price HD7950 has better value especially when overclocked.
> 
> CHEERS..


Ahh, gotcha, I was thinking the poor SLI scaling would be holding me back. It probably doesn't hurt that I have something like 200Mhz on you either.

Here is a quick Fire Strike run OCd on stock voltage:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1511655?

I'm going to try some stock clocks now.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LukePilot152*
> 
> Okay, so I did some tests and I've documented my findings in a lengthy blog post that can be found here:
> http://hwpilot.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/fiddling-with-gpu-voltage-what-does-it.html
> 
> Don't worry, I did put a little note at the bottom thanking you guys for your help.
> 
> Paul17041993 - If you guessed my card was an Asus HD 7970 DirectCU then you'd be correct - I love it!
> 
> Best Regards
> Luke


yea hopefully yours doesn't end up as horrible as mine...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Hey guys... having a bit of an issue, hoping someone can lend me a hand...
> 
> I had the issue where I used the AMD uninstall utility in Windows 8 and it jacked up my install. So, I figured... why not just reinstall, update to win8.1, and get the latest drivers while I'm at it.
> 
> I'm now running Windows 8.1, my processor is overclocked to 4.6GHz, my video card is clocked at 1200/1600. Everything is stable, running fine as they're not even my max overclocks on either. I'm running Catalyst 13.9, and I'm getting weird issues in ALL games.
> 
> So when I first start up the computer, it works fine. It lets me game just fine, no issues with BF4 or Path of Exile, Fallout, etc. However, It's now 5 hours later, I sit back down to game, and BF4 keeps crashing with a DirectX crash, and Path of exile gets 2-4 second stutters where I have a line on he screen like it was mid drawing of a frame, FPS drops to 0, etc.
> 
> Any idea what I can do to get this to work correctly again? these are the same clocks/volts/temps that I ran on Windows8, and now with 8.1 and Catalyst 13.9 instead of 13.6 I can't get everything to play nice anymore. :/


have you run burn tests to make sure its still stable? quite possible that it could have changed in the time you upgraded, but if tests find it stable then I guess its a driver issue, or its only unstable for the shader code that BF4 uses...


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ahh, gotcha, I was thinking the poor SLI scaling would be holding me back. It probably doesn't hurt that I have something like 200Mhz on you either.
> 
> Here is a quick Fire Strike run OCd on stock voltage:
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1511655?
> 
> I'm going to try some stock clocks now.


SLI is fine.

Actually if you look at your Graphic score in 3DMark 11 with your GTX cards @ 1000 base clock (I do not know your OC) , memory at 1750MHz and mine @ 1000/1575Mhz , your SLI system beats my CF by only 6%.

CHEERS..


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Awesome thanks! Hrmm...my 670s on stock volts are doing better than I thought against 7950s.
> 
> We have similar CPUs, mine is 3570k @ 4.5ghz.
> 
> My OCd on stock voltage results:
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7395805
> 
> and here is a Valley run on OCd on stock voltage:
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I couldn't figure out how to get a screenshot in Valley, so I just saved the results, and then took a SS of that. When I did printscreen in Valley it got my desktop.
> 
> I'll try some bone stock clocks now.
> 
> Dang, I don't have Crysis 3, pretty much the only AAA title I don't have in recent years. They lost me after Crysis 2.
> 
> [edit]
> 
> Oh cool, @istudy92
> I'll try some Fire Strike while I have the cards OCd, then I'll do stock runs of the 3 benches.


You have really good scores compared to mine!
You also have to add as a factor that my CPU is really "bad" its comparable to an intel i3 processors, I believe if I had an 8350 CPU OC a bit my scores would be 15-25% higher by many benchmarks iv seen around. 8350 seems to add an avg of 10 extra FPS (on avg)

here are my uheaven i forgot to add em


Also a quick note above scores are based on 13.11 beta drivers. A fellow OCN member advised that beta drivers perform poorly on benchmarks so i guess add a few extra pts at will. (im too lazy to revert back to test it out heeh)


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Yeah , actually nVidia usually does better in 3DMark 11 and Valley than AMD but that's all I have.
> 
> GTX670 is faster than HD7950, it's pretty much on pair with HD7970, but for the price HD7950 has better value especially when overclocked.
> 
> CHEERS..


670 isn't faster...it's a good card but not faster clock for clock in general.
1000mhz is a very small oc for a 7950 btw, you can probably do better.


----------



## anubis1127

OK, stock runs:

Fire Strike:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1511703

Fire Strike Extreme:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1511741

3DMark11 (P):

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7397205

Valley Extreme HD preset:



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!















Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> SLI is fine.
> 
> Actually if you look at your Graphic score in 3DMark 11 with your GTX cards @ 1000 base clock (I do not know your OC) , memory at 1750MHz and mine @ 1000/1575Mhz , your SLI system beats my CF by only 6%.
> 
> CHEERS..


Yeah, they were very close, and that was with mine OC, +40 Mhz over stock clocks, which are 1200Mhz for my top card, and 1176Mhz for the bottom card. Which is 1241Mhz / 1215 when benching, but the top card usually temp throttles a bit, because NV is dumb and set the threshold at 70C.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> You have really good scores compared to mine!
> You also have to add as a factor that my CPU is really "bad" its comparable to an intel i3 processors, I believe if I had an 8350 CPU OC a bit my scores would be 15-25% higher by many benchmarks iv seen around. 8350 seems to add an avg of 10 extra FPS (on avg)
> 
> here are my uheaven i forgot to add em
> 
> 
> Also a quick note above scores are based on 13.11 beta drivers. A fellow OCN member advised that beta drivers perform poorly on benchmarks so i guess add a few extra pts at will. (im too lazy to revert back to test it out heeh)


All my tests were done with the latest NV WHQL drivers, I haven't checked to see how good / bad they are for these benches.

Oh, shoot, forgot about Heaven too, I'll have to D/L and install it.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> 670 isn't faster...it's a good card but not faster clock for clock in general.
> 1000mhz is a very small oc for a 7950 btw, you can probably do better.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I think its only faster in these benches because my clock speeds stock are 200Mhz higher. It's pretty well established that hd 79xx is faster clock for clock, so I'm not going to bother downclocking.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> 670 isn't faster...it's a good card but not faster clock for clock in general.
> 1000mhz is a very small oc for a 7950 btw, you can probably do better.


I was thinking that GTX670 is faster "out of the box" than HD7950 because AMD card is so low clocked.

Once both overclocked, HD7950 shines (I said that in one of my later posts).

Yeah I could do better but not on SeaSonic G 550W PSU which is powering my rig ATM.









CHEERS..


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> I was thinking that GTX670 is faster "out of the box" than HD7950 because AMD card is so low clocked.
> 
> Once both overclocked, HD7950 shines (I said that in one of my later posts).
> 
> Yeah I could do better but not on SeaSonic G 550W PSU which is powering my rig ATM.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> CHEERS..


Ah, that makes it more clear...the 670 doesn't have as much oc headroom. I've had both, and while I liked the plug and play nature of the green card the 7950 I had then was much more fun to oc...then came a 7970 and then my current 4350 lol


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Hey guys... having a bit of an issue, hoping someone can lend me a hand...
> 
> I had the issue where I used the AMD uninstall utility in Windows 8 and it jacked up my install. So, I figured... why not just reinstall, update to win8.1, and get the latest drivers while I'm at it.
> 
> I'm now running Windows 8.1, my processor is overclocked to 4.6GHz, my video card is clocked at 1200/1600. Everything is stable, running fine as they're not even my max overclocks on either. I'm running Catalyst 13.9, and I'm getting weird issues in ALL games.
> 
> So when I first start up the computer, it works fine. It lets me game just fine, no issues with BF4 or Path of Exile, Fallout, etc. However, It's now 5 hours later, I sit back down to game, and BF4 keeps crashing with a DirectX crash, and Path of exile gets 2-4 second stutters where I have a line on he screen like it was mid drawing of a frame, FPS drops to 0, etc.
> 
> Any idea what I can do to get this to work correctly again? these are the same clocks/volts/temps that I ran on Windows8, and now with 8.1 and Catalyst 13.9 instead of 13.6 I can't get everything to play nice anymore. :/
> 
> 
> 
> have you run burn tests to make sure its still stable? quite possible that it could have changed in the time you upgraded, but if tests find it stable then I guess its a driver issue, or its only unstable for the shader code that BF4 uses...
Click to expand...

Actually, that's the weird part of the issue. The crash isn't just BF4. Something is happening in other games as well. Path of exile gets 2-4 second skips, then all of a sudden clicks back in, etc. The other strange thing is right after the computer starts up it seems to be perfect. If it's sat idle for a bit then it doesn't work. Almost seems like something to do with how power is being reapplied when switching from 2D to 3D clocks or maybe after the monitors have gone to sleep or something.

Card idles at 500/1600. 3D clocks are 1200/1600. 20% power, 1.3v core, 1.7v mem.

Guess I'll back my overclocks out and see if that improves the issue. Going to be rather upset if I can't run an overclock. Will kill my FPS and defeat the purpose of the WC lol

I'll post back once I get a chance to test. It won't be until this weekend unfortunately as I'm going to be working until Sunday morning :/


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Ah, that makes it more clear...the 670 doesn't have as much oc headroom. I've had both, and while I liked the plug and play nature of the green card the 7950 I had then was much more fun to oc...then came a 7970 and then my current 4350 lol


I don't know, it really just depends on the chip. My MSI 7950 TF3 didn't like going over 1150, where this top 670 GC card does 1333Mhz on air by itself (sli is another story). I've had 7970s that wouldn't do 1200Mhz, and a 7970 Lightning that would do 1300Mhz for gaming. My current 680 Lightning tops out only around 1320Mhz @ 1.28V, but my previous zotac 680 would do 1306 on stock voltage.

Oh, and I forgot to mention my previous 680 Lightning that would do 1450Mhz @ 1.3V. So it's really been a mixed bag for me.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I don't know, it really just depends on the chip. My MSI 7950 TF3 didn't like going over 1150, where this top 670 GC card does 1333Mhz on air by itself (sli is another story). I've had 7970s that wouldn't do 1200Mhz, and a 7970 Lightning that would do 1300Mhz for gaming. My current 680 Lightning tops out only around 1320Mhz @ 1.28V, but my previous zotac 680 would do 1306 on stock voltage.


Yeah, of course...luck of the draw. My 670 used to do 1328mhz max for benching, and gaming was around 1275mhz with 1.21v.
My first 7950 did 1200mhz/1750mhz, my 7970 did 1300/1850 for benching and 1250/1750 for gaming. My latest pair of 7970s only did 1150/1650 in CF and one of them could do 1200/1700, which is kinda lame for a card equipped with an arctic accelero.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Yeah, of course...luck of the draw. My 670 used to do 1328mhz max for benching, and gaming was around 1275mhz with 1.21v.
> My first 7950 did 1200mhz/1750mhz, my 7970 did 1300/1850 for benching and 1250/1750 for gaming. My latest pair of 7970s only did 1150/1650 in CF and one of them could do 1200/1700, which is kinda lame for a card equipped with an arctic accelero.


Indeed. That is a bummer about the card with the accelero, I bet it stays really cool n quiet though.


----------



## ivanlabrie

It's absolutely inaudible even with 100% fan lol
I ran a few benchies at 1200/1650 and sold those.
Running a 4350 and waiting for the 290 non x.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> It's absolutely inaudible even with 100% fan lol
> I ran a few benchies at 1200/1650 and sold those.
> Running a 4350 and waiting for the 290 non x.


Ouch, I feel your pain, after I sold my 690, and was waiting for a 780 I ran a HD 5450 for about a week, and it wasn't much fun.

I'm also kinda waiting for the 290, but I want to see one in a non-reference form. Maybe a Sapphire Toxic, or something. That reference R9 290X cooler is just way too ugly to even have in my house, and I imagine it'll be the same cooler for the 290.

Stock heaven run:



Ouch, the min FPS, and @istudy92 smoked me on that one. Nicely done.


----------



## istudy92

im installing driver 13.8 non beta, and also I will overclock it to 1125 (attempt too) and see how the runs go, I will also run 1000mhz with these new bios in order to see if there really is a diffrience in scores when switching beta driver to regular drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ouch, the min FPS, and @istudy92
> smoked me on that one. Nicely done.


He didn't smoke anything because you have tess set to extreme and unless I missed something he has it set to normal.

Quote:


> Also a quick note above scores are based on 13.11 beta drivers. A fellow OCN member advised that beta drivers perform poorly on benchmarks so i guess add a few extra pts at will. (im too lazy to revert back to test it out heeh)


Whoever that was gives out terrible advice. Terribad facepalm advice. Some of the greatest drivers are betas. Each driver has its own characteristics and blanket statements like that are silly.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He didn't smoke anything because you have tess set to extreme and unless I missed something he has it set to normal.


Ah, good eye. I didn't catch that, haha.


----------



## sugarhell

fx 4300 with 7950s? lol


----------



## LukePilot152

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea hopefully yours doesn't end up as horrible as mine...
> have you run burn tests to make sure its still stable? quite possible that it could have changed in the time you upgraded, but if tests find it stable then I guess its a driver issue, or its only unstable for the shader code that BF4 uses...


Was yours not very good then?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> fx 4300 with 7950s? lol


tell me about it-____-

anyways here are my new scores.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



This one is new score for using regular drivers non beta same 1000mhz (scores didnt change)


This one is overclocked 1125/1420/1185vt
extream settings




Wish i had an 8350 would be better comparison =[


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> tell me about it-____-
> 
> anyways here are my new scores.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> This one is new score for using regular drivers non beta same 1000mhz (scores didnt change)
> 
> 
> This one is overclocked 1125/1420/1185vt
> extream settings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wish i had an 8350 would be better comparison =[


Yeah, it would make for better physics scores in the Futuremark tests, and possibly drive the GPUs better? I suppose I could put my Celeron G1610 in this rig, and try that with 670 SLI. Haha, I may do that just for fun when I switch that PC over to it's new case.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Yeah, it would make for better physics scores in the Futuremark tests, and possibly drive the GPUs better? I suppose I could put my Celeron G1610 in this rig, and try that with 670 SLI. Haha, I may do that just for fun when I switch that PC over to it's new case.


I used to run a Pentium G620 mate...driving a GTX 670 FTW lol
That was back when I had an MVG and a dead 3770k (stupidly failed delidding it).

Good times


----------



## anubis1127

My Celeron G1610 is in the rig with the 680 Lightning:



You know you love it.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Yeah, it would make for better physics scores in the Futuremark tests, and possibly drive the GPUs better? I suppose I could put my Celeron G1610 in this rig, and try that with 670 SLI. Haha, I may do that just for fun when I switch that PC over to it's new case.


gezz lmao u got some big spare time on ur hand!
ha do it why not be a beast and post it around OCN.

Also guys question
so i finally "basically" set up my crossfire.
did benchmarks and such. Now to get to real applications GAMES!

I started to play BF3 and used Fraps, and...well..lets say i didnt hit 60fps...in matter fact i hit same amount of FPS that i had as with 1 gpu!!!
=[ im crying=[
why is that?!
gpu-z shows that 2 gpu crossfired enable, CCC says crossfire enabled, i even OC to 1100 and still nothing hits over 60fps IM SAD AND MAD =[

help?=]

Edit: also as an important information,
I still havnt recieved tips on how to overclock the 2nd card alone without affecting the 1st card, or even possibly shutting down the 1st card without having to remove it outa my rig or switching cards in general.

I MAY have a hitch that the 2nd 7950 memory clock isnt bumped up enough i forgot who said that certain gpus mem can go up to 1500 or others at 1800.

IDK lol

edit2: does it matter in CF cards have diff memory settings? (only clock matters right?)


----------



## sugarhell

Buy a better cpu. Its insane that you have 400-500 bucks gpu with a 2 module cpu (100 bucks). 4300 is an entry cpu and 7950s are high end. At least get a 8350 and oc it to 5 ghz


----------



## anubis1127

Yeah, sugarhell is probably correct, you could really use a quad module FX chip. Well except about the OC it to 5 ghz part, that is easier said than done. For BF3 / BF4 you shouldn't really try it on a dual core, er module, CPU. At least not 64 player MP, that pretty much needs a quad core.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Yeah, sugarhell is probably correct, you could really use a quad module FX chip. Well except about the OC it to 5 ghz part, that is easier said than done. For BF3 / BF4 you shouldn't really try it on a dual core, er module, CPU. At least not 64 player MP, that pretty much needs a quad core.


well its orginally something i asked around ocn and looked around fourms if such a cpu would kill me in games everyone said nah-___-

now i gata wait to upgrade that too.

but in general cpu shouldnt have that big factor can it?? i mean are u guys saying its a bottleneck?0.o


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> well its orginally something i asked around ocn and looked around fourms if such a cpu would kill me in games everyone said nah-___-
> 
> now i gata wait to upgrade that too.
> 
> but in general cpu shouldnt have that big factor can it?? i mean are u guys saying its a bottleneck?0.o


Many games aren't very cpu intensive right now, but there are a few that can put pretty heavy pressure on them. Unfortunately for you, BF3 happens to be one of them. In this case, I would say it probably is a bottleneck.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> well its orginally something i asked around ocn and looked around fourms if such a cpu would kill me in games everyone said nah-___-
> 
> now i gata wait to upgrade that too.
> 
> but in general cpu shouldnt have that big factor can it?? i mean are u guys saying its a bottleneck?0.o


Sounds like you got some bad advice. For a multi-GPU setup you almost always want to run a quad core, or quad module if you must stay with AMD. For multi-GPU you should almost always go with bare minimum Intel quad core SB or later.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> Many games aren't very cpu intensive right now, but there are a few that can put pretty heavy pressure on them. Unfortunately for you, BF3 happens to be one of them. In this case, I would say it probably is a bottleneck.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Sounds like you got some bad advice. For a multi-GPU setup you almost always want to run a quad core, or quad module if you must stay with AMD. For multi-GPU you should almost always go with bare minimum Intel quad core SB or later.


ffs shot me in the foot someone.
-___-
well then. . . . i guess ima go shopping for an 8350 this week...who the heck gana buy my 4300?? -___-

btw would you have any technical knowledge to why a cpu with more cores would be important? I mean i thought gpu and cpu were sorta seperated and not correlated with each other or maybe im wrong=/ (BUT HAY im here to learn =p)


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> well its orginally something i asked around ocn and looked around fourms if such a cpu would kill me in games everyone said nah-___-
> 
> now i gata wait to upgrade that too.
> 
> but in general cpu shouldnt have that big factor can it?? i mean are u guys saying its a bottleneck?0.o


Yeah a lot of guys will misinform you. I found out the hard way too a quad core phenom II needs to be at minimum of 4.1ghz for BF3 MP not to bottleneck an Oclocked 7950(1165)
You have 2 7950's and a 4350 do the math. You need max overclocks on that cpu to ease that b'neck, definitely


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Yeah a lot of guys will misinform you. I found out the hard way too a quad core phenom II needs to be at minimum of 4.1ghz for BF3 MP not to bottleneck an Oclocked 7950(1165)
> You have 2 7950's and a 4350 do the math. You need max overclocks on that cpu to ease that b'neck, definitely


NEED MOAR CORES

but in all seriousness

you dont have to get a 8320/8350

many people here on OCN do just fine with a FX 6300 running 7970 in CF

unless there isnt a huge price difference between the 835 and the 6300

i would recommend the 6300 if you are sticking to a budget


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> ffs shot me in the foot someone.
> -___-
> well then. . . . i guess ima go shopping for an 8350 this week...who the heck gana buy my 4300?? -___-
> 
> btw would you have any technical knowledge to why a cpu with more cores would be important? I mean i thought gpu and cpu were sorta seperated and not correlated with each other or maybe im wrong=/ (BUT HAY im here to learn =p)


Well at least you got a descent board that will take a 8350 and not blow the vrms, that's one positive.  Not sure on the 4300, maybe throw it up on eBay, CL, or the OCN MP if you go rep farming.

[edit]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7189/choosing-a-gaming-cpu-september-2013/10

Not really a technical explanation, but even anandtech doesn't recommend less than an i5 quad core, or FX quad module.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> NEED MOAR CORES
> 
> but in all seriousness
> 
> you dont have to get a 8320/8350
> 
> many people here on OCN do just fine with a FX 6300 running 7970 in CF
> 
> unless there isnt a huge price difference between the 835 and the 6300
> 
> i would recommend the 6300 if you are sticking to a budget


Really? I have yet to see a 6300 with CF 79xx. Err'one said get an octocore cos the hexa will cause a b'neck
which users have that setup?


----------



## anubis1127

Don't get a FX 6300, @istudy92 spend the extra $30 on the quad module. 3 cores is just goofy.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Well at least you got a descent board that will take a 8350 and not blow the vrms, that's one positive.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure on the 4300, maybe throw it up on eBay, CL, or the OCN MP if you go rep farming.
> 
> [edit]
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/show/7189/choosing-a-gaming-cpu-september-2013/10
> 
> Not really a technical explanation, but even anandtech doesn't recommend less than an i5 quad core, or FX quad module.


thanks ill read up on it, lol i wish i could sell but i need 30 reps-___- iv been on OCN for 3months? and only have 4 ...soo..26/3= 13 months, BOYA ill be able to sell my chip on 11/29/2014:hairysmil

and yes i am not technically on a budget, I am more of a value person I dont like to throw money away. As in i bought the 4300 only because of good deals at the time and no bad reviews, but ALAS here comes a time which it matters!! lol

Also fx6300 is the "recommended" for BF4, so I can understand why you guys say 4300 is bottleneck. (on the basis that they say 6300 should be the one to have)

But I will get me a 8xxx, i was thinking 8320 since I assume its like saying a 7970 vs 7950 ? because 8320 seems very attractive being almost 50 bucks cheaper0.0 for same specs and just lower clock speeds which obviously could be OC to 8350 (unless im wrong on that?)


----------



## anubis1127

FX 8320 is fine once you OC it, I wouldn't pay the extra for the 8350, no guarantee it'll clock higher.


----------



## SchmoSalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> odd sapphires are usually unlocked. Have you tried trixx betas ect?
> 
> If those don't work I would recommend modding your bios with the techpowerup tool.


I turned the physical turbo switch off on my GPU and I managed to get partial control of the voltage. By partial I mean that when I try to set it to 1.2v it ends up setting it to 1.25v. I really don't want the voltage that high.

Edit:
It seems that the switch is the only thing that controls the voltage. The funny thing is that 1150 is completely unstable at "1.25v" but is somewhat stable at "1.169v". Very weird.


----------



## istudy92

btw another question, i just noticed my sapphire 7950..has a 1 & 2 on the card like this switch thingy..wth is that for?


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> btw another question, i just noticed my sapphire 7950..has a 1 & 2 on the card like this switch thingy..wth is that for?


bios switch


----------



## bustacap22

recently downloaded 13.11 beta 7 to play bf4. My 2nd GPU is all of a sudden at constant 99% usage with no game playing at all. Prior to installation of new drivers, both GPU usage would be at 0%. What am I missing here????


----------



## Noviets

Hey guys, I was wondering...

I have an Asus 7970 DC2T card, (voltage locked) and was wondering if I should get a second, or buy the r9 290x.

I know as a single card the 290x is a beast, it would be around $200 cheaper to buy a second 7970 for crossfire, but as it's locked voltage it's pretty much unlikely to see anything above a 100mhz overclock.

I will be getting a custom loop when prices drop closer to christmas, and I know that the 290x is just short of catching fire with the stock heatsink.

So my question. With watercooling on the 290x, would I be able to overclock it to a higher performance than two air cooled 7970 DC2T's (approx 1080-1120 mhz core, 1400mhz mem on the 7970's) not sure what I could get the 290x too under water.

I've seen a few reviews on the 7970 CFX vs the 290x but I'm not sure if that is with the 290x overclocked, and whether the frame pacing issues of crossfire will come into play.

I've heard some rumours of them having fixed the frame pacing issues, but unsure if it's exclusive to the new series of cards (r7 and r9's).

Please share opinions and advice!


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Hey guys, I was wondering...
> 
> I have an Asus 7970 DC2T card, (voltage locked) and was wondering if I should get a second, or buy the r9 290x.
> 
> I know as a single card the 290x is a beast, it would be around $200 cheaper to buy a second 7970 for crossfire, but as it's locked voltage it's pretty much unlikely to see anything above a 100mhz overclock.
> 
> I will be getting a custom loop when prices drop closer to christmas, and I know that the 290x is just short of catching fire with the stock heatsink.
> 
> So my question. With watercooling on the 290x, would I be able to overclock it to a higher performance than two air cooled 7970 DC2T's (approx 1080-1120 mhz core, 1400mhz mem on the 7970's) not sure what I could get the 290x too under water.
> 
> I've seen a few reviews on the 7970 CFX vs the 290x but I'm not sure if that is with the 290x overclocked, and whether the frame pacing issues of crossfire will come into play.
> 
> I've heard some rumours of them having fixed the frame pacing issues, but unsure if it's exclusive to the new series of cards (r7 and r9's).
> 
> Please share opinions and advice!


Have you tried a Matrix bios on the 7970 DC2T card? Matrix bios + Asus GPU Tweak should give you unlocked voltage.


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> Hey guys, I was wondering...
> 
> I have an Asus 7970 DC2T card, (voltage locked) and was wondering if I should get a second, or buy the r9 290x.
> 
> I know as a single card the 290x is a beast, it would be around $200 cheaper to buy a second 7970 for crossfire, but as it's locked voltage it's pretty much unlikely to see anything above a 100mhz overclock.
> 
> I will be getting a custom loop when prices drop closer to christmas, and I know that the 290x is just short of catching fire with the stock heatsink.
> 
> So my question. With watercooling on the 290x, would I be able to overclock it to a higher performance than two air cooled 7970 DC2T's (approx 1080-1120 mhz core, 1400mhz mem on the 7970's) not sure what I could get the 290x too under water.
> 
> I've seen a few reviews on the 7970 CFX vs the 290x but I'm not sure if that is with the 290x overclocked, and whether the frame pacing issues of crossfire will come into play.
> 
> I've heard some rumours of them having fixed the frame pacing issues, but unsure if it's exclusive to the new series of cards (r7 and r9's).
> 
> Please share opinions and advice!


Without having much data out there yet to base this off of, this is just conjecture and educated guessing. With that said, considering the 290x is only slightly better than the 780 and in some cases the titan, it still won't beat a HD 7990, which is slightly less powerful than two separate 7970s. That being said, if it overclocks like a beast, it would probably come somewhat close to two 7970s.

As far as frame pacing goes, the beta drivers have fixed those issues for all of the newer games. I believe there are a few issues remaining with some Eyefinity setups, and DirectX 9 games as well, though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Have you tried a Matrix bios on the 7970 DC2T card? Matrix bios + Asus GPU Tweak should give you unlocked voltage.


only assuming it will run with a matrix BIOS, mine for example doesn't.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> only assuming it will run with a matrix BIOS, mine for example doesn't.


Ah, it worked for a buddy of mine, so that is why I suggested it.

What does your card do? Not operate at all? Crash? Just curious because its been working flawless for him since I flashed it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ah, it worked for a buddy of mine, so that is why I suggested it.
> 
> What does your card do? Not operate at all? Crash? Just curious because its been working flawless for him since I flashed it.


error in device manager (forgot the number though), only works as a basic display device, fans ramp up to max throughout the booting phase, so yea the card will load the BIOS at the start of POST but reject the rest of it after initialization...


----------



## anubis1127

Ah, good to know. I take it GPU tweak doesn't work for you on the regular DCII bios.


----------



## istudy92

Ohhh=p im excited with this crossfire even though I am sad that im being bottlenecked by my cpu i see a double improvement in Folding=p
went from ~4500 points a day to ~8900 points a day=p contributing to science like this is sorta fascinating =p


----------



## jezzer

Since price dropped so much for 7990 cards, is there a turnside? I mean, will it loose driver support or whatever soon? No clue how that goes with AMD drivers. I am building a mITX system and what to as much graphic power as possible in one card


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Coil whine. Annoying power-saving features.


----------



## sugarhell

Power-saving?


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jezzer*
> 
> Since price dropped so much for 7990 cards, is there a turnside? I mean, will it loose driver support or whatever soon? No clue how that goes with AMD drivers. I am building a mITX system and what to as much graphic power as possible in one card


It's kind of a gamble with the coilwhine issue, as well as heat. Seems like a very large majority have at least some coilwhine. Mine has absolutely none, and I know of a few others that got lucky right off the bat. They also pretty much require a custom fan profile and when they start spinning up they are loud.

I'm abdolutely loving mine, but others have had bad experiences. If you can get one for $600-$650 I'd definitely say go for it.


----------



## jezzer

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> It's kind of a gamble with the coilwhine issue, as well as heat. Seems like a very large majority have at least some coilwhine. Mine has absolutely none, and I know of a few others that got lucky right off the bat. They also pretty much require a custom fan profile and when they start spinning up they are loud.
> 
> I'm abdolutely loving mine, but others have had bad experiences. If you can get one for $600-$650 I'd definitely say go for it.


Heat and fan noise would not be a problem as i would put a waterblock on it but coil whine would not be so cool i guess, especially if its louds.

But driver wise its all good? CF issues are mostly resolved i hear? And AMD brings driver optimizations also for older cards?

And yes its a good price, a bit cheaper then the 290x


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jezzer*
> 
> Heat and fan noise would not be a problem as i would put a waterblock on it but coil whine would not be so cool i guess, especially if its louds.
> 
> But driver wise its all good? CF issues are mostly resolved i hear? And AMD brings driver optimizations also for older cards?
> 
> And yes its a good price, a bit cheaper then the 290x


If you're going under water then you're set. I'd say it's a no brainer at that point.

As far as drivers, CF is fixed for all the newer games that support it. Eyefinity setups and DirectX9 games are still a little iffy, but quickly being improved. I'm fairly positive that AMD drivers keep up with older cards, but I'm not entirely sure. I would assume so though.

If it does have coil whine it qualifies for an RMA but that's just an annoying process.


----------



## ivanlabrie

How come cheaper than 290x when it costs 550?

I'm waiting for the 290 non x personally...how good do you think it will perform guys?


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Hey guys... having a bit of an issue, hoping someone can lend me a hand...
> 
> I had the issue where I used the AMD uninstall utility in Windows 8 and it jacked up my install. So, I figured... why not just reinstall, update to win8.1, and get the latest drivers while I'm at it.
> 
> I'm now running Windows 8.1, my processor is overclocked to 4.6GHz, my video card is clocked at 1200/1600. Everything is stable, running fine as they're not even my max overclocks on either. I'm running Catalyst 13.9, and I'm getting weird issues in ALL games.
> 
> So when I first start up the computer, it works fine. It lets me game just fine, no issues with BF4 or Path of Exile, Fallout, etc. However, It's now 5 hours later, I sit back down to game, and BF4 keeps crashing with a DirectX crash, and Path of exile gets 2-4 second stutters where I have a line on he screen like it was mid drawing of a frame, FPS drops to 0, etc.
> 
> Any idea what I can do to get this to work correctly again? these are the same clocks/volts/temps that I ran on Windows8, and now with 8.1 and Catalyst 13.9 instead of 13.6 I can't get everything to play nice anymore. :/
> 
> 
> 
> have you run burn tests to make sure its still stable? quite possible that it could have changed in the time you upgraded, but if tests find it stable then I guess its a driver issue, or its only unstable for the shader code that BF4 uses...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Actually, that's the weird part of the issue. The crash isn't just BF4. Something is happening in other games as well. Path of exile gets 2-4 second skips, then all of a sudden clicks back in, etc. The other strange thing is right after the computer starts up it seems to be perfect. If it's sat idle for a bit then it doesn't work. Almost seems like something to do with how power is being reapplied when switching from 2D to 3D clocks or maybe after the monitors have gone to sleep or something.
> 
> Card idles at 500/1600. 3D clocks are 1200/1600. 20% power, 1.3v core, 1.7v mem.
> 
> Guess I'll back my overclocks out and see if that improves the issue. Going to be rather upset if I can't run an overclock. Will kill my FPS and defeat the purpose of the WC lol
> 
> I'll post back once I get a chance to test. It won't be until this weekend unfortunately as I'm going to be working until Sunday morning :/
Click to expand...

Just to bring this back for any others with issues, here's my scenario. Running a 3770k @ 4.6GHz. Running a single 7970 @ 1200/1600. Overclocks are all stable.

When the computer first starts up, the games all play PERFECT. No 2-4 stutters in PoE. No DirectX crashes in BF4. After the monitors have gone to sleep, and I wake them back up, the games no longer work. I need to go into MSI Afterburner and reapply my overclock for it to work. It seems to be an issue with my MSI Afterburner. However, for reference... it appears I reinstalled an old version and am still using version 2.3.1 and the beta of 3.0.6 just released.

Anyone overclocking with the latest versions of Afterburner and experiencing zero issues? If so, I'll simply update Afterburner and see if that provides better 8.1 compatability. The game runs like absolute silk with my OC on and everything working though. 90+ FPS all settings on high @ 1440p


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Ohhh=p im excited with this crossfire even though I am sad that im being bottlenecked by my cpu i see a double improvement in Folding=p
> went from ~4500 points a day to ~8900 points a day=p contributing to science like this is sorta fascinating =p


8900ppd, with two 7950s? Are you running Core 16? You should use Core 17; it's ~10-20x faster. Add the "client-type" flag to your GPU slots and set it to "beta".


----------



## dmfree88

I had coil whine on 3 cards in a row. Finally got this hawk and its silent. Not sure if its the gpu reactor but im much happier now.


----------



## King PWNinater

Isin't it possible to get rid of coil whine through overclocking and/or running Valley Benchmarks for awhile?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King PWNinater*
> 
> Isin't it possible to get rid of coil whine through overclocking and/or running Valley Benchmarks for awhile?


I had a bad case of coil-whine on my 7970 when I first got it. I lock frame rates at 60, and the whine disappeared after a couple weeks. I still get it pretty bad when I run a bench that pushes massive frames(3d mark "Ice Storm gets 2k FPS and the whine is louder than the fans). But at 60fps, it seems to have worked itself out after extended usage. I don't think there is a conclusive answer to this, but someone else might have a better understanding than I do.


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Hey guys... having a bit of an issue, hoping someone can lend me a hand...
> 
> I had the issue where I used the AMD uninstall utility in Windows 8 and it jacked up my install. So, I figured... why not just reinstall, update to win8.1, and get the latest drivers while I'm at it.
> 
> I'm now running Windows 8.1, my processor is overclocked to 4.6GHz, my video card is clocked at 1200/1600. Everything is stable, running fine as they're not even my max overclocks on either. I'm running Catalyst 13.9, and I'm getting weird issues in ALL games.
> 
> So when I first start up the computer, it works fine. It lets me game just fine, no issues with BF4 or Path of Exile, Fallout, etc. However, It's now 5 hours later, I sit back down to game, and BF4 keeps crashing with a DirectX crash, and Path of exile gets 2-4 second stutters where I have a line on he screen like it was mid drawing of a frame, FPS drops to 0, etc.
> 
> Any idea what I can do to get this to work correctly again? these are the same clocks/volts/temps that I ran on Windows8, and now with 8.1 and Catalyst 13.9 instead of 13.6 I can't get everything to play nice anymore. :/
> 
> 
> 
> have you run burn tests to make sure its still stable? quite possible that it could have changed in the time you upgraded, but if tests find it stable then I guess its a driver issue, or its only unstable for the shader code that BF4 uses...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Actually, that's the weird part of the issue. The crash isn't just BF4. Something is happening in other games as well. Path of exile gets 2-4 second skips, then all of a sudden clicks back in, etc. The other strange thing is right after the computer starts up it seems to be perfect. If it's sat idle for a bit then it doesn't work. Almost seems like something to do with how power is being reapplied when switching from 2D to 3D clocks or maybe after the monitors have gone to sleep or something.
> 
> Card idles at 500/1600. 3D clocks are 1200/1600. 20% power, 1.3v core, 1.7v mem.
> 
> Guess I'll back my overclocks out and see if that improves the issue. Going to be rather upset if I can't run an overclock. Will kill my FPS and defeat the purpose of the WC lol
> 
> I'll post back once I get a chance to test. It won't be until this weekend unfortunately as I'm going to be working until Sunday morning :/
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Just to bring this back for any others with issues, here's my scenario. Running a 3770k @ 4.6GHz. Running a single 7970 @ 1200/1600. Overclocks are all stable.
> 
> When the computer first starts up, the games all play PERFECT. No 2-4 stutters in PoE. No DirectX crashes in BF4. After the monitors have gone to sleep, and I wake them back up, the games no longer work. I need to go into MSI Afterburner and reapply my overclock for it to work. It seems to be an issue with my MSI Afterburner. However, for reference... it appears I reinstalled an old version and am still using version 2.3.1 and the beta of 3.0.6 just released.
> 
> Anyone overclocking with the latest versions of Afterburner and experiencing zero issues? If so, I'll simply update Afterburner and see if that provides better 8.1 compatability. The game runs like absolute silk with my OC on and everything working though. 90+ FPS all settings on high @ 1440p
Click to expand...

Newest version of Afterburner did not fix the issue. It's an issue when waking the monitors from sleep... it doesn't apply the overclock correctly, or maybe jump the voltage up. I'll have to continue to test to get the full information but hope I can find a fix soon. if I forget to reapply my overclock when waking monitors from sleep it's a guaranteed crash within 10 seconds in BF4. It's not game related though, it's something to do with this update to Windows 8.1 or update to 13.9/13.11 Catalyst drivers


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ah, good to know. I take it GPU tweak doesn't work for you on the regular DCII bios.


it causes random GSODs, RSODs etc if I install it...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> After the monitors have gone to sleep, and I wake them back up, the games no longer work. I need to go into MSI Afterburner and reapply my overclock for it to work. It seems to be an issue with my MSI Afterburner. However, for reference...


sounds like its related to ULPS, made sure that's disabled? also go into your power settings and make sure the PCIe links are set to not power down, might have to set your monitors to not turn off too...


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> it causes random GSODs, RSODs etc if I install it...


Oh mai, that doesn't sound like much fun at all.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I had a bad case of coil-whine on my 7970 when I first got it. I lock frame rates at 60, and the whine disappeared after a couple weeks. I still get it pretty bad when I run a bench that pushes massive frames(3d mark "Ice Storm gets 2k FPS and the whine is louder than the fans). But at 60fps, it seems to have worked itself out after extended usage. I don't think there is a conclusive answer to this, but someone else might have a better understanding than I do.


AFAIK, sometimes there's a sort of "burn-in" for coils on GPUs; after running for a while, they stop whining under normal conditions.

Framerates in the thousands almost always cause coil whine, though, no matter the card. I get it a bit above ~2000-2500 FPS, IIRC; no whine under any other load. Fortunately, getting framerates in the thousands is rather rare, so it's not much a concern.


----------



## blackhole2013

Radeon 13.11 beta 8 released today ...

http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Radeon 13.11 beta 8 released today ...
> 
> http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/


only BF4 improvements...nada mas


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ah, good to know. I take it GPU tweak doesn't work for you on the regular DCII bios.
> 
> 
> 
> it causes random GSODs, RSODs etc if I install it...
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> After the monitors have gone to sleep, and I wake them back up, the games no longer work. I need to go into MSI Afterburner and reapply my overclock for it to work. It seems to be an issue with my MSI Afterburner. However, for reference...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> sounds like its related to ULPS, made sure that's disabled? also go into your power settings and make sure the PCIe links are set to not power down, might have to set your monitors to not turn off too...
Click to expand...

Didn't think I needed to disable ULPS with only a single card, but I'll certainly give it a shot. I know I didn't disable it with Windows 8 and Catalyst 13.4 but I've had the issue ever since updating to Windows 8.1 and Catalyst 13.9. Not sure which was the true cause though.

How does one go about making sure the PCIe links are not set to power down? As to the monitors not shutting off, I'll just get into a habit of shutting off the computer during downtimes instead. That was the biggest thing I hated when I first updated to Windows 8, monitors waking from sleep bug was awful.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Didn't think I needed to disable ULPS with only a single card, but I'll certainly give it a shot. I know I didn't disable it with Windows 8 and Catalyst 13.4 but I've had the issue ever since updating to Windows 8.1 and Catalyst 13.9. Not sure which was the true cause though.
> 
> How does one go about making sure the PCIe links are not set to power down? As to the monitors not shutting off, I'll just get into a habit of shutting off the computer during downtimes instead. That was the biggest thing I hated when I first updated to Windows 8, monitors waking from sleep bug was awful.


you go to control panel > power options > change plan settings for the one your using > advanced power settings and you look at this bit;


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Have you tried a Matrix bios on the 7970 DC2T card? Matrix bios + Asus GPU Tweak should give you unlocked voltage.


I'm currently using the Matrix Bios, to get access the the 1.256 VDDA. However no matter what GPU-Tweak version I used I was unable to aquire voltage control.

So I just went with MSIAB and got what I could out of the new vdda, which I game at 1140/1480, and benchmark at 1180/1750.

Would it be worth while getting a 290x now, and getting a second later in the 2014?

Main reason stopping me from getting a 290x right now is the performance for two 7970's in CF seem to be a little higher and its $200 cheaper. Just wondering what sort of future proofing I would have, and if I would be able to maintain a minimum 144 fps in games with setting tweaks. (VG248QE) (One of the performance > quality kinda persons) well, to an extent, I'm not gunna play an oil painting







.

I was also thinking if I got 2x 290x's then I wouldnt need to upgrade for a long ass time. And I want to get the new steamroller or the equivilent of it when they finally release the roadmaps in november the 11'th.

Wanting to play newer games, like BF4 for example at 120++ fps (144hz monitor)


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> I'm currently using the Matrix Bios, to get access the the 1.256 VDDA. However no matter what GPU-Tweak version I used I was unable to aquire voltage control.
> 
> So I just went with MSIAB and got what I could out of the new vdda, which I game at 1140/1480, and benchmark at 1180/1750.
> 
> Would it be worth while getting a 290x now, and getting a second later in the 2014?
> 
> Main reason stopping me from getting a 290x right now is the performance for two 7970's in CF seem to be a little higher and its $200 cheaper. Just wondering what sort of future proofing I would have, and if I would be able to maintain a minimum 144 fps in games with setting tweaks. (VG248QE) (One of the performance > quality kinda persons) well, to an extent, I'm not gunna play an oil painting
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I was also thinking if I got 2x 290x's then I wouldnt need to upgrade for a long ass time. And I want to get the new steamroller or the equivilent of it when they finally release the roadmaps in november the 11'th.
> 
> Wanting to play newer games, like BF4 for example at 120++ fps (144hz monitor)


If you are on a budget, you may just want to wait for the 290s to drop in a week or so, should be slightly cheaper. I wish they were dropping with non-reference coolers though. I don't want to buy a $450 GPU only to spend another $50-120 cooling it.


----------



## wanna_buy

I was going to buy ASUS HD 7970. When I finally managed to save my last pennies, the price went up on Amazon. It's only place I can buy. I reported about lower prices earlier on their site and Newegg, but I didn't get any answer. What can I do?


----------



## dmfree88

wait till it goes back down or find somewhere else


----------



## wanna_buy

No, It was the lowest price that I could afford. I contacted their support in the chat and they said that the prices are set by manufacturers and suppliers. If so, then How did they manage to offer lower price a week ago? Anyway their support wasn't helpful enough and I'm starting to think that they are bots instead of humans.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King PWNinater*
> 
> Isin't it possible to get rid of coil whine through overclocking and/or running Valley Benchmarks for awhile?


it can, it also may not do anything


----------



## dmfree88

get a different brand:
http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Radeon-Mini-Displayport-Graphics-GV-R797OC-3GD/dp/B00752QYLK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1383203271&sr=8-2&keywords=7970

heres an insanely good price:

http://www.amazon.com/PowerColor-Video-Graphics-AX7970-3GBD5-2DHV3/dp/B007JSSZIA/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1383203548&sr=8-10&keywords=7970


----------



## wanna_buy

I wasn't even going to buy a new card, but I accidentally stumbled upon this model on amazon and the price tempted me, so the day I managed to get my funds, I reserved the amount and went strait to Amazon and the Price was gone up! Thank you Amazon for conning me.









No I'm not interested in those cards. The Blue PCB of Gigabyte turns me off and I don't like the cooler of the second one. I was aiming at ASUS Matrix HD 7970 Platinum which was 409.99 bucks. Now the prices has skyrocketed. If too many people can report lower price, will they lower it?


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I was going to buy ASUS HD 7970. When I finally managed to save my last pennies, the price went up on Amazon. It's only place I can buy. I reported about lower prices earlier on their site and Newegg, but I didn't get any answer. What can I do?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I wasn't even going to buy a new card, but I accidentally stumbled upon this model on amazon and the price tempted me, so the day I managed to get my funds, I reserved the amount and went strait to Amazon and the Price was gone up! Thank you Amazon for conning me.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No I'm not interested in those cards. The Blue PCB of Gigabyte turns me off and I don't like the cooler of the second one. I was aiming at ASUS Matrix HD 7970 Platinum which was 409.99 bucks. Now the prices has skyrocketed. If too many people can report lower price, will they lower it?


Don't buy an Asus gpu, period...lots of horror stories. Confirmed piece of crap, and over priced and full of gimmicks not useful for air cooling (not even water).

Get a backplate, or get an Msi card...


----------



## flopper

my 7970 reference asus.
100fps in bf4 with my settings, at 5040x1050.
runs better than Bf3 by far.

really happy with my "old" card.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Don't buy an Asus gpu, period...lots of horror stories. Confirmed piece of crap, and over priced and full of gimmicks not useful for air cooling (not even water).
> 
> Get a backplate, or get an Msi card...


Meh there have been a few that get lucky and dcII is quite compared to most other coolers. That being said I wouldn't get asus unless your stuck with diamond or some of those other smaller brand ones.


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> Meh there have been a few that get lucky and dcII is quite compared to most other coolers. That being said I wouldn't get asus unless your stuck with diamond or some of those other smaller brand ones.


I wouldn't get an expensive locked down card...period.

Sapphire r9 280x toxic or even dual x is a better deal for 24/7 usage.


----------



## BigglezMcGee

Can somebody help me out? I got an HD 7950 about 4 weeks ago and I've had a persistent problem. My computer locks up on a black screen when I start a game up and it gets past the publisher logo splash screen. It also crashes to a grey screen with vertical lines when I open catalyst control center or the advanced setting of windows firewall, and when I go to a steam store page if it has a video on it (only on the client though, browser pages are fine). Then if I reinstall the drivers or install older ones/beta (I've only gone back to 13.4) the problem is fixed. Then the next day the problem comes back for no apparent reason, I just turn it on and can't play games again. Somebody help!

Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 7601)

Processor a
3.40 gigahertz AMD Phenom II X4 965
512 kilobyte primary memory cache
2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache
6144 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (4 total)
Not hyper-threaded

Main Circuit Board b
Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M4N68T-M-V2 Rev X.0x
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0501 08/03/2010

Memory Modules c,d
4096 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Display
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series [Display adapter]


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigglezMcGee*
> 
> Can somebody help me out? I got an HD 7950 about 4 weeks ago and I've had a persistent problem. My computer locks up on a black screen when I start a game up and it gets past the publisher logo splash screen. It also crashes to a grey screen with vertical lines when I open catalyst control center or the advanced setting of windows firewall, and when I go to a steam store page if it has a video on it (only on the client though, browser pages are fine). Then if I reinstall the drivers or install older ones/beta (I've only gone back to 13.4) the problem is fixed. Then the next day the problem comes back for no apparent reason, I just turn it on and can't play games again. Somebody help!
> 
> Operating System
> Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 7601)
> 
> Processor a
> 3.40 gigahertz AMD Phenom II X4 965
> 512 kilobyte primary memory cache
> 2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache
> 6144 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
> 64-bit ready
> Multi-core (4 total)
> Not hyper-threaded
> 
> Main Circuit Board b
> Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M4N68T-M-V2 Rev X.0x
> Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
> BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0501 08/03/2010
> 
> Memory Modules c,d
> 4096 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory
> 
> Display
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series [Display adapter]


Have you overclocked the card? It sounds like the card is having trouble with going into its high clocks, and it you are running stock then you need to RMA that puppy in a hurry. Otherwise...if overclocked, try increasing voltage or backing the clocks off.


----------



## gkolarov

In BF4 try to rise the SCALE to 150% or higher.


----------



## BigglezMcGee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Have you overclocked the card? It sounds like the card is having trouble with going into its high clocks, and it you are running stock then you need to RMA that puppy in a hurry. Otherwise...if overclocked, try increasing voltage or backing the clocks off.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gkolarov*
> 
> Try to rise the SCALE to 150% or higher.


I am past the 30 day RMA period with Newegg, is there a way to do it with AMD or MSI? I don't have it overclocked, I was fiddling with overclocking when I first got my card, and by that I mean I ticked the checkbox on CCC, but that's it. How do I do all this stuff? I mean updating BIOS, reducing clocks, etc, I', pretty noobish at this. I must go to class but I'll be back in a while. Thanks for your guys' help!


----------



## inedenimadam

uncheck that box, so it does not allow you to change anything, and try again. If you still have issues with the lines and having to hard reset....fill out a ticket with MSI. Your card should just "work" out of the box, if it doesnt, then its MSI that needs to take care of you.


----------



## Darklyric

You have windows 7 so download amds driver unistall tooll and get all your motherboard drivers and the newest 13.11.xx vga driver and reinstall them all starting with chipset, reboot,vga, reboot,audio, usb, Ethernet ect and see if it persists.


----------



## BigglezMcGee

Oh I meant that I checked that box a long time ago, I don't even have CCC installed anymore, thanks for the advice, I'll get on some of these now and I'll update this thread once I can test if they work. Like I said, it ALWAYS works at first so I'll have to wait and see. Thanks again everybody!


----------



## dmfree88

MSI will take any gpu even used if its within the warranty period which is 3 years. Send it back to MSI, great thing is they dont even "fix" it they just send you a new one everytime.


----------



## BigglezMcGee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> You have windows 7 so download amds driver unistall tooll and get all your motherboard drivers and the newest 13.11.xx vga driver and reinstall them all starting with chipset, reboot,vga, reboot,audio, usb, Ethernet ect and see if it persists.


So I just use this program to uninstall everything then reinstall it all with the latest drivers? Actually I can't find this and I'm reading that it can cause a lot of problems so I think I'll try some other way of uninstalling.


----------



## switchblade

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigglezMcGee*
> 
> So I just use this program to uninstall everything then reinstall it all with the latest drivers? Actually I can't find this and I'm reading that it can cause a lot of problems so I think I'll try some other way of uninstalling.


you can use Atiman Uninstaller v.7.0.2 and there is the amd cleaner utility that you can obtain from amd's site


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigglezMcGee*
> 
> So I just use this program to uninstall everything then reinstall it all with the latest drivers? Actually I can't find this and I'm reading that it can cause a lot of problems so I think I'll try some other way of uninstalling.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *switchblade*
> 
> you can use Atiman Uninstaller v.7.0.2 and there is the amd cleaner utility that you can obtain from amd's site


If you're on Win7, I recommend using AMD's utility; it's officially supported and it works quite well. If you're on 8 or 8.1, use Driver Sweeper or Atiman; the AMD utility causes some serious issues there.


----------



## BigglezMcGee

I have just updated my BIOS (It was from 2010 lmao), did nothing else yet, and everything seems to be working. If it messes up again I'll try this out. Thanks!


----------



## Leethal

7950 Owners, what settings and FPS you guys getting on a single 7950 in BF4?


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Leethal*
> 
> 7950 Owners, what settings and FPS you guys getting on a single 7950 in BF4?


Maxed out, first mission, single card 1920x1200 @ 850mhz around 30-40.


----------



## istudy92

Hey guys I want to give you fellas an update on my Crossfire set up and how there is no diffrience in FPS on crysis 3, Metro, BL2, Tombraider, and BF3

The problem was NOT my CPU bottlenecking games it seems.

I missed one part of OC my 2nd gpu, and it was that my 2nd GPU required a little bit more voltage than the 1st card.
I upped the voltage, and wah lah

Min fps for borderlands 2 was 60 max settings with avg of 70
Crysis 3 i saw a 4-5 FPS increase in minium from 25 up to 30-32 max MSAAx4
Tombraider i saw an increase in average from regular 55-60 go up to 70 fps
BF3 saw no visable improvement...
Metro..no visable improvement

Used fraps for most of all these.

opinion anyone??


----------



## sugarhell

Change cpu.


----------



## anubis1127

Still sounds like CPU, you should be better better scaling than that with CF 7950s I would think.


----------



## istudy92

I would get CPU but i just remembered something, my mobo is the worst of its class for 8xxx, now ima have to dump both my mobo and cpu gana go for an i5-k =/
do not tell me a i5 would bottleneck my ass -___-


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I would get CPU but i just remembered something, my mobo is the worst of its class for 8xxx, now ima have to dump both my mobo and cpu gana go for an i5-k =/
> do not tell me a i5 would bottleneck my ass -___-


Get a 4820k and a cheap x79 gd45+...easier to oc on air, and faster.


----------



## anubis1127

i5 with PCIe 3.0 x8 / x8 is fine for two modern GPUs.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I would get CPU but i just remembered something, my mobo is the worst of its class for 8xxx, now ima have to dump both my mobo and cpu gana go for an i5-k =/
> do not tell me a i5 would bottleneck my ass -___-
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Get a 4820k and a cheap x79 gd45+...easier to oc on air, and faster.
Click to expand...

^^Thats exactly what I would start with, a 4820.


----------



## sugarhell

Better 3820. 32 nm was better on oc than 20..


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^Thats exactly what I would start with, a 4820.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Better 3820. 32 nm was better on oc than 20..


Yeah, but the ivy-e is slightly faster and has a better imc. Price isn't half bad too, and good for air cooling.


----------



## anubis1127

And native PCIe 3.0 is nice. I know it doesn't mean much in real world games, but it's nice to know it's there.


----------



## TempAccount007

Question:

If my VDDC bounces around a little bit but my clocks don't; does that mean my 7950 is throttling? Or is it normal?

Also, GPU-Z shows my VDDC as ~5-10% less than I set it at in iTurbo. Is that normal?

Edit: VDDC can be more than 10% lower at times.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I would get CPU but i just remembered something, my mobo is the worst of its class for 8xxx, now ima have to dump both my mobo and cpu gana go for an i5-k =/
> *do not tell me a i5 would bottleneck my ass* -___-


Yes it would, a i5 4670K would be a bottleneck for two HD7950, I have a 2500K even @ 4.7GHz still it's a bottleneck for my stock Asus HD7950 DC2T-V2 in BF3, BF4 multiplayer (GPU usage ~ 70%), often in Crysis 3.

A Haswel i5 would not be much faster, if any faster in games than Sandy bridge.

So my advice is go for an i7, doesn't matter SB/IB or Haswell, just 8 threads would do their job much better than 4 cores/threads on i5.

CHEERS..


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Yes it would, a i5 4670K would be a bottleneck for two HD7950, I have a 2500K even @ 4.7GHz still it's a bottleneck for my stock Asus HD7950 DC2T-V2 in BF3, BF4 multiplayer (GPU usage ~ 70%), often in Crysis 3.
> 
> A Haswel i5 would not be much faster, if any faster in games than Sandy bridge.
> 
> So my advice is go for an i7, doesn't matter SB/IB or Haswell, just 8 threads would do their job much better than 4 cores/threads on i5.
> 
> CHEERS..


oh no...... this is a sad info i have read,..

beacause im planning to buy another 7970 to crossfire with my refrence 7970... so a 3570k i5 will bottleneck 2 7970?







nooooo


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> oh no...... this is a sad info i have read,..
> 
> beacause im planning to buy another 7970 to crossfire with my refrence 7970... so a 3570k i5 will bottleneck 2 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nooooo


Everything will be a bottleneck unless you go hexa core with an intel chip...I wouldn't go nuts about it. You can get more than enough perf with xfire and an i5 clocked to 4.5-5ghz.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Everything will be a bottleneck unless you go hexa core with an intel chip...I wouldn't go nuts about it. You can get more than enough perf with xfire and an i5 clocked to 4.5-5ghz.


^this. i agree, especially in MP.


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> oh no...... this is a sad info i have read,..
> 
> beacause im planning to buy another 7970 to crossfire with my refrence 7970... so a 3570k i5 will bottleneck 2 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> nooooo


a cheap upgrade to sort remove the bottleneck would also be buying a 3770K


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> a cheap upgrade to sort remove the bottleneck would also be buying a 3770K


haha i dont enough money to upgrade to 3770k... maybe ill just ignore the bottleneck thing and buy the 7970,, not to worry to much and just njoy gaming,.. and btw im just playing in one monitor.. all i want is more fps coz i have 120hz monitor..

ahmm guys another question hehe can i put some collaboratory pro on my gpus heatsink? i think the reference cooler of my card is made out of cooper,. will it not make harm on my gpu if i replace the paste inside?

i know powercolor is not that good at there cooling for there gpus but will it help if i put clp? 71c to full load 85c on crysis 3 is my temp here


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> a cheap upgrade to sort remove the bottleneck would also be buying a 3770K
> 
> 
> 
> haha i dont enough money to upgrade to 3770k... maybe ill just ignore the bottleneck thing and buy the 7970,, not to worry to much and just njoy gaming,.. and btw im just playing in one monitor.. all i want is more fps coz i have 120hz monitor..
> 
> ahmm guys another question hehe can i put some collaboratory pro on my gpus heatsink? i think the reference cooler of my card is made out of cooper,. will it not make harm on my gpu if i replace the paste inside?
> 
> i know powercolor is not that good at there cooling for there gpus but will it help if i put clp? 71c to full load 85c on crysis 3 is my temp here
Click to expand...

As long as it is a copper base, then CLP will be good on a GPU


----------



## maynard14

Thank you...hope it will give me good result when i replace the tim...wahoo thank you guys so much


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> haha i dont enough money to upgrade to 3770k... maybe ill just ignore the bottleneck thing and buy the 7970,, not to worry to much and just njoy gaming,.. and btw im just playing in one monitor.. all i want is more fps coz i have 120hz monitor..
> 
> ahmm guys another question hehe can i put some collaboratory pro on my gpus heatsink? i think the reference cooler of my card is made out of cooper,. will it not make harm on my gpu if i replace the paste inside?
> 
> i know powercolor is not that good at there cooling for there gpus but will it help if i put clp? 71c to full load 85c on crysis 3 is my temp here


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Thank you...hope it will give me good result when i replace the tim...wahoo thank you guys so much


It definitely will work but also try to lower voltage...what clocks and volts are you running? Fan speed? Ambient temps?
1.25v stock voltage is too high for most cards.


----------



## istudy92

omgosh, what you guys are saying is really scary!!!

If you guys are saying an i5 could bottleneck a crossfire then why do people have 8350s on thier rigs?! 0.o
=/

im extra sad now =/ I guess i gata wait for blackfriday cyber monday=p to take advantage of all the deals cause this getting pricy-...-


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> omgosh, what you guys are saying is really scary!!!
> 
> If you guys are saying an i5 could bottleneck a crossfire then why do people have 8350s on thier rigs?! 0.o
> =/
> 
> im extra sad now =/ I guess i gata wait for blackfriday cyber monday=p to take advantage of all the deals cause this getting pricy-...-


BF4 run's 40%/60% cpu at 48c on Ultra... not enough headroom?


----------



## alex123fra

Anyone know if there is a custom bios for the 7990s? I have an XFX 7990 and it allows me to 1.3V and also fully unlocked core and memory clocks in MSI AB but I can't push past 1.3V.


----------



## Clukos

When i run League Of Legends on my 7970 it constantly down-clocks to 2D mode and i get horrid FPS drops. It looks like this in game.



Can someone help me disable this "feature" it's getting on my nerves as it makes the game almost unplayable...


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> It definitely will work but also try to lower voltage...what clocks and volts are you running? Fan speed? Ambient temps?
> 1.25v stock voltage is too high for most cards.


hi there thanks for the reply

ahm heres my idle screenshot for my card./ ambient is about 29c here in my room (i live here in the philippines thats why its hot haha)



and here is my temp on my card after playing crysis 3 for about 3 min



maybae after 10 min my temp will go up to 85c running vcard at stock

,.. is my card faulty?


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> omgosh, what you guys are saying is really scary!!!
> 
> If you guys are saying an i5 could bottleneck a crossfire then why do people have 8350s on thier rigs?! 0.o
> =/
> 
> im extra sad now =/ I guess i gata wait for blackfriday cyber monday=p to take advantage of all the deals cause this getting pricy-...-


they think the benchmark scores of amd vs intel means you couldnt possibly run a game reasonably. Yes you may be losing a few fps by having AMD but theres certainly still many gains from going crossfire. Cpu is only really bottlenecking if its reaching 100 percent and the gpu is nowhere close. That is a true bottleneck. what they are referring to is the loss of fps vs intel. which isnt that much. Ive given up trying to argue it here but dont worry so much if your not maxing your cpu your really only losing minimal fps vs intel.


----------



## pcoutu17

Yeah, this is the first time I've ever heard someone say that an i5 4670k would come anywhere close to bottlenecking in games.


----------



## BigglezMcGee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigglezMcGee*
> 
> Can somebody help me out? I got an HD 7950 about 4 weeks ago and I've had a persistent problem. My computer locks up on a black screen when I start a game up and it gets past the publisher logo splash screen. It also crashes to a grey screen with vertical lines when I open catalyst control center or the advanced setting of windows firewall, and when I go to a steam store page if it has a video on it (only on the client though, browser pages are fine). Then if I reinstall the drivers or install older ones/beta (I've only gone back to 13.4) the problem is fixed. Then the next day the problem comes back for no apparent reason, I just turn it on and can't play games again. Somebody help!
> 
> Operating System
> Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 7601)
> 
> Processor a
> 3.40 gigahertz AMD Phenom II X4 965
> 512 kilobyte primary memory cache
> 2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache
> 6144 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
> 64-bit ready
> Multi-core (4 total)
> Not hyper-threaded
> 
> Main Circuit Board b
> Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M4N68T-M-V2 Rev X.0x
> Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
> BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0501 08/03/2010
> 
> Memory Modules c,d
> 4096 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory
> 
> Display
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series [Display adapter]


BIOS update didn't help, problems came back. Something odd though, I was going through my device mangager and when I try to expand the system devices my computer crashes, every time. Do I need to update them or something? How do I go about doing that?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clukos*
> 
> When i run League Of Legends on my 7970 it constantly down-clocks to 2D mode and i get horrid FPS drops. It looks like this in game.
> 
> *image*
> 
> Can someone help me disable this "feature" it's getting on my nerves as it makes the game almost unplayable...


I have a similar problem in Audiosurf; I just force as high AA/AF (in the driver) as I can, and sometimes supplement with SweetFX shaders. The added load is enough to keep it in 3D clocks.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> they think the benchmark scores of amd vs intel means you couldnt possibly run a game reasonably. Yes you may be losing a few fps by having AMD but theres certainly still many gains from going crossfire. Cpu is only really bottlenecking if its reaching 100 percent and the gpu is nowhere close. That is a true bottleneck. what they are referring to is the loss of fps vs intel. which isnt that much. Ive given up trying to argue it here but dont worry so much if your not maxing your cpu your really only losing minimal fps vs intel.


Fair enough, I will take that into consideration then and stick with 8350.
and it makes sense since 4300 does reach 90%+ on most games. SO it makes sense.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Everything will be a bottleneck unless you go hexa core with an intel chip...I wouldn't go nuts about it. You can get more than enough perf with xfire and an i5 clocked to 4.5-5ghz.


or a FX 8320 or 8350 @ 4.8 > 5.2GHz, whichever fits your fancy.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> or a FX 8320 or 8350 @ 4.8 > 5.2GHz, whichever fits your fancy.


LOL i would be lucky to hit 4.3Ghtz on fx83XX
My mobo VRM cant handle it lol but i assume 4.2 is good enough for most tasks.

Ether way, I am now newly excited to once again have another task at hand upgrade cpu,mobo and maybe switch to watercooling=p >.> maybe..0.0


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> LOL i would be lucky to hit 4.3Ghtz on fx83XX
> My mobo VRM cant handle it lol but i assume 4.2 is good enough for most tasks.
> 
> Ether way, I am now newly excited to once again have another task at hand upgrade cpu,mobo and maybe switch to watercooling=p >.> maybe..0.0


Your board isn't too shabby and 4.2ghz should be fairly decent for gaming.









Wc will be great for the gpus, your cpu will be limited by the mobo, so 5ghz might be a tad too much for it. It's worth a shot though, Gigabyte tends to make solid vrm's, but their bioses SUCK.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> hi there thanks for the reply
> 
> ahm heres my idle screenshot for my card./ ambient is about 29c here in my room (i live here in the philippines thats why its hot haha)
> 
> 
> 
> and here is my temp on my card after playing crysis 3 for about 3 min
> 
> 
> 
> maybae after 10 min my temp will go up to 85c running vcard at stock
> 
> ,.. is my card faulty?


help.... hehe is my card faulty? can i still lower my voltage?


----------



## FernTeixe

is it reference model? model?

do you have a nice airflow in your case? I mean at least 3 fans?

it's a bit high, but if you don't have a good airflow will always get really hot

Also set a custom fan curve, 50% speed at 73c is a bit low, isn't it?


----------



## Deadboy90

Hello gentlemen. I recently got my hands on a MSI 7950 Boost and I seem to have reached the limit of Afterburner for OCing. My core has maxed out at 1100 on 1.188v. Is there a way to extend Afterburners OCing capabilities?


----------



## jezzer

An i5 does not bottleneck 7950 CF.. It bottlenecks itself in the games given as examples. Crysis3, BF4, both optimized for more then 4 cores so yea thats a loss in FPS but not due to the CPU cant handle CF or SLI.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> is it reference model? model?
> 
> do you have a nice airflow in your case? I mean at least 3 fans?
> 
> it's a bit high, but if you don't have a good airflow will always get really hot
> 
> Also set a custom fan curve, 50% speed at 73c is a bit low, isn't it?


Hi sir i have corsair 540 case ,. in front of the case i have put 120 mm fans as intake

and 140 mm fan at the back as exhaust..

when playing crysis 3 my temps goes all the way up to 85c .. is that normal? and if playing other games like tombraider it goes up to 77c after 1 hr or 30 min.. im just scared i will fry my card and im planning to crossfire it. yes this card is a powercolor 7970 reference card.


----------



## kgtuning

I have two power color cards that are reference that ran hot. those temps with your ambient temp seems normal.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kgtuning*
> 
> I have two power color cards that are reference that ran hot. those temps with your ambient temp seems normal.


thank you sir that clears my mind. i will try to put some clp on my card later and see if there will be any difference on my temp


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Hello gentlemen. I recently got my hands on a MSI 7950 Boost and I seem to have reached the limit of Afterburner for OCing. My core has maxed out at 1100 on 1.188v. Is there a way to extend Afterburners OCing capabilities?


Make an Afterburner shortcut if you don't already have one, right click the shortcut and select properties. At the end of the target line add _/xcl_. Should look something like this: _"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl_. Exit afterburner and launch it from the edited shortcut. It will ask to restart. Remove the _/xcl_ from the shortcut before or after you restart if you want to keep using the shortcut.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Make an Afterburner shortcut if you don't already have one, right click the shortcut and select properties. At the end of the target line add _/xcl_. Should look something like this: _"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl_. Exit afterburner and launch it from the edited shortcut. It will ask to restart. Remove the _/xcl_ from the shortcut before or after you restart if you want to keep using the shortcut.


Thanks ill try that. On another note I don't seem to me able to tweak the voltage on this card! What gives? I set the voltage I desire, hit apply and it just reverts to stock, 1.188v. Also, what is the Power limit (%) slider and what does it do? I didnt have it with my old MSI card.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Make an Afterburner shortcut if you don't already have one, right click the shortcut and select properties. At the end of the target line add _/xcl_. Should look something like this: _"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl_. Exit afterburner and launch it from the edited shortcut. It will ask to restart. Remove the _/xcl_ from the shortcut before or after you restart if you want to keep using the shortcut.


If you're using the beta version of AB (and you should be, IMO), there's an "Extend official overclocking limits" option under AMD compatibility properties in the General tab in the settings; it does the same thing as xcl, but without using a launch option.

EDIT: Power limit changes the TDP limit of the card; if you're overclocking, you should set it to +20% to help with stability. Also, on boost cards, it can help the GPU maintain the boost clocks rather than downclocking.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Make an Afterburner shortcut if you don't already have one, right click the shortcut and select properties. At the end of the target line add _/xcl_. Should look something like this: _"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl_. Exit afterburner and launch it from the edited shortcut. It will ask to restart. Remove the _/xcl_ from the shortcut before or after you restart if you want to keep using the shortcut.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks ill try that. On another note I don't seem to me able to tweak the voltage on this card! What gives? I set the voltage I desire, hit apply and it just reverts to stock, 1.188v. Also, what is the Power limit (%) slider and what does it do? I didnt have it with my old MSI card.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Make an Afterburner shortcut if you don't already have one, right click the shortcut and select properties. At the end of the target line add _/xcl_. Should look something like this: _"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl_. Exit afterburner and launch it from the edited shortcut. It will ask to restart. Remove the _/xcl_ from the shortcut before or after you restart if you want to keep using the shortcut.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks ill try that. On another note I don't seem to me able to tweak the voltage on this card! What gives? I set the voltage I desire, hit apply and it just reverts to stock, 1.188v. Also, what is the Power limit (%) slider and what does it do? I didnt have it with my old MSI card.
Click to expand...

The power limit slider raises the overall TDP of your card. Helpfull if you are overclocking and notice that your card is downclocking.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The power limit slider raises the overall TDP of your card. Helpfull if you are overclocking and notice that your card is downclocking.


So I should just push it to max and forget about it?


----------



## broadbandaddict

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> If you're using the beta version of AB (and you should be, IMO), there's an "Extend official overclocking limits" option under AMD compatibility properties in the General tab in the settings; it does the same thing as xcl, but without using a launch option.
> 
> EDIT: Power limit changes the TDP limit of the card; if you're overclocking, you should set it to +20% to help with stability. Also, on boost cards, it can help the GPU maintain the boost clocks rather than downclocking.


That's true. Just realized I downloaded the wrong version when I reinstalled.









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> So I should just push it to max and forget about it?


Yes.


----------



## Deadboy90

Sorry I just like looking at it









So I still can overvolt on this card. I checked the "enable voltage control" box in Afterburner and I still cant change the voltage. The slider lets me move it but when I try to hit apply it goes back to stock. (1.188v) and thoughts guys?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *broadbandaddict*
> 
> Make an Afterburner shortcut if you don't already have one, right click the shortcut and select properties. At the end of the target line add _/xcl_. Should look something like this: _"C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl_. Exit afterburner and launch it from the edited shortcut. It will ask to restart. Remove the _/xcl_ from the shortcut before or after you restart if you want to keep using the shortcut.


iirc you have to use the non BE editions bios to do that ( flash your bios )


----------



## TempAccount007

Would raising the power limit slider above 20% stabilize VDDC? My clocks don't change, but my VDDC does. It's never constant and it's always below what I set it at. However the MVDDC doesn't change at all.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> Would raising the power limit slider above 20% stabilize VDDC? My clocks don't change, but my VDDC does. It's never constant and it's always below what I set it at. However the MVDDC doesn't change at all.


That is voltage droop, and is normal, and minor load changes will affect voltage, but has little to do with TDP directly . Pushing past 20% will only help stabilize your voltage if you are suffering from downclocking, which can occur for different reasons. To determine if you suffer from it, run a stress test (something like Kombuster) for 10-15 minutes and see if your usage or clocks are anything less than a maxed out line. Afterburner or GPU-Z both can be used to monitor. If you see drops in either clock speed or usage, but are not getting thermal throttle, then going over 20 could very well help.


----------



## TempAccount007

Thanks inedenimadam


----------



## Gordon68

Does this 3DMark11 score look good?

benchmark.jpg 511k .jpg file


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gordon68*
> 
> Does this 3DMark11 score look good?
> 
> benchmark.jpg 511k .jpg file


need to add as an image...


----------



## Gordon68

Second post hopefully better than the first.


----------



## Gordon68

.......and almost


----------



## Red1776

scratch that


----------



## Gordon68

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> scratch that


Huh?


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gordon68*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> scratch that
> 
> 
> 
> Huh?
Click to expand...

I just posted posted in the wrong forum G


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Your board isn't too shabby and 4.2ghz should be fairly decent for gaming.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wc will be great for the gpus, your cpu will be limited by the mobo, so 5ghz might be a tad too much for it. It's worth a shot though, Gigabyte tends to make solid vrm's, but their bioses SUCK.


yeah but specifically the one I have UD3 rev.3 is a faulty one. VRM is non existant.
but i will keep you all updated how it goes with changing CPU and all=p


----------



## Gordon68

Do those scores look good for my GPU and CPU, normal, average, low?


----------



## Gordon68

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I just posted posted in the wrong forum G


Thank god, cause' I thought I broke some unwritten rule that needed "scratched" lol.


----------



## Gordon68

Soooo.. my scores ok?


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Your scores look fine.


----------



## TempAccount007

I just stress tested my 7950 and have a question.

I set the VDDC to 1375mv with the core at 1800mhz.

Under stress test the VDDC is around 1275mv. What is the cause of this?

I have a 600w corsair PSU and a 3570k. Is my psu underpowered or is the voltage control on the card at its limits? Or something else?


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> yeah but specifically the one I have UD3 rev.3 is a faulty one. VRM is non existant.
> but i will keep you all updated how it goes with changing CPU and all=p


you could do what ozzy did he just added some aftermarket enzotech VRM and a fan and was able to push to 4.7ghz without throttling. I have yet to have any problems with any games at 4.6ghz although I dont run bf4 or anything too graphic extensive.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> I just stress tested my 7950 and have a question.
> 
> I set the VDDC to 1375mv with the core at 1800mhz.
> 
> Under stress test the VDDC is around 1275mv. What is the cause of this?
> 
> I have a 600w corsair PSU and a 3570k. Is my psu underpowered or is the voltage control on the card at its limits? Or something else?


sounds like your card is experiencing vdroop


----------



## Deadboy90

So with my new 7950 I'm hitting 1100/1450 on 1.88v. How is that OC? I still have not touched the voltage as I can't figure out why it's slider won't move. Also, I'm doing 25 runs of Metro 2033 Frontline benchmark to test stability, is this a good idea?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> I just stress tested my 7950 and have a question.
> 
> I set the VDDC to 1375mv with the core at 1800mhz.
> 
> Under stress test the VDDC is around 1275mv. What is the cause of this?
> 
> I have a 600w corsair PSU and a 3570k. Is my psu underpowered or is the voltage control on the card at its limits? Or something else?


core... at 1800.... waaaaa...?

yes you have a large amount of droop, what card is this? and that PSU may be pushing it at that voltage...


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> you could do what ozzy did he just added some aftermarket enzotech VRM and a fan and was able to push to 4.7ghz without throttling. I have yet to have any problems with any games at 4.6ghz although I dont run bf4 or anything too graphic extensive.
> sounds like your card is experiencing vdroop


I could but to be honest, the main issue is heat warping that happens eventually to all users with UD3 (and by all users I mean all users who are gigabyte fxa mobo owners on the other thread).
do you by any chance know the right Enzotech model/config or w/e it is that fits ud3? because the one 88mm on newegg is sold out0.o
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835708011


----------



## TempAccount007

Yeah I know its an insane amount but I'm trying to find the limit of the card. It's a HIS IceQ. The clock is too high for the vdroop. I'm getting artifacts. 1600mhz with the same setting of 1375mv vddc is probably the most I can hope for.

I'm trying to decrease cpu and video memory speed and voltage to see if I can get a higher VDDC.\

Edit: Haha wow. With the VDDC set at 1375 mv, hwinfo64 is showing VDDC going all the way down to 1250 mv.

Edit2: hwinfo64 is showing that I set the VDDC to 1250 mv? I have it set to 1375 mv in iTurbo. I have read that hwinfo64 is accurate. Bios/hardware issue perhaps? Maybe the voltage is locked at 1.25 volts maximum, despite iTurbo going up to 1375 mv. Wouldn't surprise me.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I could but to be honest, the main issue is heat warping that happens eventually to all users with UD3 (and by all users I mean all users who are gigabyte fxa mobo owners on the other thread).
> do you by any chance know the right Enzotech model/config or w/e it is that fits ud3? because the one 88mm on newegg is sold out0.o
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835708011


fyi they are seling you snake oil with that story, i know several ppl with ud3s and 1 is on this forum, who have 5ghz+ ocs on them


----------



## dspacek

Hello guys,
I have made a water cooling system for my PC. So I thought that I will fill it by R9-290X. But If I see the benchmark results so I thing that overclocking of the HD7950 under water which can be 1200+ Core and 1800Mhz RAM can reach very near R9-290.
I have tested theese clocks and it works but after 20minutes it shut down because of many artefacts(hot RAM).
But it was with this small water block without RAM and VRM cooling (VRM cooled by one FAN-max 75°C)

Now I will buy this one
http://www.alphacool.cz/produkt/Alphacool_NexXxoS_ATXP_7970-50_V2_Serie_-_Shiny_Copper.html

So do you thing that is possible to reach almost similar performace +- 10% like stock R-290?
Will be crossfire at this OC much faster than R9-290? I hope so, because the price will be lower with Water block, than stock R9-290.
Now i have got in Heaven Benchmark v3.0 54,3FPS with 1190Mhz core and 1645 Mhz RAM


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dspacek*
> 
> Hello guys,
> I have made a water cooling system for my PC. So I thought that I will fill it by R9-290X. But If I see the benchmark results so I thing that overclocking of the HD7950 under water which can be 1200+ Core and 1800Mhz RAM can reach very near R9-290.
> I have tested theese clocks and it works but after 20minutes it shut down because of many artefacts(hot RAM).
> But it was with this small water block without RAM and VRM cooling (VRM cooled by one FAN-max 75°C)
> 
> Now I will buy this one
> http://www.alphacool.cz/produkt/Alphacool_NexXxoS_ATXP_7970-50_V2_Serie_-_Shiny_Copper.html
> 
> So do you thing that is possible to reach almost similar performace +- 10% like stock R-290?
> Will be crossfire at this OC much faster than R9-290? I hope so, because the price will be lower with Water block, than stock R9-290.
> Now i have got in Heaven Benchmark v3.0 54,3FPS with 1190Mhz core and 1645 Mhz RAM


1800 mem is very high, especially with a 7950, that full cover block should keep the memory cool but there's no real way of telling if you will still be able to keep the memory that high...


----------



## chronicfx

Does anyone know how well quadfire
Framepacing works with the new drivers?


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dspacek*
> 
> Hello guys,
> I have made a water cooling system for my PC. So I thought that I will fill it by R9-290X. But If I see the benchmark results so I thing that overclocking of the HD7950 under water which can be 1200+ Core and 1800Mhz RAM can reach very near R9-290.
> I have tested theese clocks and it works but after 20minutes it shut down because of many artefacts(hot RAM).
> But it was with this small water block without RAM and VRM cooling (VRM cooled by one FAN-max 75°C)
> 
> Now I will buy this one
> http://www.alphacool.cz/produkt/Alphacool_NexXxoS_ATXP_7970-50_V2_Serie_-_Shiny_Copper.html
> 
> So do you thing that is possible to reach almost similar performace +- 10% like stock R-290?
> Will be crossfire at this OC much faster than R9-290? I hope so, because the price will be lower with Water block, than stock R9-290.
> Now i have got in Heaven Benchmark v3.0 54,3FPS with 1190Mhz core and 1645 Mhz RAM


Please for the love of that GPU, tell me that you did NOT try to run that with naked memory and VRM's. If so, you need to take that card out NOW until you get active memory and VRM cooling, assuming its not broken yet.


----------



## dspacek

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Please for the love of that GPU, tell me that you did NOT try to run that with naked memory and VRM's. If so, you need to take that card out NOW until you get active memory and VRM cooling, assuming its not broken yet.


FAN on VRM kept it at 75°C max. RAM was around 60°C, measured by infracam. ;-) Now Im at lower clocks, it was only for the test, if it can handle it. in a few days will be under that full cover water block ;-)
I will post it here with tests and info if that helped in any way.

So, is here anyone who agree with me that CF with like this overclocked HD7950 will be much faster than R9-290, for the same price?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> fyi they are seling you snake oil with that story, i know several ppl with ud3s and 1 is on this forum, who have 5ghz+ ocs on them


but the thing is..i got 75C+ 85C on my VRM temp when i owned a 8350 at 4.4ghtz

it was really extream=/


----------



## khawaja07

It's funny how i get a 54.3% ASIC quality







, just bought my CLUB3D HD 7950 Royal King GPU about 2 weeks ago, but had it repaired...


----------



## phillyd

I'm looking to buy a 7950 Twin Frozr card but I can't seem to find any that have received price cuts. With the 270x very similar in performance, why hasn't the 7950 dropped in price. In fact, why hasn't the whole 7xxx series dropped in price?

Might have to buy used.


----------



## BeardedJesus

Seem to be difficult to get in the UK aswell, Overclockers.co.uk have but a few but Scan seems to have some for £190, might go on the hunt for one myself


----------



## richie_2010

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/3gb-msi-radeon-hd-7950-twin-frozr-oc-be-28nm-5000mhz-gddr5-gpu-880mhz-1792-cores-dvi-hdmi-2x-mini-dp?ProductId=68953

go into the today only section its 171


----------



## BeardedJesus

Hmmmm seems to be mainland only as the offer isn't showing up here in NI







Wonder if a proxy would sort it hmmmmmm


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I'm looking to buy a 7950 Twin Frozr card but I can't seem to find any that have received price cuts. With the 270x very similar in performance, why hasn't the 7950 dropped in price. In fact, why hasn't the whole 7xxx series dropped in price?
> 
> Might have to buy used.


you could get a 280X? they are mostly rebranded 7970s with better clocks and the proper ones have eyefinity support without needing displayport.


----------



## TempAccount007

Newegg did drop the price for 7950s to get rid of stock (I assume).

Some were going for $180 AR. I think the Twin Frozr was at $180, maybe $200. Frys even had MSI 7950s for $130.

Maybe wait a little as there will surly be a glut of them on ebay soon enough.


----------



## phillyd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *phillyd*
> 
> I'm looking to buy a 7950 Twin Frozr card but I can't seem to find any that have received price cuts. With the 270x very similar in performance, why hasn't the 7950 dropped in price. In fact, why hasn't the whole 7xxx series dropped in price?
> 
> Might have to buy used.
> 
> 
> 
> you could get a 280X? they are mostly rebranded 7970s with better clocks and the proper ones have eyefinity support without needing displayport.
Click to expand...

I already have one 7950 and I want to use the EK FC7950 block and backplate.


----------



## wermad

Can I join the fun


----------



## TempAccount007

Just tested the ASIC on my IceQ 7950: 57.1%.

From what I've been reading that's pretty bad.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

What kind of performance would a 7950 at 1125/7000 get in 3dmark11?

I'm trying to decide whether or not to use that instead of my rigs 670 ftw at 1241/7900 that gets about 10.7k graphics score.

I was in the process of installing it but had to leave to catch a train, any ideas? The 3gb vram is definitely a point to the 7950...


----------



## King PWNinater

What is the best CPU for dual 7990s?

Also, where is the cheapest place to find a 7990?


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Can I join the fun


Tell me how that runs with the new drivers, I am tri-fire with an extra 7970 sitting on my shelf in the basement. I would have to find a way to trade it for a dual slot for it to fit, but quad-fire is tempting as hell..


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> Just tested the ASIC on my IceQ 7950: 57.1%.
> 
> From what I've been reading that's pretty bad.


I would like to know more about that subject too, it does seem to be a community divided about what ASIC scores mean in terms of overclocking.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Tell me how that runs with the new drivers, I am tri-fire with an extra 7970 sitting on my shelf in the basement. I would have to find a way to trade it for a dual slot for it to fit, but quad-fire is tempting as hell..


Downloading the amd driver suite right now. Its taking forever so I won't get to it right away. All four will be going on water but for now I'm testing them on air. Knowing they have the knob on the back and the fan cooler, I won't sandwich them until they go on water







.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Downloading the amd driver suite right now. Its taking forever so I won't get to it right away. All four will be going on water but for now I'm testing them on air. Knowing they have the knob on the back and the fan cooler, I won't sandwich them until they go on water
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Awesome. Been playing Far Cry 3 everything on Max and its been perfectly smooth. I can't tell if it's the "tri-fire" effect (they say three cards eliminates microstutter) that everyone talks about or if they have really fixed crossfireX framepacing through driver updates. Your input would be key because I have the option of making a Quadfire setup by selling my vapor-x (3-slot) and buying a two slot card 7970 (maybe even reference so I could go water) which would allow me to fit it in the second slot without blocking the third.


----------



## prescotter

Anybody with a hd7970 flash a r9 280x bios over it?

The only reference bios on TPU seems to be from a engineer sample / prototype card.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Anybody with a hd7970 flash a r9 280x bios over it?
> 
> The only reference bios on TPU seems to be from a engineer sample / prototype card.


I am tempted...just because I like messing with stuff...but I cant see any advantage.


----------



## prescotter

Yea geuss there is no real benefit too it, except thinking you got a ''better'' card lol









Flashed the referece Ati/AMD R9 280x bios from TPU on my MSI Reference 7970 card and it coulnt detect clocks in GPU-Z and Error from Catalyst Center.

But ive read that HD7970 Toxic users flashed theirs succesfully,

--

So i just edited my own bios for some better stock clocks / voltages.
Cant change the memory voltage and default its 1.6v, changed core to 1.1v

And made a nice custom fan curve in the bios.
Perfect balance between speed and heat/noise.

Offcourse i do have a higher OC profile, this just for simple games.


Notice the default clock speeds


----------



## Deadboy90

Ok so Im having difficulty unlocking the voltage control on my MSI 7950 Boost Edition. I checked all the necessary boxes in Afterburner and enabled the unofficial overclocking so I am ready to go. But everytime I move the voltage slider and hit apply it reverts right back to stock, 1.188v. I have tons of thermal room and I am really looking forward to really letting this card fly. Just how can i give it the necessary voltage?


----------



## prescotter

You could try mod your bios to up the voltage that way. My voltage can be changed in afterburner but i edited it in the bios anyway,

Check over here
Ati Hd 7950/7970 bios mod thread

And search for the VBE7 Tool in the first post


----------



## TempAccount007

In other news, my IceQ 7950 with a ASIC of 57% is a dog. Oh well. With a VDDC set to 1375mv (after vdroop ~1300mv), 1160mhz is barely possible.

I bought this card thinking I would be temperature limited, but the max VDDC of 1375mv (hardware limited right?) is like a medicore voltage lock for my under-performing chip. I heard low ASIC is good for extreme overclockers. How do they get past the voltage limit imposed on them? Hardware mods?

Is it true that some brands tend to have chips with better ASIC than other brands? Is there any way to buy a card with a guaranteed ASIC?


----------



## dmfree88

Not that I am aware of but there has been numerous reports of both low asic being great and high asic being great. This also may be due to the fact that water vs air has different results.

Based on what GPU-Z says since you have such low ASIC you should actually have outstanding water overclockability (i think thats one of the lowest ive ever seen). While my gpu is 82.7 does great with stock cooling but wont overclock as far with water. I would love to put two cards of the exact same brand with opposite asic under water to see the actual difference. Its possible because it has higher stock voltage that its actually built for overclocking further at higher volts maybe?

Being that mine was a more expensive model (hawk) and has high ASIC I would like to see how everyone elses compares vs models. Do they cherry pick for more expensive models(hawk, matrix, devil etc)?


----------



## rcoolb2002

So i'm selling a 7850 on ebay and I got this weird email.

Just wondering if any of you guys have gotten anything like this before. Smells like a scam to me. Claim to paypal that they never recieved etc.
Quote:


> Good afternoon.
> 
> We are computer and electronics dealers and I have an order for this exact card that needs to be filled within 48 biz hours. Will you take $100 with free shipping and be able to ship directly to my buyer when I pay with Paypal?
> If so feel free to call me. We can keep this in eBay by adjusting your listing to a buy it now.


----------



## TempAccount007

I just lifted off the heat sink to find a potato chip underneath









Lays Barbecue, if you were wondering.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> I just lifted off the heat sink to find a potato chip underneath
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lays Barbecue, if you were wondering.


That qc guy should be fired... They are supposed to use cool ranch


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I would like to know more about that subject too, it does seem to be a community divided about what ASIC scores mean in terms of overclocking.


bout 55% and lower means you have a really "poor" sample, you'll likely need more voltage to get past stock clocks, though it should still clock about the same as most other higher ASIC samples.

for the 79x0/280 cards the ASIC generally gives you a basis for the clock to voltage ratio, doesn't really change anything else...


----------



## TempAccount007

This card might be going back.

If chips with better ASICs were purposely handed out by AMD, what card/manufacturer do you guys think would have the best chance at a decent one?

I won't take my chances on another HIS card again.


----------



## dmfree88

MSI and Powercolor tend to be fairly highly acclaimed for overclocking. Although powercolor's cheaper models are generally not the best coolers (they are cheap though which makes em good for water cooling blocks). Depends what your willing to invest. Powercolor devil (not the cheap one), MSI Twin Frozr, Gigabyte Windforce tend to be the top stock coolers. Generally I have seen mostly high ASIC numbers out of MSI. Havent had alot of variety to really see whether its cherry picked or not though.


----------



## TempAccount007

Okay I have my eyes set on a Twin Frozr. All of those you mentioned were about the same price as the IceQ at the time I made my purchase. I simply didn't know any better and chose wrongly. I'm pretty sure I have until January 31st to return without restocking fees. I'll talk to Newegg on Monday. If not then it would have to be back at Newegg by Friday plus restocking and shipping fees...

It almost feels like playing the stock market with these cards' prices. The Twin Frozr has fluctuated almost $100 in the matter of two weeks.

Also, thanks for your help


----------



## dmfree88

the twin frozr is nice, but if you can afford the powercolor devil or its anywhere close to the same price id go for that. I have a MSI hawk which is a more expensive version of the twin frozr (same heatsink) and the devil still beats mine. Windforce also stays cooler then twin frozr only due to the extra fan. All in all though windforce is kinda 50/50 on getting a good card though. MSI prob the best choice if the devil isnt available in that price range







. Of course if you can get a hawk for cheap that would be an awesome option aswell as it comes with a gpu reactor.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> This card might be going back.
> 
> If chips with better ASICs were purposely handed out by AMD, what card/manufacturer do you guys think would have the best chance at a decent one?
> 
> I won't take my chances on another HIS card again.


apart from the reference 7990, there isn't any, and don't be fooled by ASUS either...

its a gamble really,not much you can do about it but hope, though I haven't really heard of any reference 7970s with low ASIC, a lot of custom ones are bought cheaply from AMD and as such have much lower bin quality and high rates of coil whine, some of the MSI cards are especially like this... (though quite good for water if you get ones without noise)


----------



## dspacek

I had GIGABYTE HD7950 ASIC 54%, then occures some problems with stock cooler. Did not resolved by water block. So I have send it back and they replaced 62% ASIC core.
So I hope that GPU will have extreme overclock ability under water and can reach 1300Mhz GPU. because 1200Mhz were possible under 1256mV.


----------



## Kokin

Not many 7950/7970s will reach 1300mhz even with water. Mine barely handles 1300mhz and I normally have to downclock to 1250~1275mhz, though these are mostly for testing/benching clocks. Most games I play don't need more power than 950~1000mhz @ stock voltage.


----------



## dspacek

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Not many 7950/7970s will reach 1300mhz even with water. Mine barely handles 1300mhz and I normally have to downclock to 1250~1275mhz, though these are mostly for testing/benching clocks. Most games I play don't need more power than 950~1000mhz @ stock voltage.


Maybe you play old games or on low graphic settings.
So what is your RAM clock? because if you have fast GPU you should have RAM at least 1700Mhz to manage that GPU performance and dont be bottlenecked.
For esxample I have GPU on 1200Mhz and FurMark shows max 95 FPS with 1575Mhz RAM after OC to 1700 it was 105FPS MAX


----------



## welly321

I get a decent FPS boost from upping my memory clock but that could be because I play at 1440p with only a single 7950. I havent had issues though. I can play any game at 60+ fps. I simply turn down some settings if I have to. 1440p high > 1080p ultra.... not to mention Anti-aliasing isnt really needed at 1440p


----------



## BigglezMcGee

Hey I posted here a few days ago and I fiigured I'd post again in case somebody sees it this time that can help. I got an HD 7950 about 4 weeks ago and I've had a persistent problem. My computer locks up on a black screen when I start a game up and it gets past the publisher logo splash screen. It also crashes to a grey screen with vertical lines when I open catalyst control center or the advanced setting of windows firewall, and when I go to a steam store page if it has a video on it (only on the client though, browser pages are fine). It even crashed a few times on youtube but I turned off hardware acceleration and it seems to work. If I reinstall the current drivers or install older ones/beta (I've only gone back to 13.4 and the one that comes on the disc) the problems are fixed, everything works. Then the next day the problem comes back for no apparent reason, I just turn it on and can't play games again. Somebody help!

Operating System
Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 7601)

Processor a
3.40 gigahertz AMD Phenom II X4 965
512 kilobyte primary memory cache
2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache
6144 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
64-bit ready
Multi-core (4 total)
Not hyper-threaded

Main Circuit Board b
Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M4N68T-M-V2 Rev X.0x
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0501 08/03/2010

Memory Modules c,d
4096 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Display
AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series [Display adapter]

What I've tried:
I flashed my BIOS, didn't work, same problems.
Uninstalled drivers, updated chipset and the rest of my drivers, didn't work, same problems

Is it something about the clocks? I really have no clue what to try next.
(Note: device manager reports that my cpu driver is from 2006. I've read that cpu drivers don't matter, but that just seems wrong. Many other drivers are from 2006 as well)

Oh and something odd I noticed is that when I try to expand system devices my computer crashes and I get a white screen. Seem very random but perhaps it's a good indicator of the problem.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dspacek*
> 
> Maybe you play old games or on low graphic settings.
> So what is your RAM clock? because if you have fast GPU you should have RAM at least 1700Mhz to manage that GPU performance and dont be bottlenecked.
> For esxample I have GPU on 1200Mhz and FurMark shows max 95 FPS with 1575Mhz RAM after OC to 1700 it was 105FPS MAX


90% of games don't need an insane GPU, nor their settings on complete maximum to be enjoyable, a lot of people prefer low power and silence over excessively high clocks that kill the card in less then a year.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigglezMcGee*
> 
> Hey I posted here a few days ago and I fiigured I'd post again in case somebody sees it this time that can help. I got an HD 7950 about 4 weeks ago and I've had a persistent problem. My computer locks up on a black screen when I start a game up and it gets past the publisher logo splash screen. It also crashes to a grey screen with vertical lines when I open catalyst control center or the advanced setting of windows firewall, and when I go to a steam store page if it has a video on it (only on the client though, browser pages are fine). It even crashed a few times on youtube but I turned off hardware acceleration and it seems to work. If I reinstall the current drivers or install older ones/beta (I've only gone back to 13.4 and the one that comes on the disc) the problems are fixed, everything works. Then the next day the problem comes back for no apparent reason, I just turn it on and can't play games again. Somebody help!
> 
> Operating System
> Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Service Pack 1 (build 7601)
> 
> Processor a
> 3.40 gigahertz AMD Phenom II X4 965
> 512 kilobyte primary memory cache
> 2048 kilobyte secondary memory cache
> 6144 kilobyte tertiary memory cache
> 64-bit ready
> Multi-core (4 total)
> Not hyper-threaded
> 
> Main Circuit Board b
> Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M4N68T-M-V2 Rev X.0x
> Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
> BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0501 08/03/2010
> 
> Memory Modules c,d
> 4096 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory
> 
> Display
> AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series [Display adapter]
> 
> What I've tried:
> I flashed my BIOS, didn't work, same problems.
> Uninstalled drivers, updated chipset and the rest of my drivers, didn't work, same problems
> 
> Is it something about the clocks? I really have no clue what to try next.
> (Note: device manager reports that my cpu driver is from 2006. I've read that cpu drivers don't matter, but that just seems wrong. Many other drivers are from 2006 as well)
> 
> Oh and something odd I noticed is that when I try to expand system devices my computer crashes and I get a white screen. Seem very random but perhaps it's a good indicator of the problem.


hm, got any ASUS software installed at all? if you do you should remove all of it for a start, but it sounds like your card might be bad...


----------



## BigglezMcGee

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hm, got any ASUS software installed at all? if you do you should remove all of it for a start, but it sounds like your card might be bad...


What do you mean? How would I find out? My motherboard is ASUS, whenn I updated my MOBO chipset I had to run a program called "ASUSSetup" but that's all I know.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

So I installed my spare Dual-X 7950 into my rig... Having an issue.

First, the core clock, mem, and voltage don't go down. I'm running two monitors but if I disable one, then it goes down to idle. Why? I ran a GTX 670 with 3 monitors and it would go down to idle. There's no need for full voltage/clocks when I'm doing nothing.

This combined with the poor overclocking and damaged-looking PCB (somebody else's RMA?) make me want to RMA this card.

Forgot to mention, the card randomly loads up to about 50%, sometimes higher, when doing nothing at all. Again, my 670 didn't do this.


----------



## welly321

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> So I installed my spare Dual-X 7950 into my rig... Having an issue.
> 
> First, the core clock, mem, and voltage don't go down. I'm running two monitors but if I disable one, then it goes down to idle. Why? I ran a GTX 670 with 3 monitors and it would go down to idle. There's no need for full voltage/clocks when I'm doing nothing.
> 
> This combined with the poor overclocking and damaged-looking PCB (somebody else's RMA?) make me want to RMA this card.
> 
> Forgot to mention, the card randomly loads up to about 50%, sometimes higher, when doing nothing at all. Again, my 670 didn't do this.


Thats normal with AMD cards. The core clock should go down but the mem clock and the voltage remains when u have more than one monitor.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *welly321*
> 
> Thats normal with AMD cards. The core clock should go down but the mem clock and the voltage remains when u have more than one monitor.


No way to get rid of it? It's a huge pain, it makes the card unnecesarily hot and more than doubles idle power usage compared to my 670.

Also, is vdroop from 1.268 to 1.188 normal?


----------



## sugarhell

You can do it. Disable powerplay with AB. After this the default profile is downclocked. Save this profile as a 2d.

Now for the 3d clocks. If you want to use the defaults clocks just use the default values and +20 on both core and memory. After this save it. Now you can choose AB to change from 2d to 3d but i prefer manual


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BigglezMcGee*
> 
> What do you mean? How would I find out? My motherboard is ASUS, whenn I updated my MOBO chipset I had to run a program called "ASUSSetup" but that's all I know.


you'll have to go to addremove programs to look at what it installed...


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You can do it. Disable powerplay with AB. After this the default profile is downclocked. Save this profile as a 2d.
> 
> Now for the 3d clocks. If you want to use the defaults clocks just use the default values and +20 on both core and memory. After this save it. Now you can choose AB to change from 2d to 3d but i prefer manual


Just tried this, no matter what settings I choose the voltage doesn't go down. Furthermore, MSI AB doesn't let me change voltage at all.


----------



## istudy92

Question,
My CCC does not open up the beta 13.11 why not?? I am currently uninstalling it once again because it NEVER opens up!!


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Question,
> My CCC does not open up the beta 13.11 why not?? I am currently uninstalling it once again because it NEVER opens up!!


This has happened to me cause when I had my 6950 I modded the registry to get higher clocks and every driver update it happened fortunately theres a fix dload driver sweeper

http://www.guru3d.com/content_page/guru3d_driver_sweeper.html

Just press uninstall the current and previous drivers restart then install 13.11 and then one more restart and it will work now


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Question,
> My CCC does not open up the beta 13.11 why not?? I am currently uninstalling it once again because it NEVER opens up!!


hm, checked your .Net installs? and it doesn't say any errors? should check event viewer to see if anything is recorded...


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hm, checked your .Net installs? and it doesn't say any errors? should check event viewer to see if anything is recorded...


this

i had this problem with 13.4 fixed it by checking event viewer


----------



## istudy92

Well i use the ATI uninstaller that works fine?

Everytime i install 13.11 theres a yellow sign at the end saying "error may have occured" but i check log and no errors show=/

crossfire has been such a headache ..i swear..

ima just keep 13.8...i mean its not like i play bf4 anyways...lol imo that game boring as hell after a few hours

I am utterly pissed at this point i have tried everything without end safemode and links nothing damn works to open CCC, iv even messed up my registary that my stickynote wont open other programs dont open i dont even know how to fix it iv tried system restore and even that doesnt fix anything. AHHHHHH


----------



## wermad

Going underwater soon


----------



## ivanlabrie

Wow! lightning quadfire...that screams chilled water or ln2


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Going underwater soon


Dude, you shoulda told me you were going lightnings. Anyways, be very careful with those blocks. There's been a rather alarming number of dead boards due to those blocks. Do the flashlight trick to double check each card for possible shorts before putting power thru them. I'm not sure anyone has a finger on why they failed too.


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Well i use the ATI uninstaller that works fine?
> 
> Everytime i install 13.11 theres a yellow sign at the end saying "error may have occured" but i check log and no errors show=/
> 
> crossfire has been such a headache ..i swear..
> 
> ima just keep 13.8...i mean its not like i play bf4 anyways...lol imo that game boring as hell after a few hours
> 
> I am utterly pissed at this point i have tried everything without end safemode and links nothing damn works to open CCC, iv even messed up my registary that my stickynote wont open other programs dont open i dont even know how to fix it iv tried system restore and even that doesnt fix anything. AHHHHHH


Did you do what I recommended earlier..


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Dude, you shoulda told me you were going lightnings. Anyways, be very careful with those blocks. There's been a rather alarming number of dead boards due to those blocks. Do the flashlight trick to double check each card for possible shorts before putting power thru them. I'm not sure anyone has a finger on why they failed too.


Sent you a pm before I made the decision about two weeks ago









The previous owner had no issues. I redid the pads and replaced most of them (wrong size in the wrong spots). New dab of tim. I did put the stock cooler on each one and they tested fine. Nothing out of the ordinary and i usually make sure the pad (especially around the vrm) is slightly wide.

The previous owner never mentioned any issues from the first owner. He did have one die and sent that one in (PE) and MSI sent him a brand new BE. I'll be using the BE as the one for the monitors.

Since the EK blocks stick right into the edge close to the mb, i lost my front audio, power/reset, hdd led, and two usb 2.0 headers







. I rigged a small fan header w/ cable and was able to squeeze it in between the two reset pins. Since the tower is going below the desk, I really just need the reset switch (have an old button from my old Elysium). USB, I have the rear and some header to standard usb adapters that will get the front usb working again. Audio, i just need the head phone jack, the Sniper5 already has one in the rear i/o







.

Still finishing up the header situation for the 4th card. GB flags the card in a weird way. Its not 1, 2, 3, & 4 from top to bottom. Its 3, 4, 1, & 2







. So the BE is going into the 3rd pcie 3.0 slot. I'll hit you up if I run into any issues.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Wow! lightning quadfire...that screams chilled water or ln2


STicking with water for now. I'm only after extreme resolution gaming (moving up from 3x1 P to 5x1 P).


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Did you do what I recommended earlier..


Yes i did,
I also checked about the net4 its upto date.

I used your link, i followed it in safemode,
i tried beta 13.11, 13.9 13.8 nothing works

I used ati uninstaller
i used control sytem uninstaller
i deleted all folders on every drive i have

i did it in safe mode, non safe mode

i tried everything to find these "tokens" 90ba9c70f846762e tokens code to delete nothing i found none of that

i legit have spent over 6 hours trying to fix this


----------



## TempAccount007

My HIS IceQ 7950 is going back. This is my first build and I wont be upgrading soon so I want a better quality chip than I received.

I hope the chances of receiving another card with ASIC of 57% or lower are slim. I'm not buying another HIS card again, though I don't know if we can attribute ASIC quality to specific card manufacturers.

1145mhz @ 1375mv (vdroop @ 1300mv) was the best it could do.

Now I know that some msi cards have 7970 boards. I have also seen some really high ASIC msi cards.

However I think Sapphire can volt up to 1375mv because I can see the max in TRIXX. I think MSI max out at 1300mv.

Those high voltages wont matter if I get a good ASIC chip *fingers crossed*

More research is needed.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Going underwater soon












wonder how them lightnings will clock, though being quadfire higher clocks will only really increase benchmark scores...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Does anyone know how well quadfire
> Framepacing works with the new drivers?


i never had issure prior or after tbh trifire/quadfire usually fixes the "microstutter"
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> but the thing is..i got 75C+ 85C on my VRM temp when i owned a 8350 at 4.4ghtz
> 
> it was really extream=/


this may be an issue with the rev 3s, i still might try to blow one up by priming for 1 week @~5ghz, unsure, but i can tell you that there have been several 5ghz 83xx on ud3s
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Can I join the fun


nice man !!!!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcoolb2002*
> 
> So i'm selling a 7850 on ebay and I got this weird email.
> 
> Just wondering if any of you guys have gotten anything like this before. Smells like a scam to me. Claim to paypal that they never recieved etc.


i agree smells like junk
if it quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, and smells like a duck .....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> apart from the reference 7990, there isn't any, and don't be fooled by ASUS either...
> 
> its a gamble really,not much you can do about it but hope, though I haven't really heard of any reference 7970s with low ASIC, a lot of custom ones are bought cheaply from AMD and as such have much lower bin quality and high rates of coil whine, some of the MSI cards are especially like this... (though quite good for water if you get ones without noise)


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> wonder how them lightnings will clock, though being quadfire higher clocks will only really increase benchmark scores...


One is a BE at stock 1100 and the other three are PEs flashed to standard Lightning bios (1070). Not sure on clocks and tbh I won't touch them since four is enough. Might bump the PE clocks to match the BE (or slash them to BE







).


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> One is a BE at stock 1100 and the other three are PEs flashed to standard Lightning bios (1070). Not sure on clocks and tbh I won't touch them since four is enough. Might bump the PE clocks to match the BE (or slash them to BE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ).


yea you might as well nudge the other three to 1100, or downclock the first, though it might not matter as I'm not particularly sure what impact the buffer streaming has on the primary, the extra 30MHz could actually be a good thing...


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Going underwater soon


Can't wait to hear how the play! How much rad do you have for those badboys and where do you put it all? My haf932 has room for a 360 up top and a 120 rear, i have those in push pull with my 7990 and overclocked cpu in the loop, i feel like it is hot already.. My other gpus will be left on air.


----------



## TempAccount007

Sorry I keep bringing ASIC quality up, but the forums are FILLED with contradictory information about it.

This is by far the best single post I have found explaining ASIC (the thread is great too):

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1344188&postcount=44
Quote:


> This is normal for a given silicon process (say 0.13u) to have such variation that some transistors in certain chip die have shorter channel length (less than 0.13u) or some have longer channel length. Those that have shorter channel length have faster intrinsic speed and can run as fast when smaller Vcore is applied (pros). On the other hand (cons), due to the lower threshold voltage which draws higher leakage current and generates more heat at the same higher Vcore, these chips can run as fast at a low Vcore as the higher Vcore rate chips, but they will max out at a lower Vcore compared to the higher Vcore rated siblings.


Low Vcore = High ASIC quality.

So high AISC draw more current from PSU and waste more energy but have peak performance at low voltages often within the range of video cards' VRMs.

The limited capability of cards' VRMs is the MAIN reason you want a high AISC card.

Contrary to popular belief, high AISC cards are less efficient, but what does that matter to an overclocker anyway?


----------



## sugarhell

I have done so many comments about asic quality and how affects the 7970s. If people still asking about asic i dont know


----------



## TempAccount007

Again, I felt I had to bring it up. There is SO MUCH misinformation out there. That can be a problem with forums; sometimes they leave you running in circles.


----------



## sugarhell

Because people just want to overclock easy. They dont want to learn anything. And they just skip the reading.

Look how many problems we have because people skip all the steps for proper overclocking and they have problems after. I bet 50% of the people here dont even have the amd dlls for clocks into ab folder and windows folder


----------



## TempAccount007

There is misinformation about ASIC from people with tens of thousands of posts on various forums. I'm not sure I would consider them impatient people?


----------



## sugarhell

I can post all day on the gaming forum. That means that i have proper knowledge about gpus. The number of posts means nothing


----------



## TempAccount007

If I got a 7950 with a 6 + 8 pin configuration would that help alleviate vdroop? Or is vdroop just a build in protection mechanism and not caused by lack of power to the chip?

Edit: According to marketing it helps


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Yes i did,
> I also checked about the net4 its upto date.
> 
> I used your link, i followed it in safemode,
> i tried beta 13.11, 13.9 13.8 nothing works
> 
> I used ati uninstaller
> i used control sytem uninstaller
> i deleted all folders on every drive i have
> 
> i did it in safe mode, non safe mode
> 
> i tried everything to find these "tokens" 90ba9c70f846762e tokens code to delete nothing i found none of that
> 
> i legit have spent over 6 hours trying to fix this with no luck


'

Yeah im quoting myself-__-

Anyone else have a solution???


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> '
> 
> Yeah im quoting myself-__-
> 
> Anyone else have a solution???


i missed the original (first complaint) post. so, your crossfire was working and you updated your driver and it borked it?


----------



## istudy92

Yes sir.


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Look how many problems we have because people skip all the steps for proper overclocking and they have problems after. I bet 50% of the people here dont even have the amd dlls for clocks into ab folder and windows folder


What do you mean with this? AMD DLL's?

I have voltage unlocked, and maximum speeds of 1500mhz core and 2000mhz memory, without even enabling unofficial OC in afterburner.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Yes sir.


did you disable crossfire first prior to updating drivers? if not, then that might be the issue.

can you still access CCC?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Look how many problems we have because people skip all the steps for proper overclocking and they have problems after. I bet 50% of the people here dont even have the amd dlls for clocks into ab folder and windows folder
> 
> 
> 
> What do you mean with this? AMD DLL's?
> 
> I have voltage unlocked, and maximum speeds of 1500mhz core and 2000mhz memory, without even enabling unofficial OC in afterburner.
Click to expand...

^^
Lol, that went over your head.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Can't wait to hear how the play! How much rad do you have for those badboys and where do you put it all? My haf932 has room for a 360 up top and a 120 rear, i have those in push pull with my 7990 and overclocked cpu in the loop, i feel like it is hot already.. My other gpus will be left on air.


Currently running two BI GTX 480s, two GTX 240s, and one GTX 120 in a 900D. Had to pull the GTX 360 since it was not going to fit once the new psu went in. Might switch to SR1 or UT60 rads as they'll perform a bit better with the R4s I have in low rpm. So far they've tackled three GTX 780s with no issues







.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea you might as well nudge the other three to 1100, or downclock the first, though it might not matter as I'm not particularly sure what impact the buffer streaming has on the primary, the extra 30MHz could actually be a good thing...


I'll see what I can find later on. Right now I'm just waiting for the psu and crossing my fingers they fire up with no issues on the blocks. I usually put in a degree of overkill when putting a block on a gpu.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Yes i did,
> I also checked about the net4 its upto date.
> 
> I used your link, i followed it in safemode,
> i tried beta 13.11, 13.9 13.8 nothing works
> 
> I used ati uninstaller
> i used control sytem uninstaller
> i deleted all folders on every drive i have
> 
> i did it in safe mode, non safe mode
> 
> i tried everything to find these "tokens" 90ba9c70f846762e tokens code to delete nothing i found none of that
> 
> i legit have spent over 6 hours trying to fix this


I believe its netframework 4.5 for the newer drivers but it should update it on its own.

@istudy92 ud3 rev3.0 or under are bad for the higher core count chips. The rev4.0 supposedly has a vrm fix.


----------



## chiknnwatrmln

Holy cow Sapphire's rma process is painful. One day in and I'm already pulling my hair out...


----------



## Sasasd

Anyone else having GPU go crazy while waiting for game in dota 2? Ingame no problems.


----------



## tsm106

If only there was a thread that dealt with that exact topic...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40

post 2.


----------



## sugarhell

Lol


----------



## Sasasd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If only there was a thread that dealt with that exact topic...
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40
> 
> post 2.


This only happens in Dota and it does not cause any problems other than annoying sound coming from GPU fans changing its speed. So it's powertune issue? I have tried many drivers, same thing.


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^
> Lol, that went over your head.


I never say i Run those speeds, i say those are the maximum speeds (maximum you can set in CCC or AB)

But i read most people have the right .DLL's for clocks, so i ask him why is that?
What do those .DLL's suppose to do?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^
> Lol, that went over your head.
> 
> 
> 
> I never say i Run those speeds, i say those are the maximum speeds (maximum you can set in CCC or AB)
> 
> But i read most people have the right .DLL's for clocks, so i ask him why is that?
> What do those .DLL's suppose to do?
Click to expand...

Voltage control is controlled by the DLL. These DLL's have been removed from the driver since Catalyst 12.1 or 12.4 iirc, which was a few years ago. You have to replace those DLL's to get voltage control back in apps that don't have a license to build voltage control in the actual app itself. This is why I said its over your head. There's a lot of prerequisite info a lot of you new users are missing.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> Sorry I keep bringing ASIC quality up, but the forums are FILLED with contradictory information about it.
> 
> This is by far the best single post I have found explaining ASIC (the thread is great too):
> 
> http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1344188&postcount=44
> Low Vcore = High ASIC quality.
> 
> So high AISC draw more current from PSU and waste more energy but have peak performance at low voltages often within the range of video cards' VRMs.
> 
> The limited capability of cards' VRMs is the MAIN reason you want a high AISC card.
> 
> Contrary to popular belief, high AISC cards are less efficient, but what does that matter to an overclocker anyway?


in a nutshell, and the active graph is about 60%-70% the sweet spot, as it increases over 70% you gain better clock vs voltage but loose potential max clock (high voltages become unstable), as you drop below 60% the clock vs voltage gets "worse" but if your under water or subzero you can go really far with them, though 55% could consider your card unstable at stock settings...


----------



## HardwareDecoder

shameless self promotion: I made a guide for disassembling the windforce 3 7950 if anyone is interested in swapping tim.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1439691/gigabyte-radeon-7950-windforce-3-rev-2-0-dissasembly-guide-with-crappy-pictures#post_21122747


----------



## prescotter

@tsm106

So there is no real purpose for those DLL's except if you dont like Sapphire Trixx with 1.38v core and 1.8v memory?

You cant expect me to read 3200 pages where i bet 50% is mainstream 7900 chat or people who post their OC result


----------



## sugarhell

You want these dlls if you want to use msi ab.

Look all these problems. They miss the dlls.Read his guide


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You want these dlls if you want to use msi ab.
> 
> Look all these problems. They miss the dlls.Read his guide


Who's guide? can you link it?


----------



## sugarhell

On my sig


----------



## Yungbenny911

Hey Everyone, I'm done creating the *280X/7970 Vs 770/680* Bench-Off thread

*LINK TO THE THREAD*

Your participation is needed







, the thread is still under construction though, but i'll be done with it in sometime.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> If I got a 7950 with a 6 + 8 pin configuration would that help alleviate vdroop? Or is vdroop just a build in protection mechanism and not caused by lack of power to the chip?
> 
> Edit: According to marketing it helps


vdroop is not really a protection mechanism. Its more what happens when you subject heavy loads to something that is pulling a set voltage. Without some form of LLC theres no way for the gpu to correctly adjust the power required to keep it at the same vcore. Technically it droops because the power draw is higher then the power given (which has nothing to do with your psu really). The only way to really avoid this is with a gpu reactor or some form of LLC (which is non-existant in gpu as far as i know)

All in all though its simple to compensate for. Just like a CPU with large vdroop, you just need higher vcore to start it will droop down to where you actually want it. Problem is GPU generally doesnt allow you to push very high on vcore so it will be difficult to push if you have alot of vdroop. On my hawk I quite literally have 0 vdroop 0 vboost.. During loads it stays the exact same as before loaded. I am uber impressed with the gpu reactor and its ability to keep things controlled and also keep my PSU from whining under loads. Amazing


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Currently running two BI GTX 480s, two GTX 240s, and one GTX 120 in a 900D. Had to pull the GTX 360 since it was not going to fit once the new psu went in. Might switch to SR1 or UT60 rads as they'll perform a bit better with the R4s I have in low rpm. So far they've tackled three GTX 780s with no issues
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> I'll see what I can find later on. Right now I'm just waiting for the psu and crossing my fingers they fire up with no issues on the blocks. I usually put in a degree of overkill when putting a block on a gpu.


Nice! I want to get the black ice sr1 as well if i add space. What psu are you getting? I have the evga 1300 g2.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chiknnwatrmln*
> 
> Holy cow Sapphire's rma process is painful. One day in and I'm already pulling my hair out...


Couple months in on my powercolor purchase and I still don't have a properly working card...

Should get my 2nd rma back soon. Dun even know what they are sending me.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Couple months in on my powercolor purchase and I still don't have a properly working card...
> 
> Should get my 2nd rma back soon. Dun even know what they are sending me.


Yeah.. Not sure what is up with powercolor. I have a 7990 and my water block doesn't fit correctly. One core maxes at 45c and the other at 65c while gaming. Two blocks in a row, frozencpu says the cores must not be level on the pcb. It isn't overheating but its definitely not ideal for a watercooled card. I never bothered to contact powercolor about it because i was scared they would strip the warranty over using a waterblock. But meh... Probably will not use powercolor again.


----------



## BradleyW

Is anyone getting fps drops with Vsync and AMD cards in BF4 on Windows 8.1? Issue seems to only be when I'm using 8.1.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Is anyone getting fps drops with Vsync and AMD cards in BF4 on Windows 8.1? Issue seems to only be when I'm using 8.1.


V sync seems to work just fine with BF4 on 8.1, running a single 7970 @ 1080p 60h.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> V sync seems to work just fine with BF4 on 8.1, running a single 7970 @ 1080p 60h.


Could you go to the test range and blow the hell out of the main building at close range and let me know if the fps drops. It does for me only with Windows 8.1.


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Yeah.. Not sure what is up with powercolor. I have a 7990 and my water block doesn't fit correctly. One core maxes at 45c and the other at 65c while gaming. Two blocks in a row, frozencpu says the cores must not be level on the pcb. It isn't overheating but its definitely not ideal for a watercooled card. I never bothered to contact powercolor about it because i was scared they would strip the warranty over using a waterblock. But meh... Probably will not use powercolor again.


Did you get the correct waterblock? I could be wrong, but I don't think powercolor's 7990s are reference.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> Did you get the correct waterblock? I could be wrong, but I don't think powercolor's 7990s are reference.


The waterblock wouldn't fit at all if it was the wrong one. The cards are way different.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Could you go to the test range and blow the hell out of the main building at close range and let me know if the fps drops. It does for me only with Windows 8.1.


whats the fps drop to? and it sounds like it could be normal, but the 8.1 version might have a different vsync and you end up dropping to 1/2 frame rate cause it cant run at 60fps...


----------



## sugarhell

If you drop by 2 fps with vsync enable then you go immediately to 30 fps. Thats why we dont run vsync on mp games...


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> The waterblock wouldn't fit at all if it was the wrong one. The cards are way different.


Ah well, I tried. Didn't really think it through completely I guess.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> Did you get the correct waterblock? I could be wrong, but I don't think powercolor's 7990s are reference.


Yeah I am positive. They made me send pictures and all for the RMA. I also I mounted about 5 times using different techniques.. tried screwing both cores evenly using the x pattern , screwing one side tight first, the other tight first, spreading tim, vs X, vs grain of rice.. Nothing changed the temps or which core was hot.. I also changed inlets/outlets and flow direction.. I guess after all that you kind have to believe them.

Edit: Here is a a picture of the XSPC razor block. I probably should have tried the EK since I found an instance where someone had my issue then switched and the EK solved the problem but I love the look of the XSPC block with the LED's and I must admit it looks damn sexy in my case... Even though she is warm. If you notice in the picture the posts around the cores look rough that is because the final suggestion from Dazhong was to try sanding them down before RMA to see if it was a height thing. I also was asked to open it up and try to clean blockages which I did also, neither approach improved the temps. I want to just sand down the hot core originally but I could never get more than what I read into as guesses (asked powercolor, here on several different threads that got 0 replies) as to which core was #1 and which core was #2 in my temperature monitoring program. I think I posted on here my last resort was to mess with the screws while it was running and that ended up.. wait I will find it and post it below. It's kinda funny and noobish..



and here is what it looks like with an orange (replacement) LED in my case, the tubes usually contrast the orange better but the door is off for this picture which has 3 x 12" cold cathodes on the inside of it.


----------



## ImJJames

Hey guys is SAPPHIRE 100351SR Radeon HD 7970 good for overclocking? thanks


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> V sync seems to work just fine with BF4 on 8.1, running a single 7970 @ 1080p 60h.
> 
> 
> 
> Could you go to the test range and blow the hell out of the main building at close range and let me know if the fps drops. It does for me only with Windows 8.1.
Click to expand...

I cant seem to reproduce the same issue you are having in BF4. Although, now that I think about it, Metro LL has some bad fps drops, Like what Paul17041993 could be referring to, where the frame rate seems to cut to 30 and hang there for a bit. I might not be the best test subject. I dont have RIVA setup right now on my system, so I am going by feel, and not hard observed numbers. I always have a hard time getting it set up properly.


----------



## chronicfx

Here is what I could have done...

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsm106 View Post

And easy thing to do is disable crossfire in catalyst and watch the load on the deactivated core stay down/sleep. The feel for the hot core. Btw, only the slave core gets shutdown when you do this. Thus the hot one is your main. If you are having usage issues, disable ulps and/or try a different driver.

Here is what I did...

Thanks man. I didnt know you could disable crossfire on a 7990. I will try it later. What i did do was i loosened screws on one core hoping to see one shoot to 100c and throttle.. What ended up happening was the computer shut down mid bios boot, corrupted the bios, the motherboard is dual bios so it reflashed the first bios and thats when i shut it down and decided i better reseat the gpu now so i drained reseated and filled and let it bleed a couple hours then rebooted to OS MISSING lol... So i reimaged and ALL of my overclocks were gone.. From 4.3 to 5.0 in 100mhz increments all 12 or 24 primestable.. Gone! temps are actually alot better now, they are only 13c apart... But long story short.. That was stupid...

Edit: The funny thing was I thought the first one was stupid.. Like who is gonna put their fingers on a graphics card which is plugged into a 1300w psu while its on?? My way didn't turn out so smart either..


----------



## tsm106

I touch my card all the time to confirm temps. As long as you're not stupid, nothing will happen. Be sensible, your not pounding on it just slight touch to sense temp level. Don't touch it holding a screwdriver and after coming in the from the rain... lol.


----------



## Mega Man

i touch mine as well. even when running. only thing i ever worry about is grounding myself first so no static elec issues.


----------



## Jaxis

I just bought a XFX Double D FX-795A-TDFC Radeon HD 7950. I hope my wife understands...


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jaxis*
> 
> I just bought a XFX Double D FX-795A-TDFC Radeon HD 7950. I hope my wife understands...


haha I know that feeling. COngrats 7950 is an amazing card


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I touch my card all the time to confirm temps. As long as you're not stupid, nothing will happen. Be sensible, your not pounding on it just slight touch to sense temp level. Don't touch it holding a screwdriver and after coming in the from the rain... lol.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i touch mine as well. even when running. only thing i ever worry about is grounding myself first so no static elec issues.


You guys seem worried about the card.. I was worried about me getting electrocuted. Anyways I could give it a try, I think furmark only uses one core when I tried it.. so I can try that. Do either of you know off the top of your head which core on a 7990 would be the master and which the slave by their position? You can use closer to I/O bracket or closer to power connectors to describe it.


----------



## Jaxis

any issues with the 7950 crashing in games? I read some old review and seems the drivers were causing problems in the past?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> You guys seem worried about the card.. I was worried about me getting electrocuted. Anyways I could give it a try, I think furmark only uses one core when I tried it.. so I can try that. Do either of you know off the top of your head which core on a 7990 would be the master and which the slave by their position? You can use closer to I/O bracket or closer to power connectors to describe it.


On mine the closest to the io was main and the other was slave.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> You guys seem worried about the card.. I was worried about me getting electrocuted. Anyways I could give it a try, I think furmark only uses one core when I tried it.. so I can try that. Do either of you know off the top of your head which core on a 7990 would be the master and which the slave by their position? You can use closer to I/O bracket or closer to power connectors to describe it.
> 
> 
> 
> On mine the closest to the io was main and the other was slave.
Click to expand...

Quick, write to memory, save file. Now you don't have to do it!


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quick, write to memory, save file. Now you don't have to do it!


Hmm?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quick, write to memory, save file. Now you don't have to do it!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm?
Click to expand...

He's trying to figure out which core is which, slave/master. Since you already figured it out, no need to reinvent the wheel right?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He's trying to figure out which core is which, slave/master. Since you already figured it out, no need to reinvent the wheel right?


Oh yeah. But my card(s) weren't reference so he should keep that in mind.


----------



## TempAccount007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Because people just want to overclock easy. They dont want to learn anything. And they just skip the reading.
> 
> Look how many problems we have because people skip all the steps for proper overclocking and they have problems after. I bet 50% of the people here dont even have the amd dlls for clocks into ab folder and windows folder


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I can post all day on the gaming forum. That means that i have proper knowledge about gpus. The number of posts means nothing


Hey I have to call you out here.

Your post on another thread is wrong about leakage and voltage:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1380620/asic-quality-vs-overclockability/0_20#post_19722922
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Finally i mean that your chip is more leaky because you need more volts.


----------



## bigmac11

OHH boy...


----------



## Paul17041993

dual gpu cards, the one closest to the display ports will be the primary, no point stranding signal lines all the way across the PCB, in the past though tasks that only used one gpu would choose one of the two at random... (shouldn't be the case with crossfire off though)


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> dual gpu cards, the one closest to the display ports will be the primary, no point stranding signal lines all the way across the PCB, in the past though tasks that only used one gpu would choose one of the two at random... (shouldn't be the case with crossfire off though)


Someone made your exact same point in another thread saying it was closest to the rear power connectors for distance reasons.

Edit: Looked for it... Can't find it to link. It was a needle in the haystack anyways after hours of google and may have been a 6990, who knows..


----------



## rcoolb2002

Well my 7950 struggles with my new 1440p monitor. With my matx setup i almost am forced to go water with xfire and that is a bit expensive. 7990 time?


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> whats the fps drop to? and it sounds like it could be normal, but the 8.1 version might have a different vsync and you end up dropping to 1/2 frame rate cause it cant run at 60fps...


It drops anywhere between 40 to 50. However, with vsync disabled I never drop below 130fps in the same situations! Only happens on 8.1.


----------



## chronicfx

Found my ir temp gun! Is that a good compromise... Now i dont have to touch it.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcoolb2002*
> 
> Well my 7950 struggles with my new 1440p monitor. With my matx setup i almost am forced to go water with xfire and that is a bit expensive. 7990 time?


I am in awe of mine so far but i kept one 7970 in with it for trifire..


----------



## chronicfx

Seriously trying to figure out this jump to quadfire. Does anyone think that my cpu will be unable to handle quadfire? It is a 3570k at 4.8ghz it can be run and is stable at 5 but i don't love running a 1.5v vcore. I can tell you that crysis 3 is getting 95% cpu usage all the way up to 99% in some parts running three 7970.. The gpu usage stays with two gpu at 99-100% and one of them teeter totters between 99% and 64% intermittantly is this "just crysis 3 being crysis
3" or is it an indication that a fourth gpu
Will be of no benefit because my cpu cannot handle it?

Edit: as a possible thought towards the teetering GPU. I do have a second monitor attached that I use for real temp, gpu temp, and cpu-z/gpu-z open while I game.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> Hey I have to call you out here.
> 
> Your post on another thread is wrong about leakage and voltage:
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1380620/asic-quality-vs-overclockability/0_20#post_19722922


Oh nice. Are you my gf and search my past? Wth dude thats creepy.

That was kinda wrong but i wanted to explain something else but the language is a barrier.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Oh nice. Are you my gf and search my past? Wth dude thats creepy.
> 
> That was kinda wrong but i wanted to explain something else but the language is a barrier.


lol


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Someone made your exact same point in another thread saying it was closest to the rear power connectors for distance reasons.


well, that wouldn't make sense at all, its a dual gpu card so both cores needs the same power regardless... display outputs on the other hand only need to come from one of the two.

though on the earlier generations there may be some differences, I cant remember if the 5k series had all 6 display controllers on-die or if it only had 3, needing two cores to get 6 screens...


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If only there was a thread that dealt with that exact topic...
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40
> 
> post 2.


I did try that, that was the 1st topic i found online, and followed it it did not work for me.

I still cant open CCC no matter what I do.

What else is left?? how do i fix this??


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I did try that, that was the 1st topic i found online, and followed it it did not work for me.
> 
> I still cant open CCC no matter what I do.
> 
> What else is left?? how do i fix this??


Reload your os and start over?


----------



## istudy92

what you mean reload OS?


----------



## chronicfx

Thats what I do when i have a problem like yours. Just back up first. Always does the trick.. All this time you already spent and you would be up and running by now. My CCC opens and so does everyone else's right?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Thats what I do when i have a problem like yours. Just back up first. Always does the trick.. All this time you already spent and you would be up and running by now. My CCC opens and so does everyone else's right?


sigh..i assume so..
what a hassle with amd..i really hope its me being the problem and not amd software..bc im tired of this stuff...

btw win 8.1 vs 7? ah?? ima get win 8.1 as a reimage instead of 7


----------



## SavageBrat

Just a shot in the dark here, download CCleaner and un-install CCC run cleaner and install CCC again..did you get your computer running again?


----------



## chronicfx

I am a windows 7 guy myself. If i had a tablet i would use 8


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SavageBrat*
> 
> Just a shot in the dark here, download CCleaner and un-install CCC run cleaner and install CCC again..did you get your computer running again?


yeah last 100 posts are me crying that this beeping thing doesnt work lol
I absolutly have no choice but to reimage my computer in hopes it will work.

Plus my registary got messed upp.

This is uber gay considering that i just recieved my 8320 by mail yesterday and i cant test out my crossfire full potential due to previous 4300 bottleneck=/


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> yeah last 100 posts are me crying that this beeping thing doesnt work lol
> I absolutly have no choice but to reimage my computer in hopes it will work.
> 
> Plus my registary got messed upp.
> 
> This is uber gay considering that i just recieved my 8320 by mail yesterday and i cant test out my crossfire full potential due to previous 4300 bottleneck=/


Careful with "reimage" you may just put the problem right back. I would reload from the windows cd then just put your documents etc.. back.


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> yeah last 100 posts are me crying that this beeping thing doesnt work lol
> I absolutly have no choice but to reimage my computer in hopes it will work.
> 
> Plus my registary got messed upp.
> 
> This is uber gay considering that i just recieved my 8320 by mail yesterday and i cant test out my crossfire full potential due to previous 4300 bottleneck=/


Well for you it seems like a full reinstall of windows .I have been there before it sucks but it will fix it your messed up registry which i think is doing it ....


----------



## ImJJames

Just got me a Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 OC with Boost 3GB DDR5 1197-03-40G for $250, hopefully I didn't make a mistake. Can't wait to see how far I can overclock it.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Careful with "reimage" you may just put the problem right back. I would reload from the windows cd then just put your documents etc.. back.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Well for you it seems like a full reinstall of windows .I have been there before it sucks but it will fix it your messed up registry which i think is doing it ....


I understand=/
But I have to =/

Ill be back in 2 hours..when its all done lmao


----------



## Deadboy90

Hey guys, so weirdly after initially refusing to do so my 7950 is allowing me to overvolt with Afterburner.
OR IS IT!?!?!









Afterburner reports that it is running at a higher voltage (say 1.2 instead of stock 1.88) But other programs like GPUZ and HWmonitor say its still at 1.88v. So how can i tell for real?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcoolb2002*
> 
> Well my 7950 struggles with my new 1440p monitor. With my matx setup i almost am forced to go water with xfire and that is a bit expensive. 7990 time?


That won't do you any much better.


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> That won't do you any much better.


Huh? Please elaborate here.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> Huh? Please elaborate here.


A 7990 is not that much faster than 2 7950's. Unless you plan to add one to your existing system. That too doesn't sound to great.


----------



## pcoutu17

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> A 7990 is not that much faster than 2 7950's. Unless you plan to add one to your existing system. That too doesn't sound to great.


Ah, I thought you were saying compared to one. In his situation though a 7990 probably makes more sense than two 7950s due to his stated reasons. It's why I went for one instead of a traditional x fire solution. Although, that's only if one can be found at the previous price drops. The gamble with coil whine is a something to consider though.


----------



## Dyaems

sorry for semi-OT:

to all 7970 lightning users (if there are any), or just anyone who can answer it

what is the use of the wires (the red/black wires) that are connected to the 2-pin header at the lower-right of the pic below?



thanks!


----------



## Mega Man

i think that is for the led on the "reactor" ( backplate )


----------



## chronicfx

@wermad whats the eta on your rig? (Estimated time to awesome)


----------



## blackhole2013

Got my Gelid Icy vision A 7970 cooler coming in the mail I snatched the last one on Newegg .. I hope its way better than my reference card fan and way quieter ... Does anybody have one of these and what do you think about it ..


----------



## SavageBrat

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dyaems*
> 
> sorry for semi-OT:
> 
> to all 7970 lightning users (if there are any), or just anyone who can answer it
> 
> what is the use of the wires (the red/black wires) that are connected to the 2-pin header at the lower-right of the pic below?
> 
> 
> 
> thanks!


If you can wait till in the morning I'll pull mine out and have a look..


----------



## SavageBrat

Mega is correct..


----------



## istudy92

So...from these intial benchmarks...i do not see a bottleneck on my crossfire.... only 500 graphics improvement which could ether be from a) windows 8.1, B) reimaged my machine so its running smoothly, c) cpu was really a factor...


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> 
> So...from these intial benchmarks...i do not see a bottleneck on my crossfire.... only 500 graphics improvement which could ether be from a) windows 8.1, B) reimaged my machine so its running smoothly, c) cpu was really a factor...


Does CCC open now?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Does CCC open now?


Yes, please dont remind me....lol


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Yes, please dont remind me....lol


OK, I will put that in my outlook calendar.. Weekly


----------



## Dyaems

@ megaman, savagebrat

thanks bros! i guess it really is impossible to disable the LEDs since the powers are most likely built into the PCB. +rep


----------



## SavageBrat

One the main board I doubt it but possibly you may be able to remove the one from the reactor.


----------



## istudy92

1080OC mhz...

1000mhz on fx4300...


I understand these are synthetic benchmarks but..i really cannot see any bottle neck what so ever switching over to an 8 core..


----------



## hypespazm

whats a good OC for a gigabyte 7970 , just decent that you would say should work on most cards? a place to start at?


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> whats a good OC for a gigabyte 7970 , just decent that you would say should work on most cards? a place to start at?


all 7970's should do 1150/1400


----------



## ivanlabrie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> 1080OC mhz...
> 
> 1000mhz on fx4300...
> 
> 
> I understand these are synthetic benchmarks but..i really cannot see any bottle neck what so ever switching over to an 8 core..


It's not a bottleneck per se, more than the software that uses mroe threads will wreck your fx4300 since it has two cores and two crippled threads a la HT (2 modules, 4 amd cores). The fx8320/8350 will play new games much better.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> all 7970's should do 1150/1400


I'd say 1150/1500-1650 for 7970s. (locked volts ghz crap)


----------



## sugarhell

See the compined score. 1k difference. Thats your bottleneck


----------



## istudy92

fail just fail


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> @wermad whats the eta on your rig? (Estimated time to awesome)


Possibly this weekend if my case doesn't sell before that







. If it sells, might be a week or two


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> 
> 1080OC mhz...
> 
> 1000mhz on fx4300...
> 
> 
> I understand these are synthetic benchmarks but..i really cannot see any bottle neck what so ever switching over to an 8 core..


yea raw graphics will stay the same unless you switched to an intel rig (various reasons why), but the extra cores will definitely help in games that need 6 or 8 cores/dedicated threads, notice how you gained 2k physics points for the added 2 cores.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> all 7970's should do 1150/1400


hehe yea... think Id rather not comment on that... lol... but its usually correct anyway.


----------



## InCoGnIt0

I have an Asus 7970 and I took off the heat sink and put some arctic silver on the GPU it lowered the temps maybe 1-2 degrees but I was wondering since I have some Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra, will that work okay with all those little things around the GPU?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> I have an Asus 7970 and I took off the heat sink and put some arctic silver on the GPU it lowered the temps maybe 1-2 degrees but I was wondering since I have some Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra, will that work okay with all those little things around the GPU?


what little things...?


----------



## dmfree88

AS5 is not recommended for gpu due to its slight capacativeness. If not applied perfectly can cause issues. Have seen mosfets fry with over use of AS5. Not sure about the liquid ultra though

Post thought:

Although i do have a 8600 gts with as5 on it for over 2 years no problems. Just gotta be careful


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> what little things...?


pretty sure he is talking about the resistors and stuffs around the die

DONT GET ANY electrically conductive stuff on them !!!!


----------



## InCoGnIt0

Well I have been running Arctic Silver for about a year on it and have had no problems. I'm weary about using Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra cause it has lots of metal in it. I think gallium.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> pretty sure he is talking about the resistors and stuffs around the die
> 
> DONT GET ANY electrically conductive stuff on them !!!!


oh the micro resistors and capacitors, yes for your life DO NOT LET ANYTHING ON THEM.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> Well I have been running Arctic Silver for about a year on it and have had no problems. I'm weary about using Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra cause it has lots of metal in it. I think gallium.


well AS5 is no better then liquid ultra i assure you the particles are still there, and as5 is probably just as risky so I am sure you can use either one and wont see any different results... you should just get some MX-4 its not like thermal compound is expensive:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ARCTIC-COOLING-MX-4-Thermal-Compound-ARCTIC-MX-4-/380400542190?pt=US_Thermal_Compounds_Supplies&hash=item5891a3a1ee

8 year life-time, non capacitive and no cure time. for $7.25 shipped throw away the AS5 and the Liquid Ultra

Or if ur cheap like me get mx-2 for around 5 bucks still 8 year and good product or a big tube for same price as mx-4


----------



## HardwareDecoder

yea I was considering using liquid ultra on my 7950 but the little things all around the die are way too close for comfort. I decided to use noctua nt-h1 instead (non conductive)


----------



## ivanlabrie

Liquid Ultra kicks all the other tim's asses though...but I still think it's a little too risky if you apply it wrong. If you're confident you can get away with it since it's not like other tims, it stays where you apply it since it only sticks to the metal and very smooth die surface, kinda like mercury. Not squishy like regular paste


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ivanlabrie*
> 
> Liquid Ultra kicks all the other tim's asses though...but I still think it's a little too risky if you apply it wrong. If you're confident you can get away with it since it's not like other tims, it stays where you apply it since it only sticks to the metal and very smooth die surface, kinda like mercury. Not squishy like regular paste


I agree ultra is not like other pastes it is more like nail polish in its application. You brush it on the die only and you could litterally swing/shake your gpu around and it should not move providing you did a nail polish like coat and not a glop like you would do with arctic silver or other pastes. Plenty of pictures of what proper application on a cpu looks like in the delidded thread. Personally i would not be worried one bit about going that route.


----------



## kgtuning

Liquid ultra is on both my GPUs with no issue.


----------



## chronicfx

Anyone notice how good the fcat analysis have been in recent reviews of the 7990? It looks to be wiping the floor with the 690 in both framerate and frametime in most top titles.. Pretty happy with the way amd has worked on drivers this year. Hopefully they keep on striving for improvement.


----------



## Gregar Forte

Hi there, can I know which one is VRM1 or VRM2 on reference 7970?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> yea I was considering using liquid ultra on my 7950 but the little things all around the die are way too close for comfort. I decided to use noctua nt-h1 instead (non conductive)


??

Get blue painters tape and tape over the smd caps. Remove when done.


----------



## Jflisk

If you could please add me to the club. 7990x7970 trifire. Thanks


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> If you could please add me to the club. 7990x7970 trifire. Thanks


I have the same setup







I don't believe I have formally requested to be added yet as well. Can i please be added too?


----------



## pcoutu17

How do y'all like those setups? Any major issues or annoyances?


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> How do y'all like those setups? Any major issues or annoyances?


im on quadfire 2x 7990's, no annoying issues here for me, Except I ordered 2x waterblocks for them & only 1 is coming? I have to wait for them to restock for the second, so im pretty annoyed at that tbh!

Damn you WCUK


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pcoutu17*
> 
> How do y'all like those setups? Any major issues or annoyances?


I had microstuttering when i was running my cpu at 4.3ghz then when i started running it at 4.8ghz the stuttering is gone. This is with trifire. No problems since, i love it. I actually want to go quadfire but i have a 7990 and two sapphire vapor-x models that have a cooler overhanging the last slot. If i could find someone that would trade them for reference model 7970's or any dual slot model 7970 i would gladly do so. Then i could run quadfire.


----------



## dspacek

Hello, I have OCed my HD 7950 to 1300 and 1800Mhz.
It has doubled the stock performace. I cant belive i t:drool:

Clock


OC performance

STOCK performance

Cooler Alpha cool Nexxos


----------



## Jflisk

Chronic you want to buy another vapor x 7970 6gb water ready (custom block) let me know. I have an extra one with no room in my case to put it in. Thats why I went with the 7990x7970. As far as micro stutter I have yet to see any. BF4 and BF3 / Crysis3. High frame rates 120+. Max I think I saw was bioshock infinite 340+ Clocks sitting at 1125-1575 no issues. Running at 43C under full load. Thanks


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dspacek*
> 
> Hello, I have OCed my HD 7950 to 1300 and 1800Mhz.
> It has doubled the stock performace. I cant belive i t:drool:
> 
> Clock
> 
> 
> OC performance
> 
> STOCK performance
> 
> Cooler Alpha cool Nexxos


WOW that is impressive for 7950


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ??
> 
> Get blue painters tape and tape over the smd caps. Remove when done.


I tried electrical tape it didn't stick too well, painters tape might have worked better didn't even think of it. I'm not gonna risk it honestly ++ I already put the cards back together.

I don't have 400$ to spend if I ruin my two cards. Honestly I was only at about 70c max @ 1150/1500 -- 1250 vddc anyway with about the same fan %.

I removed the stock TIM (whatever that was) and put on noctua nt-h1 so I should drop 3-5c anyway I'd assume.

These cards are voltage locked so it isn't heat that is holding me back. So basically I don't have much to gain by risking using a conductive TIM. Best imo to just go with a really good quality non conductive TIM like I did.

I don't have a cpu in my gaming machine right now to test the temp differences though as I sent it out to get delidded. Will report back when i get it back.

TL;DR -- probably could use ultra, don't feel like risking it, temps okay anyway, voltage locked.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Chronic you want to buy another vapor x 7970 6gb water ready (custom block) let me know. I have an extra one with no room in my case to put it in. Thats why I went with the 7990x7970. As far as micro stutter I have yet to see any. BF4 and BF3 / Crysis3. High frame rates 120+. Max I think I saw was bioshock infinite 340+ Clocks sitting at 1125-1575 no issues. Running at 43C under full load. Thanks


I have the same issue that I already have one that will not fit. As far as putting another 7970 under water i cannot fit anymore rad in my case and would have to go external. I would rather trade my two 7970 for two reference cards. I promised i wouldn't spend any money as we are paying back a full roof siding and windows job on my house that is being started next week. I have other things to trade to help sweeten the deal but i just can't part with cash. Out of curiosity who makes a vapor x block?


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spectre-*
> 
> all 7970's should do 1150/1400


Sorry about being 3 pages late.

Are you saying all 7970's will do 1150 MHz core clock and 1400 memory clock at stock voltage? I'm talking about a month old Sapphire 7970 (non-GHz edition, non-OC edition).


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ??
> 
> Get blue painters tape and tape over the smd caps. Remove when done.
> 
> 
> 
> I tried electrical tape it didn't stick too well, painters tape might have worked better didn't even think of it. I'm not gonna risk it honestly ++ I already put the cards back together.
> 
> I don't have 400$ to spend if I ruin my two cards. Honestly I was only at about 70c max @ 1150/1500 -- 1250 vddc anyway with about the same fan %.
> 
> I removed the stock TIM (whatever that was) and put on noctua nt-h1 so I should drop 3-5c anyway I'd assume.
> 
> These cards are voltage locked so it isn't heat that is holding me back. So basically I don't have much to gain by risking using a conductive TIM. Best imo to just go with a really good quality non conductive TIM like I did.
> 
> I don't have a cpu in my gaming machine right now to test the temp differences though as I sent it out to get delidded. Will report back when i get it back.
> 
> TL;DR -- probably could use ultra, don't feel like risking it, temps okay anyway, voltage locked.
Click to expand...

In the future...

For anyone interested, with tape in hand, line it right up to and just under the die and not over the smd caps. Painters tape is very good at this since it IS was it was designed to do to trim, make sharp lines and not do damage during removal.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> WOW that is impressive for 7950


notice that its 1600x900 with that resolution those scores are possible. What I find strange is that jump in score though.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> notice that its 1600x900 with that resolution those scores are possible. What I find strange is that jump in score though.


likely cause of the memory, but you would have to compare it to similar setups...


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> notice that its 1600x900 with that resolution those scores are possible. What I find strange is that jump in score though.


oh damn didnt pay attention to that nvmd not impressive lol


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> oh damn didnt pay attention to that nvmd not impressive lol


On come on, the man doubled his frame rate with an OC, I would call that impressive any day of the week regardless of resolution.


----------



## Cryptic20

Im loving my MSI 7970!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I had microstuttering when i was running my cpu at 4.3ghz then when i started running it at 4.8ghz the stuttering is gone. This is with trifire. No problems since, i love it. I actually want to go quadfire but i have a 7990 and two sapphire vapor-x models that have a cooler overhanging the last slot. If i could find someone that would trade them for reference model 7970's or any dual slot model 7970 i would gladly do so. Then i could run quadfire.


pcie riser.... anyone ?


----------



## huhh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Sorry about being 3 pages late.
> 
> Are you saying all 7970's will do 1150 MHz core clock and 1400 memory clock at stock voltage? I'm talking about a month old Sapphire 7970 (non-GHz edition, non-OC edition).


They don't....


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *huhh*
> 
> They don't....


the majority of 7970s will do 1100/1500 on stock voltage easily, only a small number like mine are stuck on stock...

if you have 1.25V to start with and/or have volt control you can and will go further (usually).


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> pcie riser.... anyone ?


LOL, just what I need a test bench with a one and three year old kid running around. I have to keep it in the case mega.


----------



## chronicfx

Oh wait.. If I used it to move my middle card up a slot it just may work.... hmmm.. thinking about this mega

Edit:: Nah because with the pci slot there its not gonna work....


----------



## Mega Man

there is a way !!!!! there is a way !!!!


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> there is a way !!!!! there is a way !!!!


'

extenders?


----------



## Mega Man

10 slot pcie case + riser !!!


----------



## Spectre-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 10 slot pcie case + riser !!!


WOT

link please


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 10 slot pcie case + riser !!!


You are right and I thought of that last night mulling it over. Seems too expensive though. My budget would be almost 0 without actually selling the cards and then whats the point?


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> You are right and I thought of that last night mulling it over. Seems too expensive though. My budget would be almost 0 without actually selling the cards and then whats the point?


Edit: Was thinking of that new stacker case.. or maybe a 900D somehow but its not in the question for me to drop hundreds more just to fit a card that would in all likelyhood be bottlenecked by my cpu. I would rather do a free trade better, cooler, pre-overclocked cards for reference cards. I may even sweeten then deal with other components laying around.


----------



## Mega Man

ie any of the case labs with 10 pcie slots

i would be willing to bet a stryker / trooper would work too

i can get you the PCIE riser site ( ~ 60 fyi, i dont think you want to put a 500 $ gpu in a $5 riser.... ) they custom make risers and their quality is top notch. great CS too and myself and several others on this board have used them


----------



## Paul17041993

the crosshair V you generally use a 9 slot case and a riser ribbon attached to the 4 lane slot on the bottom, don't think anyone's really bothered trying to get the ASUS riser board...


----------



## incog

cool, I'll try to overclock my card then. thanks for the tip


----------



## bluezone

watch it using latest amd beta drivers. I do not know if it was a glitch or not but in crossfire on my hd 7950's the secondary card started to run at 99% load. had to disable ulps and restart trixx several times to fix problem. luckily I checked with gpuz when I first stated up with 13.11 Beta 9.2.
gup heated up fast.
Becareful.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Got my 2nd rma back. Same stuff, different card.


----------



## ImJJames

So with Valley anything pass 1180 core I start getting artifacts. I've tried voltages from 1.25 to 1.3 and still artifacts. I can go higher on voltage but I doubt that will help. Any tips? Or is this pretty much my cards max core without artifacts. 1180clock / 1760 mem gets me 53.1 on valley extremehd, I am really trying to push for 55


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> So with Valley anything pass 1180 core I start getting artifacts. I've tried voltages from 1.25 to 1.3 and still artifacts. I can go higher on voltage but I doubt that will help. Any tips? Or is this pretty much my cards max core without artifacts. 1180clock / 1760 mem gets me 53.1 on valley extremehd, I am really trying to push for 55


Sounds like your core maxes out at 1180. Mine will display artifacts in Valley at anything over 1220mhz- usually in the 5th scene or so when it's zoomed out really far and there's a lot of trees. I'll see flickering white dots. Sometimes I'll see them in the last scene with the pine trees too. I can't even do 1225mhz or it happens. Doesn't matter if I max the voltage to 1.381v in Trixx, I still artifact past 1220mhz.

Your RAM clocks higher than mine though so you can get some performance that way. Mine will only do 1700mhz at 1.65v and it's unstable, sometimes when gaming I'll get display driver crashes which necessitate a reboot. So I usually just run mine at 1200/1600 for gaming and reserve my higher clocks for benching.

1180 is a decent overclock. Not spectacular but better than some people get.


----------



## CptDanko

Guys check out the OCCT gpu test, its very good at catching errors. Works great with my 7950, im stable at 1090


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> So with Valley anything pass 1180 core I start getting artifacts. I've tried voltages from 1.25 to 1.3 and still artifacts. I can go higher on voltage but I doubt that will help. Any tips? Or is this pretty much my cards max core without artifacts. 1180clock / 1760 mem gets me 53.1 on valley extremehd, I am really trying to push for 55


it probably is at its max for those temps.

these caards are very temp sensitive and over ~50-60c is where they tend to start showing it. if you can get it cooler odds are you can go farther


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> it probably is at its max for those temps.
> 
> these caards are very temp sensitive and over ~50-60c is where they tend to start showing it. if you can get it cooler odds are you can go farther


PMed you


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Hmm. So with gpu-z open, it puts gpu-z at 100% usage, and it games gpu 2 is also always at 100$ usage. Something whacky is going on.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Hmm. So with gpu-z open, it puts gpu-z at 100% usage, and it games gpu 2 is also always at 100$ usage. Something whacky is going on.


Wow I never noticed this but it does ramp the cards up. What is causing this? No need for benching to raise the temp


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Wow I never noticed this but it does ramp the cards up. What is causing this?


Must have been the 13.11 drivers. Reverted to 13.6 and it's fine. But now, some games are rough as a cob without the frame pacing. What drivers would be good for fixing both of these?


----------



## bigmac11

I'm going to rollback my driver and see if it's indeed the driver (not doubting you just want to test)


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Sounds like your core maxes out at 1180. Mine will display artifacts in Valley at anything over 1220mhz- usually in the 5th scene or so when it's zoomed out really far and there's a lot of trees. I'll see flickering white dots. Sometimes I'll see them in the last scene with the pine trees too. I can't even do 1225mhz or it happens. Doesn't matter if I max the voltage to 1.381v in Trixx, I still artifact past 1220mhz.
> 
> Your RAM clocks higher than mine though so you can get some performance that way. Mine will only do 1700mhz at 1.65v and it's unstable, sometimes when gaming I'll get display driver crashes which necessitate a reboot. So I usually just run mine at 1200/1600 for gaming and reserve my higher clocks for benching.
> 
> 1180 is a decent overclock. Not spectacular but better than some people get.


That makes me sad because on heaven and valley my temps don't even pass 60C, with 1180/1760 @ 1.225 volts, grrrrrrrr.


----------



## wanna_buy

Anyone here with Asus Matrix ? I think they are great cards. Is this true?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Anyone here with Asus Matrix ? I think they are great cards. Is this true?


Well..not quite,I personally don't own a 7970 but after reading a lot of posts it seems to be not that good since you have to use GPU tweak for over volting which is not liked very much here and it's not really the best card for OCing (ref is best for WCing and LIGHTNINGs are best for LN2),other members can correct me if I'm wrong


----------



## wanna_buy

Maybe if I am poor and I can't afford to replace overclocked videocards every month, not going to overclock it and just simply game with stock clocks, then it should be OK?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Maybe if I am poor and I can't afford to replace overclocked videocards every month, not going to overclock it and just simply game with stock clocks, then it should be OK?


Ya sure,but it's usually more expensive than ref models


----------



## SavageBrat

hmm..that remind me to one day to crank up my card and see what it will do..


----------



## wanna_buy

As far as I know, overclocking reduces card longevity. If you apply too much voltage, the card will die in several months. I have only overclocked the CPU in my lifetime. I have also tried overclocking RAM but it gave me instability. So I will avoid overclocking video cards.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> As far as I know, overclocking reduces card longevity. If you apply too much voltage, the card will die in several months. I have only overclocked the CPU in my lifetime. I have also tried overclocking RAM but it gave me instability. So I will avoid overclocking video cards.


OCing hurts your card when the temps are high or if you're applying too much voltage but a slight OC won't really hurt that much,and why buy a card that's meant for extreme OCing if you're not gonna OC it,personally I'd go with a Sapphire Vapor-X or a MSI Lightning instead of a matrix,the matrix is an awesome card don't get me wrong but it's not just worth it when comparing it to others and my favourite option would be a ref card and put a WB on it


----------



## wanna_buy

Well, when was the last time you checked the prices of both Matrix and Lightning? Right now Matrix costs $389.99 bucks and Lightning $474.99. Water Cooling is not an option for me either.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Well, when was the last time you checked the prices of both Matrix and Lightning? Right now Matrix costs $389.99 bucks and Lightning $474.99. Water Cooling is not an option for me either.


OK then go for the MATRIX


----------



## chronicfx

Found someone to trade gpu's with me.. Should be quadfire by tomorrow night!


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Found someone to trade gpu's with me.. Should be quadfire by tomorrow night!


Which quad setup will you have?


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Which quad setup will you have?


It will be two reference (925 core) 7970 with a 7990. I am trading two sapphire vapor x 7970 straight up for the two reference. I hope it stays smooth like trifire. I may clock the references up to 1000/1500 to match the 7990 but i will see if it even matters to do it first. Should be over powerful as is for 1440p two years out from now... Hopefully.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Which quad setup will you have?


Next up will be saving for more monitors so I can try Eyefinity. But that is a ways off.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> It will be two reference (925 core) 7970 with a 7990. I am trading two sapphire vapor x 7970 straight up for the two reference. I hope it stays smooth like trifire. I may clock the references up to 1000/1500 to match the 7990 but i will see if it even matters to do it first. Should be over powerful as is for 1440p two years out from now... Hopefully.


Amd allows you to run each card on its own independent speed (Nvidia is doing this now). So even if they don't clock the same it should be negligible difference in real world numbers. From what most ppl are seeing w/ the reference 7970 (and my limited use of them a year ago), you should be able to easily hit 1000mhz, with some easily 1100mhz.

Three of my cards of my cards are PE flashed to Lightning bios. So they're running 1070 vs 925. The BE card is running at 1100. The previous owner said they may go higher but I have yet to test that. Not sure if I can flash the three PEs to BE bios but I'll explore that later on. I only got a chance to run 3d13 in 4-way and it passed







.

You gonna go water btw? Gonna be some heat and noise w/ that quad setup


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Amd allows you to run each card on its own independent speed (Nvidia is doing this now). So even if they don't clock the same it should be negligible difference in real world numbers. From what most ppl are seeing w/ the reference 7970 (and my limited use of them a year ago), you should be able to easily hit 1000mhz, with some easily 1100mhz.
> 
> Three of my cards of my cards are PE flashed to Lightning bios. So they're running 1070 vs 925. The BE card is running at 1100. The previous owner said they may go higher but I have yet to test that. Not sure if I can flash the three PEs to BE bios but I'll explore that later on. I only got a chance to run 3d13 in 4-way and it passed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> You gonna go water btw? Gonna be some heat and noise w/ that quad setup


No i only have 480 worth of rad in push pull. I will leave the two reference on air and the 7990 and cpu on water. Maybe some day i will buy a stacker and use the top compartment mini itx add ins for an extra rad or two but thats about $500 investment all said and done. I can take the noise.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> No i only have 480 worth of rad in push pull. I will leave the two reference on air and the 7990 and cpu on water. Maybe some day i will buy a stacker and use the top compartment mini itx add ins for an extra rad or two but thats about $500 investment all said and done. I can take the noise.


Since tahitis are not real heat-monsters, you can probably mange it w/ that single 480. Granted you won't get the outmost best but you'll definitely be a lot better then stock air (and less noise







). I know they can hit ~40c at load. With all four and your cpu, it may creep up to 50-60c but it will be far better then 70-90c







stock air. Might have to run your fans at full speed since the EX rads will be saturated w/ that many blocks







.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> No i only have 480 worth of rad in push pull. I will leave the two reference on air and the 7990 and cpu on water. Maybe some day i will buy a stacker and use the top compartment mini itx add ins for an extra rad or two but thats about $500 investment all said and done. I can take the noise.
> 
> 
> 
> Since tahitis are not real heat-monsters, you can probably mange it w/ that single 480. Granted you won't get the outmost best but you'll definitely be a lot better then stock air (and less noise
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). I know they can hit ~40c at load. With all four and your cpu, it may creep up to 50-60c but it will be far better then 70-90c
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> stock air. Might have to run your fans at full speed since the EX rads will be saturated w/ that many blocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
Click to expand...

You guys think you can catch me?









I hope you can though in all honesty.









Btw, someone needs a ton more rad.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You guys think you can catch me?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I hope you can though in all honesty.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Btw, someone needs a ton more rad.


Lol, I stopped oc'ing after too many confrontations/challenges (especially from Levesque). Seems like ppl see your rig, its high end, and they wanna challenge you to prove they have a bigger e-peen (ooooook







).

Since I switched to the 690s early this year (then Titans, three 780s) I've been running stock. I did explore a bit of ocing (very mild) with the 780s but that's it. With four Lightnings, I dont' have need to oc. Might see if i can bump the PE to 1100 to match the BE or possibly flashing it to BE.


----------



## Erick Silver

OK AMD USERS!

ITS TIME FOR

2013 FFW (Forum Folding War)!!

If you are already folding for OCN then why not join up with a team for the FFW?

Head on over to the Sign Up Sheet Thread!

When you fill out the sheet make sure you select the AMD Team! Then head over to the AMD Team Thread to introduce yourself!

LONG LIVE THE GREEN DRAGONS!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Maybe if I am poor and I can't afford to replace overclocked videocards every month, not going to overclock it and just simply game with stock clocks, then it should be OK?


not always, see tsms pic... that card would not function properly at stock, and the owner had issues trying ot rma it.... so he turned it into a chair
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Found someone to trade gpu's with me.. Should be quadfire by tomorrow night!


congrats cant wait !


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Anyone here with Asus Matrix ? I think they are great cards. Is this true?


just don't bother with it, simple as that, just get a sapphire dualX or DCII if your not interested in overclocking.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> congrats cant wait !


Thanks! I think i hear my i5 crying already haha

Its saying :: WHEA are you making me work so hard!! Three gpu's are not enough??


----------



## FPSAlexei

I really need help with some artifact issues. A month ago I bought a gigabyte 7990 and in many games, mainly playing bf4, I get these annoying black triangles and polygons flashing all over the screen. This doesnt happen all the time, but when it does it happens when im standing at a particular part of the map and facing in a particular direction. I dont have any overclocked components in my pc, running 13.11 beta drivers(latest) and on ultra settings at 1440p. Temperatures seem to be good, never exceeding 80 degrees. Please help!


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FPSAlexei*
> 
> I really need help with some artifact issues. A month ago I bought a gigabyte 7990 and in many games, mainly playing bf4, I get these annoying black triangles and polygons flashing all over the screen. This doesnt happen all the time, but when it does it happens when im standing at a particular part of the map and facing in a particular direction. I dont have any overclocked components in my pc, running 13.11 beta drivers(latest) and on ultra settings at 1440p. Temperatures seem to be good, never exceeding 80 degrees. Please help!


Increase voltage.


----------



## ImJJames

Can I flash a Asus bios 7970 on a Sapphire 7970? I'm really trying to get rid of this artifacting after anything past 1180mhz core, I have so much voltage and temperature headroom but I can't get rid of artifacts.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Can I flash a Asus bios 7970 on a Sapphire 7970? I'm really trying to get rid of this artifacting after anything past 1180mhz core, I have so much voltage and temperature headroom but I can't get rid of artifacts.


I have a similar situation. I have tried a couple other BIOSs to no avail. I think that when you reach that point that no amount of voltage will fix the artifacting, you have found your max overclock. If someone else knows a magic bullet, I would like to hear about it, but flashing a different BIOS in my experience will only chance all the things that you can change in Afterburner anyway...i.e. default clocks/voltage/fan profile, once you change all that in AB all the BIOS seem to perform identically.


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have a similar situation. I have tried a couple other BIOSs to no avail. I think that when you reach that point that no amount of voltage will fix the artifacting, you have found your max overclock. If someone else knows a magic bullet, I would like to hear about it, but flashing a different BIOS in my experience will only chance all the things that you can change in Afterburner anyway...i.e. default clocks/voltage/fan profile, once you change all that in AB all the BIOS seem to perform identically.


Yeah I figured, same experience with my past video cards, but I was hoping maybe someone had a magic bios for these 7970's haha, I mean they been out for almost 2 years grrr. Just disappointing that I'm stuck at 1180/1785 @ 1.225(I can go up to 1.38) volts and its barely maxing at 61C on air....


----------



## FPSAlexei

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Increase voltage.


I haven't ever touched the voltages yet. The max is at 1.2V. How much should I try to increase it? I am willing to do it in tiny increments in order to not damage this expensive thing.


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FPSAlexei*
> 
> I haven't ever touched the voltages yet. The max is at 1.2V. How much should I try to increase it? I am willing to do it in tiny increments in order to not damage this expensive thing.


Graphic cards love voltage brah, little bit of voltage increase won't hurt anything, as long as temps are good.(You might have to tweak fan to be more aggressive if you increase voltage by alot)


----------



## FPSAlexei

Also, is it normal that my 2nd GPU is always at 99% gpu usage in 2D mode with nothing running, with a temperature of 67 C?


----------



## FPSAlexei

I just ran furmark. And there's something really strange with my 2nd GPU. It seems to run A LOT hotter. My 1st gpu is fine, at around 70 C while the 2nd is way over 85 C at 70% fan speed. What's going on here? Why is my 2nd GPU running so much hotteR?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FPSAlexei*
> 
> I really need help with some artifact issues. A month ago I bought a gigabyte 7990 and in many games, mainly playing bf4, I get these annoying black triangles and polygons flashing all over the screen. This doesnt happen all the time, but when it does it happens when im standing at a particular part of the map and facing in a particular direction. I dont have any overclocked components in my pc, running 13.11 beta drivers(latest) and on ultra settings at 1440p. Temperatures seem to be good, never exceeding 80 degrees. Please help!


hm, sounds like a shader bug actually, does this happen in multiple games? have you tried different driver versions?


----------



## FPSAlexei

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hm, sounds like a shader bug actually, does this happen in multiple games? have you tried different driver versions?


I tried with 13.9 official drivers, same thing


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have a similar situation. I have tried a couple other BIOSs to no avail. I think that when you reach that point that no amount of voltage will fix the artifacting, you have found your max overclock. If someone else knows a magic bullet, I would like to hear about it, but flashing a different BIOS in my experience will only chance all the things that you can change in Afterburner anyway...i.e. default clocks/voltage/fan profile, once you change all that in AB all the BIOS seem to perform identically.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I figured, same experience with my past video cards, but I was hoping maybe someone had a magic bios for these 7970's haha, I mean they been out for almost 2 years grrr. Just disappointing that I'm stuck at 1180/1785 @ 1.225(I can go up to 1.38) volts and its barely maxing at 61C on air....
Click to expand...

I'm surprised you have *NOT* learned that Tahiti is overclock limited via temps. The lower the temps are the higher you can overclock. When your temps are above say 60c, and you've hit your clock limit adding more voltage won't help. If you want a chance to get up to gold clocks (1300+) you need to drop core temps down to around 50c. Otherwise it is just a lesson in frustration.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FPSAlexei*
> 
> I just ran furmark. And there's something really strange with my 2nd GPU. It seems to run A LOT hotter. My 1st gpu is fine, at around 70 C while the 2nd is way over 85 C at 70% fan speed. What's going on here? Why is my 2nd GPU running so much hotteR?


have you tried flipping the direction of your side fan? I would think having it in exhaust would work better, by the looks of it the back end of the card isn't getting enough airflow, 7990 has 3 separate heatsinks, the copper for the VRMs and two large ones for the cores.

though the 85C temp could be the reason for the artifacts, the 79x0 core doesn't particularly like that much heat...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have a similar situation. I have tried a couple other BIOSs to no avail. I think that when you reach that point that no amount of voltage will fix the artifacting, you have found your max overclock. If someone else knows a magic bullet, I would like to hear about it, but flashing a different BIOS in my experience will only chance all the things that you can change in Afterburner anyway...i.e. default clocks/voltage/fan profile, once you change all that in AB all the BIOS seem to perform identically.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I figured, same experience with my past video cards, but I was hoping maybe someone had a magic bios for these 7970's haha, I mean they been out for almost 2 years grrr. Just disappointing that I'm stuck at 1180/1785 @ 1.225(I can go up to 1.38) volts and its barely maxing at 61C on air....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm surprised you have *NOT* learned that Tahiti is overclock limited via temps. The lower the temps are the higher you can overclock. When your temps are above say 60c, and you've hit your clock limit adding more voltage won't help. If you want a chance to get up to gold clocks (1300+) you need to drop core temps down to around 50c. Otherwise it is just a lesson in frustration.
Click to expand...











when i was on air i could watch my temp rise... the moment i hit 62 (iirc) bam artifact city


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have a similar situation. I have tried a couple other BIOSs to no avail. I think that when you reach that point that no amount of voltage will fix the artifacting, you have found your max overclock. If someone else knows a magic bullet, I would like to hear about it, but flashing a different BIOS in my experience will only chance all the things that you can change in Afterburner anyway...i.e. default clocks/voltage/fan profile, once you change all that in AB all the BIOS seem to perform identically.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I figured, same experience with my past video cards, but I was hoping maybe someone had a magic bios for these 7970's haha, I mean they been out for almost 2 years grrr. Just disappointing that I'm stuck at 1180/1785 @ 1.225(I can go up to 1.38) volts and its barely maxing at 61C on air....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm surprised you have *NOT* learned that Tahiti is overclock limited via temps. The lower the temps are the higher you can overclock. When your temps are above say 60c, and you've hit your clock limit adding more voltage won't help. If you want a chance to get up to gold clocks (1300+) you need to drop core temps down to around 50c. Otherwise it is just a lesson in frustration.
Click to expand...

That is the magic bullet? Thank you for that info...I was on the fence about throwing my 7970 underwater because it had a low ASIC score. But the way you tell it, if I can shave 10-12C off my temps, it might open up a second wind for overclocking? Temperature is really the culprit, not voltage...hmmm...

Thanks again for the info.

I wonder what my neighbors will think if I set my computer up on the back porch at 10 PM in 10C weather


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is the magic bullet? Thank you for that info...I was on the fence about throwing my 7970 underwater because it had a low ASIC score. But the way you tell it, if I can shave 10-12C off my temps, it might open up a second wind for overclocking? Temperature is really the culprit, not voltage...hmmm...
> 
> Thanks again for the info.
> 
> I wonder what my neighbors will think if I set my computer up on the back porch at 10 PM in 10C weather


lol I'm glad winter is coming up, will shall see how far I can go with 5c-10c ambient temps.


----------



## tsm106

If winter is cold where you are, by all means use it to your advantage!

The guy who made the matrix into a chair in my avy pic, he got a reference cooler 7970 to 1300mhz bench stable lol. Freaking iceland temps.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> If winter is cold where you are, by all means use it to your advantage!
> 
> The guy who made the matrix into a chair in my avy pic, he got a reference cooler 7970 to 1300mhz bench stable lol. Freaking iceland temps.


Didn't he live in Alaska?anyway last time I checked he went under water before he disapeared


----------



## tsm106

He's from norway... and ppl don't just disappear lol.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> and ppl don't just disappear lol.


don't they?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> He's from norway... and ppl don't just disappear lol.


Meh,alska norway it's all nothing but cold land and I'd probably freeze to death there (literally)


----------



## wanna_buy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not always, see tsms pic... that card would not function properly at stock, and the owner had issues trying ot rma it.... so he turned it into a chair
> congrats cant wait !


Where can I see the pic? an you link it?
You are not saying that every Matrix is defective, are you?







Maybe that was several months ago and now production problems are straightened out by Asus?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> just don't bother with it, simple as that, just get a sapphire dualX or DCII if your not interested in overclocking.


What color is the PCB of the cards you mentioned? Do you own them personally?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> What color is the PCB of the cards you mentioned? Do you own them personally?


DCII is black, DualX is military aqua green.

ironic 789th post...


----------



## blackhole2013

Just installed my Gelid icy vision A 7970 gpu cooler and wow the temps are amazing over the reference cooler and crazy quiet no more jet engine while playing with unique bench mark 1.2 v at 1200/1600 max temp 65c it used to hit 80c plus and start throttling. .vrn temps are higher tho..


----------



## xNutella

is it possible for AMD to create a software like shadow play that doesn't eat frames?.


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> is it possible for AMD to create a software like shadow play that doesn't eat frames?.


dxtory


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> is it possible for AMD to create a software like shadow play that doesn't eat frames?.


They didn't say they will,but I heard that MSI AB is great
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> dxtory


Wha?


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> They didn't say they will,but I heard that MSI AB is great
> Wha?


http://exkode.com/dxtory-features-en.html

Lots of features, great tool.


----------



## TempAccount007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when i was on air i could watch my temp rise... the moment i hit 62 (iirc) bam artifact city


more heat = more resistance.

therefore more voltage is needed.

school's out









I have no idea if that is actually true. However, because I typed it, it must be true.









Edit: It's wrong. More heat = less resistance in semiconductors.
http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/33120_20#post_21176479


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have a similar situation. I have tried a couple other BIOSs to no avail. I think that when you reach that point that no amount of voltage will fix the artifacting, you have found your max overclock. If someone else knows a magic bullet, I would like to hear about it, but flashing a different BIOS in my experience will only chance all the things that you can change in Afterburner anyway...i.e. default clocks/voltage/fan profile, once you change all that in AB all the BIOS seem to perform identically.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I figured, same experience with my past video cards, but I was hoping maybe someone had a magic bios for these 7970's haha, I mean they been out for almost 2 years grrr. Just disappointing that I'm stuck at 1180/1785 @ 1.225(I can go up to 1.38) volts and its barely maxing at 61C on air....
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'm surprised you have *NOT* learned that Tahiti is overclock limited via temps. The lower the temps are the higher you can overclock. *When your temps are above say 60c, and you've hit your clock limit adding more voltage won't help*. If you want a chance to get up to gold clocks (1300+) you need to drop core temps down to around 50c. Otherwise it is just a lesson in frustration.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when i was on air i could watch my temp rise... the moment i hit 62 (iirc) bam artifact city
> 
> 
> 
> more heat = more resistance.
> 
> therefore more voltage is needed.
> 
> school's out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have no idea if that is actually true. However, because I typed it, it must be true.
Click to expand...

apparently you really really never learned how temp sensitive tahiti is.. thats ok ill let you continue to believe what ever you want.


----------



## Azuredragon1

Can someone explain why ulps is bad for crossfire users? so far every website/forums aren't very clear on it.


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> Can someone explain why ulps is bad for crossfire users? so far every website/forums aren't very clear on it.


is that when the second card goes off when not gaming?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> more heat = more resistance.


that there in a nutshell is the reason why above 60C can push stability off, simple electrical physics, also the reason why subzero works so much better even at stock voltage...

did I ever mention that? I cant remember now...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> Can someone explain why ulps is bad for crossfire users? so far every website/forums aren't very clear on it.


its generally a bug trigger, I think it works sometimes but a lot of times it can cause the second card/s to get stuck and not work correctly in some games/benchmarks...


----------



## sugarhell

So its common now to ask mod bios for easy oc?

Amd cards need skill and knowledge to oc.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Azuredragon1*
> 
> Can someone explain why ulps is bad for crossfire users? so far every website/forums aren't very clear on it.


It's amazing the degree that the fundamental knowledge is lost on most users today. Not referring to you, just in general.

ULPS is the process that shuts down slave cards in crossfire. It is the gateway to AMD's other powersaving tech, like zerocore and other more annoying powerstates. The key reason you disabled ULPS in the past was not because of the the powersaving, it is because apps like Trixx, GPUTweak and Afterburner which predominantly used unofficial overclock method to raise core/mem clocks. Unofficial overclock method is a way of raising clocks by using a special "hole" in the driver, that AMD conveniently left open.

There is a caveat with UOM, and it is that it is incompatible with ULPS. If you enable UOM, and then set clocks higher that Catalyst limits with ULPS enabled, it will cause an instant BSOD. Also apps using UOM cannot access sleeping cards and that is a pita in itself.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> So its common now to ask mod bios for easy oc?
> 
> Amd cards need skill and knowledge to oc.


don't *need* to mod the BIOS at all for simple overclocks, it just depends on whether you need a different BIOS to get better/any voltage control for your particular card, of which you can usually clock the card significantly without any extra voltage unless you have a really poor one like mine...


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's amazing the degree that the fundamental knowledge is lost on most users today. Not referring to you, just in general.


q_q but we're new


----------



## TempAccount007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> apparently you really really never learned how temp sensitive tahiti is.. thats ok ill let you continue to believe what ever you want.


I must be missing something else. I would be curious to know what causes the performance wall.


----------



## inedenimadam

Is there anything software wise that can manipulate voltage droop on a 7970 TF3? I set voltage to 1.200 and I get 1.18 under light load, and 1.14 under heavy load...thats a big droop!


----------



## u3b3rg33k

0.06V isn't _that_ many volts...


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> 0.06V isn't _that_ many volts...


Thats not bad for droop? I guess it seems like allot because we are generally speaking in the range of 1.1-1.3 for most normal operation, so a droop of .06 feels large, but heck...what do I know, this is my first 7970.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> I must be missing something else. I would be curious to know what causes the performance wall.


I believe I already mentioned simple electrical physics, resistance is proportional to heat, there's parts in the core that the resistance ruins cycle stability...


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thats not bad for droop? I guess it seems like allot because we are generally speaking in the range of 1.1-1.3 for most normal operation, so a droop of .06 feels large, but heck...what do I know, this is my first 7970.


You could look at it this way:
you're running 1100mV to 1300mV, and you're worried about 20-60mV. I don't see a "problem" per se. are you having issues with function?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> 0.06V isn't _that_ many volts...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thats not bad for droop? I guess it seems like allot because we are generally speaking in the range of 1.1-1.3 for most normal operation, so a droop of .06 feels large, but heck...what do I know, this is my first 7970.
Click to expand...

Droop is natural. If you didn't have any droop I would be concerned.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thats not bad for droop? I guess it seems like allot because we are generally speaking in the range of 1.1-1.3 for most normal operation, so a droop of .06 feels large, but heck...what do I know, this is my first 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> You could look at it this way:
> you're running 1100mV to 1300mV, and you're worried about 20-60mV. I don't see a "problem" per se. are you having issues with function?
Click to expand...

You could also look at it as 200 mV adjustment range, and having a 33% margin of error. It doesn't make much difference how you look at it, statistics can always be manipulated to suit whatever view you wish. The only issue I am having is when using multiple monitors, the voltage is closer to the 1.2 that it is set at in the vBios(because I guess it forces 3D mode with lower clocks?), then when it is under load it runs at 1.14...I would like to see the card idle closer to where it loads at so that it doesn't live at 1.2V for the majority of its life...No " 'problem' per se", but an issue that I felt I would like to address.

So, short of a soldering iron, is there a way to address vDroop on a 7970?


----------



## tsm106

What? Why you need to address it? Anyways, you just add more voltage.


----------



## sugarhell

First use 1.38 volts then if you are not happy get your solder.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TempAccount007*
> 
> more heat = more resistance.
> 
> therefore more voltage is needed.
> 
> school's out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *I have no idea if that is actually true.* However, because I typed it, it must be true.


it's not - with semiconductors, more heat = less resistance = more power consumption = EVEN more heat = EVEN more power consumption = snowball out of control and bad things happen (eventually)

Check it: http://www.a-levelphysicstutor.com/therm-thermometers.php#thermistors

"Semiconductors like metals have resistance that is temperature-dependent. So they too make ideal thermometers.
The difference is, as temperature rises, the resistance of metals increases, but the resistance of semiconductors decreases.
Semiconductors have large resistance temperature coefficients, but they are negative. This means that there is a big decrease in resistance for a small rise in temperature."

In short - regular metals (like in incandescent light bulbs) increase resistance with temperature - this is why they reach white heat, and stay there. a semiconductor lightbulb would draw more and more power until something went boom.

inedenimadam, "vdroop" happens because current doesn't flow without a voltage differential. You can't actually make it "go away" without removing power from the circuit. you can either use bigger wires/traces so that there is less voltage drop, or you can up the voltage when the current starts flowing. this latter trick doesn't actually make "vdroop" go away, it only "goes away" at the one point you're measuring it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Check it: http://www.a-levelphysicstutor.com/therm-thermometers.php#thermistors
> 
> "Semiconductors like metals have resistance that is temperature-dependent. So they too make ideal thermometers.
> The difference is, as temperature rises, the resistance of metals increases, but the resistance of semiconductors decreases.
> Semiconductors have large resistance temperature coefficients, but they are negative. This means that there is a big decrease in resistance for a small rise in temperature."


increase in resistance of the copper + decrease of the resistance of the surrounding silicon == your detailed reason why chips need to be designed for running at a temperature range to work in said range, many chips have both hot and cold bugs.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What? Why you need to address it? Anyways, you just add more voltage.


As i already stated, the higher idle voltage when 2 monitors are connected. Does my gpu need 1.2V to run 500/1600? I would think not...but that is what it runs when i plug in a second monitor. Am I crazy to think that seems high compared to a full load at 1.41?

I dont need more voltage at load, i have run into that magic 60C mark that you explained to me the other day in this thread (thanks again, that made real good sense), but i do want less voltage at idle. But it sounds like i am going to have to learn to solder if i want to do that.


----------



## sugarhell

Disconnect second monitor or use dp monitor


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> increase in resistance of the copper + decrease of the resistance of the surrounding silicon == your detailed reason why chips need to be designed for running at a temperature range to work in said range, many chips have both hot and cold bugs.


Virtually all of the temperature limits in computing are due to the silicon, not copper conductors.

this may interest you:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/rstiv.html
copper goes one way, silicon the other.

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2004/BridgetRitter.shtml
copper has a much wider usable temp range than silicon (most chips run out at around 100C).


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Virtually all of the temperature limits in computing are due to the silicon, not copper conductors.
> 
> this may interest you:
> http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/tables/rstiv.html
> copper goes one way, silicon the other.
> 
> http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2004/BridgetRitter.shtml
> copper has a much wider usable temp range than silicon (most chips run out at around 100C).


you notice the 0.1+ gain between 60 and 80C, technically enough that it can push the stability of the cycles out, but yea semiconductor tech isn't exactly simple enough to get solid details on why a specific chip behaves the way it does, too many variables...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What? Why you need to address it? Anyways, you just add more voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> As i already stated, the higher idle voltage when 2 monitors are connected. Does my gpu need 1.2V to run 500/1600? I would think not...but that is what it runs when i plug in a second monitor. Am I crazy to think that seems high compared to a full load at 1.41?
> 
> I dont need more voltage at load, i have run into that magic 60C mark that you explained to me the other day in this thread (thanks again, that made real good sense), but i do want less voltage at idle. But it sounds like i am going to have to learn to solder if i want to do that.
Click to expand...

Are you overclocking? How are you doing it? Imo you're not doing it in a way that is appealing. Read the section on: Afterburner install - unofficial overclock method. Also read the my last post in the thread if you use the new AB Betas. With a properly setup AB, you will idle at 500/150 or 300/150 with multi monitors with voltage at around .9v.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


----------



## u3b3rg33k

do I see a quadfire hexcore rig with 16GB of ram and SSD magix? 9.999999999999999999999/10!


----------



## FPSAlexei

Just ran the #3DMark Fire Strike benchmark (catalyst 13.11 beta driver) with my new HD7990. Here's the result







http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1618882?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What? Why you need to address it? Anyways, you just add more voltage.
> 
> 
> 
> As i already stated, the higher idle voltage when 2 monitors are connected. Does my gpu need 1.2V to run 500/1600? I would think not...but that is what it runs when i plug in a second monitor. Am I crazy to think that seems high compared to a full load at 1.41?
> 
> I dont need more voltage at load, i have run into that magic 60C mark that you explained to me the other day in this thread (thanks again, that made real good sense), but i do want less voltage at idle. But it sounds like i am going to have to learn to solder if i want to do that.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Are you overclocking? How are you doing it? Imo you're not doing it in a way that is appealing. Read the section on: Afterburner install - unofficial overclock method. Also read the my last post in the thread if you use the new AB Betas. With a properly setup AB, you will idle at 500/150 or 300/150 with multi monitors with voltage at around .9v.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40
Click to expand...

I overclocked with afterburner til I found what was stable voltage and clocks, then made a BIOS with those numbers and removed afterburner completely. I know afterburner is not much overhead, but I would rather have it run like my CPU...set it and forget it.

Here is what I am looking at when I idle. I just thought about it, I am going to throw the switch and see if the stock bios does the same thing.


Thanks again for helping out

Edit to add: it appears to be something else, I have unplugged all but my main monitor, switched to the default bios and I am still locked at 500/1375...I am stumped.

Here is what the default stuff looks like.


----------



## tsm106

Ack, modded bios. With a modded bios you take on that responsibility.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ack, modded bios. With a modded bios you take on that responsibility.


sorry for the ninja edit in my last post. I am running the default bios now, still clocking high when idle.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ack, modded bios. With a modded bios you take on that responsibility.
> 
> 
> 
> sorry for the ninja edit in my last post. I am running the default bios now, still clocking high when idle.
Click to expand...

Can you get a stock non boost bios on your card? What card is it anyways?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ack, modded bios. With a modded bios you take on that responsibility.
> 
> 
> 
> sorry for the ninja edit in my last post. I am running the default bios now, still clocking high when idle.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Can you get a stock non boost bios on your card? What card is it anyways?
Click to expand...

Its a 7970 TF3 OverBoostClockeGigaSalespitchHertzEdition OC/BE, I imagine a stock non boost ROM would flash alright. Any you might suggest in particular?


----------



## huhh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Its a 7970 TF3 OverBoostClockeGigaSalespitchHertzEdition OC/BE, I imagine a stock non boost ROM would flash alright. Any you might suggest in particular?


I could never get any other bios to work with my 7970 TF3 BE/OC, i tried a lot of bios's.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *huhh*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Its a 7970 TF3 OverBoostClockeGigaSalespitchHertzEdition OC/BE, I imagine a stock non boost ROM would flash alright. Any you might suggest in particular?
> 
> 
> 
> I could never get any other bios to work with my 7970 TF3 BE/OC, i tried a lot of bios's.
Click to expand...

I just tried the msi reference (i assume because of the 925 clock) to no avail.


----------



## huhh

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I just tried the msi reference (i assume because of the 925 clock) to no avail.


Yeah, I've tried probably over 20 different bios on mine and could never get any to work properly. I settled for just modding my bios with a hex editor then VBE7 came out and i could final fine tune my overclock without a voltage limit.


----------



## tsm106

Ah I see. The boost crap is like a plague with its second set of tables. Boost doesn't play by the rules, or the rules how they were before boost came out.


----------



## glenquagmire

Soo I sold my 2 gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0. I didn't like that I couldn't water block them.

Looking for a new card(s) but 8 want full water block.

I would like to know what are some recommendations for gpu(s) that accommodate full water block and isn't $700. I originally went with the Xfire 7950 because in xfire they are great but only air cooled. Thinking about waiting to buy till black Friday but want to start looking.

I can go either nVidia or amd either is fine. Just fyi I got $430 for both cards. Willing to spend up to that amount without the waterblock.


----------



## tsm106

Theres a 7970 rev1 giga card with ek block in the vga fs forums for cheap. Helluvalot better than any 280x.


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Theres a 7970 rev1 giga card with ek block in the vga fs forums for cheap. Helluvalot better than any 280x.


Mine does 1175/1600 at 1150v and stays icy cold with my Gelid Icy vision Heat sync you dont even need water .. I could put 1.3 v in this card and 1175 is all she does 1200 sometimes but random artifacts happen ...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Theres a 7970 rev1 giga card with ek block in the vga fs forums for cheap. Helluvalot better than any 280x.
> 
> 
> 
> Mine does 1175/1600 at 1150v and stays icy cold with my Gelid Icy vision Heat sync *you dont even need water* .. *I could put 1.3 v in this card and 1175 is all she does 1200 sometimes but random artifacts happen* ...
Click to expand...











Is that a trick or is this some kind of test?


----------



## istudy92

Hey
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Soo I sold my 2 gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0. I didn't like that I couldn't water block them.
> 
> Looking for a new card(s) but 8 want full water block.
> 
> I would like to know what are some recommendations for gpu(s) that accommodate full water block and isn't $700. I originally went with the Xfire 7950 because in xfire they are great but only air cooled. Thinking about waiting to buy till black Friday but want to start looking.
> 
> I can go either nVidia or amd either is fine. Just fyi I got $430 for both cards. Willing to spend up to that amount without the waterblock.


Hey i sold my two 7950s I couldn't stand the heat produced combined nor sound nor the damn drivers and everything it was such a mess.
Sold it for 440 on eBay too!! Damn fees kill me tho..

Anyways I was gana get the 780*ti* cause its same performance if not better than 7950 crossfire with less heat and no crossfire crap to deal with.
But I decided to be more...economical per say less..err money thrower, and got *780 ref instead*. not based on better performance, but simplicity.

Why?
Well its a bit better than 290x and cheaper with a nice bundle which could offset costs.
290x reference coolers are bad so you would need to spend extra 70 dollars in custom fan coolers, so that price needs to be out into account,
I want my life to be simple and 780 evga offers that peace of mind of quality air cooling with low sound and heat.
780 looks kool all silver and metallic and all.
Kepler gpu from nvida shave g sync which would eliminate tearing and frame pacing issues (if you get the monitor of occur urself to go with it, and or if you modify your current monitor with thier mod kit)
290 is a great value i am not gana lie, really great value, performs as good as 290x for 150 bucks less! If its cooled properly.
290 has that mantle comming for it for future games but no one knows what its all about i assume.
Nvida cards have WAY better resale value than amd cards...I mean in one yea a 7970 droped in price dramatically.70% I believe correct me if im wrong....yet 780.. Has only dropped 100 in 6 months? Hardly half price cut

Idk I went "green" more for the simple fact that I want to try out new hardware i loved my single 7950 it served me well, but now I'm moving up to 1440p id like more power and all and 780 offers that for single gpu config..let alone the TI version damn that card is sweet,
Also reason i didnt get 780ti is because i plan to sell my 780 in a few months and buy the 8xx series, I'm sure it will be fantastic.
But them 290s seem like a bang for the buck no matter what just with the usal trade off of random fricken issues....
Sigh...
Sorry for long reply haha. Below was a good review link and amd cards included.
http://www.techspot.com/review/738-gigabyte-geforce-gtx-780-ti-ghz/page4.html
If you want good review links ask;p


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey
> Hey i sold my two 7950s I couldn't stand the heat produced combined nor sound nor the damn drivers and everything it was such a mess.
> Sold it for 440 on eBay too!! Damn fees kill me tho..
> 
> Anyways I was gana get the 780ti cause its same performance if not better than 7950 crossfire with less heat and no crossfire crap to deal with.
> But I decided to be more...economical per say less..err money thrower, and got 780 ref instead.
> 
> Why?
> Well its a bit better than 290x and cheaper with a nice bundle which could offset costs.
> 290x reference coolers are bad so you would need to spend extra 70 dollars in custom fan coolers, so that price needs to be out into account,
> I want my life to be simple and 780 evga offers that peace of mind of quality air cooling with low sound and heat.
> 780 looks kool all silver and metallic and all.
> Kepler gpu from nvida shave g sync which would eliminate tearing and frame pacing issues (if you get the monitor of occur urself to go with it, and or if you modify your current monitor with thier mod kit)
> 290 is a great value i am not gana lie, really great value, performs as good as 290x for 150 bucks less! If its cooled properly.
> 290 has that mantle comming for it for future games but no one knows what its all about i assume.
> Nvida cards have WAY better resale value than amd cards...I mean in one yea a 7970 droped in price dramatically.70% I believe correct me if im wrong....yet 780.. Has only dropped 100 in 6 months? Hardly half price cut
> 
> Idk I went "green" more for the simple fact that I want to try out new hardware i loved my single 7950 it served me well, but now I'm moving up to 1440p id like more power and all and 780 offers that for single gpu config..let alone the TI version damn that card is sweet,
> Also reason i didnt get 780ti is because i plan to sell my 780 in a few months and buy the 8xx series, I'm sure it will be fantastic.
> But them 290s seem like a bang for the buck no matter what just with the usal trade off of random fricken issues....
> Sigh...
> Sorry for long reply haha. Below was a good review link and amd cards included.
> http://www.techspot.com/review/738-gigabyte-geforce-gtx-780-ti-ghz/page4.html
> If you want good review links ask;p


Pretty sure CF 7950 on AIR outperforms even high overclocked 780 ref on water. Rest of your rant doesn't make sense. But good luck.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Hey
> Hey i sold my two 7950s I couldn't stand the heat produced combined nor sound nor the damn drivers and everything it was such a mess.
> Sold it for 440 on eBay too!! Damn fees kill me tho..
> 
> Anyways I was gana get the 780ti cause its same performance if not better than 7950 crossfire with less heat and no crossfire crap to deal with.
> But I decided to be more...economical per say less..err money thrower, and got 780 ref instead.
> 
> Why?
> Well its a bit better than 290x and cheaper with a nice bundle which could offset costs.
> 290x reference coolers are bad so you would need to spend extra 70 dollars in custom fan coolers, so that price needs to be out into account,
> I want my life to be simple and 780 evga offers that peace of mind of quality air cooling with low sound and heat.
> 780 looks kool all silver and metallic and all.
> Kepler gpu from nvida shave g sync which would eliminate tearing and frame pacing issues (if you get the monitor of occur urself to go with it, and or if you modify your current monitor with thier mod kit)
> 290 is a great value i am not gana lie, really great value, performs as good as 290x for 150 bucks less! If its cooled properly.
> 290 has that mantle comming for it for future games but no one knows what its all about i assume.
> Nvida cards have WAY better resale value than amd cards...I mean in one yea a 7970 droped in price dramatically.70% I believe correct me if im wrong....yet 780.. Has only dropped 100 in 6 months? Hardly half price cut
> 
> Idk I went "green" more for the simple fact that I want to try out new hardware i loved my single 7950 it served me well, but now I'm moving up to 1440p id like more power and all and 780 offers that for single gpu config..let alone the TI version damn that card is sweet,
> Also reason i didnt get 780ti is because i plan to sell my 780 in a few months and buy the 8xx series, I'm sure it will be fantastic.
> But them 290s seem like a bang for the buck no matter what just with the usal trade off of random fricken issues....
> Sigh...
> Sorry for long reply haha. Below was a good review link and amd cards included.
> http://www.techspot.com/review/738-gigabyte-geforce-gtx-780-ti-ghz/page4.html
> If you want good review links ask;p
> 
> 
> 
> Pretty sure CF 7950 on AIR outperforms even high overclocked 780 ref on water. Rest of your rant doesn't make sense. But good luck.
Click to expand...

he said he got the ti, but yea... anywho


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is that a trick or is this some kind of test?


Say what ..I said my card don't need water 1175-1200 mhz is all she can do and the voltage I need for 1200 is 1.175v which my Icy vision cooler can handle the temps of it without water ... I only hit in the 50s low 60s while gaming .. So why put an expensive water cooling system in ?


----------



## sugarhell

Its a TEST!!

Also istudy


----------



## glenquagmire

So does anyone else has else have Input?

I am looking to full block water cool. Coming from xfire 7950s, what would be some good recommendations including full block? It can be either single card or dual cards on xfire or sli. Again cost of card(s) need to stay les than $440.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Pretty sure CF 7950 on AIR outperforms even high overclocked 780 ref on water. Rest of your rant doesn't make sense. But good luck.


The ti not regular 780. I know 7950 crossfire performs better than 780. Iv done the benchmarks and seen it in other forms.

I'm mostly. Stating the decision between the 780 reg with 290x and how 290 seems like the better buy if noise heat and hassle is not an issue for a buyer.
Am I really ranting? Or am I actually helping fellow OCN see what my train of thought was.
If there are false decisions made please advise me i tried to be detailed.

And as hard as it may be to believe this, not everyone is a fan boy.
Both sides have pros cons with nvidia n ati, capitalism allows for diversification of customers needs.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> So does anyone else has else have Input?
> 
> I am looking to full block water cool. Coming from xfire 7950s, what would be some good recommendations including full block? It can be either single card or dual cards on xfire or sli. Again cost of card(s) need to stay les than $440.


Sorry i misinterpreted your "up to" to me it meant around that price area plus or minus 440
But if its solid 400 bucks, then 290 is your best bet especially if you can water cool it.

The reviews are amazing how people get great performance once temperature is controlled.

Ghe biggest issue with the cards were down locking because of heat and throttling.
Amd fixed that issue by updating drivers to increase fan speed from 40% to 47% and to keep them at 2200 rpm to stop throttling.
But with that increase in cooling, the cards performed amazing.
I can only think how much better that card would perform under water!
Check the forums and online reviews 290 is a beast. (Non x)


----------



## sugarhell

A toxic 280 is around 780 performance. 7950s will destroy any setup. 290 cost 350 bucks here. 780 ti cost 700. I can build a loop with the difference.

Also because i read the 290x thread all the time the cooler is fine and its not too noisy. We all know that amd coolers are noisy.Thats why if you wawnt to stay on air you get a custom card.Heat is almost the same if you buy a high end gpu 20-30 watt difference is nothing. (your 7950 cf produce around 500 watt)

tldr you are ranting with no real reason just to rant because you cant make your crossfire to work properly. A 7950 cf shouldnt just be faster than a 780


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A toxic 280 is around 780 performance. 7950s will destroy any setup. 290 cost 350 bucks here. 780 ti cost 700. I can build a loop with the difference.
> 
> Also because i read the 290x thread all the time the cooler is fine and its not too noisy. We all know that amd coolers are noisy.Thats why if you wawnt to stay on air you get a custom card.Heat is almost the same if you buy a high end gpu 20-30 watt difference is nothing. (your 7950 cf produce around 500 watt)
> 
> tldr you are ranting with no real reason just to rant because you cant make your crossfire to work properly. A 7950 cf shouldnt just be faster than a 780


You mean the 280X,right?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A toxic 280 is around 780 performance. 7950s will destroy any setup. 290 cost 350 bucks here. 780 ti cost 700. I can build a loop with the difference.
> 
> Also because i read the 290x thread all the time the cooler is fine and its not too noisy. We all know that amd coolers are noisy.Thats why if you wawnt to stay on air you get a custom card.Heat is almost the same if you buy a high end gpu 20-30 watt difference is nothing. (your 7950 cf produce around 500 watt)
> 
> tldr you are ranting with no real reason just to rant because you cant make your crossfire to work properly. A 7950 cf shouldnt just be faster than a 780


I really don't understand why no one reads details...mega man is the only one who understood that I compared 780 *TI* not regular to 7950 crossfire.
I want to help,
i swear everyone is out to get you once you mention an opposite card on a specific card forum.


----------



## sugarhell

Nice you compare 780 ti an oced titan with 200 more shaders. We all know how gk110 performs. its on par with 290x clock to clock. But it cost 700 bucks.

Excuses like heat or temps means nothing if you want to stay on air get a custom card. Amd get HIS or sapphire nvidia get a classy

The funny thing. First you have 7950s crossfire with a weak cpu. And already your cards underperform. The drivers are just fine i really cant stand people because they cant make something work they blame the easy things ex god,luck,the neighbor on this situation amd drivers sucks.You have a 80 bucks cpu and you will buy 700 bucks gpu. Nice look my lada with 1k tires

Framepacing and gsync? You need to read again what gsync does. Also it cost almost 200 bucks and it comes only on low quality tn panels on asus. More panels from 2014
Resalue value.Go sale now a titan. If you remember a 7970 and 680 cost almost the same. How much do you think you can sell a 680 now when the 770 cost 300 bucks?7970 is almost 2 years old gpu 780 is 6 months. Man pls your logic is messed up

You downgrade from 7950s to 780 ti for 1440p.And you just rant with stupid reasons. You dont even know the fundamental and you confuse things


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Nice you compare 780 ti an oced titan with 200 more shaders. We all know how gk110 performs. its on par with 290x clock to clock. But it cost 700 bucks.
> 
> Excuses like heat or temps means nothing if you want to stay on air get a custom card. Amd get HIS or sapphire nvidia get a classy
> 
> The funny thing. First you have 7950s crossfire with a weak cpu. And already your cards underperform. The drivers are just fine i really cant stand people because they cant make something work they blame the easy things ex god,luck,the neighbor on this situation amd drivers sucks.You have a 80 bucks cpu and you will buy 700 bucks gpu. Nice look my lada with 1k tires
> 
> Framepacing and gsync? You need to read again what gsync does. Also it cost almost 200 bucks and it comes only on low quality tn panels on asus. More panels from 2014
> Resalue value.Go sale now a titan. If you remember a 7970 and 680 cost almost the same. How much do you think you can sell a 680 now when the 770 cost 300 bucks?7970 is almost 2 years old gpu 780 is 6 months. Man pls your logic is messed up
> 
> You downgrade from 7950s to 780 ti for 1440p.And you just rant with stupid reasons. You dont even know the fundamental and you confuse things


1) I had 2 7950 Sapphire vapor-x

2) I guess 8320 is a weak CPU, but obviously you have not seen me on the forums to determine that I went from a 4xxx--> 83xx and posted benchmarks on how CPU did *NOT* bottleneck my graphics card what so ever. It only increase physics scores. No such thing as a bottleneck with 4300 OC 4.7. Go ahead get a 4300 switch up your cpu and see if your graphics score changes. CPU *would* add FPS to actual game play but not hinder GPU performance and only hinder overal maximum possible added system performance. (which is not a reason to be mad about and never said AMD sucks it is what it is with thier current cpus)

3)gysnc? I am wrong?
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7436/nvidias-gsync-attempting-to-revolutionize-gaming-via-smoothness
http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/18/nvidia-g-sync/
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/169091-nvidias-g-sync-promises-better-faster-monitors-that-will-revolutionize-pc-gaming
I stated nothing beyond tearing and frame pacing.
I stated that a monitor would be needed and or a modding kit.
I did not state quality, performance, or anything subjective i stated facts that thats what gsync is supposibly going to do, not that it will function.

4) Did I not state resale value would be short term? I did specify I would hold the card for very short time, not a 2 year span.

5) Did I ever mention money was an issue? I never did I never compared prices, all I compared was how much value 290 had and it was a great buy for HIM the person ASKING the question, i gave HIM , MY input on WHY i went 780.
I never imposed false information, I never said what he should get, I never said anything to which I am being accused for.
Please read details, I am a fellow OCN helping out not a troll giving biased opinion.
I never stated facts one is better than another. I gave both sides of stories and how I came to just choose 780 for a single card in terms of selling it in the near future. (less than 6 months)


----------



## rdr09

@istudy92, do not drink the tap water in NJ.

kid kid

had to oc my 290 (1100/1400) to go past 7950/7970 crossfire (stock)

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7478595

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6233890

and, yes, my i7 at 4.5 struggled to keep up with latter. BF3 MP 64 at 1080 managed to push both gpus above 90% but not 100%. With HT off (basically an i5) 85%/98%.


----------



## sugarhell

Man really?

First i cant understand 1)

2)3dmark graphic score doesnt care about your cpu. You should check combined score. And 3dmark is not actually gameplay. A healthy amd system needs time and a lot of tweaks to perform great with crossfire. And i dont mean only clocks. HT/ram speeds,stable oc.

3) Gsync has nothing to do with framepacing. So you are wrong

4)You mention short resale value but you compare the prices of the 7970 after 2 years with the prices of the 780 after 6 months. 780 dropped from 650-700 bucks to 499.the 7970 dropped 100 bucks in 6 months not more

5) You post misinformations because you dont know the fundamental.780 ti is a good gpu but with terrible value. Even titan is better value at 1k with dp and 6 gb vram.290,780 is the best solutions atm for a good game experience. You can read all day how 780 ti is 10-15% faster than a 780 but in reality is just 5 fps

6) Your 7950s should destroy a stock 780 ti. Like a 7990 destroy anything on reviews. If you have problems with temps and heat inside your case is because you have custom cards and your case airflow sucks.


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Man really?
> 
> First i cant understand 1)
> 
> 2)3dmark graphic score doesnt care about your cpu. You should check combined score. And 3dmark is not actually gameplay. A healthy amd system needs time and a lot of tweaks to perform great with crossfire. And i dont mean only clocks. HT/ram speeds,stable oc.
> 
> 3) Gsync has nothing to do with framepacing. So you are wrong
> 
> 4)You mention short resale value but you compare the prices of the 7970 after 2 years with the prices of the 780 after 6 months. 780 dropped from 650-700 bucks to 499.the 7970 dropped 100 bucks in 6 months not more
> 
> 5) You post misinformations because you dont know the fundamental.780 ti is a good gpu but with terrible value. Even titan is better value at 1k with dp and 6 gb vram.290,780 is the best solutions atm for a good game experience. You can read all day how 780 ti is 10-15% faster than a 780 but in reality is just 5 fps
> 
> 6) Your 7950s should destroy a stock 780 ti. Like a 7990 destroy anything on reviews. If you have problems with temps and heat inside your case is because you have custom cards and your case airflow sucks.


2) and I dont understand, like i POSTED that *I WANT TO TRY NEW HARDWARE* i am *NEW* to building a rig and want to experience the competitors. I never even fuzzed about performance, if you go back a few pages i even stated "im selling my crossfire I want to try out other stuff now"

but 3) your telling me frame pacing has nothing to do with how the monitor and gpu interact with each other in order to produce same level of refresh rate to match the gpu output? then im wrong I meant frame rate. if thats the right word. (again I stated above correct me if I am wrong I am open to learning thats why im here)

5) i never mentioned value, price was never something I mentioned concerning the buy. And i dont understand *READ* what I posted, I decided NOT to get 780ti because I felt it was not economically wise to do so. I felt too much of an extreme because of THOSE REASONS your stating right now. I never disagreed if anything I agreed with you without giving details on my previous post.

6) I sold my cards before I got a new case nothing could be done, ONCE AGAIN, read my post I SOLD it, way before I got a new case.
I am new to building a rig and everything is a learning process. I noticed that airflow was not enough. But my thoughts were from a week ago on how i decided to buy 780.

I dont understand what I am saying is wrong. If I gave my train of though of MY situation.
The person asking question is not dumb and can add these variables up and understand that temp are affected by case, card, volts or w/e and proceed to ask questions to determine which variables are irrelevant to him.

Like i really dont understand why you cant give me benfit of the doubt that I am being honest and not trying to misinform anyone and that I am stating what iv done and how i went about it, not what they should do.

If you want to flame on me then do so, I really dont feel I have done anything wrong. and if I have correct me, but dont scold me without reading carefully what my intentions are, and what iv said. Your interpreting what iv said incorrectly.


----------



## istudy92

And that has to do with what again? I was just clearly hyped thats all. Kill me for being all excited for the first time.
Its a good card but I changed my mind and try something else?
I dont understand how that post above matters in the scope of this discussion on how I liked my 7950 but switched to try it out at least once.
And once again ONCE AGAIN, I did not purchase a 780ti.


----------



## glenquagmire

Holy Crap Guys!!!! Can we just keep on topic and be helpful? I know sometimes calling out someone is needed, but its been like three pages.









My question is I come from Xfire Gigabyte 7950 Rev 2.0 cards which I sold. Now I want to get either 1 or 2 cards that I can put on Full Water Block.

I know 7950 in xfire were good statistically, but they seem to run hot, at least mine. I want to get a good card or cards to block and need to get some advice. Willing to spend up to $440 without the block.

Seriously, after reading the past several posts, I believe I became more confused. If we can give some good facts and performance measurements on the recommended cards in relation to my Xfire 7950 on air I recently sold, I would appreciate it.


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A toxic 280 is around 780 performance. 7950s will destroy any setup. 290 cost 350 bucks here. 780 ti cost 700. I can build a loop with the difference.
> 
> Also because i read the 290x thread all the time the cooler is fine and its not too noisy. We all know that amd coolers are noisy.Thats why if you wawnt to stay on air you get a custom card.Heat is almost the same if you buy a high end gpu 20-30 watt difference is nothing. (your 7950 cf produce around 500 watt)
> 
> tldr you are ranting with no real reason just to rant because you cant make your crossfire to work properly. A 7950 cf shouldnt just be faster than a 780


so if I came from xfire 7950 cards on air and I want to buy a great card or cards for around the same price and then water block it, your advice is the 290? I am still learning about the different GPUs. Should I be looking at the 290, 290x, 7970, etc.....Also, are there comparable cards on Nvidia side of things as well to my xfire 7950? I want to obvisouly get best bang for buck and also accomplish the full block setup I want.


----------



## sugarhell

290 with waterblock would be the best choice. From nvidia 780 classy


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 290 with waterblock would be the best choice. From nvidia 780 classy


I cannot seem to locate a full water block for the 290, only 290x. Does anyone have personal experience with blocking a 290? Would a xfire 7970 be better than a single 290?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> You shouldnt crossfire any stronger cards on an AMD platform.


Ok, you are going to have to elaborate when making a statement like that......


----------



## sugarhell

The pcb is the same for 290x and 290


----------



## glenquagmire

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> I dont need to. Do whatever you want. But dont come whining when you realize that your benchmarks (Or gameplay fps ) are lower than everyone elses.


What?? You make a comment that states, you shouldnt Xfire any stringer cards on AMD platform. My question is, explain what that means especially now you state that my benchmarks will be lower. Lower than who, using what? Then you say dont whine, when in reality I am asking for more info on your comment to make a good decision so I dont "whine" later. Dont have to get all defensive.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> The pcb is the same for 290x and 290


Ha, yep just saw that. Thanks! You still would do a 290 on water vs xfire 7970 or 7950 on water? My 7950 rev 2 Gigabyte just wasnt compatible with blocks.

Is there a 290 manufacturer to go with over the other, better OC'ing? Are they voltage locked?


----------



## sugarhell

If i had already a watercooled 7970 cf no i wouldnt change. But from the moment that you have gigabyte custom pcb then 290 will be a good card for you


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> so if I came from xfire 7950 cards on air and I want to buy a great card or cards for around the same price and then water block it, your advice is the 290? I am still learning about the different GPUs. Should I be looking at the 290, 290x, 7970, etc.....Also, are there comparable cards on Nvidia side of things as well to my xfire 7950? I want to obvisouly get best bang for buck and also accomplish the full block setup I want.


290 would be you economical choice for "bang for buck" as i stated before its a truely fantanstic price! Especially since you will put it underwater you wouldnt have any problems as the 290x/290 user forums are showing.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1436635/ocn-gk110-vs-hawaii-bench-off-thread/0_40

look at the benches above, each person has their cards benched.

compare them to you previous set up.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1104202
these were my scores with x2 7950 and 1 290x/290 recieved "almost" identical graphics score having only 1 card. obviously diff combined scores bc of cpu.


----------



## sugarhell

Your score is low for 7950s

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/342760


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> [/U][/B]
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1005312
> 
> My 7970 is almost on par with your xfired 7950s.


is it at ~900mhz thats what I had it set at or 1370?


----------



## glenquagmire

I am a newb to OC'ing but even I know that comparing a i7 3930 to AMD 8320 is just dumb. Yes your scores win out. He is clocked at 4.4 while you guys are at 4.8. I am not debating Intel vs AMD because each serves its purpose and market. I mean there isnt anything I cannot run with my 8350 on a crosshair v forumla z waterblocked that you guys can. I am at 4.8 as well and with the waterblocks I added, I think 5.0mhz is very realistic. I never did 3d marks tests but did do heaven before selling the 7950's, I was at 2340 or soemthing like that on maxed out everything in heaven. I have to search for my scores when I get home, but my point is you guys and I both can run on full tilt BF4, even if your scores are higher in benchmarks. Also, I cannot complain that my 8350 and Crosshair V formula z are are the same price as pretty much buying 1 intel i7 chip.

Now as far as GPU's are we in agreement that determining between 7950, 7970 and 290, that the 290 is the best way to go even in xfiring 7970 or 7950 even when comparing the nvidia side of things? Most important is I want to water block the card or cards which is why I had to sell my 7950 rev 2.0 gigabyte. Stupid gigabyte trying to reinvent the wheel or something.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Im not getting defensive, im just sick and tired of telling people to steer away from this and that and they wont listen. I have stopped bothering, might give a little pointer here and there, and if they dont listen i dont really care tbh.


Just because its no going to perform as well as intel doesnt mean he shouldnt do it. Still going to get better performance with 2 cards vs one. His total fps might be less or the combined benchmark might not be as high. But total score still increases. There are a few running quadfire amd and may not get the best performance out of it possible but it still performs better then tri or dual. So theres no reason to tell someone who already has a full amd rig to not get xfire cuz there cpu sucks. It still works decent and with a reasonable oc can do xfire no problems. He may have less fps then others with intel but hed still have better fps then with a single gpu and improved performance. Not all of us can afford the best of the best and some of us already spent the money. So its not worth building a whole new pc just to milk more cpu performance when adding a gpu will still net good improvements


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> I am a newb to OC'ing but even I know that comparing a i7 3930 to AMD 8320 is just dumb. Yes your scores win out. He is clocked at 4.4 while you guys are at 4.8. I am not debating Intel vs AMD because each serves its purpose and market. I mean there isnt anything I cannot run with my 8350 on a crosshair v forumla z waterblocked that you guys can. I am at 4.8 as well and with the waterblocks I added, I think 5.0mhz is very realistic. I never did 3d marks tests but did do heaven before selling the 7950's, I was at 2340 or soemthing like that on maxed out everything in heaven. I have to search for my scores when I get home, but my point is you guys and I both can run on full tilt BF4, even if your scores are higher in benchmarks. Also, I cannot complain that my 8350 and Crosshair V formula z are are the same price as pretty much buying 1 intel i7 chip.
> 
> Now as far as GPU's are we in agreement that determining between 7950, 7970 and 290, that the 290 is the best way to go even in xfiring 7970 or 7950 even when comparing the nvidia side of things? Most important is I want to water block the card or cards which is why I had to sell my 7950 rev 2.0 gigabyte. Stupid gigabyte trying to reinvent the wheel or something.


agreed, i dont understand the point in comparing the scores, it is what it is with cpu, and the graphics scores are extreamly high because of watercooled OC on your card to hit 1300~ mhz while I tested simply on 900mhz.

Well quagmire the 1 thing iv learned from around here is this 1 thing that can be said for certain,
*Try to always buy the best single card set up*(that one can afford), (at least thats what almost everyone says around the forums and googling around) (and it makes sense why they say it)
then in most cases buy a 2nd in the future as prices are reduced. (unless of course you have money to throw around and get 2 instantly then get 2 lol)

So IF this statement is true, then it means your question is answered the best choice would be the 290 series as a single card set up and xf it in the future.
as the 290 is as good performance as your old 7950cf.
(not to mention you will have alot of headroom to OC 290=p on water)


----------



## sugarhell

And then look what watercooled 7970/50s can do

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/165921

Because your setup underperforms doesnt mean 7950 cf is weak


----------



## glenquagmire

dude doesnt graphics score also factor in the CPU you are running? I mean in Heaven benching, it sure as heck matter what CPU is used or how much the CPU is OC'ed. Like I ran Heaven stock on everything, then started tweaking the CPU to go higher until I found stability. Everytime I went higher, the Heaven scores went up. Once I hit the 4.8 mark, the benchmark was at its highest without tweaking the GPUs, then I started tweaking the GPUs and the beanchmark went higher.

Doesnt 3d do that same?


----------



## sugarhell

No in 3dmark


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> You sure about that? Completely SURE? Why would you lie to me? Why would it say 1160 if you ran 900~?


to be honest im not sure lol, i just clicked one of the many i got and guessed on it haha.
but your prolly right cause i couldnt find anything higher. kuddos.


----------



## istudy92

Is it true uengine vally tests strickly only gpu?


----------



## glenquagmire

so if your were me starting from scratch, you would do single 290 on block?


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> so if your were me starting from scratch, you would do single 290 on block?


Yes,
The reason I did not do 290 was because I did not have waterblock or any water in my rig.
but 290 was my 1st choice if they came out with aftermarket coolers like my vapor-x. until I saw that refrence coolers sucked the noise levels for those fans were really high in order to keep temp stable.

but as I said since I didnt have waterblock i went 780 ref.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> so if your were me starting from scratch, you would do single 290 on block?


Yes glen do it! As mentioned above 9/10 its best to buy best single gpu u can to start bcuz u can always go dual later. Especially if that single gpu can perform aswell as your dual gpu options


----------



## Paul17041993

and @istudy92 hows your motherboard clocks? FX will be slightly slower then the PCIe3.0 compliant, on-die controller intel parts anyway considering its still using tek from 4 years ago, doesn't stop us using it. and comparing single gpu cores to multi gpus is just a bad idea, just add up the shaders etc and you see what I mean.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> Is it true uengine vally tests strickly only gpu?


no actually, they really fudged that tool as it only uses one master thread which will bottleneck almost all the time...


----------



## istudy92

Anyways back to subject,

Quaqmire 290 is your best bet since you have enough to purchase it after tax/shipping, and also have waterblock to go with it (as mentioned by other users that it would be compatible with it)


----------



## glenquagmire

thanks all...

is there one manufacturer vs the other that performs better or has better OC'ing?


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> No, all current AMD cards are the same. All are reference, may have a different bios but that doesnt really matter at this point. Unless you want GPU tweak to overvolt which is a pain in the ass btw. And it can be done on other cards so i dont see why get ASUS over any other.
> 
> None of the cards are binned, its all down to luck. Just get any.


Well, some cards are non-reference, but it generally doesn't matter unless you're getting waterblocks or using LN2.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> None of the R9 290/290x cards are custom.


Oh, I thought he was referring to 79xx.


----------



## glenquagmire

Does Newegg.com do black Friday sales? Trying to find out who may sell the 290 at discount on black Friday.


----------



## Paul17041993

290 has best value, great perf, little throttling, bit loud though but nothing an accelero III or water cant solve

official topic;
http://www.overclock.net/t/1436497/official-amd-r9-290x-290-owners-club
though Ive been ignoring it lately as its been so active lately,

cant help you on newegg though, seeing as I don't use them (mainly cause I'm AU).


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> A toxic 280 is around 780 performance. 7950s will destroy any setup. 290 cost 350 bucks here. 780 ti cost 700. I can build a loop with the difference.
> 
> Also because i read the 290x thread all the time the cooler is fine and its not too noisy. We all know that amd coolers are noisy.Thats why if you wawnt to stay on air you get a custom card.Heat is almost the same if you buy a high end gpu 20-30 watt difference is nothing. (your 7950 cf produce around 500 watt)
> 
> tldr you are ranting with no real reason just to rant because you cant make your crossfire to work properly. A 7950 cf shouldnt just be faster than a 780
> 
> 
> 
> so if I came from xfire 7950 cards on air and I want to buy a great card or cards for around the same price and then water block it, your advice is the 290? I am still learning about the different GPUs. Should I be looking at the 290, 290x, 7970, etc.....Also, are there comparable cards on Nvidia side of things as well to my xfire 7950? I want to obvisouly get best bang for buck and also accomplish the full block setup I want.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> so if your were me starting from scratch, you would do single 290 on block?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 290 with waterblock would be the best choice. From nvidia 780 classy


+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> so if I came from xfire 7950 cards on air and I want to buy a great card or cards for around the same price and then water block it, your advice is the 290? I am still learning about the different GPUs. Should I be looking at the 290, 290x, 7970, etc.....Also, are there comparable cards on Nvidia side of things as well to my xfire 7950? I want to obvisouly get best bang for buck and also accomplish the full block setup I want.
> 
> 
> 
> You shouldnt crossfire any stronger cards on an AMD platform.
Click to expand...

100% disagree there are more things to life then highest benches/ best fps. i get amazing fps in game with 4x 7970 +8350 works great and it is just pretty ! besides @ above monitor refresh rate.... it really does not matter if i get 144fps or 180 does it? not trying to steer ppl from intel or to amd. but i can tell you it works just fine.
\
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 290 with waterblock would be the best choice. From nvidia 780 classy
> 
> 
> 
> I cannot seem to locate a full water block for the 290, only 290x. Does anyone have personal experience with blocking a 290? Would a xfire 7970 be better than a single 290?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> You shouldnt crossfire any stronger cards on an AMD platform.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Ok, you are going to have to elaborate when making a statement like that......
Click to expand...

290 is the 290x pcb !

amd is fine. you just wont hit the peak scores like intels can
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> I cannot seem to locate a full water block for the 290, only 290x. Does anyone have personal experience with blocking a 290? Would a xfire 7970 be better than a single 290?
> Ok, you are going to have to elaborate when making a statement like that......
> 
> 
> 
> I dont need to. Do whatever you want. But dont come whining when you realize that your benchmarks (Or gameplay fps ) are lower than everyone elses.
Click to expand...

he really is asking why not trying to start a flame war.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Im not getting defensive, im just sick and tired of telling people to steer away from this and that and they wont listen. I have stopped bothering, might give a little pointer here and there, and if they dont listen i dont really care tbh.
> 
> 
> 
> Just because its no going to perform as well as intel doesnt mean he shouldnt do it. Still going to get better performance with 2 cards vs one. His total fps might be less or the combined benchmark might not be as high. But total score still increases. There are a few running quadfire amd and may not get the best performance out of it possible but it still performs better then tri or dual. So theres no reason to tell someone who already has a full amd rig to not get xfire cuz there cpu sucks. It still works decent and with a reasonable oc can do xfire no problems. He may have less fps then others with intel but hed still have better fps then with a single gpu and improved performance. Not all of us can afford the best of the best and some of us already spent the money. So its not worth building a whole new pc just to milk more cpu performance when adding a gpu will still net good improvements
Click to expand...

+1
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> Does Newegg.com do black Friday sales? Trying to find out who may sell the 290 at discount on black Friday.


i highly doubt any of the r9s are going to be on sale


----------



## lvlrdka22

I just started overclocking my nonreference 7950 that arrived almost a month ago (kept putting off in case cheaper 7950/7970s arrive, never did). Just using Unigine Heaven 5 minute benchmarks for a quick estimate, I'm currently at 1200 core at stock voltage, 1225 artifacts. Memory refuses to budge though, whether at 1.6v or 1.7v. Even an increase to 1300 drops the score







.
Curiously though, the Powercolor tool says I'm setting voltage to 1.2v for core, Afterburner reads 1.23, while GPU-z reads 1.18 with 1.14-1.16 load.


----------



## inedenimadam

I just flashed my 7970 to a 280x BIOS. Everything seems to work just fine, VRM temps seem a bit lower. Went from MSI 7970TF3 BE/OC to MSI TF Gaming.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> And then look what watercooled 7970/50s can do
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/165921
> 
> Because your setup underperforms doesnt mean 7950 cf is weak


That cpu must be on phase or other. My gpus are faster though and cpu is only at 5ghz.









http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1005046


----------



## u3b3rg33k

OK i'm sure this has been beaten to death, but is there a fix for this issue?

when I boot up and [email protected] starts, my 7970 stays at 2D clocks - meaning the ram clock is 150MHz (super painful). it WILL NOT change clock speeds (even if I stop folding and run a game) until I sleep the displays and wake them. then it behaves normally. I found that "fix" by accident, but there's got to be a better way. Catalyst 13.9


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> OK i'm sure this has been beaten to death, but is there a fix for this issue?
> 
> when I boot up and [email protected] starts, my 7970 stays at 2D clocks - meaning the ram clock is 150MHz (super painful). it WILL NOT change clock speeds (even if I stop folding and run a game) until I sleep the displays and wake them. then it behaves normally. I found that "fix" by accident, but there's got to be a better way. Catalyst 13.9


What are you using for clock management?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I just flashed my 7970 to a 280x BIOS. Everything seems to work just fine, VRM temps seem a bit lower. Went from MSI 7970TF3 BE/OC to MSI TF Gaming.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why did you flash it?
Click to expand...


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are you using for clock management?


MSIAB - and I set it to Unofficial OCing mode 2, and i tried to turn off ULPS in the registry. the latter is a PITA.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are you using for clock management?
> 
> 
> 
> MSIAB - and I set it to Unofficial OCing mode 2, and i tried to turn off ULPS in the registry. the latter is a PITA.
Click to expand...

Did you create a default 2D profile and a 3D profile?

For reference on disabling ulps, under unofficial mode...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> What are you using for clock management?


Just use MSI afterburner and make another desktop shortcut and right click it then press propertys make target say "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl then press the new shortcut and it will say clocks have been changed and then restart its the best way to use MSI Afterburner...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Just use MSI afterburner and make another desktop shortcut and right click it then press property's make target say "C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner\MSIAfterburner.exe" /xcl then press the new shortcut and it will say clocks have been changed and then restart its the best way to use MSI Afterburner...


No it's not. Each method has it's pros and cons.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

I didn't set anything under 2d or 3d profile - I just told it to auto-apply a profile on launch.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I didn't set anything under 2d or 3d profile - I just told it to auto-apply a profile on launch.


Doh, you need profiles for it to load a higher clock setting.

Hit default, save that in profile 1. Now set your desired clock settings, hit apply and save that for profile 2. Go to settings and under profiles tab, set 2D to profile 1 and 3D to profile 2.

Test it out.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

I've never needed to do it that way before - my 6950 kicks up properly right away. I just set "apply overclocking @ system startup", and that's done the trick since I started using MSIAB.

it's worth a try though. once it kicks up after I sleep the displays once, it works properly from there on out. if I stop folding, it drops back to 500MHz, and kicks up again. something tells me ULPS isn't disabled though.


----------



## FernTeixe

tsm106 I just saw a complete comment you did some days ago. It was about overclocking 7970 above 1200 and now I could understand more why you said that to clock it higher it must be under 60.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I've never needed to do it that way before - my 6950 kicks up properly right away. I just set "apply overclocking @ system startup", and that's done the trick since I started using MSIAB.
> 
> it's worth a try though. once it kicks up after I sleep the displays once, it works properly from there on out. if I stop folding, it drops back to 500MHz, and kicks up again. something tells me ULPS isn't disabled though.


AB is AB... hehe lol. Ya never know.

That said, if you are clocking past oveerdrive limits using unofficial mode and ULPS is on, you will bsod. That's the tell tale sign it is on.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> tsm106 I just saw a complete comment you did some days ago. It was about overclocking 7970 above 1200 and now I could understand more why you said that to clock it higher it must be under 60.


Nods. Did you catch my it's a trick post a page back?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Well then it must be off - my 6950 is running @ 930MHz, but it doesn't even show up in CCC - it's running headless. I'm not OCIng the 7970 at all. I'm just letting it chill @ 1GHz.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Well then it must be off - my 6950 is running @ 930MHz, but it doesn't even show up in CCC - it's running headless. I'm not OCIng the 7970 at all. I'm just letting it chill @ 1GHz.


If you have a flashable cayman, you should take a look in my How To thread. I have a section just for flashable cayman cards in regards to overclocking them.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

I flashed it on day one! unlocked it to a 6970 and cranked up the volts. 930MHz @ 1200mV. [email protected] & OCCT stable. although it will throttle a bit in whatever fuzzy doughnut tool they missed the driver throttling in, even with it at +20%


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Nods. Did you catch my it's a trick post a page back?


well may sound dumb, but now I'm really happy I could understand what you tried to tell me.








And I'll not try above 1150 on air


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I flashed it on day one! unlocked it to a 6970 and cranked up the volts. 930MHz @ 1200mV. [email protected] & OCCT stable. although it will throttle a bit in whatever fuzzy doughnut tool they missed the driver throttling in, even with it at +20%


that'd be furmark, of which is usually a card bucherer...


----------



## FernTeixe

well my country is realllllyyy hot and it's about 2 or 3 times more expensive to buy water blocks here than in usa/canada etc... so I can't make it under 60c

My 7970 get unstable as tsm106 said before...Tahiti is temp bond. at least for me it's confirmed. When I try 1180 for example when it reach 67c or more I have some issues. But when it's clocked to 1150 it never get near to 66 anyway...

I don't know if I'm mistaking something. but it's what I found and by myself


----------



## ProdigalGenius

i just got my gigabyte 7990..i just want to ask whether it's max boost is just 1100(gpu clock) and 1575(mem clock). i read in a review that they oc'ed their 7990 at 1175(cpu) and 1250(mem).am i missing something.


----------



## dmfree88

does it matter? Oc it to that high


----------



## SavageBrat

Hey folks just a general question, what's consider a decent overclock? I'm asking as I have a MSI lighting card and I'm abit lost on this subject..tia


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *glenquagmire*
> 
> What?? You make a comment that states, you shouldnt Xfire any stringer cards on AMD platform. My question is, explain what that means especially now you state that my benchmarks will be lower. Lower than who, using what? Then you say dont whine, when in reality I am asking for more info on your comment to make a good decision so I dont "whine" later. Dont have to get all defensive.
> Ha, yep just saw that. Thanks! You still would do a 290 on water vs xfire 7970 or 7950 on water? My 7950 rev 2 Gigabyte just wasnt compatible with blocks.
> 
> Is there a 290 manufacturer to go with over the other, better OC'ing? Are they voltage locked?


290x water block looks well sexy

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-166-AQ


----------



## Matt-Matt

Hey guys, looking for some reference 7950 blocks. (not 7970 PCB) I've gone through the issues with that before..

Anyone selling any/know of any good stores etc that would possibly have them? I found them at FrozenCPU for ~$106 each plus $50 shipping, but it'd be better if I could find them a bit cheaper/closer haha.
I'll just wait and get them though if I have to in a few weeks.

Also, would a thick 360mm rad be fine for those + 3570k?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Depends on what temps you want.


Decent? I want to really be under 60c in games and overclocked to say 4.6 on the CPU and 1200+ on the GPU's (probably 1.3v)

I could put a thin 240 on the side panel maybe.. Kinda tempted not to though.
I'd have to do some minimal case modding probably for anything else.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ProdigalGenius*
> 
> i just got my gigabyte 7990..i just want to ask whether it's max boost is just 1100(gpu clock) and 1575(mem clock). i read in a review that they oc'ed their 7990 at 1175(cpu) and 1250(mem).am i missing something.


I have a 7990 I am running at 1125-1500 all day long if that helps any. Thanks


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Well for reference i got 3x360 rads for my 3930k and 290x (Or 7970 depending on the mood
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) And im getting 35-42c max on the GPUs and 50-60 on a 4.9 3930k.


Wow, what case do you have?









The 290x outputs some heat, but probably not as much as two 7950's. So you're saying that one wouldn't really do it? :s
I could always just get one block and keep one aircooled. That would probably work fairly well, whilst looking tacky.


----------



## SavageBrat

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Anything over 1200 for 24/7.


ok..i'm close sort of i'm at 1100/1500 but this is with no voltage tweaking or anything..


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SavageBrat*
> 
> ok..i'm close sort of i'm at 1100/1500 but this is with no voltage tweaking or anything..


I used to do 1120/1400~ 24/7 with 1187v
if that helps 7950 sap vap-x


----------



## LDV617

Just picked up a never used Sapphire Vapor-X 7950 for $150 on craigslist. Win?


----------



## SkateZilla

you saved about $50


----------



## istudy92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> you saved about $50


i guess its a win
I mean i sold mine used for 200 each. and that was 1 week ago
but somehow used seems better cause its tested to work opposed to not knowing the results of a new one. At least thats what i think when I buy on ebay.


----------



## LDV617

I had the opportunity of getting 2x for $350 but the guy sold somewhere else >< but I think one of these will be overkill for my rig. The 660 I used before is going in the guest rig







At my Microcenter they are still ~$300. Good to know they are pretty available used at ~$200 though.


----------



## LDV617

Also a question about these cards. It has 2 8x pin ports, but in the manual it says you can use one 6 pin + one 8 pin, is this safe? I assume then it would be pulling just slightly less power than 16 pins total, correct? Is there a benefit of upgrading my PSU to get 2x 8 pin cables?


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Also a question about these cards. It has 2 8x pin ports, but in the manual it says you can use one 6 pin + one 8 pin, is this safe? I assume then it would be pulling just slightly less power than 16 pins total, correct? Is there a benefit of upgrading my PSU to get 2x 8 pin cables?


I wouldnt go OC crazy without all 16 pins connected. but im sure it would work fine if the manual says its ok. They also make molex to 8 pin adapters so you could always just use one of those instead of the 6 pin:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-Molex-LP4-4-pin-to-8-pin-PCI-E-Express-Converter-Adapter-Power-Cable-/261294446881?pt=US_Power_Cables_Connectors&hash=item3cd65cd921

make sure its dual molex though, they have 8pin with single molex I dont believe this is enough power (meant for mobo connector not gpu IIRC). Could be wrong though cuz they do make dual molex to dual 8 pin:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/14-8-6-2-Molex-4Pin-Convert-to-2-PCI-E-8-6-2-Cable-/110731451836?pt=US_Power_Cables_Connectors&hash=item19c81bddbc

But I am sure you could probably just go 8+6 and be fine if your not planning to OC.


----------



## LDV617

I put a light OC on it, it's sitting on 950/1250 with 8+6 pin. It did come with 2 of the 2xmolex to 8pin but I wasn't sure if I wanted to put much faith in that, I suppose it can't hurt if I have the spare molex males.

Running DayZ for an hour or two now with no usage drops or artifacts. I know it's not the most perfect test, but I just want to boost it up closer to a 7970







Very happy with the card so far though.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> that'd be furmark, of which is usually a card bucherer...


yep. that's why I like reference cards - they always have better VRM cooling than the dual fan cooler cards. VRM temps on my dirt 3 6950 while furmarking = scary, VRM temps on my ref 6950 = decent.
fans @ 100%, of course.


----------



## KingT

Today I bought a Voltcraft Energy Check 3000 (for socket) and measured power consumption of my system from the wall.

System:
2500K @ 4.7GHz (1.42V)
2x Asus HD7950 DC2 TOP V2 (stock)

Valley bench (extreme HD preset):

Avg power draw: 460W
Peak power draw: 480W

Crysis 3:

Avg power draw: 480W
Peak power draw: 500W

Now if you calculate actual power consumption of the components from the PSU (90.4% efficiency of the SeaSonic G550W) then you get:

Valley Avg Power draw: 415W
Crysis 3 Avg power draw: 434W

CHEERS..


----------



## glenquagmire

So I just bought the XFX 290 R9 with free battlefield 4 game. Soon to buy the waterblock for it as well. Sold my two on air gigabyte 7950 rev 2.0 for it. Hopefully that was a good decision.

Hopefully there isn't a big black Friday sale.


----------



## glenquagmire

I see it's also .5 inches shorter than my gigabyte 7950s. That's always nice.


----------



## LDV617

Sounds like a great decision to me, got BF4 too (which probably isn't worth your $60)


----------



## maynard14

Hi there just a quick question is it good to crossfire x my reference 7970 to Sapphire 7950 Flex.?>


----------



## dracconus

Validation information for acceptance, since my last one apparently got ignored or didn't submit properly.

http://valid.canardpc.com/fqh8m1


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dracconus*
> 
> Validation information for acceptance, since my last one apparently got ignored or didn't submit properly.
> 
> http://valid.canardpc.com/fqh8m1


AFAIK you join by filling out an online form linked in the first post of this thread?


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Yes.


ahmmm can i know ehy sir,. coz i found a second hand 7950 and its very cheap... im thinking to buy it but i dont think it will add some fps on cross fire x


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> What?


i mean do you have a bechmark of 7970 crossfire to 7950 sir?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> i mean do you have a bechmark of 7970 crossfire to 7950 sir?


all stock using old drivers. . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/417140

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6233890

http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4630978

Valley with just the 7950 oc'ed to 1000 got a 78 @ 1080 extreme HD.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> all stock using old drivers. . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/417140
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6233890
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4630978
> 
> Valley with just the 7950 oc'ed to 1000 got a 78 @ 1080 extreme HD.


nice!! very nice... hmm tempting to buy that sapphire 7950 flex,,, its so cheap but the guy whos selling it is far away where i live,. but thanks again sir for the benchmarks


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> all stock using old drivers. . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/417140
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6233890
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4630978
> 
> Valley with just the 7950 oc'ed to 1000 got a 78 @ 1080 extreme HD.
> 
> 
> 
> nice!! very nice... hmm tempting to buy that sapphire 7950 flex,,, its so cheap but the guy whos selling it is far away where i live,. but thanks again sir for the benchmarks
Click to expand...

red light..... if it is too good to be true....


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> red light..... if it is too good to be true....


Most certainly. However, I just drove 2 hours total for a $150 7950 that was legit. The guy had won it online on a hardware site. Now lots of enthusiasts are selling their crossfire 7950s for newer hardware. It's a great time to buy 7950s, I've seen 3 sellers in the last 2 weeks selling 2x 7950 Non-reference designs for >$400 total.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Hi there just a quick question is it good to crossfire x my reference 7970 to Sapphire 7950 Flex.?>


sure, and you can clock the flex up a bit so they are balanced.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> all stock using old drivers. . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/417140
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6233890
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4630978
> 
> Valley with just the 7950 oc'ed to 1000 got a 78 @ 1080 extreme HD.
> 
> 
> 
> nice!! very nice... hmm tempting to buy that sapphire 7950 flex,,, its so cheap but the guy whos selling it is far away where i live,. but thanks again sir for the benchmarks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> red light..... if it is too good to be true....
Click to expand...

It's interesting, my best single 7970 is almost as fast(ballpark) in futuremark as stock dual 7970s. Tahiti and namely 7970s are such great overclockers with superb scaling.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7298100

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/978262


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> AFAIK you join by filling out an online form linked in the first post of this thread?


Have already done that. Hence my posting of validation.


----------



## lvlrdka22

Well, I'm settling on 1175/1500 at 1.2/1.18/1.14V (target/idle/load) for now for my 7950.


----------



## maynard14

thank you for the feed back,.. but im still thinking if what to buy between 7970 reference or this sapphire flec 7950

heres my rig: im thinking the aesthetics of my rig if i put 7950, i think is much better looking if i put another reference 7970,. but the 7950 flex is so cheap for only 60 dollars...

what is your advice guys?


----------



## dmfree88

If its 60 bucks id get the flex. Can always paint the shroud to match better if you are that worried bout aesthetics.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> If its 60 bucks id get the flex. Can always paint the shroud to match better if you are that worried bout aesthetics.


thank you sir ,. but can my psu take the load of 7970 and 7950 if i crossfire them? if i oc the flex to match the 7970 925hz/1375hz? thanks again


----------



## diggiddi

TX 750 should be good


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> TX 750 should be good


thanks again ocn


----------



## Mega Man

i will very very much disagree

esp if you overclock.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i will very very much disagree
> 
> esp if you overclock.


really sir,.. if so ill just buy the reference 7970 i think it willcost me 80 bucks.. but again may corsair 750m can take the load? my 3570k is oc to 4.4 ghz


----------



## Mega Man

i would think not. as i said above, granted i have a 8350 but with that + 2x 7970 i could trip ocp on suicide runs

either way i would be willing to bet if you overclock them you will be pushing it too far.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i would think not. as i said above, granted i have a 8350 but with that + 2x 7970 i could trip ocp on suicide runs
> 
> either way i would be willing to bet if you overclock them you will be pushing it too far.


i see... some say it can some say no it can... but i will still try.. the 7970 is so cheap cant want for my pay day next week.. hehe i wont oc them thats for sure. ill be happy playing them on stock, and see fps go high and high hehe i hope


----------



## Deadboy90

So how's this score for a 7950? 8320 @ 4.5 and 1150/1500.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> i see... some say it can some say no it can... but i will still try.. the 7970 is so cheap cant want for my pay day next week.. hehe i wont oc them thats for sure. ill be happy playing them on stock, and see fps go high and high hehe i hope


750W will run two 7970s and a mild cpu overclock, but if it trips for you then you'll just have to drop the clocks (underclock the gpus if you want) or get a bigger PSU.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 750W will run two 7970s and a mild cpu overclock, but if it trips for you then you'll just have to drop the clocks (underclock the gpus if you want) or get a bigger PSU.


thank you sir ill post the result when i got the 7970 card


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> i see... some say it can some say no it can... but i will still try.. the 7970 is so cheap cant want for my pay day next week.. hehe i wont oc them thats for sure. ill be happy playing them on stock, and see fps go high and high hehe i hope
> 
> 
> 
> 750W will run two 7970s and a mild cpu overclock, but if it trips for you then you'll just have to drop the clocks (underclock the gpus if you want) or get a bigger PSU.
Click to expand...

i thought he had 2 and was adding a third ?


----------



## maxmoncada

I am not getting to many answers so I tought I would ask you guys here crossfire 7950 vs R290 regardless of having the newest tech whats will preform better if both are overclocked on an 1080 eyefinity set up for bf3,bf4 cod crysis 3 ect


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maxmoncada*
> 
> I am not getting to many answers so I tought I would ask you guys here crossfire 7950 vs R290 regardless of having the newest tech whats will preform better if both are overclocked on an 1080 eyefinity set up for bf3,bf4 cod crysis 3 ect


for me i think the 290 coz 290x is close to gtx 780


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maxmoncada*
> 
> I am not getting to many answers so I tought I would ask you guys here crossfire 7950 vs R290 regardless of having the newest tech whats will preform better if both are overclocked on an 1080 eyefinity set up for bf3,bf4 cod crysis 3 ect


Hmmm... Well in terms of raw power the 7950's will smoke just about anything. However you will have to deal with the issues that multi card configs bring: micro stutter, higher temps and increased power consumption. AMD still has yet to release the 2nd half of their micro stutter drivers which greatly reduce it for multi-monitor setups and DX9 games.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> for me i think the 290 coz 290x is close to gtx 780


Huh? A 290x will beat a 780 every time.


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> for me i think the 290 coz 290x is close to gtx 780


7950 Crossfire is quite a lot faster than a 780, though. If you don't mind running two GPUs, a pair of 7950s is faster than a 290 in almost everything.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maxmoncada*
> 
> I am not getting to many answers so I tought I would ask you guys here crossfire 7950 vs R290 regardless of having the newest tech whats will preform better if both are overclocked on an 1080 eyefinity set up for bf3,bf4 cod crysis 3 ect


dual 7950s will have much higher power, that's pretty obvious just by doing the math, most multi-gpu setups will overpower similar single gpu setups.

BUT, the real question would be whether you want a single card, less power, no stuttering or scaling concerns, or whether you want two cards, heat and power to look at, could have some stutter or driver issues (though unlikely by now).

290 has the best value for a single gpu currently, and you could add a second one later on if you want.


----------



## maxmoncada

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Hmmm... Well in terms of raw power the 7950's will smoke just about anything. However you will have to deal with the issues that multi card configs bring: micro stutter, higher temps and increased power consumption. AMD still has yet to release the 2nd half of their micro stutter drivers which greatly reduce it for multi-monitor setups and DX9 games.


.
Damn and still hasn't perfected this... Well r290 it is I guess...


----------



## xNutella

anything to change in the settings before I run the test? and yeah should I run all of them or fire strike is enough?

running x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X.


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Why are you on custom?


I thought its like heaven bench where you setup few things before you start.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> fpalm


wahahaha sorry about that buhaha


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maxmoncada*
> 
> .
> Damn and still hasn't perfected this... Well r290 it is I guess...


well for me ill bite the bullet and just buy another 7970 , the cheapest i can find and crossfire it to my existing 7970... than selling my 7970 and buy and 290x


----------



## EdwinCodec

Just wondering as if anyone getting the directX "DeviceRemoved" error for bf4 under GPU OC circumstances.

note: Using single 7970 card (1125/1580)


----------



## EdwinCodec

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Unstable OC. IIRC MSI AB doesnt engage 3d volts in BF4 due to 64 bit. Not completely sure though.


Hmmm. But it's only for bf4 atm. Other games are all good. Stressing under Heaven & Valley without showing any crashes/ artifacts. So it's the matter of 64-bit?


----------



## EdwinCodec

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> Thats the point. BF4 = 64 bit. Try launching it in 32 bit mode.


So now the problem is caused by unstable OC or the incompatibility between MSI AB and 64-bit? A little confuse here. Sorry


----------



## Mega Man

or force constant volts while playing


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*


lol it inspired me to flash my 7970 to 280x haha

I'm using a moded 280x vapor-x bios


----------



## primal92

Hello guys i'm new to this thread and wanted to ask a quick question.

Is going from a GTX 480 SLI setup to a 7970 DCUII Ghz ed card worth it besides the power/heat arguement? The upgrade will cost about 30-40 net cost. Could I get a decent overclock with the DCUII cooler and would I lose much out on performance or even potentially gain any?

Also how the drivers for amd? always been with nVidia and tend to hear that the AMD drivers are not as refined as nvidia's


----------



## FernTeixe

well... the same answer inedenimadam gave before... Science !?

also I was modding a bios, so I used a 280x bios... but just it... I would flash anyway so I did with 280x bios


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> This is very slow.


yeah , maybe the problem is my cpu... I don't know... but in fire strike extreme I'm getting graphic score around 4250...


----------



## richie_2010

what program are you guys using to test your memory overclocks.

ive got evga oc scanner and 3d mark advanced edition and they test the core but not the ram


----------



## FernTeixe

at 1150/1550
my gaming oc... is it slow?

I have a 3570 non-k


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> This is very slow.
> 
> 
> 
> yeah , maybe the problem is my cpu... I don't know... but in fire strike extreme I'm getting graphic score around 4250...
Click to expand...

Your score is fine. I smell a troll out for blood. Did your VRM temp monitoring stay in tact after the flash? Mine got wonky.

The vBios editor, and the add GOP tool both work on the 280x BIOS. So you can customize clock/volts and use fast boot.


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Your score is fine. I smell a troll out for blood. Did your VRM temp monitoring stay in tact after the flash? Mine got wonky.
> 
> The vBios editor, and the add GOP tool both work on the 280x BIOS. So you can customize clock/volts and use fast boot.


Well yeah my vrm temps are really ok
it worked without problems... fast boot and everything seems fine


well I didn't thought it was trolling haha... but my unigine valley score is really lower than some 7950... but BF4 is getting around 75fps on ultra...
and firestrike extreme graphic score around 4300 is near to a gtx780 in stock clock... so I don't think it's so slow ...only in unigine valley


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> What?


what to what?

also was 4300 at 1150 very slow?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *primal92*
> 
> Hello guys i'm new to this thread and wanted to ask a quick question.
> 
> Is going from a GTX 480 SLI setup to a 7970 DCUII Ghz ed card worth it besides the power/heat arguement? The upgrade will cost about 30-40 net cost. Could I get a decent overclock with the DCUII cooler and would I lose much out on performance or even potentially gain any?
> 
> Also how the drivers for amd? always been with nVidia and tend to hear that the AMD drivers are not as refined as nvidia's


- I wouldn't trust the DCII, nice and quiet, but piss poor overclocking unless your lucky to get a good one.
- amd drivers >= nvidia drivers, or at least for openGL support and stability...


----------



## primal92

Really? I thought with that cooler it would be pretty beast?

Getting it at a decent price so still worth it ? I'm personally not fussed with the heat with my GTX480s but its more the noise that bugs me and can't really be bothered wc because I don't have headroom on my PSU to OC and the extra cost for a stronger pump and WB for diminishing returns.

I can CF later on but how is the micro-stuttering ? Don't get it all with nVidia drivers but heard it was bad on AMD?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> What?
> 
> 
> 
> what to what?
> 
> also was 4300 at 1150 very slow?
Click to expand...

Your Valley bench looked fine. I am clocked at 1150/1600, and you got me by a few points. As far as your firestrike...are you using the default settings or are you maxing something out? Here are my results for both tests. Using ExtremeHD preset for Valley, and whatever the free version of 3DMark defaults to (cant change it with freebie) for FireStrike.


----------



## maxmoncada

hey guys got a great deal on a 7970 for $140 offf of craigslist will this crossfire with my current 7950?


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Your Valley bench looked fine. I am clocked at 1150/1600, and you got me by a few points. As far as your firestrike...are you using the default settings or are you maxing something out? Here are my results for both tests. Using ExtremeHD preset for Valley, and whatever the free version of 3DMark defaults to (cant change it with freebie) for FireStrike.


it was extreme mode... default settings here

lol we have same cpu (mine is non K, but it's the same when stock )
and we have a 7970 flashed to 280x ... and both using same clock speed... so we got the same results haha


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FernTeixe*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Your Valley bench looked fine. I am clocked at 1150/1600, and you got me by a few points. As far as your firestrike...are you using the default settings or are you maxing something out? Here are my results for both tests. Using ExtremeHD preset for Valley, and whatever the free version of 3DMark defaults to (cant change it with freebie) for FireStrike.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> it was extreme mode... default settings here
> 
> lol we have same cpu (mine is non K, but it's the same when stock )
> and we have a 7970 flashed to 280x ... and both using same clock speed... so we got the same results haha
Click to expand...

Goes to show you just how much an overclocked CPU doesn't really guarantee a huge boost in gaming performance. I am clocked at 5.0. I am sure I could get my scores up a bit by closing background tasks, going back to win 7 with specific drivers, unplugging the extra monitors, yada yada yada....This is how I tested before I flashed the 280x bios, so that is how I ran it for consistency. I saw my results stay within the margin of error for all tests. The 280x bios works just the same as the 7970 bios clock for clock. I dont know if there will ever be a fork in optimizations for the two drivers, so I dont know if we will ever see any measurable advantage in using a 280x BIOS. Actually, I highly doubt it, but who knows...


----------



## dmfree88

From what i have read recently. Flashing to a new bios really does nothing but change stock settings that ab could have done for you. The only real reason to do it is if ur voltage locked and flashing it fixes that, or if some feature greatly improves functionality (like back when jumping from 6950 to 6970 improved significantly). Otherwise its really just wasteof time since you can edit the bios or just use ab to set higher clocks. I can understand trying the 280 drivers for science as mentioned and to see if they do have better features. But otherwise isnt flashing bios redundant nowadays?


----------



## silencespr

i have a dilemma.... now that i play BF4 and i use 3 screens the game seems to drop FPS a little even on medium settings... should i get another Gigabyte 7870 OC and Cross fire it ? or should i just get 7970 and run one card ?

Thank you!


----------



## sugarhell

3 screens with a single 7870?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *primal92*
> 
> Really? I thought with that cooler it would be pretty beast?
> 
> Getting it at a decent price so still worth it ? I'm personally not fussed with the heat with my GTX480s but its more the noise that bugs me and can't really be bothered wc because I don't have headroom on my PSU to OC and the extra cost for a stronger pump and WB for diminishing returns.
> 
> I can CF later on but how is the micro-stuttering ? Don't get it all with nVidia drivers but heard it was bad on AMD?


never heard of anyone complaining about stuttering, especially not after the frame pacing drivers, it was blown waay out of proportion really, though was still niticable in some games on older drivers.

the DCII cooler is quite decent while being nearly inaudible, but you should still have plenty of case airflow, and it takes 3-4 slots (fits in 3, but a 4th empty slot is recommended for airflow) so its quite a space hog if you want to crossfire, though with enough space between the main PCIe slots and spare slots in the lower end of your case it should be a good setup.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *silencespr*
> 
> i have a dilemma.... now that i play BF4 and i use 3 screens the game seems to drop FPS a little even on medium settings... should i get another Gigabyte 7870 OC and Cross fire it ? or should i just get 7970 and run one card ?
> 
> Thank you!


surprising your using a single 7870, another 7870 should give you more perf vs a single 7970 but I'm not too sure how well they scale, but I think all in all a couple of 7870s should give at least the same performance as a single 7970 in most games, if not much more, just consult your case whether he would be happy with running two cards vs one.


----------



## silencespr

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 3 screens with a single 7870?


yeah Gigabyte 7870 OC


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> From what i have read recently. Flashing to a new bios really does nothing but change stock settings that ab could have done for you. The only real reason to do it is if ur voltage locked and flashing it fixes that, or if some feature greatly improves functionality (like back when jumping from 6950 to 6970 improved significantly). Otherwise its really just wasteof time since you can edit the bios or just use ab to set higher clocks. I can understand trying the 280 drivers for science as mentioned and to see if they do have better features. But otherwise isnt flashing bios redundant nowadays?


yes, and no. You are correct, AB makes running custom BIOS kind of redundant. I prefer not to use afterburner, not that it is a bad program. But I would rather find a stable overclock, flash a bios, and then forget it. It just reduces the amount of software installed, and maybe saves a few CPU cycles. Also, when I flash a GOP bios, I loose voltage control in AB, so tweaking the BIOS to be GOP and tweaking the voltage through the BIOS allows me some level of voltage control.


----------



## dmfree88

Makes sense. I would probably prefer that way myself since it wouldnt req software but with multi monitor it wont downclock mem or voltage without the 2d/3d clocks so either way id need AB


----------



## Deadboy90

Ok whats going on here? After increasing my OC my Firestrike scores DROPPED about 2000 points! On the left is the one i did just now and the right is the one i did yesterday. Same drivers and everything.


----------



## silencespr

Just got 2nd card lets see how crossfire performs.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Ok whats going on here? After increasing my OC my Firestrike scores DROPPED about 2000 points! On the left is the one i did just now and the right is the one i did yesterday. Same drivers and everything.


Dropped scores tend to be unstable overclocks. Try lowering your clocks or increasing voltage.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Ok whats going on here? After increasing my OC my Firestrike scores DROPPED about 2000 points! On the left is the one i did just now and the right is the one i did yesterday. Same drivers and everything.


likely error correction, drop your memory clocks back down and test again, try giving core more voltage.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maxmoncada*
> 
> hey guys got a great deal on a 7970 for $140 offf of craigslist will this crossfire with my current 7950?


yes
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *silencespr*
> 
> i have a dilemma.... now that i play BF4 and i use 3 screens the game seems to drop FPS a little even on medium settings... should i get another Gigabyte 7870 OC and Cross fire it ? or should i just get 7970 and run one card ?
> 
> Thank you!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 3 screens with a single 7870?


+1 not enough with a single card ....


----------



## Deadboy90

Ok I finally got my scores right. And I broke 7k!



Any tips for getting it higher? If I go any higher than 1.26v my score begin to throttle. I'm kinda stuck at around 1200/1600.


----------



## Mega Man

not really.... you can up your physics a bit... but it wont help that much


----------



## FernTeixe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Goes to show you just how much an overclocked CPU doesn't really guarantee a huge boost in gaming performance. I am clocked at 5.0. I am sure I could get my scores up a bit by closing background tasks, going back to win 7 with specific drivers, unplugging the extra monitors, yada yada yada....This is how I tested before I flashed the 280x bios, so that is how I ran it for consistency. I saw my results stay within the margin of error for all tests. The 280x bios works just the same as the 7970 bios clock for clock. I dont know if there will ever be a fork in optimizations for the two drivers, so I dont know if we will ever see any measurable advantage in using a 280x BIOS. Actually, I highly doubt it, but who knows...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> From what i have read recently. Flashing to a new bios really does nothing but change stock settings that ab could have done for you. The only real reason to do it is if ur voltage locked and flashing it fixes that, or if some feature greatly improves functionality (like back when jumping from 6950 to 6970 improved significantly). Otherwise its really just wasteof time since you can edit the bios or just use ab to set higher clocks. I can understand trying the 280 drivers for science as mentioned and to see if they do have better features. But otherwise isnt flashing bios redundant nowadays?


well I could test it better gaming now... to me it's working actually better... all my synthetic benchmarks or gaming benchmarks I improved 3% to 4%
Same clock with my older bios I was getting like 94 avg fps in BF3 , now 104
in firestrike it's getting around 100 graphic score + at same clock ....and go on

Far Cry 3 on ultra 41-42 fps avg now... before I was getting 35-37

my unigine valley before at 1200 I was getting 47-48 fps... now I'm getting 49-50

(anyway I modded the bios )


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir ill post the result when i got the 7970 card


you should pick up a kill-a-watt and measure your actual power consumption. I've done this, and the real world numbers are generally lower than you'd expect.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir ill post the result when i got the 7970 card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> you should pick up a kill-a-watt and measure your actual power consumption. I've done this, and the real world numbers are generally lower than you'd expect.
Click to expand...



I find my real world consumption a helluva lot higher than ppl think and ludicrously higher than website reviews lol. In the pic is a Lepa that powered the killawatt in this pic, pushing quad 7970s. Peak was actually over 1800w.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Your experience and mine are different (including my lack of a quad 7970 setup) - all the more reason to measure, right?


----------



## xNutella




----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> I find my real world consumption a helluva lot higher than ppl think and ludicrously higher than website reviews lol. In the pic is a Lepa that powered the killawatt in this pic, pushing quad 7970s. Peak was actually over 1800w.












Holy crap what were you doing with that thing? Heating your whole house? 1800 watts is absolutely nuts!


----------



## Azuredragon1

At least winter never comes for him.


----------



## blackhole2013

with my new heat sync on my 7970 I am 1225/1625 1190 volts stable im so happy ....Question my memory is set to 1.6 v but it can go to 1.7 is it safe to run it at 1.7 and if so will I get way higher memory clocks out of it


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> I find my real world consumption a helluva lot higher than ppl think and ludicrously higher than website reviews lol. In the pic is a Lepa that powered the killawatt in this pic, pushing quad 7970s. Peak was actually over 1800w.


300W * 4 == 1200W, add in cpu, cooling, drives, then factor PSU efficiency, not surprising at all...


----------



## blackhole2013

Wow I think 1.65 on my 7970 memory works great I am stable at 1225/1800 now ...wooo I hope this is safe


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Wow I think 1.65 on my 7970 memory works great I am stable at 1225/1800 now ...wooo I hope this is safe


I think 1.65 is safe; I wouldn't do 1.7 for 24/7 use, though. Not unless you have full-cover blocks, at least.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thank you sir ill post the result when i got the 7970 card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> you should pick up a kill-a-watt and measure your actual power consumption. I've done this, and the real world numbers are generally lower than you'd expect.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> I find my real world consumption a helluva lot higher than ppl think and ludicrously higher than website reviews lol. In the pic is a Lepa that powered the killawatt in this pic, pushing quad 7970s. Peak was actually over 1800w.
Click to expand...

hahaha i just triped one of my 1250w tonight, was fun, had to use both 1250w


----------



## blackhole2013

I cant believe just by raising the memory voltage from 1.6 to 1.65 I went from 1625 to 1800 stable these 7970 R beast ...There so good amd had them out for 2 years and now re branded them ... I think I will skip the 200 series with such crazy OCs from 925/1375 to 1225/1800 wow


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *butthole2013*
> 
> Wow I think 1.65 on my 7970 memory works great I am stable at 1225/1800 now ...wooo I hope this is safe


yea 1.65V mem is safe, think its actually the stock too, just be sure you have good heatsinks on them.


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gungnir*
> 
> I think 1.65 is safe; I wouldn't do 1.7 for 24/7 use, though. Not unless you have full-cover blocks, at least.


I would never have been able to do 1225/1800 without a jet engine sounding fan I dont have a block I have Gelid icy vision-A heat sync with fans on low and its enough for my vram and core I only hit about 65c core and 80c vram in Heaven at 1225/1800 which is amazing my card used to throttle at 1175/1600 at over 85c ...The jet has finally landed.. Does anybody know how I can tell what brand of memory my 7970 has also how does a 7970 at 1225/1800 compare to a 290x at stock clocks


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Onglar*
> 
> If it can do 1800 its probably Hynix.


Will 1800 put to much stress on my vram..


----------



## blackhole2013

Yea I think so


----------



## blackhole2013

Wow really ?


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> hahaha i just triped one of my 1250w tonight, was fun, had to use both 1250w


woohhh thats crazy,. im njust waiting for my pay day hehe and ill buy 2 7970s asus reference card and sell my current power color 7970 reference,.hope my corsair tx750m will do the 2 7970s hehe


----------



## blackhole2013

Testing 1900 memory now . Wow


----------



## Matt-Matt

Good luck! Unfortunately my card(s) don't do over 1500, well one does 1500 fine at 1.6v (up from 1.5) and the other is stuck at 1250 (stock).

I have the lower binned Elpida chips on both, I've physically checked them and I also have used MemoryInfo005 alongside GPU-Z to confirm.
I have the 1.5v ones rated at 5GHz (5000/4 = 1250). Would 1.65v be safe for these? Considering they're just the lower binned chips. At 1.6v 1500MHz is semi-stable and crashes after a bit.

TIA.


----------



## Norlig

Any1 know why I only get around 40 fps in BF4? its like its my new V-sync..

I have seen it go to 58, but only once, my cards stay at around 55% each.

I was at a constant 60 fps with these earlier.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Any1 know why I only get around 40 fps in BF4? its like its my new V-sync..
> 
> I have seen it go to 58, but only once, my cards stay at around 55% each.
> 
> I was at a constant 60 fps with these earlier.


First things first: try a reboot.


----------



## Norlig

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> First things first: try a reboot.


...wow...

Never thought someone would tell me that any more, been ages









Any1 else?


----------



## Jflisk

Norlig type of video card or cards. Right now after the NOV 14th update to BF4 or yesterdays update of BF4 I am seeing 60FPS with 7990 + 7970 Trifire from 100+ FPS. So might have something to do with one of the updates they rolled out. Not crashing anymore either in Multiplayer games so that's a plus.


----------



## Norlig

My Transcript from my chat with EA customer support.
Quote:


> Lokendra: Thanks for contacting EA Customer Experience, my name is Lokendra. How may I assist you today?
> you: Good Day, After the recent "performance update" where I downloaded 1.1GB, my FPS has been very bad
> you: for BF4
> Lokendra: Hello, How are you?
> you: I have been getting an average of 40 fps, and its been choppy
> you: I'm fine, thanks
> Lokendra: Don't worry, I'll do my best to fix this for you.
> you: before I had a smooth 60 fs
> you: fps*
> Lokendra: Would you mind holding for a minute while I find some relevant information for you?
> you: sure
> Lokendra: Thank you for waiting. I appreciate your patience and cooperation.
> Lokendra: I look into issue and found that there are so many players having this problem after performance update. I am forwarding this issue. Thank you for informing us.
> you: okay, anything I can do in the meanwhile?
> you: would really suck to wait 2 weeks for a fix for this
> Lokendra: Yes, sure. I am providing you some steps
> you: ahh, thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lokendra: These steps might be solve this issue.
> Lokendra: These steps are:
> Lokendra: leave the game running and minimize the game or return to Windows by hitting the Window key on the keyboard.
> Lokendra: open the task manager by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL at the same time and clicking the Task Manager button.
> Lokendra: In the Task Manager, click the tab labelled Processes.
> Lokendra: right-click the process (.exe file) corresponding to the game.
> Lokendra: Then click on the Set Affinity option to select it.
> Lokendra: remove the check marks from all but the first two processors, so that only CPU 0 and CPU 1 are selected. Click OK.
> Lokendra: Take your time to do these steps. I am waiting.
> you: I got Windows 8.1, and it appears its lacking the affinity option
> you: nvm
> you: wrong layout, had to press Details, not processes on 8.1
> you: 1-3 fps now, sound looping
> Lokendra: Don't worry. Do you mind to hold chat for a minute to find alternative steps for windows 8.1?
> you: yes
> you: I found the affinity option now though
> you: I got 1-3 fps with only cpu 0 and 1 enabled, but now I enabled "all processors" and got 60 fps.
> Lokendra: Thank you Petter, Set affinity to first two processors.
> you: I think you read my messages 30 seconds after I send them?
> Lokendra: Yes, there is some time delay to appear messages.
> Lokendra: As I can understand, now you got 60 fps. Am I correct?
> you: Yes I do. I just hope I dont have to do it like that every time I start/stop BF4
> Lokendra: Could you please let me know that is the game start working?
> Lokendra: No, you don't have to set affinity every time.
> you: Okay, thanks. I'll take contact again if I need more help
> you: take care!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Norlig*
> 
> Any1 know why I only get around 40 fps in BF4? its like its my new V-sync..
> 
> I have seen it go to 58, but only once, my cards stay at around 55% each.
> 
> I was at a constant 60 fps with these earlier.


BF4 Ive heard is still very flaky in the terms of performance, a common thing Ive heard about it is it will peak an i5 without trying and will be bottlenecked on the cpu on a couple of R9 290Xs, I haven't heard any complaints from FX-8350 users though...

I imagine the reason why the FPS goes so low is the update threads are hogging all the cpu time and not leaving enough for render, i5s and i7s using HT (two threads on a single compute core) it may be making it worse, could try disabling HT in BIOS and see what effect you have? also, whats your cpu usage from network services, audiodg (windows audio graph isolation) etc?


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> BF4 Ive heard is still very flaky in the terms of performance, a common thing Ive heard about it is it will peak an i5 without trying and will be bottlenecked on the cpu on a couple of R9 290Xs, *I haven't heard any complaints from FX-8350 users though*...quote]
> 
> mmmm... 8 cores....


----------



## ramattos1992

Does anyone know of a waterblock that fits the xfx 7950 tdkc card? I would perfer to keep the heat spreader i place and the fan housing if possible.


----------



## seabiscuit68

I have 2x 7970s coming in tomorrow. They are the Sapphire Vapor X 7970 Ghz Edition. Does anyone have these or have any experience with them? Should be a big upgrade from my 2x 6870s...now i will need a 1440 monitor at some point.

I was able to snag these for $210 and $220 off newegg (new). Sweet deal I thought. I was holding out for non-reference 290, but this was too good to pass up...


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *seabiscuit68*
> 
> I have 2x 7970s coming in tomorrow. They are the Sapphire Vapor X 7970 Ghz Edition. Does anyone have these or have any experience with them? Should be a big upgrade from my 2x 6870s...now i will need a 1440 monitor at some point.
> 
> I was able to snag these for $210 and $220 off newegg (new). Sweet deal I thought. I was holding out for non-reference 290, but this was too good to pass up...


Wow 210 for a 7970? Great find! I picked up my 7950 from Microcenter for $200 and I thought that was a good deal. I went from a pair of 6850's to 7950 and that was a big upgrade so I can imagine the difference with that crossfire will be massive.


----------



## Deadboy90

So apparently my 7950 is packing Hynix memory. I popped it out earlier today to have a look and sure enough it said Hynix right on the memory chip. I took a picture but it won't let me upload from my phone. So now I get to figure out why I'm having problems breaking 1600mhz on memory.


----------



## Snuckie7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> So apparently my 7950 is packing Hynix memory. I popped it out earlier today to have a look and sure enough it said Hynix right on the memory chip. I took a picture but it won't let me upload from my phone. So now I get to figure out why I'm having problems breaking 1600mhz on memory.


Make sure your memory chips are adequately cooled.


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Snuckie7*
> 
> Make sure your memory chips are adequately cooled.


This...150%!
Make sure they have good contact with the thermal pads and heatsink. Adequate pressure not too tight. Best way is take it apart and re lay all the pads yourself. Tighten it down then take it apart and make sure they have good contact. Its best to apply a new tim to the gpu while you are at it and make sure its spreading good. You would be surprised how much your cores capabilities affect the memory.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dracconus*
> 
> This...150%!
> Make sure they have good contact with the thermal pads and heatsink. Adequate pressure not too tight. Best way is take it apart and re lay all the pads yourself. Tighten it down then take it apart and make sure they have good contact. Its best to apply a new tim to the gpu while you are at it and make sure its spreading good. You would be surprised how much your cores capabilities affect the memory.


Even on the dual X?


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Even on the dual X?


I have the dual x boost and my tim pads werent making good co tact. My method of thinking is this: two fans = more vibration and uneven turbelence force on the card leading to possibility of wiggle.
Fixing mine dropped my temps to 45 under 100% load at stock clocks and a max of 40% fan speed.


----------



## dracconus

Two fans wont do much good if your cases air is stagnant. Make sure you have good airflow and as close to direct cooling from outsjde the case as possible. Check the heatsink fins and make sure they are all intact and stable on the solder joints and arent bent restricting airflow.


----------



## maynard14

can anyone help me decide,.. i just sold my 7970 powercolor reference card,.. and now im deciding what card to choose between this 2 option and which one is better option for me:

i want to play on ultra settings on a 120hz monitor..but im not sure what to buy now

im thinking of 2 7970s reference cards for only 500 dollars for both cars... but my psu is corsair 750m,..

and my 2nd option is a single 290 card

im planning to keep this card for good 3 years,...

which one is better buy.. i wont upgrade for a long time when i got a new card


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> can anyone help me decide,.. i just sold my 7970 powercolor reference card,.. and now im deciding what card to choose between this 2 option and which one is better option for me:
> 
> i want to play on ultra settings on a 120hz monitor..but im not sure what to buy now
> 
> im thinking of 2 7970s reference cards for only 500 dollars for both cars... but my psu is corsair 750m,..
> 
> and my 2nd option is a single 290 card
> 
> im planning to keep this card for good 3 years,...
> 
> which one is better buy.. i wont upgrade for a long time when i got a new card


Two cards are better, but you just sold a single card?

The PSU is pushing it kind of too, I remembered my OCZ 750W Bronze (not a terrible PSU) simply just couldn't handle two 7950's in games before overclocking and before BIOS modding them to draw more power.

The R9 290 can poetentially unlock to a 290x right now, honestly I'd go and grab one of those with the BF4 bundle and get an awesome deal. Along with keeping the same PSU.

The 7970's are quite a bit more powerful, but they chew up more power. Which in turn makes more heat and harder to cool, along with possibly needing a new PSU and the inconsistentcy in some games. Personally I love my CFX setup and have got my temps at a managable place right now. I don't have many problems with games, but I would get a R9 290 from XFX/Powercolor right now if I was out to buy. (You can always add a second 290 later)

This is what I'm talking about, with the "unlocking"


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Two cards are better, but you just sold a single card?
> 
> The PSU is pushing it kind of too, I remembered my OCZ 750W Bronze (not a terrible PSU) simply just couldn't handle two 7950's in games before overclocking and before BIOS modding them to draw more power.
> 
> The R9 290 can poetentially unlock to a 290x right now, honestly I'd go and grab one of those with the BF4 bundle and get an awesome deal. Along with keeping the same PSU.
> 
> The 7970's are quite a bit more powerful, but they chew up more power. Which in turn makes more heat and harder to cool, along with possibly needing a new PSU and the inconsistentcy in some games. Personally I love my CFX setup and have got my temps at a managable place right now. I don't have many problems with games, but I would get a R9 290 from XFX/Powercolor right now if I was out to buy. (You can always add a second 290 later)
> 
> This is what I'm talking about, with the "unlocking"


yup i just sold my 7970 reference card and i found 2 7970 referece asus for 500 dollars... and i was originally thinking to buy the 2 cards,. but i saw r9 290 ad saw the benchmarks and it might be unlock for 290x but its not guaranteed,.. im just playing on 120hz monitor 27 inch 1920x1080p samsung s27950d monitor.. i agree 2 7970s will it alot of power and i think my psu cant handle 2 cards,..

maybe ill just get a 290 powercolor and do you think sir r9 290 can handle future games?


----------



## dmfree88

if not you got plenty of time to buy another one







. better then trying to get a third 7970 to keep up (not that thats likely to happen anytime soon).


----------



## maynard14

no sir i sold my 7970 so i can buy a asus brand 7970 ,. ill cross fire them but i dont think my psu can handle 2 7970s.... and i just check my local store for the 290 but currently they are out of stock


----------



## dmfree88

i meant u would have plenty of time before it became obsolete or not good enough to buy a 2nd 290. right now with the price of 280x why would anyone buy a 7970? I would suggest getting dual 280x rather then dual 7970 since they are like $10-30 difference and virtually the same card but better.

Or wait for the 290 to come back in stock and stick with that option. Its probably the best choice since you can always upgrade later. And would need a better psu for 2 gpu no matter what you choose so better to get the 290 gives you more time to buy a psu.


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> i meant u would have plenty of time before it became obsolete or not good enough to buy a 2nd 290. right now with the price of 280x why would anyone buy a 7970? I would suggest getting dual 280x rather then dual 7970 since they are like $10-30 difference and virtually the same card but better.
> 
> Or wait for the 290 to come back in stock and stick with that option. Its probably the best choice since you can always upgrade later. And would need a better psu for 2 gpu no matter what you choose.


because i found a guy who is selling 2 7970s reference for only 500 dollars for the 2 cards... thats why i sold my power color for the 2 7970s asus brand,,
but just like you said sir one card is much better and im sure my 750m corsair psu can handle the 290,. but i hope it will re stock soon..

but is 290 card enough for ultra on 1080p monitor?


----------



## dmfree88

That i dont know for sure but i would hope so considering its compareable to a 780 it should pack a punch


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> That i dont know for sure but i would hope so considering its compareable to a 780 it should pack a punch


thank you so much bro.. well ill kust have to wait and while waiting for the card ill just watch alot of movies hahah coz right now i dont have gpu hahah


----------



## richie_2010

Hi guys im looking for some more advise.

Whats the difference between the ram on the 7950's. I hve hynix ram which on there website say rated for 1.5 but mine came as 1.55v


----------



## dmfree88

Haha ya i go back to my 8600 gts everytime i crap out a gpu or send in for rma or something. I hate usin that thing for anything gaming i just get irritated with low ettings lol


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Haha ya i go back to my 8600 gts everytime i crap out a gpu or send in for rma or something. I hate usin that thing for anything gaming i just get irritated with low ettings lol


ahah me currently using on board graphics... cant wait for my card... wahhhhh i dont have console now i already sold them. maybe ill just watch lots of epic fail videos haha,. atleast sir you still have a spare card haha


----------



## EliteReplay

Hi guys, i just ran this Cinebench OpenGL benchmark and all at best i can get is 84fps, most of the time is like 76fps... so im just wondering is there is any some sort of setting i need to put on my CCC able to manage higher FPS?









i have a friend with a GTX460 getting 71fps why im getting such low FPS for a XFX7950 Black Edition?
something to note is my GPU usage under that test usually is like 45-50% which is very low.









here is a picture of my last test. everything is stock.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dracconus*
> 
> This...150%!
> Make sure they have good contact with the thermal pads and heatsink. Adequate pressure not too tight. Best way is take it apart and re lay all the pads yourself. Tighten it down then take it apart and make sure they have good contact. Its best to apply a new tim to the gpu while you are at it and make sure its spreading good. You would be surprised how much your cores capabilities affect the memory.


At least 2 of the chips are not under the heatsink, those are the ones I was able to see. I have a fan blowing directly on the GPU but I guess that isn't enough.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> i meant u would have plenty of time before it became obsolete or not good enough to buy a 2nd 290. right now with the price of 280x why would anyone buy a 7970? I would suggest getting dual 280x rather then dual 7970 since they are like $10-30 difference and virtually the same card but better.
> 
> Or wait for the 290 to come back in stock and stick with that option. Its probably the best choice since you can always upgrade later. And would need a better psu for 2 gpu no matter what you choose so better to get the 290 gives you more time to buy a psu.


How better? only advantage 280x have is
1. BF4
2. Lower power consumption
3. Some can Eyefinity without active adapter

Aside from that I have not seen any evidence that they overclock higher than 7970's, actually the 7970's are higher overclockers with several in the high 1200's to 1300mhz range
I'm yet to see a single 280x @ 1300(at least on this site)
Correct me if I'm wrong on this, anyone


----------



## Jflisk

I have my 7990 at 1125-1500 and my 7970 at the same. They are in Trifire with no problems.Hope that helps Thanks


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> How better? only advantage 280x have is
> 1. BF4
> 2. Lower power consumption
> 3. Some can Eyefinity without active adapter
> 
> Aside from that I have not seen any evidence that they overclock higher than 7970's, actually the 7970's are higher overclockers with several in the high 1200's to 1300mhz range
> I'm yet to see a single 280x @ 1300(at least on this site)
> Correct me if I'm wrong on this, anyone


really the only reason i said better was as you mentioned less power consumption. Also they have a new set of drivers seperate from the 7xxx so I would assume they are taking a different approach with the new cards and this should lead to better results in newer games like bf4 and whats to come. Aswell as it seems to show just slightly better results in benchmarks at the same clocks (very slight but overall still better). Not really a major reason to go with 280x>7970 but if your talking about $10-$30 difference then i would say its worth it.

Also I just think theres not enough owners to see good overclocks on here yet. We will know more about that soon im sure







. I am sure the results will be similar to 7970's.

Turned out he had a good deal on the 7970's anyways. Buying used im sure 7970 is a better option right now. If your buying brand new though 280x would be a more optimum choice.


----------



## sugarhell

Got a 7970 as broken for 120 bucks.Not bad i thought i wanted components.It wasnt broken.

With a custom cooler with only one 120mm fan and only heatsink on vrms i got this. Max temps 56C

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1164334

Now i am searching to find some memories heatsinks


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Turned out he had a good deal on the 7970's anyways. Buying used im sure 7970 is a better option right now. If your buying brand new though 280x would be a more optimum choice.


This. The used 7xxx enthusiast cards are incredibly cheap right now. But from a store, I would get the 280x. I wouldn't be surprised if you get a better promo pack with the 280x as well, some of them come with BF4 right?


----------



## dmfree88

XFX currently offering BF4 with there 280x. Im sure theres other bundles out there aswell though:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150678

not a big fan of double d though id still rather buy the msi gaming and spend the extra on the game







. If they offered a better model with bf4 would be awesome but atleast on newegg they arent right now. Like i said though probably alot of bundles elsewhere though. I cant afford it anyways








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Got a 7970 as broken for 120 bucks.Not bad i thought i wanted components.It wasnt broken.
> 
> With a custom cooler with only one 120mm fan and only heatsink on vrms i got this. Max temps 56C
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1164334
> 
> Now i am searching to find some memories heatsinks


Nice score, what was "wrong" with it?


----------



## LDV617

Yea, $120 for a 7970 is amazing. Probably had coil whine or a bad heatsink? I'm assuming heatsink since you replaced it, and claim it's working great


----------



## deNordic

I heard that 7970 matrix platinum bios (1100/1650) is very slow.
Flashing the card with the Asus Ghz bios (1000/1400) and overclocking it to same clocks as the matrix platinum bios, it gained 5-10% more perfomance than the matrix platinum one. Anyone knows anything about it?


----------



## SchmoSalt

I'm thinking about picking up a second 7950 if they're cheap enough on Black Friday. Has anyone had any microstuttering issues with two CFed 7950s?


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> I'm thinking about picking up a second 7950 if they're cheap enough on Black Friday. Has anyone had any microstuttering issues with two CFed 7950s?


Microstutter is largely eliminated unless you are running eyefinity or a dx9 game.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> I heard that 7970 matrix platinum bios (1100/1650) is very slow.
> Flashing the card with the Asus Ghz bios (1000/1400) and overclocking it to same clocks as the matrix platinum bios, it gained 5-10% more perfomance than the matrix platinum one. Anyone knows anything about it?


likely some stupid memory timing settings, the ASUS card have a pretty piss poor reputation for this generation, 280X DCII (not the rebadge one) I think is a good improvement though...


----------



## SchmoSalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Microstutter is largely eliminated unless you are running eyefinity or a dx9 game.


Interesting. I only really need it for Skyrim ENB so that defeats that purpose.

Thanks for the info!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Microstutter is largely eliminated unless you are running eyefinity or a dx9 game.


microstuttering was *only* a thing in crossfire, which has been fixed bar a few little scenarios, any other forms of stuttering are likely from other sources.

but yea @SchmoSalt, a second 7950 should be perfectly fine, highly doubt you would really find problems unless your using on some really old or unoptimized game...


----------



## maynard14

Hi i tried calculating my pc components and here is the result:

http://i40.tinypic.com/x0qp0n.jpg

note how to link the result of my psu calculator hehe

pls if you have time pls check... : )

im still deciding if 2 7970s or single r9 290


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> Hi i tried calculating my pc components and here is the result:
> 
> http://i40.tinypic.com/x0qp0n.jpg
> 
> note how to link the result of my psu calculator hehe
> 
> pls if you have time pls check... : )
> 
> im still deciding if 2 7970s or single r9 290


I would imagine 2 7970s should run fine, but I'm not too sure how much power your delidded cpu would be taking...


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I would imagine 2 7970s should run fine, but I'm not too sure how much power your delidded cpu would be taking...


ahmm my delided i5 is at 4.4 ghz and 1.34 volts sir... if ever i cant oc my 2 7970 in this 750 watts psu right sir?


----------



## bburnham37

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> microstuttering was *only* a thing in crossfire, which has been fixed bar a few little scenarios, any other forms of stuttering are likely from other sources.
> 
> but yea @SchmoSalt, a second 7950 should be perfectly fine, highly doubt you would really find problems unless your using on some really old or unoptimized game...


*You are mistaken*. Dropped and "runt" frames (sometimes referred to as "Microstutter") are _still a problem_ when using *crossfire and Eyefinity or playing DX9 games*. This applies to the 7000-series cards (and prior) but I am not sure that the R9 280x is affected, although it is the same silicon as the 7970 so it's likely the case.

Although the newest AMD cards (R9 290/290x) do not have this problem since the solution was implemented in hardware, *no solution has been released by AMD for any other graphics card they manufacture*. For DX10/11 games on single screen with resolutions up to 2560x1600 AMD's driver includes the "Frame Pacing" feature that you can enable in CCC when in crossfire.

*Only* for DX10/11 games and *only* on a single screen and *only* up to 2560x1600. *Period.*

Don't spread misinformation.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> ahmm my delided i5 is at 4.4 ghz and 1.34 volts sir... if ever i cant oc my 2 7970 in this 750 watts psu right sir?


I wouldn't think so, overclocking really ramps up the power consumption...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bburnham37*
> 
> *You are mistaken*. Dropped and "runt" frames (sometimes referred to as "Microstutter") are _still a problem_ when using *crossfire and Eyefinity or playing DX9 games*. This applies to the 7000-series cards (and prior) but I am not sure that the R9 280x is affected, although it is the same silicon as the 7970 so it's likely the case.
> 
> Although the newest AMD cards (R9 290/290x) do not have this problem since the solution was implemented in hardware, *no solution has been released by AMD for any other graphics card they manufacture*. For DX10/11 games on single screen with resolutions up to 2560x1600 AMD's driver includes the "Frame Pacing" feature that you can enable in CCC when in crossfire.
> 
> *Only* for DX10/11 games and *only* on a single screen and *only* up to 2560x1600. *Period.*
> 
> Don't spread misinformation.


thought they released the eyefinity one? guess Ill have to check again, and yea DX9 was still a problem, but how many games use it that actually *need* multiple cards...?


----------



## maynard14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I wouldn't think so, overclocking really ramps up the power consumption...
> thought they released the eyefinity one? guess Ill have to check again, and yea DX9 was still a problem, but how many games use it that actually *need* multiple cards...?


thanks again sir : ) still thinking 7970s crossfire or r9 290 single card


----------



## masterjaydawg

masterjaydawg - msi radeon HD7970 boost edition

nice card....probably going to get a second if they have a good black friday deal.

AMD FX8350 @ 5.02 GHZ
Asus 990fx r2.0
Water 2.0
16g ddr3
MSI Radeon HD7970
Ultra X4 1050W psu
128g ssd
4 other oldie drives







forget the sizes, but what a mess
3 screens - 40in and two 19s


----------



## bburnham37

*Paul17041993*

Sorry for the strenuous tone in my reply to your post. I hope it didn't offend.

I've seen a number of people making the sort of off-hand remark that the crossfire performance issues were fixed (often accompanied by a "mostly or "pretty much") and give the impression that Eyefinity and DX9 worked properly with x-fire'd cards and I just want to correct that when I can.

Until AMD actually correct it with a driver fix that is.


----------



## ImJJames

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> thanks again sir : ) still thinking 7970s crossfire or r9 290 single card


Im in same dilemma. But I would have to upgrade my PSU if I crossfire 7970, so I think non-reference 290 is what I am aiming for.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> Interesting. I only really need it for Skyrim ENB so that defeats that purpose.
> 
> Thanks for the info!


Skyrim is a DX9 game so you may encounter microstutter. Depends on how sensitive to this you are.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Skyrim is a DX9 game so you may encounter microstutter. Depends on how sensitive to this you are.


Using RadeonPro and forcing triple buffering, for me, made it more playable.


----------



## Carpe_Noctem

A month ago I installed a single XFX R7950 Black Edition Double Dissipation gpu. This one in fact http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150671
Everything is running good and I currently have 1 Asus 24 in LCd and an older 20 in HP LCD. I have an opportunity to pick up 2 more 24 in LED monitors and a triple mount stand, but I am unsure if the single hard will handle the performance increase of a 3rd monitor. I would like to do an Eyefinity setup. I won't be able to pick up a second card for crossfire for at least a few months. Will games be playable on 3 screens with the 1 card, or should I just not bother? I'm not looking for max settings just something that is playable and decent looking. Thanks for the time.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Using RadeonPro and forcing triple buffering, for me, made it more playable.


Oh yea RadeonPro is a godsend but honestly I could do without it when I was Xfired. The micro stutter wasn't what got me it was the game crapping out under the avalanche of mods I had installed.


----------



## SchmoSalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Skyrim is a DX9 game so you may encounter microstutter. Depends on how sensitive to this you are.


With my single 7950 I run at around 45 FPS. Sometimes it drops down to just above 35 during very intense scenes.

As much as I would love to have a nearly perfect 60 FPS experience I think the micro-stuttering would make it worse.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Using RadeonPro and forcing triple buffering, for me, made it more playable.


That is interesting. I wonder if any one else has tried to do that.


----------



## Noob1995

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150671

I bought this GPU about a month ago and when I play games sometimes the screen would flash I dont know why

after some searches online it says it might be the driver. I just want to ask if anyone has the same issue or my card might be faulty?

I did change the monitor and my PSU is SeaSonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W and CPU is intel i5-3570K


----------



## dmfree88

depending on the game it can just be the game. My screen flashes randomly like once every 20 minutes or so maybe in DDO (flashes fully white screen then back within a split second). But doesnt do it in other games that i have noticed. Also i get screen flashes in cs:go windowed

So its not uncommon i suppose but how often is it happening? Does it happen in every game?

Can always try different drivers. Have you tried the beta drivers yet? Most people use the beta nowadays.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *maynard14*
> 
> can anyone help me decide,.. i just sold my 7970 powercolor reference card,.. and now im deciding what card to choose between this 2 option and which one is better option for me:
> 
> i want to play on ultra settings on a 120hz monitor..but im not sure what to buy now
> 
> im thinking of 2 7970s reference cards for only 500 dollars for both cars... but my psu is corsair 750m,..
> 
> and my 2nd option is a single 290 card
> 
> im planning to keep this card for good 3 years,...
> 
> which one is better buy.. i wont upgrade for a long time when i got a new card


imo 290
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bburnham37*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> microstuttering was *only* a thing in crossfire, which has been fixed bar a few little scenarios, any other forms of stuttering are likely from other sources.
> 
> but yea @SchmoSalt, a second 7950 should be perfectly fine, highly doubt you would really find problems unless your using on some really old or unoptimized game...
> 
> 
> 
> *You are mistaken*. Dropped and "runt" frames (sometimes referred to as "Microstutter") are _still a problem_ when using *crossfire and Eyefinity or playing DX9 games*. This applies to the 7000-series cards (and prior) but I am not sure that the R9 280x is affected, although it is the same silicon as the 7970 so it's likely the case.
> 
> Although the newest AMD cards (R9 290/290x) do not have this problem since the solution was implemented in hardware, *no solution has been released by AMD for any other graphics card they manufacture*. For DX10/11 games on single screen with resolutions up to 2560x1600 AMD's driver includes the "Frame Pacing" feature that you can enable in CCC when in crossfire.
> 
> *Only* for DX10/11 games and *only* on a single screen and *only* up to 2560x1600. *Period.*
> 
> Don't spread misinformation.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bburnham37*
> 
> *Paul17041993*
> 
> Sorry for the strenuous tone in my reply to your post. I hope it didn't offend.
> 
> I've seen a number of people making the sort of off-hand remark that the crossfire performance issues were fixed (often accompanied by a "mostly or "pretty much") and give the impression that Eyefinity and DX9 worked properly with x-fire'd cards and I just want to correct that when I can.
> 
> Until AMD actually correct it with a driver fix that is.


and it can usually be eliminated by adding a 3rd or fourth card.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Skyrim is a DX9 game so you may encounter microstutter. Depends on how sensitive to this you are.
> 
> 
> 
> With my single 7950 I run at around 45 FPS. Sometimes it drops down to just above 35 during very intense scenes.
> 
> As much as I would love to have a nearly perfect 60 FPS experience I think the micro-stuttering would make it worse.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Using RadeonPro and forcing triple buffering, for me, made it more playable.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> That is interesting. I wonder if any one else has tried to do that.
Click to expand...

theoneofgod is on point here. I use radeon pro for skyrim. It is like trying to balance a ball on your nose while hopping on one foot to get the game smooth and get rid of stutter. I play HEAVILY modded, almost all 2k+ textures, SKSE, and ENB @1080p downsampled from 1440p. Radeon pro offers a bunch of opportunities to fine tune all of your games, and it certainly had a big hand in making a massively bloated skyrim playable, and beautiful. You should also check out the borderless window mod. On lesser hardware it had a huge impact on microstutter.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> theoneofgod is on point here. I use radeon pro for skyrim. It is like trying to balance a ball on your nose while hopping on one foot to get the game smooth and get rid of stutter. I play HEAVILY modded, almost all 2k+ textures, SKSE, and ENB @1080p downsampled from 1440p. Radeon pro offers a bunch of opportunities to fine tune all of your games, and it certainly had a big hand in making a massively bloated skyrim playable, and beautiful. You should also check out the borderless window mod. On lesser hardware it had a huge impact on microstutter.


Well yea but the problem is you have to dea with a lower average FPS.


----------



## xNutella

anyone overclocked his Sapphire 7970 Ghz? I'm running two of them and I'm wondering how much performance you'll get?.


----------



## Noob1995

not every games I believe it doesnt really bother me that much it just scares me sometimes. Im using the newest drive


----------



## SchmoSalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> theoneofgod is on point here. I use radeon pro for skyrim. It is like trying to balance a ball on your nose while hopping on one foot to get the game smooth and get rid of stutter. I play HEAVILY modded, almost all 2k+ textures, SKSE, and ENB @1080p downsampled from 1440p. Radeon pro offers a bunch of opportunities to fine tune all of your games, and it certainly had a big hand in making a massively bloated skyrim playable, and beautiful. You should also check out the borderless window mod. On lesser hardware it had a huge impact on microstutter.


Wow. Maybe I will be getting another 7950 after all. I'll check out that RadeonPro tool ASAP.









Right now I'm running the borderless window option in ENB. Is that the mod that you're talking about?


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> anyone overclocked his Sapphire 7970 Ghz? I'm running two of them and I'm wondering how much performance you'll get?.


Just try to find out your maximum core clock OC and mem OC,I think someone the average for the 7970 was 1125 on core but I can't remember mem though


----------



## SkateZilla

My brother had issues with Skyrim from Day 1, because it would render at 63 FPS when in Full Screen mode, and still does, even with VSYNC on,

Now add in a 2nd GPU, and you getting not only Vsync Tearing but runt frames, lol.

I fixed everything by using borderless window mode to force 60 FPS.


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Just try to find out your maximum core clock OC and mem OC,I think someone the average for the 7970 was 1125 on core but I can't remember mem though


yeah someone said most 7970's can do 1125/1500 (I don't remember exactly), but ill keep searching for that post!. Mighty Egypt above all my friend.


----------



## Jflisk

Its 1125-1575 for a 7970 I own 3 of them technically.7990 + 7970 trifire. Thanks


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> yeah someone said most 7970's can do 1125/1500 (I don't remember exactly), but ill keep searching for that post!. Mighty Egypt above all my friend.


Thanks,see how far can you push them you know your cards are golden once they can reach 1300+ on core,are the Vapo-X cards unlocked BTW?


----------



## xNutella

ok I did 1100/1600 (default 1050/1500) here's my results before and after...









idle temp 50c after it was 44c-46c. idk but it seems not worth it.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> theoneofgod is on point here. I use radeon pro for skyrim. It is like trying to balance a ball on your nose while hopping on one foot to get the game smooth and get rid of stutter. I play HEAVILY modded, almost all 2k+ textures, SKSE, and ENB @1080p downsampled from 1440p. Radeon pro offers a bunch of opportunities to fine tune all of your games, and it certainly had a big hand in making a massively bloated skyrim playable, and beautiful. You should also check out the borderless window mod. On lesser hardware it had a huge impact on microstutter.
> 
> 
> 
> Well yea but the problem is you have to dea with a lower average FPS.
Click to expand...

That might bother me more if it was a F.P.S., but as a draugner is not going to get a headshot off because I have an extra whopping 17 ms mouse to monitor delay, I think I will stick with the eye candy. I honestly think that (thanks to the massive mod community) Skyrim can be one of the best looking games when done right. My monitor only does 60hz at 1080p...so loosing 5 for all the eye candy is a fair trade in my book...Allot of people are more sensitive than I am to it, I am not a F.P.S. player really, so the whole 120hz monitors and 1000hz mice things are lost on me.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> yeah someone said most 7970's can do 1125/1500 (I don't remember exactly), but ill keep searching for that post!. Mighty Egypt above all my friend.


a lot of them will max the default CCC limits without extra voltage, but it depends on the card, a lot run at 1.25V stock voltage which makes it easier, but if your someone like me who has 55% ASIC or lower and a stock voltage of some 1.170V you'll get nowhere without some form of voltage manipulation...


----------



## deNordic

Can someone with 7970Ghz @ 1200/1750 run a Unigine 4.0 (ultra detail, extreme tess, 8xaa, 1080p) and post it here? Wanna compare with mine! Thanks


----------



## primal92

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Can someone with 7970Ghz @ 1200/1750 run a Unigine 4.0 (ultra detail, extreme tess, 8xaa, 1080p) and post it here? Wanna compare with mine! Thanks


I see you've flashed your 7970 with the 280x bios. I've got the DirectCU II Top edition card which I'm sure is identical to the Matrix edition (same memory chips etc.)

I'm running 1125 on stock voltage of about 1.175 want to see how far I can push it, however when flashing the bios did you get full control of the voltage or is it fixed?

Plus did all the output still work? cause the 280x doesn't have that many output compared to the asus cards

Any chance you can link me to the bios?

Thanks


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *primal92*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Can someone with 7970Ghz @ 1200/1750 run a Unigine 4.0 (ultra detail, extreme tess, 8xaa, 1080p) and post it here? Wanna compare with mine! Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> I see you've flashed your 7970 with the 280x bios. I've got the DirectCU II Top edition card which I'm sure is identical to the Matrix edition (same memory chips etc.)
> 
> I'm running 1125 on stock voltage of about 1.175 want to see how far I can push it, however when flashing the bios did you get full control of the voltage or is it fixed?
> 
> Plus did all the output still work? cause the 280x doesn't have that many output compared to the asus cards
> 
> Any chance you can link me to the bios?
> 
> Thanks
Click to expand...

I know you were not asking me, but I have done the same 7970 ---> 280x flash and was not able to retain voltage control with afterburner, However, the last modded trixx can.


----------



## primal92

Cheers mate for replying

Is it worth going from 1125-1200? much gains in fps ?

Much appreciated for the input


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *primal92*
> 
> Cheers mate for replying
> 
> Is it worth going from 1125-1200? much gains in fps ?
> 
> Much appreciated for the input


It depends on your gaming needs...if you have a 60hz monitor and you are getting dips down to the 55, then yeah! turn up the juice! Or if you are playing a game that doesnt even reach the monitors refresh rate then squeeze it for all its worth. 1125-1200 is not huge, but you are likely to see a slight bump in fps. Again, depending on your current gaming needs, it might or might not be beneficial.


----------



## Belial

Does anyone know how to increase coltage to 1.3+ on the newer gigabyte voltage locked 7950s? My core and vrm temps stay a frosty about 40c with my dwood mod water cooling and custom heatsinks and fans on them (i literally have 4x 140mm fans + 2x120mm fans directly on them). Thats with no throttling, +50 power limit, and everything (they hit 90c/20c core/vrm with the stock gbt windforce of course)

I believe its using bios Fz0, the one it shipped with. Its a voltage locked card (yes, ab fix and mod trixx and all that), but i figure someones gotta have a solution by now...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Does anyone know how to increase coltage to 1.3+ on the newer gigabyte voltage locked 7950s? My core and vrm temps stay a frosty about 40c with my dwood mod water cooling and custom heatsinks and fans on them (i literally have 4x 140mm fans + 2x120mm fans directly on them). Thats with no throttling, +50 power limit, and everything (they hit 90c/20c core/vrm with the stock gbt windforce of course)
> 
> I believe its using bios Fz0, the one it shipped with. Its a voltage locked card (yes, ab fix and mod trixx and all that), but i figure someones gotta have a solution by now...


I never unlocked my DCII, if its a hardware lock the only way to bypass is to wiremod the card, though I'm not sure if the windforce's used hardware locks or not, think I heard they may have...?


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SchmoSalt*
> 
> Wow. Maybe I will be getting another 7950 after all. I'll check out that RadeonPro tool ASAP.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Right now I'm running the borderless window option in ENB. Is that the mod that you're talking about?


I play Skyrim on a single 7950, stutters like mad without using RadeonPro and the FPS limits/triple buffering. Same with Borderlands 2 (single GPU) with triple buffering it's completely smooth while without, I don't want to play it


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> I play Skyrim on a single 7950, stutters like mad without using RadeonPro and the FPS limits/triple buffering. Same with Borderlands 2 (single GPU) with triple buffering it's completely smooth while without, I don't want to play it


stutter with a single gpu...? wow... but yea I know borderlands 2 is pretty horrible at keeping up to speed, stupid single-thread design...


----------



## Belial

whats the radeon pro tool?

I think the gigabyte is locked on a firmware level, like I can't edit the BIOS (or I can, but changes from atiwinflash and stuff dont stick, I think I can flash another official bios but havent tried, i only know of people doing that as a way of lowering the voltage, not raising it). Which is why I say I think it's a firmware lock.

Id be glad to mess with it and 'wiremod' if that's what it takes though.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> whats the radeon pro tool?
> 
> I think the gigabyte is locked on a firmware level, like I can't edit the BIOS (or I can, but changes from atiwinflash and stuff dont stick, I think I can flash another official bios but havent tried, i only know of people doing that as a way of lowering the voltage, not raising it). Which is why I say I think it's a firmware lock.
> 
> Id be glad to mess with it and 'wiremod' if that's what it takes though.


http://www.radeonpro.info/


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> stutter with a single gpu...? wow... but yea I know borderlands 2 is pretty horrible at keeping up to speed, stupid single-thread design...


Yeah, it's pretty bad without triple buffering in my case. You should try it with Borderlands 2, it made a massive difference.


----------



## deNordic

guys im using asus gpu tweak to manually set voltage and clocks. ab doesn't let me set the voltage.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> guys im using asus gpu tweak to manually set voltage and clocks. ab doesn't let me set the voltage.


That seems to be the case with ASUS cards. You might try the modded trixx, but no guarantees.


----------



## Belial

So using radeonpro fixes performance in games? I don't understand. Seems like it lets you do some stuff like Rivatuner OSD, and then some stuff like afterburner or fraps where you record/screenshot, and then just catalyst control center for profiles for certain programs to use forced graphics settings that seem to always be worse than any good. And then a multi-gpu fix that drivers dont supply, I guess. I dont really get it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So using radeonpro fixes performance in games? I don't understand. Seems like it lets you do some stuff like Rivatuner OSD, and then some stuff like afterburner or fraps where you record/screenshot, and then just catalyst control center for profiles for certain programs to use forced graphics settings that seem to always be worse than any good. And then a multi-gpu fix that drivers dont supply, I guess. I dont really get it.


it does some driver manipulation not available in the CCC/ACC GUI, many people find it very useful for little patches to make some poorly coded games to run nicely.


----------



## Belial

All games are 'poorly coded', what do you mean? No games use more than ~2-4 cores, etc etc, is what I mean.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> All games are 'poorly coded', what do you mean? No games use more than ~2-4 cores, etc etc, is what I mean.


BF3, BF4, Crysis 3 will use all cores you have, it's not true that games do not benefit from i7 or FX 8core processors.

My 2500K @ 4.7Ghz is bottlenecking my two Asus HD7950 DC2 V2 cards at stock 900/1250MHz in BF3, BF4 and Crysis 3 (GPU usage ~ 70%, CPU usage @95 - 100%).

CHEERS..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> All games are 'poorly coded', what do you mean? No games use more than ~2-4 cores, etc etc, is what I mean.


very very poorly coded games like borderlands 2 or skyrim, usually only single-threaded too, lets just say they contain little code at all...

Battlefield 3 and 4 on the other hand for example use very good code that scales across even the highest of enthusiast rigs, of course leaving those with only 4 cores or such with some performance issues, but not nearly as bad as the poorly coded games...


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> All games are 'poorly coded', what do you mean? No games use more than ~2-4 cores, etc etc, is what I mean.
> 
> 
> 
> BF3, BF4, Crysis 3 will use all cores you have, it's not true that games do not benefit from i7 or FX 8core processors.
> 
> CHEERS..
Click to expand...

No they don't, BF3 will _appreciate_ 6, it appears BF4 is 4 core heavy with some minor appreciation for 6, and Crysis 3 is the rare exception with utilizing 6 cores.

It's defnitely true that games don't benefit from i7 or FX core CPUs... There are _five_ games right now that _appreciate_ more than 4 cores, and they don't even appreciate it much, as in the i5 is still far better than the 8350 clock for clock, OC vs OC, and isn't much worse than the i7. Only reason i5 loses to i7 is because of the larger cache of the i7 and higher stock speed, which most benches test at, which is quiet useless since we all overclock them anyways.
Quote:


> My 2500K @ 4.7Ghz is bottlenecking my two Asus HD7950 DC2 V2 cards at stock 900/1250MHz in BF3, BF4 and Crysis 3 (GPU usage ~ 70%, CPU usage @95 - 100%).


lol. no it's not (though minor bottleneck from pci-e 2.0, sure). Bottlenecking does not occur based on CPU strength on modern CPUs. Your 'bottleneck' of ~70% CPU usage simply reflects that you aren't fully utilizing your GPUs and poor coding. CPU usage hitting 100% is simply moments of high usage.

Put up graphs of your GPU and CPU usage, and I guarantee they won't be perfectly matched at where CPU and GPU max out at same time.

FELICITATIONS..


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> No they don't, BF3 will _appreciate_ 6, it appears BF4 is 4 core heavy with some minor appreciation for 6, and Crysis 3 is the rare exception with utilizing 6 cores.
> 
> Ilol. no it's not (though minor bottleneck from pci-e 2.0, sure). Bottlenecking does not occur based on CPU strength on modern CPUs. Your 'bottleneck' of ~70% CPU usage simply reflects that you aren't fully utilizing your GPUs and poor coding. CPU usage hitting 100% is simply moments of high usage.
> 
> Put up graphs of your GPU and CPU usage, and I guarantee they won't be perfectly matched at where CPU and GPU max out at same time.


CPU is at 95 - 100% load *all the time* in BF3, BF4 , Crysis 3 and that's why my GPU's usage is around 70%.

With CrossFire disabled (only one GPU active) my CPU does not have that problem and CPU LOAD is ~ 70%, GPU load is at 99% all the time.
i5 is a bottleneck for two HD7950 in these games, doesn't matter which i5, SB, IB or Haswell.

So don't talk about what you don't know.

CHEERS..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> No they don't, BF3 will _appreciate_ 6, it appears BF4 is 4 core heavy with some minor appreciation for 6, and Crysis 3 is the rare exception with utilizing 6 cores.
> 
> It's defnitely true that games don't benefit from i7 or FX core CPUs... There are _five_ games right now that _appreciate_ more than 4 cores, and they don't even appreciate it much, as in the i5 is still far better than the 8350 clock for clock, OC vs OC, and isn't much worse than the i7. Only reason i5 loses to i7 is because of the larger cache of the i7 and higher stock speed, which most benches test at, which is quiet useless since we all overclock them anyways.
> lol. no it's not (though minor bottleneck from pci-e 2.0, sure). Bottlenecking does not occur based on CPU strength on modern CPUs. Your 'bottleneck' of ~70% CPU usage simply reflects that you aren't fully utilizing your GPUs and poor coding. CPU usage hitting 100% is simply moments of high usage.
> 
> Put up graphs of your GPU and CPU usage, and I guarantee they won't be perfectly matched at where CPU and GPU max out at same time.
> 
> FELICITATIONS..


BF4 I know for sure uses more then 8 threads, especially seeing as a lot of people have gotten a couple of 290X's and their cheaper i7 has held them back (all 8 threads 100% utilized), many are waiting for mantle to take care of this.

and if your GPU isn't 100% utilized on games and such with vsync disabled, it means your CPU and/or RAM is holding back for whatever reason, never does the NB or PCIe lanes affect the usage unless your in a high-clocked quadfire setup, of which a few people even use FX-8350s with their 4th card on only 4 PCIe2.0 lanes and still can get maximum usage out of their cards, there's a vast majority of games that only use one or two cores, of which never have much in them to really have much point in anything more, but there is just as many games that use 3-8 threads, even games like minecraft and cubeworld use at least 3 main threads now, in a nutshell, it doesn't matter how fast a CPU is, single-cycle code is and always will be vastly inferior to parallelism.

winknudgewink that's where HSA is coming in.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> BF3, BF4, Crysis 3 will use all cores you have, it's not true that games do not benefit from i7 or FX 8core processors.
> 
> My 2500K @ 4.7Ghz is bottlenecking my two Asus HD7950 DC2 V2 cards at stock 900/1250MHz in BF3, BF4 and Crysis 3 (GPU usage ~ 70%, CPU usage @95 - 100%).
> 
> CHEERS..


^this. BF4 loves cores as well.


----------



## Paul17041993

actually to be a bit more precise on good vs bad code, it doesn't really matter how many threads you split it up to, but if your doing silly things like iterating through entities many times over or allocating heaps of new memory to be dumped at the end of the cycle, for every cycle, things like this is considered very bad code and will almost always make your game run very slowly and stutter,

don't get me wrong I'm still relatively new to programming and a simple example of my experience is using something like a dictionary list for thread scheduling, very very bad as your comparing values heaps, in the end I gave the entities their own time-to-add value and held them in a single list that both the update threads and main game thread could use, relatively simple but the performance difference was massive in the end, especially how I had to get this working for the xbox360.


----------



## Belial

It appears it's only optimized for around 6 cores, ie phenom x6 beating x4, 8350 is worse than i5 (clock for clock obviously), i7 not being better than i5. That's why no game cares about i7 over i5 beyond the ~200mhz gain of larger cache.

Cpu being maxed out in a game just means it's being maxed out... has nothing to do with GPU strength. Try checking GPU utilization when underclocked/overclocked.

BE RUDE TO OTHERS


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> 
> 
> It appears it's only optimized for around 6 cores, ie phenom x6 beating x4, 8350 is worse than i5 (clock for clock obviously), i7 not being better than i5. That's why no game cares about i7 over i5 beyond the ~200mhz gain of larger cache.
> 
> Cpu being maxed out in a game just means it's being maxed out... has nothing to do with GPU strength. Try checking GPU utilization when underclocked/overclocked.
> 
> BE RUDE TO OTHERS


waitwaitwait why are you comparing them clock-to-clock...? don't do that... and that's with a single Titan no? BF4 would have that gpu maxed all the time, so the cpu threads wouldn't be using much more then 4 cores in the first place.

I'm talking about users with dual 7950s through to dual 290Xs and quadfire, not single-gpu...


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Cpu being maxed out in a game just means it's being maxed out... has nothing to do with GPU strength. Try checking GPU utilization when underclocked/overclocked.


It has to do everything with GPU strenght , that's why my *CPU runs @ 70%* load with *only one GPU enabled*, GPU is @ 99% all the time.

With two GPUs enabled CPU just falls behind and it's at 95 - 100% load constantly and cannot feed GPUs enough, that's why GPUs are ~ 70% load.

*Multi GPU setups demand more CPU power than any ekvivalent single GPU.
*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> BE RUDE TO OTHERS


Hahaha









CHEERS..


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> 
> 
> It appears it's only optimized for around 6 cores, ie phenom x6 beating x4, 8350 is worse than i5 (clock for clock obviously), i7 not being better than i5. That's why no game cares about i7 over i5 beyond the ~200mhz gain of larger cache.
> 
> Cpu being maxed out in a game just means it's being maxed out... has nothing to do with GPU strength. Try checking GPU utilization when underclocked/overclocked.
> 
> BE RUDE TO OTHERS


must be SP. these were in Beta form. I'll test BF4 today and see . . .

HT off



HT on


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> must be SP. these were in Beta form. I'll test BF4 today and see . . .
> 
> HT off
> 
> 
> 
> HT on


was there a noticeable performance difference between the two? you can definitely see the CPU usage acts differently, but being the same amount of actual hardware cores the numbers don't exactly scale accurately, just means its being used differently (two threads crammed into a single core vs classic multi-core scaling).


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> was there a noticeable performance difference between the two? you can definitely see the CPU usage acts differently, but being the same amount of actual hardware cores the numbers don't exactly scale accurately, just means its being used differently (two threads crammed into a single core vs classic multi-core scaling).


during huge explosions i noticed the difference. this was with just one card - 7970. in BF3 MP 64 with HT off all cores were maxed out 100% with 7950/7970 crossfired. pretty bad during heavy battle. Mantle is our hope if it delivers. suppose to relieve the cpu from stress.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> during huge explosions i noticed the difference. this was with just one card - 7970. in BF3 MP 64 with HT off all cores were maxed out 100% with 7950/7970 crossfired. pretty bad during heavy battle. Mantle is our hope if it delivers. suppose to relieve the cpu from stress.


yea that must be all the particles and level manipulation, mantle should almost definitely help with that...


----------



## The Storm

I'm curious as to what 3dmark11 says when you have a 7950 and 7970 xfired together? Does it say 7970(x2),7950(x2) or is it dependant on which card is the lead card and it makes its reference from that?

I have 2 7950's BTW but I always wondered this.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So using radeonpro fixes performance in games? I don't understand. Seems like it lets you do some stuff like Rivatuner OSD, and then some stuff like afterburner or fraps where you record/screenshot, and then just catalyst control center for profiles for certain programs to use forced graphics settings that seem to always be worse than any good. And then a multi-gpu fix that drivers dont supply, I guess. I dont really get it.


RadeonPro is sorta like CCC with more options plus added OSD.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Storm*
> 
> I'm curious as to what 3dmark11 says when you have a 7950 and 7970 xfired together? Does it say 7970(x2),7950(x2) or is it dependant on which card is the lead card and it makes its reference from that?
> 
> I have 2 7950's BTW but I always wondered this.


mine showed 7970 x2 - all stock

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6233890


----------



## The Storm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> mine showed 7970 x2 - all stock
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6233890


Ok thanks man.


----------



## hambone96

I recently got a used HD 7970 (gigabyte ref model) and when I ran 3dmark 11 it only shows 1gb of VRAM.

Is this a common issue, my card scored considerably less than other 7970s.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7539874


----------



## Jflisk

New AMD driver is out. 13.11 Beta 9.4. You can find it here.

http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/latest-catalyst-windows-beta.aspx


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So using radeonpro fixes performance in games? I don't understand. Seems like it lets you do some stuff like Rivatuner OSD, and then some stuff like afterburner or fraps where you record/screenshot, and then just catalyst control center for profiles for certain programs to use forced graphics settings that seem to always be worse than any good. And then a multi-gpu fix that drivers dont supply, I guess. I dont really get it.
> 
> 
> 
> RadeonPro is sorta like CCC with more options plus added OSD.
Click to expand...

what a good answer. So most people dont use it?


----------



## dmfree88

Its pretty new most people dont know about it. Works pretty good also doubles as an overclocker, can be at stock or low 2d clocks and setup profiles to run during games only (similar to doing 2d/3d in AB). It doesnt work well with ab setup as 2d/3d but otherwise is nice to have more control. Basically its every program combined dont need anything else xD


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So most people dont use it?


most of us don't need to, but if you have a more special setup or some games that dont perform too nicely its worth a shot to mess with, I think adaptive vsync was a common good use...


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So using radeonpro fixes performance in games? I don't understand. Seems like it lets you do some stuff like Rivatuner OSD, and then some stuff like afterburner or fraps where you record/screenshot, and then just catalyst control center for profiles for certain programs to use forced graphics settings that seem to always be worse than any good. And then a multi-gpu fix that drivers dont supply, I guess. I dont really get it.
> 
> 
> 
> RadeonPro is sorta like CCC with more options plus added OSD.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> what a good answer. So most people dont use it?
Click to expand...

Most people dont use it until they go looking for a fix for something, but once you find it, you will find ways to use it. I dont even install CCC when I install drivers anymore.


----------



## deNordic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *primal92*
> 
> I see you've flashed your 7970 with the 280x bios. I've got the DirectCU II Top edition card which I'm sure is identical to the Matrix edition (same memory chips etc.)
> 
> I'm running 1125 on stock voltage of about 1.175 want to see how far I can push it, however when flashing the bios did you get full control of the voltage or is it fixed?
> 
> Plus did all the output still work? cause the 280x doesn't have that many output compared to the asus cards
> 
> Any chance you can link me to the bios?
> 
> Thanks


I'm looking for anyone who's using any of the 1000/1400 bios here and has it unlocked to run a Unigine 4.0 Ultra details, Exteme tess, 1080p 8xAA @ 1200/1750.

I wanna compare matrix bios vs Ghz bios at same clocks. A friend of mine, who was using the Ghz bios 1000/1400, told me that he had a result of around 45fps (Unigine 4.0 Ultra details, Exteme tess, 1080p 8xAA @ 1200/1750). My matrix gives me only 41.6fps with the same settings and i wanna find out what's going on!

link for 280X bios here


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *deNordic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *primal92*
> 
> I see you've flashed your 7970 with the 280x bios. I've got the DirectCU II Top edition card which I'm sure is identical to the Matrix edition (same memory chips etc.)
> 
> I'm running 1125 on stock voltage of about 1.175 want to see how far I can push it, however when flashing the bios did you get full control of the voltage or is it fixed?
> 
> Plus did all the output still work? cause the 280x doesn't have that many output compared to the asus cards
> 
> Any chance you can link me to the bios?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> I'm looking for anyone who's using any of the 1000/1400 bios here and has it unlocked to run a Unigine 4.0 Ultra details, Exteme tess, 1080p 8xAA @ 1200/1750.
> 
> I wanna compare matrix bios vs Ghz bios at same clocks. A friend of mine, who was using the Ghz bios 1000/1400, told me that he had a result of around 45fps (Unigine 4.0 Ultra details, Exteme tess, 1080p 8xAA @ 1200/1750). My matrix gives me only 41.6fps with the same settings and i wanna find out what's going on!
> 
> link for 280X bios here
Click to expand...

both of those links take me to a long list. I dont mind flashing and benching, but I need to know which one specifically you are talking about.


----------



## LDV617

I have Radeon Pro but yet to really utilize it. I couldn't find how to cap FPS to stop Screen Tearing, is that feature still there? I also have AB for tweaking and it looks like they removed it from AB as well









Also does Radeon Pro have a built in screen recording? The OSD is identical to Fraps, I'm wondering if the Fraps free version is built into it







I have DxTory full version, but it doesn't work well at all without a second HDD for dedicated recording, which I don't have - yet.


----------



## deNordic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> both of those links take me to a long list. I dont mind flashing and benching, but I need to know which one specifically you are talking about.


Any of them, try to unlock them and run @ 1200/1750
015.023.000.002.000000
015.017.000.001.000000
015.012.000.004.000000

I tried to flash them to my Matrix but it crashes, so i can't test it by myself


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> I have Radeon Pro but yet to really utilize it. I couldn't find how to cap FPS to stop Screen Tearing, is that feature still there? I also have AB for tweaking and it looks like they removed it from AB as well
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also does Radeon Pro have a built in screen recording? The OSD is identical to Fraps, I'm wondering if the Fraps free version is built into it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have DxTory full version, but it doesn't work well at all without a second HDD for dedicated recording, which I don't have - yet.


Radeon Pro is great yes it does have built in recording


----------



## LDV617

How do I configure the FPS cap? I'm at work now, but where should I look when I get home?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> How do I configure the FPS cap? I'm at work now, but where should I look when I get home?


under the tweaks panel. many v-sync options there.


----------



## process

Noticed a drop in benches after installing 13.11 v9.4
but its prob due to a memory drop...some strange thinsg happened aftyer installing radeon pro & 13.11 9.4

Not only is 3dmark 11 reading memory as 2048mb, my saphire 7970 in MSI afterburner is now volateg locked,,,

I'm running 2x7970 - 1gigabyte ghz ed & 1 saphire

before id bench at around this
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7425512

and now this
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7544509

anyone know why my memory readings have dropped? How I can fix this? And why now both cards are volate locked when before it was only the 1 ghz ed?

Help plllz


----------



## process

ulps is disabled


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So most people dont use it?
> 
> 
> 
> most of us don't need to, but if you have a more special setup or some games that dont perform too nicely its worth a shot to mess with, I think adaptive vsync was a common good use...
Click to expand...

what is adaptive vsync for? I never get tearing or any issues like that.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So most people dont use it?
> 
> 
> 
> most of us don't need to, but if you have a more special setup or some games that dont perform too nicely its worth a shot to mess with, I think adaptive vsync was a common good use...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> what is adaptive vsync for? I never get tearing or any issues like that.
Click to expand...

It is v-sync where your frame rate is capped to your monitors refresh rate, but when your frames drops below the refresh rate it disables v-sync instead of dropping the fps to 30, like with traditional v-sync.

There is v-sync built into allot of driver software, like CCC that have a "always on unless application specified" that will be the default. You might not be getting screen tearing because you have some driver level frame buffering happening.


----------



## bluezone

This isn't amd related, but for giggles I ran 3dmark11 on my asus t100. new all time low score. P207 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7545768 LOL.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluezone*
> 
> This isn't amd related, but for giggles I ran 3dmark11 on my asus t100. new all time low score. P207 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7545768 LOL.


At least it is quadcore.. My 3 year olds netbook with the atom might be slower.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluezone*
> 
> This isn't amd related, but for giggles I ran 3dmark11 on my asus t100. new all time low score. P207 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7545768 LOL.


100 of those and you have a micro server that could break the world record while not using much power


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Speaking of graphics glitches, I'm seeing this in TF2 and other games - is this something others have dealt with?



it seems to be happening in anything 3d at the moment.


----------



## broadbandaddict

Hey guys what's the recommended power supply for a trifire 7970 setup with an 8350? I'm mostly going to be mining on them so the memory will need to be overclocked on the cards and the CPU will be overclocked as well. I've got a 1000W Seasonic Platinum right now but I'm assuming 1200W would be recommended. Thanks.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Speaking of graphics glitches, I'm seeing this in TF2 and other games - is this something others have dealt with?
> 
> 
> 
> it seems to be happening in anything 3d at the moment.


OK very strange - I rebooted and the problem is "gone". and no, temps are fine - mid 50s at load.


----------



## dmfree88

http://m.hardocp.com/article/2012/04/25/geforce_gtx_680_3way_sli_radeon_7970_trifire_review/8#.UpFgnsvTmv0

You can probably stay at 1000w unless you got alot of side peripherals and how heavy your oc is on 8350.even then most good 1000w can push higher peaks, and usually it doesnt stay at peak power


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Speaking of graphics glitches, I'm seeing this in TF2 and other games - is this something others have dealt with?
> 
> 
> 
> it seems to be happening in anything 3d at the moment.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> OK very strange - I rebooted and the problem is "gone". and no, temps are fine - mid 50s at load.


what drivers? never seen that happen to me but I do remember it was a bug in some games at around release time, the general cause of that is the model vertexes are getting bad numbers which can be caused by either unstable hardware or sometimes driver or shader bugs,

I would make sure your memory is getting cooled completely and if it continues you should try nudging the clocks down to see if it fixes (while in-game if you can).


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> what drivers? never seen that happen to me but I do remember it was a bug in some games at around release time, the general cause of that is the model vertexes are getting bad numbers which can be caused by either unstable hardware or sometimes driver or shader bugs,
> 
> I would make sure your memory is getting cooled completely and if it continues you should try nudging the clocks down to see if it fixes (while in-game if you can).


it's a reference card, and those generally have good VRM and VRAM cooling in my experience. I'm not OCing it at all (beyond the fact that it's a GHz edition card), and I have the fan set at a manual 75% - GPU temps while folding are 53C as of this moment.

catalyst 13.9. I plan on upgrading to 13.11 soon, but right now I'm waiting for a server update to finish first. I find it odd that a reboot cleared it up.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> it's a reference card, and those generally have good VRM and VRAM cooling in my experience. I'm not OCing it at all (beyond the fact that it's a GHz edition card), and I have the fan set at a manual 75% - GPU temps while folding are 53C as of this moment.
> 
> catalyst 13.9. I plan on upgrading to 13.11 soon, but right now I'm waiting for a server update to finish first. I find it odd that a reboot cleared it up.


ok yea I guess it must have been a strange one-time driver bug, Ive been using the 13.8b2 driver for quite some time which hasn't shown any issues, never tested 13.9 though.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Noticed a drop in benches after installing 13.11 v9.4
> but its prob due to a memory drop...some strange thinsg happened aftyer installing radeon pro & 13.11 9.4
> 
> Not only is 3dmark 11 reading memory as 2048mb, my saphire 7970 in MSI afterburner is now volateg locked,,,
> 
> I'm running 2x7970 - 1gigabyte ghz ed & 1 saphire
> 
> before id bench at around this
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7425512
> 
> and now this
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7544509
> 
> anyone know why my memory readings have dropped? How I can fix this? And why now both cards are volate locked when before it was only the 1 ghz ed?
> 
> Help plllz


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> I recently got a used HD 7970 (gigabyte ref model) and when I ran 3dmark 11 it only shows 1gb of VRAM.
> 
> Is this a common issue, my card scored considerably less than other 7970s.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7539874


Find anything on this Hambone?


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> It is v-sync where your frame rate is capped to your monitors refresh rate, but when your frames drops below the refresh rate it disables v-sync instead of dropping the fps to 30, like with traditional v-sync.
> 
> There is v-sync built into allot of driver software, like CCC that have a "always on unless application specified" that will be the default. You might not be getting screen tearing because you have some driver level frame buffering happening.


The CCC function for vsync is for OpenGL only.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> what a good answer. So most people dont use it?


Probably not, I use it instead of CCC. It performs better with less resources. And I suffer with screen tearing with my monitor with every game, so vsync is important.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> How do I configure the FPS cap? I'm at work now, but where should I look when I get home?


This works every time for screen tearing, and mostly stuttering.


----------



## process

problem with vram here.... any ideas most welcomed..

2x7970 in crossfire..previously reprted with 3gb vram during benches... now reported with 2gb.

gpuz states 3 - windows states 2...

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/errrrrr.jpg.html


----------



## dracconus

GPU-Z detects what the cards bios states, NOT what windows detects.

Have you updated display drivers, directx, or anything of the sort lately? That could possibly be your problem.
If not, I'd say it'd be a good safe idea to go ahead, and try each card 1 by 1, and make sure each one is displaying in windows the correct amount of vram.
If they are, then it's most obviously a driver issue with Crossfire, or quite possibly the crossfire cable, or lane connector is faulty, causing mis-communication.

If they're not, then I'd suggest disassembling the cards, and checking for a blown mosfet, or missing SMD (Surface Mount Device) (They look like tiny transistors) on any of the chips.


----------



## process

Thanks for your reply...

Read theres a hotfix for windows displaying wrong vram...installed it and indeed windows now displays the correct vram of 6gb, but 3dmark11 still reads 2gb.

http://support.microsoft.com/hotfix/KBHotfix.aspx?kbnum=2799464&kbln=en-us

I uninstalled all AMD drivers and get the same issue with older drivers... so after uninstall again, I disconnected the bridge and reinstalled to latest beta drivers with 1 card and later connected the bridge. After another rerun of 3dmark11 the mem is reported as the same 2gb...though gpuz and windows say other wise

msi afterburner will not allow me to control voltage of second card now, whereas before it did









will have to try 1 card at a time when I get the time


----------



## LDV617

Thanks guy, found the vsync options after getting home from work last night. Seems to be working great


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Find anything on this Hambone?


I think its a problem with 3dmark and the drivers I have. (13.9)
In BF3 its using ~2.2GB so I'm not sure whats up with the benchmark.


----------



## Erick Silver

JUST A REMINDER!

ITS TIME FOR

2013 FFW (Forum Folding War)!!

If you are already folding for OCN then why not join up with a team for the FFW?

Head on over to the Sign Up Sheet Thread!

When you fill out the sheet make sure you select the AMD Team! Then head over to the AMD Team Thread to introduce yourself!

LONG LIVE THE GREEN DRAGONS!


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> I think its a problem with 3dmark and the drivers I have. (13.9)
> In BF3 its using ~2.2GB so I'm not sure whats up with the benchmark.


Yeah I have not a clue... can it really be drivers and 3dmark11 oh? If it was many others would be looking for a solution...as far as I can see, it's just you and me!
I applied the above hotfix to rectify windows reading of the vram... I've installed/uninstalled and rebridged my crossfire...but still 3dmark11 will show vram at 2gb and on avewrage i'll score 200 less than before in benchmarks...

what card u got?

Oh and Im getting this prob with 13.11 v9.4 and 13.11 v1
gunna pull my cards out soon and resit one by one and test...
let me know if you get a fix - likewise


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> you running crossfire?
> what card/s u got?


I'm not running crossfire, but I see that we are both running eyefinity. That shouldn't affect anything, should it?

I've got a Gigabyte reference non GHz card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125408


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> I'm not running crossfire, but I see that we are both running eyefinity. That shouldn't affect anything, should it?
> 
> I've got a Gigabyte reference non GHz card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125408


Nha dont thionk its anything to do with eyefinity cause I switch to 1 screen to run benches

I'm running a saphire 7970 (looks awful similar to your gigabyte!)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102961

and a gigabyte 7970ghz ed
http://www.ebuyer.com/452792-gigabyte-hd7970-3gb-gddr5-6000mhz-hdmi-dvi-mini-displayport-pci-e-graphics-card-gv-r797to-3gd?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products&gclid=CPPJ8p6l_roCFSYIwwodjywAPA

I just did a system restore back to July and windows screwed up, so had to do a win repair, luckily booted up ok after that so I reinstalled latest beta drivers and I get the same - 3dmark 11 showing 2gb

starting to think its hardware related... but I dunno, Strange that its only 3dmark 11 that is showing 2gb now when windows and gpuz arer showing 6gb/3gb respectively


----------



## ImJJames

Anyone here that have used kill-a-watt using crossfire 7970 tell me how many watts it used thanks


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Strange that its only 3dmark 11 that is showing 2gb now when windows and gpuz arer showing 6gb/3gb respectively


Does the memory usage go above 2GB while playing games?
Mine went above the 1GB 3dmark "saw" to 1.5GB:

It really doesn't seem to affect my real world performance, so I'm not terribly worried about it. Its just an annoyance.

A bigger annoyance is the temps.
At stock clocks (925mhz and 1375mhz) it idles at around 60C and peaks at around 90C with 55% fan in BF3 and ETS2.

The card does overclock pretty well. It did 1100mhz and 1500mhz no problem, but at 60% fan temps shot up to 97C.
This card is LOUD at 60% fan speed.

Someone said that flashing the GHz bios can lower temps, can anyone confirm that?


----------



## dmfree88

Its possible eyefinity could still be the cause of it. When u run one monitor do u go into ccc to disable the others? Ive heard just unplugging them or turning them off actually doesnt disable them.


----------



## chronicfx

Finally got my quadfire 7970's in and running. There is definitely some stutter that is not there in trifire when just using the latest amd betas without any 3rd party help but once i got radeon pro set up it has been a hot knife through butter! For the last few hours i have been playing the witcher 2 with ubersampling and all setings max with steady 60fps at 1440p and perfectly smooth. I am pleased!


----------



## chronicfx

Kinda slow today on the posts







Anyone know how to get radeon pro and far cry 3 to play nicely with monitoring fore gpu temps and FPS? I disabled the UPLAY overlay and it crashes when loading the saves, but if I disable API monitoring it works but I get no FPS or temperature indicator. Whats up with Far Cry 3 and radeon pro?


----------



## chronicfx

3dmark score. Just ran it without tweaking anything







P20K

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7552834


----------



## dmfree88

says your using a 7990







. Nice score though!


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> says your using a 7990
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Nice score though!


It is my primary GPU. 7990 + 2x7970



Here is my firestrike. GPU are not overclocked and 3570k at 4.8ghz. Not having a 6 core CPU really kills your overall score in this.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/1708358?

12500


----------



## Bryst

So I'm trying to OC a 7950 I bought from a forum member, he flashed it with F43 bios. People claim to be running core clock at 1155 and such with F43 bios, but Afterburner and Asus GPU Tweak only let me raise core clock up to 1100. Any help?


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Does the memory usage go above 2GB while playing games?
> Mine went above the 1GB 3dmark "saw" to 1.5GB:
> 
> It really doesn't seem to affect my real world performance, so I'm not terribly worried about it. Its just an annoyance.
> 
> A bigger annoyance is the temps.
> At stock clocks (925mhz and 1375mhz) it idles at around 60C and peaks at around 90C with 55% fan in BF3 and ETS2.
> 
> The card does overclock pretty well. It did 1100mhz and 1500mhz no problem, but at 60% fan temps shot up to 97C.
> This card is LOUD at 60% fan speed.
> 
> Someone said that flashing the GHz bios can lower temps, can anyone confirm that?


Running Heaven4.0 it benches to show 3gb ram....
gpuz only shows 1 card memory usage..will take a screen later and show..
Likewise I dont see a performance drop...except I was expecting better benches with the new drivers only to get 200 less...
60c idle is high...in crossfire idle im getting early early-mid 40c... maybe air flow in case?
cant help with flashin...never done it sorry









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Its possible eyefinity could still be the cause of it. When u run one monitor do u go into ccc to disable the others? Ive heard just unplugging them or turning them off actually doesnt disable them.


ye I got profiles set for each monitor combination so go into ccc to enable/disable em


----------



## process

seems fine to me...except temps!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bryst*
> 
> So I'm trying to OC a 7950 I bought from a forum member, he flashed it with F43 bios. People claim to be running core clock at 1155 and such with F43 bios, but Afterburner and Asus GPU Tweak only let me raise core clock up to 1100. Any help?


both afterburner and GPUTweak have "unofficial" limits, you go into their settings and find the checkboxes, afterburner I think it was "extend overclock limits" and gputweak had something similar, though I haven't touched either programs for months/a year so In cant exactly remember...


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Anyone here that have used kill-a-watt using crossfire 7970 tell me how many watts it used thanks


Depends. With 1.38 volts on both you are looking at 1000 watt maybe more if you include a loop.At stock a quality 750 watt or a 850 is okay


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ImJJames*
> 
> Anyone here that have used kill-a-watt using crossfire 7970 tell me how many watts it used thanks
> 
> 
> 
> Depends. With 1.38 volts on both you are looking at 1000 watt maybe more if you include a loop.At stock a quality 750 watt or a 850 is okay
Click to expand...

I have run as many as 1900w with 4 x 7970 OC's and the cpu clocked at 5.2 GHz
A light dimming , six radiator -four pump good time....


----------



## u3b3rg33k

heh, i've popped a circuit breaker or two in my day, but i've never come close to 1900W - nice / scary!


----------



## fast_fate

my kiilawatt currently sitting on 1355 - 1900 is out there !!!!


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I have run as many as 1900w with 4 x 7970 OC's and the cpu clocked at 5.2 GHz
> A light dimming , six radiator -four pump good time....


Lol!


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Lol!


Rofl i remember this show omies


----------



## kwaidonjin

I have a question... I have a 7950 and some games are running at over 60fps. BF3 up to 100fps. Now am I getting any benefit from this playing on a plasma tv with a refresh rate of 60HZ? Should I set V=sync??? Am i just causing excess heat and power use? Any help would be appreciated


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> I have run as many as 1900w with 4 x 7970 OC's and the cpu clocked at 5.2 GHz
> A light dimming , six radiator -four pump good time....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lol!
Click to expand...

ROFL, "latter dudes"
lololol

I had my lectric guy do this dedicated outlet for this beast. I also got a lower gauge extension cord.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> I have a question... I have a 7950 and some games are running at over 60fps. BF3 up to 100fps. Now am I getting any benefit from this playing on a plasma tv with a refresh rate of 60HZ? Should I set V=sync??? Am i just causing excess heat and power use? Any help would be appreciated


yea you should enable vsync, any extra frames are just wasting resources, there's some reasons why people don't use vsync but I don't think you would need to know about them...


----------



## LDV617

I found that using Radeon Pro to cap FPS at 60 + Vsync is much more effective than in game settings.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> I found that using Radeon Pro to cap FPS at 60 + Vsync is much more effective than in game settings.


I could be wrong but vsync usually says like 61-63fps. You might be forcing vsync to switch off and sitting at 60 fps which could be smooher for some since it doesnt turn vsync on and off everytime you drop even 1 fps below 60


----------



## kwaidonjin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea you should enable vsync, any extra frames are just wasting resources, there's some reasons why people don't use vsync but I don't think you would need to know about them...


sO, SHOULD i SET V-SYNC IN GAME OR THRU AMD OVERDRIVE?


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> sO, SHOULD i SET V-SYNC IN GAME OR THRU AMD OVERDRIVE?


In game.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> sO, SHOULD i SET V-SYNC IN GAME OR THRU AMD OVERDRIVE?


in-game is usually the better option, but you can do it via overdrive if you want, just means that some programs designed for unlimited fps (benchmarks etc) will have issues, but most games are usually fine.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> what a good answer. So most people dont use it?
> 
> 
> 
> Probably not, I use it instead of CCC. It performs better with less resources. And I suffer with screen tearing with my monitor with every game, so vsync is important.
Click to expand...

Why do you always get tearing?

Do people use CCC? I mean I understand you need the vsync, or rather the adaptive vsync which is like vsync 2.0, but for people not getting tearing, should we be using CCC over nothing and RDPRO over CCC?

I mean I only play sc2, and as i understood forced settings always sucked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So most people dont use it?
> 
> 
> 
> most of us don't need to, but if you have a more special setup or some games that dont perform too nicely its worth a shot to mess with, I think adaptive vsync was a common good use...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> what is adaptive vsync for? I never get tearing or any issues like that.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It is v-sync where your frame rate is capped to your monitors refresh rate, but when your frames drops below the refresh rate it disables v-sync instead of dropping the fps to 30, like with traditional v-sync.
> 
> There is v-sync built into allot of driver software, like CCC that have a "always on unless application specified" that will be the default. You might not be getting screen tearing because you have some driver level frame buffering happening.
Click to expand...

Is vsync a good thing? You only use it if you get tearing, right? And now with adaptive vsync, everyonoe uses that over vsync right?


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> ROFL, "latter dudes"
> lololol
> 
> I had my lectric guy do this dedicated outlet for this beast. I also got a lower gauge extension cord.


Wow that is crazy. I do 7990 + two reference 7970 non overclocked but CPU at 4.8ghz and I don't break 900 watts under load. Overclocking the GPU's brings alot of juice i see..


----------



## EliteReplay

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DerComissar*
> 
> Lol!


can i get the name of that guy? or the movie? would like to see it again thanks


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EliteReplay*
> 
> can i get the name of that guy? or the movie? would like to see it again thanks


National Lampoon's Christmas, wasn't it?


----------



## Jflisk

WOW I thought I was bad.See specs in Sig below









Chevy Chase - National Lampoons Christmas Vacation


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Why do you always get tearing?
> 
> Do people use CCC? I mean I understand you need the vsync, or rather the adaptive vsync which is like vsync 2.0, but for people not getting tearing, should we be using CCC over nothing and RDPRO over CCC?
> 
> I mean I only play sc2, and as i understood forced settings always sucked.
> Is vsync a good thing? You only use it if you get tearing, right? And now with adaptive vsync, everyonoe uses that over vsync right?


I don't know. The CCC vsync option is for OpenGL, so I don't even bother installing it.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> I don't know. The CCC vsync option is for OpenGL, so I don't even bother installing it.


Vsync option is just general on CCC.The only option for opengl is triple buffering


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Is vsync a good thing? You only use it if you get tearing, right? And now with adaptive vsync, everyonoe uses that over vsync right?


vsync will cap your hardware usage to only the frames you actually see, if your fps is greater then the monitor refresh rate the extra rendered frames are just dumped and are wasting power, and producing unnecessary heat.

and tearing is something Ive only seen when the fps is below the monitor refresh rate...


----------



## Belial

so we should all use vsync?


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> so we should all use vsync?


Unless you are using a monitor >1440p or 120hz, then yes, I would recommend it.

EDIT: Mentioned this earlier in the thread, but I have much better results from Radeon Pro's Vsync + fps cap then any in game Vsync setting. (for multiple reasons, input lag / being one of them, CS:GO is almost unplayable for me with Vsync enabled in game)
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> and tearing is something Ive only seen when the fps is below the monitor refresh rate...


In my experience it is quite the opposite. I only see tearing if my FPS is >60hz or if my FPS absolutely TANKS, like if I run a game in full screen windowed mode then play a video ontop of it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Unless you are using a monitor >1440p or 120hz, then yes, I would recommend it.
> 
> EDIT: Mentioned this earlier in the thread, but I have much better results from Radeon Pro's Vsync + fps cap then any in game Vsync setting. (for multiple reasons, input lag / being one of them, CS:GO is almost unplayable for me with Vsync enabled in game)
> In my experience it is quite the opposite. I only see tearing if my FPS is >60hz or if my FPS absolutely TANKS, like if I run a game in full screen windowed mode then play a video ontop of it.


yea there have been some cases Ive seen tearing, I think its dependent on the game, and it may only be noticeable when it hits a specific set of framerates and your monitor has a low enough latency, Ive played minecraft and TF2 a lot, which will vary both above and below 60, as high as 300 even, but never noticed any forms of tearing at all, but I do remember seeing tearing in another game when it didn't have vsync on, Id have to look at it again though to be sure...


----------



## LDV617

Yea similar experiences here. For example: Planetside 2 I sometimes get tearing in the Scythe looking at huge landscapes, but BF3 can play ultra with no tearing at all. It's very weird to me.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Unless you are using a monitor >1440p or 120hz, then yes, I would recommend it.
> 
> EDIT: Mentioned this earlier in the thread, but I have much better results from Radeon Pro's Vsync + fps cap then any in game Vsync setting. (for multiple reasons, input lag / being one of them, CS:GO is almost unplayable for me with Vsync enabled in game)
> In my experience it is quite the opposite. I only see tearing if my FPS is >60hz or if my FPS absolutely TANKS, like if I run a game in full screen windowed mode then play a video ontop of it.


You can get cs:go to work with rp vsync? I cant get it to work it instantly closes or blackscreens everytime. Do i have to disable vsync in game to get it to work? I haven't tried that yet.


----------



## Hogesyx

hi guys, for source engine game like cs:s cs:go or tf2 or even dota2, you might want to try setting "fps_max 59" (or whatever number of ur refreshrate -1 frame) after enabling vsync. Solved most of the stuttering issue for me.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hogesyx*
> 
> hi guys, for source engine game like cs:s cs:go or tf2 or even dota2, you might want to try setting "fps_max 59" (or whatever number of ur refreshrate -1 frame) after enabling vsync. Solved most of the stuttering issue for me.


I could be wrong but i mentioned this earlier. Enabling vsync and then imiting fps to anything but auto to refresh rate (auto detection will generally set 61-63fps) or higher. Then you likely are just forcing vsync disabled. Which if at any moment you drop below your refresh rate even for a split second vsync gets disabled anyways(which is dynamic vsync otherwise everytime youd cut to 30 fs) and generally this causes tearing. Limiting to 59 or even 60 fps likely disables vsync making it much smoother for anyone who has even minor fps droops below 60. I get 250 fps in cs:go average but random droops that with vsync enabled causes tearing. Im sure this would work decent for me aswell if i could get it to work







. I do think it disables vsync though keeping under 60 or even under 63 in some games


----------



## Hogesyx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> I could be wrong but i mentioned this earlier. Enabling vsync and then imiting fps to anything but auto to refresh rate (auto detection will generally set 61-63fps) or higher. Then you likely are just forcing vsync disabled. Which if at any moment you drop below your refresh rate even for a split second vsync gets disabled anyways(which is dynamic vsync otherwise everytime youd cut to 30 fs) and generally this causes tearing. Limiting to 59 or even 60 fps likely disables vsync making it much smoother for anyone who has even minor fps droops below 60. I get 250 fps in cs:go average but random droops that with vsync enabled causes tearing. Im sure this would work decent for me aswell if i could get it to work
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I do think it disables vsync though keeping under 60 or even under 63 in some games


Are you using Radeon Pro for dynamic v-sync? Previously while I am still on radeon pro, I would use vsync on + frame limiter to 59 as well. If you are using a 3rd party frame limiter then you wont need to limit the fps in game.

Anyway the reason for limiting the fps_max in source engine is due to the fact that even if the video card enforce v-sync, the game engine sometimes will still attempt to render fps at the default "fps_max 120" causing the game to stutter really bad with your fps jumping from 120 to 60 intermittently.

Then again, we might be referring to different problem all together! haha.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hogesyx*
> 
> Are you using Radeon Pro for dynamic v-sync? Previously while I am still on radeon pro, I would use vsync on + frame limiter to 59 as well. If you are using a 3rd party frame limiter then you wont need to limit the fps in game.
> 
> Anyway the reason for limiting the fps_max in source engine is due to the fact that even if the video card enforce v-sync, the game engine sometimes will still attempt to render fps at the default "fps_max 120" causing the game to stutter really bad with your fps jumping from 120 to 60 intermittently.
> 
> Then again, we might be referring to different problem all together! haha.


My point was by limiting frames to 59 vsync is off whether you turn it on or not. Likely if you just limit frames to 59 with vsync off you would still have the same results

Ill try it again later tonight i think i have to disable vsync in game to get it to work for me. I just gave up before cause i thought it wasn't compatible.


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> You can get cs:go to work with rp vsync? I cant get it to work it instantly closes or blackscreens everytime. Do i have to disable vsync in game to get it to work? I haven't tried that yet.


Works fine for me, and I do not enable Vsync in game.


----------



## dmfree88

i just tested it was MSI AB causing it. I had 2d/3d clock profile set up and for some reason they were conflicting. Vsync is disabled in both RP and CS:GO. Dynamic Frame rate controle set to 60, thats it. Finally i got 60fps in windowed mode instead of 299 wasting resources xD. Apparently MSI AB 23/3d clock switching doesnt work well with RP during game boot


----------



## Belial

wait why use adaptive vsync when you can just limit the FPS cap to 60? Wouldn't that really be the best option? And to be clear, any 60hz monitor showing above 60fps isn't going to be any difference because of the 60hz - so 120fps will never be smoother or better than 60fps, even imperceptibly, because of 60hz monitor?

I just thought vsync was about screen tearing and I've never seen it so I've never bothered with this stuff.


----------



## Hogesyx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> My point was by limiting frames to 59 vsync is off whether you turn it on or not. Likely if you just limit frames to 59 with vsync off you would still have the same results
> 
> Ill try it again later tonight i think i have to disable vsync in game to get it to work for me. I just gave up before cause i thought it wasn't compatible.


Vsync is still on when you run it at 59 limit. It also solve a lot of stuttering issue.


----------



## dmfree88

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_tearing

Vsync is disabled at 59 fps whether its on or not. Dynamic framerate control is just preventing from exceeding said fps. Vsync waits for monitors refresh rate which as i mentioned can vary from 60-63fps pending game/monitor. The reason vsync can actually cause tearing i stated above any drop even for a half a second below refresh rate disables vsync until back to 60 fps. If it happens in a half a second theres usually tearing or studdering because it quickly turns off and on. If your not 65 plus fps under any condition then vsync likely will cause more issues then good(double/triple bufferrd likely need more min fps). Limiting fps is a good way to avoid this while still staying at refresh rate most the time. If your pc can handle it smoothly vsync would likely be the best option


----------



## Hogesyx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_tearing
> 
> Vsync is disabled at 59 fps whether its on or not.












http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18499549


----------



## dmfree88

Try it with vsync disabled and frames limited to 59 i bet u get the same results


----------



## nvidiaftw12

You're wrong. At say, 35 fps, without vsync I will have terrible screen tearing, with it, none.


----------



## dmfree88

At 35 fps it likely cuts to half refreshrate and would always look better that way vs 35 un-vsynced, 35 fps is barely playable


----------



## ImJJames

Would I be able to run 2x 7970 on stock no problem on 630 watt? Overclocked CPU.


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Highly doubt it.


----------



## Paul17041993

well I know my card crashes on stock settings, triggers an 0xa0000001 BSOD since it goes above 70C, question then is whether I want to bother with a second RMA attempt after the folding comp...


----------



## sugarhell

If you dont have vsync on you get tearing. Sometimes you cant see it because of high fps or game engine. Vsync syncronize the refresh rate from your monitor with your fps. Your gpu waits for the monitor to singal that its ready for the next frame. If you cant mantain 60 fps for example your fps instantly drop to 30 fps

Cap is just cap.


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> If you dont have vsync on you get tearing. Sometimes you cant see it because of high fps or game engine. Vsync syncronize the refresh rate from your monitor with your fps. Your gpu waits for the monitor to singal that its ready for the next frame. If you cant mantain 60 fps for example your fps instantly drop to 30 fps
> 
> Cap is just cap.


You wont be dipping to 30fps with triple buffering on


----------



## dmfree88

The only reason you dont dip to 30fps is dynamic vsync which is just vsync on at 60 fps vsync off if u dip under. Most games use dynamic vsync by default and usually dont have the option to adjust. Double buffer means your gpu makes 2 frames for the monitor to switch between, triple just gives a 3rd for the gpu to continue rendering. Which is why i said it would likely require a higher minimum fps to achieve triple buffer vsync vs normal or double at a constant refresh rate fps

I just ran cs:go withou vsync capped 59 saw tearing. Enabled vsync and the same results. Disabled frame limit and achieved Vsync with way less tearing. I dont know how your seeing better results unless your gpu dips under 60 fps often vsync looks much smoother for me.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptDanko*
> 
> You wont be dipping to 30fps with triple buffering on


This is a different subject. Not all the games support triple buffering


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> problem with vram here.... any ideas most welcomed..
> 
> 2x7970 in crossfire..previously reprted with 3gb vram during benches... now reported with 2gb.
> 
> gpuz states 3 - windows states 2...
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/errrrrr.jpg.html


Oh great... Based on your report, I just checked MY SYSTEM and it reports
Total Available Graphics Memory: *3839GB*








Dedicated Video Memory: *2048GB*









While DxDiag reports Total Memory *3838GB*









Unfortunately i cannot download the hotfix you mention... *perhaps another link please?*


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well I know my card crashes on stock settings, triggers an 0xa0000001 BSOD since it goes above 70C, question then is whether I want to bother with a second RMA attempt after the folding comp...


Are you sure your CPU Overclock is 99.999% Stable? Like 12-24hour Prime 95 Stable?

Otherwhise you can use VBE7 Bios Editor, Save your Bios with GPU-Z, Edit it with VBE7 to have a tiny bit more voltage and flash it back.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Oh great... Based on your report, I just checked MY SYSTEM and it reports
> Total Available Graphics Memory: *3839GB*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dedicated Video Memory: *2048GB*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While DxDiag reports Total Memory *3838GB*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unfortunately i cannot download the hotfix you mention... *perhaps another link please?*


this is for 64bit OS.
http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/Windows%207/Windows%20Server2008%20R2%20SP1/sp2/Fix421210/7600/free/457426_intl_x64_zip.exe

If you're running a diff OS, you need to request for a link of the hotfix to be sent to your mail on the initial page posted


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> this is for 64bit OS.
> http://hotfixv4.microsoft.com/Windows%207/Windows%20Server2008%20R2%20SP1/sp2/Fix421210/7600/free/457426_intl_x64_zip.exe
> 
> If you're running a diff OS, you need to request for a link of the hotfix to be sent to your mail on the initial page posted


+REP









Now, from windows properties i get...
Total Available Graphics Memory: *12031 MB*








Dedicated Video Memory: *6144 MB*









I suppose the 12031 MB comes from my RAM installed 12GB while the 6144 MB is based on my 2x 3072 MB of my 2x 7970, *correct?*

Still, *DxDiag* reports Total Memory *3838 MB*









*Could you please post the link of the hotfix (not the download), where it explains what problem it solves exactly?*

Thank You!


----------



## process

you may want to remove that rep haha...Just read the link and noticed it reads win server 2008...but still it fixed my windows properties wrong reading..
I've tried hunting down a windows hotfix descruiption but cannot relocate the link..

dxdiag gives me a reading of 1681gb total memory - maybe being used by eyefinity?
No major concern here cause when running MSI AB I can see that 1 card is using an adequate amount of vram... maybe worth doing youurself?


----------



## process

this may help

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/directx-and-wrong-amount-of-video-ram.178865/


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> *you may want to remove that rep* haha...Just read the link and noticed it reads win server 2008...but still it fixed my windows properties wrong reading..
> I've tried hunting down a windows hotfix descruiption but cannot relocate the link..
> 
> dxdiag gives me a reading of 1681gb total memory - maybe being used by eyefinity?
> No major concern here cause when running MSI AB I can see that 1 card is using an adequate amount of vram... maybe worth doing youurself?


No its ok









It seems to have done the job, even partially... I am just wondering, are we the ONLY ones who have this issue? Apparently this should be the case for every 7970 card owner if not more?


----------



## process

one other user a few threads back had/has the same issue.... like-wise he sees no performance difference. I only noticed after running a 3dmark11 bench....a few weeks maybe months prior my benches were reporting 3gb, buut now 2... I have not a clue why or why it seems to be only a select few


----------



## wermad

Got my Lightning BE back from MSI rma super quick wheee:



Quad's are back in business


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Oh great... Based on your report, I just checked MY SYSTEM and it reports
> Total Available Graphics Memory: *3839GB*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dedicated Video Memory: *2048GB*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While DxDiag reports Total Memory *3838GB*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unfortunately i cannot download the hotfix you mention... *perhaps another link please?*


Here's mine on Windows 8 just for reference. Crossfire 7950. iGPU enabled.


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Here's mine on Windows 8 just for reference. Crossfire 7950. iGPU enabled.


Thanks... I see its almost normal in win 8.

Could you please run DxDiag from the run menu (if any in win8) and report back?


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Thanks... I see its almost normal in win 8.
> 
> Could you please run DxDiag from the run menu (if any in win8) and report back?


Not a problem. Here you go.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Are you sure your CPU Overclock is 99.999% Stable? Like 12-24hour Prime 95 Stable?
> 
> Otherwhise you can use VBE7 Bios Editor, Save your Bios with GPU-Z, Edit it with VBE7 to have a tiny bit more voltage and flash it back.


stable, I even went back to stock, and I cant add voltage to this card...


----------



## ElGreco

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Not a problem. Here you go.


Well, it seems that the values are all over the place









Thanks for the feedback....









Currently i am looking for a program to boot my pc out of windows and check my vram size...


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ElGreco*
> 
> Well, it seems that the values are all over the place
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the feedback....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Currently i am looking for a program to boot my pc out of windows and check my vram size...


It's most likely due to my iGPU being enabled. It works for me


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> stable, I even went back to stock, and I cant add voltage to this card...


Just go to the hd7950/7970 bios mod thread.

In there you find a tool VBE7 Bios editor.

Save your GPU bios with GPU-Z then modify the voltage with the VBE7 Bios Editor.

Then flash the BIOS you modified back to the gpu.

In this way you can set the Core Voltage all the way to 1.38v.

Many people with cards that have locked voltages are able to change it this way.

And because these cards have 2 BIOS's its virtually impossible to mess up your card.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Just go to the hd7950/7970 bios mod thread.
> 
> In there you find a tool VBE7 Bios editor.
> 
> Save your GPU bios with GPU-Z then modify the voltage with the VBE7 Bios Editor.
> 
> Then flash the BIOS you modified back to the gpu.
> 
> In this way you can set the Core Voltage all the way to 1.38v.
> 
> Many people with cards that have locked voltages are able to change it this way.
> 
> And because these cards have 2 BIOS's its virtually impossible to mess up your card.


already did this some 6 months back, doesn't work, its _hardware_ locked...


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> already did this some 6 months back, doesn't work, its _hardware_ locked...


Too bad then id thought because people with a Windforce 7970 that whas also suposed to be hardware locked on 1.25v managed to set it higher with the VBE7 tool.

Did you also try modifying the VRM signal perhaps.

If so then there is nothing else to try, Just trying to help









http://www.overclock.net/t/1389860/asus-dcu-ii-7970-top-voltage-totally-unlocked-by-dj-oxygene-8

I also remember a user saying to flash the non Top version DirectDirectCU2 t give unlocked voltage.

So it seems it not hardware locked at all so modifying the bios should work. Or some internal bios code couls prevent it


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Too bad then id thought because people with a Windforce 7970 that whas also suposed to be hardware locked on 1.25v managed to set it higher with the VBE7 tool.
> 
> Did you also try modifying the VRM signal perhaps.
> 
> If so then there is nothing else to try, Just trying to help


yea this card has jsut been absolute hell from the start, it even makes the XFX cards look good in comparison, had I known ASUS would be such hot-heads I would have just gotten a 7950 from another brand and overclocked it, seeing as pretty much all the 7950s here can go much further then this pitiful thing...


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea this card has jsut been absolute hell from the start, it even makes the XFX cards look good in comparison, had I known ASUS would be such hot-heads I would have just gotten a 7950 from another brand and overclocked it, seeing as pretty much all the 7950s here can go much further then this pitiful thing...


I ninja editted post you should read it again


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> I ninja editted post you should read it again


guess its worth a shot, though I wont be trying until after the folding comp, either way the heat that comes off this card I would have to water it for 1.25V or higher, otherwise I would be dealing with insane fan noise, and I'm still very skeptical of GPUtweak from the past troubles it caused...

memory wise I'm not sure about, its unstable at 1500 so I'm not too sure if that's the core not having enough voltage or I have a half-dead IC, Id just have to see if I can get past this stupid lock without giving it a permanent voltage increase, the hotwire doesn't allow power saving does it...?
(using a trimpot that is)


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> guess its worth a shot, though I wont be trying until after the folding comp, either way the heat that comes off this card I would have to water it for 1.25V or higher, otherwise I would be dealing with insane fan noise, and I'm still very skeptical of GPUtweak from the past troubles it caused...
> 
> memory wise I'm not sure about, its unstable at 1500 so I'm not too sure if that's the core not having enough voltage or I have a half-dead IC, Id just have to see if I can get past this stupid lock without giving it a permanent voltage increase, the hotwire doesn't allow power saving does it...?
> (using a trimpot that is)


Perhaps you could sell that troublesome card and start over again with something else?
Imo, you certainly deserve better!


----------



## Schmuckley

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but..
I got this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026
and flashed it to a Sapphire 280x BIOS and it works!
It has 2 6-pin connectors.I had to share this somewhere








With the other BIOS it's 1020/1500 base..
and it seems there's better VRAM voltage and timings.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Schmuckley*
> 
> Not sure if this is the right place to post this but..
> I got this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026
> and flashed it to a Sapphire 280x BIOS and it works!
> It has 2 6-pin connectors.I had to share this somewhere
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With the other BIOS it's 1020/1500 base..
> and it seems there's better VRAM voltage and timings.


I think cause the 280X version of said card is just a rebadge, I cant remember if it has the 3 screen without DP support or not...


----------



## Belial

Okay I'm getting really confused by all the conflicting and weird replies.

I play Starcraft2 (heavily CPU dependent, only uses 2 threads so very ipc driven, like all games though), and stream. Not even mentioning streaming, SC2 is so rough on the IPC that a 4.6ghz Haswell will have minimum FPS in the 40s (a 5ghz Sandy will be in the 30s!). Add on top streaming too, and your minimum fps is in the 40-50s and in most of the game, your fps is below 60.

I never use vsync or anything, and I never get any screen tearing, to my knowledge. I've seen screen tearing so i know what it looks like, but I never see it on my monitors (seen it on others, youtube videos of people showing tearing, etc).

So... should I use an FPS cap, or adaptive vsync? If I dont get noticeable tearing, even if I'm getting minor tearing that I can't perceive, what's the point of activating it? Doesnt it hurt performance too?

I'm really quite confused here.
Quote:


> Not sure if this is the right place to post this but..
> I got this card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026
> and flashed it to a Sapphire 280x BIOS and it works!
> It has 2 6-pin connectors.I had to share this somewhere wink.gif
> With the other BIOS it's 1020/1500 base..
> and it seems there's better VRAM voltage and timings.


How do you know the timngs are better? Why can't you just change your VRAM voltage via a bios editor or mod trixx? What do you mean 'better' VRAM voltage? Higher, or lower?

So... you basically flashed a 7970 bios on a 7950?


----------



## ImJJames

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1220970

Not a bad score for moderate OC 7970


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Okay I'm getting really confused by all the conflicting and weird replies.
> 
> I play Starcraft2 (heavily CPU dependent, only uses 2 threads so very ipc driven, like all games though), and stream. Not even mentioning streaming, SC2 is so rough on the IPC that a 4.6ghz Haswell will have minimum FPS in the 40s (a 5ghz Sandy will be in the 30s!). Add on top streaming too, and your minimum fps is in the 40-50s and in most of the game, your fps is below 60.
> 
> I never use vsync or anything, and I never get any screen tearing, to my knowledge. I've seen screen tearing so i know what it looks like, but I never see it on my monitors (seen it on others, youtube videos of people showing tearing, etc).
> 
> So... should I use an FPS cap, or adaptive vsync? If I dont get noticeable tearing, even if I'm getting minor tearing that I can't perceive, what's the point of activating it? Doesnt it hurt performance too?
> 
> I'm really quite confused here.
> How do you know the timngs are better? Why can't you just change your VRAM voltage via a bios editor or mod trixx? What do you mean 'better' VRAM voltage? Higher, or lower?
> 
> So... you basically flashed a 7970 bios on a 7950?


if the fps in your games rarely goes much higher then 60, don't bother enabling any vsync, I don't have it on particularly cause both minecraft and TF2 (or all source games to be exact) love having 200-300 FPS, just the way they handle input, if I enable vsync they end up with some stutter and mouse delay, but a lot of other games don't have this problem.

and BIOS cross-flashing is a normal thing, when trying to get the most out of your card you could try using different BIOS versions which may give better clock results or stock settings, 280X for example usually has higher stock settings then the 7970, albeit they are the same hardware, 7950 and 7970 are mostly the same too so if you have a 7950 you can try a 7970 BIOS and you may end up with a little better clocking ability, there's also voltage locks that using different BIOSs can overcome. (not every case though)


----------



## dmfree88

a good reason to limit fps even if you dont use vsync is because it wastes resources. Turn vsync on OR limit fps to refresh rate (or even a few fps higher to ensure its over). Check your gpu useage. then turn vsync off and check gpu useage. in games that get 200+ fps it will drastically decrease useage and temps. Also should extend gpu life. Limiting fps to refresh rate should yield the same results as 200+ as the monitor can only produce 60fps if 60hz, 75 fps for 75hz etc. Its wasting resources and makes a 10+ degree difference in CS:GO for me. I play vsynced full screen but windowed mode refuses to vsync. Nice to still play windowed while working at 60 fps and lower temps. In games that dont like vsync its good to limit for the GPU's sake. In games that do like vsync its preferred to run that way.


----------



## sugarhell

For twitch games like sc2 you need high fps even if on late game the fps is like 30 fps. Even on 60 hz monitor 120 fps means that the frame latency is around 8ms~. With vsync the frame latency is fixed between 16 ms and 33 ms based if you can mantain all the time the refrese rate target. On some games vsync is good in somt others (skyrim) is just a pain. I dont use anything in general sometimes i cap my frames.I hate input lag from vsync and i hate to dip to 30 fps.


----------



## LDV617

So if I have a 2ms monitor, and I cap my fps to 60 (60hz refresh rate) then I'm not actually getting 2ms response time?


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> So if I have a 2ms monitor, and I cap my fps to 60 (60hz refresh rate) then I'm not actually getting 2ms response time?


By my understanding, response time is the time it takes for a monitor to display a frame when it receives data from the graphics cards, whereas refresh rate is how many times per second it can receive a new frame.

Going by those definitions, no matter what fps your monitor is receiving, the 2ms response time is the time it takes the monitor to display those frames to you (ie: it takes 2ms to update the pixels on the screen to the new frame). So while it may only be able to process 60 frames per second (or a new frame every ~16.7ms), it only takes 2ms for the monitor to display each frame.









Someone please correct me if this is wrong!


----------



## Rebelord

Sup guys. I have been out of the latest and greatest loop for a long time. I see the new AMD cards are out, and now the 7xxx series cards are all out of stock etc.
Which card is compatible for crossfire to a 7950? I did some searching and only coming up with the 280x to the 7970 only and 270x to the 7870 no LE cards.

Are we stuck in the middle with 7950s?

Thank you!


----------



## LDV617

I would assume the 280x will work if it works with the 7970. The 280x will just downclock to the 7950 performance. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what I would think.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> So if I have a 2ms monitor, and I cap my fps to 60 (60hz refresh rate) then I'm not actually getting 2ms response time?


the response time generally refers to how quick the monitor changes the pixels, so for 2ms, when the screen is being refreshed it takes 2ms to switch all the pixels, then it waits for the next frame, so a monitor with 2ms will display the same frame for longer then a 5ms screen, you can notice this when you compare a 2ms to a 5-10ms screen, the 5-10 will be very blurry in comparison as the frames take so long to change.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Sup guys. I have been out of the latest and greatest loop for a long time. I see the new AMD cards are out, and now the 7xxx series cards are all out of stock etc.
> Which card is compatible for crossfire to a 7950? I did some searching and only coming up with the 280x to the 7970 only and 270x to the 7870 no LE cards.
> 
> Are we stuck in the middle with 7950s?
> 
> Thank you!


in theory 7950 + 280X should work, but I'm unsure about drivers, may or may not recognize correctly...


----------



## LDV617

That makes sense. I noticed a big difference going from 8ms to 2ms on my new monitor. What will make a bigger visual difference between higher refresh rate or lower response time? Most people have said refresh rate, but I saw a huge improvement from response time as well.


----------



## sugarhell

8ms to 2ms is not that great. I barely can see any difference on my dell than my lightboost monitor. Dont forget is 2ms gtg.You only care about B2B on a monitor. Higher refresh rate gives you lower motion blur which is a huge plus.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> That makes sense. I noticed a big difference going from 8ms to 2ms on my new monitor. What will make a bigger visual difference between higher refresh rate or lower response time? Most people have said refresh rate, but I saw a huge improvement from response time as well.


I still use an old dell workstation monitor, 2208WFP, has some 5ms response, looks great in games though despite its age, but you can easily notice the blur if you sidestep at a steady rate, 2ms will have little of this blur but in most cases you may not notice it much anyway, 60Hz vs 120Hz though is a significant difference in response and overall feel, 120Hz will feel very very fluid in everything, even your mouse on the desktop will feel beautiful as its updating at twice the rate it was before, the response is usually 2ms or below on 120Hz monitors anyway so the blur is reduced by default.

so 2ms monitors are good and pretty common, 5ms is the norm for 1440p screens, if you really want something good you can get a 120Hz or 144Hz screen but that would only depend on if you would really want to spend that money, and you'll need to run the games close to that framerate too to get the most out of it.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> a good reason to limit fps even if you dont use vsync is because it wastes resources. Turn vsync on OR limit fps to refresh rate (or even a few fps higher to ensure its over). Check your gpu useage. then turn vsync off and check gpu useage. in games that get 200+ fps it will drastically decrease useage and temps. Also should extend gpu life. Limiting fps to refresh rate should yield the same results as 200+ as the monitor can only produce 60fps if 60hz, 75 fps for 75hz etc. Its wasting resources and makes a 10+ degree difference in CS:GO for me. I play vsynced full screen but windowed mode refuses to vsync. Nice to still play windowed while working at 60 fps and lower temps. In games that dont like vsync its good to limit for the GPU's sake. In games that do like vsync its preferred to run that way.


Okay, that sounds legit. So... use vsync OR fps cap, depending on if you get screen tearing or not.
Quote:


> For twitch games like sc2 you need high fps even if on late game the fps is like 30 fps. Even on 60 hz monitor 120 fps means that the frame latency is around 8ms~. With vsync the frame latency is fixed between 16 ms and 33 ms based if you can mantain all the time the refrese rate target. On some games vsync is good in somt others (skyrim) is just a pain. I dont use anything in general sometimes i cap my frames.I hate input lag from vsync and i hate to dip to 30 fps.


is 8ms latency good or bad? I dont understand what you mean here. So.. dont use a frame cap? But you sometimes use it, but not always...

you say you hate to dip to 30fps, but isnt adaptive vsync the answer? No one use vsync, you should always use adaptive vsync right?

So vsync sometimes add input lag, so another factor to Vsync vs FPS Cap. So only use vsync for screen tearing...


----------



## tessel

New PowerColor 7970 owner here. My 560 Ti died temporarily, so I bought a 7970. Found out after getting the new card that the 560 Ti was back alive again but I am loving this 7970. Lots of grunt and works well. I did have a stutter bug with Dota 2 but managed to find a fix for that. Very happy with my purchase so far, even though I know it isn't cutting edge.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Okay, that sounds legit. So... use vsync OR fps cap, depending on if you get screen tearing or not.
> is 8ms latency good or bad? I dont understand what you mean here. So.. dont use a frame cap? But you sometimes use it, but not always...
> 
> you say you hate to dip to 30fps, but isnt adaptive vsync the answer? No one use vsync, you should always use adaptive vsync right?
> 
> So vsync sometimes add input lag, so another factor to Vsync vs FPS Cap. So only use vsync for screen tearing...


I just cap my frames on game that i dont really need more than 120 fps. And some games theyr physics engines are tied with the frames so for example skyrim over 60 fps is messed up. I dont use vsync because it adds latency and its nearly impossible to keep your frames at 60 fps without even a single dip. Blame dx11 and devs for that. In general vsync is a CRT technology and it should stay there. Adaptive vsync is meh it just disable the vsync when you dip from your refresh rate. Then you have tearing. Nothing special for me vsync makes me feel input lag so i dont use it at all. If you want your card to not run at 100% just use dynamic framerate cap through radeon pro. You can try to use vsync and then dynamic framerate cap at 59 fps.

Now if you have a 120 hz monitor dont use at all vsync or cap except if it is game related or something more specific.

In general think like that. You send something with your keyboard ( i think its around 1 ms input lag) then its the game engine latency around 16 ms(60 fps) then its write display around 16 ms (60hz) and then you have pixel switching(depending your monitor). Now if you render at 120 fps your game engine latency drops to 8 ms. And if you have a 120 hz monitor the write display drops to 8ms. So you have a lower input lag. Vsync know makes the gpu to wait for the draw call from the monitor. That happens every 60 hz.So with this way gpu must wait for the monitor with vsync so it creates input lag.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

I remember using vsync on my old CRTs - I had to set them to 75Hz to avoid going blind, and I definitely remember watching the FPS jump between 75/35ish from time to time. it was worth it to not go blind / have horrible tearing / half screen lightning flashes.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I remember using vsync on my old CRTs - I had to set them to 75Hz to avoid going blind, and I definitely remember watching the FPS jump between 75/35ish from time to time. it was worth it to not go blind / have horrible tearing / half screen lightning flashes.


man I used to love my old CRTs, 75Hz @ 1600x1200, absolute bliss, shame they got decrepit and made so much heat...


----------



## u3b3rg33k

So true. I'm still not quite sure that LCDs have caught up to the pinnacle that was/ is a great CRT. not to mention 75Hz > 60Hz any day. although the power savings is nice.


----------



## FragZero

Does anyone have an idea how much PSU power i realistically need for a 7990 + 7950?

With my current system

2700k 4.8ghz
7950 1200/1650

I measured 520 watt's while running Prime + Furmark (and that's at the wall so the actual power delivered is a bit lower.)

I'm wondering how much of this power is GPU and if my HX850 will run a 7990 + 7950 (as a test). (this PSU ran 2x 480 GTX with overclocks without any problems)


----------



## sherlock

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Does anyone have an idea how much PSU power i realistically need for a 7990 + 7950?
> 
> With my current system
> 
> 2700k 4.8ghz
> 7950 1200/1650
> 
> I measured 520 watt's while running Prime + Furmark (and that's at the wall so the actual power delivered is a bit lower.)
> 
> I'm wondering how much of this power is GPU and if my HX850 will run a 7990 + 7950 (as a test). (this PSU ran 2x 480 GTX with overclocks without any problems)


Techpowerup shows 7990 pulls 347 Watt during Furmark, 313 W during Crysis 2, use this as a reference should help you.



So if you use Prime+Furmark as a guide to max usage then you should be considering getting a 860W+ PSU(a 1KW PSU should be sufficent ).


----------



## FragZero

Why didn't i find those charts!

They show a 7990 + 7950 at Max load to be at 526 watt, that leaves some power left for my cpu.

I'll certainly try this setup!

Anyone tried this yet? Couldn't really find information about such a setup (7990 + 7950). I don't plan on using it, only a single 7990 but still interesting to try.


----------



## vonalka

I have a 7990 with a 7970 and 1000w PSU - no issues, runs great. I wouldn't think you would want to go much below 1000w, besides the power needs, most lower wattage PSUs don't even have enough cables to support +2 GPUs


----------



## dmfree88

http://m.hardocp.com/article/2013/04/22/nvidia_geforce_gtx_titan_3way_sli_review/9#.UpjmIMvTmv0

Some perspective. Single cards take alot more power then a 2nd or 3rd card. Even triple 7970 at stock could work at 850w(with minimal headroom for other peripherals). Overclocked would need more power. A 7990 plus 7950 will have plenty of power at 850w though

Dont let others fool you check actual power consumption from people who have 2 or more gpu (compare 2 7990 im sure u would still have headroom)and you will find 850 is enuff


----------



## Azuredragon1

Does anyone ever have the problem that crossfire load balancing stop working?


----------



## Jflisk

I have a 7990 + 7970. When I had my 2x7970 6gb I had to go up to a 1000W power supply. Right now I sit at 1350Watts with the 7990+7970.If you do the math with a proper power calculator you will know what you need. I cant tell you what to do I can just highly suggest 1000W. Thanks


----------



## dmfree88

Power calculators are horribly inaccurate and do not scale for sli or xfire properly. Check xfire reviews with power consumption being tested. Pending peripherals 850w should be plenty. Especially at stock. But even overclocked should still be plenty unless your running custom water or lots of other peripherals


----------



## sugarhell

People. Each 7970 has a hard limit on tdp at 300 watt. Then there is some custom cards(lightning) that can pass that but i dont expect anyone on air or even water to pass 300 watt on 7970s. If you have 3 cards 300 watt X 3. I think 7990 has 20% powerlimit too. You get the stock tdp you add 20% and you have your TDP. No reason to ask its way better to calculate your power consumption


----------



## wonton1017

Acquired a Powercolor AX7990 about 2 days ago and the only problems I had with it is that the coil whine at idle is extremely annoying and it runs pretty hot so I couldn't overclock it m much.

On windows 7 the coil whine goes away when I open Furmark, didn't need to run any actual tests. Just open furmark and mind my own business. However, after upgrading from win7 to win8.1, the coil whine literally disappeared. Weird stuff, I know.

Stock voltage was around 1180mv. I wanted to push its limit and i undervolted it to 1050mv and overclocked it to 1000/1500 at ease (stock specs were 900/1400) I didn't have to do any adjustments so I am sure I can get better results.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wonton1017*
> 
> Acquired a Powercolor AX7990 about 2 days ago and the only problems I had with it is that the coil whine at idle is extremely annoying and it runs pretty hot so I couldn't overclock it m much.
> 
> On windows 7 the coil whine goes away when I open Furmark, didn't need to run any actual tests. Just open furmark and mind my own business. However, after upgrading from win7 to win8.1, the coil whine literally disappeared. Weird stuff, I know.
> 
> Stock voltage was around 1180mv. I wanted to push its limit and i undervolted it to 1050mv and overclocked it to 1000/1500 at ease (stock specs were 900/1400) I didn't have to do any adjustments so I am sure I can get better results.


I am at 1125 / 1500 with my 7990. Thanks


----------



## vonalka

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wonton1017*
> 
> Acquired a Powercolor AX7990 about 2 days ago and the only problems I had with it is that the coil whine at idle is extremely annoying and it runs pretty hot so I couldn't overclock it m much.
> 
> On windows 7 the coil whine goes away when I open Furmark, didn't need to run any actual tests. Just open furmark and mind my own business. However, after upgrading from win7 to win8.1, the coil whine literally disappeared. Weird stuff, I know.
> 
> Stock voltage was around 1180mv. I wanted to push its limit and i undervolted it to 1050mv and overclocked it to 1000/1500 at ease (stock specs were 900/1400) I didn't have to do any adjustments so I am sure I can get better results.


I am noticed the same thing. At stock clocks on air I am hitting 102c temps with fans at 100%, so no room to OC if I am going to be gaming.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Why didn't i find those charts!
> 
> They show a 7990 + 7950 at Max load to be at 526 watt, that leaves some power left for my cpu.
> 
> I'll certainly try this setup!
> 
> Anyone tried this yet? Couldn't really find information about such a setup (7990 + 7950). I don't plan on using it, only a single 7990 but still interesting to try.


should run fine, jsut clock the 7950 up slightly, or lower the 7990, so the perf between all 3 chips is mostly the same, though I don't think it matters much anyway.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> People. Each 7970 has a hard limit on tdp at 300 watt. Then there is some custom cards(lightning) that can pass that but i dont expect anyone on air or even water to pass 300 watt on 7970s. If you have 3 cards 300 watt X 3. I think 7990 has 20% powerlimit too. You get the stock tdp you add 20% and you have your TDP. No reason to ask its way better to calculate your power consumption


Except the 2nd and 3rd card dnt take as much power and overclocking can change the whole ball game.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Except the 2nd and 3rd card dnt take as much power and overclocking can change the whole ball game.


2nd and 3rd cards takes the same power. If you think otherwise then thats insane.Personal experience quadfire 7970s overclocked i need 2 psus. 1 lepa 1600 and a second 400 watt. Its not even logical the second card to consume less. They are just mirrors. They do the same work


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> *Except the 2nd and 3rd card dnt take as much power and overclocking can change the whole ball game.*
> 
> 
> 
> 2nd and 3rd cards takes the same power. If you think otherwise then thats insane.Personal experience quadfire 7970s overclocked i need 2 psus. 1 lepa 1600 and a second 400 watt. Its not even logical the second card to consume less. They are just mirrors. They do the same work
Click to expand...

Hahahaha! Put that guy on ignore dude!


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wonton1017*
> 
> Acquired a Powercolor AX7990 about 2 days ago and the only problems I had with it is that the coil whine at idle is extremely annoying and it runs pretty hot so I couldn't overclock it m much.
> 
> On windows 7 the coil whine goes away when I open Furmark, didn't need to run any actual tests. Just open furmark and mind my own business. However, after upgrading from win7 to win8.1, the coil whine literally disappeared. Weird stuff, I know.
> 
> Stock voltage was around 1180mv. I wanted to push its limit and i undervolted it to 1050mv and overclocked it to 1000/1500 at ease (stock specs were 900/1400) I didn't have to do any adjustments so I am sure I can get better results.


No way! I've had coil whine on all three of the ones I've had just like you described and I temporarily fixed it just like you with furmark, but I idn't like it because it stole one thread of cpu power. Can you check on afterburner or something to see if there might be any differences in how the card runs that might cause the coil whine to go away? I don't wanna upgrade, but hell, if it means I won't have a $680 paperweight, I might.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 2nd and 3rd cards takes the same power. If you think otherwise then thats insane.Personal experience quadfire 7970s overclocked i need 2 psus. 1 lepa 1600 and a second 400 watt. Its not even logical the second card to consume less. They are just mirrors. They do the same work


If your pushing all cards to the max. In most games your utilizing more of the first card then the others. Its highly unlikely to pull the full amount from all 3. They generally dont push an even load. I suppose if your not running vsync or benching you should be able to max atleast core use but you will likely have more heat and average power consumption from card one.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 2nd and 3rd cards takes the same power. If you think otherwise then thats insane.Personal experience quadfire 7970s overclocked i need 2 psus. 1 lepa 1600 and a second 400 watt. Its not even logical the second card to consume less. They are just mirrors. They do the same work
> 
> 
> 
> *If your pushing all cards to the max. In most games your utilizing more of the first card then the others. Its highly unlikely to pull the full amount from all 3. They generally dont push an even load. I suppose if your not running vsync or benching you should be able to max atleast core use but you will likely have more heat and average power consumption from card one.*
Click to expand...

*When you have no experience on the matter it's best you just keep quiet.*

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaRLiToS*
> 
> HD 7970 : *TDP of 300w* with 20% Power Tune (250w stock but if you overclock, calculate 300w)
> 
> 
> 
> So I was benching just a lil bit ago and it dawned on me that I could measure each cards draw independently lol! I have an 2nd psu for benching and a killawatt, score.
> 
> Plug only the gpu into the 2nd psu. Hook that up to killawatt. Get your psu's proven efficiency factors off the net, I use jonnyguru. I was benching Firestrike (chasing the Titans lol) so this is from that.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Results from Silverstone ST1500 COLD load tests
> Test # +3.3V +5V +12V DC Watts/AC Watts *Eff.* Intake/Exhaust Simulated system load tests
> 
> 1 3A 3A 22A 303W/347W *87.3%* 21Â°C/28Â°C
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Note, the max I saw was 345W but I was only able to capture the pic after it dropped. Use the pics for illustration.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *This 345W measurement is off my 4th gpu*. Here's what I was benching. Bah, futuremark really blew the quad tahiti scaling, but trifire is working good.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/hall-of-fame-2/fire+strike+3dmark+score+extreme+preset/version+1.1/4+gpu
Click to expand...


----------



## sugarhell

Maybe because you cant setup properly crossfire. Most of the times i have 99% gpu usage on both on all the games. And gpu usage doesnt mean anything. With mining i can easily hit 300 watt per card with just 20% powerlimit and its around 90% gpu usage. Your statement is false and misinformation


----------



## blackhole2013

What I just found out to be weird with my reference 7970 is my stock memory voltage is 1.6v and I can overclock the memory to about 1700 mhz before they start messing up but then I used afterburner and lowered my memory voltage to 1.5v and I said to my self theres no way it will run but to my surprise it runs fine and VRN temps are cooler . I wonder why they had the voltage on them so high when I max them out at 1.5v the same as 1.6v ....


----------



## sugarhell

Because the hynix are rated for 1.6 volt at stock. And you should keep it at 1.6 volt


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I am at 1125 / 1500 with my 7990. Thanks


I have seen a couple of things here. When you do wattage for the power supply you have to take into consideration CPU, Fans , Accessories - peripherals, RAM all the components that you are going to be running not just the GPU's. So whoever asked the question about power please take into consideration all the above when calculating.1600 Watts is a little much. 1000W your at a gaming system. My 1350W keeps me from having shut downs and over clock problems with RAM and the CPU. Yep it cost money but money well spent when it comes to Power supplies. Buy the best the first time don't worry about it the second. Thanks


----------



## DMT94

Anybody got the MSI 7990? It's at a really good price at the moment and I'm going for the kill. Do you know if it comes with a DVI-HDMI adapter? I don't have DVI on my TV


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Does anyone have an idea how much PSU power i realistically need for a 7990 + 7950?
> 
> With my current system
> 
> 2700k 4.8ghz
> 7950 1200/1650
> 
> I measured 520 watt's while running Prime + Furmark (and that's at the wall so the actual power delivered is a bit lower.)
> 
> I'm wondering how much of this power is GPU and if my HX850 will run a 7990 + 7950 (as a test). (this PSU ran 2x 480 GTX with overclocks without any problems)


ummm you will probably throttle due to lack of power...
i had tri fire 7970s @ stock i could see and benches would show an increase by using a secondary psu ( primary at the time was a x750, shortly there after i bought my first 1250w psu )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Power calculators are horribly inaccurate and do not scale for sli or xfire properly. Check xfire reviews with power consumption being tested. Pending peripherals 850w should be plenty. Especially at stock. But even overclocked should still be plenty unless your running custom water or lots of other peripherals


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Except the 2nd and 3rd card dnt take as much power and overclocking can change the whole ball game.
> 
> 
> 
> 2nd and 3rd cards takes the same power. If you think otherwise then thats insane.Personal experience quadfire 7970s overclocked i need 2 psus. 1 lepa 1600 and a second 400 watt. Its not even logical the second card to consume less. They are just mirrors. They do the same work
Click to expand...

huh he is right man, they use the same power, even now if i switch to only 1 psu i can trip ocp on my 1250w they do the same work, they just dont output to different cards all outputs are through the 1st card.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DMT94*
> 
> Anybody got the MSI 7990? It's at a really good price at the moment and I'm going for the kill. Do you know if it comes with a DVI-HDMI adapter? I don't have DVI on my TV


why not just use DP to hdmi ?


----------



## DMT94

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> why not just use DP to hdmi ?


Does it come with a DP to HDMI?


----------



## Mega Man

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127735&Tpk=msi%207990
see for yourself


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Because the hynix are rated for 1.6 volt at stock. And you should keep it at 1.6 volt


What can happen if I keep it at 1.5v It keeps my VRM temps down to around 70-75c while gaming instead of 80-90c. Im just woried VRM temps are to high ..


----------



## wonton1017

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> No way! I've had coil whine on all three of the ones I've had just like you described and I temporarily fixed it just like you with furmark, but I idn't like it because it stole one thread of cpu power. Can you check on afterburner or something to see if there might be any differences in how the card runs that might cause the coil whine to go away? I don't wanna upgrade, but hell, if it means I won't have a $680 paperweight, I might.


Honestly at first I thought it would put some stress on the card but MSI afterburner says otherwise

0 load differences on the CPU and GPU, so I'm not sure what Furmark is doing. However, I am sure the only reason why the whine goes away is because Furmark puts a TINY bit of stress on the card.
Another thing I noticed is that Windows 8.1 randomly takes away the whine, but sometimes its still there.

*Also, running 1x Furmark will NOT eliminate the annoying coil while for some younger people. I'm in my early 20's and I can still hear a slightly high pitch noise coming from the card. So I opened 2x Furmark and the higher pitch noise became even higher pitch. The more Furmarks you open, the higher the pitch becomes and should eventually get to the point where you just can't hear it anymore.*


----------



## nvidiaftw12

For me, gaming takes away the whine. Furmark does exactly like you said and takes it away for the most part, but there is still some because at low resolutions it has a very high fps and that does something to make it whine. Folding also doesn't fix it. I can't notice it when folding, but I have ringing in my ears every time I go to bed so it's still there. Powercolor doesn't want to give me anymore RMA's either. Well, we'll just see about that.


----------



## wonton1017

Same here, gaming will take away the whine. But opening furmark is a must for me when I am trying to write my essay.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> If your pushing all cards to the max. In most games your utilizing more of the first card then the others. Its highly unlikely to pull the full amount from all 3. They generally dont push an even load. I suppose if your not running vsync or benching you should be able to max atleast core use but you will likely have more heat and average power consumption from card one.


in crossfire, the slave cards are just streaming their buffers into the display controller in the primary card, (and into the memory of the other cards in certain buffer effects), same as how your integrated intel gpus get power from dedicated cards, so the power use on the primary is virtually identical to the rest.

I think the only time you could possibly make the primary use more power is if you had a 4K monitor running some 200 fps or more, which would be bottlenecked by your PCIe lanes anyway...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wonton1017*
> 
> Honestly at first I thought it would put some stress on the card but MSI afterburner says otherwise
> 
> 0 load differences on the CPU and GPU, so I'm not sure what Furmark is doing. However, I am sure the only reason why the whine goes away is because Furmark puts a TINY bit of stress on the card.
> Another thing I noticed is that Windows 8.1 randomly takes away the whine, but sometimes its still there.
> 
> *Also, running 1x Furmark will NOT eliminate the annoying coil while for some younger people. I'm in my early 20's and I can still hear a slightly high pitch noise coming from the card. So I opened 2x Furmark and the higher pitch noise became even higher pitch. The more Furmarks you open, the higher the pitch becomes and should eventually get to the point where you just can't hear it anymore.*


you need to run it long enough for the glue in the coils to melt completely through and settle into the coils, then take the load out when you cant hear it anymore and they should resettle correctly.

the noise is because the coils have room for movement, they are covered in a heavy glue that's supposed to stop movement but there's a fair few cases that you get bubbles or not quite enough in there, you heat them up again and you can get the coils completely covered and the noise will vanish, generally you'll notice it slowly dampen out as it heats up as the glue softens, I think a good note is the card should probably sit like it would in a normal ATX case, other orientations may not let the glue fully cover the coils corrcectly...


----------



## mushroomboy

Or the wine is just there. It happens, and headphones for games rocks. I've had fans wine so bad I can't stand them, put on my headphones.... Well lets say it drowns out the noise. Needsless to say, electronics can make annoying noises. i've got friends who have actual tube amps where they wine a bit. It happens, even in "solid state electronics". So sometimes you hear a wine, if things preform on (or above) par, don't worry.

If the component fails, RMA! that's my motto.


----------



## BradleyW

If the cards whines too much, RMA it. This is what I do if any of my components whine too loud (idle and in game).


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mushroomboy*
> 
> Or the wine is just there. It happens, and headphones for games rocks. I've had fans wine so bad I can't stand them, put on my headphones.... Well lets say it drowns out the noise. Needsless to say, electronics can make annoying noises. i've got friends who have actual tube amps where they wine a bit. It happens, even in "solid state electronics". So sometimes you hear a wine, if things preform on (or above) par, don't worry.
> 
> If the component fails, RMA! that's my motto.


heh tubes, though said friends should be careful if they make a large enough amount of noise, it could mean their power delivery isn't very stable, though cathode tubes make noise regardless due to the coils and the ray gun inside them.

and yea, any fan will make a noise regardless of what it is, cheap high-rpm fans are especially bad with PWM whine and rough sleeve bearings, some ball bearings can be notably loud too...


----------



## dracconus

Just connect all the graphics cards to a psu, run it through a kill a watt and then use the rest of your components to guess how much power you'd need.
The graphics cards are the biggest power drains in your system, so it's a lot easier to estimate once you KNOW what they use. Do them one at a time, that way you know you're not going to potentially overload your PSU. Simple.


----------



## FragZero

After reading the comments i think i should be safe trying this setup. I have a watt-meter so i can monitor the powerdraw!


----------



## incog

Ah so that's how that works


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> in crossfire, the slave cards are just streaming their buffers into the display controller in the primary card, (and into the memory of the other cards in certain buffer effects), same as how your integrated intel gpus get power from dedicated cards, so the power use on the primary is virtually identical to the rest.
> 
> I think the only time you could possibly make the primary use more power is if you had a 4K monitor running some 200 fps or more, which would be bottlenecked by your PCIe lanes anyway...
> you need to run it long enough for the glue in the coils to melt completely through and settle into the coils, then take the load out when you cant hear it anymore and they should resettle correctly.
> 
> the noise is because the coils have room for movement, they are covered in a heavy glue that's supposed to stop movement but there's a fair few cases that you get bubbles or not quite enough in there, you heat them up again and you can get the coils completely covered and the noise will vanish, generally you'll notice it slowly dampen out as it heats up as the glue softens, I think a good note is the card should probably sit like it would in a normal ATX case, other orientations may not let the glue fully cover the coils corrcectly...


I'll be deaf by that time.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> If the cards whines too much, RMA it. This is what I do if any of my components whine too loud (idle and in game).


Done that twice. No avail.


----------



## dambrosioj

Hey guys, I recently just bought a 7970 Double D off tigerdirect for a killer deal the other day. ($189) It was kind of an impulse buy and I wanted to get one to water cool using the red mod since I have a spare H60 sitting around.

Now that I have been reading some more it seems that these cards are locked and cannot be overclocked

Here is a link to the card
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=8209130&tab=7&SRCCODE=WEBLET03SHIP&cm_mmc=Email-_-WebletMain-_-WEBLET03SHIP-_-03ship&utm_source=EML&utm_medium=main&utm_campaign=WEBLET03SHIP&[email protected]

Is there anyway to overclock these type of cards? modified configs? bios?

Has anyone had success?

I am just trying to find out because if not I will just refuse the package.


----------



## blackhole2013

Since you are all talking about whine mine does it while I game at 1200/1750 at 1.215v but I think its normal for how much I OC'ed It.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> After reading the comments i think i should be safe trying this setup. I have a watt-meter so i can monitor the powerdraw!


Just go for it, if your PSU is any good it will just shutoff. My OCZ one (not even that great) shut off with two 7950's to a black screen and nothing happened at all.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> I just cap my frames on game that i dont really need more than 120 fps. And some games theyr physics engines are tied with the frames so for example skyrim over 60 fps is messed up. I dont use vsync because it adds latency and its nearly impossible to keep your frames at 60 fps without even a single dip. Blame dx11 and devs for that. In general vsync is a CRT technology and it should stay there. Adaptive vsync is meh it just disable the vsync when you dip from your refresh rate. Then you have tearing. Nothing special for me vsync makes me feel input lag so i dont use it at all. If you want your card to not run at 100% just use dynamic framerate cap through radeon pro. You can try to use vsync and then dynamic framerate cap at 59 fps.


whats the difference between regular fps cap and dynamic?
Quote:


> What I just found out to be weird with my reference 7970 is my stock memory voltage is 1.6v and I can overclock the memory to about 1700 mhz before they start messing up but then I used afterburner and lowered my memory voltage to 1.5v and I said to my self theres no way it will run but to my surprise it runs fine and VRN temps are cooler . I wonder why they had the voltage on them so high when I max them out at 1.5v the same as 1.6v ....


Youre fine to run them below stock voltage. GDDR5 RAM is based off DDR3, you can run them as low as 1.3v just fine. Stock specifications is simply a manufacturer guaranteed overclock and means nothing. A lot of hynix is run at 1.5v but on some of the AMD cards they just put them at 1.6v to avoid faulty modules causing RMAs because they're just overvolted so much.

If your RAM is messing up at 1700mhz, that tells me you have Elpida 60F and not hynix RAM though, as hynix can hit 2000mhz+ easily.


----------



## Paul17041993

GDDR5 stock volt is usually 1.65V, sometimes 1.5V, though only on more lower-end cards that don't need much memory clock (eg 7950), 1700MHz sounds normal, though you usually need to give the core more voltage for high memory anyway, highest Ive seen so far (on a reference PCB) is somewhere around 1875MHz, of which the core was about 1400MHz and quite a lot of voltage, something around 1.4V I think it was...


----------



## Belial

It depends on the RAM IC used. Elpida 50F only overclocks to ~1500-1600 (50F stands for 5000mhz DDR, or 1250x4=5000mhz), Elpida 60F ~1600-700, and Hynix hits over 2000 easily. You can find plenty of info on RAM ICs in my 7950 guide linked in my sig. It's quite common for 2100, 2200mhz RAM for hynix. 1875mhz probably was just a high OC on Elpidas, because hynix can do that without breaking a sweat.

I believe Elpida specified 1.5v as stock but that doesnt stop companies from sending them out at 1.65v in the BIOS. Stock really doesnt mean anything, ie 'stock' i5 speed is 3.4ghz, but clearly they can do 4.4ghz+ no problem. I think most of us here are more interested in what the true capabilities of a chip are rather than the arbitrary stock settings that the marketing department decided upon.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> It depends on the RAM IC used. Elpida 50F only overclocks to ~1500-1600 (50F stands for 5000mhz DDR, or 1250x4=5000mhz), Elpida 60F ~1600-700, and Hynix hits over 2000 easily. You can find plenty of info on RAM ICs in my 7950 guide linked in my sig. It's quite common for 2100, 2200mhz RAM for hynix. 1875mhz probably was just a high OC on Elpidas, because hynix can do that without breaking a sweat.
> 
> I believe Elpida specified 1.5v as stock but that doesnt stop companies from sending them out at 1.65v in the BIOS. Stock really doesnt mean anything, ie 'stock' i5 speed is 3.4ghz, but clearly they can do 4.4ghz+ no problem. I think most of us here are more interested in what the true capabilities of a chip are rather than the arbitrary stock settings that the marketing department decided upon.


yea its generally limited by the memory controller in the gpu itself, I think AMD mentioned that with the 290X, changing to 512bit and lowering the capability actually made the controller smaller in comparison, at the cost that you only get some 1500MHz out of it, pretty high for 512bit though.


----------



## Belial

I dont understand what you are saying, that the different VRAM overclock capabilities on the different 7950s with different RAM ICs is not based on the RAM ICs, but different memory controllers used? How can you tell what memory controller is used on each 7950? Because I thought it was due to the RAM IC.

I do not know what RAM IC is used in the 290.

*************************************************************************

I didnt get any answers in the monitor thread so I'll post this in here since a lot of monitor talk here: What's the best monitor under $200 (US, sale prices fine)? I need 2 monitors (general usage) and a 3rd for gaming/general usage.

I have an S2340L, U2312HM, and Asus VS238H-P right now for side by side comparison (got the s2340l as 1 of 2, going to try 2nd monitor and see which i like more and return, u2312hm is mine, asus is someone elses). The S2340L has more vibrant color, the U2312Hm has deeper blacks, and the asus just kinda sucks lol. Using lagom.nl's lcd tests and blur busters testing.

Response time and ghosting, the u2312hm is slightly better than s2340l (negative ghosting in blurbuster ufo test), the asus is a lot worse response time (lagom response time test) but the only way it is better is no ghosting (asus' pixel overdrive is pretty good it seems). Otherwise the asus seems very.. dull, like it's much less bright, the contrast is clearly worse, the blacks are much greyer and whites and colors more washed out.

It seems the u2312hm is maybe slightly better as a monitor than the S2340L (better stand, better connetions, better response time and ghosting, deerp black), but the S2340L looks _slightly_ better due to more vibrant colors. Side by side, I really can't tell one or the other is matte/glossy, the U2312HM doesn't appear fuzzy or anything, even with it's heavy matte coating.

ANYWAYS from what I Understand it seems the Acer H236HL is the best monitor under $200, right now it's $120 shipped, $20 cheaper than the newer no-pwm S236 which has a super ugly bezel/stand and H226 (no pwm, but smaller). PWM doesnt bother me and if it does I'll just exchange.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I dont understand what you are saying, that the different VRAM overclock capabilities on the different 7950s with different RAM ICs is not based on the RAM ICs, but different memory controllers used? How can you tell what memory controller is used on each 7950? Because I thought it was due to the RAM IC.
> 
> I do not know what RAM IC is used in the 290.


7950 uses lower-end ICs so is generally limited by them, 7970 uses higher end and will generally cap out at just below 1900 unless you use nitrogen, 290/290X uses both hynix and elpida memory of the exact spec, not sure what spec but I think its 5k.


----------



## CravinR1

It's official sold my 7950 crossfire x2 for $750 (one to member here for $250 and one on ebay for $500)

Ordered a sapphire R290 bf4 edition for $395 from new egg.


----------



## process

wow good sell... who in their right mind wouuld pay $500 for 1 oh


----------



## CravinR1

I'm guessing miners
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337413396&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F271335746245%3FssPageName%3DSTRK%3AMESOX%3AIT%26_trksid%3Dp3984.m1561.l2649


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> I'm guessing miners
> http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?campid=5337413396&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fitm%2F271335746245%3FssPageName%3DSTRK%3AMESOX%3AIT%26_trksid%3Dp3984.m1561.l2649


7950s are pretty much the hotcake for mining...


----------



## chronicfx

Anyone know what kind of thermal pads the 7990 stock air cooler uses? I had to fingernail them off when i put on my waterblock, so they were destroyed, I may want to put the air cooler back on and if all is good unload it. I do faintly remember thinking they were thinner than the ones that came with my xspc waterblock.
AX7990 6GBD5-M4DH model


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 7950s are pretty much the hotcake for mining...


Yeah, I know I have two mining myself. Got another month or so before I have to stop so I should make quite a few coins before then.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> It's official sold my 7950 crossfire x2 for $750 (one to member here for $250 and one on ebay for $500)
> 
> Ordered a sapphire R290 bf4 edition for $395 from new egg.


$500 for a 7950?!?!?! WHAT? That is mad, I'd sell both of mine for $750 in a flash and get a 290/290x and watercool it. It means I'd have to stop mining unfortunately.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I dont understand what you are saying, that the different VRAM overclock capabilities on the different 7950s with different RAM ICs is not based on the RAM ICs, but different memory controllers used? How can you tell what memory controller is used on each 7950? Because I thought it was due to the RAM IC.
> 
> I do not know what RAM IC is used in the 290.
> 
> 
> 
> 7950 uses lower-end ICs so is generally limited by them, 7970 uses higher end and will generally cap out at just below 1900 unless you use nitrogen, 290/290X uses both hynix and elpida memory of the exact spec, not sure what spec but I think its 5k.
Click to expand...

I don't understand what you mean. 7950s use 3 different IC's depending on the model and revision, Elpida 50F (OC ~1500-1600mhz), Elpida 60F (OC ~1600-1700mhz), and Hynix (tighter timings, faster clock for clock than Elpidas, overclocks to 2000-2200mhz easily).

So, I don't know if you just weren't aware of that, or are referring to the new 7950s which all suck and have stupid things like boost, stock 1.25v, voltage lock, and Elpida 60F, or that you are actually saying even Hynix suck.

Now I am not very familiar with any AMD GPU besides the 7950 (IVE GOT HORSE BLINDERS, i probably know more about 7950s than anyone but a couple of the BIOS editors, certainly much more general knowledge), but I googled the R9 290 and it seems like some use elpida, but some also use the new Hynix AFR-ROCs.

AFR (top line) is the RAM designation (or the whole line is really, but those 3 letters differentiate it from 100 other kits the start the same way...), R2C is the speed designation, or class I guess. I'm not sure if it's a binning or an entirely different IC, I believe it's just the speed it's sold at, maybe binning, rather than a different IC altogether.

http://wccftech.com/retail-amd-radeon-r9-290x-pictured-detail-pcb-shot-close/

The good 7950s use Hynix MFR R0C:


Here's data sheet on it:



My guess is any Hynix AFR, even the R0C or T0C, could do the same overclock potential as R2C.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Anyone know what kind of thermal pads the 7990 stock air cooler uses? I had to fingernail them off when i put on my waterblock, so they were destroyed, I may want to put the air cooler back on and if all is good unload it. I do faintly remember thinking they were thinner than the ones that came with my xspc waterblock.
> AX7990 6GBD5-M4DH model


nothing special, just get any plain thermal pads off ebay. Or fujipoly if you want something 'premium' but it's so unnecessary seeing as RAM IC's will never get hot, even overvolted/overclocked on water. It's the VRAM VRM that gets super hot and blows out commonly.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I don't understand what you mean. 7950s use 3 different IC's depending on the model and revision, Elpida 50F (OC ~1500-1600mhz), Elpida 60F (OC ~1600-1700mhz), and Hynix (tighter timings, faster clock for clock than Elpidas, overclocks to 2000-2200mhz easily).
> 
> So, I don't know if you just weren't aware of that, or are referring to the new 7950s which all suck and have stupid things like boost, stock 1.25v, voltage lock, and Elpida 60F, or that you are actually saying even Hynix suck.
> 
> Now I am not very familiar with any AMD GPU besides the 7950 (IVE GOT HORSE BLINDERS, i probably know more about 7950s than anyone but a couple of the BIOS editors, certainly much more general knowledge), but I googled the R9 290 and it seems like some use elpida, but some also use the new Hynix AFR-ROCs.
> 
> AFR (top line) is the RAM designation (or the whole line is really, but those 3 letters differentiate it from 100 other kits the start the same way...), R2C is the speed designation, or class I guess. I'm not sure if it's a binning or an entirely different IC, I believe it's just the speed it's sold at, maybe binning, rather than a different IC altogether.
> 
> http://wccftech.com/retail-amd-radeon-r9-290x-pictured-detail-pcb-shot-close/
> 
> -snip-
> 
> My guess is any Hynix AFR, even the R0C or T0C, could do the same overclock potential as R2C.


I guess if you have a 7950 with the better ICs It could probably clock quite high, would depend on the bin quality of the core though, though I don't think Ive seen many of the very first gen 7950s so that may be why I haven't seen many/any with really high memory clocks.
and yea the 290/290X is a mixed basket atm, though they seem to be of the exact same specs as a BIOS change can make the lower ones behave just like the better ones, whether or not the higher settings reduce the life and stability of the ICs I don't know...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> nothing special, just get any plain thermal pads off ebay. Or fujipoly if you want something 'premium' but it's so unnecessary seeing as RAM IC's will never get hot, even overvolted/overclocked on water. It's the VRAM VRM that gets super hot and blows out commonly.


you have to be careful of the thickness though, too thin and they wont get much contact, which can kill them in time, (though likely fine on stock clocks).


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> I guess if you have a 7950 with the better ICs It could probably clock quite high, would depend on the bin quality of the core though, though I don't think Ive seen many of the very first gen 7950s so that may be why I haven't seen many/any with really high memory clocks.
> and yea the 290/290X is a mixed basket atm, though they seem to be of the exact same specs as a BIOS change can make the lower ones behave just like the better ones, whether or not the higher settings reduce the life and stability of the ICs I don't know...


All gigabyte use hynix, asus used hynix until just very recently, and then otherwise yea mostly older 7950s used hynix.

Doesnt seem like a mixed basket to me. I have never heard of where 'higher settings reduced the life of the IC". Ever. On anything. Like this. Degradation, stuff like that, you generally see very quickly.

You were right, new R9s using better RAM ic than 7950s (well partially since many r9 use elpida, but i'll give it to you).


----------



## dmfree88

I was very sad to see that myself. Whyd they jump to elpida? I was considering a 270x hawk until i saw they removed the gpu reactor and switched to elpida. Double downgrade.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> All gigabyte use hynix, asus used hynix until just very recently, and then otherwise yea mostly older 7950s used hynix.
> 
> Doesnt seem like a mixed basket to me. I have never heard of where 'higher settings reduced the life of the IC". Ever. On anything. Like this. Degradation, stuff like that, you generally see very quickly.
> 
> You were right, new R9s using better RAM ic than 7950s (well partially since many r9 use elpida, but i'll give it to you).


from my understanding electron migration, on our equipment with its volatage walls ect, is 95% temp based.


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> It's official sold my 7950 crossfire x2 for $750 (one to member here for $250 and one on ebay for $500)
> 
> Ordered a sapphire R290 bf4 edition for $395 from new egg.


holy! I just grabbed 3x wf3 for $475 and thinking i might just flip them lol.


----------



## rcoolb2002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> holy! I just grabbed 3x wf3 for $475 and thinking i might just flip them lol.


I'll buy them lol.

I just picked up 2 blocked 7970's and 4 280x TOXIC.

My single 7950 is lonely!!


----------



## Darklyric

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcoolb2002*
> 
> I'll buy them lol.
> 
> I just picked up 2 blocked 7970's and 4 280x TOXIC.
> 
> My single 7950 is lonely!!


I would feel bad making anyone pay ebay pricing that actually knows better lol....


----------



## rcoolb2002

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darklyric*
> 
> I would feel bad making anyone pay ebay pricing that actually knows better lol....


Ha okay then.

I got the TOXIC for $315 each. Can't believe people are paying that for 7950.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> nothing special, just get any plain thermal pads off ebay. Or fujipoly if you want something 'premium' but it's so unnecessary seeing as RAM IC's will never get hot, even overvolted/overclocked on water. It's the VRAM VRM that gets super hot and blows out commonly.


I wanted to know what thickness for the stock 7990


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I wanted to know what thickness for the stock 7990


0.5 mm thickness i believe, tc.


----------



## Jflisk

0.5mm thermal pads









Like this

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/17503/thr-184/Fujipoly_Ultra_Extreme_System_Builder_Thermal_Pad_-_Mosfet_Block_-_100_x_15_x_05_-_Thermal_Conductivity_170_WmK.html?tl=g8c487s1288


----------



## Joannou1

Ahh, I forgot my password, and now my email isn't receiving emails... Great, made a new account.

I ordered two 7950's from TigerDirect last night, order went though, paid extra for next day shipping.
Logged in today, to see order status is backordered...

Never order from TigerDirect.
Big ripoff, took my money, now on backorder probably for 1 month due to extreme demand.


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Ahh, I forgot my password, and now my email isn't receiving emails... Great, made a new account.
> 
> I ordered two 7950's from TigerDirect last night, order went though, paid extra for next day shipping.
> Logged in today, to see order status is backordered...
> 
> Never order from TigerDirect.
> Big ripoff, took my money, now on backorder probably for 1 month due to extreme demand.


Did you talk to tigers call center for the purchases?


----------



## Joannou1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptDanko*
> 
> Did you talk to tigers call center for the purchases?


I have actually been on hold for the past hour...
Listening to some nice reduced and garbled pianos and flutes playing!

EDIT: After arguing and debating with the head manager of sales... I got free overnight shipping for the next 10 orders, and priority backorder for their mistake. He also offered to get the 7970's at a discount 'within reason'... But I have to email him.

EDIT 2: Cards came in stock, and will overnight ship tomorrow... Mixed opinions about TD, their inventory stock system could use some serious overhauling.


----------



## The Storm

Well I managed to jump on the 7950 selling frenzie. Too bad these won't fit on my new r9-290's that are on the way.


----------



## Mega Man

did anyone see this 499.99 for 290x !
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202058


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Yeah. Sapphire too. Not terrible.


----------



## Belial

so whats up with the 7950 being so expensive suddenly? Isn't the $400 R9 290 (which just unlocks to 290x) better as a miner than the 7950, since it's 200% the price for exactly 200%+ the performance?

Granted, you _need_ to put the R9 on water, but I'd really argue that the same is true for the 7950 once you put the +50 power limit on it even on stock voltage in GPGPU/scrypt work. Isn't a 290 a better value miner than the 7950? It's got about twice the hash, for only twice the price.

I mean I dont get why the 7950 is 290 priced right now... Or heck why not even get an R9 280? I guess it isn't out yet but I imagine it'll be around 250, that should be equal to a 7950 since... it is a 7950, right? Hopefully small improvements to make it worth the $50 or whatever?


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> so whats up with the 7950 being so expensive suddenly? Isn't the $400 R9 290 (which just unlocks to 290x) better as a miner than the 7950, since it's 200% the price for exactly 200%+ the performance?
> 
> Granted, you _need_ to put the R9 on water, but I'd really argue that the same is true for the 7950 once you put the +50 power limit on it even on stock voltage in GPGPU/scrypt work. Isn't a 290 a better value miner than the 7950? It's got about twice the hash, for only twice the price.
> 
> I mean I dont get why the 7950 is 290 priced right now... Or heck why not even get an R9 280? I guess it isn't out yet but I imagine it'll be around 250, that should be equal to a 7950 since... it is a 7950, right? Hopefully small improvements to make it worth the $50 or whatever?


I really don't know, All I know is my 2x 7950's sold for 350 a piece instantly and funded a 290x and a waterblock











































Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> did anyone see this 499.99 for 290x !
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202058


yup that is the one I bought, thank you bitcoin miners!


----------



## chad110

can anyone help me for overclocking my card ? hd 7950. here are some pics..


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chad110*
> 
> can anyone help me for overclocking my card ? hd 7950. here are some pics..


download this: FURMARK STRESS TEST

add clock in steps of 10 and testing until you find your highest stable core.
then do the same for memory.
run your favorite game to make sure it is game time stable.

not happy with the numbers?
add some VDDC (voltage) and start again, keeping a eye on temperatures.

your final numbers will be up to the individual card, nobody can tell you how far you will get, but your daily stable running numbers will probably be just a little lower than what you found as your max under furmark.

If you want a more detailed description, head over to Belial's guide to 7950's for all the ins and outs http://www.overclock.net/t/1394623/belials-comprehensive-guide-to-7950s


----------



## sugarhell

No dont. Furmark is useless


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No dont. Furmark is useless


well suggest something else or so is your comment.


----------



## Darklyric

^ I get more crashes with unstable overclocks in bf4 and metero LL ...

Well I'm happy to say I sold my vaporx 7950s online last night.... and almost covered a full water cooled 290 setup....


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> well suggest something else or so is your comment.


There is no really a stability test for gpus. With every driver you can lose 20 mhz or gain. You just loop valley or fs and if its stable its okay, Now with tahiti if you see artifacts its either temps or volts. Dont ever recommend furmark. It only helps global warming


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> There is no really a stability test for gpus. With every driver you can lose 20 mhz or gain. You just loop valley or fs and if its stable its okay, Now with tahiti if you see artifacts its either temps or volts. Dont ever recommend furmark. It only helps global warming


OCCT gpu test is pretty decent and wont throttle like furmark or kumbustor


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptDanko*
> 
> OCCT gpu test is pretty decent and wont throttle like furmark or kumbustor


Not that much. I prefer a game for stability that combines gpu and cpu. Like bf3,4


----------



## LDV617

Is Kombustor a good stability test? I run it for 30+ minutes and try to keep my temps under 80 C is that reasonable?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Is Kombustor a good stability test? I run it for 30+ minutes and try to keep my temps under 80 C is that reasonable?


Kombustor and Furmark ( I have seen as high as 91C when I was on air )are made for the burn in test. The only time I use either of them is when I get a new card. To make sure the caps are not going to blow. Running either one for a 1/2 hour is a little much.They push your gpu - s to 100% full usage for time they are running. Valley is okay for a generic bench mark test. If theres a problem with your card running any of them for a substantial period of time will bring the problem out if any. Thanks


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Not that much. I prefer a game for stability that combines gpu and cpu. Like bf3,4


OCCT will actually detect errors and you can leave it looping all night long. I don't think you want to stay playing BF4 for 12 hours straight.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Is Kombustor a good stability test? I run it for 30+ minutes and try to keep my temps under 80 C is that reasonable?


No it is not, kombustor and furmark throttle your cards. Modern GPUs know when something like kombuster is running and it throttles.


----------



## LDV617

Interesting, so did I damage my card by running Kombustor? Or did I just not accurately test it?

Here's a video of me playing BF4 with 1000/1350 on my 7950


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Not that much. I prefer a game for stability that combines gpu and cpu. Like bf3,4


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Is Kombustor a good stability test? I run it for 30+ minutes and try to keep my temps under 80 C is that reasonable?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Interesting, so did I damage my card by running Kombustor? Or did I just not accurately test it?
> 
> Here's a video of me playing BF4 with 1000/1350 on my 7950


Nope you wont damage your card, in fact that's why they throttle to prevent damage


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Interesting, so did I damage my card by running Kombustor? Or did I just not accurately test it?
> 
> Here's a video of me playing BF4 with 1000/1350 on my 7950


Kombustor and or Furmark will not damage the card unless there is something really wrong with it to begin with.OCCT in the previous persons post is pretty good too. Thanks


----------



## LDV617

Oh awesome, so I should go get a Valley / Unigine benchmark to REALLY test the stability?


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Oh awesome, so I should go get a Valley / Unigine benchmark to REALLY test the stability?


Uniggine pay version is the only one you can loop. The free version can not be looped for stability testing


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptDanko*
> 
> Uniggine pay version is the only one you can loop. The free version can not be looped for stability testing


CptDanco
You might want to check the new one. I have the free version and I can run in a loop.


----------



## Jflisk

New Catalyst 13.11 beta 9.5 drivers available

http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/latest-catalyst-windows-beta.aspx


----------



## alancsalt

Whatever program you use that can make your pc OC crash is *your* stability test. It doesn't matter that you can run occt or P95 all night if BF3 or GTA4 or... can crash you in five or x minutes. No single program can really test your computer for every possible instruction or stress it might get in use, so stability for each of us is simply to be able to run the programs we use without crashing.

That's not a fact, but MHO.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> Whatever program you use that can make your pc OC crash is *your* stability test. It doesn't matter that you can run occt or P95 all night if BF3 or GTA4 or... can crash you in five or x minutes. No single program can really test your computer for every possible instruction or stress it might get in use, so stability for each of us is simply to be able to run the programs we use without crashing.
> 
> That's not a fact, but MHO.


^^^^^^^^^^^


----------



## chad110

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> download this: FURMARK STRESS TEST
> 
> add clock in steps of 10 and testing until you find your highest stable core.
> then do the same for memory.
> run your favorite game to make sure it is game time stable.
> 
> not happy with the numbers?
> add some VDDC (voltage) and start again, keeping a eye on temperatures.
> 
> your final numbers will be up to the individual card, nobody can tell you how far you will get, but your daily stable running numbers will probably be just a little lower than what you found as your max under furmark.
> 
> If you want a more detailed description, head over to Belial's guide to 7950's for all the ins and outs http://www.overclock.net/t/1394623/belials-comprehensive-guide-to-7950s


Sir i tried overclocking, 1150 / 1400 / 1200 .. but pc is rebooting, btw is it normal when gpu clock shows 500mhz and memory clock shows 150 after ocing ?

and, is it normal to get horizontal colored lights flickering after returning it to stock speeds? < ( only got this once, when i ran windows media player )


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> so whats up with the 7950 being so expensive suddenly? Isn't the $400 R9 290 (which just unlocks to 290x) better as a miner than the 7950, since it's 200% the price for exactly 200%+ the performance?
> 
> Granted, you _need_ to put the R9 on water, but I'd really argue that the same is true for the 7950 once you put the +50 power limit on it even on stock voltage in GPGPU/scrypt work. Isn't a 290 a better value miner than the 7950? It's got about twice the hash, for only twice the price.
> 
> I mean I dont get why the 7950 is 290 priced right now... Or heck why not even get an R9 280? I guess it isn't out yet but I imagine it'll be around 250, that should be equal to a 7950 since... it is a 7950, right? Hopefully small improvements to make it worth the $50 or whatever?


efficiency, cooling, that's probably it really. 290 has lower efficiency and heat issues with mining unless you clock it down to be equivalent to a 7970 anyway, with mining you want the best efficiency possible and the 7950 fits that spot-on.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> well suggest something else or so is your comment.
> 
> 
> 
> There is no really a stability test for gpus. With every driver you can lose 20 mhz or gain. You just loop valley or fs and if its stable its okay, Now with tahiti if you see artifacts its either temps or volts. Dont ever recommend furmark. It only helps global warming
Click to expand...

wut... OCCT Error test is by far the best stress test. For gaming you dont need 'stable', but for some work like scrypt, you do.

Furmark is just as good, but the problem is you need an error checker as most artifacts are too quick for the eye to notice. OCCT Error Check compares previous frames.

The point of a good stability test is that it tests all vectors of your chip. It's possible to crash in 5 minutes of BF1 after running p95 or occt error check for hours, but the chance of that happening is extremely limited, as in it's never really heard of or it's usually some non-overclock related issue (drivers, sleep, etc).
Quote:


> Whatever program you use that can make your pc OC crash is your stability test. It doesn't matter that you can run occt or P95 all night if BF3 or GTA4 or... can crash you in five or x minutes. No single program can really test your computer for every possible instruction or stress it might get in use, so stability for each of us is simply to be able to run the programs we use without crashing.


Sure, but don't go around saying your 1300mhz overclock is 'stable' when all you did was play bf4 or ran 2 minutes of heaven.

It's insane the anti-stability sentiment on OCN. Not everyone uses their i7 extreme and Titan to play minesweeper gaming. Some of us also do things like play on ladder, competitively, or stream, so a crash during gameplay is unacceptable no matter how small the chance. It's almost like some people vehemently hate the idea of knowing the limits of your hardware or something.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> efficiency, cooling, that's probably it really. 290 has lower efficiency and heat issues with mining unless you clock it down to be equivalent to a 7970 anyway, with mining you want the best efficiency possible and the 7950 fits that spot-on.


So put the 290 on water, and it should be wayyy better, no? No more heat issues. 290x mines about double the hash of a 7950, for only 2x the price. I think most GPGPU guys dont like to put things on water or alter the coolers though, for potential resale in the future.


----------



## Belial

can radeon pro be used to overclock monitors, like toastyx cru?


----------



## tuiyu

I am aware of that, but a reference water block will fit. You said the reference cards were superior


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So put the 290 on water, and it should be wayyy better, no? No more heat issues. 290x mines about double the hash of a 7950, for only 2x the price. I think most GPGPU guys dont like to put things on water or alter the coolers though, for potential resale in the future.


id imagine it'd run at the same efficiency as a 7950 under water, though water isn't really cheap so you still have that to think of, so when you go building an array of miners it still may be better to get 7950s, but its a personal preference really, quadfire 290Xs under water would be legendary for a single rig...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tuiyu*
> 
> I am aware of that, but a reference water block will fit. You said the reference cards were superior


what...? and yes a lot of the time the reference PCBs are best overall.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> well suggest something else or so is your comment.
> 
> 
> 
> There is no really a stability test for gpus. With every driver you can lose 20 mhz or gain. You just loop valley or fs and if its stable its okay, Now with tahiti if you see artifacts its either temps or volts. Dont ever recommend furmark. It only helps global warming
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> wut... OCCT Error test is by far the best stress test. For gaming you dont need 'stable', but for some work like scrypt, you do.
> 
> Furmark is just as good, but the problem is you need an error checker as most artifacts are too quick for the eye to notice. OCCT Error Check compares previous frames.
> 
> The point of a good stability test is that it tests all vectors of your chip. It's possible to crash in 5 minutes of BF1 after running p95 or occt error check for hours, but the chance of that happening is extremely limited, as in it's never really heard of or it's usually some non-overclock related issue (drivers, sleep, etc).
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Whatever program you use that can make your pc OC crash is your stability test. It doesn't matter that you can run occt or P95 all night if BF3 or GTA4 or... can crash you in five or x minutes. No single program can really test your computer for every possible instruction or stress it might get in use, so stability for each of us is simply to be able to run the programs we use without crashing.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Sure, but don't go around saying your 1300mhz overclock is 'stable' when all you did was play bf4 or ran 2 minutes of heaven.
> 
> It's insane the anti-stability sentiment on OCN. Not everyone uses their i7 extreme and Titan to play minesweeper gaming. Some of us also do things like play on ladder, competitively, or stream, so a crash during gameplay is unacceptable no matter how small the chance. It's almost like some people vehemently hate the idea of knowing the limits of your hardware or something.
Click to expand...

huh? ill leave this here as he says it extremely well
( talking about cpus IE your comments about prime )


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RagingCain*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *blakmumba;13120663*
> I seriously question the need for all this 24hr testing going on your brand new CPU, I see numerous cases here of guys bragging about their 24hr stress testing, or saying someones overclock is not stable because they haven't benched for 24 hrs.
> 
> 
> 
> How much experience have you had with overclocking? This attitude is generally reserved for amateur overclockers who have never had corrupted data.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> A stress test is running all of your CPU cores flat out for however long you run the test, unless of course a core drops out because your overclock is unstable, I see the need for short term testing say an hour or maybe 2, because it won't take that long for an unstable overclock to show itself, but 24hrs in my opinion is not necessary.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think you are confused. The error is not found because the CPU is at 100%. A major error, or more likely, many tiny irrecoverable errors, happen at any % of CPU usage. The programs are designed to find inconsistencies as fast as possible, utilizing all resources available to determine the stability. Its not lets see how hard we can squeeze your CPU till it breaks. Is it stressful? Sure, is the stress that causes error? No, that would be instability or heat. Another good way to test your cooling solution too I might add.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> There is not a thing on this planet designed to last forever, your precious CPU included when companies like Intel and AMD, guarantee their CPUs for 3 yr warranty time period, they're confident their CPUs will actually go past that time period, however that calculation is based on 3 yrs and beyond of normal use.
> 
> They know their CPUs are capable of lasting under normal spec'd use longer than the 3 yrs or they would not warranty them that long.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Not sure why this is even here. This has nothing to do with stability testing, unless you are assuming that all CPUs that are brand new should not be tested @ stock settings? Which a CPU should be tested to ensure its not defective. Rare, but it can happen.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Now the cold hard fact is that overclocking your CPU will shorten its lifespan, but we accept that for the additional speed we gain, most of us will replace that cpu with an upgrade before is life expectancy arrives anyway, so taking it out of specifications is acceptable.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Has nothing to do with stability testing. Its about error prevention.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> However that's with normal day to day use, surfing the web, audio and video editing and converting, gaming, office documentation Etc, and though serious bench stress testing is necessary to achieve a stable overclock, what damage does stress testing over a 24 hr time period and beyond, actually do to shorten the lifespan of your new CPU.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Why would you even overclock then?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> For example if you stress test your new quad core CPU for 24hrs, and all 4 cores are running at 100% for 24 hrs, how much normal daily processing is lost, because no daily application uses all 4 cores at 100% for 24hrs, so at least think about that when you overclock your CPU, and use at least some kind of wisdom in your stress testing.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Again its not the stress that creates the error, its stress that finds the error. Errors can occur with as little as 1% core usage. The alternative is to use your computer until one day, your boot sector is corrupted, and Windows 7 repair, can't fix the files as the damage has occurred widespread through your file-system. At this point you are even lucky to recover data off the hard drive. Assuming you are still not using an unstable overclock, recovering data, will most likely keep it corrupt/re-corrupt it.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Because if you don't think you're adding to shortening the life of your CPU, you're wrong!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Stress testing your CPU, if its adequately cooled, is not shortening your hardwares life, its the extra voltage/clock cycles from the overclock if anything. It sounds like you have a ton still to learn / grasp and thats okay. Overclocking has many useful applications, such as a technical server upgrade, gaming, scientific calculations, protein folding, etc. Many of those demand stability for personal and professional reasons. Folding requires 100% accurate data, or its wasteful time for both the user and server, which anyday can provide a cure to cancer (hopefully.) A non tested overclock in that field is extremely frowned upon by many people who dedicate entire machines to just folding.
> 
> I am not saying you have to stress test your CPU, or it will die and kill everything in your computer, but you are not going to convince anyone who knows what they are doing that its a waste of time.
> 
> I don't get why people are ever against having a fully stable system? It takes about a day if you actually have good settings. Maybe apathy or general laziness, but still, it will create so many headaches in the long run trying to figure out why the computer just doesn't want to work today.
Click to expand...


----------



## Paul17041993

I generally just run prime for a bit, if a core or two drops off then I just drop the frequency down and all is good, gpu wise I haven't been able to test much as mine is technically unstable at stock to begin with, it will crash, or has a chance to, on going over 65C, folding is a good way to determine stability in the long run (of course my card failed right at the start), and if your using windows 8 you will almost always know if your cpu is too unstable as you will end up with watchdog faults.

sad truth is there's never going to be a way to really test stability of any hardware, you just have to observe over time and make adjustments accordingly, burn-in tests just help to determine your cooling and voltages are in the right areas, its for this very reason that stock hardware settings will generally have a large amount of headroom for overclocking.


----------



## heroxoot

Has the 75c artifacting ever been made aware by AMD? Has reasoning for it ever been mentioned? I got a stable 1225/1700 OC @1.23v, and it stays well below 70c in heavy gaming, even below 65c, but I'm curious. Anything that actually pushes my GPU and gets high FPS at the same time will cause high temps.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Has the 75c artifacting ever been made aware by AMD? Has reasoning for it ever been mentioned? I got a stable 1225/1700 OC @1.23v, and it stays well below 70c in heavy gaming, even below 65c, but I'm curious. Anything that actually pushes my GPU and gets high FPS at the same time will cause high temps.


75 for the core? how about the vrms?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Has the 75c artifacting ever been made aware by AMD? Has reasoning for it ever been mentioned? I got a stable 1225/1700 OC @1.23v, and it stays well below 70c in heavy gaming, even below 65c, but I'm curious. Anything that actually pushes my GPU and gets high FPS at the same time will cause high temps.


Becasue TAHITI is temp sensitive oced. Its normal to get artifacts after you pass 70-75C oced. Thats why you cant do most of the times 1300 on air. Because you need water to keep temps under 60-50


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Has the 75c artifacting ever been made aware by AMD? Has reasoning for it ever been mentioned? I got a stable 1225/1700 OC @1.23v, and it stays well below 70c in heavy gaming, even below 65c, but I'm curious. Anything that actually pushes my GPU and gets high FPS at the same time will cause high temps.
> 
> 
> 
> Becasue TAHITI is temp sensitive oced. Its normal to get artifacts after you pass 70-75C oced. Thats why you cant do most of the times 1300 on air. Because you need water to keep temps under 60-50
Click to expand...

Makes sense. My temps stay below 65c so I'm fine. If it can even get to 70c it probably needs to be cleaned, which I just did.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> id imagine it'd run at the same efficiency as a 7950 under water, though water isn't really cheap so you still have that to think of, so when you go building an array of miners it still may be better to get 7950s, but its a personal preference really, quadfire 290Xs under water would be legendary for a single rig...


'the mod' is only $20-40.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> So put the 290 on water, and it should be wayyy better, no? No more heat issues. 290x mines about double the hash of a 7950, for only 2x the price. I think most GPGPU guys dont like to put things on water or alter the coolers though, for potential *resale* in the future.


Put the stock cooler back on?


----------



## Belial

a lot of those GPGPU guys aren't really adept with computer components and stuff I think. Like most computer builders these days, really.

I mean you know how most people are, they think if you so much as overclock the card then the warranty is broken, the warranty is broken! when you know, 99% of tech companies will take an RMA with no questions and no receipt and are just really cool about everything.

There's a lot of cost vs profit stuff involved too, you know, would it be worth replacing the cooler or just getting a better card for a higher return. Personally, I think the profit is greater with replacing the cooler, especially if it's a personal use rig as well and fan speeds/noise are a concern to you. I mean an overclock can give you a good 30-40% increase on hash so for that + zero noise, I'd really say it's worthwhile.

I mean I'm getting high return than a 7970, and I just paid an extra $50 in cooling, say 100 even if you want to include time.


----------



## Joannou1

Hey, sorry to change the subject..
I am starting to amass some Feathercoin/Litecoin miners, and was wondering what the best course would be for battery backups.

Some say you don't need any backups, maybe a surge protector at the most.
If each rig has a 1250W PSU, would I exactly need a 1250W+ UPS? Those things are expensive.
Or could I overload a lower PSU, and set it to auto-shutdown the rigs the moment a power failure occurs?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> a lot of those GPGPU guys aren't really adept with computer components and stuff I think. Like most computer builders these days, really.
> 
> I mean you know how most people are, they think if you so much as overclock the card then the warranty is broken, the warranty is broken! when you know, 99% of tech companies will take an RMA with no questions and no receipt and are just really cool about everything.
> 
> There's a lot of cost vs profit stuff involved too, you know, would it be worth replacing the cooler or just getting a better card for a higher return. Personally, I think the profit is greater with replacing the cooler, especially if it's a personal use rig as well and fan speeds/noise are a concern to you. I mean an overclock can give you a good 30-40% increase on hash so for that + zero noise, I'd really say it's worthwhile.
> 
> I mean I'm getting high return than a 7970, and I just paid an extra $50 in cooling, say 100 even if you want to include time.


Personally, I find that with most cards (unless it's a known problem) once it works from the factory for a few weeks without any hiccups it's generally fine till the end of the warranty period. So I run the stock coolers for a bit and then run aftermarket/replace the paste. Never had to return a GPU ever..

I have had a Sapphire card that came with a broken fan however.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lol dont answer to belial he knows everything. If you do compute work you dont oc at all. But you mean mining lol


mining and OC should never sit in the same sentence without "do not" inbetween...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Has the 75c artifacting ever been made aware by AMD? Has reasoning for it ever been mentioned? I got a stable 1225/1700 OC @1.23v, and it stays well below 70c in heavy gaming, even below 65c, but I'm curious. Anything that actually pushes my GPU and gets high FPS at the same time will cause high temps.


think its just a weakness of the memory controller, 290X doesn't really have this, or at least not quite as bad...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Hey, sorry to change the subject..
> I am starting to amass some Feathercoin/Litecoin miners, and was wondering what the best course would be for battery backups.
> 
> Some say you don't need any backups, maybe a surge protector at the most.
> If each rig has a 1250W PSU, would I exactly need a 1250W+ UPS? Those things are expensive.
> Or could I overload a lower PSU, and set it to auto-shutdown the rigs the moment a power failure occurs?


don't try to overload a UPS, they go AC > DC > Battery > DC > AC again, so you will need a UPS to support your whole rig.

other option next to this is a redundant PSU
(ie; one with two power cords and sets of transformer coils)


----------



## Matt-Matt

So i'm getting a 7950 that isn't recognized by CCC for cheap..
Tri-Fire here I come (if my PSU can support it, otherwise it's gonna be waiting a while).

Worth it? Even if it doesn't work I have a cool paperweight, worth the risk methinks. What do you guys think?









EDIT: What sort of wattage/Amperage would I need for 3x 7950's and a 3570k? Probably running the 7950's at stock voltage..


----------



## chronicfx

I have two R9 290x incoming. Is the upgrade to windows 8 worth it for DX11.2?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> So i'm getting a 7950 that isn't recognized by CCC for cheap..
> Tri-Fire here I come (if my PSU can support it, otherwise it's gonna be waiting a while).
> 
> Worth it? Even if it doesn't work I have a cool paperweight, worth the risk methinks. What do you guys think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: What sort of wattage/Amperage would I need for 3x 7950's and a 3570k? Probably running the 7950's at stock voltage..


you will probably have throttling due to lack of power in peak demands but you may be able to pull it off for a while,i ran 3 off a x750 but i didnt get top performance with them. being that you are on intel it may just be enough though my amd pulls ~ 400w+ oced


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> So i'm getting a 7950 that isn't recognized by CCC for cheap..
> Tri-Fire here I come (if my PSU can support it, otherwise it's gonna be waiting a while).
> 
> Worth it? Even if it doesn't work I have a cool paperweight, worth the risk methinks. What do you guys think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: What sort of wattage/Amperage would I need for 3x 7950's and a 3570k? Probably running the 7950's at stock voltage..


I bet its a bios problem. I'd totally try flashing the bios. Will it work in CFX if CCC can't manage it? I would think it cause issue.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I bet its a bios problem. I'd totally try flashing the bios. Will it work in CFX if CCC can't manage it? I would think it cause issue.


It wouldn't, as CCC needs to recoginize the card(s) to be able to set crossfire and the drivers/settings etc. I will most likely get it working though, I also found another Gigabyte WF3 with a "black" back near the VRM's for under $5. I know I should just stay away from it though as it's pretty obvious as to what's happened there.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you will probably have throttling due to lack of power in peak demands but you may be able to pull it off for a while,i ran 3 off a x750 but i didnt get top performance with them. being that you are on intel it may just be enough though my amd pulls ~ 400w+ oced


Yeah, it depends on the amperage too though. I am guesing that a 64amp PSU should be sufficient for three cards but I am not certain. I am going to have to mod my case though and my temps will be crazy with three cards so I will likely be having a new case before I end up going that way.

EDIT: If I could get waterblocks cheap enough, I may do three way CFX watercooled (and if the 7950 is reference-based). Both of mine are right now, I also have the reference blower style cooler for the third card as the one that I'm getting isn't reference..


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> So i'm getting a 7950 that isn't recognized by CCC for cheap..
> Tri-Fire here I come (if my PSU can support it, otherwise it's gonna be waiting a while).
> 
> Worth it? Even if it doesn't work I have a cool paperweight, worth the risk methinks. What do you guys think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: What sort of wattage/Amperage would I need for 3x 7950's and a 3570k? Probably running the 7950's at stock voltage..


I had a bad bios flash on my 7870 that would work fine but would not be recognized by ccc. That might be all thats wrong with it. Flash every similar bios till one hopefully works







. Hopefully you get it working right.

Also @ who said mining plus oc dont mix should look at the litecoin hardware comparison page. A majority do some form of clock management to optimize mining. I actually lowered volts kept power limit at 0 and was still able to oc both mem and core to push an extra 30kh/s and still stay under 65 degrees at 50 percent fan speed. Actually less then at stock at same tdp. Not a heavy oc by any means but optimized and overclocked a bit


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I have two R9 290x incoming. Is the upgrade to windows 8 worth it for DX11.2?


You'd need Windows 8.1 for DX11.2 and no, it's not. I went back to Windows 8, not worth it.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I have two R9 290x incoming. Is the upgrade to windows 8 worth it for DX11.2?
> 
> 
> 
> You'd need Windows 8.1 for DX11.2 and no, it's not. I went back to Windows 8, not worth it.
Click to expand...

I am not trying to start a war here, and 8.1 does suck a donkey dangle...but there are some valid performance reasons to switch, you just have to spend a few hours making the appropriate interface tweaks to make it not a nightmare for daily use.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *theoneofgod*
> 
> You'd need Windows 8.1 for DX11.2 and no, it's not. I went back to Windows 8, not worth it.


Wow you just caught me there for a second.. Guess I am way behind having windows 7.. Windows 8 and 8.1 are different? I will look it up myself, but is there an advantage to having windows 8 over windows 7 for a 290x? Thats is more of what I meant and then you went and blew my little frail mind wide open...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Cheers!

I am guessing that or just a bad driver or something, though he has two cards listed; A Gigabyte Tri Cool with a black patch on the back of the VRM's (He mentioned that he turned his PC on one day and it didn't boot), and this 7950. It's at $51 atm, I was hoping to grab it for cheaper but I can do that still. If it goes over $150 it's a no deal as you can get guaranteed working used ones for a bit more here.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I have two R9 290x incoming. Is the upgrade to windows 8 worth it for DX11.2?


why would you get a 290x? That seems like a really, really non-good idea... why would you not just get the 290 since it can flash to the 290x?

Am I missing something?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> why would you get a 290x? That seems like a really, really non-good idea... why would you not just get the 290 since it can flash to the 290x?
> 
> Am I missing something?


Not all of them can, he's guaranteed a 290x if he buys one (and in some cases) he still has warranty by buying it as a 290x rather then flashing a 290. Only some 290's flash you have to remember.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lol dont answer to belial he knows everything. If you do compute work you dont oc at all. But you mean mining lol
> 
> 
> 
> mining and OC should never sit in the same sentence without "do not" inbetween...
Click to expand...

Please guys, there's no reason to be rude to a fellow member around here. Let's promote open discussion rather than putting anyone down.

I don't believe in this sentiment. There are _tons_ of GPGPU guys who run on water, people far more knowledgeable than any of us, like ivanlabrie, Death&taxes, etc... Many guys do not simply because they are not computer builders and know nothing about overclocking or water.

If you do the calculations, you can see there is often a huge return to overclocking and GPGPU work, especially if you use your computer, have it in your personal room, or have it near you. Just the reduction in sound alone is quite worth it - remember, temperatures have an _exponential_ impact on power consumption, to the tune of 10C = 10w+ .

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Zotac/GeForce_GTX_480_Amp_Edition/27.html

Now, 2x92mm fans at 5K RPM use ~2w. So going from 80C to 70C, which is at least 10w in power, is worth it. So as a rational GPGPU worker, your only options are A)Run at 100% fan speed, or B)Accept a reduction in profits for a quieter system. Also, nevermind the fact that _all_ 7950s will overheat at 100% fan speed on 1.1v, a very conservative voltage, and be at 70C+, with the +50 Power Limit fix. Nevermind an additional 10C if you run in a closed computer case, or have multiple GPUs to the same motherboard.

So, as a GPGPU miner, you got a very loud system _and_ a hot system if you have this system in your computer case, because you use it for personal use, or if you run open case and more of a farmer, it's still a loud system.

The temp drops going from an aftermarket heatsink, running 1.1v @100% fan speed with +50 Power Limit, of 80C+, to going to a load temp of 30C _on low fan speed_, that's a 60C delta! Going from an extremely unrealistic and ridiculously conservative estimate of 10C=10w, that's a reduction of _60w+ by going to water cooling with zero noise!_

So how much money would you spend to make your GPGPU worker noiseless? You'd probably pay a little bit, right? $10? $20? Oh, what do you know, you can find closed loop aseteks for $20, oh hey what do you know, you can use cable ties or the AMD bracket to attach it to a GPU and just need a $1 shim! You would probably pay not just $20 for this, but you might even pay $100, 200 for noiseless, no?

But hey, you don't care, you're hardcore, you could care less about the noise, and so what if your GPU is 80-90C, you'll just sell it off anyways? Okay, sure.

So the 7950 is ~270w card once you remove the throttling with the +50 power limit. Over a year, or 24x365 = 8760 hours, that is:
0.27 kWatts × 8760 hours = 2365.2 kWh (kiloWatt-hour) of energy
2365.2 kWh × $0.11f/kWh = $260.17

Now, let's put it on water. A 60C delta really is going to be 72w, though it really should be more for this high power card. So 270 - 72 = 198w.
0.198 Watts × 8760 hours = 1734.48 kWh (kiloWatt-hour) of energy.
1734.48 kWh × $0.11f/kWh = $190.79
$260.17 - $190.79 = $69.38

*A savings of $69.38/year by going to water cooling, and you also go from 100% blaring, obnoxious small fans to zero fan noise from larger, less obnoxious fans*.

How much was it to water cool again? Oh, yea, $20 for some asetek CLC on sale. Heck you can even go with an overpriced $80 arctic accelero CLC for GPUs, I don't care. Even a custom loop, after 2 years it'll pretty much pay for itself.

But wait, there's more! Overclocked, a card consumes more power, so this is a more dramatic difference. Also, don't forget the impact an overclock has on returns - going from a rate of ~500 to ~700 for a high overclock, _that's a 36% increase in income for an overclock._

So what's more profitable, getting on water, or more 7950? Well, depends how you do the water and how many 7950s you have. But let's say you spend $40 on CLC and VRM heatsinks and time for each water cooler, I'd say it's definitely better to go water. Going by yesterday's prices, not today's, of $200 per 7950, let's say 4x WC 7950 = 700 x 4 =2800, where 5 stock are 5x500=2500. That's definitely worthwhile.

If you go by custom loop prices, let's say $100 per 7950 block + $100, let's compare 2xWC = 1400 vs 3x7950 = 1500. Then it's a little closer, but we aren't seeing $200 7950s anymore, lower electrical bill, and zero noise.

Oh, and again, noiseless, and lower electric bill = higher profit.

Gee, overclocked and GPGPU work should never be in the same sentence


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> why would you get a 290x? That seems like a really, really non-good idea... why would you not just get the 290 since it can flash to the 290x?
> 
> Am I missing something?
> 
> 
> 
> Not all of them can, he's guaranteed a 290x if he buys one (and in some cases) he still has warranty by buying it as a 290x rather then flashing a 290. Only some 290's flash you have to remember.
Click to expand...

No I don't know this, can you explain more.

I don't understand what you mean 'still has the warranty', and if I am understanding you, I hate when people say things like that. Most GPU companies have no rules against changing the BIOS, and there's no way they'd know you changed the BIOS (just change it back...). I'm not advocating anything illegal, but jesus, overclocking is 'against the warranty' for CPUs but no one says don't ever overclock your CPU around here, it'll break the warranty! Not to mention that both Intel and AMD will never ask you if you overclocked, because they really don't care.

You can check out my list here, I've RMA'd with just about every single computer component company: http://www.overclock.net/t/1371138/list-of-companies-by-rma-support/0_100

But basically, 99% of tech companies dont ask questions, they dont care if you have an original receipt (and if they do, they dont care if it's an ebay invoice or an OCN private message as the receipt), they aren't going to prod if you overclocked or modded or anything.

So please, the idea that he 'still has warranty' with a 290x is just silly. There are a ton of things that 'technically' break the warranty but mean nothing, and even the company will look the other way on - if the serial number sticker is taken off for example (i almost always do that and I've never had a company reject an RMA, though gskill did put a very specific sticker on the RAM saying dont remove or void warranty when they sent it back lol, my gbt 7950's stick fell off and gbt said just keep the sticker and if, god forbid, and rma had to happen to just include that sticker with the package).

I mean if there's a legit reason for getting a 290x, I'm all ears, but the whole warranty thing... that's just silly. I hear so many people say silly things like that.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Please guys, there's no reason to be rude to a fellow member around here. Let's promote open discussion rather than putting anyone down.


@Belial, meet @sugarhell, @sugarhell, meet @Belial.

and yea, warranty is pretty soft for the most part, you can usually just plop the stock cooler back on, revert to stock BIOS (if its not completely dead), and usually the company will replace it unless it has some severe damage that would have obviously been caused by a bad modification...

I think the only exception to this may be ASUS's cards, if it functions in some way then its "good" in their eyes, mind you, the second fan on my card is already starting to show signs of imminent failure, having to press on the thing to stop it rattling and clicking is... this card has had more attention then the rig itself...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> @Belial, meet @sugarhell, @sugarhell, meet @Belial.
> 
> and yea, warranty is pretty soft for the most part, you can usually just plop the stock cooler back on, revert to stock BIOS (if its not completely dead), and usually the company will replace it unless it has some severe damage that would have obviously been caused by a bad modification...
> 
> I think the only exception to this may be ASUS's cards, if it functions in some way then its "good" in their eyes, mind you, the second fan on my card is already starting to show signs of imminent failure, having to press on the thing to stop it rattling and clicking is... this card has had more attention then the rig itself...


I know HIS is pretty strict and I was told that if they ever receive a card back with a different BIOS they will check it and not honor the warranty, that is only what I was told and that is part of the Australian warranty.

It's pretty obvious that they've said this as it had a TDP limited BIOS at stock and the cooler can't really keep up with it with a modded 250W BIOS on it.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Please guys, there's no reason to be rude to a fellow member around here. Let's promote open discussion rather than putting anyone down.
> 
> 
> 
> @Belial, meet @sugarhell, @sugarhell, meet @Belial.
> 
> and yea, warranty is pretty soft for the most part, you can usually just plop the stock cooler back on, revert to stock BIOS (if its not completely dead), and usually the company will replace it unless it has some severe damage that would have obviously been caused by a bad modification...
> 
> I think the only exception to this may be ASUS's cards, if it functions in some way then its "good" in their eyes, mind you, the second fan on my card is already starting to show signs of imminent failure, having to press on the thing to stop it rattling and clicking is... this card has had more attention then the rig itself...
Click to expand...

Bricking, you mean bricking, i dont believe permanent bricking is a big problem anymore. Many companies won't take care of obvious physical damage that was your fault.

I'm not sure how many companies check for original BIOS, obviously you should switch it back before shipping off an RMA if you can (if you can't, then they can't either). I have heard companies won't honor RMA on changed BIOS but I'm not sure how strict they are with that, or why anyone would just not change the BIOS back.


----------



## Joannou1

Just got a Powercolor 7950 Boost State card from eBay...
Though I think the previous owner messed with it.

The idle temps are 46-48C, default clock was 1170Mhz, Mem 1250Mhz, and Voltage is at 1112mV
I tried mining with it, the temperature skyrockets to 100C and display driver crashes.

Any advice?

Thinking the cooler is inadequate, and I should lower voltage down to 1V.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Just got a Powercolor 7950 Boost State card from eBay...
> Though I think the previous owner messed with it.
> 
> The idle temps are 46-48C, default clock was 1170Mhz, Mem 1250Mhz, and Voltage is at 1112mV
> I tried mining with it, the temperature skyrockets to 100C and display driver crashes.
> 
> Any advice?
> 
> Thinking the cooler is inadequate, and I should lower voltage down to 1V.


replace the TIM, put better fans on it, I think its just the cooler not keeping up with the wattage that mining takes it up to, my DCII (1170mV, 55% ASIC) isn't much different, though it usually sits at about 72C on near max fans, bout the same as folding or burning using OCCT.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Just got a Powercolor 7950 Boost State card from eBay...
> Though I think the previous owner messed with it.
> 
> The idle temps are 46-48C, default clock was 1170Mhz, Mem 1250Mhz, and Voltage is at 1112mV
> I tried mining with it, the temperature skyrockets to 100C and display driver crashes.
> 
> Any advice?
> 
> Thinking the cooler is inadequate, and I should lower voltage down to 1V.


Don't worry about idle temps, they are useless and uncalibrated. He just changed the BIOS, probably to run OC on a headless linux system. Just change the BIOS back, not hard to find BIOS to use. ie powercolor bios 7950 version X', if not on the official website.

He probably changed the power limit to +50. *Every 7950 model overheats on stock [email protected]% fan speed unless it is throttling.* My advice would be simply reduce the 'overclock', as it's better to run a lower clock speed 100% of the time than a higher clock speed that keeps throttling. Your results sounds exactly what a typical 7950 performs like when it's been +50 fixed.

DO NOT replace the TIM. GPU companies tend to use _modern_, usually high end paste on high end cards, so you will not likely see an appreciable increase from replacing the TIM. It also won't account for more than 5C, even if you went to CLU. Changing the fans is nice, but you can't really change fans on a 92mm model, there isn't a big difference between 120s, much less 92s.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Not all of them can, he's guaranteed a 290x if he buys one (and in some cases) he still has warranty by buying it as a 290x rather then flashing a 290. Only some 290's flash you have to remember.


I wanted xfx because they allow waterblocks with warranty if i go that route. All their 290's across the net were sold out and i figured instead of waiting two weeks to get my hands on them (possibly) because sometimes even the auto-email is too late to get a hot item. I would mine the price diff away anyways in that amount if time... We on the same page?

Sorry matt-matt. @belial


----------



## Joannou1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Don't worry about idle temps, they are useless and uncalibrated. He just changed the BIOS, probably to run OC on a headless linux system. Just change the BIOS back, not hard to find BIOS to use. ie powercolor bios 7950 version X', if not on the official website.
> 
> He probably changed the power limit to +50. *Every 7950 model overheats on stock [email protected]% fan speed unless it is throttling.* My advice would be simply reduce the 'overclock', as it's better to run a lower clock speed 100% of the time than a higher clock speed that keeps throttling. Your results sounds exactly what a typical 7950 performs like when it's been +50 fixed.
> 
> DO NOT replace the TIM. GPU companies tend to use _modern_, usually high end paste on high end cards, so you will not likely see an appreciable increase from replacing the TIM. It also won't account for more than 5C, even if you went to CLU. Changing the fans is nice, but you can't really change fans on a 92mm model, there isn't a big difference between 120s, much less 92s.


Thanks for the input!

I downclocked it to 900 Mhz, and set the voltage to 1V.
I also did a complete rehaul on the inside of my PC to optimize the airflow and whatnot.
Replaced a few fans, etc etc... Now it's sitting at around 85C, occasionally jumping down to 84. (Under 100% load)

I am thinking about leaving it this way, but I am not quite sure if running the fan at 100% all the time is good... Heard bad things about that.
Just registered the card under warranty, so I should be fine either way.

If it comes down to it, I'll do what you said and re-flash it and put it back to stock, and see if that helps.

I am getting around 560Kh/s with this current setup. A bit less than desirable, but I'm sure I'll tweak it just right sooner than later.
(Can't complain, got it at a steal for $200).

EDIT:
I lowered it down a bit more, and got a stable 79C.
(904Mhz Clock, 1250Mhz Mem, 956mV VDDC, and lowering fan to 85% made no difference in temp).
Gona let it run overnight, and hope it doesn't melt down when I wake up.

Note: Fan is trash, air coming out of the back barely feels warm...
I have 2 more 7950's coming.. They are VisionTek.. Same cooler type.. god help me..


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Thanks for the input!
> 
> I downclocked it to 900 Mhz, and set the voltage to 1V.
> I also did a complete rehaul on the inside of my PC to optimize the airflow and whatnot.
> Replaced a few fans, etc etc... Now it's sitting at around 85C, occasionally jumping down to 84. (Under 100% load)
> 
> I am thinking about leaving it this way, but I am not quite sure if running the fan at 100% all the time is good... Heard bad things about that.
> Just registered the card under warranty, so I should be fine either way.
> 
> If it comes down to it, I'll do what you said and re-flash it and put it back to stock, and see if that helps.
> 
> I am getting around 560Kh/s with this current setup. A bit less than desirable, but I'm sure I'll tweak it just right sooner than later.
> (Can't complain, got it at a steal for $200).


If you change the BIOS it should fix it. The previous owner may have changed the TIM himself, I would take it apart and have a look because 85c is pretty bad at a mere 900MHz. It depends on the voltage however. It's probably been BIOS modded to 250W+ or something aswell. Probably why it was so cheap in the first place.

Also @Belial, my HIS 7950 with a 286W BIOS is able to be ran on my HIS IceQ and still get reasonable temps, (75cish) in games. Don't know about mining temps though.

Also on the PCI-E slot, does the card have the AMD logo or not? If so I have the stock BIOS off mine for you.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Please guys, there's no reason to be rude to a fellow member around here. Let's promote open discussion rather than putting anyone down.
> 
> 
> 
> @Belial, meet @sugarhell, @sugarhell, meet @Belial.
> 
> and yea, warranty is pretty soft for the most part, you can usually just plop the stock cooler back on, revert to stock BIOS (if its not completely dead), and usually the company will replace it unless it has some severe damage that would have obviously been caused by a bad modification...
> 
> I think the only exception to this may be ASUS's cards, if it functions in some way then its "good" in their eyes, mind you, the second fan on my card is already starting to show signs of imminent failure, having to press on the thing to stop it rattling and clicking is... this card has had more attention then the rig itself...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Bricking, you mean bricking, i dont believe permanent bricking is a big problem anymore. Many companies won't take care of obvious physical damage that was your fault.
> 
> I'm not sure how many companies check for original BIOS, obviously you should switch it back before shipping off an RMA if you can (if you can't, then they can't either). I have heard companies won't honor RMA on changed BIOS but I'm not sure how strict they are with that, or why anyone would just not change the BIOS back.
Click to expand...

umm you know cell phones have bios change readers, if you flash them they know. prove that gpus dont


----------



## lezioul

Hi,

I've bought 2 Sapphire 7990 to make a mining rig.
Everything is ok except the GPU temp that can raise 102°C (i think it's limited)
As i don't want to make a BBQ, i'd like to undervolt the cores in order to decrease the temperature.

I've tryied using AMDOverdriveCtrl under linux (xubuntu 13.04 - latest catalyst 13.11 beta) but the vcore still remains at 1.2V
I've also tryied directly in CGMiner, with no success.

Is the voltage lock? Is it due to the drivers version?
I know i can flash a modded bios to override vcore but i prefer the software approach if it's possible.

Thanks for your help


----------



## tsm106

An awful lot of...
Quote:


> This post is hidden because the user is in your block list. (Click to show)


----------



## Mega Man

hahahaha


----------



## neurotix

lol


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Note: Fan is trash, air coming out of the back barely feels warm...


that generally means the heatsink isn't getting very hot or the fans themselves are just not blowing the air through the heatsink, maby you should grab an IR gun form somewhere to see if the heatsink is carrying the heat from the core, possibility that previous owner could have done something stupid like take the heatsink off and re-attach it with dry or too little paste...


----------



## sugarhell

Hmm anyone can suggest tips for cgminer litecoin? I am hitting 900 kh/s with 7970 but i want to reach the max.Have you seen faster kh/s?


----------



## hambone96

I applied new thermal paste on my Reference Gigabyte 7970 and my temps dropped enough to allow me to overclock.

Here is the 3dmark11 before OC (925mhz 1375mhz)
P8657 Better than 87%

Here is the after OC 3dmark 11 result (1100mhz 1500mhz)
P9679 Better than 92%

Not bad


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> I applied new thermal paste on my Reference Gigabyte 7970 and my temps dropped enough to allow me to overclock.
> 
> Here is the 3dmark11 before OC (925mhz 1375mhz)
> P8657 Better than 87%
> 
> Here is the after OC 3dmark 11 result (1100mhz 1500mhz)
> P9679 Better than 92%
> 
> Not bad


Get a Gelid Icy Vision-A Heat Sync and overclock as high as the card will let you Mine goes up to 1200/1750 at 1.225v and my card never goes much past 60c . Not to mention no more jet fan sound ..


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Remove me from the list please. Sold m 7990.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Remove me from the list please. Sold m 7990.


Did you get a good return?


----------



## nvidiaftw12

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Did you get a good return?


$220 profit.


----------



## Joannou1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> If you change the BIOS it should fix it. The previous owner may have changed the TIM himself, I would take it apart and have a look because 85c is pretty bad at a mere 900MHz. It depends on the voltage however. It's probably been BIOS modded to 250W+ or something aswell. Probably why it was so cheap in the first place.
> 
> Also @Belial, my HIS 7950 with a 286W BIOS is able to be ran on my HIS IceQ and still get reasonable temps, (75cish) in games. Don't know about mining temps though.
> 
> Also on the PCI-E slot, does the card have the AMD logo or not? If so I have the stock BIOS off mine for you.


I seem to have it decently stable now.
Still hot, but cooler..

904Mhz GPU, 1550Mhz Mem, 906mV Core. -- Temps usually reach 78 max with these settings.

I can't really see, since above it is a GTX 680, that is being used for seperate mining, and I'd have to take that out to see.
But here is what the TriXX program says about my card.
Dunno if the Bios Version, etc will help. (It is a PowerColor Boost State card with the ref cooler).



I have never had good luck with re-flashing bioses and stuff...


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> I seem to have it decently stable now.
> Still hot, but cooler..
> 
> 904Mhz GPU, 1550Mhz Mem, 906mV Core. -- Temps usually reach 78 max with these settings.
> 
> I can't really see, since above it is a GTX 680, that is being used for seperate mining, and I'd have to take that out to see.
> But here is what the TriXX program says about my card.
> Dunno if the Bios Version, etc will help. (It is a PowerColor Boost State card with the ref cooler).
> 
> 
> 
> I have never had good luck with re-flashing bioses and stuff...


Oh right, well there's your problem; what kind of cooler does the 680 have?
Does your case have any sidefans?

It is because the 680 is making heat and it is making both cards get hot. Could you make more of a gap between them by using say a 8x or 4x port? (It doesn't matter for mining) and 8x is fine for games.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> If you change the BIOS it should fix it. The previous owner may have changed the TIM himself, I would take it apart and have a look because 85c is pretty bad at a mere 900MHz. It depends on the voltage however. It's probably been BIOS modded to 250W+ or something aswell. Probably why it was so cheap in the first place.
> 
> Also @Belial, my HIS 7950 with a 286W BIOS is able to be ran on my HIS IceQ and still get reasonable temps, (75cish) in games. Don't know about mining temps though.
> 
> Also on the PCI-E slot, does the card have the AMD logo or not? If so I have the stock BIOS off mine for you.
> 
> 
> 
> I seem to have it decently stable now.
> Still hot, but cooler..
> 
> 904Mhz GPU, 1550Mhz Mem, 906mV Core. -- Temps usually reach 78 max with these settings.
> 
> I can't really see, since above it is a GTX 680, that is being used for seperate mining, and I'd have to take that out to see.
> But here is what the TriXX program says about my card.
> Dunno if the Bios Version, etc will help. (It is a PowerColor Boost State card with the ref cooler).
> 
> 
> 
> I have never had good luck with re-flashing bioses and stuff...
Click to expand...

No artifacts at 75c? Lucky, most are sensitive.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> No artifacts at 75c? Lucky, most are sensitive.


The only card that I have ever had artifact at over 75c was my 6870 Hawk, my 7950's are fine up to like 80c and so were my 6850's and my 4850.


----------



## Joannou1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Oh right, well there's your problem; what kind of cooler does the 680 have?
> Does your case have any sidefans?
> 
> It is because the 680 is making heat and it is making both cards get hot. Could you make more of a gap between them by using say a 8x or 4x port? (It doesn't matter for mining) and 8x is fine for games.


Ah right... Forgot to mention, I tried it without the 680, same issue.
I got it to a 'stable' 74, and got a sub-par hash rate.
It has the stock cooler, which I will probably get one of those $50 double fan copper coolers and replace it with that, (shouldn't void the warranty, right?)

Now when the other two 7950's come, it will be an issue, there won't be a gap for the third card, so I'll probably do what someone else did, and wedge something in-between and force some air in there.

I just cleaned the case (excuse the side panel, it's been through a war) and replaced the front and rear fans, that stopped the card from surpassing 80 and heading to 100+.

Also, I set the 680's fan to 100% to help evacuate the heat that is coming off the back of the 7950.
Also again, getting both of those cards to co-exist was a real biotch... lol



^ No fancy watercooling, yet.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Ah right... Forgot to mention, I tried it without the 680, same issue.
> I got it to a 'stable' 74, and got a sub-par hash rate.
> It has the stock cooler, which I will probably get one of those $50 double fan copper coolers and replace it with that, (shouldn't void the warranty, right?)
> 
> Now when the other two 7950's come, it will be an issue, there won't be a gap for the third card, so I'll probably do what someone else did, and wedge something in-between and force some air in there.
> 
> I just cleaned the case (excuse the side panel, it's been through a war) and replaced the front and rear fans, that stopped the card from surpassing 80 and heading to 100+.
> 
> Also, I set the 680's fan to 100% to help evacuate the heat that is coming off the back of the 7950.
> Also again, getting both of those cards to co-exist was a real biotch... lol
> 
> 
> 
> ^ No fancy watercooling, yet.


I would try and replace the thermal paste before you go spending money on an artic cooler. It may be that the guy that had it did a really bad thermal paste application. Those temps are horrible!


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> Don't worry about idle temps, they are useless and uncalibrated. He just changed the BIOS, probably to run OC on a headless linux system. Just change the BIOS back, not hard to find BIOS to use. ie powercolor bios 7950 version X', if not on the official website.
> 
> He probably changed the power limit to +50. *Every 7950 model overheats on stock [email protected]% fan speed unless it is throttling.* My advice would be simply reduce the 'overclock', as it's better to run a lower clock speed 100% of the time than a higher clock speed that keeps throttling. Your results sounds exactly what a typical 7950 performs like when it's been +50 fixed.
> 
> DO NOT replace the TIM. GPU companies tend to use _modern_, usually high end paste on high end cards, so you will not likely see an appreciable increase from replacing the TIM. It also won't account for more than 5C, even if you went to CLU. Changing the fans is nice, but you can't really change fans on a 92mm model, there isn't a big difference between 120s, much less 92s.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the input!
> 
> I downclocked it to 900 Mhz, and set the voltage to 1V.
> I also did a complete rehaul on the inside of my PC to optimize the airflow and whatnot.
> Replaced a few fans, etc etc... Now it's sitting at around 85C, occasionally jumping down to 84. (Under 100% load)
> 
> I am thinking about leaving it this way, but I am not quite sure if running the fan at 100% all the time is good... Heard bad things about that.
> Just registered the card under warranty, so I should be fine either way.
> 
> If it comes down to it, I'll do what you said and re-flash it and put it back to stock, and see if that helps.
> 
> I am getting around 560Kh/s with this current setup. A bit less than desirable, but I'm sure I'll tweak it just right sooner than later.
> (Can't complain, got it at a steal for $200).
> 
> EDIT:
> I lowered it down a bit more, and got a stable 79C.
> (904Mhz Clock, 1250Mhz Mem, 956mV VDDC, and lowering fan to 85% made no difference in temp).
> Gona let it run overnight, and hope it doesn't melt down when I wake up.
> 
> Note: Fan is trash, air coming out of the back barely feels warm...
> I have 2 more 7950's coming.. They are VisionTek.. Same cooler type.. god help me..
Click to expand...

You should read the big post i just made on the top of this page (if you are reading 100 post per page). Basically, running 100% fan speed is optimal.

A 92mm [email protected] RPM or 120mm [email protected] consumes ~2-3w, at 50% it's half that. Every additional 10C in temps accounts for about 12-15w additional power consumption. You can easily see that going from 50% fan speed to 100% for even a 5C reduction in temps, is well worth it.

Of course, the fan will wear out quicker, but that just means you need to relube it every 6 months instead of every 12. Which you should always do (drop of mineral oil).

560 isn't too bad, but it's not great, try raising your memory clock. The thing with scrypt is that your memory OC is actually more important than your core clock. There is a 'sweet spot' ratio for core to memory, but basically you want as high as memory clock as possible, and then tune your core to the optimal ratio. Seems counter-intuitive, but you can hit 600+ on air.
Quote:


> I wanted xfx because they allow waterblocks with warranty if i go that route. All their 290's across the net were sold out and i figured instead of waiting two weeks to get my hands on them (possibly) because sometimes even the auto-email is too late to get a hot item. I would mine the price diff away anyways in that amount if time... We on the same page?
> 
> Sorry matt-matt. @belial


Most companies should allow waterblocks on warranty, and even if they don't they will not tell if you did. XFX generally makes low quality AMD cards, with lower quality mosfets, which is what makes the big difference between one model and another, really.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lol belial and his text walls.
> 
> Serious gpgpu work =/ mining.
> 
> If you do serious gpgpu work you have a firepro or something and you NEVER oc.
> 
> Now mining isnt 'serious' gpgpu work and most of the times you are not sure about the stability on mining. But w/e we all know belial
> 
> Most of the times you oc kinda blind in mining. And this is coming from someone who has 8 gpus for mining.


You are not allowed to discuss certain programs on this website. I think it's pretty clear that when I say GPGPU work, I am referring to high intensity programs that will utilize your card just as harshly as a stress test. You seriously need to get off my case, there are many people here who appreciate information and learning about hardware. You are free to simply not read my posts if this bothers you.

If you disagree with anything I say, you are more than welcome to provide evidence, much like I always do. Continuing with snide remarks doesn't really help your argument.

Also, instability is very evident in certain GPGPU work. On the top right, there is a label called 'HW' which refers to instability. If your card is even slightly unstable, you will often return a couple HW an hour. Over the course of a day, you can easily accumulate enough of these that, you would've been better with simply a 600 instead of a 620, since you also have to factor in that during these HW errors, that's a full run you did consuming the full amount of electricity. You are not only not making money during HW, you are losing it.

So yea, I'd say stability is _very_ important for 'GPGPU work'


----------



## darwing

Hey guys I was wondering if this (10508) is a reasonable score for my 3d Mark with a 4670K -4.2ghz and 7970 OC'd 1125 1575 both water cooled

I know nothing about this score I just downloaded and ran it.

My 3d Mark Score

as well what are other ways to increase this score?


----------



## Cyph3r

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> Hey guys I was wondering if this (10508) is a reasonable score for my 3d Mark with a 4670K -4.2ghz and 7970 OC'd 1125 1575 both water cooled
> 
> I know nothing about this score I just downloaded and ran it.
> 
> My 3d Mark Score
> 
> as well what are other ways to increase this score?


Pretty much the exact same score my rig gets, so I'd say you're bang on what you should be getting.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> You are not allowed to discuss certain programs on this website. I think it's pretty clear that when I say GPGPU work, I am referring to high intensity programs that will utilize your card just as harshly as a stress test. You seriously need to get off my case, there are many people here who appreciate information and learning about hardware. You are free to simply not read my posts if this bothers you.
> 
> If you disagree with anything I say, you are more than welcome to provide evidence, much like I always do. Continuing with snide remarks doesn't really help your argument.
> 
> Also, instability is very evident in certain GPGPU work. On the top right, there is a label called 'HW' which refers to instability. If your card is even slightly unstable, you will often return a couple HW an hour. Over the course of a day, you can easily accumulate enough of these that, you would've been better with simply a 600 instead of a 620, since you also have to factor in that during these HW errors, that's a full run you did consuming the full amount of electricity. You are not only not making money during HW, you are losing it.
> 
> So yea, I'd say stability is _very_ important for 'GPGPU work'


Very true. Of course i bsod usually before i get hw failures but it shows instability in hash rate aswell. I wouldn't use it for stability testing but being stable is a must. My fans make scary noises past 55 percent so i have given up power for noise and hopefully longevity. With all my investment in one 7870 it needs to make it awhile lol.


----------



## BountyN

Guys
Im a bit new in this topic. Have been following but not participating.
Saying this I have a question.
Right now I own a 7990 and my question is about BF4.
Im not sure if this is drivers problemas or bad instalo or whatever.
I have the latest beta drivers the 13.11. I tryed running the campaign... It iniciates and I go until the paet in the 1st chaptet where you open the door and the 1st shooting happens. After that or some in between that... My game doesnt crash... But I Stuart seeing wierd stuff like no ends and no eventos happening and stuff. I can run anygame right Noé only this one giving me trouble...
Btw I installed via the 3DVDs(yes I bought it physiclly)
Is this drivers or something?
I have a [email protected] + Asus Crosshair V Formula Z , 16Gb DDR3 and the game installed in a 250Gb Samsung EVO SSD.
Any suggestions?!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> You are not allowed to discuss certain programs on this website.


what software...?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BountyN*
> 
> Guys
> Im a bit new in this topic. Have been following but not participating.
> Saying this I have a question.
> Right now I own a 7990 and my question is about BF4.
> Im not sure if this is drivers problemas or bad instalo or whatever.
> I have the latest beta drivers the 13.11. I tryed running the campaign... It iniciates and I go until the paet in the 1st chaptet where you open the door and the 1st shooting happens. After that or some in between that... My game doesnt crash... But I Stuart seeing wierd stuff like no ends and no eventos happening and stuff. I can run anygame right Noé only this one giving me trouble...
> Btw I installed via the 3DVDs(yes I bought it physiclly)
> Is this drivers or something?
> I have a [email protected] + Asus Crosshair V Formula Z , 16Gb DDR3 and the game installed in a 250Gb Samsung EVO SSD.
> Any suggestions?!


not quite sure what you mean there, "no ends" do you mean like stretched or transparent textures? "no events" like the game sorts of stops doing stuff? the later one may just be a bug in the game currently, best bet may to re-install, whether or not this is easier on the DVD version then the downloads we use I don't know... make sure you have the game up-to-date too.


----------



## BountyN

Hey
Thank you for your reply Paul








Ok, Ill try Everything even uninstalling Origin aswell.
And yes that aswell, blind textures and like "void"... And yes the events not going thru and having nothing to do... But this in the 1st Chapter cause I cant go past it







. But even in the "training map" theres all sorts of wierd stuff happening. Like wierds sounds. Not proper explosions and cant pick guns.
Multiplayer ... Couldnt even get thru the loading (the bars that show on top) and then nothing happens.

Best regards


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> You are not allowed to discuss certain programs on this website.
> 
> 
> 
> what software...?
Click to expand...

Used to be mining discussion was no go, but now: [Official] BitCoin LiteCoin DigitalCoin And all crypto currencies Club And General Information...


----------



## LDV617

Ty alancsalt. I was wondering what application was not supposed to be discussed, but did not want to ask for obvious reasons ^^


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BountyN*
> 
> Hey
> Thank you for your reply Paul
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ok, Ill try Everything even uninstalling Origin aswell.
> And yes that aswell, blind textures and like "void"... And yes the events not going thru and having nothing to do... But this in the 1st Chapter cause I cant go past it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . But even in the "training map" theres all sorts of wierd stuff happening. Like wierds sounds. Not proper explosions and cant pick guns.
> Multiplayer ... Couldnt even get thru the loading (the bars that show on top) and then nothing happens.
> 
> Best regards


I think you might just have to re-install the game and re-update it, sounds a bit too much to be just a driver issue...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> Used to be mining discussion was no go, but now: [Official] BitCoin LiteCoin DigitalCoin And all crypto currencies Club And General Information...


that's what I figured, had to ask if he meant something else I haven't heard of...


----------



## BountyN

Thanks Paul again.
Ill do it tomorrow and thats it







. And he downloads a 1.6Gb update by itself(when I installed the game it auto update right after)

Cheers


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Ty alancsalt. I was wondering what application was not supposed to be discussed, but did not want to ask for obvious reasons ^^


I assume that was what it was.


----------



## LDV617

That's what I was thinking too, but I've been reading the other OCN mining threads a lot recently, so I was very confused









On another note..

I have a Sapphire Vapor-X 7950 with the custom PCB (2x 8 pin) and I was running it at 1000/1350 since I got it. It was very smooth but sometimes I would drop frames (BF4). I never really saw the card go about 70-72 C. I just did the AB power draw hack (here) and the game FEELS smoother. I also see that BF4 runs at 99% GPU usage just about always. I do not remember what it was before, I will test that in the future.

The only issue / concern I have is temps. It is going up to ~75 C in BF4. I plan to get a bigger case soon to increase airflow cause this card is massive. But what do you guys think is a safe max temp in gaming? 80? Seems like one of the more common temps for flagship AMDs, but just curious. I consider myself very conservative about temps, I don't want my chips to fry up


----------



## nvidiaftw12

80 is fine. If you are concerned, turn up the fan speed.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nvidiaftw12*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Did you get a good return?
> 
> 
> 
> $220 profit.
Click to expand...

Hehe, you scored. You got to walk away with a lot of extra cash. That doesn't happen very often with items of increasing depreciation.


----------



## BountyN

Hi again guys.
Im quite new on AMD GPUs and as I said... I bought a brand new 7990.
Saying this and considering that I read that installing the beta 13.11 or something would be the best bcausr of the frame pacing and all the stuff...
Im running it stock... Which is the next drivers for now?...
But my doubt is actually what is ULPS)I see thid alot)and where should I activate it and Framepacing(where cause I cant find it in the CCC) aswell...
Many thanks for your time for the help


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cyph3r*
> 
> Pretty much the exact same score my rig gets, so I'd say you're bang on what you should be getting.


Thanks anyway of adding a bit more?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BountyN*
> 
> Hi again guys.
> Im quite new on AMD GPUs and as I said... I bought a brand new 7990.
> Saying this and considering that I read that installing the beta 13.11 or something would be the best bcausr of the frame pacing and all the stuff...
> Im running it stock... Which is the next drivers for now?...
> But my doubt is actually what is ULPS)I see thid alot)and where should I activate it and Framepacing(where cause I cant find it in the CCC) aswell...
> Many thanks for your time for the help


just grab the latest, pretty sure 13.9 has the framepacing, there's no options for said feature its just a system that's needed for 2 gpu crossfire (which is what the 7990 is),

ULPS is a power saving state where the GPU core/s shut off completely to save power, but this can sometimes pose a problem as there are still some cases where they don't wake back up again and will cause low performance (crossfire) or black screens (not an actual crash, the screen just stays off/presents a blank screen until you sleep the computer and resume it again), turn it off if you don't care about idle power saving (cores still go to 2D mode which uses virtually no power regardless)


----------



## BountyN

Again Paul thank you very much.
Im pretty aware of most of the stuff of what framepacing and dual GPU and blá blá. Just didnt knew about the ULPS.
Oh btw ofc 13.9 dont have framepacing








Just take a look around and you will see that frame pacing is a bit of "beta" right now. The 13.9 doesnt have it.
Only the beta drivers have it so far.
Cause AMD is finishing it and blá blá.
P.s I know that you should have an option to put FP on or OFF... Because the old 13.8 had it








Thanks again


----------



## lezioul

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lezioul*
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I've bought 2 Sapphire 7990 to make a mining rig.
> Everything is ok except the GPU temp that can raise 102°C (i think it's limited)
> As i don't want to make a BBQ, i'd like to undervolt the cores in order to decrease the temperature.
> 
> I've tryied using AMDOverdriveCtrl under linux (xubuntu 13.04 - latest catalyst 13.11 beta) but the vcore still remains at 1.2V
> I've also tryied directly in CGMiner, with no success.
> 
> Is the voltage lock? Is it due to the drivers version?
> I know i can flash a modded bios to override vcore but i prefer the software approach if it's possible.
> 
> Thanks for your help


up.

Any idea about my question?

Thx


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BountyN*
> 
> Again Paul thank you very much.
> Im pretty aware of most of the stuff of what framepacing and dual GPU and blá blá. Just didnt knew about the ULPS.
> Oh btw ofc 13.9 dont have framepacing
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just take a look around and you will see that frame pacing is a bit of "beta" right now. The 13.9 doesnt have it.
> Only the beta drivers have it so far.
> Cause AMD is finishing it and blá blá.
> P.s I know that you should have an option to put FP on or OFF... Because the old 13.8 had it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks again


AMD Catalyst 13.11 beta 9.5 is the Lattest and greatest. Frame pacing can be turned on or off in Catalyst. It is on by default. Thanks


----------



## heroxoot

Not sure if frame pacing helps single cards but I swear games feel smoother on beta 9.2 compared to drivers prior to the frame pacing.


----------



## CptDanko

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Not sure if frame pacing helps single cards but I swear games feel smoother on beta 9.2 compared to drivers prior to the frame pacing.


I don't think there is even an option for frame pacing with single cards....


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptDanko*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Not sure if frame pacing helps single cards but I swear games feel smoother on beta 9.2 compared to drivers prior to the frame pacing.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think there is even an option for frame pacing with single cards....
Click to expand...

They did something then. A friend said WoW runs incredible since the frame pacing was added also. He has a single 7950.


----------



## sugarhell

Frame pacing only works with crossfire. Is not even an option when you have single gpu


----------



## heroxoot

It doesn't matter, my frame stutter has been long gone for a while now. 9.5 doesn't seem to offer any more for me than 9.2 though.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Not sure if frame pacing helps single cards but I swear games feel smoother on beta 9.2 compared to drivers prior to the frame pacing.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> It doesn't matter, my frame stutter has been long gone for a while now. 9.5 doesn't seem to offer any more for me than 9.2 though.


there are other optimizations in drivers then frame pacing, frame pacing only affects 2+ cards though


----------



## Paul17041993

this is absolutely horrible, so the second fan on my DCIIT seems to have... lost its bearings...

http://sdrv.ms/19a6Dpn
http://sdrv.ms/1bq8dzk

and this card is only a year old, folding 24/7 for about 10-12 days has now crippled it further, I think I have no choice but to attempt an RMA again...


----------



## heroxoot

If its only a year then RMA is in question right? So just RMA. I know most hardware has 3 year warranty, at least MSI does.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> If its only a year then RMA is in question right? So just RMA. I know most hardware has 3 year warranty, at least MSI does.


yea, but, first attempt ASUS just wanted to screw me over for 3-4 months, and I only ended up with the same card brick back, that's the worry...


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> If its only a year then RMA is in question right? So just RMA. I know most hardware has 3 year warranty, at least MSI does.
> 
> 
> 
> yea, but, first attempt ASUS just wanted to screw me over for 3-4 months, and I only ended up with the same card brick back, that's the worry...
Click to expand...

Then your best option is a 3rd party cooler.


----------



## BountyN

Hello guys
Back again. Re Installes BF4(3DVD Version) and the exact same problema happening in the exact same things. I cant even play 1st chapter properly.
Have no issues with other games or anything else besides this
Im running 16Gb ram [email protected] 7990 and installed on the SSD.
Dont have an idea now. Im just going to download the game to see this time. Maybe theres some issues in the DVD
Anything you might sugest?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BountyN*
> 
> Hello guys
> Back again. Re Installes BF4(3DVD Version) and the exact same problema happening in the exact same things. I cant even play 1st chapter properly.
> Have no issues with other games or anything else besides this
> Im running 16Gb ram [email protected] 7990 and installed on the SSD.
> Dont have an idea now. Im just going to download the game to see this time. Maybe theres some issues in the DVD
> Anything you might sugest?


Its most likely issue with the game its self. I know I crash on and off in multiplayer. The DVD should be no issue as you put the key in origin and it would download it all the same and repair any corrupt files.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Then your best option is a 3rd party cooler.


doesn't really seem worth it to find one that fits this card though, Id still be stuck on stock clocks and have crashing with folding etc...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BountyN*
> 
> Hello guys
> Back again. Re Installes BF4(3DVD Version) and the exact same problema happening in the exact same things. I cant even play 1st chapter properly.
> Have no issues with other games or anything else besides this
> Im running 16Gb ram [email protected] 7990 and installed on the SSD.
> Dont have an idea now. Im just going to download the game to see this time. Maybe theres some issues in the DVD
> Anything you might sugest?


yea there must be something funky with your copy or something, you're just going to have to try downloading it 100% fresh instead of using the DVDs, other then that you should try contacting support about it to see if they know whats happening...


----------



## tx-jose

well im geting quite tired of my Sapphire 7950 OC edition. It runs hot as ballz









I have had it for a while but always blamed the Texas heat. today its a chilly 45* outside and my room is 65* and the card still hits 80* C with my panel OFF THE CASE. I took it apart and re applied thermal paste (( MX-4)) threw it in and launched BF4 multiplayer 64man server....still goes to 80*...... Its the Dual X whatever non boost edition and at stock volts just bumped to 1000 on the core.

what gives


----------



## JJ1217

I'm not quite sure how to explain what I'm experiencing. Let me just start off by saying -- I'm not a fanboy. I've owned AMD basically the entire time I've been building computers (6870, 7850, two 7950's), and I'm just unsure whether what I'm experiencing is placebo or just a better card..

I bought a GTX 780 because two 7950's were just not giving me what I desired because of microstuttering (to me it was very noticeable), and the R9 series did not interest me at all, being up to $90 more expensive just for a reference 290x over a WF3 780), and being too hot and loud. And when I plugged it in today, I was just shocked. 60 fps with a single AMD card and 60 fps with a single Nvidia card just did not feel the same. The Nvidia card just felt so much smoother, and just worked. I'm not even sure if its placebo, I see all the graphs and the AMD card in terms of microstuttering with single cards are for the most part equal with Nvidia. But something just felt smoother. I've been testing it on a variety of games, ensuring they are around 60 FPS (having higher settings on the Nvidia card to ensure its hanging around 60), and the Nvidia just smashes AMD in terms of playability. I just don't know what it is... can anyone care to explain?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Dunno, but that's how I feel going from my 6950 to my 7970, lol.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I'm not quite sure how to explain what I'm experiencing. Let me just start off by saying -- I'm not a fanboy. I've owned AMD basically the entire time I've been building computers (6870, 7850, two 7950's), and I'm just unsure whether what I'm experiencing is placebo or just a better card..
> 
> I bought a GTX 780 because two 7950's were just not giving me what I desired because of microstuttering (to me it was very noticeable), and the R9 series did not interest me at all, being up to $90 more expensive just for a reference 290x over a WF3 780), and being too hot and loud. And when I plugged it in today, I was just shocked. 60 fps with a single AMD card and 60 fps with a single Nvidia card just did not feel the same. The Nvidia card just felt so much smoother, and just worked. I'm not even sure if its placebo, I see all the graphs and the AMD card in terms of microstuttering with single cards are for the most part equal with Nvidia. But something just felt smoother. I've been testing it on a variety of games, ensuring they are around 60 FPS (having higher settings on the Nvidia card to ensure its hanging around 60), and the Nvidia just smashes AMD in terms of playability. I just don't know what it is... can anyone care to explain?


nvidia drivers use different filtering and such, I believe a lot of cases you can still compare the two and the nvidia one seems less colourfull, all in all nvidia's focused on their hardware being super optimized so the result is some better efficiency and performance in certain aspects, curious what games have you experienced better feel in? its expected for physx games to run better simply because of the piss-poor CPU optimization it has, other games it just depends on base optimization in the drivers.

all in all, the key is to not just stick to one side, you choose based on feel and what you want to do with it, I went for a 7970 simply because of its raw compute power and the potential for eyefinity later on, and Ive found openGL to run absolutely horrendously on nvidia cards so that was a push away for a start, I think my laptop still uses drivers from about a year ago due to GLSL faults in the modern drivers...


----------



## JJ1217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> nvidia drivers use different filtering and such, I believe a lot of cases you can still compare the two and the nvidia one seems less colourfull, all in all nvidia's focused on their hardware being super optimized so the result is some better efficiency and performance in certain aspects, curious what games have you experienced better feel in? its expected for physx games to run better simply because of the piss-poor CPU optimization it has, other games it just depends on base optimization in the drivers.
> 
> all in all, the key is to not just stick to one side, you choose based on feel and what you want to do with it, I went for a 7970 simply because of its raw compute power and the potential for eyefinity later on, and Ive found openGL to run absolutely horrendously on nvidia cards so that was a push away for a start, I think my laptop still uses drivers from about a year ago due to GLSL faults in the modern drivers...[/quote
> 
> Yeah fair enough. I'm mostly a gamer, used to do bitmining, but could never be bothered with it. I'm talking games like BF4, FC3, Crysis 3... I just feel like 40 fps on my 780 feels like 60 fps on my 7950. Its really strange, and if its placebo, I'm happy for it to stay. I just can't explain it much more than that.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BountyN*
> 
> Hello guys
> Back again. Re Installes BF4(3DVD Version) and the exact same problema happening in the exact same things. I cant even play 1st chapter properly.
> Have no issues with other games or anything else besides this
> Im running 16Gb ram [email protected] 7990 and installed on the SSD.
> Dont have an idea now. Im just going to download the game to see this time. Maybe theres some issues in the DVD
> Anything you might sugest?
> 
> 
> 
> Its most likely issue with the game its self. I know I crash on and off in multiplayer. The DVD should be no issue as you put the key in origin and it would download it all the same and repair any corrupt files.
Click to expand...

1 fill out a rig in rigbuilder and put it in your sig
2???
3 profit !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JJ1217*
> 
> I'm not quite sure how to explain what I'm experiencing. Let me just start off by saying -- I'm not a fanboy. I've owned AMD basically the entire time I've been building computers (6870, 7850, two 7950's), and I'm just unsure whether what I'm experiencing is placebo or just a better card..
> 
> I bought a GTX 780 because two 7950's were just not giving me what I desired because of microstuttering (to me it was very noticeable), and the R9 series did not interest me at all, being up to $90 more expensive just for a reference 290x over a WF3 780), and being too hot and loud. And when I plugged it in today, I was just shocked. 60 fps with a single AMD card and 60 fps with a single Nvidia card just did not feel the same. The Nvidia card just felt so much smoother, and just worked. I'm not even sure if its placebo, I see all the graphs and the AMD card in terms of microstuttering with single cards are for the most part equal with Nvidia. But something just felt smoother. I've been testing it on a variety of games, ensuring they are around 60 FPS (having higher settings on the Nvidia card to ensure its hanging around 60), and the Nvidia just smashes AMD in terms of playability. I just don't know what it is... can anyone care to explain?


1 your updating a generation
2 single vs dual cards ( tri-quad cards tent to get rid of said microstutter )
3 i would be willing to bet you would of felt the same if you had used a 290/290x as they are just so much more powerful


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 2 single vs dual cards ( tri-quad cards tent to get rid of said microstutter )
> 3 i would be willing to bet you would of felt the same if you had used a 290/290x as they are just so much more powerful


its probably just that, 2x7950, if the microstutter was bad enough your 60fps would have felt like ~35, whereas now your using a single high-power gpu core so there isn't a single ounce of latency induced from SLI/CrossFire, essentially why my next card will be a single 290X and nothing more, under water, when money gets back up again that is...


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> nvidia drivers use different filtering and such, I believe a lot of cases you can still compare the two and the nvidia one seems less colourfull, all in all nvidia's focused on their hardware being super optimized so the result is some better efficiency and performance in certain aspects, curious what games have you experienced better feel in? its expected for physx games to run better simply because of the piss-poor CPU optimization it has, other games it just depends on base optimization in the drivers.
> 
> all in all, the key is to not just stick to one side, you choose based on feel and what you want to do with it, I went for a 7970 simply because of its raw compute power and the potential for eyefinity later on, and Ive found openGL to run absolutely horrendously on nvidia cards so that was a push away for a start, I think my laptop still uses drivers from about a year ago due to GLSL faults in the modern drivers...


You code for OpenGL?


----------



## Durvelle27

Comparison between my ole HD 7970 @1280/1850 & R9 290 @1215/1450

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/7626071/3dm11/7462575


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Comparison between my ole HD 7970 @1280/1850 & R9 290 @1215/1450
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/7626071/3dm11/7462575


Wow. Its not a big difference though. So the 290X has gotta be over 10% performance on a 7970ghz. Does memory OC give as much boost on the 290 as it did on the 7970?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Wow. Its not a big difference though. So the 290X has gotta be over 10% performance on a 7970ghz. Does memory OC give as much boost on the 290 as it did on the 7970?


how'd you figure 10%?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Wow. Its not a big difference though. So the 290X has gotta be over 10% performance on a 7970ghz. Does memory OC give as much boost on the 290 as it did on the 7970?


Not as much. As its not bandwidth starved like the Tahiti cards where


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Wow. Its not a big difference though. So the 290X has gotta be over 10% performance on a 7970ghz. Does memory OC give as much boost on the 290 as it did on the 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> how'd you figure 10%?
Click to expand...

I viewed other benchmarks. It doesn't seem more than 15% for the 290 at most.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Wow. Its not a big difference though. So the 290X has gotta be over 10% performance on a 7970ghz. Does memory OC give as much boost on the 290 as it did on the 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> how'd you figure 10%?
Click to expand...

Yea exactly. That's 4K in gs score and it's only 10%? LOL.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Wow. Its not a big difference though. So the 290X has gotta be over 10% performance on a 7970ghz. Does memory OC give as much boost on the 290 as it did on the 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> how'd you figure 10%?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yea exactly. That's 4K in gs score and it's only 10%? LOL.
Click to expand...

i bet they are looking at overall score, not graphics score


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Wow. Its not a big difference though. So the 290X has gotta be over 10% performance on a 7970ghz. Does memory OC give as much boost on the 290 as it did on the 7970?
> 
> 
> 
> how'd you figure 10%?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yea exactly. That's 4K in gs score and it's only 10%? LOL.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> *i bet they are looking at overall score, not graphics score*
Click to expand...

That should be the definition of lol regarding amd cpus. They are looking at the wrong thing.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> You code for OpenGL?


well I don't support directX


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well I don't support directX


Lol I don't think anyone does,I'm just interested in OpenGL and wanted to ask if nVidia cards are holding you back from development


----------



## heroxoot

Directx is bleh. So what about Mantle? I heard its implemented into BF4 this month? I'm wondering how much better performance it will have.


----------



## Paul17041993

I may have... actually overclocked my card effectively...




I tried re-flashing the card with much older BIOSes, tried gputweak 2.2.14, voltage control seems to have unlocked and I can punch it up to 1.4V, though I cant tell what the actual voltage is, everything else still says 1.170, but, shes actually able to run at 1200 core, 1600mem without crashing, albeit there's a lot of artifacts (likely due to being over 65C), atm she seems stable with 1125/1575 and 1.25V, temps hitting close to 80C, but still seems stable...

now if I don't get crashes from gputweak itself, I might have a reason to waterblock her now...


----------



## Mega Man

hehe congrats !!!!!


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I may have... actually overclocked my card effectively...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I tried re-flashing the card with much older BIOSes, tried gputweak 2.2.14, voltage control seems to have unlocked and I can punch it up to 1.4V, though I cant tell what the actual voltage is, everything else still says 1.170, but, shes actually able to run at 1200 core, 1600mem without crashing, albeit there's a lot of artifacts (likely due to being over 65C), atm she seems stable with 1125/1575 and 1.25V, temps hitting close to 80C, but still seems stable...
> 
> now if I don't get crashes from gputweak itself, I might have a reason to waterblock her now...


Congrats dude







,I knew she could do it...well not certain but......oh who am I lying to!I gotta say I lost hope in your card a long time ago


----------



## Paul17041993

aaaaand guess what, enabled extended clocks and now voltage control is completely gone again, not even reinstalling gputweak and changing BIOSs can fix it, crashes at 1050 core...



and it seems like there was a little streak of flickering pixels towards the bottom right corner of the screen as I was typing this, going with my original plan of flogging this thing on ebay...


----------



## Deadboy90

So i decided YOLO and voided my 7950's warranty by unscrewing the cooler off the PCB. And boy am i glad i did, I found what looked like dry toothpaste on my chip. I re pasted with AS5 and im already seeing 3C better cooling while mining without any cure time. Christ MSI, get your act together...


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> So i decided YOLO and voided my 7950's warranty by unscrewing the cooler off the PCB. And boy am i glad i did, I found what looked like dry toothpaste on my chip. I re pasted with AS5 and im already seeing 3C better cooling while mining without any cure time. Christ MSI, get your act together...


Does this really void the warranty? Can they tell if its been taken off? How do they expect you to clean it?


----------



## Mega Man

can it yes, but msi is usually pretty lax on it


----------



## incog

What mantle is coming out this month???


----------



## rabidz7

I got rid of my 7970 and got a 680.


----------



## Mega Man

congrats????


----------



## DerComissar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rabidz7*
> 
> I got rid of my 7970 and got a 680.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> congrats????


Lol!


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rabidz7*
> 
> I got rid of my 7970 and got a 680.


Isn't that a bit of a downgrade?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rabidz7*
> 
> I got rid of my 7970 and got a 680.
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't that a bit of a downgrade?
Click to expand...

Benchmark wise it depends. I been hearing nVidia drivers have been really bad lately. One of my friends was telling me he has not upgraded nVidia drivers in months because of it causing crashing.


----------



## sugarhell

680 is old and slow gpu. The only viable upgrade from 7970 is

1) crossfire
2) 780,780 ti,290,290x


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 680 is old and slow gpu. The only viable upgrade from 7970 is
> 
> 1) crossfire
> 2) 780,780 ti,290,290x


This

I went from a highly OC'd 7970 to a R9 290


----------



## bigmac11

Man I'm away for a few days and noticed my best buddy







has returned causing chaos and bs in his wake. Like TSM the board is full of blocked messages. And the worse thing is he continues to spam his crap across other forums I follow









On another note I sold 3 of my 7950's to a jerk on ebay only to have him return them as not functioning as advertised after 7 days. Somehow he flashed both bios on al the cards to something really screwed up. I tried running on IGFX and flashing them back with no luck. I have the stock bios saved but when I try to flash I get a unrecognized id error on both 1+2 bios switch.

Any ideas what I can do? This sucks instead of making some dollars I lost almost $1000 with all the bs


----------



## dmfree88

That does suck cant you open an ebay case? Item was returned in different condition then u sent it doesnt that get you something? Next time no returns


----------



## sugarhell

Just do a force flash.


----------



## blewerwes1

http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC.html this is the card I have. RUnning on a big bang marshall, 8 gb or hyperx ram w fan, Liquid cooled i7 2700k. pUSHED BY A 1000W BFG PSU. So this card has never been flashed, nor has the bios been over written by a program like rbe. I use the card to mine litecoins, and used to mine btc. WHen mining btc I get a stable 650-700 mhs. But, when mining lite coins I cant push past the 500 range.
From all my research I've learned that some cards are not proficient in scrypt programs and require a bios flash. Once flashed the op's would then be sitting @ 700 kh/s. I have updated drivers, and all that. Everything is up to date.
SO my delima..... (side note.. I have flashed several gpus prior to this, 5850's, 6950's, 6970's, and 3 other 7970's.) When entering into the usb flash in dos. I type atiflash.exe -i 0, and get adapter not found. Same thing with atiflash.exe -i, and atiflash.exe -i 1, etc. I cant find an active adapter. But, when i log into windows it reads the card, pulls up specs in alt programs like ccc gpuz etc.
SO, I switched slots. as the msi big bang marshall has 8 pci-e slots. but, once installed in different slots windows doesnt recognize the card and wants to install drivers etc for it. So i reslotted in my 0 slot, or the top slot.
When using a program like atiwinflash inside of windows I get a subsystem id mismatch.
Once again this card has never been flashed, so I should not be seeing this. As we all know most the time when this happens is due to a bad flash/bricked card.

THis card has a dual bios switch, so one bios is write protected and the other isnt. WHen I check the bios on 1 and 2, they both are the same. So my question is how do I flash this card. atiflash doesnt recognize it, and atiwinflash has a subsystem id mismatch.

ANyone who solves this problem will get .5 of a lite coin to 1 litecoin depending on how long it takes us to resolve this. Please remember to include your recieve ltc address, and the person who posts the fix or solution will get the ltc sent to their wallet... ANd, ty once again. Please remember Ive done all the simple stuff, so this one might be tricky.
ALso ltc is at 35 so you will get $15-30 depending on the difficulty and time it takes to solve this problem

To forum admins, if this is in the wrong thread or whatnot please move it to the best place to get help on this forum.

TY and godbless you all

I also want to add that even if you try to flash the bios, without knowing the adapter number then it doesnt work. Ex atiflash.exe -f -p 0 xxx.rom, you get adapter not found 0fl01. After researching this most people with a bricked card get this. Once again this card has never been flashed and both bios 1 and 2 are the same. So Im not sure what to do. Plus all the 0fl01 errors im seeing on goolge/forums are all for older cards. Not seeing much on the 7970s, but i know I paid close to 700 dollars for this card and the hash rate for litecoins (scrypt mining is garbage) even overclocked it doesnt push past 550 kh/s. Btw you will notice it is a oc edition reference card. Most peeps are hacing this problem with the oc reference cards, or ghz edition cards. Please help, and move this post to the best area for help/ answers. Im sorry fro grammer and punctuation errors as I'm in a hurry for work.


----------



## sugarhell

Look for the force command on atiflash.

Use -f

You can try first run -unlockrom 0

Also oc means nothing for crypting. You need to find the best ratio between core and memory. i got 800 kh/s with 1050/1800 at 1075/1800 i get 500


----------



## bigmac11

blewerwes1 did you recently buy 3 7950's on ebay? Your post formatting looks familiar. If not then cool. If you did please PM me.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blewerwes1*
> 
> http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC.html this is the card I have. RUnning on a big bang marshall, 8 gb or hyperx ram w fan, Liquid cooled i7 2700k. pUSHED BY A 1000W BFG PSU. So this card has never been flashed, nor has the bios been over written by a program like rbe. I use the card to mine litecoins, and used to mine btc. WHen mining btc I get a stable 650-700 mhs. But, when mining lite coins I cant push past the 500 range.
> From all my research I've learned that some cards are not proficient in scrypt programs and require a bios flash. Once flashed the op's would then be sitting @ 700 kh/s. I have updated drivers, and all that. Everything is up to date.
> SO my delima..... (side note.. I have flashed several gpus prior to this, 5850's, 6950's, 6970's, and 3 other 7970's.) When entering into the usb flash in dos. I type atiflash.exe -i 0, and get adapter not found. Same thing with atiflash.exe -i, and atiflash.exe -i 1, etc. I cant find an active adapter. But, when i log into windows it reads the card, pulls up specs in alt programs like ccc gpuz etc.
> SO, I switched slots. as the msi big bang marshall has 8 pci-e slots. but, once installed in different slots windows doesnt recognize the card and wants to install drivers etc for it. So i reslotted in my 0 slot, or the top slot.
> When using a program like atiwinflash inside of windows I get a subsystem id mismatch.
> Once again this card has never been flashed, so I should not be seeing this. As we all know most the time when this happens is due to a bad flash/bricked card.
> 
> THis card has a dual bios switch, so one bios is write protected and the other isnt. WHen I check the bios on 1 and 2, they both are the same. So my question is how do I flash this card. atiflash doesnt recognize it, and atiwinflash has a subsystem id mismatch.
> 
> ANyone who solves this problem will get .5 of a lite coin to 1 litecoin depending on how long it takes us to resolve this. Please remember to include your recieve ltc address, and the person who posts the fix or solution will get the ltc sent to their wallet... ANd, ty once again. Please remember Ive done all the simple stuff, so this one might be tricky.
> ALso ltc is at 35 so you will get $15-30 depending on the difficulty and time it takes to solve this problem
> 
> To forum admins, if this is in the wrong thread or whatnot please move it to the best place to get help on this forum.
> 
> TY and godbless you all
> 
> I also want to add that even if you try to flash the bios, without knowing the adapter number then it doesnt work. Ex atiflash.exe -f -p 0 xxx.rom, you get adapter not found 0fl01. After researching this most people with a bricked card get this. Once again this card has never been flashed and both bios 1 and 2 are the same. So Im not sure what to do. Plus all the 0fl01 errors im seeing on goolge/forums are all for older cards. Not seeing much on the 7970s, but i know I paid close to 700 dollars for this card and the hash rate for litecoins (scrypt mining is garbage) even overclocked it doesnt push past 550 kh/s. Btw you will notice it is a oc edition reference card. Most peeps are hacing this problem with the oc reference cards, or ghz edition cards. Please help, and move this post to the best area for help/ answers. Im sorry fro grammer and punctuation errors as I'm in a hurry for work.


As mentioned force should work. But you may stil not get a huge increase in speed. Notice that normal mining uses mh/s while scrypt uses kh/s. My 7870 gets 450ish mh/s but only about 380kh/s(after some hardcore tweaking of settings) so you may not close the gap completely. I recommend tweaking with the -w setting in cgminer. I was able to push 100 extra kh/s after finding the proper settings. Feel free to pm me ill be on all day working wouldn't mind helpin you figure it out. No payment required although anybody with any donations toward my 280x im saving for greatly appreciated







, considering i only get 1 ltc per week (if im running 24/7 with cpu + gpu) any help could potentially save me days:

LfNsAfd5bxuCMggrq16V9XAmUkZWZ1h1eJ

Thanks to anyone who does help 









Also good luck and let us know how it works.









See here for a little more info but i have a feeling flashing your bios wont change much
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=234877.0

Just noticed you already tried force install. Maybe try -f -i 0 ? Or maybe a different flashing program? Cant remember the name of the other one but theres atleast a couple out there. Might even be able to edit ur own bios and have better luck flashing your own? Let us know what all you try and if you still need help
















heres a good bios flashing tutorial with links to other utilities that might help you out:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/246888-29-guide-bios-modding-flashing


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Benchmark wise it depends. I been hearing nVidia drivers have been really bad lately. One of my friends was telling me he has not upgraded nVidia drivers in months because of it causing crashing.


yea, their drivers are disappointing really, Ive only got a 540M in my laptop currently but to update or reinstall the drivers on it is just horrible, they should really overhaul their 1998 system into something more modern like AMD's, "GeForce Experience" only seemed to make it worse, I'm not really sure about GLSL either as on the newer drivers shaders don't compile without changing something like timePower to =3.f instead of 2.f, but on all other platforms and their drivers from 6 months ago or more it isn't needed...









not to say I haven't had troubles with AMD drivers, older legacy cards can be a hassle, though I haven't had issues with updating drivers for a very long time now...


----------



## blewerwes1

OK gonna try and answer all the ?s, before i go in. unlock rom may work as i havent tried it yet. I did use -f for force flash though. It wont flash regaurdless if it is not recognizing an adapter. Nope I didnt buy any cards from ebay sorry. ANd the last question as of right now this is not a matter of piddling with oc or core/ mem clocks/ settings in cgminer. Ive been mining a year and a half or so. I actually have a card that does not break 500, the max ive had it was at 550. Ive had several 7970s in the last year, and upon starting up cgminer they are at least close to 700, and like you guys said after fine tuning all the settings they broke 700, but this card is not, Ive tried for the last 2-3 weeks. Every conf i can think of, thread con. g-2 etc core and mem clock doesnt really matter, it stays below at 500. running the g-2 setting halves my hash speed.
I also know that mhs is for btc or sha, and khs is for scrypt ltc etc. Like I said this is one of those cards that does not break 550, with any setting, it blows at scrypt mining. And, I understand everyone here is trying to help, but please realize im not new to the scene and have been dealing with sha mining and scrypt mining for the past year and a half or so, and this is the first 7970, ive gotten thats been like this.
For those who havent heard of the 7970 bad scrypt mining here is a link to one of the threads...... https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=200777.0;all, theres a few more on google, but i dont have time to post them. As you see most of the instances of this problem are the ref edition oc models, or the ghz versions. Something about the bios causes them to be crap at scrypt mining. THe resolution is to flash...

So please dont post comment about configs, or ratios between the core and mem because thats not the issue here.... We need a flash, but the adapter is not recognized. I will try the unlock rom thing when I get in tonight and let ya know how it goes... GOd bless you all and ty for your replies.

Sorry if I sound rude, but I'm rushing to get ready for work, and just want the point to stand my issue is not with cgminer or oc settings, core to mem ratio etc, like i said ive been mining 7970s for a while..... But, this is by far the first time ive seen the adapter not found in bios, especially when the card has not been flashed yet.


----------



## dmfree88

I edited my post with a link. You may wan to try a differen bios flashing program aswell. Have you flashed previos bios on that motherboard before? Maybe a conflict there? Not a quick solution likely but im sure atiwinflash has a direct forum you may beable to connect with one of the programmers and find a possible resolution if its a known issue. Or they may be able to implement a fix somehow in a future release if there is a conflict. I assume you tried force on both bios? Maybe once u try unlock rom it will work on one of em.

Thats all i can really think of personally since u know what ur doing with cgminer there must be some way to flash ur bios.

Goodluck hope you figure it out.


----------



## blewerwes1

@ dmfree 88, Ive tried cmd in windows to flash, and atiwinflash, of course these were tried after the dos usb stick flash using winflash. One note Most of the prime settings on cgminer include a setting g-2, but when i use this command it takes me from about 550 kh/s to 350 kh/s. Im leaving for work in the next few minutes so I wont be able to respond until about 11 eastern standard time or 8 oclock if your in the west coast. Once again to everyone trying to help out thank you


----------



## blewerwes1

If the flashing doesnt work using the unlockrom0 command then i will post my miner config file, and settings to see if theres a workaround, but like I said I've tried most everything.


----------



## blewerwes1

@ sugarhell Just to kinda give you an example, @ 1050/1800 I go from 550 kh/s to 559 kh/s,,, Thes optimal settings that should boost me up high just increase me 5-10 kh/s


----------



## blewerwes1

Hers another instance where flashing fixed the problem http://litecoinforum.org/litecoin-mining/low-hash-rate-on-7970/


----------



## dmfree88

Rough. Good luck when u get off let us know how it works out. I also just thought have you tried just checking your vendors website for a bios update? If they have one it usually comes with there own flashing utility that should work. If they havent made a newer bios it likely wont help tho







. But if they do it may work better, or if not maybe it will be recognized by flashing util afterwards. Just an idea. Good luck, hope you get some improvements


----------



## blewerwes1

OK so I had just enough time to try and flash again heres the results. atiflash.exe -i adapter not found, atiflash -i 0, adapter not found, says that for every number. I tried 0-8 as I have an eight slotted mobo. using the unlockrom0 or unlockrom 0 command says invalid command or parameters unless i do it like this atiflash.exe -unlockrom. After that it says atiflash, hit enter, and then it says adapter not found.

As for the mis site I cannot find any bios for this card, but only drivers....an example http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2064... im w7 64


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blewerwes1*
> 
> OK so I had just enough time to try and flash again heres the results. atiflash.exe -i adapter not found, atiflash -i 0, adapter not found, says that for every number. I tried 0-8 as I have an eight slotted mobo. using the unlockrom0 or unlockrom 0 command says invalid command or parameters unless i do it like this atiflash.exe -unlockrom. After that it says atiflash, hit enter, and then it says adapter not found.
> 
> As for the mis site I cannot find any bios for this card, but only drivers....an example http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2064... im w7 64


you have to go to the utilities page. it showed it there for me. not under downloads under utlities.

EDITED LINK FIRST LINK WAS WRONG CARD MY BAD:
http://www.msi.com/product/vga/R7970-2PMD3GD5-OC.html#/?div=Utility&os=Win7%2064


----------



## blewerwes1

Would you by a chance be referring to the msi live update? thats the only thing I saw on msis page under utilities that has anything bout a bios. I do have that on my pc, ill try it at the house. Ups is about to turn the belts on,so I gotta get these packages in the truck ty again


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> blewerwes1 did you recently buy 3 7950's on ebay? Your post formatting looks familiar. If not then cool. If you did please PM me.


????


----------



## bigmac11

Wow for someone who is so vocal, everytime I post you ignore it. And even worse everybody tries to help? This is why I shy away from oc.net


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Wow for someone who is so vocal, everytime I post you ignore it. And even worse everybody tries to help? This is why I shy away from oc.net


Maybe hes too smart to for his own good. Walls of text and one cannot even le google pour le flash? Walls of text...


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blewerwes1*
> 
> Would you by a chance be referring to the msi live update? thats the only thing I saw on msis page under utilities that has anything bout a bios. I do have that on my pc, ill try it at the house. Ups is about to turn the belts on,so I gotta get these packages in the truck ty again


yes its the live update util it says it updates the bios hopefully that means gpu aswell. Otherwise its very decieving how they put it there on the gpu util download page and have it say that







. Not sure though i never tried to use it myself. I may try it later though maybe i can get better performance out of my MSI hawk. Really havent been happy with overall performance either have seen others with 475kh/s would like to push over 400 myself.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Wow for someone who is so vocal, everytime I post you ignore it. And even worse everybody tries to help? This is why I shy away from oc.net


he answered your question in his originial replys, he said he has never bought them off ebay.

Also @blewer dont listen to TSM he is a jerk. anyone asking for help must be deemed an idiot to some people.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Maybe hes too smart to for his own good. Walls of text and one cannot even le google pour le flash? Walls of text...


The way he is writing is the same damn way the jerk that ripped me off did. Almost 100%. It's ok I just calculated my gas costs to get to the buyers address and it's a LOT less than $1000.

And BTW ebay and paypal really suck. Neither one wants to do anything. No big loss as I've dealt with both years ago and haven't used ebay since.

Road trip upcoming







I'll get my cash back...guaranteed.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> he answered your question in his originial replys


Indeed he did within the wall of text. My apologies for that


----------



## BountyN

Yeah dude.
Just dont kill HIM. But... Scare/scar HIM









Scammers!
Gl mate


----------



## bigmac11

Wow now I cannot pm anymore???


----------



## dmfree88

you got hit with the ban-hammer


----------



## BountyN

Hahah?!
Why?! For saying what is going to do?! LOL that sounds a bit xtreme...
Gl Bigmac. I would do the same. Infact I did to a guy that scammed me with an iPhone








Wasnt pretty )


----------



## dmfree88

Lol i doubt he got banned i was just joking. Must be glitched im sure it will work later try re logging in or maybe diff browser


----------



## bigmac11

I'm on my way to Ohio in about 30 minutes. Hopefully our new member isn't the one that bought the cards. I'm on disability and cannot afford the loss.


----------



## BountyN

Go dude.
And let as know asap. And... I advice to take caré and if possible take police with you.
Oh and take the carda with you as proof

Gl


----------



## wermad

ebay is a dangerous place. I have had my share of scams done to me. I always stress in my listings that the item(s) are always tested before shipping. I take pics for evidence. I know its not fool-proof but its something. With the Ebay-Buyer protection, its make sellers more vulnerable to buyer-scams.

@ bigmac111, I hope you can get this resolved. Have you tried to rma the cards btw?


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> I'm on my way to Ohio in about 30 minutes. Hopefully our new member isn't the one that bought the cards. I'm on disability and cannot afford the loss.


good call i cant blame you. its BS when someone does that. There should be something that covers you if they break it and send it back. Makes me leary of selling anything thats protected under buyer protection if theres no seller protection included aswell.


----------



## bigmac11

I'm on I 84 listening to eric Clapton.......it's gonna hurt


----------



## LDV617

Don't crash trying to keep us up to date


----------



## wermad

Stay safe and try to carry a civil discussion. It sounds like the guy bricked them. I would screenshot any bios evidence that shows something different was put on them. I'm sure if you stress it w/ ebay, they may assist you. Also, stress that the buyer should have done testing immediately and not wait a whole week to notify you of any issues. Seems sketchy and if you can prove it, they may decide on your behalf. Good luck


----------



## dmfree88

that guys gonna crap a brick lol. could you imagine seeing the guy from the other end of ebay at your door pissed at you for scamming him? its like every person who ever has been scammed dream. That moment when some idiot steals all your items in an RPG or you get ripped off by some dude 1000 miles away. For once its close by, totally my dream to get that sort of payback someday







. Even if the conversation be civil just to see the look on there face.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> I'm on I 84 listening to eric Clapton.......it's gonna hurt


Blood!Blood!BLOOOD!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rabidz7*
> 
> I got rid of my 7970 and got a 680.
> 
> 
> 
> Isn't that a bit of a downgrade?
Click to expand...

HAHAHAHA
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Wow for someone who is so vocal, everytime I post you ignore it. And even worse everybody tries to help? This is why I shy away from oc.net
> 
> 
> 
> he answered your question in his originial replys, he said he has never bought them off ebay.
> 
> Also @blewer dont listen to TSM he is a jerk. anyone asking for help must be deemed an idiot to some people.
Click to expand...

huh? totally not true, i ask for help all the time from him. he is a great guy, he just does not like answering the same question to the same person over and over and over


----------



## tsm106

Haha, that amd cpu troll. You want to know what posters are like, hit the replies link next to the thread and search via username.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Isn't that a bit of a downgrade?


I would say upgrade, maybe side-grade at worst. 7970s are pretty terrible outside of mining / folding. I absolutely dislike my 7970s for gaming, but they put up the PPD so I deal with them.


----------



## sugarhell

Wut?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I would say upgrade, maybe side-grade at worst. 7970s are pretty terrible outside of mining / folding. I absolutely dislike my 7970s for gaming, but they put up the PPD so I deal with them.


lulz all day and night


----------



## blewerwes1

To whomever is getting scammed on ebay. You will have to do it the ole fashioned way under the table. Ebay wont help you they are garbage. To everyone who has helped and thrown in a few cents of info. Thank you. Once again God bless you. IM gonna try the msi live update, to see if it will update my bios. If that doesnt work my guess is I just got one of the cards that is crap for scrypt mining. Btw sorry about the wall of text in my op. I copied and pasted from another forum so I wouldnt have to type all that out twice, and it took it out of paragraph form and made one big blob of text. Once again ty guys and gals


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> lulz all day and night


Lul all day you want, I honestly can't fathom how people actually like these GPUs.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Isn't that a bit of a downgrade?
> 
> 
> 
> I would say upgrade, maybe side-grade at worst. 7970s are pretty terrible outside of mining / folding. I absolutely dislike my 7970s for gaming, but they put up the PPD so I deal with them.
Click to expand...


----------



## sugarhell

O me gee my nose


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Lul all day you want, I honestly can't fathom how people actually like these GPUs.


You definitely are entitled to your own opinion







It took some tinkering with my cards and an OS re-install officially fixed any issues I had and gaming is butter smooth now. Been running crossfire for about 9 months now problem free! Maybe play around a bit more? Because that butter smooth game play is definitely in your cards somewhere! You might just have to do a little bit of work to find it lol


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> You definitely are entitled to your own opinion
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It took some tinkering with my cards and an OS re-install officially fixed any issues I had and gaming is butter smooth now. Been running crossfire for about 9 months now problem free! Maybe play around a bit more? Because that butter smooth game play is definitely in your cards somewhere! You might just have to do a little bit of work to find it lol


And you yours. I have two 7970 Lightnings watercooled in CF, and can't stand them.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> And you yours. I have two 7970 Lightnings watercooled in CF, and can't stand them.


Lol well just play around with them a little more! I know that I was extremely frustrated at first, but finally got it and haven't looked back since! I urge you to not give up on such expensive cards!!!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> And you yours. I have two 7970 Lightnings watercooled in CF, and can't stand them.


son you have no idea how lucky you are really...


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> son you have no idea how lucky you are really...


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> son you have no idea how lucky you are really...


They do both run at 1300mhz so that is something good I'll say for them.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> They do both run at 1300mhz so that is something good I'll say for them.










(wipes away drool)

If you really hate those mean ole broken Lightnings I guess I could do you the favor of taking them off your hands!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> They do both run at 1300mhz so that is something good I'll say for them.


that... I didn't even know they were of good quality...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> They do both run at 1300mhz so that is something good I'll say for them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (wipes away drool)
> 
> If you really hate those mean ole broken Lightnings I guess I could do you the favor of taking them off your hands!
Click to expand...

1300 is easy.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1300 is easy.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I knew the AMD masta was going to chime in and say that 1300Mhz is nothing!


----------



## anubis1127

Lol, like I mentioned, they fold well so I deal with them.

My cards won't seem to do any higher than 1300 in CF, one of them will do around 1320 by itself. Nice results @tsm106


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Lol, like I mentioned, they fold well so I deal with them.
> 
> My cards won't seem to do any higher than 1300 in CF, one of them will do around 1320 by itself. Nice results @tsm106


Maybe you should have gotten reference cards? Heh, jk.

Had to dig this one up from the past. Its not the fastest run, but it shows the clocks.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/280484


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Maybe you should have gotten reference cards? Heh, jk.
> 
> Had to dig this one up from the past. Its not the fastest run, but it shows the clocks.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/280484


Haha, clearly.

Actually I've had a few reference 7970s in the past, but mine were dogs, didn't even do 1200 for gaming. One had pretty noticeable coil whine, not that that effects anything, it's just annoying.


----------



## blewerwes1

OK so no luck with the bios update through msi live update, so the bios flash is out for me. Wierd i have the bios switch intended for flashing, but cant flash. SO to the guys mining litecoins on here go ahead and post your configs, and lets see if I can at least break 600 on this thing...
On another note, I've had quite a few 7970s, the xfx blacks ref oc model were the best reached 1200 on core clock with no problems on air. THe rest of the 7970s Ive gotten- were, are pretty much garbage. Not breaking 1100 on most. Not to mention that if you turn antialiasing on at all it devestates your frames. SOmething that nvidia has smashed on all their cards...
But we all know if you wanna game go nvidia. FOr mining amd/ati. I also notice when crossfired gaming is crappy. Most the time games run smoother on a single card for the 7 series( single monitor max settings). Unless you are like me and have to have everything maxed out on eyefinity, then in that case you may benefit from a crossfire.


----------



## blewerwes1

Or i could say...... what he said ^ (anubis)


----------



## CravinR1

How can I flash my new Sapphire Flex 7950 to a gpu that is volt unlocked, can you even do that ?


----------



## blewerwes1

ALright help a fella break past 550 kh/s here is my cgminer config excluding pool and all that msi 7970r oc

ntensity" : "13",
"vectors" : "1",
"worksize" : "256",
"kernel" : "scrypt",
"lookup-gap" : "2",
"thread-concurrency" : "8192",
"shaders" : "2048",
"gpu-engine" : "0-1045",
"gpu-fan" : "0-85",
"gpu-memclock" : "1500",
"gpu-memdiff" : "0",
"gpu-powertune" : "20",
"gpu-vddc" : "0.000",
"temp-cutoff" : "95",
"temp-overheat" : "85",
"temp-target" : "75",
"api-mcast-port" : "4028",
"api-port" : "4028",
"expiry" : "120",
"failover-only" : true,
"gpu-dyninterval" : "7",
"gpu-platform" : "0",
"gpu-threads" : "1",
"hotplug" : "5",
"log" : "5",
"no-pool-disable" : true,
"queue" : "1",
"scan-time" : "60",
"scrypt" : true,
"temp-hysteresis" : "3",
"shares" : "0",
"load-balance" : true,
"kernel-path" : "/usr/local/bin"
}


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> How can I flash my new Sapphire Flex 7950 to a gpu that is volt unlocked, can you even do that ?


I don't know if that specific card is voltage locked, I'm assuming it is. In general the cards that are voltage locked cannot be unlocked with a bios flash. I had a TFIII 7950 that was voltage locked and it was what it was.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blewerwes1*
> 
> OK so no luck with the bios update through msi live update, so the bios flash is out for me. Wierd i have the bios switch intended for flashing, but cant flash. SO to the guys mining litecoins on here go ahead and post your configs, and lets see if I can at least break 600 on this thing...
> On another note, I've had quite a few 7970s, the xfx blacks ref oc model were the best reached 1200 on core clock with no problems on air. THe rest of the 7970s Ive gotten- were, are pretty much garbage. Not breaking 1100 on most. Not to mention that if you turn antialiasing on at all it devestates your frames. SOmething that nvidia has smashed on all their cards...
> But we all know if you wanna game go nvidia. FOr mining amd/ati. I also notice when crossfired gaming is crappy. Most the time games run smoother on a single card for the 7 series( single monitor max settings). Unless you are like me and have to have everything maxed out on eyefinity, then in that case you may benefit from a crossfire.


Maybe you have a weird card like i do that needs a low -w (worksize)setting. I noticed most ppl use -w 256 with a 7870 but mine performed MUCH better at -w 96.. tried many different settings and that was the best for me. Maybe try lowering yours see what happens? Try 128 maybe? Also thread concurrency seems to be connected with mb memory useage. You should be higher even my 7870 runs at 15232 i would imagine yours should be around 22k based on the litecoin wiki page. After changing those 2 settings you hopefully can push to atleast intensity 17 which should increase kh/s if u can get it stable


----------



## blewerwes1

ALrighty so changing tc higher did nothing. CHanging gpu threads from 1 to 2 decreases hash rate, lowering w to 126 puts me down to 300 mh/s.. Last but not least any intensity above 13 makes me drop well below 400 kh/s.Same with an intensity below 13


----------



## blewerwes1

IM off to bed guys, will check the forum again in the am. Gonna be ordering some 280s whenever they restock. I just wanted to get this card up to par. Dont want a weak punk in a rig running 7 other cards.


----------



## blewerwes1

Id like to mention when I bought this card it was close to $600. that was a year ago. $600 for a card that has pissy hashrate, and cant run antialiasing to save its like msi needs to switch to making usb sticks or something! Cause they blow at making gpus


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CravinR1*
> 
> How can I flash my new Sapphire Flex 7950 to a gpu that is volt unlocked, can you even do that ?


Have you tried changing the voltage with Trixx? I thought my old sapphire 6850 was volt locked for a long time till i installed Trixx and played with a few settings in it.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blewerwes1*
> 
> Id like to mention when I bought this card it was close to $600. that was a year ago. $600 for a card that has pissy hashrate, and cant run antialiasing to save its like msi needs to switch to making usb sticks or something! Cause they blow at making gpus


yea i got the weirdest msi gpu too. not performing up to par for hashrates. Might just be a dud card like mine though just isnt as good as it should be







. I would have thought maybe increasing thread concurrency might make it to where you can get stable at higher intensity. I have tried using a similar setup as you and for some reason it also didnt perform well (even with the exact same settings im using) maybe try dumbing down your config to only adjusting minimal settings? Allow clocks to be stock (or adjusted manually by msi or something), certain settings left to auto/stock seemed to work better for me. Heres what I ended up with myself:

setx GPU_MAX_ALLOC_PERCENT 100
setx GPU_USE_SYNC_OBJECTS 1
timeout /t 3
cgminer --scrypt -I 17 -g 1 -w 96 --thread-concurrency 15282 -o stratum+tcp://us.litecoinpool.org:3333 -u dmfree88.donate -p please

I use the timeout just to give me a chance to move the window and verify it actually set GPU prior to starting cgminer. I have the most finnicky card too i have to restart my pc sometime before i can get cgminer working right and it wont even run at i-19 or i-20 or certain thread concurrencies even low can cause freezing, if i close it for whatever reason i have to restart probably 1/3 of the time to make it work right. I keep having strange issues but asside from that it took me forever to get those settings right. If anything is changed its generally under 300kh/s. Currently at 380kh/s after some major work







.

I would imagine yours should look something like this if you want to maybe just give it one shot for the heck of it (of course change worker + pass unless u wanna work for me







):

setx GPU_MAX_ALLOC_PERCENT 100
setx GPU_USE_SYNC_OBJECTS 1
timeout /t 3
cgminer --scrypt -I 20 -g 1 -w 256 --thread-concurrency 40960 -o stratum+tcp://us.litecoinpool.org:3333 -u dmfree88.donate -p please

Doubt it will work but worth a shot maybe.

maybe try thread concurrency 24768 and back to intensity 13 if thats the only one you can get stable. seems alot of people on the wiki page use intensity 13 with the 7970 which seems odd but if it works it works







. really after trying all that if it still doesnt work id say you got one of the worst 7970 ever for mining. Might switch that one over to mining bitcoins since it seemed to respond better there maybe you will atleast make a better profit that way? I doubt it though bitcoins are horrid profit without a serious machine. I cant really think of any other possibilities since you have really tried everything it seems. Sell it on ebay while they are still worth an insane amount of money and buy another one. You cant really get it any worse







.


----------



## Belial

when is the r9 280x coming out?

dmfree, you are better off running 100% fan speed if you care more about GPU life. Electromigration is both temps and voltages, and fans are cheap and easy to replace and fix, just put a single drop of mineral oil in the fan well, like you should be doing already with all fans every 6-12 months (seriously, if it's been 6+ months, your fans are MUCH louder than when brand new, they need to be relubed). Also, fans are sold to be run at their max speed just fine, if your fans broke at 100% fan speed that's grounds for an RMA. Small fans are always going to be insanely obnoixious, equal dba to a louder fan they will always sound just high pitched and more annoying.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> You are not allowed to discuss certain programs on this website.
> 
> 
> 
> what software...?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Used to be mining discussion was no go, but now: [Official] BitCoin LiteCoin DigitalCoin And all crypto currencies Club And General Information...
Click to expand...

As I understand, this is the 'red light district' for talk of said application. I know that club was around when the rule was defintely in place.


----------



## alancsalt

Same staus now as any other topic. Like most topics it can be mentioned in other threads, but is not meant to take over. You can say Off Topic and please take this to the Bit Coin thread if you think it is "taking over" the thread, although there is a definite association between AMD/ATI cards and "successful" coin mining. The 7950 in particular? (or six of them?)
Quote:


> Any discussion about Bitcoin should be done within the following guidelines, specific to Bitcoin, and in accordance to the Overclock.net ToS:
> 
> Examples of discussions that are most likely acceptable:
> 
> General Bitcoin Discussion
> Bitcoin Hardware Related Discussion
> Bitcoin Software Related Discussion
> Bitcoin News/Developments (As long as it conforms to the ToS)
> Bitcoin Spending Locations
> 
> Examples of discussions that are NOT acceptable:
> 
> Users Promoting their own personally owned Bitcoin Spend Locations /Websites
> Users Promoting Personal Bitcoin Related Websites
> Users Promoting Personally Owned Pools Or Exchanges or Overlock.net Specific Pools
> Bitcoin Users May Not Recruit/Promote For Any Bitcoin Related Services


http://www.overclock.net/t/1398181/welcome-to-the-distributed-computing-section

You will note there is no longer any specific reference to bitcoin, litecoin or coin mining in the TOS ( http://www.overclock.net/a/terms-of-service)

If you think I am in error on this matter you may contact other staff to check.


----------



## Legion123

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blewerwes1*
> 
> ALright help a fella break past 550 kh/s here is my cgminer config excluding pool and all that msi 7970r oc


i have MSI 7970 Twin Frozr III and i get between 760 - 830kh/s

https://litecointalk.org/index.php?topic=4789.0

last post -this is the config i use

as to the card settings i run it default -try it out


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> Same staus now as any other topic. Like most topics it can be mentioned in other threads, but is not meant to take over. You can say Off Topic and take this to the Bit Coin thread if you wish, although there is a definite association between AMD/ATI cards and "successful" coin mining. The 7950 in particular? (or six of them?)
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Any discussion about Bitcoin should be done within the following guidelines, specific to Bitcoin, and in accordance to the Overclock.net ToS:
> 
> Examples of discussions that are most likely acceptable:
> 
> General Bitcoin Discussion
> Bitcoin Hardware Related Discussion
> Bitcoin Software Related Discussion
> Bitcoin News/Developments (As long as it conforms to the ToS)
> Bitcoin Spending Locations
> 
> Examples of discussions that are NOT acceptable:
> 
> Users Promoting their own personally owned Bitcoin Spend Locations /Websites
> Users Promoting Personal Bitcoin Related Websites
> Users Promoting Personally Owned Pools Or Exchanges or Overlock.net Specific Pools
> Bitcoin Users May Not Recruit/Promote For Any Bitcoin Related Services
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1398181/welcome-to-the-distributed-computing-section
> 
> You will note there is no longer any specific reference to bitcoin, litecoin or coin mining in the TOS ( http://www.overclock.net/a/terms-of-service)
> 
> If you think I am in error on this matter you may contact other staff to check.
Click to expand...

I'm not going to risk it for now, but I'll contact enterprise.


----------



## MoGTy

Just a heads up guys, I replaced the TIM on my 7950 Vapor X OC, delta temps dropped 7°C using AS5, you might get even (slightly) better results with a more current high performing TIM.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> I'm not going to risk it for now, but I'll contact enterprise.


Lol look at the front page of the website. There is a Litecoin Mining Guide there. It was fine to talk about BTC and crypto months ago and it still is today. We pushed the issue a few months ago with a certain someone leading the crusade.

Be free to speak your mind!!!

Be freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


----------



## blewerwes1

Gonna give her a go thank you.


----------



## blewerwes1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Legion123*
> 
> i have MSI 7970 Twin Frozr III and i get between 760 - 830kh/s
> 
> https://litecointalk.org/index.php?topic=4789.0
> 
> last post -this is the config i use
> 
> as to the card settings i run it default -try it out


THat was a good idea, but it didnt work for me. Im contacting msi today to get this bad card rma'd, Ive had alot of trouble outta msi parts. But, have always had good customer support and service.


----------



## bigmac11

Well long story short I got my money back after a little not so friendly persuasion minus $264 that I spent on gas ( Toyota Tacomas suck the gas @ 80-90 mph) and kept the cards. I offered to give him the cards but he refused. I drove all night and got to Warren Ohio and back home to Ct in 15 hours. Not bad for 948 miles and probably about an hour spent in Warren.

After I get some sleep I'm going to try one more time to reflash and if that doesn't work if any of you want the cards I'll give them away minus the waterblocks.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well long story short I got my money back after a little not so friendly persuasion minus $264 that I spent on gas ( Toyota Tacomas suck the gas @ 80-90 mph) and kept the cards. I offered to give him the cards but he refused. I drove all night and got to Warren Ohio and back home to Ct in 15 hours. Not bad for 948 miles and probably about an hour spent in Warren.
> 
> After I get some sleep I'm going to try one more time to reflash and if that doesn't work if any of you want the cards I'll give them away minus the waterblocks.


Wow, that was quite the roadtrip. Good luck with the flash.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well long story short I got my money back after a little not so friendly persuasion minus $264 that I spent on gas ( Toyota Tacomas suck the gas @ 80-90 mph) and kept the cards. I offered to give him the cards but he refused. I drove all night and got to Warren Ohio and back home to Ct in 15 hours. Not bad for 948 miles and probably about an hour spent in Warren.
> 
> After I get some sleep I'm going to try one more time to reflash and if that doesn't work if any of you want the cards I'll give them away minus the waterblocks.


Lol! You probobly spent more on gas than you made with the card.







Some "not so friendly persuasion" eh? Bet he wasn't too happy to see you at his doorstep.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

why did you drive to ohio? this sounds like an interesting story i'd love to hear it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well long story short I got my money back after a little not so friendly persuasion minus $264 that I spent on gas ( Toyota Tacomas suck the gas @ 80-90 mph) and kept the cards. I offered to give him the cards but he refused. I drove all night and got to Warren Ohio and back home to Ct in 15 hours. Not bad for 948 miles and probably about an hour spent in Warren.
> 
> After I get some sleep I'm going to try one more time to reflash and if that doesn't work if any of you want the cards I'll give them away minus the waterblocks.


Next time I go on a road trip, I will pm you!!!


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> why did you drive to ohio? this sounds like an interesting story i'd love to hear it.


He sold a GPU to a guy on ebay. The guy flashed the card or something and messed it up pretty bad so he returned it through ebay as defective so he got his money back. This dude drove all the way to Ohio from Connecticut to "persuade" him to give his money back.
I like to think while riding a tiger and holding a battle axe.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> He sold a GPU to a guy on ebay. The guy flashed the card or something and messed it up pretty bad so he returned it through ebay as defective so he got his money back. This dude drove all the way to Ohio from Connecticut to "persuade" him to give his money back.
> I like to think while riding a tiger and holding a battle axe.


Lol ..... I can understand the feeling of being pissed but I'm surprised the dude didn't just close the door in his face, and I hope his persuasion didn't involve threats of violence although i'd have been so mad i'd have probably used threats of violence my self









I actually sold 2x 7950's my self for like 722$ on ebay and i'm a bit worried because I msged my buyer after he had em for awhile to make sure everythng was good and I never heard back. Luckily my guy has tons of good feedback so i'm just waiting for the 30 days he has to file a claim to run out and praying he doesn't trying any lies.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> And you yours. I have two 7970 Lightnings watercooled in CF, and can't stand them.


I has four and love them! Amd has been butter smooth so far and not one single driver issue. Albeit, I only got to game on them for a couple of hours, BF3 was hella fun in 6000x1920 Eyefinity! I have three PE flashed to Lightning bios running @ 1070. The forth was a BE running @1100mhz and I ended up rma'ing it since the displayports did not work. I got another new BE and this one does 1150Mhz our of the box!

Switching to x79 w/ a hexacore so I didn't get more time to game on it







. Hoping the Eyefinity fix will help but so far I've been very impressed. Cards run very cool ~40°c using the EK Ltg. blocks







.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well long story short I got my money back after a little not so friendly persuasion minus $264 that I spent on gas ( Toyota Tacomas suck the gas @ 80-90 mph) and kept the cards. I offered to give him the cards but he refused. I drove all night and got to Warren Ohio and back home to Ct in 15 hours. Not bad for 948 miles and probably about an hour spent in Warren.
> 
> After I get some sleep I'm going to try one more time to reflash and if that doesn't work if any of you want the cards I'll give them away minus the waterblocks.


Wow, epic journey dude! Props that you got it resolved without getting nasty. Yeah, if the dude paid you its because he fudged it up the cards. Its basically his admission. Score one for the seller! Tbh, I wouldn't condone doing this but if you're a man on a mission, get out of my way!


----------



## bigmac11

It wasn't one card it was 3. And he and his wife wasn't happy getting out of bed to a big surprise. I still cannot understand why the heck he flashed the cards when he had no idea what he was doing, which he admitted. He had 3 pc's mining and claims he's making over $3G's a month. Does that sound right?

I'll never sell anything on Ebay again.

TSM let me know when you plan your trip







Always up for adventure.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I has four and love them! Amd has been butter smooth so far and not one single driver issue. Albeit, I only got to game on them for a couple of hours, BF3 was hella fun in 6000x1920 Eyefinity! I have three PE flashed to Lightning bios running @ 1070. The forth was a BE running @1100mhz and I ended up rma'ing it since the displayports did not work. I got another new BE and this one does 1150Mhz our of the box!
> 
> Switching to x79 w/ a hexacore so I didn't get more time to game on it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Hoping the Eyefinity fix will help but so far I've been very impressed. Cards run very cool ~40°c using the EK Ltg. blocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Wow, epic journey dude! Props that you got it resolved without getting nasty. Yeah, if the dude paid you its because he fudged it up the cards. Its basically his admission. Score one for the seller! Tbh, I wouldn't condone doing this but if you're a man on a mission, get out of my way!


That's awesome, like I said, to each their own. I can't stand my 7970s, maybe I need two more, haha. I don't have any technical issues with them per say, no crashing or anything, I just don't care for them.



There are mine when I was leak testing the loop, had it setup incorrectly at the time, got it sorted now.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> It wasn't one card it was 3. And he and his wife wasn't happy getting out of bed to a big surprise. I still cannot understand why the heck he flashed the cards when he had no idea what he was doing, which he admitted. He had 3 pc's mining and claims he's making over $3G's a month. Does that sound right?
> 
> I'll never sell anything on Ebay again.
> 
> TSM let me know when you plan your trip
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Always up for adventure.


Good to hear. I use ebay as a last sale resort or for a quick sale of things that will sell quickly.

Tsm can bring his Porsche









edit: btw, contact ebay to get your fees refunded. If the guy admitted to the wrong doing, get those fees reversed so ebay and paypal don't get their greedy claim on your cash.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> That's awesome, like I said, to each their own. I can't stand my 7970s, maybe I need two more, haha. I don't have any technical issues with them per say, no crashing or anything, I just don't care for them.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There are mine when I was leak testing the loop, had it setup incorrectly at the time, got it sorted now.








Mines


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Tsm can bring his Porsche


It wasn't one card it was 3.

Damn I could have used a Porsche last night







Really miss my blown Z28


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> It wasn't one card it was 3.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Wow, epic journey dude! Props that you got it resolved without getting nasty. Yeah, if the dude paid you its because he fudged it up the card*s*. Its basically his admission. Score one for the seller! Tbh, I wouldn't condone doing this but if you're a man on a mission, get out of my way!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Damn I could have used a Porsche last night
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Really miss my blown Z28


I had one fun little ride but life, marriage, and kids happened. Now I drive a nice estate. I have to stop w/ the pc upgrades and I may splurge on a little project car.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mines


Nice Sniper, looks good with the sleeving. Which x79 board are you going to? [edit] nvm, I read your sig, Extreme 11 it appears.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 
> 
> Mines


needs moar radiator

though your palette seems off balance, planning on adding more green?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> needs moar radiator
> 
> though your palette seems off balance, planning on adding more green?


The green was added to break up the solids (white and black) and to match the green led R4s (and the Sniper5 that is no longer). Once lit, the fans would have looked a bit awkward without the touch of green. I'm using green cable ties to help add the bit of green







.

dit: may go w/ some Mayhems dye.

I wanted to do a black/white theme, but its been done many times. Oh, I'm pretty much maxed out unless i get creative mounting the psu else where and sticking in a couple more 480mm rads. I have five 480mm rads, two 240s, and one 120








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Nice Sniper, looks good with the sleeving. Which x79 board are you going to? [edit] nvm, I read your sig, *Extreme 11* it appears.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

"Moar Radiator", the moving and touching Christmas movie of the year! For a MM case, that's a very little amount of radiators. Had a Black Ice GTX 360mm in it before, but I replaced it with the Monsta 240mm and I took out an EK 140mm rad. Decided to do a little rebuild. Here is a Christmas pic for you guys!


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Belial*
> 
> when is the r9 280x coming out?
> 
> dmfree, you are better off running 100% fan speed if you care more about GPU life. Electromigration is both temps and voltages, and fans are cheap and easy to replace and fix, just put a single drop of mineral oil in the fan well, like you should be doing already with all fans every 6-12 months (seriously, if it's been 6+ months, your fans are MUCH louder than when brand new, they need to be relubed). Also, fans are sold to be run at their max speed just fine, if your fans broke at 100% fan speed that's grounds for an RMA. Small fans are always going to be insanely obnoixious, equal dba to a louder fan they will always sound just high pitched and more annoying.
> As I understand, this is the 'red light district' for talk of said application. I know that club was around when the rule was defintely in place.


Yeah i need to get some mineral oil. Considering i bought this thing used and its over a year old and never been lubed. The noise is likely just from that lack of maintenence. Its also never had a paste replacement so I am going to do that aswell.

The only problem with running the fan at 100% is it literally is too loud. It sounds like they will blow up and if they do im out for weeks which is no good either. Its not a big deal when im not in the room but i still have to drop it down when i work at the PC (40 hours a week) so really pushing it back to 100 when im not around wont effect much.

Once I lube it up and replace the paste I will try running it at %100 and see what happens but anything over %70 and my headset wont even drown it out, anything over 52% is just irritating. I am able to acheive 1222/1333 and stay under 65 degrees (it is cold here at the moment) with fan speed at 52% so im not complaining much. 100 percent pushes it down to 62 so its not a major difference considering my ears are extremely thankful lol. Ill post when i get some mineral oil and lube it and let you know how it works out though. Once I save up for a 7950 or 280x i will likely RMA this one due to bad fans and many other minor problems i have had with it. Just gotta get another miner up and running first.

Anyways thanks for the tip will be sure to lube er up


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> It wasn't one card it was 3. And he and his wife wasn't happy getting out of bed to a big surprise. I still cannot understand why the heck he flashed the cards when he had no idea what he was doing, which he admitted. He had 3 pc's mining and claims he's making over $3G's a month. Does that sound right?
> 
> I'll never sell anything on Ebay again.
> 
> TSM let me know when you plan your trip
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Always up for adventure.


Did the cards not have a dual bios switch, or did he screw both bios up?

I'm still surprised he didn't just slam the door in your face. I'm glad no one got hurt or arrested and you got your money back.

I still think you are a bit nuts though.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> Did the cards not have a dual bios switch, or did he screw both bios up?
> 
> I'm still surprised he didn't just slam the door in your face. I'm glad no one got hurt or arrested and you got your money back.
> 
> I still think you are a bit nuts though.


I think he mentioned he bricked all three card's dual bios. So that's six bad bios, jeeze! Can't see why you would repeat a failed flash on the backup bios







. Bone head move, bone-head user


----------



## HardwareDecoder

wow.... that guy lacks common sense. Repeated a bad flash 6 times then had the balls to claim the cards were defective.

I'm guessing the cards can't be fixed somehow. force flash a good bios?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> wow.... that guy lacks common sense. Repeated a bad flash 6 times then had the balls to claim the cards were defective.
> 
> I'm guessing the cards can't be fixed somehow. force flash a good bios?


If that's not possible maybe the manufacturer may honor an rma. I've seen cases where they take in the cards w/ failed flashes. Still, I wouldn't mention it unless questioned by them. At most, you only loose on shipping the cards (~$15). Though you gain the prospect getting three working replacements.

That's one of the reasons why I shy away from bios flashing. Got a lot of "peer pressure" to flash my triple 780s to the awesome SkyNet bios but i resisted and it helped (imho) sell them quicker







.


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> If that's not possible maybe the manufacturer may honor an rma. I've seen cases where they take in the cards w/ failed flashes. Still, I wouldn't mention it unless questioned by them. At most, you only loose on shipping the cards (~$15). Though you gain the prospect getting three working replacements.
> 
> That's one of the reasons why I shy away from bios flashing. Got a lot of "peer pressure" to flash my triple 780s to the awesome SkyNet bios but i resisted and it helped (imho) sell them quicker
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


I've bios flashed my old 7950s but it was just to set the default clocks so I knew my oc stuck and i only ever did 1 switch.

I also flashed my new 290x to the Asus bios for moar core.

I just never flash a bios I didn't edit my selt till others have first.

if I were him I'd try to RMA one card every couple months. do them all at once and they would likely get suspicious.

if he ends up with the $1k - 264$ gas money (lol) and three cards that work he will have lucked out big time


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> I've bios flashed my old 7950s but it was just to set the default clocks so I knew my oc stuck and i only ever did 1 switch.
> 
> I also flashed my new 290x to the Asus bios for moar core.
> 
> I just never flash a bios I didn't edit my selt till others have first.
> 
> if I were him I'd try to RMA one card every couple months. do them all at once and they would likely get suspicious.
> 
> if he ends up with the $1k - 264$ gas money (lol) and three cards that work he will have lucked out big time


Used 7950 would probably go for under $200 seeing new ones go for this. Blocks ~$50-60, so in total you can ~$800 if your lucky but realistically ~$600-700 after fee(s) and shipping. That's still a good chunk of change


----------



## HardwareDecoder

ya I sold 2 7950's my self for 722$ so around 610-640 after shipping an fees


----------



## DampMonkey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> ya I sold 2 7950's my self for 722$ so around 610-640 after shipping an fees


My two sapphire 7950's sold today for $775


----------



## HardwareDecoder

nice- vapor models?

I would have figured the bubble would have burst by now.

my only regret is not asking 400 a piece. oh well I got to use them for 6 months and made 200$ can't really complain


----------



## wermad

I've been noticing 7xxx series are going up. Wasn't last month that 7990s were selling brand new from newegg for ~$500 and now they're going for ~$700-1000 on ebay used







. Maybe the shortcomings of the hawaiian cards are re surging the prices


----------



## HardwareDecoder

there is a thread on here about it. one guy got $1300 for a 7990.

I think its cause power/hash ratio is still best on the high end 7's


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well long story short I got my money back after a little not so friendly persuasion minus $264 that I spent on gas ( Toyota Tacomas suck the gas @ 80-90 mph) and kept the cards. I offered to give him the cards but he refused. I drove all night and got to Warren Ohio and back home to Ct in 15 hours. Not bad for 948 miles and probably about an hour spent in Warren.
> 
> After I get some sleep I'm going to try one more time to reflash and if that doesn't work if any of you want the cards I'll give them away minus the waterblocks.


ill take em if you cant !

haha if someone showed up at my door..... i would show them ole betsy !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> And you yours. I have two 7970 Lightnings watercooled in CF, and can't stand them.
> 
> 
> 
> I has four and love them! Amd has been butter smooth so far and not one single driver issue. Albeit, I only got to game on them for a couple of hours, BF3 was hella fun in 6000x1920 Eyefinity! I have three PE flashed to Lightning bios running @ 1070. The forth was a BE running @1100mhz and I ended up rma'ing it since the displayports did not work. I got another new BE and this one does 1150Mhz our of the box!
> 
> Switching to x79 w/ a hexacore so I didn't get more time to game on it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Hoping the Eyefinity fix will help but so far I've been very impressed. Cards run very cool ~40°c using the EK Ltg. blocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well long story short I got my money back after a little not so friendly persuasion minus $264 that I spent on gas ( Toyota Tacomas suck the gas @ 80-90 mph) and kept the cards. I offered to give him the cards but he refused. I drove all night and got to Warren Ohio and back home to Ct in 15 hours. Not bad for 948 miles and probably about an hour spent in Warren.
> 
> After I get some sleep I'm going to try one more time to reflash and if that doesn't work if any of you want the cards I'll give them away minus the waterblocks.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, epic journey dude! Props that you got it resolved without getting nasty. Yeah, if the dude paid you its because he fudged it up the cards. Its basically his admission. Score one for the seller! Tbh, I wouldn't condone doing this but if you're a man on a mission, get out of my way!
Click to expand...

i never have had issues with eyefinity
to which are you referring !!


----------



## ksikske

I wish I had of found this one thread when I had my first card, so I could have tried one more fix on it, it doesn't work on this rma'd one. Gonna go for my second. rma next week.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DampMonkey*
> 
> My two sapphire 7950's sold today for $775


Nice bugeye


----------



## Belial

vapor-x is one of the worst 7950 models, you can see my guide in my sig on the various 7950 models. Sapphire in general makes low quality models (though the 7950 chip itself, is above and beyond of course).

7950 prices have been skyrocketing recently, it's more like $350+ used right now. Probably because it's the best single card GPGPU worker. For the same reasons, 58xx and 69xx card prices have always been jacked up, even higher than the 7950 when it was $200, due to things like better performance/watt and other niche GPGPU work features that make it more attractive than the 7950 to some GPGPU users.

Demand has always been crazy high for AMD cards, and frankly AMD sold the 7xxx series _below_ their true market value. I'm sure gamers still make a large enough number of their sales that they'd hurt too much to raise prices above what nvidia's competition is at the same performance level per card, but most 79xx cards are used for GPGPU work rather than gaming these days. You sure dont see folders jacking up prices for nvidia cards.

I also imagine a lot of GPGPU guys don't like the R9s because you need to put them on water to effectively work with them, which most of them don't get into. You dont really see any 5-6 R9 290/290xs on an AMD Sempron farm.


----------



## Paul17041993

a few people here have grabbed 6-8 290Xs when they were released, though I think it was more for cherrypicking and leaving the lower clocking ones for mining...


----------



## HardwareDecoder

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> a few people here have grabbed 6-8 290Xs when they were released, though I think it was more for cherrypicking and leaving the lower clocking ones for mining...


I wish I had, I could have made a killing reselling


----------



## Konkistadori

Replaced my old 560ti 448cores with HD 7950 DCII V2 for 199€ New.
Nice overall +30% improvement atleast and lower power consumption and quieter.
(its shame that this one doesnt have that nice backplate :C )

OCd core to 1000mhz with 1.075vcore with power limit 10%, atleast its heaven 4.0 and bf3 stable so far.
Is that vCore decent for that OC? Stock vCore 1.031 and asic quality was 71.9%


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ill take em if you cant !
> 
> haha if someone showed up at my door..... i would show them ole betsy !
> i never have had issues with eyefinity
> to which are you referring !!


I had my Colt 1911 with me in case I needed it







Never showed it or threatened with it. Usually don't need its but better to have it and not need it than not having it and things go from bad to worse real quick.

Well I got 2 of the cards working and think I can get the third also. I always thought that only one position on the bios could be flashed but both settings are flashable.

If I get the third working I'm going to refund the buyer $600. After thinking about it over night that seems fair. I think he learned an important lesson and don't need to rub salt in the wound financially.

I had planned on buying 3 290's but think I'll just stick with what I have for now. Could have saved a lot of aggravation if I hadn't been greedy and been content with what I have. Seen the prices going crazy on Ebay and tried to take advantage.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> I had my Colt 1911 with me in case I needed it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Never showed it or threatened with it. Usually don't need its but better to have it and not need it than not having it and things go from bad to worse real quick.
> 
> Well I got 2 of the cards working and think I can get the third also. I always thought that only one position on the bios could be flashed but both settings are flashable.
> 
> If I get the third working I'm going to refund the buyer $600. After thinking about it over night that seems fair. I think he learned an important lesson and don't need to rub salt in the wound financially.
> 
> I had planned on buying 3 290's but think I'll just stick with what I have for now. Could have saved a lot of aggravation if I hadn't been greedy and been content with what I have. Seen the prices going crazy on Ebay and tried to take advantage.


ct? hmmm


----------



## KingT

My BF3 performance with two HD7950 is poor (GPU utilisation hovers ~ 60%, frames drop into 50).

Even though I have upgraded to 3770K it seems that it has not solved low FPS in BF3.

CPU usage is ~ 50% on all cores/threads but when I turn towards E flag on Firestorm (I'm @ D flag or A) my GPU usage drops to ~ 60% and frames drop from over 120 to under 60.

CPU load is far away from 100% (it's @ 50% ) so no CPU bottleneck.

Crysis 3 runs smooth, GPUs @ ~ 99% load , CPU ~ 60% load.

So what's the problem?

P.S: I'm running 13.11 beta 9.4.

CHEERS..


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> My BF3 performance with two HD7950 is poor (GPU utilisation hovers ~ 60%, frames drop into 50).
> 
> Even though I have upgraded to 3770K it seems that it has not solved low FPS in BF3.
> 
> CPU usage is ~ 50% on all cores/threads but when I turn towards E flag on Firestorm (I'm @ D flag or A) my GPU usage drops to ~ 60% and frames drop from over 120 to under 60.
> 
> CPU load is far away from 100% (it's @ 50% ) so no CPU bottleneck.
> 
> Crysis 3 runs smooth, GPUs @ ~ 99% load , CPU ~ 60% load.
> 
> So what's the problem?
> 
> P.S: I'm running 13.11 beta 9.4.
> 
> CHEERS..


yup, something ain't right. is the 3770K oc'ed? my i7 SB @ 4.5 pushed both my 7950/7970 to over 90% in MP 64. your minimum fps should not go lower than 70. I game with my gpus stock.


----------



## smoke420

Hi everyone, I was looking to upgrade my 6850's for something more powerful for an eyefinity setup. Since there is no way i am paying the premium prices of the top end amd cards just for gaming. I was wondering if two 270x 4 gb cards wwould be able to reasonable run 1080p x3 in eyefinity. Or has lite coin mining pushed me to nvidia. The cards are 229 each plus waterblocks if i can find them.


----------



## bigmac11

Well got the third card flashed and working, sort of. Whenever I enter a 3d application the screen shakes violently. Once I exist even the desktop shakes until I reboot. It does the same behavior on each card and is worse in trifire. Any ideas?


----------



## Pheozero

Hey guys, I'm having a weird problem with my 7950. For some reason, my monitor keeps saying 'display input not supported'. It only happens after I go through POST and the splash screen into Windows. I've already gone through and loaded into safe mode, changed the resolution, and that didn't work. I've used low resolution mode and that didn't work. I've uninstalled and re-installed my video card drivers and it 's still not working. Has anyone in here had this problem before?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well got the third card flashed and working, sort of. Whenever I enter a 3d application the screen shakes violently. Once I exist even the desktop shakes until I reboot. It does the same behavior on each card and is worse in trifire. Any ideas?


Glad you were able to make some progress with at least one of them!


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *smoke420*
> 
> Hi everyone, I was looking to upgrade my 6850's for something more powerful for an eyefinity setup. Since there is no way i am paying the premium prices of the top end amd cards just for gaming. I was wondering if two 270x 4 gb cards wwould be able to reasonable run 1080p x3 in eyefinity. Or has lite coin mining pushed me to nvidia. The cards are 229 each plus waterblocks if i can find them.


Same as 2 7870. Find xfire results for 7870 and it will be very similar (same core). I would imagine it wouldnt do too bad but may need a 3rd in the future to have some better results in newer games. Also 3rd card generally eliminates studder issues (if u end up having any)

I think devilboy has a 270x xfired with his 7870. You could get in touch with him at the fx vishera club or over at the 78xx club. He would be able to give you some bench results hes been playing with it for awhile now.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Well got the third card flashed and working, sort of. Whenever I enter a 3d application the screen shakes violently. Once I exist even the desktop shakes until I reboot. It does the same behavior on each card and is worse in trifire. Any ideas?


like buffer shifting? the screen appears to go up by about 50-200 pixels? and jump back down again a few times a second? I remember that's one thing that happens if the memory's not stable, should try a different BIOS or lower clocks to see what happens, hopefully one of the ICs haven't been burned...


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> like buffer shifting? the screen appears to go up by about 50-200 pixels? and jump back down again a few times a second? I remember that's one thing that happens if the memory's not stable, should try a different BIOS or lower clocks to see what happens, hopefully one of the ICs haven't been burned...


That's a pretty good description. Nothings overclocked yet so this doesn't sound good. I reflashed with the stock bios so I know its the correct one. It just seems strange that each card has the same behavior. Maybe all 3 got damaged but that seems unlikely.

Thanks for the reply


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> That's a pretty good description. Nothings overclocked yet so this doesn't sound good. I reflashed with the stock bios so I know its the correct one. It just seems strange that each card has the same behavior. Maybe all 3 got damaged but that seems unlikely.
> 
> Thanks for the reply


maybe a bad flash? flash to a different one maybe? just to give it a shot? then maybe when you flash back it will work right since youd be flashing from atleast a working bios? Might be worth a try atleast

not likely i suppose but if you flashed from a DEAD bios maybe it had some trouble switching over?


----------



## smoke420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Same as 2 7870. Find xfire results for 7870 and it will be very similar (same core). I would imagine it wouldnt do too bad but may need a 3rd in the future to have some better results in newer games. Also 3rd card generally eliminates studder issues (if u end up having any)
> 
> I think devilboy has a 270x xfired with his 7870. You could get in touch with him at the fx vishera club or over at the 78xx club. He would be able to give you some bench results hes been playing with it for awhile now.


Thanks for the info its appreciated will check it out.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> That's a pretty good description. Nothings overclocked yet so this doesn't sound good. I reflashed with the stock bios so I know its the correct one. It just seems strange that each card has the same behavior. Maybe all 3 got damaged but that seems unlikely.
> 
> Thanks for the reply


yea sounds like something strange, you sure those are the proper stock BIOSs? I would try flashing them again with different ones, try the reference BIOSs, don't think all 3 could have been damaged in the exact same way so it must be software...


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea sounds like something strange, you sure those are the proper stock BIOSs? I would try flashing them again with different ones, try the reference BIOSs, don't think all 3 could have been damaged in the exact same way so it must be software...


I'm 100% sure its the correct bios because I extracted it from the cards when I first bought them. Just tried about 5 different bioses from TPU and the ones I was able to install had the same shuddering problem.

I'll try again tomorrow but I'm burnt out from only getting a few hours sleep. Thanks again


----------



## DampMonkey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HardwareDecoder*
> 
> nice- vapor models?
> 
> I would have figured the bubble would have burst by now.
> 
> my only regret is not asking 400 a piece. oh well I got to use them for 6 months and made 200$ can't really complain


Nope! Just the basic reference PCB's with dual-x coolers. I've almost had them for 2 years (bought on release day back in 2012). Kind of hard to believe how much these cards are selling for. I don't know why anyone would want to buy a used 7950 for the price of a r290. different stroke for different folks i guess








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Nice bugeye


Thanks, she treats me well










http://imgur.com/eP8Jd


----------



## wermad

I'm also curious so I watched a couple of used 7970s (sapphire vapor-x and xfx DD). One sold for ~$420 and the other for $360, wow!!!!! That's the price of a new 280X and 290, and very close to a 290X.

Is it for bitcoin mining or something? I'm totally clueless on bitcoin but I'm hearing a lot of buzz about it lately in the mainstream news.


----------



## DampMonkey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I'm also curious so I watched a couple of used 7970s (sapphire vapor-x and xfx DD). One sold for ~$420 and the other for $360, wow!!!!! That's the price of a new 280X and 290, and very close to a 290X.
> 
> Is it for bitcoin mining or something? I'm totally clueless on bitcoin but I'm hearing a lot of buzz about it lately in the mainstream news.


Theres a pretty big litecoin boom going on right now. Bitcoins are pretty much irrelevant for GPU's nowadays due to ASICs saturating the market. Litecoins on the other hand are still relevant for GPU workloads, and the 7950/7970 have a very good performance per watt ratio, making them highly profitable.


----------



## Joannou1

Speaking of mining...

I finally got my TigerDirect order.

Though they messed up, and sent me 7970's instead of 7950's








Not complaining.

I had originally ordered the XFX DD ones because they were the only ones in stock for a long time.
And yes, I know everyone says stay away from XFX... Like I said, only cards in stock at the time for a descent price.

So, here's my rather shabby setup...

2x XFX 7970's DD's
1x Powercolor 7950

I get around 1.5 Mh/s with all of them working.

Though I am having some SEVERE issues with heat.

All of them are in the 90's.
Even with really good airflow.

I am thinking about doing a milk-crate setup with the PCIe extenders and all, just thought I could get away with them being in my case.

Here's what it currently looks like, the XFX card that is mashed up against the Powercolor gets the hottest for obvious reasons.


(Xfire is disabled in CCC, was used to do some initial testing)

Clocks are (Left to right, XFX XFX PowerColor):

GPU: 925,925,850
MEM: 1375,1375,1250
VDC: 1.174,1.174,1.125

7970's get ~500Kh, 550 from room temp.
7950 stable at 500Kh.

Not sure what I should do to maintain hashrate, but lower temps to a safe level...
Don't want my cards melting or self destructing after I just got them.

If I have to, I'll do the milkcrate setup, just having to wait another week to get the supplies will be a bummer.

EDIT: Case door open, and window open... 0*F air is blowing directly into the computer...
Top to bottom temps: 72C, 96C, 77C


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Speaking of mining...
> 
> I finally got my TigerDirect order.
> 
> Though they messed up, and sent me 7970's instead of 7950's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not complaining.
> 
> I had originally ordered the XFX DD ones because they were the only ones in stock for a long time.
> And yes, I know everyone says stay away from XFX... Like I said, only cards in stock at the time for a descent price.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> So, here's my rather shabby setup...
> 
> 2x XFX 7970's DD's
> 1x Powercolor 7950
> 
> I get around 1.5 Mh/s with all of them working.
> 
> Though I am having some SEVERE issues with heat.
> 
> All of them are in the 90's.
> 
> I am thinking about doing a milk-crate setup with the PCIe extenders and all, just thought I could get away with them being in my case.
> 
> Here's what it currently looks like, the XFX card that is mashed up against the Powercolor gets the hottest for obvious reasons.
> 
> 
> (Xfire is disabled in CCC, was used to do some initial testing)
> 
> Clocks are (Left to right, XFX XFX PowerColor):
> 
> GPU: 925,925,850
> MEM: 1375,1375,1250
> VDC: 1.174,1.174,1.125
> 
> 7970's get ~500Kh, 550 from room temp.
> 7950 stable at 500Kh.
> 
> Not sure what I should do to maintain hashrate, but lower temps to a safe level...
> Don't want my cards melting or self destructing after I just got them.
> 
> EDIT: Case door open, and window open... 0*F air is blowing directly into the computer...
> Top to bottom temps: 72C, 96C, 77C


Besides the obvious fans at 100%, try lowering your voltages (if unlocked) little by little until it starts to be unstable. Less volts = lower temps







Those xfx 7970's should be good for at least 600kh/s. Check out the mining thread http://www.overclock.net/t/1398219/official-bitcoin-litecoin-digitalcoin-and-all-crypto-currencies-club-and-general-information-thread/ for more info on best settings and more knowledgable folk than myself


----------



## hucklebuck

I'm mining with a MSI 7950. I'm getting 2 VRM temperatures 85C and 82C, GPU thermal diode is 72C. Are these okay temperatures?

When I have Firefox open and browse the web I get some black blocking in and around the address bar. Artifacting?


----------



## Joannou1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Besides the obvious fans at 100%, try lowering your voltages (if unlocked) little by little until it starts to be unstable. Less volts = lower temps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Those xfx 7970's should be good for at least 600kh/s. Check out the mining thread http://www.overclock.net/t/1398219/official-bitcoin-litecoin-digitalcoin-and-all-crypto-currencies-club-and-general-information-thread/ here for more info on best settings and more knowledgable folk than myself


Hm yeah, all fans are at 100%, and it seems like the voltages are locked on the XFX cards... Can't tell, and I don't want to void the warranty :/


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> My BF3 performance with two HD7950 is poor (GPU utilisation hovers ~ 60%, frames drop into 50).
> 
> Even though I have upgraded to 3770K it seems that it has not solved low FPS in BF3.
> 
> CPU usage is ~ 50% on all cores/threads but when I turn towards E flag on Firestorm (I'm @ D flag or A) my GPU usage drops to ~ 60% and frames drop from over 120 to under 60.
> 
> CPU load is far away from 100% (it's @ 50% ) so no CPU bottleneck.
> 
> Crysis 3 runs smooth, GPUs @ ~ 99% load , CPU ~ 60% load.
> 
> So what's the problem?
> 
> P.S: I'm running 13.11 beta 9.4.
> 
> CHEERS..


if your overclocked i would be willing to bet your power starved. each card can pull 300w, @ 550w psu might be worth looking in to
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *smoke420*
> 
> Hi everyone, I was looking to upgrade my 6850's for something more powerful for an eyefinity setup. Since there is no way i am paying the premium prices of the top end amd cards just for gaming. I was wondering if two 270x 4 gb cards wwould be able to reasonable run 1080p x3 in eyefinity. Or has lite coin mining pushed me to nvidia. The cards are 229 each plus waterblocks if i can find them.


1 you need a min of 3gb for that res
2 you can only cfx 1 other card ( total of 2 cards )
3 they are really weak for tha tkind of res you need/want a powerhouse IE top of line 280x/290/290x
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Hey guys, I'm having a weird problem with my 7950. For some reason, my monitor keeps saying 'display input not supported'. It only happens after I go through POST and the splash screen into Windows. I've already gone through and loaded into safe mode, changed the resolution, and that didn't work. I've used low resolution mode and that didn't work. I've uninstalled and re-installed my video card drivers and it 's still not working. Has anyone in here had this problem before?


card went dead?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Any of you guys have experience with chips in GPU dies? Here is my dumbest move yet. MSI TFIII 7950


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if your overclocked i would be willing to bet your power starved. each card can pull 300w, @ 550w psu might be worth looking in to


Cards are @ stock 900/1250MHz, stock voltage 1.094V, each card pulls max 150W (I have measured with wattmetter), total system power draw from the wall is ~ 480W (that's 430W forrom the PSU).

Here's a video:




Power is not the problem, system runs other games just fine (Crysis 3, etc) just BF3 has something odd with CF .

CHEERS..


----------



## Mega Man

yep maybe


----------



## CptAsian

Something has just started to bother me about my 7990. I've noticed that when I'm gaming, the GPU usage on the first GPU is at 60-70%, but on the second GPU, it's always at 0%. The fan always is at 20%, and the core and memory clocks are always low. Is this normal for a 7990, and I should only be paying attention to the numbers for the first GPU?


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Something has just started to bother me about my 7990. I've noticed that when I'm gaming, the GPU usage on the first GPU is at 60-70%, but on the second GPU, it's always at 0%. The fan always is at 20%, and the core and memory clocks are always low. Is this normal for a 7990, and I should only be paying attention to the numbers for the first GPU?


Your GPU usage should be identical on both GPUs (example both GPUs are loaded @ 70%, or both to 99% etc.) , core and memory clocks should jump to their 3D mode values (for example 1000Mhz on the core and 1250MHz memory).

Have you enabled Crossfire in Catalyst Control Center?

CHEERS..


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Your GPU usage should be identical on both GPUs (example both GPUs are loaded @ 70%, or both to 99% etc.) , core and memory clocks should jump to their 3D mode values (for example 1000Mhz on the core and 1250MHz memory).
> 
> Have you enabled Crossfire in Catalyst Control Center?
> 
> CHEERS..


I don't see a Crossfire option (it's supposed to be under "Gaming" right next to 3D Application Settings, right?), but my computer does recognize that I have two GPU's in Speccy, GPU-Z, and in the AMD Overdrive menu in CCC.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I don't see a Crossfire option (it's supposed to be under "Gaming" right next to 3D Application Settings, right?), but my computer does recognize that I have two GPU's in Speccy, GPU-Z, and in the AMD Overdrive menu in CCC.


Your xfire wire working correctly? Maybe reseat the wire? Also have u disabled ulps(might be spelled diff im dyslexic lol). Theres an option in the beta AB to disable it not sure where its at in ccc


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Your xfire wire working correctly? Maybe reseat the wire? Also have u disabled ulps(might be spelled diff im dyslexic lol). Theres an option in the beta AB to disable it not sure where its at in ccc


ULPS is disabled; it's one of the few things that I have done to change this card (no overclocking, etc.). I'm now beginning to question if my CrossFire is actually working the way it should. What do you mean by reseating the wire?


----------



## bigmac11

Crossfire options are under performance tab.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Crossfire options are under performance tab.


It's not there either.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> ULPS is disabled; it's one of the few things that I have done to change this card (no overclocking, etc.). I'm now beginning to question if my CrossFire is actually working the way it should. What do you mean by reseating the wire?


The xfire bridge:
http://m.ebay.com/itm/231115559815?nav=SEARCH&sbk=1

Not ure if the link worked im on my phone

Iirc its supposed to work without it but not as well? Not sure exactly im sure someone will have more info. Probably not the issue since it should work without it i think.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> The xfire bridge:
> http://m.ebay.com/itm/231115559815?nav=SEARCH&sbk=1
> 
> Not ure if the link worked im on my phone


Oh, you mean the bridge. I'm using a 7990, so it's just one card. Also, I just realized that GPU-Z says that I have Crossfire enabled with two GPU's, while Speccy sees my two cards, but says that Crossfire is disabled.


Spoiler: Me right now.







EDIT: Two other things that might be worth noting is that I'm also running some old Dell 1280x1024 monitor (but it's so disgusting that I don't want to tell anyone about it) and that I'm running the 13.11 Beta drivers. Should I go to the 13.9?


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> It's not there either.


Sounds like you have driver issues. Maybe clean and reinstall.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Sounds like you have driver issues. Maybe clean and reinstall.


Should I go with 13.9 or 13.11 Beta?


----------



## bigmac11

I'm on 13.11 with no major issues


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> I'm on 13.11 with no major issues


Alright, will do. I'll report back in a bit.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

As crazy as it is, I always do a clean install of windows when I upgrade to a new driver for the best performance lol Doing it right now to prepare for TriFire 7950s next week!


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> As crazy as it is, I always do a clean install of windows when I upgrade to a new driver for the best performance lol Doing it right now to prepare for TriFire 7950s next week!


Are you planning to use the PS in your sig? Your going to run into issues if you do.


----------



## CptAsian

Okay, just did a thorough uninstall and reinstall of AMD drivers, and no change.

EDIT: Just kidding. There's no change to the settings for Crossfire, but now, the second GPU, instead of being at 0% usage all of the time, it's at 99% usage all of the time, and the fans are spinning up. I have no clue what's going on right now. Halp.

EDIT 2: Okay, apparently having GPU-Z open now puts my second GPU under 99% load, but when I close it, it goes back to the way it was at 0%. I am so, so confused.

EDIT THE THIRD: Just realized that after reinstalling drivers, ULPS was turned back on. I just turned it back on, and now, things are exactly like they were originally, so ignore the edits.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Any of you guys have experience with chips in GPU dies? Here is my dumbest move yet. MSI TFIII 7950


you... oh dear... well you would just have to clean her up and see if she works, hopefully you haven't chipped too deeply, there's usually about a mm of blank space around them for manufacture headroom...


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you... oh dear... well you would just have to clean her up and see if she works, hopefully you haven't chipped too deeply, there's usually about a mm of blank space around them for manufacture headroom...


Good news! She works! Lesson learned


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Good news! She works! Lesson learned


Congrats







How in the heck did you do that?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Congrats
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How in the heck did you do that?


Thanks! I was trying to figure out what sized thermal pads I needed for the RAM and VRM's with my Alphacool 7950 block because the thermal pads that come with it suck and make the block fit very strangely. (A picture of the card is below me with a double stack of the thermal pads that came with the card on the VRM's and the thermal pads that came with the Alphacool block on the RAM if anyone could guess what sized thermal pads I need for the VRM's and RAM.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!









Anyways, so I placed the block on the graphics card with no thermal paste or thermal pads to try to find out what size I should get (I didn't screw it in or anything, just placed the block on top) and when I lifted it up that is what it looked like!


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> Are you planning to use the PS in your sig? Your going to run into issues if you do.


I'm actually going to be using the OCZ 750w for two of the 7950s + MOBO + CPU and then a Corsair 500w for the third 7950 and all the peripherals until I can afford a 1250w-1300w PSU in a couple weeks.


----------



## LukePilot152

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Speaking of mining...
> 
> I finally got my TigerDirect order.
> 
> Though they messed up, and sent me 7970's instead of 7950's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not complaining.
> 
> I had originally ordered the XFX DD ones because they were the only ones in stock for a long time.
> And yes, I know everyone says stay away from XFX... Like I said, only cards in stock at the time for a descent price.
> 
> So, here's my rather shabby setup...
> 
> 2x XFX 7970's DD's
> 1x Powercolor 7950
> 
> I get around 1.5 Mh/s with all of them working.
> 
> Though I am having some SEVERE issues with heat.
> 
> All of them are in the 90's.
> Even with really good airflow.
> 
> I am thinking about doing a milk-crate setup with the PCIe extenders and all, just thought I could get away with them being in my case.
> 
> Here's what it currently looks like, the XFX card that is mashed up against the Powercolor gets the hottest for obvious reasons.
> 
> 
> (Xfire is disabled in CCC, was used to do some initial testing)
> 
> Clocks are (Left to right, XFX XFX PowerColor):
> 
> GPU: 925,925,850
> MEM: 1375,1375,1250
> VDC: 1.174,1.174,1.125
> 
> 7970's get ~500Kh, 550 from room temp.
> 7950 stable at 500Kh.
> 
> Not sure what I should do to maintain hashrate, but lower temps to a safe level...
> Don't want my cards melting or self destructing after I just got them.
> 
> If I have to, I'll do the milkcrate setup, just having to wait another week to get the supplies will be a bummer.
> 
> EDIT: Case door open, and window open... 0*F air is blowing directly into the computer...
> Top to bottom temps: 72C, 96C, 77C


Don't know if anyone has already said this, but are the voltages on your cards adjustable? I have my Asus card at 1000 on the core, and at 1.17v temps at 25% fan were 81C under load. Reducing volts to 1.10v gave me 77C.


----------



## lvlrdka22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Thanks! I was trying to figure out what sized thermal pads I needed for the RAM and VRM's with my Alphacool 7950 block because the thermal pads that come with it suck and make the block fit very strangely. (A picture of the card is below me with a double stack of the thermal pads that came with the card on the VRM's and the thermal pads that came with the Alphacool block on the RAM if anyone could guess what sized thermal pads I need for the VRM's and RAM.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyways, so I placed the block on the graphics card with no thermal paste or thermal pads to try to find out what size I should get (I didn't screw it in or anything, just placed the block on top) and when I lifted it up that is what it looked like!


You the guy who bought Hokies's other cards/blocks?








I bought his remaining block, yeah, you'll need new pads.
Reading somewhere that Alphacool 6970 blocks used 0.5mm for memory and 1mm for VRMs, I got both types (Phobya ones) to test.
Apparently 1mm is too thick for the VRMs and causes the PCB to get bent upwards, while 0.5mm looks like it fits fine. For safety, I put some of the 2mm pads he (Hokies) included on the backside of the PCB at the VRMs then screwed the backplate on to make sure VRMs make contact.
For the memory, 0.5mm works fine while 1mm is too thick. The stock 2mm ones are thick to the point that after screwing the block on, PCB bends, even though the pads are pretty soft.
For some weird reason though, a couple of memory modules don't make contact with 0.5mm. I'm thinking about adding on a small glob of paste to make sure.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> You the guy who bought Hokies's other cards?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I bought his remaining block, yeah, you'll need new pads.
> Reading somewhere that Alphacool 6970 blocks used 0.5mm for memory and 1mm for VRMs, I got both types (Phobya ones) to test.
> Apparently 1mm is too thick for the VRMs and causes the PCB to get bent upwards, while 0.5mm looks like it fits fine. For safety, I put some of the 2mm pads he (Hokies) included on the backside of the PCB at the VRMs then screwed the backplate on to make sure VRMs make contact.
> For the memory, 0.5mm works fine while 1mm is too thick. The stock 2mm ones are thick to the point that after screwing the block on, PCB bends, even though the pads are pretty soft.
> For some weird reason though, a couple of memory modules don't make contact with 0.5mm. I'm thinking about adding on a small glob of paste to make sure.


Lol nope I just have similar cards and the same blocks. DUDE THANK YOU FOR REPLYING! No one has these blocks. That is strange though. I noticed the the part of the block that takes the screws (not sure what to call them lol... female screw holders?? Know what I'm talking about??) naturally sits a couple mm above the block when the block is resting on the card with no thermal pads on so if you happen to tighten the block too much it will bend the card. Maybe thats why a couple VRM's don't make contact? Maybe try the testing again with the while keeping that in mind? So what size are you thinking for the RAM (chips around the GPU) and what size do you think for the VRMs (small chips towards the right of the card) at your current point in testing? I'll leave you some REP thanks for your reply!

btw this is what I mean by "female screw holder". In my picture they are tightened down too much because of the fat thermal pads. They should sit higher than that with the perfect sized thermal pads and the perfect screw tightening. These blocks are a PITA if you ask me.

I have a picture of the block on the card without thermal pads on it that I can upload tomorrow so you can see what I mean. Just don't try it yourself without smearing thermal paste on the die before lying the block down because I chipped my die taking that picture! Card is still alive. Can't upload the picture now because I work at a hotel and they don't want us to go home because of the snow so we all get to stay here for free tonight! Cracking out the beers now and the bruins start in an hour and a half! Should be a good night!


----------



## lvlrdka22

VRMs do make contact with 0.5mm, I added in pads on the back to force the PCB to bend a little at the VRMs to make sure there are no tiny gaps between the block, the pads, and the VRMs (and to counter stuff like PCB bending over time due to weight of block to create tiny gaps between VRMs and the block). You don't have the backplates though, so you might want to try 1mm. I say get twice as many as you need for each of the 0.5mm and 1mm, that way you don't run out of you figure out that some are too thin/thick. That's what I did, ended up only using 0.5mm.
I'm not sure what you meant by that, there appears to be no bend in mine. I screwed all the way down until those things sit on the PCB.
Maybe it's time to drain and disassemble the loop again (2346293478566th time) to make sure







.
This is how mine looks.


On a side note, is there a way to force voltage to drop down to idle levels after overclocking memory? Mine stays at the load 1.2V even when idle, after changing memory clocks to anything other than stock 1250MHz.


----------



## Belial

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Any of you guys have experience with chips in GPU dies? Here is my dumbest move yet. MSI TFIII 7950
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> you... oh dear... well you would just have to clean her up and see if she works, hopefully you haven't chipped too deeply, there's usually about a mm of blank space around them for manufacture headroom...
Click to expand...

Small chips like that aren't a big deal. That's not actually the die, it's just the package. They put stuff over the die to protect it.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> VRMs do make contact with 0.5mm, I added in pads on the back to force the PCB to bend a little at the VRMs to make sure there are no tiny gaps between the block, the pads, and the VRMs (and to counter stuff like PCB bending over time due to weight of block to create tiny gaps between VRMs and the block). You don't have the backplates though, so you might want to try 1mm. I say get twice as many as you need for each of the 0.5mm and 1mm, that way you don't run out of you figure out that some are too thin/thick. That's what I did, ended up only using 0.5mm.
> I'm not sure what you meant by that, there appears to be no bend in mine. I screwed all the way down until those things sit on the PCB.
> Maybe it's time to drain and disassemble the loop again (2346293478566th time) to make sure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> This is how mine looks.
> 
> 
> On a side note, is there a way to force voltage to drop down to idle levels after overclocking memory? Mine stays at the load 1.2V even when idle, after changing memory clocks to anything other than stock 1250MHz.


So you used .5mm all around?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Speaking of mining...
> 
> I finally got my TigerDirect order.
> 
> Though they messed up, and sent me 7970's instead of 7950's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not complaining.
> 
> I had originally ordered the XFX DD ones because they were the only ones in stock for a long time.
> And yes, I know everyone says stay away from XFX... Like I said, only cards in stock at the time for a descent price.
> 
> So, here's my rather shabby setup...
> 
> 2x XFX 7970's DD's
> 1x Powercolor 7950
> 
> I get around 1.5 Mh/s with all of them working.
> 
> Though I am having some SEVERE issues with heat.
> 
> All of them are in the 90's.
> Even with really good airflow.
> 
> I am thinking about doing a milk-crate setup with the PCIe extenders and all, just thought I could get away with them being in my case.
> 
> Here's what it currently looks like, the XFX card that is mashed up against the Powercolor gets the hottest for obvious reasons.
> 
> 
> (Xfire is disabled in CCC, was used to do some initial testing)
> 
> Clocks are (Left to right, XFX XFX PowerColor):
> 
> GPU: 925,925,850
> MEM: 1375,1375,1250
> VDC: 1.174,1.174,1.125
> 
> 7970's get ~500Kh, 550 from room temp.
> 7950 stable at 500Kh.
> 
> Not sure what I should do to maintain hashrate, but lower temps to a safe level...
> Don't want my cards melting or self destructing after I just got them.
> 
> If I have to, I'll do the milkcrate setup, just having to wait another week to get the supplies will be a bummer.
> 
> EDIT: Case door open, and window open... 0*F air is blowing directly into the computer...
> Top to bottom temps: 72C, 96C, 77C


This may interest you:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Ladies and Gentlemen, can I get a round of applause for the new kid on the block, let's make him feel right at home -
> *MR GTX 660!!!!!!!*
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the best part. my GPU temps with the side off, after 5 minutes of warmup (flat line in MSIAB) are:
> 7970 @ 1000MHz: 57C folding an 8900 you know, a lazy 100kPPD
> 6950 @ 930MHz: 67C mining @ 500kH/s (had to turn powertune up to 10% for this bad boy)
> 660 @ 1150MHz: 57C folding an 8018 @ 15k PPD- it boosted itself to that freq. I thought the 660 SC stock clocks were 1046MHz...
> 
> AAAAAAAAAND, with the side panel ON for 10 minutes, the temps are,with the fans at the same speeds:
> 
> 7970: 58C
> 6950: 66C
> 660 : 57C
> 
> Yes, folks, that's THREE GPUs in a case with a single 120mm exhaust fan, with virtually ZERO change in temps with the side panel on or off. i told you it could be done! and then I went and done did it.
> 
> and just in case you might be curious about power consumption, I busted out the kill-a-watt:
> 
> wheatley power consumption @ plug unless specified:
> in bios: 250W
> All idle OS: 200W
> CPU folding SMP-10: 320W
> CPU prime95 small FFT: 355W
> 7970 folding 8900 wu:325W
> 7970 mining:420W
> 6950 mining:400W
> 660 folding 8018 wu: 315W
> 
> Normal running-config 1:
> 7970 mining, 6950 mining, cpu folding, 660 folding:
> 870W AC*.87 = 756W DC
> 
> Normal running-config 2:
> 7970 folding, 6950 mining, cpu folding, 660 folding:
> 805W AC*.87 = 700W DC
> 
> And now off to bed. if the power company isn't here in the morning trying to ransom me back my rig, it'll be a good day.





I have NO thermal issues with 3 reference cards, all busting their butts. FYI, my 6950 as pictured is getting 500kH/s

have you considered putting that sound card(?) between the GPUs for better spacing?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Joannou1*
> 
> Speaking of mining...
> 
> I finally got my TigerDirect order.
> 
> Though they messed up, and sent me 7970's instead of 7950's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not complaining.
> 
> I had originally ordered the XFX DD ones because they were the only ones in stock for a long time.
> And yes, I know everyone says stay away from XFX... Like I said, only cards in stock at the time for a descent price.
> 
> So, here's my rather shabby setup...
> 
> 2x XFX 7970's DD's
> 1x Powercolor 7950
> 
> I get around 1.5 Mh/s with all of them working.
> 
> Though I am having some SEVERE issues with heat.
> 
> All of them are in the 90's.
> Even with really good airflow.
> 
> I am thinking about doing a milk-crate setup with the PCIe extenders and all, just thought I could get away with them being in my case.
> 
> Here's what it currently looks like, the XFX card that is mashed up against the Powercolor gets the hottest for obvious reasons.
> 
> 
> (Xfire is disabled in CCC, was used to do some initial testing)
> 
> Clocks are (Left to right, XFX XFX PowerColor):
> 
> GPU: 925,925,850
> MEM: 1375,1375,1250
> VDC: 1.174,1.174,1.125
> 
> 7970's get ~500Kh, 550 from room temp.
> 7950 stable at 500Kh.
> 
> Not sure what I should do to maintain hashrate, but lower temps to a safe level...
> Don't want my cards melting or self destructing after I just got them.
> 
> If I have to, I'll do the milkcrate setup, just having to wait another week to get the supplies will be a bummer.
> 
> EDIT: Case door open, and window open... 0*F air is blowing directly into the computer...
> Top to bottom temps: 72C, 96C, 77C






Joannou1, what case is that? it looks internally similar to my PC-z60...


----------



## lvlrdka22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> So you used .5mm all around?


Yeah, but since you aren't using a backplate, I would go the safe way and get 1mm as well as 0.5mm, just in case.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> Yeah, but since you aren't using a backplate, I would go the safe way and get 1mm as well as 0.5mm, just in case.


Yea I am getting a 1mm and .5mm quarter sheet of Fujipoly Extreme thermal pads. I guess I'll try out the .5mm thermal pads first and see if that provides a good fit.


----------



## dmfree88

If 1mm was too big and .5mm was almost too small dont they offer .75mm? Prob be more optimum? Just a thought


----------



## dmfree88

Finally got around to lubing gpu fans and replacing paste on my gpu. Fans still sound like crap and rpm is the same. Paste wasnt that dry really have seen worse. But even still i managed to improve 15 degrees! Exact same clock/settings went from 69 max mining down to 54 max. Also finally flipped the switch over to ln2 bios. Got rid of annoying start up reverse rev. Also let me oc mem ALOT further. I couldnt even max at 1450 before now ive pushed past 1600 still stable and improved by 40 kh/s mining. Big improvement


----------



## bustacap22

Seeking counsel from fellow OCN. I am thinking of putting an MSI TF III 7950 w/ 7970 pcb with my current rig that is running (2) matching ref 7970 watercooled. So yes, plan on going Tri-fire. I have a waterblock ready to go for the 7950. What do I need to be mindful of when the 7950 is not a matching GPU with my current setup. 7970 stock core is 1010mhz while the 7950 stock core is 880mhz. Guess I am asking what steps should I do before installing. Should I delete drivers and do a complete fresh install???? I have OC the 7950 up to 1100mhz and no problems there with stabililty. Any thoughts and suggestions appreciated.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Finally got around to lubing gpu fans and replacing paste on my gpu. Fans still sound like crap and rpm is the same. Paste wasnt that dry really have seen worse. But even still i managed to improve 15 degrees! Exact same clock/settings went from 69 max mining down to 54 max. Also finally flipped the switch over to ln2 bios. Got rid of annoying start up reverse rev. Also let me oc mem ALOT further. I couldnt even max at 1450 before now ive pushed past 1600 still stable and improved by 40 kh/s mining. Big improvement


Nice temp drop, out of curiosity which TIM did you use?


----------



## lvlrdka22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> On a side note, is there a way to force voltage to drop down to idle levels after overclocking memory? Mine stays at the load 1.2V even when idle, after changing memory clocks to anything other than stotherck 1250MHz.


Anyone?


----------



## CptAsian

And I might as well bump my problem, and I'll reexplain it to avoid confusion. Any 7990 owner should be able to tell me something about this, but anyone who might know something would be helpful. Basically, when I'm in game, my first GPU on my 7990 goes to the usual load and 3D clocks. My second GPU stays at low clocks and 0% usage all the time, idle and load. And there's no crossfire option in CCC, but GPU-Z tells me that I have Crossfire Enabled with two GPU's. I'm running the latest beta drivers with one 1080p monitor. Thanks.


----------



## KingT

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> And I might as well bump my problem, and I'll reexplain it to avoid confusion. Any 7990 owner should be able to tell me something about this, but anyone who might know something would be helpful. Basically, when I'm in game, my first GPU on my 7990 goes to the usual load and 3D clocks. My second GPU stays at low clocks and 0% usage all the time, idle and load. And there's no crossfire option in CCC, but GPU-Z tells me that I have Crossfire Enabled with two GPU's. I'm running the latest beta drivers with one 1080p monitor. Thanks.


Maybe 2nd GPU on the PCB of the graphic card is not working because it's defective.

You should test your HD7990 in another system.

CHEERS..


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingT*
> 
> Maybe 2nd GPU on the PCB of the graphic card is not working because it's defective.
> 
> You should test your HD7990 in another system.
> 
> CHEERS..


I own the only Windows computer in the house.









Do you think running a benchmark and comparing it to other scores with a 7990 would be an effective way to test my card?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I own the only Windows computer in the house.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you think running a benchmark and comparing it to other scores with a 7990 would be an effective way to test my card?


3DMark, or Valley are crossfire capable, so you should see usage on your 2nd GPU core when running either. It could be disabled in CCC for some reason not sure why that would be.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> 3DMark, or Valley are crossfire capable, so you should see usage on your 2nd GPU core when running either. It could be disabled in CCC for some reason not sure why that would be.


Alright, thanks. Will do.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> And I might as well bump my problem, and I'll reexplain it to avoid confusion. Any 7990 owner should be able to tell me something about this, but anyone who might know something would be helpful. Basically, when I'm in game, my first GPU on my 7990 goes to the usual load and 3D clocks. My second GPU stays at low clocks and 0% usage all the time, idle and load. And there's no crossfire option in CCC, but GPU-Z tells me that I have Crossfire Enabled with two GPU's. I'm running the latest beta drivers with one 1080p monitor. Thanks.


Here is a thread with talk about crossfire http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18563620


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> Anyone?


Do you have powerplay enabled? I think once you overclock a boost card it stops dropping the clocks while not it use, but it should still drop the voltage unless you have powerplay disabled. BTW here is the picture of the block sitting on my 7950 that doesn't have any thermal pads on it.


Looks like .5mm, right? Idk what the hell they were thinking supplying 2mm thermal pads with the block.


----------



## CptAsian

Okay, just ran the benchmark, and I can't find any scores to compare to, but it finally seemed to wake up my second GPU, so I'm happy. Thanks for all of the help guys (yesterday and today). Now I get to go through all of your posts and rep 'em.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Nice temp drop, out of curiosity which TIM did you use?


Couldnt find my mx-4 and didnt want to use AS5 so i ended up using antec nano diamond . I dont really understand why it improved so much tho the original paste was only crusty on the sides and the fans still work the same. Much nicer tho no complaints


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Okay, just ran the benchmark, and I can't find any scores to compare to, but it finally seemed to wake up my second GPU, so I'm happy. Thanks for all of the help guys (yesterday and today). Now I get to go through all of your posts and rep 'em.


I'm not sure how it works with a 7990, but do you have ULPS disabled? That should help with any future problems you might have. Glad you got it sorted out though


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> I'm not sure how it works with a 7990, but do you have ULPS disabled? That should help with any future problems you might have. Glad you got it sorted out though


Yep. It's the first thing I always do after reinstalling drivers. But I think I'm done with dual-GPU cards for a while. They're quite finicky and sometimes confusing.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Yep. It's the first thing I always do after reinstalling drivers. But I think I'm done with dual-GPU cards for a while. They're quite finicky and sometimes confusing.


Yea I hear ya. I love my crossfired 7950's. Never had a problem with them. The key is setting them up correctly and I personally always install the drivers right on top of a fresh install of windows when I upgrade to get the best performance.


----------



## lvlrdka22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Do you have powerplay enabled? I think once you overclock a boost card it stops dropping the clocks while not it use, but it should still drop the voltage unless you have powerplay disabled.


Hm, mine drops down to 0.95V at 500/1250 (multimonitors), but once I increase memory clock even 1MHz, it sticks at 500/1201 at 1.2V (or whatever voltage I set it to for 3D clocks).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> BTW here is the picture of the block sitting on my 7950 that doesn't have any thermal pads on it.
> 
> Looks like .5mm, right? Idk what the hell they were thinking supplying 2mm thermal pads with the block.


Looks like mine







.

My damn 7950 is being a pain to overclock. OCCT/Unigine Heaven/20 loops of Metro: Last Light benchmark stable at 1200 core 1.22V, but Crysis 3 crashes within minutes







. I had to drop core down to 1150 for it to stay stable.
Let's see how much 1.3V can net me.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> Hm, mine drops down to 0.95V at 500/1250 (multimonitors), but once I increase memory clock even 1MHz, it sticks at 500/1201 at 1.2V (or whatever voltage I set it to for 3D clocks).
> Looks like mine
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> My damn 7950 is being a pain to overclock. OCCT/Unigine Heaven/20 loops of Metro: Last Light benchmark stable at 1200 core 1.22V, but Crysis 3 crashes within minutes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I had to drop core down to 1150 for it to stay stable.
> Let's see how much 1.3V can net me.


Ohh its because you have multiple monitors nothing will drop that's just how it works because having multiple monitors uses up a lot of memory and the voltage stays boosted to provide stability (even though it can be disappointing at times when you think you have a stable OC). That explains why. Yea, Crysis 3 is an awesome way to test stability. I can pass 3dMark, Unigine Heaven/Valley, Kombuster, etc. etc. without any artifacts or signs of an unstable overclock and then I will go into Crysis 3 and it will crash within 2 minutes if I have an unstable overclock.


----------



## CptAsian

Here are my benchmark results because why not.










Spoiler: Wheee...


----------



## istudy92

I just want to rant right now but...
I can not believe the 7950 I sold around 1 month ago for 420 bucks crossfire are selling for almost 400+ a pop...I am..astonished...just...astonished...and speechless.
Someone pat me on the back=[


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I just want to rant right now but...
> I can not believe the 7950 I sold around 1 month ago for 420 bucks crossfire are selling for almost 400+ a pop...I am..astonished...just...astonished...and speechless.
> Someone pat me on the back=[


----------



## dmfree88

Ya even new (not that new should be cheaper but i thought it was so spendy because there was no new ones) i saw newegg get one 7950 in stock for 450.

Really hope after xmas and the stock comes back in i can eventually buy one for a reasonable price :/


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *istudy92*
> 
> I just want to rant right now but...
> I can not believe the 7950 I sold around 1 month ago for 420 bucks crossfire are selling for almost 400+ a pop...I am..astonished...just...astonished...and speechless.
> Someone pat me on the back=[


That is the story of crypto all together man. Just imagine how the people who sold 1000 BTC at $1 a piece back in the day feel now.. That should make ya feel better!


----------



## istudy92

yeah i guess so,
I mean, i do feel bad for people buying it for crypto, little do they know its inefficient, thiers a bubble, and many more factors I could name.

Using my butterfly labs ASIC miner 30Gh/s bearly gettings me any bitcoin let alone a block.
sigh once everyone knows about how to get rich, its too late thats my motto.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Hey guys just wanted to post some pics of my bare 7950's. Just waiting on a Heatkiller 79x0 block for the MSI TFIII 7950 w/ 7970 PCB and Fujipoly Extreme thermal pads for all of the cards.





@lvlrdka22 I forgot to ask you, what temps on the core and VRM are you getting with the Alphacool v2 block with the .5mm thermal pads?


----------



## heroxoot

Nice to see MSI uses those nice VRMs on other GPU. I know my VRM stay 5 - 10c colder than my GPU under load. I love it.


----------



## lvlrdka22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Ohh its because you have multiple monitors nothing will drop that's just how it works because having multiple monitors uses up a lot of memory and the voltage stays boosted to provide stability (even though it can be disappointing at times when you think you have a stable OC). That explains why. Yea, Crysis 3 is an awesome way to test stability. I can pass 3dMark, Unigine Heaven/Valley, Kombuster, etc. etc. without any artifacts or signs of an unstable overclock and then I will go into Crysis 3 and it will crash within 2 minutes if I have an unstable overclock.


The thing is though, if I just leave memory clocks at default, it drops down to 0.9V. 1MHz over default, and it sticks to the load voltage, in the same exact conditions (completely idle).
This is annoying.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> @lvlrdka22 I forgot to ask you, what temps on the core and VRM are you getting with the Alphacool v2 block with the .5mm thermal pads?


Mid 50s at 1.25V or so.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> The thing is though, if I just leave memory clocks at default, it drops down to 0.9V. 1MHz over default, and it sticks to the load voltage, in the same exact conditions (completely idle).
> This is annoying.


Yea I hear ya man, but with multiple monitors I'm 99% sure that you can't do anything about it except to change to stock clocks when you are not doing anything GPU intensive and when you want to play a game or mine just simply select the profile of your OC in Afterburner. Only takes two seconds.

Off topic, mind telling me your core and VRM temps at max load with your highest overclock after installing the .5mm thermal pads on the Alphacool block?


----------



## sugarhell

You can. Its on my sig.

Disable powerplay.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You can. Its on my sig.
> 
> Disable powerplay.


I think he might of tried that. Thats what I told him to do earlier. Try it again Mr. lvlrdka!! lulz


----------



## dmfree88

You can also setup 2d/3d clocks with msi ab so the mem does clock down during web surfing. Can also force constant voltage if u choose.


----------



## lvlrdka22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Off topic, mind telling me your core and VRM temps at max load with your highest overclock after installing the .5mm thermal pads on the Alphacool block?


At the moment, core never hits 50C, VRMs never 60C.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You can. Its on my sig.
> 
> Disable powerplay.


Yeah, I tried that, overclocking mode to 2 in AB.

To be clear, what I want to be able to do is have the voltage drop down to 0.95V on idle with overclocked memory and multimonitor. Right now, it drops if I leave memory at stock. If I change it (increase or decrease to 1251 or 1249, for example), VDDC goes to the load voltage and never drops to 0.95V.
Preferably without having to deal with the flicker issue of switching memory clocks







.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> At the moment, core never hits 50C, VRMs never 60C.


Oh well that's not bad and I'm sure my temps will be a little better because of the thermal conductivity of the Fujipoly Extreme thermal pads.
How much rad space do you have?


----------



## lvlrdka22

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Oh well that's not bad and I'm sure my temps will be a little better because of the thermal conductivity of the Fujipoly Extreme thermal pads.
> How much rad space do you have?


I'm running a Black Ice GTS 240 and a 140, along with a no-name 120mm thin radiator.


----------



## Pheozero

So what do I do when I get this error for both my GPU and iGPU?
Quote:


> Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lvlrdka22*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Ohh its because you have multiple monitors nothing will drop that's just how it works because having multiple monitors uses up a lot of memory and the voltage stays boosted to provide stability (even though it can be disappointing at times when you think you have a stable OC). That explains why. Yea, Crysis 3 is an awesome way to test stability. I can pass 3dMark, Unigine Heaven/Valley, Kombuster, etc. etc. without any artifacts or signs of an unstable overclock and then I will go into Crysis 3 and it will crash within 2 minutes if I have an unstable overclock.
> 
> 
> 
> The thing is though, if I just leave memory clocks at default, it drops down to 0.9V. 1MHz over default, and it sticks to the load voltage, in the same exact conditions (completely idle).
> This is annoying.
Click to expand...

What I do is, I have MSI AB run a 2D and 3D profile. I set my 2D profile to 500/700 @1v. It idles about 40c on my 7970 and it prevents issue.

I don't know the logic behind them keeping the memory clock up, but the GPU does need to stay @ 500mhz to avoid weirdness.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Oh well that's not bad and I'm sure my temps will be a little better because of the thermal conductivity of the Fujipoly Extreme thermal pads.
> How much rad space do you have?


Hey Ravage, did that chipped GPU make it?


----------



## blackhole2013

Does anybody have the diamond double black 7970 bios I really need it thanks and its not on tecpowerup..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> So what do I do when I get this error for both my GPU and iGPU?


well disable the iGPU in BIOS for one thing, its not needed and only poses an experience killer, then try re-installing the latest AMD drivers.


----------



## KingG14

I need your help! I have an msi 7950 on water and today my PC shut down on me after seting the power limit to -50 after 5-10 minutes I believe my Pc shut down no bsod just a plain shutdown like pulling the power cord from the PSU, I was left with the PC not even powering on just a blink of power that slightly moves the blades of the fans. Turns out that whenever I plug the left PCI 6pin power connector to the card the PSU wont even run just small blink of power like its shorted or something but when I unplug the left PCI power connector leaving the right pci power plugged the PC would run normally as far as the other parts are concerned. It seems to me like the left pci power is shorted out preventing the PSU from running, the real question is can I or ever fix it? I can do soldering. I had 7970 that died on me a couple of monthes and this would make it the second dead card this past 6 months I'm depressed.

I would really appreciate any kind of help.


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KingG14*
> 
> I need your help! I have an msi 7950 on water and today my PC shut down on me after seting the power limit to -50 after 5-10 minutes I believe my Pc shut down no bsod just a plain shutdown like pulling the power cord from the PSU, I was left with the PC not even powering on just a blink of power that slightly moves the blades of the fans. Turns out that whenever I plug the left PCI 6pin power connector to the card the PSU wont even run just small blink of power like its shorted or something but when I unplug the left PCI power connector leaving the right pci power plugged the PC would run normally as far as the other parts are concerned. It seems to me like the left pci power is shorted out preventing the PSU from running, the real question is can I or ever fix it? I can do soldering. I had 7970 that died on me a couple of monthes and this would make it the second dead card this past 6 months I'm depressed.
> 
> I would really appreciate any kind of help.


Try to get a six pin molex plug adapter and see if that works .. You might need new power supply. Do you have a board that can run without a card ..


----------



## blackhole2013

does anybody know of an overclock bios for my reference 7970 I want an original oc bios like the one in the diamond double black card reference card not one of the new ghz bios for newer cards ..


----------



## KingG14

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blackhole2013*
> 
> Try to get a six pin molex plug adapter and see if that works .. You might need new power supply. Do you have a board that can run without a card ..


my second card runs fine with the same cable also I tried different PSU and the same thing happens. thanks for the reply anyway.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> So what do I do when I get this error for both my GPU and iGPU?
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Windows cannot start this hardware device because its configuration information (in the registry) is incomplete or damaged. (Code 19)
Click to expand...

sounds like unstable oc to me
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Oh well that's not bad and I'm sure my temps will be a little better because of the thermal conductivity of the Fujipoly Extreme thermal pads.
> How much rad space do you have?
> 
> 
> 
> Hey Ravage, did that chipped GPU make it?
Click to expand...

yes it did


----------



## Pheozero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well disable the iGPU in BIOS for one thing, its not needed and only poses an experience killer, then try re-installing the latest AMD drivers.


I've already done that.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sounds like unstable oc to me


It was running at 1100/1250 for half a year. No artifacts, crashes, nothing.


----------



## Jflisk

Go into system manager to the drivers tab remove the driver for the display device and try to re install it. When you re install the driver should re write the registry. Hope it works

Disclaimer - Will either fix it or could cause a BSOD. Depending how corrupt the registry or operating system is. You may need a re-install if all else fails.

Thanks


----------



## blackhole2013

Sorry guys im no longer a 7970 owner I switched to the darkside ...Geforce 770


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blackhole2013*
> 
> Sorry guys im no longer a 7970 owner I switched to the darkside ...Geforce 770


Lol that sidegrade


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blackhole2013*
> 
> does anybody know of an overclock bios for my reference 7970 I want an original oc bios like the one in the diamond double black card reference card not one of the new ghz bios for newer cards ..


Reference cards don't really need a special bios, the stock bios can do whatever clocks get thrown at it as long as the voltage is there to support the clock.

No idea if there are any higher voltage bios' out there.


----------



## blackhole2013

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lol that sidegrade


I just got tired of games when they start and say Nvidia you just know the game will have a problem with Radeon not being optimized to the game .. Plus I got 350 for my 7970 which is more than I paid for it 6 months ago


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blackhole2013*
> 
> I just got tired of games when they start and say Nvidia you just know the game will have a problem with Radeon not being optimized to the game .. Plus I got 350 for my 7970 which is more than I paid for it 6 months ago


Dude in this insane mining market you could have got 400 likely.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blackhole2013*
> 
> I just got tired of games when they start and say Nvidia you just know the game will have a problem with Radeon not being optimized to the game .. Plus I got 350 for my 7970 which is more than I paid for it 6 months ago


Usually when I start a game and it says it is optimized for Nvidia it works better for me with my 7950 than for the people who actually have Nvidia cards









Yea...

I SAID IT!


----------



## LDV617

What game in particular?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pheozero*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well disable the iGPU in BIOS for one thing, its not needed and only poses an experience killer, then try re-installing the latest AMD drivers.
> 
> 
> 
> I've already done that.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sounds like unstable oc to me
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It was running at 1100/1250 for half a year. No artifacts, crashes, nothing.
Click to expand...

ok... and that means it is still stable?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *blackhole2013*
> 
> Sorry guys im no longer a 7970 owner I switched to the darkside ...Geforce 770


hope you like it, however what i dont get is why people think we need to know about it ?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> hope you like it, however what i dont get is why people think we need to know about it ?


Oh you need to know. I know I sure did, my day is complete now.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> What game in particular?


I was mostly just joking when I said that, but I haven't had any problems related to performance with my crossfire 7950's on a game that is optimized for Nvidia. Let's see how TriFire works out when I set it up this week.


----------



## Pheozero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Go into system manager to the drivers tab remove the driver for the display device and try to re install it. When you re install the driver should re write the registry. Hope it works
> 
> Disclaimer - Will either fix it or could cause a BSOD. Depending how corrupt the registry or operating system is. You may need a re-install if all else fails.
> 
> Thanks


This worked perfectly. Thanks! +1


----------



## Jflisk

Your welcome


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Go into system manager to the drivers tab remove the driver for the display device and try to re install it. When you re install the driver should re write the registry. Hope it works
> 
> Disclaimer - Will either fix it or could cause a BSOD. Depending how corrupt the registry or operating system is. You may need a re-install if all else fails.
> 
> Thanks


Having an issue with my HDMI audio driver, it does not install after installing CCC tried fresh install of OS to no avail, any recommendations?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Having an issue with my HDMI audio driver, it does not install after installing CCC tried fresh install of OS to no avail, any recommendations?


Have you tried Device Manager>System Devices>HDMI>Rightclick>Update Driver?

there might be more than one.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Having an issue with my HDMI audio driver, it does not install after installing CCC tried fresh install of OS to no avail, any recommendations?


Does it actually say that it doesn't install? After installing drivers I have to manually set the HDMI as my audio output through CCC. Just checking that you tried that


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Have you tried Device Manager>System Devices>HDMI>Rightclick>Update Driver?
> 
> there might be more than one.


Will give it a shot
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Does it actually say that it doesn't install? After installing drivers I have to manually set the HDMI as my audio output through CCC. Just checking that you tried that


Yeah actually It malfunctioned and I haven't been able to get it to work since. Whenever I reinstall it gives me error HDMI audio did not install message


----------



## Jflisk

Did you say even after a OS reinstall. You can try to install the Driver from Catalyst control center by itself using custom install. Also as stated above look in the device manager under sound and see if the AMD High definition audio device is there. Try using the latest drivers from catalyst. Some of the older Drivers( not sure of the version) had problems with the AMD HDMI audio. Also check and make sure you have a newer HDMI cable the older ones did not pass sound. Thanks


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Will give it a shot
> Yeah actually It malfunctioned and I haven't been able to get it to work since. Whenever I reinstall it gives me error HDMI audio did not install message


I'm not sure where the actually folder is where AMD installs the HDMI audio driver, but you should delete it and then re-install. I know that when I leave the folder behind from the previous AMD SDK driver it will fail the install even though the folder is empty.

Have you tried running driver sweeper AND THEN tried installing the driver?


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Did you say even after a OS reinstall. You can try to install the Driver from Catalyst control center by itself using custom install. Also as stated above look in the device manager under sound and see if the AMD High definition audio device is there. Try using the latest drivers from catalyst. Some of the older Drivers( not sure of the version) had problems with the AMD HDMI audio. Also check and make sure you have a newer HDMI cable the older ones did not pass sound. Thanks


It still passes sound through the HDMI cable to my receiver but it only passes stereo, before I had 9.1 surround, although stereo shows positional sound in BF3 better than surround did. Also I can't set my receiver in CCC as the primary playback device or in Windows

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> I'm not sure where the actually folder is where AMD installs the HDMI audio driver, but you should delete it and then re-install. I know that when I leave the folder behind from the previous AMD SDK driver it will fail the install even though the folder is empty.
> 
> Have you tried running driver sweeper AND THEN tried installing the driver?


No I have not tried driver sweeper method, I just used the AMD uninstall tool and reinstalled the lasted version of driver.

Also Installing from device manager does not seem to work either


----------



## hamzta09

Difference between 280X and 7970?


----------



## Mega Man

is that a question they are the same card...


----------



## hamzta09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> is that a question they are the same card...


So why rebrand a 2 year old card?


----------



## diggiddi

From one post on this forum iirc the vrm's or chokes are not as solid/quality as the 7970 ghz's, in effect its a slightly inferior ghz 7970


----------



## Mega Man

because it is still an epic card


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> So why rebrand a 2 year old card?


Because the 7970 dropped down a class so they could release the 290/290x, they couldn't release a card better then the 7970 but worse then the 7990 without a whole line of "new"cards to make it look good. 7980 wouldn't have sold so well lol


----------



## Deadboy90

Because it still kicks ass as does the 7950. I think they should have released the r 270x as the Tahiti LE and made the 270 the 7870 with higher tdp.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> is that a question they are the same card...
> 
> 
> 
> So why rebrand a 2 year old card?
Click to expand...

Money. Its easier to make a new line with a new flagship.I'm totally ok with it personally. my 7970 is a beast.

How much performance is the 290x over the 7970 clock for clock? 25%?


----------



## SavageBrat

Wow..another Lighting owner..cool...


----------



## heroxoot

I know this isn't just 7000 series cards, but whats the reason AMD keeps the memory at max for dual monitors? The GPU clock most definitely needs to be at least 500, but max memory? I use MSI AB and have my 2D profile set for 500/700 as 700 is about as low as the ram will go on the slider. I have no issues and my GPU idles around 40c. Max memory clock cannot be a requirement.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

This thread has EXACTLY 1630000 views







Crazy stuff


----------



## lucky88shp

This thread is huuuge!

Anyways....I own the MSI TF3 7950 (ASIC 57.4% 1050/1400 - 1.20V/1.613V +20% power) and I am using MSI AB to OC and OCCT(20 mins 480x480 level 7) for initial testing and Crysis 3, Metro 2033, Valley and Heaven for actual gaming tests.
In OCCT, I have a very high Vdroop...the vddc stays @ 1.127V....for that reason I cannot go higher than 1050 on core as OCCT starts throwing errors even when I set core voltage to 1.250-1.275V.
In actual gaming, its around ~1.160V! Forcing constant voltage makes no difference....Any suggestions??
THANKS!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hamzta09*
> 
> Difference between 280X and 7970?


"proper" 280X has a clock splitter allowing 3 direct displays at a time provided they are of the same specs, but only a few actually have this, DCII (NOT the "V2"), the sapphire toxic (big yellow one) and I think the newer dualX are a few, not sure what else, apart from that they are 100% identical.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> This thread is huuuge!
> 
> Anyways....I own the MSI TF3 7950 (ASIC 57.4% 1050/1400 - 1.20V/1.613V +20% power) and I am using MSI AB to OC and OCCT(20 mins 480x480 level 7) for initial testing and Crysis 3, Metro 2033, Valley and Heaven for actual gaming tests.
> In OCCT, I have a very high Vdroop...the vddc stays @ 1.127V....for that reason I cannot go higher than 1050 on core as OCCT starts throwing errors even when I set core voltage to 1.250-1.275V.
> In actual gaming, its around ~1.160V! Forcing constant voltage makes no difference....Any suggestions??
> THANKS!


whats your temps?


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> whats your temps?


In actual games, core @ ~71C and VRM1 @ ~80C and VRM2 @ ~70C, fan on AUTO....
in OCCT, core @ ~75C and VRM1 @ ~90C and VRM2 @ 72C, fan on AUTO
I changed the TIM with Tuniq TX2 Extreme....


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Have you tried Device Manager>System Devices>HDMI>Rightclick>Update Driver?
> 
> there might be more than one.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Does it actually say that it doesn't install? After installing drivers I have to manually set the HDMI as my audio output through CCC. Just checking that you tried that


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Did you say even after a OS reinstall. You can try to install the Driver from Catalyst control center by itself using custom install. Also as stated above look in the device manager under sound and see if the AMD High definition audio device is there. Try using the latest drivers from catalyst. Some of the older Drivers( not sure of the version) had problems with the AMD HDMI audio. Also check and make sure you have a newer HDMI cable the older ones did not pass sound. Thanks


Tried using Driver update utility in safe mode it still does not install HDMI Audio even with the latest WHQL drivers


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> whats your temps?
> 
> 
> 
> In actual games, core @ ~71C and VRM1 @ ~80C and VRM2 @ ~70C, fan on AUTO....
> in OCCT, core @ ~75C and VRM1 @ ~90C and VRM2 @ 72C, fan on AUTO
> I changed the TIM with Tuniq TX2 Extreme....
Click to expand...

and that is why, you need to keep it less then 60 ideal is 40-50 for ocing tahiti is temp sensitive and will artifact at anything over their level, every card is different, but it generally starts @ ~ 60 core, mem temps play a part as well.


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> and that is why, you need to keep it less then 60 ideal is 40-50 for ocing tahiti is temp sensitive and will artifact at anything over their level, every card is different, but it generally starts @ ~ 60 core, mem temps play a part as well.


Hmmmm...I thought the ideal was 75C...but I am stable with no errors in OCCT @ 1050/1400 => 1.20V/1.613V => 72C/ 88C-72C...I did a 20min test....


----------



## Mega Man

it may be ok for that clock. with that said, can you go higher? cool that card down


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Hmmmm...I thought the ideal was 75C...but I am stable with no errors in OCCT @ 1050/1400 => 1.20V/1.613V => 72C/ 88C-72C...I did a 20min test....


you can push to 75 safely but from my understanding you can generally get stable at lower volts with lower temps. So if you keep it under 60 at the same core/mem clock you might be able to lower the volts and still be stable. and be even further cooler because of it. Part of this is likely because the less wattage draw and more power room from lower temps..

Also OCCT is usually similar to kombuster and is fairly heavy on the gpu. Usually dont need that heavy of a test something like heaven benchmark or something on the highest settings and that will get you a better temp range to test with.


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> you can push to 75 safely but from my understanding you can generally get stable at lower volts with lower temps. So if you keep it under 60 at the same core/mem clock you might be able to lower the volts and still be stable. and be even further cooler because of it. Part of this is likely because the less wattage draw and more power room from lower temps..
> 
> Also OCCT is usually similar to kombuster and is fairly heavy on the gpu. Usually dont need that heavy of a test something like heaven benchmark or something on the highest settings and that will get you a better temp range to test with.


Well, since my ASIC quality is really low @ 57.4%, the higher voltage need is to be expected and so are the temps! I could go with water cooling but since I've never used it and also I am low on budget after my latest build as of last week...I cannot afford it right now. Oh well, I will have to stick with my current OC settings....


----------



## Mega Man

lower asic = more voltage less heat :/


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> lower asic = more voltage less heat :/


Lower ASIC = nothing at all

ASIC score is bogus according to AMD and my own cards


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> lower asic = more voltage less heat :/
> 
> 
> 
> Lower ASIC = nothing at all
> 
> ASIC score is bogus according to AMD and my own cards
Click to expand...

................... really... really????

i never said it could oc more, but you are flat out wrong

higher asic need less volts but makes more heat, lower asic = more volts less heat


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ................... really... really????
> 
> i never said it could oc more, but you are flat out wrong
> 
> higher asic need less volts but makes more heat, lower asic = more volts less heat


So what about my 63% ASIC 7950 that needs 1.21v for 1250Mhz? and can hit 1300Mhz at 1.25v? What does that say about the accuracy of these ASIC scores? I have two more 7950s and they also don't follow these ASIC trends. As well as a comment made by AMD saying that the calculations GPU-z uses are completely bogus. Just my







here. I know a lot of people still compare cards by these ASIC scores and that it totally fine with me. Just saying...










I may not agree with what you are saying my fine sir but i will admit that you have every right to say it!


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> So what about my 63% ASIC 7950 that needs 1.21v for 1250Mhz? and can hit 1300Mhz at 1.25v? What does that say about the accuracy of these ASIC scores? I have two more 7950s and they also don't follow these ASIC trends. As well as a comment made by AMD saying that the calculations GPU-z uses are completely bogus. Just my
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> here. I know a lot of people still compare cards by these ASIC scores and that it totally fine with me. Just saying...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I may not agree with what you are saying my fine sir but i will admit that you have every right to say it!


63 is neither high nor low i wouldn't really use this as a good reference as to why it does or doesnt have higher or lower volt req since its pretty much average considering most cards generally range from 45-85ish

this also has nothing to do with how far you can overclock but more-so with how much heat output is created when the volts are supplied. Similar comparison would be having 80+ asic is like having a 80+gold psu. doesnt make it the best but it means it doesnt waste alot of power. theres plenty of crappy 80+ power supplies aswell as good psu that arent even rated. Doesn't mean the unrated ones couldnt be more efficient. but it also doesnt mean the efficient ones are any better.

So overall ASIC really doesnt mean much. But it still does contribute to volt/power consumption ratio and efficiency.

Imo higher is better as it should be more efficient. If somehow you could use the exact same card but somehow upgrade to increase asic im just guessing but it would likely have better results. Im sure this isnt possible im unsure what measures or determines asic. But if you could somehow take a good overclocking low asic card and upgrade its asic id guess it would have even better overall results. Or atleast better efficiency


----------



## heroxoot

My card has 78% ASIC. Someone tried to tell me its bad? I thought it was average.


----------



## lucky88shp

Then why are my temps still around ~70C @ full load?!
I changed the the TIM using Tuniq TX2 Extreme....and I have a MSI TF3 card with a decent cooler in a full tower case with great air flow and a huge 200mm fan blowing air on to the card from the side.....


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Then why are my temps still around ~70C @ full load?!
> I changed the the TIM using Tuniq TX2 Extreme....and I have a MSI TF3 card with a decent cooler in a full tower case with great air flow and a huge 200mm fan blowing air on to the card from the side.....


Fan profile?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Lower ASIC = nothing at all
> 
> ASIC score is bogus according to AMD and my own cards


Oh people with zero experience. Thats why i bin all my card for 85% asic. 6 7970 more than 85% asic @1 volt i can do 1150 on all of them. ASIC has nothing to do with ocing


----------



## lucky88shp

Do you guys use OCCT for testing? That thing just runs the tests @ a considerably lower voltage causing error...approx. 0.035V lower than when gaming


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Fan profile?


Fan is on auto but it still run @ ~55% which is good enough as after that the card gets a bit too loud, not that I have not used noisy PC setups....just that this newest one, I wanna keep it as quite as possible without water cooling.


----------



## Paul17041993

my experience, 55% ASIC, 1170mV and you can only run 1000/1500, same ASIC and 1.3V apparently only runs under 1200/1650 but I never got a chance to really test that thoroughly...


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Fan is on auto but it still run @ ~55% which is good enough as after that the card gets a bit too loud, not that I have not used noisy PC setups....just that this newest one, I wanna keep it as quite as possible without water cooling.


My stock auto fan profile on my tf4 was too hot. Youd be surprised sometimes the same 55 percent if achieved sooner will still keep temps lower and keep them there longer. The stock fan profile probably has a target operating temp of 70 most stock profiles run hot. For example set your fan to 55 manually it will take forever to peak out and probably wont reach 70. Atleast not for awhile (depends what ur testing with too). Most the time when it goes back down so do rpm so it keeps around same temp. Try custom profile in msi ab and see what you can come up with to benefit both the card and your ears. Sometimes 60 percent can be more tolerable then 57 aswell. U never know what could work/sound better with some fans

Is your card brand new? Whats your gpu vcore at? I can actually lower my volts stil get a minor overclock and get better temps. Worth a shot to turn down the volts if your gpu will let you especially if you run stock clocks most cards can undervolt save power and temps.


----------



## Daffie82

Does Catalyst 13.12 WHQL include all the improvements of 13.11 Beta?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ................... really... really????
> 
> i never said it could oc more , but you are flat out wrong
> 
> higher asic need less volts but makes more heat, lower asic = more volts less heat
> 
> 
> 
> So what about my 63% ASIC 7950 that needs 1.21v for 1250Mhz? and can hit 1300Mhz at 1.25v? What does that say about the accuracy of these ASIC scores? I have two more 7950s and they also don't follow these ASIC trends. As well as a comment made by AMD saying that the calculations GPU-z uses are completely bogus. Just my
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> here. I know a lot of people still compare cards by these ASIC scores and that it totally fine with me. Just saying...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I may not agree with what you are saying my fine sir but i will admit that you have every right to say it!
Click to expand...

so... again, HEAT CREATED NOT OC POTENTIAL OR FAILURE ... do i need to type any bigger????
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Then why are my temps still around ~70C @ full load?!
> I changed the the TIM using Tuniq TX2 Extreme....and I have a MSI TF3 card with a decent cooler in a full tower case with great air flow and a huge 200mm fan blowing air on to the card from the side.....


.....why? because your cooling can not handle the card and volts
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Do you guys use OCCT for testing? That thing just runs the tests @ a considerably lower voltage causing error...approx. 0.035V lower than when gaming


most of us?? no
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Fan profile?
> 
> 
> 
> Fan is on auto but it still run @ ~55% which is *good enough* as after that the card gets a bit too loud, not that I have not used noisy PC setups....just that this newest one, I wanna keep it as quite as possible without water cooling.
Click to expand...

1 apparently not
2 welcome to why we watercool


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Oh people with zero experience. Thats why i bin all my card for 85% asic. 6 7970 more than 85% asic @1 volt i can do 1150 on all of them. ASIC has nothing to do with ocing


Zero experience? Yea, sorry I don't drool over ASIC scores 24/7. Guess that means I have zero experience. Excuse me while I put some CLU on my motherboard for better temps







No need to be rude man. I wasn't rude to anyone. If you are just feeling egotistical today then go ahead and live it up.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> higher asic *need less volts* but makes more heat, lower asic = *more volts* less heat


All I was doing was responding to this. So what are the more volts needed for, I asked myself. Must be for clocking, I said to myself. I can run very low voltage for stock clocking which I forgot to add in my post before.

*You two* don't have to reply to this because I just wanted to have a controlled conversation with someone explaining to me why ASIC actually does matter (so I could learn something) which goes against the theory of my first polite and mature comment, but I see that isn't going to happen because people get way too hostile when their ideas and beliefs (facts?) become threatened even with polite words. So... yep







I wish you guys a Merry Christmas (or/(and?) Happy Holidays).


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> My stock auto fan profile on my tf4 was too hot. Youd be surprised sometimes the same 55 percent if achieved sooner will still keep temps lower and keep them there longer. The stock fan profile probably has a target operating temp of 70 most stock profiles run hot. For example set your fan to 55 manually it will take forever to peak out and probably wont reach 70. Atleast not for awhile (depends what ur testing with too). Most the time when it goes back down so do rpm so it keeps around same temp. Try custom profile in msi ab and see what you can come up with to benefit both the card and your ears. Sometimes 60 percent can be more tolerable then 57 aswell. U never know what could work/sound better with some fans
> 
> Is your card brand new? Whats your gpu vcore at? I can actually lower my volts stil get a minor overclock and get better temps. Worth a shot to turn down the volts if your gpu will let you especially if you run stock clocks most cards can undervolt save power and temps.


I could say my card is brand new even though I bought it in this past August...but since I was too busy, never really used it much at all, just to get the basic display. But now that I totally upgraded my PC and have gone all the way in getting pretty high quality components(Core i7 4770K, ASUS MAXIMUS Hero mobo, Seasonic Platinum PSU, etc), I was overclocking all my components to a certain degree with proper testing.
I was using fixed 55% fan speed before but I stopped using it at some point....just totally stopped giving it a thought since in my mind, 75C was the optimal temp. Well now I know that even 70C can be the cause of errors in OCCT, etc....I am gonna try and see what I can come up with. Thanks!


----------



## Jflisk

Are you sure the card is any good or installed on the board all the way. The only thing I can think of is there is something wrong with the card if it will not take the HDMI drivers and you re installed the OS. Re-installed OS from formatted scorched earth drive. Thanks


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Zero experience? Yea, sorry I don't drool over ASIC scores 24/7. Guess that means I have zero experience. Excuse me while I put some CLU on my motherboard for better temps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No need to be rude man. I wasn't rude to anyone. If you are just feeling egotistical today then go ahead and live it up.
> All I was doing was responding to this. So what are the more volts needed for, I asked myself. Must be for clocking, I said to myself. I can run very low voltage for stock clocking which I forgot to add in my post before.
> 
> *You two* don't have to reply to this because I just wanted to have a controlled conversation with someone explaining to me why ASIC actually does matter (so I could learn something) which goes against the theory of my first polite and mature comment, but I see that isn't going to happen because people get way too hostile when their ideas and beliefs (facts?) become threatened even with polite words. So... yep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish you guys a Merry Christmas (or/(and?) Happy Holidays).


Did you read my reply? I guess its not full of facts about what asic does but i think i summed it up well enuff.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Did you read my reply? I guess its not full of facts about what asic does but i think i summed it up well enuff.


I did read your post and it was VERY informative! My last post was aimed at Mega Man and sugarhell, not you


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> lower asic = more voltage less heat :/
> 
> 
> 
> Lower ASIC = nothing at all
> 
> ASIC score is bogus according to AMD and my own cards
Click to expand...

ASICs are very important in chip design especially the mobile sector where they are pushing for higher and higher asics to reduce voltage requirements which translates to lower TDP. And in the mobile sector, lower TDP is king.

Anyways, ASICs as it relates to silicon has meaning but not in all all cases. For ex. with Hawaii, the ASIC derived numbers from gpuz are literally meaningless. For Tahiti however it applicable. However, ASIC % is not in anyway a barometer for overclocking. It's become on ocn associated with overclocking ability and even as a value metric when comparing cards of varying asic %. Unfortunately it is all incorrect used.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *dmfree88*
> 
> Did you read my reply? I guess its not full of facts about what asic does but i think i summed it up well enuff.
> 
> 
> 
> I did read your post and it was VERY informative! My last post was aimed at Mega Man and sugarhell, not you
Click to expand...

Hehe, the poster you quoted is the last poster I would be taking any advice from.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ASICs are very important in chip design especially the mobile sector where they are pushing for higher and higher asics to reduce voltage requirements which translates to lower TDP. And in the mobile sector, lower TDP is king.
> 
> Anyways, ASICs as it relates to silicon has meaning but not in all all cases. For ex. with Hawaii, the ASIC derived numbers from gpuz are literally meaningless. For Tahiti however it applicable. However, ASIC % is not in anyway a barometer for overclocking. It's become on ocn associated with overclocking ability and even as a value metric when comparing cards of varying asic %. Unfortunately it is all incorrect used.
> Hehe, the poster you quoted is the last poster I would be taking any advice from.


Ahh this is what I needed! Thank you for this information!

and a lulz to your last statement.

One more thing. Does the ASIC refer to the same ASIC people mine with? Does GPU-z use some SHA-256 voodoo to find your ASIC score? If so, would higher ASIC score represent a higher ability to mine SHA-256 coins?


----------



## tsm106

Gpuz does an ok job of calculating asic on Tahiti, but on Hawaii it's is not applicable because AMD did not give them anything to calculate asic with. Thus the numbers we see on asic with 290s is a carryover metric from Tahiti that has no basis in reality.

Asics have to do with how silicon reacts/uses/leaks voltage, so it has no real bearing on work or any other factors except those that have to deal with voltage scaling.


----------



## dmfree88

Tsm is jus a intel fanboy tha hates me for contradicting his comments about amd. He also has me on ignore for stating something i was missinformed about and didnt even read my post. Which was my bad but hes been nothing but rude throughout and shows nobody respect when they do say something that contradicts. But thats beside the point.

Asic quality does not effect mining my asic is 86 and my card is a below average miner. Like he said more about power delivery not actual card ability.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Yea I just wasn't sure if the term "ASIC" that GPU-z uses had anything to do with the term "ASIC" that encrypts SHA-256 algorithms. Not even necessarily performance wise. Just wondering if it has any correlation at all.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Yea I just wasn't sure if the term "ASIC" that GPU-z uses had anything to do with the term "ASIC" that encrypts SHA-256 algorithms. Not even necessarily performance wise. Just wondering if it has any correlation at all.


ASIC is sort of a catchall, ie. application-specific integrated circuit. It can be used to define any circuit. The ASICs in mining refers to standalone cards/devices for mining.


----------



## anubis1127

"New" used 7950:



While on the topic, ASIC Quality is 62.9% for what that is worth.

Voltage locked at 1.250V, so far 1100Mhz seems stable.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> "New" used 7950:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While on the topic, ASIC Quality is 62.9% for what that is worth.
> 
> Voltage locked at 1.250V, so far 1100Mhz seems stable.


What model card is it?


----------



## anubis1127

Oh, it's a Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Oh, it's a Gigabyte GV-R795WF3-3GD.


Alright, the voltage is definitely locked. I know that with my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 I had to do some tinkering. What case is that? Fractal Design?

I don't think that I have ever had to ask this of someone with over 6k posts, but you should add your rig to your signature


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Alright, the voltage is definitely locked. I know that with my Sapphire Dual-X 7950 I had to do some tinkering. What case is that? Fractal Design?
> 
> I don't think that I have ever had to ask this of someone with over 6k posts, but you should add your rig to your signature


Ah, right on. Yes, it's a Fractal Design Define XL R2. When I bought it it was one of the few sub $150 cases that would hold my Z9PE-D8 WS motherboard.

I don't like anything in my sig though.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ah, right on. Yes, it's a Fractal Design Define XL R2. When I bought it it was one of the few sub $150 cases that would hold my Z9PE-D8 WS motherboard.
> 
> I don't like anything in my sig though.


Nice yea that is a pretty amazing case for the price. I had it for a while, but just traded it to someone because I don't have the money for another build and have too many cases lying around.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Nice yea that is a pretty amazing case for the price. I had it for a while, but just traded it to someone because I don't have the money for another build and have too many cases lying around.


Yep, I think I paid either $100, or 110 for it shipped, so I can't really complain, it's exactly what I needed. A massive case to put my dual lga 2011 board in, and it does that. Only thing I wish it came with would have been a 24-pin extension cable like the switch 810 comes with, but given the price point, I understand some compromises had to be made.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Yep, I think I paid either $100, or 110 for it shipped, so I can't really complain, it's exactly what I needed. A massive case to put my dual lga 2011 board in, and it does that. Only thing I wish it came with would have been a 24-pin extension cable like the switch 810 comes with, but given the price point, I understand some compromises had to be made.


Do the switch 810s come with a 24 pin extension? I got an 8 pin extension with my 820, but that's it


----------



## anubis1127

Maybe the 8pin was what I was thinking of, probably.


----------



## tac0slav3

Posted this in Water Cooling, this is my Card. http://www.overclock.net/t/1452460/need-help-choosing-hd-7950-water-block
Need help in figuring out what kind of pcb i have to order a universal block or full cover block. On some Universal blocks like Swiftech EK and XSPC will they fit on my card if I just add the copper shim or are they just not compatible at all due to brackets and hardware included. Thanks guys


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tac0slav3*
> 
> Posted this in Water Cooling, this is my Card. http://www.overclock.net/t/1452460/need-help-choosing-hd-7950-water-block
> Need help in figuring out what kind of pcb i have to order a universal block or full cover block. On some Universal blocks like Swiftech EK and XSPC will they fit on my card if I just add the copper shim or are they just not compatible at all due to brackets and hardware included. Thanks guys


Its ref, so buy one that fits a ref 79xx.


----------



## tac0slav3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Its ref, so buy one that fits a ref 79xx.


Thanks for the reply


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Oh people with zero experience. Thats why i bin all my card for 85% asic. 6 7970 more than 85% asic @1 volt i can do 1150 on all of them. ASIC has nothing to do with ocing
> 
> 
> 
> Zero experience? Yea, sorry I don't drool over ASIC scores 24/7. Guess that means I have zero experience. Excuse me while I put some CLU on my motherboard for better temps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No need to be rude man. I wasn't rude to anyone. If you are just feeling egotistical today then go ahead and live it up.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> higher asic *need less volts* but makes more heat, lower asic = *more volts* less heat
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> All I was doing was responding to this. So what are the more volts needed for, I asked myself. Must be for clocking, I said to myself. I can run very low voltage for stock clocking which I forgot to add in my post before.
> 
> *You two* don't have to reply to this because I just wanted to have a controlled conversation with someone explaining to me why ASIC actually does matter (so I could learn something) which goes against the theory of my first polite and mature comment, but I see that isn't going to happen because people get way too hostile when their ideas and beliefs (facts?) become threatened even with polite words. So... yep
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I wish you guys a Merry Christmas (or/(and?) Happy Holidays).
Click to expand...

merry holidays as well !
but again ( and to note, i am not angry, i am having a simple civilized discussion using large lettering to get a point across )
ocing is silicone lottery voltage leakage is heat, this translates to asic %, which may not mean anything on Hawaii, that i do not know, so as i said less voltage with more heat = high asic, more voltage ith less heat =low asic hence why water coolers want middle of the road, can push more volts without damage and get rid of said heat
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Nice yea that is a pretty amazing case for the price. I had it for a while, but just traded it to someone because I don't have the money for another build and have too many cases lying around.
> 
> 
> 
> Yep, I think I paid either $100, or 110 for it shipped, so I can't really complain, it's exactly what I needed. A massive case to put my dual lga 2011 board in, and it does that. Only thing I wish it came with would have been a 24-pin extension cable like the switch 810 comes with, but given the price point, I understand some compromises had to be made.
Click to expand...

wow, great deal man ! even if it is locked worth it !!!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tac0slav3*
> 
> Posted this in Water Cooling, this is my Card. http://www.overclock.net/t/1452460/need-help-choosing-hd-7950-water-block
> Need help in figuring out what kind of pcb i have to order a universal block or full cover block. On some Universal blocks like Swiftech EK and XSPC will they fit on my card if I just add the copper shim or are they just not compatible at all due to brackets and hardware included. Thanks guys


for universal

there is a model specifically designed for it
http://www.swiftech.com/mcw82vgawaterblock.aspx you can see it here. if you have the one that is not you can buy this
http://www.swiftech.com/MountingKitMCW82-7900.aspx

or use a shim

with that said, yours looks like a ref model so a full cover should work fine ( you can see the amd logo on your pcb ),

iirc all manufactures have updated to take both the modified ref ( 1 higher cap ) or normal ref.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> wow, great deal man ! even if it is locked worth it !!!


No, that was the price I paid for the case we were talking about. I traded for the 7950. I don't really mind that its voltage locked, I assumed it was going into the trade.


----------



## Deadboy90

So I tried switching my 7950 to the x4 slot and my 6850 to the x16 slot. Now MSI afterburner has my 7950 sliders at 0 and unable to move. I'm addition if I try to mine with it I get display driver errors. The 6850 runs great and I can oc it to my hearts content but the 7950 is being a headache. I tried disabling ulps but now I'm out of ideas. Oh i think it might have something to do with AMD's zerocore thing. Is there a way to disable it? GPUz is showing the Core and memory clocks as 0 as well.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> So I tried switching my 7950 to the x4 slot and my 6850 to the x16 slot. Now MSI afterburner has my 7950 sliders at 0 and unable to move. I'm addition if I try to mine with it I get display driver errors. The 6850 runs great and I can oc it to my hearts content but the 7950 is being a headache. I tried disabling ulps but now I'm out of ideas. Oh i think it might have something to do with AMD's zerocore thing. Is there a way to disable it? GPUz is showing the Core and memory clocks as 0 as well.


did you try reinstalling drivers completely?


----------



## danycyo

Yea make sure you wipe your old drivers out completely. I used driver cleaner pro works great and its free.
I am using the 13.2 drivers and saw an increase on my benchmarks with the 7950.


----------



## Paul17041993

if there still may be confusion about ASIC, in its raw form its just an algorithm that gives a percentage based on the stock voltage and clocks, it can vary between manufacturers (apart from full-reference PCBs) and chips within about 20% usually behave very similar, 290(x) this currently hasn't exposed anything, likely due to being PCB limited for the most part, but 79x0 and 280(x) it exposes a voltage "leak", of which to obtain the same clocks, a significantly low ASIC % needs more voltage then a high %, this DOES NOT relate to actual power consumption, in fact lower ASIC produce less heat simply because they need more voltage for the same area, this however DOES NOT relate to the max potential clocks or the ability of the PCB itself, but there are still patterns regardless.

some characteristics that have been found with 79x0;
~55% or lower, these are rare, they need a LOT of voltage to get far, bit hard to set up but they can potentially be great for subzero and nitro...
~65%-75%, this is generally the sweet spot for water, you can pump a lot of power through these and the higher voltage can help with vdroop.
~75% or higher, this is the sweet for air as they don't need an incredibly amount of voltage for good clocks, however, some cases have shown that this area, particularly about 90% can hit a point and not go further even with a lot of voltage...

the cause of this trend could be due to the memory controller, as the 290(x) uses a completely different system but the same GCN cores it may not show the same characteristics, could also be related to the different architectural layout and core ratios.


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Yea make sure you wipe your old drivers out completely. I used driver cleaner pro works great and its free.
> I am using the 13.2 drivers and saw an increase on my benchmarks with the 7950.


single 7950 for that score!!?. dude I got P12000 using x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X. either your card on steroids or I did something wrong with my cards.

I am using the latest driver btw.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> single 7950 for that score!!?. dude I got P12000 using x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X. either your card on steroids or I did something wrong with my cards.
> 
> I am using the latest driver btw.


Well this should rusttle your feathers


----------



## marsey99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Yea make sure you wipe your old drivers out completely. I used driver cleaner pro works great and its free.
> I am using the 13.2 drivers and saw an increase on my benchmarks with the 7950.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> single 7950 for that score!!?. dude I got P12000 using x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X. either your card on steroids or I did something wrong with my cards.
> 
> I am using the latest driver btw.
Click to expand...

i have p12.4k with 1 7950 too


----------



## xNutella

ummm!!!


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> 
> 
> ummm!!!


That's firestrike not 3DMark 11


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> That's firestrike not 3DMark 11


ohhh right. that makes sense now eh.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> ohhh right. that makes sense now eh.


Do you have any 3DMark 11 runs


----------



## xNutella

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Do you have any 3DMark 11 runs


unfortunately no.

only unigine heaven and firestrike


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> unfortunately no.
> 
> only unigine heaven and firestrike


Try it and post your score


----------



## lucky88shp

So do any of you guys use OCCT (480x480 Shader: 7 20mins) for testing OC stability?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> So do any of you guys use OCCT (480x480 Shader: 7 20mins) for testing OC stability?


3dMark 11 & 13. You can get free versions of these. Other then that, I use any in-game benchmark (ie Metro 2033, LL, Crysis, etc.).


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 3dMark 11 & 13. You can get free versions of these. Other then that, I use any in-game benchmark (ie Metro 2033, LL, Crysis, etc.).


So no OCCT at all? Do you have 7950? IF so, what's your card like, ASIC, OC settings? Thanks!


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> So do any of you guys use OCCT (480x480 Shader: 7 20mins) for testing OC stability?


personally use 3dm11 as it tends to crash if unstable pretty consistantly without many bsod. Also use heaven benchmark as its similar. Then once im stable there i hit the real games to fully test. Real gaming is the only true way to know IMO.

OCCT is kinda like kombuster, not really a good real-world simulation.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> So do any of you guys use OCCT (480x480 Shader: 7 20mins) for testing OC stability?


Loop heaven 2 or 3 times and just look for artifacts. If you don't see anything freaking out its probably solid. Then again when I played BF4 I saw artifacts and had to increase voltage a tad to fix it. Its still a half decent indicator.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> *Loop heaven 2 or 3 times and just look for artifacts. If you don't see anything freaking out its probably solid.* Then again when I played BF4 I saw artifacts and had to increase voltage a tad to fix it. Its still a half decent indicator.


I've seen very unstable GPU's pass at least 10 loops of Heaven on max settings. It is not a good stability tester overall. I'd go with Crysis for testing the core and Metro 2033 for testing the VRAM. No instability can survive these particular titles due to their dependency on certain parts of the card as listed above. If a user does not have these titles, go with 3DMark11 or higher and run loops for an hour on the highest presets.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> *Loop heaven 2 or 3 times and just look for artifacts. If you don't see anything freaking out its probably solid.* Then again when I played BF4 I saw artifacts and had to increase voltage a tad to fix it. Its still a half decent indicator.
> 
> 
> 
> I've seen very unstable GPU's pass at least 10 loops of Heaven on max settings. It is not a good stability tester overall. I'd go with Crysis for testing the core and Metro 2033 for testing the VRAM. No instability can survive these particular titles due to their dependency on certain parts of the card as listed above. If a user does not have these titles, go with 3DMark11 or higher and run loops for an hour on the highest presets.
Click to expand...

Honestly if you feel this then just play some games. Like I said I had to crank my voltage a little more because of artifacts in BF4, but its solid now. BF4 is the only game that puts my GPU at 90% or higher load.


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I've seen very unstable GPU's pass at least 10 loops of Heaven on max settings. It is not a good stability tester overall. I'd go with Crysis for testing the core and Metro 2033 for testing the VRAM. No instability can survive these particular titles due to their dependency on certain parts of the card as listed above. If a user does not have these titles, go with 3DMark11 or higher and run loops for an hour on the highest presets.


I agree!
Crysis 3 is what made me realize that my OC was not stable....


----------



## rcoolb2002

So I managed to pick up 2 7970's in addition to my 7950. Should I run tri-fire at 7950 speeds? or just x-fire the 7950 and call it a day.


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rcoolb2002*
> 
> So I managed to pick up 2 7970's in addition to my 7950. Should I run tri-fire at 7950 speeds? or just x-fire the 7950 and call it a day.


iirc they share an equal load so they would be running basically at the 7950 speed anyway? Correct me if im wrong. You could probably OC the 7950 and run at stock 7970 speeds.. im sure it would atleast even it out a bit.


----------



## darwing

SNAP I just found out about TRIXX LOL I was using the stupid CCC and Im on water cooling my card never even breached 45 degrees on load with the max CCC settings now I got it running at

GPU Clock: 1200
Mem Clock: 1600
VDDC 1218
Board Power Li: 20

with a new 3d Mark score of 10860!!!! http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7694200

Im so excited just ran OCCT for like 40 min to stress test and also was able to tweak my 4670k to 4.3 finally stable I had it at 4.2, now got it going at 4.3











so excited is this good for my 4670k and 7970 water cooled


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> SNAP I just found out about TRIXX LOL I was using the stupid CCC and Im on water cooling my card never even breached 45 degrees on load with the max CCC settings now I got it running at
> 
> GPU Clock: 1200
> Mem Clock: 1600
> VDDC 1218
> Board Power Li: 20
> 
> with a new 3d Mark score of 10860!!!! http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7694200
> 
> Im so excited just ran OCCT for like 40 min to stress test and also was able to tweak my 4670k to 4.3 finally stable I had it at 4.2, now got it going at 4.3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> so excited is this good for my 4670k and 7970 water cooled


dude, try pumping it to 1.3V and see how far you can clock the core, memory should probably go up to 1800 fine provided your block has good contact too.

curse you lot and your... um... at least average quality cards...? highest 3Dmark score I have is just shy of 9000...


----------



## Kokin

That's impressive for 1200/1600, it's just shy off my 1300/1700 run (3570K @ 4.7GHz). I highly suggest the modded Trixx for memory voltage control.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That's impressive for 1200/1600, it's just shy off my 1300/1700 run (3570K @ 4.7GHz). I highly suggest the modded Trixx for memory voltage control.


Is that a 7970 or 7950. If its a 7970 that Graphics score is really low for those clocks


----------



## hambone96

I have the Ref model Gigabyte 7970 and have been running it at 1100/1500 on the stock, non ghz, BIOS.

Today I flashed it with the ghs BIOS and oc'd a bit more to 1200/1600.
It ran kombustor for a few seconds and the graphics driver crashed.

I now have it clocked at 1125/1600 and its been running kombustor for 30 minutes at 80c and 75% fan speed.

Any suggestions to help "perfect" my oc?
How much does memory speed actually affect real world performance?

Edit
Never mind, I kept getting heavy artifacting in 3dmark 11 while using the ghz bios.
Swapped back to the original bios and artifacting stopped.


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> I have the Ref model Gigabyte 7970 and have been running it at 1100/1500 on the stock, non ghz, BIOS.
> 
> Today I flashed it with the ghs BIOS and oc'd a bit more to 1200/1600.
> It ran kombustor for a few seconds and the graphics driver crashed.
> 
> I now have it clocked at 1125/1600 and its been running kombustor for 30 minutes at 80c and 75% fan speed.
> 
> Any suggestions to help "perfect" my oc?
> How much does memory speed actually affect real world performance?
> 
> Edit
> Never mind, I kept getting heavy artifacting in 3dmark 11 while using the ghz bios.
> Swapped back to the original bios and artifacting stopped.


I did real time testing in Heaven, Valley, Metro 2033, Sleeping Dogs benchmarks and realized, that each 100MHz bump in memory gives about ~0.8fps boost in performance! Hence I am not even bothering bumping my memory higher than 1400.
One of the other reasons actually is that my card is really power hungry and has a very big vdroop in OCCT, nearly 0.090V! So I am not even bumping my core higher than 1100. Also, I stopped using OCCT for testing because of the vdroop, as in actual games, the voltage droop is considerably less, around 0.060V...
My settings: 1100/1400 -> 1.225V/1.613V.....Temps(gaming): Core = ~70C VRM1: ~77C VRM2: ~70C Fan: 53%...These temps were recorded after playing Crysis 3 and Metro 2033, both maxed out, each played for an hour.

EDIT: BTW, I have MSI TF3 7950, with factory boost bios


----------



## RavageTheEarth




----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*


Nice!
Which waterblock are you using for the cards?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Nice!
> Which waterblock are you using for the cards?


From top to bottom:
MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 w/ 7970 PCB with a Heatkiller 79x0 fullcover block sporting 0.5mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the memory and 1mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the VRM's
MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 with an Alphacool v2 7950 fullcover block sporting a double stack of 0.5mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the memory and VRM's
Sapphire Dual-X 7950 with an Alphacool v2 7950 fullcover block sporting a double stack of 0.5mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the memory and VRM's

Here are my temps mining:


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> From top to bottom:
> MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 w/ 7970 PCB with a Heatkiller 79x0 fullcover block sporting 0.5mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the memory and 1mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the VRM's
> MSI Twin Frozr III 7950 with an Alphacool v2 7950 fullcover block sporting a double stack of 0.5mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the memory and VRM's
> Sapphire Dual-X 7950 with an Alphacool v2 7950 fullcover block sporting a double stack of 0.5mm Fujipoly Extreme pads on the memory and VRM's
> 
> Here are my temps mining:


Kool!
BTW, what coin you mining over there? Thanks!


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Kool!
> BTW, what coin you mining over there? Thanks!


At the moment I'm mining some WDC.


----------



## danycyo

Thanks for the kind words on my 7950 overclock. I have a whole thread that shows what I was able to do with my 7950 if you wanna check it out. TriXX is absolutely the way to go with my card at least. I can clock it at 1240/1500 for benchmarks without a problem... I can push her further but she's on air so I don't want to go too crazy. Here is my most recent Benchmarks and gpu z info.

Not bad for just 1 7950 and an overclocked ancient 870 on air












Quote:


> Originally Posted by *marsey99*
> 
> i have p12.4k with 1 7950 too


Nice!!!!


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> I did real time testing in Heaven, Valley, Metro 2033, Sleeping Dogs benchmarks and realized, that each 100MHz bump in memory gives about ~0.8fps boost in performance! Hence I am not even bothering bumping my memory higher than 1400.
> One of the other reasons actually is that my card is really power hungry and has a very big vdroop in OCCT, nearly 0.090V! So I am not even bumping my core higher than 1100. Also, I stopped using OCCT for testing because of the vdroop, as in actual games, the voltage droop is considerably less, around 0.060V...
> My settings: 1100/1400 -> 1.225V/1.613V.....Temps(gaming): Core = ~70C VRM1: ~77C VRM2: ~70C Fan: 53%...These temps were recorded after playing Crysis 3 and Metro 2033, both maxed out, each played for an hour.
> 
> EDIT: BTW, I have MSI TF3 7950, with factory boost bios


Thats some good info.
I guess I'll just leave it at 1125/1575 with the stock bios and voltages.
After an hour or so playinig Grid 2, temps are at 77C with 70% fan speed.


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> dude, try pumping it to 1.3V and see how far you can clock the core, memory should probably go up to 1800 fine provided your block has good contact too.
> 
> curse you lot and your... um... at least average quality cards...? highest 3Dmark score I have is just shy of 9000...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> I have the Ref model Gigabyte 7970 and have been running it at 1100/1500 on the stock, non ghz, BIOS.
> 
> Today I flashed it with the ghs BIOS and oc'd a bit more to 1200/1600.
> It ran kombustor for a few seconds and the graphics driver crashed.
> 
> I now have it clocked at 1125/1600 and its been running kombustor for 30 minutes at 80c and 75% fan speed.
> 
> Any suggestions to help "perfect" my oc?
> How much does memory speed actually affect real world performance?


so you think 1.3 isnt too high? I'll test out at 1.25 at maybe 1300/1650?

what do you think 1.3 v should be able to attain stable?


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Thats some good info.
> I guess I'll just leave it at 1125/1575 with the stock bios and voltages.
> After an hour or so playinig Grid 2, temps are at 77C with 70% fan speed.


What card do you have? Did you replace the TIM on the GPU?! Because those temps are kinda high...Or you have a case with not good enough air flow?!..


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> What card do you have? Did you replace the TIM on the GPU?! Because those temps are kinda high...Or you have a case with not good enough air flow?!..


Well...

When I got the card (used) it was hitting 92C at stock clocks..
I replaced the TIM with Ceramique 2 and now it stays under 80C overclocked.

I think I'm doing pretty good







lol

Haha, my case doesn't have that much airflow either.
I'll probably end up cutting a fan hole on the side panel to blow on the GPU as well.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xNutella*
> 
> single 7950 for that score!!?. dude I got P12000 using x2 Sapphire 7970 Ghz Vapor-X. either your card on steroids or I did something wrong with my cards.
> 
> I am using the latest driver btw.


sorry man xD

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7244248


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Well...
> 
> When I got the card (used) it was hitting 92C at stock clocks..
> I replaced the TIM with Ceramique 2 and now it stays under 80C overclocked.
> 
> I think I'm doing pretty good
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol
> 
> Haha, my case doesn't have that much airflow either.
> I'll probably end up cutting a fan hole on the side panel to blow on the GPU as well.


I guess you have one of those reference coolers on your card...IMO the absolute max core temp for daily use should be 75C.


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> I guess you have one of those reference coolers on your card...IMO the absolute max core temp for daily use should be 75C.


Yeah, its a reference cooler.

At stock clocks I get 74C after an hour or so in grid 2, so I'll just take my chances with the extra 3 degrees.

Wish it ran cooler, but what can ya do? with no money


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Yeah, its a reference cooler.
> 
> At stock clocks I get 74C after an hour or so in grid 2, so I'll just take my chances with the extra 3 degrees.
> 
> Wish it ran cooler, but what can ya do? with no money


strap a high cfm fan directly to the card.


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> strap a high cfm fan directly to the card.


On the backside?

Anyone got a broken 7970 with a non-reference cooler for cheap?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> strap a high cfm fan directly to the card.
> 
> 
> 
> On the backside?
> 
> Anyone got a broken 7970 with a non-reference cooler for cheap?
Click to expand...

I took an old intel stock fan and sawed off the legs, I strapped it to the backside of the vrm area and it knocked off 3C core and 10C VRM temps. Really need to get it in the water loop, but this works as a stop gap measure to keep it cooler.


----------



## Abyssic

yes on the back, pulling heat off the pcb.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Thats some good info.
> I guess I'll just leave it at 1125/1575 with the stock bios and voltages.
> After an hour or so playinig Grid 2, temps are at 77C with 70% fan speed.
> 
> 
> 
> What card do you have? Did you replace the TIM on the GPU?! Because those temps are kinda high...Or you have a case with not good enough air flow?!..
Click to expand...

really ? do you know his volts and his asic ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Well...
> 
> When I got the card (used) it was hitting 92C at stock clocks..
> I replaced the TIM with Ceramique 2 and now it stays under 80C overclocked.
> 
> I think I'm doing pretty good
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol
> 
> Haha, my case doesn't have that much airflow either.
> I'll probably end up cutting a fan hole on the side panel to blow on the GPU as well.
> 
> 
> 
> I guess you have one of those reference coolers on your card...IMO the absolute max core temp for daily use should be 75C.
Click to expand...

hahahaha ill take ref over non ref, in my experience they run cooler, granted noisier, but hey thats why i watercool....


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> so you think 1.3 isnt too high? I'll test out at 1.25 at maybe 1300/1650?
> 
> what do you think 1.3 v should be able to attain stable?


79x0 can go as high as 1.4V, 1.3V is good for benches and short runs provided you keep the whole card cool, I wouldn't recommend 1.3V for long periods of time though as it starts to degrade your card fast...

I think 1.3V usually keeps it stable at 1300, more or less, depends on the card really...


----------



## Spraynwipe

My since-release card (stock powercolor 7970 with accelero 7970 fitted) doesn't clock past 1175 without either artifacts (due to lack of volts) or crashing (if I put 1.2v or more it just instantly hard locks my system and have to reboot).

BIOS edits made no difference to the voltage baseline, even though I have successfully flashed it to a ghz bios on switch 2. It's a high asic card (86.2%) and runs stock volts of 1.05v, can get to 1170 with 1.15v stable and then it's just crash if I put 1.2v or more to go to higher clocks. It will take 1.25v with stock clocks though, but anything higher than 1170 and it crashes. So basically I can't get it any higher than 1170. Bummer as I always wanted to crack 1200 core clock.

Power connectors are fine, PSU is fine, temps are always below 60c (max fan speed because I don't hear it at all with the accelero). Dunno.

Any advice?

Also got a sapphire dual-x 7970 second hand to crossfire, which hopefully will match the accelero in temps and noise.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spraynwipe*
> 
> It's a high asic card (86.2%)


you *may* have a wall unfortunately, or you may just have a voltlocked card, is this the red PCB? (low quality custom)


----------



## Spraynwipe

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you *may* have a wall unfortunately, or you may just have a voltlocked card, is this the red PCB? (low quality custom)


Nope, black pcb. I can adjust voltage though?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> anyone see this....
> 
> 
> 
> supposed to be a preview of mantle according to facebook


----------



## Gungnir

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> anyone see this....
> 
> 
> 
> supposed to be a preview of mantle according to facebook


Yeah, there's a live demo starting at ~26:00. Impressive, too: spikes up to ~80k batches and maintains a constant 30FPS with a Renderman-esque renderer.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spraynwipe*
> 
> Nope, black pcb. I can adjust voltage though?


if you flash it with a full ref BIOS (non boost or GHz, both of which I think are usually locked), you should be able to get full volt control, also if the PCB has the AMD logo above the PCIe slot its 100% reference and should go pretty far, however the 80% ASIC may give you a wall still...


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> yes on the back, pulling heat off the pcb.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I took an old intel stock fan and sawed off the legs, I strapped it to the backside of the vrm area and it knocked off 3C core and 10C VRM temps. Really need to get it in the water loop, but this works as a stop gap measure to keep it cooler.


I'll try that, I have a few old 80mm fans around here.


----------



## inedenimadam

I am sure this has been answered before, but i can only go back so many pages looking for my answer.
I have a 7970 TF3 OC/BE, it has Hynix memory, with a stock voltage of 1.5. What is "safe" operating voltage for memory?


----------



## dmfree88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I am sure this has been answered before, but i can only go back so many pages looking for my answer.
> I have a 7970 TF3 OC/BE, it has Hynix memory, with a stock voltage of 1.5. What is "safe" operating voltage for memory?


Iirc its basically the same as ddr3. I run mine at 1.7v all day on my hynix tf4 never goes over 65 on memory. Actually with the new thermal paste im super impressed i maxed core volts at 1.35 and max mem volts. Vrm never over 65 and core maxes at 69. Loving the tf4 heatsink


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I am sure this has been answered before, but i can only go back so many pages looking for my answer.
> I have a 7970 TF3 OC/BE, it has Hynix memory, with a stock voltage of 1.5. What is "safe" operating voltage for memory?


I pushed the memory from 1600 to 1700 and it runs fine. It probably doesn't even need it but it feels safer.


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I pushed the memory from 1600 to 1700 and it runs fine. It probably doesn't even need it but it feels safer.


What are you testing your OC with?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Wow I'm surprised how well my TriFire 7950's are working out for me!

Mining and gaming completely stable at 1100/1650 @ 1.088v core/1.55v memory.

Crysis 3 is just as smooth as it was in crossfire.

Very happy!


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I pushed the memory from 1600 to 1700 and it runs fine. It probably doesn't even need it but it feels safer.
> 
> 
> 
> What are you testing your OC with?
Click to expand...

Multiple things. Mostly real usage. You can test whatever you want and the OC can still show artifacts in games. The most stressing game I have is BF4. Puts my GPU at 90% load usually.

As long as it shows no artifacts and it doesn't crash, you're good.

The only thing I noticed is if the frame rate goes really high in some games the temp goes up really high on the GPU. My GPU loves to artifact at 75c, which isn't an issue since it will sit at 60c during most play anyway. Its only the strangest places the frame rate goes up really high and causes excessive heat, like the end game score screen in BF4. So I just set a frame cap.


----------



## Abyssic

does someone know if the vtx3d 7950 boost is suitable to flash with a reference bios? the core runs natively at 1.3v and doesnt support voltage regulation. i think i could go much lower on the voltage (@1ghz). am i right? asic is over 80%


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Multiple things. Mostly real usage. You can test whatever you want and the OC can still show artifacts in games. The most stressing game I have is BF4. Puts my GPU at 90% load usually.
> 
> As long as it shows no artifacts and it doesn't crash, you're good.
> 
> The only thing I noticed is if the frame rate goes really high in some games the temp goes up really high on the GPU. My GPU loves to artifact at 75c, which isn't an issue since it will sit at 60c during most play anyway. Its only the strangest places the frame rate goes up really high and causes excessive heat, like the end game score screen in BF4. So I just set a frame cap.


1700MHZx4 ON THE MEMORY YOU SAY,TELL ME MORE







Do you have a stable memory voltage for 6.8GHz since I have a Hynix chip and would Grey Screen @1.62 mem and 7GHz.. BF4 is really buggy for me and my friend, he has a 770 and I have my Matrix, there is tons of zfighting on both ends even tho I am like at 58C constant (DAT FAN CURVE AND REPASTE







)..

@DMFree, what is a safe mem temp since I might try and get 6800/1.65 on mine..? I had thought 1.6 was the dead zone for GDDR5..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Multiple things. Mostly real usage. You can test whatever you want and the OC can still show artifacts in games. The most stressing game I have is BF4. Puts my GPU at 90% load usually.
> 
> As long as it shows no artifacts and it doesn't crash, you're good.
> 
> The only thing I noticed is if the frame rate goes really high in some games the temp goes up really high on the GPU. My GPU loves to artifact at 75c, which isn't an issue since it will sit at 60c during most play anyway. Its only the strangest places the frame rate goes up really high and causes excessive heat, like the end game score screen in BF4. So I just set a frame cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 1700MHZx4 ON THE MEMORY YOU SAY,TELL ME MORE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have a stable memory voltage for 6.8GHz since I have a Hynix chip and would Grey Screen @1.62 mem and 7GHz.. BF4 is really buggy for me and my friend, he has a 770 and I have my Matrix, there is tons of zfighting on both ends even tho I am like at 58C constant (DAT FAN CURVE AND REPASTE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )..
> 
> @DMFree, what is a safe mem temp since I might try and get 6800/1.65 on mine..? I had thought 1.6 was the dead zone for GDDR5..
Click to expand...

considering most cards oem @ 1.6 i would say ... no


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> considering most cards oem @ 1.6 i would say ... no


It seems so, since he claims 1.7 is safe for his TF4.. My Matrix should fare similarly unless its really lost the lottery..


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Multiple things. Mostly real usage. You can test whatever you want and the OC can still show artifacts in games. The most stressing game I have is BF4. Puts my GPU at 90% load usually.
> 
> As long as it shows no artifacts and it doesn't crash, you're good.
> 
> The only thing I noticed is if the frame rate goes really high in some games the temp goes up really high on the GPU. My GPU loves to artifact at 75c, which isn't an issue since it will sit at 60c during most play anyway. Its only the strangest places the frame rate goes up really high and causes excessive heat, like the end game score screen in BF4. So I just set a frame cap.
> 
> 
> 
> 1700MHZx4 ON THE MEMORY YOU SAY,TELL ME MORE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Do you have a stable memory voltage for 6.8GHz since I have a Hynix chip and would Grey Screen @1.62 mem and 7GHz.. BF4 is really buggy for me and my friend, he has a 770 and I have my Matrix, there is tons of zfighting on both ends even tho I am like at 58C constant (DAT FAN CURVE AND REPASTE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )..
> 
> @DMFree, what is a safe mem temp since I might try and get 6800/1.65 on mine..? I had thought 1.6 was the dead zone for GDDR5..
Click to expand...

Well I have the lightning cooler and my temps all stay around 60c. I have no problems with my card running 1225/1700.

Like I said if my card gets to 75c on the GPU/memory it starts to artifact. I been told its just sensitive. On stock it would never pass 55c and with the OC its most common temp in a a 20c room is maybe 63c max at load, unless I need to clean it. In heaven mark which causes extra heat it gets no higher than 70c and thats after a few loops. I keep a fan curve so by 50c its 50% fan and by 70c its 100% fan speed. BF4 is very stable. I have a frame cap set of 70 and it sits on 70fps majority of the time too. My monitor is only 60hz though but I hardly see tearing and Vsync is off.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Well I have the lightning cooler and my temps all stay around 60c. I have no problems with my card running 1225/1700.
> 
> Like I said if my card gets to 75c on the GPU/memory it starts to artifact. I been told its just sensitive. On stock it would never pass 55c and with the OC its most common temp in a a 20c room is maybe 63c max at load, unless I need to clean it. In heaven mark which causes extra heat it gets no higher than 70c and thats after a few loops. I keep a fan curve so by 50c its 50% fan and by 70c its 100% fan speed. BF4 is very stable. I have a frame cap set of 70 and it sits on 70fps majority of the time too. My monitor is only 60hz though but I hardly see tearing and Vsync is off.


What is your mem voltage?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Well I have the lightning cooler and my temps all stay around 60c. I have no problems with my card running 1225/1700.
> 
> Like I said if my card gets to 75c on the GPU/memory it starts to artifact. I been told its just sensitive. On stock it would never pass 55c and with the OC its most common temp in a a 20c room is maybe 63c max at load, unless I need to clean it. In heaven mark which causes extra heat it gets no higher than 70c and thats after a few loops. I keep a fan curve so by 50c its 50% fan and by 70c its 100% fan speed. BF4 is very stable. I have a frame cap set of 70 and it sits on 70fps majority of the time too. My monitor is only 60hz though but I hardly see tearing and Vsync is off.
> 
> 
> 
> What is your mem voltage?
Click to expand...

1700mV which is the max in MSIAB. I could probably do it on 1600mV. I just wanted to be safe. In fact I'm going to test it and see how it goes.


----------



## X-Alt

Testing [email protected] Lets see how it goes, if I get a grey screen ima back off...


----------



## X-Alt

[email protected] This card has its Hynix memory pretty much pushed to the limit already... I had pretty much the same FPS (70-75 avg, highs in 100s and dips in the 40s). In a nutshell, not worth it.. I am sure moar volts will eventually get me there, but Stability>Temps>Extrafewframes


----------



## Mega Man

they are rated at a higher speed ( hynix ) and lower volts fyi


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> they are rated at a higher speed ( hynix ) and lower volts fyi


Which indicates?


----------



## sugarhell

Lower the temps


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lower the temps


It only reaches 54 max, which does not seem to be bad at all.. I think its a case of the silicon lottery not being in my favor...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lower the temps
> 
> 
> 
> It only reaches 54 max, which does not seem to be bad at all.. I think its a case of the silicon lottery not being in my favor...
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Lower the temps


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*


By that, you mean, even tho I have low temp Hynix ram, I am victim to the lottery?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> they are rated at a higher speed ( hynix ) and lower volts fyi
> 
> 
> 
> Which indicates?
Click to expand...

they can take a higher speed and lower volts, or higher volts and higher speed you wont hurt them if you keep them cool
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By that, you mean, even tho I have low temp Hynix ram, I am victim to the lottery?
Click to expand...

by that i mean listen to him and lower then temps


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> they can take a higher speed and lower volts, or higher volts and higher speed you wont hurt them if you keep them cool
> by that i mean listen to him and lower then temps


Its 54 on the mem, 62 on the Core and 64 on the VRM. It should be good from what I see. I thought he meant because the RAM is rated for lower voltages and higher speeds it would have lower temps then lets say, Elpida...


----------



## MariusJS

I've got an MSI 7950 and a Sapphire 7970







and 2 EK Waterblocks in the post


----------



## heroxoot

I don't seem to be having any issues with my OC on 1600mV for the Vram. Though my keyboard decided to derp out when it switched to its BF4 profile. Logitech drivers being unstable is nothing new. Temps are all around 60c except my VRMs are like 55c. Except at idle my VRMs are always cooler than everything else.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I don't seem to be having any issues with my OC on 1600mV for the Vram. Though my keyboard decided to derp out when it switched to its BF4 profile. Logitech drivers being unstable is nothing new. Temps are all around 60c except my VRMs are like 55c. Except at idle my VRMs are always cooler than everything else.


Oh well, looks like my RAM was just not cut out to get in 6800s+ range, I had it @6700 but clocked it down to 6460 to have the voltage @1.55... My Matrix in BF4 had the problem of [email protected] and then grey screening after a full 600+ ticket game or two of stability when I first got it....


----------



## heroxoot

Its the luck of the draw my friend. To be fair my card is also well binned compared to other 7970 lightnings. The average lightning had 1.74v default I believe while mine was 1.113v for the stock 1070/1400 clocks. Mine being the non boost edition.

Also keep in mind my card has the GPU reactor which is nothing short of amazing in my opinion. It adds extra phases to the card.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Its the luck of the draw my friend. To be fair my card is also well binned compared to other 7970 lightnings. The average lightning had 1.74v default I believe while mine was 1.113v for the stock 1070/1400 clocks. Mine being the non boost edition.
> 
> Also keep in mind my card has the GPU reactor which is nothing short of amazing in my opinion. It adds extra phases to the card.


1.74V, you mean 1.27 or something? I have a 20 phase design (At some point, I think they were gonna make this as an Ares and said "F it", lets make this a single GPU card)...


----------



## heroxoot

Nope the average voltage for the lightning seemingly is 1.74v while mine is 1.113 according to MSI AB. Thats from HARDOCP. My phases are 14+2+1 from what I've read. I guess you just have memory thats not so great.

I've read some people can't get a OC worth a damn on a card like mine and others get world records. Yes in fact the 7970 lightning held OC record for a while on LN2.

http://www.msi.com/news-media/news/1393.html


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Nope the average voltage for the lightning seemingly is 1.74v while mine is 1.113 according to MSI AB. Thats from HARDOCP. My phases are 14+2+1 from what I've read. I guess you just have memory thats not so great.
> 
> I've read some people can't get a OC worth a damn on a card like mine and others get world records. Yes in fact the 7970 lightning held OC record for a while on LN2.


This one ya mean.. 1.74V will burn the life out of any card on the planet that is not on LN2, so that seems off...
http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/26439-msis-hd-7970-lightning-hits-1800mhz-for-gpu

BONUS LN2 TIME: 



 (DAT PASTE APPLICATION)
Someone needs to remix this for 9590 9GHz project


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Nope the average voltage for the lightning seemingly is 1.74v while mine is 1.113 according to MSI AB. Thats from HARDOCP. My phases are 14+2+1 from what I've read. I guess you just have memory thats not so great.
> 
> I've read some people can't get a OC worth a damn on a card like mine and others get world records. Yes in fact the 7970 lightning held OC record for a while on LN2.
> 
> 
> 
> This one ya mean.. 1.74V will burn the life out of any card on the planet that is not on LN2, so that seems off...
> http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/26439-msis-hd-7970-lightning-hits-1800mhz-for-gpu
> 
> BONUS LN2 TIME:
> 
> 
> 
> (DAT PASTE APPLICATION)
> Someone needs to remix this for 9590 9GHz project
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By that, you mean, even tho I have low temp Hynix ram, I am victim to the lottery?
Click to expand...

they lie liquid helium is much better for cooling then l2n !!


----------



## MariusJS

BTW: What do you think is there an Dual GPU R9 290/ R9 290X?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> they lie liquid helium is much better for cooling then l2n !!


I think Liquid Helium is harder to acquire and because it is SOOOOOOOO low, you risk destroying the PCB in teh process... LN2 won the 8350 a WR








An 2900X2 seems unlikely.

Coolest reference cooler (tied with the 5870 batmobile) ever.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Nope the average voltage for the lightning seemingly is 1.74v while mine is 1.113 according to MSI AB. Thats from HARDOCP. My phases are 14+2+1 from what I've read. I guess you just have memory thats not so great.
> 
> I've read some people can't get a OC worth a damn on a card like mine and others get world records. Yes in fact the 7970 lightning held OC record for a while on LN2.
> 
> 
> 
> This one ya mean.. 1.74V will burn the life out of any card on the planet that is not on LN2, so that seems off...
> http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/26439-msis-hd-7970-lightning-hits-1800mhz-for-gpu
> 
> BONUS LN2 TIME:
> 
> 
> 
> (DAT PASTE APPLICATION)
> Someone needs to remix this for 9590 9GHz project
Click to expand...

Oh wow im a derp. I mean 1.174v. I do that too much im sorry.









Yes I mean 1.174v, while mine is on 1.113v


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Oh wow im a derp. I mean 1.174v. I do that too much im sorry.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I mean 1.174v, while mine is on 1.113v


Also, GET AN 8350 OR 9370 WITH A CLC ALREADY!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> they lie liquid helium is much better for cooling then l2n !!
> 
> 
> 
> I think Liquid Helium is harder to acquire and because it is SOOOOOOOO low, you risk destroying the PCB in teh process... LN2 won the 8350 a WR
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An 2900X2 seems unlikely.
> 
> Coolest reference cooler (tied with the 5870 batmobile) ever.
Click to expand...

as did he.... on 8350 as well


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Oh wow im a derp. I mean 1.174v. I do that too much im sorry.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I mean 1.174v, while mine is on 1.113v
> 
> 
> 
> Also, GET AN 8350 OR 9370 WITH A CLC ALREADY!
Click to expand...

Nah I'm just going to get a noctua U14S in feb.

Also I just played BF4 for a more than an hour and it besides my internet lagging for ungodly reason, the game held all the same. 60+ fps majority of my play. Memory sat around 58c the whole time while the GPU got to 63c but averaged on 61c. VRMs always sat on 57c. I really enjoy my VRMs staying so cool. A friend with a sapphire 7950 has his VRMs up at 65+ when he games.

So 1600mV is more than enough on hynix ram


----------



## heroxoot

Also is there like a list of which cards have hynix?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Nah I'm just going to get a noctua U14S in feb.
> 
> Also I just played BF4 for a more than an hour and it besides my internet lagging for ungodly reason, the game held all the same. 60+ fps majority of my play. Memory sat around 58c the whole time while the GPU got to 63c but averaged on 61c. VRMs always sat on 57c. I really enjoy my VRMs staying so cool. A friend with a sapphire 7950 has his VRMs up at 65+ when he games.
> 
> So 1600mV is more than enough on hynix ram


Depending on how much of a clocker it is


----------



## heroxoot

Yea I just used a program called memoryinfo 1005. I have Hynix indeed. So far I'm using 1.231v for 1225/1700 with AUX maxed and power +20%. I don't really wanna push it anymore though. Not 100% on if AUX is helping but I don't feel like testing right now. All my games roll 60+ fps and since I don't see a difference with a 120fps on 120hz compared to 60fps on 60hz, thats fine for me. A lot of games push 120+ though. My friend wants me to push my vram to 2000mhz but I think he's crazy.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> does someone know if the vtx3d 7950 boost is suitable to flash with a reference bios? the core runs natively at 1.3v and doesnt support voltage regulation. i think i could go much lower on the voltage (@1ghz). am i right? asic is over 80%


*splutter* 1.3V stock...? WHAT!? 80% ASIC and you should only need 1.1V at the most for 1GHz.... 1.3V will likely kill the card after 6 months...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I think Liquid Helium is harder to acquire and because it is SOOOOOOOO low, you risk destroying the PCB in teh process... LN2 won the 8350 a WR
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> An 2900X2 seems unlikely.
> 
> Coolest reference cooler (tied with the 5870 batmobile) ever.


man I loved those old designs, look fugly in today's standards but they were beautiful in their generation...


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> *splutter* 1.3V stock...? WHAT!? 80% ASIC and you should only need 1.1V at the most for 1GHz.... 1.3V will likely kill the card after 6 months...
> man I loved those old designs, look fugly in today's standards but they were beautiful in their generation...


1.3V on a 7950 is suicide, a 7970 would likely work fine if its kept cool and not strained endlessly... But with that voltage on a lower-clocked, worse binned (and likely hotter running) 7950, he*l no, 1.3V is OC the range for 1250MHz on Ref 7970s and Ref GEs..


----------



## sugarhell

Meanwhile i use 1.38 1 year now.Its the same chip if a 7970 can do it i dont know why a 7950 cant,Also 1.3 volt for stock is impossible 1.25 is the highest fixed voltage


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Meanwhile i use 1.38 1 year now.Its the same chip if a 7970 can do it i dont know why a 7950 cant,Also 1.3 volt for stock is impossible 1.25 is the highest fixed voltage


is it really? What horrible binning could cause that?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Meanwhile i use 1.38 1 year now.Its the same chip if a 7970 can do it i dont know why a 7950 cant,Also 1.3 volt for stock is impossible 1.25 is the highest fixed voltage


sounds like a surprisingly strong chip, how often does it run though? I wonder how many are capable of that or if you just have the thor of the lot, possible I could be underestimating the tolerance of these chips, though regardless I wouldn't recommend 1.3V or up over long usage unless you are prepared for an early failure...


----------



## sugarhell

Why a chip cant handle 1.4 volt at 28nm...You only care about vrms and 7970 ref pcb is a beast until 1.55 volt and around 1500 core clock.Keep it with low temps and you are fine


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> sounds like a surprisingly strong chip, how often does it run though? I wonder how many are capable of that or if you just have the thor of the lot, possible I could be underestimating the tolerance of these chips, though regardless I wouldn't recommend 1.3V or up over long usage unless you are prepared for an early failure...


1.3 is the dead max for the lower end ones, if you have really good VRMs and cooling, you can go further, but it sure as h*ll is not advised... If you run it at 1.4 for years on end, you have luck on your side...


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> does someone know if the vtx3d 7950 boost is suitable to flash with a reference bios? the core runs natively at 1.3v and doesnt support voltage regulation. i think i could go much lower on the voltage (@1ghz). am i right? asic is over 80%


^ cough...


----------



## hucklebuck

Are the AMD GPU's like the CPU's, in that temperature is what matters, not volts? So you could put 1.3v or more, and as long as you keep core and vrm temps low? If so what are max recommended temps for core and vrms?


----------



## hucklebuck

I am looking into buying a full coverage waterblock for a reference design 7950. Can I see what some of you guys use and what are your thoughts on them? Like what manufacturer, ease of install, and performance? First time watercooler here.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I am looking into buying a full coverage waterblock for a reference design 7950. Can I see what some of you guys use and what are your thoughts on them? Like what manufacturer, ease of install, and performance? First time watercooler here.


I used a EK FC7970 EN full cover block with EK backplate and it was a straightforward install. It also performed great I was able to get 1280/1850 @1.3v with temps never exceeding 50°C


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I am looking into buying a full coverage waterblock for a reference design 7950. Can I see what some of you guys use and what are your thoughts on them? Like what manufacturer, ease of install, and performance? First time watercooler here.


They're all pretty close. Just careful w/ some blocks use passive cooling for the vrm (ie Alphacool and XSPC). My recommendation: ek, hk, xspc, etc.


----------



## MariusJS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> They're all pretty close. Just careful w/ some blocks use passive cooling for the vrm (ie Alphacool and XSPC). My recommendation: ek, hk, xspc, etc.


How high memclocks should I be able to get with EK blocks?







(7950 +7970)


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yea I just used a program called memoryinfo 1005. I have Hynix indeed. So far I'm using 1.231v for 1225/1700 with AUX maxed and power +20%. I don't really wanna push it anymore though. Not 100% on if AUX is helping but I don't feel like testing right now. All my games roll 60+ fps and since I don't see a difference with a 120fps on 120hz compared to 60fps on 60hz, thats fine for me. A lot of games push 120+ though. My friend wants me to push my vram to 2000mhz but I think he's crazy.


DUDE! Thanks a lot for that!
So apparantly I have Hynix! This is crazy! All this time I was trying to OC it with Elpida in mind as I thought I had Elpida memory! Looks like I will have to drop the voltage down to 1.50V and start all over! Though my stock memory voltage was 1.55V...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> 1.3 is the dead max for the lower end ones, if you have really good VRMs and cooling, you can go further, but it sure as h*ll is not advised... If you run it at 1.4 for years on end, you have luck on your side...


essentially

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> ^ cough...


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> *splutter* 1.3V stock...? WHAT!? 80% ASIC and you should only need 1.1V at the most for 1GHz....


yea you definitely SHOULD NOT HAVE 1.3V for stock voltage (on the core), on a 7950, this is very dangerous especially without water...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Are the AMD GPU's like the CPU's, in that temperature is what matters, not volts? So you could put 1.3v or more, and as long as you keep core and vrm temps low? If so what are max recommended temps for core and vrms?


I would think 65C and under would be best for 1.3V and up, 40C would be even better if you can, if you let it run at 70C or higher at that voltage I think that's when you start to kill it, but of course every card behaves differently, so just be prepared to replace the card at any point if you intend on going that high...


----------



## lucky88shp

What do you guys think of my OC....is it safe?? I will only use it occasionally when I play a high-end game(which is kinda rare these days).

1125 / 1500 -> 1.225v / 1.550v Fan: 55%

Tested it in Crysis 3, Heaven, Valley and Metro 2033.....Temps: CORE = ~70C VRM1 = ~77C VRM2 ~70C


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> What do you guys think of my OC....is it safe?? I will only use it occasionally when I play a high-end game(which is kinda rare these days).
> 
> 1125 / 1500 -> 1.225v / 1.550v Fan: 55%
> 
> Tested it in Crysis 3, Heaven, Valley and Metro 2033.....Temps: CORE = ~70C VRM1 = ~77C VRM2 ~70C


More than safe. 1.55V for mem can get me to 6460..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Are the AMD GPU's like the CPU's, in that temperature is what matters, not volts? So you could put 1.3v or more, and as long as you keep core and vrm temps low? If so what are max recommended temps for core and vrms?


more or less
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I am looking into buying a full coverage waterblock for a reference design 7950. Can I see what some of you guys use and what are your thoughts on them? Like what manufacturer, ease of install, and performance? First time watercooler here.


i love my swiftech, as others said make sure they are true full coverage and you should be fine, the komodos shine when in parallel
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> What do you guys think of my OC....is it safe?? I will only use it occasionally when I play a high-end game(which is kinda rare these days).
> 
> 1125 / 1500 -> 1.225v / 1.550v Fan: 55%
> 
> Tested it in Crysis 3, Heaven, Valley and Metro 2033.....Temps: CORE = ~70C VRM1 = ~77C VRM2 ~70C


looks fine to me


----------



## TRusselo

Just joined up, wanted to say hi and share my little bit of fun installing my HIS IceQ x2 7950 in my mid-sized Thermaltake Soprano case. for those of you not familiar with this exact iteration of the 7950.. its not the reference 29cm... its 32cm not that either card was meant to fit in this case.









After getting it installed and all my cables re-routed, computer wouldn't turn back on, turned out to be the power supply.

Thermaltake Toughpower 750W Modular PSU lasted 2 months short of 5 years. Im not going to search for my receipt and bug them about the 5 year warranty. I got my money's worth out of it. I bought their new model to replace it.


----------



## Mega Man

welcome !


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Just joined up, wanted to say hi and share my little bit of fun installing my HIS IceQ x2 7950 in my mid-sized Thermaltake Soprano case.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> for those of you not familiar with this exact iteration of the 7950.. its not the reference 29cm... its 32cm not that either card was meant to fit in this case.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After getting it installed and all my cables re-routed, computer wouldn't turn back on, turned out to be the power supply.
> 
> Thermaltake Toughpower 750W Modular PSU lasted 2 months short of 5 years. Im not going to search for my receipt and bug them about the 5 year warranty. I got my money's worth out of it. I bought their new model to replace it.


Welcome to the forum! Glad you got it to fit!


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea you definitely SHOULD NOT HAVE 1.3V for stock voltage (on the core), on a 7950, this is very dangerous especially without water...


so you think i can flash this card with a reference bios?


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Just joined up, wanted to say hi and share my little bit of fun installing my HIS IceQ x2 7950 in my mid-sized Thermaltake Soprano case. for those of you not familiar with this exact iteration of the 7950.. its not the reference 29cm... its 32cm not that either card was meant to fit in this case.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After getting it installed and all my cables re-routed, computer wouldn't turn back on, turned out to be the power supply.
> 
> Thermaltake Toughpower 750W Modular PSU lasted 2 months short of 5 years. Im not going to search for my receipt and bug them about the 5 year warranty. I got my money's worth out of it. I bought their new model to replace it.


Is your card stable @ 1150 core with 1.118V? What's your cards ASIC score?


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lucky88shp*
> 
> Is your card stable @ 1150 core with 1.118V? What's your cards ASIC score?


seems pretty stable so far. ASIC is 77.7%


----------



## SulumorDNA

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Welcome to the forum! Glad you got it to fit!


That reminds me of trying to fit my iceQ into my rosewill challenger, lol ... it almost didn't.


----------



## skitz9417

hi im just wondering has one got the hd 7970 6gb card and use it for eyeinfiny ?


----------



## MariusJS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> hi im just wondering has one got the hd 7970 6gb card and use it for eyeinfiny ?


Depends on the price, if you get it dirt cheap, go for it, if not, consider a titan or two


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MariusJS*
> 
> Depends on the price, if you get it dirt cheap, go for it, if not, consider a titan or two


well my res will be 4800x900 and i dont know if a x4 965 could handle titan and i can get a hd 7970 6gb for like 500 dollars


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> well my res will be 4800x900 and i dont know if a x4 965 could handle titan and i can get a hd 7970 6gb for like 500 dollars


well i dont have a 7970, but i have a 7950 running eyefinity on 3 1440x900 monitors plus a 42"TV (3+1 setup). playing games at 4320x900 on eyefinity, while having the fourth monitor existing, i am able to play batman arkham origins at 49fps maxed settings and tomb raider at 40fps at ultimate settings with tresFX hair.

The 7970 would have no issue.


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> well i dont have a 7970, but i have a 7950 running eyefinity on 3 1440x900 monitors plus a 42"TV (3+1 setup). playing games at 4320x900 on eyefinity, while having the fourth monitor existing, i am able to play batman arkham origins at 49fps maxed settings and tomb raider at 40fps at ultimate settings with tresFX hair.
> 
> The 7970 would have no issue.


so u mean olny one would be ok for 4800x900 ?

for games like these games lke bf3 / farcry 3/gta4/css-csgo/max payne 3 planetside 2 sleeping dogs and crysis 3


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> so u mean olny one would be ok for 4800x900 ?
> 
> for games like these games lke bf3 / farcry 3/gta4/css-csgo/max payne 3 planetside 2 sleeping dogs and crysis 3


I play the same games, my 5770 could play all those games at 4320x900 at High settings (not max) at 30-40 FPS, my 7950 can play maxed settings at 40-60 FPS.

if a lower end card can do it at an acceptable FPS, then that card can no problem.


----------



## skitz9417

well i currently have a hd 7870 right now but i dont think it could handle 4800x900


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> well i currently have a hd 7870 right now but i dont think it could handle 4800x900


ok... you HAVE, but dont THINK.. you havent tried?

I just told you i played on a 5770 at 4320x900 (for 2 years). your 7870 should at least play at med settings, anything better than that card, will play better.

....or drop you game resolution down to 4266x800 and play at high settings.


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> ok... you HAVE, but dont THINK.. you havent tried?
> 
> I just told you i played on a 5770 at 4320x900 (for 2 years). your 7870 should at least play at med settings, anything better than that card, will play better.


nah not but i will but i ask some people but they said i should upgrade but i will use the hd 7870 for a couple of months maybe upgrade to a hd 7950


----------



## X-Alt

*Sigh* I gotta get myself a new monitor, ye olde 1680x1050+ 4 Dat buggy BF is causing my 7970 to dip into the 70-80% usage area and the only way to make it moar loaded is to add resolution scale, which makes my FPS suffer a bit... Im back at 6600 Memory since GPU Tweak is stupid and does not understand what underclocking is...


----------



## MariusJS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> nah not but i will but i ask some people but they said i should upgrade but i will use the hd 7870 for a couple of months maybe upgrade to a hd 7950


Just for info, my 7970 @2560x1440 @ultra is about 45FPS in BF4... (So, no I do not play ultra, except if I turn on CFX)


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MariusJS*
> 
> Just for info, my 7970 @2560x1440 @ultra is about 45FPS in BF4... (So, no I do not play ultra, except if I turn on CFX)


ok


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> ok


ok if i stay with my hd 7870 will be be playing games on medium -to low settings ?


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *skitz9417*
> 
> ok if i stay with my hd 7870 will be be playing games on medium -to low settings ?


do what ever YOU want
we gave you our experiences with our cards, you have a card that you dont even know its limits, and are asking us to decide what your settings and next purchase should be? Trial and error. Try and find out.
Research your next purchase based on how much better you want your games to run over what you have now. But you need to find out what you have now first.


----------



## skitz9417

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> do what ever YOU want
> we gave you our experiences with our cards, you have a card that you dont even know its limits, and are asking us to decide what your settings and next purchase should be? Trial and error. Try and find out.
> Research your next purchase based on how much better you want your games to run over what you have now. But you need to find out what you have now first.


well thanks for ur help guys and thanks for ur experiences


----------



## kamikazemonkey

Hi all!
I already recived my new pc but have a little problems...
My configuración is: asrock z77 itx, sapphire 7970 vapor X and a psu Silverstone st55f-gs

The problem is that every time that I try to use msi kombustor the gpu increase fan speeds to the max and the pc reboots, I just see the image of the test for 2 or 3 seconds, maybe less.
Also I've tried with a game (I'm alive) and the same. The game starts, the fans to the max and pc reboots...
Tomorrow I will take it to the place where it was mounted;they say that maybe it's just a screw not screwed well or something (they change my thermal pads and compound because I opened to paint the chassis on white), but I think that maybe it's a problem with the PSU that is not sufficient....
What do you think?

So many thanks in advance


----------



## Jflisk

Fan no - 7970 vapor x if it is a new video card what size is your power supply. I can tell you from experience that you will need at least a 800W power supply to run one. I owned 2 x 7970 6gb vapor x's and needed a 1000W power supply to keep them running especially after you press the little blue button on the side. Takes you straight up to 1050-1500 and adjust the voltages accordingly. 450+ Watts automatic.I just checked your power supply no way its going to work with a 550 W power supply.When your running kombustor you are pushing the power supply to its max. Thanks


----------



## kamikazemonkey

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Fan no - 7970 vapor x if it is a new video card what size is your power supply. I can tell you from experience that you will need at least a 800W power supply to run one. I owned 2 x 7970 6gb vapor x's and needed a 1000W power supply to keep them running especially after you press the little blue button on the side. Takes you straight up to 1050-1500 and adjust the voltages accordingly. 450+ Watts automatic.I just checked your power supply no way its going to work with a 550 W power supply.When your running kombustor you are pushing the power supply to its max. Thanks


Note: it's not the 6gb, sorry; it's the normal one!
It's the same problem for that?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Fan no - 7970 vapor x if it is a new video card what size is your power supply. I can tell you from experience that you will need at least a 800W power supply to run one. I owned 2 x 7970 6gb vapor x's and needed a 1000W power supply to keep them running especially after you press the little blue button on the side. Takes you straight up to 1050-1500 and adjust the voltages accordingly. 450+ Watts automatic.I just checked your power supply no way its going to work with a 550 W power supply.When your running kombustor you are pushing the power supply to its max. Thanks


That sounds like a lot of power for 1050/1500. 3gb more can't really use that much more power can it?


----------



## RavageTheEarth

What size PSU do you have? Try lowering the voltage on it and see what happens just for craps and giggles. Also, did you get it new or used? Does it have the stock cooler?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> That sounds like a lot of power for 1050/1500. 3gb more can't really use that much more power can it?


Well, I would say about 35% more power per card? I found my problem of FPS dips, I had set surface optimization to off and Texture Filtering to standard, which seems to have killed my frames when I was looking for a solution in Project Reality Z Fighting... Turns out, I had view distance scale at 50%


----------



## kamikazemonkey

Well, I have a silverstone sr55f of 550W. But on the shop have solved the problem, it vas a screw bad screwed and he call me saying that nows seems to be OK.
It's new and factory settings, but I opened to paint the chassis... So it was my fault...
Seems that all is OK now. I will try tonight again when I recive it.

So many thanks for all the responses people!


----------



## Jflisk

Here goes some information on the card if you need it. They are stating power is around 400-500 W full crank.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4900/sapphire_radeon_hd_7950_3gb_vapor_x_oc_with_boost_video_card_review/index17.html

http://www.legitreviews.com/sapphire-radeon-hd-7950-3gb-vapor-x-video-card-review_2050

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2012/09/24/sapphire_vaporx_radeon_hd_7970_ghz_edition_review/9#.Ur5LuE13vJk

Thanks


----------



## X-Alt

Well, downclocking the memory to 6460 works again (magically GPU tweak stopped boosting to 6600 under heavy load!) and is 100% stable







. 6680 gave me an issue in about 1 in 20 games where it would flicker due to my Hynix not liking too much volts (Now I know why they have it @6400 on the new Plats) and it crashed Windows while playing BF4 yesterday.. Still have not given up on it and it is still a much better mem clock then ref...


----------



## Paul17041993

well Ive definitely determined my card causes the drivers to crash on the stock settings, but perfectly fine at 750MHz core, doesn't seem to be a driver thing as I have tried many with the exact results, atm Ive been playing skyrim with the HD textures DLC, capped at 60fps like normal but if I run the core at the stock 1GHz it crashes a lot, especially on opening the map, doesn't seem to happen on bench or burn-in so it must be between clock states...

anyone want to give some input for this? RMA is a bit of an issue atm as I don't have any spare cards, old 5770 was bricked from a bad BIOS flash


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well Ive definitely determined my card causes the drivers to crash on the stock settings, but perfectly fine at 750MHz core, doesn't seem to be a driver thing as I have tried many with the exact results, atm Ive been playing skyrim with the HD textures DLC, capped at 60fps like normal but if I run the core at the stock 1GHz it crashes a lot, especially on opening the map, doesn't seem to happen on bench or burn-in so it must be between clock states...
> 
> anyone want to give some input for this? RMA is a bit of an issue atm as I don't have any spare cards, old 5770 was bricked from a bad BIOS flash


I SAY R YOU SAY MA I SAY R YOU SAY MA. RMA ALREADY DONT BE LAZY









Use yar 6450. After my experience with the Matrix, I won't go ASUS again soley because of the GPU Tweak lock down. Hopefully when you RMA, they will offer a 280X as a replacement (Convinced yet? :3).


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> well Ive definitely determined my card causes the drivers to crash on the stock settings, but perfectly fine at 750MHz core, doesn't seem to be a driver thing as I have tried many with the exact results, atm Ive been playing skyrim with the HD textures DLC, capped at 60fps like normal but if I run the core at the stock 1GHz it crashes a lot, especially on opening the map, doesn't seem to happen on bench or burn-in so it must be between clock states...
> 
> anyone want to give some input for this? RMA is a bit of an issue atm as I don't have any spare cards, old 5770 was bricked from a bad BIOS flash


i can sell you my freaking loud xfx 7950 black edition xD but shipping from germany to australia would get a bit nasty i guess...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I SAY R YOU SAY MA I SAY R YOU SAY MA. RMA ALREADY DONT BE LAZY
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Use yar 6450. After my experience with the Matrix, I won't go ASUS again soley because of the GPU Tweak lock down. Hopefully when you RMA, they will offer a 280X as a replacement (Convinced yet? :3).


yea that's what I'll be doing anyway, just wondering if anyone wanted to comment about this specific behavior, 6450 can run minecraft and 2D games really well so I guess I'll still be entertained in the mean time...


----------



## ccRicers

Got a quick question, is the MSI Radeon HD 7950 OC Boost edition a reference PCB? This is not the Twin Frozr, but the one with the single red fan in the middle.


----------



## Mega Man

yes, by all accounts i have heard


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ccRicers*
> 
> single red fan in the middle.


yep, should be full reference in that case, possibly different caps and/or chokes though but nothing to make a real difference.


----------



## Abyssic

i'm looking to bios flash my vtx3d 7950 x-edition v3 boost i already found out that its probably a reference pcb but how to find out what memory is used?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> i'm looking to bios flash my vtx3d 7950 x-edition v3 boost i already found out that its probably a reference pcb but how to find out what memory is used?


there is a tool (program) that will tell you, but I dont have my hands on the link at the moment, you could always just pull the heat sink and look at it.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> there is a tool (program) that will tell you, but I dont have my hands on the link at the moment, you could always just pull the heat sink and look at it.


ok i will see if i can find that tool, thanks.
and by the way: nice case ;D what kind of color did you use to paint the mesh? maybe i'll do that too in red ^^


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> there is a tool (program) that will tell you, but I dont have my hands on the link at the moment, you could always just pull the heat sink and look at it.
> 
> 
> 
> ok i will see if i can find that tool, thanks.
> and by the way: nice case ;D what kind of color did you use to paint the mesh? maybe i'll do that too in red ^^
Click to expand...

krylon rattle can...available everywhere.


----------



## Abyssic

everywhere in the US i guess xD sadly we don't have krylon here in germany. can you tell what kind of color that is? special color for metal? any other special usage?


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> ok i will see if i can find that tool, thanks.
> and by the way: nice case ;D what kind of color did you use to paint the mesh? maybe i'll do that too in red ^^


this should tell you & should let you mod your original bios if supported

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> everywhere in the US i guess xD sadly we don't have krylon here in germany. can you tell what kind of color that is? special color for metal? any other special usage?


just get one that advertises that it sticks to metal. I scuffed my stuff up a little bit with some sandpaper to give it a rough surface to adhere to, but I did not use a primer.


----------



## lucky88shp

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> ok i will see if i can find that tool, thanks.
> and by the way: nice case ;D what kind of color did you use to paint the mesh? maybe i'll do that too in red ^^


Here's the link to the tool...it will tell you what memory you got on your card.

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?39791-Memory-info-tool


----------



## drakoin

I have
an XFX R7970 DD (FX-797A-TDFC) with 68.6% ASIC quality, and
a PowerColor HD 7850 (AX7850 2GBD5-DH) with 85.3% ASIC quality.

I want to undervolt.

Where can I find out which voltage regulator my cards have?

CHL822x, CHL8214, UP1637, UP1801, ST6788A, VT1556M ?
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/

Anyone got any experience with undervolting one of those cards?

Thanks a million!


----------



## Abyssic

well it seems i was just dumb xD i forgot that the 7950 in question is a boost card. i had to force stable voltage via afterburner. now i undervolted it a pretty huge step and did an hour of crysis 3 and 2 runs of heaven to test it. seems to work fine. but i noticed that the voltage sometimes goes up to almost 1.5v when i read the gpu-z log file. i uploaded it so you could judge if it's fine or not.

http://www.file-upload.net/download-8463367/GPU-Z-Sensor-Log.txt.html

now i have to do the same thing to my second card and put them back together in crossfire or am i doing something wrong? will my voltage settings stay if i put them both in crossfire afterwards?


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drakoin*
> 
> I have
> an XFX R7970 DD (FX-797A-TDFC) with 68.6% ASIC quality, and
> a PowerColor HD 7850 (AX7850 2GBD5-DH) with 85.3% ASIC quality.
> 
> I want to undervolt.
> 
> Where can I find out which voltage regulator my cards have?
> 
> CHL822x, CHL8214, UP1637, UP1801, ST6788A, VT1556M ?
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/
> 
> Anyone got any experience with undervolting one of those cards?
> 
> Thanks a million!


does the voltage regulator really matter when undervolting? i mean, to decrease voltage means to take away some stress off the components. don't count on me tho, i just started learing about this topic and did my first undervolt today xD


----------



## richie_2010

That would be correct the lower voltage would mean lower temps.
If You have a heatsink spare put one on it. Cooler the better for anything.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> well it seems i was just dumb xD i forgot that the 7950 in question is a boost card. i had to force stable voltage via afterburner. now i undervolted it a pretty huge step and did an hour of crysis 3 and 2 runs of heaven to test it. seems to work fine. but i noticed that the voltage sometimes goes up to almost 1.5v when i read the gpu-z log file. i uploaded it so you could judge if it's fine or not.
> 
> http://www.file-upload.net/download-8463367/GPU-Z-Sensor-Log.txt.html
> 
> now i have to do the same thing to my second card and put them back together in crossfire or am i doing something wrong? will my voltage settings stay if i put them both in crossfire afterwards?


and now i revealed the real problem xD my second card is really hardlocked for the voltage and is also a non-reference pcb (XFX HD 7950 DD Black Edition !WITH 2x DVI!) there is also a version of "the same" card with only one dvi port and a reference pcb wich i unfortunately don't have.
but anyways, the core of this card already runs at fairly low voltage (1088mV) so i don't think i could undervolt it by much. wich leaves me with a brutally loud and hot card that i can't undervolt or put a aftermarket cooler on it.

or can i? does someone know a cooler that fits on this custom pcb?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> well it seems i was just dumb xD i forgot that the 7950 in question is a boost card. i had to force stable voltage via afterburner. now i undervolted it a pretty huge step and did an hour of crysis 3 and 2 runs of heaven to test it. seems to work fine. but i noticed that the voltage sometimes goes up to almost 1.5v when i read the gpu-z log file. i uploaded it so you could judge if it's fine or not.
> 
> http://www.file-upload.net/download-8463367/GPU-Z-Sensor-Log.txt.html
> 
> now i have to do the same thing to my second card and put them back together in crossfire or am i doing something wrong? will my voltage settings stay if i put them both in crossfire afterwards?
> 
> 
> 
> and now i revealed the real problem xD my second card is really hardlocked for the voltage and is also a non-reference pcb (XFX HD 7950 DD Black Edition !WITH 2x DVI!) there is also a version of "the same" card with only one dvi port and a reference pcb wich i unfortunately don't have.
> but anyways, the core of this card already runs at fairly low voltage (1088mV) so i don't think i could undervolt it by much. wich leaves me with a brutally loud and hot card that i can't undervolt or put a aftermarket cooler on it.
> 
> or can i? does someone know a cooler that fits on this custom pcb?
Click to expand...

Check the EK cooling configurator, I did a quick look, and they have a couple versions of the double D's they have blocks for http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Check the EK cooling configurator, I did a quick look, and they have a couple versions of the double D's they have blocks for http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


yeah i did that too. they have, but not for my version. it is the one with "NEW REVISION" written next to the model number. they only offer universial blocks for this one.
but hey, i don't even need a waterblock xD i'm on air so i need to figure out if any air cooler will fit it... and i really need it before summer comes because i already had a few crashes last summer because of this card overheating xD


----------



## DMT94

EDIT: Fixed it, it was a problem with my receiver and device settings on Windows









Hi guys, quick quesiton:
Is it possible at all to get 7.1 Surround sound from my MSI HD7990?
From windows using DVI-HDMI i can only select 2 Channels and yet my Xonar allows me to use 7.1 over SPDIF (And somehow works?)
Being as the HD7000 series should be able to transmit 7.1 signals, how do you do it on the 7990?


----------



## diggiddi

The HDMI out should let you send 7.1 through. You might have to go into Windows playback devices(right click on speaker and select playback devices) and configure speakers from stereo to 7.1 on your default device, which in this case is or should be your receiver


----------



## darwing

Hey guys quick question don't know if you know the answer but thought I'd try,

7970 overclocked watercooler x2 in sli

Or 1x 780ti not watercooler

Currently running 1 xfx black edition 1225/1625 (11100 3d mark score) should I spend $700 getting another waterblock and gpu in sli or just get 1x 780ti?

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7713651


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> Hey guys quick question don't know if you know the answer but thought I'd try,
> 
> 7970 overclocked watercooler x2 in sli
> 
> Or 1x 780ti not watercooler
> 
> Currently running 1 xfx black edition 1225/1625 (11100 3d mark score) should I spend $700 getting another waterblock and gpu in sli or just get 1x 780ti?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7713651


This is interesting, don't you think you'll get a biased answer towards the 7970 in the 7970 owners thread?

Really I think that benchmarks should be your answer. I'm pretty sure that x2 7970 in crossfire beats a 780, so I'm guessing it'll also beat a 780 Ti (by a lesser margin). I don't know for sure, benchmarks should answer such questions. A general trend I seemed to see in benchmarks however, is that at higher resolutions the AMD cards seemed to pull a bit ahead. Then there are other questions, such as, do you have a PSU capable of crossfire? Are you ready for the extra hassle of crossfire (with water) over the simple solution of a single, very powerful, GPU?

Edit: And there's finally the obvious question of what do you value most? Shadowplay and G-sync or Mantle?

Personally I think that Mantle appeals more to me. G-sync is a great idea however not everyone can be arsed to mod their monitor and spend extra money for it. Mantle on the other hand grants greater gains in performance (if they get it working, obviously) and you don't really have to do anything to take advantage of it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> Hey guys quick question don't know if you know the answer but thought I'd try,
> 
> 7970 overclocked watercooler x2 in sli
> 
> Or 1x 780ti not watercooler
> 
> Currently running 1 xfx black edition 1225/1625 (11100 3d mark score) should I spend $700 getting another waterblock and gpu in sli or just get 1x 780ti?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7713651


both are the same really, but experience will vary between games, and crossfire/sli adds extra frame latency so you could experience some control delay and/or stutter in some cases, performance wise though you may get more scale from the 7970s, and they are excellent coin miners you could use to help repay them or pay for your next upgrade, I would think you should try a second 7970, on air, and see how you like it, if it feels better then the single 7970 or if you prefer a 780Ti, of which you could sell off both 7970s at high prices atm anyway.


----------



## anubis1127

What is a good OC for a voltage locked 7950? I just got back from Holiday vacation a few days ago, and now want to try OCing this 7950 I got before the break. It's a Gigabyte 7950 Windforce with voltage locked @ 1.25V. I was able to bump the Power Limit % higher than 20% with a software hack, but I'm not sure if that will yield any gains.

Just ran a quick Valley test @ 1200 core / 1400 memory, I know that is not a very good stability test, but its something. Now to try some dx11 games @ 1200/1400.


----------



## Jflisk

I have a 7990 and a 7970. At one point I had 2 x 7970 and then i went and added the 7990. All my cards are under water. I have never had studdering with Trifire or crossfire for that matter. With the newest drivers of course. I have nothing against nvidia the titan is a nice card. 2 x 7970 are essentially a 7990 and the 7990 gives the Titan /R9 290x a run for its money. Especially if you get over clocked 7970s or special Sapphire Radeon 7970 6gb Toxics or there is a 7970 3gb Toxic.Clocks are way higher on these cards 1050/1500. I run my cards at 1125/1500 under water constant. With the 2 x 7970 6gb I had all games ran at 90+ FPS. With the 7990 and 7970 i see no less then 120+ FPS. Hope this helps


----------



## Jflisk

Anubis1127
If you own Crysis 3 try playing it with your overclock for an hour.If it does not fail or restart the machine you should be good to go.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Anubis1127
> If you own Crysis 3 try playing it with your overclock for an hour.If it does not fail or restart the machine you should be good to go.


Hmm, I don't have that one.

[edit]

Quick Firestrike run: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2069917

Graphics Score

8368

Graphics score seems about right for the clocks.


----------



## Jflisk

How about straight Crysis. The reason I suggest Crysis or Crysis 3 is they dont like over clocking and they will let you know if anything is wrong. Both games are rough on CPU and GPU. I would suggest Furmark for the GPU but it can blow the caps on the GPU. But if theres a problem It will also show you theres a problem. You can try OCCT also this may or may not show you a problem and it is a benchmark tool. Thanks


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> How about straight Crysis. The reason I suggest Crysis or Crysis 3 is they dont like over clocking and they will let you know if anything is wrong. Both games are rough on CPU and GPU. I would suggest Furmark for the GPU but it can blow the caps on the GPU. But if theres a problem It will also show you theres a problem. You can try OCCT also this may or may not show you a problem and it is a benchmark tool. Thanks


I do have Crysis, and Warhead, as well as 2, and Wars. I'll install Crysis, and Warhead, and give them a go, I still want to play through Warhead.

Firestrike Extreme really brought this little card to its knees: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2070234

Graphics Score

3930

Not sure if that is low for a 7950 or not.


----------



## Jflisk

There is Firestrike then There is Firestike extreme. They are 2 different test. the extreme being the worst. I usually get 12,800(This is total CPU and GPU) on Firestrike have not tested my machine under extreme. Might have to give it a go tonight and let you know.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> There is Firestrike then There is Firestike extreme. They are 2 different test. the extreme being the worst. I usually get 12,800(This is total CPU and GPU) on Firestrike have not tested my machine under extreme. Might have to give it a go tonight and let you know.


Yep, first run was Firestrike, then Extreme, I think both results were fairly typical. Downloading Crysis now for another game to test stability. I tried COD:Ghosts, but that game is a bloody mess anyway.


----------



## X-Alt

Furmark, bleh! All it does is make heat and strain a card beyond any realistic load


----------



## Jflisk

I own COD ghost since day one my best advice is stay far away from it till they fix it.With all the power in my rig it studders and lags for no reason.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I own COD ghost since day one my best advice is stay far away from it till they fix it.With all the power in my rig it studders and lags for no reason.


I could say the very same for BF4 to some extent







Quality Over Quantity is dead..


----------



## Jflisk

I would agree with you on the BF4. The severs keep dropping for no reason when I have 5 or six tickets or more (Kills) and lose them its a pain.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I would agree with you on the BF4. The severs keep dropping for no reason when I have 5 or six tickets or more (Kills) and lose them its a pain.


The Z fighting and Crossfire issues are unbearable for some too.


----------



## Jflisk

I never really had a problem with crossfire or trifire with BF4. usually get 120+FPS with no studded or Lag.If you do have problems not sure if your on the latest 13.12 driver but i think frame pacing fixes the problems. Takes time to load a server though on MP. This would be one of my complaints and I am running 25/50 internet. I checked out the video they fixed the flickering with a patch one day latter


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I never really had a problem with crossfire or trifire with BF4. usually get 120+FPS with no studded or Lag.If you do have problems not sure if your on the latest 13.12 driver but i think frame pacing fixes the problems. Takes time to load a server though on MP. This would be one of my complaints and I am running 25/50 internet. I checked out the video they fixed the flickering with a patch one day latter


I am on 13.12 WHQL (In reality its 13.11 Beta 9.5). I run single card and aside from those DA*N DISCONNECTS


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I own COD ghost since day one my best advice is stay far away from it till they fix it.With all the power in my rig it studders and lags for no reason.


Yep, that is one I regret buying. Even when I had SLI 670s it was a mess. At least with BF4 DICE is actually trying to fix some of the issues. I don't seem to have too many problems with BF4, although I just installed it again yesterday, and only played for about an hour.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Yep, that is one I regret buying. Even when I had SLI 670s it was a mess. At least with BF4 DICE is actually trying to fix some of the issues. I don't seem to have too many problems with BF4, although I just installed it again yesterday, and only played for about an hour.


i just blew through the campaign of COD ghost maxxed x4 AA on my 7950 at 4320x900 (eyefinity). no lags no stutters. finally got around to playing it this week. it was an alright game, graphics were good. played fine for me. must be multiplayer related, network, servers ect.

Playing Tomb Radier for the third time right now, first time with TresFX hair and this card, was playing on a 5770 before high settings at 4320x900. Now maxxxxed with hair. Now this is BFG Beautiful Game. I just love this game. I feel it was perfectly enjoyable on every level.

probably play farcry again next.


----------



## darwing

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> This is interesting, don't you think you'll get a biased answer towards the 7970 in the 7970 owners thread?
> 
> Really I think that benchmarks should be your answer. I'm pretty sure that x2 7970 in crossfire beats a 780, so I'm guessing it'll also beat a 780 Ti (by a lesser margin). I don't know for sure, benchmarks should answer such questions. A general trend I seemed to see in benchmarks however, is that at higher resolutions the AMD cards seemed to pull a bit ahead. Then there are other questions, such as, do you have a PSU capable of crossfire? Are you ready for the extra hassle of crossfire (with water) over the simple solution of a single, very powerful, GPU?
> 
> Edit: And there's finally the obvious question of what do you value most? Shadowplay and G-sync or Mantle?
> 
> Personally I think that Mantle appeals more to me. G-sync is a great idea however not everyone can be arsed to mod their monitor and spend extra money for it. Mantle on the other hand grants greater gains in performance (if they get it working, obviously) and you don't really have to do anything to take advantage of it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> both are the same really, but experience will vary between games, and crossfire/sli adds extra frame latency so you could experience some control delay and/or stutter in some cases, performance wise though you may get more scale from the 7970s, and they are excellent coin miners you could use to help repay them or pay for your next upgrade, I would think you should try a second 7970, on air, and see how you like it, if it feels better then the single 7970 or if you prefer a 780Ti, of which you could sell off both 7970s at high prices atm anyway.


See this is why I post it here lol you guys know your stuff and actually gave really unbiased answer if I was to post on the 780 thread I already know the answer.

This is for a client and am looking to save them money but they use or will use shadow play so I may just have to get them 780ti's I was going to try to give them my card 7970 wc'd x 2 but I think they use shadow play/streaming online so will have to go with the ti's


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> i just blew through the campaign of COD ghost maxxed x4 AA on my 7950 at 4320x900 (eyefinity). no lags no stutters. finally got around to playing it this week. it was an alright game, graphics were good. played fine for me. must be multiplayer related, network, servers ect.
> 
> Playing Tomb Radier for the third time right now, first time with TresFX hair and this card, was playing on a 5770 before high settings at 4320x900. Now maxxxxed with hair. Now this is BFG Beautiful Game. I just love this game. I feel it was perfectly enjoyable on every level.
> 
> probably play farcry again next.


Ghosts on the 7950 seems OK except for the cutscenes for whatever reason, haven't tried the MP lately, maybe tonight.

Decided to pick up Tomb Raider, saw it on Amazon for $8 so figured it'd be worth a play.

When I went into my library to get the Tomb Raider key I noticed this:



So it seems I do have Crysis 3, haha.


----------



## Jflisk

Tomb Raider is a good game played it threw once so far.Story is pretty good and the flow of the game is also good.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> Hey guys quick question don't know if you know the answer but thought I'd try,
> 
> 7970 overclocked watercooler x2 in sli
> 
> Or 1x 780ti not watercooler
> 
> Currently running 1 xfx black edition 1225/1625 (11100 3d mark score) should I spend $700 getting another waterblock and gpu in sli or just get 1x 780ti?
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7713651


even my two hd 7950s are beating a 780ti. so if raw power is what you're looking for, go for CROSSFIRE not sli xD ...that's nivdia


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Hmm, I don't have that one.
> 
> [edit]
> Quick Firestrike run: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2069917
> 
> Graphics Score
> 8368
> 
> Graphics score seems about right for the clocks.


i would say that 1200 on the core is brutally high for a gigabyte 7950. what is your ASIC quality and temps? if this is 100% stable, you've got great luck with your chip.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Ghosts on the 7950 seems OK except for the cutscenes for whatever reason, haven't tried the MP lately, maybe tonight.
> 
> Decided to pick up Tomb Raider, saw it on Amazon for $8 so figured it'd be worth a play.
> 
> When I went into my library to get the Tomb Raider key I noticed this:
> 
> 
> 
> So it seems I do have Crysis 3, haha.


do you still have the unused code for lost island and do you want it? i would like to buy it from you if you don't want it ^^


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> i would say that 1200 on the core is brutally high for a gigabyte 7950. what is your ASIC quality and temps? if this is 100% stable, you've got great luck with your chip.


Hmm, OK, I'll have to do more testing, so far it seems good. ASIC is pretty low, 62.9%, temps never get over 75C, so far. Crysis 3 has pushed temps up to 73C, other games are much lower. I'll try more Crysis 3, and some BF4.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> do you still have the unused code for lost island and do you want it? i would like to buy it from you if you don't want it ^^


They were both already added to my Origin library, I had just installed Origin again yesterday, and BF4, so that was really all I had looked at.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Hmm, OK, I'll have to do more testing, so far it seems good. ASIC is pretty low, 62.9%, temps never get over 75C, so far. Crysis 3 has pushed temps up to 73C, other games are much lower. I'll try more Crysis 3, and some BF4.


ok, lower asic can yield higher overclocks if you can keep the temps right. then you might really be very lucky ^^


----------



## Jflisk

Yep that is why I suggested Crysis 3.


----------



## anubis1127

I suppose I'll call 1200/1500 somewhat stable on this 7950. Made it through an hour session on Crysis 3 no problems that I could tell. Everything on Very High @1080p with Motion Blur disabled.


----------



## Pedrozun

Hi dudes ! im from Brazil !








somebody have the hd7950 model SKU: 11196-19-20g ? can show me in GPU-Z the Sensors ? i think my card have a problem.


----------



## anubis1127

Got my Firestrike score up slightly higher with 1200/1500, and switched Windows power-saving option to "High Performance". http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2073564

Quote:


> Score 7925 with AMD Radeon HD 7950(1x) and Genuine Intel(R) CPU @ 2.70GHz
> 
> Graphics Score
> 
> 8499


Physics Score

17706

Combined Score

3395


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Got my Firestrike score up slightly higher with 1200/1500, and switched Windows power-saving option to "High Performance". http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2073564


Oo are you running dual xeons? that physics score is astronomical xD i'm jelly!


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> Oo are you running dual xeons? that physics score is astronomical xD i'm jelly!


Lol, yep, I did a slight jaw drop the first time I ran 3DMark with them.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Lol, yep, I did a slight jaw drop the first time I ran 3DMark with them.


here's my result in comparison xD just don't look at the physics score ;D
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2074419


----------



## TRusselo

hmm...
comparing to mine...
3.8 ghz phenom ii x6 our physics arent too different, but your crossfire actually doubles the performance of mine.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2075161


----------



## Jflisk

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL









Just for grims and giggles I posted my score.

Extreme

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2080388

Non extreme

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1386219


----------



## Abyssic

yes, happy new year from me too

that's a nice score you got there, couple that with the dual xeons from anubis and it would be pretty much up in the rankings









let's compare some e-penises xD


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pedrozun*
> 
> Hi dudes ! im from Brazil !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> somebody have the hd7950 model SKU: 11196-19-20g ? can show me in GPU-Z the Sensors ? i think my card have a problem.




i scrolled down to show the sensors. stock reference 7970 GHz ed, 1010/1375 MHz core/mem.

custom fan curve for 24/7 use.


----------



## drakoin

... undervolting my 7970 (XFX DD) is quite exciting. Anyone done this before?

I need to know if it is still possible to undervolt cards which seem voltage-locked for MSI Afterburner; changing the voltage by changing the BIOS? As I am about to buy more cards, I need to know beforehand. Any hint is welcome...



My thread about this question is this one:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1455692/7970-xfx-dd-undervolting-experiences

thx.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drakoin*
> 
> ... undervolting my 7970 (XFX DD) is quite exciting. Anyone done this before?
> 
> I need to know if it is still possible to undervolt cards which seem voltage-locked for MSI Afterburner; changing the voltage by changing the BIOS? As I am about to buy more cards, I need to know beforehand. Any hint is welcome...
> 
> 
> 
> My thread about this question is this one:
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1455692/7970-xfx-dd-undervolting-experiences
> 
> thx.


all voltage locked cards that i know can still be undervolted per bios mod but that's a fiddely job xD just buy ones that aren't locked.


----------



## Abyssic

does someone know what card of the r9 series is the equivalent to the 7950? i wanna know this because i'm thinking about replacing one of my cards but 7950s are almost sold out.


----------



## Pedrozun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> 
> 
> i scrolled down to show the sensors. stock reference 7970 GHz ed, 1010/1375 MHz core/mem.
> 
> custom fan curve for 24/7 use.


This is the 11196-19-20g ? i need that :|


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> does someone know what card of the r9 series is the equivalent to the 7950? i wanna know this because i'm thinking about replacing one of my cards but 7950s are almost sold out.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> does someone know what card of the r9 series is the equivalent to the 7950? i wanna know this because i'm thinking about replacing one of my cards but 7950s are almost sold out.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> do you still have the unused code for lost island and do you want it? i would like to buy it from you if you don't want it ^^


It will CF with a 280X or 7970. Their is no reg 280\7950 rebadge from what I see...


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> It will CF with a 280X or 7970. Their is no reg 280\7950 rebadge from what I see...


thanks for the info. that's unfortunate xD i will waste money if i go for a 7970 or 280x


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just for grims and giggles I posted my score.
> 
> Extreme
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2080388
> 
> Non extreme
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1386219


might want to re-check those scores bro. somthings wrong. look here comparing the two. http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/1386219/fs/1453102
when you upped your processor (your extreme results) your score drops dramatically from your lower processor speed.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> might want to re-check those scores bro. somthings wrong. look here comparing the two. http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/1386219/fs/1453102
> when you upped your processor (your extreme results) your score drops dramatically from your lower processor speed.


i don't see anything wrong with that. it's the extreme benchmark for a reason ^^


----------



## Jflisk

There is 2 different scores(two different test) there unless I am missing something.


----------



## TRusselo

oh!!.. firestrike extreme.

thought he meant his extreme computer settings. I see now.
Duh. brainfart


----------



## wermad

Isn't extreme 2560x1600 resolution?


----------



## Jflisk

Just checked it yes 2560x1600 wermad 4x 7970 overkill much.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Just checked it yes 2560x1600 wermad 4x 7970 overkill much.


I run five 1920x1200 dells, in Eyefinity its 6000x1920. I can run extreme but only in eyefinity since I don't have native 2560x1600/1440 monitors. I'm pushing four 7970 Lighntings for this setup







.

Once I get my cpu, I'll run some 3dmark (11 & 13) tests for you guys.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I run five 1920x1200 dells, in Eyefinity its 6000x1920. I can run extreme but only in eyefinity since I don't have native 2560x1600/1440 monitors. I'm pushing four 7970 Lighntings for this setup
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Once I get my cpu, I'll run some 3dmark (11 & 13) tests for you guys.


i dont know you, but i hate you. people are all "OMG" when they see my 3+1 setup at 4320x900 on 3x19" and a 42"


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> i dont know you, but i hate you. people are all "OMG" when they see my 3+1 setup at 4320x900 on 3x19" and a 42"


that's the way of things ^^ some's always got a bigger e-penis









i just looked at your pics... MAN you gotta get rid of that ugly ugly case xD


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> i dont know you, but i hate you. people are all "OMG" when they see my 3+1 setup at 4320x900 on 3x19" and a 42"


Dude in the Eyefinity club was able to trigger 5x1 using five Samsung 2560x1440s. That's 7200x2560 resolution. Last I heard, he was trying to trigger 3x2 with a sixth monitor. Though, clearly, gaming on five or six of these monitors would have killed his sole 7950







. Amd never actually mentioned you could trigger 5x1 or 2x3 eyefinity w/ 2560x1440(1600) monitors but its technically feasible w/ the hubs. Gives me an idea of what to upgrade in the future as soon as the Korean 1440s w/ dp come down in price. Though, it will start pushing my 7970s and i may need to jump on 290x (where are the multi dp ones???).

Its all about pushing my resolution gaming experience. Not looking for epeen tbh since I would have gone all out with the latest gear. I am a compulsive upgrad'er


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> i dont know you, but i hate you. people are all "OMG" when they see my 3+1 setup at 4320x900 on 3x19" and a 42"


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> that's the way of things ^^ some's always got a bigger e-penis
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just looked at your pics... MAN you gotta get rid of that ugly ugly case xD


hehe I have to agree there, quite a nice monitor setup but I think you should really get a newer, bigger case... and some lightstrips









waitwaitwait... is that... a... fuf... fff... FLOPPYYYY









Im not sure if to be shocked or nerdgasm that you actually have one working in there...


----------



## Jflisk

wermad- Thanks I would like to see the results of 3dmark from your machine.

I run at about 3840 x 2160 if I got the math right. I do 3d gaming so I guess its 1920 x 1080 x 2. or 2x1080i. 3d is a dual render.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> that's the way of things ^^ some's always got a bigger e-penis
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i just looked at your pics... MAN you gotta get rid of that ugly ugly case xD


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hehe I have to agree there, quite a nice monitor setup but I think you should really get a newer, bigger case... and some lightstrips
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> waitwaitwait... is that... a... fuf... fff... FLOPPYYYY
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Im not sure if to be shocked or nerdgasm that you actually have one working in there...


actally the case looks worse now with the sabertooth mobo, and that mobo doesnt support IDE for ye ol' floppy. Its the only remaining piece of the original computer, besides the thermaltake x-ray bay accessory. Time for a bigger case with cable management and room for some water cooling... not that it will help me OC anymore... Im cursed with buying the chips and mobos that dont like OC.

Did you see what i did to fit the HIS 7950?


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Did you see what i did to fit the HIS 7950?


uhm no, there are only pictures of what seems to be your old rig (with what looks like a HD 5000 series card)


----------



## SkateZilla

was lookin at XFiring my 7950 with another and Water cooling them instead of Dropping upwards $700 on a R9-290/X.

But I'm gonna need retailers to put their prices back to MSRP, right now 290/X is $100 over, R9-280 is $140 over, and HD7950s should be Sub $250. but are up by $400..


----------



## Jflisk

Skate look at it on the bright side I want to replace my 7970 with a 7990 so I can have 2 x 7990 in my system. Right now the 7990 are going for 900+ on ebay.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> uhm no, there are only pictures of what seems to be your old rig (with what looks like a HD 5000 series card)


few days ago, you must have missed the post. http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/34210#post_21460030


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skate look at it on the bright side I want to replace my 7970 with a 7990 so I can have 2 x 7990 in my system. Right now the 7990 are going for 900+ on ebay.


i shoulda jumped at a 7990 when there were like $549


----------



## Jflisk

I got mine for $700 with the waterblock. I should have purchased a second one before everyone started drinking the water or puffing and not passing.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> few days ago, you must have missed the post. http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/34210#post_21460030


yeah didn't see that. at least you got it to fit xD


----------



## Jflisk

I was just thinking my 7990 is 6gb and my 7970 is 6gb do I gain anything by my second card having the extra vram. Any thoughts appreciated.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I was just thinking my 7990 is 6gb and my 7970 is 6gb do I gain anything by my second card having the extra vram. Any thoughts appreciated.


nope first card memory only (in crossfire) unless something has changed that i missed.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I was just thinking my 7990 is 6gb and my 7970 is 6gb do I gain anything by my second card having the extra vram. Any thoughts appreciated.


you mean your 7990 is 3GBx2 and your second card is 6GB? then no, no benefit. ram doesn't sum up in xfire/SLI.


----------



## Jflisk

Yep that is what I thought just doing a sanity check.


----------



## Abyssic

it may confuse some people that riva tuner osd (afterburner) shows the sum of ram in multigpu setups. for example: i've got 2x3gb and the osd actually shows me the used vram of both cards added together so 2gb used vram look like 4gb.


----------



## Paul17041993

buffers are mirrored between each gpu in crossfire, you get some instance of "adding up" as each core only renders a certain percent of the total framerate though, which can help with eyefinity setups and the sorts, but no, a 6GB card will only have 3GB useable if the rest are only 3GB, of which in crossfire its rarely a case that you need 6GB on each card,

6GB is rarely needed for anything unless you go something excessive like 5x1 1440p eyfinity, of which you would still be struggling with framerate more then memory consumption, even with 4 cards.


----------



## drakoin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *drakoin*
> 
> ... undervolting my 7970 (XFX DD) is quite exciting. Anyone done this before?


Just want to announce SUCCESS ... I am proud ... I have done it - and my GPU card is still alive 

Experiences, instructions, and WATT-measurements here:
http://www.overclock.net/t/1455692/7970-xfx-dd-undervolting-experiences#post_21505192

YIEHAH !


----------



## wermad

Almost ready to fire it up. Missing the ram blocks but I'm waiting for the mb block to be available.


----------



## Jflisk

Some nice EK action you have going on there. What brand hoses did you use and is it straight distilled with biocide. I just replaced mine with black primochill. i had clear but half of it was letched. that will teach me to use 2 different brands of tubing / clear.Half of it was whiter then yours.


----------



## TRusselo

alright wermad, since you're the first person to tell me my case is getting ugly, and yeah it is...

whats your opinion on making a case out of this?






1932 Philco Model 91H AM Radio. Unfortunately / ironically it would be easier, cheaper (+more useful) to make it a computer than a radio again.

Cabinet space of 26"H x 22"W x 11"D open back, front grill,


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Some nice EK action you have going on there. What brand hoses did you use and is it straight distilled with biocide. I just replaced mine with black primochill. i had clear but half of it was letched. that will teach me to use 2 different brands of tubing / clear.Half of it was whiter then yours.


I'm running naked di (disllted w/ no biocide/silver) since these are ek nickel blocks. Tube is, believe it or not, the old Primochill LRT. Jab-tech has it for $1/ft and I got a 20' roll for $20







. Its softer and more pliable then the new Advanace. And I'm sure it will plasticize soon but its white, so it won't even be niticeable







. The plasticizing is not a huge issue, other then ruining the looks of any colored liquid through the tube. It never affected my loop when i had to deal w/ it last in 2012. I bought some Mayhems green dye but since I ended up finding a rare FrozenQ quad helix res I decided to go w/ just naked.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> alright wermad, since you're the first person to tell me my case is getting ugly, and yeah it is...
> 
> whats your opinion on making a case out of this?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1932 Philco Model 91H AM Radio. Unfortunately / ironically it would be easier, cheaper (+more useful) to make it a computer than a radio again.
> 
> Cabinet space of 26"H x 22"W x 11"D open back, front grill,


....







.....

Anyways, wow, nice antique! I'm already seeing a bit of steampunk w/ copper pipes! Some nice E22 or BP C47s. Also, alphacool makes copper plated fittings. will look forward to the build log


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Yes, make a case out of it! but don't mess with the classic quality.


----------



## chronicfx

Having a problem with my 7990 and mining. I recently went from water back to air in order to sell the 7990 because I bought three R9 290x. When mining for some reason about 30 minutes in the software will crash, all the gpu-z readings will go haywire, the screen will blink black and recover the display driver, and then CCC only shows one GPU until I reset the computer. The GPU temp when this is occurring is about 85c for both GPU, and VRM's are 88c and 95c on the two GPU.

Now... I put thermal PASTE on the PLX chip because whenever I use the included thermal pad 0.5mm, the temps are 20c uneven between core 1 and core 2 and even the VRM temps are really far apart. When I use the thermal paste the temps are dead even between the two GPU and the VRM temps do stay together fairly well.

Can the PLX chip be overheating? What kind of heat output do they have and do they really need thermal pads? I may have to go even thinner than 0.5mm maybe to .25mm? I would hate to keep ordering thermal pads, but the ones included with my waterblock make the temps uneven. Any thoughts on whether this is PLX related?


----------



## wermad

Replace the two side wood veneers w/ some 400mm frozenq helix resvoirs w/ the helix' in direction to match the grain pattern


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> alright wermad, since you're the first person to tell me my case is getting ugly, and yeah it is...
> 
> whats your opinion on making a case out of this?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1932 Philco Model 91H AM Radio. Unfortunately / ironically it would be easier, cheaper (+more useful) to make it a computer than a radio again.
> 
> Cabinet space of 26"H x 22"W x 11"D open back, front grill,


looks like it would do very well, you already have two good holes on the bottom end for large intake fans,go wild and fit the entire bottom panel with fans if you want, then the back panel could just be a perspex door/panel with vents or grills on the top end to let the air out, you would then have full upwards airflow similar to that in the silverstone raven cases,
not sure though what orientation you should use for the board, you'll probably have to figure that out yourself, whether you prefer blower cards or large open heatsinks, or if you want to watercool (reservoir up the top most spot above everything else)

I want those valves


----------



## Jflisk

Chronicfx - What power supply do you have in your system and are you sure its good everywhere I read on the R9 290X they suggest replacing the power supply known problem. The cards are high wattage. That is where the black winkies are coming from.I would suggest maybe connecting one card at a time and see if it is power related.


----------



## Jflisk

You could get one of these radiators in the radio.Put it under water and never have to worry about cooling again.That case has alot of possibilities. 1600 watt classic radio. Tune into NASA

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15419/ex-rad-360/Koolance_9x120mm_18-FPI_Aluminum_Radiator_-_HX-1080_no_nozzles.html?tl=g30c95s667


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Chronicfx - What power supply do you have in your system and are you sure its good everywhere I read on the R9 290X they suggest replacing the power supply known problem. The cards are high wattage. That is where the black winkies are coming from.i would suggest maybe connecting one card at a time and see if it is power related.


I am testing a 7990 i would like to sell. My three 290x are sitting on a shelf atm. They are not having any issues. My power supply is a 1300w and the kilowatt says i am only drawing 600ish on the system. My concern lies with the plx chip. Do they overheat? I took the thermal pad off and put paste instead because the pad was too thick and causing one core to overheat. Now with the paste temps are even and withim healthy spec ~85c when mining and vrm are staying about ~85c also but the system locked up on me last night. So what happened? Thermal pad too thick but paste not thick enough?


----------



## Jflisk

Section 4 of this pdf from EK shows the thickness of the thermal pads. Seems that Mossfets and ram is the main concerns on these cards to keep cool. Did you do 4 star corner when tightening down the GPUs. How much do you want for the 7990?

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/EK-IM/EK-IM-3831109868188.pdf


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> You could get one of these radiators in the radio.Put it under water and never have to worry about cooling again.That case has alot of possibilities. 1600 watt classic radio. Tune into NASA
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15419/ex-rad-360/Koolance_9x120mm_18-FPI_Aluminum_Radiator_-_HX-1080_no_nozzles.html?tl=g30c95s667


and with a rad that size, you could use AP-11 fans. Then it'd be crazy quiet, and crazy cool.


----------



## chronicfx

@Jflisk

I sold it for $1000 on ebay a couple weeks ago. I included a 7990 xspc razor waterblock that I had been using for the previous 4 months, Two sheets 150x120x0.5 and 150x120x1.0 of the 11mw/k fujipolyextreme thermal pads, a tube of the xspc thermal paste, and the 7990 with the stock cooler refitted. The guy contacted me about a week lqater and said it had been locking up in his "mining farm" and he wanted a refund. He said temps were acceptable but it would just freeze about 30-45 minutes into mining. I don't think that there is anything wrong with the card PCB wise, I just think the waterblock needs to go back on and problem solved. As far as EK with the thermal paste on the PLX is concerned, I am using thermal paste, but I spread it flat with a small plastic TIM spreader.

Here is the thin. If you google 7990 stock cooler removal and go all the way to the end of the video where the guy exposes the PCB, THERE IS A THERMAL PAD ON THE PLX CHIP, for the life of me (because at the time I was never intending to put the stock cooler on again) I do not know the thickness of this pad, I do know it is different from the memory, and if I do put a pad the temps are uneven. Without the pad the core temps and vrm temps are even but if I mine for too long it will eventually lock up, now for my testing it was about 16 hours before I encountered this lockup at stock. I am betting that he was overclocking in his script and didn't tell me.

Make me an offer by PM if you want it. I have a waterblock, thermal pads and the stock cooler to include. It works fine for gaming and doesn't overheat at all. If you want to overvolt the crap out of it and mine, I suggest the waterblock be fitted.


----------



## Paul17041993

@chronicfx just get a 0.5 and sit it on the PLX? if its too think and prevents the cooler sitting flat then go for a .25, be sure you're screwing it perfectly even and flat for both cores though, fist time you may have done it too tight on one end of the card.

I have to question the stability of 85C core, these are ~90% ASIC chips...


----------



## TRusselo

noticed something strange since i got this card, durring idle time after 10-15 minutes, i could hear the fan spinning up, and getting warm, working 50-60%.

Ran several process explores, ect to see what was using the GPU, CPU Memory. GPU was supposedly not getting used, when it was. Nothing out of the ordinary, ran virus scanners nothing either found, however using norton file intelligence found 2 untrusted files. one was named svchost.exe in C:\users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Host\ obviously not the system svchost.

long story short. found an unrecognized virus, stopped it, deleted it. Graphics card acting normal again.

Lesson: Follow your gut, if you dont feel something is right, keep digging!


----------



## Mega Man

sounds to me like you were mining for someone ( not the first time it has happened )


----------



## Abyssic

yeah i just switched from antivir to avast and it found 2 old files that i had for ages and antivir did never find them. on the other side avast doesn't declare cracked games as a thread wich is also a great improvement ^^ antivir? never again.


----------



## TRusselo

yeah and i've had norton find ones avast didnt before. it happens. im just glad i found it.


----------



## wermad

3d11 score:



Cpu @ 4.75, all four gpu stock (1150/1070/1070/1070), ram @ 1666mhz.

I forgot to switch off from Eyefinity so that may have had a slight impact.

edit: 3D-13:


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 3d11 score:
> 
> 
> 
> Cpu @ 4.75, all four gpu stock (1150/1070/1070/1070), ram @ 1666mhz.
> 
> I forgot to switch off from Eyefinity so that may have had a slight impact.
> 
> edit: 3D-13:


very nice ^^


----------



## Fromm

any suggestion for battlefield 4 setting with 7970GE+i7 3770 to get stable 96fps?


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fromm*
> 
> any suggestion for battlefield 4 setting with 7970GE+i7 3770 to get stable 96fps?


dude, isn't it more likely that you will find out yourself by trial and error than that someone will know exactly how you will get 96 fps with your machine


----------



## X-Alt

My 7970GE (Matrix Platinum at 1180/1650) has dips in the 40s with highs in the 100s (sky) and averages in the 50s-60s, so you have to go medium or lower to achieve those steady frames...


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Fromm*
> 
> any suggestion for battlefield 4 setting with 7970GE+i7 3770 to get stable 96fps?


try minimum settings across the board. that should get you a good framerate. your system might be able to do a bit better though, try raising one or two of the settings at a time. who knows maybe your system is better, and can run medium across the board..


----------



## LDV617

My 7950 @1050/1400 absolutely killed BF4, running full Ultra at 55+ fps consistently, I think just OCing a little bit will get you what you want.

Proof:


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> My 7950 @1050/1400 absolutely killed BF4, running full Ultra at 55+ fps consistently, I think just OCing a little bit will get you what you want.
> 
> Proof:


\
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Might wanna bump that core to 1200 man, I hope your ASIC Quality is not like mine (63%, only good 4 water but I can still hold 1180/1615) and you will have a great time


----------



## LDV617

~70% ASIC, really not that good, I don't have that kind of luck









Also haven't played any demanding games in a long time, but when Titanfall / ESO come out, I may put it under water


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> ~70% ASIC, really not that good, I don't have that kind of luck
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also haven't played any demanding games in a long time, but when Titanfall / ESO come out, I may put it under water


Still, better than the unlucky people running Vapor-Xs with 53% ASIC LOL!


----------



## Jflisk

Wermad nice score. The ASIC everyone keeps talking about where does that score come from or where is it shown and what does it show or not show. Thanks


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Wermad nice score. The ASIC everyone keeps talking about where does that score come from or where is it shown and what does it show or not show. Thanks


Right click on the GPU-Z window border and it should pop up a dialog that says "Show ASIC Quality". Tell us your percentage..


----------



## Mega Man

* please note it does not mean anything on hawaii gpus !


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 3d11 score:
> 
> 
> 
> Cpu @ 4.75, all four gpu stock (1150/1070/1070/1070), ram @ 1666mhz.
> 
> *I forgot to switch off from Eyefinity so that may have had a slight impact.*
> 
> edit: 3D-13:


It doesn't impact it much.

Time to raise them clocks dude. Your 3dm11 run looks ok. The FS is very bad.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Right click on the GPU-Z window border and it should pop up a dialog that says "Show ASIC Quality". Tell us your percentage..


Its 65% for all my GPUs dont know what it means but to me not much.I am at 1125/1500 stable across the board and my temps are never above 40C underload.


----------



## masscrazy

Since I last checked this post 23724 Unread Posts, wow.

Anyone know where I could find a 7970 Lightning water block?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Since I last checked this post 23724 Unread Posts, wow.
> 
> Anyone know where I could find a 7970 Lightning water block?


This is my original build log somewhere down in the middle of the page it will show you what i did with non reference GPU. Any questions feel free.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1427024/build-log-what-the-frac-tical-design-black-pearl-r1


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> * please note it does not mean anything on hawaii gpus !


or GK110


----------



## SkateZilla

I dunno, I'm really tempted to buy 1 or 2 of these HD7950s on ebay, seller is selling them "As Is/For Parts" and I think I can fix the problems by tearing the reference cooler off and water blocking them.

Coil whine, overheating etc... Hmmmm


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> This is my original build log somewhere down in the middle of the page it will show you what i did with non reference GPU. Any questions feel free.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1427024/build-log-what-the-frac-tical-design-black-pearl-r1


Nice one, already asked a question in that thread









But was wondering how the little heatsinks were with universal block?


----------



## TRusselo

last night i tried to run 3dmark, it bsod'd but anyway before that happened, durring the parts with no sound i realized my card was making a high pitch whine sound, it didnt sound like fan whine, The pitch of the sound seemed to change with the motion on the screen, as things moved faster, the sound got higher in pitch as scenes changed, the sound changed, if motion of the scene slowed or sped up so did the sound. then the bsod...
is my card (that i just bought second hand dying?)

there is no noise at idle or while playing most games, or other benchmarks, but have noticed this every time with 3dmark.


----------



## Mega Man

welcome to coil whine

i dont knwo if it is dieing but coil whine is more common then not

you need to just max out the +20% slider ( board power limit )

generally bsod just means you are not stable


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *masscrazy*
> 
> Nice one, already asked a question in that thread
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But was wondering how the little heatsinks were with universal block?


I hand dremeled them to fit the Vram and to clear the waterblock.. The temps are around 35C idel and 40C to 45C under load. The mini heat sinks are to keep the Vram cool. I replaced one of the cards with a 7990 that I did use a full cover block on. I also have to post pictures of the changes i made when I get a chance.


----------



## dubbydub

I've apparently lost my scaling options in CCC. I had it up until Catalyst 13.11 Beta 9.5, but lost them when "sidegrading" to the certified drivers. Now I'm not able to get them back even by rolling back to the beta driver. Why?!







It makes it impossible to play BF4 since the screen area is tiny.

I've googled the issue, and it seems to be a problem that pops up every once in a while. But no solutions.

Any of you guys experienced the same issue?

Edit: I'm on 8.1 x64 with a HD7970


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dubbydub*
> 
> I've apparently lost my scaling options in CCC. I had it up until Catalyst 13.11 Beta 9.5, but lost them when "sidegrading" to the certified drivers. Now I'm not able to get them back even by rolling back to the beta driver. Why?!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It makes it impossible to play BF4 since the screen area is tiny.
> 
> I've googled the issue, and it seems to be a problem that pops up every once in a while. But no solutions.
> 
> Any of you guys experienced the same issue?
> 
> Edit: I'm on 8.1 x64 with a HD7970


I still have my scaling options have you tried removing just CCC and re installing. It is a separate install from the drivers. Thanks

Should be here
open CCC>My digital flat panels>Scaling options


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> very nice ^^


Ty








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It doesn't impact it much.
> 
> Time to raise them clocks dude. Your 3dm11 run looks ok. The FS is very bad.


Lol, i was waiting for you to show up







. 3d11 looks good to me as well. I just wanna make sure all four gpu's are loading. I'll take a few more runs at 5.0 but the gpu's are still staying stock. I don't need to push them since I'm not after any records or anyone







. There's a slight impact as I've said since the primary card has to send signal to five monitors at the same time running the bench. Could explain why the 3d13 is a bit on the low side. but its pain to disable 5x1 and then having to rotate one monitor or turn your head 90°









What do you use for monitoring your quad Tahiti's? AB is not doing it for me this time around.


----------



## Mega Man

hwinfo64


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> welcome to coil whine
> 
> i dont knwo if it is dieing but coil whine is more common then not
> 
> you need to just max out the +20% slider ( board power limit )
> 
> generally bsod just means you are not stable


so whats coil whine? not the fans i take it?

BSODs i know... im used to them. im the guy that no matter what i buy or upgrade, even at stock settings, get at least 1 bsod per month. know how hard it is to get warranty service on something that acts up once per month at stock settings?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> so whats coil whine? not the fans i take it?
> 
> BSODs i know... im used to them. im the guy that no matter what i buy or upgrade, even at stock settings, get at least 1 bsod per month. know how hard it is to get warranty service on something that acts up once per month at stock settings?







More in depth:


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> so whats coil whine? not the fans i take it?
> 
> BSODs i know... im used to them. im the guy that no matter what i buy or upgrade, even at stock settings, get at least 1 bsod per month. know how hard it is to get warranty service on something that acts up once per month at stock settings?


I dont like linking off site but this is the best answer i can find for coil whine.
http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-1721041/gpu-coil-whine-rma.html#.


----------



## masscrazy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I hand dremeled them to fit the Vram and to clear the waterblock.. The temps are around 35C idel and 40C to 45C under load. The mini heat sinks are to keep the Vram cool. I replaced one of the cards with a 7990 that I did use a full cover block on. I also have to post pictures of the changes i made when I get a chance.


I'll wait for my lightning to come back from RMA and might give it a go, thanks for the info


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> welcome to coil whine
> 
> i dont knwo if it is dieing but coil whine is more common then not
> 
> you need to just max out the +20% slider ( board power limit )
> 
> generally bsod just means you are not stable
> 
> 
> 
> so whats coil whine? not the fans i take it?
> 
> BSODs i know... im used to them. im the guy that no matter what i buy or upgrade, even at stock settings, get at least 1 bsod per month. know how hard it is to get warranty service on something that acts up once per month at stock settings?
Click to expand...

sounds like something is corrupt ? have you tried a fresh install at stock settings ?

are you stable ? how do you know ?


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 3d11 score:
> 
> 
> 
> Cpu @ 4.75, all four gpu stock (1150/1070/1070/1070), ram @ 1666mhz.
> 
> I forgot to switch off from Eyefinity so that may have had a slight impact.
> 
> edit: 3D-13:


Thats an identical score with my tri-fire 290x stock. nice and glad to see you have everything working!


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Thats an identical score with my tri-fire 290x stock. nice and glad to see you have everything working!


290x are bawhs, wish this mining crap would have not occurred to jump on four







.

Still, the extra money, i splurged on a Rampage Black Edition, ram and mb blocks.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sounds like something is corrupt ? have you tried a fresh install at stock settings ?
> 
> are you stable ? how do you know ?


its been over 5 years and everything but my case has been replaced, and it is common for me to re-install windows every 3-6 months minimum. or more if I am "doing things".

Im just lucky enough to buy hardware that prefers stock. though i am getting 600mhz OC out of this black edition chip... only got 200mhz on my last one. phenom 1 9600 x4 on a msi k9a2 platinum would not take 201 fsb for longer than an hour. 205 wouldnt boot to windows. got a bit out of the multiplier, not any better when i got my P2 1090t x6, never got to touch fsb until the saberkitty.

Ive been down this road before, a couple times, always wanted to get more into overclocking but my hardware just doesnt seem to want to co-operate, so i never get very far-in to learn more about it. Its not much fun reading about what you chip cant do.

this HIS 7950 is the first piece of hardware i have owned that takes a respectable overclock, and i bought it second hand on kijiji (canadian craigs list)


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 3d11 score:
> 
> Cpu @ 4.75, all four gpu stock (1150/1070/1070/1070), ram @ 1666mhz.
> 
> I forgot to switch off from Eyefinity so that may have had a slight impact.
> 
> edit: 3D-13:


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Thats an identical score with my tri-fire 290x stock. nice and glad to see you have everything working!


see? now you have to star over wermad.. have to go get 4 290x OC'd and show him up.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> see? now you have to star over wermad.. have to go get 4 290x OC'd and show him up.


My rig is for gaming only. No need to drag race challenge others for e-peen supremacy


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> My rig is for gaming only. No need to drag race challenge others for e-peen supremacy


Epeen think theres a pill for that its called vagr-e


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sounds like something is corrupt ? have you tried a fresh install at stock settings ?
> 
> are you stable ? how do you know ?


nah coil whine is a pretty common issue. you are lucky if you never had a whining card. one of my 7950s is also whining a t high framerates.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sounds like something is corrupt ? have you tried a fresh install at stock settings ?
> 
> are you stable ? how do you know ?
> 
> 
> 
> nah coil whine is a pretty common issue. you are lucky if you never had a whining card. one of my 7950s is also whining a t high framerates.
Click to expand...

i was not talking about his coil whine i was talking about the bsod the


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i was not talking about his coil whine i was talking about the bsod the


oh yeah i see, sorry xD i can't determine what causes bsod from time to time on my system either


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Epeen think theres a pill for that its called vagr-e










When the 580 3gbs came out, i made the mistake of getting three of them. It seemed like every amd fanboy w/ 69xx series cards was after me. I was constantly being asked to run benchmarks so ppl can compare to either bash or gloat, or ppl going after my 3d11 score, or vantage, etc. I got tired of that scene and I concentrated on MMG (multi monitor gaming). So, I no longer have a need to push my system the max to prove to *others* (aka, pissing contest). I just put together a strong rig to begin with and get my cpu to where it needs to be to run this setup. All to push three and now five monitors. Its also a challenge and hence could be why I'm constantly changing gear. I've been a lot happier putting my efforts on a MMG rig and trying to game (







). This is my first time pushing more pixels then three 1200 monitors so I'm really riding my Tahitis on some games.

Didn't get some gaming done this weekend since both babies fell ill and had doctors visits. I got a chance to gauge my new cpu and was happy it could hit 5.0, though, i"m settling on ~4.9 which uses less volts and runs a good 10c cooler. Its plenty enough to avoid any issues w/ quad gpu's.


----------



## Mega Man

sorry to hear about the kids hope they feel better !


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sorry to hear about the kids hope they feel better !


Thank you







Yeah, no fun when they feel ill. It would be somewhat guilty to enjoy yourself while they're not well. As a parent they come first, the rig is some where down the line









At least I found out I didn't not have a faulty monitor or another faulty m-dp on the BE card. Looks like I have a bad dp cable. Simple fix on ebay


----------



## Jimhans1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When the 580 3gbs came out, i made the mistake of getting three of them. It seemed like every amd fanboy w/ 69xx series cards was after me. I was constantly being asked to run benchmarks so ppl can compare to either bash or gloat, or ppl going after my 3d11 score, or vantage, etc. I got tired of that scene and I concentrated on MMG (multi monitor gaming). So, I no longer have a need to push my system the max to prove to *others* (aka, pissing contest). I just put together a strong rig to begin with and get my cpu to where it needs to be to run this setup. All to push three and now five monitors. Its also a challenge and hence could be why I'm constantly changing gear. I've been a lot happier putting my efforts on a MMG rig and trying to game (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). This is my first time pushing more pixels then three 1200 monitors so I'm really riding my Tahitis on some games.
> 
> 
> 
> *Didn't get some gaming done this weekend since both babies fell ill and had doctors visits*. I got a chance to gauge my new cpu and was happy it could hit 5.0, though, i"m settling on ~4.9 which uses less volts and runs a good 10c cooler. Its plenty enough to avoid any issues w/ quad gpu's.


Sorry about the kiddos being sick Mad, I have a 16 month old son, and I know its hard when the little ones are sick. I hope they get better soon, and I hope you don't catch it!!

PS- +1 for the help on the blocks last week.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jimhans1*
> 
> Sorry about the kiddos being sick Mad, I have a 16 month old son, and I know its hard when the little ones are sick. I hope they get better soon, and I hope you don't catch it!!
> 
> PS- +1 for the help on the blocks last week.


Thanks and np









You found any backplates (if you need them)?


----------



## Jimhans1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Thanks and np
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You found any backplates (if you need them)?


Lol, haven't had time to look. Need 2 of them. And I'm only 1 rep away from being able to put a wanted thread in the market. Doh.


----------



## bmgjet

A question for the guys they have gone aftermarket cooling.
Is it normal for 7970 newer versions not to need the copper shim?

Had the cooler off my 2 PC 7970s and both the die sticks out 0.4mm past the core protector shim.
The protector shim is basically the same height as the resistors.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> so whats coil whine? not the fans i take it?


fans occasionally can make a sound similar to coil whine, but this is rarely the case and only really found on cheap PWM fans.

a straight out explanation of what coil whine is; in the power delivery for your card (and the rest of your hardware really), there is an array of chokes in parallel which provide a resistance and drop the 12V coming in to whatever voltage needed, this case 1-1.25V, now these chokes are basically a little bit of thick copper wire rapped in a coil and are placed in plastic or ceramic cases with a bit of special glue, usually the glue will stop the coil moving but occasionally you can get bubbles witch allow the coil to vibrate and even collide with itself, making it able to create a "whine" noise under load.

generally computational silicon and conversion from AC from the wall to DC both have variations in the current draw, generally not detectable by anything bar an oscilloscope, a common benchmark for PSUs is to monitor them with one, the flatter the resulting lines the better, and these existent oscillations is what exposes loose coils and creates the whine.

some general fixes have been to try burning in the card for a while to make the glue melt and re-settle, most people have done this with great results, but it could also be your PSU either poorly regulating your power and causing the card to whine, or it could be the chokes in the PSU itself whining, you try to test with different PSUs to at least see if it sounds different, I think in some cases you can end up with a card that whines all the time despite the actual core states due to it actually being one of the memory chokes at fault, which isn't exactly an easy fix...


----------



## ToshBob

Help needed.

Hey guy's i need some help with my HD 7970.
So.. it is a FX-797A-TDFC (it can be the TDBC also) with bios 015.022.000.004.000000 version.
it has a mechanical damage - some SMD are missing, it was an accident.
but anyhow i'm searching for someone with the same card that could help me out identify those parts.
Thx


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmgjet*
> 
> A question for the guys they have gone aftermarket cooling.
> Is it normal for 7970 newer versions not to need the copper shim?
> 
> Had the cooler off my 2 PC 7970s and both the die sticks out 0.4mm past the core protector shim.
> The protector shim is basically the same height as the resistors.


I would have a look here for your card if it says you need a shim you need it. Not sure what card you have so this should help you.

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1

Wermad -Hope the kids feel better soon.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> When the 580 3gbs came out, i made the mistake of getting three of them. It seemed like every amd fanboy w/ 69xx series cards was after me. I was constantly being asked to run benchmarks so ppl can compare to either bash or gloat, or ppl going after my 3d11 score, or vantage, etc. I got tired of that scene and I concentrated on MMG (multi monitor gaming). So, I no longer have a need to push my system the max to prove to *others* (aka, pissing contest). I just put together a strong rig to begin with and get my cpu to where it needs to be to run this setup. All to push three and now five monitors. Its also a challenge and hence could be why I'm constantly changing gear. I've been a lot happier putting my efforts on a MMG rig and trying to game (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). This is my first time pushing more pixels then three 1200 monitors so I'm really riding my Tahitis on some games.
> 
> Didn't get some gaming done this weekend since both babies fell ill and had doctors visits. I got a chance to gauge my new cpu and was happy it could hit 5.0, though, i"m settling on ~4.9 which uses less volts and runs a good 10c cooler. Its plenty enough to avoid any issues w/ quad gpu's.


I had sick kids all week too. No fun. I have two boys 3 and 1 and they are enough trouble without needing 1000 tissues, occasionally throwing up, not eating, not sleeping, and crying everytime your not picking them up. That was my week between christmas and new years. I think our gaming days are numbered. That is why I bought my trifire 290x system. I fear it may be my last high end. I am lucky to make it an hour past their bedtime without falling asleep these days.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Wermad -Hope the kids feel better soon.


Thank you sir








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I had sick kids all week too. No fun. I have two boys 3 and 1 and they are enough trouble without needing 1000 tissues, occasionally throwing up, not eating, not sleeping, and crying everytime your not picking them up. That was my week between christmas and new years. I think our gaming days are numbered. That is why I bought my trifire 290x system. I fear it may be my last high end. I am lucky to make it an hour past their bedtime without falling asleep these days.


The baby is the challenging one as he can't really say whats wrong. Medicine and round the clock care are helping but looks like we're not out yet. Also, I help out the missus as she's primarily attending the sick little ones.

Lol, i'm the same boat. My swan song, my final hurrah. Spent a bit more but hey, invest now since you're money is going to be completely gone for the kids (especially college some day!). 5x1 surround, quad lightnings, big arse loop (five 480mm rads, 50x fans, blocks everywhere!), and very expensive motherboard. Just missing one block and I'll have here 100% complete.


----------



## dubbydub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I still have my scaling options have you tried removing just CCC and re installing. It is a separate install from the drivers. Thanks
> 
> Should be here
> open CCC>My digital flat panels>Scaling options


Uninstalling and installing just CCC actually gave me the scaling options back!








But BF4 is still showing huge black borders... do not know what the problem is...


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dubbydub*
> 
> Uninstalling and installing just CCC actually gave me the scaling options back!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But BF4 is still showing huge black borders... do not know what the problem is...


Did you set the game at your screen resolution.Also make sure your desktop resolution matches screen resolution. Like mine is 1920x1080 (across the board) 1080i and also make sure full screen is on in game.Thanks


----------



## dubbydub

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Did you set the game at your screen resolution.Also make sure your desktop resolution matches screen resolution. Like mine is 1920x1080 (across the board) 1080i and also make sure full screen is on in game.Thanks


Hmm... I didn't have to have the same resolution a few weeks ago (last time I played).
But thanks, after changing the resolution to 2560x1600 I now get fullscreen... though I had to completely turn off MSAA to get decent frame rates.


----------



## Pleskac

Hi i got one little problem I got sapphire 7950 and it has 2 bioses and when i flash the OC bios with whatever like it itself other 7950 or 7970 bios it reboots after flash and let me into windows but just once ! Once i get in win i can play with it and its no problem at all but when i turnoff pc nothing boots not even mouse or keyboard .. when i restart instead of turning it off win runs just fine untill i shutdown pc then i need to push button on card to enable stock bios pc then run normal and i can push the button again in win and i can use the modded bios but that suck a lot i cant just turn off/on pc on with any other than stock bios ?!







(
(i can restart it indefinetly it doesnt affects it just turning off)


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pleskac*
> 
> Hi i got one little problem I got sapphire 7950 and it has 2 bioses and when i flash the OC bios with whatever like it itself other 7950 or 7970 bios it reboots after flash and let me into windows but just once ! Once i get in win i can play with it and its no problem at all but when i turnoff pc nothing boots not even mouse or keyboard .. when i restart instead of turning it off win runs just fine untill i shutdown pc then i need to push button on card to enable stock bios pc then run normal and i can push the button again in win and i can use the modded bios but that suck a lot i cant just turn off/on pc on with any other than stock bios ?!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (
> (i can restart it indefinetly it doesnt affects it just turning off)


Once your motherboard loads the GPU BIOS, it doesnt call it again for more information, and if you hit the button, you will still be on the stock bios until it gets called again for something, and that is when stiff goes wrong for you. It sounds like you flashed an incompatible BIOS and should look into flashing something different over it. It doesnt matter how many times you hit that button once you are in windows, your system will still think it is on whatever BIOS you booted with.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pleskac*
> 
> Hi i got one little problem I got sapphire 7950 and it has 2 bioses and when i flash the OC bios with whatever like it itself other 7950 or 7970 bios it reboots after flash and let me into windows but just once ! Once i get in win i can play with it and its no problem at all but when i turnoff pc nothing boots not even mouse or keyboard .. when i restart instead of turning it off win runs just fine untill i shutdown pc then i need to push button on card to enable stock bios pc then run normal and i can push the button again in win and i can use the modded bios but that suck a lot i cant just turn off/on pc on with any other than stock bios ?!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (
> (i can restart it indefinetly it doesnt affects it just turning off)


you need to re-flash your "OC" BIOS, its either corrupt or you used the wrong one and its not initializing, to re-flash it just do what you are already doing and boot it in the default, switch it to the OC in windows and flash it, the BIOS is only actually used on booting.


----------



## hucklebuck

Approximately how many watts will a 7950 produce with a good oc?


----------



## Mega Man

300


----------



## Pleskac

when im thinking about it when i was flashing it for fist time it said me i cant delete bios and so i pushed that boost button switched bios in while in win and reflashed it ?! could it be the fail









edit also i dunno how else do it now when it wont boot on second slot..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Approximately how many watts will a 7950 produce with a good oc?


none

but will consume somewhere between 200-300W depending on how hard you go on the voltage and clocks.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pleskac*
> 
> when im thinking about it when i was flashing it for fist time it said me i cant delete bios and so i pushed that boost button switched bios in while in win and reflashed it ?! could it be the fail
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit also i dunno how else do it now when it wont boot on second slot..


push button to default BIOS > boot into windows, login etc > push button to set it to the broken BIOS > flash fresh BIOS

the port number is just whatever card your wanting to flash, which is always 0 unless you have more then one card.


----------



## X-Alt

Everyone here lets post out BF4 benches?
110% Res Scale 1680x1050, Ultra Default Preset, FOV:120
Min:41 Max:120 Avg:65


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Everyone here lets post out BF4 benches?
> 110% Res Scale 1680x1050, Ultra Default Preset, FOV:120
> Min:41 Max:120 Avg:65


Can I join in


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Durvelle27*
> 
> Can I join in


Ok man. inb480FPS average, man I am jelly of dat 5GHz which would really boost my minimums..


----------



## X-Alt

It seems to be that 120FOV has bad texture pop-in/LOD, which causes the GPU to throttle (especially when chuting) and get loaded up again, handing over load to the CPU when the textures generate, combined with meh 1680x1050 75Hz, this is not the ideal place to push muy GPU to the limit.


----------



## wermad

hmmm, didn't know bf4 had a built in bench. I need to install it


----------



## Durvelle27

Max Settings

1920X1080
Ultra 4xMSAA
110% Scale

FX-8350 @4.8GHz + GTX 780 1189/1554

2014-01-06 09:07:17 - bf4
- Avg: 87.483 - Min: 59 - Max: 109

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Ok man. inb480FPS average, man I am jelly of dat 5GHz which would really boost my minimums..


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> hmmm, didn't know bf4 had a built in bench. I need to install it


No, I used Craps


----------



## Jflisk

BF 4

Without 3d on ultra
200 FPS max
100 to 120 AVG
MIN 95

with 3d on ultra
100 to 120 max
60-65 avg
min 45 - 50

1920x1080

also checked with F-craps


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> BF 4
> 
> Without 3d on ultra
> 200 FPS max
> 100 to 120 AVG
> MIN 95
> 
> with 3d on ultra
> 100 to 120 max
> 60-65 avg
> min 45 - 50
> 
> 1920x1080
> 
> also checked with F-craps


MM, jelly of trifire, sadly I don't have money for an Ares II so I can actually not get Driver BSODs every two seconds for cross-firing a Lightning or Toxic with it..


----------



## wermad

Anyone heard from Karlitos ???? Haven't seen him around lately and heard from him at all.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Anyone heard from Karlitos ???? Haven't seen him around lately and heard from him at all.


Says last time he posted something was 27/7/2013


----------



## Mega Man

some one had the banhammer on him ... long story you can pm him your steam id and he can talk to you there


----------



## Jflisk

New toy headed in tomorrow. 7990 another one have the waterblock coming too. Man I hate draining my loop.Wonder how well 2x7990 are going to work out. This should be interesting.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> New toy headed in tomorrow. 7990 another one have the waterblock coming too. man I hate draining my loop.Wonder how well 2x7990 are going to work out. This should be interesting.


Asskicking I'd assume


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Asskicking I'd assume


I hope so


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> Says last time he posted something was 27/7/2013
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> some one had the banhammer on him ... long story you can pm him your steam id and he can talk to you there
Click to expand...

That sucks







! Well, I'll hit him up via steam







. Thanks fellas









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> New toy headed in tomorrow. 7990 another one have the waterblock coming too. Man I hate draining my loop.Wonder how well 2x7990 are going to work out. This should be interesting.


I've seen a few quad Tahiti builds on amd platforms. With your stock cpu clocks, it should be a monster setup! Post pics of Tahiti pr0n


----------



## Jflisk

Will do wermad. Mega man you have 4 x 7970 how are they,Spoilers if possible. Temps - Clocks-benchmark.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Will do wermad. Mega man you have 4 x 7970 how are they,Spoilers if possible. Temps - Clocks.


everything stays in the 40s ( 40-44 )

i have not tried to max out physics in quadfire yet
my best physics card is stock
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6664211
one card with good physics
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6665271
4 cards most recent
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7231786 all cards at stock

yes intels score higher !~

in other news swiftech finally released pics of new blocks by the end of this month i should have all 4 r9-290xs and money waiting for block release !

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BramSLI1*
> 
> H220X.JPG 690k .JPG file
> 
> 
> H220Xradiatorreservoircombo.JPG 554k .JPG file
> 
> 
> CESsystems.JPG 581k .JPG file
> 
> 
> Standalonepump.JPG 527k .JPG file
> 
> 
> Here you guys go. Some pictures to hold you over until one of the review sites does a video on these new products. Your thoughts are much appreciated.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BramSLI1*
> 
> Here are some more to tide you guys over.
> 
> H220Xpic2.JPG 637k .JPG file
> 
> 
> NewCPUblock.JPG 711k .JPG file
> 
> 
> CrossfireR9-290X.JPG 635k .JPG file
> 
> 
> SLIGTXTitan.JPG 585k .JPG file
> 
> 
> NewMaelstromreservoir.JPG 534k .JPG file


----------



## wermad

My lightnings have been ~39-40c on load.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> everything stays in the 40s ( 40-44 )
> 
> i have not tried to max out physics in quadfire yet
> my best physics card is stock
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6664211
> one card with good physics
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6665271
> 4 cards most recent
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7231786 all cards at stock
> 
> yes intels score higher !~
> 
> in other news swiftech finally released pics of new blocks by the end of this month i should have all 4 r9-290xs and money waiting for block release !


Thanks Mega +1 Rep for the spoilers.

Wonder what my temps are going to sit at I am at 46C max with the 7990+ 7970 6gb 34C at idel

Wermad- Did you hand cut the vram coolers for your cards. I did that with the 7970 6gb it was a pain.


----------



## Mega Man

probably near the same, i helped my cpu temps when i had 2 by going from serial to parallel

great write up on serial vs parallel if you scroll down

also you may need to oc your ht ! ( maybe 3000 will be enough )


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Wermad- Did you hand cut the vram coolers for your cards. I did that with the 7970 6gb it was a pain.


The stock cooler? They actually have EK Lightning blocks. These were designed for the Lightning 7970 models. Only thing is the block is very big and I lost most of my front panel connections (depending on the board). With some small cables I was able to keep the power/reset function. The stock Lightning coolers are still intact.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> The stock cooler? They actually have EK Lightning blocks. These were designed for the Lightning 7970 models. Only thing is the block is very big and I lost most of my front panel connections (depending on the board). With some small cables I was able to keep the power/reset function. The stock Lightning coolers are still intact.


I had the 2 x7970 Vapor X . There was no full cover block for them.I cant tell you how much fun they were to put under water. I also went with the ek bridge to link them together. That is the only thing i miss about the 7970s is the bridge.My one 7990 has a ek block and the one thats coming has a XSPC block. So i am going to need to get creative. glad I have extra fittings here.

Mega Thanks read the info. When i had the EK bridge i was in Parallel


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I had the 2 x7970 Vapor X . There was no full cover block for them.I cant tell you how much fun they were to put under water. I also went with the ek bridge to link them together. That is the only thing i miss about the 7970s is the bridge.My one 7990 has a ek block and the one thats coming has a XSPC block. So i am going to need to get creative. glad I have extra fittings here.
> 
> Mega Thanks read the info. When i had the EK bridge i was in Parallel


If you have a reference amd 7990 w/ an ek block, they use the new "terminal" bridges. With the lite-mining craze, you can probably sell the xspc block or vice versa and get a matching one. Xspc does have some nice links to join there blocks.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> If you have a reference amd 7990 w/ an ek block, they use the new "terminal" bridges. With the lite-mining craze, you can probably sell the xspc block or vice versa and get a matching one. Xspc does have some nice links to join there blocks.


Okay someone educate me what is Lite mining. Can i still game if I do it. I built my system for gaming. I have a basic idea what bitcoin mining is.I guess I am asking how it works. Thanks


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay someone educate me what is Lite mining. Can i still game if I do it. I built my system for gaming. I have a basic idea what bitcoin mining is.I guess I am asking how it works. Thanks


I don't have a complete understanding other then ppl make money off this, amd cards have skyrocketed in price because of this, and it sucks for the enthusiast just looking for a gaming card. Lol, I may migrate back to Nvidia since quad 290X plans got thwarted by this crap tbh (Maxwell







).

here's a good place to start I'd imagine:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1398219/official-bitcoin-litecoin-digitalcoin-and-all-crypto-currencies-club-and-general-information-thread


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> If you have a reference amd 7990 w/ an ek block, they use the new "terminal" bridges. With the lite-mining craze, you can probably sell the xspc block or vice versa and get a matching one. Xspc does have some nice links to join there blocks.
> 
> 
> 
> Okay someone educate me what is Lite mining. Can i still game if I do it. I built my system for gaming. I have a basic idea what bitcoin mining is.I guess I am asking how it works. Thanks
Click to expand...

You set up a "wallet" to store your coins, and set your GPU's to run a program that may find a coin by calculating its hash (not sure if I have the terminology 100%). The chances of finding a coin on your own are low, and getting lower all the time, so people pool resources and split profits. You can either trade your coins for real money, goods, and services at various exchange websites. Bitcoin mining is pretty well over for anyone running a mining rig with gpu's because the difficulty is so high that the price of electricity and hardware outweigh the payout. Litecoin may still be profitable, I have not mined it in a while. There are dozens of other coin-currencies you can mine as well with lower difficulties, but likely higher volatility in their value.

You can mine on a gaming rig or game on a mining rig, but you cant do both simultaneously without hampering the resources of the other.


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Anyone heard from Karlitos ???? Haven't seen him around lately and heard from him at all.


His new rig is on Hardforum.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bigmac11*
> 
> His new rig is on Hardforum.


Kewl







, I'll drop by there


----------



## bigmac11

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Kewl
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , I'll drop by there


http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1734019&highlight=


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> probably near the same, i helped my cpu temps when i had 2 by going from serial to parallel
> 
> great write up on serial vs parallel if you scroll down
> 
> also you may need to oc your ht ! ( maybe 3000 will be enough )


essentially with serial vs parallel, in series your water eventually heats up and will not accept much more heat until it gets cooled again, which with multiple GPUs this happens pretty easily, you could increase your water flow, but doing this you reach a point that the blocks don't allow water fast enough and also loose transfer efficiency. So a good solution is to separate your loop into parallel parts at some stage to split the flow and allow cool water to each area, eg; give the GPUs and your CPU and RAM their own smaller loops.

another option is to add radiators midway through the loop between devices, but then you have to be sure you have enough pump power to push the water through it all, so it depends really on your chassis and hardware as to how you want the loop to flow.


----------



## wermad

I've tested series vs parallel on a quad gtx 580 3gb setup and there was no temp difference







.

Parallel looks better though









Edit: loop order doesn't matter either. Tested this on a quad gtx 480 and x79 setup









double edit:

EK bridge you need:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_1018_1038_1207&products_id=37782



XSPC link system:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_1018_1255&products_id=38339



You'll need two links for parallel or one for series.

Or some sli links like BP:



http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_1018_1149&products_id=35775


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> *essentially with serial vs parallel, in series your water eventually heats up and will not accept much more heat until it gets cooled again, which with multiple GPUs this happens pretty easily*, you could increase your water flow, but doing this you reach a point that the blocks don't allow water fast enough and also loose transfer efficiency. So a good solution is to separate your loop into parallel parts at some stage to split the flow and allow cool water to each area, eg; give the GPUs and your CPU and RAM their own smaller loops.
> 
> another option is to add radiators midway through the loop between devices, but then you have to be sure you have enough pump power to push the water through it all, so it depends really on your chassis and hardware as to how you want the loop to flow.


if by multiple GPUs you mean 10+/thousands of watts, then yes. if by multiple you mean 2-4, then it's not really a factor. I happen to think the parallel flow water bridges look awesome, but I'd just as happily do a koolance serial setup as well. if you gave me the parts for free, I'd do either/both.


----------



## tsm106

Parallel lowers the water flow thru each block, you know reducing cooling potential. It's fine on rigs not pushed too hard. But in my case for how high my cards clock I want max cooling to each block. I've been running quad loops for a few years now and at this point I prefer better temps thru serial. If you have the pump power and high flow blocks, serial ftw.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes intels score higher !~


lol.... nevermind


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Parallel lowers the water flow thru each block, you know reducing cooling potential. It's fine on rigs not pushed too hard. But in my case for how high my cards clock I want max cooling to each block. I've been running quad loops for a few years now and at this point I prefer better temps thru serial. If you have the pump power and high flow blocks, serial ftw.
> lol.... nevermind


You're talking about fractions of a degree between both. You can push the clocks as high as you can (on water) and there's still negligible difference. I think DDC are suitable for both while D5s are better for parallel but tbh, either pump will work fine. Since water reaches an equilibrium, placement and flow path will have a minor difference. Been water cooling many, many, many, builds since 2009 and this is one of those myths that has been tested and there has been no decisive and conclusive evidence to support one is better then the other in terms of thermal performance. In your case since you're pushing to the breaking point, you may have something unique going on. Most average users don't push as high as you, so it would be irrelevant to throw in your unique scenario if you did achieve a difference (which I'd like to see this







).

If you want max cooling, its time to move on to exotic cooling imho. Water will take you so far and its just a waste of money trying to achieve marginal fractional gains in temps.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> If you want max cooling, its time to move on to exotic cooling imho. Water will take you so far and its just a waste of money trying to achieve marginal fractional gains in temps.


How long have my quads been at or near the tops on OCN benches? All those fractions add up, and it's the key to what separates you from other setups. And there is math behind it as you drop flow into the blocks by 75% iirc in quad parallel. You guys are not pushing hard enough to max that 25% flow you are getting thru your blocks individually.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How long have my quads been at or near the tops on OCN benches? All those fractions add up, and it's the key to what separates you from other setups. And there is math behind it as you drop flow into the blocks by 75% iirc in quad parallel. You guys are not pushing hard enough to max that 25% flow you are getting thru your blocks individually.


max cooling not max scores







. Time to put on the glass


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Parallel lowers the water flow thru each block, you know reducing cooling potential. It's fine on rigs not pushed too hard. But in my case for how high my cards clock I want max cooling to each block. I've been running quad loops for a few years now and at this point I prefer better temps thru serial. If you have the pump power and high flow blocks, serial ftw.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes intels score higher !~
> 
> 
> 
> lol.... nevermind
Click to expand...

yep i added that just for you, be happy my 290xs will be on meh 2011 ! also my experience with komodos ( for 7970 s ) is they work better in parallel then in serial at least in pairs really i have not done as much as i would like with quadfire parallel
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> If you want max cooling, its time to move on to exotic cooling imho. Water will take you so far and its just a waste of money trying to achieve marginal fractional gains in temps.
> 
> 
> 
> How long have my quads been at or near the tops on OCN benches? All those fractions add up, and it's the key to what separates you from other setups. And there is math behind it as you drop flow into the blocks by 75% iirc in quad parallel. You guys are not pushing hard enough to max that 25% flow you are getting thru your blocks individually.
Click to expand...

but you can easily compensate that with moe pumps !


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> How long have my quads been at or near the tops on OCN benches? All those fractions add up, and it's the key to what separates you from other setups. And there is math behind it as you drop flow into the blocks by 75% iirc in quad parallel. You guys are not pushing hard enough to max that 25% flow you are getting thru your blocks individually.
> 
> 
> 
> max cooling not max scores
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Time to put on the glass
Click to expand...

When you are pulling down over 1800w benching, the difference between 48c and 54c at max clocks is a bsod. In my setup, I don't freaking need more flow. I need more cooling, and you don't get more cooling thru parallel. YOU GET LESS!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> but you can easily compensate that with moe pumps !


Which would defeat the point of parallel. And I have plenty of pump.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When you are pulling down over 1800w benching, the difference between 48c and 54c at max clocks is a bsod. In my setup, I don't freaking need more flow. I need more cooling, and you don't get more cooling thru parallel. YOU GET LESS!
> Which would defeat the point of parallel. And I have plenty of pump.


Again, many aren't going for world records so either parallel or series are fine. Personally, series seems to have much more pressure which my ddc 35x luvs. But, i still go w/ parallel for the looks. Curious why 54c would bsod your system. Its well within thermal range? What's the science or explanation behind that? As far as cooling parallel vs series, I'll have to consult w/ a few wc guru to see what's their opinion since, again, were talking abou 54°C. Never heard of this but, lets find out







.

I pulled 1800w at the wall on the GTX480 setup. But I'm sure you're pulling 2kw at the wall







.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When you are pulling down over 1800w benching


Mother of God, I am sure glad I dont pay your light bill...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> but you can easily compensate that with moe pumps !
> 
> 
> 
> Which would defeat the point of parallel. And I have plenty of pump.
Click to expand...

if parallel makes you have less cooling, then you need moe pumps ! i kid i kid !!

but you didnt even talk about my 2011 set up, i was at least expecting a "good" or "about time"


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if parallel makes you have less cooling, then you need moe pumps !


I was thinking about this but the concensus is that parallel is less restricting and requires less pressure. Series is a bit more restrictive.

he's case is very unique. I've never heard of having better temps in series vs parallel when only hovering ~54°c. Well, I'm now very curious so I'll ask a few known wc gurus on what their opinion is.

Btw. it makes you think that having or needing more pump since its the same loop and the only thing that is changing are the heat output (higher clocks and voltages). So pressure, hmmmmm....questionable but only way to find out is to ask.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> When you are pulling down over 1800w benching, the difference between 48c and 54c at max clocks is a bsod. In my setup, I don't freaking need more flow. I need more cooling, and you don't get more cooling thru parallel. YOU GET LESS!
> Which would defeat the point of parallel. And I have plenty of pump.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Again, many aren't going for world records so either parallel or series are fine. Personally, series seems to have much more pressure which my ddc 35x luvs. But, i still go w/ parallel for the looks. Curious why 54c would bsod your system. Its well within thermal range? What's the science or explanation behind that? As far as cooling parallel vs series, I'll have to consult w/ a few wc guru to see what's their opinion since, again, were talking abou 54°C. Never heard of this but, lets find out
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I pulled 1800w at the wall on the GTX480 setup. But I'm sure you're pulling 2kw at the wall
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
Click to expand...

Tahiti's core does not like running maxed out with core temps nearing 50c. In quad, I'm clocked at 1340 core and as high as 1860 memory. It's hard to keep the cards under 50c even with all the rads I run. What's this mean? It means Tahiti is very temp sensitive when overclocking to the moon.


----------



## inedenimadam

Dang, the three posters over me all have quad 7970 setups with full block setups.

and tsm runs 1800+ core?

I quit...I am going to take my 1200 core on my 8 dollar gpu block held together with zipties and luck, and cry in the corner.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Tahiti's core does not like running maxed out with core temps nearing 50c. In quad, I'm clocked at 1840 core and as high as 1860 memory. It's hard to keep the cards under 50c even with all the rads I run. What's this mean? It means Tahiti is very temp sensitive when overclocking to the moon.


So basically, as the core is pushed to the limit, the thermal threshold drops? Makes sense. So, in parallel you were hitting the mid fifties while in series you were hitting in the high 40s at the same clock? Interesting









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Dang, the three posters over me all have quad 7970 setups with full block setups.
> 
> and tsm runs 1800+ core?
> 
> I quit...I am going to take my 1200 core on my 8 dollar gpu block held together with zipties and luck, and cry in the corner.


Nah dude, your mod was pretty boss. I don't push my clocks to the skylimit since i don't need to.


----------



## tsm106

Basically. Parallel allows you to re-direct unused flow elsewhere, the rest of the loop. In two block parallel, half the water goes to one block and half to the other block. This reduces water velocity thru each block, yet it increases flow thru the rest of the loop as a whole.

Now take that to FOUR GPU and you end up with 1/4 of the flow to each block. Ya have to put it into perspective. You are running with 25% of the possible flow for each gpu block in quad parallel. It doesn't work so well when you have the pedal to the metal.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Tahiti's core does not like running maxed out with core temps nearing 50c. In quad, I'm clocked at 1840 core and as high as 1860 memory. It's hard to keep the cards under 50c even with all the rads I run. What's this mean? It means Tahiti is very temp sensitive when overclocking to the moon.


The rules change when you're doubling stock clocks. And by that I mean then a few C matters. I'm happy when I keep my stuff under 60C while OCing on a regular basis. But I'm not going for 2x stock clocks either.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Dang, the three posters over me all have quad 7970 setups with full block setups.
> 
> and tsm runs 1800+ core?
> 
> I quit...I am going to take my 1200 core on my 8 dollar gpu block held together with zipties and luck, and cry in the corner.


Doh. That was supposed to be 1340 core in quad.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if parallel makes you have less cooling, then you need moe pumps ! i kid i kid !!
> 
> but you didnt even talk about my 2011 set up, i was at least expecting a "good" or "about time"


Hehe. All hail the Megas transition to the promised land of 2011.









And it's about time!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Doh. That was supposed to be 1340 core in quad.


Yeah, I cant hit that even keeping the core below 45. But that sounds allot more reasonable, albeit still crazy high. You must have really cherry picked your cards to get 4 that will do that.


----------



## wermad

Lol, I thought it was 1800 too







.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Doh. That was supposed to be 1340 core in quad.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I cant hit that even keeping the core below 45. But that sounds allot more reasonable, albeit still crazy high. You must have really cherry picked your cards to get 4 that will do that.
Click to expand...

Not as much as you might expect. After a fiasco with Visiontek, I got a refund and bought a new set of 7970s. Supply was low so I got any I could, 1 xfx, 1 sapp, 2 diamond. I later acquired more because the cards are boss! Bought one sapp oc dual x used cheap cuz the owner complained that it had too much coil whine. After testing it I found no coil whine and it could do 1300/1900 on AIR! On water it does 1340. That xfx, does 1380/1880. That sapp that I first bought was a gem too (1350/1860), but it popped for no reason. The one I got back from rma was a sapp oc dual x, and what do ya know it's a perfect match for the dual x I bought used, 1300/1900 on air too. But finding more cards that can hit over 1350... that was where I binned some diamonds. And during that time they sold for like $325 bucks roflmao, especially in the context of the msrp I bought the others for. All the diamonds do 1300+. I kept two of the best and sold the rest w/o a loss since they were so cheap and market price was higher.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Lol, I thought it was 1800 too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


The WR on ref pcb is like 1600 or 1700, hmm yea I think the 1700 is the lightning and 1600 ref. That would be a feat lol 1800 on water in quad!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Dang, the three posters over me all have quad 7970 setups with full block setups.
> 
> and tsm runs 1800+ core?
> 
> I quit...I am going to take my 1200 core on my 8 dollar gpu block held together with zipties and luck, and cry in the corner.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Doh. That was supposed to be 1340 core in quad.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if parallel makes you have less cooling, then you need moe pumps ! i kid i kid !!
> 
> but you didnt even talk about my 2011 set up, i was at least expecting a "good" or "about time"
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Hehe. All hail the Megas transition to the promised land of 2011.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And it's about time!
Click to expand...

just for benching my main and most used rig is still my 8350 i keep the 3930k RIVBE on the spare rig down stairs


----------



## tsm106

lol

It would of been perfect if you said down in the basement or dungeon or something.


----------



## Mega Man

i keep it locked in the crawlspace !!!!! you should see the pet spider living in it


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I've tested series vs parallel on a quad gtx 580 3gb setup and there was no temp difference
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Parallel looks better though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -snip-


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> if by multiple GPUs you mean 10+/thousands of watts, then yes. if by multiple you mean 2-4, then it's not really a factor. I happen to think the parallel flow water bridges look awesome, but I'd just as happily do a koolance serial setup as well. if you gave me the parts for free, I'd do either/both.


it all depends on block resistance, amount, and parallel vs series gives flow vs pressure, so if you have 4 very resistive blocks it would be a bit silly to put them all in series, but if you use them in parallel you can then have them linked in series with the rest of your hardware with little effect, yes I'm also talking combination parallel series and depending on your setup it can give better temps by separating your gpu links from your other blocks or by placing a radiator between them along with your other radiator/s.

but water can carry a lot of heat so this all up can have marginal effect unless you go with high overclocks and voltages on a full-water system, megaman above for example has/had 4 7970s and a 8350 @5+GHz, cant remember what he got his cards up to but it was pretty high, that easily generates 1+KW worth of heat.


----------



## Evil Penguin

*Hi,
New version of Atiman Uninstaller has been released.
Here's the feature/changelog for version 8.3.5:*
Quote:


> Full support Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 all versions.
> Active administrator account isn't needed, just disable UAC.
> Remove AMD NonPresent cards (device layer).
> No need for safe mode to use the program.
> No issues for AMD platform systems.
> Press only A in the first (red) info screen for starting.
> Full backup for registry system values.
> Very quick, 10 - 20 seconds, depends on HDD speed.
> Display taskbar notification when finished.
> Last window display current logfile, program saves up to 9 logfiles before they are auto deleted.
> 
> In start > all programs > Atiman Technologies there are many extra shortcuts,
> 1) ULPS control, (Enable or disable ulps for all cards automatically).
> 2) Auto restart, (Run application and restart system when finished automatically).
> 3) Hidden application, (Run application in quiet mode)
> 4) In start > search window, type showlogs command to display logfiles.
> 5) In start > search window, type setrestore command to restore system from backup (use it under safe mode)


*Download Link*


----------



## Arizonian

*Announcement*

Seeking someone to take on thread starter role at the *xXCrossXFire ClubXx --Because one's not enough *

Anyone interested, please PM me.


----------



## UnrealEdge

Hey a group for me lol! I have a MSI 7970, this one to be exact http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732 although looking at it now on Newegg, I am wondering why the price went up almost $150 more than what I paid a few months ago. I don't think it was on sale, and it's the exact same card.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UnrealEdge*
> 
> Hey a group for me lol! I have a MSI 7970, this one to be exact http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732 although looking at it now on Newegg, I am wondering why the price went up almost $150 more than what I paid a few months ago. I don't think it was on sale, and it's the exact same card.


coin mining has surged the market of 79x0, 280/X and 290/X cards.


----------



## UnrealEdge

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> coin mining has surged the market of 79x0, 280/X and 290/X cards.


It all makes sense now lol.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *UnrealEdge*
> 
> Hey a group for me lol! I have a MSI 7970, this one to be exact http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732 although looking at it now on Newegg, I am wondering why the price went up almost $150 more than what I paid a few months ago. I don't think it was on sale, and it's the exact same card.


Holy crap! I bought my TF3 in the weeks right before the R-series release for a shade under $300.00 out the door. Wish I would have grabbed 4. That is ridiculous. This AMD card craze might be good for AMD right now, but if I was looking to build another gaming rig today, I would be going green. They might feel the pinch when all the gamers are on team green and the mining community finds new hardware (ASIC ALT mining?) to mine with.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *UnrealEdge*
> 
> Hey a group for me lol! I have a MSI 7970, this one to be exact http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127732 although looking at it now on Newegg, I am wondering why the price went up almost $150 more than what I paid a few months ago. I don't think it was on sale, and it's the exact same card.
> 
> 
> 
> coin mining has surged the market of 79x0, 280/X and 290/X cards.
Click to expand...

everyone says this but i dont buy it, i honestly think it is more a christmas/after christmas craze,


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> everyone says this but i dont buy it, i honestly think it is more a christmas/after christmas craze,


Lol, for used products???? I kept track on ebay for used and new 7970s. used ones were a good $50-100 more then before and new ones were going a good +$100 more then normal. Weren't there sales to get rid of the old stock for ~$270 for brand new 7970 before the 280x? And there shouldn't be a shortage since essentially the 280x is a 7970. Doesn't explain why a Sapphire 290X on newegg was ~$550 now they're going for ~$650. Its this mining crap thing. I got my cards for ~$300 a piece w/ blocks a few months ago. Now Lightnigns are selling for $400 w/out blocks on ebay! I was so tempted to sell them get 290X but they're also affected. If only I could find four used Titans ~ $500, I would have stayed Nvidia and just upgraded to three Korean 1440 monitors instead.


----------



## FtW 420

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> everyone says this but i dont buy it, i honestly think it is more a christmas/after christmas craze,


It did happen, when bitcoin hit $1000 even a couple of my co-workers who had little interest in PC besides using it for a facebook machine starting asking about bitcoin & bought a gpu to jump on the bandwagon.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Lol, for used products???? I kept track on ebay for used and new 7970s. used ones were a good $50-100 more then before and new ones were going a good +$100 more then normal. Weren't there sales to get rid of the old stock for ~$270 for brand new 7970 before the 280x? And there shouldn't be a shortage since essentially the 280x is a 7970. Doesn't explain why a Sapphire 290X on newegg was ~$550 now they're going for ~$650. Its this mining crap thing. I got my cards for ~$300 a piece w/ blocks a few months ago. Now Lightnigns are selling for $400 w/out blocks on ebay! I was so tempted to sell them get 290X but they're also affected. If only I could find four used Titans ~ $500, I would have stayed Nvidia and just upgraded to three Korean 1440 monitors instead.


I purchased a 7990 with a waterblock for 700.00 in November. I purchased another 7990 last week from a member of this forum.Not for the wacked out price they are asking for on ebay with a water block. From what I understand it has to do with litecoin mining.

wermad - Can I take 2 x 0.5 mm pads and make a 1.0mm pad out of it. I have tons of 0.5mm pad no 1.0mm pads.Putting the 7990 back under water. Thanks


----------



## chronicfx

Nevermind


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> everyone says this but i dont buy it, i honestly think it is more a christmas/after christmas craze,


possibly a bit of this too, but I think mining has caused the most of the surge...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I purchased a 7990 with a waterblock for 700.00 in November. I purchased another 7990 last week from a member of this forum.Not for the wacked out price they are asking for on ebay with a water block. From what I understand it has to do with litecoin mining.
> 
> wermad - Can I take 2 x 0.5 mm pads and make a 1.0mm pad out of it. I have tons of 0.5mm pad no 1.0mm pads.Putting the 7990 back under water. Thanks


Yes, you can double up 0.5mm pad to make 1.0. I've done it before. I bought a few large sheets off some Chinese ebay sellers. Takes a bit to deliver but its not too expensive and you get a lot of pad.

Well, a few months ago I was really tempted to get two 7990s when newegg had the PC and MSI for ~$550 each, brand new! I'm happy I ended up w/ my msi tbh, well before the surge in prices. And yes, when you can buy a Tesla by just mining, yeah, everyone from their granny will jump on board. I've been tempted to sell my 7970s but I've heard too many horror stories of the buyers abusing the cards to the breaking point and then the seller gets screwed w/ the ebay buyer protection thing. Very weary times for both buyers (who have no intention of mining) and sellers (who just want to sell their cards). My


----------



## Jflisk

Well my second 7990 is in just waiting for the rocks to clear out of my loop.


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Well my second 7990 is in just waiting for the rocks to clear out of my loop.


Remember to post some pics of dem 7990s


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> everyone says this but i dont buy it, i honestly think it is more a christmas/after christmas craze,


you crazy..
Must be the new found alien technology that these cards hold that has caused a surge in prices, ay?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> you crazy..
> Must be the new found alien technology that these cards hold that has caused a surge in prices, ay?


I allows you to phone home









Got my dp cable in, downloading Lost Planet 2 (finally got this one!) and BF4 for some 5x1 gaming this weekend


----------



## ABD EL HAMEED

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> you crazy..
> Must be the new found alien technology that these cards hold that has caused a surge in prices, ay?




Sorry I just had to,I'll probably get an infraction for this but YOLO!!!!1!!!!


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I allows you to phone home
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Got my dp cable in, downloading Lost Planet 2 (finally got this one!) and BF4 for some 5x1 gaming this weekend


Nice! I've been playing a lot of Hitman Absolution and Assassins Creed IV Black Flag when I'm not mining with my Trifire 7950's and despite what I've heard about Trifire drivers they work FLAWLESSLY. Been into the sneaky games lately








The only game I'm having issues with is Assetto Corsa, but that is an early release version and they still have some work to do on it driver-wise.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ABD EL HAMEED*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry I just had to,I'll probably get an infraction for this but YOLO!!!!1!!!!


Haha yesssss!! I think this guy looks normal most of the time, but when he takes acid his hair rises like a peacock ready to fight!


----------



## wermad

I have a copy of BlackFlag w/ my Rampage iv BE mb but I'm debating selling it and buying the steam copy (ugh, ubiplay







).

Got Dirt3 for cheap a few months ago and i'll see how it does in 5x1









Also, can't wait to fire up the old favorite Metro LL, even though gpu usage is total crap w/ this game, I love it







.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I have a copy of BlackFlag w/ my Rampage iv BE mb but I'm debating selling it and buying the steam copy (ugh, ubiplay
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ).
> 
> Got Dirt3 for cheap a few months ago and i'll see how it does in 5x1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, can't wait to fire up the old favorite Metro LL, even though gpu usage is total crap w/ this game, I love it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Definitely get the steam copy. Nothing good bout Ubicrap. Yea I've also been rocking out a little dirt 3. I need to get a wheel! Going to buy this when I get my taxes monies:

http://us.fanatec.com/Bundles?product_id=562

Never got that into Sim racing, but Assetto Corsa is a totally different ballgame and can definitely improve my real life driving ability a little. I already love whippin around the Subie.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Well my second 7990 is in just waiting for the rocks to clear out of my loop.


Crap is me. I have to take the block back off temp problems. I had 52 on one core and 80c on the other. Tightened them down a little more.now i have 50c max on one core and shut down on the other. Looks like a re TIM.


----------



## Mega Man

:/


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Crap is me. I have to take the block back off temp problems. I had 52 on one core and 80c on the other. Tightened them down a little more.now i have 50c max on one core and shut down on the other. Looks like a re TIM.


Can you try your other block on the card too? I have a theory that the PLX chip may either be sitting high on this card or the thermal pad is too thick. In my own experimentation if I did not install the PLX thermal pad temps were even and low, and VRM temps lowered by 10-15c also, but of course after I tested it I reassembled and didn't feel comfy running without a pad on the chip. With the thermal pad I had a 10c spread, 45c and 55c was the hottest the were at gaming with far cry 3 and crisis 3 and I only have 4x120mm rad (rs360 + rs120), but I had to really crank it down uncomfortably tight to get the temps. The EK block uses a slimmer thermal pad thickness so it would be a good test. If the PLX chip sits high then the EK block should not really work either because it uses 0.25 on the memory iirc and paste on the PLX. The XSPC uses 1.0mm on memory and 0.5mm on the PLX. Anyways just keep me informed I am here if you need. I think switching blocks would tell us where the problem lies. With possibly one more test of doing the XSPC with TIM on the PLX instead of a pad and see how she runs.


----------



## sub50hz

Finally snagged a new mobo so I could slap in my third 7970 that's been sitting around. Thank jeebus the case hides the square mile of cabling on the other side, out of sight.










And had an extra slot to get the Revodrive 3 back in!


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Crap is me. I have to take the block back off temp problems. I had 52 on one core and 80c on the other. Tightened them down a little more.now i have 50c max on one core and shut down on the other. Looks like a re TIM.


Sounds to me like a thermal pad issue. Get some Fujipoly Ultras 0.5mm and 1.0mm sheets so you can play around with them. My alphacool 7950 blocks were extremely stubborn.


----------



## MariusJS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sub50hz*
> 
> Finally snagged a new mobo so I could slap in my third 7970 that's been sitting around. Thank jeebus the case hides the square mile of cabling on the other side, out of sight. And had an extra slot to get the Revodrive 3 back in!


Damn, those gotta be HOT!


----------



## sub50hz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MariusJS*
> 
> Damn, those gotta be HOT!


They'll be going under water soon. Winter is helping for the time being.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Can you try your other block on the card too? I have a theory that the PLX chip may either be sitting high on this card or the thermal pad is too thick. In my own experimentation if I did not install the PLX thermal pad temps were even and low, and VRM temps lowered by 10-15c also, but of course after I tested it I reassembled and didn't feel comfy running without a pad on the chip. With the thermal pad I had a 10c spread, 45c and 55c was the hottest the were at gaming with far cry 3 and crisis 3 and I only have 4x120mm rad (rs360 + rs120), but I had to really crank it down uncomfortably tight to get the temps. The EK block uses a slimmer thermal pad thickness so it would be a good test. If the PLX chip sits high then the EK block should not really work either because it uses 0.25 on the memory iirc and paste on the PLX. The XSPC uses 1.0mm on memory and 0.5mm on the PLX. Anyways just keep me informed I am here if you need. I think switching blocks would tell us where the problem lies. With possibly one more test of doing the XSPC with TIM on the PLX instead of a pad and see how she runs.


I got the GPU broken down again. Looks like the water block never touched the board in certain spots and for some weird reason looks like one of the GPUs was never touched in the middle or the AS5 evaporated. Wonder if that was from the new AS5 I just opened looked liquidy(new word here) or if I did not give the alcohol enough time to dry. Also the plx from what I could tell looks like it was not touching the thermal pad. looked threw the side with a flashlight and the plx pad looked like it was not doing much.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Sounds to me like a thermal pad issue. Get some Fujipoly Ultras 0.5mm and 1.0mm sheets so you can play around with them. My alphacool 7950 blocks were extremely stubborn.


That's what I am using 0.5 and 1.0 Fujipoly have half a pad of both.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sub50hz*
> 
> Finally snagged a new mobo so I could slap in my third 7970 that's been sitting around. Thank jeebus the case hides the square mile of cabling on the other side, out of sight.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And had an extra slot to get the Revodrive 3 back in!


No heat needed in the winter. Nice build though. Nice slippers too


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I got the GPU broken down again. Looks like the water block never touched the board in certain spots and for some weird reason looks like one of the GPUs was never touched in the middle or the AS5 evaporated. Wonder if that was from the new AS5 I just opened looked liquidy(new word here) or if I did not give the alcohol enough time to dry. Also the plx from what I could tell looks like it was not touching the thermal pad. looked threw the side with a flashlight and the plx pad looked like it was not doing much.


Try with tim instead of plx pad. That way if temps are even we know you just need a thinner plx pad.


----------



## Skerik

Just bought myself a XFX 7950 ghost edition. For $160







testing today


----------



## sub50hz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> No heat needed in the winter.


Considering it runs oclhashcat almost 24/7, not only is the heat turned WAY down, but the room it resides in usually has a couple open windows. Pretty ridiculous when you can balance the ambient temp with 2 windows open at 10*F.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Try with tim instead of plx pad. That way if temps are even we know you just need a thinner plx pad.


With just TIM its not touching the heat sink at all. I can see it threw the side with a flash light.


----------



## TRusselo

quick question,, (sorry new) whats PLX and TIM? types of pad?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> With just TIM its not touching the heat sink at all. I can see it threw the side with a flash light.


Got the shake rattle and roll going now to get the rocks out of the loop.

Well its getting quite now so either the pump is dead or its aired out


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Got the shake rattle and roll going now to get the rocks out of the loop.
> 
> Well its getting quite now so either the pump is dead or its aired out


Get gpuz up and check your core and vrm temps asap. Remember you will have to be under some type of load for the vrm temps to show. It is possible the plx may overheat if there is in fact no contact. But if you freeze and vrm/core temps are reasonable then we will know that a thinner pad is what is needed.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> quick question,, (sorry new) whats PLX and TIM? types of pad?


PLX=Chip increasing PCIE lanes IIRC
TIM=Thurrmal Paste


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> quick question,, (sorry new) whats PLX and TIM? types of pad?


PLX the chip in the 7990 that allows the 2 GPUs to talk to each other.TIM = thermal interface material = AS5 Thermal pads are used on GPUs ram and or mossfets to interface them to the heatsink


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> quick question,, (sorry new) whats PLX and TIM? types of pad?
> 
> 
> 
> PLX=Chip *increasing* PCIE lanes IIRC
> TIM=Thurrmal Paste
Click to expand...

PLX is a multiplexer, think of it like a funnel. It's doesn't add ANYTHING more than what is actually there to begin with. It's a band-aid funnel, squeezing things in. And it comes with penalties.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Get gpuz up and check your core and vrm temps asap. Remember you will have to be under some type of load for the vrm temps to show. It is possible the plx may overheat if there is in fact no contact. But if you freeze and vrm/core temps are reasonable then we will know that a thinner pad is what is needed.


I am worried about the GPU cores I had the one fixed yesterday and the other one shot up to 104C from 50C idel. If I can get it down to 55C under load I would leave it alone. Like I said earlier it is possible that the alcohol didn't dry all the way on the GPU before I applied the AS5 looked like the AS5 was washed out.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I am worried about the GPU cores I had the one fixed yesterday and the other one shot up to 104C from 50C idel. If I can get it down to 55C under load I would leave it alone. Like I said earlier it is possible that the alcohol didn't dry all the way on the GPU before I applied the AS5 looked like the AS5 was washed out.


I was thinking about that too. When i had the block i was using the blue pads. It is also possible and i have read that fujipoly is not as compressible. This could cause spacing issues too. How long will you bleed for?


----------



## Mega Man

anyone seen this from CES


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> anyone seen this from CES


My prayers have been answered. Now i can actually afford my video cards for games and the miners can go buy there own maybe GPUS. Thats awesome. Thanks Mega


----------



## MariusJS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> My prayers have been answered. Now i can actually afford my video cards for games and the miners can go buy there own maybe GPUS. Thats awesome. Thanks Mega


Nope that is for Sha256 only, miners is still going to buy regular GPU's for Scrypt


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MariusJS*
> 
> Nope that is for Sha256 only, miners is still going to buy regular GPU's for Scrypt


Oh well the happiness lasted at least 12Hrs


----------



## MariusJS

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Oh well the happiness lasted at least 12Hrs


Yeah, but then again, mining could save AMD


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MariusJS*
> 
> Yeah, but then again, mining could save AMD


Mining also cost me 1000.00 for a 700.00 card -Because im a gamer and the miners push up the prices


----------



## MariusJS

Wow!
I'm happy the price has not increased a bit here!


----------



## neurotix

Posting to bump this thread up in my subscription list.

I hope my 3rd 7970 from Sapphire RMA actually works.


----------



## heroxoot

One of the fans on my 7970 lightning is making a whining sound sometimes. I know because I stop the fan with my hand and it quits the sound. Anyway to fix that? It doesn't do it a lot, and as far as I can tell its only when the fans are spinning low, as I have MSI AB on a custom curve and hear it on 35% fan speed.


----------



## Azuredragon1

You can try to re lubricate your fan. Use this guide: http://www.overclock.net/t/846065/how-to-relubricate-video-card-fans


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> One of the fans on my 7970 lightning is making a whining sound sometimes. I know because I stop the fan with my hand and it quits the sound. Anyway to fix that? It doesn't do it a lot, and as far as I can tell its only when the fans are spinning low, as I have MSI AB on a custom curve and hear it on 35% fan speed.


sounds like PWM whine, not really fixable I don't think, but if its the bearing you may be able to put a bit more oil in...


----------



## heroxoot

Alright good to know. Its only 1 of the 2 GPU fans and its not very loud. A lot of times it quits whining too. I just know last night and it sounded kind of loud for a while.


----------



## Sindre2104

What is the fastest stable clocks on the 7950 you guys have got?
currently running 1200/1600 with 1.150V and +20
EDIT:
idle, 31C
load, 48C


----------



## Gumbi

I can run 1210mhz on 1112mv, pretty great







26 degrees idle,?63 degrees load







Great airflow and new paste plus Acclero cooler







Max VRM temps (using stock heatsinks) 83 degrees after 2 hours of playing Planetsde 2 (maxed out so although the game is CPU heavy, it was GPU limited primarily, also, I have a 4770k at 4.5ghz so not much limiting there).

My memory sucks BIGTIME. People say most Elpida does 1400-1500. Mine doesn't even do 1350 :/. And this is the Sapphre 950mhz edition, others have got 1900 plus and Hynix on this card :/. This card is one of the reasons my overclock is so high for a compatibly low voltage. I can run stock 950mhz at 931mv, which is 44 degrees under load


----------



## u3b3rg33k

That sounds great, but for the VRM temps. mine are under 50C at load.


----------



## Abyssic

Guys, it's time to say goodbye xD
I sold both of my HD 7950s, now running a GT 9600 until i get my Sapphire 290 Tri-X.
Yeah, i'm gonna lose performance but i also get away from all the crossfire drawbacks. (especially noise was a issue with my setup)
I wish you all the best. maybe we will meet again, maybe in a R9 owners club? if that even exists xD


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> Guys, it's time to say goodbye xD
> I sold both of my HD 7950s, now running a GT 9600 until i get my Sapphire 290 Tri-X.
> Yeah, i'm gonna lose performance but i also get away from all the crossfire drawbacks. (especially noise was a issue with my setup)
> I wish you all the best. maybe we will meet again, maybe in a R9 owners club? if that even exists xD


What drawbacks did you have with crossfire?


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> What drawbacks did you have with crossfire?


as i said mainly the niose bugged me (2x2 fans). the noise/heat is mainly my own fault for having the cards sandwiched together because my mobo has no space to leave a slot free between two dual slot cards. also the occasional microstuttering in some games.

over all, i wouldn't say i had a bad experience with crossfire. the perfomance was great, especially for the reasonable price. it was the first time in my life that i was in a top notch gpu situation and i really used that situation for almost a year. but my hunger for raw performance is satisfied and i want to move on to a more 'normal' setup with lower heat/noise output, less driver problems and less power consumption.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> as i said mainly the niose bugged me (2x2 fans). the noise/heat is mainly my own fault for having the cards sandwiched together because my mobo has no space to leave a slot free between two dual slot cards. also the occasional microstuttering in some games.
> 
> over all, i wouldn't say i had a bad experience with crossfire. the perfomance was great, especially for the reasonable price. it was the first time in my life that i was in a top notch gpu situation and i really used that situation for almost a year. but my hunger for raw performance is satisfied and i want to move on to a more 'normal' setup with lower heat/noise output, less driver problems and less power consumption.


Ok


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> as i said mainly the niose bugged me (2x2 fans). the noise/heat is mainly my own fault for having the cards sandwiched together because my mobo has no space to leave a slot free between two dual slot cards. also the occasional microstuttering in some games.
> 
> over all, i wouldn't say i had a bad experience with crossfire. the perfomance was great, especially for the reasonable price. it was the first time in my life that i was in a top notch gpu situation and i really used that situation for almost a year. but my hunger for raw performance is satisfied and i want to move on to a more 'normal' setup with lower heat/noise output, less driver problems and less power consumption.


Goodbye, it was an honor knowing you. I hope if my Matrix dies because of the memory, I will get a DCUII R9 290


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> Guys, it's time to say goodbye xD
> I sold both of my HD 7950s, now running a GT 9600 until i get my Sapphire 290 Tri-X.
> Yeah, i'm gonna lose performance but i also get away from all the crossfire drawbacks. (especially noise was a issue with my setup)
> I wish you all the best. maybe we will meet again, maybe in a R9 owners club? if that even exists xD


You're really gonna like that card. I just got one yesterday. Mine does 1200/1500mhz so far, haven't pushed it further. I definitely will though.


Spoiler: Click for specs







I too prefer one strong, single card.


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> You're really gonna like that card. I just got one yesterday. Mine does 1200/1500mhz so far, haven't pushed it further. I definitely will though.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Click for specs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I too prefer one strong, single card.


that's great ^^ now i don't wanna wait until jan. 23







it's not available at my favourite store until then xD


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Abyssic*
> 
> Guys, it's time to say goodbye xD
> I sold both of my HD 7950s, now running a GT 9600 until i get my Sapphire 290 Tri-X.
> Yeah, i'm gonna lose performance but i also get away from all the crossfire drawbacks. (especially noise was a issue with my setup)
> I wish you all the best. maybe we will meet again, maybe in a R9 owners club? if that even exists xD
> 
> 
> 
> You're really gonna like that card. I just got one yesterday. Mine does 1200/1500mhz so far, haven't pushed it further. I definitely will though.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Click for specs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I too prefer one strong, single card.
Click to expand...

i prefer 4 strong cards ( top of the line ! )


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i prefer 4 strong cards ( top of the line ! )


If money wasn't an issue, sure.


----------



## Jflisk

Okay this is for the 3 + GPU folks or someone with 2x7990. I just installed my second 7990 in my system. My operating system-GPU-z -furmark shows 4 GPUs across the board. Catalyst on the other hand when I go to Crossfire shows 3 GPUs. This is after a total remove re-install of the drivers and catalyst.No information on the internet about this one. Thanks in advance


----------



## chronicfx

I think you may need to reload your os from scratch to cure that :/ but that is how i solve everything.. I am a cheater


----------



## chronicfx

Did you get a block that fast or is the second on air?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Did you get a block that fast or is the second on air?


Second one is on air for now. I forgot how hot the high end cards get its been so long. 85C air compared to 45C on water max. Its the difference between night and day . The blocks are on back order. Ek said they will be done within the week at the factory. I guess frozen is getting a part of this order after speaking with them.Probably put the the order in for the block Monday. I have to order another koolance flow sensor also its clicking.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay this is for the 3 + GPU folks or someone with 2x7990. I just installed my second 7990 in my system. My operating system-GPU-z -furmark shows 4 GPUs across the board. Catalyst on the other hand when I go to Crossfire shows 3 GPUs. This is after a total remove re-install of the drivers and catalyst.No information on the internet about this one. Thanks in advance


Find out which 7990 isnt running both GPUs (run them one at a time).


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Find out which 7990 isnt running both GPUs (run them one at a time).


There all running just under Catalyst control center I am only showing 2 or 3 GPUs not 2 or 4. Windows sees all 4. Also all monitoring software shows 4. Also in a benchmark I have gain from 3 to 4 GPUs. Benchmarks are also showing 4 GPUs.


----------



## incog

I have a question.










Where does the air go? Do the fans expel air out in front of them, or do the fans push air onto heatsink underneath them? I think it's the latter. Doesn't mean that the hot air (coming from the heatsink) goes towards the motherboard and towards the vents (which are outside the PC)?

If you had to install fans somewhere to blow air on the GPU so that it would run cooler, how would you install those fans? Would you blow cool air directly to the fans, for example?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> I have a question.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Where does the air go? Do the fans expel air out in front of them, or do the fans push air onto heatsink underneath them? I think it's the latter. Doesn't mean that the hot air (coming from the heatsink) goes towards the motherboard and towards the vents (which are outside the PC)?
> 
> If you had to install fans somewhere to blow air on the GPU so that it would run cooler, how would you install those fans? Would you blow cool air directly to the fans, for example?


The air goes straight into the case. Fans pull in then expel into the case. My case had a space for a fan right under the GPUS pushing air into them if you look at the pictures in my signature you will understand. I also put my system under water to lower the temps across the board.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> I have a question.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Where does the air go? Do the fans expel air out in front of them, or do the fans push air onto heatsink underneath them? I think it's the latter. Doesn't mean that the hot air (coming from the heatsink) goes towards the motherboard and towards the vents (which are outside the PC)?
> 
> If you had to install fans somewhere to blow air on the GPU so that it would run cooler, how would you install those fans? Would you blow cool air directly to the fans, for example?


Side dump. Its because of GPU that dump the heat into the case I decided to buy the HAF XB from CoolerMaster. Because the GPU side faces up in this case, it dumps the heat right into a 200MM fan and my case temperate stays much lower. Possibly my proudest decision for PC case purchase.


----------



## Clexzor

hey all question...so I rescently found a powercolor 7950 3gb at microcenter for 180$ Im using for personal computer for now since I sold my gtx 780's for money...anyways did I get a solid deal im seeing that these cards are selling in the 300's? should I attempt to sell it or has that ship sailed? lol


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clexzor*
> 
> hey all question...so I rescently found a powercolor 7950 3gb at microcenter for 180$ Im using for personal computer for now since I sold my gtx 780's for money...anyways did I get a solid deal im seeing that these cards are selling in the 300's? should I attempt to sell it or has that ship sailed? lol


You could probably turn a decent profit off it, that was a good deal.

Just pop it up on ebay as "AMD Bticoin Litecoin OMG!"


----------



## Abyssic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Clexzor*
> 
> hey all question...so I rescently found a powercolor 7950 3gb at microcenter for 180$ Im using for personal computer for now since I sold my gtx 780's for money...anyways did I get a solid deal im seeing that these cards are selling in the 300's? should I attempt to sell it or has that ship sailed? lol


i recently sold both of my 7950s used for 170€. just for reference.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> I have a question.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Where does the air go? Do the fans expel air out in front of them, or do the fans push air onto heatsink underneath them? I think it's the latter. Doesn't mean that the hot air (coming from the heatsink) goes towards the motherboard and towards the vents (which are outside the PC)?
> 
> If you had to install fans somewhere to blow air on the GPU so that it would run cooler, how would you install those fans? Would you blow cool air directly to the fans, for example?


like what has already been said above really, most of the hot air will come out of the side of the card, but due to the heatsink fins being positioned lengthways you will also get a fair bit out of the ends too, for best airflow you try to put intake fans on the face side of the card on the side of your chasis, or on the bottom panel if you can, if you still seem to get poor airflow you could try an exhaust fan on the front and somewhere above the card to pull the hot air out.

These cards are usually fine up to 75C on stock, if you want to OC a fair bit you need to get them below 65C, but the cooler on that card isn't exactly so great for that anyway.


----------



## incog

Thanks for the answers guys! They were helpful, I've got my head wrapped around the problem now. Been wondering how it might be possible to have the card run cooler, it does indeed hit 75°C when playing demanding games over extended periods of time.

From what I know, if you overclock a 7970, it'll become unstable as temperature rises quite easily. I'm guessing the best remedy on air is just setting up some good airflow in the case, correct?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Thanks for the answers guys! They were helpful, I've got my head wrapped around the problem now. Been wondering how it might be possible to have the card run cooler, it does indeed hit 75°C when playing demanding games over extended periods of time.
> 
> From what I know, if you overclock a 7970, it'll become unstable as temperature rises quite easily. I'm guessing the best remedy on air is just setting up some good airflow in the case, correct?


yea you need to be sure your case is giving the card a good supply of cool air to get the best temperature results, and yea the core tends to go unstable with high-ish overclocks over 65C, you may be able to get 1100 if you can keep it at 75C though, and if you ramp up the fan speeds using afterburner or setting the fan manually you could get slightly better temps.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Thanks for the answers guys! They were helpful, I've got my head wrapped around the problem now. Been wondering how it might be possible to have the card run cooler, it does indeed hit 75°C when playing demanding games over extended periods of time.
> 
> From what I know, if you overclock a 7970, it'll become unstable as temperature rises quite easily. I'm guessing the best remedy on air is just setting up some good airflow in the case, correct?


The two things that count Air temperature in the room your in and airflow in the case. Thanks

Low ambient(room temp) + Flow = Good thing


----------



## Jflisk

Finally ordered my second 7990 water block. I had to order from aquatuning. Hopefully they get the order here. I have read good things about them. There warehouse is in Germany and its huge. They offer 12.00 UPS shipping in 2 days to US. Not the color I wanted but nice looking none the less. Also ordered a new Koolance INS-FM19 Flow meter from PPC mine is clicking for some reason and its driving me nuts.


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Finally ordered my second 7990 water block. I had to order from aquatuning. Hopefully they get the order here. I have read good things about them. There warehouse is in Germany and its huge. They offer 12.00 UPS shipping in 2 days to US. Not the color I wanted but nice looking none the less. Also ordered a new Koolance INS-FM19 Flow meter from PPC mine is clicking for some reason and its driving me nuts.


yeah aquatuning is awesome, you should get it pretty quick along with some jelly babies









are you only using 2x240's & the 120 rad on your build? it will be fine for gaming temps wise,

although if your mining you might want to up that rad space


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> yeah aquatuning is awesome, you should get it pretty quick along with some jelly babies
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> are you only using 2x240's & the 120 rad on your build? it will be fine for gaming temps wise,
> 
> although if your mining you might want to up that rad space


I am looking forward to the jelly babies. My temps at the water delta 36C across the board. My CPU at load never above 55C. My GPUs never went above 45C. That's with a 7990 and a 7970 6GB. So I traded the 7970 for the 7990 so my temps should still be almost the same heat dissipation. I mainly game not into the mining thing. The Temps are after running Crysis 3 for 2 hrs straight. I also use MSI combustor and OCCT. So I am pretty sure the temps listed are about right.


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I am looking forward to the jelly babies. My temps at the water delta 36C across the board. My CPU at load never above 55C. My GPUs never went above 45C. That's with a 7990 and a 7970 6GB. So I traded the 7970 for the 7990 so my temps should still be almost the same heat dissipation. I mainly game not into the mining thing. The Temps are after running Crysis 3 for 2 hrs straight. I also use MSI combustor and OCCT. So I am pretty sure the temps listed are about right.


If just gaming/benching you will be fine then.

what pump are you running & please don't say its that's XSPC one, or is it a D5/DDC's?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> If just gaming/benching you will be fine then.
> 
> what pump are you running & please don't say its that's XSPC one, or is it a D5/DDC's?


It is a XSPC D5 pump.


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> It is a XSPC D5 pump.


arrhh I thought so! QUADRIFIC


----------



## FragZero

Back in the 7950 club!

7950 (reference ) --> 780 TI --> 7950 Twin Frozr (7970 PCB with the additional phase), the 780 ti simply was too expensive for my usage

My old 7950 was straight forward but this new one confuses me.

1) I can't change the voltage with any of the utilities, i can do it using the bios editor found on these forums. Why is this? Isn't this a 7970 pcb which supports voltage control through Afterburner? ( i checked it physically, it certainly looks like a 7970 pcb)

2) My asic quality is quite low - 68% - it seems stable untill 1150 mhz, i'd like 1200 mhz or more but after trying several voltages i can't seem to get it stable. I did notice i could not run 1225mhz 1.25volts with the stock fanprofile, i swapped to 100% fan and it ran great with correct scores. Would i gain a lot of mhz changing the heatsink?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Back in the 7950 club!
> 
> 7950 (reference ) --> 780 TI --> 7950 Twin Frozr (7970 PCB with the additional phase), the 780 ti simply was too expensive for my usage
> 
> My old 7950 was straight forward but this new one confuses me.
> 
> 1) I can't change the voltage with any of the utilities, i can do it using the bios editor found on these forums. Why is this? Isn't this a 7970 pcb which supports voltage control through Afterburner? ( i checked it physically, it certainly looks like a 7970 pcb)
> 
> 2) My asic quality is quite low - 68% - it seems stable untill 1150 mhz, i'd like 1200 mhz or more but after trying several voltages i can't seem to get it stable. I did notice i could not run 1225mhz 1.25volts with the stock fanprofile, i swapped to 100% fan and it ran great with correct scores. Would i gain a lot of mhz changing the heatsink?


I have to assume its some "boost" edition 7950, using a reference 7970 PCB, so you need to re-flash it with a non-boost BIOS or such to get proper control over it, a reference 7950 or 7970 BIOS should do the trick, be sure its not a "boost" or GHz edition BIOS though. pretty sure a reference 7950 BIOS should work, just like how 7970 BIOSs tend to work on 7950s (doesn't unlock the shaders though).


----------



## FragZero

Yes, it looks like this



r7950 twin frozr 3gd5/oc be

I'll try that tonight!

Already arranged better cooling, going for a AIO 120mm solution.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Yes, it looks like this
> 
> 
> 
> r7950 twin frozr 3gd5/oc be
> 
> I'll try that tonight!
> 
> Already arranged better cooling, going for a AIO 120mm solution.


Do yourself a favor if the AIO solution involves installing heat sinks(This is for heat sinks only not the GPU die) order some of this stuff. Trust me the paste that comes with them stinks. If you use this and follow the directions the heat sinks will not come off. If you ever need to take them off a little 91% rubbing alcohol will loosen the bond. Hope this helps.

Arctic alumina epoxy

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3771/thr-07/Arctic_Alumina_Adhesive_Premium_Ceramic_Thermal_Epoxy_-_5_Gram_set_AATA-5G.html?tl=g8c125s446


----------



## X-Alt

I am stuck with meh *hit boost BIOS, I can almost guarantee I will lose my LEDs, voltage monitoring, etc.. I am still a bit annoyed that I cant get BF4 stable @6680 mem, yet everything else (inclheaven1hr) works...


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Do yourself a favor if the AIO solution involves installing heat sinks(This is for heat sinks only not the GPU die) order some of this stuff. Trust me the paste that comes with them stinks. If you use this and follow the directions the heat sinks will not come off. If you ever need to take them off a little 91% rubbing alcohol will loosen the bond. Hope this helps.
> 
> Arctic alumina epoxy
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3771/thr-07/Arctic_Alumina_Adhesive_Premium_Ceramic_Thermal_Epoxy_-_5_Gram_set_AATA-5G.html?tl=g8c125s446


Thanks for the tip but for now i will use the default MSI plate + 2x120 mm blowing on the card. I hope that will be enough to keep things cooled!

If not i will get a set of alpenfohn VGA heatsinks and Arctic Alumina!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Do yourself a favor if the AIO solution involves installing heat sinks(This is for heat sinks only not the GPU die) order some of this stuff. Trust me the paste that comes with them stinks. If you use this and follow the directions the heat sinks will not come off. If you ever need to take them off a little 91% rubbing alcohol will loosen the bond. Hope this helps.
> 
> Arctic alumina epoxy
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/3771/thr-07/Arctic_Alumina_Adhesive_Premium_Ceramic_Thermal_Epoxy_-_5_Gram_set_AATA-5G.html?tl=g8c125s446
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the tip but for now i will use the default MSI plate + 2x120 mm blowing on the card. I hope that will be enough to keep things cooled!
> 
> If not i will get a set of alpenfohn VGA heatsinks and Arctic Alumina!
Click to expand...

I left the TF3 plate on and strapped a 92mm fan to it and it keeps the VRMs below 60C


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I left the TF3 plate on and strapped a 92mm fan to it and it keeps the VRMs below 60C


Ha, my 2x120mm fans should be plenty


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I left the TF3 plate on and strapped a 92mm fan to it and it keeps the VRMs below 60C
> 
> 
> 
> Ha, my 2x120mm fans should be plenty
Click to expand...

I think the biggest issue with VRMs is that the heatpipes from the stock cooler blow hot air directly over them, not that the VRMs are insanely hot. I had seen 105C on VRMs, nowhere near that now.


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I think the biggest issue with VRMs is that the heatpipes from the stock cooler blow hot air directly over them, not that the VRMs are insanely hot. I had seen 105C on VRMs, nowhere near that now.


My previous 7950 was a 7950 reference design card, it had an accelero like heatsink (VTX3D), no heatsink on memory or VRM.

Before they ran at 100+ degrees stock voltage and clocks, after sticking on heatsinks using the included accelero glue they were 80-90 degrees 1.2volts - 1200mhz and the heatsinks were hot to touch!

But offcourse my new card is of the 7970 design with the full 7 phases available!


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Thanks for the answers guys! They were helpful, I've got my head wrapped around the problem now. Been wondering how it might be possible to have the card run cooler, it does indeed hit 75°C when playing demanding games over extended periods of time.
> 
> From what I know, if you overclock a 7970, it'll become unstable as temperature rises quite easily. I'm guessing the best remedy on air is just setting up some good airflow in the case, correct?


As the others have mentioned, airflow is definitely key. When I switched from the thermaltake frio to the H220 for the cpu, my 7970 decreased dramatically in temperatures. Definitely helped the overall temp of the case.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

I'm gonna post it again, but GPUs love airflow!


Spoiler: Flow!







FragZero, non ref cards VRM cooling scares me. I mean c'mon. at least try. my crazy OC'd 6950 VRM temps are under 50C while mining. my ref 7970's VRMs are in the low 40s. my dirt 3 6950 with no OC is in the 70+ range, with excellent ventilation:


Spoiler: dirt3


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I
> FragZero, non ref cards VRM cooling scares me. I mean c'mon. at least try. my crazy OC'd 6950 VRM temps are under 50C while mining. my ref 7970's VRMs are in the low 40s. my dirt 3 6950 with no OC is in the 70+ range, with excellent ventilation:]


Hmm i'm not sure what you mean? I will try with the default cooling solution + 2x120mm fans, if it's not satisfying i will upgrade to heatsinks. Is there anything more i can do?


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Hmm i'm not sure what you mean? I will try with the default cooling solution + 2x120mm fans, if it's not satisfying i will upgrade to heatsinks. Is there anything more i can do?


I mean VRMs on non-ref cards are generally neglected when it comes to the cooling solution.


----------



## hucklebuck

Is this a reference design 7950? Getting ready to order a full coverage EK block for it.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Is this a reference design 7950? Getting ready to order a full coverage EK block for it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Is this a reference design 7950? Getting ready to order a full coverage EK block for it.


Huck you can go to the EK configuration tool and it will show you a picture and name of the card you are trying to place the block on match the 2 and thats the block you need.

Start here

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1

If its not reference you can do what I did with my 7970 6gb in the pictures half way down in my build log.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1427024/build-log-what-the-frac-tical-design-black-pearl-r1


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Huck you can go to the EK configuration tool and it will show you a picture and name of the card you are trying to place the block on match the 2 and thats the block you need.
> 
> Start here
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/step1
> 
> If its not reference you can do what I did with my 7970 6gb in the pictures half way down in my build log.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1427024/build-log-what-the-frac-tical-design-black-pearl-r1


Yes. I did use cooling configurator before. I noticed in the pic they show, that my card only differs in 1 way. On the far right there are blue and silver caps. I have 6 and they have 5, they are in the same exact pattern. I was wondering if this mattered? Like does the block go over that too?

Here is a pic of theirs.



Mine.


----------



## hucklebuck

Well here is another pic i got from the cooling configurator. In this one the caps are the same. I hope the block will work out.



This block looks exactly like mine except for the color.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Well here is another pic i got from the cooling configurator. In this one the caps are the same. I hope the block will work out.
> 
> 
> 
> This block looks exactly like mine except for the color.


I am not an expert, but the VRMs, caps, and memory all seem to be in the exact same spot. I would buy it if I was in your position. I think you hit the target.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Well here is another pic i got from the cooling configurator. In this one the caps are the same. I hope the block will work out.
> 
> 
> 
> This block looks exactly like mine except for the color.


I would have to agree. If the picture matches you found the block. Color does not matter but that the picture matches your GPU is the key.Also did a stare and compare looks the same.Nothing missing nothing added. Good deal


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I'm gonna post it again, but GPUs love airflow!
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Flow!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> FragZero, non ref cards VRM cooling scares me. I mean c'mon. at least try. my crazy OC'd 6950 VRM temps are under 50C while mining. my ref 7970's VRMs are in the low 40s. my dirt 3 6950 with no OC is in the 70+ range, with excellent ventilation:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: dirt3


Was that the one you were folding on?

And yeah I agree about the VRM's. People do neglect it thinking "my gpu temp is fine, so my VRM's should be fine". But these are quite finicky about temps. IE my card would only OC to 1125 if VRM's at 70c. But once I got them down to 55 with a waterblock, I easily hit 1200.


----------



## hucklebuck

Thanks for the input! + Rep to both.

I did some more investigating and it looks good.


----------



## X-Alt

It tends to be the spacing of the holes that matter, hence the reason non-ref blocks exist, such as my Matrix's.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Was that the one you were folding on?
> 
> And yeah I agree about the VRM's. People do neglect it thinking "my gpu temp is fine, so my VRM's should be fine". But these are quite finicky about temps. IE my card would only OC to 1125 if VRM's at 70c. But once I got them down to 55 with a waterblock, I easily hit 1200.


The middle ref 6950 was my TC card.


----------



## darwing

How do I sell on here?


----------



## alancsalt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *darwing*
> 
> How do I sell on here
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Can only be done in the OCN marketplace, and you need 35 rep before you can make sell, wanted, or appraisal posts there. You can buy but it is up to the seller whether they accept your offer.

TOS
Marketplace Rules
Overclock.net Professionalism Initiative


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*


top one is a classic reference 7950, lower one is a 7970 layout I'm pretty sure, they both use the same PCB but the 7970 has a few extra components in the layout to cope with the extra power, though some manufacturers tend to mix the 7950 slightly for various reasons, all in all if the block says its compatible for both 7950 and 7970 (aka 79X0) it should fit fine.


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> top one is a classic reference 7950, lower one is a 7970 layout I'm pretty sure, they both use the same PCB but the 7970 has a few extra components in the layout to cope with the extra power, though some manufacturers tend to mix the 7950 slightly for various reasons, all in all if the block says its compatible for both 7950 and 7970 (aka 79X0) it should fit fine.


Wrong

This



Is the 7970 reference PCB, hucklebuck i think your card is the original 7950 PCB (if it's not it's a very very close match)


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Wrong
> 
> This
> 
> 
> 
> Is the 7970 reference PCB, hucklebuck i think your card is the original 7950 PCB (if it's not it's a very very close match)


that's odd, I thought I remember the 7970 ref having the first line of capacitors down parallel, not in a diagonal, though at the same time, that's the same PCB that 7950s use so I guess I got them around the wrong way...

why cant manufacturers just stick to the one layout...


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> why cant manufacturers just stick to the one layout...


I 100% agree!


----------



## TRusselo

i can confirm that this is the "AMD Radeon HD 7950 3GB GDDR5" (reference board) that is given by the EK website.
this is also the board that is shown for my "HIS Radeon HD 7950 IceQ X² Boost Clock 3GB" and the "AMD Radeon HD 7970 3GB GDDR5"

all parts given for these 2 7950 boards are the 7970 parts.

note the capacitors in a straight line for all 3 boards.

7970


7950 ati


7950 HIS boost x2 (mine has the most VRs)


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> I 100% agree!


^This, a few holes in the same spot is not going to kill profit or make it life/death on cooler mounting.


----------



## anubis1127

Got my 7970L back from MSI RMA. Put a slight OC on, and put the card on load. Temps got to 89C and rising, was like







.

Took the cooler off, and found this:



and was like









Cleaned that mess up on the cooler, and GPU core best I could, applied a small amount of TIM to the GPU core, now my max temp is 58C with the fan on auto AB default custom fan profile.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Got my 7970L back from MSI RMA. Put a slight OC on, and put the card on load. Temps got to 89C and rising, was like
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Took the cooler off, and found this:
> 
> 
> and was like
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cleaned that mess up on the cooler, and GPU core best I could, applied a small amount of TIM to the GPU core, now my max temp is 58C with the fan on auto AB default custom fan profile.


ew what kind of toothpaste is that...

should likely tell them that they put defective paste on, its obviously waaay too wet and could have potentially killed the core...


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Got my 7970L back from MSI RMA. Put a slight OC on, and put the card on load. Temps got to 89C and rising, was like
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Took the cooler off, and found this:
> 
> 
> and was like
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cleaned that mess up on the cooler, and GPU core best I could, applied a small amount of TIM to the GPU core, now my max temp is 58C with the fan on auto AB default custom fan profile.


Looks like they used the start of the tube.


----------



## anubis1127

Haha, yeah, I'm not sure what they used on it, it was really thin whatever it was. Probably just not mixed well, and used in abundance.


----------



## X-Alt

My god, even my Matrix (SUPER DRY THICK GOOPY CRAP) only had a 8C effect on temps with the crap stock paste...


----------



## Jflisk

Water block showed up from Aquatuning.us today. Have to say I am impressed with them. UPS I am not so impressed with but with the weather up north they did a good job to. Took 3 days instead of 2 to deliver from Germany to east coast US. So I have my second 7990 water block going to try and get it installed tonight after work. See where the temps go.

Purchased the aquacool 7990 water block.If any one needs a water block for the 7990 they still have some left.

http://www.aquatuning.us/product_info.php/info/p16063_Alphacool-NexXxoS-ATXP-Nvidia-ATI-7990---Edelstahl-poliert---Schwarz-Silber.html


----------



## hucklebuck

Well I ordered the EK block. I'll find out if it works soon. I'm 99% sure it will.

Now I have a question, I downloaded the waterblock instructions and in there they show how to apply TIM. They recommend using a cross pattern. I have always used the pea method. Which is best? I'm using MX-4.


----------



## FragZero

Looking for some help with my 7950

Setup

MSI Twin Frozr with the 7970 PCB (7 phases) - i have VRM temps but can't flash any 7970 bios files (described as being a V2 Bios)
120MM AIO installed
Default plate on VRM's and memory

Temp are below 45 degrees for the core, below 70 on VRM's

Current max core

1150

Voltage = 1.225

If i raise voltage i get crashes, if i rais voltage above 1.26x my monitor losses picture.

What's going on, OVP? OCP? I have great VRM and core temps, i want higher!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Took 3 days instead of 2 to deliver from Germany to east coast US.


at least its not like a week to ship from NSW to Victoria...


----------



## Krusher33

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Well I ordered the EK block. I'll find out if it works soon. I'm 99% sure it will.
> 
> Now I have a question, I downloaded the waterblock instructions and in there they show how to apply TIM. They recommend using a cross pattern. I have always used the pea method. Which is best? I'm using MX-4.


Pea method is fine.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Well I ordered the EK block. I'll find out if it works soon. I'm 99% sure it will.
> 
> Now I have a question, I downloaded the waterblock instructions and in there they show how to apply TIM. They recommend using a cross pattern. I have always used the pea method. Which is best? I'm using MX-4.


Skip the mx4 and get some clu.

https://imageshack.com/i/f53kmxj


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Krusher33*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Well I ordered the EK block. I'll find out if it works soon. I'm 99% sure it will.
> 
> Now I have a question, I downloaded the waterblock instructions and in there they show how to apply TIM. They recommend using a cross pattern. I have always used the pea method. Which is best? I'm using MX-4.
> 
> 
> 
> Pea method is fine.
Click to expand...

yep
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Well I ordered the EK block. I'll find out if it works soon. I'm 99% sure it will.
> 
> Now I have a question, I downloaded the waterblock instructions and in there they show how to apply TIM. They recommend using a cross pattern. I have always used the pea method. Which is best? I'm using MX-4.
> 
> 
> 
> Skip the mx4 and get some clu.
> 
> https://imageshack.com/i/f53kmxj
Click to expand...


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Water block showed up from Aquatuning.us today. Have to say I am impressed with them. UPS I am not so impressed with but with the weather up north they did a good job to. Took 3 days instead of 2 to deliver from Germany to east coast US. So I have my second 7990 water block going to try and get it installed tonight after work. See where the temps go.
> 
> Purchased the aquacool 7990 water block.If any one needs a water block for the 7990 they still have some left.
> 
> http://www.aquatuning.us/product_info.php/info/p16063_Alphacool-NexXxoS-ATXP-Nvidia-ATI-7990---Edelstahl-poliert---Schwarz-Silber.html


Got the 7990 water block on temps are a little off on the second one. Think I might have to tighten down the screws a little. GPU1 42C GPU2 44C GPU 3 50C GPU4 57C These are loaded temps. Also The postal service forgot to leave my box tonight with the flow sensor in it. So probably tomorrow night or Sunday ill Drain the loop to install it and while I am at it Tighten the screws. See if I can bring the temps down a little. The temps also might be temperature gain threw the blocks. I hope not but I am having the sneaky sneaky.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Skip the mx4 and get some clu.
> 
> https://imageshack.com/i/f53kmxj


das how ye do et!

also, like your profile pic tsm


----------



## Mega Man

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/22593/cab-1928/EVGA_PCI-E_Power_Boost_Cable_100-MB-PB01-BR.html

anyone else find this highly ironic, considering they only make nvidia and they suck @ mining ?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/22593/cab-1928/EVGA_PCI-E_Power_Boost_Cable_100-MB-PB01-BR.html
> 
> anyone else find this highly ironic, considering they only make nvidia and they suck @ mining ?


11bu- yea that's just a moneygrab attempt...


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Skip the mx4 and get some clu.
> 
> https://imageshack.com/i/f53kmxj


Be careful with CLU. It has a bad reaction with certain metals and sometimes it can harden on the surface of chips. You would have to sand it off, which would kill the GPU.


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Skip the mx4 and get some clu.
> 
> https://imageshack.com/i/f53kmxj
> 
> 
> 
> Be careful with CLU. It has a bad reaction with certain metals and sometimes it can harden on the surface of chips. You would have to sand it off, which would kill the GPU.
Click to expand...

I believe it's Galium that reacts poorly with aluminium and/or copper.


----------



## wanna_buy

I have an ASUS card. Will it be OK if I use MSI Afterburner instead of GPU Tweak to regulate fan speed?


----------



## anubis1127

Yes, that is fine.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I have an ASUS card. Will it be OK if I use MSI Afterburner instead of GPU Tweak to regulate fan speed?


For fan speed, yes. If you have a Matrix you can't change teh volts without it...


----------



## wanna_buy

Yes I have Matrix. Also I have Lynnfield i7 on stock, hi-end Gigabyte motherboard, several case fans and several hi-end HDDs. My PSU is a bit older: Corsair HX650 Bronze that has been serving me for more than three years. Online calculator says that my system needs 600W power. Is my PSU enough or should I upgrade it too?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Yes I have Matrix. Also I have Lynnfield i7 on stock, hi-end Gigabyte motherboard, several case fans and several hi-end HDDs. My PSU is a bit older: Corsair HX650 Bronze that has been serving me for more than three years. Online calculator says that my system needs 600W power. Is my PSU enough or should I upgrade it too?


If you want to overvolt your Matrix you will need to stick with GPU Tweak. That said, I wouldn't overvolt it too much on your current PSU. It may be time to look into a newer one, only problem is PSUs are a bit costly to buy right now.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> If you want to overvolt your Matrix you will need to stick with GPU Tweak. That said, I wouldn't overvolt it too much on your current PSU. It may be time to look into a newer one, only problem is PSUs are a bit costly to buy right now.


I have a trusty HX750 Gold, I have my [email protected] (this thing leaks volts\dat 60% ASIC) and its just fine.

@wanna_buy, the newest GPU tweak on Windows 8 has the issue of resetting your "profile" to stock when you open up a 3D App (at least with the memory underclocked), so you have to press it again. Best way to do this is default settings before you shut down and then when you boot up, go to flash player, apply settings.

BTW: OVERCLOCK DAT I7 to FOUR JIJAHURTZ NAO, unless you want to get sub 30 FPS drops in BF4







Your Lynfield will draw maybe 200W OCd, plus another 250-300 with the Matrix, and about 20W from the rest so you should have some room to OC..


----------



## wanna_buy

Well, I haven't overclocked anything except CPU. I don't plan to overclock video cards to let them last longer.

I had tried overclocking my i7 CPU to 4GHz. Unfortunately I couldn't get stable it enough no matter how many volts were pushed to it. I had a thread started for it, but nobody could help me. Now I am just running @ stock. As far as I know the games won't be limited by my CPU. It's only synthetic benchmarks that need more CPU power to saturate the potential of GPU and give highest scores possible.


----------



## breenemeister

Just joined. Got a MSI 7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE as a replacement for my 6970 Lightning that died about a month ago still under warranty. So far, I was able to mine litecoins overnight at 1050 core 1700 mem at stock voltage. HWiNFO64 is showing GPU VRM Voltage Out as 1.111 V, GPU-Z shows 1.133, and Afterburner shows 1.219. I have an aggressive fan profile currently running 85% at 76 C on the core. Loud as







VRMS seem high at a max of 97.0 C and 78.0 C.


----------



## jeanspaulo

Hello guys, I need some help.
I have a Asus HD7970 DCU II Top and LG 29'' Ultrawide 2560 x 1080 , my problem is that I'm trying to use them on the maximum resolution but I couldn't figure out how to achive that till now. I'm using the latest AMD driver but on the Catalyst Control panel the maximum res that appear is 1920 x 1080.
What i'm doing wrong ?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I have an ASUS card. Will it be OK if I use MSI Afterburner instead of GPU Tweak to regulate fan speed?
> 
> 
> 
> For fan speed, yes. If you have a Matrix you can't change teh volts without it...
Click to expand...

this
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Yes I have Matrix. Also I have Lynnfield i7 on stock, hi-end Gigabyte motherboard, several case fans and several hi-end HDDs. My PSU is a bit older: Corsair HX650 Bronze that has been serving me for more than three years. Online calculator says that my system needs 600W power. Is my PSU enough or should I upgrade it too?
> 
> 
> 
> If you want to overvolt your Matrix you will need to stick with GPU Tweak. That said, I wouldn't overvolt it too much on your current PSU. It may be time to look into a newer one, only problem is PSUs are a bit costly to buy right now.
Click to expand...

meh he wont need to worry he could not oc it if he wanted to, it is a matrix







" 20 million phases and none of them work "
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Hello guys, I need some help.
> I have a Asus HD7970 DCU II Top and LG 29'' Ultrawide 2560 x 1080 , my problem is that I'm trying to use them on the maximum resolution but I couldn't figure out how to achive that till now. I'm using the latest AMD driver but on the Catalyst Control panel the maximum res that appear is 1920 x 1080.
> What i'm doing wrong ?


using what connection ?


----------



## jeanspaulo

I already tryed all the connections, DVI (vga) to DVI (monitor) , DVI (vga) to HDMI (monitor), Displayport (vga) to HDMI (monitor), Displayport (vga) to DVI (monitor), the only connection I didnt tryed was displayport to displayport


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this
> meh he wont need to worry he could not oc it if he wanted to, it is a matrix
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> " 20 million phases and none of them work "
> using what connection ?


Yep, most overkill VRM system ever same as the Ares II lol.. It is really a marketing gimmick, ASUS has tons of them (Triple slot cooler, extra 4 pin power on ROG boards, "Hybrid Water\Air cooler", "Load LED indicators", etc. The Matrix needs lots of volts and thus is only really good with water, I need like 1.325V to get to 1240MHz and 1.7 on the memory to get 7GHz...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this
> meh he wont need to worry he could not oc it if he wanted to, it is a matrix
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> " 20 million phases and none of them work "
> using what connection ?
> 
> 
> 
> Yep, most overkill VRM system ever same as the Ares II lol.. It is really a marketing gimmick, ASUS has tons of them (Triple slot cooler, extra 4 pin power on ROG boards, "Hybrid Water\Air cooler", "Load LED indicators", etc. The Matrix needs lots of volts and thus is only really good with water, I need like 1.325V to get to 1240MHz and 1.7 on the memory to get 7GHz...
Click to expand...

actually the newest atx spec that i know of is speced for 2x8 pins and i can easily make the case for the extra 4 pin, you want it if you do L2N which from what i have seen, rog is what most ppl use for L2N


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> I already tryed all the connections, DVI (vga) to DVI (monitor) , DVI (vga) to HDMI (monitor), Displayport (vga) to HDMI (monitor), Displayport (vga) to DVI (monitor), the only connection I didnt tryed was displayport to displayport


Any clues ?


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *breenemeister*
> 
> Just joined. Got a MSI 7970 TF 3GD5/OC BE as a replacement for my 6970 Lightning that died about a month ago still under warranty. So far, I was able to mine litecoins overnight at 1050 core 1700 mem at stock voltage. HWiNFO64 is showing GPU VRM Voltage Out as 1.111 V, GPU-Z shows 1.133, and Afterburner shows 1.219. I have an aggressive fan profile currently running 85% at 76 C on the core. Loud as
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> VRMS seem high at a max of 97.0 C and 78.0 C.


General warning about afterburner - it shows (at least it used to) what voltage you set, not actual card voltage; to get this, there are two lines of code you need to add in one of the files to see actual voltage (I have 2 of the same cards).

Also, the cooler does not make contact with the vrm's so good airflow is important to keep them cool (or a fc block







)!

Edit: out of curiosity, what hash rate are you getting?


----------



## criznit

Hey guys, could someone remove me from the list? I got a new card recently


----------



## X-Alt

Change the paste,look at the newest photo. That is the paste of an RMA TF3 card..


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> I already tryed all the connections, DVI (vga) to DVI (monitor) , DVI (vga) to HDMI (monitor), Displayport (vga) to HDMI (monitor), Displayport (vga) to DVI (monitor), the only connection I didnt tryed was displayport to displayport
> 
> 
> 
> Any clues ?
Click to expand...

are you using a duallink DVI cord ? iirc the only connections that will work for that res is dual link dvi or hdmi or DP

i know fora fact the dual link dvi and DP will work but i dont know about hdmi 100% but iirc you can run 4k with it so i dont see why not.

i see alota VGA in that list, VGA is a old standard and very low for the res you want to run


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> For sale is: Video card which my ex tenants left in the house which they trashed and moved out. This thing looks expensive I visually inspected- it has no scratches and damages visible, but since it was left in the house, it might not be working- I have no way of checking it.. if you like to gamble -this auction is for you.
> I will pack it well and ship it within 2 days after auction end
> For obvious reasons here's no refunds, Than You!


http://www.ebay.com/itm/gigabyte-7950-as-is-no-reserve/301076657215?_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D18844%26meid%3D4373938988060440756%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D8532%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D221359606121%26

Who wants to take a gamble? LOL I would if I had the cash!


----------



## mitchy1690

Hello everyone, i'm hoping someone could help me.

I've been using my 7990 for around a month now and couldnt be happier, last night i played 4 hours of BF4 and it ran smooth but today i turned it on and started getting artifacts all of the screen then it crashed with a dx error, device removed device hung or something, so i tried Arma3 and a few others and all crashed after about 1 minute from loading the game.

Temps usually sit around 65 as i cap my FPS.

I ran BF4 in windowed mode and it ran perfectly then switched to full screen and artifacts started again.

Sapphire 7990
Windows 8.1 Pro
Intel Core i7-4770K
Asus Z87 MAXIMUS VI FORMULA
8GB Avexir Blitz 2000Mhz
EVGA SupaNOVA 1300

Nothing Overclocked.

Here is a video from BF4 - https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/56249660/MOV_0134.mp4


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> Hello everyone, i'm hoping someone could help me.
> 
> I've been using my 7990 for around a month now and couldnt be happier, last night i played 4 hours of BF4 and it ran smooth but today i turned it on and started getting artifacts all of the screen then it crashed with a dx error, device removed device hung or something, so i tried Arma3 and a few others and all crashed after about 1 minute from loading the game.
> 
> Temps usually sit around 65 as i cap my FPS.
> 
> I ran BF4 in windowed mode and it ran perfectly then switched to full screen and artifacts started again.
> 
> Sapphire 7990
> Windows 8.1 Pro
> Intel Core i7-4770K
> Asus Z87 MAXIMUS VI FORMULA
> 8GB Avexir Blitz 2000Mhz
> EVGA SupaNOVA 1300
> 
> Nothing Overclocked.
> 
> Here is a video from BF4 - https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/56249660/MOV_0134.mp4


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yep


This is where I say one of three things
1) Shut the machine down let it cool start the machine and try it.
2)You might want to try re TImming the GPU and replacing the thermal pads.
3)you might have a bad card


----------



## Mega Man

yea right " they left it" " no warranty"

IE DOES NOT WORK STAY AWAY


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> Hello everyone, i'm hoping someone could help me.
> 
> I've been using my 7990 for around a month now and couldnt be happier, last night i played 4 hours of BF4 and it ran smooth but today i turned it on and started getting artifacts all of the screen then it crashed with a dx error, device removed device hung or something, so i tried Arma3 and a few others and all crashed after about 1 minute from loading the game.
> 
> Temps usually sit around 65 as i cap my FPS.
> 
> I ran BF4 in windowed mode and it ran perfectly then switched to full screen and artifacts started again.
> 
> Sapphire 7990
> Windows 8.1 Pro
> Intel Core i7-4770K
> Asus Z87 MAXIMUS VI FORMULA
> 8GB Avexir Blitz 2000Mhz
> EVGA SupaNOVA 1300
> 
> Nothing Overclocked.
> 
> Here is a video from BF4 - https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/56249660/MOV_0134.mp4


I wouldnt even mess around with it. Just rma it for a new one.


----------



## Krusher33

Agreed. Not sure how someone could forget a card like that.


----------



## Escovado

This is an update to a post I made to this thread about 4 months ago.

Since then, I have done a bit of overclocking of my system and I'd like to post some benchmarks and power consumption statistics. The power measurements were taken at the wall plug from the PSU.

The full system specs for the benchmarks:

*CPU: Intel Core i7-4930K Ivy Bridge-E @ 4.6GHz, Core 1.5V* (the best I could get and keep it stable).
Motherboard: ASUS Rampage IV Extreme.
Memory: 32GB Corsair Dominator GT @ 1866MHz.
*GPUs: two AMD Radeon 7990s in CrossfireX @ 1200MHz, RAM @ 1500MHz, Core 1.3V*
Soundcard: Soundblaster ZX
Cooling control: Aquaero 5 XT
Pumps: 2 D5 pumps in series.
Radiators: two Hardware Labs SR-1 480s and one SR-1 380.
Fans: 31 Noctua PWM fans (22 on the radiators in push-pull, and 9 on the case).
CaseLabs Magnum TH10 case.
Power Supply: Lepa G1600W
Storage: 1 Samsung 1TB 840 Evo SSD, 1 Hitachi 4TB mechanical drive, and 1 LG blu-ray drive.
EK water blocks on everything.

A photo of the system:



And a photo of the watt meter used during the benchmarks:



The Benchmarks...

*System Idle*

Peak Power Consumption: 258 W .

*3DMark Firestrike Extreme*

Peak Power Consumption: 1335 W
Result: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2302285

*3DMark 11 Extreme*

Peak Power Consumption: 1301 W
Result: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7879673

*3DMark Vantage Extreme*

Peak Power Consumption: 1315 W
Result: http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4937438

*Metro Last Light*

_Options: Resolution: 1920 x 1200; DirectX: DirectX 11; Quality: Very High; Texture filtering: AF 16X; Advanced PhysX: Disabled; Tesselation: Very High; Motion Blur: Normal; SSAA: ON;_
Peak Power Consumption: 918 W
Result: Average Framerate: 58.00, Max. Framerate: 166.75, Min. Framerate: 9.75.

*Metro 2033*

_Options: Resolution: 1920 x 1200; DirectX: DirectX 11; Quality: Very High; Antialiasing: MSAA 4X; Texture filtering: AF 16X; Advanced PhysX: Disabled; Tesselation: Enabled; DOF: Enabled_
Peak Power Consumption: 1276 W
Result: Average Framerate: 110.92, Max. Framerate: 228.89, Min. Framerate: 9.96

*Cinebench R15 64-bi*t

CPU Multicore
Peak Power Consumption: 685 W
Result: 1215

OpenGL
Peak Power Consumption: 654 W
Result: 115.76 fps

*Heaven Benchmark 4.0*

_Settings: Render Direct3D11, Mode 1920x1200 8xAA fullscreen, Quality Ultra, Tessellation Extreme_
Peak Power Consumption: 1238 W
Result: FPS 134.9, Score 3397, Min FPS 28.3, Max FPS 284.7

*Valley Benchmark 1.0*

_Settings: Render Direct3D11, Mode 1920x1200 8xAA fullscreen, Preset Extreme HD_
Peak Power Consumption: 902 W
Result: FPS 89.9, Score 3761, Min FPS 32.2, Max FPS 188.3

*STALKER Call of Pripyat Benchmark*

_Settings: DirectX 11, 1920x1200, Use DX10.1 yes, tessellation yes, Contact hardening shadows yes, MSAA A-test 2x, SSAO mode 1, SSAO quality 2_
Peak Power Consumption: 1409 W
Result: Night 219.79 fps avg, Rain 248.29 fps avg, SunShafts 187.56 fps avg.

*Battlefield 4 Kunlun Mountains outdoors using Fraps*

_Settings: 1920x1200 Ultra_
Peak Power Consumption: 1191 W
Fraps: 192.473 fps avg.

*OCCT 4.4 Power Supply Torture Tes*t

_DirectX11 (1920x1200, fullscreen, 64-bit Linpack, Use all logical cores)_
Peak Power Consumption: 896 W

_DirectX9 (1920x1200, fullscreen, 64-bit Linpack, Use all logical cores)_
Peak Power Consumption: 1685 W

I hope someone finds this useful / interesting.


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> are you using a duallink DVI cord ? iirc the only connections that will work for that res is dual link dvi or hdmi or DP
> 
> i know fora fact the dual link dvi and DP will work but i dont know about hdmi 100% but iirc you can run 4k with it so i dont see why not.
> 
> i see alota VGA in that list, VGA is a old standard and very low for the res you want to run


Thanks Mega Man, abou the "vga" on my list I was intend to mean the video card side of the cable (rsrs) so DVI (vga) to DVI (monitor) = DVI (Video Card) to DVI (monitor). Sorry about the wrong info.
So on my tests were:
DVI to DVI cable, HDMI to DVI cable (both sides), DisplayPort to HDMI (both sides) , DisplayPort to DVI.

The cable that comes with the monitor its a DVI-D.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I wouldnt even mess around with it. Just rma it for a new one.


Option number 4 if its still under warrantee.


----------



## mitchy1690

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I wouldnt even mess around with it. Just rma it for a new one.


I had a small game of bf4 on windowed mode and it crashed with 2 errors and now wont load and everyother game just crashes the computer

so guess im gonna RMA it lol.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/56249660/7990.png


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Thanks Mega Man, abou the "vga" on my list I was intend to mean the video card side of the cable (rsrs) so DVI (vga) to DVI (monitor) = DVI (Video Card) to DVI (monitor). Sorry about the wrong info.
> So on my tests were:
> DVI to DVI cable, HDMI to DVI cable (both sides), DisplayPort to HDMI (both sides) , DisplayPort to DVI.
> 
> The cable that comes with the monitor its a DVI-D.


Sometimes those little connectors are single link i have found. The mass spectrometer i use at work has a 30in 1600p monitor on it and i ordered a dual link dvi cable for it (not a.cheap one). The card in the back of the workstation only has a displayport link. So i used a dvi to display port adapter and could only get 1080p. I ordered a dp to dp cable and the resolution shows up. Try dp to dp.


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Sometimes those little connectors are single link i have found. The mass spectrometer i use at work has a 30in 1600p monitor on it and i ordered a dual link dvi cable for it (not a.cheap one). The card in the back of the workstation only has a displayport link. So i used a dvi to display port adapter and could only get 1080p. I ordered a dp to dp cable and the resolution shows up. Try dp to dp.


Thanks, I'll try that.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> Hello everyone, i'm hoping someone could help me.
> 
> I've been using my 7990 for around a month now and couldnt be happier, last night i played 4 hours of BF4 and it ran smooth but today i turned it on and started getting artifacts all of the screen then it crashed with a dx error, device removed device hung or something, so i tried Arma3 and a few others and all crashed after about 1 minute from loading the game.
> 
> Temps usually sit around 65 as i cap my FPS.
> 
> I ran BF4 in windowed mode and it ran perfectly then switched to full screen and artifacts started again.
> 
> Sapphire 7990
> Windows 8.1 Pro
> Intel Core i7-4770K
> Asus Z87 MAXIMUS VI FORMULA
> 8GB Avexir Blitz 2000Mhz
> EVGA SupaNOVA 1300
> 
> Nothing Overclocked.
> 
> Here is a video from BF4 - https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/56249660/MOV_0134.mp4


After seeing that video, I concur: RMA the card.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> This is an update to a post I made to this thread about 4 months ago.
> 
> A photo of the system:


I love that copper rig, good to hear you have it all going on good clocks








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Thanks Mega Man, abou the "vga" on my list I was intend to mean the video card side of the cable (rsrs) so DVI (vga) to DVI (monitor) = DVI (Video Card) to DVI (monitor). Sorry about the wrong info.
> So on my tests were:
> DVI to DVI cable, HDMI to DVI cable (both sides), DisplayPort to HDMI (both sides) , DisplayPort to DVI.
> 
> The cable that comes with the monitor its a DVI-D.


yea the DVI-D cable should be dual-link and sufficient, BUT, have you remembered to flip the BIOS switch on the card to enable the main DVI port to run dual-link? the DCII needs that or you only have 6 single display rails, instead of a dual-link port like the rest of the 79x0's have. pretty sure the DCII can support up to 1440p too per displayport (not DVI and NOT using a converter/adapter, direct to monitor only).


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I love that copper rig, good to hear you have it all going on good clocks


Thanks! Now, it's time to run up that electric bill!


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I love that copper rig, good to hear you have it all going on good clocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yea the DVI-D cable should be dual-link and sufficient, BUT, have you remembered to flip the BIOS switch on the card to enable the main DVI port to run dual-link? the DCII needs that or you only have 6 single display rails, instead of a dual-link port like the rest of the 79x0's have. pretty sure the DCII can support up to 1440p too per displayport (not DVI and NOT using a converter/adapter, direct to monitor only).


Damn rsr I didnt know about this BIOS switch, where its located on the card?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Damn rsr I didnt know about this BIOS switch, where its located on the card?


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Damn rsr I didnt know about this BIOS switch, where its located on the card?

















:bruce: I found the very little switch.. now its working on the max res 2560 x 1080 thanks a lot Paul17041993 and anubis1127


----------



## anubis1127

Excellent, glad you got it sorted.


----------



## chronicfx

Wow, was unaware of that too. Thanks guys for the bios flip tip on those particular cards.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> I had a small game of bf4 on windowed mode and it crashed with 2 errors and now wont load and everyother game just crashes the computer
> 
> so guess im gonna RMA it lol.
> 
> Is that BF4 or 3 Is your card over clocked. It will cause the error you listed before you RMA the card.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I quoted myself OPPPPsss


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> I had a small game of bf4 on windowed mode and it crashed with 2 errors and now wont load and everyother game just crashes the computer
> 
> so guess im gonna RMA it lol.
> 
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/56249660/7990.png


Is that BF4 or 3 Is your card over clocked. It will cause the error you listed before you RMA the card. thumb.gif


----------



## mitchy1690

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Is that BF4 or 3 Is your card over clocked. It will cause the error you listed before you RMA the card. thumb.gif


BF4, tried other games aswell, Card is default clock's, i tried underclocking the Core and Memory which didnt help at all.

Gutted, the company dont sell the cards anymore so dont know if im gonna get another 7990, might just get my money back


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> BF4, tried other games aswell, Card is default clock's, i tried underclocking the Core and Memory which didnt help at all.
> 
> Gutted, the company dont sell the cards anymore so dont know if im gonna get another 7990, might just get my money back


If you have a receipt you can send it into the manufacture for a RMA.Did you get it from newegg and what brand is the card.


----------



## mitchy1690

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> If you have a receipt you can send it into the manufacture for a RMA.Did you get it from newegg and what brand is the card.


I'm from the UK so i bought it from scan.co.uk, they dropped the price down to £420 which was a bargain and now all UK shops have it back up to around £800


----------



## breenemeister

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> General warning about afterburner - it shows (at least it used to) what voltage you set, not actual card voltage; to get this, there are two lines of code you need to add in one of the files to see actual voltage (I have 2 of the same cards).
> 
> Also, the cooler does not make contact with the vrm's so good airflow is important to keep them cool (or a fc block
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )!
> 
> Edit: out of curiosity, what hash rate are you getting?


I think I figured out after some googling and what-not that I needed to look at the GPU VRM Voltage Out (VOUT/VID) in HWinFO64 to get the real information. That and the VDDC reading in GPU-Z both showed right around 1.13v. However, strangely after stopping the mining after a whole night and restarting at a lower core clock and memory speed, they showed around 1.21v and wouldn't go any lower, even when I stopped and the core clock dropped to 500 MHz. After a reboot, the core voltage still showed 1.2 until it sat idle and went back down to 500 MHz. It's strange that it suddenly decided to throw more voltage at the chip. It was only showing 1.13 under heavy load prior to that.

I'm really only using Afterburner for the custom fan profile. I left all core voltage, core clock, memory voltage and clock, and powertune settings alone. I'm using a script file only when mining to set all that. However, in the general AB settings, I have checked the box to extend official overclocking limits, left the block for disable ULPS blank, set Unofficial overclocking mode with PowerPlay support and have a checkmark in the box for Reset display mode on applying unofficial overclocking.

Concerning VRM temperatures, I have good airflow in the case. If I take the side panel off while mining, the core temperature will actually go up by 3 degrees C which then raises the fan speed by 3 percent. It drops back down when I put the side panel back on. However, maybe I need to take a spare AP-15 fan and mount it in the case to blow directly on the VRMs. I think I'm going to buy an Accellero 7970 extreme. I can't deal with the fan noise on this thing. I was reading another post about how someone mounted that, but still used the factory plate to cover the VRMs along with a new thermal pad.

As for mining, with core at 1050 and memory at 1700, I had averaged 712 MH/s over like 10 hours.

I'd be very interested in seeing your lines of code that make afterburner show the correct voltage. I've got too many monitoring utilities running. +rep


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *breenemeister*
> 
> I think I figured out after some googling and what-not that I needed to look at the GPU VRM Voltage Out (VOUT/VID) in HWinFO64 to get the real information.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Rest of post
> 
> 
> 
> That and the VDDC reading in GPU-Z both showed right around 1.13v. However, strangely after stopping the mining after a whole night and restarting at a lower core clock and memory speed, they showed around 1.21v and wouldn't go any lower, even when I stopped and the core clock dropped to 500 MHz. After a reboot, the core voltage still showed 1.2 until it sat idle and went back down to 500 MHz. It's strange that it suddenly decided to throw more voltage at the chip. It was only showing 1.13 under heavy load prior to that.
> 
> I'm really only using Afterburner for the custom fan profile. I left all core voltage, core clock, memory voltage and clock, and powertune settings alone. I'm using a script file only when mining to set all that. However, in the general AB settings, I have checked the box to extend official overclocking limits, left the block for disable ULPS blank, set Unofficial overclocking mode with PowerPlay support and have a checkmark in the box for Reset display mode on applying unofficial overclocking.
> 
> Concerning VRM temperatures, I have good airflow in the case. If I take the side panel off while mining, the core temperature will actually go up by 3 degrees C which then raises the fan speed by 3 percent. It drops back down when I put the side panel back on. However, maybe I need to take a spare AP-15 fan and mount it in the case to blow directly on the VRMs. I think I'm going to buy an Accellero 7970 extreme. I can't deal with the fan noise on this thing. I was reading another post about how someone mounted that, but still used the factory plate to cover the VRMs along with a new thermal pad.
> 
> As for mining, with core at 1050 and memory at 1700, I had averaged 712 MH/s over like 10 hours.
> 
> I'd be very interested in seeing your lines of code that make afterburner show the correct voltage. I've got too many monitoring utilities running. +rep


That's very strange, I'm not sure why it would bump up the voltage. Voltage dropping under heavy load is normal (called Vdroop), however if it is reporting 1.21 now under load when it was reporting 1.13 earlier that's odd. It is possible that lowering the clocks resulted in less Vdroop under load; however I'm not 100% on this. What is your voltage set to in afterburner? Afterburner will override settings from CCC if you hit "Apply overclocking at system startup", which could be setting the card to 1.256V instead of what's in your scrypt file, which is what happened to me the first time I installed it. (This could also be why your card is reading 1.21 under load perhaps??)

Also, I have found that CGMiner doesn't control the settings properly for my card (no control over voltage/clocks at all), which is why I set all those in afterburner, but that's just me and YMMV.

VRM temps on these cards definitely run hot, 80-85C is not uncommon I'm told. While mining my VRM temps are 75/65 on card 1 and 72/61 on card 2. This is under-volted to 1100mv core (still trying to find lowest stable VCore for mining, but this is 1.02V effective after Vdroop on my cards).

For mining I use 1050/1500 core/mem settings, anything higher and I lose major hashrate.

The code for getting actual voltage to display in afterburner is as follows:

With Afterburner closed, open your Afterburner install directory, traverse to profiles. There will be a config file for each card or cards inside. If you have more files than cards, then you can just delete all the files, ie. VEN_1002&DEV....cfg. This will effectively reset Afterburner. Now run Afterburner again and it will configure your cards and create new config files. Now you can edit the newly created config files. Close AB and...

Add this under the Settings for each card you have.

[Settings]
VDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0
MVDDC_CHL8228_VIDReadback = 0

Source

-Strat

Edit: As for the Accellero, I don't have any experience with it as I have water blocks on the way for my cards. These cards definitely aren't quiet at full load!


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> BF4, tried other games aswell, Card is default clock's, i tried underclocking the Core and Memory which didnt help at all.
> 
> Gutted, the company dont sell the cards anymore so dont know if im gonna get another 7990, might just get my money back


If you got it for cheap and the money back will not net you another 7990 contact the card manufacturer for RMA. Who made it?


----------



## mitchy1690

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> If you got it for cheap and the money back will not net you another 7990 contact the card manufacturer for RMA. Who made it?


Sapphire, i was thinking about that, they have stopped selling the 7990 which makes me think i will get my money back and will have to buy a 290x or 780ti


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mitchy1690*
> 
> Sapphire, i was thinking about that, they have stopped selling the 7990 which makes me think i will get my money back and will have to buy a 290x or 780ti


If you RMA it, Sapphire will most likely exchange it with a refurbished unit. Can you get your money back from the retailer?


----------



## chronicfx

Amazon buyers are like... I dunno.. I received one of those questions to someone who owns an r9 290x in my email asking if the buyer could crossfire his 7970 with the r9 290x? So i answer him and explain that hawaii and tahiti cannot xfire with eachother but he could do it with a 280x as it is also using a tahiti core.. Anyways the other six people who also answered said yes he could.... Smh...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Amazon buyers are like... I dunno.. I received one of those questions to someone who owns an r9 290x in my email asking if the buyer could crossfire his 7970 with the r9 290x? So i answer him and explain that hawaii and tahiti cannot xfire with eachother but he could do it with a 280x as it is also using a tahiti core.. *Anyways the other six people who also answered said yes he could*.... Smh...


----------



## calavera

edit: nevermind


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *calavera*
> 
> I have a problem with my 7950 dual-x card and connecting 3 monitors (actually 2 monitors and one cintiq 22HD tablet but it's no different from a monitor) all at once. The card has 2x mini DP, 1x HDMI and 1xDVI. Currently two monitors are connected using mini DP and DVI.
> 
> I tried to add a 3rd to HDMI but it just doesn't work. I tried a DVI to HDMI dongle and the HDMI port on the card just doesn't work no matter what I connect it to. Will I need an active adapter or something for all three?


I think the hdmi shares the bandwidth w/ the dvi connection. So you'll need to use the additional dp. Not 100% sure since custom boards w/ different connectors may work slightly different then the reference.


----------



## Paul17041993

7970, its only two digital ports and any displayports (with active converters or direct monitor connections), if you tried two DVI and the HDMI it wont work, the HDMI is just a split from the second (single-link) DVI, HOWEVER, the 280X (proper design, some rebadge cards don't have this) has a clock splitter that allows all 3 ports to work provided you use the same monitor specs.

in short, for 79x0, its an active adapter for each monitor above the first two. (1 for 3, 2 for 4, etc).


----------



## thrgk

i have 2 7970s on water, and at 1250/1700 1.3v, i am fine but if i up the core to 1300 and voltage to 1320, then i get microshuttering, but bf4 still plays fine for hours, is there anyway to get rid of this, or just to high clock speed?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> i have 2 7970s on water, and at 1250/1700 1.3v, i am fine but if i up the core to 1300 and voltage to 1320, then i get microshuttering, but bf4 still plays fine for hours, is there anyway to get rid of this, or just to high clock speed?


Sure its just not the game I am having the studders after the last patch. Waiting for them to fix it.


----------



## Hewlett-Packard

Hi guys, can't find an answer anywhere.

Here is the thing:

I own a ASUS 7970 Matrix (FLASHED) to 280x, hashrate went from 400 to 760 easily.

I got a 7970 DC2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121560R), can this be flashed to the same bios???

I googled up and down everywhere, can't find an answer.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hewlett-Packard*
> 
> Hi guys, can't find an answer anywhere.
> 
> Here is the thing:
> 
> I own a ASUS 7970 Matrix (FLASHED) to 280x, hashrate went from 400 to 760 easily.
> 
> I got a 7970 DC2 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121560R), can this be flashed to the same bios???
> 
> I googled up and down everywhere, can't find an answer.


yes or no, you just have to try flashing yourself...

and you hashrate on your matrix was 400...? really...?


----------



## Hewlett-Packard

Yep, i flashed it and went up to 760. I'm just worried about bricking the card, I just want to make sure I can unscrew if I screw up


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yes or no, you just have to try flashing yourself...
> 
> and you hashrate on your matrix was 400...? really...?


Its the memory frequency, the higher you go up, the more it suffers. He must have flashed a Matrix Platinum to a regular 280X Matrix (6GHz memory from 6.6GHz). I run 6460, since 6600 is unstable unless you go under water... I have seen DC2 guys flash them into Matrix 7970s and 7970 guys flash to 280X BIOSes, so it should work..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Its the memory frequency, the higher you go up, the more it suffers. He must have flashed a Matrix Platinum to a regular 280X Matrix (6GHz memory from 6.6GHz). I run 6460, since 6600 is unstable unless you go under water... I have seen DC2 guys flash them into Matrix 7970s and 7970 guys flash to 280X BIOSes, so it should work..


must be unstable or something, I had 7000 on mine and actually gained about 20MH/s vs the 5600 stock, this is with bitcoin though ages ago, which mining we talking about?

@Hewlett-Packard it shouldn't brick at all really, same card same BIOS, different stock clocks and displayname, if it does brick then the card is just plain defective and should be RMA'ed (after flashing back if you can).

on that note; (my 7970 DCIIT on 2nd RMA); 20+ days with no response from the distributor, nearly a month already total RMA time... sigh...


----------



## Hewlett-Packard

In that case, when I get my other two matrix platinums I'll fool around with this card. Now I'm getting 600kh running it at E1100Mhz/M1500Mhz so until then I'm happy. I've been seeing people with regular HD7970's from saphire pull 740kh, so I'm slightly upset about it. At any rate, I'll flash it to the 280x bios in a week's time, and report back. I have been searching everywhere and I can't find anything on it.

For as long as I back up the origional bios, I should be able to flash them back since I have two cards running on this rig (a 290x and this DC2


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> must be unstable or something, I had 7000 on mine and actually gained about 20MH/s vs the 5600 stock, this is with bitcoin though ages ago, which mining we talking about?
> 
> @Hewlett-Packard it shouldn't brick at all really, same card same BIOS, different stock clocks and displayname, if it does brick then the card is just plain defective and should be RMA'ed (after flashing back if you can).
> 
> on that note; (my 7970 DCIIT on 2nd RMA); 20+ days with no response from the distributor, nearly a month already total RMA time... sigh...


You happen to have better memory cooling then us it seems, perhaps out Hynix RAM is throttling [email protected]\1.6V? I will replace mine soon since I want a 290 and it has been a love\hate relationship, I will be sorry to see it go since I love its looks and performance overall... The Matrix tends to be a bit meh on Litecoin mining, not the best but oh well.. On my "Litecoin profile" 1250MHz, 1.325V, 5.8GHz memory, I get like 650KHash\s. If you are using Bitcoin, its pointless. That is a bubble waiting to burst and a bunch of 100+Mhash ASICs floating around. Litecoin and Dogecoin are the real way to go..

This guy has a similar situtation: https://litecointalk.org/index.php?topic=5157.0


----------



## Hewlett-Packard

Have you flashed your bios on the matrix plat? It literally changes everything. I have a box fan at the sidepannel just pulling heat away from my computer, that card has some stupid design with those fans, it dumps the heat inside. I suppose it was meant for those upside down cases so you can have an exhaust fan pulling the heat out from the back, but in a reqular atx because it's three slots deep there is nothing I can do other than a 20" Lasko box fan pulling it out and towards my door to get it out of my room lol.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hewlett-Packard*
> 
> Have you flashed your bios on the matrix plat? It literally changes everything. I have a box fan at the sidepannel just pulling heat away from my computer, that card has some stupid design with those fans, it dumps the heat inside. I suppose it was meant for those upside down cases so you can have an exhaust fan pulling the heat out from the back, but in a reqular atx because it's three slots deep there is nothing I can do other than a 20" Lasko box fan pulling it out and towards my door to get it out of my room lol.


I flashed it to a 280X Platinum and it did not change my Hashrate by much. I tried DC2T and it also did nothing to it on my "Litecoin Mining profile". I will have an SP120 on the bottom pulling the air back up once I get my Glacer and move them down..... Max temp on mine is 62C with the fan blowing @63%.


----------



## Hewlett-Packard

Wow that's actually really cool running. Do you want my config file for cgminer?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hewlett-Packard*
> 
> Wow that's actually really cool running. Do you want my config file for cgminer?


I have it fine as is, right now I am in sort of a folding\mining balance crisis


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hewlett-Packard*
> 
> Have you flashed your bios on the matrix plat? It literally changes everything. I have a box fan at the sidepannel just pulling heat away from my computer, that card has some stupid design with those fans, it dumps the heat inside. I suppose it was meant for those upside down cases so you can have an exhaust fan pulling the heat out from the back, but in a reqular atx because it's three slots deep there is nothing I can do other than a 20" Lasko box fan pulling it out and towards my door to get it out of my room lol.


yea like a lot of side-blowing coolers, best bet is an exhaust fan on the side slightly above it, then intakes below.


----------



## Rucka315

Add me


----------



## hucklebuck

Got my EK full coverage block yesterday. It fits!









Just ran a test on Kombuster before water and in 1 minute the GPU Core got up to 70 C, now underwater, in 5 minutes same test 36 C. This is at 800/1250. The PCI-E lane is also 10 C cooler.

Gonna see how far this card can go.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Got my EK full coverage block yesterday. It fits!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just ran a test on Kombuster before water and in 1 minute the GPU Core got up to 70 C, now underwater, in 5 minutes same test 36 C. This is at 800/1250. The PCI-E lane is also 10 C cooler.
> 
> Gonna see how far this card can go.


Huck what are you running?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rucka315*
> 
> Add me


Welcome aboard


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hewlett-Packard*
> 
> In that case, when I get my other two matrix platinums I'll fool around with this card. Now I'm getting 600kh running it at E1100Mhz/M1500Mhz so until then I'm happy. I've been seeing people with regular HD7970's from saphire pull 740kh, so I'm slightly upset about it. At any rate, I'll flash it to the 280x bios in a week's time, and report back. I have been searching everywhere and I can't find anything on it.
> 
> For as long as I back up the original bios, I should be able to flash them back since I have two cards running on this rig (a 290x and this DC2


I get around 600KHS with both my GPUs on a 7990 and around 500Khs on one core with my other older 7990 and 250Khs on the main core. Figured out you need to turn down the main GPU to intensity -11 for your system to keep running windows. With Lt mining.


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I get around 600KHS with both my GPUs on a 7990 and around 500Khs on one core with my other older 7990 and 250Khs on the main core. Figured out you need to turn down the main GPU to intensity -11 for your system to keep running windows. With Lt mining.


those KH for 7990's seem really low?

you should be able to get 690KH + on each core?

however if your running on air, I understand you are probably holding them back for obvious reasons.

anyone thinking of mining with a 7990 on air? all I can say is kiss your card goodbye!

you will burnout your VRM's pretty quick


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Huck what are you running?


MSI 7950.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> those KH for 7990's seem really low?
> 
> you should be able to get 690KH + on each core?
> 
> however if your running on air, I understand you are probably holding them back for obvious reasons.
> 
> anyone thinking of mining with a 7990 on air? all I can say is kiss your card goodbye!
> 
> you will burnout your VRM's pretty quick


Its a myth I am under water and see nothing above 600 KHs at 60C. Then again I am a gamer before a miner so under clocking or stupid over clocking Is not going to happen. This is LT coin mining when I had the bit coin mining running I was seeing 680 x 2 and 550X2.Two different versions of Cg miner.


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Its a myth I am under water and see nothing above 600 KHs at 60C. Then again I am a gamer before a miner so under clocking is not going to happen.


whats a myth?

I run 2 x 7990's under water with guiminer & get between 670kh - 690kh. total 2.7MH roughly?

Good to know your under water though! at least you wont be going up in flames lol?

you really want to check out your settings!

EDIT: download afterburner & force constant voltage & disable ULPS in there?

Use Guiminer & select the 7970 low usage on first 2 cores, set high usage on second 2 cores?

I think ULPS is throttling your cards?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> MSI 7950.


Now I remember good for you.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> whats a myth?
> 
> I run 2 x 7990's under water with guiminer & get between 670kh - 690kh. total 2.7MH roughly?
> 
> Good to know your under water though! at least you wont be going up in flames lol?
> 
> you really want to check out your settings!
> 
> EDIT: download afterburner & force constant voltage & disable ULPS in there?
> 
> Use Guiminer & select the 7970 low usage on first 2 cores, set high usage on second 2 cores?
> 
> I think ULPS is throttling your cards?


With the newer miner for Bit coins yes with the older miner for Light coins no. ULPS turned off. Unless someone has a way to mine for LT coins with a newer miner and if you have a way to hit 670 with the older miner let me know.


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> With the newer miner for Bit coins yes with the older miner for Lt coins no.


what? hmm mining bitcoins with GPU's is just pointless.

why are you still mining litecoins?

If you want to use CGminer still you can & you will get roughly 10kh more per card.

Im just trying to help you out! If those green lights on your GPU's are coming on when you stop mining gaming etc then ULPS is on, & this will give you a lower KH around what you saying 530 - 600?

If you force a constant voltage aswell it will stop it from dropping over time!

believe I have messed with them enough to know that you can definitely get more out of them & still use your rig, as im doing now?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rucka315*
> 
> Add me
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


*fist bump for 7990 in a cube case*



Yours probably fits practically, though.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> what? hmm mining bitcoins with GPU's is just pointless.
> 
> why are you still mining litecoins?
> 
> If you want to use CGminer still you can & you will get roughly 10kh more per card.
> 
> Im just trying to help you out! If those green lights on your GPU's are coming on when you stop mining gaming etc then ULPS is on, & this will give you a lower KH around what you saying 530 - 600?
> 
> If you force a constant voltage aswell it will stop it from dropping over time!
> 
> believe I have messed with them enough to know that you can definitely get more out of them & still use your rig, as im doing now?


I can pull the 650+ for bit coin mining. I am trying to light coin mine. I appreciate the help. The ULPS is definitely off. I turn it off after every driver update.


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I can pull the 650+ for bit coin mining. I am trying to light coin mine.


I am mining scrypt coins? I use to get the same mining LTC? look



im just trying to help you get more out of them & cause you less wasted electricity?

http://bitly.com/guiminerscryptnet

disable ulps & force constant voltage etc? no overclocking or anything


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> I am mining scrypt coins? I use to get the same mining LTC? look
> 
> 
> 
> im just trying to help you get more out of them & cause you less wasted electricity?
> 
> http://bitly.com/guiminerscryptnet
> 
> disable ulps & force constant voltage etc? no overclocking or anything


Any way to get a better screen shot. Cant see anything. Thanks


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> I am mining scrypt coins? I use to get the same mining LTC? look
> 
> 
> 
> im just trying to help you get more out of them & cause you less wasted electricity?
> 
> http://bitly.com/guiminerscryptnet
> 
> disable ulps & force constant voltage etc? no overclocking or anything
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any way to get a better screen shot. Cant see anything. Thanks
Click to expand...

click on the picture in his post, then click "original" in the bottom right.


----------



## Rucka315

7990 in the case. Early next month I'm making a custom loop maybe add some lights. I am up for ideas if you guys have any thanks.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rucka315*
> 
> 7990 in the case. Early next month I'm making a custom loop maybe add some lights. I am up for ideas if you guys have any thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -snip-


being a corsair case, Id imagine white lights would go really well, water could be blue coloured and/or lighted, UV even, I think anything else might come out a bit unbalanced. Id mention the noctua looks kinda fugly but seeing as your planing water that shouldn't be a problem anyway.









I have to question why noctua are so tight on their cream and maroon palette, noone seems to make cases in a similar theme so they tend to stick out something awful unless its a full unpainted stainless steel chassis...


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> I am mining scrypt coins? I use to get the same mining LTC? look
> 
> 
> 
> im just trying to help you get more out of them & cause you less wasted electricity?
> 
> http://bitly.com/guiminerscryptnet
> 
> disable ulps & force constant voltage etc? no overclocking or anything


Rep straight across the board. I still cant get the older 7990 above 550 Though. Thanks


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rucka315*
> 
> Add me
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


welcome !


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rucka315*
> 
> 7990 in the case. Early next month I'm making a custom loop maybe add some lights. I am up for ideas if you guys have any thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


The only thing that comes to my attention about airflow is that the card exhausts large amounts of air towards the window of your case. This means that there will be warm air going every which-way, and probably some of it will be sucked right back through your CPU cooler. Shouldn't be too much of a problem, though. There's not much you can do with that full window side panel.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> being a corsair case, Id imagine white lights would go really well, water could be blue coloured and/or lighted, UV even, I think anything else might come out a bit unbalanced. Id mention the noctua looks kinda fugly but seeing as your planing water that shouldn't be a problem anyway.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have to question why noctua are so tight on their cream and maroon palette, noone seems to make cases in a similar theme so they tend to stick out something awful unless its a full unpainted stainless steel chassis...


I've said this before some where, but I personally think that they might just do that whole crazy color thing to make their fans stand out from other companies, so when you see some in a build, you'll think "Oh, those are Noctua's." Just so they're more recognizable than your generic full-black fan. Then again, why they went with some beautiful shades of brown, I have no idea.


----------



## Mega Man

cause they are the color of quality !


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> cause they are the color of quality !


Good point. I personally like the Noctua color scheme. Plus they (sort of) match HD 598s.


----------



## Hewlett-Packard

Hey fellers, I flashed the 7970dc2 to 280x bios, worked like a charm. IT PERFORMS THE SAME AS MY FLASHED MATRIX PLATINUMS

oil beef hooked

I'll post of all my 7970's I'll take them out in a second







ALL 4 OF THEM

Anyway, this DC2 came out to be a steal at open box $300, definitely recommended for mining

EDIT: here they are


http://imgur.com/XJ17mSK


----------



## Ziglez

So i finnaly finished putting my gaming stuff into my new case, and my server stuff into the d8000. I'm getting some weird buzzing noise from the gpu, also it's randomly hitting 80c which it never has done that. Temps under my old rig were about 50c idle 70max?, Now im getting like 40 idle 85 max.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ziglez*
> 
> So i finnaly finished putting my gaming stuff into my new case, and my server stuff into the d8000. I'm getting some weird buzzing noise from the gpu, also it's randomly hitting 80c which it never has done that. Temps under my old rig were about 50c idle 70max?, Now im getting like 40 idle 85 max.


Did any of the actual hardware stuff change? Or was it just the case?


----------



## Ziglez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Did any of the actual hardware stuff change? Or was it just the case?


Well i took out a raid card and an sas expander, changed my power supply, that's about it. I've done a few more tests, max it's gotten is 65, i have no idea why it hit 85 randomly. I reseated the card idk if that was the problem or not.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ziglez*
> 
> Well i took out a raid card and an sas expander, changed my power supply, that's about it. I've done a few more tests, max it's gotten is 65, i have no idea why it hit 85 randomly. I reseated the card idk if that was the problem or not.


Odd. Does it still make noise? The different PSU could cause that. But if the temps are okay now, then whatever.


----------



## Ziglez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Odd. Does it still make noise? The different PSU could cause that. But if the temps are okay now, then whatever.


Nah gpu is silent, i don't even think the fan is spinning atm lol. the gpu makes a weird crackly sound, but it doesn't sound crazy or anyhting, just like if you were to rub a cord against the fins or something. Temps seem fine now


----------



## chronicfx

Sooo... Read the mantle reviews... Would it make sense to move to the enthusiast cpu
Platform in the future and get an extreme edition cpu with more cores? I think my trifire 290x should last another 2 years at least. So that leaves my 3570k as the oldest part in my computer.. Hmmm


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Sooo... Read the mantle reviews... Would it make sense to move to the enthusiast cpu
> Platform in the future and get an extreme edition cpu with more cores? I think my trifire 290x should last another 2 years at least. So that leaves my 3570k as the oldest part in my computer.. Hmmm


If you just use your PC for gaming, no, it wouldn't make sense.


----------



## RavageTheEarth

Just a quick update on my TriFire setup. Some games that don't work so well are Need for Speed Rivals (sky flickering) and Assetto Corsa (everywhere flickering). Assassins Creed along with Hitman Absolution works absolutely perfectly with everything maxed out including MXAA. Steady 60 FPS with vsync on using a moderate overclock of 1100/1500. No dips, no microstutter, nothing but beautiful goodness.


----------



## kahboom

From the looks of it Mantle is ready on Battlefield 4 and just waiting on AMD to release driver now. http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf4/news/view/bf4-mantle-live/


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Just a quick update on my TriFire setup. Some games that don't work so well are Need for Speed Rivals (sky flickering) and Assetto Corsa (everywhere flickering). Assassins Creed along with Hitman Absolution works absolutely perfectly with everything maxed out including MXAA. Steady 60 FPS with vsync on using a moderate overclock of 1100/1500. No dips, no microstutter, nothing but beautiful goodness.


Is hitman any good? I have it but have avoided playing it.


----------



## TRusselo

Does anyone have a spare waterblock for a reference 7950? (HIS 7950 iceq x2 boost). Pm me.

- Sent from my Galaxy S IV
MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Does anyone have a spare waterblock for a reference 7950? (HIS 7950 iceq x2 boost). Pm me.
> 
> - Sent from my Galaxy S IV
> MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
> XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


Are you looking for one used or would new work if I can find somewhere with them.


----------



## TRusselo

A good price and quality for a first water cooling experience. Used works, if it works...

- Sent from my Galaxy S IV
MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Does anyone have a spare waterblock for a reference 7950? (HIS 7950 iceq x2 boost). Pm me.
> 
> - Sent from my Galaxy S IV
> MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
> XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


You need a reference 7970 block:

http://img24.imageshack.us/i/p5bk.jpg/

http://coolingconfigurator.com/step1_complist


----------



## TRusselo

Yup. Knew that. I am cursed with buying defective hardware, at this point with something like a water block I wouldn't mind buying one that has been tried and tested by somebody else that no longer needs it.

- Sent from my Galaxy S IV
MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


----------



## Rickles

... Anyone think we will actually get frame pacing for DX9??

I am starting to think that we won't.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rickles*
> 
> ... Anyone think we will actually get frame pacing for DX9??
> 
> I am starting to think that we won't.


maybe CCC doesnt like seeing all 4....

AMD hasnt given two noodles about DX9 for almost 2 years now, lol.


----------



## nikoli707

so I sold my msi twin frozr 3 7950 boost edition (6+6 pin) voltage locked on ebay and I ended up getting $366 for it.

now the customer is saying that the card is flawed and the general wording is that the card doesn't run on the same settings as other msi 7950s and hangs and loses the driver/black screens etc. I know for a fact the card ran fine as its was just a normal boost bios and I had it running at 1100/1500 but it would bench unigine heaven/valley fine at about 1175/1575, and the only drivers loss and recovery came at a little higher than that. I only gamed with it and just used amd ccc for the overclock never lost the driver at the 1100/1500 clock so stock 960/1250 should be fine.

their asking for a refund, the card still has about 2 years and 1 month on the warranty. but im suspecting they are trying to give it a script overclock, I think that's what its called, and running multiple cards and don't really know what they are doing or are just not happy with the luck of the draw gpu. it was fully mentioned it was a voltage locked card on the ebay listing, so that should tell the person that overvolting, and more specifically, undervolting on this card will not work.

what do yall think I should do about it. because I feel if the card could look occt or kombuster on a modest overclock there is no reason why the card cant run stock and that's really not my problem.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ziglez*
> 
> So i finnaly finished putting my gaming stuff into my new case, and my server stuff into the d8000. I'm getting some weird buzzing noise from the gpu, also it's randomly hitting 80c which it never has done that. Temps under my old rig were about 50c idle 70max?, Now im getting like 40 idle 85 max.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ziglez*
> 
> Well i took out a raid card and an sas expander, changed my power supply, that's about it. I've done a few more tests, max it's gotten is 65, i have no idea why it hit 85 randomly. I reseated the card idk if that was the problem or not.


now the "buzz" could be a form of coil whine triggered by the different PSU, could mean the PSU isn't regulating very smoothly, the temperature though I'm not sure, could be the heatsink loosened, different drivers causing different fan aggression, or something could be causing the fans to run slower or the core voltage to increase, the later may be the most likely if your chokes are making some noise too.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Just a quick update on my TriFire setup. Some games that don't work so well are Need for Speed Rivals (sky flickering) and Assetto Corsa (everywhere flickering). Assassins Creed along with Hitman Absolution works absolutely perfectly with everything maxed out including MXAA. Steady 60 FPS with vsync on using a moderate overclock of 1100/1500. No dips, no microstutter, nothing but beautiful goodness.


Yeah, I get a lot of crazy flickering in Assetto Corsa in the in-game menus. But the game runs just fine. It's probably one of those AMD things.


----------



## wermad

my quads were awesome once I disabled ulps in Trixx running 5x1 Eyefinity. Revamping my entire loop so I'm down, again


----------



## lynxxyarly

If anyone wants to make to help me out, I'm giving a small bounty of litecoin to anyone who can help me with an overvolt issue on my 7990 bios. PM and I'll give you the details.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lynxxyarly*
> 
> If anyone wants to make to help me out, I'm giving a small bounty of litecoin to anyone who can help me with an overvolt issue on my 7990 bios. PM and I'll give you the details.


what is the issue? maybe we can solve it here -sans bounty-


----------



## lynxxyarly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> what is the issue? maybe we can solve it here -sans bounty-


Sure, I'll throw it up:

I have a 7990 the Tahiti one (2x 7970s) and I am trying to play around with the core voltage. I can get my 'main' gpu voltage to move around, and msi afterburner lets me take it up to like 1.28. However, the second gpu is completely locked down still. Can't do anything via msi afterburner with it. I use gpu z to get a rough verification of whether or not the vddc is overvolted, and it reports on the main card, with afterburner set to 1300, that I'm getting 1.28v, however the second card sits at 1.170v while under load, no matter what I try. Both voltages go down when the cards are not in use. Something like .08v, so I know the second gpu isn't just 'locked' at 1.170v at all times.

Anyone able to take a peak at my bios and see if I'm missing something. I'm not really sure HOW the bios works for this card since it's 2 cores on one pcb, but I have the master and slave bios extracted...I'll attach if anyone feels like peeking around and seeing if they can help me unlock the voltage of that second gpu.

I really appreciate anyone who can take the time to help me. Maybe even donate a bit of litecoin to whoever can help me.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/61701/AX7990%206GBD5-2DHJ(master).bin
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/61701/AX7990%206GBD5-2DHJ(slave).bin

EDIT: a bit more looking around, I see that idle 1 card - main - sits at 0.996v at like 500/1375 while the second card sits at .0850v at 300/500. According to GPUZ, under load the first card (in gpuz drop down) is giving me 1.025v, while the second card is locked at 1.170v. MSI afterburner has the core voltage at 1100. Something is def screwy here


----------



## tsm106

Try this.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lynxxyarly*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> what is the issue? maybe we can solve it here -sans bounty-
> 
> 
> 
> Sure, I'll throw it up:
> 
> I have a 7990 the Tahiti one (2x 7970s) and I am trying to play around with the core voltage. I can get my 'main' gpu voltage to move around, and msi afterburner lets me take it up to like 1.28. However, the second gpu is completely locked down still. Can't do anything via msi afterburner with it. I use gpu z to get a rough verification of whether or not the vddc is overvolted, and it reports on the main card, with afterburner set to 1300, that I'm getting 1.28v, however the second card sits at 1.170v while under load, no matter what I try. Both voltages go down when the cards are not in use. Something like .08v, so I know the second gpu isn't just 'locked' at 1.170v at all times.
> 
> Anyone able to take a peak at my bios and see if I'm missing something. I'm not really sure HOW the bios works for this card since it's 2 cores on one pcb, but I have the master and slave bios extracted...I'll attach if anyone feels like peeking around and seeing if they can help me unlock the voltage of that second gpu.
> 
> I really appreciate anyone who can take the time to help me. Maybe even donate a bit of litecoin to whoever can help me.
> 
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/61701/AX7990%206GBD5-2DHJ(master).bin
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/61701/AX7990%206GBD5-2DHJ(slave).bin
> 
> EDIT: a bit more looking around, I see that idle 1 card - main - sits at 0.996v at like 500/1375 while the second card sits at .0850v at 300/500. According to GPUZ, under load the first card (in gpuz drop down) is giving me 1.025v, while the second card is locked at 1.170v. MSI afterburner has the core voltage at 1100. Something is def screwy here
Click to expand...

The VDDC is exactly the same for each, I am afraid it is not BIOS related.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Does anyone have a spare waterblock for a reference 7950? (HIS 7950 iceq x2 boost). Pm me.
> 
> - Sent from my Galaxy S IV
> MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
> XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Does anyone have a spare waterblock for a reference 7950? (HIS 7950 iceq x2 boost). Pm me.
> 
> - Sent from my Galaxy S IV
> MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
> XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


I just got an EK full coverage waterblock from FrozenCPU, for about $106.95. Good block. Nice temps.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lynxxyarly*
> 
> -snip-


I believe you control the 2nd core the same as it were a second card in a standard crossfire setup, only diff is I'm pretty sure both cores load from the same BIOS ROMs, so master or reserve, changing the BIOS will likely change both cores, unless of course the BIOS specifically has each core on a separate set of fields. (still modifiable, just have to modify both sets)

think I remember afterburner has an option to switch between each core, cant remember how or what though... @any experienced correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## lynxxyarly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The VDDC is exactly the same for each, I am afraid it is not BIOS related.


That's what I found, too, when I started diving in. Hence why I'm so confused here. I don't know what I'm missing :/

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I believe you control the 2nd core the same as it were a second card in a standard crossfire setup, only diff is I'm pretty sure both cores load from the same BIOS ROMs, so master or reserve, changing the BIOS will likely change both cores, unless of course the BIOS specifically has each core on a separate set of fields. (still modifiable, just have to modify both sets)
> 
> think I remember afterburner has an option to switch between each core, cant remember how or what though... @any experienced correct me if I'm wrong.


Aye. In the msi afterburner settings under the general tab: 'master graphics processor selection' you can choose GPU1/GPU2. When I choose GPU1 I have voltage control, if I select GPU2 I get this on msi afterburner:



EDIT: I just thought of something, if I were to change the vids in the bios editor from 1170, would that mean that the voltage would run at that constant speed all the time? I mean so I COULD maybe change the voltage in the bios to run at like 1.30...but all the time under load and no control in windows...thoughts?


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Does anyone have a spare waterblock for a reference 7950? (HIS 7950 iceq x2 boost). Pm me.
> 
> - Sent from my Galaxy S IV
> MediaBrowser - Take your media to the next level.
> XDA developers - Your home for mobile device development.


Thats a 7970 PCB as far as I know, so you'll snag one easily.

Anyway just writing here to say that I don't own a 7950 anymore.. I actually regret it quite a bit, this 290 is super hot and super loud like it's mad!

Nice to get less stuttering in some games though and way less power usage.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Sooo... Read the mantle reviews... Would it make sense to move to the enthusiast cpu
> 
> Platform in the future and get an extreme edition cpu with more cores? I think my trifire 290x should last another 2 years at least. So that leaves my 3570k as the oldest part in my computer.. Hmmm
> 
> 
> 
> If you just use your PC for gaming, no, it wouldn't make sense.
Click to expand...

this

you asked if it would make sense.

there are 3 things to think about in upgrades

1 what can i afford
2 what do i want
3 what will i do and what do i need ( will you benefit from the upgrade )

if all you want is a slightly smother experience(#2) and you know you are wasting money (#1) and are ok with it not being needed (#3) then yes go for it !

i rarely use my pcs to their potentials but i am happy with that as i bench more with my friends for fun, but i do render a bit and will soon start flooding my rendering ( one of the main reasons for my purchases this year was to be able to rip all my bluerays to hdds and never have to pick up a darn cd/dvd/blueray again from my basement ) one of the bigger buys was DVDfab ! << epic stability test btw !

where as if you 100% of the time render, vid/pic editing, encoding ect then yes it will save time and make you more money that one is easy assuming you can afford it,

bottom line. we can not tell you what you need to do, you need to weigh the options and decide for yourself
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> so I sold my msi twin frozr 3 7950 boost edition (6+6 pin) voltage locked on ebay and I ended up getting $366 for it.
> 
> now the customer is saying that the card is flawed and the general wording is that the card doesn't run on the same settings as other msi 7950s and hangs and loses the driver/black screens etc. I know for a fact the card ran fine as its was just a normal boost bios and I had it running at 1100/1500 but it would bench unigine heaven/valley fine at about 1175/1575, and the only drivers loss and recovery came at a little higher than that. I only gamed with it and just used amd ccc for the overclock never lost the driver at the 1100/1500 clock so stock 960/1250 should be fine.
> 
> their asking for a refund, the card still has about 2 years and 1 month on the warranty. but im suspecting they are trying to give it a script overclock, I think that's what its called, and running multiple cards and don't really know what they are doing or are just not happy with the luck of the draw gpu. it was fully mentioned it was a voltage locked card on the ebay listing, so that should tell the person that overvolting, and more specifically, undervolting on this card will not work.
> 
> what do yall think I should do about it. because I feel if the card could look occt or kombuster on a modest overclock there is no reason why the card cant run stock and that's really not my problem.


life lesson
dont sell gpus on fleabay !

99% of the users dont know what they are doing. or are trying to scam you, dont get me wrong, ebay is great for somethings, but no not gpus, 99% of the time they will flash cards and brick them or overvolt and kill cards. ( not in this case obviously ), improperly mount the HS/WB and ruin the card

i just really hope you kept the S/N and if not that they dont try to send you a different card that they killed. you are the SECOND person in 4 months that sold their card and the buyer returned them after they damaged them

i wish you the best in this ! and i hope you dont take this as smug as it really was not intended as so


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lynxxyarly*
> 
> That's what I found, too, when I started diving in. Hence why I'm so confused here. I don't know what I'm missing :/
> Aye. In the msi afterburner settings under the general tab: 'master graphics processor selection' you can choose GPU1/GPU2. When I choose GPU1 I have voltage control, if I select GPU2 I get this on msi afterburner:
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: I just thought of something, if I were to change the vids in the bios editor from 1170, would that mean that the voltage would run at that constant speed all the time? I mean so I COULD maybe change the voltage in the bios to run at like 1.30...but all the time under load and no control in windows...thoughts?


yea that's confusing, I can only assume it sets the same for both, of which it may not monitor accurately either, and yea if you up the voltage via BIOS mod that stays up under load, but I'm pretty sure it still powers down in idle, just sets the "max stock" voltage.

possibly the only true way to test if the voltage is indeed being controlled is to set the second core to high clocks and see if adjusting the voltage makes it unstable or more stable...


----------



## lynxxyarly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea that's confusing, I can only assume it sets the same for both, of which it may not monitor accurately either, and yea if you up the voltage via BIOS mod that stays up under load, but I'm pretty sure it still powers down in idle, just sets the "max stock" voltage.
> 
> possibly the only true way to test if the voltage is indeed being controlled is to set the second core to high clocks and see if adjusting the voltage makes it unstable or more stable...


Which is how I discovered 1 gpu wasn't stable, while the other is. Hence why I'm here with this conundrum and discussing it with you fine people







I assumed that when I moved the voltage slider it would have done it for both cores. I assumed wrong!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *lynxxyarly*
> 
> Which is how I discovered 1 gpu wasn't stable, while the other is. Hence why I'm here with this conundrum and discussing it with you fine people
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I assumed that when I moved the voltage slider it would have done it for both cores. I assumed wrong!


hm, whats that little arrow button on the voltage slider box do though? I never had voltage control in afterburner so I'm not sure whats in there, could just be a switch for value <> increment mode...


----------



## lynxxyarly

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hm, whats that little arrow button on the voltage slider box do though? I never had voltage control in afterburner so I'm not sure whats in there, could just be a switch for value <> increment mode...


That is to access the memory and aux voltages

Basically, with all things being the same, why is one voltage 'locked' and the other isn't. What am I missing here that gives me unlocked voltages for just one GPU


----------



## wanna_buy

Anyone who have Matrix, do you get random screen flicker once in several hours? Do you have GPU Tweak installed?


----------



## nikoli707

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> life lesson
> dont sell gpus on fleabay !
> 
> 99% of the users dont know what they are doing. or are trying to scam you, dont get me wrong, ebay is great for somethings, but no not gpus, 99% of the time they will flash cards and brick them or overvolt and kill cards. ( not in this case obviously ), improperly mount the HS/WB and ruin the card
> 
> i just really hope you kept the S/N and if not that they dont try to send you a different card that they killed. you are the SECOND person in 4 months that sold their card and the buyer returned them after they damaged them
> 
> i wish you the best in this ! and i hope you dont take this as smug as it really was not intended as so


gotcha, ebay appears to be siding with the buyer which he claims the card doesnt work and ebay says if its defective i need to refund him. yes i do have many pictures and the serial number. he has already admitted to flashing a custom bios on the card and running cgminer but it wont take the same settings as a few of his other cards which are the same model. im trying to make them understand that cgminer isn't a stability program and running the card at 1120mhz core 1300mhz memory is an "overclock", not stock 7950 levels. hes trying to tell me how if so he did me a favor because he reapplied thermal paste because it was done horribley from the factory and no wonder the card sucks. im hoping the someone over at ebay understands what this buyer is doing to a piece of high tech electronics and expecting it to do as advertised. anyways im waiting for a response from ebay. that said im guessing he has no clue what hes doing and fortunalty the card is truely voltage locked in the hardware so he cant really do to much damage to the card and if it is i will just rma the card which he doesn't have the time to do.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nikoli707*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> life lesson
> dont sell gpus on fleabay !
> 
> 99% of the users dont know what they are doing. or are trying to scam you, dont get me wrong, ebay is great for somethings, but no not gpus, 99% of the time they will flash cards and brick them or overvolt and kill cards. ( not in this case obviously ), improperly mount the HS/WB and ruin the card
> 
> i just really hope you kept the S/N and if not that they dont try to send you a different card that they killed. you are the SECOND person in 4 months that sold their card and the buyer returned them after they damaged them
> 
> i wish you the best in this ! and i hope you dont take this as smug as it really was not intended as so
> 
> 
> 
> gotcha, ebay appears to be siding with the buyer which he claims the card doesnt work and its up to me to prove it. yes i do have many pictures and the serial number. he has already admitted to flashing a custom bios on the card and running cgminer but it wont take the same settings as a few of his other cards which are the same model. im trying to make them understand that cgminer isn't a stability program and running the card at 1120mhz core 1300mhz memory is an "overclock", not stock 7950 levels. hes trying to tell me how if so he did me a favor because he reapplied thermal paste and im hoping the someone over at ebay understands what this buyer is doing to a piece of high tech electronics and expecting it to do as advertised. anyways im waiting for a response from ebay. that said im guessing he has no clue what hes doing and fortunalty the card is truely voltage locked in the hardware so he cant really do to much damage to the card and if it is i will just rma the card which he doesn't have the time to do.
Click to expand...

he voided the warranty by removing the heatsink
he modified the card, and he flashed the bios which is another modification.

he damaged the card

you can copy their warranty link and quote it stating this


----------



## nikoli707

yeah ive let ebay know about the warranty so im waiting for the case worker to respond. i will continue to log a complaints but i do know that if a seller stands their ground too long that ebay can force a refund and its possible that i never get the card back in my hands if i wait too long. its just a crappy situation. makes me wonder how many people are on ebay just looking to scam used video card sellers. so for others be careful. for all i know is he had some fans die on him and he just jacked the fans off mine and replaced them with nasty used ones as an easy free way to get new fans.

the hope for the best. im almost positive he was doing what most people mining are doing and he ran a forced undervolt bios into the card and is trying to hit too high of clocks with too low of voltage. from what i know this keeps the boost cards at the .0950v and doesn't let them get above there abouts so they they run effiecienty to save on paying money for electricity. the TIM replacement is probably an easy enough and anyone with limited knowledge can do this to attempt to gain better temps. all in all the card is probably running fine so the best i can do is keep trying and its likely even if im stuck with the card again it will still bench the same with the same clocks i had before, just without a warranty now.

maybe i can sell the card on here if and when i get it back and run some tests. i already have an evga 780 classified so i really have no use for the 7950. so maybe i can put the 7950 up to confirmed stable running test state that makes a ocn user happy enough to buy it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Anyone who have Matrix, do you get random screen flicker once in several hours? Do you have GPU Tweak installed?


have you tried uninstalling gputweak?


----------



## wanna_buy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> have you tried uninstalling gputweak?


No, not yet. MI will uninstall it ASAP. So it's true that GPU Tweak is incompatbile with AMD drivers and is causing trouble?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> No, not yet. MI will uninstall it ASAP. So it's true that GPU Tweak is incompatbile with AMD drivers and is causing trouble?


gputweak can cause all sorts of problems, so best bet is to remove it first and see what happens.


----------



## X-Alt

Screen flicker, all I have is memory boost screen refresh every 20 minutes due to Adobe flash.


----------



## wanna_buy

What is memory boost screen refresh?


----------



## Paul17041993

I think he means that flash triggers his card to jump in and out of standby clocks, which in some OC cases can trigger the screen to jolt or flash, usually related to instability but some cases the card stays stable despite this, slight bug with how the OC tools control the clocks possibly.


----------



## wanna_buy

What are your ASIC quality numbers of ASUS cards?


----------



## Athon

Why do people even care about ASIC?

I got a HD7950 Flex OC boost with an ASIC of 56%. Still I manged to get my card to 1100MHz/1450MHz and I could probably go even further, just didn't test it yet.


----------



## Ziglez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> Why do people even care about ASIC?
> 
> I got a HD7950 Flex OC boost with an ASIC of 56%. Still I manged to get my card to 1100MHz/1450MHz and I could probably go even further, just didn't test it yet.


What is a good asic quality, is 69% good?.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> Why do people even care about ASIC?
> 
> I got a HD7950 Flex OC boost with an ASIC of 56%. Still I manged to get my card to 1100MHz/1450MHz and I could probably go even further, just didn't test it yet.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ziglez*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> Why do people even care about ASIC?
> 
> I got a HD7950 Flex OC boost with an ASIC of 56%. Still I manged to get my card to 1100MHz/1450MHz and I could probably go even further, just didn't test it yet.
> 
> 
> 
> What is a good asic quality, is 69% good?.
Click to expand...

to both of you asic is not ocability,.

asic is voltage leak a higher asic uses less volts while creating more heat.

low uses more volts less heat


----------



## Athon

Okay, thanks for the input!

I'm quite sure I wasn't the only one misinterpreting that value as ocability.

Now this probably explains why I'm hitting 1100MHz/1450MHz with max temperatures at only 70°C.

Could you please further explain how it's possible to run a higher voltage at a lower temperature? I always thought raising the voltage will lead to a higher temperature.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> Okay, thanks for the input!
> 
> I'm quite sure I wasn't the only one misinterpreting that value as ocability.
> 
> Now this probably explains why I'm hitting 1100MHz/1450MHz with max temperatures at only 70°C.
> 
> Could you please further explain how it's possible to run a higher voltage at a lower temperature? I always thought raising the voltage will lead to a higher temperature.


it does, however vs a high asic you make less heat at same voltage


----------



## incog

Hi guys. Wanted to ask, I have this great 7970, it's a Sapphire Dual-X OC. It's a great card, however I noticed that it will slightly bend due to not having a backplate.

Fair enough, I was wondering if there was a way to either make a "custom" backplate or use something else to keep the card straight. I've heard of someone using zip-ties, or something? I don't think there are any screw holes for me to screw anything on or anything?

Advice?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Hi guys. Wanted to ask, I have this great 7970, it's a Sapphire Dual-X OC. It's a great card, however I noticed that it will slightly bend due to not having a backplate.
> 
> Fair enough, I was wondering if there was a way to either make a "custom" backplate or use something else to keep the card straight. I've heard of someone using zip-ties, or something? I don't think there are any screw holes for me to screw anything on or anything?
> 
> Advice?


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814999028

That isn't in stock anymore, but you can find many household items to make something similar. I've seen people use Legos, pencils, acrylic, etc.

Its not terribly necessary, but if you want to, go for it, shouldn't hurt, just don't bend it back to much right away, try to make it gradual.


----------



## incog

How on earth does that work? Is it something placed on the bottom of the case and then it extends out as you screw it, so it ends up supporting the GPU?

hmm, didn't think of it that way. it's a less elegant solution than I though (also ugly). But thanks for the advice, i'll play around with this set up.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> How on earth does that work? Is it something placed on the bottom of the case and then it extends out as you screw it, so it ends up supporting the GPU?
> 
> hmm, didn't think of it that way. it's a less elegant solution than I though (also ugly). But thanks for the advice, i'll play around with this set up.


Yep, that is precisely how it works, either on the bottom of the case, or the PSU, or some other place. I put mine on the HDD bay in my case.


----------



## wanna_buy

After I uninstalled GPU Tweak, today I still got a flicker for a second. I now suspect that maybe my Windows install is corrupt.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> What are your ASIC quality numbers of ASUS cards?


63.6%


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> After I uninstalled GPU Tweak, today I still got a flicker for a second. I now suspect that maybe my Windows install is corrupt.


slight possibility that your card may be defective, are you able to test it on a different rig?
ASIC wise, my DCIIT was 55.4%, but it lost all stability and is now on its second RMA, this time they cant reject it, though its been nearly a month now waiting for a response...

as for the ASIC scaling, you may think voltage has a high impact on heat and power, its actually the clocks that do the most, and generally the ASIC of these cards determines the voltage-to-current ratio, so low ASIC means they need much higher voltage to run but don't pull as much current, high ASIC and its the other way round, however at the same clocks they generally pull the same wattage and produce similar heat, though at really high clocks more mid-to-low range ASIC cards can handle somewhat better.

most cores can go as high as 1300MHz, 1.25V is a safe voltage for long-term use, but if you have an ASIC lower then 70% don't be too hesitant to try 1.3V, or further really, but just keep in mind this is high-range OC area so you cant be sure how long your hardware will last or stay stable.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> slight possibility that your card may be defective, are you able to test it on a different rig?
> ASIC wise, my DCIIT was 55.4%, but it lost all stability and is now on its second RMA, this time they cant reject it, though its been nearly a month now waiting for a response...
> 
> as for the ASIC scaling, you may think voltage has a high impact on heat and power, its actually the clocks that do the most, and generally the ASIC of these cards determines the voltage-to-current ratio, so low ASIC means they need much higher voltage to run but don't pull as much current, high ASIC and its the other way round, however at the same clocks they generally pull the same wattage and produce similar heat, though at really high clocks more mid-to-low range ASIC cards can handle somewhat better.
> 
> most cores can go as high as 1300MHz, 1.25V is a safe voltage for long-term use, but if you have an ASIC lower then 70% don't be too hesitant to try 1.3V, or further really, but just keep in mind this is high-range OC area so you cant be sure how long your hardware will last or stay stable.


Low ASIC requires more volts for a given clock because they have higher Vdroop, resulting in a lower effective core voltage. High ASIC can run lower volts with more stability because less voltage is lost. As such, I'm pretty sure lower ASIC cards draw more current, and higher asics draw less current, since power draw stays about the same between all cards and power=Volts*amps. Take my 2 7970's: one is 70.6, the other 63.something. The 63-ASIC, at the same settings, drops about 0.004 more volts and runs 8 degrees C hotter when in slot 1 than the higher ASIC card in slot 1.

Higher ASIC produces less heat than lower ASIC cards at the same settings because less power is being lost. ASIC means almost diddly squat for overclocking though!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Low ASIC requires more volts for a given clock because they have higher Vdroop, resulting in a lower effective core voltage. High ASIC can run lower volts with more stability because less voltage is lost. As such, I'm pretty sure lower ASIC cards draw more current, and higher asics draw less current, since power draw stays about the same between all cards and power=Volts*amps. Take my 2 7970's: one is 70.6, the other 63.something. The 63-ASIC, at the same settings, drops about 0.004 more volts and runs 8 degrees C hotter when in slot 1 than the higher ASIC card in slot 1.
> 
> Higher ASIC produces less heat than lower ASIC cards at the same settings because less power is being lost. ASIC means almost diddly squat for overclocking though!


don't think vdroop has much to do with it, its just that the core consumes the power differently and as a side effect may cause more vdroop due to more voltage needed, but one definite is that the heat production is directly proportional to the power consumption, so if the core is generating a lot of heat it must be pushing a lot of current.

there's also a slight amount of efficiency change too, but only really for ASICs of 90% and higher, they use a little less power for the same clocks and can handle as much as 90C on the core without fault, but at the cost that they don't OC far at all, these are generally only found on the 7990 though.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> don't think vdroop has much to do with it, its just that the core consumes the power differently and as a side effect may cause more vdroop due to more voltage needed, but one definite is that the heat production is directly proportional to the power consumption, so if the core is generating a lot of heat it must be pushing a lot of current.
> 
> there's also a slight amount of efficiency change too, but only really for ASICs of 90% and higher, they use a little less power for the same clocks and can handle as much as 90C on the core without fault, but at the cost that they don't OC far at all, these are generally only found on the 7990 though.


Its voltage leaks, I can do 1.325\1250 all day every day if I wanted to. In reality one just needs less volts and makes more heat, the other needs moar but makes less at the same settings, thus canceling each other out in durability. 14.1 Beta is out, will download tommorow.


----------



## wanna_buy

I ran OCCT and on 12V rail the program showed 7V current. Maybe the defective PSU causes this behaviour. I will replace my PSU ASAP as I receive a new unit.


----------



## wanna_buy

I browsed Newegg and ASUS R9280X-DC2T-3GD5 now costs $460. MSI R9 280X GAMING 3G now costs $500. I got my card brand new when it was the cheapest one. Hope I won't have to buy new card!








I noticed that similar card ASUS MATRIX-R9280X-P-3GD5 has lower memory frequency - 6400 MHz vs 6600 MHz on HD 7970 Platinum.
I also found this comment by anonymous Newegg customer.
Quote:


> Pros: -One of the best looking card (just like any other ROG)
> -Excellent power supply with the custom phases
> -Runs acceptable temps even in hot tropical ambient.
> 
> Cons: -Four of the memory chips aren't cooled with heatsink
> -Active DP adapter needed to use eyefinity with DVI
> 
> Other Thoughts: This is a very good card. It would be perfect if all the memory chips were equally cooled and if Asus had used a custom output interface (just like the 280x DCii) and maybe the new fans used also in the new DCii cooler because of the better airflow with two different fans.
> 
> This is an OVERCLOCKER card, so I don't get people not tweaking their card too solve the artifacts/flickering problems which are most likely caused by offset voltages (of course there are some cases where you may receive a defective card, but that is to be expected from any manufacturer).
> 
> Texture flickering is mostly cause by overvolted memory, you need to bring the voltages down to 1.5v and start overclocking your memory from there. Artifacts are normally caused by undervolted chips, but in this case, the most important parts of this card are the VRMs, so unless you are liquidcooling them or using an aggressive fan profile in a cold ambient, you need to reduce the stress on them as much as possible. So a nicely voltage-tweaked profile will solve most of the problems people are having.
> 
> Besides those issues, the card works as intended. The default voltages are way too high so you need to adjust them, and then all the flickering issues and artifacts are gone. As I said, this is a card meant to be used by enthusiast overclockers. If your are not one, you are better getting another model.


What do you think?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I browsed Newegg and ASUS R9280X-DC2T-3GD5 now costs $460. MSI R9 280X GAMING 3G now costs $500. I got my card brand new when it was the cheapest one. Hope I won't have to buy new card!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I noticed that similar card ASUS MATRIX-R9280X-P-3GD5 has lower memory frequency - 6400 MHz vs 6600 MHz on HD 7970 Platinum.
> I also found this comment by anonymous Newegg customer.
> What do you think?


yea the ASUS cards since 79x0 entry are notoriously known for their instability and faults, nothing new about that, so yea you could try gputweak and fiddle with the memory clocks and voltage and you may be able to stop the flicker/flash, or just RMA it for being defective.

one thing for RMA though; if they say its fine after running heaven etc on it, its not, as said bench tools don't test actual stability, only true testing is games such as skyrim (with or without HD pack), crysis, etc, with vsync on so it flips between power states.

my DCIIT was sent back for a second attempt at being replaced due to its inability to run skyrim, it would just crash in places like when you open the map, but underclocking the core to 750MHz it fixed the crashing so that only proved how unstable it was.


----------



## wanna_buy

I didn't say that I get flickering in games. I got an instant flicker for a moment in Windows desktop mode in Chrome once in several hours. Nothing so far in games.

Whatever happened to ASUS quality? I knew that they were top-notch. Are their GTX 700 series cards faulty too?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I didn't say that I get flickering in games. I got an instant flicker for a moment in Windows desktop mode in Chrome once in several hours. Nothing so far in games.
> 
> Whatever happened to ASUS quality? I knew that they were top-notch. Are their GTX 700 series cards faulty too?


Their GTX 780 DCII is nice, but voltage limited, where others can be modded. The r9 290x DCIIs look nice, haven't heard of many issues with them yet.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I didn't say that I get flickering in games. I got an instant flicker for a moment in Windows desktop mode in Chrome once in several hours. Nothing so far in games.
> 
> Whatever happened to ASUS quality? I knew that they were top-notch. Are their GTX 700 series cards faulty too?


Update your drivers, once I went 13.12, never had it again!


----------



## wanna_buy

Well, when I got my card, the latest stable release was 13.12, which is now running on my PC. However there are other many issues with my current Windows install. I'll try to reinstall Windows in the following days and report back if clean installation will help.


----------



## Athon

What's your guys Mantle experience using a HD7950? Anyone without stutter?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> What's your guys Mantle experience using a HD7950? Anyone without stutter?


I could go get my hd7950 out of the HTPC and try it later on. Right now its busy folding, and the CPU in that PC isn't the best for gaming, Xeon e5630.


----------



## wanna_buy

Here's my Extreme HD run of Unigine Valley. All stock clocks. Another Matrix users, please post your results too with stock GPU clocks.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> What's your guys Mantle experience using a HD7950? Anyone without stutter?


Did I miss something here? Is Mantle out now?


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> What's your guys Mantle experience using a HD7950? Anyone without stutter?
> 
> 
> 
> Did I miss something here? Is Mantle out now?
Click to expand...

Yes it's been out since this morning (europe time). You can download new driver's at AMD's website.


----------



## heroxoot

It came out yesterday for me. I installed the new driver last night. Gotta try BF4 still.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Athon*
> 
> What's your guys Mantle experience using a HD7950? Anyone without stutter?


Hi, I just gave it a try on SP, and using Mantle with the 7950 was getting intermittent lockups, and dips to the teens FPSwise on the first mission. Will test MP later.


----------



## hucklebuck

Is Mantle only for use on some games?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Is Mantle only for use on some games?


Right now only one game.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Right now only one game.


I'll pass then for now.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Is Mantle only for use on some games?


its only relatively new and experimental, but with the gains it provides there should be a fair few games coming around with it, ports from the xbone and ps4 will likely see it too I would think.


----------



## wanna_buy

I am waiting for X-Alt to post his Unigine Valley results preferably with stock GPU clocks.


----------



## dartuil

Since i get 14.1 my gpu overheats at 88c and fan go at 100% at idle.
Its driver issue because my card is more than 1 year first i get tis.


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dartuil*
> 
> Since i get 14.1 my gpu overheats at 88c and fan go at 100% at idle.
> Its driver issue because my card is more than 1 year first i get tis.


Will leave this driver for now en..cheers









Tempted to sell my 2x7970 and get a 290x under water... not sure if its worth it oh... dont think ill see much, if any, performance gain...
running win7 in eyefinity 5760 x 1080


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Will leave this driver for now en..cheers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tempted to sell my 2x7970 and get a 290x under water... not sure if its worth it oh... dont think ill see much, if any, performance gain...
> running win7 in eyefinity 5760 x 1080


You'll have more vRAM and faster vRAM for a start. Performance is about 5-10% loss at stock vs stock I think. Don't quote me on that though!


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Tempted to sell my 2x7970 and get a 290x under water... not sure if its worth it oh... dont think ill see much, if any, performance gain...
> running win7 in eyefinity 5760 x 1080


I don't think it would be worth it--unless your're chasing benchmark numbers. Otherwise, you won't notice much of a difference (if any) in games.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> I don't think it would be worth it--unless your're chasing benchmark numbers. Otherwise, you won't notice much of a difference (if any) in games.


Unless he has problems with stuttering, I know Far Cry 3 killed my 7950's for stutter. Obviously a 290 doesn't.
I'd suggest a 290 over a 290x as some 290's can unlock and that it's very close performance wise.


----------



## Ziglez

After changing power supplys, my 7970 now has coil whine :'(, r.i.p


----------



## wermad

Trying go back to your old power supply and see if there's still any whine?


----------



## Ziglez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Trying go back to your old power supply and see if there's still any whine?


I don't wanna pull the 1000watt out of my server, just to test the card, ill try it in anaother pc tomorrow i guess, if it doesn't do it, and it's only with this power supply, idk what ill do.
I might just end up giving this card away and going with something else lol. This card is to old to rma :'(


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Tempted to sell my 2x7970 and get a 290x under water... not sure if its worth it oh... dont think ill see much, if any, performance gain...
> running win7 in eyefinity 5760 x 1080
> 
> 
> 
> *I don't think it would be worth it--unless your're chasing benchmark numbers. Otherwise, you won't notice much of a difference (if any) in games.*
Click to expand...

Not sure if this is a serious comment, cuz it's borderline fruitcake. Hell yea two 290x will not only be better they will be a helluvalot better lol.


----------



## Ziglez

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not sure if this is a serious comment, cuz it's borderline fruitcake. Hell yea two 290x will not only be better they will be a helluvalot better lol.


He only said one 290x


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> ...get *a* 290x...


I would side two 7970s would be a better setup then a single 290x for Eyefinity. Alternatively, two 290 if you can catch them ~$400


----------



## tsm106

The single 290x would still be better due to hawaii's memory pipeline even though outright fps may not go up. If we consider the future from X starting point, I'd would so much rather be starting from a base of a single 290x than two 7970s. The reality is that triple 1080s is still too much load for either card setups, but adding more 290x cards will get you farther faster than adding more 7970s. The 290x is without a doubt a superior base to build from with the xdma engines and it's focused mantle development.


----------



## Paul17041993

keeping in mind, crossfire varies and doesn't always scale, but yes 2*7970 would be faster then a 290X for the most part, more shaders and memory, but not for everything.

aaand you may not see me here much anymore







Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*


----------



## Jflisk

Well my 7990 is back on its way to XFX. It popped a core.







Red-green lines and flickering.A little bit of grey screening too. Let see how long it takes for the RMA.


----------



## korruptedkaos

ouch!

unlucky bro









got me worried about mine now









do XFX take RMA's on waterblocked cards?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> ouch!
> 
> unlucky bro
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> got me worried about mine now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> do XFX take RMA's on waterblocked cards?


In the USA they should, just have to return it to it's stock form.

On another note, I plan to upgrade my PSU for Spring/Summer GPU Considerations.

Now, I have an HD7950, driving 4 Screens, (3 for GFX 1 for Gauges).

I was gonna upgrade to a R9-290, but seeing how they are now approaching $125+ over MSRP,
I was looking at the cheaper option of Getting an R9-280X, And Cross fire it with my 7950 as a secondary GPU.

Which will allow 3 screen Eyefinity without DP from the R9-280, and then run the 4th Screen off the DisplayPort (no more 3D Rendering tearing on the 3rd screen wee!)

So Instead of
DVI -> Monitor 1
HDMI -> DVI -> Monitor 2
MiniDP -> DVI - Monitor 3
MiniDP -> DP -> DVI -> Monitor 4

I'll Have
DVI Monitor 1
DVI Monitor 2
HDMI -> DVI Monitor 3
DP -> Monitor 4

Monitors 1-3 Compose of the Eyefinity Array when Eyefinity is in use.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> In the USA they should, just have to return it to it's stock form.


Actually they don't. At least they wouldn't with my old HD 6950. Even redoing the crappy TIM job from the factory voided the warranty. My horrible experience with their customer service is why I will never have another XFX in my PC again.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Actually they don't. At least they wouldn't with my old HD 6950. Even redoing the crappy TIM job from the factory voided the warranty. My horrible experience with their customer service is why I will never have another XFX in my PC again.


I called support in California and explained the situation to them. They said ship it over. So lets see what happens.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *korruptedkaos*
> 
> ouch!
> 
> unlucky bro
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> got me worried about mine now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> do XFX take RMA's on waterblocked cards?


I will let you know if they RMA them with a waterblock restored mine and shipping it in to them tomorrow. Supposedly In the US we are covered if we mod them then return them to original.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I called support in California and explained the situation to them. They said ship it over. So lets see what happens.


Hmm, maybe they have changed their policy in the last couple years. I tried RMA'ing mine back in 2012, and even speaking to the supervisor got me nowhere.

Best of luck, hopefully you get it sorted out.


----------



## Paul17041993

haha ok, so funny irony right? I bought the 290X yesterday to replace my DCIIT ok, well, all of a sudden its RMA status has changed to now be coming back (repaired/replaced), literally at the time I bought the 290X, so I'm going to end up with a spare 7970 (or similar) sometime soon.

I could sell the card, or fit it in next to the 290X as a miner or something, or just donate it to my sister to go with her old-ish i7-930 rig (she has two of them funnily enough), opinions?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The single 290x would still be better due to hawaii's memory pipeline even though outright fps may not go up. If we consider the future from X starting point, I'd would so much rather be starting from a base of a single 290x than two 7970s. The reality is that triple 1080s is still too much load for either card setups, but adding more 290x cards will get you farther faster than adding more 7970s. The 290x is without a doubt a superior base to build from with the xdma engines and it's focused mantle development.


I get my board and cpu this weekend. Wanna do a little testing? Two 7970s vs a single 290X (stock, water ok) @ 1920x1080-60hz, the most common Surround/Eyefinity setup. I say the raw hp of two 7970 is better w/ Eyefinity 1080 for the average user. When i switched to two titans from two 690s, fps dropped about 20 in Crysis 3 (opening level). Granted, any high msaa would choke both but the 690s were pushing more hp. Eventually, sold the two titans and settled on three 780s taming Crysis 3 in Surround (better fps and higher msaa then the two previous setups).

Let me know







. I'm eager to get my 5x1 up and running again. Metro LL in 6000x1920 is yummy fun







.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Well my 7990 is back on its way to XFX. It popped a core.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Red-green lines and flickering.A little bit of grey screening too. Let see how long it takes for the RMA.


That sucks dude







. Hopefully it goes well for you


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> haha ok, so funny irony right? I bought the 290X yesterday to replace my DCIIT ok, well, all of a sudden its RMA status has changed to now be coming back (repaired/replaced), literally at the time I bought the 290X, so I'm going to end up with a spare 7970 (or similar) sometime soon.
> 
> I could sell the card, or fit it in next to the 290X as a miner or something, or just donate it to my sister to go with her old-ish i7-930 rig (she has two of them funnily enough), opinions?


Put together another rig just for mining?


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> Unless he has problems with stuttering, I know Far Cry 3 killed my 7950's for stutter. Obviously a 290 doesn't.
> I'd suggest a 290 over a 290x as some 290's can unlock and that it's very close performance wise.


to get Far Cry 3 Running right, set video settings to borderless window, instead of fullscreen, looks the same, but actually runs! enjoy!


----------



## X-Alt

Extreme HD [email protected] Please at least OC your 875K to 3.5 man, you are worse than a decently OCd Q9550 right now for the most part...



@paul, good PSU+ dedicate 7970 to mining while you play on 290 much?


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not sure if this is a serious comment, cuz it's borderline fruitcake. Hell yea two 290x will not only be better they will be a helluvalot better lol.












A pair of 7970's in crossfire is faster than a single 290X; which is what the original question was all about. I'm running two 7990's in crossfire right now. Will I replace them with 4 290Xs or whatever the next top of the line dual GPU card will be? If I was chasing after benchmark numbers and had money to burn, then sure. If all I cared about was games, then no. Why? Right now in BF4 with the video on ultra settings on my current monitor I average 196 frames / second. Will switching to 290Xs create a visible difference? Hell no.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The single 290x would still be better due to hawaii's memory pipeline even though outright fps may not go up. If we consider the future from X starting point, I'd would so much rather be starting from a base of a single 290x than two 7970s. The reality is that triple 1080s is still too much load for either card setups, but adding more 290x cards will get you farther faster than adding more 7970s. The 290x is without a doubt a superior base to build from with the xdma engines and it's focused mantle development.


He was talking about replacing a pair of 7970s with a single 290X and it just ain't worth it as it stands. Nice try to save yourself, but no cigar.


----------



## sugarhell

You talk to someone who had the best score with quad 7970s....Crossfire doesnt scale all the time good. Also double heat,noise etc etc


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> keeping in mind, crossfire varies and doesn't always scale, but yes 2*7970 would be faster then a 290X for the most part, more shaders and memory, but not for everything.
> 
> aaand you may not see me here much anymore


no sorry and congrats on the new card. the 290 has 4 gb where as the 7970s in cfx only have 3
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Well my 7990 is back on its way to XFX. It popped a core.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Red-green lines and flickering.A little bit of grey screening too. Let see how long it takes for the RMA.


sorry to hear GL

and to others yes xfx is ok with waterblocks, that is why they make non ref cards so you cant. lol but it is on their website and you have to return them in OEM state, including non stripped screws


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no sorry and congrats on the new card. the 290 has 4 gb where as the 7970s in cfx only have 3


sorry meant the bits/bandwidth, as two 7970s would render a frame each it technically adds up, but yea the 290X has an advantage in the memory size for the most part...
(hence why its advertised and recommended for 4K)


----------



## Escovado

BTW - tsm106...I am having a little fun wit ya.


----------



## Rebelord

When I had to RMA one of my XFX 4890's way back. I even told them I changed the TIM on it. They didnt care. Said as long as its stock its good to go.

Side note, going to be re doing the TIM on my 7950. I have some Shin-Etsu on the way. Try to get it to run a lil cooler since I am folding again.


----------



## Escovado

I had Sapphire 4870 x2 a water-cooled card that failed. I converted it back to the stock cooler and the RMA was accepted.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> When I had to RMA one of my XFX 4890's way back. I even told them I changed the TIM on it. They didnt care. Said as long as its stock its good to go.
> 
> Side note, going to be re doing the TIM on my 7950. I have some Shin-Etsu on the way. Try to get it to run a lil cooler since I am folding again.


Try the 14.1 beta drivers for [email protected] I am using them on my 7950 right now, and TPF dropped from around 4:08-4:11 down to 3:37 on p8900, PPD estimate went from 96-101k up to 121-122k PPD right now.


----------



## Rebelord

Man, you have a great TPF, mine is only at 4:38 with 82-84k PPD.
But I am at 980 core 1375 mem for OC. I cant remember if folding likes more core or mem OC for better results.

I'll have to try them out.

I do have a shim on the way too. Thinking of just grabbing one of those new NZXT brackets and a X40 to put the 7950 under a AIO


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The single 290x would still be better due to hawaii's memory pipeline even though outright fps may not go up. If we consider the future from X starting point, I'd would so much rather be starting from a base of a single 290x than two 7970s. The reality is that triple 1080s is still too much load for either card setups, but adding more 290x cards will get you farther faster than adding more 7970s. The 290x is without a doubt a superior base to build from with the xdma engines and it's focused mantle development.


I see what you mean + the heat is starting to drive me crazy...I've recently seen card 1 @ 89c!

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Matt-Matt*
> 
> You'll have more vRAM and faster vRAM for a start. Performance is about 5-10% loss at stock vs stock I think. Don't quote me on that though!


seems its a toss-up of v-ram v raw power...sorry for quoting









Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I would side two 7970s would be a better setup then a single 290x for Eyefinity. Alternatively, two 290 if you can catch them ~$400


Think I will stick with it...doesnt seem worth it right now

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Well my 7990 is back on its way to XFX. It popped a core.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Red-green lines and flickering.A little bit of grey screening too. Let see how long it takes for the RMA.


I get green/red lines flickering on 1 card, but only in fifa 14 sometimes... if I turn of cf and back on its often fine ...strange thing is cfx is fine in all other games


----------



## wanna_buy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Extreme HD [email protected] Please at least OC your 875K to 3.5 man, you are worse than a decently OCd Q9550 right now for the most part...


I started overclocking my CPU to 4GHz before Christmas. I even had a thread started for it. While I increased Base Clock to 200 MHz and Base Clock voltage to 1.30, I lowered multi to match stock CPU speed and tested stability with 100 runs of IBT and LinX.
Then I increased CPU speed to 4 GHz and raised Vcore. On 1.35 Vcore LinX 100 run succesfully, but Prime95 failed and the screen went blank.
On 1.375 Vcore system passed 12 hours of Small FFTs, 12 hours of Large FFTs and 24 hours of Blend, but it failed LinX that had been passed on 1.35 Vcore.


----------



## mav2000

Hey guys...can someone tell me what the rear metal bracket is called? I need to get a new one, but dont know what to search for.



I need one for a 6990. I have unluckily lost one of the screws on it. So I either need the screw + spring or the whole bracket itself.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mav2000*
> 
> Hey guys...can someone tell me what the rear metal bracket is called? I need to get a new one, but dont know what to search for.
> 
> 
> 
> I need one for a 6990. I have unluckily lost one of the screws on it. So I either need the screw + spring or the whole bracket itself.


http://www.swiftech.com/CrossBracket7900.aspx

cross bracket i dont know if that will work for your gpu though


----------



## rabidz7

Hawaii cards do have more bandwidth.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mav2000*
> 
> Hey guys...can someone tell me what the rear metal bracket is called? I need to get a new one, but dont know what to search for.
> 
> 
> 
> I need one for a 6990. I have unluckily lost one of the screws on it. So I either need the screw + spring or the whole bracket itself.


Backplate.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Backplate.


I think he was just referring to the section he highlighted in red.

I would call that a heatsink retention bracket? I dunno.


----------



## Matt-Matt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I think he was just referring to the section he highlighted in red.
> 
> I would call that a heatsink retention bracket? I dunno.


I agree with this, a retention bracket or something of the sort. You could contact the company of your card in question maybe?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I started overclocking my CPU to 4GHz before Christmas. I even had a thread started for it. While I increased Base Clock to 200 MHz and Base Clock voltage to 1.30, I lowered multi to match stock CPU speed and tested stability with 100 runs of IBT and LinX.
> Then I increased CPU speed to 4 GHz and raised Vcore. On 1.35 Vcore LinX 100 run succesfully, but Prime95 failed and the screen went blank.
> On 1.375 Vcore system passed 12 hours of Small FFTs, 12 hours of Large FFTs and 24 hours of Blend, but it failed LinX that had been passed on 1.35 Vcore.


Just do 20 Runs IBT Extreme and call it a day TBH.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Think I will stick with it...doesnt seem worth it right now
> I get green/red lines flickering on 1 card, but only in fifa 14 sometimes... if I turn of cf and back on its often fine ...strange thing is cfx is fine in all other games


For three monitors, i have observed that gpu power does help better then features in most cases. Sure the 290X is more powerful and will probably give you a better experience on a single monitor but three will benefit from the raw power of two 7970s.

Sounds like you may have an issue there. Test each card individually. I suspect a bad card or crossfire bridge for the symptoms you're describing.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Try the 14.1 beta drivers


thanks for notifying me of the Beta 14.1 release







. I've been waiting for them to get the pacing thing addressed. Though I'll see how much of an impact it will do for me.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not sure if this is a serious comment, cuz it's borderline fruitcake. Hell yea two 290x will not only be better they will be a helluvalot better lol.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A pair of 7970's in crossfire is faster than a single 290X; which is what the original question was all about. I'm running two 7990's in crossfire right now. Will I replace them with 4 290Xs or whatever the next top of the line dual GPU card will be? If I was chasing after benchmark numbers and had money to burn, then sure. If all I cared about was games, then no. Why? Right now in BF4 with the video on ultra settings on my current monitor I average 196 frames / second. Will switching to 290Xs create a visible difference? Hell no.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The single 290x would still be better due to hawaii's memory pipeline even though outright fps may not go up. If we consider the future from X starting point, I'd would so much rather be starting from a base of a single 290x than two 7970s. The reality is that triple 1080s is still too much load for either card setups, but adding more 290x cards will get you farther faster than adding more 7970s. The 290x is without a doubt a superior base to build from with the xdma engines and it's focused mantle development.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> He was talking about replacing a pair of 7970s with a single 290X and it just ain't worth it as it stands. Nice try to save yourself, but no cigar.
Click to expand...

LOL.

As shown in a few reviews, 384bit memory bus gets choked at triple 1080 and higher. If Titans and 780 Ti's get left behind in the dust facing a 290x setup by as much as 30% or more, what the heck do you think happens with 7970s and even slower 7990s? As soon as the pixel density is raised enough it becomes a bottleneck. You need quad 7970s just to overcome or at least TRY to overcome that weakness with sheer horsepower. However it is not as effective as you think as you suffer from chokes and stutters and then there's sheer complexity of 4 gpus which in reality is barely utilized. And if you consider the cost of such a setup and the handful of games that can actually utilize all gpus, you have to swallow that pride on many occasions because there's a helluvalot more games that don't. On paper it looks great, sometimes pumps out ridiculous fps, but its the area under the curve that matters. And this is where 290x cards reign. They are superior gaming cards.

None of yall have actually used 290x first hand so you are really speaking only of paper metrics. You should probably keep that in mind.

And for the record, if I was buying from scratch hell yea I would get a single 290x over two 7970s. It's a no brainer.

If you are wondering where my 290x's? I had three of them. Their scores are still littered thru out the HoF. Anyway, I got rid of trifire 290x and am waiting on the Lightnings to run just two 290x because I found them much more enjoyable if not just as fast all round.


----------



## wermad

Awwww







no comparison then. Well, would be nice to pit Lightning vs old Lightning







.


----------



## Paul17041993

isn't even a large OC.

but the differences between 7970 and 290X are half obvious, and looking through benchmarks shows the differences quite easily, generally on a single 1080p screen the 290X may only be ~10-20% faster, however, on 1440p, eyefinity or 4K, that can go as high as 50%, even more at times if I remember correctly, the 512bit memory definitely has a massive strong point there.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Anyway, I got rid of trifire 290x and am waiting on the Lightnings to run just two 290x because I found them much more enjoyable if not just as fast all round.


and that would be true for pretty much everything as 2 cores scales much better then 4, not sure about how far the lightnings will go but 290X has proven pretty strong even on the basic reference PCB, this time we kinda *need* more phases due to the shear power draw...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Awwww
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> no comparison then. Well, would be nice to pit Lightning vs old Lightning
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


It wouldn't be much of a fight. I am talking of architectural design advantages and Hawaii has all of them.

Look what happens comparing 1 vs 2. Look at the link Opie linked above. Now look what happens when the GPU load is very high as with Crysis and Metro LL. Now extrapolate that load out to triple 1080s lol. You see how there is hardly any separation? 1.3 fps difference in Crysis with 2x AA and 4.9 fps difference in Metro LL. Under real world loads, things play out differently...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It wouldn't be much of a fight. I am talking of architectural design advantages and Hawaii has all of them.
> 
> Look what happens comparing 1 vs 2. Look at the link Opie linked above. Now look what happens when the GPU load is very high as with Crysis and Metro LL. Now extrapolate that load out to triple 1080s lol. You see how there is hardly any separation? 1.3 fps difference in Crysis with 2x AA and 4.9 fps difference in Metro LL. Under real world loads, things play out differently...


The question was keep both 7970s or switch to a single 290X for Eyefinity 1080. Lets see if we can come up w/ an answer rather then beating the bush on what newer feature the new card has or doesn't have. Lets have the numbers speak for themselves to educate folks







.


----------



## SkateZilla

Larger Memory bus will help the Higher resolution more.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Larger Memory bus will help the Higher resolution more.


No. High AA,DoF,high range LOD needs higher memory bus.You can match a memory bus speed through freq but doesnt mean 512 bit 1250= 384 bit 1900 ( my math is bad just an example).You can push more data through a 512 bit bus because its wider


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It wouldn't be much of a fight. I am talking of architectural design advantages and Hawaii has all of them.
> 
> Look what happens comparing 1 vs 2. Look at the link Opie linked above. Now look what happens when the GPU load is very high as with Crysis and Metro LL. Now extrapolate that load out to triple 1080s lol. You see how there is hardly any separation? 1.3 fps difference in Crysis with 2x AA and 4.9 fps difference in Metro LL. Under real world loads, things play out differently...
> 
> 
> 
> The question was keep both 7970s or switch to a single 290X for Eyefinity 1080. Lets see if we can come up w/ an answer rather then beating the bush on what newer feature the new card has or doesn't have. Lets have the numbers speak for themselves to educate folks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
Click to expand...











That's the thing, just simply looking at numbers doesn't tell the whole picture if you don't put it into context.

Also there's a host of other advantages, like NO TEARING for [email protected] with a 290x card. Tearing is unavoidable with most 7970s. Then you get the customizable DSP aka true audio. Then there's the dual XDMA engines, ie. the new crossfire design which is superior w/o doubt to the old bridges. You have something to look forward to later imo.


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> And for the record, if I was buying from scratch hell yea I would get a single 290x over two 7970s. It's a no brainer.


And for the record, we were talking about replacing a pair of existing 7970s with a 290x--not purchasing a single 290x over two 7970s. All your pontificating won't change the fact that you responded to the original post in question without reading it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> And for the record, if I was buying from scratch hell yea I would get a single 290x over two 7970s. It's a no brainer.
> 
> 
> 
> And for the record, we were talking about replacing a pair of existing 7970s with a 290x--not purchasing a single 290x over two 7970s. All your pontificating won't change the fact that you responded to the original post in question without reading it.
Click to expand...











It doesn't change the fact that hell yea I would sell a pair of 7970s on air for one 290x under water. That's a no brainer. Got a problem with that?


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It doesn't change the fact that hell yea I would sell a pair of 7970s on air for one 290x under water. That's a no brainer. Got a problem with that?


Do whatever puts you in your happy place.


----------



## process

From the add below I got a call...

_item 1: Gigabyte AMD Radeon HD 7970 OC 3GB
http://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-Radeon-Mini-Displayport-Graphics-GV-R797OC-3GD/dp/B00752QYLK

resale value above is $460 = 1,725 SAR / I will sell at 1350 SAR

item 2: Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB
http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-PCI-Express-Graphics-21197-00-40G/dp/B006P88VO8/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1391093859&sr=1-15&keywords=HD7970

resale value above is $395 = 1,481 SAR / I will sell at 1125
I would prefer to sell both cards at the same time and if so the combined 2475 SAR can be slightly negotiable_

But he was wanting only the gigabyte...I said if he wants 1 card, I'll sell only the saphire... but he was insisting on the gigabyte, so I suggested he bought them both! If he does, I'll drop to 2400SAR = $639 (good deal?)

with that then ill get either a 290 or 290x and water block it.... may well get another 290 / 290x then... prob another d5 pump too..grrr maybe then a bigger case and 1 more rad! then no more!


----------



## wanna_buy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Extreme HD [email protected] Please at least OC your 875K to 3.5 man, you are worse than a decently OCd Q9550 right now for the most part...


Here's my results with the exact same settings.








It seems that my old i7 on stock is better than new 8-core FX CPU running at 4.3 GHz.







Seriously, AMD ,get your act together and release CPU architecture that at least can match intel CPU for performance.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Extreme HD [email protected] Please at least OC your 875K to 3.5 man, you are worse than a decently OCd Q9550 right now for the most part...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's my results with the exact same settings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It seems that my old i7 on stock is better than new 8-core FX CPU running at 4.3 GHz.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously, AMD ,get your act together and release CPU architecture that at least can match intel CPU for performance.
Click to expand...

Valley is the weaker benchmark, go run Heaven like a man.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Valley is the weaker benchmark, go run Heaven like a man.


@Wanna_buy Not like a GPU BENCHMARK means anything. I am running on reduced memory [email protected] too. FX8350 8 Core is neck a neck on Cinebench R15 with a 3770K JYSK. At stock, it is equivalent to Yorkfields C2Qs or Thuban Phenom [email protected] in single thread. Heaven is better TBH, I could Run 7GHz Memory on Valley all day, Heaven=Artifacts within 3 minutes,


----------



## ukic

Should I let go of my 7990/7970 and grab 290x? Hmmm....


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Should I let go of my 7990/7970 and grab 290x? Hmmm....


7990 + 7970 =


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Should I let go of my 7990/7970 and grab 290x? Hmmm....


Depends, gaming on single screen, yeah, get some money back and get a single 290X. Eyefinity, keep the tri-fire imho or go w/ a couple of 290 (non-x). Are the 79xx water cooled btw?


----------



## diggiddi

Guys can someone help out here, are you seeing any improvement in either FPS or Fluidity in Crysis 3 or BF3 on the latest 14.1 driver


----------



## DrClaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> The Vapor Chamber Bloated?


i dont know about that, looks like he tampered with it, i mean common how the hell is that possible


----------



## thrgk

is there any program that records FPS for a certain amount of time, then can give u max, min, and avg fps? I wanted to see how much 25mhz on the core increases FPS, I bet not much.

Fraps doesnt really do that, anyone know a different program?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> is there any program that records FPS for a certain amount of time, then can give u max, min, and avg fps? I wanted to see how much 25mhz on the core increases FPS, I bet not much.
> 
> Fraps doesnt really do that, anyone know a different program?


How doesn't FRAPS do that?


----------



## thrgk

nvm


----------



## hucklebuck

I am overclocking my 7950 and I have a full coverage waterblock. What should I be more concerned about, temperature or voltage?

Currently I at 1150 core with 1.238 volts underload.

Temps are:
Core: 40 C
VRM1: 59 C
VRM2: 57 C

Are there people in here that run high voltage and keep good temps? Do your cards last? How far is safe?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> What should I be more concerned about, temperature or voltage?
> 
> Are there people in here that run high voltage and keep good temps? Do your cards last? How far is safe?


Your temps are good so worry about voltage more or less. It really doesn't matter because over volt protection is active on these cards. You cannot give it more than 1.38v w/o hard modding. It's really hard to fry the cards under 1.4v. I've tried and they don't die lol. I've been benching mine at max volts for years now and they have not lost a step.

On hawaii cards which you can load the unlocked bios which removes the protections, you can fry those easily pushing too much volts. On tahiti, you have to do something really wrong to fry them. Btw, so no contrarian jumps in with their arms up, don't try this on air.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Well my 7990 is back on its way to XFX. It popped a core.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Red-green lines and flickering.A little bit of grey screening too. Let see how long it takes for the RMA.


Mine is coming back next week. Sorry to hear that your quadfire adventure has been a tough one.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Mine is coming back next week. Sorry to hear that your quadfire adventure has been a tough one.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Should I let go of my 7990/7970 and grab 290x? Hmmm....


ChronicFx- Thanks

I ordered another 7990 off ebay to keep me busy while the month+ RMA process is going on. If XFX issues the rma I will be having a 7990 sale. Probably sell the power color 7990 and keep the 2 X xfx cards. I have been messing with LT coins and Bit coins. The PowerColor 7990 (older Devil design) can do 600 KHS per core BIT coin mining and 530 KHS per core in LT coin mining. The XFX(newer reference design) can do 690 KHS per core in Bit coin and 600 KHS per core in LT coin.So there's definitely a difference between the two reference and original design for mining. As far as gaming goes either set up is awesome and I see nothing below 100+ FPS in any game temps never above 53C under water. With the one going back for RMA I thought there was a problem with it to begin with. I could not run furmark that should have been my sign and I broke my rule if furmark wont run it there's a problem send it back. (I think wermad or Mega suggested this --->)The way I figured out there was something wrong was I broke the crossfire and connected directly to the XFX 7990 and went to the desktop. That is when i noticed the red and green lines and the flickering.If I would have done this to begin with would have saved me grief aggravation and money.Ah well live and learn


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Depends, gaming on single screen, yeah, get some money back and get a single 290X. Eyefinity, keep the tri-fire imho or go w/ a couple of 290 (non-x). Are the 79xx water cooled btw?


No. Heard sapphire will void warranty as soon as you open it


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Your temps are good so worry about voltage more or less. It really doesn't matter because over volt protection is active on these cards. You cannot give it more than 1.38v w/o hard modding. It's really hard to fry the cards under 1.4v. I've tried and they don't die lol. I've been benching mine at max volts for years now and they have not lost a step.
> 
> On hawaii cards which you can load the unlocked bios which removes the protections, you can fry those easily pushing too much volts. On tahiti, you have to do something really wrong to fry them. Btw, so no contrarian jumps in with their arms up, don't try this on air.


So if I were to game at 1.3 volts that would be safe? What temps should I not exceed? I only game for about an hour to an hour and a half at a time maybe couple times a week. Thanks!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> ChronicFx- Thanks
> 
> I ordered another 7990 off ebay to keep me busy while the month+ RMA process is going on. If XFX issues the rma I will be having a 7990 sale. Probably sell the power color 7990 and keep the 2 X xfx cards. I have been messing with LT coins and Bit coins. The PowerColor 7990 (older Devil design) can do 600 KHS per core BIT coin mining and 530 KHS per core in LT coin mining. The XFX(newer reference design) can do 690 KHS per core in Bit coin and 600 KHS per core in LT coin.So there's definitely a difference between the two reference and original design for mining. As far as gaming goes either set up is awesome and I see nothing below 100+ FPS in any game temps never above 53C under water. With the one going back for RMA I thought there was a problem with it to begin with. I could not run furmark that should have been my sign and I broke my rule if furmark wont run it there's a problem send it back. (I think wermad or Mega suggested this --->)The way I figured out there was something wrong was I broke the crossfire and connected directly to the XFX 7990 and went to the desktop. That is when i noticed the red and green lines and the flickering.If I would have done this to begin with would have saved me grief aggravation and money.Ah well live and learn


I was looking at getting a HD7990, then Mining threw the prices back above $1000


----------



## thrgk

is running my 7970s minining they are 42cire temp and a vrm temp of 68-71c. having those temps are ok for 24/7 mining right? I have wb on both


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Depends, gaming on single screen, yeah, get some money back and get a single 290X. Eyefinity, keep the tri-fire imho or go w/ a couple of 290 (non-x). Are the 79xx water cooled btw?
> 
> 
> 
> No. Heard sapphire will void warranty as soon as you open it
Click to expand...

That would be incorrect. My friend told sapphire he did a liquid mod to it and they still took it back. They just asked the cooler it came with was properly attached.


----------



## SkateZilla

8 out of 10 times the people modding the cards know how to properly attach the components more than the people in the Assembly and QA Departments of the company you buy it from.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I was looking at getting a HD7990, then Mining threw the prices back above $1000


You can find them for under $1000 trust me( ebay easy to say 1000.00+ and how long is it going to sit-Also are you going to get paid on it when purchased). The ones I have purchased between 800.00 and 900.00 shipped and the one I got lucky enough to get new for 800.00 (Of course this is the one that is out for RMA).One is definitely getting sold once i have them all in one place and figure out what one.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 8 out of 10 times the people modding the cards know how to properly attach the components more than the people in the Assembly and QA Departments of the company you buy it from.


This is the truest statement I have ever heard ^^^^^^^^^^^^^


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> You can find them for under $1000 trust me( ebay easy to say 1000.00+ and how long is it going to sit-Also are you going to get paid on it when purchased). The ones I have purchased between 800.00 and 900.00 shipped and the one I got lucky enough to get new for 800.00 (Of course this is the one that is out for RMA).One is definitely getting sold once i have them all in one place and figure out what one.


Originally I was going to XFire with a R9-280X or something..

But with 14.1 Fixing frame pacing in XFire and stuff, theres no reason not to give the 7990s a good look, and I can just crossfire it with my 7950 if I wanted too (prolly keep 7950 as a backup instead). As I'd rather Run 1 Card and not two, Less heat, less space taken up.

But if i can get a Cheap 7990 w/4 Mini DPs I can get rid of my Tearing issue completely and run all 4 screens from the MiniDPs.

I'll keep an eye on eBay,
I usually only bother with "Buy It nows" as there are fake bid bots on the regular auctions that just repeatedly bid to drive up the price, but all the buy now's are over 1K,

Lots of "For Parts" cards, if they gave better descriptions of the problem, I bet most of the cards are fine and are prolly just not setup correctly.

I wouldnt pay more than $800 for one, seeing as the 7970s are supposed to be $299 now (but arent).


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 8 out of 10 times the people modding the cards know how to properly attach the components more than the people in the Assembly and QA Departments of the company you buy it from.


Truer words have never been typed on the internet.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Originally I was going to XFire with a R9-280X or something..
> 
> But with 14.1 Fixing frame pacing in XFire and stuff, theres no reason not to give the 7990s a good look, and I can just crossfire it with my 7950 if I wanted too (prolly keep 7950 as a backup instead). As I'd rather Run 1 Card and not two, Less heat, less space taken up.
> 
> But if i can get a Cheap 7990 w/4 Mini DPs I can get rid of my Tearing issue completely and run all 4 screens from the MiniDPs.
> 
> I'll keep an eye on eBay,
> I usually only bother with "Buy It nows" as there are fake bid bots on the regular auctions that just repeatedly bid to drive up the price, but all the buy now's are over 1K,
> 
> Lots of "For Parts" cards, if they gave better descriptions of the problem, I bet most of the cards are fine and are prolly just not setup correctly.
> 
> I wouldnt pay more than $800 for one, seeing as the 7970s are supposed to be $299 now (but arent).


I can tell you there nice cards when they work and dont crap out.

I'll keep an eye on eBay,
I usually only bother with "Buy It nows" as there are fake bid bots on the regular auctions that just repeatedly bid to drive up the price, but all the buy now's are over 1K,

^^^^^^^^This is how I got mine the guy got burnt on a bid (when I put something up for bid if you have lower then 20 positive dont bid). Put it up buy it now or best offer. I messaged him told him whats the best he can do. His best offer worked for me

Lots of "For Parts"
I would be real Leary of this said they tested them.

Newegg has XFX7970s for 425 a pop right now.

I am doing the 2x7990 for space reasons.


----------



## wermad

I'm sure someone who's into flight sims will shim in or you can check out WSGF. Yours is a unique setup. Not sure why you couldn't run the primary view monitors off a hub and the instrument panel monitor off the card, ?


----------



## tsm106

Not sure how 4 screens is not possible? Unless you plan on using 1440 or something?


----------



## hucklebuck

Whats a good program to benchmark my 7950's vram?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I'm sure someone who's into flight sims will shim in or you can check out WSGF. Yours is a unique setup. Not sure why you couldn't run the primary view monitors off a hub and the instrument panel monitor off the card, ?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not sure how 4 screens is not possible? Unless you plan on using 1440 or something?


See my Update regarding 4th screen, it's set as extended display and not part of the Eyefinity group, so there's no tearing problems, so you were right with the Option to Purchase the HUB.

So 3x1 Eyefinity + 1 Extended, I just need 3. which allows me to buy a cheaper 7970 if I need to, the MSI's have nice reviews, other brands have sparadic reviews, some have cooling issues, I might just get another Sapphire HD7970 a Hub and 2 more Full Adapters,

So if it's a Card w/ 1 Full DP, HDMI, DVI, just run from DP-> Hub, and DVI for 4th Screen,
If it's a card w/ 2 Mini DP, HDMI, DVI, use Mini->Full DP Adapter I have, HUB-> and MiniDP to DVI for 4th Screen.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Not sure how 4 screens is not possible? Unless you plan on using 1440 or something?


A guy pulled off 5x1 2560x1440 (60hz) already. We didn't hear back from him but I'm sure with two hubs and the right card, you can pull off 3x2 2560x1440/1600 (60hz).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> Whats a good program to benchmark my 7950's vram?


3DMark? (11 & 13)


----------



## tsm106

My god, Grid 2 is so beautiful at 144hz. It was just plain silky smooth. Just benched it in trifire at 1250/1700 with cpu at 4.3ghz (daily profile).

resolution width="5856" height="1080" aspect="auto" fullscreen="true" vsync="0" multisampling="8f16xeqaa">

=

*fps_total min_fps="101.305969" max_fps="169.686813" av_fps="123.859772"/*


----------



## wermad

What wheel you using? I'm thinking of getting one w/ my tax refund. I bought Dirt3 for cheap but I haven't played it yet.


----------



## tsm106

I have two wheels, an unopened G27 and a Fanatec GT2. Thinking about selling the G27 and going for broke on a Fanatec Clubsport with the Formula wheel and V2 Club pedals, but lol that is a grip of cash. We can dream though...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> What wheel you using? I'm thinking of getting one w/ my tax refund. I bought Dirt3 for cheap but I haven't played it yet.


Dirt 3 is useless until it's patched to steam, GWFL is that bad, and done


----------



## tsm106

Why's it useless? It still works. And its not like Dirt 3 is going to be patched to steam only in this lifetime lol. The dev doesn't even have any idea so you best not hold your breath.


----------



## thrgk

yay or nay on the 14.1 beta drivers for 7970cf?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> amd runs each core independently now. It no longer handicaps the powerful card to match the other less powerful card. I'm running a BE lightning at 1150 and three PE lightnings at 1070.


Well now, I guess I missed the memo! Thanks for the heads up.


----------



## SkateZilla

Anyone know where a guide for Linking a 2 power supplies?

I have an extra 600W PSU I can use, I remember you just had to connect a wire from one to another to get both to turn on when you press power.

I can leave the 2nd PSU on the Shelf next to my PC and run the Main/PCIe cables through the Water Cooling hose ports of my case. and Hook to the secondary card.

and save myself 200 bucks.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Anyone know where a guide for Linking a 2 power supplies?
> 
> I have an extra 600W PSU I can use, I remember you just had to connect a wire from one to another to get both to turn on when you press power.
> 
> I can leave the 2nd PSU on the Shelf next to my PC and run the Main/PCIe cables through the Water Cooling hose ports of my case. and Hook to the secondary card.
> 
> and save myself 200 bucks.


On the front of the 24 pin there is a green wire with adjacent black wire, front being the side with the clip. Stick a paper clip in between them and the PSU will start. Tape it up with some electrical tape and then just use the external PSU switch to turn it on and off.

Not so hard right?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Anyone know where a guide for Linking a 2 power supplies?
> 
> I have an extra 600W PSU I can use, I remember you just had to connect a wire from one to another to get both to turn on when you press power.
> 
> I can leave the 2nd PSU on the Shelf next to my PC and run the Main/PCIe cables through the Water Cooling hose ports of my case. and Hook to the secondary card.
> 
> and save myself 200 bucks.
> 
> 
> 
> On the front of the 24 pin there is a green wire with adjacent black wire, front being the side with the clip. Stick a paper clip in between them and the PSU will start. Tape it up with some electrical tape and then just use the external PSU switch to turn it on and off.
> 
> Not so hard right?
Click to expand...

I have done that several times to bleed/fill water loops, but I believe you can also split the button leads to the motherboard and loop it to the 24 pin just like you would if you were using a paper clip, and it should send/receive the same.

Disclaimer: I have never done it myself, but I have seen it done.


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> yay or nay on the 14.1 beta drivers for 7970cf?


I would.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> What wheel you using? I'm thinking of getting one w/ my tax refund. I bought Dirt3 for cheap but I haven't played it yet.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Dirt 3 is useless until it's patched to steam, GWFL is that bad, and done


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why's it useless? It still works. And its not like Dirt 3 is going to be patched to steam only in this lifetime lol. The dev doesn't even have any idea so you best not hold your breath.


I was actually just playing some Dirt 3, and I'm loving it. Glad to be playing again since the days of XBox 360. I'm getting a constant 60 fps at maximum settings, but I get random framerate drops to 20-30 fps every few minutes, complete with insane input lag, making the game unplayable. I have to ALT-Enter to go into windowed mode and switch back again every few minutes to fix this. I'll update my AMD drivers to 14.1 to see if this will fix anything. And about Games for Windows, I don't mind it. Works just fine for me. I don't see what the problem with it is.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> On the front of the 24 pin there is a green wire with adjacent black wire, front being the side with the clip. Stick a paper clip in between them and the PSU will start. Tape it up with some electrical tape and then just use the external PSU switch to turn it on and off.
> 
> Not so hard right?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have done that several times to bleed/fill water loops, but I believe you can also split the button leads to the motherboard and loop it to the 24 pin just like you would if you were using a paper clip, and it should send/receive the same.
> 
> Disclaimer: I have never done it myself, but I have seen it done.


I think this will solve my problem, just gotta see if there's room internally, I could prolly place the unit on the floor of the case where the floor fan is right now, run the power line through the Liquid Hose Ports, or just leave the unit external and run the 24 Pin and PCIe Pins into the case for the 2nd GPU

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201037

in which case I'll order this when I order my 2 miniDP to DVI Adapters.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I was actually just playing some Dirt 3, and I'm loving it. Glad to be playing again since the days of XBox 360. I'm getting a constant 60 fps at maximum settings, but I get random framerate drops to 20-30 fps every few minutes, complete with insane input lag, making the game unplayable. I have to ALT-Enter to go into windowed mode and switch back again every few minutes to fix this. I'll update my AMD drivers to 14.1 to see if this will fix anything. And about Games for Windows, I don't mind it. Works just fine for me. I don't see what the problem with it is.


Reads like throttling. I assume its not a driver crash because a driver crash would force you to the desktop, typically crashing the game as well though I have seen games recover froma driver crash too.

Throttling can be from Powertune/Play switching your card out of 3D powerstate into a different powerstate. When it happens it's usually because of a 3rd interfering app.


----------



## SkateZilla

I've been able to crash the driver without crashing the game, oddly enough, I have to ALT Tab and back to get the game to re-load the rendering pipe.

I can purposely crash specific titles, let the driver restore (black screen, driver was recovered bubble on task bar, alt tab, restore, wait a sec, game comes back up.)


----------



## Paul17041993

hum any opinions on a good place to sell off my 7970? or anyone here interested? I don't have a use for it really and would rather have the money for a loop or at least to pay off the 1440p screen I need...


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Just bought a passive 3D Display, do I need a regular DVI, and DV-I or a DVI D?


Just bought a passive 3D Display, do I need a regular DVI, and DV-I or a DVI D?

Anyone?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hum any opinions on a good place to sell off my 7970? or anyone here interested? I don't have a use for it really and would rather have the money for a loop or at least to pay off the 1440p screen I need...


i would sell on ocn, i have heard several miner horror stories from EBAY, they buy flash and screw up the card ! then ask for refund,
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Just bought a passive 3D Display, do I need a regular DVI, and DV-I or a DVI D?
> 
> 
> 
> Just bought a passive 3D Display, do I need a regular DVI, and DV-I or a DVI D?
> 
> Anyone?
Click to expand...

dunno sorry but i would assume dvi-d dual /hdmi/dp


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Just bought a passive 3D Display, do I need a regular DVI, and DV-I or a DVI D?
> 
> Anyone?


Dvi should work I use HDMI for passive 3d.

Try this site should educate you on 3d. You will also need the app to produce 3D for games.









http://www.tridef.com/forum/


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Dvi should work I use HDMI for passive 3d.
> 
> Try this site should educate you on 3d. You will also need the app to produce 3D for games.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.tridef.com/forum/


I want DV-? so I can run 60Hz 3D, ive got a\n answer now and that is DVI-D


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i would sell on ocn, i have heard several miner horror stories from EBAY, they buy flash and screw up the card ! then ask for refund,
> dunno sorry but i would assume dvi-d dual /hdmi/dp


i tried to sell my 7970 here in ocn but the buyer backed out when i spilled the beans about powercolor's warranty. sold my 7950 for $325 and the 7970 for $375 in the bay. been over a month, so i guess it is safe.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Reads like throttling. I assume its not a driver crash because a driver crash would force you to the desktop, typically crashing the game as well though I have seen games recover froma driver crash too.
> 
> Throttling can be from Powertune/Play switching your card out of 3D powerstate into a different powerstate. When it happens it's usually because of a 3rd interfering app.


Hm. Before you made that post, I had heard of throttling, but I had no idea what it was. After a few minutes of Googling, that makes a lot of sense, but (correct me if I'm wrong), this could be caused by an excessively hot card, a lack of power, or some other program like you said. The interesting thing is I've never had this problem before with any game, and the temps were just under 60C. Should I try raising the "power control settings" in CCC and see if that does anything?


----------



## SkateZilla

MSI Lightning 7970 GHz Edition headed my way for $420

Plus 2 MiniDP Adapters and PSU Splitter

hopefully everything is here mid-week


----------



## anubis1127

Dang, if that is what 7970Ls are going for these days, I let mine go way to cheap. Haha.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Dang, if that is what 7970Ls are going for these days, I let mine go way to cheap. Haha.


4-500s, thanks to teh bitcoin rush. Heck, even ref cards are like 350 and I have seen Matrix and [email protected]$600 for a bit.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> 4-500s, thanks to teh bitcoin rush. Heck, even ref cards are like 350 and I have seen Matrix and [email protected]$600 for a bit.


Jebus, guess I should have asked for more. Mine had EK blocks on them too.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i would sell on ocn, i have heard several miner horror stories from EBAY, they buy flash and screw up the card ! then ask for refund,


I think a "problem" with this card though is its impossible to kill with a bad BIOS flash...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Dang, if that is what 7970Ls are going for these days, I let mine go way to cheap. Haha.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> 4-500s, thanks to teh bitcoin rush. Heck, even ref cards are like 350 and I have seen Matrix and [email protected]$600 for a bit.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Jebus, guess I should have asked for more. Mine had EK blocks on them too.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I think a "problem" with this card though is its impossible to kill with a bad BIOS flash...


About a month or so ago, the 79xx cards were going for $500-$900 each,

Lightnings were goign for $845, due to the Mining performance,

7950s were going for $500-600 each depending on Model (cooling and vrm).

Before NewEgg removed the R7970 Lightnings, they were $599 each.

The one I bought also has 2 more years on the warranty.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i would sell on ocn, i have heard several miner horror stories from EBAY, they buy flash and screw up the card ! then ask for refund,
> dunno sorry but i would assume dvi-d dual /hdmi/dp


they would buy and abuse for 30 days and then return for their money and buy another unit elsewhere and repeat, so they use the cards for 35 or so days and return them for their money back.

or they mine for 30 days and return when the market crashes.


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> or they mine for 30 days and return when the market crashes.


Come on... who isn't guilty of that


----------



## SkateZilla

i have no interest in mining, so I havent lol.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hum any opinions on a good place to sell off my 7970? or anyone here interested? I don't have a use for it really and would rather have the money for a loop or at least to pay off the 1440p screen I need...


See sig, but I'm after already blocked 7970's first and foremost. Non-warrantied reference coolers, and card's in that ballpark are low 300's. A nice card w a block is 400ish. I've been all over the FS sections here and at Hardforum keeping a look out for a 3rd. eBay is tempting with that money but they do not protect the seller in any way, then they'll take 10-15% depending on the sale total and what section of % it fell in.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hum any opinions on a good place to sell off my 7970? or anyone here interested? I don't have a use for it really and would rather have the money for a loop or at least to pay off the 1440p screen I need...
> 
> 
> 
> See sig, but I'm after already blocked 7970's first and foremost. Non-warrantied reference coolers, and card's in that ballpark are low 300's. A nice card w a block is 400ish. I've been all over the FS sections here and at Hardforum keeping a look out for a 3rd. eBay is tempting with that money but they do not protect the seller in any way, then they'll take 10-15% depending on the sale total and what section of % it fell in.
Click to expand...

Agreed. totally stay away from flea-bay. I got less than 1/2 of what I was looking for on a awesome windows tablet, then the buyer was upset because the front camera was too low of a resolution, he physically damaged the tablet in a way I could not prove by my photographs and then returned it because it was "broken". Flea bay can suck a big fat floppy donkey ding dong. Sell it here to someone with rep.

If jagz doesnt pick it up, someone will...a good priced 7970 will go like a hotcake.


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Just bought a passive 3D Display, do I need a regular DVI, and DV-I or a DVI D?
> 
> Anyone?


Any will work

I've used DVI-D, VGA, & HDMI just fine with Passive & Active 3D


----------



## SkateZilla

Decided to go with a bigger PSU, for 2 reasons, Space,

and my Current PSU's both have split 12v Rails with 25A Each, so to avoid risking blowing a rail and screwing up anything, I'll just get a new PSU.


----------



## SkateZilla

Cleaned my PC and replaced TIM on my Sapphire (had to take heatsink off to clean it out anyway, so I swapped the TIM with a lil AS5 (carefully).

Idling at 20~^C have tested loads, but they had GOBs of this this crap all over the place...

All the parts for my XFire upgrade are ordered, 7970, PSU, Cables.

Now i just have to decide if I want to keep my XFi Sandwiched between the two cards.

Had to take the heatsink off to clean the dust out of it, and noticed TIM Everywhere, I thought I had a Cooling plate that covered almost everything, so if I wanted to RedMod this puppy (which I DO), it'd be easy.


After Using Artic Clean, Mirror Finish



Small Dot of AS5, Put heatsink on to smooth it out,

Yes, I checked to make sure none leaked...

Another reason I want to water cool it now, the finish on the Copper plate of the heatsink was far from clean, it was rough, had scratches all over it... i tried to clean it best i could but it still looked rough.

I see a small AiO Cooler being zip tied to this as soon as I can budget $120, might as well AiO Block the MSI when it gets here too.


----------



## CptAsian

Okay, I did some more poking around with DiRT 3, and I have confirmed that it is GPU throttling, and bumping up the power settings in MSI Afterburner does nothing to help me. This is the first and only game that has throttles for me, so I am unfamiliar with what I should do. Any recommendations or ideas on what kind of programs could be causing this, if any?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Okay, I did some more poking around with DiRT 3, and I have confirmed that it is GPU throttling, and bumping up the power settings in MSI Afterburner does nothing to help me. This is the first and only game that has throttles for me, so I am unfamiliar with what I should do. Any recommendations or ideas on what kind of programs could be causing this, if any?


What are your temps when it begins to throttle?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> What are your temps when it begins to throttle?


Highest the GPU's got was 62C.


----------



## thrgk

I have 2 7970s, both under water, think they can handle all ultra settings on bf4 ok?

And should i try out the new 14.1 beta drivers, or did they seem problem ridden?


----------



## Durvelle27

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I have 2 7970s, both under water, think they can handle all ultra settings on bf4 ok?
> 
> And should i try out the new 14.1 beta drivers, or did they seem problem ridden?


Depends on res

I can max BF4 @1080P 110% Scale with a single GTX 780 and never drop below 60FPS


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I have 2 7970s, both under water, think they can handle all ultra settings on bf4 ok?
> 
> And should i try out the new 14.1 beta drivers, or did they seem problem ridden?


1440p? Depends on how much AA we're talking here I think. I don't have BF4 though, just 3.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I have 2 7970s, both under water, think they can handle all ultra settings on bf4 ok?
> 
> And should i try out the new 14.1 beta drivers, or did they seem problem ridden?


You will be fine, I max bf4 on 5760x1080 and get ~50fps average playing with 3x 1080p screens with moderate aa.

Edit: with 2x 7970's on air, 1100/1500.


----------



## keikei

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I have 2 7970s, both under water, think they can handle all ultra settings on bf4 ok?
> 
> And should i try out the new 14.1 beta drivers, or did they seem problem ridden?


You should hit around *80fps* with your rig. Set framepacing off and AA off. I do not recommend 14.1 drivers, it will not help you with BF4 currently.


----------



## thrgk

framepacing in ccc?


----------



## keikei

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> framepacing in ccc?


Yes. Sorry, watching game of thrones season 1....damn those 1 hour episodes. Frame pacing eats up those precious fps and with your monitor, I assume you want every last 1.

Once in CCC, go to GAMING-> 3D APPLICATION SETTINGS->FRAME PACING is at the bottom.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keikei*
> 
> Yes. Sorry, watching game of thrones season 1....damn those 1 hour episodes. Frame pacing eats up those precious fps and with your monitor, I assume you want every last 1.
> 
> Once in CCC, go to GAMING-> 3D APPLICATION SETTINGS->FRAME PACING is at the bottom.


I'd rather have lower latency between frames;.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keikei*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I have 2 7970s, both under water, think they can handle all ultra settings on bf4 ok?
> 
> And should i try out the new 14.1 beta drivers, or did they seem problem ridden?
> 
> 
> 
> You should hit around *80fps* with your rig. Set framepacing off and AA off. I do not recommend 14.1 drivers, it will not help you with BF4 currently.
Click to expand...

With mantle my single 7970 with an OC of 1225/1700, I get 100 - 120fps. I'd expect at least 120fps on 2 7970s under water with mantle. If its under water then no doubt his OC is better than mine.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> http://us.ncix.com/search/?categoryid=0&q=club3d
> 
> club3d finally hit the us !!!!!!


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I have 2 7970s, both under water, think they can handle all ultra settings on bf4 ok?
> 
> And should i try out the new 14.1 beta drivers, or did they seem problem ridden?


They work okay just don't turn on the Mantle. It is causing studdering.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Okay, I did some more poking around with DiRT 3, and I have confirmed that it is GPU throttling, and bumping up the power settings in MSI Afterburner does nothing to help me. This is the first and only game that has throttles for me, so I am unfamiliar with what I should do. Any recommendations or ideas on what kind of programs could be causing this, if any?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Highest the GPU's got was 62C.


Anyone?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Anyone?


I cant boot Dirt 3 as I dont have my wheel or controller handy... but maybe CPU throttling?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I cant boot Dirt 3 as I dont have my wheel or controller handy... but maybe CPU throttling?


General question about Dirt 3...

GTA IV has the ENB series, has Dirt 3 got any graphical mods to it?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I cant boot Dirt 3 as I dont have my wheel or controller handy... but maybe CPU throttling?


I watched the GPU clocks go down on the Afterburner app on my phone when I got the massive framerate drops, so I'm pretty much absolutely sure it's the 7990. I didn't look at the CPU though.


----------



## PedroC1999

How often do you see GTA IV fully utilise 7950 Crossfire


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> How often do you see GTA IV fully utilise 7950 Crossfire


How often do you see it utilize any graphics card? Good stuff either way.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> How often do you see it utilize any graphics card? Good stuff either way.


Thats at 1920*1080, maxed out with a 500mb carpack.

I do see a few Taxis







Working on that, was very surprised that my favourite game likes my setup


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> How often do you see it utilize any graphics card? Good stuff either way.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thats at 1920*1080, maxed out with a 500mb carpack.
> 
> I do see a few Taxis
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Working on that, was very surprised that my favourite game likes my setup
Click to expand...

Hopefully when GTAV finally makes its way to the master race, it also fully utilizes. But maxed GTAIV without any extra mods won't even use 60^ of my 7970 and to top it off I maybe get 60fps.


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Hopefully when GTAV finally makes its way to the master race, it also fully utilizes. But maxed GTAIV without any extra mods won't even use 60^ of my 7970 and to top it off I maybe get 60fps.


I get 120fps in vaila maxed out IV, once again, at 99% usage on both


----------



## inedenimadam

Hey folks, quick question about eyefinity and connections to a 7970. I have purchased two more monitors identical to the one I have now, and will be picking them up from microcenter in the morning. I want to snag any connecting cables I need at the same time.

My 7970 TF3 has:

2x mini dp
1x hdmi
1x DVI-I

My monitors have:

1x vga
1x DVI-D
They each come with a dvi-->hdmi cable and a vga-->vga cable

I can connect one via dvi-->vga, and one via hdmi-->dvi, but I need the third to either come from the mini-dp. What type of cable or adapter should I be going after? Do I need active? or is passive ok?


----------



## Mega Man

imo skip the dvi to vga get dvi>dvi hdmi>dvi and dp >dvi, no matter what you will have screen tearing, another option is get a dvi splitter cable . but i dont know how they work


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> imo skip the dvi to vga get dvi>dvi hdmi>dvi and dp >dvi, no matter what you will have screen tearing, another option is get a dvi splitter cable . but i dont know how they work


So your saying no-vga at all? So I would need a DVI-DVI cable and a mini-dp to hdmi? will the mini-dp need to be active? I have never done a side by side comparison, is vga being analog going to screw with color reproduction vs the rest being digital?

I have a second 7970 coming whenever the amazon seller gets off his but and ships it+ shipping. The monitors will be here tomorrow, well ahead of the 2nd card, but I dont want to be patient, I want to play with them as soon as I get them!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I watched the GPU clocks go down on the Afterburner app on my phone when I got the massive framerate drops, so I'm pretty much absolutely sure it's the 7990. I didn't look at the CPU though.


Ok, I completely forgot you stated you saw the GPU frequency drop.

it will drop for 2 reasons:
Heat
Voltage

With Cat 14.1 they integrated the PowerProfile that debuted with the R9s, so it has a "target temp"

Monitor Voltages during the session, ie let a monitor program graph it, and then look through the graph around the time you throttled to see if the Core Voltage dropped


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> imo skip the dvi to vga get dvi>dvi hdmi>dvi and dp >dvi, no matter what you will have screen tearing, another option is get a dvi splitter cable . but i dont know how they work


You'll get screen tearing in Eyefinity Only,

I run as many games as I Can using 3 screens extended, and there's not tearing at all on those


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Ok, I completely forgot you stated you saw the GPU frequency drop.
> 
> it will drop for 2 reasons:
> Heat
> Voltage
> 
> With Cat 14.1 they integrated the PowerProfile that debuted with the R9s, so it has a "target temp"
> 
> Monitor Voltages during the session, ie let a monitor program graph it, and then look through the graph around the time you throttled to see if the Core Voltage dropped


Alright, I just updated to 14.1 whether I needed to or not. I'll hook up my disgusting second monitor to look at voltages tomorrow, as I have run out of time tonight.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *keikei*
> 
> Yes. Sorry, watching game of thrones season 1....damn those 1 hour episodes. Frame pacing eats up those precious fps and with your monitor, I assume you want every last 1.
> 
> Once in CCC, go to GAMING-> 3D APPLICATION SETTINGS->FRAME PACING is at the bottom.


I do not get 80fps in bf4 expansion levels, especially in helicopter. Where do i turn off AA? and if i do wont images suck?

cards at 1200/1700


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> imo skip the dvi to vga get dvi>dvi hdmi>dvi and dp >dvi, no matter what you will have screen tearing, another option is get a dvi splitter cable . but i dont know how they work
> 
> 
> 
> So your saying no-vga at all? So I would need a DVI-DVI cable and a mini-dp to hdmi? will the mini-dp need to be active? I have never done a side by side comparison, is vga being analog going to screw with color reproduction vs the rest being digital?
> 
> I have a second 7970 coming whenever the amazon seller gets off his but and ships it+ shipping. The monitors will be here tomorrow, well ahead of the 2nd card, but I dont want to be patient, I want to play with them as soon as I get them!
Click to expand...

if you crossfire them you cant use the outputs on the second card, only the first no matter what you will need to use DP and as you have 7970s and not 280xs ( unless you do ) you will need a active adapter and yes mini dp to hdmi is fine

another way around the screen tearing is to get a mst (dp) hub and 3 adapters, it is by far not the cheapest method, but it works and no screen tearing if you want i can link you to them but they are all ~ 100-120


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> imo skip the dvi to vga get dvi>dvi hdmi>dvi and dp >dvi, no matter what you will have screen tearing, another option is get a dvi splitter cable . but i dont know how they work
> 
> 
> 
> You'll get screen tearing in Eyefinity Only,
> 
> I run as many games as I Can using 3 screens extended, and there's not tearing at all on those
Click to expand...

Thanks, both of you. I might be back in here tomorrow looking for more help with eyefinity/multi monitor.


----------



## Mega Man

any time


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> any time


OK...one more bother for ya...the 2nd 7970 I have on the way is a DC2 with 4xDP and 2 DVI...what is the best method there? all dp--dvi ? any active adapters?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> imo skip the dvi to vga get dvi>dvi hdmi>dvi and dp >dvi, no matter what you will have screen tearing, another option is get a dvi splitter cable . but i dont know how they work


DVI splitters just split the signal and are only really used on projectors.

active splitters on the other hand can act as a single display and send each output a different portion, but these are only ever found in rare industry setups and have been replaced by displayport.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> OK...one more bother for ya...the 2nd 7970 I have on the way is a DC2 with 4xDP and 2 DVI...what is the best method there? all dp--dvi ? any active adapters?


no different to other cards, up to two DVI outs and the rest have to be active displayport converters or monitors.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> any time
> 
> 
> 
> OK...one more bother for ya...the 2nd 7970 I have on the way is a DC2 with 4xDP and 2 DVI...what is the best method there? all dp--dvi ? any active adapters?
Click to expand...

if you use that as your top card you can have 2 passive and the rest active

so 1xdp 1xdvi passive the thrid dp would need active

2xdvi and one active dp

or

2x passive dp and the last dp active

ORRRRRR

you can get all DP monitors and not need any adapters ( just an option, never said it was cheap or better )


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> any time
> 
> 
> 
> OK...one more bother for ya...the 2nd 7970 I have on the way is a DC2 with 4xDP and 2 DVI...what is the best method there? all dp--dvi ? any active adapters?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> if you use that as your top card you can have 2 passive and the rest active
> 
> so 1xdp 1xdvi passive the thrid dp would need active
> 
> 2xdvi and one active dp
> 
> or
> 
> 2x passive dp and the last dp active
> 
> ORRRRRR
> 
> you can get all DP monitors and not need any adapters ( just an option, never said it was cheap or better )
Click to expand...

dang...so three of these cables wont work for me? I would have to go active adapter for third?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> dang...so three of these cables wont work for me? I would have to go active adapter for third?


you can only use one cards outputs either the card with 2 mini dp hdmi and cvi

or

2xdvi 4xmini dp

unless i am wrong, but i am pretty sure those are just "passive adapters, but they could be active


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Hey folks, quick question about eyefinity and connections to a 7970. I have purchased two more monitors identical to the one I have now, and will be picking them up from microcenter in the morning. I want to snag any connecting cables I need at the same time.
> 
> My 7970 TF3 has:
> 
> 2x mini dp
> 1x hdmi
> 1x DVI-I
> 
> My monitors have:
> 
> 1x vga
> 1x DVI-D
> They each come with a dvi-->hdmi cable and a vga-->vga cable
> 
> I can connect one via dvi-->vga, and one via hdmi-->dvi, but I need the third to either come from the mini-dp. What type of cable or adapter should I be going after? Do I need active? or is passive ok?


Get an Accell MST 1.2 HUB and connect all three panels to it and iirc you can use that DVI to DP cable as the hub activates all connections. Btw, this is the only way to get all panels on the same clock generator. This will work for 3 1080P 60hz panels. If you wanna go higher than that bandwidth, you'll have to use one of you DL DVI ports. No bueno...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I cant boot Dirt 3 as I dont have my wheel or controller handy... but maybe CPU throttling?
> 
> 
> 
> I watched the GPU clocks go down on the Afterburner app on my phone when I got the massive framerate drops, so I'm pretty much absolutely sure it's the 7990. I didn't look at the CPU though.
Click to expand...

Ah you have a Malta. How do you have it configured, AB wise?

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


----------



## wermad

Try unplugging the visiotek's power cables to run the sapphire on its own. Your mb doesn't have pcie shutoff switches so un plugging may eork. If not, gonna have to pull it from your lo op.

Btw, pic of the gpu blocks? I believe aquacomp made a 7900 block with passiv vrm cooling.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Try unplugging the visiotek's power cables to run the sapphire on its own. Your mb doesn't have pcie shutoff switches so un plugging may eork. If not, gonna have to pull it from your lo op.
> 
> Btw, pic of the gpu blocks? I believe aquacomp made a 7900 block with passiv vrm cooling.


dont have a pick but i thought i saw online aqua has active vrm cooling? is this not true? what blocks do then? Maybe i was wrong and its passive?

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/water-cooling/54127-bundymania-user-review-9-waterblocks-hd7970-roundup.html


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Try unplugging the visiotek's power cables to run the sapphire on its own. Your mb doesn't have pcie shutoff switches so un plugging may eork. If not, gonna have to pull it from your lo op.
> 
> Btw, pic of the gpu blocks? I believe aquacomp made a 7900 block with passiv vrm cooling.
> 
> 
> 
> dont have a pick but i thought i saw online aqua has active vrm cooling? is this not true? what blocks do then? Maybe i was wrong and its passive?
> 
> http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/water-cooling/54127-bundymania-user-review-9-waterblocks-hd7970-roundup.html
Click to expand...

Original block did not have active vrm cooling. It was obviously universally panned. They redesigned it with this big cobbled on part. Then they redesigned it again to not look terribad, which is what is in the review you linked.


----------



## inedenimadam

Thanks again tsm106 and mega-man for the eyefinity help. Unfortunately the adapter I picked up was a passive adapter instead of an active one, so I am going back to microcenter tomorrow to exchange it for an active one(think I am going to pick up two so that I am going through dvi and dp only). In the meantime, I am enjoying skyrim at 5760x1080 with one monitor hooked via vga onboard...I dont have tearing, but I do have some undesirable effects: I almost want to call it flicker, but it doesnt flicker, it waves more than flickers...guess that is analog showing its colors.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thanks again tsm106 and mega-man for the eyefinity help. Unfortunately the adapter I picked up was a passive adapter instead of an active one, so I am going back to microcenter tomorrow to exchange it for an active one(think I am going to pick up two so that I am going through dvi and dp only). In the meantime, I am enjoying skyrim at 5760x1080 with one monitor hooked via vga onboard...I dont have tearing, but I do have some undesirable effects: I almost want to call it flicker, but it doesnt flicker, it waves more than flickers...guess that is analog showing its colors.


via onboard? yea that's because the card has to send the buffers to the iGPU which will also render it differently, you get the same effect on modern laptops with nvidia cards. (unless it uses the card directly and the iGPU is hard-disabled)


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thanks again tsm106 and mega-man for the eyefinity help. Unfortunately the adapter I picked up was a passive adapter instead of an active one, so I am going back to microcenter tomorrow to exchange it for an active one(think I am going to pick up two so that I am going through dvi and dp only). In the meantime, I am enjoying skyrim at 5760x1080 with one monitor hooked via vga onboard...I dont have tearing, but I do have some undesirable effects: I almost want to call it flicker, but it doesnt flicker, it waves more than flickers...guess that is analog showing its colors.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> via onboard? yea that's because the card has to send the buffers to the iGPU which will also render it differently, you get the same effect on modern laptops with nvidia cards. (unless it uses the card directly and the iGPU is hard-disabled)
Click to expand...

yep, via onboard. that was the only way to get all three monitors working at the same time. Hopefully I get the right adapter tomorrow and all will be well.

Edit to add: eventually want to get an mst hub + 3 adapters to avoid the screen tearing. But I like the fact that I have bought 2 monitors and a video card this week, and my wife has not so much as made a peep about budget, so I am going to leave the credit card in the wallet for a bit. Even with the MST+ dp-hdmi adapters, it is still cheaper than going after dp native monitors. That tech is still expensive!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thanks again tsm106 and mega-man for the eyefinity help. Unfortunately the adapter I picked up was a passive adapter instead of an active one, so I am going back to microcenter tomorrow to exchange it for an active one(think I am going to pick up two so that I am going through dvi and dp only). In the meantime, I am enjoying skyrim at 5760x1080 with one monitor hooked via vga onboard...I dont have tearing, but I do have some undesirable effects: I almost want to call it flicker, but it doesnt flicker, it waves more than flickers...guess that is analog showing its colors.


Skyrim and AMD Vsync are broken, been fighting with it on my brothers system since launch, Locks my brother's FPS at 63, which causes tearing
Install a FPS Limiter and Limit to 30 or 60 and the tearing stops but it causes longer loading times.. lol.

VGA prolly has ghosting which will look wierd when in motion, along with brightness value going up and down.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> yep, via onboard. that was the only way to get all three monitors working at the same time. Hopefully I get the right adapter tomorrow and all will be well.
> 
> Edit to add: eventually want to get an mst hub + 3 adapters to avoid the screen tearing. But I like the fact that I have bought 2 monitors and a video card this week, and my wife has not so much as made a peep about budget, so I am going to leave the credit card in the wallet for a bit. Even with the MST+ dp-hdmi adapters, it is still cheaper than going after dp native monitors. That tech is still expensive!


Just get a GFX Card with 3+ MiniDP Connections.

Also there is no tearing if the game will run at 5760x1080 when you run Desktop + 2 Extended Monitors


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thanks again tsm106 and mega-man for the eyefinity help. Unfortunately the adapter I picked up was a passive adapter instead of an active one, so I am going back to microcenter tomorrow to exchange it for an active one(think I am going to pick up two so that I am going through dvi and dp only). In the meantime, I am enjoying skyrim at 5760x1080 with one monitor hooked via vga onboard...I dont have tearing, but I do have some undesirable effects: I almost want to call it flicker, but it doesnt flicker, it waves more than flickers...guess that is analog showing its colors.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> via onboard? yea that's because the card has to send the buffers to the iGPU which will also render it differently, you get the same effect on modern laptops with nvidia cards. (unless it uses the card directly and the iGPU is hard-disabled)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> yep, via onboard. that was the only way to get all three monitors working at the same time. Hopefully I get the right adapter tomorrow and all will be well.
> 
> Edit to add: eventually want to get an mst hub + 3 adapters to avoid the screen tearing. But I like the fact that I have bought 2 monitors and a video card this week, and my wife has not so much as made a peep about budget, so I am going to leave the credit card in the wallet for a bit. Even with the MST+ dp-hdmi adapters, it is still cheaper than going after dp native monitors. That tech is still expensive!
Click to expand...

Read my post again. With a MST 1.2 hub you don't need adapters, instead you use DP to DVI cables. The hub activates the connections. I just confirmed this on my MST hub.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my post again. With a MST 1.2 hub you don't need adapters, instead you use DP to DVI cables. The hub activates the connections. I just confirmed this on my MST hub.


So You dont need active adapters?

Just a DVI Male - > DP Male Cable.


----------



## bburnham37

That's exactly what he said.


----------



## inedenimadam

a hub is 100 bucks. 3 dvi -dp is another 45 bucks. I want to do it cheap. I bought what I thought would work...but it doesnt. I am pissed, but I am going back to microcenter and going to ask them what to buy.

I bought two of these:


connecting my third monitor to hdmi or dvi-vga doesnt work.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> a hub is 100 bucks. 3 dvi -dp is another 45 bucks. I want to do it cheap. I bought what I thought would work...but it doesnt. I am pissed, but I am going back to microcenter and going to ask them what to buy.
> 
> I bought two of these:
> 
> 
> connecting my third monitor to hdmi or dvi-vga doesnt work.


expect to spend 30


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> a hub is 100 bucks. 3 dvi -dp is another 45 bucks. I want to do it cheap. I bought what I thought would work...but it doesnt. I am pissed, but I am going back to microcenter and going to ask them what to buy.
> 
> I bought two of these:
> 
> 
> connecting my third monitor to hdmi or dvi-vga doesnt work.
> 
> 
> 
> expect to spend 30
Click to expand...

Just bought another "active" one at microcenter, still no bones.

I am just going to bite the bullet and get the mst hub and cables. This is not worth the headache and trips to microcenter just to end up with screen tearing.


----------



## wermad

Mst hub =/= screen tearing (7xxx)









Edit:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1437364/accell-club3d-mst-eyefinity-displayport-hub-now-available-in-the-usa


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Read my post again. With a MST 1.2 hub you don't need adapters, instead you use DP to DVI cables. The hub activates the connections. I just confirmed this on my MST hub.


didn't really know the hubs have/can have internal digital-link clock gens, guess I'll have to remember that if I ever need 6 monitors...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Just bought another "active" one at microcenter, still no bones.
> 
> I am just going to bite the bullet and get the mst hub and cables. This is not worth the headache and trips to microcenter just to end up with screen tearing.


ah yea, as has been said previously, the use of an active adapter alongside directs induces tearing due to the converter running out of sync, not fixable unless you get a 280X, 290/X (or any card with 3 direct support for that matter) or use a hub/set of adapters.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> didn't really know the hubs have/can have internal digital-link clock gens, guess I'll have to remember that if I ever need 6 monitors...
> ah yea, as has been said previously, the use of an active adapter alongside directs induces tearing due to the converter running out of sync, not fixable unless you get a 280X, 290/X (or any card with 3 direct support for that matter) or use a hub/set of adapters.


Sapphire FleX Maybe?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Sapphire FleX Maybe?


possibly, though I cant remember if it uses an internal converter (tearing) or a clock gen/splitter (no tearing), might have to have a look around about them...


----------



## bburnham37

Additional internal clock on the Sapphire Flex cards, no tearing.


----------



## SkateZilla

All i know is the tearing was so annoying that I Sprung for a Lightning 7970 to have 4 MiniDP to run everything from DisplayPorts.

My new PSU and adapters will be here today, not sure about the GPU, as it's shipping cross country.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> All i know is the tearing was so annoying that I Sprung for a Lightning 7970 to have 4 MiniDP to run everything from DisplayPorts.
> 
> My new PSU and adapters will be here today, not sure about the GPU, as it's shipping cross country.


Good luck with that GPU, I have one en route cross country as well, but (of course) we are having the worst ice storm we have had in 10 years. I managed to make it out to the gas station for smokes and wine for the wife, but I had a hard time, even with my 4x4 truck. Georgia doesnt handle frozen precipitation all that well. I have a feeling my Friday delivery date is going to be held back by quite a bit.


----------



## X-Alt

I have 4x full size DisplayPorts, but I am pretty sure you need active adapters to run something on DVI in addition to the DPs..


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I have 4x full size DisplayPorts, but I am pretty sure you need active adapters to run something on DVI in addition to the DPs..


Yeah, I have all Active Adapters.

The issue with DP Adapters now is some of these 3rd Party Companies are now making them extremely cheap, Not sure if IO Gear qualifies as one, but I've seen other "Generic" Brands with MiniDP Adapters for like $4.99 -$8.99 for Active ones, but they easily break by bending them too far.

Right now on my 7950 I have:
- StarTech DP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) (Full Size DP), Screen 4
- StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) (MIniDP), Screen 3
- HDMI-> DVI Adapter, Screen 2
- DVI, Screen 1.

Screen 4 isnt part of the Eyefinity Array, it's an extended screen.

With 2 more StarTech MDP2DVIS Mini DP Active on the way,

lately on NewEgg the startech adapters have been getting bad reviews, but I dunno if it's user error or not. I've never had a problem with them, and they are on the "AMD Eyefinity Certified" list.

The Full Size Active Converter is Plugged into the MiniDP -> Full DP Adapter that came with my Sapphire Card, I have 1 Full Size just in case I use a Card with a FullDP at any given time.

So when the R7970 Lighting gets here:
StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) Display 1, 1080p (Eyefinity 3x1)
StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) Display 2, 1080p (Eyefinity 3x1)
StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) Display 3, 1080p (Eyefinity 3x1)
StarTech DP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) (Full Size DP) Display 4, 1680x1050 (Extended)

Which will leave The 2 Single Link DVI Ports Open to be used with DVI->HDMI Adapter to my HDTV or 2 more Small Extended screens for a Total of Six.

But if I want 5 Screen Portrait Eyefinity,
I'd Use the MiniDP to Full DP Adapter, to a MST Hub w/ the 3 DP to DVI Active Adapters for 3 Screens and 2 MiniDP Ports for Screens 4 and 5.

The DVI Ports will prolly never be used outside of Output to HDTV for Movies, or 2 Small Screens for Simulator Gauges.

But for the most part they'll never be part of the Eyefinity Array, as that's what causes the tearing.

I wanted to do it this way a while ago, but the R7970 Lightnings were Running $599 before being discontinued, add in the fact that it has the best VRM and Cooling, and the Miners, they started going for $800 or so on eBay.

But I found a deal on a Used Unit from eBay that is fresh from RMA and has an Active warranty for significantly less than that.

So it was well worth it, and it was still less than what I paid for my Sapphire HD7950 OC when I Bought it on launch day


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> All i know is the tearing was so annoying that I Sprung for a Lightning 7970 to have 4 MiniDP to run everything from DisplayPorts.
> 
> My new PSU and adapters will be here today, not sure about the GPU, as it's shipping cross country.


Welcome to the Lightning club


----------



## SavageBrat

really like mine..but she loafing at the moment.. 1100/1500,, running 2 23in screens..


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Welcome to the Lightning club


Well my Power Supply and Adapters are here already (adapters got here early),

So just waiting on the card itself.


----------



## PedroC1999

Well, OCed my D2343P BN to 70Hz on 1920*1080 3D

75Hz does not boot, so Im sticking like this


----------



## Dyekid217

Hey everyone! So after I bought an evga 660 SC on amazon for SLI it ended up being faulty and fried both my motherboard and my other 660. The amazon seller is going to let me trade both my broken 660's for a gigabyte 7970!

Just wondering what a good psu is for my setup as I only have a 600w ocz modstream

Here's my setup
I5-2500k
24gb ram
Samsung 840 120gb ssd
1tb seagate
Crossover 27q led-p monitor running 2560x1440

I'm so excited to have my first high end gpu


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dyekid217*
> 
> Hey everyone! So after I bought an evga 660 SC on amazon for SLI it ended up being faulty and fried both my motherboard and my other 660. The amazon seller is going to let me trade both my broken 660's for a gigabyte 7970!
> 
> Just wondering what a good psu is for my setup as I only have a 600w ocz modstream
> 
> Here's my setup
> I5-2500k
> 24gb ram
> Samsung 840 120gb ssd
> 1tb seagate
> Crossover 27q led-p monitor running 2560x1440
> 
> I'm so excited to have my first high end gpu


Yes it's enough, I'm mining *2* OC'd 7970's (CPU is idle but still) @ 600w from wall or 540w from the PSU. I assume it's the modxstream pro

Nice monitor, love my Crossover.


----------



## wermad

That psu is fine for a single 7970.


----------



## Dyekid217

I think the problem was that I used the wrong modular cable when I tried to sli. Either that or the card was corrupt and ruined my system. I'm thinking it was the latter because when i plugged in the newer 660 it had artifacts all over the screen.

Anyways I'm hoping the 7970 is all it's cracked up to be. I think I'm gonna upgrade my psu though just to be safe


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I have 4x full size DisplayPorts, but I am pretty sure you need active adapters to run something on DVI in addition to the DPs..
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, I have all Active Adapters.
> 
> The issue with DP Adapters now is some of these 3rd Party Companies are now making them extremely cheap, Not sure if IO Gear qualifies as one, but I've seen other "Generic" Brands with MiniDP Adapters for like $4.99 -$8.99 for Active ones, but they easily break by bending them too far.
> 
> Right now on my 7950 I have:
> - StarTech DP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) (Full Size DP), Screen 4
> - StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) (MIniDP), Screen 3
> - HDMI-> DVI Adapter, Screen 2
> - DVI, Screen 1.
> 
> Screen 4 isnt part of the Eyefinity Array, it's an extended screen.
> 
> With 2 more StarTech MDP2DVIS Mini DP Active on the way,
> 
> lately on NewEgg the startech adapters have been getting bad reviews, but I dunno if it's user error or not. I've never had a problem with them, and they are on the "AMD Eyefinity Certified" list.
> 
> The Full Size Active Converter is Plugged into the MiniDP -> Full DP Adapter that came with my Sapphire Card, I have 1 Full Size just in case I use a Card with a FullDP at any given time.
> 
> So when the R7970 Lighting gets here:
> StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) Display 1, 1080p (Eyefinity 3x1)
> StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) Display 2, 1080p (Eyefinity 3x1)
> StarTech MDP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) Display 3, 1080p (Eyefinity 3x1)
> StarTech DP2DVIS -> DVI (Active) (Full Size DP) Display 4, 1680x1050 (Extended)
> 
> Which will leave The 2 Single Link DVI Ports Open to be used with DVI->HDMI Adapter to my HDTV or 2 more Small Extended screens for a Total of Six.
> 
> But if I want 5 Screen Portrait Eyefinity,
> I'd Use the MiniDP to Full DP Adapter, to a MST Hub w/ the 3 DP to DVI Active Adapters for 3 Screens and 2 MiniDP Ports for Screens 4 and 5.
> 
> The DVI Ports will prolly never be used outside of Output to HDTV for Movies, or 2 Small Screens for Simulator Gauges.
> 
> But for the most part they'll never be part of the Eyefinity Array, as that's what causes the tearing.
> 
> I wanted to do it this way a while ago, but the R7970 Lightnings were Running $599 before being discontinued, add in the fact that it has the best VRM and Cooling, and the Miners, they started going for $800 or so on eBay.
> 
> But I found a deal on a Used Unit from eBay that is fresh from RMA and has an Active warranty for significantly less than that.
> 
> So it was well worth it, and it was still less than what I paid for my Sapphire HD7950 OC when I Bought it on launch day
Click to expand...

fyi they now make a mini dp mst hub ( to full DP )
http://www.accellcables.com/K088B-003B.html
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dyekid217*
> 
> Hey everyone! So after I bought an evga 660 SC on amazon for SLI it ended up being faulty and fried both my motherboard and my other 660. The amazon seller is going to let me trade both my broken 660's for a gigabyte 7970!
> 
> Just wondering what a good psu is for my setup as I only have a 600w ocz modstream
> 
> Here's my setup
> I5-2500k
> 24gb ram
> Samsung 840 120gb ssd
> 1tb seagate
> Crossover 27q led-p monitor running 2560x1440
> 
> I'm so excited to have my first high end gpu


welcome !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dyekid217*
> 
> I think the problem was that I used the wrong modular cable when I tried to sli. Either that or the card was corrupt and ruined my system. I'm thinking it was the latter because when i plugged in the newer 660 it had artifacts all over the screen.
> 
> Anyways I'm hoping the 7970 is all it's cracked up to be. I think I'm gonna upgrade my psu though just to be safe


i wont ask how you did that >.>


----------



## thrgk

any idea why my ati drivers crash but recover everytime I boot up? It only happens when I dont leave everything in my BIOS on stock, they crash and then recover quick, I tried a fresh install of windows. I am on 13.9 stable drivers. I have no trixx or ab to apply oc settings on boot either.It seems if I OC my cpu in the bios,then thats when it happens.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dyekid217*
> 
> I think the problem was that I used the wrong modular cable when I tried to sli. Either that or the card was corrupt and ruined my system. I'm thinking it was the latter because when i plugged in the newer 660 it had artifacts all over the screen.
> 
> Anyways I'm hoping the 7970 is all it's cracked up to be. I think I'm gonna upgrade my psu though just to be safe


surprising you somehow ended up with a dead mobo *and* your working card, PSUs these days have overcurrent, undervoltage and overvoltage protection so its quite hard to blow things with just a bad cable, must have been a very serious defect, like feeding 12V through the PCIe data lanes somehow...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> any idea why my ati drivers crash but recover everytime I boot up? It only happens when I dont leave everything in my BIOS on stock, they crash and then recover quick, I tried a fresh install of windows. I am on 13.9 stable drivers. I have no trixx or ab to apply oc settings on boot either.It seems if I OC my cpu in the bios,then thats when it happens.


run memtest while overclocked maby?


----------



## heroxoot

So my card is squealing crazy now. Time to actually grease it. Can anyone tell me a good bearing grease to buy. Hopefully they are cheapish.


----------



## Dyekid217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> surprising you somehow ended up with a dead mobo *and* your working card, PSUs these days have overcurrent, undervoltage and overvoltage protection so its quite hard to blow things with just a bad cable, must have been a very serious defect, like feeding 12V through the PCIe data lanes


Yeah honestly I don't know but I bread boarded my mobo and that was dead... Got a new one and my working card didn't work. It's very strange


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> So my card is squealing crazy now. Time to actually grease it. Can anyone tell me a good bearing grease to buy. Hopefully they are cheapish.


Also, do the GPU fans have a well to oil the bearings or am I going to have to maybe stick the oil into it from the side and hope for the best?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Also, do the GPU fans have a well to oil the bearings or am I going to have to maybe stick the oil into it from the side and hope for the best?


usually you have to pop the sticker off the back and you can squeeze the oil in through the shaft cap, or pop the clamp off the shaft and oil it all directly if you want.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> fyi they now make a mini dp mst hub ( to full DP )
> http://www.accellcables.com/K088B-003B.html


Yeah.
I saw that last night, I have a Full DP to MiniDP adapter, (actually 2 or 3), so it's not an issue,
I'd still need 2 more Full DP->DVI Adapters though,
So it'd be around $150 if I shop smartly, That wont be a prob as I'd have to spend $400 on 2 more matching screens,
and to be honest the bezels of these screens aren't too Eyefinity Friendly. Putting them in 5x1 Portrait wouldn't be a optimal experience.

The Lightning will be here today,
But I dunno if I'll have enough time to unplug everything,
move the rig to the table,
Remove PSU and all the connections,
Install new PSU, re-connect everything,
Move GPU01 down to the bottom slot,
Install GPU0 into the top slot,
Connect power Cables,
Put it all back together,
Move back to desk
Re-connect my plethora of USB Devices,
Re-connect all the displays,
Re-Connect the HDMI Pass through for the Intensity Pro
Re-Connect the Optical SPDIF to the Xfi


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> any idea why my ati drivers crash but recover everytime I boot up? It only happens when I dont leave everything in my BIOS on stock, they crash and then recover quick, I tried a fresh install of windows. I am on 13.9 stable drivers. I have no trixx or ab to apply oc settings on boot either.It seems if I OC my cpu in the bios,then thats when it happens.


Whats the 12v Rail Amp Rating of your PSU?


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Whats the 12v Rail Amp Rating of your PSU?


Not sure, its the corsair 1200w gold psu


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Whats the 12v Rail Amp Rating of your PSU?
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure, its the corsair 1200w gold psu
Click to expand...

Assuming its http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?gclid=CKe8h_vEybwCFawWMgodkl0ApA&Item=N82E16817139039&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-Power+Supplies-_-N82E16817139039&ef_id=Ut1KAAAAAMBQ3FzL:20140213163750:s you have 100.4amps on 12v rail.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Not sure, its the corsair 1200w gold psu


It should have plenty of Amps then.

Maybe it's a corrupted driver issue.

now, for a change in topic, My MSI 7970 Lighting,
Well.... Thank You US Postal Service...
$500 Graphics Card, Arrives SOAKED, Box Falling Apart and Electronics Soaked inside the box... Water INSIDE the Anti-Static Bag.

What did he do? walk around in down pouring rain before delivering it? Drop it In a Puddle?

Now I get to test it and Send it back to MSI *(With Warranty) at my expense and Time if it's damaged. if MSI would even cover that.

And if they do, the $50 Insurance Claim on Priority Mail will be claimed and I'll use that to Ship it UPS2Day to MSI.

Next time, leave the "We Missed You" slip in the Mail box and Leave my Stuff at the Post Office!

And they wonder why they are so far in the red and losing money to other Logistics Shipping Companies.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Not sure, its the corsair 1200w gold psu
> 
> 
> 
> It should have plenty of Amps then.
> 
> Maybe it's a corrupted driver issue.
> 
> now, for a change in topic, My MSI 7970 Lighting,
> Well.... Thank You US Postal Service...
> $500 Graphics Card, Arrives SOAKED, Box Falling Apart and Electronics Soaked inside the box... Water INSIDE the Anti-Static Bag.
> 
> What did he do? walk around in down pouring rain before delivering it? Drop it In a Puddle?
> 
> Now I get to test it and Send it back to MSI *(With Warranty) at my expense and Time if it's damaged. if MSI would even cover that.
> 
> And if they do, the $50 Insurance Claim on Priority Mail will be claimed and I'll use that to Ship it UPS2Day to MSI.
> 
> Next time, leave the "We Missed You" slip in the Mail box and Leave my Stuff at the Post Office!
> 
> And they wonder why they are so far in the red and losing money to other Logistics Shipping Companies.
Click to expand...

Damn dude thats awful. I hope MSI will replace it. Lightning is a beast of a cooler. And the reactor is the real deal.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Damn dude thats awful. I hope MSI will replace it. Lightning is a beast of a cooler. And the reactor is the real deal.


Actually, I mis-read my TXT from my brother (I'm in office at work), The Card is dry, The USPS Priority Box is soaked and falling apart, along with the MSI Box on the Inside, but the card was well wrapped in bubble wrap and anti-static.

Just another reason I stick to UPS and FedEx.

Every USPS Experience has been revolting, UPS or FedEx have like a 1/100 ratio, and most of the time it's a non issue.

But the fact that the GFX Card was hanging out of a soaked box kinda peeves me royally.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Damn dude thats awful. I hope MSI will replace it. Lightning is a beast of a cooler. And the reactor is the real deal.
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, I mis-read my TXT from my brother (I'm in office at work), The Card is dry, The USPS Priority Box is soaked and falling apart, along with the MSI Box on the Inside, but the card was well wrapped in bubble wrap and anti-static.
> 
> Just another reason I stick to UPS and FedEx.
> 
> Every USPS Experience has been revolting, UPS or FedEx have like a 1/100 ratio, and most of the time it's a non issue.
> 
> But the fact that the GFX Card was hanging out of a soaked box kinda peeves me royally.
Click to expand...

USPS wanted 15 dollars to ship my ram for RMA. UPS wanted 10. Its just the way to go.

Also does anyone have experience with oiling fan bearings on a GPU? I'm really curious if its going to have an oil well under the sticker for it. I know a lot do not but this being a high end cooler I hope it does for ease. Otherwise I gotta kind of squirt it in the side and work it in so it doesn't drip.


----------



## PedroC1999

How to downsample on 14.1?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> USPS wanted 15 dollars to ship my ram for RMA. UPS wanted 10. Its just the way to go.
> 
> Also does anyone have experience with oiling fan bearings on a GPU? I'm really curious if its going to have an oil well under the sticker for it. I know a lot do not but this being a high end cooler I hope it does for ease. Otherwise I gotta kind of squirt it in the side and work it in so it doesn't drip.


the well should be there, its part of how you have to assemble the fans, so just pop them off the cooler and try to take the sticker off the underside as cleanly as possible, plop the oil in under the little cap (if it has one, usually they do).


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> How to downsample on 14.1?


Uninstall. Go back to 12.11


----------



## SkateZilla

Downsample Drivers or Downsample resolutions?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Uninstall. Go back to 12.11


Why would I do that?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Downsample Drivers or Downsample resolutions?


Resolution (3840*2160)


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PedroC1999*
> 
> Resolution (3840*2160)


x2 resolution (downscale to 1080p) or x.5 resolution (upscale)? either way I didn't actually know we had anything like this in the drivers, thought you could only modify it in shaders...


----------



## sugarhell

You can downsample if you know the way. But if you wanna use the amd downsample utility you can only do it with 12.11 drivers


----------



## PedroC1999

I want to downsample 4k to fit in 1920*1080 using the 'amd downsampling gui '


----------



## sugarhell

Then you need 12.11. Otherwise with a simple search and a bit regedit you can do it with the current drivers


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Then you need 12.11. Otherwise with a simple search and a bit regedit you can do it with the current drivers


Could you PM me (Or link a guide) on using the Regedit way, I dont mind which way I use tbh


----------



## sugarhell

No. I dont have time


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> No. I dont have time


Fair enough

Anyone?


----------



## SkateZilla

Sent a Link, Hope it helps.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> now, for a change in topic, My MSI 7970 Lighting,
> Well.... Thank You US Postal Service...
> $500 Graphics Card, Arrives SOAKED, Box Falling Apart and Electronics Soaked inside the box... Water INSIDE the Anti-Static Bag.
> 
> What did he do? walk around in down pouring rain before delivering it? Drop it In a Puddle?
> 
> Now I get to test it and Send it back to MSI *(With Warranty) at my expense and Time if it's damaged. if MSI would even cover that.
> 
> And if they do, the $50 Insurance Claim on Priority Mail will be claimed and I'll use that to Ship it UPS2Day to MSI.
> 
> Next time, leave the "We Missed You" slip in the Mail box and Leave my Stuff at the Post Office!
> 
> And they wonder why they are so far in the red and losing money to other Logistics Shipping Companies.


not excusing them but not really a big deal, water does not hurt electronics, power shorting out through water does, so you can just let it dry out and it would of been fine. glad to hear it is dry though !


----------



## SkateZilla

everything is fine right now,

Installed the GPU, Booted, worked, XFi Worked, had to move the cables a bit,

Installed 2nd GPU, had to pull out hair to disable ULPS to turn fans up to keep temps down,

1st Run through with Heaven only Using the Lighting (Stock Settings)

Powered by Unigine Engine


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Heaven Benchmark v3.0 Basic

FPS: 90.9
Scores: 2291
Min FPS: 42.0
Max FPS: 186.9

Hardware
Binary: Windows 32bit Visual C++ 1600 Release Mar 7 2012
Operating system: Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit
CPU model: AMD FX(tm)-8350 Eight-Core Processor
CPU flags: 5148MHz MMX+ SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE41 SSE42 SSE4A SSE5 HTT
GPU model: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.350.1005.0 3072Mb

Settings
Render: direct3d11
Mode: 1920x1080 fullscreen
Shaders: high
Textures: high
Filter: trilinear
Anisotropy: 4x
Occlusion: enabled
Refraction: enabled
Volumetric: enabled
Tessellation: disabled
Unigine Corp. © 2005-2012



With the Sapphire 7950 Added in and CrossFireX Enabled (Still need to tweak everything, but at least it's running)
Powered by Unigine Engine


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Heaven Benchmark v3.0 Basic

FPS: 163.8
Scores: 4126
Min FPS: 47.0
Max FPS: 310.3

Hardware
Binary: Windows 32bit Visual C++ 1600 Release Mar 7 2012
Operating system: Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit
CPU model: AMD FX(tm)-8350 Eight-Core Processor
CPU flags: 5148MHz MMX+ SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE41 SSE42 SSE4A SSE5 HTT
GPU model: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.350.1005.0 CrossFireX 3072Mb

Settings
Render: direct3d11
Mode: 1920x1080 fullscreen
Shaders: high
Textures: high
Filter: trilinear
Anisotropy: 4x
Occlusion: enabled
Refraction: enabled
Volumetric: enabled
Tessellation: disabled
Unigine Corp. © 2005-2012



Right now I have to delete and re-do all my eyefinity and extended Profiles


----------



## HiDe85

Hi well i dont know if some one can help me but im searching for the bios of sapphire HD 7950 Flex (not the boost edition). In techpowe.. doesnt have it so if any body can send it to me i will appreciated.

PS sorry for my bad english


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> everything is fine right now,
> 
> Installed the GPU, Booted, worked, XFi Worked, had to move the cables a bit,
> 
> Installed 2nd GPU, had to pull out hair to disable ULPS to turn fans up to keep temps down,
> 
> 1st Run through with Heaven only Using the Lighting (Stock Settings)
> 
> Powered by Unigine Engine
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Heaven Benchmark v3.0 Basic
> 
> FPS: 90.9
> Scores: 2291
> Min FPS: 42.0
> Max FPS: 186.9
> 
> Hardware
> Binary: Windows 32bit Visual C++ 1600 Release Mar 7 2012
> Operating system: Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit
> CPU model: AMD FX(tm)-8350 Eight-Core Processor
> CPU flags: 5148MHz MMX+ SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE41 SSE42 SSE4A SSE5 HTT
> GPU model: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.350.1005.0 3072Mb
> 
> Settings
> Render: direct3d11
> Mode: 1920x1080 fullscreen
> Shaders: high
> Textures: high
> Filter: trilinear
> Anisotropy: 4x
> Occlusion: enabled
> Refraction: enabled
> Volumetric: enabled
> Tessellation: disabled
> Unigine Corp. © 2005-2012
> 
> 
> 
> With the Sapphire 7950 Added in and CrossFireX Enabled (Still need to tweak everything, but at least it's running)
> Powered by Unigine Engine
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Heaven Benchmark v3.0 Basic
> 
> FPS: 163.8
> Scores: 4126
> Min FPS: 47.0
> Max FPS: 310.3
> 
> Hardware
> Binary: Windows 32bit Visual C++ 1600 Release Mar 7 2012
> Operating system: Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit
> CPU model: AMD FX(tm)-8350 Eight-Core Processor
> CPU flags: 5148MHz MMX+ SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE41 SSE42 SSE4A SSE5 HTT
> GPU model: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.350.1005.0 CrossFireX 3072Mb
> 
> Settings
> Render: direct3d11
> Mode: 1920x1080 fullscreen
> Shaders: high
> Textures: high
> Filter: trilinear
> Anisotropy: 4x
> Occlusion: enabled
> Refraction: enabled
> Volumetric: enabled
> Tessellation: disabled
> Unigine Corp. © 2005-2012
> 
> 
> 
> Right now I have to delete and re-do all my eyefinity and extended Profiles


Skate when did they drag your card threw the rain yesterday. I live at the beach too. XFX got my 7990 for RMA Tuesday have not heard from them since. They have not even updated the ticket to say they got it. I emailed them today just to get acknowledgement of receipt.

MegaMan have you dealt with XFX for a rma and what can I expect.Thanks


----------



## Mega Man

nope sorry

i have heard great things about them and horrible.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skate when did they drag your card threw the rain yesterday. I live at the beach too. XFX got my 7990 for RMA Tuesday have not heard from them since. They have not even updated the ticket to say they got it. I emailed them today just to get acknowledgement of receipt.
> 
> MegaMan have you dealt with XFX for a rma and what can I expect.Thanks


My 7990 RMA is complete and on its way back. Shipped today and they received it jan 22nd. But that is powercolor. I hope they are faster.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skate when did they drag your card threw the rain yesterday. I live at the beach too. XFX got my 7990 for RMA Tuesday have not heard from them since. They have not even updated the ticket to say they got it. I emailed them today just to get acknowledgement of receipt.
> 
> MegaMan have you dealt with XFX for a rma and what can I expect.Thanks


it was delivered this morning. afternoon around 1PM EST


----------



## DrClaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> About a month or so ago, the 79xx cards were going for $500-$900 each,
> 
> Lightnings were goign for $845, due to the Mining performance,
> 
> 7950s were going for $500-600 each depending on Model (cooling and vrm).
> 
> Before NewEgg removed the R7970 Lightnings, they were $599 each.
> 
> The one I bought also has 2 more years on the warranty.


2 years warranty is weak


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> nope sorry
> 
> i have heard great things about them and horrible.


Thanks - I hope they honor there warranty on this one. Thats the problem I hear good and bad things to.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrClaw*
> 
> 2 years warranty is weak


2 Years left as a USED Item, in 2 Years I Prolly will upgrade to a single GPU that = Crossfired 7900 Performance


----------



## SkateZilla

The MSI Lightning


Condition of the boxes (when I got home 8 hours later from work)


Lightning with Sapphire


Yay!, More LEDs that Blink like crazy (the VRM LEDs), lol


Tight Fit, Might need to look at a taller case, might also remove the XFi Ribbon cable to the Front I/O or Get a rounded one, as it was a pain to fold/bend/tuck so it doesnt block the Fans.


With both at 70% Fan speed, 1100Mhz/1500Mhz
Lightning Idles at 23^C, the Sapphire at 24^C, both get to mid 40s underload, grazing 50s

Which is odd, as the Xfi Card Blocks 90% of the first Fan on the Lightning.

About 45-50 Degrees in the room,
Summer Time might be an issue.

I might have to re-do wiring, as I just did a quick swap of the PSU and GFX Cards,

Almost blew something when the Molex Connector fell off the Wires for the H100 Pump, reconnected them wrong and heard a pop, so I cut the PSU Power and swapped the leads and all was well.

Having Eyefinity without Tearing is godsend,

Games that dont support CrossFire still got a decent boost due to increased shader count of Primary GPU (From 1792 @ 1100/1500 to 2048 @ 1200/1600)

Games that do Support XFire (And DX11) pretty much doubled FPS (about 85-90% increase)


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> The MSI Lightning
> 
> 
> Condition of the boxes (when I got home 8 hours later from work)
> 
> 
> Lightning with Sapphire
> 
> 
> Yay!, More LEDs that Blink like crazy (the VRM LEDs), lol
> 
> 
> Tight Fit, Might need to look at a taller case, might also remove the XFi Ribbon cable to the Front I/O or Get a rounded one, as it was a pain to fold/bend/tuck so it doesnt block the Fans.
> 
> 
> With both at 70% Fan speed, 1100Mhz/1500Mhz
> Lightning Idles at 23^C, the Sapphire at 24^C, both get to mid 40s underload, grazing 50s
> 
> Which is odd, as the Xfi Card Blocks 90% of the first Fan on the Lightning.
> 
> About 45-50 Degrees in the room,
> Summer Time might be an issue.
> 
> I might have to re-do wiring, as I just did a quick swap of the PSU and GFX Cards,
> 
> Almost blew something when the Molex Connector fell off the Wires for the H100 Pump, reconnected them wrong and heard a pop, so I cut the PSU Power and swapped the leads and all was well.
> 
> Having Eyefinity without Tearing is godsend,
> 
> Games that dont support CrossFire still got a decent boost due to increased shader count of Primary GPU (From 1792 @ 1100/1500 to 2048 @ 1200/1600)
> 
> Games that do Support XFire (And DX11) pretty much doubled FPS (about 85-90% increase)


Does every special edition 7970 have to HAVE BIG FLASHY LEDs?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Does every special edition 7970 have to HAVE BIG FLASHY LEDs?


No Idea, the images dont really convey the size and build quality of this card, it's Big, Heavy and Sturdy, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than any other GPU I've had.

I Knew the GPU Reactor and Fans had LEDs, I did not know the Backplate had LEDs that depict load.

On Boot up, they all light up steady, once Video is initialized, it drops to 2 steady and the rest flicker based on load, as I load the GPU they light up, like a load meter.

I'll try to get a video when I open the side of my case again.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> No Idea, the images dont really convey the size and build quality of this card, it's Big, Heavy and Sturdy, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than any other GPU I've had.
> 
> I Knew the GPU Reactor and Fans had LEDs, I did not know the Backplate had LEDs that depict load.
> 
> On Boot up, they all light up steady, once Video is initialized, it drops to 2 steady and the rest flicker based on load, as I load the GPU they light up, like a load meter.
> 
> I'll try to get a video when I open the side of my case again.


Mine changes color from light green to red depending on load and it weighs like 4 pounds. But I have the most overkill trolololol VRM system (20+2 phase) known to man, sucks I can't OC on air dat good due to 63% ASIC. I love my card, but I might wanna CF it with a Lightning or a Toxic later thanks to GPU Tweak being annoying at times and so I can MINE DEM COINS MOAR!


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> The MSI Lightning
> 
> 
> Condition of the boxes (when I got home 8 hours later from work)
> 
> 
> Lightning with Sapphire
> 
> 
> Yay!, More LEDs that Blink like crazy (the VRM LEDs), lol
> 
> 
> Tight Fit, Might need to look at a taller case, might also remove the XFi Ribbon cable to the Front I/O or Get a rounded one, as it was a pain to fold/bend/tuck so it doesnt block the Fans.
> 
> 
> With both at 70% Fan speed, 1100Mhz/1500Mhz
> Lightning Idles at 23^C, the Sapphire at 24^C, both get to mid 40s underload, grazing 50s
> 
> Which is odd, as the Xfi Card Blocks 90% of the first Fan on the Lightning.
> 
> About 45-50 Degrees in the room,
> Summer Time might be an issue.
> 
> I might have to re-do wiring, as I just did a quick swap of the PSU and GFX Cards,
> 
> Almost blew something when the Molex Connector fell off the Wires for the H100 Pump, reconnected them wrong and heard a pop, so I cut the PSU Power and swapped the leads and all was well.
> 
> Having Eyefinity without Tearing is godsend,
> 
> Games that dont support CrossFire still got a decent boost due to increased shader count of Primary GPU (From 1792 @ 1100/1500 to 2048 @ 1200/1600)
> 
> Games that do Support XFire (And DX11) pretty much doubled FPS (about 85-90% increase)


And yet my lightning solo gets to 60c in a game. Then again you're not as OC'd as me, and one of my fans squeaks till tuesday so I assume its not spinning as fast as it should.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> And yet my lightning solo gets to 60c in a game. Then again you're not as OC'd as me, and one of my fans squeaks till tuesday so I assume its not spinning as fast as it should.


I get 62C max after mining for abit or Playing BF4hours. 63% Fan [email protected] 4400RPM tho.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> And yet my lightning solo gets to 60c in a game. Then again you're not as OC'd as me, and one of my fans squeaks till tuesday so I assume its not spinning as fast as it should.
> 
> 
> 
> I get 62C max after mining for abit or Playing BF4hours. 63% Fan [email protected] 4400RPM tho.
Click to expand...

Yea my curve sets fan to probably 70 - 80% around 60c as I have it set to blow out 100% at 70c. My GPU loves to start freaking out at 75c regardless or OC or stock. From what I have been told in this very thread, its just over sensitive? And it happens to others as well. But lucky for me 65c is the absolute maximum temp I ever see. Most times it stays about 60c. 40c idle with 500/700 clocks for 2D dual monitor.

Now that I think about it I think my fans only do 3400 RPM around 70% fan speed.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I get 62C max after mining for abit or Playing BF4hours. 63% Fan [email protected] 4400RPM tho.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> And yet my lightning solo gets to 60c in a game. Then again you're not as OC'd as me, and one of my fans squeaks till tuesday so I assume its not spinning as fast as it should.


GPU Clock Profiles right now are:
CrossFireX: 1100MHz GPU/1500MHz Memory
Single GPU: 1200MHz GPU/1600MHz Memory (2nd GPU Sits at Idle Clocks as I disabled ULPS)

The Sapphire wouldn't hit 1200MHz stable regardless, I may try again, as when I installed the Lightning I noticed the BIOS switch was on 1, which is a lower Power/Fan Curve profile, BIOS 2 on the Sapphire will allow higher OC, and mv. If I Red Mod it, 1200MHz may be doable.

Even with the 100Mhz Drop on both GPU and memory I still get respectable boosts.

Once I Get my profiles settled this weekend for fans:
I'll Run the Fans at 60% which would prolly allow it to idle around 26-28^C with a Curve set to Ramp them up to 100% at 35^C.
(Its about as loud as a Weak Vacuum cleaner, but I have headphones on and turned up during gaming. I can barely hear the GPU Fans over the Fans on the H100 Radiator anyway, and I dont hear nothing over the explosions and jet noise.)

Like I said, my Gaming Room is in the back of the house, the central air doesnt have a vent in this room, so in Winter it gets COLD in here and Summer it gets HOT, And I Have to keep door closed for multiple reasons (Pets, Nosey Guests, Energy Drain on Central Air (with door open, AC cant keep up, The system+other electronics heats up the room in the winter to about 50^F when it's 20^F outside, and it keeps the room smelling of electronics/arcade, lol, I call it g33k air fresheners).

during the runs of Heaven last night it was about 45-50^F in the room, so Double that in the summer months. (90-100^F), No Windows Big enough for window units, and the PC Stuff is already sucking enough power, a Portable unit will only blow Breakers constantly.

Since the Sapphire's Warranty is done, I'll prolly RedMod it w/ A AiO Water Cooler and a Fan blowing across the heat plate that's over the Ram/VRMs.

Which will give me room to Pit the XFi Card back down on the bottom away from blocking the Lightning's Fans.

I wonder how low it would Idle if the XFi Card wasnt blocking one of the fans, lol. prolly 5-8^C Cooler?

I have no problem running 1 GPU in the summer, even when it's 104^F in the room, the cooling does it's job, in fact, last summer, the Sapphire's Core Temps were lower than room temp when Idling (35 Ambient, 30 Core), but I had fans at 100%, and I Leave it off while I'm at work, so the peak heat of the day the system is off.


----------



## heroxoot

I feel it SkateZilla. My memory OC is 100MHZ higher than your single card OC. You probably don't need such an OC with 2 cards.

When you do an eyefinity setup and have your desktop across 3 monitors, does the GPU still down clock to 150/300 during idle? I have dual monitor and of course it likes to do 500/full memory clock. I use MSI AB and have a 2D clock set so it idles much lower.


----------



## SkateZilla

In Eyefinity Memory goes up to the 3D Mode clocks, GPU Goes up to 500MHz

In Extended it's less For some reason (least it was when I ran only the Sapphire).

I'd Like to run XFire Memory at 1600MHz, but I simply cant get my memory stable at that speed, (On the sapphire)

The chips are rated for way more than 1600Mhz, and almost every review says they can run with clocks at 1060 / 1600 with no mv Increase, I cant get 1600 memory alone, and if I bump GPU alone i cant get past 950MHz. to Get 975MHz Stable i had to bump mv to 1.1 from 1.087.

Took 1150mv to get 1100 MHz Core stable with 1500MHz Mem, but that was on 12.7, since then I havent been able to maintain 1100MHz stable at anything below 1170mv.


----------



## heroxoot

You're sure the sapphire has Hynix right? My lightning base voltage is 1.113 but its a 7970 and your sapphire is a 7950 so its gonna be a difference. I'm using 1.231v to get 1225/1700 stable. I feel I could go higher on the memory though I am unsure how much more boost it could actually give. And to top it off every game I play on 14.1beta driver is silk smooth and gets 60 or 120fps depending on the games own internal cap, Vsync off.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> You're sure the sapphire has Hynix right? My lightning base voltage is 1.113 but its a 7970 and your sapphire is a 7950 so its gonna be a difference. I'm using 1.231v to get 1225/1700 stable. I feel I could go higher on the memory though I am unsure how much more boost it could actually give. And to top it off every game I play on 14.1beta driver is silk smooth and gets 60 or 120fps depending on the games own internal cap, Vsync off.


I'll have to double check, as I cant find Detailed specs off hand.
I'm just going by how most of the reviews for this model Sapphire 7950OC ( 11196-02-40G ) said they got 1050/1600 without adjusting the MV.

I can prolly get 1GHz/1600 if i push the mv some more, but I dont want to break 1200mv.

I dropped the OC Profiles a while back due to every driver update breaking them, lol,
1100MHz at 1150mv was stable on one, but not the other, next update, no longer stable again. a PITA.

I have also upgraded from a 700w OCZ to a 850W Corsair with more than 3x the 12v Rail Amps, so maybe it will do better this time.

http://www.legitreviews.com/sapphire-radeon-hd-7950-3gb-oc-edition-video-card-review_1862/14


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Does every special edition 7970 have to HAVE BIG FLASHY LEDs?


only the lightning, the matrix has a light bar for voltage though...


----------



## wermad

All four of my Lightnings have the led debug on the back. I know that EVGA adds some smaller debug led's to some cards.



Spoiler: Warning: crappy old pic!


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> All four of my Lightnings have the led debug on the back. I know that EVGA adds some smaller debug led's to some cards.
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: crappy old pic!


Im falling in love with one of them, and you have 4...


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> only the lightning, the matrix has a light bar for voltage though...


Flashy LEDs meant the colorful LEDs on both cards, the Matrix 7970-P was just the same response as the M580-P was to the Lightning 580. They both have their own little gimmicks with LEDs and Powhurrphases. The Sappphire Toxic seems moar "discrete". I love my M7970-P, compared to my friends hand-me-down 285 rig I used to run, its like 1000X better.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Im falling in love with one of them, and you have 4...


Need powah for 5x1 Eyefinity. Sadly, my Lepa decided to quit on me and I'm out right now







. Not totally bummed since I ended up changing my loop (a necessity to prevent damage to my ram and mb). I thought Lepa would be fairly quick but I understand they're a smaller company. I know Enermax is in SoCal so I'm hoping for a quick turn around once I ship out my psu.


----------



## SkateZilla

I run 4 screens with 1 (At 30-60FPS, depends on game)... shrug.... maybe I'm just that good at tweaking and optimizing, lol.


----------



## jagz

Any of you running tri-fire or quad? board recommendations? Something... affordable (if trifire/quadfire capable and affordable aren't an oxymoron enough as it is)

Still looking to land me another 7970 or 2 (see sig)


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Any of you running tri-fire or quad? board recommendations? Something... affordable (if trifire/quadfire capable and affordable aren't an oxymoron enough as it is)
> 
> Still looking to land me another 7970 or 2 (see sig)


P67 WS, they sell for under $100. Supports 4-way crossfire. Get a used 2500k ~ $100-130. Budget quad setup.

Psu, buy two or find a used 1.5kw like CM or Silverstone.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> P67 WS, they sell for under $100. Supports 4-way crossfire. Get a used 2500k ~ $100-130. Budget quad setup.
> 
> Psu, buy two or find a used 1.5kw like CM or Silverstone.


I forgot about that board, in fact I haven't even considered p67. Interesting. Really want to move to z77 though, yeah I'm aware about the rest of the setup.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> I forgot about that board, in fact I haven't even considered p67. Interesting. Really want to move to z77 though, yeah I'm aware about the rest of the setup.


There is a ws version of the Z77 but its more money. In that case, you'll have better choices like MVE, Sniper3, and you're also at budget X79 4-way boards like UD3, etc.

The Z77 boards use PLX vs the NF200 of the P67 WS. What's your budget for a cpu and mb?


----------



## SkateZilla

I've never had a good experience personally or business wise (repairing/rebuilding) with Budget Boards in Gaming Rigs.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I've never had a good experience personally or business wise (repairing/rebuilding) with Budget Boards in Gaming Rigs.


P8P67 WS was a great board back in the day and still is today. The fact that it depreciates makes it a budget board but not a cheap built board.

It was probably the only initial SB board that supported 4-way crossfire while mostly all others limited themselves (or bent over) to Nvidia's limit of 3-way sli.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> There is a ws version of the Z77 but its more money. In that case, you'll have better choices like MVE, Sniper3, and you're also at budget X79 4-way boards like UD3, etc.
> 
> The Z77 boards use PLX vs the NF200 of the P67 WS. What's your budget for a cpu and mb?


Staying with my 2700k, this is for the main rig. All I need is a board... and some waterblocked 7970's to become available.

I know my PSU is good for 3, 4 is possible but maybe undervolted. Mining w/ OC's and my 2700k at idle (but clocked 4.4) is 600w from wall or 540w from the PSU atm. The MVE is gorgeous, the Sniper3 is alright despite that puke green. If I see either of these come available used for a good price I'll probably jump. I can get a Maximus Formula (3 way crossfire) w/ blocks (unneeded but is what it is) for $215. I may settle for tri-fire. We'll see.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I've never had a good experience personally or business wise (repairing/rebuilding) with Budget Boards in Gaming Rigs.


My z68 extreme3 has been a rock, and doesn't stop my 2700k from rolling at 5.2 ghz 24 hr prime stable to boot (when I so choose to have an overclocking adventure) Understandable about budget boards in general though, not as high quality when it comes down to it.


----------



## wermad

The Sniper3 has fantastic audio, something the MVE Z77 doesn't have. Its one of the reasons why i got the Sniper3 when i had my quad GTX 580 3gbs. I had a blast getting my 2700K to 5.0 on the Sniper3. Though, the MVE does have a waterblock available for it too.

Also, the UP7 is probably one of the best, if not the best Z77 board if you can find one priced decently and are ok w/ orange color









1000w for three 7970s is pushing it. I would consider at least a good 1200w unit to push quads but better off getting a 1.5kw unit.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I've never had a good experience personally or business wise (repairing/rebuilding) with Budget Boards in Gaming Rigs.


Skate you have had dealings with XFX before how long and how was the RMA experience. Thanks


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skate you have had dealings with XFX before how long and how was the RMA experience. I ran across an old post in a forum long- long ago. Thanks


Wow I answered myself OPPPSS


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I feel it SkateZilla. My memory OC is 100MHZ higher than your single card OC. You probably don't need such an OC with 2 cards.
> 
> When you do an eyefinity setup and have your desktop across 3 monitors, does the GPU still down clock to 150/300 during idle? I have dual monitor and of course it likes to do 500/full memory clock. I use MSI AB and have a 2D clock set so it idles much lower.


Just checked, in 2 Screen Extended, 3 Screen Extended, 4 Screen Extended, 3 Screen Eyefinity or 3 Screen + 1 Extended, 3d and Memory Clocks stay at idle clocks (likely because all displays are DisplayPorts and the GPU's Display Outputs for DVI/HDMI are off.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skate you have had dealings with XFX before how long and how was the RMA experience. Thanks


I have?, did I post that here? I dont remember posting that.

When my brother's 5830 went poof it took about 6 weeks, but this was during black friday week and the products moving to the 6000 series (which was what he got back)


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skate you have had dealings with XFX before how long and how was the RMA experience. Thanks


I would imagine they tell you on the website. At which time passes you should call them and inquire when it will return.


----------



## NathG79

Hi folks.
I have a bit of a situation with one of my xfx 7970 dd be's (1000/1425). The card is approx 13 months old.it was replaced by RMA in January last year.the warranty has carried on from the original card which died on me and ran out on the 28th of jan..effectively I am now left with a 250pound brick..the fans spin up but the card does not post and is not detected in device manager. the supplier will not touch it because of the warranty even though it was a brand new replacement..is there anything I can do about this.anyone know what the problem with the card might be?.and if it is not salvageable. how much would it fetch on ebay?.
My other xfx 7970 is now running on a kraken g10 with alpenfone heatsinks and idles at 29c.max temp is 67c after 1hr of bf4.


----------



## chronicfx

If your card weighs 250 lbs i would check if you have broken a pcie slot







sorry... I know your in crysis mode...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *NathG79*
> 
> Hi folks.
> I have a bit of a situation with one of my xfx 7970 dd be's (1000/1425). The card is approx 13 months old.it was replaced by RMA in January last year.the warranty has carried on from the original card which died on me and ran out on the 28th of jan..effectively I am now left with a 250pound brick..the fans spin up but the card does not post and is not detected in device manager. the supplier will not touch it because of the warranty even though it was a brand new replacement..is there anything I can do about this.anyone know what the problem with the card might be?.and if it is not salvageable. how much would it fetch on ebay?.
> My other xfx 7970 is now running on a kraken g10 with alpenfone heatsinks and idles at 29c.max temp is 67c after 1hr of bf4.


Sorry to hear that and its super sucky when it happens right after the warranty.

Maybe reach out to XFX and see if they will honor one last exchange? If not, at least get a bit money back and put her on ebay. There's loads of ppl always looking for broken components.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> If your card weighs 250 lbs i would check if you have broken a pcie slot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> sorry... I know your in crysis mode...


I think he means British pounds £


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Just checked, in 2 Screen Extended, 3 Screen Extended, 4 Screen Extended, 3 Screen Eyefinity or 3 Screen + 1 Extended, 3d and Memory Clocks stay at idle clocks (likely because all displays are DisplayPorts and the GPU's Display Outputs for DVI/HDMI are off.
> I have?, did I post that here? I dont remember posting that.
> 
> When my brother's 5830 went poof it took about 6 weeks, but this was during black friday week and the products moving to the 6000 series (which was what he got back)


I wasn't on here I was checking post for XFX and it was on another forum.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I would imagine they tell you on the website. At which time passes you should call them and inquire when it will return.


There web site is a little less then working (as far as updating tickets goes). I called them yesterday to make sure they at least had the card and they have it so I guess when they get to it they get to it.


----------



## DrClaw

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> You're sure the sapphire has Hynix right? My lightning base voltage is 1.113 but its a 7970 and your sapphire is a 7950 so its gonna be a difference. I'm using 1.231v to get 1225/1700 stable. I feel I could go higher on the memory though I am unsure how much more boost it could actually give. And to top it off every game I play on 14.1beta driver is silk smooth and gets 60 or 120fps depending on the games own internal cap, Vsync off.


im quite sure and i know for a fact it has hynix, i think you can check with gpu-z, maybe its gpuz or something else that tells you the type of memory


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> The Sniper3 has fantastic audio, something the MVE Z77 doesn't have. Its one of the reasons why i got the Sniper3 when i had my quad GTX 580 3gbs. I had a blast getting my 2700K to 5.0 on the Sniper3. Though, the MVE does have a waterblock available for it too.
> 
> Also, the UP7 is probably one of the best, if not the best Z77 board if you can find one priced decently and are ok w/ orange color
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1000w for three 7970s is pushing it. I would consider at least a good 1200w unit to push quads but better off getting a 1.5kw unit.


I have a Maximus Formula z77 coming, I'll stick to tri-fire on the main rig. My 1000w will be fine, as I've said with my CPU @ idle I'm only pulling 600w from the wall at 1050/1450 clocks @ 1050mV on the 7970's
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrClaw*
> 
> im quite sure and i know for a fact it has hynix, i think you can check with gpu-z, maybe its gpuz or something else that tells you the type of memory


I read something about the newest version of GPU-Z showing that, but regardless here is a download for MemoryInfo


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I wasn't on here I was checking post for XFX and it was on another forum.


which forum?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> which forum?


Don't even know was looking at xfx warranty north America. Think that's what I searched under.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Don't even know was looking at xfx warranty north America. Think that's what I searched under.


http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3387190/RMA_w_XFX_what_to_expect.html

?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3387190/RMA_w_XFX_what_to_expect.html
> 
> ?


yep that's the one.


----------



## FoamyV

Hey guys, i overclocked my 7970 to 1150/1470 @ 1.225v and would like to know your opinion on a thing.

While i was playing last evening (3-4 hours of Wildstar and Titanfall) the temps didn't go over 76 on the gpu and 72 on the vrms but after leaving the pc on over night something odd happened in the morning. After playing another session of about 1 hour i saw that GPU-Z was still monitoring from last night and after i checked it both VRM's showed a max temp of 240 C. What could of caused this? Thanks.


----------



## X-Alt

The pictures tell a story


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3387190/RMA_w_XFX_what_to_expect.html
> 
> ?


"one month is too long"

pffff...

though my experience with ASUS is probably the worst you could ever get, never owned an XFX card though but I would still expect them to be better in regards to warranty...


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The pictures tell a story
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Did it not fit or something?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Did it not fit or something?


No, my Matrix commited suicide







The whole system posts but the Matrix's left DVI port is dead and the card is artifacting like I am playing Flappy Bird. It is being RMAd, hopefully I either get a refund and go Lightning or get a 290\280X Matrix (if so, flashing to 7970 BIOS to stay in da club







) as a replacemnt.


----------



## process

Which you think

1/ 7990
2/ R290X CF
3/ R290 CF AND CLOCK
4/ GTX780 Ti SLI

All waterblocked for res of 5760x1080 and mostlly shoot-em-ups


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Which you think
> 
> 1/ 7990
> 2/ R290X CF
> 3/ R290 CF AND CLOCK
> 4/ GTX780 Ti SLI
> 
> All waterblocked for res of 5760x1080 and mostlly shoot-em-ups


I wouldn't think the 3*780 would always scale nicely, and a 290 is about the same as a 780 if not faster for the most part, 2* 290s or 290Xs I suppose, the 290Xs will OC pretty good provided you have a good PSU and total radiator surface.

oh wait you mean the 780ti... are they really that cheap in the US currently...?


----------



## process

Im from the UK but in Saudi... comp stuff here is generally more expensive but a 780ti I imagine would cost around the same as 290x


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Im from the UK but in Saudi... comp stuff here is generally more expensive but a 780ti I imagine would cost around the same as 290x


yea prices are all over the place currently, here in AU 290Xs cost 600-800AUD, reference is the lower ones, 780tis are 800-1KAUD, however in US, its litterally the inverse, 290Xs are 800+USD whereas 780tis are ~600USD, pretty ridiculous...


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea prices are all over the place currently, here in AU 290Xs cost 600-800AUD, reference is the lower ones, 780tis are 800-1KAUD, however in US, its litterally the inverse, 290Xs are 800+USD whereas 780tis are ~600USD, pretty ridiculous...


$600 for a Ti? might be a 780.

link pls.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea prices are all over the place currently, here in AU 290Xs cost 600-800AUD, reference is the lower ones, 780tis are 800-1KAUD, however in US, its litterally the inverse, 290Xs are 800+USD whereas 780tis are ~600USD, pretty ridiculous...


In US, The Craze is Mining Lately and AMD > nVidia for Mining. So AMD Prices Go UP.

Outside of US,
Several Countries have higher Power Bills, so whatever card has the best performance and uses less power will be more popular and in demand, therefore prices of those will go up (nVidia)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> "one month is too long"
> 
> pffff...
> 
> though my experience with ASUS is probably the worst you could ever get, never owned an XFX card though but I would still expect them to be better in regards to warranty...


Sapphire was actually way quicker.

the issue with XFX was it was an EOL Card when I bought it and it was also black friday weekend.. when it arrived at their ware house, which had to have been EMPTY.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Sapphire was actually way quicker.
> 
> the issue with XFX was it was an EOL Card when I bought it and it was also black friday weekend.. when it arrived at their ware house, which had to have been EMPTY.


Hopefully my ASUS RMA is gonna go well. They have a repair center in Indiana, if I get a Matrix 280X-P as a replacement, can I still be in the club? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE







?


----------



## SkateZilla

7900 Series are still being manufactured.
As there are still pre R9 Chips available.

XFX, Sapphire and MSI I know still have them in stock, not sure about Matrix


----------



## thrgk

how can i get rid of artifacting in bf4 when i have my 7970s under water overclocked?


----------



## wermad

Does it do it at stock gpu clocks?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> how can i get rid of artifacting in bf4 when i have my 7970s under water overclocked?


MOE VOALTZ!


----------



## thrgk

really? i thought too many volts caused it. so add more to mem and core?


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Does it do it at stock gpu clocks?


umm let me check


----------



## thrgk

doesnt seem to no. But mean, i see artifact but i can go hrs and not crash, so its not like its unstable. anyway to get rid of them other then to lower clocks?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> doesnt seem to no. But mean, i see artifact but i can go hrs and not crash, so its not like its unstable. anyway to get rid of them other then to lower clocks?


Give us ASIC Quality, stock clock, voltz and lets see...


----------



## wermad

Artifacts are an indication of instability in the gpu. Do you get them in other games? BF4/BF3 are pretty intensive games and they also like a good cpu clock so make sure your cpu is clocked pretty good.


----------



## sugarhell

its the temps


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> its the temps


He is under water, so tis unlikely..


----------



## thrgk

not the temps. temps do not go above 40C on bf4 and vram 60c. stock its fine. 1200/1700 its fine, but 1250/1700 it starts to artifact, and i tried up to 1.3v.

4700k at 4.6ghz currently


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> not the temps. temps do not go above 40C on bf4 and vram 60c. stock its fine. 1200/1700 its fine, but 1250/1700 it starts to artifact, and i tried up to 1.3v.
> 
> 4700k at 4.6ghz currently


good clock for the cpu there







.

Seems like one or both cards can't do 1250. try baby stepping it from 1200. I've had situations like this before on overclocked card(s). Its typical w/ the demanding games but others that don't utilize the gpu much will not show any artifacts.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> good clock for the cpu there
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Seems like one or both cards can't do 1250. try baby stepping it from 1200. I've had situations like this before on overclocked card(s). Its typical w/ the demanding games but others that don't utilize the gpu much will not show any artifacts.


can i oc the cards each themselves? does amd max the lowest clocked card still?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> not the temps. temps do not go above 40C on bf4 and vram 60c. stock its fine. 1200/1700 its fine, but 1250/1700 it starts to artifact, and i tried up to 1.3v.
> 
> 4700k at 4.6ghz currently


Yeah its the temps. your vrm cooling is lacking


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Yeah its the temps. your vrm cooling is lacking


Think he mentioned he had the AC blocks w/ active (not passive cooling). It could be that thrgk has a card that can't do that clock.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Think he mentioned he had the AC blocks w/ active (not passive cooling). It could be that thrgk has a card that can't do that clock.


With ek block vrm never pass 50C even with 800 rpm fans on my 7970


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> really? i thought too many volts caused it. so add more to mem and core?


it can and cant, depends on your ASIC and how tolerant the PCB is, but mostly ASIC. ~90% for example particularly hates high volts and clocks.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> not the temps. temps do not go above 40C on bf4 and vram 60c. stock its fine. 1200/1700 its fine, but 1250/1700 it starts to artifact, and i tried up to 1.3v.
> 
> 4700k at 4.6ghz currently


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> its the temps


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *circadianmosfet*
> 
> Recently in the past 30 minutes I have experienced two screen crashes where the screen would randomly turn into strips of vertical lines. However i suspect it is due to me overclocking my 7950 so that i cant mine some cryptocoins faster. This is the first time this has happened. Additionally I have successfully performed the red mod on my gpu using an antec 620 cpu cooler. Despite the drastic drop in temps (15-20c) I fear that the issue may reside with the fact that i do not have any cooling on the memory chips which are completely exposed. How do I prevent this issue from occurring in the future without return my clock settings back to stock?


Have a fan blow on the memory/vrm area

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nicola1989*
> 
> Guys i have a Sapphire 7950 dual-x version, asic 66% i just wanna to know if some one can tell me the best oc for my video card, and i have a question, overclock, the memory can impruve the framerate in a game?


Avg OC is around 1150 mhz I'm at 1165 (winter clock) and yes OC your memory can help improve your frame rate but it won't be a whole lot of improvement, my max for memory is 1300mhz


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DrClaw*
> 
> im quite sure and i know for a fact it has hynix, i think you can check with gpu-z, maybe its gpuz or something else that tells you the type of memory


Yup you gots hynix I'm maxed out at 1300mhz possibly review samples used elpida to get good reviews and then they switched to hynix


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Yup you gots hynix I'm maxed out at 1300mhz possibly review samples used elpida to get good reviews and then they switched to hynix


Hynix is generally regarded as better than elpida for oc. Could be just a worse batch for oc'ing.


----------



## anubis1127

Elpida ICs typically have tighter timings than Hynix/Samsung, which is why you see lower OC results on the Elpida ICs, but may see better performance in other areas, like mining.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Elpida ICs typically have tighter timings than Hynix/Samsung, which is why you see lower OC results on the Elpida ICs, but may see better performance in other areas, like mining.


I was under the impression that everything is quite the opposite.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I was under the impression that everything is quite the opposite.


Nope, actually EVGA went so far as to release a vbios for their Elpida Classifieds with looser timings so everyone would stop complaining about how poor their memory OCd.


----------



## FoamyV

Are 240 C possible on the VRM's? the card(7970) wouldn't be working any more right?


----------



## Moataz

Hello, I have XFX 7970 (TDFC V 1.2) I need a new Bios for it please, the card lags a lot and gives me poor performance on Kombustor and 3DMark results.. Currently It's flashed it to the GHZ edition.
Suggestions please


----------



## sugarhell

Depends the frequency. The bios calculate the timings based on the freq.


----------



## Moataz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Depends the frequency. The bios calculate the timings based on the freq.


So what I'm supposed to do?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> So what I'm supposed to do?


My post isnt for you. Dont change bios. Use the stock one.


----------



## Moataz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> My post isnt for you. Dont change bios. Use the stock one.


Thing is I lost it, there's no Bios switch on XFX 7970 cards, so I can't find the Stock bios, and I don't know where to download it, and as I mentioned before, my card version is the 797A TDFC v 1.2, I appreciate any kind of help


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> Thing is I lost it, there's no Bios switch on XFX 7970 cards, so I can't find the Stock bios, and I don't know where to download it, and as I mentioned before, my card version is the 797A TDFC v 1.2, I appreciate any kind of help


This might be it:

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131977/xfx-hd7970-3072-120715.html

They have others too if you don't think that will work.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FoamyV*
> 
> Are 240 C possible on the VRM's? the card(7970) wouldn't be working any more right?


uh, the VRMs would likely pop at that temp, so if your getting that value your either getting a false reading or you have a very serious problem with your cooling...


----------



## wermad

I think he might mean F Fahrenheit, so that would mean ~115C. If not, I predict immanent boom


----------



## Moataz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> This might be it:
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131977/xfx-hd7970-3072-120715.html
> 
> They have others too if you don't think that will work.


I've tried them all, none works.. I'm really in a big trouble..

again my card version is FX797A TDFC (v 1.2)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> I've tried them all, none works.. I'm really in a big trouble..
> 
> again my card version is FX797A TDFC (v 1.2)


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Hynix is generally regarded as better than elpida for oc. Could be just a worse batch for oc'ing.


http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/116642/xfx-hd7970-3072-120109.html

Also, Someone stated this was their stock bios for FX797ATDFC:
http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/131977/XFX.HD7970.3072.120715.rom


----------



## Moataz

Both of them gives me black screen and/or Display driver stopped responding.. I really need help here


----------



## PedroC1999

http://www.overclock.net/t/1468105/have-i-reached-my-monitor-limit-or-my-vga-bandwidth-limit/0_40

Anyone?


----------



## masmotors

i was planning on selling my hd 7950 msi tein froze 3 with 7970 pcb to get a gtx 770 but this card is so great for gaming i dont mine only game i have a problem with is skyrim i dont know why playing titanfall beta right now and so smooth bf4 also i have a 4670k and 1866 to go with it


----------



## sugarhell

With cru? Its monitor res not scale res. So if your monitor cant handle it then you cant do anything about it


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> Both of them gives me black screen and/or Display driver stopped responding.. I really need help here


so the one you're using now works?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> With cru? Its monitor res not scale res. So if your monitor cant handle it then you cant do anything about it


Im on about the Refresh Rate, not resolution.


----------



## heroxoot

I've made a thread in general and ATI cooling but I feel I won't get a response soon. Anyone know if this is the bearing well on my lighting fan? Or do I gotta remove the plastic back plate?


----------



## Moataz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> so the one you're using now works?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> so the one you're using now works?


I'm currently using the GHZ upgrade bios (Tahiti _XTGhz_C38601_Bios)

Its the only thing that works a little bit until I get another Display driver stopped reco~ msg...


----------



## SkateZilla

if the driver is crashing that much, then your card may actually be on it's way out,

You can email XFX Support, but I cant seem to find a bios specifically for v1.2, just 3.2, 3.1 etc.

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?architecture=&manufacturer=XFX&model=HD+7970&interface=PCI-E&memType=&memSize=

I'd start at the bottom with the TDFC BIos' and work my way up.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I've made a thread in general and ATI cooling but I feel I won't get a response soon. Anyone know if this is the bearing well on my lighting fan? Or do I gotta remove the plastic back plate?


woa hold on, that's a ball bearing, what card is that again? and yea you should be able to put some oil in there, just might be a bit slower then the classic sleeve bearings...


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> woa hold on, that's a ball bearing, what card is that again? and yea you should be able to put some oil in there, just might be a bit slower then the classic sleeve bearings...


He has a lightning, sleeve bearings are meh these days..


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I've made a thread in general and ATI cooling but I feel I won't get a response soon. Anyone know if this is the bearing well on my lighting fan? Or do I gotta remove the plastic back plate?
> 
> 
> 
> woa hold on, that's a ball bearing, what card is that again? and yea you should be able to put some oil in there, just might be a bit slower then the classic sleeve bearings...
Click to expand...

I decided to just dive in and do it. seems to have worked. Very happy right now with this. No more squeaking so far. It was a huge pain to take apart and put back together though. The fans seem to be making a slight noise now though and are not fully quiet even at 35% fan speed. Though its really hard to hear unless I get up on it.


----------



## sugarhell

That kingdom hearts


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> That kingdom hearts


Mark of Mastery edition. Its pretty cool.

So yea my fans are making a little sound but no high pitched squeaking like before. I think I'll give it a day to work in and around the weekend I will oil them a little more. What I did was, I dropped some oil in, 2 or 3 drops, spin the fan with my finger, repeat about 3 times. They feel really loose. I proceeded to reapply the sticker and screw it down. The stickers were not sticking as well as they were originally but the way my grill works there is metal that goes around the sticker so it should be held down fairly well with the screws. Applied new thermal, what was on it was hardly there anymore. Very even spread I might add.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> Hello, I have XFX 7970 (TDFC V 1.2) I need a new Bios for it please, the card lags a lot and gives me poor performance on Kombustor and 3DMark results.. Currently It's flashed it to the GHZ edition.
> Suggestions please


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> So what I'm supposed to do?
> 
> 
> 
> My post isnt for you. Dont change bios. Use the stock one.
Click to expand...

this, and after you find and flash it, i would strongly recommend never doing it again, not to be rude but the very fact you did not save a copy shows me you are not ready for this. when you gain more experience then you should be able to flash.


----------



## heroxoot

So yea both fans now seem to be making a grinding noise. Any suggestions? My cooler is really nice being the twin frozr 4 I really do not want to buy a 3rd party cooler.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> So yea both fans now seem to be making a grinding noise. Any suggestions? My cooler is really nice being the twin frozr 4 I really do not want to buy a 3rd party cooler.


Get new 92mm fanz!


----------



## Moataz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this, and after you find and flash it, i would strongly recommend never doing it again, not to be rude but the very fact you did not save a copy shows me you are not ready for this. when you gain more experience then you should be able to flash.


Thing is, I thought there was a switch, thats why I didn't care to save the Bios.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this, and after you find and flash it, i would strongly recommend never doing it again, not to be rude but the very fact you did not save a copy shows me you are not ready for this. when you gain more experience then you should be able to flash.
> 
> 
> 
> Thing is, I thought there was a switch, thats why I didn't care to save the Bios.
Click to expand...

again see above comment, some manufactures have different bios on each switch, others dont.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> So yea both fans now seem to be making a grinding noise. Any suggestions? My cooler is really nice being the twin frozr 4 I really do not want to buy a 3rd party cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> Get new 92mm fanz!
Click to expand...

I have no money to just buy a new cooler. Should I try to oil them again maybe?


----------



## Moataz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> again see above comment, some manufactures have different bios on each switch, others dont.


yeah and thats what I thought XFX had as well.. a switch..

anyways, what are the things I can do rightnow to save my arse? sorry if im bothering you


----------



## heroxoot

Yo I'm wrong its only 1 of the fans making noise and its the opposite one that was originally squeaking. Could I have over oiled it?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> So yea both fans now seem to be making a grinding noise. Any suggestions? My cooler is really nice being the twin frozr 4 I really do not want to buy a 3rd party cooler.


hm, guess the oil must have left the bearing, I think your going to have to get some grease instead and try injecting it, if you can pop it open it would be much easier but I'm not sure how you do that on those fans...

be warned though, poping a bearing open, some hold the balls/cylinders and some don't, so just be prepared to catch them all if you want to go that far...

worst comes to worst I'm pretty sure MSI would be happy to send you a replacement fan/s either with a small cost or under warranty...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Moataz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> again see above comment, some manufactures have different bios on each switch, others dont.
> 
> 
> 
> yeah and thats what I thought XFX had as well.. a switch..
> 
> anyways, what are the things I can do rightnow to save my arse? sorry if im bothering you
Click to expand...

i cant help you i am sorry i own a 7770 from xfx and that is all for gpus ( got it free with my monitor stand )


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> So yea both fans now seem to be making a grinding noise. Any suggestions? My cooler is really nice being the twin frozr 4 I really do not want to buy a 3rd party cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> hm, guess the oil must have left the bearing, I think your going to have to get some grease instead and try injecting it, if you can pop it open it would be much easier but I'm not sure how you do that on those fans...
> 
> be warned though, poping a bearing open, some hold the balls/cylinders and some don't, so just be prepared to catch them all if you want to go that far...
> 
> worst comes to worst I'm pretty sure MSI would be happy to send you a replacement fan/s either with a small cost or under warranty...
Click to expand...

I was thinking this. I just went and reopened the fan. The one making noise was indeed leaking. So I cleaned it up, and as crazy as it sounds took the adhesive of a band aid for now and used it to cover the hole. Seems to have quieted down a little. Its only the one side. The side that was squeaking bad has gotten a lot quieter with a sound I can only hear if I open the case.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I was thinking this. I just went and reopened the fan. The one making noise was indeed leaking. So I cleaned it up, and as crazy as it sounds took the adhesive of a band aid for now and used it to cover the hole. Seems to have quieted down a little. Its only the one side. The side that was squeaking bad has gotten a lot quieter with a sound I can only hear if I open the case.


yea ball bearing fans are never really known for being quiet, they just are much smoother and free-moving compared to classic sleeve bearings, if you can manage to get good grease or thick oil in them it can keep them fairly quiet, but there will almost always be at least a very small little squeak or rolling noise...

but at least it means you can run them full-tilt for as long as the card itself lasts without them flying off somewhere...


----------



## heroxoot

Ok well I just called MSI and they told me no they do not have the fans, to try and check ebay. So I am at a loss as I only can find TF II and III fans. He said II and III should fit though. Can anyone clarify this? The II fans are 75MM fans and they are also on the single wire.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Ok well I just called MSI and they told me no they do not have the fans, to try and check ebay. So I am at a loss as I only can find TF II and III fans. He said II and III should fit though. Can anyone clarify this? The II fans are 75MM fans and they are also on the single wire.


I ordered an enermax fan for a broken TwinFrozr II at one point. It fit, with some slight modding, but was not PWM, and I had to just plug it into a fan controller.

[edit] It was "Evercool" I just checked my newegg order history, here is a link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835119133

Like I said it wasn't ideal, but it did end up working.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> VGA/Chipset Fan Replacements:


http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=36_904&zenid=20f8cbd0f1262905d43b2d231022155a


----------



## neurotix

Bumping this thread in my list.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> VGA/Chipset Fan Replacements:
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=36_904&zenid=20f8cbd0f1262905d43b2d231022155a
Click to expand...

But my fan is 2 on a single PWM connector for the card.

I added more oil again and it seems to be slightly quieter. This is a lot of work though. Is it going to be bad if I let it run over night? I use my PC to watch things and I fall asleep most times. I think a lot of oil must have leaked from the fan for it to be grinding this much after putting 9ish drops of oil in now. Maybe I just need to keep trying until its silent. But its a lot of effort and tape.


----------



## wermad

I'm sure you've answered this but do you have warranty on it?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I'm sure you've answered this but do you have warranty on it?


Even if I did I cannot send it in as I need my PC for school. Its just upsetting because I fixed the one problem and caused another. I should have never tried to add oil to the fan not making noise. I thought if I put some on it MAYBE it would extend the life. Not make more noise. I can only assume it still needs more oil in it. I'm afraid to take it apart. I found the exact fan model on ebay but they want 90 dollars for it. I need fans that match pld10015b12h model. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-For-MSI-R9-270X-10CM-graphics-card-fan-PLD10015B12H-12V-0-55A-automatic-dust/1590257079.html

Why are the so expensive?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Even if I did I cannot send it in as I need my PC for school. Its just upsetting because I fixed the one problem and caused another. I should have never tried to add oil to the fan not making noise. I thought if I put some on it MAYBE it would extend the life. Not make more noise. I can only assume it still needs more oil in it. I'm afraid to take it apart. I found the exact fan model on ebay but they want 90 dollars for it. I need fans that match pld10015b12h model. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-For-MSI-R9-270X-10CM-graphics-card-fan-PLD10015B12H-12V-0-55A-automatic-dust/1590257079.html
> 
> Why are the so expensive?


Odd, Last week when I was bidding for my lightning there were at least 10 listings for Fan pairs around $30 each Buy It Now.

Only thing close is an old 90mm (9CM) Fan from a Older MSI N650TI, which will be smaller by .5 cm on each side, dunno if it has the same connections.

The ones online are not the right ones, you need 10CM Fans, Will look and see if I cant find a part number.


----------



## wermad

Three of my lightnings didn't come w/ the stock screws for the stock cooler. I have yet to hit up MSI on which size I need for them. I shared the sole hardware on all of them when i tested them on air. All four of the coolers are sitting in boxes right now







.


----------



## heroxoot

The main issue I'm seeing is the hole size. The holes on the fans for my cooler are 42mmx42mmx42mm from the center. I saw someone say he replaced mine with PLD10010S12M but from what I'm reading these are 52mm apart from mounting holes. This is my major problem or I'd grab that model and toss them on. I have a hard time believing.


----------



## SkateZilla

What's the Model Number of your Fans?

cheapest I've seen is $50 from China.

Might be able to email MSI and order one.


----------



## anubis1127

AIB partners will not sell their fans. Or heatsinks, or unisinks for their GPUs. They will have you RMA it instead. Which is exactly what most of us don't want to do. Back when I bought that fan I didn't want to RMA my 470 because it was a good clocker, and didn't want to take the chance of getting a worse one back (because you know they wouldn't just fix the fan and send it back).


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> What's the Model Number of your Fans?
> 
> cheapest I've seen is $50 from China.
> 
> Might be able to email MSI and order one.


55 from http://www.aliexpress.com/item/radiator-fan-about-on-10CM-graphics-card-fan-PLD10015B12H-12V-0-55A-automatic-dust-removal-fan/1375058750.html

If these do not get quieter I will be purchasing them.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> AIB partners will not sell their fans. Or heatsinks, or unisinks for their GPUs. They will have you RMA it instead. Which is exactly what most of us don't want to do. Back when I bought that fan I didn't want to RMA my 470 because it was a good clocker, and didn't want to take the chance of getting a worse one back (because you know they wouldn't just fix the fan and send it back).


This right here.

One thing is idk what coolers fit my card since its a custom PCB. I guess most still would because the distance between screws for mounting should remain the same. But the lightning cooler is really good cooler. So should I buy the replacement fans for 55 if it comes to it, or a new cooler? 60 dollars is absolute max spend right now. I'm gonna grease the fans once a day and see if it helps. Give it time to work the oil around the ball bearings.

Also, my gpu sounds like a car with wet breaks I swear.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> What's the Model Number of your Fans?
> 
> cheapest I've seen is $50 from China.
> 
> Might be able to email MSI and order one.
> 
> 
> 
> 55 from http://www.aliexpress.com/item/radiator-fan-about-on-10CM-graphics-card-fan-PLD10015B12H-12V-0-55A-automatic-dust-removal-fan/1375058750.html
> 
> If these do not get quieter I will be purchasing them.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> AIB partners will not sell their fans. Or heatsinks, or unisinks for their GPUs. They will have you RMA it instead. Which is exactly what most of us don't want to do. Back when I bought that fan I didn't want to RMA my 470 because it was a good clocker, and didn't want to take the chance of getting a worse one back (because you know they wouldn't just fix the fan and send it back).
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> This right here.
> 
> One thing is idk what coolers fit my card since its a custom PCB. I guess most still would because the distance between screws for mounting should remain the same. But the lightning cooler is really good cooler. So should I buy the replacement fans for 55 if it comes to it, or a new cooler? 60 dollars is absolute max spend right now. I'm gonna grease the fans once a day and see if it helps. Give it time to work the oil around the ball bearings.
> 
> Also, my gpu sounds like a car with wet breaks I swear.
Click to expand...

Well, I _might_ have a set of fans for you, from a 7970 TF3, the model number is a little different, so we would need to check measurements. The model number of my fans are PLD08010S12HH. They are 75mm across the blades, the mounting holes are 52-53mm apart in a triangle pattern. I wont be able to warranty my tf3 if it should ever fail, and I am under water, so if the shoe fits...we can work something out.

Edit to add: 2 fans, one 4 pin mini connector


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> What's the Model Number of your Fans?
> 
> cheapest I've seen is $50 from China.
> 
> Might be able to email MSI and order one.
> 
> 
> 
> 55 from http://www.aliexpress.com/item/radiator-fan-about-on-10CM-graphics-card-fan-PLD10015B12H-12V-0-55A-automatic-dust-removal-fan/1375058750.html
> 
> If these do not get quieter I will be purchasing them.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> AIB partners will not sell their fans. Or heatsinks, or unisinks for their GPUs. They will have you RMA it instead. Which is exactly what most of us don't want to do. Back when I bought that fan I didn't want to RMA my 470 because it was a good clocker, and didn't want to take the chance of getting a worse one back (because you know they wouldn't just fix the fan and send it back).
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> This right here.
> 
> One thing is idk what coolers fit my card since its a custom PCB. I guess most still would because the distance between screws for mounting should remain the same. But the lightning cooler is really good cooler. So should I buy the replacement fans for 55 if it comes to it, or a new cooler? 60 dollars is absolute max spend right now. I'm gonna grease the fans once a day and see if it helps. Give it time to work the oil around the ball bearings.
> 
> Also, my gpu sounds like a car with wet breaks I swear.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Well, I _might_ have a set of fans for you, from a 7970 TF3, the model number is a little different, so we would need to check measurements. The model number of my fans are PLD08010S12HH. They are 75mm across the blades, the mounting holes are 52-53mm apart in a triangle pattern. I wont be able to warranty my tf3 if it should ever fail, and I am under water, so if the shoe fits...we can work something out.
> 
> Edit to add: 2 fans, one 4 pin mini connector
Click to expand...

The problem is, will it fit? The mounting holes are supposedly 52MM from the center each and on my fans its 42mm. I am completely unsure if it will fit. I can get a set for 20ish dollars on ebay.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Also, my gpu sounds like a car with wet breaks I swear.


yea they must be very clean bearings, so definitely need grease, I think you could be able to squeeze some in, not too sure where you can get some grease but I got a tube from a jaycar store some years back...


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Also, my gpu sounds like a car with wet breaks I swear.
> 
> 
> 
> yea they must be very clean bearings, so definitely need grease, I think you could be able to squeeze some in, not too sure where you can get some grease but I got a tube from a jaycar store some years back...
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of calling MSI and attempting to claim my warranty. Maybe I should try and rip the fans apart and oil them that way. Maybe its not getting in. I just need some advice before I call MSI and attempt to get help. I'd really hate to get a 7970 back that isn't mine. I'm happy with the OC on my 7970.


----------



## FoamyV

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I think he might mean F Fahrenheit, so that would mean ~115C. If not, I predict immanent boom


Nah, the reading showed celcius, that's what made me suspicious of a misreading. The card couldn't have kept working after that right?


----------



## Mega Man

pretty sure you would of melted the silicone or burnt it ! ( 550+f )


----------



## heroxoot

The grinding kept waking me up all damn night. I just tossed the 6850 from an unused pc into my rig. Sweet silence. I hope MSI can just replace them for me. I don't care if they charge me as long as they do it. And it will be faster then waiting 60 days from china.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Ok well I just called MSI and they told me no they do not have the fans, to try and check ebay. So I am at a loss as I only can find TF II and III fans. He said II and III should fit though. Can anyone clarify this? The II fans are 75MM fans and they are also on the single wire.


Get new 92mm fans or TF3 ones... You have a 100mm fan so go for the closest in size..


----------



## SkateZilla

even if you cant put them into the lightning, you can always "Build" a Slot cooler with 2 10CM Fans blowing onto the heatsink from a slot below.

I've read several user posts around the web, that state they switched the fans from the stock Twin Frozr IV fans ( PLA10015B12H ) to PLD10010S12M (Which run about $20 a pop)


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> The problem is, will it fit? The mounting holes are supposedly 52MM from the center each and on my fans its 42mm. I am completely unsure if it will fit. I can get a set for 20ish dollars on ebay.


It was worth a mention. These fans are just sitting here gathering dust, and I was going to just get you to pay the shipping. Let me know if you cant find a better solution, you might be able to re-drill the holes and shorten the mount legs.


----------



## Dyekid217

So I just got a gigabyte 7970 off amazon and I don't believe it's working correctly I'm not sure. I have a new motherboard since my last one fried. The problem I have is that when I try using my 660 superclocked it's being detected but it doesn't work correctly as there is artifacts all over the screen. My other twin frozr 660 isn't being detected either.

The fact that at least one card is showing up as being detected in the pcie slot ensures that my motherboard is not at fault correct?

Again. Two of my cards are not being detected, the 7970 and the twin frozr 660. Could the video cards be dead?


----------



## jagz

Which board? can you try a different lane for the cards? I've had a board with a bum pci express 2.0 (or 3.0) slot before.


----------



## Dyekid217

it's an asrock z77 extreme 4.

I've tried all 3 of the gpu's in both slots.. the evga 660 superclocked is showing up in both PCIe slots but like i said it's artifacting. And neither the twin frozr 3 or Gigabyte 7970 are showing up in either slot.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dyekid217*
> 
> it's an asrock z77 extreme 4.
> 
> I've tried all 3 of the gpu's in both slots.. the evga 660 superclocked is showing up in both PCIe slots but like i said it's artifacting. And neither the twin frozr 3 or Gigabyte 7970 are showing up in either slot.


What's your Mainboard BIOS Version?


----------



## Dyekid217

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> What's your Mainboard BIOS Version?


I've tried 4 different bios versions.. 2.8, 2.0, 1.8, 1.3


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> The problem is, will it fit? The mounting holes are supposedly 52MM from the center each and on my fans its 42mm. I am completely unsure if it will fit. I can get a set for 20ish dollars on ebay.
> 
> 
> 
> It was worth a mention. These fans are just sitting here gathering dust, and I was going to just get you to pay the shipping. Let me know if you cant find a better solution, you might be able to re-drill the holes and shorten the mount legs.
Click to expand...

I'll give you a PM if MSi won't help me. My only concern is if they can mount on this cooler. Do all twin frozr have the same grill?

Edit: I called MSI and told them the sticker fell off and the oil leaked out. They said as long as the fans work its covered so I'm sending it in.


----------



## wermad

Cool







here's hoping you get your card back with a new cooler.


----------



## SkateZilla

no, his card will be thrown in a Recertify process,
They'll sign for it at the repair facility, inspect it, and send a different re-certified unit back,
His unit will be put in a bin,
then taken to a tech,
who will strip it down,
piece by piece to test,
then if chip and vram pass test,
a re-certified cooling assembly will be mounted to it
it will get a refurb label and boxed up for the next person that sends their unit in.

The fans will be sent back to manufacturer for their credit, where they'll be re-certified and re-oiled or just plain thrown away.

unless he gets lucky and gets a smart tech that can simply recognize and read the RMA Case and simply change the fans, test, and ship.

But that's rare.


----------



## wermad

Probably easier for the tech to just swap the whole cooler.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> no, his card will be thrown in a Recertify process,
> They'll sign for it at the repair facility, inspect it, and send a different re-certified unit back,
> His unit will be put in a bin,
> then taken to a tech,
> who will strip it down,
> piece by piece to test,
> then if chip and vram pass test,
> a re-certified cooling assembly will be mounted to it
> it will get a refurb label and boxed up for the next person that sends their unit in.
> 
> The fans will be sent back to manufacturer for their credit, where they'll be re-certified and re-oiled or just plain thrown away.
> 
> unless he gets lucky and gets a smart tech that can simply recognize and read the RMA Case and simply change the fans, test, and ship.
> 
> But that's rare.


Woah dude, thats pretty freaking dark. But no, I've delt with this before sort of. I sent a motherboard in once with a botched bios and got the exact same one back. Hopefully they will just replace the cooler. I can also call in and ask if its possible to get the same card back. Then again I could get one that takes heat better as mine artifacts at 75c regardless.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> pretty sure you would of melted the silicone or burnt it ! ( 550+f )


I think they usually play puff-the-magic-dragon at at least 200C...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Woah dude, thats pretty freaking dark. But no, I've delt with this before sort of. I sent a motherboard in once with a botched bios and got the exact same one back. Hopefully they will just replace the cooler. I can also call in and ask if its possible to get the same card back. Then again I could get one that takes heat better as mine artifacts at 75c regardless.


I sent in my BE since non if the displayports worked. The old card clocked at 1100. The replacement clocked @1150


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Woah dude, thats pretty freaking dark. But no, I've delt with this before sort of. I sent a motherboard in once with a botched bios and got the exact same one back. Hopefully they will just replace the cooler. I can also call in and ask if its possible to get the same card back. Then again I could get one that takes heat better as mine artifacts at 75c regardless.
> 
> 
> 
> I sent in my BE since non if the displayports worked. The old card clocked at 1100. The replacement clocked @1150
Click to expand...

Thats funny, none of my DP work either. I assumed the display adapter was broken though since thats all I have to use with it. But if they check all aspects of the card they might find out those don't work and replace it. My lightning however clocked 1225/1700. The only way I presume I will know is if I reference model numbers, which MSI RMA tracker will display the in and out model number.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Woah dude, thats pretty freaking dark. But no, I've delt with this before sort of. I sent a motherboard in once with a botched bios and got the exact same one back. Hopefully they will just replace the cooler. I can also call in and ask if its possible to get the same card back. Then again I could get one that takes heat better as mine artifacts at 75c regardless.


My Sapphire Came back with Upgraded Cooler and extra 100MHz,
Well, it was a completely different unit, as my Ram went poof,
Original was a 7950-OC, with Blue Sapphire Stickers, DualX Cooler, but smaller Heatplate

Sent it in, with Blue DualX , Came back with Black and White ones, more DualX Stickers on the shroud, bigger heatplate (Covers more of the Ram and VRM than the old one),.

Max OC on the original was 1025 (from 900Mhz), and it would start crashing at 1045, even with mv increases,
new one came back I was able to hit 1100 ( up to 960 with no mv Adjustments), didnt go any higher as I didnt want to push 1200mv in the summer. (original died at the end of spring.)

Regardless, my MSI Lightning I have now was a reburb unit the original owner got back.

It might be easier for the tech to replace cooler,

but it's also quicker and easier to scan the serial number in,
Do a basic boot test, ( they prolly likely have a unit they just drop it into to test,)
if it is indeed defective, Put it in a BIN to be re-certified,
Pick up a box with a Re-Certified Unit in it,
Scan the Serial Number out,
put it in a shipping box, s
lap a label on it,
ship it
update support ticket w/ Tracking# and Serial,
Update user warranty / registration,

Which reminds me, I should prolly register my Lightning.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Thats funny, none of my DP work either. I assumed the display adapter was broken though since thats all I have to use with it. But if they check all aspects of the card they might find out those don't work and replace it. My lightning however clocked 1225/1700. The only way I presume I will know is if I reference model numbers, which MSI RMA tracker will display the in and out model number.


1150 is the stock clock. With four cards I don't bother with overclocking any more


----------



## SkateZilla

mine's 1070 i think... regardless,

Compared to the Sapphire HD7950 it replaced at 1100 MHz, it still gets better FPS due to 256 more SP, and no Eyefinity Tearing thanks to Display Ports,

I'd be happy with just this card by itself,

now add the 7950 in XFire, that adds 1792 more shaders to it







,

I have to re-build the 7950's Overclocks,
as I think when I moved it to secondary to the Lightning, AMD CCC Wiped the OC Profile,

Which means in XFire I think the Lightning is downclocking itself to the 7950's stock speeds (900/1250, lol)
(Do GPU's Operate Independently now (Speed Wise?)

I know the 7950 can run 1100/1500 fine, so if I bring it up to the Lightnings speeds, it'll prolly do better.


----------



## X-Alt

The question is, would the 7950 be stable? Lets hope he gets the card back, 7GHz Game-Stable Memory is not that common...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The question is, would the 7950 be stable? Lets hope he gets the card back, 7GHz Game-Stable Memory is not that common...


my 7950 was stable at 1100/1500 at 1150mv, that's 6GHz Memory


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> my 7950 was stable at 1100/1500 at 1150mv, that's 6GHz Memory


I was reffering to hex on the 7GHz mem...


----------



## SkateZilla

oh,

Well I was saying a few days ago, websites reviewed my 7950OC when it came out and they were getting 1600MHz on the ram without overclocking and 1050MHz core, lol.

I Had to bump mv to get past 950 core.

I'm positive my 7950 can match my Lightnings clocks at 1150mv on the 7950 though as I've hit 1100/1500 at that voltage, and if I drop to 1070/1400 it should be pretty stable.

outside of Benchmarks on day 1, i havent used XFire, Well I saw an increase in iRacing max detail across 3 screens + 4th.

But outside of that the Flight Sim I play doesnt support XFire at all, enabling it causes a FPS Decrease, regardless of mode, lol.


----------



## inedenimadam

MSI Afterburner and ASUS GPU-TWEAK just dont get along!

And....

The DC2 dwarfs the twin frozr


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> MSI Afterburner and ASUS GPU-TWEAK just dont get along!
> 
> And....
> 
> The DC2 dwarfs the twin frozr


Unless you have a Matrix, remove GPU Tweak..


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> MSI Afterburner and ASUS GPU-TWEAK just dont get along!
> 
> And....
> 
> The DC2 dwarfs the twin frozr
> 
> 
> 
> Unless you have a Matrix, remove GPU Tweak..
Click to expand...

I did, and afterburner for that matter. I found good solid clock/voltage settings for the new card and flashed the BIOS. I dont like extra software, and I had a pain of a time getting voltage control over the DC2. Kept getting caught in a loop where Afterburner would not read the ASUS card and GPU-Tweak wouldnt read the MSI card, they kept giving me numbers that were waaaaay off. Next build I am going to stick to one brand/model, this mix and match stuff is for the birds. Not all that impressed with the DC2 cooler either, jumps up to 80 pretty quick as a top card, might need to check the TIM and start looking for a waterblock.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I did, and afterburner for that matter. I found good solid clock/voltage settings for the new card and flashed the BIOS. I dont like extra software, and I had a pain of a time getting voltage control over the DC2. Kept getting caught in a loop where Afterburner would not read the ASUS card and GPU-Tweak wouldnt read the MSI card, they kept giving me numbers that were waaaaay off. Next build I am going to stick to one brand/model, this mix and match stuff is for the birds. Not all that impressed with the DC2 cooler either, jumps up to 80 pretty quick as a top card, might need to check the TIM and start looking for a waterblock.


The TIM was meh on my matrix, they say the DC2 cooler is a bit loose so give it a tightening and set the fan to curve to 63% by 55C..


----------



## SkateZilla

Well, with XFire I can now run BF3 across 3 Screens with some MSAA, and everything on Ultra/High, except Mesh detail,

at a steady 60 FPS, w/ minimal dips to 57 or so

I wonder if the 2nd GPU being 170MHz Slower has any impact,

I tried to re-instate my Overclock back on the 7950 to match the Lightning and BF3 refused to open, though I think TriXXX or AB had something to do with it, as it refuses to run benchmarks full screen with them open too,

I have the 7950 running Max Power Limit, with memory at 1400 to match the lightning, however core is still sitting at 900 (as to the lightnings 1070)

Highest temps were 46/48 ^C. will try to force voltage back up, to 1150


----------



## jegergrim

Hello guys, I asked this same question on another forum which was unable to help me with my issue;

The cooler on my 7950 XFX DD BE has gotten worse and worse, even after Thermal Paste change, load temps exceed 90 degrees celcius (possible defect vapor chamber?), also the fan has a grinding noise:

My issue: Cabinet is Prodigy (ITX build), so I have only 2-slots available, and I need to find an aftermarket cooler that fits - 2-slot inclusive the PCB; I've looked at coolers such as Alpenföhn Peter/Accelero Extreme 3, but those coolers are like 3-slot coolers, is there anyone who could assist me in this issue? I would also preferably have one with VRM cooling as if I find that pretty important.

//Jegergrim


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Hynix is generally regarded as better than elpida for oc. Could be just a worse batch for oc'ing.


You are right I flipped Hynix and elpida but that should be evident from my previous statement


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jegergrim*
> 
> Hello guys, I asked this same question on another forum which was unable to help me with my issue;
> 
> The cooler on my 7950 XFX DD BE has gotten worse and worse, even after Thermal Paste change, load temps exceed 90 degrees celcius (possible defect vapor chamber?), also the fan has a grinding noise:
> 
> My issue: Cabinet is Prodigy (ITX build), so I have only 2-slots available, and I need to find an aftermarket cooler that fits - 2-slot inclusive the PCB; I've looked at coolers such as Alpenföhn Peter/Accelero Extreme 3, but those coolers are like 3-slot coolers, is there anyone who could assist me in this issue? I would also preferably have one with VRM cooling as if I find that pretty important.
> 
> //Jegergrim


Bad Mounting or Fans.

whats the fans RPM when you overheat?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jegergrim*
> 
> Hello guys, I asked this same question on another forum which was unable to help me with my issue;
> 
> The cooler on my 7950 XFX DD BE has gotten worse and worse, even after Thermal Paste change, load temps exceed 90 degrees celcius (possible defect vapor chamber?), also the fan has a grinding noise:
> 
> My issue: Cabinet is Prodigy (ITX build), so I have only 2-slots available, and I need to find an aftermarket cooler that fits - 2-slot inclusive the PCB; I've looked at coolers such as Alpenföhn Peter/Accelero Extreme 3, but those coolers are like 3-slot coolers, is there anyone who could assist me in this issue? I would also preferably have one with VRM cooling as if I find that pretty important.
> 
> //Jegergrim


your fan bearing's gone, you need a new fan or a whole new cooler (later would likely be better).


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I did, and afterburner for that matter. I found good solid clock/voltage settings for the new card and flashed the BIOS. I dont like extra software, and I had a pain of a time getting voltage control over the DC2. Kept getting caught in a loop where Afterburner would not read the ASUS card and GPU-Tweak wouldnt read the MSI card, they kept giving me numbers that were waaaaay off. Next build I am going to stick to one brand/model, this mix and match stuff is for the birds. Not all that impressed with the DC2 cooler either, jumps up to 80 pretty quick as a top card, might need to check the TIM and start looking for a waterblock.
> 
> 
> 
> The TIM was meh on my matrix, they say the DC2 cooler is a bit loose so give it a tightening and set the fan to curve to 63% by 55C..
Click to expand...

thanks for the heads up, I will take a look under the hood a little later tonight.


----------



## jegergrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Bad Mounting or Fans.
> 
> whats the fans RPM when you overheat?


Mounting was proper, the fans are running at 3000+ RPM, if load exeeds 50% it will continue towards 100 degrees celcius.

Keep in mind, this issue occured even prior to my dismount and remount of the cooler, also had a share of my GPU remounts...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> your fan bearing's gone, you need a new fan or a whole new cooler (later would likely be better).


Im looking for a new cooler, this one is properly bad and loud :S


----------



## Sultan

So guys , Anyone know where to find custom backplates for the HD 7950 !? I have one form HIS and want to make a custom on out of acrylic but need the measurments ( and some inspiration). I remember seeing some a while back .. but couldn't find any in my search.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jegergrim*
> 
> Mounting was proper, the fans are running at 3000+ RPM, if load exeeds 50% it will continue towards 100 degrees celcius.
> 
> Keep in mind, this issue occured even prior to my dismount and remount of the cooler, also had a share of my GPU remounts...
> Im looking for a new cooler, this one is properly bad and loud :S


http://www.ebay.com/itm/XFX-Radeon-HD-7970-GHz-Edition-HEATSINK-FAN-no-videocard-/131118131566?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item1e873fe96e


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Well, with XFire I can now run BF3 across 3 Screens with some MSAA, and everything on Ultra/High, except Mesh detail,
> 
> at a steady 60 FPS, w/ minimal dips to 57 or so
> 
> I wonder if the 2nd GPU being 170MHz Slower has any impact,
> 
> I tried to re-instate my Overclock back on the 7950 to match the Lightning and BF3 refused to open, though I think TriXXX or AB had something to do with it, as it refuses to run benchmarks full screen with them open too,
> 
> I have the 7950 running Max Power Limit, with memory at 1400 to match the lightning, however core is still sitting at 900 (as to the lightnings 1070)
> 
> Highest temps were 46/48 ^C. will try to force voltage back up, to 1150


Before I left for Family time on my birthday, I tried to OC the Sapphire to match the Lightning, I know this card can do it, but I guess the different brands and what not are causing problems,

Sapphire and MSI's programs are both trying to do crap I dont wanna do to the card,

At one point the 2nd Card (7950 Sapphire) was stuck at 1070MHz/1400MHz Mem, w/ 0% Load, but the fans werent spinning up, it got to 78 Degrees ^C before I Manually Pulled Power.

rebooted, and forced everything back to stock clocks.


----------



## jegergrim

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/XFX-Radeon-HD-7970-GHz-Edition-HEATSINK-FAN-no-videocard-/131118131566?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item1e873fe96e


It looks interesting, although same left-fan issue as on mine, and I live in Denmark, shipping is also a problem :S

Any aftermarket coolers you know of?


----------



## SkateZilla

ahh, forgot you werent in the US,

I'd just waterblock it w/ a RedMod (all in one closed loop mounted to GPU with Fans on the VRM/RamSinks.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Sultan*
> 
> So guys , Anyone know where to find custom backplates for the HD 7950 !? I have one form HIS and want to make a custom on out of acrylic but need the measurments ( and some inspiration). I remember seeing some a while back .. but couldn't find any in my search.


EK AND AQUACOOL


----------



## Sultan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> EK AND AQUACOOL


I meant custom made. Not branded . Just new designs made by modders. I've got the measurments and now I'm building a design for the laser cutter .. but I want some inspiration , that's all. Thanks for the help though


----------



## diggiddi

LooK for D Woods back plates


----------



## Moataz

Hello again, after a clean install of new Windows 7 ultimate, this is what happens now:

I can benchmark the card (7970 XFX DD TDFC V 1.2 with the GHZ BIOS update) easily, but on random simple tasks at odd times, it pop up the AMD Driver stopped responding and has recovered message, It just happens randomly at anytime, but it never happened through Unigine valley or 3DMark benchmarking on Ultra settings..
The current driver I'm using is: catalyst version 13.1
I've used almost everything, believe it or not, EVERYTHING. starting from 12.4 to 14.1
If someone can give me a hand here, Ill be thankful


----------



## Moataz

I forgot to mention, that 12.7 Driver or + is required for the GHZ Bios as it was stated here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1281425/amd-release-hd-7970-ghz-bios-upgrade-for-reference-hd-7970
However, I tried everything as I stated in the above bost.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> LooK for D Woods back plates


dwood is gone


----------



## Mutantx

Got a year old msi 7950 from the batch that needed manual removal of a diode on the pcb to fix fan issues under load...anyways it works well now however i have noticed on gpu z my VDDC current moves around massively with a medium of 60a and spikes to 127a and as low as 1.3a - im hoping this is just a gpuz error/issue.

As i get the occasional game crash so also wondering if this could be the cause (sometime!)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mutantx*
> 
> Got a year old msi 7950 from the batch that needed manual removal of a diode on the pcb to fix fan issues under load...anyways it works well now however i have noticed on gpu z my VDDC current moves around massively with a medium of 60a and spikes to 127a and as low as 1.3a - im hoping this is just a gpuz error/issue.
> 
> As i get the occasional game crash so also wondering if this could be the cause (sometime!)


TBH you're prolly overheating or undervolting.

You should see the crazy numbers that get spit out from the sensors sometimes, I think at one point it listed my VDDC as 104444.00v using something like 89999 Amps...


----------



## Mutantx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> TBH you're prolly overheating or undervolting.
> 
> You should see the crazy numbers that get spit out from the sensors sometimes, I think at one point it listed my VDDC as 104444.00v using something like 89999 Amps...


46c idle 62c under (70 % load) - 1100/1250 @ 1150v


----------



## marsey99

if anything that looks a little low voltage for the mhz to me.


----------



## SkateZilla

my 7950 used to run 1100/1500 at 1150mv fine, so...


----------



## thrgk

anyone crashing more in bf4 expansion maps from the second assault?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mutantx*
> 
> 46c idle 62c under (70 % load) - 1100/1250 @ 1150v


are you fine on 1000 or even 900 core?


----------



## Mutantx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> are you fine on 1000 or even 900 core?


its the same


----------



## Jflisk

My 7990 is on its way back from XFX as a replacement. Just putting this out there for anyone that has to deal with them in the US and or North America they are pretty easy to get along with. I had Mark R. as a technician he helped me with the RMA so I would highly suggest dealing with him if at all possible. When the need for an RMA with XFX arises.

Purchased The 7990 on 1/6/14 replaced the XFX cooler with water block on 1/14/14. Problems started around the 31st of January. contacted XFX on Monday 3rd of February. Shipped the card on Tuesday 4th of February UPS. XFX received card on Tuesday 11th of February. There ticket system is not connected to the US RMA center or there is a problems with there updates. Contacted XFX on Friday to see if the card was received - It was. Monday February 17th card was tested and failed. Replacement card shipped Tuesday 18th of February( had to pay for a UPS ground upgrade thru UPS 3.50 upgrade cost. guess they use the cheapest option to resend). Should be here Tuesday the 25th of February.









So XFX RMA
Technician (A+)
Web site (C)
Turn around time (A)
Modder friendly (A+)

Special Thanks to Mark.


----------



## wermad

So far Lepa has been very slow. I had to email their support in which appears to be in Taiwan. They did reply pretty quickly. But its now been handed over to their rma department which uses a 3rd party ticket system for communication. It wasn't until I reached back to their customer service did the ticket updated w/ a reply from them. Its been a week now since the last reply. Very slow and I'm frustrated I'm w/ no pc. If my tax return gets in before they can actually get me a replacement, i may just go w/ an Enermax 1500w (almost the same as the G1600). I've rma'd with enermax in the past and its been pretty speedy.


----------



## heroxoot

This is my 4th RMA with MSI. 2 were motherboards I killed (oops) one was a fault with a 890board. It wasn't broken but it couldn't run more than 8gb ram @ 1866mhz with an 8150 for some reason. And now my 7970 is going in to repair the fan. Besides the 10 days lost to UPS it usually takes no more than 5 business days for turn around. They are fairly quick with it. I just hope they send back my same 7970 with working fans. I'm going to be upset if I can't get the same clocks.


----------



## thrgk

I bought 2 7970s with heatkiller blocks from red 1776 and they came with the connection off, the part that you screw the barbs into, the black part is not connected. He shipped no screws with it, so do they use screws to connect to the block> he wont reply. Here are some pics.

http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/Terry_Horgan/media/20140222_130705_zps957e8381.jpg.html


----------



## tsm106

What is connected to the block/s you received?

With ek, either default port block is connected or you remove it to use the multi gpu bridge. In the case that you use the bridge, you simply remvoe the port block and then use the existing screws to mount the bridge. Thus the same default screws are used in both instances.

The block you received should have come with port block screws regardless.


----------



## Mutantx

mmm i just found this thread

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread

could this be why my 7950 boost is being stupid ? ive never flashed bios before, but as i read it these cards volts are going to low when under high loads if so msi are such jokers ive already had to manually remove a diode from the pcb to fix the fan issue under load now this ...


----------



## thrgk

ah ok so i have 2 heatkiller blocks and 2 aqua computer, and they are same high and lined up equally. The only difference was that black thing, so if I get a multi gpu bridge, it should work for all 4 cards?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mutantx*
> 
> mmm i just found this thread
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread
> 
> could this be why my 7950 boost is being stupid ? ive never flashed bios before, but as i read it these cards volts are going to low when under high loads if so msi are such jokers ive already had to manually remove a diode from the pcb to fix the fan issue under load now this ...


how big's your vdroop?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I bought 2 7970s with heatkiller blocks from red 1776 and they came with the connection off, the part that you screw the barbs into, the black part is not connected. He shipped no screws with it, so do they use screws to connect to the block> he wont reply. Here are some pics.
> 
> http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/Terry_Horgan/media/20140222_130705_zps957e8381.jpg.html


he's likely already using the screws or for whatever reason forgot to package them, you'll likely have to grab some more if he doesn't respond or says otherwise.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> I bought 2 7970s with heatkiller blocks from red 1776 and they came with the connection off, the part that you screw the barbs into, the black part is not connected. He shipped no screws with it, so do they use screws to connect to the block> he wont reply. Here are some pics.
> 
> http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/Terry_Horgan/media/20140222_130705_zps957e8381.jpg.html


If you get no response from him maybe call Frozen CPU and see if they have replacement parts for you.


----------



## Paul17041993

is it just the screws missing? you can get them at your nearest hardware store for a couple cents, you just have to get the right dia and depth, and your choice of head and colour (depending on stock).


----------



## thrgk

Ok I went to the hardware store and got them, since they are a Germany company it was M3 size.

However I have a set of 7970s with aqua waterblocks, and I want to use an aquacomputer SLI connector to connect them all for watercooling. Anyone know how to get the black thing off? for my heatkillers the seller shipped it already off, but I never took, or knew how, to take my aqua ones off. Anyone know the correct size/tool?


----------



## Alianto

Hey, I'm new here and i want to ask where can i find the exact model of my graphics card? I know that my card is gigabyte HD 7950, but on their website i found 2 or 3 different models. when i open "gigabyte VGA @BIOS" it shows bios version GV-R795UD-3GD.FC0, does GV-R795UD-3GD mean model, or i should open my pc case and search some similar numbers on my card?


----------



## leftkidney

I have been using my powercolor 7970 to mine when not playing games with it and I have a question about the temps

if you know anything about mining you know that HW or hardware errors are bad

I have messed with clock speeds and turned the core clock up to 1000 MHz and memory clock to 1500 MHz turned power limit down to -20%

I can mine at 686 khash and with fan speed at 100% it runs at 90-91 deg C and this has got me a little worried, I dont get any HW or hardware errors so this is a good thing but the temps are a little worrying to me, I can get them lower like 80-83 deg C with a lower hashrate of 620 khash so I dont really think its worth anything to get about 50-60 khash better and I have a dedicated mining rig with 2 290x's but I turn my 7970 on when I am not gaming just to get that extra little bit

what I am asking is are temps over 85 deg C with the powercolor 7970 a problem? like 90-91 deg C?

I havent had any problems mining or playing games with this card and its been running at 90-91 deg C for 12+ hours a day for the last month


----------



## incog

I've been curious, what is the difference between the 7970 and the 7970 GHz? Just the stock clock speeds? Why can't you just overclock a 7970 to match a 7970 GHz? Does the GHz edition overclock more?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> I've been curious, what is the difference between the 7970 and the 7970 GHz? Just the stock clock speeds? Why can't you just overclock a 7970 to match a 7970 GHz? Does the GHz edition overclock more?


99% of the time ghz editions are low asic, and voltage locked.
( 7970s )
and no most people much prefer non ghz editions,

MOST of the time they are also non ref

the above is not true for 280xs but can be


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 99% of the time ghz editions are low asic, and voltage locked.
> ( 7970s )
> and no most people much prefer non ghz editions,
> 
> MOST of the time they are also non ref
> 
> the above is not true for 280xs but can be


Unless its a 7990 (2x 7970 GHz Cheepz), dat 90%+ ASIC.


----------



## incog

Pardon my lack of knowledge... but what's ASIC?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application-specific_integrated_circuit
Quote:


> An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) /ˈeɪsɪk/, is an integrated circuit (IC) customized for a particular use, rather than intended for general-purpose use


Low ASIC meaning they aren't as optimized or something?

Not sure so it's better to ask, I guess. Thanks for the answers by the way, I'm happy I got a 7970 non-GHz, I'm looking to pick up some case fans to improve case airflow and overclock the card as much as I can. Make a game out of it. ^^


----------



## sugarhell

Not that again


----------



## Paul17041993

ASIC is just an assessment of the core, used to help determine your general volts-to-clocks ratio in overclocking, it doesn't represent efficiency bar those of 90% or higher that can take low voltage nicely, only ever present in the reference 7990.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> I've been curious, what is the difference between the 7970 and the 7970 GHz? Just the stock clock speeds? Why can't you just overclock a 7970 to match a 7970 GHz? Does the GHz edition overclock more?
> 
> 
> 
> 99% of the time ghz editions are low asic, and voltage locked.
> ( 7970s )
> and no most people much prefer non ghz editions,
> 
> MOST of the time they are also non ref
> 
> the above is not true for 280xs but can be
Click to expand...

My 7970 is 78% asic quality and I'm pretty sure lightning qualifies as a GHZ edition. 78% sounds pretty good to me.

.......I hope MSI gives me the same one back.


----------



## sugarhell

78% for a lightning. Thats actually really high based on how msi bin chips for the lightning. Its the old version without boost or the new one?


----------



## BradleyW

The ASIC on my prev 7970's (Powercolor) was 82 and 83 %.


----------



## X-Alt

My Matrix GHz Super-Extra-LN2-LowASICPewPewPlatinum was like 63%, quite low, aside from a few Sapphires with the 50% ASIC lol.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 78% for a lightning. Thats actually really high based on how msi bin chips for the lightning. Its the old version without boost or the new one?


Old version. The only thing is like I've said in this thread, its very sensitive and I see artifacts past 75c temps, no matter what. No idea why but it never gets past 70c so I don't worry about it.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> My Matrix GHz Super-Extra-LN2-LowASICPewPewPlatinum was like 63%, quite low, aside from a few Sapphires with the 50% ASIC lol.


thought the standard for ASUS was sub-60%...?


----------



## PedroC1999

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> The ASIC on my prev 7970's (Powercolor) was 82 and 83 %.


ASIC's on my PowerColor 7950s are 62 and 65, I get 1150 @ 1.25v on both, temps not topping 45


----------



## Jflisk

My 7990 is on its way back from XFX as a replacement. Just putting this out there for anyone that has to deal with them in the US and or North America they are pretty easy to get along with. I had Mark R. as a technician he helped me with the RMA so I would highly suggest dealing with him if at all possible. When the need for an RMA with XFX arises.

Purchased The 7990 on 1/6/14 replaced the XFX cooler with water block on 1/14/14. Problems started around the 31st of January. contacted XFX on Monday 3rd of February. Shipped the card on Tuesday 4th of February UPS. XFX received card on Tuesday 11th of February. There ticket system is not connected to the US RMA center or there is a problems with there updates. Contacted XFX on Friday to see if the card was received - It was. Monday February 17th card was tested and failed. Replacement card shipped Tuesday 18th of February( had to pay for a UPS ground upgrade thru UPS 3.50 upgrade cost. guess they use the cheapest option to resend). Should be here Tuesday the 25th of February. biggrin.gif

So XFX RMA
Technician (A+)
Web site (C)
Turn around time (A)
Modder friendly (A+)

Special Thanks to Mark. thumb.gif

New 7990 showed up today and I am good to go other then having to throw it under water again. YES


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Not that again


Each time I see it posted in here, someone comes up with a new definition.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Each time I see it posted in here, someone comes up with a new definition.


hell I don't even know what "ASIC" is supposed to be an abbreviation of, "Assessment Score of Inductance Capacity"...?


----------



## alancsalt

ASIC = Application-specific integrated circuit. I didn't find any other meaning for it in the computing category.

Quote:


> GPU-Z is now able to present an ASIC quality value embedded in the chip at fabrication. This only works on Fermi and Southern Island GPUs.
> 
> What does it mean? Not a clue. There is no context available for the value reported from the chip. It is purported to represent how leaky the transitors are, but even that lacks a way to quantify against the value reported.


We are reading a value embedded in a chip at the time of manufacture.That value is supposedly a measurement of circuit quality. Until they reveal how exactly ASIC is calculated, there's really no reason to put any credence into it.


----------



## SkateZilla

I've seen in compared and called many things, the most common being a fancy stat to calculate GPU VDroop.


----------



## SkateZilla

Cat. 14.2 is out..


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Cat. 14.2 is out..


yes it is,the release notes say for non xdma and big resolutions xfire is fixed, but I cant run star swarm in xfire, and dont have BF4 installed right now to test it


----------



## SkateZilla

TBH BF3 Ran fine in 5760x1080 in XFire 7900s on 14.1, believe it or not, it was one of the smoother games in my library.


----------



## jagz

I'll troubleshoot further soon, but I either have a bum PCIe slot or a bum 7970.







That's the problem with getting a new board (well used) and a new 7970 (well, also used) at the same time. I dread re-doing the loop but I'll have to put the bottom Diamond 7970 in a different slot and test first. Drivers are all installed, mobo bios is updated. Each seller (board and card) are nice people, the mobo seller said he never even used the 3rd slot, and the 7970 seller guaranteed against DOA. I hope it's the board TBH (or nothing)

My friend mentioned something about taking out my Xonar DX and testing again, he's had a funky issue where that lane was messing with the PCIe, sound possible?


----------



## 06yfz450ridr

I read about a similar issue somewhere about using that sound card and one of the slots reading wrong.


----------



## daguardian

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> I'll troubleshoot further soon, but I either have a bum PCIe slot or a bum 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's the problem with getting a new board (well used) and a new 7970 (well, also used) at the same time. I dread re-doing the loop but I'll have to put the bottom Diamond 7970 in a different slot and test first. Drivers are all installed, mobo bios is updated. Each seller (board and card) are nice people, the mobo seller said he never even used the 3rd slot, and the 7970 seller guaranteed against DOA. I hope it's the board TBH (or nothing)
> 
> My friend mentioned something about taking out my Xonar DX and testing again, he's had a funky issue where that lane was messing with the PCIe, *sound possible*?





Indeed it is possible, you may have to lose the soundcard altogether to run 3 cards, at least I did with my Maxiumus Extreme IV, I have to use slots 1 2 & 4.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> I'll troubleshoot further soon, but I either have a bum PCIe slot or a bum 7970.
> 
> That's the problem with getting a new board (well used) and a new 7970 (well, also used) at the same time. I dread re-doing the loop but I'll have to put the bottom Diamond 7970 in a different slot and test first. Drivers are all installed, mobo bios is updated. Each seller (board and card) are nice people, the mobo seller said he never even used the 3rd slot, and the 7970 seller guaranteed against DOA. I hope it's the board TBH (or nothing)
> 
> My friend mentioned something about taking out my Xonar DX and testing again, he's had a funky issue where that lane was messing with the PCIe, sound possible?


What is the Board's model Number?

There are several boards that share PCI-E Lanes with 2 slots, if one slot is populated, the other is disabled, Due to all PCI-e Lanes being used.

Pretty sure on a ASUS Maximus V FORMULA with 3 Cards it will go 8/4/4 due to the PCI-e lanes limit,

So,
1 Card PCI-e 3.0 16x (more than enough for any single card for a long time)
2 Cards PCI-e 3.0 8X/8X (Equiv. to PCI-e 2.0 16X/16X)
3 Cards PCI-e 3.0 8x/4x/4x (Equiv. to PCI-e 2.0 16x/8x/8x)

However,
There is still only 16 Lanes on that Chipset,
So if you use 4 of them for the Audio card, then it will disable the ability to use the 4 lanes in x16 Slot 3

I think the Maximus V FORMULA also only Supports 3-Way XFire via Dual GPU Card + Single GPU Card (so 7990 + 7970)

Seeing how your second GPU is running 4x Mode, something is using the other 4 Lanes already, Likely the 2nd 4X Slot.


----------



## richie_2010

http://www.elpida.com/en/products/gddr5.html
Hi guys who are using elipda rams I just found this above. The batch number is the same I think the class is quality.
Ive seen some 7950s with a 50f and 60f so some have more headroom to oc. Try your rams at 1.6 to 1.65 n try a oc.
The chips are cap at that voltage per the man specs


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> ASIC = Application-specific integrated circuit.


guess they refer to the actual GPU as "ASIC" instead of just calling it "bin quality score" or similar, bit silly really, but at least for the first-gen GCN (79x0 and 280X) it actually means something...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> I'll troubleshoot further soon, but I either have a bum PCIe slot or a bum 7970.
> 
> That's the problem with getting a new board (well used) and a new 7970 (well, also used) at the same time. I dread re-doing the loop but I'll have to put the bottom Diamond 7970 in a different slot and test first. Drivers are all installed, mobo bios is updated. Each seller (board and card) are nice people, the mobo seller said he never even used the 3rd slot, and the 7970 seller guaranteed against DOA. I hope it's the board TBH (or nothing)
> 
> My friend mentioned something about taking out my Xonar DX and testing again, he's had a funky issue where that lane was messing with the PCIe, sound possible?


mobo model and I'll check the details, did you test the card on air first or were they pre-fitted with blocks?


----------



## daguardian

Thanks for the link Richie +rep









I checked through some pics of my cards when I put the blocks on, and i found this..










Going by the link I can take the memory voltage up to 1.648, I will try this tomorrow and report back my findings.


----------



## richie_2010

A zoom on that pic says 60f so thats a 6gps speed so 15000mhz at stock before any overclocks. you will have to try


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *06yfz450ridr*
> 
> I read about a similar issue somewhere about using that sound card and one of the slots reading wrong.


Will test without tomorrow

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *daguardian*
> 
> Indeed it is possible, you may have to lose the soundcard altogether to run 3 cards, at least I did with my Maxiumus Extreme IV, I have to use slots 1 2 & 4.


Yeah, I never would have thought that until OCN iCrap told me about that

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> What is the Board's model Number?
> 
> There are several boards that share PCI-E Lanes with 2 slots, if one slot is populated, the other is disabled, Due to all PCI-e Lanes being used.
> 
> Pretty sure on a ASUS Maximus V FORMULA with 3 Cards it will go 8/4/4 due to the PCI-e lanes limit,
> 
> So,
> 1 Card PCI-e 3.0 16x (more than enough for any single card for a long time)
> 2 Cards PCI-e 3.0 8X/8X (Equiv. to PCI-e 2.0 16X/16X)
> 3 Cards PCI-e 3.0 8x/4x/4x (Equiv. to PCI-e 2.0 16x/8x/8x)
> 
> However,
> There is still only 16 Lanes on that Chipset,
> So if you use 4 of them for the Audio card, then it will disable the ability to use the 4 lanes in x16 Slot 3
> 
> I think the Maximus V FORMULA also only Supports 3-Way XFire via Dual GPU Card + Single GPU Card (so 7990 + 7970)
> 
> Seeing how your second GPU is running 4x Mode, something is using the other 4 Lanes already, Likely the 2nd 4X Slot.


It makes perfect sense that the mobo is reporting at x8 x4 if that's the case. It's already in x8 x4 x4 mode. I think we have our solution, I will report back tomorrow, have to run for the night now.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> mobo model and I'll check the details, did you test the card on air first or were they pre-fitted with blocks?


Purchased it here from an OCN member, already was working and working well according to seller, I believe him. I think it is because of the Xonar, but will find out for sure tomorrow. CPU-Z shows Maximus V Formula Rev 1.xx.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Will test without tomorrow
> Yeah, I never would have thought that until OCN iCrap told me about that
> It makes perfect sense that the mobo is reporting at x8 x4 if that's the case. It's already in x8 x4 x4 mode. I think we have our solution, I will report back tomorrow, have to run for the night now.
> Purchased it here from an OCN member, already was working and working well according to seller, I believe him. I think it is because of the Xonar, but will find out for sure tomorrow. CPU-Z shows Maximus V Formula Rev 1.xx.


yea it should be 8/4/4, PCIe3.0, other cards shouldn't affect them either as they are connected via the SB, so your red slots are PCIe3.0 from the CPU and the blacks are PCIe2.0 from the SB, so I can only assume the card needs re-seating or there's some strange BIOS bug afoot...


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea it should be 8/4/4, PCIe3.0, other cards shouldn't affect them either as they are connected via the SB, so your red slots are PCIe3.0 from the CPU and the blacks are PCIe2.0 from the SB, so I can only assume the card needs re-seating or there's some strange BIOS bug afoot...


Indeed.







No dice trying w/o the Xonar. Time to re-do _everything_ and try the bottom 7970 in a different slot.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Indeed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> No dice trying w/o the Xonar. Time to re-do _everything_ and try the bottom 7970 in a different slot.


that sucks, I was hoping it would be an easier fix,

to have to drain everything, re-arrange, fill everything, just to see if it's the card or the slot,

There are mentions that the ASUS Board only supports 2 Physical cards. cant find a link off hand, as I'm at my office.

That's the one reason I continue to put off building a custom loop.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> that sucks, I was hoping it would be an easier fix,
> 
> to have to drain everything, re-arrange, fill everything, just to see if it's the card or the slot,
> 
> There are mentions that the ASUS Board only supports 2 Physical cards. cant find a link off hand, as I'm at my office.
> 
> That's the one reason I continue to put off building a custom loop.


Have that #3 GPU in #2 slot, card is fine. It's the board. I will put my 3rd card back in and pray a re-seat somehow does it. Yeah look into that. Anyone here even have a tri-fire on a maximus v formula z77?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Have that #3 GPU in #2 slot, card is fine. It's the board. I will put my 3rd card back in and pray a re-seat somehow does it. Yeah look into that. Anyone here even have a tri-fire on a maximus v formula z77?


Found where I saw x8/x4/x4 Requires Ivy Bridge CPU

Page X of Mainboard Manual:
(3-Way CFX at x8/x4/x4 ** Native from CPU)

**= Intel 3rd Generation Core Processors Support x8/x4/x4 Mode
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/MAXIMUS-V_FORMULA/E7295_Maximus_V_Formula.pdf


----------



## jagz

I sure hope that's not why, I wonder if any owners can verify. I just asked that in the club thread for the MVE's. If that's the case I'll feel quite dumb for overlooking that / not knowing that.


----------



## SkateZilla

if that's the case / confirmed, buy an i7-3770K and sell the i7-2600K, The i7-2600K actually sells for more than the i7-3770K. ($339 vs $329)

Then add in the fact that you ran yours at 4.8GHz can help or hurt depending on who is looking to buy it. Someone looking to OC will know it can run 4.8GHz under water, but someone looking for a chip that hasnt been OC'd will look the other way.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> if that's the case / confirmed, buy an i7-3770K and sell the i7-2600K, The i7-2600K actually sells for more than the i7-3770K. ($339 vs $329)
> 
> Then add in the fact that you ran yours at 4.8GHz can help or hurt depending on who is looking to buy it. Someone looking to OC will know it can run 4.8GHz under water, but someone looking for a chip that hasnt been OC'd will look the other way.


2700k (ya obv same thing just binned), and can 24hr 5.2Ghz (prob can go higher, I haven't tried beyond that) at low vcore. It's an amazing clocker and I don't want to let it go. I'd almost sooner buy a different z68. I generally only run it around 4.4 tbh, but it can do a lot more.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Found where I saw x8/x4/x4 Requires Ivy Bridge CPU
> 
> Page X of Mainboard Manual:
> (3-Way CFX at x8/x4/x4 ** Native from CPU)
> 
> **= Intel 3rd Generation Core Processors Support x8/x4/x4 Mode
> http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1155/MAXIMUS-V_FORMULA/E7295_Maximus_V_Formula.pdf


aah, that must be the problem then, I would have thought the board would have had a switch or bridge for automatically setting up the lanes on the 2nd and 3rd card slots, that doesn't seem to be the case and you HAVE to use an ivy CPU or you're limited to only two cards...


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> aah, that must be the problem then, I would have thought the board would have had a switch or bridge for automatically setting up the lanes on the 2nd and 3rd card slots, that doesn't seem to be the case and you HAVE to use an ivy CPU or you're limited to only two cards...


I will accept selling my golden 2700k if this is what is stopping me. I won't bother with a 3770k, a 3570k will do fine. I will have to run 2 cards, one in slot 1 and one in slot 3 just to confirm it's not a bum slot (just incase) before going Ivy. That'll work, right? I haven't felt like a novice until today.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> I will accept selling my golden 2700k if this is what is stopping me. I won't bother with a 3770k, a 3570k will do fine. I will have to run 2 cards, one in slot 1 and one in slot 3 just to confirm it's not a bum slot (just incase) before going Ivy. That'll work, right? I haven't felt like a novice until today.


It should work indeed. Might want to go AMD FX 8320 (like 100 bux at microcenter) and a CHVF-Z







16\8x\8x while having better multithread than a 2700K and good singlethread capability once you get em up to 4.8.....


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> 2700k (ya obv same thing just binned), and can 24hr 5.2Ghz (prob can go higher, I haven't tried beyond that) at low vcore. It's an amazing clocker and I don't want to let it go. I'd almost sooner buy a different z68. I generally only run it around 4.4 tbh, but it can do a lot more.


I let go of my above average 2550K (could also do 5.2GHz) to get a 3570K, which also turned out to be above average as it can hit 5~5.1GHz albeit high voltage.


----------



## X-Alt

Once you get to 4.7, diminishing return kicks in on Sandies, Ivys and pretty much any performance chip made post-2010 aside from the trololol 4.4GHzisgoldenHaswellChips..


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> It should work indeed. Might want to go AMD FX 8320 (like 100 bux at microcenter) and a CHVF-Z
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 16\16\8x while having better multithread than a 2700K and good singlethread capability once you get em up to 4.8.....


That's essentially the same isn't it? PCI-E 3.0 doubles the bandwidth of 2.0, so they are the same in terms of bandwidth. AMD only supports PCI-E 2.0, so AMD with 2.0 16x/16x is the same as Intel 3.0 8x/8x. I wouldn't have made the switch to Intel back then if my AMD board (two 2.0 16x/16x or four 2.0 8x slots) wasn't bottlenecking my 5870CF.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> It should work indeed. Might want to go AMD FX 8320 (like 100 bux at microcenter) and a CHVF-Z
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 16\8x\8x while having better multithread than a 2700K and good singlethread capability once you get em up to 4.8.....


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That's essentially the same isn't it? PCI-E 3.0 doubles the bandwidth of 2.0, so they are the same in terms of bandwidth. AMD only supports PCI-E 2.0, so AMD with 2.0 16x/16x is the same as Intel 3.0 8x/8x. I wouldn't have made the switch to Intel back then if my AMD board (two 2.0 16x/16x or four 2.0 8x slots) wasn't bottlenecking my 5870CF.


Pretty much,

however more physical lanes is sometimes better.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> It should work indeed. Might want to go AMD FX 8320 (like 100 bux at microcenter) and a CHVF-Z
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 16\8x\8x while having better multithread than a 2700K and good singlethread capability once you get em up to 4.8.....


16/8/8 @2.0 is exactly the same as 8/4/4 @3.0, BUT, you have to have a CPU with 3.0 or its half the performance of the 32 lanes on AMD.

one thing to note though, the PCIe controller in the CPU will have better performance anyway, which is why AMD recommends FM2+ over AM3+ for the 290/X cards.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Pretty much,
> 
> however more physical lanes is sometimes better.


That's certainly true, though I have a hard time believing jagz would go with 3 GPUs. He would need to upgrade his PSU and pump, as well as buy that 3rd GPU and 3rd waterblock. For that cost, he might as well go for 2x 290(X)'s or 2x GTX 780(Ti)'s with blocks. I could easily see it happening if the 7970 prices were back at sub-$200, but I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That's certainly true, though I have a hard time believing jagz would go with 3 GPUs. He would need to upgrade his PSU and pump, as well as buy that 3rd GPU and 3rd waterblock. For that cost, he might as well go for 2x 290(X)'s or 2x GTX 780(Ti)'s with blocks. I could easily see it happening if the 7970 prices were back at sub-$200, but I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon.


He already has 3.


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> He already has 3.


Well then, ignore everything I said.


----------



## Jflisk

@TSM \ MEGA \ WERMAD

Need some help. I got the 7990 back from RMA 2 days ago. Under water and while mining. I am getting with 2x7990 core 1 52, core 2 53, core 3 75, core 4 81 . This is under full load / Full tilt mining under water. The older 7990 can do 550 KHS per core Core 1 52, Core 2 53. The second 7990 does 700KHS per core. These are mining Light coin so its scrypt. Every so often the machine will just freeze no logs no blue screen. If I run each one individually no freezing . I have a 1350W power supply. Does any one think it could be power. I also think I should re-tim the new card the temps look a little high but I have never had the one running at 700KHS per core. 2x7990 think there supposed to be 450W draw max might be higher not sure different answers from different places. I also have a FX 9590 200 W draw. Thanks in advance


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> @TSM \ MEGA \ WERMAD
> 
> Need some help. I got the 7990 back from RMA 2 days ago. Under water and while mining. I am getting with 2x7990 core 1 52, core 2 53, core 3 75, core 4 81 . This is under full load / Full tilt mining under water. The older 7990 can do 550 KHS per core Core 1 52, Core 2 53. The second 7990 does 700KHS per core. These are mining Light coin so its scrypt. Every so often the machine will just freeze no logs no blue screen. If I run each one individually no freezing . I have a 1350W power supply. Does any one think it could be power. I also think I should re-tim the new card the temps look a little high but I have never had the one running at 700KHS per core. 2x7990 think there supposed to be 450W draw max might be higher not sure different answers from different places. I also have a FX 9590 200 W draw. Thanks in advance


I had a 7990 under water and two reference 7970 on air and i would draw 1280-1340 ish from the wall on my killawatt. So multiply those numbers by 0.9 for efficiency. Unless your 12v rails cannot handle it i think you are good powerwise since a 7990 will draw less than two 7970. Your cpu is not under load while mining so not much wattage there. Vrm temps are good?


----------



## Jflisk

Chronix - The VRMs are looking like 109C max on the newer 7990 thats full tilt 750KHS tuned it down a little to 700KHS and get about 95C on VRMS . The thing I am trying to work thru is if I Mine both cards it straight freezes after awhile.If I us them individually i can go forever no problems.The older one I cant get a read on the VRMS. Thanks


----------



## incog

What kind of temperatures would a 7970/280X doing 600 khs under water have?

Or, what kind of temperatures would an overclocked 280X do under water? For heavy gaming.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> What kind of temperatures would a 7970/280X doing 600 khs under water have?
> 
> Or, what kind of temperatures would an overclocked 280X do under water? For heavy gaming.


Depends on the set up amount of radiators pump reservoir theres a lot of considerations. Usually under 50C max under load. base no load 35C.


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> What kind of temperatures would a 7970/280X doing 600 khs under water have?
> 
> Or, what kind of temperatures would an overclocked 280X do under water? For heavy gaming.
> 
> 
> 
> Depends on the set up amount of radiators pump reservoir theres a lot of considerations. Usually under 50C max under load. base no load 35C.
Click to expand...

Thanks, just the kind of answer I was looking for, a sort of estimate. It's not like 70°C or something, 50°C max is indeed quite low. Thanks.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Depends on the set up amount of radiators pump reservoir theres a lot of considerations. Usually under 50C max under load. base no load 35C.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> What kind of temperatures would a 7970/280X doing 600 khs under water have?
> 
> Or, what kind of temperatures would an overclocked 280X do under water? For heavy gaming.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Chronix - The VRMs are looking like 109C max on the newer 7990 thats full tilt 750KHS tuned it down a little to 700KHS and get about 95C on VRMS . The thing I am trying to work thru is if I Mine both cards it straight freezes after awhile.If I us them individually i can go forever no problems.The older one I cant get a read on the VRMS. Thanks


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I had a 7990 under water and two reference 7970 on air and i would draw 1280-1340 ish from the wall on my killawatt. So multiply those numbers by 0.9 for efficiency. Unless your 12v rails cannot handle it i think you are good powerwise since a 7990 will draw less than two 7970. Your cpu is not under load while mining so not much wattage there. Vrm temps are good?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> @TSM \ MEGA \ WERMAD
> 
> Need some help. I got the 7990 back from RMA 2 days ago. Under water and while mining. I am getting with 2x7990 core 1 52, core 2 53, core 3 75, core 4 81 . This is under full load / Full tilt mining under water. The older 7990 can do 550 KHS per core Core 1 52, Core 2 53. The second 7990 does 700KHS per core. These are mining Light coin so its scrypt. Every so often the machine will just freeze no logs no blue screen. If I run each one individually no freezing . I have a 1350W power supply. Does any one think it could be power. I also think I should re-tim the new card the temps look a little high but I have never had the one running at 700KHS per core. 2x7990 think there supposed to be 450W draw max might be higher not sure different answers from different places. I also have a FX 9590 200 W draw. Thanks in advance


I dont do the whole mining thing, but it sounds like one card is overheating.


----------



## chronicfx

I have to agree. The VRM's are going to deliver power less efficiently the hotter they get perhaps your temperatures are getting high on the VRM and it's not delivering the same amount of power cleanly that it was at a lower temperature and you're getting freezing. increasing the voltage is just going to make them even hotter so you may have to back off on that one card.


----------



## SkateZilla

70^C Core/109 VRM Under water is an Issue, They shouldnt be that hot, mining or not.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 70^C Core/109 VRM Under water is an Issue, They shouldnt be that hot, mining or not.


thats blazing hot on the VRM. I dont have a waterblock on my VRMs on one card, and the VRMs still stay under 70


----------



## Jflisk

Thats the thing when it was under air the VRAMS were still Blazing thats why i took it back to water. Probably wind up taking it back apart and checking the TIM I used the drop method. Probably going to use IC diamond this time. It leaves scratches on the DIE thats the only thing I hate about the stuff otherwise it keeps the gpus way cool.


----------



## tsm106

ICD... do not want on my die!


----------



## disintegratorx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Thats the thing when it was under air the VRAMS were still Blazing thats why i took it back to water. Probably wind up taking it back apart and checking the TIM I used the drop method. Probably going to use IC diamond this time. It leaves scratches on the DIE thats the only thing I hate about the stuff otherwise it keeps the gpus way cool.


Dude, I tried IC Diamond with only mediocre results. I recommend going with Antec 7 diamond compound. I've always had the best results with that. And like with the IC Diamond, it doesn't dry up or crack.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Thats the thing when it was under air the VRAMS were still Blazing thats why i took it back to water. Probably wind up taking it back apart and checking the TIM I used the drop method. Probably going to use IC diamond this time. It leaves scratches on the DIE thats the only thing I hate about the stuff otherwise it keeps the gpus way cool.


whats your loop like?


----------



## X-Alt

Meh, scratches, thats what paste is designed to fill in..


----------



## jagz

I tried a 7970 in slots 1 and 3 on this Maximus V Formula z77. It's only reading the top slot (tested w 2 gpu's since I have a sandy bridge and wanted to make sure the #3 slot worked) Is #3 slot dead? Could it need Ivy just to read anything in the 3rd slot? Even though I only have 2 populated?



And then I find THIS! So...#3 lane won't report anything unless Ivy?


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> I tried a 7970 in slots 1 and 3 on this Maximus V Formula z77. It's only reading the top slot (tested w 2 gpu's since I have a sandy bridge and wanted to make sure the #3 slot worked) Is #3 slot dead? Could it need Ivy just to read anything in the 3rd slot? Even though I only have 2 populated?


Try just the third slot? One card


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> whats your loop like?


All spread out about a 600 radiator if I put them all together 2x240 1x120 double wide. Don't know what the double counts as. Thanks

UPDATE just got it back together after re timing looking better going to put it thru its paces and see what happens.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> All spread out about a 600 radiator if I put them all together 2x240 1x120 double wide. Don't know what the double counts as. Thanks


I'm thinking the water may not be cool enough when it gets to the second card and that could be giving you the bad temps, if you changed the flow on them so it goes in reverse and your temps change then that would definitely be it.

double-thick radiators effectively count as twice the space as "normal thickness", but you have to have good fans on them or they wont perform as much as two radiators, thick and low FPI radiators are good for high performance and low noise with ~1kRPM fans, you should have enough rad. space really, just might need to change the flow slightly...

oh and what pump/s you got? you would want at least 1 D5 in that loop, maby 2 even (in series).


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> I'm thinking the water may not be cool enough when it gets to the second card and that could be giving you the bad temps, if you changed the flow on them so it goes in reverse and your temps change then that would definitely be it.
> 
> double-thick radiators effectively count as twice the space as "normal thickness", but you have to have good fans on them or they wont perform as much as two radiators, thick and low FPI radiators are good for high performance and low noise with ~1kRPM fans, you should have enough rad. space really, just might need to change the flow slightly...
> 
> oh and what pump/s you got? you would want at least 1 D5 in that loop, maby 2 even (in series).


D5 on high voltage -might not make a difference but makes it easier to fill pump sucks the water right up now and all Noctua fans. Don't like the sound of normal fans.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> That's certainly true, though I have a hard time believing jagz would go with 3 GPUs. He would need to upgrade his PSU and pump, as well as buy that 3rd GPU and 3rd waterblock. For that cost, he might as well go for 2x 290(X)'s or 2x GTX 780(Ti)'s with blocks. I could easily see it happening if the 7970 prices were back at sub-$200, but I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon.


I did disregard this as you said to, but I wanted to elaborate. While I still haven't had all 3 cards under load (3570k en route to drive #3 lane) the MCP655 is running through 3 ex360's, 2 qdc's, a raystorm, and 3 koolance 7970 blocks quite well. As for PSU, mining 2 OC'd 7970's has me around 620w, or ~558w from the wall. Can have #3 7970 OC'd and mining and be plenty in the clear.

I'm aware of the scaling and such, I'm just an enthusiast and the odd benchmark or game in trifire (yes tremendous overkill) will be fun for me. I used to have 2 GTX 580 Lightning Xtreme's... $611 each. I've spent well under that for 3 Koolance blocked 7970's









I have all 3 cards in again, you know what's funny? The slot that won't work without Ivy Bridge is still increasing my wattage draw by 150 because of the 7970 in there. Better unplug it for the mean time.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> D5 on high voltage -might not make a difference but makes it easier to fill pump sucks the water right up now and all Noctua fans. Don't like the sound of normal fans.


Problem solved - I had a bad stick of ram. Tried mining black screen restarted computer would not restart removed ram one at a time and right now seeing what happens. It was like when the ram heated up shut down. Any one ever deal with gskill for a rma in US or am I better off just buying new ram. fingers crossed here


----------



## chronicfx

How can my life get any worse.... The person I sold my 7990 to is claiming they did not receive it even though the status of the package is delivered... wow... I think I only have the $50 insurance on it.

F-EBAY!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Problem solved - I had a bad stick of ram. Tried mining black screen restarted computer would not restart removed ram one at a time and right now seeing what happens. It was like when the ram heated up shut down. Any one ever deal with gskill for a rma in US or am I better off just buying new ram. fingers crossed here


very easy to deal with gskillis a great company and stand by their products !~
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> How can my life get any worse.... The person I sold my 7990 to is claiming they did not receive it even though the status of the package is delivered... wow... I think I only have the $50 insurance on it.
> 
> F-EBAY!


yep taking you for a ride, i wont sell on ebay !~

besides that all you have to show is that you sent it, not that they received it they are responsible for shipping iirc including ins if that is needed


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> very easy to deal with gskillis a great company and stand by their products !~
> yep taking you for a ride, i wont sell on ebay !~
> 
> besides that all you have to show is that you sent it, not that they received it they are responsible for shipping iirc including ins if that is needed


Mega thanks for the info on G skill +1


----------



## chronicfx

GSKILL rocks. I loved my pi's from my LGA775 days and my Ripjaws now are rock solid.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> How can my life get any worse.... The person I sold my 7990 to is claiming they did not receive it even though the status of the package is delivered... wow... I think I only have the $50 insurance on it.
> 
> F-EBAY!


sorry to hear about your flea-bay problems. I can not in good faith ever tell anybody to use ebay for ANYTHING. There is ZERO seller protection.


----------



## chronicfx

Am I high enough rep for marketplace yet? I think I need that.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Am I high enough rep for marketplace yet? I think I need that.


I think its 35 or above so I think your there.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> How can my life get any worse.... The person I sold my 7990 to is claiming they did not receive it even though the status of the package is delivered... wow... I think I only have the $50 insurance on it.
> 
> F-EBAY!
> 
> 
> 
> sorry to hear about your flea-bay problems. I can not in good faith ever tell anybody to use ebay for ANYTHING. There is ZERO seller protection.
Click to expand...

i disagree it is a great place to buy stuffs @!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Am I high enough rep for marketplace yet? I think I need that.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Am I high enough rep for marketplace yet? I think I need that.
> 
> 
> 
> I think its 35 or above so I think your there.
Click to expand...

yep 35 your fine, you can buy @ any rep though as long as the seller is willing,


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> What kind of temperatures would a 7970/280X doing 600 khs under water have?
> 
> Or, what kind of temperatures would an overclocked 280X do under water? For heavy gaming.


For my 7950 set to 1300/1700 @ 1.3V/1.65V, max temp core temp reaches to about 45C, sometimes as high as 50C depending on my ambient temps. VRMs are typically 5~8C hotter than my core temps. These temps are based off hours worth of 100% usage in BF3.

Using the same settings for mining, core temps max out at 44~46C and VRMs hit 50~55C. It hit around 675 KH/s though I can't say more about this since I only test the card with mining, I don't do any actual long-term mining. I stopped years ago.









Also, was with an EX240 and EX120, although now that I've added a RX240 to my loop, I'm not sure if there are any significant drops.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> I did disregard this as you said to, but I wanted to elaborate. While I still haven't had all 3 cards under load (3570k en route to drive #3 lane) the MCP655 is running through 3 ex360's, 2 qdc's, a raystorm, and 3 koolance 7970 blocks quite well. As for PSU, mining 2 OC'd 7970's has me around 620w, or ~558w from the wall. Can have #3 7970 OC'd and mining and be plenty in the clear.
> 
> I'm aware of the scaling and such, I'm just an enthusiast and the odd benchmark or game in trifire (yes tremendous overkill) will be fun for me. I used to have 2 GTX 580 Lightning Xtreme's... $611 each. I've spent well under that for 3 Koolance blocked 7970's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have all 3 cards in again, you know what's funny? The slot that won't work without Ivy Bridge is still increasing my wattage draw by 150 because of the 7970 in there. Better unplug it for the mean time.


That's actually pretty good wattage usage for overclocked cards. I would think you'd easily hit 250~300W per card since a stock 7970 easily hits 200W at max usage.

It's strange that it's not showing up, but is still consuming an extra 150W. You would think it would at least go in idle state or even the ZeroCore power state.


----------



## thrgk

Hey guys, is this diagram right to how to hook up a heatkiller multi gpu XL bridge? should the barbs be on opposite sides like in the picture or the same side?

Like this? or same sides


----------



## Farih

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Hey guys, is this diagram right to how to hook up a heatkiller multi gpu XL bridge? should the barbs be on opposite sides like in the picture or the same side?
> 
> Like this? or same sides


I think you can do it like that, thats for a paralel connection... You have to match it with the in and out of the GPU blocks

You can also hook them up in a serial connection, for that you have to put both caps at the bottom.

I'm 90% sure on this so someone correct me if wrong.


----------



## Powerfull64

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Hey guys, is this diagram right to how to hook up a heatkiller multi gpu XL bridge? should the barbs be on opposite sides like in the picture or the same side?
> 
> Like this? or same sides
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Look here:
http://forum.overclock3d.net/showthread.php?t=52448

You need some of these for serial operation:
http://shop.watercool.de/epages/WatercooleK.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectID=2785846


----------



## thrgk

wait so i only have 1 of those serial locks, is that enough? where does it go on the bridge? i


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Farih*
> 
> I think you can do it like that, thats for a paralel connection... You have to match it with the in and out of the GPU blocks
> 
> You can also hook them up in a serial connection, for that you have to put both caps at the bottom.
> 
> I'm 90% sure on this so someone correct me if wrong.


so i can just put the barbs at each end opposite of each other and put the caps in the other holes and be ok? do it just like in the picture?


----------



## Powerfull64

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> wait so i only have 1 of those serial locks, is that enough? where does it go on the bridge? i


For paralell connection you can do it like on your picture.

For serial connection with 2 GPU you need 1 serial plug, with 3 GPU you need 2 serial plugs, refer to the link in my previous post.


----------



## thrgk

ok so I can do parallel on 4 GPU and be ok?


----------



## Powerfull64

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> ok so I can do parallel on 4 GPU and be ok?


Some people would prefer the serial connection, but it will work just fine with paralell on 4 GPU with a good water loop.


----------



## wermad




----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> ok so I can do parallel on 4 GPU and be ok?


you can a friend with quadfire uses 4d5s, ( parallel )
i use 3x mcp35x on mine in full parallel


----------



## incog

So I decided to install the HD 4600 graphic drivers, for fun, and see if I couldn't mine with the GPU at full intensity while using integrated graphics for web-browsing and stuff.

Interestingly, mining indeed works as I get a hashrate, I hear the fans spinning and I can feel the card getting warm. So in theory, the card is indeed working. However, I also get this:

http://i.imgur.com/qQlqBbX.png

If I plug the monitor back into the GPU, I can get readings. Otherwise, nada.

I get 90°C on VRM temps, that's a bit high no? But not alarmingly high?


----------



## thrgk

also how should I hook up my four cards with crossfire bridges? any pics? just want to make sure I do it right


----------



## Red1776

just like this


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> also how should I hook up my four cards with crossfire bridges? any pics? just want to make sure I do it right


as red shows but to add it does not matter which side you start with right or left

card 1 to card2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4

i always wonder why they dont go from 4 to 1 , but they dont


----------



## Jflisk

So I think I finally figured out the insanity with my system. I have a Thermaltake 1350 W power supply with dual rail. I split the dual rail between my 7990's using a IDE to power half of one card.That is the answer I think Been mining for 18HRS with no problems. Also I figured out that my 24 pin connector on my power supply was a little testy. Thought it was the ram its not. My computer was shutting off with the cpu light coming on Asus Sabertooth 990fx board. I wiggled the 24 pin connector red light on red light off then reseated it. After the reseat no problems so far.


----------



## chronicfx

Great to hear!


----------



## thrgk

so i have all my cards setup, but gpu-zand windows only see 2 of the four. The gpu-z are plugged in, its my 3 and 4 card that its not recognizing. However I have those powered by a seperate PSU, that only is using the pci-e cables, is that ok? its a modular corsair so i thought only using what i need was doable? any ideas?


----------



## Moomaster

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> So I decided to install the HD 4600 graphic drivers, for fun, and see if I couldn't mine with the GPU at full intensity while using integrated graphics for web-browsing and stuff.
> 
> Interestingly, mining indeed works as I get a hashrate, I hear the fans spinning and I can feel the card getting warm. So in theory, the card is indeed working. However, I also get this:
> 
> http://i.imgur.com/qQlqBbX.png
> 
> If I plug the monitor back into the GPU, I can get readings. Otherwise, nada.
> 
> I get 90°C on VRM temps, that's a bit high no? But not alarmingly high?


I have a feeling that switching inputs is messing with your device manager. Take a look to make sure it always recognized in device manager.


----------



## thrgk

ok so all set, gpu-z shows 4 gpu's in the drop down menu.
However, CCC says I have the option in crossfire to select 2 or 3 gpu's for crossfire, nothing about 4?

In gpu-z it says under crossfire "Enabled(3 GPU's)" so could the crossfire bridge be an issue>


----------



## PedroC1999

Does this look okay for a
3820 @ 5GHz
RAM @2.2GHz 10,10,11,24
Twin 7950 @ 1175/1400

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2571850

???


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> so i have all my cards setup, but gpu-zand windows only see 2 of the four. The gpu-z are plugged in, its my 3 and 4 card that its not recognizing. However I have those powered by a seperate PSU, that only is using the pci-e cables, is that ok? its a modular corsair so i thought only using what i need was doable? any ideas?


did you jump out the 24pin with a paperclip ?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> ok so all set, gpu-z shows 4 gpu's in the drop down menu.
> However, CCC says I have the option in crossfire to select 2 or 3 gpu's for crossfire, nothing about 4?
> 
> In gpu-z it says under crossfire "Enabled(3 GPU's)" so could the crossfire bridge be an issue>


possible never hurts to try if you have a spare but DISCLAIMER new to intel cpus, idk if your board/cpu is CFX compatible and atm i dont have time to check sorry


----------



## thrgk

I have the latest 4770k so its definitely compatible. GPU-z is reading all 4, gonna try to re install drivers and see.


----------



## Ebefren

Can anyone can help me ? I have a Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz version (the one with black pcb and 6+8 power pin) overclocked to 1000/1500 without touch any voltage (max temp 72 degrees with automatic fan control 45 % most the time). Im very happy with that but If i try something high than 1025/1500 it became unstable.

If i want to go further than 1025 on gpu, what i have to do ? And with that oc (1000/1500) my 7950 is "fast" like a 7970 ??

Thanks in advance


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ebefren*
> 
> Can anyone can help me ? I have a Sapphire HD7950 OC 950mhz version (the one with black pcb and 6+8 power pin) overclocked to 1000/1500 without touch any voltage (max temp 72 degrees with automatic fan control 45 % most the time). Im very happy with that but If i try something high than 1025/1500 it became unstable.
> 
> If i want to go further than 1025 on gpu, what i have to do ? And with that oc (1000/1500) my 7950 is "fast" like a 7970 ??
> 
> Thanks in advance


Did you put it up to +20% and increase the voltage? Its not going to be stable on stock voltage.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> so i have all my cards setup, but gpu-zand windows only see 2 of the four. The gpu-z are plugged in, its my 3 and 4 card that its not recognizing. However I have those powered by a seperate PSU, that only is using the pci-e cables, is that ok? its a modular corsair so i thought only using what i need was doable? any ideas?


Do you have a common ground between the two psu's? This is the other thing that comes to mind, assuming you've shorted the psu_on with a paper clip or a switch/adaptor.


----------



## thrgk

Hi guys, I am not sure how this happened. I ONLY flashed 7970 bios's.

I have 2 XFX 7970

1 Visiontek

1 Sapphire

ALL are reference cards. I flashed a 7970 bios on one of the xfx BIOS and then windows would not boot, so I tried selecting the other bios and it booted, I then flashed a SAPPHIRE BIOS from the techpoerup ROM collection to my sapphire card( I think it was my sapphire, I have no idea how to tell) and then I flashed xfx 7970 bios's from tech powerup to my xfx 7970s, and now I cannot get my computer to boot. How can I get my cards to pure stock mode? ALL of them?

The problem is in my mobo the first 2 cards are the xfx, the 3 and 4th, idk which is visiontek and which is sapphire is the issue.

Can someone please help me fix this? I figure I can re install windows and before I install the graphic drivers flash the cards correct? but how can i get them all to stock, since I have flashed some of the cards 1 bios and some of the cards 2, etc?

UPDATE I reintalled windows and flashed all the correct 7970 BIOS's from tech powerup to each card, both 1 and 2 position. xfx cards got xfx bios, sapphire, sapphire, and visiontek got visiontek. However when I went to install the CCC drivers, it crashed.

Something is really wrong, any help!!??

Freaking out here


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Hi guys, I am not sure how this happened. I ONLY flashed 7970 bios's.
> -snip-


if windows crashes on booting, use safemode, otherwise if you go into devicemanager and the card/s are in a bad state, that BIOS is incompatible.


----------



## Evil Penguin

*New version of Atiman Uninstaller (8.3.6):*

_Changelog:

1) No need disabling UAC in Windows 8 / 8.1, so they can work and the metro apps.
2) Recover critical DirectX files when uninstalling a mantle driver.
3) Richest Log file.
4) Added application NonPresent Devices (shortcut in the start menu) to remove all NonPresent hardware with a single click, which can be used at any time.

Features:

1) Required to run shortcut by right-clicking as Administrator.
If not, extra Features,
1a) Disabling UAC automatically.
1b) Creating an Administrator account automatically.

2) In windows 7, the program still disable the UAC, automatically.

3) Retains all other features and functionality of the previous version 8.3.5.
_
*Download Link*


----------



## heroxoot

Thats a pretty nice update to ATIman. Any reason to really use it over DDU besides recovering DX files? Or is that even relevant?


----------



## jagz

Yay, After so much trouble.. Finally learned higher end z77 boards require Ivy Bridge to drive the #3 PCI 3.0 lane. Installed 3570k and bam. Nice.

Shame though, I'll miss my soon to be up for sale rather golden 2700k.


----------



## SkateZilla

Wonder if you're Audio Card will work now.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Wonder if you're Audio Card will work now.


Yeah the PCI Express x1 lanes are driven by the NB, while the CPU drives the PCI Express x16's. Nice design, Maximus V Formula.


----------



## X-Alt

Well, she had been "repaired", will be back home in a day or so!


----------



## AussieBobby

Problem.
Iv got e Gigabyte 7950 that has stopped working.Iv taken the card too two different mobos and psu.Once the second 6 pin power is plugged in the pc will not start,well it dose for a split second ans shuts down.

Has it died?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *AussieBobby*
> 
> Problem.
> Iv got e Gigabyte 7950 that has stopped working.Iv taken the card too two different mobos and psu.Once the second 6 pin power is plugged in the pc will not start,well it dose for a split second ans shuts down.
> 
> Has it died?


sounds like the VRMs have kicked the bucket, had a friend a couple years back with the same problem out-of-the-box, you'll need to do an RMA for gigabyte to repair or replace it under warranty.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Thats a pretty nice update to ATIman. Any reason to really use it over DDU besides recovering DX files? Or is that even relevant?


Recover DX files?


----------



## X-Alt

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! MAH RMA CARD WURKS, ACTUALLY STABUL!


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Thats a pretty nice update to ATIman. Any reason to really use it over DDU besides recovering DX files? Or is that even relevant?
> 
> 
> 
> Recover DX files?
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Evil Penguin*
> 
> 2) Recover critical DirectX files when uninstalling a mantle driver.


Hope this helps you.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Hope this helps you.


No I mean, removing mantle driver wipes DX files?


----------



## kahboom

Cinebench 11.5 open gl score drops a bit with the newest beta driver, so did the open cl test on the rog bench utility.


----------



## thrgk

on 1440p, does 2 MXAA vs MXAA 4 make a difference? I could not see one, and with 2 I got 20fps better. I have Quad 7970s and am on 14.2 Beta, but for some reason when all 4 are enabled, its terrible in bf4, its actually best with 2 cards enabled, but trying with 3 now.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> on 1440p, does 2 MXAA vs MXAA 4 make a difference? I could not see one, and with 2 I got 20fps better. I have Quad 7970s and am on 14.2 Beta, but for some reason when all 4 are enabled, its terrible in bf4, its actually best with 2 cards enabled, but trying with 3 now.


Three 7970 has always been my happy place. One is too weak and 2 and 4 cards are not as smooth.


----------



## thrgk

what drivers you on?


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> Three 7970 has always been my happy place. One is too weak and 2 and 4 cards are not as smooth.










hmm.. really? I have two 7970 Ghz edition cards in crossfire under water and luckly i have triple link csq block which i can add another card down the road if i wanted...


----------



## chronicfx

I am using the whql. You have more than enough grunt to go without mantle.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Hey can anyone point me where is the best thread to overclock my HIS 7970 Ghz editions cards in crossfire? (under water as well)









I have seen some old threads but i want the best up to date or current one.. thanks


----------



## Red1776

TSM106's 'HOW to" thread in the other post.


----------



## wanna_buy

Asus owners, what other program than GPU Tweak do you use for voltage tweaking?


----------



## Red1776

try Sapphire TRIXX, and MSI Afterburner.


----------



## invincible20xx

Guys do you recommend swapping in 2 of my mining only R9 290's into the gaming rig or just keep it as it is now in the sig, i only got a 1080p 60hz ips display that i'm not willing to change anytime soon ...


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *invincible20xx*
> 
> Guys do you recommend swapping in 2 of my mining only R9 290's into the gaming rig or just keep it as it is now in the sig, i only got a 1080p 60hz ips display that i'm not willing to change anytime soon ...


Uh, you already have Crossfire 7970s which should be way more than enough for every current game at 1080p.

But hey, the more power the better. Your call.


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Uh, you already have Crossfire 7970s which should be way more than enough for every current game at 1080p.
> 
> But hey, the more power the better. Your call.


i was thinking of retiring the gaming rig from mining and finally make it a gaming only rig but if i put those 2 x 290's into the gaming rig i will probably have to hook it up to mining again and have to deal with a gaming/mining rig compromise for another 6 months .... tough call









how much faster are the 290's vs the 7970's at the same clocks ?


----------



## Rebelord

Why not use the 7970's to *Fold* with and game with the 290's?


----------



## invincible20xx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Why not use the 7970's to *Fold* with and game with the 290's?


700 kh/s vs 950 kh/s and those 290's i just got today want them to ROI as fast as possible !


----------



## Rebelord

I dont mine. So I have not clue what that means as far as profit.
*ROI is Return on Investment. I know that much. Heh


----------



## Lionheart1980

What is the reasonable voltage to use without degrading the gpus once overclocked??


----------



## Rebelord

Its more temp limited. Keep it below 85* c. ~70* is a good spot to be at. As it gives you some wiggle room if things get wonky.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Hmm.. my gpus are underwater btw.. so i just like to overclock it and set it.. so i can overcome anything i throw at.. but i don't want to kill it as well..

HIS 7970Ghz Edition, Stock - 1050 mhz / 1500 mem
I know that i had it overclocked at 1100 mhz at stock volt no problem... i'm trying to get stable at 1200mhz.. the volt has been climbing up toward1.35 so far.. not stable..still testing.. i just want to be safe without bricking the cards.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Hey, i just forgot that i had iTurbo from HIS that does the same as Trixx.. even memory volt and core volt mod as well! Check it out.. Great for HIS owners thumb.gif

Download link here: http://www.hisdigital.com/un/download.shtml


----------



## X-Alt

14.2 is a bit buggy eh, BSOD and thought it was my FX, upped the volts by .005, Primed for an hour.. Turns out it was Catalyst.. Seems to be many issues on teh webz!


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> 14.2 is a bit buggy eh, BSOD and thought it was my FX, upped the volts by .005, Primed for an hour.. Turns out it was Catalyst.. Seems to be many issues on teh webz!


what was the BSOD code?


----------



## carolkarine

So guys, I figured I'd finally join you lot in the owner's club now that I have an overclock to actually be happy with.

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/2e75r/

I managed 1350 MHZ on the core, didn't touch the memory. I got this card from a friend, who had gotten it from someone who claimed it was a press sample from before launch. Whatever, it's golden silicon.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> 14.2 is a bit buggy eh, BSOD and thought it was my FX, upped the volts by .005, Primed for an hour.. Turns out it was Catalyst.. Seems to be many issues on teh webz!


nope mine just wont wake the monitor


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> Its more temp limited. Keep it below 85* c. ~70* is a good spot to be at. As it gives you some wiggle room if things get wonky.


I religiously keep my temperatures under 70°C at all times. So this is good to hear !


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> I religiously keep my temperatures under 70°C at all times. So this is good to hear !


for these cards, <65C on the core is the sweet spot for overclocking/stability, if they go higher they tend to loose it nomatter how much voltage you apply...


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> what was the BSOD code?


I had the garbage Win 8 one, looked in Windows Event viewer and saw than AODDriver crashed while I was playing a 3D Application.. Later, I had AMD kmdap that crashed and recovered, but I had to shut it down because video would no longer display, while the driver was technically working and the rest of Windows was fine...

BTW: I changed the mantle video settings once (on first boot), 5-10FPS until I restarted BF4.. Otherwise, 14.2 is a great experience...


----------



## wanna_buy

X-Alt, what are your memory clocks and volts?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> X-Alt, what are your memory clocks and volts?


1550mv, 6460 clock..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I had the garbage Win 8 one, looked in Windows Event viewer and saw than AODDriver crashed while I was playing a 3D Application.. Later, I had AMD kmdap that crashed and recovered, but I had to shut it down because video would no longer display, while the driver was technically working and the rest of Windows was fine...
> 
> BTW: I changed the mantle video settings once (on first boot), 5-10FPS until I restarted BF4.. Otherwise, 14.2 is a great experience...


ok yea somethings definitely unstable, doubt that's drivers at fault, you say 6460 (1615) memory but have you added much core voltage?

sorry thinking 290/X, but yea that may not be 100% stable...


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> ok yea somethings definitely unstable, doubt that's drivers at fault, you say 6460 (1615) memory but have you added much core voltage?
> 
> sorry thinking 290/X, but yea that may not be 100% stable...


Its tested stable on Heaven for 3 hours overnight. Prob driver...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Its tested stable on Heaven for 3 hours overnight. Prob driver...


heaven isn't a good stability test IMO, and drivers virtually never cause artifact crashes, unless its something along the lines of a GSOD which can be common with ASUS cards in certain cases. The controller inside my DCIIT for example would crash with the most recent versions of GPUTweak, and of course if your controller fails the rest of the card will, usually leaving a stripy screen of some sort.

if you run at stock and don't get crashes anymore then its just unstable clocks. of which 1615 memory technically isn't, so try 1000 core and 1500 memory. if she's unstable on the ASUS clocks then RMA.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> heaven isn't a good stability test IMO, and drivers virtually never cause artifact crashes, unless its something along the lines of a GSOD which can be common with ASUS cards in certain cases. The controller inside my DCIIT for example would crash with the most recent versions of GPUTweak, and of course if your controller fails the rest of the card will, usually leaving a stripy screen of some sort.
> 
> if you run at stock and don't get crashes anymore then its just unstable clocks. of which 1615 memory technically isn't, so try 1000 core and 1500 memory. if she's unstable on the ASUS clocks then RMA.


I turned it back to 6600 and gamed for a few hours, no issues. I just prefer a lower voltage\clock because of the mem heatsinks not looking to "too beefy"..


----------



## carolkarine

So I just realized I have the third highest OC on overclock for a 7970!

@Maximus Thalos beats me with his clocked at 1400mhz and @Nemesiswho beats me with a 1375mhz OC.

I'll take bronze, sure.

(mine is 1350mhz)


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *carolkarine*
> 
> So I just realized I have the third highest OC on overclock for a 7970!
> 
> @Maximus Thalos beats me with his clocked at 1400mhz and @Nemesiswho beats me with a 1375mhz OC.
> 
> I'll take bronze, sure.
> 
> (mine is 1350mhz)


Not really. My first one did 1350 / 1900 stable. Tsm had 4 that did like 1375 stable. 1350 on the core, as awesome as it is, really isn't that impressive. Anybody with an early card should be able to pull that.


----------



## carolkarine

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Not really. My first one did 1350 / 1900 stable. Tsm had 4 that did like 1375 stable. 1350 on the core, as awesome as it is, really isn't that impressive. Anybody with an early card should be able to pull that.












buzzkill.

yeah, I kinda figured.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *carolkarine*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Not really. My first one did 1350 / 1900 stable. Tsm had 4 that did like 1375 stable. 1350 on the core, as awesome as it is, really isn't that impressive. Anybody with an early card should be able to pull that.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> buzzkill.
> 
> yeah, I kinda figured.
Click to expand...

Don't let me be TOO much of a buzzkill. 1350 core is still amazing. It's just nowhere near records. I wish either of my 7970's could do that that I have now (best one does 1300 now, sig rig). I also wish my 7950's would run faster than stock with throttling.


----------



## carolkarine

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Don't let me be TOO much of a buzzkill. 1350 core is still amazing. It's just nowhere near records. I wish either of my 7970's could do that that I have now (best one does 1300 now, sig rig). I also wish my 7950's would run faster than stock with throttling.


fair enough. I dropped down to 1050mhz so I could start lowering voltages. my room still gets hot and I don't notice the performance difference.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *carolkarine*
> 
> So I just realized I have the third highest OC on overclock for a 7970!
> 
> @Maximus Thalos beats me with his clocked at 1400mhz and @Nemesiswho beats me with a 1375mhz OC.
> 
> I'll take bronze, sure.
> 
> (mine is 1350mhz)
> 
> 
> 
> Not really. My first one did 1350 / 1900 stable. Tsm had 4 that did like 1375 stable. 1350 on the core, as awesome as it is, really isn't that impressive. Anybody with an early card should be able to pull that.
Click to expand...

On air? I have not tried to push mine higher than 1225/1700. When my lightning comes home with a fixed cooler maybe I'll try. But I don't want the temps on my card to pass 70c ever which is why I never tried harder. I liked it sitting on 60 - 63c when at a full load.


----------



## pioneerisloud

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *pioneerisloud*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *carolkarine*
> 
> So I just realized I have the third highest OC on overclock for a 7970!
> 
> @Maximus Thalos beats me with his clocked at 1400mhz and @Nemesiswho beats me with a 1375mhz OC.
> 
> I'll take bronze, sure.
> 
> (mine is 1350mhz)
> 
> 
> 
> Not really. My first one did 1350 / 1900 stable. Tsm had 4 that did like 1375 stable. 1350 on the core, as awesome as it is, really isn't that impressive. Anybody with an early card should be able to pull that.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> On air? I have not tried to push mine higher than 1225/1700. When my lightning comes home with a fixed cooler maybe I'll try. But I don't want the temps on my card to pass 70c ever which is why I never tried harder. I liked it sitting on 60 - 63c when at a full load.
Click to expand...

My first one did 1350 on water, and 1300 on my Accelero (was bench stable at 1350 on the Accelero).


----------



## PedroC1999

My first 7950 did 1200/1810

Second, bought 3 months later, same model, same shop, does 1175/1420


----------



## wanna_buy

I installed MSI Afterburner and I can't change core voltage on my ASUS card. Memory voltage option isn't shown. I was only able to change memory clock without changing memory clocks and fan speeds. Is there any other program to tweak voltages and clocks besides GPUTweak and MSI Afterburner?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I installed MSI Afterburner and I can't change core voltage on my ASUS card. Memory voltage option isn't shown. I was only able to change memory clock without changing memory clocks and fan speeds. Is there any other program to tweak voltages and clocks besides GPUTweak and MSI Afterburner?


on ASUS cards? no.


----------



## wanna_buy

Well, has GPU Tweak worked on anybody's ASUS cards without any glitch?


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> I installed MSI Afterburner and I can't change core voltage on my ASUS card. Memory voltage option isn't shown. I was only able to change memory clock without changing memory clocks and fan speeds. Is there any other program to tweak voltages and clocks besides GPUTweak and MSI Afterburner?


How about iTurbo? Very similar to Trixx. Make sure you have the setting checked right at the setting page and start on startup checked plus minized.

http://www.hisdigital.com/ca/download.shtml

Here's a pic of my desktop screenie with my iturbo saved at the moment


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Well, has GPU Tweak worked on anybody's ASUS cards without any glitch?


On the green team, that is


----------



## heroxoot

I just called up MSI. The guy said he has no idea why my RMA has not been finished yet and I will get a call back tomorrow. I might be receiving a 280X as a replacement. But the mini DP on my card didn't work at all so its for the better I guess.

Does the GCN2.0 work better than what the 7900 has?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I just called up MSI. The guy said he has no idea why my RMA has not been finished yet and I will get a call back tomorrow. I might be receiving a 280X as a replacement. But the mini DP on my card didn't work at all so its for the better I guess.
> 
> Does the GCN2.0 work better than what the 7900 has?


Not at all, aside from a better DVI-DP split rail...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I just called up MSI. The guy said he has no idea why my RMA has not been finished yet and I will get a call back tomorrow. I might be receiving a 280X as a replacement. But the mini DP on my card didn't work at all so its for the better I guess.
> 
> Does the GCN2.0 work better than what the 7900 has?


the architecture is mostly the same, just different layout and different memory controller on at least the 290/X series, oh and some other little things like trueaudio and a 3rd display clock gen.

280X however is completely identical to a 7970, I believe the 280 would be same as a 7950, just different clocks. so no features like the 290/X, BUT the proper 280X cards do have a display clock splitter allowing 3x1 eyefinity without active DP adapters.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I just called up MSI. The guy said he has no idea why my RMA has not been finished yet and I will get a call back tomorrow. I might be receiving a 280X as a replacement. But the mini DP on my card didn't work at all so its for the better I guess.
> 
> Does the GCN2.0 work better than what the 7900 has?


280X is a Tweaked 7970 GPU


----------



## 06yfz450ridr

did you delete the .oem file in the afterburner program file? if nto you wont be able to control voltages, I had to remove that to unlock voltage control for my vapor x and dual x


----------



## heroxoot

Yea I know its the same for the most part I just wondered about GCN since they claim it as a new version.

My only real concern is, can I get 1200/1700 on the 280X I might be receiving? Hopefully so.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wanna_buy*
> 
> Well, has GPU Tweak worked on anybody's ASUS cards without any glitch?











Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I just called up MSI. The guy said he has no idea why my RMA has not been finished yet and I will get a call back tomorrow. I might be receiving a 280X as a replacement. But the mini DP on my card didn't work at all so its for the better I guess.
> 
> Does the GCN2.0 work better than what the 7900 has?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yea I know its the same for the most part I just wondered about GCN since they claim it as a new version.
> 
> My only real concern is, can I get 1200/1700 on the 280X I might be receiving? Hopefully so.


280x is 1.1 just a 7970 !


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yea I know its the same for the most part I just wondered about GCN since they claim it as a new version.
> 
> My only real concern is, can I get 1200/1700 on the 280X I might be receiving? Hopefully so.


I would expect so, provided it isn't voltlocked something stupid...


----------



## hucklebuck

is the board layout the same on a 280/280X as a 7950/7970? Like would a water block from a reference 7970 fit on a 280X reference?


----------



## heroxoot

MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.


"replace", you mentioned its just the fans right...?


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.


I guess that is their first step to try and sucker a few people into taking the cash? Now on the other hand, if they are against shipping out a comparable card, maybe they are liking the inflated prices a bit too much. Good luck and report back!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> is the board layout the same on a 280/280X as a 7950/7970? Like would a water block from a reference 7970 fit on a 280X reference?


assuming they are ref, yes a 280 is a 7970, again assuming they are reference, as far as i know there is no such thing as a 280 nor is there a plan to make it,

7950s are a different board ( ref ) but they do have some on 7970 ref boards as well
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.


just tell them no, you are not, i want a comparable card, which would be a 280x !


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> as far as i know there is no such thing as a 280 nor is there a plan to make it,


AMD announced the 280 not too long ago, at this point it just seems to be a rebadge 7950 boost, likely to use low-bin 280Xs.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.
> 
> 
> 
> "replace", you mentioned its just the fans right...?
Click to expand...

Yes and they claim they cannot just fix it they have to replace it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.
> 
> 
> 
> I guess that is their first step to try and sucker a few people into taking the cash? Now on the other hand, if they are against shipping out a comparable card, maybe they are liking the inflated prices a bit too much. Good luck and report back!
Click to expand...

They claim they have none in stock and its been in RMA for over 2 weeks already. I'm going to complain. Last time this happened they upgraded my motherboard from an 890 to the 990FXA-GD80.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yes and they claim they cannot just fix it they have to replace it.
> They claim they have none in stock and its been in RMA for over 2 weeks already. I'm going to complain. Last time this happened they upgraded my motherboard from an 890 to the 990FXA-GD80.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> "replace", you mentioned its just the fans right...?


This might not help you any, but I got sapphire to hook me up with a new OE cooler for my dirt 3 6950 - I needed new fans, and they sent me the entire cooler! my card is much happier now, especially since the bad fan was the one over the VRMs.

At first they just pointed me at the 3rd party coolers, but I was able to talk them into selling me an OE cooler.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yes and they claim they cannot just fix it they have to replace it.
> They claim they have none in stock and its been in RMA for over 2 weeks already. I'm going to complain. Last time this happened they upgraded my motherboard from an 890 to the 990FXA-GD80.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI just emailed me saying they can't replace it and they want to know if I will accept 255 dollars as a refund. Thats literally half the value of the card. Even a 270x costs more. I can't wait to scream at them tomorrow.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> "replace", you mentioned its just the fans right...?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> This might not help you any, but I got sapphire to hook me up with a new OE cooler for my dirt 3 6950 - I needed new fans, and they sent me the entire cooler! my card is much happier now, especially since the bad fan was the one over the VRMs.
> 
> At first they just pointed me at the 3rd party coolers, but I was able to talk them into selling me an OE cooler.
Click to expand...

MSI claims they do not just keep coolers around and have to ship a new card. I'm going to calmly discuss this with someone tomorrow and then escalate it. Worst case they send me my GPU back. I'm gonna attempt to get them to upgrade it to a 290 if they cannot get me a 280x.


----------



## wanna_buy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*


What's so funny?


----------



## Mega Man

just what you said more or less " has gpu tweak ever worked on asus cards properly?"


----------



## Jflisk

have to love the RMA process or unprocess. Depeneds how you look at it.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI claims they do not just keep coolers around and have to ship a new card. I'm going to calmly discuss this with someone tomorrow and then escalate it. Worst case they send me my GPU back. I'm gonna attempt to get them to upgrade it to a 290 if they cannot get me a 280x.


That's unfortunate - either that, or the person you talked to is assuming they don't and just doesn't know. Either way, it took a little work for me to get my replacement cooler, but as my card was old and out of warranty, the bang for buck was excellent.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> MSI claims they do not just keep coolers around and have to ship a new card. I'm going to calmly discuss this with someone tomorrow and then escalate it. Worst case they send me my GPU back. I'm gonna attempt to get them to upgrade it to a 290 if they cannot get me a 280x.
> 
> 
> 
> That's unfortunate - either that, or the person you talked to is assuming they don't and just doesn't know. Either way, it took a little work for me to get my replacement cooler, but as my card was old and out of warranty, the bang for buck was excellent.
Click to expand...

Well I've talked to someone and told him the GPU cost me 510 or so. Looking at my invoice I see it was 519.99 + tax + shipping for a total of 568. I'd be more than happy with a 280x which is over 100 dollars cheaper and is essentially the same card.


----------



## eAT5

my 7970's wont Crossfire. so i RMA'ed them. they are sending me 2 R9 280X ... how they do this. my 7970's were 299$ each, the r9 280x's are 487$ each. good company to use their PC builder, no questions on the RMA, Ibuypower....

they have now given me 6 cards at this point and 2 mobo's


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> my 7970's wont Crossfire. so i RMA'ed them. they are sending me 2 R9 280X ... how they do this. my 7970's were 299$ each, the r9 280x's are 487$ each. good company to use their PC builder, no questions on the RMA, Ibuypower....
> 
> they have now given me 6 cards at this point and 2 mobo's


the 7970s are identical to the 280Xs for the most part, so they wouldn't be loosing any money from that really, and replaced RMA'ed hardware usually just goes back through the stocks, gets repaired, dismantled or eventually rebadged and sold of to another customer or left as a spare for another RMA.


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> the 7970s are identical to the 280Xs for the most part, so they wouldn't be loosing any money from that really, and replaced RMA'ed hardware usually just goes back through the stocks, gets repaired, dismantled or eventually rebadged and sold of to another customer or left as a spare for another RMA.


sort of. its like 7970 GHZ edition with minor architecture diff. and not even all the 7970s are identical. UEFI card for example.

and they are at 1500$ on all their RMA's if you count the MOBO. im sure they get core charges, but not 100% and sure they got some sort of insurance... glad its not from card vendor, cause builder has a supply of cards...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> my 7970's wont Crossfire. so i RMA'ed them. they are sending me 2 R9 280X ... how they do this. my 7970's were 299$ each, the r9 280x's are 487$ each. good company to use their PC builder, no questions on the RMA, Ibuypower....
> 
> they have now given me 6 cards at this point and 2 mobo's


They are Both Tahiti Chips with 2048 shaders, and similar components.

Most Venders upgrade users if they are EoL Cards,

ie my brother's 5830 was upgraded to a 6850 when I RMA'd it after 5800 Series was unavailible.

HD7970s are Running $400 Retail, as are R9-280X's, Thanks to Coin Mining, otherwise they'd be in the $300 range.


----------



## heroxoot

So I finally talked to the woman who issues refunds and denied it. She said besides the subtle differences in the cards (colors and ports) its a matter of hard to get stock. So now I will be waiting for a response.


----------



## SkateZilla

Back to one card now (MSI Lightning 7970).

I planned to take out the HD7950 During the summer to manage heat, but I did it today.

Came home, Was wondering why crossfire wouldnt link,

Remembered I opened the case and took the XFire bridge off to get the sound card out a few days ago (to Mod the Ribbon Cable into a Round one).

Noticed Immedately the XFire bridge was only connected to one card,

Connected it to the 7950,
Powered up,
windows locked at the logo,
Reset, got to windows.
Booted a game, locked at a black screen,
Reset, got into windows
Boot game played for 2 hours, exited to menu, locked up at black screen,
Reboot, locked at windows several times,
Shut down,
Disable XFire Link Bridge, Boot fine and havent had a lockup since.

I was Fine with 14.1, but with 14.2 it's lockup central for some reason, I thought I had fixed it but I guess not.
With 14.1 I was able to Enable/Disable XFire Fine in CCC, with 14.2 Enabling or disabling locks me up on a black screen.

Guess I wait for the next Driver, and until I get a water cooling unit for the 7950 it will stay out till prolly September-ish.

On the note of water blocks, seems the LEDs on my H100 have called it quits as well sometime in the last few days.
Pump and Fans are still running.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Back to one card now (MSI Lightning 7970).
> 
> I planned to take out the HD7950 During the summer to manage heat, but I did it today.
> 
> Came home, Was wondering why crossfire wouldnt link,
> 
> Remembered I opened the case and took the XFire bridge off to get the sound card out a few days ago (to Mod the Ribbon Cable into a Round one).
> 
> Noticed Immedately the XFire bridge was only connected to one card,
> 
> Connected it to the 7950,
> Powered up,
> windows locked at the logo,
> Reset, got to windows.
> Booted a game, locked at a black screen,
> Reset, got into windows
> Boot game played for 2 hours, exited to menu, locked up at black screen,
> Reboot, locked at windows several times,
> Shut down,
> Disable XFire Link Bridge, Boot fine and havent had a lockup since.
> 
> I was Fine with 14.1, but with 14.2 it's lockup central for some reason, I thought I had fixed it but I guess not.
> With 14.1 I was able to Enable/Disable XFire Fine in CCC, with 14.2 Enabling or disabling locks me up on a black screen.
> 
> Guess I wait for the next Driver, and until I get a water cooling unit for the 7950 it will stay out till prolly September-ish.
> 
> On the note of water blocks, seems the LEDs on my H100 have called it quits as well sometime in the last few days.
> Pump and Fans are still running.


made sure it isn't a bad bridge?


----------



## Carniflex

Also you can do crossfire without bridge. Bridge is only a modified DVI link anyway and as such runs into bandwidth issues if you are running resolutions larger than 2560x1600.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Also you can do crossfire without bridge. Bridge is only a modified DVI link anyway and as such runs into bandwidth issues if you are running resolutions larger than 2560x1600.


......7950, not 290x


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ......7950, not 290x


CF without bridge works fine also on older cards. I have used it, for example, for cross-firing as early as with 5770's. They do have CF fingers on them, you just don't need to put a bridge on them if you don't feel like it. As I was running eyefinity (which exceeds the bandwidth of CF bridges anyway) I could not detect any measurable difference in performance between CF with bridge and CF without bridge in my case (total resolution was 5400x1920). Both cards were in PCI-e 2.0 x8 slots but I have done it briefly also with x16 + x4 PCIe 2.0 slots.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ......7950, not 290x
> 
> 
> 
> CF without bridge works fine also on older cards. I have used it, for example, for cross-firing as early as with 5770's. They do have CF fingers on them, you just don't need to put a bridge on them if you don't feel like it. As I was running eyefinity (which exceeds the bandwidth of CF bridges anyway) I could not detect any measurable difference in performance between CF with bridge and CF without bridge in my case (total resolution was 5400x1920). Both cards were in PCI-e 2.0 x8 slots but I have done it briefly also with x16 + x4 PCIe 2.0 slots.
Click to expand...

gonna go with no ... older cards did not need them, 7970s/7950s need them


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Also you can do crossfire without bridge. Bridge is only a modified DVI link anyway and as such runs into bandwidth issues if you are running resolutions larger than 2560x1600.


almost, its a PCIe lane link for buffer streaming, generally the 79x0s *require* it to link together as they don't have the tech the 290/Xs do. Even though in eyefinity the actual link isn't used for buffers, just sync data.


----------



## BoredErica

GPU OC is stuck at 1200/1600, any higher seems to Bsod. Power limit settings doesn't seem to help. :'( (7970 ghz)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> almost, its a PCIe lane link for buffer streaming, generally the 79x0s *require* it to link together as they don't have the tech the 290/Xs do. Even though in eyefinity the actual link isn't used for buffers, just sync data.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> gonna go with no ... older cards did not need them, 7970s/7950s need them


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> made sure it isn't a bad bridge?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> ......7950, not 290x


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> CF without bridge works fine also on older cards. I have used it, for example, for cross-firing as early as with 5770's. They do have CF fingers on them, you just don't need to put a bridge on them if you don't feel like it. As I was running eyefinity (which exceeds the bandwidth of CF bridges anyway) I could not detect any measurable difference in performance between CF with bridge and CF without bridge in my case (total resolution was 5400x1920). Both cards were in PCI-e 2.0 x8 slots but I have done it briefly also with x16 + x4 PCIe 2.0 slots.


The Funny thing was, Crossfire and Frame Pacing Options were still available to be changed in CCC with the bridge off. I didnt test it though, I Run 7440x1080, So the lil Bridge is worthless for frame buffer, pretty sure when in Eyefinity it sends the buffer another method.
Shrug.

Pretty sure it's the 14.2 Drivers, or the bridge/7950 issue.

I had no problems what so ever with Cat 14.1 w/ ULPS Disabled (so both cards stayed on),
As Soon as I loaded 14.2 I had the issues with lock ups,
Before the driver even finished installing, and several times and reboots afterwards.
ULPS is Enabled again and the 7950 shuts off, even through all the ULPS Registry Entries still have the disabled Value.

With Ambient temps outside going back up, I dont want 2 GPU's cooking each other.
I rarely play games during the summer as it's simply too hot, and it's uncomfortable to sit and sweat while playing.

When I get around to it, I have another PC that I can put back together just to stress test the 7950 to make sure its still good.

I have about 6 XFire Bridges, dont know where they came from, I got 1 with my 7950 another with my 7870XT, and I think 2 with my mainboard.


----------



## Carniflex

Well - the best way of avoiding cards cooking each other is to water cool







Although if I remember correct the 7950 you have is non-reference so it is not possible to find full block for it and if you use core-only block pick one carefully as the heatspreader under the rad will get in the way if it's one of the large ones. You would also need the 0.5 mm thick copper shim as on these cards the GPU core is lower than the protective edge around it. If you have 3 slots of space for the 7950 then http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p12500_Alphacool-HF-14-ATI-NVidia-Smart-Motion-Universal-Copper-Edition.html is one of the cheapest ones I'm aware of (and it gets the job done just fine, only problem is that it's 3 slot business).

For me the main point of watercooling is to make GFX cards to behave and not sound like angry vacuum cleaner. GFX cards just love water. For CPU the difference between high end air and watercooling is pretty low other than noise, but for GPU's the difference is significant even with weak loop.

Granted water-cooling is also substantial amount of additional hassle over air, especially if you want to switch cards regularly.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> made sure it isn't a bad bridge?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Well - the best way of avoiding cards cooking each other is to water cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although if I remember correct the 7950 you have is non-reference so it is not possible to find full block for it and if you use core-only block pick one carefully as the heatspreader under the rad will get in the way if it's one of the large ones. You would also need the 0.5 mm thick copper shim as on these cards the GPU core is lower than the protective edge around it. If you have 3 slots of space for the 7950 then http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p12500_Alphacool-HF-14-ATI-NVidia-Smart-Motion-Universal-Copper-Edition.html is one of the cheapest ones I'm aware of (and it gets the job done just fine, only problem is that it's 3 slot business).
> 
> For me the main point of watercooling is to make GFX cards to behave and not sound like angry vacuum cleaner. GFX cards just love water. For CPU the difference between high end air and watercooling is pretty low other than noise, but for GPU's the difference is significant even with weak loop.
> 
> Granted water-cooling is also substantial amount of additional hassle over air, especially if you want to switch cards regularly.


AiO Water System Mounting is planned, Just havent gotten around to the money and time, I'd have to set a side a day to open case re-arrange everything, move some fans out of slots for the new rad/fans.

I also have another year+ on the MSI Warranty for the Lightning, and I'm not modding it until then.

The temps were only 2^C more than normal with both cards on and Idling (with ULPS Off), and Fans at 80%

I think the Overall issue is the Driver,
And the reason I just pulled the 2nd card out now is because the main simulator I'm running doesn't support DX11/XFire Yet, So it has no purpose,

Once the Sim Upgrades to DX11/Xfire Capable, I'll RedMod the Sapphire and Put it back in.


----------



## SkateZilla

I dunno, there's another Lightning on eBay for $240 ending... might have to snipe bid someone.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dunno, there's another Lightning on eBay for $240 ending... might have to snipe bid someone.


I shall snipe bid you!


----------



## SkateZilla

There's 2 auctions, make sure you dont go for the one that ships from Hong Kong.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Well - the best way of avoiding cards cooking each other is to water cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although if I remember correct the 7950 you have is non-reference so it is not possible to find full block for it and if you use core-only block pick one carefully as the heatspreader under the rad will get in the way if it's one of the large ones. You would also need the 0.5 mm thick copper shim as on these cards the GPU core is lower than the protective edge around it. If you have 3 slots of space for the 7950 then http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p12500_Alphacool-HF-14-ATI-NVidia-Smart-Motion-Universal-Copper-Edition.html is one of the cheapest ones I'm aware of (and it gets the job done just fine, only problem is that it's 3 slot business).
> 
> For me the main point of watercooling is to make GFX cards to behave and not sound like angry vacuum cleaner. GFX cards just love water. For CPU the difference between high end air and watercooling is pretty low other than noise, but for GPU's the difference is significant even with weak loop.
> 
> Granted water-cooling is also substantial amount of additional hassle over air, especially if you want to switch cards regularly.


yea, i would love to see you boot on air at the settings i have ( 5.5ghz + )
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> made sure it isn't a bad bridge?
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Well - the best way of avoiding cards cooking each other is to water cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although if I remember correct the 7950 you have is non-reference so it is not possible to find full block for it and if you use core-only block pick one carefully as the heatspreader under the rad will get in the way if it's one of the large ones. You would also need the 0.5 mm thick copper shim as on these cards the GPU core is lower than the protective edge around it. If you have 3 slots of space for the 7950 then http://www.aquatuning.de/product_info.php/info/p12500_Alphacool-HF-14-ATI-NVidia-Smart-Motion-Universal-Copper-Edition.html is one of the cheapest ones I'm aware of (and it gets the job done just fine, only problem is that it's 3 slot business).
> 
> For me the main point of watercooling is to make GFX cards to behave and not sound like angry vacuum cleaner. GFX cards just love water. For CPU the difference between high end air and watercooling is pretty low other than noise, but for GPU's the difference is significant even with weak loop.
> 
> Granted water-cooling is also substantial amount of additional hassle over air, especially if you want to switch cards regularly.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> AiO Water System Mounting is planned, Just havent gotten around to the money and time, I'd have to set a side a day to open case re-arrange everything, move some fans out of slots for the new rad/fans.
> 
> I also have another year+ on the MSI Warranty for the Lightning, and I'm not modding it until then.
> 
> The temps were only 2^C more than normal with both cards on and Idling (with ULPS Off), and Fans at 80%
> 
> I think the Overall issue is the Driver,
> And the reason I just pulled the 2nd card out now is because the main simulator I'm running doesn't support DX11/XFire Yet, So it has no purpose,
> 
> Once the Sim Upgrades to DX11/Xfire Capable, I'll RedMod the Sapphire and Put it back in.
Click to expand...

msi honors warranties with waterblocked cards, one of the many reasons i bought msi and i continue to do so !


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yea, i would love to see you boot on air at the settings i have ( 5.5ghz + )
> msi honors warranties with waterblocked cards, one of the many reasons i bought msi and i continue to do so !


I'll prolly look into Red Modding them before it gets too hot outside then.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yea, i would love to see you boot on air at the settings i have ( 5.5ghz + )
> msi honors warranties with waterblocked cards, one of the many reasons i bought msi and i continue to do so !
> 
> 
> 
> I'll prolly look into Red Modding them before it gets too hot outside then.
Click to expand...

just get the real block for them ek makes one !


----------



## X-Alt

Yeah, I would use EK FC blocks. You don't want toasty memory chips on 1700+ capable chip!


----------



## jeanspaulo

Hello everyone, I'd like to ask you some help. I Have one Asus HD7970 DCU II Top and I'll buy another one to use Crossfire , my doubt is if theres any problem to use a Asus HD7970 DCU II (Non-TOP) or a Matrix With mine one. ??

Thanks


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Hello everyone, I'd like to ask you some help. I Have one Asus HD7970 DCU II Top and I'll buy another one to use Crossfire , my doubt is if theres any problem to use a Asus HD7970 DCU II (Non-TOP) or a Matrix With mine one. ??
> 
> Thanks


there shouldn't be a problem. you can even crossfire that with a 280X or 7950. prolly even the 280 when they come out.


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> there shouldn't be a problem. you can even crossfire that with a 280X or 7950. prolly even the 280 when they come out.


If I CrossFire that with a R280x DC2T the performance will be the same , less or better that crossfire with another Asus HD7970 DCU II Top ??


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> is the board layout the same on a 280/280X as a 7950/7970? Like would a water block from a reference 7970 fit on a 280X reference?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Hello everyone, I'd like to ask you some help. I Have one Asus HD7970 DCU II Top and I'll buy another one to use Crossfire , my doubt is if theres any problem to use a Asus HD7970 DCU II (Non-TOP) or a Matrix With mine one. ??
> 
> Thanks


I have a DC2 7970 in xfire with a MSI TF3. I experience no problems with mix and match cards, other than the fact that my waterblock ports dont line up, so I have a funky loop to get water to all the parts. But they function as flawlessly as xfire can.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> there shouldn't be a problem. you can even crossfire that with a 280X or 7950. prolly even the 280 when they come out.
> 
> 
> 
> If I CrossFire that with a R280x DC2T the performance will be the same , less or better that crossfire with another Asus HD7970 DCU II Top ??
Click to expand...

yes the 280x is a 7970 rebadge with the ability to run 3 displays without an active DP adapter


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> just get the real block for them ek makes one !


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Yeah, I would use EK FC blocks. You don't want toasty memory chips on 1700+ capable chip!


As Much as I want a Custom Loop, with the amount that I upgrade/re-arrange it's not feasible.

Having CPU and each GPU with it's own Closed AiO Loop makes it easier to remove components without having to drain the entire loops and refill it several times per week,.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dunno, there's another Lightning on eBay for $240 ending... might have to snipe bid someone.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I shall snipe bid you!


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> There's 2 auctions, make sure you dont go for the one that ships from Hong Kong.


The US Auction Ended at $290, for a Clean serial MSI Lightning,

while that was within my price range, I simply fell asleep, Im pretty sure there were have been a bidding war to prolly $370 if I was still awake.


----------



## BoredErica

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> The US Auction Ended at $290, for a Clean serial MSI Lightning,
> 
> while that was within my price range, I simply fell asleep, Im pretty sure there were have been a bidding war to prolly $370 if I was still awake.


Don't people just snipe at the last second instead?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Darkwizzie*
> 
> Don't people just snipe at the last second instead?


I've rarely encountered a last second snipe,

most of the people, including myself lately, stick to the "Buy It Now" or "Best Offer" listings.

But I've seen identical items listed at the same time, one will shoot up to MSRP in a few hours and the other will be ignored until almost the last 3 or 4 hours then shoot up.


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes the 280x is a 7970 rebadge with the ability to run 3 displays without an active DP adapter


Thanks Mega , inedenimadam and rdr09 helped me a lot. Now my doubt is about the block compatible with R9 280x DCI Top on PPC says that tha same block tha its used with the HD7970 DCII T can be used with R9 280x but theres also another block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=40259&zenid=483cc2951ff56506360103ee08968701 these one , any one here knows if theres a lot performance diference between them?

HD7970 DCII T / R9280x Block : http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=34008&zenid=483cc2951ff56506360103ee08968701
R9 280x DCII T Block: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=40259&zenid=483cc2951ff56506360103ee08968701


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes the 280x is a 7970 rebadge with the ability to run 3 displays without an active DP adapter
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks Mega , inedenimadam and rdr09 helped me a lot. Now my doubt is about the block compatible with R9 280x DCI Top on PPC says that tha same block tha its used with the HD7970 DCII T can be used with R9 280x but theres also another block http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=40259&zenid=483cc2951ff56506360103ee08968701 these one , any one here knows if theres a lot performance diference between them?
> 
> HD7970 DCII T / R9280x Block : http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=34008&zenid=483cc2951ff56506360103ee08968701
> R9 280x DCII T Block: http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=59_971_240_579&products_id=40259&zenid=483cc2951ff56506360103ee08968701
Click to expand...

I have the block with the big EK logo. I cant speak for the second one, but this one does a wonderful job keeping the card cool, and allows for the stock backplate to be reinstalled. It keeps the card every bit as cool as the TF3 with the CSQ block. With that said, I like the aesthetics of the second block more, the one I have does not cover the whole PCB, which I thought was a bit odd, but since there is nothing to cool over there, it does seem like the extra metal may just be dead weight. They are both EK blocks, so I would feel comfortable picking up either one if I was in your shoes.


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have the block with the big EK logo. I cant speak for the second one, but this one does a wonderful job keeping the card cool, and allows for the stock backplate to be reinstalled. It keeps the card every bit as cool as the TF3 with the CSQ block. With that said, I like the aesthetics of the second block more, the one I have does not cover the whole PCB, which I thought was a bit odd, but since there is nothing to cool over there, it does seem like the extra metal may just be dead weight. They are both EK blocks, so I would feel comfortable picking up either one if I was in your shoes.


Thank you so much man, with my 7970 I have the same block, because of this I was asking, so if theres no problems using it its very cool, so the ports will align better rsrsrs

Thanks again.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Hello everyone, I'd like to ask you some help. I Have one Asus HD7970 DCU II Top and I'll buy another one to use Crossfire , my doubt is if theres any problem to use a Asus HD7970 DCU II (Non-TOP) or a Matrix With mine one. ??
> 
> Thanks


could sell you mine, though I'm in AU so shipping would be a concern if you're not.


----------



## Rebelord

You can cross fire with any 7970. Doesn't have to be exact same model

Sent from my Moto X


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rebelord*
> 
> You can cross fire with any 7970. Doesn't have to be exact same model
> 
> Sent from my Moto X


Although true, one card may have more latency than the other (clock speed different/ worse IC's/ More electrical latency ext.) which would slightly effect the frame times.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Although true, one card may have more latency than the other (clock speed different/ worse IC's/ More electrical latency ext.) which would slightly effect the frame times.


Those variables are global and exist even if you buy 2 of the same model, Clocks maybe the same, but IC Quality, vdroop, mv load, etc will always be a variable.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Those variables are global and exist even if you buy 2 of the same model, Clocks maybe the same, but IC Quality, vdroop, mv load, etc will always be a variable.


But you are more likely to reduce the difference between these variables in most cases by using two of the same cards.


----------



## Imprezzion

Guys, buddy of mine bought a refurb HD7970 Lightning from a local reseller and even though the card works, it will only show 1792 shaders in GPU-Z.

So, I told him to flash a original Lightning BIOS on it.

We flashed a Lightning BIOS (Stock, 1070/1400 clocks) and a Lightning BE BIOS on the second switch (1150/1500 clocks) and to out suprise it still has just 1792 shaders.

So, what can we make of this? It kinda seems to under perform in 3dmark as well by a couple of 100 points..


----------



## 06yfz450ridr

It seems you got a 7950 lightning


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Guys, buddy of mine bought a refurb HD7970 Lightning from a local reseller and even though the card works, it will only show 1792 shaders in GPU-Z.
> 
> So, I told him to flash a original Lightning BIOS on it.
> 
> We flashed a Lightning BIOS (Stock, 1070/1400 clocks) and a Lightning BE BIOS on the second switch (1150/1500 clocks) and to out suprise it still has just 1792 shaders.
> 
> So, what can we make of this? It kinda seems to under perform in 3dmark as well by a couple of 100 points..


You got a 7950 with a lightning twin frozr. Not sure how when the twin is a custom size PCB.


----------



## Imprezzion

The PCB is clearly a legit 7970 Lightning PCB as it has the reactor, measuring points, MSI Lightning branding at the PCI-E slot and so forth.

Normally i'd just remove the cooler but MSI uses those annoying warranty void stickers on the screws and if there really is something wrong with it I don't wanna ruin warranty for him.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> The PCB is clearly a legit 7970 Lightning PCB as it has the reactor, measuring points, MSI Lightning branding at the PCI-E slot and so forth.
> 
> Normally i'd just remove the cooler but MSI uses those annoying warranty void stickers on the screws and if there really is something wrong with it I don't wanna ruin warranty for him.


sounds like you need to warranty it then ?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> The PCB is clearly a legit 7970 Lightning PCB as it has the reactor, measuring points, MSI Lightning branding at the PCI-E slot and so forth.
> 
> Normally i'd just remove the cooler but MSI uses those annoying warranty void stickers on the screws and if there really is something wrong with it I don't wanna ruin warranty for him.


I completely disassembled my 7970 lightning and they are still replacing it.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I completely disassembled my 7970 lightning and they are still replacing it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sounds like you need to warranty it then ?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> The PCB is clearly a legit 7970 Lightning PCB as it has the reactor, measuring points, MSI Lightning branding at the PCI-E slot and so forth.
> 
> Normally i'd just remove the cooler but MSI uses those annoying warranty void stickers on the screws and if there really is something wrong with it I don't wanna ruin warranty for him.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Imprezzion*
> 
> Guys, buddy of mine bought a refurb HD7970 Lightning from a local reseller and even though the card works, it will only show 1792 shaders in GPU-Z.
> 
> So, I told him to flash a original Lightning BIOS on it.
> 
> We flashed a Lightning BIOS (Stock, 1070/1400 clocks) and a Lightning BE BIOS on the second switch (1150/1500 clocks) and to out suprise it still has just 1792 shaders.
> 
> So, what can we make of this? It kinda seems to under perform in 3dmark as well by a couple of 100 points..


Who ever repaired the Lightning at MSI prolly pulled a chip from the wrong bin or it was mis-marked.

I had a 6850 with 6870 Shaders, and I've had a Sapphire 7950 come back as a 7970 before.
(I build PC's for friends and family and also do their RMA's)


----------



## inedenimadam

Is it just me, or is xfire+eyefinity+DX9 a utter mess? I would have thought that it would have been buttery smooth considering how wonderful Skyrim ran on a single 7970 at 1080p. It is just a stutter-fest as soon as I turn on xfire, and a lag fest if I turn it off. Crysis runs better than Skyrim...put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Kinda making me wish I had gone team green...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Is it just me, or is xfire+eyefinity+DX9 a utter mess? I would have thought that it would have been buttery smooth considering how wonderful Skyrim ran on a single 7970 at 1080p. It is just a stutter-fest as soon as I turn on xfire, and a lag fest if I turn it off. Crysis runs better than Skyrim...put that in your pipe and smoke it.
> 
> Kinda making me wish I had gone team green...


a 3rd card would fix that completely, but its not like nvidia doesn't have problems on SLI too, why do you think they don't support 4-way anymore?

what mods you using on skyrim that one 7970 isn't enough for eyefinity anyway?


----------



## boredmug

Try using a framerate limiter and setting it to 60fps. NOT vsync but a framerate limiter. Gets rid of all the stutter on my eyefinity 7950 cf setup. Only game I play that I have to do that on.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Try using a framerate limiter and setting it to 60fps. NOT vsync but a framerate limiter. Gets rid of all the stutter on my eyefinity 7950 cf setup. Only game I play that I have to do that on.


That is what I currently have resorted to doing. It is still far from the buttery smooth play of a vsync'd single monitor.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> a 3rd card would fix that completely, but its not like nvidia doesn't have problems on SLI too, why do you think they don't support 4-way anymore?
> 
> what mods you using on skyrim that one 7970 isn't enough for eyefinity anyway?


4k textures+physics+enb are the ones that hit the system hardest. I get > 60fps everywhere, but it is just a stuttery skippy mess. A third card would require a new mobo and power supply. Why doesnt AMD just fix it?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Is it just me, or is xfire+eyefinity+DX9 a utter mess? I would have thought that it would have been buttery smooth considering how wonderful Skyrim ran on a single 7970 at 1080p. It is just a stutter-fest as soon as I turn on xfire, and a lag fest if I turn it off. Crysis runs better than Skyrim...put that in your pipe and smoke it.
> 
> Kinda making me wish I had gone team green...


DX9 and XFire have always been an issue for me,

Simply put the new drivers are optimized for DX10/11/11.1/11.2 XFire


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is what I currently have resorted to doing. It is still far from the buttery smooth play of a vsync'd single monitor.
> 4k textures+physics+enb are the ones that hit the system hardest. I get > 60fps everywhere, but it is just a stuttery skippy mess. A third card would require a new mobo and power supply. Why doesnt AMD just fix it?


I think because skyrim+mods is the only thing that can have problems, and with mantle, the consoles and 290/Xs they don't exactly have much time room for fixing it, it could possibly be something related to how eyefinity needs to use the PCIe for buffers as well, as the bridges are too slow for such a res.

you say one monitor is butter smooth? can you get the frametimes for it?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is what I currently have resorted to doing. It is still far from the buttery smooth play of a vsync'd single monitor.
> 4k textures+physics+enb are the ones that hit the system hardest. I get > 60fps everywhere, but it is just a stuttery skippy mess. A third card would require a new mobo and power supply. Why doesnt AMD just fix it?
> 
> 
> 
> I think because skyrim+mods is the only thing that can have problems, and with mantle, the consoles and 290/Xs they don't exactly have much time room for fixing it, it could possibly be something related to how eyefinity needs to use the PCIe for buffers as well, as the bridges are too slow for such a res.
> 
> you say one monitor is butter smooth? can you get the frametimes for it?
Click to expand...

I have not done ANY frame time monitoring, but I am more than a little interested. Got any software suggestions that wont cost me an arm/leg/first born to purchase, or any that might have a trial, for frametime monitoring?

Yeah 1080p with a single 7970 it was butter coming off a hot biscuit.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is what I currently have resorted to doing. It is still far from the buttery smooth play of a vsync'd single monitor.
> 4k textures+physics+enb are the ones that hit the system hardest. I get > 60fps everywhere, but it is just a stuttery skippy mess. A third card would require a new mobo and power supply. Why doesnt AMD just fix it?
> 
> 
> 
> I think because skyrim+mods is the only thing that can have problems, and with mantle, the consoles and 290/Xs they don't exactly have much time room for fixing it, it could possibly be something related to how eyefinity needs to use the PCIe for buffers as well, as the bridges are too slow for such a res.
> 
> you say one monitor is butter smooth? can you get the frametimes for it?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I have not done ANY frame time monitoring, but I am more than a little interested. Got any software suggestions that wont cost me an arm/leg/first born to purchase, or any that might have a trial, for frametime monitoring?
> 
> Yeah 1080p with a single 7970 it was butter coming off a hot biscuit.
Click to expand...

correct me if i am wrong but the other software that installs with afterburner ( free ) riva something ? or doesnt raptr do it as well ?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is what I currently have resorted to doing. It is still far from the buttery smooth play of a vsync'd single monitor.
> 4k textures+physics+enb are the ones that hit the system hardest. I get > 60fps everywhere, but it is just a stuttery skippy mess. A third card would require a new mobo and power supply. Why doesnt AMD just fix it?
> 
> 
> 
> I think because skyrim+mods is the only thing that can have problems, and with mantle, the consoles and 290/Xs they don't exactly have much time room for fixing it, it could possibly be something related to how eyefinity needs to use the PCIe for buffers as well, as the bridges are too slow for such a res.
> 
> you say one monitor is butter smooth? can you get the frametimes for it?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I have not done ANY frame time monitoring, but I am more than a little interested. Got any software suggestions that wont cost me an arm/leg/first born to purchase, or any that might have a trial, for frametime monitoring?
> 
> Yeah 1080p with a single 7970 it was butter coming off a hot biscuit.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> correct me if i am wrong but the other software that installs with afterburner ( free ) riva something ? or doesnt raptr do it as well ?
Click to expand...

I thought RivaTuner was just for capturing framerate, and recording, and doing some in game system monitor stuff, not frametimes, but I will double check.

What is funny about the whole situation, is that when I turn off the frame limiter, it goes back to butter at 120 fps+ , but if you have ever kicked a cart, or opened a door into a bucket at 120 fps...you know that playing at 120 is a no-no


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> correct me if i am wrong but the other software that installs with afterburner ( free ) riva something ? or doesnt raptr do it as well ?


I thought RivaTuner was just for capturing framerate, and recording, and doing some in game system monitor stuff, not frametimes, but I will double check.

What is funny about the whole situation, is that when I turn off the frame limiter, it goes back to butter at 120 fps+ , but if you have ever kicked a cart, or opened a door into a bucket at 120 fps...you know that playing at 120 is a no-no[/quote]

i may of miss read it, sorry i have a migraine and it is taking its damage you may ask some reviewers


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> I thought RivaTuner was just for capturing framerate, and recording, and doing some in game system monitor stuff, not frametimes, but I will double check.
> 
> What is funny about the whole situation, is that when I turn off the frame limiter, it goes back to butter at 120 fps+ , but if you have ever kicked a cart, or opened a door into a bucket at 120 fps...you know that playing at 120 is a no-no


i may of miss read it, sorry i have a migraine and it is taking its damage you may ask some reviewers[/quote]
Riva Tuner was just the base OC program IIRC.. MSI Afterburner has a Riva Tuner core but has something like fraps added in.. Limit the FPS at 60-90 TBH (depending on amount of cards), dropping from silky smooth 75FPS to a mere 42 FPS on Hainan resort is annoying as heck...


----------



## inedenimadam

How does this look for a 3570k with a couple 7970s?


http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8121723


----------



## heroxoot

@SkateZilla

Sounds like you made out like a champ. As long as its not worse than what your original intent was, tha'ts great.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> I thought RivaTuner was just for capturing framerate, and recording, and doing some in game system monitor stuff, not frametimes, but I will double check.
> 
> What is funny about the whole situation, is that when I turn off the frame limiter, it goes back to butter at 120 fps+ , but if you have ever kicked a cart, or opened a door into a bucket at 120 fps...you know that playing at 120 is a no-no[/quote
> 
> i may of miss read it, sorry i have a migraine and it is taking its damage you may ask some reviewers
> 
> 
> 
> Riva Tuner was just the base OC program IIRC.. MSI Afterburner has a Riva Tuner core but has something like fraps added in.. Limit the FPS at 60-90 TBH (depending on amount of cards), dropping from silky smooth 75FPS to a mere 42 FPS on Hainan resort is annoying as heck...
Click to expand...

miss quote !


----------



## Lionheart1980

HIS 7970Ghz Edition gpus crossfired underwater here... my first ever build log








http://www.overclock.net/t/1474715/build-log-genesis-tron-my-1st-build-log/0_20


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> HIS 7970Ghz Edition gpus crossfired underwater here... my first ever build log
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1474715/build-log-genesis-tron-my-1st-build-log/0_20


Nice! I asked a few posts ago, but it has not gotten any attention: what is your 3dmark11 score?


----------



## babarasghar

so i m buying a used 7970 gigabyte windforce for my 2ndry rig
need ur input will it be better in performance of a stock 770GTX/680gtx
i mostly play bf4 MP n bf3 MP with tomb raider n theif ... at 1080p


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *babarasghar*
> 
> so i m buying a used 7970 gigabyte windforce for my 2ndry rig
> need ur input will it be better in performance of a stock 770GTX/680gtx
> i mostly play bf4 MP n bf3 MP with tomb raider n theif ... at 1080p


That is mostly a side grade. I think with the games you are playing, you might be slightly better off being that they are all AMD optimized, but hardly worth it at 1080p. I would think all of those games would be silky smooth on a 680, probably even have some room to downsample or throw on some AA.


----------



## bencher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *babarasghar*
> 
> so i m buying a used 7970 gigabyte windforce for my 2ndry rig
> need ur input will it be better in performance of a stock 770GTX/680gtx
> i mostly play bf4 MP n bf3 MP with tomb raider n theif ... at 1080p


Was it that much effort to spell out "secondary"







?

For the games you play yes it will be an upgrade.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Nice! I asked a few posts ago, but it has not gotten any attention: what is your 3dmark11 score?


3D Mark scores are 12,572 with my gpus OCed at 1150mhz/1500 memory... and my cpu OCed at 4.7ghz with 1.3volt.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Nice! I asked a few posts ago, but it has not gotten any attention: what is your 3dmark11 score?
> 
> 
> 
> 3D Mark scores are 12,572 with my gpus OCed at 1150mhz/1500 memory... and my cpu OCed at 4.7ghz with 1.3volt.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thanks for that.


Np, what's your 3D Mark score i wonder?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lionheart1980*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thanks for that.
> 
> 
> 
> Np, what's your 3D Mark score i wonder?
Click to expand...

16518 with 5.0 on the CPU and 1150/1800 on GPU s.


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> How does this look for a 3570k with a couple 7970s?
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8121723


Looks very good to me. What do you all run 3dmark11 at? benchmark test at 720p or?


----------



## zmegati

Hey guys, please add me in club.









And this is my old test:



I can say that I am quite satisfied!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jagz*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> How does this look for a 3570k with a couple 7970s?
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8121723
> 
> 
> 
> Looks very good to me. What do you all run 3dmark11 at? benchmark test at 720p or?
Click to expand...

I only have the free version of 3dmark11, so it is just the default settings which i think is performance @720p. 1200/1800, [email protected] [email protected]


----------



## process

Anyone used catzilla bench?
http://www.catzilla.com/download

http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/3.jpg.html


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Anyone used catzilla bench?
> http://www.catzilla.com/download
> 
> http://s18.photobucket.com/user/pr0c3ss/media/3.jpg.html


Downloading now!!! Finished...
3570k + 2x 7970s


----------



## King Lycan

I have a deal for 2 7950's for $470 should I bite or get a 290 ?


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Downloading now!!! Finished...
> 3570k + 2x 7970s


my physics suck bad!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *process*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Downloading now!!! Finished...
> 3570k + 2x 7970s
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> my physics suck bad!
Click to expand...

What is your cpu clocked at? It might be not well threaded and like a heavy overclock instead


----------



## process

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> What is your cpu clocked at? It might be not well threaded and like a heavy overclock instead


4715 @ 1.5 something v core... ibt avx 10 paas v high stable. Ram at 2133


----------



## babarasghar

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *King Lycan*
> 
> I have a deal for 2 7950's for $470 should I bite or get a 290 ?


single gpu like a 290x is always better
but i think 7970 crossfire smokes all single gpus at a lower cost
if the gpus r new/slightly used and have custom cooler (avoid reference cooler specially incase of dual gpus) then get them u wont loose MOONNAAY later on when ull sell em ...
but ull loose more money when ull sell ur 290x/290

one issue for xfire will be that all games might not be well optimized especially new titles and Mantle supporting titles ie BF4 n Thief
if i were u i wud have gone for 7970 xfire ... unless 290x proves to be better
i hope u have a 850+ gold rated PSU and good cooling/ventilated case


----------



## heroxoot

I got tracking now on a replacement that I will assume is a 7970 lightning they found to replace mine with as they gave me no information, but I got tracking last night. Tracking however shows nothing but a label was made so far.

Edit: Just called MSI. They sent me a 280X G Series card. Looks like I'm not fit for this thread anymore.


----------



## Mega Man

.... i would not be happy personally lightning or bust ! but 280x=7970


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I got tracking now on a replacement that I will assume is a 7970 lightning they found to replace mine with as they gave me no information, but I got tracking last night. Tracking however shows nothing but a label was made so far.
> 
> Edit: Just called MSI. They sent me a 280X G Series card. Looks like I'm not fit for this thread anymore.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> .... i would not be happy personally lightning or bust ! but 280x=7970


The G Series is the same more or less. Same cooler, same clocks sort of. Its 1000mhz and 1050mhz boost. I could just disable the boost and run it hopefully at 1200/1700 like I had my 7970.

I liked the yellow over the red tho.


----------



## Mega Man

diff connectors, lower quality vrms, no unlocked voltage, not for l2n use.....


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> The G Series is the same more or less. Same cooler, same clocks sort of. Its 1000mhz and 1050mhz boost. I could just disable the boost and run it hopefully at 1200/1700 like I had my 7970.
> 
> I liked the yellow over the red tho.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> .... i would not be happy personally lightning or bust ! but 280x=7970


Yeah the Lightning has a better I/O and Board design.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> diff connectors, lower quality vrms, no unlocked voltage, not for l2n use.....


I really have no use for LN2, and I don't think my overclocks were high enough to even put the quality of VRMs to use. From what I read a lot of people had a bad time with the 7970 lightning cards. Many people got low quality ones and they died on them. I will miss my lightning but what can I do? I didn't have the money to go replacing the cooler for 90 dollars. It was easier to accept fate and make use of the 3 year warranty.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I really have no use for LN2, and I don't think my overclocks were high enough to even put the quality of VRMs to use. From what I read a lot of people had a bad time with the 7970 lightning cards. Many people got low quality ones and they died on them. I will miss my lightning but what can I do? I didn't have the money to go replacing the cooler for 90 dollars. It was easier to accept fate and make use of the 3 year warranty.


if you didnt Overclock much you wont really notice a difference at all,

Similar Clocks, Same Shaders, Same Updated GPU Architecture, Same Cooling System (different color).

It may actually run cooler than the Lightning if there's less stuff on the board.

I dont use LN2, But I do use the Voltage leads to goto a front panel display. that way I'm monitoring directly no software needed.

I Personally like all the MiniDPs, and I'm using them all, so I woulda have been upset, they still have lightnings, as a friend of mine sent one in and got one back.

Mine was a RMA Return that I bought off someone else to finally get rid of eyefinity tearing.


----------



## heroxoot

Yea I had a nice 1225/1700 OC on my lightning but I highly doubt I was tapping the full potential. I WAS using Ln2 bios but only because it was unlocked for the settings making unofficial OC mode not required ever. I don't think my OC was yet high enough to really need it. I don't think my reactor really got use. I'm not sure what the average OC is for 280X cards tho. I hope I can get it near 1200/1700 at least. The memory should still be Hynix.


----------



## wermad

Anything usual still w/ 14.x? I'm still not ready to make the jump tbh. I think the issues the Hawaiian guys are reporting are putting me off. Had a couple of weeks to play. Love seeing 200+ fps in Portal 2 in 6000x1920







.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Anything usual still w/ 14.x? I'm still not ready to make the jump tbh. I think the issues the Hawaiian guys are reporting are putting me off. Had a couple of weeks to play. Love seeing 200+ fps in Portal 2 in 6000x1920
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


iirc power limit is still broken in 14.xx drivers


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> diff connectors, lower quality vrms, no unlocked voltage, not for l2n use.....
> 
> 
> 
> I really have no use for LN2, and I don't think my overclocks were high enough to even put the quality of VRMs to use. From what I read a lot of people had a bad time with the 7970 lightning cards. Many people got low quality ones and they died on them. I will miss my lightning but what can I do? I didn't have the money to go replacing the cooler for 90 dollars. It was easier to accept fate and make use of the 3 year warranty.
Click to expand...

complain.... alot make msi give you want you want


----------



## eclipsextreme

I got a line on a second 7970 from a friend and I was looking at some psu options from other friends.

Tx750 or HX1000


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> I got a line on a second 7970 from a friend and I was looking at some psu options from other friends.
> 
> Tx750 or HX1000


750 is asking for heartbreak IMO
1000 leaves some breathing room


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> I got a line on a second 7970 from a friend and I was looking at some psu options from other friends.
> 
> Tx750 or HX1000
> 
> 
> 
> 750 is asking for heartbreak IMO
> 1000 leaves some breathing room
Click to expand...

with my 8350, i could trip ocp with 2x 7970 on a x750


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> with my 8350, i could trip ocp with 2x 7970 on a x750


I was able to run 2x7950's at stock clocks with a 2600k at 4.5ghz on a 650 watt psu. Could not overclock the cards though. Now have a 850w psu with the 2600k at 4.5ghz and the 7950's at 1200/1600.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> diff connectors, lower quality vrms, no unlocked voltage, not for l2n use.....
> 
> 
> 
> I really have no use for LN2, and I don't think my overclocks were high enough to even put the quality of VRMs to use. From what I read a lot of people had a bad time with the 7970 lightning cards. Many people got low quality ones and they died on them. I will miss my lightning but what can I do? I didn't have the money to go replacing the cooler for 90 dollars. It was easier to accept fate and make use of the 3 year warranty.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> complain.... alot make msi give you want you want
Click to expand...

is it really that big a deal? I know its not as good for overclocking but it seems good enough to me. I doubt I will take it much higher than 1200/1700 if thats even possible as thats what I was already using. Also when you use the LN2 bios on the lightning it disables the phases right? I read it disables the over volt protection and the phases in the "unlocked" bios, which is the LN2. If that is the case I never even used the reactor in my OC.


----------



## wermad

I'm more then likely pulling ~1400-1500w w/ this setup.

Need more powah???? (







f/s: 1600w Lepa psu







)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I'm more then likely pulling ~1400-1500w w/ this setup.
> 
> Need more powah???? (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> f/s: 1600w Lepa psu
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Or a bigger case and crossfired PSUs!


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Or a bigger case and crossfired PSUs!


Crossfired PSUs, do they require a bridge???


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Crossfired PSUs, do they require a bridge???


Often.
People tend to wire the PSU together with soldering iron and circuitry. I'd just make a button for the second PSU.
I think you can also wire the 24 pin's together from taking certain wires from the other PSU and crimp them into the main PSU's 24 pin.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Or a bigger case and crossfired PSUs!
> 
> 
> 
> Crossfired PSUs, do they require a bridge???
Click to expand...

yes!


----------



## chronicfx

I was actually not
Sure how people linked two psu... Thanks for that picture.. It is all crystal now


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Crossfired PSUs, do they require a bridge???


I use one of thse, and use my Corsair RM850 along with my OCZ700W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201037


----------



## heroxoot

Looks like I got completely screwed over with this RMA. This 280x has 62% asic, Elpida memory, and one of the fans is messed up and makes noise when its spinning up.

Edit: Fan problem might be an issue with MSI AB? Its spinning faster on default fan control than it is with 50% fan control.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Looks like I got completely screwed over with this RMA. This 280x has 62% asic, Elpida memory, and one of the fans is messed up and makes noise when its spinning up.
> 
> Edit: Fan problem might be an issue with MSI AB? Its spinning faster on default fan control than it is with 50% fan control.


see my previous comment !


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> yes!


This is smexier











I'm using one for my two CM V1000


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Looks like I got completely screwed over with this RMA. This 280x has 62% asic, Elpida memory, and one of the fans is messed up and makes noise when its spinning up.
> 
> Edit: Fan problem might be an issue with MSI AB? Its spinning faster on default fan control than it is with 50% fan control.
> 
> 
> 
> see my previous comment !
Click to expand...

I'd rather ignore your previous gloating. MSI tech told me I'd get a call today about a proper replacement. Hopefully an upgrade to a 290 card.


----------



## Jflisk

Well so much for the 7990's. Cant tell you how much fun I have been having with XFX support. The one thing I can say is they honor there warranty.Cant say much for there quality control.The first card had green flickering lines in games. The second one worked for all of about 4 hrs.Then white vertical lines and done. They are going to switch me out to a R9 290x from a 7990 and I just purchased another R9 290x to go with it. If anyone knows anyone that wants a working 7990 waterblocked for a fair price let me know. Its the older power color style 7990 so it will mine around 1100 KHS and play any game out there on ultra. Think the lowest I saw on BF4 is 90 FPS.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I'd rather ignore your previous gloating. MSI tech told me I'd get a call today about a proper replacement. Hopefully an upgrade to a 290 card.


Doubt it, they still manufacture and Sell MSI 7970 Lightnings,

Some idiot figured you prolly wouldnt notice a difference between the Lightning and the R9-280X and sent you that instead.

They wont upgrade you to a R9-290, They should send you Proper Lightning.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I'd rather ignore your previous gloating. MSI tech told me I'd get a call today about a proper replacement. Hopefully an upgrade to a 290 card.
> 
> 
> 
> Doubt it, they still manufacture and Sell MSI 7970 Lightnings,
> 
> Some idiot figured you prolly wouldnt notice a difference between the Lightning and the R9-280X and sent you that instead.
> 
> They wont upgrade you to a R9-290, They should send you Proper Lightning.
Click to expand...

This is what I want.

Edit: On the phone with MSI right now. This guy is setting up a new RMA and he is making it noted I want a proper 7970 lightning as a replacement this time, not a hand off to shut me up.

They payed for shipping and the tech put this in my RMA.
Quote:


> Please replace with R7970 Lightning by customer's request (original card customer sent in and was upgraded to R9 280X first RMA) Replacement arrived with Fan issues - AH


He also said he left note on the RMA in the system to have it brought to his attention for him to figure out what to do. I will wait till death to get another 7970 lightning.


----------



## Hellfury

Flashed PowerColor AX7990 to Devil 13 BIOS. Now have the card running @ 1125/6500(1625) with +20% power limit 2 1.2v. not going over 75 degrees C. ran Unigine Valley on highest settings for 5 hours


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Flashed PowerColor AX7990 to Devil 13 BIOS. Now have the card running @ 1125/6500(1625) with +20% power limit 2 1.2v. not going over 75 degrees C. ran Unigine Valley on highest settings for 5 hours


So you can use the devil13 bios on the powercolor 7990. Never knew that might have to give it a try.


----------



## Hellfury

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> So you can use the devil13 bios on the powercolor 7990. Never knew that might have to give it a try.


Not the malta card. the 3 slot monstrosity> powercolor released the devil 13 and then one that isn't red without the bundle and box. The Devil 13 just has a more aggressive BIOS. The company that owns Powercolor also released the card under their other brands Club3D and VTX3d


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Not the malta card. the 3 slot monstrosity> powercolor released the devil 13 and then one that isn't red without the bundle and box. The Devil 13 just has a more aggressive BIOS. The company that owns Powercolor also released the card under their other brands Club3D and VTX3d


I have the monstrosity card not the malta from powercolor. Comes with the power jack to hold the card up.


----------



## Hellfury

I had the Sabertooth 990FX but bad BIOS update corrupted the BIOS. So i got a CVF-Z


----------



## Hellfury

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I have the monstrosity card not the malta from powercolor. Comes with the power jack to hold the card up.


Yeah then you'll be able to flash it quite easily. just remember both master and slave BIOS are needed

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?architecture=ATI&manufacturer=Powercolor&model=HD+7990&interface=&memType=&memSize=

The 4th and 5th on the list are the ones you need.


----------



## Hellfury

Just double check everything. Don't want to brick your card. You should flash to the turbo profile on the card(button pushed in)


----------



## wermad

just for giggles:

Priced at greedyeg...newegg for $1200:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1476627/newegg-amd-hd7990-6gb-gddr5-pci-e-dvi-i-quad-dp-oem-sapphire-1099-99-15-off-daily-deal-expires-3-25-14
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> $499 Circa October 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1435366/newegg-powercolor-hd7990-for-499-99-with-8-games-possible-pricing-mistake-and-could-end-at-any-time
> 
> *Thank you crypto miners and greedy Newegg*


they'll even take off 15% on sale (







)


----------



## SkateZilla

I'm extremely peeved that I didnt get one when I had the chance (was gonna wait to see what R9s would do).

I coulda been running 5888 Stream processors (7990+7950), and it would still be cheaper than TitanZ


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Just double check everything. Don't want to brick your card. You should flash to the turbo profile on the card(button pushed in)


Thanks for looking out +1 rep added for the information.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> just for giggles:
> 
> Priced at greedyeg...newegg for $1200:
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1476627/newegg-amd-hd7990-6gb-gddr5-pci-e-dvi-i-quad-dp-oem-sapphire-1099-99-15-off-daily-deal-expires-3-25-14
> they'll even take off 15% on sale (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> wait... didn't 7990 die ages ago...? oh... that's the firepro...


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> just for giggles:
> 
> Priced at greedyeg...newegg for $1200:
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1476627/newegg-amd-hd7990-6gb-gddr5-pci-e-dvi-i-quad-dp-oem-sapphire-1099-99-15-off-daily-deal-expires-3-25-14
> they'll even take off 15% on sale (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


I got my xfx 7990 2 months ago for 800.00 of course that's the one that dropped dead and I have been playing the RMA game ever since. Was nice when it worked for a month.


----------



## wermad

Its sickening how greedy newegg and the rest of the US retailers have gotten on Amd gpu's over this stupid mining crap. Sucks for the rest of us who don't give a flying rat's a$$ on mining.

But, since that exchange fiasco, things are starting to turn a bit back to "normal" (ie six months ago







).

Also sucks, how some of those who jumped on EU stores/sites to get their Amd gear to avoid the greedy US retailers, got scammed hard (lucid dreamer).


----------



## wermad

Thought I posted a pic of my new rig but here it is:




Spoiler: Warning: more pics:


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Thought I posted a pic of my new rig but here it is:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: more pics:


Nice really nice


----------



## jagz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Thought I posted a pic of my new rig but here it is:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: more pics:


My Tri has nothing on your quad!


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Looks like I got completely screwed over with this RMA. This 280x has 62% asic, Elpida memory, and one of the fans is messed up and makes noise when its spinning up.
> 
> Edit: Fan problem might be an issue with MSI AB? Its spinning faster on default fan control than it is with 50% fan control.
> 
> 
> 
> see my previous comment !
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I'd rather ignore your previous gloating. MSI tech told me I'd get a call today about a proper replacement. Hopefully an upgrade to a 290 card.
Click to expand...

i was not gloating, i was talking about my " you need to complain" comment imo what they did is rediculas !! just because you paid the extra ~ 150 you should of never got "just" a 280x imo, at least a 290 !
dead serious !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I'd rather ignore your previous gloating. MSI tech told me I'd get a call today about a proper replacement. Hopefully an upgrade to a 290 card.
> 
> 
> 
> Doubt it, they still manufacture and Sell MSI 7970 Lightnings,
> 
> Some idiot figured you prolly wouldnt notice a difference between the Lightning and the R9-280X and sent you that instead.
> 
> They wont upgrade you to a R9-290, They should send you Proper Lightning.
Click to expand...

this completely
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Its sickening how greedy newegg and the rest of the US retailers have gotten on Amd gpu's over this stupid mining crap. Sucks for the rest of us who don't give a flying rat's a$$ on mining.
> 
> But, since that exchange fiasco, things are starting to turn a bit back to "normal" (ie six months ago
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ).
> 
> Also sucks, how some of those who jumped on EU stores/sites to get their Amd gear to avoid the greedy US retailers, got scammed hard (lucid dreamer).


i really dont think it was just mining, you had christmas, and they waited till after ppl spends their holiday monies ! then come back to normal prices,

i dont think they are greedy, supply and demand imo


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this completely
> i really dont think it was just mining, you had christmas, and they waited till after ppl spends their holiday monies ! then come back to normal prices,
> 
> i dont think they are greedy, supply and demand imo


There's been a few articles about this. And Christmas sales don't drive costs more then ~100% above msrp.

Basically, US retailers raise their prices because of low to no supply (amd shortage? what about EU, ?) because the miners started buying these up like pacman gobbles dots. I mean, there's miners who have "farms" w/ up to seven gpu's in one rig!!!! I know member who says he has *thirty* of these rigs (quads) mining dig currency. Retailers raise prices to capitalize on the high demand and low supply.. I'm sure they're aware of the mining craze/demand and miners don't give a crap because they can make up the cost by mining in a month or so. Retailers notice this ain't slowing down. So now amd gpu's are a low volume high price item. Retailers will get greedy knowing there's ppl who will buy them. Hell, ppl bought $1k Titans, 690s, and 7990s at ther msrp. From what I'm told, miners can make up the costs in a month or and so they don't give a crap tbh. There's miners making $10k in month and that should cover the cost of a few rigs.

We, who don't mine, get screwed because now these are more out of reach. I had plans for quad Hawaiis but at ~$900 a piece, that just blew that out the door. Paying a lot for gear is not new but paying a lot for gear that shouldn't be this high is ridiculous because a craze and retailers who have "greed" stamped on their forehead. Then there's those to tried to capitalize on the amd gpu appreciation hike and got burned by overzealous miners killing gpu stupidly quick and then filing a claim/dispute to get their money back. Or those getting beat up and killed hardware because of the mining and now we're left to deal w/ rma's.

I'm glad that exchange fiasco happened as now that 's sending ppl running to the hills.On a side note, IRS says b-coin is property, so this classification may also apply to all mined digital currency and laws can take and be put into effect to curtail this.

If you mine, you're money, you're choice. But know this, you're contributing and bowing to the all mighty $, and leaving those true to the "community" with no community in the end. Time to cough up for a PS4























IMHO,







, /rant


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> this completely
> i really dont think it was just mining, you had christmas, and they waited till after ppl spends their holiday monies ! then come back to normal prices,
> 
> i dont think they are greedy, supply and demand imo
> 
> 
> 
> There's been a few articles about this. And Christmas sales don't drive costs more then ~100% above msrp.
> 
> Basically, US retailers raise their prices because of low to no supply (amd shortage? what about EU, ?) because the miners started buying these up like pacman gobbles dots. I mean, there's miners who have "farms" w/ up to seven gpu's in one rig!!!! I know member who says he has *thirty* of these rigs (quads) mining dig currency. Retailers raise prices to capitalize on the high demand and low supply.. I'm sure they're aware of the mining craze/demand and miners don't give a crap because they can make up the cost by mining in a month or so. Retailers notice this ain't slowing down. So now amd gpu's are a low volume high price item. Retailers will get greedy knowing there's ppl who will buy them. Hell, ppl bought $1k Titans, 690s, and 7990s at this msrp. From what I'm told, miners can make up the costs in a month or so so they don't give a crap. There's miners making $10k in month and that should cover the cost of a few rigs.
> 
> We, who don't mine, get screwed because now these are more out of reach. I had plans for quad Hawaiis but at ~$900 a piece, that just blew that out the door. Paying a lot for gear is not new but paying a lot for gear that shouldn't be this high is ridiculous because a craze and retailers who have "greed" stamped on their forehead. Then there's those to tried to capitalize on the amd gpu appreciation hike and got burned by overzealous miners killing gpu stupidly quick and then filing a claim/dispute to get their money back. Or those getting beat up and killed hardware because of the mining and now we're left to deal w/ rma's.
> 
> I'm glad that exchange fiasco happened as now that 's sending ppl running to the hills.On a side note, IRS says b-coin is property, so this classification may also apply to all mined digital currency and laws can take and be put into effect to curtail this.
> 
> If you mine, you're money, you're choice. But know this, you're contributing and bowing to the all mighty $, and leaving those true to the "community" with no community in the end. Time to cough up for a PS4
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMHO,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , /rant
Click to expand...

but the holidays also effect supply and demand not saying all of it, but it does help ~


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> but the holidays also effect supply and demand not saying all of it, but it does help ~


On the contrary, Holidays is the best time to get deals. Black Friday kicks it in high gear and from there, prices will be competitive. Retailers know Christmas is probably the busiest time and w/ the economy in recent years, more of a reason to buy more merchandise and get the customer's money. There's a reason its called "holiday sales" not "holiday price-hike". You have multiple holidays within a short window so you try to attract buyers even more as you know this is the "spending season" for consumers. Best way to do that is sales and lowering your prices. Sure, you'll have "hot-gifts" that run out but this mining crap is just an excessively and prolonged joke. Even after the seasonal sales, prices should have settled back *up to* msrp. It just doesn't make sense since, traditionally, computer hardware depreciates, quickly.

The MSRP is not gospel and demand can change the "retail" price but it puts things in perspective for the end consumer. This is a starting price-point manufacturers set to give all those involved in getting the product to consumer a share of the pie. This time, newegg and the US retailers decided they wanted a bigger pie. And miners obliged and now both want more. Lame


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> but the holidays also effect supply and demand not saying all of it, but it does help ~
> 
> 
> 
> On the contrary, Holidays is the best time to get deals. Black Friday kicks it in high gear _*OLD GEAR and about to be last gen*_ and from there, prices will be competitive. Retailers know Christmas is probably the busiest time and w/ the economy in recent years, more of a reason to buy more merchandise and get the customer's money. There's a reason its called "holiday sales" not "holiday price-hike". You have multiple holidays within a short window so you try to attract buyers even more as you know this is the "spending season" for consumers. Best way to do that is sales and lowering your prices. Sure, you'll have "hot-gifts" that run out but this mining crap is just an excessively and prolonged joke. Even after the seasonal sales, prices should have settled back *up to* msrp. It just doesn't make sense since, traditionally, computer hardware depreciates, quickly.
> 
> The MSRP is not gospel and demand can change the "retail" price but it puts things in perspective for the end consumer. This is a starting price-point manufacturers set to give all those involved in getting the product to consumer a share of the pie. This time, newegg and the US retailers decided they wanted a bigger pie. And miners obliged and now both want more. Lame
Click to expand...

fixed it for you


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> fixed it for you


Quote:


> high gear
> n.
> 1. The high gear configuration of a transmission.
> *2. Informal A state of maximum activity, energy, or force:* Her mind was in high gear while studying for the art history examination.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> On the contrary, Holidays is the best time to get deals. Black Friday kicks it in high gear and from there, prices will be competitive. Retailers know Christmas is probably the busiest time and w/ the economy in recent years, more of a reason to buy more merchandise and get the customer's money. There's a reason its called "holiday sales" not "holiday price-hike". You have multiple holidays within a short window so you try to attract buyers even more as you know this is the "spending season" for consumers. Best way to do that is sales and lowering your prices. Sure, you'll have "hot-gifts" that run out but this mining crap is just an excessively and prolonged joke. Even after the seasonal sales, prices should have settled back *up to* msrp. It just doesn't make sense since, traditionally, computer hardware depreciates, quickly.
> 
> The MSRP is not gospel and demand can change the "retail" price but it puts things in perspective for the end consumer. This is a starting price-point manufacturers set to give all those involved in getting the product to consumer a share of the pie. This time, newegg and the US retailers decided they wanted a bigger pie. And miners obliged and now both want more. Lame


Look at it on the bright side. The AISC devices for scrypt/sha are now coming out putting GPU mining for scrypt/sha out to pasture. People are starting to dump there video cards on the bay to buy the AISC for mining. I have 4 of the ASIC devices they started out at 300.00 a piece they are now down to 199.00 a piece they get 360KHS per device at 10watts of power. I have mine modded to run at 400 KHS at 12W. Also the difficulty is going up to the point that GPU mining is useless partially because of the ASIC. Also a reason for the GPU dump. To put it in prospective 2x AISC = 400KHS x2 = 800 KHS basically what you would get out of a R9 290X with out killing it.Low power usage low heat output. The only thing I really need a video card for now is to play my games.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Look at it on the bright side. The AISC devices for scrypt/sha are now coming out putting GPU mining for scrypt/sha out to pasture. People are starting to dump there video cards on the bay to buy the AISC for mining. I have 4 of the ASIC devices they started out at 300.00 a piece they are now down to 199.00 a piece they get 360KHS per device at 10watts of power. I have mine modded to run at 400 KHS at 12W. Also the difficulty is going up to the point that GPU mining is useless partially because of the ASIC. Also a reason for the GPU dump. To put it in prospective 2x AISC = 400KHS x2 = 800 KHS basically what you would get out of a R9 290X with out killing it.Low power usage low heat output. The only thing I really need a video card for now is to play my games.


Hopefully this will catch on.

I bought my 7950 for $179.99 after mail in rebate just before the price hike. I was contemplating going cross/trifire then the prices took off to the moon. I refuse to pay that much above msrp.


----------



## wermad

Yeah, I know about the AISC and its a step in the right direction.


----------



## Jflisk

Okay here goes the big question of the day. Can I install the AMD Catalyst driver on multiple not matching cards in the same system. I was going to leave the 7990 in my system and mine off of it along with my new R9 290x and use the R9 290x for gaming. Till my other R9 290x gets here. Of course not cross firing them. Thanks


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay here goes the big question of the day. Can I install the AMD Catalyst driver on multiple not matching cards in the same system. I was going to leave the 7990 in my system and mine off of it along with my new R9 290x and use the R9 290x for gaming. Till my other R9 290x gets here. Of course not cross firing them. Thanks


indeed you can. I did it with a 6670 and a 7970.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> indeed you can. I did it with a 6670 and a 7970.


Thanks my R9 290x should be here tomorrow just making sure I could get away with 2 different cards for a little bit.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> indeed you can. I did it with a 6670 and a 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks my R9 290x should be here tomorrow just making sure I could get away with 2 different cards for a little bit.
Click to expand...

going to need a pretty beastly power supply for that setup though!


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> going to need a pretty beastly power supply for that setup though!


Yep I had 2x 7990 in my system. Ones out for RMA and there going to replace it with a R9 290x. So I figured I would do away with the 7990's and go with the R9 290x's. I have a 1350W power supply so it should handle it. Thanks


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> going to need a pretty beastly power supply for that setup though!
> 
> 
> 
> Yep I had 2x 7990 in my system. Ones out for RMA and there going to replace it with a R9 290x. So I figured I would do away with the 7990's and go with the R9 290x's. I have a 1350W power supply so it should handle it. Thanks
Click to expand...

ugh...I dont think that was a very fair trade, all things considered.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> ugh...I dont think that was a very fair trade, all things considered.


From what i have read the R9 290x is close to the 7990 in performance.Also the R9 290x will be crossfire not quadfire. So that may give me some advantages. Although i never had a problem with the 7990 quadfire.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> From what i have read the R9 290x is close to the 7990 in performance.Also the R9 290x will be crossfire not quadfire. So that may give me some advantages. Although i never had a problem with the 7990 quadfire.


what would be the selling price of the 7990?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> what would be the selling price of the 7990?


Skate I dont have the air cooler for it.Its not the standard 7990 either its the powercolor 7990 based on the powercolor devil 13 design. I know your not doing water.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skate I dont have the air cooler for it.Its not the standard 7990 either its the powercolor 7990 based on the powercolor devil 13 design. I know your not doing water.


just wondering, since they went from 699-1300 in 4 months.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> just wondering, since they went from 699-1300 in 4 months.


Going to try and get 700.00 for it with the block. On flea bay there getting about 900.00 under air.This model is about 850.00 without the block. I have never seen one go for 1300.00.Thanks


----------



## eclipsextreme

Would be sweet if the mining craze shifted from amd gpus. That would put a bunch of used ones on the market









Got a psu today to handle a second gpu


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Would be sweet if the mining craze shifted from amd gpus. That would put a bunch of used ones on the market


hopefully nVidia's new drivers that trump mantle's performance helps the mining performance.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay here goes the big question of the day. Can I install the AMD Catalyst driver on multiple not matching cards in the same system. I was going to leave the 7990 in my system and mine off of it along with my new R9 290x and use the R9 290x for gaming. Till my other R9 290x gets here. Of course not cross firing them. Thanks


yes it auto detects and installs what it needs to run
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Would be sweet if the mining craze shifted from amd gpus. That would put a bunch of used ones on the market
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> hopefully nVidia's new drivers that trump mantle's performance helps the mining performance.
Click to expand...

or , just saying
they could jump on mantle and make the cpu gaming community better as a whole. i know we are talking about nvidia but come on, help the gamers out !~

lets face it, mantle is > DXanything


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes it auto detects and installs what it needs to run
> or , just saying
> they could jump on mantle and make the cpu gaming community better as a whole. i know we are talking about nvidia but come on, help the gamers out !~
> 
> lets face it, mantle is > DXanything


Benchmark wise, stability it's still pretty young, needs to mature, by time MS releases the last DX12 SDK, Mantle will be well matured

Mantle+True Audio = Bye Bye DirectX and WASAPI


----------



## SkateZilla

just noticed a few cheap MSI Lightnings on the bay, might have to pull the plug on one, dual lightnings instead of Lightning + 7950


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> just noticed a few cheap MSI Lightnings on the bay, might have to pull the plug on one, dual lightnings instead of Lightning + 7950


Its the whole reason why I am confident on getting another lightning instead of a junk 280x from MSI for my RMA. You should most def get another. I seen them for 350 and thats really cheap.


----------



## wermad

Get four


----------



## Pookie

Asus HD 7970 Matrix Platinum GPU in Crossfire - Top card hitting 90 degrees, have an option to sell and get to single, what should I do?

Hi guys, here's my spec

Asus M5A99FX Pro 2.0 Motherboard
AMD FX 8350 CPU
Antec Kuhler 920 CPU Cooler
16 GB Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz RAM
2 x Asus HD 7970 Matrix Platinum GPU
OCZ ZX 1000W PSU
2x OCZ 120GB Agility 3 SSD (OS and Games)
1x Maxtor 1TB HDD (Main File Storage)
3x Seagate 3TB HDD Media Storage)
Antec Lanboy Air Case
27 Asus VE276Q LCD Monitor

When I play BF3 or use furmark, my top card goes well into the 90's, lower will stay around 68, I've switched the cards around, so I know its not the actual card. It must be the setup, there isn't much space between the two cards, so I am guessing that's the reason. I do have side panel fans by the cards and have experimented them both as intake and exhaust, no difference. Ambient room temp it around 22degrees.





I spent around £540 getting them 6 months ago and have someone who wants to buy them both for £500, I have been up front and told him the issues I have had, but he is happy to buy them. I was looking at getting an ASUS 290X Direct II OC edition to replace them.

Do you guys think that I should, or should I investigate more into sorting out the heating issues.

Please advise, thanks


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Get four


I dont have the Power Supplies for 4, let alone the cooling system.

TBH Though, with heat being an issue half the year w/ my GPU's, (CPU is H100 Cooled).

I could Prolly get 2 Blocks, some tubing, a Pump, A res, and a Radiator and just use the loop for my GPUs


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pookie*
> 
> Asus HD 7970 Matrix Platinum GPU in Crossfire - Top card hitting 90 degrees, have an option to sell and get to single, what should I do?
> 
> Hi guys, here's my spec
> 
> Asus M5A99FX Pro 2.0 Motherboard
> AMD FX 8350 CPU
> Antec Kuhler 920 CPU Cooler
> 16 GB Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz RAM
> 2 x Asus HD 7970 Matrix Platinum GPU
> OCZ ZX 1000W PSU
> 2x OCZ 120GB Agility 3 SSD (OS and Games)
> 1x Maxtor 1TB HDD (Main File Storage)
> 3x Seagate 3TB HDD Media Storage)
> Antec Lanboy Air Case
> 27 Asus VE276Q LCD Monitor
> 
> When I play BF3 or use furmark, my top card goes well into the 90's, lower will stay around 68, I've switched the cards around, so I know its not the actual card. It must be the setup, there isn't much space between the two cards, so I am guessing that's the reason. I do have side panel fans by the cards and have experimented them both as intake and exhaust, no difference. Ambient room temp it around 22degrees.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I spent around £540 getting them 6 months ago and have someone who wants to buy them both for £500, I have been up front and told him the issues I have had, but he is happy to buy them. I was looking at getting an ASUS 290X Direct II OC edition to replace them.
> 
> Do you guys think that I should, or should I investigate more into sorting out the heating issues.
> 
> Please advise, thanks


Since the cards take up ~2.5-3 slots (the cooler), your top card is basically suffocating. Still, 90°C is still within operational range for a Tahiti. You can tackle the issue a few ways: add a fan near the top card to help feed air into it. Get a new mb w/ additional space between both (ie UD7, CHVF, etc.) or new cpu/mb platform (







). Last, you can wc the gpu. EK makes a water block for the Matrix 7970/280X. Its a bigger investment but temps will be dramatically low. My cards hover ~40°C when I'm gaming in Eyefinity.

Selling your cards for that asking is tempting though any replacement worth its salt can be had with the newer gen cards. Albeit, the Hawaiis do run hotter on the air cooler (don't get a reference turbine cooler one) and it will be a tad bit slower compared to your xfire setup.

You can also look into the green team. 780s are priced pretty decently these days and they run cool. Or opt in for a few more pounds to get the Ti model. Both can be found with non reference coolers, though even the Nvidia "Titan" cooler is still pretty good.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I dont have the Power Supplies for 4, let alone the cooling system.
> 
> TBH Though, with heat being an issue half the year w/ my GPU's, (CPU is H100 Cooled).
> 
> I could Prolly get 2 Blocks, some tubing, a Pump, A res, and a Radiator and just use the loop for my GPUs


That would be pushing your H100 pump which was not designed for a more complex setup. You can pull off one card but two may shorten the life expectancy of the Corsair CLS. You would need to go custom w/ water. If you shop carefully and used, you can probably piece a nice loop for not much more. Blocks will be hard to find since there's few Ltg. blocks out there.


----------



## Pookie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Since the cards take up ~2.5-3 slots (the cooler), your top card is basically suffocating. Still, 90°C is still within operational range for a Tahiti. You can tackle the issue a few ways: add a fan near the top card to help feed air into it. Get a new mb w/ additional space between both (ie UD7, CHVF, etc.) or new cpu/mb platform (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). Last, you can wc the gpu. EK makes a water block for the Matrix 7970/280X. Its a bigger investment but temps will be dramatically low. My cards hover ~40°C when I'm gaming in Eyefinity.
> 
> Selling your cards for that asking is tempting though any replacement worth its salt can be had with the newer gen cards. Albeit, the Hawaiis do run hotter on the air cooler (don't get a reference turbine cooler one) and it will be a tad bit slower compared to your xfire setup.
> 
> You can also look into the green team. 780s are priced pretty decently these days and they run cool. Or opt in for a few more pounds to get the Ti model. Both can be found with non reference coolers, though even the Nvidia "Titan" cooler is still pretty good.
> That would be pushing your H100 pump which was not designed for a more complex setup. You can pull off one card but two may shorten the life expectancy of the Corsair CLS. You would need to go custom w/ water. If you shop carefully and used, you can probably piece a nice loop for not much more. Blocks will be hard to find since there's few Ltg. blocks out there.


Thanks,

Think I'll sell the cards and get a new one.

Thanks for the advice


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pookie*
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Think I'll sell the cards and get a new one.
> 
> Thanks for the advice


Np









You can also go with two DC2 280X V1. These are dual slot coolers and have the revised (Hawaiian) video ouput:



Don't get the "V2.0" as that's essentially a DC2T 7970 w/ the same thick cooler as the Matrix 7970.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## X-Alt

Just take a DC2T (on the top, it has a semi-blower style fan setup) and CF it with one of the Matrix cards.. The other option would be to redmod the Matrix(s) with dual H70s since you do have the VRM cooling kit..


----------



## wermad

You can get Nzxt kraken kits. But honestly, with the money invested, get a custom loop.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> That would be pushing your H100 pump which was not designed for a more complex setup. You can pull off one card but two may shorten the life expectancy of the Corsair CLS. You would need to go custom w/ water. If you shop carefully and used, you can probably piece a nice loop for not much more. Blocks will be hard to find since there's few Ltg. blocks out there.


Umm I said I had a H100 on My CPU, and that I was going build a Custom Loop specifically for my GPUs, that way GPU Maintenance would be limited to removing the cards and blocks and not completely gutting the system after draining it.

I have a dummy 7900 Card (Blank PCB with nothing on it, just the Mounting holes), so if I ever needed to remove a card, I can do so without draining.

remove both cards carefully, remove bad card from block, mount Dummy Card to block, slide cards back into slots.

Regardless, with DX9 Phasing out, I suspect 2 Lightnings will run a Consumer Oculus Rift Pretty Well,


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Umm I said I had a H100 on My CPU, and that I was going build a Custom Loop specifically for my GPUs, that way GPU Maintenance would be limited to removing the cards and blocks and not completely gutting the system after draining it.
> 
> I have a dummy 7900 Card (Blank PCB with nothing on it, just the Mounting holes), so if I ever needed to remove a card, I can do so without draining.
> 
> remove both cards carefully, remove bad card from block, mount Dummy Card to block, slide cards back into slots.
> 
> Regardless, with DX9 Phasing out, I suspect 2 Lightnings will run a Consumer Oculus Rift Pretty Well,


H100 plus Custom loop would be a bit "well, why don't I expand it to include the CPU" within two seconds..


----------



## Pookie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Just take a DC2T (on the top, it has a semi-blower style fan setup) and CF it with one of the Matrix cards.. The other option would be to redmod the Matrix(s) with dual H70s since you do have the VRM cooling kit..


Thanks wermad,X-Alt and all the others who responded. Really helpful guys.

I though both cards had to be identical to crossfire









That gives me something to think about.

Been thinking about loosing those LED's, I know its sad, but they do look cool and the cards are really good, in my opinion.

I might sell my case and mobo and get a bigger case and different motherboard.

Any recommendations on what motherboard would give me enough of a gap between these two cards, bering in mind I want to stick with my 8350 and Asus, which one of the crosshair would be best? Also what cases do you guys favour?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pookie*
> 
> Thanks wermad,X-Alt and all the others who responded. Really helpful guys.
> 
> I though both cards had to be identical to crossfire
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That gives me something to think about.
> 
> Been thinking about loosing those LED's, I know its sad, but they do look cool and the cards are really good, in my opinion.
> 
> I might sell my case and mobo and get a bigger case and different motherboard.
> 
> Any recommendations on what motherboard would give me enough of a gap between these two cards, bering in mind I want to stick with my 8350 and Asus, which one of the crosshair would be best? Also what cases do you guys favour?


Even a cheap old Crosshair IV will run with the 8350 nicely, this CHVFZ is in working order and has everything you need.. If you really need to sell your graphics card(s), please don't use ebay.. Forcing off the shroud does not look all that bad, reminds me of the 4870 Dark Knight..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139024

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUSTeK-COMPUTER-Crosshair-V-Formula-Z-AM3-plus-AMD-Motherboard-/201062105738?pt=Motherboards&hash=item2ed03c428a


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pookie*
> 
> Asus HD 7970 Matrix Platinum GPU in Crossfire - Top card hitting 90 degrees, have an option to sell and get to single, what should I do?
> 
> Hi guys, here's my spec
> 
> Asus M5A99FX Pro 2.0 Motherboard
> AMD FX 8350 CPU
> Antec Kuhler 920 CPU Cooler
> 16 GB Corsair Vengeance 1600MHz RAM
> 2 x Asus HD 7970 Matrix Platinum GPU
> OCZ ZX 1000W PSU
> 2x OCZ 120GB Agility 3 SSD (OS and Games)
> 1x Maxtor 1TB HDD (Main File Storage)
> 3x Seagate 3TB HDD Media Storage)
> Antec Lanboy Air Case
> 27 Asus VE276Q LCD Monitor
> 
> When I play BF3 or use furmark, my top card goes well into the 90's, lower will stay around 68, I've switched the cards around, so I know its not the actual card. It must be the setup, there isn't much space between the two cards, so I am guessing that's the reason. I do have side panel fans by the cards and have experimented them both as intake and exhaust, no difference. Ambient room temp it around 22degrees.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I spent around £540 getting them 6 months ago and have someone who wants to buy them both for £500, I have been up front and told him the issues I have had, but he is happy to buy them. I was looking at getting an ASUS 290X Direct II OC edition to replace them.
> 
> Do you guys think that I should, or should I investigate more into sorting out the heating issues.
> 
> Please advise, thanks


damn that sag looks horrible...

but yea, you would be good with a 290X or two 290s, but not the ASUS ones, get one that's actually worth it like the Tri-X or PCS.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> damn that sag looks horrible...
> 
> but yea, you would be good with a 290X or two 290s, but not the ASUS ones, get one that's actually worth it like the Tri-X or PCS.


The sag is a camera illusion from what I see.. Personally, a single 290 is not always an upgrade, two 7970s tend to have better frame-rates and with microstutter drawing to a close, Crossfire is beginning to look like a practical option..


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The sag is a camera illusion from what I see.. Personally, a single 290 is not always an upgrade, two 7970s tend to have better frame-rates and with microstutter drawing to a close, Crossfire is beginning to look like a practical option..


I did say two 290s...


----------



## Pookie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> damn that sag looks horrible...
> 
> but yea, you would be good with a 290X or two 290s, but not the ASUS ones, get one that's actually worth it like the Tri-X or PCS.


Na, there wasn't any sag, thats the picture, the back plates on the cards stop sag from happening


----------



## Pookie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Even a cheap old Crosshair IV will run with the 8350 nicely, this CHVFZ is in working order and has everything you need.. If you really need to sell your graphics card(s), please don't use ebay.. Forcing off the shroud does not look all that bad, reminds me of the 4870 Dark Knight..
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139024
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUSTeK-COMPUTER-Crosshair-V-Formula-Z-AM3-plus-AMD-Motherboard-/201062105738?pt=Motherboards&hash=item2ed03c428a


Thanks for the info, I'm in the UK, so no newegg for me, but that gives me a good idea.

Why not sell on ebay mate?


----------



## boredmug

I crossfire 2x7950's in a corsair 800d. You're always gunna have problems with the top card on air because of it sucking up hot air from the bottom card. I did the red mod on both cards and have never been happier. 1200/[email protected] 1.250 and temps on both cards never exceed 50 celsius. Vrm's are in the upper 60's to mid 70's. Instead of the top card being 15 or 20 degrees hotter they are both within a degree or two of each other.


----------



## X-Alt

The 800D is notoriously terrible for air cooling.. Newegg will come to the UK in a couple of months.. Anyways, just don't sell cards there because it tends to be a mess, they will brick the card and demand money 99% of the time...


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The 800D is notoriously terrible for air cooling.. Newegg will come to the UK in a couple of months.. Anyways, just don't sell cards there because it tends to be a mess, they will brick the card and demand money 99% of the time...


Yea.. I switched to corsair 800d from antec 1200 when I built a custom loop for my cpu. Gpu's got the red mod because I already had both of the AIO'S. But yes. 800d is horrible for air. Pretty decent for water though.


----------



## Pookie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The 800D is notoriously terrible for air cooling.. Newegg will come to the UK in a couple of months.. Anyways, just don't sell cards there because it tends to be a mess, they will brick the card and demand money 99% of the time...


Thats good news on newegg, ebuyer and scan over here are pretty good.

Ya, you run that risk, but I have sold bits on ebay before and even when a buyer has tried to be a scamming ****, paypal has backed me up. I do try to avoid ebay over the fee's so I use gumtree.

Think I'm going to keep my 7970's after all.

The Crosshair V Formula-Z AM3+ you gave me the link to earlier, will that not just have the same issue with the PCI slots not being far enough apart to leave descent air space as my current cards? Or are all those PCI slots x16? so you can put the cards in the top and bottom ones and leave the middle empty and just get a longer crossfire bridge?

My M5A99FX PRO R2.0 has four slots, I am currently using the two blue as it states there the x16 and thats what i should use for crossfire, if I use the top Blue x16, and the bottom black x4, would it drastically effect the performance, please excuse my ignorance!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pookie*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The 800D is notoriously terrible for air cooling.. Newegg will come to the UK in a couple of months.. Anyways, just don't sell cards there because it tends to be a mess, they will brick the card and demand money 99% of the time...
> 
> 
> 
> Thats good news on newegg, ebuyer and scan over here are pretty good.
> 
> Ya, you run that risk, but I have sold bits on ebay before and even when a buyer has tried to be a scamming ****, paypal has backed me up. I do try to avoid ebay over the fee's so I use gumtree.
> 
> Think I'm going to keep my 7970's after all.
> 
> The Crosshair V Formula-Z AM3+ you gave me the link to earlier, will that not just have the same issue with the PCI slots not being far enough apart to leave descent air space as my current cards? Or are all those PCI slots x16? so you can put the cards in the top and bottom ones and leave the middle empty and just get a longer crossfire bridge?
> 
> My M5A99FX PRO R2.0 has four slots, I am currently using the two blue as it states there the x16 and thats what i should use for crossfire, if I use the top Blue x16, and the bottom black x4, would it drastically effect the performance, please excuse my ignorance!
Click to expand...

There will be some performance degradation, but it will be minimal. The 7000 series did not max bandwidth on the PCIE lanes. I am not sure if the same holds true for the 200X series, since they use the lanes for xfire instead of a bridge. I am trying to find the benchmarks to show, but I cant remember where I saw them . Found it http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Intel/Ivy_Bridge_PCI-Express_Scaling/


----------



## boredmug

Would be cheaper to just keep the motherboard you have, buy a seidon aio cooler, go to Home Depot and get some 3mmx25mm screws and nuts and slap it on the top card.. Your top card will be cooler than your bottom card and definitely cooler than it would be under air and a new mobo with more space inbetween. I tried the x16+ x4 on my 7950 crossfire setup for the same reason as you and I did notice the difference in performance


----------



## Jflisk

I think I am disappointed in the R9 290X. I still have to get it waterblocked but its no 7990. I tried it last night and it does not put out the fps that I was expecting. Guess I will have to wait for the RMA trade on my 7990 to R9 290x to try 2 of them in xfire. If any one is interested in a 7990 waterblocked let me know I am thinking 725.00 With shipping.


----------



## boredmug

What kinda framerate drop are you seeing? I have 7950's in crossfire and was thinking about going with a 290x until I can afford a second one. I run eyefinity setup


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I think I am disappointed in the R9 290X. I still have to get it waterblocked but its no 7990. I tried it last night and it does not put out the fps that I was expecting. Guess I will have to wait for the RMA trade on my 7990 to R9 290x to try 2 of them in xfire. If any one is interested in a 7990 waterblocked let me know I am thinking 725.00 With shipping.


i think you have to oc the 290X 1200 core to match a stock 7990.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i think you have to oc the 290X 1200 core to match a stock 7990.


Do you know if that is possible under air. Thanks


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> What kinda framerate drop are you seeing? I have 7950's in crossfire and was thinking about going with a 290x until I can afford a second one. I run eyefinity setup


I think most people would be okay with 50-60 FPS in BF4. But I am use to close to 90 FPS with 1 7990 .I think in your case you would benefit from the R9 290x.Remember the 7990 = 2x7970


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Do you know if that is possible under air. Thanks


yes, so long as the cooler can keep the temp low. low enough to keep it from throttling. if it is a reference cooler, then that would be a challenge. then there is also silicon lottery.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> yes, so long as the cooler can keep the temp low. low enough to keep it from throttling. if it is a reference cooler, then that would be a challenge. then there is also silicon lottery.


I have the xfx double d and going to get the waterblocks for them would imagine I can run at 1200 under water. I know I will be under 50C with the rads and pump I have. The loop kept 2 7990 under load under 55C.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Umm I said I had a H100 on My CPU, and that I was going build a Custom Loop specifically for my GPUs, that way GPU Maintenance would be limited to removing the cards and blocks and not completely gutting the system after draining it.
> 
> I have a dummy 7900 Card (Blank PCB with nothing on it, just the Mounting holes), so if I ever needed to remove a card, I can do so without draining.
> 
> remove both cards carefully, remove bad card from block, mount Dummy Card to block, slide cards back into slots.
> 
> Regardless, with DX9 Phasing out, I suspect 2 Lightnings will run a Consumer Oculus Rift Pretty Well,


Might as well include the CPU in the loop. Still flexible and maintenance is really needed 6-12 months if you do things proper.
I have seen many folks go down this path or end up modding the CLS and eventually go full loop. Get some money back by selling that h100 CLS.

There's plenty of custom starter kits (ie Xspc, ek, swiftech, etc.) that are just pieced custom loops.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Pookie*
> 
> Thanks wermad,X-Alt and all the others who responded. Really helpful guys.
> 
> I though both cards had to be identical to crossfire
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That gives me something to think about.
> 
> Been thinking about loosing those LED's, I know its sad, but they do look cool and the cards are really good, in my opinion.
> 
> I might sell my case and mobo and get a bigger case and different motherboard.
> 
> Any recommendations on what motherboard would give me enough of a gap between these two cards, bering in mind I want to stick with my 8350 and Asus, which one of the crosshair would be best? Also what cases do you guys favour?


crosshair v form, 990-ud7, etc.

I think you're better off getting a new platform. IB is still very solid and used z68/z77 boards are plentiful. Or step up to haswell but boards are still pretty pricey.

IB boards : sniper z77 (fantastic audio), maximus v extreme (best all arounder), up7 (probably the best oc'ing board), extreme 11 z77, etc.

These boards can do up to 4-way sli/xfire, so the have a lot of space for those two Matrices (







).

Don't worry about the IB (or Haswell) heat issues. Deliding is very simple and will get those temps down.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I think I am disappointed in the R9 290X. I still have to get it waterblocked but its no 7990. I tried it last night and it does not put out the fps that I was expecting. Guess I will have to wait for the RMA trade on my 7990 to R9 290x to try 2 of them in xfire. If any one is interested in a 7990 waterblocked let me know I am thinking 725.00 With shipping.


what screen res you using? 290X shows its colours more in 1440p or 4K due to its memory, 1080p or less and it tends to cap out and be more CPU-bound, depending on the game.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Do you know if that is possible under air. Thanks


quite possible, its mostly a temperature thing, of which the reference blower generally isn't powerful enough but larger ones like the PCS, Tri-X and lightning are capable of keeping it cool enough to be stable (mostly VRM and memory that has heat issues, core is fairly OK with overclocking on high temps).


----------



## X-Alt

IB and Vish are both different approaches to the problem. He chose the 8350 for some reason, prob because of his love for AMD or need of really good multi thread perf, most new Vish owners go for the 8320.. Anyways, you can mod the Kulher (Asetek 570, we meet again...) to work on your top Matrix and replace it with a H220 on top. This allows you to convert to a full loop when you get your hands on new cards along the road.. Otherwise, move the second card all the way down, replace with CHVFZ (has plenty of room, can even quadfire on water) and win..


----------



## SkateZilla

290X shows it's power when its properly cooled and not throttling too, l


----------



## wermad

Tbh, I think pookies best approach is to wc his rig. EK supplies a two-slot bracket to convert the three slot-bracket. This will save you another slot on top of the slot the block gives back as well. Throw in the cpu, and now you've got a really cool system. My Ltg. barely go over 42-43°C. Bioshock Infinite did push the graphics load (though the game is a bit skittish sometimes) temps stayed under 45°C with all my fans in low voltage.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Got a 2nd gpu so ill be running a 7970 and 7950.


----------



## Mega Man

your rig is screaming at you "WATER COOL ME "


----------



## wermad

Hey, if you're running a flight simulator, its free sound effects!







Extra heat added at no additional cost


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Got a 2nd gpu so ill be running a 7970 and 7950.


Used to run mine like that. Two reference style coolers. Top card was a little warm even at idle. Gaming definitely got them cooking and I never realized they were throttling my overclock till I started playing with afterburner. I'm using the red mod on both now and it works great. One thing I noticed is that even at +20 power setting my cards were drawing too much power and throttled. Modified the bios to allow for +50 and I never throttle now.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Got a 2nd gpu so ill be running a 7970 and 7950.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Used to run mine like that. Two reference style coolers. Top card was a little warm even at idle. Gaming definitely got them cooking and I never realized they were throttling my overclock till I started playing with afterburner. I'm using the red mod on both now and it works great. One thing I noticed is that even at +20 power setting my cards were drawing too much power and throttled. Modified the bios to allow for +50 and I never throttle now.
Click to expand...

why mod them at all! full ref = full block !


----------



## boredmug

Eh.. I already had the coolers and full blocks would require me to buy another rad and the two blocks. I've had these cards for a couple years and I don't really wanna invest all that money to cool them when I already want something new. I've got my eye on a 290x with full cover block over clocked to hell until I can add another. ;-)


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Eh.. I already had the coolers and full blocks would require me to buy another rad and the two blocks. I've had these cards for a couple years and I don't really wanna invest all that money to cool them when I already want something new. I've got my eye on a 290x with full cover block over clocked to hell until I can add another. ;-)


There are also the universal GPU blocks. The VRM's can be cooled with small additonal heatsinks and some airflow unless you are doing some pretty extreme OC'ing.




Even with modest rad space the GPU's just *love* the water. It's usually pretty much straight ~20 C drop in both load and idle max temp not to mention that in my opinion the main point of watercooling the GPU is to get the noise levels in acceptable envelope. Granted it is additional hassle, with some companies it voids the warranty and so on.


----------



## Jflisk

Okay working on a pole here. 2x7990 or 2xR9 290X. I already own and use the 7990 and I already own a R9 290x Block is coming tomorrow and I am receiving another. What ever way this goes there going under water.So heat not an issue. What way would you go and why. Some people say the 7990 are better. Others say the R9 290x is better.The question is coming from a RMA with XFX. I have a 7990 in my system running. XFX only has R 9 290X for replacement and when they find another 7990 I can have that as replacement or stick with the R9 290x. Any thoughts.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> There are also the universal GPU blocks. The VRM's can be cooled with small additonal heatsinks and some airflow unless you are doing some pretty extreme OC'ing.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Even with modest rad space the GPU's just *love* the water. It's usually pretty much straight ~20 C drop in both load and idle max temp not to mention that in my opinion the main point of watercooling the GPU is to get the noise levels in acceptable envelope. Granted it is additional hassle, with some companies it voids the warranty and so on.


Always put the heatsinks on the vram. The universal GPU blocks do work I had two non reference 7970 6gb cards. The only reason I would use the universals is if you cannot find a full coverage water block for your card.

Use the EK configurator found here.

http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Always put the heatsinks on the vram. The universal GPU blocks do work I had two non reference 7970 6gb cards. The only reason I would use the universals is if you cannot find a full coverage water block for your card.
> 
> Use the EK configurator found here.
> 
> http://www.coolingconfigurator.com/


Another reason to use universal is the cost. Not only is the core block usually a bit cheaper (and cools the core equally well) you also do not have to throw it away when you upgrade but can usually just use the same block on your next card. But yeah as pointed out VRM's need separate cooling.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> Another reason to use universal is the cost. Not only is the core block usually a bit cheaper (and cools the core equally well) you also do not have to throw it away when you upgrade but can usually just use the same block on your next card. But yeah as pointed out VRM's need separate cooling.


Not always if you consider the price of the little heat sinks and the artic thermal glue/paste it about equals out to a full coverage. When I did mine I had no options.But it works either way.


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Not always if you consider the price of the little heat sinks and the artic thermal glue/paste it about equals out to a full coverage. When I did mine I had no options.But it works either way.


You would have to get awfully expensive VRM heatsinks then as usually the core block is around ~50 plus another ~10 for VRM's/Paste while full cover blocks tend to start from 100 or slightly upwards and are just for that specific card.

I did not have any decision to make in this regard either, though, none of my cards have a full cover block as they are all non-reference. As I do not swithc my cards all that often I might have gone full cover if given option, do not know. Full cover tends to look better often


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> You would have to get awfully expensive VRM heatsinks then as usually the core block is around ~50 plus another ~10 for VRM's/Paste while full cover blocks tend to start from 100 or slightly upwards and are just for that specific card.
> 
> I did not have any decision to make in this regard either, though, none of my cards have a full cover block as they are all non-reference. As I do not swithc my cards all that often I might have gone full cover if given option, do not know. Full cover tends to look better often


If you want build log below post # 10 about half way down. I think I paid 14.00 per 8 there was 24 total on my 2 cards. But it gives good instructions on how to install the universal blocks and the glue to use.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1427024/build-log-what-the-frac-tical-design-black-pearl-r1


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> If you want build log below post # 10 about half way down. I think I paid 14.00 per 8 there was 24 total on my 2 cards. But it gives good instructions on how to install the universal blocks and the glue to use.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1427024/build-log-what-the-frac-tical-design-black-pearl-r1


Nice build log








And yeah you seem to have rather large VRM heatsinks. Mine are considerably cheaper. About 5.50 for 10 I believe for the copper ones and the aluminium ones were like 2$ for 8 with free shipping from china. I use thermal tape on mine as glue is a bit too permanent in case I would need to put any of the cards through warranty. Officially many companies void the warranty the second the stock cooler comes off (like Sapphire, for example) but usually there is no problem as long as you put the stock cooler back on and there is no visible signs of tampering on card.


----------



## richie_2010

Anyone notice something odd with the last card or is it me


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Anyone notice something odd with the last card or is it me


Nope its not you theres a SB block on the GPU.


----------



## richie_2010

Why is the pci bracket the wrong way its underneath the card no above


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Why is the pci bracket the wrong way its underneath the card no above


It's a perspective trick. For "normal" picture you would just have to flip the picture by 180 degrees. It is perfectly normal card - just has a ~15 EUR south-bridge block on it instead of a "normal" GPU core block. It was what I had in hand at time and for such a small card like 6770 it works fine. Around ~ 35 C idle and around 55 C under load.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> It's a perspective trick. For "normal" picture you would just have to flip the picture by 180 degrees. It is perfectly normal card - just has a ~15 EUR south-bridge block on it instead of a "normal" GPU core block. It was what I had in hand at time and for such a small card like 6770 it works fine. Around ~ 35 C idle and around 55 C under load.


Hey If it works it works.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay working on a pole here. 2x7990 or 2xR9 290X. I already own and use the 7990 and I already own a R9 290x Block is coming tomorrow and I am receiving another. What ever way this goes there going under water.So heat not an issue. What way would you go and why. Some people say the 7990 are better. Others say the R9 290x is better.The question is coming from a RMA with XFX. I have a 7990 in my system running. XFX only has R 9 290X for replacement and when they find another 7990 I can have that as replacement or stick with the R9 290x. Any thoughts.


2* 290X >= 2*7990 (4* capped 7970)

general multi-GPU scaling, the less GPUs the better.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay working on a pole here. 2x7990 or 2xR9 290X. I already own and use the 7990 and I already own a R9 290x Block is coming tomorrow and I am receiving another. What ever way this goes there going under water.So heat not an issue. What way would you go and why. Some people say the 7990 are better. Others say the R9 290x is better.The question is coming from a RMA with XFX. I have a 7990 in my system running. XFX only has R 9 290X for replacement and when they find another 7990 I can have that as replacement or stick with the R9 290x. Any thoughts.
> 
> 
> 
> 2* 290X >= 2*7990 (4* capped 7970)
> 
> general multi-GPU scaling, the less GPUs the better.
Click to expand...

Hi Paul,

The scaling depends on the res you are running as well. you might be surprised at the scaling to be had at higher resolutions. I am speaking of games too, while most benchmarks are designed to give credit for all the GPU you have aboard, at a higher res like 5760 I get scaling to all four 290X's.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> Hi Paul,
> The scaling depends on the res you are running as well. you might be surprised at the scaling to be had at higher resolutions. I am speaking of games too, while most benchmarks are designed to give credit for all the GPU you have aboard, at a higher res like 5760 I get scaling to all four 290X's.


oh, yea when you deal with eyefinity or otherwise VERY large resolutions, you can get all 4 GPUs pretty close to their potential, but otherwise they don't get used 100% due to being limited by various aspects such as buffer updates, timing and otherwise having to wait for the CPU to instruct them to render more.

I think on ~4K, 2* 290X performs a little better then 4*7970, or at least more efficiently, higher then that though the 4*7970 would probably come out better provided they have good PCIe links, though I dont have any first-hand experience in this and haven't seen any direct comparisons, so mostly theoretical comparison.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> oh, yea when you deal with eyefinity or otherwise VERY large resolutions, you can get all 4 GPUs pretty close to their potential, but otherwise they don't get used 100% due to being limited by various aspects such as buffer updates, timing and otherwise having to wait for the CPU to instruct them to render more.
> 
> I think on ~4K, 2* 290X performs a little better then 4*7970, or at least more efficiently, higher then that though the 4*7970 would probably come out better provided they have good PCIe links, though I dont have any first-hand experience in this and haven't seen any direct comparisons, so mostly theoretical comparison.


My resolution is 3d double render 1920x 1080 so basically 3840 x 2160 .


----------



## Hellfury

Need a new case that fit my non reference 7990, thinking of either a Coolermaster HAF XM, Antec P180, Antec 1100, or Fractal Design Arc XL. Suggestions anyone

EDIT - In roughly that price bracket. Nothing obscene like a cosmos 2 or caselabs or anything.


----------



## boredmug

I had an antec 1200 when I was on air. Pretty good air case.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Need a new case that fit my non reference 7990, thinking of either a Coolermaster HAF XM, Antec P180, Antec 1100, or Fractal Design Arc XL. Suggestions anyone
> 
> EDIT - In roughly that price bracket. Nothing obscene like a cosmos 2 or caselabs or anything.


fixed for you and you have my answer !


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hellfury*
> 
> Need a new case that fit my non reference 7990, thinking of either a Coolermaster HAF XM, Antec P180, Antec 1100, or Fractal Design Arc XL. Suggestions anyone
> 
> EDIT - In roughly that price bracket. Nothing obscene like a cosmos 2 or caselabs or anything.


600T in white - $170. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139005 Gray is same price. Black is $20 cheaper.

The 760T comes out in about 1-2 weeks. Black again is cheaper - $180 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139034


----------



## Kittencake

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> 600T in white - $170. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139005 Gray is same price. Black is $20 cheaper.
> 
> The 760T comes out in about 1-2 weeks. Black again is cheaper - $180 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139034


Ooooh I like that , might be a good idea to replace my case , my thermaltake case is becoming a bit of an annoyance


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> Ooooh I like that , might be a good idea to replace my case , my thermaltake case is becoming a bit of an annoyance


The 600T has a pretty strong community. Check their thread here for ideas if you want to see what some users are able to get out of their case. http://www.overclock.net/t/831636/official-corsair-graphite-club-760t-730t-600t-230t/0_50


----------



## Jflisk

Finally pulled my water cooled 7990 if anyone is interested PM me. 725.00 paypal don't feel like going down the flea bay road. Thanks


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Finally pulled my water cooled 7990 if anyone is interested PM me. 725.00 paypal don't feel like going down the flea bay road. Thanks


Sad to see that beast go. So you settling on 290X? or 2950X2?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Sad to see that beast go. So you settling on 290X? or 2950X2?


R9 290x x 2 under water of course.









I have the one in now and the other one should be back to me from RMA next week some time.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> R9 290x x 2 under water of course.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have the one in now and the other one should be back to me from RMA next week some time.


Cool









Question did you (or any one else) have issues w/ readouts for the other cards in utilities like gpu-z and ccc? I can see the primary card's temps but the other three don't show up in ccc. And in gpu-z they flash on briefly for a couple of seconds and then disappear. I noticed this when firefox started throttling my gpu's. Once I turned off hardware acceleration, I checked temps and load and this was all I could get.


----------



## Kittencake

question how are the new mantel drivers for the 7950 ? and are the latest stable for it?


----------



## danycyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> question how are the new mantel drivers for the 7950 ? and are the latest stable for it?


I have them for my vapor-x 7950 and I am waiting for newer drivers to be released. I have had bad luck with these 14.3 beta drivers. I am unable to overclock anywhere near what I was able to do with previous drivers like 13.8 on TriXX. They work well if your keeping your clocks low or at stock. I even see a negative results in my benchmarks. I use to run a 24/7 overclock profile for gaming which was clocked higher then where I have to have it clocked now. Mantle looks great though







I hear 14.4 Catalyst in April will be optimized for the 7000 series.

1230/1500 on 13.8 drivers (done on my old i7 870) Graphics Score:11553


1230/1500 on 14.3 drivers Graphics Score:11138
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8181611


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Question did you (or any one else) have issues w/ readouts for the other cards in utilities like gpu-z and ccc? I can see the primary card's temps but the other three don't show up in ccc. And in gpu-z they flash on briefly for a couple of seconds and then disappear. I noticed this when firefox started throttling my gpu's. Once I turned off hardware acceleration, I checked temps and load and this was all I could get.


I have problems in Vally benchmark with no temp read or reading 16555554(Think if this temp was real my house would melt) and my external display is having problems reading the temps from my R9 290X. Speed fan and hwinfo works for all reads of temps.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Question did you (or any one else) have issues w/ readouts for the other cards in utilities like gpu-z and ccc? I can see the primary card's temps but the other three don't show up in ccc. And in gpu-z they flash on briefly for a couple of seconds and then disappear. I noticed this when firefox started throttling my gpu's. Once I turned off hardware acceleration, I checked temps and load and this was all I could get.


I had problems getting readings on my second card until I disabled ulps. The second card would pretty much turn off when not in use and you get no readings. Disable ultra low power state in the registry and you should be able to access all that.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I had problems getting readings on my second card until I disabled ulps. The second card would pretty much turn off when not in use and you get no readings. Disable ultra low power state in the registry and you should be able to access all that.


this ^.

My issue is, I disabled ULPS in the registry, and after a driver update, Registry still shows ULPS Disabled, yet my 2nd card was off, and causing problems, so I just removed it ahead of oncoming summer weather anyway.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Would be cheaper to just keep the motherboard you have, buy a seidon aio cooler, go to Home Depot and get some 3mmx25mm screws and nuts and slap it on the top card.. Your top card will be cooler than your bottom card and definitely cooler than it would be under air and a new mobo with more space inbetween. *I tried the x16+ x4 on my 7950 crossfire* setup for the same reason as you and I did notice the difference in performance


What are your framerates looking like ? I'm really curious


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I had problems getting readings on my second card until I disabled ulps. The second card would pretty much turn off when not in use and you get no readings. Disable ultra low power state in the registry and you should be able to access all that.


Thank you sir









I have ULPS disabled via Trixx so I'll uncheck it to see if it helps. No change in performance so even if I have to leave ULPS disabled, I don't mind


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> What are your framerates looking like ? I'm really curious


Depends on the game. Haven't been playing much lately.. I mostly play black ops 2 which isn't that demanding. I game with a three monitor setup at 5760x1080 and depending on the clocks of my cards I average between 130-170 fps in bop2. At 1920x1080 it just pegs the 200 fps cap in that game.

3dmark 11 scores are in the 16800 range if that helps give you an idea of performance. That's with the beta drivers which I honestly feel like they hurt my cf performance a bit but I've been to lazy to switch back after setting up all my monitor presets in ccc.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Depends on the game. Haven't been playing much lately.. I mostly play black ops 2 which isn't that demanding. I game with a three monitor setup at 5760x1080 and depending on the clocks of my cards I average between 130-170 fps in bop2. At 1920x1080 it just pegs the 200 fps cap in that game.
> 
> 3dmark 11 scores are in the 16800 range if that helps give you an idea of performance. That's with the beta drivers which I honestly feel like they hurt my cf performance a bit but I've been to lazy to switch back after setting up all my monitor presets in ccc.


I'm getting 8112 graphics score in the same benchmark, what is your setup, also do you play Crysis 3 and BF3? If so whats the performance like on those especially wrt scaling from one GPU to two

Thanx


----------



## boredmug

I7 2600k normally at 4.5ghz, 4.7 for benchmarks. 16 gig of 1600 ram, two reference 7950's, everything under water.

I have bf3 but rarely play it. Haven't reinstalled it since the last time I reformatted my ssd. When I played it I maxed out everything at 5760x1080 and the fps was fine. Don't have in numbers. Just remember it being smooth.

I game at 1150/1600, benchmark at 1285/1800. Takes 1.3 volts to hit that clock and I don't feel comfortable gaming at that voltage. Occasionally I'll game at 1200 or so as it takes a good bit less voltage to hit 1200 than 1285.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I7 2600k normally at 4.5ghz, 4.7 for benchmarks. 16 gig of 1600 ram, two reference 7950's, everything under water.
> 
> I have bf3 but rarely play it. Haven't reinstalled it since the last time I reformatted my ssd. When I played it I maxed out everything at 5760x1080 and the fps was fine. Don't have in numbers. Just remember it being smooth.
> 
> I game at 1150/1600, benchmark at 1285/1800. Takes 1.3 volts to hit that clock and I don't feel comfortable gaming at that voltage. Occasionally I'll game at 1200 or so as it takes a good bit less voltage to hit 1200 than 1285.


Cool +rep


----------



## Jflisk

Well my Power Color 7990 is on fleabay at

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181372364325

I hate to see it go.


----------



## inedenimadam

Switched the placement of my 7970s and got several hundred points higher in 3dmark11

I am pleased


----------



## eclipsextreme

Good deal. Can't wait to test my setup


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LifeDisturbens*
> 
> ABNORMAL heat on the GPU when i play Dead Space 1.. I mean, comon. The game is from 2007, why is my GPU giving so much heat? The PC sounds like a jetplane and still.. The GPU doesn't get much colder than this..


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> Older games also do this to me compared to new titles. Just better optimized for the later technology I believe.


Resurrecting an old post as I have fallen into this hole too. Only in my case there are two 7970s in crossfire, although xfire doesn't seem to be working properly, a Vishera running at 4.8GHz, and both cards are showing 100% utilization trying to play this old title. I say Xfire isn't working properly because the voltage on the second GPU card is not raised to 1.2V like the primary as reported by MSIA.
Tried adjusting the CAP in Catalyst, but didn't seem to make any difference. An example was to force xfire off completely.
Running the latest beta drivers too.

This is just too embarrassing to contemplate.







While the game plays fine, the idea these cards have to labor so hard makes no sense to me.

Any suggestions? I'm looking for tweaks to the setup, not turning down options in the game. FWIW, the in game conditions have all options at max, and Vsync turned OFF at 1080p res.


----------



## boredmug

They are both utilized fully because you have V-sync off.. That's how i play ALL my games although i game at 5760x1080 on two 7950's. If you are getting 100 percent utilization on both cards crossfire is definately working.


----------



## gr8sho

Okay, something else to try. But, I can't explain why the voltage for the second card isn't set correctly, and its temps are nothing like the prime card. Anyhoo, it would be good to solve this problem.


----------



## boredmug

Well are the temps on the second card lower than the main card? They usually are on air. Nature of the beast. Also lower voltages for the same clock are better. .


----------



## gr8sho

I'll post a screen shot so you can see later. Inexplicable to me.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I'll post a screen shot so you can see later. Inexplicable to me.


I dont know about that specific game, but I have played older titles that I had to force vsync via Radeon Pro, as there was no on game option. Also windowed mode would force a sync if that is an in game option.


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Resurrecting an old post as I have fallen into this hole too. Only in my case there are two 7970s in crossfire, although xfire doesn't seem to be working properly, a Vishera running at 4.8GHz, and both cards are showing 100% utilization trying to play this old title. I say Xfire isn't working properly because the voltage on the second GPU card is not raised to 1.2V like the primary as reported by MSIA.
> Tried adjusting the CAP in Catalyst, but didn't seem to make any difference. An example was to force xfire off completely.
> Running the latest beta drivers too.
> 
> This is just too embarrassing to contemplate.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> While the game plays fine, the idea these cards have to labor so hard makes no sense to me.
> 
> Any suggestions? I'm looking for tweaks to the setup, not turning down options in the game. FWIW, the in game conditions have all options at max, and Vsync turned OFF at 1080p res.


send them back, my 7970's were not crossfiring at all. i RMA'd them and they sent my Powercolor R9 280x Turbo Duo's, they kick my 7970's in the teeth. they work fine from getgo. they just run hot. but have better fans and a backplate. turn up fans to 80% and they kick ass....


----------



## heroxoot

After 2 MONTHS, MSI got me a 7970 lightning boost edition. Very glad I went through this BS now. They fed me the BS they couldnt fix the fans on my 7970 lightning but they fixed that 280x I sent back in. I told the guy I'd rather a 7970 lightning as a proper replacement, and he called me back saying they found a lightning BE. He even said he was having them send it to him to make sure its properly functioning, just to be safe.

So tell me 7970 friends, does the BE have better binning?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> After 2 MONTHS, MSI got me a 7970 lightning boost edition. Very glad I went through this BS now. They fed me the BS they couldnt fix the fans on my 7970 lightning but they fixed that 280x I sent back in. I told the guy I'd rather a 7970 lightning as a proper replacement, and he called me back saying they found a lightning BE. He even said he was having them send it to him to make sure its properly functioning, just to be safe.
> 
> So tell me 7970 friends, does the BE have better binning?


Generally Speaking the Lightning Came in 3 Flavors
(pretty sure there was actually 4 or 5 if you count minor model number revisions)

All 3 Retain the same I/O Layout,
the Same Cooler,
the Same Backplate,
the Overclocking Reactor
the Sensor/Voltage Reading Points.

MSI R7970 Lighting:
1070 MHz GPU, 5600 MHz MEM
The Original,

MSI R7970 Power Edition
925 MHz GPU, 5500 MHz MEM
Not Labeled as "Lightning", but has Lightning Printed on PCB and Backplate,

MSI R7970 Lightning BE (Boost Edition)
The Latest Version, uses the "AMD Boost Feature" of the GPU
1070 MHz GPU, 6000 MHz Memory
GPU Automatically Boosts to 1150 MHz if Power and Thermals Allow during gaming.

So the BE is the latest version, and utilizes the updated "BOOST" feature of the newer 7970 Cards to allow it to automatically overclock 80 MHz, also has faster out of the box memory clocks.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> After 2 MONTHS, MSI got me a 7970 lightning boost edition. Very glad I went through this BS now. They fed me the BS they couldnt fix the fans on my 7970 lightning but they fixed that 280x I sent back in. I told the guy I'd rather a 7970 lightning as a proper replacement, and he called me back saying they found a lightning BE. He even said he was having them send it to him to make sure its properly functioning, just to be safe.
> 
> So tell me 7970 friends, does the BE have better binning?
> 
> 
> 
> Generally Speaking the Lightning Came in 3 Flavors
> (pretty sure there was actually 4 or 5 if you count minor model number revisions)
> 
> All 3 Retain the same I/O Layout,
> the Same Cooler,
> the Same Backplate,
> the Overclocking Reactor
> the Sensor/Voltage Reading Points.
> 
> MSI R7970 Lighting:
> 1070 MHz GPU, 5600 MHz MEM
> The Original,
> 
> MSI R7970 Power Edition
> 925 MHz GPU, 5500 MHz MEM
> Not Labeled as "Lightning", but has Lightning Printed on PCB and Backplate,
> 
> MSI R7970 Lightning BE (Boost Edition)
> The Latest Version, uses the "AMD Boost Feature" of the GPU
> 1070 MHz GPU, 6000 MHz Memory
> GPU Automatically Boosts to 1150 MHz if Power and Thermals Allow during gaming.
> 
> So the BE is the latest version, and utilizes the updated "BOOST" feature of the newer 7970 Cards to allow it to automatically overclock 80 MHz, also has faster out of the box memory clocks.
Click to expand...

I will have owned all 3 once my BE gets here.

First I had the PE, it was bad and when anything caused it to clock up the card crashed.

Second was the lightning. Used it almost 2 years and the fans recently died.

Now, a Boost edition as a replacement. It took forever and a bad 280x but they gave me what I deserved.

The fact the GPU can boost 1150 during gaming, means I can just clock it there no swear, assuming I can get the 1225 I had on my old lightning too. I'm guessing if thermals allows it means it has a set heat threshold. Hopefully it doesn't artifact at 75c regardless of clocks like my old lightning. Even on stock that thing would do it, but never any temp lower.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I dont know about that specific game, but I have played older titles that I had to force vsync via Radeon Pro, as there was no on game option. Also windowed mode would force a sync if that is an in game option.


I found a post late last night suggesting the same thing. It is odd AMD provides both CatalystCC and Raptr, and neither can affect these basic settings.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> send them back, my 7970's were not crossfiring at all. i RMA'd them and they sent my Powercolor R9 280x Turbo Duo's, they kick my 7970's in the teeth. they work fine from getgo. they just run hot. but have better fans and a backplate. turn up fans to 80% and they kick ass....


The hardware is fine. I've played many crossfire enabled games on these cards.

As I understand it, older titles like this used Vsync to control the game's video processing. For whatever reason, Vsync on the original Dead Space title used 30 FPS, which causes other problems to system responsiveness. To disable Vsync causes unconstrained GPU usage which is unnecessary.

Rivatuner Stastics Server seems to provide a framerate cap and this does work to control usage of the resources. There was one other recommended setting that may force me to install RadeonPro, if for no other reason than to see if it clears up a "tearing" problem I'm seeing.


----------



## heroxoot

Yea a lot of older games with poor single card optimization will most likely preform worse on crossfire. I think I had a friend who had to disable 1 card to make GTA4 run properly because it ran worse with crossfire than single card. So if the game is old enough that 1 card is plenty, I say disable one.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yea a lot of older games with poor single card optimization will most likely preform worse on crossfire. I think I had a friend who had to disable 1 card to make GTA4 run properly because it ran worse with crossfire than single card. So if the game is old enough that 1 card is plenty, I say disable one.


DCS is the same way.


----------



## gr8sho

I tried to run RadeonPro tool. It's fairly powerful in what it can control, and there's actually a write-up in steamcommunity about how to do it., but the game crashes when trying to start, presumably because the API detection is causing a problem.

But in the end, the comments just above are spot on. It's pretty darn funny to see FPS counter register 600 or 800 frames per second.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> After 2 MONTHS, MSI got me a 7970 lightning boost edition. Very glad I went through this BS now. They fed me the BS they couldnt fix the fans on my 7970 lightning but they fixed that 280x I sent back in. I told the guy I'd rather a 7970 lightning as a proper replacement, and he called me back saying they found a lightning BE. He even said he was having them send it to him to make sure its properly functioning, just to be safe.
> 
> So tell me 7970 friends, does the BE have better binning?


The original owner of my cards had four PE flashed to Lightning bios. He had to rma one of them and got a BE instead that clocked at 1100 stock. I had to rma that BE since the displayports were not working and got a new BE (~October 2013) that clocks @ 1150mhz







.

I haven't oc'd the cards at all but based on the previous owner's experience, the PE were decent and the BE he got was a good clocker. So it may seem so that these are binned a bit for the extra performance out of the box (PE < Lighting < BE).


----------



## heroxoot

Thats good to hear. Hopefully they get this shipped out today so I can play BF4 on ultra again by friday. But that owner had a BE that was not a BE? Weird. I thought all BE clocked 1070 with 1150 boost.


----------



## wermad

The original BE had default clock to 1100 in gpuz. My new one defaults to 1150Mhz. Never paid attention to it before until i got the new one. Maybe that old BE was an early BE bumping to 1100, ???


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> The original BE had default clock to 1100 in gpuz. My new one defaults to 1150Mhz. Never paid attention to it before until i got the new one. Maybe that old BE was an early BE bumping to 1100, ???


Like i said, there were a few revisions of both the BE and the Power Edition.

I know Power Edition was originally 900Mhz, and the updated revision bumped it to 925.

BE was originally 1100 and they boosted it to 1150 in a revision.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> The original BE had default clock to 1100 in gpuz. My new one defaults to 1150Mhz. Never paid attention to it before until i got the new one. Maybe that old BE was an early BE bumping to 1100, ???


Could be. I cannot wait. My old lignting sat on 1225/1700 so I may bump the memory clock and just set the GPU to 1150 and let it sit there.

My other question is, does the card default voltage change when it is in that mode, or is it 1 voltage that will run both the default and boost clock? If its 1 voltage to run both default and boost, I can probably switch it out of the boost profile to the secondary profile, and then set it to the boost clocks as a default. As it is with dual monitors I set a 3D and 2D profile to rotate because the card will idle with the memory on full speed which is just heat I don't need.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Like i said, there were a few revisions of both the BE and the Power Edition.
> 
> I know Power Edition was originally 900Mhz, and the updated revision bumped it to 925.
> 
> BE was originally 1100 and they boosted it to 1150 in a revision.


I just got my lightnings last fall so I had no research in it other then what was available current for me in 2013. But good to know








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Could be. I cannot wait. My old lignting sat on 1225/1700 so I may bump the memory clock and just set the GPU to 1150 and let it sit there.
> 
> My other question is, does the card default voltage change when it is in that mode, or is it 1 voltage that will run both the default and boost clock? If its 1 voltage to run both default and boost, I can probably switch it out of the boost profile to the secondary profile, and then set it to the boost clocks as a default. As it is with dual monitors I set a 3D and 2D profile to rotate because the card will idle with the memory on full speed which is just heat I don't need.


I'll have to check my cards. I'm having issues displaying outputs on the three PE cards. I have ulps disabled and enabling doesn't change anything. They still work fine as i can get ~80-90fps in Bioshock Infinite @ 6000x1920. AB seems to dislike amd cards as the readings and options can get erratic. I had no troubles w/ the three 780s, tow Titans, and the two 690s I had before.


----------



## treome

Is it possible to go past 1.3v on a reference 7970? I'm stuck at 1210/1810. Anything above gets artifacts.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Is it possible to go past 1.3v on a reference 7970? I'm stuck at 1210/1810. Anything above gets artifacts.


I wouldn't think it safe to go above 1.3v on a ref card. But 1200/1800 isn't bad for reference if you ask me.


----------



## boredmug

I can hit 1285/1800 on my reference 7950's at 1.3v. I would go higher if I could. Lol. Temps are still in the mid 50 ' s.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I can hit 1285/1800 on my reference 7950's at 1.3v. I would go higher if I could. Lol. Temps are still in the mid 50 ' s.


On air? If so thats pretty cool under load. My old 7970 got 60c at load doing 1225/1700. I could have gone higher. Hopefully with this new BE I'm getting going higher will still be an option.


----------



## treome

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I wouldn't think it safe to go above 1.3v on a ref card. But 1200/1800 isn't bad for reference if you ask me.


I'm under water so temps are good. I'm just obsessed with getting over 10K graphics score in Firestrike 1.1. Benched @ 1220/1820 and got 9989 graphics.....


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I wouldn't think it safe to go above 1.3v on a ref card. But 1200/1800 isn't bad for reference if you ask me.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm under water so temps are good. I'm just obsessed with getting over 10K graphics score in Firestrike 1.1. Benched @ 1220/1820 and got 9989 graphics.....
Click to expand...

Damn thats pretty close. I however have no idea if more voltage is a thing. I'd still think it unsafe for the VRMs.


----------



## boredmug

That's not a bad score. My 7950's in crossfire only pump out a 13732. Haven't tried single gpu yet.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> I'm under water so temps are good. I'm just obsessed with getting over 10K graphics score in Firestrike 1.1. Benched @ 1220/1820 and got 9989 graphics.....


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> On air? If so thats pretty cool under load. My old 7970 got 60c at load doing 1225/1700. I could have gone higher. Hopefully with this new BE I'm getting going higher will still be an option.


Nah.. Using AIO coolers on the cards.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Is it possible to go past 1.3v on a reference 7970? I'm stuck at 1210/1810. Anything above gets artifacts.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I wouldn't think it safe to go above 1.3v on a ref card. But 1200/1800 isn't bad for reference if you ask me.


you can go as high as 1.4V on ref and still be fine, just watch your temps mostly, don't let the card heat up too much, however you cant guarantee the card will last long at that voltage so just keep in mind the risk of pushing over 1.3V.


----------



## HeDsh0t

have had my 7950 since the Dual - X cooler was available, waiting on my second one! (C'mon paycheck)


----------



## treome

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> you can go as high as 1.4V on ref and still be fine, just watch your temps mostly, don't let the card heat up too much, however you cant guarantee the card will last long at that voltage so just keep in mind the risk of pushing over 1.3V.


How would I go doing this in afterburner? I can only go up to 1.3v currently.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> After 2 MONTHS, MSI got me a 7970 lightning boost edition. Very glad I went through this BS now. They fed me the BS they couldnt fix the fans on my 7970 lightning but they fixed that 280x I sent back in. I told the guy I'd rather a 7970 lightning as a proper replacement, and he called me back saying they found a lightning BE. He even said he was having them send it to him to make sure its properly functioning, just to be safe.
> 
> So tell me 7970 friends, does the BE have better binning?


CG !!! now time to flash the bios !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> The original BE had default clock to 1100 in gpuz. My new one defaults to 1150Mhz. Never paid attention to it before until i got the new one. Maybe that old BE was an early BE bumping to 1100, ???
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could be. I cannot wait. My old lignting sat on 1225/1700 so I may bump the memory clock and just set the GPU to 1150 and let it sit there.
> 
> My other question is, does the card default voltage change when it is in that mode, or is it 1 voltage that will run both the default and boost clock? If its 1 voltage to run both default and boost, I can probably switch it out of the boost profile to the secondary profile, and then set it to the boost clocks as a default. As it is with dual monitors I set a 3D and 2D profile to rotate because the card will idle with the memory on full speed which is just heat I don't need.
Click to expand...

yes, most BEs default to 1.25v in boost state, just flash the bios to the original and get rid of boost, you will thank me ! Back up the original bios though !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Is it possible to go past 1.3v on a reference 7970? I'm stuck at 1210/1810. Anything above gets artifacts.


yes modded trix or hack the bios

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HeDsh0t*
> 
> have had my 7950 since the Dual - X cooler was available, waiting on my second one! (C'mon paycheck)


GL !


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yea a lot of older games with poor single card optimization will most likely preform worse on crossfire. I think I had a friend who had to disable 1 card to make GTA4 run properly because it ran worse with crossfire than single card. So if the game is old enough that 1 card is plenty, I say disable one.


I agree. I will say the number of games I've played that didn't honor both GPU cards is only 2. Bioshock and now Dead Space. Now that I capped the frame rate I see only one card is used whether I tell CCC to use both or not. I don't really care here because the system is behaving itself nicely for the most part.

Are there any other tools out there that can force D3D triplebuffering and Vsyng besides RadeonPro?


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I can hit 1285/1800 on my reference 7950's at 1.3v. I would go higher if I could. Lol. Temps are still in the mid 50 ' s.


Whoah! that is crazy considering on my dual-x caps out at 1165/1300


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Whoah! that is crazy considering on my dual-x caps out at 1165/1300


Yup. Have some benches in the fanboy competition. Nothing spectacular compared to some of the rigs on there but I noticed I did edge out a clocked 7970 crossfire rig. Ofcourse my clocks were over 100mhz higher, but I think it's pretty cool.


----------



## treome

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> CG !!! now time to flash the bios !
> yes, most BEs default to 1.25v in boost state, just flash the bios to the original and get rid of boost, you will thank me ! Back up the original bios though !
> yes modded trix or hack the bios
> GL !


Thank you so much! No more artifacts at 1220 core @ 1.310v. I'm going to see how far I can push it.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Thank you so much! No more artifacts at 1220 core @ 1.310v. I'm going to see how far I can push it.


Nice.. I flashed a Boost Bios to my reference cards just to see how it was.. TURD. Card was so unstable and clocks all over the place. Stock modded bios, freaking champ!


----------



## treome

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Nice.. I flashed a Boost Bios to my reference cards just to see how it was.. TURD. Card was so unstable and clocks all over the place. Stock modded bios, freaking champ!


Same here. I tried flashing various Ghz bioses and although I could push the same core with similar voltages, the memory wouldn't go over 1700. Going for 3dmark soon.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Same here. I tried flashing various Ghz bioses and although I could push the same core with similar voltages, the memory wouldn't go over 1700. Going for 3dmark soon.


Single card? I haven't benched the single gpu yet. I'm pretty happy with my scores. So far i've seen several 7970 crossfire setups that i've managed to outscore.


----------



## treome

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Single card? I haven't benched the single gpu yet. I'm pretty happy with my scores. So far i've seen several 7970 crossfire setups that i've managed to outscore.


Wow that score is amazing. Nice to see a 2600k still holding up.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Wow that score is amazing. Nice to see a 2600k still holding up.


Thanks. Just got into benching recently. I dont' really see a reason to upgrade the CPU. I have the itch for dual 290's or 290x's though. Maybe upgrade the CPU next generation.. I dunno.


----------



## treome

I think my 7970 has golden memory chips or something. Benched memory @ 1975 @ stock volts and no artifacts. Tried to push 2000 but it black screened.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *treome*
> 
> Wow that score is amazing. Nice to see a 2600k still holding up.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks. Just got into benching recently. I dont' really see a reason to upgrade the CPU. I have the itch for dual 290's or 290x's though. Maybe upgrade the CPU next generation.. I dunno.
Click to expand...

Thats a mighty fine 3dmark11 score, only a couple hundred points below my 7970s 1200/1800 with my cpu at 5.0! treome is right, that 2600k is doin' just fine.


----------



## SkateZilla

yeah GHz Edition/Boost BIOS's are the devil...

I have 2 pre-boost BIOS Cards (a LAUNCH DAY Sapphire HD7950 DualX $479!) and now an MSI Lightning *(bought from ebay user who got it back from RMA after upgrading to R9-290X).

Both are non boostin BIOS, both cards performed flawlessly so far,

Bought my Brother a Sapphire 7870XT Dual X (Tahiti GPU with 1536 SP), and it jumps all over the place and degrades performance in some of his games... I think I need to Overclock it just to stop it from jumping.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> yeah GHz Edition/Boost BIOS's are the devil...
> 
> I have 2 pre-boost BIOS Cards (a LAUNCH DAY Sapphire HD7950 DualX $479!) and now an MSI Lightning *(bought from ebay user who got it back from RMA after upgrading to R9-290X).
> 
> Both are non boostin BIOS, both cards performed flawlessly so far,
> 
> Bought my Brother a Sapphire 7870XT Dual X (Tahiti GPU with 1536 SP), and it jumps all over the place and degrades performance in some of his games... I think I need to Overclock it just to stop it from jumping.


I usually use the LN2 bios on my lightning before I sent it in. Not only does it unlock it, it makes the stock clock lower so it looks much more impressive.









But yea, I'll probably remove the boost bios with a regular lightning bios unless it has an LN2 bios already on it.


----------



## SkateZilla

I've actually not played with the LN2 bios yet.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I've actually not played with the LN2 bios yet.


Its indeed ment for LN2 cooling, but its also the bios they use for their "unlocked" bios. Using it will open the memory on MSI AB to 2000 or something and it unlocks the core pretty far too. As long as it stays cool getting 1300/1800 doesn't seem hard on air. As I've said, I had mine at 1225/1700. I could probably have gone farther but I liked the performance at 60c during load. No higher than 65c after a few hours of constant load.


----------



## X-Alt

Boost BIOSes are annoying, sometimes they reset my OC set on startup and take a few trips to YouTube and GPU-Z to get them fixed out..


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Boost BIOSes are annoying, sometimes they reset my OC set on startup and take a few trips to YouTube and GPU-Z to get them fixed out..


Kind of makes you wish GPU had a motherboard like bios you could disable such features on right? Maybe someday they will.

On another note. I got an email from the guy helping me from MSI and he said that 7970 had artifacts. They are trying to get another for me and he will get back to me when he finds one.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I agree. I will say the number of games I've played that didn't honor both GPU cards is only 2. Bioshock and now Dead Space. Now that I capped the frame rate I see only one card is used whether I tell CCC to use both or not. I don't really care here because the system is behaving itself nicely for the most part.
> 
> Are there any other tools out there that can force D3D triplebuffering and Vsyng besides RadeonPro?


Just wanted to bring this episode to conclusion.

As I originally mentioned, I only now had a chance to play Dead Space. Origin was giving it away for free. I like sci-fi and this title is a classic for me.

It turns out RadeonPro can do the job very well, and by disabling Origin's in game overlay, the tool is able to set the appropriate parameters in the game to play it smooth as silk on only one 7970 on max settings and stock clocks.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Boost BIOSes are annoying, sometimes they reset my OC set on startup and take a few trips to YouTube and GPU-Z to get them fixed out..
> 
> 
> 
> Kind of makes you wish GPU had a motherboard like bios you could disable such features on right? Maybe someday they will.
> 
> On another note. I got an email from the guy helping me from MSI and he said that 7970 had artifacts. They are trying to get another for me and he will get back to me when he finds one.
Click to expand...

that sucks ~! best of luck man !
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I agree. I will say the number of games I've played that didn't honor both GPU cards is only 2. Bioshock and now Dead Space. Now that I capped the frame rate I see only one card is used whether I tell CCC to use both or not. I don't really care here because the system is behaving itself nicely for the most part.
> 
> Are there any other tools out there that can force D3D triplebuffering and Vsyng besides RadeonPro?
> 
> 
> 
> Just wanted to bring this episode to conclusion.
> 
> As I originally mentioned, I only now had a chance to play Dead Space. Origin was giving it away for free. I like sci-fi and this title is a classic for me.
> 
> It turns out RadeonPro can do the job very well, and by disabling Origin's in game overlay, the tool is able to set the appropriate parameters in the game to play it smooth as silk on only one 7970 on max settings and stock clocks.
Click to expand...

amazing what open source stuff can do and how quick they can get fixed !


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> On another note. I got an email from the guy helping me from MSI and he said that 7970 had artifacts. They are trying to get another for me and he will get back to me when he finds one.


That sucks







. Try to push for a 290 of they can't come up w/ a working Ltg







.


----------



## diggiddi

In other news I am the proud Papa of a set of twins delivered this afternoon







,............


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



By a guy in a UPS Truck, Asus 1 and Asus 2 My newly acquired, new to me HD 7970 matrix Platinums


.
I'll post pics soon as my phone quits misbehaving, for some reason I cannot upload pics to PC


----------



## diggiddi

Here they are


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Mega Man

congrats !


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> congrats !


Thanks for the love


----------



## wermad

Derick is selling his four Matrix (3x 7970, 1x 280x). get two more fo quad powah!


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Derick is selling his four Matrix (3x 7970, 1x 280x). get two more fo quad powah!


LOL, Oh noo, 2 is enuff for now, I don't even have the cpu powah to push these yet. My phenom II is definitely not up that task


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Kind of makes you wish GPU had a motherboard like bios you could disable such features on right? Maybe someday they will.
> 
> On another note. I got an email from the guy helping me from MSI and he said that 7970 had artifacts. They are trying to get another for me and he will get back to me when he finds one.


at this point, you could prolly get one (a lightning) off ebay for $350 ish, and then whatever MSI gives back, you can XFire or sell it off.

Prices of AMD GPUs should be going back down
I can get a R9-280X for $290 online, new, but they go upwards of $350 still.

I'm really surprised there isnt a R9-280X Lightning.


----------



## Deadboy90

OK this has been bugging me for a while, when ever I OC a card on my rig I get annoying flickering on the desktop. It happens with my 7950 and I happened with my old xfire 6850 setup. I have reinstalled the 14.3 drivers, done fresh installs, everything I can think of but it persists. While in game the flickering is non existant but if I alt+tab to the desktop for something its there. Even after I return my card to stock clocks the flickering remains until I reboot. It even happens if I OC my 10 mhz, its absurd. Any help?


----------



## SkateZilla

can you post a video?


----------



## diggiddi

My gpus wont fit, I'll have to "de-case" my motherboard. Is it ok to put cardboard underneath it whilst its outside the case or the pink foam that came with the board?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> My gpus wont fit, I'll have to "de-case" my motherboard. Is it ok to put cardboard underneath it whilst its outside the case or the pink foam that came with the board?


yes


----------



## diggiddi

Yes to the cardboard or the pink foam?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Yes to the cardboard or the pink foam?


Many a build have been done on top of the box that the motherboard came in. The foam would be fine too, but possibly more prone to static. So if both are available, go cardboard.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Kind of makes you wish GPU had a motherboard like bios you could disable such features on right? Maybe someday they will.
> 
> On another note. I got an email from the guy helping me from MSI and he said that 7970 had artifacts. They are trying to get another for me and he will get back to me when he finds one.
> 
> 
> 
> at this point, you could prolly get one (a lightning) off ebay for $350 ish, and then whatever MSI gives back, you can XFire or sell it off.
> 
> Prices of AMD GPUs should be going back down
> I can get a R9-280X for $290 online, new, but they go upwards of $350 still.
> 
> I'm really surprised there isnt a R9-280X Lightning.
Click to expand...

All the 7970 lightnings on ebay are trending around 600 dollars right now due to lack of stock on MSI part. I got an email saying I have to wait for a lightning or accept the 280x. I responded that I'm not accepting a 280x and point blank said, either I will wait for a 7970 lightning or for MSI to give me a real upgrade to a 290 card.

Lets see where that gets me.


----------



## SkateZilla

There's 2 Lightnings on Ebay for "Buy it Now" of $350 and $369

edit: the $350 listing is gone

here's the $369:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MSI-7950-Twin-Frozr-Lightning-BOOST-R7950-3GB5-OC-BE-FASTEST-7950-/111309762301?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item19ea942efd

there's also listings for Lightnings with Water blocks for $499.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> There's 2 Lightnings on Ebay for "Buy it Now" of $350 and $369
> 
> edit: the $350 listing is gone
> 
> here's the $369:
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/MSI-7950-Twin-Frozr-Lightning-BOOST-R7950-3GB5-OC-BE-FASTEST-7950-/111309762301?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item19ea942efd
> 
> there's also listings for Lightnings with Water blocks for $499.


It claims it as a 7950.

MSI just offered me a 290 4g as an upgrade. I asked him to test it first. Now that's an upgrade.

Edit

Ok so, the guy is going to put in a request for a 290 4G G series card for me. He said he isn't 100% sure if they will go for it, but he's going to try. Here is hoping for the best.


----------



## SkateZilla

oops, yeah I misread that part.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Many a build have been done on top of the box that the motherboard came in. The foam would be fine too, but possibly more prone to static. So if both are available, go cardboard.


Okey doke +rep


----------



## SkateZilla

i'm gonna hold off to the R9-300 Series.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Yes to the cardboard or the pink foam?


Get case with a detachable Mainboard Tray


----------



## eAT5

yea i hear in dead space vsync is a cursor killer....


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> OK this has been bugging me for a while, when ever I OC a card on my rig I get annoying flickering on the desktop. It happens with my 7950 and I happened with my old xfire 6850 setup. I have reinstalled the 14.3 drivers, done fresh installs, everything I can think of but it persists. While in game the flickering is non existant but if I alt+tab to the desktop for something its there. Even after I return my card to stock clocks the flickering remains until I reboot. It even happens if I OC my 10 mhz, its absurd. Any help?


yes this is called overheating... i can make it go away by turning my fans at 70%, turn on my air conditioner and opening up the side of my case...


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Get case with a detachable Mainboard Tray


Can you recommend any, ideally a midtower with right hand side window/mesh


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> yes this is called overheating... i can make it go away by turning my fans at 70%, turn on my air conditioner and opening up the side of my case...


Its definetly not overheating. My temps under load are in the low 70c and vrms are low 80's. It happens the instant I enable the OC.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> It claims it as a 7950.
> 
> MSI just offered me a 290 4g as an upgrade. I asked him to test it first. Now that's an upgrade.
> 
> Edit
> 
> Ok so, the guy is going to put in a request for a 290 4G G series card for me. He said he isn't 100% sure if they will go for it, but he's going to try. Here is hoping for the best.


Told you dude







. Keep pushing and you can get something







. Crossing fingers they get you that 290


----------



## Deadboy90

Code:



Code:


[LIST]
 [*] 
 [*] 
 [*] 
[/LIST]

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> can you post a video?


It may be in the first minute of my twitch stream from last night, I'm not sure. I'm on my phone so I can't check.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> [LIST]
> [*]
> [*]
> [*]
> [/LIST]
> 
> It may be in the first minute of my twitch stream from last night, I'm not sure. I'm on my phone so I can't check.


Didnt see it


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Didnt see it


Alright I'll try tonight to get it.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Can you recommend any, ideally a midtower with right hand side window/mesh


Whats the objective of this?

You just want your mainboard flat on a surface with everything on it?

There's Benchmark Test Bed setups for that now.

(ie: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811353001&Tpk=N82E16811353001 )

I personally just found a case from an older build, and cut the rivets that held the tray in, and used that.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Whats the objective of this?
> 
> You just want your mainboard flat on a surface with everything on it?
> 
> There's Benchmark Test Bed setups for that now.
> 
> (ie: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811353001&Tpk=N82E16811353001 )
> 
> I personally just found a case from an older build, and cut the rivets that held the tray in, and used that.


I just need a new case, since my old one is too small for my new GPU so i'll have to remove the board from the current case


----------



## SkateZilla

I've used the HAF922's more than anything else in my custom builds.


----------



## diggiddi

Thats not my taste at all, thanks for the recommendation though


----------



## heroxoot

Ok so the request has been made for I believe a R9 290 4G. The guy wanted me to get a 4GD5 because he thought it would be better because one of my complaints was going from a graphics card that was fully unlocked to a locked 280x. I told him I saw the 290 4G was able to be overclocked in MSI AB so request that instead.

Whats the odds MSI will accept the request? I mean they have given me motherboard upgrades before but this is a little different.

Edit

WE IN THERE
Quote:


> Ok we got a go on replacing the card with the R9 290 GAMING 4G it's a new card but I'm going to test it anyway to make sure.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Ok so the request has been made for I believe a R9 290 4G. The guy wanted me to get a 4GD5 because he thought it would be better because one of my complaints was going from a graphics card that was fully unlocked to a locked 280x. I told him I saw the 290 4G was able to be overclocked in MSI AB so request that instead.
> 
> Whats the odds MSI will accept the request? I mean they have given me motherboard upgrades before but this is a little different.
> 
> Edit
> 
> WE IN THERE


Congrats









Will join you in the future (quad 290x or xfire 295x2).


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> yea i hear in dead space vsync is a cursor killer....


Yes, that's readily apparent when you first start the game. Due I believe to the implementation of the developers to set Vsync to 30FPS default. What RadeonPro does is allow you to match Vsync to the display's natural refresh rate. If Raptr ever gets upgraded to support these older titles, it will make the gaming experience more natural for higher end rigs. As of now it is more of a science experiment mere mortal would not be able to solve unless they have good troubleshooting skills.


----------



## eAT5

i know my next build im going to put mobo flat, no more on the side bull****., my cards are sagging, rought on the pcie. bumping desk etc....

look at all these.

this little one is sick.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811353002

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007583%20600306905&IsNodeId=1&name=ATX%20Bench%20Case


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> i know my next build im going to put mobo flat, no more on the side bull****., my cards are sagging, rought on the pcie. bumping desk etc....
> 
> look at all these.
> 
> this little one is sick.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811353002
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007583%20600306905&IsNodeId=1&name=ATX%20Bench%20Case


Good look +rep


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eAT5*
> 
> i know my next build im going to put mobo flat, no more on the side bull****., my cards are sagging, rought on the pcie. bumping desk etc....
> 
> look at all these.
> 
> this little one is sick.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811353002
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007583%20600306905&IsNodeId=1&name=ATX%20Bench%20Case


The limit of 9999 per customer kind of gave me a laugh. Its a cool looking bench but I dislike the full open thing because my room can be a little dusty what with pets and its an old house. Dust seems to show up everywhere.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> The limit of 9999 per customer kind of gave me a laugh. Its a cool looking bench but I dislike the full open thing because my room can be a little dusty what with pets and its an old house. Dust seems to show up everywhere.


Yeah that was funny, they want to sell as many as possible


----------



## SkateZilla

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119265


----------



## wermad

That's not a bad looking bench. Honestly, I'm looking for a bench that can be broken down for storage when I'm not using it. I'm going to switch to acrylic tube (if testing goes well) so I need a small temporary setup hold my rig for now..

I've wanted a Lian Li T60 for a while but this seems cheaper (though flimsy???).
Quote:


>


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Ok so the request has been made for I believe a R9 290 4G. The guy wanted me to get a 4GD5 because he thought it would be better because one of my complaints was going from a graphics card that was fully unlocked to a locked 280x. I told him I saw the 290 4G was able to be overclocked in MSI AB so request that instead.
> 
> Whats the odds MSI will accept the request? I mean they have given me motherboard upgrades before but this is a little different.
> 
> Edit
> 
> WE IN THERE


the 290 gaming is about the same worth as a 7970 lightning so that works out regardless, performance would be about the same as what your old lightning had when overclocked I would think, if you want to overclock the 290 though you may need a bigger cooler due to the shear power these things pump out (~25% more shaders then the 7970, that's a lot...)


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119265


I have this case and I can confirm it is very good on air flow. The fact your GPU and CPU will have a 200MM fan exhausting them right out is great. The angle of the graphics card with the 200MM top fan makes it so side dumping GPU can have all their heat just sucked right off of them.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I have this case and I can confirm it is very good on air flow. The fact your GPU and CPU will have a 200MM fan exhausting them right out is great. The angle of the graphics card with the 200MM top fan makes it so side dumping GPU can have all their heat just sucked right off of them.


The dual fan style coolers just dump heat (especially with HUUGE heatsinks) up and down, keeps the GPU cool but Air Cooled CPUs are not that happy...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The dual fan style coolers just dump heat (especially with HUUGE heatsinks) up and down, keeps the GPU cool but Air Cooled CPUs are not that happy...


My CPU is water cooled, with a 240 radiator, exhausting heat out the top of the case, and a 200 mm on the side panel blowing in on the GPUs.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My CPU is water cooled, with a 240 radiator, exhausting heat out the top of the case, and a 200 mm on the side panel blowing in on the GPUs.


Side fans tend to cause issues IIRC.


----------



## brucethemoose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My CPU is water cooled, with a 240 radiator, exhausting heat out the top of the case, and a 200 mm on the side panel blowing in on the GPUs.
> 
> 
> 
> Side fans tend to cause issues IIRC.
Click to expand...

What do you mean? It seems to help my GPU.


----------



## wermad

I had two BitFenix Specter Pros on the side of my old Elysium feeding three GTX 560 Ti 448s TF3. No issues at all


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I have this case and I can confirm it is very good on air flow. The fact your GPU and CPU will have a 200MM fan exhausting them right out is great. The angle of the graphics card with the 200MM top fan makes it so side dumping GPU can have all their heat just sucked right off of them.
> 
> 
> 
> The dual fan style coolers just dump heat (especially with HUUGE heatsinks) up and down, keeps the GPU cool but Air Cooled CPUs are not that happy...
Click to expand...

Exactly. they dump the heat out the side of the card, but with that Haf XB, the side is sticking up with a 200MM fan right above it. So all the heat gets pulled right out of the case. Its a great thing and keeps the ambient temp lower.


----------



## gr8sho

If you're going to tinker with the machine a lot, easy access is a good thing. A conventional case like the HAF-932 is not all that friendly from such a point of view. And the recent talk about heat with the backside of the board makes me think about that issue a bit too. A good solution to keep that area cool would be needed if pushing the mainboard, right?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> If you're going to tinker with the machine a lot, easy access is a good thing. A conventional case like the HAF-932 is not all that friendly from such a point of view. And the recent talk about heat with the backside of the board makes me think about that issue a bit too. A good solution to keep that area cool would be needed if pushing the mainboard, right?


if there's a CPU Socket hole in the Mainboard tray, a thin 80/90mm fan and some duct tape would fix backside temps and socket temps.


----------



## gr8sho

Yes, you are right. I need to look into that. The 932 does have a cutout in the back but it's offset for our AMD boards. Guessing it's more Intel friendly.


----------



## diggiddi

Someone hit that case with the ugly stick







 Skate
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> That's not a bad looking bench. Honestly, I'm looking for a bench that can be broken down for storage when I'm not using it. I'm going to switch to acrylic tube (if testing goes well) so I need a small temporary setup hold my rig for now..
> 
> I've wanted a Lian Li T60 for a while but this seems cheaper (though flimsy???).


Noice!! me likey, where to purchase??


----------



## CptAsian

Okay guys, I'm just going to swing by with a link to a thread I just made about a problem that I've been having recently, and I'm hoping that you guys would be able to assist. Thanks.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1481140/flashing-squares-in-various-games


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Okay guys, I'm just going to swing by with a link to a thread I just made about a problem that I've been having recently, and I'm hoping that you guys would be able to assist. Thanks.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1481140/flashing-squares-in-various-games


That looks like a 7990 if i am not mistaken. I have more then enough experience with them. You might want to set up a RMA if that is available to you or If your feeling brave take it apart replace the thermal pads and the thermal on the Dies. RMA first if that is a option for you.


----------



## diggiddi

Ok I've tried to get the Matrix Plat above 1160 core but no luck so far. It's stuck there no matter the voltage I pump into it


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Ok I've tried to get the Matrix Plat above 1160 core but no luck so far. It's stuck there no matter the voltage I pump into it


Are you on water? xfire? Your sig rig mentions nothing about the matrix platinum. Just wondering what your current set up is.


----------



## diggiddi

Just got them a couple days ago have not updated rig yet, but I'm on air. I'll crossfire when I upgrade to a FX 8320


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







I'm testing one at a time

I had to "de-case" my mainboard cos they won't fit


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Just got them a couple days ago have not updated rig yet, but I'm on air. I'll crossfire when I upgrade to a FX 8320
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm testing one at a time


I had trouble getting cards very far on air. I have one of the little brothers of those cards, the DC2, and it will bench 1300/2000 under water, so I imagine the Plat should do better than 1160. One thing I have discovered is that there is no reliable way to tweak the voltage on ASUS cards on the fly, something always seems to go awry and the voltage change does not stick, software will show it changed, but inability to clock higher tells a different tale. I have tried MANY afterburner versions, MANY GPUTweak versions, and even a modified TRIXX. The only way I have successfully changed voltage on ANY ASUS card is through BIOS modification. It is a pain in the rear, with all the flashing and the rebooting and the testing, but hey...the card zooms.


----------



## diggiddi

Pray tell, what is this bios modification that you speak of ? and how can I be down


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Someone hit that case with the ugly stick
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Skate
> Noice!! me likey, where to purchase??


I had to scratch that plan. Seems like its very risky and i have a lot of hardware I don't wanna fudge up. Especially when it seems MSI may no longer have Lightnings to rma. I may just replace my fittings since they're not the original color I wanted (black). So in the end I may not need this bench. Its a sweet bench to have. Best price I've found new is on amazon ~$90. Though, used ones come up for about half that


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Pray tell, what is this bios modification that you speak of ? and how can I be down


Its pretty nifty. You use GPUZ to save the vBIOS to file, open it up in VBE7, flash it back with ATIFLASH (I use atiwinflash), reboot.

VBE7 Link

ATIWinFlash Guide


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> That's not a bad looking bench. Honestly, I'm looking for a bench that can be broken down for storage when I'm not using it. I'm going to switch to acrylic tube (if testing goes well) so I need a small temporary setup hold my rig for now..
> 
> I've wanted a Lian Li T60 for a while but this seems cheaper (though flimsy???).


nice looking.

that coolermaster case is cool. no more lan boxes? crazy!


----------



## diggiddi

OK so I'm running my second card and this one is different from the first in that I can max the GPU clock settings on GPU tweak and test it with Gpu Tool with no errors whatsoever.

BUT!!! the GPU Tweak monitor is saying its at a constant 1050mhz and the temp is consistently between 58-62c. GPU Z and CCC are recording the corresponding increase in core clocks all the way to the maxx of 1500 though. What could be the issue here ?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> OK so I'm running my second card and this one is different from the first in that I can max the GPU clock settings on GPU tweak and test it with Gpu Tool with no errors whatsoever.
> 
> BUT!!! the GPU Tweak monitor is saying its at a constant 1050mhz and the temp is consistently between 58-62c. GPU Z and CCC are recording the corresponding increase in core clocks all the way to the maxx of 1500 though. What could be the issue here ?


Boost BIOS, nice. If you have it set to 1500Mhz, your card should be dead in 5 4 3 2 oh. Yeah, what voltage do you have it set to? Also, get case, install CHVFZ, get better PSU and then XFire


----------



## Deadboy90

So the 7950 will xfire with the R9 280 right? Has anyone tried it? Has anyone even seen one in the wild?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> So the 7950 will xfire with the R9 280 right? Has anyone tried it? Has anyone even seen one in the wild?


It can indeed.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> It can indeed.


Has anyone actually seen one for sale? Or is it like the A8 7600, Something AMD says they made but doesn't actually exist anywhere.

Edit: Nvm i finally saw it on Newegg, 350 for a card i spent 200 on 6 months ago? No thanks.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Boost BIOS, nice. If you have it set to 1500Mhz, your card should be dead in 5 4 3 2 oh. Yeah, what voltage do you have it set to? Also, get case, install CHVFZ, get better PSU and then XFire


Are you sayin' I got the boost bios?. The slider was moving but the Gpu monitor core frequency was not changing so I know there was something wrong, just trying figure out what.
What gave it away was the temp was constant too 58-61c as was the voltage @ 1.269v IIRC

I did try X fire, it broke my driver I just finished reinstalling it. I'm about to give it a second shot though
FYI my PSU can deliver almost a 1000w of peak power even though it is designed for 750 constant.
Now that CHVZ is next on the list after CPU upgrade


----------



## inedenimadam

With ASUS cards, GPU-Z is the only thing that has ever worked for monitoring, CCC was the only reliable way to adjust clocks, and BIOS flashing was the only way to adjust voltage. This has been with three different generations of ASUS cards that I have had the pleasure to work with. Everything else seems to either not work, or bork things up royally (like uninstall/reinstall drivers type screwed up). I think their BIOSs are drastically different enough to their counterparts to not work with most software. I have never had as much trouble learning how to overclock as I have had with ASUS cards, coincidentally, also some of the best once they were right.

Dont bother overclocking on that PSU...you will burn it up (not that it is a bad PSU...actually quite nice). 1000W gold can be had at a reasonable price and will open up tons of headroom, I caught my G2 1000W on sale for $170.00 after tax, and have seen it at that price a couple times at my local microcenter.


----------



## diggiddi

I thought GPU tweak was the only utility that worked on these cards. Anyway I was using GPU Z, GPU monitor and CCC to monitor Core speeds,
CCC and GPu Z were reflecting any changes made but GPU MONitor was at a steady @ 1050mhz the whole time
Unfortunately my experiment came to an end when I slapped on the second 7970 and attempted to cross fire


This is what kept happening after booting into my desktop


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> I thought GPU tweak was the only utility that worked on these cards. Anyway I was using GPU Z, GPU monitor and CCC to monitor Core speeds,
> CCC and GPu Z were reflecting any changes made but GPU MONitor was at a steady @ 1050mhz the whole time
> Unfortunately my experiment came to an end when I slapped on the second 7970 and attempted to cross fire
> 
> 
> This is what kept happening after booting into my desktop


if you still have GPUtweak installed, that's likely whats causing your stripe crash.

otherwise whats the two cards you using?


----------



## diggiddi

Asus Matrix Platinum 7970's So what to use then?


----------



## gr8sho

I use MSI Afterburner.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Asus Matrix Platinum 7970's So what to use then?


CCC for clocks, BIOS flash for voltage.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I use MSI Afterburner.


you cant on asus cards !


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> CCC for clocks, BIOS flash for voltage.


Which Bios and How do I BIOS flash it? The current one is 113-AD48800-100, also on Asus' site there is a firmware, do I need that?

In the meantime I just run a heaven bench on Xfire 7950 1165/1250 X16 slot 7970 1160/1650 X4 slot, how is it looking?
Lastly Bios switch is in position 1 do I need to change it?
THX


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Which Bios and How do I BIOS flash it?


You use the current BIOS, modify it, then put it back on the card.

1.BIOS switch to position 1.
2.Open GPU-Z and save BIOS to file, and back it up somewhere.
3.Open it in VBE7 and change whatever the heck you want: clock, voltage, TDP, power limit, fan profile.
4.Flash modified BIOS with ATIWINFLASH
5.Reboot

ASUS cards...love / hate relationship.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> You use the current BIOS, modify it, then put it back on the card.
> 
> 1.BIOS switch to position 1.
> 2.Open GPU-Z and save BIOS to file, and back it up somewhere.
> 3.Open it in VBE7 and change whatever the heck you want: clock, voltage, TDP, power limit, fan profile.
> 4.Flash modified BIOS with ATIWINFLASH
> 5.Reboot
> 
> ASUS cards...love / hate relationship.


Ok current BIOS

Overdrive
Max core clock is 1500, Max memory 2000, tdp limit 20% should I increase to 50%?

Power Tune
TDP (W) 204 should I check the manual power limit Adjustment box

Now wrt to the power play tab how high can I go?? the highest setting is 1100 core, 1650 mem, 1256 VDDC

+rep BTW

Ok I'm stuck, ATI Win flash keeps giving me critical file Missing error, I tried latest version and one prior any ideas?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> You use the current BIOS, modify it, then put it back on the card.
> 
> 1.BIOS switch to position 1.
> 2.Open GPU-Z and save BIOS to file, and back it up somewhere.
> 3.Open it in VBE7 and change whatever the heck you want: clock, voltage, TDP, power limit, fan profile.
> 4.Flash modified BIOS with ATIWINFLASH
> 5.Reboot
> 
> ASUS cards...love / hate relationship.
> 
> 
> 
> Ok current BIOS
> 
> Overdrive
> Max core clock is 1500, Max memory 2000, tdp limit 20% should I increase to 50%?
> 
> Power Tune
> TDP (W) 204 should I check the manual power limit Adjustment box
> 
> Now wrt to the power play tab how high can I go?? the highest setting is 1100 core, 1650 mem, 1256 VDDC
> 
> +rep BTW
> 
> Ok I'm stuck, ATI Win flash keeps giving me critical file Missing error, I tried latest version and one prior any ideas?
Click to expand...

are you running ATIwinflash from the command prompt as administrator? when you saved the bios, did you click "all files" and save it as a ".ROM" file? did you drop the new .rom into the same folder as ATIwinflash? are you using VBE7.0.0.7b?

In VBE I would set conservative, or stock clocks, and just set your voltage for now. Once you know what your stable clocks are, you can reflash another one with the clocks adjusted. If you set the clocks unstable, you are likely to have boot issues.


----------



## Dustin1

So I have a question for the AMD Guru's... I purchased 2 Power Color 7970's (non-reference version with a blue PCB) and when I ran 3DMark 11 today the final results were showing my cards as VisionTek cards... Any ideas? The cards run great, haven't ran into any issues gaming or anything and they seem to be stable.

Edit - Here's a GPU-Z link. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ff788/


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dustin1*
> 
> So I have a question for the AMD Guru's... I purchased 2 Power Color 7970's (non-reference version with a blue PCB) and when I ran 3DMark 11 today the final results were showing my cards as VisionTek cards... Any ideas? The cards run great, haven't ran into any issues gaming or anything and they seem to be stable.
> 
> Edit - Here's a GPU-Z link. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ff788/


did you buy them used? maybe someone else flashed a BIOS?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Dustin1*
> 
> So I have a question for the AMD Guru's... I purchased 2 Power Color 7970's (non-reference version with a blue PCB) and when I ran 3DMark 11 today the final results were showing my cards as VisionTek cards... Any ideas? The cards run great, haven't ran into any issues gaming or anything and they seem to be stable.
> 
> Edit - Here's a GPU-Z link. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ff788/
> 
> 
> 
> did you buy them used? maybe someone else flashed a BIOS?
Click to expand...

No the bios his shows is a powercolor. http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/140574/powercolor-hd7970-3072-130307.html

Its probably a mistake on 3d mark.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dustin1*
> 
> So I have a question for the AMD Guru's... I purchased 2 Power Color 7970's (non-reference version with a blue PCB) and when I ran 3DMark 11 today the final results were showing my cards as VisionTek cards... Any ideas? The cards run great, haven't ran into any issues gaming or anything and they seem to be stable.
> 
> Edit - Here's a GPU-Z link. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ff788/


mine never show up correctly


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you cant on asus cards !


I'm not familiar with the limitations MSIA may or may not have. My cards use reference PCB.

Using MSIA gives me flexibility to play with clock settings, but frankly once you find something you like, maybe that's not so important anymore. I'm considering the suggestion of writing the clock values to BIOS for the sole reason that MSIA seems to forget how to set the clocks and defaults to the BIOS values.

But the most important reason for MSIA is setting voltages since CCC doesn't allow that. I'm not sure what other alternatives exist.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you cant on asus cards !
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not familiar with the limitations MSIA may or may not have. My cards use reference PCB.
> 
> Using MSIA gives me flexibility to play with clock settings, but frankly once you find something you like, maybe that's not so important anymore. I'm considering the suggestion of writing the clock values to BIOS for the sole reason that MSIA seems to forget how to set the clocks and defaults to the BIOS values.
> 
> But the most important reason for MSIA is setting voltages since CCC doesn't allow that. I'm not sure what other alternatives exist.
Click to expand...

if by msia you mean AB

asus to my knowledge has been "locking" their cards to gpu tweek for a while


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> asus to my knowledge has been "locking" their cards to gpu tweek for a while


yup. reference models might be different, but their custom cards certainly have been locked to their custom software, which is just garbage in my opinion. There is a specific version of GPUtweek somewhere out in the wild that worked for getting full control of my DC2, but in the end, the software was still junk and had to go. BIOS modification really is the way to go with ASUS custom cards, for at least 3 generations.


----------



## diggiddi

What about GPU Monitor?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> What about GPU Monitor?


Never tried. If it is not ASUS branded software, I would not have high hopes.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> if by msia you mean AB
> 
> asus to my knowledge has been "locking" their cards to gpu tweek for a while


Yes, Afterburner.

I was unaware of the locking function. Suppose they're entitled to do as they choose. When I used EVGA cards, their software was pretty good and I didn't mind using Precision.

DiamondMM does not offer any equivalent software I'm aware of, so glad AB works.

I may have tried GPUTweak at one point but some function needed an Asus branded card IIRC so I stopped using it.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Never tried. If it is not ASUS branded software, I would not have high hopes.


Yeah it is Asus GPU monitor it docks onto the left side of the GPU Tweak just like MSI AB has one on the right side


----------



## gr8sho

Your sig says you have a Sapphire card. I think they have their own software.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Your sig says you have a Sapphire card. I think they have their own software.


*You missed this*
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> In other news I am the proud Papa of a set of twins delivered this afternoon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ,............
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> By a guy in a UPS Truck, Asus 1 and Asus 2 My newly acquired, new to me HD 7970 matrix Platinums
> 
> 
> .
> I'll post pics soon as my phone quits misbehaving, for some reason I cannot upload pics to PC


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Here they are
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Popple

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> side note, I'm pretty sure 100C on a overclocked 79x0 chip would only last a few months before the silicon just destroys itself... large chip == much less tolerance in extreme environments...


I'm intrigued by this, what do you mean by a large chip? Transistor count?

How do the Nvidia 700s compare in this regard?


----------



## InCoGnIt0

I have an asus 7970 when I first got it I ran it for about a month and then took the cooler off and replaced the stock thermal paste with Arctic Silver, the temps are either exactly the same or maybe dropped like 1 degree. So using the stock thermal paste seems just fine. I have been running it for about a year now with the Arctic Silver, I was wondering if there is better thermal paste for it. I do have some Liquid Ultra that I run on my CPU I was wondering if anyone uses that on their GPU. Thanks in advance for replies.

Just FYI if someone does not know what Liquid Ultra is.....

http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> I have an asus 7970 when I first got it I ran it for about a month and then took the cooler off and replaced the stock thermal paste with Arctic Silver, the temps are either exactly the same or maybe dropped like 1 degree. So using the stock thermal paste seems just fine. I have been running it for about a year now with the Arctic Silver, I was wondering if there is better thermal paste for it. I do have some Liquid Ultra that I run on my CPU I was wondering if anyone uses that on their GPU. Thanks in advance for replies.
> 
> Just FYI if someone does not know what Liquid Ultra is.....
> 
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/


Don't use Ultra or liquid metal TIM's on your GPU's, depending on the heatsinks material you could destroy it. It's also harder to apply on GPU's.


----------



## InCoGnIt0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> I have an asus 7970 when I first got it I ran it for about a month and then took the cooler off and replaced the stock thermal paste with Arctic Silver, the temps are either exactly the same or maybe dropped like 1 degree. So using the stock thermal paste seems just fine. I have been running it for about a year now with the Arctic Silver, I was wondering if there is better thermal paste for it. I do have some Liquid Ultra that I run on my CPU I was wondering if anyone uses that on their GPU. Thanks in advance for replies.
> 
> Just FYI if someone does not know what Liquid Ultra is.....
> 
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/
> 
> 
> 
> Don't use Ultra or liquid metal TIM's on your GPU's, depending on the heatsinks material you could destroy it. It's also harder to apply on GPU's.
Click to expand...

Yeah the cooler that touches the GPU is copper and the Liquid Ultra is ok with copper, its aluminum that it will destroy.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> Yeah the cooler that touches the GPU is copper and the Liquid Ultra is ok with copper, its aluminum that it will destroy.


Liquid ultra will pit copper as well (just not nearly as bad as aluminum), when I get out of bed I will find some links. Only thing that liquid ultra is 100% safe on is nickel or nickel-plated copper


----------



## InCoGnIt0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> Yeah the cooler that touches the GPU is copper and the Liquid Ultra is ok with copper, its aluminum that it will destroy.
> 
> 
> 
> Liquid ultra will pit copper as well (just not nearly as bad as aluminum), when I get out of bed I will find some links. Only thing that liquid ultra is 100% safe on is nickel or nickel-plated copper
Click to expand...

Yeah I don't think I will be using Ultra cause i'v had it for about a year and have not put it on yet, I was just wondering if anyone here has put on different TIMs and found better results. Thanks for the reply.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Just to let you know CLU has the potential to do something like this to your copper block on the H100. After a little time it will "weld" itself to the copper block and may corrode it a bit. After an extended amount of time you might have to apply a good amount of pressure to the block to get it off the CPU and then spend a little time sanding the block down to get rid of it. I personally only use CLU on my die for that reason. I use mx4 because IMO the hassle of getting it off isn't worth the extra 3c-5c extra drop I would get if I used it on the IHS and block.


Found this in a liquid ultra thread. I would only use liquid ultra on CPU die between ihs. Tests also show that between ihs and block there's only a 2-3c gain, something like 3-4c gain with GPU's. Not worth it IMO.









Edit: as for different Tim's, you can try Ceramique, PK-1, MX-4, AS5, couple others I'm forgetting. All should perform similarly though. I would avoid IC-7 because I've heard a few horror stories about it scratching dies.


----------



## InCoGnIt0

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *RavageTheEarth*
> 
> Just to let you know CLU has the potential to do something like this to your copper block on the H100. After a little time it will "weld" itself to the copper block and may corrode it a bit. After an extended amount of time you might have to apply a good amount of pressure to the block to get it off the CPU and then spend a little time sanding the block down to get rid of it. I personally only use CLU on my die for that reason. I use mx4 because IMO the hassle of getting it off isn't worth the extra 3c-5c extra drop I would get if I used it on the IHS and block.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Found this in a liquid ultra thread. I would only use liquid ultra on CPU die between ihs. Tests also show that between ihs and block there's only a 2-3c gain, something like 3-4c gain with GPU's. Not worth it IMO.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: as for different Tim's, you can try Ceramique, PK-1, MX-4, AS5, couple others I'm forgetting. All should perform similarly though. I would avoid IC-7 because I've heard a few horror stories about it scratching dies.
Click to expand...

Wow liquid ultra can do some nasty stuff. Only place that I have my Ultra is between the die and ihs cause I delidded my processor. thx for the pic


----------



## inedenimadam

Coolabratory Ultra CAN be applied to the GPU without damage, and it works wonderfully as long as you follow a couple simple rules:

1. Only apply when it it going to touch nickel or copper
2.Dont get it on anything that will short.

Both of my water blocks are nickel plated, I have more issues with CLU direct die to my CPU because my block is copper. I haveCLU on both of my 7970s. I wish I had taken pictures now, but all I did was take some blue painters tape and taped off the area around the die, so that just the die was poking through, and then put the card mostly under a piece of paper to keep it safe from drips or clumsy hands that like to drop applicators







. After brushing on a thin layer, just pull the tape off and mount.

Apply CLU to a GPU is like trying to jump across the roofs of two 10 story buildings that are two feet apart. No its not hard, but catastrophic if you get it wrong.

Edit to add: Since applying CLU my GPUs dont see 45C, even at 1.3V 1200/1800


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> I have an asus 7970 when I first got it I ran it for about a month and then took the cooler off and replaced the stock thermal paste with Arctic Silver, the temps are either exactly the same or maybe dropped like 1 degree. So using the stock thermal paste seems just fine. I have been running it for about a year now with the Arctic Silver, I was wondering if there is better thermal paste for it. I do have some Liquid Ultra that I run on my CPU I was wondering if anyone uses that on their GPU. Thanks in advance for replies.
> 
> Just FYI if someone does not know what Liquid Ultra is.....
> 
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/


dont use Electrically Conductive TIMs,

There's exposed circuits on the GPUs.. all it takes is 1 drip after you apply the heatsink to move onto the exposed circuit, then poof, no more GPU


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> *You missed this*


Figures. As you are a proud papa, go ahead and show it off in your updated rig details.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Figures. As you are a proud papa, go ahead and show it off in your updated rig details.


Haha let me make sure everything is working aright then I'll change rig, you know they count fingers and toes b4 baby goes home


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> I have an asus 7970 when I first got it I ran it for about a month and then took the cooler off and replaced the stock thermal paste with Arctic Silver, the temps are either exactly the same or maybe dropped like 1 degree. So using the stock thermal paste seems just fine. I have been running it for about a year now with the Arctic Silver, I was wondering if there is better thermal paste for it. I do have some Liquid Ultra that I run on my CPU I was wondering if anyone uses that on their GPU. Thanks in advance for replies.
> 
> Just FYI if someone does not know what Liquid Ultra is.....
> 
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/
> 
> 
> 
> dont use Electrically Conductive TIMs,
> 
> There's exposed circuits on the GPUs.. all it takes is 1 drip after you apply the heatsink to move onto the exposed circuit, then poof, no more GPU
Click to expand...

Arctic silver 5 is conductive right? I have used it on GPU but I have always taken care to have nothing on the board and only on the face of the processor. I know its not the safest but I always made sure to clean up before operation.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Arctic silver 5 is conductive right? I have used it on GPU but I have always taken care to have nothing on the board and only on the face of the processor. I know its not the safest but I always made sure to clean up before operation.


AS5 is non-conductive but it is slightly capacitive.


----------



## wermad

AS5 is dated tbh and it takes ~200 hours to cure. Most newer stuff today cures faster and performs better.

I picked up some Ceramique 2 and mx-3 from jab-tech during their 50% off sale.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> AS5 is dated tbh and it takes ~200 hours to cure. Most newer stuff today cures faster and performs better.
> 
> I picked up some Ceramique 2 and mx-3 from jab-tech during their 50% off sale.


^This, AS5 is old, the only reason I've used it recently is because I still have a tube of it, lol

For GPUs, I'd recommened Prolimatech PK1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> AS5 is non-conductive but it is slightly capacitive.


Yup
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Arctic silver 5 is conductive right? I have used it on GPU but I have always taken care to have nothing on the board and only on the face of the processor. I know its not the safest but I always made sure to clean up before operation.


I used it on my 7950 but I had to be VERY careful with it.


----------



## wermad

I have some AS5 left and use it for the stock tim when i have to send in a card to rma. It looks about the same color as the oem and aic oem goo (gray/dark-gray).

I can finally retire my Ceramique and start using the Ceramique2. MX-3 will be used for the cpu when needed. I'm currently on EK Gelid Extreme and it works great, though I'm out of that. I've had no issues w/ Ceramique on the multiple gpu's I've had these last few years.


----------



## gr8sho

Clever.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> AS5 is dated tbh and it takes ~200 hours to cure. Most newer stuff today cures faster and performs better.
> 
> I picked up some Ceramique 2 and mx-3 from jab-tech during their 50% off sale.


What about this?


----------



## wermad

Looks to be a bit better then ceramique 2. Good choice









I used their carat 7 on the die for my delid Haswell. With gelid extreme, temps went from 80 c to 55 c (non delid to delid)


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Popple*
> 
> I'm intrigued by this, what do you mean by a large chip? Transistor count?
> 
> How do the Nvidia 700s compare in this regard?


any large piece of silicon, the larger it is the worse the effect, generally its the expansion and shrinkage as it heats and cools, causes warpage, the 290/Xs have this concern and AMD worked around it by making it cap at 95C and regulate the fan speed so it does a very smooth transition instead of heating and cooling very fast.

coupled with that, if you do some extreme clocks and voltage, the combined effect can end up destroying the components inside the chip much quicker then they would normally age, you're also just as likely to warp the PCB and kill it that way, so ultimately if you want to OC you should try your best to keep it as cool as possible over the entire board.

and yea, the nvidia's would have the same concern, maby even a little more as they have such larger chips, running high temps alone can be bad for the life of the card, I had a friend who lost one of his old 580's recently even though they aren't very old (he replaced the two 580s with a 780). they ran at 90+C a lot of times.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> AS5 is dated tbh and it takes ~200 hours to cure. Most newer stuff today cures faster and performs better.
> 
> I picked up some Ceramique 2 and mx-3 from jab-tech during their 50% off sale.
> 
> 
> 
> ^This, AS5 is old, the only reason I've used it recently is because I still have a tube of it, lol
> 
> For GPUs, I'd recommened Prolimatech PK1
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> AS5 is non-conductive but it is slightly capacitive.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Yup
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Arctic silver 5 is conductive right? I have used it on GPU but I have always taken care to have nothing on the board and only on the face of the processor. I know its not the safest but I always made sure to clean up before operation.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I used it on my 7950 but I had to be VERY careful with it.
Click to expand...

To be honest for my CPU I used what came with the noctua NH-U14S and it seems great. I just spread some nice and neat on the cooler and screwed it back on. As for my GPU, currently I'm using a 6850 but I just got word my 290 will ship in the next day. So happy days for me. I don't know if I've ever changed thermal on this GPU, because its not technically mine. I built the PC it came from as a birthday present for an old roommate and he left it behind. And thank god too because the only other GPU I have is an ancient geforce 7300LE and its falling apart.

So for my next thermal purchase since its almost gone on AS5, what should I pick up? The only reason I continued to buy AS5 is because the performance on heat transfer still seemed top notch on reviews.

This is what noctua includes with their coolers.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608008


----------



## Popple

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> any large piece of silicon, the larger it is the worse the effect,


Is it the same thing as the die size usually listed in mm^2?
Does that mean gpus like the 750ti would fare better in this regard?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Popple*
> 
> Is it the same thing as the die size usually listed in mm^2?
> Does that mean gpus like the 750ti would fare better in this regard?


yes that is the size I'm referring to, and yea, smaller chips are likely to suffer less from warping in that regard, however they are usually built around a lesser quality PCB and components so are still susceptible to damage or at least very poor stability if pushed to the limits at high temps.

I had a HD5770 that quite enjoyed running at 99C under load, however I don't believe the memory ICs enjoyed that and it had some occasional issues before I replaced it with the 7970 (which now resides inside my sister's rig as I now use a 290X).


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> What about this?


Some people have stated that it can damage the gpu. I applied it to mine anyway about 9 months ago and saw my temps decrease and the card is still alive.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> What about this?
> 
> 
> 
> Some people have stated that it can damage the gpu. I applied it to mine anyway about 9 months ago and saw my temps decrease and the card is still alive.
Click to expand...

Its non conductive so I don't see why it would harm the GPU. They must have done something wrong.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> I have an asus 7970 when I first got it I ran it for about a month and then took the cooler off and replaced the stock thermal paste with Arctic Silver, the temps are either exactly the same or maybe dropped like 1 degree. So using the stock thermal paste seems just fine. I have been running it for about a year now with the Arctic Silver, I was wondering if there is better thermal paste for it. I do have some Liquid Ultra that I run on my CPU I was wondering if anyone uses that on their GPU. Thanks in advance for replies.
> 
> Just FYI if someone does not know what Liquid Ultra is.....
> 
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/
> 
> 
> 
> Don't use Ultra or liquid metal TIM's on your GPU's, depending on the heatsinks material you could destroy it. It's also harder to apply on GPU's.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *InCoGnIt0*
> 
> I have an asus 7970 when I first got it I ran it for about a month and then took the cooler off and replaced the stock thermal paste with Arctic Silver, the temps are either exactly the same or maybe dropped like 1 degree. So using the stock thermal paste seems just fine. I have been running it for about a year now with the Arctic Silver, I was wondering if there is better thermal paste for it. I do have some Liquid Ultra that I run on my CPU I was wondering if anyone uses that on their GPU. Thanks in advance for replies.
> 
> Just FYI if someone does not know what Liquid Ultra is.....
> 
> http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-ultra/
> 
> 
> 
> dont use Electrically Conductive TIMs,
> 
> There's exposed circuits on the GPUs.. all it takes is 1 drip after you apply the heatsink to move onto the exposed circuit, then poof, no more GPU
Click to expand...

yea, you know this is OCN right? do you know how many people use it on gpus? it is fine as long as proper precautions are taken. i dont use it but yea, it is fine to use
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> What about this?
> 
> 
> 
> Some people have stated that it can damage the gpu. I applied it to mine anyway about 9 months ago and saw my temps decrease and the card is still alive.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Its non conductive so I don't see why it would harm the GPU. They must have done something wrong.
Click to expand...

people seem to think it scratches stuff, which has never been proven but some idiot went on a waaaaa parade a while ago

btw all i added a new gpu to my collection

5 7970s and one of these, 3 more to come soon


Spoiler: i have to say their blocks look pretty darn good without the crop circles !~ !


----------



## chris89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Balsagna*
> 
> Or you can just edit the profile...... and not have to do anything like that.


Does anyone know hex details for hd 4200?


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yea, you know this is OCN right? do you know how many people use it on gpus? it is fine as long as proper precautions are taken. i dont use it but yea, it is fine to use
> people seem to think it scratches stuff, which has never been proven but some idiot went on a waaaaa parade a while ago
> 
> btw all i added a new gpu to my collection


I hadn't even imagined such a situation, but yes, diamond is harder than metal. If proper procedure isn't followed, such things can happen. In a matter of speaking then, a product like AS5 is more idiot-proof, but 5 degrees C is not something to be left on the table performance-wise for OCN crowd.

Congrats on the new card.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> What about this?


I can tell you works like a charm. But it will scratch your GPU die when you remove it. I would definitely not use it on a CPU unless you want a nice delid or the numbers coming off the CPU and not being able to go for RMA. From experience


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> What about this?
> 
> 
> 
> I can tell you works like a charm. But it will scratch your GPU die when you remove it. I would definitely not use it on a CPU unless you want a nice delid or the numbers coming off the CPU and not being able to go for RMA. From experience
Click to expand...

It may just be a name but it begs the question, why would you use the hardest rock on earth on your delicate PC parts?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> It may just be a name but it begs the question, why would you use the hardest rock on earth on your delicate PC parts?


For keeping the Die cool it is the best. IC transfers heat there is no doubt about it. The diamond dust has a extreme heat transfer property.

The stuff will and does scratch the DIE slightly. But does not harm anything. I can tell you its proven. I had it happen to me. But it does not break nor hurt anything and does what its suppose to drops temps up to 6C.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Alright I finally got my 3770k so I could try out my crossfire setup. Definitely having some issues.

My setup
I7-3770K @ 4GHz
2x2gb 1600 (I know I need more)

Asrock z77 formula OC
I have the 4pin molex pci-e power recommended for crossfire plugged in.

Diamond 7970
925/1375

Ati reference 7950 3gb
925/1375 (matching bios to the 7970)

Current 13.12 drivers

In BF4 on ultra @ 1680x1050 with crossfire disabled I average 70 fps never dropping lower than 60.

With crossfire enabled my fps runs around 50 and will drop down to 9 and fluctuate.

Before this build I was able to play BF4 on medium @ 1680x1050 with the 7950 and an old QX6850 core 2 quad at 50-60 fps no problem


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Alright I finally got my 3770k so I could try out my crossfire setup. Definitely having some issues.
> 
> My setup
> I7-3770K @ 4GHz
> 2x2gb 1600 (I know I need more)
> 
> Asrock z77 formula OC
> I have the 4pin molex pci-e power recommended for crossfire plugged in.
> 
> Diamond 7970
> 925/1375
> 
> Ati reference 7950 3gb
> 925/1375 (matching bios to the 7970)
> 
> Current 13.12 drivers
> 
> In BF4 on ultra @ 1680x1050 with crossfire disabled I average 70 fps never dropping lower than 60.
> 
> With crossfire enabled my fps runs around 50 and will drop down to 9 and fluctuate.
> 
> Before this build I was able to play BF4 on medium @ 1680x1050 with the 7950 and an old QX6850 core 2 quad at 50-60 fps no problem


Things to try:
1) Try disabling your iGPU.
2) How do your GPU usage graphs look?
3) Try testing each card induvidually and monitor usage/fps. If one card is a dud, that could be your problem.
4) Try a different crossfire bridge. Can also try reversing the direction of the crossfire bridge.

I assume your 7970 is your main (ie: display output) card? For crossfire you might need to return the 7950 to it's original bios, but I am less familiar with how that affects crossfire than some others here.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Alright I finally got my 3770k so I could try out my crossfire setup. Definitely having some issues.
> 
> My setup
> I7-3770K @ 4GHz
> 2x2gb 1600 (I know I need more)
> 
> Asrock z77 formula OC
> I have the 4pin molex pci-e power recommended for crossfire plugged in.
> 
> Diamond 7970
> 925/1375
> 
> Ati reference 7950 3gb
> 925/1375 (matching bios to the 7970)
> 
> Current 13.12 drivers
> 
> In BF4 on ultra @ 1680x1050 with crossfire disabled I average 70 fps never dropping lower than 60.
> 
> With crossfire enabled my fps runs around 50 and will drop down to 9 and fluctuate.
> 
> Before this build I was able to play BF4 on medium @ 1680x1050 with the 7950 and an old QX6850 core 2 quad at 50-60 fps no problem


Might be a XFire Bridge/Driver issue?

Before I pulled my 7950 (just until I red-mod it, leaving only my 7970 Lightning), I was playing both BF3 and BF4 on Ultra/High Mix across 3 Screens with a 4th for Map (in BF4). at 60 FPS Vsync'd with no Dips.


----------



## Popple

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> however they are usually built around a lesser quality PCB and components so are still susceptible to damage or at least very poor stability if pushed to the limits at high temps.


Shouldn't this be consistent across the entire range of the aftermarket lines? (like Gigabyte's UltraDurable and MSI's Military Class)


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Popple*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> however they are usually built around a lesser quality PCB and components so are still susceptible to damage or at least very poor stability if pushed to the limits at high temps.
> 
> 
> 
> Shouldn't this be consistent across the entire range of the aftermarket lines? (like Gigabyte's UltraDurable and MSI's Military Class)
Click to expand...

What do you mean? Consistent use of higher quality parts? Lately it seems like anything that isn't a specially made GPU uses lesser parts or they stick their hand in a bin of random VRMs and you have to get lucky to have good ones. That's why my last card was the 7970 lightning. Everything about it is higher quality and it costs more too.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> What do you mean? Consistent use of higher quality parts? Lately it seems like anything that isn't a specially made GPU uses lesser parts or they stick their hand in a bin of random VRMs and you have to get lucky to have good ones. That's why my last card was the 7970 lightning. Everything about it is higher quality and it costs more too.


Haven't been keeping up w/ the thread, but did you get your 290?


----------



## SkateZilla

OOoooo I See HD7970s (Sapphire DualX etc) Cards are down to $210-$249 on Ebay (Buy it now Prices).

Vapor X's are running $269ish... $300 for a 7970 with aftermarket cooling (Accelero Extreme)

Might have to pick me one up and demote the HD7950 to another rig.

No 7970 Lightnings, just that one sketchy 7950 lightning..

Im lookin to get another Lightning if price permits, simply cuz my MSI Lightning + Sapphire 7950 DualX have issues with overclocking.

Dunno why, but Sapphires Program Conflicts with the MSI and MSI's Conflicts with the Sapphire.. it's annoying...


----------



## wermad

Two Lightning BE (used) ~$350 each:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Cards-MSI-HD-R7970-Lightning-Be-3-MB-GDDR5-SDRAM-PCI-Ex-Graphic-BOOST-ED-7970-/301153799613?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item461e2a4dbd


----------



## SkateZilla

well I can get one with a EK Waterblock for $500









I didnt list that one But I saw it..

I dont need 3 of these things, 2 will last me till the R9-300 Series.
plus they are boost editions (blllaaaaaaah)

in hind sight, I'm skeptical about some of these listings, if it's been used for mining 24/7 the last 8 months, the card is prolly near death lol


----------



## wermad

If I had the cash, I would have grabbed them to replace two my PE/Ltg. cards. Spent my last bit of money on new fittings and tube. Three Lightnings will take care of your Eyefinity setup for a while too.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> If I had the cash, I would have grabbed them to replace two my PE/Ltg. cards. Spent my last bit of money on new fittings and tube. Three Lightnings will take care of your Eyefinity setup for a while too.


I only need to hold over for R9-300 Series if the specs are correct...

Then it's buy one of those, and sell off or demote my old cards.


----------



## diggiddi

Guys is this right for a 7970 at 1190/1650?



compare it to my 7950 1160/1300


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Popple*
> 
> Shouldn't this be consistent across the entire range of the aftermarket lines? (like Gigabyte's UltraDurable and MSI's Military Class)


95% of that stuff is just marketing filler, majority of cards are the same, cheaper it is the cheaper the PCB is made. Only things you should really look at is the cooler's performance, ceramic/iron chokes if you don't want coil whine, and if you're hoping to do extreme overclocks try to get something with a lot of phases (lightnings are usually the best in sub-zero).


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> What do you mean? Consistent use of higher quality parts? Lately it seems like anything that isn't a specially made GPU uses lesser parts or they stick their hand in a bin of random VRMs and you have to get lucky to have good ones. That's why my last card was the 7970 lightning. Everything about it is higher quality and it costs more too.
> 
> 
> 
> Haven't been keeping up w/ the thread, but did you get your 290?
Click to expand...

Should have tracking tomorrow. The RMA updated with all but the tracking number.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Things to try:
> 1) Try disabling your iGPU.
> 2) How do your GPU usage graphs look?
> 3) Try testing each card induvidually and monitor usage/fps. If one card is a dud, that could be your problem.
> 4) Try a different crossfire bridge. Can also try reversing the direction of the crossfire bridge.
> 
> I assume your 7970 is your main (ie: display output) card? For crossfire you might need to return the 7950 to it's original bios, but I am less familiar with how that affects crossfire than some others here.


Thanks alot. I went into my bios and disabled the igpu and re enabled crossfire and on ultra I get 85-95 fps @ 1680x1050. Im still experience some frame drops but not really as bad and it is definitely playable. I do need to replace my hd with an ssd before I do more tweaking but I am very pleased to have crossfire functional. This is my first dual gpu setup and I know most people say one better gpu is best but I gotta atleast try it!


----------



## wermad

Bumped up my PE clocks to match the BE @ 1150mhz for the Fanboy challenge. Not much difference in 3D13 FS. But I'm glad all three PEs can do 1150. Thinking of flashing them to BE









Got ~15k and I'm not too impressed. Going to bump up my cpu a bit to test this further.


----------



## TheRussian1

Out of curiosity - is there any reason for me to update to the latest drivers for my 7950 (Gigabyte)?

Running 13.4, as I understand most of the newer drivers are aimed @ the R9/7 cards?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRussian1*
> 
> Out of curiosity - is there any reason for me to update to the latest drivers for my 7950 (Gigabyte)?
> 
> Running 13.4, as I understand most of the newer drivers are aimed @ the R9/7 cards?


The latest driver works all the same on 6000 and 7000 series, but its improvements are for the R9 series. Remember only the 290 and 290x are actual new cards.


----------



## wermad

Also, new drivers can improve new game performance for any card.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Also, new drivers can improve new game performance for any card.


This is very true too. One little tweak can change everything.


----------



## Deadboy90

Any help with this guys? It happens when i enable Mantle in BF4. I play for a bit and I get that error or "BF4 has stopped working. It ONLY happens with Mantle. Im on 14.3 drivers.


Also I was having some issues with screen flickering and found a thread of a guy having the same problem as me.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1326919/screen-flicker-when-overclocking

That threads 2 years old. His solution didnt work for me. Any ideas? Thanks all.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Any help with this guys? It happens when i enable Mantle in BF4. I play for a bit and I get that error or "BF4 has stopped working. It ONLY happens with Mantle. Im on 14.3 drivers.
> 
> 
> Also I was having some issues with screen flickering and found a thread of a guy having the same problem as me.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1326919/screen-flicker-when-overclocking
> 
> That threads 2 years old. His solution didnt work for me. Any ideas? Thanks all.


looks like you're unstable, that error there is a GPU memory allocation failure (ie; shot memory or not enough left).


----------



## TheRussian1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> This is very true too. One little tweak can change everything.


Thanks for advice.

I have been out of the loop - is there a consensus "stable" driver that is worth updating to at the moment?

I guess I will just got with the latest and roll back if issues arise.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRussian1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> This is very true too. One little tweak can change everything.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for advice.
> 
> I have been out of the loop - is there a consensus "stable" driver that is worth updating to at the moment?
> 
> I guess I will just got with the latest and roll back if issues arise.
Click to expand...

14.3 has been pretty stable, the WHQL driver was rock solid as well for the 7900 series.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 14.3 has been pretty stable, the WHQL driver was rock solid as well for the 7900 series.


Had to send the twins back, thanks for all your help though


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 14.3 has been pretty stable, the WHQL driver was rock solid as well for the 7900 series.
> 
> 
> 
> Had to send the twins back, thanks for all your help though
Click to expand...

\

Aw no! They were purdy! What are you going to run instead?


----------



## TheRussian1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 14.3 has been pretty stable, the WHQL driver was rock solid as well for the 7900 series.


Is 14.3 only Beta?

Should I just go for the 14.4 release?

EDIT: Hmm, they got rid of CAPs?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TheRussian1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 14.3 has been pretty stable, the WHQL driver was rock solid as well for the 7900 series.
> 
> 
> 
> Is 14.3 only Beta?
> 
> Should I just go for the 14.4 release?
> 
> EDIT: Hmm, they got rid of CAPs?
Click to expand...

From what I understand, 14.4 only benefits the R29x series, and is still a leaked, beta driver. I had issues with 14.4 that could not be rectified with eyefinity, so it is hard to suggest it over previous drivers from my standpoint.


----------



## TheRussian1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> From what I understand, 14.4 only benefits the R29x series, and is still a leaked, beta driver. I had issues with 14.4 that could not be rectified with eyefinity, so it is hard to suggest it over previous drivers from my standpoint.


Cool, thanks for the help!


----------



## X-Alt

Still running 14.2, waiting until the next WHQL or 14.4 to actually come out..


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> \
> 
> Aw no! They were purdy! What are you going to run instead?


We'll see what happens but most likely I'll add another one or a 280x down the road, but for now I'm riding with my 7950 for now


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> looks like you're unstable, that error there is a GPU memory allocation failure (ie; shot memory or not enough left).


What so my memory chips are going bad? O_O I definetly shouldnt be running out of VRAM, I have 3 gigs and I'm only running at 1080p. The error is also not present when I'm using DX.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> What so my memory chips are going bad? O_O I definetly shouldnt be running out of VRAM, I have 3 gigs and I'm only running at 1080p. The error is also not present when I'm using DX.


yea cause DX doesn't do full error checking, mantle does as its a compute API, not just a wrapper API.

you say you also had flickering, which is a sign something is unstable, tried different 14.x versions? @X-Alt above says hes been using 14.2, otherwise does the flickering still occur with 13.12 and/or have you tried uninstalling monitor/OC tools like afterburner etc?


----------



## Mega Man

Bf4 has a memory leak issue. I can not even play for 5 min in eyefinity


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Bf4 has a memory leak issue. I can not even play for 5 min in eyefinity


only just recent? have you tried different drivers to see what it might be specifically?

I think I remember 14.x drivers having a leak somewhere, had minecraft use 12GB of memory even though java max is set to 4GB, haven't had it since going back to 13.12.

or do you mean buffer leak in that it eats your GPU memory and crashes from running out?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Bf4 has a memory leak issue. I can not even play for 5 min in eyefinity


I'm having leak issues on a single 6850 on 1080p on only medium. Is this an issue with the 14.3 or is it the current BF4 patch? It sucks up all 16gb of my ram.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I'm having leak issues on a single 6850 on 1080p on only medium. Is this an issue with the 14.3 or is it the current BF4 patch? It sucks up all 16gb of my ram.


ok yea that sounds like the same leak I had, try 13.12 and/or DX render and see if it still leaks.
@Mega Man


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea cause DX doesn't do full error checking, mantle does as its a compute API, not just a wrapper API.
> 
> you say you also had flickering, which is a sign something is unstable, tried different 14.x versions? @X-Alt above says hes been using 14.2, otherwise does the flickering still occur with 13.12 and/or have you tried uninstalling monitor/OC tools like afterburner etc?


Its not just these drivers. Its been a persistent issue I have had since the days when I was using xfire 6850's. Its a weird flickering issue, it happens when I OC by even 1mhz. I have been trying to take a video of it unsuccessfully so far.


----------



## Mega Man

Ill try that when I am back state side. In China atm


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Ill try that when I am back state side. In China atm


Lucky man. I have never been more than 100 miles from the house I grew up in.


----------



## wermad

I've played a couple of times and all its well. So restart ing Windows solves this?


----------



## Deadboy90

So i confirmed that Mantle memory leak on BF4.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> So i confirmed that Mantle memory leak on BF4.


Memory leak with what card. I can go all night with mantle and 2x R9 290X. I just don't use Mantle cause 3d is only good with DX. Guys have to try Titanfall.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Memory leak with what card. I can go all night with mantle and 2x R9 290X. I just don't use Mantle cause 3d is only good with DX. Guys have to try Titanfall.


With card in sig, 7950. No wonder i was getting those crashes, 2.9gb used out of 3


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I'm having leak issues on a single 6850 on 1080p on only medium. Is this an issue with the 14.3 or is it the current BF4 patch? It sucks up all 16gb of my ram.
> 
> 
> 
> ok yea that sounds like the same leak I had, try 13.12 and/or DX render and see if it still leaks.
> @Mega Man
Click to expand...

The only other fix seems to be to use 32bit BF4.


----------



## SkateZilla

there's been a memory leak in mantle since it was integrated... nothing new...


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> there's been a memory leak in mantle since it was integrated... nothing new...


Yes but I swear I heard they fixed it...


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> With card in sig, 7950. No wonder i was getting those crashes, 2.9gb used out of 3


haha, ok yea definitely why you're crashing, not enough memory left to make a buffer.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> there's been a memory leak in mantle since it was integrated... nothing new...


this GPU one however seems new for BF4, otherwise I would have known about it.

probably should get BF4 so I can look at these things myself... :/


----------



## 12Cores

After 1 1/2 years I finally got another 7970 and its epic. I can now run 4x and 8x MSAA without any issues, loving this build right now even though I suspect that my fx-8320 is bottlenecking the rig.


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Ill try that when I am back state side. In China atm


Mega what is the overclock on your 8350 and do you believe that it is bottlenecking your 7970's?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> there's been a memory leak in mantle since it was integrated... nothing new...


I swear it was fixed but I'm having it using DX11, unless its just the mantle driver period.


----------



## Jflisk

The new Catalyst drivers fix the memory leak 14.3 V1 Beta. That is the version I am running and have no problems when I use mantle. You might want to give them a try.

Found here
http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/latest-catalyst-windows-beta.aspx


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *12Cores*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Ill try that when I am back state side. In China atm
> 
> 
> 
> Mega what is the overclock on your 8350 and do you believe that it is bottlenecking your 7970's?
Click to expand...

do I get the same epeen numbers as people with Intel. No. Does it work fine and give me 100+fps in eyefinity. Yes.

24/7 iirc ( in China atm. And amd rig is in rebuild/mod mode, meaning it is dismantled atm ) 4.7ghz. 2700 cpu/nb 3900ht (according to red you won't see much improvement past 3k but I do see higher benching. But due to the volts needed I can not go higher then 4.7)


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> The new Catalyst drivers fix the memory leak 14.3 V1 Beta. That is the version I am running and have no problems when I use mantle. You might want to give them a try.
> 
> Found here
> http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/latest-catalyst-windows-beta.aspx


Again, I got it on DX11 BF4. But I'm on a 6850 and I'm concerned its the old problem not the mantle one. I'll know on tuesday when my 290 gets here. But they way I see it only people with less than 3gb vram had this issue. Its only BF4 leaking though, so I think its the old issue not the new mantle one.


----------



## 12Cores

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> do I get the same epeen numbers as people with Intel. No. Does it work fine and give me 100+fps in eyefinity. Yes.
> 
> 24/7 iirc ( in China atm. And amd rig is in rebuild/mod mode, meaning it is dismantled atm ) 4.7ghz. 2700 cpu/nb 3900ht (according to red you won't see much improvement past 3k but I do see higher benching. But due to the volts needed I can not go higher then 4.7)


Mega, thanks for the feedback. Looking forward to the Witcher 3 on this set up.


----------



## wermad

I found an older version of AB and I finally have some proper readouts on my four Lightnigns







. Only one missing is memory usage. It shows only one card and there's no option for all four. Anyways, played BF4 and it should almost 6gb! its defiitely wrong. Played Lost planet it shows 5.5gb







. Definitely inaccurate. I'll load up gpuz and see that shows.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> The new Catalyst drivers fix the memory leak 14.3 V1 Beta. That is the version I am running and have no problems when I use mantle. You might want to give them a try.
> 
> Found here
> http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/latest-catalyst-windows-beta.aspx


It was me who had the memory leak issue. Ill try these out thanks! +rep


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I found an older version of AB and I finally have some proper readouts on my four Lightnigns
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Only one missing is memory usage. It shows only one card and there's no option for all four. Anyways, played BF4 and it should almost 6gb! its defiitely wrong. Played Lost planet it shows 5.5gb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Definitely inaccurate. I'll load up gpuz and see that shows.


I've seen some titles exhaust GPU memory. The one that caught my attention was Skyrim as the title is very mature but uses lots of high texture packs. The analysis was done only using MSI Afterburner. I have not played it for several months and certainly not with any of the 14.x version drivers.

By comparison playing Dead Space 3 and capping frames to 60, the machine hardly breaks a sweat and memory usage is very low.

The latter datapoint is using 14.3 beta which has been very stable for me, and I concur with others stating same.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I found an older version of AB and I finally have some proper readouts on my four Lightnigns
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Only one missing is memory usage. It shows only one card and there's no option for all four. Anyways, played BF4 and it should almost 6gb! its defiitely wrong. Played Lost planet it shows 5.5gb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Definitely inaccurate. I'll load up gpuz and see that shows.


Is AB showing duplicates of the vram you have? I remember when I had xfire 6850's afterburner showed my vram usage at around 1.8gb despite both being 1gb cards.


----------



## Deadboy90

Oh I almost forgot, I may have some memory leak issues with Arma 3 as well. While playing Altis Life my memory usage was hovering around 2.5gb and slowly going up. I'll see if these 14.3 beta1 drivers fix it.


----------



## wermad

Ah, you might be right. this older version is probably reading it double (ddr).


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I found an older version of AB and I finally have some proper readouts on my four Lightnigns
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Only one missing is memory usage. It shows only one card and there's no option for all four. Anyways, played BF4 and it should almost 6gb! its defiitely wrong. Played Lost planet it shows 5.5gb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Definitely inaccurate. I'll load up gpuz and see that shows.
> 
> 
> 
> Is AB showing duplicates of the vram you have? I remember when I had xfire 6850's afterburner showed my vram usage at around 1.8gb despite both being 1gb cards.
Click to expand...

with four cards it shows 6iirc


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> with four cards it shows 6iirc


Yea I know. Its happening in BF4 so if on one card memory use would be 1.5gb then 1.5x4 cards would be 6gb. Maybe AB if quadrupling his memory reading because of his 4 cards like it doubled mine with 2.


----------



## wermad

More likely its reading double since its been known (and I forgot about this) to read like this as its Double Data Rate (ddr) ram. Remember, having "GDDR5" doesn't mean its 5x times faster, its the fifth generation of graphics double data ram. It just returned to me how this was coming up for my old Titans and 690s setup. The 690s have 2gb of ram each core and i was getting ~3.8gb. It wasn't until someone brought up that AB reads in it double data, so you just have to divide by two. 3gb in BF4 is not surprising.

Also, memory doesn't stack w/ multiple graphics core, so its still per core count.

On on interesting note. My BE is only loading ~70% in BF4 while the other three PEs arel oading ~95-98%. I'll have to keep an eye on this.


----------



## Carniflex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I've seen some titles exhaust GPU memory. The one that caught my attention was Skyrim as the title is very mature but uses lots of high texture packs. The analysis was done only using MSI Afterburner. I have not played it for several months and certainly not with any of the 14.x version drivers.
> 
> By comparison playing Dead Space 3 and capping frames to 60, the machine hardly breaks a sweat and memory usage is very low.
> 
> The latter datapoint is using 14.3 beta which has been very stable for me, and I concur with others stating same.


In my experience Afterburner, TriXX, GPU-z, etc are not reliable for measuring the memory usage on video cards. What they are reporting, as far as I understand, is max allocated memory which would be in essence the same as measuring the regular RAM usage by adding up the actual working set and the "standby" (basically a cache for recently used files and for prefetch) RAM usage amounts. In my experience you can be fine for quite a while after the memory has "ran out" of the video card according to the GPU monitoring programs and the only sure way to tell that you have hit the vRAM wall is the straight trip to single digit FPS regardless of where you were before. On a dual channel RAM platforms that is usually around 3 fps and on quad channel it has been around 7 fps for me. I have never managed to run out of vRAM on a single 1080p screen even when using 1 GB vRAM card. With 1 GB I start encountering it with 3+ 1080p and with 2 GB I have managed to hit it few times with 5x 1080p screens. With 3 GB I have never managed to reach the vRAM wall (at 10 megapixels screen resolution). Granted I have no experience with BF4 and the initial discussion leading to this was about that. I only wanted to note that the monitoring programs are not fully reliable for monitoring the real vRAM usage.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> In my experience Afterburner, TriXX, GPU-z, etc are not reliable for measuring the memory usage on video cards. What they are reporting, as far as I understand, is max allocated memory which would be in essence the same as measuring the regular RAM usage by adding up the actual working set and the "standby" (basically a cache for recently used files and for prefetch) RAM usage amounts. In my experience you can be fine for quite a while after the memory has "ran out" of the video card according to the GPU monitoring programs and the only sure way to tell that you have hit the vRAM wall is the straight trip to single digit FPS regardless of where you were before. On a dual channel RAM platforms that is usually around 3 fps and on quad channel it has been around 7 fps for me. I have never managed to run out of vRAM on a single 1080p screen even when using 1 GB vRAM card. With 1 GB I start encountering it with 3+ 1080p and with 2 GB I have managed to hit it few times with 5x 1080p screens. With 3 GB I have never managed to reach the vRAM wall (at 10 megapixels screen resolution). Granted I have no experience with BF4 and the initial discussion leading to this was about that. I only wanted to note that the monitoring programs are not fully reliable for monitoring the real vRAM usage.


Crashes are a pretty reliable maker for running out of vram too.







. And the only game I know for sure runs out of vram on 1 1080p with a 1gb card is modded skyrim. I'm sure BF4 would too if you set textures to ultra and aa to x4 as well but I haven't tried it.

Also, the 14.3 beta 1 drivers didn't help my mantle memory leak, they were what I was already using turns out. Sooooo its back to 13.12 once again. I'm never gonna get away from these drivers am I?


----------



## Deadboy90

Dbl post


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> More likely its reading double since its been known (and I forgot about this) to read like this as its Double Data Rate (ddr) ram. Remember, having "GDDR5" doesn't mean its 5x times faster, its the fifth generation of graphics double data ram. It just returned to me how this was coming up for my old Titans and 690s setup. The *690s have 2gb of ram each core and i was getting ~3.8gb. It wasn't until someone brought up that AB reads in it double data, so you just have to divide by two.* 3gb in BF4 is not surprising.
> 
> Also, memory doesn't stack w/ multiple graphics core, so its still per core count.
> 
> On on interesting note. My BE is only loading ~70% in BF4 while the other three PEs arel oading ~95-98%. I'll have to keep an eye on this.


Yea but what I'm trying to get across is if your 690 with 2 GPUs shows 3.8 GB of vram being used, would 2 quad sli 690s show up as higher than that in AB. I know that with SLI/xfire you only have, in your case with the 690, 2gb of usable vram because its 2gb for each chip.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Yea but what I'm trying to get across is if your 690 with 2 GPUs shows 3.8 GB of vram being used, would 2 quad sli 690s show up as higher than that in AB. I know that with SLI/xfire you only have, in your case with the 690, 2gb of usable vram because its 2gb for each chip.


690*s* = quad sli
690 = sli




Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!












Lol, this was a grotesquely large build. Three Monsta 480s


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I found an older version of AB and I finally have some proper readouts on my four Lightnigns
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Only one missing is memory usage. It shows only one card and there's no option for all four. Anyways, played BF4 and it should almost 6gb! its defiitely wrong. Played Lost planet it shows 5.5gb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Definitely inaccurate. I'll load up gpuz and see that shows.


Wermad you just looking for hardware info or temps. Might want to give hwinfo a try.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carniflex*
> 
> In my experience Afterburner, TriXX, GPU-z, etc are not reliable for measuring the memory usage on video cards. What they are reporting, as far as I understand, is max allocated memory which would be in essence the same as measuring the regular RAM usage by adding up the actual working set and the "standby" (basically a cache for recently used files and for prefetch) RAM usage amounts. In my experience you can be fine for quite a while after the memory has "ran out" of the video card according to the GPU monitoring programs and the only sure way to tell that you have hit the vRAM wall is the straight trip to single digit FPS regardless of where you were before. On a dual channel RAM platforms that is usually around 3 fps and on quad channel it has been around 7 fps for me. I have never managed to run out of vRAM on a single 1080p screen even when using 1 GB vRAM card. With 1 GB I start encountering it with 3+ 1080p and with 2 GB I have managed to hit it few times with 5x 1080p screens. With 3 GB I have never managed to reach the vRAM wall (at 10 megapixels screen resolution). Granted I have no experience with BF4 and the initial discussion leading to this was about that. I only wanted to note that the monitoring programs are not fully reliable for monitoring the real vRAM usage.


I just ran Witcher 2 as another type of test. AB in my case with a 2 7970s in crossfile does report the 3GB of video ram correctly. Using 1080p res, about half of that RAM is consumed and the cards look like they're running up at 80% utilization.

If I come across a title that consumes all the VRAM, I'll grab a screenshot. I want to say BF4 is one that does seem to tax the GPUs very hard, but I'm not playing it at the moment.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I just ran Witcher 2 as another type of test. AB in my case with a 2 7970s in crossfile does report the 3GB of video ram correctly. Using 1080p res, about half of that RAM is consumed and the cards look like they're running up at 80% utilization.
> 
> If I come across a title that consumes all the VRAM, I'll grab a screenshot. I want to say BF4 is one that does seem to tax the GPUs very hard, but I'm not playing it at the moment.


BF4 does tax the GPUS. If you want a game to test with that puts a real hurt on them Crysis 3 turned up all the way CPU and GPU maxed.


----------



## gr8sho

I've played through Crysis 3, gosh 3 times. It's been a while though. There are a few game choices for sure to bog down GPUs.


----------



## SkateZilla

7970s on the bay are approaching Sub $200.

I see at least 5 DualX's for LESS than $200 now...

if this keeps up I'm gonna have a hard time NOT buying one..

Dual 7970s or new skates... hmmmmmm

Also 5hr left on a Lightning at Sub $200 (no Buy Now, Reserve met)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MSI-r7970-hd7970-Lightning-AMD-/151282655224?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item2339261ff8

Plus a few working / for parts units, broken fans etc, shoot $60 for a 7970 and I'll turn around and Red_Mod it, or take the cooler off of my 7950 Dual X


----------



## xxpantherrrxx

I have a Sapphire 7950 OC'd w/ boost incoming, got it off of ebay for 150 bucks, this is going into rig number 3.


----------



## SkateZilla

yeah, mining fell through, so everyone that's getting their GPU's back from RMA are just selling them off..

I like these "for parts" listings because the fans are broken, so the card overheats, last 4 i watched ended at $50, lol. when it's a simple fix, buy the replacement fans, or just replace the heatsink with another one.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> yeah, mining fell through, so everyone that's getting their GPU's back from RMA are just selling them off..
> 
> I like these "for parts" listings because the fans are broken, so the card overheats, last 4 i watched ended at $50, lol. when it's a simple fix, buy the replacement fans, or just replace the heatsink with another one.


Mining has not fallen through yet bit is still 450+ light is still 12.00+ But now all the miners are turning to gridseeds basically 350+ KHS with 10W over head per device.So its cheaper to mine with grids then GPUs. But unlike GPUs all grids do is mine.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Mining has not fallen through yet bit is still 450+ light is still 12.00+ But now all the miners are turning to gridseeds basically 350+ KHS with 10W over head per device.So its cheaper to mine with grids then GPUs. But unlike GPUs all grids do is mine.


Sorry, I meant GPU Mining is falling through.

10w Per Device and 20w for 700 KHS is better than what the 7900s do in KW Per KHS by a Large margin.

These Guys that have crate rigs running 6 mainboards with 6 GPUs Each... Assuming they suck 300w each,
Thats 10,800watts / day, assuming kw is $0.10, that's about $25 a day and $2365/Qtr and $9460/year.

Vs 720w / day @ $0.10, that's about $1.68 /day, $153/Qtr, and $613/yr.

And that's not counting reduced cooling costs in the summer due to the lack of 36 GPUs putting out heat, you can further reduce the GS's power consumption by removing the fans and stacking them in a tower and building a chill tower (stack them and enclose them in a tube w/ a single High CFM Fan blowing Cool Air through it.)

1 GS costs about $260/each,
1 7970 was running about $400,
So the prices are within a margin, with the GPU being a about $100 cheaper,

But when you look at power consumption and heat, the GS's are the obvious choice.

not to even mention Space.... ..


----------



## Deadboy90

Hey so what kind of voltages (Core and Memory) are safe? I have only managed to get my 7950 stable at 1150/1500 with 1.237v core and 1594 mV on the memory. Im reluctant to push it harder since its on air...


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Sorry, I meant GPU Mining is falling through.
> 
> 10w Per Device and 20w for 700 KHS is better than what the 7900s do in KW Per KHS by a Large margin.
> 
> These Guys that have crate rigs running 6 mainboards with 6 GPUs Each... Assuming they suck 300w each,
> Thats 10,800watts / day, assuming kw is $0.10, that's about $25 a day and $2365/Qtr and $9460/year.
> 
> Vs 720w / day @ $0.10, that's about $1.68 /day, $153/Qtr, and $613/yr.
> 
> And that's not counting reduced cooling costs in the summer due to the lack of 36 GPUs putting out heat, you can further reduce the GS's power consumption by removing the fans and stacking them in a tower and building a chill tower (stack them and enclose them in a tube w/ a single High CFM Fan blowing Cool Air through it.)
> 
> 1 GS costs about $260/each,
> 1 7970 was running about $400,
> So the prices are within a margin, with the GPU being a about $100 cheaper,
> 
> But when you look at power consumption and heat, the GS's are the obvious choice.
> 
> not to even mention Space.... ..


By the way gridseeds are down to $150 shipped.


----------



## SkateZilla

Well, Sorry again.... that just makes it more of a better decision to go with them.


----------



## Deadboy90

So is there a way to push AB core voltage past 1300? I just cant get stable at 1200/1500 despite maxing out the slider. On 1150/1500 im stable at 1237 so this seems like a pretty huge voltage wall. I have already enabled unofficial overclocking.


----------



## trojan92

Hey guys, don't know if this has been discussed before but I have a 7970 in my system and recently bought a 7990 for Tri Fire, but first I want to test the new GPU out. My question is, seeing as how the 7990 is 2 7970's, can I just pop the 7970 out and install the 7990 (physically) without having to reinstall drivers? AMD drivers have always been hit and miss for me and I really don't want to have to reinstall for the new card. If not, how would I go about installing drivers for the card? Install the 7990 drivers over the 7970?


----------



## wermad

The latest drivers should be ok. Windows may ask you to restart but its essentially the same driver for all amd gpu's. You don't have to do a fresh install tbh.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trojan92*
> 
> Hey guys, don't know if this has been discussed before but I have a 7970 in my system and recently bought a 7990 for Tri Fire, but first I want to test the new GPU out. My question is, seeing as how the 7990 is 2 7970's, can I just pop the 7970 out and install the 7990 (physically) without having to reinstall drivers? AMD drivers have always been hit and miss for me and I really don't want to have to reinstall for the new card. If not, how would I go about installing drivers for the card? Install the 7990 drivers over the 7970?


When the drivers are installed. The screen may turn black and not recover. Down load the newest 14.4 drivers just to have on hand. You may need to do a custom install then just install the drivers first then catalyst. I had the 7990 they are popular for doing this. If you need to remove everything look up (DDU) display driver uninstaller. It is safe for win 8 and 8.1 DO NOT use the Amd uninstall utility it will kill 8 or 8.1.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trojan92*
> 
> Hey guys, don't know if this has been discussed before but I have a 7970 in my system and recently bought a 7990 for Tri Fire, but first I want to test the new GPU out. My question is, seeing as how the 7990 is 2 7970's, can I just pop the 7970 out and install the 7990 (physically) without having to reinstall drivers? AMD drivers have always been hit and miss for me and I really don't want to have to reinstall for the new card. If not, how would I go about installing drivers for the card? Install the 7990 drivers over the 7970?


I would reinstall the drivers. It will save you alot of headaches later trust me.







What problems are you having with the drivers that makes you not want to reinstall?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *trojan92*
> 
> Hey guys, don't know if this has been discussed before but I have a 7970 in my system and recently bought a 7990 for Tri Fire, but first I want to test the new GPU out. My question is, seeing as how the 7990 is 2 7970's, can I just pop the 7970 out and install the 7990 (physically) without having to reinstall drivers? AMD drivers have always been hit and miss for me and I really don't want to have to reinstall for the new card. If not, how would I go about installing drivers for the card? Install the 7990 drivers over the 7970?


Like others have said, you wouldn't need a different driver version. Personally, when I switched from my 7950 to the 7990, I don't think I messed with drivers at all. If I remember correctly.


----------



## SkateZilla

you shouldn't as the Driver Package (Catalyst xx.x) contains drivers for all supported GPUs.

When you shut down, and add a GPU, Windows will detect the new GPU and Install it from the latest Driver version on record (usually an X:/AMD/AMD_CatalystX.XX/ Temp folder.


----------



## Paul17041993

pretty sure the only time reinstalling the drivers is needed (don't have to uninstall either) is 79x0 > 290/X where the CCC install is different, sure the 290/X will still run perfectly fine but CCC will have overdrive missing/broken.


----------



## trojan92

Okay, thanks for the replies guys, I've never had more than one GPU so this is all new to me. I'll take out my existing 7970 and pop in the 7990 without a driver reinstallation and see how it goes


----------



## wermad

run the 7990 at the bottom so it gets the best possible cooling (3rd red slot). The 7970 in the top slot is still good (top red slot).


----------



## Deadboy90

*sigh* PSU crapped out. Im buying a HX850 tommarow to replace it. looks like its back to the CX600 and 6850 for tonight. Partying like its 2011!!!


----------



## wermad

That sucks







.

Why not an AX850? I had one briefly and it was very nice







. Loved the ribbon cables, I got me some CM (seasonic guts) v1000s







.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> That sucks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Why not an AX850? I had one briefly and it was very nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Loved the ribbon cables, I got me some CM (seasonic guts) v1000s
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Its out of stock on Newegg and the Microcenter website. Im picking up the HX850 tommarow from Microcenter, its 160. Not too bad for a gold rated PSU.


----------



## SkateZilla

I'm running the RM850 nicely


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Its out of stock on Newegg and the Microcenter website. Im picking up the HX850 tommarow from Microcenter, its 160. Not too bad for a gold rated PSU.


+$20 get a V850. These things run Seasonic internals and the cables are nicely made. Plus, its 100% modular. Hx850 still has fixed cables.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/415149/V850_V_Series_850_Watt_Modular_ATX_Power_Supply

Edit: hx has a mir. better deal if its just a psu back imho. V series units had mir. I got a $30 for one my V1000 (second purchased pre-owned).


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> +$20 get a V850. These things run Seasonic internals and the cables are nicely made. Plus, its 100% modular. Hx850 still has fixed cables.
> 
> http://www.microcenter.com/product/415149/V850_V_Series_850_Watt_Modular_ATX_Power_Supply
> 
> Edit: hx has a mir. better deal if its just a psu back imho. V series units had mir. I got a $30 for one my V1000 (second purchased pre-owned).


Yea fully modular isn't really a big issue for me.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> run the 7990 at the bottom so it gets the best possible cooling (3rd red slot). The 7970 in the top slot is still good (top red slot).


wouldn't it be the other way round? or does he have spare slots after #7? (8 or 9 slot case)


----------



## wermad

RIVF has four red pcie 16x slots, #1 & 3 run at 16x.


----------



## incog

Hey guys,

Trying to overclock my 7970. I'm new to the game of overclocking so bear with me. ^^

So, I'm using MSI afterburner to overclock and OCCT's GPU tool / heaven benchmark to test for stability. So far, it seems that i've managed to achieve 1160 Mhz stable, on stock voltage. Now, the weird thing is that when I go over what's stable, ie 1170+ MHz, I don't get artifacts (well, OCCT's tools finds "errors"). Instead, heaven outright crashes but the computer itself runs fine. OCCT's thing will freeze the entire computer. Is this normal behavior for an unstable overclock? I thought I would see artifacts or something.

Also, I tried to up the voltage to make 1170 Mhz stable. I went from stock voltage (1175 mV) to 1190 mV. It wasn't stable either, so I'm guessing that I have to up the voltage even MORE to get to 1170 Mhz ?

a few pointers would be nice. ^^


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> Trying to overclock my 7970. I'm new to the game of overclocking so bear with me. ^^
> 
> So, I'm using MSI afterburner to overclock and OCCT's GPU tool / heaven benchmark to test for stability. So far, it seems that i've managed to achieve 1160 Mhz stable, on stock voltage. Now, the weird thing is that when I go over what's stable, ie 1170+ MHz, I don't get artifacts (well, OCCT's tools finds "errors"). Instead, heaven outright crashes but the computer itself runs fine. OCCT's thing will freeze the entire computer. Is this normal behavior for an unstable overclock? I thought I would see artifacts or something.
> 
> Also, I tried to up the voltage to make 1170 Mhz stable. I went from stock voltage (1175 mV) to 1190 mV. It wasn't stable either, so I'm guessing that I have to up the voltage even MORE to get to 1170 Mhz ?
> 
> a few pointers would be nice. ^^


Driver crashes can occur on an OC that is very unstable. Artifacts occur on an unstable but not at the edge OC. Just volt it up a little till it works. Also programs like furmark and OCCT GPU tool just make the GPU hot. Benchmarks like heaven are great but they don't always show artifacts. The best thing to do is play a heavy game for a while. I usually play BF4 to test my GPU.


----------



## confed

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> Trying to overclock my 7970. I'm new to the game of overclocking so bear with me. ^^
> 
> So, I'm using MSI afterburner to overclock and OCCT's GPU tool / heaven benchmark to test for stability. So far, it seems that i've managed to achieve 1160 Mhz stable, on stock voltage. Now, the weird thing is that when I go over what's stable, ie 1170+ MHz, I don't get artifacts (well, OCCT's tools finds "errors"). Instead, heaven outright crashes but the computer itself runs fine. OCCT's thing will freeze the entire computer. Is this normal behavior for an unstable overclock? I thought I would see artifacts or something.
> 
> Also, I tried to up the voltage to make 1170 Mhz stable. I went from stock voltage (1175 mV) to 1190 mV. It wasn't stable either, so I'm guessing that I have to up the voltage even MORE to get to 1170 Mhz ?
> 
> a few pointers would be nice. ^^


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Driver crashes can occur on an OC that is very unstable. Artifacts occur on an unstable but not at the edge OC. Just volt it up a little till it works. Also programs like furmark and OCCT GPU tool just make the GPU hot. Benchmarks like heaven are great but they don't always show artifacts. The best thing to do is play a heavy game for a while. I usually play BF4 to test my GPU.


To add on to heroxoot, are you using the Powerlimit slider in AB? I also use BF4 and Heaven to help test stability. What are you clocking your memory @? I can get my card stable @ 1150/1700 on stock 1112 voltage. I was able to get it higher by upping the voltage but the card throttles due to temperatures. You definitely want to watch out for that as well since you may not see artificats or crashes but you can lose performance. Good luck!


----------



## incog

Well I was given it a try this morning and I believe I managed to get 1160 core and 1590 memory clock stable, on stock voltage. It passed at least two runs of Heaven benchmark. However I'm not quite getting it to work on bioshock.

Again, the rig itself is fine but when I'm playing bioschock for example I get a blackscreen then it just tabs to desktop. I still have bioshock running in the background but I can't tab back to it.

This core overclock seems all right but I'm disappointed that the memory overclock is that low.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Well I was given it a try this morning and I believe I managed to get 1160 core and 1590 memory clock stable, on stock voltage. It passed at least two runs of Heaven benchmark. However I'm not quite getting it to work on bioshock.
> 
> Again, the rig itself is fine but when I'm playing bioschock for example I get a blackscreen then it just tabs to desktop. I still have bioshock running in the background but I can't tab back to it.
> 
> This core overclock seems all right but I'm disappointed that the memory overclock is that low.


This is usually because of the Display Driver Crash,

When the Display Driver Crashes Programs running Direct3d/OpenGL/Mantle etc will crash or minimize after the screen goes black,

There's usually Events in the Event Viewer for the ATI Driver saying the Display Driver Crashed and was restored.

Which happens when there isnt enough Power to the GPU.

1160/1590 on Stock Voltage can be safe in Benchmarks, but in games it will be a different story, as you'll have more than just graphics rendering, you'll have high CPU usage, PCIe Lane Traffic, Northbridge traffic, etc.

i could run 1150/1600 all day on my 7950 at stock mv, and run endless looks in 3d Mark and Heaven, but 10 minutes into BF3 and I would get a display driver crash everytime, I had to increase mV or back off the clocks to stabilize.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Well I was given it a try this morning and I believe I managed to get 1160 core and 1590 memory clock stable, on stock voltage. It passed at least two runs of Heaven benchmark. However I'm not quite getting it to work on bioshock.
> 
> Again, the rig itself is fine but when I'm playing bioschock for example I get a blackscreen then it just tabs to desktop. I still have bioshock running in the background but I can't tab back to it.
> 
> This core overclock seems all right but I'm disappointed that the memory overclock is that low.


Funny you mention Bioshock. I have experienced the exact same symptom you describe. I had seen it occur on beta drivers. Either your voltages are too low, or your OC is too high. Also keep in mind in case you're running Xfire, this particular game can't use multiple cards. Don't know if this contributes to driver crashing.


----------



## wermad

6gb 7970 on ebay for $350 w/ obo. Tempted but it needs a universal block setup to wc.


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Well I was given it a try this morning and I believe I managed to get 1160 core and 1590 memory clock stable, on stock voltage. It passed at least two runs of Heaven benchmark. However I'm not quite getting it to work on bioshock.
> 
> Again, the rig itself is fine but when I'm playing bioschock for example I get a blackscreen then it just tabs to desktop. I still have bioshock running in the background but I can't tab back to it.
> 
> This core overclock seems all right but I'm disappointed that the memory overclock is that low.
> 
> 
> 
> Funny you mention Bioshock. I have experienced the exact same symptom you describe. I had seen it occur on beta drivers. Either your voltages are too low, or your OC is too high. Also keep in mind in case you're running Xfire, this particular game can't use multiple cards. Don't know if this contributes to driver crashing.
Click to expand...

Nah only a single 7970; if I'm the kind of guy who's learning how to overclock a GPU, I'm not the kind of guy to crossfire, am I?

Thank you all for the help everyone, I will try again tomorrow and see how it goes.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Well I was given it a try this morning and I believe I managed to get 1160 core and 1590 memory clock stable, on stock voltage. It passed at least two runs of Heaven benchmark. However I'm not quite getting it to work on bioshock.
> 
> Again, the rig itself is fine but when I'm playing bioschock for example I get a blackscreen then it just tabs to desktop. I still have bioshock running in the background but I can't tab back to it.
> 
> This core overclock seems all right but I'm disappointed that the memory overclock is that low.
> 
> 
> 
> Funny you mention Bioshock. I have experienced the exact same symptom you describe. I had seen it occur on beta drivers. Either your voltages are too low, or your OC is too high. Also keep in mind in case you're running Xfire, this particular game can't use multiple cards. Don't know if this contributes to driver crashing.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Nah only a single 7970; if I'm the kind of guy who's learning how to overclock a GPU, I'm not the kind of guy to crossfire, am I?
> 
> Thank you all for the help everyone, I will try again tomorrow and see how it goes.
Click to expand...

You would be shocked. Many people crossfire so they don't need an OC and find out its not hard and it doesn't cause much more heat depending on the cooling. Its a hit and miss for some.


----------



## gr8sho

Oh yes, Xfire is not hard at all. Pretty much plug and play. OC is OC no matter how many cards you have. Using something like MSI AB is needed to increase voltages. Haven't found another good program to do this particular task.


----------



## wermad

I'll run some #s for you guys. Did a brief run of Metro LL @ 6000x1920 in 4-way (all Lightnings set to 1150/1500) and it averaged ~30fps. Might have to dial it down to just 3x1 eyefinity for some relevant #s. I think I can do 2560x1600 with three monitors as well in eyefinity.


----------



## Praisedeath

Was wondering if anyone has been having issues with Diablo 3. Currently running crossfire 7970 lightning be. I keep having amd driver crash (with crossfire and also running 1 card.) If running crossfire the driver will crash and all i get is a black screen (lower card is running while top card is dead in the water) Running one card, I get a black screen but goes back to game. I tried a fresh OS install, use amd clean driver program, stable and beta drivers. Seems to happen after Reaper of soul expnasion came out.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Praisedeath*
> 
> Was wondering if anyone has been having issues with Diablo 3. Currently running crossfire 7970 lightning be. I keep having amd driver crash (with crossfire and also running 1 card.) If running crossfire the driver will crash and all i get is a black screen (lower card is running while top card is dead in the water) Running one card, I get a black screen but goes back to game. I tried a fresh OS install, use amd clean driver program, stable and beta drivers. Seems to happen after Reaper of soul expnasion came out.


tried using only the second card? sounds like there may be something wrong with the primary...


----------



## Praisedeath

I installed the MSI z77a-gd65 drivers, switched the cards around. So far I haven't had a crash yet


----------



## wermad

Got to push my cards w/ some simple oc. Best I could muster and pass 3D13: 1205 (BE) and 1125 (3x PE's).



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2950308

I didn't want to push my cpu so I still have some wiggle room there. I'm on 14.4 (non-beta) and its a bit sketchy. Drivers crash upon windows boot up. Though I did get some high scores for the 3D Fanboy competition, it was very inconsistent. Going back to 13.2 and stock clocks on the cards to ensure stability.


----------



## incog

OK well I got to overclock my 7970 on complete stock voltage. I might be pushing it further but frankly don't quite have the time for it. This overclock is stable on heaven (after 40 minutes of letting it run) and also for il-2 cliffs of dover. It isn't stable on bioshock but since I'm not playing that game at moment I'll let it be. Consider this not a rock solid overclock, I guess:

Got it to 1160/1590 MHz. Fan at a 60% got me 62°C peak during the 40 minutes of heaven. nice enough stuff, not sure what temperatures will look like when I up the voltage.


----------



## gr8sho

Those numbers look too high for stock voltage.


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Those numbers look too high for stock voltage.


Well, as I said, this overclock has bioshock infinite crash the drivers. so it's not really stable; however for il-2 cliffs of dover and heaven it's quite stable.


----------



## gr8sho

I've had extensive experience with these cards now running on air. There's no fun having the computer become unresponsive when something goes amiss because of lack volts to the cards. What complicates this for me is MSI AB seems have difficulty remembering target voltage. I haven't been able to put my finger on (yet) why the issue happens, but it appears to be timing related with AMD's CCC. With an OC frequency of 1145MHz, if one of the cards only goes to 1.050V instead of the intended 1.2V, there will invariably be system stability problems. I've made things better by delaying the start of AB by 20 seconds, but it's still not bulletproof.

Right now I'm working through the Dead Space trilogy, and frankly these titles don't need any OC to hold a framerate of 60 FPS. I may just not bother running AB and let CCC deal with the cards on stock settings. Probably better for temps anyway as it's starting to get hot here in FLA. And OBTW, I also need run RadeonPro to make these particular games work correctly.

If y'all aren't aware, AMD issued a full release of version 14 drivers. So I'm going to go with these and stock settings for next round of updates.

Be aware that many have reported issues on AMD based systems with Windows not booting up because of some issue with AHCI driver conflict. You can read about it over on AMD forums. Seems to bother Hawaii based cards more, but I'm not sure why Tahiti wouldn't also have the same problem.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Be aware that many have reported issues on AMD based systems with Windows not booting up because of some issue with AHCI driver conflict. You can read about it over on AMD forums. Seems to bother Hawaii based cards more, but I'm not sure why Tahiti wouldn't also have the same problem.


yea you get that if you use the AMD driver uninstall/clean utility, it removes the AHCI/RAID drivers you may have and windows will fail to boot, however (at least on windows 8/8.1, haven't tested 7) you can just boot into safemode and patch the drivers back in again manually.


----------



## gr8sho

I have yet to find the secret sauce to get Windows 8 to boot into safe mode. The system is so fast I can't hit the right key sequence in time.

BTW, I had an AMD employee email me to ask about this. I responded and never heard back. I just can't believe such an obvious issue can't be reproduced in their own labs.

I'm pretty sure I'd have to use some 3rd party tool like DriveCopy from Paragon to inject the RAID driver if this happens to me.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I have yet to find the secret sauce to get Windows 8 to boot into safe mode. The system is so fast I can't hit the right key sequence in time.
> 
> BTW, I had an AMD employee email me to ask about this. I responded and never heard back. I just can't believe such an obvious issue can't be reproduced in their own labs.
> 
> I'm pretty sure I'd have to use some 3rd party tool like DriveCopy from Paragon to inject the RAID driver if this happens to me.


Administrative Command prompt, type "msconfig" , boot tab, boot options, safe boot.


----------



## SkateZilla

Seems the Lightnings are being sold off like hot cakes too...

if the prices stay the same, I might have to pick one up this weekend off ebay and retire the 7950 to the backup box-o-stuff

Reference and Sapphire HD7970s are Going for $160-$200 now for Refurb/RMA'd Units....


----------



## wermad

Hello guys, we could really need your help to keep the red-team ahead. Green team is making a come back and we need more points to stave them off:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1476601/3d-fanboy-overclocking-competition-2014-500-in-prizing

Just a little fyi:

Windows 8 for Firestrike is ok (win7 as well). Catzilla and HWBot Heaven require windows 7 only. There's a been a few systems denied because of Catzilla and Heaven are not run in windows 7.

You can submit single gpu, crossfire, 3-way, and 4-way crossfire scores as long as its the same team (ie red-amd only or green-nvidia only).

Submissions will close @ 11:59 PST (pacific standard time).

Thanks









-wermad

Btw, I'm on 14.4 and games seem to be about the same. So you could say that 4-way or 3-way gpu setups were less if not at all impacted by the pacing issues in Eyefinity. Though, my Catzilla scores are very inconsistent, FS and Heaven HWBot are pretty good.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Hello guys, we could really need your help to keep the red-team ahead. Green team is making a come back and we need more points to stave them off:
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1476601/3d-fanboy-overclocking-competition-2014-500-in-prizing
> 
> Just a little fyi:
> 
> Windows 8 for Firestrike is ok (win7 as well). Catzilla and HWBot Heaven require windows 7 only. There's a been a few systems denied because of Catzilla and Heaven are not run in windows 7.
> 
> You can submit single gpu, crossfire, 3-way, and 4-way crossfire scores as long as its the same team (ie red-amd only or green-nvidia only).
> 
> Submissions will close @ 11:59 PST (pacific standard time).
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -wermad
> 
> Btw, I'm on 14.4 and games seem to be about the same. So you could say that 4-way or 3-way gpu setups were less if not at all impacted by the pacing issues in Eyefinity. Though, my Catzilla scores are very inconsistent, FS and Heaven HWBot are pretty good.


yea it was common case that 3 and 4 way had the framerate in sync enough that it wasn't needed, I believe the problem was more in 2-way on certain intel processors that for whatever reason the frames fell out of sync badly and required driver intervention to keep them synchronized.


----------



## wermad

I'm back to 13.2 for the competition as that seems to get me the best catzilla score. One I'm done, 14.4 nets me the highest 3D13 and Heaven scores.


----------



## Valgaur

Nvidia is beating us in this race! we need as many points for AMD as possible!

If you aren't able to help thats not a problem, thanks for reading









http://www.overclock.net/t/1476601/3d-fanboy-overclocking-competition-2014-500-in-prizing


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Administrative Command prompt, type "msconfig" , boot tab, boot options, safe boot.


And if you can't boot the machine, how does this help?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> And if you can't boot the machine, how does this help?


booting into safemode on any windows version just involves spanking the F8 key repeatedly just after POST, easy way to do so is to trigger your BIOSs custom boot option screen too, (which on my crosshairV also seems to be F8, so I just keep spamming F8 and press Esc at the same time it pops up).

if your boot sector/partition/manager is broken however you'll have to repair that before anything can be done, some 3rd party boot disks can do so if you don't want to use classic windows repair via disk or drive (win8/8.1).


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> And if you can't boot the machine, how does this help?
> 
> 
> 
> booting into safemode on any windows version just involves spanking the F8 key repeatedly just after POST, easy way to do so is to trigger your BIOSs custom boot option screen too, (which on my crosshairV also seems to be F8, so I just keep spamming F8 and press Esc at the same time it pops up).
> 
> if your boot sector/partition/manager is broken however you'll have to repair that before anything can be done, some 3rd party boot disks can do so if you don't want to use classic windows repair via disk or drive (win8/8.1).
Click to expand...

This doesn't work on windows 8. Booting into safemode with F8 I mean. When I have an issue it jumps into the repair feature and lets me boot safe mode from there, but it requires windows to fail to start once first.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> This doesn't work on windows 8. Booting into safemode with F8 I mean. When I have an issue it jumps into the repair feature and lets me boot safe mode from there, but it requires windows to fail to start once first.


it does, Ive done it many times, just that due to the changes from 7 in the boot system you have to be VERY fast to trigger it, its literally a split second after POST.

usually you should see a "please wait" below the icon as the screen comes up, then it will ask you what you want to do, which safemode is then more options > advanced startup > choose reboot and then after POST a special screen will pop up and you press 4 (I think) for safemode.

though of course pressing reset or powering off as it tries to boot can be the other way to trigger the options if you cant press F8 fast enough.


----------



## InCoGnIt0

Holding down the F8 key works better than just hitting it real fast and hoping it works.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Valgaur*
> 
> Nvidia is beating us in this race! we need as many points for AMD as possible!
> 
> If you aren't able to help thats not a problem, thanks for reading
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1476601/3d-fanboy-overclocking-competition-2014-500-in-prizing


Guys, we have ~55 minutes left. Competition ends @ 11:59PM Pacific Standard Time. If you're still up and haven't participated, lets make one final push to possibly beat the Green Team









-wermad


----------



## Kittencake

Ok I finally got my 3rd monitor now I wanna do eyeinfinity , but I'm confused as to what cables I need for the 3rd monitor , its a powercolor 7950 reference card I have dvi and hdmi hooked up to my first two monitors , but I'm confused as to what cables I need for a 3rd


----------



## giusemanuel

Hy guys,
i have bought a 7990, i have installed the driver, is necessary install cap?
Is it normal that in ccc i look only one vga with relative frequency and temps?



Is it normal this use while run 3dmark firestrike?
I have installed latest driver.



the temperature of gpu1 is 8-10° mojor than the second, is it normal?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> Hy guys,
> i have bought a 7990, i have installed the driver, is necessary install cap?
> Is it normal that in ccc i look only one vga with relative frequency and temps?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is it normal this use while run 3dmark firestrike?
> I have installed latest driver.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the temperature of gpu1 is 8-10° mojor than the second, is it normal?


The temperature difference is normal, and I say that as long as both GPU's are getting usage, you're fine. You should also disable UPLS if you haven't already. I can check to see what my CCC says if you'd like. I actually never look at it, to be honest.


----------



## giusemanuel

Yes, if you can...
where i set disable upls?

edit:
i set all upls in regedit from 1 to 0.
Is this the reason of the different load of two gpu?


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> Yes, if you can...
> where i set disable upls?
> 
> edit:
> i set all upls in regedit from 1 to 0.
> Is this the reason of the different load of two gpu?


For future reference, Msi afterburner can disable ulps for you without requiring you to go into the registry manually! As for the different loads, I don't *think* that's caused by ulps when both cores are active (since ulps should be disabled then anyway by definition).


----------



## giusemanuel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> For future reference, Msi afterburner can disable ulps for you without requiring you to go into the registry manually! As for the different loads, I don't *think* that's caused by ulps when both cores are active (since ulps should be disabled then anyway by definition).


Then what is the roblem?

with battlefield 4 the 2 gpu are sincronous.....


----------



## heroxoot

If you guys are having problems with BF4 keeping your GPU at load, you are not alone. It pegs around 60% load for me with DX11 and 70ish with Mantle. I get 80 - 90fps with it preset to Ultra settings. When it decides to do 100% load during a kill cam I suddenly have 100+ fps. I think they broke it somewhere.


----------



## Mega Man

wait. i thought your gpu was defective ?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> wait. i thought your gpu was defective ?


Seems it is not. Compared to a 7970 it greatly leaves it in the past. I had a friend run a bench on his 7950 with the same heaven settings and on the same OS he gets 14fps less. As far as what I get, I have no idea why my OC isn't running as good as others, but I was told by the person outbenching me with a 290 that at stock his 290 runs under my 290X, so I guess my card just isn't great at OCing.

But as far as BF4 with load goes, I'm lucky to get a 70% load from what I have seen. DX11 is worse.


----------



## eAT5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> Yes, if you can...
> where i set disable upls?
> 
> edit:
> i set all upls in regedit from 1 to 0.
> Is this the reason of the different load of two gpu?


i use F2 then disable in BIOS...


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> wait. i thought your gpu was defective ?
> 
> 
> 
> Seems it is not. Compared to a 7970 it greatly leaves it in the past. I had a friend run a bench on his 7950 with the same heaven settings and on the same OS he gets 14fps less. As far as what I get, I have no idea why my OC isn't running as good as others, but I was told by the person outbenching me with a 290 that at stock his 290 runs under my 290X, so I guess my card just isn't great at OCing.
> 
> But as far as BF4 with load goes, I'm lucky to get a 70% load from what I have seen. DX11 is worse.
Click to expand...

and this is what i was trying to tell you. also to note your oc may not be stable. just because it does not artifact does not mean it is stable. a lower score indicates that as well


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> wait. i thought your gpu was defective ?
> 
> 
> 
> Seems it is not. Compared to a 7970 it greatly leaves it in the past. I had a friend run a bench on his 7950 with the same heaven settings and on the same OS he gets 14fps less. As far as what I get, I have no idea why my OC isn't running as good as others, but I was told by the person outbenching me with a 290 that at stock his 290 runs under my 290X, so I guess my card just isn't great at OCing.
> 
> But as far as BF4 with load goes, I'm lucky to get a 70% load from what I have seen. DX11 is worse.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> and this is what i was trying to tell you. also to note your oc may not be stable. just because it does not artifact does not mean it is stable. a lower score indicates that as well
Click to expand...

It does perform a little less on 1080, but it doesn't seem to have any issues. And the differences is about 2fps without OC. I tried it 10mhz at a time for this and so far. This is not stock voltage remember. My 290X likes to set +25mV if I click reset on MSI AB. If I turn it down to +0mV it has no problems running stock 1030mhz. This however seems to be the max voltage my card can run. It just won't volt higher no matter what. The second it starts benching the max voltage I see is 1.181v or something along that area. What can I do? The card doesn't seem voltage locked but its like a hard wall. Maybe this is the power limit issue still present in 14.4?

And the fan problem again is a Mantle driver thing. 13.12 I can set fan speeds on MSI AB. Wish they would update it.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> wait. i thought your gpu was defective ?
> 
> 
> 
> Seems it is not. Compared to a 7970 it greatly leaves it in the past. I had a friend run a bench on his 7950 with the same heaven settings and on the same OS he gets 14fps less. As far as what I get, I have no idea why my OC isn't running as good as others, but I was told by the person outbenching me with a 290 that at stock his 290 runs under my 290X, so I guess my card just isn't great at OCing.
> 
> But as far as BF4 with load goes, I'm lucky to get a 70% load from what I have seen. DX11 is worse.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> and this is what i was trying to tell you. also to note your oc may not be stable. just because it does not artifact does not mean it is stable. a lower score indicates that as well
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It does perform a little less on 1080, but it doesn't seem to have any issues. And the differences is about 2fps without OC. I tried it 10mhz at a time for this and so far. This is not stock voltage remember. My 290X likes to set +25mV if I click reset on MSI AB. If I turn it down to +0mV it has no problems running stock 1030mhz. This however seems to be the max voltage my card can run. It just won't volt higher no matter what. The second it starts benching the max voltage I see is 1.181v or something along that area. What can I do? The card doesn't seem voltage locked but its like a hard wall. Maybe this is the power limit issue still present in 14.4?
> 
> And the fan problem again is a Mantle driver thing. 13.12 I can set fan speeds on MSI AB. Wish they would update it.
Click to expand...

i literally just plugged in one of the two 290xs so i have no idea. it is time for you to learn your card.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> Yes, if you can...
> where i set disable upls?
> 
> edit:
> i set all upls in regedit from 1 to 0.
> Is this the reason of the different load of two gpu?


I also use regedit to disable ULPS. If ULPS is actually off, the little green light on the back of the card will be off. That is, if you have the reference Malta version (not the Powercolor Devil13).
And here's what my CCC looks like. I'm not sure if the differences are because of me being on 14.2 (14.3 didn't work for me for whatever reason) or that yours was taken while ULPS was still on.


----------



## giusemanuel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I also use regedit to disable ULPS. If ULPS is actually off, the little green light on the back of the card will be off. That is, if you have the reference Malta version (not the Powercolor Devil13).
> And here's what my CCC looks like. I'm not sure if the differences are because of me being on 14.2 (14.3 didn't work for me for whatever reason) or that yours was taken while ULPS was still on.


thank you very much for your answer.
i have the sapphire 7990 reference, such as wich you have in avatar.

The green light on the back of the card is now off.
I try to install 14.2 driver for to see if ccc show two vga...

Trixx, gpu-z and radeon pro show me 2 vga, one for gpu.

another thing, i actually have the switch in position 2, this is the "normal" position, am i right?
i actually have gpu at 1000Mhz and memory at 1500Mhz.

if i switch to position 1 i have more power and major frequency?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> thank you very much for your answer.
> i have the sapphire 7990 reference, such as wich you have in avatar.
> 
> The green light on the back of the card is now off.
> I try to install 14.2 driver for to see if ccc show two vga...
> 
> Trixx, gpu-z and radeon pro show me 2 vga, one for gpu.
> 
> another thing, i actually have the switch in position 2, this is the "normal" position, am i right?
> i actually have gpu at 1000Mhz and memory at 1500Mhz.
> 
> if i switch to position 1 i have more power and major frequency?


If ULPS is enabled, the 2nd GPU of the 7990 will turn off unless in 3D Mode,

So when you're on the desktop / CCC it wont show in the Select GPU Menu.

Disable ULPS allows the 2nd GPU to Idle at desktop clocks which makes it available to poll for temps, mV, Clock, etc.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> thank you very much for your answer.
> i have the sapphire 7990 reference, such as wich you have in avatar.
> 
> The green light on the back of the card is now off.
> I try to install 14.2 driver for to see if ccc show two vga...
> 
> *Trixx, gpu-z and radeon pro show me 2 vga, one for gpu.*
> 
> another thing, i actually have the switch in position 2, this is the "normal" position, am i right?
> i actually have gpu at 1000Mhz and memory at 1500Mhz.
> 
> if i switch to position 1 i have more power and major frequency?


What do you mean by that? If they show that you have two cores, you're all good. The best sign for me is when GPU-Z says that you have Crossfire enabled with 2 GPU's.

And the switch is for the second BIOS. I'm pretty sure they're the exact same, so flipping it won't actually do anything.


----------



## wermad

Isn't just dual bios switch? Same thing but you can flash a more aggressive one or the like and have one as back up?

I haven't noticed much difference with ulps on or off in games. I am finally on 14.4 and seems like its pretty stable


----------



## giusemanuel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> What do you mean by that? If they show that you have two cores, you're all good. The best sign for me is when GPU-Z says that you have Crossfire enabled with 2 GPU's.
> 
> And the switch is for the second BIOS. I'm pretty sure they're the exact same, so flipping it won't actually do anything.


me strange that ccc don't show 2 gpu, while cpu-z and trixx yes...but possibly is it normal for driver 14.4...

Is it normal that in bios vesion one finish with 4 and the other with 5?
And one is 1M0 and dthe second 1S0?

http://postimg.org/image/70vge7rc7/


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I also use regedit to disable ULPS. If ULPS is actually off, the little green light on the back of the card will be off. That is, if you have the reference Malta version (not the Powercolor Devil13).
> And here's what my CCC looks like. I'm not sure if the differences are because of me being on 14.2 (14.3 didn't work for me for whatever reason) or that yours was taken while ULPS was still on.


your CCC install is borked, kinda like what i had when I had my old 7970 next to the 290X.

edit; or wait a minute, how do you have the hawaii control on a 7900 card...?


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> me strange that ccc don't show 2 gpu, while cpu-z and trixx yes...but possibly is it normal for driver 14.4...
> 
> Is it normal that in bios vesion one finish with 4 and the other with 5?
> And one is 1M0 and dthe second 1S0?
> 
> http://postimg.org/image/70vge7rc7/


I'm not sure about the BIOSes, but as long as both GPU's are getting usage in games, I don't see the problem.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> your CCC install is borked, kinda like what i had when I had my old 7970 next to the 290X.
> 
> edit; or wait a minute, how do you have the hawaii control on a 7900 card...?


I have no idea; I never use CCC.








I just set up a fan curve in MSI AB and called it a day.


----------



## giusemanuel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> your CCC install is borked, kinda like what i had when I had my old 7970 next to the 290X.
> 
> edit; or wait a minute, how do you have the hawaii control on a 7900 card...?


if for hawaii control intend the amd overderive yes, but only for one gpu on ccc....


----------



## giusemanuel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I'm not sure about the BIOSes, but as long as both GPU's are getting usage in games, I don't see the problem.
> I have no idea; I never use CCC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just set up a fan curve in MSI AB and called it a day.


can you post a screen of your gpu-z?


----------



## wermad

14.4 CCC OD:


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 14.4 CCC OD:


hm I see, so it seems like you 79x0 and 280/X owners now have the hawaii overdrive in 14.4, looks intentional.


----------



## giusemanuel

Then i have a problem with ccc....
i have unistalled old driver from control panel and after i have launched display driver unistaller for remove all....i have restart the pc.
After i have installed the 14.4 driver, What did I do wrong?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> hm I see, so it seems like you 79x0 and 280/X owners now have the hawaii overdrive in 14.4, looks intentional.


I prefer the old one w/ the bars tbh


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> can you post a screen of your gpu-z?




Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 14.4 CCC OD:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Enough monitors there?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Enough monitors there?




Could add one more but it sucks for FPS (3x2 Eyefinity).


----------



## giusemanuel

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> 
> [/spoiler]
> 
> Enough monitors there?


yhank you, the screen of gpu-z of the second gpu....


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *giusemanuel*
> 
> yhank you, the screen of gpu-z of the second gpu....


It's the exact same as the first one, other than one or two character differences in the BIOS version. On the "Sensors" tab, the second GPU doesn't have memory graphs because the 6GB of memory is bound to the first GPU, I guess.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Enough monitors there?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could add one more but it sucks for FPS (3x2 Eyefinity).
Click to expand...

yea i am debating how to go either 5x61 or 3x2. idk yet ... either way i wanna get low/no bezel ips monitors


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> your CCC install is borked, kinda like what i had when I had my old 7970 next to the 290X.
> 
> edit; or wait a minute, how do you have the hawaii control on a 7900 card...?


It was part of 14.1 or 14.2 CCC it's not exclusive to Hawaii.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> It was part of 14.1 or 14.2 CCC it's not exclusive to Hawaii.


well now it is, said system originally came from hawaii in the 13.x drivers due to them needing a dynamic management system, however now for whatever reason they gave the other cards the same system, not sure why really...


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yea i am debating how to go either 5x61 or 3x2. idk yet ... either way i wanna get low/no bezel ips monitors


If you're not big on FPS, 3x2 is a treat. I can't really do that since the bezels are right in the ch. Remember you can do 5x1 or 3x2 up to 2560x1600 monitors. 4k Eyefinity is also possible but based on Bashaa's and DeadlyDNA's threads, current hardware, even the top end, is still not strong enough for 12k







.


----------



## armartins

Is this a good FSE score for this old gal? 7970 - Win 8.1 - 14.4WHQL - 1300Mhz Core/2000Mhz Memory - 2600k @4825Mhz - 4x4GB 2133Mhz 11-11-11-30-2T.


----------



## giusemanuel

Ehy...
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> It's the exact same as the first one, other than one or two character differences in the BIOS version. On the "Sensors" tab, the second GPU doesn't have memory graphs because the 6GB of memory is bound to the first GPU, I guess.


ok, the important thing is that the version of the bios there is some different character and that they are not equal.
I also have in the tab sensor of the differences between the first and second gpu


----------



## Kittencake

has anyone ever undervolted a 7950 and had any stability issues?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yea i am debating how to go either 5x61 or 3x2. idk yet ... either way i wanna get low/no bezel ips monitors
> 
> 
> 
> If you're not big on FPS, 3x2 is a treat. I can't really do that since the bezels are right in the ch. Remember you can do 5x1 or 3x2 up to 2560x1600 monitors. 4k Eyefinity is also possible but based on Bashaa's and DeadlyDNA's threads, current hardware, even the top end, is still not strong enough for 12k
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
Click to expand...

yea i may think about making a lcd mount, ( but mine looks so sexay ! ) and going with a 32 or so " tv on top not a bad idea ( 5x1 +1).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> has anyone ever undervolted a 7950 and had any stability issues?


tbh imo undervolting anything is a bad idea. all you do is make it pull more current, which is never a good thing. but hey just my opinion and anyone is welcome to disagree


----------



## Kittencake

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> tbh imo undervolting anything is a bad idea. all you do is make it pull more current, which is never a good thing. but hey just my opinion and anyone is welcome to disagree


Oh I'm not disagreeing just getting an opinion considering the fact my card got to like 80c while gaming and its sitting at 50c with fan @ 70%


----------



## Mega Man

has it always done this ? also did you buy this used? hate to be that guy but did you check to see if the HS needed cleaning ?


----------



## Kittencake

i just cleaned it like a week ago, but yeah i did buy it used off of a member here, usually it sits at about 44 idle but today i sat down and it was hot and it wasn't being used at all but watching a show in browser


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *armartins*
> 
> Is this a good FSE score for this old gal? 7970 - Win 8.1 - 14.4WHQL - 1300Mhz Core/2000Mhz Memory - 2600k @4825Mhz - 4x4GB 2133Mhz 11-11-11-30-2T.


I think you should be getting a lot more then that for those clocks, 2000 memory might be unstable and triggering error correction...


----------



## giusemanuel

Hi guys, what temperature do you have in game?
With crysis 3 and far cry 3 with fan at 65% and frequency @ stock, i have 82-83° on the first gpu and 66-69° on the second gpu

http://postimg.org/image/9g7ec3mot/

http://postimg.org/image/mj30vdcwt/

Is it normal?


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> i just cleaned it like a week ago, but yeah i did buy it used off of a member here, usually it sits at about 44 idle but today i sat down and it was hot and it wasn't being used at all but watching a show in browser


Had a buddy of mine that encountered this problem when he bought my 7950. Turns out, he was so excited about it that he tinkered with it a bit. IIRC He took the fan out and put it back in. It made the card reach mid 80s which is a bit hot but still within manufacturer's allowed spec. AFAIK, these cards are good enough for below than 90C, but personally, I don't like seeing it at around more than 85C. I told him to replace the thermal paste on it, which he did. Bad thing was he used cheap generic Chinese CPU thermal paste. It made the card worse and made it reach up to 95C and the higher 90s. After I found out, I told him to use branded thermal paste. He got a Noctua NT-H1 Thermal Paste from me and it made his card sit at around mid to high 70s under full load. Given that we are living in a place with a tropical climate, that's pretty good already. I've been thinking of changing the thermal paste on my 7970 but it's already pretty cool anyways. Max temp I've ever seen it go is low 80s on prolly a low to mid 30+C day. Under better and more normal circumstances it's just around high 60s and low 70s. Hope this helped!

EDIT: Dunno if it's of any worth but his Processor and iirc Mobo is exactly the same with yours. Guess it's just a coincidence though. His card was a Powercolor HD7950 3GB V2 (Twin fan cooler on a Red, presumably reference 7970, PCB with an 8 pin and 6 pin power connector.


----------



## HawkEye42

Any more opinions on 14.4 WHQL or the Beta? Currently running 14.1, would like to see if there are some performance benefits on a single 7970. Also would like to know if OCing is more stable too. Should I go through the hassle of downloading and installing or wait for another beta? Thanks


----------



## KnownDragon

I was reading back about 3500 about people flashing to r9 280x bios. I was wandering after a fresh install on a his 7950 it installed r9280x drivers. Is it possible to flash the bios and what has everyone's outcome been? Performance increases? Is it worth flashing?


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> I was reading back about 3500 about people flashing to r9 280x bios. I was wandering after a fresh install on a his 7950 it installed r9280x drivers. Is it possible to flash the bios and what has everyone's outcome been? Performance increases? Is it worth flashing?


7950 = 280, 7970 = 280X. Flashing a 280X bios might not work or work well.


----------



## Kittencake

I think my card's fan is shot .. its jumping all over the place the tamps are fine but just rapidly speeds up and slows down , is there any suggestions on replacements , the card its self seems to be ok , like aftermarket or is someone has a dead card and the fan on it works ?


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> 7950 = 280, 7970 = 280X. Flashing a 280X bios might not work or work well.


I checked my bios and it is a 7970 his bios? My card is a his 7950 ice q boost. If it runs on a 7970 bios couldn't it run on a r9 280x bios? I am completely new to this so logic is playing a role on this topic. If I do flash it to a r9 280x without success. Couldn't I boot on I gpu and flash the bios back?


----------



## gr8sho

My 7970s are on air. They idle below 40C. Gaming depends on the game of course and the load it puts on the system, but ideally I want the temps below 70C. The number is also significantly influenced by the upper voltage you allow the GPU to run at. If the particular game isn't significant in terms of demands, I don't even bother using OC settings. Dead Space series games running at 60 FPS will be at or below 60C for instance. Resolution is 1080P and game settings are Max.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Any more opinions on 14.4 WHQL or the Beta? Currently running 14.1, would like to see if there are some performance benefits on a single 7970. Also would like to know if OCing is more stable too. Should I go through the hassle of downloading and installing or wait for another beta? Thanks


I haven't run any benchies, but 14.4 is okay for me.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> I think my card's fan is shot .. its jumping all over the place the tamps are fine but just rapidly speeds up and slows down , is there any suggestions on replacements , the card its self seems to be ok , like aftermarket or is someone has a dead card and the fan on it works ?


MSI Afterburner has very good fan control I wish AMD provided this function. One of the most useful function of the tool. You can also monitor fan usage. It is a good graphical way to see how well it holds the target RPM as a function of temperature.


----------



## KnownDragon

Okay so I was able to flash to a r9 280x bios. Thoughts are shaders are still the same. Clocks are that of a ice qx2 r9 280x boost. 1050 core and a 1500mhz ram. Can overclock more on this bios allowing for fps gain. Stock fan goes crazy so until I get a waterblock going to swap bios back to the 7970 bios. Although if I picked up a second one of these cards I think the results with two flashed bios would be crazy. So not a complete fail but not a total success. 3dmark after bios flash to r9280x bios!


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> 7950 = 280, 7970 = 280X. Flashing a 280X bios might not work or work well.
> 
> 
> 
> I checked my bios and it is a 7970 his bios? My card is a his 7950 ice q boost. If it runs on a 7970 bios couldn't it run on a r9 280x bios? I am completely new to this so logic is playing a role on this topic. If I do flash it to a r9 280x without success. Couldn't I boot on I gpu and flash the bios back?
Click to expand...

Yea you can just reflash it. My experience with the R9 series cards, old bios for my own model wouldn't even work. It would crash in windows when the driver started. I'm just presenting the worst case scenario.


----------



## Kittencake

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> MSI Afterburner has very good fan control I wish AMD provided this function. One of the most useful function of the tool. You can also monitor fan usage. It is a good graphical way to see how well it holds the target RPM as a function of temperature.


I am using msi afterburner i've been watching it closely hot idle temps when it gets set to 80 % fan speed thats when it gets really wonky


----------



## KnownDragon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> Yea you can just reflash it. My experience with the R9 series cards, old bios for my own model wouldn't even work. It would crash in windows when the driver started. I'm just presenting the worst case scenario.


Gotta give you a +rep you told me there was risk as well as possible reward. Going to keep the current r9 280x bios on the card for now. The clocks don't over heat the card and the power curve allows for further overclocking. The max I can on this 7950 his iceq is 1160 core @ 1.281v. That is a start for me and when I can get a water block (full waterblock fc7950) this bios will let me boost it a lot further then the 7950 power curve.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> I am using msi afterburner i've been watching it closely hot idle temps when it gets set to 80 % fan speed thats when it gets really wonky


From what I can see, the temp seems fine, but I don't understand why the fan kicks up to 80%. Are you using the fan curve option inside AB?

I'm not familiar with 7950. Does it need 1125mV for 925MHz clock? A stock 7970 needs 1050mV by comparison. Can you confirm the card has stock BIOS?

You can detach the monitor window and it will give you the ability to show more graphs like voltage. Would be good to see what's being reported. You may need to check an option to unlock this function. Also, assume you are not using AMD's catalyst control center or any other programs to govern function of the card.

If the card is indeed running at 80C, the air blowing out of the rear bezel should be pretty warm and a good steady stream of air to boot.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KnownDragon*
> 
> Okay so I was able to flash to a r9 280x bios. Thoughts are shaders are still the same. Clocks are that of a ice qx2 r9 280x boost. 1050 core and a 1500mhz ram. Can overclock more on this bios allowing for fps gain. Stock fan goes crazy so until I get a waterblock going to swap bios back to the 7970 bios. Although if I picked up a second one of these cards I think the results with two flashed bios would be crazy. So not a complete fail but not a total success. 3dmark after bios flash to r9280x bios!


I tried flashing before with my previous 7950 and my current 7970. My main purpose in the 7950 was to unlock the extra shaders since I had a 7970 ref PCB but to no avail. In the 7970s case, I wanted to find a bios that wasn't voltage locked, turns out I was on BP2 and it was voltage locked, BP1, on the other hand, was not. Based on my experience it is usually better to OC than to flash since some bios settings are incompatible with non reference design cards even if they are of the same model. Also, you could possibly achieve the same speeds with a lower voltage.

Speaking of voltage does anybody know the difference between core voltage in MSI AB and VDDC? My MSI AB core voltage and mem voltage was tweaked by me 1144mV 1100mhz for core and 1544mV for 1600mhz for the memory. Can somebody confirm if this OC is somewhat decent? Or should I just try flashing to a 280x TOXIC? I don't know about the vddc but iirc it was 1175mV as per fur mark I think.

Also, has anybody here with a 7970 Dual X OC Edition with Boost flash to a different bios and has had perfect stability and temps? I am really trying to gun for the 280x toxic so that I can get up to 1150/1600 without breaking a sweat. But back when I was flashing my 7950 it did get a bit more toasty than normal OCing at the same clocks at the same fan curve c/o AB. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> I think my card's fan is shot .. its jumping all over the place the tamps are fine but just rapidly speeds up and slows down , is there any suggestions on replacements , the card its self seems to be ok , like aftermarket or is someone has a dead card and the fan on it works ?


Seriously, try changing the thermal paste. But if it still won't do the trick and if it is the fan that is the culprit, then I suggest you get either an Arctic Cooler Extreme 3 iirc (just get the one for the 7900 series card) or go watercooling and get an ek block.

Oh yeah, a quick way to check if your fan is really shot if you increase the fan curve, does the fan actually sounds like its running at that rated speed. You also might wanna try to use different software to see if the rpm readings are similar. Fans malfunctioning to go with a different rpm is quite rare in my experience.

OH BTW, your idle temps are normal. Typically you wouldn't want to worry too much about idle temps but rather the load. Your load of 80C is not the greatest but still within spec. Also, if you noticed the sudden bump up Change in your idle temps, it's because ure idle 2D core clock is running at 500mhz, and I think your memory would be running at full speed. This is far from the normal 2D clock of 300mhz on core and 150mhz on the memory. This only applies if you are using a single monitor though. Same thing happened to me a while back. Had to completely reinstall drivers and AB. Turns out, it's related to power play, but I seem to have forgotten which specific setting, but that shouldn't be too hard to find though.


----------



## Kittencake

still doesn't explain why the fan struggles at 80%


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> still doesn't explain why the fan struggles at 80%


It does in fact explain it. First it thinks it is too hot then it is too cold and thus the fan speed is up and down and unstable. Change the thermal paste so it can get a proper reading.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> still doesn't explain why the fan struggles at 80%


curious, you on the 14.4 drivers?

I have no idea if 14.4 on non-hawaii cards has the hawaii fan control or not, this one doesn't have a set ramp etc unless its overridden with trixx or afterburner etc.


----------



## Kittencake

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> curious, you on the 14.4 drivers?
> 
> I have no idea if 14.4 on non-hawaii cards has the hawaii fan control or not, this one doesn't have a set ramp etc unless its overridden with trixx or afterburner etc.


no I have it on 13.9 I keep hearing 14 and above aren't that stable with the 7950 so I've been waiting


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> still doesn't explain why the fan struggles at 80%
> 
> 
> 
> curious, you on the 14.4 drivers?
> 
> I have no idea if 14.4 on non-hawaii cards has the hawaii fan control or not, this one doesn't have a set ramp etc unless its overridden with trixx or afterburner etc.
Click to expand...

I can confirm they do not. My 6850 ran fine on all the 14 drivers. I'm pretty sure those model besides Hawaii still use their old fan control. Don't quote me on that tho. I still cannot control fan curves on my 290X using Mantle drivers.


----------



## Lionheart1980

Is this new AMD 14.4 update safe for 7970Ghz edition cards? I'm still using the 13.12 and no problem.. remember the moto someone used to say, if not broken don't fix...


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I can confirm they do not. My 6850 ran fine on all the 14 drivers. I'm pretty sure those model besides Hawaii still use their old fan control. Don't quote me on that tho. I still cannot control fan curves on my 290X using Mantle drivers.


I'm pretty sure 7900 series cards should do well with at least 14.1. Typically, most updates anyways are purely for the benefit of the user, I'm just lazy to install em XD. I've been using 14.1 on my 7970 and works pretty darn well. Mantle was a great big bonus too. Might update to 14.4 later or just wait for the next beta.

On a side note, just try the thermal paste. NT-H1s aren't that expensive anyways, they are like $7 at most from where I'm coming from. And it's not like it's just good for one usage. Nothing wrong with doing it since you would only get benefits from it and no downsides.


----------



## Paul17041993

14.4 has a whole heap of improvements and additions, biggest being mantle, and its just as stable now really as 13.12 was.

some applications however are still pending compatibility updates, MSI afterburner in particular doesn't work at all really (at least on hawaii), but can still monitor, trixx however seems fine.


----------



## heroxoot

No issues for 7900 series as far as I am aware. I used 14.2 last but
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 14.4 has a whole heap of improvements and additions, biggest being mantle, and its just as stable now really as 13.12 was.
> 
> some applications however are still pending compatibility updates, MSI afterburner in particular doesn't work at all really (at least on hawaii), but can still monitor, trixx however seems fine.


I tried trixx and it didn't seem like it could do my oc any different. Not to mention I didn't see a powerlimit adjustment on trixx.


----------



## SkateZilla

14.4 gave me like 40% more FPS in some older DX9 games/Flight Sims







over 14.1,.2,.3

A Title previously held by Cat 13.9


----------



## Kittencake

I might give it a go i can always uninstall it and reinstall


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> I am using msi afterburner i've been watching it closely hot idle temps when it gets set to 80 % fan speed thats when it gets really wonky


Try setting a fan curve instead of keeping the fans at a constant speed. Works better in my case since it's a bit more dynamic and it has the option of "Force Fan Speed Update on Each Period". I leave that ticked in my settings. Fans never went awry on the 7950 and 7970.


----------



## gr8sho

About the questions concerning flashing BIOS.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> curious, you on the 14.4 drivers?
> 
> I have no idea if 14.4 on non-hawaii cards has the hawaii fan control or not, this one doesn't have a set ramp etc unless its overridden with trixx or afterburner etc.


What do you mean "hawaii fan control"? If you mean the slider to set a fixed fan speed when unlocking OC controls, that's been around for a very long time. A 5970 I have here runs that way. But it is a fixed speed and you're right in that if BIOS has a fan curve built into it, it is very slow to ramp.

The ability to use a fan curve as a function of temperature I've only seen in AB and I love that feature. EVGA Nvidia cards have that too with their Precision or whatever it's called now software.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> 14.4 has a whole heap of improvements and additions, biggest being mantle, and its just as stable now really as 13.12 was.
> 
> some applications however are still pending compatibility updates, MSI afterburner in particular doesn't work at all really (at least on hawaii), but can still monitor, trixx however seems fine.


I can confirm no loss of functionality on Tahiti with 14.4 and AB. Works like a champ.







Running DeadSpace 2 now on max settings with temps in the low 50s with stock clocks.







And yes, the fans do spin up I'm guessing to at least the halfway mark.


----------



## wermad

I'm on 14.4 too and no issues to report


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> About the questions concerning flashing BIOS.
> What do you mean "hawaii fan control"? If you mean the slider to set a fixed fan speed when unlocking OC controls, that's been around for a very long time. A 5970 I have here runs that way. But it is a fixed speed and you're right in that if BIOS has a fan curve built into it, it is very slow to ramp.
> 
> The ability to use a fan curve as a function of temperature I've only seen in AB and I love that feature. EVGA Nvidia cards have that too with their Precision or whatever it's called now software.


hawaii's fan control doesn't have a set ramp, nor can you set the actual speed in CCC, its a layered dynamic profile based on all temps and modified by the "max fan %" you can set, which isnt even the max, it will go 5-10% higher then that % in heavy or unbalanced loads.

classic;
clocks == profile step depending on load
fan == ramp point from core temperature, VRM temps ignored.

hawaii;
mem. clock == step on whether idle or load, usually 300, 600 or 1250.
core clock == full-dynamic, 150-max, unlimited steps, max clock in time is determined by core hang time, VRM temps, core temp headroom to max defined setting (usually 95C unless you set it lower) and core and PCB TDP headroom, only core TDP is adjustable (however PCB TDB hacks do exist).
core voltage == ramp based on active memory and core clocks.
fan == % offset added or subtracted over time at a set rate, depending on current VRM and core temp headrooms, clamp at max defined % but with an aggro offset when the core and VRMs temps approach closer to the max.


----------



## zmegati

I have two XFX 7970 in crossfire and yesterday I put Win 8 and driver 14.4, before i have Win 7 andr driver 14.3 and everything was just fine but now with win 8 and drivers 14.4
I saw this,

Is this NORMAL, I think not:

GPU 1


GPU 2


Does anyone have any advice or solution, or to return to the win 7 and drivers 14.3?


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zmegati*
> 
> I have two XFX 7970 in crossfire and yesterday I put Win 8 and driver 14.4, before i have Win 7 andr driver 14.3 and everything was just fine but now with win 8 and drivers 14.4
> I saw this,
> 
> Is this NORMAL, I think not:
> 
> GPU 1
> 
> 
> GPU 2
> 
> 
> Does anyone have any advice or solution, or to return to the win 7 and drivers 14.3?


that's normal, your second just looks to be asleep.

edit; unless this is under load? if so seems like a scale issue.


----------



## zmegati

Its not under load...second is on 99% activiti and im not doing anything in win.

Would not it be normal for the first be on 1% and second on 0%?


----------



## Horsemama1956

Little late to the party lol, but got this 7950 for 200 on clearance. Shouldn't cost more than 50 or so out of pocket once I sell my 270x.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zmegati*
> 
> Its not under load...second is on 99% activiti and im not doing anything in win.
> 
> Would not it be normal for the first be on 1% and second on 0%?


AMD default for the second card is to have ULPS enabled. This effectively shuts the card off to avoid power consumption. You can disable ULPS using something like MSI AB or going into the registry and doing some minor surgery.

But your pics do seem strange.

You can also use something like HWINFO64 to monitor basic GPU status and see if the second card is actually active.


----------



## zmegati

Last night I turned off everything and went to sleep now when I turn it on I have this, ma second card is off when I'm not doing anything and it should be...I started COD ghost in window mod and on second monitor my second GPU its turn on, after I finished and go to windows GPU is again off











I do not know what happened, maybe there was gremlins







but mow they gone


----------



## SkateZilla

i had this issue before, when I Disabled ULPS and tried to Overclock the slower GPU to match the faster one,

1 GPU got Pegged at the OC Speeds and 100% Activity (even though I was sitting on the desktop) and the fans were set to manual 30% somehow,
GPU wouldnt respond to any Changes of Frequency or Fan Speed in CCC, So the Temp actually went up to the 75^C Area before I "hit the breaker"

After booting back up, I restored default clocks and everything returned to normal.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quick Question guys, at what voltage does it take you guys to reach 1100mhz on the core and 1600mhz on the memory on a non reference 7970. And if any of you have the same GPU as mine, Sapphire HD7970 DualX OC Edition Blue PCB 2 8pin connectors, please do reply if you can. I used to be rolling at 1144mV on the core and 1544mV on the memory. It used to be 1025mV on core and 1500mV on memory as per MSI AB. The voltages were pretty stable in most games but in some of the "picky" games like those that are not doing too great with OC'd cards like Far Cry 3 and any game on the Crytek Engine (in my case, Warface). Game would crash after some specific duration, or it would just stop working. I forgot if my display drivers crashed, but when I upped the voltage to 1150mV on the core and still 1544mV on the memory, I didn't crash for Far Cry 3 anymore. Didn't try Warface again since it was boring. But BF4 went perfectly with both voltages.

Also, failed again in flashing. Me and flashing were never really meant to be together XD. Tried flashing the TOXIC one from the 280x, totally bricked the bios. Good thing I have a back up and a second bios. Guess I'm still left without the bonus 50mhz and still back with MSI AB for OCing to get speed bonuses. hahaha

Thanks!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Quick Question guys, at what voltage does it take you guys to reach 1100mhz on the core and 1600mhz on the memory on a non reference 7970. And if any of you have the same GPU as mine, Sapphire HD7970 DualX OC Edition Blue PCB 2 8pin connectors, please do reply if you can. I used to be rolling at 1144mV on the core and 1544mV on the memory. It used to be 1025mV on core and 1500mV on memory as per MSI AB. The voltages were pretty stable in most games but in some of the "picky" games like those that are not doing too great with OC'd cards like Far Cry 3 and any game on the Crytek Engine (in my case, Warface). Game would crash after some specific duration, or it would just stop working. I forgot if my display drivers crashed, but when I upped the voltage to 1150mV on the core and still 1544mV on the memory, I didn't crash for Far Cry 3 anymore. Didn't try Warface again since it was boring. But BF4 went perfectly with both voltages.
> 
> Also, failed again in flashing. Me and flashing were never really meant to be together XD. Tried flashing the TOXIC one from the 280x, totally bricked the bios. Good thing I have a back up and a second bios. Guess I'm still left without the bonus 50mhz and still back with MSI AB for OCing to get speed bonuses. hahaha
> 
> Thanks!


Your core voltages are pretty good for a 7970, many of them run lower clocks at higher voltages at stock. I am guessing that your memory is not hynix, but there is plenty of room to throw extra voltage there too.

Instead of trying to flash a BIOS that is not designed for your card, you should try editing the BIOS from the backup you made and flash it. Compatibility across name-brands/versions/generations is hit or miss. If you are having trouble, I would be more than happy to edit it for you and send it back.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Quick Question guys, at what voltage does it take you guys to reach 1100mhz on the core and 1600mhz on the memory on a non reference 7970.


I too am thinking that my memory is giving out before the core at those types of speeds. I'm more comfortable running the core at something like 1145MHz and 1.2V and running the memory at say something like 1500MHz or maybe something less. These datapoints are mostly based on gaming and trial and error. I can run programs like Heaven all day long, but a good game will bring out any weakness in a bad OC.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Your core voltages are pretty good for a 7970, many of them run lower clocks at higher voltages at stock. I am guessing that your memory is not hynix, but there is plenty of room to throw extra voltage there too.
> 
> Instead of trying to flash a BIOS that is not designed for your card, you should try editing the BIOS from the backup you made and flash it. Compatibility across name-brands/versions/generations is hit or miss. If you are having trouble, I would be more than happy to edit it for you and send it back.


Ain't that quick. Hahahha Thank You for that +rep.

Would love to send it to you soon. I still have a copy of the BP1 and it would surely help me a bunch if you can do the editing. However, I'm not sure if my memory is Hynix, iirc this model does have Hynix memory. My only worry is that when voltages are bumped up, temps go up too. GPU is in a pretty good airflow case, but the ambient temps here are pretty high. Afaik, I may reach 81C on it with an ambient of maybe close to mid 30C. Recently though, iirc, I only got to see it go up to about 75C in BF4, have no idea about the temps when in something like Furmark. I even placed a fan curve to try to counteract, but never had the guts to test it without the curve. Noise currently isn't much of a problem even if fans are ramping up to 80-90% since I already got 8 120mm Cougar Vortex PWM fans blowing at full speed via the molex connector. Already sounds like a jet turbine taking off (on the airy side though) hahaha

When the AC is on though, it's a whole 'nother story. Iirc I was below 60C in BF4, and a continuos loop of Heaven just made me touch 62-63C. AC setting was at 20C.

Really appreciate the opinion and help. Would try to send you the BIOS soon, I gotta catch up on sleep as of the moment.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> I too am thinking that my memory is giving out before the core at those types of speeds. I'm more comfortable running the core at something like 1145MHz and 1.2V and running the memory at say something like 1500MHz or maybe something less. These datapoints are mostly based on gaming and trial and error. I can run programs like Heaven all day long, but a good game will bring out any weakness in a bad OC.


Yeah, it seems to me my memory is not as of a good of an overclocker than the core I got. I've seen a lot of people only going for core oc without touching much of the memory, but I got used to my 7950 running on 1600mhz so I evened it out when I got the 7970. Dunno why, but I guess I've become a bandwidth junkie. Hahaha thank you for the input though!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Would try to send you the BIOS soon, I gotta catch up on sleep as of the moment.


rename the .rom to .zip and PM it to me with your desired core clock / mem clock and if you want a straight TDP bump or extended power limit.


----------



## gr8sho

Assume you are also able to set the default voltages? Maybe not though. I flashed one of my cards that came as an unpublicized GHz edition back down to the original BIOS version to match my other card. It looks like the upper voltage on the newer card is higher than the 1050mv on the original.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zmegati*
> 
> Last night I turned off everything and went to sleep now when I turn it on I have this, ma second card is off when I'm not doing anything and it should be...I started COD ghost in window mod and on second monitor my second GPU its turn on, after I finished and go to windows GPU is again off
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I do not know what happened, maybe there was gremlins
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but mow they gone


yea looks like it was just a status bug, in some cases when the card goes to sleep the drivers will read the values as their max which makes it look like its under full load.


----------



## inedenimadam

for the life of me I cant remember which is which...artifacts from core instability and lock ups from memory? or is it the other way around. I have had two lock ups in the last week with the lines...I think it is memory...

I have to reflash the BIOS to adjust down and only want to do it once.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> yea looks like it was just a status bug, in some cases when the card goes to sleep the drivers will read the values as their max which makes it look like its under full load.


Iirc there was a solution to the second card sleeping in another thread by tsm106. I'm not sure if I can link you to it, but it's called the AMD How To Thread. I think the solution is found in the first two posts.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> rename the .rom to .zip and PM it to me with your desired core clock / mem clock and if you want a straight TDP bump or extended power limit.


Sure thing will do it soon. I'm not sure about TDP and power limit though. I have no idea how TDP is controlled and iirc if it's too low it may cause throttling(?) As per extended power limit, I'm not too sure either, I've always left it at +20 but newer 280x cards go up to +50%


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> for the life of me I cant remember which is which...artifacts from core instability and lock ups from memory? or is it the other way around. I have had two lock ups in the last week with the lines...I think it is memory...
> 
> I have to reflash the BIOS to adjust down and only want to do it once.


Iirc both core and memory have artifacts. Memory I think is with the black polygons. Unsure about lock ups, but I guess it was memory.


----------



## X-Alt

Xero issues on 14.4 here.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Iirc both core and memory have artifacts. Memory I think is with the black polygons. Unsure about lock ups, but I guess it was memory.


Always wondered about that. Thanks. I think the Tahiti GPU has a lot of legs, memory is okay too but now that you mention the black polygons, it does make sense and is probably an unconscious reason I backed it down. I was never sure if cranking the GDDR voltage would cure it, but my limited testing never proved successful.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Iirc both core and memory have artifacts. Memory I think is with the black polygons. Unsure about lock ups, but I guess it was memory.
> 
> 
> 
> Always wondered about that. Thanks. I think the Tahiti GPU has a lot of legs, memory is okay too but now that you mention the black polygons, it does make sense and is probably an unconscious reason I backed it down. I was never sure if cranking the GDDR voltage would cure it, but my limited testing never proved successful.
Click to expand...

It is one or the other, just cant remember which...guess I can run some 3dmark11 and find out for myself.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Always wondered about that. Thanks. I think the Tahiti GPU has a lot of legs, memory is okay too but now that you mention the black polygons, it does make sense and is probably an unconscious reason I backed it down. I was never sure if cranking the GDDR voltage would cure it, but my limited testing never proved successful.


Afaik memory oc works in a similar way as core. In my case, upping the voltage made my mem overclock better. I've tried to up core voltages before when I saw the artifacts, upped about 10mV and no change. Turns out I needed to fix memory. After upping the voltage, stable as a rock.

EDIT: Typically, memory overclocking has to be clocked a bit higher to get significant results so, voltages are somewhat directly related. So I guess that's why memory voltage when tweaking needs to be tweaked a lot higher rates than when tweaking the core.


----------



## Kittencake

Well good news is I did lower the voltage on my card and ran furmak .. stable .. and 69c max temp with the fan speed maxing out @ 93% I was quite happy with the results


----------



## prescotter

Dont forget guys memory on these cards have a form of Error Correction.

So first the performance goes down, only after that it starts to artifact. So when benchmarking Memory Overclock make sure to view your min/max fps after a benchmark.

It goes like this

Error correcting slower performance -> More oc = start to get artifacts -> more oc = black screen / restart.

So view the performance of the Memory OC very good, because you might be in the ''error correcting'' zone thinking you have a high memory speed, but effective real world performance is slower then a slower speed. (Or up the voltage)


----------



## staccker

Overclocking question:

I have a HIS 7950 ICEQ X2 and i have been slowly moving up the core and memory MHZ from time to time. I am using iTurbo to adjust the settings. Last night it was at 1175MHz/stock mV and 1500Mhz/stock mV with +0% to board limit. It ran fine in heaven no problem with a score of 965 with bench settings. I boosted it up to 1200/1550 keeping all other stats at stock and started to notice artifacting in heaven. I move the board limit up to 5% then 10% which yield a small reduction in the artifacts but they were still there with heaven crashing on the final frame. I then went back to my previous stable 1175/1500 and when I ran heaven again I got ghastly results. temps never went above 65C with fans at about 52%.

I am looking for some thoughts on why when I ran heaven for the last time at a previously stable overlcock it yielded terrible results. Also does anyone have any recommendations on what I could do to further the overclock. The card is on its stock cooler still.

Thanks!


----------



## Jam0r

Had a brief look through but thought I would ask anyway

I have two 7990s under full EK waterblocks.

Gaming at 1200 / 1700 1.3v the temps never hit 45 degrees.

If I can push the cards further, what would be the maximum voltage people would recommend for water?


----------



## prescotter

Just cause it makes 1 run of Valley artifact/crash free doesnt necessarily mean its complete stable.

Thats why people advise to test with multiple programs, like your favourite games and see how it holds up there.

On my hd7970 its easier to get Heaven/Valley stable, then stable for hours of Battlefield 4.

One of the thing to note is that these chips are very temprature sensitive, 1 pass of valley / heavon wont give the same tempratures after hours of gaming.

If you are on your Maximum % Power Limit you can only add more voltages to get higher MHz.

btw, The Memory powerdraw is allmost nothing compared to the Core, so the Power Slider limit will not have much effect on the Memory.
It is designed to ''throttle'' or max the card to a certain power draw, but its the core consuming most of the power.


----------



## staccker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Just cause it makes 1 run of Valley artifact/crash free doesnt necessarily mean its complete stable.
> 
> Thats why people advise to test with multiple programs, like your favourite games and see how it holds up there.
> 
> On my hd7970 its easier to get Heaven/Valley stable, then stable for hours of Battlefield 4.
> 
> One of the thing to note is that these chips are very temprature sensitive, 1 pass of valley / heavon wont give the same tempratures after hours of gaming.
> 
> If you are on your Maximum % Power Limit you can only add more voltages to get higher MHz.
> 
> btw, The Memory powerdraw is allmost nothing compared to the Core, so the Power Slider limit will not have much effect on the Memory.
> It is designed to ''throttle'' or max the card to a certain power draw, but its the core consuming most of the power.


Thanks for the clarification. Essentially moving the power board limit to +20% is the max I can get out the board before resulting to upping the values on the core and mem.

Do you happen to know the ideal max temperature the chip would be able to handle on air before an effective overclock is lost?


----------



## prescotter

It seems 55-60c is like a turning point for these chips.

My HD7970 can run 1200mhz on 1.2v if i stay under 55c-60c, same with 1250mhz on 1.25v.

But if i disable one of my 120mm fans on my hd7970, and it heats up to 70-75c, i need +50mv on both OC's to remain stable.
This can be different for every card, but most HD7900 users will agree that they are very temrpature sensitive.

To run a very high good OC on low volts watercooling is required.

A bit more info on the Power Slider:
Basicly the card has a value set as Max Power Draw in watts it allows.

The Power Slider will add the set % to that value. So 20% adds 20% Power Usage headroom for the card.
This stands seperate from the core voltage you set.

The higher the Mhz / The Higher the core voltage = a higher Power Draw.

Increasing this value only makes sure the card doesnt throttle, as in runs at a lower speed, because its using too much power.

Allot of manufacturers on hd7900 series are very conservative with these value's, meaning even with 20% Power limit with a Heavy Overclock its possible for the card to throttle(Not running at max speed).

To fix this you have to edit the Bios with VBE7, set the max power value's higher. This way the card can fully run 100%.

So if a Higher Power Limit / Power Slider % makes a Overclock stable, its due the card throttling previously on that speed and good to low voltage for the card to operate at set frequency.

But in no way it actually 'improves'' overclocking, unless the card was limited by its power draw. It basicly sets the Maximum power draw higher allowing for a higher overclock


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> It seems 55-60c is like a turning point for these chips.
> 
> My HD7970 can run 1200mhz on 1.2v if i stay under 55c-60c, same with 1250mhz on 1.25v.
> 
> But if i disable one of my 120mm fans on my hd7970, and it heats up to 70-75c, i need +50mv on both OC's to remain stable.
> This can be different for every card, but most HD7900 users will agree that they are very temrpature sensitive.
> 
> To run a very high good OC on low volts watercooling is required.
> 
> A bit more info on the Power Slider:
> Basicly the card has a value set as Max Power Draw in watts it allows.
> 
> The Power Slider will add the set % to that value. So 20% adds 20% Power Usage headroom for the card.
> This stands seperate from the core voltage you set.
> 
> The higher the Mhz / The Higher the core voltage = a higher Power Draw.
> 
> Increasing this value only makes sure the card doesnt throttle, as in runs at a lower speed, because its using too much power.
> 
> Allot of manufacturers on hd7900 series are very conservative with these value's, meaning even with 20% Power limit with a Heavy Overclock its possible for the card to throttle(Not running at max speed).
> 
> To fix this you have to edit the Bios with VBE7, set the max power value's higher. This way the card can fully run 100%.
> 
> So if a Higher Power Limit / Power Slider % makes a Overclock stable, its due the card throttling previously on that speed and good to low voltage for the card to operate at set frequency.
> 
> But in no way it actually 'improves'' overclocking, unless the card was limited by its power draw. It basicly sets the Maximum power draw higher allowing for a higher overclock


HOW ARE YOU GETTING 60C max for a 1200mhz @1.2V for core and 1875mhz for memory??? That must be one helluva card. What's the cooling in your case anyways and the ambient? I barely even get to run 55C at full load even with AC on at 20C, and both of the 120mm Side Panel mounted Vortex PWMs blowing at full force with a molex adapter. I'm like stuck at 1100mhz @1150mV for core (I think my core voltage was set a bit higher by 5mV than needed for extra stability) and 1600mhz @ 1544mV for memory and still get to hit 62-63C with the AC on on a max continuous loop of Heaven under full load.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *staccker*
> 
> Overclocking question:
> 
> I have a HIS 7950 ICEQ X2 and i have been slowly moving up the core and memory MHZ from time to time. I am using iTurbo to adjust the settings. Last night it was at 1175MHz/stock mV and 1500Mhz/stock mV with +0% to board limit. It ran fine in heaven no problem with a score of 965 with bench settings. I boosted it up to 1200/1550 keeping all other stats at stock and started to notice artifacting in heaven. I move the board limit up to 5% then 10% which yield a small reduction in the artifacts but they were still there with heaven crashing on the final frame. I then went back to my previous stable 1175/1500 and when I ran heaven again I got ghastly results. temps never went above 65C with fans at about 52%.
> 
> I am looking for some thoughts on why when I ran heaven for the last time at a previously stable overlcock it yielded terrible results. Also does anyone have any recommendations on what I could do to further the overclock. The card is on its stock cooler still.
> 
> Thanks!


Dunno if its just me, and hopefully others can clarify on this. When you OC and up the voltage, then go back to some previous clocks you had, it seems that performance went down, and it could make the previously stable OC settings no longer stable. It's like since the GPU tasted more voltage, it wants a higher voltage for the old clocks even if you have settings with a lower voltage that are completely stable for it. Can anybody clarify on this? Is this a fact? Or it's just a weird coincidence that could be marked up to margin of error or my bad memory? Thanks!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Dunno if its just me, and hopefully others can clarify on this. When you OC and up the voltage, then go back to some previous clocks you had, it seems that performance went down, and it could make the previously stable OC settings no longer stable. It's like since the GPU tasted more voltage, it wants a higher voltage for the old clocks even if you have settings with a lower voltage that are completely stable for it. Can anybody clarify on this? Is this a fact? Or it's just a weird coincidence that could be marked up to margin of error or my bad memory? Thanks!


I tend to disagree. I have two different ways I run my GPUs. One all the way down at 1020 mV 1050/1500 for mining purposes, and then 1250mV 1200/1800 for gaming. I have no issues whatsoever switching back and forth between the two.

The only thing that I could see it that when running higher clocks/volts, board temperature could increase in areas that have poor/no air getting to them, and are not given an opportunity to cool completely before the lower clocks/volts are ran. This has never been a noticed issue for me because my cards are water cooled and have massive air flow over the boards. They dont see 45C under full load at 1250mV on core nor VRM. But Tahiti PCB that is allowed to get 60+ can become unstable and seem to be a bit less predictable.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I tend to disagree. I have two different ways I run my GPUs. One all the way down at 1020 mV 1050/1500 for mining purposes, and then 1250mV 1200/1800 for gaming. I have no issues whatsoever switching back and forth between the two.
> 
> The only thing that I could see it that when running higher clocks/volts, board temperature could increase in areas that have poor/no air getting to them, and are not given an opportunity to cool completely before the lower clocks/volts are ran. This has never been a noticed issue for me because my cards are water cooled and have massive air flow over the boards. They dont see 45C under full load at 1250mV on core nor VRM. But Tahiti PCB that is allowed to get 60+ can become unstable and seem to be a bit less predictable.


Thank God someone disagreed. Just what I was hoping for. Thanks for that, but Tahiti PCBs shouldn't go over 60+C? Even on air cooling? If that's so then I'm screwed. The only time I see temps lower than 60 is when AC is on and I'm just playing BF4, ain't the case when heaven is running (62C), I guess furmark would even be at around 65 then. Without the AC I hit temps from mid 70s to high 70s when ambient temp is through the roof


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I tend to disagree. I have two different ways I run my GPUs. One all the way down at 1020 mV 1050/1500 for mining purposes, and then 1250mV 1200/1800 for gaming. I have no issues whatsoever switching back and forth between the two.
> 
> The only thing that I could see it that when running higher clocks/volts, board temperature could increase in areas that have poor/no air getting to them, and are not given an opportunity to cool completely before the lower clocks/volts are ran. This has never been a noticed issue for me because my cards are water cooled and have massive air flow over the boards. They dont see 45C under full load at 1250mV on core nor VRM. But Tahiti PCB that is allowed to get 60+ can become unstable and seem to be a bit less predictable.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank God someone disagreed. Just what I was hoping for. Thanks for that, but Tahiti PCBs shouldn't go over 60+C? Even on air cooling? If that's so then I'm screwed. The only time I see temps lower than 60 is when AC is on and I'm just playing BF4, ain't the case when heaven is running (62C), I guess furmark would even be at around 65 then. Without the AC I hit temps from mid 70s to high 70s when ambient temp is through the roof
Click to expand...

Thats not what I meant. They can go above 60C without issue, ran mine in the 80s for a short bit waiting on blocks. But in my short experience on air, the hotter, the more voltage they require, making them hotter, requiring more voltage...keeping them cool allows you to use less voltage for the same clock, or more clock for the same voltage, and an overclock that was gravy in the winter might require a bump to voltage in the summer.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Dont forget guys memory on these cards have a form of Error Correction.
> 
> So first the performance goes down, only after that it starts to artifact. So when benchmarking Memory Overclock make sure to view your min/max fps after a benchmark.
> 
> It goes like this
> 
> Error correcting slower performance -> More oc = start to get artifacts -> more oc = black screen / restart.
> 
> So view the performance of the Memory OC very good, because you might be in the ''error correcting'' zone thinking you have a high memory speed, but effective real world performance is slower then a slower speed. (Or up the voltage)


Do you have a quick and dirty test program you like to use for this purpose to watch as the card moves into the various zones. And if you get into the first zone where performance starts to degrade because of the memory, will increased voltage compensate or do you end up hitting a wall of sorts you can't recover from. Assuming temperature is an important part of the equation, is there faster degradation in OC performance after say something like 70C?

The test program I'm asking about has to be good enough if an OC setting is certified, if I go to play a game, it won't take a crap on me.


----------



## xhk1g

Whats the best driver for the 7950 so far? I dont really need mantle.

Also, i just cant get a stable higher overclock, it can barely handle 1170/1500 @1.25v. I have the Sapphire Dual X With Boost 3GB version.

Thanks.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xhk1g*
> 
> Whats the best driver for the 7950 so far? I dont really need mantle.
> 
> Also, i just cant get a stable higher overclock, it can barely handle 1170/1500 @1.25v. I have the Sapphire Dual X With Boost 3GB version.
> 
> Thanks.


The 13.12 treated me pretty nice, and have not heard much complaints about it. That was the last driver without mantle. All of the 14.xxx have felt rushed, and unfinished. Even the 14.4 WHQL breaks stuff for tons of people. If you just want a good solid driver 13.12 is recent and pretty solid.


----------



## xhk1g

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The 13.12 treated me pretty nice, and have not heard much complaints about it. That was the last driver without mantle. All of the 14.xxx have felt rushed, and unfinished. Even the 14.4 WHQL breaks stuff for tons of people. If you just want a good solid driver 13.12 is recent and pretty solid.


Thank you. Do i need to delete the one i have now before installing 13.12?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xhk1g*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The 13.12 treated me pretty nice, and have not heard much complaints about it. That was the last driver without mantle. All of the 14.xxx have felt rushed, and unfinished. Even the 14.4 WHQL breaks stuff for tons of people. If you just want a good solid driver 13.12 is recent and pretty solid.
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you. Do i need to delete the one i have now before installing 13.12?
Click to expand...

yes, going backward needs a wipe because the older software might not be aware of all newer entries to the registry and will likely get left behind. Lots of folks around here use DDU, and is likely the best bet, but AMD also makes their own uninstaller that i have used with good success. Turn off automatic update or disconnect from the net so you dont get the newest WHQL installed after uninstalling.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thats not what I meant. They can go above 60C without issue, ran mine in the 80s for a short bit waiting on blocks. But in my short experience on air, the hotter, the more voltage they require, making them hotter, requiring more voltage...keeping them cool allows you to use less voltage for the same clock, or more clock for the same voltage, and an overclock that was gravy in the winter might require a bump to voltage in the summer.


Okay thanks for the reassurance!

But like what gr8sho said, does oc performance degrade after reaching a specific temperature point? Or where OCing more barely does any substantial increase in performance when reaching a specific temperature?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Thats not what I meant. They can go above 60C without issue, ran mine in the 80s for a short bit waiting on blocks. But in my short experience on air, the hotter, the more voltage they require, making them hotter, requiring more voltage...keeping them cool allows you to use less voltage for the same clock, or more clock for the same voltage, and an overclock that was gravy in the winter might require a bump to voltage in the summer.
> 
> 
> 
> Okay thanks for the reassurance!
> 
> But like what gr8sho said, does oc performance degrade after reaching a specific temperature point? Or where OCing more barely does any substantial increase in performance when reaching a specific temperature?
Click to expand...

No, if your OC is stable at 95C it would give FPS just the same as it was 45C. You just likely wont get the same max oc at 95 as you would at 45.


----------



## prescotter

Indeed i didnt said it shouldnt go over 55-60c.

All i said was after that temprature you will need much more vcore on a 70-80c Overclock, then a 55c-60c core temprature.

The core itself can handle 80-90c and still operate perfectly, it just needs more voltage.

For the guy who asked how i get such low gpu core tempratures:


Its the Alpenföhn Peter - Radeon 79XX Edition, it can hold 2x120mm fans or 2x140mm fans


On my stock cooler could only run 1150Mhz as with 1.2v since the core heated to 70-75c.
Now with this cooler i can run 1150mhz on 1.15v and the cores stays 50-55c.

As for the memory OC it all depends on what Vendor memory chips you have.
My Hynix chips scale like this:


The colder you can get the Core on these cards, the higher you can find a stable Overclock on the same voltage.
Thats why allot of Watercooling guys can run 1200-1300mhz range, since their core is cold it scales much better on voltage


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> you will need much more vcore on a 70-80c Overclock, then a 55c-60c core temprature.


truth


----------



## Rainmaker91

I'm new in this thread so it's nice to see my name added to that list









anyways, I could draw my card way higher I think but my VRM cooling seems to be the problem atm. What are people using for testing after they clock their card? I just used the OCCT test to make sure it's rock solid.

@prescotter: I bet that thing can handle any temps on that card of yours. Be careful though that it doesn't bend your PCB and PCIe connector. I had that happen on a 6950 with the Thermaltake
ISGC-V320 mounted on it. It was without a backplate or anything to stabilize the weight though.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Indeed i didnt said it shouldnt go over 55-60c.
> 
> All i said was after that temprature you will need much more vcore on a 70-80c Overclock, then a 55c-60c core temprature.
> 
> The core itself can handle 80-90c and still operate perfectly, it just needs more voltage.
> 
> For the guy who asked how i get such low gpu core tempratures:
> 
> 
> Its the Alpenföhn Peter - Radeon 79XX Edition, it can hold 2x120mm fans or 2x140mm fans
> 
> 
> On my stock cooler could only run 1150Mhz as with 1.2v since the core heated to 70-75c.
> Now with this cooler i can run 1150mhz on 1.15v and the cores stays 50-55c.
> 
> As for the memory OC it all depends on what Vendor memory chips you have.
> My Hynix chips scale like this:
> 
> 
> The colder you can get the Core on these cards, the higher you can find a stable Overclock on the same voltage.
> Thats why allot of Watercooling guys can run 1200-1300mhz range, since their core is cold it scales much better on voltage


HOLY

Now that is one helluva cooler. One thing I noticed though, I don't know if it's just me or if your GPU is sagging a bit in the middle part due to the weight of the cooler. The graph is just... wow, you really put some work into that. Nice to know I am not the only one who needs adjust memory voltage to get to 1600mhz.


----------



## wermad

One of my Lightnings PE decided to quite and its off to rma after trouble shooting all week. I'm guessing msi rma won't have another Lightning, so I'm anxiously waiting to see what they offer me (probably a 280x







). For now, I'm keeping the sole BE and putting up the other two PE up for sale if anyone is interested. These are PE flashed to Lightning bios (GHZ edition, 1070Mhz).


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> One of my Lightnings PE decided to quite and its off to rma after trouble shooting all week. I'm guessing msi rma won't have another Lightning, so I'm anxiously waiting to see what they offer me (probably a 280x
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). For now, I'm keeping the sole BE and putting up the other two PE up for sale if anyone is interested. These are PE flashed to Lightning bios (GHZ edition, 1070Mhz).


You're in for a wait. They might push a 280X gaming series on you too. I waited a month just for them to say no lightnings are available. If it comes down to it, ask for a 290 as a replacement like I did.


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gr8sho*
> 
> Do you have a quick and dirty test program you like to use for this purpose to watch as the card moves into the various zones.


Well they arent really zones.

Example running gpu memory on 1.6v

1700mhz is stable and gives 70.0fps
1725mhz runs "stable" but gives 69.3fpz

When you re-run with 1.625v,
The 1725mhz run will be 71.5fps

Just example value's and fps. These will be different for all cards, voltages and memory chips.

For my hd7970 it seems Crysis 3 is harder to run Battlefield 4 and Heaven/Valley. But best is a mixturrle of all. Just try the most GPU heavy software/games.

But like somebody else set more voltage gives higher temperature, and a higher core temprature results in a less efficient vcore/mhz ratio.
But in this case voltages allways win giving you higher mhz with high temps.

Once you get the Gpu core really cool 50c-55c or even lower, then the good OC's start to show.

Offcourse it also depends on how good your memory/gpu chips are. Like people say the silicon lottery


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> You're in for a wait. They might push a 280X gaming series on you too. I waited a month just for them to say no lightnings are available. If it comes down to it, ask for a 290 as a replacement like I did.


Did you get a TF3 or a reference card? Just sent it off this morning. It should be there by monday. Did they contact you on the replacement? Thanks


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> You're in for a wait. They might push a 280X gaming series on you too. I waited a month just for them to say no lightnings are available. If it comes down to it, ask for a 290 as a replacement like I did.
> 
> 
> 
> Did you get a TF3 or a reference card? Just sent it off this morning. It should be there by monday. Did they contact you on the replacement? Thanks
Click to expand...

I asked for a 290 specifically. He then offered me the reference design because he said it would probably OC better, but I said the cooler is really bad can I get a Gaming one instead. I guess they had no 290 gaming because they sent the 290X. They will probably offer you a refund first if they cannot put one in the mail for you, which is a 255 dollar refund. Deny this and ask for either a lighting 7970 or 290 upgrade. I actually talked to a man named Greg Hernandez I think. He is very helpful and he is the one who got the message to RMA dept and got the OK for my 290X.

MSI has great customer support you just have to find the right person to get help from.


----------



## gr8sho

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Well they arent really zones.
> 
> Example running gpu memory on 1.6v
> 
> 1700mhz is stable and gives 70.0fps
> 1725mhz runs "stable" but gives 69.3fpz
> 
> When you re-run with 1.625v,
> The 1725mhz run will be 71.5fps
> 
> Just example value's and fps. These will be different for all cards, voltages and memory chips.
> 
> For my hd7970 it seems Crysis 3 is harder to run Battlefield 4 and Heaven/Valley. But best is a mixturrle of all. Just try the most GPU heavy software/games.
> 
> But like somebody else set more voltage gives higher temperature, and a higher core temprature results in a less efficient vcore/mhz ratio.
> But in this case voltages allways win giving you higher mhz with high temps.
> 
> Once you get the Gpu core really cool 50c-55c or even lower, then the good OC's start to show.
> 
> Offcourse it also depends on how good your memory/gpu chips are. Like people say the silicon lottery


If the most stressful test programs are games, then okay. I just thought you might have something handy to surprise me with. Heaven is probably too well written to cause issues. I can make a bad OC surface more with something like Bioshock strangely enough than Crysis 3, which never gave me any problems.

Neat data points BTW. I don't think my cards can run reliably at 1700MHz. May retry.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I asked for a 290 specifically. He then offered me the reference design because he said it would probably OC better, but I said the cooler is really bad can I get a Gaming one instead. I guess they had no 290 gaming because they sent the 290X. They will probably offer you a refund first if they cannot put one in the mail for you, which is a 255 dollar refund. Deny this and ask for either a lighting 7970 or 290 upgrade. I actually talked to a man named Greg Hernandez I think. He is very helpful and he is the one who got the message to RMA dept and got the OK for my 290X.
> 
> MSI has great customer support you just have to find the right person to get help from.


Card just got delivered. Its great living in SoCal sometimes







. Anyways, I spent all weekend calculating the cost of moving on to 290s and I've decided to stick w/ my lightnings for now. So whatever they give me (lightning or 290), I'll sell that. Everything is still working fine so its really not that urgent to move on to Hawaii. Plus, I have some other priorities in life that need my attention.


----------



## heroxoot

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> I asked for a 290 specifically. He then offered me the reference design because he said it would probably OC better, but I said the cooler is really bad can I get a Gaming one instead. I guess they had no 290 gaming because they sent the 290X. They will probably offer you a refund first if they cannot put one in the mail for you, which is a 255 dollar refund. Deny this and ask for either a lighting 7970 or 290 upgrade. I actually talked to a man named Greg Hernandez I think. He is very helpful and he is the one who got the message to RMA dept and got the OK for my 290X.
> 
> MSI has great customer support you just have to find the right person to get help from.
> 
> 
> 
> Card just got delivered. Its great living in SoCal sometimes
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Anyways, I spent all weekend calculating the cost of moving on to 290s and I've decided to stick w/ my lightnings for now. So whatever they give me (lightning or 290), I'll sell that. Everything is still working fine so its really not that urgent to move on to Hawaii. Plus, I have some other priorities in life that need my attention.
Click to expand...

That sounds fine considering you have crossfire. I just had one and a 290X easily beats a 7970 in performance.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *heroxoot*
> 
> That sounds fine considering you have crossfire. I just had one and a 290X easily beats a 7970 in performance.


I promised the wife no more spending so getting 290s is not a problem, but outfitting them with blocks is an expense I just don't want to make. Cards still have warrranty so might as well keep em a bit longer.

I called Msi this morning and the rep told me to wait a day or two to c/b and ask if they have any lightnings in stock. He mentioned that he last heard there were some lightnings in stock. If there aren't any, someone would reach me via email/phone to go over my options.


----------



## chronicfx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I promised the wife no more spending.


I am pretty sure I make that promise at least three times a year!


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> I am pretty sure I make that promise at least three times a year!


Lol, she's not buying it from me and was very unhappy I wanted to make another drastic change.

Well, I found a couple of fresh BE's from a miner and decided to replace two of my PE's for now. I'm back to quads with three BE's and one PE, the spare PE is up on ebay for sale. Not sure what i would get from MSI but its another BE, that would complete my quad BE setup. For now, one PE is not bad







.

(all these P's and B's, can be confuseee







)


----------



## Kokin

Today I shipped off my 7950 that clocked 1300/1700, which puts me out of a gpu for this club. It's been fun being a part of this club in the last 1.5 yrs, thanks for all the knowledge!


----------



## SonDa5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kokin*
> 
> Today I shipped off my 7950 that clocked 1300/1700, which puts me out of a gpu for this club. It's been fun being a part of this club in the last 1.5 yrs, thanks for all the knowledge!


Adios HD7950. Looks like you had a great experience with it. Great card.


----------



## SkateZilla

here's a pretty dumb question, but I thought I'd ask before emailing AMD.

Since CrossFireX Interconnect is 900mb/sec,

if I were to say, use 2 of them on a dual card setup., would that allow me to have 1800mb/sec transfer link?


----------



## wermad

There's a been a few ppl who tried two bridges vs one and I think the difference was very negligible. In, fact, some ppl report issues with two bridges. From from my rusty ati/amd knowledge, I think each card communicates one at a time so the extra bandwidth has no real advantage.

Good experiment to test out this weekend


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> There's a been a few ppl who tried two bridges vs one and I think the difference was very negligible. In, fact, some ppl report issues with two bridges. From from my rusty ati/amd knowledge, I think each card communicates one at a time so the extra bandwidth has no real advantage.
> 
> Good experiment to test out this weekend


Just whipped out the google-fu , and it came up lacking any clear technical answer. So I ran a few benches, as this has been a question I have pondered before. Ran Valley at basic, and then at extreme eyefinity resolution with one and two bridges. Results could mirror your statement, the difference was negligable, better on both tests with 2 bridges, but within 2%. It reminds me of the difference of running a card on 16x over 8x lane. Which, if my limited knowledge of the subject serves me right, is about what the bridges are, essentially a 8x PCIE lane, that turns to a 16x when you put a second bridge on. Dont quote me on that, as I dont have a source, and I am far from a guru. But I remember reading something along those lines somewhere on the interwebz a while back, which can never be wrong, right?


----------



## wermad

I'll give that a try. For some reason, my benchmark scores have been a bit inconsistent. Not sure if its 14.4 doing it







. Obviously, this can only be tested with two cards.

Pump is also giving me fits so I'm expecting it to die soon. It refuses to start most of the time and it takes a couple of minutes after power is applied to kick in. Might give in and get a D5 and see how "better" it is vs my 35x.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I'll give that a try. For some reason, my benchmark scores have been a bit inconsistent. Not sure if its 14.4 doing it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Obviously, this can only be tested with two cards.
> 
> Pump is also giving me fits so I'm expecting it to die soon. It refuses to start most of the time and it takes a couple of minutes after power is applied to kick in. Might give in and get a D5 and see how "better" it is vs my 35x.


I keep hearing the D5 sets the bar to which all other pumps get thrown against. I am still begrudgingly using the EK DCP4.0, it is louder than my fans, and I have tried several different mounting configurations. It will have to do til the 2015 "sock tuck" build.

I am interested to see your results with the bridges, and hopefully someone with some technical knowledge of the bridges can shed some light as to the how and why of it.


----------



## bmgjet

If your running 1440p and want more then 78hz refresh rate you need to use two bridges.
Other wise you get black frames in games and artifacts in windows.

You also need to patch the driver to bypass the pixel clock limit of 330mhz


----------



## wermad

I've been sick for a week now and so I have not done much. At least this guy showed up at my front door









I'm running all BE. I know the first one can do 1200 w/ 20% p/t and stock voltage. I'll see how far I can take them with a bump in voltage









edit: looks like this new card is not the model i wanted (







). I contacted the seller and hopefully this can be settled quickly







. This maybe the excuse I need to just move on to Hawaii







.

double edit: got an email from MSI support, looks they need to replace this one







. The message didn't not say which model they can replace it with but they did ask if I'm crossfiring them. I hope the rep can get back to me asap.


----------



## adog12341

Anyone got a 7970 cooler that they're looking to get rid of? I really need to get a new heatsink. H440 is getting here tomorrow and I can't have this ugly setup going in that nice case.


----------



## Mega Man

Water cooling. It isn't just about temps. But looks too


----------



## adog12341

I'll hardly be able to afford a decent heatsink for the 7970 let along a loop









I'm hoping for dogecoin to shoot up so I can finally afford a loop.


----------



## hambone96

Does anyone have a list of coolers that will fit on a reference 7970 and only take up two slots?

Ideally, I would get a dual fan cooler off of another 7970.

Maybe someone has one not being used after they watercooled it? I have cash ready if you do.

This reference cooler is just too loud


----------



## wermad

Picked up a used BE on ebay. I messaged the seller to confirm if this was the BE @ 1150mhz before committing. Well, got it yesterday and gpu-z is reporting its 1100Mhz, lame







. I picked up two more BE's last week and they all show 1150Mhz just like my orginal BE I got from msi rma last year. I message the seller and he's claiming its an issue with the card. Card runs fine and passed a few benchmarks without an issue. I asked him for a partial refund or a full refund. He just keeps replying saying its incorrect and gpu-z, afterburner, gpu tweak, and ccc are wrong since they're reading it at @1100mhz. Ugh, I'm hoping this guy plays ball and just lets this finish. I hate dragging out an ebay claim







.


----------



## Rainmaker91

I suppose the
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Does anyone have a list of coolers that will fit on a reference 7970 and only take up two slots?
> 
> Ideally, I would get a dual fan cooler off of another 7970.
> 
> Maybe someone has one not being used after they watercooled it? I have cash ready if you do.
> 
> This reference cooler is just too loud


I suppose you could always check if you can get a used MSI Twin Frozr IV or XFX 7970/280x cooler. Other than that I only know of the Arcitc Cooling Accelero Hybrid and Accelero Hybrid 2 and tehy will keep your card silent and cool as well (They are expensive though) If you want something cheaper tehn you could go with a simple low profile 92mm fan and combine it with a cheaper asetek AIO cooler and the Pulse Modding bracket. Most other after market coolers take up more than 2 spaces.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Picked up a used BE on ebay. I messaged the seller to confirm if this was the BE @ 1150mhz before committing. Well, got it yesterday and gpu-z is reporting its 1100Mhz, lame
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I picked up two more BE's last week and they all show 1150Mhz just like my orginal BE I got from msi rma last year. I message the seller and he's claiming its an issue with the card. Card runs fine and passed a few benchmarks without an issue. I asked him for a partial refund or a full refund. He just keeps replying saying its incorrect and gpu-z, afterburner, gpu tweak, and ccc are wrong since they're reading it at @1100mhz. Ugh, I'm hoping this guy plays ball and just lets this finish. I hate dragging out an ebay claim
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


.
no it is running at 1150 mgz ! all the programs are wrong

that sucks man
:/


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> .
> no it is running at 1150 mgz ! all the programs are wrong
> 
> that sucks man
> :/


Its Jiggawatts!!!! Thanks for the laugh dude
 








By the way he argues, it seems like a total noob tbh. He had no idea there was a Boost Edition revision 1 clocked @ 1100. I asked him and he said it was 1150Mhz. When i discovered it was not, I confronted him and asked if he even tested the card. Most likely, he got the card back from msi and never bothered to check the clocks as his auction listing said he just bought another one. He acts as though I'm making this up. Sent him and ebay (now in dispute) screenshots of the card showing 1100mhz., bios revision, and even shots of CCC with the default clocks (clearly gpuz had shown this him several times when i sent the screen shots). I even sent him shots of my current BE's showing 1150mhz and revision 2. He starting blaming the bios, then the card was defective, and then started blaming msi, followed by calling me a crook. I told him a bunch of times, he gets his card, ebay refunds him the fees, just relist and find another buyer. All these noob wanna-be pc junkies just wing it and have no clue. Posers like these are reason why ebay gets crap sling at its name. The card works 100% but I was clearly mislead into believing this was the 1150 revision 2. I need to wait the mandatory time before ebay makes a decision. He even got offended when I offered him to keep in lieu of a small partial refund. His response clearly showed he had little to no experience selling. When things go bad, seller and buyer are encouraged by ebay to work it out. Sometimes a small refund can be offered to compensate for the issue.

The two BE's I bought earlier, the guy was nice enough to check them and even offered a return if I wasn't happy. Guy was very honest and up front confessing he had no idea how to check for the stock clocks. These guys are just six months old but he definitely took care of them. They were blocked as soon as I was done testing each on on air. I've been playing a bit of Lost Planet 2 in 5x1 with just the three BE's, though the fourth card does give it last bit of oomph, three can still manage. I'm sure the newer games will bend the three to its knees so I'll skip those for now.

Well, got a reply from MSI support. There maybe Lightnings available. They'll update my ticket soon. I was hoping for a 290 and there's still hope if they can't secure a Lightning replacement. I haven't asked for a Hawaii but if it comes up, I will ask for one. The reps have been really nice and helpful. They're honest and don't bs you. Event the lady I spoke today said she'll reach me asap when a card is secured. They'll let me know if they don't have one. Kind of nervous if I do go with Hawaii as there's been a few wrinkles not yet addressed in the drivers (Eyefinity, mst hubs, displayport issues). I may just get three Hawaiis and save the rest for another upgrade down the line.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> .
> no it is running at 1150 mgz ! all the programs are wrong
> 
> that sucks man
> :/
> 
> 
> 
> Its Jiggawatts!!!! Thanks for the laugh dude
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> By the way he argues, it seems like a total noob tbh. He had no idea there was a Boost Edition revision 1 clocked @ 1100. I asked him and he said it was 1150Mhz. When i discovered it was not, I confronted him and asked if he even tested the card. Most likely, he got the card back from msi and never bothered to check the clocks as his auction listing said he just bought another one. He acts as though I'm making this up. Sent him and ebay (now in dispute) screenshots of the card showing 1100mhz., bios revision, and even shots of CCC with the default clocks (clearly gpuz had shown this him several times when i sent the screen shots). I even sent him shots of my current BE's showing 1150mhz and revision 2. He starting blaming the bios, then the card was defective, and then started blaming msi, followed by calling me a crook. I told him a bunch of times, he gets his card, ebay refunds him the fees, just relist and find another buyer. All these noob wanna-be pc junkies just wing it and have no clue. Posers like these are reason why ebay gets crap sling at its name. The card works 100% but I was clearly mislead into believing this was the 1150 revision 2. I need to wait the mandatory time before ebay makes a decision. He even got offended when I offered him to keep in lieu of a small partial refund. His response clearly showed he had little to no experience selling. When things go bad, seller and buyer are encouraged by ebay to work it out. Sometimes a small refund can be offered to compensate for the issue.
> 
> The two BE's I bought earlier, the guy was nice enough to check them and even offered a return if I wasn't happy. Guy was very honest and up front confessing he had no idea how to check for the stock clocks. These guys are just six months old but he definitely took care of them. They were blocked as soon as I was done testing each on on air. I've been playing a bit of Lost Planet 2 in 5x1 with just the three BE's, though the fourth card does give it last bit of oomph, three can still manage. I'm sure the newer games will bend the three to its knees so I'll skip those for now.
> 
> Well, got a reply from MSI support. There maybe Lightnings available. They'll update my ticket soon. I was hoping for a 290 and there's still hope if they can't secure a Lightning replacement. I haven't asked for a Hawaii but if it comes up, I will ask for one. The reps have been really nice and helpful. They're honest and don't bs you. Event the lady I spoke today said she'll reach me asap when a card is secured. They'll let me know if they don't have one. Kind of nervous if I do go with Hawaii as there's been a few wrinkles not yet addressed in the drivers (Eyefinity, mst hubs, displayport issues). I may just get three Hawaiis and save the rest for another upgrade down the line.
Click to expand...

yea i love msi everytime i contacted them. it was an intelligent response and did not feel scripted was a pleasant surprise actually i wanted msi 290x, had they had the ones i want/ is the komodo supported them ( gaming series ) i would of.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> I suppose the
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hambone96*
> 
> Does anyone have a list of coolers that will fit on a reference 7970 and only take up two slots?
> 
> Ideally, I would get a dual fan cooler off of another 7970.
> 
> Maybe someone has one not being used after they watercooled it? I have cash ready if you do.
> 
> This reference cooler is just too loud
> 
> 
> 
> I suppose you could always check if you can get a used MSI Twin Frozr IV or XFX 7970/280x cooler. Other than that I only know of the Arcitc Cooling Accelero Hybrid and Accelero Hybrid 2 and tehy will keep your card silent and cool as well (They are expensive though) If you want something cheaper tehn you could go with a simple low profile 92mm fan and combine it with a cheaper asetek AIO cooler and the Pulse Modding bracket. Most other after market coolers take up more than 2 spaces.
Click to expand...

I don't know if this will help, or what you had on your 7970's but I have a couple of the new vapor x chamber coolers that did a nice job before I put blocks on them. they were reported to be 15c cooler than just a copper heat pipe and fin array. I ran them in quad on air for a brief while until the VGA WC got here. so for whatever it's worth.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Picked up a used BE on ebay. I messaged the seller to confirm if this was the BE @ 1150mhz before committing. Well, got it yesterday and gpu-z is reporting its 1100Mhz, lame
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I picked up two more BE's last week and they all show 1150Mhz just like my orginal BE I got from msi rma last year. I message the seller and he's claiming its an issue with the card. Card runs fine and passed a few benchmarks without an issue. I asked him for a partial refund or a full refund. He just keeps replying saying its incorrect and gpu-z, afterburner, gpu tweak, and ccc are wrong since they're reading it at @1100mhz. Ugh, I'm hoping this guy plays ball and just lets this finish. I hate dragging out an ebay claim
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Guess you can try a BIOS flash. Seems like it should be able to work, same manufacturer and model make it all a bit more plausible. Since you can reflash it back to the old one, not much harm in doing so.

EDIT: Whether or not full or partial refunds are made, it's still worth a shot for the meantime that you are using it. 50mhz bonus while it's with you. Anyways, by the way you describe him, seems like he wouldn't have an idea if you even touched the card. If procedure goes your way and allows for a full refund, just flash it back. Dude's an A-hole and no point dealing with him anymore. Hope all goes well.


----------



## adog12341

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Picked up a used BE on ebay. I messaged the seller to confirm if this was the BE @ 1150mhz before committing. Well, got it yesterday and gpu-z is reporting its 1100Mhz, lame
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I picked up two more BE's last week and they all show 1150Mhz just like my orginal BE I got from msi rma last year. I message the seller and he's claiming its an issue with the card. Card runs fine and passed a few benchmarks without an issue. I asked him for a partial refund or a full refund. He just keeps replying saying its incorrect and gpu-z, afterburner, gpu tweak, and ccc are wrong since they're reading it at @1100mhz. Ugh, I'm hoping this guy plays ball and just lets this finish. I hate dragging out an ebay claim
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Hey I was looking on the MSI forums on where to get some TFIII fans and I think I found the seller you're talking about: https://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=180466.0


----------



## wermad

Yup, that's the guy. Ill post the screenshots I sent him and ebay. Hes so clueless hes going to msi forums. Jeeze. Anyways, add I've told him, gpuz and all the utlities are reporting 1100. If you look at gpu-z, the bios revision ends in 001 where as all three of my BE's I've had end in 002. Ran firestrike and showed him the graph as it peaked 1100 and temps stayed under 60°c. Well under any severe degree where it throttles down. He's arguing as this was a reference 290/290X. I explained those guys have severe heat issues and will lower the boost. My guess, and I told him this, he got lazy, didn't bother reading or knowing of a utility like gpuz to check it. He was under the false notion that all BE's were @ 1150mhz, lied to me since he didn't bother check the card. I told him if you have an air cooled system, its so simple to check. I copied his reply where he confirmed its 1150mhz. and added it to the ebay claim notes He got caught red handed and now he's back peddling.

ebay BE:





My current BE's (first replaced in Nov 2013 by MSI, other two purchased a couple of a weeks ago from a great seller who I asked and was cooperative in getting me the #s):




So now he brought up that I flashed the bios. I told him I did no such thing and if he did, its a good method to kill a card and void your warranty. Then he started complaining I had the wrong bios switch, I confirmed it arrived on the stock bios position which is what my other three BE's are. I told him I'm not looking to oc my cards for daily use and hence why I'm only looking for the 1150mhz 002 revision.


----------



## SkateZilla

TBH, 1100 BE Lightning is better than No Lightning...

If it was me, I'd just reflash it with a BIOS from the 1150 Lightnings or overclock to 1150 and be done with it.

on the other hand, all the wanna be tech savvy people posting stuff on ebay w/ false specs annoys me.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> TBH, 1100 BE Lightning is better than No Lightning...
> 
> If it was me, I'd just reflash it with a BIOS from the 1150 Lightnings or overclock to 1150 and be done with it.
> 
> on the other hand, all the wanna be tech savvy people posting stuff on ebay w/ false specs annoys me.


I committed and placed a higher then normal bid based on the fact he said it was rev. 002. Had it been 1100 (001) I would have not paid so much and hence why I offered him to work it out and do a small partial refund. He called me a crook trying to steal from him (







). Actually, I would have just skipped it.

Anyways, I'm running four of these guys so I really don't have a need to oc right now. One less thing to worry about and that's why I'm looking for the factory oc's. I did see a bunch of BE's on ebay and most of them are 1150 and a few 1100. This guy "confirmed" it was 1150 but obviously after conversing with him, he's really not that knowledgeable in the least bit of sense. I told the guy if he had no way of knowing, I could have helped him and all together avoid this fiasco. He hasn't produced a shred of evidence other then the specs you find on msi's site and wiki. I have screen shots, tests, and comparisons. I'm hoping this gets resolved. I even told the guy ebay would refund him his fees and just relist it but don't mislead ppl by saying its rev 002. I also told him to contact MSI support if he wants to get it replaced with rev 002 as they were the ones that issued it. This guy knows he lied and is digging a bigger hole for himself

In all honesty, I didn't know there were two revisions until someone pointed it out several months ago. A bit of research and I found the info, and so I went on a BE 1150 hunt only. The seller I bought my other two BE's didn't know how to check gpuz. i told him what to do and give him links. He then reported back to me the info to confirm it was 1150s and went as far as offering a return if I wasn't happy. He also shipped it out quickly. While the seller of the dispute took almost a week to drop it off at the post. Small little details that really should have raised a red-flag for me this guy is a bit of a novice and has little to no clue on what's he doing and saying.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I committed and placed a higher then normal bid based on the fact he said it was rev. 002. Had it been 1100 (001) I would have not paid so much and hence why I offered him to work it out and do a small partial refund. He called me a crook trying to steal from him (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). Actually, I would have just skipped it.
> 
> Anyways, I'm running four of these guys so I really don't have a need to oc right now. One less thing to worry about and that's why I'm looking for the factory oc's. I did see a bunch of BE's on ebay and most of them are 1150 and a few 1100. This guy "confirmed" it was 1150 but obviously after conversing with him, he's really not that knowledgeable in the least bit of sense. I told the guy if he had no way of knowing, I could have helped him and all together avoid this fiasco. He hasn't produced a shred of evidence other then the specs you find on msi's site and wiki. I have screen shots, tests, and comparisons. I'm hoping this gets resolved. I even told the guy ebay would refund him his fees and just relist it but don't mislead ppl by saying its rev 002. I also told him to contact MSI support if he wants to get it replaced with rev 002 as they were the ones that issued it. This guy knows he lied and is digging a bigger hole for himself
> 
> In all honesty, I didn't know there were two revisions until someone pointed it out several months ago. A bit of research and I found the info, and so I went on a BE 1150 hunt only. The seller I bought my other two BE's didn't know how to check gpuz. i told him what to do and give him links. He then reported back to me the info to confirm it was 1150s and went as far as offering a return if I wasn't happy. He also shipped it out quickly. While the seller of the dispute took almost a week to drop it off at the post. Small little details that really should have raised a red-flag for me this guy is a bit of a novice and has little to no clue on what's he doing and saying.


Ok, yeah, I'd be disputing that guy then too.
And when you add in eBay's one sided "Buyer is always right" mentality in disputes, i dont see why this seller is fighting you.


----------



## wermad

Wow, this guy is so gullible, he thinks I'm running a quad air sandwich, which its technically impossible due to the cores on the cards. His card was tested all by itself. The AB screen shot shows the card in the 60 range and he feels its over heating??? I can't really entertain this fool anymore. Ebay has enough information and the guy carries himself like a complete noob. He feels that the card is overheating @ 60°C and it will cause the bios to change all default clocks to less. I don't understand how heat can flash bios instantly but that's his argument.

I've invented him here so he can learn a bit more.


----------



## xhk1g

Im mindblown. A guy did a Heaven 4.0 test on his 7950 and some non clockable i5 processor @1100/1400 and got better results than me. Im running 3570k @4.4 GHZ and 7950 @ 1150/1650. How is that even possible? Higher clocks throttling my gpu? I wouldnt be suprised if thats the case, ive never had any luck having cards that OC barely good.

Anyone that owns the 7950, what voltage do you aim for @ max? I need some help finding the golden middle.


----------



## wermad

Here's mine just for comparison:

i7 4820k @ 4.7
7970 Lightning @ stock 1150/1500 clocks
32gb 1600 ram

@1920x1080



btw: I disabled crossfire to just run one card.


----------



## xhk1g

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Here's mine just for comparison:
> 
> i7 4820k @ 4.7
> 7970 Lightning @ stock 1150/1500 clocks
> 32gb 1600 ram
> 
> @1920x1080
> 
> 
> 
> btw: I disabled crossfire to just run one card.


Wow, 1150/1500 is the stock clock for the lightning? What a beast..

Can you run it on this settings please?
Render:
Direct3D11
Mode:
1600x900 8xAA windowed
Preset
Extreme


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Here's mine just for comparison:
> 
> i7 4820k @ 4.7
> 7970 Lightning @ stock 1150/1500 clocks
> 32gb 1600 ram
> 
> @1920x1080
> 
> 
> 
> btw: I disabled crossfire to just run one card.


For comparisons sake, this is what I got on my 1107Mhz Lightning when I got it in February:
Heaven Benchmark v3.0 Basic
Quote:


> FPS: 90.9
> Scores: 2291
> Min FPS: 42.0
> Max FPS: 186.9
> 
> Hardware
> Binary: Windows 32bit Visual C++ 1600 Release Mar 7 2012
> Operating system: Windows 7 (build 7601, Service Pack 1) 64bit
> CPU model: AMD FX(tm)-8350 Eight-Core Processor
> CPU flags: 5148MHz MMX+ SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE41 SSE42 SSE4A SSE5 HTT
> GPU model: AMD Radeon HD 7900 Series 13.350.1005.0 3072Mb
> 
> Settings
> Render: direct3d11
> Mode: 1920x1080 fullscreen
> Shaders: high
> Textures: high
> Filter: trilinear
> Anisotropy: 4x
> Occlusion: enabled
> Refraction: enabled
> Volumetric: enabled
> Tessellation: disabled
> Unigine Corp. © 2005-2012


I should prolly do another run with Cat 14.4


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xhk1g*
> 
> Wow, 1150/1500 is the stock clock for the lightning? What a beast..
> 
> Can you run it on this settings please?
> Render:
> Direct3D11
> Mode:
> 1600x900 8xAA windowed
> Preset
> Extreme


Msi did four 7970 Lightnings:

-Power Edition (PE) @ 925Mhz
-Lightning Ghz Edition @1070Mhz
-Lightning Boost Edition rev. 1 @ 1100Mhz
-Lightning Boost Edition rev. 2 @ 1150Mhz

I currently have three of the BE rev2 and I thought i bought a fourth but it turned out to be rev.1. Seller is being difficult and its now in ebay dispute. May have a chance just finding another one and hopefully that seller is smart enough to check gpu-z when asked before buying.

Here you go:



I can run 3d11 or 3d13-FS if you'd like? Lmk









edit: I also have the HW-Bot version of Heaven as well.


----------



## xhk1g

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Msi did four 7970 Lightnings:
> 
> -Power Edition (PE) @ 925Mhz
> -Lightning Ghz Edition @1070Mhz
> -Lightning Boost Edition rev. 1 @ 1100Mhz
> -Lightning Boost Edition rev. 2 @ 1150Mhz
> 
> I currently have three of the BE rev2 and I thought i bought a fourth but it turned out to be rev.1. Seller is being difficult and its now in ebay dispute. May have a chance just finding another one and hopefully that seller is smart enough to check gpu-z when asked before buying.
> 
> Here you go:
> 
> 
> 
> I can run 3d11 or 3d13-FS if you'd like? Lmk


This card is a beast on its own man, im not even gonna mention that you have 3 of them. Thank you for your effort. For the sake of comparison and future overclocks, here is my throttled OC that is unexplainably slower than a much lower clocked 7950.



What do you think?


----------



## wermad

Let me get a shot of Afterburner to see the gpu load and core clocks. Brb


----------



## wermad

Let me get a shot of Afterburner to see the gpu load and core clocks. Brb









Everything is pegged:

gpu load @ 99%
clock @ 1150
memory @ 1500
temps ~39°C (water cooled).
vram usage ~1100MB.



edit: lol, I just noticed the higher score


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xhk1g*
> 
> Im mindblown. A guy did a Heaven 4.0 test on his 7950 and some non clockable i5 processor @1100/1400 and got better results than me. Im running 3570k @4.4 GHZ and 7950 @ 1150/1650. How is that even possible? Higher clocks throttling my gpu? I wouldnt be suprised if thats the case, ive never had any luck having cards that OC barely good.
> 
> Anyone that owns the 7950, what voltage do you aim for @ max? I need some help finding the golden middle.


My card can actually make 1150 at core while undervolted to 1.15v for a slight while OCCT didn't give me any failures. he second run did though so I'm running at 1050 at 1.15v now but when I get to much load on it I can OC it to 1200mhz+ at 1.25v, the memory goes to about 1500-1600mhz but I havent toyed around that much with it. I will update my stats for the first page after I redo my AIO bracket and VRM heatsinks. Hopefully that will help.


----------



## wermad

Great news







. Ebay has sided with me! Only bummer is that I had to cough up return shipping (~$13) but as soon as its delivered, ebay will release my money.

Also, got an email from MSI support, my rma is in the shipping phase. Hope to get it soon and get my quads up and running. At this point, with so much drama, even if its a PE, I'll be fine with that







.

Rough last couple of weeks. Health wise, had a bit of a major issue come up but I'm almost cleared. I really didn't need this ebay drama but that's the risk you take when you buy there. I'm taking the week off to repose my health and I may get some spare time to play some games.

here's one of my BE, all stock clocks and voltage, with the cpu @ 4.7:



I noticed this one it says "hynex" for the ram vendor in gpuz. I know some ppl are really picky on the ram. Does it make much of a difference?


----------



## theoneofgod

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Great news
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Ebay has sided with me! Only bummer is that I had to cough up return shipping (~$13) but as soon as its delivered, ebay will release my money.
> 
> Also, got an email from MSI support, my rma is in the shipping phase. Hope to get it soon and get my quads up and running. At this point, with so much drama, even if its a PE, I'll be fine with that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Rough last couple of weeks. Health wise, had a bit of a major issue come up but I'm almost cleared. I really didn't need this ebay drama but that's the risk you take when you buy there. I'm taking the week off to repose my health and I may get some spare time to play some games.
> 
> here's one of my BE, all stock clocks and voltage, with the cpu @ 4.7:
> 
> 
> 
> I noticed this one it says "hynex" for the ram vendor in gpuz. I know some ppl are really picky on the ram. Does it make much of a difference?


Hynix memory is supposed to overclock easier. So I've heard.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I noticed this one it says "hynex" for the ram vendor in gpuz. I know some ppl are really picky on the ram. Does it make much of a difference?


That has been my experience, and the general consensus around the watter cooler.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Great news
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Ebay has sided with me! Only bummer is that I had to cough up return shipping (~$13) but as soon as its delivered, ebay will release my money.
> 
> Also, got an email from MSI support, my rma is in the shipping phase. Hope to get it soon and get my quads up and running. At this point, with so much drama, even if its a PE, I'll be fine with that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Rough last couple of weeks. Health wise, had a bit of a major issue come up but I'm almost cleared. I really didn't need this ebay drama but that's the risk you take when you buy there. I'm taking the week off to repose my health and I may get some spare time to play some games.
> 
> here's one of my BE, all stock clocks and voltage, with the cpu @ 4.7:
> 
> 
> 
> I noticed this one it says "hynex" for the ram vendor in gpuz. I know some ppl are really picky on the ram. Does it make much of a difference?


I am aware that Theoneofgod already answered but I figured I would throw in what I learnt to help out. So basically more or less everything I know about these cards is from Belial's comprehensve guide to 7950. So I figured I would just as well quote him:
Quote:


> Hynix RAM can hit about ~1800-2100mhz overclocked, while Elpida usually plateaus around 1500-1600 or 1600-1700 depending on the version. Furthermore, Hynix is also much tighter, so clock for clock it's better. This is extremely important for GPGPU work where VRAM overclocks is actually significantly more important than core clocks. An extra 100mhz can yield a good 10-20+ hashrate. For gaming it's much less important, an extra 100mhz yields 0-1fps gain.
> 
> There are 2 types of Elpida: 50F and 60F (on a memory chip it's kinda hard to tell between 5 and 6, but it's there). The model numbers are exact same except for 50F and 60F, which indicates 5ghz and 6ghz DDR, or 1250mhz vs 1500mhz. The 60F Elpidas can overclock about an extra 100mhz, to 1600-1700mhz. In all other regards, these 2 Elpidas are the same, and I'd like to update the guide to be clearer on which Elpida each card has.


Bear in mind that that is on 7950 and not 7970 so the clock would likely be higher on 7970.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Great news
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Ebay has sided with me! Only bummer is that I had to cough
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> up return shipping (~$13) but as soon as its delivered, ebay will release my money.
> 
> Also, got an email from MSI support, my rma is in the shipping phase. Hope to get it soon and get my quads up and running. At this point, with so much drama, even if its a PE, I'll be fine with that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Rough last couple of weeks. Health wise, had a bit of a major issue come up but I'm almost cleared. I really didn't need this ebay drama but that's the risk you take when you buy there. I'm taking the week off to repose my health and I may get some spare time to play some games.
> 
> here's one of my BE, all stock clocks and voltage, with the cpu @ 4.7:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I noticed this one it says "hynex" for the ram vendor in gpuz. I know some ppl are really picky on the ram. Does it make much of a difference?


great news, sorry to hear about your health @ get well soon !!!

as to the memory a bit yes, not so much on the 290s but the 79xx it does help, still not much but it does help
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Great news
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Ebay has sided with me! Only bummer is that I had to cough up return shipping (~$13) but as soon as its delivered, ebay will release my money.
> 
> Also, got an email from MSI support, my rma is in the shipping phase. Hope to get it soon and get my quads up and running. At this point, with so much drama, even if its a PE, I'll be fine with that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Rough last couple of weeks. Health wise, had a bit of a major issue come up but I'm almost cleared. I really didn't need this ebay drama but that's the risk you take when you buy there. I'm taking the week off to repose my health and I may get some spare time to play some games.
> 
> here's one of my BE, all stock clocks and voltage, with the cpu @ 4.7:
> 
> 
> 
> I noticed this one it says "hynex" for the ram vendor in gpuz. I know some ppl are really picky on the ram. Does it make much of a difference?
> 
> 
> 
> I am aware that Theoneofgod already answered but I figured I would throw in what I learnt to help out. So basically more or less everything I know about these cards is from Belial's comprehensve guide to 7950. So I figured I would just as well quote him:
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Hynix RAM can hit about ~1800-2100mhz overclocked, while Elpida usually plateaus around 1500-1600 or 1600-1700 depending on the version. Furthermore, Hynix is also much tighter, so clock for clock it's better. This is extremely important for GPGPU work where VRAM overclocks is actually significantly more important than core clocks. An extra 100mhz can yield a good 10-20+ hashrate. For gaming it's much less important, an extra 100mhz yields 0-1fps gain.
> 
> There are 2 types of Elpida: 50F and 60F (on a memory chip it's kinda hard to tell between 5 and 6, but it's there). The model numbers are exact same except for 50F and 60F, which indicates 5ghz and 6ghz DDR, or 1250mhz vs 1500mhz. The 60F Elpidas can overclock about an extra 100mhz, to 1600-1700mhz. In all other regards, these 2 Elpidas are the same, and I'd like to update the guide to be clearer on which Elpida each card has.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Bear in mind that that is on 7950 and not 7970 so the clock would likely be higher on 7970.
Click to expand...

no about the same but there have been crappy hynix and good elpida


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> great news, sorry to hear about your health @ get well soon !!!
> 
> as to the memory a bit yes, not so much on the 290s but the 79xx it does help, still not much but it does help
> no about the same but there have been crappy hynix and good elpida


was thinking of the base clock, but I might not have specified that. There is also quite a few variables that can arise during production so it's always a lottery when it comes to the quality of micro/nano chips. I also assume 7970 and 7950 uses the exact same memory since there is more to save in buying large quantities of one kind rather then choosing a kind that is 1 cent cheaper.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Great news
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . Ebay has sided with me! Only bummer is that I had to cough up return shipping (~$13) but as soon as its delivered, ebay will release my money.
> 
> Also, got an email from MSI support, my rma is in the shipping phase. Hope to get it soon and get my quads up and running. At this point, with so much drama, even if its a PE, I'll be fine with that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Rough last couple of weeks. Health wise, had a bit of a major issue come up but I'm almost cleared. I really didn't need this ebay drama but that's the risk you take when you buy there. I'm taking the week off to repose my health and I may get some spare time to play some games.
> 
> here's one of my BE, all stock clocks and voltage, with the cpu @ 4.7:


I haven't seen a case where the buyer didnt win over the seller, in a long time, if ever...

Hope you get well soon,

As for memory, HyNix has a rep of overclocking nicely.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I haven't seen a case where the buyer didnt win over the seller, in a long time, if ever...
> 
> Hope you get well soon,
> 
> As for memory, HyNix has a rep of overclocking nicely.


I have, and the seller ended up getting the nod though it took a bit longer. I asked this dude before I placed my bid. He was probably too lazy to pop it in his rig and check it. I didn't want to make a big deal out of this but the guy just handled it wrong and in the end, I might as well use the Buyer protection to get out of this situation. The other two BE's, I paid a bit more but these were used for a few months. The seller confessed he didn't know how to check the cards so I walked him through it. He did get me the clock speeds and even offered a return if it wasn't what I was looking for. This is the kind of seller that I like; someone who will stand behind their word.

Anyways, thanks for the kind words. I'm struggling a bit but I hope to recover soon. Looks like UPS is scheduled to deliver my rma today or tomorrow. I did check the invoice and it does say BE (







). I'm crossing my fingers this is an 1150 BE









Since they're all BE's now, I'll see if I can push them to 1200 w/ just 20% p/t.


----------



## SkateZilla

other than BIOS / Clocks,
What's the difference hardware wise between BE Rev.1 and BE Rev. 2? Higher Binned Chips for 50MHz, is the board itself pretty much the same layout and components?

I can hit 1200 on my 1107 Lightning w/ ease, but I dont run full on in 90 ^F heat of the summer, once temps start going down to the 70s in the fall, I'll return to using my OC Profile.

I'll eventually look for another Lightning to replace the 7950, as I Have too many overclocking issues with the 2 in XFire.


----------



## wermad

From what I've told, ghz and be were a bit binned. From my last setup the PE which were flashed to GHz bios only got up to 1125Mhz. i didn't bump the voltage since the previous owner told me they didn't oc that well. The BE did get up to 1200Mhz without a bump in voltage. So, they may pick the cores that do best at higher clocks (w/ more voltage) for the BE's.

Been having a rough last couple of days. This illness has really kicked my butt so hard that I'm barely able to do anything. The good news I got my rma and it turned out to be a BE 1150mhz. The bios does match my original and two newer BE's (002) and I briefly ran 3D11 and 13 just to test it. Everything turned out fine with that card. I have no idea why this other dude's BE came in as a rev 001 but he clearly didn't do what I asked him. I should have been smarter and seeing the red flags this guy was just not smart. I hope he learns his lesson and if he really wants a rev 002, I told him a bunch of times to contact msi. I certainly did learn something (







). Delivery was to happen today but it came in a bit late in his area and with the holiday, its now been pushed to Tuesday. Well, its almost over and one less stressful thing to deal with.

Felt a bit better this morning and with some effort, I managed to get the 4th card blocked and plumbed. My wife's oem machine finally died on us so there was some urgency to get my rig up and running. With a bunch of tablets and smartphones, not having at least one pc can throw a wrench in things around here







. We still need a good o'l putter for certain things








.

I'll see if I can push all of them to 1200 on the stock voltage but I'm having doubts 14.4 is working properly so I may got back to 13.2.


----------



## thrgk

For some reason, I try to enable crossfire sometimes, and then after I enable, restart, my computer will freeze, I had to restart, it froze after windows started, I rebooted, now it says that the crossfire bridges may not be connected, but i havent touched the computer and I made sure they were pushed on all the way the other day.

Any Idea? Should I order new bridges, maybe one is bad, because this does happen often when I enable crossfire. Any recommendations of where to get new bridges from?

Also, what is the max voltage for a 7970 reference, as long as temps stay good, an i go up as high as 1.35v?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> For some reason, I try to enable crossfire sometimes, and then after I enable, restart, my computer will freeze, I had to restart, it froze after windows started, I rebooted, now it says that the crossfire bridges may not be connected, but i havent touched the computer and I made sure they were pushed on all the way the other day.
> 
> Any Idea? Should I order new bridges, maybe one is bad, because this does happen often when I enable crossfire. Any recommendations of where to get new bridges from?
> 
> Also, what is the max voltage for a 7970 reference, as long as temps stay good, an i go up as high as 1.35v?


How are you planning to get up to 1.35? Just wondering.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> How are you planning to get up to 1.35? Just wondering.


Modded trix. 1.38v


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> How are you planning to get up to 1.35? Just wondering.
> 
> 
> 
> Modded trix. 1.38v
Click to expand...

Interesting. Thanks for that. Might do some benching tonight xD

Ooooh, and I even found the link on OC.net http://www.overclock.net/t/1404381/link-sapphire-trixx-4-40b-modded


----------



## Mega Man

for anyone with CFX 1300w evga on newegg shellshocker today !


----------



## thrgk

Hey guys, quick question.

I have 4 7970s, however for the strangest reason, sometimes my computer only sees 3 of the 4, and due to seeing 3 of the 4, when only 3 are seen, crossfire doesnt work. Could this be because one is not pushed into a pci-e slot all the way? Is there a way to check what is the issue? I think it must be the card is not pushed in or power cables arent securely(which i checked so i think its more the pcie slot thing) because if not ALL are detected CFX doesnt work.

Any ideas?


----------



## wermad

Are you running a HK bridge? Shutdown all but one (ROG pcie lane shutoff) and run each one through some stability at stock. It may be one bad card or a bad slot.


----------



## thrgk

Hk ? What's that lol I'm running bridges that came with the card. Also where can I turn off each lane one by one ? Is that on the mobo itself ? Never knew about that

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


----------



## wermad

HK: Heatkiller









Did you pick these up from a member who does amd builds only by any chance?

.


----------



## thrgk

Not sure if he does nvidea or not. 2 are from long time ago 2 are from january. I'm using heatkiller water block and heatkiller 4 card water cooling connector. Could that be the issue ?

I think I see the lane switch it's the box with 4 small switches at top left ? Just switch one off at a time and see ?

It's so weird because it's detecting them now . But wasn't a minute ago. Like loose connection or something but I know I would of securely pushed them in when I stalling them.

Anymore ideas ?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Not sure if he does nvidea or not. 2 are from long time ago 2 are from january. I'm using heatkiller water block and heatkiller 4 card water cooling connector. Could that be the issue ?
> 
> I think I see the lane switch it's the box with 4 small switches at top left ? Just switch one off at a time and see ?
> 
> It's so weird because it's detecting them now . But wasn't a minute ago. Like loose connection or something but I know I would of securely pushed them in when I stalling them.
> 
> Anymore ideas ?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


most rog high end boards come with lane switches. You can switch off particular lanes. Comes in super handy when your cards are blocked/wc's:



Next to the black reset button on the MVIE Z87.

Make sure you shutdown you rig first and then use the switch(es).

Doesn't seem like a loose card but more of a bad lane or card. try switching all but one as I suggested.


----------



## thrgk

Yea will do. Why were you wondering if I was using HK? They have bad reputation ?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


----------



## thrgk

Btw is there a way to know what card is from what manufactory when I find which is bad ? I don't remember lol hope the serial number can tell

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Btw is there a way to know what card is from what manufactory when I find which is bad ? I don't remember lol hope the serial number can tell
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


Some utilities will give you the vendor. Try AB and gpuz.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Yea will do. Why were you wondering if I was using HK? They have bad reputation ?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


I love them, they make one of the best blocks out there imho. Its natural to use HK bridges to tie their blocks together. If you are, it couldn't be a loose card in slot as the bridges wouldn't fit or cause a leak.


----------



## thrgk

ok so i think I am closer to the issue. I rebooted this morning a couple of times, and it sees all 4 cards. Good so far? However I noticed a few seconds after windows loaded, the AMD display driver crashed, then recovered. So i disabled CCC from starting at startup, and no issues, however when I open CCC, it does the driver crash and recovery thing. It still sees 4 cards though.

(I am wondering if the card detention issue was due to mining, cause if I leave CF enabled, it detects them fine time and time again).

Any Idea why CCC is causing driver crash then recovering? I have No OC settings being applied. I checked event viewer but all it shows is the driver crashing and recovering. And i just did a clean windows install last night


----------



## wermad

which drive are you using?


----------



## thrgk

tried 14.4 and 13.12 both whql


----------



## wermad

did you do an uninstall from the amd utility or something like driversweeper?


----------



## thrgk

Do I need CCC at all? I thought I did.

What I tried now was going into AB and given the card a little extra voltage at stock clocks, and then startCCC but same thing


----------



## thrgk

No I installed them clean after format and win 8 install


----------



## wermad

When you removed the old version of ccc? was it through the same utility/pack you downloaded for the driver or windows uninstall, etc.?


----------



## thrgk

I formatted SSD, installed win 8, tried 13.12, no go, formatted, installed 14.4, and thats where I am now. Should I try rebooting without CFX enabled and see if it happens?


----------



## thrgk

Ok I disabled CFX, rebooted, no driver crash, man im stumped, idk what to do, cant believe this is happening . So only driver crash on CFX enabled

More weird news, I rebooted with only 2 cards in CFX, and no driver crash, could this mean bad bridge, slot or card?


----------



## wermad

cxf disabled basically runs only the primary card. did you test one card at a time?


----------



## thrgk

I'll try the lane thing now and test each one and see . Starting with card four the bottom one since I think that is the culprit

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk


----------



## thrgk

So far tested card 4 and 3, I am testing by switching all but lane 4 off, then all but lane 3 off. Then I run 2 rounds of kombuster benchmark. So far no crashes, this is weird


----------



## wermad

You have some spare crossfire bridges?


----------



## thrgk

Nah, I ordered 8 of them though, from reputable sellers so they should be here next week. I just finished testing all the cards and each one is working fine, so it has to be the bridges? Maybe one is like half bad and causing the issues. Hopefully I will get the bridges before Friday.


----------



## wermad

Switch off two I cards and run only two crossfire and test each bridge.


----------



## Kittencake

what would cause a fan to sieze to the point where its having difficulty spinning ?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> what would cause a fan to sieze to the point where its having difficulty spinning ?


when running a fan at to low of a voltage that will occur, other than that there might be something wrong with the motor.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> what would cause a fan to sieze to the point where its having difficulty spinning ?


worn bearing

Dirt/dust

may have sucked in a hair/thread and wrapped around the bearing/stator

bad power source

defect

if you are running CF Zero core will stop the fan completely on secondary cards


----------



## Kittencake

when i pulled the gpu out the fan was like stiff I had it repaired only for it to do it again , this time I did it myself since my friend showed me what to do its making a noise like an old car lol


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> when i pulled the gpu out the fan was like stiff I had it repaired only for it to do it again , this time I did it myself since my friend showed me what to do its making a noise like an old car lol


sounds like Oslo is a dusty town...









was it just dust? or does the bearing surface eating itself?

those fans are suppose to have a 300K Hr lifespan


----------



## Kittencake

I tink the bearing shot to be honest , I cleaned out and had to glue to plastic rings back together from the inside to get it to work again


----------



## Red1776

is this a blower type fan by chance?


----------



## Kittencake

that type


----------



## X-Alt

I have not had the best MANTLE experience with BF4, switched over to D3D11 again and it works gr8 TBH. Mantle tends to have stuttering issues (MP only) for some reason.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I have not had the best MANTLE experience with BF4, switched over to D3D11 again and it works gr8 TBH. Mantle tends to have stuttering issues (MP only) for some reason.


It's strange really, I haven't had any issues with my card. Even not with the very first beta drivers. It seems to be very variable what results people get, but I think that will change somewhat when it gets time to mature.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> that type


Seeing as you're from Norway I assume you bought your card here, and in such a case you might want to check with the store you bought it from since all purchases like that one has 5 years of "reklamasjonsrett". They tend to be quite nice on the matter and you can always contact customer support first to see if they can help you with the problem.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> It's strange really, I haven't had any issues with my card. Even not with the very first beta drivers. It seems to be very variable what results people get, but I think that will change somewhat when it gets time to mature.
> Seeing as you're from Norway I assume you bought your card here, and in such a case you might want to check with the store you bought it from since all purchases like that one has 5 years of "reklamasjonsrett". They tend to be quite nice on the matter and you can always contact customer support first to see if they can help you with the problem.


Now its fine with Mantle, it gets moar FPS than D3D (45-60 avg) with like 110 max and 60 avg but it can stutter at the most random times, the card is stable in Heaven loop.


----------



## phinexswarm71

i have a issue with overclocking the card,i tried to push farther my card then its current clocks,and whenever a game crashes with unstable overclocking,i see a decrease in performance after i revert backwards to previous clocks (i had 1100/1550 then tried 1130/1550 and reverted back) unless i reboot my pc is that supposed to be?,i saw several times a performance decrease of about 30% percent in 3dmark like from 8999 graphics score dropped to 6635 and in tomb raider benchmark as well

i'd appreciate every help


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phinexswarm71*
> 
> i have a issue with overclocking the card,i tried to push farther my card then its current clocks,and whenever a game crashes with unstable overclocking,i see a decrease in performance after i revert backwards to previous clocks (i had 1100/1550 then tried 1130/1550 and reverted back) unless i reboot my pc is that supposed to be?,i saw several times a performance decrease of about 30% percent in 3dmark like from 8999 graphics score dropped to 6635 and in tomb raider benchmark as well
> 
> i'd appreciate every help


normal after the driver crashes you either need to disable /reenable the monitors or re boot


----------



## phinexswarm71

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> normal after the driver crashes you either need to disable /reenable the monitors or re boot


alright,in testing i had 7 crashes and only twice of them the driver did crash,i dont know how it could explain the other times,but i might as well didnt notice the driver crashes in those times,sigh...

at least i wont be shocked by the results after crashes while oc anymore,thank u


----------



## Notion

Hi peeps is a refurbished msi 7970 lightning gonna be any good?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Hi peeps is a refurbished msi 7970 lightning gonna be any good?


7970 Lightnings are the Best 7970s AFAIK, Refurbed or New.


----------



## Notion

kk saw one for 169







not sure wether to get it and sell my club3d 7950


----------



## SkateZilla

Cross Fire them


----------



## Notion

Sounds like a plan


----------



## SkateZilla

My Lighting Runs 4 Screens from the miniDP's, and in games that support XFire, I use my older 7950 to give it a lil boost.

I think I only have 1 game that doesnt support XFire, but that will change when they update to DX11, everything else though, either runs multiple screens with XFire or single Screen without XFire.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Hi peeps is a refurbished msi 7970 lightning gonna be any good?


I has four of em


----------



## HawkEye42

Since 14.6 Beta is live, Any noticeable improvements over 14.1 and 14.4?


----------



## wermad

A few reports from the Eyefinity thread that its disabling the Eyefinity array. I'm going to avoid this one. I just barely switched to 14.4 as well


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> A few reports from the Eyefinity thread that its disabling the Eyefinity array. I'm going to avoid this one. I just barely switched to 14.4 as well


Mine was being disabled, but it was tied to the VGA output not being detected within pixelpatcher (i.e. not getting patched) Once I went back to my monitors standard resolution and refresh rate, eyefinity sticks.


----------



## wermad

What's the use for that? Dead pixel?


----------



## Azuredragon1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Since 14.6 Beta is live, Any noticeable improvements over 14.1 and 14.4?


Crossfire works really well with Assassin's Creed Black Flag now.


----------



## HawkEye42

Cool cool. Thanks for the feedback. I am not running Crossfire so seems like I got nothing to lose. Just finished downloading and will install in a few.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> What's the use for that? Dead pixel?


For overclocking your monitor refresh rate and/or resolution you need to bypass the driver limitations on pixel clock generation. That is where "pixel patcher" and "Custom Resolution Utility" in handy.

14.6 has changed the address of one or more of the clock gens, so the pixel patcher will need to be updated. Happens from time to time, and it is a pain to have to jump through all the hoops, but I have cheap monitors on a mix of inputs (read screen tearing). So being able to reduce the tear, and apply permanent SSAA across everything is worth the headache.

http://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-AMD-ATI-Pixel-Clock-Patcher

http://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU


----------



## mus1mus

Heya..

One question, how much OC headroom can watercooling give on a 7970 or 280x?

I'm looking at Toxic and will be on water in the coming days.


----------



## Mega Man

depends on the chip
IE the lottery


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> depends on the chip
> IE the lottery


But it does have higher OC headroom than air right?

Also, has anybody tried or was able to watercool a Toxic? Block used please..


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> depends on the chip
> IE the lottery


very true, but tahiti overclocks better on air than water.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> depends on the chip
> IE the lottery
> 
> 
> 
> very true, but tahiti overclocks better on air than water.
Click to expand...

reverse that. water > air but yea


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> depends on the chip
> IE the lottery
> 
> 
> 
> very true, but tahiti overclocks better on air than water.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> reverse that. water > air but yea
Click to expand...


----------



## mus1mus

can somebody confirm if there's a waterblock compatible for Sapphire's 280x Toxic?

Thanks


----------



## X-Alt

Will 14.6 affect my monitor's refresh rate (single 75hz 1680x1050) in any way? Considering the eyefinity setups seem to have problems.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> can somebody confirm if there's a waterblock compatible for Sapphire's 280x Toxic?
> 
> Thanks


EK says "NO"



Universal is a decent solution, and you get to keep your block for the next generation cards, it is just not as pretty and you have to put together something for the VRMs and memory.


----------



## blackRott9

14.6 vs 14.4? I saw +200 in graphics e-peen in 3dmark11 on my 7970. 14.6 runs all my games fine and I've had no issues with them.


----------



## BradleyW

With every driver update, I always see the "I gained 200+" comment for 3D Mark. I too can gain 200 from one run to the next. I don't think it's purely from the drivers. I get very different scores each time I run. So does everyone else. Do about 10 runs and see if the score fluctuates +/- 200 or so. This will give you better indication to see if drivers have indeed helped.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> can somebody confirm if there's a waterblock compatible for Sapphire's 280x Toxic?
> 
> Thanks


As indenimadam said there is no fullcover option as far as far as I know. When it comes to cooling each component on you card individually you can always try and go with the HEATKILLER® GPU-X³ as you get it in a version where you can make a small "loop" for all your other components on your card. Just shape the DIY block with a hacksaw or dremmel and you are good to go when it comes to VRM cooling. Then you can add some Alphacool MCX ram modules to get the complete kit. Or you could use the DIY option from Watercool with something like this if you want to use another GPU block. As far as GPU blocks go I know the EK supremacy is very good but I don't think you will see much of a difference in temps from block to block.


----------



## blackRott9

This is my second run with Cat 14.6 in Firestrike on my reference 7970. My CPU ruins the overall score and the graphics score is alright. It's for my 7970 @ 1290|1700. Tessellation was not altered.

7892

Graphics 10019
Physics 7851
Combined 3055

Link
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3167044

I did an edit on the BIOS for my ref 7970 with VBE7.0.0.7b. I increased power from 217 to 300, I opened up the CCC's OC limits to 1300|1700, I increased possible power limit from +20% to +50% and I set its default voltage to 1.237. That's good for a 1230|1630 24/7 OC. With Trixx, if I increase its voltage to 1.287, I can now get the card to hit 1290|1700. I may be able to get more out the card with the edited BIOS and I've not pushed it harder yet.


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> EK says "NO"
> 
> 
> 
> Universal is a decent solution, and you get to keep your block for the next generation cards, it is just not as pretty and you have to put together something for the VRMs and memory.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> As indenimadam said there is no fullcover option as far as far as I know. When it comes to cooling each component on you card individually you can always try and go with the HEATKILLER® GPU-X³ as you get it in a version where you can make a small "loop" for all your other components on your card. Just shape the DIY block with a hacksaw or dremmel and you are good to go when it comes to VRM cooling. Then you can add some Alphacool MCX ram modules to get the complete kit. Or you could use the DIY option from Watercool with something like this if you want to use another GPU block. As far as GPU blocks go I know the EK supremacy is very good but I don't think you will see much of a difference in temps from block to block.


Thanks guys..

I guess it makes perfect sense not to go for a full cover waterblock for future upgrades sake. Though yes, they can get pretty fugly. But function makes more sense to me than form.. Getting both in one package is a sweet bonus though..

Thanks a lot guys..

Looking at the PCB of the toxic, it seemed harder to shape a VRM sink for them..

Guess I'll look at other cards compatibility with a block as well..

PowerColors seemed alright with EK. As well as VTX3Ds..

Any info which one is a better card / option?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> Thanks guys..
> 
> I guess it makes perfect sense not to go for a full cover waterblock for future upgrades sake. Though yes, they can get pretty fugly. But function makes more sense to me than form.. Getting both in one package is a sweet bonus though..
> 
> Thanks a lot guys..
> 
> Looking at the PCB of the toxic, it seemed harder to shape a VRM sink for them..
> 
> Guess I'll look at other cards compatibility with a block as well..
> 
> PowerColors seemed alright with EK. As well as VTX3Ds..
> 
> Any info which one is a better card / option?


If you're buying a brand new card then your OK just going with any reference 7970 design. But seeing as no 280x is actually a reference then you will have to look a bit deeper than that. Try and find a card that has full 7970 GHz edition specs (clock wise) and a reference PCB. I can find several for you that fit those specs if you want but since I don't know what cards are available in your country then I will jsut have to give some pointers. If you want to go for a top of the line card then the Asus Direct CUII is hard to beat, and EK has a specialized block just for that. Other then that then there is several brads that deliver reference cards that will perform as expected.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> If you want to go for a top of the line card then the Asus Direct CUII is hard to beat, and EK has a specialized block just for that. Other then that then there is several brads that deliver reference cards that will perform as expected.


The ASUS is not top dog, but it sure tries to act like it. Mine will bench 1300/2000 on water.

Note: The PCB is massive, truly massive.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The ASUS is not top dog, but it sure tries to act like it. Mine will bench 1300/2000 on water.


The Toxic and Matrix compete for Top Dog in the 280X department. Lightnings and well binned Matrix Platinums are the real top dogs.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The Toxic and Matrix compete for Top Dog in the 280X department. Lightnings and well binned Matrix Platinums are the real top dogs.


Hmm? I never saw a custom card beating tsm ref 7970s or 'i cant say his name' ref 7970.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The Toxic and Matrix compete for Top Dog in the 280X department. Lightnings and well binned Matrix Platinums are the real top dogs.
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm? I never saw a custom card beating tsm ref 7970s or 'i cant say his name' ref 7970.
Click to expand...

I also believe that might have something to do with the level of dedication that those two gentlemen applied to the art of overclocking.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I also believe that might have something to do with the level of dedication that those two gentlemen applied to the art of overclocking.


A custom card for 7970 doesnt make a sense if you dont pass 1.5 volts. Believe me personal experience


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I also believe that might have something to do with the level of dedication that those two gentlemen applied to the art of overclocking.
> 
> 
> 
> A custom card for 7970 doesnt make a sense if you dont pass 1.5 volts. Believe me personal experience
Click to expand...

I will have to take your word for the 1.5V+, probably will never make it there myself.

Some insight to your thought process there would be enlightening though.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I will have to take your word for the 1.5V+, probably will never make it there myself.
> 
> Some insight to your thought process there would be enlightening though.


The ref vrms are enough for up to 1450-1500 core clock with 1.45-1.5 volts. Getting more phases for air or water is just useless.
But why on air most of the custom cards gets the highest oc? Amd gpus are temp limited around at 60-65C core and 65-70 vrms temps based on the asic quality. You cross that threshold and you are unstable at high clocks.

Now if you just want the better air cooler go for it.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I will have to take your word for the 1.5V+, probably will never make it there myself.
> 
> Some insight to your thought process there would be enlightening though.
> 
> 
> 
> The ref vrms are enough for up to 1450-1500 core clock with 1.45-1.5 volts. Getting more phases for air or water is just useless.
> But why on air most of the custom cards gets the highest oc? Amd gpus are temp limited around at 60-65C core and 65-70 vrms temps based on the asic quality. You cross that threshold and you are unstable at high clocks.
> 
> Now if you just want the better air cooler go for it.
Click to expand...

I have experienced that wall myself, but at numbers much lower . I cant imagine 1500 core...that is nuts. I assume you are talking about non traditional methods of cooling these cards right?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have experienced that wall myself, but at numbers much lower . I cant imagine 1500 core...that is nuts. I assume you are talking about non traditional methods of cooling these cards right?


Phase/dice. Its tough to get ln2 here.

Nowdays 280x is pretty cheap so it doesnt matter what you will get but when 7970 was a top dog ref card was the best solution. Especially the first version of sapphire dual-x which was ref pcb + 2 additional phases. But i would like a 280x toxic full cover block just for fun.


----------



## X-Alt

After upgrading to 14.6, I seem to have a significant upgrade in BF4 performance. It seems to stutter less than before (multiple people are still having the issue) and is overall great TBH. Hovering around 40-80 FPS depending on the situtation unless the random stutter which only happens every 3-10 minutes or so.


----------



## X-Alt

On Mantle, whenever the stutter happens, CPU spikes massively. Looks quite odd considering DX never has these isssues.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Since I just finished my bracket for AIO cooling my 7950 I have been giving OC another try, and it seems like my card is very strange when overclocking. I use OCCT error check to make sure that it will be stable as a rock, but it can approve my 1100mhz OC at one point and when I put it at 1150mhz and run I get a bunch of errors. so I go back down to 1100mhz and now it strangely enough gives my errors here to. Does anyone know why this would happen, and is this normal? I'm still dipping my feet in the OC world so if anyone would be able to help the noob that would make me very happy


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Since I just finished my bracket for AIO cooling my 7950 I have been giving OC another try, and it seems like my card is very strange when overclocking. I use OCCT error check to make sure that it will be stable as a rock, but it can approve my 1100mhz OC at one point and when I put it at 1150mhz and run I get a bunch of errors. so I go back down to 1100mhz and now it strangely enough gives my errors here to. Does anyone know why this would happen, and is this normal? I'm still dipping my feet in the OC world so if anyone would be able to help the noob that would make me very happy


Dont use OCCT to test your overclock. Use Heaven/Valley, 3dmark/3dmark11, catzilla, and use the games you like to play, many have benchmarks built in.

OCCT looks cool, but it just a Furmark with an artifact detector.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Dont use OCCT to test your overclock. Use Heaven/Valley, 3dmark/3dmark11, catzilla, and use the games you like to play, many have benchmarks built in.
> 
> OCCT looks cool, but it just a Furmark with an artifact detector.


Any reason why I shouldn't use OCCT? I figured it would be an easy way to make sure my card was stable over time, but I might start using some other way to do it. I know Tomb Raider benchmarks is quite taxing so would that be a good option to look for artifacts? I assume that is what I would be doing as most benchmarks don't have "artifact detectors".


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Dont use OCCT to test your overclock. Use Heaven/Valley, 3dmark/3dmark11, catzilla, and use the games you like to play, many have benchmarks built in.
> 
> OCCT looks cool, but it just a Furmark with an artifact detector.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any reason why I shouldn't use OCCT? I figured it would be an easy way to make sure my card was stable over time, but I might start using some other way to do it. I know Tomb Raider benchmarks is quite taxing so would that be a good option to look for artifacts? I assume that is what I would be doing as most benchmarks don't have "artifact detectors".
Click to expand...

OCCT and Furmark both just burn abnormally hot, and then checks for artifacts.

The thing about Tahiti is that it big time scales with temps. The hotter it gets, the lower the stable clock, the higher the voltage required, the more it will artifact.

While stabilizing with OCCT will work, you are likely going to be leave a bit of performance on the table, because you will never reach the same state of unrealistic demand while gaming that is applied by OCCT.

Really my favorite is Valley. I have watched it enough to know at what points an unstable overclock will start to show artifacts.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> OCCT and Furmark both just burn abnormally hot, and then checks for artifacts.
> 
> The thing about Tahiti is that it big time scales with temps. The hotter it gets, the lower the stable clock, the higher the voltage required, the more it will artifact.
> 
> While stabilizing with OCCT will work, you are likely going to be leave a bit of performance on the table, because you will never reach the same state of unrealistic demand while gaming that is applied by OCCT.
> 
> Really my favorite is Valley. I have watched it enough to know at what points an unstable overclock will start to show artifacts.


As my temps are at the moment I doubt that would be a problem with both my VRM temps well under 60*C and my core at about 45*c, but I do get your point.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> OCCT and Furmark both just burn abnormally hot, and then checks for artifacts.
> 
> The thing about Tahiti is that it big time scales with temps. The hotter it gets, the lower the stable clock, the higher the voltage required, the more it will artifact.
> 
> While stabilizing with OCCT will work, you are likely going to be leave a bit of performance on the table, because you will never reach the same state of unrealistic demand while gaming that is applied by OCCT.
> 
> Really my favorite is Valley. I have watched it enough to know at what points an unstable overclock will start to show artifacts.
> 
> 
> 
> As my temps are at the moment I doubt that would be a problem with both my VRM temps well under 60*C and my core at about 45*c, but I do get your point.
Click to expand...

Ah, water is a bit different, as you dont really get hot enough to worry about it. It is still an unrealistic load, do you know any games that involve rendering a single object as fast as possible for long durations?...no, it just doesn't make sense. Valley actually renders various dynamic scenes and uses a wider set of capabilities, which is much closer to what you will be doing with your GPU, and it loops it with little to no drops in GPU usage.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Ah, water is a bit different, as you dont really get hot enough to worry about it. It is still an unrealistic load, do you know any games that involve rendering a single object as fast as possible for long durations?...no, it just doesn't make sense. Valley actually renders various dynamic scenes and uses a wider set of capabilities, which is much closer to what you will be doing with your GPU, and it loops it with little to no drops in GPU usage.


I'll try my 1100 mhz in valley then, I assume I will be looking for the standard vertices that are being misplaced right?


----------



## mus1mus

Thanks for the replies guys.. I'm leaning towards the 280x as they are even cheaper than used 7970s..

I have seen a couple of cards locally that were based on 7970 PCB. Power color and VTX3D.. EK also supports those with full cover blocks.. But those come in at 7970 speeds as well. Not GHz eds.. I'm thinking if those can also OC as much or past the GHz editions can achieve. And if their power phases are good enough for OC'ing..

I'm getting a couple in the coming days, bath them with water so I wanna make sure they can perform well. Reason, 680s were sold for the same price and are pretty much supported with full cover blocks.. So I'm crossed which to get..

Don't get me wrong there. I just wanna squeeze out every inch of performance I can get with the components I chose.

But I love AMD and will be nice to have a full AMD system.. So there you go..


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Ah, water is a bit different, as you dont really get hot enough to worry about it. It is still an unrealistic load, do you know any games that involve rendering a single object as fast as possible for long durations?...no, it just doesn't make sense. Valley actually renders various dynamic scenes and uses a wider set of capabilities, which is much closer to what you will be doing with your GPU, and it loops it with little to no drops in GPU usage.
> 
> 
> 
> I'll try my 1100 mhz in valley then, I assume I will be looking for the standard vertices that are being misplaced right?
Click to expand...

\

usually the first thing I see in valley is texture corruption and flashing.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> \
> 
> usually the first thing I see in valley is texture corruption and flashing.


I just did a few runs in valley and I couldn't get anything wrong at 1100mhz core @ 1.25v, 1500mhz memory. When raising that to 1150 on the core however I got a valley crash in the 14th scene, so I might try that again to see if I can recreate it. Core temp didn't rise to much but I was slightly below 50*c, and I would say that's good on a Corsair H105. I just downloaded a modified version of Trixx to so now I can set memory voltage as well, also I'm quite lucky since the stock bios on this card (it has two, one factory OC and one at stock boost speeds) isn't voltage locked. I hope that will give me some playroom while I'm finetuning my card as it has two 8 pin PCIe connectors so it should get more than enough power.


----------



## Notion

Hi All, running a club3d 7950 and customised a ek7950 water block, and would like to know what a safe voltage is also VRM temp.. they seem to be alot higher that the gpu

core:1200
Mem:1700
GPUtemp:53c
VRM Temp: 96c,93c,

Been running Furmark to get these temps for 15mins

thanks


----------



## Kokin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Hi All, running a club3d 7950 and customised a ek7950 water block, and would like to know what a safe voltage is also VRM temp.. they seem to be alot higher that the gpu
> 
> core:1200
> Mem:1700
> GPUtemp:53c
> VRM Temp: 96c,93c,
> 
> Been running Furmark to get these temps for 15mins
> 
> thanks


Those VRM temps are pretty high, are you sure the thermal pads are making good contact? My VRM temps were always only 3~5C higher than my core temps.

For when I had my 7950 set to 1300/1700 (1.3V/1.65V) with a regular EK-FC7950 copper block, I typically saw core temps of 45~50C and VRM temps were 50~55C.


----------



## Notion

hmm, not sure as its a custom joby i only have the 4 gpu crews to gain the pressure.. so i don't think there is much pressure so to speak of.. In two minds fo selling this setup and buy a reference card to be honest.. Been running further tweak voltages and now running furmark for 20 mins and temp stable at core 1200 mem 1650 core:48c mem 73/74c.

getting better but think i will have to make some custom clamps.. lol had to wedge a paper tube roller and bend to create pressure on the top 4 vrms lol

think i will sell the card and get a 290 .

lol all fun though


----------



## Notion

what is the max recommended voltage for core and mem?


----------



## Kenerd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Hey guys, quick question.
> 
> I have 4 7970s, however for the strangest reason, sometimes my computer only sees 3 of the 4, and due to seeing 3 of the 4, when only 3 are seen, crossfire doesnt work. Could this be because one is not pushed into a pci-e slot all the way? Is there a way to check what is the issue? I think it must be the card is not pushed in or power cables arent securely(which i checked so i think its more the pcie slot thing) because if not ALL are detected CFX doesnt work.
> 
> Any ideas?


This is happening to me 4 7970's EK blocks with the acryllic 4way bridge. z87 oc force mobo. 14.4 14.6 now I'm trying 13.12. I have yet to reinstall windows but I see that didn't help you. Each card runs perfect single hitting 99% utilization. 4 cards crossfire 20fps in firestrike 0% utilization from all cards. With really slow animation of objects forming. I was thinking it was the bridges but have changed them and the same issues even running only two cards.

I have another issue I can recreate when enabling crossfire for 2 cards the system will revert back to low rez and be stuck in only what I can call a boot loop of the windows log on screen, Causing me to hard reset.

Lepa 1600 watt PSU. I can mine scrypt based coins and other algorithms like x-11 24hrs a day with no hiccups but when I want to game I have to run a single card...ridiculous.

Edit- I installed 13.12 drivers and all is well though I think it was a lack of voltage due to 1 card being a 280x with 1020 core and 1500 mem default. I was clocking it down to 1375 to meet the other cards-dumb
I upped the voltage on all 4 cards to 1250 and mem to 1550 and pulled 2088 in heaven. Firestike still terrible fps though weird.

Any ideas? I have used DDU and I usually don't.


----------



## Rainmaker91

I just did a few more valley runs and my card seems to be happiest around here:

Core clock: 1210Mhz
Core Voltage: 1.3v
Memory clock: 1500Mhz
Memory Voltage 1.6v

I could probably push the memory higher if I increased the voltage for it, and the same can be said for the core but I feel I will be able to run it stable in that area.
As for temps:
Highest core: 51*c
Highest VRM: 60*c
Highest VRM2: 60*c

Don't quite know if these are good though but my card is a HD7950 with 67.6% ASIC and Elpida 60F memory.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> I just did a few more valley runs and my card seems to be happiest around here:
> 
> Core clock: 1210Mhz
> Core Voltage: 1.3v
> Memory clock: 1500Mhz
> Memory Voltage 1.6v
> 
> I could probably push the memory higher if I increased the voltage for it, and the same can be said for the core but I feel I will be able to run it stable in that area.
> As for temps:
> Highest core: 51*c
> Highest VRM: 60*c
> Highest VRM2: 60*c
> 
> Don't quite know if these are good though but my card is a HD7950 with 67.6% ASIC and Elpida 60F memory.


The memory clock is low, but that is just what you are going to get with elpida as I understand.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The memory clock is low, but that is just what you are going to get with elpida as I understand.


Yeah but from what I get, the 60F can go as high as 1600-1700mhz so I will likely have some room if I increase the voltage. The problem is of course that I am a bit nervous about increasing the voltage, and that goes for the core to.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The memory clock is low, but that is just what you are going to get with elpida as I understand.


Hynix master race!


----------



## wermad

I didn't realize all my lightings are hynix









So what's the verdict with 14.6? I don't want to change and have crap like 14.1 occur again. I'm on 14.4 right now.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I didn't realize all my lightings are hynix
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So what's the verdict with 14.6? I don't want to change and have crap like 14.1 occur again. I'm on 14.4 right now.


Do you play watch dogs or thief? Do you have a 290x crossfire setup? Do you have a mixed monitor set up that has strange scaling issues in eyefinity? Are you still on 13.12 or earlier?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then it is worth the upgrade, otherwise I think that Tahiti has largely taken a backseat to Hawaii, so you wont notice any across the board performance increases. Completely anecdotal, but that is my take on the AMD driver game at the moment. I had to install the 14.6 drivers 3x before all three monitors were recognized.

*Still no DX9 frame pacing.*


----------



## wermad

Still sporting the 7970s
I haven't gotten WD due to that whole Nvidia/amd controversy. If its cheap enough, I may get it now that there's an improvement.
All same monitors.
I'm on 14.4 and its been stable for my games. I have seen some benchmarks inconsistent but other then that, nothing negative to report.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Still sporting the 7970s
> I haven't gotten WD due to that whole Nvidia/amd controversy. If its cheap enough, I may get it now that there's an improvement.
> All same monitors.
> I'm on 14.4 and its been stable for my games. I have seen some benchmarks inconsistent but other then that, nothing negative to report.


I thought the new eyefinity setup screen was kind of nifty, but there was nothing groundbreaking for me either. 14.xxx had been a bust for me, so I was happy to finally get off of 13.12


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Do you play watch dogs or thief? Do you have a 290x crossfire setup? Do you have a mixed monitor set up that has strange scaling issues in eyefinity? Are you still on 13.12 or earlier?
> 
> If you answered yes to any of these questions then it is worth the upgrade, otherwise I think that Tahiti has largely taken a backseat to Hawaii, so you wont notice any across the board performance increases. Completely anecdotal, but that is my take on the AMD driver game at the moment. I had to install the 14.6 drivers 3x before all three monitors were recognized.
> 
> *Still no DX9 frame pacing.*


Hmmm? Its not like profiles for tahiti are different. If you see a scale increase for hawaii you will see it to tahiti too.

14.6 drivers here 1440p+1080p monitors works just fine


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Hmmm? Its not like profiles for tahiti are different. If you see a scale increase for hawaii you will see it to tahiti too.
> 
> 14.6 drivers here 1440p+1080p monitors works just fine


Quote:


> AMD Radeon R9 290X - 1920x1080 4x MSAA - improves up to 25%
> AMD Radeon R9290X - 2560x1600 4x MSAA - improves up to 28%
> AMD Radeon R9290X CrossFire configuration (3840x2160 Ultra settings, MSAA = 4X) - 92% scaling
> AMD Radeon R9 290X - 2560x1600 4x MSAA - improves up to 16%
> AMD Radeon R9290X CrossFire configuration (3840x2160 Ultra settings, MSAA = 4X) - 93% scaling


Not much for us in there unless you have specific games or have a mixed monitor setup like yours. How is that by the way? Does it render one image the width of all three monitors and the height of the 1440, then just clip the image over the 1080s? I wanted to do that type of setup originally, like a 32 and 2x27s, but eyefinity was such a mess from what I had read that I decided it was best to go all the same.


----------



## sugarhell

You have a hidden area on the 1440p monitor or the 1080p monitor.


----------



## KronDestroyer13

so i started with a complete uninstall of all and drivers and products from my computer then went to install 14.2, i succeeded up until the restart. it blue screened and after that i had to start windows from a earlier point in time. after the start up again i went to catalyst control center and it told me i didn't have any amd drivers installed...it has continually crashed on me after every install of the driver. so i eventually tried the previous driver to 14.2 that worked for me which was 13.12 i was able to install successfully but now it won't let me turn crossfire on... it literally blue screens as soon as i hit "apply"...it also won't let me download any other drivers at the moment..never had this issue until the recent driver update. any suggestions on what the issue is? I'm considering doing a complete re-install of windows since itsgetting so irritating.. please, help! lol

ps. tried each card individually in each slot to make sure it wasn't hard wear issues.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KronDestroyer13*
> 
> Well I'm taking offers but I hear they are worth anywhere from 300-400 still?


I sold two PE's flashed to Lightning bios (Ghz Ed.) ~$210-220 USD each, about a couple of weeks ago. The BE (rev 002 1150Mhz) usually sell for ~$240-250 on ebay. Factor in the ebay/paypal fees, BE will go for ~$235 in the forums.


----------



## Rainmaker91

yeah, the 280x is less then 400USD new so I don't think you could go as high as that.


----------



## SkateZilla

yeah, the prices of them fell through the floor 2 weeks after I paid $420 for one.

7900s as a whole dropped like a rock as soon as gridseeds came about,

I can grab a used 7900 fresh from RMA for less than $250, so $225-$250 is prolly the best range,
The lightnings IMHO are still better than all th 280x Cards because of the I/O.

1 of them plays my games fine at 1080p maxed, and in Eyefinity with slightly reduced settings
1 of them plus a 7950 to back it up plays everything in eyefinity + 1 extended fine.

I'd look at a 2nd one, but heat is an issue for me in the Summer.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> yeah, the prices of them fell through the floor 2 weeks after I paid $420 for one.
> 
> 7900s as a whole dropped like a rock as soon as gridseeds came about,
> 
> I can grab a used 7900 fresh from RMA for less than $250, so $225-$250 is prolly the best range,
> The lightnings IMHO are still better than all th 280x Cards because of the I/O.
> 
> 1 of them plays my games fine at 1080p maxed, and in Eyefinity with slightly reduced settings
> 1 of them plus a 7950 to back it up plays everything in eyefinity + 1 extended fine.
> 
> I'd look at a 2nd one, but heat is an issue for me in the Summer.


I always wondered how that worked in reality with a 7950 and 7970 at the same time. I was planning to do an upgrade this fall as I mentioned earlier with a dual GPU setup, but if my 7950 can be used without problems with a 280 or 280x then I might just get another one of those and save me a couple of hundred dollars.


----------



## wermad

Amd is nice enough to allow crossfire within the same core family. That's why you can xfire 7950s, 7970s, and 7990s (and 280x) together. As long as they're part of the same core family, it works. You can crossfire a 290 with a 290x and/or a 295X2.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Amd is nice enough to allow crossfire within the same core family. That's why you can xfire 7950s, 7970s, and 7990s (and 280x) together. As long as they're part of the same core family, it works. You can crossfire a 290 with a 290x and/or a 295X2.


If I remember correctly is was claimed that you could use several generations with each other in crossfire as well, but that was just what I heard. Either way I have never done a multi GPU setup so my main concern would be the difference in shaders and clock between for example a 7950 and a 7970. How would that work? would they use all shaders or would the 7970 be limited to 7950 numbers, would they run at different clock or would the 7970 again be limited to the 7950 speeds?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> If I remember correctly is was claimed that you could use several generations with each other in crossfire as well, but that was just what I heard. Either way I have never done a multi GPU setup so my main concern would be the difference in shaders and clock between for example a 7950 and a 7970. How would that work? would they use all shaders or would the 7970 be limited to 7950 numbers, would they run at different clock or would the 7970 again be limited to the 7950 speeds?


Hmmmm....I think you're confusing some of the rebranded (rebadge) models. Some amd cards are just carried over and rebadged with the next gen so you can still xfire those (ie 7970 + 280x). The great thing, amd allows each card to run independent so it doesn't dumb down one card to match the weaker one. I was running three Lightning Ghz (PE's flashed to Ghz) and one BE (rev2). The three were clocked at 1070Mhz and the BE at 1150Mhz.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Hmmmm....I think you're confusing some of the rebranded (rebadge) models. Some amd cards are just carried over and rebadged with the next gen so you can still xfire those (ie 7970 + 280x). The great thing, amd allows each card to run independent so it doesn't dumb down one card to match the weaker one. I was running three Lightning Ghz (PE's flashed to Ghz) and one BE (rev2). The three were clocked at 1070Mhz and the BE at 1150Mhz.


5770 and 6770 are the classic examples of multi-generation CF, although they were both the same core.


----------



## wermad

Here's a great little review/write-up on the subject:

http://www.legitreviews.com/amd-radeon-7000-radeon-r200-series-mixed-crossfire-testing_126124

edit: btw, i know the 5770 was capable of quad-fire but I'm not 100% if amd disabled this with the rebadge version 6770.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Hmmmm....I think you're confusing some of the rebranded (rebadge) models. Some amd cards are just carried over and rebadged with the next gen so you can still xfire those (ie 7970 + 280x). The great thing, amd allows each card to run independent so it doesn't dumb down one card to match the weaker one. I was running three Lightning Ghz (PE's flashed to Ghz) and one BE (rev2). The three were clocked at 1070Mhz and the BE at 1150Mhz.


Well there was a lot of talk about it back in the day but I don't think it ever became reality. Think one example was running a 6950 with a 5870 but I think that was the other standard that was proposed that was supposed to support different brands in multi GPU setup to. I don't think they ever succeeded though so I might just be rambling about stuff that is irrelevant.

In any case I might end up either getting a couple off 285x this fall or going for a 280x with my 7950 for a crossfire setup. I havent decided yet, but my AIO coolers will be replaced with a full loop


----------



## wermad

That was the "Lucid Hydra" chip that supposedly allowed you to mix different gpus. So the reality of running an "ATi" card with an Nvidia one was probable. Also, you can mix generations too. It turned out to be a disaster and the boards that implemented this chip were marred as being super nasty. Also, regular xfire or sli was neutered to 2-way despite some boards having up to 4-way pcie slot capability.

A 280x is essentially a 7970 so either one will fulfill your needs. 7970s are cheaper but their mostly all used. Go with the top-tier cards to get the most out of the performance. Also, you may wanna consider 290s since some of are selling for ~$250-290 USD used. I saw a few on ebay go for ~$250-265 (ex miners though). Two of them would wipe the floor vs two 7970/7950/280x.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> That was the "Lucid Hydra" chip that supposedly allowed you to mix different gpus. So the reality of running an "ATi" card with an Nvidia one was probable. Also, you can mix generations too. It turned out to be a disaster and the boards that implemented this chip were marred as being super nasty. Also, regular xfire or sli was neutered to 2-way despite some boards having up to 4-way pcie slot capability.
> 
> A 280x is essentially a 7970 so either one will fulfill your needs. 7970s are cheaper but their mostly all used. Go with the top-tier cards to get the most out of the performance. Also, you may wanna consider 290s since some of are selling for ~$250-290 USD used. I saw a few on ebay go for ~$250-265 (ex miners though). Two of them would wipe the floor vs two 7970/7950/280x.


They are a bit more in my country, especially since we didn't have that many would be miners here. The WC loop would be slightly about 800 USD (I want quality parts and they are expensive in my country due to extra taxes) so I am either in a need for more money or I could cut somewhere like getting a 280x and running it with my 7950 instead of two new cards. I'll have to see anyway, I'm not sure how much I will be spending living abroad (My student visum would not allow me to work so I got to save up before) without a job so I might have to postpone my upgrade to somewhere well within 2015.

It's good to hear that AMD cards can run at separate speeds and different numbers of shaders and so on in a CFX setup as it might affect any future upgrades (I'm running on a single 1920x1200 24" 60hz screen so I don't need massive performance).

In the end it all depends on the money


----------



## hambone96

Well I had a little free time today so I thought I'd make my own 7970 "high flow bracket". I've seen them before for nvidia cards, but never amd.





Between the bracket mod and fresh thermal paste, temp were down 2c and fan speeds were down 8%.

There is a BIG difference between 70% and 62% fan speed. I actually can tell a difference in sound even at the same speed compared to before the mod.


----------



## alancsalt

Thread cleaned.

Remember,
You may not sell outside OCN Marketplace
You may not sell with less than 35 reputation.

TOS
Marketplace Rules


----------



## TaraB

Hello everyone. I'm planning an update from 7850 to 7950 and I have to choose between two cards:

Gigabyte (with 8+6 power connectors) or Sapphire Dual X with Boost (with 2x6 power connectors). The Gigabyte one costs 140 euros and the Sapphire - 125 euros (those are price for second hand in Bulgaria). Both cards has at least 6 months warranty left, the Gigabyte one has about a year larger warranty. Both card are taken from mining rigs. I don't know which of them to choose. Gigabyte has 8+6 pin power connectors and probably more VRMs which will be great for taking maximum juice out of the card. Also the card has 3x75mm fans. But some people are complaining that some elements could burn if the card had mined continuously and the fans could broke. On the other hand we have Sapphire 7950 with 2x85mm fans and 5 heat pipes versus 3 on the Gigabyte. Now, the Sapphire is reported to have no problems with the components on the board if the card had mined continuously, but has the same problem with the fans. I see that the Gigabyte is 3-4 degrees cooler that the Sapphire, but I don't know about the overclock capabilities and noise of the cooler.

I want to overclock the card to the maximum safe values and I don't know which of the card to choose. I also want to know which cooler is quieter and keep lower temps. Also, the GIgabyte has 8+6 power connectors vs 2x6 power connectors - could this give me higher clock or the 2x6 pins are enough for 7950? Also, I heard that the Gigabyte version has locked core voltage, is that right?

Thank you in advance!


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Hello everyone. I'm planning an update from 7850 to 7950 and I have to choose between two cards:
> 
> Gigabyte (with 8+6 power connectors) or Sapphire Dual X with Boost (with 2x6 power connectors). The Gigabyte one costs 140 euros and the Sapphire - 125 euros (those are price for second hand in Bulgaria). Both cards has at least 6 months warranty left, the Gigabyte one has about a year larger warranty. Both card are taken from mining rigs. I don't know which of them to choose. Gigabyte has 8+6 pin power connectors and probably more VRMs which will be great for taking maximum juice out of the card. Also the card has 3x75mm fans. But some people are complaining that some elements could burn if the card had mined continuously and the fans could broke. On the other hand we have Sapphire 7950 with 2x85mm fans and 5 heat pipes versus 3 on the Gigabyte. Now, the Sapphire is reported to have no problems with the components on the board if the card had mined continuously, but has the same problem with the fans. I see that the Gigabyte is 3-4 degrees cooler that the Sapphire, but I don't know about the overclock capabilities and noise of the cooler.
> 
> I want to overclock the card to the maximum safe values and I don't know which of the card to choose. I also want to know which cooler is quieter and keep lower temps. Also, the GIgabyte has 8+6 power connectors vs 2x6 power connectors - could this give me higher clock or the 2x6 pins are enough for 7950? Also, I heard that the Gigabyte version has locked core voltage, is that right?
> 
> Thank you in advance!


Check out this thread, he thoroughly explains the 7950.

I would personally just recommend the cheapest one as it's a newer revision as well.

Edit: Just thought of it, as it's mining cards you might want to go for the one with the most warranty left as you are more secure if it fries in the near future. Not to mention it might not have been run as long and thus be in better condition.


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Check out this thread, he thoroughly explains the 7950.
> 
> I would personally just recommend the cheapest one as it's a newer revision as well.
> 
> Edit: Just thought of it, as it's mining cards you might want to go for the one with the most warranty left as you are more secure if it fries in the near future. Not to mention it might not have been run as long and thus be in better condition.


Thanks for the link. So according to that guide - Sapphire has better cooler but ****tier PCB while Gigabyte has stock PCB but worse cooler and locked voltage. Now, Gigabyte has more warranty left but the locked voltage kinda stops me. Maybe I'll take the Sapphire Dual-X.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Thanks for the link. So according to that guide - Sapphire has better cooler but ****tier PCB while Gigabyte has stock PCB but worse cooler and locked voltage. Now, Gigabyte has more warranty left but the locked voltage kinda stops me. Maybe I'll take the Sapphire Dual-X.


go for what you think is your best bet but you should know that the Hynix memory on the Gigabyte cards is way better for overclocking.


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> go for what you think is your best bet but you should know that the Hynix memory on the Gigabyte cards is way better for overclocking.


The problem is that I don't know which is better - both of them have their advantages and disadvantages. I see that Hynix gives more juice than Elpida, but I don't see real advantage in games.


----------



## diggiddi

Go for the one with better warranty


----------



## Kittencake

Well the death of my fan of my 7950 is final any ideas how I can rig a fan so I can use my rig without heavy gaming?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> Well the death of my fan of my 7950 is final any ideas how I can rig a fan so I can use my rig without heavy gaming?


Your best bet is warranty if you bought your card in Norway you should have quite a strong case. Otherwise you can always try and mount a 92mm fan over the broken one.


----------



## Kittencake

I bought it from republicofgamer on here and I'm currently in Canada keep forgetting to change that since I moved , but when I contacted powercolor their ram manager Raymond was quite the rude arsehole


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> I bought it from republicofgamer on here and I'm currently in Canada keep forgetting to change that since I moved , but when I contacted powercolor their ram manager Raymond was quite the rude arsehole


Oh well, then it's an entirely different matter. I just come over so many questions about this and it seems that far to many doesn't know about the law given "reklamasjonsrett" which effectively gives you a five year warranty if the item breaks under intended use. That is only valid in Norway though, but I know other countries have similar laws so who knows.

Anyway, back to your subject; You should try and dismount the shroud of the card to see what kind of heatsink you have underneath it. Then you might want to try the same approach as many after market GPU coolers use. Which a couple of 92mm fans, just get some cheap ones and run them at low speed since the should outmatch your original cooling anyway. You might also just want to look at doing something like the red mod or maybe even go for an aftermarket solution. It all depends on how much you want to spend though but you can do the red mod quite cheap if you are willing to do some DIY.


----------



## wermad

Go with a different cooler (ie Arctic) or go with a modded cls (ie Kraken).


----------



## Jam0r

Guys I have a pickle.

Because of the mining craze I have access to a few different GPUs but I can't for the life of me decide what would be best.

I have a 4770k on a mild 4.5Ghz overclock so no 6 core Intel madness i'm afraid. I have a SuperWide monitor 2560x1080 or something like that.

*Option 1*

I have two 7990s with EK water blocks and each card can run at 1200 core and 1700 memory on 1.3v

Temps are very low but lets face it, quadfire on the 4770k is stupid and there are hardly any games out there that support it. Plus I'm not running multiple monitors so don't really have the need for all that GPU power.

So either I use both cards and continue to mine with them and only use one when gaming or sell one and keep the other. Trouble is whats the max volts a 7990 can take? Would I be able to push the card further?

*Option 2*

I have 3 reference 290 cards and after testing each one they all are happy to run at 1200 core and 1400 memory. These are on air and the noise is stupid however if I used them I would put them under water too. To get the above clocks I need +150 core (MSI afterburner) so i'm not sure if they are good clockers or not.

I could use trifire but I'd need another WC block adding to the cost.

2x 290 vs 1x7990 = the 290 setup would be quicker. It would also be quicker in situations where only one GPU can be used.

However i'm having a hard time selling my 7990s with water blocks. No one wants to know due to no warranty, even when I advertise them less than £320

*So what do I do?*

Do I keep the 7990s and make do, use quadfire where I can and use them to mine? Then try and push the voltages and cards higher for gaming and bragging rights?

Or do I switch to the 290s as they would be core for core faster, but take a big hit on selling the 7990s - plus on top of that have the expense of getting 290 blocks, etc.

I use Mantle where possible (BF4) and it helps but I can't help feeling that the 290 are better cards in general and the performance is better. Plus the integrated crossfire and TrueAudio is a bonus.


----------



## PieEyedPIper

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> I bought it from republicofgamer on here and I'm currently in Canada keep forgetting to change that since I moved , but when I contacted powercolor their ram manager Raymond was quite the rude arsehole


http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=382423 If that doesn't help - zip ties are your friend.

Jamor,

I would be all over the 290's. Selling the 7990 and blocks separately may prove more profitable than in a package.


----------



## Jam0r

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PieEyedPIper*
> 
> http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=382423 If that doesn't help - zip ties are your friend.
> 
> Jamor,
> 
> I would be all over the 290's. Selling the 7990 and blocks separately may prove more profitable than in a package.


I'm not sure I have the stock heat sinks and fans, i've searched for them but can't for the life of me find them.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> Well the death of my fan of my 7950 is final any ideas how I can rig a fan so I can use my rig without heavy gaming?


I know a few people that removed the old fans and parts of the plastic shroud, and zip tied case fans to the card, or used a slot cooler mount.

There are fans on ebay, but they are very over priced.

What's the Make and Model# of the Card?


----------



## Kittencake

Well I did think of getting an h60 but then there's the matter of the vrms but here's the kicker they aren't heatsinked in anyway

It's a powercolor 7950


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Go with a different cooler (ie Arctic) or go with a modded cls (ie Kraken).


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> Well I did think of getting an h60 but then there's the matter of the vrms but here's the kicker they aren't heatsinked in anyway
> 
> It's a powercolor 7950


If you choose to go with that then I am giving away my fitting bracket (been advertised in the red mod thread), but that only fits Asetek coolers so you would have to go with something like the H50 instead. I can send some heat sinks I have laying around and a fan to but you will have to pay for the shipping then since it would weigh more than I am happy with spending on a giveaway.


----------



## Kittencake

Sure that be much appreciated this whole using my phone for the net is driving me batty and seeing the pc shut down, kinda makes kitty cry a little bit


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> Sure that be much appreciated this whole using my phone for the net is driving me batty and seeing the pc shut down, kinda makes kitty cry a little bit


I'll touch it up a bit with some sandpaper and repaint it tomorrow. I'm still waiting on some screws though so it may take another week or so until I get it send. PM me if you have any questions


----------



## Kittencake

Awesome take your time in the mean time I should hunt for an h50


----------



## Notion

Here is a bit of fun modding ek7950 to fit my club3d 7950







[/URL]


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Kittencake*
> 
> Awesome take your time in the mean time I should hunt for an h50


Well any Asetek cooler would work so you can get any of the following:
- Corsair H50, H55, H75, H105 and H110
- NZXT Kraken X40 and X60
- Antec Kühler H2O 620, and Kühler H2O 920

And a bunch of others, only thing that matters with this bracket is the teeth that is used to fit it. So go for whatever you can get a good deal on.


----------



## wermad

Saw four ek supremacy bridge edition blocks on eBay. Can always sell the ones you won't need. These are extremely hard to find since the nozzles are extended outwards. An fyi for those looking for universal gpu blocks.


----------



## HawkEye42

Okay, after much time observing, has anybody with a single 7970 OC'd have stuttering problems again with BF4 with the Mantle API usage enabled? After installing 14.6 Beta, I've been sorta noticing more frame stuttering with the new drivers with Mantle on BF4. I used to be on 14.1 and afaik that was the main driver for me that removed the stuttering. Has anybody been experiencing the same thing after coming from 14.1? Thanks!


----------



## Rainmaker91

In the last few months I have been building up a small guide for those who wish to use closed loop coolers on their GPUs. I have managed to gather the most known pieces there along with a few less known ones, but what I really need now is peoples experiences with them. So I encourage all who wish to do so to stop by my thread and post your experiences. If you would happen to know of some solutions that has not been mentioned in the thread I would be happy to include them as well, just post a post in the thread and I will add it.

I am aware that not everyone is a big fan of the use of AIO coolers instead of an open loop, but there is people who are and I made this guide for them. I do hope you will take your time to stop by, and I'm happy to take any constructive criticism and apply it to the thread as well. The guide is for all the users after all and I want to offer the best possible help I can for those on the hunt for something other then regular air coolers.

Once again check it out here, and thank you for your time.


----------



## Notion

Hey peeps, just reset my card bio back to stock as i wanna push it further and create a new one. But i noticed that when i run Furmark and GPUZ, the core clock looks to be down clocking..

It under water and temps never go above 58c at these setting: 1200core 1575mem..

It down clocks to 1135.2..which is odd..

Any clues anyone..

VRM is hitting 90C but that should be fine as the head room is to 110c i have read

Any suggestions welcome

thanks


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Okay, after much time observing, has anybody with a single 7970 OC'd have stuttering problems again with BF4 with the Mantle API usage enabled? After installing 14.6 Beta, I've been sorta noticing more frame stuttering with the new drivers with Mantle on BF4. I used to be on 14.1 and afaik that was the main driver for me that removed the stuttering. Has anybody been experiencing the same thing after coming from 14.1? Thanks!


After 14.1, my MANTLE went full ****** and had FPS dips (CPU SPIIIIIIIIKEZ) to 7-20FPS every minute or so. I am using DirectX for the mean time until it gets sorted out. Even Hawaii users have these problems to some extent.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Hey peeps, just reset my card bio back to stock as i wanna push it further and create a new one. But i noticed that when i run Furmark and GPUZ, the core clock looks to be down clocking..
> 
> It under water and temps never go above 58c at these setting: 1200core 1575mem..
> 
> It down clocks to 1135.2..which is odd..
> 
> Any clues anyone..
> 
> VRM is hitting 90C but that should be fine as the head room is to 110c i have read
> 
> Any suggestions welcome
> 
> thanks


You are reaching the TDP of the card. Furmark is unrealistic, dont use it. If you experience throttling in games, you can increase the power tune up to 20%, which raises the overall TDP. 7970s are like 230 or so TDP, throwing the slider to 20% can get the TDP all the way up to like 275. If you are still throttling after increasing the power tune, you can edit the BIOS to set the TDP manually or increase the limits of power tune to 50%


----------



## Notion

Thanks , will play with the setting.. cheers


----------



## Notion

is the R280 much better than the 7950.. well the club 3d king 7950 has quite good spec and overclocks well.. worth the switch? Also what would the equivilant be in nVidia terms?

Cheers


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> is the R280 much better than the 7950.. well the club 3d king 7950 has quite good spec and overclocks well.. worth the switch? Also what would the equivilant be in nVidia terms?
> 
> Cheers


280x = 680/770. 280x >7950 by only 5%. Why would you swap? Why not keep the 7950 and xfire with the 280x?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 280x = 680/770. 280x >7950 by only 5%. Why would you swap? Why not keep the 7950 and xfire with the 280x?


well to be fair it's like this:

HD7950 < GTX670 < HD7950 Boost < HD7970 < GTX680/GTX770 < HD7970Ghz

R9 280 is a rebranded HD7950 Boost and R9 280X is a rebranded HD7970 Ghz.

Totally agree on the other stuff though


----------



## Notion

well.. my interest in nvidia is i hear they don't suffer the issues with eyefinity.. i am looking at spending another £150 plus just to sort the solution with adapters and cables and so on.. so was thinking i should be able to get £150 for this card which i a great card to be honest.. clocks really well.. with +20 and turning the voltage down slightly runs 1200 /1575 smooth..

but having said that i could get a 290 ad water cool it.. so.. yeah not sure.. just don't want more issues runing crossfire..

thoughts welcome..

Cheers


----------



## Notion

does anyone know if this card is ok or any good?

Cheers
SAPPHIRE Radeon R9 280 Dual-X OC 3GB GDDR5


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> HD7970 < GTX680/GTX770 < HD7970Ghz


That is splitting hairs. Just a bios revision on either side of the 680.


----------



## Notion

ok cross fire 7950 / 280 MSI Geforce GTX 780 Gaming Edition OC


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> ok cross fire 7950 / 280 MSI Geforce GTX 780 Gaming Edition OC


the 7950s will be a little faster and cheaper if you buy used, and you already have one. However, building from scratch, a single card solution is always advisable due to many complications that arise from multi GPU configs. I would almost trade my 7970s for a 780 simply for the fact that Skyrim (and a few others) has horrible xfire support.

Edit: a 780ti = 2x 7950s


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is splitting hairs. Just a bios revision on either side of the 680.


I know, I just like to point stuff out and see the reaction


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> the 7950s will be a little faster and cheaper if you buy used, and you already have one. However, building from scratch, a single card solution is always advisable due to many complications that arise from multi GPU configs. I would almost trade my 7970s for a 780 simply for the fact that Skyrim (and a few others) has horrible xfire support.
> 
> Edit: a 780ti = 2x 7950s


Not really, the 7970 catches up to the TITAN once it goes over 1080p, like 70-75% of the performance. If it scales half decently, the 79X0CF will likely pump out slightly better frames. Still, a brand new single card setup is advisable if you have the money for it.


----------



## LDV617

One of the fans is bad on my Vapor X 7950.

I tried applying sewing machine oil into the ball bearings as suggeseted on a mining forum.

Anyone have a good recommendation for a replacement cooler? Or another possible fix?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> One of the fans is bad on my Vapor X 7950.
> 
> I tried applying sewing machine oil into the ball bearings as suggeseted on a mining forum.
> 
> Anyone have a good recommendation for a replacement cooler? Or another possible fix?


Well, of you decide to go with something else then I would really like to buy that VRM heatsink from you. I screwed up mine, or rather improved it and it si stopping me from returning it back to stock again. Something that is really bad considering I still have 4 years left of law given warranty on it. That would be given that it's the same heatsink that I have though









As for fixing your current setup, you might want to try and remove the top shroud and fit a couple of 92mm fans with zip ties to the main heatsink. That would very likely work.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> After 14.1, my MANTLE went full ****** and had FPS dips (CPU SPIIIIIIIIKEZ) to 7-20FPS every minute or so. I am using DirectX for the mean time until it gets sorted out. Even Hawaii users have these problems to some extent.


Well I tried it again, (starting with DX11 first then switching to Mantle mid game) and voila, it works significantly better. As for the 14.1, I don't recall my CPU usage spiking, I got a 3470 though so I wouldn't know how it works with other CPUs. Will try again soon by playing and using Mantle from the start to see if the stuttering I observed was just some out of the blue glitch.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Well I tried it again, (starting with DX11 first then switching to Mantle mid game) and voila, it works significantly better. As for the 14.1, I don't recall my CPU usage spiking, I got a 3470 though so I wouldn't know how it works with other CPUs. Will try again soon by playing and using Mantle from the start to see if the stuttering I observed was just some out of the blue glitch.


Use perfoverlay.drawgraph 1, if you see a tall yellow line whenever the frames drop, its a CPU spike/MANTLE stealing more GPU memory than is actually possible which causes CPU spikesz and framez dropz. Switching to Mantle mid-game does nothing as it needs to restart to take effect.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Use perfoverlay.drawgraph 1, if you see a tall yellow line whenever the frames drop, its a CPU spike/MANTLE stealing more GPU memory than is actually possible which causes CPU spikesz and framez dropz. Switching to Mantle mid-game does nothing as it needs to restart to take effect.


Where should I put the perfoverlay.drawgraph 1? In the game's parameters? Oh so a game restart is needed to change the API, I thought it was just a flip of a switch.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Where should I put the perfoverlay.drawgraph 1? In the game's parameters? Oh so a game restart is needed to change the API, I thought it was just a flip of a switch.


Use the console (`), type perfoverlay.drawfps 1 and perfoverlay.drawgraph 1. When you see a CPU spike (tall yellow line), type screenshot.render and upload to OCN.


----------



## Notion

Hey peeps, does mantle kickin automatically or is it something you have to manually set ?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> Hey peeps, does mantle kickin automatically or is it something you have to manually set ?


Games that support it will have an option that will need to be checked/enabled. I believe it is just BF4 and Thief at the moment.


----------



## Notion

kk thanks for letting me know.. is it supported by 7950?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Notion*
> 
> kk thanks for letting me know.. is it supported by 7950?


Loosely, yes. It is not heavily optimized for Tahiti, but it will work.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Use the console (`), type perfoverlay.drawfps 1 and perfoverlay.drawgraph 1. When you see a CPU spike (tall yellow line), type screenshot.render and upload to OCN.


Alright, will do so. Thanks!


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Use perfoverlay.drawgraph 1, if you see a tall yellow line whenever the frames drop, its a CPU spike/MANTLE stealing more GPU memory than is actually possible which causes CPU spikesz and framez dropz. Switching to Mantle mid-game does nothing as it needs to restart to take effect.


So I did what you said. And I have noticed stuttering was really down. But it still happened on some moments. I took a screen shot via the console but I don't know where to find the image? Mind pointing out to where I could find it? Thanks


----------



## HawkEye42

NVM found it. One was taken via normal keyboard print screen and the other via console. Stuttering happens occasionally though. But iirc, 14.1 was a tad bit better.

Picture1.png 1528k .png file


ScreenshotWin32-0002.png 1952k .png file


----------



## Notion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Loosely, yes. It is not heavily optimized for Tahiti, but it will work.


Cheers will see what it does on my system..


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> NVM found it. One was taken via normal keyboard print screen and the other via console. Stuttering happens occasionally though. But iirc, 14.1 was a tad bit better.
> 
> Picture1.png 1528k .png file
> 
> 
> ScreenshotWin32-0002.png 1952k .png file


I have the exact frequency of CPU spikes as this, and 14.1 was fine for me except for the undergrowth being a bit lackluster (still is) compared to DX. Anyways, hope DICE gets off their lazy butts and fixes this, its game breaking at times.


----------



## danycyo

I have 2 7950's CF and I am pulling nice numbers on 14.6 drivers. Here is my performance just to get a rough idea.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Loosely, yes. It is not heavily optimized for Tahiti, but it will work.


Mantle is Optimized for GCN as a Base.....


----------



## X-Alt

Having some issues with my driver2day. Whenever I watch an embedded YouTube video, it reverts to default clock\boost settings and stays at 501MHz/6600, this is especially annoying when gaming, it will never go up to its intended 1175/6600 clock rate.

EDIT: After installing 13.12, 14.1, 14.2 and 14.4 WHQL, I finally realized it was Hardware Acceleration in flashplayer


----------



## PuffinMyLye

Thinking about picking up a 7970 Ghz Edition from a friend for around $200. Is there anything I should know about this card before doing so?


----------



## wermad

Which model? A tad high. Lightnings PE are being sold for that much.


----------



## PuffinMyLye

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Which model? A tad high. Lightnings PE are being sold for that much.


I'm pretty sure it's a Gigabyte. I really only trust Gigabye, Asus and eVGA when it comes to video cards. What are these Lightning PE's you speak of?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PuffinMyLye*
> 
> I'm pretty sure it's a Gigabyte. I really only trust Gigabye, Asus and eVGA when it comes to video cards. What are these Lightning PE's you speak of?


ASUS is a mixed bag, nice looks but GPU Tweak is a living nightmare. The Lightning Power Edition (MSI 7970 PE), is one of the best 7970s out there but it seems there is a shortage of em on ebay, the TFIIIs are quite bad when it comes to paste though.


----------



## PuffinMyLye

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> ASUS is a mixed bag, nice looks but GPU Tweak is a living nightmare. The Lightning Power Edition (MSI 7970 PE), is one of the best 7970s out there but it seems there is a shortage of em on ebay, the TFIIIs are quite bad when it comes to paste though.


I always replace stock paste with Coollaboratory Liquid Pro/Ultra.

I'm just looking for the best card I can find for $200.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PuffinMyLye*
> 
> I always replace stock paste with Coollaboratory Liquid Pro/Ultra.
> 
> I'm just looking for the best card I can find for $200.


Gigabyte cards are alright, but I know they have had problems with VRM temps so you might want to recheck the heatsinks (or add some if it doesn't have them). As for what cards are good or not it really does not matter, some cards are built on cheaper PCBs and thus less likely to overclock well. I know Gigabyte did use a lot of Hynix memory at one point and those are far better for OC purposes. It all depends on what kind of card it is, if it's a reference design then you can more or less choose any product you want to. The best 7970ghz cards that I have heard of is the MSI lightning cards that X-Alt and Wermad mentioned, but the Asus Direct CU II cards are also quite good.


----------



## wermad

Careful with the dc u2 as they're a bit touchy with the vrm's.

Reference cards are pretty solid but the turbine coolers are noisy. Plus I've had bad luck with ones with coil whine.

Are you getting a winforce from your friend? How much warranty is left? Maybe ask $180 if it's got plenty of warranty.


----------



## mus1mus

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/b2504/vtx3d-r9-280x.html

Are they good??


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/b2504/vtx3d-r9-280x.html
> 
> Are they good??


As far as I know they are reference design PCB, so they are not bad.


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> As far as I know they are reference design PCB, so they are not bad.


hmm.. interesting.. I read somewhere where GPU-Z detects the card as a 7970.. Is that a good thing?

This can be flashed with 7970 GHz Bios right?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> hmm.. interesting.. I read somewhere where GPU-Z detects the card as a 7970.. Is that a good thing?
> 
> This can be flashed with 7970 GHz Bios right?


Well, as far as it looks anyhow, they seem to be reference 7970s. Not Ghz edition, but that likely means it's easier to OC to. As it's less likely to be voltage locked.


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Well, as far as it looks anyhow, they seem to be reference 7970s. Not Ghz edition, but that likely means it's easier to OC to. As it's less likely to be voltage locked.


Nice that you mentioned Overclocking.. Coz if I pick a 280x, it will be swimming.. So OC'ing is definitely the way to go..

EK blocks are available for this..

How about HIS IceQ X Boost Ed? Also has an available block from EK. Reference Design board







+1

Thanks for the tip mate..


----------



## wermad

EK has two reference 7970 blocks, the "Classic" which are EOL and the CSQ ones. CSQ requires the "CSQ bridges" and the Classics require the "FC Bridge classic" with "Links (amd/ati links).

There's also blocks from other companies still out there.


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> EK has two reference 7970 blocks, the "Classic" which are EOL and the CSQ ones. CSQ requires the "CSQ bridges" and the Classics require the "FC Bridge classic" with "Links (amd/ati links).
> 
> There's also blocks from other companies still out there.


Yep, But I can only chose between EK and XSPC round here..

From EK is the EK-FC7970 CSQ


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



EK-FC7970 CSQ is a high performance full-cover water block for AMD reference design Radeon HD 7970, -HD 7950 as well as -R9 280X series graphics card. Please check our Cooling Configurator online compatibility system for detailed compatibility list!

This water block directly cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the graphics card and it\\\'s VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC7970 water block also features a very high flow design therefore it can be easily used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.

Base is made of nickel plated electrolytic copper while the top is made of quality cast, satin finish acrylic material. The sealing is performed by quality rubber washers. Screw-in brass standoffs are pre-installed and allow for safe, painless installation procedure. Block is mounted with enclosed M3x4 DIN7985 screws.

EKWB recommends the purchase of aesthetic retention backplate (EK-FC7970 Backplate - Black CSQ) which improves the looks of your graphics cards and also provide some passive cooling to the VRM section.

EKWB also offers a single-slot I/O bracket which frees adjacent PCI/PCIe expansion slot. The bracket is available as an optional add-on and can be purchased through EKWB webshop.

G1/4 threaded fittings can be used on bottom side of the water block (on cover) only.

Up to four EK-FC7970 series water block can be interconnected with EK-FC Bridge & Link system. The correct connection link for this water block is EK-FC Link and is already included with the water block.

Enclosed:
- EK-FC7970 CSQ series water block
- EK-FC Link
- mounting mechanism with screw-in brass standoffs
- thermal pads
- thermal grease EK-TIM Ectotherm (1g)

Made in Slovenia - Europe!



ANd the old RAZOR 7970

Which is better??


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> EK has two reference 7970 blocks, the "Classic" which are EOL and the CSQ ones. CSQ requires the "CSQ bridges" and the Classics require the "FC Bridge classic" with "Links (amd/ati links).
> 
> There's also blocks from other companies still out there.


I'm partial to the Aqua Computer blocks, but if you want an acrylic top then EKWB is the only one that has 7970 blocks with that. At least from what I have seen, as for bridges between cards, it's always possible to use an SLI/CFx extender for that. With those you are secured for future cards to if you choose a block from another company. In any case it's most important to choose what he think looks best as there is so little difference in temps on blocks that there isn't any point in choosing one in front of the other (other then those that don't have water flowing over the VRMs)


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> Yep, But I can only chose between EK and XSPC round here..
> 
> From EK is the EK-FC7970 CSQ
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> EK-FC7970 CSQ is a high performance full-cover water block for AMD reference design Radeon HD 7970, -HD 7950 as well as -R9 280X series graphics card. Please check our Cooling Configurator online compatibility system for detailed compatibility list!
> 
> This water block directly cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the graphics card and it\\\'s VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC7970 water block also features a very high flow design therefore it can be easily used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
> 
> Base is made of nickel plated electrolytic copper while the top is made of quality cast, satin finish acrylic material. The sealing is performed by quality rubber washers. Screw-in brass standoffs are pre-installed and allow for safe, painless installation procedure. Block is mounted with enclosed M3x4 DIN7985 screws.
> 
> EKWB recommends the purchase of aesthetic retention backplate (EK-FC7970 Backplate - Black CSQ) which improves the looks of your graphics cards and also provide some passive cooling to the VRM section.
> 
> EKWB also offers a single-slot I/O bracket which frees adjacent PCI/PCIe expansion slot. The bracket is available as an optional add-on and can be purchased through EKWB webshop.
> 
> G1/4 threaded fittings can be used on bottom side of the water block (on cover) only.
> 
> Up to four EK-FC7970 series water block can be interconnected with EK-FC Bridge & Link system. The correct connection link for this water block is EK-FC Link and is already included with the water block.
> 
> Enclosed:
> - EK-FC7970 CSQ series water block
> - EK-FC Link
> - mounting mechanism with screw-in brass standoffs
> - thermal pads
> - thermal grease EK-TIM Ectotherm (1g)
> 
> Made in Slovenia - Europe!
> 
> 
> 
> ANd the old RAZOR 7970
> 
> Which is better??


Skip xspc as it doesn't actively cool the vrm. Even the new one doesn't cool the vrm as well.

EK and HK are my top pics. Ultimately, its up to you. Maybe match your cpu block?

edit: AC is also pretty good too.


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Skip xspc as it doesn't actively cool the vrm. Even the new one doesn't cool the vrm as well.
> 
> EK and HK are my top pics. Ultimately, its up to you. Maybe match your cpu block?


It's an old Supreme HF..
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> I'm partial to the Aqua Computer blocks, but if you want an acrylic top then EKWB is the only one that has 7970 blocks with that. At least from what I have seen, as for bridges between cards, it's always possible to use an SLI/CFx extender for that. With those you are secured for future cards to if you choose a block from another company. In any case it's most important to choose what he think looks best as there is so little difference in temps on blocks that there isn't any point in choosing one in front of the other (other then those that don't have water flowing over the VRMs)


Well, I'd like to really match things if I could.. Thing is, supplies are limited in this part of the world. Or yeah, I can't afford to get one that's not available here.. lol









Not really up for the looks.. As with a woman, a simple, functional, clean, and well performing block will do it..


----------



## wermad

Supreme HF is still pretty good, which version do you have?


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Supreme HF is still pretty good, which version do you have?


This one
















Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!







It is still a beauty IMO..


----------



## wermad

Hk or AC would do nice. If you get the ek plexi copper version (csq), you can polish the frost out of the plexi and make it clear/transparent to match your cpu block.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> hmm.. interesting.. I read somewhere where GPU-Z detects the card as a 7970.. Is that a good thing?
> 
> This can be flashed with 7970 GHz Bios right?
> 
> 
> 
> Well, as far as it looks anyhow, they seem to be reference 7970s. Not Ghz edition, but that likely means it's easier to OC to. As it's less likely to be voltage locked.
Click to expand...

no 280xs are boost edition cards, they can be flashed to a 7970 as they are the same ( assuming reference ) but you loose the third display to my knowledge ( the 7970s is only able to produce 2 displays without a active DP adapter )


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no 280xs are boost edition cards, they can be flashed to a 7970 as they are the same ( assuming reference ) but you loose the third display to my knowledge ( the 7970s is only able to produce 2 displays without a active DP adapter )


Is that what the silent launch/update to the 280x was?


----------



## Mega Man

not so silent, but yea they can do 3 monitors without a active adapter


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no 280xs are boost edition cards, they can be flashed to a 7970 as they are the same ( assuming reference ) but you loose the third display to my knowledge ( the 7970s is only able to produce 2 displays without a active DP adapter )


I have no direct knowledge about this particular card. I'm just gong off of clocks, and at 850 it seems like a regular 7970.


----------



## wermad

I thought the asus dc2 was the only one that received the updated display output like the 290/290x.


----------



## mus1mus

Thanks for the tip @wermad









Things recently discussed seemed out of my knowledge but, how far can you push the reference cards under water?

Correct me if I am wrong but custom Nvidia cards can be pushed further than reference ones. Does it apply to AMD cards?


----------



## wermad

It depends on the components and build quality of the custom ones. There's typically two types of custom cards these days: one side is designed for a different cooler then the reference one and the other side is for extreme edition of cards (id KPE, HOF, Matrix, Lightning). The first side is generally to design a better cooling solution and also to save on the cost of producing the model's design. It allows the AIB to make different changes rather then following the reference design. Here's where I see it as hit or miss. You may get an awesome card or you may get a crappy one. Odds are probably as good as the reference cards imho. The other side is the domain of the the high end cards. These cards end up with larger pcb's and more components and massive air coolers. If you're willing to spend the extra money, these are more geared for folks who want to push their cards hard. But expect higher prices on blocks as well as these tend to be low volume cards and so block makers charge more.


----------



## SuperClocks

Where can I read the GPU voltage for my 7950 using my multimeter? Thanks =)


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SuperClocks*
> 
> Where can I read the GPU voltage for my 7950 using my multimeter? Thanks =)


Unless your GPU has separate pins for exactly that then there isn't much you can do. As far as I know, but if there is then I'm curious to test this myself









Edit: You can easily do it from within the OS though.


----------



## SuperClocks

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Unless your GPU has separate pins for exactly that then there isn't much you can do. As far as I know, but if there is then I'm curious to test this myself
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: You can easily do it from within the OS though.


Yeah, GPU-Z and HWinfo64 should be accurate, but I just want to be certain. I found the pinout sheet for the Chil 8228.. http://www.irf.com/product-info/datasheets/data/pb-chl8225.pdf

I'm debating whether or not I should do the hard volt mods. I have my bios modded for 1.4v GPU voltage and 375w TDP, but my GPU voltage drops to about 1.3v when fully loaded with OCCT. I would like a rock solid 1.4v - 1.5v. My GPU temp stays under 40C under full load @ 1.2GHz / 1.3v actual...


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SuperClocks*
> 
> Yeah, GPU-Z and HWinfo64 should be accurate, but I just want to be certain. I found the pinout sheet for the Chil 8228.. http://www.irf.com/product-info/datasheets/data/pb-chl8225.pdf
> 
> I'm debating whether or not I should do the hard volt mods. I have my bios modded for 1.4v GPU voltage and 375w TDP, but my GPU voltage drops to about 1.3v when fully loaded with OCCT. I would like a rock solid 1.4v - 1.5v. My GPU temp stays under 40C under full load @ 1.2GHz / 1.3v actual...


Well, there is a limit to what the core can handle. As for your voltage, it is accurately shown in Trixx and Afterburner.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SuperClocks*
> 
> I'm debating whether or not I should do the hard volt mods. I have my bios modded for 1.4v GPU voltage and 375w TDP, but my GPU voltage drops to about 1.3v when fully loaded with OCCT. I would like a rock solid 1.4v - 1.5v. My GPU temp stays under 40C under full load @ 1.2GHz / 1.3v actual...


You should head over to this thread, and ask the guys how to get the VRM signal adjusted to account for that Vdroop you are experiencing. I have been toying with it myself, but have only successfully done it once for one card, otherwise I would help you out myself. There are two guys who are active in the thread that are brilliant modders.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SuperClocks*
> 
> Where can I read the GPU voltage for my 7950 using my multimeter? Thanks =)
> 
> 
> 
> Unless your GPU has separate pins for exactly that then there isn't much you can do. As far as I know, but if there is then I'm curious to test this myself
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit: You can easily do it from within the OS though.
Click to expand...

you can but you have to measure the VRMs /caps directly and it can/is dangerous past that idk


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> you can but you have to measure the VRMs /caps directly and it can/is dangerous past that idk


Then I'm not going take my chances with that.


----------



## link1393

I guys,
I have a question about the VRM of a gigabyte 7970 Rev. 2.1,

I know the main VRM are under the heatsink, but I want to know if the card have other VRM and where they are ?

thanks









Hey *Rainmaker91* ! you are everywhere


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *link1393*
> 
> I guys,
> I have a question about the VRM of a gigabyte 7970 Rev. 2.1,
> 
> I know the main VRM are under the heatsink, but I want to know if the card have other VRM and where they are ?
> 
> thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey *Rainmaker91* ! you are everywhere


yeah


----------



## aaronlaplante

hi, i have a msi 7970 boost edition (1050 mhz booste) that has a refrence design. I was wondering if you guys know the demnsions between the 4 holes between around the gpu so i can make my own bracket to mod a h60 to cool it. ALso do you think a h60 2013 edition will be sufficient? i heard that if you co this card higher you can actually get negative performance due to throttling. also purhcased this
http://www.swiftech.com/HD7900-HSF.aspx

and have 3 small fans blowing onto it to cool vram memory, etc.


----------



## aaronlaplante

also what proven thermal past would you recomment thats easy to apply for a gpu, and what spreading method works best? thanks in advance.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> also what proven thermal past would you recomment thats easy to apply for a gpu, and what spreading method works best? thanks in advance.


I have used most of the Thermal Compounds currently available (except the $1.50 stuff) and the best I have found is IC Diamond. It is really great stuff.

AS far as spreading it. a dot of it in the middle and let the pressure of remounting the heatsink/block do the

spreading.

Hoped that was helpful


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> hi, i have a msi 7970 boost edition (1050 mhz booste) that has a refrence design. I was wondering if you guys know the demnsions between the 4 holes between around the gpu so i can make my own bracket to mod a h60 to cool it. ALso do you think a h60 2013 edition will be sufficient? i heard that if you co this card higher you can actually get negative performance due to throttling. also purhcased this
> http://www.swiftech.com/HD7900-HSF.aspx
> 
> and have 3 small fans blowing onto it to cool vram memory, etc.


Well to be fair, you won't loose performance with that at all. I would say a design with a single 92 or 80mm fan would be sufficient to keep your temps down on that card. You may add another one over the VRM2 to keep it even lower. It should be said though that the Swiftech heatsink is designed to run without fans and will thus keep your VRMs and vRAM within good temperatures.

I will help you create a bracket if you want to, we can do it in pm as to not to clutter up the thread. If you are dead set on making one yourself then the AMD mounting holes are 53.2mm apart from each other.

As for the best tim to use, it's all up to you. The best performing ones are Phobya NanoGrease, Gelid Extreme and IC diamond with IC diamond performing slightly under the other two in average (it's not more then 0.1 or 0.2*c though). I find that a thin stripe in a cross gives best contact with these thermal compounds but you may spread it if you choose so. bear in mind though that on a bare core like the AMD 7970 good tim really does make a difference.


----------



## X-Alt

It seems like 14.6 is slightly unstable with DCS World, after launching a missile towards a target and just before it explodes, my screen goes black and after recovering, the menu screen on the bottom right has flickering text (although the world and aircraft models are just fine). This occurs until I manually restart the driver, have not had it happen again in the same playing period.

Anyone who plays DCS have\had a flickering text problem similar to this with the recent drivers?


----------



## SkateZilla

I'd just get a
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> It seems like 14.6 is slightly unstable with DCS World, after launching a missile towards a target and just before it explodes, my screen goes black and after recovering, the menu screen on the bottom right has flickering text (although the world and aircraft models are just fine). This occurs until I manually restart the driver, have not had it happen again in the same playing period.
> 
> Anyone who plays DCS have\had a flickering text problem similar to this with the recent drivers?


nope. havent had any issues with DCS on the new drivers.

DCS Allows you to use Alternate Drivers (so you can run 14.6 on your system, and revert to say 13.9 for DCS), by simply putting the atiumd64.dll from the driver set you want in DCS Worlds '/Bin/ Folder (X:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Bin\ )

like right now, I Have 14.6 on my system, but I have the atiumd64.dll from 14.4, 14.3, 14.2, 14.1, 13.12, 13.9 etc expanded into a separate folder, and if I want to run DCS with one of those drivers I just copy the DLL to DCS's /Bin/ Folder.

I think the Best dlls for DCS are 14.4 and 13.9, with 13.12 being close.

We have a thread on Eagle Dynamics' forum about it.

My issue lately has been Flash Players on specific Sites causing a Halt State for driver atikmdag.sys.

I can literally trigger a BSOD by going to a site and choosing a 1080p video and pressing play, 30 or so seconds later boom.

the embedded players causing the problem have no option to disable HW Acceleration. but YT runs fine with it on.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I'd just get a
> nope. havent had any issues with DCS on the new drivers.
> 
> DCS Allows you to use Alternate Drivers (so you can run 14.6 on your system, and revert to say 13.9 for DCS), by simply putting the atiumd64.dll from the driver set you want in DCS Worlds '/Bin/ Folder (X:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\Bin\ )
> 
> like right now, I Have 14.6 on my system, but I have the atiumd64.dll from 14.4, 14.3, 14.2, 14.1, 13.12, 13.9 etc expanded into a separate folder, and if I want to run DCS with one of those drivers I just copy the DLL to DCS's /Bin/ Folder.
> 
> I think the Best dlls for DCS are 14.4 and 13.9, with 13.12 being close.
> 
> We have a thread on Eagle Dynamics' forum about it.
> 
> My issue lately has been Flash Players on specific Sites causing a Halt State for driver atikmdag.sys.
> 
> I can literally trigger a BSOD by going to a site and choosing a 1080p video and pressing play, 30 or so seconds later boom.
> 
> the embedded players causing the problem have no option to disable HW Acceleration. but YT runs fine with it on.


I have the problem with embedded players. It decides to reset my clock to default when using HW Acel on it, only started recently and I had to disable it via regular YouTube. Since my card is not really that stable on default mem clocks (moer voltz), it would have caused some problems along with dropping my core clock a good 125Mhz. I can't find the 13.11 Beta 9.4's atiumd64.dll in the C:/AMD folder.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> My issue lately has been Flash Players on specific Sites causing a Halt State for driver atikmdag.sys.
> 
> I can literally trigger a BSOD by going to a site and choosing a 1080p video and pressing play, 30 or so seconds later boom.
> 
> the embedded players causing the problem have no option to disable HW Acceleration. but YT runs fine with it on.


I had that issue on 14.4, when the 14.6 beta came out I uninstalled 14.4 with DDU, then installed 14.6 beta, and that seems to have helped me be able to watch flash videos.

Oh the joys of using AMD GPUs in my main rig..


----------



## X-Alt

Unrelated question, I have added a fan on the bottom of my case that pushes air up towards my Matrix 7970, which dumps air into the case. Will this be helpful to remove heat or will it have no effect, considering I like the cosmetic benefit of having a 2000RPM SP120 on the bottom?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> I have the problem with embedded players. It decides to reset my clock to default when using HW Acel on it, only started recently and I had to disable it via regular YouTube. Since my card is not really that stable on default mem clocks (moer voltz), it would have caused some problems along with dropping my core clock a good 125Mhz. I can't find the 13.11 Beta 9.4's atiumd64.dll in the C:/AMD folder.


Download the Installer package, Have it Extract to the C:\AMD\ Directory,
Navigate to AMD\Catalyst 13.11 Beta 9\ Folder, and expand atiumd64.dl_

so:
Open elevated Command prompt, CD\ to C: Root,

Run:
expand (path to atiumd64.dl_) (path to where you want atiumd64.dll)


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Unrelated question, I have added a fan on the bottom of my case that pushes air up towards my Matrix 7970, which dumps air into the case. Will this be helpful to remove heat or will it have no effect, considering I like the cosmetic benefit of having a 2000RPM SP120 on the bottom?


As long as you have a flow path to exhaust the hot air, it should have some benefit as an intake fan.


----------



## SkateZilla

it's sad that the R9-280X cards are still more expensive than the HD7970s.

I was looking at a cheap R9-280X Gamer to go with my lightning,

But it's nearly $400 still,

For $400 i'd rather just wait for a deal on ebay and get another lightning, better cooling and i/o.

though the R9-280 (7950 Equiv.) is only $199.

I'm still looking for a Decent Deal on a 7990 w/ the same I/O as the Lightning (4x MiniDP)
So I'll have 3x 7970 GPUs









But I'll settle for a Lightning at a decent price..

I have a Few 7990s and Lightnings on my Watch list, But I Assume I'll have to Upgrade my PSU again too if I get a 7990 (RM850 might not cut it.)

Calculator puts it at 790w for everything, but I have some things running off a separate PSU/Power Supply (USB etc)


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> I had that issue on 14.4, when the 14.6 beta came out I uninstalled 14.4 with DDU, then installed 14.6 beta, and that seems to have helped me be able to watch flash videos.
> 
> Oh the joys of using AMD GPUs in my main rig..


oh stop it. it does not discriminate . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1496032/flash-player-bluescreen-help

weird thing is . . . i have Hardware Acceleration enabled without issue on both my rigs.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> oh stop it. it does not discriminate . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1496032/flash-player-bluescreen-help
> 
> weird thing is . . . i have Hardware Acceleration enabled without issue on both my rigs.


Heh Heh, that last snippet was a joke, I keed, I keed. I love my little baby R9 270s, they are great for folding and gaming. Its not the GPUs fault, it was just software on my particular system, I don't even blame the 14.4 drivers. Oddly enough, since doing a clean install of 14.6 have had no issues.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Heh Heh, that last snippet was a joke, I keed, I keed. I love my little baby R9 270s, they are great for folding and gaming. Its not the GPUs fault, it was just software on _my_ particular system, I don't even blame the 14.4 drivers. Oddly enough, since doing a clean install of 14.6 have had no issues.


i read a solution from a lady member but i can't find it anymore. it's a guaranteed permanent fix for those having issues with videos. tsk tsk.

edit: no, not stop watching videos. lol


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> it's sad that the R9-280X cards are still more expensive than the HD7970s.
> 
> I was looking at a cheap R9-280X Gamer to go with my lightning,
> 
> But it's nearly $400 still,
> 
> For $400 i'd rather just wait for a deal on ebay and get another lightning, better cooling and i/o.
> 
> though the R9-280 (7950 Equiv.) is only $199.
> 
> I'm still looking for a Decent Deal on a 7990 w/ the same I/O as the Lightning (4x MiniDP)
> So I'll have 3x 7970 GPUs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I'll settle for a Lightning at a decent price..
> 
> I have a Few 7990s and Lightnings on my Watch list, But I Assume I'll have to Upgrade my PSU again too if I get a 7990 (RM850 might not cut it.)
> 
> Calculator puts it at 790w for everything, but I have some things running off a separate PSU/Power Supply (USB etc)


If you look in the parts of the world that wasn't struck by the mining craze then you will see the price is entirely different. Here in Norway for example the prices didn't change at all, and the R9 280 costs 1900NOK while the R9 280x costs 2400NOK. This is the cheapoest models I could find in the largest store and is the Sapphire Radeon R9 280 Dual-X and the MSI R9 280x Gaming. The point being that the price difference should be far less then what you are describing, as our prices shows. In fact the 280x at 400USD is actually more expensive then the one I found in my country and that is the very first time I have seen that (unless you count the mining craze).


----------



## SkateZilla

I never had a problem until recently and it's only on specific sites, I can youtube all day with HW Acceleration on.

it's these 3rd party sites that use these 3rd party Players....

I never had a problem until a month ago, after either one of the flash updates, or one of the Cat. Driver updates.

Disabling HW Acceleration only bypasses the problem. and with it off, the video doesn't look as good (it actually looks pixelated).

might have to do another google search with the BlueScreen debug info this weekend.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> it's sad that the R9-280X cards are still more expensive than the HD7970s.
> 
> I was looking at a cheap R9-280X Gamer to go with my lightning,
> 
> But it's nearly $400 still,
> 
> For $400 i'd rather just wait for a deal on ebay and get another lightning, better cooling and i/o.
> 
> though the R9-280 (7950 Equiv.) is only $199.
> 
> I'm still looking for a Decent Deal on a 7990 w/ the same I/O as the Lightning (4x MiniDP)
> So I'll have 3x 7970 GPUs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I'll settle for a Lightning at a decent price..
> 
> I have a Few 7990s and Lightnings on my Watch list, But I Assume I'll have to Upgrade my PSU again too if I get a 7990 (RM850 might not cut it.)
> 
> Calculator puts it at 790w for everything, but I have some things running off a separate PSU/Power Supply (USB etc)


Most likely due to warranty/support. Most 79xx series cards are reaching half or almost depleted their warranty. A brand new 280X has full warranty. I've been seeing 7990 with blocks sitting on ebay for ~$500. Tempting but I already have my quads.

I've been having random shut downs and most likely either drivers or my attempt to fix a 3rd party software glitch. Last time i gamed it shut down about 15 minutes into the game and it was shutting down when just browsing. did a new install of 14.4 and so far its holding. I'm probably gonna reformat since it may help with this 3rd party app.


----------



## SkateZilla

edit: I was looking at 6GB cards,, the 3GB Cards are below $300ish


----------



## wermad

6gb cards are not worth it imho because eventually, you'll run out of gpu power before the 6gb becomes crucial. At my resolution 3gb is still very good. Might as well jump on Hawaii to be faster and have 4gb. The Sapphire 7970 6gb were out before the 280x 6gb were and they hardly caused a stir. Even if you're going 4k, 3gb is plenty enough for that. Most 6gb 280x are ~350-400 and that's just silly spending considering a used 290 can be had for under $300 and or a used 290x for ~$350-400. Or get a brand new 290 ~$400.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:



> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 6gb cards are not worth it imho because eventually, you'll run out of gpu power before the 6gb becomes crucial. At my resolution 3gb is still very good. Might as well jump on Hawaii to be faster and have 4gb. The Sapphire 7970 6gb were out before the 280x 6gb were and they hardly caused a stir. Even if you're going 4k, 3gb is plenty enough for that. Most 6gb 280x are ~350-400 and that's just silly spending considering a used 290 can be had for under $300 and or a used 290x for ~$350-400. Or get a brand new 290 ~$400.


Bu bu but..modded Skyrim dawg..


----------



## wermad

yup, the ol' skyrim argument









edit: I think Watchdogs is now the new skyrim excuse to buy gpu's with more vram. But doesn't watchdogs play like crap on amd????


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> yup, the ol' skyrim argument
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: I think Watchdogs is now the new skyrim excuse to buy gpu's with more vram. But doesn't watchdogs play like crap on amd????


Had to, because if I didn't in my sarcastic way, somebody would have been serious about it. xD


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Quote:
> Bu bu but..modded Skyrim dawg..


Still won't matter since as far as I know it can't use more then 4gb of the memory anyways due to 32bit restrictions. That is at least how I understand it, but that may be far off. What we may start to see however is that games will start requiering far more memory due to 6bit games becomming more common. I mean it's simply a necesety as we are on the brink of what 32bit can give us and we have held back for years now due to consoles. Hopefully the new genereation of consoles can get us over to 64bit for all that it's worth.

And yeah I do feel for you, I mean I gained massive a lot by changing from 6870 to 7950 and that was due to memory and not performance. It simply became stable. So yeah 290 is better then 280x 6gb any day.

Edit: oh and yeah I gt the sarcasm, but always answer sarcasm with logic to throw pwople off.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> 6gb cards are not worth it imho because eventually, you'll run out of gpu power before the 6gb becomes crucial. At my resolution 3gb is still very good. Might as well jump on Hawaii to be faster and have 4gb. The Sapphire 7970 6gb were out before the 280x 6gb were and they hardly caused a stir. Even if you're going 4k, 3gb is plenty enough for that. Most 6gb 280x are ~350-400 and that's just silly spending considering a used 290 can be had for under $300 and or a used 290x for ~$350-400. Or get a brand new 290 ~$400.


Lemme re-phrase, I was acknowledging that my posted prices were off because I was looking at the wrong cards.. lol.

if I went 6GB I'd have to buy 2 of them, or the extra 3 GB would be useless in X-Fire

I Run 3 Screens for Gaming w/ a 4th for Maps etc, might upgrade that one to a touch screen, but Not sure I want to just yet.

I'll upgrade to hawaii when they come out with a Card that has a I/O like the Lightning (4 MiniDP). till then, I'm not spending another $100 on more adapters or hubs I have 5 adapters already.

R9-295x2 is the only option, and is $1000 over my budget.

Hopefully when AMD decides to put 990FX to rest and come out with something new with DDR4 and PCIe3/4, I'll upgrade then, till then, 2048+1792 Shaders, with 2048 more to be added soon, will work fine


----------



## wermad

Here's hoping PI does have 2-3 mini dp 1.3


----------



## SkateZilla

Just make it 6 MiniDPs, and a Cheap Passive MiniDP -> DVI or HDMI Adapter that will use the VPU's DisplayClock for people that don't care for multiple displays.


----------



## wermad

Well, you do get almost double the bandwidth, so it's like having six 1.2 with only three 1.3 physical connectors.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Well, you do get almost double the bandwidth, so it's like having six 1.2 with only three 1.3 physical connectors.


But how long of a wait until 1.3 MST Hubs come out, lol.


----------



## wermad

Ugh, the way they took so long on the 1.2 hubs, who knows. But I'm sure they understand the great demand and hopefully have something in the works shortly after the first 1.3 (and hdmi 2.0) gpu's are launched.


----------



## Mega Man

@shilka has a few "rules"

one is dont trust online psu calculators as they are usually wrong !


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> @shilka has a few "rules"
> 
> one is dont trust online psu calculators as they are usually wrong !


Very true, but I personally have had problems calculating the power needed in other cases. If you have any pointers on that one then I would apreciate it. So far the PSU calculators doesn't show to low wattage at the very least so you don't end up with a PSU that is to small. I'm in this bind myslef as I am unsure exactly how much power my system needs and how much is needed with an upgrade.


----------



## wermad

Lol, most I've pulled on the Kill-A-Watt: ~1850W at the wall. Quad GTX 480s @ 965hz plus oc'd X79 setup, sucks up a lot of power







.

I still need to get a new kill-a-watt to take some readings on my current rig. I'm probably ~1450-1550w at the wall. Got two 1kw psu's so I'm covered for any additional oc'ing. Speaking of oc, I haven't even budged my cards from 1150







. This beta testing is really taking up all my spare time


----------



## Mega Man

some how i missed a page give me a min and i will help the best i can


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Lol, most I've pulled on the Kill-A-Watt: ~1850W at the wall. Quad GTX 480s @ 965hz plus oc'd X79 setup, sucks up a lot of power
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> I still need to get a new kill-a-watt to take some readings on my current rig. I'm probably ~1450-1550w at the wall. Got two 1kw psu's so I'm covered for any additional oc'ing. Speaking of oc, I haven't even budged my cards from 1150
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . This beta testing is really taking up all my spare time


Damn, I hope you're on a dedicated circuit, lol.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> it's sad that the R9-280X cards are still more expensive than the HD7970s.
> 
> I was looking at a cheap R9-280X Gamer to go with my lightning,
> 
> But it's nearly $400 still,
> 
> For $400 i'd rather just wait for a deal on ebay and get another lightning, better cooling and i/o.
> 
> though the R9-280 (7950 Equiv.) is only $199.
> 
> I'm still looking for a Decent Deal on a 7990 w/ the same I/O as the Lightning (4x MiniDP)
> So I'll have 3x 7970 GPUs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I'll settle for a Lightning at a decent price..
> 
> I have a Few 7990s and Lightnings on my Watch list, But I Assume I'll have to Upgrade my PSU again too if I get a 7990 (RM850 might not cut it.)
> 
> Calculator puts it at 790w for everything, but I have some things running off a separate PSU/Power Supply (USB etc)


7970 +7990 +oced 8350

350 + 400?? + 300

i am guessing on the 7990 as i honestly didnt pay too much attention, but you should have some headroom to help you all figures are assuming oc

stock

250 +300+200-250
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Just make it 6 MiniDPs, and a Cheap Passive MiniDP -> DVI or HDMI Adapter that will use the VPU's DisplayClock for people that don't care for multiple displays.


1 million times yes !! single slot cards !!


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Damn, I hope you're on a dedicated circuit, lol.


Yup, found an empty 20amp line in my panel. No more tripping like the 15 amp breaker







.


----------



## mus1mus

Is it during gaming or benching that when the breakers tripped out?


----------



## wermad

Benching, used to do it fanatically but today I just use it for testing. I'm still on the 20amp circuit which is good for 2000w. The 15amp is good for 1500w so the oc'd gtx 480s were too much for the old breaker. The US has weaker electrical standards compared to other beefier setups in other countries. Our electrical outlets are rated at 115v.

I haven't tripped the circuits with my current setup







.


----------



## Mega Man

imo they are far more strict....


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> *Benching, used to do it fanatically but today I just use it for testing*. I'm still on the 20amp circuit which is good for 2000w. The 15amp is good for 1500w so the oc'd gtx 480s were too much for the old breaker. The US has weaker electrical standards compared to other beefier setups in other countries. Our electrical outlets are rated at 115v.
> 
> I haven't tripped the circuits with my current setup
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Nice info on the *BOLD* one.

I am aware that you guys are having lower voltages from the wall. Thus needing more current.

In contrast, we use 220V from either 3-phase 110V lines or a single phase 220V. Thus will need way lesser current ratings on the breakers. Especially on that 3-Phase 110.

But i don't think it means weaker standards. It may have something to do with safety IMO.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> imo they are far more strict....


I believe so.


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Man, just saw our office's Electricals and they are cheapened on the wirings. AWG #16 to power 80-40 Watts Florescents with the longest run of 35 meters.









And this is a government approved establishment: Double-Fail


----------



## wermad

By weaker I don't mean bad, its just "less than" other countries. Its literal meaning not a figurative meaning







.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 7970 +7990 +oced 8350
> 
> 350 + 400?? + 300
> 
> i am guessing on the 7990 as i honestly didnt pay too much attention, but you should have some headroom to help you all figures are assuming oc
> 
> stock
> 
> 250 +300+200-250
> 1 million times yes !! single slot cards !!


i'll have to check the draw of the 8350 at 5148Mhz (234*22), as I think the CPU Alone is a big Chunk, but I can run it off the Secondary PSU (700w), since that one simply powers USB, Fans, and Drives.


----------



## wermad

Wow, 5.1. Is that your 24/7 setup?


----------



## SkateZilla

for about 8 months of the year,

the warm summer months a change back to the 4.5 Ghz (234*19.5) profile, which lowers voltage and stuff some.

Even under the H100, the hot months are pretty much the same, the only real issue I have right now is the GPU temps, so in the summer I take the 2nd GPU out. (at least Till I get around to red-modding them.

But I'm looking into a custom closed loop. but I dont want to drop money on the blocks until I know for sure I'm not upgrading to 2x R9-290/X/XTXs soon.


----------



## wermad

You can always go with uni blocks on the gpu's.


----------



## rck1984

Made a topic already but i'd like to ask here as well:

I'm facing some odd fan issues here, let me explain...

I'm using a Sapphire 7950 crossfire setup with:

1x Sapphire 7950 with a 810 MHz Core Clock
1x Sapphire 7950 OC edition with a 900 Mhz Core Clock

When i am overclocking these two cards to let's say 1150 Core Clock and increasing voltage to achieve it, the normal (810 Mhz) card is getting warmer than the OC edition card (900 Mhz). That is explainable due to the higher voltage needed for the slower card (lower voltage on default). Therefore, i want to run the 810 Mhz card on the bottom and the 900 Mhz card on the top of my setup. (Top card is always hotter than the bottom card)

Now the odd thing happens.... When i put my OC edition card on the top, the card seems to be on 100% fan speed on default. When i start-up my Windows, the card is always on full blast until MSI Afterburner kicks in and sets the fan speed. However, if i switch the two cards, this issue wont happen.

Does someone know what might be wrong here? The card itself works flawlessly, its just the fan that screws up... Would flashing the OC edition card with another BIOS be any solution? Is that even possible? Could i use my normal edition BIOS for example?

Any thoughts?


----------



## wermad

Is it running full during the bios splash screen and Windows boot up? Sounds like an issue with a utility or profile.


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Is it running full during the bios splash screen and Windows boot up? Sounds like an issue with a utility or profile.


As soon as i see the Windows 7 logo, the fan goes to 100% until MSI Afterburner is loaded, then my manual profile kicks in.
Could it be a problem with the BIOS somehow? I RMA'd this card once before because one of the fans was making a ticking/vibrating sound. When they sent it back, this issue showed up. The card is out of warranty now so i can't send it back again.

Could it be the BIOS that has some issues? Would it be possible to flash it with the same BIOS that runs on my "normal edition" card? Or just "re-flash" it with a OC edtion BIOS?


----------



## wermad

Try uninstalling AB and set Overdrive to default. Boot up with only the card in question.


----------



## SkateZilla

CCC Might have it set to 100% so as soon as Windows Loads the AMD Driver it maxes out,

My Fans are high RPM for a few seconds in reverse, then they slow down, and as soon as windows loads my CCC Drivers they go back to 75%, as soon as the GPU hit's 50 they goto 100%


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> You can always go with uni blocks on the gpu's.


Might as well do the red-mod, lol


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Might as well do the red-mod, lol


If you decide to go redmod then you have a lot of choices, but I suspect you knwo that. If you need any help just ask and I can see what I can set up for you. My thread is always available for any info you may want about the mod, so you should check it out if you haven't.

Anyway, I'm a bit surprised about you GPU fan speed. 75% uder 50* and 100% over 50*. I could not survive with so much noise...


----------



## rck1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Try uninstalling AB and set Overdrive to default. Boot up with only the card in question.


Tried all that, card still goes 100% fan speed until some program such as CCC/Afterburner/Trixx kicks in..
I tried flashing its BIOS to another version but doesn't seem to help either.

I noticed something else that's odd: In afterburner/GPU-Z, the temps and usage of GPU1 is not showing. The temps of GPU2 on the other hand do show.
ULPS is disabled and crossfire is enabled, eventhough i can't see usage/temps, i can judge from the increased FPS.

I also tried disabling CCC in msconfig to make sure only Afterburner is regulating the cards, doesn't seem to help either.......

What the heck is wrong with this card?

Edit: The VRM temps do show on both cards though...
Edit: If i switch the cards around, both temp/usage show of the two cards.


----------



## rck1984

Ok, god i seem to have fixed this issue after weeks if not months of headaches..............

It seems like the cards were very slightly bending/warping in the PCI-E slots because of the weight, i put some small pvc piping underneath to keep them 100% level. Right when i started Windows, i noticed that the odd 100% fan speed was gone, now my temps/usage shows also in Afterburner/CCC.

It's odd though, because the other card (the slower one) doesn't have any trouble with the bending at all, its just the OC edition card that screws up.

Boy, i'm glad this is fixed. Thanks for the suggestions guys!


----------



## thrgk

Can someone please help me.

I have 4 7970s, and if I oc my 4770k at all, the drivers crash on startup then recover.

I have tried the smallest OC on my 4770k, like 42multi and 1.35v, and still occurs. Can someone please help me figure this out>

I have reinstalled windows many times, amd drivers, 13.9 and 14.4, idk what to do!!


----------



## SkateZilla

I'm actually thinking about ducting my GPUs and have a fan blowing towards the rear of the case,
so any hot air from the GPU fans is blown out the back vents, while the fans are also fed cool air. it's gonna be tricky, I'll have to fab some designs on paper before I look into it.

Likely be white or red posterboard (that way I can draw lines to cut, and Put some Stickers on it) to fit between the GFX Cards without covering the Power Leads, and then have it extend to the front of the case fan, I may move my old KAMA Bay Mod (120mm Front Fan Kit ) from my old case and move the Front USB Ports to the Rear Bracket.

Right now I have 5x 5.25 bays, with DVDRW, Xfi-Bay, and 5.25->3.5 w/ USB 3.0 headers. I can move the USB 3 Headers Elsewhere, as they came with the case and has a "bracket mod" But TBH, I RARELY use them,

So I can have the 120mm High Pressure 120 CFM Fan in the front of the case pull air in,
Build the Cardboard duct to attach to the fan, have it come to the back of the 5.25 Bay, and indent down to the back of the longer GPU, then have it go to the back of the case.

I could cut some bleed air vents so some of the air goes into the case or mainboard as well.
I can prolly loop the Power Leads behind the mainboard tray and back up under the duct.

I have an extra "Vent" bracket for the back of the case.

Something like this (obviously Its not to scale, and I'll have to adjust for the Ram DIMMs), But this would stop the Heat from the GPUs being re-circulated, and it's blown out the back. ).
*Note I do have the 200mm Fan that normally comes installed in the top of the HAF 922 installed on the side panel.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I'm actually thinking about ducting my GPUs and have a fan blowing towards the rear of the case,
> so any hot air from the GPU fans is blown out the back vents, while the fans are also fed cool air. it's gonna be tricky, I'll have to fab some designs on paper before I look into it.
> 
> Likely be cardboard to fit between the GFX Cards without covering the Power Leads, and then have it extend to the front of the case fan, I may move my old KAMA Bay Mod (120mm Front Fan Kit ) from my old case and move the Front USB Ports to the Rear Bracket.
> 
> Right now I have 5x 5.25 bays, with DVDRW, Xfi-Bay, and 5.25->3.5 w/ USB 3.0 headers. I can move the USB 3 Headers Elsewhere, as they came with the case and has a "bracket mod" But TBH, I RARELY use them,
> 
> So I can have the 120mm High Pressure 120 CFM Fan in the front of the case pull air in,
> Build the Cardboard duct to attach to the fan, have it come to the back of the 5.25 Bay, and indent down to the back of the longer GPU, then have it go to the back of the case.
> 
> I could cut some bleed air vents so some of the air goes into the case or mainboard as well.
> I can prolly loop the Power Leads behind the mainboard tray and back up under the duct.
> 
> I have an extra "Vent" bracket for the back of the case.
> 
> Something like this (obviously Its not to scale, and I'll have to adjust for the Ram DIMMs), But this would stop the Heat from the GPUs being re-circulated, and it's blown out the back. ).
> *Note I do have the 200mm Fan that normally comes installed in the top of the HAF 922 installed on the side panel.


how about having the rear exhaust fan sucking in air and the front blowing in. The you just duct your cards so that you part up your case in two rooms with the upper part getting air from the rear and front 120mm fan, and the cards from the 200mm front fan and the bottom 120mm fan. It would make it far easier to work with and you would be certain that the cards gained enough air. You should probably add a 120mm or 92mm fan in the lower PCI slots to then to give some more air flow.

If you do choose to go red mod though then a Swiftech full cover heat sink and Corsair h55 would provide good cooling at a reasonable price. And even better price to performance ratio if you get some used parts. Regular old heat sinks work to but you will need additional fans for your cards for that.

Just something to think about. Either way I'm curious to see the result of your modding. It will be an interesting project for sure.


----------



## SkateZilla

Will a H55 Waterblock fit in the space of the Swiftech heatsink?

i dont think the full cover heatsink will work on the Lightning either.

I'm prolly gonna buy a Enermax Liqtech (Black and Red Color Scheme) to replace my H100, and send that in for RMA (Leds on Pump are off, cant control it, etc).

I should just start building a simple closed loop.
Pump, Res, Generic CPU block, 240 Rad, 120 Rad, 2 Universal GPU Blocks, etc.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Will a H55 Waterblock fit in the space of the Swiftech heatsink?
> 
> i dont think the full cover heatsink will work on the Lightning either.
> 
> I'm prolly gonna buy a Enermax Liqtech (Black and Red Color Scheme) to replace my H100, and send that in for RMA (Leds on Pump are off, cant control it, etc).
> 
> I should just start building a simple closed loop.
> Pump, Res, Generic CPU block, 240 Rad, 120 Rad, 2 Universal GPU Blocks, etc.


if you are going to go for something like that then you should probably consider the Swiftech H220 and the Cooler Master Eisberg. Tehy have pumps included in the block and are expandable, so it would save you some money in the long run. If you have troubles getting any of those where you are then you might just want to go for one of Alphacool's kits or maybe XSPC's kits as they give you quality for quite a low price.

And yeah those swiftech heat sinks would have to be modified, but it should not be that much of a problem. Regarding your card though, is that wider then regular PCB's or stock width? if it's wider then it's a no go, but if its regular size then you just have to drill a bit in the heat sink for it to fit.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rck1984*
> 
> Ok, god i seem to have fixed this issue after weeks if not months of headaches..............
> 
> It seems like the cards were very slightly bending/warping in the PCI-E slots because of the weight, i put some small pvc piping underneath to keep them 100% level. Right when i started Windows, i noticed that the odd 100% fan speed was gone, now my temps/usage shows also in Afterburner/CCC.
> 
> It's odd though, because the other card (the slower one) doesn't have any trouble with the bending at all, its just the OC edition card that screws up.
> 
> Boy, i'm glad this is fixed. Thanks for the suggestions guys!


Awesome, glad to hear everything is cool. Maybe a good reason to get a new case w/ horizontal or reversed mb layout







?

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Can someone please help me.
> 
> I have 4 7970s, and if I oc my 4770k at all, the drivers crash on startup then recover.
> 
> I have tried the smallest OC on my 4770k, like 42multi and 1.35v, and still occurs. Can someone please help me figure this out>
> 
> I have reinstalled windows many times, amd drivers, 13.9 and 14.4, idk what to do!!


Hey dude,

So this only happens when you oc the cpu or when you run the cpu stock clocks? Haswell is a bit more involved and there extra settings you have to tune to get an oc right. Check out the haswell guide. There's settings for uncore voltage, ring speed, etc. that can get unstable if you have not touched these extra settings. Sin put up a nice haswell guide for gb and some ppl use as a guide even though they may not have a gb board.

For now, go back to stock clocks and run some benchmarks. Cpu first, then gpu only, then combo benchmarks to test both. Try to narrow down the issue but I'm suspecting a bad oc (or possibly a bad cpu). I'm on 14.4 and its been stable, 14.6 is a bit weird but you can always fall back on the trusty 13.12 whql driver.


----------



## SkateZilla

both cards have custom PCBs, and heatplates under the fans.

I could water block them both with a Core / Uni Block, and just mount some fans to them to cool the VRM/RAM.

the Cooler Master has had bad user reviews lately for catching fire and stuff, I think I'll pass on them.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> both cards have custom PCBs, and heatplates under the fans.
> 
> I could water block them both with a Core / Uni Block, and just mount some fans to them to cool the VRM/RAM.
> 
> the Cooler Master has had bad user reviews lately for catching fire and stuff, I think I'll pass on them.


I have had a great experience with the CM Glacer 240L, those reviews come from the 3% who have the problem.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> both cards have custom PCBs, and heatplates under the fans.
> 
> I could water block them both with a Core / Uni Block, and just mount some fans to them to cool the VRM/RAM.
> 
> the Cooler Master has had bad user reviews lately for catching fire and stuff, I think I'll pass on them.


¨

really? I didn't know the eisberg had that bad of a reputation, I have just seen it in the stores and took notice upon the fact that it was open loop. Either way, if you modify your case and get somethign like the 360 kit or 480 kit from alphacool then you should be able to handle all your component without trouble. You may even go the 240 kit and add another 240 for peace of mind.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> ¨
> 
> really? I didn't know the eisberg had that bad of a reputation, I have just seen it in the stores and took notice upon the fact that it was open loop. Either way, if you modify your case and get somethign like the 360 kit or 480 kit from alphacool then you should be able to handle all your component without trouble. You may even go the 240 kit and add another 240 for peace of mind.


it was likely a bad batch, and people that got defective units complained where as people that had functioning unit's didnt say anything,

it's typical for user reviews on NewEgg and stuff, I avoid products that have a rash of 1 egg reviews for DOA problems and stuff, at least until 4 or 5 star reviews start flowing in again. (indicating the bad batch is pretty much gone).


----------



## inedenimadam

I have only heard great things about the eisberg. Its fits a very odd, but growing segment of people that that want to dip their toes into watercooling without going full bore, or without wasting money on a un-expandable AIO. For a while there the Swifttech 220 was the only thing in that class of cooler, and was almost ALWAYS out of stock. Watercooling is fun, and it looks like a great product to get started with.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I have only heard great things about the eisberg. Its fits a very odd, but growing segment of people that that want to dip their toes into watercooling without going full bore, or without wasting money on a un-expandable AIO. For a while there the Swifttech 220 was the only thing in that class of cooler, and was almost ALWAYS out of stock. Watercooling is fun, and it looks like a great product to get started with.


Not to mention that the h220 is more or less unavailable int the states until this patent stuff with Asetek gets sorted out.


----------



## SkateZilla

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103196

like i said, bad batch


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103196
> 
> like i said, bad batch


Well those are scary


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103196
> 
> like i said, bad batch


Wow...I hope CoolerMaster gets that sorted out.


----------



## jellybeans69

Decided to pick-up HIS 7970 IceQ X² for 160 euros, seemed like a really good deal given prices on new 280x are 200+ (except VTX3D R9 280X which is around 200)


----------



## Rainmaker91

well to be fair, these are the ones I was talking about http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-liquid-cooler/eisberg-240l-prestige/ not the glacer. Stilll, I need to take a closer look at those glacers.


----------



## eclipsextreme

I have a 7970/7950 crossfire setup. Everything was working fine and since I updated to a new SSD and fresh install the 7950 doesnt resgister temps. Ive checked with CCC GPUZ and Corsair Link. I also updated to ccc 14.4 and no change. The only thing I changed in my system was the hard disk and a fresh win7 install.


----------



## wermad

check gpuz and try afterburner.

I get the same thing (its been a few months with this windows install) on my other cards. Apparently, its ULPS, I've been told. So if you disable it, it may work. Though it didn't work for me, I ended up installing an older version of Afterburner that does show temps for all four of my cards.


----------



## Roaches

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> I have a 7970/7950 crossfire setup. Everything was working fine and since I updated to a new SSD and fresh install the 7950 doesnt resgister temps. Ive checked with CCC GPUZ and Corsair Link. I also updated to ccc 14.4 and no change. The only thing I changed in my system was the hard disk and a fresh win7 install.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> check gpuz and try afterburner.
> 
> I get the same thing (its been a few months with this windows install) on my other cards. Apparently, its ULPS, I've been told. So if you disable it, it may work. Though it didn't work for me, I ended up installing an older version of Afterburner that does show temps for all four of my cards.


Its ULPS being the culprit, when enabled, the Temp Sensors on the second GPU won't register on MSI AB on desktop, when experiencing Crossfire for the first time with my dual 270X Devils. You can tell right away that the second GPU fans aren't spinning.

Startup Regedit, CRTL+F, enter "DisableUPLS", and it should show up as a string with a value 1. Change it to 0, exit and reboot.

Your second GPU should be active and temp sensors should be registered in MSI AB from the OSD monitoring control panel.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Roaches and Wermad... thanks alot that fixed. Much appreciated. Since im running stock coolers I really gotta watch my gpu temps.


----------



## wermad

Sapphire Trixx has a setting to switch off ULPS.


----------



## tsm106

People should really learn what key to change manually. C'mon man its simple, its the same one key, and it never changes.


----------



## Dr Acula

Just picked myself up another Asus DirectCU II 7970. Just waiting until later this week to grab a Corsair AX860 as the current HX650W won't stand a chance at running both cards at load..

http://www.iforce.co.nz/i/sqobqxuj.lcf.jpg


----------



## LDV617

Got 2x Vapor-X 7950's (the newer design) on craigslist for $225 total.










Loving them.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dr Acula*
> 
> Just picked myself up another Asus DirectCU II 7970. Just waiting until later this week to grab a Corsair AX860 as the current HX650W won't stand a chance at running both cards at load..
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.iforce.co.nz/i/sqobqxuj.lcf.jpg


Those cards look pretty beastly, but please clean out that dust in the radiator.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Those cards look pretty beastly, but please clean out that dust in the radiator.


And this people, is why you use pull and not pushpull!


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> And this people, is why you use pull and not pushpull!


I'd say it's more of why you use positive airflow and maybe dust filters.


----------



## Mega Man

i am with x, super easy to clean !


----------



## SkateZilla

i just use a paint brush to clean the fans and radiator off then blow it out.


----------



## BradleyW

I put everything under the tap basically. Been doing this for years. Cleans all the dust right off!


----------



## phinexswarm71

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I put everything under the tap basically. Been doing this for years. Cleans all the dust right off!


at least put a disclaimer under that advise,ill tell you people would come to complain for their broken electronics for u









the best way to clean dust is with air compressor if u have the access to it of course.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phinexswarm71*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> I put everything under the tap basically. Been doing this for years. Cleans all the dust right off!
> 
> 
> 
> at least put a disclaimer under that advise,ill tell you people would come to complain for their broken electronics for u
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the best way to clean dust is with air compressor if u have the access to it of course.
Click to expand...

not true, most consumer grade compressors have lots of moisture and they lack all the moisture removal accessories

not that there is a large chance of this happening but also you have risk of static shock happening to the components

compressed air does not ( from a can ).

i used a shop vac personally although again i have the risk of static elect as well


----------



## jellybeans69

Seems like my HIS IceQ 7970 ain't the greatest ocer all around best i could do was about 1175/1650 , even with 1.3v for vcore.
http://i.imgur.com/oV2VJRh.png


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jellybeans69*
> 
> Seems like my HIS IceQ 7970 ain't the greatest ocer all around best i could do was about 1175/1650 , even with 1.3v for vcore.
> http://i.imgur.com/oV2VJRh.png


Is that under water or with a stock cooler? If it's with the stock cooler then that is about the temp you should expect from a regular card as far as I have seen. I was able to push my 7950 to 1230mhz under water so yours is not the worst out there.


----------



## phinexswarm71

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not true, most consumer grade compressors have lots of moisture and they lack all the moisture removal accessories
> 
> not that there is a large chance of this happening but also you have risk of static shock happening to the components
> 
> compressed air does not ( from a can ).
> 
> i used a shop vac personally although again i have the risk of static elect as well


well,for those using a quality air compressor like me dont have to worry that much and either consumer grade as well that much

if u have an air compressor with water seperator moisture shouldnt be a issue

but ill tell you that for a fact after using air compressor on old dusty components they look shiny just bought from the store,also i havent ran into problems for 8 years using air compressor,so i'd say air compressor is the way to go


----------



## jellybeans69

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Is that under water or with a stock cooler? If it's with the stock cooler then that is about the temp you should expect from a regular card as far as I have seen. I was able to push my 7950 to 1230mhz under water so yours is not the worst out there.


Air but even under 1.3v vcore / 1.612v mem it didn't go over 78-80* C in benchmarks, stock cooler.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jellybeans69*
> 
> Air but even under 1.3v vcore / 1.612v mem it didn't go over 78-80* C in benchmarks, stock cooler.


Still, as far as I know you are able to push a card further on lower temps. I may be wrong but that is what I have heard. Depending on your memory you may be able to push it further on a higher voltage. I haven't gone past 1.6v myself but then again I haven't really started clocking my memory yet, I usually run my card at stock speed since I don't play stressing games that often. At present time my memory is at 1500mhz and 1.6v but I think I can push it higher at higher voltages.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phinexswarm71*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> not true, most consumer grade compressors have lots of moisture and they lack all the moisture removal accessories
> 
> not that there is a large chance of this happening but also you have risk of static shock happening to the components
> 
> compressed air does not ( from a can ).
> 
> i used a shop vac personally although again i have the risk of static elect as well
> 
> 
> 
> well,for those using a quality air compressor like me dont have to worry that much and either consumer grade as well that much
> 
> if u have an air compressor with water seperator moisture shouldnt be a issue
> 
> but ill tell you that for a fact after using air compressor on old dusty components they look shiny just bought from the store,also i havent ran into problems for 8 years using air compressor,so i'd say air compressor is the way to go
Click to expand...

has not happened vs will not..... big difference, i doubt you have a electronic safe air compressor considering they can cost well over 50k when all said and done ( yes in my last job i worked on them ! )

i have not had a problem in 10 years using a shop vac, on electronics but you need to at least state there is a possible issue with it.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jellybeans69*
> 
> Air but even under 1.3v vcore / 1.612v mem it didn't go over 78-80* C in benchmarks, stock cooler.
> 
> 
> 
> Still, as far as I know you are able to push a card further on lower temps. I may be wrong but that is what I have heard. Depending on your memory you may be able to push it further on a higher voltage. I haven't gone past 1.6v myself but then again I haven't really started clocking my memory yet, I usually run my card at stock speed since I don't play stressing games that often. At present time my memory is at 1500mhz and 1.6v but I think I can push it higher at higher voltages.
Click to expand...

yes you want to keep your card under 60c for best results but the colder the better ~~


----------



## thisjustanother

hello everyone, ive got a few questions if i may. i bought a 7990 nearly a year go, have been loving it ever since with my 1440p korean monitor.

ive been thinking about getting a second 1440p monitor, or maybe just a side monitor. but i know the 7990 only has one dvi connector and 4 mini display. my main question is - is it better to go the adapter route of mini display to hdmi http://tinyurl.com/npmvebk, or go the full route of mini to hdmi http://tinyurl.com/pdfhxue

the second monitor wont be used for gaming, but more of a side panel that will be used for putting chat, vent, twitch, etc on while i game on my main screen.

im just trying to figure out the best route i should go when it comes to a second monitor for my 7990.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thisjustanother*
> 
> hello everyone, ive got a few questions if i may. i bought a 7990 nearly a year go, have been loving it ever since with my 1440p korean monitor.
> 
> ive been thinking about getting a second 1440p monitor, or maybe just a side monitor. but i know the 7990 only has one dvi connector and 4 mini display. my main question is - is it better to go the adapter route of mini display to hdmi http://tinyurl.com/npmvebk, or go the full route of mini to hdmi http://tinyurl.com/pdfhxue
> 
> the second monitor wont be used for gaming, but more of a side panel that will be used for putting chat, vent, twitch, etc on while i game on my main screen.
> 
> im just trying to figure out the best route i should go when it comes to a second monitor for my 7990.


As far as I can see they are basically the same. We are talking about digital signals wither way so either the signal gets received by the screen or not so they will be more or less the same. The main question should really be if you already have an HDMI cable to use or if you need a new cable entirely. If you have one then you can use the one that has a spot to connect the HDMI and if you don't then the cable one might be a better solution as it would eliminate the need to buy an HDMI cable.


----------



## wermad

You want either displayport or dvi-d for WQHD (ie 1440/1600). Look for a monitor that has dp or you'll need to spend a bit on a dp to dual-link dvi adapter.

If you're going with a 2k monitor (ie 1080/1200), an inexpensive active dp to dvi-s or hdmi will work fine.

http://support.amd.com/en-us/recommended/eyefinity-adapters


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Always look for a monitor that has dp


If you're buying new, do this.


----------



## Dr Acula

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Those cards look pretty beastly, but please clean out that dust in the radiator.


Haha yea, needs a bit of a clean, only just got out of hospital after a 6 week stint where I had my computer with me so it's pretty dusty from that. Heading to a mates who has an air compressor and will go at it with a paint brush. Will be moving it all to a new case soon, and getting a H100i off a mate too so it'll all be ***** and span soon


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dr Acula*
> 
> Haha yea, needs a bit of a clean, only just got out of hospital after a 6 week stint where I had my computer with me so it's pretty dusty from that. Heading to a mates who has an air compressor and will go at it with a paint brush. Will be moving it all to a new case soon, and getting a H100i off a mate too so it'll all be ***** and span soon


Alright, sounds awesome. Good luck on the upgrades.


----------



## Feyris

As a new 7990 owner, is there anything I should be aware about? or "tips" I guess? I had a 7970 before so like...yeah...


----------



## LordOfTots

Would you guys feel comfortable buying a 7950 used for mining? I'm loving these prices, but I don't know if it would be a wise decision....


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordOfTots*
> 
> Would you guys feel comfortable buying a 7950 used for mining? I'm loving these prices, but I don't know if it would be a wise decision....


Most, if not all GPU used in mining suffer performance degradation from what I have experienced they do NOT feel the "Same" as before. I would avoid any GPUs that were in mining rigs personally. While you may get a much better card off OCN (due to care) then say ebay...I wouldnt.


----------



## LordOfTots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Most, if not all GPU used in mining suffer performance degradation from what I have experienced they do NOT feel the "Same" as before. I would avoid any GPUs that were in mining rigs personally. While you may get a much better card off OCN (due to care) then say ebay...I wouldnt.


Thanks for the tip. I'm itching to upgrade, might just have to hold off though then.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordOfTots*
> 
> Thanks for the tip. I'm itching to upgrade, might just have to hold off though then.


There should be some non-mined 7970 for $250~ just shop around marketplace message people ask them for best, etc. whats your top budget?


----------



## LordOfTots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> There should be some non-mined 7970 for $250~ just shop around marketplace message people ask them for best, etc. whats your top budget?


$150, that's why I was looking at mined 7950's. Was gonna go crossfire.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordOfTots*
> 
> $150, that's why I was looking at mined 7950's. Was gonna go crossfire.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1499780/sapphire-dual-x-7950-with-fujipoly-xtreme-thermal-pads

Message him grab it grab it!


----------



## LordOfTots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1499780/sapphire-dual-x-7950-with-fujipoly-xtreme-thermal-pads
> 
> Message him grab it grab it!


Tempting, but I've used that sapphire card in another build and it sagged A TON. Plus I just have a thing against sapphire







they void your warranty if you take off the stock cooling even to put on new paste, or at least that's how they used to be.

edit: might just ask him bout it sagging. gonna wait till I get my next paycheck though, can't do anything till then


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordOfTots*
> 
> Tempting, but I've used that sapphire card in another build and it sagged A TON. Plus I just have a thing against sapphire
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> they void your warranty if you take off the stock cooling even to put on new paste, or at least that's how they used to be.


My first 7970 Was sapphire and the housing snapped off (due to my oopsie) so I had an Accelero for awhile. RMA'd it to get new non broken stock housing just fine just swapped back to OEM before sending it out. as for card sag....I cannot confirm or deny. But my sapphy did sag a decent amount but backplates fix that!


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordOfTots*
> 
> Would you guys feel comfortable buying a 7950 used for mining? I'm loving these prices, but I don't know if it would be a wise decision....


I bought the 7970 I have used, and I'm certain it was a mining card before.

then I mined on it, and when that wasn't fun anymore, I fold on it, and sometimes game on it, too. it's still kicking. hard.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> I bought the 7970 I have used, and I'm certain it was a mining card before.
> 
> then I mined on it, and when that wasn't fun anymore, I fold on it, and sometimes game on it, too. it's still kicking. hard.


If you got it new then after all its been through (if it was mined with), you would notice. However you mining and [email protected] Yourself, obviously you know the cards limits and do whats needed to not destroy it. Some cards do not get treated so nicely in mining rigs, get overworked and stay too hot for too long to maximize hash speeds it just increases risk of buying an already used card to begin with.

You have to remember a majority of these cards used to mine with are operating at 100% Any cards used longer then 6 months and not undervolted or well cooled, I would not touch. the cards are subject to a major amount of calculation...that impacts them over time. a gpu that was used to mine with non-casually in a 24/7 6+ months and especially for a year are not going to last nearly as long as stock. I would give it like two years or less to failure from the stress put on it. At least people here on OCN are more honest...give details about setup it was in. but most other places I doubt the seller is going to be very honest about conditions they kept it in.

Example! ebay.... TWO 290X for $400 few days ago, picture? crate setup... NO SIR......horrible idea to buy.


----------



## StrongForce

Bought an hd 7950 off ebay and just got it today, it may have been used in mining because I see the guy bought it with an athlon x2 in 2013.. however the thing rocks so far, and for 93 euros.. it's still under warranty 6 month (he gave me the bill to get the warranty).

Played like half an hour of BF4 ultra with MSAAx2 min FPS was 38 but it still ran smooth.

I'm thinking of overclocking it, but look, I took a screen after that little gaming session and apparently the temps are a bit high compare to what people advise here..



My case is open, which is what worrys me(mmh I doubt i'd get lower temp with case close and airflow but I'm gonna try) was expecting the temp to be a bit lower, and my CPU is at stock too, so there isn't insane amount of heats coming by it either.

To be honest it doubt even if it ran mining for a 6 months straight it would matter in the performance, maybe the thermal paste got a bit in trouble, but the hardware itself, I don't think it's likely to move, personally, I'm not an expert though.


----------



## anubis1127

67C max is nothing to worry about for temps. Its true Tahiti like to be cold, but your temps are fine for air cooling.

If the card is working well for you, and you enjoy gaming on it, who cares what the previous owner did with it. Sounds like you got a good deal, good price for a card you're enjoying.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Bought an hd 7950 off ebay and just got it today, it may have been used in mining because I see the guy bought it with an athlon x2 in 2013.. however the thing rocks so far, and for 93 euros.. it's still under warranty 6 month (he gave me the bill to get the warranty).
> 
> Played like half an hour of BF4 ultra with MSAAx2 min FPS was 38 but it still ran smooth.
> 
> I'm thinking of overclocking it, but look, I took a screen after that little gaming session and apparently the temps are a bit high compare to what people advise here..
> 
> 
> 
> My case is open, which is what worrys me(mmh I doubt i'd get lower temp with case close and airflow but I'm gonna try) was expecting the temp to be a bit lower, and my CPU is at stock too, so there isn't insane amount of heats coming by it either.
> 
> To be honest it doubt even if it ran mining for a 6 months straight it would matter in the performance, maybe the thermal paste got a bit in trouble, but the hardware itself, I don't think it's likely to move, personally, I'm not an expert though.


nice find. you leave your cpu at stock? i had 2 7950s and they were great. i had to oc my i7 to 4.5 to play nice with a single 7950. have you checked your usage while playing BF4? you can use Afterburner.


----------



## StrongForce

Yea my usage is 90's+% or so in bf4, when I overclock arround 80-90 I had it to 4.3Ghz , not sure it really helps with performance (since it's not 100% on any core) but I changed RAM to test a friends RAM the other day (and his graphic card) and when I put my RAM back I tryed to set my RAM to higher speed and it wouldn't boot so I was just lazy to reoverclock for now, next time I'll do it I'll also change my thermal paste bought some prolimatech pk3, also add a little extra fan too !

But now thanks to some guys who helped me on this forum also I figured the DOCP setting for the RAM speeds by the way..

I was really worryed but I've read on a review the temp was much lower and I was thinking if I overclock it, it might go much higher, altought, I suppose 80's would be the limit for that card ?

And yea for sure I'm very happy with this deal it was cheap as hell ! and it's day and night with my old HD5870 Lol !









72° with the case closed


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Yea my usage is 90's+% or so in bf4, when I overclock arround 80-90 I had it to 4.3Ghz , not sure it really helps with performance (since it's not 100% on any core) but I changed RAM to test a friends RAM the other day (and his graphic card) and when I put my RAM back I tryed to set my RAM to higher speed and it wouldn't boot so I was just lazy to reoverclock for now, next time I'll do it I'll also change my thermal paste bought some prolimatech pk3, also add a little extra fan too !
> 
> But now thanks to some guys who helped me on this forum also I figured the DOCP setting for the RAM speeds by the way..
> 
> I was really worryed but I've read on a review the temp was much lower and I was thinking if I overclock it, it might go much higher, altought, I suppose 80's would be the limit for that card ?
> 
> And yea for sure I'm very happy with this deal it was cheap as hell ! and it's day and night with my old HD5870 Lol !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 72° with the case closed


yah, oc'ing both cpu and gpu helps in games like BF4 MP and C3 MP. I'd recommend oc'ing the cpu and leaving the gpu at stock. that gpu should last you a long time. your cpu at only 4.5GHz can handle even a highend gpu.


----------



## StrongForce

Yea getting 50-60 fps with all ultra on bf4 except I removed MSAA, so no real need for overclocking GPU really, I had a spike when the chat poped but I noticed that a few times before, and people complaining about it even, think it's just a bf4 problem.

Why no overclocking GPU ? it's true that it does already enough noise at 74° but with my headphones I can't hear much lol

And maybe I should contact the online shop or sapphire see if they accept second hand warranty first before messing with overclocking, but yea it's not really necessary really


----------



## wermad

My usage is pegged 99%. Fps are pretty good in medium (~120fps) but go to high and I get about half the fps







. Can't really tell the difference tbh


----------



## SkateZilla

For the last 2 pages of 7950s on ebay.

There are 7970s for $120-$300 (*Buy it now).

If you choose to go the ebay route, limit to buying cards that were just returned from RMA or cards that weren't used for mining. (plenty of them available that were just pulled from gaming rigs when they upgraded)

A lot of the Miners sent their cards to RMA and got back newer ones.

My 7970 Lightning was a Fresh from RMA Card.

I bought 2 more cheap 7970s for my brother and his friend for $175 (Sapphire DUAL X's) Fresh from RMA.

No Performance Problems with any of them, I'm Budgeting for a 2nd 7970 Lightning, prices have already dropped 50% since I purchased my unit, and about 75% since Grid Seeds took over.
( When I Bought mine a few months back, I paid $475 for it, after they came down from $700+)

Lightnings are now going for $250-$350 avg, Regular 7970s are down to $140-$240 from $500+

*Also NEW R9-280/280X Cards are Sub $300 with Summer Deals on NewEgg and Stuff.*
And they Come with $150 of Free Games. (For What it's worth), ie MSI R9-280 (7950 Rebadge) is currently $229.99, and you still have a $30 Mail In Rebate Option.

The reason Cards used for Mining feel different is because miners modify the BIOS,
They want more KH/s while still keeping Voltages low enough to manage heat.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> As a new 7990 owner, is there anything I should be aware about? or "tips" I guess? I had a 7970 before so like...yeah...


Probably the biggest thing is disabling ULPS. Here's a little guide.

http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps

I think that's the only thing that you might not be aware of. Other than that, probably just making sure you find a decent fan curve to keep the think cool. Enjoy the card.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Probably the biggest thing is disabling ULPS. Here's a little guide.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps
> 
> I think that's the only thing that you might not be aware of. Other than that, probably just making sure you find a decent fan curve to keep the think cool. Enjoy the card.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Probably the biggest thing is disabling ULPS. Here's a little guide.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/667144/crossfire-disabling-ulps
> 
> I think that's the only thing that you might not be aware of. Other than that, probably just making sure you find a decent fan curve to keep the think cool. Enjoy the card.


The only thing I did for now is remove hdd cage and switch those HDDs into the 5.25 bay with a evercool adapter so SP120 is directly at end of card. I was thinking about two of these one for bottom and top? http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-SP-FC70-BL-Spectrum-System-Adjustable/dp/B000233ZMU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405109126&sr=8-2&keywords=pci+fan+card

Perhaps. I have a water block for it.... I just do not have a rad or anything to finish a loop so im using stock fan again. its 60c~ idle at the moment... this is how she sits right now


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> The only thing I did for now is remove hdd cage and switch those HDDs into the 5.25 bay with a evercool adapter so SP120 is directly at end of card. I was thinking about two of these one for bottom and top? http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-SP-FC70-BL-Spectrum-System-Adjustable/dp/B000233ZMU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405109126&sr=8-2&keywords=pci+fan+card
> 
> Perhaps. I have a water block for it.... I just do not have a rad or anything to finish a loop so im using stock fan again. its *60c~ idle at the momen*t... this is how she sits right now


Wow, 60°c idle is really high! Check your stats using a utility like gpu-z or msi afterburner. It should be lower then that, even for the stock cooler. Check if any programs are using hardware acceleration and keeping the gpu busy. If you're good here, then you may have a bad mount or bad gpu. Also, check your fan and make sure it ramps up in auto. Usually, at idle, it hovers ~20-30% in auto (Afterburner).


----------



## SkateZilla

I usually just run my fans full tilt w/ the side 200MM Fan at full tilt too in the warm months Both GPUs Idle in the 32 - 38°C range, highest I've seen was 54°C on both cores but I haven't stressed them lately with it being 90°F outside,
(the Slot between my GPUs is taken up by an XFi PCI Card (so the Lightning's front fan is actually blocked for the most part.

When it's Cold (50°F or Below) outside I turn them down to like 40% and even when gaming they rarely hit 50°C on the cores.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Wow, 60°c idle is really high! Check your stats using a utility like gpu-z or msi afterburner. It should be lower then that, even for the stock cooler. Check if any programs are using hardware acceleration and keeping the gpu busy. If you're good here, then you may have a bad mount or bad gpu. Also, check your fan and make sure it ramps up in auto. Usually, at idle, it hovers ~20-30% in auto (Afterburner).




could it be the fact im using Thermaltake TG-2? Im waiting on MX4....but i just did a pea application of TG2... 100% fan nuked it down to 50c and less lol one die shows 43c other 51c


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> 
> 
> could it be the fact im using Thermaltake TG-2? Im waiting on MX4....but i just did a pea application of TG2...


those aren't idle clocks..

should be 300/150MHz


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> those aren't idle clocks..
> 
> should be 300/150MHz


Thats what it stays at....for a reason I do not know. just sitting at desktop doing absolutely nothing. I ran vantage and max it hit was 86c on that with 84C on VRMs. Your welcome to teamviewer or anything to see why the hell it does that but I am at a loss


----------



## Roaches

I got MX-2 on my 7990 Devil 13, the OEM paste was so bad that the both cores were idling around high 50s celsius on the stock bios.

Right now about 10 degrees cooler than before, though I'm still waiting for Gelid GC-E to arrive to see how farther it can drop.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> those aren't idle clocks..
> 
> should be 300/150MHz
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Thats what it stays at....for a reason I do not know. just sitting at desktop doing absolutely nothing. I ran vantage and max it hit was 86c on that with 84C on VRMs. Your welcome to teamviewer or anything to see why the hell it does that but I am at a loss
Click to expand...

Could be your card is not idling properly. Check FireFox, its notorious for enabling "hardware acceleration" and keeps the gpu busy. Do a fresh install of the latest drivers (try a few, start w/ 13.12 wqhl) and see if that helps.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roaches*
> 
> I got MX-2 on my 7990 Devil 13, the OEM paste was so bad that the both cores were idling around high 50s celsius on the stock bios.
> 
> Right now about 10 degrees cooler than before, though I'm still waiting for Gelid GC-E to arrive to see how farther it can drop.


My lightning on the stock cooler hovers in the high 30s on a cold day but typically in the mid to high 40s during the summer @ idle. On water, they load ~45°c in the summer







.

Speaking of Lightnings, I'm curios what ulps does to idle power. I keep procrastinating getting a new Kill-A-Watt (







). May get one this weekend







.


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> The only thing I did for now is remove hdd cage and switch those HDDs into the 5.25 bay with a evercool adapter so SP120 is directly at end of card. I was thinking about two of these one for bottom and top? http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-SP-FC70-BL-Spectrum-System-Adjustable/dp/B000233ZMU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405109126&sr=8-2&keywords=pci+fan+card
> 
> Perhaps. I have a water block for it.... I just do not have a rad or anything to finish a loop so im using stock fan again. its 60c~ idle at the moment... this is how she sits right now
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


I idle at 45-50 degrees with the fan curve I have set up. I'd redo the fan curve to be more "aggressive", and then stick with that until you can use the waterblock. On load, my fans can get up to 100% at about 80 degrees max.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> I idle at 45-50 degrees with the fan curve I have set up. I'd redo the fan curve to be more "aggressive", and then stick with that until you can use the waterblock. On load, my fans can get up to 100% at about 80 degrees max.


yeah at load my fans never go past 50 as i noticed.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Could be your card is not idling properly. Check FireFox, its notorious for enabling "hardware acceleration" and keeps the gpu busy. Do a fresh install of the latest drivers (try a few, start w/ 13.12 wqhl) and see if that helps.
> My lightning on the stock cooler hovers in the high 30s on a cold day but typically in the mid to high 40s during the summer @ idle. On water, they load ~45°c in the summer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Speaking of Lightnings, I'm curios what ulps does to idle power. I keep procrastinating getting a new Kill-A-Watt (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). May get one this weekend
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


could it be from 2nd display?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> yeah at load my fans never go past 50 as i noticed.
> could it be from 2nd display?


What's the idle fan speed percentage in auto?

Not really, I run five monitors and I'm in the low 30s (watercooled) just like the other three cards. When I'm browsing with multiple windows and tabs, it doesn't churn up much usage of the primary card. I'll get you some numbers a bit later when I get home


----------



## bburnham37

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> What's the idle fan speed percentage in auto?
> 
> Not really, I run five monitors and I'm in the low 30s (watercooled) just like the other three cards. When I'm browsing with multiple windows and tabs, it doesn't churn up much usage of the primary card. I'll get you some numbers a bit later when I get home


Yes, but a second display will affect idle clocks. Rather than 300/150Mhz you will see exactly what Feyris is seeing, 500/1500Mhz. The second display (by default) forces the second tier clocks. Same with Nvidia cards btw.


----------



## Roaches

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> My lightning on the stock cooler hovers in the high 30s on a cold day but typically in the mid to high 40s during the summer @ idle. On water, they load ~45°c in the summer
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .
> 
> Speaking of Lightnings, I'm curios what ulps does to idle power. I keep procrastinating getting a new Kill-A-Watt (
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). May get one this weekend
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


From what I know, ULPS shuts down any redunant GPU that is not used as a primary display card. I've noticed this when fans weren't running on my second 270X in CFX.
And 7990 Devil 13 had the second core asleep, preventing MSI AB to report its sensors.

7990 cores were in the high 30s and low 40s today. With loads hitting 70 degrees on the primary while the second is 1-2 cooler. My GTX 680 SOCs normally do 30 in a cold day and mid 30s in a hot day during this time of year.

Had thermal problems with my 270X Devils on idle and load. Had to drop a small dot of GC-E drop temps like a rock, though MX-2 is still nearly 10 degrees hotter than GC-E on my primary card. something is not right when you know its factory TIM being garbage.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bburnham37*
> 
> Yes, but a second display will affect idle clocks. Rather than 300/150Mhz you will see exactly what Feyris is seeing, 500/1500Mhz. The second display (by default) forces the second tier clocks. Same with Nvidia cards btw.


As far as the clocks, yes, a second screen can cause that. As far as the temp, which is what's in question, even at these lower idle clocks, it seems too hot imho. So when i meant "not really" it was in reference to his high temp of 60c at idle (even with the second monitor)

I have four browser windows opened, each one has ~2-3 opened tabs (a couple of vid stream sites opened) + AB opened, 5x1 6000x1920 Eyefinity, clock is sitting @500mhz. The temp is actually the same as the other cards which w/ ulps are at ~33°C. My idle has a bit more workload for my primary gpu, more then Feyris yet I don't have such a huge increase (albeit on water). Looks like he has a reference card and maybe someone with a similar setup can chime in. Honestly, this high of a temp would be expected at idle for the top card of stock cooled crossfire sandwich.

Well, hope it helps. I'm turning in for now (long work week).

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Roaches*
> 
> From what I know, ULPS shuts down any redunant GPU that is not used as a primary display card. I've noticed this when fans weren't running on my second 270X in CFX.
> And 7990 Devil 13 had the second core asleep, preventing MSI AB to report its sensors.
> 
> 7990 cores were in the high 30s and low 40s today. With loads hitting 70 degrees on the primary while the second is 1-2 cooler. My GTX 680 SOCs normally do 30 in a cold day and mid 30s in a hot day during this time of year.
> 
> Had thermal problems with my 270X Devils on idle and load. Had to drop a small dot of GC-E drop temps like a rock, though MX-2 is still nearly 10 degrees hotter than GC-E on my primary card. something is not right when you know its factory TIM being garbage.


Yeah, the led's on my other three Lightnings are off when ulps kicks in and utilities don't report info as well. Once I fire up a game, the other three immediately come to life.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> As far as the clocks, yes, a second screen can cause that. As far as the temp, which is what's in question, even at these lower idle clocks, it seems too hot imho. So when i meant "not really" it was in reference to his high temp of 60c at idle (even with the second monitor)
> 
> I have four browser windows opened, each one has ~2-3 opened tabs (a couple of vid stream sites opened) + AB opened, 5x1 6000x1920 Eyefinity, clock is sitting @500mhz. The temp is actually the same as the other cards which w/ ulps are at ~33°C. My idle has a bit more workload for my primary gpu, more then Feyris yet I don't have such a huge increase (albeit on water). Looks like he has a reference card and maybe someone with a similar setup can chime in. Honestly, this high of a temp would be expected at idle for the top card of stock cooled (accidently deleted rest sorry)


She xP but its internet so its whatever. whats GCE? I will buy some.... it could be a bad thermal application too maybe? the TP on stock cooler was severly dried out i think i might of even scrubbed out some surface TRYING to remove whatever abomination XFX used. pair that with TG-2 (i bet its crap but its all tiger had).... my asic is 67 and 60 so they really deserve to be under water but i have 0 custom loop experience and cannot spend much. Its a XPSC block... the thing i noticed though is the thermal paste is all over sides of chips too not just die when I pulled the block off


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> She xP but its internet so its whatever. whats GCE? I will buy some.... it could be a bad thermal application too maybe? the TP on stock cooler was severly dried out i think i might of even scrubbed out some surface TRYING to remove whatever abomination XFX used. pair that with TG-2 (i bet its crap but its all tiger had).... my asic is 67 and 60 so they really deserve to be under water but i have 0 custom loop experience and cannot spend much. Its a XPSC block... the thing i noticed though is the thermal paste is all over sides of chips too not just die when I pulled the block off


Some full cover blocks use tim instead of thermal pads on the VRMs and memory so that is likely what you see. if not then it's just poorly applied by the previous user.

As for a custom loop, with a 7990 you would probably want a 360 rad to keep it cool and quiet. then pair that with a bay reservoir with a pre-mounted pump, get a couple compression fittings and some tubing and you are good to go. You can get all that in kits and so far I would recommend looking at the XSPC and Alphacool kits. I prefer Alphacool myself, but XSPC is a well known brand that many others prefer. It will all end up in the 200 dollar range such as this kit: http://www.aquatuning.us/water-cooling/kits-und-systems/internal-kits/13670/alphacool-nexxxos-cool-answer-360-lt/st-kit?c=6460


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Some full cover blocks use tim instead of thermal pads on the VRMs and memory so that is likely what you see. if not then it's just poorly applied by the previous user.
> 
> As for a custom loop, with a 7990 you would probably want a 360 rad to keep it cool and quiet. then pair that with a bay reservoir with a pre-mounted pump, get a couple compression fittings and some tubing and you are good to go. You can get all that in kits and so far I would recommend looking at the XSPC and Alphacool kits. I prefer Alphacool myself, but XSPC is a well known brand that many others prefer. It will all end up in the 200 dollar range such as this kit: http://www.aquatuning.us/water-cooling/kits-und-systems/internal-kits/13670/alphacool-nexxxos-cool-answer-360-lt/st-kit?c=6460


I cant use a 360mm rad. maybe i could in old case..... but new one is teeny compared to the GRone!







i put new thermal pads on backside vrms when i case swapped...so yeh.


----------



## wermad

Most of the oem thermal paste looks crusty and a bit dry. Seen it on amd and nv cards. One of the best pastes, tim, out right now is Gelid extreme though the old MX2 paste still performs close, so I recommend this if you don't want to spend too much. Mx4 isn't too far off. I use Ceramique 2 on my Lightnings and though it's a bit dated, it works great and I got a large tube on sale for a few bucks.

Some older water blocks used tim for the vram. But not for the vrm's. Most blocks today use tim on the core and thermal pad for the vram and vrm. I don't recommend using tim to hold down small pieces of thermal pad. It gets messy and it's hard to install/mount the blocks. I recommend use long strips when possible. I buy some cheap stuff that has worked great so far. Though I hear lots of excitement with fujipoly pad.


----------



## tsm106

Skip all tims and do this. Fujis are good for serious pants on fire benching, otherwise it's like getting a bajillion horsepower motor to commute to work with. And even then it's sort of pointless with Tahiti because they are locked to 1.4v excluding the ln2 specific cards.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1196856/official-amd-radeon-hd-7950-7970-7990-owners-thread/34600_40#post_21646559


----------



## wermad

Over on the ek thread, a few ppl are using fujipoly and claim a few ticks off the vrm temps.

Most of the good paste is sufficient for the majority of those out there. If you're hell bent on squeezing the last drop of blood and performance out of your card, talk to TSM and hopefully nothing goes boom (







).


----------



## tsm106

Yea the fujis will drop vrm temps a bit from the stock ek pads. But like I wrote, if you are not seriously benching, why bother for a few celsius degrees that you are not going to make use of?

And 7970s at 1.4v with proper cooling is real hard to blow. You've got to try REALLY hard and mess something up to blow one. My 3930 rig has been running 1.4v thru the gpus off and on for well over two years without one hiccup. Also for the record, my array which has done over 1380 single card and 1350 in quad form do not use any fujis.


----------



## wermad

You using Ln2 for those runs?


----------



## tsm106

Water only man. I don't believe in sleeper systems, 24-7 rigs only cuz how would I explain ln2 or another 2K watt sucking chiller to the wifey?


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Water only man. I don't believe in sleeper systems, 24-7 rigs only cuz how would I explain ln2 or another 2K watt sucking chiller to the wifey?


Time to upgrade the panel to 30amp circuits







. I'm lucky there's was an empty 20, otherwise, I wouldn't have kept my quads as a 15 trips easily. This is a small living area next to the bedrooms, so I can't really do mad-scientist stuff up here. Would be fun to learn LN2 and/or do a get-togethers with ppl that do it for funs.

Need to clean up and dust off my rig as I'm thinking of making a vid review soon. Don't wanna have em dusty for the camera


----------



## Durvelle27

Can i rejoin


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Most of the oem thermal paste looks crusty and a bit dry. Seen it on amd and nv cards. One of the best pastes, tim, out right now is Gelid extreme though the old MX2 paste still performs close, so I recommend this if you don't want to spend too much. Mx4 isn't too far off. I use Ceramique 2 on my Lightnings and though it's a bit dated, it works great and I got a large tube on sale for a few bucks.
> 
> Some older water blocks used tim for the vram. But not for the vrm's. Most blocks today use tim on the core and thermal pad for the vram and vrm. I don't recommend using tim to hold down small pieces of thermal pad. It gets messy and it's hard to install/mount the blocks. I recommend use long strips when possible. I buy some cheap stuff that has worked great so far. Though I hear lots of excitement with fujipoly pad.


The pads are 0.7mm Koolance pads. I took off all the other thermal pads~ I will grab some of the Gelid or not even worth it after applying MX4? Minus well invest in Fujipolys if it keeps more temps down since my card is not seeing idling speeds. FOR SOME REASON I have this hankering I forgot to put pads somewhere....ohwell, when MX4 is here we shall learn the truth!

_searched fujipoly pads on amazon got tampon results GG_


----------



## HawkEye42

Anybody have any thoughts regarding 14.7 as opposed to 14.6? Less stuttering in BF4 using Mantle with single GPUs? IIRC I saw more stuttering with 14.6 than 14.1 but reached higher FPS. Also how does it do in Watch Dogs, it was almost unplayable with 14.6 since it would just frame stutter every 30 seconds or less.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Anybody have any thoughts regarding 14.7 as opposed to 14.6? Less stuttering in BF4 using Mantle with single GPUs? IIRC I saw more stuttering with 14.6 than 14.1 but reached higher FPS. Also how does it do in Watch Dogs, it was almost unplayable with 14.6 since it would just frame stutter every 30 seconds or less.


i used 14.6 for both my 290 and hd7770 in BF4 MP and experienced no stuttering. Currently using 14.7 for both and no stuttering. is your cpu oc'ed? i am not saying it is the cause but when i was playing BF4 MP with the 7970 or even the 7950 paired with my i7 . . . i can't leave my cpu at stock. i had to oc it to 4.5GHz.

edit: oh man, you've got a locked i5. my bad.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i used 14.6 for both my 290 and hd7770 in BF4 MP and experienced no stuttering. Currently using 14.7 for both and no stuttering. is your cpu oc'ed? i am not saying it is the cause but when i was playing BF4 MP with the 7970 or even the 7950 paired with my i7 . . . i can't leave my cpu at stock. i had to oc it to 4.5GHz.
> 
> edit: oh man, you've got a locked i5. my bad.


Yup, 3470 here, only gpu is oced. Can't OC so maybe I can try to update and see what happens. I barely see the difference of mantle and directx anyway it barely drops under 60 iirc for both. Thanks for the info tho bro!


----------



## tsm106

14.7 iirc brings better 4K support for hawaii.


----------



## SkateZilla

When the poo did 14.7 come out and how did I miss it!?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> When the poo did 14.7 come out and how did I miss it!?


14.6 RC + a few improvements, 4 days ago.


----------



## StrongForce

So I had more time to mess arround with BF4 on my new HD7950, the other day when I played it ran super smooth, now when I'm playing I get stuttering sometimes.. I had it so bad on locker, I took a screenshot of the drawgraph thing :



and also I had gpu z and HWinfo running in the background while I played :



Everything seems ok.. as you can see the spikes are from the CPU but the CPU is running at stock, and is not overheating, so this is a bit weird..

After changing server it was a bit better (went from a CQ32 to a rush 64) but the FPS still spiked a bit, so I ended up reducing graphics, no antialiasing post no antialiasing defered, also turned down effects and post process to high.

Also I disabled origin in game thinking it could be that, but now I wonder what's going on as sometimes it's super smooth but sometimes the fps seems to just drop randomly (and like even when I'm on menu like changing camo I see the CPU graph start spiking like on the first screen).


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> So I had more time to mess arround with BF4 on my new HD7950, the other day when I played it ran super smooth, now when I'm playing I get stuttering sometimes.. I had it so bad on locker, I took a screenshot of the drawgraph thing :
> 
> 
> 
> and also I had gpu z and HWinfo running in the background while I played :
> 
> 
> 
> Everything seems ok.. as you can see the spikes are from the CPU but the CPU is running at stock, and is not overheating, so this is a bit weird..
> 
> After changing server it was a bit better (went from a CQ32 to a rush 64) but the FPS still spiked a bit, so I ended up reducing graphics, no antialiasing post no antialiasing defered, also turned down effects and post process to high.
> 
> Also I disabled origin in game thinking it could be that, but now I wonder what's going on as sometimes it's super smooth but sometimes the fps seems to just drop randomly (and like even when I'm on menu like changing camo I see the CPU graph start spiking like on the first screen).


Strong, try disabling turbo in bios and see if it helps.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> So I had more time to mess arround with BF4 on my new HD7950, the other day when I played it ran super smooth, now when I'm playing I get stuttering sometimes.. I had it so bad on locker, I took a screenshot of the drawgraph thing :
> 
> 
> 
> and also I had gpu z and HWinfo running in the background while I played :
> 
> 
> 
> Everything seems ok.. as you can see the spikes are from the CPU but the CPU is running at stock, and is not overheating, so this is a bit weird..
> 
> After changing server it was a bit better (went from a CQ32 to a rush 64) but the FPS still spiked a bit, so I ended up reducing graphics, no antialiasing post no antialiasing defered, also turned down effects and post process to high.
> 
> Also I disabled origin in game thinking it could be that, but now I wonder what's going on as sometimes it's super smooth but sometimes the fps seems to just drop randomly (and like even when I'm on menu like changing camo I see the CPU graph start spiking like on the first screen).


One word, MANTLE (and stuttering).


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> One word, MANTLE (and stuttering).


i don't get stuttering using mantle on both my R9 290 and HD 7770.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i don't get stuttering using mantle on both my R9 290 and HD 7770.


Tahiti cards seem to be the ones suffering the most from it. Have not tested BF4 with 14.7, but since 14.3 its been a sort of bumpy road (drops to 35ish FPS from 60 when dying, CPU usage spikes, etc but it might just be BF4).


----------



## StrongForce

I'm gonna check if the turbo isn't disabled, but my CPU would be going to 4ghz I think if it wasn't.. not sure now, and mantle also I'll check.. true I messed arround with it the other day so I can't remember if I let it on or not.


----------



## LordOfTots

Well I'm experiencing a weird issue with my TF3 7950. If I up the core clock even a little via any overclocking software, and on any drivers I try, it won't go past 880Mhz when running 3DMark Firestrike(and sometimes 3DMark won't even recognize the clockspeed and just reads 0Mhz)

Anyone have any idea on what could be causing this? I'm running out of ideas here









Edit: Turns out it's just a 3DMark issue, getting good results everywhere else


----------



## StrongForce

Maybe the software can't just recognise the speed did you check with GPU z

regarding my problem it was on Mantle, so I gonna do a test run with direct3d now and turbo core was indeed disabled (which is weird since my BIOS was sort of resetted







)

EDIT: so I had Mantle, removed it and it seemed to run much smoother, weird ! my min FPS is still low on hainan resort it went to 30, I'm wondering, if anyone also plays that game, on 64p, what settings should I use to get a smooth experience 50-60fps ? dang ultra looks so nice though


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Maybe the software can't just recognise the speed did you check with GPU z
> 
> regarding my problem it was on Mantle, so I gonna do a test run with direct3d now and turbo core was indeed disabled (which is weird since my BIOS was sort of resetted
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> EDIT: so I had Mantle, removed it and it seemed to run much smoother, weird ! my min FPS is still low on hainan resort it went to 30, I'm wondering, if anyone also plays that game, on 64p, what settings should I use to get a smooth experience 50-60fps ? dang ultra looks so nice though


mantle or D3D, you gonna need to oc the cpu a bit more,


----------



## StrongForce

Yah I need to do that, I'm lazy though ahah, but I tryed again and it seem to happen again with d3d still but mainly on locker it's weird, I reduced graphics a little and it seems better so far, haven't tryed locker, and yea perhaps I should OC some tonight =)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> So I had more time to mess arround with BF4 on my new HD7950, the other day when I played it ran super smooth, now when I'm playing I get stuttering sometimes.. I had it so bad on locker, I took a screenshot of the drawgraph thing :
> 
> 
> 
> and also I had gpu z and HWinfo running in the background while I played :
> 
> 
> 
> Everything seems ok.. as you can see the spikes are from the CPU but the CPU is running at stock, and is not overheating, so this is a bit weird..
> 
> After changing server it was a bit better (went from a CQ32 to a rush 64) but the FPS still spiked a bit, so I ended up reducing graphics, no antialiasing post no antialiasing defered, also turned down effects and post process to high.
> 
> Also I disabled origin in game thinking it could be that, but now I wonder what's going on as sometimes it's super smooth but sometimes the fps seems to just drop randomly (and like even when I'm on menu like changing camo I see the CPU graph start spiking like on the first screen).


I know in BF3, there was minimal Difference Between Mesh Detail High and Ultra, outside of a FPS hit when looking across the map.


----------



## StrongForce

Yea not sure what was going on, got my CPU stable at 4.7ghz now so will do more testing later, but it was just weird the way it spiked on the graph and the way it stuttered too, hope it's fixed now


----------



## tps3443

Hey guys I just wanted to say, I just picked up a USED Sapphire AMD HD 7950 Boost

I popped her in my X79 3820 rig @4.4Ghz

Sure enough, it does have 3Gb of Hynix memory! I was happy about that,

I set the Core to 1075Mhz, and set the memory to 1750Mhz 7Ghz effective.

I pulled a 7,766 in firestrike! That is right behind a GTX 780. This card surely impressed the heck out of me!

Especially considering I got it for $120 bucks! Are you kidding?! I am going to get another this Friday for Xfire.

I have pulled a 8,000 in firestrike but, seems that first run was a miracle... I am running in to some throttling issues now.

I want to join the club! HERE IS MY GPU Z

http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/26mbw/


----------



## StrongForce

unparking the cores seemed to help a bit but I'll have to do more testing tomorow..

also I looked arround CCC options and I noticed this that bothered me :



LIke wth am I running SIXfire?



and what about that ?? why can't I just disable it.. uh what should I do to disable it, it's not very clear.. (at least to me)


----------



## Mega Man

Windows control panel to power options. Use high perf.

Looks like C'n'Q is above on your pc


----------



## Revanchist8525

Hey guys, I was wondering if my 7950 can still be crossfired with the latest R9 280x gpus being sold, since the R9 280x is a rebrand of the 7970. Is this still possible? Thanks in advance.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Revanchist8525*
> 
> Hey guys, I was wondering if my 7950 can still be crossfired with the latest R9 280x gpus being sold, since the R9 280x is a rebrand of the 7970. Is this still possible? Thanks in advance.


You can crossfire it with a R9 280X, or any other Tahiti based GPU. The R9 280 is a rebadge of the 7950, and may be a bit cheaper, and a better match for your current GPU.


----------



## Jflisk

Found myself in a predicament here. I have 2x R9 290X water blocked in crossfire running. I also have a 7990 and another 7990 coming at least one of them is water blocked. I will have to pick up another water block. What configuration would you stick with. 2x 7990 or 2x R9 290x. Any thoughts and thanks


----------



## Revanchist8525

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> You can crossfire it with a R9 280X, or any other Tahiti based GPU. The R9 280 is a rebadge of the 7950, and may be a bit cheaper, and a better match for your current GPU.


Ok, I figured I could still crossfire the R9 280/280x. What do you mean the R9 280 is a better match? I did read somewhere that the r9 280x/7970 will not disable its own stream processors or downclock when crossfiring with a a 7950, so isn't that better than crossfiring with the r9 280?


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Revanchist8525*
> 
> Ok, I figured I could still crossfire the R9 280/280x. What do you mean the R9 280 is a better match? I did read somewhere that the r9 280x/7970 will not disable its own stream processors or downclock when crossfiring with a a 7950, so isn't that better than crossfiring with the r9 280?


Not sure where you read that, but it is in correct. The 7950 has 1792 SPs, if you crossfire with a 7970/280X they will be limited to 1792 SPs, instead of the full 2048 SPs. Which is why I said the 280 may be a better match, because you won't be paying extra for SPs just to disable them.

Now, if you play games that don't support Crossfire, then getting the 280X would probably be more ideal. You could use the 280X as the main card, that way for gaming without crossfire you will be getting 2048 SPs, instead of 1792. It will still disable SPs in crossfire. Why I don't really consider that a valid point is most games that don't support CFX can probably be maxed out with a single 7950 anyway, but I'm sure there are exceptions.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *anubis1127*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Revanchist8525*
> 
> Ok, I figured I could still crossfire the R9 280/280x. What do you mean the R9 280 is a better match? I did read somewhere that the r9 280x/7970 will not disable its own stream processors or downclock when crossfiring with a a 7950, so isn't that better than crossfiring with the r9 280?
> 
> 
> 
> Not sure where you read that, but it is in correct. The 7950 has 1792 SPs, *if you crossfire with a 7970/280X they will be limited to 1792 SPs, instead of the full 2048 SPs*. Which is why I said the 280 may be a better match, because you won't be paying extra for SPs just to disable them.
> 
> Now, if you play games that don't support Crossfire, then getting the 280X would probably be more ideal. You could use the 280X as the main card, that way for gaming without crossfire you will be getting 2048 SPs, instead of 1792. It will still disable SPs in crossfire. Why I don't really consider that a valid point is most games that don't support CFX can probably be maxed out with a single 7950 anyway, but I'm sure there are exceptions.
Click to expand...

Where did you get this from??


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where did you get this from??


Last time I checked, the cards run at their own clocks and do not disable certain components unlike SLI.


----------



## SkateZilla

CrossFireX doesnt disable shaders

Both Cards will run their Own hardware Specs. (GPU SP Count and Clocks.)


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Windows control panel to power options. Use high perf.
> 
> Looks like C'n'Q is above on your pc










yea I put it to performance, thanks ! gonna try now see if that helps

EDIT :

WOW it actually worked !! played 2 rounds of locker 64 one with unparked core one without it was the same, awesome, thanks alot ! I'm not running a mix of high/ultra


----------



## SkateZilla

Core Parking is Part of C6 Power management,

Go into the BIOS and Disable C6 Processor States, as well as C1E and Cool N Quiet,.


----------



## anubis1127

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Where did you get this from??


Oh, my bad, read it a while back, and just took it as truth. I guess I should have tested it for myself back when I had a mix of 7970 / 7950s, then I would have seen first hand the SPs don't get disabled.


----------



## SkateZilla

Though Running Identical GPUs (with Matched clocks) reduces the chance of stutterin' and other problems.

So a R9-280 and then match the GPU Clocks of both of them. you'll be missin' 256 shaders that you'd have if you ran a 2048+1792 Configuration, but there's less chance of stuttering.

I personally had no issues with my Lightning + DualX 7950, (2048+1792) I don't remember off hand if the Lightning Downclocked to match the Sapphire card or not.


----------



## StrongForce

Yep c6 state is disabled already, don't worry it's working now







.

Funny thing though is that when I lost my overclock I didn't lost all the settings..


----------



## SkateZilla

I run the Lower Power States in the summer, so the CPU down clocks when I'm away from the system or not running anything, saves on overall heat in the house from the radiator.

If I run my OC 100% Full tilt during the summer, the Exhaust from the system makes the room temp stupid warm. even with a portable AC Unit in it.

Once temps get to the 60°F again (around September/October) I Disable Power Saving Features (well I just go from Profile2 to Profile1 in the BIOS/UEFI) that restores the overclock I run in the winter.

From Oct->Mid April Around 6 months) I run everything full tilt, both GPUs, CPU, Everything, the exhaust from the H100 Fans is like a heater, Since that room doesnt have central air, in the winter it's a nice place to game, it gets to 45-50°F and stays there. In the Summer it's not so much (May-> Sept), Occasionally when a cold front comes through I can game after work w/ portable AC Unit on. but I dont like risking it. Yesterday Room Temp after work was 102°F, So I left PC Off.

On that note, I can see significant difference in BF3 Stuttering/No Stuttering with Power Savers on and off. Specially on large 32 Player maps or on any 48+ Player Servers.

I Also Use Command Lines to Limit CPU Affinity to specific Cores on my system which resolves a lot of issues with some applications (ie 2 thread applications), I lock to CPU Cores 4 and 6 (One Thread per Module, 0-7) or 6/7 (Both threads on the same module) Depending on the Application type. That way threads don't bounce around from CPU Cores running 5.+ Ghz to Cores that are down clocked to 1.4Ghz in the summer). which also prevents power and heat output from multiple cores powering up as the threads move around.

in BF3, when the Thread gets bumped from a Full On 4.0+GHz Core to a 1.4GHz Core, it causes stuttering for a 1/2 second until that core is spooled up.


----------



## Feyris

Swapped TQ2 for MX4 seeing 43C Idle 20% fan 300/150 (normal) well! that was fun.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Ha
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> If you got it new then after all its been through (if it was mined with), you would notice. However you mining and [email protected] Yourself, obviously you know the cards limits and do whats needed to not destroy it. Some cards do not get treated so nicely in mining rigs, get overworked and stay too hot for too long to maximize hash speeds it just increases risk of buying an already used card to begin with.
> 
> You have to remember a majority of these cards used to mine with are operating at 100% Any cards used longer then 6 months and not undervolted or well cooled, I would not touch. the cards are subject to a major amount of calculation...that impacts them over time. a gpu that was used to mine with non-casually in a 24/7 6+ months and especially for a year are not going to last nearly as long as stock. I would give it like two years or less to failure from the stress put on it. At least people here on OCN are more honest...give details about setup it was in. but most other places I doubt the seller is going to be very honest about conditions they kept it in.
> 
> Example! ebay.... TWO 290X for $400 few days ago, picture? crate setup... NO SIR......horrible idea to buy.


yeah. I keep my cards basically in the60-70c range with an open slot between each card. All it takes is a custom fan profile. I don't mind the sound.


----------



## LordOfTots

]Well, either 3DMark or my card is acting up again. I overclocked my 7950 to 1100Mhz on the core 1500Mhz on the vram @1.2v, which at first upped my 3DMark a good amount. Run 3DMark again without changing a thing and I score a thousand points lower, and more voltage or even a lesser overclock doesn't help. It always does this with the most minor of overclocks









Anyone know what this might be? I hope I don't just have a lemon of a card









Edit2: nope still happening


----------



## tps3443

I must say! opening up GPU-Z with your 7950 Boost clocked at 1825Mhz and seeing 345GB of memory bandwidth per second, is very impressive! Especially for a $120 dollar GPU. I just cant belive this, (2) of these cards is capable of R9 295X performance, and you can get (2) for cheaper than a single GTX 760 2GB. What a fantastic gaming setup. I cannot wait to get my 2nd one Friday.

Can you guys give me some overclocking tips? I have (2) different bios on my Sapphire 7950.

Bios 1, and Bios 2. One puts the card at 1.081 volts, and the other bios sets the card to 1.250 volts.

MSI afterburner allows me to go all the way to 1.3 volts on the Vcore, although in my graph monitoring is doesn't seem to be setting voltage higher than 1.250 volts.

I have the card set as a boost model in afterburner. Any tips?

I have excellent cooling in my case, the card runs very cool so far.

I want to get to 1150 or 1175 core.

My memory will already overclock stable to 1,825Mhz so I am fine with the memory clocks.


----------



## Feyris

Im laughing so hard right now. I noticed my xfx 7990 labels were misaligned so i pealed them off. Lo and behold the stock AMD stickers were right under them! that just amuses me.


----------



## tps3443

Yep, I peeled the Sapphire 7950 sticker off of my card, it goes on the red plastic stripe running through the center of the cooler. And sure enough! AMD RADEON right underneath it. Which the AMD radion is not a sticker. it is cut in to the plastic. But, I would rather my video card look reference.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tps3443*
> 
> Yep, I peeled the Sapphire 7950 sticker off of my card, it goes on the red plastic stripe running through the center of the cooler. And sure enough! AMD RADEON right underneath it. Which the AMD radion is not a sticker. it is cut in to the plastic. But, I would rather my video card look reference.


mine was stickerception


----------



## StrongForce

Yeah I'm pretty sure I had this feature on with my hd5870 aswell and didn't had lag, it's why I kinda forgot I had it activated (if I ever activated it..) I think it might have something to do with the fact more graphic details require more CPU power, but I'm not entirely sure.. anyway I ran a 2hr of game and before that locker 64 p with the drawgraph and none of that crazy cpu spiking every inch on the screen ! and FPS going nuts either, so now back to a mix of high/ultra and I had only a min of 41fps so far in the new map sunken dragon, which mean I could probably put more settings to high but we'll see about that








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tps3443*
> 
> I must say! opening up GPU-Z with your 7950 Boost clocked at 1825Mhz and seeing 345GB of memory bandwidth per second, is very impressive! Especially for a $120 dollar GPU. I just cant belive this, (2) of these cards is capable of R9 295X performance, and you can get (2) for cheaper than a single GTX 760 2GB. What a fantastic gaming setup. I cannot wait to get my 2nd one Friday.
> 
> Can you guys give me some overclocking tips? I have (2) different bios on my Sapphire 7950.
> 
> Bios 1, and Bios 2. One puts the card at 1.081 volts, and the other bios sets the card to 1.250 volts.
> 
> MSI afterburner allows me to go all the way to 1.3 volts on the Vcore, although in my graph monitoring is doesn't seem to be setting voltage higher than 1.250 volts.
> 
> I have the card set as a boost model in afterburner. Any tips?
> 
> I have excellent cooling in my case, the card runs very cool so far.
> 
> I want to get to 1150 or 1175 core.
> 
> My memory will already overclock stable to 1,825Mhz so I am fine with the memory clocks.


Yea insane value for that price eh? I was looking to maybe get 2 too but I gave up, seems like the microstuttering issues are not entirely fixed with drivers so I rather avoid the hassle, also heat would be an issue for me, my cpu is already nearly overheating


----------



## tps3443

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LordOfTots*
> 
> ]Well, either 3DMark or my card is acting up again. I overclocked my 7950 to 1100Mhz on the core 1500Mhz on the vram @1.2v, which at first upped my 3DMark a good amount. Run 3DMark again without changing a thing and I score a thousand points lower, and more voltage or even a lesser overclock doesn't help. It always does this with the most minor of overclocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone know what this might be? I hope I don't just have a lemon of a card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Edit2: nope still happening


It does this to me to! It is because your card is not actually running at 1,100/ 1500. It proubly throttled, and restored factory clocks. Check MSI Afterburner usage graph.

I assume the first run with the high score in firestrike, the card had the wind toward its back and everything was perfect for the overclock to take effect in firesrike.

Because if for one second the card does not feel it has enough voltage, or it is using to much power. Then it will restore factory clocks. And run through firestrike at default settings.

I have been fighting this for 3 days now. And I am trying to figure it out, it is very much different compared to my GTX 780 6GB. I cannot squeeze much out of my core clocks. Now as for the memory clocks, I can go to 1850Mhz, which is absolutely amazing, but after all it is Hynix GDDR5 so that makes sense.

As for my core clock, I have no idea what is going on with it. The only thing I can think of is.. To swap out my (2) 6 pin power plugs for (2) 8 pins so I can try and supply my card some more power. because something is definitely not right.

At first, I was thinking this was my power supply. As my system is only running on a 625 watt Gold Certified PSU. So it is possible.. Until I ran a 500 watt by itself just to power the video card along with my 625 watt as well. So, the 7950 has a PSU all to its self. And I still get the same issues.


----------



## LordOfTots

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tps3443*
> 
> It does this to me to! It is because your card is not actually running at 1,100/ 1500. It proubly throttled, and restored factory clocks. Check MSI Afterburner usage graph.


I'll try it again and monitor it more closely tomorrow when I get home from work. GPU-Z showed no throttling, but that might be an unreliable way of checking that I suppose.


----------



## danycyo

2 7950's is def something not to sleep on and def worth the price/value. I am getting awesome performance from these cards and only spent $100 for a second Vapor X card. I just got 16x 16x crossfire to work on my motherboard instead of 16x and 8x cf and its running perfect. My system runs like a dream and the numbers I get for the price I paid is unbelievable.


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> 2 7950's is def something not to sleep on and def worth the price/value. I am getting awesome performance from these cards and only spent $100 for a second Vapor X card. I just got 16x 16x crossfire to work on my motherboard instead of 16x and 8x cf and its running perfect. My system runs like a dream and the numbers I get for the price I paid is unbelievable.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


You make me think of buying a 12cm fan to add a third fan to my NHD-14







or is it a 14 maybe ? I know on the RAM side I could only fit a 12cm

And yea 2 7950 is very tempting, what is your take on microstuttering ? if you play BF4 by any chance, how well does it run there if I can stabilise my temps a bit lower than what it is now on my CPU I'd be tempted to get another one ! maybe a vapor X if I get the chance


----------



## danycyo

Thanks for the kind words and that giant fan at the end is a NOCTUA NF-P14-FLX 140MM and moves air like a champ. I game all the time with my setup. The games that are optimized for cf setups are the absolute best. Battlefield looks and runs great with Mantle. I get the absolute best battlefield experience with my setup. I actually run my 24/7 gaming clock at 1150/1490 when playing that game and it runs absolutely perfect on ultra. Not every game will work that perfect with that clock though. For example when I play Watch Dogs which is the worst optimized game ever I have to run my cards at stock.

My 4930k is also overclocked to a 4.8 so I am sure it helps the cards performance/stability. I feel with all these new AMD drivers though microstuttering is a thing of the past and if anything crossfire setups work better now than they ever did. Now I just need some awesome AMD drivers to come along to really take me over the top. I am currently experimenting with the 14.7 drivers to see if they yield better results. Best bang for the buck though is get a second card if your not looking to fork over $500 for a new card. I had an awesome performing 7950 and decided to drop an extra $100 bucks and I couldn't be happier. These cards should last me awhile. Now I can save up for a 4k display







to give me an incentive to want to upgrade down the road.


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Thanks for the kind words and that giant fan at the end is a NOCTUA NF-P14-FLX 140MM and moves air like a champ. I game all the time with my setup. The games that are optimized for cf setups are the absolute best. Battlefield looks and runs great with Mantle. I get the absolute best battlefield experience with my setup. I actually run my 24/7 gaming clock at 1150/1490 when playing that game and it runs absolutely perfect on ultra. Not every game will work that perfect with that clock though. For example when I play Watch Dogs which is the worst optimized game ever I have to run my cards at stock.
> 
> My 4930k is also overclocked to a 4.8 so I am sure it helps the cards performance/stability. I feel with all these new AMD drivers though microstuttering is a thing of the past and if anything crossfire setups work better now than they ever did. Now I just need some awesome AMD drivers to come along to really take me over the top. I am currently experimenting with the 14.7 drivers to see if they yield better results. Best bang for the buck though is get a second card if your not looking to fork over $500 for a new card. I had an awesome performing 7950 and decided to drop an extra $100 bucks and I couldn't be happier. These cards should last me awhile. Now I can save up for a 4k display
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> to give me an incentive to want to upgrade down the road.


Nice yea.. I'll be looking at cheaper 14cm fans I think personally how about these anyone use them ? (altought I see the one you got moves 115.5 m³/h and the Corsair one 67 CFM only apparently mh not sure if CFM is the same thing) if so the noctua definately worth it..

http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=C07A54&D=Ventilateur+140x140x25+ANTEC+TwoCool+140mm+[dBA+21%2c8]

and this 1 corsair : http://www.prodimex.ch/pInfos.aspx?CODE=D12D19&D=Ventilateur+140x140x25+CORSAIR+AF140+air+s%C3%A9ries+Quiet+Edition+High+Airflow+Fan+[CO-9050009-WW]

I don't really get the 3cm clearance.. they say it's good to use as exhaust fan so I guess it will be good for that spot on the ND14.

Also I recently bought a splitter for the CPU fan, so I could use the spare AMD stock fan as a VRM fan, the thing though is 2 fans on this give me nuts reading on the CPU no big deal though, but when my CPU heats I think the AMD fan gets crazy and goes full speed which makes a turbine noise lol, so I might look at other fans to replace this one too with a more quiet (and bigger) one, hopefully can find a CPU one with 4pin too ... I'm pretty sure it's that doing the noise haven't check very extensively ..

EDIT: after verification yes it's the same thing CFM .. geez, not much can compete with these noctua I bet

Found this 1 that seems pretty good too : Prolimatech Ultra Sleek Vortex 14 nearly 10 bucks cheaper and 98 CFM not sure if that 1 can be attach easily, lol my 12cm is actually attached with 2 screws on the ND14 aha


----------



## By-Tor

I'm getting the upgrade bug and have thought about replacing my pair of Powercolor PCS+ 7950's with a single Powercolor 290x LCS.

Would this be a worthwhile upgrade?

How close in performance would a pair of 7950's be to a single 290x?

thanks


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> I'm getting the upgrade bug and have thought about replacing my pair of Powercolor PCS+ 7950's with a single Powercolor 290x LCS.
> 
> Would this be a worthwhile upgrade?
> 
> How close in performance would a pair of 7950's be to a single 290x?
> 
> thanks


i estimate the 7950s to be about 30% faster than a single 290X. the thing is, whatever game the 7950s (crossfired) can max, the 290 or 290X can max, too. i've used both setups.


----------



## SkateZilla

I dunno, if the MSI R9-280X's keep showing up with Discounts/Sales in the $250 range, I might go ahead and snag one instead of hunting for another MSI Lightning for less than $350.

So Far almost all the 7970 Lightnings I've found on eBay lately, Sub $350 have been:
A. Mined on
B. Seller Bought Used and doesn't know history of the Card.
C. Just below the $350 Limit I set, but has $20-$30 Shipping.
D. There's 2 that were "Fresh from RMA" but they are from different Sellers, and they both have the same photo's (Pass).
E. Located in South Korea and requires $100+ Shipping

The MSI R9-280X Gamer has similar Clock speeds, Similar cooling, Similar Heatsink Shroud Design,
Just different colors (Red/Black instead of Yellow Black), not sure if LEDs are present,
I don't need 4 MiniDP on the 2nd Card anyway

There's also R9-280X Gamer Editions in the Sub $200 Range on eBay.
However I have to ignore the listings for both MSI R9-280X's and Lightnings, when the Seller Posts KH/S BTC or LTC info, lol.

I also see the HD7990 Prices Dropping, But I dont know how well one would do with a MSI Lightning Blocking it in XFire.

I can get a Waterblocked 7990 for $395, But it's not in the budget right now, and will likely be gone soon.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> I'm getting the upgrade bug and have thought about replacing my pair of Powercolor PCS+ 7950's with a single Powercolor 290x LCS.
> 
> Would this be a worthwhile upgrade?
> 
> *How close in performance would a pair of 7950's be to a single 290x*?
> 
> thanks
> 
> 
> 
> i estimate the 7950s to be about 30% faster than a single 290X. the thing is, whatever game the 7950s (crossfired) can max, the 290 or 290X can max, too. i've used both setups.
Click to expand...

7970s can get pretty darn close to a 1:1 ratio in multi gpu. 7950s are a bit slower though comparatively. 290x's can be run pretty darn fast with the right overclocker behind the wheel so it would depend on the number of cards and conditions. For ex.

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/1198890/fs/2428397


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> I'm getting the upgrade bug and have thought about replacing my pair of Powercolor PCS+ 7950's with a single Powercolor 290x LCS.
> 
> Would this be a worthwhile upgrade?
> 
> How close in performance would a pair of 7950's be to a single 290x?
> 
> thanks


wait a few month there are new cards at least from Nvidia on their way


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 7970s can get pretty darn close to a 1:1 ratio in multi gpu. 7950s are a bit slower though comparatively. 290x's can be run pretty darn fast with the right overclocker behind the wheel so it would depend on the number of cards and conditions. For ex.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/1198890/fs/2428397


tsm, i am pretty close with my estimate . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1169696

no 290x's have beat that score of yours in ocn. it's been almost a year.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> tsm, i am pretty close with my estimate . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1169696
> 
> no 290x's have beat that score of yours in ocn. it's been almost a year.


Really? No way! I didn't bench much with Firestrike that's why my subs were all w/o the WHQL driver which came later. I never bothered to go back and re-bench for the HoF. Instead I concentrated on the Extreme bench since that was where all the titans were pwning.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Really? No way! I didn't bench much with Firestrike that's why my subs were all w/o the WHQL driver which came later. I never bothered to go back and re-bench for the HoF. Instead I concentrated on the Extreme bench since that was where all the titans were pwning.


prolly just add a thousand points using new drivers.


----------



## tsm106

Yea, probably. Drivers today are a bit faster than two months after release. Oh I took a screenshot of the leaderboard from back then. First 290x to crack the HoF. Those were the good ole days lol.



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## By-Tor

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i estimate the 7950s to be about 30% faster than a single 290X. the thing is, whatever game the 7950s (crossfired) can max, the 290 or 290X can max, too. i've used both setups.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 7970s can get pretty darn close to a 1:1 ratio in multi gpu. 7950s are a bit slower though comparatively. 290x's can be run pretty darn fast with the right overclocker behind the wheel so it would depend on the number of cards and conditions. For ex.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/1198890/fs/2428397


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> wait a few month there are new cards at least from Nvidia on their way


So the 7950's still hold there own in crossfire to a single newer card and may just wait on the next gen. of AMD cards... I can run these OCed @ 1250/1700 with no issues...

Thanks


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> So the 7950's still hold there own in crossfire to a single newer card and may just wait on the next gen. of AMD cards... I can run these OCed @ 1250/1700 with no issues...
> 
> Thanks


1250 core . . . not worth it. Stick with those. they could be even faster than the next gen.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *By-Tor*
> 
> So the 7950's still hold there own in crossfire to a single newer card and may just wait on the next gen. of AMD cards... I can run these OCed @ 1250/1700 with no issues...
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 1250 core . . . *not worth it.* Stick with those. they could be even faster than the next gen.
Click to expand...

Nods in agreement. Here's an interesting comparison. This 4 tahiti = 3 hawaii tends to be true for me across a variety of benches from heaven to futuremark. And in my comparison it's closer to ideal since same rig, very high clocks for both setups. *Also, the 7970 quads at max clocks are faster than 290x quads at stock clocks.

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/1004827/fs/1165787


----------



## wermad

quad Hawaii scales very poorly. Looked at the review of crossfire 295X2 and been following the 12k Eyefinity crossfire threads. 3-way seems to be the sweet spot (much like Nvidia GK110). What a shame since they had great scaling with Tahiti in 4-way. Well, at least I don't have to buy an extra 295x2 and can just pick up a cheaper 290/290x for crossfire with a 295x2 (future planned upgrade for later). Extra monies to buy other stuff.


----------



## StrongForce

So Trixx for the clocks, what about the voltage though ?? can you change it by default

Nevermind forgot about afterburner


----------



## wermad

I use Afterburner for voltage and clocks since my cards are unlocked (







).


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> My case is open, which is what worrys me(mmh I doubt i'd get lower temp with case close and airflow but I'm gonna try) was expecting the temp to be a bit lower, and my CPU is at stock too, so there isn't insane amount of heats coming by it either.
> 
> To be honest it doubt even if it ran mining for a 6 months straight it would matter in the performance, maybe the thermal paste got a bit in trouble, but the hardware itself, I don't think it's likely to move, personally, I'm not an expert though.


I'm going to quote a post of mine that should interest you:


Spoiler: overexcited u3b3rg33k



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *u3b3rg33k*
> 
> Ladies and Gentlemen, can I get a round of applause for the new kid on the block, let's make him feel right at home -
> *MR GTX 660!!!!!!!*
> 
> 
> 
> And here's the best part. my GPU temps with the side off, after 5 minutes of warmup (flat line in MSIAB) are:
> 7970 @ 1000MHz: 57C folding an 8900 you know, a lazy 100kPPD
> 6950 @ 930MHz: 67C mining @ 500kH/s (had to turn powertune up to 10% for this bad boy)
> 660 @ 1150MHz: 57C folding an 8018 @ 15k PPD- it boosted itself to that freq. I thought the 660 SC stock clocks were 1046MHz...
> 
> AAAAAAAAAND, with the side panel ON for 10 minutes, the temps are,with the fans at the same speeds:
> 
> 7970: 58C
> 6950: 66C
> 660 : 57C
> 
> Yes, folks, that's THREE GPUs in a case with a single 120mm exhaust fan, with virtually ZERO change in temps with the side panel on or off. i told you it could be done! and then I went and done did it.
> 
> and just in case you might be curious about power consumption, I busted out the kill-a-watt:
> 
> wheatley power consumption @ plug unless specified:
> in bios: 250W
> All idle OS: 200W
> CPU folding SMP-10: 320W
> CPU prime95 small FFT: 355W
> 7970 folding 8900 wu:325W
> 7970 mining:420W
> 6950 mining:400W
> 660 folding 8018 wu: 315W
> 
> Normal running-config 1:
> 7970 mining, 6950 mining, cpu folding, 660 folding:
> 870W AC*.87 = 756W DC
> 
> Normal running-config 2:
> 7970 folding, 6950 mining, cpu folding, 660 folding:
> 805W AC*.87 = 700W DC
> 
> And now off to bed. if the power company isn't here in the morning trying to ransom me back my rig, it'll be a good day.






FWIW, temps right meow are 60C, 41C, 60C (middle card idle), and it's in the upper 70s in here.


----------



## StrongForce

lol nice, when I should start worrying about temp 75? I just notice the Trixx software also got voltage duh, me blind, and man, wow, this overclock so smoothly ! only ran 5mn test though, how much should I be testing between clock boosting ? I barely messed arround with my old hd5870 it was a crappy card to overclock, but this one man, I got a good feeling.. about to test 1150 now without upping voltage...wish me good luck

And sick, I found this article : http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/radeon_hd_7950_overclock_guide,12.html

Like really 15 fps boost from overclocking, that's insanity I never seen that in the benchs I checked before ! hd 7950 is an overclocking monster


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> quad Hawaii scales very poorly. Looked at the review of crossfire 295X2 and been following the 12k Eyefinity crossfire threads. 3-way seems to be the sweet spot (much like Nvidia GK110). What a shame since they had great scaling with Tahiti in 4-way. Well, at least I don't have to buy an extra 295x2 and can just pick up a cheaper 290/290x for crossfire with a 295x2 (future planned upgrade for later). Extra monies to buy other stuff.


I don't know about that. There have always been musings declaring poor scaling on Tahiti too. If you remember back, there were only a few setups that scaled well and most Tahiti quads performed poorly too. It's the same with Hawaii. I was going to go quad Hawaii but I felt that three was enough power and then the timing of the warranty fiasco with Sapphire worked against me getting that fourth card. To put it succinctly, I don't think there are many pushing quad Hawaii to the upper limits and that's why what we see is not really indicative of what the scaling could be.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I don't know about that. There have always been musings declaring poor scaling on Tahiti too. If you remember back, there were only a few setups that scaled well and most Tahiti quads performed poorly too. It's the same with Hawaii. I was going to go quad Hawaii but I felt that three was enough power and then the timing of the warranty fiasco with Sapphire worked against me getting that fourth card. To put it succinctly, I don't think there are many pushing quad Hawaii to the upper limits and that's why what we see is not really indicative of what the scaling could be.


Talk to DeadlyDNA and check DigNavStorm's quad 295x2 review. I've been through a few crossfire 295x2 reviews as well. I was ready to go with a SFF setup like the Corsair 350Demon build but researching and asking, its not that beneficial. Trust me, I would have pulled the trigger on four 290s a long time ago had scaling been better. Quad Tahiti is not perfect but does a scale well in some occasions. It scales great in the new tittles such as BF3, BF4, Crysis 2 & 3, and Metro LL. Some old titles (like Lost Planet 2) have zero scaling between 3 and 4 cards. If all you care for is benching, go for it. But for gaming, there's no point in spending that much on four Hawaiis imho. Same with Nvidia GK110 series. I never got a response from Baasha on scaling but my suspicions (there's a 4--way Titan BE review), like Ti and 780, that 4-way doesn't scale well in games. Bottom line, 3-way has traditionally been the spot for great returns on investment outside of benching 24/7. Though perfect scaling has always been the domain of 2-way.

Might do a 295x2 + 290x down the road with Koolance blocks since one side of the ports line up. Won't have to spend a ton more another 295x2. I need the displayports of the 295x2 since Amd failed on 290/290x for those still using dp (







)


----------



## tsm106

With due respect, as I wrote I don't think their findings are indicative of what I or others could achieve. That's the point.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> With due respect, as I wrote I don't think their findings are indicative of what I or others could achieve. That's the point.


well, you're hell bent on benchmarking records. But gaming is a different situation. Deadly and Baasha have been pushing the extreme end of gaming (12k) so you would expect to see four Hawaiis shining but I've been following them and so far its not my recommendation for anyone gaming. Spend the extra money on good water loop. Otherwise, if you need e-peen prowess, go for it.

There's a few 295x2 crossfire reviews already out and though a single 295x2 is dreamy, an additional 290/290x is the cherry on top. Quad 295x2 seems like a waste imho.

Remember, 4k is pushing more pixels then 3x1 1080 (and I'm pushing more with 5x1 1200







). I've pondered going 12k with three Ti's but I would miss my five dells







. I'll be upgrading next year, though my Lightnings are still alive and kicking butt









edit: wondering if amd is holding back 4-way hawaii to dish it out later with Maxwell







.


----------



## tsm106

I use benching to prove system performance. Without it, without a metric, it's just my word that my system rocks. How could anyone believe it? You know what I mean? And on the topic of triple 4K, that's sort of an oxymoron. 24 million pixels, what's that do to your cpu? Right, bottlenecked! It's kind of moot till something like Mantle unleashes the draw call limits. You call it poor scaling, but it's not accurate when the cpu is choked and unable to meet the demand. And about epeen, what do you think triple 4k is?


----------



## StrongForce

BF4 64p that's how you test a GPU ! lol ok I'm going out (and do just that)


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I use benching to prove system performance. Without it, without a metric, it's just my word that my system rocks. How could anyone believe it? You know what I mean? And on the topic of triple 4K, that's sort of an oxymoron. 24 million pixels, what's that do to your cpu? Right, bottlenecked! It's kind of moot till something like Mantle unleashes the draw call limits. You call it poor scaling, but it's not accurate when the cpu is choked and unable to meet the demand. And about epeen, what do you think triple 4k is?


You should know at large resolutions the cpu is not a big factor as long as it has a healthy oc. Looking at both of their threads, cpu bottleneck has never been a concern. Its typically gpu power that has been something to think about. The poor scaling and the capabilities of these highend cards are still not enough for 12k imho. Possibly in a couple more gens, 12k will be tamed but for now and for the next gen, its still a long way to go for 12k domination. We need dp 1.3 first and 8gb cards








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> BF4 64p that's how you test a GPU ! lol ok I'm going out (and do just that)


Ugh, I've been putting off Bf4 for a while now. Also FarCry 3 as well. Can't stop playing Lost Planet 2 and some older games on my 5x1 array







. I'll get to it eventually







.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> BF4 64p that's how you test a GPU ! lol ok I'm going out (and do just that)


^^









I get my 120fps with triple 7970s with 24/7 clocks, it's good enough for me.



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I use benching to prove system performance. Without it, without a metric, it's just my word that my system rocks. How could anyone believe it? You know what I mean? And on the topic of triple 4K, that's sort of an oxymoron. 24 million pixels, what's that do to your cpu? Right, bottlenecked! It's kind of moot till something like Mantle unleashes the draw call limits. You call it poor scaling, but it's not accurate when the cpu is choked and unable to meet the demand. And about epeen, what do you think triple 4k is?
> 
> 
> 
> You should know at large resolutions the cpu is not a big factor as long as it has a healthy oc. Looking at both of their threads, cpu bottleneck has never been a concern. Its typically gpu power that has been something to think about. The poor scaling and the capabilities of these highend cards are still not enough for 12k imho. Possibly in a couple more gens, 12k will be tamed but for now and for the next gen, its still a long way to go for 12k domination. We need dp 1.3 first and 8gb cards
Click to expand...

CPU overhead is the biggest problem in gaming right now. Why do you think devs united on the Mantle front? CPUs are static, they're held up by API overhead and the limits on draw calls is atrocious. Hardware is steadily increasing in speed but the API is holding us back. Thus venturing into triple 4K is imo epeen atm or at least just for proof of concept.


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> ^^
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I get my 120fps with triple 7970s with 24/7 clocks, it's good enough for me.


Grid looks awesome. You still rocking the Ferrari wheel?


----------



## tsm106

No, unfortunately it finally broke. I'm on a Fanatec GT3 and a G27.


----------



## Carlitos714

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Skip xspc as it doesn't actively cool the vrm. Even the new one doesn't cool the vrm as well.
> 
> EK and HK are my top pics. Ultimately, its up to you. Maybe match your cpu block?
> 
> edit: AC is also pretty good too.


I had and ek block and a XSPC block with 7970's on the same rig and I had better vrm temps on the xspc. If you look at the EK block, the vrm part of the block never touches water. So basically the older ek block is also the same as the xspc. check this pick . no water ever cools the vrms


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> CPU overhead is the biggest problem in gaming right now. Why do you think devs united on the Mantle front? CPUs are static, they're held up by API overhead and the limits on draw calls is atrocious. Hardware is steadily increasing in speed but the API is holding us back. Thus venturing into triple 4K is imo epeen atm or at least just for proof of concept.


Its too new to actually make it work great. 4k monitors are getting less expensive but not the point of 2k affordability, so amd and nvidia won't put too much effort in making 12k super awesome (







). So, I wouldn't expect the best performance, especially with the work load required on the gpu's. 12k is natural progression of Eyefinity/Surround much like WQHD MMG was to 1080/1200 MMG but its just way too out there for current tech to make it mainstream. Though, its a great way to bring gpu's to their knees. Think of it like 5x1 and 3x2 1600 Eyefinity a couple of years ago (







).
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> No, unfortunately it finally broke. I'm on a Fanatec GT3 and a G27.


That sucks







. They're pretty pricey wheels. No warranty?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Carlitos714*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Skip xspc as it doesn't actively cool the vrm. Even the new one doesn't cool the vrm as well.
> 
> EK and HK are my top pics. Ultimately, its up to you. Maybe match your cpu block?
> 
> edit: AC is also pretty good too.
> 
> 
> 
> I had and ek block and a XSPC block with 7970's on the same rig and I had better vrm temps on the xspc. If you look at the EK block, the vrm part of the block never touches water. So basically the older ek block is also the same as the xspc. check this pick . no water ever cools the vrms
Click to expand...

Hate to burst your bubble but you're wrong. The EK block has the best vrm cooling channel. Note the metal plate on top of the block. Remove that and you will see the wide flat water channels connecting the vrm. My card vrm temps stay around 40c max. I can show you right now if you want. If your temps are high, then you have some problems I suspect. The XSPC block on the other hand does not have a water channel and only uses thermal conduction to cool the vrms.


----------



## wermad

Are you still running the FC "Classic" blocks? (non crop circle CSQ?)


----------



## LordOfTots

My 7950 is still acting wierd in 3DMark, and I actually monitored it this time. Set the clock at 1100Mhz and the vram at 1500Mhz, and it ran at those speeds according to afterburner while benching the first time in 3DMark, but when I test again immediately after the core clock doesn't reach past 880Mhz, and the vram at 1250Mhz!

What could be causing this?









edit: looks like its definitely 3DMark, ran crysis 2 for a bit and it seemed to function fine...


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> well, you're hell bent on benchmarking records. But gaming is a different situation. Deadly and Baasha have been pushing the extreme end of gaming (12k) so you would expect to see four Hawaiis shining but I've been following them and so far its not my recommendation for anyone gaming. Spend the extra money on good water loop. Otherwise, if you need e-peen prowess, go for it.
> 
> There's a few 295x2 crossfire reviews already out and though a single 295x2 is dreamy, an additional 290/290x is the cherry on top. Quad 295x2 seems like a waste imho.
> 
> Remember, 4k is pushing more pixels then 3x1 1080 (and I'm pushing more with 5x1 1200
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). I've pondered going 12k with three Ti's but I would miss my five dells
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I'll be upgrading next year, though my Lightnings are still alive and kicking butt
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> edit: wondering if amd is holding back 4-way hawaii to dish it out later with Maxwell
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


isnt there a Upper Limit in Horizontal resolution w/ Dx9?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Are you still running the FC "Classic" blocks? (non crop circle CSQ?)


Yeap, still have 5 original blocks. Have 1 Aqua block too.


----------



## Carlitos714

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hate to burst your bubble but you're wrong. The EK block has the best vrm cooling channel. Note the metal plate on top of the block. Remove that and you will see the wide flat water channels connecting the vrm. My card vrm temps stay around 40c max. I can show you right now if you want. If your temps are high, then you have some problems I suspect. The XSPC block on the other hand does not have a water channel and only uses thermal conduction to cool the vrms.


I already sold the block. Yeah I took a look at some pics and yes you are right. Strange bc the xspc block was getting better temps by like 5c. Dont know what the hell happened there. Had the right pads n screwed down properly.
I did have a fan right behind those gpus too (actually had 4 gpus on h20 xspc/ek n two mcw82s!)

My bad. Bubble deflated.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> lol nice, when I should start worrying about temp 75?


I'm not sure if there's a specific number at which you should worry, but if you keep your GPU clean (I like to blast mine with compressed air (a real compressor, not canned air) once a year, and aren't overclocking, the factory fan profile is more often than not A-OK. The harder you OC (and the higher your voltage) the more important it is to keep things cool.

I set a curve in MSIAB so that 70C is around 70-80% fan speed - that way it ramps up the fans faster than the stock profile, and on a really hot day I can hold mid-low 70s at around 80% fan speed. if /when I run things like furmark, I manually set it at 100% fan speed. No need to kill cards on purpose, right?

on non-reference style coolers, I use the VRMs as my limiting temperature, whereas on blower style cards (rear exhaust, like I have) the VRMs always have amazing cooling, and I can ignore them completely. I think when I'm at 70C GPU core, i'm in the 40s for VRM temps with my custom fan curve. on my 6950 dirt 3 (dual fan), I can see the VRMs in the high 80s/low 90s in stress tests while the GPU core is perfectly happy.


----------



## StrongForce

Is there a way to get the Trixx settings to load auto on startup ?? even by doing a profile it doesn't do it.. uh

And wanted to try with afterburner, but my Voltage isn't showing, even though I clicked the unlock V options, weird !


----------



## wermad

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Is there a way to get the Trixx settings to load auto on startup ?? even by doing a profile it doesn't do it.. uh
> 
> And wanted to try with afterburner, but my Voltage isn't showing, even though I clicked the unlock V options, weird !


Check your settings and ensure Trixx turns on when windows turns on.


----------



## SkateZilla

Another reason I want to drop my Sapphire 7950 and replace with a matching card.

MSI AB Hates the DualX, and Trixxx hates the Lightning.

I know my DualX can match the Clocks of the Lightning, but if I try to adjust voltages or clocks in one program it messes up the other card.

So I removed both and just left them at stock settings for a while.

I think I eventually used XML or a Custom BIOS for the Sapphire to run it at matching speeds.


----------



## wermad

Asus Gpu Tweak?


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Check your settings and ensure Trixx turns on when windows turns on.


it is loading on startup but its not saving the OC :/


----------



## Feyris

My PC froze suddenly after closing FFXIV. and now after restart GPUZ shows crossfire as DISABLED. whuts going on







(7990)


----------



## tps3443

Take a look guys! This 7950 is pretty QUICK! You know, I am having the worst luck on the core clock. I am maxed out at 1,125Mhz on my core. But my goodness! My memory just will not stop! 1,860 MHZ so far 357 GBPS bandwidth

This $100 video card performs right behind a reference GTX 780. I am pretty impressed. I am grabbing another tomorrow at lunch time.

http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/tps3443/media/7950NEW_zps597564da.jpg.html


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tps3443*
> 
> Take a look guys! This 7950 is pretty QUICK! You know, I am having the worst luck on the core clock. I am maxed out at 1,125Mhz on my core. But my goodness! My memory just will not stop! 1,860 MHZ so far 357 GBPS bandwidth
> 
> This $100 video card performs right behind a reference GTX 780. I am pretty impressed. I am grabbing another tomorrow at lunch time.
> 
> http://s1371.photobucket.com/user/tps3443/media/7950NEW_zps597564da.jpg.html


7450MHz Memory, I am scared. You are a full 1000MHz above my max, make sure to find a (preferably early reference) 7950 that likes mixing with your current one, as those will probably have a good set of at least 6GHz capable Samsung\Hynix memory.


----------



## Roaches

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> My PC froze suddenly after closing FFXIV. and now after restart GPUZ shows crossfire as DISABLED. whuts going on
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (7990)


Can you re-enable it?, does MSI Afterburner register and detects sensor of both GPU cores?

Probably a hard lock from overheating, its good to allow temp sensors enabled on the OSD when gaming to keep track of your GPU health.


----------



## tps3443

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> 7450MHz Memory, I am scared. You are a full 1000MHz above my max, make sure to find a (preferably early reference) 7950 that likes mixing with your current one, as those will probably have a good set of at least 6GHz capable Samsung\Hynix memory.


Yea it has Hynix memory. Some very fast Hynix memory!

Im sure it will go a little further to. I will try for higher memory clock tomorrow. But at 1860MHz it will run perfectly stable all the time 2 days straight now! Watch dogs ran all night long as I forgot to close it out. I woke up and my 7950 was screaming along at 100% fan speed, and roughly 69C all night with the memory at 1,860mhz and the core at 1125 as well and 1.245 volts, ive run through proubly 50 firestrike runs, and kombustor and everything else as well! And 1,860mhz is perfectly stable! Its almost as if I was trying to make it crash. And I cannot .

The guy I got it from had 12 7950's and 7970's it was used for mining. Luckily he was undervolting it and using stock clocks. Bios (2) is custom it reads 925Mhz and 1.081 volts, I guess so it would run cool along with its 11 other brothers all in the same little room mining blocks together.

But, anyways ive tried numerous voltage settings and for some reason I cannot get a stable clock past 1140mhz Core, Firestrike begins to artifact. And that is with any voltage. I tried 1150 with 1.30 volts! And still no luck. I tried 1139 Mhz at 1.26volts, and 1.27 volts. I even tried undervolting it, below 1.25 volts at 1140mhz. But, it really seems to love 1125mhz at 1.25 or 1.24 volts. So I am just going to leave it at 1,125Mhz core

I guess the low core clocks are acceptable considering how well the memory is overclocking.

And by the way! This is a Sapphire Reference 7950 Boost model. And the one I am picking up tomorrow, is Identical to this one. He has a powercolor reference model for a little cheaper. But I am going to pass and go for the sapphire. And hope for a identical card like mine.

It would be awesome if both run at 1860mhz memory, and 1125mhz core. I had no idea a single AMD Sapphire 7950 was capable of 8,000 in firestrike at only 1,125mhz core speed

And one more thing, coming from a GTX 660 OEM with a 192 bit frame buffer and 1.5gb of memory. And going to this with 357gbps memory bandwidth and 3GB of vram. When you are running 8XAA it is like the card does not even know it is running. Vs the last card, even 2x aa and 4xaa would cripple it.


----------



## danycyo

Does anyone else hate the 14.7 beta drivers or is it just me? I get so many crashes during battlefield 4 with these new drivers and its driving me crazy. I am about to revert back to my older drivers until something better comes out.


----------



## tps3443

I have not played BF4 since I got the 7950. But, Have not noticed anything odd. Need to install bf4 though.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> it is loading on startup but its not saving the OC :/


Are you saving the profile and having it load the profile on startup?

I think I had a conflict with CCC loading after MSI AB causing the clocks to revert back to stock.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tps3443*
> 
> I have not played BF4 since I got the 7950. But, Have not noticed anything odd. Need to install bf4 though.


Also, mind running 3DMark11, my [email protected]\1615 scores about 11730, I would expect you to break 12000+?


----------



## tps3443

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Also, mind running 3DMark11, my [email protected]\1615 scores about 11730, I would expect you to break 12000+?


Let me download 3dmark11 demo and give it a run. I am trying to push the memory further.

So far I have the memory at 1900MHz, I did not realize some 7950's with Hynix are even going to 2100MHZ!!!! WHAT?!

Memory band width, memory band width, and more memory bandwidth!

I am using Sapphire Trixx now to overclock my card, I have voltage control up to 1.381 volts using Trixx 4.30

Maybe my card is just a really low ASIC quality and I need a ton of volts just to get a stable 1150Mhz LOL!

Before I start going in to 1.3 volts, and over 1.3 volts. I am going to make sure, I have my VRM's temperature in check and under 80C, and I need to increase my power Limiter to 50%. Because apparently even a stock 7950 at 1ghz core throttles based on Belials 7950 comprehensive guide.

If I am able to achieve 2,000mhz on the memory. I will surely be impressed.

I will get back with a 3DMARK11 screen TONIGHT GUYS!


----------



## tsm106

You probably have a bios with loose, real loose timings.


----------



## richie_2010

hi guys i have a new product called Bright Light

please take a look and let me know what you think
a full new price list is in my artisan store, buy this and a backplate to get the gpu cool universal for free



more colours are available


----------



## tps3443

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You probably have a bios with loose, real loose timings.


The timmings are stock. The only thing changed on bios switch 2 was the card was undervolted.

Some 7950s's and 7970's with Hynix memory can run at these kind of memory speeds.

It is just what they do. The highest is around 2100mhz, average is between 1700 and 1950mhz memory speeds.

In just about every review of a 7950 and 7970 they easily overclock the cards in to the 1800's and 1900's on the memory speed.

Now, if I were to increase the memory timmings, I would expect to go over 2,000 MHz easily.

But, so far the card can run at 1915mhz memory with stock timmings, I have the memory voltage at 1.65volts

I will try to increase it to 1.7 volts, and run for 1,950Mhz and 2,000Mhz

at 2,000Mhz the memory bandwidth is right around 385GBPS bandwidth.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tps3443*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> You probably have a bios with loose, real loose timings.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> The timmings are stock. The only thing changed on bios switch 2 was the card was undervolted.
> 
> Some 7950s's and 7970's with Hynix memory can run at these kind of memory speeds.
> 
> It is just what they do. The highest is around 2100mhz, average is between 1700 and 1950mhz memory speeds.
> 
> In just about every review of a 7950 and 7970 they easily overclock the cards in to the 1800's and 1900's on the memory speed.
> 
> Now, if I were to increase the memory timmings, I would expect to go over 2,000 MHz easily.
> 
> But, so far the card can run at 1915mhz memory with stock timmings, I have the memory voltage at 1.65volts
> 
> I will try to increase it to 1.7 volts, and run for 1,950Mhz and 2,000Mhz
> 
> at 2,000Mhz the memory bandwidth is right around 385GBPS bandwidth.
Click to expand...

Really? There's so much I didn't know.


----------



## StrongForce

how come I can't see the VRM temps on my HD 7950 with gpu z ? maybe cuse I use the rog skin version or? mmh


----------



## Kenerd

Some cards don't have the vrm Chill sensor. Like sapphire Dualx 7950


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Are you saving the profile and having it load the profile on startup?
> 
> I think I had a conflict with CCC loading after MSI AB causing the clocks to revert back to stock.


Oh didn't seen that option is that the restore clocks one ??

EDIT: so far stable at CORE : 1190 MEMORY : 1640 not bad







little firestrike : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3601066? 7200


----------



## devilhead

Made some fast test with 100 background programs and daily cpu overclock: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2475831


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *devilhead*
> 
> Made some fast test with 100 background programs and daily cpu overclock: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2475831


That's a pretty high 24/7 cpu clock! The gpu clock ain't bad either.









I just pulled out my fastest gpu, so I'm stuck with three regular golds. Though I haven't run a bench in like 4 months. I ran one today since, well why the heck not. But man, I wish I had that xfx that I pulled out, then I could run it vs your single.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2476863

^^Managed to make to 60 something lol.


----------



## devilhead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's a pretty high 24/7 cpu clock! The gpu clock ain't bad either.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just pulled out my fastest gpu, so I'm stuck with three regular golds. Though I haven't run a bench in like 4 months. I ran one today since, well why the heck not. But man, I wish I had that xfx that I pulled out, then I could run it vs your single.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2476863
> 
> ^^Managed to make to 60 something lol.


Today this card is going to the same place where is your super golden card will arrive







tested those card just 1 hour


----------



## tsm106

He asked me for another card too lol.


----------



## StrongForce

I wanted to mess arround with the witcher and sweetFX also I used to run raedonPRO to force Vsync, but now when I start it all the options are all greyed out, tryed reinstalling, no luck.. and I think I tryed D3doverrider with witcher it didn't work, anyone have any idea how I could get it to recognise my card ?


----------



## danycyo

Check this score out for 3dmark 11 reading 1 7950 at 1227/1500... I couldn't believe my eyes



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8551263


----------



## wermad

My lightnings are up for sale if anyone wants one, or two, or three, or all four


----------



## wermad

Anyone had issues launching fire strike? I'm on 14.4 and can't seem to find the updates to FS.


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Check this score out for 3dmark 11 reading 1 7950 at 1227/1500... I couldn't believe my eyes
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8551263


Mmh this seems a bit high ! I score 7200 and I already thought this was an awesome score..but 19k ? lol, how many are you running not just one
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> Anyone had issues launching fire strike? I'm on 14.4 and can't seem to find the updates to FS.


reinstall.. I'm using the steam version so it updates automaticly

Also I had a quick question, is it possible to disable crossfire in 1 click ? I'm tempted to go crossfire but only will need it in a couple games though, don't want to have through the roof power consumption when I play say, witcher 1 lol


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Check this score out for 3dmark 11 reading 1 7950 at 1227/1500... I couldn't believe my eyes
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8551263


HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAX, try and rebench, there is no way a single 7950 can get 22K. Maybe physically remove the second card from you motherboards slot. My [email protected]\1615 scores 12K as a reference.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Check this score out for 3dmark 11 reading 1 7950 at 1227/1500... I couldn't believe my eyes
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8551263


Ok good for you. But I have to say, that you know it's a bugged output. You know this yet you post it anyways? Haha, you even posted it to hwbot. Congrats, you're now a cheater. You must think ppl are stupid to not notice?


----------



## neurotix

Bump.


----------



## StrongForce

It's the second time I test a friend's old 7970 at home, because it's not working at all on his PC (for some odd reasons, tryed both DVI and HDMI) we changed PSU, mobo, tested ram and CPU work fine (100%sure), well now he bought a 780 strix and he's happy but I was just wondering because it worked on my PC the first time I tested it, and now it work still.. very strange !

Also I decided to run a little firestrike see what kind of score a score vanilla 7970 do, but surprisingly it scored very very low ! http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3648066? ??

Something is really going on with that card, I even reinstalled drivers ( cause I have a 7950 I guess shouldn't even need to) to make sure, and it's not running extreme either.. so yea, not only the fact it works on my PC is strange but it's score is also very low..

Also we ran a firestrike on his PC with a 2600k and 780 6gb Strix, only 8300 or something, to be honest I'm surprise my OC 7950 can score as high as 7200 !







that thing is atom bomb.

Also his ram only runs at 1333 cause I couldn't get it to work at top speed, XMP profile wouldn't boot when I tryed (so many strange things going on everytime on his pc lol)

EDIT :

So I had a look at the clocks and (to my surprise) :



it runs downclocked by default !! seriously ?? what the hell


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Also I decided to run a little firestrike see what kind of score a score vanilla 7970 do, but surprisingly it scored very very low ! http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3648066? ??


That's not stock speed! It's more like a dead card speed hehe.


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not stock speed! It's more like a dead card speed hehe.


you probably didn't saw the edit, it's downclocked for some reasons !! look my post upper, like he never tryed to overclock or change anything to this card and this is the factory clocks







I hope they haven't like that since day one... however when I force the stock clocks and voltage through Trixx : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3648319 things are back on track.. this still doesn't explain why this card doesn't work on his PC 3 different boards and 2 different PSU.. but wow, I never seen so many strange things in a PC, it's like cursed or something.


----------



## tsm106

Interesting. At times like that, a wipe is the shortest path to success.


----------



## StrongForce

What do you mean a wipe ? also I tryed crossfiring it with my hd 7950, it ran nicely, but when I removed the cards etc, and booted I see my card now is also with 400/600 clocks at boot ffs ! so maybe that problem wasn't on the card but with Trixx or something and it just got confused since I added another card and it was supposed to apply overclocking automatically on start.. mmh yea that would make sense, I'll try to uninstall then reinstall trixx


----------



## tsm106

Wipe as in wipe the OS and start from scratch.


----------



## StrongForce

Seems fixed after reinstalling Trixx altought it was the overclocked clocks.. ah well not big deal I guess it's just Trixx acting up.

However yesterday I was tempted to try a crossfire with my friends 7970 and my 7950, ran 3dmark and the points were only in the 9000's, I understand that scaling in that program could be not very optimized, so I tryed battlefield 4, it seemed to me there aren't much difference in frame rates especially minimum frame rates with 2 cards and 1 card, I did try all ultra and the frames seemed better than with my single card though there, but then I tryed to mess arround with settings, and stand on a spot I know is hard to render, on propaganda if you stand near the train end and look at the middle of the map (doesn't really matter where llol) well my min fps was 48 with the 2 cards and I disabled crossfire in catalyst and the fps was similar.. so I guess maybe a 7950 and a 7970 doesn't scale very well.. I would think with 2 hd 7950 it would be much better... I hope, I'm still hesitating whether to pick a second one or not !


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Seems fixed after reinstalling Trixx altought it was the overclocked clocks.. ah well not big deal I guess it's just Trixx acting up.
> 
> However yesterday I was tempted to try a crossfire with my friends 7970 and my 7950, ran 3dmark and the points were only in the 9000's, I understand that scaling in that program could be not very optimized, so I tryed battlefield 4, it seemed to me there aren't much difference in frame rates especially minimum frame rates with 2 cards and 1 card, I did try all ultra and the frames seemed better than with my single card though there, but then I tryed to mess arround with settings, and stand on a spot I know is hard to render, on propaganda if you stand near the train end and look at the middle of the map (doesn't really matter where llol) well my min fps was 48 with the 2 cards and I disabled crossfire in catalyst and the fps was similar.. so I guess maybe a 7950 and a 7970 doesn't scare very well.. I would think with 2 hd 7950 it would be much better... I hope, I'm still hesitating whether to pick a second one or not !


I don't think the system you're using works very well, so I don't think basing your opinion of crossfire from it is a wise idea. Just for reference, I can beat your friends submissions with one 7970, albeit it one very highly clocked 7970 though on its own this particular card isn't even my highest clocking card. Two 7950/7970 combo should be into the 15K pscore range easily. Easily!

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2479953


----------



## StrongForce

Yea seems like something is up, altought yours is highly clocked and you also have a 3930k so it helps







, I'll rerun a benchmark with my clocked HD7950 see if I still score high just to make sure lol

Edit : there is really something odd check out my new 7950 score : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3656042? much lower I scored 7200 the other day mmh.. gonna investigate

Edit 2 : woaaah I just scored 2600 ! clocks are good, I reinstalled drivers, cleaned traces with DDU ..mmh gonna try with my other OS I guess..









Edit again : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3657125? with stock clocks graphic card 6260







I might have to reinstall windows.. it's strange.. I had some troubles the other day with windows, it would'nt boot even a blue screen after I managed to boot..so I guess that's it, it's screwed beyond drivers uh, all I did was shut down windows while it was booting because I forgot to plug the DVI cable lol !


----------



## hypespazm

pretty new to the AMD club buy my girlfriend has a 7950 I was wondering if I could flash it into a R9 280 or R9 280X? is it possible has it been done can i brick it .... have been looking around.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> pretty new to the AMD club buy my girlfriend has a 7950 I was wondering if I could flash it into a R9 280 or R9 280X? is it possible has it been done can i brick it .... have been looking around.


welcome to the club









I have successfully flashed my 7970 into a 280x, but the VRM temp sensor was off. Saw no real benefit to it, as it did not increase overclocking headroom, nor did it increase scores or FPS. It was neat to do when the 280x first came out as a science experiment...but in the end it was just wasted effort. You might be able to flash to a 280, but chances are you will have the same or similar results that I did. As long as your card has a BIOS switch, flashing ROMs is pretty safe, even if you cant boot, you can always boot from the second BIOS and reflash the first position BIOS.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> pretty new to the AMD club buy my girlfriend has a 7950 I was wondering if I could flash it into a R9 280 or R9 280X? is it possible has it been done can i brick it .... have been looking around.
> 
> 
> 
> welcome to the club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have successfully flashed my 7970 into a 280x, but the VRM temp sensor was off. Saw no real benefit to it, as it did not increase overclocking headroom, nor did it increase scores or FPS. It was neat to do when the 280x first came out as a science experiment...but in the end it was just wasted effort. You might be able to flash to a 280, but chances are you will have the same or similar results that I did. As long as your card has a BIOS switch, flashing ROMs is pretty safe, even if you cant boot, you can always boot from the second BIOS and reflash the first position BIOS.
Click to expand...

There's no point to flashing these days. If you really want you should just modify your stock bios, name it whatever you want, etc.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> pretty new to the AMD club buy my girlfriend has a 7950 I was wondering if I could flash it into a R9 280 or R9 280X? is it possible has it been done can i brick it .... have been looking around.
> 
> 
> 
> welcome to the club
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have successfully flashed my 7970 into a 280x, but the VRM temp sensor was off. Saw no real benefit to it, as it did not increase overclocking headroom, nor did it increase scores or FPS. It was neat to do when the 280x first came out as a science experiment...but in the end it was just wasted effort. You might be able to flash to a 280, but chances are you will have the same or similar results that I did. As long as your card has a BIOS switch, flashing ROMs is pretty safe, even if you cant boot, you can always boot from the second BIOS and reflash the first position BIOS.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There's no point to flashing these days. If you really want you should just modify your stock bios, name it whatever you want, etc.
Click to expand...

Agreed. In the end, that is exactly what I have done. The rest was an exercise in futility.


----------



## StrongForce

So .. my card runs fine on my other OS, only problem though, I can't overclock it anymore.. isn't that weird ? even tryed to download MSI afterburner and on there it shows overclocked clocks (but they aren't) and can't see the voltage control (despite allowing it in the settings) Trixx broke my card it seems, this is desperate what could I do .. there is dual BIOS I think but what if I change that and the other BIOS gets glitch again.. grr this is annoying.

Also I'll probably need to reinstall my other OS.. that's great.


----------



## SkateZilla

OOh,, So I can mod my BIOS to say:

"AMD R12-10 Points to Gryffindor" ??


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> OOh,, So I can mod my BIOS to say:
> 
> "AMD R12-10 Points to Gryffindor" ??


No, but you can change the vendor and subsytem ID to get recognized as something other than what the card actually is


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> OOh,, So I can mod my BIOS to say:
> 
> "AMD R12-10 Points to Gryffindor" ??
> 
> 
> 
> No, but you can change the vendor and subsytem ID to get recognized as something other than what the card actually is
Click to expand...

And you can do other things like...


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*


haha! thats a new one on me, pretty slick! Care to share the method?


----------



## tsm106

Registry man. It's so basic, same folder as ULPS. Though I suppose if some always use an app to disable ULPS, it might look daunting. Catalyst reads all that info from the main cards folder btw.


----------



## SkateZilla

I surrender....


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I surrender....


gg no re


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Registry man. It's so basic, same folder as ULPS. Though I suppose if some always use an app to disable ULPS, it might look daunting. Catalyst reads all that info from the main cards folder btw.


----------



## StrongForce

Man it was just Trixx acting up, uninstalled and removed the "load on startup" option, reinstall, and now it worked fine again, guhh ! sometimes you really pull your hairs out for nothing ! now I'm back on track ! http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3673516?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Man it was just Trixx acting up, uninstalled and removed the "load on startup" option, reinstall, and now it worked fine again, guhh ! sometimes you really pull your hairs out for nothing ! now I'm back on track ! http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3673516?


7K looks to be in the ballpark especially for your cpu. Btw, how you tell is click on the Show Results tab, that will open a drawer that shows what group you fall into. If you are in a well populated group, you know you're in the right place.


----------



## StrongForce

Yea I know it's more than legit, your score is awesome by the way but your CPU is atom bomb..

We tested on a friend (don't remember if I said that already..) PC with his new 780 Strix 6gb 8400 and a stock 2600k ! legit legit.. we gonna OC his cpu soon he bought a NH 15


----------



## Daffie82

I am wondering if it is usefull to go crossfire and add another 7950 or 7970.
I have one 7950 at the moment but I am not playing that much games anyway to be honest, and I have tons of games I bought and still have to play, like "BioShock Infinite" and some others. I guess 1 7950 card will be enough for games like "BioShock Infinite"? Or will going crossfire be a huge improvement in a game like that?

EDIT : some other games are the latest Tomb Raider game, Dishonored, DMC Devil may cry, Batman Arkham Origins and Metro Last Light. I play on 1 screen @ 1920x1080-60hz


----------



## Mega Man

if you want to max out all games it will help otherwise 1 is enough


----------



## StrongForce

One is more than enough if you don't have 60 just mess arround with the settings usually AA takes the most, Bioshock one I could max it withm y HD5870 lol, tomb raider is pretty well optimized game so it will run good (you might need to run off TressFX though), don't know about dishonored but I bet it runs fine


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> One is more than enough if you don't have 60 just mess arround with the settings usually AA takes the most, Bioshock one I could max it withm y HD5870 lol, tomb raider is pretty well optimized game so it will run good (you might need to run off TressFX though), don't know about dishonored but I bet it runs fine


I should add it is ''BioShock Infinite''









EDIT : some others I still have to play are : DMC : Devil may cry, Batman Arkham Origins and Metro: Last Light


----------



## SkateZilla

Hrrrm...

I Wonder how much of an Impact a PCIex4 slot would have on 3-Way XFire.

If I keep my 7970 Lightning and R9-280X Gamer on the x16 Slots and put the 7950 in the bottom PCIeX4 Slot... ..

Would I see an improvement or would the 4x Slot just bog everything down?

I feel so bad about demoting the card to closet box status, if I can make use of the 1792 shaders without performance impact I would. But if putting a 3rd card in at 4x is gonna neuter performance I'll gladly retire the 7950.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Hrrrm...
> 
> I Wonder how much of an Impact a PCIex4 slot would have on 3-Way XFire.
> 
> If I keep my 7970 Lightning and R9-280X Gamer on the x16 Slots and put the 7950 in the bottom PCIeX4 Slot... ..
> 
> Would I see an improvement or would the 4x Slot just bog everything down?
> 
> I feel so bad about demoting the card to closet box status, if I can make use of the 1792 shaders without performance impact I would. But if putting a 3rd card in at 4x is gonna neuter performance I'll gladly retire the 7950.


It depends on the platform. With intel its generally bad because the X4 electric width slot comes from the southbridge, ie. not on die like the main slots. This results in terrible performance.

With amd I think it is ok because amd's pcie controller is not on die. That said it's generally best to avoid big differences in slot widths if you can.


----------



## SkateZilla

K, I think I'll stick to 2 cards, and wait for 7990s to drop some more (they went back up), or wait for R9-290/X cards to Ship with 4 MiniDP.


----------



## StrongForce

or wait for the next cards but yea new is always more expensive


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> or wait for the next cards but yea new is always more expensive


Yeah, 2 Cards runs 3 Screens at 60Hz, only dips are in BF3/4, I was hoping adding my 7950 would give enough juice to stop the dips,
But if it's gonna bring down the entire setup, then it's not worth it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> K, I think I'll stick to 2 cards, and wait for 7990s to drop some more (they went back up), or wait for *R9-290/X cards to Ship with 4 MiniDP*.


That probably won't happen this gen, unless you want to splurge on a 295. However its a non-issue unless you run triple 120hz panels or triple 1440 and higher. Triple [email protected] is a non-issue for a single 290x port wise.


----------



## StrongForce

Yea I wouldn't advise to do that I tryed a crossfire with a friend's hd 7970 and my 7950 last week it wasn't very bright ! I only scored 9000 or so in firestrike :S and I noticed my min FPS in bf4 were pretty much still the same don't know if I did something wrong.. maybe my HD 7950 wasn't running full speed cause I had trouble with that and Trixx which loaded with 400 core / 600 memory clocks !

What settings you running though ?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That probably won't happen this gen, unless you want to splurge on a 295. However its a non-issue unless you run triple 120hz panels or triple 1440 and higher. Triple [email protected] is a non-issue for a single 290x port wise.


yeah i dont have 1500 USD to drop.


----------



## EpicOtis13

I just recieved my 7970 in the mail. When I installed the drivers for my card a black border apeared around my desktop on my monitor. my monitor is 1080p and in the display preferences it says that it is still outputting 1080p but there is a border that i cant move my mouse into. any help would be great.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> I just recieved my 7970 in the mail. When I installed the drivers for my card a black border apeared around my desktop on my monitor. my monitor is 1080p and in the display preferences it says that it is still outputting 1080p but there is a border that i cant move my mouse into. any help would be great.


try this . . .

Go to CCC>My Digital Flat Panels>Scaling options>Use the slider.


----------



## tsm106

Better yet, don't use hdmi cable?


----------



## pnoozi

Changed the thermal paste on my MSI Twin Frozr and lost 20 degrees in games. No exaggeration.

Old thermal paste was in bad shape. Replaced it with Arctic Silver 5. Unbelievable difference.


----------



## SkateZilla

in Catalyst Control Center, Under one of the Manage Displays Menus, there's an option for Scaling/Overscan, etc etc.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Yea I wouldn't advise to do that I tryed a crossfire with a friend's hd 7970 and my 7950 last week it wasn't very bright ! I only scored 9000 or so in firestrike :S and I noticed my min FPS in bf4 were pretty much still the same don't know if I did something wrong.. maybe my HD 7950 wasn't running full speed cause I had trouble with that and Trixx which loaded with 400 core / 600 memory clocks !
> 
> What settings you running though ?


I Ran an MSI Lightning 7970 Fine with my Sapphire DualX 7950, no issues. in 16x/16x XFire.

I Acquired an MSI R9-280X Gamer but had to immediately send it to MSI under RMA, so when it gets back I'll have 2x 2048 Shader GHz Tahiti GPUs and the Sapphire 7950.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That probably won't happen this gen, unless you want to splurge on a 295. However its a non-issue unless you run triple 120hz panels or triple 1440 and higher. Triple [email protected] is a non-issue for a single 290x port wise.


I think I posted already, but I dont have the $1500 to spend, even with the Free 500GB Samsung SSD, it's still not worth it to me, considering R9-290X's are in the $500 range now, so a $500 Premium for the $50 AIO Cooler and some extra crap.

I'd rather splurge $400 on a 7990, and run it w/ my lightning for 6144 SP.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It depends on the platform. With intel its generally bad because the X4 electric width slot comes from the southbridge, ie. not on die like the main slots. This results in terrible performance.
> 
> With amd I think it is ok because amd's pcie controller is not on die. That said it's generally best to avoid big differences in slot widths if you can.


I read Intel boards have severe issues with 16x/4x, and last time I did tech support for someone, their mainboard manual clearly stated NOT to put a Graphics card in the 4x Slot.

I guess I'll test when it comes back, or I can prolly run the 7950 in the 4x slot this weekend with my lightning and see if it increases or decreases performance.

I'm not looking for 100/100/100 Scaling, which isnt possible with 1/4 the bandwidth,
But 100/100/50 (ie the 3rd Card only puts out 50% of it's normal performance) would be enough to push the Rendering where it needs to be. as long as it doesn't bring down the 7970s/280X

The 16x/4x XFire, it seems to be game specific, some dont get hurt as much as others. (ones that require more RENDERING, than Texture Loading seem to benefit better, while Texture Loading Intensive engines will sputter waiting for the textures to load across the 2nd cards 4x bandwidth).

and 4x Benches I've seen, indicate it may be a game by game thing, some games it'll be 1-2 FPS difference between 4x and 16x, while others performance would be cut in half. (Again, assuming it's texture loading intensive engines).


----------



## StrongForce

Yeah I'm thinking the bad score was due to my card running slower clocks for some reason..


----------



## pnoozi

god this GPU is legendary. The MSI Twin Frozr version of this is the best video card I've ever owned. It overclocks without a whimper, slays everything, runs around 70C and doesn't make much noise. And it's 2.5 years old moreover (and doing all this on a first-gen i5). I don't think I'll have to upgrade my GPU for at least another year.


----------



## aaronlaplante

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pnoozi*
> 
> god this GPU is legendary. The MSI Twin Frozr version of this is the best video card I've ever owned. It overclocks without a whimper, slays everything, runs around 70C and doesn't make much noise. And it's 2.5 years old moreover (and doing all this on a first-gen i5). I don't think I'll have to upgrade my GPU for at least another year.


Do you have the MSI 7970 OC version? twin frozer 3?


----------



## pnoozi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> Do you have the MSI 7970 OC version? twin frozer 3?


It's the MSI R7950 3GB TFIII as stated in my signature. Their thermal paste application was a little bit questionable, but other than that I can't find a fault with it.

Are people still buying this GPU or is it better to just get the new R9 series?


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pnoozi*
> 
> god this GPU is legendary. The MSI Twin Frozr version of this is the best video card I've ever owned. It overclocks without a whimper, slays everything, runs around 70C and doesn't make much noise. And it's 2.5 years old moreover (and doing all this on a first-gen i5). I don't think I'll have to upgrade my GPU for at least another year.


Legendary?
Its a great card, but I would not call it legendary.
That it is still so competitive after this time has more to do with the fact that the technology has been at a standstill.
New cards from AMD are still based on the same technology as this one...


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Daffie82*
> 
> Legendary?
> Its a great card, but I would not call it legendary.
> That it is still so competitive after this time has more to do with the fact that the technology has been at a standstill.
> New cards from AMD are still based on the same technology as this one...


I was amazed at how much mine overclocked, so it is pretty legendary, also if you consider the fact I got it for 100$ on ebay, a card with 3Gb VRAM .. that's awesome !


----------



## Lionheart1980

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> I was amazed at how much mine overclocked, so it is pretty legendary, also if you consider the fact I got it for 100$ on ebay, a card with 3Gb VRAM .. that's awesome !










Yeah i agree bud, $100!! that's a 'legendary' deal if u ask me


----------



## StrongForce

And that did include shipping more or less, LOL.


----------



## incog

I'm going to be doing computer maintenance soon (cleaning case from dust, new CPU cooler) and I want to take apart my GPU's cooler to clean out dust from the heatsink;

It's a dual-X cooler on a 7970. I'm just going to undo the screws I think, to get to the heatsink. anything I know should about? I'll clean out the dust from everything the best I can, not sure if anything else is worth doin'


----------



## Daffie82

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> I was amazed at how much mine overclocked, so it is pretty legendary, also if you consider the fact I got it for 100$ on ebay, a card with 3Gb VRAM .. that's awesome !


Amount of overclocking potential is also a matter of plain and simple luck.
And if you got it for cheap makes you a good and clever buyer, but it does not make the card legendary








I bought mine when it just got out in the market for around 500 euros...


----------



## tsm106

Legendary is being thrown around way too loosely here.


----------



## StrongForce

Calm down... how about legendary...FOR ME


----------



## SkateZilla

Still wondering if I can run a 7990+7970 from my RM850.

Google search is 50/50...

Extreme Calculator, with all my data plugged in says I'd eat 783w.

Or should I just run my 7970 from my 700w OCZ and Link them to both Turn on Like I did before.


----------



## wermad

my quad system was pushing ~1500-1600w at the wall. I would feel safer with at least a 1kw unit imho.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> my quad system was pushing ~1500-1600w at the wall. I would feel safer with at least a 1kw unit imho.


Yeah, I'll prolly look at them, another $200 not in the budget,, lol.


----------



## tsm106

Should have bought the evga 1300 when it was going for 150 on the egg!


----------



## 05_ACR_SRT4

added to the list


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> my quad system was pushing ~1500-1600w at the wall. I would feel safer with at least a 1kw unit imho.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Should have bought the evga 1300 when it was going for 150 on the egg!


I'm looking at 1K PSU's now, I think I limited the Filters to Corsair, eVGA, XFX, Seasonic and another.

So Far 1KW is like $150-160 ish, I've had great experiences with my RM850 So I cant rule out an RM1KW, But the eVGA's are the next in line with Seasonic 1050w at $179ish, anything above that isnt worth the trade off,

80+Gold is good enough for me...$200+ for 80+ Platinum, lol.

Once I get a 7990, I'll either run it by itself until I get A larger PSU or Run them both as planned, with the 700w PSU linked via the 24 Pin Adapter to control 2x PSU's on the same Main board for the 7970. I just have to re-arrange stuff in the Bays, and prolly put the 700w sideways in the 5.25 bays if it'll fit, otherwise I just set it on the stand or mount externally and run the PCIe Cables through the Water cooling Hose Ports or something.

the 7990 would have to go in the lower slot so nothing blocks the fans, the 7970 Lightning has run cool and problem free with the XFi Card blocking most of the first fan.


----------



## tsm106

Wait for it. It'll go on sale again.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1504061/newegg-diy-sale-evga-g2-1300w-149-99-after-30-mir-and-more/0_40


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Wait for it. It'll go on sale again.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1504061/newegg-diy-sale-evga-g2-1300w-149-99-after-30-mir-and-more/0_40


I don't do M.I.R.'s anymore... haven't for the last few years.

out of 10 MIR Items I've bought, I only got a Rebate for 2 of the items, and the amount they were for was insignificant.

Every other MIR was declined for one reason or another, or I simply never heard back, of the 2 I got back, one came 9 months after I mailed it out.


----------



## SkateZilla

I might just get a 2nd Lightning (i know I've said it before).

But I was given an offer for a lightning at a good price, fresh from RMA. as well as a brand new MSI R9-280X OC, Will have to dig around to see which one is better. but i Need 4 MiniDP on the Primary.

Then worry about getting a 7990 later on when AMD supports 4-16x PCIe 3.0 Slots on their Mainboards









I think 2 lightnings should hold me over until tax return time. in which case I can go for a 1200+w PSU and stuff.


----------



## wermad

I've gotten all my mir's. Enemax took the longest ~8 months. Most come in around three to four months.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wermad*
> 
> I've gotten all my mir's. Enemax took the longest ~8 months. Most come in around three to four months.


For a while I had a good run with the MIRs, all but one came back (they were all $20-$50 MIRs), but from 2012 onward, I was getting less than 20% of them back. Rosewill I think was the one that took 9 months. I was declined a $50 MIR and a $30 MIR twice. I was also declined 6 for 6 on MIR's when I built my brother's system. Always a dumb excuse, but I don't budget the "MIR Price" anyway.

I can honestly blame the USPS for about half of those, as they lose the mail or it gets destroyed and returned to sender.
Shoot my Lightning that came through USPS in a Priority Box, the Box was practically destroyed, at least the shipper wrapped it internally as well, so it was sealed.

MIR needs to turn into EMail In Rebates, lol, Scan the UPC, Scan the Invoice, Email, process, send rebate.

Anyway, anyone know of any good R7970 Lightning vs R-280X OC Gamer comparisons?
(reviews of the R9-280X OC are showing bad fans again, so I should prolly just go for the lightning).

Side Note: Updated to 14.7 Beta... Still getting Blue Screens for Atidmag when watching WebPage Embedded Video.

I've since gone on a disable Hardware Accelleration spree, in Chrome, Firefox, and every website I stream videos from. Scrolling in chrome with HWA disabled is a horrible experience, vertical tearing, scan lines being drawn slowly etc.

Its weird because I didn't have to do this prior to 14.x,
Now if I don't disable, I get a few minutes of Video then screen goes blank/scrambled lines and BSOD Pops up and beings the memory dump.

Another thing that's weird is I can run games, benchmarks, burn ins and Hardware H264 Compression from Vegas and Premiere all day and not have any problems.


----------



## SkateZilla

How does it go for HD7990s Anyway?
Asus Ares II
Power Color AX7990
XFX 7990 DD
Reference 7990s?

I'm watching a few online listings,

But I think I'm gonna take up the offer for $270 for a MSI Lightning + EK Waterblock + Stock Fans,
Re-mount the stock fans with MX-4 or PK1/PK3 (Havent decided which TIM to buy) until I get a custom water cooling setup done.

But there's several 7990s that are only like $250-$310 with less than a day left, so I'll watch those too.

I think 2 Lightnings should be sufficient to hold me over until the next big thing is out,
(3x 1080p Screen Eyefinity 60Hz + 1 Extended at 60Hz)

I'm not touching R9-290/X's unless they start coming with 4 MiniDP.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> How does it go for HD7990s Anyway?
> Asus Ares II
> Power Color AX7990
> XFX 7990 DD
> Reference 7990s?
> 
> I'm watching a few online listings,
> 
> But I think I'm gonna take up the offer for $270 for a MSI Lightning + EK Waterblock + Stock Fans,
> Re-mount the stock fans with MX-4 or PK1/PK3 (Havent decided which TIM to buy) until I get a custom water cooling setup done.
> 
> But there's several 7990s that are only like $250-$310 with less than a day left, so I'll watch those too.
> 
> I think 2 Lightnings should be sufficient to hold me over until the next big thing is out,
> (3x 1080p Screen Eyefinity 60Hz + 1 Extended at 60Hz)
> 
> I'm not touching R9-290/X's unless they start coming with 4 MiniDP.


Skates at all cost avoid revision 1(power color three slot or devil 13 three slot) Older style 7990's. Go with the reference ver 2 that are usually 2 slot. Thanks


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Skates at all cost avoid revision 1(power color three slot or devil 13 three slot) Older style 7990's. Go with the reference ver 2 that are usually 2 slot. Thanks


Thanks, yeah, I was watching a few online auctions in the last 30 minutes they jumped $120+...

So My fallback is the Lightning Offer I got. then maybe a 7990 in a few months if needed.


----------



## 05_ACR_SRT4

Sapphire 7990 quadfire @ 1150/1600
i7 3770k @ 4.7ghz

Max settings on unigine heaven 4.0 @1080p fullscreen


----------



## SkateZilla

Confirmed, 2nd Lightning is Enroute







.

Just gotta get some more TIM to put the Air Cooler Back on (Comes with EK Water block), dunno if I'm gonna need it as I still havent planned any water cooling loop, so I might sell it.


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *05_ACR_SRT4*
> 
> 
> 
> Sapphire 7990 quadfire @ 1150/1600
> i7 3770k @ 4.7ghz
> 
> Max settings on unigine heaven 4.0 @1080p fullscreen


Nice score!

Here's what I get with 2 290s, 1100/1500mhz, 4770k @ 4.5ghz


----------



## 05_ACR_SRT4

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Nice score!
> 
> Here's what I get with 2 290s, 1100/1500mhz, 4770k @ 4.5ghz


did a little more fine tuning at the same frequency. Yours is very impressive.


----------



## SkateZilla

Just wanna double check,

The best Nonconcuctive TIM to use when re-mounting a cooler on a GPU (7970 Lightning) is PK3 right?

I think I have like 3 different SKU's in my NewEgg Cart at the moment (PK3, PK1 and MX-4)

Gonna check the local radio shack and see what they have (as they started stocking AS5 and other TIMs a while back,
If it's cheaper or marginal I'll buy the TIM Locally instead of online


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Just wanna double check,
> 
> The best Nonconcuctive TIM to use when re-mounting a cooler on a GPU (7970 Lightning) is PK3 right?
> 
> I think I have like 3 different SKU's in my NewEgg Cart at the moment (PK3, PK1 and MX-4)
> 
> Gonna check the local radio shack and see what they have (as they started stocking AS5 and other TIMs a while back,
> If it's cheaper or marginal I'll buy the TIM Locally instead of online


 Hey Skate,

I will just throw this out there. I have used A large Number of TIM's on GPU's and I have got far and away the best results with IC Diamond.

Just something you might want to look into

Good luck


----------



## SkateZilla

I have heard nothing but bad things about IC Diamond.


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I have heard nothing but bad things about IC Diamond.


yeah, I bet you heard the falshood started about it scratching IHS's.

I don't own stock in IC or anything, but I have used it on more GPU's and CPU's in the last couple years than most people will own in a lifetime and it is a fantastic Thermal Compound.

Anyway good luck.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Red1776*
> 
> yeah, I bet you heard the falshood started about it scratching IHS's.
> 
> I don't own stock in IC or anything, but I have used it on more GPU's and CPU's in the last couple years than most people will own in a lifetime and it is a fantastic Thermal Compound.
> 
> Anyway good luck.


That was the main one yeah, the scratching of surfaces and stuff, I've seen it physically in person at the repair shop I part time at, but it was nothing that couldn't be "Buffed" out with fine paper.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> That was the main one yeah, the scratching of surfaces and stuff, I've seen it physically in person at the repair shop I part time at, but it was nothing that couldn't be "Buffed" out with fine paper.


IC7 will scratch your GPU DIE-No its not a myth no way around it. Does not break anything and will keep the temps down. If you can live with the slight scratches on the Die. I had it on my 7990 for a good long time.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> IC7 will scratch your GPU DIE-No its not a myth no way around it. Does not break anything and will keep the temps down. If you can live with the slight scratches on the Die. I had it on my 7990 for a good long time.


IC Diamond isnt availible from my online shopping site,

So it's between PK1, PL3, MX-4

I was using this as a Guide..
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermal-paste-performance-benchmark,3616-20.html


----------



## neurotix

I can vouch for PK-3 Nano. Used it on my 290s, lowered temps significantly. Also tested it on a 7970 and temps were about 3C lower than cured Arctic Silver 5. It's non conductive and has no cure time. You need to be liberal in applying it to get the best results. It's less viscous than most silicon pastes, so a small dot in the center won't cover the whole die. Personally, I put a good sized amount in the middle, and since it's somewhat clay-like I used a Q-tip to press it down into a little circular glob covering most of the die before I put the heatsink on and let it do the rest.

I've never used MX-4 but I've heard it's also as good. I have heard good things about Gelid GC-Extreme too. I would avoid any conductive TIM for a GPU application, in case you get it on any of the small resistors around the die. (I can't recommend AS5 or Coolabratory Liquid Pro for these reasons.)


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> I can vouch for PK-3 Nano. Used it on my 290s, lowered temps significantly. Also tested it on a 7970 and temps were about 3C lower than cured Arctic Silver 5. It's non conductive and has no cure time. You need to be liberal in applying it to get the best results. It's less viscous than most silicon pastes, so a small dot in the center won't cover the whole die. Personally, I put a good sized amount in the middle, and since it's somewhat clay-like I used a Q-tip to press it down into a little circular glob covering most of the die before I put the heatsink on and let it do the rest.
> 
> I've never used MX-4 but I've heard it's also as good. I have heard good things about Gelid GC-Extreme too. I would avoid any conductive TIM for a GPU application, in case you get it on any of the small resistors around the die. (I can't recommend AS5 or Coolabratory Liquid Pro for these reasons.)


I use PK3 at the shop, at home I still have plenty of AS5 left ( I bought a huge tube of it when it was "popular" )

My 2nd Lightning is still in transit (cross country shipping







)

When it gets here, I have to take the EK Block off, and re-mount the air cooler.
I'm not sure which lightning it is either, but I'll confirm it once I get it.

from that point I haven't decided if I want to start building a Loop using EK's Kit or something,

I want to replace my H100 soon anyway, so I'd have to start budgeting $300+ for a Kit (Res., Pump, 240 Rad., Fans, Tube, CPU Block)

And then search for another Lightning Waterblock (I refuse to use the Copper Shim blocks)
And AFAIK they are discontinued everywhere.

The top Card will be water cooled as right now the XFi Card blocks the fan, and Secondary will remain air cooled until I find a block for it. or just do a core block and just zip tie the shroud with 2nd fan only (GPU Core is under 1st fan).

Or just Red-Mod them both with $60 AiO/Universal blocks under the first fan, and leave the heat plate on the VRM/Ram and Mount the Shroud and 2nd fan via zipties.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> I can vouch for PK-3 Nano. Used it on my 290s, lowered temps significantly. Also tested it on a 7970 and temps were about 3C lower than cured Arctic Silver 5. It's non conductive and has no cure time. You need to be liberal in applying it to get the best results. It's less viscous than most silicon pastes, so a small dot in the center won't cover the whole die. Personally, I put a good sized amount in the middle, and since it's somewhat clay-like I used a Q-tip to press it down into a little circular glob covering most of the die before I put the heatsink on and let it do the rest.
> 
> I've never used MX-4 but I've heard it's also as good. I have heard good things about Gelid GC-Extreme too. I would avoid any conductive TIM for a GPU application, in case you get it on any of the small resistors around the die. (I can't recommend AS5 or Coolabratory Liquid Pro for these reasons.)
> 
> 
> 
> I use PK3 at the shop, at home I still have plenty of AS5 left ( I bought a huge tube of it when it was "popular" )
> 
> 
> My 2nd Lightning is still in transit (cross country shipping
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> When it gets here, I have to take the EK Block off, and re-mount the air cooler.
> I'm not sure which lightning it is either, but I'll confirm it once I get it.
> 
> from that point I haven't decided if I want to start building a Loop using EK's Kit or something,
> 
> I want to replace my H100 soon anyway, so I'd have to start budgeting $300+ for a Kit (Res., Pump, 240 Rad., Fans, Tube, CPU Block)
> 
> And then search for another Lightning Waterblock (I refuse to use the Copper Shim blocks)
Click to expand...

You can get one of the "kits" for less than you can build an equivalent loop for. Pretty much got the supremacy block for free compared to buying the parts separate. They have several kits in different price and performance ranges. I started with the XTX 360 kit, and have expanded from there.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> You can get one of the "kits" for less than you can build an equivalent loop for. Pretty much got the supremacy block for free compared to buying the parts separate. They have several kits in different price and performance ranges. I started with the XTX 360 kit, and have expanded from there.


i was gonna start with the 240, but might get the 360 and mod the top of my HAF922 to hold the 360 radiator.

My issue is the horror stories with the Lightning blocks, once I take it off, I'm gonna have to re-mount it later, I'd prolly be better off using a universal block on both GPUs.

TBH though, the GPUs would be fine in a 75°F room, only reason I water cool everything is because current house has no working Central Air.

Moving the XFi PCI Card out of the system would solve air flow to top GPU,
But I need it, lol, nothing released since PCIe or USB has come close to it.

Though I might be able to make do with XFi USB if I can get one with the right I/O


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> You can get one of the "kits" for less than you can build an equivalent loop for. Pretty much got the supremacy block for free compared to buying the parts separate. They have several kits in different price and performance ranges. I started with the XTX 360 kit, and have expanded from there.
> 
> 
> 
> i was gonna start with the 240, but might get the 360 and mod the top of my HAF922 to hold the 360 radiator.
> 
> My issue is the horror stories with the Lightning blocks, once I take it off, I'm gonna have to re-mount it later, I'd prolly be better off using a universal block on both GPUs.
> 
> TBH though, the GPUs would be fine in a 75°F room, only reason I water cool everything is because current house has no working Central Air.
Click to expand...

If the heat output into the room is what you are worried about, then you are barking up the wrong tree. It matters not if it is cooled by air or water, the room will have the exact same heat-watts blown into it.

Putting it under water is NOT going to make your room more comfortable.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> If the heat output into the room is what you are worried about, then you are barking up the wrong tree. It matters not if it is cooled by air or water, the room will have the exact same heat-watts blown into it.
> 
> Putting it under water is NOT going to make your room more comfortable.


lemme rephrase, the problem isnt the air blown out, the issue is keeping the GPUs Cool, lol.

When it's 90+°F outside, and I turn a PC ON in a room with no central air, the GPU will idle significantly warmer and hit higher peak temps.

That's my problem at the moment, in the winter time, everything is gravy with GPUs, in the summer (May->August), I've had to drop down to a single card with fans set to 100% to keep it from overheating.

Outside of Room Temps in the summer, I don't think I need to go all out water cooling as I don't Overclock my GPUs or run them at 1.3v, I have no need to.

So I believe going cheap and doing a "Red Mod" or Universal Block would be sufficient.

My CPU is under an H100, but the LEDs failed, so I'm itchin' to replace it anyway,

I can prolly keep the water block on the Lightning, And just buy a Kit and expand it to the water blocked Lightning and use it as primary and the air cooled one will be off unless Im gaming.

I'll figure it out after everything is here,
I dont need the 2nd Lightning in the system the day it gets here, I just dont like letting components run and idle too warm.

So I'd prolly still swap the water block off for the winter while I contemplate how I'm gonna put a new water system in.

I'd just have to be careful with the block as it has some "history".


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> If the heat output into the room is what you are worried about, then you are barking up the wrong tree. It matters not if it is cooled by air or water, the room will have the exact same heat-watts blown into it.
> 
> Putting it under water is NOT going to make your room more comfortable.
> 
> 
> 
> lemme rephrase, the problem isnt the air blown out, the issue is keeping the GPUs Cool, lol.
> 
> When it's 90+°F outside, and I turn a PC ON in a room with no central air, the GPU will idle significantly warmer and hit higher peak temps.
> 
> That's my problem at the moment, in the winter time, everything is gravy with GPUs, in the summer (May->August), I've had to drop down to a single card with fans set to 100% to keep it from overheating.
> 
> Outside of Room Temps in the summer, I don't think I need to go all out water cooling as I don't Overclock my GPUs or run them at 1.3v, I have no need to.
> 
> So I believe going cheap and doing a "Red Mod" or Universal Block would be sufficient.
> 
> My CPU is under an H100, but the LEDs failed, so I'm itchin' to replace it anyway,
> 
> I can prolly keep the water block on the Lightning, And just buy a Kit and expand it to the water blocked Lightning and use it as primary and the air cooled one will be off unless Im gaming.
> 
> I'll figure it out after everything is here,
> I dont need the 2nd Lightning in the system the day it gets here, I just dont like letting components run and idle too warm.
> 
> So I'd prolly still swap the water block off for the winter while I contemplate how I'm gonna put a new water system in.
> 
> I'd just have to be careful with the block as it has some "history".
Click to expand...

Ah! I gotcha. Then yeah...EK is the beez neez for a good loop. I have a 360 and a 240 rad and it keeps a pair of 7970s at 1000/1500 below 45C at all times, as well as a 3570k at 5.0 below 70 under the worst of loads.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Ah! I gotcha. Then yeah...EK is the beez neez for a good loop. I have a 360 and a 240 rad and it keeps a pair of 7970s at 1000/1500 below 45C at all times, as well as a 3570k at 5.0 below 70 under the worst of loads.


gotcha, I should prolly start budgeting the stuff then, I need to find another Lightning Waterblock, lol, that's gonna be fun.


----------



## Devotii

I have the PowerColor HD7950 (800mhz version) and want to make it quieter under load.

Now that the Arctic Accelero 7970 is discontined which similar aftermarket cooler can I 100% use with no copper shim etc?

Thanks


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> gotcha, I should prolly start budgeting the stuff then, I need to find another Lightning Waterblock, lol, that's gonna be fun.


You might want to have a look here for a cooling kit.

XSPC Kit

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/20837/ex-wat-261/XSPC_Raystorm_AX240_Extreme_Universal_CPU_Water_Cooling_Kit_w_D5_Variant_Pump_Included_and_Free_Dead-Water.html?tl=g30c321s1310

you can add anything you want to this kit . The EK waterblocks are the best for GPU though.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> You might want to have a look here for a cooling kit.
> 
> XSPC Kit
> 
> http://www.frozencpu.com/products/20837/ex-wat-261/XSPC_Raystorm_AX240_Extreme_Universal_CPU_Water_Cooling_Kit_w_D5_Variant_Pump_Included_and_Free_Dead-Water.html?tl=g30c321s1310
> 
> you can add anything you want to this kit . The EK waterblocks are the best for GPU though.


Thanks, The prices of EK Stuff for me are kinda high due to the 22% VAT,

I'll give this a deeper look when I get time to budget everything.

I have 1 lightning EK Waterblock already, So I really just need the Rad., Pump, Res., Fans, CPU Block and Cooling.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Thanks, The prices of EK Stuff for me are kinda high due to the 22% VAT,
> 
> I'll give this a deeper look when I get time to budget everything.
> 
> I have 1 lightning EK Waterblock already, So I really just need the Rad., Pump, Res., Fans, CPU Block and Cooling.


You can buy the ek waterblocks from the same site. There in NY I use them so do a lot of others here on the forums. If you have any questions you can call them also. They helped me build the initial part of my loop. Be warned water cooling is addictive.


----------



## SkateZilla

yup, 5 years ago it was a no way about it "No No" when I was given the Water cooling option.

When I started building my current system H100 was the only thing I wanted in it. I've used the H100 and H80s in about 30 builds the last 2 years.

Of course I run into the Hyper212 lovers that insist on keeping it in their new systems when they rebuild.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> yup, 5 years ago it was a no way about it "No No" when I was given the Water cooling option.
> 
> When I started building my current system H100 was the only thing I wanted in it. I've used the H100 and H80s in about 30 builds the last 2 years.
> 
> Of course I run into the Hyper212 lovers that insist on keeping it in their new systems when they rebuild.


I still have a 212 around. Love that little thing. For the money I paid for it, it does a fine job cooling whatever little project I have sitting around.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> yup, 5 years ago it was a no way about it "No No" when I was given the Water cooling option.
> 
> When I started building my current system H100 was the only thing I wanted in it. I've used the H100 and H80s in about 30 builds the last 2 years.
> 
> Of course I run into the Hyper212 lovers that insist on keeping it in their new systems when they rebuild.
> 
> 
> 
> I still have a 212 around. Love that little thing. For the money I paid for it, it does a fine job cooling whatever *little project* I have sitting around.
Click to expand...

that is the important part


----------



## SkateZilla

The 212 was an awesome cooler, I used one for a while, my older AMD 6000+ used a Zalman 9700NT, which I still have as well, my old system is intact except for the boot drive being moved.

As for the 7970 Lightnings, New one Should be here Monday,
Been testing and gaming on my current lightning with the XFi Card moved to the slot directly below it (Blocking half the Card's Air).

So Far Max Idle Temps were 40°C with fans on 100%, on a Pretty warm day. Averages Mid-30s, pretty much no Difference actually, maybe 1-2°C Idle, Load temps were about the same.

Working on Budgeting in at least $400 for a Custom Loop, but I think I need to get a bigger case, will evaluate later when budget is available.


----------



## ChampN252

I've been interested in the 7990. Can anyone conform that the frame pacing has been improved? I'm also gonna be gaming at 4K and I read the card has seperate issues with that


----------



## TaraB

Hello everyone.

I have an offer for Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X and Asus 7950. Same for both but I don't know which is better.
Vapor-X has 7 month warranty left, the ASUS one probably has a year more. The seller is offering 12 cards which mean that they were used for mining.
I heard that the Vapor-X is a good cooler but I guess ASUS has a better components on the board?
I'll be using it with FX-6300 4.3GHz.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Hello everyone.
> 
> I have an offer for Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X and Asus 7950. Same for both but I don't know which is better.
> Vapor-X has 7 month warranty left, the ASUS one probably has a year more. The seller is offering 12 cards which mean that they were used for mining.
> I heard that the Vapor-X is a good cooler but I guess ASUS has a better components on the board?
> I'll be using it with FX-6300 4.3GHz.


Which model Asus? They make a variety from reference up to custom PCB. If you are air cooling then the Vapor-X will probably run cooler than the Asus custom cooler


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Which model Asus? They make a variety from reference up to custom PCB. If you are air cooling then the Vapor-X will probably run cooler than the Asus custom cooler


The ASUS is DirectCU II but I'll have to ask him if it's V1 or V2. I will use air cooling but I'm looking forward to some cheap Chinese custom water.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Hello everyone.
> 
> I have an offer for Sapphire 7950 Vapor-X and Asus 7950. Same for both but I don't know which is better.
> Vapor-X has 7 month warranty left, the ASUS one probably has a year more. The seller is offering 12 cards which mean that they were used for mining.
> I heard that the Vapor-X is a good cooler but I guess ASUS has a better components on the board?
> I'll be using it with FX-6300 4.3GHz.


What's the Offer?

If they are gonna be used for Gaming, You'd be better off not purchasing them, even if they were taken care of,
Once the BIOS and stuff has been tweaked for KH/s, it screws with actual gaming performance.

there are 7950s New/Used But RMA'd for less than $200.


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> What's the Offer?
> 
> If they are gonna be used for Gaming, You'd be better off not purchasing them, even if they were taken care of,
> Once the BIOS and stuff has been tweaked for KH/s, it screws with actual gaming performance.
> 
> there are 7950s New/Used But RMA'd for less than $200.


The offer is 100 Euros (134 USD) per video card.
Keep in mind that I live in Bulgaria and offers from American eBay are not really a bargain since the shipping
and handling will cost half the price of the video card. eBay.co.uk is also not a good option.

If the BIOS is screwed, can't I just flash the stock BIOS and have good gaming performance? Also, I think that
Sapphire has Dual BIOS so I guess one of the BIOSes have to be the stock.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Which model Asus? They make a variety from reference up to custom PCB. If you are air cooling then the Vapor-X will probably run cooler than the Asus custom cooler
> 
> 
> 
> The ASUS is DirectCU II but I'll have to ask him if it's V1 or V2. I will use air cooling but I'm looking forward to some cheap Chinese custom water.
Click to expand...

The PCBs on the DC2s are BEEFY... when I waterblocked my 7970s and I had the coolers off the DC2 and the MSI twin frozer (not a bad card mind you), you could tell the care that goes into their custom PCBs, down to the way the caps are soldered, the beef in the VRMs, the thickness of the PCB...not to mention it just dwarfs reference style in size. This is for the 7970, but I highly doubt they reworked the PBC that much for the 7950 over the 7970 considering they are essentially the same cards minus 4 compute units.

If air cooling though...the coolers suck. and I hear better things about the Vapor-X

Edit: The DC2 has dual BIOS as well, and are not boost bioses.


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> If air cooling though...the coolers suck. and I hear better things about the Vapor-X


Well, it sucks if you're overclocking too much or?
I'm aiming for 1100-1150MHz but I can live with the noise, since I'm using headphones while gaming.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Well, it sucks if you're overclocking too much or?
> I'm aiming for 1100-1150MHz but I can live with the noise, since I'm using headphones while gaming.


It dumps hot air out, thus you may need some fans on the side or bottom to dissipate the heat.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> If air cooling though...the coolers suck. and I hear better things about the Vapor-X
> 
> 
> 
> Well, it sucks if you're overclocking too much or?
> I'm aiming for 1100-1150MHz but I can live with the noise, since I'm using headphones while gaming.
Click to expand...

I ran mine at stock while on air and it was quite common to hit 90 on the core. I changed the TIM to GC extreme and still hit 85C occasionally while gaming. I would chalk it up to a wonderful design and horrible engineering. I will say that the hynix memory on that thing will bench 1200 core and 2000 mem via water. Cant game like that, it will eventually artifact or crash, but it will bench like that. I run it undervolted now at 1.080V 1000/1500 and under water it never hits 45C


----------



## neurotix

I would recommend the Vapor-X highly over the ASUS card.


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I ran mine at stock while on air and it was quite common to hit 90 on the core. I changed the TIM to GC extreme and still hit 85C occasionally while gaming. I would chalk it up to a wonderful design and horrible engineering. I will say that the hynix memory on that thing will bench 1200 core and 2000 mem via water. Cant game like that, it will eventually artifact or crash, but it will bench like that. I run it undervolted now at 1.080V 1000/1500 and under water it never hits 45C


That sounds like.. complete disaster







. I expected something like 60C at stock speed. Then probably my choice will be Vapor-X, I see that it also has some good VRMs.

Thank you for the info!


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> That sounds like.. complete disaster
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I expected something like 60C at stock speed. Then probably my choice will be Vapor-X, I see that it also has some good VRMs.
> 
> Thank you for the info!


My Matrix's DC2 never exceeds 65C while gaming in DCS, BF4, War Thunder, etc. Fan is @60% while doing this, but I think the regular DC2s have quite bad VRM cooling.


----------



## neurotix

I looked closer at the 7950 Vapor-X for you.



The cooler is identical to my 7970 Vapor-X that was in this machine for the better part of a year. It's now in my backup rig, my girlfriend's machine. Running it at 1200/1600mhz with 1.3v and 100% fan, I remember it didn't pass 60C in Crysis 3. VRMs only got up to 70C or so. This was at 23C ambients in a case with good cooling. (My current rig's Azza Solano 1000.)



The above image from kitguru, from everything I can tell the board looks identical to my 7970 Vapor-X. Additionally, all the VRMs are heatsinked. The RAM is also cooled well and directly touches the heatplate and has thermal pads in between.

IMO it's definitely a solid card. I can't speak on the ASUS DCII because I've never used one. I just know that the 7970 Matrix Platinum has quite the terrible reputation for overclocking poorly, running very hot, taking up 3 slots, and so forth. So I avoided ASUS.


----------



## Rainmaker91

I have had a 7950 Vapor-X OC Boost for about one and a half year now and as for performance and noise levels it is a solid card. Some do struggle with VRM temps and that is due to a bad design choice by Sapphire. Teh VRM heat sink has been placed on a very thick thermal pad so that it may be placed higher up and thus come clear of some other bits on the card. This poor design makes them stay at about 70*c and upwards depending on the ambient temperature, and with high voltage you will see temps between 90*c and 100*c. This is perfectly within the specefications of the VRMs but I have seen others get way higher temps due to this.

In short it's a good card but be wary about your VRM temps, especially when overclocking. If you are up for it the are easy to fix and when done properly I lowered my own from 70-75*c to a nice 50*c with the same heat sink.


----------



## TaraB

Thank you all for the information. I assume that these cards have VRM temperature sensors which GPU-Z can read. I may overclock the card to see where's the maximum with stock cooling, but I ain't gonna overclock her too high if there's 60FPS steady in games.


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Thank you all for the information. I assume that these cards have VRM temperature sensors which GPU-Z can read. I may overclock the card to see where's the maximum with stock cooling, but I ain't gonna overclock her too high if there's 60FPS steady in games.


They should have VRM sensors that can be read using GPU-Z, or AIDA64 w/ sidebar gadget or OSD.


----------



## SkateZilla

HWiNFO64 Reads VRM, GPU, RAM etc from the CHiL Sensors.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> HWiNFO64 Reads VRM, GPU, RAM etc from the CHiL Sensors.


I have yet to find a program that will read the DC2's VRMs. GPU-Z, afterburner, HWINFO64, OpenHardwareMonitor...nothing...I only get core temp/voltage/clocks and mem clocks. Missing all sorts of info.


----------



## masmotors

I love this card msi twin froz 3 its been so good to me


----------



## Nwanko

Anyone know where i could get backplates for my 7970 CF? 11197-06-40G and 11197-11-40G. Possibly in europe.


----------



## prescotter

Perhaps it doesnt have no VRM temprature sensor, i do remember only ''first gen'' HD7970 had them, later HD7970's dont.

(The ones without the VRM sensors were also hd7970 that were compatible to flash the 280x bios)


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nwanko*
> 
> Anyone know where i could get backplates for my 7970 CF? 11197-06-40G and 11197-11-40G. Possibly in europe.


can you measure the length and width of one the screws on your pcb that correspond to the red circles. just take one out and i need the full length inc the head and just the width on the thread itself


the reason why i ask is because i have backplates that will fit if the screw measurements are correct as id rather you leave the black parts on


----------



## SkateZilla

2nd Lighting Arrived



With Stock Cooler


Removed EK Block (Dont have the Loop for it Yet):


Some Thermal Pads didn't want to let Go:


Re-Mounted Stock Heatplate:


Cleaned and Purified the GPU Surface:


Once my order of PK3 gets here I'll re-mount the stock Air cooler.

Later on when I start building the full loop, I need to remind myself to buy some more thermal pads to replace the ones that got tore up.

My Plan (Budget permitting) at this time is to expand my case to house everything:

1. Buy a 2nd HAF922 Case
2. Remove Side Panel and Mainboard Tray from 2nd case
3. Remove Side Panel and Fan from 1st Case
4. Weld/Bolt Both Cases together to make double Wide HAF922








5. Remove H100 from case 1.
6. Purchase Custom Loop with Dual 240mm Radiators.
7. 240mm Radiators in the top of both cases.
8. Mainboard, Sound Card, Capture Cards, and GPUs in Case 1.
9. USB Brackets in Case 2 Slots.
10. DVD/BluRay and Sound 5.25 Bay Drives in Case 1.
11. Water Pump and Bay Resivoire in 5.25 Bays of Case 2
12. Harddisks will be mounted in Case 2.
13. 700w PSU in Case 2, Linked with PSU in Case 1, 700w PSU will Power Water Cooling Unit and Fans.
14. 200mm Fan will be mounted to left side case panel, as it is now
15. The Other 200mm Fan from the 2nd case will be mounted to the HDDs

Hopefully by time all this is done, AMD will have a New CPU, Chipset and Mainboard


----------



## ThatKidNamedRocky

Anyone have a 7990 and play planetside 2? Im getting around 30-40fps playing at 1440p? I feel as if i should be getting more.


----------



## Roaches

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ThatKidNamedRocky*
> 
> Anyone have a 7990 and play planetside 2? Im getting around 30-40fps playing at 1440p? I feel as if i should be getting more.


I'm getting the same issue with my 680 SLI, somewhere in the recent patches removed optimization updates from the O-M-F-G patch...They've really messed up somewhere, even people with Titans are complaining.


----------



## SkateZilla

Got my 2nd Lightning installed,

GPU0 (top seems to be running 10°C Warmer under load and about 4°C warmer at idle.

GPU1 (Bottom, runs cooler, was the one that had the Waterblock but I swaped the fan cooler back onto it with PK3 Thermal Paste.)

VRM Temps have about a 4°C Gap as well, nothing broke 60° under load (BF3 across 3 screens) though and they are both Idling Upper 30s to lower 40s.

it's pretty warm in here today as well.

Managed 60 FPS Locked (occasional dip to 56 or so FPS) across 3 screens w/ High/Ultra. FPS actually went up when I turned on HBAO, which is odd,

With the Lightning + 7950 i was getting upper 50 FPS with a mix of High/Med.

Dropping back to 1 screen with some Chrome Tabs brings them down to 38 and 35°C

Maybe I should turn ULPS back on so the 2nd GPU turns off.

Would PK3 make a 3°C different between the two cores during idle times and 10°C under load? (the PK3'd GPU is the Cooler one).

If so I'll PK3 the first GPU as well when I PK3 the 7950 for my brother.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Got my 2nd Lightning installed
> 
> Managed 60 FPS Locked (occasional dip to 56 or so FPS) across 3 screens w/ High/Ultra. FPS actually went up when I turned on HBAO, which is odd,


What are you playing?


----------



## SkateZilla

BF3 and 4


----------



## StrongForce

Pk3 can only do good i guess.. keep us updated, anyway was just wondering what settings people are running in BF4 with a 7950? in maps like Pearl market rooftops i get those horrible frame drops to 40's, I know it's either a spot badly optimized also alot of geometry going on, but what settings could help to get more stable let's say above 50s I think I run a mix of high and medium I'll recheck next time., it seems even on medium I still get these kind of fps at some spots..


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Pk3 can only do good i guess.. keep us updated, anyway was just wondering what settings people are running in BF4 with a 7950? in maps like Pearl market rooftops i get those horrible frame drops to 40's, I know it's either a spot badly optimized also alot of geometry going on, but what settings could help to get more stable let's say above 50s I think I run a mix of high and medium I'll recheck next time., it seems even on medium I still get these kind of fps at some spots..


When I ran a single 7950 in BF3 I had to drop Mesh quality significantly on some of the vertical maps due to draw distance.


----------



## StrongForce

Medium ?


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Medium ?


TBH I ran BF3 across 3 screens during a majority of my time playing it, if not the entire time.

I ran combo of LOW and MED, with some boot CFG Changes to reduce lights and shadows to maintain 60 FPS across 3 screens with the 7950.

3 Screens across + High Stable FPS is more important to me than the EyeCandy, which I actually found to be distracting. 3 Screens alone is a big advantage.

on a single screen All MED with some high should be easily done on the smaller maps.

My brother's system runs the 7870XT (1536 SP Version of Tahiti), he runs all Med w/ Some high in BF3 MP.


----------



## rdr09

And for $100 it is in . . .



pardon the camera phone. it will be watered soon just testing first. looks like it was never used. it's cleaner than my rig and quieter than my case fans. after playing PS2 . . . went ahead and ran this at stock . . .



played with this kinda pair before and I will have to turn on the other cores of the cpu for BF3, BF4, and C3.


----------



## tsm106

These cards are ridiculously cheap now. It is really amazing what value there is in the used market.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> These cards are ridiculously cheap now. It is really amazing what value there is in the used market.


it is actually $99, tsm, with free 2-day shipping. I sold my last 7950 for $325 last December. gonna test BF4 now.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> These cards are ridiculously cheap now. It is really amazing what value there is in the used market.
> 
> 
> 
> it is actually $99, tsm, with free 2-day shipping. I sold my last 7950 for $325 last December. gonna test BF4 now.
Click to expand...

It's sad my 7970s are worth 100 bucks ish. But they are still 30th in FS top 100 for quads. Lmao, hypothetical 400 dollar quad array running in the top 30.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's sad my 7970s are worth 100 bucks ish. But they are still 30th in FS top 100 for quads. Lmao, hypothetical 400 dollar quad array running in the top 30.


i recommend to others this Twin Frozer. The VRMs are cooler than the core. i may have to leave it on air and no need for Hex. Quad core works. Mantle works! Although my cores are still getting maxed it stayed smooth the whole time.


----------



## SkateZilla

I love my lightnings


----------



## StrongForce

100$ for a 280x you serious ?







lol When I checked the prices I couldn't find 280x for less than 120 euros i believe if not more, and I wanted a Sapphire toxic of course.. but those always had tons of bidders and it ended being 170 euros+ maybe you got lucky, or maybe USA is just less competitive due to the flood of Mining cards.

And yea you so right so much value in second hand market it's unbelievable.. I'm gonna start being more and more a second hand buyer I think, I was sceptical at first because I never bought something on ebay before.. plus it's electronic, then after researching I realised that they can't really scam me at least not if you pay with paypal because if the product isn't working you can make a dispute.. that gave me confidence also that guy sold it to me with 6 months seller warranty thats awesome, + some other guy told me the constructor warranty is still valid no matter if you have the bills or not







just need the serial number! I guess there could be some problem with that.. but that's just too cool.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> 100$ for a 280x you serious ?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lol When I checked the prices I couldn't find 280x for less than 120 euros i believe if not more, and I wanted a Sapphire toxic of course.. but those always had tons of bidders and it ended being 170 euros+ maybe you got lucky, or maybe USA is just less competitive due to the flood of Mining cards.
> 
> And yea you so right so much value in second hand market it's unbelievable.. I'm gonna start being more and more a second hand buyer I think, I was sceptical at first because I never bought something on ebay before.. plus it's electronic, then after researching I realised that they can't really scam me at least not if you pay with paypal because if the product isn't working you can make a dispute.. that gave me confidence also that guy sold it to me with 6 months seller warranty thats awesome, + some other guy told me the constructor warranty is still valid no matter if you have the bills or not
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just need the serial number! I guess there could be some problem with that.. but that's just too cool.


it's a 7950



this was my old 7950. the kind reviewers use . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/7068728

this is my new/used 7950

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8637769

its already as fast as a stock 7970 out the box. stock 7970 using old driver, though . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/6290837


----------



## tsm106

Wanna see something that will make you say Damn!?

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/1928529/fs/2563930

*Graphics Score
44399.0 - 290x
42884.0 - 7970
*

** and this is with all my slow cards, core tops out at 1340 ish.


----------



## richie_2010

ive brought a dead 7970 matrix platnum for cheap to try and revive it. i have been informed it powers up but no display on the screen so i dont know if the peice that has broken off has caused that issue
the peice in question is a black square with 5 pegs coming off just near the pci e pins next to the sticker.


i have a soldering iron and stuff so i can re attach it, ive done it to a mb before and had no issues with it

has anyone else had any of this experience before


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> ive brought a dead 7970 matrix platnum for cheap to try and revive it. i have been informed it powers up but no display on the screen so i dont know if the peice that has broken off has caused that issue
> the peice in question is a black square with 5 pegs coming off just near the pci e pins next to the sticker.
> 
> 
> i have a soldering iron and stuff so i can re attach it, ive done it to a mb before and had no issues with it
> 
> has anyone else had any of this experience before


note sure, you might need a hi-res image with the board code to find out what it is.

I've bought "Dead" cards, and a majority of them were perfectly fine, the "dead" part was the user error.

I have bought a few that were dead-display-output, but you can still crossfire it and use as a 2nd GPU fine (tested that in the workroom a few times).

does it show up in windows if you put it as a secondary?

Looking at Hi-Res pix of My MSI Lightning without heatsink,

MSI lists it as U100.

and Lists 1, 2, 3, 4 on each corner,

might be the Display Port Switch?


----------



## richie_2010

Just waitin for it to come in post but soon it does I will get pics up.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Just waitin for it to come in post but soon it does I will get pics up.


I've dealt with several "no display" cards, and 95% of them, are because they hook it up and turn on the system, the screen doesnt come on.

they bring it to me in the shop, i plug it into the test bed, power up, wait a few seconds, then use my monitor's input button and change inputs on my monitor from HDMI to DVI or DVI to HDMI, etc.

I had 2 guys last week bring in complete systems they bought because the new screen they bought wouldnt work,
Again most screens are set to VGA if they have them, and you have to actually change the input to get the picture, and from there it will go into off mode and come back on in that mode when it detects a signal.

Of my 3 Asus Screens, they are all connected via MiniDP -> Active DVI Adapters. They turn on and off with my PC.

But if I plug my Xbox into the HDMI while they are off, they dont recognize the signal and turn on, I have to press the input button and change to HDMI and then it comes up, and when I turn my Xbox off, it goes back to DVI then Off if there's no signal.

All of my screens have come pre-set to VGA Input,, most of the people that bring their systems in use HDMI now.


----------



## Mega Man

/wrist hdmi, there was talk when hdmi came out, about just switching to ethernet cable. i hope that happens, not that hdmis are expensive anymore, just be nice to only keep one type of cable around


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> /wrist hdmi, there was talk when hdmi came out, about just switching to ethernet cable. i hope that happens, not that hdmis are expensive anymore, just be nice to only keep one type of cable around


Display Port,

HDMI has the Royalty BS, it cost money to make anything with the HDMI Logo or Spec.

Drop HDMI from GPUs and Screens. Prices will drop.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I've dealt with several "no display" cards, and 95% of them, are because they hook it up and turn on the system, the screen doesnt come on.
> 
> they bring it to me in the shop, i plug it into the test bed, power up, wait a few seconds, then use my monitor's input button and change inputs on my monitor from HDMI to DVI or DVI to HDMI, etc.
> 
> I had 2 guys last week bring in complete systems they bought because the new screen they bought wouldnt work,
> Again most screens are set to VGA if they have them, and you have to actually change the input to get the picture, and from there it will go into off mode and come back on in that mode when it detects a signal.
> 
> Of my 3 Asus Screens, they are all connected via MiniDP -> Active DVI Adapters. They turn on and off with my PC.
> 
> But if I plug my Xbox into the HDMI while they are off, they dont recognize the signal and turn on, I have to press the input button and change to HDMI and then it comes up, and when I turn my Xbox off, it goes back to DVI then Off if there's no signal.
> 
> All of my screens have come pre-set to VGA Input,, most of the people that bring their systems in use HDMI now.


I had this exact problem when I got my new Dell 2414hm screen. I scratched my head and did all I knew about computers to fiure out why the screen didn't work. Then I asked my brother to take a look at it and in a few seconds he fixed it by just changing the input on the screen. I must say I really felt like an idiot at that moment, but then again it's strange that new displays don't recognize that it gets a signal fromt he PC and just switches. All my older screens did that but then again they didn't have this many connections.

I guess it's a fairly common problem, but it really hurts the pride when something like that happens. Especially when you usually are fairly (I'm no super user or any thing but I can do most things) good at this stuff


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> ive brought a dead 7970 matrix platnum for cheap to try and revive it. i have been informed it powers up but no display on the screen so i dont know if the peice that has broken off has caused that issue
> the peice in question is a black square with 5 pegs coming off just near the pci e pins next to the sticker.
> 
> 
> i have a soldering iron and stuff so i can re attach it, ive done it to a mb before and had no issues with it
> 
> has anyone else had any of this experience before


Just checked my Sapphire 7950 (while I replacing TIM on the GPU).

the 7950 has the same chip as well, and is also labeled U100

There are other U200,250,300 etc on the back of the board where the VRMs are, so It might be a Part of the VRM for the power supplied by the PCIe Slot.


----------



## richie_2010

Ive been informed the part is included in the packaging.
Do you think it will work when the part is attached.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Ive been informed the part is included in the packaging.
> Do you think it will work when the part is attached.


if the component and PCB Circuits arent damaged,


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> Ive been informed the part is included in the packaging.
> Do you think it will work when the part is attached.
> 
> 
> 
> if the component and PCB Circuits arent damaged,
Click to expand...

If not you can always make a chair out of it.


----------



## richie_2010

put it with yours for a bench







ha ha
sell it to ikea the home of flat packed furniture with no instructions

ive got a thin soldering tip solder wick to clean contacts ect and a croc clip to hold it.
its worth a punt i guess


----------



## prescotter

Here perhaps something interesting to look at when you have Hynix H5GQ2H24MFR Memory.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Well i ended up applying the *280X Memory Timings* to my *HD7970 reference card with Hynix H5GQ2H24MFR Memory*.
> 
> With the tool from this post http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread/820#post_22584542
> 
> My Memory Read/Write hasnt changed in the Aida64 GPGPU test, but the Memory Copy speeds went from 220.000GB/s to 250.000GB/s on 1700Mhz.
> 
> (Used 1700mhz as a base to test results, and since 1700MHz is just before another Memory Strap that sets looser timings)


Apperently the Memory Timing Configurations Straps for the Hynix H5GQ2H24MFR Memory seem to be all messed up, not giving best best performance.
Hynix AFR en Elpida seem to be less effected.


----------



## SkateZilla

I found out I can enable and disable ULPS by Opening HWiNFO64, lol.

Boot, 2nd Card turns off completely (Using CCC to see).

Open HWiNFO64, boom, 2nd card kicks on and stays on, fans run up to 3000+ RPM (I have 100% Set)

Close HWiNFO64, 2nd card goes back into ULPS, lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> I found out I can enable and disable ULPS by Opening HWiNFO64, lol.
> 
> Boot, 2nd Card turns off completely (Using CCC to see).
> 
> Open HWiNFO64, boom, 2nd card kicks on and stays on, fans run up to 3000+ RPM (I have 100% Set)
> 
> Close HWiNFO64, 2nd card goes back into ULPS, lol.


That's not how ULPS works. ULPS is either on or off. There is no flipping a switch while in the OS.

What you are experiencing is ULPS on. With ULPS on the slave gpus go into sleep mode when idle. You can wake them up by polling them with any software with that capability. Apps such as hwinfo and gpuz can wake slave gpus that are asleep from ULPS. Then when the load is removed, the gpu goes back to idle and soon after go to sleep again.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> That's not how ULPS works. ULPS is either on or off. There is no flipping a switch while in the OS.
> 
> What you are experiencing is ULPS on. With ULPS on the slave gpus go into sleep mode when idle. You can wake them up by polling them with any software with that capability. Apps such as hwinfo and gpuz can wake slave gpus that are asleep from ULPS. Then when the load is removed, the gpu goes back to idle and soon after go to sleep again.


Oops, Yeah, ULPS is ON, I think I meant, I found a way to kick the GPU ON without entering a game,

So If I want to force Both GPU's to stay on, I just run HWiNFO64 and they both stay on, if HWiNFO64 is closed the 2nd GPU will enter it's off state.

That way I can have Both GPUs on when Gaming and not have any issues with the 2nd one not wanting to come out of the off state etc.

I didnt notice this happening when I had the Lightning + 7950.. So, it's new to me.


----------



## tsm106

The polling apps won't poll forever. After a while the gpu will go back to idle if no load is present. I think you only notice this because generally there are not many ways to present a 3D load or to poll the gpu while idling on the desktop. Although some game launchers can trigger a 3D powerstate like the guild wars 2 launcher. Imo it's a coincidence more or less.

If your 2nd gpu won't wake when you start a game then that's a separate issue.


----------



## danycyo

So I am an idiot but its a funny story.

I was having issues with my 7950 CF setup since getting the new 14.8 drivers. Never had issues in the past and I wanted to just play some old school Battlefield 4, This is how this adventure begins. I was having a ton of issues. I could only get the game to run for like 15 minutes and it would just completely crap out on me. The drivers were installed correctly and system was wiped of old drivers etc. I was running a lot of stress tests/benchmarks and games prior to all this happening and I also wasn't sober so I thought I may have damaged one of my CF cards somehow.

So I basically disabled CF and tested each card individually

I found that one card was getting lower performance and was getting warmer then the other.

I tried other games to see if Battlefield was the problem. Crysis3, Metro etc. same issue kept crapping out. I would have to reboot my PC after a few minutes everytime..

Being that I saw one of my cards under performing and was hotter I took it out. I examined the cabling to the PSU and checked the two 4 pin adapters. Both cards run at 16x each so I was expecting similar performance but being that I wasn't getting it I figured that was the reason for the trouble. When the cards were not in crossfire, each card performed fine except for the one card that was slower/hotter but it still didn't explain my crossfire game crashes.

So I decided to open up the cards re apply new TIM on the chip to cool her down a bit. I used Noctua NT-H1. Tested the cards and got better temperatures but the games would still crash. At this point im frustrated and thinking I am going to have to RMA one of the cards.

In my discovery I also noticed that when installing the new Catalyst driver Windows 8.1 tries to install its own driver over the AMD driver under device manager and you have to manually select the AMD driver which was a cool find but still not the root cause of my issue.

In a last attempt I looked over my bios settings. I realized that the night before I took all the cards apart etc and took those benchmarks I tried to push my CPU overclock to 4.9ghz on my 4930k with my ram @ 2400mhz. It all made sense. My CPU wasn't stable at 4.9 and was the reason I had the trouble the entire time. I went back to my saved overclock settings @ 4.8ghz and it fixed everything.

My cards are now performing better than they ever have. I just played the BF4 campaign to test the cards and was able to overclock my CF at 1150/1400 on TRIXX and played for about an hour and a half with no worries and temps at about 53c. FINALLY and THANKGOD! Back to gaming













Lesson: Don't blame your graphics cards, crossfire bridge or AMD drivers when you do dumb things on your PC.

Hopefully my dumb experience will help someone else that may be experiencing a crossfire or cpu issue lol.

Also learned that a CPU issue will generally lock up the PC. A GPU issue will usually result in a driver crash or application shutting down.. .

.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> So I am an idiot but its a funny story.
> 
> I was having issues with my 7950 CF setup since getting the new 14.8 drivers. Never had issues in the past and I wanted to just play some old school Battlefield 4, This is how this adventure begins. I was having a ton of issues. I could only get the game to run for like 15 minutes and it would just completely crap out on me. The drivers were installed correctly and system was wiped of old drivers etc. I was running a lot of stress tests/benchmarks and games prior to all this happening and I also wasn't sober so I thought I may have damaged one of my CF cards somehow.
> 
> So I basically disabled CF and tested each card individually
> 
> I found that one card was getting lower performance and was getting warmer then the other.
> 
> I tried other games to see if Battlefield was the problem. Crysis3, Metro etc. same issue kept crapping out. I would have to reboot my PC after a few minutes everytime..
> 
> Being that I saw one of my cards under performing and was hotter I took it out. I examined the cabling to the PSU and checked the two 4 pin adapters. Both cards run at 16x each so I was expecting similar performance but being that I wasn't getting it I figured that was the reason for the trouble. When the cards were not in crossfire, each card performed fine except for the one card that was slower/hotter but it still didn't explain my crossfire game crashes.
> 
> So I decided to open up the cards re apply new TIM on the chip to cool her down a bit. I used Noctua NT-H1. Tested the cards and got better temperatures but the games would still crash. At this point im frustrated and thinking I am going to have to RMA one of the cards.
> 
> In my discovery I also noticed that when installing the new Catalyst driver Windows 8.1 tries to install its own driver over the AMD driver under device manager and you have to manually select the AMD driver which was a cool find but still not the root cause of my issue.
> 
> In a last attempt I looked over my bios settings. I realized that the night before I took all the cards apart etc and took those benchmarks I tried to push my CPU overclock to 4.9ghz on my 4930k with my ram @ 2400mhz. It all made sense. My CPU wasn't stable at 4.9 and was the reason I had the trouble the entire time. I went back to my saved overclock settings @ 4.8ghz and it fixed everything.
> 
> My cards are now performing better than they ever have. I just played the BF4 campaign to test the cards and was able to overclock my CF at 1150/1400 on TRIXX and played for about an hour and a half with no worries and temps at about 53c. FINALLY and THANKGOD! Back to gaming
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lesson: Don't blame your graphics cards, crossfire bridge or AMD drivers when you do dumb things on your PC.
> 
> Hopefully my dumb experience will help someone else that may be experiencing a crossfire or cpu issue lol.
> 
> Also learned that a CPU issue will generally lock up the PC. A GPU issue will usually result in a driver crash or application shutting down.. .


You are using Mantle with your Tahitis and not having issue. Same here but single 7950 and Win7. Not a single issue.


----------



## richie_2010

hi guys a little update to the 7970 matrix senario
the card has just literally arrived and that part thats broken off is tiny, there is no markings and only one solder point onit but 4 on the board where it goes

edit my misake there is 5 parts. the chip is a u100 and is on all 7950/7970 boards
does anyone have a dead 7970/7950 they want rid off.

ive yet to test the card as is as i need to remove my 7950 and aio cooler set-up to try it.
in the bag was a voltage point thing aswell but thats goin be 2 mins to attach


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Lesson: Don't blame your graphics cards, crossfire bridge or AMD drivers when you do dumb things on your PC.
> 
> Hopefully my dumb experience will help someone else that may be experiencing a crossfire or cpu issue lol.
> 
> Also learned that a CPU issue will generally lock up the PC. A GPU issue will usually result in a driver crash or application shutting down.. .
> 
> .


Actually, I tell people this all the time on game specific forums.

People complain XXX Game crashes and others dont, etc.

I tell them to restore their default System clocks and they spout back with "Why I'm XXXX Stable" (XXXX Being Prime, OCCT etc).

My response was simple,

All those CPU Overclock Benchmarking tools stress one thing, the CPU,
They do not stress the GPU, the PCIe Controller, the SATA Controller, Network Bus and anything else your game uses, at the same time..

Boot Game and Try with your Overclocks,

Boom Crash, Everytime.

Restore Default CPU Clocks, Re-Run the 3 Tests at the same time.

Boom, No Crash.

Told them to try playing the Game again,

Boom, No Crash

I rest my case.

When a CPU Thread is unstable, it causes crashes, Memory Leaks, etc.


----------



## SkateZilla

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> hi guys a little update to the 7970 matrix senario
> the card has just literally arrived and that part thats broken off is tiny, there is no markings and only one solder point onit but 4 on the board where it goes
> 
> edit my misake there is 5 parts. the chip is a u100 and is on all 7950/7970 boards
> does anyone have a dead 7970/7950 they want rid off.
> 
> ive yet to test the card as is as i need to remove my 7950 and aio cooler set-up to try it.
> in the bag was a voltage point thing aswell but thats goin be 2 mins to attach


I wish there was a site to buy board components (VRM Chips, ram chips, etc), some of the capacitors and chokes are easy to find on ebay, but I doubt you'll find the U100 chip.

Best bet is to get a Sub $20 "For Parts" 7900 Card


----------



## richie_2010

Thats what im looking for. Use my heatgun to take it off and solder it to 7970.
It would be interesting to know what it does though


----------



## SkateZilla

would need to find someone that deals specifically with the components (someone from AMD Perhaps.)


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Actually, I tell people this all the time on game specific forums.
> 
> People complain XXX Game crashes and others dont, etc.
> 
> I tell them to restore their default System clocks and they spout back with "Why I'm XXXX Stable" (XXXX Being Prime, OCCT etc).
> 
> My response was simple,
> 
> All those CPU Overclock Benchmarking tools stress one thing, the CPU,
> They do not stress the GPU, the PCIe Controller, the SATA Controller, Network Bus and anything else your game uses, at the same time..
> 
> Boot Game and Try with your Overclocks,
> 
> Boom Crash, Everytime.
> 
> Restore Default CPU Clocks, Re-Run the 3 Tests at the same time.
> 
> Boom, No Crash.
> 
> Told them to try playing the Game again,
> 
> Boom, No Crash
> 
> I rest my case.
> 
> When a CPU Thread is unstable, it causes crashes, Memory Leaks, etc.


True that, its like some people tend to only Prime95 and IBT their CPU, and use like Heaven/Valley or Furrmark on their GPU.
All good programs to stress one component in particular, butt they dont test all parts combined.

In a way a game like Crysis 3 or Battlefield 4 wont stress your CPU and GPU as those stress tests/benchmark do individually,
But the total system load of High CPU/GPU/RAM Usage and all the data the parts share etc, do make it a whole different ''stress test''.

Maybe also people tend to stress test only for short time periods, but when you play a game 3-4hours in a long session, the whole pc gets heated instead of that one stressed part.

End of story, Test each part seperately when OCing them at first to find their maximum, then see if its stable enough to all operate together at that max OC, or need some extra fine tuning


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Lesson: Don't blame your graphics cards, crossfire bridge or AMD drivers when you do dumb things on your PC.
> 
> Hopefully my dumb experience will help someone else that may be experiencing a crossfire or cpu issue lol.
> 
> Also learned that a CPU issue will generally lock up the PC. A GPU issue will usually result in a driver crash or application shutting down.. .
> 
> .
> 
> 
> 
> Actually, I tell people this all the time on game specific forums.
> 
> People complain XXX Game crashes and others dont, etc.
> 
> I tell them to restore their default System clocks and they spout back with "Why I'm XXXX Stable" (XXXX Being Prime, OCCT etc).
> 
> My response was simple,
> 
> All those CPU Overclock Benchmarking tools stress one thing, the CPU,
> They do not stress the GPU, the PCIe Controller, the SATA Controller, Network Bus and anything else your game uses, at the same time..
> 
> Boot Game and Try with your Overclocks,
> 
> Boom Crash, Everytime.
> 
> Restore Default CPU Clocks, Re-Run the 3 Tests at the same time.
> 
> Boom, No Crash.
> 
> Told them to try playing the Game again,
> 
> Boom, No Crash
> 
> I rest my case.
> 
> When a CPU Thread is unstable, it causes crashes, Memory Leaks, etc.
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Actually, I tell people this all the time on game specific forums.
> 
> People complain XXX Game crashes and others dont, etc.
> 
> I tell them to restore their default System clocks and they spout back with "Why I'm XXXX Stable" (XXXX Being Prime, OCCT etc).
> 
> My response was simple,
> 
> All those CPU Overclock Benchmarking tools stress one thing, the CPU,
> They do not stress the GPU, the PCIe Controller, the SATA Controller, Network Bus and anything else your game uses, at the same time..
> 
> Boot Game and Try with your Overclocks,
> 
> Boom Crash, Everytime.
> 
> Restore Default CPU Clocks, Re-Run the 3 Tests at the same time.
> 
> Boom, No Crash.
> 
> Told them to try playing the Game again,
> 
> Boom, No Crash
> 
> I rest my case.
> 
> When a CPU Thread is unstable, it causes crashes, Memory Leaks, etc.
> 
> 
> 
> True that, its like some people tend to only Prime95 and IBT their CPU, and use like Heaven/Valley or Furrmark on their GPU.
> All good programs to stress one component in particular, butt they dont test all parts combined.
> 
> In a way a game like Crysis 3 or Battlefield 4 wont stress your CPU and GPU as those stress tests/benchmark do individually,
> But the total system load of High CPU/GPU/RAM Usage and all the data the parts share etc, do make it a whole different ''stress test''.
> 
> Maybe also people tend to stress test only for short time periods, but when you play a game 3-4hours in a long session, the whole pc gets heated instead of that one stressed part.
> 
> End of story, Test each part seperately when OCing them at first to find their maximum, then see if its stable enough to all operate together at that max OC, or need some extra fine tuning
Click to expand...





this is why i use DVDfab, not only productive but it literally stresses EVERYTHING !

i could not detect instabilities in my HT on my 8350 but i would get BSOD randomly.

DVDfab did,

which is why i can say i am 100% stable @ 4.7, 2400 16gb ram 2700CPU/nb 3900HT

i have NEVER crashed from something other then a software error ! ( I E the "sleep bug. always have had problems with sleep, intel or AMD stock or oced, they wont wake up, think it is a driver thing, specifically my monitors pc does monitors dont )


----------



## SkateZilla

I purposely use 2 Instances of MPEG4 Converters in batch convert mode and choose a folder with 10 GB of Video,
Run one with CPU Mode Selected and using 8 CPU threads,
Run another to use GPU Rendering of the video.

Both use Heavy Filters to force more CPU and GPU Usage during the Conversion (Noise Reduction Filters etc)

They Convert 10GB worth of 1080p H.264 to MPEG4, stresses CPU, Ram, GPU, SATA Controller, etc.


----------



## FragZero

Looking for some help with my experimental 7990 + 7950 setup.

Whatever i do i only get GPU 1 at 100% GPU2 and GPU3 at 50% (games and 3dmark)

What i tried

- installing the latest drivers
- Installing the latest none-beta drivers
- swapping CF Bridge
- swapping card slots
- disabled ULPS

Between driver installs i cleaned windows using the driver uninstaller tool

Nothing seems to work, with the trifire setup i get 11k firestrike gpu score, with only the 7990 i am at 14.5k.

And yes my 850 watt psu is probably not enough but there shouldn't be any throtteling due to powershortage, 12V is steady so that's not the issue.

Any idea's?


----------



## prescotter

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Looking for some help with my experimental 7990 + 7950 setup.
> 
> And yes my 850 watt psu is probably not enough but there shouldn't be any throtteling due to powershortage, 12V is steady so that's not the issue.
> 
> Any idea's?


According to http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_7990/23.html
A HD7970 uses 200W and a HD7990 370W when *gaming* = *570W* Powerdraw only from GPU's
But fully loaded up with *GPGPU* load its HD7970 271W and HD7990 574W = *845W* Powerdraw only from GPU's

Now imagine you OC your graphics card, and run a OCed CPU, i think you are maybe limited by your PSU.

So thats on a stresstest/heavy GPU load only the GPUs will allready pull a whopping *845W* only GPU wattage not total system usage according to Toms Hardware Guide

edit: pasted the wrong link: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-7990-devil13-7970-x2,3329-12.html


----------



## FragZero

My system with a 7950 at 1200/1600 1.275v pulled near 500 watt at the wall - a PSU is rated at the DC side not AC so the total amount is lower. I dropped my OC on CPU and none on the GPU's - i measured the 12V voltage (can't measure the wattage) and it's stable so i should have enough to start a run.

I really doubt it has anything to do with my powersupply, even if i run the simple gpu-z test to show the pci-e link status i see 100/50/50 gpu usage while with the single 7990 i see 100/100.

Not going to buy a new psu, trifire/quadfire is not a great setup. But if someone has an idea to help me that would be great.


----------



## prescotter

I dont know how the Stability of the 12v line relates to the PSU running out of power, But Toms Hardware says the GPU's can allready draw between 570W and 845W PSU side not Wall/Socket measured.
*So powerdraw only from the videocards, not total system usage that adds another 150-250W.*

But its indeed weird that running a light render test shows same results as a heavy load.

Perhaps try switching the HD7970 and HD7990 on your motherboard, just for testing pusposes to see if it makes any different, since you said by itself they all work good.


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *prescotter*
> 
> Perhaps try switching the HD7970 and HD7990 on your motherboard, just for testing pusposes to see if it makes any different, since you said by itself they all work good.


Already tried switching the cards, does not change a thing. Maybe someone will jump in and say - hey i had that issue and solved it by doing X.

And since light stress also causes 100/50/50 distribution it must be something else - the cards do not know what kind of PSU is powering the pc







.


----------



## mus1mus

What's the PCIe status if I may ask?.
Does GPU-Z reports they are all running at PCIe [email protected] or X8?.

Some have those issues. Cant do XFire, PCIe not running at 3.0 or X16/X8..

You might wanna try it on a 7990 alone..

Edit, yep I saw you have better scores with just the 7990.

Try a driver cleanup, Detach the 7950. Install driver with just the 7990. Reboot for complete driver install. Verify.

Shut down, detach the 7990, attach the 7950 on the next X16 slot, log on to Windows.Let it install the driver. Reboot as requested, verify.

Attach back the 7990, verify each card with GPU-Z. Attach XFire link..Verify XFire..

Verify system..


----------



## FragZero

GPU-Z is confused with the 7990 in my system, it reports 3.0 link while i have sandybridge so only 2.0.

But with only the 7990 in the system it's at x16. 2 cards = 2 x8 so that should be okay. Crosfire is enabled in the settings and detected by GPU-Z and 3Dmark.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> *GPU-Z is confused with the 7990 in my system*, it reports 3.0 link while i have sandybridge so only 2.0.
> 
> But with only the 7990 in the system it's at x16. 2 cards = 2 x8 so that should be okay. Crosfire is enabled in the settings and detected by GPU-Z and 3Dmark.


It's not confused as it's reading is correct. Between the two gpus is a PEX 8747 PLX chip, giving a maximum of pcie 3 between the two gpus.


----------



## FragZero

100% correct!


----------



## SkateZilla

Some Points:
-The 7990 GPUs are linked with a PLX PCIe3.0 Chip Internally, but still send data through the PCIe Slot.
-850w is cutting it very close

Now the PCIe2.0 Lanes is the tricky part,
For Your mainboard, you have 3 Full Length 16x PCIe 2.0 Slots.

When a Single Slot is occupied it's PCIe 2.0 16x w/ 16 Full Lanes.

With Dual Graphics Cards it's reduced to PCIe 2.0 16 with 8 Lanes Each.

3rd PCIe 16x Slot is 4 Lanes regardless.

So The question here is:

If both the 7990 and 7950 Bench and Stress Fine by themselves,

is the PCIe 2.0 8-Lane Link Bottlenecking your HD7990


----------



## Mega Man

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Looking for some help with my experimental 7990 + 7950 setup.
> 
> Whatever i do i only get GPU 1 at 100% GPU2 and GPU3 at 50% (games and 3dmark)
> 
> What i tried
> 
> - installing the latest drivers
> - Installing the latest none-beta drivers
> - swapping CF Bridge
> - swapping card slots
> - disabled ULPS
> 
> Between driver installs i cleaned windows using the driver uninstaller tool
> 
> Nothing seems to work, with the trifire setup i get 11k firestrike gpu score, with only the 7990 i am at 14.5k.
> 
> And yes my 850 watt psu is probably not enough but there shouldn't be any throtteling due to powershortage, 12V is steady so that's not the issue.
> 
> Any idea's?





Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> Some Points:
> -The 7990 GPUs are linked with a PLX PCIe3.0 Chip Internally, but still send data through the PCIe Slot.
> -850w is cutting it very close
> 
> Now the PCIe2.0 Lanes is the tricky part,
> For Your mainboard, you have 3 Full Length 16x PCIe 2.0 Slots.
> 
> When a Single Slot is occupied it's PCIe 2.0 16x w/ 16 Full Lanes.
> 
> With Dual Graphics Cards it's reduced to PCIe 2.0 16 with 8 Lanes Each.
> 
> 3rd PCIe 16x Slot is 4 Lanes regardless.
> 
> So The question here is:
> 
> If both the 7990 and 7950 Bench and Stress Fine by themselves,
> 
> is the PCIe 2.0 8-Lane Link Bottlenecking your HD7990


i was going to say this

so+1

but also i have had trifire with a x750 ( while waiting for my new psu ) and saw the EXACT same thing so i tested by putting one card on another PSU

my score jumped ..... ALOT

also to note a newegg shell shocker right now is a EVGA g2 1000 which is a superflower OEM for only 100 ( hint hint ) if you have another psu you can steal it is a easy test

also to note

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> My system with a 7950 at 1200/1600 1.275v pulled near 500 watt at the wall - a PSU is rated at the DC side not AC so the total amount is lower. I dropped my OC on CPU and none on the GPU's - i measured the 12V voltage (can't measure the wattage) and it's stable so i should have enough to start a run.
> 
> I really doubt it has anything to do with my powersupply, even if i run the simple gpu-z test to show the pci-e link status i see 100/50/50 gpu usage while with the single 7990 i see 100/100.
> 
> Not going to buy a new psu, _*trifire/quadfire is not a great setup*_. But if someone has an idea to help me that would be great.


COMPLETELY false

just by adding a third, sometimes a fourth card is all that is needed to get rid of the microstutter that so many people complain about

not to mention

face it quadfire is EPIC !


----------



## Zen00

Actually I read a recent review that showed increased stuttering from adding a third/fourth card due to the complexities of handling so many cards at once. I believe it was a Haswell-E review where the reviewer went overboard with the setup.


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> but also i have had trifire with a x750 ( while waiting for my new psu ) and saw the EXACT same thing so i tested by putting one card on another PSU
> 
> my score jumped ..... ALOT


Great advice! I have a 450 watt powersupply somewhere which i could use as second PSU (36A on the 12V line), i will try that to power my 7950. Will post the results

*Update!*

I tried the second PSU on my 7950 - with it i got through half the first firestriketest but than FPS drop a lot, some kind of throttling going on! During the high fpsphase i'm at 100/100/100 so it is the PSU! Will probably invest in a higher wattage one


----------



## SkateZilla

yeah, your 12v Rail polly doesnt have the amps to run all 3 GPUs Full tilt.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FragZero*
> 
> Great advice! I have a 450 watt powersupply somewhere which i could use as second PSU (36A on the 12V line), i will try that to power my 7950. Will post the results
> 
> *Update!*
> 
> I tried the second PSU on my 7950 - with it i got through half the first firestriketest but than FPS drop a lot, some kind of throttling going on! During the high fpsphase i'm at 100/100/100 so it is the PSU! Will probably invest in a higher wattage one


Okay let me throw this one out there. The 7950 could be heat throttling. Because of the heat generated by the 7990 in the same case. 7990's throw out some high temps into a case thats air cooled.Open the side door get the heat out and try it. See if it stays at 100 full.


----------



## zorc

Hallo,
I have the following Problem: In Games and Benchmarks I get lower framerates then usual. For instance:
Alien vs Predator Benchmark Normal I get Average FPS: 59.8
Now I get Average FPS: 28.4

Dirt 2 Benchmark Normal I get average min_fps="59.922153" av_fps="61.613281"
Now I get average min_fps="38.200123" av_fps="49.280880"
Worst I got average min_fps="24.686102" av_fps="29.030798"

I restart PC sometimes it is getting to normal fps again but then after a while bad fps rates are coming back.
What can cause a problem like this ? Corrupt Graphics card Bios or defect Graphics card Maybe ??
Do I need to RMA ?

The Card is running stock with 925 Mhz boost.
I have this Sapphire Radeon 7950 Boost since March 2013 and the problem appeared first in may 2014.
My CPU seems fine CPU Benchmars are always OK.
[email protected],5 Ghz
Gigabyte Z87 UD4H
1866 Mhz 8GB Gskill sniper Ram


----------



## Mega Man

sad yesterday newegg had the evga g2 1kw @ 100 great buy


----------



## zorc

OK Problem solved my Input voltage for the 4670K was too low. Tested a new Bios and with lower Input voltage CPU runs through stresstests but is not enough in Games.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sad yesterday newegg had the evga g2 1kw @ 100 great buy


Love my G2 1K

I would buy it again at 169.99.


----------



## FragZero

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay let me throw this one out there. The 7950 could be heat throttling. Because of the heat generated by the 7990 in the same case. 7990's throw out some high temps into a case thats air cooled.Open the side door get the heat out and try it. See if it stays at 100 full.


Afraid it's not heat - i had temperature monitoring going on and the back of the 7950 didn't even feel warm after the throtteling, it must be the PSU
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> sad yesterday newegg had the evga g2 1kw @ 100 great buy


Europe here so no Newegg (atleast not for my country, seems some are able to order)

Going to buy a Lepa 1600Watt unit for 120 euro, can't complain


----------



## rdr09

gained like 300 - 400 pts in graphics with the new driver . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8682288

clocks: 1100/1500


----------



## Offler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> gained like 300 - 400 pts in graphics with the new driver . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8682288
> 
> clocks: 1100/1500


The one from Guru3D? Seems I will test it today... 14.7 RC3 Increased by score in 3dmark2013 from 6900 to 7100. Any such progress is a good thing.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Offler*
> 
> The one from Guru3D? Seems I will test it today... 14.7 RC3 Increased by score in 3dmark2013 from 6900 to 7100. Any such progress is a good thing.


I got this from the same thread but posted by DiceAir. its labled 14.3 (14.6 RC) in GPUZ.

Also, the monitor hooked up to this 7950 was having the "sleep issue" but this driver seems to have fixed it. I may have test longer 'cause i only put the pc to sleep for an hour. normally, i would turn on the monitor first before hitting the enter key but this time i did the reverse and it worked. i'll test it overnight.

Offler, i am not sure how you update your drivers but i don't use DDU and i don't do the safe mode stuff. i just use the new driver to uninstall the old using Express method, reboot, and install the new using Express method. Less than 15 minutes.

EDIT: For those playing Warface . . . this driver works!


----------



## Offler

I do basically the same + I will run .net NGEN services afterwards to re-create native images of CCC. Scores were then 3% better, but the main reason is that I have seen some trouble in running of .net apps with JIT compilation.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Offler*
> 
> I do basically the same + I will run .net NGEN services afterwards to re-create native images of CCC. Scores were then 3% better, but the main reason is that I have seen some trouble in running of .net apps with JIT compilation.


i think the use DDU is fine but not so user friendly. if used improperly, it can screw up even the os.


----------



## thrgk

Has any had issues with quad crossfire where drivers will crash on startup, or 5mins into bf4 the computer shuts down and reboots.

temps arent an issue because everything is under water.

Is this one of those crossfire issues people complain about or what>


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Has any had issues with quad crossfire where drivers will crash on startup, or 5mins into bf4 the computer shuts down and reboots.
> 
> temps arent an issue because everything is under water.
> 
> Is this one of those crossfire issues people complain about or what>


Power supply wattage and cards. Specs. Thanks


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Power supply wattage and cards. Specs. Thanks


His sig rig says a AX1200i+RM750, 4x 7970s (one is a Diamond IIRC)


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Power supply wattage and cards. Specs. Thanks


4 7970s reference

2 xfx 1 sapphire 1 visiontek

1200w corsair ax 750 corsair rm


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> 4 7970s reference
> 
> 2 xfx 1 sapphire 1 visiontek
> 
> 1200w corsair ax 750 corsair rm


I was going to say voltage. But defintly not voltage with that set up.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> I was going to say voltage. But defintly not voltage with that set up.


Yea, im not sure, any ideas?


----------



## Erick Silver

Hey guys, Added a Unknown Branded HD7970 to my rig. Its folds 24/7. My HD7950 folds 24/7 except when I am gaming.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Yea, im not sure, any ideas?


Usually comes down to 3 areas Heat-Power- Software. One of your power supplies maybe bad (has it ever worked). You could try running one card at a time. See if one runs then the next and so on.


----------



## eviltommyng

Sound like drivers issue to me. Did it work before? Try to reinstall driver windows update..
Did you install anything lately?
Is your afterburner overclocked at startup?
I never experience anything with two power supply so i dont know but im runnjng my crossfire with 1600 power supply and never have voltage problem. If u can get it to turn on use a program whocrashed it probably will tell u if its software or not


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Power supply wattage and cards. Specs. Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 4 7970s reference
> 
> 2 xfx 1 sapphire 1 visiontek
> 
> 1200w corsair ax 750 corsair rm
Click to expand...

How do you have the cards hooked up to the psu, what's the distribution like?


----------



## thrgk

2 on each


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> 2 on each


Anything else on the 750?


----------



## SkateZilla

what's the amps on the 12v Rail(s) of the 750?

Could also be a PCIe / CPU Bus Issue.


----------



## thrgk

Only the 2 7970s on the RM 750.

62.5A on each 12v rail

Could also be a PCIe / CPU Bus Issue.

How could I fix that?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Only the 2 7970s on the RM 750.
> 
> 62.5A on each 12v rail
> 
> Could also be a PCIe / CPU Bus Issue.
> 
> How could I fix that?


On the surface you seem to have plenty of power. Have you measured how much load you are drawing yet? BSOD after 5 minutes of gaming is more indicative of an overclock or stability issue/setting than power. btw. I just wanted to check on oyur power distribution layout first.


----------



## thrgk

Yea, i only ever used 1600w when I was mining and stressing cpu at same time and mining on all gpu's. I dont mine normally, but want to test FULL load.

Mostly only1200w while gaming tho was the average

How can i check the pci-e/cpu bus thing?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Yea, i only ever used 1600w when I was mining and stressing cpu at same time and mining on all gpu's. I dont mine normally, but want to test FULL load.
> 
> Mostly only1200w while gaming tho was the average
> 
> *How can i check the pci-e/cpu bus thing?*


There's jack you can do as I imagine it was a comment coming out of left field. Anyways, confirm you are stable. BSOD after 5 mins of load = you not stable. Check your cpu oc vs gpu oc. Btw, a stable cpu oc does not mean it is stable while playing games. There's extra load above and beyond what the cpu was stable at just running prime.


----------



## thrgk

Yea, I just did a full restore of windows, reinstalling everything now.

I think I will change to 290x,, maybe just get 3 of em. I can get 2 290x w/ wb for 385


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Yea, I just did a full restore of windows, reinstalling everything now.
> 
> I think I will change to 290x,, maybe just get 3 of em. I can get 2 290x w/ wb for 385


With your cpu/board I would just go for two.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> With your cpu/board I would just go for two.


Was going to go to x99, either 5960 or 5930..

Dont need the 5960x, but sure would be nice at microcenter prices.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> With your cpu/board I would just go for two.
> 
> 
> 
> Was going to go to x99, either 5960 or 5930..
> 
> Dont need the 5960x, but sure would be nice at microcenter prices.
Click to expand...

Oh then yea, get 3 or 4 cards hehe. Btw, anything above the 5820K is for epeen and benching imo. If you want to hit the HoF and not want to have to overcome a physics handicap go for the gusto.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh then yea, get 3 or 4 cards hehe. Btw, anything above the 5820K is for epeen and benching imo. If you want to hit the HoF and not want to have to overcome a physics handicap go for the gusto.


So 5820k wont be bottlenecking 4 290x?

I was really wanting the 8core cpu, especially since they hold their value well, and the mobo is the expensive part anyway.


----------



## sugarhell

dp


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh then yea, get 3 or 4 cards hehe. Btw, anything above the 5820K is for epeen and benching imo. If you want to hit the HoF and not want to have to overcome a physics handicap go for the gusto.


5820k has 28pcie lanes. SO he needs a 5930k


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *thrgk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Oh then yea, get 3 or 4 cards hehe. Btw, anything above the 5820K is for epeen and benching imo. If you want to hit the HoF and not want to have to overcome a physics handicap go for the gusto.
> 
> 
> 
> So 5820k wont be bottlenecking 4 290x?
> 
> I was really wanting the 8core cpu, especially since they hold their value well, and the mobo is the expensive part anyway.
Click to expand...

Bottlenecking...? Everything will still bottleneck quad 290x but it's not a cpu issue. It's an API issue. Intel is just doing their thing and MS is floating them. Why give the ppl a better API when you have got inside deal with Intel? The jump from X79 to X99 is 10% IPC increase... lmao. That will make ->*<- much difference in feeding quad gpus. This is probably not the answer yer looking for lol, but dammit, its annoying so excuse me in advance lol.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 5820k has 28pcie lanes. SO he needs a 5930k


Lmao. Intel strikes again!


----------



## sugarhell

X99 only worth if you go for the 8core. There is no point to go x99 if you just want a 6core. Ddr4 are expensive and slow atm and the ipc difference is mostly 10%.


----------



## tsm106

Omg, I'm going to sell off my X79 for 10% increase in IPC!!!! And after I'm done buying replacements for everything I already owned, I'll be 10% faster in IPC, yay!


----------



## tsm106

Oh man, what a kick in the balls. 28 lanes = 16x + 8x... the extra 4 lanes is just to make you think its MOAR!


----------



## thrgk

how many lanes in the 5960x? and 5930K?


----------



## thrgk

nvm looks like 40. What mobo can take advantage of most of these? x99 deluxe?


----------



## tsm106

The WS is least gauche of the group.


----------



## thrgk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The WS is least gauche of the group.


what one u recommend?


----------



## thrgk

Hmm ws isn't listed on newegg


----------



## inedenimadam

Beastly

dual PLX chip means all 4 cards can run 16x.


----------



## tsm106

I just think it looks really cool, lol. I'm kinda over the ROG rawrness.


----------



## mus1mus

That board. Hmmm.

How are your experiences runningquad GPU all at X16 compare to X8?

Was the difference too lopsided?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> That board. Hmmm.
> 
> How are your experiences runningquad GPU all at X16 compare to X8?
> 
> Was the difference too lopsided?


There isn't much difference with current gen cards. Maybe AMD's next generation with HBM will push the need for PLX but right now it's no difference if not actually ever so slightly slower.


----------



## mus1mus

thanks for that info..

Kinda hooked on going X99 for good so that WS seemed a good board for those PLX chips especially since a quad is also on the plan.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> thanks for that info..
> 
> Kinda hooked on going X99 for good so that WS seemed a good board for those PLX chips especially since a quad is also on the plan.


There are other boards that will use the PLX chip, but as far as I have seen the ASUS WS is the only one with DUAL-PLX, I think the 8747 only gets you to 48 lanes, so it is necessary to have dual to get the last two cards to 16x, where a single 8747 will only get you 16,16,8,8.

like tsm has pointed out, not much benefit right now, but if you are buying x99 top end stuff, it is probably not with intention to have it potentially nerfed by next gen graphics hardware. I hope when it comes time for me to buy into x99 and quad setup(tax time '15), I hope I have the money for that board.


----------



## mus1mus

Still sourcing out the funds here as well..









What's the drawback of using just one? I mean, 5960X and 5930K offers 40 lanes. Can it be configured as? 16+16 + PLX (16 +16) to make use of the X16..


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> Still sourcing out the funds here as well..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What's the drawback of using just one? I mean, 5960X and 5930K offers 40 lanes. Can it be configured as? 16+16 + PLX (16 +16) to make use of the X16..


You cant add lanes to the CPU, those two chips(5960x, 5930k) will always only have 40 lanes. PLX will take those 40 lanes and essentially divide them up intelligently over a larger number of lanes.

I actually would like to find a board that has the 8764 chip which does offer 64 lanes. But with 7 slots on the WS board, 2x48 makes more sense if those are to be populated...although I cant imagine with what.

I dont actually have any experience with PLX, so this information is just my general understanding of how they work. I have been reading about them for a while, because I know I want my next motherboard to be able to handle 16x in 4 slots. I love my eyefinity setup, and will probably never go back to a single monitor setup, which means I will likely always have several GPUs crammed together.


----------



## tsm106

You shouldn't choose PLX just for the sake of PLX. I merely mentioned the WS because it's not the lame blue Asus theme and it isn't the overdone ROG theme. That said, I doubt anyone would need more than 40 lanes, seriously. Theoretically current gen AMD cards can saturate the pcie bus, but in reality with side by side bench testing, that is really far from reality. In fact, benching on PCIE2 is faster lol. Thus from this starting point it looks more like a money grab. Putting aside all the lane mumbo jumbo, all that bandwidth still has to go thru the 40x lanes from the cpu, there's no magic extra 48 lanes or what not. The way it works is multiplexing. Typically is always X % of wait time for this or that within the bus. It's those wait times that the PLX uses to "switch" or move data around the unused lanes. At the end of the day, it still is all going thru the original 40 lanes.

Look at the Assrock E11 board for something with a bit of history.


----------



## mus1mus

I somewhat see it now. Thanks man.

I'd like to see makers employ those chips with their current line-up and not limit those with some special boards. The Rampage doesn't seem to have one..

But if that couldn't really impact performance, then we're fine with using X16,8,8,8.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> I somewhat see it now. Thanks man.
> 
> I'd like to see makers employ those chips with their current line-up and not limit those with some special boards. The Rampage doesn't seem to have one..
> 
> But if that couldn't really impact performance, then we're fine with using X16,8,8,8.


Google the board above in my post, extreme 11. There's a users club here too. It's not all roses. The E11 is actually slower in all situations and PLX boards carry a 5% penalty in single gpu. Asus even tried to put in a bypass switch with the maximus 5 iirc to get around that problem. Until we see the pcie 3 bus actually become a bottleneck, I think it's a fix for a problem that doesn't exist, at least for gamers.


----------



## mus1mus

I
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Google the board above in my post, extreme 11. There's a users club here too. It's not all roses. The E11 is actually slower in all situations and PLX boards carry a 5% penalty in single gpu. Asus even tried to put in a bypass switch with the maximus 5 iirc to get around that problem. Until we see the pcie 3 bus actually become a bottleneck, I think it's a fix for a problem that doesn't exist, at least for gamers.


Wow.

A quick browse thru their thread exposed the issue you mentioned.

That is very helpful in deciding on the motherboard option. Really appreciate it..


----------



## sugarhell

From the moment that the first gpu use x16 pcie then you dont care if the rest use x8 or x16


----------



## SkateZilla

now if only X99 Boards stop blowing up their VRM Chips


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> now if only X99 Boards stop blowing up their VRM Chips


To be fair, same happened on X79 with the 3930K a few months after release.


----------



## Erick Silver

Good Evening Fellow AMD HD Users!

I am having an issue. I am running a Phenom II X6 1090T stock, 4x4GB GSkill Ripjaws X 1600mhz RAM, 1x Sapphire Vapor X HD7950(for folding and gaming) and 1x HD7970(folding only) on a Antec HCG 620W PSU.

Here's my problem. When I have both cards folding full out the HD7950 crashes randomly. Sometimes after a few hours, sometimes several hours, sometimes after a few days. Windows gives me the error message "Your display driver has crashed and recovered blah blah blah", and my folding client on that card says its till going but the usage in AB says its not, but the 7970 never skips a beat. It just keeps right on cranking away. 24/7.

What could be causing this issue?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Good Evening Fellow AMD HD Users!
> 
> I am having an issue. I am running a Phenom II X6 1090T stock, 4x4GB GSkill Ripjaws X 1600mhz RAM, 1x Sapphire Vapor X HD7950(for folding and gaming) and 1x HD7970(folding only) on a Antec HCG 620W PSU.
> 
> Here's my problem. When I have both cards folding full out the HD7950 crashes randomly. Sometimes after a few hours, sometimes several hours, sometimes after a few days. Windows gives me the error message "Your display driver has crashed and recovered blah blah blah", and my folding client on that card says its till going but the usage in AB says its not, but the 7970 never skips a beat. It just keeps right on cranking away. 24/7.
> 
> What could be causing this issue?


Power - heat or do you use intensity for folding. Not sure how your scrypt is written for folding. But if its the same as for Mining. And I know the two are very close to how they treat the video card. The folding can be causing a problem with the ram on your video card depends how long you have been folding on it. The Video driver crashing is a result of the folding and the age of the card. IE I would probably stop folding with the 7950 or your probably going to need a new one soon. Take it from a ex video card miner.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

my 7970 does that from time to time. I just reboot until it does it again. w/e, lol


----------



## Offler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> Good Evening Fellow AMD HD Users!
> 
> I am having an issue. I am running a Phenom II X6 1090T stock, 4x4GB GSkill Ripjaws X 1600mhz RAM, 1x Sapphire Vapor X HD7950(for folding and gaming) and 1x HD7970(folding only) on a Antec HCG 620W PSU.
> 
> Here's my problem. When I have both cards folding full out the HD7950 crashes randomly. Sometimes after a few hours, sometimes several hours, sometimes after a few days. Windows gives me the error message "Your display driver has crashed and recovered blah blah blah", and my folding client on that card says its till going but the usage in AB says its not, but the 7970 never skips a beat. It just keeps right on cranking away. 24/7.
> 
> What could be causing this issue?


I have almost same config just, with single HD7970.

Linx on 5 cores, OCCT GPU test on last core + GPU on 100% = 650 watt power consumption
(Measured by external device)

My usual power consumption is 160w on idle, 350-450 during gaming. 650 watt is reached only in stress tests.

I believe your PSU might not be enough in situation when power consumption is higher. I also had 650w PSU before. I found that its not enough when VRM start buzzing in some situations.


----------



## Erick Silver

I knew I was going to need a higher wattage PSU. But spoke to a few of the PSU Gurus here on the forum and they said i would be okay for a bit. Guess I need to start looking for a 850w - 1000w unit.


----------



## Offler

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I knew I was going to need a higher wattage PSU. But spoke to a few of the PSU Gurus here on the forum and they said i would be okay for a bit. Guess I need to start looking for a 850w - 1000w unit.


If you can, try to borrow something on 750w or higher, and do some measurements on power consumption. Then decide.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Erick Silver*
> 
> I knew I was going to need a higher wattage PSU. But spoke to a few of the PSU Gurus here on the forum and they said i would be okay for a bit. Guess I need to start looking for a 850w - 1000w unit.


I'm going to get myself a 1000w PSU as well, and form what I have read so far the Cooler Master v1000 seems to be a excelent choise if you are in need of a stable and quiet unit. That said, if you come up with better choises, then I would really like to know since I need one myself in a few months (upgrading to a crossifre setup and I do want some headroom).


----------



## Erick Silver

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Offler*
> 
> If you can, try to borrow something on 750w or higher, and do some measurements on power consumption. Then decide.


LOL Funny thing is there is no one in my group of friends that I can borrow from. I am the computer guru in my area(that I am aware of) and with in my group of friends, I have the most powerful computer. No one else comes close. So borrowing a higher rated PSU is not exactly something I can do.


----------



## rdr09

Love my 7950

1115/1500

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4025300?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Love my 7950
> 
> 1115/1500
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4025300?


Wait for some 7970 scores soon


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Wait for some 7970 scores soon


please use the leaked 14.X. thanks.


----------



## Rbby258

Hows the 7990 stand nowadays on the latest 14.8 drivers? I have a basically new one in the box for the last 6 months. Not sure if to use it in my rig rather than my gtx 770 lightning? I only run it on stock even though i have a waterblock so stock clock comparison would be best.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rbby258*
> 
> Hows the 7990 stand nowadays on the latest 14.8 drivers? I have a basically new one in the box for the last 6 months. Not sure if to use it in my rig rather than my gtx 770 lightning? I only run it on stock even though i have a waterblock so stock clock comparison would be best.


Generally speaking it would perofrm quite a lot better. Its close to two 7970 in crossfire so that does outperform a 770 (previous 680). the question that you ahve to ask yourself though would be if you really need the extra power or not.

I'll let others say how it performs at current drivers but you know what I mean


----------



## Rbby258

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Generally speaking it would perofrm quite a lot better. Its close to two 7970 in crossfire so that does outperform a 770 (previous 680). the question that you ahve to ask yourself though would be if you really need the extra power or not.
> 
> I'll let others say how it performs at current drivers but you know what I mean


Yeah i knew it would be a step up, just was it worth getting a waterblock for it and changing out the 770. I went from 7950 trifire to the 770 as trifire wasnt great at the time and i got the 770 the day the reviewers put there thought out so got a bit caught out. Also when i had the 7950's hdmi audio wasnt great and had a lot of troubles with it such as no sound.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rbby258*
> 
> Yeah i knew it would be a step up, just was it worth getting a waterblock for it and changing out the 770. I went from 7950 trifire to the 770 as trifire wasnt great at the time and i got the 770 the day the reviewers put there thought out so got a bit caught out. Also when i had the 7950's hdmi audio wasnt great and had a lot of troubles with it such as no sound.


I assumed as much. although aparently the drivers are better with crossfire today then they used to be. I ahve no experience with it yet, but I will find it out in time


----------



## inedenimadam

7990 will still perform quite well, I have 2 7970s that are still pushing most titles to ultra, or at least high across an eyefinity set up. 7990 is still a beastly card.


----------



## neurotix

7990 over 770.

Do it.


----------



## richie_2010

hi everyone as an owner of a msi 7950 running the aio mod, i thought id share with you my V2 of the mod bracket. it helps keep the card cool helping with over-clocking






please check out my artisan store in my signature below for more information or if you have any questions, im always willing to help
i have backplates that work with the reference revisions of our cards aswell.


----------



## deactivated

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Love my 7950
> 
> 1115/1500
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4025300?


Temps? I overclocked my xfx 7950 from 800 stock to 900 an it ran hot as hell and on top of that graphical artifacts started arrearing randomly with screen tears, horrible.


----------



## Gereti

I should be able to join this club soon, bought yesterday used reference model asus radeon 7970 with EK's waterblock 170€+post's, but i was thinking to sell that block and put reference cooler back and do "The Mod" to it using my cuhler 620 stuff


----------



## incog

7970s are very cheap at the moment:

http://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR10.TRC0.A0.H0.X7970&_nkw=7970&_sacat=0

Was curious, what are people's experiences with Crossfire 7970? yay / nay / meh?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> 7970s are very cheap at the moment:
> 
> http://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR10.TRC0.A0.H0.X7970&_nkw=7970&_sacat=0
> 
> Was curious, what are people's experiences with Crossfire 7970? yay / nay / meh?


YAY works for me. Crossfire has been fixed for a long time incase that's why you were asking.


----------



## richie_2010

Hi guys could someone advise if this is ok.

I have a 7970 I brought faulty that I want to test. I cant find my mod psu cables. Cpuld I put the card in and use power wires from my card while card still in pcie slot.
Or would you say remove all my card and aio just incase


----------



## Ragsters

Wanting to crossifre my 7970 reference card but don't think I have enough power. Do I need a new PSU if I decide to go that route?


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> 7970s are very cheap at the moment:
> 
> http://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR10.TRC0.A0.H0.X7970&_nkw=7970&_sacat=0
> 
> Was curious, what are people's experiences with Crossfire 7970? yay / nay / meh?
> 
> 
> 
> YAY works for me. Crossfire has been fixed for a long time incase that's why you were asking.
Click to expand...

yeah but how good is it? Back in the day, Crossfire 7970 would be a bit better than GTX 780s for instance, now we have GTX 970s on our hands that will beat both set ups.

If I crossfire I'd have to also buy a H97 motherboard and a new case. So that's why I'm really hesitant.

Ragster, I think a good 600W PSU should do nicely


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> 7970s are very cheap at the moment:
> 
> http://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR10.TRC0.A0.H0.X7970&_nkw=7970&_sacat=0
> 
> Was curious, what are people's experiences with Crossfire 7970? yay / nay / meh?
> 
> 
> 
> YAY works for me. Crossfire has been fixed for a long time incase that's why you were asking.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> yeah but how good is it? Back in the day, Crossfire 7970 would be a bit better than GTX 780s for instance, now we have GTX 970s on our hands that will beat both set ups.
> 
> If I crossfire I'd have to also buy a H97 motherboard and a new case. So that's why I'm really hesitant.
> 
> Ragster, I think a good 600W PSU should do nicely
Click to expand...

Nah, 970s are not that fast. The 980s are well up there though, 'course its full price to boot.


----------



## incog

I see that GTX 970s are beating (very small margin) GTX 780s and R9 290s: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ASUS/GTX_970_STRIX_OC/12.html

Not sure how Crossfire 7970 compares to that for example, so that's why I'm asking around. Might be very interesting picking up another 7970 now that prices are so low. A year ago I paid mine €300, kinda butt-hurt on that.

Otherwise I'm curious about how good stuff like frame-rendering is. Apparently Crossfire works well these days but I don't see it working for Il-2 Cliffs of Dover for instance, nor for Starcraft 2.

Especially since I'd be looking at a motherboard upgrade as well, I have a B85 board right now and a case. That's €165 right there.


----------



## Feyris

Go ahead and CF, Its faster then a single 980 even. a 7990 is still on~par + faster. for the prices minus well but be careful and dont buy a card that was mined with. AMD Drivers now have option for frame pacing for that kinda stuff. Mines forced on (since 7990) Look into asus or asrock boards (personal opinion) if you need a new one


----------



## CurvedLine

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Wanting to crossifre my 7970 reference card but don't think I have enough power. Do I need a new PSU if I decide to go that route?


A good 750 W is what AMD recommends for HD7970 crossfire.
I personally would recommend Corsair HX 850 W or similar for the extra headroom.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CurvedLine*
> 
> A good 750 W is what AMD recommends for HD7970 crossfire.
> I personally would recommend Corsair HX 850 W or similar for the extra headroom.


That or a EVGA SuperNova G2. + 3 Years on warranty but you cant really go wrong with either brands (cept first gen evga PSUs) anything else is lacking. Def. get more then rec, 600W was limiting my single 7970 OC + 3770K. But that was a OCZ supply that was meh.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> That or a EVGA SuperNova G2. + 3 Years on warranty but you cant really go wrong with either brands (cept first gen evga PSUs) anything else is lacking. Def. get more then rec, 600W was limiting my single 7970 OC + 3770K. But that was a OCZ supply that was meh.


The G2s seem to have quite good reviews, and is SuperFlower Leadx based, so he should be good2go.


----------



## CurvedLine

He shouldn't think "600 Watts" (or 700, 800). Watts value alone doesn't matter much, more does Quality, Amperes, Stability and Efficiency.
The quality brands deliver. Pay the price, it's worth it.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The G2s seem to have quite good reviews, and is SuperFlower Leadx based, so he should be good2go.


He has a Seasonic X650 Right now. but yeah..... the only thing I hate about G2 is slightly mis-aligned screw holes from the texture. last one always goes in at awkward angle no matter what case I use. The fact it is 100% Modular (mobo, everything) was also amazing. Do not know how it goes against the $199 HX 850 since its 40ish less though


----------



## Ragsters

You guys are recommending an 800W PSU? That seems like way too much. I thought 650W would be cutting it close but would never of thought I would need more than 750W. Oh, and I only ever refer to quality PSUs.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> That or a EVGA SuperNova G2. + 3 Years on warranty but you cant really go wrong with either brands (cept first gen evga PSUs) anything else is lacking. Def. get more then rec, 600W was limiting my single 7970 OC + 3770K. But that was a OCZ supply that was meh.
> 
> 
> 
> The G2s seem to have quite good reviews, and is SuperFlower Leadx based, so he should be good2go.
Click to expand...

they are epic
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The G2s seem to have quite good reviews, and is SuperFlower Leadx based, so he should be good2go.
> 
> 
> 
> He has a Seasonic X650 Right now. but yeah..... the only thing I hate about G2 is slightly mis-aligned screw holes from the texture. last one always goes in at awkward angle no matter what case I use. The fact it is 100% Modular (mobo, everything) was also amazing. Do not know how it goes against the $199 HX 850 since its 40ish less though
Click to expand...

better actually then the seasonic
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> You guys are recommending an 800W PSU? That seems like way too much. I thought 650W would be cutting it close but would never of thought I would need more than 750W. Oh, and I only ever refer to quality PSUs.


assume x for cpu *( i dont know wattage on intel cpus besides the 3930k/4930k ) esp on OC remember it goes up from stock !

and 300w per 7970 ( assuming oced and not maxed as they can go above 300w )


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> You guys are recommending an 800W PSU? That seems like way too much. I thought 650W would be cutting it close but would never of thought I would need more than 750W. Oh, and I only ever refer to quality PSUs.


Yes. Stock load is 115W~ for 3770K two 7970 Can top out at 500w and above if you push it. So thats 615w right there, throw 15w for storage.... thats 630w, you get a 90% Efficient 750w PSU your around 675w. You have absolutely no headroom. So grab a Evga G2 850W or anything in that range, you will have future upgrade headroom, OC headroom for now with your WC loop, and overall a better experience then just "getting by". an extra $40-60 investment is well worth it when you might have to buy an entirely new psu in future if you shoot too low now.

X650 is 80PLUS Gold, so its ~ 585w you have to upgrade no matter what for that 2nd card.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Yes. Stock load is 115W~ for 3770K two 7970 Can top out at 500w and above if you push it. So thats 615w right there, throw 15w for storage.... thats 630w, you get a 90% Efficient 750w PSU your around 675w. You have absolutely no headroom. So grab a Evga G2 850W or anything in that range, you will have future upgrade headroom, OC headroom for now with your WC loop, and overall a better experience then just "getting by". an extra $40-60 investment is well worth it when you might have to buy an entirely new psu in future if you shoot too low now.
> 
> X650 is 80PLUS Gold, so its ~ 585w you have to upgrade no matter what for that 2nd card.


PSU's are rated on the output side of things, not wall draw afaik. For instance, my seasonic platinum 1000 can supply 83 amps at 12V, or 996 watts on the 12v rail.

@Ragsters:
750W psu *should* be fine for stock clocks. (~115W cpu + 2*250W gpu's + 30W misc= 645W/750w= 86% of maximum rated power). However, if you have any OC or any plans to oc throw that out the window and add 100W more. Remember as you oc power draw increases relative to the product of voltage and current, both of which increase when pushing your hardware.

For instance, assume you get a usage spike in game or you put a mild oc on your components: your cpu draws 130W and gpu's 300W. That's 730W right there (97% of max rated power), not counting any other component. Add in motherboard, storage, fans, pump, and you're over spec and will trip OCP, resulting in a crash.

If you have any sort of water loop, add ~30W for the pump, plus fan current or power draw must also be considered.

Remember also, that most psu's hit optimal efficiency around 50% of maximum rated power and decrease from there. Also: power supplies don't like being pushed at or near maximum power draw for long periods of time. Sooner rather than later a component will blow out. You also risk tripping OCP as those 7970's can draw a lot more power in demanding games with higher settings. Personally I would look for an 800W or 850W unit just to be on the safe side.

-Strat


----------



## X-Alt

If the G2 is cheaper than an HX850 or X850, etc, its an amazing deal. The Leadxs were wrecking Seasonic Platinums at their own game (ripple suppression IIRC) on jonnyguru. If he wants moar, there might be room for Trifire too..


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> PSU's are rated on the output side of things, not wall draw afaik. For instance, my seasonic platinum 1000 can supply 83 amps at 12V, or 996 watts on the 12v rail.
> 
> @Ragsters:
> 750W psu *should* be fine for stock clocks. (~115W cpu + 2*250W gpu's + 30W misc= 645W/750w= 86% of maximum rated power). However, if you have any OC or any plans to oc throw that out the window and add 100W more. Remember as you oc power draw increases relative to the product of voltage and current, both of which increase when pushing your hardware.
> 
> For instance, assume you get a usage spike in game or you put a mild oc on your components: your cpu draws 130W and gpu's 300W. That's 730W right there (97% of max rated power), not counting any other component. Add in motherboard, storage, fans, pump, and you're over spec and will trip OCP, resulting in a crash.
> 
> If you have any sort of water loop, add ~30W for the pump, plus fan current or power draw must also be considered.
> 
> Remember also, that most psu's hit optimal efficiency around 50% of maximum rated power and decrease from there. Also: power supplies don't like being pushed at or near maximum power draw for long periods of time. Sooner rather than later a component will blow out. You also risk tripping OCP as those 7970's can draw a lot more power in demanding games with higher settings. Personally I would look for an 800W or 850W unit just to be on the safe side.
> 
> -Strat


I know but I always lie to myself so I get higher psu to not keep it near top, didnt want to write More into it like you did. So we are all saying same thing in end. His rig profile has wc loop, so 750 wont be enough for oc components in end no matter what

I think g2 is 136 on amazon


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> I know but I always lie to myself so I get higher psu to not keep it near top, didnt want to write More into it like you did. So we are all saying same thing in end. His rig profile has wc loop, so 750 wont be enough for oc components in end no matter what
> 
> I think g2 is 136 on amazon


1000w or 850W one, I say go for the 1000 if he gets the urge to tri-fire one day?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Yes. Stock load is 115W~ for 3770K two 7970 Can top out at 500w and above if you push it. So thats 615w right there, throw 15w for storage.... thats 630w, you get a 90% Efficient 750w PSU your around 675w. You have absolutely no headroom. So grab a Evga G2 850W or anything in that range, you will have future upgrade headroom, OC headroom for now with your WC loop, and overall a better experience then just "getting by". an extra $40-60 investment is well worth it when you might have to buy an entirely new psu in future if you shoot too low now.
> 
> X650 is 80PLUS Gold, so its ~ 585w you have to upgrade no matter what for that 2nd card.
> 
> 
> 
> PSU's are rated on the output side of things, not wall draw afaik. For instance, my seasonic platinum 1000 can supply 83 amps at 12V, or 996 watts on the 12v rail.
> 
> @Ragsters:
> 750W psu *should* be fine for stock clocks. (~115W cpu + 2*250W gpu's + 30W misc= 645W/750w= 86% of maximum rated power). However, if you have any OC or any plans to oc throw that out the window and add 100W more. Remember as you oc power draw increases relative to the product of voltage and current, both of which increase when pushing your hardware.
> 
> For instance, assume you get a usage spike in game or you put a mild oc on your components: your cpu draws 130W and gpu's 300W. That's 730W right there (97% of max rated power), not counting any other component. Add in motherboard, storage, fans, pump, and you're over spec and will trip OCP, resulting in a crash.
> 
> If you have any sort of water loop, add ~30W for the pump, plus fan current or power draw must also be considered.
> 
> Remember also, that most psu's hit optimal efficiency around 50% of maximum rated power and decrease from there. Also: power supplies don't like being pushed at or near maximum power draw for long periods of time. Sooner rather than later a component will blow out. You also risk tripping OCP as those 7970's can draw a lot more power in demanding games with higher settings. Personally I would look for an 800W or 850W unit just to be on the safe side.
> 
> -Strat
Click to expand...

please see this 50% Load Myth


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> 1000w or 850W one, I say go for the 1000 if he gets the urge to tri-fire one day?


850 one. At that point he minus well get a new single gpu solution lol


----------



## Gereti

Hehe, installed just ref cooler to 7970, let's test it!









E: look's like that someone old owner has been flashed bios littlebit









stock clock's should be 925/1375mhz


----------



## Ragsters

Thanks for all the help guys. Yeah it seems that If I need to upgrade my already modded PSU and buy a new 7970 it would make more sense for me to just buy a single more powerful card while keeping my existing PSU. Thanks again guys!


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> please see this 50% Load Myth


Ahh so it's not quite so drastic then. That is good to see. I knew it wouldn't be like you only get 50-60% efficiency further down the curve but I was led to believe that the dropoff above ~90ish% of max rated power was higher. I wasn't saying he should aim to run it at 50%, more that I thought the efficiency drop-off nearing 100% of max rated power was steeper than it actually is. I still recommend a buffer as you don't want to be tripping OCP during high loads and potential OC'ing.

Thank you for that link though, really helpful for anyone wondering about psu efficiencies.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Thanks for all the help guys. Yeah it seems that If I need to upgrade my already modded PSU and buy a new 7970 it would make more sense for me to just buy a single more powerful card while keeping my existing PSU. Thanks again guys!


You could do 290X, or wait abit longer for 390x (soon maybe?). 7970 is no slouch by any means if you wanted to take that route albeit its a $300+ more expensive route. You really only avoid CFX hiccups, which is not as bad as it was before.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> please see this 50% Load Myth
> 
> 
> 
> Ahh so it's not quite so drastic then. That is good to see. I knew it wouldn't be like you only get 50-60% efficiency further down the curve but I was led to believe that the dropoff above ~90ish% of max rated power was higher. I wasn't saying he should aim to run it at 50%, more that I thought the efficiency drop-off nearing 100% of max rated power was steeper than it actually is. I still recommend a buffer as you don't want to be tripping OCP during high loads and potential OC'ing.
> 
> Thank you for that link though, really helpful for anyone wondering about psu efficiencies.
Click to expand...

It is np both he and Shilka are awesome resources for psus.

I agree about the buffer. But hard to relate it to a percent. As the larger psu you have the smaller of a buffer you need percent wise


----------



## tsm106

I want to comment on the point of the cost vs wattage size, given equal efficiency point.

When you buy a car, say a four door sedan or suv, do you intend to use it at its fullest all the time? Serious, if you go buy psu expert logic, you would only buy what you need. Meet a girl, she pops out a baby, you buy a new car for three. Rinse repeat same process over and over. It just strikes me as hilarious. Who's footing the bill each time you out grow the psu and you end up losing your initial investment? If you had only bought the bigger psu for incremental up front cost, you wouldn't have to replace the whole psu later. Imo, it costs a premium to have the freedom of choice. The freedom to add another card into your rig w/o the psu blowing itself up. I dunno, I always over build rigs because I never know how they are going to evolve.


----------



## mus1mus

Very good point ^ this.


----------



## Mega Man

no argument here

hell i have 3 1600w. 2 1250w ( largest made my seasonic ) and 2 1000w as i could not get the 1200/1300 units in china ( no one buys psus this big there, and leadex are not sold in us )

so yea, really not arguing


----------



## mus1mus




----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no argument here
> 
> hell i have 3 1600w. 2 1250w ( largest made my seasonic ) and 2 1000w as i could not get the 1200/1300 units in china ( no one buys psus this big there, and leadex are not sold in us )
> 
> so yea, really not arguing


But leadex are sold in US, technically~ EVGAs PSU are all superflower leadex re-brands. G2 are the rebranded leadex GOLD, P2 are rebranded Leadex Plats and T2 will be the new superflower Titanium 1600w

Hope that helps a little if your looking for Leadex here in in merica...


----------



## Mega Man

no they are not, EVGA with their crappy color scheme are. you can not tell me they hold a candle to this


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!








let alone this


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!




( not my pic )


you should see when they ALL are lit. also i would like to add just wait till i am finished with my RGB mod on them


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no they are not, EVGA with their crappy color scheme are. you can not tell me they hold a candle to this
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> let alone this
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ( not my pic )
> 
> 
> you should see when they ALL are lit. also i would like to add just wait till i am finished with my RGB mod on them


Lost me at first part but maybe im just too tired I read thread here about that but yes evga paints themstupidly. I bet your stock leadex dont have screw hole misalignment.

I want to steal the butterfly emblems tho


----------



## Chita Gonza

Will the Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB - 21197-00-40G, have what you need to set up 3 screen eyefinity with dvi monitors?

I have 5870 Eyefinity now, with a active DP -> Dvi adapter, but that is a full sized dp, and not a mini dp.

Also is there any disadvantages to buy a 7970 now?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chita Gonza*
> 
> Will the Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB - 21197-00-40G, have what you need to set up 3 screen eyefinity with dvi monitors?
> 
> I have 5870 Eyefinity now, with a active DP -> Dvi adapter, but that is a full sized dp, and not a mini dp.
> 
> Also is there any disadvantages to buy a 7970 now?


There is no disadvantage with the prices they are at. You have 2 DP + 1 DVI on that card so you should be fine you would just need to buy two new DP plugs

I would use bluerigger, I love their cables.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007KB0EGC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B009FA98JU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=08EVDG4DJ73QRR8DWSXY

all you need x2

Amazonbasics adapter is good too but they only have hdmi and vga


----------



## rdr09

anyone here still plays Skyrim? using my 7950, i can't hear the person i am talking to when face to face. i have to look to the side to hear the voice. it does not happen with my 290. could it be my system audio settings?

nvm. i think it has to do with my mouse.


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no they are not, EVGA with their crappy color scheme are. you can not tell me they hold a candle to this
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> let alone this
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ( not my pic )
> 
> 
> you should see when they ALL are lit. also i would like to add just wait till i am finished with my RGB mod on them


woah that's cool, lol, is that your build ? looks, like, guess so with 4 cards







, nice man that looks crazy on white also
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chita Gonza*
> 
> Will the Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB - 21197-00-40G, have what you need to set up 3 screen eyefinity with dvi monitors?
> 
> I have 5870 Eyefinity now, with a active DP -> Dvi adapter, but that is a full sized dp, and not a mini dp.
> 
> Also is there any disadvantages to buy a 7970 now?


for 3 screens mmh, you might wanna wait till r9 290's OC prices come down and get one on ebay, also overclock the hell out of it


----------



## firefox86

hey i have accidentally flash the wrong bios for my 7970, I have searched the internet for the right bios,
but it does not seem to exist.

I need a bios for the FX-7970A-TD-79A-TDBC v1.1 Black DD

i have tested this http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/1...72-120521.html

and this http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/1...72-120716.html

but it does not seem right.
I have 2x xfx7970 a GZH edition and the other older black dd
when I click in the crossfire and runs some games the games freeze and sometimes the computer restarts
Also game crashes so it must be wrong bios on the black dd card.

im using this bios now http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/130521/xfx-hd7970-3072-120716.html

does anyone know a better site or has this bios

thankful for answers!

ps sorry for bad english


----------



## SkateZilla

^This is why you ALWAYS backup you BIOS First.


----------



## incog

I'm hesitating to get a used VaporX 7970 for €100. The price is great for what the card is, but the guy mined with it. hmm, unsure if I want it.


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> I'm hesitating to get a used VaporX 7970 for €100. The price is great for what the card is, but the guy mined with it. hmm, unsure if I want it.


Honestly I'd trust a miner more than I would trust a gamer with their card, but that's just my opinion.


----------



## confed

Most miners usually undervolt and downclock their core. VaporX is a good buy. Just remember, there are miners out there who could have screwed their cards up but just wouldn't tell ya. Good luck with your purchase.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SkateZilla*
> 
> ^This is why you ALWAYS backup you BIOS First.


and yet no matter what in all of the guide it says to.... yet those that dont, still dont


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> and yet no matter what in all of the guide it says to.... yet those that dont, still dont


I'm glad I backed up my BIOS when I tried changing it, as all the ones I tried didn't work and if I hadn't backed up it would have been lost. But then I'm a compulsive backer upper.


----------



## Gereti

Guestion:

How much those ram chip's make heat?, so i have reference 7970 card, and i was thinking to throm away ref cooler, and add atleast Zalman VF1000LED cooler to it with modded to use 2x80mm fan's, and i be able to sell my FC-7970 block i would then upgrade cooler to better but...
I dont have enought heatsinks to ram chips, i have enought to cover VRM (from accelero mono packet what i used my 6970 some time ago)
And i have custom bios (i think) becose stock clok's should be 925/1375 and i have 1050/1500

So, may i have broblems with non cooled ram what is OC'd +125mhz?


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *confed*
> 
> Most miners usually undervolt and downclock their core. VaporX is a good buy. Just remember, there are miners out there who could have screwed their cards up but just wouldn't tell ya. Good luck with your purchase.


Thanks, this made up my mind. I won't be getting the card. It would have cost me €100 to get the card though I'd have bought it in cash (in Paris), which means that I'd have been completely screwed over if the card was somehow faulty. I don't even need the card, I'll save the money for when I buy something new.


----------



## richie_2010

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> Guestion:
> 
> How much those ram chip's make heat?, so i have reference 7970 card, and i was thinking to throm away ref cooler, and add atleast Zalman VF1000LED cooler to it with modded to use 2x80mm fan's, and i be able to sell my FC-7970 block i would then upgrade cooler to better but...
> I dont have enought heatsinks to ram chips, i have enought to cover VRM (from accelero mono packet what i used my 6970 some time ago)
> And i have custom bios (i think) becose stock clok's should be 925/1375 and i have 1050/1500
> 
> So, may i have broblems with non cooled ram what is OC'd +125mhz?


hi mate the ram doesnt get as hot as the vrms so i would cool them 1st,
i bet you could rock a higher over clock with a clc on that card


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> hi mate the ram doesnt get as hot as the vrms so i would cool them 1st,
> i bet you could rock a higher over clock with a clc on that card


Okay, thank's mate, i would get aio bracket's from you but first i have to sell my EK block


----------



## richie_2010

i dont know how to honestly measure the ram temps other than touching the heat-sinks i have on em or buying a temp gun but under load my vrms are at about 50c max
when i add a new fan it should be better.


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i dont know how to honestly measure the ram temps other than touching the heat-sinks i have on em or buying a temp gun but under load my vrms are at about 50c max
> when i add a new fan it should be better.


Okay









Lucily i have this pic

so i know where i have to add those heatsink's (VRM)

Edit: first problem

i dont have right size heatsink to cool this one, problems?









Edit2: hmm, when i look my 6970 ref cooler i see that i didn't had cooled that place on that card and i hasn't any problems with it :/
or i thinks so that i haven't placed any heatsink there...


----------



## richie_2010

what sinks do you have lil aluminum ones. use a small saw and cut one in half and use that
on mine i use enzotech copper ones. smaller ones for vrms and larger ones for ram.


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *richie_2010*
> 
> what sinks do you have lil aluminum ones. use a small saw and cut one in half and use that
> on mine i use enzotech copper ones. smaller ones for vrms and larger ones for ram.


Found solution, i found one old ram heatsink what i cutted to smaller and i'm going to glue that one, i add picture about that soon








Edit, or maby not, my glue is dry








have to order sone new


----------



## richie_2010

least you have something to put there,


----------



## gsk3rd

Selling my 7950, if you need another one or just want one, PM me.


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gsk3rd*
> 
> Selling my 7950, if you need another one or just want one, PM me.


Heh, thank's but if i need one, i can get one 7970 from schoolmate 125€ so...


----------



## gsk3rd

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> Heh, thank's but if i need one, i can get one 7970 from schoolmate 125€ so...


My apologies. I did not mean "you". I ment to just throw it out there.


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gsk3rd*
> 
> My apologies. I did not mean "you". I ment to just throw it out there.


oh well, it happens


----------



## Ragsters

I am looking for a cheap reference 7970 and if possible an EK block to go with it.

Edit: EK block has to be CSQ nickel


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I am looking for a cheap reference 7970 and if possible an EK block to go with it.


Meanwhile i have spare EK-FC7970-Acetal to reference card and i want away about it but...


----------



## kj1060

Anyone else having problems with the 14.9 drivers? I am getting blue screens on my N7 Armor build.

All I did was open Chrome, AMD Evolved, and start Steam.

Edit: added what I was doing when BSOD happened.


----------



## Zen00

I've been using the unofficial version for a month now and have had no problems.


----------



## staccker

Anyone have any benches for HIS 7950s IceQ X^2 in crossfire? I cant seem to find them on the internet anywhere


----------



## aaronlaplante

Hi guys, just wondering if i could save a week by getting a few mesurments from you guys. You have all helped me along the way and just to quickly explain what im doing. I have a full coverage swiftech heatsink for my refrence msi 7970 boost and im trying to put a h60 red mod with heatsink to cool the rest.

Well the h60 has a diameter of 63.3 on the square style cooler. The swiftech heatsink's GPU hole isnt quite big enough. So i was wondering if anyone has any measurments off hand that i can give to the machinist thats helping me for half price because of my bad luck. someone STOLE MY CAR LAST WEEK and my h60 is atleast 30 miles away.

measurments needed.

I just need to know what height the heatsink needs machined too. I wouldnt mind a stock look diamond cut (using artisan bracket so square coolers must go in at a diamond orientation from what i understand) cut into the heatsink down to just barely above the height of the copper shim it will be cooling. Would I just put thermal pads everywhere else that the h60 will be touching? I figured this way it will not only cool the gpu but also bonus areas on the heatsink and possibly above some of the ram chips.

Im not good at giving directions is there a way to figure out what to machine this too without the h60 in hand (have the card and heatsink here). Measure twice and cut once, but im wondering if i can get by without having to go back and pay for another cut even if its half off due to the gentlemans kindness.


----------



## phinexswarm71

i had a fatal shutdown while playing shadow of mordor today. after i tried various things and troubleshoot the problem,i've came to the conclusion its my gpu.with my other 5850 card working while the 7970 not.also with the 7970 the computer just wont start and even i had noticed a spark that came out of card shortly after i had started the pc the 2nd time,and thus i hurried to turn the switched off as a result as to not to hurt others computer parts.i understand this problem could be caused by the PSU as well theoretically,but i really doubt that,as my PSU is really quality one and new,and so working perfectly fine with my previous 5850 gpu.also it cant be caused by the temperature as i had monitored them quite frequently and stayed below 78c peak

the good news is the gpu is still in warranty so therefore im gonna RMA it soon.in addition the pcb looks perfectly fine,no burns.


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

can anyone provide me how much two 7970s in stock would ACTUALLY consume (under heavy gaming load) as all I see from the internet is the "recommended" wattage


----------



## chronicfx

About 220 each if i recall full load. You can check reviews.


----------



## boredmug

No, but what size psu you have currently? I was able to run two 7950's on a 650 watt psu with a [email protected] Could not overclock them though without the pc rebooting. I'd say you'd be good with a 850psu but bigger is always better for upgrading later if you can afford it.


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> No, but what size psu you have currently? I was able to run two 7950's on a 650 watt psu with a [email protected] Could not overclock them though without the pc rebooting. I'd say you'd be good with a 850psu but bigger is always better for upgrading later if you can afford it.


guess i'm safe with my Corsair AX 760 then (platinum) but still im curious to the "ACTUAL" wattage during heavy gaming loads


----------



## boredmug

Like chronic said, somewhere in the 200 to 220 range.. you'll be ok with the 760. I kick myself for never going big on the psu. I'm running an 850 right now and somewhat bummed that I didn't spring for a 1000 or more for a pending upgrade. I hate to say it though, those gtx 970's are looking mighty tempting.. unless AMD comes up with something amazing that doesn't melt my house I may be trading sides for a pair of those.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> can anyone provide me how much two 7970s in stock would ACTUALLY consume (under heavy gaming load) as all I see from the internet is the "recommended" wattage


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chronicfx*
> 
> About 220 each if i recall full load. You can check reviews.


^^At stock.

Now if you overclock the hell out of it...

http://www.overclock.net/t/1389971/how-much-wattage-from-seasonic-do-i-need-to-run-3-x-7970s-in-one-rig-and-2-x-7970s-in-another-rig/0_40#post_19944794


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Like chronic said, somewhere in the 200 to 220 range.. you'll be ok with the 760. I kick myself for never going big on the psu. I'm running an 850 right now and somewhat bummed that I didn't spring for a 1000 or more for a pending upgrade. I hate to say it though, those gtx 970's are looking mighty tempting.. unless AMD comes up with something amazing that doesn't melt my house I may be trading sides for a pair of those.


hopefully with newer graphics processing architectures and technologies from AMD we would be seeing a card that also has a VERY good watt/performance ratio just like what the GTX 900 series cards of nvidia are doing and can buy 700-800 watts of PSU for 2 cards


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Like chronic said, somewhere in the 200 to 220 range.. you'll be ok with the 760. I kick myself for never going big on the psu. I'm running an 850 right now and somewhat bummed that I didn't spring for a 1000 or more for a pending upgrade. I hate to say it though, those gtx 970's are looking mighty tempting.. unless AMD comes up with something amazing that doesn't melt my house I may be trading sides for a pair of those.
> 
> 
> 
> hopefully with newer graphics processing architectures and technologies from AMD we would be seeing a card that also has a VERY good watt/performance ratio just like what the GTX 900 series cards of nvidia are doing and can buy 700-800 watts of PSU for 2 cards
Click to expand...

Maxwell is only a power miser in gaming content and only if the game is conducive to delta color compression. In some games like shadow of mordor, the compression doesn't work so well and Maxwell is well behind previous gen cards that do not rely so heavily on compression. Also, in gpgpu or compute content where delta color compression is practically useless because the data sets are incompressible, Maxwell's power consumption shoots up to last gen card levels. I've personally found that my 970 at 1500/2000 in for instance Grid AS is around 11% slower than my 290x at 1250/1650 at 4K res ultra settings. Imo the 970 is a great gaming purpose card, it's really hard to beat but it's not better than sliced bread.


----------



## phinexswarm71

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phinexswarm71*
> 
> i had a fatal shutdown while playing shadow of mordor today. after i tried various things and troubleshoot the problem,i've came to the conclusion its my gpu.with my other 5850 card working while the 7970 not.also with the 7970 the computer just wont start and even i had noticed a spark that came out of card shortly after i had started the pc the 2nd time,and thus i hurried to turn the switched off as a result as to not to hurt others computer parts.i understand this problem could be caused by the PSU as well theoretically,but i really doubt that,as my PSU is really quality one and new,and so working perfectly fine with my previous 5850 gpu.also it cant be caused by the temperature as i had monitored them quite frequently and stayed below 78c peak
> 
> the good news is the gpu is still in warranty so therefore im gonna RMA it soon._*in addition the pcb looks perfectly fine,no burns*_.


this part turned out to be not entirely true,after yesterday that i sent them the card,the technician had noticed burned diode on the pcb,which i hadnt noticed before.and its not my fault,though,i had monitored the temperatures as said before,and the card was only lightly oc'd - 1075/1475 1.250v.the psu couldnt result in that as my psu is off good quality.

with this store i've read other people experience in RMAs with burned GPUs,and they seems to accept replacements.at least in cases that i've seen with other people,hopefully the same would be with me

also i've a question.since the production off the gigabyte 7970 had stopped,and its chances to get the exact replacement are likely diminished,would the 280x vapor x would be a suitable replacement?????


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phinexswarm71*
> 
> this part turned out to be not entirely true,after yesterday that i sent them the card,the technician had noticed burned diode on the pcb,which i hadnt noticed before.and its not my fault,though,i had monitored the temperatures as said before,and the card was only lightly oc'd - 1075/1475 1.250v.the psu couldnt result in that as my psu is off good quality.
> 
> with this store i've read other people experience in RMAs with burned GPUs,and they seems to accept replacements.at least in cases that i've seen with other people,hopefully the same would be with me
> 
> also i've a question.since the production off the gigabyte 7970 had stopped,and its chances to get the exact replacement are likely diminished,would the 280x vapor x would be a suitable replacement?????


It would be identical performance, but then I'd get a 285 for the future compatibility.


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phinexswarm71*
> 
> this part turned out to be not entirely true,after yesterday that i sent them the card,the technician had noticed burned diode on the pcb,which i hadnt noticed before.and its not my fault,though,i had monitored the temperatures as said before,and the card was only lightly oc'd - 1075/1475 1.250v.the psu couldnt result in that as my psu is off good quality.
> 
> with this store i've read other people experience in RMAs with burned GPUs,and they seems to accept replacements.at least in cases that i've seen with other people,hopefully the same would be with me
> 
> also i've a question.since the production off the gigabyte 7970 had stopped,and its chances to get the exact replacement are likely diminished,would the 280x vapor x would be a suitable replacement?????


280x is a 7970 "rebranded" dunno if "rebranded" is the right term but is compatible with your 7970 but i also have the same dilemma with you actually with my MSI twinfrozr III 7970







(planning to buy another one but can't seem to find it anywhere)


----------



## aaronlaplante

Glad its under warranty and richie can I have a link to your pro
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> 280x is a 7970 "rebranded" dunno if "rebranded" is the right term but is compatible with your 7970 but it also have the same dilemma with you actualy with my MSI twinfrozr III 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> planning to buy another one but can't seem to find it anywhere


keed me added adn let me know if you wanna trade or something?

280x slightly slower on benches, less than 1 fps on modern games, but 280x saves energy... supposedly. i have a newer one, has sat the past year, under warranty, etc. watercooled its whole life, sittting while ive waited to try out the red mod just havent got around to it. have full swiftech sink full coverage, bought corsair h60 and thermaltake water 3.0 pro double radiator model, and just picked up the nzht h10 to mount it.


----------



## phinexswarm71

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> 280x is a 7970 "rebranded" dunno if "rebranded" is the right term but is compatible with your 7970 but it also have the same dilemma with you actualy with my MSI twinfrozr III 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> planning to buy another one but can't seem to find it anywhere


the 280x vapor x have better potential in oc ability,and comes in stock at 1100/1500,so right out of the box it comes with higher clocks speed then i had achieved in overclock with my crappy gigabyte 7970.gigabyte's pcbs are pretty bad in compare to 7970 lightings ETC.so be happy u got the twinfrozr because its much better then the 7970 gigabyte voltage locked







.with the bios flashed even i only have got it to 1075/1475 1.256v

i personally wouldnt have an issue with the compatibility because i dont like crossfire,anyway.my next upgrade will be in march to 390/1080,whatever will be better at the time


----------



## aaronlaplante

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> 280x is a 7970 "rebranded" dunno if "rebranded" is the right term but is compatible with your 7970 but it also have the same dilemma with you actualy with my MSI twinfrozr III 7970
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> planning to buy another one but can't seem to find it anywhere


yeah they are awsome cards (have the same one), solid caps, quality vrms and components. i hated the loud cooler, havent even gamed with mine yet, but have all the parts to red mod it. used my laptop this past year.


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> yeah they are awsome cards (have the same one), solid caps, quality vrms and components. i hated the loud cooler, havent even gamed with mine yet, but have all the parts to red mod it. used my laptop this past year.


I dunno if its better but its a bit noisy or maybe it's the processor's fan as I haven't really put additional case fans in my rig (using a corsair carbide 300R) can someone here confirm that the MSI twin frozr III 7970 has actually has the noise whine issue or maybe its just me and my rotten luck?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> yeah they are awsome cards (have the same one), solid caps, quality vrms and components. i hated the loud cooler, havent even gamed with mine yet, but have all the parts to red mod it. used my laptop this past year.
> 
> 
> 
> I dunno if its better but its a bit noisy or maybe it's the processor's fan as I haven't really put additional case fans in my rig (using a corsair carbide 300R) can someone here confirm that the MSI twin frozr III 7970 has actually has the noise whine issue or maybe its just me and my rotten luck?
Click to expand...

My 7970 TF3 *had* coil whine. It was super noticeable when I first put it underwater and was by far the loudest thing coming out of my PC. It has resolved itself after running for a year+, and honestly I had completely forgotten about it. To deal with it when it was bad, I found that running things in Vsync or with a ~ refresh rate frame limit prevented the squeal. The only time I really still had to deal with it was when I was running older GPU benchmarks that would reach 200FPS+.

Hope any of that helps.

The TF3s are squealers.


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> My 7970 TF3 *had* coil whine. It was super noticeable when I first put it underwater and was by far the loudest thing coming out of my PC. It has resolved itself after running for a year+, and honestly I had completely forgotten about it. To deal with it when it was bad, I found that running things in Vsync or with a ~ refresh rate frame limit prevented the squeal. The only time I really still had to deal with it was when I was running older GPU benchmarks that would reach 200FPS+.
> 
> Hope any of that helps.
> 
> The TF3s are squealers.


so they are gone now? I thought water cooling the card solves the issue (as I thought it was a problem with the cooling) so apparently its a problem in the card itself?

I've read somewhere that "burning" it in helps or the very least "reduces" the whine do you know how true that is?

I've also read that setting vsync on or with a refresh rate limit "alleviates" the problem do but is it "across the board" (meaning it becomes silent if I do it in all the games settings?) or ???


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> so they are gone now? I thought water cooling the card solves the issue (as I thought it was a problem with the cooling) so apparently its a problem in the card itself?
> 
> I've read somewhere that "burning" it in helps or the very least "reduces" the whine do you know how true that is?
> 
> I've also read that setting vsync on or with a refresh rate limit "alleviates" the problem do but is it "across the board" (meaning it becomes silent if I do it in all the games settings?) or ???


Fire up crysis 1 menu and leave it all night. Or FTL at 600fps


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> so they are gone now? I thought water cooling the card solves the issue (as I thought it was a problem with the cooling) so apparently its a problem in the card itself?
> 
> I've read somewhere that "burning" it in helps or the very least "reduces" the whine do you know how true that is?
> 
> I've also read that setting vsync on or with a refresh rate limit "alleviates" the problem do but is it "across the board" (meaning it becomes silent if I do it in all the games settings?) or ???


It's the vibrating coils on the card. Annoying but nothing to worry about. For most people, it reduces over a short period of time.


----------



## iamgiGGlz

Time for me to add myself to this group. I moved from a 5850 (GREAT card!) to a 7870, but the step up was a bit underwhelming, so I've made the leap and this should be delivered by Monday


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Fire up crysis 1 menu and leave it all night. Or FTL at 600fps


I dunno if you're serious with the suggestion or not especially with the smiley at the end








and... whats FTL?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BradleyW*
> 
> It's the vibrating coils on the card. Annoying but nothing to worry about. For most people, it reduces over a short period of time.


how "short" is "reduces over a short period of time" weeks? months?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Fire up crysis 1 menu and leave it all night. Or FTL at 600fps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I dunno if you're serious with the suggestion or not
Click to expand...

Actually does not sound like a bad idea. For some reason the stupid high fps is what whines, and the whining works itself out over time. So you will be letting it work itself out while you are not at your desk to listen to it.


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Actually does not sound like a bad idea. For some reason the stupid high fps is what whines, and the whining works itself out over time. So you will be letting it work itself out while you are not at your desk to listen to it.


what do I do about the "crysis menu" option put it on the HIGHEST settings possible (including the anti aliasing) then leave it at the menu? and also what is FTL im really serious as I really don't know what that acronym means as from what I know from my limited vocabulary it stands for "For The Love" (lol)


----------



## sugarhell

Faster than light. Its a game

http://bit.ly/RdWw5A

Easy just press that link


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Actually does not sound like a bad idea. For some reason the stupid high fps is what whines, and the whining works itself out over time. So you will be letting it work itself out while you are not at your desk to listen to it.
> 
> 
> 
> what do I do about the "crysis menu" option put it on the HIGHEST settings possible (including the anti aliasing) then leave it at the menu? and also what is FTL im really serious as I really don't know what that acronym means as from what I know from my limited vocabulary it stands for "For The Love" (lol)
Click to expand...

Put it on low settings, you want stupid high FPS.

I can confirm it is not in the cooling of the TF3, but in the card itself. Pretty sure BradleyW, nailed it on the head. Waterblocking the card actually made it more noticable because it was then by far the loudest noise coming from my case. Vsnyc or windowed/borederless is a bandaid that will keep the cards from whining while you are gaming, but will not eliminate the underlying issue.


----------



## BradleyW

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> I dunno if you're serious with the suggestion or not especially with the smiley at the end
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and... whats FTL?
> how "short" is "reduces over a short period of time" weeks? months?


Could range from a few weeks to a few month. If the coil whine is absolutely terrible, you might be able to speak with the place you purchased from for a possible replacement.


----------



## incog

My 7970's coil whine is much better than it was a year ago. Great card.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Hey guys,
I'm currently getting around 25-35fps on medium in battlefield 4 with a single 7970. When i change it to high the fps goes down by about 3 fps, and when i put it on ultra it f=goes sown by about 6 fps. Also setting render resolution to 125% gives me better fps by about 2-3. Is this normal?


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Actually does not sound like a bad idea. For some reason the stupid high fps is what whines, and the whining works itself out over time. So you will be letting it work itself out while you are not at your desk to listen to it.
> 
> 
> 
> what do I do about the "crysis menu" option put it on the HIGHEST settings possible (including the anti aliasing) then leave it at the menu? and also what is FTL im really serious as I really don't know what that acronym means as from what I know from my limited vocabulary it stands for "For The Love" (lol)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Put it on low settings, you want stupid high FPS.
> 
> I can confirm it is not in the cooling of the TF3, but in the card itself. Pretty sure BradleyW, nailed it on the head. Waterblocking the card actually made it more noticable because it was then by far the loudest noise coming from my case. Vsnyc or windowed/borederless is a bandaid that will keep the cards from whining while you are gaming, but will not eliminate the underlying issue.
Click to expand...

watercooling always does, makes the fans less quiet and other noises seem louder


----------



## Red1776

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Actually does not sound like a bad idea. For some reason the stupid high fps is what whines, and the whining works itself out over time. So you will be letting it work itself out while you are not at your desk to listen to it.
> 
> 
> 
> what do I do about the "crysis menu" option put it on the HIGHEST settings possible (including the anti aliasing) then leave it at the menu? and also what is FTL im really serious as I really don't know what that acronym means as from what I know from my limited vocabulary it stands for "For The Love" (lol)
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Put it on low settings, you want stupid high FPS.
> 
> I can confirm it is not in the cooling of the TF3, but in the card itself. Pretty sure BradleyW, nailed it on the head. Waterblocking the card actually made it more noticable because it was then by far the loudest noise coming from my case. Vsnyc or windowed/borederless is a bandaid that will keep the cards from whining while you are gaming, but will not eliminate the underlying issue.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> watercooling always does, makes the fans less quiet and other noises seem louder
Click to expand...

yeah..but now with the current generation they are not a lot less quiet than they weren't before.


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chita Gonza*
> 
> Will the Sapphire Radeon HD 7970 3GB - 21197-00-40G, have what you need to set up 3 screen eyefinity with dvi monitors?
> 
> I have 5870 Eyefinity now, with a active DP -> Dvi adapter, but that is a full sized dp, and not a mini dp.
> 
> Also is there any disadvantages to buy a 7970 now?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iamgiGGlz*
> 
> Time for me to add myself to this group. I moved from a 5850 (GREAT card!) to a 7870, but the step up was a bit underwhelming, so I've made the leap and this should be delivered by Monday


this is the hd 7950/7970 thread Oo but also, you should have get a hd 7950... even if used.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I'm currently getting around 25-35fps on medium in battlefield 4 with a single 7970. When i change it to high the fps goes down by about 3 fps, and when i put it on ultra it f=goes sown by about 6 fps. Also setting render resolution to 125% gives me better fps by about 2-3. Is this normal?


No it's not normal.. does the card run at the proper frequency ?

I have one question, when running a crossfire of 7950 (the same applys to 7970 obviously) one of the card will run hotter right ? the one on top or ?

how much hotter then ? I'm getting tempted to do a little crossfire.. but a bit concerned about temps if I wanna OC the card too, perhaps for the second card I should go for something with a bit more than the Dual-X


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> this is the hd 7950/7970 thread Oo but also, you should have get a hd 7950... even if used.
> No it's not normal.. does the card run at the proper frequency ?
> 
> I have one question, when running a crossfire of 7950 (the same applys to 7970 obviously) one of the card will run hotter right ? the one on top or ?
> 
> how much hotter then ? I'm getting tempted to do a little crossfire.. but a bit concerned about temps if I wanna OC the card too, perhaps for the second card I should go for something with a bit more than the Dual-X


The top card will ALWAYS be hotter as its higher, and fan is so close to the back of the other GPU. it will all depend on the gap between cards as coolers vary, triple slots would be worst for top like DCII 7950/70. then it depends on airflow or if you leave side panel off on your case etc...but it can be minimal like +5ish c or to point its not stable. if a second card wont "stuff" your current case and theres atleast a pcie~ slots worth of a gap between your currents cooler and the bottom cards slot you could manage just not with same kind of OC.

Like my idea of tri-fire with a 7970 on my 7990... is probably NOT going to happen unless this 7990 i get back from XFX appreciates my case more then the first. all due to temp issues.


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I'm currently getting around 25-35fps on medium in battlefield 4 with a single 7970. When i change it to high the fps goes down by about 3 fps, and when i put it on ultra it f=goes sown by about 6 fps. Also setting render resolution to 125% gives me better fps by about 2-3. Is this normal?


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> The top card will ALWAYS be hotter as its higher, and fan is so close to the back of the other GPU. it will all depend on the gap between cards as coolers vary, triple slots would be worst for top like DCII 7950/70. then it depends on airflow or if you leave side panel off on your case etc...but it can be minimal like +5ish c or to point its not stable. if a second card wont "stuff" your current case and theres atleast a pcie~ slots worth of a gap between your currents cooler and the bottom cards slot you could manage just not with same kind of OC.
> 
> Like my idea of tri-fire with a 7970 on my 7990... is probably NOT going to happen unless this 7990 i get back from XFX appreciates my case more then the first. all due to temp issues.


Mmh yea it would be sad if I can't run a high OC







.


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Put it on low settings, you want stupid high FPS.
> 
> I can confirm it is not in the cooling of the TF3, but in the card itself. Pretty sure BradleyW, nailed it on the head. Waterblocking the card actually made it more noticable because it was then by far the loudest noise coming from my case. Vsnyc or windowed/borederless is a bandaid that will keep the cards from whining while you are gaming, but will not eliminate the underlying issue.


so simply put even if I did manage to change out the fans (which is near impossible as I don't have the materials and know how) or even went to a complete watercooling GPU set-up the problem will still be there (coil whine) then??? and its just a question of "luck" with which 7970 twin frozr I bought and "burning in" the card with high FPS graphics?


----------



## iamgiGGlz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> this is the hd 7950/7970 thread Oo


Um


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> but also, you should have get a hd 7950... even if used.


Why?


----------



## StrongForce

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iamgiGGlz*
> 
> Um
> 
> 
> Why?


Because you can get them on Ebay for less than 100$ ..







and um ? you said you will get a 7870 and I thought maybe you thought this was a 7870 owners thread...


----------



## iamgiGGlz

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> Because you can get them on Ebay for less than 100$ ..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and um ? you said you will get a 7870 and I thought maybe you thought this was a 7870 owners thread...


Ah I see the confusion. The pic I posted was a 7990.


----------



## mlisowsk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *phinexswarm71*
> 
> this part turned out to be not entirely true,after yesterday that i sent them the card,the technician had noticed burned diode on the pcb,which i hadnt noticed before.and its not my fault,though,i had monitored the temperatures as said before,and the card was only lightly oc'd - 1075/1475 1.250v.the psu couldnt result in that as my psu is off good quality.
> 
> with this store i've read other people experience in RMAs with burned GPUs,and they seems to accept replacements.at least in cases that i've seen with other people,hopefully the same would be with me
> 
> also i've a question.since the production off the gigabyte 7970 had stopped,and its chances to get the exact replacement are likely diminished,would the 280x vapor x would be a suitable replacement?????


phinex, where did you send your card that they have a technician look at individual parts?


----------



## Deadboy90

Guys! Im the top single 7950 user in all the land on the new Firestrike Ultra!!!!!


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Guys! Im the top single 7950 user in all the land on the new Firestrike Ultra!!!!!


Wait till I get home, I'll give you a run for your money.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Wait till I get home, I'll give you a run for your money.


Bring it


----------



## tsm106

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2978229

Heh, is it wrong to see a 7970 quad in the hof in a see of 290x, 295, 780ti, Titan, TitanZ, and 980s? But it feels so right!


----------



## Feyris

7990 will be here.soon from.rma, sent to xfx for crashing.and temps issues... deemed.faulty for coil whine. Okay then? Lol


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2978229
> 
> Heh, is it wrong to see a 7970 quad in the hof in a see of 290x, 295, 780ti, Titan, TitanZ, and 980s? But it feels so right!


Not at all. It makes the rest of the playing field a little less appealing. I have been foaming at the mouth for new cards, but really need to wait for tax time...your results make it a little easier to sit tight and enjoy the cards I have.


----------



## p5ych00n5

A bit late to the party but just snafud a brand spanker 7970 for 200 bucks, a godsend for this broke student and a stepup from my X-Fired 6850's. It's a non reference card so I cant dunk her under water though


----------



## BTK

Had my 7970 for over 2 years now back when it was priced over 550 lol


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *BTK*
> 
> Had my 7970 for over 2 years now back when it was priced over 550 lol


Had it for over a year, $400(With games) but worth it lol.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Bring it


Deady, so here's my score. http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2985043









I'm sure once I do some overclocking this will go up.



Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Just kidding, I am OCing but it doesn't report since I have to OC through a hacked version of Trixx due to Sapphire's weird overclocking and off-standard voltage regulator. That's at 1180/1600, I pretty much just copied what you had and as far as it goes, that's as high as I can clock before the test will grey screen on me. If I add any more DDR clock speed it will for sure, but I can lower my RAM to 1550 and up my core to 1200, but the results are the same either way so it makes no difference. I guess I just have a slightly inferior card in the end.



But wait, there's more! I got bored since my home internet stopped working last night, so I ran Fire Strike Ultra at varying core speeds all the way from 850-1200 and made a graph of the results, with 5/25/50 intervals depending on how interesting the area results are. I'll post that graph when I get home tonight, if the internet's working finally. About 20 runs show some very interesting results in how Sapphire programmed the BIOS of their 7950 to maximize the results of this testing.

Also, 0 score by someone, lol. http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2971880


----------



## sugarhell

Look a golden 7970.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4366368

Not mine but i kinda helped to achieve that


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Look a golden 7970.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4366368
> 
> Not mine but i kinda helped to achieve that


That is truly amazing clocks... Do you know what kind of voltage that was needed to achive that? my 7950 can only do a 1210mhz core clock at 1.3v so it should be interesting to see what would be needed to get those kind of clocks aside of a golden card


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> That is truly amazing clocks... Do you know what kind of voltage that was needed to achive that? my 7950 can only do a 1210mhz core clock at 1.3v so it should be interesting to see what would be needed to get those kind of clocks aside of a golden card


1.4~ with extremely low water temps like 20C or something.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 1.4~ with extremely low water temps like 20C or something.


I wouldn't dare go that high with my current setup, but it's a lot of fun seeing people who do







But in reality what is a 1400mhz OC? that's about a 50% overclock from stock 7970 speeds... I am in awe of such things, it's amazing to see to be honest. That said I figure there may be more and more blood clocked cards showing up as people change them out and rather then sell them decide to play with them. That is probably what I'll do with my card, place a universal block on it and test to see how high I can get it


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Look a golden 7970.


That's not gold, it's super gold!


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Look a golden 7970.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4366368
> 
> Not mine but i kinda helped to achieve that


Me want.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Huzzah, it arrived today


----------



## Nafu

i just bought MSI 7950 TwionFrozer III. 3 days bakc. Overclocked 1220/1500mhz here are the benches i compete with 7970(O.C)

7950 OCed @1220/1500mhz
7970 Oced @ 1240/1640mhz

3DMArk 11

7950 TwinFrozer
7970 VaporX


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> i just bought MSI 7950 TwionFrozer III. 3 days bakc. Overclocked 1220/1500mhz here are the benches i compete with 7970(O.C)
> 
> 7950 OCed @1220/1500mhz
> 7970 Oced @ 1240/1640mhz
> 
> 3DMArk 11
> 
> 7950 TwinFrozer
> 7970 VaporX


You dont compete at all. 1k higher gs almost on the 7970


----------



## Ragsters

Ok guys. I'm sure that this has been asked many times but I want to be sure. If I do not overclock anything can my seasonic x650 run my sig rig and add a second 7970?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Ok guys. I'm sure that this has been asked many times but I want to be sure. If I do not overclock anything can my seasonic x650 run my sig rig and add a second 7970?


It should work but it will be about as much as your 650 can power. That is if your parts end up running at 100% at the same time, realisticly this won't happen but you do want some headroom in cases where you may add extra load to your PC. I'm in the same predicament, but considering my Corsair TX650 v2 is annoyingly noisy I will be replacing it when I upgrade anyways. My advice would imply be to try and if you start noticing bluescreens and random game crashes and such then you may think about changing the PSU afterwards. It doesn't hurt to try anyways, or at least if you plan on getting a second card anyways.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> It should work but it will be about as much as your 650 can power. That is if your parts end up running at 100% at the same time, realisticly this won't happen but you do want some headroom in cases where you may add extra load to your PC. I'm in the same predicament, but considering my Corsair TX650 v2 is annoyingly noisy I will be replacing it when I upgrade anyways. My advice would imply be to try and if you start noticing bluescreens and random game crashes and such then you may think about changing the PSU afterwards. It doesn't hurt to try anyways, or at least if you plan on getting a second card anyways.


Thanks for the response! It would be a lot easier for me to get a new power supply if I didn't spend so much time modding the one I have. Check out my sig reig picture to see what I mean. At this point I am trying to decide if it make more sense to sell my 7970, keep my PSU and buy a new GTX 970. This way in the future I could even run the GTX 970 in SLI and have enough power to do so with my current PSU.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Ok guys. I'm sure that this has been asked many times but I want to be sure. If I do not overclock anything can my seasonic x650 run my sig rig and add a second 7970?


can it, yes, will you get the best perf, no


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> can it, yes, will you get the best perf, no


I just want to run everything at stock and when I feel the need to over clock, then that's when I'll buy a new PSU.


----------



## Mega Man

in my experience starving the cards for power lowers performance.

will you idk, easy to find out, yes


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You dont compete at all. 1k higher gs almost on the 7970


Yes i know 7950 is lower card to 7970. note here, 7970 heavily OCed which means it following 290 . still 7950 able to reached bit close. thats where 7950 shines. it became mid of 7970(stock) and 290.


----------



## Nafu

In Firestrike 7950 just behind to 7970 by 300 points







on my RIG, tested both one by one


----------



## Zen00

Do that with Fire Strike Ultra so you can compare yourself to me.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Do that with Fire Strike Ultra so you can compare yourself to me.


I can't. i dont have this software with legit key.

why dont you compare with performance ???


----------



## Zen00

Because I'm too legit for that.


----------



## StrongForce

whats the hd 7950 max temp overclocked ? mine just showed a huge 79 and even hit 80 on furmark, it's furmark though.. but was just wondering, 80 fine then ? 85 even ?.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> whats the hd 7950 max temp overclocked ? mine just showed a huge 79 and even hit 80 on furmark, it's furmark though.. but was just wondering, 80 fine then ? 85 even ?.


Most GPUs can hit up to around 90-100 C, my GPU for example will start crapping out if it hits 94 C.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2978229
> 
> Heh, is it wrong to see a 7970 quad in the hof in a see of 290x, 295, 780ti, Titan, TitanZ, and 980s? But it feels so right!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not at all. It makes the rest of the playing field a little less appealing. I have been foaming at the mouth for new cards, but really need to wait for tax time...your results make it a little easier to sit tight and enjoy the cards I have.
Click to expand...

Check this out. I have one bad card in my array so I cannot clock to 1340mmhz core like I used to, but it's still keeping up in degraded mode.


----------



## shaka87

Hello, i have a Hd 7950 vapor x and the cooler`s closest port wont spin. Not event in automatic mode. It seems to be blocked por something. Is there a way i could fix it without replacement? Has this happened to any of you? Thanks in advance


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *StrongForce*
> 
> whats the hd 7950 max temp overclocked ? mine just showed a huge 79 and even hit 80 on furmark, it's furmark though.. but was just wondering, 80 fine then ? 85 even ?.


my 7950 twinfrozer is very cool. whlie only in metrol LL it topped to 72c with 100% fan speed jsut tested on benchmark.

other than that, below 70c, even when overclocked.


----------



## boredmug

Good Lord. I forgot about the temps these gpus ran at. Invested in some cheap aio coolers for my two 7950's and slapped them on with some help from home depot and they max out at 50 Celsius @1200/1600. Next round of cards are gonna get some proper cooling and add them into my custom loop.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

What voltage are people running to get over 1300 on the core?
My 280x was topping out at 1230 on 1.3v (or so I thought), but I backed my memory back to 1600 (from 1800) and realized I can keep pushing the core noiw!
I get hard locks at 1280MHz with 1.3v, but I think that's my 8 year PSU not giving enough juice on the 2 rails running the GPU, cause up until it locks on me (sometimes the driver just crashes, sometimes the system hangs) I get no artifacts....

I can't push 1.4v in afterburner, but can in Asustweak. The problem is the temps go through the roof at over 95c!! But barring me getting some better cooling, 1.3v seems to still be acceptable (around 85c during KomBURNER!). No game ever pushes temps as high I have seen the core burner on Kombuster push it.

What core clocks are people seeing on their cards at that voltage, and has anyone else seen core clock degradation when raising the memory clock up a lot?
I am wondering why this is happening.... it is leading me to believe it's related to my power supply. I should technically be able to find a max core, and max mem, and keep them both, correct?


----------



## boredmug

I believe I was hitting 1300 around 1.35 volts. I'd have to check. I really only ran that for benchmarking and this was under water. It wasn't that stable and I noticed some artifacts during benching. I believe my cards have suffered from pushing them that hard and I now let them sit at 1100/1600 for gaming.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Only reason why I try to push it so hard is for Crysis 3....
I run all max settings on 1080P with 2x MSAA, and can keep it between 40 and 70 FPS with the core this high. (1250/1600)
Reducing the core, and increasing the memory clocks (1200/1800) sees a 3 FPS hit on the min frames, a 4 FPS hit on average, and an 8 FPS hit on max frames.

At 4x MSAA the performance leans back towards favoring the memory overclock, BUT, the overall frames shift down to around 32 min, and 60 max with an average of around 45. It's definitely playable, but honestly, sitting 5-6 feet away from my TV, I can't see a notable difference, and the 2xMSAA @ (1250/1600) feels smoother than the 4xMSAA at (1250/1600) and (1200/1800).

I'd REALLY like to be able to get 1250/1800 but I think my VRAM's over heat with the power draw needed for the core and VRAM. I am having to give up one to get the other. This damn card just get TOO hot.


----------



## Zen00

I need to take off my fan and put on some new thermal paste on my 7950, it still has factory stock material in there and I have some MX-2 I'd like to put on there.

And I need some VRAM sinks as well, since my VRAM seems to be the thing that kills my card most on benches.


----------



## boredmug

These cards are so cheap now you should just pick up another one and throw it in. Should solve your issues with crysis 3. I have crysis 2 and play it with eyefinity 5760x1080 just fine with two cards. Not sure how much more demanding crysis 3 is.. I don't think I would ever run these cards that hard with stock cooling. . Mine were reference cards though


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Yeah, I have the top model, so the cooler is a big step up from reference, but to be honest, I am thinking of keeping the heatsink on it, and pulling the shroud and fans off, and attaching two high speed 120MM with some zip ties!! Also want to get a fan or some heatsinks on the VRAM (uncovered) and try to cool the VRM some more.... I already did an MX-4 job on the core, and it helped lower temps around 5c....

If I can get sub 85C at 1.4v, I am going to get off of afterburner and use GPUtweak to go for 1350-1400MHz core!!!!
Like you said, they are cheap now.... I found an identical match to my 280x on craigslist for $140 I plan on upgrading my PSU and grabbing a second card.

If I can successfully cool, and overclock the cards, even at the 1.3v, and get between 1250-1280 core, and 1700+ on the memory, they should REALLY get the job doe for me. Then I'll be looking at a 5820k to really push them come Christmas time


----------



## danycyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shaka87*
> 
> Hello, i have a Hd 7950 vapor x and the cooler`s closest port wont spin. Not event in automatic mode. It seems to be blocked por something. Is there a way i could fix it without replacement? Has this happened to any of you? Thanks in advance


Had a similar issue recently with my bottom crossfire 7950 vapor x. I mainly use TRIXX to overclock my cards. It turned out I had to change a setting in catalyst and the fan spun right back up turned out to be fine. I thought I did something when replacing GPU paste. Only the back fan would work on my bottom cf card. Just go to catalyst> AMD Overdrive> Enable Manual fan control> Make sure its enabled on both cards if you have CF> Set it to about 50%-100% range and check to see if all your fans are now spinning> If they are your fans are fine> Double check your fan profiles in TRIXX and save the new profile. Enjoy









These cards perform excellent. I am not upgrading until AMD gives me a card w/ display port 1.3 for 8k gaming. I am currently outperforming a 290x/ GTX 980 and for less than half the cost. I am amazed how long these Vapor X cards have lasted me and still pushing awesome performance.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8658418


----------



## Agent Smith1984

There's no doubt 2x 79** are still gettin' it done for people....

I am probably going to scoop a second 280x REALLY soon. They are going for so cheap right now....


----------



## incog

Can someone tell me what's up with having a blue PCB on a Sapphire 7970?

Also, I would like to know if there are any good sources to flashing a BIOS, having never done it before. There are obviously pros and cons. What do you do with a card with a messed up BIOS btw? Imagine I saved my current BIOS (back up). How to I bring it back to the card when it has a messed up BIOS? I have a boost edition so I think I have two BIOSes.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Okay, WOAH....

I don't know about the blue PCB, but several AMD partners make their on PCB's with different VRAM or power phases, VRM's, etc... or use the reference design in a different color just to give it their own "touch." Nothing new there.....

As far as the BIOS goes.....
What are you trying to achieve by flashing the BIOS?
I always, ALWAYS, advise against BIOS flashing unless the BIOS is intended for the card, AND offfers fixes to issues you are experiencing, or the manufacturer claims there is a performance gain of some kind by doing so.....

The only other reason for flashing BIOS would be if you have a high chance of unlocking shaders and/or higher voltage capabilities (doubtful on the 7970, since it's the top card of it's generation), and this should only be done with the acceptance that there is ALWAYS a chance of bricking, or semi-bricking your card.

I have been flashing BIOS since the ATI 9700 AGP, and I know the risks....
I have had many successful flashes of 6800 - 6800GT, x850 Pro ->X850xt so on and so forth through the ages, and it's always great when it works, but even with all my experience, have also semi-bricked cards before and had to perform "blind flashes" in which you use your own memory, command prompt knowledge, and general luck of the keystrokes until your PC finally boots back to video.... It's scary









If you brick a card totally, you may be able to RMA, but if you don't KNOW for sure if it's hard or soft bricked, and the manufacturer is able to see you have flashed the card with an improper BIOS, then you are screwed....

Just a bit of advise from someone who has been doing BIOS mods on graphics cards for a LONG time.... Sometimes, you just don't tempt fate, unless the payout is good, and the odds are in your favor.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Can someone tell me what's up with having a blue PCB on a Sapphire 7970?
> 
> Also, I would like to know if there are any good sources to flashing a BIOS, having never done it before. There are obviously pros and cons. What do you do with a card with a messed up BIOS btw? Imagine I saved my current BIOS (back up). How to I bring it back to the card when it has a messed up BIOS? I have a boost edition so I think I have two BIOSes.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards

That is the guide that got me started. If your flash goes south for some reason, you just turn your PC off, flip the BIOS switch and reboot. While powered on, you can flip the switch again to the failed bios and flash again. It sounds daunting, but 7970s are pretty easy.

If you want to get really funky with it, you can just use your original BIOS and edit it to suit your own needs:

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/

@Agent Smith1984 7970s with the dual BIOS are pretty easy to get right, and to recover. Allot of the woes of flashing are not a concern for this series.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Good to hear....
My 280x does not have the switch.... the dual BIOS is the best thing these card manufacturers ever did!!









Still curious as to what the flash offers for the card??

I have done some BIOS editing with my brother on his 7950 to get 50% power limiter, and that worked out nicely. We removed the boost feature, and got a 1200 core and 1850 memory on a reference sapphire 7950....

Card performed great, but just wondering what the OP is trying to accomplish.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Good to hear....
> My 280x does not have the switch.... the dual BIOS is the best thing these card manufacturers ever did!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Still curious as to what the flash offers for the card??
> 
> I have done some BIOS editing with my brother on his 7950 to get 50% power limiter, and that worked out nicely. We removed the boost feature, and got a 1200 core and 1850 memory on a reference sapphire 7950....
> 
> Card performed great, but just wondering what the OP is trying to accomplish.


hey, i bought 7950 instead of 280x, and able to achieve 1230 on core and 1500 on memory maximum. with 20% TPL . i want know if i flash its BIOS, will i be able to get any more overclock over 1230mhz like extend to 1260,1280 mhz . what you say on it.


----------



## inedenimadam

1230 on core is amazing, 1500 on memory is ok if you have elpidia memory.

Flashing a custom BIOS will not likely gain you any head room overclocking unless you are downclocking due to power limit. Or if you are like me and just prefer not to use overclocking software, but that still wont net you any overclocking headroom. But honestly, if my cards did 1230 on core, I would not complain one bit.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Can someone tell me what's up with having a blue PCB on a Sapphire 7970?
> 
> Also, I would like to know if there are any good sources to flashing a BIOS, having never done it before. There are obviously pros and cons. What do you do with a card with a messed up BIOS btw? Imagine I saved my current BIOS (back up). How to I bring it back to the card when it has a messed up BIOS? I have a boost edition so I think I have two BIOSes.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1353325/tutorial-atiwinflash-how-to-flash-the-bios-of-your-ati-cards
> 
> That is the guide that got me started. If your flash goes south for some reason, you just turn your PC off, flip the BIOS switch and reboot. While powered on, you can flip the switch again to the failed bios and flash again. It sounds daunting, but 7970s are pretty easy.
> 
> If you want to get really funky with it, you can just use your original BIOS and edit it to suit your own needs:
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/
> 
> @Agent Smith1984 7970s with the dual BIOS are pretty easy to get right, and to recover. Allot of the woes of flashing are not a concern for this series.
Click to expand...

He's not asking how to flash but in preparation for a failed flash, and how to recover.

He needs the blind flash guide. Here's what you're looking for.

http://www.overclock.net/t/593427/how-to-unbrick-your-bricked-graphics-card-fix-a-failed-bios-flash/0_40

As I wrote in the other thread, blue pcb cards are different. You might have better luck as mentioned above modding the bios. The vbe7 thread is good, and here's another.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread/0_40


----------



## hucklebuck

I've used VBE7 and it works great.

I always look at the risks and fixes, if it is out of my league I leave it alone.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 1230 on core is amazing, 1500 on memory is ok if you have elpidia memory.
> 
> Flashing a custom BIOS will not likely gain you any head room overclocking unless you are downclocking due to power limit. Or if you are like me and just prefer not to use overclocking software, but that still wont net you any overclocking headroom. But honestly, if my cards did 1230 on core, I would not complain one bit.


yes i do feel lucky i able to achieve 1200+, because have seen many that lies even below 1200. well memory is *Hynix* stock was 1250 and overclocked to 1500 on memory and its 20% over stock.

actually i am a bencher + Overclocker you can call me enthusiast. playing game is low and highly involved in benching. so wanna go beyond if possible.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> yes i do feel lucky i able to achieve 1200+, because have seen many that lies even below 1200. well memory is *Hynix* stock was 1250 and overclocked to 1500 on memory and its 20% over stock.
> 
> actually i am a bencher + Overclocker you can call me enthusiast. playing game is low and highly involved in benching. so wanna go beyond if possible.


Is that 1230 stable, or for benching only, in which case which bench do you use?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 1230 on core is amazing, 1500 on memory is ok if you have elpidia memory.
> 
> Flashing a custom BIOS will not likely gain you any head room overclocking unless you are downclocking due to power limit. Or if you are like me and just prefer not to use overclocking software, but that still wont net you any overclocking headroom. But honestly, if my cards did 1230 on core, I would not complain one bit.
> 
> 
> 
> yes i do feel lucky i able to achieve 1200+, because have seen many that lies even below 1200. well memory is *Hynix* stock was 1250 and overclocked to 1500 on memory and its 20% over stock.
> 
> actually i am a bencher + Overclocker you can call me enthusiast. playing game is low and highly involved in benching. so wanna go beyond if possible.
Click to expand...

1500 mem is not great for Hynix. Are you able to adjust memory voltage through afterburner? I am asking because it is not all that uncommon to get 1800+ on hynix for benching. Both of my hynix cards will do 1800.


----------



## incog

My blue PCB as well as the fact that I'm not really going to make my card overclock any better makes me not want to flash anymore really. I can't think of any tangible benefits, I'm fine messing around with AB.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> My blue PCB as well as the fact that I'm not really going to make my card overclock any better makes me not want to flash anymore really. I can't think of any tangible benefits, I'm fine messing around with AB.


Completely understandable. The only reason I have mine flashed is because of the headache mixing in an ASUS gpu has been. My DC2 is an overclocking beast, but is only voltage adjustable through GPUweak, which coincidentally wont adjust voltages on the MSI card, and vice versa for AB.

Edit: It is also nice to have a GOP enabled BIOS for Ultra Fast Boot. But fast boot from an SSD is really not all that much slower.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Completely understandable. The only reason I have mine flashed is because of the headache mixing in an ASUS gpu has been. My DC2 is an overclocking beast, but is only voltage adjustable through GPUweak, which coincidentally wont adjust voltages on the MSI card, and vice versa for AB.
> 
> Edit: It is also nice to have a GOP enabled BIOS for Ultra Fast Boot. But fast boot from an SSD is really not all that much slower.


What is GOP enabled bios?


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> What is GOP enabled bios?


Republican approved?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> What is GOP enabled bios?
> 
> 
> 
> Republican approved?
Click to expand...

Ha! No...

http://www.uefi.org/sites/default/files/resources/UPFS11_P4_UEFI_GOP_AMD.pdf


----------



## boredmug

Was bored and decided to bench my cards. Unfortunately it seems they are showing their age and don't clock as high as they used to, but I still think these old 7950's can hold their own.


----------



## inedenimadam

Is it worth going 3x crossfire with 8x4x4x over 2x crossfire on 8x8x ? I am having trouble finding benchmarks with similar lane assignment


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Is it worth going 3x crossfire with 8x4x4x over 2x crossfire on 8x8x ? I am having trouble finding benchmarks with similar lane assignment


I'm contemplating testing that this weekend. My sons pc has a 7950 in it. Maybe I'll yank it and do some benching in my pc


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Is it worth going 3x crossfire with 8x4x4x over 2x crossfire on 8x8x ? I am having trouble finding benchmarks with similar lane assignment
> 
> 
> 
> I'm contemplating testing that this weekend. My sons pc has a 7950 in it. Maybe I'll yank it and do some benching in my pc
Click to expand...

That would be great. I can find 3-way benches, but usually the sites doing the benches are on x79, so the lane assignment is beefier. 7970s are so cheap right now it would be a shame to not pick one up.


----------



## boredmug

My config would be 8x4x4. I'll let you know.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 1500 mem is not great for Hynix. Are you able to adjust memory voltage through afterburner? I am asking because it is not all that uncommon to get 1800+ on hynix for benching. Both of my hynix cards will do 1800.


nope brother i couldn't find any memory voltage on MSI AB, but sapphire Trixx Modded have. but i only use AB. its stable are more compatible with overclocking.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Voltage over 1.55v seems to hurt the hynix chips in most cases.

Asus released their TOP cards with 1.6v and the memory actually artifacts for many people because of the overvolting.
They actually did this out of spec from the memory's capabilities.

I see people with 1.5-1.55v hitting 1800-1900 in some cases.

Mine does the 1800, but in some games with artifacts with these tiny little checkerboards. VERY strange, and even more common that it is strange.

They did release the BIOS to reduce the VRAM voltage, but even after doing that, I still report 1.6v, and it's hard locked. I can't reduce to 1.5v in AB or with BIOS edit.....

Anybody with an Asus card had this?? (I know I'm a 280x users, but it's the same memory on many cards, especially the 7970 Matrix, which is almost identical.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Anybody with an Asus card had this?? (I know I'm a 280x users, but it's the same memory on many cards, especially the 7970 Matrix, which is almost identical.


I have never been able to see or adjust the VRAM voltage on my DC2. GPU-Z does not report it (or almost anything else for that matter), and GPUtweak is useless. However, I can bench 2000 on the VRAM and do 1900 stable without the ability to adjust it...so my guess is the card has the higher stock voltage you are referring to. My MSI on the other hand wont do 2000, even with 1.7


----------



## Zen00

Can you adjust the 7950 memory voltage separate from the core voltage? And if so, what program do you use to do it with a Sapphire 7950, one that you have to use the modded Trixx version to unlock core voltage?


----------



## MOSER91

Just recently got me a second hand HD 7990, I was able to OC to 1200/1650...here's some benches.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3045378


----------



## Nafu

so how much memory vcore safe to upp with?.

i have MSI 7950. default memory vcore is 1.55v.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Voltage over 1.55v seems to hurt the hynix chips in most cases.
> 
> Asus released their TOP cards with 1.6v and the memory actually artifacts for many people because of the overvolting.
> They actually did this out of spec from the memory's capabilities.
> 
> I see people with 1.5-1.55v hitting 1800-1900 in some cases.
> 
> Mine does the 1800, but in some games with artifacts with these tiny little checkerboards. VERY strange, and even more common that it is strange.
> 
> They did release the BIOS to reduce the VRAM voltage, but even after doing that, I still report 1.6v, and it's hard locked. I can't reduce to 1.5v in AB or with BIOS edit.....
> 
> Anybody with an Asus card had this?? (I know I'm a 280x users, but it's the same memory on many cards, especially the 7970 Matrix, which is almost identical.


Asus TOP card sucked hard. Also i am using 1.7 volts for 3 years.

And the artifacts is mostly a latency issue


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Agreed on the sucking part....
What do you mean latency issue? As in Asus also aggravated the timings to the point of instability?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Agreed on the sucking part....
> What do you mean latency issue? As in Asus also aggravated the timings to the point of instability?


Search for the stilt 7970 bios thread and if you read the comments you will see that most AIBs failed with the bios


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Yeah, I just think at the end of the day... for a rehash of an old card, the 280x has still been a good performer for me...

I mean, I got it inthe box with all the goodies, shipped to my door for $125 used...

I score over 8500 in FireStrike and it games for hours at 1200/1700 or 1250/1600 (am flashing a modified 50% power limiting BIOS this evening to get both clocks up hopefully).

I can bench at 1270/1825 with no artifacts, and it would go higher if I could get rid of the stupid vdroop. (even at 1.3v, it droops down to 1.209







)

But gaming anything over 1700 on memory (in a few titles only), and I get those stupid checkerboard squares in one little spot of the screen.
Some flickering here and there too.....


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Asus TOP card sucked hard. Also i am using 1.7 volts for 3 years.
> 
> And the artifacts is mostly a latency issue


You have used 1.7v on a GPU for 3 years? What kind of cooling do you use? Is it safe to have that much voltage going into a 79xx series card?


----------



## Agent Smith1984

FYI, He is speaking of VRAM voltage....
1.7v is a little high for that, but nothing dangerous


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> FYI, He is speaking of VRAM voltage....
> 1.7v is a little high for that, but nothing dangerous


Ok. I have Hynix ram in my 7950. What is the max volts it will take before damage? How about 24/7 use?


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> FYI, He is speaking of VRAM voltage....
> 1.7v is a little high for that, but nothing dangerous


How do you adjust the VRAM voltage?


----------



## boredmug

My AMD branded reference 7950's run 1.6v on Hynix memory stock. There is a little arrow pointing down tab in afterburner next to core voltage I believe. Click on that and it let's you adjust memory voltage.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> My AMD branded reference 7950's run 1.6v on Hynix memory stock. There is a little arrow pointing down tab in afterburner next to core voltage I believe. Click on that and it let's you adjust memory voltage.


I have to do my clocking with Trixx as it's a Sapphire card, there is only the VDDC voltage control option available that I can see. Can you unlock MVDDC control somehow?


----------



## boredmug

Can't speak on Trixx as I've never used it. Seems like there WAS something I had to do to be able to get adjustable voltage for memory but I honestly don't remember now. It may have been that my second card had a different bios that didn't allow it. I flashed it with my first cards bios for symmetry. They are developer cards though so maybe they are fully unlocked while your sapphire isn't? May be as simple as flashing the right bios?


----------



## Zen00

I tried flashing a couple bios onto mine, but it didn't seem to like any of them.


----------



## iamgiGGlz

Has anyone successfully used SpeedFan with the 7990? I'm mid-build and being able to regulate rad fan speed via motherboard headers based on GPU core temp would be win.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *iamgiGGlz*
> 
> Has anyone successfully used SpeedFan with the 7990? I'm mid-build and being able to regulate rad fan speed via motherboard headers based on GPU core temp would be win.


iirc:
Core temps aren't a good way to regulate water temps because they can change very rapidly and the fans would be constantly ramping up and down and up and down. This could be especially detrimental if you're powering rad fans off the motherboard, depending how many you have per header. It's better to use water temp (air-water delta) as this provides a more gradual increase and decrease in fan speeds relative to hear load.


----------



## incog

Where do you get water temps by the way? the pump or something?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Where do you get water temps by the way? the pump or something?


There are water temperature sensors available. Most work with fan controller/Or fan controller computer that allow temperature sensors to be used.

The thermal computers and sensors can be found here

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g30/c229/s579/list/p1/Liquid_Cooling-Liquid_Cooling_Safety-Liquid_Temp_Sensors-Page1.html


----------



## PunkX 1

My 7950 overclocks like garbage









1120Mhz is the max I can push on the core at 1.21v. Anything higher and I get a driver crash, no matter how much voltage I throw at it.

Memory craps out at 1500Mhz









Damn you, Sapphire.


----------



## CravinR1

1160/1550 max on either of my MSI TF3


----------



## deactivated

The XFX7950 is a godawful card. Overheats like crazy and overclocks like shiet.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zeeman*
> 
> The XFX7950 is a godawful card. Overheats like crazy and overclocks like shiet.


How much do you get on the card?


----------



## deactivated

@PunkX 1

I cant go over 925~ without it overheating to 85 C. Its a cheap card, it has a sexy design, but the cooler is a joke.


----------



## incog

I've always thought it was best to stick with either MSI or Gigabyte for strong coolers, with Sapphire and ASUS also producing competitive heatsinks. I've never been too impressed with coolers from EVGA, XFX, Power Color, Zotac, PNY and so on.


----------



## PunkX 1

My Vapor-X has a VRM overheating issue lol.

I have a 120mm fan running right over them


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> My Vapor-X has a VRM overheating issue lol.
> 
> I have a 120mm fan running right over them


well vaporX known to be Massive overclockers, for AMD, my 7970 vaporx went to 1260/1650mhz in valley bench.








must be unlucky one.

currently i have MSI 7950 TF, it overclocked upto 1230/1500mhz maximum @1.30v. temperatures never pass 75c. it is one of the good overclocking board i have.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Massive overclockers, for AMD, my 7970 vaporx went to 1260/1650mhz in valley bench


1260 is not what I would call massive.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1260 is not what I would call massive.


Massive









Ofc they never search for good 7970 scores and overclocks...


----------



## incog

well I can't even break 1200 MHz with 1300 mV on valley so... it's relative i guess.

as far as i know, chip quality and cooler quality are completely dissociated. unless we're talking lightnings or something i don't think any particular brand has better chips in terms of ASIC quality?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> well I can't even break 1200 MHz with 1300 mV on valley so... it's relative i guess.
> 
> as far as i know, *chip quality and cooler quality are completely dissociated*. unless we're talking lightnings or something i don't think any particular brand has better chips in terms of ASIC quality?


Asic % makes a big difference with 7970s and 7950s. It doesn't make much difference with 290x because the formula to gpuz uses to derive asic is not accurate for hawaii gpu.

Asic % is NOT a quality rating. It refers to the leakage level of the silicon. Different leakage levels carry advantages for different reasons.

Quote:


> well I can't even break 1200 MHz with 1300 *mV* on valley so... it's relative i guess.


Maybe you're not asking the right question?


----------



## incog

what advantage does a low ASIC quality carry?

Also what kind of question should I be asking. it doesn't matter to me all that much, as far as i know the card i have right now isn't much of an overclocker. or am i wrong? doubt it, though it would be nice being wrong


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> what advantage does a low ASIC quality carry?
> 
> Also what kind of question should I be asking. it doesn't matter to me all that much, as far as i know the card i have right now isn't much of an overclocker. or am i wrong? doubt it, though it would be nice being wrong


Low asic % silicon leaks a lot. It's generally preferred when you are feeding lots of voltage, since it will "scrub" the excess voltage thru heat, and in essence be safer as long as you can keep it cool. These type of cards are more at home in extreme cooled situations.

For water cooling I prefer cards in the 70-75% range, kind of middle of the road in terms of efficiency. Air cooled cards are better at high asic % but hit voltage walls sooner, etc.

If you have a reference card, you can run the modded trixx to get upto 1.38v. That is good for nearly 1400mhz core, depending on the goldness of your card.


----------



## incog

Hmm it's not a reference card it's a sapphire card boost something something.

Maybe I should try out this modded trixx


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Hmm it's not a reference card it's a sapphire card boost something something.
> 
> Maybe I should try out this modded trixx


Sapphire cards will only allow core voltage changing with the modded Trixx version, however you just have to use the modded version, then install the latest version of Trixx and voltage modding will be unlocked on it as well.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1260 is not what I would call massive.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Massive
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ofc they never search for good 7970 scores and overclocks...


It is Massive amongst several 7970 overclocks. and i call it massive, in the way it nearly touches 290 scores in valley. not many 7970 overclock 1250/1260 like gigabyte, sapphire Dualx. but few lucky chips are reaches to these levels. ofcourse is not the prestige level. but somehow goods one.

i know most lucky chips of 7950/7970 overclocks beyond 1280 as well, 1300 milestone. but i have seen a *GOLDEN 7970* hell Fired to 1400 on core.


----------



## Zen00

I had a guy trying to sell me a 7950 at 1320/1825 w/1.238v a while back. Pretty sure he was lying about it.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1260 is not what I would call massive.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Massive
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ofc they never search for good 7970 scores and overclocks...
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> It is Massive amongst several 7970 overclocks. and i call it massive, in the way it nearly touches 290 scores in valley. not many 7970 overclock 1250/1260 like gigabyte, sapphire Dualx. but few lucky chips are reaches to these levels. ofcourse is not the prestige level. but somehow goods one.
> 
> i know most lucky chips of 7950/7970 overclocks beyond 1280 as well, 1300 milestone. but i have seen a *GOLDEN 7970* hell Fired to 1400 on core.
Click to expand...

That 1400mhz card... you mean the one floating around spammed by sugar? I wonder where that card came from... hmm.

Here's four at 1325 which is not at the max but this link was chosen because it shows the clock speed.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2563727


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> It is Massive amongst several 7970 overclocks. and i call it massive, in the way it nearly touches 290 scores in valley. not many 7970 overclock 1250/1260 like gigabyte, sapphire Dualx. but few lucky chips are reaches to these levels. ofcourse is not the prestige level. but somehow goods one.
> 
> i know most lucky chips of 7950/7970 overclocks beyond 1280 as well, 1300 milestone. but i have seen a *GOLDEN 7970* hell Fired to 1400 on core.


Its golden but it needs an ocp mod. It can easily hit 1450


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> *Sapphire cards will only allow core voltage changing with the modded Trixx version*, however you just have to use the modded version, then install the latest version of Trixx and voltage modding will be unlocked on it as well.


Not necessarily. My 7950 has voltage control using Afterburner









And also, one of the power connectors on my card popped a little while back







. Not surprised, since I tried using an MSI 7950 BIOS on it, to try and see if I would get higher overclocks. Must have pulled too much from the pcie connectors and boom. Either way, I'll be RMA'ing it tomorrow and will likely get an R9 280.

I've heard that the Sapphire R9 280 Dual-X cards are crappy


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Hmm it's not a reference card it's a sapphire card boost something something.
> 
> Maybe I should try out this modded trixx
> 
> 
> 
> Sapphire cards will only allow core voltage changing with the modded Trixx version, however you just have to use the modded version, then install the latest version of Trixx and voltage modding will be unlocked on it as well.
Click to expand...

wat

that's very interesting

brb

E: ok so after messing around in trixx instead of afterburner and using gpu-z to measure volts, it does indeed appear that afterburner has little to no influence on voltage, whereas trixx does actually raise voltage.

this changes everything.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Hmm it's not a reference card it's a sapphire card boost something something.
> 
> Maybe I should try out this modded trixx
> 
> 
> 
> *Sapphire cards will only allow core voltage changing with the modded Trixx version*, however you just have to use the modded version, then install the latest version of Trixx and voltage modding will be unlocked on it as well.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> wat
> 
> that's very interesting
> 
> brb
Click to expand...

Bolded part is wrong. The modded version is modded for memory voltage control.

Regarding the voltage control, that is an issue with Sapphire and their propensity to change the reference design for whatever fail reason. And in many cases they break voltage control, and so they have to add it back in with updated trixx versions.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Bolded part is wrong. The modded version is modded for memory voltage control.
> 
> Regarding the voltage control, that is an issue with Sapphire and their propensity to change the reference design for whatever fail reason. And in many cases they break voltage control, and so they have to add it back in with updated trixx versions.


I've tried doing MVDCC control with the modded version, the option isn't offered in it.

Many of Sapphire cards use a non-reference voltage-a-majig (similar to needing to enable the MSI voltage control option in Afterburner), so Afterburner can't change their voltage.

If you could get me a image of MVDCC control using Trixx, that would go a long way towards helping me get higher clocks.


----------



## SRICE4904

Got my RMA back from Sapphire today! This puppy overclocks well








http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3090587
7201 Firestrike score with a stock 2500k








It overclocks much better then the one I sent them LOL


I did have to mod the registry to set my Powertune to +50% so I wouldn't get throttling. Not as hard as I though it would be








64*C max temp while benching makes me happy, especially with a 35% core and 25% memory overclock.
I had some atrifacts at 1.25v I bumped it to 1.256v and they are gone without a noticeable increase in temps.


----------



## SRICE4904

In case everyone here doesn't already know about the throttling issues with the boost cards. even with +20% power I'd still get throttling with anything above 1000mhz core. After modding the registry to allow +50% power the card see's no throttle even OC'ed to 1150mhz core. Without the throttling my firestrike score went up 200+ points!
Confirmed Fix!


----------



## PunkX 1

I'll be RMA'ing my 7950 today and will likely get a 280, since the 79xx cards are EOL.

Now, the only 280 that Sapphire manufactures is a Dual-X variant, and I've heard that it's a rather crappy overclocker.

One review I read states that their card died when raising the voltage a tad to achieve 1100Mhz on the core


----------



## SRICE4904

I was hoping to get a 280x also







but they sent me a reference 7950 back. I haven't overclocked my Toxic or my Vapor-X 280x's. They run pretty fast already @ 1150/1600 & 1070/1550. Besides in my eyes they are just the good 7950's that received a nice cooler.

I pretty much solved my heat issues in the Tri-Fire rig! Replaced the middle 7950 Dual-x (which is non reference and was stable at 1100/1600







) with my RMA replacement Reference 7950. It will do 1150/1600 @ 1.256v.

I'll be sending my big bro my 7950 Dual-X 950hz OC and my non ref 7950 Dual-X for some crossfire action. What better wedding gift?


----------



## p5ych00n5

Has anyone modded an EK fullcover block for a non-reference card?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Bolded part is wrong. The modded version is modded for memory voltage control.
> 
> Regarding the voltage control, that is an issue with Sapphire and their propensity to change the reference design for whatever fail reason. And in many cases they break voltage control, and so they have to add it back in with updated trixx versions.
> 
> 
> 
> I've tried doing MVDCC control with the modded version, the option isn't offered in it.
> 
> Many of Sapphire cards use a non-reference voltage-a-majig (similar to needing to enable the MSI voltage control option in Afterburner), so Afterburner can't change their voltage.
> 
> If you could get me a image of MVDCC control using Trixx, that would go a long way towards helping me get higher clocks.
Click to expand...

Hmm, trixx 4.04 was modded by a user to allow access to the memory volts. That user however is quite inactive. You could try tracking him down and ask for a modded newer version.

Get you an image... you need to download it? If so, bottom of 2nd post here. I also link thru to the user in question.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Hmm, trixx 4.04 was modded by a user to allow access to the memory volts. That user however is quite inactive. You could try tracking him down and ask for a modded newer version.
> 
> Get you an image... you need to download it? If so, bottom of 2nd post here. I also link thru to the user in question.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1265543/the-amd-how-to-thread/0_40


An image of the options, I have the modded version but there is no MVDDC control available with it. I was hoping that a picture of the MVDDC control would show me what I was doing wrong.


----------



## tsm106

Oh, just scroll down. I can't show you atm because I'm not running tahiti gpu anywhere in the house oddly enough.


----------



## hucklebuck

What software overclocking utility gives the highest voltage increase. I believe that Afterburner only goes to 1.3?


----------



## Feyris

Anyone know best 7990 bios to use. Im under water and top out 50C load so...I want to push it.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> What software overclocking utility gives the highest voltage increase. I believe that Afterburner only goes to 1.3?


Modded Trixx

check your inbox


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Modded Trixx
> 
> check your inbox


ME WANT TOO!!!! ME WANT TOO!!!!!


----------



## incog

just share in thread? would that be possible?


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Modded Trixx
> 
> check your inbox


Thanks!


----------



## SRICE4904

I'll take a modded Trixx please


----------



## PunkX 1

So will I


----------



## Zen00

Just google it, it's the first hit.

So apparently the modded version doesn't work with the Boost BIOS, so I'll have to try the default BIOS tonight and see if it works with that.


----------



## cisys

Hi guy, my sapphire dual x 7970 has passed it's warranty but it currently has some problems. Last time i sent my card for repair because there was something wrong with the pcb causing my computer to show a black screen. After repair it was alright and now the same problem has reoccur ed and my warranty has just passed by. My local supplier says that sapphire do not accept gpu that has passed it's warranty, is there any way of repairing my gpu or isit dead forever?


----------



## Zen00

Nope, even using the second BIOS gives me no MVDDC access. :/

Guess the Sapphire 7950 Boost is locked out. Anyone have a non-locked BIOS I can try?

Also can't get any more than 1.3v on VDDC, not that I really need any more since I'm not on water.


----------



## boredmug

Well... If it's pretty much trash as is you could *try* flowing the pcb in a toaster oven. Would probably need to buy some flux. Never tried it and who knows what the actual problem is but it *might* work. I would start by taking the shroud and heat sink off and reapplying some thermal paste and see what happens before you do something drastic like cooking in it an oven though.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cisys*
> 
> Hi guy, my sapphire dual x 7970 has passed it's warranty but it currently has some problems. Last time i sent my card for repair because there was something wrong with the pcb causing my computer to show a black screen. After repair it was alright and now the same problem has reoccur ed and my warranty has just passed by. My local supplier says that sapphire do not accept gpu that has passed it's warranty, is there any way of repairing my gpu or isit dead forever?


----------



## SRICE4904

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cisys*
> 
> Hi guy, my sapphire dual x 7970 has passed it's warranty but it currently has some problems. Last time i sent my card for repair because there was something wrong with the pcb causing my computer to show a black screen. After repair it was alright and now the same problem has reoccur ed and my warranty has just passed by. My local supplier says that sapphire do not accept gpu that has passed it's warranty, is there any way of repairing my gpu or isit dead forever?


Contact Althon Micro before you do anything else. I find most companies want to take your money lol.


----------



## boredmug

Well after playing Middle Earth shadows of mordor at 5760x1080 with my crossfire 7950 rig I'm now starting to see the age of these cards. . Totally playable but framerates aren't exactly what I'm used to. With a budget in mind I'm considering grabbing a pair of r9 290's or possibly some 290x's and either throwing my AIO coolers from my 7950's or buying some universal blocks and incorporating them into my cpu loop. I'll probably be buying used. Do you think the extra 50 dollars per card is worth it for the 290x's?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Well after playing Middle Earth shadows of mordor at 5760x1080 with my crossfire 7950 rig I'm now starting to see the age of these cards. . Totally playable but framerates aren't exactly what I'm used to. With a budget in mind I'm considering grabbing a pair of r9 290's or possibly some 290x's and either throwing my AIO coolers from my 7950's or buying some universal blocks and incorporating them into my cpu loop. I'll probably be buying used. Do you think the extra 50 dollars per card is worth it for the 290x's?


Although it's kinda hard for me to say this since I can almost be considered a fanboy. But at present time I would not get a 290 or a 290x unless you get them fairly cheeply, a GTX970 would be far more of a "bang for the buck" then a 290 or 290x. Depending on the availability and the start price it is hard to say if a 290x is worth the extra 50$...

I keep holding out til newyears to see if AMD can release anything new to compete with Nvidias linup. If not I'll probably end up getting a pair of 970s.


----------



## boredmug

Well I'm looking at r9 290's going for a little under 200. The gtx 970's are appealing for me also but I would be able to get the r9's cheaper as I will be buying used. All of my 7950's I've bought were used and never had a problem. Besides the power consumption I really don't see the gtx 970's performing THAT much better than the R9's.. Also with the new 9xx series coming out I see AMD's prices keep falling.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Although it's kinda hard for me to say this since I can almost be considered a fanboy. But at present time I would not get a 290 or a 290x unless you get them fairly cheeply, a GTX970 would be far more of a "bang for the buck" then a 290 or 290x. Depending on the availability and the start price it is hard to say if a 290x is worth the extra 50$...
> 
> I keep holding out til newyears to see if AMD can release anything new to compete with Nvidias linup. If not I'll probably end up getting a pair of 970s.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Well I'm looking at r9 290's going for a little under 200. The gtx 970's are appealing for me also but I would be able to get the r9's cheaper as I will be buying used. All of my 7950's I've bought were used and never had a problem. Besides the power consumption I really don't see the gtx 970's performing THAT much better than the R9's.. Also with the new 9xx series coming out I see AMD's prices keep falling.


Fair enough and that is why I said it's all depending on the price. I assumed you were looking at new prices, and if so then the 9xx series is a better choise. For used however then 290 and 290x is a good purchase. The 290x will give you a bit better performance, but it all depends on your budget to be honest and with such a high resolution you do need crossfire as you have experienced. I'm not entirelly sure how many cards you are currently running though, 2, 3 or 4? it all depends. A 290x will perform 5-10% better then the 290 but in all we are talking about price differences varying a bit. You are talking about 400USD for a dual 290 setup but 500USD for a 290x setup and a difference of 100USD can be significant depending on your budget, or even more with 3 or 4 cards. Anyways it's not a bad choise to go for the 290x, but a pair of 290s will still be good. You have to ask yourself what you need most though if there is another upgrade you find more useful then the small jump from 290 to 290x then that might be a better coice. The difference will be close to that of a 7950 and a 7970 back in it's day.


----------



## boredmug

I'm running 2 7950's in my rig for 5760x1080 but my son has 1 7950 for his 1920x1080 rig. I guess it depends on what way I decide to go. I have my 7950's cooled with AIO coolers but I also have a custom loop for my cpu. I could either save money and do that again, or spend a little on another radiator and some universal blocks and add them to the custom loop. I'm also looking at a psu upgrade as I'm pretty sure the antec 850w high current I have isn't going to do much more than stock clocks on 290's. Lol. I guess the gtx 970's start to come closer in price when you talk about upgrading the psu


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I'm running 2 7950's in my rig for 5760x1080 but my son has 1 7950 for his 1920x1080 rig. I guess it depends on what way I decide to go. I have my 7950's cooled with AIO coolers but I also have a custom loop for my cpu. I could either save money and do that again, or spend a little on another radiator and some universal blocks and add them to the custom loop. I'm also looking at a psu upgrade as I'm pretty sure the antec 850w high current I have isn't going to do much more than stock clocks on 290's. Lol. I guess the gtx 970's start to come closer in price when you talk about upgrading the psu


got me a used 290 in ebay for $187 and a full block for $60. tested it on my amd rig for awhile . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4479341?

took out my 7950, put it my 290 (was on air) without messing with drivers. have since moved it to my intel rig to crossfire.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4564345

love them.


----------



## boredmug

Man thats a great price for the block and card!
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> got me a used 290 in ebay for $187 and a full block for $60. tested it on my amd rig for awhile . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4479341?
> 
> took out my 7950, put it my 290 (was on air) without messing with drivers. have since moved it to my intel rig to crossfire.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4564345
> 
> love them.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Man thats a great price for the block and card!


if you are going for a used 290 or 290X and watercooling . . . go for reference design. test on air (don't oc) thoroughly, then look for a bargain full block. just keep an eye out.



i don't think the 290 was ever used.


----------



## boredmug

Reference is what I'm after. I'd like to do full cover blocks if my budget will allow.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> if you are going for a used 290 or 290X and watercooling . . . go for reference design. test on air (don't oc) thoroughly, then look for a bargain full block. just keep an eye out.
> 
> 
> 
> i don't think the 290 was ever used.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Hey guys,
I bought a 7970 on ebay for $150, I got it and tested it on air before I put it into my loop. When I plugged it in my PC wouldn't turn on. I troubleshooted it and found that it had shorted VRM. I then filled out a RMA with MSI. They recieved the card but don't have one in stock. They are offering me $100, or a 7970 lightning (which won't work with the waterblock I already own.) I asked if they would give me a 280x but they said no, bcause it is "too big of an upgrade from a 7970" even though it is just a rebrand. What should I do?I really do need the card soon since I am in the middle of designing a cutom case and I need it to be ready so I can do measurements.
Thanks for the help,
Epic


----------



## boredmug

7970 lightning is a nice card.. Sucks that it won't work with your block. Guess you could sell the block and buy another one for the lightning. Lightning will probably overclock better.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I bought a 7970 on ebay for $150, I got it and tested it on air before I put it into my loop. When I plugged it in my PC wouldn't turn on. I troubleshooted it and found that it had shorted VRM. I then filled out a RMA with MSI. They recieved the card but don't have one in stock. They are offering me $100, or a 7970 lightning (which won't work with the waterblock I already own.) I asked if they would give me a 280x but they said no, bcause it is "too big of an upgrade from a 7970" even though it is just a rebrand. What should I do?I really do need the card soon since I am in the middle of designing a cutom case and I need it to be ready so I can do measurements.
> Thanks for the help,
> Epic


Take the lightning as you can resell it for more than $100.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> 7970 lightning is a nice card.. Sucks that it won't work with your block. Guess you could sell the block and buy another one for the lightning. Lightning will probably overclock better.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Take the lightning as you can resell it for more than $100.


Take the lightning and add a gpu only block to it. The lightning comes with a fancy memory/vrm plate with which you can mount heatsinks to the plate. Then you are all set. Sell the other block, which will sell fast since the cards are cheap and easy to wc.


----------



## hucklebuck

Yea do as tsm106 says. Wish it were me getting that lightning.


----------



## alancsalt

Posts deleted.. may not seek appraisal, post wanted, or sell outside marketplace.
Need 35 rep to do any of those in marketplace.


----------



## neurotix

Alright dudes, some people were asking about this.

SapphireTrixx4.4.0b-MOD1.zip 3450k .zip file


There's the modded Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b.

This allows for MVDDC memory voltage control and supports overvoltage to 1.381v.

Note that this Trixx will only work with HD 7xxx cards, and even then it is meant for 7970/7950.

Further, it needs to be used with this guide to increase the power limit from 20% to 50% on 7xxx series cards.

Whenever I put my 7970 in my system, I use the power limit trick and then use that modded Trixx to overclock. Max out the power limit at 50%.

Keep in mind that version of Trixx is old and will not work with any R9 series cards. Correction, there's a slim chance it would work with a 280X that has been flashed to a 7970, if that's even possible, but I really have no idea and have no way to test this.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Just purchased a second 7970 of the Sapphire OC Dual-X variety. Two cards for $450 dollars


----------



## Agent Smith1984

New?


----------



## p5ych00n5

1 brand new, the other a refurbished card

Hah, now I have overkill in the GPU department for 1080p gaming as my active adapter just died, no more 5760 x 1080 for me


----------



## shaka87

I have a weird issue with my VGA when im playing/testing (occt) all is fine 72* max temp. No OC at all. But when i close that application or test this is what happend







i have tested the graphic card 2 times 1 hour each time with 0 errors. No artifacts nothing. If i restart the system everything is ok again. This bug i haber seen only con windows. No un BIOS loading OS. Only when i close any heavy application.

Someone know what ir means.? How can i fix it?

My built.
Fx6300
Biostar a960d+
Gskill 2x4 ripjaws x 1600mhz
Psu: ocz mxsp600w 80 plus.
Case: cm 690ii.

Sorry for my english


----------



## Feyris

Someone with the XFX 7990 With the non DD HSF (aka AMD Stock) That has HYNIX ram (can check with memoryinfo from asus) can you please dump and send me switch 1 Slave & Master bios?

Techpowerup only has two MASTER bios, the others are marked for Elpida.


----------



## Gereti

Hehe, i just found out when i checked yesterday msi afterburner, that my card last ovner have been flashed whole new bios to this card









My card is Asus Radeon 7970 reference, and when i go to the msi afterburner setting's, i found this


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> Hehe, i just found out when i checked yesterday msi afterburner, that my card last ovner have been flashed whole new bios to this card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My card is Asus Radeon 7970 reference, and when i go to the msi afterburner setting's, i found this


E:
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Alright dudes, some people were asking about this.
> 
> SapphireTrixx4.4.0b-MOD1.zip 3450k .zip file
> 
> 
> There's the modded Sapphire Trixx 4.4.0b.
> 
> This allows for MVDDC memory voltage control and supports overvoltage to 1.381v.
> 
> Note that this Trixx will only work with HD 7xxx cards, and even then it is meant for 7970/7950.
> 
> Further, it needs to be used with this guide to increase the power limit from 20% to 50% on 7xxx series cards.
> 
> Whenever I put my 7970 in my system, I use the power limit trick and then use that modded Trixx to overclock. Max out the power limit at 50%.
> 
> Keep in mind that version of Trixx is old and will not work with any R9 series cards. Correction, there's a slim chance it would work with a 280X that has been flashed to a 7970, if that's even possible, but I really have no idea and have no way to test this.


Thanks


----------



## zmegati

Hi guys I have a silly question, I have 2x 7970 XFX CORE EDITIO on crossfire...how do i know that we working second GPU?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *zmegati*
> 
> Hi guys I have a silly question, I have 2x 7970 XFX CORE EDITIO on crossfire...how do i know that we working second GPU?


Run gpuz, click on the "?" button, check render fullscreen, then click start render test. That will test if crossfire is running. If both are working, they will change from 1.1 to 2.0 or 3.0 depending on your mb/cpu. The 1.1 to 3.0 is the electrical width of your pcie lanes. When idle on the desktop, the electrical width shrinks to 1.1 and opens up to the max speed under load. Thus if both are working they will change to the same speed.


----------



## zmegati

how much I understood you everything looks ok Tnx tsm106!


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

anyone know where I can buy a MSI TF III 7970 in europe? (i know they are squealers but I like uniformity







)


----------



## Mr-Dark

Hello all i have qustion for my OC

My pc

i7 4790k
asus maxiums vii hero
kingston 16gb
msi 280x gaming
sapphire 7950 dual-x
corsair GS800

i just change some of setting on my 7950 bios get them stable at 1000/1300 +20power limit

my qustion what the max safe oc for that sapphire 7950 dual-x with boost ?

is my Psu Good with oc thats 7950 to 1100/1500 for examble ?

can i flash my 280x with 7970 bios ?

this pic after bios chnge for 7950 and stock 280x


----------



## Gereti

So, i was planning to use one payment method xmas sale (buy now, pay february), and buy new gpu cooler
Was planning to use this store
https://translate.google.fi/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jimms.fi%2Flistaa%2F589%2Forder%2Fprice&edit-text=&act=url
(site support klarna payment, and now it's ounly choice to buy stuff when my bankaccount show +1.57€ and my ears are get enought from this 7970 ref cooler







)

E: found this one too
https://translate.google.fi/translate?hl=fi&sl=fi&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.systemastore.fi%2Fproduct_info.php%3FcPath%3D1_13_631%26products_id%3D110048
(accelero III 51.60€+4.90€ post's)
but i dont like much about this store and it have so long shippingtime...)
E2: it would be nice to use CF too on future... (sight...)


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> Hehe, i just found out when i checked yesterday msi afterburner, that my card last ovner have been flashed whole new bios to this card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My card is Asus Radeon 7970 reference, and when i go to the msi afterburner setting's, i found this


Your card probably HAS NOT been flashed, you can check with GPU-Z.

MSI Afterburner thinks all 7970 cards are "7970 Lightning BEs" because it's made by MSI. My Sapphire 7970 showed up this way in Afterburner too. Chances are, your card hasn't been flashed. Check the BIOS string in GPU-Z and it will probably say ASUS.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Your card probably HAS NOT been flashed, you can check with GPU-Z.
> 
> MSI Afterburner thinks all 7970 cards are "7970 Lightning BEs" because it's made by MSI. My Sapphire 7970 showed up this way in Afterburner too. Chances are, your card hasn't been flashed. Check the BIOS string in GPU-Z and it will probably say ASUS.


My Afterburner begs to differ....



Maybe different versions of AB or Card Revisions?


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Your card probably HAS NOT been flashed, you can check with GPU-Z.
> 
> MSI Afterburner thinks all 7970 cards are "7970 Lightning BEs" because it's made by MSI. My Sapphire 7970 showed up this way in Afterburner too. Chances are, your card hasn't been flashed. Check the BIOS string in GPU-Z and it will probably say ASUS.


Well, it's still flashed card becose it's reference clock was 1050/1500 (asus provide to reference clock 925/1375)

E: image from gpu-z


----------



## SavageBrat

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Your card probably HAS NOT been flashed, you can check with GPU-Z.
> 
> MSI Afterburner thinks all 7970 cards are "7970 Lightning BEs" because it's made by MSI. My Sapphire 7970 showed up this way in Afterburner too. Chances are, your card hasn't been flashed. Check the BIOS string in GPU-Z and it will probably say ASUS.


Hmm..not true.. (mine is the original lightning not the BE version)


----------



## SRICE4904

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Hello all i have qustion for my OC
> 
> My pc
> 
> i7 4790k
> asus maxiums vii hero
> kingston 16gb
> msi 280x gaming
> sapphire 7950 dual-x
> corsair GS800
> 
> i just change some of setting on my 7950 bios get them stable at 1000/1300 +20power limit
> 
> my qustion what the max safe oc for that sapphire 7950 dual-x with boost ?
> 
> is my Psu Good with oc thats 7950 to 1100/1500 for examble ?
> 
> can i flash my 280x with 7970 bios ?
> this pic after bios chnge for 7950 and stock 280x


I own 2 7950 Dual-X's one a reference model and a later non ref model without vrm temp sensors. both have the dual switch bios. To answer your question, keep them under 80*C, I like 60*-70* personally(cards tend to last longer), Your PSU is good enough with additional headroom and yes you can flash or mod the bios. I thought I should mention though that my reference model can run 1100/1500 rock solid and the non reference will run 1150/1600 as well, nice little chips that oc like beasts with acceptable temps. I own 5 Tahiti's, 3 7950's and 2 280x's and the overclocked 7950 are 1-2 fps difference between the 280'x at the same clocks









I highly recommend using MSI AB for overclocking with a custom fan profile. After modding your bios to have +50% PowerTune of course.(only needed for boost models that throttle) And set it to enable clocks on startup, its super easy if you have 1 card. Not so easy with a Tri-Fire setup lol but I knew the job was hard when I took it








I though to mention that CCC is good for underclocking cards(when my son plays lego videogames on my pc) and other then messing with crossfire and enabling gpu up-scaling, thats about all its good for.


----------



## staccker

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has seen a 7950 hit over a 1k score on heaven 4.0 (set at: Ultra, Tess: Extreme, AA: x8, 1920x1080) with no mods?

I am working with a HIS 7950 IceQ X^2 on air and have only managed to get 976 usually averaging around 960. I cant seem to break that 976 and I was wondering if anyone has seen any 7950 break the 1000 score mark.


----------



## brucethemoose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *staccker*
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I was wondering if anyone has seen a 7950 hit over a 1k score on heaven 4.0 (set at: Ultra, Tess: Extreme, AA: x8, 1920x1080) with no mods?
> 
> I am working with a HIS 7950 IceQ X^2 on air and have only managed to get 976 usually averaging around 960. I cant seem to break that 976 and I was wondering if anyone has seen any 7950 break the 1000 score mark.


What clocks at what voltage can you get on your 7950?


----------



## staccker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brucethemoose*
> 
> What clocks at what voltage can you get on your 7950?


I was working between 1175 and 1200 core and 1400-1600 mem, with +20% board power at stock voltage. Upon trying to move the voltage up when getting to 1200 core I didnt see any change in performance still experienced some decent artifacting.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SRICE4904*
> 
> I own 2 7950 Dual-X's one a reference model and a later non ref model without vrm temp sensors. both have the dual switch bios. To answer your question, keep them under 80*C, I like 60*-70* personally(cards tend to last longer), Your PSU is good enough with additional headroom and yes you can flash or mod the bios. I thought I should mention though that my reference model can run 1100/1500 rock solid and the non reference will run 1150/1600 as well, nice little chips that oc like beasts with acceptable temps. I own 5 Tahiti's, 3 7950's and 2 280x's and the overclocked 7950 are 1-2 fps difference between the 280'x at the same clocks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I highly recommend using MSI AB for overclocking with a custom fan profile. After modding your bios to have +50% PowerTune of course.(only needed for boost models that throttle) And set it to enable clocks on startup, its super easy if you have 1 card. Not so easy with a Tri-Fire setup lol but I knew the job was hard when I took it
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I though to mention that CCC is good for underclocking cards(when my son plays lego videogames on my pc) and other then messing with crossfire and enabling gpu up-scaling, thats about all its good for.


THank you for that info

i just finish OC that 7950 to 1000/1400 with undervolted to 1.12 only super stable









the 280x hit 78c in 3Dmark with games max i see is 74c max loading in games 92%

the 7950 with setting up there max temp in 3Dmark 66c and with games its 62c also hit 99% while gaming

so the differnt betwen 2 card as you see 7% only


----------



## fx63007850

my xfx dd 7950 at stock 925/1250 got 792

oc 1150/1500 got 954

oc 1180/1500 got 970

will give it a go when i oc my cpu to 4.8


----------



## fx63007850

cpu oc to 4715mhz
stock got 797


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> my xfx dd 7950 at stock 925/1250 got 792
> 
> oc 1150/1500 got 954
> 
> oc 1180/1500 got 970
> 
> will give it a go when i oc my cpu to 4.8


Modfiy your bios like me to get stock OC for ever









Use Vbe7 + Atiflash tool for that



Every one here OC the 7950 much i stand at 1000/14000 undervolted to 1.12v stable never try any freq more than this max temp 66c


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Modfiy your bios like me to get stock OC for ever
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Use Vbe7 + Atiflash tool for that
> 
> 
> 
> Every one here OC the 7950 much i stand at 1000/14000 undervolted to 1.12v stable never try any freq more than this max temp 66c


Makes me wonder what I could push my '90 to I get 39c full load undervolted to 1.17v but good ol' XFX Bios locked vcore.

7990:


My old 7970:


I want to cry now.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Im Very worried Oc my 7950 more than 1000/1400 i dont know why


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Makes me wonder what I could push my '90 to I get 39c full load undervolted to 1.17v but good ol' XFX Bios locked vcore.
> 
> 7990:
> 
> 
> My old 7970:
> 
> 
> I want to cry now.


What voltage were you pushing for that 1425 core??? I'm guessing custom water?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> What voltage were you pushing for that 1425 core??? I'm guessing custom water?


It was full coverage blocked to two 120MM EX120s with SP120PE at 1.4v stable, yes. daily use....never at that vcore. It was a launch-day Sapphire 7970 DUAL-X non GHz.

Anything over reached temp limits, or card just didnt want to take it and freaked in benchmarks


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Im Very worried Oc my 7950 more than 1000/1400 i dont know why


That is a pretty mild OC for that card.... if the temps are good, I'd push her a little!

My lil bro had his reference 7950 with modded BIOS and 50% power limit running at 1200/1850 on the stock cooler and 100% fan speed


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> It was full coverage blocked to two 120MM EX120s with SP120PE at 1.4v stable, yes. daily use....never at that vcore. It was a launch-day Sapphire 7970 DUAL-X non GHz.
> 
> Anything over reached temp limits, or card just didnt want to take it and freaked in benchmarks


Love how tahiti just keeps scaling with voltage.... that thing dropped in 2011, and is still on the 280x (just sold mine)...

Introduced at 800MHz around 1v..... can hit 1250+/- with 1.3v on air, and do over 1400 with water and 1.4...... I was running on the Asus DirectCU2 cooler, and could bench at 1270-1280 with no artifacts at 1.3v 80c load. I kept it at 1250 for daily driving.


----------



## tsm106

Gpuz screens are meaningless.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Gpuz screens are meaningless.


Totally agree since stable idle is far from stable benched. (Its a given right?)
(however in my case for example with 7970, the ss is so old I have no benchmarks. I can if i ever buy it back from my friend though) he literally gave me enough to buy a 7990 off ocn here. which is totally a win in my opinion


----------



## korruptedkaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Someone with the XFX 7990 With the non DD HSF (aka AMD Stock) That has HYNIX ram (can check with memoryinfo from asus) can you please dump and send me switch 1 Slave & Master bios?
> 
> Techpowerup only has two MASTER bios, the others are marked for Elpida.


here you go dude, master & slave







, mine are ref & Hynix

7990bios.zip 1924k .zip file


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Gpuz screens are meaningless.
> 
> 
> 
> Totally agree since stable idle is far from stable benched. (Its a given right?)
> (however in my case for example with 7970, the ss is so old I have no benchmarks. I can if i ever buy it back from my friend though) he literally gave me enough to buy a 7990 off ocn here. which is totally a win in my opinion
Click to expand...

No benchmarks... no care. What's the point then? Sorry I don't get it. I have benchmarks from 1380 to 1400 on *record . They have history going back to release, records held for almost a year. That same card has been traded away but it still is killing it. Again gpuz screens are meaningless.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4282003


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> No benchmarks... no care. What's the point then? Sorry I don't get it. I have benchmarks from 1380 to 1400 on air. They have history going back to release, records held for almost a year. That same card has been traded away but it still is killing it. Again gpuz screens are meaningless.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4282003


Why should I care if you dont care? So theres more then one 7970 that can hit the 1400 barrier...yours was able to hit it on air, mine wasn't its still subpar to your golden card. When I sold it it was re-fitted with an Accelero Xtreme and could only top off 1300 on air. Who the heck cares... its not like your old card was touched by the amd angel and its the only one capable of hitting that wall, its silicon lottery for everything.


----------



## tsm106

The point is anyone can post a gpuz screen to brag pointlessly. Maybe the inexperienced will oggle over it, but to those who know... its a joke. One can literally hit apply, big clocks show up on AB but they are not real.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Why should I care if you dont care? So theres more then one 7970 that can hit the 1400 barrier...yours was able to hit it on air, mine wasn't its still subpar to your golden card. When I sold it it was re-fitted with an Accelero Xtreme and could only top off 1300 on air. Who the heck cares... its not like your old card was touched by the amd angel and its the only one capable of hitting that wall, its silicon lottery for everything.


The first revision of 7970 was the best by far. I had over 10 7970s with 2 of them super golden. Tsm xfx 7970 is a golden card too

And gpu-z ss are useless. probably i can ss a 1500 7970 gpu-z


----------



## tsm106

Omg, the sugar graced us with his presence!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Omg, the sugar graced us with his presence!


Too much work ^^


----------



## fx63007850

anyone want to mod my bios for me as dont know how to use it


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> The point is anyone can post a gpuz screen to brag pointlessly. Maybe the inexperienced will oggle over it, but to those who know... its a joke. One can literally hit apply, big clocks show up on AB but they are not real.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> The first revision of 7970 was the best by far. I had over 10 7970s with 2 of them super golden. Tsm xfx 7970 is a golden card too
> 
> And gpu-z ss are useless. probably i can ss a 1500 7970 gpu-z


Theres no point in arguing because its already known gpuz is useless for proving stability beyond that it can still idle without crashing and I already agreed with that . I would 3DMark it if I could, but I dont have it. Simple, in my case I only even posted it because I missed having such a high OC'er compared to this crappy 7990s limits, another 7970 silver~ card would of been better most likely. Otherwise i would bench it right away. thus, theres no point. I cant prove or disprove it.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> anyone want to mod my bios for me as dont know how to use it


Save your bios in gpu-z post it, and what do you want done to it? but for now get atiflash, and make a usb bootable with dos/win98

then once your ready you do atiflash -i to get number and just do atiflash -p -f (number) romname.rom


----------



## fx63007850

put the clocks to 1000/1500 tdp limit to 50 and overdrive to 1250/1700 and see if i can unlock voltage to 1.3

Tahiti.zip 40k .zip file


----------



## duganator

So I'm running a powercolor 7970 and I'm really curious about actually pushing this card to it's limits. I'm currently running it at 1088/1450 1.3v but can't really seem to get the core clock any higher without really bad artifacts in firestrike. Is there anything I can do, or am I just at the limits of what my card can handle?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> put the clocks to 1000/1500 tdp limit to 50 and overdrive to 1250/1700 and see if i can unlock voltage to 1.3
> 
> Tahiti.zip 40k .zip file


Your overdrive limits are 1300/1700. TDP limit is 50% I Bumped your powerTune to 250W on the core. I made your fan profile a little more aggressive too (just slightly) to adjust for GHz settings. so boost gaming will be 1000/1500, never touching 950.

I couldn't adjust your voltages 1.25v is where it sits... your card must be hardware locked to 1.25v max since VBE7 isnt letting me touch it. Im guessing you have an XFX DD Model.

Tahiti_edited.zip 42k .zip file


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Your overdrive limits are 1300/1700. TDP limit is 50% I Bumped your powerTune to 250W on the core. I made your fan profile a little more aggressive too (just slightly) to adjust for GHz settings. so boost gaming will be 1000/1500, never touching 950.
> 
> I couldn't adjust your voltages 1.25v is where it sits... your card must be hardware locked to 1.25v max since VBE7 isnt letting me touch it. Im guessing you have an XFX DD Model.
> 
> Tahiti_edited.zip 42k .zip file


thank you and im going to pm you about flashing it

plus rep


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Your overdrive limits are 1300/1700. TDP limit is 50% I Bumped your powerTune to 250W on the core. I made your fan profile a little more aggressive too (just slightly) to adjust for GHz settings. so boost gaming will be 1000/1500, never touching 950.
> 
> I couldn't adjust your voltages 1.25v is where it sits... your card must be hardware locked to 1.25v max since VBE7 isnt letting me touch it. Im guessing you have an XFX DD Model.
> 
> Tahiti_edited.zip 42k .zip file


Could you do something similar for me as well?

Tahiti.zip 103k .zip file


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Could you do something similar for me as well?
> 
> Tahiti.zip 103k .zip file


Your set to GHz state with 1400/1700 as your overdrive limits plus 50% powertune with max wattage raised like for fx with slightly more aggressive fan profile . GHz w is 1.175 because your card is not voltage locked you can raise it as you need it unlike him.

Tahiti_duga.zip 103k .zip file


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Your set to GHz state with 1400/1700 as your overdrive limits plus 50% powertune with max wattage raised like for fx with slightly more aggressive fan profile . GHz w is 1.175 because your card is not voltage locked you can raise it as you need it unlike him.
> 
> Tahiti_duga.zip 103k .zip file


Thanks so much man, I was able to really push the memory up on my card. I was using gpuz to monitor my gpu voltage and it seems to jump all over the place even though I have force constant voltage checked in afterburner, is that a bad thing?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Thanks so much man, I was able to really push the memory up on my card. I was using gpuz to monitor my gpu voltage and it seems to jump all over the place even though I have force constant voltage checked in afterburner, is that a bad thing?


It should be changing with different clock states You should be seeing .850, .950 and 1.175 without AB


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> It should be changing with different clock states You should be seeing .850, .950 and 1.175 without AB


I meant during benchmark runs even though it's set to 1.3v it still drops down to 1.2~


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> I meant during benchmark runs even though it's set to 1.3v it still drops down to 1.2~


Are you planning on keeping it on 1.3 for daily use? or benching, is it even stable on 1.2?

Tahiti_duga_1.3v.zip 103k .zip file


Theres yours at 1.3 if your trying 1.3 and it wont stay 1.3


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Are you planning on keeping it on 1.3 for daily use? or benching, is it even stable on 1.2?


I was just using 1.3 for benching. It's 100 percent stable in unigine heaven at 1.2 but firestrike makes my gpu tear even at 1.3


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> I was just using 1.3 for benching. It's 100 percent stable in unigine heaven at 1.2 but firestrike makes my gpu tear even at 1.3


oh ok lol I see so just still finding stable clocks


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> oh ok lol I see so just still finding stable clocks


Pretty much. So if it's game stable at 1.2 should I even worry about it not being fire strike stable?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Pretty much. So if it's game stable at 1.2 should I even worry about it not being fire strike stable?


You would want it to run through it without a problem and complete the bench without artifacting or severe tearing that you knows signs of a clock thats too high. i would lower it down a notch and try it again


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> You would want it to run through it without a problem and complete the bench without artifacting or severe tearing that you knows signs of a clock thats too high. i would lower it down a notch and try it again


Cool, it seems like around 1100 is as high as I can go on the core unfortunately, the mem goes all the way to 1700 though.


----------



## Feyris

you might get more core with lower memory


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> you might get more core with lower memory


How much lower on the mem?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> How much lower on the mem?


try it with 1500/ 1600


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> try it with 1500/ 1600


Cool, got it to go a bit higher. My overclocks on my gpu aren't staying after I run firestrike though, they revert back to stock speeds, any ideas?


----------



## adog12341

Hey guys! I have an MSI 7970 OC/BE and it seems to get unreasonably hot. Ever since I got this card it was much hotter than my HIS 7970 iceq^2. I used to have a Gelid Icy cooler on it, still hot. I recently put it underwater and it still gets to like 70C running heaven. Do you think it's the card or am I terrible at installing coolers?









Stock voltage is 1256mV, lowering to 1175mV does help a few degrees but not much.


----------



## Konkistadori

Normal Run Fire Strike
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3225639 8400 GPU Points with HD7950

Extreme Run
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3225687 3861 GPU Points with HD7950

Core 1200mhz vCore 1.25 and stock mem.

For my use i think i can live with this for another year...


----------



## DR4G00N

My MSI TF R7950 3GD5/OC Boost V277 (the one with the 7970 PCB) scores:

*Firestrike:* http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3073667 (7941) (Graphics Score: 9019)

*Firestrike Extreme:* http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3073627 (4006) (Graphics Score: 4159)

*Firestrike Ultra:* http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3073741 (2176) (Graphics Score: 2135)

Clocked at: 1190MHz core / 1500MHz mem @ 1.3v core / 1.625v mem

CPU is an i7-920 oc'ed to 4.3GHz

Temperatures stay at around 70-75c with 50% fan

I just ordered up another one of these beast cards & a sapphire Dual-x as well for Tri-fire.


----------



## Konkistadori

Interesting, you get higher GPU scores. Gotta Try with "same" settings on my 7950 DCII


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Konkistadori*
> 
> Interesting, you get higher GPU scores. Gotta Try with "same" settings on my 7950 DCII


TBH, I have absolutely no idea why it does this. It consistently beats out other 7950's by a fair margin even when at a lower core speed then the others.


----------



## Konkistadori

Well here is my results.

Core 1190
Mem 1500
Vcore 1.25

GPU Points 8653
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4717010?
My card didnt like 1.3vcore


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Konkistadori*
> 
> Well here is my results.
> 
> Core 1190
> Mem 1500
> Vcore 1.25
> 
> GPU Points 8653
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4717010?
> My card didnt like 1.3vcore


Yeah, not all of them can take 1.3v but mine will take it 24/7








The mem speed is this cards downfall, only 1500MHz with 1.625v going into it.









I might try flashing a 280x bios to it and see if I can clock it higher.


----------



## Konkistadori

Well i think its board limitation of DCII V.2. Anyways 1.25vCore seems to be limit of this card with out modifying BIOS.

Core 1225
Mem 1500
vCore 1.25
GPU P8833
Max Temp 63celsius
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4717211?

Couldnt get this go higher, oh well atleast it Overclocks a bit from stock 800mhz


----------



## DR4G00N

The 280x bios didn't work but I got a 7970 bios to flash, i'm in the process of re installing drivers atm.

Voltage is locked at 1.25v so I can't push it as high.







Guess it's time to flash back.


----------



## p5ych00n5

WooHoo, second 7970 arrived today, would post pics but it's late and bad light with bad camera = not a good time.

Did do a quick Firestrike run

Single:



Crossfire:



Both Cards at the 1000/1450 "stock"


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> WooHoo, second 7970 arrived today, would post pics but it's late and bad light with bad camera = not a good time.
> 
> Did do a quick Firestrike run
> 
> Single:
> 
> 
> 
> Crossfire:
> 
> 
> 
> Both Cards at the 1000/1450 "stock"


Nice but why your score not higher as me ?

this with crossfire msi 280x gaming at 1020/1500 stock

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3978426

and this with my current setup now msi 280x + hd 7950 1000/1400

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4693828

i found the md 14.8 whql have good 3dmark score over than other driver ( 14.7 RC3 good with games but cut about 1400p on 3dmark )


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Nice but why your score not higher as me ?


You have very different cpus obviously.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Nice but why your score not higher as me ?
> 
> this with crossfire msi 280x gaming at 1020/1500 stock
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3978426
> 
> and this with my current setup now msi 280x + hd 7950 1000/1400
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4693828
> 
> i found the md 14.8 whql have good 3dmark score over than other driver ( 14.7 RC3 good with games but cut about 1400p on 3dmark )


You've an Intel CPU I have an AMD CPU, Intel will always score higher due to most synthetic benches using Intel instructions, I still have some finetuning to do


----------



## Konkistadori

And my HD7950 scores higher than your HD7970 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4717211


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Konkistadori*
> 
> And my HD7950 scores higher than your HD7970 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4717211


go away :Rolleyes:

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3210505

...how?


----------



## boredmug

Lol.. my 7950 crossfire out benched some 7970 crossfire setups when they had the fanboy contest. Ofcourse I think I was benching at 1290/1800


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> go away :Rolleyes:
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3210505
> 
> ...how?


His 7950 is at 1225MHz, clock the 7970 to 1175MHz and they should be about the same. Though it also depends on which card your using, Ex. My MSI 7950 @ 1190MHz scores a good bit higher then his Asus 7950 @ 1225MHz.


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> His 7950 is at 1225MHz, clock the 7970 to 1175MHz and they should be about the same. Though it also depends on which card your using, Ex. My MSI 7950 @ 1190MHz scores a good bit higher then his Asus 7950 @ 1225MHz.


Mm..., and well, i use reference cooled Asus HD7970


----------



## DR4G00N

Btw 1190MHz on my card is not stable at all, it artifacts non-stop and the driver crashes half the time. 1150MHz is the highest fully stable oc I am able to achieve on air with 1.3v.

Here's a run at 1150MHz w/ cpu at 4.42GHz: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3004143 (7797) (Graphics Score: 8804)


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Konkistadori*
> 
> And my HD7950 scores higher than your HD7970 http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4717211


You don't want to see my scores.


----------



## Mega Man




----------



## tsm106

lol, you trouble maker.


----------



## Mega Man




----------



## boredmug

Ooh! We gonna have a benching contest?


----------



## incog

Do you even bench?!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Do you even bench?!


What is bench? Like a chair? I got one in my avy pic..


----------



## boredmug




----------



## DR4G00N

Those are great scores







, here's my result when I had crossfire before my xfx gpu literally broke (silicon cracked): http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2826405 (10880) (Graphics Score 14722)

Both were only at 1GHz since the xfx card ran so hot (80c+ as bottom card) and cpu was at 3.8GHz (before I got an h110).

I have another msi tf 7950 and a sapphire dual-x 7950 3L coming, so i'll post some 2-way & 3-way crossfire results once they get here.


----------



## sugarhell

SO where is the benching contest? I only see 7970s below 1300


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> SO where is the benching contest? I only see 7970s below 1300


Lol.. well let me get out the pots and liquid nitrogen...


----------



## duganator

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3221980
That's the best I got. 1130/1700


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> SO where is the benching contest? I only see 7970s below 1300
> 
> 
> 
> Lol.. well let me get out the pots and liquid nitrogen...
Click to expand...

lol what? You don't need LN2 to hit 1300mhz, though watercooling will certainly help. Fyi, ppl have benched 1300mhz+ on these cards on AIR!


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol what? You don't need LN2 to hit 1300mhz, though watercooling will certainly help. Fyi, ppl have benched 1300mhz+ on these cards on AIR!


Wish I had one of those cards.


----------



## p5ych00n5

1150/1500 @ 1.25V

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4741557?

1150/1550 @ 1.25V

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8983720


----------



## boredmug

I was kidding. Best I could hit with gpu on water was 1295 at 1.3v. Vrm's are cooled with heat plate and fan.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> lol what? You don't need LN2 to hit 1300mhz, though watercooling will certainly help. Fyi, ppl have benched 1300mhz+ on these cards on AIR!


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I was kidding. Best I could hit with gpu on water was 1295 at 1.3v. Vrm's are cooled with heat plate and fan.


I could do that easily with a ref cooler


----------



## boredmug

Ditto, but it doesn't stay below 50 Celsius. I don't really water cool for huge numbers. It's more so my components stay cooler and don't sound like jets taking off. I run these cards at 1100/1600 at 1.140v normally.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I could do that easily with a ref cooler


----------



## duganator

So you seem like the resident expert on these cards. My cards voltage seems to drop really bad under load. I had a bios setup for 1.3v and under load in fire strike it would drop down to 1.2ish. The card was mid 50's as were the vrms, so I'm really confused as to what is going on.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> So you seem like the resident expert on these cards. *My cards voltage seems to drop really bad under load.* I had a bios setup for 1.3v and under load in fire strike it would drop down to 1.2ish. The card was mid 50's as were the vrms, so I'm really confused as to what is going on.


Vdroop, same as a cpu only GPUs lack any load line calibration options by default (only some nVidia cards with a bios mod or hard mod to my knowledge). Some Gpu's have it worse than others but it happens at high power/current draw. I used to have a great link explaining it better, will try to find it again.


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Vdroop, same as a cpu only GPUs lack any load line calibration options by default (only some nVidia cards with a bios mod or hard mod to my knowledge). Some Gpu's have it worse than others but it happens at high power/current draw. I used to have a great link explaining it better, will try to find it again.


I'm familiar with vdroop, I just didn't realize it would be that big of a drop under load.


----------



## MrStrat007

Assuming stock settings, a high-end CPU of 88W, such as a 4770k, sees Vdroop of maybe 0.050V when fully loaded, less with stricter LLC. A 7970 at stock will have an estimated power draw of between 225 and 250 watts at full load (power limit=100%), which is roughly 3x greater than the CPU.

I was surprised as you were when I first tested my MSI twin frozr 7970's at 1.3 and was only seeing 1.21ish volts on the core, but looking at my very rough math I guess it makes some sense when put into perspective. Means you need modded trixx with voltage up to 1.38V


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Assuming stock settings, a high-end CPU of 88W, such as a 4770k, sees Vdroop of maybe 0.050V when fully loaded, less with stricter LLC. A 7970 at stock will have an estimated power draw of between 225 and 250 watts at full load (power limit=100%), which is roughly 3x greater than the CPU.
> 
> I was surprised as you were when I first tested my MSI twin frozr 7970's at 1.3 and was only seeing 1.21ish volts on the core, but looking at my very rough math I guess it makes some sense when put into perspective. Means you need modded trixx with voltage up to 1.38V


Would I see any realistic benefit running at 1.38 to keep it at 1.3 under load? Do you think I'd see better clock speeds?


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Would I see any realistic benefit running at 1.38 to keep it at 1.3 under load? Do you think I'd see better clock speeds?


Realistically I would only touch 1.38V for benching purposes. In games (for me anyway) I find the framerate difference isn't enough to justify the added stress on the card. I game comfortably at 1100/1500 at 1.18 (1.129 effective iirc) without hiccups. As always ymmv, but personally anything above 1.30 in afterburner should be reserved for benching. Of course TSM and duganator among others would know more about this but thats my


----------



## p5ych00n5

Seems my cards (or either card) maxes out at 1180 Core, yet to test for max Memory clock


----------



## fx63007850

anyone know why 3dmarks does not show my overclock on gpu but does for cpu


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> anyone know why 3dmarks does not show my overclock on gpu but does for cpu


You using windows 8.1?


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> You using windows 8.1?


windows 7


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> windows 7


It does the same thing for me. From what I understand it's just a bug in the detection software.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> It does the same thing for me. From what I understand it's just a bug in the detection software.


ok but is it doing the test at the overclock thou


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> ok but is it doing the test at the overclock thou


Yes. Just to be sure though, use gpu z and monitor your clocks


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Yes. Just to be sure though, use gpu z and monitor your clocks


i was using openhardware monitor and its shows the clocks i set it too 1180/1400


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> windows 7
> 
> 
> 
> It does the same thing for me. From what I understand it's just a bug in the detection software.
Click to expand...

It's not a bug exactly, but more related to how you oc and if your oc process can hold clocks steady while FSI does it's checks. As you can see below, there are no problems reading clocks in these runs.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3094515

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8827138


----------



## duganator

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not a bug exactly, but more related to how you oc and if your oc process can hold clocks steady while FSI does it's checks. As you can see below, there are no problems reading clocks in these runs.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3094515
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8827138


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not a bug exactly, but more related to how you oc and if your oc process can hold clocks steady while FSI does it's checks. As you can see below, there are no problems reading clocks in these runs.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3094515
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8827138


Quite literally every run I've ever done, even 1 mhz above stock still shows as my stock clocks. It's a bug.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not a bug exactly, but more related to how you oc and if your oc process can hold clocks steady while FSI does it's checks. As you can see below, there are no problems reading clocks in these runs.
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3094515
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8827138
> 
> 
> 
> Quite literally every run I've ever done, even 1 mhz above stock still shows as my stock clocks. It's a bug.
Click to expand...

You call it a bug, yet I can make FSI show my clocks.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *duganator*
> 
> Quite literally every run I've ever done, even 1 mhz above stock still shows as my stock clocks. It's a bug.


First of all.... with my 280x, I only had good overclocking results with MSI AB.....

With the 290 I have now, I only have good OC results with Trixx.... strange, but it's the truth....

If you use MSI AB, and set a 3d profile, and then set that profile as your full tiem 3d profile, it will report correct clock speeds.... I can make my clocks report correctly and incorrectly in 3dmark.... obviously I prefer them to be correct, so with my 280x I was able to do so everytime, unless I turned off the profile, and they would report as stock....

With my 290, I am not able to make them report correctly because I don't use AB......

It is a bug I suppose, but if you do want your run to report your clock speeds to prove an overclock or something, I suggest creating the 3d profile with MSI AB.


----------



## aaronlaplante

have a 7970 twin frozr 3. Doing the red mod type thing with g10 and AIO cooler. I purchased a bunch of those copper heatsinks and mid range .5 fujipoly. Would you recommend using the bracket as you did. I only have one strip of the 100x15x.5 for the vrm and a square 50x60x.5 fujipoly. do i have enough to cover the components by stacking? would you ditch that cover for just straight copper swiftech heatsinks ([purchased them also? not looking for a major overclock just safe mild overclocked. VRM temps are the main concern for me.

If i use the stock cooling plate what would you recommending as far as stacking depth for vrm1 vrm2 and memory? would it be sueful to try and ditch the efford in exchange for the enzotech copper sink idea or pu tthem on top of the plate?

when i clean everything is a qtip safe along with xtreme clean surface cleaner? thanks


----------



## fx63007850

anyone know why im getting a low score of around 6808 gpu @1150/1350


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> anyone know why im getting a low score of around 6808 gpu @1150/1350


Your fx 6300 is holding you back by a ton, your graphics score looks about right though.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Your fx 6300 is holding you back by a ton, your graphics score looks about right though.


should i go for 8320 or the 8350 as dont have the money to go intel


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Your fx 6300 is holding you back by a ton, your graphics score looks about right though.
> 
> 
> 
> should i go for 8320 or the 8350 as dont have the money to go intel
Click to expand...

Dont know if that is worth the money there, as single threaded performance will be nearly identical. You might bench higher, but you wont feel it almost anywhere else. Keep those pennies in your pocket until you can afford a platform upgrade.

Just my two cents.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> should i go for 8320 or the 8350 as dont have the money to go intel


for benchmarks' sake? how are they in games? i don't think its worth it for a single 280/7950.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> for benchmarks' sake? how are they in games? i don't think its worth it for a single 280/7950.


it depends on what games im playing just say cod aw on high i get around 50-67 i think maybe more but will have to check tomorrow, the only game whats a killer is crysis 3


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> should i go for 8320 or the 8350 as dont have the money to go intel


Neither, you wouldn't see much of a difference in games over the 6300.

Going intel really isn't that expensive if you consider how long it will last, my i7-920 @ 4.2Ghz is about as fast as a 3770. I picked up the cpu + mobo for only $140 earlier this year and recently bought a xeon x5650 6 core for $100 that when oc'ed is roughly comparable to a stock 5820k, so it's a pretty good bang-for-the-buck if you know where to look.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Neither, you wouldn't see much of a difference in games over the 6300.
> 
> Going intel really isn't that expensive if you consider how long it will last, my i7-920 @ 4.2Ghz is about as fast as a 3770. I picked up the cpu + mobo for only $140 earlier this year and recently bought a xeon x5650 6 core for $100 that when oc'ed is roughly comparable to a stock 5820k, so it's a pretty good bang-for-the-buck if you know where to look.


yeah i know im in the UK so prices are different,
but for me to go intel i would have to sell my cpu/board 1st but i dont want to be without a pc


----------



## tsm106

Best thing to do is not to run futuremark benches.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Best thing to do is not to run futuremark benches.


Exactly. If you're happy with your gaming performance. Screw it.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Alright guys just a few questions.
I'm runnning my 7970 with a heatkiller Nic-Bi block, the rads I'm using are one UT60 240mm, and a ST30 280mm. I'm getting high 70's and into the 80's on full load with my card. This seems abnormal and I was wondering what I should do to fix it.
Thanks, Epic


----------



## hyp36rmax

Wow why didn't I think to post these 4k 7970 Crossfire benches here lol...

For your enjoyment:


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Alright guys just a few questions.
> I'm runnning my 7970 with a heatkiller Nic-Bi block, the rads I'm using are one UT60 240mm, and a ST30 280mm. I'm getting high 70's and into the 80's on full load with my card. This seems abnormal and I was wondering what I should do to fix it.
> Thanks, Epic


first I would check my pump make sure its running\flowing. Then check the T.I.M and pads on the block. Is this a new install ?


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> first I would check my pump make sure its running\flowing. Then check the T.I.M and pads on the block. Is this a new install ?


Yes it is a new install. Quick question I'm using arctic ceramique 5 is that fine for my GPU? Also how does one figure out if their pump is running?


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Yes it is a new install. Quick question I'm using arctic ceramique 5 is that fine for my GPU?


Okay new install make sure that the loop is Bleed of air. Artic ceramique 5 is TIM not the best but it is TIM.

You can try Gelid or look thru there site find something non capacitive and non conductive if you want to switch up.
http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g8/c127/s1491/list/p1/Thermal_Interface-Thermal_Interface_Materials-Gelid_Compounds-Page1.html


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Okay new install make sure that the loop is Bleed of air. Artic ceramique 5 is TIM not the best but it is TIM.
> 
> You can try Gelid or look thru there site find something non capacitive and non conductive if you want to switch up.
> http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g8/c127/s1491/list/p1/Thermal_Interface-Thermal_Interface_Materials-Gelid_Compounds-Page1.html


When you say bleed loop what do you mean?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> When you say bleed loop what do you mean?


Uhm.... its when you fill the loop up, turn PC on let it suck up the liquid then turn it off, until the system has enough and there is enough in the res so your not running on empty.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Uhm.... its when you fill the loop up, turn PC on let it suck up the liquid then turn it off, until the system has enough and there is enough in the res so your not running on empty.


So the loop has been bled. There is maybe one inch of air in the top of the res but that seems to be fine (it's a bay res and it almost the highest point in my loop). Also I just reapplied the TIM on the card and moved it up from the bottom waterblock to the top ( my main card broke







)


----------



## wanako

So, through series of fortunate events, I was given a 7970.







This will be my very first AMD card.

This was installed on my work computer Quartz to replace my beloved 660Ti. It is also my folding rig and damn... does this thing fold... XD


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Wow why didn't I think to post these 4k 7970 Crossfire benches here lol...
> 
> For your enjoyment:


Mantle?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Mantle?


Mantle would not load in 4k, possibly due to ram limitations.


----------



## adog12341

Anybody have a rough range of acceptable temps for a single 7970 in a loop? I think mine is running too hot and I'm not sure why. MSI 7970 OC/BE (1256mV) with EK full cover nickel block, AMD FX8350 with XSPC raystorm, NZXT h440, D5 at full speed, and 5x120mm rad space. Browsing the web it stays around 40C which seems pretty high. Taking the top and front panels off shave a few degrees off but not much. Playing BF4 the GPU will get up to 60 or 65C


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Anybody have a rough range of acceptable temps for a single 7970 in a loop? I think mine is running too hot and I'm not sure why. MSI 7970 OC/BE (1256mV) with EK full cover nickel block, AMD FX8350 with XSPC raystorm, NZXT h440, D5 at full speed, and 5x120mm rad space. Browsing the web it stays around 40C which seems pretty high. Taking the top and front panels off shave a few degrees off but not much. Playing BF4 the GPU will get up to 60 or 65C


What is your ambient temperatures? The delta is correct. What fans are you using on your radiators? RPM?


----------



## adog12341

Ambient in the room stays around 70F (~21C). XSPC 1650RPM fans on an AX360 @ 60% and some aerocool 120mm sharks @ ~1000RPM on the 240mm rad. I'll kick my fans to 100% and see how it changes.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> should i go for 8320 or the 8350 as dont have the money to go intel


From my experience if you have sufficient cooling yes do eeet! I really wanted to buy the FX 6300 initially but with what I know now, I am soo glad I got the Octo core instead

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Dont know if that is worth the money there, as single threaded performance will be nearly identical. You might bench higher, *but you wont feel it almost anywhere else*. Keep those pennies in your pocket until you can afford a platform upgrade.
> 
> Just my two cents.


Not true, in CPU intensive games like BF Multiplayer 8 cores has a distinct advantage over 6

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> it depends on what games im playing just say cod aw on high i get around 50-67 i think maybe more but will have to check tomorrow, the only game whats a killer is crysis 3


I believe crysis 3 is not as tough as the BF 3/4 (MP) series

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Neither, *you wouldn't see much of a difference in games over the 6300.*
> 
> Going intel really isn't that expensive if you consider how long it will last, my i7-920 @ 4.2Ghz is about as fast as a 3770. I picked up the cpu + mobo for only $140 earlier this year and recently bought a xeon x5650 6 core for $100 that when oc'ed is roughly comparable to a stock 5820k, so it's a pretty good bang-for-the-buck if you know where to look.


Again incorrect, I disabled 2 cores and tested my FX 8300 in BF3 MP both at 4.6ghz it was stutterfest with the 6 core but not with the 8

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> yeah i know im in the UK so prices are different,
> but for me to go intel i would have to sell my cpu/board 1st but i dont want to be without a pc


Go for the the 8 core and sell your 6300 to recoup some of the cost


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Not true, in CPU intensive games like BF Multiplayer 8 cores has a distinct advantage over 6




Since you mentioned BF4
The 8350 at 4Ghz gets 97 FPS
The 6300 at 3.5Ghz 88 FPS

15% higher clock speed will likely account for the 10% difference in FPS.
This overclock.net, so I am assuming since he is looking at overclockable CPUs that overclocking is in his bag of tricks.
Also note that clocked at the same speed as the 6300, with 2 less cores, the 4770k gets a 30% bump in performance.
Going from a 6300k to a 8350k is like going from a 87' Honda Civic to a 89' Honda Civic...Meanwhile Intel is spitting out brand new Cameros and Corvettes.

On the other hand, BF4 should have essentially all CPU constraints removed anyway thanks to mantle...so bad example

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Go for the the 8 core and sell your 6300 to recoup some of the cost


Using reselling to offset the cost to help your position is a straw man argument, because reselling will offset any purchase, not just a new 8350.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Ambient in the room stays around 70F (~21C). XSPC 1650RPM fans on an AX360 @ 60% and some aerocool 120mm sharks @ ~1000RPM on the 240mm rad. I'll kick my fans to 100% and see how it changes.


60-65 is on the high side. I have two mildly overclocked 7970s behind a 5.0 3570k and they top out at about 45 on a bad day, and idle barely over ambient.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 
> 
> Since you mentioned BF4
> The 8350 at 4Ghz gets 97 FPS
> The 6300 at 3.5Ghz 88 FPS
> 
> 15% higher clock speed will likely account for the 10% difference in FPS.
> This overclock.net, so I am assuming since he is looking at overclockable CPUs that overclocking is in his bag of tricks.
> Also note that clocked at the same speed as the 6300, with 2 less cores, the 4770k gets a 30% bump in performance.
> Going from a 6300k to a 8350k is like going from a 87' Honda Civic to a 89' Honda Civic...Meanwhile Intel is spitting out brand new Cameros and Corvettes.
> 
> On the other hand, BF4 should have essentially all CPU constraints removed anyway thanks to mantle...so bad example
> Using reselling to offset the cost to help your position is a straw man argument, because reselling will offset any purchase, not just a new 8350.
> 60-65 is on the high side. I have two mildly overclocked 7970s behind a 5.0 3570k and they top out at about 45 on a bad day, and idle barely over ambient.


*cough FX6300 is at 4.1GHz turbo* *cough*


----------



## adog12341

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 60-65 is on the high side. I have two mildly overclocked 7970s behind a 5.0 3570k and they top out at about 45 on a bad day, and idle barely over ambient.


Any idea why? It has a high voltage, but I don't think it would make that big of a difference. I've reapplied thermal paste once before and it did take the temps down about 10C, maybe I pasted it bad again? I have the right thermal pad config (0.5mm on ram and rear VRM, 1mm on "I/O" VRM). I was hoping to get closer to your temps.







Also, my VRM idle lower than the core, so I'm pretty sure that's an issue. lol


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> *cough FX6300 is at 4.1GHz turbo* *cough*


And the 8350 boosts to 4.2 I guess.
Is 8%-10% in a few specific situations worth the hastle / money of upgrading inside the same architecture? If he stacked a few more pennies, he could upgrade to an intel processor that he would be able to feel in almost every aspect of sitting at his computer, instead of just in synthetic benchmarks and a few heavily threaded games.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 60-65 is on the high side. I have two mildly overclocked 7970s behind a 5.0 3570k and they top out at about 45 on a bad day, and idle barely over ambient.
> 
> 
> 
> Any idea why? It has a high voltage, but I don't think it would make that big of a difference. I've reapplied thermal paste once before and it did take the temps down about 10C, maybe I pasted it bad again? I have the right thermal pad config (0.5mm on ram and rear VRM, 1mm on "I/O" VRM). I was hoping to get closer to your temps.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, my VRM idle lower than the core, so I'm pretty sure that's an issue. lol
Click to expand...

I wonder if maybe you dont have some air in your system, kink in a hose somewhere, or maybe the pump is not strong enough or turned up high enough.


----------



## adog12341

Tubing is pretty much straight, D5 on 5th setting. I do have quite a few angle fittings but my CPU temp seems to be line with what I was expecting. (FX8350, 60C tops at 1.475V with fans full blast).

My case ambients get pretty high so I'm going to change out the exhaust 140mm, but other than that I'm stumped.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Anybody have a rough range of acceptable temps for a single 7970 in a loop? I think mine is running too hot and I'm not sure why. MSI 7970 OC/BE (1256mV) with EK full cover nickel block, AMD FX8350 with XSPC raystorm, NZXT h440, D5 at full speed, and 5x120mm rad space. Browsing the web it stays around 40C which seems pretty high. Taking the top and front panels off shave a few degrees off but not much. Playing BF4 the GPU will get up to 60 or 65C


I have 3 x R9 290X and idle at 44C. So 7970 idling at 40C is a little high. I would think 32/34C idle at load about 45 to 50C. I had the 7970 under water at one time think those were my temps. FX8350 should go no where near over 50/55C under load water. Are the temps close to linear like close to 65C Max across the board. Sounds like air or there is an in out on the blocks reversed if you read the instructions you will see the flow make sure its right. If your D5 is running and the flow direction is right then you should not have those high of temps not with that Rad count. There not separate rads right. Like 5x120 across 2x240 1x120. Thanks


----------



## boredmug

Seems high to me. I've got two over clocked 7950's both on AIO coolers in my pc that idle 28-32 and max out around 48. I'll be adding them to my open loop this weekend with 5x120mm so I'll know then what kinda temps I will see. Expecting it to be better than the AIO coolers though. Do the blocks you uses require shims on the gpu or do they extend at the gpu to make contact with it?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Tubing is pretty much straight, D5 on 5th setting. I do have quite a few angle fittings but my CPU temp seems to be line with what I was expecting. (FX8350, 60C tops at 1.475V with fans full blast).
> 
> My case ambients get pretty high so I'm going to change out the exhaust 140mm, but other than that I'm stumped.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Tubing is pretty much straight, D5 on 5th setting. I do have quite a few angle fittings but my CPU temp seems to be line with what I was expecting. (FX8350, 60C tops at *1.475V* with fans full blast).
> 
> My case ambients get pretty high so I'm going to change out the exhaust 140mm, but other than that I'm stumped.


Your Voltage seems rather high, however what is your stock voltage? According to your ambient you should be around 45-50C @ load as I am around that with Crossfire 7970's @ 1125mhz and an i5 2500k @ 4.5ghz (1.35 Volts) with a 120mm and 180mm radiators and Gentle Typhoon fans.

Try to re-seat your your CPU and GPU blocks and check the amount of thermal paste. Do you have pictures of your setup?


----------



## adog12341

Holy cow! Nice rig









At first startup it does idle around 30C, but shoots up to 40C doing even basic web browsing (aka not watching any videos). On heaven I think I maxed out at 65C an hour in.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> Your Voltage seems rather high, however what is your stock voltage? According to your ambient you should be around 45-50C @ load as I am around that with Crossfire 7970's @ 1125mhz and an i5 2500k @ 4.5ghz (1.35 Volts) with a 120mm and 180mm radiators and Gentle Typhoon fans.
> 
> Try to re-seat your your CPU and GPU blocks and check the amount of thermal paste. Do you have pictures of your setup?


CPU is OC'd to 4.7GHZ. Stock volts is 1.38 I believe. I'll also reseat and get some pics when I get the time. (Engineering lab report due tomorrow.







)


----------



## boredmug

I had a bad driver install one time that caused a 7950 to stay at full speed no matter what. It never idled down to 300mhz. Do you monitor your gpu's mhz? I know my top card is always a few degrees hotter than my bottom one because with eyefinity displays it causes my top card to idle at 500mhz while the bottom one idles at 300mhz. Also Web browsing causes it to bounce up to full boost and back down to idle periodically.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 
> 
> Since you mentioned BF4
> The 8350 at 4Ghz gets 97 FPS
> The 6300 at 3.5Ghz 88 FPS
> 
> 15% higher clock speed will likely account for the 10% difference in FPS.
> This overclock.net, so I am assuming since he is looking at overclockable CPUs that overclocking is in his bag of tricks.
> Also note that clocked at the same speed as the 6300, with 2 less cores, the 4770k gets a 30% bump in performance.
> Going from a 6300k to a 8350k is like going from a 87' Honda Civic to a 89' Honda Civic...Meanwhile Intel is spitting out brand new Cameros and Corvettes.
> 
> On the other hand, BF4 should have essentially all CPU constraints removed anyway thanks to mantle...so bad example
> Using reselling to offset the cost to help your position is a straw man argument, because reselling will offset any purchase, not just a new 8350.
> 60-65 is on the high side. I have two mildly overclocked 7970s behind a 5.0 3570k and they top out at about 45 on a bad day, and idle barely over ambient.


Is that bench single or multiplayer? Bear in mind I am basing my argument off running my cpu overclocked with 2 cores disabled in a multi-threaded environment not benchmarks or hearsay
Well as far as your Intel argument, OP said does not have money for new intel CPU and mobo, so surely tis cheaper to keep the mobo he has and just get a better cpu, Instead of recommending 4770k which is equivalent to the combined price an AMD cpu and motherboard


----------



## adog12341

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I had a bad driver install one time that caused a 7950 to stay at full speed no matter what. It never idled down to 300mhz. Do you monitor your gpu's mhz? I know my top card is always a few degrees hotter than my bottom one because with eyefinity displays it causes my top card to idle at 500mhz while the bottom one idles at 300mhz. Also Web browsing causes it to bounce up to full boost and back down to idle periodically.


I reinstalled drivers before I reseated the block the first time, so I don't think that's it. When browsing my core clock seems to stay between 300 and 500mhz, so it has the right idle clock.







I'm tempted to swap out for my HIS 7970, which always had lower temps of the two, but it has elpida memory


----------



## boredmug

Both of those cards would reside in my pcie slots at the same time. Lol


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 
> 
> Since you mentioned BF4
> The 8350 at 4Ghz gets 97 FPS
> The 6300 at 3.5Ghz 88 FPS
> 
> 15% higher clock speed will likely account for the 10% difference in FPS.
> This overclock.net, so I am assuming since he is looking at overclockable CPUs that overclocking is in his bag of tricks.
> Also note that clocked at the same speed as the 6300, with 2 less cores, the 4770k gets a 30% bump in performance.
> Going from a 6300k to a 8350k is like going from a 87' Honda Civic to a 89' Honda Civic...Meanwhile Intel is spitting out brand new Cameros and Corvettes.
> 
> On the other hand, BF4 should have essentially all CPU constraints removed anyway thanks to mantle...so bad example
> Using reselling to offset the cost to help your position is a straw man argument, because reselling will offset any purchase, not just a new 8350.
> 
> my cpu @4.8 when i overclock it and tops out at 47-56 custom loop with a 7950 in there aswell core only, i dont play bf3,4 mp as i dont like it, im a cod guy,
> so is it worth me getting the 8320 or 8350 or should i just wait till i cannot play games at above 40 fps or just wait till what amd brings out next as im amd fan


----------



## diggiddi

For COD u can Stick with the 6300 then

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-pc-performance,3683-10.html

http://www.hardwarepal.com/call-duty-ghosts-benchmark-cpu-gpu-performance/

http://www.techspot.com/review/601-black-ops-2-performance/page5.html

http://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-pc-performance-analysis/


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Ambient in the room stays around 70F (~21C). XSPC 1650RPM fans on an AX360 @ 60% and some aerocool 120mm sharks @ ~1000RPM on the 240mm rad. I'll kick my fans to 100% and see how it changes.


i got a feeling it is your pump only way to prove it is to run a second which may not be an option
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Not true, in CPU intensive games like BF Multiplayer 8 cores has a distinct advantage over 6
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Since you mentioned BF4
> The 8350 at 4Ghz gets 97 FPS
> The 6300 at 3.5Ghz 88 FPS
> 
> 15% higher clock speed will likely account for the 10% difference in FPS.
> This overclock.net, so I am assuming since he is looking at overclockable CPUs that overclocking is in his bag of tricks.
> Also note that clocked at the same speed as the 6300, with 2 less cores, the 4770k gets a 30% bump in performance.
> Going from a 6300k to a 8350k is like going from a 87' Honda Civic to a 89' Honda Civic...Meanwhile Intel is spitting out brand new Cameros and Corvettes.
> 
> On the other hand, BF4 should have essentially all CPU constraints removed anyway thanks to mantle...so bad example
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Go for the the 8 core and sell your 6300 to recoup some of the cost
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Using reselling to offset the cost to help your position is a straw man argument, because reselling will offset any purchase, not just a new 8350.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *adog12341*
> 
> Ambient in the room stays around 70F (~21C). XSPC 1650RPM fans on an AX360 @ 60% and some aerocool 120mm sharks @ ~1000RPM on the 240mm rad. I'll kick my fans to 100% and see how it changes.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 60-65 is on the high side. I have two mildly overclocked 7970s behind a 5.0 3570k and they top out at about 45 on a bad day, and idle barely over ambient.
Click to expand...

at the reselling not really as if going to intel he would have to spend alot more on new mobo and possibly new ram, as intel seems more picky then amd imo
at everything else, you both seem to be fanboys of both sides i personally prefer amd, - at your civic comment i can tell you you are far from accurate, but rather then get in the dirt with you

how about you both ask the end user what HE uses his pc for ? what his budget is? and lastly what matters most to him, the fastest pc ever, fast but cost friendly ( please give us a cost you think is cost friendly ), or dont care much as long as it is in his budget and will play games. those 3 questions are what determine what someone has to buy, period, nothing more, and esp not "intel is better/amd is better"


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> For COD u can Stick with the 6300 then
> 
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/call-of-duty-ghosts-pc-performance,3683-10.html
> 
> http://www.hardwarepal.com/call-duty-ghosts-benchmark-cpu-gpu-performance/
> 
> http://www.techspot.com/review/601-black-ops-2-performance/page5.html
> 
> http://www.dsogaming.com/pc-performance-analyses/call-of-duty-advanced-warfare-pc-performance-analysis/


thats not all i play, shadow or mordor, crysis, metro, gta, and some more


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> thats not all i play, shadow or mordor, crysis, metro, gta, and some more


Going to want an fx-8 or i5 then


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Going to want an fx-8 or i5 then


i go for the fx so dont have to change boards but which one


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> i go for the fx so dont have to change boards but which one


Wait for black friday or daily deal blast for a fx 8350 or grab it now for 180


----------



## X-Alt

I'm about to start OCing my Mehtrix 7970 further (1240MHz, hopefully) but I've heard many things about exceeding 1.3V, that it does nothing, its only for water, its fine, etc. I'm looking for the nail in the coffin for the issue. My card is pretty high leakage (64% ASIC) and is currently running 1175\[email protected] with Vdroop to 1.25V.. I'm on air (DCUII Triple Slot, not the best..) as of now, which is my main concern, but temps do not exceed 64C on BF4 with a custom fan curve, so am I in the clear to start pumping the voltage?

Regards,
Alt


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Alright, I'm starting to look into OCing my 7970 to 1200MHz+, but I've heard many things about exceeding 1.3V, and I'm looking for the nail in the coffin for the issue. My card is pretty high leakage (64% ASIC) and is currently running 1175\[email protected] (with some Vdroop, of course), and I'm on air (7970 Matrix Triple slot, not the best) as of now, which is my main concern for pumping it up...
> 
> Regards,
> Alt


Your main concern is going to be heat at 1.3+

If you are only hitting 1175 at 1.275, the card won't have a ton left in it anyways, but there may be the potential to get between 1220-1250.

I found that with my tahiti (I was using the Asus 280x), at 1.3v (1.26-.28 actual voltage with droop), I was able to hit 1260 artifact free, but my PSU was my limiting factor.
My 12v rail was becoming unstable, and when the core would droop below 1.22 sometimes, I would get a flicker, or an artifact.

I was able to benchmark with no artifacts at 1270. With more power, I know 1300 would of been doable at 1.35+/- but my temps, even with the DirectCU cooler (your matrix cooler should be a bit better) I was hitting 88c sometimes!!


----------



## jason387

I was thinking of getting a R9 280X but the only one available which is used is the XFX one. I've seen in quite a few reviews that they don't overclock well as their voltage cannot be increased despite MSI Afterburner having the option. Is this a good 280X to invest in??


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> I was thinking of getting a R9 280X but the only one available which is used is the XFX one. I've seen in quite a few reviews that they don't overclock well as their voltage cannot be increased despite MSI Afterburner having the option. Is this a good 280X to invest in??


This xfx version of 280x very very bad stay away from them they have very bad vrm cooling the heatsink over the vrm is Blastic not metal so no vrm cooling thats bug with xfx cooler very bad

also the core temp high too my friend get 2 of them and end of high temp then he rma them and replace them with msi 280x gaming and vapor-x

the best you can get from 280x is the sapphire vapor-x for sure the new design 3 fan amazing on OC and cooling !


----------



## PunkX 1

I recently had my 7950 Vapor-X RMA'd and got back a brand new one.

The old one (8+6 pin) was a dud overclocker; couldn't go beyond 1100/1350Mhz, was high leakage and had overheating VRMs (RMA'd because the VRMs popped







)

The new one (8+8 pin) seems to be much better. Does 1220/1700Mhz at 1.3v (1.23v with vdroop), with the core maxing out at 68-70c with the fan on auto, and the VRMs topping out at 63-76c, depending on what i'm running.

What's the max safe VRM limit on these cards?


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Your main concern is going to be heat at 1.3+
> 
> If you are only hitting 1175 at 1.275, the card won't have a ton left in it anyways, but there may be the potential to get between 1220-1250.
> 
> I found that with my tahiti (I was using the Asus 280x), at 1.3v (1.26-.28 actual voltage with droop), I was able to hit 1260 artifact free, but my PSU was my limiting factor.
> My 12v rail was becoming unstable, and when the core would droop below 1.22 sometimes, I would get a flicker, or an artifact.
> 
> I was able to benchmark with no artifacts at 1270. With more power, I know 1300 would of been doable at 1.35+/- but my temps, even with the DirectCU cooler (your matrix cooler should be a bit better) I was hitting 88c sometimes!!


I don't know what my card can do at 1275Mv, I think I had it at 1.25V\1.26V with the current clock setup until started stuttering in BF4 MANTLE (I realized it was because FOV, and I reverted to DX11 to have Ultra 120FOV) and I never changed it back, after all it is a high leakage card. I'll run BF4 and Heaven tests 1275mv, 1220MHz Core. I tested my current OC with three benchmarks of Heaven to warm it up and then run BF4 for the rest, or should I go more extreme this time around? My setup is pretty loud, and I set my fans kick up to 60% once my card hits 41C, so I'm hoping it will stay under 70C, considering that there will be no volts added in this run.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

80-90c VRM is very common from what I've seen......
I have seen people hitting over 100c on VRM's "without issue," but that could be denial, lol


----------



## jason387

Thanks. I've heard of the XFX 280's over heating and attaining poor over clocks.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> Thanks. I've heard of the XFX 280's over heating and attaining poor over clocks.


Yeah, those xfx cards are crap. I had 2 xfx DD 7950's and both of them where hot & loud Ex. (2 way config) my msi tf card was on top the temps were 68-75c, the xfx (bottom card) was at 80-85c and much louder than my msi card.


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yeah, those xfx cards are crap. I had 2 xfx DD 7950's and both of them where hot & loud Ex. (2 way config) my msi tf card was on top the temps were 68-75c, the xfx (bottom card) was at 80-85c and much louder than my msi card.


Yea but if you live in the US and have a problem there warranty is golden. That's why I own 3 of them. You can waterblock them and the warranty is still good. Just a heads up.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Jflisk*
> 
> Yea but if you live in the US and have a problem there warranty is golden. That's why I own 3 of them. You can waterblock them and the warranty is still good. Just a heads up.


Both of the cards died, the silicon cracked on the first one and the second started artifacting. I bought them used so they were just out of their 2 year warranty, and since I live in canada it would have been ~$40-50 to send them out for repairs. They were crap quality cards anyway with locked voltage, terrible vrm cooling & elpida ram. So I just bought 2 more 7950's, a msi tf v277 & a sapphire dual-x 3L.


----------



## jason387

Don't they also come with Elpida Memory chips?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> Don't they also come with Elpida Memory chips?


My XFX has Hynix. but they use elpida a lot too yes

on another note, Am I crazy for spending $24 just to make 7990 A Single slot from EK-UK? because this I/O panel seems to be VERY hard to find.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yeah, those xfx cards are crap. I had 2 xfx DD 7950's and both of them where hot & loud Ex. (2 way config) my msi tf card was on top the temps were 68-75c, the xfx (bottom card) was at 80-85c and much louder than my msi card.


I have an XFX 7970 DD Black and it worked great! Now that I have mine under water they work even better


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hyp36rmax*
> 
> I have an XFX 7970 DD Black and it worked great! Now that I have mine under water they work even better


Does it have a reference board?


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Does it have a reference board?


Yes! One of the original when they first came out in 2012, as it is also the only reason I can mount a GPU water-block on it.


----------



## DR4G00N

Ah, mine were custom:



You could also buy blocks for these.
Heatkiller XFX edition I think it was.

The second card may still work if I can get it back together. I baked it to reflow the solder and over did it







, some capacitors & chokes fell off. It's also nice and golden brown now, yum.


----------



## jason387

It's been a week since I've given my 7870 in for RMA. It started to black screen and then while playing BF3 I saw grey and black lines. I restarted the computer and then at the motherboard splash screen it began artifacting and then the display would go off. It had Elpida Memory. I wonder if the cards with Elpida Memory are more likely to artifact.


----------



## hyp36rmax

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Ah, mine were custom:
> 
> 
> 
> You could also buy blocks for these.
> Heatkiller XFX edition I think it was.


Yes XFX did change the PCB mid way through for both the 7950 and 7970. Also aware Heat killer made a block as well. Really anticipating the new 390X for some 4k action with my ASUS PB287Q as my 7970's are showing it's age LOL


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> It's been a week since I've given my 7870 in for RMA. It started to black screen and then while playing BF3 I saw grey and black lines. I restarted the computer and then at the motherboard splash screen it began artifacting and then the display would go off. It had Elpida Memory. I wonder if the cards with Elpida Memory are more likely to artifact.


is it running stock? temps when it starts doing that? Was it a new gpu or a refurb

XFX got my card and next day they sent me a BNIB wrapped card and mines been fine (but its not a 7870)


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> It's been a week since I've given my 7870 in for RMA. It started to black screen and then while playing BF3 I saw grey and black lines. I restarted the computer and then at the motherboard splash screen it began artifacting and then the display would go off. It had Elpida Memory. I wonder if the cards with Elpida Memory are more likely to artifact.


Idk but I know for sure that my msi 7950 with hynix is a tank, I've done everything on it, Folding, Mining (litecoin & dogecoin) & currently crunching. It hasn't broken a sweat with it's overbuilt reference 7970 pcb







. I bought it used for $250 sometime last year (just before the rise of cryptocurrency).


----------



## jason387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> is it running stock? temps when it starts doing that? Was it a new gpu or a refurb
> 
> XFX got my card and next day they sent me a BNIB wrapped card and mines been fine (but its not a 7870)


It was a Sapphire 7870 Ghz Edition Card. A new one. I heard that there were some bad batches and that could be found out by the SKU Number on the sticker on the PCB of the GPU. Do you think I'll get a 7870 back?


----------



## jason387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Idk but I know for sure that my msi 7950 with hynix is a tank, I've done everything on it, Folding, Mining (litecoin & dogecoin) & currently crunching. It hasn't broken a sweat with it's overbuilt reference 7970 pcb
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I bought it used for $250 sometime last year (just before the rise of cryptocurrency).


Nice







. I'm hoping my next gpu has Hynix Memory. I previously owned a GTX 650Ti which had Hynix Memory and the Memory clocked well, from 1350Mhz to 1750Mhz.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> It was a Sapphire 7870 Ghz Edition Card. A new one. I heard that there were some bad batches and that could be found out by the SKU Number on the sticker on the PCB of the GPU. Do you think I'll get a 7870 back?


You'll either get a 7870 or a r9 270x back I think.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> Nice
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> . I'm hoping my next gpu has Hynix Memory. I previously owned a GTX 650Ti which had Hynix Memory and the Memory clocked well, from 1350Mhz to 1750Mhz.


My cards ram doesn't oc well, about 1500Mhz with 1.625v. I think it's because the asic is so low (55.1%).


----------



## jason387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> You'll either get a 7870 or a r9 270x back I think.
> My cards ram doesn't oc well, about 1500Mhz with 1.625v. I think it's because the asic is so low (55.1%).


Yeah my guess is a R9 270X cause the 7870's are out of stock but then again anything can happen. I hope I get it back within the next 14 days


----------



## DR4G00N

I just got my 2nd msi tf 7950 v277 today in the mailbox







, i'm just waiting for the condensation to dry off (about 1c outside) before I toss it in my rig. It's exactly the same model card as I have now so I hope it performs just as good if not better.


----------



## jason387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I just got my 2nd msi tf 7950 v277 today in the mailbox
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> , i'm just waiting for the condensation to dry off (about 1c outside) before I toss it in my rig. It's exactly the same model card as I have now so I hope it performs just as good if not better.


What are your present max overclocks?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> What are your present max overclocks?


1150Mhz core @ 1.3v , 1500 mem @ 1.625v fully stable, with no artifacts

I can do benchmarking at 1190/1180Mhz core but it artifacts like hell.

Though oddly @ 1150Mhz it outperforms other 7950's clocked at 1200Mhz+


----------



## jason387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> 1150Mhz core @ 1.3v , 1500 mem @ 1.625v fully stable, with no artifacts
> 
> I can do benchmarking at 1190/1180Mhz core but it artifacts like hell.
> 
> Though oddly @ 1150Mhz it outperforms other 7950's clocked at 1200Mhz+


Can yoou post your 3D Mark 11 or 3D Mark Firestrike Score at 1150Mhz on the core?


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> 1150Mhz core @ 1.3v , 1500 mem @ 1.625v fully stable, with no artifacts
> 
> I can do benchmarking at 1190/1180Mhz core but it artifacts like hell.
> 
> Though oddly @ 1150Mhz it outperforms other 7950's clocked at 1200Mhz+


Yeah, if you could post your 3DMark 11 and Firestrike scores, I'll jab at it with my card at 1200Mhz


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> Can yoou post your 3D Mark 11 or 3D Mark Firestrike Score at 1150Mhz on the core?


Firestrike: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3004143

3DMark 11: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8822448

Here's my firestrike score at 1190Mhz: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3073667


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> 1150Mhz core @ 1.3v , 1500 mem @ 1.625v fully stable, with no artifacts
> 
> I can do benchmarking at 1190/1180Mhz core but it artifacts like hell.
> 
> Though oddly @ 1150Mhz it outperforms other 7950's clocked at 1200Mhz+


Got a FireStrike?

The "outperforms other 7950's clocked at 1200MHz+" thing seems strange. A lot of factors can come into play there; drivers, memory clocks, memory timings, etc.....
Just curious to see how yours scores... I am really surprised it needs 1.3v to get 1150 though, what are the temps??? Seems like too much voltage, and I'm wondering is the heat generated from the voltage negating your overclock. I have seen cases where dialing back down to 1.25-1.275 actually increased the max clock speed by reducing the core temp.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Firestrike: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3004143
> 
> 3DMark 11: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8822448
> 
> Here's my firestrike score at 1190Mhz: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3073667


Here's my card at 1242/1730Mhz:



I'll do a Firestrike run in a bit.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> My cards ram doesn't oc well, about 1500Mhz with 1.625v. I think it's because the asic is so low (55.1%).


Pretty sure that the ASIC quality has less to do with the VRAM overclock than the quality of the memory chips. Elpida memory typically caps out at 1500 without really juicing it, where Hynix regularly hit 1700 without needing any voltage adjustment, and fequently hit closer to 1800-1900 if you gave it some volts. The ASIC relates to the core, which could affect communication with the memory when dogged out, but more likely would be a factor in your core clock than your VRAM clocks. 55% sounds like it would be best under water or LN2. Probably nothing special on air.

Edit to add: ASIC score is often given too much credit for overclockability, and many times the lack thereof. I would look at the quality of the rest of the parts on board, and the temperatures the card runs at before blaming a low ASIC score on anything.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Got a FireStrike?
> 
> The "outperforms other 7950's clocked at 1200MHz+" thing seems strange. A lot of factors can come into play there; drivers, memory clocks, memory timings, etc.....
> Just curious to see how yours scores... I am really surprised it needs 1.3v to get 1150 though, what are the temps??? Seems like too much voltage, and I'm wondering is the heat generated from the voltage negating your overclock. I have seen cases where dialing back down to 1.25-1.275 actually increased the max clock speed by reducing the core temp.


It runs at a chill 65-70c with 50% fan.


----------



## jason387

After looking ath these score I think I need to get myself a 7950







Here's the 7870 which stopped working.
3D Mark 11-


----------



## DR4G00N

I should put it _sometimes_ outperforms other 7950's @ 1200+, though regularly it's about even/ ever so slightly worse.

Here's a 3dmark11 run at 1190Mhz: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8921654


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I should put it _sometimes_ outperforms other 7950's @ 1200+, though regularly it's about even/ ever so slightly worse.
> 
> Here's a 3dmark11 run at 1190Mhz: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8921654


I'll do a run at 1200Mhz and stock memory in a sec.

*Edit*: Here you go - http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8998262


----------



## DR4G00N

I'm gonna flash my cards bios back to stock (was trying a sapphire bios to see if I could oc better) and throw in my other card. I need to update drivers anyway.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I should put it _sometimes_ outperforms other 7950's @ 1200+, though regularly it's about even/ ever so slightly worse.
> 
> Here's a 3dmark11 run at 1190Mhz: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8921654


What's really impressive is how that old i7 still puts up a good showing....

You can still go through another GPU or two in that rig....

I am all about getting extended use out of a system now days. I used to be the type to constantly upgrade CPU/mobo...

I only do that with video cards now








But I mean seriously, with the way games have headed, it's all you really gotta do......

Edit: Oh yeah, and get a new PSU when you blow your 8 year old one up overclocking that new GPU.....


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> What's really impressive is how that old i7 still puts up a good showing....
> 
> You can still go through another GPU or two in that rig....
> 
> I am all about getting extended use out of a system now days. I used to be the type to constantly upgrade CPU/mobo...
> 
> I only do that with video cards now
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I mean seriously, with the way games have headed, it's all you really gotta do......


Yeah, I also have a xeon x5650 6 core sitting next to me, I just need to solder my mobo in a few places to get it to work. (It also help's that the mobo can do 3-way sli/cfx)

Btw it can do up to 4.42Ghz but it's not stable at all, I can only do light benchmarking or it bsod's and it requires 1.5v to even boot







. 4.2Ghz @ 1.45v is rock solid though.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yeah, I also have a xeon x5650 6 core sitting next to me, I just need to solder my mobo in a few places to get it to work.
> 
> Btw that oc is not stable at all, I can only do light benchmarking or it bsod's and it requires 1.5v to even boot
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


Well, the 4.2 you run is stable right? That gives you about the same CPU power of an i5 4690k at 4.6-8GHz..... well, in apps that are multithreaded anyways, and FireStrike physics LOVES threads.

If Firestrike is any indication of what games will soon be, which I hope it is, then our old CPU's can keep on doing Expendables movies, LMAO


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Edit: Oh yeah, and get a new PSU when you blow your 8 year old one up overclocking that new GPU.....


What? I have an Evga 1300 G2 that I just bought a month ago







. Or are you talking about that rosewill (only a few months old, it's the new one with a 60A single rail)?


----------



## Agent Smith1984

LMAO, no no.... lol

I am talking about me!!









I blew my PSU up overclocking my 290. It was 8 years old though, was a great unit, just aged...


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> LMAO, no no.... lol
> 
> I am talking about me!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I blew my PSU up overclocking my 290. It was 8 years old though, was a great unit, just aged...


Ah, ok now I understand









Got my other card in just installing drivers atm, hopefully my sapphire card will get here soon so I can get some tri-fire benches in.


----------



## DR4G00N

Here's my firestrike score with both cards at stock (960Mhz): http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3267530 (11157) (Graphics Score 14572)

And one with both cards @ 1100Mhz: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3267564 (11947) (Graphics Score 16138)







What a score increase!

New card has an asic of 65.1% so it should oc a bit better.









3DMark11 run: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8998930


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Here's my firestrike score with both cards at stock (960Mhz): http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3267530 (11157) (Graphics Score 14572)
> 
> And one with both cards @ 1100Mhz: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3267564 (11947) (Graphics Score 16138)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What a score increase!
> 
> New card has an asic of 65.1% so it should oc a bit better.


Yeah, is that memory clock correct? You will get some huge gains if you get in the realm of 1500+ on the memory....


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Yeah, is that memory clock correct? You will get some huge gains if you get in the realm of 1500+ on the memory....


Yup, I haven't oc'ed the mem yet. I'll do it later.


----------



## X-Alt

After some benching, slight artifacts started to appear, but I noticed that my voltage had droooped all the way down to 1.235V, is this normal for cards with high leakage (61% ASIC)?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> After some benching, slight artifacts started to appear, but I noticed that my voltage had droooped all the way down to 1.235V, is this normal for cards with high leakage (61% ASIC)?


Yeah that's normal one of my cards (55.1% asic) drops down to 1.213v under load when set at 1.3v


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yeah that's normal one of my cards (55.1% asic) drops down to 1.213v under load when set at 1.3v


Should I set it up to compensate?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Should I set it up to compensate?


If you wan't to, then sure. Though keep in mind, the higher you set the voltage the shorter your card will last.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> If you wan't to, then sure. Though keep in mind, the higher you set the voltage the shorter your card will last.


Obviously, but unless you are doing 1.35+ on air, it shouldn't affect the lifespan in any meaningful way..


----------



## Wasseam

Got the 7950 by trading my friend who was having issues with it. Made a new build and put another one i got off ebay in crossfire. pretty much going to overclock till they explode then might get a gtx970 or an r9 295x or whatever amd looks good at the time. Any good crossfire optimization guides for these cards?

DSC_0046.JPG 3023k .JPG file


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wasseam*
> 
> Got the 7950 by trading my friend who was having issues with it. Made a new build and put another one i got off ebay in it. pretty much going to overclock till they explode then might get a gtx970 or an r9 295x or whatever amd looks good at the time.
> 
> DSC_0046.JPG 3023k .JPG file


Well, if they clock pretty decently, you aren't gonna need anything else unless VRAM size is an issue for you...... good luck!! Post up some FireStrike when you get em cranking


----------



## Gereti

OOkay, putted order to go today and ordered accelero IV to my HD7970, let's see may i need to do something about gpu to fit it (copper shim or something...)

Hmm, my inside ambient on my room is now +13*C


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> OOkay, putted order to go today and ordered accelero IV to my HD7970, let's see may i need to do something about gpu to fit it (copper shim or something...)
> 
> Hmm, my inside ambient on my room is now +13*C


Hope you don't need the shim, because it really hurts the aftermarket cooling performance.


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Hope you don't need the shim, because it really hurts the aftermarket cooling performance.


Mm... have to see that, i wasn't able to order any other cooler, becose my payment method's, was able to use on ounly one store what i was able to find, and arctic cooling accelero was ounly gpu cooler what they was selling...

Well, atlest i got 240gb crucial m500 ssd to 95€...


----------



## DR4G00N

Firestrike scores with both cards at 1130 core 1.213v /1400 mem 1.6v:

Firestrike: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3273532 (12206) (Graphics Score 16687)

Firestike Ultra: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3273575 (3783) (Graphics Score 3874)

I tried some 3dmark11 but it wasn't utilizing the gpu's fully for some reason so the results were flawed.


----------



## PunkX 1

Did a quick 3dMark 11 graphics score run at 1250/1800Mhz:



I'll try going higher on the memory


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Did a quick 3dMark 11 graphics score run at 1250/1800Mhz:
> 
> 
> 
> I'll try going higher on the memory


What's your firestrike with thise 1250/1800 clocks?


----------



## DR4G00N

Any idea on how to cool these beasts better other than watercooling? I'm getting 60-65c on the bottom card & 65-75c on the top card with both cards at 960Mhz @ 1.063v (1.006v actually) 55% fan. I think when I get the sapphire card tomorrow (probably) they will get too hot. I already have a fan blowing on them but it doesn't seem to help much.


----------



## Wasseam

is corsair link recommended? I cant get it to work right with my cards! or just the software in the second post?

thanks!


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Any idea on how to cool these beasts better other than watercooling? I'm getting 60-65c on the bottom card & 65-75c on the top card with both cards at 960Mhz @ 1.063v (1.006v actually) 55% fan. I think when I get the sapphire card tomorrow (probably) they will get too hot. I already have a fan blowing on them but it doesn't seem to help much.


open side panel, redo tim, turn fans up more, add more fans


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Wasseam*
> 
> is corsair link recommended? I cant get it to work right with my cards! or just the software in the second post?
> 
> thanks!


I personally think corsair link is rubbish but that's just my 2 cents.


----------



## tsm106

^^Concur. Though, the longer I used Corsair products, especially their peripherals, the more I lose confidence.


----------



## Mr-Dark

So any one here flash sapphire 7950 dual-x to r9 280 Non x ?i cant found sapphire 280 bios


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> So any one here flash sapphire 7950 dual-x to r9 280 Non x ?i cant found sapphire 280 bios


Seemed to have worked for someone:

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/r9-280-non-x-bios-request.204470/


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Seemed to have worked for someone:
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/r9-280-non-x-bios-request.204470/


Yes maby this use flash bios via use bootable not like me in the windows they tell me mismatch ID


----------



## Gereti

Hehöhehee


----------



## boredmug

I had some AIO coolers on my 7950's. Yesterday I added some universal blocks with a bridge. Well now there is a problem with my top card. Bios screen displays, boot screen displays, but the screen either goes black or has lines in it at the log on screen. It goes block when you log into windows. If I put one of my monitors on the second card windows recognizes both cards and displays stats in afterburner but the screen goes black immediately if you try anything like a game or benchmark.

I have noticed the tube from my cpu to the top of the bridge is a little too long and putting some force on the cards in the pcie slot. Maybe it's not making good contact? Could I have possibly damaged my die?

Any ideas? I'm hoping I didn't fubar my card


----------



## Gereti

Pff, it was't able to fit without problem, so i fixed it


----------



## DR4G00N

Third card arrived









I'll do some benches in a bit.


----------



## DR4G00N

Firestrike with all cards @ 960Mhz:

*Firestrike:* http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3282768 (13999) (Graphics Score 21417)

*Firestrike Extreme:* http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3282935 (8122) (Graphics Score 9709)

*Firestrike Ultra:* http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3283063 (4683) (Graphics Score 4949)

I'm really liking these numbers so far, can't wait to oc them.









Edit: 3DMark 11: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/9009490 (P16049) (Graphics Score 25570)

Firestike oc'ed to 1130MHz core/1250 mem 1.213v http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3284422 (14705) (Graphics Score 23726)


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gereti*
> 
> Pff, it was't able to fit without problem, so i fixed it


What the hell is that you're using for a shim? Awful lot of TIM you got underneath it.


----------



## TRusselo

[Build Log] Heatkiller Rev 3.0 & GPU-X3 79X0 & GPU-X3 R9 280x


----------



## Gereti

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> What the hell is that you're using for a shim? Awful lot of TIM you got underneath it.


Piece of carpet knife blade


----------



## PunkX 1




----------



## Wasseam

what all in one cooler would you recommend though. similar in form factor to the H100i


----------



## Mega Man

waterblock full cover


----------



## PunkX 1

My 3DMark Vantage score sucks.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> My 3DMark Vantage score sucks.


Not surprising considering how old vantage is. My score with 3x 7950's is the same as just using one!


----------



## PunkX 1

^I got 29659 at 1200/1700Mhz


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> ^I got 29659 at 1200/1700Mhz


I get 39621 with three cards @ 960/1250, 35676 with two @ 960/1250 & 31530 @ 1150/1575 with one. It seems to only make a difference at the very first and very last parts of the tests, it even drops down to 25% usage per card sometimes.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> ^I got 29659 at 1200/1700Mhz


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I get 39621 with three cards @ 960/1250, 35676 with two @ 960/1250 & 31530 @ 1150/1575 with one. It seems to only make a difference at the very first and very last parts of the tests, it even drops down to 25% usage per card sometimes.


Vantage is both gpu and cpu dependent. and, as you have known, does not scale well in multi-gpu.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4536111

here is with a thuban (gpu oc was limited by the system)

http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4242582


----------



## DR4G00N

Whoo!







I managed to break 15K in firestrike!

i7-920 @ 4.2GHz
3x HD 7950 @ 1150/1400 1.3v

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3317638 (15020) (Graphics score 24440)









Going to do a run with the cpu @ 4.42GHz to get it a little higher.
Nvm I forgot to save a profile for 4.42GHz and I cant remember what settings I used. I also don't feel like tinkering with it right now.


----------



## Mega Man

congrats !!


----------



## TRusselo

Geez!

just ran mine AMD FX8320 @ 4.4 Ghz ~1.28V (Auto)
R9 280x & 7950 (2x7950s) @ 1100/1400

10024
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3319322

Cards at stock clocks 1050/1400 & 950/1250
9057
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2962340

Back when I had just the single 7950 1100/1425 (not stable)
6701
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1907896

Phenom II 6 core @ 3.8Ghz 7950 @ 1100/1400 (not stable)
6794
http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2962340

So I went from high 6000s to 10,000 by adding second card, increase of 50% or 3300 pts, scaling for a third, i still dont come close to your scores. Remembering the FX "upgrade" scores... my next board and chip may be intel...


----------



## Feyris

0
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Geez!
> 
> just ran mine AMD FX8320 @ 4.4 Ghz ~1.28V (Auto)
> R9 280x & 7950 (2x7950s) @ 1100/1400
> 
> 10024
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3319322
> 
> Cards at stock clocks 1050/1400 & 950/1250
> 9057
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2962340
> 
> Back when I had just the single 7950 1100/1425 (not stable)
> 6701
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/1907896
> 
> Phenom II 6 core @ 3.8Ghz 7950 @ 1100/1400 (not stable)
> 6794
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/2962340
> 
> So I went from high 6000s to 10,000 by adding second card, increase of 50% or 3300 pts, scaling for a third, i still dont come close to your scores. Remembering the FX "upgrade" scores... my next board and chip may be intel...


defo go intel

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4841296

just ran it


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> 0
> defo go intel
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4841296
> 
> just ran it


+1









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4693828

280x + 7950 1020/1500 (Undervolted) Bios moded


----------



## Ark-07

Any chance any of you wanna help me out with overclocking?

http://www.overclock.net/t/1526823/i-want-to-overclock-my-hd7970


----------



## TRusselo

Mr-Dark - Holy hell. I was close to your fire strike score, but only get 123000ish to your 185000 on ice storm.. I guess that's what the extra 200 - 1000$ for Intel is for...


----------



## p5ych00n5

Hmmmmmm, having some weird issues with my 7970's, in crossfire I'm getting purple bars all over the Monitor which is in focus in Games/Benchmarks, if I disable crossfire they go away, if I run each card seperately I don't get them.

I've ran both Catalyst 14.9 and 14.11 beta and the problem persists across both and happens at Stock BIOS 2 (1000/[email protected]) and OC (1150/[email protected]).









Ima gonna try with BIOS 1

_EDIT:_ Same problems with BIOS 1


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> +1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4693828
> 
> 280x + 7950 1020/1500 (Undervolted) Bios moded


Hmm... Dude what else you have in your rig? your signature is so bare...


----------



## Feyris

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4850017

Ice Storm. mild OC pushes score higher...odd it registered 4.00 though


----------



## p5ych00n5

Riddle me this???????????

Today I was bored and decided to fire up a few benches, open up Steam>3D Mark. BANG flickering purple lines all over my primary monitor, fire up Heaven - purple again, fire up Portal - purple again.

So I go into CCC and disable Crossfire and no purple, reenable Crossfire - purple.

Shut down the PC, disconnect the primary card (power and bridge) fire up the benches again and no purple flickering, reconnect the primary card and reenable crossfire - purple mad.gif, rearrange the monitors through CCC etc etc etc.

To cut a long story short in Crossfire I get purple flickering whereas both cards working as single units are fine, unless I change the primary desktop

1st Card (DP - HDMI - DVI - DVI) If I have a HDMI and DVI connections through my primary card, if my primary monitor is the HDMI I get the flickering, If I go the first DVI monitor on the same card and it's the primary I get flickering, If I go the secondary DVI-D monitor as primary I get no flickering.

2nd Card (Mini DP x2 - HDMI - DVI) If I have a HDMI and DVI connections if my DVI monitor is primary I get the flickering, if the HDMI monitor is primary - no flickering

Ive gone Catalyst 14.9 and 14.11 beta back to 14.9 using DDU in safemode inbetween

Both cards are Sapphire HD7970 Reference & Non-Reference, both BIOS result in the same problem and all extra power connectors are rigged up and both cards have been swapped in their PCI-E slots

Kind Regards
p5ych00n5


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Mr-Dark - Holy hell. I was close to your fire strike score, but only get 123000ish to your 185000 on ice storm.. I guess that's what the extra 200 - 1000$ for Intel is for...


I think the Physics score for the cpu soo you have 7942 i have 12053 actualy with crossfire amd cpu very bad alot of fps drop in demand game like bf4 multiplayer
Quote:


> your signature is so bare


Update now pro








Quote:


> Hmmmmmm, having some weird issues with my 7970's, in crossfire I'm getting purple bars all over the Monitor which is in focus in Games/Benchmarks, if I disable crossfire they go away, if I run each card seperately I don't get them.
> 
> I've ran both Catalyst 14.9 and 14.11 beta and the problem persists across both and happens at Stock BIOS 2 (1000/[email protected]) and OC (1150/[email protected]). mad.gif
> 
> Ima gonna try with BIOS 1
> 
> EDIT: Same problems with BIOS 1


Try amd 14.4 i have ton of problem with 14.9 like freeez while intrnet browsing or while benching and alot of people report the oc not stable any more with driver 14.9 or new beta

Quote:


> Riddle me this???????????
> 
> Today I was bored and decided to fire up a few benches, open up Steam>3D Mark. BANG flickering purple lines all over my primary monitor, fire up Heaven - purple again, fire up Portal - purple again.
> 
> So I go into CCC and disable Crossfire and no purple, reenable Crossfire - purple.
> 
> Shut down the PC, disconnect the primary card (power and bridge) fire up the benches again and no purple flickering, reconnect the primary card and reenable crossfire - purple mad.gif, rearrange the monitors through CCC etc etc etc.
> 
> To cut a long story short in Crossfire I get purple flickering whereas both cards working as single units are fine, unless I change the primary desktop
> 
> 1st Card (DP - HDMI - DVI - DVI) If I have a HDMI and DVI connections through my primary card, if my primary monitor is the HDMI I get the flickering, If I go the first DVI monitor on the same card and it's the primary I get flickering, If I go the secondary DVI-D monitor as primary I get no flickering.
> 
> 2nd Card (Mini DP x2 - HDMI - DVI) If I have a HDMI and DVI connections if my DVI monitor is primary I get the flickering, if the HDMI monitor is primary - no flickering
> 
> Ive gone Catalyst 14.9 and 14.11 beta back to 14.9 using DDU in safemode inbetween
> 
> Both cards are Sapphire HD7970 Reference & Non-Reference, both BIOS result in the same problem and all extra power connectors are rigged up and both cards have been swapped in their PCI-E slots
> 
> Kind Regards
> p5ych00n5


What the stock voltage for this card ?

try to give both card +20 power limit or underclock the core and memory 200mhz each

old driver like 13.12 will be good idea or another bridge i have problem before with sapphire bridge thats make my driver while instal bsod

only one driver work with this problem 14.8 whql









change the bridge all normal no any problem


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> I think the Physics score for the cpu soo you have 7942 i have 12053 actualy with crossfire amd cpu very bad alot of fps drop in demand game like bf4 multiplayer
> Update now pro
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Try amd 14.4 i have ton of problem with 14.9 like freeez while intrnet browsing or while benching and alot of people report the oc not stable any more with driver 14.9 or new beta
> What the stock voltage for this card ?
> 
> try to give both card +20 power limit or underclock the core and memory 200mhz each
> 
> old driver like 13.12 will be good idea or another bridge i have problem before with sapphire bridge thats make my driver while instal bsod
> 
> only one driver work with this problem 14.8 whql
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> change the bridge all normal no any problem


I gave Linux a whirl for a few days before that my OC and Stock clocks were fine, I reinstalled Windows yesterday (don't ask) and all the settings/clocks I had on my previous install were suddenly borked and it's on all Cable/Slot/Clock settings for both cards.

Will try Underclock/+20 power and 14.4 drivers and see if I can find another bridge amongst my piles o' parts

_Edit:_ Swapped the bridge out and it seems problem is solved


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> I gave Linux a whirl for a few days before that my OC and Stock clocks were fine, I reinstalled Windows yesterday (don't ask) and all the settings/clocks I had on my previous install were suddenly borked and it's on all Cable/Slot/Clock settings for both cards.
> 
> Will try Underclock/+20 power and 14.4 drivers and see if I can find another bridge amongst my piles o' parts
> 
> _Edit:_ Swapped the bridge out and it seems problem is solved


Thats very good broken bridge give you ton of problem


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Thats very good broken bridge give you ton of problem


Sometimes it's the simplest things that are a solution to a big problem


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Sometimes it's the simplest things that are a solution to a big problem


loooooool this PC


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> I think the Physics score for the cpu soo you have 7942 i have 12053 actualy with crossfire amd cpu very bad alot of fps drop in demand game like bf4 multiplayer
> Update now pro
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Try amd 14.4 i have ton of problem with 14.9 like freeez while intrnet browsing or while benching and alot of people report the oc not stable any more with driver 14.9 or new beta
> What the stock voltage for this card ?
> 
> try to give both card +20 power limit or underclock the core and memory 200mhz each
> 
> old driver like 13.12 will be good idea or another bridge i have problem before with sapphire bridge thats make my driver while instal bsod
> 
> only one driver work with this problem 14.8 whql
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> change the bridge all normal no any problem


Good job figuring out the problem. Someone give this guy a rep.


----------



## Mr-Dark

This after mod my cm 690 iii side to add 2*120m fan







this drop the temp in both card 8c in avg


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> This after mod my cm 690 iii side to add 2*120m fan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this drop the temp in both card 8c in avg


Nice!

Btw you should keep the 7950 clocked 50MHz higher than the 280x so it doesn't bottleneck the 280x. (ie. 7950 @ 1070MHz & 280x @ 1020MHz, it will help even out the difference in stream processors.







)


----------



## timaishu

Thinking of picking up another 7950. At this point in the game, do you guys think its worthwhile or should I just save for another card? I can get another one for around 120 on ebay. Only con is I would likely need a new mobo as mine is 16x/4x.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> Thinking of picking up another 7950. At this point in the game, do you guys think its worthwhile or should I just save for another card? I can get another one for around 120 on ebay. Only con is I would likely need a new mobo as mine is 16x/4x.


Go for it.








I did some testing with some 7950's a while back @ 16x/4x, the performance drop is minimal (i'm talking 3-5% drop at most vs 16x/8x) so you shouldn't have to buy a new mobo.


----------



## timaishu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Go for it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I did some testing with some 7950's a while back @ 16x/4x, the performance drop is minimal (i'm talking 3-5% drop at most vs 16x/8x) so you shouldn't have to buy a new mobo.


But whats the drop compared to 16x/16x?

I was thinking of maybe picking this up.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128514


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *timaishu*
> 
> But whats the drop compared to 16x/16x?
> 
> I was thinking of maybe picking this up.
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128514


I'm not sure. Since my mobo only does 16x/8x/4x/8x I can't test that, but it's probably a 3-6% drop (or less), definitely not worth buying a new mobo over it imo.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Nice!
> 
> Btw you should keep the 7950 clocked 50MHz higher than the 280x so it doesn't bottleneck the 280x. (ie. 7950 @ 1070MHz & 280x @ 1020MHz, it will help even out the difference in stream processors.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


Thats true 100% i can hit 1100 on core of 7950 at stock voltage but i stop the oc at 1020 i dont wont puch my pcu to the limit

its corsair gs800 do you think its more than enough with oc the 7950 to 1100 ?


----------



## Mr-Dark

While moding my 7950 bios i found somthing need explain

first of all my card sapphire 7950 dual-X with boost 925/1250 with 1.250v in the bios 1.169v max i see in gpu z

the card at stock while 3d app the core drop to 800mhz as all boost version +20 power limit fix this no problem untill this

soo using VBE7 for bios moded i set the clock and every thing else go to power limit tap to set +20 in the bios i found this



233 watt power limit when add +20 it will be ( 233*120%=280w) i set 280 and no problem all work 100% stable

but i check my msi 280x bios i found this !



204 watt only !!!!!!!

is this true my 7950 at stock take 288w and the 280x take 204w !!!

any one have 7950 pls check your power limit and post here


----------



## PunkX 1

One on the left is my stock ROM. The right one is edited with 50% powerlimit



7950 VaporX with dual 8 pin connectors.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> One on the left is my stock ROM. The right one is edited with 50% powerlimit
> 
> 
> 
> 7950 VaporX with dual 8 pin connectors.


Thank you for that

yo unlock +50 power limit in the windows

i add them to the bios so i dont need to add them in the windows all work from bios if you under stand me



my card 2*6bin i know each 6bin give 75w soo 2*75w = 150w + 75 from mobo = 225 how they take 280 watt !!!!!!


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> my card 2*6bin i know each 6bin give 75w soo 2*75w = 150w + 75 from mobo = 225 how they take 280 watt !!!!!!


Why so surprised? The cables can feed a bit more power than the "specification" lists because the specification is not a wire/power rating, ya know?


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why so surprised? The cables can feed a bit more power than the "specification" lists because the specification is not a wire/power rating, ya know?


I know that what about the 280x power limit !!!!

there 80w differnt


----------



## DR4G00N

One of my MSI 7950's 8+6 pin (Both are identical):


Max power limit of 300W.

They use 100-150w under heavy load @ 1150 1.3v


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> One of my MSI 7950's 8+6 pin (Both are identical):
> 
> 
> Max power limit of 300W.
> 375W if you use the 50% power limit mod
> 
> They use 100-150w under heavy load @ 1150 1.3v


You cant pass 300 watt tdp without a hard mod on a ref pcb


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> One of my MSI 7950's 8+6 pin (Both are identical):
> 
> 
> Max power limit of 300W.
> 375W if you use the 50% power limit mod
> 
> They use 100-150w under heavy load @ 1150 1.3v


How you know the real use of watt ???

is the power limit in the bios not the real usage while 99% stress ?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> One of my MSI 7950's 8+6 pin (Both are identical):
> 
> 
> Max power limit of 300W.
> 375W if you use the 50% power limit mod
> 
> They use 100-150w under heavy load @ 1150 1.3v
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> You cant pass 300 watt tdp without a hard mod on a ref pcb
Click to expand...

This first time... it's a revelation every time.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> You cant pass 300 watt tdp without a hard mod on a ref pcb


It has the reference 7970 pcb with a extra power phase added, does that make any difference?


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> It has the reference 7970 pcb with a extra power phase added, does that make any difference?


Not really. Its the ocp of the CHiL regulator. At 1.4 volt you max out the ocp


----------



## Mr-Dark

Is there any relationship between core voltage and TDP ??

i run them at 1020 with 1.13v


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> Not really. Its the ocp of the CHiL regulator. At 1.4 volt you max out the ocp


Ok, thanks for the info.


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Is there any relationship between core voltage and TDP ??
> 
> i run them at 1020 with 1.13v


higher voltage higher TDP. The 290x with 50% tdp and 1.55 volt input can reach 450-500 watt before it hits a tdp wall.

1.13? Probably you have 75% asic+. You can run probably/maybe 1020 with the stock volts


----------



## DR4G00N

Hmm, so today I decided to change the paste on my MSI & Sapphire cards. The MSI's cooler came off with out any force, paste seemed watery & there was waaaay to much of it so I cleaned it up put some new paste on it and put it back in my rig. Temps dropped by ~10C under load









Now the sapphire card... I can't seem to get the cooler off, the paste must be dried out. I tried heating it up with a hair dryer but that didn't help any.

Any ideas to get it off?


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Hmm, so today I decided to change the paste on my MSI & Sapphire cards. The MSI's cooler came off with out any force, paste seemed watery & there was waaaay to much of it so I cleaned it up put some new paste on it and put it back in my rig. Temps dropped by ~10C under load
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the sapphire card... I can't seem to get the cooler off, the paste must be dried out. I tried heating it up with a hair dryer but that didn't help any.
> 
> Any ideas to get it off?


Lol









Have you tried wiggling the cooler side-to-side?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Lol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Have you tried wiggling the cooler side-to-side?


Yeah, it doesn't move at all.

I'm not really surprised that the paste is dry since the previous owner mined on it for 6 months 24/7.

This is the card: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026
The temps aren't bad (71c as the top card @ 75% fan) but I think I could get it a little cooler so I can oc it higher.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yeah, it doesn't move at all.
> 
> I'm not really surprised that the paste is dry since the previous owner mined on it for 6 months 24/7.
> 
> This is the card: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202026
> The temps aren't bad (71c as the top card @ 75% fan) but I think I could get it a little cooler so I can oc it higher.


You could try sticking a credit card (or something similar) between the contact point, and then slowly pry it off.


----------



## jason387

Be careful and don't pull off the core


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason387*
> 
> Be careful and don't pull off the core


This!

71C aint bad.

Edit: maybe a alcohol soaked q tip touched to the side would wet the TIM enough to come apart.


----------



## PunkX 1




----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> higher voltage higher TDP. The 290x with 50% tdp and 1.55 volt input can reach 450-500 watt before it hits a tdp wall.
> 
> 1.13? Probably you have 75% asic+. You can run probably/maybe 1020 with the stock volts


I mean when undervolted the card the tdp will drop i understand you right ?

My card have 71.3 Asic it come 925/1250 1.250v in the bios actual while 3d app 99% max i see 1.169v

now 1020/1500 with 1.15 bios in windows 1.138 max i see in 3d app 99% usage

the temp drop with OC it work as second card ( 280x in the top ) max temp 65c


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Hmm, so today I decided to change the paste on my MSI & Sapphire cards. The MSI's cooler came off with out any force, paste seemed watery & there was waaaay to much of it so I cleaned it up put some new paste on it and put it back in my rig. Temps dropped by ~10C under load
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now the sapphire card... I can't seem to get the cooler off, the paste must be dried out. I tried heating it up with a hair dryer but that didn't help any.
> 
> Any ideas to get it off?


Same problem with same card i cant get cooler off









i change the msi 280x gaming thermal paste with mx4 drop the temp by 5c in avg


----------



## DR4G00N

Thanks, I'll give those a try in a bit.


----------



## DR4G00N

Still won't come off!








What did they use, superglue?


----------



## PunkX 1

That's one stubborn heatsink










Could you post a pic, from the side of the card?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> That's one stubborn heatsink
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Could you post a pic, from the side of the card?


Sure, just give me a sec.


----------



## incog

€125 7970

http://www.cdiscount.com/informatique/cartes-graphiques/sapphire-amd-hd7970-3go-gddr5/f-107670509-111979790g.html#mpos=20|cd

it's refurbished by sapphire themselves

so since i already have a 7970, maybe i should get this one and crossfire

will a gs600 run these bad boys in crossfire at stock clocks? not going to even consider overclocking these obviously. i have 576W on the 12V rail


----------



## DR4G00N

Here ya go:


Pics are bad, sorry.


----------



## PunkX 1

I don't mean to add to the misery..

But it seems like the base of the heatsink is soldered to the core


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Here ya go:
> 
> 
> Pics are bad, sorry.


Same problem


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> I don't mean to add to the misery..
> 
> But it seems like the base of the heatsink is soldered to the core


Haha, it definitely seems like it.


----------



## DR4G00N

Got any more ideas? It seems that messing around with it did something as it now runs @ 80c load :/


----------



## boredmug

You sure you're not missing a screw somewhere? I always buy reference cards for water cooling so I can't help too much. I've had some stubborn heat sinks but they are never THAT hard to get off. My guess is you have a screw somewhere still holding it down. Maybe on the bracket that attaches the card to the slot on your case.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Got any more ideas? It seems that messing around with it did something as it now runs @ 80c load :/


----------



## DR4G00N

Yeah, there are only the 4 screws around the gpu that hold the cooler on.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Got any more ideas? It seems that messing around with it did something as it now runs @ 80c load :/


Sounds like it loosened up some.

keep going. if you can get alcohol to touch the edge of the die, it should suck in and loosen it up real quick.


----------



## DR4G00N

Still won't come off, damn it!


----------



## jason387

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> I don't mean to add to the misery..
> 
> But it seems like the base of the heatsink is soldered to the core


Sounds like a thing Sapphire would do


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Still won't come off, damn it!


Run down to your local hardware store and rent one of these for an hour or so:


Spoiler: Sapphire Thermal Interface Material Solution


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Run down to your local hardware store and rent one of these for an hour or so:
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Sapphire Thermal Interface Material Solution


I don't think they have any of those lol


----------



## DR4G00N

Yay! I finally managed to pry it apart








I just had to push hard on the pegs that you put the screws in with a screw driver.

Like so:


The old paste was all dry and flaky so no wonder it got hot fast.

Workin' good so far


----------



## PunkX 1




----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yay! I finally managed to pry it apart
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just had to push hard on the pegs that you put the screws in with a screw driver.
> 
> Like so:
> 
> 
> The old paste was all dry and flaky so no wonder it got hot fast.
> 
> Workin' good so far


How much your temp drop now ??

My card run at 67c at full load if they drop by 5c i can change my paste too


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> How much your temp drop now ??
> 
> My card run at 67c at full load if they drop by 5c i can change my paste too


Running furmark for 2 minutes got the sapphire to 68c, middle card hit 66c & bottom card hit 63c. That's a pretty good drop of around 10c +/- a few degrees.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Running furmark for 2 minutes got the sapphire to 68c, middle card hit 66c & bottom card hit 63c. That's a pretty good drop of around 10c +/- a few degrees.


Oh 10c very good result i got 5c from change thermal paste for msi 280x gaming

my 7950 idle at 22c and 67c full load i just try it as primary card it idle at 28c and hit 77c at full load

i will change the paste now do you recumended Arctic MX4 or Noctua NT-H1 paste i have both


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Oh 10c very good result i got 5c from change thermal paste for msi 280x gaming
> 
> my 7950 idle at 22c and 67c full load i just try it as primary card it idle at 28c and hit 77c at full load
> 
> i will change the paste now do you recumended Arctic MX4 or Noctua NT-H1 paste i have both


They're about the same, just use whichever you have more of.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> They're about the same, just use whichever you have more of.


i will back with result just 1h


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> i will back with result just 1h


Good luck


----------



## Mr-Dark

All done with Mx4 the temp drop 0.2c only







i think this the limit for air cooling and crossfire 61c at 99% loading unigine heaven benchmark 4.0




this before



After



i notic the temp raise slowly now and this new paste need 50h to give real result


----------



## PunkX 1

After about 2 hours of Far Cry 4











Not too shabby


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> After about 2 hours of Far Cry 4
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not too shabby


maxing out at 65 on air? not too shaby at all. VRMs are super cool too.

I get surprisingly good results with that game. I hear all this complaining about how poorly it runs. But my MSI card clocked at 1200/1700 kicks its butt at 3240x1920 (portrait eyefinity) on Ultra. I get 30-45 fps and they are smooth. I almost feel guilty that it runs so good when other people have much newer, robust hardware. I keep thinking to myself "This is an Ubisoft game, it should be running like crap! Why is it not running like crap!?"


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> maxing out at 65 on air? not too shaby at all. VRMs are super cool too.
> 
> I get surprisingly good results with that game. I hear all this complaining about how poorly it runs. But my MSI card clocked at 1200/1700 kicks its butt at 3240x1920 (portrait eyefinity) on Ultra. I get 30-45 fps and they are smooth. I almost feel guilty that it runs so good when other people have much newer, robust hardware. I keep thinking to myself *"This is an Ubisoft game, it should be running like crap! Why is it not running like crap!?"*












My temps is with my card at 1250/1800Mhz, 1.3v, fan on auto.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> After about 2 hours of Far Cry 4
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Not too shabby


Good temp but i think the VDDC Current way high 127A ????

my card have 45A and maby 50A in VDDC current in


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Good temp but i think the VDDC Current way high 127A ????
> 
> my card have 45A and maby 50A in VDDC current in


Must be a bug


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Must be a bug


LooooL


----------



## p5ych00n5

Well both my cards are Sapphire HD7970 Dual-X whereas 1 is a reference model the other non-reference, both bios/core clocks on both cards match, the non-reference is the OC Boost.

The reference card uses a 6+8 pin

The non-reference uses a 8+8 pin

Stock Voltage on the reference model is 1175 BIOS 2

Stock Voltage on the non-reference model is 1135 BIOS 2

Colour Me Confused


----------



## KSIMP88

Ordered a second 7950. Used, but apparently excellent condish. I'm not planning to OC it at this point, but maybe later. Last time I used Crossfire, I had 5770's! This should be NICE. FPS HEADROOM


----------



## PunkX 1

My current card is an RMA, which is MUCH better than the one I sent in.

The old was a 6+8 pin, couldn't overclock more than 1100/1350Mhz, had overheating VRMs (100c+ on stock) and GPU temps were crazy high


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Well both my cards are Sapphire HD7970 Dual-X whereas 1 is a reference model the other non-reference, both bios/core clocks on both cards match, the non-reference is the OC Boost.
> 
> The reference card uses a 6+8 pin
> 
> The non-reference uses a 8+8 pin
> 
> Stock Voltage on the reference model is 1175 BIOS 2
> 
> Stock Voltage on the non-reference model is 1135 BIOS 2
> 
> Colour Me Confused


You have problem or somthing?
Quote:


> Ordered a second 7950. Used, but apparently excellent condish. I'm not planning to OC it at this point, but maybe later. Last time I used Crossfire, I had 5770's! This should be NICE. FPS HEADROOM


7950s big improvment over 5770s no problem with most game leatst amd driver amazing
Quote:


> My current card is an RMA, which is MUCH better than the one I sent in.
> 
> The old was a 6+8 pin, couldn't overclock more than 1100/1350Mhz, had overheating VRMs (100c+ on stock) and GPU temps were crazy high


then you have 7950s right ? one with you now and the other in rma ?


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> You have problem or somthing?
> 7950s big improvment over 5770s no problem with most game leatst amd driver amazing
> then you have 7950s right ? one with you now and the other in rma ?


Nope, just one









The original card that I had sent in, which was a dud (popped the VRMs







)

The replacement I got back (the one i'm using right now), which is golden


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Nope, just one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The original card that I had sent in, which was a dud (popped the VRMs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> The replacement I got back (the one i'm using right now), which is golden


Yes its golden 2*8bin your clock amazing you kick off the 7970 ghz lighting at that freq


----------



## KSIMP88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> 7950s big improvment over 5770s no problem with most game leatst amd driver amazing


This is good news!


----------



## TRusselo

pro tip.

bench the card for 20 min before disassembly. the heat makes the cooler come off real easy.

after assembly game or bench for a couple hours. quickly pull out the card and tighten all the screws. watch another 5 degrees come off!

I also used to have 5770 and went to 7950, great upgrade. just added a r9 280x to it and watercooled them. >50 C under load. r9 is 8+8 and the 7950 is 8+6, both HIS turbo boost iceq. reference 7970 boards


----------



## Mega Man

protip: instead use a blow drier ! ( when and if needed )


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> protip: instead use a blow drier ! ( when and if needed )


yes because the optimum air temperature hair stylist recommend is in the 80-100 degree C range. and most household hair dryers depending on wattage can reach up to 140 degrees on high with high wattage.

there is NO dumb ass in the world that would do something like use it on high after reading in a forum to use a hair dryer. nope never would happen.

+1


----------



## tsm106




----------



## Mega Man

really? myself and many of my friends use a hairdryer on the copper

lets see... i have done it on 5 7970s and 5 290xs , several chips ( CPUs ) and most recently 295x2s

all.... without issue .....
this is since 2012
also useful when badging cars and removing heatsinks from ram !

rebuttal ?


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> You have problem or somthing?
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 7950s big improvment over 5770s no problem with most game leatst amd driver amazing
> then you have 7950s right ? one with you now and the other in rma ?


No, I just find it weird that the card with 2 8 pins and is the OC Boost edition, non-reference has a lower Voltage Ceiling


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> No, I just find it weird that the card with 2 8 pins and is the OC Boost edition, non-reference has a lower Voltage Ceiling


I tnink the voltage on this card at stock 1.250 and it unlock you can change it i have 2*6pin version and it OC as 2*8pin no problem but the 2*8pin highly recumended for heavy OC 1200/1700


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> I tnink the voltage on this card at stock 1.250 and it unlock you can change it i have 2*6pin version and it OC as 2*8pin no problem but the 2*8pin highly recumended for heavy OC 1200/1700


Yah, my OC edition tops out at 1180 where the other card tops out at 1150 AFAIK, haven't really delved that deep into the OCing yet


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Yah, my OC edition tops out at 1180 where the other card tops out at 1150 AFAIK, haven't really delved that deep into the OCing yet


I just stop at 1020/1500 1.13v i dont know why









somthing tell me stop your power supply not enough







( corsair gs800 2013edtion )


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> I just stop at 1020/1500 1.13v i dont know why
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> somthing tell me stop your power supply not enough
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ( corsair gs800 2013edtion )


Dude, GO HIGHER
















Your PSU is more than enough.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Dude, GO HIGHER
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Your PSU is more than enough.


Okay pro new firstrike score coming


----------



## PunkX 1




----------



## p5ych00n5

I second Mr PunkX 1


----------



## Mr-Dark

New 3dmark score

280x at 1100/1500 stock v 7950 1100/1500 1.18v

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4910228

this higher than my 280x crossfire before

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3978426

Edit : just when oc the 7950 to 1100 using the sapphire trixx i sett the voltage to1.18 now i moded the bios but the voltage stable at 1.18 idle and load









i uninstal trixx and try rest setting clean registry and delete msi aft no any result stable voltage any solution other than install new windows









Edit 2 : All fix


----------



## Gereti




----------



## Mr-Dark

Finaly no more OC









the 280x at 1.1 stock and the 7950 at 1.18v


----------



## EpicOtis13

hey guys right now I'm getting only 40ish FPS in BF4 in Op locker TDM. My setup is a 4790k and a single 7970 (my second card died







). Is this normal for nonoced parts? also I'm getting some unbelieveable temps on my card (it's in a custom loop with my CPU) 38C in BF4 and around 48C on my CPU in BF4 and Planetside 2.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> hey guys right now I'm getting only 40ish FPS in BF4 in Op locker TDM. My setup is a 4790k and a single 7970 (my second card died
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ). Is this normal for nonoced parts? also I'm getting some unbelieveable temps on my card (it's in a custom loop with my CPU) 38C in BF4 and around 48C on my CPU in BF4 and Planetside 2.


Thats normal for single 7950 you can get some of boost from oc


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Finaly no more OC
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the 280x at 1.1 stock and the 7950 at 1.18v


damn i can only get my 7950 up to 1125/1300 without seeing heavy artifacting. my r9 is sitting nice at 1125/1500.


----------



## inedenimadam

You guys posting all these scores and overclocks got me back in the mood...and as we are still waiting on an xfire profile for FC3, overclocking the snot out of the first card in the loop has the potential to make quite the difference. But why just do it to one? I think I might end up cramming 1.3 into them and going for broke....They only have to last til mid January anyway!

Not a bad start considering Tahiti was brought to market with a 925 core clock.



Edit to add: 3dMark is reading my clocks wrong on the GPUs, but the score looks good and I still have some room for sure...

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4917281


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> damn i can only get my 7950 up to 1125/1300 without seeing heavy artifacting. my r9 is sitting nice at 1125/1500.


My 7950 didnt say no yet









all of that oc with stock voltage its stock at 1.169v and now 1100/1500 1.18v









the 280x is voltage locked 1.1 while loading stable at 1150/1650








Quote:


> You guys posting all these scores and overclocks got me back in the mood...and as we are still waiting on an xfire profile for FC3, overclocking the snot out of the first card in the loop has the potential to make quite the difference. But why just do it to one? I think I might end up cramming 1.3 into them and going for broke....They only have to last til mid January anyway!
> 
> Not a bad start considering Tahiti was brought to market with a 925 core clock.
> 
> Edit to add: 3dMark is reading my clocks wrong on the GPUs, but the score looks good and I still have some room for sure...
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4917281


this nice OC man 1200/1700 very close to the r9 290 cf setup !

you mean FC4 right ? i just force crossfire for this game the fps fine but flashing laghting


----------



## TRusselo

unfortunately i have a delema with FC4. Eyefinity is horribly stretched in fullscreen mode 16:10 streched to 48:10, putting the game in borderless window fixes the stretching but disables crossfire.

[sad panda] hoping for widescreen fix or patch soon.


----------



## Mega Man

Yea that's ubisoft for you. Now if only people wooluld stop buying the reruns maybe they would fix it


----------



## Mr-Dark

all right ubsioft realy bad i just run the game with single card 1080p enable triple buffering for the game and use fraps not msi Aft super smoooth stable 60fps


----------



## Mega Man

You sure? Didn't they hard code their last game to 30fps?


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> You sure? Didn't they hard code their last game to 30fps?


No the fps not locked in this game if vysenc off it will go to 100 fps or somthing


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> unfortunately i have a delema with FC4. Eyefinity is horribly stretched in fullscreen mode 16:10 streched to 48:10, putting the game in borderless window fixes the stretching but disables crossfire.
> 
> [sad panda] hoping for widescreen fix or patch soon.


I have had zero issues with triple monitor. But I am curious how you are using crossfire though, because it is purposely disabled in the drivers, and forcing various profiles gives horrible results.

I get 30fps+ on a heavily overclocked single 7970 using ultra and vsync, and its smooth...but a smooth 60+ would be better


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Yea that's ubisoft for you. Now if only people wooluld stop buying the reruns maybe they would fix it


I won't buy any of Ubisloth's games until they start giving their devs TIME to release their games relatively bug-free.


----------



## hucklebuck

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> pro tip.
> 
> bench the card for 20 min before disassembly. the heat makes the cooler come off real easy.
> 
> after assembly game or bench for a couple hours. quickly pull out the card and tighten all the screws. watch another 5 degrees come off!
> 
> I also used to have 5770 and went to 7950, great upgrade. just added a r9 280x to it and watercooled them. >50 C under load. r9 is 8+8 and the 7950 is 8+6, both HIS turbo boost iceq. reference 7970 boards


"after assembly game or bench for a couple hours. quickly pull out the card and tighten all the screws. watch another 5 degrees come off!"
Does this tip work for waterblocked cards too?


----------



## Deadboy90

WOOTWOOT!!!!




Yay Crossfire! However the card I bought is marketed as a 7950 and has only a 6+6 pin connector. But then there's this...



GPUz claims theres 2048 shaders which would make this a 7970 wouldn't it? whats going on here?


----------



## Deadboy90

Okaaaaaaaay now GPUz is saying theres only 1792 shaders. Now im really confused.


----------



## KSIMP88

Just retrieved my second 7950 from my mailbox. Installing now, hope this works!


----------



## KSIMP88

How do I know crossfire is working?
EDIT card isn't detected... I fear I may have a bad slot.... I'll do some testing.

I think it's fixed.... How is 1300 points in Heaven Benchmark? Seems low. Max FPS was 64fps.... I'll rerun it, forgot to do the screenshot.


There.

Also... Skyrim performance isn't much better. Feels very minimalistic. Double-U Tea Eff.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KSIMP88*
> 
> How do I know crossfire is working?
> EDIT card isn't detected... I fear I may have a bad slot.... I'll do some testing.
> 
> I think it's fixed.... How is 1300 points in Heaven Benchmark? Seems low. Max FPS was 64fps.... I'll rerun it, forgot to do the screenshot.
> 
> 
> There.
> 
> Also... Skyrim performance isn't much better. Feels very minimalistic. Double-U Tea Eff.


I just got my xfire card. Ill test Heaven when i get home.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KSIMP88*
> 
> Skyrim performance isn't much better. Feels very minimalistic. Double-U Tea Eff.


Skyrim is a stutterfest in xfire. DX9 got shafted during the frame pacing fixes.

It is one of the games I just disable x-fire and overclock the crap out of one card for. Not really anything you can do about it...its gone YEARS without a real fix.


----------



## boredmug

It doesn't seem bad to me. Although I do remember a time when I would set a frame rate cap of just below 60fps and it smoothed things out. Try that.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Skyrim is a stutterfest in xfire. DX9 got shafted during the frame pacing fixes.
> 
> It is one of the games I just disable x-fire and overclock the crap out of one card for. Not really anything you can do about it...its gone YEARS without a real fix.


----------



## KSIMP88

tried, still SUCKS
sadface
Oh well, it is more than playable with one card.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> It doesn't seem bad to me. Although I do remember a time when I would set a frame rate cap of just below 60fps and it smoothed things out. Try that.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Skyrim is a stutterfest in xfire. DX9 got shafted during the frame pacing fixes.
> 
> It is one of the games I just disable x-fire and overclock the crap out of one card for. Not really anything you can do about it...its gone YEARS without a real fix.
Click to expand...

'

I appreciate the suggestion...but believe me...if there has been a fix proposed...I have tried it. Skyrim is the whole reason I built a xfire-eyefinity system...and ultimately is the reason I will be getting rid of this system too.


----------



## boredmug

Understandable. Crossfire annoys me when I get games that don't scale well or crossfire doesn't work well. Call of duty ghost.. piece of ****. Titan fall gpu scalability not that great and I still get weird graphical glitches on the side monitors when in the ogre titan. Then having to use flawless wide screen for some games to display in eyefinity is annoying. I've contemplated buying one of those super wide screen monitors and ditching my triple monitor setup but then I remember how much I enjoy the space on my desktop.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> '
> 
> I appreciate the suggestion...but believe me...if there has been a fix proposed...I have tried it. Skyrim is the whole reason I built a xfire-eyefinity system...and ultimately is the reason I will be getting rid of this system too.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Understandable. Crossfire annoys me when I get games that don't scale well or crossfire doesn't work well. Call of duty ghost.. piece of ****. Titan fall gpu scalability not that great and I still get weird graphical glitches on the side monitors when in the ogre titan. Then having to use flawless wide screen for some games to display in eyefinity is annoying. I've contemplated buying one of those super wide screen monitors and ditching my triple monitor setup but then I remember how much I enjoy the space on my desktop.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> '
> 
> I appreciate the suggestion...but believe me...if there has been a fix proposed...I have tried it. Skyrim is the whole reason I built a xfire-eyefinity system...and ultimately is the reason I will be getting rid of this system too.
Click to expand...

My next monitor is a TV:

http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-55UB8500-55-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00II6VY6C/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

This is, unless a 55" curved Samsung that supports 4k 4:4:4 chroma 60hz hits the market by mid-late January.


----------



## boredmug

Goodlord. . How would you sit in front of that and do anything but gaming or video? You could keep the eyefinity and mount that above the triple monitors. :-D


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> My next monitor is a TV:
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-55UB8500-55-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00II6VY6C/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
> 
> This is, unless a 55" curved Samsung that supports 4k 4:4:4 chroma 60hz hits the market by mid-late January.


I'm going to do you a favor, and link you the next model up, 55ub9500, for $150 less.

http://www.niceelectronics.com/prodinfo.phtml?id=791

Don't bother with the 9800's (the next model up), the only difference is that they have premium audio systems for $1000+ more.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KSIMP88*
> 
> How is 1300 points in Heaven Benchmark? Seems low. Max FPS was 64fps.... I'll rerun it, forgot to do the screenshot.


1300 aint bad for 7950s

7970s got me ~1500 when overclocked hard
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> I'm going to do you a favor, and link you the next model up, 55ub9500, for $150 less.


has that model been confirmed to hit 4:4:4 chroma 60hz at 4k? Lots of models claim 4k 60hz, but at 4:2:0, which would be fine for gaming, but makes for a less than desirable desktop scenario.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 1300 aint bad for 7950s
> 
> 7970s got me ~1500 when overclocked hard
> has that model been confirmed to hit 4:4:4 chroma 60hz at 4k? Lots of models claim 4k 60hz, but at 4:2:0, which would be fine for gaming, but makes for a less than desirable desktop scenario.


It's the same as the 8500 except with a slightly different design to the frame and higher end audio (35w 2.1, vs 20w 2.0) which is recommended because bass. Also it has a higher guaranteed contrast ratio or something (Clarity ratio in their corporatese: 1500 vs 1200) approximately 25% better?

But it uses the same processor and screen, just the cherry picked best ones I believe.

You can do a spec compare on LGs site that's pretty comprehensive. http://www.lg.com/us/compare/compare.lg?category=/us/tvs

The part you may be interested in is in this section.
Quote:


> Tru 4K Engine Pro
> Tru 4K Engine
> 4K Resolution Upscaler
> Tru Color Generator
> Dynamic Color Enhancer
> Picture Mode
> Aspect Ratio
> Just Scan (1:1 Pixel Matching)
> Real Cinema 24p (2:2 pull down)
> Picture Wizard III
> 
> Yes
> Yes
> Yes
> Yes
> 9 Modes
> 8 Modes
> HDMI: 1080i, Component: 1080p, RF 720p
> Yes
> Yes
> 
> Yes
> 
> Yes
> Yes
> Yes
> 9 Modes
> 8 Modes
> HDMI, Component, RF: 1080i, 1080p, 720p
> Yes


Just a reminder, I do believe you need HDMI 2.0 to support 60 Hz 4K resolution.

If you need more information, try this website. http://www.flatpanelshd.com/article.php?subaction=showfull&id=1396941506


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Just a reminder, I do believe you need HDMI 2.0 to support 60 Hz 4K resolution.


I know, but 90%+ of the HDMI 2.0 4k TVs dont do 60hz at 4:4:4...and I am not interested in being the guinea pig on any of them. Samsungs 2014 line all have the HDMI2.0 but only a small handful of people have gotten them to work with a PC. Which is a shame, because the panels are stunning compared to LGs.

I cant find confirmation anywhere on that model, but I will keep that on my short list to keep an eye on, I like saving money. So, thanks.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I know, but 90%+ of the HDMI 2.0 4k TVs dont do 60hz at 4:4:4...and I am not interested in being the guinea pig on any of them. Samsungs 2014 line all have the HDMI2.0 but only a small handful of people have gotten them to work with a PC. Which is a shame, because the panels are stunning compared to LGs.
> 
> I cant find confirmation anywhere on that model, but I will keep that on my short list to keep an eye on, I like saving money. So, thanks.


I pulled up the manual, it says that it supports 4k 60 Hz 4:4:4.

http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/387527/lg-65ub9500-55ub9500.html?page=23


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I know, but 90%+ of the HDMI 2.0 4k TVs dont do 60hz at 4:4:4...and I am not interested in being the guinea pig on any of them. Samsungs 2014 line all have the HDMI2.0 but only a small handful of people have gotten them to work with a PC. Which is a shame, because the panels are stunning compared to LGs.
> 
> I cant find confirmation anywhere on that model, but I will keep that on my short list to keep an eye on, I like saving money. So, thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> I pulled up the manual, it says that it supports 4k 60 Hz 4:4:4.
> 
> http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/387527/lg-65ub9500-55ub9500.html?page=23
Click to expand...

I actually just found confirmation from a user in this thread:

http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1837209

Edit to add: the manuals cannot be trusted at this point. It has to be user tested and confirmed, because so many are wrong about it.


----------



## Zen00

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I actually just found confirmation from a user in this thread:
> 
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1837209
> 
> Edit to add: the manuals cannot be trusted at this point. It has to be user tested and confirmed, because so many are wrong about it.


Well, two sources are better than one. If the manual turns out to be wrong, it's a legitimate reason for a free return so you could test it with no worries.

Anyways, enjoy your savings and better sound system and wot.


----------



## yoyobrah2

so, have my 7950 at 1250/1700 with 1.22v/1.58v and if i go any higher than that under heavy load both screens go black and i have to switch off the psu and restart. Idle temp is 41c and load is 51c, vrm temps are in the 60's. tried adjusting the power limit in msi afterburner to 50% up from 20% and that didn't change anything. So is this just the max this card is going to be able to handle even though temps are well below max or am i just missing something?

cpu: fx9370
MOBO: asus crosshair v formula z
psu; 1000w nxzt hale v2
ram:16gig g.skill ripjaw X series 1866
gpu: xfx 7950 black edition


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KSIMP88*
> 
> How do I know crossfire is working?
> EDIT card isn't detected... I fear I may have a bad slot.... I'll do some testing.
> 
> I think it's fixed.... How is 1300 points in Heaven Benchmark? Seems low. Max FPS was 64fps.... I'll rerun it, forgot to do the screenshot.
> 
> 
> There.
> 
> Also... Skyrim performance isn't much better. Feels very minimalistic. Double-U Tea Eff.


I scored 1600 with the same setup. Maybe if you OC that CPU?


----------



## KSIMP88

I need to edit my sig rig.... Crossfire 7950. And 4.7GHz


----------



## kennysgh05t

I Can Finally join the Club..

Got my Sapphire 7970 OC over the weekend! and Love it!!!

Cheers


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> '
> 
> I appreciate the suggestion...but believe me...if there has been a fix proposed...I have tried it. Skyrim is the whole reason I built a xfire-eyefinity system...and ultimately is the reason I will be getting rid of this system too.


?? ive been playing skyrim for a long time on eyefinity 4320x900 with no issues on a single 7950 since it came out. runs awesome. over 100 hours max settings with tons of texture mods and upgrades.
i added over 4 Gig of HD 1024 and some 2048 textures. improved models/meshes, new user created areas that are by no means expertly bug tested....

runs great. havent even played it since i got my second card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I know, but 90%+ of the HDMI 2.0 4k TVs dont do 60hz at 4:4:4...and I am not interested in being the guinea pig on any of them. Samsungs 2014 line all have the HDMI2.0 but only a small handful of people have gotten them to work with a PC. Which is a shame, because the panels are stunning compared to LGs.
> 
> I cant find confirmation anywhere on that model, but I will keep that on my short list to keep an eye on, I like saving money. So, thanks.
> 
> 
> 
> I pulled up the manual, it says that it supports 4k 60 Hz 4:4:4.
> 
> http://www.manualsdir.com/manuals/387527/lg-65ub9500-55ub9500.html?page=23
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I actually just found confirmation from a user in this thread:
> 
> http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1837209
> 
> Edit to add: the manuals cannot be trusted at this point. It has to be user tested and confirmed, because so many are wrong about it.
Click to expand...

Here's mah Vizio Pseries 70" connected to a 970 [email protected]




Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



* edit tv on left, benq 144hz on right from my main rig. Not really scientific but gives ya an idea of what the tv pic looks like on my main rig.





** Doh, here's a close up of the tv red text, probably more of what you want to see heh.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Here's mah Vizio Pseries 70" connected to a 970 [email protected]
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> * edit tv on left, benq 144hz on right from my main rig. Not really scientific but gives ya an idea of what the tv pic looks like on my main rig.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ** Doh, here's a close up of the tv red text, probably more of what you want to see heh.


Very nice. Scaling set to 100% right? 70" is a bit too big for me, 55" is about perfect. You should post that up in the Hardforum thread, I know allot of people would appreciate it, there is a similar thread over at the GeForce forums too that could use that info. Lots of people are flocking to the Sammys because they tout the HDMI2.0, and have gorgeous panels, but end up only getting 4:2:0 or 30hz

I cant figure out what I am going to do with these 7970s when I upgrade(or my debezeled eyefinity set up)...they are hardly worth the hastle of selling anymore, but still have allot of life left in them. The situation is just going to get worse with AMDs 300 series rumors starting to circulate.


----------



## tsm106

It's a tv, so scaling is at largest. We can't read a darn thing from the dining table otherwise. I can run it again after the kids go to bed. It's impossible to wrestle control over the tv during primetime lol. 70" is just right though, oh it's so glorious!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's a tv, so scaling is at largest. We can't read a darn thing from the dining table otherwise. I can run it again after the kids go to bed. It's impossible to wrestle control over the tv during primetime lol. 70" is just right though, oh it's so glorious!


For science! Honestly I would be surprised if it does because I asked the source:


----------



## kwaidonjin

I've had my 7950 for almost 2 years now, still works great. I am thinking about upgrading(xfire) The only 7950's I can find are used. What would be a good card to Xfire with it ? Mine is the Saphire boost editon reference design. AMD 8350 OC to 4.5 . I have a 750 watt PSU< I realize I may need more wattage. I appreciate any suggestions. Also, what kind of performance boost could I expect with 2 cards , I am an eye candy whore. Currently playing BF4, Titanfall, Alien Isolation and Ryse:son of Rome, which seems to choke my system a bit.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> I've had my 7950 for almost 2 years now, still works great. I am thinking about upgrading(xfire) The only 7950's I can find are used. What would be a good card to Xfire with it ? Mine is the Saphire boost editon reference design. AMD 8350 OC to 4.5 . I have a 750 watt PSU< I realize I may need more wattage. I appreciate any suggestions. Also, what kind of performance boost could I expect with 2 cards , I am an eye candy whore. Currently playing BF4, Titanfall, Alien Isolation and Ryse:son of Rome, which seems to choke my system a bit.


Just picked up my 2nd 7950. I can tell the power is there but i have been having problems getting them to play nice togeather...


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I cant figure out what I am going to do with these 7970s when I upgrade(or my debezeled eyefinity set up)...they are hardly worth the hastle of selling anymore, but still have allot of life left in them. The situation is just going to get worse with AMDs 300 series rumors starting to circulate.


WHY MUST AMD HAVE MADE SUCH KICKASS CARDS THAT SIMPLY WONT DIE?!?!?!


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> I've had my 7950 for almost 2 years now, still works great. I am thinking about upgrading(xfire) The only 7950's I can find are used. What would be a good card to Xfire with it ? Mine is the Saphire boost editon reference design. AMD 8350 OC to 4.5 . I have a 750 watt PSU< I realize I may need more wattage. I appreciate any suggestions. Also, what kind of performance boost could I expect with 2 cards , I am an eye candy whore. Currently playing BF4, Titanfall, Alien Isolation and Ryse:son of Rome, which seems to choke my system a bit.


there is nothing wrong with used cards purchased from the right people. theres a section of this forum for that.... or my 7950 is xfired with a r9 280x and runs great. both cards were purchased used on kijiji.ca (canadian craigslist). both 3GB HIS iceq turbo boost on 7970 reference boards but one is 7950 one is 280x... bought the 7950 over a year ago for 220 used, and just picked up the 280x for 140 used.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> there is nothing wrong with used cards purchased from the right people. theres a section of this forum for that.... or my 7950 is xfired with a r9 280x and runs great. both cards were purchased used on kijiji.ca (canadian craigslist). both 3GB HIS iceq turbo boost on 7970 reference boards but one is 7950 one is 280x... bought the 7950 over a year ago for 220 used, and just picked up the 280x for 140 used.


+1 My 7950 from ebay used for $ 125 + 30ship work without problem but sure the card not used in mining


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> +1 My 7950 from ebay used for $ 125 + 30ship work without problem but sure the card not used in mining


Exactly, I got two unused 7970 for $480 (Aus) inc postage


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's a tv, so scaling is at largest. We can't read a darn thing from the dining table otherwise. I can run it again after the kids go to bed. It's impossible to wrestle control over the tv during primetime lol. 70" is just right though, oh it's so glorious!
> 
> 
> 
> For science! Honestly I would be surprised if it does because I asked the source:
Click to expand...

Oh looks like it is very hard to read at 100% scaling. I suppose it's a non-issue for real living room tv duty since I can't read any text at 100% scale from the sofa anyways. It's just too small, so I have to raise the scaling. And once you do that, it's readable again. Though I suspect you guys want to use smaller tv panels as monitors. I guess this will have a definite impact in that case. GL on yer search.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's a tv, so scaling is at largest. We can't read a darn thing from the dining table otherwise. I can run it again after the kids go to bed. It's impossible to wrestle control over the tv during primetime lol. 70" is just right though, oh it's so glorious!
> 
> 
> 
> For science! Honestly I would be surprised if it does because I asked the source:
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Oh looks like it is very hard to read at 100% scaling. I suppose it's a non-issue for real living room tv duty since I can't read any text at 100% scale from the sofa anyways. It's just too small, so I have to raise the scaling. And once you do that, it's readable again. Though I suspect you guys want to use smaller tv panels as monitors. I guess this will have a definite impact in that case. GL on yer search.
Click to expand...

You nailed it on the head. The technology is more than sufficient for a couch to TV, and I heard the Visio-P was an amazing set, which is why I inquired with them in the first place. I dont really know what scaling I am going to be using with a 49-55 as a monitor, but I dont want to sell myself short and end up loosing out on desktop usability.


----------



## henrix343

Could someone explain me where are bios chips on sapphire vapor-x 7950 PCB (2x8pin, 950Mhz edition)? Thanks.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> You nailed it on the head. The technology is more than sufficient for a couch to TV, and I heard the Visio-P was an amazing set, which is why I inquired with them in the first place. I dont really know what scaling I am going to be using with a 49-55 as a monitor, but I dont want to sell myself short and end up loosing out on desktop usability.


While I do enjoy the big panel experience, it's just too much head scrolling for me. Liek for instance with a big screen tv, the closer you move to it, the more difficult it becomes to take the whole screen view in. It's like sitting in the front row at a movie theater, at some point it becomes a negative aspect and it makes it hard to take in all the action at once. And then to compound things you have to swivel your head to focus on other parts of the screen. And then you lose focus of where you were before. I suspect you will be right in that boggle vision area at 50". I would imagine it is different for different people, I guess that's why I like eyefinity vs a single huge panel.


----------



## Deadboy90

Got a new problem with this reference 7950. I repasted it this morning (the original thermal paste was the consistancey of dry toothpaste) I put it all back together and went to burn it in. In 2 seconds the temp shot to 90c and the fan spun to 100%. I shut everything down and pulled the card apart again but I can't figure out why the temps are like that. It definetly looks like the chip is making contact with the heatsink...



I tried tightening the spring screws in the back more but if I turn any more I'm gonna strip the screws.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Got a new problem with this reference 7950. I repasted it this morning (the original thermal paste was the consistancey of dry toothpaste) I put it all back together and went to burn it in. In 2 seconds the temp shot to 90c and the fan spun to 100%. I shut everything down and pulled the card apart again but I can't figure out why the temps are like that. It definetly looks like the chip is making contact with the heatsink...
> 
> 
> 
> I tried tightening the spring screws in the back more but if I turn any more I'm gonna strip the screws.


That is allot of paste. fans plugged back in? Thermal pads on RAM double stacking? hamster stuck in the fan?


----------



## EpicOtis13

This post is with a heavy heart.
My brand new 7970 that I have been in the process of buying for 2 months, came today. I plugged it into my rig without the PCI power cables just to make sure it was working, and a capacitor lit on fire and my PC turned off. Hopefully I will have luck with getting a replacement, but still it has been to long and I'm broke so I can't just buy a new one. So far this is my second dead 7970. The first one I returned and exchanged for a 7970 lightning which I promptly sold on ebay, and bought this card.
Good night sweet prince,
(sorry for potato quality iPhone picture)


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is allot of paste. fans plugged back in? Thermal pads on RAM double stacking? hamster stuck in the fan?


the fan spun up crazy fast do I would say its plugged back in. The thermal pads seemed to line up right. I double checked for a hamster and didn't see one


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> This post is with a heavy heart.
> My brand new 7970 that I have been in the process of buying for 2 months, came today. I plugged it into my rig without the PCI power cables just to make sure it was working, and a capacitor lit on fire and my PC turned off. Hopefully I will have luck with getting a replacement, but still it has been to long and I'm broke so I can't just buy a new one. So far this is my second dead 7970. The first one I returned and exchanged for a 7970 lightning which I promptly sold on ebay, and bought this card.
> Good night sweet prince,
> (sorry for potato quality iPhone picture)


*moment of silence*

Sorry dude, do you have a backup card in the meantime?


----------



## Zen00

I hope he does, or he wouldn't be able to post on the forums.









Unless mobile or whatever.

I do have a 5770 I can send out as a loaner if needed.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> *moment of silence*
> 
> Sorry dude, do you have a backup card in the meantime?


I do luckily another 7970 that was my christmas present last year
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zen00*
> 
> I hope he does, or he wouldn't be able to post on the forums.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Unless mobile or whatever.
> 
> I do have a 5770 I can send out as a loaner if needed.


its fine I have another 7970


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is allot of paste. fans plugged back in? Thermal pads on RAM double stacking? hamster stuck in the fan?


Ok im on my 3rd time trying to repaste this card with no luck. I just hit 100C within a second of a render test. Im about ready to chuck this card.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Ok im on my 3rd time trying to repaste this card with no luck. I just hit 100C within a second of a render test. Im about ready to chuck this card.


might have used too much paste and shorted something out, perhaps the temp sensor itself. use about a 1/4 of what you currently use

thermal pads need to be replaced. the pieces of pads may not be lined up and causing high points, or points of no contact.

what are you using to monitor your temps? is it the gpu temp? or the ram temp? vrm temp?

try flicking the bios switch to the built in backup as well. bios may have corrupted.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is allot of paste. fans plugged back in? Thermal pads on RAM double stacking? hamster stuck in the fan?
> 
> 
> 
> Ok im on my 3rd time trying to repaste this card with no luck. I just hit 100C within a second of a render test. Im about ready to chuck this card.
Click to expand...

This is by no mean a proffesional opinion, but I would look at the thermal pads, make sure that they are not stacking. That or put some arm into the screw.


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> This is by no mean a proffesional opinion, but I would look at the thermal pads, make sure that they are not stacking. That or put some arm into the screw.


If it was the thermal pads wouldnt the VRM temps be through the roof too? VRM temps are normal, like 40C.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> might have used too much paste and shorted something out, perhaps the temp sensor itself. use about a 1/4 of what you currently use
> 
> thermal pads need to be replaced. the pieces of pads may not be lined up and causing high points, or points of no contact.
> 
> what are you using to monitor your temps? is it the gpu temp? or the ram temp? vrm temp?
> 
> try flicking the bios switch to the built in backup as well. bios may have corrupted.


Im using afterburner and GPUZ for temps. GPUZ records VRM temps as fine, Afterburner shows GPU temps as over 100C within a second.

I used a minimal amount of paste for this third attempt and temps were just as bad. And when at idle the GPU temp slowly creeps up so I think the temp sensor is fine, but SOMEHOW the heat sink isn't making contact.

I was thinking I may replace the thermal pads, you know where to get them? All i see are laptop GPU thermal pads.

Ill try the BIOS but im not hopeful...


----------



## Mr-Dark

New update finaly i have the sapphire 280 non x dual-x bios !

flash my 7950 dual-x the name change but i cant see core temp anymore









this the bios if any one know the solution for this tell me pls









http://dc156.gulfup.com/pzNfYH.rar?gu=rS9V1reJv18a4sktpjnLDw&e=1418392273&n=66696c656e616d652a3d5554462d3827275461686974692e726172


----------



## mlisowsk

@Deadboy90:

clean off all paste, remove all pads. Take a photo of PCB and cooling assembly and post it here.

Reapply very little paste in a cross pattern on the GPU, take a photo and post here.
Reattach cooling assembly to PCB (without the pads). Then remove cooling assembly and check whether the paste has spread all over the GPU chip (post photo of PCB here).

You need to get new pads then. At least five of them are broken and need to be replaced anyway. The broken pads probably stack and prevent the contact of the cooler to the GPU


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> New update finaly i have the sapphire 280 non x dual-x bios !
> 
> flash my 7950 dual-x the name change but i cant see core temp anymore
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this the bios if any one know the solution for this tell me pls
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://dc156.gulfup.com/pzNfYH.rar?gu=rS9V1reJv18a4sktpjnLDw&e=1418392273&n=66696c656e616d652a3d5554462d3827275461686974692e726172


What is your purpose with flashing 7950 ----> 280 ? Honest question, if there has been some advantage to the newer tahiti bioses, I would be happy to hear about it.

I did the same type of flash when the 280x hit the market, with the exact same results in benchmarks. I did not loose core temp, but the VRMs would read ~20C cooler than reality. I also was unable to produce a tangible benefit in gaming or benchmarking with the 280x BIOS. Clock for clock it was the same.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> What is your purpose with flashing 7950 ----> 280 ? Honest question, if there has been some advantage to the newer tahiti bioses, I would be happy to hear about it.
> 
> I did the same type of flash when the 280x hit the market, with the exact same results in benchmarks. I did not loose core temp, but the VRMs would read ~20C cooler than reality. I also was unable to produce a tangible benefit in gaming or benchmarking with the 280x BIOS. Clock for clock it was the same.


there is no any advantage just to change the name









as i crossfire 280x with 7950 just thats it


----------



## Deadboy90

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mlisowsk*
> 
> @Deadboy90:
> 
> clean off all paste, remove all pads. Take a photo of PCB and cooling assembly and post it here.
> 
> Reapply very little paste in a cross pattern on the GPU, take a photo and post here.
> Reattach cooling assembly to PCB (without the pads). Then remove cooling assembly and check whether the paste has spread all over the GPU chip (post photo of PCB here).
> 
> You need to get new pads then. At least five of them are broken and need to be replaced anyway. The broken pads probably stack and prevent the contact of the cooler to the GPU


Will do. Do you know where I can get some? I have tried looking and all i see are laptop gpu thermal pads.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Will do. Do you know where I can get some? I have tried looking and all i see are laptop gpu thermal pads.


I am interested in this too.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Deadboy90*
> 
> Will do. Do you know where I can get some? I have tried looking and all i see are laptop gpu thermal pads.
> 
> 
> 
> I am interested in this too.
Click to expand...

http://www.performance-pcs.com/fujipoly-sarcon-gr-m-thermal-padding-vga-block-size-sheet-60-x-50-x-0-5-mm.html

think its .5 for the VRAM and 1.0 for VRMs


----------



## fx63007850

am i getting high temps on my 7950 at stock 925/1250, 1.169volts
i was playing shadow or mordor for 2 hours all settings on ultra apart textures on high, gpu hit 79c fan speed was at 67%


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> am i getting high temps on my 7950 at stock 925/1250, 1.169volts
> i was playing shadow or mordor for 2 hours all settings on ultra apart textures on high, gpu hit 79c fan speed was at 67%


temps is still ok. that's core. what are the vrm temps?

you don't have room for oc'ing, though. may have to replace the Tim and blow out dust maybe. make sure airflow is fine.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> temps is still ok. that's core. what are the vrm temps?
> 
> you don't have room for oc'ing, though. may have to replace the Tim and blow out dust maybe. make sure airflow is fine.


its the core my card does not show vrm temps (xfx dd)

its only shadow which make the gpu that hot, any other game the core hits 72c

i guess i can do the tim again and clean the fins aswell with a hoover and the case


----------



## kwaidonjin

So, should I buy a 280 to go with my 7950? which I can get for about $160 after rebate. or wait till next gen comes out? Wouldn't 2 7950's be more cost effective and give me better performance? I would appreciate any help.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> its the core my card does not show vrm temps (xfx dd)
> 
> its only shadow which make the gpu that hot, any other game the core hits 72c
> 
> i guess i can do the tim again and clean the fins aswell with a hoover and the case


*dont use a vacuum near your electronics. the fast moving air can cause static that can kill your system!!*


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> So, should I buy a 280 to go with my 7950? which I can get for about $160 after rebate. or wait till next gen comes out? Wouldn't 2 7950's be more cost effective and give me better performance? I would appreciate any help.


Grab a used 7950/70 off ebay, they're pretty cheap nowadays. I just recently bought two 7950's for $300 cad (Including shipping) to pair with my existing 7950 for Tri-fire.
Just make sure you get a good card (Eg. MSI Twin Frozr, Asus DCu II or Sapphire Dual-X/ Vapor-X) if you decide to go this route.


----------



## kwaidonjin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Grab a used 7950/70 off ebay, they're pretty cheap nowadays. I just recently bought two 7950's for $300 cad (Including shipping) to pair with my existing 7950 for Tri-fire.
> Just make sure you get a good card (Eg. MSI Twin Frozr, Asus DCu II or Sapphire Dual-X/ Vapor-X) if you decide to go this route.


Thanks for the response , I see the 7950's going for around $120 on ebay and I can get a new 280 xfx double d for $199 with a 30 rebate. I would rather pay $40 more for piece of mind. I still am wondering what kind of in game performance would I get from the two cards?


----------



## KSIMP88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> *dont use a vacuum near your electronics. the fast moving air can cause static that can kill your system!!*


Don't yell.

And this is unlikely, unless your stuff is very sensitive. And if you don't ground it before you power on.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> Thanks for the response , I see the 7950's going for around $120 on ebay and I can get a new 280 xfx double d for $199 with a 30 rebate. I would rather pay $40 more for piece of mind. I still am wondering what kind of in game performance would I get from the two cards?


Performance is quite good for two cards. BF4 (when it works) @ 1080P Ultra w/ 4x MSAA nets around 70-90 fps avg if I remember correctly. Most other games have no problems running 60+ fps at max settings.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> Thanks for the response , I see the 7950's going for around $120 on ebay and I can get a new 280 xfx double d for $199 with a 30 rebate. I would rather pay $40 more for piece of mind. I still am wondering what kind of in game performance would I get from the two cards?
> 
> 
> 
> Performance is quite good for two cards. BF4 (when it works) @ 1080P Ultra w/ 4x MSAA nets around 70-90 fps avg if I remember correctly. Most other games have no problems running 60+ fps at max settings.
Click to expand...

I agree, tahiti scales rather well, almost 100% in many games, most over 75%. There are a few that dont support x-fire, and some older DX9 games will stutter, but overall a second card will make things allot better.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KSIMP88*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> *dont use a vacuum near your electronics. the fast moving air can cause static that can kill your system!!*
> 
> 
> 
> Don't yell.
> 
> And this is unlikely, unless your stuff is very sensitive. And if you don't ground it before you power on.
Click to expand...

Guy you quoted is a prime candidate for ignore. That said, my step who worked for IBM since the 80s as a field engineer on mainframes. Standard issue for each tech was what? You guessed a darn vacuum lol.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> its the core my card does not show vrm temps (xfx dd)
> 
> its only shadow which make the gpu that hot, any other game the core hits 72c
> 
> i guess i can do the tim again and clean the fins aswell with a hoover and the case


man, you got a nice setup. yah, do those and maybe . . . try very hard to find a used full block for that 7950. i think that follows a reference 7950 pcb. take a pic when you redo the paste.

edit: you won't see 50c at load. lol


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TRusselo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> its the core my card does not show vrm temps (xfx dd)
> 
> its only shadow which make the gpu that hot, any other game the core hits 72c
> 
> i guess i can do the tim again and clean the fins aswell with a hoover and the case
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *dont use a vacuum near your electronics. the fast moving air can cause static that can kill your system!!*
Click to expand...

although it can happen, the actual likelihood is very very low i refuse to buy a datavac, and i only use a 5hp shopvac, in i dunno all my life ( since my 4 color tandy i never have had a problem with a shopvac !~)


----------



## fx63007850

my card is non ref as i brought a full cover which did not fit as the caps are too tall,

i mean if i hoover it i be taking everything out of the case and i remember seeing dust on the cooler of the gpu in the fins


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> my card is non ref as i brought a full cover which did not fit as the caps are too tall,
> 
> i mean if i hoover it i be taking everything out of the case and i remember seeing dust on the cooler of the gpu in the fins
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


hope you were able to return the block. anyway, i go by ek's method of applying tim . . .



don't put much. but, like i said, your temp looks good. card does not show temps for the vrms even in GPUZ, huh. have you tried to lower your dpi and use the latest GPUZ version?


----------



## fx63007850

i brought it used on a forum so i sold it on ebay and no not on gpuz and whats lower the dpi, i will get the lastest and post a screen shot


----------



## fx63007850

that was playing fifa 15 online for a hour and a half


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> that was playing fifa 15 online for a hour and a half


your gpu temp is a lot better than my twin frozer. and that cpu is cold.

when you rightclick your desktop . . .

Screen resolution>Make text larger or smaller>set to small

just to make sure if GPUZ will indicate vrms. but it looks like it won't. you can try.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> your gpu temp is a lot better than my twin frozer. and that cpu is cold.
> 
> when you rightclick your desktop . . .
> 
> Screen resolution>Make text larger or smaller>set to small
> 
> just to make sure if GPUZ will indicate vrms. but it looks like it won't. you can try.


i play some advance warfare and it go into the 70s and yes cpu will not go past 38c at all no matter what i do


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> i play some advance warfare and it go into the 70s and yes cpu will not go past 38c at all no matter what i do


my 7950's core goes to around 79C in BF4 MP. the VRMs are about 5 - 7C cooler. thanks to the Twin Frozer plate that covers the vrm areas. you are good.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> my 7950's core goes to around 79C in BF4 MP. the VRMs are about 5 - 7C cooler. thanks to the Twin Frozer plate that covers the vrm areas. you are good.


is that stock or overclocked and pm me your name on origin and i join you on bf4


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> is that stock or overclocked and pm me your name on origin and i join you on bf4


that's stock (960MHz). Room temp around 22C. may have to replace Tim soon.


----------



## fx63007850

yeah will need tim and i just play a round of bf4 and temps max out at 62c


----------



## PunkX 1

Here's my card, at 1250/1800Mhz. After about 2 hours of Far Cry 4 and Battlefield 3


----------



## kwaidonjin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I agree, tahiti scales rather well, almost 100% in many games, most over 75%. There are a few that dont support x-fire, and some older DX9 games will stutter, but overall a second card will make things allot better.


So, would I be better off with two 7950's or one 290x? Or should I keep what I have and wait till the 300 series come out?


----------



## Ruined

Hey guys, I was gonna change the paste last night on my 7970 for the first time. When I took it apart some of the thermal pads on the memory ripped. Did some quick googling and found this http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/thermal-pads-for-7970.194069/ . It's saying that if they are not ripped too much I can still use them. Are they to far gone to be reused? Would I be able use a little paste to help the ripped pads? Or should I wait until I can find/buy new ones? Btw I dont OC the memory too much, it's usually at 1500/1600 at 1.6v (stock for the card).


----------



## inedenimadam

1.6 is high for stock. But still, memory on a card should be fine with ripped pads as long as they are covered, and are not interfering with die to cooler contact. . Fujipoly makes great stuff if you decide you want to actually replace it. Believe the 7970 uses 0.5 for RAM and 1.0 for VRM.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 1.6 is high for stock. But still, memory on a card should be fine with ripped pads as long as they are covered, and are not interfering with die to cooler contact. . Fujipoly makes great stuff if you decide you want to actually replace it. Believe the 7970 uses 0.5 for RAM and 1.0 for VRM.


1.6v is stock reference 7970.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1.6v is stock reference 7970.


Was that voltage needed? Or is it like the low stock clock and AMD just being overly cautious with the numbers?

I have not had the pleasure of a reference 7970, only a small mixed bag of partner cards, all of which are 1.5 hynix.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> 1.6v is stock reference 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Was that voltage needed? Or is it like the low stock clock and AMD just being overly cautious with the numbers?
> 
> I have not had the pleasure of a reference 7970, only a small mixed bag of partner cards, all of which are 1.5 hynix.
Click to expand...

Stock reference 7970 vram voltage is 1.6, and stock reference 7950 voltage is 1.5. Later custom and wannabe reference cards changed the many things including vram, voltage. But the idea that you could fry vram with any voltage since it was all really low anyways and limited to 1.7v, I think that idea is not based upon any evidence.


----------



## boredmug

I have reference 7950's straight from AMD with stock voltage of 1.6 on vram. Memory is Hynix. 6+6 power.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stock reference 7970 vram voltage is 1.6, and stock reference 7950 voltage is 1.5. Later custom and wannabe reference cards changed the many things including vram, voltage. But the idea that you could fry vram with any voltage since it was all really low anyways and limited to 1.7v, I think that idea is not based upon any evidence.


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> although it can happen, the actual likelihood is very very low i refuse to buy a datavac, and i only use a 5hp shopvac, in i dunno all my life ( since my 4 color tandy i never have had a problem with a shopvac !~)


I learnt the hard way, about 10 years ago i was fixing a pc for my friend. Vacuumed out all his cat and dog hair, the damn thing never booted again.
Never done it again. Never had an issue again.

better to blow than to suck.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I have reference 7950's straight from AMD with stock voltage of 1.6 on vram. Memory is Hynix. 6+6 power.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stock reference 7970 vram voltage is 1.6, and stock reference 7950 voltage is 1.5. Later custom and wannabe reference cards changed the many things including vram, voltage. But the idea that you could fry vram with any voltage since it was all really low anyways and limited to 1.7v, I think that idea is not based upon any evidence.
Click to expand...

I'd guess you had a sapphire card since they are AMDs primary oem. That said, later 7950s could come with different voltages but 1.7v is three max allowable on the controller.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd guess you had a sapphire card since they are AMDs primary oem. That said, later 7950s could come with different voltages but 1.7v is three max allowable on the controller.


Eh.. They are marked AMD and that's it. I live in Austin TX and there were quite a few of these floating around on craigslist when the 7950 and 7970 were still hot cards. Developer cards?

Oh, I also have one with a 6+8 pin for power. The two oldest ones i have are 6+6 though. All of them are marked AMD.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd guess you had a sapphire card since they are AMDs primary oem. That said, later 7950s could come with different voltages but 1.7v is the max allowable on the controller.
> 
> 
> 
> Eh.. They are marked AMD and that's it. I live in Austin TX and there were quite a few of these floating around on craigslist when the 7950 and 7970 were still hot cards. Developer cards?
> 
> Oh, I also have one with a 6+8 pin for power. The two oldest ones i have are 6+6 though. All of them are marked AMD.
Click to expand...

AMD doesn't manufacture cards. They sell a kit with parts. AIB purchase kits produce boards. AMD use sapphire as their main producer of boards. You probably had a sapphire board. Btw 7950 reference isn't actually accurate, it was revised from the start. Here's an old post where I explain the differences. Btw sapphire is notorious for making all sorts of variations of 7950s.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1261236/help-is-my-7950-a-reference-model


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> AMD doesn't manufacture cards. They sell a kit with parts. AIB purchase kits produce boards. AMD use sapphire as their main producer of boards. You probably had a sapphire board. Btw 7950 reference isn't actually accurate, it was revised from the start. Here's an old post where I explain the differences. Btw sapphire is notorious for making all sorts of variations of 7950s.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1261236/help-is-my-7950-a-reference-model


Interesting. You're a wealth of information. So is the card with the 6+8 any better than the 6+6 ones i have? I've noticed the 6+8 one runs hotter under water.. It's only a couple degrees, but still..


----------



## tsm106

Generally speaking the more phases there are the lower the vrm temps will be because the load is spread among the higher number of phases so each phase is under less load. You're temp differences on core I presume that is what you mean, could just fall under variation in contact between block and card.


----------



## boredmug

Yes, the core.. Oh well.. I'm not gunna go through a reseat anytime soon as i went through major fits when i added the universal blocks to these cards. I believe i had an air bubble in one of the blocks and drained the loop and reseated the blocks probably 5 or 6 times before it acted right. I had as much as a 10 degree difference at one point. . switched the blocks on the cards finally and BOOM. All worked except for a variation of 2 degrees at load. Bottom cards maxes out at 45 and top maxes out at 43. I gave up overclocking them much though. I game at 1050/1500. Benched a couple runs at 1290/1600 and that's all i could get.

I'm using the stock reference heat plate and fan to cool the vrm's which i'm sure isn't ideal for overclocking and perhaps is part of the problem?


----------



## tsm106

Btw I think I didn't directly addressed your question, lol. Regarding the plugs, it depends on what vrm layout the pcb uses. Sonada made a thread detailing the myriad of variations these revised 7950s went thru. Some had 6+8 but had reduced phase count and sine didn't. It's hard to tell what they were thinking when making these revised cards. I would check the pcb to see what the phase count is and go from there.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Btw I think I didn't directly addressed your question, lol. Regarding the plugs, it depends on what vrm layout the pcb uses. Sonada made a thread detailing the myriad of variations these revised 7950s went thru. Some had 6+8 but had reduced phase count and sine didn't. It's hard to tell what they were thinking when making these revised cards. I would check the pcb to see what the phase count is and go from there.


Lol.. well I'm not sure i wanna go that far into it.. These cards are gunna get some AIO coolers slapped on them and go into my 10 and 6 year old sons computer when i upgrade to a pair of 290x's here around christmas. Honestly, i'd love to have a pair of gtx970's, but i'm cheap and the 290x's seem to be going for a pretty good price used.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd guess you had a sapphire card since they are AMDs primary oem. That said, later 7950s could come with different voltages but 1.7v is three max allowable on the controller.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Btw I think I didn't directly addressed your question, lol. Regarding the plugs, it depends on what vrm layout the pcb uses. Sonada made a thread detailing the myriad of variations these revised 7950s went thru. Some had 6+8 but had reduced phase count and sine didn't. It's hard to tell what they were thinking when making these revised cards. I would check the pcb to see what the phase count is and go from there.


For some reason, Trixx gives me up to 1.8v on the memory. Also, which 7950 did you have? What was the phase count on there?
.
My original card was a 6+8 pin version and OC'd like a dud. Couldn't got over 1120/1400Mhz. Card died after the overheating VRMs had popped. The replacement card I got was the 8+8 pin version, and OC's helluva lot better. Does 1250/1800Mhz. I can run 1300Mhz for benches..with slight artifacts


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I'd guess you had a sapphire card since they are AMDs primary oem. That said, later 7950s could come with different voltages but 1.7v is three max allowable on the controller.
> 
> 
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Btw I think I didn't directly addressed your question, lol. Regarding the plugs, it depends on what vrm layout the pcb uses. Sonada made a thread detailing the myriad of variations these revised 7950s went thru. Some had 6+8 but had reduced phase count and sine didn't. It's hard to tell what they were thinking when making these revised cards. I would check the pcb to see what the phase count is and go from there.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> For some reason, Trixx gives me up to 1.8v on the memory. Also, which 7950 did you have? What was the phase count on there?
> .
> My original card was a 6+8 pin version and OC'd like a dud. Couldn't got over 1120/1400Mhz. Card died after the overheating VRMs had popped. The replacement card I got was the 8+8 pin version, and OC's helluva lot better. Does 1250/1800Mhz. I can run 1300Mhz for benches..with slight artifacts
Click to expand...

Trixx has a slider that goes to 1.8. It doesn't mean it works.









Oc ability is really down to the silicon. Vrm phase amount determines quality of power delivery and efficiency, so more phases equals cooler running vrms not necessarily better overclock. Btw, that looks like a good card you have. Iirc ranger and sonada both have super gold 7950s with clocks over 1350. It's pretty rare for 7950s to clock that high though. I never really got into 7950s, went straight for 7970s myself.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Trixx has a slider that goes to 1.8. It doesn't mean it works.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oc ability is really down to the silicon. Vrm phase amount determines quality of power delivery and efficiency, so more phases equals cooler running vrms not necessarily better overclock. Btw, that looks like a good card you have. Iirc ranger and sonada both have super gold 7950s with clocks over 1350. It's pretty rare for 7950s to clock that high though. I never really got into 7950s, went straight for 7970s myself.


My original card had an 8 phase layout. So does the replacement. But yeah..I guess it all comes down to the Silicon Lottery









Temps are pretty good, though. At 1250/1800Mhz, the core doesn't get any hotter than 68c and the VRMs 72c.


----------



## Daffie82

This new catalyst omega drivers - will this also give the same improvements for us, HD7950/7970 users?


----------



## Mega Man

so how are people liking the omega driver ? yes it is out


----------



## Noviets

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> so how are people liking the omega driver ? yes it is out


Well atleast for my 7970 ghz, there's no difference. I think I heard they were bringing out Tahiti et al, at a later stage.



14.11.2 Beta driver vs Omega 14.12 Release.

No difference


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Noviets*
> 
> 
> 
> 14.11.2 Beta driver vs Omega 14.12 Release.
> 
> No difference


I did not make a nifty chart, but yeah, not much change from 14.11.B2. I hear x-fire is better in a few games, but FC4 still does not have a profile.


----------



## MR KROGOTH

Picked up a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X 3GB for 30$. Havent had a card from the red team since the Rage128 Pro/Rage128 days, older than some members here








Had some artifacting issues from bootup, clearly a memory issue. Initially I believed it a voltage issue, but once drivers were installed windows quit loading.
Worked some magic, card is now mining perfectly.




Is the contact base on anyone else's 7950 horrifically pitted and scarred?
I took a small file to the high spots. I'll probably go back and lap this later.




Cool!


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MR KROGOTH*
> 
> Picked up a Sapphire 7950 Dual-X 3GB for 30$. Havent had a card from the red team since the Rage128 Pro/Rage128 days, older than some members here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Had some artifacting issues from bootup, clearly a memory issue. Initially I believed it a voltage issue, but once drivers were installed windows quit loading.
> Worked some magic, card is now mining perfectly.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Is the contact base on anyone else's 7950 horrifically pitted and scarred?
> I took a small file to the high spots. I'll probably go back and lap this later.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cool!


$30?! Wow









How did you fix the artifacting? Did you bake it?


----------



## MR KROGOTH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> $30?! Wow
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How did you fix the artifacting? Did you bake it?


Yeah, how much are these cards worth? Not much on ATI/AMD cards. Always heard of driver issues.

Not oven, but heat gun concentrated on MEM ICs and dispersed heat through front and back of the board as well as cleaning all the dust off.
Seems to have worked!
What are decent clocks for these cards?
It's sitting at 1000c/1250m with 1050mV and 0% Power limit. It's at 55*c at full load.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MR KROGOTH*
> 
> Yeah, how much are these cards worth? Not much on ATI/AMD cards. Always heard of driver issues.
> 
> Not oven, but heat gun concentrated on MEM ICs and dispersed heat through front and back of the board as well as cleaning all the dust off.
> Seems to have worked!
> What are decent clocks for these cards?
> It's sitting at 1000c/1250m with 1050mV and 0% Power limit. It's at 55*c at full load.


I managed to get my Vapor-X to 1250/1800Mhz, 1.3v (1.25v after vdroop) at 50% on the power limit.

You should do 1100-1150Mhz with ease.


----------



## MR KROGOTH

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> I managed to get my Vapor-X to 1250/1800Mhz, 1.3v (1.25v after vdroop) at 50% on the power limit.
> 
> You should do 1100-1150Mhz with ease.


Cool.

I'm at 1050mV core, 1613mV memory. 1025MHz c/1300MHz mem.
Hopefully this card scales well - It's 30$, caution is out the window!


----------



## kwaidonjin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> So, would I be better off with two 7950's or one 290x? Or should I keep what I have and wait till the 300 series come out?


anyone????


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> anyone????


What resolution do you play at? And what games mostly?

Do you prefer all-out eye candy or a balance?


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> anyone????


The second 7950 for 130$ only you cant get the 290x for your 7950 price + 130$ so the 7950 crossfire will be good

less cost more performance less temp


----------



## SavageBrat

Hello All,
Hey I have a few questions regarding my msi lighting card,as I'm not to sure on overclocking it. I've read through a few sites on it but still a little lost.
I can take it up to 1160/1600 without touching the stock voltage without it having any problems(currently have it loafing at 1100/1500) I used Unigine Heaven-4.0 to check stability . Any idea on how far a card can go and can someone recommend a good guide? Thanks,,


----------



## Ragsters

Recently bought another reference 7970 for xfire. Before I take it apart to install water lock how should I test it? Not sure if furmark is necessary. Should a few runs of firestrike do?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Recently bought another reference 7970 for xfire. Before I take it apart to install water lock how should I test it? Not sure if furmark is necessary. Should a few runs of firestrike do?


If you like your cards, avoid furmark. I like valley/heaven because they can be looped to test stability and have built in temp and clock monitor, but you are likely to get as many different answers as people you ask.

But seriously, avoid the fuzzy hole.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> If you like your cards, avoid furmark. I like valley/heaven because they can be looped to test stability and have built in temp and clock monitor, but you are likely to get as many different answers as people you ask.
> 
> But seriously, avoid the fuzzy hole.


Furmark is borderline useless. Puts unnecessary load on your card, way more than the card is actually designed for.


----------



## u3b3rg33k

My problem with furmark is that it consumes so much power it makes the test useless - everything hits the power limiter once you get to a reasonable overclock, even with the power limiter turned way up.


----------



## tsm106

Think of it as a full loop test. Think your wc is up to snuff? Put it to the test.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Think of it as a full loop test. Think your wc is up to snuff? Put it to the test.


Are you recommending Furmark?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Think of it as a full loop test. Think your wc is up to snuff? Put it to the test.
> 
> 
> 
> Are you recommending Furmark?
Click to expand...

I don't recommend it for card validation but I do use it to test my loops.


----------



## DR4G00N

Are you guys experiencing any problems with the 14.12 Omega drivers? Whenever I install the drivers my cards don't get detected and it defaults to the "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter"


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Are you guys experiencing any problems with the 14.12 Omega drivers? Whenever I install the drivers my cards don't get detected and it defaults to the "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter"


Work without problem here but the performance of mantle in bf4 decrese by 40%


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Work without problem here but the performance of mantle in bf4 decrese by 40%


Huh, maybe the installer was corrupted.








I'll give it another go tomorrow.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Are you guys experiencing any problems with the 14.12 Omega drivers? Whenever I install the drivers my cards don't get detected and it defaults to the "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter"


Try uninstalling with DDU:

http://www.wagnardmobile.com/DDU/

It takes all the leg work out of cleaning up the crap that is often left behind by CCC uninstaller.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Try uninstalling with DDU:
> 
> http://www.wagnardmobile.com/DDU/
> 
> It takes all the leg work out of cleaning up the crap that is often left behind by CCC uninstaller.


I always use that to uninstall so that's not the problem.


----------



## kwaidonjin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> What resolution do you play at? And what games mostly?
> 
> Do you prefer all-out eye candy or a balance?


1080P on a 65" Plasma. Eye Candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> 1080P on a 65" Plasma. Eye Candy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


A single 7950 would be fine for a 1080P screen for now. If you can find another one for cheap, pick that up.

I'd hold off on the 290X and wait for the 390X.


----------



## kwaidonjin

ok, thanks for the help.


----------



## PunkX 1

Not a problem


----------



## DR4G00N

Bought Shadow of Mordor yesterday, seemed like a pretty good game.
Of course I immediately cranked the settings way up, 4K downsampling w/ max settings (high textures) and I'm getting ~40-50 FPS. That is with all cards @ 1000/1250 1.1v & 98-99% usage on the three.
VRAM usage was around 2.9GB so i'm probably going to turn it back down to 1080p to help smooth out the frametimes.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Bought Shadow of Mordor yesterday, seemed like a pretty good game.
> Of course I immediately cranked the settings way up, 4K downsampling w/ max settings (high textures) and I'm getting ~40-50 FPS. That is with all cards @ 1000/1250 1.1v & 98-99% usage on the three.
> VRAM usage was around 2.9GB so i'm probably going to turn it back down to 1080p to help smooth out the frametimes.


Downsampling you mean the new Vsr ?? or ?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Downsampling you mean the new Vsr ?? or ?


The game has built in downsampling (It's either downsampling or SSAA I can't tell) that allows me to select (200%) 3840x2160 as a resolution.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> The game has built in downsampling (It's either downsampling or SSAA I can't tell) that allows me to select (200%) 3840x2160 as a resolution.


Oh i play the game but did not see the option


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Sooooo........

I picked up an XFX R7950 DD last night, in the box, all documetation, driver CD, accessories, full retail packaging, for $60 on craigslist.
It for my 9 year odl son's budget gaming system I am building him for Christmas......

$60!!!!!


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Sooooo........
> 
> I picked up an XFX R7950 DD last night, in the box, all documetation, driver CD, accessories, full retail packaging, for $60 on craigslist.
> It for my 9 year odl son's budget gaming system I am building him for Christmas......
> 
> $60!!!!!


STAHP COMING ACROSS AWESOME DEALS









Makes me cry when I think about the $300 I paid for mine


----------



## Agent Smith1984

I see you have an X3 435 in your sig....

His CPU is going to be an x3 445. I have it unlocked in the BIOS but haven't finished installing OS to test stability yet....

How did that chip do for you? I am thinking with this chip, either with 3 cores in the 3.6-3.8GHz (have a good air cooler on it), or with 4 cores in the 3.3-3.5GHz range, that it should handle 1080P with this 7950 I picked up....


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> I see you have an X3 435 in your sig....
> 
> His CPU is going to be an x3 445. I have it unlocked in the BIOS but haven't finished installing OS to test stability yet....
> 
> How did that chip do for you? I am thinking with this chip, either with 3 cores in the 3.6-3.8GHz (have a good air cooler on it), or with 4 cores in the 3.3-3.5GHz range, that it should handle 1080P with this 7950 I picked up....


I had the X3 445, as well..before upgrading to my current 8370E. I had 4 cores unlocked, ran the thing at 4Ghz with a Hyper 212 Evo. Stayed nice and cool.

Performance-wise, it held up quite well.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Oh cool, I am really hoping it's a deneb in disguise, and that there is some L3 cache on there.....
Either way, getting all 4 cores, and hitting 3.6+GHZ should put him close to FX4300 performance for gaming, which would be plenty suitable for 720p/1080p I would think.....

If I only get 3 stable cores, then I will shoot for the moon on clock speeds! Did you need additional voltage to get the 4th core stable prior to overclock, or did it work on stock voltage?

I am hoping to get lucky on it, I got a barebones mini tower with this chip, a DFI (miss these guys a lot) Lanparty Jr 790GX DDR3 board.
Came with 4GB RIPJAW kit, and a Thermaltake PSU too! Got the whole system for $60, and then picked this 7950 up.

redxmaverick (OCN member) is donating a 2x4GB RIPJAW kit to throw in there for 12GB in dual channel....

I just have to take a pair of sheet metal snips and cut the hard drive bay out so this video card will fit









Also probably picking up a 240GB PNY XLR8 SSD for $40 too, so my little guy is gonna have quite the system, and all of it for $160!!!

He's going to FLIP!!


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Oh cool, I am really hoping it's a deneb in disguise, and that there is some L3 cache on there.....
> Either way, getting all 4 cores, and hitting 3.6+GHZ should put him close to FX4300 performance for gaming, which would be plenty suitable for 720p/1080p I would think.....
> 
> If I only get 3 stable cores, then I will shoot for the moon on clock speeds! Did you need additional voltage to get the 4th core stable prior to overclock, or did it work on stock voltage?
> 
> I am hoping to get lucky on it, I got a barebones mini tower with this chip, a DFI (miss these guys a lot) Lanparty Jr 790GX DDR3 board.
> Came with 4GB RIPJAW kit, and a Thermaltake PSU too! Got the whole system for $60, and then picked this 7950 up.
> 
> redxmaverick (OCN member) is donating a 2x4GB RIPJAW kit to throw in there for 12GB in dual channel....
> 
> I just have to take a pair of sheet metal snips and cut the hard drive bay out so this video card will fit
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also probably picking up a 240GB PNY XLR8 SSD for $40 too, so my little guy is gonna have quite the system, and all of it for $160!!!
> 
> He's going to FLIP!!


He's going to love it









My X3 was a brilliant overclocker. It could do 4.3Ghz, 1.52v, on air.

Unlocked, I couldn't go past 4.1Ghz. Didn't need extra volts, though. Mine unlocked with the L3 cache


----------



## Spock121

Got my card a couple days ago and it's every much as beautiful as I thought it would be.


----------



## Mr-Dark

my friend tell me today they wont crossfire sapphire 7950 vapor-x with xfx 7950 they have xfx pro 750w and i7 3770k @ 4.5ghz

i tell them all will be fine but dont oc the both card they say it will be @ 1150 /1500 1.2v they give me this video






in the video i7 3770k 4.6ghz and 7950 crossfire 1150 on the core and kill watt meter dosnt break 500w !!!!

and this



is this true or what ???


----------



## Agent Smith1984

That seems extremely low??
That's pretty much saying you could run crossfire off a good 500w...... I call BS......


----------



## Mega Man

Meh 300W each 79xx at full oc. So 2 meh oc you could do. The cpu was probably at stock in that test


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Well, I am a little curious how this Antex 450w is going to do on my son's rig with a highly overclocked X3 (unlocked to x4), and a mildly overclocked 7950....
When I say mild, I mean 1000/1500+/-

I am thinking it'll be right around maxed out, but should be fine. We shall see!


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> That seems extremely low??
> That's pretty much saying you could run crossfire off a good 500w...... I call BS......


Ya very low and the pic from review the cpu is i7 3960x !


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spock121*
> 
> Got my card a couple days ago and it's every much as beautiful as I thought it would be.


The Matrix Tahiti in the grand scheme of things is a mixed bag, looks nice but you still play the silicon lottery.


----------



## Spock121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> The Matrix Tahiti in the grand scheme of things is a mixed bag, looks nice but you still play the silicon lottery.


So far mine is overclocking quite well, no artifacting issues like commonly seen. Soon I'm going to throw a waterblock on it but not without making a custom bracket to hold that awesome shroud first.


----------



## tsm106

Just don't do this to it.









http://www.overclock.net/g/i/1446473/8a5dba6c-1446253-jpeg/sort/display_order/


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Just don't do this to it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/g/i/1446473/8a5dba6c-1446253-jpeg/sort/display_order/


How? What? When?!


----------



## Mega Man

old member here


----------



## tsm106

It took some cohones to make a chair out of it lol.


----------



## Mega Man

that was back when it was ~ 600-700 for the card too iirc


----------



## tsm106

Yea, and in iceland money that's a lotta kronies!


----------



## Spock121

That poor thing...


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> although it can happen, the actual likelihood is very very low i refuse to buy a datavac, and i only use a 5hp shopvac, in i dunno all my life ( since my 4 color tandy i never have had a problem with a shopvac !~)


i redone my tim again and cleaned the fins with a hoover and dropped my temps by 7-8c

still need to do my case and rads

the tim im using is ek-tim
ectotherm


----------



## Mr-Dark

The power of noctua D14


----------



## daguardian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> The power of noctua D14


Sorry don't get what you are trying to highlight, can you explain please.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *daguardian*
> 
> Sorry don't get what you are trying to highlight, can you explain please.


The cpu temp 40c with bf4 ultra 120fps


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> The cpu temp 40c with bf4 ultra 120fps


yes but look at the res its so small


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> yes but look at the res its so small


the low res the high cpu usage = high temp


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> How? What? When?!


Rangerj1 IIRC, he had lots of issues with it, snapped it in two, and bought another (pretty sure it was a reference) to replace it. Still best shroud 2014.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> The cpu temp 40c with bf4 ultra 120fps
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> yes but look at the res its so small
Click to expand...

1920x1080 is not small.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 1920x1080 is not small.


i know its not small but that does not look like 1920x1080 to me


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> 1920x1080 is not small.
> 
> 
> 
> i know its not small but that does not look like 1920x1080 to me
Click to expand...

it is, right click the image and open it in a new tab. or from within OCN, at the bottom of the image view is "view original"


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> it is, right click the image and open it in a new tab. or from within OCN, at the bottom of the image view is "view original"


yes i know but he not playing at full screen so he frames will be higher


----------



## mlisowsk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spock121*
> 
> So far mine is overclocking quite well, no artifacting issues like commonly seen. Soon I'm going to throw a waterblock on it but not without making a custom bracket to hold that awesome shroud first.


So do you hear any coil whine with waterblock on it under heavy load?


----------



## Spock121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mlisowsk*
> 
> So do you hear any coil whine with waterblock on it under heavy load?


I don't have a waterblock on it yet. running at 1300/6800. No whine that I can hear.


----------



## X-Alt

Mine does not have coil whine either, running at 1200\1615.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spock121*
> 
> I don't have a waterblock on it yet. running at 1300/6800. No whine that I can hear.


Could you do a few benchmarks with your card at 1300?









3DMark 11 and Firestrike. Want to see how my card stacks up.


----------



## mlisowsk

By the way, I recommend the new Catalyst Omega 14.12 drivers. They improve the OpenCL efficiency of my Sapphire 7970 Vapor-X quite dramatically. [email protected] GPU workunits finish 30% faster!


----------



## Spock121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Could you do a few benchmarks with your card at 1300?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3DMark 11 and Firestrike. Want to see how my card stacks up.


Firestrike score 7330, 11 score was P9919. I blame my stock clocked CPU for dragging down my scores a little though. I'll be back with updated results.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spock121*
> 
> Firestrike score 7330, 11 score was P9919. I blame my stock clocked CPU for dragging down my scores a little though. I'll be back with updated results.


I'd love to hear the GPU scores. Overall scores are meaningless


----------



## Spock121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> I'd love to hear the GPU scores. Overall scores are meaningless


Oh yeah, derp. 11 was 12216 and Firestrike was 9449.


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spock121*
> 
> Oh yeah, derp. 11 was 12216 and Firestrike was 9449.


Thanks









I managed to get 12125 in 11 and 9320 in Firestrike on my card.


----------



## Spock121

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I managed to get 12125 in 11 and 9320 in Firestrike on my card.


Nice







I just got this computer finished up today so I've still got a lot of fine tuning to do.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I managed to get 12125 in 11 and 9320 in Firestrike on my card.


i love my 7950. it's not a clocker but, dang games play so nice. you using Omega?


----------



## PunkX 1

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> i love my 7950. it's not a clocker but, dang games play so nice. you using Omega?


Yeah









Still waiting for VSR tho


----------



## 21cage12

Hi folks, would anyone here still recommends a 7990 over r9 290x or gtx780?


----------



## aaronlaplante

is it rue u can use omega with our cards?


----------



## staccker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> is it rue u can use omega with our cards?


I installed them for my HIS 7950s last night and it worked just fine. Noticable difference with micro stutters in cfx setup running it through heaven


----------



## kennysgh05t

Hi Guys.

I Have a bit of a issue.. when I play what evergame.. my sceen will go black and fans 100%, I need to switch off wait a min or so.. and turn my PC back on..

I did some reading and they said its a MSI Afterburner issue, I have disabled MSI afterburner but this still happens..

Driver Version 14.301.1013
Catalyst 14.11.2 beta

my PC Spec if it might help

i7 3770
msi H77M-G43
8GB DDR 3 1333
Sapphire 7970 OC
Coolermaster 550w PSU

Please help


----------



## PunkX 1

^How often do you have this issue?


----------



## kennysgh05t

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> ^How often do you have this issue?


Often.. it never at the same time like lets say 15min in.. sometimes I can game an hour +.. other days 5min then boom.

Im downloading the new Omega 14.12 drivers now.. hoping it will help


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kennysgh05t*
> 
> Hi Guys.
> 
> I Have a bit of a issue.. when I play what evergame.. my sceen will go black and fans 100%, I need to switch off wait a min or so.. and turn my PC back on..
> 
> I did some reading and they said its a MSI Afterburner issue, I have disabled MSI afterburner but this still happens..
> 
> Driver Version 14.301.1013
> Catalyst 14.11.2 beta
> 
> my PC Spec if it might help
> 
> i7 3770
> msi H77M-G43
> 8GB DDR 3 1333
> Sapphire 7970 OC
> Coolermaster 550w PSU
> 
> Please help


My first doubt your psu what the model you have ?

just to check run prime95 + msi kumbester togehter if the same problem then its your psu


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kennysgh05t*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *PunkX 1*
> 
> ^How often do you have this issue?
> 
> 
> 
> Often.. it never at the same time like lets say 15min in.. sometimes I can game an hour +.. other days 5min then boom.
> 
> Im downloading the new Omega 14.12 drivers now.. hoping it will help
Click to expand...

Blackscreens can happen to any rig, it just depends on the "apps" you are using, loaded and how often they make calls to gpu. It's sounds like in your rig, it happens a lot. Follow the steps in the below. It should address your problems.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1529888/pc-freezes-from-youtube-browser-apps-after-r9-290-install/0_40#post_23271996


----------



## Feyris

Quadfire 7990x2 for 400 more. Add 7970 to 7990 for 150 more or a 7950 (if its perf as 3rd card isnt worse than 7970) with the 7990....

OR hold out with single 7990 and upgrade to 390x/2 later


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Quadfire 7990x2 for 400 more. Add 7970 to 7990 for 150 more or a 7950 (if its perf as 3rd card isnt worse than 7970) with the 7990....
> 
> OR hold out with single 7990 and upgrade to 390x/2 later


Hold out.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Quadfire 7990x2 for 400 more. Add 7970 to 7990 for 150 more or a 7950 (if its perf as 3rd card isnt worse than 7970) with the 7990....
> 
> OR hold out with single 7990 and upgrade to 390x/2 later


Hold out the new review for 390x is amazing 180w only and the performance beat the gtx 980


----------



## boredmug

Just picked up a sapphire 7970 vapor X for my son's Christmas computer for $100. Thank you Craigslist.


----------



## danycyo

hey anybody know if TriXX works with the new Omega drivers.

I just installed the new drivers.

I tried benching with my old stable overclocks in Trixx.

Video cards crashed even on low overclocks like 980/1250

I enabled overdrive through Catalyst.

Ran it at 1200/1250 ran the bench without a crash.

Is Trixx not compatible with Omega?


----------



## kennysgh05t

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kennysgh05t*
> 
> Hi Guys.
> 
> I Have a bit of a issue.. when I play what evergame.. my sceen will go black and fans 100%, I need to switch off wait a min or so.. and turn my PC back on..
> 
> I did some reading and they said its a MSI Afterburner issue, I have disabled MSI afterburner but this still happens..
> 
> Driver Version 14.301.1013
> Catalyst 14.11.2 beta
> 
> my PC Spec if it might help
> 
> i7 3770
> msi H77M-G43
> 8GB DDR 3 1333
> Sapphire 7970 OC
> Coolermaster 550w PSU
> 
> Please help


Driver update to Omega 14.12 seems to have solved the issue I have not had a black screen since yesterday.. will update if anything changes


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> hey anybody know if TriXX works with the new Omega drivers.
> 
> I just installed the new drivers.
> 
> I tried benching with my old stable overclocks in Trixx.
> 
> Video cards crashed even on low overclocks like 980/1250
> 
> I enabled overdrive through Catalyst.
> 
> Ran it at 1200/1250 ran the bench without a crash.
> 
> Is Trixx not compatible with Omega?


Tons of problem from trixx never install it again last problem they just put my card on full voltage even on idle

and just uninstall the program and the same fix this via uninstall the driver


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> hey anybody know if TriXX works with the new Omega drivers.
> 
> I just installed the new drivers.
> 
> I tried benching with my old stable overclocks in Trixx.
> 
> Video cards crashed even on low overclocks like 980/1250
> 
> I enabled overdrive through Catalyst.
> 
> Ran it at 1200/1250 ran the bench without a crash.
> 
> Is Trixx not compatible with Omega?


Works fine for me. I'm even running msi afterburner at the same time (trixx to change voltage & afterburner for everything else).


----------



## Mr-Dark

just help my friend overclock sapphire 7950 vapor-x with very low asic 54% only









very bad stock voltage 1.22v for 950 try 1100 and set the voltage 1.2 but under loading take 1.24







not stable

very very bad in overclocking and the card with 2*8 bin









whan they parchase the card they tell me it will beat your card in overclock 2*8bin vs 2*6bin


----------



## boredmug

This vapor x 7970 kinda blows.. For some reason it has a driver crash when i run furmark and it gets above 70 celsius or so. Haven't had a chance to check vrm temps yet, but i'm guessing they are gunna suck from what i've read. Anyone else had this problem?

Oh, also it won't boot with the boost bios turned off.. just black screen. ***? I bought this thing off craigslist for cheap. Brought my sons pc over to the guys house and ran furmark for a few minutes without issue so called it good. Then i get home and THIS. Currently i'm clocking it to 1000/1450 and undervolting it to 1.044v


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> This vapor x 7970 kinda blows.. For some reason it has a driver crash when i run furmark and it gets above 70 celsius or so. Haven't had a chance to check vrm temps yet, but i'm guessing they are gunna suck from what i've read. Anyone else had this problem?
> 
> Oh, also it won't boot with the boost bios turned off.. just black screen. ***? I bought this thing off craigslist for cheap. Brought my sons pc over to the guys house and ran furmark for a few minutes without issue so called it good. Then i get home and THIS. Currently i'm clocking it to 1000/1450 and undervolting it to 1.044v


sound like your undervolted give you this problem 1.04 very low even on stock core speed


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> sound like your undervolted give you this problem 1.04 very low even on stock core speed


the crashing were happening at stock voltage. No crashes at 1.044v yet. I need to update drivers and take a look at vrm temps first. I'm tempted to take off the heatsink and redo the TIM. I'm just trying to keep the temps down hence the underclocking and undervolting.


----------



## boredmug

Starting to think i bought a dud.. lol


----------



## boredmug

Could it be a PSU problem? Keep in mind this pc is a from the closet frankenstein and craigslist bargain build. Soooo it's an old core 2 quad q8200 clocked at 3.3ghz 4 gigs of ddr3 ram, 7970 sapphire vapor x. Too much gpu for the cpu, i know. CHEAP Lepa 500w powersupply.. I have an antec 650w in the closet which i MAY have to try out. I could swear this powersupply ran a [email protected] and a 7950 at stock clocks fine though. Updating drivers as we speak.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Could it be a PSU problem? Keep in mind this pc is a from the closet frankenstein and craigslist bargain build. Soooo it's an old core 2 quad q8200 clocked at 3.3ghz 4 gigs of ddr3 ram, 7970 sapphire vapor x. Too much gpu for the cpu, i know. CHEAP Lepa 500w powersupply.. I have an antec 650w in the closet which i MAY have to try out. I could swear this powersupply ran a [email protected] and a 7950 at stock clocks fine though. Updating drivers as we speak.


before the psu run the card at stock voltage and check if the same problem or not


----------



## boredmug

Nope. Crashes at stock voltage under clocked to 950 with games. Just freezes up


----------



## DR4G00N

It's a psu problem as far as I can tell, give that antec a try.


----------



## boredmug

I'm trying to run Furmark and try some games with my cpu at stock speeds.. 2.3ghz is stock for a q8200 and i'm at 3.3ghz. it's a lga775 so i'm overclocking with the FSB. So far games didn't crash in the normal interval they have been. Running Furmark now. Could possible still be the PSU considering the overclock of the q8200 is 95 watts stock? Not sure what a 7950 pulls full load? 250w? Not ready to bust out the bigger PSU yet.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Furmark


please dont. about the only good argument I have heard for that deprecated software is for maxing cooling capacity of a water loop, and even that is a stretch.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> please dont. about the only good argument I have heard for that deprecated software is for maxing cooling capacity of a water loop, and even that is a stretch.


Lol.. well it's one of the softwares that i know taxes a gpu to the max.. I know there are better benchmarks. But freezing in games isn't gunna work. I could give two ****s if it freaks out with furmark


----------



## boredmug

Starting to think this IS the culprit. Check the specs.. lol.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817494002&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Power+Supplies-_-N82E16817494002&ds_e_ad_type=pla&gclid=CjwKEAiAk8qkBRDOqYediILQ5BMSJAB40A5U_RsFjfJz57YXcSAu7uhyww0MHekuszg7nIVdC33L_RoCPB7w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or possibly the 1000 mhz overlock on the cpu?

UPDATE: So the computer runs fine with the CPU set to stock clockspeeds. Either the clockspeeds were too high or the overclock plus the 7970 is too many watts..


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Starting to think this IS the culprit. Check the specs.. lol.
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817494002&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Power+Supplies-_-N82E16817494002&ds_e_ad_type=pla&gclid=CjwKEAiAk8qkBRDOqYediILQ5BMSJAB40A5U_RsFjfJz57YXcSAu7uhyww0MHekuszg7nIVdC33L_RoCPB7w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
> 
> Or possibly the 1000 mhz overlock on the cpu?
> 
> UPDATE: So the computer runs fine with the CPU set to stock clockspeeds. Either the clockspeeds were too high or the overclock plus the 7970 is too many watts..


Maby you cpu overclock not stable the load on the gpu make cpu unstable

or just the psu cant handle thats high overclock for that old quad core + 7970


----------



## Mr-Dark

Hello all again









i think going for watercooling for my pc

my friend get full watercooling part from this website

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Radiator/213637_211806720.html

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Pumps/213637_211839013.html

is this brand with low price good for watercooling or what ??

my friend get 240m raditor for 30$ + block/bumb combo for 20$ and the performance very good !


----------



## Ragsters

Just added a second 7970 (watercooled) and my system locks up every time I try to run Firestrike. When disabling xfire it runs fine. Can someone help?!!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Just added a second 7970 (watercooled) and my system locks up every time I try to run Firestrike. When disabling xfire it runs fine. Can someone help?!!


Is that on the seasonic 650 in your sig rig?

It is a nice PSU but might struggle with 2 overclocked cards, a cpu, and all of that support hardware.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Is that on the seasonic 650 in your sig rig?
> 
> It is a nice PSU but might struggle with 2 overclocked cards, a cpu, and all of that support hardware.


Yes. Will be using the Seasonic 650w. I have everything stock and will upgrade PSU when I decide to start overclocking. Is there a way to test second card on second slot individually? I tested new card on a different computer before putting on the water block so I know it works.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Yes. Will be using the Seasonic 650w. I have everything stock and will upgrade PSU when I decide to start overclocking. Is there a way to test second card on second slot individually? I tested new card on a different computer before putting on the water block so I know it works.


Did you turn ULPS off? Also check "Force constant voltage".
You could also try using 2 bridges at once, that might help.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Did you turn ULPS off? Also check "Force constant voltage".
> You could also try using 2 bridges at once, that might help.


Hey!!!!! Thank you soooo much!!!! I just disabled ULPS and it worked! Can I ask you why? I mean is there a problem when my system needs it to be disabled and others dont?

EDIT:
For some reason if I run two instances of GPUZ then start Firestrike then it still crashes.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Hey!!!!! Thank you soooo much!!!! I just disabled ULPS and it worked! Can I ask you why? I mean is there a problem when my system needs it to be disabled and others dont?
> 
> EDIT:
> For some reason if I run two instances of GPUZ then start Firestrike then it still crashes.


That's odd.







Did you try enabling "force constant voltage"?


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> That's odd.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Did you try enabling "force constant voltage"?


I saw this:
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/gpuz-and-7970-crossfire-issue.176557/


----------



## DR4G00N

By chance, did you do a clean reinstall of the drivers after adding the second card?


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> By chance, did you do a clean reinstall of the drivers after adding the second card?


At first no then I did. So yes! Right now its running fine as long as I dont run GPUz while benchmarking. Should I update drivers to something newer? I am currently using 14.9. Also, just to be clear, disabling ULPS did help. When I had it enabled and two instances of GPUZ the I noticed stuttering when dragging one of the instances of GPUZ. After disabling it the computer runs smoother. So I think its a combination of the ULPS and GPUZ.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> At first no then I did. So yes! Right now its running fine as long as I dont run GPUz while benchmarking. Should I update drivers to something newer? I am currently using 14.9. Also, just to be clear, disabling ULPS did help. When I had it enabled and two instances of GPUZ the I noticed stuttering when dragging one of the instances of GPUZ. After disabling it the computer runs smoother. So I think its a combination of the ULPS and GPUZ.


Try the new drivers, 14.12 WHQL.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Try the new drivers, 14.12 WHQL.


OK

Should I enable ULPS after or keep it disabled?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> OK
> 
> Should I enable ULPS after or keep it disabled?


I'd keep it disabled since it doesn't really do much for idle power savings (unless your using 3 or 4 cards). You can't oc the gpu's with it enabled either btw.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I'd keep it disabled since it doesn't really do much for idle power savings (unless your using 3 or 4 cards). You can't oc the gpu's with it enabled either btw.


I didn't know that I had to disable it again after reinstalling the cards and sure enough it locked up right before the benchmark test was over. Disabling it and ran it again with no issues. Now its time for me to run GPUz and benchmark simultaneously to see. Wish me luck.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I didn't know that I had to disable it again after reinstalling the cards and sure enough it locked up right before the benchmark test was over. Disabling it and ran it again with no issues. Now its time for me to run GPUz and benchmark simultaneously to see. Wish me luck.


GL


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> GL


Locked up right before getting score. Oh well, looks like I can't run gpuz while benchmarking.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Locked up right before getting score. Oh well, looks like I can't run gpuz while benchmarking.


I can run gpu-z while benchmark without problem


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> I can run gpu-z while benchmark without problem


Try running two instances of GPUz and 3Dmark (Firestrike)


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Try running two instances of GPUz and 3Dmark (Firestrike)


Many time copy for each gpu


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Locked up right before getting score. Oh well, looks like I can't run gpuz while benchmarking.


worked on mine, too.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Many time copy for each gpu


I guess the issue is not with everyone.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> worked on mine, too.


Said issue is for 7950/7970 not 200 series.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I guess the issue is not with everyone.
> Said issue is for 7950/7970 not 200 series.


worked on my 7950, too . . .


----------



## DR4G00N

Just tested and mine freezes when I try opening 3dmark and two instances of gpu-z at the same time (all still loading). It's done this multiple times before but I didn't really look into it much (thought it was my cpu oc, but I guess not).


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> worked on my 7950, too . . .


The problem only occurs when running crossfire not on a single card.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> The problem only occurs when running crossfire not on a single card.


i see. my bad.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Just tested and mine freezes when I try opening 3dmark and two instances of gpu-z at the same time (all still loading). It's done this multiple times before but I didn't really look into it much (thought it was my cpu oc, but I guess not).


There we have it! Thanks for all your help! +rep


----------



## sugarhell

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Try running two instances of GPUz and 3Dmark (Firestrike)


Its not recommend it to run 2 sensor programs over a single sensor diode


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> There we have it! Thanks for all your help! +rep


Np, thanks for the rep


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Np, thanks for the rep


Hey! I was doing some research about ULPS and it looks like there are more than one area that I need to disable ULPS from the registry. Is that true? Should I use this tool?
http://gigabytedaily.blogspot.com/2012/12/handy-tool-to-disableenable-ulps-ultra.html


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Hey! I was doing some research about ULPS and it looks like there are more than one area that I need to disable ULPS from the registry. Is that true? Should I use this tool?
> http://gigabytedaily.blogspot.com/2012/12/handy-tool-to-disableenable-ulps-ultra.html


You don't need to modify the registry, just checking "Disable ULPS" in your oc'ing utility is enough.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> You don't need to modify the registry, just checking "Disable ULPS" in your oc'ing utility is enough.


I don't use an overclock utility. I can't do any OC until I upgrade my PSU. I just did it from registry.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> I don't use an overclock utility. I can't do any OC until I upgrade my PSU. I just did it from registry.


Then that should be it, if your second card isn't turning off while at idle then ULPS is off.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Then that should be it, if your second card isn't turning off while at idle then ULPS is off.


Stupid question but how do I check if it is turning off?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Then that should be it, if your second card isn't turning off while at idle then ULPS is off.
> 
> 
> 
> Stupid question but how do I check if it is turning off?
Click to expand...

temp goes to 0


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> temp goes to 0


+1

ulps on = gpu-z will read 0 speed and 0 temp for the card in 2d mode


----------



## fx63007850

i just been playing advance warfare on my 7950 and its only saying i have 2147mb dedicated memory


----------



## boredmug

Ah.. well Christmas rocks. I bought a used 7970 vapor X that turned out to be a pos. Guy refunded me. Then I called a buddy that has about 50 7970's he mined with in a climate controlled room. He drove to my work and gave me two reference 7970's for 100 dollars total. Both work flawless. Now I have a spare for the kids Christmas computer or a spare if I kill one in my crossfire rig.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Ah.. well Christmas rocks. I bought a used 7970 vapor X that turned out to be a pos. Guy refunded me. Then I called a buddy that has about 50 7970's he mined with in a climate controlled room. He drove to my work and gave me two reference 7970's for 100 dollars total. Both work flawless. Now I have a spare for the kids Christmas computer or a spare if I kill one in my crossfire rig.


Awesome! Maybe some xfire action?


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Awesome! Maybe some xfire action?


eh... my other two cards are water cooled and I dunno if I really want to add another card to the loop. Not to mention I've heard trifire can be a pain. Also I'm still running a 2600k. Pretty sure populating all 3 pcie slots would put me at 4x4x4? Or would it be 8x4x4?


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> eh... my other two cards are water cooled and I dunno if I really want to add another card to the loop. Not to mention I've heard trifire can be a pain. Also I'm still running a 2600k. Pretty sure populating all 3 pcie slots would put me at 4x4x4? Or would it be 8x4x4?


8 x 4 x 4 would be perfect!


----------



## e4et

Hi guys.
I have a question and cant find a clear answer on the interwebs.
Can both bios 1 and 2 on a 7950 be flashed, or is bios 2 locked and cannot be flashed and is only there for backup/recovery ?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## hambone96

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *e4et*
> 
> Hi guys.
> I have a question and cant find a clear answer on the interwebs.
> Can both bios 1 and 2 on a 7950 be flashed, or is bios 2 locked and cannot be flashed and is only there for backup/recovery ?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


You should be able to flash both BIOS, just be careful!


----------



## e4et

Hi.
Thanks for your reply.
The reason I was asking, I recently bought a second hand Powercolor PCS+ 7950 Boost, and after installing it in crossfire with my MSI 7950, GPU-Z reports it as a R9 200 series card.
I checked on both bioses and the results were the same.
So I was just sceptical the the previous owner might have flashed the bioses and wasn't honest about it.


----------



## CurvedLine

A HD7950 is identical (minus the renaming) to a R9 280. So by some software it can be seen as a "R9 200 series card".

You cannot rely 100% on what GPU-Z says, it poars from a database and often just guesses.


----------



## e4et

Thanks guys, appreciate your replies.


----------



## Gumbi

Continually impressed with my old 7950. Had probably the best model of the card ( Sapphire 7950 950mhz OC edition). Had the Accelero on it for a while, but seeing as I'm getting a Vaporx tomorrow, swapped back the stock (DualX) cooler onto it so I could sell the card and cooler separately to make some money back on the money spent on the VaporX. Here's a 10 min bench of Valley with fresh thermal paste at 70% speed, perhaps 17 degrees ambient. (idles at 26, VRMs at 22). Clocked at 1100 (can hit 1200 easily enough, ASIC is so high I don't need much voltage at all).

Unfortunetly I must have the only model of this card to get bunm Elpida memory (NO overclock at all), which is a pity, cos I'm betting this card could do 1330 plus mhz under water seeing as I can do 1210 at 1.12v and 1100 at 1.037v.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Just saw this club lol... had my gigabyte windforce for years now... (its the 6+8 pin version) I've edited the bios to default clock speed of 1000mhz @ 1.125v it has that annoying FZ0 bios, so I had to put turbo mode and standard perf mod to same settings to get it to stop clock switching... either that or I could have edited the tdp I suppose... but whatever, glad to have found the club....

subbed.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Gumbi*
> 
> Continually impressed with my old 7950. Had probably the best model of the card ( Sapphire 7950 950mhz OC edition). Had the Accelero on it for a while, but seeing as I'm getting a Vaporx tomorrow, swapped back the stock (DualX) cooler onto it so I could sell the card and cooler separately to make some money back on the money spent on the VaporX. Here's a 10 min bench of Valley with fresh thermal paste at 70% speed, perhaps 17 degrees ambient. (idles at 26, VRMs at 22). Clocked at 1100 (can hit 1200 easily enough, ASIC is so high I don't need much voltage at all).
> 
> Unfortunetly I must have the only model of this card to get bunm Elpida memory (NO overclock at all), which is a pity, cos I'm betting this card could do 1330 plus mhz under water seeing as I can do 1210 at 1.12v and 1100 at 1.037v.


i sold three of my 7950s in the past. last one december 2013 for $325. they are so good i had to get another one for $100 last august. lol

Tahitis still kicking arse . . .



what driver overhead?


----------



## PedroC1999

How much would two 7950's, with waterblocks and all original cooler, really go for in the UK?


----------



## SavageBrat

Hey folks got a question yes my card is older MSI R7970 lightning but does anyone know where I can get a water block for it, I did drop EK a note asking them but it's the weekend.. really hate to switch it out as it is an excellent card...tia


----------



## TRusselo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SavageBrat*
> 
> Hey folks got a question yes my card is older MSI R7970 lightning but does anyone know where I can get a water block for it, I did drop EK a note asking them but it's the weekend.. really hate to switch it out as it is an excellent card...tia


well a quick google search reveals that your card is NON-reference design board. depending on the block, it may or may not work. if the block is for reference only, SOL.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SavageBrat*
> 
> Hey folks got a question yes my card is older MSI R7970 lightning but does anyone know where I can get a water block for it, I did drop EK a note asking them but it's the weekend.. really hate to switch it out as it is an excellent card...tia


EK makes a specific block for the card, but be warned there were some rumors of it frying cards towards the end of the 7970 lineup. I'm not sure what has happened or anything by ek since then but I don't think ek have kept up production on it as it's been EOL. Check ebay...

http://www.ekwb.com/shop/ek-fc7970-lightning-acetal-nickel.html


----------



## SavageBrat

Folks ty for the input, tried the ebay thing but there hasn't been anything there for a spell. Guess it's time to retire the old girl and get a new card..


----------



## richie_2010

Dont retire it, Its still a great card. Why not put the aio mod on and when find a block swap em over


----------



## Minotaurtoo

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5362696

not trying to impress by any means... just wondering if that's about right for this card @ 1000mhz... I can clock to 1200mhz, but it takes 1.25v and I discovered that while my card can take it quite well, my TSP jumps from 450 watts in games to near 600 watts in games







so I backed down to the non-turbo volts of 1.125 and found 1000mhz to be the highest I can get stable... oh, the temps are much better too... 58C vs 72C max .... part of me wants to say... ah heck







burn baby burn and clock it back up and to heck with the power consumption.... all because of one game... just one... that I can't enable all the eye candy in....


----------



## CmdrCash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SavageBrat*
> 
> Hey folks got a question yes my card is older MSI R7970 lightning but does anyone know where I can get a water block for it, I did drop EK a note asking them but it's the weekend.. really hate to switch it out as it is an excellent card...tia


I don't k now if they ship internationaly, but here you can get a waterblock specialy made for the 7970 lightning.

http://www.liquidextasy.de/gpu-wasserkuehler/ati/7xx0-series/narrow-line-ati-hd-7970-f-msi-lightning-detail.html


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5362696
> 
> not trying to impress by any means...


That is a fine score. You could optimize for perfect runs if you are looking for HWbot subs, but for general gaming it is right on the money for a 7950.

Edit: I thought you were running 5.0/24/7/365


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> That is a fine score. You could optimize for perfect runs if you are looking for HWbot subs, but for general gaming it is right on the money for a 7950.
> 
> Edit: I thought you were running 5.0/24/7/365


I was... lol... but backed down for the benchmark... not sure if it would affect the gpu's graphics score, I know it affects the physics, but since my 5ghz profile changes nearly everything but the pcie 100mhz I figured best go for an stock setting there...

edit... http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5366007 ran again at my normal settings.... and yeah... little effect.. but negligible on graphics score... would have expected it to be a few points higher though... not lower..overall is much better of coarse...

edit edit: why the heck does it never get my memory speeds right??? here is the right info for memory... and drat it... got the validation at idle...now everyone will think I run 1.5ghz lol http://valid.x86.fr/nj1ije

there lol... couldn't stand it. http://valid.x86.fr/nj1ije


----------



## Arizonian

Put together a nephews 8350 build this weekend and when budgeting his parts decided to go with a used Sapphire Vapor X 7950 I picked up for $149.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Soo left this club soon from 280x cf to gtx 970 sli all over amd is crap for me


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Put together a nephews 8350 build this weekend and when budgeting his parts decided to go with a used Sapphire Vapor X 7950 I picked up for $149.


Arizonian, you prolly fixed it but you have to use the same color slots for the ram. i think the black ones are preferred.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Arizonian, you prolly fixed it but you have to use the same color slots for the ram. i think the black ones are preferred.


Snap, I didn't. Nice catch +1 REP bud.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Arizonian*
> 
> Snap, I didn't. Nice catch +1 REP bud.


imagine, a senior mod missing that







....







I just check my sons.... oops... same thing... crap that's what happens when I get in a hurry Christmas eve.

edit: +rep to him from me too... I know better than just plug and go... but geeze with all the other stuff i had going on its amazing I remembered the mainboard.


----------



## Arizonian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> imagine, a senior mod missing that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just check my sons.... oops... same thing... crap that's what happens when I get in a hurry Christmas eve.
> 
> edit: +rep to him from me too... I know better than just plug and go... but geeze with all the other stuff i had going on its amazing I remembered the mainboard.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5362696
> 
> here my score with my old fx 6300
> score was 6827
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3475836
> 
> 7950 was at 1000/1400


----------



## Minotaurtoo

impressive... how'd you get the graphics score so high? memory? just wondering... not really concerned about it... was just wanting to make sure I didn't dork up my card when I was messing about in the bios... I got tired of CCC's eccentricities.


----------



## bmgjet

3D mark11
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8289200


----------



## kennysgh05t

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kennysgh05t*
> 
> Hi Guys.
> 
> I Have a bit of a issue.. when I play what evergame.. my sceen will go black and fans 100%, I need to switch off wait a min or so.. and turn my PC back on..
> 
> I did some reading and they said its a MSI Afterburner issue, I have disabled MSI afterburner but this still happens..
> 
> Driver Version 14.301.1013
> Catalyst 14.11.2 beta
> 
> my PC Spec if it might help
> 
> i7 3770
> msi H77M-G43
> 8GB DDR 3 1333
> Sapphire 7970 OC
> Coolermaster 550w PSU
> 
> Please help


HI All

So Finally found the Problem..

Driver update worked.. but as soon as I bumped up my fan speed though put my System Screen will go black once again and PC wont turn on for about an hour or so..

Turned out my 5year old 550w Coolermaste PSU just did not have the juice to run my system... Replace with a Coolermaster 750w GXII and its all sorted!


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> impressive... how'd you get the graphics score so high? memory? just wondering... not really concerned about it... was just wanting to make sure I didn't dork up my card when I was messing about in the bios... I got tired of CCC's eccentricities.


i use gpu tweak and which memory you taking about


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> i use gpu tweak and which memory you taking about


I game on a single 1080p monitor... so probably wouldn't have much impact for me would it... well by monitor, I mean tv... I have 3 "normal" monitors and then my big screen in the living room... one day I plan on getting 3 matching sets to put in eyefinity lol... then I'll need dual gpus I'm sure.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> imagine, a senior mod missing that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just check my sons.... oops... same thing... crap that's what happens when I get in a hurry Christmas eve.
> 
> edit: +rep to him from me too... I know better than just plug and go... but geeze with all the other stuff i had going on its amazing I remembered the mainboard.


we are normally used to populating all the slots. so, it happens.

edit: BTW, you should try 1100 core (keep the memory at stock first) without touching the VDDC but . . . raise the power limit (Power Li in Trixx) to max (20%). may have to set the fan profile if temps become an issue.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> we are normally used to populating all the slots. so, it happens.
> 
> edit: BTW, you should try 1100 core (keep the memory at stock first) without touching the VDDC but . . . raise the power limit (Power Li in Trixx) to max (20%). may have to set the fan profile if temps become an issue.


I have run up to 1200 core... it takes 1.25 v to stabilize... and generates a bit more heat... reaches 72C there... as opposed to 1000 @ 1.125v I'm still seriously considering going back to the 1200mhz bios though... this card came stock at 900/1000 1.125/1.25v Memory I have tinkered with up to 1500mhz... its the hyninx (spelling) memory card if that matters


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> I have run up to 1200 core... it takes 1.25 v to stabilize... and generates a bit more heat... reaches 72C there... as opposed to 1000 @ 1.125v I'm still seriously considering going back to the 1200mhz bios though... this card came stock at 900/1000 1.125/1.25v Memory I have tinkered with up to 1500mhz... its the hyninx (spelling) memory card if that matters


Keep it at 1200 imo. Your temps are good, I usually keep it below 80c for 24/7 usage but for games I try not to let it above 85c.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> impressive... how'd you get the graphics score so high? memory? just wondering... not really concerned about it... was just wanting to make sure I didn't dork up my card when I was messing about in the bios... I got tired of CCC's eccentricities.


im not sure why its high i done a new 1 with my new 8350 @4.7 ghz got a score of 7232 and the gpu was at stock 925/1250


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Keep it at 1200 imo. Your temps are good, I usually keep it below 80c for 24/7 usage but for games I try not to let it above 85c.


I probably will... I do have dual bios on this card... thinking of keeping this one for "e" energy saving one and making the other for high perf.... I've been told that it won't hurt the card pushing it like that... but still a bit nervous... i can't afford to burn it right now...

ran this http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5393581 forgot to turn down my FSB to stock so score may be a bit influenced by that since it affects HT... temp hit 67C max during run... is there a real stability test for this, and any way to know its not over stressing anything... I've been told if it doesn't throttle down it isn't pushing too hard on the vrms and such... but as for stability all I know is to run loops and game... if no issues, all is good... but I wonder if there is any "prime 95" test for these things

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> im not sure why its high i done a new 1 with my new 8350 @4.7 ghz got a score of 7232 and the gpu was at stock 925/1250


may have been a fluke.. .I've had good flukes before... rare...but has happened


----------



## Nafu

Sapphire 7950 925/1250 OCed @1200/1600mhz

5 Minutes Furmark 100% load test


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> Sapphire 7950 925/1250 OCed @1200/1600mhz
> 
> 5 Minutes Furmark 100% load test


Furmark isn't really a test, unless you're thinking of the involuntary torture variety. Don't use furmark, use something better like Heaven or Valley, 3Dmark, etc.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Furmark isn't really a test, unless you're thinking of the involuntary torture variety. Don't use furmark, use something better like Heaven or Valley, 3Dmark, etc.


brother, these benchmarks are already tested alot by me. even i tested on 1220/1700mhz clocks successfuly. i just get bored, so i thought to test the furmark temperatures. heaven 4.0v is heaviest amongst them. AFAIK.


----------



## tsm106

I still use furmark, another tool in my toolbox. Though I don't use it as a bench in any way.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

I have used furmark, and it is very similar to kombuster in the heat it demonstrates in my opinion.
I use neither as a benchmark, but had fired them up to get worst case scenario temps, and find max clocks before.

There really is nothing else I have ever ran that generates the kind of temps that furmark and kombuster generate, but I guess they both have their uses....


----------



## Nafu

yes not much affective. heaven 4.0v and Metro LL benchmarks are two effective and most heavy benchmarks program for GPU. best for stability testing.

valley is my first priority when ever i want to check the overclocking stability. after that 3dmark comes.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> Sapphire 7950 925/1250 OCed @1200/1600mhz
> 
> 5 Minutes Furmark 100% load test


cards throttling.

and, furmark?


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Throttling big time!!

Those dips in clock and utilization aren't letting furmark cook your card the way it wants....









I just prefer not use that app at all.....

I will say though... your throttling looks to be power related, not temp related, because 77c isn't going to cause a 7900 to throttle....

My brother did some BIOS mods on his 7950 to get a 50% power limiter on it, and only then was he able to get to 1200 core with 1.3v without power throttling.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Throttling big time!!
> 
> Those dips in clock and utilization aren't letting furmark cook your card the way it wants....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I just prefer not use that app at all.....
> 
> I will say though... your throttling looks to be power related, not temp related, because 77c isn't going to cause a 7900 to throttle....
> 
> My brother did some BIOS mods on his 7950 to get a 50% power limiter on it, and only then was he able to get to 1200 core with 1.3v without power throttling.


I used a bios editor and set my TDP manually to 300 watts... no throttling and got a higher score than before in 3dmark 11 than just using the power limit adjustment.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/9249076


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Throttling big time!!
> 
> Those dips in clock and utilization aren't letting furmark cook your card the way it wants....


Looks more like not accessing the adl library for proper usage monitoring.

Is the checkbox for unified gpu monitoring checked?


----------



## GerBem

I just put a Corsair H55 on my Club3d HD7950 13 Series, and started playing with it. And running Heaven benchmarks of course









Stock (930/1250 +20%)

FPS: 30,9
Points: 779

Temps:

Core: 43
VRM: 55

I overclocked it to 1227/1750 +50% (32% and 40% overclock) on 1,3 volt, temps are great:



Core is at 57 degrees max and VRM at 64 degrees. I do have all fans at 100% and I'm not using a case.



Heaven gave me:

FPS: 39,9
Points: 1006


----------



## kwaidonjin

http://www.passmark.com/baselines/V8/display.php?id=34614745416
My ratings for my 2 year old Sapphire 7950 Xfired with an R9 280.

Trying to understand if this is a good score.


----------



## kwaidonjin

My new R9 280 had an asic score of 52% with elpida memory compared to my 7950 asic of 74% and Hynix memory. Yet when I bencmarked them seperately The 280 averaged 8Fps faster in tombraider and 7 fps faster in Valley., So much for asic score and the memory thing.


----------



## GerBem

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> My new R9 280 had an asic score of 52% with elpida memory compared to my 7950 asic of 74% and Hynix memory. Yet when I bencmarked them seperately The 280 averaged 8Fps faster in tombraider and 7 fps faster in Valley., So much for asic score and the memory thing.


Don't pay too much attention to the asic score. Some cards clock great and have low scores, some cards with high scores clock bad.

My Club3D card has an asic of 62,4% and Elpida memory (which is supposed to be bad), but it still hits 1227/1750 over the stock 930/1250.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GerBem*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> My new R9 280 had an asic score of 52% with elpida memory compared to my 7950 asic of 74% and Hynix memory. Yet when I bencmarked them seperately The 280 averaged 8Fps faster in tombraider and 7 fps faster in Valley., So much for asic score and the memory thing.
> 
> 
> 
> *Don't pay too much attention to the asic score. Some cards clock great and have low scores, some cards with high scores clock bad.*
> 
> My Club3D card has an asic of 62,4% and Elpida memory (which is supposed to be bad), but it still hits 1227/1750 over the stock 930/1250.
Click to expand...

That's good because ASIC score has nothing to do with overclocking, it's not a measure of overclocking ability. Overclocking capability is still random or up to silicon quality.

ASIC refers to the electrical leakage level. High asic % means low leakage, require less voltage per clock and low asic % means high leakage and higher voltage per clock. 52% is pretty darn low btw but not necessarily bad if you were say into extreme overclocking.


----------



## oc greeco

last year firestrikehttp://www.3dmark.com/fs/1175248] this year fire strike with 8gb more ram.....http://www.3dmark.com/fs/3626982
can anyone tell me why 1000 points down


----------



## EpicOtis13

Alright guys, I need help,
Yesterday I installed a second 7970 into my watercooling loop. I was having some problems where my PC wouldn't turn on at all, but I have corrected those as well as boot error codes. My problem now is that neither of them (including the previously working card) are displaying anything even though my motherboard in giving the all clear Q-Code. The integated video output from my main board was working, but is not anymore. I really want help. I have been waiting since august to have a second working 7970 to pair with my waterblock and already owned 7970.
Every other component (which haven't been so much as touched when I was installing card 2) were working perfectly before this.
Thanks,
Epic


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Alright guys, I need help,
> Yesterday I installed a second 7970 into my watercooling loop. I was having some problems where my PC wouldn't turn on at all, but I have corrected those as well as boot error codes. My problem now is that neither of them (including the previously working card) are displaying anything even though my motherboard in giving the all clear Q-Code. The integated video output from my main board was working, but is not anymore. I really want help. I have been waiting since august to have a second working 7970 to pair with my waterblock and already owned 7970.
> Every other component (which haven't been so much as touched when I was installing card 2) were working perfectly before this.
> Thanks,
> Epic


Disable ULPS. Worked for me!


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Disable ULPS. Worked for me!


And how would I go about doing that?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> Disable ULPS. Worked for me!
> 
> 
> 
> And how would I go about doing that?
Click to expand...

Fire up MSI afterburner, and its in the options.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Fire up MSI afterburner, and its in the options.


neither card even appears in devie manager much less a tweaking software. I will go try in a minute with afterburner though, since I use Asus GPU Tweak.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> neither card even appears in devie manager much less a tweaking software. I will go try in a minute with afterburner though, since I use Asus GPU Tweak.


Reinstall drivers, check crossfire bridge, try reinserting the cards into the respective slots (be careful with hoses on and make sure power is off ofc!), try each card separately if possible.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Fire up MSI afterburner, and its in the options.
> 
> 
> 
> neither card even appears in devie manager much less a tweaking software. I will go try in a minute with afterburner though, since I use Asus GPU Tweak.
Click to expand...

Have you tried a fresh install of the drivers? try DDU then clean install.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Have you tried a fresh install of the drivers? try DDU then clean install.


Just tried, didn't work. The only "GPU" showing is intel hd graphics
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Reinstall drivers, check crossfire bridge, try reinserting the cards into the respective slots (be careful with hoses on and make sure power is off ofc!), try each card separately if possible.


Just reinstalled drivers, I have checked the crossfire bridge, and have tried both card individually (using the old no pcie cables or crossfire bridge plugged trick). But nothing has worked. I'm getting to my wits end here, and I have no idea of where to go from here


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

anyone know where to buy a brand new MSI twin frozr III 7970 in europe? been looking around but to no avail


----------



## Mega Man

280x would work for you


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 280x would work for you


fully aware but its more of a uniformity issue for me


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KaiserPhantasma*
> 
> anyone know where to buy a brand new MSI twin frozr III 7970 in europe? been looking around but to no avail


That's gonna' be pretty hard, your probably better off finding a lightly used or refurbished card instead.
Even if you do find a new one I assume It'll be pretty expensive ($400-500 EUR range).


----------



## LDV617

You're never gonna find brand new 7950/7970 cards. They were all bought up during the mining craze. You might be able to get one unopened from someone who never put them to use


----------



## CmdrCash

The first of the three fans from my Gigybyte HD7970 started to make some skreetching noises yesterday. Upon inspection it seams like it somehow slows down every second and accelerates again, which is quiet noisy.

Anyone got an idea how to handle this?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CmdrCash*
> 
> The first of the three fans from my Gigybyte HD7970 started to make some skreetching noises yesterday. Upon inspection it seams like it somehow slows down every second and accelerates again, which is quiet noisy.
> 
> Anyone got an idea how to handle this?


Are you using a fan curve? Have you tried running it at a fixed speed?


----------



## CmdrCash

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Are you using a fan curve? Have you tried running it at a fixed speed?


Yes, I just set the fan speed to a constand 40% and it still does the same thing. Only ali ttle less noisy.

Gigabyte OC Guru II shows the RPM all over the place going down to 240 and then up to around 550 again. MSI Afterburner shows the same thing.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CmdrCash*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Are you using a fan curve? Have you tried running it at a fixed speed?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, I just set the fan speed to a constand 40% and it still does the same thing. Only ali ttle less noisy.
> 
> Gigabyte OC Guru II shows the RPM all over the place going down to 240 and then up to around 550 again. MSI Afterburner shows the same thing.
Click to expand...

I have never seen that particular behavior on a fan that is going out, but that would be my guess. Might want to start looking at replacing it.

I hope someone smarter than me comes along and proves me wrong, GPU fans can be hard to source.


----------



## SavageBrat

@ KaiserPhantasma good luck in finding a "new" card it took me over a year to find a waterblock for my Lightning but I finally found one last week,,,new ek version,,,yay


----------



## BusterOddo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CmdrCash*
> 
> The first of the three fans from my Gigybyte HD7970 started to make some skreetching noises yesterday. Upon inspection it seams like it somehow slows down every second and accelerates again, which is quiet noisy.
> 
> Anyone got an idea how to handle this?


One of the fans on one of my cards was doing something similar. I bet you just need to oil it.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GerBem*
> 
> Don't pay too much attention to the asic score. Some cards clock great and have low scores, some cards with high scores clock bad.
> 
> My Club3D card has an asic of 62,4% and Elpida memory (which is supposed to be bad), but it still hits 1227/1750 over the stock 930/1250.


my current sapphire 7950 has ASIC Quality 53% and Elpida Memory. which means it dont overclock much higher. but it overclocks too high on memory to my expectation 1250/1700mhz stable even better than my previous MSI 7950 with ASIC 60% and HyniX memory OCed @ 1240/1500mhz.

But even with higher overclocks on both segments i still could not gained better results on Sapphire 7950.. like in valley benchmark sapphire gives me 53 FPs and MSI one produced 58 solid FP, wven at lower memory. thats where i guess ASIC quality matters alot. so i think ASIC quality matters in continous performance and scoring..

what you think brother??


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nafu*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *GerBem*
> 
> Don't pay too much attention to the asic score. Some cards clock great and have low scores, some cards with high scores clock bad.
> 
> My Club3D card has an asic of 62,4% and Elpida memory (which is supposed to be bad), but it still hits 1227/1750 over the stock 930/1250.
> 
> 
> 
> my current sapphire 7950 has ASIC Quality 53% and Elpida Memory. which means it dont overclock much higher. but it overclocks too high on memory to my expectation 1250/1700mhz stable even better than my previous MSI 7950 with ASIC 60% and HyniX memory OCed @ 1240/1500mhz.
> 
> But even with higher overclocks on both segments i still could not gained better results on Sapphire 7950.. like in valley benchmark sapphire gives me 53 FPs and MSI one produced 58 solid FP, wven at lower memory. thats where i guess ASIC quality matters alot. so i think ASIC quality matters in continous performance and scoring..
> 
> what you think brother??
Click to expand...

Why you quote the misinformation? ASIC has no bearing on overclock ability. ASIC refers to the electrical leakage level of the silicon.

And regarding the difference in performance, each card's bios runs a unique setting for memory timing. Fast memory can run better timings. The difference in fps can most likely be attributed to that. Luckily for you guys, Tahiti is very mature now and you can edit your bios and memory latencies.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why you quote the misinformation? ASIC has no bearing on overclock ability. ASIC refers to the electrical leakage level of the silicon.
> 
> And regarding the difference in performance, each card's bios runs a unique setting for memory timing. Fast memory can run better timings. The difference in fps can most likely be attributed to that. Luckily for you guys, Tahiti is very mature now and you can edit your bios and memory latencies.


OKAY. got it, i am thinking to MOD this card's BIOS too. to do some more expeirments on it. these tahiti's have infinite ov erclocking ability. Wioth bios mod, can i imporve the overclocking i:e 1280-1300 on core. i know no every card can hold the figure. but what you say on it.


----------



## tsm106

I would say that you can edit a bios to best facilitate what your card needs to perform at its best. Hope that you get a gold card, if not you can massage it to get the most you can out of it.


----------



## Nafu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Why you quote the misinformation? ASIC has no bearing on overclock ability. ASIC refers to the electrical leakage level of the silicon.
> 
> And regarding the difference in performance, each card's bios runs a unique setting for memory timing. Fast memory can run better timings. The difference in fps can most likely be attributed to that. Luckily for you guys, Tahiti is very mature now and you can edit your bios and memory latencies.


OKAY. got it
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> I would say that you can edit a bios to best facilitate what your card needs to perform at its best. Hope that you get a gold card, if not you can massage it to get the most you can out of it.


this would be my final 7950, so i want to do some greater achievements on it. Will try to modd any good bios for better performance. my epxrience was great with modding bios, last done to 660Ti, it went 1372 on core boost. from 1251mhz.

thats why i really wanna try on 7950 too. those midrange gpus have great potential of juicing.


----------



## DR4G00N

So, I got bored and my sapphire 7950's mosfets were running pretty hot from what I could tell (no temp sensor). Grabbed a few small aluminium heatsinks from an old Socket 478 board







and some unused thermal pads... This is what resulted







:




Works pretty good so far... I think, I need to grab my IR thermometer so I can see the temps but the heatsinks are getting hot so it's at least helping somewhat







.


----------



## LDV617

I just noticed that saturation is not working properly when I'm playing CS:GO in fullscreen. The colors of fullscreen are very different from windowed fullscreen. Is anyone else having this issue? Latest omega drivers w/ 7950 @ stock.


----------



## Lao Tzu

Hi, someone helps, what voltage max for memory in a Saphire Vapor-x HD7970 Ghz ? mine is 1600 at 1.550v


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lao Tzu*
> 
> Hi, someone helps, what voltage max for memory in a Saphire Vapor-x HD7970 Ghz ? mine is 1600 at 1.550v


Since GDDR5 is based off DDR3 I wouldn't go over 1.65v


----------



## Lao Tzu

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Since GDDR5 is based off DDR3 I wouldn't go over 1.65v


thanks DR4G00N !


----------



## LDV617

Anyone else having this saturation issue?


----------



## rollingdice

Just replaced my 3 years old GTX560 Ti with 7970, XFX DD GHz Edition. It seems I cannot change voltage through MSI Afterburner...
From what I've read on the internet, you need to get some .dll file and extract it on MSI AB installation folder. But those guides are old (2 years ago with 12.x drivers and AB version 2.2).
Is there any way on how to up the voltage without BIOS mod?


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rollingdice*
> 
> Just replaced my 3 years old GTX560 Ti with 7970, XFX DD GHz Edition. It seems I cannot change voltage through MSI Afterburner...
> From what I've read on the internet, you need to get some .dll file and extract it on MSI AB installation folder. But those guides are old (2 years ago with 12.x drivers and AB version 2.2).
> Is there any way on how to up the voltage without BIOS mod?


Actually, your XFX is probably volt locked....

My son has the XFX 7950 DD, and it has no voltage control at all, except for in trixx, where it will let me get it up to 1.18 I believe.....
Hard locked after that.

There may be some BIOS modding you can do, but the odds are, even if you make the changes in the BIOS, the actual voltage itself will not change.


----------



## bburnham37

There isn't a way to do it even with bios mods for the XFX 7970 DD cards. Only the initial revision (sent to reviewers and not available for very long at retail) of that card didn't have the voltage locked.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rollingdice*
> 
> Just replaced my 3 years old GTX560 Ti with 7970, XFX DD GHz Edition. It seems I cannot change voltage through MSI Afterburner...
> From what I've read on the internet, you need to get some .dll file and extract it on MSI AB installation folder. But those guides are old (2 years ago with 12.x drivers and AB version 2.2).
> Is there any way on how to up the voltage without BIOS mod?


I used Trixx to overvolt my old XFX 7950 DD's (Max was around 1.25v). If you have the one with the vapor chamber and no heat pipes I strongly do not recommend overvolting at all as the gpu will overheat.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

XFX was like: "Yeah, let's send out samples that overvolt so initial overclocking tests look good, and then send the final product out with locked voltage so the max you can hit is 1050+/-"


----------



## Mega Man

nah they were like, jeeze there is alotta RMA due to overvolting with inadequate cooling ( aka stock ) /mining

lets stop that


----------



## rollingdice

Thanks for the response everyone.
I downloaded and ran Trixx, maximum adjustable voltage is 1284 mV.
Now the card is running in 1150/1600 MHz at 1212 mV. Leaving the fan with auto profile keeps it running under 80C when doing Valley/Firestrike bench.

@DR4G00N: I think +70 mV overvoltage is safe, isn't it? Want too see if I can get 1200 MHz stable.


----------



## aaronlaplante

Hi guys. Had two questions. Can my antec hpg-850 watt run the following system in crossfire @ stock settings?

AMD FX-8320 OC 4500 MHZ volts =1.435 (corsair h110 dual 140mm fans)
MSI 990fxa-gd80 v2
2x MSI 7970 oc boost edition (1050 boost core, 1375 memory) Thermaltake water 2.0 pro AIO cooler, 92mm noctua fan+80mm pci slot fan.
2x4 gb gskill ripjaw z 2400 mhz 1.65v
soudblaster z
1 ocz 128gb ssd, 1curcial 240gb ssd
6x120mm fans + 4 140mm fans, +1 40mm m/b vrm fan.

These MSI 7970 boost cards have (DUAL BIOS) switch. Would you guys recommend I get a custom bios for these to improve memory latencies?

The 990fxa-gd80v2 motherboard am3+ has PCI-E 2.1 16x (true dual 16x). How will the bottlnecks of the PCI-E 2.1 slot and a FX-8320 OC'ed? I got the other MSI card just now (bum fans, both, but i think its under warranty) for $120, so couldnt pass that up because both cards are identical. Just gonna swap coolers since one is watercooled with water AIO/fujipoly and i can swap stock cooler for the one with bum fans..

Thanks in advance.


----------



## bonami2

what latest driver (omega) do in skyrim with crossfire 7950 7970 r9 280 r9 280x

Is it working?









What kind of vrm temp is considered safe for gaming? im at 80c max at 1070core and idk for higher this new rmaed one i just repasted it this thing got paste everywhere...... SAPPHIRE we tested the gpu in china and in althon and it working perfect......

defective second bios.

Paste 1 inch thick....

Strange purple thing dried on the pcb that look like food.

the Heatsink copper was all scratched like they hit it with a hammer or idk

I got it like 3 month ago.... will see how much time it last









fan rattle worse than the other 3 but i never told them because i fixed it with my gpu stand (no backplate)


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rollingdice*
> 
> Thanks for the response everyone.
> I downloaded and ran Trixx, maximum adjustable voltage is 1284 mV.
> Now the card is running in 1150/1600 MHz at 1212 mV. Leaving the fan with auto profile keeps it running under 80C when doing Valley/Firestrike bench.
> 
> @DR4G00N: I think +70 mV overvoltage is safe, isn't it? Want too see if I can get 1200 MHz stable.


It should be okay as long as temps don't go over 85c.


----------



## rollingdice

Got it. Thanks DR4G00N









Update: Raised the voltage to 1284 mV, some artifacts when benching with Valley. I think if I'm going to run the card at this voltage, I need to mod the heatsink just like this: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1833643


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> Hi guys. Had two questions. Can my antec hpg-850 watt run the following system in crossfire @ stock settings?
> 
> AMD FX-8320 OC 4500 MHZ volts =1.435 (corsair h110 dual 140mm fans)
> MSI 990fxa-gd80 v2
> 2x MSI 7970 oc boost edition (1050 boost core, 1375 memory) Thermaltake water 2.0 pro AIO cooler, 92mm noctua fan+80mm pci slot fan.
> 2x4 gb gskill ripjaw z 2400 mhz 1.65v
> soudblaster z
> 1 ocz 128gb ssd, 1curcial 240gb ssd
> 6x120mm fans + 4 140mm fans, +1 40mm m/b vrm fan.
> 
> These MSI 7970 boost cards have (DUAL BIOS) switch. Would you guys recommend I get a custom bios for these to improve memory latencies?
> 
> The 990fxa-gd80v2 motherboard am3+ has PCI-E 2.1 16x (true dual 16x). How will the bottlnecks of the PCI-E 2.1 slot and a FX-8320 OC'ed? I got the other MSI card just now (bum fans, both, but i think its under warranty) for $120, so couldnt pass that up because both cards are identical. Just gonna swap coolers since one is watercooled with water AIO/fujipoly and i can swap stock cooler for the one with bum fans..
> 
> Thanks in advance.


Yes you are more than good with that PSU


----------



## EpicOtis13

I am happy to report that my PC is running perfectly!! Both of my 7970's are at 1200/1500 (Hynix mem) and my 4790k is at a stable 4.8 GHz.
After months of waiting for RMA's and having to switch out broken 7970's I couldn't be happier.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> I am happy to report that my PC is running perfectly!! Both of my 7970's are at 1200/1500 (Hynix mem) and my 4790k is at a stable 4.8 GHz.
> After months of waiting for RMA's and having to switch out broken 7970's I couldn't be happier.


just in time for the 380X.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> just in time for the 380X.


I think that I'm going to wait for the 390x or a beefy GM200 chip and grab two and a 4k monitor


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> just in time for the 380X.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think that I'm going to wait for the 390x or *a beefy GM200 chip* and grab two and a 4k monitor
Click to expand...

At the rumored $1350? lolz...


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> At the rumored $1350? lolz...


Horse. There is no way NVidia could get away with prices like that if AMD is releasing a beefy r9 390 card.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> At the rumored $1350? lolz...
> 
> 
> 
> Horse. There is no way NVidia could get away with prices like that if AMD is releasing a beefy r9 390 card.
Click to expand...

Ugh, you never heard of the 3K buck Titan Z? No way right... haha.

http://wccftech.com/nvidia-announces-worlds-fastest-geforce-gtx-titan-z-dual-gk110-cores-2999-price/


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Ugh, you never heard of the 3K buck Titan Z? No way right... haha.
> 
> http://wccftech.com/nvidia-announces-worlds-fastest-geforce-gtx-titan-z-dual-gk110-cores-2999-price/


I guess I'm gonna stick with the red team then. Also the Titan-Z is f***ing stupid, do you think anyone would choose it over a 295x2?


----------



## Mega Man

several have


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> I guess I'm gonna stick with the red team then. Also the Titan-Z is f***ing stupid, do you think anyone would choose it over a 295x2?


He is right (the poster above me). Besides that in terms of raw performance there are nvidia cards with less ram and a single processor that beat the 295x. Take it from someone who hasn't owned Intel since the p4 days...AMD is slipping hard.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dracconus*
> 
> He is right (the poster above me). Besides that in terms of raw performance there are nvidia cards with less ram and a single processor that beat the 295x. Take it from someone who hasn't owned Intel since the p4 days...AMD is slipping hard.


AMD CPU's just shouldn't be compared to Intel's. This is coming from an owner of a 4790k and a FX 8320. My AMD processor is great, it just doen't compare in anyway to its intel "counterpart". I am looking forward to the new cards from AMD that look like they will be kicking out some real power. I may just wait on Pascal, since my 7970's will be running strong enough until then.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> several have


I gives me a deep feeling of sadness to learn that consumers have fallen to these depths.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> several have
> 
> 
> 
> I gives me a deep feeling of sadness to learn that consumers have fallen to these depths.
Click to expand...

It unfortunately started way before the Z. Here's an oldie but a goodie.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0/4120_40#post_20010088
Quote:


> For ex. at 5760x1080
> 
> 1 CallsignVega i7 3960x *GTX Titan* Quad-SLI *96,7 4048*
> 
> 2 tsm106 i7 3930k HD *7970* QuadFire *94,1 3935*


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It unfortunately started way before the Z. Here's an oldie but a goodie.
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0/4120_40#post_20010088


Holy ****e


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> AMD CPU's just shouldn't be compared to Intel's. This is coming from an owner of a 4790k and a FX 8320. My AMD processor is great, it just doen't compare in anyway to its intel "counterpart". I am looking forward to the new cards from AMD that look like they will be kicking out some real power. I may just wait on Pascal, since my 7970's will be running strong enough until then.
> I gives me a deep feeling of sadness to learn that consumers have fallen to these depths.


Well for one i wasnt conparing cpus. I was simply stating that an amd dual core gpu didnt compare to a single core cpu with less than half the ram in it. As far as price performance ratios are concerned amd has always been on the forefront but the gap is closing tighter every year and consumers are starting to learn that there are obvious glaring issues with each hardware manufacturer. The main issue being companies that are partering with them or utilizing proprietary technologies the companies are creating to induce a veritable console war between pc users just because we want to play a freaking game and they are being corporate conglomerate insufferable asses. I have a dual core intel e6550 that handles certain games when paired with an hd6850 ive got overclocked near 6950 specs better than my 1100t at 4.2ghz with faster ram drives lanes a more expensive top of the line mothetboard and an overclocked 7950.
Comparing two items of equal calibur is irrelevant when the product simply cant perform because some turkey leg of a programmer decided to utilize his "favorite" that protemore to bundle with them.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dracconus*
> 
> Well for one i wasnt conparing cpus. I was simply stating that an amd dual core gpu didnt compare to a single core cpu with less than half the ram in it. As far as price performance ratios are concerned amd has always been on the forefront but the gap is closing tighter every year and consumers are starting to learn that there are obvious glaring issues with each hardware manufacturer. The main issue being companies that are partering with them or utilizing proprietary technologies the companies are creating to induce a veritable console war between pc users just because we want to play a freaking game and they are being corporate conglomerate insufferable asses. I have a dual core intel e6550 that handles certain games when paired with an hd6850 ive got overclocked near 6950 specs better than my 1100t at 4.2ghz with faster ram drives lanes a more expensive top of the line mothetboard and an overclocked 7950.
> Comparing two items of equal calibur is irrelevant when the product simply cant perform because some turkey leg of a programmer decided to utilize his "favorite" that protemore to bundle with them.


I couldn't agree more. The whole proprietary tech on either side needs to end. G-Sync is amazing but AMD users can't utilize it. Thats why stuff like Free-Sync is great because it is for either company. The same goes for Intel and AMD. I'm not so happy with Intel over the whole Feminist Freequency partnership, but I feel as if AMD has just stopped trying in the CPU market. They tried to re-release the 8320 and everyone thought it was crap because. However because AMD is falling behind I feel as if Intel isn't pushing the tech in the new CPU series as far as they can go, since they barely have competition from AMD. I would love it if we could have all of the companys design stuff that is mutual, while still retaining the features and characteristics that make them unique. That would lead to faster development of new tech, happy consumers, and progress.


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> I couldn't agree more. The whole proprietary tech on either side needs to end. G-Sync is amazing but AMD users can't utilize it. Thats why stuff like Free-Sync is great because it is for either company. The same goes for Intel and AMD. I'm not so happy with Intel over the whole Feminist Freequency partnership, but I feel as if AMD has just stopped trying in the CPU market. They tried to re-release the 8320 and everyone thought it was crap because. However because AMD is falling behind I feel as if Intel isn't pushing the tech in the new CPU series as far as they can go, since they barely have competition from AMD. I would love it if we could have all of the companys design stuff that is mutual, while still retaining the features and characteristics that make them unique. That would lead to faster development of new tech, happy consumers, and progress.


AMD is still pushing the envelope in budget gaming. They are just catering to a new sect than they used to. Faithful AMD users depending on the next lineup may be forced to switch to Intel or haveeven further aged technology than we do. It isn't a matter of money for some of us as much as it is the level of authenticity. AMD has been a trusted brand in my businesses and households for many a year because of its scalability but they are slacking in the enthusiast department.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Here's how I see it.

Most expensive AMD CPU $239 (competes with $239 Intel i5 4690k)
Most Expensive Intel CPU $1,000+ (has no competition)
Most expensive single core AMD GPU $330 (almost competes with $330 GTX 970)
Most Expensive single core NVIDIA GPU $590 (has no competition)

I sure hope they have something to fill those missing gaps within the next 6-12 months, or they are going to be in big trouble.


----------



## dracconus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Here's how I see it.
> 
> Most expensive AMD CPU $239 (competes with $239 Intel i5 4690k)
> Most Expensive Intel CPU $1,000+ (has no competition)
> Most expensive single core AMD GPU $330 (almost competes with $330 GTX 970)
> Most Expensive single core NVIDIA GPU $590 (has no competition)
> 
> I sure hope they have something to fill those missing gaps within the next 6-12 months, or they are going to be in big trouble.


they dont., and have no intention to. They are making a shift into the aio chipset market and struggling even in it. Arm CPUs are still capable of more than their roadmap is indicating for 2015. AMD never wanted to compete with Intel in terms of IPC they just wanted to give a leg up to budget minded consumers but it seems as of late they've gone to just being frickin cheap and lazy.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *dracconus*
> 
> they dont., and have no intention to. They are making a shift into the aio chipset market and struggling even in it. Arm CPUs are still capable of more than their roadmap is indicating for 2015. AMD never wanted to compete with Intel in terms of IPC they just wanted to give a leg up to budget minded consumers but it seems as of late they've gone to just being frickin cheap and lazy.


All I want is for the industry to move forward instead of, staying on the same tech but implementing it differently. TSMC's 16nm FinFET delay is not helping with this pursuit of better faster components


----------



## Agent Smith1984

I have 3 kids and 1 on the way.

That leaves me with a pretty tight budget for hobbies and alcohol.

My two three are guns, PC's, and alcohol (I joke of course) I had to let the car thing go A LONG TIME AGO!









With all that being said, I am personally okay upgrading primary components ever 5 years, and GPU every 2 years (which seems to be an acceptable route now days).









Back in early to late 2k's, it was every 6months, a year tops.....


----------



## overpower

Bought a 7970 msi tf. Can't go over 1150 mhz with 1215 mv. Eevery bench just stuck and i have to rr my pc. What can i do?


----------



## aaronlaplante

I have a red mod on one 7970 in xfire. other card has stock cooling cause im afraid i hit the max power. running 8320 OC'ed to 4.5, corsair h110, 2x7970 (one red modded thermaltake exteme water 2.0), fans everywhere, 2 ssds,

which care would you run up top stock cooling or water?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> Bought a 7970 msi tf. Can't go over 1150 mhz with 1215 mv. Eevery bench just stuck and i have to rr my pc. What can i do?


Add more voltage. My 7950 TF's won't pass 1150MHz stable @ 1.3v, so your card isn't so bad.


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> Bought a 7970 msi tf. Can't go over 1150 mhz with 1215 mv. Eevery bench just stuck and i have to rr my pc. What can i do?


Well, you either add more voltage or just stick with 1150MHz, which is not bad overclock.


----------



## NasT89

Use modded Trixx, u can set voltage up to 1.78v or so.

U can get higher.. 1200 core 1.378v with high fan speed( unless it is watercooled )


----------



## overpower

What's the modded trixx?

With msi can't go more than 1300 mv. What can i do?


----------



## overpower

Going up to 85 degrees at furmark is strange. Room temp at 18-19...... At summer i won't be able to play with since most of the time at day it's over 30-35

Now it's stable at 1289mhz with 1263 mv


----------



## fx63007850

have you got a link to the modded trixx


----------



## Ragsters

I have a pair of 7970s running in xfire and just now I was watching a Youtube video and my computer froze. I've had the cards for a while now and after disabling ULPS the first day I haven't had a ?. Games run great and benches run great. Everything is stock. Why did my computer freeze?


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> Going up to 85 degrees at furmark is strange. Room temp at 18-19...... At summer i won't be able to play with since most of the time at day it's over 30-35
> 
> Now it's stable at 1289mhz with 1263 mv


Furmark is irrelevant in testing GPUs. Better use OCCT or just run Unigine Heaven or Valey for few minutes.


----------



## aaronlaplante

Hey everyone. Im a novice video card overclocker. I have dual MSI 7970 OC Boost edition cards with an antec 850 psu 8320 @ 4.5ghz (corsair h110/CPU, Thermaltake water 2.0 pro AIO on one GPU), 2 SSD's.

Assuming I possibly have power headroom on the PSU would you guys recommend that I flash the bios of these cards to dial down the latencies of the ram? Ive never done that before, and would it be worth the risk/reward factor? How would I go about it or even find a bios that i can trust? (note these cards have dual bios in the form of that bios switch on the cards).

Thank you in advance.


----------



## overpower

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Furmark is irrelevant in testing GPUs. Better use OCCT or just run Unigine Heaven or Valey for few minutes.


Well, about the temp i play bf4 and it goes up to 80. With my previous card the max was 70.
Is it possibly that my gpu drivers will crash because of my oc to the card? I tried to open bf4 last night with little higher values and i had message coming up says that gpu drivers stopped and restarted.


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> Well, about the temp i play bf4 and it goes up to 80. With my previous card the max was 70.
> Is it possibly that my gpu drivers will crash because of my oc to the card? I tried to open bf4 last night with little higher values and i had message coming up says that gpu drivers stopped and restarted.


Unstable overclock is the reason for the driver crash. Other things that can happen - BSOD, game freezes, PC restarts.


----------



## X-Alt

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> Well, about the temp i play bf4 and it goes up to 80. With my previous card the max was 70.
> Is it possibly that my gpu drivers will crash because of my oc to the card? I tried to open bf4 last night with little higher values and i had message coming up says that gpu drivers stopped and restarted.


Probably not enough voltage, or memory, but that usually results in grey screens\artifacts.


----------



## Ragsters

I'm getting crashes when running 7970 crossfire in a loop. I made a thread for it here. Can someone help?


----------



## overpower

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *TaraB*
> 
> Unstable overclock is the reason for the driver crash. Other things that can happen - BSOD, game freezes, PC restarts.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *X-Alt*
> 
> Probably not enough voltage, or memory, but that usually results in grey screens\artifacts.


Well even with stock clocks, bf4 goes to 80 degrees. I unistalled drivers with ddu but it didn't help. I will have problem at the summer.....


----------



## TaraB

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> Well even with stock clocks, bf4 goes to 80 degrees. I unistalled drivers with ddu but it didn't help. I will have problem at the summer.....


What's your fan profile? It's possible that the fan is rotating slowly at stock clocks but goes higher when you overclock the GPU. Are you using the same voltage with stock and overclock clocks?


----------



## overpower

Stock voltages, oc a little bit. Even with the stock profile for fans at msi afterburner it goes very high.
Temps for vrms: temp 1 max 89 and temp 2 max 65
I made the settings at msi afterburner, when the temp goes over 85 fan will work 100%


----------



## jodybdesigns

Looking for a Universal GPU block for a decent price for Sapphire 7950 Non-Reference 3L series (2 of them actually).

Thanks


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Anyone in here been playing Far Cry 4 on a 7900 card?

I got it for my son, and was amazed at how well this game runs on his system.

I put it straight to the default ultra settings, and it runs beautifully (and looks it too!).
His card is only clocked at 950/1350 due to power limitations (same scenario with his x4 CPU only being at 3.7GHz).

I had heard a lot of bad things about this game, but am not seeing the issues?
I am wondering if going from the 14.7 RC3 driver I am using for him now, to a newer 14.11 (or whatever the hell they are on now) may have a positive impact in this title, since it's new.

Just curious on people's experience with this one......


----------



## jodybdesigns

Runs leet on Fantomex (rig in sig) with beta 14.11.1 with crossfire profile. Was running omega, saw some improvement but lost crossfire. If its stable, drop some of it to high, you'll get a good experience. I love my crossfire 7950s, they eat everything


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Anyone in here been playing Far Cry 4 on a 7900 card?
> 
> I got it for my son, and was amazed at how well this game runs on his system.
> 
> I put it straight to the default ultra settings, and it runs beautifully (and looks it too!).
> His card is only clocked at 950/1350 due to power limitations (same scenario with his x4 CPU only being at 3.7GHz).
> 
> I had heard a lot of bad things about this game, but am not seeing the issues?
> I am wondering if going from the 14.7 RC3 driver I am using for him now, to a newer 14.11 (or whatever the hell they are on now) may have a positive impact in this title, since it's new.
> 
> Just curious on people's experience with this one......


far cry 4 runs quite well at near max settings at 1080p on my 7970. i'm using 14.12 i believe.


----------



## tsm106

Stuttercry 4? If I get it free... I won't even pirate it lol. Oh wait, I did get it free from Samsung but I sold it.


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Stuttercry 4? If I get it free... I won't even pirate it lol. Oh wait, I did get it free from Samsung but I sold it.


I traded a few memory sticks for it from a guy who got it free with his 840 SSD.

I'll be honest.... the game is running great!!!
That's why I brought it up. Everyone is claiming stutters, etc.... I see none of it. And this is on my son's x4 propus with a 7950....

It threads all the way across his CPU, with 98% being the highest I saw, and 88% being the average. Which is good because even with the CPU @ 98% it still keeps the 7950 at 99% utilization (barely). The CPU is only at 3.7GHz right now due to PSU limitations as I had mentioned, but I think I am going slap a 600w in it, and put some heatsinks on his VRM/fets and go for 4GHz. At that clock speed, he should be around 90-95%, which will give me some headroom to overclock the GPU further.

It's funny because with the 7950 @ 1050/1500, it sees about 88-94% utilization, but at 950/1350, it stays at 99%
That's on the default ultra setting.

That little old x4 Propus is right on the cuff of not pushing the card, but I really think hitting 4GHz will give me some clock room on the 7950......

Anybody else playing this one a tahiti?
I took turns playing with him last night for about 2 hours and we had a blast. Never noticed any point where I felt he needed a more powerful system, or that I needed to reduce any settings.

I'd like to note, that I am playing a downloaded version (3 days ago), so it may be possible that some updates were made to this title for improved performance? Awesome game....


----------



## tsm106

Use more than one card?


----------



## provost

Is there anyone running 3-4 7970s in their rig, and can someone please point me to some Tri and Quad 7970 benchmarks for new games with the latest version of the drivers? Thanks.


----------



## overpower

If you are planning to buy, don't buy 3 or 4 7970. Just go for a single 980 or wait for Rx 3xx

Sent from my bacon!!!!!


----------



## danycyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *provost*
> 
> Is there anyone running 3-4 7970s in their rig, and can someone please point me to some Tri and Quad 7970 benchmarks for new games with the latest version of the drivers? Thanks.


You won't see much beneficial gains after the 2 crossfired cards and you will need a powerful psu that would be able to drive such a power draw especially if your overclocked. You will notice slight improvements when benching but if I were you I'd wait it out and grab a 390x as overpower had stated being that its going to be released very soon. Not only will get the newest technology with hdmi 2.0 and display port 1.3 but more performance, less power, and also less space/heat being taken up in your case.

TBH I am in the same boat. I currently run 2x Vapor X 7950's crossfired in two 16x lanes on my motherboard overclocked. They eat every game I throw at them. I get great performance out of them but consider those cards sold the day I get my hands on a 390x. They had a very good run and lasted me a very long time but I am preparing for a 4k gaming future.

I plan on purchasing a 40" seiki pro 4k monitor with display port and purchasing either 1 or 2 390x's to drive it depending on cost.

Your overall just better off getting more performance, less heat, and saving your power bill just by waiting it out a little more.


----------



## ~kRon1k~

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> If you are planning to buy, don't buy 3 or 4 7970. Just go for a single 980 or wait for Rx 3xx
> 
> Sent from my bacon!!!!!


yea I only see a difference in benches or in very few games that are optimized for crossfire... but the games that work well with crossfire run like BUTTER maxed


----------



## overpower

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *~kRon1k~*
> 
> yea I only see a difference in benches or in very few games that are optimized for crossfire... but the games that work well with crossfire run like BUTTER maxed


2x 980 then ^^


----------



## Mega Man

for the love.... .

at high res quadfire is useful

there is scaling. when applicable

sure not all games use it but most that i play do

i am not currently using my 7970s that rig is getting a facelift

but still been using quadfire for a lengthy time

there is plenty of use for it when you push higher res

would i recommend it for 180p. no

people keep pushing nvidia when not asked about them

how about the fanboys try and give useful answers instead of " go get a 960/970/980 "

we get it. you like nvidia


----------



## kwaidonjin

Switched to windows 10 tech preview, I am getting 66fps in Tombraider benchmark with everything at ultimate including tress FX, does that seem low???? R9 280 with radeon 7950. Not OC'd at the moment. FX8350 oc to 4.6 on air. I swear I was getting around 90+ with windows 8.1, but not 100% sure, Xfire has to be working or i would never get 66FPS on a 280 with Tress FX enabled.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *kwaidonjin*
> 
> Switched to windows 10 tech preview, I am getting 66fps in Tombraider benchmark with everything at ultimate including tress FX, does that seem low???? R9 280 with radeon 7950. Not OC'd at the moment. FX8350 oc to 4.6 on air. I swear I was getting around 90+ with windows 8.1, but not 100% sure, Xfire has to be working or i would never get 66FPS on a 280 with Tress FX enabled.


You should expect that with a tech preview. There are literally no drivers that has been optimized for Win 10 yet and the OS itself is not yet fully stable, so anything you run on the preview will likely perform worse then on win 8.1.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *overpower*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *~kRon1k~*
> 
> yea I only see a difference in benches or in very few games that are optimized for crossfire... but the games that work well with crossfire run like BUTTER maxed
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *2x 980 then ^^*
Click to expand...

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> for the love.... .
> 
> at high res quadfire is useful
> 
> there is scaling. when applicable
> 
> sure not all games use it but most that i play do
> 
> i am not currently using my 7970s that rig is getting a facelift
> 
> but still been using quadfire for a lengthy time
> 
> there is plenty of use for it when you push higher res
> 
> would i recommend it for 180p. no
> 
> people keep pushing nvidia when not asked about them
> 
> how about *the fanboys try and give useful answers instead of " go get a 960/970/980* "
> 
> we get it. you like nvidia


It still seems to do okay sandwiched in with a bunch of 980, Titans, 780ti, 295s, 290x haha! Btw this is Firestrike 4 gpu.


----------



## kwaidonjin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> You should expect that with a tech preview. There are literally no drivers that has been optimized for Win 10 yet and the OS itself is not yet fully stable, so anything you run on the preview will likely perform worse then on win 8.1.


Thanks for the reply. Windows 10 is great so far. Way better then 8.1 . But it is killing my graphics in games. Ryse is only running at 30FPS and it was in the 50's before.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

ok, random question.... since the R9 280 is a 7950 basically... could I flash my old gigabyte windforce with a R9 280 bios... in amd's catalyst the R9's have some options the 7950 doesn't, or so I've heard... something about virtual super resolution.... not looking for performance increase... just to try for unlocking options in catalyst... also, does anyone have a R9 280 bios for the gigabyte windforce edition that I could use?


----------



## incog

Hmm, that's pretty smart as an idea. But are the cards really the exact same?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> ok, random question.... since the R9 280 is a 7950 basically... could I flash my old gigabyte windforce with a R9 280 bios... in amd's catalyst the R9's have some options the 7950 doesn't, or so I've heard... something about virtual super resolution.... not looking for performance increase... just to try for unlocking options in catalyst... also, does anyone have a R9 280 bios for the gigabyte windforce edition that I could use?


I did a 7970--->280x and the card functioned precisely the same. However, temperature monitoring on the VRMs was screwed, but underwater it is kind of a moot point. If you have a dual bios, the worst that can happen is you need to flip the switch, boot, flip the switch again, flash another bios, reboot.

I think you would need to be mindful of trying to find the 280 version of your card, dont flash a 280 lightning with a DC2 bios. The closer the PCB is to your card, the higher the likelihood of success.

Just depends on if your card was simply slapped with a new cooler and a new name, if there was a PCB revision, you might not find a BIOS for it.


----------



## overpower

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> how about the fanboys try and give useful answers instead of " go get a 960/970/980 "
> 
> we get it. you like nvidia


Check my build before you say anything, i am not an nvidia fanboy, i don't know much for gpus but i know that better 1 card than 2,3 etc.

we get it. you like being a smartass


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I did a 7970--->280x and the card functioned precisely the same. However, temperature monitoring on the VRMs was screwed, but underwater it is kind of a moot point. If you have a dual bios, the worst that can happen is you need to flip the switch, boot, flip the switch again, flash another bios, reboot.
> 
> I think you would need to be mindful of trying to find the 280 version of your card, dont flash a 280 lightning with a DC2 bios. The closer the PCB is to your card, the higher the likelihood of success.
> 
> Just depends on if your card was simply slapped with a new cooler and a new name, if there was a PCB revision, you might not find a BIOS for it.


yeah, I was reading on some success stories for them flashing 280x bios onto 7970, but finding a bios for just the 280 windforce is proving difficult... some other card's bios may work, but I think the gigabyte windforce cards have a pcb revision... being that its like a foot long and has a 6 and 8 pcie plug on it... this card is a beast for power so performance isn't really the issue, I do have dual bios switch on it, ones currently set for low power use (1000mhz @ 1.125v) and one for high performance (1200mhz @ 1.25) I can actually push it higher and still play, but not by much before artifacts start to popup... If anyone can provide a link or a bios itself for R9 280 windforce I would be very appreciative just because I am curios if it will enable the extra features in ccc.

EDIT: yay found one... going to try it tonight... will report back as soon as I've had time to try it out if it even works.... yay yay yay for the testing even if it doesn't work...


----------



## Minotaurtoo

ok flashed right after editing... ran 30 mins of Unigen heaven on it... no problems... tested short run in game... no problems... in fact seemed smoother maybe? anyway it worked as near as I can tell perfectly.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> ok flashed right after editing... ran 30 mins of Unigen heaven on it... no problems... tested short run in game... no problems... in fact seemed smoother maybe? anyway it worked as near as I can tell perfectly.


Does VSR work after flashing?


----------



## tsm106

VSR works on the driver level so it should still work.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

well... yes and no... lol.. vsr it turns out is only for 285 and above lol... but the other R9 specific stuff worked... something about video smoothing and removing compression artifacts in video files.. I was hoping for vsr though


----------



## Minotaurtoo

before: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034

after: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5726942

any questions?


----------



## overpower

If you are talking about the higher score, I doubt if the bios version helped you for that. It's only 60 points.

Sent from my bacon!!!!!


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> before: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034
> 
> after: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5726942
> 
> any questions?


how are the temps?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

ok now for performance comparison.... before the bios swap: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034 after (firestrike only) http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5726942

not much different, but all clock speeds were the same... now I'm thinking of flashing my 1200mhz high performance bios over to the R9 280 bios @ 1200mhz to see if it gets the same boost... having dual bios switch is fun lol... crap... just looked... I don't have a firestrike at 1200mhz for my old bios... and the one grip I have for the switching is that it rearranged all my icons....
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> how are the temps?


temps are great... pretty much same as before... 62C max during all tests and games played last night... ambient room temp was about 21C

@overpower.... yeah score not much different... just putting it out there to show a level playing field comparison... will run all tests when I have time to let them run to see how other scores compare.

All in all there is not much difference between the two, only some junk unlocked in CCC... even that isn't much.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

before (again) : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034

after (full test): http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5731534

not sure how to take this, but ALL tests showed an increase.... so does this mean the new bios is more efficient? Maybe the driver treating it different? any ideas/questions?

as you can tell I tried my best to make all things equal, only difference being the bios swap... (I have to admit, a bit of a giddy feeling at my new R9 280







)


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> before (again) : http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034
> 
> after (full test): http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5731534
> 
> not sure how to take this, but ALL tests showed an increase.... so does this mean the new bios is more efficient? Maybe the driver treating it different? any ideas/questions?
> 
> as you can tell I tried my best to make all things equal, only difference being the bios swap... (I have to admit, a bit of a giddy feeling at my new R9 280
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )


prolly some optimization. are you able to see the vrm temps?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> prolly some optimization. are you able to see the vrm temps?


never looked for them... what program shows them?

edit: I looked in gpu-z and it didn't show there... IDK if there is a better program somewhere or not


----------



## deactivated

Should i go ahead and buy another 7950 and run crossfire or should i sell the one i have right now (XFX 7950 regular edition) and get a higher end card?


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zeeman*
> 
> Should i go ahead and buy another 7950 and run crossfire or should i sell the one i have right now (XFX 7950 regular edition) and get a higher end card?


Either... Crossfire is only $100 upgrade, and you MIGHT get $75 for that card..or the R9 290x is now only 269.99 some places


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> never looked for them... what program shows them?
> 
> edit: I looked in gpu-z and it didn't show there... IDK if there is a better program somewhere or not


if the sensors (not sure if this is thr right term) stil work after flashing, then you may have to lower your dpi in windows and use the slider on the side of gpuz. you can opt for HWINFO 64, too.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> if the sensors (not sure if this is thr right term) stil work after flashing, then you may have to lower your dpi in windows and use the slider on the side of gpuz. you can opt for HWINFO 64, too.


His card most likely doesn't have any VRM temp sensors due to it being a custom pcb. Only reference design pcb's have them afaik.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> His card most likely doesn't have any VRM temp sensors due to it being a custom pcb. Only reference design pcb's have them afaik.


My Sapphire 7950 3L Non-reference has 0 VRM temp sensors.

This is correct, only reference cards has VRM sensors - it also seems reference cards are the only cards that have Water Blocks too (not the universal blocks, i know about those)

Because im currently in the market for a universal water block for my 7950's


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> My Sapphire 7950 3L Non-reference has 0 VRM temp sensors.
> 
> This is correct, only reference cards has VRM sensors - it also seems reference cards are the only cards that have Water Blocks too (not the universal blocks, i know about those)
> 
> Because im currently in the market for a universal water block for my 7950's


yeah... found out mine doesn't have them... but all other sensors that are there are working... nice upgrade for free lol


----------



## Zahix

Has anyone successfully flashed R9 280 Bios on his 7950?
This dude here seems to have got it working: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/r9-280-non-x-bios-request.204470/
Will it unlock new options for this card?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zahix*
> 
> Has anyone successfully flashed R9 280 Bios on his 7950?
> This dude here seems to have got it working: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/r9-280-non-x-bios-request.204470/
> Will it unlock new options for this card?


The guy right above you









sadly, the good stuff at the driver level is for the 285+, us tahiti owners are left out in the cold.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

yeah, I found the bios on gigabytes website for the R9 280 version of my 7950... It seems to have enabled some bits about removing compression artifacts on video... but only thing I really can say happened is I am now getting slightly higher scores in benches and it seems a bit smoother in some games clock for clock....

before: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034

after: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5731534

The biggest thrill though is now my pc thinks I bought a new card lol...


----------



## jodybdesigns

Does this backplate: http://www.coldzero.eu/hd-7000-series/1428-coldzero-backplate-hd-7950-v2-1.html

Look to match this PCB (this is the Sapphire 3L series thats "supposed" to have a custom PCB). Looks to match up perfectly to me


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## Escovado

*Well I have good news.* I complained last year about quad crossfire not working when my two AMD 7990 video cards were connected to the LG 34UM95 wide format monitor. I just installed Catalyst 14.12 and quad crossfire is working again!!! I can run both 7990's in crossfire at the native resolution 3440x1440 @ 60hz!!

I knew it was a driver issue.


----------



## Ragsters

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Escovado*
> 
> *Well I have good news.* I complained last year about quad crossfire not working when my two AMD 7990 video cards were connected to the LG 34UM95 wide format monitor. I just installed Catalyst 14.12 and quad crossfire is working again!!! I can run both 7990's in crossfire at the native resolution 3440x1440 @ 60hz!!
> 
> I knew it was a driver issue.


How old is the 14.12 driver?


----------



## Escovado

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> How old is the 14.12 driver?


The release date for the 14.12 driver was December 8, 2014. I've been running 14.9 since it was released and gave up waiting for AMD to fix the problem. I saw the 14.12 and gave it a try. Voila!


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Ragsters*
> 
> How old is the 14.12 driver?


PPFFFFFTTT old enough that if they don;t release drivers THIS week, im dumping my beautiful 7950's for 75 each, cutting a loss, and getting a 970, im about sick of the driver issues

its like they simply forgot about Far Cry 4 and Advanced Warfare - they havent even released a stable driver for Dying Light - its been pirated for 2 weeks - If pirated copies are on the web, surely AMD and Nvidia has had hands on with the game for months. - I am sick of the AMD BS


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> PPFFFFFTTT old enough that if they don;t release drivers THIS week, im dumping my beautiful 7950's for 75 each, cutting a loss, and getting a 970, im about sick of the driver issues
> 
> its like they simply forgot about Far Cry 4 and Advanced Warfare - they havent even released a stable driver for Dying Light - its been pirated for 2 weeks - If pirated copies are on the web, surely AMD and Nvidia has had hands on with the game for months. - I am sick of the AMD BS


ask help here . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1520430/official-far-cry-4-information-discussion-thread/2660

it seems both sides are having issues. not sure about DL.


----------



## Escovado

Well...It took AMD seven months to finally include a fix for my problem after talking to both Diamond (the vendor) and AMD. Diamond contacted AMDs engineering department about the issue but I heard nothing since then. I was considering dumping my 7990s for something from Nvidia. I wouldn't go with anything newer from AMD since I determined this was a driver issue; Logically, a newer pair of dual GPU cards would have the same problem. I hung on so long because I had $2000 tied up in them (bought them when they were first released in 2013). I wish you guys luck.


----------



## alancsalt

Far Cry 4 gives trouble for both red and green ... seems like it wasn't tested on enough hardware variations....


----------



## Minotaurtoo

after some tuning... I got this... http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5797232

before: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5731534

before conversion to R9 280: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034

question is, how is it that I get that much improvement at same core clocks... just changing bios first, then mem speed... sorry one run was only firestrike btw... didn't have time to wait for all tests... will do them all later if requested... btw, I've ordered another 7950 just like the one I have now, I intend to do the conversion to it as well...

opinions/questions invited.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> after some tuning... I got this... http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5797232
> 
> before: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5731534
> 
> before conversion to R9 280: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034
> 
> question is, how is it that I get that much improvement at same core clocks... just changing bios first, then mem speed... sorry one run was only firestrike btw... didn't have time to wait for all tests... will do them all later if requested... btw, I've ordered another 7950 just like the one I have now, I intend to do the conversion to it as well...
> 
> opinions/questions invited.


Some of the memory tables for the 7900 series were kind of wrecked. There was a gentleman that would rebuild memory tables during the mining craze, and I remember him saying that many of the 280 and 280X cards did not need to have the tables modified. So maybe that is what is going on here. I know that on my 7970s the TF3 gained some ground flashing a fixed up memory table, but the DC2 did not.

Pure speculation.


----------



## tsm106

Redoing the latencies wasn't always faster and more often better suited to specific tasks like mining. Anyways... look what I found in the futuremark db lolzers.

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/3996058/fs/2563759

Oh and

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/3996231/fs/3004700


----------



## Minotaurtoo

interesting lol... I didn't redo any timings, just set from 1250 to 1400mhz... not sure how the timings even work out at that speed... was really puzzled though with the increase in performance.... I was always told that at 1080p the memory speed wasn't that important... The whole reason I changed it though is I was trying to track down a stutter issue in a game where cpu and gpu usage was both low when the stuttering occurred, I just decided to re-run firestrike to see how it changed the numbers there and to make sure I didn't bog it up lol.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> interesting lol... I didn't redo any timings, just set from 1250 to 1400mhz... not sure how the timings even work out at that speed... was really puzzled though with the increase in performance.... I was always told that at 1080p the memory speed wasn't that important... The whole reason I changed it though is I was trying to track down a stutter issue in a game where cpu and gpu usage was both low when the stuttering occurred, I just decided to re-run firestrike to see how it changed the numbers there and to make sure I didn't bog it up lol.


http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/3902733/fs/3996191

Look, it is not much difference even though one is clocked higher and oddly more efficient even at teh cpu level.

I don't know who told you what but it really depends. The minor change you see in FS, you would be hard pressed to quantify it in a typical game scenario.


----------



## NIK1

My ATI 7970 and G10 are running good and wonder if anyone has used Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra on the gpu. I have to run a copper shim on mine and was thinking of using the ultra on the gpu, then put shim on, and on top of the shim use prolimatech pk 3 to go on the waterblock of my H55.Just curious if anyone has tested this with any good results. The ultra really works good on my delided 3570k,should drop temps on a vid card too. Any thoughts.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> interesting lol... I didn't redo any timings, just set from 1250 to 1400mhz... not sure how the timings even work out at that speed... was really puzzled though with the increase in performance.... I was always told that at 1080p the memory speed wasn't that important... The whole reason I changed it though is I was trying to track down a stutter issue in a game where cpu and gpu usage was both low when the stuttering occurred, I just decided to re-run firestrike to see how it changed the numbers there and to make sure I didn't bog it up lol.


When you flashed your 7950 bios to a 280 bios, you likely changed the VRAM timings as well because the 280 series had improved timing tables. Not that you had to manually adjust anything, but just like using an XMP profile for RAM, GPUs have timing/clock predefined settings, and they were reworked for the newer Tahiti rebrands on many cards. Some 7900 deviated from the herd and had good timings, but many did not.

The more you can squeeze the better!


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> interesting lol... I didn't redo any timings, just set from 1250 to 1400mhz... not sure how the timings even work out at that speed... was really puzzled though with the increase in performance.... I was always told that at 1080p the memory speed wasn't that important... The whole reason I changed it though is I was trying to track down a stutter issue in a game where cpu and gpu usage was both low when the stuttering occurred, I just decided to re-run firestrike to see how it changed the numbers there and to make sure I didn't bog it up lol.


Can you post your Bios for us - I think I saw it but do I really have to crawl back?

I have 4 Bios's I can destroy


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Can you post your Bios for us - I think I saw it but do I really have to crawl back?
> 
> I have 4 Bios's I can destroy


here is the one I downloaded... I just modded the clocks a little here...

http://www.gigabyte.us/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4991&dl=1&RWD=0#bios

I would attach my bios... but I'm not sure if its against the TOS or not and really can't be arsed to read them lol.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/3902733/fs/3996191
> 
> Look, it is not much difference even though one is clocked higher and oddly more efficient even at teh cpu level.
> 
> I don't know who told you what but it really depends. The minor change you see in FS, you would be hard pressed to quantify it in a typical game scenario.


true its not much of a change... but more than I expected really...


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/3902733/fs/3996191
> 
> Look, it is not much difference even though one is clocked higher and oddly more efficient even at teh cpu level.
> 
> I don't know who told you what but it really depends. The minor change you see in FS, you would be hard pressed to quantify it in a typical game scenario.
> 
> 
> 
> true its not much of a change... but more than I expected really...
Click to expand...

It's not much of a change at all. Look at the numbers. On the faster run, your cpu scored over 200pts higher physics more for some reason and your gpu mem is clocked 150mhz more. And the final score difference is a composite of those two gains for 166pts overall gain, ie. .7fps and 1fps. That could fall under variance really.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's not much of a change at all. Look at the numbers. On the faster run, your cpu scored over 200pts higher physics more for some reason and your gpu mem is clocked 150mhz more. And the final score difference is a composite of those two gains for 166pts overall gain, ie. .7fps and 1fps. That could fall under variance really.


not sure why the physics scored better... but I hadn't expected any change really.. but the fact that all scenes showed a gain has to mean something... I'll re-run it with more tests to see how it does..


----------



## Minotaurtoo

before R9 280 bios: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034

same clocks after flash: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5731534

Changed memory Clock: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5809520

notice that the graphics scores in all but one were improved over just the bios flash... and all were improved over the 7950 bios... the physics scores were lower in a couple.. and there was an even split in the composits... I ran this a few times and so far in every run FS and SD were showing consistent, albeit small, improvements... yes I know its not much of a difference... but a difference none the less... I'm just poking about a bit to see what happens... and yeah... in game no noticeable improvement... I hope my "new" card has they nice hynix memory... if so I think I'll stick with the higher mem clock... just because. Or is that a bad idea? I really don't know.... I have to admit this is a new thing for me... never got into vbios editing before... everyone says its dangerous... but since I had double bios on this card I kinda thought what the hey...

The one thing that puzzles me the most.... why did my physics score jump in FS? same clocks on cpu, same ram clock/timings, same everything but the changes made to the gpu...

Again, I'm not trying to say "OMG now I'll bet a bazillion fps in BF4" or anything... just trying to quantify what does what when it relates to gpu bios / core clock / mem clock changes... the the core clock was the easiest to grasp (duh), but the rest is a bit of a mystery still to me... the bios swap was possibly explained by improvements made in efficiencies... Anyway, even though the differences are small, I still like poking about with it... I did the same with my cpu overclocking till I got the best "5ghz" I could get... Thanks again for your input


----------



## crazyxelite

hi everyone can i flash a r9 280 or 280x on my msi 7950?


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crazyxelite*
> 
> hi everyone can i flash a r9 280 or 280x on my msi 7950?


Were currently working this out it seems, go back a page and grab the BIOS he shared with us. I am about to do this today.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crazyxelite*
> 
> hi everyone can i flash a r9 280 or 280x on my msi 7950?


probably want to get a MSI bios for their equivalent 280... like I have a giga windforce 7950 so I got a giga windforce R9 280 bios... shoot, it may work with the one I shared, but then chances will be better I'm sure by sticking with the same company... so far my experience has been positive... not overwhelmingly, but still positive.... going to try with my new card... I have another 7950 coming... I'll post back when I get it if it works.. and to what extent crossfire works.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *crazyxelite*
> 
> hi everyone can i flash a r9 280 or 280x on my msi 7950?


All of MSI's R9 280's that I've seen have custom pcb's, so if you have a reference pcb card you'll probably disable the VRM sensors and maybe some other sensors as well if you flash your 7950 with a 280 bios.

Your welcome to give it a try though. Here's an MSI R9 280 Gaming 3G bios(only one I could find): http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/158292/msi-r9280-3072-140223.html


----------



## Minotaurtoo

ok, got my new card in... one bios is dorked up bad... can't even re-flash it... gpuz reads it, but CCC doesn't even acknowledge it on that bios... however the other was in tact... I saved it and flashed my R9 280 bios on it... funny thing... it claims to have 2048 shaders validation: http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=5um6r am I missing something... why is on bios showing 0 shaders and a bunch of ?'s in most blanks and why is this thing showing to be a R9 280x when I flashed the R9 280 bios on it???? anyway... its working fine, but I am remembering why I swore I'd never do crossfire again... some games just don't like it... at all.. others love it... I tested it with unigen heaven for an hour no problems... not stutters... all good... dirt showdown, perfection... The Crew... minor stutters every now and then, but it stuttered before sometimes anyway... its actually much better now when playing on ultra settings than it was before so the stutters aren't likely in the crossfire.... Bioshock infinite.. became Stuttershock infinite, Euro Truck Sim.2 just don't play crossfire... or at least it didn't last time I tried crossfire on my old 6850's so I didn't bother trying again this time... TDU2, aka Stutter Drive Unlimited 2 still stutters with crossfire, but only marginally more than with it off... it always stuttered for me... across 4 different PC's I have here it stutters a little on all of them... not bad really.. I mostly give it a hard time because it only seems to stutter at slow speed... strange that.... ok, benchmarks...

first a reference link for comparison: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5809520

now for the crossfire: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5883005
I noticed that only Fire Strike and Sky Diver scaled very well.. the others well... sorta pooped on the scaling a bit... not sure why...

so now I have two 7900 series cards... one apparently a 7950 the other 7970 seemingly... but it came in a 7950 box IDK really whats going on... little spooky that one bios is dorked...I mean can't even flash it back to good... I tried putting the stock bios I got off the other switch position before I flashed it and still no good... Any ideas? Questions? Comments?


----------



## DR4G00N

Gotta ask this, did you reinstall the drivers after adding the second card?

That's a weird thing with the bios, I've never seen that happen before.
What's the model no. Printed (or sticker) on the card near the pcie connector say?

Also, the 3dmark scores look normal. Ice storm and Cloud gate are cpu dependant with rigs that have a lot of gpu power.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Gotta ask this, did you reinstall the drivers after adding the second card?
> 
> That's a weird thing with the bios, I've never seen that happen before.
> What's the model no. Printed (or sticker) on the card near the pcie connector say?


think that sticker is gone... and yes I did... considering trying beta drivers...


----------



## jodybdesigns

I'm really surprised you got this working. I'm very interested in this. Great work so far, those are good numbers


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> I'm really surprised you got this working. I'm very interested in this. Great work so far, those are good numbers


Thank you, so far its been all positive for the converting... the conversion is documented in this thread for anyone who might wonder... the 7950-R9 280 yielded a few points in each test and an overall better feel to all games... the xfire bit, well.. its not much better than the last time I tried it... late to bed tonight because I've been sitting here setting up custom profiles for games that don't like xfire disabling it lol. however, in the games that like xfire, the difference is notable... went from min fps of 43ish to 76ish in Dirt Showdown all settings maxed out... The Crew (very hard on gpu's) went from having to play on high to playing on ultra @ 60fps with no serious issues (the game already had stuttering, xfire actually helped it) so its a give and take... but at least its working... and loving my new (old) R9 280's rofl


----------



## LDV617

I have been playing CSGO for months and haven't had a need to OC my card, but the other day I fired up BF4 and am considering purchasing a new game for downtime away from CS.

I overclocked my card to 1000mhz / 1350mhz / +20% power

Is this a respectable overclock that will yield any FPS increase? Or should I try and ramp it up further? Its on the stock Vapor-X cooler. I'm thinking about buying Arma 3 (for Life mod)/ H1z1


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> I have been playing CSGO for months and haven't had a need to OC my card, but the other day I fired up BF4 and am considering purchasing a new game for downtime away from CS.
> 
> I overclocked my card to 1000mhz / 1350mhz / +20% power
> 
> Is this a respectable overclock that will yield any FPS increase? Or should I try and ramp it up further? Its on the stock Vapor-X cooler. I'm thinking about buying Arma 3 (for Life mod)/ H1z1


You could probably get it up to 1100MHz without much trouble, mine need ~1.2v to get there.


----------



## LDV617

Good to know, what kind of FPS gains did you get from stock to 1.1ghz?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Good to know, what kind of FPS gains did you get from stock to 1.1ghz?


I can't remember exactly but I think it was around 10-15fps higher in bf4 going from 960 to 1100 using a single card.


----------



## MooMoo

Anyone managed to overclock 7950/7970 gpu over 1ghz and memory 1250mhz with 2 monitors hooked up on it? When I try to go over those numbers my other screen starts to get randomish flicker on it and Windows message of graphic card failures and bluescreens appear.


----------



## rdr09

Difference a year make . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/9099068/3dm11/7153747

Graphics score from 9.8K to 10.7K.


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Difference a year make . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/9099068/3dm11/7153747
> 
> Graphics score from 9.8K to 10.7K.


Could your additional RAM be contributing to that?

Also why does it list 2 different RAM speeds >.>
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Anyone managed to overclock 7950/7970 gpu over 1ghz and memory 1250mhz with 2 monitors hooked up on it? When I try to go over those numbers my other screen starts to get randomish flicker on it and Windows message of graphic card failures and bluescreens appear.


I have approx those numbers (1ghz/1350mhz) and recently (since OCing again) my second screen will occasionally disconnect and flicker grey unless I restart the monitor. Sometimes it doesn't come back to normal and I have to restart PC. Never thought it could be due to my OC, but it may be :/ if I find more info regarding this I will post here.

I only use my second monitor for Foobar / IRC so it hasn't been something I've looked into (yet)


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Anyone managed to overclock 7950/7970 gpu over 1ghz and memory 1250mhz with 2 monitors hooked up on it? When I try to go over those numbers my other screen starts to get randomish flicker on it and Windows message of graphic card failures and bluescreens appear.


This is a common problem with multi monitors and radeon cards. If you leave the monitors overclocked, your digital signals will flicker. I've had this problem since the 4000 serious and my 4870 in my htpc STILL does this. But I only had this problem on my 7870, but not my 7950s. It's a throttle issue. Your cards don't down lock high enough to drive multi monitors when left in OC state, so turn off your OC. M, flicker free.


----------



## SavageBrat

I must be an odd ball as I can run 2 LG monitors @ 1100/1500 on stock voltage with no problems..


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> This is a common problem with multi monitors and radeon cards. If you leave the monitors overclocked, your digital signals will flicker. I've had this problem since the 4000 serious and my 4870 in my htpc STILL does this. But I only had this problem on my 7870, but not my 7950s. It's a throttle issue. Your cards don't down lock high enough to drive multi monitors when left in OC state, so turn off your OC. M, flicker free.


Yeah, I've turned them off and got rid of it. I've read about some of that trottling issue and BIOS modding to raise idle clocks. Should I try to up my idle clocks to solve this problem? Or is there downsides with raising it?


----------



## fx63007850

got a bad problem with my new 7950 to do crossfire with my other one

i dropped the card and chip the pcb by the fan power connecter and looks like i broke a solder joint, the card boots up fine but cannot install the drivers without a error and that i reboot but it gets stuck at the windows logo

as you can see in the pic its the 1st solder point


----------



## LDV617

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> got a bad problem with my new 7950 to do crossfire with my other one
> 
> i dropped the card and chip the pcb by the fan power connecter and looks like i broke a solder joint, the card boots up fine but cannot install the drivers without a error and that i reboot but it gets stuck at the windows logo
> 
> as you can see in the pic its the 1st solder point


This is an interesting one... If you try to fix it then I want to see the results for sure.

If I were you I'd try to RMA it though


----------



## fx63007850

im not sure if i should try solder it or bake the card

i would of rma but the card is used and the cooler split aswell

here a pic of the front and back


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LDV617*
> 
> Could your additional RAM be contributing to that?
> 
> Also why does it list 2 different RAM speeds >.>
> I have approx those numbers (1ghz/1350mhz) and recently (since OCing again) my second screen will occasionally disconnect and flicker grey unless I restart the monitor. Sometimes it doesn't come back to normal and I have to restart PC. Never thought it could be due to my OC, but it may be :/ if I find more info regarding this I will post here.
> 
> I only use my second monitor for Foobar / IRC so it hasn't been something I've looked into (yet)


i had to cannibalize one of my rigs to add ram in that system (4 to 8GB) to play BF4. rams don't match. anyway, the biggest jump in performance was from 11 driver to 12 . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/compare/3dm11/5059839/3dm11/4519473

today, a 7950 at 1200 core will prolly score a 11400 in graphics.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Anyone managed to overclock 7950/7970 gpu over 1ghz and memory 1250mhz with 2 monitors hooked up on it? When I try to go over those numbers my other screen starts to get randomish flicker on it and Windows message of graphic card failures and bluescreens appear.


I have mine OC'd to 1000/1400 no issues yet... but I did bios overclock them not CCC OC Changed all the power states to have only two states effectively... one at 1000 1.125vcore and one at 500 and at whatever default volts is for that.... I to had issues with CCC overclocking.

I have a few questions though... as many of you know, I bought what was described as a 7950 and it called itself a 7950... and when I flashed it over to a R9 280 bios like my other card... suddenly it showed 2048 shader cores... soooo, can this just be a gpuz booboo or what? also if it actually is using 2048 shaders, should I consider getting a 280x bios for it? and should I put it as primary gpu and put my other card as secondary?

gpuz validation http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=6bewf


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Yeah, I've turned them off and got rid of it. I've read about some of that trottling issue and BIOS modding to raise idle clocks. Should I try to up my idle clocks to solve this problem? Or is there downsides with raising it?


Actually yes. If you raise the idle clocks *while* the card is OC'd, you can eliminate the issue. If you will take a close look, you will notice your idle clocks are much lower when your cards are overclocked than they are when they are running at stock clocks. It's a simple fix.

*edit* Just be sure to lower your idle volts as well if you think they are too high.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> im not sure if i should try solder it or bake the card
> 
> i would of rma but the card is used and the cooler split aswell
> 
> here a pic of the front and back
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


Hit that bad boy with some lead solder


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> [/SPOILER]
> 
> Hit that bad boy with some lead solder


would i need to solder both sides


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> would i need to solder both sides


Hit it on the top. Try to keep it on the solder point, Don't try to let it run down the crack. It looks like your PCB is cracked. If it still don't load drivers, throw it in the oven, because at that point it's your last option.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Hit it on the top. Try to keep it on the solder point, Don't try to let it run down the crack. It looks like your PCB is cracked. If it still don't load drivers, throw it in the oven, because at that point it's your last option.


thanks and will give that ago in a bit then try load drivers


----------



## fx63007850

update solder the joints and now can see it as a second card in gpuz without the drivers

installed drivers without any errors but after rebooting it still hangs on the windows logo

should i try solder a wire to both the cracks incase i didn't make a good solder joint or should i skip that bit and just bake it


----------



## CurvedLine

Hanging on the Windows logo can be just an overclock or RAM issue, or corrupted driver leftover issue. You "installed drivers without any errors" (which proves your soldering was 100% allright), so after a reboot have a little more patience.
Take out the other card and start up with the soldered card... if that works it was a driver leftover corruption.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CurvedLine*
> 
> Hanging on the Windows logo can be just an overclock or RAM issue, or corrupted driver leftover issue. You "installed drivers without any errors" (which proves your soldering was 100% allright), so after a reboot have a little more patience.
> Take out the other card and start up with the soldered card... if that works it was a driver leftover corruption.


i have taken out the other card but still hangs after half hour also i flashed the gpu bios to make sure it wasnt corrupt and was at stock

soldered card is at the top slot with the working one on the 2nd slot which makes windows hangs at the logo

if i put the working card at the top with the soldered card on the 2nd the screen will go black after the windows logo

should i try a clean install on a spare hard drive

edit tried a clean install but still hangs after installing drivers after reboot


----------



## Minotaurtoo

not trying to be rude, but I have not gotten an answer to my questions... from earlier so I'm re-asking just it case it was overlooked: (copied over)

"I have a few questions though... as many of you know, I bought what was described as a 7950 and it called itself a 7950... and when I flashed it over to a R9 280 bios like my other card... suddenly it showed 2048 shader cores... soooo, can this just be a gpuz booboo or what? also if it actually is using 2048 shaders, should I consider getting a 280x bios for it? and should I put it as primary gpu and put my other card as secondary?

gpuz validation http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=6bewf "


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> not trying to be rude, but I have not gotten an answer to my questions... from earlier so I'm re-asking just it case it was overlooked: (copied over)
> 
> "I have a few questions though... as many of you know, I bought what was described as a 7950 and it called itself a 7950... and when I flashed it over to a R9 280 bios like my other card... suddenly it showed 2048 shader cores... soooo, can this just be a gpuz booboo or what? also if it actually is using 2048 shaders, should I consider getting a 280x bios for it? and should I put it as primary gpu and put my other card as secondary?
> 
> gpuz validation http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=6bewf "


Put it as primary if it has the most shaders, since you will want to disable CF in games that show negated performance from using it.
From what I have seen, if GPU-Z shows the shaders, then they are there..

Also, you could try a 280x BIOS, but make sure your core and VRAM can handle the overlock. You may need to overvolt the core to match 280x in order to find out.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Put it as primary if it has the most shaders, since you will want to disable CF in games that show negated performance from using it.
> From what I have seen, if GPU-Z shows the shaders, then they are there..
> 
> Also, you could try a 280x BIOS, but make sure your core and VRAM can handle the overlock. You may need to overvolt the core to match 280x in order to find out.


Thanks... I was thinking it would be best to put it as primary if the shaders really was there, but honestly not having run crossfire much I wasn't sure. I'll try the 280x bios on it... I will check out the settings in it before I flash though... I think I'll be ok, right now I'm at 1000mhz @1.125v and 1400mhz vram... unless the 280x bios calls for better I'll probably be ok I think.... Thanks for the advice.







plus 1 rep.

edit... crap... just saw it clocks the mem at 1500.... hmm... may not work then... might try anyway later... I assume though that if gpuz shows the shaders that it is actually using them even if the bios is for the lesser one.


----------



## jodybdesigns

After turning the Boost button off on my 2 7950's, uninstalling drivers using DDU, and reinstalling Omega. I got my cards back to doing this.



Looks like one of my 7950's is reading as a 7970 (again).

This only happens when I am not using the Boost profile. Think I should flash the same Bios to both cards?
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Thanks... I was thinking it would be best to put it as primary if the shaders really was there, but honestly not having run crossfire much I wasn't sure. I'll try the 280x bios on it... I will check out the settings in it before I flash though... I think I'll be ok, right now I'm at 1000mhz @1.125v and 1400mhz vram... unless the 280x bios calls for better I'll probably be ok I think.... Thanks for the advice.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> plus 1 rep.
> 
> edit... crap... just saw it clocks the mem at 1500.... hmm... may not work then... might try anyway later... I assume though that if gpuz shows the shaders that it is actually using them even if the bios is for the lesser one.


One of my cards is now doing the same exact thing. I forgot that one of my Bios's on one of the cards read with 2048 Shaders, and 128 TMUs

Both have same BIOS version though.


----------



## danycyo

Hey just curious what 7950's your using? I have the 7950 Vapor X's but they still read as 7950's even with Omega and a fresh install. I can clock higher than a 7970 very easily but its cool that your firmware reads it as a 7970 by default. If you have Vapor X's models post your firmware for that card. Im willing to try it out. Did you maybe edit the firmware on that card at some point?

They say some 7950's 8 pin models have 7970 pcb's maybe you got one of those. Pretty cool either way.


----------



## tsm106

It's a gpuz bug. There are no 7950s that unlock to 7970s.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> It's a gpuz bug. There are no 7950s that unlock to 7970s.


yeah, +1 this ^ ... I swapped my cards out thinking one was a 7970, and the one that read as having 2048 shaders now reads 1792... but the other one reads as having 2048 shaders now... noticed that mine does it when the card in question is in ULPS mode..


----------



## danycyo

thats what I figured. Let me ask you guys I saw a video of a guy switching the firmware on a 7970 to a 280x and getting performance increases. Is there firmware for a 7950 vapor x which would yield a performance boost?


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> thats what I figured. Let me ask you guys I saw a video of a guy switching the firmware on a 7970 to a 280x and getting performance increases. Is there firmware for a 7950 vapor x which would yield a performance boost?


The bios itself is not important! It's the settings of the bios that you're interested in. And for most situations there is no need for a bios flash unless you are intending to make some specific change such as raising powerlimit or changing memory latency, etc. And in that case, you don't need to flash a random bios when you can simply edit a backup of your original bios. Btw, during the editing you can change the card name to whatever you want.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

He's right... its not... I did my own experimenting and I noticed a small, very small, but consistent increase in performance going from 7950 bios to R9 280 at same clocks... not sure why... some have suggested memory timing tables, or some other improvement.... but I have suspicions it is how the drivers treat the card... in game, I can't provide any evidence of this, but I have noticed that in general games that were bad for micro stutter smoothed out some ... and I got a (go ahead and laugh I did) .6 fps increase in Dirt Showdown benchmark... (averaged over 10 tests on each bios) Was it worth it.... *not at all.*.. but it was a cool experiment... and now my computer thinks it has two R9 280's instead of 7950's.... so far no downside has been discovered... but I am very open to the fact that this whole experiment could crash down on me at any moment lol... all results were documented pretty well in this thread a few pages back if anyone is interested...


----------



## thisjustanother

im thinking about upgrading my rig, currently having a 7990. i love the card a lot. its a beast of a card for sure. but having read up on the 295x2, its quite tempting to pick that up, and being able to get it at about 680 or so, even that much harder not to pick it up.

what are you guys leaning more towards when you guys upgrade your cards.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Def not AMD anymore. Screw this shoddy driver support.

The 300 series is going to be a flop with new memory. HSA I have a feeling is going to have terrible leaks for a while. I honestly don't feel like paying $500 to help "debug" a GPU in these forums.

So on that... I'm out


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Def not AMD anymore. Screw this shoddy driver support.
> 
> The 300 series is going to be a flop with new memory. HSA I have a feeling is going to have terrible leaks for a while. I honestly don't feel like paying $500 to help "debug" a GPU in these forums.
> 
> So on that... I'm out


have fun!


----------



## MILLER2003

Has anyone had any issues running their 7950 with dual monitors? I have 2-1080p screens and get sever lag when I play a game on one and have Netflix on the other. I am not sure if it is just the video card or if this is a common AMD issue. Any help would be nice


----------



## diggiddi

Nope, running dual monitors on a Dual X at 1165 and 1300 mem, stock voltage. What cpu do you have and how much ram in your system?


----------



## MILLER2003

I have the AMD FX 8350 and I have 16Gigs of 1866 ram

Its a Sapphire card. Looks like i am going to do an RMA....Sweet, back to dual 8800 GTs cards for a few weeks....


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Def not AMD anymore. Screw this shoddy driver support.
> 
> The 300 series is going to be a flop with new memory. HSA I have a feeling is going to have terrible leaks for a while. I honestly don't feel like paying $500 to help "debug" a GPU in these forums.
> 
> So on that... I'm out


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*


CHEERS!


----------



## Mega Man

please feel free to enjoy your 3.5+.5gb cards !!!


----------



## jodybdesigns

Who said I was buying Nvidia anything, I might really break karma and get a console (lulz). But that would hurt PC world feelings moar...

Eh, once I get my drivers I will be in love again, just bi polar is all...


----------



## Minotaurtoo

ah, I remember the days of Voodoo cards... and that other one.. .whats its name brand... crap... dang mind... but there was other choices back then... now its Radeon (amd, but I'll always remember ati) and Nvidia


----------



## jodybdesigns

DIAMOND MATROX


----------



## matt9882

Well hello club. Long-Time ATi/AMD guy here (WAAAY back to an old All-in-Wonder) that's had his 7970's for a while, but just joined the club. I have a "please help me" thread up, so if anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it. Otherwise, simply "Hello all!"


----------



## CurvedLine

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *matt9882*
> 
> Well hello club. Long-Time ATi/AMD guy here (WAAAY back to an old All-in-Wonder) that's had his 7970's for a while, but just joined the club. I have a "please help me" thread up, so if anyone has any advice I'd appreciate it. Otherwise, simply "Hello all!"


Link to said post? I have 7970 crossfire myself.


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> please feel free to enjoy your 3.5+.5gb cards !!!


Doh!


----------



## shaka87

Hello 7950/70 owners club.
I Need to know if someone here has flashed a sapphire 7950 vapor to 7970/ r9 280(x) and if you know if this works.
I have a 7950 vapor x with 8x2 phase. so i think is volt unlocked. I will finish here, cause my bad english.
Thanks for reading.


----------



## matt9882

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CurvedLine*
> 
> Link to said post? I have 7970 crossfire myself.


http://www.overclock.net/t/1542930/7970-issues-card-fans-spin-leds-light-but-nothing-else

It's almost certainly a hardware issue. It's a shame, I was really looking forward to Crossfire, too.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> please feel free to enjoy your 3.5+.5gb cards !!!
> 
> 
> 
> Doh!
Click to expand...

You two are hilarious.

I dont know what he is talking about drivers being a mess anyway. I have 7970s and 980s. I have had as many issues with my 980s in sli as I did with my 7970s in xfire....not many that were not PEBCAK related from either team. Both are pretty good.

Fanboyism is good when you say how much you like your stuff...
Fanboyism is bad when you say how bad everything else is...


----------



## Mega Man

I use 980m.

I just hate everything nvidia.

Although I love competition I don't hesitate to point out fails

Not faults. Fails

The day amd pulled what nvidia did. I would pull off everything amd sell it or trash it

And switch immediately.

I am not blind. I love amd

but I call them as I see them


----------



## jeanspaulo

Hello Guys,
Finally I have all the parts to start my custom build WC, I'm starting to plan my sleeving and cause of that I have one doubt I'll be doing a crossfire x between a Asus HD7970 DUII T and an Asus R9 280x DCII T my PSU is a Corsair AX1200i and I wanna know if theres any problem to use instead of 4 power cables ( 2 cables per VGA ) use 1 Y cable per VGA pluging the two heads of the Y on the VGA. Theres some kind of problem or loss of power doing this ?

Thank you guys


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Hello Guys,
> Finally I have all the parts to start my custom build WC, I'm starting to plan my sleeving and cause of that I have one doubt I'll be doing a crossfire x between a Asus HD7970 DUII T and an Asus R9 280x DCII T my PSU is a Corsair AX1200i and I wanna know if theres any problem to use instead of 4 power cables ( 2 cables per VGA ) use 1 Y cable per VGA pluging the two heads of the Y on the VGA. Theres some kind of problem or loss of power doing this ?
> 
> Thank you guys


thats an awful lot of power traveling along those lines, if you dont HAVE TO....Dont.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Hello Guys,
> Finally I have all the parts to start my custom build WC, I'm starting to plan my sleeving and cause of that I have one doubt I'll be doing a crossfire x between a Asus HD7970 DUII T and an Asus R9 280x DCII T my PSU is a Corsair AX1200i and I wanna know if theres any problem to use instead of 4 power cables ( 2 cables per VGA ) use 1 Y cable per VGA pluging the two heads of the Y on the VGA. Theres some kind of problem or loss of power doing this ?
> 
> Thank you guys


it would be far better to just do one wire per card


----------



## Feyris

Severe emergency.

I need Master + Slave Bios for XFX 7990 (with OEM cooler) from someone that has the bios with HYNIX vram asap please! thank you

I cannot use my pc until i get this


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Severe emergency.
> 
> I need Master + Slave Bios for XFX 7990 (with OEM cooler) from someone that has the bios with HYNIX vram asap please! thank you
> 
> I cannot use my pc until i get this


Any of the stock ones from tpu usable? The two at teh bottom are hynix.

http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?architecture=ATI&manufacturer=XFX&model=HD+7990&interface=&memType=&memSize=


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Any of the stock ones from tpu usable? The two at teh bottom are hynix.
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/index.php?architecture=ATI&manufacturer=XFX&model=HD+7990&interface=&memType=&memSize=


Both are masters. Hynix has no slave on tpu


----------



## Nabbnabb

Hello!!!!

Om having an gigabyte amd HD 7970 IF i whant to flash IT to an R9 sould i go 280 or 280x??

Prehapps à dumb question.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Nabbnabb*
> 
> Hello!!!!
> 
> Om having an gigabyte amd HD 7970 IF i whant to flash IT to an R9 sould i go 280 or 280x??
> 
> Prehapps à dumb question.


R9 280X, just make sure the BIOS you are flashing is in fact just a rebadge of the same PCB, subtle changes in versions can cause the BIOS to not be comparable.


----------



## Nabbnabb

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> R9 280X, just make sure the BIOS you are flashing is in fact just a rebadge of the same PCB, subtle changes in versions can cause the BIOS to not be comparable.


Ok thank you


----------



## saint19

Wow, I did do not know that you can flash the R7970 as 280x.

What performance do you get doing that?


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Wow, I did do not know that you can flash the R7970 as 280x.
> 
> What performance do you get doing that?


Basically, nothing. just a name change in the bios and stock GE edition really. but all 7970 can to 1000 air easy anyways.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Wow, I did do not know that you can flash the R7970 as 280x.
> 
> What performance do you get doing that?


I noticed a very small but consistent clock per clock improvement... guess it may be in the driver, but some have suggested that it was in the memory timing table... IDK really... but its not worth it unless you just want to do it... I did it on two cards so far and run them in xfire. its all documented in this thread a few pages back


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Wow, I did do not know that you can flash the R7970 as 280x.
> 
> What performance do you get doing that?


Like Minotaurtoo said: memory tables in some cases were conservative, much like the core clock in early cards. We all know that 925 is damn low for Tahiti. Some manufacturers did tune the memory tables up on their custom cards, but others did not. This is why during the mining craze, a gentleman named Stilt put out a metric ton of BIOSes for miners, to correct the tables for mining. Again, not all cards had trash memory tables, but many did, and from what I gather from paying attention to mining while the money was decent, most of the 280x cards had a revised BIOS that was better optimized all around (save anything from XFX). The product had been on the market for a while, so AMD and partners had less to loose in RMA by tightening up the timing and raising the clocks on the 280x.

This is mostly observation and speculation. Nothing solid. I gained minimal (within margin of error) on my MSI 7970 which is close to reference, but lost VRM temp monitoring. Where on my ASUS DC2, there was zero change in performance when flashed as a 280x.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

yup, I just did it to see if it unlocked anything in the Drivers... and I wish I had checked better before to see what was available, but I did find some stuff I didn't find before... maybe someone with a stock 79xx can look and tell me if the video smoothing and quality stuff is there and usable in CCC. I was hoping for super resolution options... but I noticed too late that it was only for the 285 and up cards... so basically I did it for nothing lol.. .but still looks nice seeing R9 280 lol... YAY free side-grade lol


----------



## Mega Man

yes it is there


----------



## tsm106

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes it is there


Yeap. Maybe they don't realize the 280x is just a 7970(280=7950) but now with boost, yuck. If you want to mess with your timings edit your oe bios. Want it to say 280, edit your bios.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> yes it is there
> 
> 
> 
> Yeap. Maybe they don't realize the 280x is just a 7970(280=7950) but now with boost, yuck. If you want to mess with your timings edit your oe bios. Want it to say 280, edit your bios.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we know. I tried it the week of the 280X release just to see.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

I'm still learning on how to edit gpu bios... and I've discovered that editing bios for permanent OC is much better than using CCC to overclock... and some might not know how at all... and flashing is easy so I can see why some would want to try it for the added performance.... Personally... I just wanted to see what happened lol... its called being bored.. Oh well... nothing lost, nothing gained...but still nothing lost.







Anyway... I want my card to say its an "Infinite Improbability Drive 42"


----------



## boredmug

Question.. I've got a [email protected] ghz and two reference 7950's crossfired. Both cpu and gpu are watercooled with a 240mm and 260mm in an open loop. Im using EK vga supremacy bridge edition blocks on my cards. My cards and to a degree the 2600k are reaching the end of their life for me. I've got a spare 7950 that's been sitting on my desk for a couple months now. Also a reference card. Worth adding another water block and tossing it in or just plan on a couple new cards? Remember i'm on sandybridge so i'd be running in 4x4x4 pcie 2.0 at this point.


----------



## saint19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Question.. I've got a [email protected] ghz and two reference 7950's crossfired. Both cpu and gpu are watercooled with a 240mm and 260mm in an open loop. Im using EK vga supremacy bridge edition blocks on my cards. My cards and to a degree the 2600k are reaching the end of their life for me. I've got a spare 7950 that's been sitting on my desk for a couple months now. Also a reference card. Worth adding another water block and tossing it in or just plan on a couple new cards? Remember i'm on sandybridge so i'd be running in 4x4x4 pcie 2.0 at this point.


Well, run 3 GPUs at x4 would not give you any advantage on performance...maybe you will lose some. I would go with something new (or used) like 280x or GTX 970...

IMO.


----------



## Casey Ryback

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Well, run 3 GPUs at x4 would not give you any advantage on performance...maybe you will lose some. I would go with something new (or used) like 280x or GTX 970...
> 
> IMO.


Well a 280X is just a 7950 with the extra cores (7970) OC'd, so I wouldn't bother tbh.

Probably wouldn't sli 970's either. (In part dude to the slow .5GB ram)

Just my opinion though.

Boredmug can you wait till the next AMD cards are released?


----------



## boredmug

Yea.. I was either thinking about waiting or adding a pair of 290x's. Overclock them a little under water. Not really interested in the 970's because of the frame buffer issue. If i'm going to buy a new card all of it's ram needs to operate at a decent speed.


----------



## Mega Man

that is going in my sig !~


----------



## Chobbit

Hi New to the 7XXX series used to have mostly AMD, but I've just upgraded a mates computer build to an r9 290X and part of my payment was his older XFX 7970.

Just put it in my partners PC which has been a build of free parts so its paired with a:
Corsair CX600 with her older AMD Athlon II X4 635.
Gigabyte Board (can't remember which one but its not a high end one)
8GB Corsair Vengence 1600 Memory
& 240gb kingston v300 ssd

Put the card in and installed drivers and great it works.

However in most games I can only get it to run at 35-40% usage at 1080p.

Although this still returns like 40fps+ on games like Skyrim and Arma.

So thought these are quite CPU limitng games so overclocked the CPU from 2.9 to 3.8ghz with memeory going to 1720 but this has made no difference at all to frames.

Any idea what could be the problem?

Thanks


----------



## boredmug

I would say it's the cpu bottlenecking the card even with the over clock. Watch the cpu usage and see.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chobbit*
> 
> Hi New to the 7XXX series used to have mostly AMD, but I've just upgraded a mates computer build to an r9 290X and part of my payment was his older XFX 7970.
> 
> Just put it in my partners PC which has been a build of free parts so its paired with a:
> Corsair CX600 with her older AMD Athlon II X4 635.
> Gigabyte Board (can't remember which one but its not a high end one)
> 8GB Corsair Vengence 1600 Memory
> & 240gb kingston v300 ssd
> 
> Put the card in and installed drivers and great it works.
> 
> However in most games I can only get it to run at 35-40% usage at 1080p.
> 
> Although this still returns like 40fps+ on games like Skyrim and Arma.
> 
> So thought these are quite CPU limitng games so overclocked the CPU from 2.9 to 3.8ghz with memeory going to 1720 but this has made no difference at all to frames.
> 
> Any idea what could be the problem?
> 
> Thanks


----------



## jodybdesigns

I just paired up a x2 2.4ghz Regor with a 7870xt in a egg house build for my brother-in-law. I have it overclocked to 3.5 ghz on the jankiest ECS motherboard on the market. Lets just say MOTHER NATURE JUST PISSED HER PANTSUIT! Dude that thing almost brought me to tears. I am jealous. I played Borderlands Pre-Sequel, Arkham Origins, Dying Light, and Skyrim. Lets say I did not use Ultra settings nor any AA, but I did leave the settings at 1080p. Man thing was smooth sailing. People here (including myself) have machines worth 1,000's of dollars, if not multiple machines. Man this thing made me sick, knowing it was a $450 build (some parts new, some old) running smooth frames on a dual core with a 7870xt.

Thats why I keep coming back over and over again to AMD, no matter how much I complain....


----------



## Chobbit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> I would say it's the cpu bottlenecking the card even with the over clock. Watch the cpu usage and see.


Maybe but the below commenter sounds like he had success with a worse processor and overclock








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> I just paired up a x2 2.4ghz Regor with a 7870xt in a egg house build for my brother-in-law. I have it overclocked to 3.5 ghz on the jankiest ECS motherboard on the market. Lets just say MOTHER NATURE JUST PISSED HER PANTSUIT! Dude that thing almost brought me to tears. I am jealous. I played Borderlands Pre-Sequel, Arkham Origins, Dying Light, and Skyrim. Lets say I did not use Ultra settings nor any AA, but I did leave the settings at 1080p. Man thing was smooth sailing. People here (including myself) have machines worth 1,000's of dollars, if not multiple machines. Man this thing made me sick, knowing it was a $450 build (some parts new, some old) running smooth frames on a dual core with a 7870xt.
> 
> Thats why I keep coming back over and over again to AMD, no matter how much I complain....


I have noticed though that If I turn the settings to 1080p, medium and no AA it will only use 35-40% of the card but not stay at 60 (usually 40 - 50 fps). However if I turn it to 1080p, ultra settings with 8x AA the frames stay exactly the same 40-50 fps but the GPU usage will stay 45% - 52%, is it likely it's still the CPU causing this?


----------



## boredmug

He's running a 7870 though. Have you monitored your CPU usage during the games? I'm running crossfired 7950's. There are many games that don't fully utilize both cards, but i'm not sure if that's mainly an issue with crossfire support for the game or if single cards experience the same issue's in those games. Also do you have Vsync on or off? I run a 7950 in my sons computer and it has an old socket lga775 q8200 overclocked to 3.4ghz and it bottleneck's his card. Q8200 is similar in performance to the AMD Athlon II X4 635 albeit a slightly slower quadcore. check your cpu usage. clocks on your card are ramping up right? I had a card stick at 500mhz after a driver update.


----------



## Chobbit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> He's running a 7870 though. Have you monitored your CPU usage during the games? I'm running crossfired 7950's. There are many games that don't fully utilize both cards, but i'm not sure if that's mainly an issue with crossfire support for the game or if single cards experience the same issue's in those games. Also do you have Vsync on or off? I run a 7950 in my sons computer and it has an old socket lga775 q8200 overclocked to 3.4ghz and it bottleneck's his card. Q8200 is similar in performance to the AMD Athlon II X4 635 albeit a slightly slower quadcore. check your cpu usage. clocks on your card are ramping up right? I had a card stick at 500mhz after a driver update.


Just did some checks my CPU is hanging around 65-78% but never hitting 100% during the gaming, Ram is staying around 4.8gb usage, one thing I did notice is during the heaven benchmark it uses between 93 - 98% of the GPU usage.

However my overclocks stopped working, I got it to 1095/1575 @ +20% power limit and although afterburner is still reporting this the heaven bench and the OSD say its running at 925/1375 :S


----------



## boredmug

well the only game that you mention that i have is Skyrim.. let me see what kind of usage i have with one card. I'll let you know. I'm running a [email protected] so no bottlenecks.


----------



## boredmug

Ok.. So Skryim with one 7950 with ultra settings at 5760x1080 nets me between 65 and 85 percent usage while i was outside. Might just be the games you are playing. Run a FPS shooter game like call of duty or something without vsync on and see what kind of usage you are getting.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chobbit*
> 
> Just did some checks my CPU is hanging around 65-78% but never hitting 100% during the gaming, Ram is staying around 4.8gb usage, one thing I did notice is during the heaven benchmark it uses between 93 - 98% of the GPU usage.
> 
> However my overclocks stopped working, I got it to 1095/1575 @ +20% power limit and although afterburner is still reporting this the heaven bench and the OSD say its running at 925/1375 :S


I never had any luck with CCC overclocking... bios overclocking works better in the long run.... for me anyway... I had the same issues with overclocks in CCC just stopping for no reason... doing so via bios means it never stops and you can set your TDP for whatever you want (but be safe)... I set mine at 300 so I'd never see power limiter throttling... lol.


----------



## Chobbit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Ok.. So Skryim with one 7950 with ultra settings at 5760x1080 nets me between 65 and 85 percent usage while i was outside. Might just be the games you are playing. Run a FPS shooter game like call of duty or something without vsync on and see what kind of usage you are getting.


Thanks for checking boredmug, it definitely must be the CPU as I did some tests:

I ran Heaven and Skyrim on my girlfriends computer _(AMD Athlon II X4 635, 8GB Vengence 1600 RAM, Gigabyte Board & 1080p monitor)_ with the 7970 and then my main rigs 780ti:

*Skyrim (vanilla/unmodded) - Max Settings 16AF & 8xAA @ 1080p - (stood on the same saved spot that seems to return the lowest frames I could find)*

XFX 7970
1095/1575 - 51% max achieved usage
38fps

780ti
1241/3802 - 44% max achieved usage
47fps

*Heaven - Ultra/Extreme settings - 8x AA @ 1080p*

XFX 7970
1095/1575 - 98% max achieved usage
35.8 avg fps
902 score
13 fps
80.4 fps

780ti
1241/3802 - 99% max achieved usage
67.7 avg fps
1706 score
22.9fps min
127.5fps max

Then just because I had it available I tried both cards on my main rig (3930k @ 4.8, 32gb of 1886 Vengence RAM, Sabertooth board, 1440p):

*Heaven - Ultra/Extreme settings - 8x AA @ 1440p*

XFX 7970
1095/1575 - 99% max achieved usage
23.3 avg fps
587 score
12.6 fps
48.9 fps

780ti
1241/3802 - 99% max achieved usage
44.4 avg frames
1117 score
20fps min
91fps max

*Skyrim (heavily modded with ENB) - Max Settings 16AF & 8x AA @ 1440p - (stood on the same saved spot that seems to return the lowest frames I could find)*

XFX 7970
1095/1575 - 99% max achieved usage
61fps

780ti
1241/3802 - 99% max achieved usage
50fps

Definitely shows you what a difference the CPU can make to how a card can perform. Although I know the 780ti and 7970 aren't exactly comparable and the 780ti gave better frames in all cases I noticed the 7970 ran much quieter and cooler (by about 10-12 degrees) and gavegood performance for the price, certainly a great card








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> I never had any luck with CCC overclocking... bios overclocking works better in the long run.... for me anyway... I had the same issues with overclocks in CCC just stopping for no reason... doing so via bios means it never stops and you can set your TDP for whatever you want (but be safe)... I set mine at 300 so I'd never see power limiter throttling... lol.


Totally new to the 7970 how do you do bios overclocking and is there anything else out there to increase this cards performance?

Thanks


----------



## boredmug

There is a program that will allow you to edit settings in your bios. Can't remember it's name right now. I used it to raise my tdp but still use afterburner for over clocking. If you have any closed loop water coolers laying around you could strap one on. My 7950 with a stock clock of 800mhz will hit 1300mhz with proper cooling. Don't run it that high all the time but it's perfectly happy running 1150mhz


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> There is a program that will allow you to edit settings in your bios. Can't remember it's name right now. I used it to raise my tdp but still use afterburner for over clocking. If you have any closed loop water coolers laying around you could strap one on. My 7950 with a stock clock of 800mhz will hit 1300mhz with proper cooling. Don't run it that high all the time but it's perfectly happy running 1150mhz


VBE is what I always used. And I concur with the sentiment that finding a solid overclock and flashing the card with it is the easiest way to handle Tahiti

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chobbit*
> 
> Thanks for checking boredmug, it definitely must be the CPU as I did some tests:
> 
> I ran Heaven and Skyrim on my girlfriends computer _(AMD Athlon II X4 635, 8GB Vengence 1600 RAM, Gigabyte Board & 1080p monitor)_ with the 7970 and then my main rigs 780ti:
> 
> *Skyrim (vanilla/unmodded) - Max Settings 16AF & 8xAA @ 1080p - (stood on the same saved spot that seems to return the lowest frames I could find)*
> 
> XFX 7970
> 1095/1575 - 51% max achieved usage
> 38fps
> 
> 780ti
> 1241/3802 - 44% max achieved usage
> 47fps
> 
> *Heaven - Ultra/Extreme settings - 8x AA @ 1080p*
> 
> XFX 7970
> 1095/1575 - 98% max achieved usage
> 35.8 avg fps
> 902 score
> 13 fps
> 80.4 fps
> 
> 780ti
> 1241/3802 - 99% max achieved usage
> 67.7 avg fps
> 1706 score
> 22.9fps min
> 127.5fps max
> 
> Then just because I had it available I tried both cards on my main rig (3930k @ 4.8, 32gb of 1886 Vengence RAM, Sabertooth board, 1440p):
> 
> *Heaven - Ultra/Extreme settings - 8x AA @ 1440p*
> 
> XFX 7970
> 1095/1575 - 99% max achieved usage
> 23.3 avg fps
> 587 score
> 12.6 fps
> 48.9 fps
> 
> 780ti
> 1241/3802 - 99% max achieved usage
> 44.4 avg frames
> 1117 score
> 20fps min
> 91fps max
> 
> *Skyrim (heavily modded with ENB) - Max Settings 16AF & 8x AA @ 1440p - (stood on the same saved spot that seems to return the lowest frames I could find)*
> 
> XFX 7970
> 1095/1575 - 99% max achieved usage
> 61fps
> 
> 780ti
> 1241/3802 - 99% max achieved usage
> 50fps
> 
> Definitely shows you what a difference the CPU can make to how a card can perform. Although I know the 780ti and 7970 aren't exactly comparable and the 780ti gave better frames in all cases I noticed the 7970 ran much quieter and cooler (by about 10-12 degrees) and gavegood performance for the price, certainly a great card
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Totally new to the 7970 how do you do bios overclocking and is there anything else out there to increase this cards performance?
> 
> Thanks


yeah I used VBE7.0.0.7b to edit the bios and atiwinflash to save the original file and flash the card... was really easy... but remember there are dangers involved... I edited mine to get rid of the power staging too... I set all the "performance" states to what I wanted it to stay at. I also flashed mine with a modded R9 280 bios... for a 7970 it would be a R9 280x... but be careful.. I got really lucky with that on mine... and to be honest it wasn't worth it.. very little performance increase... barely noticeable.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/6241714 just something to show... I'm still testing for stability.. but I think at 1.125v this is pretty good... trying to keep temps and energy consumption in check and balanced with desire for performance lol...


----------



## Chobbit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> yeah I used VBE7.0.0.7b to edit the bios and atiwinflash to save the original file and flash the card... was really easy... but remember there are dangers involved... I edited mine to get rid of the power staging too... I set all the "performance" states to what I wanted it to stay at. I also flashed mine with a modded R9 280 bios... for a 7970 it would be a R9 280x... but be careful.. I got really lucky with that on mine... and to be honest it wasn't worth it.. very little performance increase... barely noticeable.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/6241714 just something to show... I'm still testing for stability.. but I think at 1.125v this is pretty good... trying to keep temps and energy consumption in check and balanced with desire for performance lol...


Is that 2x 7950's flashed to be 2xR9 280's? Thanks for the info, whats safe voltage for a 7970? and the flashing to R9 280X sounds interesting, has there been any gains or any positivity from it?

guessing flashing to a r9 290x is out of the question


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chobbit*
> 
> Is that 2x 7950xs flashed to be 2xR9 280's? Thanks for the info, whats safe voltage for a 7970? and the flashing to R9 280X sounds interesting, has there been any gains or any positivity from it?
> 
> guessing flashing to a r9 290x is out of the question


There was very small but consistent gains for me... but likely just due to memory time tables.... not worth it for the risk involved.. .I was lucky that gigabyte changed precisely nothing but clocks and volts from the 7950's to the R9 280's... even that didn't help me though as I modded my bios to what i wanted... I know that 1.25v is safe for my cards as that is the stock "performance/turbo" mode volts... I lowered mine to 1.125 and upped the clocks to 1000mhz first...now trying out 1050mhz testing is needed to prove stability on my new clocks though... And yes, the 290 is hawaii cores 280 is tahiti same as 79xx cards.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chobbit*
> 
> Is that 2x 7950xs flashed to be 2xR9 280's? Thanks for the info, whats safe voltage for a 7970? and the flashing to R9 280X sounds interesting, has there been any gains or any positivity from it?
> 
> guessing flashing to a r9 290x is out of the question


1.3v is the max safe voltage for the Tahiti chips.
What XFX 7970 do you have? If it's reference, I wouldn't bother flashing to a 280x bios as it will disable the vrm temp sensors and won't really do anything else.


----------



## tsm106

Actually safe voltage is more a matter of opinion. The bios limit is 1.4v and that has been where I bench my cards at. For anyone else it depends on your cooling.


----------



## incog

I'm guessing for safe voltage, you don't want the VRMs to get too hot.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tsm106*
> 
> Actually safe voltage is more a matter of opinion. The bios limit is 1.4v and that has been where I bench my cards at. For anyone else it depends on your cooling.


+1 this^ mine is on stock gigabyte windforce cooling... I don't dare push to hard... now If I had waterblocks for them that cooled them and somehow the vrm's as well I suppose it would be ok to go farther than 1.25 on mine... but I'm skeered lol.. with a single card I never saw more than 70ish but with them in xfire, I started to see just over 80 so I backed down the volts and clocked back down from 1200mhz...


----------



## jeanspaulo

Hello Guys, I'm just about to start my WC Build, got all the parts I needed. Now I'm testing all the components to be sure its all OK before start the Disassemble and assembly of the blocks , pipes, delid, and so. Because its a long time buying the components my VGAs are a little different 1 Asus HD7970 DC2 TOP (the first one I've bought) the second one is a Asus R9 280x DC2 TOP. I'm testing one by one before doing the CrosfireX and I found the R9 a little bit faster than the HD7970. I think a little over on the HD7970 its necessary to make the two on the same level, but I'm not familiarized with over clocking VGA so what do you recommends to me to do ?

Thank You.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chobbit*
> 
> Maybe but the below commenter sounds like he had success with a worse processor and overclock
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have noticed though that If I turn the settings to 1080p, medium and no AA it will only use 35-40% of the card but not stay at 60 (usually 40 - 50 fps). However if I turn it to 1080p, ultra settings with 8x AA the frames stay exactly the same 40-50 fps but the GPU usage will stay 45% - 52%, is it likely it's still the CPU causing this?


The reason your getting low usage is because the game in general is only demanding that much power. I have noticed that 100% GPU uti is NOT always good. When your cards are chunking 100%, they are running at full blown load, full power, and just think of the heat. Both Nvidia and Radeon cards do this. People used to think that because a card was only pushing 60%, it was bad. Not the case in my testing environments. Using 50% is power saving.

*edit* BTW, are you running Vsync? If you want to watch your GPU uti to go up, turn off vsync.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Hello Guys, I'm just about to start my WC Build, got all the parts I needed. Now I'm testing all the components to be sure its all OK before start the Disassemble and assembly of the blocks , pipes, delid, and so. Because its a long time buying the components my VGAs are a little different 1 Asus HD7970 DC2 TOP (the first one I've bought) the second one is a Asus R9 280x DC2 TOP. I'm testing one by one before doing the CrosfireX and I found the R9 a little bit faster than the HD7970. I think a little over on the HD7970 its necessary to make the two on the same level, but I'm not familiarized with over clocking VGA so what do you recommends to me to do ?
> 
> Thank You.


They do not need to be 1:1 to crossfire, they will perform just fine is one slightly stronger than the other. You should have no issues because of the difference.


----------



## DR4G00N

I finally ditched my sapphire 7950 to lower heat and noise. It's going to be put in my wip rig (just needs ram and hdd now).


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I finally ditched my sapphire 7950 to lower heat and noise. It's going to be put in my wip rig (just needs ram and hdd now).


What card did you go to? 7950 is a pretty mainstream card.


----------



## Chobbit

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> 1.3v is the max safe voltage for the Tahiti chips.
> What XFX 7970 do you have? If it's reference, I wouldn't bother flashing to a 280x bios as it will disable the vrm temp sensors and won't really do anything else.


its the XFX 7970 with the dual fans This one


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> What card did you go to? 7950 is a pretty mainstream card.


I was running it in tri-fire with my 2 Msi 7950's, so now I'm just running crossfire.


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> What card did you go to? 7950 is a pretty mainstream card.
> 
> 
> 
> I was running it in tri-fire with my 2 Msi 7950's, so now I'm just running crossfire.
Click to expand...

ahhh sorry sorry!

everything has been explained!

btw can 7970s crossfire with 7950s?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> ahhh sorry sorry!
> 
> everything has been explained!
> 
> btw can 7970s crossfire with 7950s?


Yeah, it can crossfire just fine. All tahiti chips can crossfire with one another. (7870 XT, 7950 & 7970)


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> They do not need to be 1:1 to crossfire, they will perform just fine is one slightly stronger than the other. You should have no issues because of the difference.


Nice, so the performance will not be affected ?

Thanks


----------



## chartiet

Is the MSI 7950 TF3 voltage locked or does the setting not show right in monitor software? I'm at 1200mhz and 1.231v and HWMon and HWInfo still show the stock boost voltage of 1.188v. Even at 1.240v, I still have artifacts and voltage in monitors never go above 1.188v. I'm getting slight artifacts at 1200mhz. Stock bios. Excuse my brain fart, its been awhile on this card. Thanks


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> Nice, so the performance will not be affected ?
> 
> Thanks


Should not be affected, but I think It would be best practice if you could match the performance by overclocking the slower card as close to the faster card as possible, to improve smoothness so one card is not waiting too long for the other to render, but I could be wrong


----------



## Feyris

I dont know how, but a XFX DD Ghz is tripping PSU OCP on all test PSU im using it in. This thing came out of a tossed work-pc going to smasher, but heck...it should NOT be doing that. poor xfx pcb i see no physical damage


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chartiet*
> 
> Is the MSI 7950 TF3 voltage locked or does the setting not show right in monitor software? I'm at 1200mhz and 1.231v and HWMon and HWInfo still show the stock boost voltage of 1.188v. Even at 1.240v, I still have artifacts and voltage in monitors never go above 1.188v. I'm getting slight artifacts at 1200mhz. Stock bios. Excuse my brain fart, its been awhile on this card. Thanks


It's not volt locked, only afterburner will show the real voltage.
Try lowering your oc, my cards can only get to 1150MHz @ 1.3v without artifacts.

Also, make sure the bios switch is set to position 1.


----------



## Feyris

Uh. Trying a ATI AIB marked 7970, the fam goes to max within seconds of getting into win. But i seem to have broken cata install anyways.

That....ever happen to anymore? Lmao


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Should not be affected, but I think It would be best practice if you could match the performance by overclocking the slower card as close to the faster card as possible, to improve smoothness so one card is not waiting too long for the other to render, but I could be wrong


I'll try that. I'll make some tests and comparisons. And so post it here as soon as possible.
Which softwares do you recommend me to use?
Now the ones I'm using are:

3DMark Advanced Edition for benchmarks
Asus GPU Tweak V 2.7.9.0
Asus x GPU-Z


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jeanspaulo*
> 
> I'll try that. I'll make some tests and comparisons. And so post it here as soon as possible.
> Which softwares do you recommend me to use?
> Now the ones I'm using are:
> 
> 3DMark Advanced Edition for benchmarks
> Asus GPU Tweak V 2.7.9.0
> Asus x GPU-Z


heaven, valley,and the 3d mark suite are good benches to use


----------



## DR4G00N

Do you guys think I should pick up a couple of Gelid Icy Visions for my 7950's?

As it stands I cant really oc much with the stock TF3 coolers, with a modest oc of 1100MHz @ 1.2v the top card hits 84c w/ 55% fan and the second card hits 74c w/ 55% fan while gaming (60%+ fan sounds like a hair dryer + a blender, bad bearings).

Only considering the Gelid's because they are so cheap.

2x Icy visions = $150 CAD Shipped

2x H55's + 2x G10's + 2x Cu Shim + VRM & VRAM Heatsinks = $250-275 + Shipping


----------



## diggiddi

Maybe a Gelid for bottom and aio setup for top since it gets hotter?


----------



## chartiet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> It's not volt locked, only afterburner will show the real voltage.
> Try lowering your oc, my cards can only get to 1150MHz @ 1.3v without artifacts.
> 
> Also, make sure the bios switch is set to position 1.


Ok. I was pretty sure the card wasn't voltage locked, only the small issue with AB slider only going up to 1.2v. It was on switch 1. It barely artifact'd at 1200mhz so I thought if I kept raising voltage Id get results but after 1.25v plus she was still artifacting. Then I figured Id just re-remember that the hwmon voltage of 1.188v was incorrect and verify she is indeed getting more voltage than indicating. The temps kept getting higher so I guess I knew something was getting more voltage. Ill just have to keep voltage at a safe temp level and back off 1200mhz until good. Thanks


----------



## jeanspaulo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> heaven, valley,and the 3d mark suite are good benches to use


Thanks diggiddi


----------



## DR4G00N

I went with the two gelids since the gpu's are spaced far apart. At the very least, they should be much quieter.


----------



## Feyris

RIP My angel, you lived a long life.



She is under warranty (By PINEMOC - ASIA, cant rma it unless i find proof of purchase to xfx here in NA... it has to go back to asia to be RMA'd but May 17th is deadline without pop.


----------



## grymok

Thinking about selling my lovely pearl MSI TF3 7950 with Watercool 79x0 x3 gpu block and backplate







.
It's a nicely little cold beast







.
In my old build I could get it to 1380/1900 mhz and a temp of 47C on the core and 55-58 on memory







.

Thinking about selling my biiiig rig and go down to a m-ITX or m-ATX build. Of course I could do watercooling in such a case to, and actually thinking about it







.
So my options is to sell my cpu, mobo and ram to get into something smaller. But it's either keep the gpu, to get some more money and run with my 7950 till then, or sell it all at once?







.

How much do you think such a GPU could sell for here in Europe?


----------



## Hexa

Hey guys sorry for the stupid question but will my 7970 support DirectX 12 once it's released? I tried some Google Fu but found two different webpages with conflicting results. One said yes and the other said no.

Thanks!!


----------



## p5ych00n5

DX12 will support 7 series cards


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Hexa*
> 
> Hey guys sorry for the stupid question but will my 7970 support DirectX 12 once it's released? I tried some Google Fu but found two different webpages with conflicting results. One said yes and the other said no.
> 
> Thanks!!


Yes, all GCN cards will support DX12


----------



## stoker

For those who want to water cool their non reference sapphire oc card, check this out


----------



## diggiddi

Looks real Good


----------



## incog

Very nice stuff right there.


----------



## DR4G00N

My new coolers came in today










Installation:


Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!




Well, this explains my high temps, no thermal paste










Side by side comparison.


Unisink removed & prepped for VRam/VRM heatsink's.


Heatsinks installed.


Finished product











In case shot,


They took a fair amount of time to install, about 3 hours.

They're also a bit louder. But, the temps are down by a huge amount so I can't complain

Before: GPU 1 Idle: 29c Load: 68-71c VRM: 65/58c
GPU 2 Idle: 28c Load: 66-68c VRM: 55/47c

After: GPU 1 Idle: 27c Load: 56c VRM: 36/37c








GPU 2 Idle: 26c Load: 48c VRM: 31/33c


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stoker*
> 
> For those who want to water cool their non reference sapphire oc card, check this out
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


WHERE DID YOU GET THOSE?????


----------



## alancsalt

Machined some reference ones?


----------



## Davron

I want to quiet the reference 7990 in my portable dev machine down a bit, so I want to get a water block and put it on its own loop. It seems that I was too late in wanting to do it as almost all of the near reasonably priced water blocks are gone. The cheapest right now seems to be an Alphacool NexXxoS ATXP for the 7990. I haven't found any reviews on its cooling performance or how restrictive it is. Has anyone here used this block? I saw 1 S10000 block for $70, but if the performance is comparable, I can't say that it looks nice enough to pay the premium if that is the only real difference.

Anyone have any experience for me to draw on here?


----------



## stoker

For those who want to water cool their non reference sapphire card, check this out
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Looks real Good


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Very nice stuff right there.


Thanks very much
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> Machined some reference ones?


Yes I modified the reference cooler version with a die grinder and alot of patience. Had to be extremely careful near the o-ring gasket grove as the caps were within a millimeter, so i stepped down and still had the clearance - JUST


----------



## stoker

@Davron

There is a place here in oz that has this http://www.thekoolroom.com/product/ek-fc7990-acetalnickel-incl-backplate/
$129AUD less 40% if you enter australiaday2015 in the cart


----------



## Davron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stoker*
> 
> @Davron
> 
> There is a place here in oz that has this http://www.thekoolroom.com/product/ek-fc7990-acetalnickel-incl-backplate/
> $129AUD less 40% if you enter australiaday2015 in the cart


That one is for the PowerColor version of the 7990 that has 3 8-pin PCIe power connectors. I saw that one earlier on the EK website for cheap and was excited until I realized it.


----------



## stoker

sorry didn't know, possible to mod it?


----------



## Davron

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stoker*
> 
> sorry didn't know, possible to mod it?


I haven't a clue. It looks significantly different than the other 7990 full waterblocks even from EK, so I think everything is in a different place.

I know this one is in stock, however:
http://www.aquatuning.us/water-cooling/gpu-water-blocks/gpu-full-cover/17470/alphacool-nexxxos-atxp-nvidia-ati-7990-polished-stainless-steel-black/silver

As is this one:

http://www.performance-pcs.com/ek-fcs10000-full-cover-water-block-for-amd-firepro-s10000-series.html#Details

I'd prefer not to have to buy the $180 if someone has had good experience with the now $109 one.


----------



## Alphadrew

Does anybody here know if there is a waterblock for the Gigabyte Wind Force hd 7950?


----------



## DaUn3rD0g

Hoping you guys can help, I posted in the main amd gpu forum but haven't had a reply.

My xfx hd 7970 can't complete the bioshock infinite benchmark, crashes after about 30secs with an error about the dx11 device either being unplugged or crashed.

Works fine on the windows desktop, didn't have time to try running anything else.

The left hand fan only twitches until about 75% power, then finally kicks in.

Temps reported in msi afterburner seem ok.

So 2 questions:

1: is the fan thing normal?

2: any trouble shooting tips to fix the crashing issue?

Specs:
Asrock h97 pro4
i5 4690k (Stock)
Seagate evo 750W
Windows 8.1
Latest amd drivers as of last night


----------



## diggiddi

Its time to RMA if possible


----------



## DaUn3rD0g

It was bought from a second hand shop (cex) here in the UK, but I will be returning it.

After some investigation using gpu-z last night it turns out it's actually a hd7950!

I thought it was odd all the xfx stickers were removed (the side of the cooler just says hd7900 series), but gpu-z reports it as a hd7950.

I thought it was a dodgy bios flash at first, but after a Google image search I can only find xfx hd 7950's with 2 dvi ports and the cooler stating "7900 series", the hd7970 only has 1 dvi port and states "hd7970" on the side, so as well as being faulty its not even the card they said it was!


----------



## greasemonky89

can a 600w psu handle these if im already over clocking my cpu.


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *greasemonky89*
> 
> can a 600w psu handle these if im already over clocking my cpu.


600W will handle everything besides say a 7990 safely without any concern.


----------



## greasemonky89

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> 600W will handle everything besides say a 7990 safely without any concern.


Alright its just these seem to be power hungry so that was my concern. Thanks


----------



## PedroC1999

Anyone help me out?

http://www.overclock.net/t/1550385/appraisal-powercolor-pcs-hd7950-stock-coolers-waterblocks-x2/0_40


----------



## DR4G00N

One of the fans just died on my sapphire 7950








No worries though, I've got spares.








I have a couple (dead) XFX DD HD 7950 cards so I just stole the fans off one of them. It's working pretty good now, fans are twice as thick so they have more static pressure & they don't click!









The only downside is now it's a triple slot card, but it's the only PCI device in that system so it's all good.


----------



## Gereti

Ookay, had some problems with my "awesome good expensive" cooler so i desided to glue 10 tiny heatsink to my vrm (overheated in gaming->blackscreen)
So, atleast it should be work now better, have to test some Crysis 2 today and test will it still crash...
Hint: i dont recommend this cooler to anyone: arctic cooling extreme IV

...and it eat's 4.5 slot's without that additional fan, on card backpanel...


----------



## MooMoo

Could someone link me AMD/ATI vbios guide?







I can't find from ocn search (it's just complicated to use







) or google any, what would tell me what PowerPlay state&numbers I should change to make stable memory overclock.
Or just tell me which one(s):


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Could someone link me AMD/ATI vbios guide?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can't find from ocn search (it's just complicated to use
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) or google any, what would tell me what PowerPlay state&numbers I should change to make stable memory overclock.
> Or just tell me which one(s):


http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread/1110#post_23810297

upload your bios, then say what clocks you want and from your screen shot its looks like you got a boost or turbo card


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread/1110#post_23810297
> 
> upload your bios, then say what clocks you want and from your screen shot its looks like you got a boost or turbo card


It's 900mhz card flashed 1ghz BIOS in it. I was thinking 1050mhz core and 1450mhz memory.
Here's my atm BIOS:

Tahiti.zip 42k .zip file


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> It's 900mhz card flashed 1ghz BIOS in it. I was thinking 1050mhz core and 1450mhz memory.
> Here's my atm BIOS:
> 
> Tahiti.zip 42k .zip file


ok do you want the turbo/boost gone as that puts it to 1250 volts


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> ok do you want the turbo/boost gone as that puts it to 1250 volts


Im ok with it, because my cooler can handle it


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Im ok with it, because my cooler can handle it


ok here it is at 1050/1450

Tahiti.zip 42k .zip file


----------



## Narmo23

Anyone here notice a reduced clock at idle using two or more monitors with the newer drivers?

Playing around with a 7970 GHz Vapor-X with stock clocks:

13.9: 500/1050 @ idle with two monitors.
14.12: 300/150 @ idle with two monitors.

** HDMI and DVI connected to the card.

I remember a while back where people complained about the higher clock usage with two or more monitors active, and the reasoning behind the higher clocks was to prevent flickering and other oddities that may occur.

Did AMD fix this or is this some kind of bug? While less power usage + lower temps during idle is welcomed, I recently had to RMA my card due to one of the fans not working. Coincidentally I was using 14.12 at the time (of course it could have just been normal wear-and-tear, but still).

Thanks!


----------



## tyhboom

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Narmo23*
> 
> Anyone here notice a reduced clock at idle using two or more monitors with the newer drivers?
> 
> Playing around with a 7970 GHz Vapor-X with stock clocks:
> 
> 13.9: 500/1050 @ idle with two monitors.
> 14.12: 300/150 @ idle with two monitors.
> 
> ** HDMI and DVI connected to the card.
> 
> I remember a while back where people complained about the higher clock usage with two or more monitors active, and the reasoning behind the higher clocks was to prevent flickering and other oddities that may occur.
> 
> Did AMD fix this or is this some kind of bug? While less power usage + lower temps during idle is welcomed, I recently had to RMA my card due to one of the fans not working. Coincidentally I was using 14.12 at the time (of course it could have just been normal wear-and-tear, but still).
> 
> Thanks!


Yeah I noticed that and was very happy. It was a big annoyance for me for a while. My Powercolor has a single very high RPM fan which sounds like a turbine sometimes and it would always spin up for a few seconds while doing mundane tasks on dual monitors.


----------



## tyhboom

I recently got a MSI Twin Frozr 7950 on Ebay for Crossfire. I thought it was a dead card because if I use it as the primary and plug in m monitors to it, nothing displays.

But I know the card is working in crossfire. I put it in the second PCIE slot and when I monitor the MSI 7950 I can see it is processing and I am getting the full benefit of Crossfire in benchmarks and applications. Are the outputs just all dead on that one or something?


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> ok here it is at 1050/1450
> 
> Tahiti.zip 42k .zip file


What did you actually change there? I still see idle clocks @300mhz with vbios editor, which causes me problems.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> What did you actually change there? I still see idle clocks @300mhz with vbios editor, which causes me problems.


i changed your core from 900 to 1050 and the 1000 core to 1050 and put the memory to 1450, so by changing both of them to 1050 i got rid of the boost/turbo.

i never touched the 300mhz which is idle


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> i changed your core from 900 to 1050 and the 1000 core to 1050 and put the memory to 1450, so by changing both of them to 1050 i got rid of the boost/turbo.
> 
> i never touched the 300mhz which is idle


Oh, I forgot to mention that I need to find way to change idle clocks, they cause me problems if I start overclocking with 2 monitors pluged in.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Oh, I forgot to mention that I need to find way to change idle clocks, they cause me problems if I start overclocking with 2 monitors pluged in.


you can do that in afterburner or gpu tweak by changing the 2d clocks


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> you can do that in afterburner or gpu tweak by changing the 2d clocks


Is there any permanent solution for that? As I don't like running afterburner on all the time and I've seen AMD CC reseting my clocks randomly. That's why I would like to change all from BIOS and flash it in.


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Is there any permanent solution for that? As I don't like running afterburner on all the time and I've seen AMD CC reseting my clocks randomly. That's why I would like to change all from BIOS and flash it in.


i see if i can change it to 500mhz instead of 300mhz but if it go's wrong im not to blame and do you have a bios switch


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Is there any permanent solution for that? As I don't like running afterburner on all the time and I've seen AMD CC reseting my clocks randomly. That's why I would like to change all from BIOS and flash it in.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> i see if i can change it to 500mhz instead of 300mhz but if it go's wrong im not to blame and do you have a bios switch


have just tried to edit it but it will not let me make it higher only lower, so the only way you can do it is use afterburner or gpu tweak


----------



## xKrNMBoYx

Sent a payment to a OCN member selling a 7950. Hopefully I get it safely (didn't know the seller lived in Canada) and I become a proud owner of a 7950 along with my 290.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xKrNMBoYx*
> 
> Sent a payment to a OCN member selling a 7950. Hopefully I get it safely (didn't know the seller lived in Canada) and I become a proud owner of a 7950 along with my 290.


I love my twins : ) (7950's with R9 280 bios) Hopefully you'll get it safely.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> I love my twins : ) (7950's with R9 280 bios) Hopefully you'll get it safely.


Is there any benefits flashing 2xx BIOS to 79xx?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Is there any benefits flashing 2xx BIOS to 79xx?


nothing worthwhile imo... I did notice a steady but very small improvement across the board on benchmarks but no real fps increase... mine were older gigabyte 7950's and I already had them OC'd so when I flashed I kept the clocks the same.. and the only thing I can attribute the differences too is maybe a better memory timing table? or maybe a bit of prejudice to older cards taking off a few points for being a gen old... IDK, but if you really don't want to have to buy a new card, don't do it.. you could end up bricking your card...


----------



## Feyris

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> nothing worthwhile imo... I did notice a steady but very small improvement across the board on benchmarks but no real fps increase... mine were older gigabyte 7950's and I already had them OC'd so when I flashed I kept the clocks the same.. and the only thing I can attribute the differences too is maybe a better memory timing table? or maybe a bit of prejudice to older cards taking off a few points for being a gen old... IDK, but if you really don't want to have to buy a new card, don't do it.. you could end up bricking your card...


Nothing wrong with cards closer to release. Actually sometimes many are better before they change things around, like sapphires release dual-x config vs. Its later incarnation which was worse.


----------



## Mega Man

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> I love my twins : ) (7950's with R9 280 bios) Hopefully you'll get it safely.
> 
> 
> 
> Is there any benefits flashing 2xx BIOS to 79xx?
Click to expand...

no


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Feyris*
> 
> Nothing wrong with cards closer to release. Actually sometimes many are better before they change things around, like sapphires release dual-x config vs. Its later incarnation which was worse.


Not saying it was anything wrong with the card... just think sometimes that benchmarks automatically deduct points for being old gen tech... but for some reason, just going from 7950 to R9280 bios made a steady but very small increase in benchmarks I tested. Somewhere in this thread is the bench results showing the differences I noticed. here is 2 of the tests I ran... on the skydiver for some reason the 280 bios actually scored less on the graphics... but whats weird is the physics scores seem to get a boost too... that's what has me thinking its a prejudice on behalf of the benchmark against old tech.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5667034

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5731534


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> no


Before you get mad at me, I'll say I agree with you...

but I have to state the facts as it relates to all the testing I did... as I mentioned before though I think it may be down to prejudice on behalf of the benchmarks... but after running literally dozens of runs, the difference was still there. Is it worth it... why heck no... but it was fun to play, and it created a bit of a mystery for me.. I still haven't figured it out and when time allows I am still running various tests to try to find out why, but its there, a steady, albeit small, increase in benchmark scores.... any ideas why? memory tables? benchmark prejudice? or just a long running fluke? even the physics scores got a boost... now how the heck could a gpu bios affect that?


----------



## Mega Man

i dont get mad . fyi lol


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> i dont get mad . fyi lol










I know, just







poking fun a bit... I do seriously suspect something with benchmarks though... got no proof, but I smell a rat lol... IDK really, maybe there really is a small bit of improvement due to better bios... but I can't see how that would affect the cpu physics... wonder if the same thing would happen in an intel system.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I know, just
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> poking fun a bit... I do seriously suspect something with benchmarks though... got no proof, but I smell a rat lol... IDK really, maybe there really is a small bit of improvement due to better bios... but I can't see how that would affect the cpu physics... wonder if the same thing would happen in an intel system.


Did you run benchmark just once? or many times in a row? It might be just variable score.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Did you run benchmark just once? or many times in a row? It might be just variable score.


many times... oh so many times lol... and even switched back and forth between bios's to recheck... imagine how many times I had to re-install drivers lol...


----------



## eclipsextreme

Ok so I havent done any work to my rig in a while and the gears in my head are grinding again. My 7970/7950s are using reference heatsink. Is there any tempature difference between the reference coolers and ones with two and 3 fans? I was browsing ebay and saw a pair of xfx heatsinks. Water blocks would be awesome but not spending several hundred on older cards now.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *eclipsextreme*
> 
> Ok so I havent done any work to my rig in a while and the gears in my head are grinding again. My 7970/7950s are using reference heatsink. Is there any tempature difference between the reference coolers and ones with two and 3 fans? I was browsing ebay and saw a pair of xfx heatsinks. Water blocks would be awesome but not spending several hundred on older cards now.


Don't touch those xfx coolers with a 10ft pole, they _*suck*_.

How close together are the gpu's? If they are sandwiched together I suggest sticking with your reference coolers.


----------



## fast_fate

Bit of a bend up for an old fave inc the 7970's


----------



## DR4G00N

Pfft, who need's watercooling with temps like these










(10mins of Unigine Heaven @ 1100MHz 1.2v)
Top gpu: 51c
Bottom gpu: 43c

18-20c ambient temp.


----------



## Mega Man

you do that is one warm gpu


----------



## deactivated

anyone having problems with directx on the latest beta driver?


----------



## Sprex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Davron*
> 
> I want to quiet the reference 7990 in my portable dev machine down a bit, so I want to get a water block and put it on its own loop. It seems that I was too late in wanting to do it as almost all of the near reasonably priced water blocks are gone. The cheapest right now seems to be an Alphacool NexXxoS ATXP for the 7990. I haven't found any reviews on its cooling performance or how restrictive it is. Has anyone here used this block? I saw 1 S10000 block for $70, but if the performance is comparable, I can't say that it looks nice enough to pay the premium if that is the only real difference.
> 
> Anyone have any experience for me to draw on here?


Hey, sorry if this is a little late I've only just joined the forum. I use 2 of these I got them from a german website quite cheap. I run them in parallel. My temps playing games like gta 5 were hitting 98c so i had to under volt them to play on air. Now they don't crack 55. Really happy with the result. 

I don't have any flow rate sensors but my pump seems to have no problems


----------



## Jflisk

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Davron*
> 
> I haven't a clue. It looks significantly different than the other 7990 full waterblocks even from EK, so I think everything is in a different place.
> 
> I know this one is in stock, however:
> http://www.aquatuning.us/water-cooling/gpu-water-blocks/gpu-full-cover/17470/alphacool-nexxxos-atxp-nvidia-ati-7990-polished-stainless-steel-black/silver
> 
> As is this one:
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/ek-fcs10000-full-cover-water-block-for-amd-firepro-s10000-series.html#Details
> 
> I'd prefer not to have to buy the $180 if someone has had good experience with the now $109 one.


Not sure if you purchased the alphacool yet. But watch the instructions on that one. Unless they changed them after my discussion with them. They list 1.00 thermal material at the top of the instructions and at the bottom of the instructions they reference 0.50 for the same area. I had one and learned the hard way otherwise they are nice.


----------



## rdr09

This thread dead? Just installed the latest driver seems to work rather nice.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/9868187

took like 6 mins to install.


----------



## GunMetal

Is it the TW3 beta driver?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GunMetal*
> 
> Is it the TW3 beta driver?


yes.


----------



## GunMetal

I haven't noticed any performance gain on my 7950. Though I'm using a dated Phenom II X4 processor.


----------



## DR4G00N

Well, I just moved up to Tri-fire... again









I missed having 100+ fps in firestrike








http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4955537

Heat isn't much of a problem now that I have these Gelid Icy visions on the msi cards.
In pCars temps were,
1st: 69c
2nd: 67c
3rd: 64c
so pretty good overall, though I still need to get used to the fact that these can run @ 80c safely.


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> Well, I just moved up to Tri-fire... again
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I missed having 100+ fps in firestrike
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4955537
> 
> Heat isn't much of a problem now that I have these Gelid Icy visions on the msi cards.
> In pCars temps were,
> 1st: 69c
> 2nd: 67c
> 3rd: 64c
> so pretty good overall, though I still need to get used to the fact that these can run @ 80c safely.


Wondering why is there fan below cpu block?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Wondering why is there fan below cpu block?


It's to cool the North bridge, with the two NF200 chips on this board it gets quite hot.


----------



## DR4G00N

Well ****, that was short lived








The sapphire card just kicked the bucket... Games started to crash so I pulled the other cards out so I could do some troubleshooting, I booted it up and the screen was all messed up and it promptly BOSD'ed with a Video_Memory_Management_Internal error.









I think it's telling me to upgrade already







Maybe I'll pick up a nice shiny new GTX 970 or R9 290X as a replacement.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Well ****, that was short lived
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sapphire card just kicked the bucket... Games started to crash so I pulled the other cards out so I could do some troubleshooting, I booted it up and the screen was all messed up and it promptly BOSD'ed with a Video_Memory_Management_Internal error.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think it's telling me to upgrade already
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe I'll pick up a nice shiny new GTX 970 or R9 290X as a replacement.


sry for your loss.... I'm not upgrading till the 300 series or whatever its going to be called gets out and down in price a little


----------



## DR4G00N

You have got to be kidding... one of my msi cards just died too...






















It won't boot it just beeps 4 times...

I guess I really *DO* need to upgrade soon.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

you have a gremlin my friend... better catch it before it gets another of your cards


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> you have a gremlin my friend... better catch it before it gets another of your cards


I vote for a shotgun trap:

seems fairly efficient on Vault dwellers at least


----------



## majikfx

I found that I dropped in performance in TW3 when I installed the 15.5 drivers. Dropped around 5 fps on my 7950.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> you have a gremlin my friend... better catch it before it gets another of your cards


Nah, I think I'm just really unlucky.
Out of the 5 I bought over the last two years only my original MSI 7950 (first one I bought) is still working.

Though to be fair I did have them oc'ed all the time and ran them at full load for 12+hrs a day everyday since I got them.


----------



## Chosen26

Hey guys,

I have a Gigabyte 7950 WF3 Rev 2.0 card. (GV-R795WF3-3GD) The card came with FY1 BIOS where the GPU is clocked at 1000 Mhz with 1.250V voltage. That's way too much for that clock. The F43 BIOS has 900 Mhz clock and 1.09V voltage. Is it possible to downgrade my Rev 2.0 card to that BIOS? The @BIOS utility fails to the job. :\


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chosen26*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I have a Gigabyte 7950 WF3 Rev 2.0 card. (GV-R795WF3-3GD) The card came with FY1 BIOS where the GPU is clocked at 1000 Mhz with 1.250V voltage. That's way too much for that clock. The F43 BIOS has 900 Mhz clock and 1.09V voltage. Is it possible to downgrade my Rev 2.0 card to that BIOS? The @BIOS utility fails to the job. :\


the BIOS utility found in the Giggy site? if it is, don't use it. op, in this thread explains how to flash the bios BUT make sure you save the car's original bios first in a separate drive . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1443242/the-r9-290-290x-unlock-thread

you can always re-install the original bios saved if the process gets borked.

Use GPUZ to save the original bios.


----------



## Chosen26

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> the BIOS utility found in the Giggy site? if it is, don't use it. op, in this thread explains how to flash the bios BUT make sure you save the car's original bios first in a separate drive . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1443242/the-r9-290-290x-unlock-thread
> 
> you can always re-install the original bios saved if the process gets borked.
> 
> Use GPUZ to save the original bios.


Yep, that one. Is it safe to flash F43 on my Rev2? Rev 1 and Rev 2 are different in PCB design:

Rev 1: PCB
Rev 2: PCB


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Nah, I think I'm just really unlucky.
> Out of the 5 I bought over the last two years only my original MSI 7950 (first one I bought) is still working.
> 
> Though to be fair I did have them oc'ed all the time and ran them at full load for 12+hrs a day everyday since I got them.


well that could do it then lol

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chosen26*
> 
> Hey guys,
> 
> I have a Gigabyte 7950 WF3 Rev 2.0 card. (GV-R795WF3-3GD) The card came with FY1 BIOS where the GPU is clocked at 1000 Mhz with 1.250V voltage. That's way too much for that clock. The F43 BIOS has 900 Mhz clock and 1.09V voltage. Is it possible to downgrade my Rev 2.0 card to that BIOS? The @BIOS utility fails to the job. :\


I have two gigabyte 7950's and I just edited the original bios to give it a max clock of 1000mhz at 1.15v... much cooler and same performance... but you'll have to test to see if its stable. I also later did some bios swapping, but I don't really recommend it. To save bios, use gpuz, to edit bios use VBE 7.0.07b (google it) and I used ATI winflash to flash it back on the card. Remember you have dual bios on this card... so if you brick it a simple flip of the bios switch will save you....


----------



## Chosen26

*rdr09*: I've written a reply to you, but the post is gone for some reason. In short again: thx for the suggestions.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> well that could do it then lol
> I have two gigabyte 7950's and I just edited the original bios to give it a max clock of 1000mhz at 1.15v... much cooler and same performance... but you'll have to test to see if its stable. I also later did some bios swapping, but I don't really recommend it. To save bios, use gpuz, to edit bios use VBE 7.0.07b (google it) and I used ATI winflash to flash it back on the card. Remember you have dual bios on this card... so if you brick it a simple flip of the bios switch will save you....


Good idea, I did the same after all. Edited my original BIOS to 900Mhz and 1.125V plus got rid of the boost.









How much undervolt this GPU can handle on average? My goal is to achieve a good performance& low heat and noise combination.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Chosen26*
> 
> *rdr09*: I've written a reply to you, but the post is gone for some reason. In short again: thx for the suggestions.
> Good idea, I did the same after all. Edited my original BIOS to 900Mhz and 1.125V plus got rid of the boost.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> How much undervolt this GPU can handle on average? My goal is to achieve a good performance& low heat and noise combination.


depends on your card... mine would do full boost clocks on base volts... so that's what I went with. I could have kept boost volts and went up to 1150 on one card and 1200 on the other, but heat was a concern so I backed off


----------



## saint19

Guys a bit of help

I have a 7970 lightning and when I turn on the rig, the fan spins but phase power leds doesn't turn on and rig doesn't show the GPU, jues boot uo with the IGP of the CPU.

What could be the problem? Dead?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Guys a bit of help
> 
> I have a 7970 lightning and when I turn on the rig, the fan spins but phase power leds doesn't turn on and rig doesn't show the GPU, jues boot uo with the IGP of the CPU.
> 
> What could be the problem? Dead?


What does device manager say about the GPU?


----------



## saint19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> What does device manager say about the GPU?


Rig doesn't recognize the GPU even, device manager doesn't show the GPU.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Guys a bit of help
> 
> I have a 7970 lightning and when I turn on the rig, the fan spins but phase power leds doesn't turn on and rig doesn't show the GPU, jues boot uo with the IGP of the CPU.
> 
> What could be the problem? Dead?


Yeah, it's probably dead. One of my MSI 7950's just started doing the same thing, total brick. Going to replace mine with a 780 ti soon if all go's to plan.


----------



## saint19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yeah, it's probably dead. One of my MSI 7950's just started doing the same thing, total brick. Going to replace mine with a 780 ti soon if all go's to plan.


[email protected]

Not the reply that I was waiting for, not enough LN2 before goes dead..

I guess that now I have to enjoy the 680 lightning...xD


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Yeah, it's probably dead. One of my MSI 7950's just started doing the same thing, total brick. Going to replace mine with a 780 ti soon if all go's to plan.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [email protected]
> 
> Not the reply that I was waiting for, not enough LN2 before goes dead..
> 
> I guess that now I have to enjoy the 680 lightning...xD
Click to expand...

Tired another slot?
Tried another card?


----------



## p5ych00n5

I've been messing round with making a solid crossfire bridge


----------



## Minotaurtoo

not picking on you or anything, I'm genuinely curious... but why?


----------



## saint19

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Tired another slot?
> Tried another card?


Two slots...

Two boards...

Same results...


----------



## DR4G00N

Well, on the bright side my only remaining 7950 runs ice cold.








I played Project cars for solid half-hour and the core never broke 49c, OC'ed to 1100MHz @ 1.2v with the Gelid coolers fans at 7v (whisper quiet).


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *saint19*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Tired another slot?
> Tried another card?
> 
> 
> 
> Two slots...
> 
> Two boards...
> 
> Same results...
Click to expand...


----------



## boredmug

Well the 7950's served me well for almost 3 years and in all honesty I could have probably held onto them for a bit longer. I found a great deal on a pair of 290x's with ek full cover blocks that I couldn't pass up.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Well one of my 7970's has died


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Well one of my 7970's has died


Awe that sucks man. Black screen or?


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> Awe that sucks man. Black screen or?


Black screen, well until I properly clipped the PCI-E cable properly into the PSU and it's alive


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Black screen, well until I properly clipped the PCI-E cable properly into the PSU and it's alive










I only laugh.... because... I did the exact same thing once... I was installing a SSD and somehow unplugged the gpu cable... whoops.. glad I didn't have a melted plug or anything like some have had from bad connections... because it had to have been on wrong to have just fell off like that... glad you found it though


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I only laugh.... because... I did the exact same thing once... I was installing a SSD and somehow unplugged the gpu cable... whoops.. glad I didn't have a melted plug or anything like some have had from bad connections... because it had to have been on wrong to have just fell off like that... glad you found it though


What made it even more







is my whole system is hardline watercooled, so I was draining loop, swapping cards, refilling, leak testing, failing, draining loop swapping cards back etc etc when all it was was the cable being a micron out of being secure.

I can laugh now


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> What made it even more
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> is my whole system is hardline watercooled, so I was draining loop, swapping cards, refilling, leak testing, failing, draining loop swapping cards back etc etc when all it was was the cable being a micron out of being secure.
> 
> I can laugh now


I only wish that was the case with my 7950's








Oh well, I've got a nice 780 ti now.









I'm still going to try throwing them in the oven. I don't know what happened with the msi card but the sapphire one is definitely a cracked vram solder connection.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I only wish that was the case with my 7950's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh well, I've got a nice 780 ti now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm still going to try throwing them in the oven. I don't know what happened with the msi card but the sapphire one is definitely a cracked vram solder connection.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> I only wish that was the case with my 7950's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh well, I've got a nice 780 ti now.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm still going to try throwing them in the oven. I don't know what happened with the msi card but the sapphire one is definitely a cracked vram solder connection.


good luck... what temp to you bake them on and for how long... also do you serve them with whip cream? One of those questions was a joke, the other not... take a wild guess which one is which.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> good luck... what temp to you bake them on and for how long... also do you serve them with whip cream? One of those questions was a joke, the other not... take a wild guess which one is which.


The general consensus seems to be 200c for 8mins and no, I don't serve them with whipped cream, I instead marinate them in BBQ sauce and serve them with a side of gravy.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> The general consensus seems to be 200c for 8mins and no, I don't serve them with whipped cream, I instead marinate them in BBQ sauce and serve them with a side of gravy.


rofl great one... ok.. do let us know how it goes... very curious if it works or not...


----------



## LezOU

Hello,

Is there a page referencing waterblock available for the HD7950 ?

Mines are SAPPHIRE HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 WITH BOOST
ref: 11196-19
http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/product_index.aspx?pid=1841&lid=1

1- they're old so finding waterblock is tricky
2- I can't find any wb for this particular reference.... it has the Boost switch + additionnal componants.

I think I'll have to go for chip WB and not full cover, but what about memory cooling ?

Any help appreciated, thank you very much !


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LezOU*
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Is there a page referencing waterblock available for the HD7950 ?
> 
> Mines are SAPPHIRE HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 WITH BOOST
> ref: 11196-19
> http://www.sapphiretech.com/presentation/product/product_index.aspx?pid=1841&lid=1
> 
> 1- they're old so finding waterblock is tricky
> 2- I can't find any wb for this particular reference.... it has the Boost switch + additionnal componants.
> 
> I think I'll have to go for chip WB and not full cover, but what about memory cooling ?
> 
> Any help appreciated, thank you very much !


the only chance you got of finding a block is ebay or some classified sites

on my 7950 i got a gpu only and if your card has a plate to cover the ram/vrms use that with a fan blowing over to help keep it cool


----------



## LezOU

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> the only chance you got of finding a block is ebay or some classified sites
> 
> on my 7950 i got a gpu only and if your card has a plate to cover the ram/vrms use that with a fan blowing over to help keep it cool


I'll be going with the EK-Thermosphere and some alphacool 15mm heatsink for the VRM's

http://www.alphacool.com/product_info.php/info/p1147_Alphacool-GPU-Heatsinks-15x15mm---black-10-Stk-.html


----------



## fx63007850

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LezOU*
> 
> I'll be going with the EK-Thermosphere and some alphacool 15mm heatsink for the VRM's
> 
> http://www.alphacool.com/product_info.php/info/p1147_Alphacool-GPU-Heatsinks-15x15mm---black-10-Stk-.html


you will need to buy a mounting plate aswell for the the EK block


----------



## LezOU

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fx63007850*
> 
> you will need to buy a mounting plate aswell for the the EK block


Yes it's the R600 I believe, I forgot to mention it


----------



## LezOU

hello, anyone knows the "height" of the 7950 (preferably Sapphire 11196-19 / HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 WITH BOOST) from the PCB to the top of the highest component ?

I know with the heatsink and fans it's about 30mm, but I'd like to know without.

I'll be fitting a waterblock on my 3 SAPPHIRE HD 7950 and the bottom one is very close to the bottom of the case (30mm clearance).
So I know I'll be able to fit a 240mm radiator flat on the bottom, but I'd like to know if i could also fit a pair on slim 120mm fans (15mm thick).

So basically, I have 60mm between my HD7950 pcb and the case "floor", and I need to know if the "tallest" component is more than 14mm. (that leaves me 1mm clearance tongue.gif)


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LezOU*
> 
> hello, anyone knows the "height" of the 7950 (preferably Sapphire 11196-19 / HD 7950 3GB GDDR5 WITH BOOST) from the PCB to the top of the highest component ?
> 
> I know with the heatsink and fans it's about 30mm, but I'd like to know without.
> 
> I'll be fitting a waterblock on my 3 SAPPHIRE HD 7950 and the bottom one is very close to the bottom of the case (30mm clearance).
> So I know I'll be able to fit a 240mm radiator flat on the bottom, but I'd like to know if i could also fit a pair on slim 120mm fans (15mm thick).
> 
> So basically, I have 60mm between my HD7950 pcb and the case "floor", and I need to know if the "tallest" component is more than 14mm. (that leaves me 1mm clearance tongue.gif)


With my 7970 (Sapphire Dual-X OC) which are in my loop even with the block it's still well under the 2 slot height if that makes sense, so the block itself is the highest/lowest point of the card.

The actual braceplate/heatsink is roughly 1 - 2 mm taller than the pci-e power plugs



It also depends on which block you're getting as mine is roughly 30 mm in height and the radiators/fans as well


----------



## LezOU

Thank you, I'm getting the EK-THERMOSPHERE.


----------



## Mega Man

im sorry :/ ( i love full blocks )


----------



## LezOU

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> im sorry :/ ( i love full blocks )


None available for my GPU :/

ref:11196-19


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LezOU*
> 
> Thank you, I'm getting the EK-THERMOSPHERE.


No woriies, the EK blocks shouldnt be too much taller Id say


----------



## Ark-07

Hey all some off you here may have had this issue i would be grateful if you take few mins to view my issue thank you.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1559904/whats-the-issue-graphics-card-power-supply-or-power-socket


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Just in case any of you Tahiti users want to move to Hawaii....









http://www.overclock.net/t/1559864/sapphire-tri-x-oc-290-4gb-2-available


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Just in case any of you Tahiti users want to move to Hawaii....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1559864/sapphire-tri-x-oc-290-4gb-2-available


Me no live in the states


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Me no live in the states


You got money and shipping costs, it's yours brother


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> You got money and shipping costs, it's yours brother


Ill just have to consult the Iron Bank first


----------



## Minotaurtoo

I'd get it, but I'm happy with the twins... I'm not 100% sure about your specific card, but so far most 290x's fall just a tad behind my twins... so I'll have to pass.... although... even if I'm not buying I'd love to see some 3dmark/3dmark11 scores for a single card : )

edit: I just noticed you are located in Lillington NC!... My pop was the vice pres of the Saab Barracuda plant there for years... only retired about 3 years ago I think... anyway I used to live close to there in Sanford... in a little neighborhood known as Carolina Trace... too bad I live so far away now... I'd loved to have came by to look at the merchandise at least


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> You got money and shipping costs, it's yours brother


The Iron Bank has denied my request for a loan


----------



## gatygun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> The Iron Bank has denied my request for a loan


With the right blood, i can make it happen for you.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> The Iron Bank has denied my request for a loan


So glad I don't have a wench to answer to when it comes to this stuff.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> So glad I don't have a wench to answer to when it comes to this stuff.


To be fair there was a 500+ purchase of water cooling stuffs in the past month


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> To be fair there was a 500+ purchase of water cooling stuffs in the past month


Ah, ok. fair enough. Wait a few months and hit her with a Fury X purchase then. ;-)


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Ah, ok. fair enough. Wait a few months and hit her with a Fury X purchase then. ;-)


That's the plan, oh and waterblocks as well







maybe early Christmas present


----------



## TUFOM

I had XFX HD 7950 3GB @1050/1500Mhz and furmark was running 96fps but suddenly dropped to 76fps. Now I have Club3D HD 7950 3GB 1100/1575Mhz and furmark fps is 101 but drops to 76fps. So exact same thing. Frame drops also happen games like GTA V, I can play long time then suddenly fps drops from around 50 to -> 30fps and 3Dmarks etc same thing. Only reboot makes fps go back up.

GPU usage is in furmark all time 100% and programs report 1100/1575Mhz clocks. Nothing changes but the fps. PSU is XFX Core Edition 550W. Max gpu temp 78c.

Edit: Noticed voltage fluctuates in furmark 1.049-1.072V

Edit2: Million dollar guestion, what is the switch right after CrossFire ports. It says 1 , 2 ? On 1 stock clocks 930/1250 and on 2 stock clocks 925/1250Mhz. Is it really just for 5Mhz core difference?


----------



## XiDillon

thats a BIOS switch. You could run a modded bios on one position to lock voltage while playing games. then switch back whenever you want to. which should be never....


----------



## Feyris

Tried flashing a V1 7970 to 280x because i forgot about vrm sensors, no bsods just no gpu error from ccc.

Tried flashing a 7970 bios from tpu that was same company, same clocks, and same board version... same issue.

Edited actual stock bios saved from gpuz prior to this whole bananza to set it to 1000/1500, flashed it...gpu works fine now.

Prior to all this temp sensor was not engaging and showed 0c which caused fan to run max, now after bios edits gpuz shows 1000/1500 as base clocks but gpu doesnt go past stock 925/1375... BUT MY TEMP SENSOR works again!which is wierd but after all this atleast it works again...

I dont know why bios flashing got it working again since it had never been flashed before, but hey...atleast it no longer sounds like 747 on boot


----------



## Majentrix

Anyone with a reference 7970 here tried painting the shroud? How did it turn out?


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Ah, ok. fair enough. Wait a few months and hit her with a Fury X purchase then. ;-)


Maybe the Fury will have to wait $979 in OZ and $1139 in NZ









Although compared to the TitanX


----------



## boredmug

Good lord.. Isn't your currency pretty strong? Why do they cost so much?


----------



## alancsalt

I'm guessing you haven't noticed the $AU for awhile. Dropped to 0.77 of US Dollar.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> Good lord.. Isn't your currency pretty strong? Why do they cost so much?


Even when the dollar was on parity with the US we were still getting jibbed on tech prices. Poor New Zealand cops it even worse.

The tyranny of distance I put it down to


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *alancsalt*
> 
> I'm guessing you haven't noticed the $AU for awhile. Dropped to 0.77 of US Dollar.


No I haven't. Honestly don't know too much about AU or NZ other than it seems like a nice place to live. Perhaps better than the US here lately.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> No I haven't. Honestly don't know too much about AU or NZ other than it seems like a nice place to live. Perhaps better than the US here lately.


Except that everything here will try to kill you


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Except that everything here will try to kill you


This is true.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

I'm going to drop this here just to see if anyone is interested... I am upgrading.. or sidegrading... don't know yet to Fiji as many of you know i did a lot of experimenting on my pair of 7950's converting them to R9 280's and such and achieved some impressive (I think) overclocks and graphics scores.

First off, I never over volted my cores, in fact I undervolted and still running them undervolted and overclocked... never used for bitcoin mining, never used for binge gaming... only and hour here or there during the week and a couple hours on weekends... BTW, stock volts for these cards is 1.25 for boost clocks... I set it at 1.169 and boost clocks was 1000, I set that at 1050mhz... no issues to date with these settings... but if you would like I can set the volts back up to 1.25 and clocks up to 1150mhz for a bit more performance.

Anyway here is my gpuz and my firestrike scores for my final overclock settlings:



http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7375646?

If any one is interested in owning these or one of these cards, send me a pm.... they are not for sale yet... but I'll let you know when they are and how much.


----------



## EpicOtis13

Do you guys and girls think that it's safe to pump 1.35v through my two 7970s that I have under water? I'm currently running 1125mhz at stock, but I want to push them further.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Well my flakey 7970 has decided to flake out again. I was getting random black screens and audio dropouts while the PC was still running, swapped out RAM sticks and ran each card seperately, ended up with artifact city on the secondary card. So i permanently unplugged it and it's all golden


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> Do you guys and girls think that it's safe to pump 1.35v through my two 7970s that I have under water? I'm currently running 1125mhz at stock, but I want to push them further.


I said stop at 1.3 under water, and both of mine are still alive today (albiet barely seeing any playtime). You will probably get more no that yes if you took a poll, but this is OCN, and 7970s are mighty long in the tooth...if you can afford to replace them...run them hard.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

I don't even push mine at the boost volts of 1.25v.. .I'd definitely stay under or at 1.3


----------



## Mega Man

1.4 or bust


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 1.4 or bust


you would say that lol... its a video card, not a birthing room... no one saying push push push is needed lol.


----------



## stoker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 1.4 or bust


Even at 1.4v mine artifacts at anything over 1225mhz


----------



## Mega Man

that sucks :/
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> 1.4 or bust
> 
> 
> 
> you would say that lol... its a video card, not a birthing room... no one saying push push push is needed lol.
Click to expand...

no one said it was, it is water, not like it hurts


----------



## bmgjet

Well see you latter guys. Was a good ride with my 7970 CF set up but finally sold both cards off.
They were a beast at 1300mhz on 1.3V with AIO coolers on them. 2 years of that overclock and never gave a problem.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmgjet*
> 
> Well see you latter guys. Was a good ride with my 7970 CF set up but finally sold both cards off.
> They were a beast at 1300mhz on 1.3V with AIO coolers on them. 2 years of that overclock and never gave a problem.


Nice. I benched mine at 1290/1800 @1.3 but never tried that as a daily. Sounds like you has some good cards.

1.3 is the limit for me unless you really don't care and aren't planning to resell.


----------



## bmgjet

2X Power cooler 7970 oc.
Core was good clocker. Memory not so much, 1400mhz was only stable clock on it.
New single card destroys them tho. (980ti).


----------



## fx63007850

i run 1.4 on my 7950 for around 4 hours benching and gaming @1270/1600

oh a top score for a single card with a 8350


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> that sucks :/
> no one said it was, it is water, not like it hurts


Just poking at you mega







not trying to be a jerk... just being funny... well... I thought it was funny...


----------



## Mega Man

As was I


----------



## danycyo

is this a decent firestrike score for 2x7950 Vapor X cards? Core clock was @ 1165

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7575829

on 1150 I got slightly higher #'s

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7586198?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> is this a decent firestrike score for 2x7950 Vapor X cards? Core clock was @ 1165
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7575829


mine was a bit higher on graphics score... but yeah thats a good score, but I suspect that there is some tuning to be done... mine at 1150 gets around 15000 graphics score.... I'm not at home right now or I'd post a link... its back a few pages.


----------



## pezikokakola

Hello , does anyone know how to flash bios for the amd radeon hd 7990 ? I am trying to overclock but seems to hit the limit of core clock which is 1000mhz.


----------



## hprodigy

hello, i dont know am i at right place for this question ..
I found realy great deal cheap one of my friend sells new used 5 days gpu : ASUS STRIX AMD RADEON R7 370, 2GB DDR5

My question is how would my configuration handle that card... is it suitable... will it work?

my spec:
intel quad q9300
gigabyte EP43-DS3 with pcie 2.0
8 gb ddr2 800mhz


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hprodigy*
> 
> hello, i dont know am i at right place for this question ..
> I found realy great deal cheap one of my friend sells new used 5 days gpu : ASUS STRIX AMD RADEON R7 370, 2GB DDR5
> 
> My question is how would my configuration handle that card... is it suitable... will it work?
> 
> my spec:
> intel quad q9300
> gigabyte EP43-DS3 with pcie 2.0
> 8 gb ddr2 800mhz


Wrong place. Create your own thread.


----------



## ~kRon1k~

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> mine was a bit higher on graphics score... but yeah thats a good score, but I suspect that there is some tuning to be done... mine at 1150 gets around 15000 graphics score.... I'm not at home right now or I'd post a link... its back a few pages.


my system must be choking then lol 14534 with 3 280x and 8350 @ 5275

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4094065


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *~kRon1k~*
> 
> my system must be choking then lol 14534 with 3 280x and 8350 @ 5275
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4094065


nice score... yeah.. my 2 cards are not even R9 280's lol... they are old 7950's but I've played with them and modded the R9 280 bios to work with mine...

Yours isn't choking though... I was only talking about graphics score alone not the composite score.. you beat me by a mile.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7375646


----------



## SaveTheNoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pezikokakola*
> 
> Hello , does anyone know how to flash bios for the amd radeon hd 7990 ? I am trying to overclock but seems to hit the limit of core clock which is 1000mhz.


Same as most any other card. I learned the hard way that the bios switch is not for core 1 and core 2 but two different bios. The link below should lead you to the ATi bios flashing utility and direct you in the right direction for different bios you could flash. When you flash, you have to download a master and slave bios and flash them both to the card.

http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/


----------



## diggiddi

What is the best driver out right now, modified or regular?


----------



## EpicOtis13

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> What is the best driver out right now, modified or regular?


I don't know, I am currently using the latest catalyst beta driver, which seems pretty good.


----------



## bmgjet

Windows 10 driver was the best one last time I checked.
Has good 8% better DX11 performance. And in somethings that have been gimped by nvidia like Project cars its more like a 40% increase.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmgjet*
> 
> Windows 10 driver was the best one last time I checked.
> Has good 8% better DX11 performance. And in somethings that have been gimped by nvidia like Project cars its more like a 40% increase.


Cool I'm on 7 though, will make the jump later on


----------



## p5ych00n5

Hey all, just a quick one, my second 7970 isn't being recognised through CCC, GPU-Z or Device Manager. But BIOS and CPU-Z Recognise it but CPU-Z is turning up some funky numbers.


Primary card (the one recognised) is the left CPU-Z, Secondary the right CPU-Z.

Any idea?, dead card?, dead slot?. Bear in mind I have both cards in a custom loop so just swapping slots is a little more difficult than just swapping cards, but them's the breaks. But I'd like to bounce ideas around before a loop teardown

Kind Regards
p5ych00n5


----------



## JayKaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Hey all, just a quick one, my second 7970 isn't being recognised through CCC, GPU-Z or Device Manager. But BIOS and CPU-Z Recognise it but CPU-Z is turning up some funky numbers.
> 
> 
> Primary card (the one recognised) is the left CPU-Z, Secondary the right CPU-Z.
> 
> Any idea?, dead card?, dead slot?. Bear in mind I have both cards in a custom loop so just swapping slots is a little more difficult than just swapping cards, but them's the breaks. But I'd like to bounce ideas around before a loop teardown
> 
> Kind Regards
> p5ych00n5


just try reseat both card's Iv had similar issues with my HD7970's on water - So far a quick wiggle in the slot has fixed the problem - I must say this hasn't happened for a good year now but It has happened more than once when the system was a little newer..


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JayKaos*
> 
> just try reseat both card's Iv had similar issues with my HD7970's on water - So far a quick wiggle in the slot has fixed the problem - I must say this hasn't happened for a good year now but It has happened more than once when the system was a little newer..


Cheers mate, I will give it a go


----------



## JayKaos

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Cheers mate, I will give it a go


Just out of curiosity may I ask what sort of temp's ya get out of your Heatkiller X3 GPU block's?
Im running EK FC 7970 covers.. XSPC rads a 240 rs iirc and a 360 ?? custom loop


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *JayKaos*
> 
> Just out of curiosity may I ask what sort of temp's ya get out of your Heatkiller X3 GPU block's?
> Im running EK FC 7970 covers.. XSPC rads a 240 rs iirc and a 360 ?? custom loop


Idle I get around 25 degrees with an ambient of around 17 - 20 degrees give or take. I honestly cant recall load temps at the moment although I do have some screens somewhere I'll have to dig up


----------



## rdr09

Not sure if you know it already but vsr works with 7900 series with 15.7 . . .


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Not sure if you know it already but vsr works with 7900 series with 15.7 . . .


Looking forward to trying this tonight on a fresh Windows 10 install on my 7950/R9-280 FrankenEScard


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Not sure if you know it already but vsr works with 7900 series with 15.7 . . .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking forward to trying this tonight on a fresh Windows 10 install on my 7950/R9-280 FrankenEScard
Click to expand...

Just tried it in BF4 MP with a single 7950 at stock playable indeed at all Medium settings, Mantle and without AA. Looks better than 1080 i must say. I'll keep it at 1440.


----------



## axipher

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *axipher*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Not sure if you know it already but vsr works with 7900 series with 15.7 . . .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking forward to trying this tonight on a fresh Windows 10 install on my 7950/R9-280 FrankenEScard
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Just tried it in BF4 MP with a single 7950 at stock playable indeed at all Medium settings, Mantle and without AA. Looks better than 1080 i must say. I'll keep it at 1440.
Click to expand...

Awesome, I'm reinstalling Build 10164 from scratch wight now so tonight I'll reinstall SCII, LoL, D3, Crysis (Just be cause), and CS:GO. A nice good range of games to try it out on.


----------



## danycyo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> is this a decent firestrike score for 2x7950 Vapor X cards? Core clock was @ 1165
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7575829
> 
> on 1150 I got slightly higher #'s
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7586198?


Not only can I now play at 2560x1440 on my TV but my GPU #'s shot up with these new drivers. I am loving 15.7. Now I just need a way to cool my top crossfire card better because its getting a little warm. Copper memory heatsinks new gpu paste and some new fans should do the trick.

just like the previous post 1165/1250 memory









http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7692702?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Not only can I now play at 2560x1440 on my TV but my GPU #'s shot up with these new drivers. I am loving 15.7. Now I just need a way to cool my top crossfire card better because its getting a little warm. Copper memory heatsinks new gpu paste and some new fans should do the trick.
> 
> just like the previous post 1165/1250 memory
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7692702?


Your graphics score looks abnormally low compared to what my 7950s got at 1170/1500 with catalyst 14.12.

http://www.3dmark.com/fs/4376570


----------



## danycyo

I am currently having cooling issues on my new card and cannot overclock the memory because of thermal issues. My original card hits 1500 on the memory easy. My new card is the issue. I am in the process of buying thermal pads to replace the damaged ones on the new card. I will put some fresh thermal paste and hopefully i'll be in better shape.. I got my 2nd vapor x card on ebay for like 80 bucks but it had a broken fan. Since then I replaced the fan and revived the card but the pads are in bad shape and temps just seem higher than usual on that one card most likely causing throttleling issues. Should be fixed soon and then I can see 1220/1500 overclocks like I can on my original.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

dang... guess I've finally went and done it... seems one of my cards bios is stuck... well at least on one of the switch positions... I can write to it... but only the volt changes seem to be taking now... clocks are stuck at 1050 on it... oh well... at least its at a liveable level... and it seems to be fully stable at only 1.113v (no artifacts after hours of gaming and 30 mins of firestrike looping)... wonder if I should attempt to flash down the volts some more to see if its stable lower... oh well... at least it runs cool there and it still overclocked a good bit over normal base clock... (I keep telling myself I'm not going to dork up the other bios position)


----------



## bmgjet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> dang... guess I've finally went and done it... seems one of my cards bios is stuck... well at least on one of the switch positions... I can write to it... but only the volt changes seem to be taking now... clocks are stuck at 1050 on it... oh well... at least its at a liveable level... and it seems to be fully stable at only 1.113v (no artifacts after hours of gaming and 30 mins of firestrike looping)... wonder if I should attempt to flash down the volts some more to see if its stable lower... oh well... at least it runs cool there and it still overclocked a good bit over normal base clock... (I keep telling myself I'm not going to dork up the other bios position)


The driver has locked the clock speeds. Had that happen to me when messing with bios but it seemed to only remember 1 positions clocks.
Going into trixx and clicking reset a few times made it pick the bios values up again. Some times needed to DDU remove the driver for it to change tho but not to many times.


----------



## JayKaos

dam dam


----------



## JayKaos

my bad


----------



## p5ych00n5

I reflashed my 7970 that was flaking bigtime to the Sapphire BIOS (It is a Sapphire card BTW), and it's not being recognised by CCC, GPU-Z, Device Manager or AB. BIOS and CPU-Z do recognise it but with some weird results









Ahh well, it's at least not crashing Windows now


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmgjet*
> 
> The driver has locked the clock speeds. Had that happen to me when messing with bios but it seemed to only remember 1 positions clocks.
> Going into trixx and clicking reset a few times made it pick the bios values up again. Some times needed to DDU remove the driver for it to change tho but not to many times.


That's a good idea to try... I do have another way though... at least I think of forcing the driver to unlock... I could flash back to the original 7950 bios... oh well... I'll try your idea if I decide to change clock speeds again... right now its a good speed.

I was planning on getting a fury x and selling these cards... but crap happened and I'll have to sit on these a while... at least when they crossfire good they beat a 390x lol... and in most games its either they work great or don't work at all in crossfire.


----------



## DR4G00N

I baked my MSI 7950, no dice. It still fails to post.








I still have to find time to bake my sapphire one.


----------



## bmgjet

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> That's a good idea to try... I do have another way though... at least I think of forcing the driver to unlock... I could flash back to the original 7950 bios... oh well... I'll try your idea if I decide to change clock speeds again... right now its a good speed.
> 
> I was planning on getting a fury x and selling these cards... but crap happened and I'll have to sit on these a while... at least when they crossfire good they beat a 390x lol... and in most games its either they work great or don't work at all in crossfire.


You can make crossfire work on anything by forcing profile.
Or just renaming the .exe of the game thats not working in crossfire as something like bf4.exe
Just on games that dont have it enabled in the engines on AFR rendering youll get massive flicker on things like menues and text.
So youll need to use one of the other render types but they dont have as good scaling as AFR.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bmgjet*
> 
> You can make crossfire work on anything by forcing profile.
> Or just renaming the .exe of the game thats not working in crossfire as something like bf4.exe
> Just on games that dont have it enabled in the engines on AFR rendering youll get massive flicker on things like menues and text.
> So youll need to use one of the other render types but they dont have as good scaling as AFR.


I've tried trickery with one... scaling was awful and I do mean awful... was better just using single card... kinda put a bad taste in my mouth lol... some just have strange effects.. like spintires... it has floating grass and wild shadows in crossfire... war thunder now I haven't tried forcing it, so I might bother to one day... but all in all... that's why I want to ditch dual cards for a single "dear lord" gpu.


----------



## p5ych00n5

I'm getting some weird voltage issues with my secondary card

Primary Card


Secondary Card


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> I'm getting some weird voltage issues with my secondary card
> 
> Primary Card
> 
> 
> Secondary Card


thats the amd super low power mode... assuming that is from when it was not in use lol.... if it was in use then well.. yeah that was weird... but otherwise its normal and only a power saving mode for when its not being used.... my secondary is doing that right now.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> thats the amd super low power mode... assuming that is from when it was not in use lol.... if it was in use then well.. yeah that was weird... but otherwise its normal and only a power saving mode for when its not being used.... my secondary is doing that right now.


The cards wrecked, looks like Ram chips are dying, and if I activate CF instant bsod


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> The cards wrecked, looks like Ram chips are dying, and if I activate CF instant bsod


hmm... yeah maybe then... but that low voltage and low clocks happens to mine too... maybe downlclock your memory and re-try? or have you done that already... mine won't stabilize over 1400 for crossfire for some reason... I can take either card on their own and hit 1500.


----------



## p5ych00n5

If I run the card individually, I get this until it hits desktop, then instant shutdown and reboot and cycle of life again







Also tried downclocking memory frequency, I got to 800 MHz and it was still playing up, so it's sort of pointless especially having the memory so low


----------



## p5ych00n5

Well the card is officially gone, PC won't even power on with it in there


----------



## Minotaurtoo

sry to hear that... was hoping for better...


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> sry to hear that... was hoping for better...


Same here, but now it's the catalyst (eh eh







) for me to upgrade.

And the case looks so very empty without the second card in there


----------



## p5ych00n5

You've got to be kidding me. Second card is now gone


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> You've got to be kidding me. Second card is now gone


I'm getting scared now with so many tahiti's dying.... feeling like mine is next.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> I'm getting scared now with so many tahiti's dying.... feeling like mine is next.


The really aggravating thing is my 4850 is still going strong, y u no survive Tahiti


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> Well the card is officially gone, PC won't even power on with it in there


Out of the 4 7950's I've owned I've killed one. One sits in my sons rig while two currently sit in the closet waiting for me to get off my lazy butt and take the GPU blocks off and reinstall some air coolers and throw them up somewhere for sale.


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *p5ych00n5*
> 
> You've got to be kidding me. Second card is now gone


That is strange. Maybe something up with your PSU?


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *boredmug*
> 
> That is strange. Maybe something up with your PSU?


Both cards do the same on different MBs and PSUs









Ye olde 4850 just chugs along


----------



## mandrix

Anyone else with Xfire 7950's having problems with 15.7 drivers?
No matter how many times I wipe all the drivers and reinstall, my Fire Strike scores look like I would expect with one card and the graphics are jerky.
Went back to 15.6 Beta drivers and everything seems normal again.


----------



## inedenimadam

All these cards dying! I mined on mine, and they still kick butt and chew bubble gum.


----------



## Spock121

My Matrix Platinum just died too. Baked it twice to no avail, RIP in peace.


----------



## p5ych00n5

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Spock121*
> 
> My Matrix Platinum just died too. Baked it twice to no avail, RIP in peace.


I know them feels


----------



## Agent Smith1984

I am really surprised to see so many of the 7 series cards dying now....

I know they are a few years old, but it's still pretty shocking....

Are the cards dying on everyone from second hand purchases or bought new?

I ask because of the mining thing...

Seems like the 7900's were like Acura Integra GSR's..... a lot of them got bought up, and some were and still are used for reliable daily driving, with the occasional spirited driving, while many were bought for the soul purpose of beating the crap out of, and never made it to their appropriate 200+k mile ability.

My and my damn car analogies.


----------



## sugarhell

I have 3 7970 that used for mining for 3 years. They still work just fine and they havent lost their max oc potential from day one.


----------



## LezOU

One of mine died, but I shouldn't have plugged the PCI-E power while the computer was running


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sugarhell*
> 
> I have 3 7970 that used for mining for 3 years. They still work just fine and they havent lost their max oc potential from day one.


What's funny is, I hear much more of your story than I do the bad ones regarding mined cards.

I have owned 3 different mined cards, and all worked perfectly.

My son is still using an XFX DD 7950 that was mined on for a while, and only had the TIM replaced.
That card works perfectly, and is actually one of the older non-GHz edition cards, so it's seen some use.
And with all the Far Cry 4 it sees... phew....

I also had a 280x, and a 290 that were second hand from miners, and both were great.









Some hardware just dies I guess.


----------



## sugarhell

Some people dont care about their hardware. For example none of my cards ever run over 65C.

A gpu is kinda tough to die.


----------



## boredmug

The only one I killed was user error. Mishap when putting a block on.


----------



## DR4G00N

My first MSI TFIII 7950 I bought locally used for $260 Cad in late 2013, still works like a charm. Now undervolted to 1.07v and never goes above 54c.
The second & third were XFX DD 7950's bought used off another forum for $150 each. Both only lasted a week before dying.
The fourth & fifth were another MSI TF 7950 & a Sapphire 7950 bought off ebay for $150 & $110 respectively, both worked great up until a few weeks ago. now one's a complete brick and the other has memory artifacts.









I guess I'm just unlucky when it comes to 7950's


----------



## boredmug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> My first MSI TFIII 7950 I bought locally used for $260 Cad in late 2013, still works like a charm. Now undervolted to 1.07v and never goes above 54c.
> The second & third were XFX DD 7950's bought used off another forum for $150 each. Both only lasted a week before dying.
> The fourth & fifth were another MSI TF 7950 & a Sapphire 7950 bought off ebay for $150 & $110 respectively, both worked great up until a few weeks ago. now one's a complete brick and the other has memory artifacts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I guess I'm just unlucky when it comes to 7950's


Two of mine were from gamers. Paid 200 for one when the 7970 was still top end card. The other I got for 125 about a year later. Then I got two more from a miner later. I kinda befriended him and he ended up giving me two reference models for 100 for both. The two I used in my rig clocked to 1300/1800 under water. I ran them at 1150/1600 while gaming. Still work great but Ive moved on and stuck them in the closet. One of them I'm not sure what happened. I installer a block on the card and got lots of artifacts and blue screens. The PCB and naked die just kinda sits on my desk as something cool to look at. The last one is cooled with an AIO cooler in my sons rig.


----------



## mandrix

My water cooled PowerColor 7950 boost cards are still running good. At least that is whenever the drivers don't screw it up.








Have not been able to run the last two WQHL releases of drivers, but no problems with any beta drivers.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

mine are chugging along... was going to buy a fury x... but dang the luck bills got in the way and work hours are down... going to start having to sell my foreign currency on ebay to eek a living out it seems.... anyone want to buy some jiao? rofl


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> mine are chugging along... was going to buy a fury x... but dang the luck bills got in the way and work hours are down... going to start having to sell my foreign currency on ebay to eek a living out it seems.... anyone want to buy some jiao? rofl


I know those feels, if I could just shake these little mini humans that keep following me around and calling me "dad" or something, I would be able to throw some more cash at this hobby.


----------



## tonyjones

Just picked up a 7950 3GB for $50







i'm loving it.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tonyjones*
> 
> Just picked up a 7950 3GB for $50
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i'm loving it.


great price... and yeah they are good cards no doubt... one of the best buys at the time of their release... still living on mine years later : ).... although I did try to jump ship to fury x but cash flow wouldn't cooperate.


----------



## tonyjones

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> great price... and yeah they are good cards no doubt... one of the best buys at the time of their release... still living on mine years later : ).... although I did try to jump ship to fury x but cash flow wouldn't cooperate.


Yeah, main reason was I wanted to run 3 monitors with a single card and my old Nvidia GTS 450 couldn't so I sold that card for $30 and got this one! really happy ha

The Fury X is nice but I can't justify it atm either lol


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tonyjones*
> 
> Yeah, main reason was I wanted to run 3 monitors with a single card and my old Nvidia GTS 450 couldn't so I sold that card for $30 and got this one! really happy ha
> 
> The Fury X is nice but I can't justify it atm either lol


yeah.. two of these cards together nearly = a fury, but not quite a fury x ... not really an upgrade for me except that I would have had only one card instead of two... so if you can get a second for that price and have the needed power available... go for it.. .it is enough to run uhd or eyefinity over 3 monitors... although barely lol... uhd takes a lot of card power.. mine are overclocked and undervolted to boot...


----------



## vanasfield

I just picked up a pair of Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 6GB cards... then I noticed they were 3 slot cards, motherboard not compatible... no crossfire for me... my bad. Both cards run great on their own just wished I could have crossfired them. Unfortunately I will have to pass them on to someone else.


----------



## gatygun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *vanasfield*
> 
> I just picked up a pair of Sapphire Vapor-X 7970 6GB cards... then I noticed they were 3 slot cards, motherboard not compatible... no crossfire for me... my bad. Both cards run great on their own just wished I could have crossfired them. Unfortunately I will have to pass them on to someone else.


Dam didn't know 6gb model existed, Maybe you could change the cooling solution on them. Those cards would last for ages still then.


----------



## vanasfield

I could always buy a new MB with the needed spacing but I just don't have the funds at the moment. I have listed them for sale at $350 shipped for the pair... not sure if that is fair price to ask or too much, I guess I will see.

Thanks,

Mike


----------



## Majentrix

My reference HIS 7970 is making weird noises, but only when I'm playing Crysis. I don't think it's coil whine as it sounds like no coil whine I've heard before.
Anyone know what's up?


----------



## gatygun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majentrix*
> 
> My reference HIS 7970 is making weird noises, but only when I'm playing Crysis. I don't think it's coil whine as it sounds like no coil whine I've heard before.
> Anyone know what's up?


A card is like a girl, when you say she whines it only gets worse.

Try to reduce/up voltage or reduce or bring up the clock speed on the card. Seems to change the sounds.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majentrix*
> 
> My reference HIS 7970 is making weird noises, but only when I'm playing Crysis. I don't think it's coil whine as it sounds like no coil whine I've heard before.
> Anyone know what's up?


J/K, I hope its not the card dying, but if you could record the sound, we could probably help more. Are you playing Crysis with Vsync?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

well.. I gave the ultimate gift.... not really... but I did donate my second 7950 to my sons rig.... so I'm down to one again... but his old 6670 just wasn't cutting it.


----------



## MagellanCross

hi guys sorry for asking stupid question..
i just read dx12 feature level which are 11_0, 11_1, 12_0, and 12_1
my card is 7970 based on tahiti(gcn 1.0) it will support for 11_1 feature level only
aaaaand i dont know if my card will fully support directx 12 or not??


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MagellanCross*
> 
> hi guys sorry for asking stupid question..
> i just read dx12 feature level which are 11_0, 11_1, 12_0, and 12_1
> my card is 7970 based on tahiti(gcn 1.0) it will support for 11_1 feature level only
> aaaaand i dont know if my card will fully support directx 12 or not??


GCN 1.0 will support 12_0 but nothing higher. So 12_1 will not be supported if i remember correctly.


----------



## incog

Sappphire Dual-x 7970 GHz edition here.

I have 40°C idle temperatures with 23.5°C room temperatures.

It's nothing alarming, but it's still a little high. I took the card apart and redid the thermal solution (MX4) and dusted out the entire thing. there was some dust but not a lot. card is all clean. I had 40°C before I cleaned the card and now I have 40°C again.

Is it possible I just messed up the TIM job? Any ideas?


----------



## richie_2010

anyone interested in any backplates for the 7950/70 and r9 280 series can check out my artisan store

i do a basic version and a led version.


----------



## LezOU

I got my second HD7950 failling in 3 weeks

1st one I messed up by plugging the PCI-E power while the computer was on
2nd: I came back from a week travelling to find my computer crashed.
Windows won't boot if the card is powered up...

Crap...


----------



## gatygun

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Sappphire Dual-x 7970 GHz edition here.
> 
> I have 40°C idle temperatures with 23.5°C room temperatures.
> 
> It's nothing alarming, but it's still a little high. I took the card apart and redid the thermal solution (MX4) and dusted out the entire thing. there was some dust but not a lot. card is all clean. I had 40°C before I cleaned the card and now I have 40°C again.
> 
> Is it possible I just messed up the TIM job? Any ideas?


I mostly just put a little dot on the chip nothing more, cools things a lot better then pushing to much on it.

It could also be that you bought cheap junk that simple doesn't conduct very well. I had some coolermaster tube which ended up not conducting well at all, i now use my noctua d14 paste and that works really well on everything.


----------



## BadWolf

So I'm relatively new to this whole custom PC thing and I'd like to think I'm catching on rather nicely. I have a concern though, while playing World of Warcraft the activity on my Radeon HD 7950 stays at 100% and the temperature averages about 72*C. Is this within the normal parameters? Is it just WoW being a glutton?


----------



## richie_2010

thats a pretty decent temp tbh they do get a little warm

what cooler is on the card atm


----------



## BadWolf

This is where me being relatively new comes in... I'm not exactly sure what you're implying.... D=


----------



## richie_2010

i was wondering what make and model card you had to determine the cooler.

dependant on cooler i was going to suggest to help making your card cooler to add some vrm heatsinks


----------



## BadWolf

I see. I'm pretty sure I have a PowerColor Radeon HD 7950. Let me pop the side off and check to be 100% sure though.


----------



## richie_2010

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCPTvv-ujiscCFcRr2wodSs8Feg&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.directcanada.com%2Fproducts%2F%3Fsku%3D13630BD8400%26vpn%3DAX7950%25203GBD5-2DH%26manufacture%3DPOWERCOLOR&ei=9fy9VfLlMcTj7QbZu6SoDg&bvm=bv.99261572,d.ZGU&psig=AFQjCNG4eqzQm-O0z71aBDXvikIfhniQzQ&ust=1438600822355937

does your cooler look like this


----------



## BadWolf

I was way off. Wow. I have the Sapphire HD 7950 with Boost.


----------



## richie_2010

the coolers on them arnt to bad
i have the msi 7950 with boost that just had a tiny heat sink on the core. i took it off added a h105 copper heat sinks to the vrms and a back plate with a fan and it stays cool as a cucumber.
i hated the boost bios as it was always at 1.25v so i flashed mine to a msi tf 7950 bios, lowered the voltage and increased the core speed at the same time

maybe you should look at your core voltage incase its to high a drop in voltage may reduce the temps a little bit


----------



## BadWolf

IdleLoad 321k .png file


Speccy 75k .png file


These are my current numbers.


----------



## richie_2010

they all look pretty normal your card has a slightly higher oc than mine

has anyone concidered adding a aio to there cards??

if you are looking for a back plate that would work with stock cooling check out my artisan store i have them for sale at £14 shipped


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gatygun*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Sappphire Dual-x 7970 GHz edition here.
> 
> I have 40°C idle temperatures with 23.5°C room temperatures.
> 
> It's nothing alarming, but it's still a little high. I took the card apart and redid the thermal solution (MX4) and dusted out the entire thing. there was some dust but not a lot. card is all clean. I had 40°C before I cleaned the card and now I have 40°C again.
> 
> Is it possible I just messed up the TIM job? Any ideas?
> 
> 
> 
> I mostly just put a little dot on the chip nothing more, cools things a lot better then pushing to much on it.
> 
> It could also be that you bought cheap junk that simple doesn't conduct very well. I had some coolermaster tube which ended up not conducting well at all, i now use my noctua d14 paste and that works really well on everything.
Click to expand...

Hey mate, just to get back to you.

Thanks for the advice.

I ended up fixing the problem thanks to a friend of mine. basically, my system is idle with a 144hz screen, so the card was "idle" at 500 MHz and 1200 mV. Hardly idle.

To check this, I put my monitor at 60 Hz. Idle clocks were back down to 300 MHz and my idle temperatures are at 29-30°C with 24°C ambient. http://i.imgur.com/xqyQqAs.png

I knew my TIM job was good. Just so confused as to why temperatures were so high. It's funny because my temperatures started getting high at the same time as I got my monitor. I thought it was dust (which has been removed during my TIM job) and summer temperatures. But it's actually the damn monitor.

^^

PS: I used Mx4. Good stuff. I've used it for all my equipment up until now and all temperatures look great.


----------



## gatygun

Ah nice that you got it fixed.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

quick question... how much difference in gameplay is there between a 7950 gigabyte windforce ghz edition base 900mhz boost 1000mhz and a R9 280x Gigabyte windforce with base 1000 mhz and boost to 1100?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> quick question... how much difference in gameplay is there between a 7950 gigabyte windforce ghz edition base 900mhz boost 1000mhz and a R9 280x Gigabyte windforce with base 1000 mhz and boost to 1100?


~5-10% is what the 7970 to 7950 was, and there is nothing magic in the 280x vs the 7970.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> ~5-10% is what the 7970 to 7950 was, and there is nothing magic in the 280x vs the 7970.


I didn't think there was... but nevertheless I gave my son one of my old 7950's to get away from crossfire... and as luck would have it I ran up on a deal for a R9280x shortly after... and well I bought it... why I don't know... thinking of re-selling... just trying to decide whether to keep it or not... if I keep it, I wanted to know if it was going to make any noticeable difference... heck... I might just suck it up and crossfire it with my old card... problem is, about half the games I play, do not play well with crossfire (spintires, ETS2, war thunder, etc)... so having a stronger primary card would be helpful in those games.. if it is stronger enough to notice.

keeping in mind of coarse that it is an OC edition with 1100mhz stock boost clock.

opinions?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> ~5-10% is what the 7970 to 7950 was, and there is nothing magic in the 280x vs the 7970.
> 
> 
> 
> I didn't think there was... but nevertheless I gave my son one of my old 7950's to get away from crossfire... and as luck would have it I ran up on a deal for a R9280x shortly after... and well I bought it... why I don't know... thinking of re-selling... just trying to decide whether to keep it or not... if I keep it, I wanted to know if it was going to make any noticeable difference... heck... I might just suck it up and crossfire it with my old card... problem is, about half the games I play, do not play well with crossfire (spintires, ETS2, war thunder, etc)... so having a stronger primary card would be helpful in those games.. if it is stronger enough to notice.
> 
> keeping in mind of coarse that it is an OC edition with 1100mhz stock boost clock.
> 
> opinions?
Click to expand...

Honestly, Tahiti is pretty old, I didn't even bother reselling mine, just shoved them in a box for backups or other builds. I would run the 280x and keep the 7950 around for when your son could benefit from xfire, or incase your 280X gives up.


----------



## Bartouille

I run 1.375v on my 280 and it doesn't even break 0% power limit in games... crazy stuff! I say that because I was about to flash to 50% bios but then I said fk it lol


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Honestly, Tahiti is pretty old, I didn't even bother reselling mine, just shoved them in a box for backups or other builds. I would run the 280x and keep the 7950 around for when your son could benefit from xfire, or incase your 280X gives up.


It may be old, but its the little old lady from Pasadena lol.. All but a few games I have will hold a smooth 60 fps at 1080p and max settings on my overclocked 7950... but the ones that it cant run at 60fps with max settings, just plain bring it to its knees in eyefinity (I'm talking 30 fps at high settings)... but even if not a max settings with two 7950's in crossfire I was able to pull off a smooth 60fps with most of the eye candy on (max settings - the MSAA really).... I really wanted a fury x... according to the benches I see, it would have been slightly better than my two 7950's in ideal crossfire... but anyway.. I digress...

Thanks for your input... I'll keep it and use it... maybe even dive into crossfire again until I can afford a proper card.... I miss they eyefinity eye candy... oh... will crossfire work properly with a miss match like that?... I've heard they have worked out the load balancing between two miss matched cards like that... I could of coarse clock the lesser card up and keep the 280x at stock if that would help.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Honestly, Tahiti is pretty old, I didn't even bother reselling mine, just shoved them in a box for backups or other builds. I would run the 280x and keep the 7950 around for when your son could benefit from xfire, or incase your 280X gives up.
> 
> 
> 
> It may be old, but its the little old lady from Pasadena lol.. All but a few games I have will hold a smooth 60 fps at 1080p and max settings on my overclocked 7950... but the ones that it cant run at 60fps with max settings, just plain bring it to its knees in eyefinity (I'm talking 30 fps at high settings)... but even if not a max settings with two 7950's in crossfire I was able to pull off a smooth 60fps with most of the eye candy on (max settings - the MSAA really).... I really wanted a fury x... according to the benches I see, it would have been slightly better than my two 7950's in ideal crossfire... but anyway.. I digress...
> 
> Thanks for your input... I'll keep it and use it... maybe even dive into crossfire again until I can afford a proper card.... I miss they eyefinity eye candy... oh... will crossfire work properly with a miss match like that?... I've heard they have worked out the load balancing between two miss matched cards like that... I could of coarse clock the lesser card up and keep the 280x at stock if that would help.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you can xfire a 7970 and a 7950, and they don't even have to be at the same clocks...Nvida could stand to take a page out of that playbook.


----------



## ilflores

Maybe you can help me. I lost the C1466 capacitor on my HD7950 RADEON OC and maybe you can tell me what this is the specification of this capacitor to find a replacement. Nor AMD or SAPPHIRE were willing to help me on this and I'm lost! A simple photo (a close up) showing this capacitor will be very useful for my technician to find a new replacement.

Thanks so much in advange!! This is the link for the picture showing the capacitor I looking for: http://s22.postimg.org/711kojnsh/Photo2.jpg


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ilflores*
> 
> Maybe you can help me. I lost the C1466 capacitor on my HD7950 RADEON OC and maybe you can tell me what this is the specification of this capacitor to find a replacement. Nor AMD or SAPPHIRE were willing to help me on this and I'm lost! A simple photo (a close up) showing this capacitor will be very useful for my technician to find a new replacement.
> 
> Thanks so much in advange!! This is the link for the picture showing the capacitor I looking for: http://s22.postimg.org/711kojnsh/Photo2.jpg


I don't have the detailed specifications, but I do have a card with the C1466 cap, and if you give me a few I might be able to get a decent photo of it.

Edit: MSI 7970 TF


----------



## ilflores

WOW!!! Thanks so much inedenimadam!!! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME and PHOTO!! I hope this will be useful for my technician to select the right smd capacitor replacement piece.

AGAIN THANKS SO MUCH!!!


----------



## ilflores

One more thing if possible. Do you see what other smd capacitor around seems to be the same size that C1466?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ilflores*
> 
> One more thing if possible. Do you see what other smd capacitor around seems to be the same size that C1466?


No surprise, the ones that are the same size are very close in number. Sorry about the so-so shots, cell phone pics.


----------



## Derko1

Just upgraded to Win 10 and my overclock for my cards is super unstable. Could the OS actually have any effect on the OC?

I was doing 1220/1800 with both my cards no problem in Win 8. I had just played hours of Dirt 3 and Dirt 2 previous to doing the update. Went into Win 10 and installed the 15.7 drivers and was hard locking and crashing with every game. I even noticed a grid/checkered pattern artifact in most games before crashing.

Then I tried doing a fresh install and just tried going to a simply 1200/1800 overclock and still the exact same. I've gone down as far as 1175/1700 and it still doesn't seem stable... what gives!?


----------



## ilflores

I'm so grateful for your effort using your time, taking off your card from your motherboard, the photos and all you did for help me on this capacitor issue.
Thanks so much again!!!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ilflores*
> 
> I'm so grateful for your effort using your time, taking off your card from your motherboard, the photos and all you did for help me on this capacitor issue.
> Thanks so much again!!!


Its all good, I did not even have to get up and out of my chair. I have a spare 7970 sitting on my desk, along with my phone that I used to take the pictures.

Good luck!


----------



## Minotaurtoo

ok... new card arrived... think going to have to RMA it... plays good for a bit then all but one screen goes black and the one that doesn't displays strange lines.. at first it was after being on some time.. then only a few mins... then nearly as soon as I got into windows and now I can't even get into bios screen for more than 30s before it blanks out... is it dead Jim? or is there some other possibility... no I haven't moded the bios yet lol.. nor has it been OC'd in my possession... it is used its a R9 280x

edit well technically it wouldn't be an RMA as it was a used card... but same idea... was just typing fast.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> ok... new card arrived... think going to have to RMA it... plays good for a bit then all but one screen goes black and the one that doesn't displays strange lines.. at first it was after being on some time.. then only a few mins... then nearly as soon as I got into windows and now I can't even get into bios screen for more than 30s before it blanks out... is it dead Jim? or is there some other possibility... no I haven't moded the bios yet lol.. nor has it been OC'd in my possession... it is used its a R9 280x
> 
> edit well technically it wouldn't be an RMA as it was a used card... but same idea... was just typing fast.


Sounds like its toast.


----------



## Worldwin

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Derko1*
> 
> Just upgraded to Win 10 and my overclock for my cards is super unstable. Could the OS actually have any effect on the OC?
> 
> I was doing 1220/1800 with both my cards no problem in Win 8. I had just played hours of Dirt 3 and Dirt 2 previous to doing the update. Went into Win 10 and installed the 15.7 drivers and was hard locking and crashing with every game. I even noticed a grid/checkered pattern artifact in most games before crashing.
> 
> Then I tried doing a fresh install and just tried going to a simply 1200/1800 overclock and still the exact same. I've gone down as far as 1175/1700 and it still doesn't seem stable... what gives!?


Install 15.7.1. The 15.7 drivers had stability issues with overclock for me too until i went to 15.7.1.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Sounds like its toast.


yeah it finally died completely... good news though... I did check the SN and its still under warranty! so I might just RMA it after all... the seller offered me half my money back to keep it and try an RMA on it... opinions?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Sounds like its toast.
> 
> 
> 
> yeah it finally died completely... good news though... I did check the SN and its still under warranty! so I might just RMA it after all... the seller offered me half my money back to keep it and try an RMA on it... opinions?
Click to expand...

If it is still under warranty, I would send it in and take 1/2 the money back. That way you get a factory tested card and some cash back for your troubles. Might want to check the BIOS on it and see if it was the one it shipped with, or if it has been tampered with before you send it off. Hope that the BIOS was not modded, as that will likely get RMA denied.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> If it is still under warranty, I would send it in and take 1/2 the money back. That way you get a factory tested card and some cash back for your troubles. Might want to check the BIOS on it and see if it was the one it shipped with, or if it has been tampered with before you send it off. Hope that the BIOS was not modded, as that will likely get RMA denied.


guess that's a chance I will take... I dont' think it was modded as the clocks were showing as what they should be.

edit: I just remembered I did switch to the secondary bios to see if it was an issue with the bios and did take note that all the settings was the same just before it crashed again, so since the two bios's were the same that shouldn't be an issue... now my other cards that I have here... well... yeah, warranty is gone on them lol... good thing they are working well : )


----------



## Majentrix

Found a cheap block and backplate online. My 7970 will be noisy no more.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

that RMA got me thinking and I checked... all my cards are still under warranty... well they would be if I hadn't modded the bios so bad... wonder if I put the original bios back on there would they know I flashed it if something went wrong lol


----------



## Stickeelion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Majentrix*
> 
> Found a cheap block and backplate online. My 7970 will be noisy no more.


Cheap block? Hehe that's one of the best gpu blocks you can buy

Edit: also does anyone know if 7950 will support DX12 and the supposed stacking VRAM feature they will have, I would love if it could as I'll be able to hopefully get more life out of them before I have to upgrade


----------



## Majentrix

I've heard GCN 1.0 (your 7950) will do DX12.0, but not DX12.1.

It is a great block, the guy I bought it off told me a story of how he nearly bought an XSPC (one of the worst 7970 blocks) instead of the Heatkiller. My only complaint with it is that it's a fingerprint magnet.


----------



## SkateZilla

7900 will do DX12.1 fine,

Dont confuse DirectX Version Numbers with DirectX Feature Levels.

DirectX 12.1 is a Version Number
DirectX 12_1 is a feature level.
As is 12_0, 11_1, etc etc


----------



## EpicOtis13

I am thinking about buying a third 7970 for 4k, is it worth it, or should I just sell my two cards in exchange for r9 290's


----------



## Minotaurtoo

for those who care and remember my RMA I typed about earlier I got a responce from gigabyte:

Dear Customer,

According to the Engineer's Report, they replaced the Northbridge chipset and it's currently in the burn-in test stage.

If the repair was successful the test should complete soon without hiccups and then it will be ready for shipping soon after.

When the board is packed and ready to ship an UPS tracking# will be emailed to you.

Hope this answers your question, thank you.

Best Regards,
GIGABYTE Customer Service

since I got that from them I have received an email saying its repaired and on its way... so I have a R9 280x for 70$ lol... I hope it works after I get it back from them....


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *EpicOtis13*
> 
> I am thinking about buying a third 7970 for 4k, is it worth it, or should I just sell my two cards in exchange for r9 290's


Thats a tough one, if your games scale well with crossfire I'd say get the 7970, check these Firestrike scores to help make up your mind,
maybe your psu might be your deciding factor one of the results is for Tsm 106
http://www.3dmark.com/compare/fs/5624824/fs/3713626/fs/2519704


----------



## aaronlaplante

it looked like you had 3 msi boost 7970 cards? i just got the 3rd one the other day. one has full coverage water block. is it worth buying another water block to run two in custom loop? i have another g10 bracket and cooler for one if need be, with the 3rd one havingi having a g10bracket/cooler installed already. I mix these with a 8320 @ 4.5 ghz, and a recently purchased corsair ax860i, so i might just use two of them only and use the 3rd on an intel system i can build and sell. But i dont play a whole lot of newer games, right now i play allot of cs:go atm. but do you think these will still stay relevant for awhile?


----------



## aaronlaplante

Any own the MSI 7970 Boost edition cards with the refrence 7970 pcb and 2 bios feature switch? Anyone flash them to a 280x? any tips on how to do this and an idea of the benefitS? thanks for any help.


----------



## FlawleZ

Anyone able to comment how crossfire feels with 7950/7970's with today's games and drivers? Still on just 1 7950 but considering a 2nd one if yiu guys would recommend it.


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Anyone able to comment how crossfire feels with 7950/7970's with today's games and drivers? Still on just 1 7950 but considering a 2nd one if yiu guys would recommend it.


Me i can give you some feedback as my last CF is ( 280x + 7950 ) you should have no problem at all normal crossfire

but you will have the performance for 7950 CF only you will notice the 7950 usage is 99% and he 280X (7970) around 87%

but some Oc for the 7950 from 925/1300 to 1100/1500 it will equal the 7970 and the gpu usage will be 99% for both gpu

here some 3Dmark (Firestrike )

This for MSI 280x Gaming CF

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3978426

This for Msi 280x gaming + sapphire 7950 925/1300 stock

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4297625

This for MSI 280x gaming + Sapphire 7950 Oc 1100/1500

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/4911966

And the final for GTX 970 with some OC

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5688137


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Anyone able to comment how crossfire feels with 7950/7970's with today's games and drivers? Still on just 1 7950 but considering a 2nd one if yiu guys would recommend it.


I'm playing with two 7970's in crossfire and I can play most games (that I play) at max settings near 60fps @ 5760x1080. There are some moments where frame rate dips but most of the time my experience is pretty smooth.

With that said, some games I have to turn the settings down (Arma 3 being a prime example, among some others) to high from ultra to keep high frame rates (at 5760x1080). At 1080p or even 1440p, I think a pair in crossfire would still give great performance in 90% of games out there.

I have not experienced any flickering or stuttering in games and for me it's been smooth sailing!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *aaronlaplante*
> 
> Any own the MSI 7970 Boost edition cards with the refrence 7970 pcb and 2 bios feature switch? Anyone flash them to a 280x? any tips on how to do this and an idea of the benefitS? thanks for any help.


Its pretty pointless. I have a TF3 BE, flashed to a 280x, saw no gain in benchmarks, and lost VRM temp readings. You can edit your 7970 bios to whatever clocks you want, using a 280x bios really does nothing.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Anyone able to comment how crossfire feels with 7950/7970's with today's games and drivers? Still on just 1 7950 but considering a 2nd one if yiu guys would recommend it.


Yes, these cards are so dirt cheap now, and still are amazing performers. AMD scaling is also pretty solid, so the value added with a second card is significant.


----------



## Stickeelion

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Anyone able to comment how crossfire feels with 7950/7970's with today's games and drivers? Still on just 1 7950 but considering a 2nd one if yiu guys would recommend it.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MrStrat007*
> 
> I'm playing with two 7970's in crossfire and I can play most games (that I play) at max settings near 60fps @ 5760x1080. There are some moments where frame rate dips but most of the time my experience is pretty smooth.
> 
> With that said, some games I have to turn the settings down (Arma 3 being a prime example, among some others) to high from ultra to keep high frame rates (at 5760x1080). At 1080p or even 1440p, I think a pair in crossfire would still give great performance in 90% of games out there.
> 
> I have not experienced any flickering or stuttering in games and for me it's been smooth sailing!


I have 2 7950's in crossfire @1Ghz OC each and I play 1920x1080 and likewise get great FPS in 90% of games I play. I always use highest graphics settings and rarely go below 40FPS I usually get between 50-120FPS depending on the game (I remember I got a fairly consistent 50-60FPS on Crysis 3 and got a fairly consistent 120+FPS on Mirrors Edge, Dishonored, War thunder) I almost never notice low framerates in anything except I have however found some of the most recent games push them a little hard, one recent one that I noticed performed poorly was Dying Light With everything maxed out I got 20-30fps, it felt a little sluggish, just enough to annoy me, it occasionally dipped below 20fps in fairly intense scenes, After I turned Shadow map size from very high down to high and turned Nvidia Depth of Field and Nvidia HBAO+ both off (what is HBAO+ anyway? and does the fact it's Nvidia branded affect performance on AMD cards?) I got consistent 25-40fps I have heard that the game is optimized poorly and I really do hope that is the case and not my hardware getting dated.

In my conclusion it will run ~90% of games with very good framerates, you can get well over 100fps on most games a year or two old. And considering the price premium of 2xx and 3xx series I would recommend it, I know I'm not going to upgrade until 4xx or 5xx series are out

However unlike @MrStrat007 I have encountered screen-tearing on games running with very high FPS, and only some of them at that, (most could run high FPS without tearing) For instance I replayed mirrors edge this past month and I noticed it happening a lot in that game, It doesn't bother me that much but it was there nonetheless, nothing seemed to fix it either, vsync, driver settings, even disabling crossfire in catalyst control panel didn't solve it. Microstutter however I find so much more annoying, I only get in in a handful of games but some get affected extremely badly such as Dying Light. The only solution was to disable crossfire however that only dropped my framerates by an average of 1-2fps, which makes me wonder if Dying Light was even using the second card. My stuttering problem may be due to the fact I'm rather lazy about solving it, haven't tweaked any settings, havent set up any custom crossfire profiles and haven't updated my drivers for a while. (actually if anyone has any advice on what to do to solve it it would be appreciated)


----------



## danycyo

I am also running my system with 2x 7950 Vapor X cards and they are performing just fine. I clock them to about 1100/1250 and the drivers have been working well. I play most of my games @ 2560x1440 resolution on ultra. I am currently playing Battlefield Hardline on ultra get about 50-70fps with the resolution scale @ 130%. GTA V looks awesome also at ultra 2560x1440. I am waiting for AMD to release their new gen cards. I am chasing a single gpu that can produce full 4k resolutions before I upgrade with 8gb ram or more. Fury X is a nice card but I wasn't blown away by it. I am waiting for a card that does 4k and can fully support direct x 12 before I upgrade.





I actually just purchased two new Noctua fans to put on the side of my GPU to allow for cooler air and higher clocks.


----------



## Stickeelion

well, I'm not sure my crossfire is running too optimally lately, I haven't updated my drivers in a long time (running 13.20.16), whats the best way to ensure the old drivers have been removed completely before installing the new ones? and anything else that should be done to make sure crossfire is working correctly?

additionally I noticed GPUz reports one GPU always at 99% usage, it never changes ( this is both when using the desktop and full screen gaming) and when in game it reports the second GPU usage as varying between 0-60% but I've never seen it go over 60%, whats up with the constant 99% usage?


----------



## diggiddi

Run DDU in safe mode, uninstall, and then reinstall latest driver


----------



## ric0shay

Hello all.

I'm just after receiving two msi TF 7950.I don't know what models I have .Is there anyone that could help me identify them ?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ric0shay*
> 
> Hello all.
> 
> I'm just after receiving two msi TF 7950.I don't know what models I have .Is there anyone that could help me identify them ?


V276 = 2x 6Pin Power connectors, reference 7950 PCB.
V277 = 6Pin + 8Pin Power connectors, Improved 7970 Reference PCB (extra power phase).


----------



## ric0shay

Ok Thank! So I have one of each.is It work flashing v277 to 7950 bios ? and if so which bios should I use ?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ric0shay*
> 
> Ok Thank! So I have one of each.is It work flashing v277 to 7950 bios ? and if so which bios should I use ?


It's not worth trying, I had the best results with the stock bios.


----------



## Stickeelion

well, I'm trying to get my 2 7950's to work in crossfire mode in valley benchmark but it doesnt seem to be happening, I'm not seeing much load on the second card nor is the crossfire symbol I enabled in catalyst displaying while the benchmark is running, moreso I'm getting very similar framerates whether I enable crossfire or not, does anyone know what's going on here? or does this benchmark not support crosssfire? I have updated to the latest drivers exactly as diggiddi advised


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stickeelion*
> 
> well, I'm trying to get my 2 7950's to work in crossfire mode in valley benchmark but it doesnt seem to be happening, I'm not seeing much load on the second card nor is the crossfire symbol I enabled in catalyst displaying while the benchmark is running, moreso I'm getting very similar framerates whether I enable crossfire or not, does anyone know what's going on here? or does this benchmark not support crosssfire? I have updated to the latest drivers exactly as diggiddi advised


I don't think I could get my 7950 crossfire/trifire to work with valley, but I have seen other people use crossfire without any problems.


----------



## ric0shay

So as I said I got two 7950's .I plan to run these in crossfire when I have everything else.At the moment Im running the newer v277 in my current rig.It runs stock at core voltage 1.188,powerlimit 0, core clock 960 and mem clock 1250 at 68-70 under load. Iv gotten it to voltage 1.250 power limit 20%, core clock 1150 mem clock 1470 but it make absolutly no difference in any bench mark i.e pass mark haven or kombustor .Is there something Im missing or could my cpu to holding me back ?

Im running a Xeon Quad E5450 @ 3.90GHz.
Any help or info with theis world be great .If any more info is need give me a shout.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ric0shay*
> 
> So as I said I got two 7950's .I plan to run these in crossfire when I have everything else.At the moment Im running the newer v277 in my current rig.It runs stock at core voltage 1.188,powerlimit 0, core clock 960 and mem clock 1250 at 68-70 under load. Iv gotten it to voltage 1.250 power limit 20%, core clock 1150 mem clock 1470 but it make absolutly no difference in any bench mark i.e pass mark haven or kombustor .Is there something Im missing or could my cpu to holding me back ?
> 
> Im running a Xeon Quad E5450 @ 3.90GHz.
> Any help or info with theis world be great .If any more info is need give me a shout.


Give 3Dmark Firestrike a try.


----------



## parginos25

Hello. I have a MSI GX60 laptop with HD7970M GPU and AMD A10-4600M CPU. Can you tell me a way to overclocking my laptop please?


----------



## deactivated

Hey

I was i was just wondering- does having iGPU enabled affect your performance? My XFX 7950 (Stock) has always had above average temps(80-87 degreen under load and 50-60 on idle) and never performs as good on most games (even from 2012). My monitor setup is as follows:
2 1080p 60hz Connected via dvi to my 7950
1 40" 1080p tv Connected via vga to my mobo


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Zeeman*
> 
> Hey
> 
> I was i was just wondering- does having iGPU enabled affect your performance? My XFX 7950 (Stock) has always had above average temps(80-87 degreen under load and 50-60 on idle) and never performs as good on most games (even from 2012). My monitor setup is as follows:
> 2 1080p 60hz Connected via dvi to my 7950
> 1 40" 1080p tv Connected via vga to my mobo


check your other temps if your gpu has the sensors. you can use HW Monitor or GPUZ (may have to tweak dpi of your display and use of the slider on the side of GPUZ to view temps). I am referring to the VRM1 and 2 temps. make sure they are not going over 100. they are good a little over that but . . . why?

Run a bench such as Heaven and 3DMark Firestrike to compare with others.

Use settings found here . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1235557/official-top-30-heaven-benchmark-4-0-scores

here is another . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1360884/official-top-30-unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0

You can run with and without igpu.


----------



## Mega Man

It shouldn't make a difference except maybe core temp
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *parginos25*
> 
> Hello. I have a MSI GX60 laptop with HD7970M GPU and AMD A10-4600M CPU. Can you tell me a way to overclocking my laptop please?


It is a lap top. Don't OC it they are not built to OC (you asked)


----------



## parginos25

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> It shouldn't make a difference except maybe core temp
> It is a lap top. Don't OC it they are not built to OC (you asked)


Ok. Thank you


----------



## -X3-

Hey everyone, has anyone with a 7970 noticed a weird behavior in 3DMark Fire Strike? It seems like my card works on UVD clocks (I own a lightning BE, so it runs at 1000MHz when in UVD state) in that specific benchmark only. Other benchmarks seem to work well, card boosts to 1150MHz just fine. It also seems to be artifacting there (just in fire-strike, other benchmarks run great) from time to time (artifacts are small squares at random locations), so I think the UVD clocks have something to do with it.

Any thoughts?


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *-X3-*
> 
> Hey everyone, has anyone with a 7970 noticed a weird behavior in 3DMark Fire Strike? It seems like my card works on UVD clocks (I own a lightning BE, so it runs at 1000MHz when in UVD state) in that specific benchmark only. Other benchmarks seem to work well, card boosts to 1150MHz just fine. It also seems to be artifacting there (just in fire-strike, other benchmarks run great) from time to time (artifacts are small squares at random locations), so I think the UVD clocks have something to do with it.
> 
> Any thoughts?


Sound like the card stay @2d clock or something and the artifact duo to low gpu voltage for that profile

its long time since i play with custom bios for 7900 cards but i still can do that







if you want to fix that upload your bios here


----------



## -X3-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> Sound like the card stay @2d clock or something and the artifact duo to low gpu voltage for that profile
> 
> its long time since i play with custom bios for 7900 cards but i still can do that
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> if you want to fix that upload your bios here


Hey, I actually found a BIOS that forced the card to keep its default voltage even at UVD clocks, and fire-strike doesn't seem to have this issue anymore, so I think problem's solved. Yet I'm still curious as to why it only happened in fire-strike? I had no problems running unigine heaven/valley, far cry 4 and even 3DMARK 11. Ever encountered that yourself or perhaps bumped into this issue online?


----------



## Mr-Dark

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *-X3-*
> 
> Hey, I actually found a BIOS that forced the card to keep its default voltage even at UVD clocks, and fire-strike doesn't seem to have this issue anymore, so I think problem's solved. Yet I'm still curious as to why it only happened in fire-strike? I had no problems running unigine heaven/valley, far cry 4 and even 3DMARK 11. Ever encountered that yourself or perhaps bumped into this issue online?


I think its driver issue because the driver determine if this 3D or 2D application...

I have and 7950/280x in CF for 1 year and i make custom bios for both card so i know some info about bios modified


----------



## -X3-

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mr-Dark*
> 
> I think its driver issue because the driver determine if this 3D or 2D application...
> 
> I have and 7950/280x in CF for 1 year and i make custom bios for both card so i know some info about bios modified


I tried it with 15.9, 15.9.1 and now with 15.7.1, all of them had the same issue, specifically with fire-strike. Could it be something not configured properly in the catalyst software (although I didn't change anything there)?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

IDK, but I have the same issue with my 280x in firestrike... I got around it by putting all bios clocks the same with same volts except the low power states.... was an easy fix... but if you engage ccc graphics overdrive, it'll come back on occasion. so biosmodding is the only known way to get around it.


----------



## clubber_lang

Hey guys , I've been out of gaming a long time so I'm just now getting back into it. I have a couple of Saphire 7970's 3gb cards in cfx on my machine here. I also just ordered one of those Acer XR34CK 3440 x 1440 monitors. Just wondering what your thoughts are on running these two cards on that big monitor? I obviously can't run FreeSync , but do you think I may be able to push some of the newer games pretty smooth , with some good detail? Maybe not ultra , but high settings some what?

I have a lot of older games to catch up on. Last two nights I spent on Bioshock oblivion and am having good luck on that one even with using just one card. I have everything set to as high as possible and it ran extremely smooth. Little worried about how they'll preform on that big 34" 3440 x 1440 monitor , but I guess we'll see.


----------



## webhito

Hey fellas, pretty quiet over here nowadays!

Got a question!

I recently got a 7970 triple slot card, I have it plugged into the display port with a dp to hdmi adapter, for some reason when installing the catalyst drivers it fails to install the hdmi driver could be due to it not having one however I would assume it would still install it to work with the display port. I am randomly losing audio while going into games from desktop or from the games to the desktop.

My Os is windows 8.1

Ended up figuring out its a win 8 issue, installed windows 7 and it is no more.

Do have another question though... vrm temp sensor says its at 95c under load but the card is warm at the most to the touch, false reading?


----------



## wirefox

I have the below rig still ..

Wondering what upgrade would make me happy --

GPU: Who's upgraded from 2x 7970 to something new -- don't care if its Green or Red

--Money isn't' really an issue but wouldn't want to buy something and have something new out in say 3-6 months that would be significantly better..out of the loop on what's next

Monitor: Also would I be happier with a new 144 monitor?

--I've been pretty satisfied with the 120hz I have ... though playing games on my ipad has made me notice the 1080 pixel density seems a bit loose. (maybe its in my head) ..

Feel like these 7970s have treated me well for the last years... it's hard to upgrade and I'm out of the loop

#help the wirefox


----------



## diggiddi

I'd suggest 2 390X's or just hold off till HHBM2 debuts


----------



## Mega Man

Even 295x2s are awesome I have 4x7970s 4x290xs and 2x295x2s all are great options


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clubber_lang*
> 
> Hey guys , I've been out of gaming a long time so I'm just now getting back into it. I have a couple of Saphire 7970's 3gb cards in cfx on my machine here. I also just ordered one of those Acer XR34CK 3440 x 1440 monitors. Just wondering what your thoughts are on running these two cards on that big monitor? I obviously can't run FreeSync , but do you think I may be able to push some of the newer games pretty smooth , with some good detail? Maybe not ultra , but high settings some what?
> 
> I have a lot of older games to catch up on. Last two nights I spent on Bioshock oblivion and am having good luck on that one even with using just one card. I have everything set to as high as possible and it ran extremely smooth. Little worried about how they'll preform on that big 34" 3440 x 1440 monitor , but I guess we'll see.


How did it go? They should handle the rez just fine.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *webhito*
> 
> Hey fellas, pretty quiet over here nowadays!
> 
> Got a question!
> 
> I recently got a 7970 triple slot card, I have it plugged into the display port with a dp to hdmi adapter, for some reason when installing the catalyst drivers it fails to install the hdmi driver could be due to it not having one however I would assume it would still install it to work with the display port. I am randomly losing audio while going into games from desktop or from the games to the desktop.
> 
> My Os is windows 8.1
> 
> Ended up figuring out its a win 8 issue, installed windows 7 and it is no more.
> 
> Do have another question though... vrm temp sensor says its at 95c under load but the card is warm at the most to the touch, false reading?


Use other apps like GPUZ or HWINFO 64.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> I have the below rig still ..
> 
> Wondering what upgrade would make me happy --
> 
> GPU: Who's upgraded from 2x 7970 to something new -- don't care if its Green or Red
> 
> --Money isn't' really an issue but wouldn't want to buy something and have something new out in say 3-6 months that would be significantly better..out of the loop on what's next
> 
> Monitor: Also would I be happier with a new 144 monitor?
> 
> --I've been pretty satisfied with the 120hz I have ... though playing games on my ipad has made me notice the 1080 pixel density seems a bit loose. (maybe its in my head) ..
> 
> Feel like these 7970s have treated me well for the last years... it's hard to upgrade and I'm out of the loop
> 
> #help the wirefox


I recommend the 390X. They do run hot, especially in crossfire. I suggest you ask the club members which ones run the coolest on air.


----------



## wirefox

appreciate the feedback on gpu's

What is HHBM2?

for the 390 -- I'd watercool any gpu I get so heat isn't much of the concern

Is there a next gen amd coming out soon?

I know it's a bad thing to ask in a amd thread but anyone go green recent? (not looking for a bash here but just curious)

wirefox


----------



## Mega Man

high bandwidth memory 2 ( ie gen 2 )


----------



## webhito

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Use other apps like GPUZ or HWINFO 64.


Did, used gputweak and it gave me a way different temperature reading, hwinfo gave me the same 95c as gpuz did, seems way more realistic to me as at 100c even the backplate should feel extremely hot to the touch. The card is working fine, no choppiness or weird issues besides maybe losing my hdmi audio every now and then.


----------



## clubber_lang

Man my memory must be bad. 95 - 100c? Man i have been getting my 7970's up to about 75c and i was starting to get worried. How hot can we get these cards before were supposed to worry?


----------



## btupsx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *clubber_lang*
> 
> Man my memory must be bad. 95 - 100c? Man i have been getting my 7970's up to about 75c and i was starting to get worried. How hot can we get these cards before were supposed to worry?


In the 80-90c range is where you would want to top out during sustained loads. *Can* go higher, but not advisable.


----------



## Mega Man

Ummm. No 40-50c or it will affect OCing


----------



## incog

Is there any to reduce GPU clockspeed and voltage at "idle" desktop. On a 144 Hz screen.

My card clocks to 500 MHz instead of 300MHz and bumps up voltage just a bit as well. So my idle temperatures are 40-42 °C instead of < 30°C.

This is probably drivers, though I figured I'd ask in this thread, can't hurt.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> Is there any to reduce GPU clockspeed and voltage at "idle" desktop. On a 144 Hz screen.
> 
> My card clocks to 500 MHz instead of 300MHz and bumps up voltage just a bit as well. So my idle temperatures are 40-42 °C instead of < 30°C.
> 
> This is probably drivers, though I figured I'd ask in this thread, can't hurt.


I could be wrong of coarse, but to the best of my knowledge, it will only clock down to 500mhz when either you have a 144hz screen, a UHD screen, or multiple screens.


----------



## adrian008

Hello,i have an asus 7970 directcu ii TOP.Sometimes,i get artifacts like graphic bug squares like 1.5x1.5cm in size,or very long line of textures glitches.They all seem to get fixed with an alt tab.Ive heard that the issue might be caused by the 1.6v voltage applied to memory,since they are rated at 1.5v.Memory voltage seem locked,few versions of asus tweak allow modifying it but it didnt really help my cause,either the voltage wasnt really saved,or my problems weren't caused by the higher voltage.Any advices on how to fix it?Anyone know where i could download a modded bios with memory voltage set at 1.5v instead of 1.6 ?


----------



## Lard

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adrian008*
> 
> Hello,i have an asus 7970 directcu ii TOP.Sometimes,i get artifacts like graphic bug squares like 1.5x1.5cm in size,or very long line of textures glitches.They all seem to get fixed with an alt tab.Ive heard that the issue might be caused by the 1.6v voltage applied to memory,since they are rated at 1.5v.Memory voltage seem locked,few versions of asus tweak allow modifying it but it didnt really help my cause,either the voltage wasnt really saved,or my problems weren't caused by the higher voltage.Any advices on how to fix it?Anyone know where i could download a modded bios with memory voltage set at 1.5v instead of 1.6 ?


Probably your ASUS card has VRAM overheating, maybe this video helps:





I tried to mod 1.5V for my reference HD 7970, by exchanging the VRAM_Info Table with a few Tables from 280X BIOS with 1.5V, without success.
Only the ASUS TOP BIOS with 1.6V is working.
I'm not 100% sure, because I couldn't identify the exact values, but I think it's impossible to change it to 1.5V, at least for my reference HD 7970.

I also recommend GPU Tweak Ver. 2.3.0.2, to change the VRAM voltage and to save it in a profile.


----------



## adrian008

Well in that video is the platinum version,here you can see the DCU version,all vram modules are cooled,3 of them are covered only halfway but still should be more than enought (280x version has no heatsinks on vram at all) 



 .
As i said i tried asus tool,but it was kinda buggy and im not sure if the settings were saved,at 1.55 if it worked,i was still having those issues.


----------



## danycyo

I just had an issue with my cards overheating. I couldn't even get through 20 minutes of gaming without the cards crashing due to heat. I literally feared the worst and figured it was about that time to upgrade and that my cards were on their deathbed after 3 and a half years of gaming on them. I took them both apart cleaned up threw some Noctua paste on em tightened the screws. I had to reinstall new fans for my bottom card in the past and that is why I got my second card so cheap. All worth it though. These cards are Zombies and they are back from the dead. I am seeing better results then ever makes me kinda wanna hang on to these until something comes around that "wows me".

Pics are below because my phone is garbage.


----------



## danycyo

Keep in mind the Tomb Raider benchmark is on 1920x1440 Ultimate on 1200/1400 1.225v Crossfired Vapor X 7950.

97.2 fps avg.










Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> makes me kinda wanna hang on to these


There is no real reason to upgrade right now. Tech is kind of at a "stand still". By this I mean there is no newer, faster tech available. There probably won't be unless they figure out how to bridge that gap between CPU/GPU > memory bottleneck. This tech is still a couple years away, AMD is on to fixing this gap with the new Fury cards, but I am still not impressed.

I still run all the new games @ 1440p highest settings no AA. Crossfire is better than it has ever been, and is in a really good place with 7000 series + cards. Metter of fact, I still run most games @ 1440p on high settings in borderless windowed (GTA5 for example because I am a huge modder).

I will stick with my 7950's until the current gen moves on to the next gen of gaming. Current gen of gaming will be fine for our cards for a while.

My 2 cents


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> makes me kinda wanna hang on to these
> 
> 
> 
> There is no real reason to upgrade right now.
> My 2 cents
Click to expand...

I mirror this sentiment. I upgraded to 980s for the HDMI 2.0, and was drastically underwhelmed by the performance compared to my 7970s. All the good stuff will come with die shrink and HBM2, so hold your cards to your chest for another generation. Also interesting to see the early results with DX12 mixed cards. 7900 series cards may hold value for a while to come.


----------



## incog

I just bought a refurbished 7950 for my brother for €99. What a steal that was.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> All the good stuff will come with die shrink and HBM2, so hold your cards to your chest for another generation.


This is all your getting is a die shrink at the moment (which just equals lower power/ lower temps), your not getting ANY performance boost. Hence, they cannot fix the bridge between CPU and memory. Now when they figure out how to stack the memory on top of the CPU using the same die (with a HUGE inflation of price for sure), we will see a huge improvement on processing power. If shrinking the die improved performance, Intel wouldn't be dropping revisions of the same chip over and over and over. It would just be a complete new line of chips. AMD has just kept the same die for years. The die shrink is simply a marketing ploy to sucker people in. Your truely not saving that much power on your bill - if you even notice a real difference at all.

Its just marketing doing its job right now when it comes to upgrading your hardware. Only reason to upgrade from Ivy Bridge or equal (being the latest revision being used today with less power), is if your buying a brand new machine coming from some ancient hardware, or maybe upgrading from an APU or something. But an APU with a 280 will still make a normal gamer happy.


----------



## GoLDii3

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> This is all your getting is a die shrink at the moment (which just equals lower power/ lower temps), your not getting ANY performance boost. Hence, they cannot fix the bridge between CPU and memory. Now when they figure out how to stack the memory on top of the CPU using the same die (with a HUGE inflation of price for sure), we will see a huge improvement on processing power. If shrinking the die improved performance, Intel wouldn't be dropping revisions of the same chip over and over and over. It would just be a complete new line of chips. AMD has just kept the same die for years. The die shrink is simply a marketing ploy to sucker people in. Your truely not saving that much power on your bill - if you even notice a real difference at all.
> 
> Its just marketing doing its job right now when it comes to upgrading your hardware. Only reason to upgrade from Ivy Bridge or equal (being the latest revision being used today with less power), is if your buying a brand new machine coming from some ancient hardware, or maybe upgrading from an APU or something. But an APU with a 280 will still make a normal gamer happy.


Eh....why don't you take a look at 6970 vs 7970 ? From 40 nm to 28 nm,and now from 28 nm to 16 nm...









Too early to talk,but performance will go up for sure.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *GoLDii3*
> 
> but performance will go up for sure.


Yeah, there will be some - mostly marginal. But less power + less heat = faster processes, but still, this is only going to be marginal.

You can keep throwing all the ram you want onto a chip, but until that bandwidth gap is removed (or close), we wont see a huge jump in processing like we USED to see when P2 went to P3 then to P4 and Dual Core then so on. SATA and SSD's was the largest performance processing increase we saw in almost a complete GENERATION. The Pentium 4 would have been a work horse with SATA and not IDE. But Intel saw the opportunity to drop a 2 core chip with new SATA technology and absolutely started dominating the game.

The current problem now (and I know I have said this too many times), is the gap between CPU/GPU and the memory.

They fix that gap, we will see a new era of technology.


----------



## Mega Man

Mostly true until you start pushing the res. Then the new chips (290x and fury/x ) show their increased power


----------



## deactivated

Hey again

I just copped 2 used Vapor-x 7970`s for around 300 USD.
Ive been worried about my PSU lately. I have a Corsair TX 650W powering my rig. What ive been trying to find out the last couple of weeks is if its enought to power these two. A lot of the people ive asked say go for a 850W instead, others say its just fine. So i bought an energy-meter to see how much wattage my rig is pulling. I ran heaven, valley and firestrike and the wattage peaked at 631 watts. I tested with BF4 since its the only game i play nowadays and it never passed 450W. So what do you guys think, should i upgrade my psu?


----------



## diggiddi

Stay with it


----------



## jodybdesigns

Drive that PSU like you stole it - just be prepared, the Corsair TX series are a bottom of the totem pole PSU.


----------



## mhawkinson

i got me one of dem fancy cards right there...... plays most games on ultra at 100fps on 21:9









EDIT: its a 7970


----------



## sinholueiro

Hi! I wanna get a gaming PC and I think in pairing the 6600k with a 7950. I have already a 1440p monitor. So while I wait for the next gen, what do you think of a 7950 for a year or so?


----------



## incog

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *sinholueiro*
> 
> Hi! I wanna get a gaming PC and I think in pairing the 6600k with a 7950. I have already a 1440p monitor. So while I wait for the next gen, what do you think of a 7950 for a year or so?


This is my set-up, though on 1080p144 rather than 1440p. I also have a 7970 instead.

You'll be more than fine for this year, as long as you aren't looking for max settings and you're ready to tweak some settings. AAA titles won't run super fast at that resolution though, i'm thinking


----------



## sinholueiro

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> This is my set-up, though on 1080p144 rather than 1440p. I also have a 7970 instead.
> 
> You'll be more than fine for this year, as long as you aren't looking for max settings and you're ready to tweak some settings. AAA titles won't run super fast at that resolution though, i'm thinking


I have some several games from other years, and I'm happy with mid to high with no filters


----------



## DaClownie

Anyone utilizing these cards for Fallout 4 @ 1440p? What's your max settings you can run to peg the game @60+ fps? I've got it to consistently run at 40+... but pushing for smooth 60 is taking a LOT of backing off on settings.

I'm not sure if it's worth tweaking heavily to get it, or if I should hold my breath on some new drivers from AMD

I'm currently running:

i7 3770k @ 4.6GHz
7970 @ 1200/1600
16GB of RAM


----------



## Gereti

Ahh, today look's good, i got on friday Arctic Cooling Accelero Hybrid III-120 (Generic) cooler from sale to 50€








It should arrive today, then i just need to get shim to my 7970 and install it








(And then i would even test how my old, not so healthy 7970 would run with this VTX3D 7970 X-Edition's stock cooler and test crossfire







)


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DaClownie*
> 
> Anyone utilizing these cards for Fallout 4 @ 1440p? What's your max settings you can run to peg the game @60+ fps? I've got it to consistently run at 40+... but pushing for smooth 60 is taking a LOT of backing off on settings.


I am, Ultra/High with a 7950

Turn OFF SSAO (its an Nvidia thing)
Turn Shadows to Medium
Shadow Distance to Low
Turn God Rays to Low
Turn off AA (dont need it your at 1440p)

You can also disable Vsync via the .ini - thats a huge FPS boost (but i have Vysnc ON)

Everything else Ultra+HIgh

I am getting 60FPS @ 1440p

Wait until we get better drivers...


----------



## fishymamba

Just picked up a used Gigabyte 7970 Windforce for $110! This is my first AMD card so I'm excited. Going to do a thermal paste change ASAP and then start the gaming.


----------



## pnoozi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *fishymamba*
> 
> Just picked up a used Gigabyte 7970 Windforce for $110! This is my first AMD card so I'm excited. Going to do a thermal paste change ASAP and then start the gaming.


Good call on the thermal paste change. Also make sure you have a decent airflow through your case (2 intake, 2 exhaust fans). Enjoy the temps.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Hey guys.

I have a HD 7950 which I am testing for a friend. It was having problem crashing in Witcher 3. I have the card in my system and I am testing it now. I am using Valley to test the card. First run the card hit ~ 92C on the Core and 112C/107C for VRM1/VRM2. This was only about 10 min on a cold room. I opened and cleaned the cooler and now the temps are 82C for Core and 102C/97C fpr VRM1/VMR2. A little better but still high. I then installed MSI AB and sow that this card is using 1.25v stock. I remeber back in the day that this is very high for HD 79XX. How do i lower it?

I can via MSI AB but my friend is a total noob and can't expct him to even know how to do it. I want a way to flash the BIOS. I know my HD 7970 Reference could do 1.1v Stock no problem.


----------



## pnoozi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Hey guys.
> 
> I have a HD 7950 which I am testing for a friend. It was having problem crashing in Witcher 3. I have the card in my system and I am testing it now. I am using Valley to test the card. First run the card hit ~ 92C on the Core and 112C/107C for VRM1/VRM2. This was only about 10 min on a cold room. I opened and cleaned the cooler and now the temps are 82C for Core and 102C/97C fpr VRM1/VMR2. A little better but still high. I then installed MSI AB and sow that this card is using 1.25v stock. I remeber back in the day that this is very high for HD 79XX. How do i lower it?
> 
> I can via MSI AB but my friend is a total noob and can't expct him to even know how to do it. I want a way to flash the BIOS. I know my HD 7970 Reference could do 1.1v Stock no problem.


1.25v _*core*_ voltage?







I have mine on 0.994v... and I have a moderate OC with a Twin Frozr III.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Hey guys.
> 
> I have a HD 7950 which I am testing for a friend. It was having problem crashing in Witcher 3. I have the card in my system and I am testing it now. I am using Valley to test the card. First run the card hit ~ 92C on the Core and 112C/107C for VRM1/VRM2. This was only about 10 min on a cold room. I opened and cleaned the cooler and now the temps are 82C for Core and 102C/97C fpr VRM1/VMR2. A little better but still high. I then installed MSI AB and sow that this card is using 1.25v stock. I remeber back in the day that this is very high for HD 79XX. How do i lower it?
> 
> I can via MSI AB but my friend is a total noob and can't expct him to even know how to do it. I want a way to flash the BIOS. I know my HD 7970 Reference could do 1.1v Stock no problem.


ati win flash to flash with and "vbe7.0.07b.exe" to edit the bios... just google both for downloading options... that's how I edited my bios and flashed it...


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *pnoozi*
> 
> 1.25v _*core*_ voltage?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have mine on 0.994v... and I have a moderate OC with a Twin Frozr III.


1.25v is the default voltage for Boost edition cards.








0.994V is pretty nice, my 7950 TF3 V277 (6+8pin) needs 1.062V for the 960MHz stock.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> ati win flash to flash with and "vbe7.0.07b.exe" to edit the bios... just google both for downloading options... that's how I edited my bios and flashed it...


Thanks will do that. Tested the card @ 1.1v with MSI AB and it runs ~ 72C for Core and 82C/80C for VRM1/VRM2 and it's much quieter. Not sure why these cards run 1.25v.


----------



## XiDillon

Any1 need XFX replacement fans? 4 of em, pm.


----------



## oskullop

I solved my fan problems on my XFX 7950 DD like this
http://i.imgur.com/VeOtgxk.jpg
cause could not find replacement fans to buy anywhere ;maybe on ebay but i was not sure if they fit and stuff .
Does anyone knows which one would fit on XFX Radeon HD 7950 900MHz 3GB Black Edition DD
these are the orginal ones
http://i.imgur.com/6hQfPGi.jpg


----------



## XiDillon

Which ones what? I think the solution above is still better. Or else use stock replacement fans. Those originals are the exact same as the ones I have.


----------



## 4everAnoob

I currently have a bit of a dilemma here.
So I THOUGHT I managed to get a 7970 XT2 for seemingly a great price.
However turns out the seller is a total scammer and he sent me a 7950 instead.
His excuse is that his PC said it was a 7970?? Yeah right.
Anyway, this thing also has a Gelid Icy Vision attached to it (doesn't look like it was mounted 100% correctly either :sigh: ).
It is loud as hell but the performance is good (no PWM fan control apparantly).
I think he also claimed it could be pushed to 1.2GHz OC. How realistic is this claim?

Anyway, the dilemma is that I sold a Gigabyte 670OC a few weeks before for a bit more money than I got this "7970" for.
The 670 OC is better than the 7950 stock. But I know the 7950 overclocks very well. Supposing it could reach 1.2GHz, how does this compare to the 670OC?
If it is only marginally better I am selling this poop (as a 7950 of course, I am not a liar).

Oh yeah and this is a Club3D 7950 so it probably has crappy VRMs, it has Elpida memory and the PCB is probably nasty cheap as well.


----------



## XiDillon

arent the 7970 xt2's also club 3d cards? You were gonna get poop anyway. Id fix the cooler, sell it and move on, being that I dont know what your intentions were to sell the 670 for in the first place.


----------



## 4everAnoob

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *XiDillon*
> 
> arent the 7970 xt2's also club 3d cards? You were gonna get poop anyway. Id fix the cooler, sell it and move on, being that I dont know what your intentions were to sell the 670 for in the first place.


Yes indeed also club3d but considering the low price definitely worth it to me since 7970 ghz edition is a fair bit better than a 670 OC and it has even more potential when overclocked.
My main annoyance with this Gelid cooler is that PWM speed control is not supported, even though the connector is a 4 pin one? Quite bizarre.
I am going to just accept the facts and enjoy overclocking this thing. Then depending on the outcome I might sell it or not. We'll see.

The cooler is mounted OK but it has not been done precisely according to the instructions (the wrong nuts are used on two out of four bolts at the bottom of the card...).


----------



## wirefox

I must say I was surprised how well my 2x 7970 @1205/1375 1.288 are running on COD 3 pretty well -- medium setting and light turn on low. 120 fov, 240 max frame... and I am up over 110-140+ fps most of the game. (my monitor is 27 120 hrz) -gpu's run hotter then ever likely from vram ... but whatever they are so old .. burn baby burn .my price to life time usage on these are great imho...

They don't play as well on bf4 -- but i have renewed life wit COD3 ... till next year roles around


----------



## DaClownie

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *4everAnoob*
> 
> I currently have a bit of a dilemma here.
> So I THOUGHT I managed to get a 7970 XT2 for seemingly a great price.
> However turns out the seller is a total scammer and he sent me a 7950 instead.
> His excuse is that his PC said it was a 7970?? Yeah right.
> Anyway, this thing also has a Gelid Icy Vision attached to it (doesn't look like it was mounted 100% correctly either :sigh: ).
> It is loud as hell but the performance is good (no PWM fan control apparantly).
> I think he also claimed it could be pushed to 1.2GHz OC. How realistic is this claim?
> 
> Anyway, the dilemma is that I sold a Gigabyte 670OC a few weeks before for a bit more money than I got this "7970" for.
> The 670 OC is better than the 7950 stock. But I know the 7950 overclocks very well. Supposing it could reach 1.2GHz, how does this compare to the 670OC?
> If it is only marginally better I am selling this poop (as a 7950 of course, I am not a liar).
> 
> Oh yeah and this is a Club3D 7950 so it probably has crappy VRMs, it has Elpida memory and the PCB is probably nasty cheap as well.


Did you pay with Paypal? Request a chargeback.


----------



## incog

So, how is Crimson treating everyone's Tahiti chips? Notice any big differences?


----------



## btupsx

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> So, how is Crimson treating everyone's Tahiti chips? Notice any big differences?


Waiting for reports before I jump in the fray. Cards are folding on an optimal version of Catalyst, so no immediate reason to switch for me, unless there is a jump in compute performance.


----------



## huzzug

This question may probably be answered, but I'm asking again as I wouldn't know where to search in the thread. I have my cards MSI R7950 (7970 PCB) and Sapphire 7950 (non boost) in crossfire. These cards work fine in crossfire except for one major problem. Any game that I play, my screen goes black every few minutes and comes back on. I do not do anything for that period of time except put the game on pause. I've tried multiple drivers, including the latest Crimson. Tried DDU but nothing has worked. Any suggestions ?


----------



## oskullop

installed Crimson idle temps from 29/30 C to now 36/37 C with Crimson drivers
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *incog*
> 
> So, how is Crimson treating everyone's Tahiti chips? Notice any big differences?


I see no perfomance boost in games with single 7950,UI is good simple nice looking,profiles for games great addition...problems well after exting a game my idle stays at 36 C but before playing it idles 26 C and kompas in F4 is bugged out that's the things i noticed.(found a fix for F4 http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/2707/?


----------



## 4everAnoob

Sold it all and made a profit in the end so whatever.
I really want to wait for the next die shrink before I buy a new video card.
Second hand market is so much better than new with all these rebrands.
R290 seems to be best value.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *oskullop*
> 
> installed Crimson idle temps from 29/30 C to now 36/37 C with Crimson drivers
> I see no perfomance boost in games with single 7950*,UI is good simple nice looking,*profiles for games great addition...problems well after exting a game my idle stays at 36 C but before playing it idles 26 C and kompas in F4 is bugged out that's the things i noticed.(found a fix for F4 http://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/2707/?


True, but then they did an epic fail and copied MS design style, by making the UI have two faces, you still have the old Catalyst UI if you want to adjust more advanced settings.
I would strongly prefer having one or the other for ALL settings.


----------



## bluezone

I'm looking for opinions (a mistake on the internet, lol).
Right now I'm using my Panasonic st30 50"(1080p) as my monitor for my main pc.
Which is plenty capable for my needs.

-Asus P8Z77-V
-I7 2600 (non K) 4.36 Ghz, AIO Corsair H70
-8 Gigs Kingston Hyper-X RAM
-Samsung 840 SSD 500 GB + Kingston SSD 256 GB + Seagate 1 TB HDD
-2 X Sapphire HD 7950
-Corsair GS 800
All stuffed into a Raven 3 chassis.

I recently won a R9 Nano.
Other than power usage considerations, do I sell the Nano or the 7950's


----------



## MooMoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *bluezone*
> 
> I'm looking for opinions (a mistake on the internet, lol).
> Right now I'm using my Panasonic st30 50"(1080p) as my monitor for my main pc.
> Which is plenty capable for my needs.
> 
> -Asus P8Z77-V
> -I7 2600 (non K) 4.36 Ghz, AIO Corsair H70
> -8 Gigs Kingston Hyper-X RAM
> -Samsung 840 SSD 500 GB + Kingston SSD 256 GB + Seagate 1 TB HDD
> -2 X Sapphire HD 7950
> -Corsair GS 800
> All stuffed into a Raven 3 chassis.
> 
> I recently won a R9 Nano.
> Other than power usage considerations, do I sell the Nano or the 7950's


Depends on your needs. I would keep R9 Nano in a heartbeat as its new and have all dem nice things and maybe (coz I'm not sure







) more powerful than 7950's.


----------



## diggiddi

Nano nano
http://www.game-debate.com/gpu/index.php?gid=3081&gid2=1562&compare=radeon-r9-nano-4gb-vs-radeon-hd-7950-crossfire


----------



## bluezone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MooMoo*
> 
> Depends on your needs. I would keep R9 Nano in a heartbeat as its new and have all dem nice things and maybe (coz I'm not sure
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ) more powerful than 7950's.


Ya it does have some nice bells and whistles . I'm trying to not let that blind me to making a good choice.
Performance wise in my set-up the HD 7950's in cross-fire are roughly about equal to r9 290X.


----------



## bluezone

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Nano nano
> http://www.game-debate.com/gpu/index.php?gid=3081&gid2=1562&compare=radeon-r9-nano-4gb-vs-radeon-hd-7950-crossfire


That's very helpful. I couldn't find a comparison between the two set-ups when I looked.
Also, I'm keeping in mind that by this time next year 28 Nm cards will be very old school


----------



## KaiserPhantasma

hopefully someone can benchmark comprehensively the difference between CCC and the crimson drivers


----------



## pcrevolution

Even though I've moved on to a 290x, I've still kept my 2 trusty HD7970s around which I'm probably going to build a secondary CFX rig.

This card has a special place in my heart.







And I think a lot of people often forget how good it was back in 2011-2012 when it was the only time AMD parred Nvidia's flagship GTX680.

After changing a number of screws I managed to couple the card with an EK backplate.





I really hope that Direct-X 12 will change things around here. Can't wait for this new API to be released.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

After having temp problems with my HD 7950 is decided to give it a clean and dropped my temps from 90s to 80s. VRM dropped from 110C+ to 90C. Still was not happy. I never changed the thermal past on this card since it has the "Void Warranty" stiker. Not that is not longer the case I opened it up and this is what I found.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> After having temp problems with my HD 7950 is decided to give it a clean and dropped my temps from 90s to 80s. VRM dropped from 110C+ to 90C. Still was not happy. I never changed the thermal past on this card since it has the "Void Warranty" stiker. Not that is not longer the case I opened it up and this is what I found.


Yummy. Probably be in the 70s now!


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Yummy. Probably be in the 70s now!


Yeah. Going to test it soon. This card also runs stock 1.25v which is way overkill.


----------



## incog

I got a refurbished 7950 with a Vapor-X cooler for €99.

What a friggin' bargain!

It runs super cool and super quietly compared to my Dual-X 7970.

Tahiti is amazing


----------



## Minotaurtoo

7950 and 280x owner here...both gigabyte windforce... upgrading to 4k monitor... need to know if there is ANY way to support 60hz out of these cards... I suspect it would be via the mini DP ports... if so I need to convert from miniDP to hdmi 2.0... this monitor has 3 hdmi 2.0 ports on it and component imputs...


----------



## jodybdesigns

You'll never push 4k with those. I can't play BF4 on my 4k tv without dropping it all the way to low. Then I barely get 30fps. If you want 4k, I suggest a couple of Fury X or Nanos. Hate to burst your dream of having crossfire 7950s pushing 4k gaming.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

currently hitting 1440p on max settings with Dirt Showdown and The Crew both bumping the 60fps limit I have... and usually at 60-70% usage... and that's not even at max clocks on the cards... I have no doubt they will hold 30+ fps on all games... and some of the not so hard on cards games I bet they'll hold 60... but... I know for a fact that the hdmi output on them will be a bit crapped for 4k ... The Crew is the hardest game I have on my cards... and I can run my eyefinity setup 3x 1080p at 60fps without breaking a sweat even on high settings... can't do ultra though... the MSAA kills them.. I can clock both of these up way high if needed... one will hit 1200mhz the other 1150...

now I realize this won't push all settings to max at 60FPS... but this is my score on 3dmark: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8374927?

Edit: I should mention that this is a temporary setup... I am waiting on cards from AMD that support HDMI 2.0 fully before I upgrade my cards... however... I do know that they will do better than the current hdmi will allow....


----------



## Minotaurtoo

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1058?vs=1056

except for where the game doesn't support crossfire, it looks like I should be ok even at 4k res... if I can get past the poor hdmi quality on my cards.... that's why I asked about the possibility of getting over the hdmi limitation via a mini DP to hdmi 2.0 conversion... or even if the mini DP can do better than the hdmi... IDK really... if not I'm stuck gaming at 1440p for a bit then... till I can upgrade.. either that or gaming at 30fps.. I know my cards can handle that lol... but I'm not getting the 4K fever... just a huge 49" monitor and didn't want to lose pixel density over my current 1080p but small monitor... so I went for 4K ... instead of 3x 1080p I'll have 4x 1080p lol just on one screen and no bezel compensation to worry over... not giving up my huge screen over a little setback like that... I was aware of it before I even ordered my new monitor... but again... like I told one person... even if I had to run it at lower res gaming... ITS STILL A BIG MONITOR!


----------



## jodybdesigns

I don't need those benches. I have 2 7950's in Crossfire and I own a ChangHong 42" 4K TV and I cannot run Battlefield 4 on Low and push 30 FPS constant. Battlefield 4 is a 3 year old game and these cards were practically made for BF4 and I have serious issues pushing 3840 x 2160 when gaming. I am not gaming at 30 FPS or less, that's just ugly.

3GB of VRAM is not going to cut it for 4K. I am starting to have issues running modern games at 1440p with all the goodies.

On another note I saw a user get 16K on Firestrike with a single 390X. I only get 13K with both my cards Crossfired @ 1050/1300 So, I know where my money is going very soon.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> I don't need those benches. I have 2 7950's in Crossfire and I own a ChangHong 42" 4K TV and I cannot run Battlefield 4 on Low and push 30 FPS constant. Battlefield 4 is a 3 year old game and these cards were practically made for BF4 and I have serious issues pushing 3840 x 2160 when gaming. I am not gaming at 30 FPS or less, that's just ugly.
> 
> 3GB of VRAM is not going to cut it for 4K. I am starting to have issues running modern games at 1440p with all the goodies.
> 
> On another note I saw a user get 16K on Firestrike with a single 390X. I only get 13K with both my cards Crossfired @ 1050/1300 So, I know where my money is going very soon.


have to watch the graphics score... not the over all as much... if I had a 5960 intel I'd score nearly 17K... My clocks typically run 1150/1500 on high... and BF4 isn't a prob for me.. .I won't be playing it... again this is a temp setup... I'm aiming for better gpu later... but I know that with 3x1080p I pull off 60fps at high settings on my worst game at only 60-70% typical gpu usage... also when I use a single monitor I use super virtual res to 1440p... still low gpu usage at 60fps... so once again I will restate my question... is there any way to get 60 fps from mini display port at 4k and if so is there any way to convert that to hdmi 2.0 and still keep the 60fps...
edit: I am interested though in knowing how your graphics score compares with mine below.


----------



## jodybdesigns

I thought 4K was HDMI 2.0 regardless. I just plugged in the HDMI cable (high speed of course) to the TV from my second lower card. I had no issues. I know I can go over 30FPS because World of Warcraft does run pretty amazing @ 4K - which is the reason I got it. I haven't tried using the DP, but I would assume they make adapters for that kind of thing? Like how they sell passive VGA and non-passive VGA adapters.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> I thought 4K was HDMI 2.0 regardless. I just plugged in the HDMI cable (high speed of course) to the TV from my second lower card. I had no issues. I know I can go over 30FPS because World of Warcraft does run pretty amazing @ 4K - which is the reason I got it. I haven't tried using the DP, but I would assume they make adapters for that kind of thing? Like how they sell passive VGA and non-passive VGA adapters.


unfortunately even though our cards can hit over 30 fps... the hdmi link, while compatible with newer hdmi 2.0 devices, is only hdmi 1.4.. and thus only has the bandwidth to operate at 30hz or 30fps to the screen... now it may not matter... I may get on mine and just be blown away... I'll find out tomorrow lol... but I've read everywhere that hdmi 1.4 can only deliver enough data bandwidth to reach 30hz on the screen... but the cards can still render to whatever, but the output will be lowered to 30hz for transfer..... still... I can't wait to get my BIG monitor lol... tired of eyefinity bezels.


----------



## pcrevolution

DirectX-12...

Just hang in there boys..

(Of course, the game devs must use the new API)


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> I thought 4K was HDMI 2.0 regardless. I just plugged in the HDMI cable (high speed of course) to the TV from my second lower card. I had no issues. I know I can go over 30FPS because World of Warcraft does run pretty amazing @ 4K - which is the reason I got it. I haven't tried using the DP, but I would assume they make adapters for that kind of thing? Like how they sell passive VGA and non-passive VGA adapters.
> 
> 
> 
> unfortunately even though our cards can hit over 30 fps... the hdmi link, while compatible with newer hdmi 2.0 devices, is only hdmi 1.4.. and thus only has the bandwidth to operate at 30hz or 30fps to the screen... now it may not matter... I may get on mine and just be blown away... I'll find out tomorrow lol... but I've read everywhere that hdmi 1.4 can only deliver enough data bandwidth to reach 30hz on the screen... but the cards can still render to whatever, but the output will be lowered to 30hz for transfer..... still... I can't wait to get my BIG monitor lol... tired of eyefinity bezels.
Click to expand...

I dont know if you have seen these, but it may be worth a look, they were not available when I was moving to a 49" 4k TV as my main monitor, so I ended up getting a pair of 980s for the HDMI 2.0. I also am hesitant about adapters and AMD after messing with eyefinity and the host of adapter related issues I had with my 7970s.http://www.overclock.net/t/1581818/techpowerup-club-3d-intros-displayport-1-2-to-hdmi-2-0-active-adapters-with-4k-60-hz-support/50#post_24712630 Theoretically, DP 1.2, like what is on 7900 series, should do 4:4:4 4k 60hz, and work with these adapters. As cheap as they are compared to new cards, it might be worth gambling a little bit of money. BTW, 980s in SLI are not enough for AAA titles @ 4k, you might be disappointed with 7970/50s.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I dont know if you have seen these, but it may be worth a look, they were not available when I was moving to a 49" 4k TV as my main monitor, so I ended up getting a pair of 980s for the HDMI 2.0. I also am hesitant about adapters and AMD after messing with eyefinity and the host of adapter related issues I had with my 7970s.http://www.overclock.net/t/1581818/techpowerup-club-3d-intros-displayport-1-2-to-hdmi-2-0-active-adapters-with-4k-60-hz-support/50#post_24712630 Theoretically, DP 1.2, like what is on 7900 series, should do 4:4:4 4k 60hz, and work with these adapters. As cheap as they are compared to new cards, it might be worth gambling a little bit of money. BTW, 980s in SLI are not enough for AAA titles @ 4k, you might be disappointed with 7970/50s.


Thanks for these! Too bad Amazon is sold out or I would cop one right now for giggles. I know for a fact my 7950's cannot play AAA titles worth the shiznit, so I don't even attempt it anymore, but I do still play WoW on 4K and when in 25 man raids the particle effects are simple jawdropping, especially with 0 lag. And boy those 4K Youtube videos look friggin AMAZING (if your ISP can handle it, I'm on 100mb/s so I stream away!), especially the 60FPS videos. It's definitely a conversation piece.
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> unfortunately even though our cards can hit over 30 fps... the hdmi link, while compatible with newer hdmi 2.0 devices, is only hdmi 1.4.. and thus only has the bandwidth to operate at 30hz or 30fps to the screen... now it may not matter... I may get on mine and just be blown away... I'll find out tomorrow lol... but I've read everywhere that hdmi 1.4 can only deliver enough data bandwidth to reach 30hz on the screen... but the cards can still render to whatever, but the output will be lowered to 30hz for transfer..... still... I can't wait to get my BIG monitor lol... tired of eyefinity bezels.


Congrats on the 4K! Regardless of gaming or not, if you can find some UHD videos, you will simply hate watching movies in 1080p ever again.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I dont know if you have seen these, but it may be worth a look, they were not available when I was moving to a 49" 4k TV as my main monitor, so I ended up getting a pair of 980s for the HDMI 2.0. I also am hesitant about adapters and AMD after messing with eyefinity and the host of adapter related issues I had with my 7970s.http://www.overclock.net/t/1581818/techpowerup-club-3d-intros-displayport-1-2-to-hdmi-2-0-active-adapters-with-4k-60-hz-support/50#post_24712630 Theoretically, DP 1.2, like what is on 7900 series, should do 4:4:4 4k 60hz, and work with these adapters. As cheap as they are compared to new cards, it might be worth gambling a little bit of money. BTW, 980s in SLI are not enough for AAA titles @ 4k, you might be disappointed with 7970/50s.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Thanks for these! Too bad Amazon is sold out or I would cop one right now for giggles. I know for a fact my 7950's cannot play AAA titles worth the shiznit, so I don't even attempt it anymore, but I do still play WoW on 4K and when in 25 man raids the particle effects are simple jawdropping, especially with 0 lag. And boy those 4K Youtube videos look friggin AMAZING (if your ISP can handle it, I'm on 100mb/s so I stream away!), especially the 60FPS videos. It's definitely a conversation piece.
> Congrats on the 4K! Regardless of gaming or not, if you can find some UHD videos, you will simply hate watching movies in 1080p ever again.


Thanks! that's what I was looking for... and thanks for the welcome to 4k... yeah.. I realize that not all my games will play 60fps at that res... but I don't play a lot of the harder to render games... mostly driving sims... a couple of them are harsh... but not many...

I am looking into gpu's in the future... but not just yet.


----------



## jodybdesigns

After I saw a user in the 390x thread hit 16k on Firestrike with his similar setup, which btw is phenomenal for a single card, just getting 15k and losing the huge power draw and ease of getting gpu blocks, I will be swapping in February. I may even bite the bullet and get a normal 390 as they are doing extremely well right now.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

well.. I didn't take screenies...but at 4k I got avg fps in dirt showdown of 54 with all the eyecandy on... now on the crew... it just wasn't happening... but I was able to hold a solid 30 fps... which is all I can get now on this monitor untill I either get a card upgrade with hdmi2.0 or if that adapter works whenever I get it in... I'll probably be running it in 1440p when I get the adapter in... but since I'm stuck at 30hz for a while it doesn't matter anyway... so 30fps will do. lol.. it looks awesome even with the lower fps! and a 49" screen is just the crap... I mean really its the best move I ever made monitor wise.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> After I saw a user in the 390x thread hit 16k on Firestrike with his similar setup, which btw is phenomenal for a single card, just getting 15k and losing the huge power draw and ease of getting gpu blocks, I will be swapping in February. I may even bite the bullet and get a normal 390 as they are doing extremely well right now.


Don't take those scores are the read deal. For me to get 15.5K with 290X Water Cooled I have to use a custom Bios and OC 1275/1625 which is not 24/7 stable. He did a lot of tinkering to get 16K with only 1175MHz core.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

when comparing gpu to gpu.. I only look at the graphics score... ... physics is only cpu related... and composite is highly biosed to multi core intel cpu's... due to the fact that amd octo cores are treated like quad cores with hyperthreading.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Don't take those scores are the read deal. For me to get 15.5K with 290X Water Cooled I have to use a custom Bios and OC 1275/1625 which is not 24/7 stable. He did a lot of tinkering to get 16K with only 1175MHz core.


Oh don't get me wrong, I would love 16k, and I knew he did some bios modding. But if I could pull 14.5 - 15k, I think it's worth it. Especially when I could sell both my cards for $200, and drop another $100 with it and get a 390. You can't even get a console that cheap.


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> I don't need those benches. I have 2 7950's in Crossfire and I own a ChangHong 42" 4K TV and I cannot run Battlefield 4 on Low and push 30 FPS constant. Battlefield 4 is a 3 year old game and these cards were practically made for BF4 and I have serious issues pushing 3840 x 2160 when gaming. I am not gaming at 30 FPS or less, that's just ugly.
> 
> 3GB of VRAM is not going to cut it for 4K. I am starting to have issues running modern games at 1440p with all the goodies.
> 
> On another note I saw a user get 16K on Firestrike with a single 390X. I only get 13K with both my cards Crossfired @ 1050/1300 So, I know where my money is going very soon.


I'm curious to what the difference is between eyeinfinity potriat of 3 1080ps at 5760x3240 I'm BF4 to a single 4k monitor? I haven't played BF4 in while but when I do I flip my screens to potriat and can run 5760x3240 eyeinfinity at high settings with an average around 55fps and drops no lower than 45 fps.

This is with my 7970/7950 stock speeds and 3770k @ 4 ghz


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> well.. I didn't take screenies...but at 4k I got avg fps in dirt showdown of 54 with all the eyecandy on... now on the crew... it just wasn't happening... but I was able to hold a solid 30 fps... which is all I can get now on this monitor untill I either get a card upgrade with hdmi2.0 or if that adapter works whenever I get it in... I'll probably be running it in 1440p when I get the adapter in... but since I'm stuck at 30hz for a while it doesn't matter anyway... so 30fps will do. lol.. it looks awesome even with the lower fps! and a 49" screen is just the crap... I mean really its the best move I ever made monitor wise.


I feel the same way about my 49er...its the beez neez. Try 3840x1440, 3440x1440, 3840x1600 and turn scaling off. Its like having more monitors than one could need...just change the resolution and BAM...34" 1440 widescreen....


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I feel the same way about my 49er...its the beez neez. Try 3840x1440, 3440x1440, 3840x1600 and turn scaling off. Its like having more monitors than one could need...just change the resolution and BAM...34" 1440 widescreen....


I might try that... I did experiment.... this monitor has "interpolation" built into it... just like the old 1080p's could do with the older 480p... and yeah... 1080p on here looks better than on same size 1080p tv in living room


----------



## Rob27shred

Picked this Sapphire HD7950 up in a trade, planning on using in a budget rig for a friend of mine. Could use some insight from you guys who have owned this card. Is this a good aftermarket version of the HD7950? I know Sapphire is a go to brand for current AMD GPUs, I am wrong in assuming that was the same in 2012? What type of OCs can I expect out of this card? I realize that nobody can tell me exactly what my particular card can do but was just curious what others got with their HD7950s, Sapphire DualX models being of particular interest.

I will be pairing this card with a AMD FX6300 CPU mostly likely on a Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 R5 mobo with a CM evo 212 cooler. I think that should do nicely for my buddy for now & even give him a little room to upgrade in the future if he wants to. I'm gonna try to make this a learning exp for him as I am making him help me build it & will try to teach him basic overclocking (not that I'm an expert myself)














but would like to get a decent stable OC on his CPU & GPU while doing so. So I'm pretty much just looking where to start at with this card & roughly what I can expect. Thanks in advance for any replies.


----------



## huzzug

I have that one paired with MSI 7950 in my rig. I guess the voltage is locked as I was't able to change voltages in AB, but Trixx does allow voltage adjustments. Should get you ~1150-1200 at which point it is as fast as the 7970Ghz. Oveall, a good card nonetheless.


----------



## jodybdesigns

I've got 2 of them right now. I can OC them do death. And they were mining cards at one point. The 7950 will play fine with the 6300. I still play my 7870xt with my 6 core Phenom and we played Mortal Kombat X on Christmas in the living room. It's usually my HTPC, but I have installed a couple modern games. It plays pretty nice.


----------



## Rob27shred

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *huzzug*
> 
> I have that one paired with MSI 7950 in my rig. I guess the voltage is locked as I was't able to change voltages in AB, but Trixx does allow voltage adjustments. Should get you ~1150-1200 at which point it is as fast as the 7970Ghz. Oveall, a good card nonetheless.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> I've got 2 of them right now. I can OC them do death. And they were mining cards at one point. The 7950 will play fine with the 6300. I still play my 7870xt with my 6 core Phenom and we played Mortal Kombat X on Christmas in the living room. It's usually my HTPC, but I have installed a couple modern games. It plays pretty nice.


Very nice to hear, I was figuring this would be a decent set up for my buddies 1st PC since I have personally had good luck with AMD parts so far. Although I have no experience with the HD series of AMD cards. Sounds like this set up will be even more powerful than I thought as long as the GPU & CPU can take decent OCs. Thanks for the responses guys, I'll post back when I start to test the card out & let you know where it ends up for me.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rob27shred*
> 
> Very nice to hear, I was figuring this would be a decent set up for my buddies 1st PC since I have personally had good luck with AMD parts so far. Although I have no experience with the HD series of AMD cards. Sounds like this set up will be even more powerful than I thought as long as the GPU & CPU can take decent OCs. Thanks for the responses guys, I'll post back when I start to test the card out & let you know where it ends up for me.


Oh if this is his first real gaming machine (or any machine period, really) he won't even notice the lag for the first 6 months to a year - if that long - or if ever.

New users to PC gaming usually have no idea about resolutions, advanced graphical settings, or any of the fancy lingo. They usually just let the game auto tune itself, hit start and play.

He should be fairly pleased on my final note.


----------



## stangflyer

I had 2 Sapphire 7950 boost flex cards. (Still have one sitting in the retail box). Ran them at 1100 for 1.5 years before getting 970's in SLI and then a 980TI. Never used for mining. Sold one and kept the other for a spare in case my 780gtx that is in my media pc or my 980TI Hybrid have an issue.

Very good cards and fairly quiet. I got 15000 exactly in Firestrike without pushing too hard.


----------



## Rob27shred

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Oh if this is his first real gaming machine (or any machine period, really) he won't even notice the lag for the first 6 months to a year - if that long - or if ever.
> 
> New users to PC gaming usually have no idea about resolutions, advanced graphical settings, or any of the fancy lingo. They usually just let the game auto tune itself, hit start and play.
> 
> He should be fairly pleased on my final note.


Yep that would be him to a tee there, LOL!







He pretty much just wants to be able to turn it on & play his games. Like I said I am gonna teach him the basics but he'll be more than happy with the auto tuned settings on most games. He mostly wants to be able to play the RTS games not available on console. Although I do expect him to start playing all games on PC once he has the PC, that is why I want it to be strong enough to play even the newest games albeit not at the highest settings.


----------



## jodybdesigns

OH! PFFFFTTTTT!! That computer will smash Starcraft 2, 3 or 4

Have fun!


----------



## raptor5150

Hello







I have a question...One of my 7970's just died and i miss my crossfire. Do the 280x play well with it? dont want to waste my time if there are issues but cant afford a new 500+ vid card. Thanks

Update: Ended up not being a bad card







my psu started getting worse and wont handle vid cards,,,12v rail must be failing. Hooked up a second psu just for vid cards and all problems went away.....now to contact corsair and see about rma...almost 5 years old so hope i get lucky


----------



## huzzug

Yes they are the same 7970's rebranded as 280x. They should work fine in CFX


----------



## raptor5150

Thanks huzzug,,,,I will grab one


----------



## jodybdesigns

Why buy a 280x when you can get a 390 for $100 more? 8gb of vram. Less power consumption. Full future proof. I will be quite honest. My 7950s are starting to show age and I think dx12 is a myth, nobody is ever going to adopt it, so I'm tired of waiting for better performance. Plus we hit the driver problems with crossfire. Then we get stupid frame locked games like Fallout 4 where graphical power is completely wasted and crossfire is just terrible and useless considering the 60hz lock on the game.

I would not side step into old tech unless you're buying it used, like "I'm only paying $100 for that 280x used". And not a dollar more. The 280s come from a generation of bitcoin miners. And I would not pay more than $125 max for a used 280x.

My 2 cents.


----------



## PedroC1999

Both my 7950's now up for sale

http://www.overclock.net/t/1586125/for-sale-2x-powercolor-hd-7950-pcs/0_40#post_24754768

Anyone interested?


----------



## Rob27shred

So I got the HD7950 tested & it's working well.







It's a regular Sapphire one not the Boost edition. I do have a question though, I could not get the clocks to change with Crimson or AB. I'd set the sliders to 1000mhz on the core & even in firestrike it would say 1000mhz for the core speed but I kept getting the same scores so I knew something wasn't quite right. Checking AB's monitoring & HWinfo showed that the core stayed at 925mhz & mem stayed at 1250mhz regardless of what I set the values to in Crimson's OD or AB. I've had a few people tell me that I have to use Trixx to OC this card, is there any truth to that or is this card just straight up locked?


----------



## huzzug

I had more luck with Sapphire Trixx making adjustments to the core and the voltage on their cards. You won't be able to run any monitoring tools from AfterBurner, but the cards seem to like Trixx for some reason.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *huzzug*
> 
> I had more luck with Sapphire Trixx making adjustments to the core and the voltage on their cards. You won't be able to run any monitoring tools from AfterBurner, but the cards seem to like Trixx for some reason.


Not to mention that there is an older modded trixx floating around that allows for a higher overvolt than any other software. Plus it was just plain simple.

Here is a copy in case anybody wants it.

SapphireTrixx4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


----------



## Rob27shred

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *huzzug*
> 
> I had more luck with Sapphire Trixx making adjustments to the core and the voltage on their cards. You won't be able to run any monitoring tools from AfterBurner, but the cards seem to like Trixx for some reason.


Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Not to mention that there is an older modded trixx floating around that allows for a higher overvolt than any other software. Plus it was just plain simple.
> 
> Here is a copy in case anybody wants it.
> 
> SapphireTrixx4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


Thanks for the replies guys!







+ rep to both of yins & I DLed the version of Trixx you linked for OCing that card. Should be starting on my buddies budget build soon & will post back what I can get out of the 7950 once I get it finished & start tweaking it.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rob27shred*
> 
> Thanks for the replies guys!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> + rep to both of yins & I DLed the version of Trixx you linked for OCing that card. Should be starting on my buddies budget build soon & will post back what I can get out of the 7950 once I get it finished & start tweaking it.


Good hunting with that card, It should OC to at least 1150 core, anything over that is just gravy. BTW the FX 6300 will need a stout OC, I recommend a minimum of 4.6ghz to keep up with it at full chat, so make sure your motherboard is up to it. honestly If a used FX 83XX is available I'd go with that instead of the 6300 but its still decent nevertheless.


----------



## jodybdesigns

As long as the Mosfets on the board can handle over 95 watts. The budget friendly boards have issues with high OCs, and don't accept the 8300 series at all. What board are you running?

*edit* you could Op for one of the 8300e series. They are 95 watts as well.


----------



## Guynumber7

Hey guys check out my thread here. Im having some serious issues with my 7970.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1586886/issues-with-my-7970


----------



## T-Willi

Need everyone's opinion... my mobo is pretty old and I think it might be a bottleneck. Yall think so?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *T-Willi*
> 
> Need everyone's opinion... my mobo is pretty old and I think it might be a bottleneck. Yall think so?


Hold out for Zen, that mobo is nothing special, but replacing it without replacing the CPU is not really going to get you anywhere.


----------



## T-Willi

I know its not anything special haha. My cpu is fine anything past that is overkill for my needs.

Other than a set of 8gb Ram, a 290x or a good deal on a 390x, and a new mobo my rig is almost perfect for when I get a 1ms/144hz monitor.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *T-Willi*
> 
> I know its not anything special haha. My cpu is fine anything past that is overkill for my needs.
> 
> Other than a set of 8gb Ram, a 290x, and a new mobo my rig is almost perfect for when I get a 1ms/144hz monitor.


There really wont be any benefit in upgrading motherboards from a gamer perspective. No extra FPS with a new one.


----------



## T-Willi

so youre saying I dont need a new one anytime soon?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *T-Willi*
> 
> so youre saying I dont need a new one anytime soon?


Not until you are ready to upgrade CPUs.


----------



## T-Willi

But upgrading my cpu would only bring marginal gains in FPS and overall system performance for what I do which would be stupid and unjustified in my eyes to spend another 200-300... My 8320 is more than enough right now and I dont plan on doing any 4k gaming for the next few years just 1440p.

The point of me getting a new mobo is so that I can sell my old parts to my buddy who wants a gaming rig but doesnt want to pay alot of money. Basically, once I get a new mobo I'll be able to sell him my old setup and that will fund getting a new GPU.

Plus if I were to get a nice mobo now, when I upgrade CPUs that's one less thing I dont have to do.

...and going back to what you said earlier no duh a new mobo isnt going to give me more FPS lmao no brainer right there.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *T-Willi*
> 
> But upgrading my cpu would only bring marginal gains in FPS and overall system performance for what I do which would be stupid and unjustified in my eyes to spend another 200-300... My 8320 is more than enough right now and I dont plan on doing any 4k gaming for the next few years just 1440p.
> 
> The point of me getting a new mobo is so that I can sell my old parts to my buddy who wants a gaming rig but doesnt want to pay alot of money. Basically, once I get a new mobo I'll be able to sell him my old setup and that will fund getting a new GPU.
> 
> Plus if I were to get a nice mobo now, when I upgrade CPUs that's one less thing I dont have to do.
> 
> ...and going back to what you said earlier no duh a new mobo isnt going to give me more FPS lmao no brainer right there.


AM3+ is likely a dead socket. There probably wont be an CPU upgrade path for you, so throwing money at a new AM3+ motherboard in preparation of a new CPU down the road is a bad idea. Zen, the next set of AMD chips to be released, will have a whole new socket, AM4, which wont be backwards compatible. So, tell your buddy to either buy both the board and the CPU or look elsewhere. Otherwise you are just throwing money at nothing.


----------



## Tivan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *T-Willi*
> 
> But upgrading my cpu would only bring marginal gains in FPS and overall system performance for what I do which would be stupid and unjustified in my eyes to spend another 200-300... My 8320 is more than enough right now and I dont plan on doing any 4k gaming for the next few years just 1440p.
> 
> The point of me getting a new mobo is so that I can sell my old parts to my buddy who wants a gaming rig but doesnt want to pay alot of money. Basically, once I get a new mobo I'll be able to sell him my old setup and that will fund getting a new GPU.
> 
> Plus if I were to get a nice mobo now, when I upgrade CPUs that's one less thing I dont have to do.
> 
> ...and going back to what you said earlier no duh a new mobo isnt going to give me more FPS lmao no brainer right there.


There's a couple games that really like intel when going for 100+ fps









But AMD Zen based CPUs are gonna be at least modestly comparable in performance, probably. Coming out sometime in H2 2016. Not going to be on AM3+
The last new architecture that socket has seen, has been Piledriver, so basically the 8320 you got. Anything after it has been functionally identical, at same clocks.

8320 might hold you over for a while, it's a very capable chip too.








Just going to be a limitation if you want to stay as close to or above 144fps. (unless you play a specific set of games that don't care about CPU performance much at all.)


----------



## T-Willi

Damn I had a feeling I was going to have to crossover to intel sooner or later well in that case what CPU and Mobo would yall recommend? I'll likely spend 600 or so total for the two


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *T-Willi*
> 
> Damn I had a feeling I was going to have to crossover to intel sooner or later well in that case what CPU and Mobo would yall recommend? I'll likely spend 600 or so total for the two


This is getting pretty far off topic.

You should start a thread here, and we can discuss it further, and probably bring a bigger audience into the fold.

http://www.overclock.net/f/8/intel-general


----------



## Daffie82

Anybody tested the new Crimson drivers with a single HD7950?
I still have CCC 12.4 or something. Not playing any game at the moment, but wondering if I should be upgrading.
Is there a performace boost?
Or will it be more potential trouble than it is worth?

Thanks for any feedback!


----------



## Minotaurtoo

my son uses them on a single 7950... he just says it looks better... kids... I know his card runs warmer than it used to on the old drivers... so does mine in crossfire... I don't know if it changed the fan profile or if its just using the cards more.... not sure yet.. .haven't had enough time to research it out.


----------



## savior99

Hi all, I have an XFX Radeon 7970 Dual Fan [FX-797A-TDFC].

The voltage is locked, I think i need to flash the bios. I am reading some guides and I see the risk of bricking it is very high.

Who can point me to an updated Guide ? And how do i know what PCB i have ?

Many thanks

Attached the GPU-Z main screen


----------



## danycyo

Eh its not worth flashing unless you have a dual bios in case you make a mistake just my two cents. It would suck to brick your card when it can be avoided. I would just edit your existing bios or use TriXX or afterburner for some performance gains.

I am running 2 7950 Vapor X cards and I am getting 980 TI #'s.

1175/1250


1200/1250


I was really going to get a Fury x2 and start this 4k thing but I am really at a standstill with upgrading. I am actually really looking forward to a card with display port 1.3 that can output 4k @ 120hz and a screen that can handle it which prolly won't be til end of 2016.


----------



## jodybdesigns

I have pretty good faith the cards at the end of the year are going to flip at 4k. I'll be dammed if I have to buy 2 Pascal cards to play 4k with the vivid promises of 60fps ultra with AA on one card. Buy I seriously doubt that promise will be kept. My 2 cents.


----------



## savior99

I think it has the dual bios, but i can't find the switch actually...

I am already using MSI afterburner, i tried also Trixx, I canot go past 1000 Mhz GPU Clock, Temps are ok, but voltage is locked.

That's why i wanted to flash bios, because i understand that's the only way to unlock voltage.


----------



## inedenimadam

The Double D, IIRC was hardware locked, flashing with a higher voltage would show the change in software, but users reported no extra overclock headroom. I think the earliest models were not locked, but XFX locked them down pretty early with a revision. Honestly, the DDs are pretty low quality cards with a very low phase count. Not that they are not overclockable at all, but just dont expect much out of the old girl...

It is such a crying shame too, the tahiti core is an amazing piece of technology that was WAY underestimated by AMD with their reference design. While most parters would add phases and upgrade components for their non-reference designs, XFX did the opposite and cheaped out on component quality, cut phases, and locked voltages.

I am sorry for being a debby downer, maybe you are lucky and have one of the early cards with unlocked voltages, but I am pretty sure most of those blew up early in the mining craze a few years ago.


----------



## savior99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Eh its not worth flashing unless you have a dual bios in case you make a mistake just my two cents. It would suck to brick your card when it can be avoided. I would just edit your existing bios or use TriXX or afterburner for some performance gains.


How could i just edit my bios please ? Do you have any link to a guide ?


----------



## savior99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> The Double D, IIRC was hardware locked, flashing with a higher voltage would show the change in software, but users reported no extra overclock headroom. I think the earliest models were not locked, but XFX locked them down pretty early with a revision. Honestly, the DDs are pretty low quality cards with a very low phase count. Not that they are not overclockable at all, but just dont expect much out of the old girl...
> 
> It is such a crying shame too, the tahiti core is an amazing piece of technology that was WAY underestimated by AMD with their reference design. While most parters would add phases and upgrade components for their non-reference designs, XFX did the opposite and cheaped out on component quality, cut phases, and locked voltages.
> 
> I am sorry for being a debby downer, maybe you are lucky and have one of the early cards with unlocked voltages, but I am pretty sure most of those blew up early in the mining craze a few years ago.


Maybe i could write to XFX with the serial number of my card to ask clarification ?
I am pretty sure it has a dual bios, but I opened the case and expected the switch to be in the external side, but cannot see it .
I don't think it would make sense to put the switch in a postion so that you have to remove the VGA to press it...


----------



## inedenimadam

VBE to edit your bios

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/

and a guide

http://www.overclock.net/t/1395490/ati-hd-7950-7970-bios-mod-thread

make sure you have dual bios. back up both bios files

flash at your own risk, the first few times I tried to flash my 7970s back in the day I had to recover from semi-bricked states, which is not horribly difficult, but does require allot of rebooting.


----------



## savior99

many thanks dude, I guess i have something to print and study tomorrow.

I will keep you posted, but first i will write to XFX to know if i have double bios and where is the switch. I could not find a detailed manual nor in the box (I kept everything) nor on line.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> many thanks dude, I guess i have something to print and study tomorrow.
> 
> I will keep you posted, but first i will write to XFX to know if i have double bios and where is the switch. I could not find a detailed manual nor in the box (I kept everything) nor on line.


It would likely be right behind the xfire fingers. I just happen to have a 7970 with a bios switch gathering dust on my desk, so I took a pic.


----------



## oskullop

yeah i have 7950 same thing 1.2 but no switch xfx never again .


----------



## savior99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> It would likely be right behind the xfire fingers. I just happen to have a 7970 with a bios switch gathering dust on my desk, so I took a pic.


Cool, thanks!!! I will remove it this weekend to see if it's there, so it's on the side that connects to the motherboard from what i see ?

What a strange and nonsense place to put it, really.

It should be of easier access.

BTW lucky you who have an unused 7970


----------



## savior99

Unfortunately bad news...I wrote them, they replied almost immediately, here is their reply:
Quote:
Dear Ivan
I am sorry that we don't provide manual for all our cards products.
Besides, this model should not have dual bios.
To overclock, you should use the amd offical software (old version: Amd Catalyst Control Center, New version: Radeon Software Crimson Edition)
If both of them can't unlock the voltage, it means your model is not provided such function.
Quote:
Strange they do not know for sure about the bios (i provided them the serial number and registered the product...

I asked for clarification, in the crimson drivers i could find the overclock tab, but the voltage was not there, at least i did not see it, and looked everywhere i think..is it really hidden in Crimson drivers window or is it close to GPU and memory clock wheels ?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> Cool, thanks!!! I will remove it this weekend to see if it's there, so it's on the side that connects to the motherboard from what i see ?
> 
> What a strange and nonsense place to put it, really.
> 
> It should be of easier access.
> 
> BTW lucky you who have an unused 7970


Why do you have to remove it? you can access/see it even if card is installed. easy access except for some with waterblocks on them and a bridge for crossfire.

It is the most logical place for it. BTW, if your card has one, make sure to turn off system first before switching.

Also, i recommend using Trixx or Afterburner for voltage adjustments (if yours has that feature) and/or oc'ing.

I don't even let CCC be part of the startup programs.

EDIT: the switch is really tiny. you may need a magnifying glass.


----------



## savior99

Thanks, yeah, maybe i can reach it without removing it, no waterblock and no crossifre, just maybe some cables bothering...

I am using MSI afterburner indeed, tried trixx but i find MSI it much better since it has also the on screen data (i.e Temps, fan , GPU load etc, while you play)

Just said about crimson because the XFX guy reccomended it but I will stick with MSI i guess.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> Thanks, yeah, maybe i can reach it without removing it, no waterblock and no crossifre, just maybe some cables bothering...
> 
> I am using MSI afterburner indeed, tried trixx but i find MSI it much better since it has also the on screen data (i.e Temps, fan , GPU load etc, while you play)
> 
> Just said about crimson because the XFX guy reccomended it but I will stick with MSI i guess.














Note. Crimson will follow the oc settings of either Trixx or AB. I have to go to CCC or Crimson and reset the gpu back to default. Trixx or AB oc should stay. This is, if you accepted Overdrive. The reset default button or whatever you call it is small and you might miss it.


----------



## savior99

oohhhhhh this pictures clarifies better, from the previous one i thought the switch was on the other side ...sorry, i mistook that side with the one that connects to the motherboard. Will check better this weekend.

I am using AB without problems (except the voltage lock) so i do not think i have to do anything with crimson, right ?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> oohhhhhh this pictures clarifies better, from the previous one i thought the switch was on the other side ...sorry, i mistook that side with the one that connects to the motherboard. Will check better this weekend.
> 
> I am using AB without problems (except the voltage lock) so i do not think i have to do anything with crimson, right ?


Yes, if there are no issues, then no need to check Crimson.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> I am using AB without problems (except the voltage lock) so i do not think i have to do anything with crimson, right ?


Try this modded trixx. Its old as dirt, but it was a very easy way to get past the semi-lock on my ASUS card. I couldn't adjust voltage on my ASUS DC2 from afterburner at all, but this worked. Voltage up to 1.3 is allowed, but not suggested on air.

SapphireTrixx4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


----------



## savior99

ok so, here is the picture, i don't see any switch in the same location you posted, nor in any other visible location actually...i guess i don't have dual bios











In the old Trixx you just sent me, I see the VDDC and i can indeed change it.

But it's on 1.175 and i can only decrease it, not increase it. In GPU-Z, while playing, the max voltage is indeed 1.175 so i guess it's still locked right at the maximum stock value, right ?


----------



## inedenimadam

no dual bios, low locked voltage?

XFX strikes again.


----------



## savior99

Wow, really...never again XFX

They did not even reply me back to my further questions on their support site.

I will not try the bios modding, too risky for me, anyway already raising core gpu clock to 1000 gives me enough more FPS to play smoothly.

Too bad this card is so limited, bad choice

Many thanks for the help anyway! To all of you!!!


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> Wow, really...never again XFX
> 
> They did not even reply me back to my further questions on their support site.
> 
> I will not try the bios modding, too risky for me, anyway already raising voltage to 1000 gives me enough more FPS to play smoothly.
> 
> Too bad this card is so limited, bad choice
> 
> Many thanks for the help anyway! To all of you!!!


XFX cards are what they are...they have their place in the market as a budget alternative. But if the word "overclock" is part of your vocabulary, then "XFX" should be avoided. Back in the hay day of the mining craze, they had the lowest hashrate of any card on the market. Once you find a good overclock, you can set afterburner to apply clocks at startup, and then just game on it. Everyone gets a lemon every now and then.


----------



## savior99

Yes, i got lemon







when i bought it i was not interested in OC, did not think it was worth it. Now i realize that for gaming CPU overclocking is not worth it (ok, kill me now) but VGA is.

i could still backup the bios and try to mod it with your previous guides, couldn't I ?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> Yes, i got lemon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> when i bought it i was not interested in OC, did not think it was worth it. Now i realize that for gaming CPU overclocking is not worth it (ok, kill me now) but VGA is.
> 
> i could still backup the bios and try to mod it with your previous guides, couldn't I ?


Without dual BIOS, if your flash goes wrong, it can be very hard to recover. Yes, it is possible, but I am not sure what you expect to gain from it.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Without being able to bump the voltage, you aren't going to get a high OC. My Sapphire 7950's were voltage locked as well, but I could get a semi decent overclock out of one them using Trixx my modding the power limit to go higher than +20. I was able to force the cards to go higher up to +40, and I could get a hefty 1100/1375 overclock out of them. But they would begin to artifact in certain scenarios.


----------



## savior99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Without dual BIOS, if your flash goes wrong, it can be very hard to recover. Yes, it is possible, but I am not sure what you expect to gain from it.


I would expect to get at least 1100 Mhz on the core clock. Now at 1035 i could play at dragon's dogma with all graphical mods and ENB at 60FPS 99% of the time.
But sometimes it would crash. At 1000 mhz is stable but sometimes they drop to 50 or even below now, end game adds some particle effects in all the world...

So with 1100 mhz at least it would be as smooth as silk.

I don't know, maybe i will wait until i decide to buy a new one. If i cannot sell this for more than 100 euro, i could take the risk and have some fun







but first i need to study a lot from your guides


----------



## savior99

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Without being able to bump the voltage, you aren't going to get a high OC. My Sapphire 7950's were voltage locked as well, but I could get a semi decent overclock out of one them using Trixx my modding the power limit to go higher than +20. I was able to force the cards to go higher up to +40, and I could get a hefty 1100/1375 overclock out of them. But they would begin to artifact in certain scenarios.


With +20 you mean the 'power limiti' in MSI ? the one that refers to TDP ?

I tried to raise that but no improvements. You are right, i should manage to overvolt if i want more juice


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *savior99*
> 
> With +20 you mean the 'power limiti' in MSI ? the one that refers to TDP ?
> 
> I tried to raise that but no improvements. You are right, i should manage to overvolt if i want more juice


Correct. The Power Limit allows the card to request more voltage if it's needed. +20 didn't give me much headroom either. But some mods to allow +40 allowed me to get the overclock I wanted out of the cards.

*edit* And I just sold both my 7950's on eBay. I got $259 for both of them ($59 more then a I expected). I secured my R9 390 that way. The 7950's are going for $125 all day long.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> The Power Limit allows the card to request more voltage *amperage* if it's needed.


FTFY

Power slider wont help unless you are bumping into your TDP and getting throttled.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> FTFY
> 
> Power slider wont help unless you are bumping into your TDP and getting throttled.


Thanks


----------



## Blinky7

Recently I got a reference 7970 again in my hands. Really nice cards those early reference models (beasts in overclocking and hynix memory, they mock all those 280X), only the stock cooler is kind pathetic.

I got a question though. I know those cards came with about 1.175 stock voltage. But in windows all the programs detect it as 1.050v (even overclocking programs like trixx or afterburner show this as the default).
I checked the gpu bios and it indeed shows 1.170 as the voltage, so, what is happenning?

Is AMD overriding the bios voltage with latest catalyst drivers and forcing 1.050 v because they realised those cards were sold seriously underclocked?

Upon searching online I couldn't find anything on the topic...


----------



## savior99

Hi Blinky, i checked mine and in GPU-Z it was showing 0.900 voltage, instead of 1.175.

Launching a game and leaving GPU-Z on (and then ALT-Tabbing out of the game) shows that the voltage raises to the max (1.175) as soon as the 3D applications starts. You can also set the option in Afterburner to show voltage in-game if you want.

I believe when you are on the desktop or with simple 2D apps, the voltage stays at the minimum.

Did you check that ?

In game even during video cut scenes the voltage went down iirc.

Cheers


----------



## HawkEye42

Hey guys! Been a while since I was last here, but I think I come bearing sad news. I believe my 7970 dual X with boost has died (?). Can you guys please confirm? I tried both slots on my motherboard and it wouldn't post. GPU fans spin for a split second then die. I can boot up without a GPU just fine, tried a different GPU with my system (a 9500gt) and it POSTed. I'm wondering is there any shred of chance that the problem lies with my PSU (Cougar SL 600W), could have there been like a deterioration of the output of the PSU that makes the PC not boot up since its not getting enough juice?

Also, prior to this, I had some instances where I was playing 2K16 and the game would crash leaving me with a striped screen and a weird audio sound glitch on loop. I remember encountering this problem before but never to the point that I had a card die on me. I never had my main gaming GPU die on me so it's quite a horrible experience, given that it was almost just turning 3 (y.o.) this April. There was also a couple of instances wherein the screen would just go white and I would have to perform a hard restart. Also, lately, I couldn't even get past like 1 minute in game and it'd crash with the striped screen. I tried running furmark and same thing happened after stressing it enough. Temps were only at a sub 70C at most.

Any help would be much appreciated! Also, if it really is dead, I'm planning to get a reference 290x since there's a fairly cheap one and would it be possible if I used my old 7970 dual x cooler on the 290x? Some arctic coolers worked for both platforms and I was hoping I could save a bit without having to buy a new cooler just to replace the blower one. Also, I don't think my 7970 is a reference PCB since it's the blue one. Thanks!


----------



## Blinky7

I am obviously not talking about the idle voltage...but the 3D one... It seems like drivers force 1.05v 3d voltage instead of the bios 1.175v.
Maybe drivers only alter the reference cards? is your card a reference one? I would assume not, because you would actually never see 1.175 in gpu-z as there is quite a lot of vdroop and voltage ends up flactuating around 1.1 if you have 1.175 applied. (with 1.05 applied it flactuates around 0.980 in 3d mode)


----------



## savior99

apologize, then i do not know , you seem much more "knowledged" than me in this.

I do not have a reference 7970, I posted a picture a few posts before, it is the XFX 7970 Dual Fan edition


----------



## armartins

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Blinky7*
> 
> I am obviously not talking about the idle voltage...but the 3D one... It seems like drivers force 1.05v 3d voltage instead of the bios 1.175v.
> Maybe drivers only alter the reference cards? is your card a reference one? I would assume not, because you would actually never see 1.175 in gpu-z as there is quite a lot of vdroop and voltage ends up flactuating around 1.1 if you have 1.175 applied. (with 1.05 applied it flactuates around 0.980 in 3d mode)


It's normal, you probably have a very high ASIC sample. Those have less voltage leakage and their stock 3D voltage are lower. For instance the 7970 that I use until today is able to run any 3D benchmark or game at the default 925 mhz with as little as 0.975. Those tend to be great overclockers on air. Mine with a EK-FCWB (low 40 ºC under load) is able to OC to 1200 with just 1.21v set on afterburner. I use 1200/1800 as my gaming clocks... but this card is a beast can benchmark over 1300Mhz with higher voltage and 2000Mhz on memory (Hynix 1.65v).


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> I believe my 7970 dual X with boost has died (?). Can you guys please confirm?


Your story seems to be that it started off with random freezes and glitches, got progressively worse over time, then eventually wouldn't even post.

Sounds like it might be a good time to look at a new card. The only thing I can suggest (and this is a long shot) is baking the card to attempt to reflow some of the solder that may not be making solid contact. I have never done it myself, but there are plenty of folks that have brought dead cards back to life with a little time in the oven.


----------



## inedenimadam

Sorry for the double post here.

I just sent my 980s back to EVGA because they were not stable at their OOB overclocked speeds...

So the 7970s are back! One was sitting in an HTPC that still had CCC, the other was sitting on my desk. So the system is up and running with the latest Crimson software, both cards are showing up, but I cannot for the life of me find the switch to enable X-Fire. Does the software auto detect and enable it? Or is there a toggle somewhere that I am completely missing?


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Your story seems to be that it started off with random freezes and glitches, got progressively worse over time, then eventually wouldn't even post.
> 
> Sounds like it might be a good time to look at a new card. The only thing I can suggest (and this is a long shot) is baking the card to attempt to reflow some of the solder that may not be making solid contact. I have never done it myself, but there are plenty of folks that have brought dead cards back to life with a little time in the oven.


Thank you for the reply man! I just actually came across the idea of "baking" right now and would look into it soon. I'm currently looking at a R9 390 (nonX) since the X and 980s cost quite a bit. I do however hope I'd be able to save just by baking it. Will get back on this if it works. Thanks!


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Sorry for the double post here.
> 
> I just sent my 980s back to EVGA because they were not stable at their OOB overclocked speeds...
> 
> So the 7970s are back! One was sitting in an HTPC that still had CCC, the other was sitting on my desk. So the system is up and running with the latest Crimson software, both cards are showing up, but I cannot for the life of me find the switch to enable X-Fire. Does the software auto detect and enable it? Or is there a toggle somewhere that I am completely missing?


Try this, click Displays at the top, then in the right corner click Additional Settings. Then you will see the all familiar CCC.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jodybdesigns*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Sorry for the double post here.
> 
> I just sent my 980s back to EVGA because they were not stable at their OOB overclocked speeds...
> 
> So the 7970s are back! One was sitting in an HTPC that still had CCC, the other was sitting on my desk. So the system is up and running with the latest Crimson software, both cards are showing up, but I cannot for the life of me find the switch to enable X-Fire. Does the software auto detect and enable it? Or is there a toggle somewhere that I am completely missing?
> 
> 
> 
> Try this, click Displays at the top, then in the right corner click Additional Settings. Then you will see the all familiar CCC.
Click to expand...

+ Rep

Thanks dude! that did it.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> + Rep
> 
> Thanks dude! that did it.


Np big bro. I know it's a pain to have 2 sets of controls. But that route is the easiest way to get to classic CCC.


----------



## huzzug

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Sorry for the double post here.
> 
> I just sent my 980s back to EVGA because they were not stable at their OOB overclocked speeds...
> 
> So the 7970s are back! One was sitting in an HTPC that still had CCC, the other was sitting on my desk. So the system is up and running with the latest Crimson software, both cards are showing up, but I cannot for the life of me find the switch to enable X-Fire. Does the software auto detect and enable it? Or is there a toggle somewhere that I am completely missing?


Go to Crimson settings -> _(lower side option "Preferences")_-> Select "Radeon Additional Settings"-> opens CCC style box and on your left hand pane, lower down you have Gaming -> Select "Enable / Disable" as you see fit.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *huzzug*
> 
> Go to Crimson settings -> _(lower side option "Preferences")_-> Select "Radeon Additional Settings"-> opens CCC style box and on your left hand pane, lower down you have Gaming -> Select "Enable / Disable" as you see fit.


That's a +rep.


----------



## vanSCHYNEYDER

There someone here facing issues with memory clock not going down when in idle, when with Crimson 16.2 or 16.2.1 (the last driver) ?

HD7970 GHz Edition Sapphire here


----------



## huzzug

I had that whereby my 7950's would idle at 1350mhz on memory. I reinstalled the drivers by uninstalling the previous ones, booting to safe mode and removing any leftovers files by using DDU, booting to regular win7 desktop and installing them anew.


----------



## hypespazm

hello recently purchased 2 XFX 7970's and I was wondering why when i play GTA i get 50% GPU usage across both GPU's while flying but get 100% while driving in the city? also im new to AMD and was wondering if flashing the 7970's to the 280X had any real benefits? btw my CPU is a 3930K reason i state this is because some places said that i was getting a bottleneck but i highly highly doubt that...

any help is greatly appreciated


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> hello recently purchased 2 XFX 7970's and I was wondering why when i play GTA i get 50% GPU usage across both GPU's while flying but get 100% while driving in the city? also im new to AMD and was wondering if flashing the 7970's to the 280X had any real benefits? btw my CPU is a 3930K reason i state this is because some places said that i was getting a bottleneck but i highly highly doubt that...
> 
> any help is greatly appreciated


Don't bother, any gains reported have all been within margin of error. They are treated the exact same at the driver level. Some of the 280X cards may have more refined memory tables, and that is only if the vendor chose to update them. Mostly they just slapped new labels on them before shipping. There is still valid reason to flash your cards, but might as well just edit the ones from the cards you have, since you know you have a solid base to work with.

As for low GPU usage when flying. Yes, it does sound like a CPU bottleneck when you are getting low GPU usage in flight. Check your VRAM, RAM, and CPU usage during those scenes that it dips so bad.

In other news....2x 7970s appear ready for VR


----------



## hypespazm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Don't bother, any gains reported have all been within margin of error. They are treated the exact same at the driver level. Some of the 280X cards may have more refined memory tables, and that is only if the vendor chose to update them. Mostly they just slapped new labels on them before shipping. There is still valid reason to flash your cards, but might as well just edit the ones from the cards you have, since you know you have a solid base to work with.
> 
> As for low GPU usage when flying. Yes, it does sound like a CPU bottleneck when you are getting low GPU usage in flight. Check your VRAM, RAM, and CPU usage during those scenes that it dips so bad.
> 
> In other news....2x 7970s appear ready for VR


My CPU stays at 50-60% during the flight, is there any other way to check for anything else that could be causing the GPU's to dip below 60% i also have a 4.6GHZ overclock... im just curious to see if the 7970x2 crossfire is worth it over my single GTX 780


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hypespazm*
> 
> My CPU stays at 50-60% during the flight, is there any other way to check for anything else that could be causing the GPU's to dip below 60% i also have a 4.6GHZ overclock... im just curious to see if the 7970x2 crossfire is worth it over my single GTX 780


Are you using vsync?

Flight FPS in GTA V is much higher than driving around, so if you have vsync on, and the FPS is capped at 60 during a time you'd normally get 120+, then it will not load the GPU's....


----------



## hypespazm

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Agent Smith1984*
> 
> Are you using vsync?
> 
> Flight FPS in GTA V is much higher than driving around, so if you have vsync on, and the FPS is capped at 60 during a time you'd normally get 120+, then it will not load the GPU's....


nah i didnt have vsync at one point i was getting 70 fps almost locked and then something happened and just went back down to 30fps while in flight


----------



## Golyat

MOBO: Asus P6T
CPU: i7 920
RAM: 3 x 2 GB Corsair Dominator
PSU: 750 Watt Corsair bronze+
SSD: PNY 240GB
OS: Win 10 Pro 64bit

A friend of mine gave me his old Gigabyte HD7990 but nothing recognizes this GPU. So i did set up a DOS bootstick with atiflash. I have no onboard GPU so i had to use my old HD6850 to get an image out of my machine. I got the HD 7990 in the first PCI slot and the HD 6850 in the second slot. To verify that both are working i tried to backup the Rom of both CPU's and i got something like this:

atiflash -s 0 altbios.rom
0x2000000 bytes ..................
atiflash -s 1 alt2bios.rom
adapter not found
atiflash -s 2 alt3bios.rom
adapter not found

So as you can see it seems like the HD6850 got moved to 0 while the HD7990 got droped and is not appearing anywhere so i didnt do any flashing cuz i was afarid to harm my old GPU. Did I assume that correctly?

Now my second question is how can I physically bypass the Bios. I am good with hardware ( just had the card fully disassambled to search for harms) and it cant get worse anyway.

Would be really nice to get some help here, i am really becomming desperate^^


----------



## Golyat

Just found this video 



Now i just need to figure which PIN's on which Chip i got to connect if someone can give me a hint on that i would appreciate it.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Your story seems to be that it started off with random freezes and glitches, got progressively worse over time, then eventually wouldn't even post.
> 
> Sounds like it might be a good time to look at a new card. The only thing I can suggest (and this is a long shot) is baking the card to attempt to reflow some of the solder that may not be making solid contact. I have never done it myself, but there are plenty of folks that have brought dead cards back to life with a little time in the oven.


Well, I hope that I don't speak too soon, but I finally got around to the oven method. Chucked it in the convection oven for about almost 12 mins, left the vrm heatsinks on and the IO shield and viola, it posted. Restarted and posted again. Temps are running too high at idle 56C in a 20C room (300/150 clock for core and memory respectively at idle). I wasn't able to replace the thermal paste and thus the high temps. Also didn't clean the old gunk out. Will stress test maybe after I replace the paste. But I could also try now, but I think my temps will reach throttling 95C. Thanks for the help bro!


----------



## Blinky7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *armartins*
> 
> It's normal, you probably have a very high ASIC sample. Those have less voltage leakage and their stock 3D voltage are lower. For instance the 7970 that I use until today is able to run any 3D benchmark or game at the default 925 mhz with as little as 0.975. Those tend to be great overclockers on air. Mine with a EK-FCWB (low 40 ºC under load) is able to OC to 1200 with just 1.21v set on afterburner. I use 1200/1800 as my gaming clocks... but this card is a beast can benchmark over 1300Mhz with higher voltage and 2000Mhz on memory (Hynix 1.65v).


You are correct my friend. I didnt have the knowledge that there is a whole voltage table hidden behind the 3D voltage shown in bios and forced voltage is different depending on ASIC.
My card is indeed a 85% asic card and that's why it uses 1.05v on load, nothing to do with drivers. The card is a beast of an OCer, reaches 1200mhz with 1.175v and 1250 with 1.22v , but unfortunately I think I burned some 1/2 of the VRMs trying to cool them better (with aftermarket aircooling). Now the rest of them (the alive ones) reach higher temperatures (more load I guess) and I cant even run the card at 1.175v 1200mhz without them going over 110c







So I am force to play with 1.125v 1150mhz which is "OK" with 95c on VRMs

Well, I guess at least the card is not dead and its usable, and the high ASIC allows me to keep a decent clock speed being forced to use lower voltage.


----------



## HawkEye42

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Well, I hope that I don't speak too soon, but I finally got around to the oven method. Chucked it in the convection oven for about almost 12 mins, left the vrm heatsinks on and the IO shield and viola, it posted. Restarted and posted again. Temps are running too high at idle 56C in a 20C room (300/150 clock for core and memory respectively at idle). I wasn't able to replace the thermal paste and thus the high temps. Also didn't clean the old gunk out. Will stress test maybe after I replace the paste. But I could also try now, but I think my temps will reach throttling 95C. Thanks for the help bro!


EDIT: I think I spoke too soon. Used the PC for a while and then I totally forgot my 2D and 3D profiles were still active. The 3D profile kicked in and my temps shoot up to 81 without load then shut down. I tried rebooting but after it POSTED and showed either the BIOS or the windows logon, it went no display. I also noticed that when I turn it on, the fans work for a split second then turn off like before. However, this time, it POSTS then the fans turn on and run at maybe full RPM speed. While it's at no display, fans are working, before the fans didn't even work. Any suggestions? Thanks guys hope I finally get it to work


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *HawkEye42*
> 
> Well, I hope that I don't speak too soon, but I finally got around to the oven method. Chucked it in the convection oven for about almost 12 mins, left the vrm heatsinks on and the IO shield and viola, it posted. Restarted and posted again. Temps are running too high at idle 56C in a 20C room (300/150 clock for core and memory respectively at idle). I wasn't able to replace the thermal paste and thus the high temps. Also didn't clean the old gunk out. Will stress test maybe after I replace the paste. But I could also try now, but I think my temps will reach throttling 95C. Thanks for the help bro!
> 
> 
> 
> EDIT: I think I spoke too soon. Used the PC for a while and then I totally forgot my 2D and 3D profiles were still active. The 3D profile kicked in and my temps shoot up to 81 without load then shut down. I tried rebooting but after it POSTED and showed either the BIOS or the windows logon, it went no display. I also noticed that when I turn it on, the fans work for a split second then turn off like before. However, this time, it POSTS then the fans turn on and run at maybe full RPM speed. While it's at no display, fans are working, before the fans didn't even work. Any suggestions? Thanks guys hope I finally get it to work
Click to expand...

I would try new thermal paste, if that doesn't work


----------



## HawkEye42

damn, i guess i should buy some paste and flowers too lol, will get back with my findings


----------



## stoker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Don't bother, any gains reported have all been within margin of error. They are treated the exact same at the driver level. Some of the 280X cards may have more refined memory tables, and that is only if the vendor chose to update them. Mostly they just slapped new labels on them before shipping. There is still valid reason to flash your cards, but might as well just edit the ones from the cards you have, since you know you have a solid base to work with.


Been tweaking my mem and oc, amazing how well these cards have aged.

1200core - 1700mem

Heaven Extreme score 1099


Heaven Extreme Tess Off score 1587


Firestrike 9431
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11274356

Firestrike Tess Off 10332
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11274586


----------



## rdr09

Don't forget . . .

http://www.overclock.net/t/1586140/3d-fanboy-competition-2016-nvidia-vs-amd

Bump. Anymore?

Link to the downloads

https://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/Benchmarking/Futuremark/

Need this too. Pick Setup

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

Use this background



No need for tessellation. Turn it off in Crimson by setting Tessellation Mode to Overide application settings



And set the level all the way down to off. No need for high oc. Just your daily clocks. 31st Mar, Eastern US time is the deadline. Go!


----------



## stoker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Don't forget . . .
> 
> http://www.overclock.net/t/1586140/3d-fanboy-competition-2016-nvidia-vs-amd


OK submitted


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stoker*
> 
> OK submitted


Nice runs. I used to have a 7950 that can do this . . .

http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4536111

Old Vantage version but that was tess on. The bench relies on the cpu cores much.

Tahitis scale better in Firestrike than Hawaii.


----------



## stoker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> Nice runs. I used to have a 7950 that can do this . . .
> 
> http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/4536111
> 
> Old Vantage version but that was tess on. The bench relies on the cpu cores much.
> 
> Tahitis scale better in Firestrike than Hawaii.


Thankyou, very happy with the performance.

Did your card die? was hoping to keep mine abit longer


----------



## snperry85

I built this system at the end of 2012 and it worked stunningly with only one 7970. I later added a second 7970 and I have had nothing but issues with crossfire and cannot figure out the culprit for the life of me. I have done fresh installs of windows and all drivers multiple times. The latest reinstall being the middle of February, my ethernet port quit working completely shortly after a windows 10 upgrade. So I wiped my SSD and did a fresh install. Updated every driver manually, then let windows update run and so on. However regardless of what I try, the display driver randomly crashes and recovers. It happens really quick if I try to play a game, but can also happen with me just sitting here browsing the web. If I run the render program in fullscreen with GPU-Z, I get no crashes though. Using GPU-Z to monitor temperatures, the primary card has never gotten above 75* and it usually crashes well before it reaches these temps while playing games.

Here's my CPU-Z validation link.
http://valid.x86.fr/qpfqfu

Here's my GPU-Z validation link for each card.
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=kc6sk
http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=26ee8

I'm not the most tech savvy so I'm not sure what other information would be helpful in assisting to troubleshoot my problem. Any ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

PS. Running the system in Eyefinity with 3 ASUS VG248 monitors vs a single monitor does not seem to have any affect on the crashes that I can tell.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snperry85*
> 
> Here's my CPU-Z validation link.
> http://valid.x86.fr/qpfqfu
> 
> Here's my GPU-Z validation link for each card.
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=kc6sk
> http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/details.php?id=26ee8
> 
> I'm not the most tech savvy so I'm not sure what other information would be helpful in assisting to troubleshoot my problem. Any ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> PS. Running the system in Eyefinity with 3 ASUS VG248 monitors vs a single monitor does not seem to have any affect on the crashes that I can tell.


Have you validated the stability of the second card on its own without the first card?


----------



## snperry85

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Have you validated the stability of the second card on its own without the first card?


I definitely think I have previously, but just to make sure, I will try each of them separately when I get home from work tomorrow and report back. I will feel mighty dumb if it's simply a faulty card and I've waited until out of warranty to realize it.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snperry85*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> Have you validated the stability of the second card on its own without the first card?
> 
> 
> 
> I definitely think I have previously, but just to make sure, I will try each of them separately when I get home from work tomorrow and report back. I will feel mighty dumb if it's simply a faulty card and I've waited until out of warranty to realize it.
Click to expand...

Also, have you tried a different bridge? High hertz monitors for some reason will on occasion be picky about bridges.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *stoker*
> 
> Thankyou, very happy with the performance.
> Did your card die? was hoping to keep mine abit longer


No, I sold it. This my fourth tahiti and sold the rest during the height of mining. I keep my gpus at stock and oc only during benching. Thanks for helping out.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snperry85*
> 
> I definitely think I have previously, but just to make sure, I will try each of them separately when I get home from work tomorrow and report back. I will feel mighty dumb if it's simply a faulty card and I've waited until out of warranty to realize it.


To add to what ined suggested . . . install driver when in single gpu config. I go as far as unplugging the power to the secondary gpu, that is, if both are installed already. No need to pull out any gpu. just do not forget to plug monitor to the gpu being tested. also, disable eyeinfinity and use one monitor during driver install and testing.

once the driver is installed properly, shutdown and plug power to secondary, then boot. Normally, Crimson will recognize multi-gpu and set crossfire. if not, set it manually.

With 16.3, i had to reboot my system a second time to enable crossfire. for some reason it did stick the first time.


----------



## snperry85

Ok, so I have taken each card and tested them individually with 3D Mark Firestrike. Tried each card in slot 1 and then in slot 2. Here are the results. Now I'm going to put them in crossfire and give it enough.
If this isn't enough to validate both cards are in good working order, what else should I do to test them?

R9 200/HD 7900 - single gpu with crimson 16.1 in slot 1
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11381555 Max temp 66*C

HD 7900 - single gpu with crimson 16.1 in slot 1
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11381738 Max temp 64*C

R9 200/HD 7900 - single gpu with crimson 16.1 in slot 2
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11381890

HD 7900 - single gpu with crimson 16.1 in slot 2
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11382000


----------



## stoker

Looks like your cards aren't identical or using different bios'

You could try running the faster one at slower clock 950mhz and match the ram speed 1500mhz.


----------



## snperry85

Crossfire - Bridge on slots closest to back of tower. Max temp 74*C. Getting horrible screen tearing
Primary - R9 200/HD 7970
Secondary - HD 7970

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11382123

Crossfire - Bridge on slots farthest from the back of tower. Max temp 73*C. No screen tearing
Primary - R9 200/HD 7970
Secondary - HD 7970

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/11382540

I haven't had any crashes with this last configuration yet. Played Shadow of Mordor for about 30 minutes without any issues what so ever where as before it would crash at most 5 minutes into the game.

I assume the screen tearing was caused by the crossfire bridge. Perhaps not fully seated or damaged ports. I also had the card with the 1050 clock speed as primary and the 1070 as secondary previously.

So, if the crashes present themselves my next step will be to use trixx or something to set the cards to the same speed as Stoker suggested.


----------



## jodybdesigns

GO TEAM RED!

Leading by 209,327


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *snperry85*
> 
> So, if the crashes present themselves my next step will be to use trixx or something to set the cards to the same speed as Stoker suggested.


It sounds like the bridge was not making good connection. Your cards should run fine at different clocks. NVidia has historically been the one to restrict multi card set up to specific cards and matching clocks, where AMD would let you run a 7950 with a 7970, and have clocks at whatever you wanted.


----------



## rdr09

nvm. The 3D Fanboy Competition turned into . . .

peace out.


----------



## mus1mus

Congrats EVERYONE..

Solid TEAM WORK!


----------



## Mega Man

Great, now about that monies you promised?


----------



## slumberlust

7950 has served me well over the last 4 years. Looking to upgrade to an R9 390 soon.


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Mega Man*
> 
> Great, now about that monies you promised?


I didn't win!









Wait, monies? And Promise? I don't have and do them.








Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slumberlust*
> 
> 7950 has served me well over the last 4 years. Looking to upgrade to an R9 390 soon.


Just don't get an Asus or a Giga.









MSI has an FC block from EK.


----------



## jodybdesigns

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *slumberlust*
> 
> 7950 has served me well over the last 4 years. Looking to upgrade to an R9 390 soon.


Powercolor PCS+ has a full cover EK block too. It's just impossible to find a back plate. EK doesn't supply them anymore and everybody is sold out of them.


----------



## hucklebuck

I cant find thread on overclocking the 7950, can someone help me?


----------



## Agent Smith1984

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> I cant find thread on overclocking the 7950, can someone help me?


Overclocking the 7950 is about as straight forward and simple as it gets with GPU's....

Which brand/model card is it?

I have had quite a few and can give you an idea of where to start and where you will end.


----------



## hucklebuck

MSI, reference card, full coverage waterblock.


----------



## Blinky7

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *hucklebuck*
> 
> MSI, reference card, full coverage waterblock.


step1 : save your bios with gpu-z (make a couple of copies here and there jsut ot be safe)
step2 : download VBE7 and mod your bios to change power limit to 250w (so you dont even have to use the slider in OC utilities) and if the stock card max core/memory clocks are less than 1300/2000 just change them to those

step3 : flash the new bios with ati winflash and restart
step4 : run afterburner and check your stock voltage (note it) then find your max clocks for this voltage with trial and error lile every other card.
step5 : if you want and if cooling allows try a higher voltage to find your new maximum
step6 : when you settle on what clocks/voltage you want to use daily, you can use VBE7 and se those to be the stock ones so you never have to run an extra program like afterburner in the background

Thats the beauty of those ATI cards, you can do almost everything with bios mod and very easily, you can even set a new fan curve if needed. I like to OC in the same way as cpu-oc , and after extensive testing when I create a new bios with final values, the PC behaves as if this is stock even after a windows re-install, and nothe extra runs in the background (same story with mice that have onboard ram, never want to run extra mouse software int he background)


----------



## gropula

Hi, I've got this weird XFX R9 280, a 7950 equivalent. First of all, it has a locked voltage, can't change it with any program like afterburner etc. Stuck at 1.25v, a bit high compared to other versions of this chip. The best I can get is 1040 on core and 1540 on memory. That's from stock 933/1250. Pretty low for 1.25v, considering I've seen others do 1150+ on less than 1.2v. I've been trying to change the voltage with VBE7. When i set it higher than 1.25v, windows doesn't boot, have to go in with safe mode and reflash a new bios. When i set it lower than 1.25 the card doesn't want to go in to the performance state, it just sits at 500/1250. Checked ASIC quality, it's pretty high - 85%, if that means anything. Is there anything I can do to get higher clocks? Or is this card just a bad overclocker?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *gropula*
> 
> Hi, I've got this weird XFX R9 280, a 7950 equivalent. First of all, it has a locked voltage, can't change it with any program like afterburner etc. Stuck at 1.25v, a bit high compared to other versions of this chip. The best I can get is 1040 on core and 1540 on memory. That's from stock 933/1250. Pretty low for 1.25v, considering I've seen others do 1150+ on less than 1.2v. I've been trying to change the voltage with VBE7. When i set it higher than 1.25v, windows doesn't boot, have to go in with safe mode and reflash a new bios. When i set it lower than 1.25 the card doesn't want to go in to the performance state, it just sits at 500/1250. Checked ASIC quality, it's pretty high - 85%, if that means anything. Is there anything I can do to get higher clocks? Or is this card just a bad overclocker?


 SapphireTrixx4.4.0b-MOD.zip 3450k .zip file


Modded Trixx, it might give you voltage control, it might not. ASUS did a number where the voltage was only adjustable to 1.25 on my DC2, but Trixx let me go 1.3.

XFX is kind of the bottom of the barrel brand, often opting for cheaper SMDs, thinner PCBs, and lower phase counts than reference, where others like ASUS or Sapphire go the other direction. Dont expect the card to get the best clocks. On the upside, it got over 1500 on the memory, so it is not a complete dog.


----------



## gropula

Tried it real quick, doesn't do anything for me. I can decrease the voltage slider, but it doesn't actually change the voltage, it just stays at 1.25v. Thanks anyway. I guess i will have to live with this 1040/1540. The memory clock shouldn't be surprising, as I've read it uses Hynix chips that are rated at 6000 MHz, so with 1540, I'm actually just slightly over the rated speed with 6160. I'm jealous of those people that can run 1200/1600+...


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Anyone know if its possible to flash Reference HD 7970 with some kind of BIOS other then GHz that allows more then 1125MHz OC on the Core?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> Anyone know if its possible to flash Reference HD 7970 with some kind of BIOS other then GHz that allows more then 1125MHz OC on the Core?


What exactly is limiting you on that card? is it voltage limited? Just curious since I reach 1210mhz on my 7950 without a problem.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> What exactly is limiting you on that card? is it voltage limited? Just curious since I reach 1210mhz on my 7950 without a problem.


MSI AB. Is limited to 1125MHz. There was a way do to it with software but I do not want to deal with unofficial overclocking.


----------



## Bartouille

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> MSI AB. Is limited to 1125MHz. There was a way do to it with software but I do not want to deal with unofficial overclocking.


Use VBE7


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Bartouille*
> 
> Use VBE7


I tried and would BSOD.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ZealotKi11er*
> 
> MSI AB. Is limited to 1125MHz. There was a way do to it with software but I do not want to deal with unofficial overclocking.


I see, have you tried Sapphire Trixx? it works wonders on my card, in fact I prefer it to MSI afterburner.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> I see, have you tried Sapphire Trixx? it works wonders on my card, in fact I prefer it to MSI afterburner.


I will give it a try and see. I just like MSI AB because OSD.


----------



## djleakyg

Hey just figured I would introduce myself. I just picked up an MSI 7950 3GB with the twin Frozr cooler last night for 80 bucks. I have since removed the cooler and put on the Krakken G20 from my old 580 setup. Running this card with an X58 setup. This is just my side PC for LAN parties and such. I don't want to OC too much but in assuming you can squeeze a few extra frames out. Have these cards been pretty reliable for the most part?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djleakyg*
> 
> Hey just figured I would introduce myself. I just picked up an MSI 7950 3GB with the twin Frozr cooler last night for 80 bucks. I have since removed the cooler and put on the Krakken G20 from my old 580 setup. Running this card with an X58 setup. This is just my side PC for LAN parties and such. I don't want to OC too much but in assuming you can squeeze a few extra frames out. Have these cards been pretty reliable for the most part?


Is it the 6+6pin (V276 HD7950 PCB) or 8+6pin (V277 HD7970 PCB) version?

I had two of the latter but one died when I pulled it from my system for no explainable reason.
It's a pretty solid card though, and generally faster than other 7950's at the same freq due to better factory ram timings. Overclocking wise they did 1150MHz @ 1.3V, 1100MHz @ 1.2V & 960MHz @ 1.062V.

The still functioning one is currently in my secondary system and it's running good still, 960MHz @ 1.062V w/ Gelid Icy Vision-A @ 5V, dead silent and temps peak @ 46C while folding.


----------



## djleakyg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Is it the 6+6pin (V276 HD7950 PCB) or 8+6pin (V277 HD7970 PCB) version?
> 
> I had two of the latter but one died when I pulled it from my system for no explainable reason.
> It's a pretty solid card though, and generally faster than other 7950's at the same freq due to better factory ram timings. Overclocking wise they did 1150MHz @ 1.3V, 1100MHz @ 1.2V & 960MHz @ 1.062V.
> 
> The still functioning one is currently in my secondary system and it's running good still, 960MHz @ 1.062V w/ Gelid Icy Vision-A @ 5V, dead silent and temps peak @ 46C while folding.


It is the 6+6 version. I ended up taking the Krakken off. It wasn't doing nearly as good as I thought it was so I put the stock cooler back on. Much better temps. It's really happy now, idling around 30 or so. MSI afterburner is the obvious choice here for GPU tweaking. I might try to get up to 950 MHz on core. What is a safe memory OC for these? I am used to OC'ing my 970 with loves higher memory clocks. I had that card up about 450 MHz over stock.


----------



## huzzug

Just a caution to those running MSI TFIII or any TF cards. The cards fans have a short life span and would degrease with a short time span.


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djleakyg*
> 
> It is the 6+6 version. I ended up taking the Krakken off. It wasn't doing nearly as good as I thought it was so I put the stock cooler back on. Much better temps. It's really happy now, idling around 30 or so. MSI afterburner is the obvious choice here for GPU tweaking. I might try to get up to 950 MHz on core. What is a safe memory OC for these? I am used to OC'ing my 970 with loves higher memory clocks. I had that card up about 450 MHz over stock.


Were you using a shim for the gpu core? On tahiti the die is slightly recessed below the metal guard so a cooler with a flat base wont make good contact.

As for the mem, 1450-1500MHz should be doable although you may have to increase the vmem to 1.6v stock (msi undervolts it to 1.55v). It doesn't make much of a tangible difference though since the gpu has more than enough mem bandwidth avalible to it at the stock mem freq.


----------



## FlawleZ

Has anyone tried Doom on their 7950?


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *djleakyg*
> 
> It is the 6+6 version. I ended up taking the Krakken off. It wasn't doing nearly as good as I thought it was so I put the stock cooler back on. Much better temps. It's really happy now, idling around 30 or so. MSI afterburner is the obvious choice here for GPU tweaking. I might try to get up to 950 MHz on core. What is a safe memory OC for these? I am used to OC'ing my 970 with loves higher memory clocks. I had that card up about 450 MHz over stock.


HD 7970 here and can go 1200 with 1.2v. Stock is 1.025v. Memory can OC to 1750-1800. Depends in the card. Try 1500 first.


----------



## NaXter24R

Hi all! I need to fix an XFX 7970 and in order to do that, i absolutely need a bios, so anyone who has a XFX 7970 DD (model is FX-797A-TDFC possibly FX-797A-TDF v5.0, it's crucial to have that v5.0) could please dump the bios and send it to me? I'm unable to find that one on techpowerup and the only one i've found online was not working with my card.


----------



## armartins

Just a testament to the longevity and power of those cards. That's a reference card. It was darn cold today when I arrived home so I tought why not? This was not something I've worked for, it's my aging 2600K at a decent 4.7Ghz OC (the Mpower doesn't have propper offset mode so it's running on auto voltage with just LLC set to 100%, on manual for bench purpose I could have pushed 5Ghz easily. All I wanted was to finally break the 10k overal score, graphics was 11646). As I said nothing special just cranked the voltage, 1340Mhz on core and for the memory just for some extra stability 2Ghz with 1.66v (those hynix are rated at 1.65v and run happily gamming stable at 1800Mhz with 1.6v). What really surprised me since I had no time to tweak it was the fact that it had runned with not a single artifact at 1330Mhz but it didn't manage to break 10k (was like 9992), so I've just pushed 1340 and run it again, this time there were some artifacts and mild corruption at instances but it have run with no problems, could have pushed further a little bit probably, but did not had the time and patience to do so. That's on water.











P.S. I edited out some folders that were showing some work stuff at my desktop.

Link: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/8774670


----------



## NaXter24R

Hi, i'm having some trouble with a zombie 7970 and i would like to bring it back to life.
Here is the thread: [rul]http://www.overclock.net/t/1602714/help-me-fix-my-7970-update-the-soldering-is-real[/url]

If someone is into soldering/modding/IC and so on, please give me a shout, i might need some help, especially if i'm goint to solder some new VRAM chips.

Long live Tahiti!


----------



## staccker

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!



Quote:


> Originally Posted by *armartins*
> 
> Just a testament to the longevity and power of those cards. That's a reference card. It was darn cold today when I arrived home so I tought why not? This was not something I've worked for, it's my aging 2600K at a decent 4.7Ghz OC (the Mpower doesn't have propper offset mode so it's running on auto voltage with just LLC set to 100%, on manual for bench purpose I could have pushed 5Ghz easily. All I wanted was to finally break the 10k overal score, graphics was 11646). As I said nothing special just cranked the voltage, 1340Mhz on core and for the memory just for some extra stability 2Ghz with 1.66v (those hynix are rated at 1.65v and run happily gamming stable at 1800Mhz with 1.6v). What really surprised me since I had no time to tweak it was the fact that it had runned with not a single artifact at 1330Mhz but it didn't manage to break 10k (was like 9992), so I've just pushed 1340 and run it again, this time there were some artifacts and mild corruption at instances but it have run with no problems, could have pushed further a little bit probably, but did not had the time and patience to do so. That's on water.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> P.S. I edited out some folders that were showing some work stuff at my desktop.
> 
> Link: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/8774670






impressive!

what software did you use to overclock?


----------



## armartins

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *staccker*
> 
> 
> impressive!
> 
> what software did you use to overclock?


I use that modded version of Trixx that allows for 1.38v (real 1.3v under load), but I still need afterburner for memory over voltage. This card is really great. My "2D" profile is 100% "3D" bench/game stable at stock clock (925Mhz) with the multi-monitor idle voltage 0.95v (~0.93v under load), my other gaming profiles are 1200Mhz at 1.21v (~1.15v under load) and 1.3v (~1.22v under load) for my standard 1270Mhz core overclock. It's absurd that the bios pumps 1.175v in a card that is stable with 0.95v but this one sure is a silicon lottery winner... I wonder how far it would be able to go without the 191A limit in VDDC Current considering this is a reference card. ASIC Quality is 72.4%, and this one has beaten 3 other reference 7970s I had and also 3 lightning 7970s that a friend had and I was able to test in my rig one by one. When the winter hits here next month I'll do a proper run, looking for 1350+ Mhz on core and I'll squeeze a couple hundred mhz more out of my ageing 2600k just for fun ...


----------



## wildpygmy

I have an old 7950 that I screwed up a while back by messing around with the BIOS and mistakenly not backing up properly. Have been using a new card for a while and had this one sitting in a closet, because despite quite a bit of effort expended, I could never find the proper BIOS. Currently, I'd like to use the card in another spare computer, but still cannot get it working properly

The card is the Sapphire Dual-X Radeon 7950, stickers on the back of the physical board read SKU# 11196-19 and P/N 299-3E249-000SA. It is the card that has a button to switch to a "Boost" bios that glows blue when pushed. I believe this is a non-reference PCB design. For reference, the retail box looks like this

I've tried every 925mhz BIOS listed for sapphire Dual-X on techpowerup to no avail. Either they fail to boot, boot up to windows and seem to work but in gpu-z or any overclocking app they report a 0mhz core clock and memory clock and perform abysmally in furmark, or they seem to work generally, but cause any PC the card is in to not shutdown or restart properly (basically windows logs out but the computer stays on or does not restart)

I think, but am not 100% sure, that the BIOS versions I'm looking for are 113-3e24900x-s48 and 113-3e24900-s48.

TL;DR if anyone has the stock BIOSes for the Sapphire Radeon 7950 Dual-X 11196-19, 850ghz base/925mhz boost, both for when the bios button is activated and not, that they could upload somewhere for me, it would be much appreciated. Failing that, I'd be willing to try any modified, not too power hungry/heat intensive BIOSes that work on this model.

Thanks!

[X-Posted from BIOS mod thread]


----------



## djleakyg

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *DR4G00N*
> 
> Were you using a shim for the gpu core? On tahiti the die is slightly recessed below the metal guard so a cooler with a flat base wont make good contact.
> 
> As for the mem, 1450-1500MHz should be doable although you may have to increase the vmem to 1.6v stock (msi undervolts it to 1.55v). It doesn't make much of a tangible difference though since the gpu has more than enough mem bandwidth avalible to it at the stock mem freq.


I removed the Kraken and put the stock cooler back on. Temps were far better. I guess I will just have to keep the Krakken for something else hahaha. Temps are super stable, in the 30's range. I put good thermal paste on and made sure all the screws are seated correctly. Should be good for a year or so. This rig doesn't get used all that much anyway. Thanks for the tips though. I got my Catzilla score up to 15705 with 1075 MHz core clock and 1500 MHz on memory I think. i7 960 clocked at 3.53 helped a bit too.


----------



## FlawleZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wildpygmy*
> 
> I have an old 7950 that I screwed up a while back by messing around with the BIOS and mistakenly not backing up properly. Have been using a new card for a while and had this one sitting in a closet, because despite quite a bit of effort expended, I could never find the proper BIOS. Currently, I'd like to use the card in another spare computer, but still cannot get it working properly
> 
> The card is the Sapphire Dual-X Radeon 7950, stickers on the back of the physical board read SKU# 11196-19 and P/N 299-3E249-000SA. It is the card that has a button to switch to a "Boost" bios that glows blue when pushed. I believe this is a non-reference PCB design. For reference, the retail box looks like this
> 
> I've tried every 925mhz BIOS listed for sapphire Dual-X on techpowerup to no avail. Either they fail to boot, boot up to windows and seem to work but in gpu-z or any overclocking app they report a 0mhz core clock and memory clock and perform abysmally in furmark, or they seem to work generally, but cause any PC the card is in to not shutdown or restart properly (basically windows logs out but the computer stays on or does not restart)
> 
> I think, but am not 100% sure, that the BIOS versions I'm looking for are 113-3e24900x-s48 and 113-3e24900-s48.
> 
> TL;DR if anyone has the stock BIOSes for the Sapphire Radeon 7950 Dual-X 11196-19, 850ghz base/925mhz boost, both for when the bios button is activated and not, that they could upload somewhere for me, it would be much appreciated. Failing that, I'd be willing to try any modified, not too power hungry/heat intensive BIOSes that work on this model.
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> [X-Posted from BIOS mod thread]


I have a Sapphire HD7950 Dual I'll check part number this evening. Can send you the bios either way.


----------



## FlawleZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *armartins*
> 
> Just a testament to the longevity and power of those cards. That's a reference card. It was darn cold today when I arrived home so I tought why not? This was not something I've worked for, it's my aging 2600K at a decent 4.7Ghz OC (the Mpower doesn't have propper offset mode so it's running on auto voltage with just LLC set to 100%, on manual for bench purpose I could have pushed 5Ghz easily. All I wanted was to finally break the 10k overal score, graphics was 11646). As I said nothing special just cranked the voltage, 1340Mhz on core and for the memory just for some extra stability 2Ghz with 1.66v (those hynix are rated at 1.65v and run happily gamming stable at 1800Mhz with 1.6v). What really surprised me since I had no time to tweak it was the fact that it had runned with not a single artifact at 1330Mhz but it didn't manage to break 10k (was like 9992), so I've just pushed 1340 and run it again, this time there were some artifacts and mild corruption at instances but it have run with no problems, could have pushed further a little bit probably, but did not had the time and patience to do so. That's on water.
> 
> P.S. I edited out some folders that were showing some work stuff at my desktop.
> 
> Link: http://www.3dmark.com/fs/8774670


That's a sick score. I was hoping to reach 9K on my 7950 but hitting a ceiling where I need more voltage.


----------



## wildpygmy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> I have a Sapphire HD7950 Dual I'll check part number this evening. Can send you the bios either way.


Thanks, much appreciated. Definitely would like to try the BIOS one way or another


----------



## FlawleZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wildpygmy*
> 
> Thanks, much appreciated. Definitely would like to try the BIOS one way or another


Here's my 7950


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Here's my 7950


I am thinking of replacing my 7950 with a 480. My 7950 plays fine at 1080 and even 1440 VSR in some games. The fans, though, on the Twin Frozer get a bit loud in heavy scenes.


----------



## FlawleZ

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *rdr09*
> 
> I am thinking of replacing my 7950 with a 480. My 7950 plays fine at 1080 and even 1440 VSR in some games. The fans, though, on the Twin Frozer get a bit loud in heavy scenes.


It's definitely tempting. I'm also tempted to pickup a 2nd 7950 for cheap and try crossfire.


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> It's definitely tempting. I'm also tempted to pickup a 2nd 7950 for cheap and try crossfire.


The new RX 460 will be coming out soon for under $100. It could be faster than the 7950. I'd say sell your 7950 for like $75 and wait for the 480, which would be equal to crossfire 7950s. Sell it while you can. A single 480 will sip power less than a 7950.

The 470 will be like $150 and will be rivaling the Hawiis.


----------



## huzzug

Hey buddy. How are you ? Say, you planning to sell your MSI R7950 ? Do your fans work great or have they gone wonky as mine are stiff as stupid and won's spin. I don't wanna sell the card right now as it can do 1350 and is enough for me at 1080p for most games. But I need to use the card again. Would you sell me your cooler if you sell it to someone who does not need it ?


----------



## rdr09

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *huzzug*
> 
> Hey buddy. How are you ? Say, you planning to sell your MSI R7950 ? Do your fans work great or have they gone wonky as mine are stiff as stupid and won's spin. I don't wanna sell the card right now as it can do 1350 and is enough for me at 1080p for most games. But I need to use the card again. Would you sell me your cooler if you sell it to someone who does not need it ?


Sorry huz, i'm not in the states. Where i'm at . . . there is no mail! would you believe it! I have to figure out how i'll have the new stuff sent over.


----------



## wildpygmy

\
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Here's my 7950


I'm not sure if that's my card or not (only way to really tell is to look at the sticker on the back of the physical card), but that doesn't look like a BIOS I've tried so if you're willing to upload it I'd try it out. I see though that your clocks are running above stock. Do you have it OC'd in software or is that a result of the BIOS?

Anyway, if you could use GPU-Z to upload the BIOS, (if you could do both with the bios switch light on and off that'd be awesome), either here or some other filesharing site, it would be much appreciated.


----------



## FlawleZ

Sorry for the late reply. Here's my BIOS. Good luck!

Tahiti-Sapphire-7950-DualX.zip 42k .zip file


----------



## wildpygmy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Sorry for the late reply. Here's my BIOS. Good luck!


Thanks for putting this up, but no dice unfortunately. PC won't even post with this BIOS. At this point the only BIOS I've got that will post, and where the core and memory clocks are not stuck at 0mhz, is this one:



Unfortunately, with this BIOS, the computer will not properly shutdown or restart. Windows shutsdown, but it won't actually power off, or if I've selected reset, it won't reset. I'm basically forced to hold down the power button for a few seconds until it eventually shuts off.

As weird it is, I'm 100% sure this is due to the video card. If I take the card out, everything works fine, if I uninstall the AMD drivers or boot into safe mode where it's using the default VGA drivers, it works fine, and if I put this card into another computer, it causes the same problems. It's super weird, and I haven't been able to find any thing else on the internet describing a similar problem. Super frustrating...


----------



## FlawleZ

Did it happen when you first bought the card?


----------



## wildpygmy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FlawleZ*
> 
> Did it happen when you first bought the card?


Nope, worked fine until I messed with trying to update the BIOS


----------



## Rainmaker91

Hi guys, good to still see some activity in this thread









So I finally got my system over on an open loop instead of my previous arrangement where I ran a "red mod" using a Corsair H105. Temps are fantastic, which is to be expected since I went way overboard with the cooling. In that regard I figured I would do an attempt at a stable 24/7 overclock for my card, and while I know for a fact that I ran the core at 1210mhz 1.3v and 70*c with my H105 mounted on it I seem to be getting far more stable clocks with my current set-up.

I'm currently able to run 1200Mhz stable @1.2v which to me is fantastic compared to what I used to have. The strange thing though is that while I got up to 1100Mhz @1.15v I don't seem to be able to get any better scores in Unigine Valley while amping the clock up to 1200Mhz. In fact I went from having 1769 in score to getting 1540 in score by clocking it up to 1200Mhz.

I'm going to admit that I am FAR from experienced with overclocking yet, but it seems to me that a higher clock speed would at least in theory give me better FPS and a better score. So what gives? Anyone have any clue whats happening and how I should proceed?

Edit:
Forget it, seems there was some inconsistencies in the first few valley runs I made. New runs makes much more sense. As for my clocks... The core seems happy to go at 1200mhz @1.125v which is the stock voltage of my card which is quite impressive I think considering it only runs on 850mhz with the same voltage stock. My memory seems to be the grumpy one in my case, it used to be stable at 1500mhz 1.6v but now it won't stop crashing unless I significantly lower it. For now I'm running 1400mhz on memory, as I would much rather have a stable card than half an FPS better scores.

core temps are around 40*c with my new ludicrous cooling


----------



## ukic

Anyone where went from HD 7990 to Fury X? Wondering if I should make the jump. My 7990 still heats up my room when playing lol.

EDIT: Also considering 1070 coz of more ram.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Anyone where went from HD 7990 to Fury X? Wondering if I should make the jump. My 7990 still heats up my room when playing lol.
> 
> EDIT: Also considering 1070 coz of more ram.


If you are considering making the jump now then honestly... The fury X will be replaced soon with a new generation of high end cards from AMD, we don't really know how they will perform compared to 1080 and 1070 from Nvidia, but I'm betting they will be on par (which would be good for pricing). Considering the fact that you have held on to your 7990 for so long you mihgt want to wait for a new generation before making the decision.

That said if you do make the jump I would guess a jump in performance in some games while I actually predict that in games that utilize Crossfire properly you would loose a tiny bit of performance. The simple fact is that 7970 and 7950 for that matter are still competetive cards, as crazy as that sounds.

As for which one you should choose at the current date... I can't give you a proper andswer either or because I'm heavily biased towards one of them.


----------



## ukic

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> If you are considering making the jump now then honestly... The fury X will be replaced soon with a new generation of high end cards from AMD, we don't really know how they will perform compared to 1080 and 1070 from Nvidia, but I'm betting they will be on par (which would be good for pricing). Considering the fact that you have held on to your 7990 for so long you mihgt want to wait for a new generation before making the decision.
> 
> That said if you do make the jump I would guess a jump in performance in some games while I actually predict that in games that utilize Crossfire properly you would loose a tiny bit of performance. The simple fact is that 7970 and 7950 for that matter are still competetive cards, as crazy as that sounds.
> 
> As for which one you should choose at the current date... I can't give you a proper andswer either or because I'm heavily biased towards one of them.


Ty for the reply. I impulsively bought Fury X and LG 34" monitor 2 days ago. Trying to justify


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ukic*
> 
> Ty for the reply. I impulsively bought Fury X and LG 34" monitor 2 days ago. Trying to justify


Well at any rate the Fury is going to be quiet compared to a 7990 (if you ran stock cooling that is). The high bandwidth is also going to be a pluss in some ram hungry games like Fallout 4 where ram seems to be a big factor even in 1080p resolution.

Oher than that the Fury will give you better perfomrance in al games which are not crossfire optimized, which to be frank is far to many. On the other hand 1070 and 1080 would probably have been better choices in regard to pure game performance, but it all depends on what the game utilizes (like dx12 games will probably be better on Fury is my guess) due to Nvidia heavily stripping the Maxwell and Kepler architectures for anything usefull not directly related to games.

But as I said I'm very biased towards ATI


----------



## FlawleZ

Ran Firestrike today with the new drivers. Got a new personal best for my old little 7950.

8020
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/13211836

Not bad on stock voltage. Maybe I'll try a vmod later on. Afterburner/Trixx don't seem do the trick when you turn up the Voltage on this Dual X card.


----------



## SkateZilla

Does anyone know if the MSI R7970 Lightning's Support DualMode Display PORT?

I'm Trying to use my Oculus Rift w/ it, but so far, 6 MiniDP Active/Passive Adapters in and none work (active ones will show the picture, but it will be garbled and have color issues).

the new AMD Drivers/Software Dont State DisplayPORT info like CCC Did, and even then it didn't, outside of maybe looking up the DisplayPORT Chip Model Number.

is there a way to know for sure?

I Know the MSI Lightnings are DisplayPort 1.2 MST Capable and it has a HDMI 1.4b Signal Processor (Just no HDMI).

Even then I Have the same Issues on 2x 7950 and a 7870XT when trying to use the MiniDP Adapters.


----------



## Su2nny

HI ! quick question. i have 7970 Vapor-X GHz Edition 3GB, a few days ago capacitor burned and i don't know what this is the specification of this capacitor to find a replacement. I need two elements marked in the picture. Thank you very much in advance







this arrangement is PWM ?

https://s17.postimg.io/9k2xz2hl9/image.jpg


----------



## Liquoid

Hi!

I am having an issue with my reference Sapphire 7970.

It was used at stock clocks (925/1375), and I am experiencing artifacts and even a few grey screens of death (three in 2 days) while using Chrome.

I thought the card might need a clean, so I removed the stock cooler, cleaned it and re-applied a fresh cost of thermal paste.

That lowered my idle temp by 10 C, but didn't fix the tearing/GSOD.

These issues don't occur in safe mode, nor do they occur with the ATI driver (16.7.3) uninstalled.

What shall I do?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Liquoid*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I am having an issue with my reference Sapphire 7970.
> 
> It was used at stock clocks (925/1375), and I am experiencing artefacts and even a few grey screens of death (three in 2 days) while using Chrome.
> 
> I thought the card might need a clean, so I removed the stock cooler, cleaned it and re-applied a fresh cost of thermal paste.
> 
> That lowered my idle temp by 10 C, but didn't fix the tearing/GSOD.
> 
> These issues don't occur in safe mode, nor do they occur with the ATI driver (16.7.3) uninstalled.
> 
> What shall I do?


\

Tearing has more to do with refresh rate and v-sync. Describe the artifacts you are experiencing.


----------



## MrStrat007

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Liquoid*
> 
> Hi!
> 
> I am having an issue with my reference Sapphire 7970.
> 
> It was used at stock clocks (925/1375), and I am experiencing artefacts and even a few grey screens of death (three in 2 days) while using Chrome.
> 
> I thought the card might need a clean, so I removed the stock cooler, cleaned it and re-applied a fresh cost of thermal paste.
> 
> That lowered my idle temp by 10 C, but didn't fix the tearing/GSOD.
> 
> These issues don't occur in safe mode, nor do they occur with the ATI driver (16.7.3) uninstalled.
> 
> What shall I do?


Also try disabling hardware acceleration in Chrome.


----------



## Liquoid

Hardware acceleration disabled



http://imgur.com/c6SEn

 are CPU-Z and GPU-Z screens.


http://imgur.com/7DJt2

 is a GPU-Z temperature screen after idling for 30 mins.

GSODs and artifacts are gone, but every time I launch 3DMark11, a signal loss occurs to the monitor (connected to the DVI port). it's a black screen freeze.

Is it possible that the card is dying? Before I cleaned it, load temp was 85.


----------



## Paul17041993

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Liquoid*
> 
> Hardware acceleration disabled
> 
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/c6SEn
> 
> are CPU-Z and GPU-Z screens.
> 
> 
> http://imgur.com/7DJt2
> 
> is a GPU-Z temperature screen after idling for 30 mins.
> 
> GSODs and artifacts are gone, but every time I launch 3DMark11, a signal loss occurs to the monitor (connected to the DVI port). it's a black screen freeze.
> 
> Is it possible that the card is dying? Before I cleaned it, load temp was 85.


The card is likely on its way out, likely on the VRMs, causing the core (or memory) to be starved of power. Increasing the core voltage and/or decreasing the clocks slightly could give the card more life, but also check other things such as the PCIe slot, power connectors and your PSU voltages.


----------



## danycyo

Take the card out:

Dust the fans

Unscrew the entire top of the card

Ensure the thermal pads are covering the chips

Unscrew the memory heat sink on the back of the card. You may want to throw a little paste on top of the memory chips for additional cooling. Make sure you put the heat sink on snug, make a good seal.

Clean off the old thermal paste on your GPU. Reapply fresh GPU paste. Not too much. Size of a pea.

Reapply heatsink and fans back on correctly and securely.

Uninstall/Reinstall new drivers.

Run Furmark or a game to monitor temps. Ensure your fans are working on high load and set a fan profile for optimal cooling. Run without overclock first.

Had a similar experience but doing the steps above seemed to have corrected my issue.









Hardware acceleration in chrome helps also especially if you get artifacts after watching you tube videos. Test in another browser like Internet Explorer and see if it artifacts after watching a video their for testing. If so def disable hardware acceleration in chrome seemed to resolve what I thought was originally artifacts. I have run these cards for 4+ years still going strong. I know them all too well.

FYI stock clocks on my boost bios are 950/1250 so make sure your set to stock.


----------



## Liquoid

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *danycyo*
> 
> Dust the fans
> 
> Unscrew the entire top of the card
> 
> Ensure the thermal pads are covering the chips
> 
> Unscrew the memory heat sink on the back of the card. You may want to throw a little paste on top of the memory chips for additional cooling. Make sure you put the heat sink on snug, make a good seal.
> 
> Clean off the old thermal paste on your GPU. Reapply fresh GPU paste. Not too much. Size of a pea.
> 
> Reapply heatsink and fans back on correctly and securely.
> 
> Uninstall/Reinstall new drivers.


This is what I did yesterday.

Thermal pads are a goner. Replaced them with Gelid GP-Extreme TP-GP-01-B. It's the thickest I could find in town, and has a good conductivity rating (12 W/mk).

There are no memory heatsinks on the back of the PCB. I tried looking for custom ones, but nobody stocks them.


----------



## Liquoid

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Paul17041993*
> 
> Increasing the core voltage and/or decreasing the clocks slightly could give the card more life


This sort of worked.

System is fully stable on idle.

However, when running a benchmark, it now goes into black screen freeze not immediately, but after 2 (out of total of 6) tests of 3DMark 11


----------



## Liquoid

Got rid of excess thermal paste, and applied a drop on top of each RAM & VRM chip.

All issues gone. Load temp is 60, idle down to 34.
VRM idle temps are 29.
3D Mark 11 benchmark completed successfully with a score of 8520 (I did downclock GPU memory to 1250 MHz despite the stock listed as 1375 MHz)

Phew, I thought the card was a goner.


----------



## tlatch89

I have an XFX R9 280X 3GB.

I was wondering about the DX12 memory stacking possibilities on newer games and if it is compatible with *2X* 280X's for a combined memory of 6GB?

I've read a few recent articles stating that only newer cards will take advantage of this and not these era of cards. Although apparently older NVIDIA gpus' will be able to take advantage of memory stacking.

Anyone know? Trying to figure if it's even worth it to get a second 280x or just get a rx480 or something newer down the road.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *tlatch89*
> 
> I have an XFX R9 280X 3GB.
> 
> I was wondering about the DX12 memory stacking possibilities on newer games and if it is compatible with *2X* 280X's for a combined memory of 6GB?
> 
> I've read a few recent articles stating that only newer cards will take advantage of this and not these era of cards. Although apparently older NVIDIA gpus' will be able to take advantage of memory stacking.
> 
> Anyone know? Trying to figure if it's even worth it to get a second 280x or just get a rx480 or something newer down the road.


What resolution are you playing at? 2x 280s will likely have performance issues relating to raw power before a lack of VRAM at 1440P or less. I read a review yesterday of the GTX 960 3gb vs 6gb, and the memory made little to no difference in pretty much every game. Pretty much the same case for 4gb vs 8gb RX480. As for stacking VRAM. As I understand it (vaguely mostly), that would fall under the "Explicit Multi Adapter" instead of traditional Xfire, and the game itself would have to be programmed to take advantage of that feature, its not going to be a simple driver update to get that going across the board. So it is probably going to be slim support this early in DX 12, especially on older AMD cards...the demand for that feature in your situation is just going to be so low. There is still an argument to be made for another 280X, they are so dirt cheap that you can just about get them for free....I have two sitting collecting dust as we speak that have seen no action in months. But for a long term solution, the RX480 is going to be a better experience for longer...3GB is not enough VRAM for 4k, and going forward it may start to be insufficient for 1440p, and eventually struggle in 1080p.


----------



## Phantomas 007

I have a support matter. A friend has a 7950.Bought it from amazon.fr so only 1 year warranty from there. The card it's for RMA. Anyone familiar with this procedure to explain what we must do ?


----------



## lanofsong

Hey 7950/7970/7990 owners,

Would you consider putting all that power to a good cause for the next 2 days? If so, come *sign up* and fold with us for our monthly Foldathons - see attached link.

September Foldathon

To get started:

1.Get a passkey (allows for speed bonus) - need a valid email address
http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/getpasskey.py

2.Download the folding program:
http://folding.stanford.edu/

Enter your folding name (mine is the same as my OCN name)
Enter your passkey
Enter Team OCN number - 37726

later
lanofsong


----------



## wirefox

Going to retire my 2x 7970.. many years ...best investment ever.... highly overclock. folded and still competitive on lower tasking games like overwatch.

....but bf1 is coming..... it'll be vega ... or 1080ti or titan (sorry).

This drink is for you 7970s.


----------



## JunkoXan

I think my 280x is going out of commission, I get a graphical error in 1 part of unigine but also random parts of X-Com 2. I did notice also that I would get white screens as that has happened twice so far and got a black screen while watching a video. I reseated the card and plugs. I am using a Sandy bridge build too that has seen ALOT of action game wise even the 280x seen just as much. the 280x is almost 3 yrs old, I bought it from Hellraiser when he was selling them on OCN market.


----------



## wirefox

bought mine in jan of 2012... great value









the ice cube melted in my drink pretty quickly lol

you are very due for an upgrade too







early next year for me if I can wait that long


----------



## 12Cores

I got rid of my 7970's a few weeks ago, they were by the far the best GPU's I ever owned, period. That setup demolished every game at 2880x1620 with my overclock(1200/1575).

My 390x's are faster than my 7970's wish I have upgraded sooner, but I have a feeling that I will be getting rid of these cards in a few months.


----------



## JunkoXan

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *wirefox*
> 
> bought mine in jan of 2012... great value
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> the ice cube melted in my drink pretty quickly lol
> 
> you are very due for an upgrade too
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> early next year for me if I can wait that long


I have a Fury Nano coming back from RMA, I may sell it and get a used card since I have bad luck of the draw buying new. ._.


----------



## Rainmaker91

My 7950 is likely to get a tapout when Vega gets released as well. It's been really good all the time, the 3gb of memory for instance has served me better then what any of the Nvidia 2gb cards of the time might have done. It' startging to get a bit to little though, but I think I will look long and hard to find anything that is as OC friendly as this card (Currently running a conservative 1150mhz on stock voltage). I'm going to keep it going for as long as I have to, there will bee no green cards in my house


----------



## wirefox

long live the 7 series!


----------



## CptAsian

I'm still rocking my 7990 and now I'm starting to mess with settings in MSI AB for it a little more. I've undervolted recently down from 1.2 V to 1.1, and I can run Heaven for 20+ minutes with no crashes, and I've been folding with it nearly 24/7 for the past week or two, and I've had no crashes unless I try to open a game at the same time by accident. From what I've recently learned, increasing the temperature limit as well as the power limit can be beneficial even if you're not hitting that limit. However, the temperature limit slider is greyed out for me in AB. Does anyone know how to unlock that setting?


----------



## SkateZilla

Still Rocking my 7970 Lightnings,

has to revert back to a 7870XT for a few months, as I couldn't get Oculus Rift to work on the MiniDPs, but once I found an Adapter that worked I moved back to my Lightnings.


----------



## Egilman

Hi all, just have a simple request.

Does anyone happen to have a bricked HD 7990 in their back closet cubbyhole?

If you do, would you like to see it put to good use? (at least part of it)

I have a 7990 that suffers from a poor attempt at AIO water cooling. the black heatsink/support bracket was cut away too much exposing the memory chips underneath, which leaves them with inadequate cooling. this of course causes the card to run too hot on the #1 chip forcing a serious underclock/undervolt to keep it running.

What I need the bricked card for is to replace the heatsink/bracket on my still operating card.

Was just wondering if anyone out there can help.

Currently in the process of installing Corsair H55's on all my 7990's, this one I would like to bring back up to spec before I make the changeover.

Thank you.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

My son still rocks the 7950 gigabyte windforce cards... has 2 in crossfire... them two together is better than my fury x at 1080p... .only reason I gave mine up to him was I moved on to 4k..... and for some reason I never could get the mini dp ports to put out 4k at 60hz ... so I tried the fury x and it worked right away on the dp's on it... otherwise I'd never gave up my super clocking 7950's to him... they both run nicely at 1200mhz with stock volts! Only thing I really love about the fury x though is the AIO cooler... never breaks a sweat even after long hours of gaming... my 7950's would hit like 80c... fury x highest I have seen was 63C and that was on a high voltage OC.... still kinda hurts my feelings when I see my old pair of 7950's beating it out at 1080p benches.... oh well...


----------



## shredded

Can anyone confirm that a 7950 windforce uses thermal pads that are 0.5mm for the VRAM and 1.0 for VRMs

Im going to redo my pads, paste, and lap my CPU and coolers to keep my PC running over the Aussie summer until I can get me some ZEN/VEGA.


----------



## Liquoid

Reference 7970 does. PCB is the same.


----------



## detrophy

Hi there,

since I'm a proud owner of a Sapphire 7970 Dual-X OC (http://www.sapphiretech.com/productdetial.asp?Pid=F8725148-BF0B-4F6C-B98C-28BB9846F348&lang=deu) (11197-03-40G), I wanted to ask a few questions.

After some time I've changed the thermal paste of the GPU started to OC it a bit and after some testing the max clocks with 1,175mV / 1,513mV are 1150MHz / 1550MHz.
The temps are:

67°C core
88°C + 82°C on VRM 1 + 2 sensor (GPU core)
No memory temp reading
82°C + 88°C on VRM 1 + 2 sensor (VRAM)
Fan is at 64% while 67°C core temp
After looking at the temperatures, is there any room for further OC?
Do I have to change the themal pads to lower the temperatures on the VRMs? If yes, where do I get them? (I live in germany, so no us/uk-only please







)

EDIT: fixed some errors on my side, like a wrong link to sapphire.


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *detrophy*
> 
> Hi there,
> 
> since I'm a proud owner of a Sapphire 7970 Dual-X OC (http://www.sapphiretech.com/productdetial.asp?Pid=F8725148-BF0B-4F6C-B98C-28BB9846F348&lang=deu) (11197-03-40G), I wanted to ask a few questions.
> 
> After some time I've changed the thermal paste of the GPU started to OC it a bit and after some testing the max clocks with 1,175mV / 1,513mV are 1150MHz / 1550MHz.
> The temps are:
> 
> 67°C core
> 88°C + 82°C on VRM 1 + 2 sensor (GPU core)
> No memory temp reading
> 82°C + 88°C on VRM 1 + 2 sensor (VRAM)
> Fan is at 64% while 67°C core temp
> After looking at the temperatures, is there any room for further OC?
> Do I have to change the themal pads to lower the temperatures on the VRMs? If yes, where do I get them? (I live in germany, so no us/uk-only please
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> )
> 
> EDIT: fixed some errors on my side, like a wrong link to sapphire.


Hi,

I don't know if you'll see this but you can still OC higher. Keep in mind that Tahiti doesn't seem to like temps over 70C very much. I don't know the official allowed value (tjMAX or whatever), I just know that with my 7970 Vapor-X I would get artifacts and crashing if it passed around 72C, this was in Crysis 3 at 5760x1080.

Your VRMs are fine up to around 110C, they are designed to run that hot. Sapphire cards are generally high quality and have good chokes. You should be okay here.

Your core temps are a little high but your voltage is low. I'd say you could probably run it at 1200mhz easily, maybe with 1.22v (or less). What's the ASIC on this card? Seems to clock better than the couple of 7970s I had.

Regards.


----------



## detrophy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Your VRMs are fine up to around 110C, they are designed to run that hot. Sapphire cards are generally high quality and have good chokes. You should be okay here.
> 
> Your core temps are a little high but your voltage is low. I'd say you could probably run it at 1200mhz easily, maybe with 1.22v (or less). What's the ASIC on this card? Seems to clock better than the couple of 7970s I had.
> 
> Regards.


Hi there!

The ASIC is 82,3% and 1200MHz is possible with around 1.175V. Some games don't like the speed (like pCars) while others doesn't have any problems with it. Due to a custom fan profile the temperature won't rise higher than 67°C. Just one °C higher and some artifacts appear (triangles with squares in it).

Does memory OC have any positive affect on FPS on this card?
Are there any aftermarket coolers which are better in terms of cooling performance than this sapphire fan?

BTW: this card is freakin awesome. To be able to rock Witcher 3 with 38 to 60FPS at high to very high... wow.


----------



## neurotix

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *detrophy*
> 
> Hi there!
> 
> The ASIC is 82,3% and 1200MHz is possible with around 1.175V. Some games don't like the speed (like pCars) while others doesn't have any problems with it. Due to a custom fan profile the temperature won't rise higher than 67°C. Just one °C higher and some artifacts appear (triangles with squares in it).
> 
> Does memory OC have any positive affect on FPS on this card?
> Are there any aftermarket coolers which are better in terms of cooling performance than this sapphire fan?
> 
> BTW: this card is freakin awesome. To be able to rock Witcher 3 with 38 to 60FPS at high to very high... wow.


That's excellent ASIC for a 7970. You have a golden card. I've only had one card with more than 80% and it wasn't a 7970. And I've had around 15 GCN cards in my possession for hwbot- 4 290s, 3 7970, 7870 XT, 7770, R7 265, R7 270X and so on.

I'd say do 1200mhz (or higher) and use a higher fan speed to keep temps down and artifacts away. If anything, wear over-the-ear headphones with the volume up and you won't hear the fans. This is how I play. My cards have a lax fan profile, and the newer driver settings (like Radeon Chill, Power Efficiency, Frame Rate Target Control, etc.) help reduce temps as well, so they aren't very loud anyway.

My rig does Witcher 3 at a locked 60 fps with everything Ultra, Hairworks off at 5760x1080p.







Still, that's amazing for a 7970 yeah. For a while I had dual 380X, which are very similar to the 7970, but Tonga. Same exact specs as 7970, but Tonga so newer GCN revision and slightly higher performance. Those could not run Witcher 3 on my setup with everything on Ultra, I had to turn some settings down to get 60fps. I can't imagine a single 380X could drive my Eyefinity without serious compromises. And the 380X isn't that much better than a 7970, honestly.

Nice card though! Still a great card for 1080p. I can't imagine very many games needing more than 3GB either. But within a year or two a 7970 might not cut it anymore.


----------



## detrophy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *neurotix*
> 
> That's excellent ASIC for a 7970. You have a golden card.
> 
> I'd say do 1200mhz (or higher) and use a higher fan speed to keep temps down and artifacts away. If anything, wear over-the-ear headphones with the volume up and you won't hear the fans.
> 
> And the 380X isn't that much better than a 7970, honestly.
> 
> Nice card though! Still a great card for 1080p. I can't imagine very many games needing more than 3GB either. But within a year or two a 7970 might not cut it anymore.


That's nice to hear to have a golden one. I think it will be a first for me to put it in a showcase or something.








For the 380X to not be so much better than the 7970 is the whole reason I haven't bought a newer card. Still waiting for Vega to rock the **** out of NVIDIA









Textures on max, not a single game (besides ROTR) has ever filled the 3GB to more than 90%.

About the volume: even at 64% fan speed they aren't noisy like others. You just hear the wind flowing through the fins of the cooler.

Is there a better aftermarket cooler for the 7970 available?


----------



## DR4G00N

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *detrophy*
> 
> Is there a better aftermarket cooler for the 7970 available?


I've had good luck with the Gelid Icy Vision-A. If I remember correctly my 7950's ran at about 55C max @ 1150MHz 1.3V with the fans at 7V which is inaudible unless you put your head in the case.









At 960MHz with 1.062V they peaked @ 43C with the same fan speed.

Temperature testing was done with [email protected] which is very stressful on Tahiti. Games ran a bit cooler.


----------



## neurotix

I used the Arctic Accellero 7970 on my 7970 Vapor-X for a while and it is excellent, if you can still find it.

Fans on 100% the card is inaudible and it ran under 60C.

The only reason I put it on is because I had a dead fan after one month with my Vapor-X cooler. I didn't want to RMA the card so my wife suggested the Accellero 7970. We used it for a while until I decided to remount it and ended up frying the card somehow (static?) We slapped the original cooler on and RMA'ed it to Sapphire and they sent us a replacement. I ended up moving to a 290 Tri-X after that and the 7970 was in RMA hell for a while before we sold it.

But yeah the Accellero 7970 is a great option.


----------



## lanofsong

Hey AMD 7950/7970/7990 owners,

We are having our monthly Foldathon from Monday 19th - 21st 12noon EST.
Would you consider putting all that power to a good cause for those 2 days? If so, come sign up and fold with us - see attached link.

December Foldathon

To get started:

1.Get a passkey (allows for speed bonus) - need a valid email address
http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/getpasskey.py

2.Download the folding program:
http://folding.stanford.edu/

Enter your folding name (mine is the same as my OCN name)
Enter your passkey
Enter Team OCN number - 37726

later
lanofsong


----------



## SOCOM_HERO

I'm having issues overclocking my Sapphire Dual X 7950 all of a sudden. I upgraded to the newest version of afterburner stable to get rid of an annoying rivatuner error I was having where it couldn't connect to the update server and I couldn't get that error to go away.

Now, my overclocks are not being applied. I was running stable at 1150 core/1400mem clocks. Now, in games it shows as 850 core/1250 mem. I cannot get those clocks up no matter what I set the settings to in afterburner - even stock 925 core/1125 mem does not work!

What am I doing wrong here? Should I uninstall afterburner?


----------



## Egilman

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SOCOM_HERO*
> 
> I'm having issues overclocking my Sapphire Dual X 7950 all of a sudden. I upgraded to the newest version of afterburner stable to get rid of an annoying rivatuner error I was having where it couldn't connect to the update server and I couldn't get that error to go away.
> 
> Now, my overclocks are not being applied. I was running stable at 1150 core/1400mem clocks. Now, in games it shows as 850 core/1250 mem. I cannot get those clocks up no matter what I set the settings to in afterburner - even stock 925 core/1125 mem does not work!
> 
> What am I doing wrong here? Should I uninstall afterburner?


For a 7950?

I would fall back to Catalyst 15.7.1 for the driver and Afterburner 4.1.0 or 4.1.1 for an HD 79xx legacy card. Then start the analysis of the problem from there.


----------



## SOCOM_HERO

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Egilman*
> 
> For a 7950?
> 
> I would fall back to Catalyst 15.7.1 for the driver and Afterburner 4.1.0 or 4.1.1 for an HD 79xx legacy card. Then start the analysis of the problem from there.


That fixed it!


----------



## detrophy

I've got this problem on a random basis too. Restarting the driver with CRU fixed it all the times.


----------



## DOM.

Do you have to use an old version of msi ab for to give it more memory volts?

Been out of the game and used the latest to see there's no option for memory volts...


----------



## detrophy

You have to open the dropdown menu to change the memory voltage. There's a tiny arrow at core voltage.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Been saving up for a while now for Vega, and if it lives up to the hype then I'll be putting my old 7950 on the shelf (or donate it to my bother). It's been performing remarkably well over the years, especially given it's age. I'm tempted to say that Tahiti will be remembered as a legendary chip, especially given it's longevity.

Anyone else catching the hype train like me?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Been saving up for a while now for Vega, and if it lives up to the hype then I'll be putting my old 7950 on the shelf (or donate it to my bother). It's been performing remarkably well over the years, especially given it's age. I'm tempted to say that Tahiti will be remembered as a legendary chip, especially given it's longevity.
> 
> Anyone else catching the hype train like me?




I took an intermediate detour and ran 980s...what a waste.


----------



## danycyo

I plan on upgrading to VEGA also. I I have had my 7950 crossfire setup for about 5 years. They lasted me until now with the occasional thermal paste change and are still very strong performers. Ever since I bought my 55" OLED w/ HDR I want a gpu that can push it to it's max. I have my money saved and want VEGA with HBM2 to take my $. I can't wait to find out the release date.


----------



## artemis2307

Guys pls reply
can a 1200/1600mhz 7970 beats a 1900 core 1050ti?


----------



## pehoko

Do I need new bios as seems that my Sapphire HD7950 Dual-X (elpida memory) have locked voltage control? Tried all modded trixx version but without success, always between 1.00-1.038.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *artemis2307*
> 
> Guys pls reply
> can a 1200/1600mhz 7970 beats a 1900 core 1050ti?


I would google it really... toms hardware or gpu boss should offer a decent compare even if they don't... you can at least see the stock scores of each.


----------



## lanofsong

Hello AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 owners,

We are having our monthly Foldathon from Monday 16th - 18th - 12noon EST.
Would you consider putting all that power to a good cause for those 2 days? If so, come sign up and fold with us - see attached link.

January 2017 Foldathon

To get started:

1.Get a passkey (allows for speed bonus) - need a valid email address
http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/getpasskey.py

2.Download the folding program:
http://folding.stanford.edu/

Enter your folding name (mine is the same as my OCN name)
Enter your passkey
Enter Team OCN number - 37726

later
lanofsong


----------



## grss1982

Ugh my 7950 just died.









Can I still register it though?









With it plugged in to my system in the sig below the power LED of my case just blinks for a second and never POSTs. But if I take out the 7950 and just use an old 7600GS PCIE VC or the onboard VGA system pushes past POST.

Looks like a dead 7950. :|


----------



## mllrkllr88

*You guys ready to see some extreme HD7970 modding and subzero benching action??*

I just made a new thread for my XFX HD7970 Black Edition: http://www.overclock.net/t/1624735/xfx-hd7970-extreme-modding-come-see-the-madness/0_100


----------



## mllrkllr88

Its quiet in here, not much HD7970 action these days huh?

Here you go, a little HD7900 thread stimulus. This is my current XFX HD7970 project card, all ready for subzero benching.


----------



## lanofsong

Hey 7950/7970/7990 owners,

We are having our monthly Foldathon from Monday 20th - Wednesday 22nd - 12noon EST.
Would you consider putting all that power to a good cause for those 2 days? If so, come sign up and fold with us - see attached link.

March 2017 Foldathon

To get started:

1.Get a passkey (allows for speed bonus) - need a valid email address
http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/getpasskey.py

2.Download the folding program:
http://folding.stanford.edu/

Enter your folding name (mine is the same as my OCN name)
Enter your passkey
Enter Team OCN number - 37726

later
lanofsong


----------



## brucethemoose

Whoa, anyone notice that WattMan is enabled with the latest drivers?

Which is good... because it broke HIS iTurbo, and Afterburner can't change voltage on my card (HIS 7950 ICEQ X2, uses a 7970 PCB I think).

Got a problem though. Wattman won't let me overvolt the GPU past its default max voltage. Is there a fix for this?


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brucethemoose*
> 
> Whoa, anyone notice that WattMan is enabled with the latest drivers?
> 
> Which is good... because it broke HIS iTurbo, and Afterburner can't change voltage on my card (HIS 7950 ICEQ X2, uses a 7970 PCB I think).
> 
> Got a problem though. Wattman won't let me overvolt the GPU past its default max voltage. Is there a fix for this?


Depending on if your BIOS is voltage locked or not, and only if it's not then you should just use some other software for it. Wattman is just not as good as Trixx or Afterburner, though a lot of cards are voltage locked so there may be no solution for you at all.


----------



## brucethemoose

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Rainmaker91*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *brucethemoose*
> 
> Whoa, anyone notice that WattMan is enabled with the latest drivers?
> 
> Which is good... because it broke HIS iTurbo, and Afterburner can't change voltage on my card (HIS 7950 ICEQ X2, uses a 7970 PCB I think).
> 
> Got a problem though. Wattman won't let me overvolt the GPU past its default max voltage. Is there a fix for this?
> 
> 
> 
> Depending on if your BIOS is voltage locked or not, and only if it's not then you should just use some other software for it. Wattman is just not as good as Trixx or Afterburner, though a lot of cards are voltage locked so there may be no solution for you at all.
Click to expand...

It's definitely not voltage locked. I've been running it at 1.3v up till now (it has an absurdly high 1.25v stock voltage), and could see the voltage rise in HWInfo.

I was about to turn to BIOS editing (really didn't want to run my card at 1.3v+ all the time), but oddly enough Afterburner seems to be working.... It won't let my card throttle down like HIS iTurbo will, but I can can just exit out of it for desktop use I guess.


----------



## Rainmaker91

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *brucethemoose*
> 
> It's definitely not voltage locked. I've been running it at 1.3v up till now (it has an absurdly high 1.25v stock voltage), and could see the voltage rise in HWInfo.
> 
> I was about to turn to BIOS editing (really didn't want to run my card at 1.3v+ all the time), but oddly enough Afterburner seems to be working.... It won't let my card throttle down like HIS iTurbo will, but I can can just exit out of it for desktop use I guess.


I see, so your card don't throttle down when idle then? Seems strange to me, but then again I don't know half as much as I should on the intricacies of how these actually work. Have you tried Trixx? It's what I use on my card, but then again I don't over volt my card at all (raising the voltage from 1.2 to 1.35 will yield me 1210mhz instead of 1200mhz at 1.2v).


----------



## CptAsian

Well, it seems my 7990 has finally kicked the bucket after about 3 years and 8 months of pretty heavy use. I was playing some Rainbow Six when both of my monitors went grey, but they were different shades, and one was striped. Computer shut off and then restarted itself. It did it again not long after, but when it restarted, none of my USB devices had power, and I got no video output either. I swapped in an R9 Fury from my folding rig and everything ran fine. I'll do further testing when I get the chance, but it seems that was the conclusion.

But if that's the end of it, it's definitely going in a shadowbox or something and going on display or on my wall, because this thing has been way too much fun to use over the years with it's arguably silly design. It's been a good run, guys.


----------



## artemis2307

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Well, it seems my 7990 has finally kicked the bucket after about 3 years and 8 months of pretty heavy use. I was playing some Rainbow Six when both of my monitors went grey, but they were different shades, and one was striped. Computer shut off and then restarted itself. It did it again not long after, but when it restarted, none of my USB devices had power, and I got no video output either. I swapped in an R9 Fury from my folding rig and everything ran fine. I'll do further testing when I get the chance, but it seems that was the conclusion.
> 
> But if that's the end of it, it's definitely going in a shadowbox or something and going on display or on my wall, because this thing has been way too much fun to use over the years with it's arguably silly design. It's been a good run, guys.


the main reason is probs heat
if I got a dual GPU card I'll be putting them on water for sure, or atleast AIO mods


----------



## CptAsian

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *artemis2307*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *CptAsian*
> 
> Well, it seems my 7990 has finally kicked the bucket after about 3 years and 8 months of pretty heavy use. I was playing some Rainbow Six when both of my monitors went grey, but they were different shades, and one was striped. Computer shut off and then restarted itself. It did it again not long after, but when it restarted, none of my USB devices had power, and I got no video output either. I swapped in an R9 Fury from my folding rig and everything ran fine. I'll do further testing when I get the chance, but it seems that was the conclusion.
> 
> But if that's the end of it, it's definitely going in a shadowbox or something and going on display or on my wall, because this thing has been way too much fun to use over the years with it's arguably silly design. It's been a good run, guys.
> 
> 
> 
> the main reason is probs heat
> if I got a dual GPU card I'll be putting them on water for sure, or atleast AIO mods
Click to expand...

Most likely, yeah. With the fan curve I set up, even with the undervolt I set up, it would idle at about 50 C, and under load it would hover around 70-75.


----------



## bmgjet

Final home of my last 7970.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/12123571

P9 387 with AMD Radeon HD 7970(1x) and AMD Phenom II X6 1090T
Graphics Score
13 042
Physics Score
5 204
Combined Score
4 953
PC basically limited by is PSU (500W) and motherboard.


----------



## lanofsong

Hey AMD Radeon HD 7950/7970/7990 owners,

We are having our monthly Foldathon from Monday 17th - Wednesday 19th - 12 noon EST.
Would you consider putting all that power to a good cause for those 2 days? If so, come sign up and fold with us - see attached link.

April 2017 Foldathon

BTW - make sure you sign up









To get started:

1.Get a passkey (allows for speed bonus) - need a valid email address
http://fah-web.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/getpasskey.py

2.Download the folding program:
http://folding.stanford.edu/

Enter your folding name (mine is the same as my OCN name)
Enter your passkey
Enter Team OCN number - 37726

later
lanofsong


----------



## mrgnex

I found a weird bug. Whenever I try to overclock a 7950 I have. If I set it to anything more than stock it gets stuck at 500 MHz core and 150 MHz. How can I solve that?


----------



## detrophy

Let me guess. You`re using the latest driver?

This happened to me too and going back to 17.4.4 solved this problem for me.


----------



## mrgnex

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *detrophy*
> 
> Let me guess. You`re using the latest driver?
> 
> This happened to me too and going back to 17.4.4 solved this problem for me.


Spot on! Rolling back it is..

Edit: Tried the newest and the previous one from one that I was using. No luck. What is wrong?


----------



## diggiddi

My fans died on my 7950 and I just switched them out for a brand pair but still no dice . Anyone experienced this?
I can use it in 2d mode but gaming will overheat and shut it down


----------



## alancsalt

So, the fan power from the cards isn't putting out power? You may need to alter the power feed to something from the mobo, or straight from the PSU?


----------



## diggiddi

is there an adapter, cos the 4pin connector is smaller than the regular fan connector


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> is there an adapter, cos the 4pin connector is smaller than the regular fan connector


personally I would break out the solder iron and shrink wrap and just make an adapter... I don't think there is a commercial version but I could be wrong. Not sure how good the fan controlling will be hooked to the mobo, but direct to the psu would get the max fan speed, but may be noisy... I have an old resistor style fan controller, but who wants to have to manually rev up their fans...


----------



## diggiddi

Found one on Amazon


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Found one on Amazon


good, glad you found one...


----------



## diggiddi

Should arrive in about a week give or take hopefully my 7950 will be resurrected


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Found one on Amazon


I just had to rep you for that. I am using uni blocks on my GPUs and 120mm fans over the VRMs...I have always wanted to tie fan speed to GPU temp, but had to do it in software, which is clunky when I am not using software to control the rest.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I just had to rep you for that. I am using uni blocks on my GPUs and 120mm fans over the VRMs...I have always wanted to tie fan speed to GPU temp, but had to do it in software, which is clunky when I am not using software to control the rest.


TY there seems to be another one by Gelid but not 100% sure so i went with the first one
https://www.amazon.com/Gelid-CA-PWM-02-Adapter-Sleeved-Cooler/dp/B005ZKZEQA/ref=pd_sim_23_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TEGSKPDGZK0G2SKAT5GX


----------



## eclipsextreme

One of my 7970s in my crossfire setup started screen flickering months ago and I removed it. After running one card for a while I feel tried the soder reflow yesterday with a heatgun and temperature gun. So far so good! Loaded up and BF4 in eye infinity and it ran flawless.


----------



## mllrkllr88

Hey guys,
I am looking for the memory efficiency bios for an XFX card, but I don't know the particular bios to look for. Can anyone offer help?

The card has Hynix MFR memory, here is a picture of the label.


----------



## donk165

Hey guys, so I've been using my 7950 for a long while now, my friend has just done an upgrade and given me his XFX R9 280X card. Would it be possible to crossfire the two cards? I know they are different generations, but I did read that a 280X is pretty much a repackaged 7970.


----------



## SavantStrike

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *donk165*
> 
> Hey guys, so I've been using my 7950 for a long while now, my friend has just done an upgrade and given me his XFX R9 280X card. Would it be possible to crossfire the two cards? I know they are different generations, but I did read that a 280X is pretty much a repackaged 7970.


It should work fine. The 280X and the 7970 work together so the 7950 should be fine too.


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *inedenimadam*
> 
> I just had to rep you for that. I am using uni blocks on my GPUs and 120mm fans over the VRMs...I have always wanted to tie fan speed to GPU temp, but had to do it in software, which is clunky when I am not using software to control the rest.


I got it in, it works perfectly too, 7950 back in commission


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mllrkllr88*
> 
> Hey guys,
> I am looking for the memory efficiency bios for an XFX card, but I don't know the particular bios to look for. Can anyone offer help?
> 
> The card has Hynix MFR memory, here is a picture of the label.


Send me a copy of the current BIOS.


----------



## mllrkllr88

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> Send me a copy of the current BIOS.


You are a credit to OCN!! Thank you for your help, +1


----------



## eclipsextreme

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *donk165*
> 
> Hey guys, so I've been using my 7950 for a long while now, my friend has just done an upgrade and given me his XFX R9 280X card. Would it be possible to crossfire the two cards? I know they are different generations, but I did read that a 280X is pretty much a repackaged 7970.


I've been running a 7970/7950 crossfire for quite a while now and very happy with the performance. I can play bf4 on eye infinity


----------



## diggiddi

Guys for some reason my 7950 boost edition is not boosting to 925mhz but maxes out at 850mhz in game. I have increased power limit to 20% and tried using 550w and 1300w psu. When I try to Overclock it reverts to 2d clocks 300mhzpreviously was able to get 1165/1300mem stable


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Guys for some reason my 7950 boost edition is not boosting to 925mhz but maxes out at 850mhz in game. I have increased power limit to 20% and tried using 550w and 1300w psu. When I try to Overclock it reverts to 2d clocks 300mhzpreviously was able to get 1165/1300mem stable


sounds like an issue with the OC software/drivers.... usually I snuck around this one by flashing the appropriate R9 280/280x bios on it to trick it into thinking it's a new card... yes I've done this with multiple cards.. .it works fine on most... 1 out of 7 failed (thank heavens for dual bios)

of coarse you can try a driver clean and/or uninstall any OC softwares


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> sounds like an issue with the OC software/drivers.... usually I snuck around this one by flashing the appropriate R9 280/280x bios on it *to trick it into thinking it's a new card*... yes I've done this with multiple cards.. .it works fine on most... 1 out of 7 failed (thank heavens for dual bios)
> 
> of coarse you can try a driver clean and/or uninstall any OC softwares


Huh thats an interesting concept why would it work if thinks its a new card?
i'll give your other suggestions a shot, repped up!


----------



## detrophy

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Guys for some reason my 7950 boost edition is not boosting to 925mhz but maxes out at 850mhz in game. I have increased power limit to 20% and tried using 550w and 1300w psu. When I try to Overclock it reverts to 2d clocks 300mhzpreviously was able to get 1165/1300mem stable


Use an older driver than 17.7.1. They are known to be the culprit with these kind of problems.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> Huh thats an interesting concept why would it work if thinks its a new card?
> i'll give your other suggestions a shot, repped up!


if it thinks it's a new card, it will reset all clocks and such back to whatever the bios default is that you put on the card... my son is running two "hacked" R9 280's lol... both are actually 7950's, but the driver treats them a little different and for some reason he claims it runs better as a pair of R9 280s instead of 7950's I don't know really, but I haven't noticed any bad come of it... have seen some benchmark evidence of it though.. but I think that's just down to mem timings or something


----------



## dmostwanted

hello guys. i have a problem with my msi 7950 twin frozer iii. the solution is to remove the d201 diode but i am not able to locate it. could someone help me to locate the diode on the card? thanks


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *detrophy*
> 
> Use an older driver than 17.7.1. They are known to be the culprit with these kind of problems.


TY repped up, btw congrats on 1st rep
Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> if it thinks it's a new card, it will reset all clocks and such back to whatever the bios default is that you put on the card... my son is running two "hacked" R9 280's lol... both are actually 7950's, but the driver treats them a little different and for some reason he claims it runs better as a pair of R9 280s instead of 7950's I don't know really, but I haven't noticed any bad come of it... have seen some benchmark evidence of it though.. but I think that's just down to mem timings or something


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> if it thinks it's a new card, it will reset all clocks and such back to whatever the bios default is that you put on the card... my son is running two "hacked" R9 280's lol... both are actually 7950's, but the driver treats them a little different and for some reason he claims it runs better as a pair of R9 280s instead of 7950's I don't know really, but I haven't noticed any bad come of it... have seen some benchmark evidence of it though.. but I think that's just down to mem timings or something


I just found out The r9 280 has clocks at 940 that's probably why the increase


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *diggiddi*
> 
> I just found out The r9 280 has clocks at 940 that's probably why the increase


I used the gigabyte windforce bios... it's clocks were the same as the one for the 7950 .....because I set them : ) I set his at 1ghz.... the factory bios default was 900 base 1ghz boost... but these cards can do 1.2ghz at the boost volts so I set 1.05v and 1ghz... just run too hot in crossfire for the 1.2ghz...


----------



## diggiddi

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> I used the gigabyte windforce bios... it's clocks were the same as the one for the 7950 .....because I set them : ) I set his at 1ghz.... the factory bios default was 900 base 1ghz boost... but these cards can do 1.2ghz at the boost volts so I set 1.05v and 1ghz... just run too hot in crossfire for the 1.2ghz...


Oh on a good day I could go to 1165 but it seems that day is gone, I am only able to run at 1150/1300 now using 17.6.1 driver
thanks to detrophy
I must say this cpu is breathing new life into the old girl, I was hitting 90+fps in Project cars


----------



## mus1mus

Wow guys!

I have some 280Xs doing 1100/1625 with power limit set to 135W+10%. Are the 7970s clock lower?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> Wow guys!
> 
> I have some 280Xs doing 1100/1625 with power limit set to 135W+10%. Are the 7970s clock lower?


at stock yes... but I have some 7950's that would hit just over 1200 core, but memory was slower...


----------



## mus1mus

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Minotaurtoo*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *mus1mus*
> 
> Wow guys!
> 
> I have some 280Xs doing 1100/1625 with power limit set to 135W+10%. Are the 7970s clock lower?
> 
> 
> 
> at stock yes... but I have some 7950's that would hit just over 1200 core, but memory was slower...
Click to expand...

Ahh... Interesting.

I have Tri-X Vapor that can only do 1500 Mem. I am thinking maybe something is bad on the timings and sutff.


----------



## xTechninja

He guys,

I just got 2 HD 7950 dual-x boost one was completely fine just made a little noise but a little oil worked wonders (wasn't completely necessary but yeah I always preference a little less noise if it doesn't impact performance). The other is a totally different story. It did boot at first but was in grey colours and at 640x480... Than it booted didn't boot and once it booted just normally and after that it wouldn't boot most of the time. I don't have a Mobo with 2pcie slots so it took me hours to get a stable boot and attempt to flash it but than I crashed again... Than I finally realized I have integrated graphics and I got the card flashed in minutes! Yes i'm a total noob in flashing cards and just forgot about Intel graphics (although Intel seems to have done the same lately XD). But now the card runs fine when drivers aren't installed though when I do instal drivers it will blackscreen at some point (never the same point). Even stranger is the fact that on a drive where the drivers are all ready installed it will work fine for some minutes and than randomly crash and give a blackscreen as output (I suppose it really is an output because the monitor keeps seeing it as an input). So know I'm clueless and turn to you guys if you may know the problem? Btw maybe a strange question but does anyone know what is the first/second bios on this card because it doesn't use a slider but a button. I'm not sure which bios I flashed though it seems like both got affected because one did not work at all before the flash and now both boot fine without drivers. The only other info I got is that I flashed the card with a bios from techpowerup and I flashed it will using the bios with the blue button light turned on. Does anyone have any idea what might be the problem ? Would flashing to a 280 help or older drivers? Any ideas? I did not use the same bios as on the other card but I might be able to try that tomorrow. The other one did work completely fine with the latest drivers installed.

Sorry for the long story just wrote as much possible relevant info down that might help. I hope someone could help me because I'm running out of ideas or would I better just give up because there is a good chance the card is broke (though functions completely normal without drivers or for a short period with them).

Thanks for any help/replays


----------



## inedenimadam

^ was the 'bad card' flashed by previous owner? I am confused as to why you would flash it. Certainly the best bios to flash (if the cards are the same) would be the bios from the matching card. You can use GPU-Z to pull the bios off of the working card.

I am going to guess that the card is toast, but you should still explore flashing the correct (same as other card) bios. Baking the card in the oven has been known to revive cards as a last resort.


----------



## xTechninja

Thanks for the replay.
Yea I flashen the card because it did not work andere did not see any other way to revive it. Would love to bake though the oven won't be useable after doing, so probably not the best plan. But do you have any Idea why i would run fine without divers?


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTechninja*
> 
> Thanks for the replay.
> Yea I flashen the card because it did not work andere did not see any other way to revive it. Would love to bake though the oven won't be useable after doing, so probably not the best plan. But do you have any Idea why i would run fine without divers?


Have you bench marked it without the drivers? are you sure that you are not reverting to iGPU when no driver is present? I am going to guess the drivers are trying to utilize part of the card that is not functioning, so not having the drivers installed doesn't call for it to be used.


----------



## xTechninja

I'n sure it's not the igpu because the cpu did not have a igpu. I Will try to bench it next time though.


----------



## inedenimadam

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *xTechninja*
> 
> I'n sure it's not the igpu because the cpu did not have a igpu. I Will try to bench it next time though.


It just sounds an awful lot like a goner. I have a 7970 that pretty much did the same thing. It got put in the dumpster not that long ago unfortunately. I could get to windows just fine, but if I was connected to the internet, W10 would install a driver and it would artifact and eventually the system would freeze or reboot to blackscreen. I chalked it up to a bad memory module because of the artifacting.


----------



## FlawleZ

Has anyone noticed a dramatic performance decrease with later driver versions? If I use 17.7 or 18.1 I get less than 50% the performance of say 16.7.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

Does anyone know why my replacement fans for my Dual-X HD 7950 do not spin? One of my fans dies so I ordered a pair from ebay. I change one of the fans and uses my older working one. They had slightly different model number but identical current and voltage rating. The old fan would ramp up fine but I had to keep forcing different fans speed to get the other fan to spin. When it did it was fine. I had to keep fan speed 70%. I though maybe different model are causing this so I put both the new fans in and same problem. They dont sping unless i force a very high speed. Could it be a bios problem.


----------



## diggiddi

I had the same issue but it was a bad fan connector on the card so I powered new fans from mobo with special vga to mobo cable I got off Amazon


----------



## RoyF

first of all i apologize for the newbie question

I have been having my his radeon 7950 ineqx2 boost clock for some time now  everything is great. Never OC it.
Lately new games give my card a hard time, do i decided to TRY to OC it until i upgrade it.

I would like some info from you guys on how to OC it. I never OCed a card before so i dont know what i am doing.
I would also like to stay away from voltage tweaking. can i?

Any guides and info useful are all welcomed.

thanks a lot.

**1080p resolution


----------



## diggiddi

RoyF said:


> first of all i apologize for the newbie question
> 
> I have been having my his radeon 7950 ineqx2 boost clock for some time now  everything is great. Never OC it.
> Lately new games give my card a hard time, do i decided to TRY to OC it until i upgrade it.
> 
> I would like some info from you guys on how to OC it. I never OCed a card before so i dont know what i am doing.
> I would also like to stay away from voltage tweaking. can i?
> 
> Any guides and info useful are all welcomed.
> 
> thanks a lot.
> 
> **1080p resolution


See post 6 in this thread for some overclocking tips
http://www.overclock.net/forum/67-amd-ati/1662401-need-recommendations.html


----------



## HoldYrPistlstr8

If one of my friends were to offer me a HD 7950 for $35, is that a steal?


----------



## diggiddi

yep


----------



## SavantStrike

HoldYrPistlstr8 said:


> If one of my friends were to offer me a HD 7950 for $35, is that a steal?


That's an absolute steal. The 7950 still compares favorably to the 1050 TI and RX 460. Right now they go for 100+ bucks.

The 7950 and 7970 were ahead of their time.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

SavantStrike said:


> That's an absolute steal. The 7950 still compares favorably to the 1050 TI and RX 460. Right now they go for 100+ bucks.
> 
> The 7950 and 7970 were ahead of their time.


My son still uses two cherry picked gigabyte windforce 7950's each hits over 1200mhz and in crossfire they do better than my fury x at 1080p!


----------



## HoldYrPistlstr8

It's actually the 7*8*50! I'm still guessing it's a fantastic value at that price, especially up from a HD 4870.


----------



## ZealotKi11er

HoldYrPistlstr8 said:


> It's actually the 7*8*50! I'm still guessing it's a fantastic value at that price, especially up from a HD 4870.


Still very good card. The only card that I do not recommend is less than 2GB and no driver support.


----------



## Dan1926

Hello guys, I have a Gigabyte 7950 and always oc'd it with Afterburner without any problems. Yesterday though I've updated drivers with the latest version (Adrenalin 18.3.4) and now I can't overclock the card anymore with AB, It seems that the voltage changes won't stick. Which driver version should I install? I can't remember which version I had before updating.


----------



## Minotaurtoo

on 7950's I always used bios oc...easier to bypass voltage and other limitations... and it sticks no matter what drivers you use (well... it did at least as long as I owned them) if you have known stable settings you can just put that in the bios and call it a day.. you may still have to re-install the drivers to get it to take because sometimes the drivers will over-ride the bios settings if drivers are installed before bios flash


----------



## Dan1926

Minotaurtoo said:


> on 7950's I always used bios oc...easier to bypass voltage and other limitations... and it sticks no matter what drivers you use (well... it did at least as long as I owned them) if you have known stable settings you can just put that in the bios and call it a day.. you may still have to re-install the drivers to get it to take because sometimes the drivers will over-ride the bios settings if drivers are installed before bios flash


Ok thanks! How can I overclock through the bios? Is there any tool for this purpose?
Is there anything I can use to replace AB in case I don't want to mess with BIOS?


----------



## Minotaurtoo

Dan1926 said:


> Ok thanks! How can I overclock through the bios? Is there any tool for this purpose?
> Is there anything I can use to replace AB in case I don't want to mess with BIOS?


never had much luck with AB to be honest seemed like every driver update bunged it up.... that's why back in 2012 I switched to bios editing  As for the tools to do the bios editing... the first thing you need is atiwinflash to actually flash the bios... gpu-z to get the bios off your card and the tahiti bios editor to do the editing... I have it all here somewhere, but to be honest it'd take an act of congress to search my 16 terabytes of drives to find it lol... I don't have a tahiti based card anymore either so I can't really do a good job of showing you... 

Here is the bios editor website: https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/vbe7-vbios-editor-for-radeon-hd-7000-series-cards.189089/

I think this is the version of winflash you'll need here: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/ati-winflash/

gpu z here: https://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/

be sure to save a copy of your original bios before playing with it : ) it's always nice to have a backup to look at... 

I was going to take screenshots of gpu z to show where the download bios button was... but I haven't installed it yet on this pc... anyway, it's on the default screen under the gpu card logo space... 

I'm not really good at giving directions, but if you read up on the tools I linked you'll know as much as I do lol... good luck:thumb:


----------



## ppn7

Hi

Can someone tell me if I need a shim to watercool an r9 280x ? I hear somewhere that it depend of the year of the GPU. Sometimes the DIE is down the shim. Sometimes they are at the same height. Sometimes the DiE is upper the shim. But I can't found these information 

Thank you


----------



## bburnham37

ppn7 said:


> Hi
> 
> Can someone tell me if I need a shim to watercool an r9 280x ? I hear somewhere that it depend of the year of the GPU. Sometimes the DIE is down the shim. Sometimes they are at the same height. Sometimes the DiE is upper the shim. But I can't found these information
> 
> Thank you


Yes, you will need a shim for the 280X.


----------



## LDV617

What games does your son play that support xFire? 

I tried using 2x 7950s for games like Rust, Pubg, CounterStrike, etc. but could never see a performance increase. I gave up and bought a used GTX 970 (I lucked out and got an unopened PNY card for $100 flat)


----------



## Pandabird

Still using my Asus ROG Matrix HD 7970 Platinum i bought back in early 2013 for like 300.

Noisy, power hungry and hot. But somehow my rig has managed to hang in there even when it comes to modern gaming. Sure, it doesn't run stuff on ultra, but it gets the job done.

Then i noticed the prices of modern GPU's. What the? Going to have to do some more research on what to do, but for now it looks i'm going to have to look into overclocking this thing and squeeze out another year from my rig.

But seriously what's with the prices? I thought mining doesn't cover the electrical bill, or has technology surpassed that limit?


----------



## Neoony

Pandabird said:


> Still using my Asus ROG Matrix HD 7970 Platinum i bought back in early 2013 for like 300.
> 
> Noisy, power hungry and hot. But somehow my rig has managed to hang in there even when it comes to modern gaming. Sure, it doesn't run stuff on ultra, but it gets the job done.
> 
> Then i noticed the prices of modern GPU's. What the? Going to have to do some more research on what to do, but for now it looks i'm going to have to look into overclocking this thing and squeeze out another year from my rig.
> 
> But seriously what's with the prices? I thought mining doesn't cover the electrical bill, or has technology surpassed that limit?


Same story here. 
Definitely waiting for the next new graphics, mostly because of the prices.


----------



## Pandabird

Neoony said:


> Same story here.
> Definitely waiting for the next new graphics, mostly because of the prices.


That most certainly seems like a good idea.

The performance gap does seem to shoot up a lot with the newer models. But in no way do i feel the price tag justifiable.
Got the stock 1100/6600 but read somewhere you can safely push it up towards 1200/7000 without cooling issues, perhaps gain a frame or two on that new far cry game i want to play


----------



## Sir Beregond

Pandabird said:


> But seriously what's with the prices? I thought mining doesn't cover the electrical bill, or has technology surpassed that limit?


Crypto exploded towards the end of 2017 (around Thanksgiving) before crashing hard in January and slowly rising (with ups and downs) since. Yeah miners are definitely a huge component of current pricing. And there are more than just Bitcoin or Ethereum to mine these days.


----------



## Pandabird

Sir Beregond said:


> Crypto exploded towards the end of 2017 (around Thanksgiving) before crashing hard in January and slowly rising (with ups and downs) since. Yeah miners are definitely a huge component of current pricing. And there are more than just Bitcoin or Ethereum to mine these days.


Will this mining trend change the way GPU's will be developed in the future? I mean all i want in a card is how efficiently it will render graphics for my gaming needs.
If this mining thingy utilizes the card in a different way with different priorities and we don't see model branching for those specs... It's only going to get worse because of supply and demand paving the way for future models.
Anyways i'm sorry for going a bit off topic, will find a more suitable thread for this discussion.

Anyways yeah my GPU has served me well, it's quite ridiculous really. If you have the same one i advice you to add extra heatsinks on the exposed 4 memory chips inside. This let me OC mine further without artifacting.


----------



## cdoublejj

i see the first page is a registry with sparse information. Just got one and running mafia 2's benchmark and letting it sit in "carcyclopedia" for a few hours and sent it to a high of 93c with the reference coolers. i'm assuming these reference coolers run hot. Does the RAM run hot or am i fine reusing the thermal pads?


----------



## huzzug

I don't remember reference coolers for the Tahiti being this hot. Have you reapplied the thermal paste, checked the mounting and the fans. It shouldn't run this hot.


----------



## cdoublejj

i de dusted with my big air compressor. i cleaned off the old paste, clear coated all the of the caps and resistors on the GPU core and liquid metaled it with a high of 89c, at full tilt air does come out of the back of the GPU, thought it is audible. maybe the fan is half dead? haven't used GPU-z to check ram temps.


----------



## Blameless

Sir Beregond said:


> Crypto exploded towards the end of 2017 (around Thanksgiving) before crashing hard in January and slowly rising (with ups and downs) since.


That was just the most recent cycle.

I used to have a half dozen 7950s, all purchased shortly after their release in early 2012, all for mining. That was over six years ago, and that was the second big spike in GPU mining demand. The current one simply gets noticed more because crypto is even bigger now and has combined with delayed product cycles and inflated DRAM prices to contribute to a broader GPU shortage.



Pandabird said:


> Will this mining trend change the way GPU's will be developed in the future?


Not likely.

Cryptocurrency PoW algorithims target mainstream commodity hardware for a reason: if it needs specialized hardware, it mostly defeats the original purpose (decentralization, primarily) of using PoW in the first place. Mining focused GPU SKUs have a niche, but they are just standard GPUs with custom firmware and less support hardware.

There is also big business in developing crypto algorithm ASICs (mostly to mine on them directly, often in secret, then dumping the hardware on consumers for even more profit), but these aren't GPUs, and GPUs won't target this market. GPU makers are also unlikely to target this niche directly since it's too far outside their business model and because of the nature of the competition. If they did target this market, it would be with a product independent from their GPU lines (though would be using the same manufacturing capacity, DRAM, and wafers most likely).



cdoublejj said:


> i de dusted with my big air compressor. i cleaned off the old paste, clear coated all the of the caps and resistors on the GPU core and liquid metaled it with a high of 89c, at full tilt air does come out of the back of the GPU, thought it is audible. maybe the fan is half dead? haven't used GPU-z to check ram temps.


Is this with the stock fan curve? By default these cards have a target temperature in the 90s C and the fan won't even ramp up much before then.

The cooler is not very good, mostly because of noise at higher fan speeds, but if the fan is allowed to ramp up, it should keep things acceptably cool.


----------



## cdoublejj

aahhh so my idea of downloading MSI Afterburner and setting fan profiles to no less than 35-40% ought to make the difference i'm looking for. will def give that a try. the fan seems to spin freely and smoothly from what i can tell when i flick it.


----------



## inedenimadam

Neoony said:


> Same story here.
> Definitely waiting for the next new graphics, mostly because of the prices.



Ugggggg


No kidding.


My ASUS DC2 is still kicking butt on my sons rig. Flawless 60fps on fortnite (his favorite right now). 



I miss the days of AMD on top with way under binned cards. Now we have next to no overclocking headroom, a million power states, and hardware voltage limits. Aaaaand you have to pay through the nose for it.


----------



## cdoublejj

my old HD4850 that this hd7970 is replacing is still kicking well but, it lacks DX 11. so it either runs a game well enough or not all. IT was interesting trying to explain to my brother that it wasn't the games fault but, the video card despite it working so well.


----------



## cdoublejj

EDIT: MSI After burner custom fan profile sure does get it loud but, boy did it massively cut temps!


----------



## cdoublejj

what kind of volts and speeds should i look at playing with now that i have this thing down in the 60s?


----------



## cdoublejj

what volts and speeds should be looking at tweaking to/with now that i have this thing down in the 60s?


----------



## inedenimadam

cdoublejj said:


> what volts and speeds should be looking at tweaking to/with now that i have this thing down in the 60s?



A good card will overclock 1200 on the core, 1600 mem. (depends on the memory type) 



1.3 is high as I ever went on voltage, but that was under water, so somewhere closer to 1.25 maybe on air?


----------



## BuranC

I still have an overclocked HD7950 (variant with the HD7970 PCB) , I flashed an R9 280 BIOS on it. It have a mild OC with 1,1 Ghz core and slighly OCed memory . It still running fine despite being almost 6 years old. It runs many games ok for [email protected] fps even this year, just tweaking down some options depending on the game. For some demanding new games it show some limitations but It is still working and I will maintain it while it works and the GPU prices stay so inflated. To the day it is the GPU served me better of all the GPUs I owned.

I have some questions about this legendary bang for the buck card:
- There is any advantadge on running a R9 280 BIOS instead of an original HD7950 one?
- Should I replace the stock TIM? It is Arctic MX-4 compound fine for it ?.
- There is any aesthetically fine way for a fan mod? Temps wise stock 75mm fans are fine, but they're too noisy at high RPM.

Greetings.


----------



## seriani

I have the AMD Radeon HD from 2012 and still works very well, I also read a reviews here technology news site that and said the best words


----------



## Minotaurtoo

I'm selling my old 7950's on ebay... both have R9 280 bios's on them, the only advantage to that is seeming memory timing related... a minor, but consistent improvement over the 7950 bios.... a link if anyone is interested: https://www.ebay.com/itm/273624013589 that is only for one of them... the other is in my items for sale... I don't know if this is against the "rules" to put this here, but I figure that given the disabled nature of the site now it's be ok to put this here instead of the normal places


----------



## tictoc

If there are any 7990/7970/7950 owners still lurking here, the OCN BOINC team is currently running the [email protected] project as our GPU Project of the Month for January. The MilkyWay project utilizes fp64 calculations, so these cards are still very relevant for the work that this project is doing. Link to the [email protected] homepage: https://milkyway.cs.rpi.edu/milkyway//index.php

If you want to help out the OCN team head on over to the BOINC section and check it out. :thumb: https://www.overclock.net/forum/365-overclock-net-boinc-team/


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## DopasaurousRex

hi i have a xfx core edition (single fan) variant of the card and was wondering if the bios hacks for it would work cause the voltage limit is locked. it can overclock so so but i think theres more potential in her and also i have it modded from its original single fan design to basically a double d version using a different gpu's bigger cooler and it doesnt get above 65 or so (70 if it gets hot in room) while gaming


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## forman313

DopasaurousRex said:


> hi i have a xfx core edition (single fan) variant of the card and was wondering if the bios hacks for it would work cause the voltage limit is locked. it can overclock so so but i think theres more potential in her and also i have it modded from its original single fan design to basically a double d version using a different gpu's bigger cooler and it doesnt get above 65 or so (70 if it gets hot in room) while gaming


Got a picture of your card? 

Does GPU-Z report VRM currents and actual voltages, or just speeds and VID?

The uP1608 voltage controller found on a lot of xfx 7950 lacks monitoring and proper voltage adjustment. BIOS editing is difficult and no other BIOS-files works. 
Hopefully you have the Chil controller. 


Reading this thread made me wanna squeeze some more performance out of the old POS XFX card. Non reference 7950 with unsupported vreg. 

Just mounted a Hydro H105 Extreme and im aiming for 1200 Mhz core. 
Had to make a spacer since the shim is a lot higher than the die. Had some silver lying around that only needed a few minutes with a file. Not pretty, but works like a charm. 
Im using liquid metal, so I was planning on adding a layer of insulation .. But couldnt find the liquid tape, so I just grabbed a spray can. Does metallic paint conduct electricity?
Only one way to find out. 
Everything flat and sanded down with 2000 grit. Applying liquid metal is a walk in the park after removing the oxide layer and possibly some turtle wax. Some people ....


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## DopasaurousRex

lol atleast u did a better job of modding the back plate then i did its a mess but i had to make sure there was enough room around the die for a dual fan cooler i pulled off a dead gpu i had and then used floral wire from a craft store to strap on 2 92mm fans that connect to the mobo headers. no it doesnt show vrm currents but does show vddc (0.959v at idle) and i use msi afterburner while gaming to watch the core and and memory to she how she acts but in the next few days im gonna get rid of the plate and put some heatsinks on the vrms to help cool it better. the fans can get up to 1800 rpms if needed for cooling and never gets above 61c when gaming for hrs on end


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## ChristianUshuaia

So it's been 9 years now. My old 7970s crossfire are retiring now that, new chip technologies are arriving and are awesome, outstanding and miraclous. Low consume, low heat, great performance. But I wont forget the great time spent with my AMDs 7970s, yeah crossfire issues were present but it didn't hesitate me on continuing gaming on. So as a memorial I'll put some pics here, sorry about that. *easy cheesy*.

I hope you enjoyed as much as I did with my cards. One just died last month. It could had been due overheating?, maybe a spill from the reservoir WC, not sure. I tried everything to revive it with negative results, so.... I bought a used ASUS ROG 7970 MATRIX PLATINUM XD. Oh my.... (For my collection).

Also got a good deal with a used AsRock VEGA 56 Phantom Gaming. I'll be updating that here so this post could still be alive in 2020-2021?. Sorry for my english is not my primary language. Cheers 7970s owners and lovers!!.


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## ChristianUshuaia

DopasaurousRex said:


> ...i have it modded from its original single fan design to basically a double d version using a different gpu's bigger cooler and it doesnt get above 65 or so (70 if it gets hot in room) while gaming...


I did the same thing with my 7970 XFX Core edition: replaced the stock cooler from a dead Sapphire Dual-X OC, its nice cooling solution I might say since the temps dropped drastically to 65 from 87 c degrees. And about bios I always doubt about doing this, but now I shall try it. My new Vega 56 is arriving, so I will have spare video cards if it fails. LOL.


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## mandrix

Guys, I recently resurrected two PowerColor reference design HD 7950's that have been sitting in the closet for years. I used to run EK waterblocks on each but only have one block now. Actually they have never even ran before without the waterblocks. So now of course they are running the stock single fan coolers.
It was a royal PITA to get the (latest legacy) drivers installed, and the AMD software runs sluggish but seems to work.

Anyway, I decided throw them on my Z170 Maximus ROG board secondary rig. Although I cleaned the cards thoroughly and reapplied TIM paste to the gpu, one of the cards is running about 10c hotter at idle. Here come the out of date, failing memory questions...

1) gpu1 is the hotter card. How do I determine which is "gpu1" or is it the one in the top x16 slot closest to the cpu?
I don't want to keep pulling both cards unnecessarily while I look to fix the problem.

2) Also the software has changed over the years...according to the AMD crossfire guide I should be able to go to "global settings" where they show a screen to enable crossfire, etc. Using the latest legacy drivers for Windows 10, I can't find any screen like that and certainly nothing about crossfire. But both gpu's do at least show up in the software. Maybe the guide is as out of date as I am, IDK as I remember nothing about settings from years ago anyway.

3) Lastly there is a two position switch next to the crossfire contacts. I do not remember anything about what the switch does.

Thanks so much for anyone willing to help.


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## tictoc

Congrats on resurrecting the 7950s. 

1.) It is pretty typical to have one GPU 10C hotter than the other on air. It is almost certainly the top card, depending on the PCIe slot spacing on your board. What happens when the cards are under load? Quick test would be to open up two instances of GPUz and run the render test on both cards. You should be able to feel the difference in temps coming out the rear exhaust.
2.) It has been about a year since I booted into Windows to bench a pair of Radeon VIIs, but there is a setting somewhere in Wattman to enable dual GPUs. I think it was called mGPU or something similar.
3.) The two position switch is a BIOS switch. I only have 7970s, but I think one position is "stock" and the other is some sort of boost BIOS on the 7950.


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## inedenimadam

It's been a while since I have run more than one card, but I ran 7970s for quite a while. I am pretty sure that GPU 1 is the second slot. The top slot would be GPU 0, and is definitely the one running hotter, because it's sucking hot air off the lower card. The switch next to the xfire fingers is a bios switch, some 7950s could flash to full 7970s, so it might be worth looking into for some potential good gains. I loved that generation of cards. Boost algorithms have taken all of the fun out of overclocking. I still have my 7970 DC2 that just loved water and would absolutely fly. I might have to bust it out again and check the caps.


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## mandrix

mandrix said:


> Guys, I recently resurrected two PowerColor reference design HD 7950's that have been sitting in the closet for years. I used to run EK waterblocks on each but only have one block now. Actually they have never even ran before without the waterblocks. So now of course they are running the stock single fan coolers.
> It was a royal PITA to get the (latest legacy) drivers installed, and the AMD software runs sluggish but seems to work.
> 
> Anyway, I decided throw them on my Z170 Maximus ROG board secondary rig. Although I cleaned the cards thoroughly and reapplied TIM paste to the gpu, one of the cards is running about 10c hotter at idle. Here come the out of date, failing memory questions...
> 
> 1) gpu1 is the hotter card. How do I determine which is "gpu1" or is it the one in the top x16 slot closest to the cpu?
> I don't want to keep pulling both cards unnecessarily while I look to fix the problem.
> 
> 2) Also the software has changed over the years...according to the AMD crossfire guide I should be able to go to "global settings" where they show a screen to enable crossfire, etc. Using the latest legacy drivers for Windows 10, I can't find any screen like that and certainly nothing about crossfire. But both gpu's do at least show up in the software. Maybe the guide is as out of date as I am, IDK as I remember nothing about settings from years ago anyway.
> 
> 3) Lastly there is a two position switch next to the crossfire contacts. I do not remember anything about what the switch does.
> 
> Thanks so much for anyone willing to help.


I finally got the Radeon software working after many wipes and reinstalls, and now able to see the crossfire settings.
Pretty much everything working except I still don't remember what that darn switch does.
I've got 3 working PowerColor HD 7950's. I'm going to add the 3rd one into my backup rig with the other two soon as I can change the w/c tubing around.


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## mandrix

mandrix said:


> I finally got the Radeon software working after many wipes and reinstalls, and now able to see the crossfire settings.
> Pretty much everything working except I still don't remember what that darn switch does.
> I've got 3 working PowerColor HD 7950's. I'm going to add the 3rd one into my backup rig with the other two soon as I can change the w/c tubing around.


Thanks guys for posting up, I missed the posts somehow. After not being around here much for a long time it seems nothing is as I remember it.
But all is working good so I'll try out the switches and see if any difference. The cards are actually running cooler now, I slipped into Afterburner and adjusted the fans to kick in harder a little sooner. Gonna try those triple 7950's soon I just need to probably remove the asus panel plug in thingie on the mobo to make room for the 3rd card. Wishing now I hadn't sold that other water block on here years ago! But who knew card prices would go to the moon.


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## mandrix

Here is my three PowerColor 7950's. I cleaned the cards up with WD40 & electrical contact cleaner which revived the two that sat in my closet for years. Who knew that's all they needed?? I enjoyed running two at a time with the EK blocks back in the day, my one and only foray into multiple gpu's. I only have one EK block now. They are all boxed up and back in the closet. I'm thinking about selling the lot along with the remaining water block to make room in my overcrowded closet. Running out of room for spare parts and, um clothes.


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## u3b3rg33k

Now's the time if you want to get a premium for them.


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## mandrix

Feel free to PM me with any price suggestions!


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## TheBloodEagle

Hey guys, I bought a used HD 7990 a while ago. But only recently tried it. The fans for some reason won't turn on. One fan was broken. But it worked and showed up fine. I opened it up to clean it because it was pretty disgusting. I cleaned it, replaced the fan. Fans still don't turn on. I take it out again but I accidently moved the little switch after rechecking and now it doesn't show up at all in either position, no matter what I do. What do I do?


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## mandrix

TheBloodEagle said:


> Hey guys, I bought a used HD 7990 a while ago. But only recently tried it. The fans for some reason won't turn on. One fan was broken. But it worked and showed up fine. I opened it up to clean it because it was pretty disgusting. I cleaned it, replaced the fan. Fans still don't turn on. I take it out again but I accidently moved the little switch after rechecking and now it doesn't show up at all in either position, no matter what I do. What do I do?


I can't speak to your specific problem. But I revived several "dead" 7950's and a 390x by hosing the boards down good with WD40. I wouldn't spray into a fan probably, only because if there's any lubricant you'll wash it out. You can spray the stuff in connectors and it should not cause any problems. Alternatively I use the non-oil electrical contact cleaner sometimes on connectors that are full of crud since it evaporates. What we used to call "tuner cleaner".


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